The Winds of Death
As the Arch-Magus sat in his tower looking into his scrying bowl he sensed a shift
in the sands of time. "A black wind has begun to stir." Said the Arch-Magus. "Oh are you
still blowing that old horn?" A high pitched voice said with a childish giggle. A ball of
glittering light came out of the shadows. "Aria... remember your place! Although you are
given free roam of the mage's part of Cariac Castle I could send you back to the 'boring'
place you call the 'Boring as the Arch-Magus conversations'? He said the last part while
rasing his eyebrow. The small form's light dimmed a bit. "...sorry Gareth but isn't that your
son?" Gareth simply nodded. "Kaz might not know it now but he and his allies might be the
only ones who can stop the ill winds that kill all in their path... Shryak!!" He uttered the
magic words and the enchanted orb nearby lit up. "This is all up to you Kaz. Please don't
fail me."
Kaz slipped and fell in the mud trying to play 'Catch the Spy' "Haha! Look at Kaz the Mazze
trying to catch me!" Kaz kept silent as a stocky ball with short stubby legs and a red beard
bowled over John. "Watch out because next time it won't be playful!" The dwarf named
Bruenor Battlehammer said as he bowled over the youth. Although the dwarf was only 18
he was only 7-9 in rock dwarf years. Rock dwarves lived the longest out of all the dwaves.
Rock dwarves were said to be a plaything that Hrothgar invented on the Celestial forge.
Hrothgar was making metal figurines one day but it fell into the stream of life his sister made.
The god then picked it up and put it in his keepsake until the day came were his sister made
the world filled with life. His condition was that they could never use healing and only do
drinking, war and metalsmithing. Naive as Reverie was, she saw that as a punishment.
Bruenor walked over to the weak and muddy youth who happened to be his best friend
and held out his hand in a offer to help him up. "You ok lad?" Kaz mockingly laughed.
"Lad?! I'm the same age as you if not two months older!" "I know..." Bruenor said with
a hurt look. "I'm joking, you are a good friend if not a good adopted brother Brew."
Kaz smiled as Bruenors face lit up completely as Kaz used the childhood name given
to Bruenor for his fondness of dwarven spirits. Particularly rockbreaker, a drink that
could knock anyone but the most experienced drinkers out cold. "Why don't you join
me with axe training today? Rogarth... I mean dad would love for you to join! You
know he always considered you his son. He always loved you as one of his own
since... well... your parents vanished." Kaz tried not to let his feelings get the best of
him as he remembered being out on the street and the kindly dwarf who almost as
dirty as his in the bleak day, seeming to brightening the day with his warm glow of
a smile. Even though it was stained to the tip with soot and singe marks. Bruenor
hopefully awaited Kaz' answer but remembering to keep his face stubborn
unsuccessfully. "No thanks Brew I think I'll practice the Longbow and darts again.
I'm not built for close combat like you are." Kaz didn't dare say the profession that
he wanted to be because even though Kaz was like brother to Bruenor, he was afraid
that he might be rejected because dwarves hated magic. "I'm going to train with
The'elenth'thil today." Bruenor spat on the ground. "Ptui! Wood elves. The lot of them
can kiss my arse. Too willful... Nothing like the steady personality of a dwarf." "I know
friend but he is the best around here in ranged weapons." Bruenor smiled and said. "Just
don't become like him. I don't want you to change." A rare moment of compassion shown
through the mudstained beard as Bruenor lumbered off. "Alright now..." He turned around
and walked towards the Forest of Abyss. It was rumored to have many evil and strong
monsters in there but every time he went in nothing bothered him except for the nagging
feeling that someone was watching him. Yet even though it bugged him he could sense
that the ever vigilant presence was benign. He thought to himself as he felt the unknown
eyes penetrate his calmness again. Nearby he could see the house that could be mistaken
for a tree in the distance. The house wasn't made out of tree's; It was the tree. "Elves and
their funny traditions." He said as he heard a familiar twang of a bowstring. Kaz spun
around and swiped his deft hand quickly through the air, grabbing the arrow that was
inches from his face. "Nice catch... Never failed me yet young one." He looked as a elf with
animal like eyes and bark coloured body came out of the forest. "This arrow was real!!! You
could have killed me!!!" The elf arched his eyebrows. "Ah! But I didn't. I have faith in you."
Kaz sighed at the weird way the elf had a way with words. "I'm here to train." Kaz said
flatly. "Of course you are. Are you ever here for anything else? Bring Bruenor next time.
I enjoy his company even though he hates me." "He doesn't hate you. He just hates showing
that he's friends with a elf." "Or is he?" The'elenth'thil said with a wink. Kaz threw his hands
up in resignation. "Okay... okay I give up you win!" The'elenth'thil smiled impishly. "I do so
enjoy these verbal sparring matches." Kaz smiled but waited for The'elenth'thil to tell him to
begin training as he was taugh when he was 9. "So what are we waiting for? We have to train!
I have to get ready to train the rangers at Kierstaad and you have to train with a bow so that
when your a mage and run out of spells you can rely on the Yew longbow I gave you." Kaz
nodded and put his hand on a nearby tree. "Woodseeker I call you from your sleep to
help me so that I may protect myself in my time of need." The bow seemed to mold itself
out of the wood and form itself into a Yew bow that seemed to be still living wood. "I still can't
believe that Woodseeker chose me as it's master." The'elenth'thil sullenly nodded. "Although
I can't see what the future holds it seems to think you're destined for great things. Or else
It wouldn't have chosen you." Kaz nodded going into the calm, meditative state he used when
he would train. His mind would seem to discard the misfires and missed shots and absorb the
excellent and good shots. As if he would absorb the skill he learned with each shot.
Woodseeker gently vibrated with excitement. "It want's to see what training you have for me
today." Kaz said emotionlessly. The'elenth'thil motioned for him to follow and said. "I've set
up the best training today. No other pupil I've ever taught has been able to master it. Let alone
a soon-to-be apprentice wizard." The last comment was meant to be a challenge other than
a insult. "Excellent." Kaz was motioned to stop as they came to a clearing. "Wait here. The
training will begin shortly." The'elenth'thil walked into the woods, seeming to melt through the
trees, as befitting as a wood elf. The elf heard a thump behind himself and spun around rolling
to the side as poisoned darts hit the ground just inches away as Kaz fired a fire enchanted arrow
the magically seemed to appear in his hands hitting the conjured spitter a few inches away. As
the bush went up in flames he heard a growl behind him. Kaz ducked as a muscular blur flew
over top of him and agilely landed to his left. Kaz kneeled firing two magically conjured arrows
hitting the side of the cougars body. Burning flesh seared itself into his nostrils threatening to
break his concentration. But his trance was magically enhanced by the body. 'Avoid contact.
Precision. Kill. No remorse. Until no one is left.' He emotionlessly said. The cougar leaped
but Kaz flicked his wrist out in the direction of the cougar and three darts buried themselves in
the animals jugular. A bloody foam worked itself up through the cougars throat and onto the
ground as the taut body collapsed in death only to dissappear. "Well done.. You have
defeated my most powerful beast." 'Wound. Maim. Kill. It's all the same' Kaz said quietly as
The'elenth'thil walked up to him. "... huh? Oh sorry. I went a little too deep this time. I won't let
this bow control me." It vibrated contentedly as The'elenth'thil sighed. "Well done if you have
what it takes you might be the first wizard to master the bow. It is time for you to head home.
Rothgar will be worried and tomorrow we head to Kierstaad. You will begin your training as
a wizard there and will be in a 5 person group. One magic user, one stealth specialist, one
unarmed specialist, one fighter, and one healer. If you all pass the training you will go your
own separate ways or will work together for the betterment of humanity. It's your choice."
Kaz smiled and waved goodbye. "See you at Kierstaad." He said as when he walked out
of his line of sight he was instantly aware of the eyes again. "H-hello?!" He said as he heard
feet over to his left. Kaz quickly ran towards Rothgar's home and slowed as he neared the
town. Just before he exited the town he caught a whiff of jasmine. Now that he finally ended
his training he thought of the presence and figured it wasn't all that bad. That it was why no
monsters ever attacked him. "So goodbye forest..." He said walking home. "Home." Did
he have a home or was it some conjured illusion. "No, not an illusion. My life is what I
make it... Not free to be molded by some benevolent god. Maridian... If you give me the
power to become a mage I will devote my life to training. I will do deeds in your name
and defend the weak even unto death." He said as his vision blurred and he fell unconcious. His eyes
opened and he saw himself in a lavishly decorated room. Yet as pretty as it was he could
sense a deadly yet calm grace the room had. "Will you?" An all too smooth voice said.
"Who..." He was cut short by the voice again. "If what you say is true will you devote
your services in exchange for the ability to gain power far beyond that of any mortal
wizard?" Kaz stared openmouthed at the lean man in a set of lavish leather armour
that looked to be magical. "You... A-are you..?" The man sighed tossing the dagger
he had been playing with across the room hitting the coat of arms directly in the
center. "...Bored. Yes I am bored. You are the first mortal to ever recognize me
as the god I am." Maridian said with a hautiness that reminded him of a wizard,
yet the smoothness of a assassin. "My god." Maridian looked over. "You called?
Oh don't worry I won't smite you. That's more of a job for my sister. But I am
interested in... 'helping' you." Kaz stood up. Even though he wasn't a dwarf the
personality did 'rub off' on him. "Of course you are." Maridian smiled and mockingly
laughed. "Just like me a century ago. Fine I will give you the ability to be a great
wizard but remember. Everything comes at a price..." The god paused then said.
"And forget that part about 'unto death.' Your no good if your dead." The god
waved his hand and the place vanished and he was standing in front of Rothgar's
house every bit as dizzy and disoriented as when he came to the gods throne room.
He looked down at his wrist which seemed to be throbbing. "Ow I think I sprained it."
He said to himself. Around his right wrist was a chain. On his left wrist was the same
thing but it was significantly different in a subtle way. It had a chain going around but on
the top of his wrist the chain had snapped. "Chained down yet free to escape. Very funny.
Did you just think of that?" He walked foreword but tripped on a rock. He could hear a
slight laugh as silent as the wind. "I hope I don't regret this." He said to someone he knew
was listening as he walked into the house. "'Bout time ye' got home. I was worried to death.
Not that I cared..." Kaz smiled and accepted the reluctant dwarfs hug. "At least I'll be safe
with dad... I mean you protecting the caravans on the trip to Kierstaad." Rothgar didn't know
that it wasn't a slip-up to make Rothgar happy but Rothgar's smiled nearly looked as if it
would break his face in half. As comical as it was he knew that in his heart he really did
mean to say it. "Get ye' skinny arse over 'ere. Tonight we have a roast in hopes that we'll
all pass initiation." Kaz smiled knowing that it was just an excuse becaus he was so happy.
Kaz sighed and helped get stuff ready until supper was ready.
--------Next Day---------
Kaz woke up with a headache. "Damn that dwarven wine and damn him for being so
cheerful. He quickly got up and threw the cover off and went to wake the sleeping dwarfs.
"Hey!! Wake up!!!" Kaz yelled to no avail. "Damn and double damn! They're out cold!"
He then came up with a devious idea. "If we don't hurry all the dwarven ale will be gone
before we get there." He said quietly. "OVER OUR DEAD BODIES!!!" They said yelling
As they woke up with a start. "Then hurry up and get ready." He said to the flustered
dwarves. "Or else will be late. I'll meet you at the caravan." He said running out the door as
the dwarves rushed to put on their armour. The dwarves literally shook the house in a effort to
make it to the caravans. Kaz silently loped over to the edge of the town were most of the
people were gathered. As the dwarves ran up to the caravans he heard everyone go silent and
wait for Rothgar to say what will happen. "Okay... Everybody 'ere? Good! On the trip to
Kierstaad we'll stop at a supply place to get some supplies for your chosen area of expertise
that you will join."
X_Kei Kurono_X Community Member 
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