RuneHQ Index News Archives January '04 issue
Greater Man for a Greater Demon Part II The demon swung at Viashino, and he rolled under it. He thrust Silverlight through the demon's heart, and from the wound poured black blood and the demon's skin burned and smoked. Within moments all that was left was a pile of ashes on the floor, and a strange amulet. In the center of the amulet was a glowing black gem, and as he neared it, its glowing intensified. He picked it up, and brushed the ash off it, then put it around his neck. The instant he took his hands off the amulet, Viashino felt odd. He felt like there was a struggle inside of him, and the enemy was winning. His eyes glowed red and black for an instant, then returned to their original brown. Streaks of black energy pulsed out of the amulet and raced around his body, pulling him up through the air and contorting his figure. Bone snapped and inverted, and skin ripped and repositioned. The energy sank into his every pore and changed him. But the internal battle was still being waged, and his life force fought the evil. He forced the evil out of him, and the black energy dissipated. He fell to the ground, and when he regained his breath, he looked over his new self. His fingers were long, and their nails were longer. His skin was leathery and tan, and his muscles were rippled and twice as large. He struggled to get back up, and his arms and legs and chest pulsed, as if the change was unstable. He felt as if his insides were being ripped inside out, and he went black. When Viashino awoke, he was back in his old form, but his clothes were ripped. He crawled ahead and pulled silverlight out of a patch of hard soil and sheathed it on his back. He pulled himself up and stumbled over to a strange glowing gem embedded in a pedestal. Seeing no other exit, he touched the gem, and it responded by glowing brighter. There was a deep grove that seemed to go all the way through the rock. He plunged silverlight into the groove, and the gem glowed brighter than the sun itself. Viashino closed his eyes and tried to look away, but the light blinded him still, and he could not get away. His hand seemed plastered to the legendary sword. Viashino screamed in pain as his eyes illuminated in blood-red light. The cave itself seemed to move and as the light dimmed and disappeared he noticed he was in different surroundings. He began breathing rapidly, and felt tired and dizzy. He clumsily walked out of the cave, and stopped dead in his tracks. He was at the top of a mountain, and as pebbles and chunks of rock fell down, he awaited a sound, but it never came. Looking to the right, he saw a thin path, but it was hidden amongst snow and ice. Using silverlight as a lever, he pried huge chunks of ice out of his way and continued forward. Viashino was distressed at the lack of monsters trying to rip him apart, but he dismissed it as merely good luck. Further down the train he came across a stone monolith. Engraved in it was what seemed to be an Ancient prophesy: The knight clad in armor of green Blinded by curiosity, he falls to nothing Slaying the beast with the angels blade He becomes that which he banished Wielding the fallen blade, The knight discovers his true purpose Refusing to give up his soul, He condemns the world. Below were pictures of the same demon symbol on the stone where Viashino first fell. Running his fingers over the engravings, the prophecy seemed to be a retelling of what happened to him. The second part, if it were true, would mean that he destroys the world. Viashino would not allow that to happen. Fueled by rage, he punched the stone monolith. The impact cracked the stone, and flame erupted from the fissures, melting the floor below him. As the stone broke and fell apart, Viashino thought that would end it all. He was wrong. To be continued... By fatass120387	Monthly... Cranky? Let our Humour cheer you up!
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