Chapter 4: A Simple Incantation will do

Hunter stood up, shaking the disturbing events from his head as he held the key in his hands once again. He knew he was ready now, he had to dawn the armor and sharpen his blade. Yet as he pushed the key into the chest the old man smacked his hand away with his cane as he looked up at Hunter with a straight face. "You are not yet disciplined enough to use the equipment inside." He said as he walked around and withdrew the key from the chest, as he did it disappeared into the air. "first you will have to train your body to withstand the weight, then your mind must be honed to it's sharpest point much like your weapon…thankfully while you were having your vision…the Commander awoke and Zach filled him in on the battle outside your cabin…I am impressed though, you were brave enough to stand up to the assassins of the Empire." The old man said as he placed a hand on his forearm. "I sense a great power within you, and the Commander will be able to awaken your potential…he is wanting to speak to you…go to him now." The old man said as he walked away, disappearing into the shadows.

Hunter walked out of the room, and as the door shut behind him Zach was leaning against the wall waiting. "Hunter, glad to see you still in one piece, you have been gone for at least a week, The Village Chief had us move your belongings and had me set up a training course outside. Now c'mon the Commander is already outside." He said as he tossed Hunter a solid oak practice sword "don't break that to quick now, I carved that myself." He laughed as he walked outside leaving the door open. Hunter let out a slight chuckle as he felt a pull at his heart as a voice filled his head. "prepare yourself boy…when the Village Chief asked me to train you…I had no choice but to accept since you saved me and Zach, but do not think for one second I will take it easy on you…now hurry out…" the voice said as it faded away, and as Hunter stepped out into the yard he looked at the Commander. "How did you access my mind…how are you able to use magic…" he asked as he swung the practice blade in the air testing it's weight and reach, as he did so the Commander approached him and caught his blade in mid swing. "I am going to teach you to become a warrior boy, the Village Chief wants you to be able to slay assassins in your sleep in one month." He said smiling as he released the practice blade. "I learned simple magic when I was in the academy, it helped me to…attain certain positions I needed to be on the front line…I will try to teach you some in the future, but for now the first part of your training will take place against this." Commander Nottestad said as he stood behind a target dummy and smiled, "I know it's no assassin that can strike back, but there is a bit of a twist to this training." He said as he pressed his palm in the back of the dummy, it began to shake…then as it burst into flames it rose off of it's post dressed in black armor. "This is your training dummy" Said Commander Nottestad at last as he joined Zach by the fence.

The Training Dummy twirled the sword around like a conductor does with a baton as its faceless head turned to face the Commander, then with a nod it launched at Hunter with the full force of an angry dwarf and the speed of a trained elf warrior. Hunter was able to dodge the first few strikes, but soon was overwhelmed by the superior speed of the training dummy as it knocked the training blade from Hunters hand. As soon as the blade struck the ground the Training Dummy stopped dead in its tracks as the Commander walked to the blade and tossed it back to Hunter. "AGAIN!" he yelled, his voice was sharp, but it was a sound Hunter would come to rely on in his dangerous future. The Training Dummy jumped at Hunter, as Hunter looked up to the Training Dummy he caught a sight of what powered it, under the amour was a Soul Flame, an ancient stone that held warriors that served the Elders in the past. Hunter grinned as he parried the blow from the Training dummy as he launched out, and as he slashed the sword across the armor of the Training Dummy it reached up to catch the blade as Hunter jumped in the air and kicked it in the face causing it to stumble back. When Hunter regained his footing seconds after he launched out and prepared to raise the blade for a strike to the Training Dummy's head, it raised it's own blade to block, that is when Hunter took the opportunity to perform a false strike with his hand into the armor of the Dummy as his sword plunged into the side of the armor and scratched the Soul Flame. AS he withdrew his blade the Dummy fell and became straw and cloth once more.

The Village Elder watched the scene from inside as Hunter trained, he chuckled as Hunter managed to defeat it for the first time "looks like Hunter will be ready for battle sooner than I thought…He is almost

Meanwhile at The Palace of the Kings

The new Emperor Dragonbane has already settled in to his new role. His advisors have rounded the previous Emperors group of advisors and sentenced them to death by gladiatorial battle. As they were rounded up in their homes the new Advisors had their families killed for conspiring with the enemy, the guards made the old advisors watch as their families were each slaughtered in front of them so that it would break their spirit. As they were thrown into the dungeon for keeping until the new Emperor saw it was due time to hold the battle they were not fed and received no light or training. After what seemed like months they were each brought out of their dungeon cells. The Court Mage was last to be attended to, but he did not mind…he was always alone…always feared…and today he would show them that he Lyonin Domamaru, the Seventh Son of the Seventh Son of a Noble Elven family loyal to the Empire…was a force to be truly feared. The guards opened the cell. Lyonin stood and smirked as the guards came in laughing while they drank from their rather large flask. "Well, well, well…looks like my luck is about to change." He muttered as the guards unlocked his chains and led him out of the cell and onto a floating transport. The cells were located above a bottomless pit a few miles under The Spire…The transports around the Dungeon were Imperial Airships, Lyonin was perfectly calm as he stared out across the deck, the other Advisors were depressed, weak, and mad…Lyonin knew his freedom would soon be at hand, but first…he needed a distraction.

The captain of the airship and his crew were heavily armed and armored Dwarves, they are slow but they could pack quite a punch, this Lyonin knew as he paced across the deck of the Airship. Soon the sounds of a cheering crowd could be heard echoing across the void as he felt the Airship pitch as light pierced the darkness and the cheering grew louder. As they approached the opening the Arena could be seen, a massive free-hanging battle grid…stained with the blood of the fallen. The guards began to round the advisors up; when Lyonin was approached he turned before the guards and snapped. As he began to walk towards the Captain, the guards that let Lyonin get away rushed towards the group holding the advisors. As fighting broke out Lyonin reached the Captains Deck, he reached out and shifted his body into a fighting stance as his trusty wand appeared from his sleeve. He clutched it and aimed it at the Captain as dull *THUDS* hit the deck as the advisors and the small crew of guards were all dead. "You should really invest in a better containment system for prisoners…especially The Court Mage of the old Emperor." Lyonin said as he thrust forward, streams of green tendrils rippled through the air at the Captain. The Captain dodged as he drew his axe, launching at Lyonin he slashed the axe towards Lyonin's legs like a madman. Lyonin jumped in the air with ease evading the swing as he kicked the Captain…The captain staggered back and bumped into the steering column sending the Airship higher in the void towards the ceiling. Lyonin growled as he watched the Captain shrug off the kick, his nose was bleeding as he smirked "DAMN YOU ELF! TODAY YOU DIE AT MY HANDS!" he bellowed as he launched at Lyonin.

Lyonin did not bother to jump as he sidestepped the Captain and swatted the back of his head with his wand. "Try again dear Captain…" Lyonin said as he looked back, the ceiling was coming up quick, "We do not have much time from the looks of it." He said as he took another stance as he began his incantation "Darkest blood of the Elven God Xenin…" he continued as a blood red aura enveloped the Airship as the wand began to pulsate, sending waves of dark green energy across the Deck…"Give me your power…" The wand began to change as Lyonin's robes transformed into an ancient armor worn by The Guardians, the wand changed into a cane of sorts with twisted dark stained wood…"take my soul as an offering…and make me whole…" he finished as the Airship shook and leveled out. As they exited the Void the crowd gasped at the sight of the Airship, it's twisted damaged Hull, it's Blood Soaked Decks, and the duel between the last Court Mage and the Airship Captain came to it's dramatic finale. The Airship stopped above the Arena as Emperor Dragonbane and his advisors began to shout and point as guns locked on to the location of the two on Deck.

Lyonin's body had changed…his body was soot black as his new armor was that fit for a god…and his cane was pointed into the sky. "WELL NOW! I WAS LOOKING TO GET AWAY, BUT INSTEAD I GET TO SHOW YOU ALL A NEW CHAPTER IN THE EMPIRE'S LONG TWISTED LEGACY…" he said as the sky began to darken and the clouds began to rain fiery blood, as it coated the Airships all around, people were screaming and trying to get to safety as Lyonin pointed his cane at the Captain as the Captain gave a final lunge at Lyonin. "Ah…Ignorance is truly bliss…" he said as he whipped away the cane. The Captain screamed in pain before finally bursting into flames, then finally exploding. Lyonin turned around to look down at the Emperor and his new advisors as he grabbed the steering Column. "Well now…for now my dear Emperor I bid you farewell…" he said as he took the cane and thrust it into the deck of the Airship. The sky exploded in a bright white flash and the Airship was gone. Dragonbane looked out as General Norrick rushed up the deck. "My Lord, the Court Mage in The Spire can track the fugitives spell…we will find him…we will get revenge for what he has done…" General Norrick said as Emperor Dragonbane stopped him. "Well…I knew that some Elves were still loyal to us…it's a shame I didn't keep this one, but…this presents us a momentous occasion…General Norrick." Emperor Dragonbane asked as the General nodded. "Go to the Research Division in the Spire…tell them that they are to give you a weapon known as The Dragons Snare…then when you are done…find those that have escaped us…and show them our new power." Emperor Dragonbane said as he looked out across the sky, the Airships were falling to the ground…Today Thousands died…but in his eyes…in his eyes were the marks of the Dragons.

As Hunter struck down the Training Dummy for the One Hundredth time he fell to the ground exhausted. Commander Nottestad walked up to Hunter and offered his hand "You have done exceedingly well for your first day of training, for the one of Legend however, you still seem like a punk kid to me…even if you do tower over me, now let get inside…Zach should have prepared an evening meal tonight…" he said as he stopped to stare at the sky. As Hunter arose there was a bright flash as a flaming Imperial Airship was falling from the sky, it soon hit in the Barrier Woods as a defining explosion shook the area for miles. "Commander Nottestad…we must go, there might have been prisoners aboard, ZACH!.. GET OUT HERE QUICK!" Hunter said as he saw Zach rushing out of the house throwing Hunter a simple short sword. Commander Nottestad nodded "Very well, then this will be your first test Hunter…get your Transport ready…we leave in five."