Standing beside the Kobold was an imposing figure, a human man dressed in fine black armor that was lined with red accents. The metal seemed to absorb light and the air around him almost seemed to shimmer with darkness. The king of Kobolds banged his staff on the ground causing the room to fall silent.
“Lizard folk! Today is an auspicious day, a day that will change everything for the clans. Our domain has been restricted to this island for so long that we have forgotten that the world is larger than we could possibly know. An opportunity has been presented to the clans for something greater. Something that will enable us, the clans, to achieve more than we could alone. Today we forge the next great accomplishment of our people.” The royal Kobold spoke with pride and crystal clear diction.
The man in the black armor spoke next. “Today we link our two destinies, my people and those of the Blue Stone Clan. The artistry and skills of the Blue Stone and the wealth and power of the Kingdom of Taymo will be joined. By opening a portal between our two kingdoms, it will enable our people to commence trade on a scale unlike any other. The Folk will be able to leave this island and visit our kingdom, to see its many splendors and treasures.” He produced a golden bauble that reflected the glittering sunlight in the temple.
The armored man continued. “The people of my kingdom wish to share our resources and knowledge and hope that you will do the same. Today we will create a link between your relic and ours. When the ritual completes, a rift will appear here in this temple and in the temple of the Red Heart in the center of our kingdom. Today, we grow together!” He raised his fist in the air, and the Kobolds cheered loudly. The king of Kobolds banged his staff again, once again signaling for silence.
The regal Kobold nodded to the man in armor, who produced a glowing red stone, roughly the shape of a heart. It pulsed with the same sinister light as Abrenacht’s shadowy form. The king placed his hand on the Blue Stone, and the man extended the Red Heart toward the king. The royal placed his hand on the red stone, creating a conduit between the two relics. Both began to glow brighter and continued to increase in luminescence until both were like small suns, the blue and red-light intermingling, creating a purple haze that filled the chamber.
The gathered Kobolds stared in wonder as the lights danced around the chamber, shimmering across the walls and ceiling in a kaleidoscopic pattern. They looked on in awe as the king continued to channel the powers of the two stones. A tear began to form in the very air before the king, a malevolent light splitting the very fabric of the world. Subtle changes in the body language of the gathered crowd showed Skree that something was wrong.
The rift began to widen as dark smoke began to pour from the tear. The smoke began to pool under the portal like fog. A dark hand emerged from the portal, straining to widen the edges of the tear in reality. A second clawed hand grasped the other edge, easily forcing the portal wider. A terrifying roar of joy erupted from the dark portal and a hideous creature began to emerge. Its head was like that of a dragon, it's midnight black scales were edged in a glowing red light like magma.
With one last great effort, the portal tore open and the creature was released into the kingdom of the Kobolds. The aura of fear and power coming from the monster had frozen all the Kobolds in place. The creature roared at the tiny lizards, releasing a gout of black fire that tore across the room, incinerating dozens of the Kobolds instantly. Those that managed to avoid the flames scattered, running for their lives. The creature moved faster than should have been possible, catching a Kobold in its jaws and crushing it into paste. It moved again, a clawed hand slicing another of the fleeing Kobolds in half.
The creature darted around the room, like a swirling cloud of pure evil, ripping and tearing through any survivors. The man in the black armor watched impassively, like this was something he had seen dozens of times. He moved to the king and shook his head.
“This is not personal, I hope you know that. When you have lived as long as I have, no bargain is to great, no sacrifice to far.” The man drew a hideous knife and drove it into the chest of the king who was struggling to break free of the two stones he had linked. His blood sprayed across the stones and he hung limply, suspended by his unbreakable connection to the relics.
“Your people will be destroyed, their very minds rent before the power of Abrenacht.” He ripped the knife free, the dark blood cascading from the poor Kobolds chest. The light in the king’s eyes faded, and he slumped lifelessly to the floor. From outside the chamber, Skree could hear screams of terror and the challenging roars of triumph as the black creature raged through the temple. The armored man moved to the Blue Stone, casually dripping blood from his knife onto the powerful relic. It hissed and smoked, the blue light shifting to purple then a deep red. The smoke continued to pour from the blood until it was a swirling cloud that surrounded the stone.
The smoke coalesced into a vaguely humanoid shape and stood, the stone completely obscured from view. It looked around, its glowing red eyes twinkling with insidious joy. “You have done well my disciple. Destiny has suffered a mighty blow this day. The Archons have been destroyed leaving the world for me.” Its voice rumbled like a thunderstorm. “Your reward shall be great, Emperor Tamarand.”
“Our arrangement nears its completion. I need no more rewards, only the fulfillment of your promise.” The armored man replied.
A deep, throaty chuckle filled the room. “You truly are my greatest servant. Your work is nearly complete. Leave this place and return to your kingdom. I will call for you again when the time is right.” The creature stated flatly. With a nod, Tamarand moved with purpose and strode through the portal, vanishing from the room.
The Red Heart stone began to spin rapidly, its hateful light blurring. It spun so fast it was impossible to see any details of the stone. It looked like a simple ball of light. A sense of static built up in the room when the stone slammed to a stop, releasing a burst of power that washed out across the island. It expanded so fast, passing through stone walls and continued expanding, washing over the entire island in all directions.
As the power blasted through him in the vision, he was ripped from the scene, snapping awake with a desperate gasp. Tears had stained his cheeks, a sense of overwhelming sadness filling him. Abrenacht was something of pure evil. A darkness that consumed beings of light. This was his true enemy, the enemy of all people and races. Skree was pretty sure he had just seen the final boss of this game and that the version of Abrenacht he had faced was just a sliver of that true evil.
He had survived their battle, but it was more a fluke than a true victory. Whatever this power was that he had been given, it seemed to indicate that he would play a pivotal role in defeating this evil.
When he had managed to pull himself from the memories, he saw a prompt in his vision.
Congratulations! You have found a relic of destiny. These powerful objects exist to change the very world around them, the primordial power of fate condensed in physical form. The effects they have on races and kingdoms cannot be understated. Races elevated to new levels of power and prestige. Empires risen from dirt when wielding these relics.
You have found Azure, the heart of the island. This relic belonged to the Kobolds of the Blue Stone Clan and over the centuries increased their intelligence and bestowed great creativity and passion. This stone was dominated by Abrenacht and the race of the Kobolds was decimated by the hideous servants of chaos. You have a difficult decision before you. You can, as one of the Archons Chosen, claim this power for yourself and forge a fledgling village or you can return this relic to the Kobolds of the Blue Stone Clan, restoring their true destiny.
Be aware! - This decision is irreversible and will bring sweeping changes to Raiya and its future. Will you take your place as a leader of this world or keep your word to a friend and restore the power of destiny to the Kobold Clans?
Skree whistled in contemplation. Now this was a choice that would be harder than any before it. This was something that would shape the w
orld. He didn’t know what he would gain by taking control of the relic, but he knew it would change his life forever. On the other hand, he had sworn an oath to restore the Blue Stone Clan to its former glory. He thought back to his father again, and the promise he had made to himself to be better than other men.
He would do what was right, even if it cost him. He selected the prompt to return the relic to Sawbones, placing it in his satchel. Searching the temple, he collected his bow, slinging it over his shoulder. The two-handed blade he affixed to his back and checked his hatchets, making sure they were secured. He remembered the vision from the past and moved deeper into the Temple, following the path of the fleeing Kobolds.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As he moved through the beautifully decorated hallways, he addressed the prompts that had piled up...
Congratulations, you have unlocked the Mountain Climbing skill and you have reached level 1 - 4 in Rock Climbing- 4% less stamina required when climbing difficult terrain.
Congratulations, you have reached level 11 in Archery - 11% increased damage with all ranged weapons
Congratulations, you have reached levels 2-4 in Great Weapon Combat - Damage increased by 4% with all two handed weapons.
Congratulations, by reaching level 4 in Great Weapon Combat you have learned the ability Sundering Strike
Sundering strike deals 150 bonus damage and has a small chance (5%) to destroy any armor impacted by Sundering Strike. Cast time: 1 second, Cost: 45 Mana, Cooldown: 30 seconds
Congratulations, you have reached level 13 in light armor - All light armor is 13% more effective
Congratulations, you have reached levels 2-4 in Earth Magic - All spells of Earth Magic are now 4% more effective
Congratulations, you have reached level 7 in Life Magic - All spells of Life Magic are now 7% more effective
Skree loved seeing his prompts, even though it was weird to be able to see yourself getting stronger every day in defined numerical values. He closed the prompts and carried on. The signs of battle had long since faded, but Skree found it unusual that there weren’t any skeletal remains anywhere. The stone was clean and similar to the main temple area, no real dust had accumulated. Maybe there was some kind magic or enchantment that kept the air fresh and dust free.
The hallway continued down into the depths and eventually opened to a less ornately decorate chamber with many small recesses in the walls. He realized this must have been the communal warren, like the deep warrens where the kobolds currently lived. There were many signs that this placed had been left abandoned, personal belongings, collections of shiny stones and small hand carved statues littered the area. Discarded and rotting clothing were stored in each of the nooks. He felt pain in his heart, now knowing what had transpired in this place.
His resolve was set in stone at that moment. “I am coming for you Abrenacht, no matter where you hide.” He voiced to ghosts of the past. He made his way around the chamber, taking in what must have been a home for hundreds of Kobolds. So many trinkets, long rotted by the ravages of time. He left the chamber, moving further into the depths, until he came across a set of double iron doors that must have been used to protect something valuable. There were deep gashes clawed into the metal, perhaps the beast from his vision had been unable to penetrate the heavy doors. He inspected them carefully and saw that they were not fully shut, and with a few strong tugs, the door squealed open.
Inside was a room like a vault, the walls made from iron, like the doors. It wasn’t rusted, but it was clearly degrading as it lacked any luster, the dark metal not reflecting much light. There were racks of rusted weapons and armor, all of it ruined. Continuing to search the vault, he noticed a small panel in the wall, with a keyhole. It looked like a safe.
He tried to pry it open, first with his hands, then with his dagger but no such luck, it just wouldn’t budge. Clenching his jaw in frustration he made his way to the other side of the vault, looking for anything valuable. Sadly, nothing here was in any condition to be useful. He chalked it up as bad luck and made to leave when he kicked something that was resting under one of the shelves. With a small bit of disgust, he realized it was a leg bone that probably belonged to a Kobold.
He dropped to all fours, looking underneath the rack, nearly jumping when he came face to face with a Kobolds skull. Shaking his head, he pulled the bones free, the desiccated rags crumbling away from the skeletal remains. Draped around the long dead Kobolds neck was a metal chain, with a key at the end.
“Sorry buddy.” He said, frowning as he gently removed the key. He moved back to the safe, inserted the key, said a short prayer, and turned it. There was some resistance, then an audible click as the safe unlocked and the door popped open.
“Jackpot baby!” Skree said as he hungrily threw open the door. He was not disappointed with what he found.
You have found Earth Spell book, Rarity: Rare, Quality: Above Average, Durability: 1/1
You have found Water Spell book, Rarity: Rare, Quality: Above Average, Durability: 1/1
You have found Magic Bag, Rarity: Scarce, Quality: Superb, Durability: 250/250
You have found Dark Steel Ingots X 6, Rarity: Common, Quality: Superb, Durability: 60/60
You have found 114 gold coins
You have found dark steel ingots X 6 - Dark steel ingots can be used to create sturdy armor and weapons with higher than normal durability.
Congratulations, you have found the Golden Crown of King Grimbalkin, Unifier of the Kobold Clans. This is a quest item and cannot be destroyed or sold. You have unlocked the hidden quest “An Old Crown for a New King.”
Skree danced excitedly at his find. The spell books were an incredible find, regardless of what spells they contained. He would need to learn how to identify items as soon as possible, so he didn't have to drag them around for too long. The thing he was most excited about was the Magic Bag. Maybe he would finally have access to some real inventory space. Maybe it would be a bag of holding, like in Dungeons and Dragons.
He stuffed everything into his satchel with a frustrated grumble. He really hoped that magic bag would help him deal with all this gear a bit easier. He looked at the quest he had received, but it contained no details at all. It seemed obvious though, this was clearly a gift he could give to Sawbones when he returned the Relic to the Kobold leader. Perhaps it would help him with reunification to have a glorious crown.
He left the vault and explored the rest of the temple, but when he reached the end of the temple proper and saw that it connected to natural tunnels he turned back. No way was he going to dive into the endless expanse of tunnels and caves without a guide. He had more than enough time underground already.
He made his way back to the temple entrance, leaving the arch and stepping close to the edge, letting the cascading water wash over him. Night had fallen, and the surrounding valley was dark. He walked along the ledge looking at the sky, listening to constant roar of the waterfall. Sitting, he hung his legs over the ledge and pulled some of the Giant Eagle meat from his satchel, biting into it with ravenous hunger. There he sat, staring into the dark abyss of the valley. The night sky was clear and filled with thousands of twinkling stars. It reminded him of one of his favorite songs. “Like a backlit canopy with holes punched in it”. He always loved that lyric.
He ate a few more bits of food from his satchel before moving back into the protection of temple. There was no way he was going to try to make the climb down in the darkness and sleep in the jungle. He settled into a corner, laying down to rest and recover. He would figure out his next steps in the morning.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The night passed uneventfully, but his dreams had been plagued with nightmares of the horrible slaughter over and over. It was a vision he could not escape and each nightmare ending the same way, with glowing red eyes of Abrenacht staring at him from the eternal darkness. It was a long, restless night and he was glad it was over.
Maybe sleeping in the temple had been a mistake,
but it was much better than the alternatives. Skree packed his things, moving out to the ledge again. Looking over the edge, he was not looking forward to climbing back down. The deep pond at the base of the waterfall drew his attention. He suddenly had a terrible idea, a very bad and super dumb idea. The fastest way to down was to jump. Realistically speaking, it was also probably the safest. At least if he fell on purpose, he wouldn't splatter all over the hard earth beneath the cliffs. He could splatter against the nice soft water instead.
“Fortune favors the bold.” He said to himself, trying to convince himself he wasn’t terrified of what he was about to do. He lined up his jump, moving deeper into the temple. It was still early morning, and the sun was not in his eyes. The mist filling the entrance created a hazy rainbow. It was beautiful, it was picturesque, truly the perfect thing to see before a man leaps to his possible death. He had made a jump before that ended well, he hoped this would be just as easy.
He bounced from foot to foot, shaking his hands out. His heart was racing, and his ears were burning. He took a few deep breaths, psyching himself up then took off running toward the edge. The distance melted away as he ran, pumping his legs as hard as he could and just before the edge, he let loose a primal roar and leapt through the cascading falls.
Almost instantly, he regretted it. As he passed through the raging torrent, he came to the stunning conclusion: the power of the falls had other plans for him. He started to spin wildly out of control, the water refusing to release him as it beat him senseless. He didn’t know it was possible before he jumped, but he might end up the first person to drown while in free fall.
He gasped for air, but he was basically underwater, his lungs sucking in great volumes of water. He choked and sputtered then like an alarm in middle of the night he suddenly remembered… he was about to hit the water. Of course, realizing this truth made no difference as he slammed into the pool at the base of the falls. He landed flat on his back, the last vestiges of air blasting from his lungs as gravity and the additional pressure of the falling water drove him deep underwater. He sucked in a heaving lungful of water as he frantically swam in whatever direction he thought was up.
Raiya_Starter Zone_A LitRPG Saga Page 13