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Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter 13 A Turn for the Worse

We’re sitting outside the steps of Lumbridge Castle and comparing Friends Lists. With his superior counting skills, Hamlet concludes we have fifty-four noobs at our command.

“How many noobs would we get each?” I mutter sounding almost as if we were dividing cookies. I like cookies. “Do you guys like cookies?"

*What are cookies?” Cheesecracker raises an eyebrow in a manner that asks are-you-still-sane? I do wonder if I am a sane little nooblet. Nooo-blet. Still love the sound of that word.

“I’m not sure, but I remember I like them,” I murmur. Hamlet and Cheesecracker exchange confused glances. “Anyway…if each of us will command one unit--”

“Eighteen noobs per unit,” Hamlet answers before I can finish the question. Wow, he’s good at math.

“That’s a manageable number though the level thirties will complain about being led by low-levels.” Cheesecracker reflectively picks a piece of grass from the Lumbridge Castle lawn and chews on it. He spits the grass out a moment later. His eyes have widened in horror.

Hamlet and I are facing towards the Lumbridge Castle, so whatever menace is currently making Cheesecracker speechless is not from the castle.

“YOU!” The one word is filled with complete dread, and I know it’s Lord Luxon. I whip around to stare at the high level. Hamlet does too…more cautiously as if the high level’s stare would make him drop dead.

“Me,” Lord Luxon purrs. His black eyes glimmer with amusement. “Me and the rest of my humble crew.” He gestures to Wolfbane, Voldmort and fourteen other level sixties. They number seventeen. We’re fifty-seven strong. So why do I feel scared? Gah…the other fifty-four aren’t currently with us. Even so, Luxon and his gang couldn’t touch us.

“So,” I begin boldly, “how are your operations in the wild?”

23-Aug-2010 02:37:03

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“They’re thriving,” replies Luxon with a startling bow. “I thank you for asking. You’re such a polite noob. I’m so sorry we’ll have to slaughter you and the rest of your friends."

"What makes you think we’re going to fight you?” I mutter. No element of surprise now.

“We’re not blind, and Fireheart is not famous for her discretion.” Wolfbane is running his fingers along the rune scimitar clutched in his hand. Well, so long as he doesn't bury it in one of us…

“Do you truly believe an army of noobs can take us on?” The creepy high level laughs. To himself mostly. Wolfbane and the other sixties look as freaked out as I feel.

“I do,” Cheesecracker growls. “We’ll destroy each and every one of you!”

The sixties behind the level one-hundred-and-twenty-six look amused. Lord Luxon, however, has lost his smile. “Destroy us? You three alone?”

“There are more of us!” Abruptly, Cheesecracker is shut up as Hamlet slaps a hand across Cheesecracker’s mouth.

For some reason, my insides are telling me something is wrong. Why would Lord Luxon come all the way to Lumbridge to taunt us? He could have sent just Wolfbane or Voldmort, who is currently wielding an enormous, rune two-hand sword.

“Why are you here?” I ask Lord Luxon. All my fear of him is drowned out by another fear.

“I’ve come to show how hopeless your mission is and to break the peace in Lumbridge.” Lord Luxon smiles and then gestures for one of the sixties to step forward. “Griswold, give them a taste of the change.”

We are frozen in place as Griswold slashes violently at Cheesecracker. I close my eyes. Saradomin can handle this. I can’t. I’m just a noob! A cry of pain forces my eyes open. Where Cheesecracker once stood is a pile of bones. Terrified now, Hamlet backs away and knocks into me.

“You killed him.” They can touch us now. "Is it the same in Varrock? In Falador?” Then Fireheart and Redseed are in danger.

23-Aug-2010 02:38:23

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Only Lumbridge has undergone the change,” Lord Luxon assures me. “Varrock and Falador are both much harder to corrupt.”

GRR! I search the crowd watching this spectacle for Cheesecracker. After he died, he should have come back here. “Where is he?”

“Your friend?” Griswold sneers. “He’s in the wild.”

With a fake gasp, Lord Luxon nudges the leering level sixty-something. “Griswold, you gave it away! Let me just clarify. The new re-spawn location is in the wilderness…at least for those killed in Lumbridge.”

“Straight into the cages that hold noobs,” Voldmort adds. “We’ll need to expand the dungeons, won’t we, my lord?”

Lord Luxon nods and then puts on a cold smile for me. “Now, Freak, I should kill you here and now, but I do want to see how you and your army fare against us. It should be…what’s the word, Wolfbane?”

“Fun?” he offers.

“No, not quite.” Luxon is pretending to frown. Hamlet, who’s dead quiet, has a hold on my arm. His eyes are burning with anger, but of course, he knows (like I do) that we can’t do anything until we get out of Lumbridge.

“Funny?” continues Wolfbane.

Lord Luxon shakes his head. “Almost…”

“Amusing,” I put in. Of course. He enjoys suffering, doesn’t he?

Clapping his hands with delight, Lord Luxon then pulls me over to hug me. GAAAH! “You are a smart, little noob, aren’t you? You’ll grow up with a smart mouth.”

“Sure,” I agree weakly. He’s squeezing me too tight, and his entire body radiates cold like ice. Dang, he’s strong!

“Don’t touch him!” cries Hamlet, and he narrowly ducks a swipe from Wolfbane’s scimitar.

In any case, Lord Luxon does release me. I feel numb. Indifferent to my trembling, Lord Luxon sighs. “You see, my friends, what good affection does? I try to be the tiniest bit friendly, and I have people yelling at me. Come along, my friends; we have work to do. Farewell, Freak.”

23-Aug-2010 02:39:42

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
I nod briefly at the high level before he struts away with his “friends.” They’re more his lackeys than friends. “Hamlet, we have to get every Runescapian out of Lumbridge.”

“They’re not going to listen,” he says.

“Then we take our noobs and whoever agrees out of Lumbridge. To Varrock.”

“What about Cheesecracker?” Hamlet’s eyes reflect a frightening sadness.

“He’ll get back somehow.” Desperately, I pull out my Friends list. I type in a message to Cheesecracker: “Where are you?”

The answer surprises me and gives me hope. “I’ve just escaped the stupid prison out in the wild (by the looks of it). Got to run. Can’t talk.”

“He out’s of the prison,” I sigh in relief. Hamlet jostles me a bit as he struggles to see the screen.

“May I?” Hamlet holds out his hand for the Friends list, and once it’s in his hand, he types in: “Head south.”

A crabby message returns. “I know. I’m not a complete noob.”

I would be offended, but I can’t be. “I need to check something.” I leave Hamlet to message Cheesecracker and find the church. I must have gasped out loud because the robot woman near the church asks, “Are you okay?”

OKAY? NO, I’m NOT okay. The stone that makes up the church is now charred black. On the door are evil-looking symbols. I’m afraid to enter it, but I do anyway. The inside is worse. The pews look rotted, and on the altar lies a blood-red cloth. Also on the altar is a jug of wine.

I creep towards the jug and try to pick it up. AAAH! Everything tingles painfully as I’m zapped by some force.

“STOP STEALING MY WINE! GAH!” yells an unfamiliar voice.

Though my entire body is sore, I manage to look up as brisk footsteps come my way. A bald-headed, red-eyed, red-robed monk is staring at me with hostility. “Touch the wine again, and I’ll kill you. My master will not tolerate fools that try to snatch his wine.”

“He can guard his own wine,” I reply with a wince. “He doesn’t need you. By the way, who are you?”

23-Aug-2010 02:40:53

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“I’m the monk of Zamorak who was imprisoned in Varrock Palace for all those years. Idiots. I knew I would escape one day and make every single one of them suffer!” growls the obviously deranged monk. The monk of Zamorak!

“Lord Luxon freed you,” I mutter, and the monk looks sheepish for a moment.

“Yes, but he has promised that those who imprisoned me shall suffer. In addition, I get this place.” The monk smiles. Yup, he must be real proud of his dark, dank shrine.

“Where’s Father Aereck?” I can’t help the question as I realize that the priest’s beloved organ is smashed beyond recognition. It looks like a pile of firewood now.

"Upstairs. Strung to the bell.”

“You mean you hanged him?!” I ask in horror. NO! A harmless, old man! He can’t have!

“No, he’s tied up next to the bell.” The monk shrugs and then kneels in front of the altar. He’s muttering a prayer, and so I slip upstairs.

I climb up another ladder to find a pale, emaciated Father Aereck lying beside an enormous bell. My fingers itch to ring the bell, but my head reminds my naughty fingers that there are more pressing issues at hand (no pun intended).

“Father?”

“You.” His silver eyes open briefly. Pain beyond pain in those eyes makes me want to bawl. “They smashed her, and then they took over Saradomin’s holy church. My church…”

“We’ll get the church back,” I vow. “Somehow.”

“It’s too late. The darkness is spreading. Zamorak’s Chosen One has no one to oppose him. My lad, Saradomin has no Chosen One.”

I tremble with frustration. NO! NO! It has to be Fireheart! Or someone! “We’re opposing him! We’re fighting him!”

“Lad, what was your name again?” The priest’s question strikes me as random, but I answer anyway.

“Freak449. Call me Freak.”

“Well, Freak. I am glad you haven’t lost hope, but it would be BEST to give up such false hope.” The priest closes his eyes. He tugs at the chain binding him to the bell. “Saradomin’s presence in Lumbridge is gone. There is no hope.”

23-Aug-2010 02:42:00

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“It’s just a turn for the worse,” I protest. “We’ll fix it.”

“We? What we?” I swear the priest just snarled.

“Me. Hamlet. Cheesecracker. Dawn. Fireheart. Redseed. We.”

“Give up hope!” In a burst of random strength, Father Aereck sits up enough to put his hands around my throat. “I’ll kill you, Freak, before Luxon lays a hand on you!”

A glimmer of red in the priest’s eyes makes me shove him away. Me shoving an old man! “You’re not you, Father.”

With a sob, Father Aereck slumps back onto the floor. “You’re right. The darkness is taking me over too. Go, Freak, before it affects you as well.”

I’m about to take his advice gladly and then pause to look at the manacles binding the priest. I can’t leave the old bloke here. While I hesitate, Father Aereck looks back at me. The red in his irises has returned.

“Go, fool! Run! Build up your army! There is nothing you can do against the power of Zamorak!” The hissing voice does not belong to Father Aereck. If I’m not mistaken, Zamorak was speaking through the old guy. Talk about bizarre. My feet had me out of there before I could make a move to free the priest.

The moment I step out of the church I crash into Hamlet. His lips tilt upward in an attempted smile. “This church doesn’t belong to Saradomin anymore, does it?”

“No. We have to get to Varrock.” I almost jump when I realize our army is standing behind Hamlet. “Listen, all of you, Lumbridge is no longer safe! Persuade your friends to come with us to Varrock! They don’t need to fight, but for their sakes, persuade them to come. We’ll meet by the Lumbridge General store in an hour.”

They all nod and scurry off. I sit on the front steps of old Lumbridge Castle and glance at the sky. It's darker now, and for some reason, I don’t think it’s going to rain. The trees in Lumbridge courtyard are suddenly dead trees.

“Hey, you two!”

The familiar shout forces my eyes away from the sky.

23-Aug-2010 02:42:53 - Last edited on 23-Nov-2010 19:07:47 by Dawn719

Dawn719

Dawn719

Posts: 111 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“The journey was terrible, but at least, I’m here. I need to replace my boots.”

Same old Cheesecracker. I can see Hamlet’s gotten emotional.

“Hamlet, give me five!” With a cheerful grin, Cheesecracker offers his palm to Hamlet.

“Five what? Five gps?” Hamlet suddenly becomes gruff. “Well, I’m darn glad to see you, but it doesn’t mean I’ll pay you.”

“Fine!” snaps Cheesecracker in mock annoyance. “Freak, you give me five!”

Indulgently, I slap my palm against his. “We’re leaving Lumbridge.”

The news doesn’t surprise Cheesecracker. “Figured. Where are we going?”

“Varrock. Then we’ll train.” I exhale to calm myself. What if by the time we got to Varrock, Lord Luxon had taken over too? No. He can’t. No use thinking negatively.

“Sounds good to me.” Despite being killed, Cheesecracker hasn’t lost an ounce of his arrogance. That’s a relief because we couldn’t afford to be disheartened by death. I had a feeling we’d be facing death soon.

~End of Chapter 13~ (more than half way through! :) )

23-Aug-2010 02:44:06

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