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====== The Legend of Sandoria ======

"The Congregation of the Wizards of Sandoria is now in session."
spoke the High Wizard who was standing before  his eleven brothers
and sisters.

Each of these fine wizards were selected from among the most extraordinary 
masters of the arts in the world.  Each had there own specific
talents in an area which others of the council lacked.  Whether it
was being able to makes objects float longer or being able to create
new and different spells that create desired effects, each was chosen
for their abilities alone.

These wizards were elected by the existing members who sat on the council
at the time of their induction.  This honor was sought by many
aspiring wizards around the world.  Election to a seat on the
Sandorian Council meant a life of service to the city.  If a wizards
position became "open", then it would be filled as soon as
possible by the remaining wizards.

"The first order of business is to discuss what should be done with the
thieves' guild," the High Wizard addressed the seated members,
"I believe Kantor would like to have the floor in order to
detail our perception of the situation."

A dark haired man with a thick black beard rose from his seat.  He was
dressed in lavishly adorned robes of deep blue.  He had an air of a
noble and seemed to demand respect with each word that left his lips.

"When we last met, the thieves' guild was rapidly rising.  Now the guild is
out of control.  Something must be done to control these riots.  We
must come to a decision immediately so that we can insure the safety
of Sandoria."

Kantor seated himself and the High Wizard rose from his high-backed chair.
Zartan, the High Wizard had been around since long before even the
eldest of the Sandorians.  His long white beard and his wrinkled face
were to the assumption that he must have been thousands of years old.

"I believe that we should come up with some effective ideas to stop the
rampage of the thievery in Sandoria.  Does anyone have any
suggestions?" asked Zartan.  He scanned his audience and waited
for a response.  Several of the older wizards conversed; as did the
younger ones.

"I suggest that one of us disguise himself as a thief and work their way
through their network and dispose of the guildmaster as quickly as
possible." demanded Serrin, one of the few younger mages.

"Well, it sounds reasonable enough to me," stated Kantor, "But who
will be willing to do it?"

"I had our friend Danolin in mind, who has some of the best
characteristics of a thief, including his dark hair and slim, agile
figure." commented Serrin.

"Do you accept, Danolin?" asked the young mage.

"I accept it with honor."

"Then you are to begin immediately." spoke the High Wizard.

There was a slight pause as the High Wizard rose once again and began to
speak.

"With the activity of the Army of the Dead getting increasingly closer,"
spoke the High Wizard with renewed vigor, "we must choose some
course of action.  We spoke briefly about it during the last session
but our two companions, Jared and Badle could not keep themselves
calm enough to actually discuss the matter thoroughly."

Badle, a young, scrawny mage sent a glare as sharp and as true as an arrow
toward his rival.  Jared accepted this and returned one in Badle's
direction with as much intensity as the puny mage's.

Badle had always been envious of Jared's uncanny ability to design and
successfully cast many new spells not even dreamed of before by
wizards as old as even Zartan himself.  As classmates in Sandoria's
School of Wizards, Jared graduated first and Badle followed him in a
close second.  This defeat angered Badle greatly for he had always
hoped to finish first when he graduated.  Badle had sworn to himself
that he would never again let Jared outdo him in anything that either
of them did.

He was not about to let that happen now.

He had a plan that would not fail him if the vote did not go his own way.

"Now if we may continue our discussion-"

"Your Honor-"Badle began in an attempt to regain his honor and
integrity.

"Quiet, Badle!" scorned the High Wizard.

"The Black Army is obviously moving in the direction of the city,"
stated the old wizard, "Our two probable courses of action lie
in the suggestion proposed by Badle and Jared.  Jared wishes to form
an army to be sent to dispatch these horrible abominations of nature
sent forth by Goloru.  Badle would like for us to stand our ground
and build up our defenses in order to allow us to have the advantage
of familiar territory."

"Now Badle, you may speak your mind on the issue. Please enlighten us to
the details of your tactics." spoke Zartan.

Badle rose from his seat at the table and cleared his throat in a dignified
manner.  He began to walk around the table.

"My personal opinion is that we remain where we are rather than send our
troops into the thralls of battle to get slaughtered.  We will have
the upper  in our battle against these demonic forces." spoke
Badle.

Expressions on the faces of the rest of the congregation showed that they
respected  him  and understood the wisdom of his words.

"I believe that this is the way our action should be taken," urged
Badle, "If we do not, I fear that all will be lost."  Badle
seated himself and watched as the others judged his words.

Zartan rose from his seat again.

"It is your turn Jared."

Jared stood up immediately, ready to explain his own ideas.

"Fellow Wizards, the Evil Army is coming. I agree with Badle that we must be
ready for this great battle, but we must strike first instead
of letting them come to us.  I fear that if we let them come to us,
then our defenses will crumble easily.  What good is man power if
they troops sit waiting for their comrades to fall so that they might
take their place? They must go into battle in order to destroy the
evil minions of Goloru before they actually get to the city."

Jared sat down as quickly as he stood up.

"Let us take a vote" declared Zartan.  The High Wizard called the
vote and as he called each name, the corresponding wizard would
declare his vote.

The first three votes were of the older wizards.  Each of them voted
on the side of Badle.  Four of the next five voted on Jared's side. 
Badle voted for his own beliefs, the wizard, Zartan, voted for
Jared's.  Badle's friend, Serrin, voted for Badle, and Jared voted
for his own beliefs as well.

"Six votes for each.  We will adjourn now for two days to see what
develops in our situation.  Good day," spoke Zartan.

----

"What should we do, Badle?" asked Serrin.  Badle's blond, faithful,
friend.

"We must figure out a way to break the tie" stated Badle with
authority.  "We must eliminate Jared, the source of our
opposition."

"How?" asked Serrin, genuinely confused.

"We shall conduct a duel," stated Badle bluntly.

"But -" Serrin was about to mention Jared's power in the arts.

"But nothing.  I know Jared is my better, but I've been working on a new
spell.  It will destroy Jared and we will be known for saving the
city from Goloru's Army of Dead.

----

There was a knock at the old wooden door at the base of the tower.  Jared
was able to hear it in his lab at the top of the tower because of an
enchantment he had bestowed upon the door.

"Who may I ask beckons me?" inquired the young master of the tower.

"It is I, Badle," answered a voice.

"What is it you have come for?  A particular enchantment?" asked Jared
clearly trying to coax an answer out of his rival.

"No, fool!" Badle spat."  I have come to challenge you to a
wizard's duel."

"Hah! You would surely lose -" began Jared.

"Do you accept?!" the angered Badle stormed.

"Of course.  As you wish."  Jared replied with a smile on his face -
a face which Badle could not see.

"When and where shall we meet?" asked Jared.

"Six this evening on Asdara's Ridge," replied Badle.

Serrin wondered to himself what each of these young wizards had up their
sleeves.  He knew Badle must have a special "treat" in
store for Jared.  For Serrin knew that Badle had no hope of besting
Jared without some sort of help.  He also knew that one of Jared's
specialties was his ability to invent and twist spells to his own
design.

----

At six that evening, Badle stood alone on Asdara's Ridge.  A figure
appeared across the ridge.  Jared was dressed in his normal maroon
robes adorned with silver runes, which gave him several protections
and wards.

Badle began chanting and enacted a few wards of his own.  Before Badle
could react though, Jared had opened a gate between planes of
existence, bringing forth a pack of wolves, which were preparing to
attack.

Badle brought forth a pair of trolls, which were waiting to devour the
large timber wolves.  Before the trolls were able to reach the
wolves, Jared tossed a quick bolt of lighting toward one of them.

The troll vanished taking the full blow of the bolt.  Badle cursed his
luck and began concentrating on a new spell.  He focused his
thoughts, knowing that every move he made would decide his fate-life
or death.

Badle channeled all his thoughts into this one spell.  He lowered his head
and put his thumbs together and stretched his arms out toward his
opponent.  His hands glowed bright red and radiated quite a bit of
heat.  He unleashed the fireball at a fantastic speed, but as he
unleashed it, Jared cast a spell, which kept the deadly flames at bay
- a wall of thorns took the fire and it disintegrated instantly.

The timber wolves closed in again for a second time, but were accompanied
this time by a set of animated skeleton bones.  Badle was ready with
two trolls -- the one that died was regenerated.

Before they attacked the trolls, Jared cast another spell.  This spell
killed all the creatures.  He then cast a carefully aimed fireball
directed straight toward Badle.


----

Serrin watched the spectacle from Badle's side.  He watched as Badle's
creatures were destroyed easily and saw Jared prepare his fireball
for launch.

Badle's hidden companion sprang from his vantage point and began preparing a
spell to counter the fireball.  He clasped his hands and suddenly a
blue ball appeared in his hands.  He pushed it with his mind toward
the fireball.

It worked!

Jared noticed that his opponent was not alone.  This did not hinder his
thought process though.  Once again, he cast a fireball.  As it
hurled toward Badle it suddenly forked.  Half sped toward Serrin and
the other half toward Badle.

----

In the distance, dark was approaching.  The forest right outside
Sandoria seemed to move toward the city.  The evil tell-tale glow of
eyes in the infrared spectrum were approaching slowly, yet they
didn't seem to tire.

Goloru's Army of Dead was on the march.

----

Jared noticed that the night was approaching quickly.  Neither Badle nor
Serrin were prepared to block the last fireball.  Badle opened an
interplanar door and brought forth a demon straight from the depths
of hell.

Badle knew it was risky to bring forth a denizen that was this powerful but
his new spell was sure to link his mind to the demon so well that it
would seem as if he were in the demons body and were moving it as if
it were his own.

The demon pulled and tugged at Badle's consciousness.  Badle was prepared
to destroy his archrival with his new toy.  Now, though Jarred
decided to bring forth a powerful demon of his own.  He was prepared
as well.

----

The army moved tirelessly forward.  It moved beyond the forest, which was
completely black to a not so dark open plan.  It saw its target now.
It was prepared to strike.  In each of the minds of the members of
this horenduos army Goloru's plans turned over and over in their
minds:  Destroy the city at any cost; even if it means your worthless
lives.

----

Jared had brought his minion from hell under control.  He was able to watch
as Badle struggled to bring his demon under control.  An unsuccessful
attempt would surely kill him for the demon would turn against him
because Badle had summoned him.

Jared noticed Serrin was welding the demon as Badle concentrated on it.
Jared decided it would be best to dispose of Serrin now before he
decided to unleash something deadly upon him.

Jared put his arm out horizontal and pointed a finger directly at Serrin.
His finger unleashed two quick lightning bolts.  They struck their
target and Badle had time enough to see that Serrin had been struck
dead.


----

Jared saw the army approaching from the forest.  He knew that he would have
to end this duel quickly in order to send out the troops to battle
the villains.

Badle saw it as well, but he lost his grip on his concentration.  The
demon's mind fought back for its own control.

Suddenly, Badle's demon moved forward toward Jared.  Jared's minion stepped in
its way though and Jared's punched the demon squarely in the nose.

This evidently let Badle gain full control of the demon, because it arose
to battle Jared's evil minion.

Jared concentrated and made his do exactly what he wanted it to.  Badle was
suddenly hit in his mind by the evil being's mind, which he had
controlled.  Badle grasped his head and screamed.

Jared felt sorry for him, but the city needed help now.  He started to
leave to let Badle's demon destroy its master, but at that same
moment, Badle released a gigantic fireball.  Jared was truly
surprised.

Jared knew that something must be done.  Almost without thinking, Jared
cast a spell of his own.  This force field sent the ball straight
back toward Badle.

The wizard fell to the ground charred and disfigured.  A planar door
opens and the summoned demon was sent back to its own plane of
existence.

Jared decided he should get to the council hall as soon as possible.  He
uttered a few quick words and then there was no one on the ridge.

----

Goloru sat on his throne laughing as he watched his army approach its
appointed destination through a pool of murky water, which had been
enchanted by some dweomer or another.

His emotions heightened with each step his dark knights, skeletons and
hordes of goblins took.  soon he would have the city, if it's walls
survived the attack.

----

In the council hall, Zartan was delivering a state of emergency address
to the other eight members.  There seemed to be a genuine fear in his
voice.

Suddenly, as quick as he had vanished, Jared reappeared in his seat.  He seemed
to act as if nothing had happened.

"I don't think Badle or Serrin will be coming," stated Jared
bluntly.

"Alright, we'll discuss this later.  Shall we vote again?"

The remaining wizards voted to send out troops.  The call came and every
knight, soldier and wizard were out to their battle stations or
preparing to march.

----

Goloru watched the pitiful humans gather their defenses and prepare their
forces gathering at the gates of Sandoria.  He laughed as their
gorgeous steeds and pikemen lined up for their seemingly pointless
march to meet his army of destruction.  Their lives meant nothing to
him.  The humans wouldn't make good slaves anyway.

----

Wave upon wave of soldiers armed and equipped, charged to the fields.  The
evil hordes ravaged the Sandorian troops with ease.  Scores of
Sandorian soldiers littered the field already, as well as many
minions of the evil Goloru.

Each of the remaining wizards joined in powerful spell casting.  Every one
of them knew that enchantments upon the soldier's would improve their
chances of survival.

Jared knew that Sandoria needed more than survival.  They needed to crush
the Goloruvian Army of Dead.  He had an idea, but it would be hard to
accomplish the task.

----

As the battle staggered on, Sandoria was faring much better than many
had hoped.  Still, many men and women alike were falling to the
claws, swords and other wickedly edged weapons of Goloru's followers.

The numbers of Goloru's forces were clearly greater than his normal
assaults.  Onlookers were sickened by the fact that their friends,
neighbors and family were being slashed and hacked at mercilessly by
the army.  There were several bodies in particular, which died in
mid-scream and had horrible expressions upon their faces.  Those that
had fallen were accepted to be dead based on the types of creatures
that they were fighting, and were just trampled over in the forward
movements of their still standing companions.

----

Every remaining wizard on the council was seated at the council table.
Jared sat at the head of the table instead of the High Wizard,
Zartan.

"I think that with all of our combined concentration and power, we
should be able to open a great fissure in the battlefield, swallowing
up the Great Undead Army." spoke Jared confidently.

"Wouldn't it also bring down the rest of our troops as well?" asked Kantor

"Well, yes it would," Jared replied flatly.

"But, you  see, it would be better for the rest of us.  I believe that the
soldiers would sacrifice themselves for their wives and children,"
said the anxious Jared.

"Let us vote," urged Zartan, "Time is pressed."

The vote was unanimous and the chanting began as they focused on the once
serene lands outside the city.  The sky darkened considerably.  The
wizards saw this darkening in their minds eye.  The Sandorian troops,
as well as, the Goloruvian minions stopped for a moment, but
immediately began anew in their attacks.

The Sandorians were weakening and Goloru pushed his soldiers to their
limits to press harder on their defenses.  Soon they would buckle.

The battlefield became pitch.  This helped the Goloruvians considerably
for they could see well in the dark with the use of infrared vision,
which Goloru had enchanted each creature with, if it didn't have it
already.

Each combatant stepped once again as the ground that was the battlefield
trembled slightly and then cracked open to swallow the whole of the
two armies.

Screams weren't heard for the deafening sound of the shifting of the earth.
A warm glow lit the crust of the earth from the depths of the pit.
After everything was swallowed into it's depths, the great fissure
closed leaving the battlefield as it was before it arrived, devoid of
bodies or weapons.

----

A sigh of relief erupted from each and every mouth of the wizards.
They had won!  Happy chatter and congratulations were exchanged.
Each of them exited the council meeting chamber to announce to the
remaining Sandorians what had happened.

----

The clouds lightened and everything in the battlefield was now
illuminated by the moon.  It seemed so serene, so peaceful to anyone
on a midnight stroll.

A sharply clawed hand shot up from the ground.  Then another, and
another.  The Undead Army of Goloru raised itself from the ground and
continued their march from where they were.

----

Inside the city walls of Sandoria the remaining men, the women, and the
children were all gathered in the main square.  The mass of people
were shouting many things at the  High Council of Sandorian Wizards.

"Why didn't you consult the people before letting our family charge into
the jaws of Death?" one man called.

The crowed echoed him with their concerns.

"I'm sorry citizens of Sandoria," said Zartan, "we can grow
peacefully as we once did before Goloru-."

The walls of the city creaked and began to crack.  Small winged creatures
began flowing into the square where the remaining Sandorians stood.

The imp-like creatures clawed and raked at the wizards and the rest.  The
walls began to fall inward.  The many denizens began to ravage the
citizens and slaughtered mercilessly as they now gone warriors of
Sandorian.

----

Jared's last thought was that maybe they were doomed either way.