Part Six: The Dark War Prologue
After he left the grave of Trizan, Saifir left the country to find the best black smith in the world. It turned out that he was not that far away. He entered the smith's shop, and began to tell him what he wanted. He needed a sword, for he had placed the one Trizan had given him in the headstone of Trizan's grave. The sword was to be massive, far bigger than any sword a normal man, or even a black paladin could swing easily. Since Saifir had found he was the only black paladin able to use his Ronoh as physical strength, he knew he was better off for the battles he knew were coming. The sword was five feet long, and nearly 5 inches thick. It was very heavy, and the smith could barely lift it. But Saifir wielded it with ease when he increased the Ronoh in his arms. He also had the smith make him armor. The armor was stained black, and it had short spikes on the shoulders. The points of the spikes were sharpened, so that they could be used in battle if needed. The armor was also very thick, but again, Saifir had no trouble moving in it, as his advanced use of Ronoh increased his strength. He then took the armor to the most powerful users of Black magic, and had them cast a rite on it to make it impervious to magic attacks. He knew he was ready for almost anything now. But, at the same time he was staying in the small village that the smith lived in, there was another meeting of the high council of Black Paladins.
"I tell you, he must be stopped! He's killed Trizan! God knows what will happen now! Once the whites get word of this, we're all doomed!" One of the old ones spoke this, and indeed, he trembled with fear as he spoke this. He didn't want to be exterminated like a rat.
"You fool. He was just one!" Radnor spoke this, ever defensive of Saifir.
"He was one alright! One of the oldest! What do you think all those he helped and influenced will do? They will come at every black Paladin they see! And since we don't travel in numbers as they often do, we may well be doomed!"
A wave of whispering went throughout the ranks of the Black Paladins. Someone shouted:
"We must act now, or we will all perish!"
"I agree!" This came from another of the old ones. "I motion we declare war on Saifir the Dark!" He spat out the name of the one he hated.
"All in favor?" Someone called for a vote.
It was nearly a unanimous Aye. Only one didn't concur, and it was Radnor. He mearly stood there silent, wondering what would happen if Saifir unleashed all his power. But, he was soon swept aside as the strategic planners came forward to start a plan.
At the same time, the high council of White Paladins was holding a meeting on the very same topic.
"We must find this dark one, this Saifir demon, and destroy him!" Cried one known as Paul.
Cheers went up, and people agreeing started to chant and shout. One Paladin that sat at the table reserved for honored members stood up.
"I agree. But, we must not forget that he was one of us once. He may be converted." The Liontaur stroked his mane as he spoke, a sign of his nervousness at a war.
Angry shouts went up from the crowd:
"Converted! Impossible! What is Rakeesh thinking?"
"I have been doing some thinking about the sub..."
"Rakeesh, old friend, you know as well as I do that it is impossible. It has never been done, and it never shall be."
"I know this, but, I have had a dream. Trizan appeared before me. At first I was scared to see my dear old friend, but then he spoke to me. He told me it could be done!" Rakeesh said in despair.
"We won't accept him back into our ranks, even if it can be done! Who will support me in a campaign against this abomination?!" Cried an old one.
It was again a unanimous decision. Except Rakeesh. He was disturbed that he might be forced to destroy the one he had known so well as a child, when he used to visit his old friend, Trizan. He had known Saifir as a child, and it haunted that he might come face to face with him in a battle of the death. But, he must do his duty, he decided. All looked to him.
"Aye." He whispered. Cheers erupted.
Saifir had headed north after he had his weapons and armor. When he walked against the snow, people that saw him at a distance would think he was a moving shadow. And, he also noticed that his breath was black. He thought it was humorous, that he was so evil even his breath was black. He made his home inside a cave near a small village. He thought he would be safe from Whites here, but it wasn't long before a group surrounded him while he was hunting in the forest. They leaped out of the path he was walking, and called his name.
"Saifir!!" Saifir turned slowly, and counted 10 men standing there, ready for battle. He was in no mood for battle, and he told him so. They said that the honorless could not choose when to fight. They must simply accept.
"Must they?" Saifir said as he drew his sword, igniting it so that it would cut better. He channeled all his Ronoh into his arms, and swung his sword as hard as he could at a giant tree next to the path. To his surprise, his massive blade cleaved neatly through the wood, and blocked the path nicely. Since the area around was heavily wooded, he decided that their path was blocked and turned around and walked. One of the Paladins was obviously inventive though, and used two daggers to scale over the tree. He tossed them back to his friends so that they could follow, and then called out to Saifir, barely giving him time to turn before he attacked. Saifir mearly caught the blade in the Steele of his glove, and snapped the blade in two. He then shot his other hand to the throat of his adversary, draining his honor and strangling him at the same time. When his honor and life were gone, he picked him up over his head and threw him to where the other paladins stood shocked at what they had seen. When the body hit them, they were knocked down, dazed. But they didn't follow.
After that, Saifir went to the south, where the great grasslands were. It was there it happened. He was crossing a grassy valley, when suddenly white beings, Paladins, heroes, wizards, any being of honor and bravery you could name, came pouring from every angle toward him. When they had him surrounded, Someone called to him from the top of a peak.
"Now you pay for your crimes, dark one!"