"January 27th 1555 AK, the region about Lichville.
It had been nearly a week since Rodman had escaped the prisons of the thieves in Theivron. He was running up the step mountainside, his undying muscles burnt and hurt, but he ran on, for he could hear the shouts of some fifty thieves behind him, the night was far advanced and looking back, Rodman could see the glimmering torches that made up the troop, tasked with bringing him back to captivity and torture.
The moon was not there, and the dark sky above was devoid of stars, the howling of a wolf was heard in the distance, and Rodman’s heavy breathing only increased more, he did not want to meet a wolf, then the thieves had a great chance of taking him back.
But Rodman could not bear to go back, too long had they abused him, and too long had he tried to be free, how many times he had wriggled his way out, only to be thrown back in his cell. He could not bear the pain anymore.
` But where could Rodman go? It would seem that he had not place, and indeed he did not have any place to flee to, save on and even that he was not sure of.
He had heard of the immortal wizard, Zadimus Wraith, it was a mystery how he remained alive and never died, few people knew about undying, and Rodman who was an undying himself, was certain that Zadimus attained his immortality through the same curse, maybe as a fellow undying, the wizard would he him and give him a place to stay?
Rodman stumbled over a mossy log, he groaned and pulled himself up, dead leaves clinging to his long greasy, and messy black hair, his white shirt was ragged and drooped off him, his beard was small, for in captivity the thieves had often cut it, but now there remained on Rodman’s face, some black hairy stumble, his brown trousers were stuck with seeds and thorns, form hurrying through the brush.
Now Rodman looked forward, and it was then that he could see the lofty black towers of Lichville, the palace which Zadimus dwelt in, Rodman’s heart began to beat faster with anticipation, and he hurried even more, getting his sandaled foot caught on a vine, and falling face first into the floor of pine needles, he groaned again and rose up, and kept moving.
Suddenly the trees stopped, the land about for a mile or so was flat, and rose up, it was quite steep and rocky, the fortress was built atop a rocky hill, which rose up, and about the fortress there were no trees, only rocks and hill, which rose upward.
Rodman was now running up this step hill, rocks digging into his hands and knees as he fell down and got up again, he ran and then fell, and then ran again, as he ran he looked up at the dead castle, the sun was starting to rise in the far east, the faintest glow of pink was there.
But Rodman did not even see the tiniest light in the castle, as he ran he began to wonder if it was in vain, perhaps Zadimus had left? Who dwells in a castle, without even a single light?
But his fears were removed, as a sudden host of dark things began to come towards them, Rodman ran on, he had no idea what is was, but he did not intend to wait and stay, to him they seemed to be birds, perhaps Zadimus had sent them out for some reason? It was known that Zadimus did not like to be bothered.
The black things grew ever closer, and a faint whizzing could be heard on the air, the thieves behind Rodman who were nearing him, began to scream.
Several hundred arrows fell upon the thieves, Rodman, and littered the rocky ground, Rodman fell and screamed in pain, he would have been dead, had he not been an undying.
The undying man stood up and tore the arrows from his gut, his skull, and his arms, screaming as he did so, but no sooner where the arrows gone, when they began to heal, and Rodman gazed behind him. The thieves had become porcupines, fifty bodies, each with at least twenty arrows.
Rodman tore an arrow from his shin and sighed in pain, before staggered towards the castle, even as he staggered he began to regain his posture, as the wound healed itself and the pain died away.
The undying man went towards the gate, two iron skull statues where set outside of the gates, set upon poles of iron, the skull’s mouths were open, and it was if they were about the attack. The iron gates betwixt the two skulls were shut.
“Zadimus!” Rodman called to the wizard, but the man soon felt uneasy at the following silence, “Zadimus Wraith!”
Suddenly, a white misty glow surrounded Rodman, he cried aloud as the strange cooling substance engulfed him, in a mere moment the whiteness blotted out his vision, he closed his eyes and could hardly stand the white light piercing through his eyelids.
But then as the light died away he found himself in a cell, Zadimus wraith stood outside of it, watching Rodman closely, the wizard’s black beard swayed in a gentle, but strange wind.
“Zadimus!” Rodman cried, even as Zadimus turned away, “Do not imprison me!” But Zadimus did not hearken to him, the wizard walked away and turned the corner.
“Zadimus!” Rodman cried again, despairingly, he had escaped one prison for another, at least this prison did not entail torture, or at least he did not think so."
On January 27th, 1555 AK, Rodman found himself in the region of Lichville, having recently escaped from the prisons of the thieves in Theivron. He was being pursued by fifty thieves who were determined to bring him back for captivity and torture. Despite the pain in his muscles, Rodman continued to run up a mountainside, desperate to evade his pursuers.
The night was dark and starless, with the moon absent from the sky. Rodman's heavy breathing and the distant howling of a wolf heightened his sense of urgency. He knew that encountering a wolf would only increase the chances of the thieves recapturing him.
Rodman had endured countless abuses during his time in captivity and was determined not to go back. He had tried to escape multiple times, only to be thrown back into his cell. The pain had become unbearable, and he longed for freedom.
However, Rodman had nowhere to go. His only hope was the immortal wizard, Zadimus Wraith, rumored to reside in the black towers of Lichville. As an undying himself, Rodman speculated that Zadimus had attained his immortality through the same curse. Perhaps the wizard would understand his plight and offer him a place to stay.
As Rodman hurried through the wilderness, he stumbled over a mossy log and fell to the ground. He groaned and got back up, his disheveled appearance a testament to his arduous journey. Ignoring the pain and exhaustion, he pressed forward, longing to reach Lichville and seek refuge with Zadimus.
Eventually, the dense forest gave way to a flat and rocky terrain. Rodman found himself at the foot of a rocky hill on which the fortress of Lichville stood. The towering black castle appeared before him, and as the first signs of dawn painted the sky with a pink hue, Rodman's anticipation grew. However, he could see no lights within the castle, which made him question whether Zadimus was even present.
A sudden flurry of dark figures emerged from the castle, leaving Rodman no time to ponder his doubts. Assuming they were birds sent by Zadimus, Rodman sprinted onward, desperate to escape the approaching thieves. Soon, hundreds of arrows rained down upon them, striking Rodman and the thieves alike. But being undying, Rodman's wounds swiftly healed, while the thieves were impaled with arrows, effectively neutralizing their pursuit.
Ignoring the lingering pain, Rodman limped toward the castle gate. Two iron skull statues with their mouths open stood guard outside, and the iron gates were shut tight. Calling out to Zadimus, Rodman desperately hoped that the wizard would acknowledge him. However, his cries were met with silence, and even as he pleaded, Zadimus seemed to ignore him.
Suddenly, a white mist enveloped Rodman. He cried out as the cold substance surrounded him, obscuring his vision. Moments later, the mist dissipated, revealing that Rodman was now imprisoned in a cell. Zadimus Wraith stood outside the cell, observing Rodman closely with his black beard swaying in an otherworldly breeze.
Desperate and despairing, Rodman called out to Zadimus, pleading not to be imprisoned once again. However, the wizard paid him no heed and walked away, turning a corner and leaving Rodman alone. Although this new prison did not involve torture, Rodman couldn't help but feel a sense of despair, having escaped one prison only to find himself trapped in another.