‘Stop!’ The Tzeentchian wizard screamed.
Vladan had him pinned down, sword at his throat. The wizard had summoned up all manner of beings to take down Vladan’s new retinue. His warriors had melted like snow in summer, Vladan was simply too weak after his ordeal underground. But he had managed to fight his way through the maelstrom to the wizard himself, and leapt at him with all his strength. What followed was nothing short of spectacular, eldritch flames met death energy as the two traded blows both arcane and physical. Blue fireballs came at his head, but Vladan dragged up bones from beneath to protect himself. He countered by sending a miniature purple sun, but it was eaten by a wall of gnashing teeth as blue horrors met their demise, as well as the brimstones that followed. Onyxblade met staff again and again. But Vladan had finally found an opening, not a moment too soon as his strength was failing, and now he had the wizard pinned beneath.
‘I know what you need!’
The sword inched closer, but Vladan did hesitate.
The wizard’s eyes flickered in recognition, but he did not take the opportunity. Instead, he waved his hands, and the horrors around sputtered out like so many flames.
‘I can help you,‘ he continued, ‘but at a price.’
Vladan’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed the blade against the slender neck of the wizard. ‘The price is I let you live…’
‘Of course, of course!’ the wizard smiled. ‘Let me live, and I’ll tell you what I know, of course!’
Vladan wavered for but a moment, but then drew back his sword. He had ruled his kingdom a millennia, he knew when to take risks, and good information would be helpful now, if it was good.
‘Speak, before I change my mind…’ Vladan growled.
‘Welcome to Ayadah, our great land within Chamon!’ the wizard started. ‘You did not even know you were in Chamon, I suspect, yes….?’
‘Faster magister….’
‘Of course, of course… well, let’s see, where can I begin? Where does anything ever begin….’ the wizard mused, almost to himself, ‘ah, yes. So, you wish to return to your precious Black Onyx. To do that, you’ll need a realm portal, much like the one you just came through.’
‘Thank you wizard, that’s all I needed. I’ll be on my way then…’ Vladan said, whipping out his blade, ready to finish the creature.
‘Wait!’ the wizard crowed, much to confidently, ‘the way you came is sealed shut, I can assure you. You cannot hope to go back through those doors, you will need a new portal, and I know just where to get one.’
An explosion, felt more then heard, rumbled the ground beneath their feet. The changeling smiled. Disgusted that he was still forced to listen, Vladan sheathed his sword.
‘You can find a Realmgate perfect for the job in the forest-city of Dreadhall. It’s in the north, and many leagues away. But you will need to journey even greater distances as this portal does not lead to the Prime Innerlands, you will need to divert the flow, and only by doing that return home.’
‘That’s absurd you imbecile,’ Vladan countered, ‘I do not know a great deal of Realmgates, but even I know diverting them is not something done, not easily at least.
‘Aaaah, but I did not say it would be easy, yes?’ The wizard seemed to relish in his elongated tale. ‘You will need to attain three keys in order to transfer the flow, relics of death that will twist the travel of the portal toward Shyish. One is the relic of the Night, found in the Moaning Sands. It is found in an old keep deep within the desert.’
The blue-skinned wizard seemed to compose himself now, continuing his story as Vladan slumped to the ground, watching him wearily, but unable to stand without shaking any longer.
‘Another is held by Chaos forces on the summit of the Yhorn mountains, the Key of Blood. And the third, is held by thunder, a relic of Sacrament held in Versaldus.’
The wizard paused, as if he were a bard in a castle or a young-one around a campfire. ‘None of these will be easy, but if you aren’t able to do this… well… are you truly able to claim to be a lord of death anyway?’ the wizard smirked.
Vladan snarled in anger at the ridicule, but the creature was gone. With a wave of his hands the wizard had receded into the air, the smell of brimstone all that was left.