The skeleton looked down on at the small piece of stone as something came back to it. Something about the words on it caused a memory to click back into place, an almost peaceful scene of a brown robed old man stooped over a book as he explained the wonders of magic to an eager youth.

- - -

“Magic is a power drawn from the energy of the world that every being contains within themselves, Rahkim. It is a miracle that our forefathers discovered long ago in the days where our people traveled the world in nomadic tribes to flee from beasts greater than any man could dare face. However, like everything this power has a price to it, to power magic all magic users are forced to draw on their God given life force.

This life force is a gift from the Mother Gaia who sacrificed her life to create the world, and the Father Aluria who set his soul aflame to shine light forever on the tomb of his beloved. Without life force no being can continue to live, and due to this magic users walk a thin line between life and death. If we make even one mistake then our life is the cost Rahkim, it is why the ranking system was formed for all schools of Magic.”

- - -

The skeleton turned away from the carving and looked around at the ruins in the hopes that something out here might trigger another of memory. When looking at the random bits of stone proved pointless he turned his focus inwards,

'So I'm this Rahkim? It certainly sounds familiar, and it would make sense if I was when I add the fact that I can actually read the words on this stone. However, there is still one thing I don't understand … how do I use magic? If I was a magician before then surely I would've known how.'

Letting out a tired sigh the skeletal Rahkim turned his attention to the almost familiar ruined tower before him as he began to think that maybe some of the answers were in that. Since he woke up so close to this tower then surely it was connected to him somehow, right?

With a sense of purpose Rahkim began to pad slowly towards a set of rotting wooden doors laid into the side of the tower, the clacking of bones against stone the only thing to break the silence. By the time he arrives in front of the doors the feeling that this place was important had grown stronger to Rahkim, and he hesitantly lifted his hand to shove at doors in front of him. However, as soon as his hand touched the aged wood it seemed to disintegrate and the entirety of the right door fell apart into a cloud of rotting wooden chunks, and dust.

Past the door was a long hall covered in fallen pieces of masonry and a thick coating of dust that led on to believe that nothing had been here in countless years. The entire hall was pitch black compared to outside, but much to Rahkim's surprise he could see just as clearly as he had before if not better than before. Looking around the hall curiously he made his way inside slowly in an attempt to disturb the centuries thick layer of dust that covered everything too badly.

Among the piles of masonry that had fallen from both the ceiling, and several supporting pillars Rahkim could see what looked like rusted pieces of armor sticking from underneath ever so slightly. If they had once had occupants the remains had been eroded by time, or removed from here though something in the back of his mind said they might well have simply climbed out like he did.

With every step Rahkim kept an eye out for anything that might be useful as he proceeded deeper into the hall towards a staircase that spiraled upwards around one of the pillars supporting the floor overhead. No matter where he looked though there appeared to be nothing in a condition that could be called usable let alone recognizable. Where rubble was not present then the floor was spotted with age worn robes that looked ready to crumble, or rotting bundles of paper bound in leathers.

Convinced that there was likely nothing here Rahkim headed upwards and took the shallow stone steps two at a time hoping that whatever was above might be helpful. What awaited at the top was a far cry from the spacious hall below as the stairwell opened into a long narrow hallway with rooms, or halls branching off to either side.

Poking his head into the first room Rahkim found an empty office, bookshelves devoid of anything lined either wall and several large stones probably meant to act as tables were left bare. Disappointed Rahkim continued on to the adjacent room to find it just as barren as the last, with a sudden sinking feeling he continued on down the hall. With each room he checked he began to feel more and more disappointed as he found one empty room after another until he finally arrived at another hallway connected to this one.

Looking down the hallway Rahkim was met with the sign of several skeletal remains smashed to pieces with deep rifts carved into the walls, and floor. For all the shattered skeletons there were several rusted swords scattered on the ground, and patches of a drying dark red substance covering the hall.

'Blood? I don't see any fresh corpses around here so how is there blood all over the place unless whatever it was hid in one of the rooms. With this amount all over the place I doubt whatever it was could survive what happened.'

Rahkim thought as he paced down the hall trying his best to muffle his foot steps, and being careful to look into each room he passed. The closer he came to the shattered center of the skeletal remains the more dried blood stained the hall until he arrived in front of a door way covered in claw marks with the signs of a horrific fight inside.

Inside the room was the corpse of a beast almost as tall as Rahkim and completely surrounded by the remains of what looked like dozens of more skeletons. Its bright orange fur was stained with blood all over and the black quills that ran along its back were broken in places by the handles of numerous weapons that had been torn from their wielders' hands.

The beast had been surrounded and with no way out it apparently decided to take as many of its attackers with it as it could. Even in death the beast seemed to give off a predator like aura that would make one think it was the king of beasts and yet it had fallen here alone. Feeling disgusted at the scene Rahkim turned to leave but stopped as something caught his eye, or to be precise something flashed brightly as he turned.

Looking towards the direction of its mouth Rahkim noticed the weapon that likely claimed the beast's life. At first the sword the was stabbed into the beast's eye seemed plain, but upon a closer look the pommel of the sword turned out to be a silvery gem with pale flashes of blue appearing across its surface from time to time.

Stepping closer Rahkim looked at the exposed part of the blade and noticed a series of runes carved into it. The runes seemed familiar, but no matter how much he examined them Rahkim could not understand what they meant. Convinced that he would come to regret it if he didn't take the sword Rahkim swiftly grabbed the hilt and began to pull it free from its last victim. After numerous tries the sword finally slides free with a layer of blood dried onto it, but otherwise in seemingly perfect condition.

With the sword in hand Rahkim hefted it up to eye level before slashing at the air a few times to test if his body could even wield the sword decently enough for it to be of use. Surprise flashed through his mind as he effortlessly slashed the blade a half a dozen times and felt the blade seemed almost weightless in his hands. He could feel it well enough when he simply held the blade, but when he went to slash the weight seemed to disappear and the sword acted like a part of him.

Confused Rahkim went to test he blade a bit more when a sound suddenly started to echo through the halls, the sound of bones clattering against the stone floor. Whoever it was that stayed in this tower was coming towards him ...