by Cadman, Dean
Lusam sat with his back against the fallen tree trunk and watched Renn as he made a few final changes to their chosen camp site. Once he appeared to be satisfied with the area he removed his large shield from his back, and stood it against the fallen tree next to where Lusam guessed he would sleep. Renn then walked five paces from their camp, removed his sword, and with an audible grunt plunged his sword into the earth just outside camp. Lusam cringed at the thought of the damage that may have been caused to Renn's blade, and was about to ask why he would do such a thing when he saw him kneel before his sword, bow his head and begin praying to Aysha.
Lusam watched in silence for several minutes as Renn remained on one knee, head bowed and in prayer, before deciding to join him in a silent prayer for the safe rescue of Neala. After all, what harm could it do if you had a God on your side, as well as one of her paladins.
As Lusam sat there with his eyes closed, praying to Aysha for a favourable outcome to his quest to save Neala, he felt a wave of calm wash over him like a warm ocean wave. A great sense of well being infused him, creating a euphoric feeling, the likes of which he had never felt before. The feeling vanished as quickly as it had arrived, leaving him grasping at the memory of the sensation. Seconds later he remembered to breathe, and gasped for air as he opened his eyes to find Renn standing in front of him, looking down on him with a knowing smile on his face.
“What was that?” Lusam whispered to himself.
“That my boy was Aysha's light, I too felt her presence within you. You are indeed truly blessed to have felt her light Lusam. Many of her most devout priests and paladins go through their entire lives without ever feeling Aysha's light upon them. I have never heard of anyone other than a priest or paladin of Aysha receiving such a blessing before today.” Renn knelt down at Lusam's side and put his hand once more on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Remarkable. Truly remarkable.” Then, still smiling at Lusam he stood slowly and went to claim his sleeping area, not far from his sword, that still remained buried in the earth.
Lusam remained in a sitting position with his back against the fallen tree for what seemed like a long time. His mind was trying to make sense of what he had felt during that brief encounter. He had always prayed to Aysha throughout his life, but he would not have considered himself an especially religious person. In fact, thinking about the times he had prayed during his lifetime, he now realised with a certain amount of guilt, that he had only ever prayed to Aysha during his times of need. His mind simply could not accept that he had just encountered a true God. Neither could he deny the fact of what he had just experienced.
Lusam found himself staring up at the stars, but he couldn't remember changing position and lying down to do so. He could see the twinkle of the stars through the dense canopy of trees as they swayed in the breeze high above; a breeze that never reached the ground below where they both lay. As he looked at the stars he smiled to himself, knowing somehow everything would be all right, and they would rescue Neala in time. After all, why would Aysha have come to him like that if it wasn't true. He closed his eyes, and almost immediately fell into a deep restful sleep. His dreams were filled with a strange far away magical land, filled with even stranger creatures, but throughout it all he felt happy and safe, because Neala was there beside him.
Chapter Three
In his dream Lusam could hear the terrible inhuman wailing of a creature approaching. Mixed in with the other-worldly noise of the creature he could hear someone calling his name, over and over. The voice sounded very close, but also very distant; like a dream within a dream. He felt a hand close over his mouth as he was shaken awake from his slumber by a man kneeling over him. It took him a few moments for his mind to recognise Renn in the almost pitch blackness of the forest night.
Lusam could just about see Renn put a finger to his lips, indicating that Lusam should remain silent. He wasn't sure where the small amount of light was coming from that enabled him to see even that much, until he sat up and saw it with his own eyes. Renn's sword still remained upright in the ground where he had placed it earlier, but now it glowed with an eerie soft blue light. Lusam thought he could even hear it making a sound like a very low humming noise, barely loud enough to hear, but he couldn't be sure above the loud inhuman wailing noise coming from somewhere very nearby in the forest.
Lusam had never heard any forest creature make sounds like that before, or anything else for that matter. It wasn't just the noise either. The sound seemed to pull at the very core of his being, as if whatever it was out there was trying to pull his soul straight out of his body. He shuddered at the very thought of what kind of creature could make him feel that way. Instinctively he knew that it was no creature of this world. His mind raced with any other possibilities, and each were dismissed as impossible as quickly as they materialized.
As the sounds of the wailing grew nearer, the glow from Renn's swords grew brighter. Lusam was now standing next to Renn, and both of them were bathed in the blue light from his sword. Lusam needed to remove the sword, and bury it under something to hide its light before they were spotted, and fast. He took a quick step towards the sword and stretched out his hand, ready to remove it from the ground. Before he could touch the sword Renn intercepted him, grabbing his wrist and pulling him around to face him. He just shook his head slowly and put his finger to his lips again, signalling that Lusam should remain silent.
The sword was now glowing so brightly he was sure everything in the forest for at least a mile around would see them for sure. Still they both stood there bathed in its light for all to see. It was then Lusam saw it, and felt it. A huge shadow passed just in front of their camp. No, it wasn't a shadow, it was far darker than a shadow. It was nothingness. A perfect void. It pulled all light and heat into itself as it moved towards them. All light except the blue glow from Renn's sword that is. The air temperature plunged, and ice formed in its wake as it passed over the floor of the forest. Plants wilted and died as they came in to contact with the hideous creature.
Lusam fought his instincts to flee with every fibre of his being. Every part of his body screamed out for him to run away from this...thing. Each time he glanced towards Renn he got the same reply; a gentle shake of his head not to do anything. So he stood, and waited. Waited for this creature to notice them, and devour their very souls. The creature slowly circled their camp, as if it were searching for something it knew should be there, but could not find. Lusam noticed how each time it came close to the blue light it would change direction slightly, and head away from the light, as if it had decided nothing of interest was there after all.
The hideous creature circled the camp twice more before it finally decided there was nothing for it to consume in the area, then it headed in the opposite direction from which it had arrived, resuming its search for whatever it was looking for. Lusam's legs felt like jelly. Long after he was sure the creature had gone Lusam collapsed to the ground. He watched Renn once again return to his now normal looking sword and kneel in prayer to Aysha. Lusam also gave thanks to Aysha in his own silent prayers.
After Renn had finished he stood and turned to Lusam and said, “Well done for controlling yourself like that lad. If you had run, you would surely have died before I could have reached you and killed it.”
“Killed it? Are you telling me you could have killed that thing, and you didn't? Why?...”
“Because it will be dark for several more hours yet, and there will be more of them out there, and possibly worse. If you kill a shade it will call to its brethren before it passes from this realm. Although we would be safe within Aysha's light cast by my sword from one or two shades, we wouldn't want to attract too many.”
“Would the light not protect us against too many?” Lusam asked.
Renn quietly laughed and replied, “When the shade came close did you feel the temperature drop?”
“Yes, I did. It got very cold when it came close to our camp.”
“Indeed it did lad. No amoun
t of shades could ever cross Aysha's light barrier, however, we would surely freeze to death from their close proximity should we attract too many of them with daylight so far away.” “I see,” Lusam replied looking very worried. After thinking about what had just happened, and what Renn had told him earlier about: 'other dangers far worse than wolves in this forest.' Lusam decided they needed to talk about some things.
“Renn, I think we need to talk about this. I have too many questions, and I need some answers before I go crazy.”
Renn chuckled quietly to himself then said, “Sleep now lad, we can talk later.”
“Are you mad? There's no way I can sleep knowing those things are out there, and who knows what else is out there. Although I suspect you do, and that's why we have to talk. Now!”
Renn looked at him for several seconds but remained silent, obviously trying to decide what to do.
“Lad, shades may not be able to see us while we are within Aysha's light, but they sure can hear us easily enough. If we sit here like two old women chatting the night away, we will surely attract more uninvited guests before the night is over.” With that he returned to his sleeping area and made ready to sleep again.
“Oh no, you don't get away that easy,” Lusam said quietly. He concentrated on the area around himself and Renn and formed a magical bubble from which sound could not escape. Then he turned towards Renn and shouted as loud as he could, “TIME TO TALK PALADIN!”
Renn spun over so quickly to face Lusam he thought for a heartbeat he would strike him for shouting out. Instead he sat bolt upright and watched his sword for any sign of a glow; none came.
“Are you crazy? Do you just want to get us both killed?” he hissed at Lusam.
“It's perfectly safe to talk, I've erected a magical soundproof barrier around us, so we can discuss things without the risk of attracting any of those unwanted guests you just mentioned.”
“That's impossible. I was right here, and you never spoke any incantation to create a spell, or I would have heard it,” Renn whispered.
“Why would I need to speak anything to cast a spell?” Lusam asked confused.
“Because it's one of the basic rules that governs all magic. Even a novice mage knows this to be true. Now go to sleep,” Renn whispered back with absolute conviction in his voice. Lusam's head was reeling with unanswered questions. It seemed each time he needed Renn to explain something he didn't understand, not only did he not get an answer to his question, he seemed to end up with even more questions he needed answers to. He couldn't take any more of this. It had to end now. He looked around the camp and spotted a large rock near Renn's feet. Without a word he willed the rock into the air right in front Renn's face.
Renn shifted his position slightly as he noticed the rock leave the ground and head straight for his face. When it stopped directly in front of him he turned to look at Lusam with a look of complete confusion on his face.
“How? How can you do that? It's impossible,” he stated, still in a whisper so as not to attract any unwanted attention from outside their camp.
“So you keep saying, but the fact remains I don't need to speak words to cast magic. I never have.”
“Evidently so,” he said looking at the rock with amazement as it still hovered in front of his eyes. “But it make no sense to me. I'm no mage, but everything I know about magic tells me what you have just done is impossible. How can you cast magic without speaking the incantations necessary to perform it?”
“No! Stop!” Lusam said angrily. “No more questions! It's time you answered some of mine.” Renn watched as the Lusam released the rock and it fell with a thump to the ground in front of him. He couldn't help himself wince at the sound it made, even though Lusam had told him he had created a soundproof barrier around their camp. Renn turned to look at Lusam and considered what exactly he should tell him to fill in the gaps of his knowledge. After a few moments thinking he decided it would be easier to ask him what he wanted to know. “I'm not sure where to begin. Do you have any suggestions?” Renn asked, this time in a normal pitched voice.
“How about we start at the beginning?” Lusam said.
“The beginning of what?”
“Everything. What those creatures are and where they came from. What else is out there? Why I'm so important to the High Temple. Your reference to my grandmother. Who that man in Helveel was, and why you were there to rescue me. Why according to you they are still trying to kill me. Why you agreed to help me rescue Neala. Everything!”
Renn sat there in stunned silence at Lusam's request. Each time he picked a point in time to start his answer, he realised he needed to go back further in time for it to make any sense at all to Lusam. He sighed deeply, before turning to Lusam and saying, “I can only tell you what I know. Although as a paladin we study the history of this world in detail, we are not teachers. It is for the priests at the High Temple to pass on such knowledge, and to only those they deem worthy. I doubt your worthiness would ever be in question given the fact I was sent to find you in the first place, also your obvious abilities and your potential importance to our future. However, it is not my place to teach you such information, therefore I would appreciate your discretion once we reach the High Temple regarding this matter.” Lusam nodded to his request, and remained silent waiting for the information he desperately needed. Renn sighed again and then continued, “Very well. I suppose for all this to make sense I really must start at the very beginning, but please, no interruptions, or this may take more time than we have.”
“Agreed,” replied Lusam, hoping finally to understand some of what was going on.
Chapter Four
“Okay, let's start,” Renn said taking a deep breath. “In the beginning it is believed the God Ios created our world. It was not as we know it today, but instead a dry desolate world. It is said he became tired of fighting, and so he created this world as a refuge to hide from the Gods' constant wars that had raged in the heavens for countless millennia. He was a benign God, and relished the peace and quiet of his new world. It is said a second God found Ios' newly made haven and requested safe harbour there. The name of this God is now lost to time, but it is written they had five children together. Four male and one female. Deas, Erebi, Driden, Aamon and Aysha. The old and new Gods lived side by side here for countless centuries before Deas suggested they give life to the new barren world. It was agreed that both of the old Gods would create the surface of this new world, while each of the new Gods would create creatures to populate its surface. The unknown old God created the oceans, and covered the entire world with water, while Ios raised the ocean floors up to create the land and mountains. Ios and his partner were happy with their creation, a perfect paradise in which to live.
“Deas created all life in the oceans, whilst Erebi created all the animals on the land. Driden created all the winged creatures of the air, including dragons to rule the skies. Driden also gave his dragons the ability to use the power of magic. Aamon was furious that Driden had done this. To give such creatures the power of magic would mean their certain domination of this new world. Only the creatures of the oceans would be safe from such abominations. All of Aamon's plans were for nought. Any creatures he created would surely be ruled by these monsters. At first he refused to contribute anything to the creation of this new world and shut himself away for millennia. Aysha in the meantime had created mankind, and seeing the danger posed by Driden's creations, she also gave her creation the ability to use magic. Both dragons and men lived peacefully with each other in the beginning. Each knowing the others' ability to wield magic, and so, for the most part simply avoided each other, while feeding on lesser quarry.
“Everything changed when Aamon returned from his self imposed exile. Instead of creating life of his own on this new world, he did the exact opposite. He opened the gates to the Netherworld. Countless hideous creatures of pure evil flooded into the new paradise from various dimensions; the destruction was immense. It is said Ios despaired
at the destruction of his new world, and left with his fellow elder god rather than face yet more conflict. War between the younger gods became inevitable. It is said Erebi was killed by his brother Aamon in the first few days of the conflict. Deas was said to have left our world in search of his parents, but Driden, Aamon and Aysha remained and fought a bloody battle that lasted countless centuries, and wreaked havoc upon the world. Aamon quickly discovered a weakness in Aysha's creations; men could be corrupted by power, wealth, or even manipulated to serve him through fear or ignorance.
“Aamon enslaved a large number of Aysha's creations for himself, and twisted them to serve his needs and ambitions; Necromancy was born. Massive undead armies were raised, comprising of the countless fallen men killed over the previous centuries of warfare and devastation. Creatures from many dark realms were summoned to this world to serve the followers of Aamon. Jealous of his siblings creations, he intended to destroy them all, and even them if he could.
“Driden and Aysha soon came to realise they must work together if they were to defeat Aamon. Aysha secretly created a new bloodline of men, ones capable of wielding huge amounts of magical power. These new Guardians would be able to subdue and control the immense dragons created by Driden. Each on their own were formidable, but once a Guardian bonded with a dragon and tapped into the magical resources of that dragon, he would be unstoppable. At first Driden objected to his creations being used in this manner, he knew first hand how easily men's hearts and minds could be corrupted through power and greed. Later he relented, understanding it was the only possible way to save the world, and both of their creations. Certain precautions were said to have been taken in the forming of this new bloodline, making sure they did not inadvertently create a new monster even worse than the ones they were trying to vanquish , but the details have been lost over time.