Here it is folks. My first tavern story. I hope you guys enjoy.



Regalia: THe Runes of Time

A Story based in the Jazz Jackrabbit Universe

PROLOGUE:

'The rabbits of three, the turtles they shall thy defeat. But their victory is only an illusion, much worse must come to follow.'

- The Book of Time



It has been 20 years since Jazz Jackrabbit, Spaz Jackrabbit and Lori Jackrabbit confronted and finally defeated one of the most dreaded enemies ever faced by Carrotus: Devan Shell.



Since then, Carrotus has enjoyed peace. Not a single living creature has ever waged war on the Jackrabbits. But a new dawn has arrived.



Now, old and new terrors alike have come together and unknown to the creatures of the universe they have moblised their forces of destruction to wage a universal war. And so, it begins...



CHAPTER 1

Devan Shell awoke. His surroundings were unfamiliar. He was greeted by a large, grotseque demon.

'My lord, it is I your faithful servant Bilsy. Don't recognised me? I wouldn't be surprised. It is the year 3600. You may recall that Jazz Jacrabbit killed you. What you don't know is that fragments of your tissue were recovered despite the total annihalation of every thing in the area. It took nearly a century for the technolgy to restore you to be developed, and in these years I have searched for the seven ancient runes of Regalia. We rebuilt you into this cybernetic army and have been building a fighting force since you died. Now that you are complete, you shall lead your troops back through time using the runes in order to conquer Carrotus.'

'Ouch, that's alot to lay on a guy in the morning. Well then Bilsy, show me to my troops. Prepare for war...'



All was quiet in the War Tavern. Many a ledgend had passed through there, many a ledgend who have now vanished. The great Dethman, the all powerful Merlin. Nowadays, the tavern was host to warriors, some of whom were old heroes, some of whom were wannabies. And there were some, who were heroes in the making...

'A carrot ale please, without the ginger strips.' A blue and white furred rabbit walked up to the bar and sat down.

'Drinking carrot ale without the ginger strips? Who's feeling daring then?'

defalcon recognised the voice. He turned round.

'Kazooie! I thought you were off-planet!'

Kazooie stared at him. 'Haven't been out much lately. I came in that big cruise ship. Biggest in the galaxy.'

'Oh. Guess I should read the papers more,' defalcon was about to say something else when a piercing scream cut through the air.

'Get down!' Kazooie screamed, pointing out the window. Without warning, the tavern exploded taking everything on the same street out with it.



'The runes worked! Haha! Now I shall have my revenge on that pitiful rabbit. And these new weapons work well too. First target that building there, for a little test, then mobilise the forces and prepare to barricade and storm the city.' Devan cackled with evil laughter. He watched with glee as a scarlet bolt of energy the size of a building ripped towards the tavern, destroying it.

'Hahaha! Okay Bilsy, we're going in!' Devan flexed his mechanical claw. 'Let the battle begin!'