Prisoner of the Amulet

CHAPTER 13

Existing on the other side of the reality, where natural laws and orders had no significant foothold, was a mystical realm of shadows. The place that existed without the knowledge of the majority of people living on Dorull. This was the place in which the souls of the deceased could find their final rest. And it was the place whose secrets were kept only by the handful of chosen ones. Those who were granted the use of the magical powers. Those who knew that without the access to this dimension, such powers would be nonexistent.

One of those guardians was Roshnak Baanar. Orc shaman out of Vur-Paan, a small village situated at the farthest north of Chaygor. The village in which Roshnak hadn't stepped in for over a hundred years. Ever since he realized, the encounter with Badzanogh completely changed him. Ever since he figured out he wasn't aging like every other orc. Like any other humanoid. Ever since he realized he could no longer stay in one place for a longer period of time.

Instead, Roshnak chose to wander around Chaygor. Traveling from village to village. From place to place. Or often deciding just to stay in the wilderness. For most of the time, solitude was what he needed. Perhaps even wanted. Especially if someone would recognize him. This happened less and less as the years went by. Mostly due to the fact that those who once knew him, made their final journey into the realm of the shadows.

And that was one of the reasons, Roshnak now finally decided to head towards Vur-Paan. He knew no one would probably recognize him there anymore. If that turned out to be true, he hoped he could stay there for a longer period of time. He missed that place. He missed his home. He would give anything if once there, he could stay forever.

This condition of his could not last for much longer. Sure, he looked the same as he looked on that day when he managed to defeat Badzanogh. He certainly felt a lot better. The burst of life altering energy he received from that creature bettered him. Changed him. Besides healing him when he was at his end, it left him with an unexpectant present of prolonging his youth. Roshnak had no idea how long this gift would last. But it couldn't last forever. The years which he seemingly had stolen, could soon come up for pay.

He was now just to the south of Novil field. He was so close to home. He could already feel it. In just a week or so, he knew he would be there. Or he should, if he stayed away from the trouble. Just a couple of days ago the trouble found him, when he stumbled upon a group of horse thieves. He interrupted their attempt in trying to catch and control several young stallions.

It reminded him for a moment of the past days, when he alongside the group of youngsters from the village patrolled the field, protecting the horses from similar groups. He remembered they eventually put an end to such groups. It would be a shame to see they had returned. But that would mean his return was also needed. This region perhaps again needed to be put under control and protection of the guardian of the northern pass.

What became apparent almost immediately, was that this group of thieves had no idea who he was. Nor what his protection meant to this region. So Roshnak made sure they found exactly that. He offered them a short and expensive lesson. One they paid with their lives. Not that they didn't deserve it. He caught them red handed. He knew they couldn't let him pass by. He was a witness of their crime. He had to be dealt with, before he could tell others what he saw.

And they would deal with him, if he was an ordinary orc. Even the most skillful warrior stood no chance against their numbers. These thieves probably found themselves in a similar situation before. Where they had to deal with some unfortunate passersby. Only this time, the thieves were the unfortunate ones. In their ignorance, they decided to attack one of the most powerful individuals in the entire Dorull. Once they realized that, it was far too late to reconsider their choice. But they had the eternity of thinking about it, as they found themselves in the shadow lands.