http://www.teenink.com/raw/Fiction/article/60117/Realm-of-twilight-Dawn

The link contains part one.

Zanros woke with a start and sprung to his feet, only to be pushed back to the rocky ground by a elderly man.

"Don't move you fool!"

The man muttered under his breath as he reached into his dark blue cloak and extracted a vial of yellow liquid.

"What were you fighting? This is quite the nasty wound, shouldn't hurt your mobility though-"

Zanros grabbed the man's arm as he was about to pour the liquid into the wound.

"No way you're doing anything until i know who the heck you are, and what's in that vial."

The man scowled.

"Fine, I am archmage Valadin."

He displayed the vial.

"Inside this is a sealant that will protect your wound and speed up the healing process."

Zanros grabbed the vial and looked it over.

"Thanks."

He poured the contents into the wound, as it hardened and sealed, he stood up.

"Now, I'll be going."

Without waiting for another word, Zanros sprinted away. Valadin sighed.

"Ungrateful little-"











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Zanros Reached the cliff face and entered a small guardhouse built into the rock. As Zanros stepped inside the empty building, he muttered to himself.

"Hope there's enough water..."

He opened a door across the room, revealing a huge shaft reaching up through the stone. A simple iron cage sat within, held above the ground by a chain that let up the shaft. As Zanros entered the cage and shut the door, he pulled a lever inside the cage.

His ears were flooded by the sound of grinding gears and blasts of steam, as he was carried up through the shaft.











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Valadin stood overlooking the ruins. He sighed as he bent to Look over the Sigil carved into the rock.

"Just what happened here...."

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and looked up to see Re'atr clutching his hand.

"What is a Scyn'raj doing here-?"

Re'atr suddenly turned to run, as Valadin leapt to his feet.

"Come back here!"

The scyn'raj leapt and spread his wings, soaring out towards the edge of the valley.

"Piece of work- Guess I better follow."

The mage clapped his hands, then threw his arm backwards as a torrent of lightning sprung forth from his palm, the force propelling him into the sky.

As he begun to fall, he swung his other arm back, another blast sending him towards the ledge. As he landed upon one knee, he chuckled.

"Still easy as ever..."










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A thick iron door hidden on a boulder slid open, as Zanros stepped out. As he ran toward the road reaching around the valley, he scanned the ground.

"That flying spell would of worn off around here....."

As he heard a roar of energy, and saw Valadin rocket out of the valley, in pursuit of Re'atr.

"Sure is in shape, for a old coot."

As he started to mount, he spotted a flash of light in Re'atr's hand.

"What?-"

He sprinted forward, and he Drew his sword as it burst into fire.

"GIVE ME THAT!"

Re'atr clutched the item in his hands tightly, as he turned and snarled at his chasers. Zanros lept unto re'atr, who slammed his fists into the swordsman's feet as he kicked. As he tumbled Through the air, Zanros spun to land on his feet.

"What- You're agile for a human." Valadin said as he raised an eyebrow. Zanros chuckled.

"I had some help.."

Re'atr lunged, extending his claws on his open hand. Zanros swung his fist foreward, meeting Re'atr's hand. As they locked eyes, The Scyn'raj's claws scratched across Zanros' glove.

"Aw, darn it! Do you know the cost of good leather these days?!"

Valadin stepped in between the two.

"Stop it! What the hell is going on?! Why does he have a phylactery?!

Using the distraction, Zanros stole the item from Re'atr's hand.

"This, is not a phylactery like a lich might have." He displayed the item, a black rock, with a shimmering Cristal layer coating it.

"This was created by a Cargast."

Valadin stepped back in shock.

"What?! But who could create...?"

Zanros pointed to the irritated Re'atr.

"Him."

Valadin ran his fingers through his short beard.

"Who was the soul?"

"Adeth, Adeth the darklord." Zanros spat out the words like sour milk.











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Zartheleos followed Dimor out of the inn.

"So, where should we start?"

Dimor chuckled as he surveyed the sprawling, iron, steam-driven city on Niangrey.

"Well, we can thank that pleasant messenger for giving us no lead! But, I think it would be best to start by heading east toward those abandoned towers outside of the old city, those would attract a desperate mage, with all those scrolls inside. If we find nothing, then we can- Oh, Why are you putting on your armor NOW?"

Zartheleos slid his helmet into place untop his armor,and tied a tattered crimson cape to his back.

"You know it weighs not more then leather, thanks to you. It won't slow us."

Dimor sighed.

"Fine, fine, just know, we're in a CITY! No one's going to attack unless they want to give some guards something other to do then direct people to the tram."

Zartheleos smirked.

"The armor assures me of that. You aren't taking anything?"

Dimor rolled his head back and laughed.

"I'm the full package! I need no Silly armor or weapons!"

Zartheleos rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'll get the cart and mounts."

"Oh no, horses? No, I hate those beasts, I'll take care of the cart."










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Zanros groaned.

"Look, I'm going this alone, I'm not going to group up with some old man I just met."

Valadin frowned.

"You are going to need more then a soul-blade and a nasty attitde to kill a Cargas't, even more so, against Adeth."

Zanros locked eyes with the mage.

"Even since that city burned, I have spent every moment of my life, preparing myself, so i can destroy all those who could do that again. So-"

He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.

"Think it through, before you question my power to extract revenge."

Valadin pulled his mouth into a sly grin.

"Even so, I doubt you know where he is."

"I have my leads."

"Right good luck with those,seeing as you were asleep for at least an hour after he left."

Zanros opened his mouth in shock.

"Then you saw him go?!"

"I saw a black shape fly up over the cliff, you just told me what it was."

"Where was he headed!?"

The mage chuckled.

"Well, you refused my help, so I guess I'll just go my way then."

"No, you know to much. I'll play your silly game, we'll head out together. But only until we find him."

Valadin smiled.

"Good. but what about your Scyn'raj friend."

"We can't afford to have him out wandering about, knowing all that-"

Just then, the pair saw that Re'atr had left during their argument, and was nowhere to be seen.

"Brilliant, just brilliant."











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A grand tower juts out of the snowy mountans, adorned with long blood-red tapestries.

Inside, there rested a giant, barren room, the bottom streching deep out of sight. Waterfalls flowed from the celing, falling down into the void.

A single platform shot across the room, ending at a massive stone arm reaching up, grasping up at the sky, it's palms burned, leaving a scar shaped like two snakes intertwined with the moon. Across the platform, a scarred man walked, his body fused with metal, his entire lower right arm missing.

As he stood in front of the hand, he fell to his knees.

"The darkness has awoken, all is void, it must be stopped." He coughed the words out, as blood leaked from his lips, falling down and splattering along the stone.

The scars on the hand started to emmit a faint red glow, as mist started to leak up from the unseen floor.

The man stood up, and held his arms out, as the mist covered his body.

A soft hum filled the room as the mist faded, revealing the ma, his body covered in a inky black web.

As he looked over his missing arm, the strands rappidly expanded, reforming his limb, but in place of a hand, Three clawed fingers grew. As he looked it over, blades slid forth from the tips.

The webs coating his body formed themselves into a beastial form, growing a long armored tail, and twin mandibles on either side of his mouth.

The monster threw back his head and screamed, in a bold, metalic voice.

"THIS LAND, WILL. BE. PURGED!"












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