City of IF

[D-Lotus]

Ok, here's the new chapter, enjoy!


Dealers

Suddenly a plan erupted from his keen intelligence. Yahoo smiled comfortably as his right hand jabbed the air and his left hand moved as if holding taut strings; in a situation of deep complexity, Yahoo had been trained to be calm. Adversity was his ally. With friends like that, who needs enemies? he thought.

A shadow creeped over him rapidly, as he clapped his right hand to his chest in the final motion. The boulder was two seconds away from giving the deeply sun-tanned and bearded man an unanticipated grave.

It is said that spectators crave blood, thus the origination of gladiators and colloseums.

This day was no different. The audience of the fight was yelling, chanting, betting and laughing at the fate of the competitors, those men who are fighting for glory and victory.

Consider a frozen moment in time. A second in which all action stops, all movement ceases.

At that moment, only men who ran high risks and hold in mind that magic is unpredictable, were betting anything in favor of Yahoo. Derisive laughs at their foolhardiness resonated around them, also frozen.

At the end of the day, the money they would collect would be among high numbers, for in that moment Yahoo completed his spell. In that moment, the spikes created to entrap him would come to his aid. In that moment, Yahoo would win the fight. In that single speck of time,

Luna, Yahoo's love, would curiously be reminded of a man she met long ago as she contemplated the fight among the wild spectators...

The spikes shot up from the ground. Thick, straight spikes, made of hard iron and coated with Yahoo's magic. The air screeched and the audience of the strange battle suddenly stopped their dealings to turn around in surprise.

There was a catacylsmic explosion. The wall of fire sudenly intensified and soared into the sky, blocking the view of what was happening inside the circle of flames.

Suddenly the fire diminished, revealing a bearded wizard standing under an enormous boulder, which was held in place above him like a bridge by equally giant spikes shooting out from the ground. He looked alleviated.

He casually strode outside, walking through two of the spikes with ease. He smiled, applying the rule of never showing your weakness.

As soon as Yahoo stepped out, two spikes suddenly gave way, and the boulder crashed down on where Yahoo had been standing only seconds ago. The wizard didn't even look back.

Compared to Drug, Yahoo seemed very healthy. The small man's eyes were bulging, and his neck was craned forward in perplexity. He made the effort of going through a few motions, but the spell died due to lack of energy.

Yahoo approached Drug slowly, putting the panicking man in agony. Drug scrambled backwards.

Yahoo stopped and raised his arms slowly, as if in the process of intense wheight lifting. A ball of crackling green electricity began forming above his opponents head. Drug cowered against the stadium walls, with no route of escape.

The electric ball hovered ominiously over Drug. He began emitting a low whining as he tried to begin another spell but failed, his energy spent. Yahoo raised his hands high, ready to bring down the energy ball on Drug. Suddenly the man dropped to his knees and in a weak voice pleaded mercy, surrendering the fight. The loudspeaker voiced out Drug's surrender, proclaiming Yahoo the winner. Yahoo grinned and dropped the illusion of the energy ball.

But before he could be ushered out by anyone, he pointed his index finger at his lungs and spoke. His voice boomed out with more power than the loudspeaker.

"Come all to the Wormy Dog! A warm tavern with a heart of gold. Come enjoy a good beer with us, or listen to our bard play! Lunch and Breakfast served!"

After this statement, he hastily departed the arena, as the public stared at him. The wizard who had just won a great battle had subsequently proceeded to commercialize a seedy tavern.

Crazy or poor? Whatever he was, it was clear he was on his path to greatness.
___________________________________________________

His battle was over, but Yahoo had yet much work to do. He had accorded with the tavern keeper of the Wormy Dog to advertise after each battle in exchange of information. The name he had been given was Juniper.

"If you need information about dealings and raw Magic, Juniper is who you need to talk to." had said the owner of the Wormy Dog.

Yahoo advanced quickly under the pleasant sun, and soon he was standing before a market stall in the city square, dressed in ragged clothes as a disguise.

"Melons! Melons! Get your melons, nice and fresh! Melons of all colors; juicy red, green, blue and yellow melons!"

Yahoo approached the melon vendor, then whispered something in his ear. The vendor stopped his cart and pointed reverently at a man dressed in a white suit and a black tie, sitting down near an alleyway and mopping up his sweat with a handkerchief.

Yahoo approached him, and the man looked up. He took off his white hat from his balding head and watched Yahoo inquisitively. Yahoo spoke, trying to sound as gruff as he could.

"You're Juniper?"

"Indeed." said the man, and got up from his chair.

"I'm looking for some snuff." said Yahoo, pretending indifference.

"Then you are looking in the wrong place, friend. I have nothing of what you seek." He said with a smile playing on his face.

Yahoo stepped up threateningly.

"I have sources."

"Sources, eh?" said the man, frowning as he stepped back. He looked Yahoo over distatestfully. "Well, I'm sure we can arrange something." said the man, gesturing inside the alley.

They stepped into the shadows. Yahoo looked behind him and saw a thug approaching. He snapped his fingers under his clothes and the thug turned away, lost in thought.

Juniper fidgeted distrustfully, stealing glances behind Yahoo, but no one came. Although he probably had serious doubts about the validity of Yahoo's arguments, he was in no position to refuse any information.

"Alright," he said mopping his brow in discomfort "I'll tell you where you can find what you're looking for."

Yahoo allowed his grimace to settle into a crooked smile.

"Search for Alfonse, he sells to whoever has money, regardless of appearance."

Yahoo nodded fiercely and walked out into the sun, smiling. Juniper watched him go as he loosened his black tie.

That's a tough cookie, he thought. Alfonse will take care of him.

He smiled and sat back down on his chair.
__________________________

The day was beggining to fade, and Yahoo had yet not found his man. It turns out Alfonse wasn't so easy to find. He had tried returning to Juniper for directions, but he had gone.

And the melon vendor suddenly couldn't recall who Juniper was.

Well, if they didn't know how to hide themselves, they wouldn't still be in the business, would they? thought Yahoo.

Yahoo had known of the existance of these pleasure vendors. Everybody in Vlusos had a faint idea of it, although no one was conclusively sure of what they did. It was speculated that they somehow channeled Magic through amulets, and then sold them to emflikars who had run out of their own energy, and now needed to buy this "pleasure Magic". The finer details of their business remained unknown.

Yahoo was feeling a creeping weariness from the fight. Although in reality he had not used so much Magic, the stress had taken its toll on his body. Magic depended on the physical strength as much as in that of the mind.

The crowds had begun to clear, and a ragged man like him would appear suspicious, so Yahoo began walking the less transited streets. Ocasionally he would ask street vendors questions, but to no avail.

He was lost in thought when he bumped into a small man. The man fell over, and suddenly Yahoo decided to change tactics. He grabbed the man by the collar and snarled in his face aggressively.

"Tell me where to find Alfonse."

The man backed down, appreciative of Yahoo's temerity.

"W-who?" he stuttered.

Yahoo picked him up again, pretending no concern about the people around them, and shook him like a fish.

"Lead me to him!" he said imperatively.

The man looked at the people around them, who seemed to be contemplative of what was occurring. Then he looked at the mad gleam in Yahoo's eyes and spoke with fear.

"A-Alfonse? O-ok."

Yahoo let go, and the man dropped to the floor. He motioned for Yahoo to follow and slipped into a side street, his eyes shifting nervously.

Yahoo followed the man, and they traveled silently but quickly through deserted alley ways. Finally, the short man started to slow down as the sun diminished behind the horizon. Yahoo could hear the low sigh from a source of water nearby as they reached their destination, and he inferred that they were somewhere in the immediate outskirts of the city.

The short man stopped and pointed towards a hut surrounded by piles of garbage, behind which a large stream could be seen.

"It's over there." he said, this time with more confidence, and eyeing Yahoo with suspicion.

Yahoo began walking towards the hut, followed by the short man. When they got near the door, the short man spoke again.

"You better wait out here while I talk to Alfonse. I don't come here often, but I know he doesn't like unexpected visitors."

Yahoo nodded his understanding, and the man proceeded to knock on the door. Somebody opened from the inside, and the man stepped inside, with a backwards glance at Yahoo. The door creaked to a close, and Yahoo stood outside, the wind billowing around his ragged cloak.

After a while, the door opened again, and the short man motioned to him to come inside. The magician gave a few steps into the dark room, and then stopped as the door closed behind him. He noted the presence of at least four other men inside. There was a musty odor of rotting planks and incense. For a moment, the only sound that was heard was the faint rustle of his cloak, and then somebody spoke.

"Who are you?" asked the voice. It was deep and grave.

"I'm Robert," lied Yahoo. "--Robert Fulhem."

There was silence again, and suddenly the flame of an oil lamp grew to reveal the face of the shadowed speaker.

He was an old man of about fifty, shaven and with long white hair that covered his dark eyes and gleamed in the light of the flame.

"I've never heard of that name. Are you from abroad?" he asked petulantely.

"I am. I came here from outside the region."

The man got up from his chair and began lighting candles lined along the wall methodically. The faces of a woman and a man were revealed, and the short man who had accompanied Yahoo.

Sighting his chance, he spoke to the older man.

"I-I have to go now." he said nervously.

The man, Alfonse, nodded, and the small man took his leave with a gesture of relief.

Alfonse turned towards Yahoo.

"What do you want?" he said deliberately.

Yahoo looked at the other two people in the room, a big, masculine woman and a dark browed man, but didn't answer.

Alfonse continued speaking, as if thinking the matter over.

"You obviously aren't here for snuff, you don't have the desperation in your eyes. I've seen a lot of emflikars, and I can tell you're not one of them. You don't look like you're part of the gaurd force, either. Your methods are too different from theirs. There's something that burns inside you...maybe you're a Jomakar?"

Yahoo remained silent, astonished at the man's deduction. Alfonse walked to his chair and sat down. He leaned forwards and looked at Yahoo.

"What do you want?" he said, this time expecting an answer.

Yahoo's cover was blown, but another idea occurred to him.

"You read too deep." he said. "I'm only searching for a job with easy money. Simply a man in search of wealth, there's nothing more to be said of me."

Alfonse considered him precautiously.

"You sound suspicious. A man as you describe yourself does not speak as you do. You are too wise." he said.

"A man like me couldn't have survived for so long without having learned something from life." responded Yahoo.

"I see. Do you know Magic? Usually we deliver quantities of raw Magic in special containers, but a man who owns the power of Magic can become easily rich. It is a pity most mages are too proud to sell their Magic."

"I am slightly skilled in using Magic, but enough to satisfy the needs of the wretched emflikars who have run out of their own." said Yahoo.

"So you're a mage?" smiled Alfonse.

The man and the woman suddenly moved closer to Yahoo, but Alfonse gestured for them to stop. Yahoo stood on alert, ready to strike. He felt weak and tired from the battle and the search under the hot sun, but he managed a stance of battle.

"As you can see, we don't like mages much. That's why we have an anti-magical seal in this area. As soon as you step inside this hut, all your magic is useless. That's how we deal with nasty intruders." Alfonse smiled as he spoke, enjoying Yahoo's surprise.

Yahoo had fallen into a trap, but he remained calm.

He wondered for a moment whether Alfonse was bluffing. Such a spectacularly powerful enchantment would be exceedingly rare. But then, if you could find one anywhere then it'd be here in Vulsos and the man was sure to be wealthy.

"You seem surprised about our seal? My money does not go to waste, and I have more than you could imagine. How do you think the aristocracy managed to survive after the dawn of mages? Not through Mage bodyguards! They were wiped out in organized attacks. It was through anti-Magic that we still exist today!"

He snapped out of his passionate argument and grinned.

"You want to become one of us, isn't it so?" said Alfonse.

Yahoo said nothing.

"We have a custom of giving our new members a small test. Don't worry, a man like you should have no problem 'surfacing'." He laughed at his own pun, and the strongly constituted thugs encroached on Yahoo.

They grabbed him and locked his arms behind him, then pulled him out of the hut. Alfonse followed behind, scorning Yahoo. The two thugs bound his arms and legs tightly with a rope. Yahoo didn't resist. Instead, he observed his surroundings. The stream was deep and ran down the slope until lost from view. The mounds of garbage were everywhere in the dump, even in middle of the stream. They looked solid, like small islands. From one side to the other of the stream there were only fifteen feet. The water was dark and seemed contaminated, but Yahoo could see that the stream bottom was covered in sharp rocks.

The two thugs lifted him up in the air, and Alfonse waved goodbye and laughed. He felt himself heaved and then felt the splash of cold water. He floundered around, but began to sink as the stream carried him towards an unknown fate. What could he do?

[Rein]

Hmm. Quite a prediciment. Maybe he should try to use his magic. This guy seems pretty sly, so it could be an illusion that he can't use magic.

[Araex]

A good point, but I think an anti-Magic seal is just plain common sense for someone like him. What if an enraged emflikar comes storming in? The seal would incapacitate him.

However - we're probably out of the seal's effect by now, but we've told Alfonse that we're not very skilled. If we use too much, someone might make the connection between Robert Fulhem and Yahoo.

Magic does still seem to be out of the question for another reason - we're underwater with our hands tied. No gestures or words that we can use to cast a spell. I see two options:

1] Let's kick off from the bottom, ignoring the pain of sharp rocks, and try to beach ourselves on a mound of garbage. From then, we can do what we like.

2] Try to utilise the rocks to cut our bonds, and then surface.

:2c:

~~~~~~~

Typos:

D Lotus wrote: The day was begginging to fade, and Yahoo had yet not found his man. It turns out Alfonse wasn't so easy to find. He had tried returning to Juniper for directions, but he had gone.

D Lotus wrote: The crowds had begun to clear, and a ragged man like him would appear auspicious, so Yahoo began walking the less transited streets. Ocasionally he would ask street vendors questions, but to no avail.

Methinks you meant suspicious here... auspicious doesn't really suit what amounts to looking like a tramp :lol:

[D-Lotus]

By the way, did anybody get the false name joke?

Robert Fulhem--- Fool 'em---Fool them

Some things are being meditated, so there might be some changes in this chapter, of which I'll inform you.

Oh, and good job on the options, Araex.

[Araex]

Hah, that's great. Completely missed that one though, I normally skip over names without sounding them out out loud, so I never have a mental idea of what the name is other than a collection of letters. Odd.

[D-Lotus]

I added this;

He wondered for a moment whether Alfonse was bluffing. Such a spectacularly powerful enchantment would be exceedingly rare. But then, if you could find one anywhere then it'd be here in Vulsos and the man was sure to be wealthy.

and some brief description:

Yahoo had known of the existance of these pleasure vendors. Everybody in Vlusos had a faint idea of it, although no one was conclusively sure of what they did. It was speculated that they somehow channeled Magic through amulets, and then sold them to emflikars who had run out of their own energy, and now needed to buy this "pleasure Magic". The finer details of their business remained unknown.

[ninja baloon]

Yay! finally I can add some ideas. It's not good to let ones thoughts fester. This is what I think. Hello people! He's going into a stream that leads away from the hut and therefore the anti-magic seal. couldn't he just float out or something? Or is the anti-magic seal like a drug. Does it need time to wear off?

[D-Lotus]

Hey ninja, welcome.

This is a good idea, I'll add it to the poll.

The anti-magical seal only affect the area around where it was cast, and once out of that area, the effect immediately leaves. However, that doesn't mean Magic can't be shot into the seal from outside, it just means that Magic can't be initiated inside the seal.

Your idea works...if Yahoo can breath long enough underwater. Its sort of a risk, because Yahoo doesn't know to what extent the seal reaches.

[ninja baloon]

Also, yahoo is a mind over magic person. Couldn't he mentally bend the seal until he was out of it or atleast sense its reaches.

[ninja baloon]

Need next chapter! "rocks back and forth while sucking his thumb in the corner"

[ninja baloon]

It's getting cold and lonely in this forum. Everyone has seemed to have desserted me. :(

[D-Lotus]

ninja baloon wrote: Also, yahoo is a mind over magic person. Couldn't he mentally bend the seal until he was out of it or atleast sense its reaches.

When I said "Mind", I meant he uses his intelligence.

Also, sorry for the cold forum...however, the discussion of the team members is lacking because half the team has forgotten about it...although I haven't been much around the site lately either.

Anyway, I'll post the poll, but the next chapter will have to wait in accordance with the other writers.

[ninja baloon]

MY GOD! Arw we the only people who actually go on this? Thats it I'm advertising in my signature. I think you should too.

[D-Lotus]

lol, you're right, I will. :D

Maybe you should add a cool link as well. ;)

[ninja baloon]

How do I add links?

[Chainfire]

all right, i said that he should hold his breath until he's past the seal, wat he does after that i'll get to decide next chapter. hehe, pleez do try and give me some more ideas tho.

[ninja baloon]

We must get to the next tournament battle. :D

[D-Lotus]

Uh-oh, I caused a tie....darn. I guess we need one more team member to untie the tie.

Fortunately I just accepted two other team members, so that should be sufficient to untie the tie.

[Ovrlndnsea]

Untied.

[Araex]

Double-knotted.

[D-Lotus]

Uhh...well, this is unexpected!

Ok, one more day for some hidden team member to show up, or... I'll have roll some dice.

[Ovrlndnsea]

Can't you do both?

[D-Lotus]

Ok, I rolled.

1-3: Hold breath

4-6: Cut with rocks

And the magic roll was...2!

This doesn't mean that Yahoo won't try the garbage or the rocks if he runs out of breath, you never know! :D

[Lord Rahl]

hey brother can you spare a fable?

[Ovrlndnsea]

No. Don't spam.

[D-Lotus]

Next chapter up soon. Chain is writing this one.

[Zeitgeist]

Is chain God? cause all times are soon to God, and it has been a month.