Kaleidoscope Tekulo

Chapter 2: The High Sorceress Willa

Megan and Jack followed many twists and turns throughout the cave.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Megan sounded worried. It was true that their trail of energy crystals was consumed by a rock monster. It was hard to tell which way they had originally come from.

"Yes. I'm sure." Jack replied.

"How are you sure?"

"Intuition."

Megan frowned at this. It sounded like he was just using guesswork to navigate. It was less than reassuring. Neither of them had said anything about what had happened with the rock monster. Honestly, it had worried Megan. Her newfound strength proved useful, yet dangerous. When she was attacking it, she felt energy surge through her body. It felt like lightning. It was intoxicating. It was frightening.

It was not much longer until they came to the end of the cave. The bright sun was blinding. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the light. It looked to be around midday. There was grass covering the ground with mountains in the background. One thing became apparent, however; this was not where they had entered the cave.

"Where are we?" Megan asked.

"I'm not sure, but... I can't help but feel we were supposed to come here." Jack said.

Megan wasn't in the mood to bother asking Jack what he meant.

"Well, we shouldn't just linger here." And with that Megan began to walk. Jack followed her, although he wasn't sure where they were headed.

"Halt!" A voice came from the distance. Five knights on horseback galloped towards the pair. They drew their swords. "State your names."

"I'm Megan and this is Jack." Megan stated plainly. She was slightly taken aback by the knights' appearance, but on the whole she appeared unfazed. She looked at them. They were clad in black armor. Their shileds depicted a red dragon's head .

The knights murmured amungst themselves.

"Megan and Jack... but that's... They came from the cave... Is it really...." One of the knights rode off in the direction the group had come from. One of the remaining four spoke.

"By official decree of the High Sorceress Willa, you are hereby placed under arrest. Sieze them!"

Megan jumped backward as two of the knights dismounted their horses and approached.

"S-Stay back!" She breathed.

"Aww, the lass is afraid! Don't worry, sweetheart, we're not going to hurt you so long as you cooperate." One of the knights chuckled.

Megan took a deep breath and then smiled.

"I can't promise the same to you."

Dodging the swing of his sword, Megan twirled and elbowed the knight in the stomach. The blow dented his armor and sent him toppling backwards. She had to admit, it felt good to display her power.

The other knight. stopped in his tracks. Megan looked at him and slowly approached.

"Afraid?" She tilted her head to one side. "You should be." And with that she advanced. The knight raised his sword and swung. It slashed Megan's left arm, but she still managed to grab hold of the knight's right shoulder. She swung him around and threw him at one of the knights still on his horse. She managed to knock him off of his horse by throwing his comrade at just the right angle. She turned back to the knight that she knocked to the ground. Megan picked up his helmet, held it in the air and crushed it with one hand as a display of power to the other knights.

"R-Retreat!" Their leader called. The three knights scrambled to get back on their horses and soon they were galloping away, back from where they had come. In a few moments they were out of sight after going over a hill. The sound of applause could be heard not far away. Megan and Jack both turned to where the sound was coming from.

"Well done. You're just as like the legend said you'd be." A figure appeared from behind a tree nearby. She was dressed in blue and white and her shirt had a lion's head on it.

"Who are you?" Megan raised her fists to the sides of her head.

"There's no need for that. I'm on your side. My name is Sarah. I'm a messanger of the Queen of Lions."

"The Queen of... Lions?" Jack repeated.

"Yes!" Sarah exclaimed. "She knew you would be arriving soon, and she's very keen to meet with you."

:"And why should we trust you?" Megan growled.

"Because the Lions are enemies of Willa the Witch."

"Willa the... You mean the High Sorceress that wanted us imprisoned?" Jack inquired.

"Don't flatter her. No, Willa is a witch." Sarah spat.

"That's not much to go off of." Megan didn't lower her guard.

"Your Queen... Will you take us to her?"

"Jack!"

"Yes. I can take you to her. If you two will just follow me..." Sarah smiled.

"Jack, a word..." Megan pulled Jack aside. "We barely know this person. How can we be sure we're not walking into a trap? We were just threatened with being imprisoned only a few moments ago!"

"I know, but... I just have a feeling that we should meet with this queen."

"Don't tell me... your intuition?"

"Essentially, yes. Look, ever since we met with the Great One, I've been hearing a voice in my head guiding me. And... well, it's gotten us this far." Jack explained.

"A voice? Last I checked it lead us here where we were attacked!"

"Are you two coming or not?" Sarah called after them.

Jack gave Megan a solemn look.

"... Fine..." Megan gave in. "But if you try anything funny with us, you'll end up fighting me. And I guarantee I'll make you regret it."

"Noted." Sarah smiled. "Follow me and I'll take you to the queen." She had a certain bounce in her step.

***

The knight stood outside of the High Sorceress Willa's throne room.

"Enter" Came a voice through the doorway. The knight entered the room and knelt down in front of a single throne. The room was decorated in red and black, and it held an air of regal authority.

"Your highness, I bring news from the Ancient Cave."

"The Ancient Cave?" Willa sat up straighter in her throne. "Do tell, do tell."

"Two minifigures emerged today. Their names are Megan and Jack."

"And where are these minifigures?"

"Our patrol should have them in custody as we speak."

At this moment, another knight entered the room.

"Your Highness." The knight had a dented suit of armor.

"Ah, the patrol. Tell me, where are the prisoners Megan and Jack?"

"Unfortunately, your highness, they... they escaped capture."

"WHAT?" Willa exploded with anger. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS FAILURE!" Willa drew her red star wand and turned the knight with the dented armor into a spider. It fleed from the room in terror.

The remaining knight gulped.

"Be sure to find them and bring them to me! This is the guard's new mission. Failure is not an option. Do you understand?" Willa's voice was stern.

"Y-Yes your h-highness."

"Good. Now leave me." Willa knew that the beginning of the end had started.

Review

Kopaka is looking fine in that dress.

IC: Samantha

East District

Samantha saw the lava monster retreat. After she saw it wasn't coming back, she rushed toward Dr. Kilroy who was inspecting Johnny Thunder.

"How bad is it?" She asked him. Samantha cursed to herself. Close combat wasn't any good when your opponent was made out of lava.

IC:Tekulo

Chang Wu's Temple

"Then off we go!" Tekulo jumped up excitedly and followed the guards to the temple. He was smiling and ready for an adventure.

Chapter 1: The Monster Blocking the Path

Megan and Jack followed their trail of crystals out of the cave. They were picking the shards up as they went.

"It felt... incredible!" Megan exclaimed. "What was it, though? What did he do?"

"It was certainly... something." Jack seemed less enthusiastic. "We should find some sort of way to test ourselves."

"Test ourselves?"

"Yes. The Great One said he granted us both power. I say we find out just what he meant by that."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

Almost as if on cue, the sound of rocks scraping together along with a couple of grunts could be heard in the distance. Around thirty feet away, the two minifigures could see two red dots at the end of their trail of crystal shards. They could see the crystal fragments, one by one, being lifted into the air and then vanishing.

"What is that?" Megan whispered.

:"I'm not sure. But this is a good opportunity for a test."

"What?"

The two red dots turned to face them. A roar could be heard followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. The dots grew closer and revealed themselves to be the eyes of a large beast. Megan only had a moment to identify it as a rock monster before it rushed towards her.

"AIIIEEEEE!" She screamed as it grabbed her by the legs and hoisted her in the air. She dropped the crystal shards she had been carrying. The rock monster's eyes focused on a small cluster of crystal shards on the ground, and carelessly tossed Megan aside.

"Megan!" Jack yelled to her. The monster had thrown her over its shoulder. Jack was right in front of the beast. He saw it eating the crystal fragments one by one on the ground.

It's distracted. Run! A voice called out in Jack's head. He obeyed it and ran past the creature. Bringing out his flashlight, he scanned for Megan. It wasn't long until he found her passed out on the hard ground. He rushed to her side and examined her. Blood was running from the top of her head.

Place your hand on her head and focus Jack heard the voice a second time, and for a second time he followed its instructions. But focus on what? He closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly. In... and out... He saw the abyss that had shown itself when he faced the Great One. He could feel its cold sting travel from his mind's eye through his body and out of his hand. Jack opened his eyes as he felt Megan begin to twitch.

"Huh...? J-Jack?" She opened her eyes slowly. A grunt could be heard nearby, and Megan realized where she was. "You!" She shouted as she got up and faced the Rock Monster. Without warning, she bolted towards it.

The monster turned around, hearing her approach and roared in her direction. Megan launched herself into the air and kicked the monster in its face. It toppled backwards and fell with a loud thud. She continued to kick and punch the monster. It flew across the cave with each hit.

Stop her! Jack snapped out of his stupor. He had frozen in awe when he saw the extent of Megan's might. Now he headed towards her and grabbed her fist before she drove it to the monster's chest. She felt warm to the touch. Megan turned her head and her anger's sight met Jack's concerned eyes. Megan's eyes were glowing white.

Jack looked at the creature before them. Its red eyes were now closed. A large crack could be seen running down its face; a feature that was not there before. He examined its body. It had several chips and lines running through it. Its chest slowly rose and fell. It was still alive, but it looked as if it would shatter should the fight continue.

"T-That's e-enough..." Jack said with a new found fear in his voice. Never before would he have dreamed of fearing Megan.

Megan's face slowly softened when she saw Jack. Her eyes returned to their normal black color. She followed his eyes to the monster's beaten body. She shivered at the realization of it.

"I... I did this..." She. whispered the words to herself. They both stared at the Rock Monster, its chest still faintly moving.

There is nothing you can do for it. Jack heard the voice, but almost wished he hadn't. He thought to himself for a moment.

"It has energy crystals nearby and a place to rest for a while... It should be fine on its own... I think." He looked at Megan. Her face was sullen. "... Come on, we should go." He pulled her arm and the two of them headed deeper into the darkness of the cave.

Review

This is just an epic where I write about the exploits of my personal LEGO collection. I've been playing with these guys since childhood, and now they get to have their stories told.

Chapter 0: Great One

Two minifigures made their way through a labyrinthine cave. A trail of glowing crystals could be seen behind them. These would show them the way to the outside world. It had been a lengthy journey, and both parties were left tired and cold. It was necessary, however. Much was at stake, and hope was growing faint.

"It shouldn't be much further." said the minifugre in black. He had black hair, a black firefighter's jacket and black pants. He held a flashlight and it shone on the hard rock ahead.

"Are you sure?" said a young woman with brown hair held back in a ponytail. She wore a white shirt with a collar and two front pockets and green slacks. Her eyes were black and her lips red.

"Sure? No. Megan, no one has seen this being for centuries. There's a chance his existence is entirely fiction! We can't be sure of anything." He spoke matter-of-factly.

"That's awfully optimistic of you, Jack." her words seemed to hurt as they escaped her breath.

"We both knew this was a long-shot from the start. But if the legends are true, we will soon find out."

It was not long when they came across a large chamber through a small opening in the stone before them. Jack shone the light towards the center of the room. There he sat, a great creature of green and red. He had one short arm, and the other long with two great fingers outstretched. His torso was full of holes, and on his right chest area sat a crooked, yellow, chisled head, its eyes closed.

"He's real...." Megan whispered in astonishment. It was all she could manage.

Jack pulled out a scroll from his pocket and let the flashlight illuminate it. He began to read.

"Oh ancient spirit of light and shadow, we call for you to wake,

The world outside has fallen low, and lest the heavens shake,

We pray your wisdom holds the key to heal our earthly woes,

We ask you now to grant us power that we may best our foes."

The chamber began to shake with a moan like soft thunder. The creature's right eye glowed white. The floor began to glow, revealing a pool of water that was five feet below the cliff they were standing on. The chamber was now dully illuminated with blue light.

"A thousand years... I have slumbered... And now I rise to your call..." The voice was ancient and booming.

Megan and Jack stood in awe for a moment. Jack was the one to step forward and speak.

"Oh great one, we have come here seeking-"

"I know why you are here, Jack... and Megan... I see through the tree of time... I know its branches well... and its roots... You come seeking order... in a world of chaos... Witchcraft... Monsters... Fire... You wish to best them..."

"Yes, we do!" Megan shouted eagerly. "What must we do to prove ourselves worthy of such power?"

"Ha...ha...ha..." The laugh was wistful. "You have already done so... by finding my den... Megan... step forward."

Megan hesitated, but then stepped towards the giant. He held out his long arm and wrapped his two fingers around her. Hoisting her up to his face. His head straightened itself within his torso, and his right eye opened wide.

"Daughter of Yin... You shall become a child of Yang. Accept... his power.. But... beware... the light can easily... flare too brightly.. and consume..."

Megan stared into his eye. It was as if the entire world around her vanished, the being's grip vanishing from her senses. She could see the stars and galaxies swirling throughout the universe. They grew brighter and brighter still. She felt warm, a warmth that filled her through to her bones. It was as if she was floating through the heavens, ascending to new heights. Her heart beat excitedly and it made her head spin. It felt wonderful and dangerous at the same time, her mind racing.

The giant released his grip and Megan floated down slowly to the cliff next to Jack. Her mind was still swimming.

"...Jack..." The great creature extended his arm down to the base of the cliff. Jack stared for a moment, but then walked to the edge, letting the great arm carry him up as well. The giant's right eye closed, and this time his left eye opened wide. It was pitch black.

"Son of Yang... You shall become a child of Yin. Accept... her patience... But... beware... The peace of darkness... can be very tempting... and quell even the brightest passion...."

Jack felt as if the world had faded into nothing. He saw the lights of the universe slowly fade into nothing. He felt cold, as if he had turned to stone. He felt as if he were falling fast to the earth, down into the abyss. His heartbeat had slowed to a faint pulse. It made his head acutely aware of the cold. It felt strangely calming and sad at the same time.

The red and green creature set Jack down gently on the cliff, and he staggered; keeping his balacne proved to be difficult.

"What... did you do?" Megan asked, still feeling lightheaded.

"I have granted the two of you power... You shall both... cancel out the other... Use these gifts wisely... and bring order to your world..." And with that, the giant's eyes slowly closed and a low thunder rumbled through the cavern. The blue glow of the water slowly started to fade.

"W-wait!" Jack yelled, stumbling to get to his feet.

"We... will... meet.... again...." And with that, the chamber returned to darkness.

Review

Jungle and Fire

Water and water.

Also, it is nice to see Sir Quackers and Samantha appear in the game. =P

IC: Samantha

East District

"I can't make it out..." Samantha answered Bartholomew. She didn't like the way this day was heading.

Ice and stone.

IC: Samantha

East District

Samantha was taken aback. A lava monster. A freaking lava monster right here coming out of nowhere.

She quickly rushed to Johnny Thunder and grabbed his hand. She pulled him away and started running further up the street, hoping to put some distance between them and the beast. She was sure her machete would be of little use, as close combat seemed a poor decision.

OOC: Probably should've given her a pistol...

OOC: So, a lava monster. I'm going to ask this before we get into a fight sequence; what happens if one of our charaters dies? Do they turn into a ghost? Can they even be killed seeing as they're plastic figures? I only ask because apparently Ogel has assassins.

IC: Tekulo

Chang Wu's Temple

Tekulo pondered this for a moment.

"Lady Cecilia would conquer seven kingdoms in the time it would take us to wait for our friends. I say we venture forth!"

OOC: So our characters have been totally incompetent for a series of missions that all ended in failure?

IC: Samantha

Xi'an East District

"Really? Getting together and playing poker isn't exactly my idea of adventure..." Samantha sighed to herself as she walked alongside Pippin.

OOC: As much as I would like to see everyone working together in Doctor Who, I vote for Power Miners instead.

IC: Samantha

Casino

Samantha reluctantly followed Johnny Thunder and Dr. Kilroy. She turned to Pippin and said,

"So, Pippin, how are things? Go on any good adventures recently?" Samantha hoped she had the right name this time.

Stone and earth

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

"Ar-Articus was my... second guess." Samantha gave the largest nervous smile known to mankind. A bead of sweat fell across her forehead.

OOC: Thank you for that clarification.

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

"Oh my gosh, Dr. Charles Lightning! I am so sorry!" Samantha had a look on her face that resembled a child being chastised. How embarrassing.

IC: Tekulo

Chang Wu's Palace

While Tekulo was kneeled, he spotted a small spider slowly crawling on the floor. Tekulo decided the spider's name was Lady Cecilia and that her quest was to take down the evil Fly Monarch on Overworld Five. Lady Cecilia of course was from the seventh dimension.

"Achoo!" Tekulo let out a loud sneeze. He thought he heard it echo in the halls.

OOC: Oops, I'm having fun again. On the plus side, we've learned more about Tekulo's psyche. (He and I are too alike)

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

Samantha jumped up out of her chair with renewed excitement.

"Race you to the lobby! 3, 2, 1, GO!" And with that, she bolted out of the room, determined to win at something.

IC: Tekulo

Chang Wu's Temple

Tekulo stepped forward, stopping a few feet from the throne. He looked up at the nearest dragon carving and beheld its magnificence. He bowed down on one knee to the Emperor. He waited for Sam Sinister to do the talking, as had been previously discussed.

Jungle and water

IC: Tekulo

Chang Wu's Temple

"Huh... You're a very strange person." Tekulo had felt he had made a new friend.

OOC: Yup, Tekulo was approved on page one. On the condition, that is, of no pterodactyls, no T-rex and no magical egg statue that could turn him into cheese.

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

"Fascinating..." Samantha appeared to be deep in thought at this new development.

OOC: I'm having too much fun, someone move the plot forward so I stop having fun.

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

"How else could you travel through water?"

IC: Tekulo

Chang Wu's Temple

Tekulo stared at the doorway that lead into the throne room. The temple was an impressive sight to behold. There were many architectural features that caught his eye, and they were all quite breathtaking.

He leaned in towards Michael and whispered "Have you ever had the feeling you were supposed to be a duck?"

IC: Samantha

Poker Room

Samantha caught Johnny Thunder's face and retorted by smiling and poking out her tongue. Now that she had folded, and that Marty had begrudgingly done the same, there wasn't quite as much excitement in her life. Perhaps she should rethink her life? Should she go to a university, or go back to the Jungle Village? Surely there were more hidden secrets in the Jungle she had not yet explored, and who knows? Maybe she could study something truly engaging and exciting... something like... Geology. Surely it would be more exciting than sitting in a poker room, having folded her cards. Could she perhaps do both? Well, there wasn't a university in the Village, but maybe she could commute? Would she need a form of transportation? Maybe she could use the whales...

"Marty, what are your thoughts on converting whales into buses?"

OOC: And now we know what happens when my characters get bored.