Fight or Flight 2 – Shadow of the Spire

[Lexxum_Vordic]

Continued from here.


November 22nd
CP 1805
3:00 A.M.


Anebrilith. Survivors and refugees fleeing from Xem’Zund’s assault on Raiaera were on their way towards Scara Brae and the other lands of Corone. The Elven structures of the port city were manufactured in the same style as most of the great Elven cities.

Larger structures of import to the government of the Elves were built much more extravagantly than the rest of the strange buildings. Having an almost organic quality to their integral make up, the structures were tall and built with an almost arrogant flare to them. Columns held up the buildings from the center that touched the sky like spears. Round man-made constructs were built around the columns and almost resembled beating organs that thrived with archaic energies. Columns connected the structures to one another and were actually parts of the building themselves.

One could travel through the columns to access other levels of the buildings in order to travel to different parts of the city. There was as much to see below the surface of the city as there was above the surface. Thriving communities below the city of Anebrilith provided a black market that was virtually ignored by the Elves in power. The Tel’Quessir initially settled into the areas at and around Anebrilith many ages prior. It is within the city limits of Anebrilith that the Bladesinger’s Guild is located. Many other structures of import were located therein.

Refugees fleeing the wrath of Xem’Zund found their solace in the port district of the city. There; ships weaving their passage towards various other parts of Althanas, waited to claim their stake on the tumultuous seas.
Standing outside the structure that functioned effectively as a combination tavern and inn; a little girl named Anne Fallworth found herself she staring at the city with a cold expression in her gaze. She stood upon a balcony area. A cold wind came in from the North; from Salvar. Anne had a good geographical knowledge of Althanas for it was an important subject in her studies at the University at Valinatal.

Valinatal. The now ruined city was the city where she originated from along with an incoming wave of hundreds of refugees fleeing from the destruction of that once proud city. Anne had her arms folded across her chest. She was a typical Althanas girl of about ten years of age. She studied the archaic lore of the song magics of Turlin. Being one of the best students of her graduating class; Anne quickly obtained a strong grasp of the knowledge heralded by the Elves. A human; the humans of Raiaera were a sturdy lot.

They’d obtained a great deal of knowledge of the wilderness working alongside the Elves. Anne knew this because the university knew this. She accepted the knowledge taught in those ancient books as truth. A particularly perceptive child; Anne was brilliant by most account. She had a bright future as a Turlin song mage and a scholar of history ahead of her. But none of that mattered to her at the moment. In the past month since their arrival at Anebrilith; one singular thought occupied her mind to an almost dangerously obsessive compulsion. The idea of finding her caretaker and friend; Lexxum Vordic. Anne thought of her friend almost every moment of everyday; to the point where she drew him in her notes often. She was trying to retain the memories of the lizard folk warrior from Fallien.

She’d developed a unique bonding to the warrior. The reptile was a well known soldier of Valinatal and helped to attempt to defend the city from the attacks of the Necromancer Netha’Tu. As Anne came to understand the situation; a powerful Necromancer named Xem’Zund was the enemy of all of Althanas. Xem’Zund threatened the world with his forces of darkness; and should Raiaera fall to that bastard’s powers, the world would fall. Anne thought of her friend now. Her long, blond hair flowed with the breeze that touched her person as she stood on the balcony. Her only companion was the golden retriever by her side; Alk. The dog slept by her side and provided a sense of warmth. She slept in a robe set aside for pajamas as she looked up at the night sky. There was no moon in the sky anymore; only an age of darkness. She wondered what such an omen could mean.

Most likely scouting out the city; her companion Kryos, co-rented a two bedroom apartment in the inn complex. It wasn’t exactly an affordable price; but the duo managed to scrounge up money doing random tasks for that the city needed doing. Anne found her way into Anebrilith’s master library and acquired work from time to time there as a scholar. A whole month went by since the events that lead them across Raiaera. Anne was a different person now; a woman despite her age. She had long, waist length blond hair that curled in certain places and was worn loosely. Her eyes were a hazel color that shone with the knowledge she was rapidly obtaining; there was a hunger there. The girl stood approximately five feet tall and seemed to be built with an athletic physique.

Wearing a sad expression on her battle scarred face; Anne was a somber figure. Where once she was a beautiful and even stunning girl; half of her face and some of that side of her body was hideously scarred. The scarring was the result of a desperate attack from the mighty sword that Lexxum Vordic wielded. The weapon was a broadsword made of plynt and imbued with the powers of the Eternal Tap. Lexxum had revealed some control of the Tap energies within the sword during the battle with a Necromancer named Rashilan Penna’ak. She was apparently one of Xem’Zund’s powerful commanders. A Necromancer in the service of a stranger from Antioch named Morian. And it was thus that the past intertwined itself inexorably with the future. Anne touched the scar at that left side of her face closing her eyes after that movement. She looked at the various star constellations she knew.

“Lexxum…where are you? My love?” She sighed and stepped inside the single apartment.

[Kryos]

A dark form leaned against a large beam of wood in one of the numerous taverns scattered throughout Anebrilith. The figure, dark garments covering his lean form like a shroud of darkness, stood motionless. Weak flames cast shoddy light around the deserted room, reflecting off the man’s silver rings and the hilt of his sword. His ebon hair fell around his face. Behind this veil, silver eyes gleamed. They combed the room, moving from tables, to chairs, to the well-kept bar. A coin or two lay on the floor, forgotten by their former owners. The man didn’t take them, though. He just stood there, waiting. Time crawled by in the dim room, yet he lost no patience. He would stay there until his business was done.

The door eventually opened and in slouched a man. He wore bandages over his head and arm and he looked around the seemingly deserted room. He spotted the man leaning in the corner, walked forward, shut the door with a snap and approached.

“What is the meaning of this, calling me out here at this time of night?! You know I just got back from scouting!” the human said.

“Which is exactly why I wanted to see you,” Kryos replied. He moved off the wall and unfolded his arms, approaching the ranger. “So, have you heard any news concerning the Lindequalmë?”

“No, nothing new has been reported, save that the monsters and zombies still lurk in its depths.”

“Very well. That is all I needed to know,” he said, moving past him toward the door.

“Wait,” the man called. Kryos stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Why do you keep asking for information like this? It’s not like you’ll go out there, so why are you so interested?” The human narrowed his eyes, suspecting hidden motives.

“That,” Kryos said, “is something that you don’t need to concern yourself with. Good night.” With that, he turned and pushed open the elegant, oak door and stepped out into the cool, Raiaeran night.

[Lexxum_Vordic]

Anne couldn't make a move without Kryos around. Her age prevented her from acting at night, she was simply too vulnerable a target. Anebrelith came alive at night as the underworld took hold of the world. From her balcony position in the apartment that they'd rented days earlier, Anne surveyed the city around her. Patrons of the night world emerged from every corner of the shadows. Some having strange forms in the dark thanks to thick hides and unusual races that lived in Raiaera. Anne had long ago gotten used to the Salvarn natives. Her family wasn't actually from Raiaera. Instead, they were from Corone.

They'd immigrated to Anebrilith from Radasanth fearing the growing hostility of the government. Fearing a change to democracy. Anne's family was a family of nobles who could afford to give her a top education at a locale college sponsored by the Tel'Algrim. Anne studied hard. The mystical arts struck her fancy despite the hideous scar that adorned the side of her face. She touched that side of her skull now, reminded of the constant pain that the scar represented. Archaic flames from The Tap had touched her, and she'd somehow found the will to survive it. Anne had a strength about her.

She had shoulder length blond hair, stood at approximately four heads and half high, and weighed about ninety pounds. Her eyes were a piercing green tone that shifted slightly from their original colour. She had a sad expression on her face combined with a certain fierce determination. Thinking about her slaughtered family back in Valinatal, she'd heard stories that the capitol of Raiaera, Eluriand, fell to Xem'Zund's forces. Would the bastard never be stopped?

Anne liked the cold. It was part of her blood. Though she wasn't a native Raieran, she enjoyed the cold breezes at night. They had just the slightest hint of Salvar within their tendril like forms. Leaving the balcony doors open for the night air to caress her flesh, she found herself in the bedroom. She'd taken a rare break from her studies to remember her friend, Lexxum Vordic, a giant lizard man that she'd befriended during her adventure with Kryos and the rest of the bunch sometime earlier in her life.

Lexxum Vordic fell in battle during that adventure. Or had he? The body was never recovered. Anne always wondered why the body had vanished in such a way. Could it have been Xem'Zund's powerful Necromancy? Or was it some other mystery? A trait of the Blood Lizards that they knew nothing about? Anne couldn't answer the mysteries, so she focused on her magical studies. Returning back to her books, she took a long sip of hot cocoa. The texture of the drink was steaming and felt good in her mouth. She swallowed deeply and went back to work. A trip to the wilderness once more would depend on her ability to cast magic. A trip into The Spire would depend on her ability to harness the power of The Tap.

There was a knock on the door. Like Kryos, Anne had her own resources to depend on...

...Her caretaker still hadn't returned from his recent adventure. She was getting anxious for him to come back.

[Kryos]

The streets were lit only by starlight and the warm glow of fires filtering through windows. Few walked the streets and those who did hurried to their destination. The air was thick with danger and fear. So heavy was the atmosphere that Kryos could almost touch the ominous feeling. Raiaera no longer was a place of beauty. Now, it was the stomping grounds for Xem’Zund’s undead. The safe havens, those that were left, were scattered and growing weak. It was only a matter of time before Anebrilith was breached as well.

He passed through the streets quickly, senses alert for any threat that may present itself. Elves brushed by him, nodding to him in the faint light. Returning the gesture, he kept on his path. Anne would be worried by now. He’d been gone all day and he feared for the girl when he wasn’t by her side.

Rounding a street corner, he saw a crowd of people gathered around a doorway to a tavern. He approached a woman who stood among them.

“What has happened?” he asked.

“A group of refugees just arrived from the forest, wounded. The healers are working with them now.”

His gut tightened. “The Lindequalmë?”

She nodded. “They collapsed just inside the gate and each one seemed in shock. I don’t know how they passed the undead, but they managed it. They were all babbling about spirits and ghosts before a healer got to them. You know . . . ”

But Kryos didn’t hear. He pushed past the elf and squirmed his way through the others. A man complained when his sword hilt bumped his head, but he didn’t pause. Pushing into the main room, he saw the crowd gathered by the staircase. Two healers stood by the steps with a helpless expression on their faces.

“I’m sorry, but no one can see them yet. The healers are still working,” one said.

“But they might have information about the rest of the nation!” one determined man spoke. “We need to see what they know while we can!”

The crowd murmured in agreement. Kryos shook his head and pushed others out of the way to get closer. Peering past the sentries, he saw two more healers sitting outside of one of the rooms, pouring water down their throats. He couldn’t recognize them from this angle, but turned his attention back to the argument on the stairway. The leader seemed to be fighting for control as he was continuously denied access to the injured. He was human. Things could get out of hand fast if the ringleader was a mortal. He passed behind the man, brushing his hand, now alight with subtle white flames, over the man’s shoulders. The anger rushed out of him, replaced by a confused calm.

“Well, I suppose we could wait until they feel up to it. A few hours wouldn’t hurt.” He turned to the others. “Come on, let’s take a seat. We can wait.” The crowd faltered, unsure of what to do. The leader walked to one of the tables, flipped a chair around and seated himself. He turned to the tavern master. “Got any drink while we wait?” The gentleman, elfin, approached to take the order and the others moved to get a seat. Kryos smiled and leaned against the railing of the stairway, arms crossed. He would wait as well.

“Kryos? Is that you?”

Or maybe not. He glanced over his shoulder. A healer, dressed in an elegant night robe, descended the stairs, her hand lightly resting on the rail, blond hair falling to her shoulder blades. Ellers, his companion from their own journey in the Red Forest. Her usual bright face seemed worn with the late hour and the labor she had done.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I was heading back to the apartment when the crowd caught my attention. I was interested in seeing if the survivors had any news about . . . him.”

“Ah. Well, Allaria is just finishing up. Why don’t you come up with me and see if we can find out anything?”

He nodded and approached the sentry-healers. They stepped aside and he followed Ellers up the fine wooden steps. The landing was dimmer than the common room below, but that wasn’t an issue for Kryos. His now silver eyes let him see just fine in darkness.

The door to the largest room in the inn opened without a sound. Inside, the survivors, three of them in all, lay across beds. Two of them seemed to be just sleeping, though all of them were covered with bandages. Along the floor, bloody strips of cloth had been discarded and two healers gathered around the third man. Another elf was cleaning the room up from the mess.

Kryos took a step toward the elves, then paused. Their hands were not on the man. Indeed, they were doing nothing but gazing at the body. Looking over one of the elf’s shoulders, he saw that the man, a human, had few wounds. But his face was contorted in pain and a purplish-black bruise wrapped around his neck. His frame shook.

“What is wrong with him?” he asked.

The healer turned. “What you see here is the result of the Fealotë. This is the final stage before his soul is completely destroyed. There is nothing we can do to save him.”

He stepped back in shock. He had heard of what the Soul Blossom was capable of, but had never seen it in person. The silver in his eyes erupted until they stained the entire eye. The world swam before his vision, colors smearing together, until they solidified once again. He was in the Fluenta. Gazing past the soul of the elf before him, he beheld the man. But where a glowing figure should have been, there was simply nothing. The man’s soul had been stolen. Sighing, he closed his eyes and let the glowing mercury recede.

“I see. He is lost then?”

“Yes, Kryos. However, there are the two behind you that still live. They still carry information,” a voice said.

Allaria. Her long, brown hair fell down her back, tied to keep out of her way. She stood in front of him, wearing a robe like Ellers. She smiled.

“Although, I did manage to ascertain some things before they went under,” she said, tilting her head. “They claimed that beside the normal contingent of fiends in the Forest, they beheld the strangest of appearances.”

“What was it?”

"A specter of sorts. I suppose it was more like a ghost, maybe. But they did say that it was tall, taller than a human. With claws for hands, a long tail, and a gaze that burned with the fires of hell.” She shook her head. “Remind you of someone, eh?”

Kryos didn’t move for several seconds. It was him. The great warrior from the desert continent that had perished one month previously. The one that he and Anne had been searching for clues for. A grin broke his face.

“A ghost, huh? Did the informant say where this appearance happened?”

Allaria’s smile fell. “The Obsidian Spire,” she said. “Are you going to . . .”

He nodded. “Anne will be distraught if we don’t go. It’s all she thinks about now.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll be fine.”

“I know. Just . . . be careful.”

He nodded and turned. He moved out into the hallway, down the stairs to the warm lobby where the others talked as they waited. He walked past them and out the door, back into the dark night. He was leaving. No, he was returning. He was going back to find Lexxum Vordic.

[Lexxum_Vordic]

Answering the door before her, Anne smiled when she saw the familiar figure before her. It was Andrew. He was an Elfin lad that the duo had befriended a few weeks prior. Standing tall and elegant, the man was approximately six heads tall with long, green hair. His skintone was slightly tanned, his eyes were colored a deep blue, and he had the fair features of an elf that were so common to that race of people. Wearing vlince clothing, the lad had the broad shoulders of a swimmer, and an equally broad chest. He was built more for agility and speed versus raw strength. An intellect lurked in his eyes. Andrew was a skilled informant. He gathered and collected information for the right price. This time, Andrew was secretly gathering info for the girl only called Anne. These days, she was calling herself Anne Vordic.

"Do you have it?" Anne asked, going straight to business.

"You know if you get caught with that, we have to follow our usuals procedures. I can't afford to get identified. Things are hectic as it is, and there are folks who say that Raiaera is destined to fall. Endtimes are coming as the enemy gathers his strength. And you want to go back to the places where you just came from? Seems to me like you're trying to bite fate twice in the foot."

Hearing his words, Anne shot him a dangerous glare. Andrew took a step back when he saw that. "Did I upset you?" He asked with quivering lips. "I apologize my lady." Anne shook her head. "Don't attempt to cut the hand that feeds you." Anne said. "Forget it. As long as you have it, that's all that matters. My companion is busy seeking out further intelligence on the matter we are discussing." Andrew shook his head in the negative. "I don't agree with you because it's a dangerous place, but you're paying me well. I have it for you. I want to stress again, it's an unexplored region. There's Gods know what in there. Rumors say Xem'Zund left all kinds of bad things there."

"You don't worry about that. We have our own resources available to us. I am just glad that you were able to get it."

"The object is an artifact in itself, but the information is not complete. The floors that are known from historical texts are on there. But there are many floors that have never been explored. I'm not certain what you expect to find in there, but the place is dangerous." Andrew was shaking his head again, beautiful locks flowing with the movement.

"We got it under control. Here is your payment." Anne removed a bundled pouch from her possessions and gave it over to the lad. "It's all there. You can count it if you like." The girl said, a look of determination on her face. "So its true what I've heard about the Spire then?"

Andrew grabbed the pouch and put it in his packs. "Which part?"

"It's a living construct of arcane energy. Legends state its a living organism."

"Oh those rumors. Well it's difficult to say. Nobody knows who built the damned thing. But I digress, I've been here long enough. I gathered all the information I could for you on the Spire, I suggest you read up. The known maps are there too. But like I said, they are incomplete. You will have to finish the rest of the information for us. There is a great profit in exploring that place too."

"You don't have to remind me of that." Anne said. "You may go now. I don't want to keep you from the rest of your night's business." Andrew nodded and took a deep bow. Turning on his heels, the youth vanished into the night. She turned to close the door, locking it behind Andrew and quickly moved towards a nearby dining table. Her dog looked curiously up at her as she undid the bundle. Anne turned to look back at the dog. "Don't worry. We'll find him again soon."

[Kryos]

Kryos’ mind whirled with plans for the journey. They would stay to the forest, just on the fringe though, to avoid the worst of the dangers. It would take them about a week to get to the decimated site of Carnelost. Once there, the road to the Spire awaited them. He grinned in the darkness and approached the apartment complex where he and Anne resided.

Pulling out his key, he unlocked the front gate, iron bars woven into the darkness of the night. Stepping through and locking it behind him, he made his way up the stone path leading up to the main door. Taking an immediate left just inside the portal, he climbed the stairs to the third floor and walked down the simple hallway to his room, footsteps silent. Pausing outside his room, he glanced down either side of the hall and saw no one. Unlocking the door, he entered the living room of his apartment.

The shades were drawn over the windows, casting the room in shadow. Navigating through the furniture pieces with ease, he paused just outside his room. A soft light came from the dining room. “Anne?” he called. A soft bark came from around the corner and Alk padded into view, tail waging, eyes lit up with excitement. Kryos reached his hand down to scratch him behind the ears and the canine closed its eyes in relish. Walking around him, hand still stroking the fur, he entered the dining room and saw that the glow came from a light on the table, with Anne standing over it studying several objects. She looked up when he approached, deep green eyes piercing.

“Hey, what are you doing up so early?” he asked. But before she could answer, the news he received came racing back to him. “Oh, never mind. I’ve got some news. Some refugees just arrived, claiming they beheld a specter near the Obsidian Spire.” He grinned. “It’s our friend.”

[Lexxum_Vordic]

With a far away look in her eyes, she heard Kryos enter the room and smelled the scents coming from the city. Still too young to act completely on her own, she had other resources at her disposal. Obtaining all the innocence of a child, she used her charm upon adults to quickly get her way. Having obtained some gold in her recent adventure in the Red Forest, Anne worked quickly to establish herself as an Althanian.

School started this year for her and she would be ready. The Academy at Anebrelith was in full swing, eagerly accepting the next generation of warriors and magi to fend off Xem'Zund's forces. Anne smiled when she saw Kryos and stiffled a yawn. She wasn't sleeping well these days with all of the studying that she was doing. "I'm studying some maps I came across. They are the current known layouts for the Obsidian Tower. A few scouting parties came up with these." She moved over towards Kryos and handed him the maps so he could investigate them.

"I found out that the spire is rumored to be a living creature. Some sort of creature of chaos. I know a little bit about magic but not a lot. How can a building be alive?" She asked in wonder. "Lexxum was probably lost in his current state, I think he's heading towards the Spire for whatever reason. It seems to have strong necromantic forces that could be useful to a ghost."

She was a child who spoke like an academic expert. Lexxum would be proud of her. She'd grown up in a short period of time. Unable to contain it this time, she yawned a bit. Sleep evaded her for many days now, ever since the nightmares started. Rubbing her eyes casually, the little girl sat on the nearby couch. "The Red Forest is dangerous. Do you think that Lexxum can survive all by himself?"

Taking a drink of some nearby hot chocolate, she attempted to fight the effects of her fatigue.

She looked out the window, in the general direction of the Red Forest. "We should hire some mercenaries to assist us with the Spire. I think that the dangers we will face there will be too much for us on our own. Even with your skill." She said to Kryos. A soft smile was on her face for she had developed a great respect for the warrior. "We know where he is now. We just gotta get lucky enough to find him before he vanishes into the Spire forever."

"What else did you discover?" She asked Kryos.

************************************************** ***************

Chaos. Swirling all about his presence, the desert dimension shined vibrantly with an eternal light. It was a place where the halls of his ancestors lurked forever latticed with eternity. He ran across the desert, chasing the ghosts of his forefathers. Specters called out from the darkness. Many voices swirled in the wind as the spiritual form of Lexxum Vordic.

Displaced from his former vessel, the confused specter traveled across the physical manifestation of The Wild. An alternate dimension of Althanas that lurked alongside many of the endless alternate dimensions in that universe. Lexxum finally traveled across the desert and made it to an oasis. Someone was waiting for him. Another blood lizard. This one was a woman from what the berserker could see. She beaconed to him. Lexxum saw the hand motion and traveled towards her.

Shifting sands surrounded the pair in every direction for many unknown miles. Heat waves altered the distance and made it appear as though he was staring at an inferno. Dunes shifted and reformed every few seconds as the hot winds moved across the desert. Sand swirled in the breeze.

Examining the oasis, Lexxum noticed several healthy palm trees with desert fruit growing upon them. In many areas of the land around him, the sands became the famous Fallien glass.

Picking some of the fruit from one of the closest of the trees, Lexxum ate the juicy substance. Clean water trickled from its own entropy in the waterhole before him. Some animals were about drinking the water and eating the fruit, they kept their distance from the two predators. Staring at his reflection for a moment, Lexxum noticed the large physique of the warrior who stared back. Standing at approximately eight feet in height, and weighing at approximately eight hundred pounds, the berserker was a nightmare of a warrior. His eyes glowed with a radiant hunger, a lust for battle. Scales were of a crimson red in nature almost a testament to the blood that he'd spilled in his day. Lexxum was a proud warrior. He was standing upright at the moment wearing the very same armor that he'd wore at the time of his death. Only in his spiritual form, there was no hole puncturing the chestplate. Lexxum felt the power of Tap Reaver burning in this place with a raw sort of energy that he'd never felt before. Sheathed in the scabbard at his back, the warrior was always prepared for battle.

It was in the nature of Blood Lizards to always be prepared. Staring at the girl before him, he wondered what tribe she came from. She also wore the crimson scales of his forefathers, but her stripes weren't like the stripes of his own tribe...she clearly belonged to a different group of Blood Lizards. Her symbols were wild and exotic, her armor was advanced to a point where it was like an exo-skeleton surrounding her flesh. Each scale was also hyper developed. Her body was accentuated by her feminine curves, her tail was long and slender edged with a complex series of spikes on either side of the tendril. The claws and talons on her hands and feet seemed hyper sharp and perfectly capable of piercing Lexxum's own scales. She had glowing orange eyes that were filled with a certain wisdom. Many intricate jewels adorned her person, bones and other jewel crafted trophies from her many battles. She wore a simple skirt made of animal hide and a bra made of whatever was the same beast that she'd killed to obtain her clothing. Lexum could only guess, there were many beasts in The Wild.

"Welcome, Lexxum Vordic, son of Vexxum Vordic." Came the invitation from her voice. Lexxum nodded to her, bowing deeply to the superior warrior. She had a strength about her that Lexxum could only ever hope to achieve sometime in his whelp-like existence. "I am honored to be amongst your presence stranger." Acknowledging the superior nature of the warrioress before him, Lexxum bowed deeply before her. "There is no need for such formalities Lexxum. You are amongst equals here. This place is the halls of your ancestors, but you are currently unable to pass into the Great Hall."

"What great sin have I committed to deny me Immortality?" A sincere look of worry crossed Lexxum's scaly face, this drew a chuckle from the Elder. "My dear boy, you've committed no such sin to warrant such a fate. You are here because you've performed a great act of sacrifice to save your companions. Even now they search for you. The Word of Lord Mitra is strong within you. Through his Voice, all things are possible. Consider me his Voice young one. The Voice of Lord Mitra."

"The Voice of Lord Mitra? To what do I owe such an honor?"

"When you joined the warriors of Valinatal, you were acting against the forces of a hated enemy, Xem'Zund." She paused, as if saying the name was like eating a set of sharp blades. "When you sacrificed yourself to save Kryos and Anne, you earned great favor with Lord Mitra. So much so that he asked me to place an important task upon your person. He asked me to assist you in becoming the Herald of Lord Mitra."

"What would that mean?"

"It means..."

***

Earlier--

A group of refugees traveled through the Red Forest. They were passing close by to the forbidden location of the Obsidian Spire. Something stirred in the shrubbery that was located nearby. The leader of the group of refugees saw a shadowy form lurking within the forest. Was it a monster? He took some of his men and broke off from the main group in order to investigate, what they saw astonished them. Their tall tales would inspire a generation.

**************

Back in the mortal realm, the Herald of Lord Mitra felt the decree of the Word of Mitra in his heart. Looking upon the Obsidian Spire, the warrior was prepared to face his destiny. Lexxum waved his hand and a burst of energy resonated forward from the object in his possession. He needed another object buried deep within the Spire to understand his role in the scheme of things. Having acquired his first mission from the Voice of Lord Mitra, the Herald of Lord Mitra entered the Spire. And a race against time began.

**********************

Nearby.

A familiar girl, Rashilan Penna’ak, stared at a ghost she thought she'd never see again. Staring at the Obsidian Spire she turned towards her warriors. In a moment, she released a blast of necromantic energy from her hand that burned some of her warriors to dust. She stared at the rest of her gathered forces. "Failure is not tolerated." She began. "Lord Morian has given me ample enough power to give you lot the permanent death. It is a fate that you do not want for yourselves." She said, malevolence in her voice. "Our enemy stirs between realms. Somehow, he survived even my power." She said casually. "We must move quickly. Move out!" And so, Rash gathered her best soldiers and entered the Spire after Lexxum.

[Kryos]

“Not much,” he replied. “All the survivors were unconscious, so I only got the information second hand from Allaria, though I would never doubt of its truthfulness. Lexxem is back, at the spire.”

Approaching the table, his gaze swept over the maps that Anne had obtained. They were old and worn with age, the ink that stretched over the parchment faded here and there, while nonexistent in other places. But still, it was fairly impressive. The structure did mimic that of Velicë Arta, but the tower was just so large. The lines that dictated the walls withing the building were many, holding many secrets within. Kryos pulled another map forward, searching the map for anything that could be useful. What that would be, he still didn’t know.

“Impressive, Anne. Good work,” he said, finger tracing the walls of the fifth floor. There was a large gap of nothing in the middle of that level. “I wonder . . . ” he said. Pausing in thought, he shook his head. He yawned again, this time stretching his hands above his head. “So, we now have a plan. Now we just need to begin.” Glancing out the window, the darkness swallowed up any life that could be seen from their apartment. “We still have four or five hours till sunup, so we should catch up on some sleep. I mean it this time Anne,” he affirmed after seeing her expression. “After that, we’ll pack and then you can get some last minute supplies while I hire a few others who would be willing to come with us, though I doubt we’ll get that many.”

Bringing his right hand up in front of him, the fingers clenched into a fist. “We’ll find Lexxum and we’ll bring him back.” His fingers uncurled while midnight black flames rippled up his forearm to encompass his hand. The flames flickered, gradually dimming until they extinguished themselves, faded from this realm. Turning his head to Anne, he smiled and turned away from the table. He pondered the recent events in the forest and the adventure they would soon face, until he lowered himself to his bed. His thoughts dimmed as the Bane spell just recently had and his mind slipped into oblivion.

[Lexxum_Vordic]

Quickly now.

The Herald of Lord Mitra detected the strangers that lurked within the forest and one of them had a slightly familiar resonance. He couldn't quite place the resonance at hand, so he let it go for the time being. Monsters emerged from the dark as they prepared to face the Herald. In this current state, Lexxum's strength was amplified exponentially thanks to the object in his possession. The Herald treasured the temporary blessing as he hacked down monster after endless monster within the horde.

Within his possession was an object of rare power. His current state was that of a Demi-God. Though the agreement was a temporary one. Lexxum would have to honor that contract and obligation. The lives of many were at stake and the future of Raiaera rested on the warrior's ability to take full advantage of the phantom state he currently lurked within. Hacking down another monster was a simple matter of swinging Tap Reaver in its unhinged state. Even as astral matter, that is, matter that wasn't necessarily on the physical plane, the weapon was still capable of inflicting pain. The energies of the eternal tap were absolute.

Lexxum's sword glowed with energy and many glyphs were shining through the darkness in this enhanced state. The weapon had a fiery aura about it that crackled with energy. Emitting an eerie light, the weapon kept the monsters of the tower at bay.

Even without Xem'Zund currently present, the tower was a dangerous place.

The object in his possession was very well hidden indeed. The Herald had to protect to it with his very existence if need be, and ensure that it did not fall into the wrong hands. Such an object would be dangerous in the hands of Xem'Zund.

Lexxum moved quickly from floor to floor. His objective was in one of the many bottom layers of the structure. The tower moved deep into the ground as it moved high to the sky to pierce the heavens. Lexxum traveled across the many staircases when he found them, vanquishing what foes he came across. There were many treasures in the tower, he passed them all up. He was only interested in one treasure...

One great reward.

Revenge.

Revenge against Xem'Zund.

*************

Anne nodded to what Kryos was saying. The plan sounded like it might actually work! She felt very sleepy and went to go play with the dog for a moment, rubbing his flank. Alk would make a good companion. He barked quickly with pleasure and licked the girl's hand. Anne nodded. "We'll find him soon Alk." Then she went to her bed, turned the lights out and quickly closed her eyes. She was sleeping almost immediately.

[Kryos]

~ / | \ ~

The midmorning sun filtered through the scarlet leaves of the Red Forest, casting feathered patterns on the ground and across the crouched forms of Kryos and the others in his group. They hid along the edge of the giant clearing that held the Obsidian Spire. It rose like a leviathan breaching the surface of the sea, its black walls menacing. It had taken them six days to reach the Spire. He could only hope they could catch up with Lexxum since they had found no trace of him around the perimeter.

“So we just walk right into the front doors, right?” Blake asked. Blake had been willing to join them since his family had died by the hands of the undead and had wanted revenge. He’d been eager the whole trip.

“Only if you want to die,” replied Shalua. Being the only full-blooded, adult elf who had chosen to come with them, Shalua Tilarose had been a great asset. It was because of her quick thinking and action that they all hadn’t perished two days ago in a zombie ambush. Still, they had their losses. Their numbers had decreased by three since they left the port city.

“We’ll go in through one of the more hidden doors. The one there, in the shadow of the spire,” Kryos said, pointing toward the entrance he spoke of. He glanced over at Anne who was crouched by Alk. That canine had proven his worth and loyalty to the girl many times and Kryos was grateful for him. He caught Anne’s eye and nodded once. “Let’s move out.”

He rose to a half-crouch and, one hand rising up to grip the hilt of his sword, hurried across the clearing to the base of the tower. Once he reached the cursed tower wall, he grabbed the handle and heaved on the portal. The giant door inched open. When there was enough room for everyone to pass through, he ushered them in. Glancing around the clearing one last time for enemies, he slipped inside as well and pulled the door closed. It shut with a loud boom, echoing through what Kryos hoped, was empty halls and silent rooms.