As anyone who reads this blog or talks to be for longer than 5 minutes knows, I'm making a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
This story is about the main antagonist, Enyuk, and his source of power.
Enjoy it!
Okay, back to studies.
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Burnt Out Torches
The burning pages told him someone had recently been here. As he left through the doorway to tell his party what he found, he stumbled upon something shiny beneath his feet. A red gem framed in gold, attached to a golden chain. It shined and glistened amongst the torch light, and for a split second, saw the evil eyes of a demon. And in that split second, he felt something pierce his soul. A thousand silent screams penetrated his mind. This wasn’t normal evil. This evil was untapped, raw.
He placed his nail-ridden baseball bat over his shoulder as he brought the gem out into the hallway.
“What do we have here?” asked the rogue “A gem?”
“Yes, but…” he paused. His eyes shifted from the party to the necklace a few times, then he focused on the cleric. “It’s evil, somehow”
The cleric, being of sound religious background, took it from his outstretched hand and examined it closely. The necklace fell to the ground and bounced. The cleric’s eyes were wide, shocked, and scared.
“We need to leave this.” he demanded. “We must!”
His words were fast, but punctual. The group knew what had to be done.
He placed his nail-ridden baseball bat over his shoulder as he brought the gem out into the hallway.
“What do we have here?” asked the rogue “A gem?”
“Yes, but…” he paused. His eyes shifted from the party to the necklace a few times, then he focused on the cleric. “It’s evil, somehow”
The cleric, being of sound religious background, took it from his outstretched hand and examined it closely. The necklace fell to the ground and bounced. The cleric’s eyes were wide, shocked, and scared.
“We need to leave this.” he demanded. “We must!”
His words were fast, but punctual. The group knew what had to be done.
They found a small chest in the room. They opened it, placed the necklace inside, and locked it. With what binding material they could find, they wrapped it up, tied it closed, and found a place to bury it among the papers and furniture.
Years pass, and the old cleric, who denounced his old ways, came back to the dungeon. He walked in and out of rooms, feeling nostalgic of what used to be. Most of the rooms had seen many adventurers over the years, and it showed with the new sword marks on the walls, broken tables and burnt out torches. As he sauntered along, he found the room they had hidden the necklace.
To his surprise, it was untouched.
To his surprise, it was untouched.
It was still in its place; under the chair with papers covering it. As he unwrapped the chest, he couldn’t help but smile as the old smell reminded him of the party; The rugged barbarian with his bat, Loverboy. The dashing rogue and his silver tongue that got them out of most everything. The beautiful ranger, her uncanny ability to bring the party’s spirits up was second to none.
And there it was; the cursed necklace.
The evil still lingered, and he could feel it. Feeling tempted and not wanting to miss the opportunity to experience new magic, he put it on.
Suddenly, he felt his body vibrate and go limp. He started to see thing, things he never wanted to see; burning bodies, mangled corpses, screams from otherworldly monsters, his grandmother naked.
The evil still lingered, and he could feel it. Feeling tempted and not wanting to miss the opportunity to experience new magic, he put it on.
Suddenly, he felt his body vibrate and go limp. He started to see thing, things he never wanted to see; burning bodies, mangled corpses, screams from otherworldly monsters, his grandmother naked.
Then, silence.
Everything went blank.
Everything went blank.
He picked himself up, dusted off, and walked out of the dungeon, seeing all he needed to see.
That night, he found himself unable to sleep. He tossed and turned, and everytime he shut his eyes from the moment the moon came out, all he saw was fire. This was not good.
He grabbed the necklace, but it would not go over his head. It seemed to be bound to him. He used some fire magic to melt the metal, only to leave a nice red mark on the back of his neck and the necklace shinier than ever where his hands were placed.
He poured over his research, looking feverishly for some answer. Thinking this was some punishment from his former deity, he got onto his knees and prayed the torture to stop, that he’d repent his ways and turn back. He felt heat again, but this time, it wasn’t around his neck. The heat felt like it was balling up in his stomach and expanding throughout his body. Into his chest, his shoulders, his arms, his fingers. He felt it in his thighs, his calves, his toes. It reached his head and he felt calm.
Just calm.
Just calm.
His eyes became half open and he slouched against a nearby wall, sliding down it and smiling, as if he had been infected with marijuana.
He started to go numb, starting at the top of his head down to his feet. He felt nothing.
He watched himself stand up, look at his research, and ignite his hands.
As the building burnt down behind him, he continued to feel nothing, but heard a demonic voice say “This vessel will do. It’s powerful.”
He started to go numb, starting at the top of his head down to his feet. He felt nothing.
He watched himself stand up, look at his research, and ignite his hands.
As the building burnt down behind him, he continued to feel nothing, but heard a demonic voice say “This vessel will do. It’s powerful.”
He woke up the next morning, buying a few vegetables in the market nearby where he used to live. He said nothing, but heard his voice asking how fresh the produce is and what the price happens to be.
“They were picked fresh yesterday, sir!” said the cheerful salesgirl “The carrots are 2 gold, the lettuce is 4 gold, and the--”
He cut her off “How much for you?”
She started to sweat, and her hands started to shake. “Uhm...excuse me?”
“You heard me. How much, for you?” He saw his hand go up to her chin, as if examining her.
He fought for control, trying to get out of this situation and save a life, hopefully. He struggled and fought, mentally ruffling around for control of his body.
“They were picked fresh yesterday, sir!” said the cheerful salesgirl “The carrots are 2 gold, the lettuce is 4 gold, and the--”
He cut her off “How much for you?”
She started to sweat, and her hands started to shake. “Uhm...excuse me?”
“You heard me. How much, for you?” He saw his hand go up to her chin, as if examining her.
He fought for control, trying to get out of this situation and save a life, hopefully. He struggled and fought, mentally ruffling around for control of his body.
The next thing he saw was a darkness that faded into pale torchlight along a wall. The ebb and flow of the torch was the only calming quality of the situation. He recognized the dungeon. It was where he found the necklace. Soon, he arrived at a door. THE door. The door that once held the most evil part about him. It opened, and his body walked inside. His voice began chanting in a tongue he had studied, but didn’t know fully. The parts he could pick out talked of a sacrifice, being free, and finding a vessel. Everything else about the chant was guttural, throaty, and sounded like fire.
His body found a book, written in a demonic language. He found that he could read the words, but they made no sense.
“Man boy to be is found. Under next rock, turtle in pasture. Give of mortal. Twelve horn fire, the world anew. She ambassador condor and the world you Under new plus and yesterday, the crows signaling miss”
“Man boy to be is found. Under next rock, turtle in pasture. Give of mortal. Twelve horn fire, the world anew. She ambassador condor and the world you Under new plus and yesterday, the crows signaling miss”
After reading lines of nonsense, the body closed the book, held out a hand, and ushered forth magic power that did...nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
He screamed as he felt power leave his body and into the open air.
From behind him, a familiar voice “Is everything alright?”
“If everything was alright, you wouldn’t be here. This place wouldn’t be here. Everyone would be dead!” he heard his voice say.
The voice stepped into the room, revealing herself to be the salesgirl from the market. She was wearing flimsy armor over her work clothes. She looked scared as she put her shortsword back in its sheath.
“Oh” she said sheepishly “Uhm...tell me again why you want to destroy this dimension, and why you need me.”
He turned around to face her “My poor sweet, ignorant girl. I need you because you are pure. We will start a new, pure world together.”
She blushed, but not out of flattery, and he knew that deep down. Inside, he could see her tears well up in her eyes. No doubt thinking about her family, her friends, everyone she’s ever loved or needed love from.
His body searched the room again, hoping to find a spell, or a book with the spell in it.
He searched for what seemed like hours when he came back. The girl was asleep along the wall, looking exhausted from crying and searching.
He gave up, picked the girl up and hoisted her over his shoulder. He took the torch and exited the dungeon to the bright light outside.
He got full control back and fell to his knees, the girl falling with him.
“What happened?” they said simultaneously “What? No, what did you say? What’s going on?”
They stared at each other for a while. He saw the genuine fear and confusion in her eyes. He shook his head and looked at the necklace. It wasn’t glowing, but faintly pulsating in a rhythm.
“I...think he’s asleep.” he said, giving a sigh of relief.
“Excuse me, what?” she said “Who’s ‘he?’”
From behind him, a familiar voice “Is everything alright?”
“If everything was alright, you wouldn’t be here. This place wouldn’t be here. Everyone would be dead!” he heard his voice say.
The voice stepped into the room, revealing herself to be the salesgirl from the market. She was wearing flimsy armor over her work clothes. She looked scared as she put her shortsword back in its sheath.
“Oh” she said sheepishly “Uhm...tell me again why you want to destroy this dimension, and why you need me.”
He turned around to face her “My poor sweet, ignorant girl. I need you because you are pure. We will start a new, pure world together.”
She blushed, but not out of flattery, and he knew that deep down. Inside, he could see her tears well up in her eyes. No doubt thinking about her family, her friends, everyone she’s ever loved or needed love from.
His body searched the room again, hoping to find a spell, or a book with the spell in it.
He searched for what seemed like hours when he came back. The girl was asleep along the wall, looking exhausted from crying and searching.
He gave up, picked the girl up and hoisted her over his shoulder. He took the torch and exited the dungeon to the bright light outside.
He got full control back and fell to his knees, the girl falling with him.
“What happened?” they said simultaneously “What? No, what did you say? What’s going on?”
They stared at each other for a while. He saw the genuine fear and confusion in her eyes. He shook his head and looked at the necklace. It wasn’t glowing, but faintly pulsating in a rhythm.
“I...think he’s asleep.” he said, giving a sigh of relief.
“Excuse me, what?” she said “Who’s ‘he?’”
“I...I don’t--I don’t know” he said, placing the necklace back down on his chest. He looked at her and said “We haven’t been formally introduced, and I’m sure that my body has done some awful things to you in the past few days”
She cut him off “Well, yes. And the past few weeks”
She cut him off “Well, yes. And the past few weeks”
How long have I been out? He asked himself. When was the last time I showered?
After smelling himself, he explained the situation to her.
“My name is Enyuk. I’m a cleric turned wizard and I guess I owe you an apology, miss…?”
After smelling himself, he explained the situation to her.
“My name is Enyuk. I’m a cleric turned wizard and I guess I owe you an apology, miss…?”
He was expectant of her to answer with her name, but only got back a small whimper
“Are you alright, Enyuk?” She asked him
He tilted his head. Funny, he’s been asking himself that same question for weeks, apparently.
“Are you alright, Enyuk?” She asked him
He tilted his head. Funny, he’s been asking himself that same question for weeks, apparently.
“Ah, yes. I’ll be just fine. But you, my dear” he said in his most reassuring voice “need to get back to your family. You’re not safe with me. You’re not safe here.”
He thought quickly, not wanting her to leave house and home, and he not wishing to leave the land he grew up knowing. After many moments of deliberation, he sparked an idea.
“My fair lady, I ask that you run back home. Let me know not of who you are. Did I ask for your name these past few weeks?”
She nodded “Yes, and I told you my name”
He wrote down on a piece of paper ‘Esrellda’ and gave it to her.
“If I call you by your real name, tell me that you’ve changed it to this. Once you do, step away from me.”
He thought quickly, not wanting her to leave house and home, and he not wishing to leave the land he grew up knowing. After many moments of deliberation, he sparked an idea.
“My fair lady, I ask that you run back home. Let me know not of who you are. Did I ask for your name these past few weeks?”
She nodded “Yes, and I told you my name”
He wrote down on a piece of paper ‘Esrellda’ and gave it to her.
“If I call you by your real name, tell me that you’ve changed it to this. Once you do, step away from me.”
And with that, he ran off into the woods.
To this day, Enyuk lives in the Black Woods, recollecting his research. Every so often, he returns to demon form and yells the salesgirl’s name as loudly as he can, searching towns for weeks on end. She has evaded him for the time being. When his powers are depleted, he sleeps in the gem again, allowing Enyuk to restore what good he destroyed.
