With a maniacal grin, he leaped forward, the stone leading the way. He suddenly smashed it into the ground, releasing the fireball within, and caused a quake of energy. The civilians all began running for safety, but the adept was too dumbfounded to even move. Like a flash of light, a huge explosion leaped forth from the ground below, completely annihilating everything within a 20 foot radius. The flames peaked in the air some 60 feet and disappeared. All the while, the only thing surviving the blast was Draven and his 30 men, thanks to the power of the Adept’s Stone.
Draven looked around and saw no one, but he knew quite well that they were about somewhere. He looked up at the sky and noticed that the day was growing short. “Come, men. We haven’t the time for fun here if we plan to get anywhere productive before nightfall.” Draven said with a disappointed sigh. The others nodded. Wanting a tiny bit of fun, however, Draven held up the stone once more, using its power to amplify his own. A vortex of nothingness appeared right in front of him, pulling at everything in its path. The main street right in front of him slowly began to break and give way to the miniature black hole, pieces of building and other objects also falling within the grasp. Draven let the black hole go before he did any major damage, though. He just wanted them to have another taste of his awesome power. He and his men walked down the street he just damaged until finally out of the northern exit.
**********
The light seemed to weave through the heavy trees within the Kzarak Woods, giving a pinkish hue to everything with the waning sun. It was getting late, Asher knew, but he and Omurai decided to trudge on. They’d have to if they wanted to get to the eastern route in one day. Both kept glancing about nervously, searching for any sign of the enigmatic Kzarak. How could they hope to find signs of something they knew nothing about, though? This question seemed daunting to both companions, but they decided to keep it quiet, putting down whatever seemed troubling.
A low growl, which seemed more of the rumble of the earth itself, caught the attention of both adventurers. They looked around frantically to find the origin, but to no avail. Suddenly, they heard the gust of wind and wings flapping through the trees. Both set of eyes looked up to see a flying lizard swoop above the trees.
“It is a dragon!” Omurai gasped, wide eyed.
The beast seemed to spot them, for it began circling above their direct area. The trees themselves seemed to start parting to make way for the beast as it descended upon the two. Asher readied his full blade while Omurai put a hand on the hilt of his katana.
Both watched in awe as the beast landed next to them and the trees returned to their rightful place. The Kzarak was a dragon-like creature, having wings that replaced its forearms and a scorpion-like tail.
“That’s no dragon…that’s a wyvern.” Asher corrected Omurai, a sigh of relief obvious with his words. Though a wyvern was a powerful beast alone, it paled in comparison to a mighty dragon!
“What are you doing in MY woods?!” The beast asked with uncanny use of the common tongue.
“Uh…walking.” Asher replied matter-of-factly.
The Kzarak snorted and stamped its feet into the ground. “You should know better to enter the domain of Kzarak.” the wyvern warned.
“So, your name is Kzarak?” Omurai asked. “That is why the woods are named after you…”
“It seems we have a smart one here.” Kzarak said, his words dripping with sarcasm, causing the prideful Omurai to give out a low growl of his own, teeth clenched.
“Please, mighty Kzarak, we only wish to pass through here and be on our way.” Asher tried to explain.
“More like come here to tear down my trees!” the angered wyvern roared.
“No no. We have no need for your trees. You see, we are chasing a man named Voyse En’Dir. He is a dangerous assassin who attacked us and ran. We mean to get a little revenge. We came chasing after him from Knollwood, but we took the western road, while we have reason to believe he took the east. The quickest way to the eastern road was through your woods. Wee know good and well that we would be trespassing on your property, but what choice did we have?” Asher continued to explain, seemingly undaunted by the angered Kzarak, but in truth he was shaking in his pants.
Kzarak seemed to calm a bit with that explanation. It folded its wings back and sighed, though it seemed more of a blast of stinky wind to the companions. The wyvern stood about 20 feet tall, so it was fairly large compared to them, so even the slightest move of it seemed more of a shake of earth to the adventurers.
“So you are not after my trees or my children?” Kzarak asked.
“Children? Oh! You are a female wyvern?” Omurai asked.
Kzarak grumbled at the wind adept once again, for that was obvious to the wyvern, but not to the two humans before her.
“I have not the time to be piddling with meager humans, nor do I have the patience to wait while you and your little legs scoot out of my woods.” Kzarak said as she turned around and laid down on the ground.
Omurai and Asher looked at the wyvern with questioning stares.
“Get on my back before I tear you to pieces!” The impatient wyvern roared.
You didn’t have to tell those two twice.
Up in the air they went with mighty beats of Kzarak’s wings. She soared up into the sky, but still low to the tree tops. The two companions looked with awe at the sight of the landscape around them. Soon, Kzarak was past the woods and right above the eastern route. As the city of Ghahama came into view, she settled down and let the two off.
“I must return to my woods. Don’t let me catch you in there again, or I won’t be so generous.” Kzarak explained.
“Wait! I must ask you a question!” Asher said, causing the wyvern to halt before flying off.
“What is it human?!” she roared.
“A powerful witch was said to disappear in your woods long ago. Whatever happened to her?” Asher asked.