Loki of Verity

By Omicron

PROLOGUE

Six years ago, my father left this mortal plane. He died in vain - with neither honor nor glory to his name. Being a dwarf, he relied only on his four foot steel sword and his powerful arm. His arrogance led to his downfall, and his death did not come as a surprise to me. My father's death was by the hands of Loki, a wizard fouler than death and more powerful than Riga himself. My dad was venturing through Verity Isle when he heard a thundering laugh. My dad couldn't even see the bastard before a dagger went through his back, with such strength and force that it severed his spinal cord. He spent his last, cloying breath watching Loki reappear; a devilish grin on his face.

Despite the tales that say Riga had only one apprentice - Cassandra, it is rumored that Loki, in his more youthful years, had an underhand apprenticeship with Riga. Riga, the self-proclaimed ruler of Alyria, was a force to be reckoned with. But even Riga was not powerful enough to withstand the forces of time. With age, his powers started to wane, and he transferred most of his power to his secret apprentice, Loki. Riga had a vision of a dagger and a dragon's severed head several times, a bad omen. He knew his time would be short. But if death comes for him, he will not avoid it. Death, like time, waits for no one. Riga has already avoided death numerous times with his powerful sorcery, but alas, his transfer of powers left him weak and feeble. Cassandra, Riga's other apprentice, had an immense greed for power. Since the first day of her apprenticeship with Riga, she had a plot to depose of her master. And during Riga's point of weakness, Cassandra easily killed him by physical means. Riga's death finalized the transfer of powers, and Loki became as powerful as ever. Though this whole apprenticeship with Riga and Loki is still just a rumor, Loki's unearthly powers sure helped to further this tale.

Through many stories passed along at the local bars and taverns, I have come to know that Loki is still alive, living somewhere on a secret, inaccessible floor on top of Riga's Tower. I also learned that there is a way to reach Verity Isle, the location for which the foundation of the Tower sits upon, through an adventurer in Sigil.

Despite my father's arrogance and lack of sense, he still was my father, and he was a very good father at that. His death still rages me daily, and in my darkest hours, I still shed a tear for him despite my intense training to be headstrong. I have made a vow to slay Loki, but slaying someone with perhaps more power than even Riga himself is not an easy task. Not easy indeed.

CHAPTER 1

It is 1298, and my training has left me in great physical shape. My trainer, a nobleman from Tellerium by the name of Archibilius, has taught me numerous ways of fighting. Old Arch has instilled with me the strength and courage I need to undergo my vow to slay Loki. He equipped me with a lot of armor and weaponry, including a throwing axe which he claimed the Gods had handed down to him a long time ago. He felt that I was prepared, and I felt confident myself. I journeyed to a local tavern in Tellerium to have a drink and to keep up with old news. The barkeep, Reminy, was a beautiful human. She and I had been friends since we were little, and living in the town of Lasler. Despite the stereotype that only guys should be barkeepers, Reminy handles herself really well since she is trained in the arts of magic. Anyone wishing to start trouble in her bar would have to answer to her fireballs and God knows what else she has up her sleeves.

"Hey Omicron!" she said as she came over. I gave her a modest kiss on the cheek.

"Hey," I said. "So how goes the bar? Business still running as usual?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Ever since Lord Vendredi stopped handing out extravagant rewards for quests, the people normally in Sigil came over here to Tellerium. It's good for the business, but I fear the people are going to trash this place like they did in Sigil." She sighed. "Well, you can't win them all can you?"

"Yeah. Hey listen, I need you to do me a big favor. Can you lend me fifty-thousand, Alyrian gold?" I said.

"Only if it's for you." She winked. She went in the back to draw out a bank slip. She was a really beautiful lady, but racial wise if a dwarf were to get handfasted with a human, that would cause a lot of commotion. "Here you go dear. Business is good so I can lend you this money. I assume this is for your quest to slay Loki?" I nodded solemnly. "Good luck..." she said.

We embraced and I left the tavern, feeling a bit empty. No matter. No sense letting personal feelings stop me from my one true goal.

After I got the money from the bank in Tellerium, I prayed to the Immortals to recall me to my house in Rune. An intense beam of light shot down from the sky, temporarily blinding me. A sudden weariness overwhelmed me and I drifted away to sleep.

CHAPTER 2

An hour or so later, I woke up, refreshed and in my house. I decided to pay a visit to Lord Agrippa of Rune, whom I've known since I was little. In fact, Rune was the first town I ventured to after my birth in Lasler. The Lord's audience chamber is immaculate and organized, with no hints of deterioration. As I approached him, he looked up and grinned.

"Hi, my lord," I said. "Still handing out crazy quests that have you go all the way to Lowangen?" He laughed.

"Only to you, Omicron," he replied. "So what brings you here?"

"Well, I'm planning to avenge my father." His grin turned into a frown, and a hint of concern showed up on his face.

"Loki," was all he said. I nodded. His voice turned serious, "Hey listen, you served me long enough. Take this with you." With that he made a quick motion with his hands and two things appeared in front of him. One was a huge overflowing bottle and the other was a bag with strange inscriptions on it. "Here," he said. "A decanter for your hunger and thirst, which never empties, and a reagent bag for your magic needs, which never fails to supply you with components."

"But I don't use magi-"

"Keep it. You might find it useful one day."

With that I made a deep bow, which he returned, and I went off. I was ready. I have my food, I have my money, I have my equipment, but most importantly, I have my anger. To this day, my rage for Loki still burns brightly, fueled by that virtual image of a dagger behind my father's back, a falling man, a slain father. I started for Ganuk, who operates the Iron Worm, capable of taking a person or a group of people anywhere within seconds.

"Sigil, please," I told Ganuk.

"Right this way," he replied.

I stepped in the worm, and he closed the hatch. I steadied my nerves, and in the dark chamber I felt a tear roll down my eye, induced by another looping image of the dagger behind my father's back. The worm rocked, and I was thrown aside. I decided to sit down and rest while I can.

CHAPTER 3

A couple minutes later, the hatch opened up and I stepped out. The all too familiar pier of Sigil appeared before my eyes, and I headed north. The ground rumbled behind me and I looked back. The worm tunneled back into Alyria and out of sight. Such a wondrous machine. I always wondered how Ganuk could operate it without any visual means of reference. Hmm... no matter. Being a tad in a hurry, I prayed to the Immortals for a recall, which they immediately granted. The familiar beam of light, the flash, the weariness, and I found myself inside the temple of Sigil. After resting for awhile, I went to see the old adventurer I heard so much about in the taverns. I was lucky since I found him in a room to the south of the temple where I recalled.

"Aye, mate. You look like someone who can use a good adventure. Heard of ol' Verity Isle?" the man said. "50,000 gold will get ya there!" Without hesitation, I handed him fifty-thousand pieces of gold. He nodded. "Are you ready to leave?"

I offered a quick prayer to the Immortals, Archibilius my trainer and mentor, Reminy the barkeep with a heart of gold, and to all the Lords and Ladies on Alyria. I looked up, and nodded to the adventurer. The adventurer opened his hands, and a quick flare from his hand engulfed the room, transporting me through a starlit field. The flare faded, leaving me on a deserted and deathly quiet isle. I took a couple steps and looked up. I was awestruck. There was Riga's Tower - my destiny - and my father's murderer, in there somewhere.

"Loki!" I shouted, rushing into the Tower. Before I even entered the door, I ran into an invisible wall which knocked me off balance, leaving me in a daze. I quickly stood up and heard an ominous laugh.

"Don't you know how to knock before entering?" ominous-voiced said.

"Who the hell are you?" I screamed, with more fear than anger. Ominous-voiced sensed the fear in my words and just laughed again.

"Behind you," ominous-voiced said. I looked back. It was Loki. I quickly drew by sword. "I'll be taking that," he said while raising his hands. The sword jumped out of my hands and into Loki's. He came closer. I was too horrified to move, I knew it was too hopeless to run. "Now tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now and right here like I did your father," he said, threateningly.

"I-," was all I managed before he raised the sword and ran it through me.

CHAPTER 4

I woke up. "What happened? Why am I still alive!?" I looked down. My body was wrapped in sheets and bandages.

"Easy," a familiar voice said. I looked up.

"Reminy!" I exclaimed. I was so ecstatic that I couldn't say anything else.

"Shhh... rest well. I'll tell you in the morning."

"But... I... but... how?"

"In the morning," she replied. And with that she left me alone, with only my thoughts to accompany me. I looked around the room, still not knowing where I was. Ah, it was Reminy's back room in the tavern. I know this place all too well... I managed to surface a grin despite the circumstances. Oh well, nothing much left to do but rest, I thought to myself. And with that I drifted off, pictures of Reminy soothing me in my mind.

I awoke to the sound of church bells chiming.

"Hey," Reminy said. "How are you feeling?" I opened my eyes and looked lovingly at her.

"Pretty good actually. So what happened yesterday?" She didn't say anything. She lifted up my bandage and a gasp escaped from her.

"Wow - what happened to your wounds?"

I grinned. "Archibilius trained me in the arts of fast healing. Apparently sleeping accelerates that healing process." I shook my head. "So what happened yesterday? Despite my fast healing I felt myself dying, Loki's sword - which he stole from me - ran right through me..."

"You DID die."

"Wha--?"

"You died, but I resurrected you."

"Oh my god, I'm sorry. You know how hard astrals are to come by now? I've heard stories of people trading their first born just for an astral... And you need two to resurrect people!"

"Nonsense! It's a small sacrafice for a life saved." She kissed me. "But, truth be told, I'm down to my last astral. And should you ever die again..." Her gaze drifted and I could see the reflection of a tear in her eyes through the dawning sun.

I shook my head again. "How did you know I was dying?"

"I can see through other people's eyes. It's a simple teleview spell."

"No kidding? Wow, you're always full of surprises." There was a brief silence, which seemed to last an eternity. "Hey listen, I need another fifty-thousand gold. I'll repay it all, I promise."

"Are you crazy!? You're telling me you're actually going back?"

"Yes," I said with as much earnest as I can muster.

"But if you die again..."

"This time I won't."

"I beg you, please, to not go!"

"I can't allow it. You try living with an intense rage with you everyday. You try living in a world of fear. You try living without a father..."

Moments pass. "Okay, stay here." She went back into the front room and disappeared from view. A couple seconds later, she reappeared with another bank withdrawal slip. "Here's the money. Also, take this with you." She gave me two rings.

"What are they?" I asked, curious.

"One is a moon ring. It prevents anyone from disarming you, whether by physical or magical means. After what I saw yesterday, I'm sure this would come into good use. The other is a sand ring, which lets you see through the most powerful invisibility spell. Be sure not to wear both rings on the same hand, or the powers of one ring would interfere with the powers of the other."

I wore both rings, each on a different hand. Immediately, my hands started glowing a pale blue as renowed vigor flowed through my veins and a bright soothing light flashed once in my eyes and faded away. "Thanks Reminy. I'll be sure to put these to good use. You take care of yourself okay? And try not to worry too much about me."

Reminy nodded and I started for my journey to Sigil again. Even as I was leaving the tavern, I caught a glimpse of her reaching for a focusing crystal. "Teleview," I said to no one in particular. Bless Reminy. She was always watching out for other people. I cleared my head and continued on to Sigil via a quick recall and a passage through Ganuk's magnificent iron worm. Upon arriving at Sigil, I met once again with the old adventurer, and gave him another fifty-thousand gold pieces.

"Back at it again eh?" the old adventurer said. "Welp, have fun!" With that he opened another flare-warp and I was instantly transferred to the infamous Verity Isle. Little did he know my true intentions at this place. He probably thought of me as just another tourist in Sigil. Bah. Far from the truth.

CHAPTER 5

I stood below the magnificent Tower, more than ready to engage Loki. I brought out my decanter, drank from it, and steadied myself for another confrontation with that vile wizard. I took a few steps up the stairs of the Tower, cautious as to not run into any magically-erected walls again. I entered the door. Loki appeared suddenly and raised his hands. A slight breeze encircled me and soon turned into a full blown tornado. I was swept out the door and fell down hard.

"Why are you still alive? I thought I killed you!" he roared. "Unless someone resurrected you... well this time there will be no resurrection. I'll kill you, AND your spirit too!" He started mumbling incomprehensible incantations. His feet suddenly rose from the ground and a great wall of fire surrounded him. Such an extreme display of power. I can see how my father fell before this great black wizard. Intuitively, I reached for my axe.

"Ha ha! Again? You're better of not using any weapons at all, lest I turn them against you again!" Loki said. With that, he raised his hands, mumbled a familiar incantation and tried to disarm me again. My moon ring started to glow, and my grip on the weapon tightened automatically. Bless Reminy. Without hesitation I sprung up from the floor and charged at him, delivering a solid blow right through his chest - or so it seemed. When I took a second look at where my axe hit, all I saw was air.

"Teleportation," I muttered.

"Very good," a voice from behind me boomed. I turned around and saw Loki. He was wielding a dagger - the same dagger that killed my father. An overwhelming rage manifested within me, and he tried to slash me. I blocked the dagger easily with my shield, summoned up all my strength and smashed him over the head with a quick bash from that same shield. He fell down, dazed. I drew my axe high, swung it with all my might, and heard the familiar sound of bone cracking and flesh tearing. I looked down and realized I made a cut about four inches deep in his right shoulder. He screamed in agony. The wall of fire surrounding him leaped up at me and torched me, but the pain I felt was only superficial. Without thinking, I swung again with my axe - missing only by a few inches as he jumped back. He growled.

"Not too bad," he managed to say. He grabbed his shoulder with his left hand, stopping the blood from pouring out. With his right hand, he raised it toward the sky. The clouds started to grow dark. The darkening of the sky was accompanied by a rumble now and then. Just when I was about to take another slash at him a bolt arced from the sky, zigzagged a couple times, and struck me right in the back. A shock ran through my body so fierce that it seemingly scorched every organ within. I collapsed and coughed up blood. Loki made a ball with his hands and a web materialized from out of nowhere and enmeshed me. He thundered, "Despite my magical prowess, physical damage can be just as fatal. In some cases even more deadlier." He presented his wicked dagger, the one he killed my father with, and started to approach me. Webbed and paralyzed from Loki's sorcery, I just layed there, awaiting death to claim me once again.

CHAPTER 6

Out of nowhere a blue spark appeared. It was a small spark, but it captured Loki's attention for a second. He dismissed it, and continued on to finish what he started. He was but a feet from me when the spark exploded with a BOOM so loud it shook the very foundation of the Tower. Loki looked back. The spark turned into a nexus - a gateway from one place to another! Loki stared, transfixed as Reminy stepped through.

"A... nexus!?" Loki exclaimed. "But... that's not possible upon these grounds."

"Not possible to those who don't know how to do it!" Reminy exclaimed. And with that her eyes began to glow as vines and roots shot out of the land and wrapped around Loki, tying him down. She began to cast another spell, but collapsed on all fours. "I'm out of reagents," she said. "I used a lot of them just to get myself a nexus here."

"Here, use this!" I said as I threw Agrippa's reagent bag through the web. She picked it up and resumed her casting. A blue glow surrounded me as I felt my wounds disappearing. This was amazing... she was healing me from within! She continued another incantation and the web around me vanished into thin air. With renewed strength, I stood up and grabbed my axe. Walking calmly over to Loki, I took a huge swipe with my axe. It tore through the vines and found itself deep within Loki's ribs.

CHAPTER 7

He gasped, quickly stood up, put both hands on his stomach, and mumbled: "Alright, no more games." Still gasping, he managed to pull off one last incantation before he collapsed from exhaustion. The ground started to shake, and the very foundation we were standing on threatened to collapse at any given moment. I exchanged confused glances with Reminy and she started to close her eyes. Sleep!? - I wondered. How could she sleep at a time like this? Off in the distance, demonic laughter accompanied the quakes, and soon the sky turned red. The clouds in the sky dissipated and the trees on the land went up in flames. Immediately, the land upon which we were standing on cracked, and a gigantic column of fire shot out from deep within the bowels of hell. The column of fire spun with such intensity that it seemed to be one huge entity. I felt an intense, heated wind blow me down. I fell, tumbled a few times, and fell again. The column of fire grew so big that it threatened to engulf me.

Reminy suddenly opened her eyes. She screamed with all her might, "COUNTERSPELL!" The column of fire immediately changed direction and headed toward Loki. Loki, with fearful eyes, could do nothing but stare at the flame wind which he conjured himself - and which was now aimed at himself.

"No--!" was all he managed before the fire engulfed him and blew him down, only to engulf him again. The centrifuge caused by the flame wind held him in place within the column of fire. I brought out my throwing axe, the one Archibilius gave me, and steadied it. I looked up at the fire, readied the axe, looked twice, and threw it with as much might as I could have mustered. The axe flew gracefully, unhindered by the wind, pierced the column of fire, and cleanly went through Loki's throat, efficiently decapitating him, and returned to my hands as if the axe had a mind of its own. Upon killing Loki, the sky grew even darker, and the grounds of Verity Isle began collapsing piece by piece.

"We upset the balance here," Reminy stated. "This isle has always been governed by chaos, and the death of Loki effectively disrupted that balance. We must leave immediately and give the isle time to heal." I held her hand and we entered the nexus together. The only thing I could think of was: Loki was finally dead.

EPILOGUE

Two years later, Reminy and I got handfasted. It was not a perfect marriage, but it was an extremely happy one. We didn't care what anybody else thought about us. If a dwarf and a human wanted to marry, that was by all means fine with us. All of our friends consented with the marriage too. We really were a happy couple.

It wasn't the marriage that was askew. On some nights when the sky is dark and rain falls with no hint of stopping, I get strange signs. One night, as I looked out the window into the rainy sky, I saw what appears to be an image of Loki's dagger. I asked my wife Reminy to look out the window, but she said she couldn't see anything but rain and storm clouds. On other nights, without warning, my moon ring glows a faint blue, then quickly dies out. I asked Reminy what this meant and she said that it was probably some interference with the twin moons of Alyria. I seriously doubt this explanation is true though. And on even darker nights, I get overwhelmed with a fear so momentous that I shiver for several hours straight.

And through these odd signs, I usually lay awake in bed during the night and wonder aloud, "Is Loki really dead?"