The Soulforge (What You Never Knew)
Scene one: Par-Salian's room. Caramon drags Raistlin in. Caramon is crying, more over his brother's condition than what he's seen Raistlin do during the test. A nod from Par-Salian dismisses Caramon, who leaves hesitantly, casting worried looks back at his swaying brother.
Raistlin stands quietly, but for the rattling in his chest.
Par-Salian: Well, well, you passed. Guess what? You're now a Mage.
Raistlin: *cough* *Gasp* *Wheeze* Thank...you...sir....
Par-Salian: But I'm concerned that you killed your brother. Did you know it was an illusion?
Raistlin: Does...it...matter...?
Par-Salian: You've a sharp tongue, young man, and are very cynical for one so young. You've yet to experience any joy, any romantic love. Why, you've never even kissed a girl, have you? To cure you of your cynicism, I'm going to take away your ability to experience beauty. From now on, everything you see will age, die and rot before your eyes. Try kissing a girl then! Looking at all those worms in her mouth. Yuck, right? Also, you'll look like a freak and everyone will be scared of you. Wow, this is really going to mess with your brother, too. Oh well. *ZAP* There we are. How does it all look?
Raistlin: (having been knocked over by the spell, he picks himself up off the floor and looks around) *Gasp* *Gasp* AHHHHHHHHHHHH! (tries to claw his own eyes out) *cough* *cough* *coughcoughcough* (falls back down, hacks up a piece of lung)
Par-Salian: (backs away) Eww! Don't get any of that on my nice white robes! Well, anyway, there you go. I guess that pretty much sucks, but maybe now you'll...be nice, or something..
Raistlin: (gets back up, a bloody spectacle) It's...awful... You are *coughcough* one... *hack, wheeze* ...uglyass corpse... The torment...the torment! *Coughcough*
Par-Salian: Don't you be flip with me, young man. Anyway, to make up for what I've done to you, I have a gift. Uhh...Here's a nice stick for you to play with. (Hands Raistlin the Staff of Magius) I don't know what the hell it does, though. I just know it's so powerful that it kicks nine kinds of ass in a five ass town, so I figured, why not give it to this complete novice after I curse him to a life of torment? He'll figure out something to do with it.
Raistlin: Thank...*coughcough* (nearly falls over, clutches the staff to stay up)
Par-Salian: There, see? And since your cardio-pulmonary system is now as useless as a wad of wet leaves--your fault, young man, not mine--at least you can use the staff as something to lean on whenever you're weak or weary. Which, since I gave you this test while you were still so young and foolish, will be every single day for the rest of your miserable, cursed, lonely life.
Raistlin: *Sob* *Sob* *wheeze*
Par-Salian: Right, well...scamper along now, boy. And be nice to your brother! Because, as you will see, he is also going to age, die and rot. (Turns Raistlin around, towards the door, and gives him a hearty pat on the back)
Raistlin: (coughs up a piece of his lung onto the carpet)
Par-Salian: Damn, I'll have to have an apprentice pick that up. Well...good luck, Raistlin!
Scene two: Antimodes is alone in his room. Caramon drags Raistlin in, steadies him, and leaves.
Antimodes: Ah, Raistlin.
Raistlin: (stares for a long time at Antimodes)
Antimodes: Could you not do that? It freaks me out. It's like you're seeing my skin fall off and my eyeballs melt.
Raistlin: *wheeze* *rattle* *Wheeze* I am, actually.
Antimodes: (shudders) Ugh. You, young man, give me the willies. But you asked to see me. Did you have a question?
Raistlin: Yes, Archmage. *cough* *cough* *hack* *cough* I was wondering, sir, if... *coughcough* *hack* *cough* ...if you would take me as your apprentice.
Antimodes: Well, I, uhh...
Raistlin: *rattle* *hack* *collapse*
Antimodes: (mutters while Raistlin struggles to get back up) Well, now... The young man passed his test, but the most evil and vile of Archmages to ever exist has taken up residence in his soul and will probably battle him for it, and he has no idea. Hmm. That's scary, isn't it?
Raistlin: (stands back up) Sir?
Antimodes: Ah, yes. Well, you are little more than a child; orphaned young, never having been taught to be an adult. And now you are cursed, fragile, and utterly alone save for your brother, whom I'm sure by now you've convinced yourself only looks after you out of guilt and blood loyalty. Everyone else will reject you because they will fear you. You obviously wield a great power. My good friend cursed you to a life of seeing death and decay in everything you ever look at, thinking this would humble you; but more than likely, bearing constant witness to the inevitable end of everything beautiful will only make you completely nihilistic and hopeless. You will see the futility of every noble effort you might once have deemed worthy.
Raistlin: Yes, sir.
Antimodes: It seems to me that you could use some direction in your life, a firm hand to guide you.
Raistlin: *wheeze* *hack* *gasp* Does this mean, sir, that you accept me? As your apprentice? You will be... *cough* *cough* *gasp* ...my master?
Antimodes: Bwahaha! Never! You're much too frightening! Err, what I mean is, I never take apprentices, ever. Apprentices are so *yesterday*. And being one is, like, so outdated. No one else is doing it.
Raistlin: But sir, the other mages who passed...
Antimodes: Nonsense. Uhh...Look Raistlin, you've got a nice, shiny stick to play with. Why don't you go read some books about it? There's a good boy.
Raistlin: I...Yes, sir. *cough* *wheeze* *collapse*
Antimodes: Oh, dear. Caramon! Will you come and pick this up, please?
Dragonlance Underground is owned and operated by Mages of the Plains.
Dragonlance is a registered trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All contents are copyright of their respective owners. Please refer to our Legal Page.