Across Five Continents
The Story of Akana the Enchanter
Chapter One
Majin Magus
I would like to take this time for giving credit not to Verant (See my profile for that), but to a crappy novel we're trudging through in Reading class called 'Across Five Aprils.' This inspired me to draw a scene in my notebook of Sallainla at Lvl. 6 amid a dragon (representing Velious), a giant snake (representing Kunark), a tiny little picture of Kelethin (hailing from Faydwer), an Erudite (Odus), and a Splitpaw Gnoll (from Antonica). Also a more detailed picture of Sal to your left-hand side, Kyokutan the Human Necro to the right, Krystiina the Wood Elf Druid (of Tunare Server) below the dragon's feet, and Akana the Enchanter underneath the Gnoll's feet. If you're a newbie, that probably meant little or nothing to you.
Thank you for your time.
The Dark Elf walked down the streets of Neriak Commons, red robe covering her body, a glistening dagger in her hand. She puffed out a sigh and sat down next to the Priest of Discord, who regarded her indifferently.
This Dark Elf was Akana. She had white hair and wispy, far-away blue eyes. Slender and tall, she was as pretty as any of the other children of Innoruuk, the god of hate. Her skin was a deep blue like the others of her kind. Her ears were pointed, and she didn't see any reason for others to believe she was evil.
Akana was agnostic, and she refused to believe in the so-called 'gods' of Norrath. Of course, she was also supposed to believe they might exist, but, as she thought, to hell with that.
"Hmm…wonder what's on the agenda today," she muttered to herself, in Old Erudian. She spoke this Erudite tongue sometimes because she disliked have others eavesdrop on her.
*
Perhaps we should back up to a few days ago at Slug's Tavern. Akana was seated at the counter, having a Red Wine. A pair of Enchanters, like herself, noisily came in and tried to look casual.
"Hail, my brothers," she said to them, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Illusion spells couldn't be seen through, but the performance put on by these two totally gave themselves away.
One, an oddly handsome 'Dark Elf,' turned to her after a second.
"Hail, Akana! How might you be this fine day?" he said, beaming at her. Akana had no problem with happiness, but with so many followers of Innoruuk around…
Casually Akana moved into the seat next to the two fake Dark Elves. She leaned close to the one who had spoken to her and whispered, "I know you are in my city because you want to buy the spells to enchant metal. You better drop the happy act or you'll have followers of Innoruuk slicing at you from five hundred directions at once."
The two looked shocked, then nervous. The barkeep was out of earshot, so they leaned close to Akana.
"You…don't follow Innoruuk? I thought all Dark Elves did!" he said.
The female smiled. "I'm Agnostic. Not all of us are truly evil, you know. Just because it is dogma that all Dark Elves follow Innoruuk doesn't mean it's true."
"Oh, praise be to the gods!" the other sighed in relief.
The first started, then flushed. "How rude! I am Jashin, and this is Florik my companion. We are High Elven Enchanters both born of Felwithe. We seek the wisdom to enchant metal in your…er…fair city."
Akana flicked her hand. "I may have been born in Neriak, but I think, from what pictures I have seen, almost every city, save Oggok and Grobb, are more beautiful. I wish to see them all…especially Kelethin." Her wistful hope disappeared as she saw the hurried look on their faces.
"Pardon my rudeness, but we have only minutes until the spell fades. Please guide us to the Enchanter's guild," Jashin muttered.
And, after that, Akana showed them the vendors of enchant metal spells, and they both rewarded her with gold. She was happy they Gated away safely.
"May the blessings of…er…uh…To…um…Tunare follow you," Akana said after them.
Florik bowed, and smiled. "We, too, are agnostic, fair elf. We hope to meet you once again one day. If you ever find yourself by Greater Faydark…"
I'll send a tell. Florik heard her voice in his head. He nodded and they disappeared.
*
Akana strode to the log where there were always people. As she approached the log, she spied a friend of hers.
"Taar!" she called out.
A Dark Elf turned from a black wolf's corpse, gathered up its pelt, and saw Akana waving at him.
"Hail, hail Akana! How so good to see you!" Taar exclaimed, walking towards Akana and smiling. He, too, was an Enchanter. He was even of the same skill level, 4, that Akana was.
"Friend, you did not say you would be here today! I had thought you questing in the furthest reaches of East Commonlands!" Akana cried as they embraced like old friends.
"East Commonlands? Me? Nay, fair Akana. I am not strong enough." After a moment's thought, he spoke. "Let us make a pact. We shall quest together for now and for all times! From Karana to the Alter Planes! Let there be no land that does not feel the tread of our feet!"
Being good friends, Taar knew what Akana wanted most was to see the world. She wished to see Kunark and Kerra's Ridge…the grand forests of Greater Faydark…
"Agreed," Akana said, and they shook hands. She took a gem she had found the previous day, not worth more than 2gp, and broke it in half. Ripping threads from a Medium Quality Wolf Pelt, she made two necklaces. She handed one to Taar and she wore one herself.
Taar fingered the broken gem he now wore. "This shall be the eternal sign of our agreement. Neither of use shall leave this forest without the other. Ever."
FOLLOW or DISBAND? Taar heard a voice in his head say.
'Follow,' he thought back.
No sooner had he exchanged a smile with her did a rumble of thunder come from the sky. Akana was confused.
"The rain isn't supposed to start for another three hours…why is it raining?" she said.
Taar gulped in fear. "Akana, there is something I must tell you. You know how we are all immortal? Even if we die, our lives never completely end? How only the gods," she rolled her eyes at this, "can take our lives completely away?"
Akana nodded. Then…how Taar had said 'gods…'
"I…I…I made a decision I regret now, love. L-Love?!" Taar screeched the word like it was a venomous snake that gotten too close to him.
The girl Enchanter started. "YOU! You are not agnostic!" she cried, realizing the truth suddenly. "And…and if you are not agnostic…the only recourse is…"
Taar nodded solemnly, sweat running down his face. "I follow Father Innoruuk. He is now aware of my love for you and this world, and he doesn't understand love. Therefore, he shall destroy me. I'm so sorry, love."
Akana smiled. "Dearest friend, you will live in someone else's body, you shall begin a new life. This is a theory some have. May…er…Erolissi Marr have pity on you, Taar."
As they smiled at each other, a vengeful bolt of lightning came from the far away heavens. It hit Taar, sizzling his flesh and melting his body. In mere seconds he was ash.
A smirking Necromancer stopped. "See! See all who oppose the dark lord Innoruuk! May all you followers of light meet the same fate as this fool!!" he called to everyone around. Some stopped to stare, others clapped.
Rage flared in Akana. "Bastard! Speak no ill of my friend! May he return as a servant of Rodcet Nife and slay you!! You vile, disgusting creature, have you no compassion?!" she roared.
The Necromancer grinned. "I follow Lord Innoruuk. Such pitiful emotions do not exist in my mind. You, my Dark Elvan sister, should feel the same way. Ah, but you a non-believer." He spat at her feet.
Red energy flowed from her hands. She extended her right hand until she could grab the Necromancer's throat. The Necromancer gasped and choked under her power, eyes bulging.
"Shallow Breath," she murmured in Dark Speech.
Releasing the Necromancer as his pet stood ready to defend him, she cast a spiteful glare at him.
"Learn compassion. Learn love. Learn some cursed respect for the living! For they can be as deadly as your god." And Akana vanished in a flourish.
Through eyes of cold ice she watched the weak Necromancer – who had a skill level of one – stumble away. She had cast Invisibility upon herself, and stepped into the shadows.
Over the forest, all heard her cry, "5 Enchanter Looking for a group!"
And, almost instantly, she heard in her head, "I'll meet you at the log." The 'tell' sense informed her she would be meeting Tystius. A Necromancer in a yellow robe round a corner and bow before her. Akana returned the bow.
Tystius was Akana's height but had deep, focused purple eyes. Her hair was perfectly trimmed and straight, unlike Akana's windswept style.
"I've got a good idea," Tystius said to the group after pleasantries had been exchanged.
A Magician in a red robe that was a little darker than Akana's strode up. "What's the idea?" she asked of the group. Her name was Laruana. She sat down and began to clean off her dagger, which was stained with dark red blood.
Three men walked up, each huffing and puffing. There was a Wizard, Valelen, a Cleric, Araxis, and a Warrior, Spydder.
Araxis grinned, and wiped his brow with his right hand, which held his sword. "Laruana, you run like a drunk. Swerving…spinning, walking backwards… Have you had too much mead?" The Cleric grinned even broader when Laruana laughed too.
Tystius held up her hand, calling for attention. "We'll go to the pyramids!" she announced. Everyone agreed. Valelen rose his hand.
"I need to go to Neriak, I'll meet you there," he said, then turned around and ran into the night…or day, it didn't matter. With Ultravision, it's never night or day. It's just sight.
The group turned around and headed to the pyramid, and Laruana, and her Water Elemental pet, led. She spun around every minute to make sure she was still being followed, and she moved back or forth while she dashed. Everyone else followed suit, and they finally arrived at the pyramid.
The pyramid was rather grand, since it looked like was made of ivory. Tystius dashed, her skeleton pet following, and soon there was a yellow-cloaked Necromancer sitting on top of the structure. Everyone else resting, and Akana looked at her group as she regained mana.
"I'm King of the World!" Tystius shouted while sitting on the pyramid. Suddenly, two skeletons appeared and began attacking. Everyone sprung up and fought back. Tystius came from her perch to help and Akana's brave pet slashed at the undead when they harmed his master.
Valelen cast Shock of Fire.
Akana closed the throat of one of the skellies with Shallow Breath.
Laruana used Burn.
Tystius ebbed the power away from the stronger skellie with Lifetap.
Spydder cut and slashed with all his might.
Araxis thrashed with his sword and used Minor Healing.
The three pets attacked together.
As the last of the two skeletons became a pile of bones, everyone fell back for much needed rest. Tystius returned to her spot on the pyramid. Akana was breathless and sweat flowed freely all over her body. Her red robes were soaked and her white cloth gloves were stained with her own blood. As she sat, the wound closed and her mana returned.
"AARRR!!!" came the fearful cry that echoed in the group's minds. They all sprang up, some only partially healed.
Tystius barreled off the pyramid, her pet falling dead behind her. Over the structure came two more skeletons and a zombie. Afraid but determined, everyone stood their ground except for Akana. She backed off a bit.
'This is insanity! A zombie? We can't win!' she thought, becoming nervous. Then, she came up with the phrase she'd use for years to come, which would provide courage in such situations:
"If I'm going down, I'm going down helping my friends!"
And she charged into the fray.
Everyone was taking major damage and somehow a lesser mummy had come to aid his friends. The casters were casting until their mana was gone, and all the pets were dead, even Akana's strong little invisible man.
"Fall back!" she reflexively cried to her friends, and she began to run. As she ran, she looked back to see Tystius, Valelen, and Spydder fall. Laruana had escaped, and Araxis was quickly dying.
As the brave Cleric's body was laying on the ground, Akana was so dismayed she stood still. Then the zombie and lesser mummy came at her, hitting her, drawing blood.
She ran.
Akana's mind reeled from the blood loss, and she turned at the crossroads, yelling for help as loud as she could. Her vision blurred and she fell onto the grass. As the zombie and lesser mummy beat her, she felt a hot liquid caressing her skin in more than a few places. Her own blood stained the grass, but her vision was black.
The zombie's cold, bony fist made contact with her stomach, which was sticky from the blood. Her robes were frayed, and she couldn't help wishing for death…it would be a blessing. As the dark blood poured from her, the two undead finally beat her to unconsciousness.
*
Akana snapped to attention on a log, which she instantly recognized as being near Neriak. She saw Tystius sitting cross-legged next to her, her face as full of life as it had been when she had been singing on the pyramid.
"You died?" she asked in a conversational tone. Akana nodded, not sure of what had happened. If she died, then how…?
Tystius understood. "Oh! Was that your first time dying?" Akana nodded again. "Don't worry, you can die, but your corpse is out there, where you fell, waiting for you to pick up your stuff." The Necromancer smiled kindly.
Closing her spell book, Tystius stood up. "Let's find your corpse."
"You guys okay?" Tystius asked the group.
There were three groggy replies. Everyone had died except for Laruana. They seemed optimistic still.
"Yeah…those damn undead…" Araxis muttered.
"Yes, just a flesh wound!" Valelen laughed.
"Yeah, but let's cut that zombie's heart out!" Spydder yelled.
The voice Laruana was heard. "Yes, I escaped and am running, drunkenly, Araxis, to meet you guys at the log, okay?" she asked, and they all agreed.
*
As everyone picked up their stuff, Akana looked around for her body. She knew what it looked like, of course, but the memory before her death was one big whirlwind of confusion.
"I, um, don't know where I died," Akana admitted sheepishly, though the words sounded odd in her mouth. Tystius took charge.
"Okay, everyone, look for Akana's corpse!" And everyone spread out. Valelen came up and showed Akana down the path to the East Commonlands, and she saw her body, void of any blood whatsoever, laying peacefully on the green grass.
Kneeling awkwardly, Akana stripped her body of her robe, which was perfectly mended, and armor and of the money she had been carrying. Taking a wolf pelt, she stood. As she puzzled over her naked corpse, it vanished.
"What do you guys say we head over the bridge to the EC?" Laruana said, 'EC' being the abbreviation from 'East Commonlands.'
There were numerous chants of agreement from everyone, and brash yells of 'Over the bridge!' Akana had never been so far from her home, but she was up for adventure.