Part 30: Chromanin redux

Update 28: Chromanin redux





Upon arrival, I immediately informed Xardas of my success.

"I've reactivated URIZIEL!" I said.

"It's incredible, the sword has regained its former powers. Now you have a really powerful weapon!"

A really powerful weapon I couldn't use. "You said there might be a way for me to wield URIZIEL even though I'm a magician?

Xardas gestured to the now blue gem in the sword hilt. "Look closely at URIZIEL. You'll notice the big blue jewel in the blade. It contains the magical powers of the blade. If I remove the jewel, I'll be able to create a magic rune which contains the attributes of URIZIEL itself."

"A magic rune made from URIZIEL?" I asked.

"In battle, the rune will be as powerful as the sword! But don't forget that only a Magician of the Sixth Circle will be able to control such a powerful magic rune!"

That would be no problem for me. My decision was immediate. "Remove the jewel from URIZIEL!"

"This decision is final." Xardas warned me. "Do you really want to remove the jewel?"

I nodded. "YES, do it."



"Since it's what you want..." Xardas extracted the magical gem from the sword and transferred the powers unto a rune. "Here, take the empty sword and the rune!"

The power of this rune was immediately clear to me. With this, I would be able to defeat the fifth shaman for certain.



I left Xardas' tower and made my way out of Orc lands.



I needed to go complete what I'd started in the Orc temple, but before I did there was one thing I wanted to do. I would solve the riddles of the books I've been finding and learn more about this Chromanin.

I looked over my map and pondered the meaning of the last riddle.

What is divided will be reunited, after being massively separated for a short while.

The only thing that crossed my mind was the large chunk of rock that had separated itself from the mountain. I traveled north.



I kept my distance as I passed by the Old Camp. The Guards had all but disbanded since Gomez' death but I did not want to take any risks.



I began my search on the sandbar in the middle of the river that was just north of the Old Camp.




I walked to the other side of the large boulder and there it was. The next book! I picked it up and blew the sand off.



I opened it and read the entry and riddle.

Fisherman? I immediately knew where the next book was, for I'd passed it enough. Just outside the New Camp sat an old fisherman's hut. The other book must be around there.



I approached the shack from the road. The trip did not take long but it would have been a good deal quicker if I could have simply teleported to the camp. I suppose that luxury ended when I betrayed Saturas' trust.



I searched the inside of the hut but I saw no sight of the book. The only other place could be across the lake, on the other side of the shore. I swam over.



There it was! Guarded by a single lurker which I dispatched quite easily.



I read the next entry and riddle. Aboard? What could people have been aboard?



After thinking for a short while I decided that the riddle must relate to the shipwreck near the sect camp. I set off in that direction and made it there just as the sun was beginning to set.



The book was between the bow half of the ship and the stern half. A fire lizard was nearby but it was content to leave me alone.



I flipped open the book. You will find me where it all began? How convenient! It was in the tunnels below the nearby tower where I found the first book.



The door to the tower was shut. I know for certain that I'd left it open and I doubted that anyone had gone in since. I stepped inside the tower and made my way down the stairs.



The tunnels were clear and I was now nearing the spot where I'd originally found the book. Up ahead was the answer to this big riddle. Finally I would learn what the Chromanin was.



I stepped into the wide chamber and glance around. Everything else was as I left it except for the body laying in the room. I rushed over to the body.



I checked the body for vital signs but it was too late. He was dead. I looked over his belongings and found that he clutched the last book.



I eagerly flipped through the book, seeking answers or anything else. The book was empty. Nothing had been written.



I stared at the empty pages in disbelief. Suddenly, shrill laughter echoed throughout the hall. I pushed the book away and jumped back. I was face to face with another skeleton mage and his minions. They must have been the ones to kill him. I dealt with the undead, something that proved far more challenging than I had anticipated and looked the chamber over again. Nothing. No sign of the Chromanin or any more riddles. I returned to Xardas' tower. There was nothing more to do there.



As I prepared myself for the remainder of the Sleeper's Temple I went over the writings I'd found for the last time.


This Chromanin, an ancient object of immense power, was gone. Whatever it was I was not meant to have it. Something far bigger than me ensured that I did not come into possession of it.