《Path of the Shaman [HIATUS]》Prologue
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Prologue A great mountain stood in the middle of a verdant plain, its dark rocky cliffside a stark contrast to the lush green below. The mountain was massive and solitary, looming over the great plain ominously. It jutted up into the sky beyond sight, with clouds constantly swirling about around its slope, as if it had pierced the heavens. Not many lived in the plains below, other than a few nomadic tribes who grazed their livestock there. There was something unsettling about the mountain, that struck fear into their hearts and ignored their rational. This was especially so today. A portent had appeared that none had ever seen before. The great mountain… shook. Tremors ran along the plain, startling the sheep and goat herds tended by the tribes. In the tribal villages, children screamed and wept, the chiefs and elders gathered discussing this event and what possible disaster it might foretell. On the mountain's peak there was no snow. The clouds encircling the slope swirled about like an ethereal shroud, separating the peak from the world below. There two men stood staring at each other. The thin winds of the extremely high altitude whipped about their faces stirring up their long hair. The one stood near the slope heading down. His hair was pulled back and bound together behind his face, and he had an unkempt look about him, with long unshaven stubble threatening to become a beard. His clothes, which had once been regal, a white shirt and black vest with red cloak embroidered in gold, now looked tattered and dirty, filled with dust from the road and torn in places with patches of dried blood that divulged the hidden wounds underneath. "Saadhe, or whatever your name is now, I finally got you. You won't escape me this time." The man spoke, his voice like steel. The other man stood a distance off, looking by far much worse than the other. His hair, greasy and long, splayed about in the wind. His face and his clothes, if that's indeed what they once were, looked caked with filth. Among his many wounds, the most recent one appeared to be a deep crater in his chest that was still spewing forth black blood. Most noticeably, he was bound by taut chains that seemed to wind around him before disappearing into his chest wound. The ten or so chains spread around him where they seemed to vanish into the rock. Occasionally, the man, Saadhe, would jerk against the chains, and when he did, the mountain shook. "Saadhe.. Saadhe.. That name sounds familiar." The chained man finally spoke. "Oh, I think I was once called that." He cackled suddenly. "Yes, I think I am starting to remember. Part of me is Saadhe. Did you hear that from my brother?" His eyes went blank and his expression became confused, as if he were trying to recall something. A blue light shone out from the side of the other man's head, before shaping itself into a small sphere. A voice emanated from the sphere. "So, you do have my brother's memories. I wondered how much of him would be left in you. Strange that you have become so talkative now; I wonder if it is because the Soul Binding Chains suppress your nature as a Blight." The chained man laughed again and tugged at the chains. Not feeling them budge, but still shaking the mountain, he turned to look at the blue light sphere. He smiled, but it did not improve his appearance, rather it made him appear more ghastly. "Ah, Brother. I am starting to remember now. I suppose that you thought of the chains. Knowledge lost in this plane for 400 years, and somehow your little friend over there knows it. Even if I am not your brother anymore, I at least used to be; don’t you feel anything for me anymore?" He questioned. "Blight, your very existence harms our world. If there is anything of my brother left in you, let us put an end to this now, before any more damage is done!" The voice rang out from the blue light again. The creature once known as Saadhe chuckled again. "Fine then. Put an end to this boring chase so I can sleep for a while. When I wake up, your helper will be gone, but I will never die. Time and age no longer have a meaning to me. I will find his descendants and coat the ground in their blood and entrails!" He laughed madly again but it seemed weaker than before. The blue orb brightened again as it spoke, "If I have anything to say about it your sleep will be eternal. Rest in peace, brother." It seemed to turn to the other man. "Lander, now is the time, while he is weakening." The other man stepped forward and made a series of strange movements with his hands with well-practiced efficiency before pointing into the sky. Light was emitted from his hand as it seemed something unseen flowed out of him. A massive sphere of golden light appeared above the mountain, so bright it seemed a second sun had been birthed by the sky. The "sun" though was covered with intricate symbols and glyphs that seemed to shimmer and move. "Divine Light Soul Seal." The Blight showed an unpleasant face. "You sure are ruthless. Tearing out a piece of your own soul just to seal me." Lander smiled coldly while wincing in obvious pain. "At the very least this seal will last for 1000 years without weakening in the slightest. You say time has no meaning to you, but we know that's a lie. 1000 years of being drained by the Soul Binding Chains, while under the effects of the Divine Light Soul Seal. I don't think you will be surviving this." Lander pushed his hands down and the "sun" hovering above them moved down to cover the Blight. Its face contorted in pain as the sphere got closer. Finally, right as the sphere was upon his head, his face twisted into an ugly smile as he replied to Lander. "Maybe, but who knows. I am not the only one who hates this world. The miniature sun engulfed him then continued to descend down into the mountain. The chains shimmered in and out of sight as they followed him down until they became invisible. Gold markings flickered on the mountain before disappearing, indicating the job was done. The blue orb finally spoke again, "He's right you know. This job isn't over until we wipe out the crazed lunatics who started worshiping him" Lander was breathing heavily from the effort. "I know. Even then it won't be over. We need to set up some safeguards to make sure he doesn't escape. That bastard has done enough to this world, I want to make sure he stays down this time." The man and blue orb flew off the mountain and disappeared into the horizon. The nomads below unaware of the earth-shaking battle that had just taken place, or the monster that was now imprisoned within their mountain. Years came and went...
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