In a world, on a particular continent, in a particular forest, on a particular night, there was harmony. Shouts rang out, hammer smashed, sparks flew. Not a single man was idle, racing at top speed. Their purpose was that of utmost importance and urgency. None could spare sleep or fault. For you see, A fortnight ago there a scout had appeared before the king. His clothes ripped, his back bloody and his feet fast. For he had just arrived from the southern provinces. Or at least what was left of them. His name was unimportant, but his message was not: The demon king had risen.
This now forest fortress used to be the abode of the blacksmith Hyron, and in a way it still was. But times had changed. When before he would craft only items that pleased him or those for particularly persuasive patrons, now he was not in any position to object. No careful planning and steady hands would save the kingdom now. Not even the strongest magical items Hyron had made was strong enough to vanquish this demonic foe, as history had proved that time and time again. In the past, nations had fallen while hidden behind their artifacts and talismans. Walls they claimed unbreakable had crumbled and immortal armies had withered. No magic on its own could resist a demon lord. But there was one way, a long forgotten way, but a way proved to triumph. A chosen hero!
Hyron studied the plans once more from his study, but he had done this every day this week and still had yet to grasp it fully. So much technology had been lost since the last revival two hundred years ago. Even he, at the forefront of magic engineering, could not grasp parts of devices he was willed to construct. But he didn't doubt it would work. He couldn't doubt it would work. Three villages fell just yesterday and more were in crosshairs for tonight. But the device was nearly finished. Fifty men worked under him this last week along with twenty adventures to stand guard. They had made tremendous progress so far. The final touches would be laid on within the hour and then put to use in the capital.
That was at least the plan… Fate had something different to say to the warring kingdom. That very night something unnatural lurked in the woods. Not a beast or a simple monster, the strength of the guard's auras would deter any such creature from even approaching. No, this being was once human, but now was corrupted. Power of a dark origin consumed him pushing his abilities beyond what any human could handle. He was not long for this world, but neither was anything in his way. And Hyron and his operation were certainly in his way.
The whole place was tense, to begin with, they knew that the fighting was bad and their work was not of a trivial matter, but few considered they would personally see any conflict for months. But when the night air was pierced by the last cry of an unnamed border guard, they all knew what had happened. Chaos erupted. But chaos with determination. Everything was dropped and weapons were grabbed, spells were prepared and the night grew cold. No one knew from what direction he had come, but they all knew why.
The second guard fell, this one on a different side of the encampment. Then another, a fourth, then a fifth. Weaker men dropped like flies while hired adventurers and Artifactors who had trained in the more arcane arts were able to sense the creature's path as it zipped from target to target. In a mere minute, half the camp had met an unpleasant end. But these were just the weak initial assault. The battle was far from over.
Hyron was the most prepared. Since his home had been turned into a military operation he had always kept a stash of magical equipment within reach. Items of his personal creation. Hastily made and experimental items. Each stored spell with unforeseen drawbacks. Spells that even bordered within the realm of the gods. They made up for the lack of control over their raw power. And certainly now was not the time for control. He burst out of his second-floor workshop and onto a balcony looking over the main forge of the compound. Though he was old, he was not weak. He instantly sensed the intruder and moved outside for a confrontation. A high-level human corrupted by superior demonic magic. This victory would be no easy feat.
The demon picked out Hyron immediately as well and changed his target to the aging legend. And the two began a mighty battle. Hyron wore his famous artifact belt and brandished multiple necklaces and a pair of gauntlets whereas the demon wore but an abyssal shawl. As soon as he confirmed the demon had taken the bait he fired. He would try to win this battle quickly and decisively. The four artifacts around his neck shown with a vibrant surge of magical energy. Each one stored a single use of a high ranking spell.
A blue-green of artifact around his neck shot forth a single javelin of ice faster than the eye could detect. But the demon sidestepped at incredible speed and charged at the master. Striking out with claws formed by the darkness that erupted from his hands. But the instant the demon got within a certain range another artifact triggered. This one, on the artifactors belt. A golden talisman illuminated with a massive surge of energy, producing a wall of lightning between the two terrifying foes. The demon, unable to stop his momentum, was violently shocked by the field and hastily retreated. The golden talisman imbedded into Hyrons belt cracked and fell to the ground. Destroyed.
Hyron felt shivers go thru him. For an artifact to be destroyed it had to overload itself, drawing too much energy than either its material or craftsmanship could allow. Gold was a strong material and himself an expert craftsman, some say the best there was. To destroy a defense talisman like that the demon would truly have to be a monster among monsters…. He could not rely on anything he had lasting more than one exchange. His belt had twelve, make that eleven slots and the demon was already recovered and charging again.
He triggered two more of his talismans around his neck. A pillar of fire erupted from him, just as the ice had before. At the same time, a slash of air ripped through the clearing outside the forge but the demon was faster, again dashing at Hyron claws ready. This time another talisman triggered from the belt the demon was frozen in place, inches from Hyron. The black crystal that held the time-stopping spell was broken an instant later, but not before a gauntlet landed squarely in the center of the attacker's face. Enhanced with speed and power the punch could shatter trees and made onlookers quiver, but the demon was only thrown a few yards, then regained his footings.
The battle raged for another ten minutes between the two, but the winner was already clear. Every attack Hyron threw did little to stop the demons onslaught and his talismans were being overwhelmed one by one. He would need a miracle to save him. Would he get one?
What were the others doing, you ask? The compound was not small and some of the adventurous and apprentices survived the initial assault. So what did they do? Nothing. They saw the spectacle taking place and knew that their efforts would only hinder the master. Of those brought in from the capital to help, none were very skilled in Artifacting and the adventures were the first to fall. Hyron had four apprentices he personally trained. One of which was not present during the assault, two had been killed by the demon, that left one. And unlike the others, he would make a stand.
He was not very experienced in artifacting. Ney, his experience was only the four years of apprenticeship he had finished. Basic magic and crafting techniques were all he had mastered but he could not just watch his master fall to some creature! He had to think!! His mind raced through his options and what was going on.
He thought to himself:
The demon in invading! We have to defend against him!
But why is he here? Why come so far into our territory?
This place is quite fortified, even if he can destroy it, it is unlikely he can make it all the way back to his lord without being taken down.
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So then this mission is worth the death of such a powerful piece for the demon lord? What is this places value?
We provide magic swords to the front lines. We train some adventurous in the ways of magic. But those are not that influential…. The master's secret project! He has had a large group with him that he swore to secrecy! He must be making something important that the demons do not want to be made!
So what can I do in that case?
Protect the item, get it away from here. I need to make my masters struggle not end in vain!
But how do I protect it from that monster?
I am not strong enough to fight it fairly. I can not make it far on foot. Master must have something that can move objects… Wasn't their news a few years back that master had made an artifact capable of bending space itself? If such a thing does exist then maybe it can hide the object far away?
With a moment to think and adrenaline pumping, he had formed a plan. A good one at that! The man, in his young twenties, dashed through the field and crashing into the workshop. Climbing the stairs and trying to put the explosions and flashes he felt out of his mind, he approached the second-floor private workshop of his master. It was Hyron’s private space and he had been made to promise never to go in. He whispered to himself quietly ‘I'm sorry master’, then broke his promise.
The place was a mess of machines and crystals. Half finished devices laid on tables and shelves, thrown in corners and across every stretch of the ovular room. But the apprentice was not concerned with the mess or even noticed it in the slightest, what he had tasked himself to find was a device that allows teleportation. He scanned the items and turned every table for minutes but there was nothing he recognized as a teleporter, but he had no idea what an item would even look like. It was when he took a moment to gaze around at the walls did he notice a row of framed scrolls on the wall. Each one was accompanied by a label. Skimming the fives: Ni Wilhelm, Echo, Divine Eye, Spacewalk, Final Stand. He found his target and snatched it from the frame, turning to leave he did a double take. Final stand was missing.
Hyron ducked under the demon's claws and landed a solid punch into his stomach launching the demon back a few feet but to no avail. The demon only took a moment to ready himself again and dashed forward at ungodly speeds. Only two of his talismans on his belt remain. He had shattered one of the four around his neck. Of the handful of other items, he had brought as support only one was left. A single scroll he had thought he would never have to use. But not yet! He had two more lifelines left in his belt. Until those were exhausted he would not! He could not! He readied himself for the next exchange of blows.
The apprentice had made it back to the main workshop with the scroll in hand. He viewed around the tables and overturned chairs caused by the sudden chaos. Towards the back of the wooden hall was a double door that he was also forbidden to enter, but that order had only come last week. Here his master was making something special. He had brought in some special people from the capital to help him. The object must be mighty special if a demon was sent just to obtain it. He had to do his part to protect the kingdom! With that thought in mind, he again broke his promise and forced open the locked room.
Inside he found an odd sight. He expected a similar workstation to his masters. A mess of items and projects. Maybe multiple pieces to a single device, but what he found was a single obelisk of a white stone in the middle of the room. It even seemed to be floating. It was maybe three feet tall and a quarter that wide. Odd symbols graced its edges and glowed every now and then. The whole thing was unlike any artifact he had ever been shown. So much did it differ that he had doubts if even it was an artifact at all. But this was not the time for these questions. The demon wanted to kill his master for this object, so he must protect it! He approached the floating device and circulated mana through the scroll.
The demon again avoided the artifactors assault and performed a powerful counter-attack. His claws drew dangerously close to the artifactors chest but the artifactor disappeared from his view, appearing right behind the assaulter. A faint shattering sound could be heard. 'One left', thought the artifactor. 'I'll be forced to use it at that rate. But the summoning stone must be protected at all costs!' The demon spun and struck again, but stopped mid-strike. His claws were but a few inches away, but he paused. The artifactor did not counter, he too paused the battle. Did both of them have a stroke? No, they both felt something. A large-scale magic was just activated. One of the space-bending variety. And they both knew instantly what that meant.
Two beings at their apex were that were just moments ago in mortal combat. But now they ignore each other altogether as they ran side by side into the woods. The felt the powerful teleport magic erupt from the workshop and understood it traveled not far in this direction. Not but a few miles away, so they raced. Hyron’s gauntlets had numerous physical buffs, by circulating his mana he flew through the tree and climbed the small hill to the signatures termination, but he could not compete with the demon in speed with gauntlets alone. He arrived mere seconds too late.
When he crested the hill he found a crater in the ground. The space around it was warped and cracked. Dark energy and space magic intermingled causing voids to appear and disappear leaving nothing but an ominous purple glow in the cold autumn nights air. In the center of the depression was the obelisk as pristine as it was in the workshop. To its left was the demon, fixated on something squirming beneath his feet. Hyrons youngest apprentice. Panicked and instantly realizing what had occurred he tore the scroll that had lay secured in a compartment in his jacket.
Magic energy erupted from the broken rune. Waves of energy crashed into him and he accepted them all. A wall of white seemed to surround him lighting up the once forest, snow clearing. His skin felt of fire as his body strained to absorb and control the near limitless release, but he could manage. So far he had been fighting a stronger opponent. He played defensively and tried to tire him out and buy time, neither of which had worked. But now it was different, he was strong enough to go on the offense. Right now he was the strongest being on the continent. Judging by the magic energy he was released, everyone knew it. Especially the demon. For the first time so far the demon showed an emotion on his black twisted face. It was fear.
He turned to run, to escape the wall of white energy that now stood fixed at him, but he could not move. His legs were bound by chains of that same power. Releasing his own energy to counter he broke off the chains and kicked off the ground moving lightning fast into the forest away from the artifactor. But he was stopped. Something had hold of his foot. He turned to find a pure white hand grasping him, holding him there. A wall of white energy erupted around the clearing of trees stretching vertically further than the demon knew. He could not get away anymore. So he turned to fight. As unlikely as a victory would it was his only way out, so he took it.
He unleashes his full power now, a black fog oozing from his every pore. His eyes becoming a solid signature demonic red. His claws turned into swords and his back sprouted wings. Dark creations spawned around him in the form of fallen angels. A force able to topple a weaker kingdom presented itself to the artifacting master, but he was prepared. This power came with not just strength but soul. His mind expanded to accommodate the energy. By all means, he was a mortal inhabiting the realm of the gods. With a wave of his hands, the beasts around the demon were struck with white-hot energy from an unknown source and vaporized.
Chains, stronger than those before, erupted from the dirt and latched onto the demon. He beat his wings and channeled his power, but the chains held, strengthened even. They started to burn his skin, bite into the blackened corrupted soul he now possessed. Seconds passed filled with the wailing of the creature and sizzling of the chains on his skin. When the last of the demon's power had been eaten away the chains burst and the demon was dropped to the ground, broken, but still alive. Then Hyron took a moment to observe his apprentice who now lay nearly dead on the ground. A failed teleport and a demon’s wrath were not enough to end the boy, but he would not last long. So, Hyron sent some of his power out to heal him. Mend his bonds and regrow his muscle.
When the boy had been stabilized he turned back to the demon who had stood up. His once imposing form was gone. His body was broken and burned. His aura was fully retracted and his face was something a fool might take pity for. But Hyron had no pity. This corrupted being, this thing had destroyed his forge, killed his apprentices, invaded his home and kingdom and cost Hyron's own scroll and soul to kill. He would get no pity. And so he released everything he had left. His body could not take keeping this power, so he unloaded it all. A single blinding beam of pure energy shot from the artifactor leaving nothing left of the demon or anything within ten feet of the sorry creature. And with the extinguishing of his power, Hyron fell to the ground. His body was burned, not from the demon but from the tole the magic he took on himself. He understood well that the scroll was only able to be used once because you would not get the chance to use it again.
The apprentice awoke early enough to witness the final exchange and rushed over to his master, his hero. But what he found was a fading, beaten old man. In his right hand, he clutched something, a crystal ring. He held it out to the boy with a shaky hand. With a raspy voice, the artifactor uttered his dying words.
“Make that damn demon lord pay for this…. ”