={====> Vorn Harzan <====}=

Even though it was dark, I easily made my way through the decaying woods. This entire area was befouled by high negative magical essence, so much so that the animals would twist and mutate into monstrosities. I have little difficulty here though; I am well practiced in concealing my presence, even from such vile beasts.

Magic is seen as a gift in the eyes of many, but as with any great power, there are consequences to having such convenience. Magical power is usually referred to as Essence, there is negative and positive Essence, and both sides are needed for balance and harmony. But when one side becomes more dominant, like in this wood, bad things can happen.

A smell like rotting damp wood surrounds me, and I can clearly hear the howling of something that sounds like a wolf, though I sincerely doubt it is one. Those who have trained their bodies to use magic can survive here without becoming… changed, but anyone else would go insane, that is if they live long enough. The condensed negative essence here has warped this place into something truly vile.

Animals and beasts aren’t the only thing one should be wary of here. Just one sting from some of the insects here might put someone down for days, paralyzed and helpless. Thankfully my objective does not lie in this putrid wood, but beyond it.  As I think this I break from the tree line and spot the caverns entrance just on the other side of a clearing.

Someone else might have searched for days, but I know these lands well. All Green Wardens are duty bound to scout these tainted places, for fear of what might come out of them should we leave it be. I have not been an active Green Warden for a little over four years now, but I am not yet old enough to forget the fifty some odd years of duty that forged me into the man I am today.

I do not simply approach the cave entrance; doing so would be foolish… simply leaving the forest does not make it safe. These are tainted lands, where anything is possible, and that same anything usually gets the careless man killed. I hide behind a large boulder close to a half dead tree. I watch carefully, ensuring that there is nothing waiting in ambush in the clearing next to the cliff face… nothing, at least nothing I can see.

Quickly, I move to the caves only entrance, making sure to stay as low as I can. It had already been a day and half a night since Dola had foolishly come here seeking special ores. Dwellvar, I’ll never understand their almost religious fascination of rocks and metals. As I gaze into the deep, dark abyss, my worry for her only deepens.

Her father Craigor is a very dear friend of mine, and Dola had become something like a niece to me… I would die before I let something bad happen to her. My resolve firm, I started my descent into the depths of Hrengir’s Grotto.

Not ten feet into the cave and already I was in deep darkness. I put my ring to my mouth and say a small incantation. The yellow gem in the ring begins to glow brightly, like a blade cutting through the dark. Using this ring outside would be like telling every terrible beast within a mile that dinner was ready, but here, it was a necessity.

After walking for some time, I still could not find any tracks or signs that she had been here. That doesn’t mean she isn’t hear, but either she became an expert of covering her tracks, or something has been erasing them. The density of negative magic is much weaker down here. Creatures coming down here to escape the wilds would not be strange in the slightest.

I can clearly see that the ground has been swept by something, but there are a variety of things that would make such a trail. I was starting to feel anxious, it had been far too long without encountering something, and this unnatural silence was irritating. As if sensing my thoughts, the ground behind me suddenly erupted and an arm shot out to grab my leg.

A Fosoul. The remains of a once living body that died then fossilized over many years by absorbing the negative energy from the earth, turning its bones to stone and gifting it with new life. Though whatever remained of the person it used to be had long since departed.

The monster would find that I am no easy prey though. As it reached for my leg I unsheathed one of my two swords and gave it a good whack. This blades particular enchantment made it nearly indestructible, and the fine edge, though not entirely effective, made one of the rock hard bones break. Giving me time to distance myself.

It began pulling itself from the earth… stone was its own element, and it easily emerged from the ground. At a glance it would seem like a humanoid skeleton, but upon closer scrutiny I could see that the ‘bones’ were pure stone, and had slight spikes here and there like tiny stalagmites. The ribcage was fused and looked like plate armour. This was not going to be easy.

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The abomination attacked, its eyes glowing with a cold white light. Using its unnatural speed it quickly closed the distance between us, but I was ready. As it was about to punch forward I knew I couldn’t dodge in these tight quarters, so I did the next best thing. I went forward, ducking under the punch and rolling, I used my momentum to stab at the things core.

All undead had a weak point, the place where magic was saturated the most, directly where the heart once was, or the head… I went for the heart. My blade could not pierce the fused rib cage, but it could go under it. I was aiming for the condensed magic stone that helped to animate it. These stones were generally very fragile, and could be broken with enough force.

I heard a cracking noise and I knew I hit home, but I had not broken it yet. This put me in a very bad position, considering I was directly under a now very angry undead monster. The Fosoul reached down and grabbed my dark green cloak, tossing me into the nearest wall. I hit it rather hard, but I was up in seconds, just in time to see the charging Fosoul about to show me just how angry it was.

Readying myself I began to think of my counter move when suddenly there was a loud noise. The earth above our heads was cracking and falling, thankfully I had the reflexes and time to jump away from the falling debris. The Fosoul was not so lucky however. The stones hit its skull with enough force to crack it open, revealing the second crystal that controlled its body. It only took another well-placed falling rock to finish it off and the rest to bury it.

“Cough, Cough!” I’m getting too old for this, seventy eight years old, even with some Alvana blood running through my veins, was long enough for a man to be fighting. As the dust cleared I slowly rose to my feet, but what I saw froze me solid. Lying on top of the pile of debris was a young human man with more dirt on him than skin; he seemed well built, not bulging muscle but well toned and trained… perhaps a warrior?

The young man is obviously injured, since his eyes seem to be unfocused and blood is running freely down the right side of his head. The odd thing is that he doesn’t seem to be armed, and he certainly didn’t appear to be a Spell Weaver or Mage. By the void, how did he manage to survive down here!?

Upon closer inspection I see that his clothes are a mess, ripped and torn in many places. Under his torn shirt, for a fleeting moment I could have sworn I saw what looked like battle scars. I focused my eyes into the magi spectrum; gradually I could see the many shades of magic all around us; a simple skill that any trained novice in magic could use.

How strange… the magical essence around the young man… was like nothing I had ever seen before. Every person, nay… every living thing on Ghalonos gave off an aura, this aura would be like a beacon, showing their aptitudes for magic and their magical capacities. A mage would be like a small sun, whereas one untalented would simply give off a faint light.

Yet he gave off nothing, in fact… if I concentrate; it almost looks like he is… absorbing the Essence around him. What is this man…? I see a violet glow in the corner of my eye that distracts me from my thoughts. Those are… how did he find such rare magic stones?

Remembering my purpose here… a young Dwellvari girl with a passion for such stones, my blood runs cold… could he have… barely concealing my suspicion I move in front of the fazed young man. His eyes seem to focus on me for the first time; did he just realize I was here? I suspected as much but it seems his fall was not planned.

I notice a small black canine head poking its head in the hole, I keep it in my peripheral vision… a dog, and it doesn’t seem threatening. I raise my sword to the strange mans throat and say with a tone that shows I am in no mood for games. “Who are you?” the man makes a pitiful smile and raises his hands, showing no ill intent, he says something I cannot understand in a strange language.

What does ‘I cum ein pees’ mean? This was going to be a headache…

<===}=={===>

I was going to do two perspectives this chapter, but it was taking longer than expected, so I opted to post the first perspective as chapter 4. Please let me know what you think.

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