********************
Baalsa'n sought and found a young girl in the fishing village of Ranome on the opposite coast of the Wasteland. He decided he wouldn’t speak to her as he had Mano’n, but, instead, have her brought to him.
His thoughts then recalled those who would come to him at his call.
Below where he stood, a village lay nestled against the mountains; by his design, it was protected from the tempest.
The tented city spread out some distance across the desert surrounding the small oasis in its center. People were stirring, gathering their belongings after the storm. Baalsa'n looked for one man, Rena'x, and found him.
"Rena'x, my friend. You must come to Esclar'e. Quickly."
Rena'x, an older, wiser man than the first, turned slowly to face the light inundating his tent. He had waited many years for this day. He smiled and bowed his head slightly in agreement.
"You must bring the boy." Baalsa'n added, "His duties will be assigned. Be here on the morrow. We must prepare for what is to come."
The light vanished.
Rena'x, with an expression of sadness appearing on his face, looked slowly around his home and knew his own time with his son was soon to end.
He was long in bringing the boy to young manhood, and it troubled him the boy was probably going to leave him. Rena'x felt lonelier knowing that.
After all these years, he wasn't certain he wanted the changes he knew were to take place.
He, the Protector of the Black Crystal, had hopes of passing the tasks to the boy, Rab'k, but had no idea what Baalsa'n planned for the boy, or himself.
He walked to the entrance to look out. Rab'k was practicing his forms with Prox'm, the blade master. He learned quickly. As young as he was, his skills exceeded most of the other swordsmen in the village.
He already stood as tall and was stronger than other men in the enclave. He seemed to take delight in learning each skill. Through Rena'x teachings, he had formed an extreme hatred for the peoples of the southern regions.
Rena'x taught Rab'k, from the first moments of understanding, it would be necessary for the Sandr'n to ravage those lands, destroy everything and everyone, so it might be possessed for a greater day.
Rab'k took these teachings to heart and, during his combat practices, had often shown a penchant for violence.
Rena'x was pleased with the boy's progress.
Now he had to prepare the young man for a new life; a life destined to be revealed in this meeting with the master, Baalsa'n.
Rena'x would do what he must, but he no longer had the desire.
HAUGHTY