The lone figure walked up to a sunken hovel that smelled of death and decay.
Blades cleared with a metallic sound as swords crossed the lone figure’s throat.
“Zedd!,” one of the murderers said with a smirk.
“Back fiend and bid me enter, my quarrel is not with hirelings such as thee,” the seasoned warrior warned.
“Bah! We could kill you in one second,” the other murderer spoke.
“Your second is up,” was Zedd’s reply followed by a sword swing that left both clawing at their wasted throats.
He moved quickly then, running through the tunnel to the entrance to the thief’s guild.
Two more met him with scimitars swinging high in vain as Zedd spun and raked the life out of one. The other ran back towards a barred door beating it with his sword hilt. Zedd caught him up in a bear hug and slammed the thief’s head into the door in the same rhythm. He let the body fall from his grasp as the door was opened from the other side.
As Zedd walked in and was overwhelmed by the smoke in the room.
Thieves from all sides flanked him and blocked his way out, slowly pushing him towards a raised dais.
A figure dressed in full bone armor sat on the throne on top of the dais.
“Ahh Zedd, did you come to hear how your mother satisfied me right before I killed her,” the figure spoke.
Zedd could see the glowing eyes of the figure behind the skull helm.
“Sultan, you still wreck your havoc on the innocent I see,” Zedd said between clenched teeth.
“Kill him,” Sultan motioned with a wave of his skeletal hand.
The thieves closed in on Zedd as he swung his sword wide taking down two at a time as the others piled on him.
With a terrific spin he flung them at bay as rapiers raked at his torso and drained his essence.
Zedd hit the floor and rolled tripping the lot of them then sprung to his feet as his face became scarred and torn.
The onslaught overwhelmed him and took him to his knees as the air shimmered and MdnitRdr stepped out of the blue gate followed by the mage Janalon.
Some of the thieves backed away as the Noble Lord MdnitRdr, head butted one and drew his sword in the same motion. Zedd found hidden strength at the sight of his friends and heaved three of the thieves into the nearby fireplace. MdnitRdr lay waste as he waltzed through the wave of thieves as Janalon threw ash into the air, lighting the room in hellfire. Zedd grabbed one murdering soul and drug him towards the undead leader, flinging the body at Sultan. Sultan drew a glowing blade and cut the body in half in mid air. He then turned eyes and willed flame at Janalon, knocking the mage to the ground as blood rushed from his nose.
Sultan then faced Zedd’s sword coming in low and wide.
Zedd fell back with dismay as he watched his blade pass through the body of Sultan like air.
Sultan let out a hardy laugh and flung meteor shower at the entrance, caving it in with granite rock.
Janlon, back on his feet, met Sultan with flame and lightning.
When Janalon’s magic hit, Sultan’s body glowed in a dark purple aura and at that instance Zedd’s sword found bone and a great wound was wrought across the dark lord’s torso.
Sultan frowned as MdnitRdr swung downward with a mighty stroke.
Before the sword connected the glow around Sultan’s body had vanished and the sword passed through him like air.
“More lightning mage!” Zedd screamed above the melee.
Janalon mustered another and the glow around Sultan’s body winked in, then out.
A medallion, around the Sultan’s neck, shattered and fell to the ground as the glow returned then winked out forever.
Zedd swung in low as the thieves gathered around once more not knowing what side to give aid to.
Sultan screamed in rage as the blow connected.
He then threw an earthquake spell and everyone in the entire room fell to the ground. His next spell was telekinesis which brought a rune out of Janalon’s back pack, the rune floated in mid air and moved swiftly across the room towards the dark lord as he grasped the rune in his hand. He crushed the rune into dust and blew the remains into the air.
“That’s to make sure you never return here, in case you escape,” Sultan raged.
“His medallion is destroyed, his shield that protects him from harm is no more,” Janalon screamed above the din.
Zedd and Mdnitrdr had gotten to their feet and were advancing once more on the undead one.
“Cony al blaseme flam bas nor,” Sultan spoke in tongue.
The earth shook and in the center of the room a crack had formed with hell fire gushing forth.
The thieves looked around dumbfounded as the crack grew and swallowed them whole.
The crack opened wider and the bowels of hell stood opened.
Scaly arms reached up and pulled demonic bodies up through the crack as the undead lord laughed with hysteria. The Glory Row party leaped after Sultan, ignoring the monstrosities that were climbing out of the crack. Zedd met Sultan with a death blow as the dark lord was thrown against the wall with black blood gushing from his mouth. Satisfied, Zedd plunged his sword to the hilt in Sultan’s chest.
The evil Sultan wrapped his hands around the blade and pulled himself up laughing as the wounds closed as fast as Zedd could make them. Sultan threw back his head and sheathed the Dark Blade, howling like a madman as Zedd cut away at the undead lord.
“Won’t die,” Zedd cursed as MdnitRdr joined him. Janalon stepped forth, “it’s folly I say, he is undead, you can’t kill him Zedd.”
MdnitRdr sensed the truth and turned back towards the crack where now nine daemons were advancing to the aid of their master.
Sultan laughed with mockery as Zedd continued to hack away.
“Zedd,” MdnitRdr tried to warn as the daemons fell on top of them.
Janalon was thrown to the floor and trample by hooves, frantically searching his backpack for the rune home.
MdnitRdr, called back as a daemon’s claw laid open his chest spilling dark red blood down his torn plate.
Zedd back peddled from a blow that crushed his helm, then fell to the floor rolling into the melee.
Underneath the flailing hooves the blue robe mage mustard enough strength to toss the rune onto the open floor between the three of them.
Janalon spoke words and the air screeched in protest as the gate manifested.
Mdnitdrd pulled Zedd from behind as both of them swung high then jabbed quick and short at the hell spawn. All three crawled towards the blue gate of life as the rocks began to fall around them.

Sasha fell back in shock as the gate opened in the guild house.
The smell of ash and death cascaded out of the gate as Christina stepped up to the gate with her sword drawn. Mathurin’s hands went to her arms and stayed her as figures stepped out of the gate with smoke clinging to them.
Zedd and MdnitRdr shook ash off their clothes as Arwen came into the room with her hand to her mouth.
Both Zedd and MdnitRdr turned back towards the gate with anticipation as the rest of the Glory Row members gathered around.
Eons passed, it seemed, until finally the gate closed with dismay.
MdnitRdr slung his helm against the fall wall with anger as Zedd cursed out loud.
Sasha walked to the point where the gate had been and voiced, “Janalon?”
“Indeed,” The mage replied from the dark corner of the room where he sat writing frantically in a book.
“Blood brother, I’ll have your neck I declare,” Zedd swore out loud.
“Janalon walked over to a book shelf and pulled down a dusty volume and began to read.
“Bah, he’s reading!” Zedd accused bewildered.
“Zedd, is your parents at rest now,” Sasha asked with concern.
“Nay, I will have to go back and finish this,” Zedd replied.
Arwen had walked around and was reading from behind Janalon’s shoulder.
MdnitRdr retrieved his helm and spoke above the murmurs. “That was no man we fought!”
“Sultan,” Janalon spoke as he handed the book to Arwen.
“I’ve never seen the fiend that close, what is he about,” Zedd asked the mage.
“He led the attack that fell our ancestors of Glory Row. He wields the sword of Mondain the wizard, he’s undead, has been for over 3000 years, the sword breathes the life of Mondain into him, he must be dealt with,” Janalon said quietly.
“How,” someone asked.
We have destroyed the medallion that protects him, he can come to harm now”, the mage stated.
“Bah, I could not harm the fiend, my blade was like water to him,” Zedd said with a wave of his hand.
Arwen came out from the table with the book as Janalon motioned for her to read.
“Only one with the purest strife of honor and compassion can stand against this foe,” She read out loud.
“Your heart is full of vengeance,” Janalon offered Zedd. “That’s why you could not fell him.”
“Then who can defeat him, he destroyed our only rune and the entrance to the caverns is closed now with solid rock,” MdnitRdr pondered.
“A champion,” Sasha’s voice cut the air.
“Who here dares say they are pure enough to take this task,” The Lord in Command, Acolon demanded.
A fighter mage walked from the rear of the group and approached Acolon and knelt.
Acolon met the fighter’s gaze and nodded towards Christina.
Both Janalon and Sasha walked over to the scene with the council in their wake.
“Rise Champion,” Sasha spoke.

The wind had picked up outside as the moon sank below the distant mountains.
The soft glow of the candles lit the walls with shadows that seemed to dance in sync with the flames.
Thundarr lay quietly at the edge of sleep and pondered the antics the next day would bring.
His journey had taken him to Buccaneer's Den, city of filth, sin and decay.
Finding an entrance to the caves below the city of rats did not prove to be as difficult as he first thought.
Many a pirate and thief knew of the caves even though very few dared to venture there.
After days of searching and asking the populace, an entrance to the hell spawn caverns was now etched across his memory.
Now, back in his room in the guild house, his thoughts turned to the warnings and prophecies told by Janalon.
Only one with a peaceful heart and soul could hope to stand against Sultan, the wielder of the black blade of Mondain.
He opened the tome once more and began to read upon the yellow and torn pages. He read about the evil lord Mondain and his rein and about his apprentice Minax who later became his unholy mistress. Nothing about the sword surfaced until hundreds of years after their deaths. Thundarr read about the history of Sultan the Pirate and how he gained possession of this dark blade. Legend has it that the soul of Mondain still lives within the blade and gives unholy life to its possessor. Thundarr pondered more on the issue, there was something about this that bothered him.
Something did not seem right.
With a bolt Thundarr leaped from his bed and made haste towards the main room of the Guild House.

“Indeed,” the mage offered as Thundarr came into the foyer.
Sasha worked with Sir Dyer and Oliver as they made ready the parties backpacks.
Thundarr walked over to the table where Janalon sat and took rest across from him.
“Janalon, tell me, why did Sultan not use the blade on you or Zedd, or Midnitrdr at least,” Thundarr asked.
“For Sultan to use the blade as a weapon is folly, but now that the medallion of protection is gone from his neck, we will be able to force him to,” the mage replied.
“The blade searches one’s soul and drinks the hidden evil within, even deeds pressed far back in the pages of your mind, it seeks and devours and lives off such.,” Janalon said quietly.
Thundarr shook his head.
“Sultan will use the blade on you dear Thundarr, it’s his only defense now, and in doing so your heart will be revealed to you, your existance will flash before you,” the mage warned.
Thundarr thought for a moment then spoke. “So it’s my secrets inside my own heart that can bare me harm.”
“Destroy you quicker than any blade,” Janalon said sharply.
Silence fell then.
“Thundarr, there must be some hidden secret that lies in the use of the blade, something you can use to your benefit, “ Janalon offered.
“My task is rather complicated.” Thundarr rose.
“Sasha and I will be there, but I’m not sure if our aid will do more good than harm,” Janalon rose with him.
Thundarr then returned to his room as Sir Dyer and Oliver finished packing food supplies for the party of three.

Morning came with a slight haze in the air, Thundarr walked with Janalon and Sasha with the rest of Glory Row in their wake, to the Shrine of Compassion and prayed.
Afterwards Thundarr handed Janalon the rune he had marked just inside the entrance to the caves.
All three walked through the gate that formed while the rest of the Glory Row members waited for their return by the shrine.
“Let’s hunt to get this off our minds, we will return here as night falls,” suggested Oliver.

The odor of decay assaulted Sasha as she gained her bearings in the damp under ground cave.
Strange markings on the walls beckoned attention as the three walked deeper in the bowels of the earth.
The cave floor slanted down at such an angle that sometimes their footholds were threatened. For hours they walked, as the smell of sulfur became strong and intense. The cave opened up into a wide area, devoid of all life, save an evil presence lurking in the shadows.
Sultan appeared out of no where, his eyes gleaming red behind his helm.
“Nor plem vas yelm plur,’ a voice spoke from the air.
Sasha and Janlalon were frozen in step, unable to move.
“So you come to challenge me, do you not Thundarr of Glory Row,” Sultan spat.
Thundarr drew his blade slowly.
“I shall fell you like I did the Glory Row members of long ago,” Sultan answered with fire.
Thundarr felt his armour heat up from the fireball, but advanced despite the pain.
He sidestepped and let his blade bite into the bone armor.
Thundarr noticed then that Sultan had readied a plain blade, there was no black blade evil blade as far as Thundarr could see.
The undead Lord proved to be a most expert swordsman as cuts and slashes marred Thundarr’s neck and face.
Thundarr rolled with one swing and came up thrusting his blade deep inside the undead ones chest.
Sultan fell to the ground quivering in agony and changed into an ordinary thief.
Thundarr confused, put his sword away only to have his back raked from behind.
He turned to face the blows and was startled to find Sultan once again among the living.
Sultan came in swinging high with a plain cutlass and Thundarr laid waste to him.
The dying Sultan once again changed form as death took him.
A plain thief.
Again another sprung from behind him with a broadsword but Thundarr fell him quickly.
This one too changed as the others.
Thundarr turned towards Janalon and Sasha and found them still frozen. He whirled around as dread filled the air. “Vas lor ylem plur,” the unseen speaker said again.
Purple lightning spilled around Thundarr, knocking him to his kness and bringing blood from his lungs up though his nostrils.
A shadow stepped out from behind a rock, red cape shinning in the torchlight.
Thundarr fell backwards in shock, back peddling up against the cavern wall.
The figure approached and drew a dark blade from a sheath, but that was not what was so horrible.
Thundarr, thought about praying, thought about yielding, thought about suicide, for no horrid fate could be worse than what he now faced.
Thundarr’s heart skipped then beat to an alarming frenzy as he faced a mirror image of himself that wielded the black blade of Mondain.
The Thundarr with the black blade drove it deep into Thundarr’s chest.
As Thundarr’s heart was laid open, remorse filled his being as sins and wrong doings filled his soul. His youth passed before him as he bared witness to every small sin he ever committed, his past present and future filled with dread and woe. Voices formed around him, then figures manifested with faces of friends and family, each wielding a black blade cutting and slashing at him. They all voiced accusations at him and filled his heart with overwhelming sadness.
In the background he could hear Sultan laughing with glee.
Thundarr’s essence was leaking from his soul as he let the doubt and guilt wash over him. His soul begged for death and his mind willed his heart to stop it’s worthless beating. Anything to rid himself of the life he had made.
With one last ounce of strength he looked up into his adversaries eyes.
He looked straight though the image of himself into the evil eyes of Sultan.
He let his eyes fall on the blade that Sultan was holding letting his eyes trace the black steel down towards the tapered point that had vanished in his chest.
The blade glowed with a purple fire as Sultan reared his head back and howled with evil laughter.
Such evil in this being, Thundarr thought.
One that has wielded the dark blade for so long must be full of the entire world’s evil, both past and present Thundarr pondered.
These thoughts fondled Thundarr’s mind as his own guilt and sins snuffed out his life.
“So long, such evil,” Thundarr whispered as death approached.
Thundarr’s eyes lit up at the thought, he rose against the blade as guilt flowed in his mind.
“So long, such evil,” Thundarr’s mind tore for an out.
Sultan’s head was still thrown back in glee as he continued his hideous laughter.
Thundarr searched for strength, looking behind him he spotted Sasha, still frozen.
He placed his hands on the dark blade and began to push it deeper into his chest letting his guilt pour into the sword. He found strength in Sasha’s frozen eyes and slack in Sultan’s grip.
He kicked up with his feet catching Sultan off guard, throwing him back against the wall.
Sultan, startled by the change in events, looked down and found his hands empty of the black sword.
He watched in disbelief as Thundarr pulled the black blade from his chest across the room.
Thundarr’s, chest closed up as the sword was pulled free.
He breathed with relief as the guilt left his conscious.
“So long, such evil,” Thundarr yelled as loud as his lungs would allow and lofted the black blade with force across the room to sink into Sultan’s chest.
Sultan’s centuries of evil deeds crashed in on his undead soul with such force the cavern walls shook in protest. Sultan’s scream was horrid and filled with agony as his faced decayed and melted from his skull.
Janalon and Sasha fell to the ground of the cave as rocks fell from the ceiling.
Thundarr’s hands went to his ears trying in vain to shield out the horrible death cry that escaped the undead lord’s lungs.
All three looked on as Sultan convulsed on the cave floor shirking in his death throes.
The scream echoed through out the cavern as Sultan turned to dust and the black blade fell to the cave floor with a hollow clang.
“It’s done,” Sasha wondered outloud.
“One last deed”, Janalon spoke from the shadows.
“Yes, let’s take that sword to the nearest forge and melt it down,” Thundarr spoke for the mage.