The trumpets rang loudly and the men charged forward. In the ensuing minutes men slashed at one another for the glory of their kingdom, for the glory of their clans. A month into the establishment of the new kingdoms war had become common, and the seemingly peaceful clans erupted into a frenzy of war. The lands around clantowns were stained red in blood, and necromancers and heartstones had become far to common. Resurrections were taken for granted and so was the gift of them from the gods,
Today two of the newer clans, The Band of the Red Hand and the Acolytes of Virtuous Power, meet on field of battle to expand the borders of their crown. The Band was far more powerful and the aggressor, as the battle progressed it was clearly seen that they would win the day, and so was the case. Sided with the Band was it fellow sister clans, the Warlords of the Underworld and The Malevolent order of Decadence, and though they weren't all present, they watched from above on dragons. This was the test to see if the Band truly deserved to in the ranks of the Warlords.
Since the sun had risen the band had taken six of the acolytes eight defensive positions. Only three adventurers had fallen, but around 5,000 mercenaries had dies taken the fortifications. The Acolytes carried heavy balisti and an army of a hundred thousand, of which only 10,000 remained. The Acolytes had lost 50,000 men protection their clantown, a heavy cost to pay. And to add to their defeat, their own defensive positions were being use against them, and adding to the loss.
That night the Acolytes surrendered the last of their new kin as they fell to the blade and were forced to abandon their clan, home and kingdom. That night the Band feasted and in merriment rejoiced over their seeming endless luck. And that night as the festivities heightened the Band watched in ecstasy as their kin and countrymen looted the Acolytes clanhall and stole their gold. In the hours that passed the city was burned to the ground, a warning to those who would oppose, and a funeral to those who had.
In the ash and soot that was left of the charred foundations a young acolyte shed his tears. The Band had left at dawn, but his heart still throbbed. The Young boy quickly searched through where once the Great Hall had resided, and there he found a heavy trap door. With some persistence and effort the young warrior was able to enter a small dark sewer beneath the town. Weaving his way through the filth and stench he reached a small alcove with a golden door.
He raised his hands and chanted "Alux-Itun-Plum-Ish-Na-Acolyte". The golden door vanished and beyond loomed a dark portal. With a hesitant step he walked into the portal and found himself in what had been a once vast and great library.
They young man was familiar to this place, and the sight still sickened him. This library founded by monks had fell upon hard times and through the centuries was forgotten. The boy knew it was here that he would find the Codex of Nithar.
Nithar had been an ancient monk, one who had lived when the Gods came to power, and had written the ancient magics into a magical codex. The codex held knowledge for great good and evil and he who posses it gains knowledge equal to that of the gods. Monks had kept it for safekeeping, and the Acolytes had accidentally stumbled upon it when building their clantown. Knowing its dangers the Acolytes had hidden the portal beneath their city so the no man would gain access to the codex. Now with the Acolytes destroyed this young warrior held the most powerful tool, the greatest weapon in Medievia, in his hands.
The boy removed the cylinder off a small pedestal and the golden codex bathed the room in a dark light. The codex sensed evil and hatred and magnified those feelings into the warrior and the room. The vain warrior forced himself to open a cap off the cylinder and staggered back as the codex exploded into a ray of light. The light spread out and throughout Medievia and finally returned, merging with the boy. In the Dark crypt the boy Transformed into a powerful warrior, a black armor formed about him and his eyes burned bright red. The boy muttered a few words and the Cloak and tunic of a Necromancer formed about him. Blacker than night the young Acolyte was no more, in his place was the dark and twisted form of Nithar.
***
High above the Heavens the Gods stood in attendance, through the clouds they could see humans wage their puny wars and make their sacrifices, it was to say the least, humorous. Ozymandias laughed and grinned at the sight and Pug only shook his head in amusement. The Kingdom of Crimson Reverence had one once again with the Band at its lead.
Soliel laughed. "If this keeps up that band will rule Medievia"
Ozymandias sighed. "Looks like the Warlords and their kin have done it again.'
Vryce grinned. "Those warlords have lead a three clan sweep through Medievia, and they've managed to convince other clans to follow them."
Pug looked at Vryce with a face of pure joy. "What if we forced Band of the Red Hand to fight against their sisters, the Warlords and the Malevolent Order of Decadence." He began to roll on the floor laughter.
Envia smacked pug on the head with a grin. "That's far too mean. Splitting up clannies like that. PERISH the thought Pug." The lovely goddess faded into the mortal realms.
Pug laughed even harder and faded out after her.
As Pug phased into Medievia he buckled over in pain. A deep vile feeling of evil coursed through his body
***
Pug found himself in dark crypt, two torches illuminated the far walls and on a stand in the center of the room. Towards the back wall on a throne of skulls, bones, and a pool of blood stood a shadowy figure. Envia stood motionless and Pug moved beside her. Vryce phased in beside Pug and walked up to the figure.
Vryce quivered with anger and a bright blue aura flared up about him. "NITHAR! WHATEVER CRYPT FROM THE BOTTOM OF HELL YOU AND THAT BLOODY CODEX CRAWLED OUT OF, I SUGGEST THAT YOU MAKE PLANS TO RETURN THERE NOW!"
"My my… what foul language, and what warm greetings you bring to an old friend." Nithar cackled insanely. "Ah Vryce, Pug… Envia, a pleasure as always."
Pug grabbed Nithar's robe and flung him to the floor. "You Dark bloody manifestation of hell get the hell out of my site! I want you gone Nithar! And give me that damn bloody codex, I'll keep it from now on. Even if it means my immortality!'
Nithar moved slowly to his feet and sighed, a black aura filled his hands as the Codex appeared. "A shame Pug, I was hoping to have some fun."
Pug reached out for the codex only to find Nithar wielding the codex and slamming it into his chest. Pug fell to the floor and Nithar sent a black bolt at Vryce who went flying into Envia who cursed loudly at her luck. Pug staggered up just as Nithar threw him across the room. Nithar raised his hands and the room was ablaze. As the flames leapt higher the sorcerer's laugh echoed through the crypt. "A pleasure ladies and gentlemen, but I have an important matter to attend to so tah tah." The Black sorcerer opened a small rift and disappeared from sight.
Pug jumped to his and attempted to phase towards Nithar only to have his rift explode and send him flying into a torch.
"SHOO" Vryce staggered up and with a wave of his hands the three gods found themselves in a white void.
"Where are we?" Envia looked astonished as well as fearful.
Vryce sighed "A portion of the void very few, god or mortal, ever see. Pug has been here with me Envia so I suggest you stay behind him for this one."
Pug sighed. "I'll explain this. A few centuries back a group of Necromancers freed a demonic entity into Medievia. They used the codex and Nithar's spirit to bind the demon to our world. Worse the demon got hold of the codex and the spirit of Nithar to learn to increase his powers through the consumption of souls. And to make matters worse the necromancers attempted to nullify the demon, Nalar, by summoning the souls of the dead necromancer council. The souls of the council merged wit Nalar to form the entity, Nalan. Fair to say Nalan rivaled the gods powers and he threatened to destroy Medievia as we know it."
"Pug that can't be possible? Vryce how can this be?"
Pug smiled "There are some, few, but some powers beyond our hand. The codex and this demon are part of this 'some'. Anyway this demon gained power equal to us and managed to almost kill one. It took the combined effort of all the gods to stop him and lock him up here. Here we hoped he would just grow old and die. But as it maybe Nithar will want to free him and 'have some fun'"
"But why?"
"The demon, Nalan, separated Nithar's spirit into evil and pure halves. If a person of a good heart got the codex, he would free Nithar's good half and thus be the one to kill the demon, and vice versa. But since a god can't use the codex, nor can it leave mortal realms, nor can God posses it for long… We had no choice but let monks hold it, hoping that no mortal would get it."
"Why not have a monk use it and get it over with?"
Vryce laughed "Not so easy, only a chosen few gain the power to defeat the demon, but all can help it. So it was futile to intervene for we could've unleashed that evil unknowingly."
"If this is all true then how can Nithar exist in the void. Shouldn't the codex force him out of here? He does need it to exist and it can ONLY exist in mortal realms, right?"
"Close, but the void is the boundary or the mortal realm, so if Nithar holds the codex he can be here. If he loses it, he fades away."" Pug smiled "So all we have to do is make him drop it"
***
The gods entered a small alcove in the void. Hidden by magical powers the alcove was only visible once you entered it. Small but beautiful by human standards it was a relative paradise. In the center of the alcove two men garbed in white lay slumped to the ground, and a morbid demon lay shackled in chains of energy.
Pug growled, "Nithar show yourself you jackass"
The sorcerer appeared with a might sword of forged blackened steel. "I must be getting predictable." He laughed. "Oh well I guess you win." He dropped his sword and seemed to cower back.
Vryce froze in shock as he realized what the man was trying to do. He charged forward just as the blade exploded, shattering the chains about the demon. In a ferocious swing the demon tossed the remnants of the chains into to the void. The demon brought both hands back and a huge mace formed in his hands. Vryce charged forward as a mighty hammer of faith formed in his hands. The hammer swung up toward the demon as the demon swung down his mace. Though the hammer struck first, the lengthy mace still managed to hit the ruler of gods far into the void.
Nalan roared into laughter as Pug attempted to plunge a sword into his back. As Pug tried to distract the demon, Envia cast the spell of maledictions and hurled the energy towards Nalan's body. The spells destroyed the Demon's arm and sent him towards the edge of his prison.
The Demon screamed and roared as he staggered to his knees. His body slumped to the floor as blood gushed through the stump of his arm. Small snakelike tendrils emerged from his body and they lashed at Envia. For every tendril the goddess slayed another two formed, and for every touch made by the tendrils on her body the goddess was sapped of her strength.
Envia charged relentlessly with a mighty Hammer of Faith, pounding away at the Demon, she forced the Demon to fall, but as the Demon drowned in a pool of his own blood, the tendrils forced the goddess to fall, and submit. As the last once of her reserve fell the tendrils vanished into her body, and then the goddess screamed. It was a scream that stopped Pug in his tracks, it lingered through the void, and it was heard through every altar in Medievia. Envia's body slumped to the floor and the tendrils withdrew to demon's body.
Instantly the demon's body began to convulse and then collapsed on upon himself. Pug he smiled, a sense of pride and victory echoed throughout his body. He laughed thinking that Envia's powers were inedible to Demon. He ran to the fallen goddess and muttered a few words. Envia's body vanished from the void leaving only Pug and the remnants of the Demon.
As the contraction of Demon's body ended it feel hard to the ground and a pool of green blood formed under it. Pug released all the enchantments around him and fell to the floor in exhaustion. He raised his hands and summoned Vryce to him. Vryce staggered forward a glanced at the Demon. His eyes grew wide in astonishment and he slowly staggered back.
Pug gave a perplexed look and turned around, the body was still the same. "What's wrong Vryce?"
"He got Envia?"
Pug laughed. "She's fine, he found her inedible."
"I think not, Pug, MOVE!"
"ENOUGH!" a voice boomed and the Demon body vanished and its place stood a black man in a necromancer's clothing. He was tall handsome man with long black hair braided to the sides. His skin held a pale blue tint and his eyes were a beautiful shade of green. On his side was a long black scabbard with a golden fringe around the sides. The sword sheathed within the scabbard was partially drawn; it had a red hilt wit the wings of a dragon extending from it. The blade had a pale green tint and a red aura surrounded it, it beckoned with power.
Pug stood and his hands extended to the sky, A bolt of lighting came down and hit the god, but rather then causing him pain it surrounded him, forming a protective shield. The lighting got closer to him until it engulfed his body in bright flash of light. When the light faded Pug stood sheathed in the white armor of a Medievia with golden trimmings. His scabbard had a sword similar to the stranger's, except it held a golden hilt and a white blade with a blue aura. Across his chest was a golden strap that held a crossbow. Behind his back was a short sword identical to his other sword. Pug held a large white, golden trimmed, battle-axe in his left hand and a might staff in his right. A visor that mimicked the face of dragon hid his face. Vryce steeped beside him in an identical armor, except everything was golden and he had no visor.
Pug grinned. "Show Off."
"I should say the same with that little lightning stunt you pulled." He looked at the stranger and his face became grim. "So I see your back Nalan, I don't think you would content with a position as head of the necromancer's council?"
Nalan growled looking at the two gods. "That position is mine already, and when I kill my dear friend Pug I'll take it."
"Always cocky Nalan, finally managed to control that demon I see. And what makes you think I'll let you kill me?"
"It's in the prophecies my dear degenerate god. I will not fail."
"Don't do this Nalan, you can stop the prophecies." Vryce drew his blade and stabbed it toward the ground. "Take the blade and destroy the work you started, let my world be."
"Never oh dear ruler of the Gods. You world faces my blackness now. THE NECROMANCERS AND THEIR POWERS ARE MINE!"
Like lightning Pug charged forward, his blade drawn out. He slashed down in a crescent swipe, severing part of arm and cutting loose his scabbard. He crescent kicked the scabbard away and brought his foot back for a sidekick into the man's gut. Nalan's staggered back, and unleashed a fireball toward Pug. The flames parted around Pug as he thrusted forward stabbing Nalan in the chest. Nalan flinched slightly and raised his hands into the air. A powerful shockwave sent Pug flying past Vryce, and slowly the blade withdrew from his chest and the wound healed.
"Nalan this is my last warning." Vryce remained cool and calm, he knew that if Nalan fought him it was the end.
"Don't bullshit me Vryce you know as well as I do who wins this. Go heed your own warning and let me end it quickly."
"Die Demon." Vryce raised his blade into an attack stance. He would not back down.
The two men charged forward, as Pug lay stunned on the ground. The men fought relentlessly parrying, thrusting, dodging, and slashing at one another. Bolts of lighting, shards of ice and powerful shockwaves spilled their blood throughout the alcove. Both men fought with every once of their strength and every time their blades crashed, it was felt through all of Medievia.
In the chamber of the Gods the remaining gods watched in awe as they saw both men deal massive amounts of damage. They watched as their attacks threatened the stability of the void. The watched as both men fought for their lives.
In the end Nalan shattered Vryce's sword, stabbed the god of gods in his chest. Vryce feel to the ground, and Nalan raised his hands for his final attack. Ball of white light streaked across the void and hit the fallen god. The impact sent Vryce falling out of the void and into Medievia. And from the void Nalan watched as Vryce disintegrated. There was no big bang, no gasps, to mocking laughter, no surge of power, just silence. Silence for the fear of the usage of the forbidden spell. Silence for the fall of the ruler of gods. Silence for what the future held. And silence as Nalan sent a tendril on energy into Pug's body. Silence as Pug fell and Silence as the Nalan left the void and into Medievia…