“Not exactly young prince, but it is close enough to the real answer.”
“Well, I do not care what you believe in, monster, but there is no way I would forfeit my soul to a creature like you.”
“I am aware of that and even when having your soul would mean getting your entire family’s soul, not even I have the patience to try and convince a zealot like yourself. But I do warn you, that if you seek the information I possess… then one of you shall have to pay the price.”
“And what information would that be exactly?” Arius asked.
“Well, if I assume correctly, you seek information about the Fire Orcs you fought against, in the city walls of Water Siege Castle. But more specifically, where they came from and who is behind it all.”
“I already know that the Supreme Chancellor of the Elves is behind the Orcs and we can get our answers from him. So save your breath creature, for none of us shall forfeit our soul to you this night,” Arius replied.
“Yes, he was behind the creation of the Orcs and, without knowing, is also responsible for the creation of the being behind the creation of the Fire Orcs. But he does not hold the answers you seek. This I promise to you, young prince.”
“And how can I be sure that this is not just a lie to trick us?” Arius asked.
“Because the spell that grants him your soul does not become active until he has fulfilled his end of the bargain, which is why he protected Rallec from your blast and allowed him to escape,” Licius replied.
“Are you telling me you trust this thing?” Arius asked Licius.
“Not really, I know his intentions are ill, but I do believe he is telling us the truth.”
“So what should we do then?” Stundroff asked.
“We will rest for the night and with clearer head tomorrow we will make a decision. Besides that could buy the time we need for Lizandra to come back,” said Arius.
◆◆◆
Back at pursue of Rallec.
As fast as she could run in tiger form, the druid seemed to be no match for Rallec’s speed. But she knew she had the advantage of knowing the terrain better than him, so it was a matter of time until he made a mistake that would let her catch up with him.
Rallec knew that Lizandra was a formidable hand to hand combatant in Human form and the best shape shifter the world had ever seen. So if he was to make it out of this forest alive he would have to make a stand and fight her now that she was alone, but it had to be on his terms.
So with that thought in mind, the Elf sprinted as fast as he could in order to create some more distance between the two of them. Lizandra saw this and made her best effort to keep up, but the Elf managed to get out of her line of sight for a few seconds behind some trees. By the time she made it past the trees the Elf had vanished.
Lizandra could no longer hear him running, so she was sure he was hiding nearby, but where? She knew that if she didn’t find him first she may not live to regret it.
Lizandra walked slowly between the trees until she made it to a small clearing in the woods that was no more than fifteen feet wide. Lizandra knew this would be the place Rallec would fight, but she had no idea where he was.
She prowled slowly to the center of the clearing and remained focused.
She noticed some tree branches above her moving awkwardly.
That was it! He was above her, she thought as she carefully inspected every branch in hopes of seeing him.
But the Elf was nowhere to be found and the idea that it was a trap began to cross her mind.
Of course he wants me to look up, so he can attack me from the side, she thought. So immediately she lowered her gaze.
But the Elf did not appear. Now paranoia was starting to take over.
She knew she had to find him before he found her, but how? She transformed into a wolf, and immediately her nose caught the scent of the Elf, but to her surprise, he was not in the clearing but behind some trees.
Has he seen me yet? Am I walking into a trap? These questions plagued Lizandra as she slowly walked towards the source of the scent.
She made it into a more dense part of the forest, where there was very little space between the trees.
Maybe he thought he gained enough distance and lost me and stopped to rest.
The scent was really strong now and Lizandra spotted the tip of one of Rallec’s shoulder pads poking from behind a tree.
Once she was in range, the druid leapt at the Elf teeth first, aiming at his throat. Then she realized the deception.
She found nothing more that Rallec’s sweaty armor hanging from a low tree branch.
She felt a blow to her ribs.
Rallec had hidden himself in a pile of leaves and as soon as Lizandra had dropped her guard he was on her, sending her flying into a tree.
Now wounded, Lizandra realized that a wolf would be no match for this Elf. So she quickly turned into a bear, as Rallec ran towards her to finish her off.
The Elf immediately stopped his assault and used the little space between the trees to get in close without Lizandra being able to attack him. The druid quickly realized her mistake, as she stuck her claws on a tree while trying to hit the Elf.
But before she could think of anything else, Rallec, using a stick as a spear hit at her ribs and escaped between the trees before Lizandra could retaliate.
The bear spat some blood and turned into a tiger once again.
“Tigers are great fighters,” Rallec said from behind the trees.
“Show yourself and I will show you how great they are.”
“Oh, but I already know. I fought several tigers as training when I was a young soldier. And I know they can kill anything that stands in front of them.” “Yes, they can leap several feet in front of them and claw their way through any living being. But once I saw them fight, I noticed that they are not that fast when they have to turn around.”
And the Elf finished that sentence emerged from behind a tree at Lizandra’s back and landed yet another blow to her ribs, before disappearing behind another tree.
The druid was desperate now; the pain was becoming unbearable and she still had no idea where the Elf was.
She realized her speed was no match for Rallec’s, and in these close quarters, she could not take advantage of the strength of a bigger animal. Her options were limited, but the idea of fleeing had not yet crossed her mind.
So she returned to her Human form.
“What’s wrong, you ran out of tricks?” Rallec asked.
“I am done playing games, if you want to kill me, then come forward and do it like a soldier.”
“Very well, I shall honor your request,” Rallec replied, and he slowly walked into Lizandra’s line of sight.
“Good, now come here, so I can finally kill you.”
Rallec did not waste another second, as he ran straight at Lizandra.
The female druid assumed a fighting stance, just in time for the Elf’s arrival.
Rallec threw a punch with his right hand, which Lizandra barely managed to avoid by tilting her head in the opposite direction. The attack had such strength that it cracked the trunk of the tree behind Lizandra, further injuring Rallec’s hand.
But this seemed not to slow the Elf’s attack, as he immediately struck again with his left knee, once again hitting Lizandra on her injured rib.
Lizandra let out a scream, as she spat blood. But this time instead of clouding her judgment, the pain acted as fuel for her rage.
So using this newfound strength, she took the blow and used its momentum to turn, sweeping both of Rallec’s legs from under him.
The Elf tried to use his right hand to regain his balance, but since it was injured, he could not rest the entire weight of his body on it, making him hesitate just a second about what to do.
And that second was all the time Lizandra needed.
She managed to roll backwards, landing on top of Rallec’s right arm; she then wrapped her limbs around his arm.
But Rallec
was not just about to let his arm get snapped without putting up a fight, so he rolled on top of Lizandra and used the weight of his body to stop her from breaking his arm.
But she would not let go of his arm.
Using his free hand, Rallec began to punch Lizandra on her injured rib.
Rallec’s arm was about to snap, so in a desperate attempt to get free he planted his feet on the ground and stood up, holding Lizandra’s entire weight on his arm. He then proceeded to slam her, as hard as he could, against the ground.
Rallec stood up again, and, as Lizandra struggled to retain her grip on his arm, he swung her body against a tree.
But as Lizandra was being thrown through the air, she transformed into an orangutan in order to gain the strength she needed, to finally break Rallec’s arm without losing her grip.
Rallec’s arm finally snapped.
Lizandra fell to the ground further injuring her ribs and Rallec fell to his knees.
Lizandra knew she had to get up and finish him, but she could not find the strength in her body to do so, unlike Rallec, who, after a few seconds, managed to block the pain from his mind and stood up once again.
“I will admit that you put up much more of a fight than I expected, but I did promise that I would kill you and I am always true to my word. Especially when it comes to killing, so now I will take your life.”
“If you are going to kill me, please do it fast. I’d rather die than keep hearing your arrogant voice,” Lizandra said, as she slowly worked her way to getting back on her knees.
Rallec took a step closer, and with one rising kick to her stomach, made her stand up. Then placing that foot on the floor and spinning his body, he kicked her again with such force that she went flying backwards into a tree.
Lizandra’s vision was blurry and she could taste nothing but her own blood. Yet as she raised her head to see Rallec approaching, she decided this was not yet her time.
Rallec went to kick her in the stomach, but Lizandra transformed into a cobra. She somehow found the strength to bite Rallec on the leg, injecting him with venom.
Rallec felt the bite and quickly pulled his leg back; Lizandra then fell to the floor and quickly returned to her Human form, as she could no longer maintain a transformation.
“You think this will stop me?” Rallec screamed.
“Yes, I do. I know that Elves have great tolerance to snake venom, but you have been fighting and running all night. So you are weak and your heart is pumping fast, making sure that the venom will reach every vital organ you have.”
Rallec’s vision was blurry and he became dizzy.
He grabbed the compass and noticed that the direction of the arrow had changed.
Could it be that the arrow points towards the antidote?
“Very well then, it seems we must conclude our duel without a definitive victor… this time. But know that the next time will meet will be the last.”
Lizandra knew this was her only chance to escape, so she turned again into a small snake and slithered away.
◆◆◆
Back at our heroes and The Merchant.
“Wake up my friends, it is time,” Arius said.
“I am already awake, since I could not sleep at all last night,” Licius replied.
“Come on, Stundroff, we need to get going.” Arius pushed Stundroff with his foot.
“Yes, yes, I heard you the first time.”
“Well then, get up,” Licius said.
“What’s the hurry?”
“Just get up; we have a deal to make.”
The Merchant had stood there for the entire night, watching them as they rested.
“Very well, it seems you have finally decided to bargain,” He said.
“I’m still not sure about this,” said Arius.
“Nor will you ever be.”
“You may not be sure, but I am,” said Licius.
“Very well then, come closer so I can place the brand in your neck.”
Licius crawled towards the Merchant.
“Now remove the armor so that I may brand you, for not even my powers are strong enough to bypass solid Bronium.”
“Licius, think about what you are about to do,” Arius said to his friend.
“It is all right, I have thought about it all night and I am ready.” Licius retracted the armor just enough to uncover his face and neck.
The Merchant then grabbed the Elf by the neck and proceeded to brand him.
“It is done.” The Merchant released Licius’s, neck exposing the brand.
“Then tell us what we need to know,” Arius demanded.
“The creature you seek is called Xandraf, but he refers to himself as the Fire Lord, a little lacking in creativity if you ask me. But nonetheless, he is the one behind the Orcs you fought at the lake.”
“What else? Tell me everything you know about him,” Licius said.
“Very well. Xandraf was one of the very first creations of your beloved Supreme Chancellor before creating the Orcs.”
“So he is not an Orc then?” Arius said.
“No, he is not. But he does look like an Orc, although smaller in size and with a bigger nose. He lacks the strength or brutality of his bigger siblings, but not the cruelty, I am afraid.”
“So, he is weak?” Stundroff asked.
“Physically he is. But what he lacks in strength, he more than makes up with his intelligence. The Supreme Chancellor locked him in a cage, as he considered him not to be a worthy threat to the world. So he dismissed him and continued to perfect his experiments, which would eventually lead to the Orc race as you know it. But little did Bellestis know. That Xandraf’s strength lay in his powerful mind, as he is capable of fully controlling simple-minded beings like animals and weak Humans.”
“And where do the fire powers come from? And how is he still alive if he predates the creation of the Orc race?” Licius asked.
“Xandraf, as well as the Orcs, is a mix between Elves, Humans and animals. So I suppose he takes the longevity from his Elf side. And in regard to the fire powers, I am afraid that I am to blame for them.”
“What do you mean?” Arius asked.
“It means that he made a deal with Xandraf,” said Licius.
“Precisely. I found him living in a cave at the bottom of the Fire Mountains to the east. He had two Orcs under his control, which he used for both hunting and protection. At first I took pity on him, as all I saw was a small weak creature that had no place in the world and had to rely on others to survive. But once I got to know him, I realized that he was a deeply traumatized being, with a hatred forged by millennia of abuse and discrimination that only his thirst for power and vengeance against all could surpass. So I decided to help him.”
“But why would you do that? Why would you help a being like that?” Arius asked.
“For the same reason I do everything else - I did it for his soul. Besides, if he starts killing everyone, it would help me collect some souls that have been around for too long.”
“But don’t you realize that if he brings the end of the world, there will be no one left for you to bargain with?” Arius asked.
“This may be difficult for you to understand, but I have seen many worlds begin and end, as the all mighty Gaia Stone starts again. And if there is something I have learned over my eternity of existence, is that there is nothing that lasts forever. So even if this world does end, as you so ineloquently put it, I shall be here to watch the next one rise and make new bargains.”
“So there is no end to your existence?” Licius asked.
“Not until I have fulfilled my purpose.”
“And what would that purpose be?”
“That is not of your concern.”
“Very well, then let us focus on what does concern us,” said Licius. “You have already told us that you gave him his powers, but you have not explained to us how you did this.”
“I gave him the location of a relic of power; in this particular case, it w
as the Crest of Flame.”
“And what does that relic do exactly?” Arius asked.
“It allows the user to wield all the fire power of creation. And if I am not mistaken, Xandraf has found a way to absorb it and channel its fire powers to others as he does with their minds.”
“And where can we find this Xandraf?” Arius asked.
“If I am not mistaken, Xandraf will most likely be in the heart of the Fire Mountains.”
“You mean inside the volcano?” Arius asked.
“Yes, there he feeds off the volcano’s fire, making him stronger with every passing moment.”
“And how are we supposed to stop this Xandraf creature?” Arius asked.
“I never said you could, I only agreed to tell you about him and his powers.”
“So you are telling us that there is no way to defeat this foe?” Arius asked, smashing his hammer on the ground with frustration.
“Do not worry, my friend, nature is wise and always maintains balance over its creations. And for every unmovable object, there is always an unstoppable force that brings it to balance. So trust me when I say that we will vanquish this foe,” said Licius.
“Perhaps you are right, High General, for there is in fact such a force over creation. But the question is, are you strong enough to wield such a force?”
“Are you not supposed to be the one with the answers?” Arius asked.
“Yes, and normally I would say that such a thing is impossible, but you three seem to redefine the concept of impossible very often.”
“Tell us then about this unstoppable force, so that we may find a way to wield it,” Licius said.
The Merchant contemplated the situation for a moment, as it was not his custom to reveal the location of a relic for free. But since no one could actually wield this particular relic, he saw no loss in revealing its location.
“Very well then, the relic you seek is the Frozen Blade.”
“So it is a sword?” Licius asked.
“Indeed it is, but not just any sword. The blade of this sword emits a wind so cold that it freezes anything that comes in contact with it for miles.”
“My armor can withstand the cold,” Licius said.
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