The Amulet of Eternity

Legend tells of a powerful gypsy woman named Isadora. She lived in a small village just outside of the Silverback Forest. Isadora was known as an elder. The elders were a powerful coven chosen by the light to protect the village. When a young woman becomes the age of 18, they are sent on a vision quest for 3 nights during the full moon. If the light chooses her, she is given power and gains the ability to communicate with the earth and anything connected to it.

When Isadora became of age there was doubt in her mind that she would be chosen. The day came for Isadora to test fate. Little did Isadora know that she was walking into her destiny.

On the first night, the sky was clear. The stars sparkled and twinkled across a blanket of shimmering onyx. The moon was so bright and full. It made everything that it touched look as if it was glowing. On the second night, the night sky was not sparkling nor shimmering. The clouds painted the sky grey to make visibility to the moon almost impossible. With harmonizing howls in the air, the wolves and the wind became one. There was so much energy in the air and it ignited every sense in Isadora's body. She can feel the wind whipping through the air. She could smell the fresh waters nearby as the ripples beat against the rocks. She felt the palms of her hands getting warm. She looked down to see both of her palms were glowing.

The glow became an illumination all over her body. She knew at that moment the light had chosen her. As the glow started to fade, the doubt that was previously in the back of her mind showed its face. No elder has been chosen before the third night. With all the power coursing through her veins it escalated the confusion in her mind.

Isadora returned to the village and painted on the elder's faces was the look of concern and uncertainty. She started to explain and describe every detail of her quest. The elders stood around her in wonderment. Isadora was chosen before the third day, which revealed she had more power than any elder has before. She stayed humble about her magic because in her mind she still viewed every elder as an equal, as one. The entire village always worked as one.

The village was small but unique. The families lived in mud huts that were covered in vibrant colors. They had rich soil, which made bountiful crops. The other women in the village would bring in the harvest and collect the remaining crops. The men would go catch the fish and hunt game for each family.

Every full moon the elders would gather the village around a bon fire. They would use this time to share stories of their history and the ancestors who founded the village centuries ago. There is one story that the elders tell not to scare but to teach them of the evils that lurk in the shadows.

Centuries ago, there was a warlock named Dravok. He was a misunderstood boy who spent his days hiding in the shadows instead of with friends or family. He was so withdrawn that it was no surprise when he took the path that led him to the darkness.

When warlock boy becomes of age to be considered a man, they face what is called reaping. They can choose to walk the path of light and remain a warlock or they can choose to walk the dark path of the shadows. If they choose to walk the path towards darkness, they lose their warlock abilities but gain power from the dark. They become a sorcerer from this point. The hunger for power starts consuming them. Like a vampire needing blood to survive, they need the power to live.

Dravok did not just draw his power from the darkness. He let it consume him and overtake his entire body until he had no soul left. The thirst for more power was the only thing on his mind. He would never again be satisfied. He would forever be on the hunt. Hundreds of villages were destroyed at his hands. Dravok still was not satisfied so he craved even more. He set out on a hunt to find a powerful amulet. This amulet has the ability to drain powers. It acts as a siphon, by taking the powers from one and transferring it to one who wear’s the amulet. This powerful necklace is known as the Amulet of Eternity.

Dravok knew the location of the amulet and would stop at nothing to get his hands on it, and he did just that. Since he allowed the darkness to take over his body, the darkness consumed his soul. So, he did not have a conscious when it came time to slaughtering entire villages. That is how Dravok became to be known as Dravok the Soul Reaper.

To this day no one has gone up against him and lived to tell the tale. They say there is no prison that can hold him and no one to destroy him. No one knows what happened to him. Some say he is taking slumber in the shadows until the ancient power awakens and he will come to collect it.

Back in the village, Isadora was having trouble understanding the power she was gifted with and what magic she possessed. The only certain thing she knew was, she could feel the earth and everything that is connected to it. This was a lot for her to handle. One of the oldest elders saw the conflicted confusion on Isadora’s face and approached her.

“Isadora, my child, why all of the doubt?”

“Why me” was the only way she knew how to respond.

“My child, the light blesses those who are destined for greatness, this is a blessing, not a curse.”

Isadora’s face began to soften. She understood that this gift was a blessing. She will do whatever it took to learn how to harness this magic. What Isadora failed to reveal, is the feeling of a great evil surfacing. The dark feeling in the pit of her stomach grew as days turned into weeks.

One day Isadora was out practicing her power and learning how to call the elements. That dark feeling was no longer just in the pit of her stomach. It erupted like a volcano and every inch of her body responded. She knew a great evil was very near and she had to tell the other elders.

The night Isadora received her powers, it sent an energy shift so strong that it awakened the ancient power. That power chose Isadora to fulfill her destiny. No one knew that something or someone else was in the shadows waiting till that ancient power revealed itself. Then it happened. Dravok the Soul Reaper was awake!

Dravok had to feed on power to sustain his magic. The less he consumed the weaker he got. So, he used an enchantment to put his self into a deep sleep. Only the ancient power could break the enchantment and awake him from his slumber. He waited for this day for centuries. If he is able to find Isadora and drain her magic, he will have enough power to become immortal.

Dravok had been alive for centuries. So, he knew that in order to get close to the source of the power he needed to cloak himself, so they would not see him coming.

In the village, the elders were combining their power to try and foresee what evil was approaching. They grew worrisome because whatever darkness was lurking in the shadows had cloaked itself. The elders were unable to see who or what was coming.

To Be Continued.....