The Monks of Ages
Tadhg landed on something soft.It felt like a pile of feathers.He rolled down a short slope.He landed on his feet.He felt himself and found that he had not a scratch on him.He looked up and saw something that took his breath away.
The ceiling rose almost 40 feet into the air.Huge columns held up the roof.They seemed to be made of solid granite.They were immense.They looked like they had been crafted by gods.
Along the walls stood rows upon rows of shelves.They were stuffed full of books and manuscripts.The rows dissapeared in the distance.Tadhg could only guess at the length of the hall.
Tadhg watched as a tiny wizened old man walked towards him.
"You must be Tadhg,We have been expecting you" he said
"What is this place?" Tadhg asked as he stared around him.
"This is the hall of wisdom.You are welcome here at last" he said as another form came crashing down behind Tadhg.
"Ah,your friends have come as well."he said as he waited patiently for the group to arrive.
Aeryck jumped down the hole full hearted. He loved adventure when it presented itself, and what better fun than dropping down a blackened hole in the ground with no idea of what awaited?
At least, he hope it would be warmer down there.
As he landed much softer than he had expected, he saw Tadhg before him being addressed by another man. The room looked enormous. He could bask here for days soaking up all of the knowledge that this room must contain. But, for now, he had another perogative...he must get out of the way before another of his brothers came down and crushed him!!
Aethelmaer was feeling a little better, and was able to walk again, at least for a little bit. He was ordered to follow Tadhg closely, so that if anything should happen, he was there to stop it. Not like anything would happen in the presence of a monk. The group then came to a hole in the ground, he watched Tadhg, then Aeryck jump down, then followed and saw the huge spectacle of the room, flowed into his eyes. When he came in, he was formally greeted by one of the monks.
"Welcome, Sir Aethelmaer, my name is Trotar. You would do well to follow me please."
Trotar gestured Aethelmaer into a small room, Aethelmaer entered, then followed by the short monk. He closed the door behind him, and then turned to Aethelmaer. He raised his hands, chanted a few words, then Aethelmaer quickly fell into a deep sleep. The monk then lifted Aethelmaer into a bed, where he left him. Then rejoined his fellow monks in the Hall of Wisdom.
As the others came down the hole one by one, Aeryck surveyed the room. He had moved up next to Tadhg, standing before the monk. Perhaps it was his youthfulness, or perhaps he was just weary from such a long and arduous journey, but he had to ask a question...
"Okay, so aren't we here to learn about the name Marvalt?"
The monk simply looked at him for a moment, and then turned back to face Tadhg. He looked as if he was about to answer that question exactly.
"No way are you getting me to go down that hole!" Arutha exclaimed "your going down there" Jimmy replied "I never go down into a big dark hole in the ground especialy when an old man tells me too!" "well theres a first time for everything" Jimmy said as he shoved Arutha down the hole. "wha-" Arutha began to say as he fell into the hole.
as henery creaped up behind jimmy he say him push Arthura down th hole. henery cursed and ran at jimmy "il teach you to push my freind!!!!!!" he yelled and speard jimmy down the hole.
Arutha landed at the bottom of the hole with a small THUMP and the landing he noticed was quite soft but he didn't notice most of these things as he had just landed flat on his back and saw 2 people falling down the hole, he rolled out of the way of their descent but only just. after recovering for a few seconds from his fall he saw Jimmy (unconsious) and another he couldn't quite recognise.
"Qhoor Blimey that was fun" said henery as he landed on somthing realy flat "wherd that jimmy fellow go?"*looking down at jimmy under him* oodear me (thinking to himself(i realy shoudent have done that)) as he stared at jimmy and tryed to wake him up he heard a movement, drew his sword and put it up to the persons throat and said "dont make a move" as the flame light flickerd he saw the persons face "Arthura? that you ol buddy?"
As Aruutha saw his friends face and heard his voice he said calmly "hello Henery, I see you attacked my servant, and how in blazes did you get here?" while he said this he brushed dust off his clothes
The small monk led the group onwards down the hall.The rows of books seemed to stretch forever into the distance.
"How many books are there here?"asked Tadhg
"Countless in this hall alone.We have collected them for ages past.I am the oldest monk in the temple and I only know a fraction of what is here.Though there is a way we have of finding anything we want.Every manuscript,book or fraction of paper our agents could find is brought here.This the upper of 4 halls all about the size of this one." he replied as he gestured at the books
Tadhg's mouth opened agape.
"How long did this place take to buld?" he asked as he looked at the monumental structure in front of him
"Written in the annals of our temple it tells of how the first monks came here and even then a 1000 years ago it was abandoned.But this is for the abbot to explain to you." he said as he led them through a side hall.
They came into a large room where a man stood.He had the look of a wrestler gone to fat.He had forearms that looked like tree trunks.
"Welcome to the temple of knowledge.I am bergon.I am the abbot.Please sit,there is much to talk about." he said as he waited for the group to sit.
Standing before the man who was apparently the abbot of this place, Aeryck was slightly awed. The man simply commanded the room, yet he did nothing out of the ordinary to do so. It was simply his presence that had a certain quality about it. This was a man who could certainly help them defeat the evil, if only through his knowledge (but, hopefully with more than that).
Later on that night, Aethelmaer woke up, wondering what had happened, and if his friends were ok. A few minutes passed, when finally the abbot, along with a few other monks, entered the room.
"Follow me, Aethelmaer. Please." The abbot spoke,
The abbot led him down the long corridor, down a few flights of stairs, and into yet another huge room. But this one was different. It didn't have any books, and had strange encriptions on the walls and floor.
"Step into the middle of this encription." The abbot pointed to the center of weird shapes.
"What are you going to do to me?"
"We are going to cleanse your body of evil."
Aethelmaer stood ready, at the center of the huge room. The monks surrounding him at the outsides of the enscription. Waiting for something to happen, the ceremony begins.
The group sat on the low chairs offered to them.The dust and dirt from travel stained the cushions.Wolfbane sat at Tadhg's feet.His ear was pricked up as if he was listening.
The abbot started speaking.His booming voice filled the room.
"First of all I should fill you in on this place.We are the monks of ages as you may already know.We have been waiting for this moment for centuries.Written in the annals of our history is one piece.It was written by the first abbot of this temple.He was a man by the name of Zoran.He was one of the group who cast the dark one into another plane when he first rose to power."
He paused and let this sink in.A few candles cast flickering shadows across the room.
"It tells of the person who became Marvalt.You may think he started out evil.No,he was a simple farm boy who lived in central Atamara.He lived with his father and one brother.His brother's name was Lycan."
At this Wolfbane seemed to shift uncomfortably.The movement was slight and only Tadhg noticed it.
The abbot did not notice and continued on with his story.
"They lived in a place near the present day lands of Foda.There was no Tara then.None of the present day kingdom's were there.You must remember when this was.1000 years ago."
He paused and took a sip of a drink he had at his side.A junior monk came round with a tray of drinks for the group.
"It is written that one day Lycan and Marvalt were minding sheep on the hills of present day Tandsu.A man came to them.The journal is mysteriously silent after this.It stops for years.The next we hear is of Lycan.It seems he is a hugely powerful man.The journal talks about a huge broadsword he wears.He was a very charismatic leader.Over the years he gathered about him a group of warriors.One of which was Zoran our first abbot.There are many pages missing in this journal but the next thing we can read in it is that this group went and threw a powerful necromancer down.This man was said to ha ve the power of the gods.But this group triumphed in the end.The name of this necromancer was Marvalt."
Tadhg looked around the room at the group.They all stared intently at the Abbot.He continued:
"This victory came at a cost though.It seems Lycan was destroyed as he struck the final blow that trapped Marvalt in the outer planes.After the battle Zoran came back to his homeland and started the temple.It is written in our histoory that he did this to stop the evil of Marvalt ever entering the world.This he did by collecting all the scraps of information he could find.He wanted to find all he could about this man.This is how we have continued ever since."
The candles flickered out.They had been sitting there for hours.It didnot seem like it.
"It gets late.I am sure you are tired from the journey.There are beds laid out for you.More I will tell you tommorrow.Now you must rest."
They were shown to there rooms.Tadhg would have been grateful for a bed if circumstances had been different.He knew though that he could not sleep.He did not sleep a wink as he thought on what he had been told.
Sitting in his room, Aeryck pondered the information that the abbott had told them. It all seemed a little one sided to him, as he began to analyze (as he so often did to everything). He could easily imagine another man - Zoran's equivalent, but working for Marvalt - who could tell the same story from the opposite perspective. But, of course, that is not how things were. The question would be, "What now?".
What were they to do to prevent this evil one from returning? and how would it help glorify Tara? There were alot of things to be answered for Aeryck's young mind, but that could wait for the morrow. He lay down and slept, albeit not a dreamless sleep...
Aethelmaer stood in the center, looking at each of the monks around him, then at various doors around the room. Looking at the one he entered from, he could see Tadhg staring at him from the darkness. Looking unsatisfied, he gave a concered look. Looking towards another door, he could see a bunch of dust fly out. When it cleared he saw Jimmy, Henery, Arutha, and the servant, but they didn't know what was going on yet. A hole opened up in the ceiling opposite the room where Tadhg was, Xiahou and Aeryck, appeared through it, and stopped midair, and were gently put down on the ground. The monks looked up at them.
"Ah. I'm so pleased you could join us. It also looks as if everyone else decided to join the party. Why doesn't everyone show themselves, then the real fun can begin."
One of the priests urged. Jimmy, Henery, Arutha and his servant decided to come out of hiding first, mainly because of curiosity. Then, out of nowhere, Blaine and Silentknight just climbed up out of a hole in the floor. Aethelmaer looked towards Tadhg, and with a disgusted look on his face, he slowly emerged from the shadows. The abbot, pleased with everyone's compliance.
"Now that everyone is here, lets begin the ceremony."
The abbot let out a maniacal madman's laugh, and Aethelmaer knew something was wrong. He looked at his brothers around the room, they all figured out something was wrong. He thought of a quick plan, hoping it would work, then the abbot started to rise into the air. He had to act quick but he needed the help of his friends. He decided to just do it, and hopefully the others would join in.
"I WILL NOT LET YOU CLEANSE ME, YOU ONLY WANT IT FOR YOURSELF!" screamed out Aethelmaer.
"You're right Aethelmaer, I do want your extreme power. I guess you've figured out I'm not the abbot either. NOW YOU SHALL DIE! Monks of Destruction, KILL THEM ALL!"
Aethelmaer started to charge at one of the other priests, as the priest pulled out a knife and took a wild swing at Aethelmaer. He only barely dodged it, and noticed Tadhg, Silentknight, and Blaine were tackling some of the others. The other four weren't in Aethelmaer's sight but he was hoping for the best. He quickly tackled his adversary to the ground and then felt a pressure to his chest and fell backwards. The priest had used magic, and was something he was probably better of not using, content with that he got up and brushed himself off. Aethelmaer stood up, furious, now his eyes were pitch black. He stared at the one who knocked him away and the priest quickly lifted up towards the top of the room, until he collided, and fell right back down just as fast as he went up, he landed a mangled pile of gore. He took a quick glance around to find that four of the other five were dead, with Arutha and Henery taking down the final one. Aethelmaer looked up at the false abbot, and quickly siderolled to an incoming magic burst. He needed to find a way to get him down, but how. Tadhg stood near him, and nodded, understanding the situation. Aethelmaer geared up and sprinted toward his friend, nearing him, then with Tadhg's hand out caught Aethelmaer's foot and gave him a huge boost into the air. Aethelmaer was flying straight at the final enemy and collided. The priest hit the wall, with Aethelmaer on top of him, the priest cushioning his blow against the wall, also being crushed against the wall, fell to the floor after a gruesome crunch. Aethelmaer stood up, looked down at the body, and kicked him, making sure he was dead.
"We did it! It's all thanks to you Tadhg, and the others."
Aethelmaer gave quick nods to the others of the group.
"Now we must find the real abbot to find out just wha--"
He was cut short, and flew forward as the priest stood back up.
"You thought you could kill me! You will never be able to kill me. Not even the God himself, could strike me down."
Aethelmaer was helped up by Blaine and Silentknight, and something inside of him was wrong. That anger he felt before was gone. He couldn't build up his power, like he did against the other priest. Something was definately wrong.
"We will meet again. I am sure of this. I haven't yet completed the ceremony, I will be back for the rest."
With a snap of his fingers, a ring of fire slowly surrounded him, and grew in size, until he wasn't to be seen. A bright flash, a loud bang, and he was gone. The group gathered near Aethelmaer near the center of the room, throwing a few questions at him. Was he okay? Who were they? Was it over? Aethelmaer simply looked at them, and fell over and passed out. Aethelmaer was drained, Tadhg thought best to bring back up to where the beds were set up and let him rest for now. The others began to talk of what's to come, and later all went to bed themselves. By that time, dawn was nearing.
Tadhg grabbed the hilt of the dagger at his side.He reached up and grabbed the man by the neck pressing the blade to his throat.
"Please dont kill me my lord" said the terrified monk
Tadhg realized it was only the monk coming to wake him.He was on edge since last night.He had kept the dagger by his side waiting for another attack to come.
"The abbot requests your prescence urgently.He asks that you get ready to leave." the monk said
"I will be there.Wait for a few minutes while I get my pack."
Tadhg lept up from the sleeping pallet with a sense of urgency.He knew this was because of last night.He gathered his gear quickly and pulled on his travelling gear.
He strapped his broadaxe to his back and followed the monk from the room.He whistled and wolfbane followed his heels.
They walked down long corridors to the abbot's room.The monk did not say anything as they walked.Tadhg felt a dampness under his clothes and realized he was sweating.
They arrived at the abbot's door and the monk opened it.Tadhg walked through into the candlelight.He looked round and his companion was gone.
"You are here at last" said a voice behind him.
The abbot stood there looking tired and drawn.
"It is not safe to speak here.The walls have ears.Follow me quickly." he said as he walked to the back of his quarters.
The abbot went to his chair and fiddled about for a while.He looked like he was looking for something.
"What are you doing?" asked Tadhg curiously staring at the chair.
Suddenly the chair and the entire pedestal it rested on moved about 3 feet to the left.Stairs led down into the darkness.
The abbot grabbed a flaming torch from the wall and walked down the steps without a word.
Tadhg followed him down the steps.He noticed they were covered in dust with only a few footsteps marked on the floor.When he was about 10 feet down the stairs the abbot pressed a stone on the wall.The entrance above them shut off with a scraping noise.
The torch flickered off the ancient stones giving an eery light to the passage.
"Where are we going" he asked as they went further and further down.
"We are going to meet your companions" he said cryptically
At last the came to a door.It was ancient in design with many symbols carved into it.
The abbot drew a large key from his robe and inserted it into the lock.The door swang open freely.
They stepped into a well lit room where the group stood arrayed in their travelling gear.
"Maybe now we will get some answers" said Xiahou as the group noticed him arrive.
They all stared at the the abbot waiting for him to speak and explain what the hell was happening.
The abbot spoke....
"What happened yesterday has proven to me something" said the abbot
"This place is no longer safe.That is why you must leave tonight." he sai looking round at the people in their travelling gear.
The abbot's face had lost the vigour it had when they first met.He looked drawn and tired.He sat down on a low bench.
"I must explain something to you.This secret has been kept by the abbots of this temple since our order began.All the way through time since Lycan defeated Marvalt in that epic battle.Just before he died he took the founder of our order to his side and told him something." he explained to the fascinated group
"What I am about to tell you has not been uttered to any not of our order.With his final breath he uttered these words
When the dark brother comes, A group must set forth, One will chose, One will fall, One shall destroy, One shall save, They shall preserve, Fate rests on them.
This cryptic message is all that was written of the event.It has been kept secret until now."
He waited for the news to sink in.Then he continued
"Before he died he left a key.He said that the door for it was not to be opened until the prophecy was started.I believe that you are that group."
With this he walked towards the wall.He seemed to have gone mad.But he inserted the key into a crack in the wall.The group looked at each other and then at the abbot with curiousity.
A small door slid open and the abbot looked as surprised as the group.The group followed the abbot into a small group with 7 chest arrayed along the ground.
Tadhg looked around the room.Suddenly he started walking to a chest.He was drawn to one chest.He knew instinctively that there was something in there for him.
He pulled the lid up and looked inside.He drew out a huge axe.It was a mighty weapon.He hefted it,It let out a sigh as it clove the air.He was in love with the weapon as soon as he saw it.It was perfectly weighted,With a blade that looked like it could rip through stone.It was also beautiful,With intricate carvings all over the weapon.
"I will call it Dunmharu"he said admiring the weapon.
He looked around and saw that all the others were looking in different chests.
Quietly Blaine stepped into the chamber, his cold blue gaze wandering over the array of chests. His brow furrowed in pensive thought for a moment.
"How are we to..."
Slowly, though, a sense of purpose fell over him, and he stepped quickly toward one of the chests. He knelt over it and quickly undid the latch, propping the lid open gently with his gloved hands. The contents of the chest shone broughtly, their light reflecting clearly in his eyes. Gingerly, he lifted from the chest a silver pendant hung with a green emerald. Glancing to either side, he held it up so that the light refracted on the facets of the stone. Then, quietly, while no one was looking, he pulled it over his head and hung it 'round his neck, tucking it under his shirt, and turned to see what the others had found.
As Aeryck approached the chest in front of him he felt overcome with a warmth the seemed to localize in his chest and abdomen area. It almost felt as if he was seated before a warm fire, except that his face felt no heat.
He reached down to unlatch the chest, but as his fingers drew near the chest opened of its own accord. As he raised the lid a burst of flames escaped from the chest, but these flames did not burn. As the flames receded Aeryck could see a large breastplate glistening from within itself.
He unstrapped his own breastplate before raising the other from within the chest. Immediately upon laying hands on it Aeryck felt a burst of fire-like energy race through his veins. Upon donning the armor he could again feel the warmth in his chest and abdomen, exactly where the breastplate covered. The face of the armor bore a crest of flames surrounding the shape of a heart.
He looked to his brothers for their reactions...
Aethelmaer looked at one of the chests, and immediately he knew which chest was his. He felt a strange sensation inside of his body, and looking at the chest it glowed with a stange darkness. As he neared it, he felt a strange force just drawing him ever so close, almost as if it chose him. He put his hands on it, and he could feel lightning pulse through his body, making him even more excited to find out what was making him feel this way.
Aethelmaer looked around, watched Tadhg swing about his massive axe, Blaine's emerald pendant around his neck, and Aeryck's shining breastplate. Looking back at the chest, he motioned to open it, yet it seemed to open itself, releasing from within sparks, and flashes of lightning. This didn't faze him one bit as he reached inside, and from the its resting place inside, he pulled out an intracate bow.
With just a passing glance, it looked just like any other ordinary bow, but seemingly made with a very heavy durable wood, yet in his hands felt light as a feather. Pulling back the bowstring, the bow bent, and with a single smooth stroke, he could tell the string was strung tighter than any he's ever pulled. But something about it seemed so easy, like it was custom made, just for him. The designs covered everything above the handle, and most of below the handle, depicted carvings of an ancient age.
"The carvings depict of an ancient order of men, who were masters of the bow, passing down every bit of knowledge to another younger person, who has proved themselves worthy of being a part of their order. One day, a man named Ulric, was being taught by the leader of the Rangers, Harmond, when they were viciously attacked by beasts in the forest. Both were killed, and everything else has been forgotten of the order after that. The only thing that remained was the bow carried by Harmond, called Blitz. It is only gifted to those who are proved worthy to lead the Rangers, the long lost order, and now the bow sees you as its rightful owner."
Aethelmaer plucked an arrow from the quiver on his back, and pulled back the string and let go. The arrow flew straight as an arrow towards the rocky caves wall. He expected it to ricochet off the wall and into the ground, yet the arrow hit the wall, and stuck there about an arrow head's length. Amazed he pulled the arrow out, and awaited the for the others to finish with their chests.
"These weapons were left by Lycan in case of this day" said the abbot.
"They will serve you well in the next few days.Marvalt growss in power every day.You must move quickly.Lest we all are doomed." he said as he ushered them out the door.
The abbot walked over to the wall and grabbed a torch.He handed it to Tadhg.The abbot walked quickly towards a door in the wall.
He whispered some words in Tadhg's ear.Tadhg nodded and held out his hand.The abbot took it and they shook.
"At the end of this tunnel you will find horses.Dont stop for anything.The fate of us all rests on all of your shoulders.Move quickly." he said as he ushered them out the door.
The group walked out without another word.They heard the door close and lock behind them.Tadhg led them down a narrow tunnel.
He could see a pin prick of light at the end.When they reached the light they came to a narrow opening beneath a bush.There the saw seven horses standing tied to a tree.
The group mounted up and rode out without a word.
Somewhile later Aeryck rode up beside Tadhg
"Where are we going next in this journey Tadhg?What did the abbot say to you?" he said curiously
Without stopping Tadhg looked at aeryck right in the eyes.
"To the end my friend........To the end" he said as he spurred his horse onwards into a gallop.
To those words Aeryck gazed forward, wondering what destiny held for them on the road ahead. It did not matter. "Then Tadhg, only know that I shall be here by your side until will reach whatever end is meant for us."
With that he rode on. He did not fall back to his usual place in the group. He maintained the distinct feeling that his place was now by his brother Tadhg's side.
Aethelmaer rode out with a new confidence, and yet still he could not forget of the dark abbot trying to take over a power that seemed to sleep within him. A power that he didn't even know existed until, the time he used it against the strange cult. All of these things passing through his mind, he wondered how long this dark power has plagued him and his brothers, along their trip. He couldn't help but feel he had to appologize to everyone for his actions in the past.
"Everyone, before we encounter what is to come next, I just been wanting to give out my apologies for any trouble I have caused in the past. Now that I've figured out that I've been consumed by a strange power, it seems as though it only brought us that much closer, yet I still must have been a heavy burden to everyone here. Now that this power seems to be gone inside of me, lets ride forth and finish off this evil, once and for all!"
Aethelmaer rode behind, Aeryck and Tadhg, towards an unknown destination. All they knew is that when they got there, the end was sure to be there.
