Finally, when all seemed lost and their forces were waning thin, the eldest Mystic did the unthinkable – severely wounded, he gathered what was left of his lifeforce and released it in a powerful spell that enveloped the Mystic of Destruction in an all-encompassing shroud of light.
The spell entangled him and imploded, causing a massive explosion and a blinding light that could be seen for miles and miles.
When the light subsided, the Mystic of Destruction was gone, and in his wake was left a giant vortex in the middle of the battlefield. It was swirling around viscously, pulling the army of demons toward its center and swallowing them whole, one by one, as they fell into its depths. In a matter of moments, the entire army had been consumed, and all fell silent.
When the remaining Mystics rushed to their fallen brother’s aid, he was unconscious and fading fast – so they quickly brought him to the Holy Altar in an effort to utilize the healing properties of the Crystal Caverns, hoping to enhance their powers and allow what little strength they had left to heal his wounds and bring him back from the brink of death.
Alas, their efforts were futile, and their brother began to fade from existence. In a last-ditch effort to preserve his life and power, the remaining Mystics were able to consolidate his fleeting life force into a magical artifact made from the Mystic Crystals within the cavern walls, sealing away his power.
As they assessed their wounds, they knew their time was fading. Their injuries were great, and their combined powers had been depleted from the battle they had waged with their sinister brother. Knowing their time was short, they put into motion a plan that would seal their powers and lifeforce away along with their brother’s, until a time when another would come that was worthy of taking their place as the final Mystic of Creation.
They chose a select few Men who had proven to be courageous and pure of heart to inherit some of their powers and hold onto their secret, passing it down from generation to generation, until that day arrived when the warrior they prophesied would come to claim their powers and once again defend the world from their evil brother, fearing he would one day find a way to escape his prison and wreak havoc once again on the world of the living.
And so the Elder Council was formed and the Orb of Power was sealed away within the Temple at the foot of the Mystic Mountain, deep within the Outer Woods, until the day when its call would be heard and the one worthy of its power would arrive.
David sat up, blinking the tears from his eyes. He didn’t realize he had been holding them open for so long, leaving them dry and irritated from the strain.
He had never heard the story told so eloquently, and the part of the story about the Crystal Caverns really stuck out to him. Tyrius had told him that the Master Elder had taken him and the King to a cavern filled with Crystals in the Birthplace of the World. He also said it was where the Mystics had placed their brother to rest in a temple deep within the mountains, within a Crystal Cavern. Could it be the same cavern that the book had mentioned? If so, did it really possess properties that enhanced the Mystics Powers? He decided to get up and tell Orin what he had found.
He walked over to the old mage, who was still too entranced in his own pages to notice David’s approach, and tapped him gently on his shoulder.
“Woah! Hey oh!” said Orin, jumping up in surprise. “Oh, David! It’s just you! You know better than to sneak up on me like that while I’m reading!” He picked up his walking stick to whack David on the head, something David had grown accustomed to – and David quickly ducked just in time to avoid being struck.
“Hey! Watch it, old man!” teased David, “I found something I think you may want to hear.” he said, cautiously stepping closer and handing Orin the open book he had been reading. He pointed to the part where the book had mentioned the Crystal Cavern and their magical properties.
His eyes began to widen as he read the text over and over, until finally he looked up at David with eyes as big as an owl. “My boy… I think you’ve found it!” he said.
“Found what?” asked David.
“Our answer!” replied Orin, with a grin.
Chapter II
Hmm…yes, this does sound a lot like the crystal caverns I saw in the Birthplace of the World” said Tyrius, rubbing his beard thoughtfully.
Tyrius and Orin were pouring over the text from the book Hurea: A Brief History shortly after David had discovered the reference while searching through the books in the Library.
“What do you think it means? Could it be that these same crystals are in fact the source of the Mystic Crystals?” asked Orin.
“I’m not sure, but it does seem a logical conclusion. I knew I felt a powerful energy within those caverns, but at the time I didn’t think much of it and attributed it to the holiness of the site – after all, it is the burial tomb of the Eldest Mystic of Creation. Sites as holy as those tend to radiate with energy, which I presume is why they were chosen in the first place.” replied Tyrius, deep in thought.
“Sorry, but how do you think these crystals would help us against the Defiant One?” asked Erin, trying to follow along.
She was sitting by David in the dining hall as they snacked on various dishes prepared for them by the kitchen staff while discussing the news.
“It’s just a thought, but I believe these crystals, if they are in fact the ones that were used to forge the Mystic Crystals, could help David reestablish his link with
