tex

A Hero Tale: Jeff

Fiz waved Jeff off and let out a hearty chuckle. "It's of no issue to me, m'boy! But be careful! Remember, you can always come visit me and the Choofa if you're in the gorge!"

With Jeff on his way across the chasm, he could feel the oppressive energies bearing down on his soul. What dangers would he face? Where would this road lead him? It would all be answered soon enough.

---

~ End Of Chapter 2 ~

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Jenso's feet weren't quite ready to take the slippery stretch of ice without losing traction. In less than 20 feet of travel, he slipped up and slowed down. The ice shook several times, and eventually a large purple claw with three talons struck through the ice and slammed near Jenso's feet. The cracks began to join even more, making it certain that the ice would soon shatter.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

His caution was fully warranted. Halfway across the lake, and Jenso had already cracked the ice three times, safely pulling himself back from the deadly drop each time. He was making good headway to the lake's center.

But about half a kilometer from the coat of Pharia island, Jenso felt something smash against the bottom of the ice several times. Eventually a huge crack formed below him, several meters wide. Then several more cracks webbed out like lightning. What the hell was that? A dark black shadow passed underneath him, and slammed the ice again..

A Hero Tale: Jeff

"Oh, the usual. Falling rocks, rogue Choofa, and the occasional Myst Crawler.." Fiz explained briefly. "If you're willing to make the trip, I'm afraid I can't come with you."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Chapter 20

_{Pharie Lake, And The Beast Within}

Jenso made his way past Paulie's camp, though he probably didn't really notice it hidden beneath the snow, and towards Pharie village. The horizon began to blur as the winds whipped into a weak storm, getting stronger with each hour. Eventually though, something cast a shadow against the thick snow filter. Jenso could finally see the ice fortress. But as he got closer, the snow began to drop, becoming shallow, and the floor became slippery. It almost upset his balance. Unbeknownst to Jenso, Pharie was a village located at the center of a small lake, on an island. He had to cross it in order to make his way there.

The ice was treacherous though. One wrong step, and he might've found a thin spot to fall through. Not only that, but a particular creature had chosen to inhabit the lake since Pharie had become a frozen wasteland..

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Paulie dashed after Jenso in a hurry as he turned around. "Wait! Don't go!" He shouted, unable to keep up with Jenso's speed. "You'll die..." He panted, slowing to a stop. The winds began to pick up as the day went on. Paulie looked up at the sky and narrowed his eyes.

'You'll die, bro...'

---

~ End Of Chapter 19 ~

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"It's not bravery, it's stupidity. People like you and my brother... You're all talk," Paulie insisted, "I could kill you right here. I could freeze you solid, and you'd have no way to retaliate. Even if I did think about what I could of done differently.. It's too late now. My brother wouldn't have wanted me to make the same stupid mistake he did, and he sure as hell wouldn't want anyone else to die for his sacrifice." Paulie clutched his left side, where his scar was, and clenched his teath. "I'd just be a waste of space if I let anyone else go to Pharie."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"You'd be stopping nothing..." Paulie muttered. "Everyone's gone. Pharia will not be reborn, even if you could liberate it." Paulie looked at his glove in disarray. "My brother died with that exact same stubbornness. You're walking down a road that leads to an early grave, Jenso. You're fighting for nothing but blind hope, and you don't even have the strength to back it up."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"I don't care!" Paulie shouted, approaching Jenso again. "I don't care about the elemental spirits, I don't care about your personal quest or whatever the hell you're here for, and I don't care about Pharie anymore! Just leave!"

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Who are you to disrespect the way I live? What about you? You, who walked into a fucking blizzard without a coat?? I'm happy with my life, and as far as I'm concerned, Pharie deserves to suffer for abandoning our village in the first place!"