by Rana Kane
Chapter TwoVenger wanted no distractions. He had waited too long for this moment. Shadow Demon had his orders, and every orc not needed elsewhere in the realm had been recalled for the single task of guarding the castle. Now, he dared not delay. He could not give Dungeon Master's pupils time to act.
The incantations were ready in his mind, having been burned into his being so very long ago, and would flow from him as naturally as a breath's release. Thus, he was ever prepared. This was what he was meant to do, created to do. This, and more. It was time to show Dungeon Master what mastery of the Realm truly meant.
With a wave of his hand, the one hundred candles on their stands flamed along the circular stone wall. A breeze wafted through; the room was windowless, but without a ceiling, as well. His altar, as ever, was waiting. He set the weapons there in a colorful heap.
He looked at them, smiling. The smile left him, however, as he caught sight of one tip of the Ranger's bow. He moved the cloak aside to reveal it, and then took it up. He held it a moment, wishing his possession of it signified the Ranger's demise.
Alas, it did not. He was out there, somewhere. Venger wondered where the leader of Dungeon Master's pupils was and what he was doing.
"Without this, you are nothing, Ranger.
Nothing!"
He returned the bow to the pile, but his hand lingered. He then snatched up the Thief's cloak and turned away from the weapons. He would not look at the Thief's weapon as he crushed it in the fingers of both hands.
His gaze was unfocused as he brought the neck of it to his nose and breathed deeply. He lifted his head slowly, feeling the fabric as it glided down his face. Then, with an aggrieved suddenness, he flung the cloak behind him to land atop the weapons.
He looked up at the night sky with its bright, sparkling stars and snarled. He raised his hands, and clouds began to gather.
This was only the beginning, he reminded himself. These were only six of the thirteen Objects of Power. Soon, he would have them all. A succession of victories awaited him.
The power of these weapons would be added to his own, and he would crush the young pupils of Dungeon Master!
Tiamat would perish in her graveyard amongst the bones of her kin, and he would claim the remaining weapons and use them to further increase his power!
Dungeon Master would then be at his mercy. At last, the old one would fall and the Realm would be his!
He could see it all. It would begin here, in this room and with these weapons. Total mastery was within his grasp. The Realm was on the cusp of a new era.
He held out his arms, closed his eyes, and turned his face to the now blackened sky above. He began in whisper � calling, creating, centering. The only thing that threatened him now was his own excitement and impatience. He channeled these energies into his voice, giving it a power all its own. The vibration within and without caressed him, inciting him to increasing volumes. He exulted in the power racing through him, and from him to the weapons, preparing them to enter their new host.
There was a flash as the energies were reaved from their former vessels, separated from them, leaving them useless husks. It was nearly done. Pure power. He reached an arm out toward them, willing them to come to him. They were his now, and this was a moment he vowed to relish and remember until the end � if there were such a thing for one such as he.
But then, a rushing footfall, and a blur of tan and green seemed to slow time to a crawl.
The Ranger! "No!" He shot out a hand from which red energies coruscated toward the intruder, who would have been reduced to cinders that Venger would gladly have presented personally to the Ranger's friends � especially the frail little Thief � had not his aim been off by the slightest degree.
Instead, the Ranger crashed onto the altar, and Venger was forced to shield himself against an explosion of magics.
When he opened his eyes, all was dark and cold. The candles were out, the lightning had ceased, and the thick black clouds still blocked the moonlight. He looked quickly about the room, his sight unhindered by the lack of light. He lifted the weapon closest to him � the club.
Nothing. Its power was not there.
He looked down at the Ranger's prone body. He still lived. Venger could hear the heartbeat he craved to silence. A numbing rage coursed through him, threatening to render him impotent in the moment when he most wanted to act. He fought to control himself. No games. He focused on one thought alone: Kill the Ranger.
"At least I will have the satisfaction of your death this night, Ranger."
He stepped closer, black static orbs already forming around his hands.
Shadow Demon suddenly rushed in.
"Mas�!"
Venger punched him back through countless walls, never taking his eyes from the boy lying helplessly before him. Then he roared and raised his arms to unleash his wrath upon his hated enemy.
Faster than should have been possible, the Ranger twisted toward him, eyes ablaze, and unleashed a volley of powerful arrows from his fingertips. Unprepared for such an attack, Venger was slammed against the wall, knocking candle stands to the floor.
Clutching his burning chest, he looked up in time to see the Ranger throw himself upright and quickly close the distance between them with two acrobatic flips. As he landed, he brought a ghostlike club crashing down upon Venger's skull before he could stop it.
For a moment, Venger saw double as his crushed eyes regained their shape and his features righted. The searing pain let him do no more than crawl, but it was toward his enemy he went as he was more determined than ever to destroy him. He growled as the energies he gathered healed him rather than obeyed his command to kill.
Finally, Venger was able to push himself up from the floor just before the Ranger's next attack, this time with the javelin, met his ribs. He was thrown, spinning through the air. He crashed again against a wall. More candle stands fell atop him.
Venger recovered more quickly this time. He rolled onto his back and fired one bright red bolt after another at his attacker, all of which were effortlessly blocked. Each impact illuminated a ghost of the Cavalier's shield that protected him.
Venger rose and roared, "This cannot be!"
He threw out his hands once more, but his enemy had vanished. Without hesitation, he shot deadly rays randomly about, bringing down the walls around him. He stopped after a time, rose, and looked about the rubble. Dust fell and smoke rose. Aside from these, all was still and silent. But his supernatural senses were keen. The Ranger was here, he was certain of that. But where? He took one tentative step forward.
Suddenly, the Ranger appeared right before him, causing Venger to flinch and step back. For a brief moment only, he was able to wonder at the stillness of the figure before him � the expressionless face of his enemy like an avenging angel in living stone.
Then, his enemy reached up toward his head and summoned a globe of golden light. It burst into a flurry of glowing flecks that attached themselves to Venger's body, wings and all.
He struggled futilely to brush them off. And then, one by one, they began exploding. Thousands of explosions of magical fire stung him in rapid succession.
When finally it was over, Venger lay on his side, eyes open but paralyzed. The Ranger was gone, as were the weapons.
CHAPTER ONE - CONTENTS - CHAPTER THREE
