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The journey had been long and strenuous – travelling to the Unnaproachable East was deadly to the unexperienced. The land was cold and harsh, unforgiving and cruel, just like the creatures that call it home. However, no Owl Bear, no Fell Troll and no bandit would stop this one warrior, not until his goal was achieved. The self-inflicted runescars on his skin were the witness of his unshakeable will, his determination was that of a starving predator to find his food, his strength that of a Frost Giant. He had to be so, to be an indomitable wall of will and might. To do otherwise would have meant his death before the end of his quest.
The witch he had thought dead was alive, and that is why he had left the valley. He had heard her desperate call for help and answered with haste. Leaving friends and much, much more behind. But he left on a promise to a woman, an empty promise that he would return to the valley. He knew the task ahead of him was suicide, but he did not dare strip her of all hope. It is to this woman that he gave his final thoughts.
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"I...knew you would come, my mighty berserker." The words came out as little more than a whisper, her weak voice slowly fading away as her life was coming to an end. The tall warrior was holding her in his arms, in the last place he would have wished to be – surrounded by dead thayan gnolls and knights, somewhere in the Thayan Academy of Necromancy. As he looked at the witch, or the nigh lifeless, withered husk she had become after suffering the Red Wizards' experiments, all he could do was to apologize:
"Danyaska...forgive me. I thought you dead, had I known...
-Shhh! She interrupted him softly. Quiet now, you have … always been … so worried, so full … of regrets, Raman … of the Owlbear. You came … you are here now … and you have freed me. I am … glad and … at peace … to know that in my final moments you … are here to watch over me."
Before the warrior could say a word, the Rashemi woman let out her terminal breath. She had used all her remaining strength in those last words. Tears rolled down the berserker's face as he watched the dead Wychlaran, but the peaceful expression on her face and the fact he knew he would join her soon reassured him.
More troops were rushing down to kill the berserker, and he could hear their incoming steps louder and louder. Standing up, he grabbed his mighty axe and turned to face the door. He was prepared for this situation and, as the first gnoll breached the door, waited for it to charge. Striking the beast down, he was already preparing himself to kill the next incoming foe, then the next one and the one after that, but not the dozens of guards rushing in at an alluring pace. The Rashemi smiled. Standing over Danyaska's body, he pressed one of his runes. A rune of odd craftsmanship, even to his kin, a rune of his own creation for this particular situation. "Forgive me, Lilene."
The following morning, every day life continued as usual in the nation of Thay. The death of several gnolls, knights and destruction of everything within this small section of the Academy, burned and scorched in a fiery blaze, would remain an unnoticed and unmentionned accident.
The witch he had thought dead was alive, and that is why he had left the valley. He had heard her desperate call for help and answered with haste. Leaving friends and much, much more behind. But he left on a promise to a woman, an empty promise that he would return to the valley. He knew the task ahead of him was suicide, but he did not dare strip her of all hope. It is to this woman that he gave his final thoughts.
*******************
"I...knew you would come, my mighty berserker." The words came out as little more than a whisper, her weak voice slowly fading away as her life was coming to an end. The tall warrior was holding her in his arms, in the last place he would have wished to be – surrounded by dead thayan gnolls and knights, somewhere in the Thayan Academy of Necromancy. As he looked at the witch, or the nigh lifeless, withered husk she had become after suffering the Red Wizards' experiments, all he could do was to apologize:
"Danyaska...forgive me. I thought you dead, had I known...
-Shhh! She interrupted him softly. Quiet now, you have … always been … so worried, so full … of regrets, Raman … of the Owlbear. You came … you are here now … and you have freed me. I am … glad and … at peace … to know that in my final moments you … are here to watch over me."
Before the warrior could say a word, the Rashemi woman let out her terminal breath. She had used all her remaining strength in those last words. Tears rolled down the berserker's face as he watched the dead Wychlaran, but the peaceful expression on her face and the fact he knew he would join her soon reassured him.
More troops were rushing down to kill the berserker, and he could hear their incoming steps louder and louder. Standing up, he grabbed his mighty axe and turned to face the door. He was prepared for this situation and, as the first gnoll breached the door, waited for it to charge. Striking the beast down, he was already preparing himself to kill the next incoming foe, then the next one and the one after that, but not the dozens of guards rushing in at an alluring pace. The Rashemi smiled. Standing over Danyaska's body, he pressed one of his runes. A rune of odd craftsmanship, even to his kin, a rune of his own creation for this particular situation. "Forgive me, Lilene."
The following morning, every day life continued as usual in the nation of Thay. The death of several gnolls, knights and destruction of everything within this small section of the Academy, burned and scorched in a fiery blaze, would remain an unnoticed and unmentionned accident.