Snippet #121

It was now night, and the moonlight made the desert glow.Iit look like a beautiful dreamland. Arige hated it. When he was lord of Arazic, he preferred to live in the dungeon. The screams of pain and suffering were like a lullaby to him. The darkness in Arige made him crave death and destruction.

Arige came out of his thoughts in time to see that he almost fell into a hole in the ground. ‘What secrets might you hold?’ he thought to himself. “Phyi’ticht.” A fireball the size of a baseball appeared and began to float around him, providing light. Arige stepped into the hole.

After finding his way down he looked around. It was pitch-black, even with the fireball. Arige could only see five feet ahead of him. There were two tunnels, and there was a strange noise coming from the second. It sounded like a snake but somehow different. Arige unsheathed his sword and began walking toward the sound. The sound began to get louder, and then it started to sound more like multiple people fighting.

Now Arige could see a light at the end of the tunnel. With a thought, the fire went out and he waited for his eyes to adjust. Now the tunnel was full of voices. From what Arige could make out, the men were training for some sort of games. There were four voices; all of them sounded young. “I’m still too weak to take them all,” Arige whispered to himself and sheathed his sword.

Arige knelt down and started patting dirt on his face and cloak. Then he laid down. “Help me. Someone…. Please help me,” Arige cried out in the weakest voice he could, hoping they would take the bait and come to help him.

“Who’s out there?” one of the men in the other room asked. Arige repeated his cry for help. A young man stepped out of the room and ran over to Arige.

“Who are you and how did you get down here?” the young man asked while helping Arige stand.

“My name is Arige. I was hunting a coyote. I caught it but when I got off my horse to collect it, I fell down this hole. I think I broke my leg,” Arige said while trying to look like he was in great pain. The young man tried to look at the leg but there wasn’t enough light.

“Come with me so we can take a look at your leg,” The young man helped Arige up and then leaned Arige on him.

“What is your name, kind stranger?” Arige asked still trying to sound in pain.

“My name is Donovan.”

They stepped into the room. It looked like a fighting arena. There were swords, spears, shields and many other weapons on the walls. Donovan helped Arige onto a table in one of the corners of the room.

“Lairn come here,” Donovan said while setting Arige’s leg on the table. Lairn was a blond-haired young man. He wore leather armor. He looked about seventeen and was well muscled.

“Yes Donovan?” Lairn asked.

“Go get fetch some water from the kitchen,” Donovan said while studying Arige’s leg. Lairn nodded and left though a door in the back.

“Can you have someone go check on my horse?” Arige asked while faking faces of pain as Donovan touched his leg.

“Sure. Kair go check on the man’s horse,” Donovan said while continuing to check Arige’s leg.

“Well I don’t think it’s broken,” Donovan said while standing back up.

Arige smiled. “I know.” Arige held out his hand and before Donovan had time to react Arige spoke. “Ruza’bihnt.”

Donovan fell over lifeless.

“Now that’s real power,” Arige said with a chuckle.

Arige unsheathed his sword. The fourth man ran at Arige with his sword drawn, Arige pointed his sword at the man. “Phyi’Agth!” The man screamed and then burst flames. The screaming stopped.

“Now where’s that boy with my water,” Arige said with a smile, and he started walking toward the door the young man had gone though.

Lairn came running out of the door. He looked at Donovan and what was left of his other friend and then he looked up at Arige. Lairn unsheathed his sword and ran at Arige. Lairn tried to hit Arige but Arige dogged and stabbed Lairn in the chest stopping him dead in his tracks. Lairn's sword fell and the he fell to the ground.

Arige knelt beside him and put his hand on Lairns chest. He was dead now and Arige could work his dark magic. “Ruza’legft giht shian,” As he was casting the spell he got weaker. Lairn began to float as a dark haze engulfed his body. A few seconds later Lairn stood up and then bowed to Arige then looked up. He skin had lost its color and his eyes now look like black orbs.

“What is you bidding my lord?” Lairn asked while still bowing. Arige looked at him. “When Kair gets back…. kill him,” Arige said as he gave Lairn the sign to stand.

“As you wish my lord,” Lairn said while picking his sword back up.