Part One

The man with scars creeping down his face threw back his third shot of brandy in a tavern he frequented in the village of Coldview. It was a small that was a frequent stop for travelers on their way to Agra-Sol or the more common stop of Godswall. Sable was only here for the money. A small job he had finished recently protecting a shipment from Mid-Plains to the small village. He had taken a few bottles off the load as extra payment, being he was the last mercenary left by the end of it. It was a common mistake nobles and company men would make. Hiring a professional, tried and true sword and expecting the less costly to learn on the road from him. In Sable's opinion, it was typically a poor mistake to make.

He loaded himself with another shot to wash away some of the images of the men of the caravan. He didn't like remembering faces often. Faces made the job harder, and Sable was a professional. He had a good memory, and remembered the faces that stuck around well. He even could vividly remember the sound of a colleagues horse and he knew the sound of the manic wanderers beast well.

He heard the whinny of the ash furred beast from outside the tavern walls and grinned at the thought. He sat patiently and asked the bartender for a tankard of ale and another shot of brandy. Soon the large rugged blue-eyed man burst through the door and sat next to the scarred man who held his grin.

"How long you been on the road now?" Sable asked keeping his eye on the shot glass.

"I'm always on the road." Cal answered gripping his tankard.

"How long since you had a good rest, in a bed." Sable asked throwing back his fourth.

"Maybe a month now."

"Gods, Cal. You wonder why people think you mad."

"I don't wonder." Cal turned to the scarred man sharply. "I'm searching for something. I think I'm close now...very close." Sable could see this was serious. The worn down traveler had a compelling look in his piercing blue eyes.

"Is this another artifact hunt? Cal, you've tried, you either find some maddening left over from the Crucible War or you find nothing but a goose chase that ends up being for naught!"

"This is different! I think I found the one! Something that can truly get me back to my home...Have you heard of the Obsidian Stairs?"

Sable almost spit his drink across the counter. "The Obsidian Stairs? That's a fantasy made up to make the faithful hold on to their gods after the war."

"The Scholar Avario says different." Cal said placing the red leather book onto the counter. "Look at the marked page." He added nudging Sable to open the book. Sable did so cautiously as he gave a curious look toward the rugged rider. He read through the marked page and then read it again. He checked the date on the top of the page and then double checked the dates on the other pages.

"Are you trying to tell me this man made this discovery a year ago and no one checked up on it?" Sable asked with wide eyes.

"I am telling you we shall be the first to open the doors of the Pike Mountains. We will be the first to touch the Guiding Stone since the Crucible War and we will find the Obsidian Stairs!" Cal said showing an eerie amount of happiness that Sable had never witnessed.

"This tome says we need to perform a ghanth, that's a-"

"I know...Ancient spellcraft ritual, usually only done by a seer, but I have an idea."

"And what is this idea, might I ask?" Sable said mockingly. He knew the mad wanderers ideas were usually the kind he didn't care for.

"How fast is Chamomile?" Cal asked nodding to the muscular black horse that was hitched by his own.

"She is a sturdy lass, can take a harsh trek, why? Can Huxley not keep the pace?" He said with a witty grin.

"Ride with me." Cal said storming out to his mare Huxley.

Part Two

The two mercenaries road out from Coldview as the light of the sun dimmed and the wind picked up. Sable followed his old colleague Cal hoping what he claimed was not some wild trick as usual. Cal was known to find find a third option to many problems, and usually that option may have been the best, but certainly wasn't the happiest for many. They stopped their horses in a meadow. On one side stood the edge of the Elven Woods. and on the other a small farm only a couple miles down from them. Sable could see flickering candlelight in the home and was sure someone was curious on what they were up to, and so was he.

"What are we doing here, Cal?" Sable said becoming frustrated.

"Summoning." Cal answered as he walked towards the woods and picked up from its ground four oak twigs. He fastened them with some twine from his bag into a star. from there Sable watched as Cal search the forest line and finally plucked from a branch a small batch of mistletoe while muttering a chant in thanks to the woods.

"What is this?" Sable said wearily knowing what the items related to. "You are a mad man, but don't be a fool, that man is much madder then you!" He spat at the thought. Cal persisted, placing the oak star on the flowing grass as the wind picked up and placing the mistletoe inside of it. He then gathered more oak twigs and encircled the star with them. With a flick of his fingers his thumb and index finger grew red hot and he lit the twigs that encircled the star alight. as they burned he took a small knife from his belt and sliced into his arm letting the blood drip onto the mistletoe.

Sable watched with eyes filled with exasperation. "Damn fool..."

"Its the only way we are getting through that door. The only person who could help us! Show me another who has knowledge enough!" The wind howled hard and flicked the fire as it touched the oak star. A visage of a man appeared as the flames roared and grew as tall as Cal as if a mighty force had heard his call. Suddenly as quickly as the commotion grew it subsided. The oak was ash and the wind was calm yet again.

"He didn't answer your call, so now we can find someone-" Sable was cut off with fear as he turned back to his horse all he saw was menacing old eyes staring back at him inches from his face. The face turned to Cal who stood without an emotion on his scruffy face. The old man in the wide brimmed hat stormed towards him with a grimace.

"Now then, why do you call me from a kingdom away, Master Cal! I had a good game of Fidchell going in Sorria with a hefty bet against a dwarf with a mighty bad eye for tricks!"

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"We found the Guiding Stone." Cal answered quickly.

"I'll have you-what?" the old man stopped.

"The Guiding Stone. Its in the Pike Mountains, behind a door with magical locks."

"Young man you understand how dangerous the stone is right? If used wrong it can lead Athera to utter annellation. the stone guides you to whatever-"

"I know, but you both understand what I would ask of it."

The old man stroked his beard in thought. "I suppose I do...Answer me this though, young Master Gunkrate, why would you need the assistance of I, you yourself have abilities in the arcane and wielding realms."

"I do not have the level of power that you do, Draolof. This task asks for a ghanth."

The wizard's eyes widened. A ghanth was something he had not heard in a long time. A ghanth was almost too powerful of a ritual, unheard of in this age. "You understand what you ask of me boy?" The wizard's voice grew deep and woe some. "A ghanth if any misstep is made can take ones mind...And I don't mean like your noggin with two fish floating around in it, I made completely unrecognizable. It could take the soul or even extinguish the body."

"Three gruesome yet different ways to die, wonderful. So lets find someone a little more knowledgeable on this subject before jumping straight to Draolof!" Sable answered trying to pull Cal away from the wizard.

"Do you think anyone else could do it?" Draolof asked turning his owl eyes back to Sable. "I believe I'm one of the last that even knows its name, let alone do the task."

"Is that you agreeing to help?" Cal asked curiously.

"On one condition. Once you we find it, I contain it, and bring it back to Miskahiem to protect it from the world."

"After I am finished with it." Cal demanded. The wizard stood in thought for a moment.

"I will accept the proposal, but I must be with you while you use it." Cal accepted with a silent nod.

Part Three

The pair had ridden for a day north toward where the book had stated Avario's journey taken him. Draolof had skimmed the book quickly and accessed minor misconceptions Avario had on the magical art as well as ideas and experiments Draolof considered "flaws in thought." Cal had explained on numerous occasions that the man was dead, but Draolof seemed to ignore these statements and carried on huffing or laughing at the work of the scholar.

"We're here." Cal answered giving Huxley a pet. Nothing seemed to be slightly or whimsical as Sable or Cal expected. Just pure stone that pierced through the ground crafting a mountain range.

"Still amazes me that the dwarves stay on western mountains when their is definitely untouched riches in these mountains." Sable said staring up at the peak.

"Be thankful you were not the first creatures. Blessings of the gods are a little harder to look away from when you are." Draolof said pushing past the scarred mercenary.

"All we got was a war and an imprisoned lord for our birth." Sable said spitting at the heavens.

"Where's the door, Draolof?" Cal asked trying to push away from the subject.

Draolof stuck his tongue out feeling the air around and then sloshed it around his mouth. before widening his eyes in surprise. He then put his hand up, feeling the air around as he swayed it back and forth. "The magic is quite dense here." He said with his eyes closed as he felt it. "Very old and very powerful. I haven't felt such power since the Crucible War."

"Where is the door, wizard."

"But its, right here, can you not see?" The witty wizard answered putting his hand out to guide the vagabonds eyes. The large stone door with etchings of an old tongue stood in front of them. It felt as if it was always there, as if Cal had seen it when they arrived, but did not realize. It stood alone at the rocky bottom of the mountain. It was unconnected, simply a frame and a door made of pure stone almost as if it was a sculpture of a door, rather then a true one. "By Vecor's grace you are a beauty, are you not?" The old man said petting the stone as if it were a living thing.

"Draolof..." Cal spoke coldly at the site.

"By the gods, can you not admire beauty like your partner?" Draolof snipped. Cal turned to Sable who was not admiring the door at all, but readying his weapon from his horse. He then looked to his other side and saw the blue women with her hand to her lips.

"Isnt it a site, Cal?" She spoke in awe. "So much power, so much I can gain from it."

"Start the ghanth!" Cal called out rushing toward the wizard and gripping his robe. "Start the ghanth, now!"

"Master Gunkrate, you must calm yourself, I assure you everything will be fine!" Draolof called out as Cal shook him and threw him away from the door.

"You don't know what she's capable of, start the ghanth, before she does what she always does."

"Cal!" Sable yelled as he barely was able to pull the two men from each other. "I don't care for the wizard either, but he is trying to help you!"

"And I him!"

"No worries Master Tungwreth, I shall start the ritual, post haste!" Draolof said dusting himself off and beginning to peruse his bag. Cal walked away and soon found himself staring down a cliffside near the door. He knew the blue women would come to him again. It had been a day since he had a drink, a day since he dulled himself to keep her voice away, he expected her.

"Now you attack old men, hm?" Her voice slithered through the cracks in his mind.

"He could have vaporized me if he wished." Cal answered staring down into the woodlands below.

"He could have, and you took that chance, all to spite me! Do you forget the times I have saved you? Or been your shoulder when it got tough?"

"I remember the Sorria Rangers." He turned to her. His eyes seemed wet at the thought. "I remember what you did when I let you in. when I let you take power from that damned amulet."

"And what did I do for you after? Once I had the power once I had an astral body rather then just stuck in your thick head? I helped you learn, helped you survive this land, shielded you from the gods as you shield me! And this is how you treat me? Like a nagging little sister, when I was a god in our world!"

"You will not have anymore power, not while we are in this world." Cal turned without another look toward the blue lady.

Part Four

Draolof set candles around him as he stood in front of the stone door. He ignited them with a force from his body and proceeded to placing three pieces of oak wood to his north, west and east and south between the candles. By each one he laid a crumb of bread to feed the hungry spirits he would call upon. Finally he lifted his left leg up and outstretched his left arm as he shut his left eye and began to chant.

"Vecor cluinn mi agus gairm air spior de na coil. Cluinn mi agus fosgail am vil. Stiu mo chachd!"

He spoke in the old tongue as the candle fire raised high and the oak smoked without a fire. Cal and Sable watched as light shined in his chest and the old mans body raised off the ground. He spoke the incantation again and the two watched as misty figures came to the old man like a beacon. They encircled the old wizard until Cal and Sable could barely see him.

The spell was almost finished, Draolof raised both arms ready to aim the ghostly creatures at the door when suddenly, oddly one of the oak wood toppled over. A wailing scream came from Draolof as the two could see the light from his chest begin to yank and pull as if it was trying to squirm out of him. The two rushed to put the log back up, but were stopped as the specters squealed and howled at them as they approached, ready to feed on the wizards soul. Cal tried to use his ward to push the creatures back, yet it had no effect on the shadowed figures.

Draolof howled ad the specters swarmed tugging at him fighting for his soul and mind. There was no time, the wizard was dying and the door was still sealed. Cal had to do what he only early promised never to allow.

"Rendia!" He cried to Sable's confusion. She appeared from the shadows and looked over the situation with apathy. No words needed to be had, they both knew what would be said if they did. "I told you so" or "I needed you all along" Cal nor Rendia would care to have those words. Instead she looked at the scene and went through the candles and oak as the specters reach out toward her and swiped at her. She touched one hand and watched as it disappeared in her grasp. Finally she held her palm out and watched as the creatures flocked to it nodding to Cal to fix the oak. As it was fixed Rendia released the specters back to their circle and watched as Draolof guided the spirits toward the door. Cal noticed a lack of spirits as their were before as they entered the door before it creaked itself open. Rendia began to walk away passing Cal as she did.

"Don't tell me you knocked over the oak." He growled.

"I won't." She answered and vanished behind him.

The three entered the old temple through the stone door. The walls were painted in murals of the gods guiding warriors in the war against the darkened gods. Draolof scoffed at the sight. They carried on through the corridor maneuvering around cobwebs and broken stones. Until they came to the sight of the Guiding Stone upon a small pillow on a stone pedestal.

"I believe you've done this enough times by now to know that's a trap, right?" Sable said nudging Cal.

"Yes...But they always keep changing things on me." He answered devising a plan. "Draolof, do you feel any magic?"

Draolof stuck his tongue out again, tasting the magic on the air. "It seems to me that the stone is much to powerful, I cant tell if any other magic is here." Cal nodded and took out a small steel ball from his pouch and rolled it across the ground. Nothing occurred.

Cal and the two moved in closer to the Stone. "Whatever trap there is, is connected to picking up the stone." Cal said staring at the stone in thought.

"So what's your plan?" Sable asked curiously.

"This room was made with gods in mind, there's no way out by simply running." Cal began to think out loud. "But they never expected human from another world..." His thought started to come to him. "A human from another world they cant see, because of a god they cant see either!" He gripped the stone and lifted it from the pedestal. Nothing occurred.

"I expected utter death, well done Master Gunkrate!" Draolof said with a pat on the back. Cal lost his balance by the old mans oddly strong slap and dropped the stone. As it crashed to the ground, the group could hear the rumble of the temple as the murals cracked revealing runes that lit up the room about to explode. Draolof stabbed the ground with his staff and encircled them with a warding shield. "Get to the door as quickly as you can, it will not shut if the stone is not here!" Draolof cried pushing Cal out of the shield as the runes heated up again. Cal rushed through the corridor seeing trap after trap not recognizing him as anyone from this world, waiting for a Atheran to appear. Cal heard as the two others came closer and saw as the door began to close, quickly he through the stone through the closing door and watched as the Stone Door halted waiting for the stone to be placed back.

Part Five

"A fascinating relic!" The old wizard said studying the stone in his palm, feeling the magic simmer on his skin. "When I get this back to Miskaheim I will use all the tools at my availability on this, studying an object forged by the gods at wartime! how incredibly fascinating!"

"It'll have to wait. Maybe you'll have something else to show the researchers there once I'm finished with it." Cal said readying his pack before taking he Guiding Stone from Draolof's palm. He rubbed his finger against the stone and then whispered his wants to it. His blue eyes glowed with light for a moment before coming back to.

"You alright there Cal?" Sable asked as he got a top his horse.

"I know where to go."