I
The last

Akuro sat at his bedside breathing deeply, awakened early from another night of restless sleep due to the horrid nightmares he had been receiving night after night for the past few months. Reaching to his night stand Akuro found a glass of water, that he had begun to leave at his bedside every night in preparation for morning, and drank deeply but slowly from it. After finishing his water he stood slowly and stretched, his bones popping from an age that should not be, Akuro Sedecis was nearing his 23 year of life, but he looked and felt to be over 40, "I do not know how I got myself into this" he muttered to himself walking to the mirror "I just need a little rest, maybe a day off from my studies is in order, the library will not be demolished if I find it necessary to take one day off after the years I have spent looking after the books. It was much easier before you passed away Daleten, it seems like years sense you passed away, even though it has only been a few months, taking on your responsibilities and maintaining my own has been a difficult task." Akuro said, returning to his table to retrieve his glass. After realizing the glass to be emptied Akuro begin encircling his hand above it, and muttering a simple phrase over and over again "altenu elitnas fillina, altenu elitnas fillina…" until finely his glass began to glow and refill with water. After refilling his glass and drinking it down again Akuro sighed and then muttered "OK, I can not have any more of that today, or I will only be worse off, no magic unless I am in grave need." Akuro returned to bed and slept for half of the day until waking to a knock on his door.
"AKURO? AKURO ARE YOU THERE?" The voice of Zeritan Quentel boomed through the door. "Yes, yes, I am here Zeritan, what is it that you need?" Came Akuro’s reply as he opened the door of to his room. "Akuro, I thought something had happened to you, you were not at the library, why?" "You know where I was last night, and you know the toll for doing what I do, does it surprise you that I would need rest Zeritan?"
"No, not at all, I forgot that you were doing that last night, so, did you succeed?" Akuro sighed recalling the troubling events that he had been involved in the previous night, looking to the ring on his right ring finger he sighed as he replied "Yes, of course, I was taught well, you forget, I was taught by the mighty Daleten, best of all the black mages." Zeritan nodded, then replied "yes, but you are not him, you have not been in the business as long as he." Akuro nodded "yes, and I am still trying to understand the purpose of this," he said as he removed the black pearl ring on his finger.
Zeritan looked at the stone for quite some time before sighing loudly and replying "I do not know, I have been around the black mages for some time, and Daleten was the only person to possess a ring such as that, he never told anyone what it did, just said that it possessed great power." Akuro nodded and replied "yes, he did not even tell me, I have discovered nothing of its power, though I have attempted to search through its magic, the magic is strong, and blocks me out every time…" Zeritan nodded then placed a hand on Akuro’s shoulder "Sleep well friend, you need your rest." Akuro nodded and gave a faint smile to his good friend "good bye Zeritan, my friend."
Akuro left the door and fell into a deep state of meditation, sleeping for 3 days before he awoke. When he awoke he went the mirror, the frailty was still there, but much less, "I have to take it easy for a while." He mused, then got dressed and headed to the library, feeling much more refreshed.
On his way to the library Akuro attempted one more time to penetrate the smooth black surface of his mentors ring. Feeling his magic swell and expand, he strained his mental power, forcing his mind to enter the realm of the magic hidden beneath the surface of the pearl ring. Akuro fought with all his will power but in the end the ring repelled his intrusion. Realizing he couldn’t stand against the magic in the ring Akuro decided to continue on his way, realizing the if his mentor had used the last of his remaining strength to give the ring to Akuro, there must have been a reason for it, a reason that he would find out sooner or later.
His day was much the same as any other day. Go to the library, open the library, find a book, study the book. After a day of studying the book of ancient lore he had found, Akuro prepared to replace the book and return to his home for the night. After returning the book to its shelf and heading towards the door Akuro stopped feeling an intrusion in his mind, then suddenly he heard a low raspy voice which seemed to be everywhere around him, and no where near him all at once. Listing closely Akuro could make out what the voice was saying, it said "You are…" Puzzled Akuro waited close to three more minutes for more of a message, when none came he decided to return to his home.
In his room, on the second level of Oros Keep, Akuro proceeded through his nightly tasks before going to bed. He locked his door and filled himself a glass of water, then blew out all of the candles in the room, before changing into his night shirt, and then going to bed.
* * *
He ran through the hallway, being chased by a gigantic orb of darkness. "WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?!" The man screamed not slowing in the slightest. The orb just followed, hovering a few feet above the ground, moving slowly but never being outdistanced, maintaining the same distance between the man and itself. "TELL ME WHAT IT IS YOU WANT!" The man screamed again, running out of breath, but never stopping, he continued to run down the hallway, never gaining any ground, trying to get to the door, but never getting closer. "You are…" the voice spoke, distant, but knowing. The man turned suddenly and summoned fourth his magic, sending bolt and bolt of lightning into the orb, but never even scratching its smooth black surface. The voice spoke again, slowly, and deliberately, letting each word sink into the mans heart "…the last." The man was a mere shadow of his true form, realizing that this was the end he stopped resisting and said under his breath "I don’t know what I am the last of, but now…" he took a deep breath before screaming "THERE ARE NONE!" as he spoke the final word the man jumped forth allowing himself to be swallowed by the black orb. "no, you must awaken now, and find yourself"
* * *
Akuro awoke out of breath, and panting, his dream still fresh in his mind, yet he could not remember what it was about, only the feelings he felt from it. After a few moments of catching his breath, Akuro realized that he felt great, his youth seemed to be restored in full. As he stretched he noticed that the black pearl ring he was wearing was glowing and humming softly, he could feel it sending out its power to him, restoring the strength lost from delving into the art of magic. Truly amazed that the stone possessed the power to restore the strength stolen from him by the magic, he wondered exactly how far he could push it, and what the consequences for doings so would be, for he knew that with all magic came a cost. Not wanting to take any chances until he better understood the power of the ring, he sent his thoughts to the stone and suppress the powers into its black endless depths. Smiling broadly as he left his room, Akuro greeted everyone he knew warmly as he headed towards the library.

* * *
The man stood facing the boar, a wide grin on his face, not caring about the obvious danger he faced "Ye escaped once before, but not again, I won’ let ye this time." The boar snorted and charged at him, the man stood his ground then discarded his dagger "Hand te hand aye?" he said before leaping to meet the charge of the mighty boar…
Jahard Elmaro was the best hunter and tracker there was. He was able to wrestle any animal to the ground if he so chose to. He had lived in the wilderness sense he was a child, both parents killed by a bear. He had no idea how he survived, but for some reason he felt a bond with the out doors as though it had saved him from some horrid destiny. He felt no resentment towards the bear, or any other animal, deep down he understood that all the creatures that killed, were in need.
…he held the boar pined to the ground now, and before ending its life he whispered to it "I am sorry that you must die, but your death shall aid me, and so it must be done." Upon finishing his sentence he retrieved his knife and killed the beast.
Returned to his home, Jahard cleaned his knife and took the tusks from the corps. When finished he began to roast the boar in preparation for his dinner.

Finished with dinner now, Jahard sat idly, fiddling with his knife. "what am I going to do?" he said to himself, thinking of all the things he must find a way to accomplish. "I need money to buy equipment, and I need equipment in order to get anywhere…" he sighed deeply, allowing his sentence to fall at that.
He slept that night, after finally deciding to go into the city, and see what he could get for the tusks he had collected, he was bent on finding the legendary dragon sphere, and summoning the magic it had to restore his magic. He had heard the story’s from ancients, he was the last of the dragon clan, the mystics had told him, he could summon the power of the dragon orb, and gain the magic of the clan of old. He was told that in the beginning there were three clans, the dragon, the shadow, and the ethereal. Each possessing magic far beyond that of the other sorcerers.
Within each clan there were items that gave there clansmen great power, the dragon orb, supposedly the last of all the items, was the main magical item of the dragon clan. It was not known if any of the other clans remained, but he knew that if he got the dragon orb he could regain honor, regain the power to do great things for the land. Regain his humanity .

* * *

Akuro reached the library and went immediately to work on finding out more about the ring, he searched all the books he could find on magic, nothing was revealed to him, you could not believe that in all of the books on magic he possessed none had any mention of the ring.
Sitting at his desk Akuro began to translate an ancient tomb of magic, as he did every day he was at the library. His mentor had taught him one thing that was above all else in Akuro’s heart, no matter what you know, there is always more, and when there is more, find it. Akuro sat at his desk every day, learning, gaining strength in the knowledge that fueled the magic he wielded, his power growing with his thoughts, his thoughts growing with is questions, and his questions growing as he read on.
He was mid way through the tome he was translating when a thought came to him. He got up, walked to the book case on the second level, not knowing why, but neither did he ask. He reached the shelf in mind, and pulled out a book he had never read before, opening it, he read through it gingerly. After five minutes of reading, he discovered a chapter on an ancient sorcerer clan, called the shadow clan. Reading about them, he discovered they were one of the strongest sorcerer clans there were, along with the dragon, and the ethereal clans.
He learned that each clan had magic items, and that the items could only be used by a decedent of the clan. The shadow clan held an item called the ring of shadow, A black pearl, on a silver ring, with runes encircling the mettle.
Akuro realized with a start, that he was wearing the ring of shadow. Thinking about it, the dream came back, the same haunting voice repeated in his mind once more "you are the last…" Now he knew, he was the last of the shadow clan, and the ring was his to command. The ring was the only known artifact from the shadow clan.
Akuro began his journey home, he was about a block away when he bumped into a tall wild looking figure. "Im sorry." Akuro began, but the man cut him off short "it is no problem, sir, I wasn’t paying much attention myself, I’m looking for the library head, his name is Akuro Sedecis, do you know of him?" Akuro nodded, "yes, I do, but why would you be looking for him?" the man replied simply, and Akuro knew it to be the truth when he said "I have a question to ask of him, and I am hoping he will be interested in what I plan to propose." Akuro nodded and said with a broad smile on his face "well, in that case, come with me, for I am who you seek, please, join me at my home for a bit of tea, I usually stay at Oros Keep, but we may travel to my home if you wish to discuss business" The man smiled and nodded "yes, that would be wonderful"
The two traveled out of the city, and into the forest until the reached a large house and Akuro pronounced them home. Inside now, Akuro got some food cooking, and brought out some tea for his guest and himself. "I am Jahard Elmaro" the man began, "I need your assistance in finding the magical dragon sphere, of the dragon clan." Akuro nodded and replied "are you aware that the sphere will only be of value to a dragon clan member? That the orb can not even be touched by anyone besides a decedent of the clan?"
Jahard nodded, unable to hide the smile from his face "I am the last of the dragon clan, and I believe the last of the three ancient clans…" now it was Akuros turn to smile, "not quite friend, I am the last of the shadow clan" Jahard smiled, both realizing now, that fate had brought them together.

And so it began, the two men becoming fast friends, they talked all night, while eating a huge feast prepared by Akuro. They talked, and Akuro revealed that he had use of magic, although not in the extent of what the ancient clans could use, and he told Jahard about the ring, and they decided to go out as soon as possible to find the orb, and restore the powers of shadow and dragon, the two clans that had once spent there entire existence in finding ways to help the people of the world live more easily.

I I
The legend

Akuro stood on the bluff, calling forth his true power from deep within. Jahard stood back patiently, guessing he should not disturb Akuro in these crucial moments of spell casting.
They had been traveling for over a month now, and no hints of there destination had been found.
Akuro’s body shuttered slightly, and aura of power forming about his body, a slew of words escaped his mouth, and suddenly after a blinding light, his concentration paid off. Akuro now knew the location of the dragon orb, the companies first destination.
"we will find the orb of your clan, my friend, I now know where to start looking." Akuro said, a broad smile splay across his face. "yes, by the show you put on, I’m guessing you do!" laughed Jahard. "Yes, one of the benefits of magic, it is always interesting to learn something!" Akuro replied happily. "Well then, O’ magical one, where are we to go?" Jahard spat with a grin on his face.
Suddenly, Akuro was not smiling anymore "we are to go into the swamps of Nentro, into the deepest region of the Darkwood bog. Then we will seek out an old witch, no more than that do I know." He said, his eyes stern and focused. Jahard jump back upon hearing where they would go, "Are you mad?!" he shouted, "You must know the legends as well as I! The swamp is suicide to anyone that breathes in its air" Akuro simply nodded, then started off and said "We will need supplies."
The next morning Jahard awoke to a burning fire, and a smiling friend. "how did it go?" Jahard asked Akuro, who had went ahead the previous night to make sure they would be able to get a room in Colten. "fine, we may leave as soon as you are ready" Akuro said with a smile.

* * *

The shadow melted from the wall, silently gliding down the hallway. His target was the Mayor of Colten. The mayor was not liked by someone, and his job was to make sure that that person was not troubled any longer. He did not know what the mayor had done, but he did not care, after all, it was not his job to ask why, only how much.
The shadow found the man in his room sound asleep on his bed. Slowly, a magical field come forth about the shadow’s body, and then, it focused into a blazing fireball which was hurled at the man. The man caught fire silently, and burned without sound. The shadow smiled, his face dark beneath the shadows of his hood. With a snap of his fingers the burning ended, and the man, sitting stunned on his bed stammered "W-w-w-ha-at ar-r-e yo-o" "Silence!" the shadow screamed. "Why is it they always want to know who is about to kill them?" he muttered "I will tell you what I tell all of my victims, all you must know, is that you are already dead" slowly he brought forth his black ring, and slowly the mans consciousness glided towards the smooth surface…
* * *

They arived at Colten late that afternoon, the town was in complete dissorder, something had happened the previouse night, something bad. "umm, something you forgot to tell me about?" asked Jahard. "It was not like this last night, stra-" he never finished his sentence, a man ran up to him screaming "It was you! I saw you! Last night! Don’t deny it stranger! You killed him! I know you did! We have witnesses who reported a dark figure entering his house last night, and it doesnt get much darker then you! GUARDS ARREST HIM!"
When the guards came Akuro went with them with no struggled, only saying first to Jahard "better not to fight there ways, better to work things out later" and then he was taken away.

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