TALES FROM THE RENGE

He could remember waking up in a bed. How he’d gotten there, he didn’t know. But all was bright, and his host spoke to him soothingly. He felt at ease. The Inquisition would never find him now. But, where was he? Who were these strangers who’d taken him in?

-Oh blessed Cheocheopsin,- the collective chanting came to him from beyond the room, -we pray to you with hearts of thankfulness for you have seen to our needs. This child, though near death when we found him, you have sent to lead us…-

He could remember it all. The breaking of Golmagug’s spell, the eight years’ apprenticeship under their ailing Master, being called to his deathbed for the final transfer of power, and the resulting coronation as Master…all this had been done in such a short span of time, a mere blink of an eye where eternity was concerned, but it had been significant enough. At twenty, he had become Cyrtian Master. Then, he began to turn them back into the militant Order they had once been, though he knew nothing of why they had gone neutral. Indeed, he began turning them against the Inquisition.

He turned them into hunters, deadly assassins. Every Seeker they found became their prey. He taught them how to stalk their prey, how to remain invisible to their intended victim, and how to strike without being seen. Beyond that, he had to re-teach them how to fight in the combat style of open warfare. He was leading them into a new renaissance within their Order, and the others were beginning to sit up and take notice.

As a Master, he began proving himself more than capable. He had begun to strengthen the Cyrtians, solidifying their power and increasing it among the members. Each member grew in strength after he gained power. There seemed to be a newfound purpose in their being, a purpose that had not been there for millennia.

There was a rebirth and renewal going on within the Ring its self, too. Though it remained low-key at first, it steadily gained momentum. Each Order began taking their cues from him. Whatever he led his Order to do, they were sure to implement into their own re-growth. He seemed to be a catalyst that had begun a chain reaction.

But, he didn’t mind. Though he was wary about drawing attention to himself, he welcomed any gratitude shown for any change he might’ve caused that benefited them all. He was always concerned about the welfare of the whole, not just the few. He preferred to lead the way, not just sit back and let others do the work.