This story was made by me a while ago. It's over twenty pages long, so please feel free to take breaks. It also consists of ten chapters, each one packed with action. Enjoy!
~Age of Zaros~Prologue:
Guthix first came to the empty void now known as Runescape long before the first age began. He then created the world, which he called 'Gielnor,' and all of it's abundance. He created the natural laws that governed the order of things, and he created nature. He also created life. His new realm was flowing with life, including elves, dwarves, gnomes, and humans. Guthix saw that everything was peaceful, good, and in balance, and then he slept. Shortly thereafter, a new deity entered the world of Gielnor. His name was Zaros, but he was known as the Empty Lord. He used nature for his own good, and built cities and fortresses, forcing the creatures of Gielnor to be his slaves. He soon forged an empire more powerful than any other that ever existed. He ruled it with an iron fist, and used the Mahjarrat tribe from the realm of Freneskae as his soldiers. He also created creatures that are now forever gone from Gielnor. Monstrosities that, according to most, we should be glad are gone. Zaros also had a goal, which was to dominate all of Gielnor, and to control it's vast population, and to harvest it's mass materials for himself.
Yet what is the most shocking of all this, is that he would have succeeded.
Chapter I
"The Islarin tribe has been wiped out, my lord..." Zamorak bowed down and knelt before his master, the Empty Lord of Gielnor, whose spirit was mysteriously present on the throne inside the large dragon jaws inside the chamber. "They were no match for your magics, sire."
"Do you know of Amscut?" The deep, horrid voice of Zamorak's master seemed to ignore his victory.
"Yes, my lord," Zamorak raised his head from his bow. "'The Devourer,'"
"She openly mocks me, and defiles my lands with her wretched filth!" Zamorak began shivering from the anger in his Lord's words. "Destroy her army, and bring her to me."
"Is that all?"
"Go, now."
"Yes, my lord," Zamorak bowed and exited the chamber.
"SOLDIERS... MARCH!" Zamorak's chief lieutenant, Thammaron barked orders at the army of vampires and demons that were pouring out of Senntisten by the thousands, going south to annihilate Amscut 'The Devourer' and her undead or possessed army. Massive, Greater Demons flew low over the army, ready to defend them from the Wyrms, which were dragon-like beast of the air. They sometimes could become hypnotized by The Devourer, and Zamorak's horde took every precaution and always overestimated their opponent intentionally.
"How many legions are leaving?" the sting of Zamorak's voice always seemed to hurt Thammaron's ears.
"Ten legions, sir," Thammaron responded. "Amscut will pay for her insolence to our Lord!"
"Our forces will overwhelm her, but be careful, as she is not as brainless as her army suggests!"
"Yes, sir," Thammaron said.
"And one more thing," Zamorak's eyes seemed to pierce through his helmet as he looked at Thammaron. "Our master wants her alive!"
"Yes, sir!"
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Ten of the army's twelve legions were assembled on the desert field in front of the lone mountain on which the Fortress of Pyrantia, the home of the Devourer, rested. Zamorak smiled. He knew that victory would be theres.
"Azzanadra," he looked towards one of his master's top commanders and warriors. "Take three legions and go around the mountain and flank them. I want this battle ended by dawn! Destroy the fortress and bring Amscut back
alive, am I understood."
Azzanadra smiled his demonic smile. "Yes, sir..."
Suddenly, a screech came from the fortress, followed by a war cry from thousands of undead and possessed creatures charging at the armies of Senntisten. Amsacut's army was mainly undead, zombie-like ghouls, and possessed humans whom the Devourer had cast a spell upon to hypnotize them to do her bidding.
"MAGES! PREPARE YOUR STAFFS!" roared Thammaron. "TAKE AIM!" Thammaron sucked in air to make his final call. "FIRE!" A wave of ice spells came crashing upon Amscut's possessed army, freezing the first three rows. Simialr shadow and smoke spells were fired as well, blinding and poisoning the front line. Then came the blood spells from the vampire Draynor, the most powerful of all vampires, and his target's life seemed to just drain away in a red smoke.
"DEMONS!" Thammaron bellowed. "BREAK THEIR LINES!" First the Greater Demons flew in, landing in the middle of the army and smashing them with their massive weapons and wiping them out, and then their lesser counterparts, along with many imps, came crashing into their already weakened front line, wiping them out with such ease and viciousness, that they knew that victory would come within the hour.
"To the keep!" Azzanadra pointed his diamond sword at the castle of Amscut. "Bring the Devourer out alive!"
Three legions rushed to the un-guarded backside of the fortress, destroying everything in their path, and killing the undead that inhabited the interior. Azzanadra lead the way to the highest tower, where Amsacut was fending off the Greater Demons sent by Zamorak. Azzanadra pointed his magical sword at her, and the ice diamond on his sword glowed as a silver substance shot at her, freezing her for several seconds, which was enough for the largest of the Greater Demons to grab her and bring her back to their Lord.
The now tiny forces of Amscut were retreating back to the fortress, only to be massacred by Azzanadra's forces that occupied the castle. Soon the forces were rounded up and slaughtered. The orders of Zaros had been carried out.
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Amscut's lips trembled, along with the rest of her body, partly from the cold nights of Senntisten, and maybe because of her tattered and ripped robes, but mostly because of the Empty Lord's anger, and his power, which was enough to end her life in any second.
"You have mocked me time and time again!" she trembled at Zaros' voice. "Your wretched filth has defiled my lands! This will stop!"
"Y-y-yes l-lord Zaros," she stammered, and then began to cry. "J-just l-let m-m-me g-go free!"
"You are bound with adamantine chains, your army has just been annihilated and your power has been drained!" Treus Dayth, a cunning Mahjarrat warrior known as 'The Serpent' cut in. "You are in no position to bargain."
"Zamorak, get this wretch out of my court!" Zaros ordered. From the anger in Zaros' voice, not only Treus Dyth shook with fear. Zamorak grabbed him and dragged him across the courtroom and threw him into the courtyard. The Empty Lord turned towards Amscut, his evil appearance frightening her even more. Suddenly, Amscut dropped down and fainted. "Remove her from my sight!"
"Shall I kill her?" Zamorak asked.
"You have much to learn, Zamorak," Zaros spoke. "If you kill her, she will be freed from all suffering. Let her linger on in the desert, where she will remain for a milenia!"
Zamorak nodded, and cast a teleportation spell on the unconscious Devourer. immediately, purple cubes surrounded her, then disappeared, and she was gone.
Several hours later, Amsacut awoke to a blinding sun and extreme heat. She looked up to see mountains rising above the desert ground. She looked behind her and saw huge cliffs. She was trapped. She tried to use magic to quench her thirst and relieve the heat, but it was no use. She fell to her knees and cried out with despair. At that moment, many thoughts came to her, but what she did not know was that she would be trapped in that desert for a thousand years.
Chapter II
Azzanadra awoke to the war chants of Zaros' huge marching army.
My Lord must have given more orders during the night... It wasn't even a week since the victory over Amsacut that absolutely stunned the gods Armadyl, Saradomin, Icthlarin, Seren, and Elidinis. Azzanadra quickly put on his legendary black armour with the purple emblem of his Lord, Zaros, engraved on it. He grabbed his sword, and teleported outside, onto Zamorak's tower, in which he directed orders to his demon-generals.
"Many greetings, Zamorak," he said as he appeared next to the commander.
Zamorak nodded through his helmet. "As to you, Azzanadra, my brother."
"What orders has our Lord given today?"
Zamorak turned towards his Mahjarrat brethren. "Armadyl has poured his power into a staff. His energy has been drained greatly, and our Master has ordered us to destroy him while he is weak."
"Why did he encase his power in a staff?" Azzanadra asked, half to himself, half to Zamorak.
"He needs it for something..." Zamorak said, as if he knew something that Azzanadra didn't, and he didn't want to tell him.
"For what?"
"His reasons are as barren to me as to you, brother," Zamorak walked towards his second-in-command, Thammaron. "Release Draynor and Drakan's legions." Thammaron simply smiled demonically and gave a low-pitched war cry. immediately, one of the twelve gates opened, and vampire and werewolves raced out into the thick forests beyond the walls of Senntisten.
Within several hours, the hordes of Zaros stopped at the very gates of Laryrnon, the large border city protected by the combined forces of Armadyl and Saradomin, and hosting such lesser dieties, all to protect all of the realms of Gielnor from Zaros' hordes. The massive towers could be compared to those of Kharyll and Carralanger. The city was also where the prophetic oracle lived.
"CATAPULTS READY! CATAPULTS READY!" Thammaron bellowed at his troops. The massive machines were soon prepared to fire burning rocks and embers at the white city. The demon turned to his master. "They are cowering... the city is ready to fall..."
"Give them the wrath of Zaros!" Zamorak said. Azzanadra smiled. That was something all generals of their Empty Lord had in common: their love for warfare and bloodshed. "ARMIES OF ZAROS!" Zamorak cried. "Zaros ordered us to wipe this 'Golden City' off the face of Gielnor, and that is what we shall do! This is not a slaughter! This is not even a massacre! THIS IS A HOLY WAR AGAINST ALL THOSE WHO OPPOSE ZAROS OUR LORD!"
The cry of tens of thousands of demons, vampires, and warriors of the Mahjarrat tribe was deafening. On a mighty wooden tower, Zamorak and Azzanadra overlooked the siege. Zamorak grasped his staff. Azzanadra unsheathed his sword.
"Let us unleash our Lord's magic against these unbelievers!" The two raised their holy weapons and unleashed torrents of magics the world had never seen before. The city was destroyed in minutes.
Meanwhile...
"Ralyn!" a commander screamed at his top lieutenant.
"Yes, sir!"
"Take this staff of Armadyl and run! Get it out of the city! It must go to Uzer, the City of Enchantment! They must be warned! Prepare them for war!"
"Yes, sir!" Ralyn grabbed the staff and ran for his life, along with the life of Armadyl, his god. Giant demons leapt easily over the wall and terrorized the civilians before they could escape, slaughtering them like sheep. There was much magic involved, too. Spells were cast that froze soldiers rushing to battle alive. Other spells sucked their very life away. There were also poisonous gasses being unleashed, filling the lungs of helpless soldiers, causing sudden epidemics and plagues among the soldiers. It was clear that the city would fall within the hour.
Ralyn sprinted through the crowds exiting for the southern, Saradomin-based city of Uzer, where they enchanted clay golems to come alive.
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"Lucien, I have a task for you," the Empty Lord's voice caused the robed figure to tremble, and inside his black helmet it grew warmer and warmer...
"Y-yes, my lord?" he mustered the courage to ask.
"The Staff of Armadyl is leaving Laryrnon."
Lucien, amazed at his master's knowledge, just starred at him, wide-eyed. "What do you wish for me to do?"
"Go to Uzer, find the staff, and kill the one who carries it."
"Yes, my lord," Lucien bowed. "Is that all?"
"Go..."
"Y-yes, m-my lord," Lucien bowed again, and left the chamber as quickly as possible.
Chapter III
A massive figure appeared through the huge portal. The only other living thing nearby was an elderly woman, who screamed at the sight. The giant laughed a deep, low laugh as he raised his foot and stomped on the elf, crushing it beneath it's feet. Then the creature looked around him. He was surrounded by trees, all of which were much smaller than him. He swung his hands around wildly, admiring his own destruction. Then he glanced down at a small metallic object. His large fingures picked it up, and he identified it as a sword. He accidently mishandled it, cutting slightly one of his large, dark-grey fingure. In anger, he bent the sword and threw it down at the ground.
"Coward's tools," his voice was extremely deep, and it shook the ground. Then he took his first step into Gielnor, and the ground vibrated for miles, waking up the tribal inhabitants of the realm. His feet were large enough to crush entire households if he had the opportunity. "Pathetic creatures!" the giant roared, crushing any humans he came across as they walked by.
"Master, welcome to Gielnor!"
The titan turned to another massive creature, who was several yards shorter than him.
"Graardor, what news do you bring?"
"I traveled to the realm of Yu'biusk, master," Graardor said. "I have encountered creatures that may serve us!"
"What are they?" the larger giant said.
"They call themselves Goblins, master," Graardor stomped his foot, crushing several fleeing humans. "They are weak, but they can be trained efficiently!"
"Very well, we shall train them," his voice was much deeper than usual. "And Graardor,"
"Yes, master?"
"I have found that in this new form, I can no longer say my old name,"
"Master, may I suggest you create a new one?"
"Very well, Graardor..." the giant closed his eyes, then opened them a few moments later. "I shall be called Bandos,"
"Excellent choice, master,"
"Now, Graardor, muster all creatures who seek to conquer this world, and bring them to that mountain!" he pointed to a mountain far off in the distance. "I have a feeling this realm will not be taken easily!"
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It was the middle of the night when Zamorak was awoken by Zaros' guards, and ordered to go to Zaros' chamber. He followed the orders, and did so. When he reached Zaros' chamber, he felt a freezing chill that he did not feel often. This often reflected his master's mood.
"Zamorak," Zaros' voice came casually. Zamorak found this strange. "Another has come through the World Gate!"
Zamorak starred wide-eyed. "Was the Gate not shut, my lord?"
"It was," Zaros said. "This creature's realm was destroyed, and somehow in his despair he appeared here!"
"What could destroy an entire realm, my lord?" Zamorak asked, shocked with awe that such a catastrophe could have the possibility of happening.
"Zamorak, you have much to learn!" Zaros exclaimed. "There is a secret medium, locked to most that have ever lived. It contains creatures of nightmare and shadows. When an entity creates a link between his own world and this realm, he is bound by destiny to hold this bond together for eternity. Should he fail, his own world will be unfolded upon itself and be annihilated.
"That is how I came to this world. I fled my realm through a portal, which took me to a different world, the Old World-" Zaros paused a moment, "-Your world, Zamorak. That was many centuries ago, but I remember you Mahjarrat called the land Freneskae. I led you and your tribe to conquest over that world. You and Azzanadra were my finest warriors; my elites, as you are still to this day. And then, I took you all here to conquer this world."
"My lord," Zamorak said, still trying to take in everything his master had said to him. "What sort of realm holds such powers of destruction?"
"It is called the Abyss," Zaros said. "It must never be unlocked, for if it is, it can never be locked again from this world, and the world will be doomed to destruction in the course of time."
At that moment, a thought filled Zamorak's mind. It is the thought that once is received, can never be fully shaken. It was the thought of treachery.
"My Lord, have you heard of our-your armies' victory at Laryrnon?" Zamorak said, changing the subject quickly. Zaros, however, remained silent. "My lord?" Zamorak repeated. "Are you alright?" This had never happened before. "My lord!"
"I see a vision which is strange..." Zaros' voice was higher than usual now. It was no because of fear, but because of anxiety. "There are winged men with the faces of eagles, attacking my legions... They are many in number... and..." Zaros suddenly became silent.
"What is it my lord?" Zamorak said. Zaros was acting incredibly strange. "What do you see."
"I see nothing, Zamorak, but I sense much..." Zaros growled angrily. "I sense treachery and betrayal!"
Zamorak stood there, shaking. Maybe Zaros knew what he was thinking? Maybe Zaros would kill right now? Or perhaps take his very soul from him and let his spirt-less body linger on?
"I believe Azzanadra is going to betray me!" Zaros exclaimed. Zamorak sighed silently his relief.
"Why do you believe so, my lord?"
"Do not worry, I will despose of him soon, and you, Zamorak, I have a task for you."
"What is it, my lord?" Zamorak asked.
"My spy Lucien has told me of the staff's whereabouts. It lies in the city of Uzer."
"Shall I claim it for you?"
"Destroy the city, and bring the staff to me."
"Yes, my lord."
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Daybreak came quickly that night. Ralyn had a horrible time the day before, because all he could do was keep running through the forests, hoping he would come to the city of Akhari, the town located between the desert realms, and the forests. His stomach growled. He had not eaten for an entire day, and he felt terribly tempted to eat the cadava berries that grew wildly across the area, even though they were poisonous to the taste.
"Ralyn!" a soldier in armour much like his raced to him.
"Ceric!" Ralyn cried with excitement.
"How did you ever escape the fighting?" Ceric asked, overjoyed.
"I-I didn't," Ralyn looked down at the dirt. He suddenly felt bad that he had not had the chance to aid his god's followers in defending Laryrnon from Zaros' heards.
"What do you mean?" Ceric asked sternly. "Ralyn, did you desert?"
"No, it's just that my captain gave me a mission."
"What is that?"
"He gave me this staff," Ralyn bent down and picked up his staff that had a glowing orange orb at the top.
"Do you know what that is, Ralyn?" Ceric exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement. "That is the staff of Armadyl!"
"Err... what's it for?"
"It holds immense powers, Ralyn, but you must be strong to unlock them," Ceric turned his head back to face Ralyn. "Now let's get back to camp,"
"Camp?" Ralyn asked.
"Didn't I tell you? My whole battalion-well, what's left of it-has made camp just south-west of here, about a mile or so down this path, now hurry, I want to get back before sunset."
Ralyn and Ceric approached their camp about half an hour later. It was growing dark.
"Ceric, whose that!" shouted a man standing around a camp fire with some others.
"It's Ralyn!" Ceric shouted. "And he has a very important item!"
"What sort of item?"
Ralyn couldn't help himself from grinning with pride. "The Staff of our lord Armadyl!"
Chapter IV
"You do not belong here Armadyl, and if you remain, I shall annihilate you and your brother!" Zaros roared. For miles all people could hope was that Zaros would leave them alone in safety. All except for Armadyl.
"I will not. You and your evil ways will not remain here," Armadyl said boldy. Zaros growled through his mask.
"If you do not leave now," Zaros said, his voice filling with anger. "I will tear you asunder!"
"You will do nothing of the sort," Armadyl replied. Zaros responded by creating a huge dragon out of fire. The creatures charged through Armadyl, yet the god remain unharmed. Armadyl's face remained solemn. "I have told you already that you can do nothing against me."
Zaros shouted some mystical words, and Armadyl's younger brother, Saradomin, rose in the air. He was shouting out in pain, though nothing physical was happening. Armadyl, frightened by Zaros' strange and foreign spell, retaliated in his brother's stead by launching the most powerful spell the world had ever seen. With a flash of light, the world began to tremble. The mountain shot up in the air, and the entire world appeared to be crumbling.
"You fool!" Zaros cried. "You have activated the abyss!"
"You would kill my brother if I had not!" Armadyl replied. Suddenly, Zaros shot several spells all around him, killing all those who they hit. He then jumped through the Grand Portal, which was a teleportation link between the world of Kranaskan, and all other realms in the universe. Armadyl grabbed his brother and with all of his strength, hurled himself and his brother into the portal.
Zaros landed in a large body of water, by a rocky and stormy coast. There were people on a strange-looking boat with dark grey sails that were starring at him, and they cut through the water toward where he had crashed. Armadyl and Saradomin, however, awoke to a green and flourishing world with no human life.********************************
"But
why would I be chosen?" Azzanadra stood, shocked.
"I know our 'Empty Lord' has chosen you, my brother," Zamorak lied, faking that he was entirely displeased as Azzanadra was.
"It just does not make sense," Azzanandra sighed. "We don't know if the staff is real, and if it is, it probably has the entire Saradyl nation between us and it. Anyway, what makes him believe it to be in Falathas?"
"I know not what our lord believes or doesn't, but he has ordered you to lay siege to Falathas in search of the staff."
Azzanadra simply nodded, and that was enough of a signal to make Zamorak teleport to his own tower, for Zaros had given him special instructions. He was to attack the city of Uzer, where his lord knew for sure that Armadyl's staff was.
Azzanadra stepped out into the cold stone pavement that filled Senntisten. The magnificent citadel, temple, and towers simply overwhelmed him. After nearly a millenia of serving Zaros, he finally took the time to think about how grateful he was for serving Zaros, and not some poor, weak god with no land, power, or magics.
"Azzanadra!" Akthanakos, another Mahjarrat warrior, greeted him.
"Akthanakos! How long has it been?" The two embraced. Tears were clearly visible on their cheeks.
"I haven't seen you since we were in the Old World!" Akthanakos said.
"So the two brothers unite at last," Zamorak had teleported down into a purple haze, grinning.
"Zamorak!" Akthankos said. "I have heard of all your astounding victories for our lord!"
"Yes," Zamorak replied. "I'm afraid I can't take all of the credit," he glanced at Azzanadra.
"We both are soon to be sent out on missions," Zamorak said. "Azzanadra is going to the city of Falathas, deep into Armadyl's realm, while I travel to the city of Uzer."
"Why Falathas?" Akthanakos asked them. Azzanadra bowed his head with despair. "What's wrong, my brother?"
"Falathas is the most heavily protected city in the world," Azzanadra responded. "They have hundreds of battalions protecting the throne of Armadyl, each soldier willing to lay down his life for his god."
"Do not worry," Zamorak said. "Our legions have never lost a battle before. I'm sure this will be no different."
"That means if I lose..." Azzanadra gulped, and there was a silence. If he had to inform Zaros of a defeat, his master's retribution would crash down on him, and he would regret it forever.
"Now, I'm afraid I must leave," Zamorak said, breaking the silence.
"Where to?" Akthanakos asked.
"My legions must be assembled by twilight."
"As do mine," Azzanadra sighed. "Good-bye, my brethren!"
Akthanakos and Zamorak both nodded, and Azzanadra and Zamorak both teleported into their purple hazes to their commanding towers.
"Your orders, master?" Azzanadra's seargent, Hazeel, asked.
"Prepare the six legions our Lord has given me," Azzanadra said. "We leave for Falathas tonight!"
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Ralyn smiled. Akhari lay less than a mile away from them.
"How long do you think it will take?" Ralyn asked.
"About ten minutes in this heat," Ceric replied. The camels were going unusually slow. The weather must be getting to them, as well, Ralyn thought.
"Where will we go when we get there?"
"The citadel," Ceric said. "They ahve the fastest ways of communication with Armadyl, and our lord
Must be informed that his staff is safe."
"Right," Ralyn replied. The ten minutes it took them to get to Akhari seemed to drag on forever. But as soon as they arrived there, they stopped in the grand, marble citidel, which resembled the palace in Falathas Ralyn had the priviledge of visiting when his father had been a guard there.
"Welcome, travelers, to my dwelling!" the leader of Akhari said when they entered the citidel. He was a short, dark-skinned man with a mustache and small beard and a grin on his face. On his side was a sheathed scimitar coated with green, emerald gems. Ralyn wasn't sure what to call him. He never had though of that before.
"Oh great Kafari of the desert," Ceric began, bowing his head before the leader. "We seek refuge in Akhari, for our home was destroyed by Zaros' hordes."
"Oh?" the Kafari still smiled. "Where do you come from?"
"Laryrnon," replied Ceric. There was a moment of silence. The smile disappeared from the Kafari's face faster than an arrow could fly.
"Laryrnon?" the Kafari stuttered. "Destroyed?"
"Yes," Ceric replied. "The legions of Zaros overwhelmed the walls of our city. It fell in a day."
"Come," the Kafari said, motioning them to appraoch him on his throne. "Tell me everything!"
"There isn't much to say," Ceric responded. "Our city was taken within a day."
"Laryrnon, gone..." the Kafari began to tremble. "They could come for us next!" He turned to his top general. "Prepare our defences for an attack! Prepare evacuation to.. to... Uzer! Yes, Uzer must be warned, as well! Go!" The Kafari turned back to them. "We have many questions for you! How many legions of Zaros were there, to start?"
Ceric glanced at Ralyn. He didn't know, either.
"I would estimate around ten," Ceric said. The Kafari's eyes widened.
"That is..." Kafari once again began to tremble. "They could run through this town as if it were nothing!"
"Sire, we have a mission," Ralyn spoke up. Everyone's eyes became fixed on him. "We hold in our possession the Staff of Armadyl."
Whispers raced throughout the crowd.
"Prove it!" cried the general next to Kafari. Ralyn simply took the cover off the orb of his staff, revealing an orb with a orange glow, illuminating the room. "How can we be sure htis is the real staff?" the general asked.
Ralyn really didn't know how to prove it. He wished that water could come out of the ground where the staff touched, or some other miracle to prove it the real staff...
Suddenly, an eruption of water burst through the tiled floor of the citadel. Ralyn then knew what power's lied in the staff. As soon as the though struck him, the water ceased gushing from the ground.
"This is... incredible!" Kafari exclaimed. "We could keep the staff here and protect the city from Zaros!"
"No!" Ralyn shouted, then realised his mistake. "Err... no, sire. We were instructed to bring this staff to Uzer. Personally, I believe it would be too great of a risk that Zaros could obtain the staff, and the loss of the staff would be a blow to Armadyl that he would never be able to recover from.
"Then, I see Akhari stands no chance alone against Zaros' horders," the general said, bowing his head in sadness. "We must evacuate Akhari. We can flee to Uzer and the other desert towns."
The next day, an order was issued for Akhari to be evacuated. It took must longer than Ralyn wanted it to, and the Kafari of the city seemed to think that if he could not bring the citadel with him, he must bring everything in side of it with him.
"Ralyn!" Ceric shouted. Ralyn rushed over to him. "I think we should leave early."
"But why?" Ralyn asked.
"If Zaros does to attack us, he will have to get through all of the refugees first. They will slow them down, giving us enough time to get away."
"I see your thinking," Ralyn said. "It's not very... honorable..."
"It must be done!" Ceric shouted. "If they get the staff, all is lost!"
Chapter V
"What's all the comotion, Thammaron?" Zamorak asked a then-human Thammaron.
"Something crashed into the sea, just over there," Thammaron pointed out, "where the water is boiling."
"What was it?" Zamorak turned to his lieutenant, but before Thammaron could answer, someone was already answering.
"It's a demon!" cried the lookout, and he was not very far from the truth. Out of the bubbling water arose a masked figure, who appeared to be floating several meters above the water.
"Demon?" the creature roared with a deep voice, and Zamorak then experienced for his first time true fear. "I am no ordinary demon! I am Zaros! The greatest of the Elder Demons of Gowerinae!" The storm was brewing now, and water was splashing up the sides of the boat, whose crew members were frozen in fear.
"Oh g-great Z-zaros," Zamorak stuttered, trembling. "S-s-spare us, w-we b-beg you!"
"I need an army," the demon growled. "If you serve me, I will spare you."
"W-we w-will serve y-you, and all of our t-t-tribe w-will, as well!" Zamorak stammered to Zaros.
"I will hold you to your oathe!" Zaros let out a low mitched moan. "You [I]will not fail me!"
"Y-yes, L-l-lord Z-zaros!"
"Wait," Thammaron said. That was what he was always like: questioning his superiors. "Give us a sign, Zaros, that you are indeed an Elder Demon."
"YOU WILL NEVER TALK TO ME WITH SUCH DISRESPECT!" a giant wave of water came and nearly capsized the boat. Thammaron's shaking body was immediately lifted up, and it seemed to be mutating. Zamorak watched with horrific terror his second-in-command being tortured into some sort of...
"Demon..." Zamorak muttered silently. Thammaron's weak body fell to the ground, and the men looked at him. He had grown larger, much large, to about ten feet tall. His skin had turned crimson, darker than blood, and he had grown horns, as well as his nails and teeth became sharpened. He let out a long cry of pain. Zaros growled.
"Show me to your tribe!" he ordered.[/I]
********************************
Zamorak appeared out of the purple cubes of Teleportation. He didn't recognize the area, but he knew he was deep into Seren, the elf goddess', kingdom. His task was to find the newcomer that had so recently entered Gielnor, and destroy him and any followers. It did not take him long to find the source of his problem. Within a minute he had caught sight of smoke, which appeared to be coming from a local tribal village. Zamorak grinned and raced to the stop.
"'Ey! Lookie here! I founded a war-ee-ore!" a giant exclaimed with excitement.
A giant? Here? Zamorak thought.
I thought that they lived in the mountains, far from here!"A warrior? Crush him!" a giant creature roared. Zamorak looked up. Towering not only above the forest and houses nearby, but also above the giants, was a creature incredibly massive and tall.
"WAIT!" the massive figure shouted with a voice even deeper than Zaros'. "I have never seen a warrior before! Let me take a good look, so that I may know when an army approaches us!" Zamorak and the huge creature looked at eachother for a second, and then the giant creature motioned to the second to stomp on him. Zamorak, however, acted too quickly, and sent an ice spell crashing into the giant's foot, freezing him, and causing him to fall down in pain.
"This one's not going down to quickly!" the huge creature said. "Let me crush him!"
The giant raised his massive arms, then sent them crashing down to the ground. Zamorak raised his spear, and when the giant's hands and Zamorak's spear met, there was a blinding flash of light.
"You cannot kill me!" Zamorak laughed. "I am a general of the Empty Lord! Zaros' right hand man!"
"So Zaros is your lord, you say?" The creature said. He lifted up his arms.
"My name is Bandos. What is your name?" the giant stated bluntly. This surprised Zamorak.
"I am Zamorak," he answered. He thought that it would do no harm if he revealed his identity.
"Well then, Zamorak," Bandos cried. "It will be a pleasure to crush you!"
"You will try," Zamorak grinned mockingly. Bandos grabbed a nearby tree, and, uprooting it, sent it hurling towards Zamorak. Zamorak, however, dodged the missle, and cast several spells. Several were ice spells,.but all they seemed to do was act like snowballs, and the ice splintered into thousands of pieces on impact against Bandos' tough skin.
"I will
break you!" Bandos roared, picking up a giant boulder and throwing it towards Zamorak. Zamorak escaped by a second, and ran between Bandos' legs, stabbing his right foot with his spear. The giant creature cried out with pain, but he saw his opportunity, and he picked up Zamorak and squeezed. "Your end is near!"
Zamorak continually found it harder and harder to breathe, as his ribs became pressd against his chest, and Bandos' ferocious strength could even be felt through Zamorak's armour.
"RAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!" Zamorak screamed, and he managed to free his right arm, along with his spear. He then cast a spell at the mostrous giant, hitting him square in the face, just below his eye. Blood began gushing from the spot where Bandos was hit. Bandos gave a low moan of pain, and he dropped Zamorak about ten meters onto the ground. He raised his foot to stomp on him, but Zamorak rolled out of the way. As soon as Zamorak got up, Bandos' kicked him up against a home that was burning with a roaring fire. Zamorak cast an ice spell to relieve himself of the heat, and quickly exited the building, which collapsed seconds later.
"Not had enough, have you, Zamorak?" Bandos began to make a loud noise Zamorak took as laughter. Zamorak sent another wave of spells to Bandos, one of smoke, filling Bandos lungs with the toxic gas, one of shadow, to darken his eyes, one of blood to weaken him, and one of ice to bind him. The spells all hit Bandos in the small time period of three seconds. Zamorak then used his spear as a javelin and sent it hurling towards bandos.
"You die today!" Zamorak exclaimed. The javelin hit Bandos squarely in the chest, but he appeared to be unhurt. He merely grabbed the spear, and pulled it out.
"You, Zamorak, are a coward to use such wepons!" Bandos easily snapped the spear in two. "My warriors use wepons that require strength to use, not just agility!"
"Oh?" Zamorak said, angered by the loss of his wepon. "And what army is that."
Bandos once again appeared to be laughing. Then he gave the loudest roar Zamorak ever heard, and immediately he heard a war cry of some nearby army. Within half a minute, he could see hundreds of goblins with maces, axes, or war hammers running to him. They immediately stopped when they came within ten yards of Bandos.
"Kill him!" Bandos pointed to Zamorak.
"Do as Big High War God commands!" cried a goblin in the ranks. They immediately began rushing towards Zamorak. Then Zamorak closed his eyes, and then he disappeared in a purple haze. He then appeared back in Senntisten.
********************************
The two mighty armies poured out of Senntisten, each consisting of six mighty legions. Zamorak was filled with excitement, anticipating when they would finally take Uzer and control the Staff of Armadyl, while Azzanadra was filled with despair, fearing Zaros' wrath if he should fail to take Falathas.
"Master," Thammaron said, approaching Zamorak. "The city of Akhari lies between us and Uzer, and is less than a day ahead."
Zamorak smiled. "Annihilate it." Thammaron grinned his demonic grin, and growled.
"Hazeel," Azzanadra said. His lieutenant immediately raced towards his commander.
"Yes, master?"
"Do you believe that we can succeed in this mission?"
There was an akward silence between the two. Hazeel took a deep breath. "Master, I believe that we
must succeed in this mission."
"As do I, Hazeel," Azzanadra replied. "I just do not know if we have the strength to."
********************************
"Smoke, I see smoke!" cried Ceric. Ralyn turned around.
"What's it from?" Ralyn asked.
"What's it from? What's it from?" Ceric answered mockingly. "Akhari! Zaros' horde's must have taken it already!"
"Then we better hurry!"
"We can't, Ralyn!" Ceric said. "We can't rush the camels. If they die, then we will be stuck in the desert, and our hopes will be shattered."
"Right," Ralyn sighed. "Wait! What's that?" He pointed towards what appeared to be a wandering woman.
"These deserts are cursed, Ralyn," Ceric replied. "The heat plays tricks on your mind. They are illusions."
Ralyn took a drink of his water, but then looked around, and he noticed white-robed men surrounding them.
"Ceric, we're surrrounded by bandits!"
"What did I just say, Ralyn?" Ceric said, not looking back. "They are illusions!"
As if on cue, an arrow flew right in front of Ceric's camel. He looked around, and saw a dozen men riding on camel-back towards them.
"Bandits!" Ceric said. "Everyone, run!"
The five men that accompanied Ceric and Ralyn all started rushing there camels. The chase continued, with arrows flying everywhere. Finally, an arrow pierced the leg of Ralyn's camel. Ralyn immediately flew several feet off the camels back, landign roughly on the sand.
"Look! He has a staff!" one bandit said. "We can sell that for enough money to make us all rich!" He reached for the staff, but Ralyn raised it, then smashed it into his hand. The bandit gave a cry of pain.
"GET BACK!" Ralyn screamed. He looked around. Where was his company?
"You're going to pay for that!" another bandit exclaimed, putting his bow on his back and unsheathing his sword. Ralyn wished that he could defend himself. He wished that the staff could somehow magicaly drive them away...
Suddenly, a giant Wyrm, the flying terror of Gielnor, erupted from the staff. The bandits' camels started running away in fear, and the bandits themselves were trembling and screaming for their lives. Ralyn at first was afraid, but then realized that it was an illusion caused by the staff. He finally put his head to the staff and silently thanked the gods that it came to him.
"Ralyn, are you alright?" Ceric asked as his camel walked back, both it and Ceric panting.
"Yeah," Ralyn said, breathing deeply.
"Here, ride my camel with me," Ceric's camel bent down.
"We need to get to Uzer," Ralyn said. "And fast!"
It took a few more hours, and it was nearing twilight in the desert when the lights from the city of Uzer appeared. Nobody knew why Uzer was located in such a remote desert location, but the city was very powerful, and home to the mighty golems, who obeyed their masters every order, whether it be to buy a basket from the local market, or kill an attacking invader, they would obey until death.
"We're here," Ralyn said, grinning as they entered the city.
Chapter VI
"You, Zamorak, and you, Azzanadra, have proven yourselves worthy," Zaros said, seated at is throne, which was adorned with gems from the mountains that towered above the island of Mahjarratia. Both Zamorak and Azzanadra grinned. "But," Zaros continued, "I am in need of one lieutenant; one right-hand man."
The two warriors glanced at eachother, and their faces could not hide their fear.
"Now fight," Zaros stated casually yet menacingly. The two looked at eachother, and each of them nervously withdrew their weapons: Azzanadra unsheathed his sword, and Zamorak withdrew his spear.
"I said fight!" ordered Zaros, raising his ferocious flail. Zamorak raced towards Azzanadra, and then with a tremendous leap hurled himself into him. Azzanadra parried the blow, and then raised his sword to take the aggressive. Zamorak dodged his attack, and used the blunt side of his spear to knock Azzanadra down. Azzanadra quickly leapt up, using his sword to attempt to stab Zamorak. Zamorak knocked his sword out of his hands, causing it to fly several yards before landing blade down in the sand. Before Zamorak could stab him, Azzanadra rolled out of the way.
"Telekena!" Azzanadra cried, and his sword teleketicaly flew into his hand, just in time for him to parry another blow by Zamorak. They each exchanged several blows, and the battle, which in reality only took several minutes, seemed like it dragged on for hours. Azzanadra then hit the head of Zamorak's spear, causing it to fly off. Zamorak then used the head-less spear as a staff, and he managed to get in a glow blow, straight to Azzanadra's temple, causing his eyes to go black. He dropped his sword, and then stumbled over it. Slowly his sight returned, but when it did, he saw his own sword in Zamorak's hand, pointed at his face. Sweat was pouring down his brow, and Zamorak's face was also soaked with it. Zamorak couldn't bring himself to kill Azzanadra; they had been like brothers for decades. Finally, noticing Zaros, who remained unmoving, and seemed to be waiting for Zamorak to kill Azzanadra. Finally, Zamorak raised the sword, and was about to strike when he heard Zaros' voice.
"Stop." Zaros stood up, and pointed at Zamorak. "You have proven yourself worthy, Zamorak. You are my greater, and Azzanadra, you are my lesser. Now we must travel through the Great Portal, to the land of Gielnor, a land to be conquered!"
The cries of the Mahjarrat tribe were deafening. After some time, they all began marching towards the Great Portal, to enter Gielnor.********************************
"Kharim, you must not fail me now!" Zamorak said. The night was pitch black, and the howling wind could be heard even from Zamorak's tent.
"Yes, master," Kharim bowed his head.
"If you do," Zamorak said, "your torment will never cease!"
Kharim's head shot back up with shock. "I will not fail."
"Now, if you
do succeed, I will give you this," Zamorak held out a shining golden sceptre which was adorned with gemstones of many shapes, colors, and sizes. Kharim's eyes widened and he smiled. Zamorak once again concealed the sceptre. "Take any risks. The staff must come to me and no other. Understood?"
"Yes, lord Zamorak," Kharim said. "I understand."
"Good. Now go and fetch the staff, and come back with all haste!"
********************************
"Greetings, sir!" a golem said, and at first it's appearance startled Ralyn.
"Err... hello," Ralyn replied.
"We need to get to the palace of King Troasis," Ceric said to the golem.
"Follow this road to the marketplace, and then turn south, past the Grand Oasis Inn. You should see it." the golem responded slowly. Ceric nodded his thanks.
"What are they?" Ralyn asked Ceric quietly.
"They are golems," Ceric answered. "They are made of clay, but have been enchanted to live and follow orders."
"Anyone's orders?" Ralyn questioned him, amazed.
"Yes, but they only allow their master to put in a pheonix-ink pen order."
"What's that?"
"They are orders made by a pheonix quill pen, and that order is above all orders and must be carried out at once," Ceric said, and the irritation in his voice indicated that Ralyn should stop asking questions.
"What do you think they'll do with the staff when we give it to them?" Ralyn asked, changing the subject.
"Probably give it to Saradomin, who will in turn give it to his brother," Ceric replied, notcing the Grand Oasis Inn nearby, which was a huge building with several signs above the street featuring a palm tree, which was a real gem in the desert to them, since they had had no real shade since they left Akhari.
"Wait," Ralyn said after a moment of thought. "Saradomin and Armadyl are brothers?"
"Of course they are!" Ceric exclaimed. "If they weren't why would we be going to Uzer, a city under Saradomin?"
"Wow," Ralyn said. "I don't know. I just never knew that."
They continued on for a few moments, until they approached a massve building with several guards in front of it.
"HALT!" commanded a guard. "What business brings you here?"
"We have to Staff of the great god Armadyl under our possession," Ceric stated proudly.
"Prove it!" barked the guard. Ralyn reached for the staff. He felt nothing.
"Ceric!" he whispered loudly. "It's gone!"
"What do you mean 'it's gone'?"
"The staff! It's not here!"
"YOU-" Ceric smacked Ralyn across the face, causing a commotion in the crowds in the street."HOW COULD YOU LOSE IT?"
"What's all this noise about?" an officer ran out to see a furious Ceric punching and kicking Ralyn, who was laying on teh ground covering his face. "Stop!" he order. Ceric refused to, so the officer grabbed him and threw him to the ground. "You will respect my authority whene you are in my city!"
"Your city?" Ceric wiped his sweat off from his brow. "Then I suppose it's up to you to punish this traitor!" Ceric pointed to Ralyn.
"A traitor, you say?" the officer asked, "What treason has he commited?"
"He lost the staff of Armadyl!" Ceric exclaimed. Several people in the crowds gasped.
"Nonsense!" a guard shouted to ease the crowd. "The staff of Armadyl is safe in Laryrnon!"
"Laryrnon was destroyed within a day by Zaros' hordes. We fled the besieged city several days ago. This man was in charge of the staff, which he has failed to do!" Ceric said very fast.
"I'm afraid I will have to report this to the king," the officer sighed.
********************************
"MARCH!" Thammaron belowed. "AKHARI LIES AHEAD! DESTROY THE CITY! LEAVE NONE ALIVE!" The demon turned to his master. "Today will be another great victory for our lord Zaros, master!"
"Yes," Zaros smiled beneath his mask that Zaros had ordered to be forged for him so long ago in the Old World. "We will crush the city of Ahkari, and tommorow, Uzer!"
"Lord Zamorak!" a vampire scout raced towards Zamorak. "Lord Zamorak!"
"Spit it out!" Zamorak said, annoyed.
"Akhari has been evacuated, Lord Zamorak!" the scout exclaimed.
"Evacuated?" Zamorak narrowed his eyes. "Thammaron," he said. "We do not strike Akhari, we move instead to Uzer, our goal. Am I undersetood?"
"Yes, master," Thammaron said angrily.
"MARCH! PAST THE CITY!" Thammaron screamed. The six legions turned toward him confuse. Zamorak rose up to speak.
"LEGIONS OF ZAROS," he began. "I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT AKHARI HAS BEEN EVACUATED!"
Many of the men began shouting angrily.
"BUT," Zamorak continued. "LET THAT NOT STOP OUR FURY! TO UZER! WE MUST DESTROY THESE COWARDS!"
The men cried out with wild shouts of approval, and they once again began to march south.
********************************
"Azzanadra..."
Azzanadra shot his head up, and his eyes met those of a stranger. How had he come in? His guard surely would not have let him in...
"GUARDS!" he shouted, but nobody came. "What is it you want, intrudrer?"
"I want you, Azzanadra," the stranger said. His appearance seemed to be that of an elf from the west, but why would an elf be so near to Zaros' empire? The elves were a huddled tribe in western Gielnor that were afraid to fight and were scared of Zaros, or so Azzanadra was told.
"What do you mean?" Azzanadra raised his sword.
"You should not throw away your life so willingly for Zaros," the stranger continued. "Falathas may appear to be weak, but my reinforcements will arrive tommorow at sunset. You stand no chance against these creatures who will be entirely new to you and your forces."
"What creatures are these?" Azzanadra asked mockingly.
"They are my army of Aviantese," the stranger said, "among my greatest creations."
"What do you mean
your greatest-
wait," Azzanadra's eyes widened. "You are Armadyl, aren't you." It was more of a statement than a question.
The stranger stood there, motionless, not confriming or denying it.
"Get out of my camp, and do not speak ill of my lord!"
"He will kill you after your forces are defeated tomorrow," Armadyl said. "I have nothing more to say to you." the god said as he simply walked out.
"GUARDS!" Azzanadra screamed. His two tent guards came rushing in.
"What is wrong, master?" they asked.
"Get that stranger!"
"What stranger, master?" they asked, confused. Azzanadra sighed.
"Nevermind, get back to your posts."
"Yes, sir!" they eagerly turned around.
"Wait," Azzanadra stopped them. "Go and fetch Hazeel for me."
After a few moments, Hazeel came running down to Azzanadra.
"You called, master?"
"Yes," Azzanadra had a frown on his face. "Begin the attack now."
"Now?" Hazeel asked. "Tonight? It is well past sunset!"
"I don't care," Azzanadra stood up. "We attack now!"
Chapter VII
Zamorak's army marched much slower than they usually did.
"Master," Thammaron said, approaching Zamorak. "The men are thirsty. They haven't had any water since the oasis near Akhari."
Zamorak sighed. "Inform them that the sooner we get into the pass, the sooner we can drink."
"Is there a well there?" Thammaron asked curiously.
"A spring," Zamorak said. "Besides, while the army drink and rest, I have business."
"With whom?" Thammaron inquired. "The desert people?"
"A person," Zamorak said. "An old friend."
Thammaron nodded and left to shout even more commands to the army.
********************************
"VICTORY IS AT HAND!" Azzanadra cried from his command tower. His forces were crashing upon the walls of Falathas with such ferocity that the defenders of the city even doubted that they could hold the capital of Armadyl for much longer. It had been a tough and gruesome battle. Armadyl's right hand man, Crylan, had been killed in the intense battle. The walls of the once glorious and white city were blacked with ash by the fires that Zaros' army had caused. Giant boulders flew from the catapults arm and landed in the city, spreading fear and devastating the city.
"Master," Hazeel said, pointing to a fast moving cloud from the south. "What is that? Some new devilry from Armadyl?"
Azzanadra starred at the cloud for a while. "It's... it's..." he said, not fully able to make it out.
"AVIANTESE!" cried a lookout from one of the towers in Falathas. "We are saved!"
Azzanadra's eyes widened as the cloud drew nearer and nearer, and he was able to make out the creatures. They had the head of eagles, majestic and powerful, and their massive wings as well. Their bodies, however, were those of extremely powerful and large men, wielding sword and sheilds, just like Armadyl's human army.
"Greater demons, destroy them!" Azzanadra ordered. immedately several dozen large demons flew up to meet their attackers. The Aviantese, however, easily overwhelmed the few greater demons with their massive numbers and quick agility.
"Draynor!" Azzanadra shouted desperately towards his top vampire-commander. "Release your legions! Destroy them!"
Draynor nodded and rushed to the camp to release the two vampire legions that came with Azzanadra to conquer Falathas.
"Hazeel, go lead the Mahjarrat warriors that remain standing against these bird-men!" Azzanadra screamed in despair. "And Hazeel," he added. "Please, we
must defeat them!" Hazeel nodded as he rushed to the battlefield.
Azzanadra looked around his command tower; he was alone, completely alone. It was just when he thought that when a giant Aviantese appeared, flapping his massive wings. The creature was wielding a sword known as
Thunderbolt. Azzanadra had recognized the sword, because when the Mahjarrat had first come to Gielnor, Armadyl offered the sword to Zaros along with terms of peace. Zaros sent the sword back with the head of the messenger.
The creature gave out a shriek, which was the equivalent of a human war cry. Azzanadra raised his sword and slashed at the beast, but it easily parried the blow with it's own sword. Azzanadra sent another blow at the Aviantese, but then it began charging towards Azzanadra, striking him with blow after blow. Then, with one mighty stroke, the creature struck Azzanadra square in the cheek. His mask-like helmet protected his head, but the helmet was knocked off in the process. The Aviantese stabbed at him, but he rolled out of the way. Finally, he put his massive bird-like foot on Azzanadra's chest, pinning him. The creature rose his sword as if to stab him, but Azzanadra already had his sword ready, and stabbed the Aviantese' foot, causing it to cry out with pain. Then, Azzanadra prepared his sword to strike again, which he did, slicing the creature's foot nearely off.
"Go back to the hell where you came from!" Azzanadra exclaimed, pointing his sword at the limping creature.
"I came not from hell," the creature then produced a sound not unlike that of a crow's caw, and appeared to be laughing. "Your armies will most certainly be crushed by we, the Aviantese!"
An angry Azzanadra grunted, then stabbed the creature in the chest. It produced no shriek this time, but merely starred at him before falling off the tower. Then he looked around at his scattered and divided forces losing effort against Armadyl's Aviantese, before teleporing down himself to aid his weakened forces.
********************************
"Then I saw myself 'dese Armadyl-ilians," the drunk man said. It could easily be said that he had drank too many beers in the Grand Oasis Inn. "'Den I saw 'dis 'ere staff fallin' down. I pick-ed it up, but 'den 'dey is gone!"
Everyone was ignoring the old man's story. Everyone but one person.
"Armadylians, you say?" Kharim asked, smiling devilishly.
"Ya'," the man said, taking a drink of his beer.
"Could I buy it, perhaps?"
"Make an offer, 'den!" the drunk man exclaimed, annoyed.
"Three thousand Za-Saradons," Kharim, almost calling the currency Zanals, as Zaros' currency was called.
"Ten thousand," the drunk man said in a muffled voice.
"You drive a hard bargain, but I'm afraid I must accept," Kharim smiled with excitement, dropping the Saradons on the table. The man starred at the money, and dropped the staff. Kharim caught it and smiled, and then he exited the city, his mission ever nearing completion. Kharim quickly left the inn and exited the city, hiding his staff the entire way. He could travel quickly in the desert night, which was much cooler than the days. Soon, Kharim was in the outskirts of Zamorak's army encampment.
"Master!" he exclaimed as he ran toward the main tent. "Master!"
Zamorak, recognizing his spy's voice, jumped up and went outside.
"Well?" he said. "Did you find the staff?"
"Yes, master," Kharim grinned as he uncovered from his cloak the staff. Zamorak grabbed it.
"Finally!" Zamorak shouted with joy. "The power of Armadyl... in my hands..."
"What about my reward," Kharim said, smiling. Zamorak threw him the golden sceptre, and Kharim's eyes widened with excitement.
"Now get out of my camp!" Zamorak ordered. Kharim didn't really care. He ran out of the campsite with his new prized possession.
Chapter VIII
The desert sun was barely peering it's first rays over the northern desert mountain range as Zamorak walked towards the Devourer with no guards or soldiers accompanying him. He sipmy didn't need him. A month ago, he would have been terrified by her with her awsome powers to possess minds, but that power had been taken away from her by Zaros. Zamorak now was not afraid at all. Even if Amsacut did have her powers, they were nothing compared to Zamorak's new artifact: the Staff of Armadyl, which contained much of Armadyl's power. Now Zamorak needed to speak with Amsacut, for she was the only divine being that he could speak to safely. Zamorak smiled, thinking how lucky he was that Zaros hadn't ordered her to be killed instead.
"It's you."
Amsacut's voice pierced the air as she looked up from her huddled position by her fire.
"I need to ask you something," Zamorak said. It was a very akward meeting. The Devourer laughed.
"You weren't so bold when I had an army between you and I, Zamorak," she replied, as she continued to laugh mockingly.
"You know," Zamorak began, "I soon will have the power to restore you to your place as a powerful goddess."
Amsacut stopped laughing. "No... you have not the power of mind or will for that!"
"I will," Zamorak said, "if you answer my question!"
"Go on then," Amsacut snapped. "Ask your question!"
"I know Armadyl is powerful, but will the power in his staff be enough to kill Zaros?" Zamorak said revealing the staff. The Devourer looked up and gasped.
"How did you get that?" she asked as she stood up.
"That's not important, now tell me, is it powerful enough?" Zamorak demanded. Amsacut's eyes met his for the first time since when they were both in Zaros' chamber.
"No," Amsacut's mouth formed a frown. "Armadyl was powerful, but not as powerful as Zaros."
"How can I fix that?" Zamorak questioned. Amascut sat down.
"You need to put in more power in it. Has the staff been used at all?"
"Not that I know of. But how can I put more power into it?" Zamorak began running his fingers across the staff.
"You
could pour your own power into it, as Armadyl did, or..." Amsacut's voice trailed off.
"Or what?" Zamorak shouted. "Tell me!"
"You could also take away someone else's," she said quickly. 'Somebody who has much power. A powerful mage, or a lesser god."
"A lesser god?" Zamorak's eyes turned from the staff to the Devourer, and he grinned. Amsacut began crawling away from him.
"I have no power!" she screamed. "Zaros drained it from me! You know this!"
Still, Zamorak pointed his staff at her and began walking slowly towards her. She shrieked and back up, stumbling in the desert sand. Zamorak pulled back the staff, and then stabbed the orb into Amsacut, just below her neck. She opened her mouth but no scream escaped. Her whole body began to glow a vibrant orange, and then began to shake. The orb on the end of the staff glowed brighter than Zamorak had ever seen before. After a few seconds, the staff and Amsacut's body stopped glowing. She was on the ground breathing heavily, her dark, brown hair a mess in the sand.
"You are lucky, Amsacut," Zamorak smiled. "I could have killed you, but I decided not to." He started walking away, but then turned toward her. "Oh, and thank you. I soon will kill Zaros, thanks to you."
"You... promised..." Amsacut said. Now Zamorak was the one laughing.
"Yes, I did." Zamorak said. "Perhaps in a few centuries I will give you the opportunity."
********************************
"PULL BACK!" Sweat was pouring off Azzanadra's face like a waterfall. He was one of the most powerful men in the army, and if it took most of his strength to just kill one Aviantese, he couldn't imagine how many casualties they would face. "RETREAT! PULL BACK TO THE CAMP!"
Anger was boiling inside Azzanadra like a kettle over a fire.
"I warned you, Azzanadra!"
Azzanadra shot around to see the man he had met the night before standing in the midst of the battle, unharmed. It seemed like none of the fleeing men, vampires and demons even noticed him.
"You!" Azzanadra pointed his sword at him. "You brought me to this!"
"I warned you! Last night: I prophecised all of this. I may have brought this upon you, but you knew it would happen."
Azzanadra felt like attacking the man. He wanted more than anything to. But he knew it would do nothing. Azzanadra fell to his knees and wiped his face.
"I'm begging you! Please, Armadyl! You don't know what he will do to me when he hears of this loss!"
"No, Azzanadra, I do not." Armadyl said plainly. Azzanadra began weeping bitterly. "No empire can be invincible. Not even one forged by Zaros on the backs of the enslaved Mahjarrat."
Azzanadra stopped crying. Out of anger from Armadyl's insult to his god, he hurled his sword at him. However, the god disappeared, and right behind where he once stood was an Aviantese warrior flying low towards Azzanadra. The sword struck him squarely between the eyes, and the creature fell down. Azzanadra withdrew his sword from the corpse. A tear of sadness and fear rolled down his cheek. It was he who would have to inform Zaros of the defeat.
********************************
"A DEFEAT?" Roared Zaros.
"Y-yes, m-m-my Llord," the messenger started crying with fear.
"AZZANADRA, YOU SHALL SUFFER DEARLY FOR THIS!!!" Zaros voice made the entire chamber shake. The messenger began flailing his arms rapidly for balance before falling to the ground. Zaros let out a hideous scream. "LUCIEN!!!"
"Y-y-you c-c-called, m-my Lord?" Lucien said, his voice quiet and hoarse from fear.
"Summon all of the Mahjarrat! There will be a meeting they will not soon forget!" Lucien nearly cried from fear, but he forced himself not to in the present of Zaros.
"Y-yes, m-my lord. R-right aw-way!" he responded and bowed, and quickly exited the chamber.
********************************
"Zamorak, you are summoned to Zaros' chamber immediatly!" Lucien said.
"Me?" Zamorak asked. "Why?"
"All of the Mahjarrat are," Lucien replied. "Azzanadra has suffered a defeat."
"As I feared he would," Zamorak sighed, faking his depression. "Who has been informed yet?"
"All but..." Lucien took a deep breath. "...Azzanadra. All but Azzanadra have been in informed."
"I see," Zamorak said. "Well, go and see that he is told at once!"
"Yes, lord Zamorak."
********************************
Azzanadra was weeping on the ground in his tent. He was throwing things wildy around the room. The tent was in total chaos when Lucien arrived.
"You," Azzanadra said. "What do you want?"
"There has been a meeting," Lucien replied. "All Mahjarrat are to come to Zaros' chamber immediatly."
Azzanadra nodded. "Inform our lord Zaros that I shall be there as soon as I can gather my army."
"He requests that you come alone at once," Lucien said. Azzanadra then understood how serious this meeting would be.
"Then I shall go." Azzanadra said, placing his sword that was laying on a table in his sheath. "Hazeel, you are in charge of the army now."
"But master Azzanadra, I am also of the Mahjarrat tribe," Hazeel said. He felt very akward.
"Oh, yes, I forgot. Err... inform Kamil to take charge until I return.... If I return..."
Azzanadra took a deep breath, and teleported back to Senntisten.
Chapter IX
"YOU DISGRACE MY FORCES, AZZANADRA!" Zaros' roar freightened all in the chamber, and even the outer rooms. Everyone was fearing for their lives from Zaros' wrath.
"M-master," Azzanadra stammered. "I-I-I, I tried..."
"You failed me!" Zaros shrieked. "These... these... Aviantese have succesfuly routed our forces!"
"Master-"
"Be silent!" Zaros made a low, growling noise. "As we speak, tens of thousands of Armadyl and his brother Saradomin's forces are gathering, their couraged strengthened by your pathetic show of force at Laryrnon!"
Azzanadra began to weep.
"They are now heading north for Lassar and Paddewwa, and with their forces, they may well take as much as Carralanger! These Aviantese are leading them!"
"Master," Zamorak stepped in. All of the Mahjarrat leaders starred at him. He gulped.
"What do you want, Zamorak?" Zaros barked.
"I do not believe that this... crushing defeat was of Azzanadra's doing," Zamorak said, mustering all of the courage he could. "I believe there may have been a traitor."
"WHO?" Zaros screamed. His voice made the room vibrate, causing all of the Mahjarrat to fall down, all but Azzanadra and Zamorak.
"Akthanakos," Zamorak said, grinning slightly. Azzanadra looked at him with a look of digust.
"Akthanakos would never,
never betray our lord!" Azzanadra cried, struggling to break free of his chains.
"So you would think," Zamorak paced around Azzanadra, before shouting a spell, teleporting Akthanakos into the very room. Akthanakos starred around in fear.
"Where am I?" he looked around, catching a glimse of Azzanadra in chains.
"You see, my lord," Zamorak said. "You see his insulence for your authority!"
Akthanakos turned around, and beheld the throne of Zaros. He immediately fell to the ground. "M-my Lord, I-I d-din't know!"
"What are you trying to prove to me, Zamorak?" Zaros questioned impatiently. "If it is stalling my judgement upon your brother Azzanadra, you will also pay!"
"It is not that, my lord," Zamorak said, beginning to also fear for his own life. "I would just like to prove that the blame not only rests on Azzanadra, but on his brother," Zamorak smiled demonically once more, pointing towards Akthanakos, whose trembling body was lying on the ground shaking with terror.
"PROVE WHAT YOU SPEAK OF IS TRUE!" Zaros commanded, the chamber vibrating once more.
"Yes, my lord," Zamorak nodded, his smile fading. "Akthanakos was at the city of Laryrnon the night previous to the battle."
"IS THAT TRUE?" Zaros roared at Akthanakos. He nodded and began to sob harder.
"Do you see, my lord?" Zamorak exclaimed with excitement. "Akthanakos was telling them when the attack would be!"
"That is a lie!" Azzanadra shouted with anger, his chains clamoring. "I ordered that the siege begin the night before planned!"
"WHY?" Zaros's voice once again caused the chamber to shake.
"My lord," Azzanadra said, "I met with none other than Armadyl the night before it the planned attack. I ordered the assault immediately after he left."
"SO IT WAS YOU, AS I THOUGHT!" Zaros screeched. Azzanadra simply bowed very low. "Then why," he continued, "were you at Laryrnon, Akthanakos?"
"I was..." Akthanakos stood up, his head low. "I was..." he glanced at Azzanadra. "I was... pleading for my brother's life."
All of the Mahjarrat gasped with horror. Pleading was begging, and beggers should die, or so the laws of Zaros went.
"YOU BOTH ARE TRAITORS!" The chamber shook more violently then the previous times. "Zamorak, where is the Staff of Armadyl?"
Zamorak's face was colorless behind his mask. His plan was going terribly wrong. "It is here, my lord!"
"Come here and bring it to me!" he ordered. Zamorak stood there, shaking, but refusing to move. "Zamorak, do
not test me!" A lightning struck just a foot away from where Zamorak stood, followed by several others around him. "ZAMORAK!!!" The entire hall shook as boulders from the ceiling began falling down, crushing some unlucky Mahjarrat leaders trapped between them and the floor. Fear was everywhere in the chamber. "EVERY MAHJARRAT IN SENNTISTEN WILL DIE FOR YOUR INSULENCE!!!"
The throne began to glow a dark violet, transparent color. The Mahjarrat stood their in amazement. Azzanadra struggled to get free of his chains, which he managed to do.
"Master!" he cried. "Have mercy on us! I meant you no wrong! Me and Akthanakos did no offence to you!" Zaros appeared to ignore his request. Suddenly, a shadowy, black figure appeared, levitating above the throne, his face more terrible than anything ever seen before in Gielnor. He appeared to be pointing at Zamorak.
"I will tear you asunder!" the shadowy figure slowly levitated through the freezing air towards Zamorak. Zamorak held out the staff.
"Go back!" Zamorak shouted.
"Give it to me, and your death will be painless!" the shadowy figure of Zaros commanded.
"Refuse, and your torture will never cease!""I'm warning you, Zaros!" Zamorak said, addressing Zaros by his name for the first time. "Go back!"
Zaros laughed a demonic and evil laugh.
"I cannot go back, Zamorak, this is my home!"Zaros stopped less than foot before the trembling and fearful Zamorak, who had begun to cry. Zaros laughed.
"You cry, Zamorak!""RRRRAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Zamorak pointed the staff at Zaros and stabbed. The entire earth began to shake. Everything flashed white from constant flares of lighting, and the thundrous bang shook all of Gielnor as it's most powerful being was lifted from it's presence. Zaros was no more.
Chapter X
"You killed him," Azzanadra starred at Zamorak. Zamorak took of his metalic mask, smiling.
"Now we are the great gods of Gielnor!"
"You tratior!" Akthanakos cried, and rushed to strike Zamorak with his sword. Two mahjarrat warriors held him back. He struggled to get free, but he could not.
"Akthanakos is right," Azzanadra unsheathed his blade. Many of the mahjarrat warlords and warriors gasped.
"Don't be foolish, Azzanadra!" Zamorak exclaimed. "He was going to kill you anyway! He would have killed us all!"
"I swore allegiance to him, Zamorak!" Azzanadra shouted, pointing his blade at Zamorak. Zamorak gripped the staff even tighter.
"Azzanadra, I'm giving you one last chance," Zamorak grinded his teeth. "Put your blade down!"
Azzanadra ignored the request and charged at Zamorak, striking him with a powerful blow to the side. Zamorak used the staff to block it, and the wooden rod repelled the strike succesfully.
What? Azzanadra thought.
How can wood deflect steel?"AZZANADRA, YOU ARE THROWING AWAY YOUR LIFE!!!" Zamorak turned around and used the orb at the end of the staff to strike Azzanadra. He was knocked through the air by the power of the staff. Azzanadra didn't reply to Zamorak, but instead whispered a spell. Suddenly, in his hands appeared the crimson helmet he had worn long ago, the helmet of the Mahjarrat.
"I fought you once wearing this helmet," Azzanadra said solemnly. "I will fight you again with it."
"I will help!" Akthanakos blurted out, but Draynor, the vampire leader, cast a blood spell, weakening him.
"YOU WILL PAY!!!" Azzanadra lept towards Draynor, delivering blow after blow, then finally knocking the vampire to the ground. Then Azzanadra knocked his bodyguard, Dessous, down, followed by every Mahjarrat who stood in his way. Zamorak just starred.
"You leave me no other choice!" Zamorak sent an ice spell at Azzanadra, hitting his left arm. Azzanadra ignored it, and turned towards Zamorak, and growled.
"FOR ZAROS!"
"FOR THE MAHJARRAT!"
The two great warriors' weapons clashed in the air once more. Azzanadra growled and he turned around, swinging his sword at a Mahjarrat guard who was attacking him also, killing the warrior instantly. Azzanadra turned back towards Zamorak just in time to parry the staff crushing down on him.
"The staff contains more power than you can imagine, Azzanadra!" Zamorak shouted. "You stand no chance!"
"I will not lay down my blade!" Azzanadra shouted, delivering a poorly aimed blow to Zamorak, which was dodged. "If you want it, you can pry it from my cold, dead fingers!"
Zamorak frowned. Azzanadra then succesfully knocked him to the ground with a powerful blow. On the cold, marble floor of the chamber, Zamorak used the staff as a javelin and hurled the missile through the air, striking Azzanadra squarely in the chest, hitting the talisman of Zaros that he was wearing. The object then shattered, falling to the ground, but Azzanadra was left unharmed.
"RAAARRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!" He pointed his blade to Zamorak, and stabbed, but Zamorak rolled out of the way. He used the telekenetic grab spell and summoned a dead guard's spear that was lying on the ground. He then thrust the lance at Azzanadra, missing it's target by inches. The Mahjarrat gathered in the chambers were watching the two great warriors clash with tremendous awe, amazed at the power in each blow.
Suddenly, the room began to shake violently, and then smoke appeared from the now empty throne of Zaros, causing blindness to all those it touched.
"Gaaah!" Zamorak rushed out of the chamber. He looked down at the streets below, and saw the same toxin filling the streets of Senntisten.
"His magics are undone!" Thammaron screamed. "This city was a city of shadow! We are doomed to blindness! Flee for your-"
Zamorak used the back end of his spear to knock the demon unconscious.
"Azzanadra, where are you?"
There was no response.
"Come out so that I may kill you!"
Suddenly, Azzanadra appeared out of the chamber, carrying his dying brother, Akthanakos. Zamorak then rushed to the two and grabbed Azzanadra, pulling him to the ground. Azzanadra was too weak to fight back.
"Swear loyalty to me!"
Azzanadra's mouth was open and filled with blood, but there was no response. Zamorak grimaced and pointed the spear to his head.
"SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO ME!"
Azzanadra just starred.
"THEN DIE!" Zamorak drew the spear back and prepared to strike, but then Azzanadra lifted his sword and struck Zamorak in the side. Zamorak howled with pain, and Azzanadra stood up.
"No, Zamorak," Azzanadra said, preparing to finally end the usurper's life. "It is not I who dies this day!"
Suddenly, some sort of spell was launched at Azzanadra, hitting him squarely between his shoulder blades. He disappeared. Akthanakos looked around, and then rushed out of the city as fast as he could.
"What?" Zamorak thought out loud. Lucien stepped out of the smoke-filled shadowy corner.
"Hello, Zamorak!"
"You saved my life!" Zamorak exclaimed with shock.
"Well,
my lord," Lucien said, grinding his teeth. "I... er... thought it was my duty to save you."
Zamorak stood up, recovering from his amazement. "Now go, escape this city! The shadows blind all!"
********************************
Ralyn stood there, in the present of Ikov, one of Armadyl's top lieutenants, trembling from fear.
"Do you know what you did?" Ikov asked him, holding up his sword that he was polishing.
"Y-yes, l-lord Ik-kov," Ralyn's lip was shaking. "I lost the staff of Armadyl..."
"Yes, you did," Ikov stood up, and began pacing around him. Ralyn lowered his head with shame.
"Do you know what happend as a result of this?"
"No," Ralyn replied. "I do not."
"Zamorak obtained the staff," Ikov said.
"Lord Ikov," Ralyn fell to the ground. "I've given the staff to Zaros! I have failed our lord Armadyl, and I have failed the kingdom! Zaros will kill us all, and it is my doing!"
"No," a dark haired figure appeared in the chamber. His robes were white with orange and gold trimming, and on his head rested a light crown.
"My lord!" Ikov fell on his right knee and bowed low.
Armadyl ignored his lieutenant's adoration.
"Ralyn," he said. "You have not failed. You have succeeded."
"But how?" Ralyn said. "-My lord," he added.
"Zamorak, the general of Zaros, used the staff and killed the empty lord. Gielnor is free of his wrath once more."
Ralyn's eyes glowed like water-filled orbs. Armadyl smiled.
"I pardon you of your crime," Armadyl said. Then he disappeared. Ralyn looked around at everyone in the chamber who were still kneeling or bowing, depending on their status. Finally, Ikov stood up.
"Well, you are free to go, Ralyn. Your crime has been forgiven!" With excitement Ralyn shot up and raced out the chamber, grinning with joy.
********************************
"Graardor," Bandos said. "I feel that a mighty presence has been lifted from this realm!"
"What does it mean, master?" Graardor asked. Bandos grinned and gave out a low, moan-like laugh.
"It means, Graardor," Bandos raised his massive fists, "that we make war! I am the Supreme High War God! We will conquer this world!"
"Well said, master," Graardor smiled. The two giants both gave out horn-like cries. With minutes, goblins throughout the land halted their pillaging and plundering of the tribal villages, and instead flocked to their master. Many ogres and giants also came, as well.
"My children!" Bandos' voice boomed as he addressed his armies. "Tonight, the greatest power in the land has fallen!" He paused for a moment. "We will now succeed that power, by taking control of his empire, and all of the empires of this world!"
The cry of the goblins, ogres, and orks in the army was deafening. Bandos smiled and turned to Graardor.
"You have trained them well! We deserve all of this world!"
