Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: s9100433@win4.vut.EDU.AU (Duncan M Jurisic) Subject: [L2] Firecat, Helen and Jabu face the worm Message-ID: Date: 24 Aug 92 00:06:56 GMT "It's deffinetely a sand creature!" shouted Firecat, hardly being able to make himself audible above the sound of the creature approaching. "What do we do? Surely we're not just going to give up!" asked Jabu. "You have the spirit, now let us see if you have the skill!" shouted Fire- cat. "What do you mean?" asked Jabu confused. "You have to use your magic! We can't risk Firecat trying to do anything to the beast, because when they come into contact with each other, the creature will be on top of all three of us at once! Do something now! In a few moments we'll all be dead!" It took all of Jabu's concentration to start focusing, being greatly confused and unsure that his magic would be strong enough. He turned his mind off from the panic and noise around him, and focused his inner strength, preparing for a great outburst of energy. Helen's and Firecat's shouts were not heard. He welcomed the familiar feeling of great amounts of energy building up. The sand creature opened its four large jaws covering the opening of the mouth, and prepared for the all too common kill of helpless prey. It slightly increased its speed in anticipation, not having eaten any humans since its last full moon. Helen and Firecat fell quiet, knowing that it was all up to Jabu. Shadow growled nervously at the quickly approaching worm, Firecat on its back holding her still. They could now all feel the wind rush towards them, pushed by the giant creature. A putrid smell forced them to hold their breaths, even though they knew it could be their last. Helen turned to Jabu, wondering what he was doing. She questioned herself whether she would put so much trust in this stranger if the circumstances were changed. Jabu lifted his right hand, eyes still closed. A few loud sounds came out of his mouth that neither Firecat nor Helen understood. With the sound, a great rush of heat, and a great ball of fire shot into the opening of the worm. Before it reached the worm, another sped away from Jabu, and another. All three balls of fire entered the mouth of the worm. The worm stopped charging them, and closed its mouth instinctively. Many times humans tried to kill it by cata- pulting various burning materials into its mouth, but the fires soon died after it closed its mouth, and the oxygen ran out. Smoke trickled out from between its jaws, as the worm awaited to cool down. Helen and Firecat looked at each other shocked that the worm stopped char- ging them. They shouted with joy in unison, then turned to congratulate Jabu. After looking at Jabu, their joy turned into confusion. Jabu was still in the same motionless position, eyes closed, and one hand raised roward the creature. Helen and Firecat at once understood Jabu. He hadn't finished his spell. What they were seeing done to the creature had not been over yet. The worm slowly began to gather up speed again, opening its jaws once more, this time angry, feeling great burns inside, unextinguished. Jabu raised his other hand, and with a final few sounds in the strange toungue to Helen and Firecat, a great explosion filled the air. All were thrown back away from the worm, landing on their backs at a good distance away, Firecat being hurled the farthest. The silence was unbearable. Thick, black smoke, mixed with dust and a horrible stench filled the air. Once again, all heard a few strange sounds from Jabu. Soon thereafter, a slight wind started clearing the air, and within a few moments, the blackness and stench cleared and dispersed into the air. Helen got up, shocked by the blast, looking into the direction of the worm. However, there was nothing but a very large crater where the worm was. "You did it, Jabu!" said Helen. Jabu didn't hear her. "What pollution!" he muttered to himself, clearing his throat. Helen started laughing when she heard Jabu, still unsure whether it all happened. She started looking around, catching sight of Jabu picking himself up not far to her left, still muttering and complaining to himself. Her eyes kept searching instinctively for Firecat. A distance off to her right, she spotted Firecat kneeling in the dust, beside something on the ground. Shadow. "Shadow's been hurt!" she told Jabu, who was instantly alert and running towards the wounded Shadow and Firecat. Helen and Jabu arrived together to find Firecat with tears in his eyes. Helen understood at once the tragedy that had happened. Shadow was dying. When the worm exploded, a large piece of bone from one of its jaws struck Shadow in the side. The bone pierced one of Shadow's lungs, and could not be removed without causing even more damage. Tears started flowing down Helen's cheeks, and slowly kneeled beside Firecat, placing one hand gently on the whimpering Shadow's head. Shadow made an effort to whimper louder once, in aknowledgement of Helen placing her hand on its head. Jabu walked off, gathered his things which were thrown off farther, and gathered some dry sticks. He quickly lit a small fire, and took a pot out of his bags. He half filled it with water, and poured some brown substance from a small bottle in it. "Helen!" he called. Helen reluctantly walked over to Jabu, discusted. "Shadow is dying, and all you can think about is food!" "She's not going to die." replied Jabu. "Now, why don't you and Firecat find something to do someplace else, until I call you back?" Helen realised that Jabu wasn't going to let Shadow die. She walked over to Firecat, gently placed an arm on his shoulder. "Shadow's not going to die. Jabu will take care of her wound. Come, let's leave them alone. There is nothing we can do here." Firecat reluctantly got up, said "Goodbye." to Shadow, and walked off with Helen, knowing inside himself that Shadow would soon die, but desperately wanting to believe that Jabu would heal Shadow. Jabu walked over to Shadow, with the pot of hot, diluted potion. He knelt beside the wolf, touching her head with his free hand. The wolf sighed heavily, aware that death was quickly approaching. Jabu felt the strength of the bone stuck in the body of the wolf, and the depth. He muttered some words, and Shadow fell fast asleep, boyond any pain. A few more words followed, and the bone slowly began to melt without heat. When it was smaller, Jabu slowly removed it from Shadow's body, which breathed easier, but soon started gurgling as blood began to fill her lungs. Jabu muttered a few more words, and the bleeding stopped. With a small tube he took out of his bags, he sucked the blood out of Shadow's lung, little by little, until there was a small, safe amount left. He slowly poured all the hot potion into the wound, muttering further, and deep in concentration. When he finished pouring, he put the pot down, and changed to another spell. Shadow's wound began to glow yellow, and very slowly, the ripped tissue began to grow back and repair itself. Jabu kept the spell up for over one hour, until he was satisfied with the way the wound closed. He took his coat off, and ripped it into long pieces. He bandaged Shadow with them, to help the wolf keep his muscles from too much movement as to break open the wound again. He muttered a few more words, and Shadow's eyes opened, still in pain. However, a different look appeared in her eyes. Not the look of her facing death, but the look of her facind just one problem. Pain. She felt that she was no longer going to die, and slowly tried to get up unsuccessfully. Jabu helped her, and slowly some of the strength returned to Shadow's limbs, enabling her to stand up. Shadow turned to Jabu, and rubbed her head under his loving hand. Both had tears in their eyes, one from the love of being saved, while the other from the pleasure of being able to save. "You have to take it easy now, for a while, until you get all your strength back. You will not be able to carry Firecat until then, but don't worry." Jabu spoke softly. "Do you understand?" Shadow looked into Jabu's eyes, and Jabu instantly knew that Shadow could understand anything that anyone told her. All of a sudden, his love for her grew even more. He lovingly rubbed the back of her head, and bid her to follow him. Together, they slowly walked into the direction Firecat and Helen left. Helen and Firecat turned to see what the sounds were, and saw the shadow of Jabu approaching over the hill, in the moonlight. They both stared at Jabu slowly walking towards them, wondering why he's walking so slowly. Jabu's shadow was getting clearer, and something was moving with him, towards them. They drew in their breaths, hoping that it was Shadow, but knowing that it couldn't have been. "Shadow is dead!" screamed Firecat, upset that his emotions led him to imagining that it was Shadow walking beside Jabu. "No, she's not!" replied Jabu. "She's just wounded, and she's going to be ok." "Shadow?" Firecat called out to the figure beside Jabu, barely visible in the moonlight. The all too familiar whimper was returned, at which Firecat ran towards Shadow, and shouted with hapiness. Helen smiled as tears of hapiness filled her eyes. "You truly are a wonderful magician Jabu." she said softly, knowing Jabu was too far to hear. "Thank you, Helen." Jabu said to Helen, "But the love you three have for each other is much more powerful than any magic. Remember that Helen. There is a difference between friends and companions. Love is what healed Shadow, and magic alone could not have done it. She fought hard from her behalf." Helen was taken aback that Jabu heard what she said softly, from so far off. Then she remembered back in the shelter, just a few hours back that Jabu was the first to hear the worm. "Come, m'lady! Follow us back to the shelter. Shadow will not be able to continue on tonight." Jabu said, turning back towards the shelter in which they were safe and story-telling only hours before. -- This is my .sig until further notice... Mail s9100433@win4.vut.edu.au with any comments, opinions, statements, or even facts.... Also known as: Fablox, Snowlock and Duncan .....in many different places...