The coast was a welcome sight to Keliorn, washing him in the soft breeze that brought him back year after year. This was his refuge amidst the dangerous mountains he called his home during the winter months, and his spirits lifted as the tiny cart that carried him along pushed its way down the steep slope towards the beach. He stopped the cart, taking in the feel of the currents of energy that bound him to this place. It was addictive, and exhilerating to know that this one place belonged solely to him, and no one else. Keliorn scanned the horizon beyond the sand, looking for the tiny island that served as his home, squinting his eye's against the glare of the setting sun.
Keliorns eye's traced the lines of power eminating from the island, visible only to him and few others who called themselves mages. The waves pulsed with the magic that only life could create, sloshing away from the now spotted island. It was a small source of life energies, but to Keliorn it was home, the place where he started and soon was bound to retire to. Life had been long for him, one battle after another with the forces of evil that constantly strove to break through into his plane of existance; but he knew how to protect himself, and he had done so for (In his opinion) far too many years. It was beyond time for him to give up the guardian mantle that bore down on him. Keliorn attempted to draw into himself the energy... the mana eminating from the island in order to hasten his journey across the beach towards the waters.
The energy would not obey.
Keliorns eye's squinted once again, this time more intently on the hut situated on the small island. Smoke eminated from the small chimney, filling the air with a pleasent sense of home, but this was not right. The euphoric expression on Keliorns face took on the grim prospect of battle as he lightly whipped the horses pulling the cart to move faster. The defenses around the island had never been broken before. All around, Keliorn had laid a Web of Inertia, hoping that the prospect of having one's mind wiped may discourage those foolish enough to attack. But whoever it was seemed willing to give up those spells and memories that clung onto the subconcious, or did not know the full implications of losing a part of the mental library in which every wizard stored thier spells.
Suddenly the air grew still as all the surrounding energy ebbed away, and the island no longer pulsed with magic. Somebody had tapped into the mana, and was preparing a defense against Keliorn. He could see now that the Web which had been protecting the island was torn and tossed aside, no longer filled with magic. The wizard who attacked the island was well prepared, as not many people cared about disenchanting spells anymore.
Keliorn reached the shoreline closest to the island just in time to see an individual in flowing blue robes step out of the hut. The intruders skin gleamed with a bronze tan, and his hair was the same shade as the plants around the island.
"I am Keliorn," yelled the intruder, "Leave my lands now or I shall drown you in my fury."
This gave Keliorn pause for but a single moment, before he started into his first spell, drawing from the other islands he controlled. The waters between Keliorn and the island turned pitch black, and started boiling with intense heat. A serpents head rose through the waters, teeth bared, and hissed at the intruder.
"What in the world?"
"You would do well to remember to ask whom you are speaking to before you threaten." Yelled the true Keliorn, watching his creature twist about in the water. "And you would do even better still not to assume my name when threatening." The serpent slid through the water, moving closer to the intruder. "Now than, will you recant and give me back my island or am I going to have to let my minion persuade you to do as such?"
The intruder looked back at the hut, his steps unsure and his mouth gaping for want of something to say. His determination seemed to waver in those quick moments, but the fire quickly came back into his eyes. It looked like the intruder was going to put up a fight.
"You're nothing but an old fool!" The intruder yelled, and started his own spell. A trident materialized in his hands, and he threw it into the water. The trident quickly resurfaced in the hands of a humanoid covered with scales with fins instead of legs. Keliorn watched as his serpent quickly tore through the summoned merfolk, using its teeth to divide it in half before swallowing. Deciding not to cast a spell, he waited for the intruder to make a move. The intruder once again summoned a merfolk of the same type, and once again Keliorns serpent devoured it.
"Give up child, you are no match for my power."
The intruder started to say something, but stopped in mid-word, and started to cast a spell of a different sort. A ray of light appeared in his hand, and he threw it. The light hit the Serpent. At that moment the serpent began to hiss, and in a flash of light dissapeared.
"A boomerang spell, very good. Now child, watch as I simply resummon the serpent."
The waters began to boil again, but this time the intruder held out his hand, a single glowing sphere shaping in his palm. At the moment of the Serpents birth, he threw the sphere. The serpent went erect as the sphere hit it, and in a flash of light, dissapeared from existance.
"I decided he should be excluded from battle old man, now, its my turn to play." At this, the intruder began to summon another creature. The waters between the shore and island took on a glassy look, emitting steam and the energy of dreams. "I'd like you to meet my friend, the Dreamwinder."
The glassy surface of the water broke as a serpent burst through, reflecting light off of its blue sapphire scales.
"It cannot harm me, I am not in the water." Responded Keliorn.
At this the Serpents eyes began to glow, energy pulsing through them like the currents it swam in. One of the islands nearby, one Keliorn had never bothered to conquer, began to sink below the waves, causing the waters to spread out towards the shore. In seconds the rushing waters knocked Keliorn off his feet, causing him to lose concentration for a few moments.
Keliorn got up and looked around. The water had risen onto the beach up to his waist.
The Dreamwinder was practically on top of him, smelling the air joyfully with its thick tongue, waiting for him to make his move.
Keliorns eye's traced the lines of power eminating from the island, visible only to him and few others who called themselves mages. The waves pulsed with the magic that only life could create, sloshing away from the now spotted island. It was a small source of life energies, but to Keliorn it was home, the place where he started and soon was bound to retire to. Life had been long for him, one battle after another with the forces of evil that constantly strove to break through into his plane of existance; but he knew how to protect himself, and he had done so for (In his opinion) far too many years. It was beyond time for him to give up the guardian mantle that bore down on him. Keliorn attempted to draw into himself the energy... the mana eminating from the island in order to hasten his journey across the beach towards the waters.
The energy would not obey.
Keliorns eye's squinted once again, this time more intently on the hut situated on the small island. Smoke eminated from the small chimney, filling the air with a pleasent sense of home, but this was not right. The euphoric expression on Keliorns face took on the grim prospect of battle as he lightly whipped the horses pulling the cart to move faster. The defenses around the island had never been broken before. All around, Keliorn had laid a Web of Inertia, hoping that the prospect of having one's mind wiped may discourage those foolish enough to attack. But whoever it was seemed willing to give up those spells and memories that clung onto the subconcious, or did not know the full implications of losing a part of the mental library in which every wizard stored thier spells.
Suddenly the air grew still as all the surrounding energy ebbed away, and the island no longer pulsed with magic. Somebody had tapped into the mana, and was preparing a defense against Keliorn. He could see now that the Web which had been protecting the island was torn and tossed aside, no longer filled with magic. The wizard who attacked the island was well prepared, as not many people cared about disenchanting spells anymore.
Keliorn reached the shoreline closest to the island just in time to see an individual in flowing blue robes step out of the hut. The intruders skin gleamed with a bronze tan, and his hair was the same shade as the plants around the island.
"I am Keliorn," yelled the intruder, "Leave my lands now or I shall drown you in my fury."
This gave Keliorn pause for but a single moment, before he started into his first spell, drawing from the other islands he controlled. The waters between Keliorn and the island turned pitch black, and started boiling with intense heat. A serpents head rose through the waters, teeth bared, and hissed at the intruder.
"What in the world?"
"You would do well to remember to ask whom you are speaking to before you threaten." Yelled the true Keliorn, watching his creature twist about in the water. "And you would do even better still not to assume my name when threatening." The serpent slid through the water, moving closer to the intruder. "Now than, will you recant and give me back my island or am I going to have to let my minion persuade you to do as such?"
The intruder looked back at the hut, his steps unsure and his mouth gaping for want of something to say. His determination seemed to waver in those quick moments, but the fire quickly came back into his eyes. It looked like the intruder was going to put up a fight.
"You're nothing but an old fool!" The intruder yelled, and started his own spell. A trident materialized in his hands, and he threw it into the water. The trident quickly resurfaced in the hands of a humanoid covered with scales with fins instead of legs. Keliorn watched as his serpent quickly tore through the summoned merfolk, using its teeth to divide it in half before swallowing. Deciding not to cast a spell, he waited for the intruder to make a move. The intruder once again summoned a merfolk of the same type, and once again Keliorns serpent devoured it.
"Give up child, you are no match for my power."
The intruder started to say something, but stopped in mid-word, and started to cast a spell of a different sort. A ray of light appeared in his hand, and he threw it. The light hit the Serpent. At that moment the serpent began to hiss, and in a flash of light dissapeared.
"A boomerang spell, very good. Now child, watch as I simply resummon the serpent."
The waters began to boil again, but this time the intruder held out his hand, a single glowing sphere shaping in his palm. At the moment of the Serpents birth, he threw the sphere. The serpent went erect as the sphere hit it, and in a flash of light, dissapeared from existance.
"I decided he should be excluded from battle old man, now, its my turn to play." At this, the intruder began to summon another creature. The waters between the shore and island took on a glassy look, emitting steam and the energy of dreams. "I'd like you to meet my friend, the Dreamwinder."
The glassy surface of the water broke as a serpent burst through, reflecting light off of its blue sapphire scales.
"It cannot harm me, I am not in the water." Responded Keliorn.
At this the Serpents eyes began to glow, energy pulsing through them like the currents it swam in. One of the islands nearby, one Keliorn had never bothered to conquer, began to sink below the waves, causing the waters to spread out towards the shore. In seconds the rushing waters knocked Keliorn off his feet, causing him to lose concentration for a few moments.
Keliorn got up and looked around. The water had risen onto the beach up to his waist.
The Dreamwinder was practically on top of him, smelling the air joyfully with its thick tongue, waiting for him to make his move.
