"What ARE you doing up there? You crazy lizard!?" Came the voice from below the wall of flames that seemed to stretch for leagues across the lands known as the 'Scorched Woods'. Atop which, there was a solitary midnight scaled being who just gazed to the horizon from the summit of the skeletons of ancient timber that had stood in the Burning Wood for decades prior to his departure for the Temple so long ago. "I'm going for a walk..." He called back down to the halfling who had traveled with him recently on his quest from Lceanium also known as the Dreadlands. The halfling shook his head, "Rithnok, you know you can't go beyond this wall. We, put it up for a reason." He said as he slowly unslung the bow from his back watching the twitching tail of the reptile above him. "Yes, I understand that Prathun... But if I don't go over this wall, and no one else will... Then who is left to keep the dragons of the Peak from leaving their lairs and making the rest of Kunark look like this forest?" His claws dug into the dry wood, stapling him to the wood as he took time to secure his weapons and armour. Beyond the aboreal wall was naught but rock, and flame, and liquid flaming rock... The very edge of the Skyfire Mountains. The desolate landscape untouched and cordoned off like a no-man's land. All it needed was a sign that read 'Abandon hope all ye who enter here.' and it would be set. Rithnok sighed to himself as he stared at the sole mountain far in the distance. "Look, maybe just some things are meant to happen for a reason. You know how the powers that be are about their 'plans'" Prathun commented as he nocked an arrow and slowly took aim at the inattentive form of the lizard and whispered words of a language that had no sound to mortal ears. The arrowhead responded in kind as all colour drained from the unknown steel, alighting runes of brilliant light as he slowly prepared to loose the missile upon the self proclaimed samurai. He wasn't there, he... was just gone. Disappeared, replaced with the sounds of clattering metal and the almost staccato pecking of claws on wood. Prathun lowered the bow and cursed the being. "Damnit Rithnok! Get back here! You're not supposed to be over there yet?" The sound of laughter came from the other side of the tree trunks. "Overthere? The Overthere's over there!" Came the retort. "...Besides Prathun... It still takes you a four-count to prepare that arrow." "What? How?" Prathun had forgotten that Rithnok The Red Dragon, The High Guardian of Veeshan was keenly attentive when it came to techniques and combat abilities others used. "Gods Damnit I swear Rithnok I'm going to have you for a new pair of boots after I get hands on you!" Again the laughter came from the other side. "Maybe, but you'll have to actually get a hold of me first. For now, just tell the pantheon I... I... Kicked you in the no-no place when you were distracted. They hate me anyway, as does most of Norrath remember? See you another time halfer." Prathun just sighed and let the bow dangle at his side. The issue was, he knew Rithnok was right. Most on the realm DID actually hate him, everyone but the dragons it seemed. The High Guardian of Veeshan... Was, a black scaled Iksar. Prathun knew better than to call him an 'Iksar' to his muzzle. He'd seen first hand the lengths the samurai would go to protect dragonkind. He was welcomed by the Claws of Veeshan after he had his foot and blade on the neck of King Tormax. Everyone said it was impossible to do it, yet still he went and did it. Rithnok had even ripped down the Throne of the King of the Frost Giants carrying those dragon bones all the way to Skyshrine to bring peace to Lord Yelinak for the murder of his mate. He gave Hsagra the burial she deserved by taking her remains through the Cobalt Scar, past the Icewall of the Grotto of the Sirens, and even through the frozen lands of the Western Wastelands as a creature so hated by dragons that even the scent of one conjured the memories of Trakanon's failed war that claimed the lives of so many dragonlings. He earned the respect and right to pass through to the High Temple of Veeshan even to be offered kindness by Lord Vulak'Aaer, the previous High Guardian of Veeshan. No, Prathun thought to himself. If anyone had the right to make the journey to THAT mountain, it was that samurai. After all the times he bore the hatred, the violence, the utter contempt spat upon him. He'd earned that much. It was still strange to him as he smiled and slung his bow over his shoulder. All these years later and that dragon still is seen as an Iksar... He looked to the orange tinged night sky in the Scorched Woods. What strange dreams the Lady Veeshan has. To conjure upon the halarity that was a Dragon, stuck in an Iksar, from another sphere, as her High Guardian on Norrath. "And he still refuses to be an Iksar." He laughed. "A cosmic comedy indeed." He looked over his shoulder at the mountain peak in the distance over the points of that flaming wall, it's acrid smoke billowing from it's infernal depths. The ground shook noticeably, briquettes of burned wood skittering away from his ash covered feet as if in fear of the waking of that one mountain. "Well, I hope you are ready Rithnok Tatsukao... Veeshan's Peak knows you're coming." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope all enjoy this series of short entries I'll be making since my return to EQ Before Dracmas. I am but hoping others may get a bit of entertainment out of some continuing adventures the Samurai of Test has with the new zones and with some of the implications of the quests and battles that occurred within EoK. Thanks for reading, there is more to come. I don't mind if others wish to add their own parts to this story as it is written, I generally tend to respond to the interactions made with Rithnok on his adventures.
__________________________________________________________________________________ I just realized I forgot to link to the Original Story so that this one didn't seem so out of place. Here is the Original Story (When I first got back into playing) https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...-prathun-from-the-dragon.236448/#post-3480579 - A Letter To Prathun From The Dragon I hope everyone enjoys. Second part to this story to come on Sunday. __________________________________________________________________________________
Ash, grey and black imprinted his footsteps like the untouched surface of Luclin. Those four clawed toes drifted quietly through the soot as his tail carved a tiny slash through the ever present proof of destruction belched from Norrath's many angry scars. This place was long forbidden to reside in long before the quakes of magmatic rage made the journey nigh impossible due to the always radiating heat. The Samurai looked over his blackening hand seeing the amber glow of the heat taking it's toll upon his armour. Yet, it didn't make him uncomfortable. More, it made him happy. Happy to know that while this Iksarian body was not his it still carried even a small part of his original power. Mostly his tolerance to heat and flame. Thank Io and Lady Veeshan for small miracles. He slowly trudged his way up the ash-covered hills and crags, watching in the distance as the one mountain rose in his vision, like a spear thrust from the Norrathian terrain, it's point threatening to pierce the heavens with it's forboding obsidian tip, the ashen clouds trying to act as an ageis to protect the skies from this ever present assault. Lightning blue and purple broadcast the angry battle fought between magic and nature at this place. Flecks of drifting soot entrely indistinguishable from the flaping wings of drakes and dragons at this distance. But the roars and skreeches... Ever present. Rithnok stood there for a moment flexing black-stained ivory claws. How many years had it been since he had been here? Standing in this same place? Painted in the dried purple-blue blood of so many of the undead who had been made and employed by Mayong Mistmoore simply to raid and steal the mystical secrets of the Peak before him. He smiled under his helmet. "Too many, and not enough." he mused out loud as he refocused himself and started his way towards the entrance of the menacing mountain. The trip was long, longer than he remembered. Well, considering the last time he left this place he left it only to have his soul shorn from his flesh. A way for the agents of Mata Muram to steal another kind of other worldly power. Mata Muram had sought out his soul because he had been able to breach the barriers of worlds with ease in his persuit of Silverwing. That bastard of a dragon who has slain his Emperor and stolen the artifacts from the Jade Temple. Little did Rithnok think at that moment when he landed on Norrath that what he saw as a simple Planar Rift spell to him was an earth-shattering concept in Norrath's arcane matrix. But, the Overlord knew... He knew just what having that sort of power meant for himself. A chance to circumvent all the barriers of the various spheres, undermining the defensive powers of the various pantheons across creation. Allowing him the ability to assault any realm not under the constricting coils of the Muramites. And Rithnok? He was one of the keys to this plan. Rithnok placed a hand to his chestplate as the mountain loomed before him ever still rising in his view. So close, yet so far away he thought. He shouldn't have been so stupid as to forget about the rules of Planar Shifting: 'Always have a backdoor spell ready in case someone can render you incapacitated.' This one tiny mistake cost him so much and even cost Norrath so much. It was impossible to leave Norrath now even if he had all of his power restored to him. "No, this mess was by my claw made. It is by my claw I will repair it." he whispered. "And yet here you walk, once again on the same path, about to make the same mistake!" A voice boomed from seemingly everywhere at once. The Iksar seemed to freeze in place, head bowed slightly as his eyes shifted from one side to the other. He held up a hand as if saluting, the armoured scales drifting through the ash and soot as if waving... He smiled slyly to himself as he watched the ash change course with the slight disturbance of his hand. "No, old man. I have not come to repeat my mistake but to prevent one from happening." Rithnok turned to fix his gaze upon a collection of bolders amidst a hill of black coal. A single stream of ash dancing through the air no more than a hundred paces from him. It's course the very antithesis of the currents carrying the grey flakes through the sky. "...Still, I can spot your hiding place without the aid of magics." He chuckled as he sat himself down upon the top of the hill he stood and settled a pack upon the ground between his legs. The ground rumbled as the hill opposite of him began to fall away from bright crimson scales. A sea of molten red shaking into view as a massive reptilian form shook itself loose of the camoflauging prison of ash. His intensifying yellow eyes swung into view fixing upon the midnight scaled Iksar as he slowly approached the samurai. "So, she has finally fallen to foreign blades?" He asked as he stepped closer and closer to the samurai. Rithnok pulled a package from his bag the contents dripping of viscera as he offered it to the massive beast. "Aye, but it wasn't by Iksarian claws... It was by the revived Combine Empire who seek to reclaim these lands as their own Lord Talendor." He smiled and relaxed a little as the great dragon guardian of the Skyfire mountains laid down close to him and accepted the gift from Rithnok, gulping it down like a hors d'oruve. "Then, it'll be war for the Ring." He rumbled, "Which in turn will engulf all of dragonkind regardless of where we nest." Rithnok nodded his head with a sigh. "Aye, it will. Unless someone can persuade the Ring that now is the time to sleep and wait." A roaracious laugh erupted from the large red dragon as he fixed his gaze on the tiny warrior. "Sleep and wait? You know as well as I do that, THAT!" He pointed a lance-like claw at the man, "Will never happen." Rithnok nodded his head again and looked down to the katanas on his hip. "You're absolutely right... But maybe, just maybe the fear will persuade them otherwise." He looked up to Talendor defiantly. "And precisely what fear is that?" the great scaled wyrm asked folding his claws over each other. "The fear that even after selling a Star Dragon to the great Overlord Mata Muram in exchange for safety... I still know enough tricks to fell the great Muramite Overlord and still return seeking to preserve dragonkind. Perhaps the Dar's will finally take my words a little more seriously." Again, Talendor roared his laughter blasting a spot of clear sky in the snowfall of ash. "Then you are much more stupid than I gave you credit for when we tested our skills upon each other." The samurai smiled and nodded his head before pointing to the dragon's left wing. "So, how IS that Scapula Majoris? Do the muscles still ache in a cold breeze?" The small samurai poked. To wit the massive dragon slammed down a fist and got dangerously close to Rithnok. "That cut, was a cut of luck. Nothing more." He snorted and sat up looking away from the samurai to the horizon. "If you say so... Lord... Talendor." He stressed the honorific title. "You already know I did all that I could to keep what little of your soul that remained attached to you. So why throw away that gift so easily by traipsing into the maw of The Ring?" He mused as Rithnok sealed his pack and stood up. "Because, it doesn't matter what sphere I've landed on. Or what realms I walk through. I have but two duties: To my Emperor above all else, and to protect all of dragonkind with all the strength I have. Silverwing made sure that my duty is now solely to dragonkind. Not to a faction, but to the children that Lady Veeshan has asked me to protect." He started to walk away from the beast, "Weather or not I survive is immaterial. I know that when I fall, I will do so protecting a family I failed to protect tens of centuries ago." Talendor looked at the disappearing form of the samurai, "To you, all of my faith and luck. The burden you carry for these undeserving children of Norrath is a weight that bares down on you from many planes. I hope the Ring will listen." He whispered to himself as the swirling storm of soot enveloped the lone samurai as he walked away towards Veeshan's Peak. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry, I have been really busy with army duties as of late and haven't really had a chance to write the next installment of the story. Although, with the RoS Expac on the horizon I thought I would continue this and hopefully get a few more people excited for our return to Kunark and back to when dragons... Were dragons. Rithnok The Red Dragon Samurai of the 105th Rank High Guardian of Veeshan Primal Brood Test Server
The mountain towered before him as he lay upon the ground toying with the soot and rock beneith his ivory claws staining them with the blackness that clung to everything else in this volcanic land. Rithnok poked his horned head above the ridge line of the hill he crawled up bringing the ornate entrance of The Peak into view. It's massive lava brick pillars dwarfing even the most ancient of wyrms serving as an entryway into the collective lairs of the "Claws of Veeshan". He scoffed scattering flakes of ash into the wind as he quietly observed the portal. Within the protective solid magma overhang of the entrance lay a solitary orange scaled dragon. His massive form curled before the stone door of the mountain seeming to be at rest as his back was turned to the world at large. A squad of wyverns the "Honoured guard" of the Claws stood vigilant watching with sharp reptilian eyes for any mortal who would dare approach this hallowed draconic site. Rithnok smiled to himself already knowing, nay in fact betting on the fact that they had written his meddling off with the revelation that he had been captured by the Cursebearer. He shook his head free of the memories of the labs within the Citadel of Anguish. All he needed to remember was: The name was perfect. 'Now, two ways to deal with this, sneak in via the gaps behind the pillars, avoiding the wyverns, the curious drakes that seemed to congregate around here and the wurms that just liked being around beings as large as themselves.' The High Guardian of Veeshan shook his head and smiled, 'No, that wouldn't be me. I don't skulk around in the shadows like some rogue or assassin. Oh-ho-ho no, that wouldn't be me at all.' he thought to himself as his hands dug into the ground flexing his shoulders and abdominal muscles as he slowly pushed himself up to a kneeling position his left hand floating dangerously over the tsuba of his katana. Already his brain was playing out scenario after scenario of the combat ahead of him. The dragon? Well, Dry Sapara was a researcher. Still a dragon, and a damned old one at that, but a researcher none-the-less. The Wyverns while capable still needed to use tooth and claw to engage him. With the time he had to hone his skills on almost every manner of predator and combatant, while they had survived this long told of their tenacity to live and their predatory cunning. They didn't stand much of a chance against the samurai and his "Art". A micro fluttering! Rithnok tensed every muscle in right side pushing away from his perch while simultaneously dropping his left shoulder and letting his left side go limp forcing his body into an almost supernatural roll to the left, his tail pivoting him on the ground as a crystalline arrow flit past his snout, so close that he felt a scale rip from his cheek as it arced over the hill towards the entrance. The midnight coloured Iksarian samurai was instantly upon his feet bow slung from his back and in his hands with a speed and surety that was the hallmark of how he survived in the horrors of Anguish and through the corruption of Cazic's demise. An arrow nocked and let to soar towards the unknown target. It stopped, mere inches from the shaft of the bow. His head cocking to the side as silence gripped the world around him. The grey-black flakes of ash held their place in the air, no longer falling towards the ground. The winds no longer kissed the metal armour he wore the silk strands that held it together no longer danced in the sky's embrace. He growled low letting the bow rest at his side. Time itself had been frozen, 'how by the prismatic lady, did he get his small hands on THAT kind of arrow?' little flashes of blue-white energy could be seen approaching him, like the energy one sees during a translocation spell. This sort of movement was a tell tale sign of who and what was approaching him three people at least. A wood elf, a gnome, and a halfling. 'what do they want this time?' he folded his hands over his chestplate. 'Well it would be rude of me to just run off. And he sure put in a lot of effort to ask those two to take a journey.' Rithnok thought to himself. The flashing finally stopped almost thirty feet from the self admitted dragon samurai. It's brilliant flashing subsiding as Prathun angrily took a bow away from the wood elf. "Give me that Clearsight. I should have known you would have missed." The elf looked at his quivering hands and rested them on his wavering knees to steady himself as he gasped for air. "What, the hell, is... That bow?" He raised his hands to his eyes inspecting the crooked fingers, clearly broken. He grit his teeth as looked at the Halfling. "What, was that?" He asked in pure shock. Prathun harumphed and flicked the ranger's fingers who immediately winced as popping sounds of his fingers mending themselves echoed in the timeless silence. "I..." He cringed. "I just shot an arrow that sucked all the air from my lungs, broke my fingers, from... The Overthere! It broke wind, AND TIME!" He exclaimed to the halfling. "...And you still missed." The gnome beside Prathun said matter-of-factly. "I don't even know how I even SAW him! It was like I was standing right here." Clearsight marveled at the idea, meanwhile Rithnok simply bowed his head to the Gnome. "So, how bad is what I'm about to do Lord Frizznik?" He asked politely. The gnome sipped neatly at a cup in his tiny hands it's chocolate scent tickling the samurai's muzzle. He always did love his hot chocolate. "Rithnok, first... I'm retired, no need for the title." Rithnok nodded as Prathun gestured to the samurai. "And...?", he added impatiently. Frizznik looked to Prathun for a second before looking back at Rithnok sideways over the top of his cup. "It's bad enough for me to be here." He said flatly as Rithnok let his arms hang by his sides almost looking defeated. He sighed before baring his teeth and attempting to pitch his bow into the sky, the moment it left his hand it stopped and just hung in the air. The amount of elder draconic profanity that ejected from the lizard's mouth was colourful enough that it would have caused Captain Krasnok to blush and cover his cabin boy's ears. Frizznik slowly sat on the ground and smiled at the Iksar. "Sit. I don't have much time. And, there is a lot to tell you about what you're about to get yourself into." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rithnok The Red Dragon Samurai of the 105th Rank High Guardian of Veeshan Primal Brood Test Server
The anger and rage, boiling within him as he slowly sat down, taking a moment to remove the dai-katana from his back and the two katanas from his left hip, placing the three of them down infront of his knees. His hands curled into fists to keep his claws in check. Eyes swirling like whirlpools of pure anger threatening any who met them to be consumed by the emotions bubbling up from within. "What, AM I getting myself into and why should I care anymore Frizznik?" Rithnok spat as he fixed his gaze on the gnome as he sipped at his hot, chocolatey drink. The gnome simply quirked an eye brow at the samurai's anger and sighed as he pulled the mug from his face. He smoothed out the wrinkles of his white robe. He looked back up to the larger reptile before him like a child before an ancient black caiman. "Rithnok Tatsukao Flamespewer, Captain of The Jade Emperor's White Lotus Guard, Star Dragon of Battle, Enemy of The Infernus, Chosen of Io, Only son of Akuza Lao, Leader of the Starburst dragon clan... White Wolf of" Rithnok had the blade's edge of his cobalt blue katana already at the gnome's jugular vein in between the blink of the eye. He growled dangerously. "Finish that line and our work together will mean nothing gnome." The samurai's steady hand told of how serious he was. Frizznik simply chuckled, Rithnok's eye ceased focusing on the gnome. He suddenly realized how close this was to becomming a massive disaster. Rithnok stared past the gnome seeing the Wood Elf with bow drawn nd arrow nocked pointing to the back of the head of the halfling Prathun who's right hand was reaching around Frizznik's neck his index finger mere milimeters from the samurai's temple being held back by the gnome's right hand. The scent of necrotic energy wafting to his snout. Rithnok knew this energy, he'd seen it at work before. A channelling of certain divine forces and their agents were gifted with the power to rewrite reality in the form of a "Death Touch". Sometimes this energy could be negated by sheer force of will to survive.But this type was far more potent. Frizznik was the one to break the deadly silence with a chuckle, " Alright everyone just breathe. I'm hoping none of us have to pass on today." The midnight scaled beast withdrew the sword slowly as the halfling slowly withdrew his hand. Clearsight slowly unnocked his arrow and exhaled sharply. "Guys if I may?" He asked as he approached slowly. "Listen, I don't want to get into this anymore than anyone else at this point. Hell, at this point I'm only here because you both told me that Rithy was about to upset the balance of things to come." He ran his hand through his hair awkwardly and continued with a quirked eye brow while looking at the three. "The last time Frizznik said that, Rithnok took down King Tormax single handed, and that was before we even knew about the Vah Shir, Luclin and the threats of Lord Inquisitor Seru and The Godslayer." He gestured between Prathun and Frizznik, "You both were told to watch him as he upset the balance by becoming the High Guardian of Veeshan after Lord Vulak'Aaer left Norrath. And you Frizznik you acknowledged him as a dragon back when he first came to Norrath. Everyone just thought he was some Iksar with a screw or two loose." Clearsight sat down beside them all as Rithnok put his blade back into its saya and returned to his kneeling position. The ranger continued, "You were all concerned at that point. SO concerned, that Bulkeen forced him to prove himself as a samurai in the realm of Bertoxulous. Viletoad challenged and lost to him in Dualk Harbour, heck even Gordish had a shot at him. You all turned him into a froglok in Tunare's tree after she tried to force him to forsake his emperor, and we all know how THAT turned out." He threw up his hands in the air as Rithnok just sat quietly a bit embaressed but the voicing of some of his achievements "Yes, but Clear...", "Shut up Rithnok I'm making a point here." He shot at the dragon who seemed to take it like a chastising from mom. "Each of you tried to just ignore or defeat him as individuals until SOMEONE sent word to Mata Muram about an otherworldly dragon." He exclaimed. Immediately at this Rithnok's eyes went wide. The sudden realization set in. "Y-you..." he started as both Frizznik and Prathun immediately turned on Clearsight who crossed his arms over his chest to glare at the two. "Yeah, that's right I KNOW who sold him out to the Muramites. I KNOW who planned to limit his power. To be honest, he's the only being who even TRIED to come up with an idea. It impressed me when I found out." Rithnok started to stand up... "SIT DOWN, DRAGON!" Clearsight shouted as the ranger continued angrily, "All these years, No one ever told him. No one ever said thanks for the help. And here we stand, ready to KILL him when all he's ever been trying to do was live." He shook his head, "He didn't try to ascend to godhood. Never tried to wipe out a race. In fact, the only thing he's ever REALLY done wrong is be from another realm." He finished as the samurai plopped back down on his tail. Not often had he ever seen his old friend get so angry, especially in the face of two beings who had the power to create and destroy at a whim. Which rather put things into perspective to the lizard why was it that he was considered so dangerous? All he had ever wanted was to take down the one creature who made him suffer through Norrath all because his Emperor had been killed by him. "Look guys, Frizznik, Prathun... I retired because I'm tired. Frizznik you're tired because you've done your service. But Rithnok? You and Prathun are GOING to cross paths from time to time. This ONE time Rithnok, I'm asking you to step back. I'm asking you to trust ME and walk out because if you go in there to tell the Claws about Gorenaire you will be the one blamed for a war the Claws have been planning for years." He pleaded with the samurai who just stared at the blades in front of his knees his tail swaying slowly, thoughtfully. He slowly began to speak, the restraint in his voice evident as he listened to this man. "Silverwing, has the location of MY katana hidden. Vengeance, my blade, my oath to my Emperor, my honour is all held by them. By the Code of Bushi-Do I cannot return home without that blade." He grits his teeth. "Prathun," he said looking at the halfling who looked back at the samurai with a lowered gaze. "What do you need me to do? I will walk away until you call me... But I must ask a favour in return." He asked with a sigh. Prathun answered quietly, "What favour?" Rithnok picked up his blades to reseat them on his hip and back before standing up and looking down at the Halfling. "Can you, find my sword? MY katana... Vengeance, a long blade, made of silver and obsidian, shrouded in flames and lightning. Can you promise me that you'll find it for me? And in return I will go back to Cabilis and wait for you to call me to stand before these dragons again when it is time to do so. For all the service and suffering your cadre have asked for me to endure. I will continue to endure if your cadre can help me with the last of my quest. Return my blade to me and you will have my oath of service." He held out his sheathed blade toward the halfling. "I..." Prathun started before Rithnok shook his held before smiling, "I've felt the pains, I have endured through everything you have placed before me if you think I won't be able to go any further just remember this: 'My word is all I have on Norrath. And I will die the last death before I break it.' If you or your cadre find my blade and remove it from Silverwing. The hand that wields that blade will be yours until breath no longer sustains me." "What do you say to this?" He held his blade out to the halfling as all eyes looked on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rithnok The Red Dragon White Lotus Samurai of The 105th Rank High Guardian of Veeshan Primal Brood Test Server
