RuneScape Forum Archive | ~^v^~ Kashan's Tale ~^v^~

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Toin, on the other hand, stuck out like a sore thumb. He had trimmed the platebody with thick green around the edges, and put an insignia on the chest; two leaves, one green and healthy, the other brown and withered; the symbol of Guthix, representing nature, and the balance of life and death. He held his helmet under the pit of his arm, two lines of charcoal lined at an angle on each eye, giving it a very threatening look when worn.

When they got to the palace, the guards wordlessly let them through. They made their way through the long corridors of the palace, and when they reached the throne room, they were let through once again.

The throne room was a huge, extremely well decorated oblong rectangle. It was eighty feet on the shorter ends, and hundred and sixty feet on the longer ones. A dozen white marble pillars, polished so well they almost emitted their own light, supported the ceiling, which was covered from east to west, north to south with paintings of epic battles and important parts of Varrock’s history, all obviously painted by an expert. The walls were polished white marble as well, but weren’t decorated as much as the ceiling.

At the far end of the room, two thrones stood, with backs nearly six feet high. The one on the right was empty, but the one on the left contained a person. It was still too far away to determine gender or looks, but the build of the character and size of the clothes suggested female, as she was thin, and seemed fragile like crystal. The clothing was long, like a dress, and blue green on the torso and sides of the lower portion, but red in the centre.

Beside the throne, there stood a tall man, clad in dark armour. They could not discern anything about his features yet, but his build made him look strong and agile.

20-Sep-2006 00:06:01 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:09:01 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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The soft, kind voice of Queen Ellamaria sounded from the throne, echoing of the walls, making it seem as if the words had no actual point of origin, but came from everywhere at the same time from a large choir.

“Slayers and company, approach.”

They reverentially approached her, and bowed to one knee in front of the throne. She smiled gently, and gestured for them to get up.

As they stood on their feet, they could get a better look on the Queen. She was short, about 5’2, with long, flowing brown hair, and a very large, golden crown, making her seem at least four feet taller. Her dress was, as they had noticed from the door, very long and smooth, and now they noticed the material: silk, the rich people’s fabric. Around her neck, there hung a large, impressive looking golden necklace, though it had no decorations on it whatsoever. Behind her fell a short, red cape, making it seem like a trail of blood behind her.

“I’ve been informed that you bear the honour of slaying the King Black Dragon, and gave great assistance in the killing of a dozen attacking hellhounds?” She directed her words to Toin, who, a bit swifter than could be considered appropriate, corrected her proudly, inhaling deeply to seem taller.

“Eighteen myself, and fourteen with help!” he said, but realized who he was addressing, and added swiftly, “your highness,” as he bowed.

Kai and Queen Ellamaria let out a small chuckle. She didn’t seem offended, but rather amused.

“My sources were wrong, then,” she said, smiling, and continued softly. “I am not one to let a good deed go unrewarded, and so ask of you, with what can I reward one of the greatest warriors of the land?”

Toin didn’t seem to need any time to ponder this, but removed a large tooth, one of the teeth he had taken as relic from the King Black Dragon, from his belt and displayed it with an open palm; all in one continuous motion like he did most things.

20-Sep-2006 00:08:12 - Last edited on 31-Oct-2006 19:58:06 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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“I would like, if I could, access to Horvik’s workshop, along with several items which I will list to you later; they are slightly too numerous to list up on the spot. I intend to craft a useable weapon out of this,” he said, gesturing with his head towards the tooth in his hand. “Fight evil with the sole remnant of the ultimate evil.”

Kashan became slightly wide-eyed. Toin hadn’t mentioned this to any of them.

Queen Ellamaria smiled, and simply said, “It shall be done,” before turning to Kashan.

“So, with what can I reward you, Beast Slayer?” she asked kindly. Kashan was slightly taken aback at all of this; he had pictured the Queen as a stuck-up snob before.

“Before I ask of a reward from you, I would like to offer my condolences for your husband. I wasn’t around for most of his time as King, but I did get the privilege of meeting him once, and he was a great King. It must be a great loss,” he said, true sorrow colouring his voice.

Queen Ellamaria’s smile faded slightly, and she stared Kashan in the eye, as if she were trying to burn a hole through his skull.

“Roald was an old coward of a fool,” she said, slightly more harshly than before, “Leaving his city in its times of need is the worst thing on a long list of bad things he has done during his reign. It was not he who ruled the city, anyways, but me. This city is too full of narrow-minded, prejudicing people for it to be ruled by a woman, at least for them to know they’re ruled by a one. No, his death was not the worst thing that happened during that battle,” her expression softened, and she didn’t stare at Kashan anymore. “But let’s not allow the past to cloud the present; I ask again: with what can I reward you, Kashan Beast Slayer?” She asked, now speaking in a kind and gentle tone of voice as before.

20-Sep-2006 00:08:14 - Last edited on 31-Oct-2006 20:22:04 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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Those rapid mood swings took ***han aback slightly, but he managed to keep a straight face, and opened his mouth to reply. It was then that he realized there was nothing he needed, or wanted, other than what he already had. What he truly wanted, was to just live in Varrock in peace and quiet, with Arya at his side, and live quietly for the rest of his life. He knew this could not be; at least not yet. He had gathered enough from Timier’s stories to know he could never truly rest until the shift in the Balance was restored.

He couldn’t ask the Queen about this, though, so, after a few moments of thinking, he asked for the next best thing, remembering the look on Arya** face when she had put the black dragon hide armour on for the first time, only a couple of days ago.

“I have no plea for myself, but rather for my friends. If it were possible to allow them to keep the equipment they were loaned for the battle, I would be eternally grateful,” he asked submissively as he bowed his head, and looked on Arya** face, which was glowing with what could only be described as happiness and love.

Queen Ellamaria’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Very well, but I ask for one thing in exchange.” Kashan looked up at her, taken slightly aback. *Kai has informed me of some… incredible feats of yours, namely jumping incredible distances and strange healing powers. I, and he as well, would very much like to know how you did such things,” she asked curiously.

Kashan looked to Timier, unsure as to if he should tell her or not. Timier nodded back.

“It is a prophecy of Guthix. Whenever the Balance in Gielinor is shifted too greatly…” He began, continuing to tell his own tale. When he finished, it was early evening.

They dined in the palace, along with Queen Ellamaria and Kai. It was the largest feast they had ever seen, and took several hours.

20-Sep-2006 00:08:15 - Last edited on 31-Oct-2006 20:23:50 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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It ended late in the evening, and they went back to the inn to sleep. Arya barely closed her mouth once on their way back, as she was still extremely excited over meeting, and dining with, royalty. Eventually she calmed down, though, to Kashan’s great joy, as he was unable to get any sleep with her rambling about how fancy it had all been.

Early the following morning, before even Kashan woke up, Toin went to Horvik’s workshop, with the large dragon tooth strapped onto his belt.

He didn’t return from the workshop for two days, and when he did, he went to the palace almost immediately. He did stop by the inn long enough for the others to see his work.

When he entered the inn after two days work, he was exhausted, but too proud to miss the chance of letting others admire his work. He revealed a fifteen-inch, very extensive sheath, apparently for a dagger, though it was much too broad for any normal dagger. It was decorated with intricate, golden runes, intertwining to form brilliant patterns.

Kashan commented on this, and Toin said they were ancient runes, the oldest form of writing on Gielinor: the original dwarven runes. He said old folklore told that they, in themselves, were a weak enchantment, boding good luck.

He unsheathed the dagger inside with a dramatic, slightly larger than required, motion.

He had sharpened the already sharp tooth on the tip, turning it into a powerful stabbing weapon. He had also polished it, so it shone when the slightest speck of light fell on it, and encrusted three small, extremely shiny diamonds into it, each the size of a small pebble. They all had the same sort of cut, a simple table cut, and were all placed on the lower portion of the now dagger-like tooth, as to leave the end for easier access into ones flesh.

20-Sep-2006 00:08:16 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:09:54 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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He had also attached it to an oaken hilt by a small piece of gilded steel, and covered the hilt in soft leather for a more secure grip, aside from three small diamonds, and a single line of gilded, dwarven runes. The diamonds were similar to those on the ‘blade’, but equally distributed over the span of the whole hilt.

The ‘blade’ of this newly made dagger was nearly ten inches long, bending slightly at the end, forming a near half-moon. The hilt was half as long as the ‘blade’, nearing five inches, with five broad, parallel finger-shaped impressions for an easy grip. They were slightly too broad for Kashan’s fingers, as they were designed for a dwarf.

The runes on the hilt read; ‘Bölvarinn Dargein, leiðin til Helvítis hefst hér’.

“It means ‘Dargein the Curser, the path to Hell begins here’. It isn’t yet, but once I’ve enchanted it…,” he had said mysteriously with a distant stare, as if he were looking into the future. A grin crept onto his face.

He went to the palace immediately after showing them the dagger, Dargein, to speak with the Queen about the ‘several other items’. He returned to the inn with more than a few pouches of runes, and jumped to his room without letting any of the others see what runes he had.

He didn’t return from his room for the whole day, and when he did, he seemed exhausted.

“I can’t stay. Have to keep the enchantment up…,” he said as he virtually inhaled a steak and a beer; he had learned to stay away from the beefed turkey.

“Why are you taking so long with this? You only needed an hour when you enchanted my staff,” Timier said, amazed at the speed the steak in front of Toin was disappearing.

“Rune embedding’s simple. This ain’t. I’ve gotta get back up, can’t stay away long, or it fails,” he said as he swallowed the last piece of his steak, and went back up.

20-Sep-2006 00:08:17 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:11:54 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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He didn’t return for two days after that, and the others became extremely worried about him. They went to see if he was okay, only to find him sleeping on his bed, and the dagger on his desk, glowing a faint blue.

Toin recovered the next day, and all fell back to normal. Almost all, that is, for Kashan spent continuously more and more time in the library of Varrock.

When he had spent the majority of three months in the library, Arya queried him about this.

“I’m trying to find what could have shifted the balance. We can’t just be running around like headless chickens, trying to find something. Besides, learning about other Balancers, and why they were taken, could help me,” he replied. Old books were piled all around him, and Reldo was constantly scoffing around, worried about his precious books.

And so, time passed. It was almost six months since the battle, when Kashan finally found something, and took it to Arya.

He read from the ancient tome he had found in a serious tone. “In ancient times, even before the god wars, Zamorak wasn’t a god. He was a general in a tribe called ‘the Mahjarrat’, which was a tribe of near-immortals that worshipped an old deity: Zaros.
However, a skirmish erupted between Zaros and Armadyl, and an ancient staff crafted by Armadyl, called… go figure, the Staff of Armadyl, came to the hands of Zamorak.
He used that staff to revolt against Zaros, and along with some close friends, he banished Zaros, and took place as a god in his stead. This is all known fact, if a bit little known, but this book contains something more.

There were a few key characters that aided Zamorak in this revolt, but they were all either killed afterwards, or disappeared. All but one, that is: the second-in-command, Zemouregal, is not accounted for. No written facts, tell-tales, folklore, gossip, rumours, myths, legends, or stories say anything of him after the god wars.

*Except one.

20-Sep-2006 00:10:02 - Last edited on 31-Oct-2006 20:25:14 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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“There was once a warrior called Randas, corrupted by power, and attempted to perform a ritual of sorts. This ritual was supposed to bring Zamorak’s soul, and with it his power, back into the world of Gielinor, using Randas’ body as a medium. However, his weak, human body was unable to stand the awesome power that was locked in the god’s soul, and instead of bringing Zamorak back to the world…” he looked up from the tome, towards Arya, before continuing. “He went mad.” He looked back down to the tome, and continued reading from it.

“Now, this is only legend, but there are a few, unrelated sources, that tell of Zemouregal’s actions, attempting to gather all the things required for this ritual. Now, if all those tales are correct, then he only needs two more things, really. Blood from the King of the greatest city; that is arguable, but I think that’s King Roald. He already has that, and…,” he took a long, dramatic pause before continuing. “Blood from a Balancer. He needs *me*,” he said, emphasizing the last word.

~~~~

Zemouregal’s eyes twitched and his jaw locked as he watched the large wall in front of him, the final words echoing through the large room ten times stronger than any normal voice, before the image faded away, and eventually disappeared.

“He needs me, he needs me, he needs me, me needs me…”

“How could that book be there?” he thought, “I personally erased all information of me when Zaros died, I was supposed to be able to do this quietly!” He was infuriated, partly at himself for allowing this tome to slip through his net ages ago, and partly at this Balancer; he knew too much.

A figure came through one of the walls, and approached him, but bowed on one knee when it came closer.

It rose to its feet, and the calm, emotionless voice of Malkana sounded from it.

20-Sep-2006 00:10:03 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:12:30 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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“Master, we’ve been prepared for the Balancer’s arrival for six months, yet he has not come. We cannot maintain Usonaring much longer, and Merolgha grows restless. I fear that if she is not given a task, she might take one herself,” he said, without showing any signs of this ‘fear’.

If Malkana could have seen the expression on Zemouregal’s face, perhaps his fear would have showed itself.

“Get the girl,” he snapped at him, “the Balancer will follow. Have Merolgha replace her, let’s see if she can’t end this quickly,” he said, and turned to him. His look of fury disappeared, and a sly grin came in its place. “Tell her to do what she does best.”

End of Chapter 1 of third episode.

20-Sep-2006 00:10:04 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:12:45 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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Chapter 2 - An unexpected guest

“You?” Arya queried frightfully, as if she didn’t fully believe him.

“Yes. Me,” Kashan replied, showing scarcely any emotion, though the turmoil of dread and fear underneath was apparent.

“But… that means…” she started, the bliss of ignorance suddenly swept away from her. “He will come for you! We have to get you out of here, he’ll have heard of the Beast Slayer of Varrock!” she said fretfully, her face deforming of worry.

“No, I need to find him. That’s why I’m here, why I’m a Balancer. He needs to be stopped, he’s to powerful. You saw what he did to Varrock, and he wasn’t even there while he did it.” Nothing but deadly calmness and certainty now showed in Kashan’s face. “We leave tomorrow. We go west.”

The library was deadly silent; even Reldo had left them, to study some ancient tome. Kashan replaced the book in a bookcase, and sat back down as Arya replied.

“Why to the west, what’s there?”

Kashan seemed amused, but whether it was at his own answer or Arya’s question wasn’t clear. “I don’t know. I just feel like… like I have to go west, as soon as possible. I think I’ll start by going to Falador, and see where that takes me.”

Arya had no reply to this, but sat down next to him, silently staring at a book in front of her. After a while, she spoke his thoughts.

“Why can’t we just stay here in Varrock? It’d be nice to be just a normal couple.”

Kashan sighed. “I know; I want that too; but we can’t. C’mon, we had better pack for the journey; if we leave first thing tomorrow we can reach Falador by evening,” he said as he lightly kissed her cheek, and stood up just as she turned her head to kiss him back, leaving her hanging for a second before she noticed he wasn’t there. She sighed.

Kashan went back to the inn to let Timier and Toin know of their departure from Varrock, and found them chatting by the bar.

20-Sep-2006 00:10:09 - Last edited on 20-Sep-2006 00:13:05 by [#80N8R0VWZ]

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