You watch as the old man raises his arms, and like riding an invisible chariot, he and the rock move forward. He's slowly disappearing in the distance, further north.
Both of your companions still lie in the snow. You can see they're under a spell, and that it is slowly fading away. They should be alright.
You would love to harvest the titan's fur and create something from it, so you check on the fallen beast.
The hair is rather long, but stiff and unbending. This is no sheep wool, you won't be able to spin this into yarn. It seems you'll have to skin the titan, but you have no blade.
Now that you've done such feats with enchanted ice, maybe you could craft a blade of your own! There's also Sas' hunter knife, still buried deep in the titan's wound. You decide to do the easier first.
You search for some sort of a pebble, and are quick to find one under the snow. Then, you gather some snow along with it. With both in your hands, you form the tough ice and start shaping it.
The result is a rather crude shiv, which doesn't look nearly as good as you hoped, and starts thawing and falling apart if your hands no longer hold it. But it's the best you can do right now, so it'll have to suffice.
However, you still want the other knife too. So after thinking through the execution of your next spell, you conjure another ice chunk to tip the beast over.
The ice rams the body from beneath, and pushes it upwards, but halfway through you receive a blow back.
You fail to finish the spell, and are knocked down.
It takes a moment for you to regain senses after the shock.
You see the ice, still standing, supporting the weight of the titan, keeping it tilted. The wound is reachable.
Enough magic for today it seems, as you almost lost your voice during the last spell. You can hardly point your focus now, but manage to sense the curse over your friends is nearly over.
"You should know your limits better, boy."
. . . "Or better yet, feed me, I can help you.""No, I'll be alright. Stand back." you retort, and check the seed.
The spirit that joined you before has left your reach and moved towards it, and seems rather protective of it.
"Do not lie to yourself, you are not good enough. You need me."
. . . "Oh, I forgot, you do not. You have forsaken me for those two and your pocket fairy, which, let us be honest, you would not have survived until now without."
. . .
"Is that why you no longer care? They have proven to be stronger by slaying your friend?""I do care, and l shall redeem all my faults. But the seed isn't yours, and I won't give it to you."
"I taught you everything I knew, I guided you through the struggles of life, I was there, every single moment for you and now that you can repay me, you don't."
"Lies! You were getting old and weak, I was to replace you!"
You slam your mouth shut, after a shaking revelation. The wraith is winning over you, you were cast under its shadow and the darkness rooted in your soul.
"I am not ungrateful, unlike you. You can still help, and I shall wait. Feed me, and I will put an end to your hardships.""Black?"
The voice is Sas'. He and Flax are both awake, one sitting, one standing.
"What happened? You look kind of sick..."
"Where's the old chap?" asked Flax.
"He's gone." you. "Left after I talked to him."
"Did he do this to you?"
"No..." you whisper and point. "Quick, someone pull out the knife, I don't want to stain myself with its blood."
Sas readily leaps towards the corpse. He plunges his arm into the wound, and searches.
You can see he grabbed something, and tries to waggle it out, and more blood springs from the wound.
Sas then pulls, and you rejoice, for he holds the knife in his crimson red hand.
Where the blood has leaked through the snow, grass started bursting through.
"Okay, now we can take some fur with us."
You carefully observe the dead titan, thinking where exactly to harvest.
"From side to side in the middle." you say and point. "We want the white portion. Let's skin!"
You two get to work, using your blades to cut out the massive piece you measured. It should be large enough for three cloaks.
"Where are we going to process it?" asks Flax.
"I can do that with magic, later, it won't rot right away, no worries. Oh, but stay alert if anything comes our way again, okay?"
Flax nods, and puts himself on watch, while you skin.
Nothing interrupts you this time and you finish the work without much complications.
You now have a giant piece of this strange white pelt, like a long carpet in which all of you could shroud.
"Look at the load of meat, man..."
"Yes, but I'm not touching it. Not eating this magnificent being."
"The horn would be quite a trophy... Too bad we can't remove it..."
"And also we can't carry much more. Come on, let's go back to the ruins so I can do my thing."
You leave the carcass behind, as the gigantic mass isn't going to flee its graveyard. And for the ruins are not far ahead, you soon arrive.
Much doesn't seem to have changed. There is the trail of Rathegaru's rock, and the pile of rubble blocking the lair is altered, but aside of that, everything is like it was before. Even the foul stench of death is still present.
Mysterious hole in the ground isn't your priority right now, for you need to return the power of life back to the land.
The spirit latching onto the seed doesn't resist you, and lets you plant.
"Let justice be served."
The immense formless power seeps into the earth, and refills the lost life.
The absence of spirits is no more, as they start pouring from every direction, reclaiming their restored home. And few seem to seek you.
"So you've done it, brave warrior. You've undone crimes of others despite significant resistance. You have our gratitude, and should you ever need shelter, this site will provide.""I have done my duty, though... I am sorry for the guardian."
"The protector did his duty as well. One of us was lost, but a greater evil was stopped, and thus your service was good.""I suppose... There wasn't a choice."
Now that locals actually talk to you, you might ask questions, or move on.
What do you want to do? 
Poll
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Topic: Dwarf Fortress -Drawings- : Tales of the Deer Wizard (Read 169975 times)