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The sun crept up on the horizon. It's rays lending an unnatural warmth to the small town of Hope's Grove. It was becoming an almost unbearable summer. By noon it would seem like the whole land was on fire. Even the night offered no respite from the searing heat of the day. This heat was an omen. Unyielding in the heat, and unmerciful to the people and the land. As the sun rose in the sky to vent its fiery fury, two figures watched and waited. It would soon begin. The end of everything, yet the beginning of everything. They waited.
The dark knight reined in his horse as he cast a look around him. His slightly pointed ears picked out small noises as his horse came to a stop. The charcoal colored horse pawed restlessly at the ground, shaking its head with annoyance at the abrupt stop. It snorted in impatience, flicking its tail against the back of its rider.
"Easy girl." said the dark knight reassuringly as he patted the horse on her neck. He looked about again with eyes the color of the elven forest of Silvanesti. He stretched in the saddle, slowly unbuckling the sword that was strapped to his back. Now is not the time for this he thought. But he knew those thoughts were not needed.
He dismounted the horse, his black plate mail shining with a black brilliance borne of magic. As his feet hit the ground, two armed men burst out of the bushes and rushed toward the dark knight. There short swords reflecting the sun off their blades as they ran toward what they thought was a potential target. The knight stood defensively, sword ready for an opening he knew would eventually come. One of the armed men swung his blade at the knight. A black liquid ran along the blade as he swung toward his victim.
"Amateurs." Said the dark night as a wicked smile stretched across his face. He dodged the swing of the poisoned blade and reached out with his sword arm, impaling the man with his sword, killing him instantly. The knight looked at the other man with a look that would freeze a man dead in his tracks. Words of divine power echoed from his lips as the spell was cast.
"Great Lady of the Eternal Abyss, give me unyielding control over this pitiful creature who opposes you." He chanted with a voice more powerful than what any would expect of him. With an outstretched hand, he pointed to the lone-armed man. A flame of black soared to the bandit, its flames freezing all the control the man had and sending fear ripping into his mind and soul. He man's eyes were wide open in terror as the voice of the knight penetrated his terror stricken mind.
"Kill yourself. Kill yourself slowly." Said the voice in the man's head viciously. The dark knight grinned with a malicious smile as the terrified man raised his own dagger to his throat, and sliced slowly across, blood pouring forth cutting off his screams.
The man fell as the knight walked over him. He stared into his dead eyes and spoke with a voice colder than the abyss.
"Into the arms of Takhisis I grant this soul to her." He whispered coldly. An ethereal light rose out of the dead man's body. Its humanlike visage showed terror as it swiftly rose to the waiting arms of the dark Goddess Takhisis.
The dark knight brushed his raven black hair out of his eyes as he climbed into the saddle of his black mare. He patted her gently as he urged her forward. Her hooves trampling the dead bodies of bandits her rider killed. The rider pulled on his skull helmet, hiding the satisfied grin that was on his face. He rode on through the morning, in the unbearable heat, with prayers to Takhisis whispered on the wind.
Kendra sat alone at her desk, pondering the unnatural wave of heat that seemed to plague this summer. Every divination spell she cast told her the end was near. No explanation for the heat, just the end of an age. She stood from her pondering and walked to the window. Her silvery white robes fluttered softly off the floor as she moved. As she looked out the window, darkness seemed to be approaching the village she lived in. Villagers ran from the darkness in fear and panic. Fleeing an unknown danger that had yet too been identified.
Kinder ran outside. Her hands reaching for spell components as words of magic reached her lips. Just as she was about to cast the spell, her words died at her lips. Before her stood a dragon of unnatural darkness. Its horns seemed to be made of obsidian and it's eyes were the color of frozen ice. The blackness of its body seemed to distort the light around it. Kendra's heart stopped in fear as she gazed upon the sight of this unnatural creature. Choking back her fear, she stood her ground as the dragon approached. With a surge of magical power, she released the magic within her, as words of power escaped her lips. Lightning danced in the air as it streaked towards the dragon. It struck the dragon glancing off it thick hide. Kendra stepped back in amazement when she realized her spell failed.
"Damn! I am going to have be smarter than that," she said berating herself.
"I have just the thing", she said with a hint of drama.
"Falanar henu vakar. Falanar henu vakar." she chanted softly, letting the rhythm of the magic form into a light with the brightness of the sun. The dragon of darkness howled in pain as the light seared its flesh. Slowly the light Kendra cast, disintegrated the dragon, leaving only emptiness in the memories of those who saw it.
Kendra fell to her knees as exhaustion overwhelmed her. She breathed deeply as she slowly stood back up. Her rich brown hair fell in her face forcing her to pull it away irritably. She looked around for the source of the emptiness when her eyes fell upon a figure in black plate mail on a stallion of darkest night.
Ash rode toward her. His eyes casting baleful glances at the curious villagers. He reined in beside her as the sky suddenly turned black. Both Kendra and Ash looked at the starless and unyielding sky in fear and astonishment. What was supposed to be high noon, was now midnight. Ash dismounted his horse as balls of fire rained from the sky. Houses burned as villagers screamed and panicked from the fiery storm. A ball of fire shot towards Ash and Kendra as a wall of magic appeared above them to deflect the ball of fire.
"Thank you malady, but this storm is the least of our problems", he said cryptically.
He pointed to the edge of town. Kendra's gaze followed. She breathed deeply at the sight of what was approaching the village. Two humanoid figures entered the town. Each one a hideously deformed replica of what it once was. Their mouths open in a horrible scream that lent no sound. Their eyes burned like the embers of dying fires, and fangs that dripped an acid that hissed as it hit the ground. Kendra felt the strength leave her body as the figures approached. As she was about to collapse, she was caught by Ash.
"Now is not the time to loose strength. The time has come, and it is up to us to save these people", Ash said with conviction and honor.
Kendra felt the strength return to her as Ash chanted a spell to release her from the grips of fear. She reached for spell components as Ash drew his sword.
"We may not survive this," Ash said.
"That is possible. But we cannot fall until these people are safe and away," Kendra said with an inner strength she didn't know she had.
"Well then m'lady. I get the one on the left, you get the one on the right," he said ready himself for battle.
Side by side they stood. Ash readying his sword, Kendra whispering words of magic, both stood with fierce determination. Ready to die defending the villagers, while the two Daemon warriors approached, screeching out words of nothingness. Only one thought raced through their minds. Hope's Grove would not fall. The villagers would survive. With that, Ash cried out a battle cry and charged as lightning danced in the air toward the Daemon warriors. Steel rang and magic thundered in a waltz of power. With a fury of a god, Kendra cast a spell of banishment as Ash slashed perfectly at the Daemon warriors.
"A nel alagar vel taloth anew vake tsarack", she chanted over and over again. Her words like the booming of thunder, yet delicate like spider silk. Twin rays of prismatic light struck the Daemon warriors, partially blinding Ash. One of the Daemon warriors screamed in fury and pain as it felt itself being ripped from this plane and sent to another. The other just stood there. Its mouth open in a wordless howl as it stood over Ash, blood dripping from its clawed hand. With blind faith and a prayer towards Takhisis, Ash thrusted his sword up, impaling the Daemon warrior on it. With a howl of pain it disappeared in a hazy smoke. Its essence drifting off towards the god it came from. Ash fell back onto the ground holding his stomach, trying to staunch the flow of blood. Kendra collapsed at his side and looked at him.
"We did it. We really did it", she said in exhausted amazement.
"Yes we did. But you will be the one to tell the tale", Ash said in a breathless voice.
"I will not make it to see the next sunrise. It seems, in the dance between shadow and light, light always becomes victorious. You have done well Lady Mage", he said as his eyes closed. His breathing became still as Kendra looked on. Tears streamed down her face, as she looked at the destruction of all she held dear, and she cried for the dark knight. A dark knight who fought with honor and a sense of self-sacrifice that even the purest knights failed to have. Kendra brushed the tears away and stood up. She walked towards some wounded villagers, determined to help and rebuild this small village.
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