'Does this restore Life Energy? If it does then I've found quite the treasure, but I can't keep it in my hand like this, who knows if that damned 'Master' and his minions can sense the power its giving off.'
Sighing Rahkim shoved the black stone into the bag, and felt his hunger and fatigue return as the flow of power cut off. With a feeling of uncertainty Rahkim turned away from the shelves and went to a door at the back of the former store. Giving the door a light push he was greeted by the sound of squeaking hinges as the door opened up just enough for Rahkim to squeeze through. The room beyond the door was unlit, but Rahkim could see it all clearly, it was rather small with little more than a wooden rack filled with what must have been brooms and a steep stone stairwell leading up to the floor above.
Looking up the stairwell Rahkim could see a landing with a faint light shining through, and a sense of apprehension filled him as he took the first few steps slowly. Filled with tension he climbed up slowly and held his sword with both hands as he aimed it point first towards the doorway above. When he finally reached the top he stopped, and stood there unmoving as he listened for the slightest sound only to find complete silence.
As he peered around the doorway the tension seemed to melt away as he was met with the sight of a room similar to the one below. However, on this floor all the furniture and shelves were in pieces with the boxes they used to hold scattered across the floor along with their contents. What had filled the boxes were small crystals about the size of Rahkim's palm and though most of them were clear there were a few that seemed to contain a pure, white light inside. It was these still shining crystals that caused the light that was far brighter than anything Rahkim had seen since awakening.
Rather than being comforting the presence of so much light made Rahkim feel discomfort, and he paused only long enough to grab four of the still lit crystals before looking for the next stairwell. As he made his way up the next three floors were similar to the others with anything of use long since deteriorated or looted. However as Rahkim made his way up onto the roof of the building what lay before him shocked him completely.
Spreading out from the wall and still imposing remains of the tower behind him was a city so vast that it seemed to cover all in sight. Though he could only see the city from this side of the tower Rahkim felt that he would find the same on the far side as well with crumbling buildings, and wide roads stretching as far as the eye could see. In a few streets close by Rahkim could see small groups of skeletons patrolling the city, and even a column of over a hundred of them walking down the adjacent street as they headed away from the tower.
This sight crushed all hope of escape that Rahkim had mustered and he couldn't even bear to stand any longer as he collapsed onto the roof with a clatter.
“Ha … That grinning Knight bastard was right, there is no way I could escape from here. I don't even know which way to head to get out of the city let alone which streets are crawling with those damn skeletal soldiers. Even if I'm not really alive anymore I really don't want to die, there is just so much about this that I need to understand ...”
Rahkim sighed as he stared up at the cavern ceiling that loomed far above as a sense of hopelessness seemed to completely consume his mind. Without really thinking about it Rahkim reached within and began to draw power from his Life Well once again as it flowed out to cover both of his skeletal hands in a black light that seemed to eat what little light there was. With one hand Rahkim pulled his sword to his chest and the other reached upwards as the familiar formula of Ice carved itself in the air. Rahkim looked at the circle with a peaceful expression as the air around him turned white, and snowflakes drifted downwards.
He watched impassively as ice crystals began to form all around him, and frost started to spread along his bones causing a chill that even he could feel.
'Surely this is better than being hunted for the rest of my 'life' in this damned hellish city.'
With that thought the flames in Rahkim's eyes began to dim and his vision began to fade entirely as the bitter feeling of cold that seemed to invade every part of him turned to soft warmth. Before long the only thing Rahkim could see was an endless expanse of void with only that feeling of warmth to accompany him.
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“Is this what death feels like? Its oddly comforting.”
Rahkim said as he relaxed and enjoyed the comfort he hadn't felt even once since he awoke. He didn't have long to enjoy it however as the sound of someone speaking caused him to start.
“No, Rahkim, this isn't death my young, foolish disciple. This is your mind and your Life Well, or what it has become since your reawakening as a soul that has been cut off from the Cycle. I know what you awoke to was probably a harsh place, but really? Too try and take your own life? I thought I taught you better.”
As Rahkim listened to that voice sadness and joy seemed to come to him equally as he turned towards the source, and found a familiar figure. There standing in the void along with him was an bald old man with a long white beard, blue eyes that seemed to hold centuries of wisdom, and wearing black robes with crimson runic trim. Despite the man's aura that gave off a feeling of weakness he was truly unmistakeably to Rahkim, after all he was the one person that he could remember.
“Teacher, how ... how are you here? I thought you were gone, I thought I was alone why didn-”
Before Rahkim could finish his Master interrupted.
“I am gone Rahkim, I am here simply as the last fragments of a dying soul who gave up everything for a chance to see his student one last time. Whether my soul fades, or continues on to the Cycle is up to the Gods now, but either way the price was worth it to be here for you now when you need it the most. My time is in this world is short, it took almost all of my power to stop your spell, so I need you to understand that what I am about to say is something you must take to heart.
Do you Rahkim?”
Rahkim gave his Master a nod in reply which caused a small smile to appear on the old man's face as he continued.
“Good, then let me give you what I know as my last gift to you. When this city fell I found you at the foot of Tower dying, whatever had happened to you had damaged your very soul, and as tried to save your life I realized that if I did nothing then your soul would dissipate and never again would you live. After so many years how could I watch my beloved disciple who had struggled so hard to reach where he had to disappear like this?
… I couldn't, I truly could not stand the thought and so I performed a forbidden form of magic that tapped into the soul. Pouring every ounce of power I had into the spell I severed your tattered soul from the Cycle and sealed it in your body so that it wouldn't dissipate after you passed away. From that process I also separated a part of my soul and attached it to you so that we could have this meeting, so that I could explain.
What I've done was for you, it might be hard to accept, but what you've become it truly the fault of this teacher's selfish desire for his disciple to live on. I'm not sure what you've become, but I do know that so long as your soul remains intact you will live on. This skeleton is nothing, but a vessel for your soul and thus as long as your soul exists it too will continue to.
Ha, it seems my time's up … Goodbye Rahkim, and child, with an immortal's lifespan beware the darkness that devours the light. It has brought low far greater men.”
As his Master finishes speaking the old man before him began to disappear, and the empty void seemed to collapse as Rahkim could feel himself starting to reawaken once more. With the void disappearing Rahkim could do nothing, but stretch out his arm as he tried to grasp at his Master's disappearing figure.
“No, master! Please don't leave me alone here, please!”
However his master only replied with a sad smile before his body faded completely, and Rahkim awoke with a start to the sound of ice cracking as his body jumped up. Looking around Rahkim found himself alone in the ruins of the city once more. Sadness and an even greater sense of hunger seemed to eat at him as he stared into the air, and muttered.
“What am I supposed to do all alone, Master?”