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Encounter with the Dark Mantis

Raquil's Journal

Extract from:Vol 2 pg 20

Encounter with the Dark Mantis...Yuri 33 Fall

Today I decided to visit an Old enemy, someone who has stripped my mortal body from me on many occasions in the past....The Dark Mantis. So being more firm of stature and having gained more expertise with my spike I decided it was time for some payback. I first prepared myself for the encounter gathering Mt ginseng, Bears livers and Tigers hearts to sustain me. I also bought a Lime potion from a Helpful wandering Geomancer who I ran into while walking to the Iron labarinth to gather the hearts and livers. Stowing all the Goods carefully in my pack and placing the lime potion carefully on my belt I headed west into the Mantis woods, I carefully worked my way through the beginnigns of the wood, heading deeper towards the center of the woods, searching for him.....the beast, the destroyer of many.

At last I spied him clattering amongst a small wooded area, several of the lesser mantis gathered around him. I quickly downed the potion, reseated my pack, gripped my spike and raced towards him. Dodging left and right past the other mantis to reach my prey, several lashed out hitting me as a speed past, I hardly noticed the minor cuts they inflicted. Then I was on him like an enraged bear, Smashing into him with my spike, which cracked into his hard outer armour. He slashed back with his mighty serated claws, raking across my Armour, tearing a few plates loose, Swing back I aimed for his softer underbelly, watching as my spike dug in infliciting a heavy wound onto the mantis. He also was cunning having faced many adventures, He lashed out as my spike grabbed in his belly plating, grabbing my arm and crushing the armour plates that protected it. I watched as they fell to the ground, twisting, dodging and rolling to the side, I managed to free my spike, gathering myself back onto my feet, I surveyed him and he did likewise to me, meeting eye to eye we knew only one of us would survive this encounter, the other would have a meeting with a Shaman.

Quickly grabbing a Mt ginseng from my pack and eating it to revitilise me. I stood and we both charged towards each other. Swing claws meet the steel teeth of my spike, clashing against each other, a shower of metal and chitton splinters flew out. For hours we danced clashing steel on claws, both recieving and dishing out blows, both blooded and weary we finilly parted studying the other. My spike hung limply from my aching arms, blunt and chipped. My armour was shredded full of tiny gashes, blood flowing freely from many wounds all across my body. My eyes raised to see my combatant, he to was tired, green blood oozed from tiny cracks all across his chittons shell, His breathing like mine was laboured and his claws hung limply in front of him.

Slowly we headed in towards each other, each knowing there would be no more breaks this was the last time. Meeting in the middle of the field, he nodded his head to me in acknowledgement of a battle hard fought, I bowed in return acknowledgeing likewise. Then he lashed out both claws at once, leaving himself vunerable, seeing my chance I swung my spike bringing it crashing into the side of his head. Hearing a crunch I watched as His mortal form was stripped from him and his claws passed harmlessly through me.

Before me stood his ghostly essence and shining below it a beautiful jewel. He floated off into the woods seeking whatever essence it is that restores his corperal form, I bent down and picked up the jewel an Angel's Tear, One of the most beautiful gems I have ever beheld, I placed it into my pack and then used a Talisiman to return to my beloved Bear Hall, were I spent the remains of the day and next night healing and repairing my armour. Who knows what adventures await me tommorrow in this land.