|
The end came suddenly. Legions of undead of every kind appeared near the bone monoliths that had peppered the landscape for months, and carnage ensued. The heroes of the realms fought valiantly, but their casualties were much greater than those of the evil army's. Even after that legion had been defeated, yet another wave was unleashed upon the realms, former servants of the Shadowlord, perverted into daemons, and twisted to the Dracolich's purpose. Attacking in trios across the realms, the Daemons killed yet more of the heroes before finally falling to the blades of the protectors of the realms. Sensing the end was near, Benadanti, God of Creativity and Song, and protege' of the Shadowlord, appeared with Mouseglove himself, above the resting place of the last remaining Globe of Aurealis. With the help of Mystique, beloved child of Cyng, the remainin heroes of the realms magically travelled to stand beside them, protecting Mouseglove who was already deep within the throes of a ritual so old and so powerful, even Cyng knew not exactly what its intent was. They had not long to wait, for so powerful a ritual drew the Dracolich himself to their gathering place as a moth flies to open flame. Sensing what the Shadowlord's intent was, the Dracolich sought to stop him, but Benadanti and the assembled heroes blocked his path to Mouseglove, and hurled their intent to protect him at Zhalith like barbed darts, each one stinging the undead god painfully. With a roar, he charged the Shadowlord, and assembled heroes blocked his progress and joined in battle. Long was the battle, with the heroes and Benadanti seemingly unable to harm the Dracolich, but keeping him from Mouseglove, and thus giving him time to complete his ritual. Sensing that time was running out, Zhalith raised a taloned hand, and with one swipe of his massive bone arm, severed Benadanti's head from his body. The entire cavern shook with the force of the death of tbe god, and the very light seemed to dim slightly. The assembled stood in shock, wondering if any would survive now, when another explosion, from somewhere below, shook the cavern, and the Dracolich howled in surprise and dismay as it realized what had happened. Rising from the completion of his complex ritual, which shattered the last Globe of Aurealis, Mouseglove stood to face the Dracolich. No longer so weak, but still not nearly as strong as Zhalith, he faced him down, taunted him, in fact, and in a feral rage, Zhalith lashed out and a great battle ensued. The heroes of the realms joined the Shadowlord in trying to defeat the Dracolich, but it was to no avail. With one mocking laugh, Zhalith raised his taloned hand and slew Mouseglove with a single blow. The anguished cries of those present mixed with the Dracolich's mocking laughter as he stood over the fallen body of his mortal enemy, claiming his victory... at least until Mouseglove's whisper was heard by all present, and he appeared in a shimmering form, almost as if a ghost, yet much more. Mouseglove's final act, his draining of the last Globe of Aurealis, had been different than Zhalith's devouring of them. He had become a living Globe, and his physical form would have perished eventually, due to the strain. Zhalith's "murder" of his body merely accelerated the process of releasing his energy form. It should be noted, in all its ironic glory, that this is exactly how Zhalith was allowed to become an immortal all those centuries prior, and it was through the exact same method of accelerated deliverance that he provided Mouseglove with the means to end his reign of evil. Mouseglove told the assembled that he could not remain as he was, nor could he affect the realms in the form he now wore, for he WAS the realms, an embodiment of its power and glory, but neither could he stand idly by and watch the Dracolich release his vengence upon the world. He told those assembled that he would remember them, a cryptic remark which few understood, and fewer more understand still, and dove into the body of the Dracolich. An internal battle seemed to take place, with the body of the Dracolich bending and distorting, as if seen through rippling waters, until its undead body could withstand no more. With one realms-shattering explosion, Zhalith, the Dracolich and Lord of Pain, Undeath and Corrupted Earthpower, ceased to be, as did Mouseglove, the Shadowlord of Intrigue, Patron Deity of Thieves and Zhaun. A great blackness covered the world for years... everyone was frozen, unable to act, yet aware of the passage of time, until the darkness finally lifted and mobility was restored. The world had changed. The changes were subtle in places, profound in others, and there seemed a great emptiness. Our world had lost its founder and its savior in one cataclysmic event. Rumors tell of a new, cryptic, insidious creature that has entered the void left by Mouseglove and Zhalith, a creature of whim, a creature of madness... one hopes these are but rumors. Unfortunately, these rumors give a name, and that name sends chills down the spine. The name seems to embody all that was Mouseglove and all that was Zhalith, and if the name truly reperesents the fusion of personalities and beliefs that it suggests, the realms are imperiled yet again, but in a manner seperate and different than has been known before. That name is Zaulh'ghev. May the spirits of Mouseglove and Zhalith, both keepers of Law in their own way, watch over us, for if this madness is visited upon the realms, there will be no law in our time, nor in any time yet to come. - Giogianni, Former Herald of the Slain God, Benadanti |