Subscribe to Talien's Tower on Facebook, Twitter, email or via the Site Feed

Monday, November 3

Heart's Blood, Fire's Vengeance: Part 6a – In View of the Eye

Vlad and Beldin bashed the double doors open.

A small cavern was on the other side. It was roughly hewn, but there was the touch of man upon the place. Ancient pillars that supported the vaulted ceiling were inlaid with intricate carvings, generations old. Chains dangled silently from the ceiling and were laid out on the floor in intricate patterns.

At the far end of the chamber was an emaciated old man resting cross-legged on the stone floor. Around his neck was an ancient symbol of Sarish. His right hand and forearm wore a green metal gauntlet; save a loincloth, it was all he wore. In his hands he held the unsheathed Eye of Sarish.

As Sebastian drew near, the old man raised an empty hand. He looked at the dark-kin with tired, sad eyes. “You’ve come to stop me, haven’t you?”

“Yes, Ralich,” Sebastian said softly. “Please put the dagger down. This is not the way.”

“Oh but it is,” whispered Ralich. “Those damn Erdukeen Nierities…” Tears welled in his eyes. “They wanted to search my shop for weapons. At the time, I didn’t have any. My boy resisted their unjust inquisition…and they killed him for it. THEY KILLED HIM FOR NOTHING!”

“I say we let him do it,” said Kham. “This whole damned city is a cesspool.”

“Would you say the same of Freeport?” snapped Sebastian. “What this man proposes is Armageddon! He isn’t providing a solution…it’s selfish rage!”

“Those bastards will pay for what they have done to us!” Ralich’s tears flowed freely. “For what they have done to me!”

“But so many will be harmed,” said Sebastian, edging closer. “If you summon an army of demons everyone will suffer, innocent and guilty alike.”

“We have lost too much to be thwarted now! Behold, the power of Sarish! See into his Eye!”

Ralich drove the naked blade of the Eye into the stone floor. It was at the center of a mystical circle carved into the very stone itself. For a moment, all was still.

But only for a moment. [MORE]

Labels: arcanis

posted by Mike Tresca at 6:57 AM

Want more? Please consider contributing to my Patreon; Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and the web; buy my books: The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games, The Well of Stars, and Awfully Familiar.

---