The Necromancer's Fury
Cht. 1- The Beginning
Guildain stood before the assembled Masters, having just told his tale. He was nervous and sweaty, for it had taken long to tell it. And some parts were particularly harrowing.
One of the Masters leaned forward, his green eyes gleaming. "Fascinating, young Journeyman. But what is your point?"
Our hero was vaguely shocked; he had thought it would be obvious. "Forgive me, Masters. I wish to leave on a journey of revenge." Now they were the shocked ones.
"How? How are you going to avenge your brother, young knave, considering who it was that killed him? Will you kill yourself?" Derisive laughter from the younger Council members. Young being relative in this case; one had to be at least 70 years old before the Grand Masters would even consider you.
Guildain's rage flared briefly. "You know whom I mean to take revenge upon! Diablo, the Lord of Terror! The one who literally drove him out of his mind! The one who possessed him!
"Not that you could stop me even if you tried. For I have already sworn myself to this quest in the presence of Rathma himself!"
Such impertinence, under other circumstances, would surely have gotten him thrown out of the Order. Due to the gravity of the circumstances, and the circumstances themselves, the Masters merely sat and looked stunned. Save for one: Master Amara.
Amara had been Guildain's teacher, the one who had taught him the intricacies of the Necromancers' hidden dagger-based martial arts. She had dealt with him patiently for years, in the end turning the sniveling wretch he had once been into the coldly efficient warrior-mage they saw before them.
Poisons, bone spells, ripostes and parries. All these things passed from teacher to pupil during those years, long ago. And now she leaned forward, looking at her former pupil with eyes that saw more than he had given away. Whatever it was, it satisfied her, and she leaned back and nodded. "Well, we can't really stop you, now can we? Outfit yourself, Guildain, and make your way to wherever you see fit to go."
Another of the Masters spoke. "No, we can do better than that. I know of a caravan that is headed for the Rogue's Pass. It is led by Warriv, whom we have dealt with before. We can send young Guildain to him with a letter, and he will understand." The others nodded. Amara spoke again. "My sister will find him, surely. I will give you another letter, Guildain. One to be taken to Akara, the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye." He nodded.
"Now go, and prepare yourself. You leave tomorrow."