The Fast Tortoise, chapters monday!

[CharacterDesigner]

Hey guys decided to make a new thread to better organise everything and stuff and also this will be were ill be uploading chapters every monday!
Im putting up chapters prologue to 5 now so as to keep in line with all my other sites that it's on! Please Crit it if you can, even if you thing it sucks, tell me haha. And if you enjoy it, share it, like it and spread the word :D

Enjoy!

[CharacterDesigner]

Prologue

This is a tale, a tale about dreams, determination and will. It is the story of one Tortoise who single handily set off a series of events that would inspire all others after him, a tortoise who shows that your dreams are never impossible, all you have to do, is BELIEVE. I am here to tell this young tortoiseâEUTMs tale, a tale of ups and downs, of happiness and sadness, but most importantly a tale of courage and hope.

This young tortoiseâEUTMs name was Tort.

I guess for you to understand his actions, what made him face all those perils and danger you need to understand where he was from.

Along time ago before humans came to rule the earth we know, animals roamed the planet, lived in harmony and peace. This world was led from a place the animals had christened âEU~The ValleyâEUTM. Everyone was happy and the leaders of The Valley made sure the natural order remained undisturbed leaving a balanced world.

But then one day a greedy demon lord known as Darkesh invaded, he was a powerful demon whoâEUTMs army was great and powerful. He was merciless and cruel, a user of Necro Magic. He was a dark being who was simply a being composed of a dark material who dressed simply in a black, eerie cloak. He held the power to destroy anything without breaking a sweat.

The animals had never faced a force like this before and it wasnâEUTMt long until Darkeshs army overthrew the leaders of The Valley. It became a place of darkness and evil, once ruling the earth for good but now for evil.

He lied in a castle of thorns up on the treacherous rocks of the Harkeen cliff. His castle was guarded by winged beasts known as Serotonin, creatures with no emotion or feeling, created by Necro magic from the bodies of the dead slaves in his castle, designed to do his bidding alone.

They say no one ever went into the castle and made it out alive, and normally you would think, Hey this isnâEUTMt that big a deal just stay away from the castle! But the real cruelty was that the valley was encased in a dark orb, meaning no one was able to escape, and the only exit was through the Dark Matter Portal in the deepest dungeon of the castle, going down a hundred miles deep.

He treated the people cruelly and looked down upon them as worthless beings. Everyday people where in fear of their lives, fearing that Darkesh may pick them to be his sacrifice to the Dark Gods. Sometimes it wasnâEUTMt even for any ritual practice, sometimes it was just for his sadistic pleasures.

Maybe even worse than this, worse than all the heinous crimes Darkesh committed, was the lack of hope. It was plain to see hundreds of years of torture had broken the people, never aging a day because of the magic of Darkesh, their souls trapped to endure day after day of this hell on earth.

But even through the darkest of darks, the blackest of blacks there is a glimmer of light, even if only a tiny speck in the distance, this spark, this ember came in the form of a tortoise, different from all the rest, a fire burning in him since the day Darkesh enslaved them all, a longing to be free, to make dreams reality and to inspire others, for remember, even the smallest ember can set off the largest and brightest of fires.

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 1

âEUoeThey tell us not to dream, not to believe but I know I can do anything I put my mind to, no matter what they say.âEU Tort was deep in thought, lying just outside his tiny cave that he called his home, packed tightly in with all the others, looking up at the sky, maybe just hoping to see a glimmer of anything but seeing only a monotonous and never ending blackness. To an ordinary person that sees the sky, they might think thatâEUTMs what its like anyway at night, but this Tortoise longed to see the stars, the clouds, to feel the sun on his body, to feel the rain pouring down as the old tortoises described.

He looked around at the caves, and aye, it was truly a miserable place, the caves were barely big enough to hold one tortoise, and never enough for family. ThatâEUTMs why there werenâEUTMt many children in the ridge, it was really no place to raise a child and there was simply no room for them either, it was a cruel thing but it was the way it was and you just had to accept that. Tort was one of a rare few to be a child in the ridge, he had been born days before Darkesh came to rules the valley and his parents had sacrificed everything for him to live there, including giving up their own home and their lives so he could live.

His only memories of them only consisted of right after he was born along with flashes of blue and green he thought must be the sky and the trees. Most nights Tort lay there alone with his thoughts, reminiscing, imagining what his parents would be like and what they would say, what they would think of him. It had been a lonely journey this far without any parents for guidance, luckily most people in the ridge were kind to him and treated him like their own, but even so, no matter how much they gave to him he always felt a void in his heart that he knew would never be filled. Of course there where always the people who seemed to have a certain distaste for Tort and looked down upon him, making him feel even more worthless, a freak and an abomination.

They were all crammed together tightly down in a deep rocky valley, only the daunting cliff shooting up into the dark orb, casting a never ceasing shadow across the whole bottom of the valley, seeming to be mocking them as it went into and over the orb into the world outside DarkeshâEUTMs valley. And then there was DarkeshâEUTMs castle of course. The castle of thorns as it was know by, surrounded by a wall of sharp poisonous thorns that would kill you as soon as you even brushed yourself against them, not to forget the Serotonin guards, who flew endlessly around the castle, never stopping, never resting. It was the only other piece of landscape apart from the cliff, everyday people had to stare at it, no matter how much they didnâEUTMt want to but seemed to draw their eyes like a magnet. Aye and it served its purpose well, it was a reminder to the people who ruled over them, and it did a fine job of crushing their spirits, ripping all hope away and dreams. But not Tort, it only fuelled the fire in his belly âEUoeIâEUTMm differentâEU He muttered aloud âEUoeI just know I amâEU

He looked around at the caves, swearing someday he would escape and change everything, he was inspired by stories from old tortoises who had lived long before the reign of Darkesh, stories of rivers of skies ever so blue, of things called grass and trees and these wonderful things called flowers that gave off the sweetest of scents, and other animals, he was told of majestic and proud lions, once kings of the jungle and mischievous monkeys who caused much laughter except to those on the wrong end of their pranks! Half the time he didnâEUTMt even know what they were talking about but someday he was determined to go and see all these things they spoke of for him.

You see; for him life had started and begun in this valley, this ridge, this darkness, never experiencing the sun, the stars, or even something as simple as a gentle breeze floating in on a hot summers day Even the old folk who told these tales had lost hope, maybe they had been like him once, young, full of life and energy, a longing of freedom but years of this hell had broken their spirits, leaving them to be like empty shells, there in body, empty in spirit, destined to tell the tales of old.

Majority of the tortoise living in their community had spent their whole lives in the ridge and thought the stories to be tales of lore to entertain the young children so they never paid much attention when the old tortoises gathered around to tell their tales and to be truthful, a lot of the young tortoises believed them to be merely fanciful tales as well, but not Tort, he was different. Something always seemed to call out to him when these tales were told, a yearning to experience these things and be free. A lot of people said he was crazy, that there was nothing he could do, that should just keep his head down and pray for a miracle. âEUoeWhat if I am that Miracle though?âEU He thought many a time. He was tired of the gruelling days working under DarkeshâEUTMs henchmen, he was sick of waiting for someone else to come and save him, it was time for action. âEUoeIt doesnâEUTMt matter if I live or die, I just have to try!âEU He shouted.

He glanced one more back at the castle of macabre and horror, before he went into his cave his fire high, swearing on the gods of the Tortoises he would end DarkeshâEUTMs tyranny, once and for all.

End of chapter 1

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 2

Sometimes opportunities come at the most unexpected of times, and in the most unexpected of places. When Tort woke the next morning he had a strange feeling inside him but couldnâEUTMt quite place it, he gathered it must be from the cliff swamp water they had to drink, a lot of the Tortoises in the Ridge had fell victim to it quite recently. Hoping the sickness would pass quickly he continued to go about his work. If you know anything about Tortoises then you know they are incredibly resilient creatures, and Darkesh exploited and abused this as much as he could. Tortoises had to work all day mining the hard rocks of the cliff for Blue Emeralds, nobody quite knew why they had to do it, day after treacherous day, some said that it was DarkeshâEUTMs vanity, that he had an obsession with them and admired their beauty and colour, others said he used them for his Dark Necro magic acts and he needed them to power his undead warriors and servants. To be honest it really didnâEUTMt matter to the tortoises they had to keep mining and mining all the time without break and only resting for less than 3 hours a night.

The work was overseen by some of DarkeshâEUTMs lesser creatures, the Zorn, but they were still incredibly cruel, taking away at least one kicking and screaming tortoise that was never to be seen again atleast once a day.

They were dressed in black armour and shrouded by masks. Thorns extruded everywhere from there armour. He always wondered what they looked like, as no one in the ridge had ever seen their faces. They almost never uttered a word, giving no indication of there presence expect when one felt the impact of a whip on their already sun burned shells. Tort guessed they had once been animals but had been twisted by the Necro magic of the Dark Lord, mindless beings, only to serve his bidding.

Remember how I said opportunities can come at the strangest times and in the strangest ways? This was one of those times; this was on of those days, a day for action.

Tort had been going about his, still feeling weird, when he dropped the blue emerald in his hands, the tortoises had been mining for months with no emeralds in sight and this was the first one they had got in a long time, so you can imagine what happened when he dropped it and it smashed onto the grounds, its shards scattering everywhere across the rocky ground, creating a huge ringing sound that echoed throughout the ridge. Tort knew he was deep in trouble now, who knows what his punishment would be? He was almost certain he would be dragged away and would never be seen again, he cast his eyes left and right in a panic, looking at all the tortoises just standing there, saying and doing nothing, and then he saw the guards, making not a sound but simply gliding over towards him like silent death mongers.

He dropped to his knees, all his dreams and hopes were about to be ripped away from him, but suddenly he shouted aloud âEUoeIf I go I go with dignity, I shall not beg for mercy or forgiveness, do with me what you must but I will not break!âEU The guards said nothing but when they glided over to him they instead took down there hoods, showing a hideous and monstrous sight, so terrifying and horrible that it isnâEUTMt fit to describe on these pages. But Tort, true to his word simply continued to hold his gaze steady, staring directly at the unhooded guards not showing the people the terror he was feeling inside.

He felt a hood being slipped over his head and he was blinded, having no idea what direction they where going. He tried counting and memorising the steps; but after walking for twenty minutes he had to give up on it, âEU~chances of me escaping are pretty unlikely anywayâEUTM He thought to himself as he chuckled darkly, he heard a hissing that was too close for comfort and he made a note to keep all jokes to himself when he was around these guys.

He noticed the ground had a drastic change in terrain and he let out a yelp as his next stepped changed from the feeling of solid rock to freezing mud, he began to shiver as the mud reached his waist level; he wasnâEUTMt used to this kind of feeling from working in the ridge his whole life. Something brushed against his leg under the water; it felt slimy but still had razor sharp bristles on it that cut into his legs. He tried to stifle a cry but couldnâEUTMt hold it in any longer as the pain became unbearable. The guards pushed him forward and he fell straight into the mud, he franticly began scrambling around and splashing in the mud in a panic, his eyes temporarily blinded and stinging from the toxins in the mud coming through the hood. The guards hoisted him up by the arms, he could now hear the guards cackling and hissing in amusement, and he swore if he got the chance, that he would have the last laugh.

He continued to bear the stinging sensation and just when if felt as if it would never end his foot hit dry land again. He gave silent thanks to the Tortoise Gods and asked for their guidance and blessings on whatever else he was going to have to endure.

He felt the hood being jerked from his head by rough, uncaring claws, he was blinded by a glaring light emanating from over a stone wall. These walls were in no way as tall as the cliff in the ridge but they still intimidated him as he imagined what was going to happen to him, would they throw him off the wall or perhaps throw him into that strange and eerie glow? âEUoeWhat do you have planned for me?âEU He said his voice hoarse from not speaking and the intake of the mud earlier into his lungs. On cue, he coughed rather violently and clumps of dried up mud came flying out of his mouth.

Then he heard it, a shrill cry coming from over the wall, not human, not animal, unlike anything he had heard in his entire life. He began shaking as the thing cried out âEUoeI must feed! Souls, I need Souls!âEU He felt his body collapse from under him and he fell to the ground with a thud. Two of the soldiers carried him, one of them hissed, âEUoeNot such a tough guy now huh?âEU He cackled madly âEUoeWhen you see whatâEUTMs in store for you, youâEUTMll wish we had killed you back at the ridge!âEU This was the first time he had ever heard these monsters say anything and it was like nails to a chalkboard listening to them. As they walked towards the wall as if it could sense them a hole appeared and they threw him in upon the cold stony ground.

He looked back at them, hoping this was some sort of a trick, that this was all to scare him and to break him, but that hope died when the wall closed, left alone to try to gather his senses. As he came out of his daze, he began to observe his surroundings, skulls and bones scattered the ground, with blood splayed across the walls like a painter gone mad with a brush. Strangely there was no monsters and no creatures, only paths and walls, and suddenly he released it wasnâEUTMt just a wall he had been looking at from the outside, it was a labyrinth. That same cry went up again from somewhere in the maze, the cry of a hungry beast, that of a ruthless killer. And what did Tort do? He did the only thing he could do, run, and run for his life.

End Of chapter 2

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 3

Darkesh sat in his throne, looking distinctly bored, the first few hundred years of torture had been fun, but after awhile he had grown tiresome of thinking up new ways to torture the creatures of this valley. âEUoeOh well, after my plan comes to fruition there will be no more valley creatures it will-âEU

His train of thought was broken when two guards from the Ridge entered the room. They bowed down till there faces where practically touching the ground, waiting for Darkesh to say something.

âEUoeWhat news do you have to report scum?âEU He treated his guards with about as much respect as he did the valley creatures, to him they were all worthless and beneath him, and even having to talk to them like this irritated him. âEUoeW-well your greatness, the tortoises found a blue emerald today-âEU One said in a shaky voice. âEUoeYou are certain of this?!âEU Darkesh roared to him. A blue emerald had not been found in the Ridge for awhile, and Darkesh was running low. âEUoeB-but the news doesnâEUTMt end there sire, t-the blue emerald, it was b-broken broken by a young tortoise..there was-âEU

He was stopped by a roar from Darkesh, how intimidating the dark lord must have looked as he stood and towered above them, the black glow growing larger around him as his eyes grew redder and redder with fury. âEUoeWhat? How could you let the emerald be broken? You insolent fools!âEU He roared. âEUoeSire, there was nothing we could-âEU The second guard began but he never finished as in the blink of an eye Darkeshs hand summoned up a black energy and destroyed both of them, their bodies crumpling in a pile of dust, promptly devoured by the slug like beast that glided across the floor. Darkesh wasnâEUTMt finished there though, his black glowing hand had destroyed the bodies but had absorbed the souls for eternal torture however he pleased. âEUoeTHIS is what happens to those of insolence and those who fail me! Learn from this all you servant scum, unless you wish to fall to the same fate.âEU

With that he walked over to the map of the valley, and placed his hand over a maze, the maze of the trapped souls, and a horrible screaming noise rang through the whole room, echoing off the spiked walls and the floor made out of the dead bodies of servants he had no use for. âEUoeNo master, please spare us!âEU The voices cried out but Darkesh gave them no heed and let them fall into the maze, right on top of the mazes guardian, the Soul Eater. He smirked as he sat back down in his throne; that was the most fun heâEUTMd had in months.

Tort was running in a blind panic, crashing into walls, tripping over skeletons, not thinking, just running. Suddenly he heard the most inhumane screaming sound followed by the same beasty he had heard when he first entered the labyrinth âEUoeI am stilllllll hungry!âEU It screeched, âEUoeI need soulllllsssss.âEU He stopped dead in his tracks; it was close, way too close.

He stopped to think, he had been in such a blind panic that he never had time to gather his thoughts or think about what he was doing. âEUoeI need to be more careful or IâEUTMll end up like those poor souls that have succumbed to that monster.âEU He remembered what an old tortoise had told him back at the ridge. âEUoeCourage isnâEUTMt just acting, it is also thinking, being calm.âEU Tort realised he needed to keep his wits about him in order to survive.

He studied his surroundings a little more closely now, It was obvious they were in a very large maze, but so far, he hadnâEUTMt seen any beasts lurking around corners. Something glinted in the corner of the wall and caught his eye; it was an emerald! He cautiously walked over towards it, eyes peeled for any traps laid out to get the incautious. It was unlike the normal blue emeralds he was used to digging up, it looked like it had smoke swirling on the inside of it, he reached out to touch and quickly withdrew his hand as it began to crack.. Then it shattered.

âEUoeWhat is it with me and emeralds?âEU He said, about to turn away and get moving, getting an eerie feeling from the emerald. He spun and was about to run when a voice spoke to him, it was like a growl; but it was low and booming and it made the scales stand up in his shell. âEUoeYou have broken the emerald of the Zeekhlhyde, the hunter of the maze, and you shall now pay for itâEU The thing said. âEUoeYou have disturbed my resting place and the gods decree the only punishment for you, is death.âEU The Zeekhlhyde said it in such a calm manner, but Tort could hear the menace in his voice. He turned around to the beast, it floated in the air and its hand glowed with a black energy he could only assume was Necro magic. âEUoeHe must be a demon created by Darkesh.âEU He realised. Without thinking he just ran, trying to gain distance on the beast.

He could hear the beast chasing behind him, panting, the only sounds now of his footsteps and the beast as its claws grazed along the stony walls, leaving massive scratches. Tort rounded a corner and looked behind him to check and see how far behind the Zeekhlhyde was and failed to notice a tile in the ground that was looser than the others were. Without thinking, he trod on the tile pressing it hard into the ground. The sound of cogs and wheels cranking filled the maze and suddenly from the opposite side of the path daggers shot out and whistled through the air.

Tort looked just in time and slammed himself to the floor, avoiding the daggers as the just flew over his shell. He breathed a sigh of relief, âEUoeThat was nearly the end of me.âEU Unfortunately, the Zeekhlhyde was not so lucky; it didnâEUTMt hear the swords and so rounded the corner carelessly; his eyes opening wide with shock as the three daggers pinned him solidly to the wall. The diamond on his head shattered, and he immediately turned to dust, leaving only the daggers in the wall.

He was breathing heavily, that had been far too close for comfort and he was just a scales width away from being demon chow! He needed a weapon to defend himself; luck wouldnâEUTMt all be on his side, no matter how much he prayed to the Tortoise Gods. He looked to the daggers on the wall; they were small enough things but they would do the job for now.

As he walked over to them he got a better look at them, the handles were carved from bones and the blades were made from a dark glassy material a lot like the diamond that had been used to release the Zeekhlhyde. âEUoeIn that case who knows what kind of dark magic is inside them? Better be careful with them.âEU He thought as he carefully manoeuvred them out of the wall and tucked then safely into his shell.

He started trudging through the maze when suddenly that cry went up again. âEUoeSoulllss I need them! I can smell them!âEU His hands went to two of the daggers, he had a feeling he would need them pretty soon.

[CharacterDesigner]

CHAPTER 4

Chik Chik Chik. Chik Chik Chik. That was the sound of the beast of the labyrinth. The Soul Eater. She could practically taste the soul of her prey from where she was in the maze, it was right around the corner. She could smell the fear and anxiety. The sound of heavy, nervous breathing was like music to her ears. This would be fun.

She let out an almighty, screeching roar , then came the sound of running feet. The moment of attack was now, it was almost feeding time .

Tort jumped when he heard the roar, the monster as he suspected was just around the corner, he could hear it moving, preparing âEUoeNo prize for guessing whoâEUTMs the main courseâEU He thought dryly . He shakily pulled out two of the bone hilted daggers, the darkness of them seem to get more and more vibrant the closer they were to death. âEUoeRunning away is useless at this point.âEU He thought to himself. âEUoeIts what the beast is hoping for. No, what itâEUTMs expecting. Time to give it a like bit of a surprise.âEU He braced himself, and then ran around the corner, to battle death.

The beast was startled as she heard him charging towards her, she was expecting him to run, a last ditch attempt at escape. She would scream and laugh whilst giving chase, it always ending with the devouring of souls. But this one, this one was different, though it really mattered not to her, his soul would be devoured along with the rest as usual.

It was truly a horrific sight as the young tortoise rounded the corner; daggers poised for attack. For a few seconds he just stood there, stunned, taking in this macabre beast, reveling in his shock, leering at him. It had over twenty eyes, circling around all the time, always watching for prey. It was dripping with blood and pus, its long; saliva covered tongue hanging out in anticipation of its next meal. Rows and rows of teeth as sharp as blades, blood stained and black accompanied the mouth. He was disgusted to see bits of flesh from its last meal stuck to them. âEUoeIâEUTMm going to enjoy eating your sooooouuuullll little tortoise.âEU It screamed, cackling menacingly. This was the soul eater. The master of the labyrinth. The devourer, of all souls that entered its domain.

This battle was the only way out now, it was always going to be the only way out no matter if he went around the whole maze a thousand times without running into the traps and monsters. No matter how scared he was feeling he had to win. âEUoeLike hell you are.âEU He said quietly but firmly switching to a battle pose, holding his daggers up. The beast laughed once more. âEUoeYou have courage little tortoise, ill give you that. But courage alone isnâEUTMt going to help you now.âEU Then she pounced and it began.

The beast easily knocked struck him squarely in the stomach with her whipped arms. He flew back, crashing into the wall. Her spiked feet moved her quickly danced towards him for another blow but this time Tort quickly rolled under her, dodging her attack. He swung his sword while her back was still turned; but out of no where three giant thorns burst out of her back and blocked the blade.

The blade rung off the thorns sending echoes down the otherwise quiet labyrinth paths. The impact of the blade on the thorns shook Torts whole arm and sent the blade flying through the air. It smashed off the wall, breaking on impact, thousands of glistening shards falling to the floor swiftly.

The same pattern continued for awhile, the beast striking and Tort just managing to dodge her blows. He knew she was toying with him, knowing it would only be a matter of time until he got tired and she could make the killer blow. His eyes blurred and his concentration slipped for just a second. He lost his footing on the stones for just a split second, but that second was all she needed. She quickly knocked the other blade out of his hand and its skirted across the floor, too far for him to reach it. She then smashed him to the floor like a fly and pounced upon him.

Her mouth was brought right down to his face and it made him sick. He felt like he was going to vomit every time she laughed and jeered, her rotten breath invading his nostrils. âEUoeYour one of the tortoises from the ridge right? Well guess what little man, this is the end for you.âEU She let out another high pitched cackle, piercing Torts ears like a knife and making his head feel as if someone had assaulted him with a rock hammer. This was the least of all his worries though, if he didnâEUTMt conjure up a plan in about two seconds then he was toast.

She still took her time with this one, she wanted to savor the moment, truly break his spirits. She was shocked at the size of this ones soul though, it had been by far the largest soul she had ever seen; and she had seen a lot of them in her time. This was clearly no ordinary tortoise, he was clearly meant for great things. Too bad for him that he ended up as her dinner instead.

It hit him, it was a dangerous plan but heck he was in the face of death, you canâEUTMt get more dangerous than that he reasoned. He only had one shot to make this work, only one chance to save his life and get out of this godforsaken labyrinth. He began feigning tears and started sobbing, begging for the demon to let him live. All of her eyes closed at once, and she began shaking with laughter, her mouth open wide to let out that hideous cackle. A great size soul surely but as pathetic as the rest it seemed. Oh but if she only knew how wrong she was.

Her mouth opened wide and Tort took his chance. As swift as lighting he pulled the extra dagger out of his shell and thrust his the dark blade into her mouth and down her throat, slicing around as much as he could, hoping it would be enough to killer her.

âEUoeGu-Gak-âEU She gagged with surprise as she felt something sharp cut the inside of her throat. She opened her eyes wide in shock as she saw the turtle had thrust a blade into her throat. There was something strange about this dagger though, could it be, it was infused with the magic out of a dark labyrinth beast? Her eyes began to blackout, one by one. She felt all her dark energy being sucked into the blade, and she felt herself fall into darkness.

He yanked his hand and the dagger out just in time. Not a second later did her mouth snap shut. Her green blood sprayed everywhere as she fell to the ground and began spasming. As he had pulled the blade out he noticed a string of dark goo was being absorbed just like earlier with the Zeekhlhyde. He still had no idea what it did or whether it was going to help or hinder him, but it was the only weapon he had. He decided to continue using it for the timing being but made a mental note to be extra delicate with it.

He looked back at the demon, expecting her to have crumpled into a dust but instead to the young tortoises bewilderment she had morphed into a ball of light. The ball stood there floating and then spoke gingerly to him. âEUoeThank you brave warrior for slaying this demon, we are the souls she has eaten over her lifespan. We had remained trapped in her body, prisoners but now thanks to you, we are free.âEU Tort felled his face go a bit red at their gratitude. âEUoeOh it was nothing.âEU He mumbled âEUoeI require no rewards.âEU The light shook left and right which he guessed was it shaking its head. âEUoeAs your reward mighty tortoise, we will transport you out of this labyrinth.âEU Without another word the ball of light expanded and he was enveloped in them and he could see all of their happy faces, grateful to be free from that prison of horror.

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 4 Cont...

In no time at all they where outside the labyrinth. He fell to his knees and took in huge gulps of the air. In reality it wasnâEUTMt much cleaner than the air in the labyrinth but he was grateful to be rid of the stench of death that hung in the labyrinth. He stood up after a few minutes and the ball of light was still there waiting on him, still floating gently up and down. âEUoeCan you tell which direction I should go?âEU He asked it. It shook its head again, which he assumed was a no and spoke in a sad, prophetical voice. âEUoeWe are afraid we canâEUTMt young friend, the direction you take is up to you and you alone. This is your journey warrior, your destiny your own.âEU Without another word it soared up into the sky, past the black orb that encompassed the valley off to a higher plane of existence, a better one.

Tort looked up, longing to have gone with them but he had a mission to do. This wasnâEUTMt just about him anymore, this was about everyone. How could he just up and leave when the valley creatures depended on him, whether they knew it or not. This was no time to be selfish as much as he wanted to be. He surveyed the area, noting the ground was very soft, littered with holes that went who knows how deep. âEUoeBetter be careful or iâEUTMm gonna ending up falling through one of those things.âEU He thought to himself, carefully choosing his footing, walking with no direction, hoping to spy some sort of a shelter.

After walking for what seemed like forever, nearly slipping into many marsh holes he thought that he spied a forest far in the distance . He reasoned that it could be a trick of the dense fog that lay across the land. At any rate decided to make his towards it, hoping to find some shelter; and food if he was lucky. He still walked carefully but with more pace not common to the average tortoise, well from his experience anyway. hopes were still high, feeling strong and fast after just escaping the clutches of death.

A bird was resting on a dead tree watching him with its round, shiny eyes. âEUoeWell there is something you donâEUTMt see everyday, a tortoise thatâEUTMs fast.âEU He chuckled to himself. âEUoeBest I be going to inform the boss man, heâEUTMs gonna be real interested in this. Could he be the animal the book fortold?âEU He leapt off the tree, his wings cutting through the air like a knife to butter. He flew fast at such an immense speed towards the thick forest that he overtook the tortoise in less that a few mere seconds, and Tort concentrating on the precarious ground below his feet failed to see him flying towards the trees and to the beings that inhabited it.

[CharacterDesigner]

CHAPTER 5

The marsh land seemed to stretch on forever, the forest always a dull gray object in the distance. The ground was very damp and after dropping stones down some of the marsh holes he guess they stretched down for at least three actus. He shuddered with the thought, falling down there meant certain death.

His spirits had diminished slightly by the time fatigue got to him and he had to stop. There was no shelter, no food and no fuel for even a simple fire to give him some sort of heat. After travelling on foot for hours itâEUTMd seemed like he still hadnâEUTMt got any closer to the forest. If it had been his choice he would have travelled further but his legs were burning with unfamiliar pain. There was nothing to do but to sleep it off and start again when he woke up. His mind was filled with worry and doubt of his future, eventually he would have to face Darkesh and he was scared. He eventually drifted off into a restless sleep filled with images of Darkesh and demons.

He awoke still feeling groggy and in a worse mood, his dreams filled with death and torment but he willed himself to walk on. His muscles had an ache when he awoke. âEUoeNot used to this, gotta be a bit more careful, I pushed myself way too much yesterday.âEU He began taking regular breaks and taking small naps, and gradually he became more rested, and his spirits felt better. He still had along way to walk but he had a renewed sense of vigour about him.

The forest gradually became more visible, and he could see that it was covered by lots of dead trees, their branches curling into a sinister fashion, almost beckoning him into its forest. It didnâEUTMt look very appealing but he didnâEUTMt want to walk any further for who knows how long hoping on the unlikely chance there would be somewhere more appealing and suitable. âEUoeFat chance of that.âEU He murmured, give another dry chuckle that seemed to be getting more and more common as his time outside the Ridge lengthened.

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadnâEUTMt realised the ground had become more and more unstable as he got closer to the forest. He let out a loud yelp as his foot stepped onto a particularly unstable piece of ground and a huge hole opened up beneath him.

He fell at a speed so fast he thought his lungs where going to burst. The opening and only source of light grew further and further away as he went down, deeper and deeper. His body smashed against the walls of the tunnel, sharp stones digging into his skin drawing blood. He had lost complete control of his actions; he just had to hope that the damage wouldnâEUTMt be too great to his body. Realistically though, at the speed he was falling at, he was going to be as flat as those boiled soft stones they had back at the Ridge.

His mind wandered back to the Ridge, would his friends be missing him? Or would they even notice he was gone? He was never really that close to anyone there, but truth be told he missed the company, the stories. A part of him really regretted leaving even though it couldnâEUTMt be averted since he had been so careless with that emerald. Gods of the tortoise, why was he so clumsy? Well, his destiny was set now, blackness to be his end.

Smack! His head banged against a rock, he felt his mind shutting down. His eyes involuntarily closed, and he slipped into the unconscious sleep. Death was what surely awaited him.

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An old bearded snake dressed in a robe smoked his hand made emerald pipe. He was seated in an old oak rocking chair in an underground cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites, rich in emerald ore. He was watching the gap in the wall. He whistled and a small mouse ran over. âEUoeMore moss for the pipe master?âEU He squeaked dutifully, holding out his chest with pride. The old snake simply nodded signifying a yes. The mouse delicately refilled the pipe, taking it as an art that must be delicately done as any art demands. The wizard brought the cup wrapped around his tail up to his mouth and sipped on his green tea temporarily inhabiting the cup. He sighed with pleasure, letting the taste of the moss and the tea mingle, one of the only luxuries he let himself enjoy. He was waiting as always, the same as he had been for the past 300 years.

Today was today though, or so the prophecy said, he was expecting his visitor to arrive any second now. Right on cue he heard the crash of a body to the tunnel floor and it flew through the black opening, landing perfectly onto the oak table as was foretold. Just as he had expected.

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He had made his peace with the tortoise Gods, hoping they wouldnâEUTMt be too hard on him for all the wrongs he had committed in his life. He really didnâEUTMt want to open his eyes for fear of what he would see but his eyes seemed to open involuntarily, no matter how much he willed them not too. He saw he was in a small cavern, and it was lit by emeralds of every size and colour. He had never seen so many in his life. Something just wasnâEUTMt quite right though, he moved his arm up to scratch his head and he couldnâEUTMt. He looked down at his body, praying it wasnâEUTMt what he thought it was and knowing his luck, it was. He shouted out with shock, his head had been severed from his body.

His body was lying on an old oak table, and it was clear to see it had been expertly severed from his body, there was no blood and it had been a clean cut. It lay there, lifeless like a ragdoll. His head was on a stone ledge on the far wall beside a lot of bottles filled with strange coloured liquids. He began sobbing, how had he deserved this, was the life he read really that bad?

If he had a body he would have jumped with shock, for sitting there in the corner in an old oak rocking chair was a strange animal. Shiny scales glistened up and down its body, the light of the emerald bouncing off them; creating all sorts of wonderful colour. It had a long, thin, gray beard that stretched down to the floor and a white furry animal lay comfortably on it, sleeping. The scaly creatures black thin eyes shot Tort a dagger look. âEUoeQuit your blubbering, canâEUTMt you see my friend is trying to get some rest!âEU Tort could barely make him out as a loud hissing lay under it making it a struggle to make out anything.

âEUoeWh-W-Wha-âEU Tort whispered, he didnâEUTMt finish. He was slipping back into the unconscious again. The creature in the chair smoked his pipe and smiled reassuringly. âEUoeYou need rest now friend, when you wake all will be normal, I promise.âEU Tort felt comforted by this as he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

End of chapter 5

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 6

It was white all around him, he was fly, effortlessly . Peace surrounded his entity and he felt as if nothing could get to him while he was here. Then out of no where he saw a mountain, not like the mountains of the ridge, this was a mountain of beauty and it was capped with white which he guessed was snow. But even more glorious than that was massive gates of gold. It was the entrance to something glorious, he didnâEUTMt know how but it just was. They swung open with ease and he was drawn towards it, they called to him like a best-friend he hadnâEUTMt seen in ten years.

It felt like it was real. In the moment he was ignorant to the fact this didnâEUTMt exist. All that was on his mind was getting to those gates and the sure found sanctuary it would bring. He couldnâEUTMt believe he was flying, he felt he could do anything, nothing could stop him.

He gently landed down onto a soft, luscious surface. It was so soft he could just lie in it forever. His feet gently sank into it as he stepped towards the gates. Two figures stood together at the gates, silhouetted by the brilliant white light behind them. They waved to him and called his name; their voices seeming to reverberate across the valley, a gentle sound. He began running towards them, parts of the cloud going up into the air from the impact of his scaly feet, morphing back in to the ground as it landed gently behind him. For no reason he could fathom tears came to his eyes. As he got higher and higher at an incredible speed, leaving the ground far behind he could make out the two figures better, they were two tortoises. Could it be? âEUoeQuickly Tort, quickly!âEU The male tortoise shouted while laughing. It sounded like music to Torts ears, it had been a long time since he had heard a happy laugh. He began getting faster and faster, making incredible jumps not logically possible for a tortoise normally but here, anything could happen.

âEUoeM-mum?Dad?âEU The tears began to flow like a waterfall that had been blocked off at its crest for years and was only getting the release it yearned at this moment. They nodded, tears coming to their eyes, smiling. He stood there trying to absorb every last moment of this like a bird relishing the feeling of soaring in the sky. He began to speak but couldnâEUTMt control his voice. He started sobbing, words didnâEUTMt seem to suit this moment so they embraced in a hug.

ThatâEUTMs when it all turned sour for him though. The air began to smell of decay and death like in the labyrinth. He opened his eyes in shock to see his parents had morphed into Darkesh who stood like a giant, leering above him. His arm turned into a blade of shadows, black tendrils emanating from him, threatening to ensnare. As he got a better looks he released they were not tendrils, but fanged creatures with red eyes. Fearsome spikes lined his armor, skulls stacked on top of each other, showing off his fearsome reputation. âEUoeYou are weak Tort. You, are a disgrace, how could the likes of you ever become a hero?âEU Darkesh laughed, but it sounded like his parents voices, and that stung him even more. âEUoeYou donâEUTMt deserve anything but eternal hellfire, and iâEUTMd be delighted to give it to you!âEU He lunged at Tort, his sword landing a scales width away from his arm. Tort began running while Darkesh freed his blade from the black thorns that had replaced the soft, luscious surface that had been there less than a second ago. Tort ran down the thorns, trying to get anywhere away from Darkesh.

It was in vain though, although his hard scaly feet protected him at first eventually the thorns pierced him, send their poison slowly up his body. He could feel the toxins seeping into him, it was agony. He had to keep running though. He glanced back to see that Darkesh had disappeared, not a good thing. Turning to run he screamed as Darkesh was standing there, his face twisted into a sneer. âEUoeAll you pathetic creatures do is run, death is a blessing for you, an agonizing blessing.âEU The toxins had nearly covered Torts entire body, his scales were black and they began to peel off , showing the soft tender skin beneath it, turned rotten from the poison.

He lay there weeping, he just wanted it to end, there was no escape. The poison had made it into his brain. His legs began to buckle and he collapsed to the ground. The last thing he saw was Darkesh. He stood over him, smashing his foot painfully onto his chest, laughing. The demonic overlord raised his arm dramatically, it had now manifested itself into thousands of tiny spikes, ensuring a painful death. Then in the blink of an eyes he brought his arm down directly onto his heart, spearing it perfectly. Tort let out a cry of absolute torture. âEUoeWhy?âEU He gasped. âEUoeBecause iâEUTMm an apex predator thatâEUTMs why and to me, youâEUTMre nothing more than an ant waiting to be crushed.âEU He replied, his lips curving up into that superior smile, showing his blood stained, yellow teeth. That was the last thing Tort saw as blood poured out of the thousands of tiny holes in his chest. Then, it was over.

[CharacterDesigner]

Chapter 6 cont..

He awoke to a strong smelling herb under his nose. When he finally opened his eyes; the small white furry animal he had seen earlier was standing on the bridge of his mouth, holding a purple herb under his nose, waving it frantically to push the scent faster. His small face was red with effort and he was gasping for breath. He looked up and noticed Torts green eyes gazing at him and he shouted in a pip squeak voice one would peg to an animal that size.

âEUoeMaster he is awake!âEU He turned back to Tort. He struggled up to the top of Torts nose, his chest puffed out with importance, his head held high and proud. He sat on the tip of Torts nose. âEUoeYou donâEUTMt mind do you?âEU Tort shook his head lightly so as to not knock the delicate looking creature off to the floor.

The white animal slicked back his whiskers and spoke in a serious tone. âEUoeGood, good. In any case, I, am Dukey; the white mouse. I am servant, friend and companion of the mighty snake wizard Algaior. You my young tortoise friend are in the home of magicâEU The room had lots of wooden bookshelves stacked full of old and ancient looking manuscripts. Potions lined up on top of the shelves and on the tables, stacked very precisely. He also noticed a lot of carvings made of emeralds of all colors including one of a tortoise. Spikes lay in groups on the floor and the roof, they looked sharp enough to spear straight through any creature if they lost their footing. Stone tools like hammers and chisels also lay on the shelves which he guessed was the tools he used for carving.

A hissing noise came from a doorway Tort failed to notice on the other side of the room which abruptly broke his train of thought. He turned his head to the voice and a body came slithering through. It was the old bearded creature he had seen earlier in the rocking chair while his head was detached from his body before he fainted.

He was able to appreciate the creature even more now than before, it was a truly magnificent being who radiated with a powerful force Tort couldnâEUTMt name. His beard was even longer than he previously thought, the dark gray color indicating he had lived a long life and was extremely wise. His scales seemed to reflect the light even more, the emeralds reflecting onto him, showing up vivid, bright, beautiful colors Tort had never seen before. âEUoeWelcome to my home young tortoise, I am Algaior the snake, wizard of this land.âEU He puffed out a ring of smoke from his mouth. Dukey quickly corrected him, adding with an air of importance and duty âEUoeAlgaior, the GREAT wizard, who fought Serotonins and lived, not to mention playing a vital role in the reb-âEU Algaior shot him a look and Dukey immediately shut his tiny mouth. The snake chuckled, causing his long gray beard to shake. âEUoeAnd this is Dukey whom you have already became acquainted with, he tends to overexaggerate a little bit.âEU He chuckled again, his beard shaking, blowing more smoke out of his mouth, the smoke seeming to evaporate as soon as he did, leaving no smell or trace of it.

They seemed nice enough, but Tort really didnâEUTMt know anything about them or why he was here. âEUoeHow and why did I come to be here?âEU He abruptly asked the snake. âEUoeYoung and full of questions, a lot like myself when I was your age.âEU He replied. Algaior slid over to a pot that was brewing on an open fire. âEUoeDo you mind if I get some tea before we start, I like it before a long story. Dukey get some cups please.âEU Dukey sprightly hopped off Torts nose onto the wooden counter beside the brewed tea and ran into a hole in the wall that Tort guessed was where he lived. He came out again shortly, holding three pint size cups made of a purple emerald.

âEUoeEven his cups are a work of art.âEU Tort mused silently to himself. They were carefully rounded and had many intricate designs situated intricately on them. âEUoeAdmiring my cups I see?âEU Algaior asked with a smile. âEUoeYes theyâEUTMre beautiful.âEU Tort replied with appreciation. âEUoeHow long did it take?âEU He asked him. Algaior tilted his head thinking. âEUoeOh one hundred odd years maybe, seems like a lot, but when youâEUTMve been around as long as I have, itâEUTMs nothing.But enough of the appreciating of my cups, I have story to tell and we still have to get that tea.âEU He was clearly flattered though as a small grin was on his face as he took the cups off Dukey. They were pint size cups that Tort guessed Dukey drank out of, but was that what they were going to drink out of aswell?

The snake put down a cup and muttered a few inaudible words. To Torts surprise the other two cups started floating in midair, they looked to be suspended by nothing but Tort knew it must be some form of magic. The next few words he could make out though âEUoeAcerbo längt.âEU As soon as he uttered those words the cups grew much larger, suited for Tort and his size. Torts eyes widened with amazement at seeing his first acts of real magic from anything other than a Demon or puzzling balls of light who spoke in riddles.

The snake levitated the pot and poured the tea delicately into the cups, making sure a single drop hit the floor. He passed Tort the cup, and the first whiff of it nearly made him faint again. The smell of it seemed to tenaciously grab a hold of Torts nose and not let go. Not wanting to seem impolite though he took a sip anyway. As soon as the liquid scolded his tongue as soon as it made contact, not to mention it tasted even worse than it smelt. He politely took another sip and rested the cup on the oak table he was still lying on.

The old snake settled comfortably into his chair and smoked his pipe, drinking his teeth slowly with a contented smile, letting the tastes mingle with each other. How he enjoyed it was beyond Tort.

After a few minutes he opened his mouth to speak. âEUoeTo tell you of the prophecy I must first ask, do you know the history of the Valley and how we have come to be in this situation?âEU He let out another ring of smoke, waiting for Torts answer. He shook his head. âEUoeOnly a little bit, stories from old tortoises from the Ridge mostly.âEU The snake nodded his head knowingly. âEUoeWell to first tell you the prophecy you must first know the full history of our once great land. Make yourself comfortable, I havenâEUTMt told this in a long while.âEU He inclined his head to the other wooden chair opposite his own. Tort quickly hopped off the table, silently making sure to leave the tea where it was. As he sat down he looked into the wizards eyes, and the looked as if they were cast back in time, recollecting and trying to cite old memories.

âEUoeYes, this is how I shall start it.âEU He said after what seemed like ages to Tort. âEUoePlease, go on.âEU Tort said gently. âEUoeQuiet boy, never rush the storyteller, a story has to be told right, or not at all in my book.âEU His tone was slightly coarse, annoyed at being interrupted. âEUoeNow, after being so rudely interrupted, I shall begin, as long as there are no more questions.âEU He sat up slightly in his chair and began.

[TheInnerScience]

At 3/18/13 06:10 PM, CharacterDesigner wrote: Prologue

First review!

Wow, just finished the prologue and it is not what I expected. It is really impelling and gripping. I already had in my mind before I read this about what the tortuous was going to be like and no idea what the plot was. I'll keep reading if you keep writing!