The Wanderer

The man who called himself Heian looked back at the golden dome and smiled. This age was really the new age for Heroes. How would he ever keep up with it? Not even with his new instincts’ he could he be at all places at once. He took a deep breath and turned around to face Kaaba.

Everything had started here. And even after the end, this place was still the centre for the new age. Everything new was starting here even though the Norrak Pace was boiling. But everything would start here and he would witness it. Every hero needs someone writing about them, keeping their memories alive. And the new Heroes all needed guidance, but not from him. Not from the man who called himself Heian.

Sand whirled around him and his camel and suddenly Kaaba was in sight there at the horizon. He chuckled, all these reality bending was quite amusing. He had enjoyed bewilder the adventurers back at the dome with explaining the basics of this trick.

As he approached Kaaba he saw the smoke pillars rise from several places in the city and he heard the sound of battle from inside. Here and there he saw bright flashes from magic and divine energy being used. And he smiled to himself, The Battle of Kaaba had begun, he was just in time.

A bright red flame in the size of a grown man suddenly burst up in the sand next to him and his camel and was gone. Where the flame had been an elvish woman with red-orange skin and flaming red-orange-yellow hair now stood with red burning eyes and clothes partly made out of fire. She stared at him with great dislike. He got down from his camel and kneeled before her and bowed his head in respect.

“Why are you here Wanderer?” she asked calmly and turned to look at Kaaba as he got up on his feet again. He looked towards Kaaba, a small group was trying to climb the walls from outside but with no luck. Divine charms kept them out of Kaaba as they were designed to do. They would be no help for the citizen of Kaaba now, only the ones inside of the city could save them.

“I’m watching history unfold, as my privilege of my immortality and the gift so kindly given to me by the gods,” he said calmly and looked at the city. He felt the heat of her sudden glare filled with rage.

“I am a god,” she said furiously. And the temperature around them rose quickly. The camel squealed in pain and started to run down the hill in panic, trying to flee from her rage.

“Well, technically you are a half-god or a demigod over a distinct domain or element. Remember that only Vordén and his spawns have the real power of gods. No offense to you Fire Goddess,” he said calmly. “May I ask what you tend to do about this inner conflict in Kaaba? It can’t be good for your rule.”

“The strong will survive and the weak will perish, it is time to purge out the weak and undedicated if this country is to survive what to come,” she said and turned towards the city again. The temperature had gone back to normal, even though that wasn’t even close to a pleasant degree. Even if she suppressed her presence the heat of her divine body would never disappear completely. Not from an avatar that strong at least.

“Well, I’m going to find the fifth wheel now so if you’ll excuse me,” he said and started to walk towards the camp outside the walls.

“Tell him that he might as well give up, he will never impress me,” she said behind him and he felt the surge of energy as she disappeared again.

The camel had died, just a few hundred strides away. The heat had been too much for the camel. He prayed for the soul of the camel, he chose a Prayer of Nature, and stroked the poor animals head. Then he took his things and continued to walk towards the city and the camp.