Chapter 1

A Chapter by hardscoper6

Tetroin begins his epic adventure through the lands of Pryth.

The old man glides on the wind as elegantly as a bird. He had this ability by blasting air from his hands. He was a wizard of the six, the six most powerful wizards in the world, him being the only human of the great wizards. He wore perfectly weighted armor to make gliding easier. His armor was a type of metal called watythium, a new type of metal the Dwarves discovered, which was very rare and to have a full set of watythium armor, like this man, was incredible. It was light as a feather, yet near impenetrable. It shines brightly in the sun. He wore a ragged and torn trench coat over top of this. It had several patches on it and runes hung off of the coat in various places. He wore a duster hat that matched his coat and a visor with a blue tinge across his eyes, created from pure magic. His face was wrinkly and worn from years of battle. He had big bushy grey eyebrows and a short beard that matched his eyebrows. His hair came down to his neck and was also the same color. Strapped to his waist was an empty revolver. A lone blue bird flew alongside him chirping a lovely tune on the cool fall breeze. The man decides to land on a large formation of rocks, just a little ahead of him. He lands firmly and began looking around. He was standing on a large boulder sitting idly in the middle of the barren plains. The mountains line the Western side of the plains. They looked like a beautiful painting, etched into the sky straight up to the clouds. The mountains were where the man had to get to. He has important business there that he needs to attend to, so just as quickly as he landed, he is back into the air soaring above the clouds. The peaks of the mountains cut through the clouds, so Tetroin made way towards them. Just then, the bird rockets by him frantically flying, then there was a roar and a blast of fire followed. The man just has time to get out of the way, as the fire flew by and struck the bird.
“As quick as ever in your old age,” roars a voice from below the clouds.
“Show yourself! Who are you?!” The old man yells back.
As he says this there is a chuckle and a magnificent bright red dragon flies up from beneath the clouds, the sun shines brightly upon his red scales giving off dazzling light. The dragon was much bigger than the man for the man was the size of the dragons foot. The man chuckles at the sight of the dragon.
“Aha! Fendrid! My old friend!” The old man laughs.
He is very surprised to see his friend all the way out here, but he is also relieved.
“It’s been a long time, Tetroin.” The dragon smiles, as best as a dragon can smile.
“The last time I saw you was in the battle of Asarwelf, the last time so many races stood together, back when I fought against my own kin…” Tetroin got lost in thought.
“My old friend, now is not the time to be pondering the past, think about the present. I see you are heading to the mountains, not looking for the dwarves are you?” The dragon smiled once more.
“I am, I haven’t been in these parts in a long time, I just hope they welcome me, but I still have a bad feeling.” The old man looks grave.
“Get on my back, I fly much faster than you glide” Fendrid laughs.
Tetroin lands on the dragon’s back and braces for the speed. Tetroin loves the feeling of flying, it made him feel free, but flying on a dragons back was a different story. Dragons are fierce flyers and don’t fear getting bumped and bruised. Fendrid went into a nose dive, picking up outrageous speed. Tetroin flattens himself out, that way he wouldn’t be blown off, this wasn’t the first time he had flown on a dragon. Just before flying straight into the ground Fendrid pulls up, stretching his wings out completely, nearly launching Tetroin flying. Tetroin looks forward, they were flying gracefully just barely above the ground, the mountains now looked much closer, looming over them. Then there was a roar, it came from Fendrid. Tetroin wasn’t focusing and never noticed the two black object flying straight towards them from the mountains.
“Prepare yourself!” Growls Fendrid.
It looks like there was going to be fight. Tetroin couldn’t make out what they were but Fendrid’s eyes were much better than his own. Fendrid was preparing for combat. Tetroin did the same and conjured his beautiful watythium sword from thin air. This sword was given to him as a gift from the Dwarves. Inscribed just above the hilt were the words “Our Protector”. The enemies ahead of them were moving extremely fast, Tetroin pats Fendrid on his neck and nods to him as Fendrid turns and nods in understanding. With great difficulty Tetroin stands up on Fendrid’s back and with a carefully timed jump he manages to jump directly at one of the flying enemies, grabbing hold of one of the dangling limbs. Fendrid and the second enemy clash together with a fearsome roar and a terrible screech. Tetroin tries looking up at his own adversary but couldn’t see it’s face past its massive wings, he also looks at the leg he was clinging to, it looked like a lions leg and it suddenly hit him. Tetroin quickly took action, he tosses his conjured sword into the air with remarkable ease, as it was lighter than a feather, in the time it took for the sword to return to his hand he climbed the leg onto the creatures back and the manages to catch his sword again. He looks at the creatures face, staring back at him was an eagle’s face, but slightly altered, black smoke drifts off it and glowing red eyes met his own. Tetroin quickly realized he was on the back of a griffin but something was wrong with it clearly. Tetroin examined the smoke resonating off the griffin and notices something peculiar. The smoke seems to be trying to reach out at Tetroin. Tetroin realizes what was going on just in time and he dove off the griffin’s back trying his hardest to get away and just as he did a giant smoky hand formed jumping out at him, staying in contact with the griffin. Lucky for Tetroin, the hand seemed to have a limited distance it could travel from its host before it had to stop because the hand couldn’t seem to reach him. Tetroin was shocked all the same by this occurrence. It was like another being was inside this griffin, Tetroin was taken back he didn’t realize he was plummeting to the ground at an alarming rate. He quickly uses the wind and glides down to the ground in safety, the griffin land right behind him almost immediately. It tries to slash at Tetroin but he blocks it easily with his sword and rolls to the side. The griffin stood before him now, wings outstretched, it looks magnificent, but it was soon upon him, again and again. Relentlessly it came after Tetroin and again and again but Tetroin would block each attack. Finally the griffin’s claws connects across Tetroin’s chest leaving a vicious gash causing him to drop on one knee and that’s when the griffin struck again, this time with its wing, catching Tetroin across his chest and carrying him straight up into the sky. If Tetroin didn’t do something quick he’d be finished so he pulls up his sword and with all the might left in him, he brings it down on the wing that was carrying him, chopping it clean off. With a screech of pain the griffin and the old wizard were left plummeting back to the ground. Tetroin brings all of the power within him to his hand and with one more burst of power Tetroin glides down to safety. The griffin lands with a massive crash, hitting the ground instantly killing it. Tetroin couldn’t move at this point, all he could do was lie there, staring at the dust where the griffin hit the ground. Suddenly, a small black glob emerged from the dust and starts crawling towards the wizard that was lying helplessly on the ground, unable to move. The glob drew closer and closer, till it was a small distance from Tetroin’s face, that’s when a massive red foot came down on it. Tetroin looks up to see Fendrid shining in the sunlight, his own battle seemed to of ended, Fendrid looks down and they caught each other’s eyes. Fendrid grins in triumph as they had defeated the enemy, then notices his friend was wounded.
“Are you ok, my friend?”
“It’s fairly hard to move… my chest… losing blood-”
Tetroin was in quite a bit of pain and even talking was a large task, he got up slowly and this was even worse for him.
“Easy now, don’t push your-“
Fendrid cut off and wheezes, gasping for air, he fell to the ground in pain. Tetroin pushed himself so hard to get up that blood began gushing out of the open wound in his chest, he didn’t care, though. He needed to get to his friend and try to help him. Tetroin rushes over to him, Fendrid thrashes about, trying as hard as he could to get air but with no success, his eyes were wild with rage and panic.
“Fendrid! What is wrong?! Fendrid!”
Tetroin was panicking now. Just then, two black, shadowy hands burst from the ground beneath Fendrid’s foot where he had stomped the glob. Tetroin watches helplessly as the two hands rip scales from Fendrid’s leg and then seep into the dragon’s leg.
“NO! NO! FENDRID!” Tetroin yells frantically.
Fendrid was already lost and Tetroin’s words never reached him, his eyes began glowing the same color as his great red scales that were now left a cold black. The massive dragon stops thrashing and gave into the overwhelming evil that had concord him, then began to get up. Tetroin took several steps back preparing for the worst, though he knew no matter what he did, nothing could prepare him for a fight like this, he’d never be able to finish Fendrid if he even were to get a chance. The mighty dragon turns, he pauses for a moment before he opens his mouth and takes aim at Tetroin. Tetroin could see fire brewing in the back of the great beast’s throat, in an instant Tetroin directs all of his magic into a barrier surrounding him, and in that same instant fire was all around him, not breaking through the barrier but wrapping around the barrier on all sides. It wasn’t the same fire Fendrid normally breathes. This fire looked dark red compared to his normal light orange fire. Tetroin was holding the barrier strong against the fire when out of the corner of his eye he saw a break in the fire and an object came whizzing into view but before Tetroin could react it struck him in the side hard sending him flying, and breaking his barrier. Tetroin was dazed and winded but got up and realized that it was the dragons tail that had struck him, his chest had opened up again, he wasn’t going to last much longer and knew he had to get out of there. It was dark now and the full moon was out gleaming down on Tetroin and Fendrid. The wizard looked around desperately for anything that might help and his eyes landed on the mountains. He quickly launched himself into the air in the direction of the mountains gliding through the air as quickly as possible. He flew frantically. He felt just like the small blue bird trying to get away from the massive dragon, helpless and scared. He knew Fendrid was just waiting for the wizard to take off, for almost immediately the dragon was upon him, slashing the air all around Tetroin only just missing him. There wasn’t much space between Tetroin and the mountains but if he didn’t do something quick he wouldn’t make it there at all, so instead of flying towards the mountains, Tetroin quickly flew between Fendrid’s wings and then he flew straight up into the clouds now changing course in the direction of the mountains. It seems Tetroin had lost him, so he had made way for the mountains. It was dark when he reached the mountains. In the dark he had to scan the mountain side carefully for the great dwarven doorway. Tetroin searched for at least half the night. He was tired and it was getting hard for him to keep his eyes open. Eventually, he found the door, it was concealed very well, almost invisible in the dark but he managed to find it. He glides down and lands in front of the door, he was very relieved to be here, he calls out to anyone inside listening.
“Hello! It is the wizard Tetroin, I am seeking help! Will you answer my call?”
There was no answer from the door, no noise, no movement, and so he attempts to push the door open with no luck. Tetroin sat down with his back against the wall, anger spreading through him.
“Where could they be? Why are they not answering me?”
Tetroin knew the Dwarves were ones that tended to ignore stranger’s knocks but the Dwarves knew Tetroin and would have answered otherwise. Was there trouble? Tetroin decide he shouldn’t give up so easy, he started looking around and noticed something peculiar about the door, massive letters written in blood spelt out: “To those who enter, beware: the shadows are everywhere!” This frightens Tetroin, he began searching the area around the door, he managed to find a bush near the base of the mountain that was covering a trap door, Tetroin pulled the handle and with some force it gave in and opened, inside it was dark, there was a rickety ladder descending down into darkness, carefully Tetroin put his foot on the first rung listening and watching carefully. Then he heard something, the flap of wings, but it wasn’t coming from below him. He looked up but didn’t see anything in the pitch dark, he lit a small ball of floating light in his hand, the light it gave off cut through the dark, he looked around again, but there was nothing. He was about to climb down when something massive landed in front of him sending him toppling off the ladder and into darkness. He looked back up through the trap door opening and saw Fendrid’s glowing, hollow red eyes staring back at his.

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Tetroin awoke to several voices, it seems the fall and blood loss had caused him to lose consciousness. Tetroin jumped up, retrieving his revolver as he did, pointing it at whatever was talking. Only to find six shocked looking Dwarves staring back at him. One the Dwarves clad in blue stood and stepped up to speak. “Easy there, lad, we are friends. It looks like you took a mighty long fall down that ladder, we got that nasty cut of yours clean and bandaged.”
Tetroin looks down at where the gash in his chest was, but there were bandages there now blocking his view. He then looks back up at the Dwarves, utterly confused about everything that had happened.
“You look confused.” Spoke a second Dwarf. This dwarf was wearing a red colored vest. “Let us tell you the tale of what happened here.”
The Dwarves all sat back down around a fire they had built, out of old books by the looks of it. Beside the fire there were more books stacked high. The Dwarves invited Tetroin to sit with them. Tetroin gratefully accepted their invitation. Tetroin looks around the fire. The Dwarf clad in blue that had talked to him was sitting closest to him on his left. In the middle of his blue vest there was a mallet emblem. He looks far older than the rest of the Dwarves. He had a gray beard and gray hair, though he was balding at the top of his head and he held a mallet in his hand. There was the second Dwarf, who had also talked to him, he was wearing red, sitting next to the dwarf clad in blue. He looked a bit younger with a brown beard and brown hair. His beard was braided on the out most part. In the middle of his red vest there was an anvil emblem. Next to him was another Dwarf wearing red, with an anvil emblem. This Dwarf looks almost identical to the other dwarf wearing red, aside from the braids in his being in the middle most part of his brown beard. They both had heavy looking hammers in their hands. The Dwarf sitting next to him wore green with a herb emblem in the center. This one looks very young compared to the others. He still only had short brown hair and a short brown beard. A scythe lay on the ground next to him. The fifth Dwarf wore orange and was young looking like the Dwarf wearing green with a short orange beard and short orange hair which matched the color of his shirt. In the middle of his shirt was a pickaxe emblem and in his hand was a pickaxe to match it. Finally, there came the Dwarf sitting farthest from the other Dwarves. He has matted down brown hair and a thick beard. He wore gleaming armor beneath his yellow vest. In the middle of his vest there was an emblem with a shield and two crossed swords behind it. He looked fairly tired and didn’t seem to want to sit with or even look at the other Dwarves. He stared down at the sword and shield on the ground before him sadly. They all look like they had seen better days. They were all battle torn and bandaged like Tetroin. Then Tetroin looks around the room they were in. It looks like a huge, old ruined library, there was once amazing stonework done on the walls but now the place looks completely wrecked, as if a giant beast came through tearing it apart. The Dwarf wearing orange stands to speak. “We are glad to see another survivor, Dwarf or other, but now for introductions, my name in Onti. The first one in red here goes by Tranve, and the other clad in red is Rokl. Next is the Dwarf you see in green, he goes by Warin and finally, are leader in blue, Grocke.”
Tetroin noticed that Onti never mentioned anything about the Dwarf in yellow and could clearly tell he noticed too, for he looks up at Tetroin as if he were to say something, but then thinks better of it and turns away. Instead Grocke stood looking over to the left out Dwarf then to Tetroin.
“My pardons, Onti isn’t too fond of Farlir.” Then he raises his voice slightly aiming it towards Onti. “Of course, if he would put his pride behind him and understand that an ally is an ally in these times then there wouldn’t be such a problem.”
It almost looked as if Onti was about to protest but Grocke gave him a stern look that shut him up. He turned back to Tetroin at this time to continue talking to him. “As you can see the great Dwarven libraries are ruined, much like the rest of our city. We were attacked by an unknown force. Unfortunately, it was not the attackers who left our city in such a manner.” He pauses and looks around at his brethren. “It was the very people who build this place that destroyed it. Our civil war destroyed our home and killed most of our friends and family and all because we did what we’ve known since we were children.” He moves to Farlir and sets a hand on his shoulder and looks back to Tetroin to continue. “Us Dwarves have been in civil war for quite some time. You haven’t visited recently but the king, Brimor Hammerhold, has died. He was assassinated before his wife could bear him a child, so there was no one left to take up the throne. It was set to a vote and Visorys Irongut was voted in was our new leader, though his views and hunger for power went far further than any previous leader. He split the mountains into four sections: Blue section, masonry. Red section, metal work. Green section, agriculture. Orange section, mining. A fifth section was also made, the yellow section, the royal guard. Children were taken from their homes and sent to which ever section suited them best, until the people finally revolted and withheld their children. Irongut was outraged and sent the royal guards out to kill everyone who resisted them and so the people fought back and eventually it was just mindless killing of our own people.” He stops and looks to Farlir. “The only person to blame is that fat pig of a king.”
“Let’s not forget the runts that did his bidding for him!” Onti got up and yelled it directly at Farlir, who in return got up and took a step towards Onti but before anything happens Tetroin steps up and got between them. They both look shocked.
“Gentlemen, please, this is no time for hostility between allies, the past is the past.”
Onti tore himself out of Tetroin’s grip and angrily sat back down. Tetroin released Farlir and he did the same.
“Now then,” spoke Grocke “I must tell you of the enemy at hand now.”
He pauses and looks at each Dwarf around him then continued with a grim look in his eyes.
“When they attacked, none of us stood a chance, they took us completely by surprise. It slowly corrupted and killed almost all of us. There are some groups, left in hiding, like our own and others that escaped the cities completely, but most were followed. Still not much is known about our enemy, it struck with such ferocity-” Grocke stops and holds back tears.
Rokl stands and pats Grocke’s back as it was clearly painful for Grocke to relive these memories. Grocke stood tall, as tall as a Dwarf can stand and continues his story. “The enemy was almost like a living thing that takes over others. In this case, those others were our friends and family. They use them as vessels to destroy their opponents. It was a mad slaughter and they are still here, taking hold of any straggling survivors they can find. They patrol the city, waiting for any living things to show themselves so they can finish the job they started.”
He stops and looks at Tetroin, who was listening intently, he clears his throat.
“My name is Tetroin, I came to this city in search of anyone who will help me defeat this evil, I never knew it was this bad though-” Tetroin trailed off.
Tranve spoke up this time.
“If you are looking for help, this isn’t the place to get it.”
Grocke turns from Tranve to Tetroin and spoke again.
“My friend is trying to say is that we don’t exactly have men to spare at this time, we have to stay and do what we can to protect the city and try to find other survivors.”
Tetroin looks at Grocke with understanding but at the same time sadness. Tetroin stops, looking at his feet in sorrow, thinking of his friend. The room fell silent as they all stared into the fire. Tetroin thought for a moment. “I will help you, my new friends.”
The Dwarfs look up in slight shock and excitement.
Warin jumps up and spoke this time. “With a wizard in our ranks we finally stand a chance against those things!”
“Don’t speak nonsense wizard, this is Dwarven business, not your own.”
The Dwarves all look at Grocke as if they were about to protest. Suddenly a bang came at the door at the far end of the room, and then again and again. The bangs echoed through the old library.
“They have come!” Warin yells. He picks up his pickaxe and charges the door. The rest of the Dwarves follow him close behind. Tetroin pulled out his revolver and held it in one hand. He held his sword in the other. He follows the Dwarves to the door, they had barricaded it and clearly something on the other side was attempting to bash it down. The Dwarves held strong preparing for anything. Suddenly, the door flew open, a shadow Giant stood beyond and several shadow Dwarves. The Dwarves took a step back but held strong to their position. The shadow Giant took a step forward preparing to swing the club in his hand. Tetroin took the opportunity and launches into the air and stabs the Giant in the chest and quickly retreating remembering the trick the griffin used. Sure enough, seconds later a shadowy shot out grabbing at Tetroin. In turn, Tetroin points his empty revolver at the hand. Pure orange magic collects in the chamber. Tetroin takes aim and pulls the trigger sending a flaming magical bullet straight through the shadowy hand. The hand drops and the Giant lets out a horrible cry and drops to it’s knees and then fell on his back and went silence. Tetroin looks around, the Dwarves had disposed of the rest of the opponent and were now watching his battle. Tetroin lands on the ground and Dwarves roar with excitement.
“Good job lad, that was amazing.” Rokl roared with laughter.
“I guess, a wizard wouldn’t be too bad to have with us.” Grocke said with a slight grin.
“Of course, I will still go with you but remember this, these were once our friends, family and so on, there is nothing exciting about what we are doing. We are doing it because we have to.”
The Dwarves looked outraged and starting shouting wildly at Tetroin. “We know what they are! More than you can understand!”
“You’d be surprised how well I understand you, I have lost loved ones to this shadow. Now let’s not fight between friends, I just need you to understand that. Now let’s move.”
Tetroin steps forward through the Dwarves and past the dead Giant then continued down the corridor, staying in the shadows with the Dwarves following close.
Tranve broke the silence and whispers to Rokl. “Where are we heading?”
“The great hall, my Dwarven friend, I sense evil lingering from there.”
They continued to travel in silence until they got there. They found a dark room there, empty of any living things. Tetroin still felt something was off. He motioned for the Dwarves to stay where they were and so they did. Tetroin took a step into the great hall, it was massive. Yellow banners lined the hall and a long yellow carpet led up to the throne at the end of the room. Tetroin made way for the throne.
“So, you have finally come, Tetroin!” The voice echoes around the room followed by deep laughter.
Tetroin and the Dwarves both whirl around the room trying to pin point the voice. Out of the corner, a dark figure rises and moves across the room to the throne, where it sat down. The torch flames danced to life, eliminating the room. The light reveals, a rather fat Dwarf, very wrinkly, gray hair and a gray beard, sitting on the throne. The other Dwarves burst in.
“Irongut! How are you still living?!” The Dwarves look amazed and frightened.
“I am king, so you will address me as such. I see you brought friends, Tetroin. No matter, I have friends of my own.” Irongut claps once and out of a side corridor, leading out of the room, six shadow Dwarves march into the room and stop in front of the nasty, old king.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Tetroin shouted in anger.
“What do you mean, wizard?” The fat king was toying with him.
“You know, exactly what I mean, your own people stand before you, as puppets, and you sit comfortably in your throne!”
The king sighs, as if Tetroin was missing something. “You see, this is why I am a king and you are nothing more than a filthy wizard with your silly little magic tricks. A true king has power and power comes at a cost. This cost was not a big deal, in a way, I benefit from it, in a way. Let me show you.”
A sinister smile crept across the king’s face. As a hole ripped itself open in the middle of the king’s chest, black liquid poured from the hole, as well as from his eyes and mouth. The liquid began encasing him.
“No… No! You fool!” Tetroin yells at the king.
The king just continues to laugh. Tetroin ready’s his sword and revolver, magic swelling in the chamber. He began charging towards the king but the shadow Dwarves step into his path. The wizard backs off as they swing there mighty axes and hammers as one towards him. Tetroin watches for a moment, when from behind him six Dwarves ran by raising their own weapons at the shadow Dwarves. The twelve Dwarves are soon locked in combat. Tetroin turns his attention back to the king who was completely encased in the black liquid at this point. They both took a step towards each other. The king smiles, as four long shadowy arms emerge from within the gaping hole in the center of his chest. The king shifts his weight as he plants his four shadow hands on the ground and lifts himself off his feet. Tetroin decides it would be best to glide and so he did, keeping his distance from those arms. The king made the first move. One of his shadow hands reach inside his chest and retrieve a glob, the same kind that came from the griffin. He launches one at Tetroin, then another, and another. Tetroin began firing magic bullets down at Irongut in response. To Tetroin’s surprise, Irongut was fairly fast, for his size, and with the help of his hands, could climb walls. Tetroin knew this was going no where, so after dodging a glob he glides as quickly as possible at the king sword ready. He brought it back and swung but the king was too fast and Tetroin crashes into the wall, he turns just in time to dodge another glob. The king was now bolting around the ceiling, and so Tetroin tried to charge him again. This time the king dodges again but grabs the wizard with one hand and tosses him through one of the walls, with tremendous strength. Tetroin came crashing down in a mine shaft.
“He too strong, too quick. I need a plan, he’s just toying with me, right now, soon he’ll get serious and I’ll be dead. Think, Tetroin, think.” Tetroin stands up and looks around, thoughts racing.
“Oh, wizard. Come out and play!” The fat king sang out.
Tetroin’s eyes settle on a box of dynamite, clearing used for mining. He steps out into the open.
“Ah, there you are. You can’t hide from death, wizard, I guess, you’ve learned that.” The king has a sick grin on his face.
Tetroin charges the king again, flying through the air, as fast as he could. The king’s smile only grew larger, as he grabs Tetroin out of the air, tossing him back down, like a ragdoll.
“Don’t you understand, wizard! You tried that already and it failed! I told you, you can’t escape death!” The king laughs wildly. Tetroin smiles and stands up.
“You are right king, YOU can’t escape death.”
Tetroin points his revolver at the king’s chest, a magic fire bullet blazes, ready to fire. The king looks down at the hole in his chest, shocked to see a stick of dynamite within the hole in his chest. He tries to grab it but it was too late. Tetroin pulls the trigger and the dynamite explodes, splattering the wall with globs of shadow and blood which quickly drains away. Tetroin holsters his revolver and sheathes his sword. He glides back through the hole in the wall to find the six shadow Dwarves lying on the floor, like the ones before them. The six Dwarves, Tetroin knew better, were standing waiting for him, or anything else, to emerge. They look ecstatic to see Tetroin. As they roar with laughter and excitement. Tetroin, for the first time in days, finally did the same, happy to be with his new friends.

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Tetroin and his Dwarven friends returned to the library. They six of the Dwarves stood there with Tetroin. Grocke steps forward, patting Tetroin on the shoulder.
“You’ve been a great help, lad, I’m glad we met you. Please come back very soon.”
“Are you going to be okay here without me?” Tetroin asks jokingly.
“Well, we got quite a bit of cleaning up to do.” Grocke looks around the library. “And we need to finish off any straggling shadows, which shouldn’t be hard with their leader dead. We need to also help any survivors we can.”
“I’m glad I could help out, my friend.” Tetroin smiles.
“You also gave us one more thing, wizard.” Grocke also smiles.
Tetroin looks at him confused. “And what’s that?”
“New friendship.” He gestures to Farlir and Onti.
Onti pats Farlir on the shoulder and laughs, Tetroin smiles again then turns back to Grocke.
Grocke pulls a single book from the wall and one of the bookcases slides to the side. Tetroin steps through the hole where the shelves opened.
Now Grocke looks serious. “Alright friend, listen now and listen good! I have two sons, they escaped the city and I haven’t seen or heard from them since, I know they lived, they are strong but you will have to find them, tell them I sent you and that you need their help!”
“But what of you?”
“We will be okay. We have a city to rebuild.” Grocke smiles.
“Very well, be safe my new friend.”
“And you as well, we will see each other again!”
Grocke finishes with a big grin and with that the bookcase slid back into place. Tetroin took a step back and turns. So starts his amazing journey.

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