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The Return of Rizak - by Azhag
Chapter 1
There was silence around me as I lay in the bed in my room of the Hopeless Inn. "Something
is not right." I thought. I stirred in my bed with confusion in my mind. "Something
is wrong in the balance of magic." Knowing that I could do nothing, I tried my best
to sleep, but with pathetic results. I managed to get some sleep in the end.
I woke up the next day and walked down the stairs to the tavern. There was a man having
a heated argument with the barkeep. "No doubt about it, he's back." I heard
him saying. "Me saw him with me own eyes."
"Impossible!" the barkeep shouted back. "He was banished to the Isle
of Forlorn by his five disciples a decade ago. I walked to the counter and asked the
two arguing men to tell me more. "Greetings, Azhag. I did not see you coming."
the barkeep said with a respectful bow. "Word has it that Rizak, with his two cronies,
Shimsham and Syahalla have returned." I was taken aback by the mention of my banished
teacher and I asked him to carry on.
"I am very sorry, Azhag. I know nothing more." he said, shaking his head.
Thoughts appeared in my mind. If he is really back, then there would be no end to the
destruction that he will do. I must destroy him!
And so, I set off that very morning to look for my friends. Friends, which I have not
seen for a long time. I did not know if they were dead or alive. I decided to try my
luck at the Underdark, where Gilles was exiled. Passing through New Thalos and leaving
a trail of bodies of thugs that decided to rob me, I finally reached the Dwarf forest.
It was dense and dark. More than a few times, I slipped and fell. Bruised and battered,
I finally reached the entrance of the Underdark.
I walked around for some time and heard the clang of metal. With the help of a glow
orb, I saw a rugged man, tempering a sword on an anvil. The man was Gilles, knight-weaponmaster
of the square table of Castle Reinhold. "Well met, Gilles!" I shouted to him
with a grin as I walked towards him. "Ain't seen you for a long time."
"Bah!" Gilles snorted as soon as he saw me. "If it ain't Azhag again.
Been a long time. Come, sit down."
I stared at grimly and announced, "Rizak is back."
Gilles dropped the sword he was tempering and with a look of pure horror, he gripped
my shoulder and exclaimed, "Is it really true?"
I could do nothing but nod helplessly. At that moment, an Enforcer Eye appeared out
of nowhere and tried to take me to the prison of the Underdark. I slapped the ugly thing
away and took out my spear. Gilles unsheathed his Sword of Darkness and prepared to hack
away at the Enforcer Eye. Naturally, we won. By dusk, we were walking out of the Underdark.
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