Author: Belikan
Notes: Just thought some of you might enjoy this. I wrote this basically as Ethafyn's background, but since it wasn't anything OOC, I thought it made an appropriate story. I was experimenting with a new style whilst writing it...the style is pretty apparent. If you have any comments, you can mail me.
The damp fens were darkened despite the dawn light, brackish water absorbing the pale glow of the sun. It was still, almost serene, with only the sounds of crickets and frogs serving to break the monotony of the otherwise silent swampland. Slowly, a large shape started moving through the murky waters. The normal sounds of the swamp seemed to be hushed, as the figure slithered through the marsh water.
The creature hunted.
It swam slowly through the dark, stagnant water of the swamp, a slow ripple the only way to track it's progress. At times, the creature moved out of the water, to lumber across the land with a good deal less grace. It emerged from the water near the edge of the swamp, fully coming into view for the first time. The early morning light seemed to reflect dully of the wet green scales, and it breathed slowly and steadily. Silently, it lowered itself down among the tall grasses at the edge of the marsh, it's red eyes blazing.
The creature waited.
The saurian lay unmoving among the reeds, seeming not to blink, though at times a thin, transparent membrane rose and fell over his eye. Sensing something nearby, it tensed, poised to leap forth at a moment's notice. Quietly, it moved to it's knees, the tail balancing out behind it to help keep it's balance. Staring out, the Srryn stared uncomprehendingly at the sight before him.
The creature watched.
Perhaps fifty yards away there sat a young man at a blazing campfire. He was dressed in long black robes, sinched at the waist with a thin, red belt. He was murmuring over the campfire, his eyes closed in concentration. Suddenly, the flames of the fire burst upward into the morning air, sending a gout of flame reaching upwards. A few flames tenderly reached towards the young man, and he simply placed his arm into the great fire. Except for a brief wince, the young man showed no pain.
The creature hissed.
He did not understand how the man could undergo such torment without crying out. Even he, Ethafyn, mighty warrior of the Srryn would be hard pressed to stay quiet in the face of such pain. His hand reached subconsciously for the thick broadsword buckled to his back. Quickly, it was in his grasp, and his talon-like hands clenched the hilt tightly. Abruptly, the young scholar spoke out, in a deep resonant voice, 'Come out here, Srryn. I would speak with you.'
The creature moved.
He approached the sorceror warily, one hand gripping the broadsword tightly. He came towards the fire, and stopped a good distance away. "What issss it?" he hissed. The scholar opened his eyes, and the Srryn saw that the man's eyes were also a deep, fiery red. "I have come for you, Srryn, to teach you of the ways of Fire. I was sent by the Gods of the True Path to find those with the power to master the path of the Fire."
The creature stared.
"I have never heard of thessse Templarssss," returned the Srryn, cautiously lowering his sword. "Why sssshould I not jusssst sssslay you?" With a quiet smile the man replied, "Because you cannot." Ethafyn looked at the human across the great fire that still stood blazing between them. Suddenly, he darted around the fire to the left, moving towards the human at a fast pace. The scholar simply stood, still smiling. When the lizard was withing striking distance, the fire scholar merely flicked his fingers out and uttered a single word.
The creature burned.
Ravaging flames scoured the Srryn's body, caressing his skin with it's deadly touch. Even Ethafyn's normally fire-resistant scales were no match for the sheer intensity of the fire that burned across his body. "Sssstop!" he cried. "I will learn thessse magickssss, if you wissssh!" Abruptly, and without warning, the blazing fire about the saurian died off, leaving him in a blackened heap on the ground. The human, still smiling, responded, "Yes. I believe you will."
The creature learned.
Time passed, and the man stayed always at the edge of the swamp. Each day, the srryn would come to him, and each day the srryn would learn. The scholar taught much of the ways of Fire. He taught of the burning desires that gnaw at each mortal's soul He taught of the purity of Fire, of the cleanliness. He taught of the sheer force of Fire. He taught, and the srryn learned as much as he could. Some was beyond the Srryn's intelligence, but he attempted it all, for still he remembered his first meeting with the human scholar. At night, the srryn would return, often burnt and drained of energy, back to the swamp. He would collapse into the murky waters, exhausted each night.
The creature practiced.
As he grew more adept at the use of his newly acquired skills, the lizard grew stronger. He became able to use his skills with less energy, and was able to master more powerful skills. And, unbeknownst to the human, he began to experiment. Often, these experiments burnt him as badly as the scholar's lesson, but the srryn had learned determination. He experimented in combining his already vaunted fighting skills with the destrucive powers of the Fire magic. He learned of new ways to supplement himself, making himself ever more ready for any battle.
The creature hated.
And Ethafyn knew what battle he wished for. He wanted, more than anything, to slay the arrogant scholar that had burned him so long ago. And with his new skills, he felt himself ready. One day, he did not journey to the edge of the swamp to meet with the follower of the Dark Gods. He spent the day resting, and practicing. He prepared himself for the battle at hand, focusing all his rage and anger and hate into a controlled ball inside his mind, ready to be unleashed at any moment.
The creature stalked.
The night came, and the Srryn once more slithered through the swamp water. He moved towards the scholar's campfire, stealthily concealing himself within the high reeds of the swamp. He moved around the back of the scholar and readied himself. Uttering a few magical words, he made the flame burn strongly within him, allowing him to focus his power more strongly. Silently, he crept forward. Suddenly, and without warning, the scholar spoke. "So this is what it comes to? Do you think I do not know what you have been doing in those swamps, Newt?" Ethafyn growled angrily, and said "I do not need you anymore, Sssscholar. Your time issss passst."
The creature sneered.
The fire scholar laughed, clutching at his stomach to contain the mirth. "Oh, is that so? Then have at it, Ethafyn." The human snorted derisively and turned towards the Srryn, smiling brightly. With a road, Ethafyn charged at him, his broadsword suddenly erupting into flame. The scholar's eyes widened, but he stood calmly. Suddenly, and without warning, the saurian let fly a huge firebolt at the scholar. At the same time, he closed in, and swung mightly at the scholar's midsection. With a cry, the man flung himself out of the way, just in time. The sword that would have eviscerated him merely tore a long gash in the cloth of his robe, and the blazing streak of fire passed just inches above his head.
The creature grinned.
Ethafyn paused momentarily, looking down at the prone form of the magician. 'Thissss issss what comessss to thosssse that messssss with the Ssssrynn." The scholar looked at the srryn, pleading apparent in his eyes. Ethafyn motioned that the scholar could stand. The black-robed magic user quickly scrabbled to his feet and backed a step away. 'Ethafyn...you need not do this. I still have much I can teach you. The Dark Gods would not appreciate you slaying me, I am a good follower of theirs...," the scholar trailed off, desperately thinking.
The creature considered.
With one powerful slash of his broadsword, the scholar's head was disconnected from his body. His body collapsed instantaneously, as the head rolled bounced a few feet away and rolled to rest at the Srryn's feet. With a quick hissing word, Ethafyn's sword quietly went out, the flames flickering and flaring once before dying away. "Dark Godssss not need weak followerssss. Need sssstrong onesss, like Ethafyn. I will become one of their followerssss, in time. If only you had followed your own principlessss, Ssscholar. I now know that power comessss from hatred and desssstruction of otherssss. This you taught me. Yesss you taught me well."
The creature laughed.