Hecktore Page 3
only the beds and the stand, no windows, no doors not even a draft from loose stone. I started to yell for someone my voice echoed in the room but no one replied, a few minutes later I tried again then I heard a whisper. It sounded like the air was trying to speak to me, “Quiet, I am sleeping.” I questioned the air around me “Who are you? What happened?” The whisper became a hiss next to my ear, “You will be silent or I will silence you.”
The last hiss gave me bumps all over my body then I realized I was naked, for now I was going to listen to the voice I climbed back into the bed and placed the candle back on the table. I laid on my back covering my manhood and drifted back to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of something scraping against stone; I peered over the side of my bed and found light in the chamber. I didn’t know where the light was coming from; it was like the stones around my chamber gave off a slight glow. I sat up and made my way down to the floor looking at the wall I could see the light seeping from the stones as if the sun was on the other side. It looked like there was a center stone that seeped more light than the rest. I reached out to touch the stone when a voice came from across the room. “Hold human.” Startled I turned to face the voice “Where am I? Who are you?” I asked frantically.
The voice replied,” You do not need to know my name, as for your location you are safe in my home you will not be harmed provided you continue to make yourself useful.” I grew angry, “What have you done with my belongings, where is my beast?” The voice began to wisp around the room, “They are safe in my tower; it is amazing how someone could take a wild Olath. Tell me how you forced it into submission?” Looking around the room I started to become angrier, a rage started to swell inside me my body began to burn.
I closed my eyes and saw an image of my mother singing to me then she spoke with admiration and joy, “You are ready, let it go.” I opened my eyes and looked at my hands they burned with a blue flame I balled them into fists and hit the wall with all my might. The stone shattered like glass giving way under my might.
The voice shrilled in astonishment, “An Alcheema! How is it possible your kind died out a thousand years ago!?” I stood on the floor full of pride and rage I replied to the voice with the utmost arrogance, “My mother gave me these powers and if I am not released I will see what other powers I can unleash.”
The voice stayed silent for a few moments deciding on what to make of me. My anger dimmed and the fire in my hands begins to flicker and fade leaving puffs of smoke sifting in the air. The room faded into darkness with only a small amount of light coming from the hole I made. Peering through the wall I could see a small fireplace flickering in the corner of a large room. The walls were covered in cobwebs, there was so much dust it looked like it had not been touched for centuries. Facing the fireplace was a large leather chair I could see a hand laying on the arm rest it shimmered in the firelight, after I stepped into the room a female voice spoke. “Your belongings are on the table by your... self-made door.”
I took a moment to dress myself and collect my dagger and equipment, felt comfortable in my old clothes as the chill left my skin, my muscles relaxed as I made my way to the woman’s chair. I stopped a few feet behind it, peering over the top I saw a nest of blue-green hair reflecting in the fire light. The voiced changed it was quite soothing when she spoke again, “You probably have many questions. Quite frankly I don’t have time to answer them all my enemy will be here soon and I must prepare.”
I noticed a small wooden chair that appeared next to me, her voice began to sound again so I sat and listened. “You are part of a race that died out 1000 years ago. Alcheema was what you were called one of the most powerful creatures ever created in our world. You once ruled this world with the strongest magic. Alcheema were not known for their compassion but they understood fairness. There were none that could stand against your powers even the mage Dallente could not match your full strength.”
I quietly listened intently as she continued, “Your race created a world of everything yet nothing the people who lived under you thought they had free will but only as far as the Alcheema allowed. You allowed the people to build places of worship but only allowed Alcheema puppets to lead them. The markets were overrun with greedy merchants that cared for nothing but their own gold pouches. Two thousand years the people endeared the suffering that your kind forced upon them. Finally the people have united against the Alcheema oppression and revolted across the land. Millions died, using your powers they were smitten without remorse, but the flood of people kept coming and the Great city of Ma Kana fell into the hands of the mobs. Soon after, the other Alcheema began to fight amongst their selves blaming each other for the rebellion that ravaged their once great empire. One by one the city’s began to fall allowing the people to loot and pillage themselves do a point at no return, they destroyed everything in their vengeance leaving barely any food or shelter do survive.
The people soon realized what they had to do and began to ration their resources and developed a code that allowed everyone to benefit from their own labors, barter and services were the currency of the land and for another 200 years the people lived carefree and without want but one man forgot the way of the code and began his own sect of thieves and power mongers his name was Anto.” The name hit me like a chain linked gauntlet fresh from one of the hells fire.
My father spoke this name only once; he was telling me the story of how his father sent him into the wilderness to die so he would have no heir to challenge him. Anto, father of my father was leader of the Sect. She rambled on almost incomprehensibly, the shock of finding out who Anto was, muted me to her words. Is this why he never spoke of his family or where he came from?
The conversation was cut short as she disappeared without warning into a whiff of smoke. I had no idea what was going on and had no intention of finding out. I grabbed all my gear and began searching the tower for my beast and an exit. Scouring the floor I found a large stairwell leading down into darkness. An unlit torch was sitting in a small crack near the entrance to the stairs. I removed the torch from the wall with more effort than I intended to use, the torch was unusually heavy for a simple piece of wood with oil soaked cloth. As I thrust the torch into the fireplace the room went completely dark after waiting a moment a flash of light appeared at the top end of the torch and burned a bright fiery red.
The light flickered across the dark stones as I made my way down the staircase. Every step I made spurred a small cloud of dust that irritated my eyes, like the rest of the tower it seems that that the narrow, steep steps have not been used in ages. My head brushed by a countless amount of cobwebs hanging from the sloping ceiling. A few spiders tried to invade my hair but were easily squished by my free hand.
A large opening was at the bottom of the lengthy stairwell, there was another room behind it. I stepped into the lightless area noticing that the torch flickered brighter than before and removed all stains of darkness from what I could see. My eyes adjusted to the brighter light and I could see shelves upon shelves of old tomes every inch of the walls.
The room appeared to be a small library, scanning the books quickly the titles ranged from, “The Sword Apprentice” to the recipe book on how to cook Beetles. I spared a few more moments looking for any title of interest. I realized there was nothing here worth my time and quickly made my way to the other side of the chamber. It was much larger than I had first realized I travelled 50 paces until I found another opening very similar to the one I came in from.
I remembered the size of the tower and I did not see how the size and design of what I have seen inside matches what I saw outside. Probably magic of some sort whether it was a trick or real changes I could not say, nor was I really worried.
My only worry was finding my way out and finding my beast. I did not understand the connection I had for the animal but it was there and I could not fight it, it felt like I was looking for a close friend. I passed through many
more rooms most of them were empty or had broken furniture in them. A few however had a potion table or a scribe’s desk.
I finally came to a small alcove; there stood four doors in a crescent shape resembling the surrounding stone circle. I thought for a few moments and caught the scent of my beast; while not pungent it was just enough so I could tell which door lead to it. I walked to the second door on the right and opened it with no effort. I was sick of this witches maze and hastily walked through the door not caring what was on the other side.
A bright light hit me in the face stunning me for a moment. I pried my eyes open to that it was high sky and the sun fully awake. I saw wide grasslands filled with lively trees and bared fruitful branches. I caught a glimpse of familiar fur with a metallic sheen within a small family of large trees to the east of me.
I walked towards my wild companion and noticed it was eating a squirrel it had caught with its giant mouth. The morning must have been moist there was still dew on the grass a slight fog was rolling out of the area. As I got closer to my monster it ran over to drink from a puddle that had formed and lapped it up