Return of the Eaglerider

Image Credit and Special Thanks: Iron Age Media

Grofnar the Eaglerider and his steed, the Aeton Amerigon, departed with haste from Oslon to the realm of Soz. The Great Aeton Periphemon sent them to defeat the hydra Aquos: a fearsome creature with bodies like snakes and heads like dragons.

“Tell me, Eagle,” Grofnar said. “I have never been outside of Rost. What is the land of Soz like?” They were approaching the divide between lands. It was a vast cavern and far too dangerous for Fletcher, Grofnar's horse, to cross. This journey was only possible for the Aetons themselves to make.

“Seafarers, Madlander,” Amerigon replied. “The realm is occupied by sailors and merchants. Their skin is darker than any you have met back home. Why it is almost like gold!” The divide separating Rost from Soz appeared to be magical. But this magic was far beyond anything the Aetons could conjure. It was black and covered with mist. Within the blink of an eye, it was nightfall. And the light of Rost gave way to the darkness of the abyss. “This is what I meant, Eaglerider, when I told you upon the mountain after Gofen’s defeat that you have only seen a glimpse of the world around you. The reason for this is that The Great Furies have separated the Realms. But we Aetons have no sense of your limits.”

Then the light began to return in the distance. The duo were dimly illuminated by a golden land. The darkness gave way to sea. And the sea became sand. The land was colorful and bright, even in the golden sun. Grofnar felt the sudden surge of heat upon entering the realm. The Eaglerider, by power of thought, ordered his steed to land so he may purchase new wares in Soz. He purchased new, shorter armor to combat the scorching tropical climate and additional weapons to be enchanted by the Aeton as they traveled to defeat Aquos.

The Madlander and his companion flew quickly to reach the Mahsadin temple, where Aquos was wreaking havoc. The hydra's domain was separated from the temple by rocks. The Mahsadin guards down below fought valiantly as Aquos snatched away the puny guards and threw them into the water for its young to eat.

Upon viewing the massive beast, Grofnar was amazed and horrified. However, something caught his gaze and it gave him an idea. “Amerigon,” The Rider called. “Hail the coastal defense to set ablaze their catapult fire. It will create a diversion!”

Grofnar noticed that the torches which lit the sea were destroyed. The lights of the city were also darkened. Amerigon upon noticing the darkness recognized the pattern his rider had seen. The Aeton sent the message to the captain of the guard post haste. The sky upon command burned bright with powerful explosions. The Heads of Aquos immediately focused upon the light and began to attack together with one another. 

The Aeton enchanted his rider's weapons and moved in to flank the beast. The Rider jumped off his steed and landed upon one of the large bodies. Though scaled and hard to traverse, the serpent- like body was large enough to walk on with no issues. The Madlander charged toward the first head and stabbed into the first skull. With Aeton magic, the blade expanded and penetrated the dense bone and into its brain. The head bellowed a deafening yell. Its eyes, nostrils and mouth beamed with bright light. The Hydra began to shake and seize violently. With no time to waste, the Hunter leapt off the beast and got swept away by his steed to take on the next head.

That was when the next head attacked. The Aeton rolled to dodge the ice breath of the Hydra. In the defensive action, his rider was knocked loose. Grofnar had a thought in the free fall. If he could draw his sword and stab at the beast's heart he may be able to kill the heads once and for all. A head moved to intercept the Madlander's descent. The head, larger than Periphemon, appeared to smile as it moved rapidly to kill its prey. Before the dragon head could open its maw, Grofnar fired an enchanted bolt from one of his new hand bows into the left eye of the beast. The light magic acted like a poison bullet as the head went limp upon impact.

Grofnar directed his fall toward the limp neck. Upon landing on the dead flesh one of the scales cut into his right leg. It was hard to tell if the skin was pierced by the scale or the slashing of his new greaves. He limped his way off the collapsing body with Amerigon ready to intercept. However, the rider was losing strength in his leg. The jump was unsuccessful and the Madlander came up short of his escape. The Eagle dive bombed to save his rider. “Thank you, Eagle,” the Hunter said.

“We cannot persist with the strategy, Madlander,” Amerigon replied. Grofnar agreed. “Are you prepared, Eagle, to do something foolhardy?!” The Aeton was confused, but Impelled by his rider's thought. Within moments, the two were in between the Mahsadin projectiles and the third head of five. Amerigon dipped below the oncoming stone and enchanted the rock as it arced over them and into the mouth of the beast. Within an instant the useless projectile became a suicide pill. Just before the two were to be defeated the Hydra's head arced below them and into the sea.

The Aeton would not take this action gracefully. Amerigon compelled Grofnar to fall off of him. The bird used his talon to grab the rider by the torso. The Eagle then threw the Madlander at the fourth head. The Hunter grabbed his blade now burning with enchanted fire. The Hydra consumed its prey but the momentum of his meal and the pointy end of the sword created a crater sized hole in the belly of the beast. Grofnar was immediately intercepted.

Upon defeat of the fourth head, the ground began to shake. The Hydra's final head rose from below the water. The beast's roar was enough to blast the duo back toward the shore. This head, the largest of the five, was too big to be defeated the way they'd defeated the other four. The beast immediately tried to consume the puny nuisance that destroyed its heads.

Amerigon raced his way through the storm clouds which formed over the beast. The dragon head was not far behind. Its maw was as large as a tiny village. The lightning and rain pelted the heroes like punches. The two raced higher and higher to outpace the beast behind them. And just before they were to be consumed, the sun broke through the storm. The Hydra began to liquefy in the bright light before it. The dark magic which clouded the beast vanished.

The clouds lifted and the daylight showed through as the two monster slayers descended from the heavens. The city below reflected the light with golden red accents. Grofnar and Amerigon landed right outside the city gates. 

Upon their descent, the Madlander dismounted the Eagle and began to pray. “Look here, Gosk,” he said. “Hear me, Gosk. I offer this Demon slain for my beloved Eularia. May her soul dwell with you in peaceful eternity. Hail.” 

The Aeton approached the rider. “Hunter,” he called. “I must tell you at once, that the Hydra being here is a strange occurrence. They do not live in these areas naturally. They belong to the abyss we crossed in order to get here. Someone must have summoned it.”

“The Scarlet Brotherhood?” Grofnar asked.

“That I cannot answer, Madlander,” Amerigon replied. “But we must be on the lookout. Else, why would my father bid us to come here?”

The Hunter looked at his wound. “I must call the Fire Aetons for your wound, Grof,” The bird said. “It festers with dark magic. It will corrupt you over time if we do not begin enchanting it now.” Amerigon waved his talon over the gash. “That spell is only a salve. It will get us through the festivities but no longer than that.”

“Festivities?” The Madlander asked. “What do you mean festivities?”

“We have saved this port from annihilation,” the Aeton answered. “For this, the people have come to throw a feast for heroes. This celebration is but the entry for our investigation. Come, we must let them give us homage.”