Zarths escape part 2

Zarth couldn't remember the last time he had been so terrified, he was alone and stumbling through the dark forest, with only the moon light piercing through the tree tops every so often. He could still hear the screams of the Dargulth, slowly coming closer. They would not be able to find him now, not with his new ward shield protecting him. The closer they got the more they would be able to sense the stones power. Yes, the stone thought zarth, wishing he had never been offered the chance to steal it. He remembered the hooded figure that had come up to him from out of a dark alley way, in the city of cillidor. He had offered him a contract to steal the fabled 'Dragon Stone' from the wizards keep, the figure had even told him the secret way into the keeps vault. Zarth had been immensely excited at the prospect of stealing the fabled Dragon Stone, knowing that it was created 1000 years ago by the 5 greatest wizards of the time he had accepted without hesitation.

Travelling to the point of the secret entrance in the dead of night, which was at the southern wall of the wizards keep next to a small crooked tree, Zarth had then spoken the 3 words the hooded stranger had told him which were:

“Spartis, karlumbo, martinis"

A doorway had suddenly appeared, showing a set of steps going down into darkness. Doubt had started to appear, Zarth had slowly descended the steps hugging the wall as not to fall. At the bottom there had been a long tunnel with a strange dark glow that seemed to emanate from the tunnel walls themselves, Zarth suddenly tripped over an object and when he stood back up realised that it was a set of small bones, probably a rat he had said, then hurried on until he had come upon another set of steep steps, this time going upwards. When he had got to the top he came to a solid wall and then repeated the same 3 words that had opened the first secret doorway. Another doorway opened, straight into the vault.

The vault itself was not as big as Zarth had expected and as he stumbled inside the first thing he saw was the ' Dragon stone', perched on top of a tall table with other assorted items, a silver dagger with a huge red ruby in the pommel, a small gold brooch, a lock of hair and a blood red coin which was shinning in the light coming from the various torches on the walls. Zarth had carefully walked up to the Dragon stone and examined stone, it was bright blue, and about the size of a small pebble and was encased in silver and attached to a silver chain. He had then carefully picked it up but as his hand had touched the stone, he had jerked upright and vivid images had appeared in his head, a thousand years of magic had flowed into him, and voices of the long dead taught him everything he could possibly know about the use of magic lore.

Zarth had been so afraid of what had happened that he staggered backwards only to fall through the open secret doorway and down the steps, gashing his legs and arms and breaking his ankle. As he had lay there, dazed and in pain he felt a heat in his hand, and when he opened it he saw that he still had hold of the Dragon stone and that it was shinning brightly, pulsing warmth had shot through his body, the cuts and bruises healing and fading till there was no marks. His broken ankle which was at an abnormal angle returned to its normal position and the numbness went away. Zarth had stood up and staggered, then hurried out the tunnel and back out into the open, he turned round to look at the secret entrance but it was already gone.

Putting the Dragon stone around his neck he had hurried away to find the hooded figure at the specified location, but when he had got there nobody was about. Instead he had found a group of the wizards hired head hunters and the sound of the Dargulth screeching from the keep. Zarth had felt the stone heat up again and from his memory he remembered what it had taught him, he held his hands out and let the power of the stone release from his fingers which had burst out like a wave of heated air that had rippled out towards the hunters and hit right into the middle of them knocking them all of there feet. He then ran into the woods. To make his escape.