Val’s face was one of surprise—even more so when he heard a stern voice.
“ Release him now. I’ll not ask again, boy.”
Val turned his head to stare down the shaft of an arrow nocked and drawn.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t,” Val said as he reached over with his other hand and pried at his red hand. “It’s not mine! I mean, I…I can’t control it.” He finally forced the fingers away from Rylan and still held his wrist.
Val looked down, embarrassed, and softly said, “Please, just leave me alone. Thank you for searching for me, but I just need to be alone.” He walked away in silence, wishing he could cut his hand off.
Temo arrived at the tower a few days after hearing a curious imp’s message late one night in his room. “The red wizard has been defeated and the tower’s new master would like to speak with you, alone.” At first Temo thought it to be a trap for sure, but it had been years since he had heard anything about the tower. The tower should have been Temo’s.
Many years ago, before he died, his uncle had written a letter detailing the instructions and warnings about the tower. Temo set out from his mercenary guild immediately to locate the mighty artifact and claim it, but Yusar had beaten him there. The red wizard had a camp at the base of the tower and invited Temo to come rest. He told Temo he was sent by his uncle to secure the tower and wait for his arrival. He gave great detail and information about his uncle and the travels they had. Temo was suspicious since the letter he had didn’t mention the man, but after a short time of talking he felt at ease. He tried, with the man’s help, to get into the tower. Temo took his time carefully reading about the tower as the red wizard stood by.
After several hours, Temo finally stood up and exclaimed “I’ve got it!” and gestured the right hand symbols to conjure the door for the tower. The second the door appeared in the stone, Temo felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see a long poniard’s tip, covered in blood. His knees went weak and he fell to the ground as everything faded to black.
When he awoke, the tower was gone —along with the red wizard and Temo’s prized magical axe. Thankfully, the man hadn’t checked him very well and his ring of regeneration saved him from death. Temo sat up and looked at his chest. The wound was sealed up, but he was weak from the blood loss. His clothes and armor were caked in dried blood. He stayed in the wizard's abandoned camp for another day to finish healing his muscles before he set out, planning to find the man. Then kill him.
The trail went cold after a week, so he returned to a nearly empty guild house. Upon his return, he learned that shortly after he left to find the tower, the same red wizard came and talked to his men about him and his quest. The wizard tried to pass himself off as a friend of Temo’s uncle, but one of the men saw through his lie. When the members started to press him, he went on an rampage that nearly leveled the place. Several members were left dead or injured before the others chased him off. The lead guild members started to get matters under control, also sending out a few scouts to find Temo and inform him of the events and danger. The scouts hadn’t found him, but did happen to spot a strange black tower a few days' travel away. Temo gathered a few of the best mercenaries with promise of great pay and revenge, then went on the hunt for the wizard. When they arrived, the red wizard, enclosed in a green ball of light, met Temo at the base.
“Well, you’re not supposed to be here.”
“ Perhaps you should have stabbed me in the back twice…” Temo replied, letting the last words linger as a question.
Yusar smirked. “Yusar the Red, and —”
Temo burst into action, cutting his words short, throwing his hammer and charging in immediately behind it. As Temo ran, he charged both hands up with electricity. Yusar tried to start a
“ Release him now. I’ll not ask again, boy.”
Val turned his head to stare down the shaft of an arrow nocked and drawn.
“I’m sorry. Please don’t,” Val said as he reached over with his other hand and pried at his red hand. “It’s not mine! I mean, I…I can’t control it.” He finally forced the fingers away from Rylan and still held his wrist.
Val looked down, embarrassed, and softly said, “Please, just leave me alone. Thank you for searching for me, but I just need to be alone.” He walked away in silence, wishing he could cut his hand off.
Temo arrived at the tower a few days after hearing a curious imp’s message late one night in his room. “The red wizard has been defeated and the tower’s new master would like to speak with you, alone.” At first Temo thought it to be a trap for sure, but it had been years since he had heard anything about the tower. The tower should have been Temo’s.
Many years ago, before he died, his uncle had written a letter detailing the instructions and warnings about the tower. Temo set out from his mercenary guild immediately to locate the mighty artifact and claim it, but Yusar had beaten him there. The red wizard had a camp at the base of the tower and invited Temo to come rest. He told Temo he was sent by his uncle to secure the tower and wait for his arrival. He gave great detail and information about his uncle and the travels they had. Temo was suspicious since the letter he had didn’t mention the man, but after a short time of talking he felt at ease. He tried, with the man’s help, to get into the tower. Temo took his time carefully reading about the tower as the red wizard stood by.
After several hours, Temo finally stood up and exclaimed “I’ve got it!” and gestured the right hand symbols to conjure the door for the tower. The second the door appeared in the stone, Temo felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see a long poniard’s tip, covered in blood. His knees went weak and he fell to the ground as everything faded to black.
When he awoke, the tower was gone —along with the red wizard and Temo’s prized magical axe. Thankfully, the man hadn’t checked him very well and his ring of regeneration saved him from death. Temo sat up and looked at his chest. The wound was sealed up, but he was weak from the blood loss. His clothes and armor were caked in dried blood. He stayed in the wizard's abandoned camp for another day to finish healing his muscles before he set out, planning to find the man. Then kill him.
The trail went cold after a week, so he returned to a nearly empty guild house. Upon his return, he learned that shortly after he left to find the tower, the same red wizard came and talked to his men about him and his quest. The wizard tried to pass himself off as a friend of Temo’s uncle, but one of the men saw through his lie. When the members started to press him, he went on an rampage that nearly leveled the place. Several members were left dead or injured before the others chased him off. The lead guild members started to get matters under control, also sending out a few scouts to find Temo and inform him of the events and danger. The scouts hadn’t found him, but did happen to spot a strange black tower a few days' travel away. Temo gathered a few of the best mercenaries with promise of great pay and revenge, then went on the hunt for the wizard. When they arrived, the red wizard, enclosed in a green ball of light, met Temo at the base.
“Well, you’re not supposed to be here.”
“ Perhaps you should have stabbed me in the back twice…” Temo replied, letting the last words linger as a question.
Yusar smirked. “Yusar the Red, and —”
Temo burst into action, cutting his words short, throwing his hammer and charging in immediately behind it. As Temo ran, he charged both hands up with electricity. Yusar tried to start a
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