The first thing Riven felt when he slipped back into the world of consciousness was a dull stinging on the back of his head, where he had hit the hard wood floor. He tried vainly to sit up but the pain pushed him back down. He relaxed against the cool wood, letting it calm him. He began to meditate, thus gathering his thoughts and allowing time for the pain to pass. He began to remember the events that had transpired before he had been put under the sleep spell. He recounted how he had failed to save Imoen from her kidnappers, and anger once again filled him. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light. When he felt as though he could stand, he slowly pushed up from the ground, and put his feet underneath him. Finally he felt something close to normal, and began to scan the room. The attackers had made a clean job of the kidnapping, leaving not a trace of their presence. Except for one. Riven suddenly grabbed for Daystar, his long sword, but it wasn't there. Scanning the floor, he found his sword near the spot where the kidnappers had disappeared. Daystar though, was no longer Daystar. Shattered remains, of the blade where scattered around the floor, and he knelt down near them.
"My friend..." he breathed in disbelief. This sword had been one of his most trusted allies in battle. Anger filled him like none he had felt that morning. Not only did the bandits take Imoen, the wizard in the group proceeded to destroy Riven's blade, truly insulting the warrior. Crushing his anger again, he calmly stood up and walked to the door. The guards of Candlekeep must be informed of this breach of security. As he was pulling on his cloak, he glanced at the magical time-telling device that Imoen had erected on her wall. According to the clock, he had been out for about forty-five minutes. Giving one last look to his fallen blade, filled him with a vengeful resolve, and he left Imoen's house. Heading across the lawn, he walked toward the barracks of the soldiers of Candlekeep. When he opened the door to the place, the soldiers turned a wary eye to him. Upon realization of who this was, their faces suddenly lit up with delight.
"Greetings friends." Riven said, to the small crowd of soldiers. "Please dispense with the pleasantries, as we will have time for that later. For now I have a grave tale to tell. This morning, Imoen, my trusted friend was kidnapped from her home." Looks of shocked disbelief from the soldiers met Riven's ever-calm gaze. These soldiers have never experienced a kidnapping without them knowing of it first.
"When? How?" a young soldier near Riven asked.
"In the first hours of dawn, a wizard, and his group of bounty hunters descended upon her home. I tried to stop them, but alas, I could not. The wizard teleported them away to a place unknown to me." Rivn answered gravely.
"We must launch an investigation at once!" said a very important looking officer, getting several cheers of agreement from the throng of soldiers gathered in the barracks.
"Nay. There is nothing to investigate. Allow me to handle that part sir. It's personal now. They stole my childhood friend and destroyed my blade. I will do everything I can to stop them. Besides I already have a clue as to who it is." Riven replied.
"Who could it be?" another officer asked.
"I...believe it could be...the fallen mage Jon Irenicus." Riven answered hesitantly. He did not think that the soldiers would believe this.
"Irenicus? Didn't you dispatch him?" said the young warrior that had spoken up first.
"Yes I did. But I'm afraid he may be trying to return-Using Imoen to do it." Riven responded. "Besides" he continued, "I need you men to stay here strengthen your defenses so that this may never happen again. Inform the wizards of what has happened and tell them if they need me I will be at my cabin in the Umar hills, preparing for an attack on Irenicus." He threw a short salute and strode out of the barracks. Pulling out a small crystal from a pouch on his belt he uttered the command word, "Sha'aklin" that would instantly transport him to his cabin. A blue light suddenly engulfed him, and he was soon standing in front of his Ranger cabin. He walked onto his familiar porch and entered. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so he relaxed his guard, and walked inside. He noticed something on the table though, and went to retrieve it. It turned out to be a note, stuck to the table with a poisoned dagger, the dangerous venom, running the ink together in the spot that it touched. Picking it up, he read,
Fool,
If you are reading this, then you will soon find out where I have taken your precious Imoen. I won't waste time telling you who this is because I am sure you have the common sense to realize. You'll be disappointed to find that, by the time you read this, I have already completed the ritual to give myself life once again. I must admit, it took some time, and a lot of blood, particularly Imoen's to finish. But now that is past, and I am sure you wish to come and rescue her correct. Very well, I am holding her, in my new dungeon, underneath the Slums of Athkatla. Come meet your destiny, and my revenge, if you wish.
Riven laid the letter back on his table and thought about his situation for a moment. He now knew where Imoen, and Irenicus where. But he also knew that danger awaited him. He then realized that he could not do this alone. He needed the companionship of his friends once again. But for now he was too tired to do much of anything. He had traveled for weeks to reach Candlekeep, and had rarely slept. As such, he was exhausted. He decided that he would rest until morning, and then call upon his friends for help. Taking off his boots and cloak, and placing his equipment in his weapons cabinet, he replaced his day tunic, with a simple sleep tunic. But before he got into bed, he found his replacement for Daystar. Actually replacements would be more accurate. On the to shelf of his weapons rack, were his prized scimitars, Luna and Beam, which glowed with moonlight. They were given to him by the king of a moon elf tribe that Riven had saved from an onslaught of Vampire attacks. They were both long, and thin, delicately curved, and light, allowing Riven to move with great speed when fighting. Smiling, he remembered how well he fought with those blades. He decided that these would be the blades that would destroy Irencus once and for all, as he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Well here's another chapter for you reader people out there. Please review because once gain, I NEED REVIEWS. Remember, more reviews=more chapters. Thanks to those who did review. Oh well until next chapter, bu-bye.
"My friend..." he breathed in disbelief. This sword had been one of his most trusted allies in battle. Anger filled him like none he had felt that morning. Not only did the bandits take Imoen, the wizard in the group proceeded to destroy Riven's blade, truly insulting the warrior. Crushing his anger again, he calmly stood up and walked to the door. The guards of Candlekeep must be informed of this breach of security. As he was pulling on his cloak, he glanced at the magical time-telling device that Imoen had erected on her wall. According to the clock, he had been out for about forty-five minutes. Giving one last look to his fallen blade, filled him with a vengeful resolve, and he left Imoen's house. Heading across the lawn, he walked toward the barracks of the soldiers of Candlekeep. When he opened the door to the place, the soldiers turned a wary eye to him. Upon realization of who this was, their faces suddenly lit up with delight.
"Greetings friends." Riven said, to the small crowd of soldiers. "Please dispense with the pleasantries, as we will have time for that later. For now I have a grave tale to tell. This morning, Imoen, my trusted friend was kidnapped from her home." Looks of shocked disbelief from the soldiers met Riven's ever-calm gaze. These soldiers have never experienced a kidnapping without them knowing of it first.
"When? How?" a young soldier near Riven asked.
"In the first hours of dawn, a wizard, and his group of bounty hunters descended upon her home. I tried to stop them, but alas, I could not. The wizard teleported them away to a place unknown to me." Rivn answered gravely.
"We must launch an investigation at once!" said a very important looking officer, getting several cheers of agreement from the throng of soldiers gathered in the barracks.
"Nay. There is nothing to investigate. Allow me to handle that part sir. It's personal now. They stole my childhood friend and destroyed my blade. I will do everything I can to stop them. Besides I already have a clue as to who it is." Riven replied.
"Who could it be?" another officer asked.
"I...believe it could be...the fallen mage Jon Irenicus." Riven answered hesitantly. He did not think that the soldiers would believe this.
"Irenicus? Didn't you dispatch him?" said the young warrior that had spoken up first.
"Yes I did. But I'm afraid he may be trying to return-Using Imoen to do it." Riven responded. "Besides" he continued, "I need you men to stay here strengthen your defenses so that this may never happen again. Inform the wizards of what has happened and tell them if they need me I will be at my cabin in the Umar hills, preparing for an attack on Irenicus." He threw a short salute and strode out of the barracks. Pulling out a small crystal from a pouch on his belt he uttered the command word, "Sha'aklin" that would instantly transport him to his cabin. A blue light suddenly engulfed him, and he was soon standing in front of his Ranger cabin. He walked onto his familiar porch and entered. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so he relaxed his guard, and walked inside. He noticed something on the table though, and went to retrieve it. It turned out to be a note, stuck to the table with a poisoned dagger, the dangerous venom, running the ink together in the spot that it touched. Picking it up, he read,
Fool,
If you are reading this, then you will soon find out where I have taken your precious Imoen. I won't waste time telling you who this is because I am sure you have the common sense to realize. You'll be disappointed to find that, by the time you read this, I have already completed the ritual to give myself life once again. I must admit, it took some time, and a lot of blood, particularly Imoen's to finish. But now that is past, and I am sure you wish to come and rescue her correct. Very well, I am holding her, in my new dungeon, underneath the Slums of Athkatla. Come meet your destiny, and my revenge, if you wish.
Riven laid the letter back on his table and thought about his situation for a moment. He now knew where Imoen, and Irenicus where. But he also knew that danger awaited him. He then realized that he could not do this alone. He needed the companionship of his friends once again. But for now he was too tired to do much of anything. He had traveled for weeks to reach Candlekeep, and had rarely slept. As such, he was exhausted. He decided that he would rest until morning, and then call upon his friends for help. Taking off his boots and cloak, and placing his equipment in his weapons cabinet, he replaced his day tunic, with a simple sleep tunic. But before he got into bed, he found his replacement for Daystar. Actually replacements would be more accurate. On the to shelf of his weapons rack, were his prized scimitars, Luna and Beam, which glowed with moonlight. They were given to him by the king of a moon elf tribe that Riven had saved from an onslaught of Vampire attacks. They were both long, and thin, delicately curved, and light, allowing Riven to move with great speed when fighting. Smiling, he remembered how well he fought with those blades. He decided that these would be the blades that would destroy Irencus once and for all, as he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Well here's another chapter for you reader people out there. Please review because once gain, I NEED REVIEWS. Remember, more reviews=more chapters. Thanks to those who did review. Oh well until next chapter, bu-bye.