The Heritage of the Forgotten

It was a warm and blue skied day at the Sunweaver's farm, Maximillian was tending to the worgs and making sure they were going to be comfortable for the night when one of the younger worgs yelped in pain and Maximillian ran over to the little snow white worg, not even at his full size yet, and spoke "What's wrong Snowy? Here let me see...". Maximillian lifted Snowy's forepaw and saw that a metallic shard of an arrow tip had gotten caught in his paw, as he removed it he spoke, "there you go buddy, now you can curl up in comfort with your friends". Maximillian lead Snowy over to the little hovel that was the home of the young worg pups who couldn't withstand the cold just yet. Snowy laid down with his other young compatriots and fell silently into a deep slumber, Maximillian began to walk back to the big cabin that the family called home.

Maximillian stopped under the lamp that was about halfway between the worg pen and the cabin, he pulled the shard of metal from his pocket to inspect it, knowing that it could have a mark indicating either who fired the arrow or who the arrow was made by, there was a small symbol of a circle with a dot inside. Maximillian gasped, "the Kor'arg bandits... I need to tell father, this is very troubling". Maximillian continued to walk towards the cabin, when he heard a rustle near the large oak tree,

"Show yourself, *you* have nothing to fear I'm just a kid." said Maximillian staring towards the silhouette of the oak tree.

A young human man appeared from behind the tree wearing light plate armor and a quiver with bow attached to his back. The man pulled out a small sword and charged yelling "Die boy!". In that moment, Maximillian's perception of reality slowed, he dodged the first swing of the sword. The man backed up and prepared for another attack, at a speed Maximillian didn't think capable, the man charged but this time his perception didn't slow but a feeling came in its place. Maximillian felt power and strength reverberate through his veins, his perception slowed once more and he dodged and then he felt that same power build up in his right hand... an then a deep and elder voice, much like his father's, came to him...

*Point your arm towards him, Maximillian, we will defend you.... until you can defend yourself...*

Maximillian did as the voice commanded, as he raised his arm a ball of fire took form in the palm of his hand, he then pointed the raging ball towards the man... it flew from his arm, hit its target both knocking him back and erupting into a small explosion, lighting the tree ablaze. Maximillian heard shouting as his orc father ran out with his axe, and picked up Maximillian and dragged him back to a safe distance, however he wasn't truly present due to falling back when he shot the fireball towards the bandit. His mother spoke softly,

"Are you alright, did he hurt you?"

"I'm alright mom, I'd be more worried for the man on the opposite of whatever I just did" replied Maximillian still not fully present.

Kilrog grabbed a bucket of water and put out the fire. The man was heavily burned but yelled "Your Son is a monster... you're all monsters!!" and then he died in a violent fit of pain.

Kilrog ran back to where Kayla, Maximillian and Krasog had huddled together.

"My son, what did you do?!" yelled Kilrog

"Father, I heard a rustling and I demanded it to show itself, and then he attacked me and then a heard a voice in my head telling me that it would defend me all I had to do was do what it had asked." replied Maximillian

"My boy... We weren't sure until this moment... that you might have the ability to wield magic" spoke Kilrog looking sweetly at Kayla. "We should call Rogthar, my son you might be a shaman." spoke Kilrog with a tone of pride.

"I think it might be better, if we were take him to Dal'ranath to see if he is a mage." replied Kayla. Everything calmed down and they had a restful night but more chaos erupted in the morning as neither parent could decide what the best outcome would be to determine Maximillian's magic ability and its origin.

"He should see Rogthar! If He's a shaman the mages of Dal'ranath will do him no good or could damage that connection that he has fostered." bellowed Kilrog, waking Maximillian and Krasog up from the deep, formerly restful slumber. The two boys came out from their rooms to see the end of the argument.

"The mages of Dal'ranath study magic like a science not a religion it would be better if he went there!" yelled Kayla not at a completely the same volume that Kilrog had made use of. Maximillian began to feel distant from the situation even though he was the subject causing the anger and rage and at the back of his mind he felt that familiar presence that the being had exuded earlier.

*You can heal their concern... You can sooth and mend their wounds... but first you must balance the raging storm within you and then you will be able to balance the fury of others. Do you feel the power that thrums in your veins that is only a fraction of the power you can and will be able to use... feel the storm... use it to fuel your voice... lace your words with power ephemeral and temporal... SAVE THEM...*

The spirit calmed Maximillian's soul and body, but also infused him with wisdom and courage. It was the last two words that spoke to him the most... *SAVE THEM* and that he would do. Krasog noticed his brother had calmed and he spoke in a husky and soft voice, "The voice... it came to you didn't it?"

"It did brother, and gave me calmness and guidance and now I know what I must do." replied Maximillian.

The two adults were yelling at a volume and were so consumed by their rage that neither of them realized that Maximillian and Krasog had entered the room, now in full witness of the ensuing fight. Maximillian felt that power that had coursed through him that night, he remembered what the voice had said, *lace your words with power ephemeral and temporal...* Maximillian prepared to speak, trying to think of the words to choose and what order to put them in, but realized in order to lace them, he must believe in the words he would speak and so he just spoke his heart....

"ENOUGH!" as Maximillian spoke the word, it was almost as if he had been a fully grown orc warrior rather than a boy for that singular moment, the fear of death entered both adults as they turned towards him. Kayla was the first to turn towards him, she wept tears of pure grief as she stared into his eyes... they were not the ice blue that she was used to and loved but glowed a bright naval blue... the color of lightning. Kilrog's reaction was similar but instead of grief there was confusion and fear, of course he saw Maximillian's glowing eyes but he felt the shadowy presence of Maximillian's full strength and power. They both watched as Maximillian's eyes faded from the glowing lighting fueled rage to the frosty blue and he spoke softly,

"Let's combine the two ideas.... Mother you call one of you mage friends from Dal'ranath and Father you can bring the elder shaman... that way we can have both opinions". Both parents smiled and looked at him with pride as they nodded in agreement.

*2 hours later....*

Two men came to the farm... one was dressed in the elegant robes of a human mage... the other was clad in rough, almost tribal cloths and had an orcish build compared to the human mage. Kayla spoke first,

"Maximillian, this is Archmage Korialstrus, he is here to see if the magic you were wielding was in the magical purview of a mage". Kayla and Korialstrus stepped back to allow Kilrog to give a similar greeting,

"Maximillian, this is Elder Shaman Rogthar, he is here to see if the bond you have formed is shamanistic in nature". Rogthar looked into Maximillian's eyes and smiled a deep and warm smile and began to speak, "The Archmage and I will take Maximillian to a place where we can test his magical prowess, safely". The Archmage walked over to where Maximillian was standing and put an arm on his shoulder, kneeled down and spoke at a volume near a whisper,

"Don't worry, I'm a good friend of your mother, we've, the elder shaman and I, have been keeping an eye on you because your parents had come to the possible conclusion that you could be a very powerful mage or shaman".

Korialstrus and Rogthar took Maximillian out to a field only a short ride away from the farm should they need assistance in the case of an emergency. Rogthar spoke "I shall ask the elements to calm and aid your mind, so that you can tap upon your connection easier, rather then in a moment of crisis". The orc bowed his head and spoke words that Maximillian could not comprehend but he felt that same soothing feeling from earlier, when he was inside the cabin. However, instead of his brother noticing that he had been calmed the shaman smiled and realized that the elements had came to Maximillian, but Rogthar wasn't the only one Korialstrus had noticed the shift in Maximillian's body language but in contrast to Rogthar's experience of the elemental lords, Korialstrus felt the power thrumming in Maximillian's veins, and it was not elemental in origin but nor was it arcane, it was something more ancient and very much more powerful than the magic Korialstrus knew how to wield.

Maximillian felt something neither of them could however.... He felt the connection he had never known that he had, Maximillian's eyes erupted with that lightning glow and he felt his mind expand, he could feel the call of the elements and now a man took shape between Korialstrus and Rogthar and spoke in that rich and elder voice,

"Hello, My name is Thunderaan, I am the primordial god of lightning. That night with the bandit, you're probably thinking that you came to my presence, when it is truly the reverse, you reached out unknowingly into the depths of the universe and called for help and guidance. I wasn't the first to answer but the one you accepted in that moment"

In astonishment Maximillian spoke, "Can they see you?".

Thunderaan smiled, "See me, no they cannot. However, they can sense me. For Rogthar, its the general presence of the elements and their calming effect. For Korialstrus, its the magical power thrumming in your veins is what he feels, but in truth Korialstrus can't sense me", Thunderaan continued, "I have allowed them to sense a small portion of the scope of you abilities, alongside enough evidence that there is more power there, Now I must go... Goodbye for now Maximillian..." his voice trailed off as his form faded like the clouds of a storm that had past.

The two men and Maximillian left that field and returned to the cabin. They both suggested a very similar plan that more or less went like this, Maximillian would study both in Dal'ranath and the Enclave of the Elements to foster his elemental bond and to learn the general properties of magic.

*The End....*