The Gemini HexBlade Master, Salem sits in the Bill’s Miller tavern with Christina and Emhril as people who were spectators of the Tagi Challenge occupy the tables around them. Salem’s twin is upstairs in Zealot’s room with Haiku as the HealthBlade treated and sews up Zealot’s wounds as he lies in bed. “The HealthBlade’s NanoSpiders are repairing your broken ribs but they will not be as good as new by tomorrow. Your quick regeneration helps a little but it is trying to replace your broken bones, not repair them. That is hard to do when your bones are still there,” said Haiku. “Who sent this child to medical school?” asked Zealot. “It is the HealthBlade talking through Haiku,” said Selene, as she sits on Zealot’s bed watching the HealthBlade do its work. In the tavern, Salem sulks over a mug of mead thinking how unfair it is for Selene to have Haiku repair Zealot’s injuries while the other fighters do not have such a thing to help them recover for tomorrow. Christina is busy giving her GullBlade a good cleaning when Jarody enters the tavern. “Jarody, where have you been? I was looking all over the arena floor for you,” said Christina as she quickly got up and ran to the arriving Jarody.
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene were in the bleachers of the Barter Arena with Christina and Haiku ready to watch the early day action as more people made their way to the raised platform in the center of the arena. A woman wearing a beautiful green low cut evening gown that showed a lot of her back and flowed down to the floor, walked up to the cone on the stage, “Attention, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Arian, I am the representative of the current event organizer of the Tagi Challenge. Soon, announcers in each section will be speaking in your language so you may follow the action on the arena Floor. This is already going on now in most of the sections.” The twins could already hear the woman’s words being translated in other languages in the other parts of the arena, but it was too faint for them to make it out. Arian continued, “This event will be held in three heats starting with the individual type competition until twelve Champions are selected. Tomorrow will be Heat two, the semifinals where our twelve champions will fight best 2 out of 3 timed matches facing a different opponent each, the order of which will be drawn at random. On the last day, our final 3 top fighters will face each other in an all out three way fight until only one is left able to fight. The last man will receive this.” Arian takes a golden medal from the hands of another woman and raised it for all to see, “The official medal of the Tagi Challenge, this medal is made to attach to anything our last champion sees fit to display. Written on the official medal is, ‘The 2005 Tagi Challenge Master of Warriors’. Along with this title will be the one million collon prize money. Now welcome our warriors as they make their way onto the floor!”
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene were sitting in the Bill’s Miller tavern with Emhril and Jarody as they knock back a few beers. Christina is upstairs putting Haiku to bed. “So, how do I use this thing other then lug it around,” said Emhril. “Well you can destroy anything you hit with it, is one idea,” said Jarody. “A Blade of destruction,” said Emhril with a frown then sarcastically says, “That would make me popular.” “You attach it to your wrist; the chain on it is called an Eternity Chain. It can get longer and longer as long as it is on your wrist,” said Salem. “Two hundred years ago, the last Blade Master of the EarthBlade took it and threw it across the Mantyan Expanse and let the chain flow out of the shackle. The EarthBlade made it to the other side and he attached the other end to a rock. The people who lived in the area then used the chain to help them build a bridge,” said Selene. “The Mantyan Expanse Bridge?! That bridge has got to be a mile long!” said Emhril. “That bridge would not have been possible without a Blade like the EarthBlade to help make it,” said Salem. “So you see, your Blade is not a Blade of destruction. It is a tool to help people make Colloquy a better world to live,” said Selene.
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene walk the paved streets with Christina from the SaintBlade Cathedral back to the Inn called Bill’s Miller. “Have we met Bill?” asked Salem. “No, but we did meet a big friendly fat guy named Emhril. I am only guessing you did not see him earlier today. He should be working the bar now,” says Selene as they enter the tavern where they find Jarody doing something that knocked them for a real loop. Jarody was standing on the small stage singing “In Heaven there is no beer. (No beer?!) That’s why we drink it here. And when we’re all gone from here. Our friends will be drinking all the beer.” as Emhril was playing on his accordion. The other tavern patrons were enjoying themselves raising their heavy mugs of mead and cider as Haiku moved about the tavern floor delivering full mugs to patrons and collecting the empty ones. Salem and Selene never liked to be part of things like this. They were trying their best now to make their way to the steps and up to their quiet room. Suddenly, Pawn jumps off Salem’s shoulders and lands on the floor shaking his head and twitching all over the floor until he opened the ThievesBlade void. The EarthBlade comes flying out and lands hard in the middle of the room. The floor starts to bend and cave in under the EarthBlade’s unbelievable weight. Everyone starts to run to the nearest wall to get away from the bending floor in case it falls through and tries to take them with it. Emhril grabbed his seven year-old daughter. Once he was sure that she was safe, his concerns now turned to the safety of his beloved tavern. A light starts to build around the EarthBlade then fires a beam of light to Emhril’s forehead. “The EarthBlade! It had chosen a master!” yells Salem to her sister.
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene walk the paved streets with Christina to the SaintBlade Cathedral in the middle of town. The cathedral is the largest building in the trade city of Barter. It is the center of the city’s religious community. The large building is decorated with carvings of the Caretakers and their Blades. Also on the building can be seen carvings of religious leaders of the past and stone creatures to scare off evil spirits. The three Blade Masters walk through the large doors of the cathedral and enter the grand hall where the mass will be held. Rows of pews cover the black marble floor and windows with stained glass depicting the fourteen most important milestones in Colloquy history. As people shuffle in and take their spots, the three blade masters take a back hallway to climb some steps to access a balcony reserved only for traveling Blade Masters. Christina takes one of the front most seats as Salem and Selene sit on the seats behind her. From here they could see everyone in the congregation.
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene with new Blade Master Christina and the Human form of death named Jarody are riding their horses to the trade town of Barter. Pawn is asleep as usual on Salem’s shoulders as Rook races the GullBlade in the air. The twins are leading the way discussing between themselves a plan to find masters for the remaining 4 Blades they have with them before leaving for Cragorus where Terra’s cave is located. Jarody and Christina are taking up the rear as Christina continues to question Jarody to find out any more cool information about him and the twins. More»
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene with the man named Jarody walk into the afternoon sun light. The horses, Darkwind, Skyclap, and a nearly bald Syntax, greet them with whinnies as Pawn appears out of nowhere, and climbs up Salem’s body to come to rest once again on his owner’s shoulders. Christina can be seen running from a well about a hundred yards away. “Who is the chick with the huge melons?” asked Jarody when he saw the approaching Blade Master. Selene says through her teeth, “That is Christina. If you do anything to hurt her, I can promise you a fate worse then death.” “Hey, everything is cool. Why would I want to hurt that… Make her moan and scream my name, maybe. But not hurt her,” said Jarody as the twins gave him a look that would melt an iceberg. More»
The Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene arrive at the edge of the secret place known only as the Dead Swamp. The two suns were at their highest, hitting everything with a powerful light. Christina lands nearby as the twins dismount their horses. All the animals were very uneasy being this close to the swamp for they could feel the evil that dwells in its black waters and lifeless trees. “You will stay here with the animals and wait for us to return.” Instructs Selene to Christina as the GullBlade transforms back to seagull form. “But…” began Christina only to be cut off by Salem, “No buts about it. Selene and I are the only ones who can safely enter and leave the Dead Swamp. You will die the moment you touch the waters. It is best you stay here with the animals.” Christina nods her head in agreement.
The road to the secret place known only as The Dead Swamp was not long enough for the Gemini Twin HexBlade Masters, Salem and Selene. Darkwind and Syntax each with a twin on their back, walk slowly on the beaten dirt path away from Koror until the busy city could no longer be seen. Rook and the GullBlade are high in the air racing each other, and playing as Pawn sleeps on his master’s shoulders making it look as if she had some kind of fur stole on. The twins decided to stop and give Christina and Skyclap a chance to catch up. “Did she fall off again?” asked Salem, looked back down the path as she dismounted Syntax. “No”, replied Selene, “I think she got her hair caught on a low hanging branch this time.” Selene dismounts Darkwind and looks at the map to find the shortest way to Death’s home.
