The Chronicles BOOK 1

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The ChroniclesThe Nakiaezelle

Book One

By: Matthew Phenix


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Chapter One

Introduction

Jairuns light frame sat crouched on a sturdy branch at the top of tree near the

center of the island. The winds from the storm caused the branch to sway and bounce but

he rested there as surely as he was on ground. He had been waiting on the island for several

weeks making preparations for the arrival of a new recruit into the ever growing army

Amurhan was building. Jairun had worked with Amurhan for many years now and was not

pleased with this latest assignment. He had been instructed to make his way to this small

island. It rarely saw any living creatures aside from a few wild pigs, the birds that flew thisfar from the mainland, and the occasional ship and its crew that would stop to find fresh

water and hunt. He was to wait until this newest creation of Amurhans had arrived and

then teach him all that he could about combat and survival.

Jairun was an Elvin warrior who had trained under some of the best in all the lands.

He had defended kings in their homes and led their armies into war. He had killed men so

skilled that they had been legends within their own life times, and some so powerful others

considered them gods. Jairun had become so talented with his blades that some thought he

used magic, and then, he learned magic. After studying with a wizard who he had been

guarding, he was able to learn skills that made him even deadlier. He learned dozens of

spells that allowed him to control the magical energies that flowed from the world. Some of

them were little more than parlor tricks, while others were capable of killing a man with

just a few words and gestures. It had taken him years to earn the skills he now possessed

and the thought of teaching basic combat skills to someone agitated him. However

Amurhan had rewarded him generously each time he had assisted him, and his promise to

help him retrieve his wife held enormous sway over his decision to accept this request.

He had not seen his wife in years but he held faith that she was not lost forever.

Smaethyst had been the most highly skilled priestess in her order, and when she and Jairun


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He had been watching the sky for several hours when he seen the tale-tale signs of a

teleportation. A dark purple light flashed at the far end of the island and a crackling and

popping sound could be heard even from this distance. Amurhan had teleported him, and

had done so from far away. Jairun recognized the spell as one used for only the farthest

teleportation, and he knew that Amurhan had cast this spell on the far continent. Jairun

glanced again in the direction of the flash to verify its position, checked the distance from

his perch to the ground, then leapt from the tree. His lithe body dropped from the tree and

he brushed against several branches on the way down. He stretched his legs below him and

landed on his feet, his powerful legs absorbing the impact even from such an incredible

height.

He jogged across the island at a casual pace, making his way towards his intendeddestination. He had been told the creature would be rather large and quite powerful but it

would have very little intelligence and he should approach it with care. Having seen many

of Amurhans creations he wondered to himself what this creature might look like and as

he neared the far side of the island he saw the first hint of the creatures size. He was

positive he had found the site of the teleportation but there was no one around. He checked

the ground for tracks and the wet ground made them very apparent. A large creature

weighing hundreds of pounds had been there just moments ago. He knew this because the

deep footprints easily twice the size of his own had not filled up with water yet. Whatever

it was, it was disoriented. It had fallen upon landing and there was a large area where the

mud had been pushed aside, showing where it had slipped and fallen several times before

finding its footing. Jairun searched the area around him to see which direction the creature

had traveled in. The footprints remained erratic like someone drunk and the prints swayed

left and right down a small path. The small saplings and shrubs lining the path had been

crushed and shoved aside by the creatures large body and significant weight. He could see

several spots where it had attempted to keep itself upright by grabbing nearby trees and had

not only failed in keeping himself upright, but had pulled the trees down also.

Jairun was a little unsettled by the apparent size of this creature and unconsciously

adjusted his sword into a more accessible position. He followed the tracks for several more


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yards before somewhere ahead of him, someone screamed out in pain. He thought it might

be a war cry and his sword left its sheath as quickly as he registered the sound. However

the scream was not moving and it was not a war cry, whatever it was it was crying in

horrible pain. He could hear a large creature flailing around wildly and screaming like a

baby. He hurried forward keeping his sword readied. As he neared the creature he could

see that it was much larger than himself. Even with his eyes Jairun had a hard time seeing

the creature in the night. It had coal black skin that made it difficult to see any features. He

cleared through a patch of brush and could see the creature had slipped and fallen again.

However this time in its attempt to catch itself on a nearby sapling it had snapped the

sapling a few feet from the ground and then fallen atop it spearing himself. The creature

continued to scream and cry and seemed to be unaware of Jairun presence or if it knew he

was there he did not care. The sapling had speared him through his back and was stickingout several feet from his stomach. Jairun called out to the creature trying to get its attention

but the creature was focused on his injury.

You have to calm down and I can help you! Jairun repeated to the creature and

this time his words caught the creatures attention, and the creature stopped screaming and

starred at Jairun for several moments. Jairun moved closer and the creature clutched at the

piece of sapling protruding from his stomach. Im not going to hurt you. If you let me I

can get that out of you. Jairun waited to see the creatures reaction and although it said

nothing its eyes pleaded with him to help. Can I help you?

Help me. The creatures deep voice cracked when he spoke, and Jairun

immediately recognized the voice of someone who was born slow.

Jairun moved beside the creature and knelt down beside him. He placed a hand over

the creatures hands and moved them away from the branch so he could get a better look at

his injury. I need you to stop screaming and keep your hands away from it while I see how

much damage has been done. Jairun placed its hands on its chest. Keep your hands here

and dont move them. I need to see how bad your hurt so I know how to help. Okay?


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Help. The creature said. Its eyes were desperate and confused.

Jairun reached into a pouch and removed a couple of items and manipulated them

in his hands for a few moments before saying the incantation that would give him some

light. He raised the small wad of material a few feet above his head and it sparked to life

flooding the area with a crisp pink light. The light hovered motionless above the creatures

body and it was suddenly more interested in the light than the injury and lifted one of his

hands to try and pluck the light from the air. Jairun grabbed his hand and returned it to his

chest. You have to be still if Im going to help you. Now keep your hands right here until I

say you can move. The creature nodded and offered no resistance then returned his

attention to the small glowing light. Jairun examined the creatures stomach to see how

much damage had been done then lowered himself closer to the ground and slid his handsunderneath the creatures body. Im going to lift you up a little so I can see underneath

you. This will probably hurt. Ready? The creature returned his attention to Jairun and

nodded a worried understanding. Despite being less than half the creatures size Jairun

easily lifts him up and peers under him for a few moments. Jairun decides that in spite of

the severity of the injury he can heal it and raises the creature off the branch. The creatures

body tightens up in pain but his hands never leave his chest. Jairun places the creature on

the ground and starts going through one of his bags. Now hold still and Ill have that fixed

in no time. The creature nods again and returns his attention to the floating light Jairun

created and smiles at the light.

Jairun removes a blanket from a bag on his hip and leans forward to place it in the

wound to slow the bleeding. As he does he notices that the wound has apparently closed

up. He moves thinking that the large amounts of blood or a shadow is hiding the wound but

still can see no sign of the injury. Using the blanket, he wipes away some of the blood and

verifies that the wound is gone. Its gone? He says in disbelief.

The creature looks at his stomach and then at Jairun. Thats better, thank you.

Then he gets up and moves towards the glowing orb.


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He examines it for several breaths then reaches out to grab it. His hand passes

through the glowing orb and the creature laughs to himself. The creature tries several more

times to catch the small orb but each time he fails, and each time he laughs harder than the

previous time. Jairun watches the creature make several attempts at the orb and realizes that

the creature is not just untrained, he is simple minded. He is stunned that Amurhan would

send a simpleton to train with him. However the creatures size and apparent ability to heal

injuries could make it a powerful warrior given the proper training. Training it however

will take much more work than Jairun had anticipated, and he realizes he will not be

teaching it the fighting and survival techniques that he had assumed.

Jairun cleans some of the blood off of his hands using the rain and by wiping them

on the blanket, he is able to remove most of the blood. While he is cleaning his hands he isable to take a good look at the creature. Its skin is black, even in the light of the orb its

difficult to make out clearly, and Jairun can see that not only is his skin black but so are his

finger nails and his teeth. The creature is tall, he is very broad and incredibly muscular, but

his most notable feature is the tusks that grow from several places on his body. Jairun is

unsure if they are tusks or if the creatures bones actually split and then grow out of the

body but they separate him from any creature Jairun has ever encountered. The tusks on his

legs start half way up his shins and grow up along the leg until they reach the knee then

protrude upwards almost eight inches above his knee. They grow at a slight angle making

them like grieves, and end in jagged points. Two more grow out from the bottom of his

forearms and angle back over his elbows like thick daggers. Four tusks grow out of the

back of each hand and thrust forwards over his knuckles, and though these are not nearly as

long as the ones on his shins or forearms they appear equally threatening. All of the tusks

are also black. Jairun wonders if the bones are possibly what impeded the creatures

movement and caused him to fall. While he considers this and looks the creature over,

Jairun notices that he is also hairless as well as nude.

Do you want to use this to cover up? Jairun asks, holding out the blanket. Its

filthy but its all I have at the moment. The creature stops staring at the orb and looks at

the blanket for a moment before taking it from Jairun. The creature drapes the blanket over


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his head and returns his attention to the orb of light.

Jairun corrects him. I meant you could use it to wrap up so youre not standing

around naked. Jairun motions around his waist mimicking the motion and eluding to his

intention. The creature watches him intently then removes the blanket from his head and

wraps it around his waist. The creature makes no effort to tuck the edges of the blanket in

or tie it and it drops to the ground. Here, hand me the blanket and Ill show you what to

do. Jairun offers. The creature hands him the blanket and watches as Jairun ties the

corners of the blanket around the creatures waist. While he is tying the blanket around him

he realizes the creature must stand at nearly eight feet tall. Jairun only stands as tall as his

chest and he himself is tall for an elf.

You see what I did? Can you do that? The creature nods its head in agreement

and Jairun points to the blanket. Then take it off and show me. The creature pulls the

blanket loose and then reties it around his waist then looks to Jairun for approval. Good,

you ready to get out of the rain and get some food? Jairun asks. The creature seems

confused by the question and offers no reply. You know food, get something to eat.

I know what food is. The creature says flatly.

Then why didnt you answer me? Jairun asks. The creature does not reply again

and this time Jairun notices the creature is glancing over at the orb. Ah, I understand. You

dont want to leave it behind, not a problem. Jairun says the words ending the spell and

the orb flies towards his hand and the light extinguishes. Jairun puts the small wad back

into his pouch. Ready now? The creature hesitates again. Ill turn it back on if you like

when we get to camp. Jairun starts walking towards his camp and the creature steps in to

follow him.

They walk for several minutes and Jairun sees that the creature is avoiding small

objects that might trip him up and realizes that the creature can see quite well in the dark.

Jairun intentionally starts going through more over grown areas in an attempt to gauge just


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The creature considers the offer briefly then decides to satisfy his curiosity about

the smell of food over his curiosity of the lightning. The creatures head nearly touches the

top of the cave and he has to duck under some of the lower parts of the cave to get to the

fire with Jairun. The creature stands near the fire and sniffs several quick times, like an

animal hunting, then crouches down and places his face near the iron pot to breath in the

smell more deeply. He remains near the pot for a brief moment then eases forward to look

inside and places his hand in the fire to steady himself. He remains there for only a second

then lurches backwards. He cries out and clutches his hand close to his chest as he

scrambles backwards from the fire.

Jairun is amazed by just how ignorant the creature is of his environment. More out

of frustration than concern he asks. Why did you put your hand in the fire? He suspectsthat as quickly as the creature healed the wound from the tree that he will heal the burn

equally fast. To check, he points to the creatures hand and demands to see the injury. The

creature relinquishes the hand and after examining it Jairun can see that the creature

sustained no serious injury or it has already healed.

You have a lot to learn, you know that? Jairun asks. He waits for a brief moment

for a reply then repeats himself louder. You have a lot to learn. Do you know that? He

waits a shorter span then continues. I expect an answer when I ask a question. Jairun

stares at the creature locking eyes with him and waiting for a reply.

Several seconds pass before the creature looks away and nervously states. I I

have a lot to learn.

Jairun continues to stare him down for several more breaths before returning to the

fire. He examines his wet clothing and repositions some of them then sits back down on his

small chair. Amurhan sent me here to teach you how to fight and how to survive. So you

need to start paying attention, and you need to listen to me. Do you understand? Jairun

looks to the creature and he shakes his head in acknowledgement. Good, now get over

here and eat, then go to bed. We have a lot to work on tomorrow, and youre going to need


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your rest. Jairun takes out two wooden bowls and fills them with stew. He hands one to

the creature and takes the other for himself.

The creature sniffs the stew again then places the bowl to his mouth and dumps in a

mouthful. He chews on the stew with a look of amazement on his face and begins to grin as

he swallows the first bite. He raises the bowl to take another mouthful and Jairun raises a

hand to stop him. Wait, he orders, use a spoon. Jairun hands the creature a large

wooden spoon. The creature watches as Jairun takes his bite with his spoon then positions

the spoon in his hand and takes a clumsy bite for himself. It takes him until the end of the

bowl before he has learned to use the spoon well but Jairun is pleased that he is a good

mimic because he will need that for fighting.

More? The creature asks as he gestures at the pot of stew.

Take all you can eat from the pot. Jairun offers. He watches as the creature

cautiously approaches the fire. He is more cautious of the fire this time, and uses the ladle

to scoop out another large bowl of stew. The creature sits down again and shovels several

bites into his mouth while Jairun checks on his clothing again. They are still wet and he

repositions them again to further speed their drying.

Jairun then opens up a small pouch and removes a large sack from inside. He

loosens the drawstring enough to open the sack up fully. The sack is fairly unremarkable to

look at but it is imbued with a potent spell. Although it is a strong spell, it is fairly common

among mages and wizards alike since they require so many books and items when they are

traveling. Some of the more adept mages make the pouches and bags on a regular basis to

fund their research by selling them. They are expensive to buy and most merchants keep

them for their own use rather than sell them. They retain them because these containers can

allow them to transport large quantities of items using much less space and reducing the

weight, as well as keeping goods fresh for much longer periods of time. The spell creates a

small universe that varies in size based on the materials used by the caster. The universe is

attached to whatever bag or container the mage designates and it experiences no passage of


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time, so any foods or spell components placed inside the container undergo no ripening or

spoiling. They also eliminate any weight attributed to the object once it is placed inside the

container, so a full container weighs no more than an empty one. Some of the containers

are less elaborate than others and opening them reveals a void inside the container where

nothing is visible, these bags require knowing what is in them to pull out anything. More

elaborate castings involve drawing or sewing shelving on the inner surface of the container.

These containers show each item in them, and depictions of the items placed in them

appear and disappear on the shelves in the form of drawings or stitching. The strength of

the spell affects how much can be placed in the container, but the size of the container

regulates how large the objects can be that are placed in it. The largest drawback of the

spell is the destruction of everything in the container should it be damaged. Most casters

place the spell on small pouches or on packs which are not naturally sturdy, but they areeasy to transport.

Because of the potential loss of materials Jairun pouches have been placed inside

normal pouches that have been reinforced with magic. He keeps one on either side of his

waist that he stores all of his favorite weapons and commonly used spell components

inside. These pouches have been simply constructed and when opened they reveal

bottomless voids, but Jairun knows each item in them as well as he knows his own name.

The other pouch he keeps is filled with hundreds of useful items that he may need. He

stores more in this one sack than most merchants keep in a small warehouse. However

because of the size of this one he cannot keep track of exactly what is in it. The sack is over

four feet in diameter when opened fully and lies out in a perfect circle. Beautiful shelving

has been elaborately sewn on the inner surface and tiny drawings of saddles, weapons,

boxes, bags, clothing, armor, jewelry, and hundreds of other items litter the dozens of

shelves. He reaches into the sack and pulls out a book that documents everything he keeps

inside the sack. When the book comes out of the sack the drawing on the shelf vanishes. He

scans over the book for several minutes and notices the creature fill up his bowl again, and

he scrapes the pot repeatedly with the ladle as he tries to get every possible drop. Jairun

thumbs through the book and finds the section listing all the different items of clothing he

has and finds the listing for any clothing that might be large enough to fit the creature. He


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returns the book to its place inside the sack then reaches into the sack for the chest holding

the clothing.

He pulls out the chest and sets it on the ground beside the sack. Again as the chest

comes out of the sack a drawing of a similar chest on the inner surface of the bag vanishes.

He opens the chest and searches until he finds suitable clothing for the giant. He removes a

large loincloth and a skirt, as well as a large vest. He returns the chest to the sack and

removes another chest and bag. He removes from them a heavy cotton belt, and a blanket

then returns them to the sack. Jairun sees that the creature is watching him intently as he

finishes the last of the stew. He removes the sack from the ground and retightens the

drawstring before brushing away a few particles of dirt that clung to its surface. He returns

the sack to the protective pouch and sits back down before addressing the creature.

Heres some clothes for you to wear. Ill show you how to put them on if you need

me to, but Ill only show you one time. You need to learn how to dress yourself. Tomorrow

morning Ill show you how to clean that blanket youre wearing, and afterwards well see

just what youre capable of doing. The creature finishes the stew and sets the bowl down

then leans over where Jairun had placed the sack and pats the ground. He looks around the

area and searches for an opening as he pats the ground. Not understanding he looks to

Jairun for answers. You wont find a hole there, its the bag that I had. Its a magical bag.

The creatures blank expression lets Jairun know that he does not understand the

explanation. You remember the bag I had? Jairun asks, and the creature nods in

recognition. The bag is like a magic hole that I can carry around. There is no hole in the

ground, the hole is in the bag.

The creature seems appeased and picks up the clothing Jairun has laid out. He looks

the clothing over for a minute then places the vest on backwards and ties the kilt around his

waist much like he had done the blanket. He studies the belt and the loincloth for several

moments then gives up. How do these go on?

Jairun helps him get dressed properly, and then adds several more logs to the fire.


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The worst of the storm has passed over them but the cold wind has not died down much

and Jairun suspects it will be a rather cold night on the island. Winter has ended and despite

spring having arrived the air is still cold, particularly so after a strong ocean storm. Jairun

wraps himself in a blanket and they sit in silence for several minutes.

Whats Amurhan? The creature asks.

Jairun is surprised by the question, he had assumed that the creature knew who

Amurhan was. Amurhan is a wizard. Jairun answers.

Amurhan means wizard?

Amurhan is a person, a wizard is a person who uses magic. Jairun replies. He

sent me to teach you how to fight and you need to know how to fight so youre more

useful.

Why did he send you?

He sent me because Im great. Im the best fighter in his army and on the world. If

anyone can teach you to fight itll be me. I wield a sword as skillfully as the greatest

swordsman and I know enough magic to make me a threat to even a skilled wizard. Once

Ive taught you the basics of fighting Ill start teaching you to recognize spells and how to

avoid them or at least survive them. Jairun brags.

Why did he send you to teach ME? The creature corrects.

Im here to teach you because he believes you will be an asset to him once you can

fight. With your size and apparent ability to heal injury you could be a powerful asset once

you are trained. Jairun answers.

The creature was silent for several moments and Jairun was glad. He was tired of


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answering his questions and he was unsure how much information Amurhan wanted him to

know and decided that once the creature was asleep he would sneak away to try and contact

Amurhan for more detailed instructions on how to handle the creature.

Its getting late and we have a lot work to do tomorrow so you should get some

sleep. Jairun ordered. He showed the creature where he could sleep and watched as he

struggled to cover his large frame with the blankets he had. Several minutes passed and the

creature shifted positions numerous times before finally drifting off to sleep.

Jairun waited half an hour to be certain that the creature was sleeping, then gathers

his weapons and cloak and silently leaves the cave. He wants to get far enough from the

cave that the creature would not hear him but he needed to remain close enough to see if heleft the cave. He decides to climb up the cliffs that sit above the cave. He moves quickly

yet barely disturbs a stone as he climbs, and in just a few breaths he finds a suitable

position. He knows he may not reach Amurhan immediately but he needs to get more

information from Amurhan as soon as possible so he knows how to better handle the

creature.

He removes several specific stones and a series of thin silver rods from one of his

bags and places them around the ground. Each stone is adorned with several runes that

have been burned onto their surfaces with magic, and the thin silver rods are used to

connect the runes in a specific combination. With them he can contact Amurhan. He

positions the stones and as he does he places the rods in the correct runes so a larger rune is

formed by the crisscrossing rods. Jairun knees in front of the stones and says the words to

activate the rune. He focuses his attention on the large rune while he waits for Amurhan to

answer, and after several minutes a face appears above the rune.

The face is not Amurhan but one of his apprentices. Jairun is annoyed that

Amurhan has not answered his call but greets the apprentice with respect. I am pleased

someone could speak with me. I am Jairun and I need to speak with Amurhan.


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I recognize your face Jairun, but I am sorry to say that Amurhan is indisposed at

the moment and cannot speak with you. I have been ordered to tend to your needs for

now. The apprentices tone revealed he was as annoyed as Jairun by this interaction.

Jairun considered asking the apprentice how he should handle the creature but he

knew that Amurhan may not want this apprentice knowing any specific information

regarding the creature. Jairun had learned that Amurhan preferred discretion regarding even

the most mundane of tasks and sharing information with anyone could be a fatal mistake.

Tell Amurhan that I have questions regarding my new student. I need to know what the

student is to know regarding their present situation. They seem to know little to nothing,

and I want to know what if anything I am to reveal to them. They are asking questions.

Is that all? Queried the apprentice in an even more annoyed tone.

Yes, I need an answer as soon as Amurhan is able to send word. Jairun waves his

hand over the runes and the face blinks out of view.

Jairun gathered up his supplies and returned them to his bag. He knew Amurhan

may be preoccupied for days and he would need to keep the creature from asking more

questions until he heard back from Amurhan. He decided that the best course of action

would be keeping the creature so physically exhausted that he would be unable to ask

questions. Jairun works his way back down the cliffs then slips quietly into the cave, and

finds the creature snoring comfortably.

Jairun gathers his bedding and moves it so he is between the creature and the exit.

He does not want the creature leaving the cave or attacking him while he sleeps so he casts

a spell that will warn him should anything approach him. Using a mixture of powdered

dogs bones and shavings taken from bells he pours out a circular line around where he will

sleep. He says the words to activate the spell and a faint tingling of bells tells him the spell

has worked. He knows the spell will sound a loud alarm should anyone cross the barrier of

the spell. Jairun lies down and sleeps knowing he will be undisturbed.


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* * * * *

Jairun wakes the next morning and sees that the creature is still sleeping. Jairun

stands and stretches out the cold then crouches down and runs a finger through the circle of

powder and says the words to dismiss the spell. He adds some small wood to the fire and

gets it burning again then dresses. The clothing he had worn the previous evening is dry

after having hung out all night and he puts it back on. It is his preferred clothing since each

item has several magical enchantments on them. Most of the clothing he carries for himself

has been enchanted in some way but this set of clothing is particularly powerful.

The shirt and pants have been given increased resistance to physical and magicaldamage making them nearly as resistant to damage as a full set of plate mail, and in some

cases more resistant than plate mail. They also have enchantments on them that allow them

to repair any damage they sustain should he be struck with a weapon. The clothing can

repair any minor tears or cuts they might sustain in just an hour, and more severe damage

will be mended in a nights sleep. Snags or rips that might be sustained during normal wear

are not a concern, nor does he have to be concerned with the clothing wearing out over

time. His leather boots are similarly protected as are the belts and straps he wears to carry

his different bags and weapons. Jairun learned long ago that wearing bulky metal armor

was not very effective with his fighting style but neither was it practical to wear

unprotected clothing since it was destroyed so frequently.

Initially constructing the armor had cost him a great deal of time and materials but

it had been worth the investment. Once he had found the correct alchemy recipe to cast the

spells he had enchanted most of his belongings. He wondered about making similar

clothing for the creature but dismissed the idea for the moment since Amurhan may supply

it with any armor or weapons it might need.

Jairun removed the inventory book from his sack again to see what food he had

available and picked out several items so he could start a breakfast. He had large quantities


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of food stored in the sack but only pulled from it when other food was not available. There

was food available on the island, but after seeing how much the creature had eaten last

night, he suspected a single pot of stew was no longer going to be enough each day. The

creature was large and hunting for food each day would take away from their time to train.

He would teach the creature to hunt but he wanted to get started on his training as early as

possible today. He removed a large skillet and several large pieces of meat as well as

several different vegetable and some eggs then started cooking.

It occurred to him while he was cooking that he had not asked the creature what its

name was and that he had not told the creature his name. He had barely turned the meat

over for the first time when the creature began to wake. The creature pushed the cover

away then sat up and yawned a long breath before standing up. The creature rose quicklyand forgot to check the height of the cave and struck his head on the low section of the

cave.

The creatures knees buckled and he let out a quick yelp and grabbed at his head.

He took a few steps forward being more cautious of the height of the cave then stood up

and stretched his body awake. Jairun returned his attention to the cooking food and grinned

to himself at how clumsy the creature seemed to be. He moved some of the vegetables

around to keep them from burning and suddenly heard splashing. He returned his attention

to the creature and saw he had hiked up his skirt and was urinating all over the walls and

floor of the cave.

HEY STOP THAT! barked Jairun. Go outside to do that! The creature ignored

him and continued to relieve himself and Jairun yelled again. Hey, I said stop it. You do

not pee all over the place youre sleeping in! Jairun dropped the fork he had been using to

cook with and marched towards the creature. Creature, Giant, You! The creature finally

turned his attention to Jairun. I said go outside to do that!

Im done now. The creature replied adjusting his skirt and loincloth.


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Jairun stood in awe of the creature briefly then stormed out of the cave. Come with

me right now! He ordered. Jairun walked out into the open air and turned to make certain

the creature was following him. Confident the creature was coming he walked for a minute

then stopped near a small stone. If you have to go, you do it right here! Is that

understood?

Okay. The creature seemed confused.

Jairun stormed back towards the cave. Follow me! He ordered again and the

creature continued to follow him. Arriving back at the cave Jairun checked on the food then

removed a shovel from his sack and tossed it to the creature. You use this and scoop up

every bit of that and haul it to the rock I showed you. You understand? Jairun said pointing at the urine soaked dirt floor. The creature nodded and looked the shovel over for

a moment before deciding how it worked and started scooping up the wet dirt around the

cave.

Jairun finished cooking breakfast while the creature cleaned up the mess he had

made. The food had finished cooking before the creature was done and Jairun scooped out

their meals onto separate plates then sat down to enjoy his breakfast while he waited on the

creature to finish his task. As he ate he considered how to start the creatures training and

decided it was best to start by teaching him proper behavior. Once the creature had finished

cleaning up the urine Jairun gave him his food and showed him how to use the fork and

knife. The creature had more difficulty with the fork than he had with the spoon but

quickly caught on and took to his food. He ate his breakfast with the same enthusiasm he

had shown eating the stew last night.

As the creature ate Jairun told him how relieving himself in the place where he was

living was unclean. He told him about going away from your camp so the smell did not

defile the campsite. He then told him how to bury his waste and how to clean himself

afterwards. The creature asked many questions about why he was supposed to do these

things and Jairun answered him with limited patience explaining that the smell was


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offensive and that leaving behind feces would attract undesirable insects to the cave. Once

they had finished eating Jairun gathered the dishes they had used and showed the creature

where and how to clean them. He then showed the creature how to clean the blanket he had

used last night to clean his wound and showed him a spot to hang it out for drying. He went

on to explain cleaning his clothing occasionally as well as bathing.

Once Jairun was confident the creature understood these basic concepts he decided

to show him around the island as part of his training. Jairun jogged along and the creature

trotted to keep pace with him. Jairun started by showing the creature where they had met

last night and then jogged to where a small spring was on the island so he could get fresh

water. They then ran to back to the cave and Jairun climbed the cliffs to see if the creature

could follow him and was pleased at how physically fit the creature seemed to be. Theyhad been running for nearly an hour and the creature was not the slightest bit out of breath.

The creature struggled some up the incline of the cliffs but managed well for his size.

Jairun then ran across the cliffs to the far side of the island and showed the creature where

another spring was located. They jogged down the far side of the cliffs to the opposite end

of the island and passed near some wild pigs. The creature found their squealing and

grunting amusing and laughed as he mimicked the noises for several minutes. Jairun

continued to be impressed by the creatures constitution. It was midday now and they had

been running and climbing for nearly five hours and the creature showed no signs of tiring

any time soon. He was barely sweating and his breathing was as steady as if he had gone

for a casual stroll.

Jairun decided to return to camp along the beach so he could show the creature the

ocean. They ran along the beach and Jairun pointed out an old ship that had been

abandoned along the beaches after it had been badly damaged. Most of the useable items

on the ship had long ago been looted and only a few scattered items remained on the gutted

vessel. The creature seemed to enjoy the sights, and marveled at the size of the ship, the

colors and noises of the different birds, as well as the brightly colored flowers that were

littered across the island. Jairun realized that the creature must have no memories prior to

arriving on the island. Despite knowing the words for seemingly everything on the island


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he was awe struck by everything he seen as if it was the first time. Jairun wondered what

Amurhan had done to the creature to remove every memory he had, yet somehow he

retained his knowledge of language. Jairuns curiosity regarding the creature was growing

and he wondered what Amurhan had planned for him.

After they arrive back at the cave Jairun gives the creature some bread and several

large pieces of smoked meat for lunch. Jairun eats a small lunch also then starts another

stew for their evening meal. He decides to make a much larger pot this time since he knows

the creature and himself will be hungry after such a long day. The creature finishes eating,

then watches Jairun as he prepares the stew. Jairun decides he should test the creatures

ability to recall what he has learned and hands him a small pitcher. Take this and fill it up

at the spring I showed you near where I found you last night. Hurry because we still havemore to do today. The creature takes the pitcher and jogs off in the direction of the spring.

Jairun waits a few moments then races off to follow the creature and see how well

he does. Jairun leaps into a nearby tree then springs from one tree to the next, following

after the creature. He moves quietly as he makes tremendous jumps from branch to branch

and in just a couple minutes he has already passed the creature who is heading farther south

than he needs to be. Jairun chooses not to interfere with the creature just yet and lets him

continue on the wrong path. Jairun waits patiently in his tree until the creature is far enough

away and he makes several more long leaps into another tree and continues to observe the

creature. The creature has stopped moving when Jairun catches back up to him and he is

sniffing the air like an animal. Jairun watches as the creature takes a few more quick sniffs

at the air then corrects his path and heads directly towards the spring. Jairun is again

surprised by the creatures abilities. He apparently has a strong enough nose to pick out the

smell of fresh water opposed to the smell of ocean water. The creature finds the spring after

another few minutes of searching then fills the pitcher before sinking his face in the water

and drinking for several long moments. Jairun briefly watches the creature drink then

decides to return to camp and wait for him.

Jairun returns to the camp and adds a few spices to the stew before the creature


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The creature makes several more attempts to catch Jairun but he is unable to catch

him however he is no longer chasing him. Jairun can tell the creature is paying attention to

his movements but he cannot match his speed or his nimbleness. Jairun lets the creature

make several more attempts before deciding to move on to another exercise. Okay, thats

enough of that for now. Lets try something else now.

I like this. Answers the creature.

Im sure you do but this isnt all we need to practice. Now lets see how good you

are at avoiding me. You stay within the clearing and Ill try and catch you. Understand?

The creature nods his head then drops into a crouched position and starts circling

away from Jairun. Jairun starts moving after him then makes several quick feints to either

side then lunges towards the creature. The creature dodges around Jairun then sprints away

circling wide and keeping his eyes trained on Jairun, ready for another attempt. Jairun turns

and wastes no time in pursuing the creature. Jairun make a long jump towards the creature

closing the distance and attempting to cut off the clearing then leaps forward intent on

catching the creature in the chest. The creature is more nimble than he had guessed its size

would allow and he twists and rolls clear of Jairun attempt. Jairun tucks out of the dive

and deftly rolls back to his feet and grins at his own foolishness.

Jairun realizes that he has been surprised by the creatures speed, and that he did not

display more of this nimbleness when trying to catch him. Jairun recognizes that he has

been charging forward and not trying to out maneuver the creature because he had not

assumed it could move with such grace. He has been doing exactly what he told the

creature not to do. Now thats the way you were trying to catch me. Jairun tells the

creature making it appear as if it was a planned part of the exercise. Now I will show you

what you should have been doing.

Jairun takes several quick steps towards the creature then stops and circles slightly


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before making another lunge forwards. This time however he has intentionally jumped

short of the creature and it leaps neatly aside. Jairun lands then immediately lunges at the

creatures new position and slaps him solidly on the arm as he passes him by.

Gotcha that time. Jairun calls out. You see what I meant by not charging

forward. I landed short knowing you would move out of the path of my first jump, then

used that moment to close on you. Jairun trots to the far side of the clearing and readies

himself. You try and catch me again.

The creature moves forward at a steady pace then after closing half the distance he

races forward. Jairun watches the creature charge forward then plants his feet to leap over

the creature. As soon as Jairun feet leave the ground the creature leaps into the air to catchhim mid-flight. Jairun however does not leap into the air, he hops only a few inches off the

ground then he immediately dives under the creatures feet and rolls behind him. Jairun

stands and turns to see where the creature is and feels a slap on his arm, the creature had

gotten him. The creature stood there with a huge grin on his face, Jairun was shocked. He

had attempted to trick the creature by faking a jump but the creature had guessed and faked

his own leap and landed in time to reach him before he could regain his footing.

Was that good? Asks the creature through a big smile.

That was good. How did you decide to do that? Jairun asks.

I was gonna jump up and catch you but seen you didnt jump high so I didnt

jump real hard and I just turned around and got ya! The creature continued to grin. That

was really good? He asked excitedly.

It was good. Jairun begrudgingly answers and the creature burst into laughter and

claps excitedly. Jairun laughs at the creatures enthusiasm then without warning he slaps

the creature on the arm then leaps away. I got you! The creatures face drops with shock

then quickly turns to excitement and he chases after Jairun. For several minutes they take


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turns chasing each other around the small clearing dodging and tagging one another.

Eventually Jairun calls off the game saying. Thats enough for now, we still have a lot to

do before dark.

Jairun decides to test the creatures ability to avoid being struck and walks around

the clearing gathering several small stones. This time I want to see if you can avoid being

hit but you cant move your feet. Jairun scratches a circle out in the grass at the center of

the clearing and its just large enough for the creature to stand in. Come and stand in the

circle. Im going to throw these stones at you, and you have to avoid the stones but you

cant step out of the circle. Jairun walks to the edge of the clearing and the creature stands

in the circle. Ill start throwing them fairly easy but as I go along Ill start throwing them

harder. Jairun gathers several more stones from nearby then gets ready to throw thendecides to warn the creature. Oh, these will hurt if they hit you, so dont just stand there.

Ready?

The creature nods, and Jairun tosses the first stone. The creature leans away from

the stone and it easily misses him. Jairun tosses five more stones, and the creature dodges

all five, then he begins throwing them. The first stone gets much closer but the next five the

creature twists and leans out of the way quite skillfully and Jairun is again impressed with

his ability to move. Jairun gathers up the last six stones and decides to throw them in rapid

succession and see how well he deals with multiple objects. These are the last ones and

theyll be coming hard and fast. The creature nods and readies himself again then Jairun

hurls the first two stones rapidly at the creatures chest. The creature twists at the waist and

avoids them, and Jairun immediately throws the next three. The creature ducks under the

first one and the second stone narrowly misses his arm as he leans away from it. The third

ricochets off the ground just a few feet in front of him and bounces up at his face. The

creature throws his arm up in front of his face then turns to avoid it and Jairun throws the

final stone at his feet as he is turned away. Jairun watches in disbelief as the creature stops

mid turn and jumps as the last stone passes harmlessly under him. He had thrown it while

the creature was facing away as a way of teaching him not to turn away from an attacker

but he had dodged the stone as easily as he had the others. How did you know about the


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Jairun leads the creature up the cliffs and finds a suitable stone for the creature to

life. The stone is nearly five feet across and nearly as tall. See if you can you lift that

one? Jairun asks the creature pointing to the stone. The creature bends down and wraps his

arms around the stone then casually lifts it as he stands. Can you lift it over your head?

Jairun asks, and the creature raises the stone over his head with nearly casual ease. Well

find a bigger one than. Toss that one down and lets keep looking. Jairun and the creature

continue to find larger and larger stones and the creature is able to lift each one with ease.

After half an hour of searching and trying different stones Jairun finds a boulder wider

around than even the creatures long arms could reach. Jairun could see that some of the

stone was below the ground and still it stood over seven feet high. He was certain the stone

weighed over eight hundred pounds. This one should be a challenge. See if you can move

it.

He watches the creature stretch his arms around the boulder to find a grip, then

plant his feet wide apart before squatting down and beginning the lift. The creatures body

tightens and for a moment Jairun thinks he will not be able to move the boulder. Then

Jairun sees that the creature is moving the stone. Barely an inch of exposed dirt is visible at

the base of the stone but he is pulling it loose from the ground. The creature strains as the

boulder continues to ascend out of the ground and Jairun wonders if even this behemoth of

a stone will be the limits of his strength. The creature pulls until his legs are fully extended

and he is standing on his toes however the stone is still below the ground. The creature lets

go of the stone and squats down to find a new hold before the stone can sink back into the

ground, then he resumes lifting. With the new position the creature quickly raises the stone

nearly a foot more from the ground before his grip slips and it sinks back several inches.

The creature finds another hold then resumes lifting, and without warning tears the boulder

from the ground. The creature stumbles back a few paces before adjusting to the weight

and bringing the boulder up to rest on his shoulder.

The boulder had been nearly three feet below the ground and this brought it to over

ten feet tall. The upper section was nearly seven feet around and tapered down to over nine

feet around at the base. There was no doubt it weighed more than a thousand pounds and


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the creature stood almost relaxed with the boulder hefted on his shoulder. Jairun could see

that he had broken a sweat this time and was breathing harder than before. Jairun wants to

see how long the creature will hold the stone and waits silently.

Do you want to find a bigger one? The creature asks as he shifts the weight of the

boulder.

Yeah, I think you might be able to lift more. Keep that one while we try and find a

bigger one. Jairun starts walking and wants to see if the creature can move under such a

burden, and he does. The creature shifts the boulder again then follows along. Jairun can

see the creature is certainly burdened by the stone but despite the weight he walks as surely

as a man who was shouldering a log. Jairun leads him around for a quarter hour. He leadsthe creature down the cliffs along a path not nearly as steep as the one they had taken to get

up, and back towards the cave. He is able to carry the stone the rest of the way without

resting but he is breathing heavily and dripping with sweat when they arrive back at the

cave. Jairun has the creature place the stone down near the cave then tells him rest. Jairun

is amazed by just how sturdy the creature is and wonders what it will take to exhaust him.

Finding the stew is ready Jairun goes to call for the creature and remembers he had

forgotten to ask his name this morning after finding him urinating in the cave. Jairun scolds

himself then hears the sound of something heavy thumping against the ground. He walks

outside the cave to find the creature lifting the boulder and pressing it above his head. He

holds the stone there for a moment then tosses it into the air and letting it fall. Seeing that

the creature is still energetic enough to play surprises him somewhat. He had thought the

day would wear the creature out but he seemed as vigorous as he had in the morning. Jairun

watches him toss the stone several more times then calls to him.

Hey, the stew is ready. The creature tosses the stone down again and walks

towards Jairun. Why dont you use all this energy you have left and get us some water.

Jairun gets the pitcher from the cave and gives it to the creature. The creature takes the

pitcher and trots off in the direction of the spring.


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The wet faced creature returns after several minutes and gives the pitcher to Jairun

who fills two small cups. He hands one of the cups and a bowl of stew to the creature then

sits down to eat.

I forgot to ask this morning, but what is your name? Jairun asks. He can

immediately tell by the creatures face that he has given him another dilemma to solve.

My name is Jairun. Do you have a name?

The creature puzzles over the question until he finishes chewing then replies. I

dont think I have a name.

No one ever gave you a name?

Youre the only person I know. The creature answers, slurping down another

spoonful of stew.

What do you mean Im the only person you know? Jairun asks.

I never met anyone but you.

You met Amurhan before coming here didnt you? Jairun asks. The creature

shakes his head then spoons in another mouthful of stew. Where were you before you

came here then?

I wasnt anywhere before I came here. I was just here. Answers the creature. A

moment passes as the creature chews another bite and he continues. Where else would I

be?

You could have been anywhere on the planet I suppose. Jairun decides against

explaining any further until he hears back from Amurhan, and decides to get back to

discussing a name for the creature. Since you dont have a name I guess well have to pick


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one for you. Do you know any names you want to use?

Amurhan, and Jairun are the only names I know.

Well, you cant use either of them. Jairun considers the creature for a moment

then continues. I think we should just pick a name for now and later if you decide on a

better name you can change it.

What name? Asks the creature.

Urbudiah seems like a good name. Jairun offers.

You want to call me giant?

You know Elvin? Jairun asks in surprise. He had not suspected the creature might

know his native dialect and had picked the Elvin word for giant as more of a description

than a name.

Know what? The creature asks.

You know what Urbudiah means? Its an Elvin word.

Oh, I didnt know.

Jairun wonders if the creature knows more of the language and switches to Elvin as

he continues. Do you understand me? The creature nods his head in confusion and Jairun

continues. How do you know Elvin? Its not a common language.

Whats Elvin? The creature responds in Elvin.

Jairun sees that the creature doesnt see the dialects as different. He just thinks of


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them as different words and knows them. Like everything else in his limited experience he

has no deeper understanding than the words. Jairun decides to test his understanding of the

many languages of the world and continues in a different human language. Elves speak a

different language than humans and humans have several common languages they speak.

Urbudiah is an Elvin word that means giant.

Oh, I didnt know. The creature replies in the same dialect.

Jairun switches to an oriental language and continues. So what do you think of the

name Urbudiah?

I dont know. The creature replies in the oriental language and seems unaware of the transition from one language to another. Urbudiah means giant.

Jairun has been impressed by the creature several times already, but this is the first

time the creatures intellect has impressed him. He has displayed a remarkable

understanding of language. Jairun decides the creature should have his own name and

offers an ancient pronunciation of the word Urbudiah. You could use Urabia as your

name.

What does that mean?

It could mean you.

I want it to mean Me. The creatures face lights up with excitement and he pats his

chest excitedly. Can that be my name? Jairun agrees and the creature leaps to his feet in

excitement clapping wildly. His head collides with the ceiling again and he buckles under

the impact. Jairun sees blood coming from the creatures head and can also see a large gash

where the skin split open. The creature rubs his head briefly then shakes his head as the

wound closes. Urabia has to learn to not do that.


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The creature laughs wildly and continues to clap his hands then starts repeating his

name over and over while clapping and dancing around the cave. This continues for several

minutes before the creature stops suddenly and addresses Jairun. Urabia has to poop.

Urabia has to go! The creature grabs the necessary supplies and races out of the cave.

Jairun laughs harder than he has in years.

The creature returns and is still chanting his own name and after they finish eating

Jairun insists they go to sleep for the night. Jairun returns to the spot he slept in the

previous night and recasts the spell to wake him and hears the creature still saying his new

name.

* * * * *

Jairun wakes early the next morning and after a light breakfast he takes Urabia on

another run around the area and shows him more of the island. Urabia continues to be

amazed by the different sights, sounds and smells of the island and Jairun has to yell at him

several times to keep him from stopping to gawk at the scenery. Jairun begins teaching

Urabia how to find his way around the island and teaches him how to use the sun to know

which direction he is traveling. Urabia does not pick up on the lesson immediately but by

midday he understands that the sun moves and can tell which direction he is facing.

After lunch Jairun tells Urabia they will play tag again but this time they will not be

limited to just the small clearing. Jairun chases Urabia first and catches him after only a

few minutes, Urabia however takes nearly twenty minutes to catch Jairun. Jairun light

frame and experience lets him dodge and move through trees much easier than Urabia and

this makes it difficult for him to keep up. However despite his size he is able to navigate

the trees very well and Jairun believes that in time he will get better. They chase each other

around the island for nearly two hours before Jairun calls the game off.

Urabia asks if he gets to throw rocks at Jairun this time and to his disappointment

he is again told no. Jairun tells him they are training, not taking turns and in the chase game


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he needs to practice both chasing and eluding. In dodging however he needs to practice

dodging, not throwing, but he is welcome to practice throwing rocks at trees or other

inanimate objects in the evening when they are resting. Jairun throws different objects at

Urabia this time, and uses not only rocks but small branches as well. Urabia is struck

several times but Jairun is not holding back as much and throws harder and much quicker

than he had the first day. After an hour of dodging rocks and small branches Jairun decides

to try something else. He removes a lance from one of his bags and uses it to sweep back

and forth in arching motions and Urabia is to avoid being struck. After another hour of

practicing this Jairun decides they have done enough training for the day and offers to take

the creature hunting.

Jairun has plenty of food in his sacks but knows there are fish in the ocean and wild pigs roaming the island. He gathers his bow and takes Urabia over the cliffs to where the

pigs were at the previous day. He tells Urabia to remain quiet and watch and save any

questions for the walk home. Jairun finds the pigs tracks and points them out to Urabia then

follows them for almost an hour before finding a target. Jairun shots a pig then shows

Urabia how to gut, clean, and skin an animal for eating. Urabia is captivated by this and

asks dozens of questions as they make their way back to camp. Jairun happily answers his

questions and is pleased at his motivation. While the pig cooks that evening, Urabia

practices throwing stones at trees.

While Urabia plays Jairun receives a whisper spell from Amurhan. I am ready to

speak with you Jairun. Whispers a magical voice on the wind. Jairun recognizes the voice

as Amurhans and goes outside to see where Urabia is.

I have something to do Urabia, you stay here at the camp. Ill be back in a little

while and we can eat. Jairun tells the creature as he heads back up the cliffs. The creature

acknowledges him and continues to hurl rocks.

Jairun races up the cliffs and returns to the spot he used previously and casts the

spell to communicate with Amurhan. The runes glow and after a moment Amurhans face


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is that understood? Kill anyone who sees him.

How will I conceal him once were on the mainland? He wont pass Amurhan

cuts him off.

He should be able to change like you do. Its part of why I picked you. Teach him

to change into a human form and pass for a human.

He is human? Jairun asks in disbelief.

No, hes no more human than you are a dragon. It is just a shape he can assume,

like you. Amurhan turns out of view and the image of him vanishes.

Jairun has knowledge of shape shifting because he has been able to shift between

his Elvin form and that of a dragon for many years. Amurhan had been experimenting with

magically combining different creatures for nearly ten years and had attained some

impressive results when he asked Jairun if he wanted to become an amalgam of creatures.

Jairun had been reluctant until he met one of Amurhans creations. A human woman who

worked for Amurhan had volunteered to undergo the spell because she had wanted to take

on some of the attributes of a tiger. The spell had been an incredible success and she was

able to shift between her human form and that of a tiger. More impressive however was her

ability to change partially and retain her human appearance but have the senses of a tiger as

well as the strength. Amurhan assured Jairun the spell was safe and began gathering the

needed spell components. Jairun was told to bring the body of whatever creature he wanted

to be joined with and he chose a dragon. Amurhan worked for several days preparing and

casting the spell and afterwards Jairun had the strength of the dragon. However there had

been drawbacks that Jairun had not expected. Dragons were powerful creatures but their

size demanded large amounts of food as well as sleep and when Jairun changed fully into a

dragon he was immediately weak from hunger. He required hundreds of pounds of food to

gain his strength and then could stay a dragon as long as he desired but changing back

always forced him into a deep sleep that lasted nearly twice as long as he had been in


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dragon form.

It took several weeks, but he learned to change enough to gain the strengths of the

dragon without having to sleep for days on end, just as the woman had. His appearance was

not altered much in this partially changed form, but he was able to move thousands of

pounds and he gained the increased senses of the dragon also. What changed on him was

only a few subtle changes that went unnoticed by all but those who were familiar with him.

He grew several inches taller raising him to just over six feet, the tips of his ears grew

several inches also, and his eyes changed from light green to a deep shade of blue. His hair

changed from a dark blonde to a deep black highlighted in hues of purple and blue.

Once he learned he could maintain this shape he abandoned his old appearance andhe has not reverted to his true elf form since. He used his full dragon form only on the most

extreme cases since it required such large amounts of food and rest. He also discovered an

increased desire to eat meat. Elves ate meat on occasion but he discovered he now craved it

and insisted on meat with every meal, and although he could survive without it he did not.

Jairun is curious to see how capable the creature is at shape changing and decides

he will work on that as soon as possible. If the creature can assume a human shape then

Jairun can more easily start working on hand to hand combat. He gathers the rune stones

then heads back down the cliffs. Urabia is throwing stones still and leaping around to avoid

imaginary projectiles. Jairun calls to him and they both go to the cave and eat slabs of pork.

As they eat Jairun decides to see how much Urabia knows of humans.

Have you ever seen a human? Jairun asks, Urabia says he has not. Humans look

a lot like elves but their ears are not so long. Theyre also larger and taller than most elves.

Jairun can see that Urabia is paying attention but he seems disinterested. Do you know

why Im telling you this? Urabia says he does not. Im telling you this because you can

change into a human and I want you to know what they look like.

How do I do that?


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It seems youre like me in some ways, I can change my shape and appearance and

you can too. Do you want to learn how?

I dont know. Do I need to?

Yes, youll need to know how when we leave the island.

Were leaving? The creature seemed more interested now and stops eating to

listen.

We can once youve learned to look and act like a human.

Then I want to learn that too.

Jairun decides that it will be easier to show Urabia a human than try and explain

them and he removes a book from a bag on his hip. He turns through several pages and

finds the spell he was searching for then removes the necessary materials from his bag.

Im going to cast a spell that will show you what humans look like. Pay attention to what

they look like and then Ill try to teach you how to change into one. Jairun speaks the

words to summon the illusions and when he finishes the spell a human man dressed in a

small loincloth appears beside him. The mans shape does not move and stands motionless

as Urabia moves next to him to study the figure.

Jairun changes the male shape to a woman and the creature studies this image also.

He continues changing the body into different races and heights as well as changing the

gender and physical appearance. Urabia pays careful attention as Jairun explains the

differences in appearance that humans can display. He changes the faces of each image and

shows Urabia that although humans appear similar they have different noses and mouths as

well as their eyes and hair. Once Jairun has shown Urabia several humans he decides to

show him his own appearance. Jairun casts another illusion spell and a figure of Urabia


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appears in the cave.

Urabia drops into a defensive position, shouts then leaps at the figure throwing a

wild punch and passing through the illusion. He spins quickly and tries to knee the figure in

the back before Jairun calls out to him to stop. Urabia stops but does not take his eyes away

from the new illusion.

What are you doing? Jairun asks. Its an illusion of you. Urabia relaxes and

stares at the figure in front of him.

I I thought it was a monster. Urabia answers.

Well stop it, and pay attention. Jairun orders and he returns his attention to the

human form. I wanted you to see the difference between what you look like now and what

a human looks like. It should help you visualize the change.

Why dont they have these? The creature asks rubbing the horns on the back of

his hand and one from his elbow.

Humans dont have those. The real question is, why do you have them? Ive seen

creatures with tusks before but theirs grow out of their mouths. Ive seen creatures with

horns but theirs grow from the head. You however grow them out of your body, and that

Ive never seen. Jairun looks at the creature again then reconsiders. I have seen drawings

of old dragons and they had horns growing out of their backs and tails. Maybe some part of

you is a dragon Ive never seen.

Urabia seems content with the answer and Jairun continues the lesson. When you

change you need to have an image of what youre shifting into and then allow your body to

change. Now that youve seen a human that will be a lot easier to do. The hardest part is

going to be teaching you to concentrate on the change. Its like flexing a muscle but you

cant try to force the change. If you strain to transform that will make it hurt, you have to


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ease into the new shape, and over time youll be able to change at will with very little

effort.

How do I do it? Urabia asks.

You need to picture your body changing. You need to feel yourself getting smaller

and feel the horns shrinking into your body. Once youve gotten that, lighten your skin and

adjust your height and youll pass as a human.

Urabia makes several attempts that evening but fails to transform any part of his

body. Jairun suggests they finish eating then sleep and try again in the morning. Urabia

goes to sleep very quickly that evening and Jairun casts his alarm spell again then drifts off to sleep.

The following morning Jairun wakes to find Urabia is already awake. Urabia is

sitting near the fire eating some of the roasted pig and has gotten the fire burning again.

So you know how to start the fire now? Jairun asks.

I seen you do it, it wasnt hard at all. I just putt sticks in it and blew and they

burned. Just like you did. Urabia bragged.

Well maybe youll change as easily after I show you how to do that. Jairun sits

down and cuts himself off a piece of meat and starts eating. As he chews Urabia takes a

drink from one of the cups and Jairun looks at the pitcher of water. He had thought it had

been empty when they had gone to sleep, but it was half full. He pours himself a cup of

water and drinks then addresses Urabia. Today Ill show you how I change. Afterwards

youll try again and maybe after getting some rest youll do better.

Are we gonna run today? I like looking at the stuff.


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Well run after you change. I want you to learn that before we do anything else

today. Even if it takes all day.

They finish eating and Jairun take Urabia outside. Ill change and you watch. You

wont look like me but maybe seeing me change will help you visualize how to change.

Jairun stands still for a moment then as his body begins to change Urabias

expression changes to one of shock. Jairun face stretches as it takes on a more reptilian

appearance. His ears grow longer and a small horn grows from the tip of his ear and several

smaller ones appear along the back edge. His limbs begin to lengthen and his arms stretch

out of his shirts sleeves and his pants rise above his knees as his legs elongate. His hair

turns a deeper more pronounced shade of purple and blue, and his skin tone deepens to a purple like the night sky, and his fingers stretch as his nails turn into dark claws. He stops

the transformation, knowing that any further change will require he rest or eat.

He now stands two feet taller than Urabia though he is not nearly as bulky. His

voice is less clear and more guttural as he speaks. You see, I can change as much or as

little as I want. I wont change anymore, but you should have an idea of how the change

will look.

He returns to his former shape then adjusts his clothing before addressing Urabia

further. Ill cast another illusion for you to look at, and to help you focus. Then you try

and change again. After several moments of looking at the book again Jairun casts another

illusion of a human then waits.

Urabia looks at the image of the human then closes his eyes. Jairun watches him

and his face twists with concentration for several minutes. Jairun does not see any change

and offers assistance. Dont try to force it. Its not like lifting something heavy, its like

closing your eyes, or holding your breath. Just want it to happen and let your body move

into it.


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Jairun watches as Urabias face relaxes. He waits several more minutes, then as he

is about to speak he notices the horns on Urabias legs begin to retract. The ones on his

hands and arms also begin to disappear and in a minute they have completely disappeared.

Urabia opens his eyes and blinks several times before looking at his hands and legs briefly.

He takes another look at the human illusion, and then closes his eyes again. Immediately

Jairun can see he is getting smaller and his skin is lightening up. He shrinks down almost

two full feet and his body looses much of its bulk. His skin is still very dark but it is not

any darker than the men of the Jhanti or those in the northern lands of Bajarneya. He is a

passable human and Jairun is pleased by how quickly hes learning.

Urabia opens his eyes and looks over his new form. Is this a human? He asks as

he looks at his hands and arms.

Thats a human, great job. Jairun lets him look over the body briefly. Can you

change back now?

Urabia stops examining his new body and stands silent for a moment then reverts to

his full size. Yeah I can. He answers. His legs wobble and he has to find his footing

again so he does not fall over. Oh, that feels sleepy. He stumbles then shakes his head

before he finds his balance again.

Are you okay? Jairun asks.

I felt sleepy then, now I feel fine.

Lets go back to the cave for now. I want to fix your clothes so they dont get torn

up when you change. Aside from the numerous other enchantments on his clothing, Jairun

has cast a bonding spell on them so they adjust to his size whenever he changes. Jairun

decides to place a similar spell on the clothing he has given Urabia. This will allow him to

change and not be concerned with losing his clothing because of ripping or falling off in

human form.


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They return to the cave and Jairun takes Urabias loincloth, skirt, belt, and his shirt

then removes a metal pot and a chest from one of his sacks. Jairun places the clothing in

the metal pot and removes the different ingredients for the spell from the chest. He tells

Urabia to get another pitcher of water and hurry back. The chest is lined with dozens of

different powders and liquids in a variety of different bags, jars, and cans. Jairun has

gathered some of them personally, some he has bought, and a few he has taken from mages

he has killed. The spell used a combination of alchemy and magic to bind the clothing to

the person who supplies the blood for the spell. He had slain a wizard who had caught

lycanthropy and would transform into a werewolf. When he transformed his robes were

destroyed and he had developed the spell to keep the transformation from costing him

anymore clothing. After killing him Jairun had found his book of spells and taken it for himself but had ignored the spell until he gained the ability to transform and then he taught

himself how to cast it.

When Urabia returns with the water Jairun begins adding the necessary ingredients

to the metal pot as well as the water. He begins chanting and he draws the rune to empower

the clothing on the outside of the pot.

I need some of your blood now. He tells Urabia.

How?

Give me your hand. He orders Urabia.

He submits his hand to Jairun who uses a ceremonial dagger to pierce Urabias

hand. Blood oozes from the wound and falls into the pot. Jairun places his hands on either

side of the pot and says the final part of the spell. The water, blood, and other materials in

the pot begin to twitch and splash around as if something was swimming in the pot.

Another moment passes and Jairun removes a piece of the clothing from the pot. The

clothing was as clean as the day it had been made and Jairun could see the spell had been a


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success. He hangs the clothing up near the fire to dry then begins cleaning up. Once Jairun

has cleaned up his materials he checks on Urabias hand and he can find no trace of the

injury.

Jairun gives Urabia another loin cloth to wear while his clothes are drying. This one

is smaller and he has to return to his human form to wear it and they go for another run

around the island. Jairun is curious if Urabia will have the same endurance in human form

and discovers he is still tireless. Jairun then decides to have him lift stones again and test if

he still has the strength he possesses in his natural form. They return to the cliffs and climb

up to find some of the stones Urabia had lifted previously. Urabia is not as large and

struggles to lift some of the stones because they are more awkward to hold on to but he is

still as strong as he was. Once he has had Urabia lift the smaller stones again he brings himdown the cliffs to where the largest stone is. However Urabia is unable to wrap his arms

around the tremendous stone and after several minutes of trying he gives up. I cant do it.

He apologizes.

Jairun believes he is able to lift it but lacks a way to grip it. Jairun walks around to

the smallest end of the boulder and lifts it up. He tilts the stone up on one end then walks

his hands down the stone lifting the small end higher off the ground. When it is at the right

angle Jairun straightens his arms and squats down. He lets the boulder rest on one shoulder

then slips his hands under the larger end as it rocks backwards and hefts the boulder up.

Urabia claps for him. Youre strong.

Now I want you to do what I just did. Jairun sets the stone back down. Urabia

goes to the large end of the boulder and Jairun corrects him. Start at the other end. Jairun

watches as Urabia stands the stone up similarly to how he had shown him. Now kneel

down and let the small end tip back onto your shoulder. Urabia lets the stone rest on his

shoulder and tries to pick up the stone again. It takes him several tries to get the technique

right but he eventually picks up the boulder as easily as he had the previous day. He is even

able to raise it above his head and toss it, though without his large hands he cannot balance


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it as easily and he nearly drops it on himself. Confident Urabia has retained his strength he

waits for him to toss the stone one last time then moves beside him. Jairun slaps Urabia on

the shoulder. Gotcha!

Jairun leaps away from him and hurries to get a tree between himself and Urabia.

Urabia starts laughing and chases after him. Jairun laughs as he leads him around for

several minutes and he can tell that without his bulky frame he is maneuvering through the

trees with greater ease. Urabia nearly catches him and Jairun leaps over his head and runs

towards a more overgrown area of the woods. Urabia quickly turns and races after him.

Jairun hops over a fallen tree and heads farther into the woods then looks over his shoulder

for Urabia and watches him jump over the same fallen tree. Urabia leaps over the tree much

farther than he had been able to jump previously and Jairun watches as he leaps not onlyover the tree but over Jairun and directly into a tree.

Urabia slams against the tree and collapses to the ground. He lays motionless and

Jairun approaches him. He is concerned that perhaps Urabia lost some of his ability to

regenerate injury when he took on a human form, or that he is more susceptible to injury in

his human form. Jairun can see that he is breathing and kneels down to check on him. You

alright?

I jumped far like you.

Jairun had not remembered that he would jump farther using his giant strength on a

human body. He realized that even though he had lost bulk his strength was the same and

he was now moving far less mass with the same force and would be able to propel himself

much farther. Jairun was able to do this because of his dragon strength and had not thought

to test Urabias ability to do it also. He was beginning to think that Amurhan had been right

in picking him to train Urabia, because they had far more in common than Jairun had

initially suspected.

Jairun watches Urabia get up and smiles to himself, he was beginning to like


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Urabia. His childlike attitude and playfulness brought out a side of Jairun he had thought

was lost. Urabia brushes himself off then slaps Jairuns arm and shouts. Gotcha! Then

leaps away. Jairun bursts into laughter as Urabia again propels himself with far too much

force and slams backwards into another tree. He continues to laugh and Urabia starts

laughing, and although Jairun is not sure if they are laughing for the same reason, they keep

laughing anyway.

Jairun calls off the game of chase after they settle down and decides to show Urabia

how to better control his movements. He brings him to the clearing again and Jairun shows

him how to control his jumping and his landing, and he teaches him how to tuck and roll to

avoid injury. Jairun also explains that leaping like this can be dangerous since the human

body is much more likely to be injured. If he leaps too high he could shatter his legs whenhe lands and this is why he has to know how to jump as well as how to land. Urabia seems

to enjoy this as much as anything they have done and claps and laughs throughout the

lesson. Jairun works on teaching Urabia how to control his movements till noon has passed

then they stop the lesson and eat lunch. They practice chasing, and dodging the rest of the

day and in the evening Urabia throws stones and practices dodging.

* * * * *

The rest of the week goes much the same as the first few days had gone. They run

around the island exploring and chasing one another and Urabia becomes fairly capable of

following directions and starts leading them across the island to destinations Jairun picks

out. He learns to navigate using the sun and even the stars to a small degree and knows

north, south, east, and west as well as he knows left, right, forward, backwards. Jairun also

continues to instruct him on hunting and tracking and by late in the week Urabia can track

using his sense of smell and spotting tracks left by the pigs.

The second week on the island Jairun decides to start training Urabia to fight, and

has him stay in human form while they train. Jairun instructs him on how to throw punches

and kicks and how to block them as well. Jairun is surprised by how quickly Urabia picked


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up on some of the other training but he is stunned by his ability to fight. Urabia fights so

well that after just two days Jairun is teaching him advanced fighting techniques. Jairun

teaches him different stances, throws, and wrestling maneuvers. He trains with him for

hours on end and Urabia does not get tired. He also seems unconcerned with getting injured

and Jairun has to take care while training him to avoid getting hurt himself. To conserve his

energy Jairun shows Urabia different moves to practice then observes him for hours on

end. Urabia skips meals and wants to stay up later each night to train and by the end of the

second week Urabia is nearly as talented as Jairun i

Documents

The Chronicles BOOK 1