Bazil quickly shook his head to clear the dizziness brought on by the portal. He was badly shaken. Never before had his magic been so utterly and completely shut down, as it had been during his encounter of the castle. And...as for the ogress, well, she was in sorry shape. Standing about the size of a blade of grass, she wasn't handling it very well. In fact, she was cradled in Bazil's hand, twitching lightly.
     Baz quickly took stock of his situation. Despite the fact that he was a bit rattled due to his failure to combat the master of the castle, he felt remarkably good. It was as if finally escaping imprisonment had given him a shot of exhilaration. He had his staff with him, and his steel-shod foot was performing fairly well.
     Hearing a yell of pure battle-rage, the mage whipped his head around to see the aging knight headinggrimly towards him. Smiling darkly, Bazil prepared to deal with this annoyance. Surely one so old could not take him down. Thats when a fist connected with the side of his head, throwing him to the sand. I didn't even see him move! Thought Bazil. This might be a bit tougher than I thought... Quickly rolling backwards, the spry young mage avoided the sword thrust aimed at him, and came quickly to his feet in an en gaurde position.
     "Give it up Bazil, I was swinging a sword before you were born...you don't stand a chance." Julian was standing with an almost arrogant grace, his smooth movements belying his age. His only response was to swing his staff in a tight arc, forcing Julian back. The warrior chuckled softly and masterfully slipped inside Bazil's guard and sliced a shallow cut along the mages left arm. In a rage, he let loose with a firebolt that flung Julian back along the beach into the crashing waves and bought Baz a little time.
     Ok this obviously isn't working. I can't outfight him...I need something else... his thoughts were interuppted by the fighters return. Damned tenacious barnacle. Julian attacked swiftly, wasting no time. Thrust followed by thrust, then a series of staggeringly powerful strikes. Each met Bazils whirring staff, striking sparks. It seemed to each as if they were fighting inside a firestorm. Finally, the warrior got through and smashed Bazil across the face with the hilt of his sword. He fell to the sand, dazed, confused, and waiting for the deathblow...which never landed.
     When he gathered his wits, Bazil rolled over to see what was taking the old guy so long...probably that damned rheumatism again. But, to his surprise, Julian was standing above him, looking down at him sadly. "I'm almost sorry about this Bazil, you were a good opponent. But...I'm not too sorry to spare your life. Give the King of the Abyss my fond regards, and tell him I'm sending the bard after you." And with that, the aging knight drove his sword down into Bazil's chest.....
     Baz woke to the sound of thunder. Cracking open his eyelids, he was hit with what had just happened. He was DEAD! Caput, Finished, Whacked, GONE! Damn....how am I gonna get out of THIS one? He thought. Testing his strengths, he used his magic to weave a small ball of light. Or at least...he meant to. Instead, a flaring torch the size of a small horse burst into being over his head. Lovely.
     Shouldering his staff (and wondering WHY he would have a staff in the fiery depths of hell) he set off to find the master of this Gehenna....he would settle ALL of this. The Lord of Death and his cronies should make powerful allies....

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