by Richard LeBlanc
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| Forbidden Places by Richard LeBlanc |
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| Chapter One: reunion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The city of Martyria - a place of legend and wonder to any who have ever known of the Seven Great Wars. It is the story of the common people uniting against the injustice that was crushing them - and the long struggle it took to become free. For many decades - many generations stood together in the struggle - and in the past few years had finally started reaping long overdue rewards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It is on the outskirts of this wondrous place where a small band of soldiers were celebrating their latest conquest - a conquest where they had surpassed seemingly impossible odds - and succeeded. The captain of the celebrating troop of soldiers hopped up onto his table and raised his chalice high. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I drink a toast!" he called out. All of the talking began to slowly die down. All eyes slowly turned to face him to hear what he had to say. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I drink to the memory - of the fools that opposed us. I drink to the memory - of that epic struggle. I drink to the epics - that will be sung of us for many years to come." He continued as a cloaked man wandered into the bar. All eyes slowly turned away from the speaker and stared at the man as he walked towards the bar. The captain took a sip from his drink and shook his head in disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And to a man that must be lost." He added. He hopped down from the table and motioned for everyone to resume what they were doing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Excuse me stranger - this is a private party." The captain stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A strong drink please. I have traveled far." The stranger stated - ignoring the soldier altogether. It was not something that went unnoticed. All activity in the bar once again stopped and focused on the captain and the uninvited stranger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He - ignored - me? Did he just ignore me?" he asked in modest disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think he did." A voice reaffirmed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He must not know who he is dealing with." Another voice added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Indeed. Before you stands - Arn - conqueror of the northern fields! Leader of the force that stormed the Iron Gates! And leader of the sect that just felled an enemy in number - twenty - no - fifty times our number!" the captain stated strongly. The bartender placed a drink before the stranger. Without even acknowledging the boasting captain - the stranger took a sip from his drink. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Did you not hear me?" he repeated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I did. If you tell me something remotely useful or interesting - I will let you know. Until then - please leave me be." the stranger replied as he took another sip from his drink. All of the soldiers slowly rose to their feet. The stranger twitched as if sensing the level of hostility rising. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are on the thinnest of thin ice stranger. I suggest you leave now while you are still able." The captain warned. The stranger sighed and slowly turned to face the person that was talking to him. The captain watched as the man lowered his hood. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I go where I please. And I do not intend to leave here until I so desire. As you have introduced yourself so elegantly - allow me the privilege of returning the favor. I am know as Toy Maker - a plainswalker who has traveled a long way to find this obscure place. A plainswalker - who is not in a very tolerant mood right now. A plainswalker - that will give you - one chance - to walk away." he replied seriously. The captain could hear his men whispering. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is that supposed to mean something?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Captain! I have heard of that mage. His dark devices laid waste to an entire landmass - a landmass bigger than all of the combined provinces." A soldier stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A man that walks in the shadow of Urza and Mishra." The captain muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have been called worse in my day. Last chance Arn. Walk away." Toy maker warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm not going anywhere wizard. If you walk in the shadow of those two death bringers - it is my duty to bring you down." Arn stated seriously. Toy Maker sighed and shook his head. He was hoping to avoid the zealous ones - such was why he came this way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fair enough. I give you this then." Toy Maker commented. With a wave of his hand - blue energy began to spiral in the air between them. Just then a large green perfectly cut emerald appeared before the captain. Everyone stared in wonder at how the light made the jewel glow. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This - is for me?" he asked hesitantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you so desire. Of course - it isn't meant for the weak. Are you sure you deserve such a treasure?" Toy Maker asked curiously. The captain glared at him and snatched the jewel from the air. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What kind of question is - is - that..." the captain gasped as he staggered back a few paces. He slowly looked up at Toy Maker who was watching him struggle. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A very simple one really. You see - in my travels to the far - far west - I found a small, potent source of power - in the form of an uncut jewel. Very potent - but by itself - it was nothing. So I took the this jewel to a master cutter. With his help - I was able to make that." he replied as he walked over to where the captain was and pushed him over with one finger. The captain glared at him from the floor but was unable to move. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The spell within the stone - only affects the strong. The stronger the person wielding the stone - the weaker he or she becomes. I could be a real toad and let the device kill you - but I trust that I made my point." Toy Maker stated. With a wave of his hand - the jewel vanished. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are the devil himself! I will not rest until you are dead!" the captain screamed from the floor. Toy Maker looked around and saw every soldier drawing his weapon. He sighed and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So much for reason. If force is all you and your kind will understand - so be it." He replied. with a clap of his hand - a life size toy soldier appeared before the wizard - then another - and another - and another until their number was equal to the number of soldiers in the bar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't just stare in wild wonder! Attack!" the captain yelled from the floor. The soldiers charged at the seemingly harmless constructs - it was then that the artifact creatures seemed to come to life. The captain watched as his men were savagely cut down by the constructs. He slowly looked over at the wizard responsible for all of this and slowly drew a dagger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Power constructs - you must be a powerful mage." Arn muttered. Toy Maker looked down at the captain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But I'll wager that like all powerful spells - that it will die when you do!" he exclaimed. With surprising quickness he pounced at the wizard. Toy Maker watched as the dagger headed right for his chest. as soon as the metal blade came into contact with the wizard - it shattered as though it were made of glass. Toy Maker slowly looked at the captain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There is a great deal of logic in you. I can see it in your eyes. I don't want this fight - and whether you care to admit it or not - neither do you. I am no longer mortal. Everything that I have truly valued and loved is gone to me because of zealots such as you. But you and your men are not the zealots that hurt me. Call off your men. This fight is over. I have no desire to slaughter your men and you must know that if this fight continues - that is exactly what will happen." Toy Maker requested calmly. The captain looked at the hilt of his dagger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Please - make your decision with a little haste. Once these constructs gain momentum - they become harder to control. Chose now while there is still life in your men." He offered again. The captain looked at his men and saw that the artifact creatures. What the wizard was saying was true. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Lower your weapons." He called out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But these things..." a voice began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just do it!" the captain exclaimed. All of the soldiers lowered their weapons. As if on cue - all of the toy soldiers that Toy Maker had summoned - vanished. In the wake of his constructs were dozens of badly wounded - and several dead soldiers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will help the wounded as best I can - if I have your word - that the fight ends here. By the way you introduced yourself - I would imagine that your word of honor - must be worth something to you. Fair?" he offered seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have my word." The captain replied. Toy Maker nodded and handed a small vial to the captain. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Allow any that are wounded to drink from this. It will heal the wounded - but not raise the dead. Even I have limitations." He stated calmly. The captain nodded and hesitantly looked at the vial in his hands. He then remembered what happened last time he had taken something from the wizard. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How do I know this isn't a trick?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As you have given your word - so too will I. This is not a trick." He stated calmly. The captain shook his head and began to let his wounded drink from the tiny vial. At first he believed that there would not be enough to go around - but much to his surprise - there was. He looked around at the men - nothing seemed to happen. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Give it a moment." He replied. It was then that all of the wounded soldiers began to glow. The captain watched as severed limbs grew back - deep gashes healed - massive bleeding - stopping. All around him - all of the men that he was sure would either die or never be the same again - seemed to return back to normal. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why did you do that?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe - I've had enough of this. I have spent all of my life dedicated to the mastery of my craft. Hoping and believing that it could fill the void that - that can never be filled. I have been in struggle after pointless struggle - duel after unending duel." He stated seriously as he sat down on the floor. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't sound much like the wizards we hear about." The captain commented as he sat down beside him. Toy Maker smiled and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll take that as a compliment. May I ask a small favor of you?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There. Now - you sound like a wizard." Arn stated. The wizard quietly laughed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As you might have guessed - I'm not exactly from around these parts. I got side tracked on my way here because some black mage wanted a duel. Could you tell me how to get to a place - called Martyria?" he asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you serious?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Very - why?" he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You did see the city at the base of the hill right?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes." He replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That's Martyria. These here are the boarder lands. Where us soldiers gear up on the way out and stop in on the way back. Been set up that way since the end of the Seven Great Wars." The captain replied. Toy maker was stunned that he had managed to end up where he was supposed to be after his last encounter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good fortune - I almost forgot what that was like. You people know your way around that place?" he asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We spent our whole lives down there - what do you think?" the captain replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Point taken. How well do you know the people?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This is going somewhere - care to take a short cut?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fair enough. I'm looking for a sorceress - a plainswalker who happens to be in this neck of the woods." He answered. The captain sighed and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Could you be a little more specific? A lot of you magic types happen this way." He replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This one - is said to be - special? A girl that has found the key to the forbidden magics." He answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - her. Special is one word for her. You must mean Markys. Goes by the title Markys the Unbalanced? That the girl you are talking about?" the captain asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That would be her. What do you know of her?" Toy Maker asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Know? Not a lot - but enough. If you as around - you will hear a different story from whichever person you ask. No one really knows the truth about her." Arn answered calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What story do you know?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Me? I heard that she went on a quest of sorts - probably like the one you are going on. Long of the short of it - she found what she was looking for - and it addled her mind. Dozens of mages have come trying to figure out the secret of her power - and the source." The captain answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The quest I am on - is to find a sufficient power source - to live out the rest of my days in peace - nothing more. What happened to the others?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't know. Some say that they found what they were looking for - others say they never made it that far. The source of the forbidden magics isn't exactly the safest place - hence the name." The captain replied calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Either or. It makes little difference. Do you know where she is?" Toy Maker asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sure. She's at the abbey on the other side of town. Ask around. You can't miss it." Arn answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thank you for your help Arn. And I apologize for this situation. It seems as though even the best of us - lets pride cloud our better judgement." Toy Maker stated as he slowly got up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I suppose." Arn replied. he and the other soldiers watched as the wizard walked out of the bar. Once they were sure he was gone. They let out a collective sigh of relief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I swear the world would be better if all of those fool wizards were dead. Is everybody okay?" Arn asked. All of the living soldiers hesitantly nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then let's head home. All of a sudden - I don't feel much like celebrating." He added as they collected the dead and began to vacate the bar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||