Post by Rune Dancer on Jun 9, 2020 13:17:10 GMT -5
Part 1 – The Tournament
Rune Dancer is practising on the training field inside the grounds. He has been at work for the last three hours and yet he has barely broken a sweat. He feels that his skills will need to be honed to perfection for whatever is soon to come.
Yesterday he was visited by a messenger from Toran, who was bearing a gift from his father. Rune Dancer could not believe his eyes when Shocker was presented to him with the cryptic message of:
‘It is with Ishir’s blessing that I have been able to create this weapon. It’s name is Shocker, as its power lies mostly with the element of lightning. Use it well, my son’
In addition to this was a small package with the words Open only in private written on it.
Later that day, in the privacy of his chamber, he opened the package. Inside was a Bor Pistol and a bag of ammunition. He rapidly packed these back away as the dwarves are renowned for keeping their trademark weapons to themselves. It would be best to keep these secret for now.
That night, Rune Dancer was dreaming of walking with the animals in the Fryelund Forest, when a wolf comes loping out of the bush and fixes him with its steel-blue eyes.
The wolf speaks:
‘Tomorrow will begin a new challenge, for you, along with three more of my chosen, will be entering a tournament from which, I am afraid to say, there can be only one victor. You are more than ready for this challenge. You must believe in yourself.’
A sense of calm pervades Rune Dancer as he is bathed in a golden glow that emanates from the wolf, and the dream ends.
Rune Dancer is already dressed and prepared for the journey when Supreme Master Hawkeye appears at the door to his chamber.
‘Well I was going to ask you to get ready for a very important mission and meet me at the gate, young Kai. But I see that this is unnecessary. Come with me now, time is against us.’
Runedancer follows Hawkeye to the Main Hall, doubts attempting to break through his confidence.
What makes you so special? You haven't got what it takes, stay here at the Monastery.
Runedancer refuses to listen to this, yet he does voice a concern.
'Supreme Master Hawkeye, although I do appreciate the confidence that is being shown to me, I don't understand why I have been chosen. I would have thought that four Supreme Masters would have served our Order better.'
'Four? But there will be only the three of us entering the tournament' replies Hawkeye.
Runedancer relates his dream of the previous night.
'I can only go with what I have been told', says Hawkeye, 'The three of us will travel to Hammerdal and hope that some sense can be made of your dream.'
This can't be fair..' grumbled Runedancer as he stood looking at the poster he had torn from a wall in one of the many taverns in Hammerdal.
'I get to battle an army. AN ARMY??? Yes, they be Giaks, but still an army?'
He shakes his head and enters a meditative trance to bring himself back to equilibrium.
'So be it. There will be one less army of these foul beasts to roam the land.'
He starts honing the blades of shocker in readiness for the upcoming slaughter.
Finally Rune Dancer notices the veritable army of Giaks seated on the opposite side of the arena, and he contemplates evening the odds a bit before his battle (it couldn't really be called a match, sheer numbers precludes such thought).
'Such cowardice is unseemly for one such as you, my child' says a woman's kindly voice in his ear.
He spins around determined to find out the owner of the voice, there is no-one there, but if he just reached out...
No, he decides. He must focus on the task ahead.
He hears the announcers speaking…
"This next fight is one that's got a lot of people talking, Ron."
"Yes, and some of the comments are not favourable. Mostly the ones coming from the supporters of the Kai Lords."
"Tell us why that is, Ron."
"You see, this next fight is not just a one on one fight. This will be a fight between Kai Lord Rune Dancer and not one giak, not two giaks, not three giaks... but an army of giaks."
"Maybe they figured one giak was too little a challenge for a Kai Lord?"
"Quite possible, Theelor. But some wonder if an army may be a bit much. We're talking over a hundred giaks here. The arena will be flooded."
"Wait a minute Ron... this just in from up high... ah, here we go. It's been decided that only fifty giaks will be allowed to fight at a time. So there you go. Barely an army."
"Still, I couldn't take on fifty giaks."
"You could barely take on one. This is a Kai Lord we're talking about here. They eat giaks for breakfast."
"Eyuh..."
"It's a figure of speech, Ron. My point is that Runedancer, whom I hear is attractive and single, for those ladies in the crowd, should have no trouble taking on any number of giaks. I personally think fifty is too small a number for a Kai Lord."
"And I think you don't give the giaks enough credit, Theelor. Ahem, if I may read from Shadow Fox's Definitive Guide to Enemy Tactics:
'Individually, Giaks are not that tough, and hardly a challenge to higher level PCs. However, giaks have one major advantage: there are a hell of a lot of them. Thus, their strength lies in their groups. While Giaks lack the variety of powerful Special Attacks and Qualities of other Darkspawn (such as the Helghast), they are well disciplined and organized. This is why they make such excellent troops for the Darkland armies, and why they can (and will) make good use of a group of tactics I call gang tactics.'
It goes on for many pages, but to summarize, the giaks are masters of swarm tactics. If I were to guess at what would occur in this upcoming fight, I would say that we will see giaks literally throwing themselves on top of Rune Dancer, smothering him with their sheer weight."
"And I say it takes more than weight to best a Kai Lord."
'And so it is time..
Rune Dancer steps into the arena to the applause of the crowd.
He bows to the announcers in acknowledgement of their introduction, and raises his sword into the air to the screams of the onlookers.
They are getting into more of a frenzy each and every battle it is a thought that is more than a bit unsettling.
Once again, he focuses his thoughts on the upcoming battle. Yes there may only be fifty of the filthy giaks, but he must still be on his guard.
It comes to Rune Dancer that there is no movement in any quarter of the crowd. He hears the voice again.
'Take not these beasts lightly, young Kai. With their numbers, they are a force to be reckoned with. Be careful, as their strength indeed lies in outflanking you. Take heed Rune Dancer and farewell.'
The voice recedes, and yet the flow of time is not as it should be. He sees a movement off to the side. It is that Hazelae, the patron of the tournament.
She nods her head in acknowledgement and smiles.
It is at this point that time returns to normal and he loses sight of the mysterious Hazelae.
Yet the thought of that smile lingers on in his mind. It was not a kindly smile, that one. No, he vowed, he would have to be careful if he ever had to deal with that one up close.
Rune Dancer was ready. The army before him stood in traditional Drakkarim ranks. They wore light armour that he knew his blade, Shocker, would easily tear through them. He was faster, he could take more damage, and he had the god Kai on his side. He also knew that the giaks had a much better chance, with their numbers, of activating the deathtraps all around them. With luck, they would decimate their own numbers. Above all, he was not afraid. Hazelae announced the start of the match. Rune Dancer thought of his fellow kai watching him. Tournament or no, he would not let them down.
“For Sommerlund and the Kai!” he screamed, running full tilt towards the army. As one, the Okak Dez Naj roared their own war cry in their hideous language and charged.
The forces met with a huge clash of metal. Giaks went flying away from Runedancer as his sword sparked against their weapons and shields. He cleared a whole circle around himself with a single swing. And three giaks stayed where they landed. One of the dead let something slip from his fingers. It was the latest issue of PlayGiak. It fell open to the centerfold and Rune Dancer felt a sudden urgent need to vomit.
Suddenly, there were Giaks all over him, taking advantage of his distraction to swarm him. Giak fingers were grasping at his weapon, and he smiled when he heard their shouts of pain. It was a bad idea to wield Shocker without gloves. He decided he’d had enough of Giak sweat. Letting out a vicious cry, he unleashed the full power of his mindblast as he forced his way through the stack of giaks. Bodies went flying. Twelve more giaks slain outright. But it wasn’t without cost. Rune Dancer himself took damage from the massive amount of psychic energy released. A trickle of blood ran down his forehead. He wouldn’t be able to use that power for a while.
There were still many giaks left, and their numbers gave them confidence, as the deaths of their comrades fueled their tempers. They attacked him in droves, but none could get through his defenses. Meanwhile, the little damage they had done him was healed by his Kai Disciplines. He was untouchable. Rune Dancer knew, though, that his stamina was falling. It was time to end this. Jumping back, and spinning his sword around him (five more dead), Rune Dancer yelled a war cry and slammed his sword into the ground. There was a deep rumble and the earth exploded outwards. The Giaks scrambled over eachother to get away, but there was nowhere for them to go. The earth crushed them, or threw them high in the air, taking their lives when they fell. The dust settled. Rune Dancer was alone. Or so he thought. Trembling on the battlefield was a single Giak. Rune Dancer sighed. That move had taken all of his energy. But, in the name of Kai, he retrieved his sword from the ground and prepared to end the match.
What Rune Dancer didn’t realize was the terrible being he had created. It is a lesser known phenomenon that when faced with extremely unfair odds, a single giak will gain the favor of all the gods and goddesses of the universe. And they will be unstoppable. Rune Dancer had created... the Lone Giak.
And the Lone Giak had his own disciplines. The one he used now was an especially volatile one known as the scream. As Rune Dancer came at him, Lone Giak let out a terrified scream of such high pitched wailing that it hit Rune Dancer like a mental blast. This was coupled with another of Lone Giak’s abilities, unluckiness, which made everyone around him extremely unlucky. Thus it was that Rune Dancer fell on his own blade, which he had just charged with his powers so that it was coursing lightning up and down its shaft. Rune Dancer was fried to a crisp within seconds, and Lone Giak shuffled uneasily out of the arena to rejoin his fellows in the stands.
The Plain of Light
On yet another bright, sunny day, in a lovely meadow, there stands a shade. He looks around, taking in the astounding view, never wondering how he got there or what his purpose is here.
He spies a young gelding, who seems a most magnificent specimen. He's not too sure, but he thinks that the horse is waiting for him. He approaches, warily at first, but when the horse whinnies and nudges him, the shade understands that there is nothing to be afraid of.
Instinctively, the shade mounts the steed, who then gallops away from the field, down worn tracks, towards what seems like a castle in the distance. He senses that his mount is taking him there yet not why this is so.
Upon reaching the gate, the shade dismounts and knocks.
There is no answer from within the walls.
A voice from behind startles the shade. Yet, as he turns, he can find no apparent source for it.
'Now is not the time for you, young Rune Dancer. Your mission is not yet fulfilled on the mortal plane. Begone from here with my blessing. Fear not for you go by my grace.'
With these words, the castle and the rest of the scenery fade to blackness.
Somewhere in Aon
Blackness. This body is slowly is acknowledging the return of its controlling mind.
Rune Dancer is concerned with some foreign information assailing his mind from the renewed bond. He uses his healing powers to mentally scout through his body to find out to cause of this.
All appears to be as well as can be, considering he has taken the power of an electrical storm, though his senses are revealing the presence of several objects which seem to be digging into the skin of his left forearm. This, he feels, needs to be investigated.
With a determination borne out of necessity, he forces his eyes open. He is lying on his back in what looks like an infirmary…
An infirmary? As soon as he focuses on the question, the events leading up to the moment he was last conscious come flooding back to him. The Tournament! He had thought he was doing so well against those Giaks, yet the power of that last one was incredible.
He had never heard of such abilities in that lowly race, and decided he would have to consult his superiors on the matter. Thankfully, he thought, the other Kai that were in the delegation to the tournament were probably of sufficient experience to enlighten him and thus negate the need for him to wait until he returned to the monastery.
To more immediate issues first though. Rune Dancer lifted his left arm to discover that it was wrapped in bandages from the elbow down. He had to know what was causing the pain, and there didn’t appear to be any fresh blood on the bandages, so he decided to tear them off. The sight of his revealed arm made him gasp in wonder.
Embedded in his arm were what appeared to be shattered crystals. Their hue was the same bright blue as the crystal used in the sword he had received from his father, Shocker. He used his discipline of sixth sense and, thus, found out that these crystals which now seemed to have become a part of his body were indeed from that fabulous sword.
Although he was sure that the tournament healers will have tried their best to get rid of the shards, he decided to give his skills in healing a try.
Probing within his body, he found the physical connections to the shards and attempted to break them down and thus eject them. What happened was miraculous. He felt the power of his healing being deflected into the shards themselves. He opened his eyes to discover that an aura of electrical fire now surrounded his forearm and the crystals glowed an electric blue.
Rune Dancer withdrew his healing from his forearm and the crystals resumed their previous colour.
He tried prising the shards from his arm with his other hand to no effect. The skin surrounding the crystals rose as if he had pinched some his own flesh.
Curious... certainly, fearsome… definitely, but Rune Dancer vowed that he would find out all he could about these new additions.
Rune Dancer decides to see what he can learn by probing into the crystals with his mind. He projects his psychic power of mindblast into them, and once more the electrical fire surrounds his arm (he is surprised that this does not appear to be hurting him, though he is not one to question good fortune). He gets a response from the shards this time – an image, one of himself holding out his left arm and pointing it at a Giak. Suddenly, a bolt of energy flashes from his hand and into the target, charring and blasting it into little pieces.
A powerful ally to have in the war against the forces of Naar he thinks. Yet I fear that my prowess in combat without arms is severely lacking
With this, another image enters the mind of the young Kai.
Once again he faces off against a Giak. This time Rune Dancer is holding his arm as if he is carrying a sword in his hand. Except that where a sword would be, there is a blade of pure electricity. The Giak charges and, although it seems impossible, the image of Rune Dancer meets its charge with the electric blade, sparks flying when it meets with the blade of the Giak.
An amazing ally indeed muses Rune Dancer. He projects the image of the electrical blade into the shards covering his forearm and, lo, the exact same blade comes into being at his hand. He takes a few practice swings with the blade and notices that it is weightless. He is going to have to practice in order to attain any level of weaponskill in this blade.
Enough of this, thinks Rune Dancer, and he gets up from the bed. He puts thought of what has happened to his arm with the destruction of Shocker to the back of his mind. There is a world out there that hasn't stopped simply because he has taken some time away from it.
He walks out of the tent and hears the cheers of the crowd as Toothillman wins his match. He grabs a passing vendor.
'How long since my match?'
'Not long, my Lord Kai. You have missed only three matches, all of which you will be pleased to know have been won by those who follow the gods of good. Both dwarves and Magus have emerged from the first round triumphant.'
'Thank you, my friend, for the welcome tidings. Now where may I find something to drink?' He strolls off in the indicated directions while keeping an eye on the match between Hawkeye and Frank the wanderer.
Rune Dancer stands in shock as the Supreme Master falls to Frank.
Having been raised in the belief that the Kai were some of the best fighters in Magnamund, his confidence in his abilities is severely shaken.
He notices the filthy Giaks seated on the other side of the stadium and, in a fit of rage, he raises his left hand to them and focuses his mental energy.
Singling one out in the middle of them so at least if he misses he will still hit one of them, he lets fly with his new-found power.
His strike hits his target square yet, with the power unchecked by his emotions, he also takes out another 5 of the despicable breed. They dance around in the thrall of the electrical discharge for a few moments before finally succumbing to the inevitability of death.
He would have to be careful when he used this power again, he thought.
While walking around the stalls after the fight of Hawkeye, Rune Dancer is drawn to a dark alley. A sign above it simply proclaims 'No Dwarves Allowed.'
Curious about why a dwarf would not be allowed, he enters the alley and sees a tent at the end. The door flap is slightly open and an old man's voice comes from within.
'I have been expecting you, young Kai. Please do enter my humble establishment.'
Warily Rune Dancer enters the tent to find rows upon rows of Bor weaponry.
No wonder the sign said no dwarves, thinks Rune Dancer, they would stop at nothing to get their hands on these
'Indeed young Kai,' says the old man, reading his thoughts. 'And now you are here, there is no need for the advertisement outside.' He waves his hand in the air.
'I have often wondered what the Kai could accomplish with such weaponry.'
'I know, and that is why you were allowed in here. I want you to give me an offer for a portion of my wares.'
After a few minutes of intense haggling, the old man holds up his hand.
'I am prepared to sell you 10 sets of this weaponry for your stated price, but only if you can answer my riddle.'
'Fair enough,' replies Rune Dancer. 'Pose your conundrum when you are ready.'
The old man thinks long and hard before deciding on the one he thinks most appropriate.
'Yes, my friend, I think this one should do just fine.' the old man says with a grin.
'In a tunnel of darkness lies a beast of iron. It can only attack when pulled back.What is it, young Kai?' With this he gives a chuckle and sits down on a nearby stool to await the answer.
Rune Dancer listened intently to the old man's riddle, but could not readily identify its solution. He said a prayer to the gods Kai and Ishir, hoping for some divine assistance.
He tried to concentrate on the riddle, but all he could think of was the uses to which he could put the weapons when he got his hands on them. Visions of Kai Lords decimating ranks of Giaks and Drakkarim. The only problem would be the time it took to reload the weapons with their bullets...
As soon as his mind focussed on that thought, he realised that he had the correct answer to the old man's riddle, and a smile ventured onto the face of the Kai. He spoke out loud.
'The answer to your riddle, ancient one, is indeed fitting. It is a bullet!'
'Quite correct, young Lord. Here are the items as agreed.' He hands over the weapons. 'Now that our business is concluded, I hope you don't mind leaving, I have other things to attend to.'
Rune Dancer nods his head and exits the tent to a strange sight.
He is no longer in the alley, nor even in Hammerdal unless that fine city has been blasted since he entered the tent, though he doesn't think that is so.
He has stepped out onto a wasteland. Hearing the sound of the old man's laughter, Rune Dancer turns around to go back into the tent, but to his astonishment, it has gone!
Where is he? A bit confused at this strange turn of events, Rune Dancer starts exploring his new surroundings...
Rune Dancer was stunned. What in Ishir's name had happened to him?
There were no features from which he could take a bearing, so he decided on a direction at random and headed off...
He wondered how the tournament was going, but practicality got the better of him. Why was he here? He did not know, and for now, he decided, it really didn't matter. All that mattered was to get out of this wasteland, and soon. After all, he hadn't packed any provisions and his mastery of hunting was not proving of much use in the immediate vicinity.
Rune Dancer had been walking for what felt like hours. He was beginning to wonder if there was going to be an end to this wasteland.
An interesting thought occurred to him - he was not getting hungry.
Surely if he had, indeed, been walking for such a length of time he would feel some pangs?
Once again, he put this thought to the back of his head and concentrated on moving ahead and hoping that he would be clear of this desolate area soon...
Frustration and exhaustion were beginning to fray the edges of Rune Dancer's determination. There was still no change in the landscape. No features from which to discern direction and distance.
The monotony of putting one foot in front of the other was the only thing that the young Kai could live for. It was only in doing so, he knew, that would provide the only chance of escape from this wasteland.
Although glad of its effect, Rune Dancer was getting increasingly intrigued about his lack of hunger. Though he couldn't be entirely sure, he thought that even an adept of Grand Huntmastery would be hard pressed to find sustenance in this landscape.
Once, he thought he felt a tremor go through the ground. But this was gone before the thought had fully formed in his mind. He crouched close to the surface and tried to attune himself to the area.
After a few minutes, Rune Dancer gave up. If there were any signs to be read from the ground, they were beyond his ability to read.
He resigned himself to get up and continue the journey.
Rune Dancer was exhausted, his feet were dragging up dust with every step he took. He reached the end of his endurance and fell face-first to the ground.
This woke him a bit and he lifted his head to an astonishing sight. As the young Kai picked himself up he noticed, almost immediately, that he couldn't actually see much of anything anymore.
Somehow, in the short space of time he had been on the ground, a dense mist had gathered and obscured any vision further than a few feet in all directions.
Rune Dancer strained his senses to discern if there was anything else amiss in his changed surroundings, but to no avail. Apart from the mist, there was nothing different than from before.
His determination resurfaced and he vowed that a little bit of fog was not going to stop him from getting out of this wasteland.
Rune Dancer had long since lost all track of time, and he was getting tired. He was beginning to lose hope of every coming out of this mist enshrouded wasteland when he noticed a darkening of the mist ahead of him.
There was a shape coming into focus, vaguely human. In his fatigued state, he reached for Shocker, and wondered that his hand did not find it. He looked down and saw the remains of his sword fused with his arm.
He checked for his brace of throwing daggers, finding them brought some satisfaction to him, but he had no other weapons.
The shape was still coming towards Rune Dancer. Whatever it was, it was going to be huge.
He crouched in readiness for combat, not sure if the newcomer was friend or foe, and taking no chances that it should be the latter.
His caution was well placed. Out of the mist emerged a giant of a man, at least eight feet tall and dressed in an antiquated drakkarim armour decorated with spikes along the arms. He reached behind his head, and pulled forth a greatsword with one hand. This was no small feat as the blade must have been five feet long!
With no introduction, the stranger moved forward to attack.
Faster than Rune Dancer would have believed possible for one of such large stature, the drakkar warrior raced forwards and swung his greatsword in an enormous circular motion, its momentum pulling the stranger full circle.
Rune Dancer barely avoided the swipe. Bending backwards at an impossible angle, he looked at the blade as it passed mere inches above his nose.
The young Kai turned his motion into a backflip, bringing out two of his daggers before his feet returned to the ground. He paused to consider the effectiveness of his meagre arsenal. There were few places in his armour that looked likely targets.
No more time for contemplation for the young Kai, though, for the drakkar was on him again and pressing his apparent advantage.
Rune Dancer was a blur of movement, twisting and turning in an effort to dodge the onslaught from his foe. He was getting unnerved by the silence emanating from the warrior opposite, not even a grunt of effort emerged from the spiked helmet.
After one such spectacular spinning dodge, the Kai found himself some distance away from his relentless foe. Not missing the opportunity, he flung the daggers in his hand, one after the other, aiming at the gap above the face plate of the helmet, hoping he could hit the eyes.
Unfortunately, his aim was not true, and both daggers glanced off spikes and spun away to the ground. Thoroughly demoralised by his attack's ineffectiveness, Rune Dancer wiped away beads of sweat from his brow.
The drakkar came in again, but there was no time for dodging. The Kai flung his left arm up to glance the blow away. Sparks showered from the shards, their light seemingly disorienting the warrior. Taking the opening given by the drakkar's pause, Rune Dancer caught hold of his foe's armour and sent waves of electrical energy coursing through his arm and into his opponent.
The metal armour of the drakkar conducted this electrical energy through it, making it enter his body at all points. Soon the greatsword dropped from the warriors hand, clanging to the ground.
Smoke drifts out from the drakkar, who, strangely enough, begins to melt into nothingness. Staring in shock, Rune Dancer wondered what was happening.
Soon, all that was left of his opponent was a ghostly presence, which began flying round in circles. It paused in front of Rune Dancer as if pondering what to do next.
Suddenly, it swooped at the young Kai, whose attempts at dodging proved futile. As soon as the presence touched Rune Dancer, it faded away entirely, leaving him standing in shocked wonder at what had happened.
More movement at the edges of his vision. Rune Dancer is on his guard again as the shades come into view, hundreds of them appearing to be from all parts of Magnamund.
Representatives of both good and evil are there at the edge of the mist. He recognises several shades in ghostly robes reminiscent of those worn by Brothers of the Crystal Star. Not too far from them he spies adepts from the other side of magic, the nadziranim. Vakeros warriors, drakkarim, cener druids, shianti, and many other factions are represented in the host.
Suddenly a shade steps forward from the group. He appears as a Kai of the First Order. One of the those legendary warriors of the previous founding of the Kai. He bows to Rune Dancer before holding his quarterstaff on high.
This will be your greatest test yet, young one comes a telepathic message from the Kai shade. With this he begins to spin the staff above his head, faster and faster until it is a blur of motion.
A whirlwind is beginning to form above the two Kai, pulling at the forms of the shades surrounding them. Without warning, the cyclone envelops all of the shades and centres around Rune Dancer.
Standing at the eye of the whirlwind was daunting enough, but moments later, the walls closed in on the helpless youngster. Then the circling shades struck him and the winds ceased with no outward sign of anything untoward.
As before, though, Rune Dancer knew that he had somehow absorbed those shades. They were definitely there within him, just outside his mental reach, but still there.
It was worrying to Rune Dancer that he was now playing host to these beings. He couldn't begin to fathom the why and how this had happened, and the others were being quiet. He could still feel their presence.
Without warning, the world began spinning around him so fast that everything was a blur. He could not even see the ground beneath his feet.
'Yes, that should do.' says a feminine voice, and the spinning slows to a stop to show that Rune Dancer is now atop a mountain. He can see an ocean below him to the front, The mountains continue to his right and behind, and there is a river running through the verdant land to his left.
Thoughts of how he could get down from his high perch fled his mind when suddenly he was not alone. Standing beside him was the most striking woman he had ever met.
Long, flowing tresses of blond hair framed her face, which contained an aquiline nose, thin lips, elfin eyebrows and piercing emerald eyes. She was almost unnaturally slim and stood almost a foot taller than the stunned Kai. She was wearing robes of the purest white.
'You are wondering why this is happening to you, young Kai,' and at Rune Dancer's nod she continued. 'But first let me introduce myself.'
'I was called K'Vel. And yes, you heard me correctly... WAS. My people were not of this Magnamund of which you call home. The darkness of evil has long since overcome my world and I have been forced to watch other worlds fall whilst in the prison created in the psyche of the Mother.'
'Mother..' replied Rune Dancer. 'Who is this Mother?'
'Your world has yet to witness this evil, yet she is here already. All of us that are now joined with you have been held captive by the power of the Mother.
'Now, thanks to you, we have been set free from her. I would like to offer a truce between us, as I can see that you are filled with the light of goodness.'
Though wary of this woman, Rune Dancer still nods his assent.
Sensing his apprehension, K'Vel says 'Fear not, young Kai, for you have nothing to fear from me, and I will help you to deal with those within that are not so friendly.
'But, now let us get back to the real world, shall we?' With this she waves her hands in the air and the world starts spinning again.
Like a swimmer breaking the surface after a long time spent underwater, Rune Dancer gasped for breath. He sat bolt upright and saw what he could only think of as a hospital. A banner on one wall proclaimed the Sisters of Ishir. He had heard of the name before, it was a sect of healers from his own world.
Magnamund! He had returned to his beloved land!
Not quite young Kai, for you never left it. You have been trapped within your mind with us. Luckily together we have proven strong enough to break the barrier that forbade us back into the realm of the living.
A flash of memory... The Tournament! He looked down at his left arm and the shards of crystal that were now embedded there. He felt again the loss of the magnificent sword given to him by his father.
He focussed his mental energy on creating that mind blade that had appeared once before. This time, he could feel the assistance of K'Vel from within, boosting his powers. A wondrous blade of golden light came into being.
Smiling with great satisfaction, Rune Dancer leapt from his cot and raced out of the hospital.
He asked a passerby on the status of the tournament, and was told that there was only one fight left - the final between Dark Sonar and the Giaks. He had missed so much of the tournament, he would not miss this.
The glazed eyes of the common folk were beginning to wear thin on the young Kai. What was really happening here?
He ran up to the entrance to the stadium, which was guarded now in readiness for the final combat.
'Halt!' Yelled one of their number. 'You may not pass. Under order of the illustrious Hazelae, no more may enter!'
'I do believe you are mistaken, good sir.' replied Rune Dancer, who strode towards the entrance.
Not intimidated in the least by the presence of one young Kai, the guards drew their weapons and wielded them menacingly.
'If that's the way you want it,' says K'Vel, who had rushed to the fore to help. A flood of psychic energy pours out from their body and washes over the defenceless guards.
All 20 of them are flung far and wide out of Rune Dancer's path, some get as far as the mountain peaks surrounding Hammerdal.
The Kai Lord walks into the stadium without further trouble.
As amazing as the battle in the arena was turning out to be, another one was beginning in the mind of the Kai, Rune Dancer.
The various entities were now openly arguing amongst themselves with K'Vel and Kaggaz-Ziran as the foci for the factions of good and evil.
The resultant power struggle was not confined within Rune Dancer, for anyone looking at him would see that strange energies were being unleashed.
He was floating in the air and looked as if he was being buffeted by a breeze from below. Lightning was snaking up and down his body. Runes appeared and began circulating his head. And an inhuman moan escaped his mouth.
We have had enough of this, said Adez Kookar. We have an excellent opportunity to return fully to our world.
YOUR world, replies K'Vel, and besides what would happen to your comrades if you were to defeat us? You want to control this body, but there would still be more than just you. You would not be content with that.
That may be so, but at least we can get rid of you! With these words, the battle began in earnest. Soon, all were arrayed against their corresponding number from the other faction. Every time one was defeated, they became as a mist surrounding the battlefield.
It came down to the last two. Not surprisingly they were the two leaders, K'Vel and Kaggaz-Ziran.
The supernatural effects surrounding Rune Dancer had grown exponentially as the internal battle wore on. Now there was no mistaking the presence of the young Kai. He could be seen by everyone. Storm clouds were concentrating in the air around him. Lightning was shooting out in every direction. Flags were set alight as bursts of flame shot out from him. The clouds begin to swirl into a vortex with Rune Dancer at its centre, the winds threatening to tear down the stands closest to him.
Suddenly it was all over. The psychic energy released by K'Vel crossed with the magical energy sent forth by Kaggaz-Ziran. They met in an explosion of energy that destroyed both of them.
Rune Dancer absorbed the energy with a sense of awe. He felt stronger than ever. No longer just a Kai, he was something much more. He could feel knowledge flowing into him - the psychic powers of K'Vel, the magical powers of Kaggaz-Ziran, the stamina and strength of Adez Kookar, and the abilities of those others who made up his little community within.
He also absorbed the powerful energies from without. The runes that were circling him crashed into his body, where they physically manifested as if tattooed into his skin. Here they glowed a soft golden hue. Lightning continually snaked up and down his left arm.
These powers all belonged to him now. A lesser man may have succumbed to the promise of the sheer power thus granted. Not Rune Dancer. He was truly a son of Kai.
He was ready for whatever fate had decreed he would encounter.
A scream spikes its way into Rune Dancer's mind. It was weak, but he could still recognise who it came from. The commoner known as Dharn. That one was a scion of Kai, who should have been trained at the monastery. The Kai was honour-bound to save Dharn.
He focussed on the scream to discern a location. The infirmary. Using his new-found powers he concentrated and, within the space of a heartbeat, he was there.
He reached out at the form on top of Dharn, and sent a wave of energy at it, flinging it across the room to land in a heap by the doorway.
'My Love, nooooooo!' cried Dharn as he saw Madelene leave his side.
Love? Thought the Kai, as he analysed the source of Dharn's anguish. He was in love with that undead.
Alarmed, the other 'nurses' who were working on those unfortunate to still need care, went into motion. Revealing their true identities, they rushed at Rune Dancer, intent on overpowering him with their sheer numbers.
Unfortunately for them, he was ready. A nimbus of lightning surrounded him and he met their charge. The fight was over in seconds, he had disintegrated them all, save Madelene.
He approached her, and laid his hands on her again, praying to the Gods Kai and Ishir for their divine assistance. They heard his plea, magnifying his healing skills a thousand fold. Madelene was engulfed in a golden glow.
Moments passed like hours for the anguished Dharn, who didn't know what was happening to his love. He stumbled out of his bed and slowly made his way over to Rune Dancer.
As soon as Dharn made it, the light around Madelene faded to reveal that she was whole again.
She opened her eyes and looked around her in confusion. She noticed Dharn looking at her and walked over to him. 'Do I know you, good sir?' she asked. She looked magnificent, more than alive and Dharn could not believe his eyes.
Glad that he could be of assistance, Rune Dancer lastly sends waves of curing energy to all those within the infirmary, speeding up their healing.
That done, Rune Dancer decides it is time to return to the arena.
Rune Dancer is practising on the training field inside the grounds. He has been at work for the last three hours and yet he has barely broken a sweat. He feels that his skills will need to be honed to perfection for whatever is soon to come.
Yesterday he was visited by a messenger from Toran, who was bearing a gift from his father. Rune Dancer could not believe his eyes when Shocker was presented to him with the cryptic message of:
‘It is with Ishir’s blessing that I have been able to create this weapon. It’s name is Shocker, as its power lies mostly with the element of lightning. Use it well, my son’
In addition to this was a small package with the words Open only in private written on it.
Later that day, in the privacy of his chamber, he opened the package. Inside was a Bor Pistol and a bag of ammunition. He rapidly packed these back away as the dwarves are renowned for keeping their trademark weapons to themselves. It would be best to keep these secret for now.
That night, Rune Dancer was dreaming of walking with the animals in the Fryelund Forest, when a wolf comes loping out of the bush and fixes him with its steel-blue eyes.
The wolf speaks:
‘Tomorrow will begin a new challenge, for you, along with three more of my chosen, will be entering a tournament from which, I am afraid to say, there can be only one victor. You are more than ready for this challenge. You must believe in yourself.’
A sense of calm pervades Rune Dancer as he is bathed in a golden glow that emanates from the wolf, and the dream ends.
Rune Dancer is already dressed and prepared for the journey when Supreme Master Hawkeye appears at the door to his chamber.
‘Well I was going to ask you to get ready for a very important mission and meet me at the gate, young Kai. But I see that this is unnecessary. Come with me now, time is against us.’
Runedancer follows Hawkeye to the Main Hall, doubts attempting to break through his confidence.
What makes you so special? You haven't got what it takes, stay here at the Monastery.
Runedancer refuses to listen to this, yet he does voice a concern.
'Supreme Master Hawkeye, although I do appreciate the confidence that is being shown to me, I don't understand why I have been chosen. I would have thought that four Supreme Masters would have served our Order better.'
'Four? But there will be only the three of us entering the tournament' replies Hawkeye.
Runedancer relates his dream of the previous night.
'I can only go with what I have been told', says Hawkeye, 'The three of us will travel to Hammerdal and hope that some sense can be made of your dream.'
This can't be fair..' grumbled Runedancer as he stood looking at the poster he had torn from a wall in one of the many taverns in Hammerdal.
'I get to battle an army. AN ARMY??? Yes, they be Giaks, but still an army?'
He shakes his head and enters a meditative trance to bring himself back to equilibrium.
'So be it. There will be one less army of these foul beasts to roam the land.'
He starts honing the blades of shocker in readiness for the upcoming slaughter.
Finally Rune Dancer notices the veritable army of Giaks seated on the opposite side of the arena, and he contemplates evening the odds a bit before his battle (it couldn't really be called a match, sheer numbers precludes such thought).
'Such cowardice is unseemly for one such as you, my child' says a woman's kindly voice in his ear.
He spins around determined to find out the owner of the voice, there is no-one there, but if he just reached out...
No, he decides. He must focus on the task ahead.
He hears the announcers speaking…
"This next fight is one that's got a lot of people talking, Ron."
"Yes, and some of the comments are not favourable. Mostly the ones coming from the supporters of the Kai Lords."
"Tell us why that is, Ron."
"You see, this next fight is not just a one on one fight. This will be a fight between Kai Lord Rune Dancer and not one giak, not two giaks, not three giaks... but an army of giaks."
"Maybe they figured one giak was too little a challenge for a Kai Lord?"
"Quite possible, Theelor. But some wonder if an army may be a bit much. We're talking over a hundred giaks here. The arena will be flooded."
"Wait a minute Ron... this just in from up high... ah, here we go. It's been decided that only fifty giaks will be allowed to fight at a time. So there you go. Barely an army."
"Still, I couldn't take on fifty giaks."
"You could barely take on one. This is a Kai Lord we're talking about here. They eat giaks for breakfast."
"Eyuh..."
"It's a figure of speech, Ron. My point is that Runedancer, whom I hear is attractive and single, for those ladies in the crowd, should have no trouble taking on any number of giaks. I personally think fifty is too small a number for a Kai Lord."
"And I think you don't give the giaks enough credit, Theelor. Ahem, if I may read from Shadow Fox's Definitive Guide to Enemy Tactics:
'Individually, Giaks are not that tough, and hardly a challenge to higher level PCs. However, giaks have one major advantage: there are a hell of a lot of them. Thus, their strength lies in their groups. While Giaks lack the variety of powerful Special Attacks and Qualities of other Darkspawn (such as the Helghast), they are well disciplined and organized. This is why they make such excellent troops for the Darkland armies, and why they can (and will) make good use of a group of tactics I call gang tactics.'
It goes on for many pages, but to summarize, the giaks are masters of swarm tactics. If I were to guess at what would occur in this upcoming fight, I would say that we will see giaks literally throwing themselves on top of Rune Dancer, smothering him with their sheer weight."
"And I say it takes more than weight to best a Kai Lord."
'And so it is time..
Rune Dancer steps into the arena to the applause of the crowd.
He bows to the announcers in acknowledgement of their introduction, and raises his sword into the air to the screams of the onlookers.
They are getting into more of a frenzy each and every battle it is a thought that is more than a bit unsettling.
Once again, he focuses his thoughts on the upcoming battle. Yes there may only be fifty of the filthy giaks, but he must still be on his guard.
It comes to Rune Dancer that there is no movement in any quarter of the crowd. He hears the voice again.
'Take not these beasts lightly, young Kai. With their numbers, they are a force to be reckoned with. Be careful, as their strength indeed lies in outflanking you. Take heed Rune Dancer and farewell.'
The voice recedes, and yet the flow of time is not as it should be. He sees a movement off to the side. It is that Hazelae, the patron of the tournament.
She nods her head in acknowledgement and smiles.
It is at this point that time returns to normal and he loses sight of the mysterious Hazelae.
Yet the thought of that smile lingers on in his mind. It was not a kindly smile, that one. No, he vowed, he would have to be careful if he ever had to deal with that one up close.
Rune Dancer was ready. The army before him stood in traditional Drakkarim ranks. They wore light armour that he knew his blade, Shocker, would easily tear through them. He was faster, he could take more damage, and he had the god Kai on his side. He also knew that the giaks had a much better chance, with their numbers, of activating the deathtraps all around them. With luck, they would decimate their own numbers. Above all, he was not afraid. Hazelae announced the start of the match. Rune Dancer thought of his fellow kai watching him. Tournament or no, he would not let them down.
“For Sommerlund and the Kai!” he screamed, running full tilt towards the army. As one, the Okak Dez Naj roared their own war cry in their hideous language and charged.
The forces met with a huge clash of metal. Giaks went flying away from Runedancer as his sword sparked against their weapons and shields. He cleared a whole circle around himself with a single swing. And three giaks stayed where they landed. One of the dead let something slip from his fingers. It was the latest issue of PlayGiak. It fell open to the centerfold and Rune Dancer felt a sudden urgent need to vomit.
Suddenly, there were Giaks all over him, taking advantage of his distraction to swarm him. Giak fingers were grasping at his weapon, and he smiled when he heard their shouts of pain. It was a bad idea to wield Shocker without gloves. He decided he’d had enough of Giak sweat. Letting out a vicious cry, he unleashed the full power of his mindblast as he forced his way through the stack of giaks. Bodies went flying. Twelve more giaks slain outright. But it wasn’t without cost. Rune Dancer himself took damage from the massive amount of psychic energy released. A trickle of blood ran down his forehead. He wouldn’t be able to use that power for a while.
There were still many giaks left, and their numbers gave them confidence, as the deaths of their comrades fueled their tempers. They attacked him in droves, but none could get through his defenses. Meanwhile, the little damage they had done him was healed by his Kai Disciplines. He was untouchable. Rune Dancer knew, though, that his stamina was falling. It was time to end this. Jumping back, and spinning his sword around him (five more dead), Rune Dancer yelled a war cry and slammed his sword into the ground. There was a deep rumble and the earth exploded outwards. The Giaks scrambled over eachother to get away, but there was nowhere for them to go. The earth crushed them, or threw them high in the air, taking their lives when they fell. The dust settled. Rune Dancer was alone. Or so he thought. Trembling on the battlefield was a single Giak. Rune Dancer sighed. That move had taken all of his energy. But, in the name of Kai, he retrieved his sword from the ground and prepared to end the match.
What Rune Dancer didn’t realize was the terrible being he had created. It is a lesser known phenomenon that when faced with extremely unfair odds, a single giak will gain the favor of all the gods and goddesses of the universe. And they will be unstoppable. Rune Dancer had created... the Lone Giak.
And the Lone Giak had his own disciplines. The one he used now was an especially volatile one known as the scream. As Rune Dancer came at him, Lone Giak let out a terrified scream of such high pitched wailing that it hit Rune Dancer like a mental blast. This was coupled with another of Lone Giak’s abilities, unluckiness, which made everyone around him extremely unlucky. Thus it was that Rune Dancer fell on his own blade, which he had just charged with his powers so that it was coursing lightning up and down its shaft. Rune Dancer was fried to a crisp within seconds, and Lone Giak shuffled uneasily out of the arena to rejoin his fellows in the stands.
The Plain of Light
On yet another bright, sunny day, in a lovely meadow, there stands a shade. He looks around, taking in the astounding view, never wondering how he got there or what his purpose is here.
He spies a young gelding, who seems a most magnificent specimen. He's not too sure, but he thinks that the horse is waiting for him. He approaches, warily at first, but when the horse whinnies and nudges him, the shade understands that there is nothing to be afraid of.
Instinctively, the shade mounts the steed, who then gallops away from the field, down worn tracks, towards what seems like a castle in the distance. He senses that his mount is taking him there yet not why this is so.
Upon reaching the gate, the shade dismounts and knocks.
There is no answer from within the walls.
A voice from behind startles the shade. Yet, as he turns, he can find no apparent source for it.
'Now is not the time for you, young Rune Dancer. Your mission is not yet fulfilled on the mortal plane. Begone from here with my blessing. Fear not for you go by my grace.'
With these words, the castle and the rest of the scenery fade to blackness.
Somewhere in Aon
Blackness. This body is slowly is acknowledging the return of its controlling mind.
Rune Dancer is concerned with some foreign information assailing his mind from the renewed bond. He uses his healing powers to mentally scout through his body to find out to cause of this.
All appears to be as well as can be, considering he has taken the power of an electrical storm, though his senses are revealing the presence of several objects which seem to be digging into the skin of his left forearm. This, he feels, needs to be investigated.
With a determination borne out of necessity, he forces his eyes open. He is lying on his back in what looks like an infirmary…
An infirmary? As soon as he focuses on the question, the events leading up to the moment he was last conscious come flooding back to him. The Tournament! He had thought he was doing so well against those Giaks, yet the power of that last one was incredible.
He had never heard of such abilities in that lowly race, and decided he would have to consult his superiors on the matter. Thankfully, he thought, the other Kai that were in the delegation to the tournament were probably of sufficient experience to enlighten him and thus negate the need for him to wait until he returned to the monastery.
To more immediate issues first though. Rune Dancer lifted his left arm to discover that it was wrapped in bandages from the elbow down. He had to know what was causing the pain, and there didn’t appear to be any fresh blood on the bandages, so he decided to tear them off. The sight of his revealed arm made him gasp in wonder.
Embedded in his arm were what appeared to be shattered crystals. Their hue was the same bright blue as the crystal used in the sword he had received from his father, Shocker. He used his discipline of sixth sense and, thus, found out that these crystals which now seemed to have become a part of his body were indeed from that fabulous sword.
Although he was sure that the tournament healers will have tried their best to get rid of the shards, he decided to give his skills in healing a try.
Probing within his body, he found the physical connections to the shards and attempted to break them down and thus eject them. What happened was miraculous. He felt the power of his healing being deflected into the shards themselves. He opened his eyes to discover that an aura of electrical fire now surrounded his forearm and the crystals glowed an electric blue.
Rune Dancer withdrew his healing from his forearm and the crystals resumed their previous colour.
He tried prising the shards from his arm with his other hand to no effect. The skin surrounding the crystals rose as if he had pinched some his own flesh.
Curious... certainly, fearsome… definitely, but Rune Dancer vowed that he would find out all he could about these new additions.
Rune Dancer decides to see what he can learn by probing into the crystals with his mind. He projects his psychic power of mindblast into them, and once more the electrical fire surrounds his arm (he is surprised that this does not appear to be hurting him, though he is not one to question good fortune). He gets a response from the shards this time – an image, one of himself holding out his left arm and pointing it at a Giak. Suddenly, a bolt of energy flashes from his hand and into the target, charring and blasting it into little pieces.
A powerful ally to have in the war against the forces of Naar he thinks. Yet I fear that my prowess in combat without arms is severely lacking
With this, another image enters the mind of the young Kai.
Once again he faces off against a Giak. This time Rune Dancer is holding his arm as if he is carrying a sword in his hand. Except that where a sword would be, there is a blade of pure electricity. The Giak charges and, although it seems impossible, the image of Rune Dancer meets its charge with the electric blade, sparks flying when it meets with the blade of the Giak.
An amazing ally indeed muses Rune Dancer. He projects the image of the electrical blade into the shards covering his forearm and, lo, the exact same blade comes into being at his hand. He takes a few practice swings with the blade and notices that it is weightless. He is going to have to practice in order to attain any level of weaponskill in this blade.
Enough of this, thinks Rune Dancer, and he gets up from the bed. He puts thought of what has happened to his arm with the destruction of Shocker to the back of his mind. There is a world out there that hasn't stopped simply because he has taken some time away from it.
He walks out of the tent and hears the cheers of the crowd as Toothillman wins his match. He grabs a passing vendor.
'How long since my match?'
'Not long, my Lord Kai. You have missed only three matches, all of which you will be pleased to know have been won by those who follow the gods of good. Both dwarves and Magus have emerged from the first round triumphant.'
'Thank you, my friend, for the welcome tidings. Now where may I find something to drink?' He strolls off in the indicated directions while keeping an eye on the match between Hawkeye and Frank the wanderer.
Rune Dancer stands in shock as the Supreme Master falls to Frank.
Having been raised in the belief that the Kai were some of the best fighters in Magnamund, his confidence in his abilities is severely shaken.
He notices the filthy Giaks seated on the other side of the stadium and, in a fit of rage, he raises his left hand to them and focuses his mental energy.
Singling one out in the middle of them so at least if he misses he will still hit one of them, he lets fly with his new-found power.
His strike hits his target square yet, with the power unchecked by his emotions, he also takes out another 5 of the despicable breed. They dance around in the thrall of the electrical discharge for a few moments before finally succumbing to the inevitability of death.
He would have to be careful when he used this power again, he thought.
While walking around the stalls after the fight of Hawkeye, Rune Dancer is drawn to a dark alley. A sign above it simply proclaims 'No Dwarves Allowed.'
Curious about why a dwarf would not be allowed, he enters the alley and sees a tent at the end. The door flap is slightly open and an old man's voice comes from within.
'I have been expecting you, young Kai. Please do enter my humble establishment.'
Warily Rune Dancer enters the tent to find rows upon rows of Bor weaponry.
No wonder the sign said no dwarves, thinks Rune Dancer, they would stop at nothing to get their hands on these
'Indeed young Kai,' says the old man, reading his thoughts. 'And now you are here, there is no need for the advertisement outside.' He waves his hand in the air.
'I have often wondered what the Kai could accomplish with such weaponry.'
'I know, and that is why you were allowed in here. I want you to give me an offer for a portion of my wares.'
After a few minutes of intense haggling, the old man holds up his hand.
'I am prepared to sell you 10 sets of this weaponry for your stated price, but only if you can answer my riddle.'
'Fair enough,' replies Rune Dancer. 'Pose your conundrum when you are ready.'
The old man thinks long and hard before deciding on the one he thinks most appropriate.
'Yes, my friend, I think this one should do just fine.' the old man says with a grin.
'In a tunnel of darkness lies a beast of iron. It can only attack when pulled back.What is it, young Kai?' With this he gives a chuckle and sits down on a nearby stool to await the answer.
Rune Dancer listened intently to the old man's riddle, but could not readily identify its solution. He said a prayer to the gods Kai and Ishir, hoping for some divine assistance.
He tried to concentrate on the riddle, but all he could think of was the uses to which he could put the weapons when he got his hands on them. Visions of Kai Lords decimating ranks of Giaks and Drakkarim. The only problem would be the time it took to reload the weapons with their bullets...
As soon as his mind focussed on that thought, he realised that he had the correct answer to the old man's riddle, and a smile ventured onto the face of the Kai. He spoke out loud.
'The answer to your riddle, ancient one, is indeed fitting. It is a bullet!'
'Quite correct, young Lord. Here are the items as agreed.' He hands over the weapons. 'Now that our business is concluded, I hope you don't mind leaving, I have other things to attend to.'
Rune Dancer nods his head and exits the tent to a strange sight.
He is no longer in the alley, nor even in Hammerdal unless that fine city has been blasted since he entered the tent, though he doesn't think that is so.
He has stepped out onto a wasteland. Hearing the sound of the old man's laughter, Rune Dancer turns around to go back into the tent, but to his astonishment, it has gone!
Where is he? A bit confused at this strange turn of events, Rune Dancer starts exploring his new surroundings...
Rune Dancer was stunned. What in Ishir's name had happened to him?
There were no features from which he could take a bearing, so he decided on a direction at random and headed off...
He wondered how the tournament was going, but practicality got the better of him. Why was he here? He did not know, and for now, he decided, it really didn't matter. All that mattered was to get out of this wasteland, and soon. After all, he hadn't packed any provisions and his mastery of hunting was not proving of much use in the immediate vicinity.
Rune Dancer had been walking for what felt like hours. He was beginning to wonder if there was going to be an end to this wasteland.
An interesting thought occurred to him - he was not getting hungry.
Surely if he had, indeed, been walking for such a length of time he would feel some pangs?
Once again, he put this thought to the back of his head and concentrated on moving ahead and hoping that he would be clear of this desolate area soon...
Frustration and exhaustion were beginning to fray the edges of Rune Dancer's determination. There was still no change in the landscape. No features from which to discern direction and distance.
The monotony of putting one foot in front of the other was the only thing that the young Kai could live for. It was only in doing so, he knew, that would provide the only chance of escape from this wasteland.
Although glad of its effect, Rune Dancer was getting increasingly intrigued about his lack of hunger. Though he couldn't be entirely sure, he thought that even an adept of Grand Huntmastery would be hard pressed to find sustenance in this landscape.
Once, he thought he felt a tremor go through the ground. But this was gone before the thought had fully formed in his mind. He crouched close to the surface and tried to attune himself to the area.
After a few minutes, Rune Dancer gave up. If there were any signs to be read from the ground, they were beyond his ability to read.
He resigned himself to get up and continue the journey.
Rune Dancer was exhausted, his feet were dragging up dust with every step he took. He reached the end of his endurance and fell face-first to the ground.
This woke him a bit and he lifted his head to an astonishing sight. As the young Kai picked himself up he noticed, almost immediately, that he couldn't actually see much of anything anymore.
Somehow, in the short space of time he had been on the ground, a dense mist had gathered and obscured any vision further than a few feet in all directions.
Rune Dancer strained his senses to discern if there was anything else amiss in his changed surroundings, but to no avail. Apart from the mist, there was nothing different than from before.
His determination resurfaced and he vowed that a little bit of fog was not going to stop him from getting out of this wasteland.
Rune Dancer had long since lost all track of time, and he was getting tired. He was beginning to lose hope of every coming out of this mist enshrouded wasteland when he noticed a darkening of the mist ahead of him.
There was a shape coming into focus, vaguely human. In his fatigued state, he reached for Shocker, and wondered that his hand did not find it. He looked down and saw the remains of his sword fused with his arm.
He checked for his brace of throwing daggers, finding them brought some satisfaction to him, but he had no other weapons.
The shape was still coming towards Rune Dancer. Whatever it was, it was going to be huge.
He crouched in readiness for combat, not sure if the newcomer was friend or foe, and taking no chances that it should be the latter.
His caution was well placed. Out of the mist emerged a giant of a man, at least eight feet tall and dressed in an antiquated drakkarim armour decorated with spikes along the arms. He reached behind his head, and pulled forth a greatsword with one hand. This was no small feat as the blade must have been five feet long!
With no introduction, the stranger moved forward to attack.
Faster than Rune Dancer would have believed possible for one of such large stature, the drakkar warrior raced forwards and swung his greatsword in an enormous circular motion, its momentum pulling the stranger full circle.
Rune Dancer barely avoided the swipe. Bending backwards at an impossible angle, he looked at the blade as it passed mere inches above his nose.
The young Kai turned his motion into a backflip, bringing out two of his daggers before his feet returned to the ground. He paused to consider the effectiveness of his meagre arsenal. There were few places in his armour that looked likely targets.
No more time for contemplation for the young Kai, though, for the drakkar was on him again and pressing his apparent advantage.
Rune Dancer was a blur of movement, twisting and turning in an effort to dodge the onslaught from his foe. He was getting unnerved by the silence emanating from the warrior opposite, not even a grunt of effort emerged from the spiked helmet.
After one such spectacular spinning dodge, the Kai found himself some distance away from his relentless foe. Not missing the opportunity, he flung the daggers in his hand, one after the other, aiming at the gap above the face plate of the helmet, hoping he could hit the eyes.
Unfortunately, his aim was not true, and both daggers glanced off spikes and spun away to the ground. Thoroughly demoralised by his attack's ineffectiveness, Rune Dancer wiped away beads of sweat from his brow.
The drakkar came in again, but there was no time for dodging. The Kai flung his left arm up to glance the blow away. Sparks showered from the shards, their light seemingly disorienting the warrior. Taking the opening given by the drakkar's pause, Rune Dancer caught hold of his foe's armour and sent waves of electrical energy coursing through his arm and into his opponent.
The metal armour of the drakkar conducted this electrical energy through it, making it enter his body at all points. Soon the greatsword dropped from the warriors hand, clanging to the ground.
Smoke drifts out from the drakkar, who, strangely enough, begins to melt into nothingness. Staring in shock, Rune Dancer wondered what was happening.
Soon, all that was left of his opponent was a ghostly presence, which began flying round in circles. It paused in front of Rune Dancer as if pondering what to do next.
Suddenly, it swooped at the young Kai, whose attempts at dodging proved futile. As soon as the presence touched Rune Dancer, it faded away entirely, leaving him standing in shocked wonder at what had happened.
More movement at the edges of his vision. Rune Dancer is on his guard again as the shades come into view, hundreds of them appearing to be from all parts of Magnamund.
Representatives of both good and evil are there at the edge of the mist. He recognises several shades in ghostly robes reminiscent of those worn by Brothers of the Crystal Star. Not too far from them he spies adepts from the other side of magic, the nadziranim. Vakeros warriors, drakkarim, cener druids, shianti, and many other factions are represented in the host.
Suddenly a shade steps forward from the group. He appears as a Kai of the First Order. One of the those legendary warriors of the previous founding of the Kai. He bows to Rune Dancer before holding his quarterstaff on high.
This will be your greatest test yet, young one comes a telepathic message from the Kai shade. With this he begins to spin the staff above his head, faster and faster until it is a blur of motion.
A whirlwind is beginning to form above the two Kai, pulling at the forms of the shades surrounding them. Without warning, the cyclone envelops all of the shades and centres around Rune Dancer.
Standing at the eye of the whirlwind was daunting enough, but moments later, the walls closed in on the helpless youngster. Then the circling shades struck him and the winds ceased with no outward sign of anything untoward.
As before, though, Rune Dancer knew that he had somehow absorbed those shades. They were definitely there within him, just outside his mental reach, but still there.
It was worrying to Rune Dancer that he was now playing host to these beings. He couldn't begin to fathom the why and how this had happened, and the others were being quiet. He could still feel their presence.
Without warning, the world began spinning around him so fast that everything was a blur. He could not even see the ground beneath his feet.
'Yes, that should do.' says a feminine voice, and the spinning slows to a stop to show that Rune Dancer is now atop a mountain. He can see an ocean below him to the front, The mountains continue to his right and behind, and there is a river running through the verdant land to his left.
Thoughts of how he could get down from his high perch fled his mind when suddenly he was not alone. Standing beside him was the most striking woman he had ever met.
Long, flowing tresses of blond hair framed her face, which contained an aquiline nose, thin lips, elfin eyebrows and piercing emerald eyes. She was almost unnaturally slim and stood almost a foot taller than the stunned Kai. She was wearing robes of the purest white.
'You are wondering why this is happening to you, young Kai,' and at Rune Dancer's nod she continued. 'But first let me introduce myself.'
'I was called K'Vel. And yes, you heard me correctly... WAS. My people were not of this Magnamund of which you call home. The darkness of evil has long since overcome my world and I have been forced to watch other worlds fall whilst in the prison created in the psyche of the Mother.'
'Mother..' replied Rune Dancer. 'Who is this Mother?'
'Your world has yet to witness this evil, yet she is here already. All of us that are now joined with you have been held captive by the power of the Mother.
'Now, thanks to you, we have been set free from her. I would like to offer a truce between us, as I can see that you are filled with the light of goodness.'
Though wary of this woman, Rune Dancer still nods his assent.
Sensing his apprehension, K'Vel says 'Fear not, young Kai, for you have nothing to fear from me, and I will help you to deal with those within that are not so friendly.
'But, now let us get back to the real world, shall we?' With this she waves her hands in the air and the world starts spinning again.
Like a swimmer breaking the surface after a long time spent underwater, Rune Dancer gasped for breath. He sat bolt upright and saw what he could only think of as a hospital. A banner on one wall proclaimed the Sisters of Ishir. He had heard of the name before, it was a sect of healers from his own world.
Magnamund! He had returned to his beloved land!
Not quite young Kai, for you never left it. You have been trapped within your mind with us. Luckily together we have proven strong enough to break the barrier that forbade us back into the realm of the living.
A flash of memory... The Tournament! He looked down at his left arm and the shards of crystal that were now embedded there. He felt again the loss of the magnificent sword given to him by his father.
He focussed his mental energy on creating that mind blade that had appeared once before. This time, he could feel the assistance of K'Vel from within, boosting his powers. A wondrous blade of golden light came into being.
Smiling with great satisfaction, Rune Dancer leapt from his cot and raced out of the hospital.
He asked a passerby on the status of the tournament, and was told that there was only one fight left - the final between Dark Sonar and the Giaks. He had missed so much of the tournament, he would not miss this.
The glazed eyes of the common folk were beginning to wear thin on the young Kai. What was really happening here?
He ran up to the entrance to the stadium, which was guarded now in readiness for the final combat.
'Halt!' Yelled one of their number. 'You may not pass. Under order of the illustrious Hazelae, no more may enter!'
'I do believe you are mistaken, good sir.' replied Rune Dancer, who strode towards the entrance.
Not intimidated in the least by the presence of one young Kai, the guards drew their weapons and wielded them menacingly.
'If that's the way you want it,' says K'Vel, who had rushed to the fore to help. A flood of psychic energy pours out from their body and washes over the defenceless guards.
All 20 of them are flung far and wide out of Rune Dancer's path, some get as far as the mountain peaks surrounding Hammerdal.
The Kai Lord walks into the stadium without further trouble.
As amazing as the battle in the arena was turning out to be, another one was beginning in the mind of the Kai, Rune Dancer.
The various entities were now openly arguing amongst themselves with K'Vel and Kaggaz-Ziran as the foci for the factions of good and evil.
The resultant power struggle was not confined within Rune Dancer, for anyone looking at him would see that strange energies were being unleashed.
He was floating in the air and looked as if he was being buffeted by a breeze from below. Lightning was snaking up and down his body. Runes appeared and began circulating his head. And an inhuman moan escaped his mouth.
We have had enough of this, said Adez Kookar. We have an excellent opportunity to return fully to our world.
YOUR world, replies K'Vel, and besides what would happen to your comrades if you were to defeat us? You want to control this body, but there would still be more than just you. You would not be content with that.
That may be so, but at least we can get rid of you! With these words, the battle began in earnest. Soon, all were arrayed against their corresponding number from the other faction. Every time one was defeated, they became as a mist surrounding the battlefield.
It came down to the last two. Not surprisingly they were the two leaders, K'Vel and Kaggaz-Ziran.
The supernatural effects surrounding Rune Dancer had grown exponentially as the internal battle wore on. Now there was no mistaking the presence of the young Kai. He could be seen by everyone. Storm clouds were concentrating in the air around him. Lightning was shooting out in every direction. Flags were set alight as bursts of flame shot out from him. The clouds begin to swirl into a vortex with Rune Dancer at its centre, the winds threatening to tear down the stands closest to him.
Suddenly it was all over. The psychic energy released by K'Vel crossed with the magical energy sent forth by Kaggaz-Ziran. They met in an explosion of energy that destroyed both of them.
Rune Dancer absorbed the energy with a sense of awe. He felt stronger than ever. No longer just a Kai, he was something much more. He could feel knowledge flowing into him - the psychic powers of K'Vel, the magical powers of Kaggaz-Ziran, the stamina and strength of Adez Kookar, and the abilities of those others who made up his little community within.
He also absorbed the powerful energies from without. The runes that were circling him crashed into his body, where they physically manifested as if tattooed into his skin. Here they glowed a soft golden hue. Lightning continually snaked up and down his left arm.
These powers all belonged to him now. A lesser man may have succumbed to the promise of the sheer power thus granted. Not Rune Dancer. He was truly a son of Kai.
He was ready for whatever fate had decreed he would encounter.
A scream spikes its way into Rune Dancer's mind. It was weak, but he could still recognise who it came from. The commoner known as Dharn. That one was a scion of Kai, who should have been trained at the monastery. The Kai was honour-bound to save Dharn.
He focussed on the scream to discern a location. The infirmary. Using his new-found powers he concentrated and, within the space of a heartbeat, he was there.
He reached out at the form on top of Dharn, and sent a wave of energy at it, flinging it across the room to land in a heap by the doorway.
'My Love, nooooooo!' cried Dharn as he saw Madelene leave his side.
Love? Thought the Kai, as he analysed the source of Dharn's anguish. He was in love with that undead.
Alarmed, the other 'nurses' who were working on those unfortunate to still need care, went into motion. Revealing their true identities, they rushed at Rune Dancer, intent on overpowering him with their sheer numbers.
Unfortunately for them, he was ready. A nimbus of lightning surrounded him and he met their charge. The fight was over in seconds, he had disintegrated them all, save Madelene.
He approached her, and laid his hands on her again, praying to the Gods Kai and Ishir for their divine assistance. They heard his plea, magnifying his healing skills a thousand fold. Madelene was engulfed in a golden glow.
Moments passed like hours for the anguished Dharn, who didn't know what was happening to his love. He stumbled out of his bed and slowly made his way over to Rune Dancer.
As soon as Dharn made it, the light around Madelene faded to reveal that she was whole again.
She opened her eyes and looked around her in confusion. She noticed Dharn looking at her and walked over to him. 'Do I know you, good sir?' she asked. She looked magnificent, more than alive and Dharn could not believe his eyes.
Glad that he could be of assistance, Rune Dancer lastly sends waves of curing energy to all those within the infirmary, speeding up their healing.
That done, Rune Dancer decides it is time to return to the arena.
