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Completed Chapter IV: Forgotten Sands

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But Dina cannot help but feel different, somehow. A casual glance at her arm reveals a possible why; in addition to the long purple-glowing line where the wound had once been, multiple new lines appeared. It looked like a network of thin cracks glowing faintly, like eerily visible purple veins. There was about a dozen of these new lines across her arm, all linked to the primary one, growing out of each other. But nothing seemed to be going on just now, though. Whatever this meant, it had to have happened during the channeling, and it was logical to assume that the channeling had caused it.


One by one, the fellowship crosses over the crystal bridge. The exit gate is right there on the far side of the new plateau.


"Faster, people!" says Feyn. "They're still coming."


She was right. More hounds were spawning from the two fissures.
 


Dina Ailsa​




http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/Lost Child of Asgard

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/








Oh no... this can't be good. Dina thought as her eyes went over her spreading cuts. A few thoughts stormed through her like a bolt of electricity:

1. This is the cost of using the Taint's power

2. This might be what the plants were referring to when they said she was fading. That this net will cover her and take over. Cut her from them.

3. What if she could take control over those crystaly hounds?

The last one rang in her mind seductively and while she was taking this all in, her hand moved as if of its own accord. Part of her wanted to test the limits of this new power, encouraged by the thought of her earlier success. Another wanted to forget, to let go and never reach for Taint again. Dina watched the hounds appear while this battle raged on within her. It was ironic how the Taint tried to take over forcefully when it could have waited for this to happen. Maybe if it had not done so, the curiosity would have taken over. In present, that attempt made her wary.

Very slowly, Dina made her hand return to her side. She bit her lip and backed away, behind the line of defense her teammates were forming.​
 
"Gate's open!" exclaimed Meric who pulled the exit gates open. He beckoned towards everyone to follow through.


It was obvious that the newly spawned Azshari couldn't reach them in time. The fellowship's escape was within reach.
 
As the last people get through the gate and Laurolf and Xenthriss slam it shut, they all go quiet. Moments pass. A minute.


"No sign of pursuit." says Meric.


"They just... gave up?" Feyn asked.


"Seems so. Come on, let's see what we need to deal with next."


They pass through a short tunnel that leads upwards. There is light coming up from the exit. Daylight.


"Finally. What were those things, anyway?" Meric asks as they walk towards the light.
 


Dina Ailsa​




http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/Lost Child of Asgard

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/







"I think they were the Azshari. The Taint tried to taunt me by mentioning them while I was working on the crystal bridge. Physical manifestations of the power." Dina conversed with Meric. She was glad that the hounds didn't follow. Dina wanted to stop, gather herself and try to ask a few questions if she could react the Spectrals. "Could we stop for a few minutes? Have a short breather?" she suggested.

​
 

Tharos Silverlane

The Sword of Ages
​



Tharos sheathed his blades and sat himself on the ground. He grabbed his cask from his belt and took a swig of the warm water, recovering from the previous engagements.
 
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Dina Ailsa​




http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/Lost Child of Asgard

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/



Dina leaned against a nearby wall and closed her eyes. She reached for the contact with Spectrals, returning to that dark cavern in her mind. The information she was after was about the Taint, but some about Ilhirel and her dogs would satisfy her too. They should not let this place make them forget that this is not about the challenges, or the angels. They needed to get what they could here and move on. Tick-tock, Dina, tick-tock.
 
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"Ach, fine." Meric grunts. The elf seemed eager to continue but agreed. "It's probably a good idea."


It wasn't long until Dina felt the familiar contact. But there was something else in it, too. Stress. Concern. Fear. It streamed into her mind, surpassing the actual voices of the Council. "Young Queen." said a voice. "Now is not the time. The Sorceress is close to discovering our cooperation. She might trace this connection, and know both our locations."


A second voice continued, speaking more hastily: "War rages in the South. Whatever your findings at the temple, seek the Resistance afterwards. Go North."


"That is all we can tell you for now." said the first spectral. "We will contact you when it is safe."


And the contact abruptly ends. A taste of foreboding lingers in the girl's mind for long after.
 
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"I think we might, lass. I think we might." the voice was Laurolf's, and the dwarf was standing at the top of the tunnel, bathing in daylight. "You should come to see this."


Eventually, once everyone made it up, there was quite a scene to take in. The place was half open, a hidden nest in between the mountain peaks shined upon by the Sun that seemed to be setting by now. They must have been in the temple for hours. Ahead of them was a small plateau with a sort of path carved across it. Part of the path was edged with rectangular rocks, like blunt teeth coming up from the ground, and it all ended with a stone archway after which the cliffs plummeted far below. There was an angel statue undamaged in the center of things.


"Hm. It looks like there is supposed to be a bridge leading from that archway across the gap, but there's nothing on the other side." Meric remarked. He was right; the other side was a vertical mountain wall.
 

Tharos Silverlane

The Sword of Ages
​



Tharos joined his companions at the end of the tunnel gazing upon the stone archway. However his vision went to the angel more than the arch ahead. He put his cask back on his belt and began walking along the path between the rocks that guided it until he came to the statue and the stone arch. He looked at both for any runes and took note of Meric's comment on the lack of anything for a bridge to lead to. The only thing Tharos (more A'kal, really) could think of was that this arch was a waygate - a portal.


The knight looked at his companions before looking at the angel. His hand reached out and touched the statue, his eyes closing to channel his energy, more this time than before, as he strove to get a look back in time...
 
Just as Tharos approaches the statue, though, its golden specter surges forth.


"You arrive at the fifth, and final, challenge." he says. "The heart of Zvern Azna lies beyond the arch." The angel extends an arm to imply the stone archway at the edge of the precipice. "The bearer of a rune from the past must lead the way; only through his faith can you hope to reach the other side, and enter the temple."


Having delivered his instructions, the angel dissipates in the usual shower of golden particles.
 

Tharos Silverlane

The Sword of Ages
​



Tharos could feel his strength waning from the long day. He gazed up at the angelic specter. Bearer of a rune from the past... Myself? Henvei? Dina? He passed the statue and went to the arch. His eyes scanned it specifically, looking for the most minuscule details.
 
The archway is made out of two different kinds of stone, inscribed with runes like the ones found throughout the temple. Tharos once again spots the ones that were similar to Varden script - "hell" and "guard".


"Bearer of a rune..." Meric thought out loud. "I doubt it takes a specific person to open the way, otherwise the whole challenge would be pointless. Did we miss something in one of the previous challenges? Some kind of missing key, a rune, required to get through this?"


"Even if we did, I'm not sure we can go all the way back." said Henvei just before plunging in his own thoughts. The scholar positioned himself next to the archway by Tharos' side.


Xenthriss commented: "At least it's pretty here."
 

Vittorio Valtieri

The Gentleman Necromancer

​



Valtieri glances sidewise at Xenthriss, wondering if that was sarcasm. A touch out of breath from the escape, he leans on his staff and regards the arch with weary attention. "Perhaps it is not carried, but engraved, or spoken, or tattooed?" He offers, at a loss.


​
 
Henvei lets slip a contemplating sigh and draws closer to the stone archway. Then he rests his right palm against it while holding his Codex open with the left hand. Such a bulky tome; the scene is edged with disbelief as he holds it in balance and runs his other hand across the arch, following the inset runes. "Why, yes... Such runes..." he mumbles to himself, moving from one pillar to the other one.


"The runes on this arch match the rest in the temple. They are much reminiscent of the script used by our northern neighbors, the Varden." He flips some pages, examining unknown text and weird pictures probably only meaningful to the scholar himself. "Yet not the same, no... I'm afraid not. I have no idea what they might mean. But!" he suddenly exclaims, shutting the Codex with a loud thump and reattaching it to his gear. "I have seen those runes somewhere else, on something not from the temple. Oh, yesss..." With a hiss Henvei draws his sword - the ancient relic he brought back from his expedition near Ridge, carved with runes.


"A rune that can be borne, yes?" he suggests with a beastly smile.
 


Dina Ailsa​




http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/Lost Child of Asgard

http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/http://www.rpdom.com/threads/dina-ailsa.53054/







Dina was surprised and excited at Henvei's response. She was half expecting Tharos to step forward and explain that he bears the blood of the angel and can get them across. He was displaying some strange powers and interacted with those guardian statues who called him one of them. It made sense that he was the one to lead the way now. That didn't happen though, did it? "That's brilliant, Henvei. It should be just what we need! Don't you all think so?" Dina exclaimed and looked at others for thoughts.
 
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"I don't know." Feyn expressed her doubt. "Didn't you people find this sword somewhere else, anyway? I think it's far more likely that whatever this rune thing is, it's from the temple itself."


"While that may be likely," Meric said, "The likeliness between the runes on the sword and those in the temple is too uncanny to be a coincidence. Sure, perhaps there was an official tool meant for solving this test that we happened to miss, but in lack of that, this could work just as well."


Laurolf came forward. "It could've even been in the cavern. Not like we've 'ad much chance to rummage thru, eh?"


Meric nodded and continued. "Precisely. I believe that the runes on the sword might respond to those on the arch upon passing through. The only question left is... Who will be the bearer?" He eyed them all with a friendly, yet cautious glance.
 
"Oh." Henvei lets out a surprised sound. One would easily mistake it for disappointment, had he not added: "Oh, yes. A much... safer... choice, I believe. Ah-ha." With a polite smile he extends the sword out with both hands, presenting it sideways in Silverlane's direction.


Meric, however, makes another remark. "I highly doubt it would take specific individuals to unlock the way. There is an official entrance into the temple, remember? According to the specter's early explanations. This series of challenges was meant as a side door in case of need, and should therefore allow virtually anyone to use it. Otherwise what is the point?" He made a good point, but Henvei remained offering the sword. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Meric faced Dina and replied. "However! I have been wondering about those implications since they took place. We just didn't have a proper opportunity to talk about it. Tharos," the elf addresses the man, stepping closer, "Are you as much in the dark as the rest of us, or do you have an idea why the local guardians singled you out?"
 

Tharos Silverlane

The Sword of Ages
​



I have to pick my poison, it seems. Either lie to my companions and keep my identity hidden, or reveal myself to them and chance the unknown consequences. The knight had his hand on the pommel of sword of his hip. He looked at all of his companions while remaining as silent as stone. His eyes went to Meric's. "I do have an idea as to why the guards singled me out of the group. I'm not certain if I am right, but I have an idea." He looked at everyone else again before his eyes shut. They must know...
 



The knight unsheathed his swords and took two paces back away from the group. He looked at each companion again before closing his eyes, holding his swords flat against each other. Arcane energy began swirling around him as his armor began to change, The plain armor began to develop runes and even his shoulder pad grew faces - one eagle one lion. A pendant formed on his chest with the seal of the Varden. His sword also began to blend together in a bind of magical energy. Together they grew and created one great sword - Valaryn. The burning eye manifested that watched time progress.


The warrior looked similar to Tharos Silverlane, but more decorated and heavier armor and a much more ancient sword. He was also just a little bit bigger in stature. And when he spoke, his voice was deeper and more radiant as the energy still raged around him. "Friends... I am A'kal, the Sword of Ages... a champion of the Varden."




akaltharos.jpg
 
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