For the first time in many months Rufus returned to Fort Llast. He took out the key to open the door of his house, but never did it. He stood there, staring at the house in the night, the time passed by and it had already been around 10 minutes, he stood still, silently, without a single motion.
"Why?" He whispered silently.
He then left Fort Llast and slowly walked towards Hlint, it was a quiet night and he had no need nor had he wished to hurry. It wasn't anything like Rufus, who was always running around with every possible spell cast to make him even faster. That night was special, he needed to think, about the past, the present and the future. Too soon did the gates begin to show on the horizon, Rufus stopped an looked at the hills infront of the town. "It started here..." he whispered. He stood there and with a slight smile looked as the goblin watchmen became nervous. He then sighed and continued his trip towards Hlint.
Rufus entered the town and climbed up the watchtower, he sat there and stared at the crossroads in the centre of Hlint. Suddenly he began to see something, there were people there, but he couldn't say who they were, he wasn't even sure if they were real. His eyes widened as he heard one of them speak, then suddenly the figures became clearer and Rufus realised that he is seeing himself. It was Rufus from years ago, in a robe that is already long forgotten. He stood there in the centre of Hlint and tried to gather a party, he spoke of treasures, ogres and undead. Talking really loud and waving his hands around emotionally he tried to convince others to go with him.....to adventure!
A picture suddenly changes, it is now a market, the one that has been destroyed. There, Rufus brought an ox and the merchant is unloading the new goods. In the process Rufus is shouting at the clerk so he wouldn't "loose" a part of the income like last month.
The pictures dissappear and the night is silent once again. Rufus still looks to the centre of the town hoping another vision will appear, minutes pass by but nothing happens. Rufus begins to whisper silently, he is sure nobody will hear him.
"That was my life, I have already forgotten what it was like. It was business above all, second only to adventure. Back in those days I wasn't called the devil." Rufus then smiles once again. "I wonder how somebody came up with such a comparison. Life was simple back then, I was only a striving young boy with no exprerience but a with a lot of confidence. Interesting how times change, everything I wished for back then, I have now. But it feels strange, I do not want it, what is wrong with me?
Another vision begins. In the centre of a large cavern a black dragon is desperatly fighting for his life, he was caught unprepared and was loosing the battle. A couple of quick moments later the eyes of dragons fill with a cry for help which is suddenly replaced with complete emptiness...the dragon takes his last breath and dies. Two wizards approach and begin to loot the cave....one of them is once again Rufus.
"My biggest mistake....what was I thinking in the day? I have always admired the great being, if there is a superior race, then it is them. They should rule the world! Maybe that is why I wanted to slay one, I wanted to defeat the greatest being so I could become one myself." He then sighs. "I will never fight another dragon again, their life is worth more than mine....never thought I would say such a thing.
Before Rufus has a chance o finish his thoughts he a new vision begins. He sees how a man murders an elven woman, silently, without any emotions.
"Yamila..." Rufus whispers. "She told me everything, she trusted me with everything she knew. She made me a Black Wizard....and...
Suddenly terrible screams fill the night, the vision shows a town and the people there are running for their lives. Every one of them is helpless, they die one by one as a dark figure massacres the them.
"That was needed, it was the last step towards my dream. I now have what I always wanted - power!"
"But why do I need that power, all I get from it are problems. The Cult, it was a great beginning, it was supposed to accomplish much, but yet I hear of only failures. Lady Delmir contacted me and said it was time to end it, she said I was to take matters in my own hands. Perhaps she is right, it is my duty to help my diety. Nevertheless I do not know if I want to, I had enough of this. I want to be left alone! I want to follow the events in the world, perhaps sometimes take part by joining some adventure group, but I wish to remain in the shadows......yet the recent events revealed me to the whole world."
"Will I always think like that or is just this night....time will show. I will wait for the Grandmaster to tell me my future, but until then....I will disappear."
"I must be getting old"
"But there is one last thing....the drow, my apprentice. I never quite believed that it was I who took a drow as an apprentice, I hated drow. But there was something in him, he is as arrogant as I always was. I will need to speak with him. "
The sun begins to show itself and Rufus slowly stands up and walks towards the inn...he looks so tired as if he had battled the whole night long.
///Rufus is going to become a shadow of his former self, appearing only rarely. This is mostly because I will have almost no time to play starting next week. So I will be either on for 1-2 hours on a rare weekday or play Ed's quests on weekends, nothing else will be possible. That is why Rufus is removing himself from anything where he has a words to say, so he wouldn't hinder any development. I must apologise to the Dark Alliance and the GM that contacted me yesterday regarding a quest to Voltrex. I won't have the time to commit myself to any of these.
I am hoping to fully join Layonara again in summer, but until then I will visit you all from time to time. If anybody feels a need to reply then please to.
PS Could a GM that played lady Delmir please contact me when he has read this, so I know that my absence won't be a surprise.
