The Sarevok Story

Chapter 3: Planting the Blade of Chaos

Sarevok was in a chair when he awoke. He could barely remember the day before, only that he was alone, and being beaten up by several men. He failed to remember what had happened properly, but he wasn't back in the dock house anymore. He looked around. He was in a much larger room than his own, and it was quite decorated with golden trinkets and candle pieces. He scrambled to his feet and felt scared. Alone again. He felt worried and concerned about his surroundings. Before he could identify the place further a man strode into the room. It was time for some explaining to be done.

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Sarevok sunk back into his chair. Dynlon had been talking for a while. "So... Sarevok..." he continued, "Because of your current state, we in the Iron Throne wish to adopt thee." Sarevok didn't really know what adopt meant, but he was pretty sure it was like slavery. "I'm already a slave..." He whispered, his throat still hurt a lot from his previous encounter. Dynlon laughed a little, "We are not making you a slave, boy. We wish you to... become part of our family." He said, Sarevok was a little confused by it. He had heard of the family of slaves, but any other 'families' confused him. Dynlon bent down and looked at Sarevok, his face quickly became disgruntled. "We want to raise you like you should be." Dynlon said, quietly. Sarevok was confused again, but didn't say anything. "You will be raised by the Iron Throne as a... half-Prince." He almost whispered. It felt like he was wary of someone listening to him. Sarevok blinked, quite inattentive, but nodded anyway. "But anyway, it is time we showed you your new room." Dynlon said, beckoning him to come along. Sarevok followed, and noticed Dynlon was acting strangely aware of everything. "Beware," Dynlon whispered to him, "This is the Day of Chaos, and anything could happen. Aluando has spoken, come." All Sarevok could think of then was about this Day of Chaos, and this Aluando person. It meant little to him, then, as he was brought through wooden corridors and strange shiny rooms.

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Years past as Sarevok grew under the Iron Throne. His slaved friends were forgotten as he grew into a much stronger person. He was a bit larger than the normal typical folk around the City, and often people cowered upon seeing him, usually beggars and the like. Over his years he slowly started to train with a sword, being quiet apt at handling the steel beasts, as he had discovered. He was 16 when his peace of his surroundings was once again broken. The Day of Chaos had broke again, its annual emptying of the streets didn't surprise Sarevok as he walked through the silence of the usually busy streets. His sword, that he was now allowed to carry, dangled from his belt heavily, while a normal 16 year old couldn't even carry a piece of weaponry as big as a 5 foot sword, Sarevok had no trouble with either carrying or fighting with it. Walking along the streets, his curiosity took him over as he saw a shadow of a man disappearing into a alleyway. His eyes twitched, as his left hand gripped his weapon and ran after him. He was always looking for a fight, now that he had begun to wield his sword.

Running down the alley, he saw his target. He looked quite big, in his twenties and carried a shield and Flail. The Flail looked more powerful than usual ones, as Sarevok could see a magical essence flow around it like water. The man looked at Sarevok briefly before running around a corner. Sarevok clenched his teeth unwillingly, he felt quite angry that the man had ran away and spasmodically unsheathed his two-handed sword, the five foot long sword glimmered in the light, freshly polished after a previous battle. Sarevok didn't know why he was determined to fight this person, but he felt a urge in his blood as he ran down the alley after him. He saw the man again as he turned around the corner, he looked at Sarevok again, and kept running. Sarevok felt he had no other choice but to follow. After a while the man stopped and turned to face Sarevok. Sarevok was tall, but the man was slightly taller. "Why are you following me?" He asked quickly. Sarevok had to think before he could say anything "I feel... I feel you must die!" The man laughed at Sarevok, his flail began to glow a faint red. "You, want to fight me... Why?" Questioned the man, again having to wait for Sarevok to think "This is the day of Chaos!" he exclaimed, "Anything can happen!" He said as both his hands gripped his sword tightly, his leather gloves making a creaking sound rubbing against the hilt. "Yes, anything can happen..." He said, a slight laugh under his breath, "But.. that... heh... 'weapon' is a pathetic piece of metal! You cant expect to beat me with such a thing, and epically with no armour."

"I need no armour!" Sarevok shouted at him. "Still, that sword cannot pierce mine." The man said, laughing. Sarevok, feeling horrible humiliated raised his sword above his head, "I'd like to test that" He said, anger sweeping through his body. The man was about to say something else but failed as Sarevok's sword trusted down upon his plated armour. The sound of clashing metal filled the street, however the sword failed to pierce his armour in any way. "A slight scratch" the man said, flipping his flail around in his hand in boredom. Sarevok glanced at his sword, and noticed it had been chipped. He nearly gasped at the power of the man's armour. "I like your attitude, child... Very... aggressive." He said, "Perhaps there is more to you than you may think... follow me, and we shall see.." Sarevok would've ran away but curiosity yet again beckoned him to follow him. It was his ir-refusable nature.

The man led Sarevok to a house. It was a plain house, 1 floor and looked like it could house but 2 people. Entering the house, the walls seemed to be lined with tonnes of weaponry, swords, maces, flails, War hammers, Bows. The man turned around to face Sarevok and said "You have a warrior spirit, but you need a warrior's tools before you can be one." He turned around and picked off a sword from the wall and tossed it to Sarevok. Sarevok caught it, finding it was lighter than he had expected. Still heavy, but lighter than usual. "This is a Blade imbued with magical properties." The man said, pointing at the sword. Sarevok looked at him quizzically. "It is imbued with the powers of a stronger being, like a bear, possibly. Using these properties the sword will have a much stronger attack than a usual sword. Try your own sword on that plank there, then try the other." The man said, pointing at a wooden plank. Sarevok threw his sword down upon the plank willingly, a large 'thunk' sound erupted from the clash of wood and metal, shedding parts of the plank over the place. "Now try the other" The man said. Sarevok sheathed his own sword, then picked up the new one. Thrusting this sword down upon the plank immediately sliced through it, cutting it straight into 2, a perfect cut. Sarevok could do nothing but stare in astonishment at his own work.

"Impressed?" The man questioned, resting in a chair. Sarevok didn't say anything, but just looked at the peculiar design of the two-handed blade. The man spoke again, "My name is Keins. I am a blacksmith of magical powers. I can make anything, within reason." Sarevok looked at Keins, and finally spoke again, "Could I... keep this sword..?" he asked, mesmerised by the power of the sword. "Keep it? Gods, no. I may be generous, but I'm not a good person. Not that good. I don't give things away, if you wish a sword of this power, I advise you earn it." Keins said, looking quite uncomfortable. "How do you expect me to earn... this?" Sarevok asked

"If you wish to earn that... I suppose I could give you a job worthwhile."

"Like what?" Sarevok asked swiftly, quickly grasping the idea of having such a great weapon. "Swords such as that are worth plenty of Gold in Faerun. However, there has been a thorn in my side for the past few days. A rival company that forges metal is beginning to take the market. This idea frightens me greatly. You may be quite young, but you seem very capable of finding a way to... disrupt their business..." Keins said, looking quite angry all of a sudden. Sarevok nodded anxiously. "In that case," Keins said, "you should probably be a lot more prepared than you are now. I will offer you this Plate-Mail, or Half-Plate. Whatever suits you better. It should be more than adequate to protect against whatever those... people might have against you."

"What is the name of this company?" Sarevok asked quickly, starting to become ever-more anxious to start his quest. "The name is Ullberg Metals, in the residential district." Keins murmured, seemingly becoming distracted "Then I shall go!" Sarevok cried, whilst fitting his feet inside metal-plated boots. Keins smirked, leaning back on his chair and taking a few breaths from a pipe.

Sarevok lifted the guard from his helmet, the armour was heavy, even for him. "A good fit!" said Keins, "You're quite big for your age. Luckily no-one will recognise you in thick armour, so I'm sure you can pass through the streets with ease... even though they are already empty..." Sarevok nodded at him, clashed down the guard on his helmet and walked for the door, "Beware!" Keins managed to cry out to Sarevok as he left through the door. Sarevok paid no heed.

However much the chest, thigh and shin plate weighed, Sarevok managed to continue through the streets with it. He started to see more carefully through the visor, noticing people staring at him through windows as his armour rattled through the residential areas of Baldur's Gate. After a while of walking through the streets, he finally got to a building, the only really large one in the residential district that had the words "Ullberg metals" Sprawled across a banner. Sarevok just unsheathed his sword, again, and bashed the door open. The door swung open, to reveal machinery and tools, each one manned by no more than a corpse and a pool of blood. Sarevok looked around, lowering his sword from his aggressive position. He lifted his visor again, and sniffed the air. The air had a definite smell of death, but something caught Sarevok's nose. He always had a apt ability to smell things beyond normal folk. He sniffed the air carefully, and recognised it almost immediately. "Magic..." Sarevok said solemnly. He crashed down the visor again and walked past the corpses, walking up some stairs, toward what seemed to be a foreman's office.

Sarevok placed his hand on the handle, then reluctantly backed off. He remembered once, a encounter with magic. He still bared the scars, and the wounds that refused to heal. Small wounds, but gave him deadly memories. This time he would be a bit more prepared. He rattled the door knob. It was locked. 'Typical' Sarevok thought, taking the sword by the blade and thrusting the heavy hilt down upon the handle, it broke off immediately and the door creaked open slightly. Sarevok took the sword by the hilt again and kicked in the door. In the door was someone Sarevok nearly immediately recognised... "Erthes!" Sarevok cried out. Erthes turned around swiftly. "Gah! Sarevok!?" He exclaimed in surprise, Sarevok nodded, quickly realising he was still in his armour. "How... how did you know it's me?"

"My magical powers are far beyond what they were. I wield power a elder mage would have." Sarevok was surprised. He knew that he wielded powerful magicks, but not as powerful as that. He looked around, and finally noticed a man being suspended in air by magic, he was struggling, as if he was being strangled. "What are you doing..?" Sarevok asked

"I am here to remove this man's annoying presence," Erthes replied, pointing at the floating man, "He is... disrupting my work here. This factory will be mine!"

"But you are a slave, Erthes"

"Slave!? Ha! I killed my owners with magic beyond your belief. They now lie rotting under thousands of metres of ground. They indeed begged for life... but I cared not, as I trusted their pathetic bodies into the ground. It was amusing."

"Amusing? That sounds... gruesome, even I would not take a man's life in such a way!"

"you don't know the power of the magic I wield"

"You have changed Erthes...'"

"I know. Would you like to test my new self?"

Sarevok gripped his hilt tightly "If that is your wish, be it a foolish one"

Erthes cast his hand to the side slightly, and the man in the air was thrown against the wall, smashing a hole in it and falling down unconscious. Immediately, Erthes placed his hands together, opening them to reveal a magic ball raging with heat. Sarevok clicked with visor into firm place. he swung his sword around in circles, and did a vain attempt to run toward Erthes, his magic ball erupting into a sphere of slowness. Sarevok was slowed immediately. "Ackkkkkkkkk" He screamed, in a slow tone, he stood no chance already. Erthes waved his hands in magical motion, Magic ran down his veins into his palms, another magic ball spun between them. Sarevok kept running toward him in the sphere, but it seemed while a arrow engulfed in flames flew from the magic ball, penetrating the slowness field with ease and shattering into Sarevok's armour. Blazing heat took Sarevok with surprise, and he staggered, although slowly. "Pathetic!" Erthes laughed, and smiled as he yet again ran his hands in magical form.

Sarevok felt it was over, no way out. No way… Then, a sudden rage filled himself. Something he had not experienced for 2 years, a heat of rage shot through his veins, a incredible evil that cleared his mind, and filled it with evil beyond his capability. A sense of magical distortion suddenly filled him, and cleared the sphere he was in. "Anti-magic!?" Erthes yelled in surprise, losing the spell he was conjuring. He quickly started a new spell to break Sarevok's newly acquired shield, but stood no chance. "My turn..." Sarevok murmured as he managed to muster enough strength to actually jump with his armour unto Erthes and scathe him with his sword. Sarevok's mind filled with a sudden craving of flesh, and he nearly started drooling at the thought of killing Erthes. He tried to shake it off. Erthes scrambled out from Sarevok's grip and casted a simple spell, 5 magical missiles jumped from his hand and flew in a circular path toward Sarevok. Amazingly, Sarevok lifted his sword and deflected the shots away from him, they crashed into the walls and ceiling, leaving scorch marks around their contact points. "Sarevok! No!!! Please!" Erthes managed to cry out before his intestines were spilled on the floor, along with the blood. "No... Not... Not possible!" Erthes barely managed to say before collapsing in a quivering heap.

"Would've thought you'd been a worthier foe, Erthes." Sarevok said laughing a little. Swinging his sword around, with the inhuman strength he gained. He twirled it around his head and plunged it into Erthes' chest, spraying blood all over. The rage started to calm then. He felt his control return to him. "Ugh…" He murmured, stumbling backwards a little clutching his head; dropping his sword. "Well," Sarevok said, laughing slightly, "At least I don't have to… end this business myself." He looked at the unconscious man on the floor. "Must be the Director…" Sarevok grabbed the man by the neck and brought him to his feet. He started to awake, "Wh… who are you?" He asked Sarevok. "My name is Sarevok, Mr. Keins sends his regards." He looked like he was about to ask another question, but didn't have the chance. Sarevok's blade pierced through his back, taking a mass amount of blood along with him. The Director scrambled in Sarevok's grip, but to no avail. Blood spraying all over Sarevok's armour, he slipped off the sword and collapsed on the floor.

"End of…" Sarevok said, and left for the door. He looked around at all the bodies around the factory. It wasn't too nice. He could see the hole in the floor where Erthes had smashed bodies deep into the earth. "A horrible death… even for me…" He whispered to himself and left the building swiftly. The stench of magic and blood never really made a inviting smell. He stepped out of the door, only to be greeted by a man in black, "Who the hell are you!?" Sarevok shouted in surprise, "My name is Jeenes, My master has told me to kill you now." He said, quite casually

"Kill me… Why?"

"I do not ask questions to my master, he has told me to kill you, so I will."

"Let it be so, you look pathetic to me…"

"Never judge a book by its cover…" Jeenes said, and flipped backwards twice, at the same time drawing two katana's from his back and spun them both around in his hands, looking very impressive. "Nothing I can't handle!" Sarevok said, reaching for his sword. Then he remembered he dropped it in the office. "Oh…" He said shocked, then ducked as Jeenes jumped toward him. Jeenes charged at him without delay. Sarevok didn't have a chance; but he placed his hand forward and attempted to deflect the sword. The katana's smashed against his wrist guard, sending the weapon flying to the right. The other katana bounced a little, and was slightly scratched. "Impossible!" Jeenes said, staggering backwards a bit. Sarevok leaped at the chance to take the battle, literally. He jumped for the other katana, but his armour barely let him get far. He managed to get the weapon nonetheless and raised it. It was badly damaged, but useable. He twisted it in his hands and wielded it like his own two-handed. Jeenes leaped at him again, with agility of a blade master. Sarevok dodged him barely and swung the katana unto Jeenes, but missed badly. The Katana was much more lighter than he was used to, and it was hard to control.

Jeenes was much more of an expert with lighter weapons, and launched another attack on Sarevok. Sarevok deflected the attack with his Katana, and attacked. Jeenes barely managed to defend himself. "I see you're not too good in defensive!" Sarevok said, smiling and thrust his Katana again toward Jeenes, and this time hit him on his legs. Jeenes tumbled over in agony. "You wont get away with this, Sarevok!" he cried out. "I think you find that I will, Jeenes!" Sarevok replied, grabbing Jeenes' dropped sword. Jeenes sat up, and tried to stand to get away. It was too late, Sarevok spun the swords around, and in a scissor motion slashed off Jeenes' head. Blood spilling all over, Sarevok had caused far too much commotion. It was time to leave. He pulled off most of his armour, leaving just his shin pads and arm-guards and ran like a bat out of hell. He ran and ran until his sweat felt like acid and his blood felt like fire. Then he ran some more. He could almost feel the people looking at him and the blood that was splattered all over his armour that was left.

Sarevok smashed the door through and slammed it behind him. He was panicking a lot for some reason. Keins looked up from his desk as the door slammed, a few pieces of weaponry fell from the walls. "You're back I see…" Keins said, chuckling to himself,

"I am, and now I expect my reward!"

"Hmm. Perhaps so. But a few of my… contacts… have told me that you did just kill the manager of that factory."

"Huh?" Sarevok asked feeling confused

"You killed every single worker! And a thief of the Black Sun!"

"Is this good or bad?"

"You KILLED a Black Sun Thief! No-one I know can do that! You, my child, have abilities that some people would beg to have! You deserve a lot more than the pathetic swords I can offer you."

"So… what is there to offer me?" Sarevok asked, sitting down.

"There is a sword… that few know of. It is called the Blade of Chaos… it resides in the forests outside of the city."

"I like the sound of that…"

"It bears on the hilt, that the strongest of the young can wield the sword, any other… will die."

Sarevok looked up at the prospect. "You think I'm the strongest of the young?"

"Definitely… It is the best I can offer you."

Sarevok would've probably refused the offer if it wasn't for his inquisitive nature. "I'll do it! Take me to this blade!"

Keins smiled, he had often wondered who would dare take up the sword and live. "We shall leave tomorrow then, Sarevok. Meet me at the city gates tomorrow, and I shall show you the sword."

Sarevok nodded, then left for the Iron Throne palace, his home. He could barely wait for the day to follow. But he had no idea of the forces he was going to release.

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It was a sunny morning. The city streets were once again bustling with activity. The day of chaos had ended again. And as usual, nothing had happened. Sarevok was waiting at the gate like Keins had said. He had been waiting a while now, and was starting to get impatient. His desire to even see the sword kept him in place though, and was prepared to wait for a long time. He needn't wait much longer however. Keins strode through the crowds of the city like he was repelling them back. People cleared his path when he walked by. He did look quite frightening; his black cloak made him stand out from everyone else, and the way his face was hidden well in the shadows of his hood. His sword was an incredible beast as well, the blade often scratched on the cobbled surface of the floor.

Sarevok stood up firmly when he saw him. He was looking very official to him. Keins didn't seem to want to waste any time. "Come on, Sarevok… we cant waste much time." He said in a moving way. Sarevok didn't reply. He too was anxious to see the sword. "This way…" Keins said, heading towards the bridge. The bridge was a fantastic piece of architecture. On it's pillars were carved incredible statues of Balduran, founder of Baldur's Gate. In the middle of the bridge was the drawbridge, its chains coated in gold. The wood you walked on was of the purest wood, elven enchantments written all along it. Sarevok and Keins strode across the massive bridge, Sarevok hadn't seen the bridge in quite a while and was yet again mesmerised by the quality of the bridge. In his childhood, he indeed saw a few bridges, but they were merely pathetic compared to this.

Keins avoided the path when he walked off the bridge, into the forests. Sarevok, since he had been a slave, had never really seen trees. There were a few small trees in the city, but just for the decoration. These trees were incredible compared to them, and in vast numbers. Keins walked through a smallish passageway between them. Roots appeared to pave the way. Sarevok reluctantly followed. The 'passage' was dark. Sarevok felt like someone, or something, was watching him. The floor was continually getting more dense with roots. Keins walked smoothly through them, leaving Sarevok to trip up every now and again. After a while, Keins stopped. Sarevok nearly bumped into him.

"This is the wall of roots… Nature does not like the sword, and attempts to hide it" Keins said, laughing a little. Sarevok looked around Keins; he saw a wall completely made of branches and roots. They entwined and entangled each other to make what appeared to be a huge knot in the wood. Keins started to draw his sword. It was probably his best, it gleamed gold, but itself was silver. It even seemed to fizz and crackle with some kind of energy. Keins spun it around in his hands and plunged it into the wall. Almost immediately, the roots were engulfed in fire and quickly reduced to nothing. Keins smiled; he had forged that sword himself, along with a fire elemental, a beast born of nothing but flame.

Sarevok was amazed by the power of the sword, and stood there stunned for a second, before shaking it off and entering a clearing ahead. The clearing was filled with sunlight, broken a little by leaves high above. In the middle was something gleaming in the light. Sarevok approached it quickly, while Keins stood at the side. It stood on naturally-formed steps, stone hard as granite. Upon it was a larger block of stone, shaped rather like an anvil. And on that was a sword, deeply thrust inside. Its handle was curved perfectly, designed for both hands. Its hilt was coiled at the edges, like a snail. Its blade was massive from the hilt, it's markings that showed signs of ancient evils. The sides of the blade were sharpened like fins of a shark. The rest of the blade was inside the stone.

Sarevok read the hilt carefully "Only thou who strong and vigilance, young and true may take the wield this sword like other. Strong who thou are not shall live no longer in realm mortal." Sarevok thought about it for a second… "Bad grammar…" He said jokingly. Then he looked at Keins, "Well, take it!" Keins cried out to him. Sarevok looked at it for a second. Any normal person would've thought if they were really the strongest… He grabbed the sword with all his might and pulled it. His hand started to burn like fire. He pulled again. His hand again burned. He pulled his hand away from the sword. "AGHHH!" He screamed at the sword, in anger, and thrust his hand unto the sword once more. It burned yet and again. He placed both his hands on it and pulled like no other person could. The fiery pain was unbearable, but Sarevok refused to let go. And then, for the third time in his life, the burning evil that shot through his veins was again released all into his arms. All along both arms he felt his anger, hatred and evil surge through his veins, his arms felt like they were expanding, and the pain dissipated. His veins started to increase in size and his blood felt like glass ripping through his arms. His hand were smoking with the burn, yet there was no pain. Keins stood in amazement of Sarevok's determination. Then, with one last incredible tug, the sword flew out of the stone, out of Sarevok's grip, somersaulted through the air and plunged itself into the soil.

Keins stared at the sword in amazement. It was incredibly smooth. It had a tint of red around the hilt and blade, and it had extra sharpened edges on it. It was a thick, and malicious looking blade. Also to his amazement, the roots moved away from the sword as if a great evil was forcing them away. Sarevok turned around and strode towards his prize. He smiled, and placed his hand on the hilt. "Lets go back…" He said, his voice in a sudden deep, evil tone. "O… Of course!" Keins replied. Sarevok's voice was very commanding now, and he didn't want to get hurt. What he had just done had convinced Keins that Sarevok was not… usual, so to speak. "Let us go… follow me…" He said, and headed to the wall of roots again…