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"Dark Heart"
A lone figure sat hunched in thought atop a low stone carved
with the face of a surly monster. The forest night closed in on all sides, an
unnatural mist swirling in the darkness beneath the towering trees. The figure
raised its head. Glowing green eyes pierced the veils of fog, glaring balefully
in the direction of Vash Naroom—just a short distance away through the gloom of
the corrupted forest.
“What else could I have done? Did I make the right
choice? Where is Pruitt? Is she as lonely and cold as I am??/i> Countless
questions screamed through Yaki’s head. He, who was normally so vibrant and
confident, was now unsure of anything. Yaki brooded alone in a once familiar
place; the training grounds outside of Vash Naroom. His nocturnal wanderings
had led him here in the dead of a cold, black night, looking for a place to
gather his thoughts. The training grounds had always felt like home to Yaki.
They were his domain. The place held so many fond memories of his first matches
against the greatest magi in the Moonlands; memories of home and friends and
good times. Yaki’s wounded spirit had led him to this place, hoping its
familiarity would be a warm embrace to comfort him in this cold new world he
found himself blindly stumbling through. Yaki peered around the training
grounds in the mist-filled darkness. It wasn’t the same now. It was
still and silent, devoid of the hum of life he remembered and longed for. The
presence of the usurping Dark Twins in nearby Vash Naroom hung like a stain in
the air, cloaking Yaki’s fond remembrances with a red haze of stifling anger.
Has this place changed so much or have I? Yaki sighed
and looked around the training grounds. Although it was as dark a night as he
could remember, he was able to see as clearly as if it were broad daylight.
This was just one of the new found abilities to go along with the other changes
he seemed to be undergoing, not his favorite of which was the inability to
sleep—a practice which had once been his favorite pastime. He couldn’t help but
smile as he remembered Orwin and his other teachers and how mad they would
become to find him sound asleep in a tree when all the other young magi were
reciting and practicing. The smile felt good. “Maybe it is going to be okay
after all,?/i> he thought. It was the first time he had smiled since that dark
day that seemed an eternity ago. The day those traitorous deceivers, Warrada
and Hrada, had torn into his world, poisoning his body with the sinister
energies of the Core, enslaving and corrupting his home and taking Pruitt away
to some fate he couldn’t bear to think about. Returning thoughts of Pruitt
being imprisoned brought back his anger, his smile twisting into a visage of
rage. A piercing scream of anguish erupted from his mouth as he leapt to his
feet and slammed his fist with all the force of his mighty hate into the stone
wall of the training grounds. Black bolts of crackling energy shot out in waves
from the blow, defining a ragged crack now marring the surface of the ancient stone.
Yaki stood trembling, focusing his hate for the Dark Twins and their loathsome
smirking faces. His heaving figure bent double with rage as he plotted their
defeat. Slowly, his anger ebbed as it burned into cold resolve. Calmly, he
stepped back from the damaged wall, examining the huge crack his fist had made.
The vines and ivy as well as the grass and weeds covering the ground and wall
near him seemed to wither and die before his eyes. He examined his undamaged
fist and thought, ?i>What have I become??/i>
v
In the high and proud mountain peaks of Kybar’s Teeth the
day was just beginning. The sun was cresting the far off eastern peaks,
spreading its warm glow and pushing back the last reluctant shreds of night.
The air was brisk and clear, rushing past Kazm’s face as he swooped and dove
through the morning air. Generally, Kazm wasn’t awake to see the sunrise; he
thought he might make a habit of it from now on. This morning flight wasn’t for
pleasure, however. He had important business to take care of. A summons from
Targ’n didn’t happen all the time and he knew better than to keep the old grump
waiting. ?i>What could it be??/i> he wondered. Hopefully it was another
errand to Arderial! The biggest perk of being able to fly was being sent to new
places and seeing all the girls... er, people, from around the
Moonlands…especially Shimmer and Ora and Adis and Aula and.?/div>
“KAZM!!!?Targ’n’s gruff voice snapped him back to reality.
“Where are you going!??Kazm realized he had flown right past the appointed
meeting place in front of the Hall of Elders. He cupped his leather wings, and
nimbly arced around, then dropped with the speed of a falling baldar and landed
a scant distance from the scowling Elder. Targ’n, wrapped in his skins and
hides to protect his huge but aging frame from the morning chill, didn’t even
flinch at the young Magi’s careless descent.
“I have an urgent and grave task for you boy.?The Elder
roared abruptly, getting straight to business. “There are rumors that Naroom
has fallen to agents of the Core. For all I know it may already be too late.?
The grim giant brought one huge hand up and ran it through his graying hair,
his mind in deep thought. Examining the rock at his feet, the Elder seemed to
be searching for words. Kazm shifted uneasily, aware that Targ’n was
uncharacteristically disturbed. After a moment, Targ’n turned to the
northeastern horizon and boomed in his great voice, “Most of the affairs down
there don’t concern us. But…lately all of my dreams are filled by visions of
dark tides sweeping over these mountains.?Targ’n paused again then resolutely
raised a mighty fist. “Sometimes you have to extend your hand and lend your
strength even when the troubles others are facing seem far away.?/div>
Kazm hadn’t ever heard so many words come out of Targ’n at
once. The young magi really didn’t know what to say. “Y-yah, I mean I totally
agree…uh, sir.?Kazm stammered awkwardly. “Let’s…let’s extend our strength and
lend Naroom our troubles…err, I mean, yeah, let’s see if they need help!?Kazm
fumbled at his words, but he knew the big guy got his meaning.
“It would take most magi half a season to walk there and
back but I know you can be there and return with news before El is full.?The
Elder gestured to the pale sliver of the home world hanging in the sky, not yet
washed away by the encroaching light of the dawn. Targ’n again looked down to
the ground as he searched for words.
“There is no one to accompany you, none other who has the
your gift of swift and steady flight.?Targ’n looked to Kazm with hope and
pride. Kazm was filled with an overwhelming sense of duty.
Standing up as tall as he could, Kazm confidently replied,
“You can count on me, sir. Naroom will know they have allies in the Teeth. I
will be back with news in three nights!?Targ’n grimly nodded approval, his
eyes twinkling with admiration as he stepped back to allow the young magi room
to launch into flight. With a great gust, Kazm leapt from the balcony of the
Hall of Elders and sped into the northeastern sky like a soaring yark.
Targ’n watched until Kazm disappeared into the hazy
morning air. “If anything happens to that boy,?the Teeth Elder muttered, “by Kybar’s Beard,
I will move mountains to crush the ones responsible.?/div>
What happens next? Read Part 2 "Fallen Allies" |
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