Mustafa stepped through the gigantic stone doors, which slammed behind him and seemed to seal perfectly into the sheer rock of the mountain. His eyes adjusted to the adjustment of light as he slowly turned his head, examining his surroundings. A large hall, bristling with weapons, that gleamed on their own power, glowing that orange/red hue of heated metal. The walls were covered in every ancient weapon would could imagine. Warhammers, battle axes, swords, spears, lances - the whole hall was a massive armory. Glancing down at Ambassador, it seemed that none of these weapons glowed in the same way as his gifted sword. The light seemed to come from each individual weapon, as though heated to a workable state.
Mustafa put down his gear, and walked to the nearest wall. There he cautiously reached out and took out a massive two-handed warhammer. It was weighty, but nothing he couldn't handle. As he took it off the wall, the glow seemed to fade, and his mind raced as it had in Faustus's tent. He knew the quality of the weapon, well-made, and of good steel, but a farcry from Ambassador due to the limitations of its source metal. Still, it was balanced, and as he gave it a series of three test swings, he got a basic feel for how one was to use the momentum of the giant bludgeoning force. After performing another three swing combo, from a solid stance, swinging only as the momentum carried him - he returned the weapon to the wall, and the glow returned. Mustafa nodded, picked up his soldier's pack and weapons, then continued down the hall. The same seemed to happen for all weapons, not just in the tent.. He followed the hall to a grander common room, and paused when he saw the anvil and lava river. He approached, feeling the heat of the molten earth flow from the river. At last, a true test...Let's see how accurate the old man's words are. He knelt, rolled up his sleeve, and reached out until his hand hovered just above the river. He took a deep breath to steady himself, and plunged it into the stream of molten earth. There was no searing pain, no scream torn from his lips. It was hot beyond measure, this he knew, but it did not faze him. He drew his arm out, and not even the hairs upon it had been affected. The absurdity of what he had just done and the result verifying even more firmly that old sorcerer's statements. It was too much! Unable to contain it, Mustafa burst out laughing. Wild, uncontrolled laughter echoed throughout the empty stone room as he let all his confusion, anguish, doubt and fear out in that chaotic laughter.
Slowly he gathered himself after his finished his hysterics in a choking fit. Fatigue weighed heavy now, both on mind and body. The punishment of his run for survival striking back at last. Mustafa forced himself up, and dragged his pack towards the end of the common hall, stumbling into the first room off the hall. He did not know if any of it was taken, but given the seeming emptiness of the house, it seemed unlikely. He collapsed onto the bed. Questions for tomorrow..he thought as his eyes closed and once more was he overtaken by much needed slumber.
Home 
