Episodes

Mercury was preparing for another mission to glorify himself and the clan. And as usual he had shunned all clan help, wanting to be the hero. he knew he was arrogant. Why had he notaccepted Alveron's help on this mission? Valdici had tried to cajole him into being a team player but Merc was sure he could handle hmself. The mission was hard, real I sleep on a bed of admantium hard, and Mercury didn't want to share. The princess Mirzael, daughter of the powerful goblin lord Ak Grog, was set to be married to Lord Griznak. This alliance would make Lord Ak Grog the most powerful chieftain in the Eastern Realm. The plan was to stop the wedding by abducting Mirzael or, if necessary, by terminating her pampered, goblin-pimpled life. Things were further complicated by the fact that the princess was being held in a heavily guarded fortress in the heart of Ak Grog's territory. Sounded like fun.

Mercury was good, or so he thought. His swordsmanship was legend and his blade evoked dread into the hearts of goblins like only a 450 year-old goblin-matron dominatrix or a soul-devouring ancestral sword crafted by High Elves and weilded by the deftest of hands could. So he wasn't afraid of 4 or 5 dozen goblins guarding a fodder-rotten goblin shack. Before he left, Romulus flashed him a smile and told him to beware of Mirzael's sexual wiles.

"Fuck you! See you in a few days."

Mercury jumped on a boat and headed for Ak Grog's whelp.

Getting in was no problem. Only 6 goblins were guarding the gate. Mercury began to throw stones and taunt the goblins. When they charged, which goblins were apt to do, he drew his sword and relieved them of various heads, arms and legs. Stealing the gate key he entered the fortress. Mercury crossed the court. It stank of defecating goblins. The kitchens let forth a particularly putrid stench. It seemed to keep even the rats away for they were seen milling around the graineries a good distance from the ovens.

Entering the keep was also relatively simple. The map Romulus had given him showed a secret tunnel leading from the wolf kennels to the wine cellars beneath the keep. Mercury moved quickly but stealthily through the dimly lit and dank passage, finally arriving at the wine cellars. He entered the hall which was strewn with barrels, glasses and bowls. The wine master was surprised. One might even say he was alarmed, but if that was the case, he was never given the chance to express it because Mercury's sword sliced through his throat like lightening. The cut was so remarkably clean that the wound didn't even bleed for a good 10 seconds. Merc looked around and saw a barrel with the elven king Vladamir's insignia. Stolen no doubt. He took a good long swig and then headed up the stairs toward Mirzael's chamber. Quiety, carefully, but with a rapid pace, Mercury stole through the keep. 8 more goblins had fallen in his wake but no alarm had been yet raised.

He approached his target, unaware that Bileheart th Shaman was performing pre-marital rights on Mirzael. Bileheart was evil incarnate. Legend had it that he was over 900 years old! He had crushed many a proud king and had even defeated the great wizard Wanashi in ethereal combat. He was supreme among the goblin hoardes. Although he had no title and was technically a commoner, there wasn't a chieftain or lord among all the goblin legions who dared challenge him. Unfortunately, he was expecting Mercury. Mecury disposed of the last two guards before Mirzael's room and knocked on the door. He entered, took two steps, and then stopped. Actually, it would be better to say he couldn't move. Wanashi had him locked in an extremely powerful paralysis spell that would have held even Valdici. Bileheart had him. There was no chance of escape. The shaman approached him and Mercury saw that his eyes were jet black, like an eternity of midnights. But, deep within these eyes, there was a gleam of evil that would have made Mercury tremble had he been able. Bileheart tried to probe his mind but was unable because of Mercury's elven lineage. Instead, Bileheart began to break Mercury. He was going to teach this child a lesson and send a message to the Clan. No man, elf, dwarf of farie for that matter could stop the goblin tide. They were coming, and this was the price for those who dared defy him. Mercury was broken, bodily, then mentally, but as his soul travelled away from his body, not yet dead, Mercury realized many things. He understood his place within the Clan, within the universe. He saw the glory, the real glory, of having a purpose and serving it with his life. Saddness enveloped him as he saw his life wasted at the cost of vanity. But just as his soul was about to be shattered, the Lady descended and redeemed Mercury, leaving his body for Bileheart.

The Lady took him to her land. She taught him many things about truth and told him to wander the valleys, streams, forests and mountains of her domain. He traversed the passges of space and time, of light and darkness. He could remember little of himself. What was his name? He saw the Alliance clearly, and all of his friends mourning for his death, but moving on and slaughtering goblins as was their duty. After many journeys he returned to the lady and she told him why he had been saved. He had endured the torture of Bileheart and, like any earthly creature, died. But the soul taked longer than the body to die and in that time after the flesh and blood had ceased to live, a part of his soul had become divine. He had faced the truth of himself and seen within it every living thing, both good and evil. Seeing the world in his last moments with fresh eyes, he had pleased the lady. This is why he was redeemed. She had decided to send him back to serve her as a war angel once more but not as Mercury, this life was not to be regained. He was no longer that man who had died before Bileheart and so she named him Geist. But as he was also a tool of the gods, she bestowed upon him on more name--Fudoshin--heart, spirit, fire of the holy warrior. She also presented him with a weapon to replace the one he lost. One of both great and fragile strength. A staff of gray mosswood which would upon command, morph into the perfect sword. Weightless, perpetually reborn, old as time, and filled with the power of life's streams. Great indeed, but fragile, for the blade was only as powerful as Geist's will. Should he forget his purpose and fight for glory or hate, the weapon would be powerless and could turn agaisnt him. He was a War Angel, but he was an agent of the lady and he must never forget it.

Fudoshin Geist was sent back into the world of the earthly, naked but for his weapon. He set out to find Romulus, Valdici, and the rest of the Clan. They all had much work to do if they were to cleanse the land of Bileheart and the plague that followed him.