The Dark Swordsman

[Blazer]

In the land of Tokuno on a small island lies a tower, this tower which once stood magnificent against the waves of the sea and among the cliffs of the otherwise desolate island now lies deserted and in ruin. Weapons lie rusted and wall hangings lie tattered and in pieces. The once proud holding of the feared Daemon Blazer lie deserted and abandoned. But on this night during a fierce tempest that was prone in this reigion of the sea a small light flickered from the tower's top window. A dark figure holding a war torn blade sits among the supposed abandoned building contemplating his return. Why had he come back? He certainly had done this many a time before... he had entered a world allowing the different laws of the new world tear apart his power and rob him of his magic in order to rise to fame and either help or hinder the rising civilization and leave his mark on society... the Dark Swordsman Blazer, the rightous paladin Falkun, there were countless legends among the different dimensions of a normal adventerer rising to fame or to infamy...  and then as suddenly as he appeared he would disappear to do it all again in a different world...  and yet...  here he was.. for the first time in nearly three thousand mellenium he had come back....  a rule he had sworn never to break again.... what would his supposed master say? heck... what would his wife say... there was no denying he had left everyone in their times of need and there would be no way to continue this act any longer...  blazer looked again at the ring upon his finger...  and the mark of abraxius on his left hand... both symbolized an allegience which he had broken... he knew that with his ancient powers that abraxius had no clue who he was.... otherwise he'd be long dead once his intentions had been discovered...  so with that in mind he knew that he could most likely fool the lich into thinking he had been banished or some such thing...  quick a story formed within his mind... a way out of this mess he had created....  opening a mental link with his supposed master he sent him a message telling him that he and his accursed brother had met in a fierce duel and he had managed to work a demonic ritual to spirit away his brother after he had won against him... but that his thrice cursed brother had weaved a spell of his own to trap them both in the hellish dimension... having only found his way back recently and leaving his brother manamotto to rot in that hell that had trapped them both. Blazer ended the message with an apology for his untimely absence and that he would now be awaiting his masters orders whatever they may be. 

And in the land of Trammel in a snowy winterland a single letter address to 'my beloved Keely' lay on the steps of a wonderful house that had been built for two but only used by one.

[Fangedwolf]

Time had passed and the world seemed to settle into normality rather quickly after the entrapment of Lord Abraxius in the lands of Umbra.  He had kept to himself, rarely seeing anyone outside of the cult, and even then it was for short times.  The rage and anger of Lord Abraxius seared his mind constantly, such was the connection between Him and his High Priest, and it was possible that his Master did not know the torment he put his faithful servant under so constantly.

It was distracting, and at times even the careful mask of indifference slipped when he was alone into a wince or frown when a particularly forceful feeling disturbed his thoughts, despite his own not insignificant powers of mental blocking.

However, this very same link gave him access to the information that now came to him.  Word of Blazer. 

In his house he walked, paced around the blood circle in his ritual room, irritation shown in his blood red eyes, eyes that now glowed ever so slightly in his anger.  Blazer who had left them, Blazer who had abandoned them just at a time when his presence could have helped.  He, Najaal, had been tested by his Master during this time, unable to see, or even walk in the land of the living .. he had depended on those around him to help his Master, and they had failed.

His rage, reawakened, cast a wind up around the room, the faint wailing of trapped souls a tortured whisper as he paced, as he raged. 

Was it true?  This story that Blazer told his Master? 
Did it matter if it were? 

The murmur of his words in the room of his abode slipped through the ethor, embedding themselves in Blazer's mind in a manner that was not entirely pleasant "You failed us Blazer," the maelevolent whisper said  "Given a position you craved, you abandoned it in a self-centered quest that ultimately led to your Master's imprisonment because you wern't there to stop it as you should have been."  The High Priest's anger anger would be felt like the searing icy touches of those tortured souls that surrounded him.  "Your absence has cost you much." 

He would sever the connection that let his words be heard over such a distance and stand staring out at the city before him from between the stone.  What was to be done about the Cult.  So convenient how many dissapeared just at the time when they might have been of use.  So conveinent that they didnt need to show their worth in battle.  Out of the cracks they appeared once his Lord had been vanquished, and Najaal was disgusted with many.  So many were not worthy, but perhaps they could still be of use.

Perhaps.

[Blazer]

the melevolent whispers resounded in his mind and Blazer almost smiled at the expected reaction, when he had returned he knew that he would not be welcomed with open arms, his wife had given up grieving for him and had started moving on having her named changed back and his access stripped from their home. the news of Abraxius's entrapment was surprising, not only in the fact that he had been trapped but also in the complexities of the spells involved, Blazer doubted that anything short of an elder god or higher could destroy such a powerful and complex spell.... the fact that Abraxius was still trapped attested to this fact...  Blazer wondered at this thought, the powers of an elder god... did such artifacts even exist in this world? and if they did would he even be able to aquire them? Surely Abraxius would have already sensed such a power already and would be free... unless...  quickly searching through his tomes he grabbed the one he was searching for and opened it up looking for what he desired...  yes.. yes that could be it.  a spell to mask and suppress the powers of any artifact that rated above a certain power level.... and if it was combined with other such spells it could be in his very hand and Abraxius would think it only junk...  but how to detect such a hidden thing if it even existed...  for he could not wasted precious time looking for a way to find this item if it were to turn out that it didnt even exist...  and the only one who could confirm his theory had left this world leaving it to the devices of Acacia... and asking her to aid him in freeing Abraxius would not only be foolish but dangerous as well as it would give the enemy the advantage.... 
   Sighing and sorting out his jumbled and disorganized thoughts he drew to the matter at hand... regaining the trust of his supposed lord and the highpriest Najaal....  the only really to do is to start over again...  most likely they would have to give me some sort of test.... something not only to redetermine my faith and dedication but probably a magic to see if i'm lying.... the second is easy... it's the first that could be quite worrisome... after all... what good is passing a test if it were to lead to my destruction.... right now i am of little value... it's obvious they view me as a deserter and a traitor.... which would be true considering i left during the most needed of hours....  i can only hope that the magics that bind me to life even after death will hold out long enough for me to survive what's comming...
  Having decided his next course of actions and planning for as much as he could  Blazer reopened the connection that let him speak with the highpriest and with Abraxius  ' As any apology i give will be meaningless as what's done is done and no amount of groveling would change that let me instead restate my fealty to the cause of Abraxius and let it be known that i will atone for this most grievious of sins i have committed against my Lord. I will do all in my power to undo the damage which my selfishness and disobiedence has caused... the might of Abraxius shall be felt and i shall do all i can in making that a reality in as quick a fashion as i can. It may not be trusted by you as of this moment but you have my word that i will reprove myself in the eyes of Lord Abraxius!'  and with that he let the connection be severed....  now Blazer could only wait... one of two things will happen now... either the chance to prove himself worthy would be given... or a punishment that would most certainly mean becoming an undead and mindless slave of Abraxius with the mark of dishonor forever staining him.

[Alaric McCree]

::his anger from the whole situation has never abated. He walks around Umbra, making his fury felt when ever the whim strikes him. He knows in time he will find a way to beat this entrapment, and until that time he will make his new realm show who truly rules.::

::while working one cloudy day he senses the return of a familiar being. He allows his mind to float through the ether. Once he locates his target he settles down to listen. Hearing how this being believes he has fulled one of the greatest minds in the world actually causes a chuckle to spew forth from his dry lips, which is quickly replaced with anger::

::his voice barely a whisper several animals nearby as well as a few of the tradesmen of Umbra drop dead as his magic sucks the life blood out of their bodies::     

    You are a fool to think such of me......  ::said so softly you would have to be within a foot of Abraxius to even have a chance to hear it::

::as time passes he listens in on the man's thoughts, his plans, and even when he starts seeking out the mental connection he once shared with Abraxius. Tentatively he allows the man to connect and listens to all he has to say. He knows the man would be a fool to expect to be trusted again, and he knows he is right in fearing the eternal punishment he may have coming for him::

::after the man grows silent for a while he slowly starts breaking the connection. The only evidence that the connection was even there is the faint words the man hears as the last of the connection is severed and the sudden pain felt in his left hand::

We shall see......