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Description
Chapter 13

Baldr slashed down at me with his Fire Blade and I blocked it with my own.  We had been going at it for a few minutes now and neither of us was giving any sign of tiring.  Dreyfus sat by a pond in dragon form and watched us.

We had left the rainy part of the valley and decided to take a rest for a while.  In the distance I could see the dark clouds and the giant lightbulb shone brutally down upon us.  Ten minutes out of the rain and I was already missing the shade.

Finally, I managed to position my Fire Blade next to Baldr's neck.  "Gotcha." I said, thinking I'd won the battle.

"I don't think so." Baldr said.  No sooner than he'd said it than I felt heat by my chest.  I sighed and backed away, lowering my weapon.  "A tie then?" Baldr asked.

"Yeah, sure." I said, offering my hand.  "WHy not?"

Baldr took my hand and shook it.  "You are indeed a worthy opponent.  I have not come that close to loosing in quite some time.  Though I find it ironic that a vampire would weild a weapon made of one of the few things they are known to be weak against.  How did you come to own one?"

"Dad gave it to me." I answered, not bothering to tell him the whole story about how Dark had destroyed my planet, my father included, years ago.  After being reunited with Rayman on the planet we now lived on sometime later, I took it back from Dark and it had never failed me since.  Before Baldr could ask too many questions, however, I decided to change the subject.  "So how much longer until we reach the Bayou?"

"Not too long now." Baldr said, sitting down.  "It's just a good time to rest."

I sat down as well next to Dreyfus.  He was just big enough to keep most of the harsh light off of me in his current form.  I had been already starting to feel it burning.

I suddenly realized I hadn't eaten anything in a long time.  "I'm hungry." I complained.

Dreyfus too realized this for he transformed into a deer and began grazing.  My shade was gone.

"And now I'm hot." I said, a little irritated.

Baldr gave a quiet laugh.  "You should find something to bite in the Bayou when we get there.  There's plenty of life there.  You may even find yourself a swamp siren."

"Swamp siren?" I asked.  "Don't those things lead you to your death or something?"

"In some legends they say sirens lure men to their doom by causing the men to fall in love with them by singing.  But a siren is really just something that uses a song to lure you to it.  There is no spell involved.  If you're careful, when a siren is singing, you could eat it instead." Baldr explained.

"Well then let's get going." I said, standing up.  I'd had enough of the heat and was ready for a foggy swamp.  Giving me an annoyed look, Dreyfus transformed back into a human and Baldr stood up to follow me.

It was nearly dark before we reached Erar's Bayou.  A thick mist hung over the murkey waters.  Insects and other wildlife chirped and squawked as the light of the bulb faded.

"I'm afraid this is where I have to leave you." Baldr said.  "Goodbye and good luck."  He turned and left, leaving us at the edge of the swamp.  Dreyfus and I turned back to it, prepared for the next chapter in our journey.

Description
Chapter 13

Baldr slashed down at me with his Fire Blade and I blocked it with my own.  We had been going at it for a few minutes now and neither of us was giving any sign of tiring.  Dreyfus sat by a pond in dragon form and watched us.

We had left the rainy part of the valley and decided to take a rest for a while.  In the distance I could see the dark clouds and the giant lightbulb shone brutally down upon us.  Ten minutes out of the rain and I was already missing the shade.

Finally, I managed to position my Fire Blade next to Baldr's neck.  "Gotcha." I said, thinking I'd won the battle.

"I don't think so." Baldr said.  No sooner than he'd said it than I felt heat by my chest.  I sighed and backed away, lowering my weapon.  "A tie then?" Baldr asked.

"Yeah, sure." I said, offering my hand.  "WHy not?"

Baldr took my hand and shook it.  "You are indeed a worthy opponent.  I have not come that close to loosing in quite some time.  Though I find it ironic that a vampire would weild a weapon made of one of the few things they are known to be weak against.  How did you come to own one?"

"Dad gave it to me." I answered, not bothering to tell him the whole story about how Dark had destroyed my planet, my father included, years ago.  After being reunited with Rayman on the planet we now lived on sometime later, I took it back from Dark and it had never failed me since.  Before Baldr could ask too many questions, however, I decided to change the subject.  "So how much longer until we reach the Bayou?"

"Not too long now." Baldr said, sitting down.  "It's just a good time to rest."

I sat down as well next to Dreyfus.  He was just big enough to keep most of the harsh light off of me in his current form.  I had been already starting to feel it burning.

I suddenly realized I hadn't eaten anything in a long time.  "I'm hungry." I complained.

Dreyfus too realized this for he transformed into a deer and began grazing.  My shade was gone.

"And now I'm hot." I said, a little irritated.

Baldr gave a quiet laugh.  "You should find something to bite in the Bayou when we get there.  There's plenty of life there.  You may even find yourself a swamp siren."

"Swamp siren?" I asked.  "Don't those things lead you to your death or something?"

"In some legends they say sirens lure men to their doom by causing the men to fall in love with them by singing.  But a siren is really just something that uses a song to lure you to it.  There is no spell involved.  If you're careful, when a siren is singing, you could eat it instead." Baldr explained.

"Well then let's get going." I said, standing up.  I'd had enough of the heat and was ready for a foggy swamp.  Giving me an annoyed look, Dreyfus transformed back into a human and Baldr stood up to follow me.

It was nearly dark before we reached Erar's Bayou.  A thick mist hung over the murkey waters.  Insects and other wildlife chirped and squawked as the light of the bulb faded.

"I'm afraid this is where I have to leave you." Baldr said.  "Goodbye and good luck."  He turned and left, leaving us at the edge of the swamp.  Dreyfus and I turned back to it, prepared for the next chapter in our journey.