Rolling thunder clouds crowded out the dying sun touching the rugged forests surrounding Fang Wood Academy. Rain would be coming soon, lightning too by the smell. A bored gate guard waved through another one of the many mage students to the Academy and went into the guard house to stay out of the blowing cold wind. The mage student left the gates of the old fortress city now school and seems to wonder down the roads heading deeper into the forested area.
Ras pulled his black cloak closer around him. White hair blew wildly in the wind. Glowing violet eyes peered out of the pitch black welding goggles he had managed to steal some time ago in Fang Wood to keep his eyes from burning miserably above ground. A glance to the sky above made him sneer. Cold wet weather again? I hate the winter months. If I had control, I would bend the weather to my will. And I just might, if only I could find that artifact I read about. Ras swiftly walked down the road. He wasn't afraid of being noticed missing. He had no sibblings and his parents died some time ago from illness. All the better in his opinion. Crutches, all of them. They held me back. Coddled me. Well no longer. I will prove to Master Igneous Fi'igoo that I can cast better Arcane magic than he can.
Cold wind blew stronger down that road as if pushing the young man forward, eagerly into a journey strange and mysterious tonight.
Ras paused half an hour later in his walking. The road was ending and soon he would have to enter the forest. Removing a rolled up map from a scroll case, he consulted the notes he had marked all over the map from his late night readings. A slender, jet black furred tail tipped with a scorpions stinger made of silver swished back and forth impatiently.
From a nearby boulder by the road there was a figure of a shadow, but only its head being shown. It was peering over the top of the boulder with blue glowing eyes and it was watching the man who was walking. But it would seem more animal than humanoid.
Continue south for 500 paces, turn west and continue for an hour. Look for three trees twined together rest and beneath it a treasure to rule weather. The Orb of Tili. Ras lowered the map, pulled out a compass, checked his direction and noted south. Rolling up the map he looked about for a moment feeling like he was being watched. That made the Drow/Lupe edgy. He hated being watched. He caught sight of something by a boulder but it looked perhaps like a bear not noticing him. Deciding not to risk irritating a massive beast so early, he continued his trek south, stepping into the woods.
After watching him walk by it retreats back behind the boulder and looks around watching some more. Then it would slowly move out from the rock and start following him. It looked like a somewhat small dragon, maybe 8ft tall to the shoulders, but the figure was only a silhouette. It kept its glowing blue eyes focused on the man. There wasn't a sound it made not even from foot steps
Within the forests, night creatures stilled as Ras moved about. Most fled simply thinking him a larger predator, others, predators themselves slinked away sensing the young man radiated an aura of wrongness about him. The winds picked up more setting tree limbs to click and clack and clatter together. Barely audible was a drumming noise as if ancient drum beats of war were being sounded in the forest. Words whispered in the winds, arcane, dark, twisted and full of dark promises.
Ras pushed back a few annoying branches and turned west now. It was getting harder to see in the darker shadows of the forest with his goggles on. Taking them off, the world was light and easy to see for him, doubly blessed with his Drow/Soultre heritage. Tucking the goggles inside his cloak he continued on looking about the forest, noting the lack of noise from creatures below him as a sign that the forest recognized him as a great mage. "Yes, yes. Grow silent before me. Heheh." he cackled.
It opened its wings and without a sound it soon started to fly toward and would swoosh around to hover in front of Ras staring into his eyes. There would be quite an evil aura feeling from the silhouette though.
The travel west into the forest, deeper into its old heart would be harder. More trees, thorns, thick vines and some larger predators beginning to doubt the threat of Ras at all. The drum beats continued and the words grew more. Now it was a litany of dark magic calling to the young man. Calling to deaf ears yet to hear its sweet, twisted song. The winds were still, unable to blow deep into the woods. Instead a biting coldness rose from the root strew ground.
Ras stepped back seeing the winged thing before him. He felt the vile aura radiate from the creature. Ras didn't cower though. He's seen horrors in his father?s homeland. The Abyss had many vile monsters that he's seen as a child. Ras stood his ground. "What are you?"
Aribius would hear and sense the powerful item's calling. The silhouette dragon tilted its head at him after making a little hiss then moved down onto the ground on its feet and began moving down the path, more so towards where the item was.
Ras' brow furrowed a moment seeing the creature move off. "That's right. Run from the mage." he glowered and continued after it seeing it was heading west as he was. He had to reach the Orb of Tili. He wanted to control the weather and show that master mage he was so wrong for laughing at his abilities.
The cold grew bitterer and had bite to it now as the silhouette dragon and the drow/lupe drew closer to the heart of a very dark grove of woods. Humming power filled the air, tainted it with evil, made sparks crackle from one night dewed leaf to the next. The drums stilled, the voices went silent as the two reached the resting place of something.
It moved further down the path and would come upon where the item was. It would sit there near it and looked down the path back at the drow. Waiting for him.
Ras slowed in his running, drew his cloak tighter as the cold bit deeper into his skin, muscles and bone. This place seemed to be more akin to something seen in the Abyss than above ground. Can a weather orb truly be here? I doubt darkness dealt with weather much. Perhaps I misread that tome. Yet... a look around at the random sparks sizzling on the dewy leaves had him pausing where he stood. He could feel something thick in the air. Something alive was in the air. Perhaps something greater...
The ground quivered a bit with dark energy, feeling the footsteps of Ras. He was on unhallowed ground. Ground drenched in ancient evil from the artifact resting, cradled in the roots of a massive, dead iron wood tree. The silhouette dragon would feel the artifact, a lance of 6 feet in length, made of a metal black as ebony, worked with ancient runes and sigils of a time long forgotten, shaped like a giant thorn. It pulsed and thrummed.
Ras moved deeper into the grove, seeing clearly in the dark. He saw that creature once again, sitting further along the trail. Is, is it waiting for me? What is it? He felt the ground trembling slightly and his mage senses picked upon the pulsing thrum of something old and magical. Ras moved a little quicker towards the creature. Oooo, I hope I've found something powerfu. Wonder if this beast is a guardian? He paused in awe seeing the lance.
Sensing the young man draw close, the lance pulsed more, thrummed and a wail erupted from it, filling the grove with an ear piercing noise.
"Take it," the dragon would hiss out at him. Then it would start to dissipate and the shadows would move towards Ras and swirled around him, then to his side and then Aribius would form, standing by him wearing his furred and spiked armor. "It calls for you."
"Ah!" Ras clapped hands over ears, trying to shield them against the noise. It made him disoriented and dizzy. When did that man get here? He turned startled seeing Aribius in the furred and spiked armor. Ras stepped back, stumbled and fell backwards among the roots. Trying to break his fall, his hands went behind him.
Falling back, Ras would land and lay a hand upon the lance. Bone aching cold would soak into his hand, up his arm and into his body. With contact, the voice would no longer talk to a deaf ear. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome at last my dear boy.
"Gah!" Hearing the high pitched noise, it made his ears hurt a lot being so sensitive to hearing so well. "What an annoying noise!"
Ras gasped as the cold bit into him and looked around hearing the voice in his head. "Who's there? Who are you? Where are you?" he tried to pull his hand from the lance but it was stuck fast to it and the lance wouldn't let go.
The shrieking would stop. An new avenue to power, boy. A grand new era for you. You can have it all if you take me up and use me.
Ras looked at the lance for a long moment. It's speaking to me? This must be an artifact to have intelligent will. And it wants me to use it? And offering power? "What power?" he spoke.
Aribius stood there silently watching Ras.
Aribius would be able to hear the lance as well. Untold power. Magical, dark, unlimited. Wielded by you boy, I could make you great. Wipe the smug look off of all those sneering faces you hate so much. All you have to do is take me, use me. I'll be yours. The lance said in a tricky voice.
How? How did it know about the people I hate? Ras stared at the lance with disbelief then glanced up and remembered he was not alone. He looked right at Aribius. "It talks to me."
"It speaks the truth, boy." Aribius added. He was wanting to get someone into this ploy.
Ras eyed the man suspiciously. "How do you know? You want this lance for yourself don't you?"
That made Aribius start chuckling. "Because I can hear its words. I can hear it speak as well. Besides, I have my own toys to play with. But if I did want it from you I would've bitten your face off by now."
The entity known as the Ebony Knight slumbering fractured in the lance could sense Aribius and the darkness within. Perhaps an ally to hasten the end of this naive boy? Take me from the roots boy, hold me close and keep me near. Trust the odd one.
Ras thought about this slowly. "You can hear it too?" he asked Aribius.
"Being one step away from being a god I can hear a lot of things including ancient powerful items that so many would drool over, such as that lance there. You have no idea the odds of finding such an item like that and it would be wise to take an opportunity like this rather than be a fool and pass up such greatness."
"Your almost a god?" Ras asked with a bit of disbelief. A glance to the lance and seeing how it was still firmly attached to his hand he began to pry it loose from roots that looked fat and engorged with a nasty green discoloration.
Yes, Yes, freedom. I will lead you to glory and to others like me. Other artifacts to make you rival any mage!
"Yes, I am. Took much hard work over the years. Many battles and sacrifices had to be made, but here I am. Only died once, maybe twice, but just imagine being unstoppable. Where not even death can take hold of you." He pointed down at the lance. "That lance there is the beginning of a new journey for you. It is your destiny."
Tugging the lance free of the roots finally Ras stood and looked it over. The ancient runes looked similar to Drow yet not, similar to Abyssal, yet not. Similar to daemon, yet not. Spiritor, yet not. They seemed to change and shift before his eyes. The lance was old, and made him feel so cold, heavy, yet offered lightness as well. "Destiny?" he asked a bit distracted of Aribius. "What is my destiny?"
Destiny boy, destiny is but a label to greatness. I can sense in your heart and soul you yearn to be magi. Mage of all mages. Make them all tremble, make them all grovel before you. Rule them with your magic fist. Live forever.
Desire began to glimmer in his violet eyes. Drow/Lupe began to grin. Visions of walking back into Fang Wood Den and making Master Igneous Fi'igoo bow before him filled his mind. Power. True power. Not the bridled, choked spells taught to us students by bumbling professors. Not the pitiful magic we can eek out in this realm. Real mastery. Control the weather? Screw that. With this... I.. I could control the world. He was grinning wide now, staring off into space.
First the Academy, then your enemies, then our enemies then the whole realm will tremble before you Master Dalan. Tremble at your very shadow.
Even though Aribius wanted to be a god, surprisingly ruling the world was not even a thought that came to him. He seemed to have more personal reasons on his own path. "What is this Academy that is spoken of? A school of some sort somewhere?"
"Master Dalan? Me? A master...." the young man began to chuckle. "Fang Wood Academy. An old fortress city not too far from here. Magical teachings and mercenary training. Ruled by General Igneous Fi'igoo. M..y...master...." He sneered. "I will be a master indeed!" he lifted the lance and thumped the butt into ground.
The whole grove trembled and quaked as the lance struck ground. Cold power began to steam from the ground. And so you will be Rastul Dalan, upon a pact with me. For mastership, for the world, for glory, repeat after me. Into eternity, till this body is no more...
Ras began to speak, caught up in illusions of grandeur, failing to see the real threat to his soul. "Into eternity, till this body is no more..."
I enter the service of the Ebony Knight...
?I enter the service of the Ebony Knight..."
"Interesting. I suppose I should have more of my people out here as well to watch on things for me"
My soul and body for glory and power.
"My soul and body for glory and power."
Well done... fool. You will remember not this oath and will find the rest of my scattered artifacts. I release you. The lance went very quiet and appeared to be a normal, ornately carved lance in Ras' hand.
Ras blinked once, twice and on the third time looked about for a moment and hefted the lance. "A wonderful find. I wonder what it does and why the Orb of Tili was not here?" All thoughts of the oath and the discussion gone.
Aribius would just grin. "You could think of the Orb of Tili as...a cover up for something even greater. Sometimes things that are hidden well take on different names and labels for true adventurers with enough curiosity to find and come upon an even greater treasure."
Remembering the Orb of Tili he remembered he was outside of the Academy, late at night. Curfew... A look to Aribius. "I must run or I'll be arrested." Hearing the strange mans word sort of made sense. "I see. Well maybe I'll run into you again sometime later. For now I must go." he backed away and left, running out of the forest back for the Academy.
Run, run, run and bring my wings of chaos with you. A cold wind followed him all the way back to the academy.
Aribius waved to the young man. "Farewell and may your destiny bring you greatness."
Ras pulled his black cloak closer around him. White hair blew wildly in the wind. Glowing violet eyes peered out of the pitch black welding goggles he had managed to steal some time ago in Fang Wood to keep his eyes from burning miserably above ground. A glance to the sky above made him sneer. Cold wet weather again? I hate the winter months. If I had control, I would bend the weather to my will. And I just might, if only I could find that artifact I read about. Ras swiftly walked down the road. He wasn't afraid of being noticed missing. He had no sibblings and his parents died some time ago from illness. All the better in his opinion. Crutches, all of them. They held me back. Coddled me. Well no longer. I will prove to Master Igneous Fi'igoo that I can cast better Arcane magic than he can.
Cold wind blew stronger down that road as if pushing the young man forward, eagerly into a journey strange and mysterious tonight.
Ras paused half an hour later in his walking. The road was ending and soon he would have to enter the forest. Removing a rolled up map from a scroll case, he consulted the notes he had marked all over the map from his late night readings. A slender, jet black furred tail tipped with a scorpions stinger made of silver swished back and forth impatiently.
From a nearby boulder by the road there was a figure of a shadow, but only its head being shown. It was peering over the top of the boulder with blue glowing eyes and it was watching the man who was walking. But it would seem more animal than humanoid.
Continue south for 500 paces, turn west and continue for an hour. Look for three trees twined together rest and beneath it a treasure to rule weather. The Orb of Tili. Ras lowered the map, pulled out a compass, checked his direction and noted south. Rolling up the map he looked about for a moment feeling like he was being watched. That made the Drow/Lupe edgy. He hated being watched. He caught sight of something by a boulder but it looked perhaps like a bear not noticing him. Deciding not to risk irritating a massive beast so early, he continued his trek south, stepping into the woods.
After watching him walk by it retreats back behind the boulder and looks around watching some more. Then it would slowly move out from the rock and start following him. It looked like a somewhat small dragon, maybe 8ft tall to the shoulders, but the figure was only a silhouette. It kept its glowing blue eyes focused on the man. There wasn't a sound it made not even from foot steps
Within the forests, night creatures stilled as Ras moved about. Most fled simply thinking him a larger predator, others, predators themselves slinked away sensing the young man radiated an aura of wrongness about him. The winds picked up more setting tree limbs to click and clack and clatter together. Barely audible was a drumming noise as if ancient drum beats of war were being sounded in the forest. Words whispered in the winds, arcane, dark, twisted and full of dark promises.
Ras pushed back a few annoying branches and turned west now. It was getting harder to see in the darker shadows of the forest with his goggles on. Taking them off, the world was light and easy to see for him, doubly blessed with his Drow/Soultre heritage. Tucking the goggles inside his cloak he continued on looking about the forest, noting the lack of noise from creatures below him as a sign that the forest recognized him as a great mage. "Yes, yes. Grow silent before me. Heheh." he cackled.
It opened its wings and without a sound it soon started to fly toward and would swoosh around to hover in front of Ras staring into his eyes. There would be quite an evil aura feeling from the silhouette though.
The travel west into the forest, deeper into its old heart would be harder. More trees, thorns, thick vines and some larger predators beginning to doubt the threat of Ras at all. The drum beats continued and the words grew more. Now it was a litany of dark magic calling to the young man. Calling to deaf ears yet to hear its sweet, twisted song. The winds were still, unable to blow deep into the woods. Instead a biting coldness rose from the root strew ground.
Ras stepped back seeing the winged thing before him. He felt the vile aura radiate from the creature. Ras didn't cower though. He's seen horrors in his father?s homeland. The Abyss had many vile monsters that he's seen as a child. Ras stood his ground. "What are you?"
Aribius would hear and sense the powerful item's calling. The silhouette dragon tilted its head at him after making a little hiss then moved down onto the ground on its feet and began moving down the path, more so towards where the item was.
Ras' brow furrowed a moment seeing the creature move off. "That's right. Run from the mage." he glowered and continued after it seeing it was heading west as he was. He had to reach the Orb of Tili. He wanted to control the weather and show that master mage he was so wrong for laughing at his abilities.
The cold grew bitterer and had bite to it now as the silhouette dragon and the drow/lupe drew closer to the heart of a very dark grove of woods. Humming power filled the air, tainted it with evil, made sparks crackle from one night dewed leaf to the next. The drums stilled, the voices went silent as the two reached the resting place of something.
It moved further down the path and would come upon where the item was. It would sit there near it and looked down the path back at the drow. Waiting for him.
Ras slowed in his running, drew his cloak tighter as the cold bit deeper into his skin, muscles and bone. This place seemed to be more akin to something seen in the Abyss than above ground. Can a weather orb truly be here? I doubt darkness dealt with weather much. Perhaps I misread that tome. Yet... a look around at the random sparks sizzling on the dewy leaves had him pausing where he stood. He could feel something thick in the air. Something alive was in the air. Perhaps something greater...
The ground quivered a bit with dark energy, feeling the footsteps of Ras. He was on unhallowed ground. Ground drenched in ancient evil from the artifact resting, cradled in the roots of a massive, dead iron wood tree. The silhouette dragon would feel the artifact, a lance of 6 feet in length, made of a metal black as ebony, worked with ancient runes and sigils of a time long forgotten, shaped like a giant thorn. It pulsed and thrummed.
Ras moved deeper into the grove, seeing clearly in the dark. He saw that creature once again, sitting further along the trail. Is, is it waiting for me? What is it? He felt the ground trembling slightly and his mage senses picked upon the pulsing thrum of something old and magical. Ras moved a little quicker towards the creature. Oooo, I hope I've found something powerfu. Wonder if this beast is a guardian? He paused in awe seeing the lance.
Sensing the young man draw close, the lance pulsed more, thrummed and a wail erupted from it, filling the grove with an ear piercing noise.
"Take it," the dragon would hiss out at him. Then it would start to dissipate and the shadows would move towards Ras and swirled around him, then to his side and then Aribius would form, standing by him wearing his furred and spiked armor. "It calls for you."
"Ah!" Ras clapped hands over ears, trying to shield them against the noise. It made him disoriented and dizzy. When did that man get here? He turned startled seeing Aribius in the furred and spiked armor. Ras stepped back, stumbled and fell backwards among the roots. Trying to break his fall, his hands went behind him.
Falling back, Ras would land and lay a hand upon the lance. Bone aching cold would soak into his hand, up his arm and into his body. With contact, the voice would no longer talk to a deaf ear. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome at last my dear boy.
"Gah!" Hearing the high pitched noise, it made his ears hurt a lot being so sensitive to hearing so well. "What an annoying noise!"
Ras gasped as the cold bit into him and looked around hearing the voice in his head. "Who's there? Who are you? Where are you?" he tried to pull his hand from the lance but it was stuck fast to it and the lance wouldn't let go.
The shrieking would stop. An new avenue to power, boy. A grand new era for you. You can have it all if you take me up and use me.
Ras looked at the lance for a long moment. It's speaking to me? This must be an artifact to have intelligent will. And it wants me to use it? And offering power? "What power?" he spoke.
Aribius stood there silently watching Ras.
Aribius would be able to hear the lance as well. Untold power. Magical, dark, unlimited. Wielded by you boy, I could make you great. Wipe the smug look off of all those sneering faces you hate so much. All you have to do is take me, use me. I'll be yours. The lance said in a tricky voice.
How? How did it know about the people I hate? Ras stared at the lance with disbelief then glanced up and remembered he was not alone. He looked right at Aribius. "It talks to me."
"It speaks the truth, boy." Aribius added. He was wanting to get someone into this ploy.
Ras eyed the man suspiciously. "How do you know? You want this lance for yourself don't you?"
That made Aribius start chuckling. "Because I can hear its words. I can hear it speak as well. Besides, I have my own toys to play with. But if I did want it from you I would've bitten your face off by now."
The entity known as the Ebony Knight slumbering fractured in the lance could sense Aribius and the darkness within. Perhaps an ally to hasten the end of this naive boy? Take me from the roots boy, hold me close and keep me near. Trust the odd one.
Ras thought about this slowly. "You can hear it too?" he asked Aribius.
"Being one step away from being a god I can hear a lot of things including ancient powerful items that so many would drool over, such as that lance there. You have no idea the odds of finding such an item like that and it would be wise to take an opportunity like this rather than be a fool and pass up such greatness."
"Your almost a god?" Ras asked with a bit of disbelief. A glance to the lance and seeing how it was still firmly attached to his hand he began to pry it loose from roots that looked fat and engorged with a nasty green discoloration.
Yes, Yes, freedom. I will lead you to glory and to others like me. Other artifacts to make you rival any mage!
"Yes, I am. Took much hard work over the years. Many battles and sacrifices had to be made, but here I am. Only died once, maybe twice, but just imagine being unstoppable. Where not even death can take hold of you." He pointed down at the lance. "That lance there is the beginning of a new journey for you. It is your destiny."
Tugging the lance free of the roots finally Ras stood and looked it over. The ancient runes looked similar to Drow yet not, similar to Abyssal, yet not. Similar to daemon, yet not. Spiritor, yet not. They seemed to change and shift before his eyes. The lance was old, and made him feel so cold, heavy, yet offered lightness as well. "Destiny?" he asked a bit distracted of Aribius. "What is my destiny?"
Destiny boy, destiny is but a label to greatness. I can sense in your heart and soul you yearn to be magi. Mage of all mages. Make them all tremble, make them all grovel before you. Rule them with your magic fist. Live forever.
Desire began to glimmer in his violet eyes. Drow/Lupe began to grin. Visions of walking back into Fang Wood Den and making Master Igneous Fi'igoo bow before him filled his mind. Power. True power. Not the bridled, choked spells taught to us students by bumbling professors. Not the pitiful magic we can eek out in this realm. Real mastery. Control the weather? Screw that. With this... I.. I could control the world. He was grinning wide now, staring off into space.
First the Academy, then your enemies, then our enemies then the whole realm will tremble before you Master Dalan. Tremble at your very shadow.
Even though Aribius wanted to be a god, surprisingly ruling the world was not even a thought that came to him. He seemed to have more personal reasons on his own path. "What is this Academy that is spoken of? A school of some sort somewhere?"
"Master Dalan? Me? A master...." the young man began to chuckle. "Fang Wood Academy. An old fortress city not too far from here. Magical teachings and mercenary training. Ruled by General Igneous Fi'igoo. M..y...master...." He sneered. "I will be a master indeed!" he lifted the lance and thumped the butt into ground.
The whole grove trembled and quaked as the lance struck ground. Cold power began to steam from the ground. And so you will be Rastul Dalan, upon a pact with me. For mastership, for the world, for glory, repeat after me. Into eternity, till this body is no more...
Ras began to speak, caught up in illusions of grandeur, failing to see the real threat to his soul. "Into eternity, till this body is no more..."
I enter the service of the Ebony Knight...
?I enter the service of the Ebony Knight..."
"Interesting. I suppose I should have more of my people out here as well to watch on things for me"
My soul and body for glory and power.
"My soul and body for glory and power."
Well done... fool. You will remember not this oath and will find the rest of my scattered artifacts. I release you. The lance went very quiet and appeared to be a normal, ornately carved lance in Ras' hand.
Ras blinked once, twice and on the third time looked about for a moment and hefted the lance. "A wonderful find. I wonder what it does and why the Orb of Tili was not here?" All thoughts of the oath and the discussion gone.
Aribius would just grin. "You could think of the Orb of Tili as...a cover up for something even greater. Sometimes things that are hidden well take on different names and labels for true adventurers with enough curiosity to find and come upon an even greater treasure."
Remembering the Orb of Tili he remembered he was outside of the Academy, late at night. Curfew... A look to Aribius. "I must run or I'll be arrested." Hearing the strange mans word sort of made sense. "I see. Well maybe I'll run into you again sometime later. For now I must go." he backed away and left, running out of the forest back for the Academy.
Run, run, run and bring my wings of chaos with you. A cold wind followed him all the way back to the academy.
Aribius waved to the young man. "Farewell and may your destiny bring you greatness."