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| Primal Part 2 By LLBane |
| Loarn rested his back against the stone wall of his guard station. His eyes have long grown heavy and his snores echoed loudly out into the darkness. It had been such a long time since he had anyone to talk to let alone interact with. Being half eagle and half man did not help matters either. His long golden wings had long ago been clipped so he could not fly. This saddened him greatly. His curse for having tried to outwit the Obsidian wizard was to guard the wizards top floor of his tower. But the wizard had not been seen for such a long time that Loarn dreamed that his master, for slave he surely was now, had perished and the curse still stayed on him. He tried his best to leave the tower but every time he was transported back to the doorway. So he did the only thing he could do since the magic of the tower sustained him was sleep. He cared not if someone entered the room. He hoped and sometimes dreamed they would. Suddenly the large metal door swung inward with the loudest groan. Almost as if the great thing was alive. Standing in the darkness was a figure silhouetted by the fire below. Shadows danced in the room which was not of the same obsidian surface. It was now mirror like but of a reddish hue. Bane walked into the room with his silveron long dagger in his fist. The glint of his fangs in the light and the flash of light off the emerald green eyes sent a shiver through Loarn. What manner of creature was this man or beast? Loarn moved away from the doorway and held up his hand. "Halt stranger. What business is it of yours in the tower of the obsidian wizard?" Commanded Loarn though too weakly he thought to himself. He cringed inwardly. "I am Bane, Lord of the Lycan Empire. Your tower offers shelter from the storm is all I need until the storm is past." Looking around Loarn Bane knew Loarn was alone. He also could smell the damp feathers and the fear on him. Some inner feeling told Bane strong and ancient magic was at work here. He could tell by the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. "Well met Lord Bane, I am Loarn, once I was a General Loarn, but I was trapped by the wizard and forced to guard this hellish tower. I make no objections that you stay below and wait out the storm. But it is unsafe up here in the inner levels of the tower. Strange artifacts that still hold power lay in dust. I know not what happened to the wizard, he may have perished, I know not, but I do know there are magical wards all around the upper floor. Please Lord Bane, be careful." Loarn bowed low and then sat down cross-legged. His bone creaked with the effort. He had been standing at that post for years or was it hours, he did not know anymore. "The obsidian wizard, if I remember old legends and rumors, he was the guardian of the black pool. Is that correct?" Bane seemed more interested now. His fatigue he had been feeling was all but forgotten now. "Aye, he was. It is the very thing I had come here to take. He told me it granted one the power to walk in the ethereal realms without suffocating. I thought it gave godhead. What is to be believed eh my friend." Loarn smiled. His white teeth showed in the golden feathered face. Having the head and body of a man but the wings and legs of a eagle gave him a most odd appearance. This was especially true when he smiled. Bane noted the corded muscles in the arms of the man eagle and knew he was a powerful and probably fast foe. "A great evil has overcome the land. The demons from the nether realms stalk the lands once again. The dragons as a power in this world are gone. Their whole race has been decimated in one attack. Foul creatures using death magic. I seek a way to fight back against this death magic. If the obsidian wizard is in the tower I must speak to him." Bane walked forward. Loarn jumped up and held the bladed staff at Bane. "That I can not allow Lord Bane. I shall perish if any disturb the wizards quarters. I am many things but afraid to die, yes. I am. I see the look in your eyes. Do not hesitate if you wish to fight me. If you beat me I shall allow you passage. Though I would ask a favor before you go should you do." Loarn stood in a defensive stance that Bane noted could easily be an offensive stance giving the great claws on the feet of Loarn. "Very well. If you would stand in the way of my progress then you must be defeated." Bane charged at the man eagle. Loarn quickly sidestepped the attack and parried the dagger blow by Bane. Just as quickly his bladed staff stuck Bane in the back which brought bright sparks lit up the room. Bane turned on his heel and drove his armored and spiked elbow deep into Loarn's side. The man eagle was thrown to the far fall gasping for breath. The staff began to whirl faster and faster. Bane could barely keep an eye on the speed of the blade. As he approached Loarn the great clawed feet struck him in the upper thighs and the short bladed staff struck Bane in the head. The world spun in sharp lightning bursts but Bane, being the veteran he was spun and struck with his dagger. The blade sheared through one of the wing veins on the back of Loarn who screamed and rolled backwards to land on his feet and come at Bane in a frenzied attack. Bane let the staff bite into his side and as it did he dropped he left arm down to trap the blade. Twisting Bane broke the staff and tripped the man eagle who fell onto his back and ended up with the heel of his boots poised on the man eagles throat. He could crush the throat the kill Loarn. Something stopped him. There was no blood lust for this kill like he had felt earlier with the humans in the pass. Loarn dropped his arms to his side and waited for the death blow. When none came he opened his eyes. "I have no desire to kill you. You are no threat to me or my people. I have defeated you. Your skill is great but I think your time here has made your combat skills rusty. Now what is the favor you would like to have?" "Thank you Lord Bane. If you enter the room, please remove and take with you what looks like an obsidian egg. When you leave this place I would ask that you bury it in a safe place near some craggy cliffs." Bane nodded and walked beyond the falling man eagle. As he did he heard what was left of the bladed staff end Loarn's life. The warrior took his own life. Bane shook his head in sadness. After he had healed from the third ward that was triggered onto Bane, the first was fire, the second was cold and third was lightning, Bane looked for food and drink. His body was bruised and battered but he would be fully healed by morning. The discomfort was one he was used to. Bane found several books on alchemy and on the wisdom of trees. An odd book. He took them all and put them into a leather bag he had found. The bag had no end to it. He was sure he had filled the thing several times but it was like he had nothing in it at all. Yet he could reach in and feel all the books and objects he placed into it. Sitting down at the table and pouring what must have been wine into a large golden goblet, Bane drank down the spiced and tangy reddish wine. After the whole flask was emptied Bane felt better. The warmth from the wine made him feel like his old self. Looking for more he found elvish waybread. Magical bread that one piece could sustain one for days. A loaf could sustain one for months. Bane found half a loaf. Cutting off two large pieces with his dagger Bane hunted for something else to drink with his food. Finding a small glass container of a dark colored liquid behind a sack of golden apples, Bane took it to the table. The apples were unusually sweet and the bread and the new liquid seemed to fill him up. He felt like he had ate a great feast. Then the burning in his stomach began. He doubled over in agony and thought poison. But then he clutched the small glass container. Laughing out loud the thought struck him. He had drank the liquid of the black pool by accident. LLBane |