Once there was a time when humans hailed me as a hero, a living legend walking amongst mere mortals. They asked for my help, and so I did. And I was good at what I did, hacking and slashing troublemakers away.
One day, the lady of The Good Empire asked me to kill a vampire that has been killing her people; Pavi Unrelief, the olm man. He was rumoured to live in the sewers of the capital city. So I went there and searched and searched and kept searching, but could not find him. Duging my search I dispatched many other criminals and night creatures to halls of Armok. Finally I had to go and ask help from legendary clairvoyant, Stonesense. He revealed location of this troublesome beastman and the reason why I couldn't find him. He had made his nest so deep into severs, that no living man could reach it without drowning.
This was wery troubling revelation to me. As loyal servant of my empire, I had to complete this task in a way or another. Finally I made my decision. I had to relinguish my mortality and become a vampire myself so I could kill another one. I swore myself and to armok that I would feed only from enemies of The Good Empire. So I began hunting vampires. I found them and I killed them and drank their blood but I did not become one. After weeks I had to admit it, I could not become one. I was immune to the curses of gods... I suspect it might be due my divine heritage.
But I did not gave up since vampires are not only type of foul undeads. I set on another journey to find solution. During my journey I fought against goblin warbands, learned secrets of life and death and overcome many needs of flesh but not need of air. Until I stumbled over my solution completely by accident. At midnight I was suddenly surrounded by infernal murk. I quickly ran out of it couching as it burned my lungs. And suddenly pain in my lungs was gone! I could not feel pain anymore and more importantly, I did not need to breath anymore!
I returned to the capital of The Good Empire, Fistplans, at night and proceeded to complete my task. As the vampire Pavi Unrelief finally fell on my axe I was overjoyed! My most challenging task ever was done! No doubt no evil could stand against The Good Empire anymore!
First rays of sun were peeking over eastern horizon when I emerged from sewers. I headed to marketplace where merchants were setting up their wares.
"Hey people!" I shouted grinning myself.
"Pavi Unrelief is finally dead!" I continued and waited for their praising words.
Those words never came. Instead I heard screaming. Horrified screaming. People started to run, half of them ran away from me and other half towards me with raised weapons. I was confused. This was very unusual reaction. As I effortlessly dodged and blocked their unskilled attacks it dawned to me: betrayal! These people who I protected, who begged my help, who praised me, they had betrayed me!
Bitter taste raised into my throat as I raised my axe. With precision and skill I had killed enemies of The Good Empire I beheaded its people. And reanimated them. Again and again until there was only undead I had rised remaining. But my rage was not over. Killing them once was not enough! I tore the zombies apart, crushed them under my iron heels and raised them again and again and again until I no longer could rise them. The marketplace where children used to play hide and seek laughing, where people bargained for best prices and where coins were always singing, was now silent. And it was transformed into butcherhouse. Red with blood, filled with body parts, guts and other pieces of human organs.
"What I'm doing?" I asked myself. "What I do from now on?".
My goal was always been to help people and do anything that could be help for my empire. But the people no longer wanted my help and the empire itself was now my enemy. I sat down and thought about it for while. After a while I decided do to one last service for the empire I loved: I left. I left the empire and its people for good.
I traveled to north for weeks until I come across a tower. Necromancers! While people may not want my help I still might be able to be help for them. I bashed the door open, raised my axe and waited for their attack. It never came. Instead I heard voice of a serpent woman: "It iss good to finally meet you! I am Bewa Opigole. Welcome to our humble tower. We have been waiting you."
I was quite stunned. First time since becoming undead I had met someone who did not attack me nor feared me.
"Excuse me? You have been waiting for me?"
"Yess. We were told of that you would come here." Bewa said.
"You were abandonded by your people, weren't you? The people you loved betrayed you because of your new nature and you lost your purpose." It was a dwarf coming down stairs. "I'm Zon Kolakil."
"How do you know so much of me? Who did-"
"Your mother", another dwarf interrupted me. "It was your revered mother, Acmot Fieldwaste, goddess of death, rebirth, rain and thunder who told us about you." The dwarf introduced himself as Solon Morulrigoth, the second founder of this tower. I knew that my mother was a god, but father never told me who, so this new piece of information left me wordless.
"We learned our art from your mother so we are in debt for her. And by helping you we can pay a small part of this debt." He continued.
"Yess. However there iss one thing we and your mother want you to do. Wetpitss the Idle Hollowssss issss nearly day'ss travel to the northeassst. Sseek thissss place and kill Tal Lenssperplecxed the human. Once he profaned your mothersss temple ssso he wasss cursssed with body twisssted beyond reckoning. Now he asssumesss a beasssstly form to terrorize usss." Bewa said. "Do thisss sssmall ssservice to usss, and thisss tower will alwaysss be your home."
I didn't need think for long. These people were apprentices of my mother and they needed help. I lifted my axe on my shoulder and smiled first time for weeks. "Sure thing. Tal is good as dead." I said.
My name is Asmur Cilkooma, and this is my story.
This story is based on real events and all mentioned connections do exist.
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Topic: What's going on in your adventure? (Read 2136986 times)