Cassius stepped out into the night, flanked by Folkin warriors on each side. Despite the obvious danger he faced, he strangely felt confident. It was likely due to the strange dreams that had been plaguing his sleep. In them he saw evil beings and a beautiful sword. When his mind turned to his dreams, an uncomfortable feeling would overcome him. He would feel pressured, pressured to hurry. This was reinforced when he found himself gazing longingly in the direction of the White Mountains; in his heart he knew his next destination would be there.
"Nervous?" Asked Sh'Ma as she sashayed towards them.
Cassius shook his head, "Not in the slightest."
Sh'Ma smiled, "Good, because the Elders are ready to begin." She directed him onto a platform in a clearing, uncovered by the treetops. It was elevated into the air and allowed for him to clearly see the night stars above. On the platform we're several ancient runes that had been meticulously engraved into the wood. "Stand perfectly in the middle of the runes, once the runes are activated; your soul will be transported to a different plane of existence to be tried and judged."
Cassius stepped confidently into the runes.
Sh'Ma then turned and looked at him with a grave expression, "My complete faith is in you, but be warned: if you are harmed in the Rite, your real body will suffer as well." Cassius released a short sigh and calmed himself.
As Sh'Ma retreated from the runes, Yu'Ma took her place. "You must once again know that I am sorry for this precaution, and I ask you don't hold it against us. My people's safety is paramount."
Cassius smiled at the Folkin Chief, "I understand and I will not. I would expect nothing less from a leader." Yu'Ma stared at him for a moment, nodded, and exited the runes.
"Elders, let us begin." His cold voice broke through the silent atmosphere. As one the seven Elders grabbed hands and then joined with the Chief. They began a slow chant, saying words that Cassius could not comprehend. As they continued, the chanting grew louder; the runes lit and radiated a crimson glow.
"Why do I feel like I'm in deep shit?" He mumbled to himself as the runes grew brighter and brighter. They were now a bright crimson in color and shimmered. Cassius felt his consciousness begin to recede, darkness encroaching on each sides. The chanting how now reached a climax and became more of a shout. The runes flashed and a thunder so loud, it shook the whole world for the second time, rumbled. Crimson lightning flashed across the sky, this time much bigger then it had days ago. The people of the village and others all around Telon cowered in fear, buildings crumbled and streets collapsed.
Cassius was oblivious to this all, as the darkness at enclosed across his whole vision; silence ensued.
The darkness receded and was replaced by a beautiful meadow. The tall grass was a vibrant green, and rippling peacefully in the morning wind. Cassius smiled and gazed out across the endless field. He peacefully watched the sun as it rose into the sky. A soft breeze cluttered and soon he noticed a presence beside him. He slightly turned his head to look at the new arrival. His heart nearly stopped in his chest, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was gently tanned and her hair was a soft white. Her form was elegant and she wore a beautiful, blue gown. On her face was a smile that could halt the heavens.
The woman looked at him lovingly and placed a soft hand on his cheek, "I wondered when you would return, my Love." Her voice was as soft as the freshly fallen snow, and made Cassius's heart clench. Something about this beautiful woman was familiar, and her presence tugged at his heart.
"W-why do you feel so familiar?" He asked the beautiful woman.
A sad smile appeared on her face, "That is a question that I cannot answer. Someday you will remember."
Cassius frowned in confusion, "What is this place and who are you?"
The woman returned her gaze to the meadow, "You are in a place outside time and space, called the Planes of Reality. This is where someone who enters a dungeon or the Rite is sent."
"Where is this Rite?" He asked, scanning his surroundings to make sure he wasn't in a trap.
The woman nodded her head, "You are here now; just walk forward, I will leave you now." She smiled sweetly, "Good luck."
Cassius began walking through the meadow towards the sunrise. As she watched him go, a tear ran down her cheek. "Irian." She whispered. Cassius turned around to take one last look at the incredibly familiar woman, but she was gone. With a sigh he resumed his march through the meadow.
For hours he walked forwards, the sun rose higher in the sky and the pleasant breeze of the meadow, disappeared. The air slowly became dry and the grass dried up, taking on a dark brown color. The ground became riddled with debris and the meadow fizzled into a valley with giant cliffs on either side. He slowed down his trek and narrowed his eyes; the once pleasant atmosphere was now sinister and overbearing. A crow cawed as it soared through the dead valley.
Cassius, who was focused on the crow, tripped over a weathered rock and nearly fell on his face. He grimaced and looked down at the rock that had tripped him. He stumbled back when he realized that the rock was actually the skull of a human. He shivered and looked around the 'rocky' valley; as he suspected, the rocks were actually the bones of deceased mortals. Their were bones of Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and other beings. "What the fuck is this place?" He whispered, to afraid to disturb the valley of the Dead.
The crow he had previously been watching landed atop the crumbled wall of what looked to be an ancient fort. He steeled himself and began walking to the fort. He had a sneaking suspicion that his destination could be found somewhere on the inside. As he approached the decrepit fort, a sense of dread began to surface in his heart. The closer he got, the more powerful it became; he gritted his teeth and stepped through a large hole in the stone wall.
On the ground, inside the fort, lied numerous bodies and weapons of deceased warriors. Cassius scanned the ancient battlefield in hopes of finding a temporary weapon. After several minutes of fruitless labor, he finally spotted a weapon. His eyes scanned it up and down, something about the lone sword caused him to hesitate. The sword was in exceptionally good condition, considering it's age. The blade was rusted and chipped. The hilt was perfectly preserved. "Definitely something wrong with that sword." He mumbled to himself and decided not to touch anything.
He ignored the sword and proceeded up the steps of the ancient fortress. As he approached the vast entry, a cold and malevolent feeling overcame him. He froze in his tracks and his eyes warily watched the towering walls above him. A raspy voice echoed throughout the grounds, "It has been over a millennia since anyone has dared intrude on this forsaken place."
Cassius gulped and clenched his fists in preparation, "I'm here, according the Rite of the Ancient Ones."
The disembodied voice laughed, causing Cassius to sweat. Silence settled over the fortress while the voice pondered, "It has been ages since anyone has tested themselves." It took what seemed to be a breath, "Yes, you will do nicely."
As if on cue, the heavy oak doors swung open; slinging up dust and grime. Cassius entered the gloomy building and his vision went dark. He fell into oblivion, his body spiraling down into eternal darkness. He fell for ages, spending lifetimes in the darkness. His heart longed for the light and his soul begged for company. The further he fell, the more he lost of himself. Just when he thought he would give up hope, he saw a shimmer of light below him. Joy spread through his heart and the shimmer grew brighter, as he fell closer and closer.
The light wasn't faint anymore, instead it was shining brightly; with every second the light grew bright and brighter, rendering Cassius blind. Immense pain shot through his body, consuming every square inch. His bones shuddered, threatening to shatter. He felt blood seep from his eyes and ears. The pain grew greater and greater, until his mind couldn't take it any longer. He lost consciousness and descended into sweet bliss.
A groan of pain escaped his dry and cracked lips, he blinked his sensitive eyes open. He hissed as his eyes stung and began to water. His head ached numbly, a reminder of the frightening experience. He forced himself to a sitting position and inspected his surroundings. To his surprise, he was in a warmly lit room. Plush carpets lined the cold stone floors. Paintings and tapestries hung on every wall, many depicting what Cassius assumed to be ancient battles. He realized that he was sitting on a large and soft bed, his hands ran across the blankets and pillows. "What the fuck?"
A man laughed in amusement. Cassius's head jerked around and stared in shock at a weathered old man. A long white beard hung from his wise face. "Glad to see you are awake!"
Cassius rubbed his eyes, and took a second look to confirm that the man was real. "Who the hell are you, and where am I?"
The man smiled pleasantly, "Calm down, my friend. We will get to that shortly. First, come and enjoy some tea with me; I'm sure you're quite parched after you're ordeal." Cassius's thought for a moment and climbed onto unsteady legs. He stumbled over to a cushioned chair at a quaint table. The old man sat at the table sipping tea and looking intently at an ancient book. The old man waved a hand, and a cup of tea appeared in front of Cassius.
"Thank you," he mumbled and proceeded to chug the tea without thought. When he didn't reach the bottom of the tea cup after several moments, he put it down and looked inside. He laughed in delight, the cup was still full.
The old man finally looked up and smiled, "Quite amazing, isn't it?" Cassius nodded and brought the cup to his lips for round two. "I remember when I first discovered the joys of magic, I will never forget when I turned my Elder brother into a frog." He chuckled at the cherished memory.
"Magic!" Exclaimed Cassius in shock.
The old man laughed even harder, "Hardly, this is just a basic spell that allows any drink to refill itself." Cassius stared at the old man in shock.
He remembered himself and looked at the old man, "What did you say your name was again?"
The old man shook his head, "Excuse my lack of manners! You may call me Talyn." He observed Cassius for a moment, "What is your name?"
Cassius reaches his hand out, "Cassius White, pleasure to meet you. I can't thank you enough for this delicious tea!"
The old man smiled, "No thanks necessary." He shook Cassius's hand. Cassius was shocked as he felt the strength of the older man's grip. It was nearly as strong as Cassius's, even with his new strength.
"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, it's time to get down to business." Talyn reached into his left robe pocket and pulled out a strange device. It looked like a knife, but a cord was attached to the end; it then led into a circular object that had a faint blue glow. Cassius watched it warily.
Talyn noted Cassius's expression, "No need to worry dear boy, this device will simply prick your palm and transfer the contents of your blood into the circular object there."
"What exactly will that do? And how does this help me complete the Rite?" Cassius's asked incredulously.
Talyn suddenly began laughing hysterically, "My dear boy, you already passed the Rite! That is why you suffered so horribly and woke in my bed chambers." He finally contained his laughter, "Do you honestly think that us Ancient Ones would be required to undergo a physically grueling trial? How shameful that would be! No, this device will just determine what descent you are. You have obviously lost your memory with the awakening, otherwise you wouldn't be here!"
Cassius's mouth hung open and sighed in relief, "So I don't have to fight so giant monster or something?"
"No, my dear boy. Now give me your hand." Cassius was too lost in thought to object and stuck out his hand for Talyn to prick.
"Fuck!" He cursed as Talyn slid the blade across his palm, cutting deep into his hand. "I thought you said it would be a prick?"
Talyn shrugged, "So I lied? Not a big deal, besides your hand is already healed." Cassius stared daggers at Talyn, but finally glanced at his hand. To his disbelief, the wound and completely healed. Not a trace of the cut was left.
"Hmm, strange. Very strange indeed." Talyn murmured and stroked his beard while looking at the circular object. After several moments and many curses, he finally glanced up at Cassius. "You're a strange one. Not even my device can read your ancestry; that he never happened before."
"What does that mean?" Cassius asked as he massaged his palm.
Talyn remained quiet for several minutes, a strange look painted on his bearded face. He slowly looked at Cassius, "What did you say your name was again, boy?"
Cassius gulped, "Cassius White. Why?"
The old man stared at him a moment longer and quickly stood, "Time is up, best you get out of here." He turned and left the room.
Cassius jumped to his feet, "How the hell do I get out of here?" He called after him. He jumped in surprise as a door appeared to his right. He grumbled something rude under his breath and stepped through the door into oblivion.
****
The man sat in the middle of the vast library, a pensive look on his face. "I didn't think I'd see you again brother." He sighed, "This time you're so different, but it is unmistakably you; I couldn't believe it when he first entered the Rite. The looks are the same, but once I saw his blood, I was sure." He laughed to himself, "It seems you accomplished the impossible after all."
He stood from his chair and removed his cloak, black hair spilled out onto a handsome face. His red eyes took one last look around the legendary library. "It was a shame that you managed to survive, even if it's only a shadow of you. Bal-Tuhn will be pleased to hear that you are still alive, and such easy prey." He then summoned a menacing, black sword and looked over his shoulder at the collapsed body of a white-bearded old man. Blood poured from his separated head, "Who knows, maybe you'll share our brother's luck, Talyn." He chuckled and his body disappeared in a wisp of black smoke.