Of Realms and Relics

The Ties of Fate that Bind

Dust covered the ancient, fragile scrolls. A dirty white light shining through a window in the corner of the old keep basement. Scattered wooden stools, both broken and giving in to age, lay on the marble floor. Covered in the same dust. Thick and undisdurbed. The scrolls sat in an alcove of the small room. Spider webs adorning the corners. Directly across from the alcove a thick wooden and steel door stood. Ancient and unforgiving like a mighty warrior of many victories. It shuddered. Dust exploding into the air. It shuddered again and cracked from unseen weak spots. More dust filling the ancient air. The mighty warrior of a door finally buckled at it's wrought iron handle. New light shining through massive cracks in the wood. A last impact ripped the door from the wall. A hail of rock falling around the ancient warrior.

As the dust and debris settled a hulking massive figure could be seen through the doorway. "Dark. Dirty. Make me think of home." The figure said.

From behind, another figure emerged. Much smaller in stature and wearing a hood. "Then I'm glad I rescued you from your poor mountain village, Goddi. That sounds terrible." Said the second figure as it produced a hooded lamp and illuminated the entrance.

In the light the two stood. Goddi, laughed as he slung his massive rock hammer over his shoulder. His enormous muscled frame making the hammer's size seem normal. He turned to look at the other figure, his bald head shining from the lamp. "I not remember rescue. Only coin. Coin for me. Lots."

The other figure pulled his hood back with his free hand, revealing a pale white face and black beard that hung below his neck. He smiled, "A king promises riches, and riches you shall have. Imagine how many dark and dirty homes you can buy when we discover the Scrolls of Binding! My kingdom will no longer be laughed at or thought simply as an island rock. People will come from all over Vale to see our discovery! They will all talk about the amazing discovery of King Yandi and his faithful mountain Oruck, Goddi." King Yandi said as he patted the bare chest of Goddi.

"Only old dust. That all I see." Said Goddi as he squinted his eyes peering into the small room.

"You have to look deeper, my rather large friend. For the last 20 years I've researched and read everything and anything that mentioned the scrolls." Yandi said as he stepped deeper into the room.

Goddi followed, having to duck as he crossed the threshold. "I not think scrolls real. Only myth."

Yandi laughed, "Oh, they're real Goddi. A thousand years old and sitting in an ancient Binder Mage's keep. The only way Vale was able to be saved from the ancient destroyer of worlds."

He crossed the room, shining his lamp ahead of him. Kneeling down, he picked up a scrap of red linen. He held it up, inspecting it as dust fell from the scrap. "Not a soul has been here in so long. This linen scrap is from the robe of an ancient binder mage. It's the color they used to wear...something must've gone terribly wrong."

Goddi leaned in to look, "I not like this. Feel real bad. Like not good happen here."

Yandi dropped the linen and stood back up, looking around the room again. "Yes. It seems as if our old friends left in a hurry. I wonder what scared them?"
"Maybe dragon? Maybe magic?"

"Maybe, friend. There's only one real way to know and I think I see the answer." Yandi shone his light on the alcove, his eyes twinkling in the light. He crossed the room and inhaled as he stood in front of the scrolls. Gingerly, he blew onto the scrolls. Dust scattering as faint tendrils of purple mist swirled from the rolled papers. Slightly shaking, Yandi extended a hand. Slowly reaching for his prized find.

"Boss...maybe you not touch?" Goddi said taking a step back.
"No, Goddi. I will definitely touch."

Yandi's fingers wrapped around a scroll. Plucking it from its place of rest. He inspected it. Ancient paper bound at the middle with a fairy bloom stem. He pulled at the stem and the scroll unwound.