Begin Again

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Rhysis

Rhysis

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The sun crested over the horizon somewhere around the same time that the rooftop of that tired old bedraggled building came into view. So many times he'd come here when there was absolutely nowhere else to go. Of course, that wasn't entirely true. There were at least two other places to go. One was the Vampire Tavern. That legendary place that seemed to be the beginning of many adventurers careers, or at least the beginning of the bards tales of the adventurers careers. But he'd grown weary of seeking escape at the tavern. It had aged far too gracefully for his liking, and now it stood as a stark reminder of the past he so longed to escape.

Then there was the other place. Yes, he could go there. Yes, he would be welcomed with open arms, and life could begin anew for him. But once again the past kept him away. So much hurt, so much loss, and so little control were all too much for him to attempt to face. He was content to leave it all behind.

So this old run down monument of a building was where he found himself. The guildhouse had once been a hub of activity. Heroes and villains alike would come here seeking adventure. Lone wolves would find guilds and alliances and clans they could join up with. Buyers and sellers would come from all over Ayenee to try to make a better life through the accumulation of goods. It was truly a testament to the glorious history of this land. Now, the old guildhouse, while still busy compared to some old buildings, was a shadow of what it once was. There were only a handful of postings for groups looking for members. Even fewer were the listings for adventurers wanted for a job; and the one lonely woman vendor by the center column was the only peddler anywhere around.

He came up to the entrance to the guildhouse and took a deep breath. The smell of the place never changed. Even after so many years it still filled his nostrils with what he could only describe as the scent of mystery. He walked in and took a seat on one of the many empty stone stools that lined the outer walls. He didn't know what he's find, but he knew that if he wanted to start over, this was the place to do it.
 
He hears the noises coming from the town up ahead "finally some rest for my weary bones." he says to himself. The crystal in his right hand starts to glow whispering words in to his mind "I do not like this placesss..." Leric just ignores it and keeps walking. Thru the fog he walks in to the town to see some children playing and people haggling with the merchant. The rattling of his armor silince the locals they all turn to look at him whispering "He is one of the dragon killers look at his hand!" "He is of the dragoonish legion! what is he doing here?" Leric walks up to the shop keeper and asks "My lady where can I find work?" The shop keeper stutters "I...I...Cant help you! Leave my shop!" she yells out as she slams shut her window. Leric sighs and starts to walk away passing a elderly man sitting on a barrel he hears a raspy vocie say "Try the guild house they may have work for your type my friend." Leric stops and looks at the old withered man sitting on the barrel and says "Elder why dont thou fearst me like the rest?" The elder man laughs a harty laugh "Boy what have I to fear in my old age? death? If only I was so blessed. Dont pay no mind to them boy they are still shaken by what your people did to the dragons in these parts but you are diffrent I can tell you dont have the stink of dragon blood upon you." Leric looks at the old man in confusion the old man questions "You dont know?" Leric shakes his head "Well boy it is a long story just know some scares dont heal so fast." The old man says as he reachs in to his pocket to retrieve his pipe. Leric thanks the old man and heads to the guild house.

Leric arrives at the guild house a few moments later to find a building past its prime but still had a feeling of comfort. Leric walks up to the door and breaths in deeply as he reachs for the handle of the door. The door opens to the face of a man "We dont serve your type here dragoonish find some other place to stink up!" "Good sir I have traveled many miles In search of work." Leric says softly. "Begone we dont deal with the likes of you!" the man yells out. As Leric turns to walk away he hears a vocie yell out "Jerod, What is the problem? Why are you yelling?" "Sir I took care of it." Jerod yells back "Is he looking for work?" the vocie asks. "Yes sir but he is a dragoonish a true slime of Ayenee so I am going..." is all Jerod can pipe out before the vocie roars out "I dont care if he is a speck of dust if he can work then let him in! I pay you too keep the peace in here not to think!" Jerod stands in shock and says "Yes sir." Jerod turns to Leric and makes a motion with his eyes to enter. Leric steps foward and enters the guild house with grim hope hanging upon his heart to what he will find.
 
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"Ignore them."

Inferno's voice was calm and flat as he spoke to the newcomer.

"Every area has a nutjob or two. They're the local fools. They fancy themselves to be the owners of some obscure pub. Don't worry, this is no tavern."

He got up from his seat and walked nearer to Leric. "You picked an interesting place to come looking for work wearing that thing on your arm." Inferno motioned to the gem crafted from the essence of a slain dragon that Leric had. "Gotta admit I never thought I'd see another one of those things. I thought they were all destroyed."

Inferno motioned for the stranger to come further into the guildhouse. He continued talking as they moved. "The town nearby holds dragons in the highest regard. It was built by a small clan of dragons. The gems like that one you've got were made several years ago. It required the slaying of several powerful dragons. Of course you don't really look to be old enough to have taken part in the crafting of those gems. So the question presents itself...where'd you get it?"
 
" I believe I can answer that question Mr. Inferno." Bram replies as he walks just out of the shadows for them to see a silhouette. " I believe that young leric, here was lead to it from the crystal itself instead of it being passed down from generation to generation. Well that's the reason I want to believe because otherwise I would be out of a job in the classy art of acquisitions."
 
Leric stumbles back in shock as he looks at the two men before him wondering how they know so much about this crystal and the horror that was performed to forge it, the crystal starts to dimly glow. the whisper fills his mind "Boy do you feel that? Their power is intoxicating is it not? I must fight them! Give me contol boy!" Leric reaches for his right hand running his hand over the metal that incases the black crystal. Leric feels the power coming over him slowly seeping in to every part of his being but he fights it back saying with in himself "Not again!" He drops to his knees before Inferno and bram as he fights to keep from losing himself to the crystal again.
 
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" LERIC" Bram's voice tensing with anticipation while a sickening acid churns his stomach. " I pray you are not thinking of doing anything foolish for we are here for work and not a fight from a mad man." Glancing over to Inferno to measure his reaction of Lerics current condition. But Instead his gaze was fixed upon the open window next to the counter. " Damn" Bram announced firmly, here comes a six man patrol of Black Weevils. The Black Weevils were nothing to worry about when it came to using wits, However though in large numbers they could be deadly.
 
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Inferno lifted an eyebrow at Bram as he addressed him by name. He hadn't recalled ever meeting this man before. Then again this wasn't the first time he'd been addressed by name in the guildhouse by someone he didn't know. His family's fame, added with his unique roll in that lineage, were sometimes more than enough for someone to know precisely who he was. He planned to ask, but Leric dropping to the ground and grasping at the crystal prevented it.

He watched Bram's reactions and turned his own gaze to the window. He chuckled slightly. "More lackeys of the self-proclaimed king."

The burster turned his head back to Leric and Bram. "I'll tell ya what...Leric, as you are apparently called. If you wanna go ahead and take out those annoying little pests coming up this way you'd be viewed a whole lot more positively. Looks like they're headed to the town and they generally cause nothing but trouble for the residents there."
 
Leric roars in anger as black weevils decended to the town the screams of the people and yells of pain ring threw the air. Leric says to the Crystal "Old dragon give me your power! Give it too me now!" the crystal starts to glow as the words fill his mind "You want my power boy? Why to be a goodie two shoes? I will not...?" is all he can utter before Leric roars outloud "I said give me your damn power dragon!" The crystal starts to glow brightly "Very well boy take my power and choke on it!" the crystal whispers in to his mind. Leric starts to screem in pain as this is the first time he has changed while being awake. His flesh becomes like the scales of a snake his heavy dragon plate armor becomes infused in to his body. His bones and muscles grow stronger as the dark energy from the crystal starts to over whelm his being. Two little nobs pop out of his shoulder blades Leric roars out as the pain is becoming to much the two little knobs start to grow in to a pair of beautiful black wings like a dragon. A brilliant flash of light and the tranformation is complete. Leric hands have grown claws his eyes have changed to that of a reptile and his armor has changed to a deep black rather then the silver it was to start with. Leric lifts up his head and roars breething a blast of fire out of his mouth consuming the roof of the guild house in flames. Leric starts to flap his wings he slowly lifts off the ground looking at the two men before him and says "I know not who you two are but stay out of my way." Leric breaks threw the roof of the guild house flying toward his unexpecting foes.

Leric thinks to himself "Why did I become so rude to those two men? I must beg for their forgiveness after I am thru with these pest. They may have more answers about this thing on my hand."
 
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Inferno simply watched as Leric transformed and then took flight. The flames in the roof were extinguished, and the hole made by Leric's flight through was repaired almost immediately. In fact, the enchantment on the guildhouse took full effect, and the entire roof was restored to a brand new condition. The enchantments had been put on the building for that exact purpose. All too often some overzealous adventurer or a young recruit trying to show off would damage the building. Rather than having to rebuild every time something like that happened, the founders paid for enchantments to be placed on different sections of the building, so that every time one of them was damaged by force or magic, it would be restored to new. It had been so long since anything of the sort had happened, that the building had begun to fall apart from age.

Inferno made his way to the door, paying no attention whatsoever to Bram. He was interested in Leric. He stepped outside and watched the confused young warrior as he made his way to the town. "A bit overconfident, but he's got spunk."
 
" Show off " Bram silently mutters to himself. Walking to the door and stepping out in the cool evening air, pondering if he should interfere with leric's debut. " No I think I had better sit this one out, for the lad may need to let off some steam." Bram strode over to an old wooden chair and plopped heavily down. Reaching down into his left boot, he with draws a small blade and begins to whittle on a piece of wood awaiting for Lerics return.
 
Leric feels the watchful eyes of the two men he had meet in the Guildhouse as he flys to his unexpecting pray. "Old dragon what can I do?" Leric asks the crystal "What can you do? I am not a instruction manual! Figure it out on your own I am just attached to a cry baby, goodie two shoes, who cant fight lesser beings with out my help!" the old dragon snaps back. Leric just rolls his eyes and looks to the small village beiing ran sacked by the black weevils.

Leric spots two weevils reaching for a young girl as the mother is dragged away by a third. Leric roars gaining the weevils attaintion Leric swoops down in a nose dive reaching out with his sharp claws and grasping the skulls of the the two weevils he drags them to the air screaming and begging forgiveness. Like a soft plum does their heads squish their blood smells toxic and putried as their blood and gray matter flow from their heads. Leric lands holding one in each hand looking at the other four. Leric chuckles as he casts the limp corpses away "how weak you are to take from those who have little to begain with." The weevils look at one another drawing their weapons as Leric slowly walks toward them. The villgers look on in shock as this man they spit on and looked on in fear is no the one saving them. Leric stops and says "Who dies next?" the weevils all take a deep breath and charge at once screeching a battle cry as week as the flesh that makes them up. In the blink of a eye leric is slicing thru weevil number three with is razor sharp claws then number four faired no better as Leric reachs in to his chest and rips out his heart and crushes it before the weevils very eyes, then five just gets his arm ripped off and beaten to death with his own arm. Leric gives a wicked grin as the sixth weevil stands in horror as his brothers are slain so easly and with in secounds of one another. The weevil turns to flee from Leric but he is not fast enough and Leric grabs him by the face. The weevil screachs in pain Leric just laughs at his crys of pain. "I was just following orders spare me!" the weevil begs as Leric looks in to his eyes "Spare me you say? Would have you spared them? Would have you shown mercy? I think not! I know who you server and I have a message for you to take to him. That he is a false king there is no king over Ayenee! Tell him that the village he destroyed so long ago will have vengence and I will be to the hand to place it upon him!" Leric roars out. A few secounds pass as Leric holds the weevil "So can...I...I go then?" the weevil asks in fear "Not with out a parting gift." Leric says as the weevil starts to scream in pain as the seal of the dragoon is bruned in to his forehead. Leric tosses him to the side and looks upon the smiling faces of the villagers as they crowed him thanking him. Leric smiles and whispers to himself "This what it feels like to be a hero?"
 
Inferno made his way to the nearby village as Leric worked through the favored soldiers of the false king. As he neared, he stopped at each of the fallen weevils. With a single touch, they were engulfed in an intense flame that burned for only a moment. When it was extinguished, there was little more than soot left of the bodies.

Given the crowd of people, it was easy for him to get fairly close to Leric without being noticed. He watched the young warrior carefully, and was able to read his lips when he whispered to himself. It was then that he chose to speak up. "Actually no. That's called adrenaline. Heroism is an illusion based on opinions. In war the heroes are the winners and the villains are the losers. It matters not why they fight. I have met very few heroes in my time and you, young warrior, do not qualify."

Inferno motioned back in the direction of the guildhouse. "Now you've got someone up there seething with an air of natural ferocity who either knows you or has been studying you long enough to know who you are."

The burster turned and started to head back, again. He continued to speak as he walked, raising his voice just a bit so he could be heard easily. "Oh and next time, try not to make so much of a mess. There are enough vermin running around without you attracting more."
 
"thank you all for your kind words but he is right I am no hero I am just the winner and now I must go." Leric smiles at them and takes off in to the sky.

A few moments later he arrives back at the guild house to find bram carving a peice of wood.
"You how do you know so much about me? I know nothing of you or who you are."
 
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"Spunk is of little use if his mind is so easily changed." The voice was inaudible to any others, but Inferno heard it loud and clear.

Inferno nodded as he continued to walk toward the guildhouse at a much slower pace than Leric had in flight. "He's young and confused. He didn't gain that gem by standard methods."

"True enough. You are far more observant than most others would be."

"It wasn't all that hard, really. There's simply no way that kid took out a dragon to create that thing. He's naïve, lacking confidence, and if my instincts are correct, fairly gullible." The burster was well aware that if anyone saw him walking along it would look simply like he was having an in-depth conversation with himself. Of course, he'd stopped caring what others thought of him long ago.

"That tone speaks volumes. You have a plan?"

Inferno chuckled. "Don't I always?"

"No, master Burster, you do not."

Inferno's chuckle became a true laugh. "Well then I'd hate to break that streak. Don't worry, old friend. I've got it covered."

He stopped talking as he pushed through the door of the guildhouse and looked over at Bram and Leric. "This," He thought to himself. "should be interesting."
 
" Ah it still weights on your mind that I know you, but you know nothing of me ". Bram says while strolling toward Leric. Bram reaches down and pulls a knife from the mid of his back. Twirling it in his right hand , he suddenly snatches it by the blade with the hilt right in front of Leric's face. " Does this insignia on the hilt look familiar " ? Looking directly into Lerics eye's, Bram see's a twinge of sadness and anger but nonetheless true recognition of the finely craft piece of steel. " So you see Leric even though you don't know me for I remain in the shadows, your family's work was exquisite and not cheap by any means". Sheathing the knife Bram slowly turns and walks to the chair. " For some people the stories are true and heroic and even for a person with this crystal thing you have potential. But some of us are cursed with certain abilities and let's say an appetite, which forces us to remain in the shadows". Reaching the chair Bram sits down quietly and Stares at both men wondering if he had spoke to much or not.
 
Leric has a flash back of when that knife was forged and who bought that knife. his eyes swell up with tears as the memory of his father enters his mind. He was about fifteen and it was the first weapon Leric and his father forged togeather.

Leric snaps out of it seeing the two men looking at him "That was a long time ago that memory faded with the death of my old man and the destruction of my town. It is a pleaser to meet you both lord burster and bram and I pray you can forgive my rudeness earlier." Leric says as he bows.

"You ask for forgiveness from such lowly creatures? How pathetic you are boy! How could you be of the same bloodline as that man who trapped me so long ago?" the crystal whispers in to Lerics mind.

"Be silent you!" Leric screems out.
 
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Inferno said nothing as he observed their interaction. It was to his benefit to simply watch and wait for the time being. The more he took in, the more he learned about those who he was currently standing near.

"You boys need any wares for your upcoming adventure?" The elderly vendor woman was famed for her ability to sense when a group was forming to begin some sort of trek or quest.

Inferno shook his head at the elderly woman. "No thank you, Madaam Norri. Not this time."

The woman nodded and shuffled back to her stall. She seemed completely unphased by Leric screaming at an unheard voice. She'd been a vendor at the guildhouse for decades. She'd seen more than her fair share of strange activity. Nothing bothered her any more. Inferno, on the other hand, was quite interested.

"The spirit of the dragon taunts him." The voice sounded in his mind, again.
"Yes."He answered back mentally. "I gathered as much. The question remains as to which dragon it is, and how he came to possess such an item."

"Let the current scene play out first. There will be more than enough time to figure out those questions later."

Inferno nodded only slightly. His attention then fixed fully on the two before him. For now, he would wait and continue to watch. He was right. This would, indeed, be interesting.
 
Getting up from the chair, Bram looks at the two men before him and contemplates the situation at hand. Bram walks up and lays a hand on Leric's shoulder and say's " I forgive any rude comments you may have said in the past. But I also need to know do you hear voices because earlier you screamed " Be silent you "! I was just curious if you took fever with those spells or it was just plain old lunacy." Bram removes his hand from Leric's shoulder and looks at Inferno and thinks to himself " Inferno, ha sounds like he thinks he's hot stuff or maybe his parents misspelled inferior." Smiling as he strolls past Inferno toward the door of the Guildhouse, he stops and turns to the two men and asks " Do any of you have a place to go that could require some company to make time go a little faster?"
 
Leric smiles and says with a harty laugh "We are all crazy in some way or another." anwsering bram's question.

"I am on a quest to master this thing upon my hand and get rid of the man who calls himself king." Leric lifts up his right hand flashing the gauntlet. "I know that it is too soon to ask for favors but lord bruster you are well know thru out all of Ayenee as the greatest fire user and you Bram by what I see you are one who can aquire many fine items. I am in need of help from seasoned individuals such as yourselfs." Leric says as he falls to a knee bowing before both Inferno and bram.
 
Inferno let out an exasperated sigh and slowly brushed a hand down is face. Leric's words and actions reminded him, far too much, of what sort of treatment he could expect if he returned home. As the only male in his family, he was the rightful king of the Burster family.

Leric wasn't incorrect in hailing him as the most talented pyromancer around, but his 'fame' could only really be attributed to his sisters. Flame and Blaze were the ones who'd made a name for the Bursters. Before them, nobody knew that those who chose to become bursters by profession even answered to a ruling family. He glared down at Leric and spoke in a low, flat tone. "I'll help you, but it will come with a warning. If you ever again call me by the title of Lord or bow before me I will show you why I carry the reputation that I do."

Inferno then turned his head to Bram. "And what about you?"
 
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