The wind raged, and the turbulent air currents lashed at everything around them like whips.
When a large tree that could be held by two palms by the port was split into two by a 'Wind Whip', Chen Ang was standing beside it. The branches that were wrapped in the strong wind were like powerful arrows that could pierce through two layers of chainmail. In this kind of weather, going out had become a very dangerous thing. Waterdeep City was as empty as a ghost town.
For the citizens here, the safe underground world had been massacred by unknown forces and was currently being rebuilt. They didn't dare to risk their lives for the time being. The world above ground was ravaged by the wind. The believers of the God of Calamity, as well as the wind elementals that belonged to him, attacked everywhere and spread fear.
Everything seemed very calm, but some of the things that Chen Ang needed were fermenting in this tranquil atmosphere!
'Since that night, everything has been very wrong. I can feel an undercurrent moving around me. Young boys, who used to have such a bright future, but now their eyes are tainted with something else! Ambition and desire … "
Standing where Pierre Galen used to be, Kelburn Blackstaff looked at the raging wind elements in the sky and spoke to Elminster, the Great Sage who had come from afar and was also a Chosen of the Goddess of Magic. Elminster shook his head. "It's not a bad thing for children to be ambitious. You know, old friend. Who hasn't been young? Who hasn't made mistakes when they were young? Ambition is the pride of young people … "
"But some mistakes can't be undone. Young people are more easily tempted. Once they make a mistake, they will go further and further down the wrong path. We should guide them correctly, and not watch them fall into darkness … "He was silent for a moment. He sighed. "Three children have already betrayed their vows and committed the great sin of murder."
"Old friend, we can't do it! The path of kindness is too winding, and the temptation of evil is close at hand. " Elminster took a deep breath and sighed. "Impatience is a mistake that every young person makes. You can't make them like us. Insist on kindness and love, equality and understanding. They can't see suffering as a pearl and torture as a treasure. They can't see what's truly important to them! "
"They naively believe in justice, and seek it from the outside world. But we all know that justice exists in our hearts, and yet it doesn't exist in Faerun. From Boder's Gate to Waterdeep City, from Amn to Icewind Valley. Fairness and justice never existed! But faith and persistence in justice are the most precious … "
"Do you still recognize that black-robed man?" Kelburn asked with widened eyes.
"Three months ago, I felt that shivering coldness. At that time, I thought it was an illusion, until a few days ago, when I heard the abyss trembling and the gods crying. At that time, my ears echoed with the tides of primordial magic, and I heard the hymn of the origin of evil. In the end, the entire world was filled with that name … "
His eyes wandered for a moment. Yi muttered, "That name that cannot be spoken!"
"Please allow me to use the name of the one on the Black Staff Tower to call him Mirko!" Elminster laughed. He looked at Kelburn Blackstaff, who was tortured by fear, and winked at him. "That's right, it's just Mirko! Old friend, have you forgotten? Here, you allowed death to live up to its name. The God of the Dead. Become a wandering ghost … "
Elminster laughed as he spoke. Kelburn froze for a moment before laughing along with him. It was as if they had returned to the time of the Avatar's Avatar, that thrilling adventure. Together with Midnight and Kelemvor, they had sent the God of Death, Mirko, to heaven in Waterdeep City. That was the adventure that made them famous all over the world!
"Haha! Old friend, I've almost forgotten about that … "Kelburn's gloominess and fear were swept away, and the memories of his youth filled him with vigor. His face was flushed as they sang the songs of the bards, singing the epic of the Goddess of Magic, Midnight, and the God of Death, Walkelemvor.
Walking with the Gods!
Their joyful singing allowed Kelburn to escape from the shadow that had always shrouded him. "Old friend! After contacting you, I took the liberty to peek at that name. "
Elminster shook his head solemnly, "Rashness is not a good habit for a mage, old friend! You should not have tried to spy on this evil and powerful existence. His name is the King of Darkness, and his title is the Lord of Evil. Those who spy on him will be cursed! Caution is the most important thing we have to protect ourselves. "
"Yes, Diaz Mirko! I should not have tried to spy on him! "
Kelburn said, still feeling a little guilty, "Diaz is the dark side of the universe. I had never looked directly at such pure darkness before. It was so dense and pure that even my silver flames were on the verge of death. I tried to spy on the deeper side of this name, but I sensed many evil and powerful souls … "
"They represent this name, using blood and strength to dye it with dignity. Many of them were extremely evil, their wisdom and power making me feel insignificant and laughable. When I touched the darkness that they represented, Elminster, even my soul was tormented … "
"The crazy thoughts in my mind made me unable to sleep at night. I was confused and indescribable at that time. I believed that I had fallen into an abyss deeper than the abyss, and that a monster called Diaz Celt was in my body. What pained me the most was that I despised the gods. They were despicable and ignorant … "
"I thought that I had touched the great existence of this universe. The world told me that it was called the Force!" Kelburn curled up, looking old and tired. "I used my soul to resist its call. Every day when I woke up, my soul was covered in wounds."
"It's all over now, Kelburn!" Elminster hugged him. His voice was hoarse, but the power in his words was extremely warm. He comforted his poor old friend, "The Goddess still cares for you, protecting you under her glory."
"But I feel fear, old friend!" Kelburn muttered, "The Force is like my mother …" He buried his head in his arms, not wanting to hear Elminster's explanation, "I'm hesitating. If the gods are shallow, where should my soul go? In my craziest days, the gods made me sick! "
Elminster could feel the torment and unease, because truth was sometimes scarier than blasphemy. The reason why it was difficult for a mage to become devout to the gods was because of their desire for truth. To the gods, revealing their truth was more sinful than blasphemy, because the former made them angry, and the latter made them afraid.
He was a master of toying with human nature. The old mage took a few puffs of tobacco to warm himself up, dispelling the lingering chill. The black-robed man, or rather, Mirko, had always been able to grasp the weakest part of human nature. He knew that lies and deceit could only last for a while, but the truth could change a person forever.
Letting a person know the truth that they should not know was worse than deceiving them. Elminster knew how that kind of truth could destroy a person. It was like being manipulated, ruled, and used by the city guards who knew the truth about the nobles and the council. They must have understood their situation and the deception they had been subjected to.
The truth was that they had no future, or rather, most of them had no future. They served, survived danger and war, and retired as the backbone of a moderately wealthy family. They supported a warm, small home. Young people could not accept a future without a future, and they did not understand the value of peace and warmth.
Elminster was willing to trade everything he had for it. But he also knew that the young people would not give up. They chased after power, wealth, prestige, and honor. They longed to be above all. But the truth was that it was impossible!
Merchants, nobles, guilds, and councils, those who were already there could not make room for them.
That was the truth that they should not know. Ambition would be aroused, and they would be angry at injustice, oppression, and framing. In the end, the anger of pursuing justice and fairness would burn everything.
Those clever young people, those children who had been indoctrinated by Mirko in schemes and politics, would use this evil weapon to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Elminster was saddened by this. There would be no winners in this game of power, and the false justice that Mirko exposed would eventually destroy these children.
Along with Waterdeep City.
Elminster clutched the bronze ring in his hand. He was a little afraid, and it was this fear that kept him vigilant.
"How did you break free from these crazy illusions?" Elminster turned to look at the silent Carl Blackstaff.
Carl looked up and shook his head with a bitter smile, "The ring!"
"What did you say?" Elminster asked solemnly as he walked up to him.
"The ring! Nineteen rings! " Carl sang, "The elves of the world forge three rings, the dwarves of the underground obtain seven, the mortals possess nine, the demons and demons lurk in the shadows, the King of Darkness possesses the Supreme Ring."
"You're wrong, Blackstaff, you're very wrong!" Elminster warned, "Give it to me!"
"It's not with me …" Carl shook his head.
"Give it to me!" Elminster shouted, "In the name of the Goddess, give me the ring!"
"I can't do it!" Carl replied angrily, but he quickly realized that he had lost his composure. After a moment of silence, he said softly to Elminster, "I can feel its control over me, but I can't leave it. I need it to protect me against Darth Carl. The ring has magic … "
"So that night, when I told you about Waterdeep City's crisis, I threw it into the deep sea, downstream from the port, and let the winds and waves devour it."
"I hope you're telling the truth!" Elminster said solemnly, "But you have to tell me why you came looking for me today in fear. Is it Darth? "
"No, it's an eye!"
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