Curse

storm of daeth · Mar 16, 2006, 02:27 AM // 02:27

dude there are crazy good i can't wait till he finds the mursatt thats gonna be good

Goats17 · Mar 16, 2006, 04:46 AM // 04:46

I have a question, I have been wanting to do a story with Kratos for a while.... and your 'Dark Ele' (Mursaat) tower, which if I'm not mistaken, can move around. I have an idea for a story, but I need your approval to borrow the tower.

d3kst3r · Mar 17, 2006, 12:34 AM // 00:34

Yeah sure so long as you give mention to me in your work.

History of the Tower:
The Dark Ele's are a secretive bunch of humans who's ancestors were trained by the Mursaat in the ways of powerful magic and who have sworn a blood oath to defend the Tower with their lives and any subsequent generations of their bloodline. The Tower can't really move around but it's close to impossible for anyone to find. It's situated in a valley surrounded by impassable mountains and there are only two entrances to this valley from the outside world. The first is the front way which is through a secret passage at the foot of a mountain however the passage is invisible to the naked eye as it is guarded by powerful illusionary magic. The only reason Aiden and his friends were able to find it was because the Mursaat disabled the illusion to allow them to enter. The other entrance is at the very back of the valley where there is an extremely narrow passage leading to the desert.
Throughout history the Mursaat have allowed a handful of outsiders to enter the Tower only to help them fulfill certain destinies which the gods have planned. However as soon as outsiders leave the valley, a powerful illusion spell causes them to forget having been there. Thus nobody who has actually been to the Tower can remember it.
The Tower is mainly used by Dekster (a play on words with my forum name) who is a Mursaat known as the Keeper of Records. At the top of the tower is this room surrounded by magic mirrors which allow the Keeper of Records to see lands far, far away and watch events unfold. Everything that occurs gets written into books and thus the history of the world is recorded from the Tower.
Several centuries ago however the Tower was not closed off to the outside world and the early human race were suspicious of what the Dark Ele's were up to. This fear of the unknown eventually led them to create a massive army composing of hundreds of thousands of people to try and capture the Tower and unravel its secrets. However the hundred or so Dark Ele's stood their ground in the Tower and rained down fire and storm and destroying this army in a staggering display of power and destruction. With such a huge loss of life, the Dark Ele's vowed never to set foot in the outside world and thus the reason why the valley is sealed off today.

Goats17 · Mar 17, 2006, 02:42 AM // 02:42

Aah, thanks. I see..........hmmm, I wonder. Hm, how can I make that work.......

d3kst3r · Mar 18, 2006, 06:43 AM // 06:43

Five

Mhenlo cried as he gazed upon the ruins of his parents house. Stone and marble had been turned to black ash and death. The darkness of night over post-Searing Ascalon was uncannily gloomy and dark. Red dust blew through the cold silent wind as the survivors camped around fires to keep them warm and ate sparingly what little food they had left.

“I think we should go talk to him,” Cynn said pointing at Mhenlo whose hands were no pitch black from digging through the ruins.

“He needs his time alone,” Aidan replied thoughfully rubbing his hands together near the fire. “Let him be.”

Little Thom had left them to go find his family among the ruins and was overjoyed when he found them. Tears had streamed down his eyes as he spotted aunts and uncles who had survived the Searing.

“Thankyou for rescuing me and taking me this far,” Little Thom had said to Aidan. “I’m forever in your debt and if you ever need my assistance I will always be glad to offer it.”

The two men gave each other a friendly embrace, Thom kissed Cynn on the cheek and waved them all goodbye.
Mhenlo however was another story. Upon returning home he found it burnt down. Asking the survivors around frantically he had discovered that his parents had died defending against the Charr. From that point on he rarely spoke.

“The fire is going out,” said Cynn. “But I feel as though if I focus on it hard enough I can keep it lit.”

“You’re starting to become an elementalist,” Aidan replied. “Come on, we need a good night’s rest. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

Only a few fires burned through Ascalon throughout the cold dark night and the morning wasn’t much better. The red sky and the blood red horizon was a constant reminder of the chaos that they lived in. Every single resident of Ascalon had lost a friend, relative or someone they knew to the Searing. All they had left was their land and their small possessions and they were all determined to hold onto what was left.
They awoke to the sound of a messenger from Kryta who was going around sending word that they needed people to go help fight against the Charr.
Clean clothes and tanned skin marked him immediately as someone from Kryta and Aidan drearily opened an eye to see what all the commotion was about.

“The Charr are coming towards Kryta. We request your help and assistance and we will provide you with both food and shelter in exchange for your help,” the messenger said as he walked around the camps.

People eyed the Krytan suspiciously, some openly spat at him with disgust.

“Look around fool! Can’t you see what we’re in?” spat one disgruntled survivor.

“Go back to Kryta and ask them why they didn’t send help to us!” another spat.

A very young woman with blonde hair approached the messenger. She wore stained royal armor and carried a heavy hammer. A determined look was in her eyes as she spoke.

“I’ll go. Sign me up,” she said without any hesitation.

“Devona!” said Aidan as he got up from where he was resting and rushed to her.

A warm smile crossed her face at his sight and she gave him a hug amid all the gloominess.

“I’m so glad you’re alive,” she said to Aidan. “And you’ve grown so much. Last time I saw you, you didn’t have any hair on your face and you were hunting Skale down by the river.”

Aidan remembered that day clearly like it was last week. Devona, who was a girl back then was already showing signs of strength and reminded them all of her father. There had been a Skale infestation down by the river and the farmers had been complaining that their children couldn’t go there to play during the hot days due to it and so Devona had enlisted the help of her childhood friend Aidan.

“I bet I can kill more Skale than you,” she teased.

“My bow shoots faster than you can swing that hammer. You do the maths,” he replied arrogantly.

And together they went down to the river and began hunting the Skale like it was a race. At the start Aidan thought he was going to win. He had killed over a dozen Skale when Devona had only taken out a handful. But soon his arm began to strain and his arrows began to run out while Devona kept swinging her hammer at them like there was nothing difficult about it at all.
In the end Devona won.

“What’s the matter? Not strong enough to use that bow anymore?” she teased as they walked back to farmer Dirk’s farm.

“I let you win because I’m a gentlemen,” he replied smugly and began to run back to the farmhouse as fast as he could.

Devona couldn’t keep up since Aidan was a lot older and quicker than her and was left trailing behind.

“Well at least I’m stronger than you! And I’m only a girl so what does that say huh?” she yelled as Aidan ran like the wind.

A smile appeared on Aidan’s lips as the memories flooded back.

“You’ve changed a lot,” he replied. “You’re still young but you look like a formidable warrior.”

“All the fighting… It’s changed us all,” she said now looking away to her side.

Mhenlo and Cynn both approached them and gazed at Devona. She looked almost out of place in her heavy armour and powerful hammer for beneath it was an athletic young woman who was of royal descent.

“Let me introduce my friends. This is Cynn and this is Mhenlo.”

“Mhenlo… I’ve heard that name before,” she spoke then gave him a concerned look. “I’m so sorry about what happened to your parents.”

“I’ve said my blessings to Dwayna. She will look after them,” he said with sadness in his voice.

There was an awkward moment of pause as Mhenlo stared down at the ground beneath him.
To break the silence, Cynn cheekily made a small flame materialise at the tip of her fingertip.

“I see you’re a very young elementalist,” Devona smiled at Cynn.

“I’m slowly learning but one day I’ll be able to help defend my friends,” she replied as the flicker of flame turned into small phoenix which flew around in her palm and then dissipated.

“When did you learn to do that?” Aidan asked surprised.

“It’s beginning to come to me naturally,” she replied. “Every day I feel like I can latch on the thread easier and shape it into more complicated patterns.”

Aidan had known that Cynn’s powers were developing rapidly but was surprised at just how far she had gotten with them.

“Are they coming with you?” the messenger from Kryta interrupted them abruptly.

Aidan looked at the group he had made. Mhenlo looked up at Aidan with a determined glance, angry and vengeful towards the Charr at what they had done to him. Cynn would follow Aidan where ever he went and Devona was already committed to it.
That only left Aidan. He had some doubts in the back of his mind but then he thought about all those who had died at Arah.

“Sign us all up,” he said. “The Charr are going to pay for what they’ve done.”

storm of daeth · Mar 19, 2006, 11:49 PM // 23:49

awesome cant wait for the next chapter

kais · Mar 22, 2006, 09:55 AM // 09:55

very good, cant wait for the next chapter.
btw, the ranger is named Aidan or Aiden? I ve seen both, and I m wondering if theres 2 ways of writting his name.

Goats17 · Mar 22, 2006, 11:38 PM // 23:38

Aidan methinks.

d3kst3r · Mar 24, 2006, 12:20 PM // 12:20

Six

A wild fever plagued Saul D’Alessio’s mind as he walked through the jungle, his thoughts a blur. Once again he found himself in exile, but this time it was self imposed. The madness of the world had cracked his fragile inner mind’s eye. Hungry, starving and thirsty, he stumbled through the jungle muttering incomprehensible words and losing his mind.

“She died to save me… She died to save me…” he repeated over and over again.

During the days he would walk wearily and without direction, his eyes blood shot and his body dying. During the nights he would forget who he was and where he was and he would lose sense and track of time as the moon taunted him in his madness.
The sun was equally unforgiving as it drained his body of fluid and burnt his skin dark. Sometimes it would rain, the sheer weight of the raindrops themselves would cause him to stumble and fall and speak words feverishly.

“Murderer… I’m a murderer,” he mumbled as the rain drops pierced into him sending him into oblivion.

The insects buzzed across his head furthering his madness with their bizarre noises and he wondered several times why he had not died already.
Wracked with guilt and self hate, he lingered through the world like a man waiting for death to put him out of his misery.
For days he walked without purpose and without destination until one day, in his insane state he stumbled on what appeared to be a city made of silver with towers reaching up towards the clouds. The city shone under the sun as though it were made by the architects of heaven. For a moment he truly believed he had died.
All around him, these mysterious beings travelled around this city, their feet barely touching the ground as they floated. These beings wore golden clothing and masks which hid their faces. Black tentacle like appendages grew on their backs like wings that fluttered them through the air.

“I’m insane,” he muttered to himself.

He dropped to his knees, his forehead touching the ground and in that state, he kissed the ground before the feet of these creatures as though worshipping them. Then he passed out from exhaustion.
His mind drifted through the darkness of the oncoming days like a bottle washed out at sea. He could make out faint voices in his head.

“Destiny…”

“You have arrived…”

“It is your time…”

“You are living among the days of legend and history…”

The voices seemed like rasps floating in the wind, barely audible yet vaguely intelligent.
And then he awoke.

“Gran?” he muttered looking around his surroundings.

He gazed around and saw the room was made of silver, outside a window he could see clear blue sky. The furniture was lavishly decorated and fit for a king. On the desks were old tomes and scrolls.

“I must be dead,” he said to himself as he got out of bed and went to the balcony.

Gazing through the darkness he thought he saw bizarre figures that were not altogether human.

“Where in Tyria am I?” he asked himself.

“You are in the City of Gold, Tenzin” replied a voice booming and echoing as though divine. “The pinnacle of Myrsaat civilization hidden away from the mortal world.”

Saul turned and saw a tall creature like what he had seen in his madness floating beside him.

“What are you?” he asked glancing upon the bizarre creature dressed in gold that was twice the size of a human and emanated magic from its being.

“I am Myrsaat.”

“Myrsaat?”

“We are the caretakers of the world, created by the gods to do just this duty.”

Saul was in awe, it seemed everything was made of gold and silver and of such a grand scale as he had never seen before. And these creatures had never been seen before in the kingdom of mankind and yet they had build such big civilizations unseen by humans for centuries.

“Why has nobody ever found this place before?” asked Saul.

“We who do not wish to be found will not be found. You were brought to us by fate.”

“Fate?”

“Destiny. I am Ryzon, the Keeper of Balance and although I have not set foot in Tenzin for almost two centuries, I have returned under dire consequences.”

“What has this got to do with me?”

“The Charr have invaded the human lands and are proceeding to destroy the final human kingdom in this continent. The laws set by the gods states that the Charr are only allowed to destroy Ascalon and no further.”

“And what of Orr? Didn’t the Charr do that?”

“The humans destroyed Arah in accordance to other laws set by the gods and so the Charr can take no responsibility in that. However they have decided to breach the laws by heading to Kryta and we, the Myrsaat must make sure the laws are obeyed.”

“Again, why are you telling me this?”

Ryzon did not respond.

“I don’t want to be here. I want to die in the wild alone and out of sight,” said Saul. “To go on living is too much of a strain.”

“Those who accept death become infinitely more wise,” said Ryzon. “However your death will have to wait.”

“Again, I wish to know why I am here.”

“You have an ancient blood line D’Alessio. Your earliest ancestors were some of the most powerful kings of this world. And now look at how pitiful you’ve become,” Ryzon gazed upon him in disdain. “There is great power in your bloodline that you have yet to unlock.”

“My ancestors were kings?” Saul said in disbelief. “I was a gambler, a thief, a drunk, a murderer, a farmer. People have sacrificed their lives to safe me and yet I did not deserve life. I have lived a wicked life that I am not proud of and yet I cannot even die in peace.” There was a deep hopelessness in Saul’s voice.

“Fate has brought you to us. You will find redemption!” Ryzon’s voice boomed suddenly shaking Saul out of his self pity.

Ryzon’s long arm grabbed Saul by the shirt and flung him against the wall in a rage that was a mix of anger and loathing at what Saul had become.

“You will find redemption here or you will die!”

Slowly, Saul got off the ground and rubbed his wounds. His mind was a daze of confusion.

“What do you want from me?” he asked looking like a broken and pitiful creature that had lost the will to live.

Ryzon did not answer but turned and began to leave through the ornately decorated door that would have fetched thousands of gold pieces in Lion’s Arch.

“You will be fed and you will regain your strength. And after that you will begin training.”

“Training?” Saul asked puzzled.

storm of daeth · Mar 25, 2006, 12:21 AM // 00:21

awesome work

Goats17 · Mar 26, 2006, 06:51 PM // 18:51

Wow, awesome as always.

storm of daeth · Mar 30, 2006, 01:36 AM // 01:36

i had to bump this it was getting really low

Goats17 · Mar 30, 2006, 11:34 PM // 23:34

Yes, it is isnt it? That being said. Bump

storm of daeth · Apr 04, 2006, 01:04 AM // 01:04

bump yes again i found this rotting on the second page d3kst3r if your out there plz post on this!!

d3kst3r · Apr 08, 2006, 01:48 AM // 01:48

Seven

Four weary travellers and a few dozen more Ascalonians arrived wearily at Lion’s Arch, the main town of Kryta. They had journeyed for several days without much rest to a place where every day might be their last. And all this was done to avenge their loved ones who had perished from the great Charr invasion.

“Welcome to Kryta, we thank you whole heartedly for coming,” said Sergio as he lead them into the Keep, the inner sanctum of the biggest settlement in Kryta.

There they were served a grand meal and feasted whole heartedly at a large table that had been set for them.

“I’ve never been to Kryta before,” spoke Cynn as she ate a piece of steak hungrily.

“I was here once in my early childhood… I was an ambassador for Ascalon,” said Devona. “Mhenlo, why don’t you have anything to eat?”

“I despise the consumption of animal meat,” he replied with much disdain causing Aidan to laugh at that remark.

“You may however us humans were designed to eat flesh. It is essential for our survival that we do. Ever since the dawn of time we have hunted and killed for food in order to survive. I see nothing wrong with it,” Aidan argued.

“Well I believe that all life is sacred including the lives of animals for they too are creations of Dwayna,” Mhenlo stirred the few vegetables in his plate.

“And Elyssa teaches that in nature, survival of a species overrides everything else,” Aidan argued on.

“And Balthazar teaches us that we should all fight and kill each other for the sake of it,” Sergio bumped in out of nowhere. “Just like all the gods, each one teaches completely different things. Heck, lets not even go into what Grenth is about.”

Devona smiled, the situation had been quickly diffused.

“I have to introduce myself, I am Firstwatch Sergio and I have defended these lands since my childhood. I come from a long line of Firstwatchmen.”

“That sword you carry, how well can you use it?” Devona asked upon glancing it.

“I train in the sword arts every single day for eight hours whenever I am not in the field fighting the foes of Kryta. Would you like to have a look?” he passed his sword out to the others. “It is called Frostfell.”

The sword was a fellblade, the blade itself was a silvery colour that glinted under the light like ice and smelt of violence and death.

“The craftsmanship of this weapon is incredible,” Aidan said wielding it in both hands. “Who made this weapon?”

“My earliest ancestors. It is believed to be the first fellblade ever created and as such, every subsequent design has been linked to it.”

Cynn lit a fire in the palm of her hand using magic and roasted her steak without paying any attention to the weapon.

“What use is a sword against the power of the elements?” she asked.

“The same that the brute force of man has against the powers of nature,” replied Sergio enigmatically.

They ate and enjoyed each others company until it was time for nightfall and they were escorted out and shown their living quarters where they would rest. The next day would be all work and no play with a tactical briefing in the morning and preparation for the defence of Kryta.
The night was young as Aidan rested in his hammock inside a wooden hut listening to the gentle breeze outside and the splash of the waves. This combination was so soothing that he fell asleep very quickly.
In his dreams he saw hordes of Charr marching and Grenth smiling above in the heavens. He saw the human race falling down into a bottomless darkness with no hope. His body twitched slightly. Such dread and despair filled his dreams that he felt sick to his stomach. And then suddenly he saw a man, his features blurred, his form shining brightly like a pure white light pushing back the darkness with one hand, and pushing back the Charr with the other.
The sound of yelling awoke him in a cold chill.
It was Sergio and he was rousing all the men in his camp to awaken for he brought dire news.

“The Charr have reached the Gates of Kryta! The Charr have reached the Gates of Kryta!”

Aidan knew it was going to be a long night indeed.

-

Saul awoke, his head buzzing to the rising sun and the blue sky above in the City of Gold, a great city surrounded by large white towers that seem to eclipse the sky itself. Dozens of Mursaat floated throughout the smoothly paved streets, their feet barely touching the ground. These bizarre creatures dressed in what appeared to be gold and had black wing-like appendages which flapped effortlessly keeping them afloat. All their faces were hidden behind golden masks and so none of their features were discernible and seemed to hum with some sort of magical power.
For a while Saul wandered the streets like a lost man, the Mursaat paying him no attention as he explored the wonderfully carved back alleys. This city was unlike any he had ever been in. There seemed to be no shops and no places of trade. The Mursaat seemed to have no sort of economy at all and relied on a national co-operation.
For a while he wandered with no sense of direction until he reached what seemed like a town square. The moment he set foot there, it seemed like every Mursaat in the city converged towards him blocking him off and surrounding him in a sea of gold.
He stood there unsure of what these strange creatures were up to.

“Saul,” came the voice of Ryzon from the front of the crowd. “It is time for training.”

“And what if I refuse?” he asked.

“Then your life is forfeit.”

Saul briefly touched upon his gambling instincts which told him he was in absolutely no bargaining position.
As though Ryzon read his mind, the Mursaat began telling him a schedule.

“We shall train you in the ways of distortion, weaponry and illusion,” said Ryzon. “And you will learn otherwise you shall be killed.”

“Why? Why me?”

“Destiny has a cruel sense of humour,” Ryzon replied. “However destiny has chosen you and you alone shall be the crucial decision in the war.”

“The war?”

“As we speak the Charr are approaching Kryta. We have but a few days to train you.”

“And what will I do once the training is complete?” he asked.

“You will become the Saviour.”

“The Saviour?”

“Of mankind.”

shadow-violet · Apr 08, 2006, 02:40 AM // 02:40

great story glad i didnt have to come hunt u down and make u right it =P hope to get another one soon

Goats17 · Apr 08, 2006, 05:20 PM // 17:20

Yay, a new chapter. This is great d3kst3r.

kdhoney44 · Apr 08, 2006, 08:12 PM // 20:12

Finally.....lol just kidding. Great chapter as usual

Selerious · Apr 09, 2006, 05:33 AM // 05:33

very nice, love sauls story, want to see his trials in building the white mantle.

d3kst3r · Apr 09, 2006, 12:11 PM // 12:11

Sorry about the delay. Been working and studying all the time but I will have a holiday in a week or so. I've more or less finished the story in my head, it's transferring it into words that's the hard part. Without further ado let the Trials begin.

Eight

They sat on a hill overlooking Tenzin, the rolling clouds sat against the sky like decorations as the golden light shone down upon the white towers illuminating them with a bright light. Ryzon floated upon the peak of the hill looking down at the valley below, his back turned away from Saul.

“These white robes? Are they necessary?” he asked wondering why they had decided to dress him in such an odd garb.

He was now wearing pure white long pants and a pure white shirt, both pieces of clothing were the most basic designs he had ever seen. It was as though the clothing was designed by creatures who only knew the basic human outline and hadn’t bothered to make it any more complex than that. What was oddest was that the material of the clothing was like a magical type of silk that never got dirty and was always pure white and shone in the sunlight lighting him up like a beacon.

“That is the dress of the Saviour,” replied Ryzon, his body turning slowly to face Saul. “Now we shall begin your first Trial. The Trial of Distortion.”

“Saviour?” Saul asked once again but Ryzon ignored him.

“Reality is like a piece of cloth stretched out and floating in mid air, each being in existence small pebbles that rest on the cloth, their weight able to change the nature of destiny,” Ryzon began. “However every so often comes a being whose will is like a large heavy rock, its weight able to drastically change the entire shape of that cloth.”

“Are you implying something?” Saul asked, his mind tired and his body aching from a lack of rest.”

“You are that rock Saul. But you have not the will to use your power…” Ryzon took a good look at Saul. “Or the intelligence it seems.”

Saul smiled in what seemed a very long time and marvelled at the beauty and size of the sky above.

“The Charr are moving towards the last frontier of the human race on Tyria. Once Kryta is claimed they will sweep over Tyria like a black plague devouring and destroying your race until there are none of you left,” said Ryzon bleakly. “Of all the beings in your race, you are the gifted one, you are the rock that shall bend reality to your will. And yet the decisions you have made in life have led you further and further from what is needed of you. We are fortunate that destiny has brought you to us.”

“I have no wish to help them. They banished me from their lands. There is nobody alive in my race whom I would risk my life for.”

“And what about the one who died to protect you?” Ryzon said casually.

Saul felt his heart miss a beat.

“How can you possibly know?” he cried.

“We Mursaat, we have the gift of inner vision,” was the only explanation Ryzon would give.

The elder Mursaat led Saul down the hill on the opposite side to where Tenzin was located and into a dense foliage of trees that seemed so dark that the sunlight above was shielded off partially.

“You are familiar with the mesmer arts?” asked Ryzon. “The way of the mind and the will to manipulate living things.”

“I know a little from an old teacher I once had,” he replied.

“To defeat the Charr, you must strike at their weakness.”

“And what’s that?”

“Their minds,” said Ryzon. “In battle they are ferocious and powerful and have an army great enough to destroy all of mankind on Tyria. But in their minds they are weak and lack the discipline and will power to fend off the mesmer arts. I was the chosen among the Three to teach you for I have knowledge of the mesmer arts myself.”

“Why have you taken me to this place?” Saul looked around the dark forest and began to think that Ryzon might have taken him here to kill him. He was partly correct.

“There is a small tribe of Grawl that live around these woods. I have taken you here for the first of three trials. As I have mentioned, this is the Trial of Distortion. You will learn a great power that only the most wise mesmers know of.”

Saul became wary about Ryzon’s motives.

“Now close your eyes and imagine your self suspended in a place with nothing but darkness, no floor, no sky, only darkness. And convince yourself that you’re in that place.”

“What?”

“We do not have the luxury of time. You either do what I tell you or your life is forfeit,” Ryzon said angrily.

“This is madness.”

Ryzon’s eyes flared up with fire and flame that was both threatening and dangerous.

“Ok ok,” said Saul as he closed his eyes.

At first he thought it was some kind of joke but as the minutes passed he began to lose the feeling in his legs and in the darkness, actually found himself suspended in a dark place where nothing else existed except for himself.

“Your ancient bloodline has made you a quick learner of the arcane. The power is in your blood,” boomed Ryzon’s voice all around him at once. “Now imagine your body splitting into several dozen copies.”

Saul figured that since he had gotten to this point, he might as well try it to see what would happen. And surely enough he felt as though his being had multiplied in the darkness and now there were a dozen or so Saul D’Alessios floating around.

“Keep your train of thought and slowly open your eyes.”

Saul tried to remember how to open his eyes since he had lost sense of his physical body but slowly and surely they opened and the darkness was opened up by a powerful stream of light. He tried to hold on to the concentration of maintaining a dozen Sauls. When he could see once again he looked at his own hands.

“By the light of Dwayna!” he said astonished.

It was as though his hands and arms were shaking and vibrating on the spot casting dozens of copies of themselves to flutter at an amazing speed.

“You’re currently undergoing a Distortion. While maintaining this concentration you cannot be harmed by any physical means,” Ryzon explained. “This ancient art is only available to a very rare few. And those few would be the most powerful, old and wise mesmers in the land. But you are the Saviour and destiny has endowed you with powers beyond what you understand.”

A bead of sweat fell down Saul’s forehead as he tried to maintain it but after a while the vibration stopped and his body was once again back in the physical world.

“It is so difficult…”

“It is difficult at first. But after much training you can enter that state in a blink of an eye and maintain it for much much longer.”

Adrenaline was pulsing through Saul’s being. It was as though he had just awoken after a long sleep and the world became much more vivid and bright. Saul had no idea what he was capable of.

“Tonight you will practice Distortion until you have mastered it. Only then may you rest for tomorrow we have another trial for you.”

“How many trials are there going to be?”

“In total only three. But once we have completed them there will be a fourth trial. The final trial that will see you become either the Saviour, or you will die a violent death. But enough about that. Tomorrow we will begin the Trials of Weaponry.”

“I’m ready,” said Saul.