Kadrin walked alone in the forest, his feet walking through a territory he knew all too well. He had left Rya sleeping in the roots of a Great Tekara tree, one of the oldest species of the Realm. He barely registered his surroundings as he made his way to his destination.
A massive creature bounded out of the shadows before him, blocking his way. The great beast resembled an incredibly large, silver wolf. Small, curved, polished horns curled back from its head. The only other thing that set it apart from a wolf, other than its overall size, were the three tails that waved behind it. The creature turned to Kadrin and growled.
He stepped into the light of the luminescent fungi that grew around the base of the trees and bowed. "Greetings, maladorn, oh ancient one."
The maladorn sat back on its haunches and bowed its head. "If I am ancient, then what would that make you?"
"A relic of the past." Kadrin replied.
The great beast nodded. "Yes, I suppose it would. It has been quite a while since the last time you were here, hasn't it?"
"Yes. Yes it has been, hasn't it." Kadrin said, gazing fondly at the forest about him. "It is still as it should be. Full of life."
The maladorn nodded its great head. "Yes. It is." The great beast bounded off into the shadows. Maladorns were creatures of few words, if any. Kadrin continued on his way, the forest thickening around him. An energy filled the area, growing stronger as he walked deeper into it. Brush finally parted and opened into a clearing. Energy swirled here, moving in invisible currents, spinning in a vortex of raw life energy. Kadrin strode into the center, letting the power rush over him and through him. He slowly sank to his knees and let himself be lost to the world.
**************************************************************
Rya awoke. The forest had gone dark and cold. Something was wrong. She grabbed her scythe, flicking the blade open as she climbed to her feet. She looked about her. There was a foul presence, but she could not tell....
She was thrown of her feet by an unseen force. Grimacing in pain, she staggered to her feet, scythe in her hand. She looked about, trying to discern where the attack came from. She took another hit from behind, but she managed to land on her feet this time. A figure stood before her, covered by the shadows.
"So, this is the new Overseer of Wind? The one who defeated Lord Maldis? Bah! You are nothing!" The figure said, beginning to circle her.
Rya kept her eyes on him, not letting him out of her sight. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"
"I want you to die, just as my master did!" The figure snarled. He leapt at her, but she sidestepped him and clothes-lined him with the shaft of her scythe. The figure hit the ground hard as she leapt back several feet. He staggered upright, glaring at her with pure hatred and malice.
She gave a smirk. "I am much more powerful than I appear, demon!" She twirled the scythe expertly, wind energy swirling about the blade. With a fierce cry, she leapt at him, scythe raised high. With all her force, she swung the scythe down in what would be a fatal blow. He shot out a hand and caught the weapon just below the blade. His other hand shot out and opened palmed punched her in the gut. She flew back a few feet, hitting the ground hard.
"You? Powerful? You're pathetic." The figure sneered. He walked up to her as she got to her feet. He backhanded her, sending her flying into the tree roots. She crashed into them, causing a tremor to run through the ancient tree. Again, the figure approached her. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her bodily off the ground with one hand. He slammed her repeatedly into the tree root before tossing her away like garbage. She raised her head slightly and looked up at him, just as his foot came down on her face.
He smiled wickedly at his prey. He was going to enjoy this. As he stooped to pick her up, a whistling sound caused him to straighten. He staggered back and black blood splattering the ground. He yanked the arrow out, some of his flesh still attached to it, and threw it aside. He looked about for any signs of this new foe. Another whistling warned of another arrow, but when he dodged, the three arrows slammed into him, knocking him back a few feet. He sank to his knees in agony as the arrow tips burned into his flesh. Several cloaked men appeared, arrows drawn to their bows. A young man led them.
"Stay out of this!" The demon hissed. "The girl is mine! She destroyed my Lord in an unfair advantage, and she must pay the price for her insolence!"
"I don't think so, Mauler." The man said. "You will not touch her again."
"Ha! I found her first, so she's mine anyways! First come, first serve!" The demon snarled.
The young man smirked. "Well then, if that's the case, then I shall simply have to steal your prize from you."
The demon growled and snarled, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. "I said she's mine!"
The young man signaled to his companions. Their arrows were instantly pointed right at him. The demon straightened up, weighing his odds. The scales were against him. He snarled again. "I will return for her! Those Below will not stand for this outrage! Her blood will be mine! And when I finally get it, I will savor it to the last drop!" With that, he was gone, vanished as quickly as he had come. The soldiers quickly went to work, checking the damage to the tree, while the young man approached the fallen Rya. She stirred slightly and managed to get a glimpse of him. "Brint..." She faded away entirely. His eyes widened with recognition.
"Get the fire going, and get water boiling!" He shouted out the orders. As his men rushed to take care of things, he carefully picked up the injured girl and took her to the relit fire. He took her blanket and wrapped her in it. A soldier handed him a warm, wet clothe, and Brint began to clean her wounds. He brushed a bloody strand of hair from her face. "Oh, Sari..."
"What happened here?!" A voice boomed about them. Kadrin strode into their midst, rushing to his apprentice when he saw her. Roughly shoving Brint aside, he unwrapped her and inspected her injuries. "She's been beaten badly." He turned to Brint. "What happened?"
Brint sat up straight and looked directly at Kadrin. "She was attacked by the Mauler, Master Kadrin. We got here right as he was about to take her off to devour her."
Kadrin nodded. "Yes, I should have seen that coming. This is my fault in a way." He placed his hands on the girl, white energy forming around her. Life flowed into her, healing her wounds. Brint watched in fascination as they closed, leaving only faint scars behind. Kadrin finished and leaned down next to her ear. "Awaken." She coughed and stirred. For a brief moment, she opened her eyes, then rolled over and drifted into a sleep. Kadrin nodded in satisfaction. He gestured Brint to the other side of the fire, away from Rya.
"She will live. The scars will eventually be gone, but she'll carry the lesson forever." Kadrin said quietly. "I had meant for her to learn it, but not this way. What she experienced was brutal." He glanced at the Freedomist troops. "I would send them on patrol, if I were you. The Mauler might still be out there, and if Rya wakes up, she could be greatly distressed at the large crowd."
Brint nodded and called his second-in-command to him. "Aland, send them all out on patrols. There's a chance the demon could still be nearby." Aland saluted, fist to the heart and a slight bow, and left to relay the command to the rest of the troops. In a matter of seconds, Brint was alone with Kadrin and the sleeping Rya. "So she's Rya now? It suits her. She always did have power."
Kadrin nodded. "Someday, she will be Valarrya because of this day. She needed to learn that not everything ends good. That she can't always win. She need to experience it. But I had no intention of this." He fell silent. "I spent the better part of a century hunting that damned demon down. Always he slipped through my fingers. Sometimes literally. He's crafty, that one; he'll do whatever it takes to survive." Kadrin glanced at the boy. "She never stops thinking of you. In fact, you happen to be one of the reasons she came with me. To find you."
Brint blushed and gave a weary sigh. "I knew she would someday. And when you refused to train me, I knew that she was the one meant as your apprentice. I'm just a warrior."
Kadrin chuckled and looked at him. "And she will need a warrior, before the end. The life of an Overseer is a lonely one. Our power sets us apart from the rest of the world. Long ago, it was so with the great Lords of Magyck. We, the Overseers, are their inheritors."
Brint nodded. "It almost killed me to see her like that. Although, she has changed from when I last saw her."
"That was about, what?, five years ago? You left when you were fifteen, correct?" Kadrin asked.
Brint nodded. "She was but thirteen then. A young mage-in-training. I heard the master's refused to train her because she was too strong."
Again, Kadrin nodded. "That would be correct. They are wary of true magyck, as they should, but they no longer know why."
Brint nodded. He glanced around. The forest was getting lighter, signaling the approach of dawn. He yawned. "Get some rest, young warrior. You will need your strength. For her sake." Kadrin said. Brint nodded. He settled against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. In minutes, he was asleep. Kadrin sat and poked at the fire. 'She will need you before the end, Brint. We all will.'
A massive creature bounded out of the shadows before him, blocking his way. The great beast resembled an incredibly large, silver wolf. Small, curved, polished horns curled back from its head. The only other thing that set it apart from a wolf, other than its overall size, were the three tails that waved behind it. The creature turned to Kadrin and growled.
He stepped into the light of the luminescent fungi that grew around the base of the trees and bowed. "Greetings, maladorn, oh ancient one."
The maladorn sat back on its haunches and bowed its head. "If I am ancient, then what would that make you?"
"A relic of the past." Kadrin replied.
The great beast nodded. "Yes, I suppose it would. It has been quite a while since the last time you were here, hasn't it?"
"Yes. Yes it has been, hasn't it." Kadrin said, gazing fondly at the forest about him. "It is still as it should be. Full of life."
The maladorn nodded its great head. "Yes. It is." The great beast bounded off into the shadows. Maladorns were creatures of few words, if any. Kadrin continued on his way, the forest thickening around him. An energy filled the area, growing stronger as he walked deeper into it. Brush finally parted and opened into a clearing. Energy swirled here, moving in invisible currents, spinning in a vortex of raw life energy. Kadrin strode into the center, letting the power rush over him and through him. He slowly sank to his knees and let himself be lost to the world.
**************************************************************
Rya awoke. The forest had gone dark and cold. Something was wrong. She grabbed her scythe, flicking the blade open as she climbed to her feet. She looked about her. There was a foul presence, but she could not tell....
She was thrown of her feet by an unseen force. Grimacing in pain, she staggered to her feet, scythe in her hand. She looked about, trying to discern where the attack came from. She took another hit from behind, but she managed to land on her feet this time. A figure stood before her, covered by the shadows.
"So, this is the new Overseer of Wind? The one who defeated Lord Maldis? Bah! You are nothing!" The figure said, beginning to circle her.
Rya kept her eyes on him, not letting him out of her sight. "Who are you? What do you want with me?"
"I want you to die, just as my master did!" The figure snarled. He leapt at her, but she sidestepped him and clothes-lined him with the shaft of her scythe. The figure hit the ground hard as she leapt back several feet. He staggered upright, glaring at her with pure hatred and malice.
She gave a smirk. "I am much more powerful than I appear, demon!" She twirled the scythe expertly, wind energy swirling about the blade. With a fierce cry, she leapt at him, scythe raised high. With all her force, she swung the scythe down in what would be a fatal blow. He shot out a hand and caught the weapon just below the blade. His other hand shot out and opened palmed punched her in the gut. She flew back a few feet, hitting the ground hard.
"You? Powerful? You're pathetic." The figure sneered. He walked up to her as she got to her feet. He backhanded her, sending her flying into the tree roots. She crashed into them, causing a tremor to run through the ancient tree. Again, the figure approached her. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her bodily off the ground with one hand. He slammed her repeatedly into the tree root before tossing her away like garbage. She raised her head slightly and looked up at him, just as his foot came down on her face.
He smiled wickedly at his prey. He was going to enjoy this. As he stooped to pick her up, a whistling sound caused him to straighten. He staggered back and black blood splattering the ground. He yanked the arrow out, some of his flesh still attached to it, and threw it aside. He looked about for any signs of this new foe. Another whistling warned of another arrow, but when he dodged, the three arrows slammed into him, knocking him back a few feet. He sank to his knees in agony as the arrow tips burned into his flesh. Several cloaked men appeared, arrows drawn to their bows. A young man led them.
"Stay out of this!" The demon hissed. "The girl is mine! She destroyed my Lord in an unfair advantage, and she must pay the price for her insolence!"
"I don't think so, Mauler." The man said. "You will not touch her again."
"Ha! I found her first, so she's mine anyways! First come, first serve!" The demon snarled.
The young man smirked. "Well then, if that's the case, then I shall simply have to steal your prize from you."
The demon growled and snarled, revealing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. "I said she's mine!"
The young man signaled to his companions. Their arrows were instantly pointed right at him. The demon straightened up, weighing his odds. The scales were against him. He snarled again. "I will return for her! Those Below will not stand for this outrage! Her blood will be mine! And when I finally get it, I will savor it to the last drop!" With that, he was gone, vanished as quickly as he had come. The soldiers quickly went to work, checking the damage to the tree, while the young man approached the fallen Rya. She stirred slightly and managed to get a glimpse of him. "Brint..." She faded away entirely. His eyes widened with recognition.
"Get the fire going, and get water boiling!" He shouted out the orders. As his men rushed to take care of things, he carefully picked up the injured girl and took her to the relit fire. He took her blanket and wrapped her in it. A soldier handed him a warm, wet clothe, and Brint began to clean her wounds. He brushed a bloody strand of hair from her face. "Oh, Sari..."
"What happened here?!" A voice boomed about them. Kadrin strode into their midst, rushing to his apprentice when he saw her. Roughly shoving Brint aside, he unwrapped her and inspected her injuries. "She's been beaten badly." He turned to Brint. "What happened?"
Brint sat up straight and looked directly at Kadrin. "She was attacked by the Mauler, Master Kadrin. We got here right as he was about to take her off to devour her."
Kadrin nodded. "Yes, I should have seen that coming. This is my fault in a way." He placed his hands on the girl, white energy forming around her. Life flowed into her, healing her wounds. Brint watched in fascination as they closed, leaving only faint scars behind. Kadrin finished and leaned down next to her ear. "Awaken." She coughed and stirred. For a brief moment, she opened her eyes, then rolled over and drifted into a sleep. Kadrin nodded in satisfaction. He gestured Brint to the other side of the fire, away from Rya.
"She will live. The scars will eventually be gone, but she'll carry the lesson forever." Kadrin said quietly. "I had meant for her to learn it, but not this way. What she experienced was brutal." He glanced at the Freedomist troops. "I would send them on patrol, if I were you. The Mauler might still be out there, and if Rya wakes up, she could be greatly distressed at the large crowd."
Brint nodded and called his second-in-command to him. "Aland, send them all out on patrols. There's a chance the demon could still be nearby." Aland saluted, fist to the heart and a slight bow, and left to relay the command to the rest of the troops. In a matter of seconds, Brint was alone with Kadrin and the sleeping Rya. "So she's Rya now? It suits her. She always did have power."
Kadrin nodded. "Someday, she will be Valarrya because of this day. She needed to learn that not everything ends good. That she can't always win. She need to experience it. But I had no intention of this." He fell silent. "I spent the better part of a century hunting that damned demon down. Always he slipped through my fingers. Sometimes literally. He's crafty, that one; he'll do whatever it takes to survive." Kadrin glanced at the boy. "She never stops thinking of you. In fact, you happen to be one of the reasons she came with me. To find you."
Brint blushed and gave a weary sigh. "I knew she would someday. And when you refused to train me, I knew that she was the one meant as your apprentice. I'm just a warrior."
Kadrin chuckled and looked at him. "And she will need a warrior, before the end. The life of an Overseer is a lonely one. Our power sets us apart from the rest of the world. Long ago, it was so with the great Lords of Magyck. We, the Overseers, are their inheritors."
Brint nodded. "It almost killed me to see her like that. Although, she has changed from when I last saw her."
"That was about, what?, five years ago? You left when you were fifteen, correct?" Kadrin asked.
Brint nodded. "She was but thirteen then. A young mage-in-training. I heard the master's refused to train her because she was too strong."
Again, Kadrin nodded. "That would be correct. They are wary of true magyck, as they should, but they no longer know why."
Brint nodded. He glanced around. The forest was getting lighter, signaling the approach of dawn. He yawned. "Get some rest, young warrior. You will need your strength. For her sake." Kadrin said. Brint nodded. He settled against the tree trunk and closed his eyes. In minutes, he was asleep. Kadrin sat and poked at the fire. 'She will need you before the end, Brint. We all will.'
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