Welcome to the Kourend Chronicles, a six-part series of tales from Kourend's murky past! You can see a full list of all the stories so far on our A Kingdom Divided round-up.
Since Thana’s death I have had much to think about. My usual research has lost its lustre – my every thought is of the Ascent, its mechanisms, and how suddenly it can be snatched away. When we gave up our mortal lives, all those years ago, we were promised forever – so what changed? All this time I believed our immortality was a result of our own ingenuity – and now I learn that we are all bound up with the whims of the Dark Altar and these mysterious ‘Tasakaal’.
The device the adventurer found is just one half of the puzzle. If there’s a chance – any chance – that what happened to Thana might happen again, then I have to know the whole story. And as any good researcher knows, the only way to discover the truth is to find the primary source.
It was with this in mind that I made the decision to climb Mount Karuulm and speak to these ‘Tasakaal’ myself. I knew the journey would not be without its dangers, but I felt myself prepared – it’s not as though I have feet to get tired!
In truth, however, I must report that what lurks upon that mountain is worse than anything I could have imagined – and the danger, I believe, is to everyone in Kourend, and possibly beyond.
The climb began easily enough. I quickly spotted a few well-worn shortcuts and having saved myself a significant chunk of time, decided to pause and admire the view from one of the stopping-points. I was recalling a line from Philophaire’s Philosophy of Darkness when I sensed that I was not alone. Some way up the path, a trader was making his way down from the summit.
I had no time for conversation, so I concealed myself behind a nearby outcrop, thinking I might wait until he’d passed. Instead, I found myself witness to a horrifying spectacle – something so terrible that I hardly know if I can describe it. I’ll do my best.
As the trader slipped behind the outcrop, I heard him greet someone else on the path. I thought for a second he’d seen me, and almost floated sheepishly out from my hiding place when I heard the trader scream. Of course, I immediately looked to see what was going on, and whether I could be of assistance.
Not even six feet away from me stood the most monstrous creature I have ever laid eyes on. I could not tell if it was human or some sort of ghast. Its skin was white as bone, as was its clothing – but its eyes were a piercing blue, and the way it looked at that poor trader… it seemed much like a cat, batting some helpless mouse between its paws.
I’m no brave warrior at the best of times, and my instincts told me to remain hidden at any cost. With regret in my heart, I resolved to stay behind the rock and wait for an opportunity to help – an opportunity, I am afraid to say, that never came.
The figure used some sort of spell. I heard the incantation and smelled the tell-tale whiff of magic in the air, but it was a spell the kind of which I'd never seen before. The poor trader fell to his knees – almost as if pushed by an invisible hand – as a green light enveloped him. Then, almost as soon as it began, it was over.
I peered out, hoping that the monster was gone. To my shock, it was looking right at me. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. I think I caught it by surprise. I immediately readied a counterspell to defend myself, but no sooner had I raised my arms than it vanished with a blue flash of light. A teleportation spell, presumably, although I didn’t believe such a thing to be possible.
Now that the danger had passed, I immediately rushed to help the poor trader, who was lying prone in the centre of the path, but he was quite obviously dead. For a moment I was reminded of poor Thana. I hesitated, thank goodness, because then the body twitched. As I looked on in horror, it stood up and began to stumble down the path toward me.
I have seen reanimated monsters before, of course – but this was entirely different. I swear on the Dark Altar itself, I have never seen magic like it. It was abhorrent. Bizarre. Dangerous. All my instincts told me to turn and run – and so I did just that.
I’m sorry, Thana. I’m no closer to understanding what happened to you – but something tells me that what I saw today must be another piece of the puzzle. Whatever or whoever that monster was, it was a darkness I'd never before witnessed and hope never to do so again.
- Mori