Chapter 3:The Truth
"It would appear I was right about you," Kollodin mocked as he pulled the large arrow from Zaff's neck. The wounded mage gave a pained grunt as the arrow tip came out of his soft flesh. The two were sitting on a rock under the Mage Arena.
" But while your still alive I do need to know what Saradominist fool did this to you," Kollodin spoke smoothly," Well?"
" There are two that seek me..." Zaff spoke at length, pained greatly," One is named Khyren, he is the greatest archer in all of Varrock...The other is a powerful mage, whos name I know not," Zaff stroked his throat and licked his dry, brittle lips.
" Where did you last see these two?" Kollodin asked calmly," Before I found you in Yanille,"
"I fought them in Camelot castle after disposing the knights of the round table," Zaff began to cough.
" Excellent! They were always suspicious of my affairs there," Kollodin roared joyouslly," And you took the runestones from Merlins collection, correct?"
"Yes...Of course..."Zaff mumbled through a mouthful of flem and blood.
" Perfect...I can begin to wage my.." Kollodin looked down at Zaff wearily," Well it matters not to you..." Kollodin stood and drew out a dagger,"Make no mistake, I have naught against you, you have however lost your potency and I can't afford to deal with you," He raised the blade and brought it down into Zaff's throat. A gurgle escaped his throat as his eyes widened then relaxed, crashing into the pool of water, looking broken but peaceful as his face became clouded over with his blood.
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" Who commited this atrosity?" Seer, the founder of seer's village inquired.
" It was Khyren of Varrock and his minion, a mage of great power and cunning, I suggest imm-"
"I need some proof," Seer cut in," We cant set out to capture these two without proof, even if one such as yourself garuntees they are guilty, surely you understand"
Kollodin stared, mildly surprised for a moment, and then replied.
"Well...I recovered a bone tipped arrow, one only Khyren uses, and I have a reliable source who assures me the burn marks on Camelot's wall are caused by a powerful fire spell only a mage such as the one that accompanied Khyren," Kollodin carried on as he drew out the cracked arrow," Do you need more?"
"No I suppose that suffices. But let me warn you, if Im sending these men to their death for naught I shall place the blame under your name," Seer stroked his long white beard.
" Do you know their location then?" Kollodin asked, a note of hope in his voice..
" Yes actually...They are harbored in my quarters," Seer gestured to his two story home, just west of where they were standing.
" May I deal with them myself?" Kollodin requested eyeing the building.
" You mean...Kill them?" Seer asked with surprise, clearly feeling as though he had misjudged Kollodins charachter.
" Yes, yes I do," Kollodin replied coldly," I show criminals no mercy," Kollodin strode towards Seer's home, without waiting for a reply and drew out a short staff from his cloak. He poked the door open with the staff's red prongs.
Inside the house Kollodin heard voices from above. He peered back to be sure Seer was not following him, and when he was satisfied that no one was watching began to convulse. His muscles expanded as did his jaw and hair. A grunt of pain escaped his massive mouth. Now in his place was a tremendous ogre, sporting mage attire, growling angrily. He leaped up crashing through the wooden ceiling with ease.
Peter was sent flying from a chair he was sitting in and collided with a wall. Kollodin grabbed his left leg and chucked him at the startled Khyren who was sitting on a table, apparently interrupted mid sentence by the attack. The impact sent him backwards off the table. Kollodin leaped into the table and violently swung at the already incapacitated duo. Khyren took the strike and and leaped to his feet roaring with anger and intense pain. Kollodin smashed Khyren over the head with his engorged fist causing the floor to crack open. As Khyren and Kollodin fell to the first floor Peter grabbed a few runes and launched a wind blast spell. Kollodin was struck on the back of his neck and crashed to the floor in a mangled heap. Khyren was pinned underneath Kollodin's large body.
"Peter! Get this thing off me!" Khyren yelled franticly as his ribs began to crack under the enourmous weight.
But before Peter could make a move the ogre began to implode until it was a small ball of dark purple matter. Suddenly it expanded and took the form of a large gray giant, lacking no brawn. Khyren, relieved from his pain, grabbed his bow and launched an arrow into the giants chest, where it stuck, but seemingly without inducing pain. It looked down and prepared to crush him when suddenly an enourmous wave of fire impacted him, sending him through the wall and into the open daylight.
Seer looked over in shock as the giant crashed through his houses wall, scattering debris through the air. Following the giant came a number of powerful wave and blast spells. Khyren fitted an arrow into his bow and let it fly. The giant was struck in the eye by the arrow and knocked off his feet by a deluge of water. It gave out a roar and began to implode as it fell. It took the form of a ball once more, small bristles forming and slowly expanding into legs until it was in the form of a gigantic black spider. It raised its fangs as it thrust itself towards Khyren. Peter fired off another wave spell but the legs smoothly shot to the side, pulling the extremely agile arachnid out of harm. Khyren hastened to ready an arrow but was struck by one of the spiders legs causing him to fall. Khyren looked up and was met with the spider bearing down upon him. He let out a cry of utter agony as it plunged its fangs into Khyrens neck and injected its venom. Khyren's face went blanch and he slumped backwards.
"Khyren!" Peter roared. He reached into his robes and felt around for runestones but found none.
" You may be a powerful mage young one, but without runes you are as weak as any man, I can assure you that surrendering to death would be wisest," Kollodin spoke in a poisonous tone.
" WAIT!" Seer yelled, mere feet from the spider," Kollodin is that you?" Seer peered through his kind eyes at the murderous insect.
" Yes, it is I," Kollodin hissed," I suppose you wish me to cease my assault," Kollodin imploded once again as he spoke these words.
" Yes that would be very nice, I can see you have been manipulating our friendship," Seer stared at the ball of matter, eyes still twinking with a glow of kindness" I ask you to leave, my old friend,"
" Very well..." Kollodin's voice echoed from all around," But first let me say good bye," Kollodin appeared in his human form and walked towards Seer. Suddenly seer leaped forwards and expanded into a magnificent horned steed, which shone bright in the sunlight. Kollodin jumped back in genuine surprise but was gored by the Seer's horn nonetheless. Seer charged forward with Kollodin mounted on his horn and rammed him into one of his house's undestroyed wall. Kollodin slumped over, seemingly lifeless. Seer backed up and proceeded to repeatedly ram Kollodin against the wall until blood began to spill from his stomach wound freely. Kollodin fell from the horn as it retracted into Seer's now human forehead.
" You were not the only one to tap into the truth rune's powers, as you can see," Seer gazed down at Kollodin who stared back with damp eyes.
" Can you ever forgive me? I have always been corrupted by Zaff, please understand he was my brother but would kill me if I assisted in capturing him," Kollodin stood grasping his stomach wound and began to shake," Please...I beg you...speak not of this incident but instead of all the good things I have done for you in your life!"
"Im sorry, Old friend... but I can see through your lies. It was indeed Zaff who murdered the Knights of the Round Table. And I know now it was you who corrupted him. Place not your blame on those pure of soul but on those who are deserving of the burden," Seer glared at Kollodin.
" Quite a speech my dear friend but Im afraid now I must end this meeting in a way I was trying to avoid," Kollodin sighed.
His robes became part of his skin and he was now black as the night. He grew to the height of a nearby Yew tree as wings burst from his back, eclipsing the sun's rays. Flames burst from about his feet as he gave a tremendous roar. He was now in the form of a great black demon with piercing red eyes that burned into Seer's still peaceful figure.
" What say you now!" Kollodin boomed in a powerful voice. He thrust his tail into the already crumbling house behind him causing it to cave in on Peter and Khyren.
" You truthfully are mad. To have tapped this far into the truth rune's power is suicidal," Seer spoke with a stern voice.
" It is not suicidal, as a matter of fact I am far safer entrusting my life to it and taking this form than being butchered as a weak human!" Kollodin leaped forth, with astounding speed for his immense size, driving forth an enourmous claw into Seer's stomach, which tore open. But even as his inards poured out Seer smiled, for he knew the wizard's fate. He threw a bag under the demons huge legs wich was intercepted by Peter who had emerged from the wreckage. He opened the bag hastily and began pulling death and blood runes out.
Kollodin turned and launched a spiral of flames wich was instantly overwhelmed and turned agaisnt him by a wave of wind. Kollodin was knocked backwards, engulfed by flame, and smashed into the ground. Peter dove into the bag again and pulled out a tiny rune with intricate purple markings. Peters eyes widened as he studied it.
"What in blazes?" Peter exlaimed as it seemed to call him.
Kollodin gave a deep inhale, the demonic equivelent of a gasp. He stood and lashed out at the mage only for a water blast to strike him in the face.
" Surrender and I will spare you! Just hand over the runestones!" Kollodin begged Peter in a lustful and angry voice.
Peter looked at the great demon as it began to panic.
" Whats wrong Kollodin?" Peter asked casually.
" You dont understand, what you hold could easily destroy me and all in this village. It is the most powerful rune in existence, very few exist. As a matter of fact its what gave me this power...however it is also what destroyed the first mage arena...I implore you to give it to me, I vow I will leave you be," Kollodin said in a deep voice, so lustful he seemed almost sincere.
Peter eyed the stone and with great desire, but with a deep heaved tossed it to Kollodins feet.
" There now leave," Peter said," Do as promised,"
Kollodin plucked the stone from the ground, examining it for a moment.
A croak escaped Seer who lay bloody and broken behind the demon.
" I also must have forgot to mention it was I that destroyed the first Mage arena," Kollodin said wickedly as he devoured the stones energy, leaving only an uncharged rune essence. And with that he pounced on Seer, the impact pounding his corpse into the dirt and knocking Peter and several bystanders to the ground. Kollodin cracked his thick neck, which had seemingly become more muscular and leveled the bank with a crack of his immense tail. Peter looked up from the dirt and slowly tried to crawl to Khyren whos legs protruded from the wreckage of Seers home. Flames burst from Kollodins mouth and began to burn the village.
" Peter..." Khyrens voice came from under the rubble.
Peter looked over and saw Khyrens face poking out from two cracked wooden planks, it was swollen and blood splattered, barely human.
" Please give me my bow... It is time for my redemption," Khyren spoke in a pained voice as he gestured to the large Ogre bow jetting from the houses remains. Peter tore out the bow and an arrow and forced off the rubble pinning Khyren down. He placed the bow and arrow across Khyrens chest and collapsed from fatigue.
Khyren forced himself to a sitting position and raised the bow. He placed an arrow in its shaft and took aim through the flames at Kollodin.
" Good bye my dear friend, Im sorry it had to end like this," Khyren pulled back the string with all his might and a final smile released it.
The arrow flew through the air like a Hawk soaring to its prey. Kollodin looked up from the destruction he was causing and was met with the bone tipped arrow. It pierced his eye and continued on until it was lodged into his skull. He gave a roar, spewing a luminous purple liquid and blindly charged at Peter and Khyren.
" Well Khyren its been an honor, I pray to see you in the halls of Guthix," Peter said as he grasped Khyren's hand.
As the demon bore down upon them a sword flashed in the flames painting the ground with blood.