Chapter 3: Death?
Faust MMV was lying on his cloth-lined bed, which used to be a coffin, when the servant came in. The presence of the single skeletal minion reflected the aura of its master almost perfectly, and Faust knew that his father was summoning him to come to his chamber. At this point, Faust had no idea what his father wanted, but he wouldn't be surprised if his father just wanted to instill some more lecturing upon him. With a taxing amount of effort, Faust lifted himself off of his bed, and began to follow the minion, which turned and began walking towards his father's room.
This skeleton was also a by-product of the Grand Necromancer's fateful quest. Much like the multitude of golems around the facility, the Grand Necromancer displayed a very peculiar skill of being able to make exceptionally articulate minions who could do his bidding from very long distance. Not even Raeson, who was the top apprentice in the form of summons, could manage skeletons through the mausoleum's winding halls and tunnels. Faust's mind wandered to Raeson now as he followed the skeletal minion through the tomb. Where was he now? Was he alive? And, for some reason, Faust found that he didn't care.
The minion finally stopped at the large wooden door that signaled entry into his father's room. With no visible effort, at least none that could be shown, the skeleton opened up the large door and beckoned Faust to step inside. Faust did so, albeit a little hesitantly. The room inside was dimly lit with torches, but Faust remembered it being lighter than the first time he had been in the room as a smaller child. Sitting on a rather plain chair in the middle of the room was his father. This was the chair he sat in when he had something important to tell a family member, or just when he wanted to think. By the time Faust walked in, his father seemed to be more in the contemplating stage of the chair usage, but that didn't mean that what he was thinking of wasn't important.
With a sort of wary gait, Faust stepped lightly into his father's chamber. Here the smell of the mausoleum was not quite so poignant, but then again, it didn't have to be. Like always, the Grand Necromancer's own power filled the lair enough to suffocate any person who entered, whether or not they air be pure. Within a few timid steps, Faust had reached his father, who seemed to be locked in his own thoughtfulness. Faust noticed, for not reason in particular, that the yellow portion of his father's strange medallion seemed like it was glowing brighter in the room, but he assumed that it was just the light playing a trick on his eyes. He wasn't one that was prone to sleeping very often, after all.
Faust's father looked different as well. Like other necromancers he had the basic body build of a skeleton, but also with some muscle mass from his younger days. Also, his father's skin was a pasty white, the common tint of the necromancer, and his hair had taken on an almost albino like pigment as well. These features were pretty much the side effects of studying the dead inside cold dank mausoleums, but something was still different about Faust MMIV. He looked...Drained. Like he had been contending with something of great power, or had just been engaged in rigorous activity. Faust was beginning to be concerned about his father, but it was also none of his business, so asking about anything would have gotten him nothing in the process.
His father, who finally seemed to take notice of him, looked up at him in sudden surprise. The surprise was just one of a mild shock, however, nothing to be worried about.. Or so Faust thought. With his facial expression turning back to one of a solemn mage, Faust MMIV spoke to his son in a serious voice;
"Son, something serious is going on around the grounds of our family's compound right now. A small party of Viz-Jaaq'Tar and Zann Esu sorceresses is spying on us right now as I speak. They are dubious of our craft, and they seek to do us harm. There are three of the assassins patrolling, and they are under a party of three mages. However, we are lucky that our enemies underestimate us, for they are only initiates. Son, protect the Priesthood, and go defeat them in the name of Rathma! Consider this an exercise that will further your training."
This certainly was a particularly shocking request! Never before had Faust been offered such an opportunity from his father, and he was more that willing to accept it. Having nothing left to say to his father, Faust only bowed, and then walked out of the room. Hoping his message to be well sent, Faust walked through the caverns of the mausoleum by himself, and into his own quarters. On a set of bone-racks, there stood three pieces of arms, a belt, a wand, and a cap. Infernal Tools they were, and they had aided Faust for many years, ever since his father had given them to him as a Right of Passage. Slipping on the pieces of enchanted armor, Faust immediately felt their cunning energies flowing through him like the Great Cycle, which governed his very way of living. These Tools also allowed him a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Crafts he bore. After setting on the armor, Faust was ready to defend the land of his clan and his legacy.
Faust exited the Mausoleum into the bright world of the Easterly jungles. This wasn't the very first time Faust's eyes had been set on the wondrous trees of the forest where his family's mausoleum lie, but it was the first in a very long time. Even though he hadn't set eyes on the trees in a long time, something about them told Faust that something was wrong. A presence hung in the air, something similar to that of his father, but it disappeared as quickly as it had shown itself.
Knowing that the spies his father spoke of were somewhere near the mausoleum, Faust began moving quietly about the woods in hopes of finding something or someone that would point to the people he sought. Luckily for him, his body weight made little to no noise against the leaves of the forest as he prowled, or his position could have been compromised. He had not wandered long before a sort of slight mechanical whirring came to his ears, as well as a slight crunching of leaves. A few footsteps later, and a wave of flame shot at him from the base of a nearby tree. Shocked, he was only able to hop to the side just in time to avoid the majority of the flames, but his arm sang with the distinct melody of pain. He had little time to shudder when a girl wearing a turquoise form-fitting battle robe confronted him. She carried a small metal buckler, as well as an exotic baton of sorts in her hand. Faust recognized this as the general uniform of the Sorceress, the Zann Esu. Wasting no time, both of the combatants ran at each other, Faust being careful enough to remember the sorceress's previous line of fire. While the sorceress raised an electric shield in defense, Faust rose a set of bone armor, and the two collided briefly with strikes from their weapons. After backing away, Faust went on a relentless onslaught. Summoning salvo after salvo of the Den'Trag, he saw that he was slowly but surely overwhelming the assassin. Every time she began mustering for a trap, the teeth punctured her. Within seconds, she was down with multiple flesh wounds, but not out. A startling wave of unknown power seemed to club Faust square in the forehead, causing him to stumble. Behind him, there was a flash, then crack of thunder. With a blow to his head, one final thought entered his mind...
"Another sorceress...."
And all was black.
Back in the Mausoleum, Faust MMIV and his strange companion were sitting alone;
"She has appeared." The stranger said in a monotonous voice;
"And his life force seems to have wavered too..."
Faust could only keep a grim expression on his face, as the yellow part of his medallion glowed, giving his stranger a renewed light.
Outside of the room, unbeknownst to the two of them, there was a bandaged Raeson. Across the left half of his face was a series of complex bandages, while various parts of his body were wrapped as well. After hearing his father talk to what seemed to be himself, Raeson could only smile. It would be nice to have his cousin out of the picture, but something told him it would only be temporary...
Faust MMV was lying on his cloth-lined bed, which used to be a coffin, when the servant came in. The presence of the single skeletal minion reflected the aura of its master almost perfectly, and Faust knew that his father was summoning him to come to his chamber. At this point, Faust had no idea what his father wanted, but he wouldn't be surprised if his father just wanted to instill some more lecturing upon him. With a taxing amount of effort, Faust lifted himself off of his bed, and began to follow the minion, which turned and began walking towards his father's room.
This skeleton was also a by-product of the Grand Necromancer's fateful quest. Much like the multitude of golems around the facility, the Grand Necromancer displayed a very peculiar skill of being able to make exceptionally articulate minions who could do his bidding from very long distance. Not even Raeson, who was the top apprentice in the form of summons, could manage skeletons through the mausoleum's winding halls and tunnels. Faust's mind wandered to Raeson now as he followed the skeletal minion through the tomb. Where was he now? Was he alive? And, for some reason, Faust found that he didn't care.
The minion finally stopped at the large wooden door that signaled entry into his father's room. With no visible effort, at least none that could be shown, the skeleton opened up the large door and beckoned Faust to step inside. Faust did so, albeit a little hesitantly. The room inside was dimly lit with torches, but Faust remembered it being lighter than the first time he had been in the room as a smaller child. Sitting on a rather plain chair in the middle of the room was his father. This was the chair he sat in when he had something important to tell a family member, or just when he wanted to think. By the time Faust walked in, his father seemed to be more in the contemplating stage of the chair usage, but that didn't mean that what he was thinking of wasn't important.
With a sort of wary gait, Faust stepped lightly into his father's chamber. Here the smell of the mausoleum was not quite so poignant, but then again, it didn't have to be. Like always, the Grand Necromancer's own power filled the lair enough to suffocate any person who entered, whether or not they air be pure. Within a few timid steps, Faust had reached his father, who seemed to be locked in his own thoughtfulness. Faust noticed, for not reason in particular, that the yellow portion of his father's strange medallion seemed like it was glowing brighter in the room, but he assumed that it was just the light playing a trick on his eyes. He wasn't one that was prone to sleeping very often, after all.
Faust's father looked different as well. Like other necromancers he had the basic body build of a skeleton, but also with some muscle mass from his younger days. Also, his father's skin was a pasty white, the common tint of the necromancer, and his hair had taken on an almost albino like pigment as well. These features were pretty much the side effects of studying the dead inside cold dank mausoleums, but something was still different about Faust MMIV. He looked...Drained. Like he had been contending with something of great power, or had just been engaged in rigorous activity. Faust was beginning to be concerned about his father, but it was also none of his business, so asking about anything would have gotten him nothing in the process.
His father, who finally seemed to take notice of him, looked up at him in sudden surprise. The surprise was just one of a mild shock, however, nothing to be worried about.. Or so Faust thought. With his facial expression turning back to one of a solemn mage, Faust MMIV spoke to his son in a serious voice;
"Son, something serious is going on around the grounds of our family's compound right now. A small party of Viz-Jaaq'Tar and Zann Esu sorceresses is spying on us right now as I speak. They are dubious of our craft, and they seek to do us harm. There are three of the assassins patrolling, and they are under a party of three mages. However, we are lucky that our enemies underestimate us, for they are only initiates. Son, protect the Priesthood, and go defeat them in the name of Rathma! Consider this an exercise that will further your training."
This certainly was a particularly shocking request! Never before had Faust been offered such an opportunity from his father, and he was more that willing to accept it. Having nothing left to say to his father, Faust only bowed, and then walked out of the room. Hoping his message to be well sent, Faust walked through the caverns of the mausoleum by himself, and into his own quarters. On a set of bone-racks, there stood three pieces of arms, a belt, a wand, and a cap. Infernal Tools they were, and they had aided Faust for many years, ever since his father had given them to him as a Right of Passage. Slipping on the pieces of enchanted armor, Faust immediately felt their cunning energies flowing through him like the Great Cycle, which governed his very way of living. These Tools also allowed him a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Crafts he bore. After setting on the armor, Faust was ready to defend the land of his clan and his legacy.
Faust exited the Mausoleum into the bright world of the Easterly jungles. This wasn't the very first time Faust's eyes had been set on the wondrous trees of the forest where his family's mausoleum lie, but it was the first in a very long time. Even though he hadn't set eyes on the trees in a long time, something about them told Faust that something was wrong. A presence hung in the air, something similar to that of his father, but it disappeared as quickly as it had shown itself.
Knowing that the spies his father spoke of were somewhere near the mausoleum, Faust began moving quietly about the woods in hopes of finding something or someone that would point to the people he sought. Luckily for him, his body weight made little to no noise against the leaves of the forest as he prowled, or his position could have been compromised. He had not wandered long before a sort of slight mechanical whirring came to his ears, as well as a slight crunching of leaves. A few footsteps later, and a wave of flame shot at him from the base of a nearby tree. Shocked, he was only able to hop to the side just in time to avoid the majority of the flames, but his arm sang with the distinct melody of pain. He had little time to shudder when a girl wearing a turquoise form-fitting battle robe confronted him. She carried a small metal buckler, as well as an exotic baton of sorts in her hand. Faust recognized this as the general uniform of the Sorceress, the Zann Esu. Wasting no time, both of the combatants ran at each other, Faust being careful enough to remember the sorceress's previous line of fire. While the sorceress raised an electric shield in defense, Faust rose a set of bone armor, and the two collided briefly with strikes from their weapons. After backing away, Faust went on a relentless onslaught. Summoning salvo after salvo of the Den'Trag, he saw that he was slowly but surely overwhelming the assassin. Every time she began mustering for a trap, the teeth punctured her. Within seconds, she was down with multiple flesh wounds, but not out. A startling wave of unknown power seemed to club Faust square in the forehead, causing him to stumble. Behind him, there was a flash, then crack of thunder. With a blow to his head, one final thought entered his mind...
"Another sorceress...."
And all was black.
Back in the Mausoleum, Faust MMIV and his strange companion were sitting alone;
"She has appeared." The stranger said in a monotonous voice;
"And his life force seems to have wavered too..."
Faust could only keep a grim expression on his face, as the yellow part of his medallion glowed, giving his stranger a renewed light.
Outside of the room, unbeknownst to the two of them, there was a bandaged Raeson. Across the left half of his face was a series of complex bandages, while various parts of his body were wrapped as well. After hearing his father talk to what seemed to be himself, Raeson could only smile. It would be nice to have his cousin out of the picture, but something told him it would only be temporary...