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.
I am low on stories, as I have been to busy with math...you might have to wait awhile for new ones.
Title: The Escape to Lichville
Summary:
Rodman, a prisoner of thieves, escapes and seeks refuge with the immortal wizard Zadimus Wraith in Lichville. As he makes his way towards the castle, he is attacked by a mysterious host of dark creatures that turn out to be arrows raining down on the pursuing thieves. Rodman reaches the castle gates, only to be imprisoned once again by Zadimus Wraith. Despair sets in as Rodman realizes he has traded one prison for another.
Story:
It had been nearly a week since Rodman had escaped the prisons of the thieves in Theivron. The night was shrouded in darkness, as Rodman's muscles burnt from the relentless pursuit of the fifty thieves behind him. He longed for respite from their cruelty and abuse.
As he raced up the mountainside, his breath heavy and labored, Rodman's mind fixated on a glimmer of hope. He had heard rumors of a wizard named Zadimus Wraith, an immortal being like himself. Perhaps this mysterious figure could offer him refuge and a place to call home.
Ignoring the pain in his legs and the exhaustion weighing him down, Rodman pushed through the dense forest until he reached the outskirts of Lichville. The towering black spires of Zadimus' palace came into view, filling Rodman's heart with renewed hope.
But his elation was short-lived as he noticed that the castle was devoid of any light. Doubt crept into his mind - had Zadimus abandoned his abode? Was there no sanctuary to be found after all?
Suddenly, a swarm of dark, bird-like creatures descended upon the thieves trailing behind Rodman. Panic erupted amongst them as hundreds of arrows rained down, instantly turning them into porcupines. Rodman, ever resilient as an undying, pulled the arrows from his wounds and staggered towards the castle.
Reaching the castle gates, Rodman called out for Zadimus, hoping for assistance and shelter. But his cries were met with silence. A misty glow enveloped him, and in an instant, he found himself imprisoned in a cell within the castle walls.
Zadimus Wraith stood outside the cell, observing Rodman with a calculating gaze. Desperation filled Rodman's voice as he pleaded for release, but the wizard paid him no mind. Turning away, Zadimus disappeared around a corner, leaving Rodman to grapple with his newfound captivity.
The realization dawned on Rodman that he had traded one prison for another. Though this confinement might not entail physical torture, the despair of being trapped once again weighed heavily on his heart.
As Rodman's hope flickered, he vowed to find a way to escape this second prison and uncover the knowledge behind Zadimus' immortality. Determination ignited within him, fueling his resolve to seek his freedom and find a place where he truly belonged.