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Chapter 1- Rachael’s Birthday
Varrock is the largest city in all of Gielinor, but not even the greatest of cities can ensure a safe and prosperous life for its citizens. In recent years, Varrock has suffered much poverty and crime which is threatening to bring this once great city to its knees. However, three friends are determined to bring their home city of Varrock back to its former glory and relieve its citizens of their hardships.
“Rachael, come quick. Your cake is ready!” Rachael ran towards her friend James, the wizard, whom she had known since they were kids. It was her seventeenth birthday today, of which she had been looking forward to all year because she was finally going to be allowed to venture outside the city walls and join her friends on their adventures. Boys were allowed to leave Varrock at a much earlier age.
She found James in the Inn sitting at a table with her birthday cake, which was very pretty and expensive looking, as if an experienced cook had made it. The cake had images of the great city of Varrock and icing that resembled towers.
“This cake is amazing! Did you make it yourself?”
“No, I have a friend in Lumbridge who is a very good cook and made it as a favor for me,” James said nervously. “I knew that you were excited about your birthday and I wanted to make sure that you enjoyed it.”
“Thank you, it’s very beautiful. I almost don’t want to eat it,” She laughed.
“Well, before we do that, there is still one more thing we need to do.” James reached into his
pocket and withdrew a small, smooth pebble with a Flame on its face. He then extended his hand and touched each of the candles, lighting them. Each candle’s Flame glowed different colours and produced small sparks that filled the room with its brilliant colour. “Make a wish.”
Rachael was awestruck at the amazing display of colours and sparks and admired them for a moment. “That’s absolutely amazing James I’ve never seen anything like this before!” She had always thought of magic as being used only for destruction and carnage, but it never crossed her mind that it can also be used to create things of beauty.
“Yeah,” he chuckled, “that’s something I learned during my time at the Wizard’s Tower.”
Just as Rachael was about to make her wish, her attention turned to the door of the Inn, of which Brian had just entered.
“Oh good, you made it!” she said excitedly. Brian walked over to the table his friends were at and pushed James aside.
“Congratulations on your seventeenth birthday, Rachael. I got a present for you.” He pulled out an elegant-looking wrapped gift from his bag and placed it on the table. Rachael’s eyes lit up in admiration at the sight of the golden paper and rich, red ribbon. She unwrapped it slowly, careful not to tear the delicate wrapping and revealed a dark blue dagger, of which she had never seen before. Rachael was fascinated at Brian’s story of how he managed to get such a fine gift for her. However, James was not.
James had, over the years, grown tiresome of Brian. Brian had always one upped everything he had tried to do, but more importantly, he was frustrated that he could never impress Rachael and was jealous of Brian’s strength, courage, and charisma.
“Go on, make a wish,” Brian proposed, pointing at James’s cake. James gave him a sideways glance, annoyed that Brian acted as if the cake was his own gift.
Rachael redirected her attention to the cake and blew out the candles, “My wish is that the whole of Varrock will return to its former self, returning the sense of humanity to the people who live in poverty and despair in this hell-hole that we call home.” Rachael beseeched the gods. James could see the anguish and hope in her eyes as she weaved her hands through her amber hair.
Before James could offer a comforting reply, Brian sympathized, “Don’t worry, I’ve finally found the book we were searching for. “
Chapter 2 – The Tears of Guthix
The three of them arrived at the steps of the Varrock castle. The walls were chipped and the windows were coated in dust. The majestic beauty of the castle was nothing but a long lost memory, leaving only a shadow of its former self.
As they neared the library, Brian explained, “Varrock has seen better days. Its citizens have been suffering poverty which has in turn transformed our grand city into the largest crime center in all of Gielinor. I refuse to allow my home to continue on like the way it has for the past several years and I believe I’ve found a way to restore it to greatness.”
James peered into the library, the odor of mothballs and dusty books filled his nostrils. Candle-light flickered on each person’s face as they walked in the room and James’s light brown hair shone as he advanced farther into the room.
Rachael replied, “Yeah, the citizens of our city have become increasingly illiterate and instead occupy their time worrying about how they will survive to see tomorrow.”
Brian settled down on the floor beside a bookcase and dug through the large array of informational books. After searching for a few minutes, Brian’s head finally popped out of the column of bookcases, “Found it!” he called to his friends. He walked over to the desk that the two others had chosen and sat down next to them. He dusted the old cover and revealed a green leather-bound book titled The Tears of Guthix. Brian flipped through the torn and raggedy pages until he found the passage he was looking for and read it aloud.
“The Tears of Guthix are the frozen tears of Guthix himself that have fallen to Gielinor and possess remarkable power. These ice crystals contain traces of Guthix’s power and will grant a wish to the one who discovers it. Guthix entrusted the care of the ancient artifacts to his wisest followers, the Druids of Taverly, and instructed them to only reveal their location to those who wish to bring balance to the world.”
Rachael was overcome with joy at hearing this and said, “This means that we will finally be able to bring Varrock’s citizens the hope they have been yearning for these long and miserable years!” her voice echoed throughout the halls and alerted the librarian who promptly told them to quiet down or leave. Rachael became even more excited because she knew they would be traveling towards Taverly.
James noted, “You’ve never been outside of the protective city walls, Rachael. Outside these walls are dangerous creatures and treacherous landscapes. Are you sure you’re up to leaving your home?”
Before Rachael could respond, Brian spoke for her as if he had read her mind. “Don’t worry James; I will protect her from the scary monsters.” James couldn’t help but sense a bit of sarcasm in Brian’s voice and feel a little hurt.
The three friends set off to the Inn to get a good night’s sleep because they would begin their journey to Taverly in the morning.
Chapter 3 – Journey to Barbarian Village
Brian lethargically raised his head up and looked around the bedroom. Rachael was still asleep in her bed and James appeared to have awakened first. Having not eaten since the day before, Brian rolled out of bed and followed the smell of bacon downstairs to find James using his magic to assist the cook in preparing breakfast and took a stool.
“How about tossing some eggs and bacon my way, James?” asked Brian.
“Oh good, you’re awake. I’ve been down here helping Steve out with the cooking. He said I could eat for free if I taught him how to use magic to cook,” James said with a grin and pointed to the back of the kitchen. Steve, the Inn’s cook, was just barely visible through the smoke caused by his multiple failed attempts at casting a Flame.
“He’s a natural,” Brian snickered. Eventually, James made himself a plate and joined Brian at the table. They started discussing the details of their journey to Taverly and scribbled on a small map they had. Brian noted “If we leave in the next hour or so, we will make it to the Barbarian Village around nightfall and rest for the night there.”
James replied, “Bar—Barbarians? Aren’t they supposed to be hostile towards outsiders and especially mages?” The Barbarians were in fact very hospitable to travelers, but James had had heard terrific stories of them during his time at the Wizard’s Tower which caused him to fear them. Brian bit off a chunk of bacon and thought upon what James had mentioned about the Barbarians. A moment later, he had come up with a solution.
“We’ll just camp outside of the village, near the river,” Brian said with a level of confidence, gripping his finely crafted sword, “Besides, if any comes near us, I’ll just run them through!” Now finished with his breakfast, Brian rose up and shoved a plate of food into James’s arms. “Here! Give this to Rachael and tell her to eat quickly. We leave in ten minutes.”
Doing as he was told, James ran upstairs and woke Rachael. “Hey! Rachael. Wake up, it’s time to leave.” Slowly, Rachael stirred and opened her eyes and spoke.
“Already? But, I haven’t even had time to--.” The smell of food had caught her attention and grabbed the plate in James’s hand. “Ah. Thanks James, it smells pretty good.” It had tasted even better than she imagined which had made her curious because she never knew he could cook so well.
“Eat quickly, Brian is waiting downstairs. He says that were going to travel to Barbarian Village and we should arrive by tonight if we leave early enough,” James hastily said.
Still weary from the night’s rest, Rachael responded “Yeah yeah, I’ll be down there in a bit.” Several minutes later, she finally made her way outside of the Inn and met up with Brian and James.
“About damn time Rachael!” Brian Joked, “We’ve been waiting for a good twenty minutes.”
“Cram it Brian! I was doing my hair,” She laughed. The three walked to the eastern gate and
looked back. Rachael shouted, “So long my love! I won’t return until I’ve return you to greatness so you can once again be a proud city; the crown jewel of Gielinor.” They then started walking towards the Barbarian Village and began to talk amongst themselves.
Several hours later, the sun had began to fall, and Rachael’s thoughts turned to the beautiful scenery around which was highlighted by the brilliant shade of oranges and yellows from the sunset. “Have you ever seen anything like this? Nothing in the city can compare,” She said, struck with awe.
“I know what you mean. During my stay at the Wizard’s Tower, I would often stray up to the top floor and gaze upon the countryside to watch the sunrise,” James recalled the splendorous view from atop the tallest tower in the region. “It was wonderful, from there, I could see for miles. It was amazing to see how large our land is; so much to explore. I could see the great white city of Falador with its tall towers; reaching for the heavens and even the humble Draynor Village.” He continued to describe the many other spectacles.
Brian had, in his adventures and twenty years of life, encountered many beautiful, bizarre, and extraordinary things, but he still couldn’t compare any of these things with what James had just described. Rachael, who had never left her safe haven of Varrock, was absolutely mesmerized as she tried to picture the marvelous view in her mind.
They soon arrived at the riverbanks besides the Barbarian Village and set up camp. Brian wandered into the woods, with his axe, to collect some Firewood while James and Rachael tried to catch some Salmon and Trout. When Brian returned, James and Rachael had caught numerous fish. Brian made the Fire and started skewering some fillets. Once they had all had their fill, they made their beds and went off to sleep. Only the gentle crackles of the Fire and chirps of insects filled the crisp, cool, night’s air.
Chapter 4 – James’s Dream
The Students of the Wizard’s Tower were in class. Their professor had instructed the students to use a Fire Bolt spell to kill a rat on the table. The students were excited about this because they were finally going to learn how to cast a more advanced spell. Currently, they have only learned how to cast Strike spells, but the class had been moving at a fast pace. That is, all but one student. James.
James was exceptionally talented in the, noncombat oriented, Lunar Spells, which was usually reserved for the older students. However, the professor decided that he was ready and allowed James access to the Lunar spell books in the library. James loved these spells because he could use his knowledge to help his friends do things such as cook, craft jewelry, and even smith metal.
Unfortunately, James’s skills in combat sorcery were quite limited. While the other students had quickly mastered the Strike and Curse spells and have already began to learn cast elemental Bolts, James was still struggling with the most basic of spells.
It was nearly James’s turn to kill the rat. He saw several students kill them on their very first attempt, flawlessly, with their Fire spells. He knew he wouldn’t be able to cast the spell correctly and so James had slipped to the end of the line, in an attempt to avoid the inevitable embarrassment of his failure.
James’s heart skipped a beat at the call of his name. It was finally his turn to face the rat, humiliation was inescapable. James stepped up to the front of the class, the eyes of the students Burned into his skin, he took a deep breath and begged Saradomin to assist him cast this spell. His hand trembled; as he reached into his pocket and withdrew the necessary runes, extended his arms, and felt the energy shoot out.
It seemed to go in slow-motion. A massive blast flew from his hand, creating a deafening noise that shook the things on the tables. James, in his panicky state, had pulled out far too many Fire runes which blasted the rat into oblivion. The rat’s blood and entrails launched across the room and landed on Vincent, the class’s bully and most powerful mage, ruining his robes and hair. Fortunately, class had ended at that moment and James ran out.
Later that night, James was returning to his room when he saw a person standing in his doorway. It was Vincent. James stopped in his tracks and began to slowly back away when Vincent spoke.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he said with a threatening tone to his voice, “Do you think you can humiliate me like that and just walk away?”
“I-I didn’t mean to, it w-was an accident,” James said, terrified, “I-“
“I don’t care James! Vincent interrupted, “You will suffer for making me look like a fool in front of everyone like that.”
Without warning, Vincent swiftly cast a Fire Strike which hit James square in the chest causing him to fall to the ground. He groaned in pain before being struck by yet another fire strike, but this time he managed to lift himself off the ground and prepare for the next attack.
A Fire ball flew through the air and barely missed James’s shoulder by mere inches. His normally clean blue robes were now covered in blood, sweat, and ash. His face was dirty and lip was bleeding. James raised his head just in time to see another oncoming ball of Fire and dodge it, again, only just missing him. Frustrated, he conjured a ball of air and shot it in the direction of the oncoming attacks. James’s shot hit Vincent, but he just shrugged it off and began to approach James. James reached for the runes to cast another attack but, to his shock, he was out of runes. Suddenly, James’s body froze up and he was unable to move. Vincent had reached James.
“Now you will pay,” he said to James cruelly. He raised his magical Staff of Fire and all James saw was a hot flash of red.
Chapter 5 – Journey to Falador
James suddenly awoke, in a cool sweat, breathing heavily. He often remembered the place where he spent a good portion of his eighteen years at.
The brief commotion had interrupted the conversation between Rachael and Brian causing them to advert their attention to James, with a distraught look upon his face, sitting besides the remains of the Fire. Brian chuckled and began to tease him.
“You look like you just saw a ghost there, Jamesy.” He remembered the noises from the night before. “Weren’t dreaming about them wolves howling last night were you?” James rubbed his left cheek and felt the familiar Burn, a constant reminder of his secret hatred towards the Wizard’s Tower and its inhabitants, and responded.
“No. just a nightmare, that’s all.” James hadn’t told his friends the horrible truth about his stay at the Wizard’s Tower; the truth of how his face got Burned.
“Alright then,” Brian scoffed, “pack up your things. Rachael and I are nearly ready to leave.” James had fully awaken and began to quickly pack up his belongings and – together – Rachael, Brian, and James took off on their daylong hike through the serene, hills leading towards the great white city of Falador.
After many hours of hiking, they decided to rest by the side of the trail. James had started eating some berries he had discovered while traveling and started listening in on Brian’s conversation with Rachael.
“By the time we arrive at Falador, it should be late at night. We’ll stop by a famous Inn, which I’ve visited during my travels, called The Rising Sun. They have the finest ales in Falador and even serve Dwarven Stouts which is a strong, jet-black drink, which warms your entire body.” Brian continued, with a smirk. “It’s also supposed to be a favorite hangout of the dwarves which are said to be great fun while they’re drunk.
Rachael laughed, “Just don’t have too much fun. We still need to make it to Taverly. Speaking of which, how long do you think it would take to get to Taverly from Falador?”
Brian studied the map he in his hands for a moment and declared that it would only take a few hours. “Once we get to Falador, traveling should be much easier. We’ll stop by the stables and get ourselves some horses.”
Fully rested, the three resumed their travel to Falador. Along the way, Brian told stories of his many adventures including the time when he visited Edgeville and heard legends of the mighty dragons which inhabited the Wilderness. James too had heard of these legends and even knew of a master sorcerer in the Wizard’s Tower who was rumored to have successfully enchanted shields that absorbed the lethal Dragon Fire and enabled its wielder to slay the dragons. It had started growing dark when they arrived at Falador’s great gates. Brian led them through the crowded streets, passing by the market stalls which had many interesting things that caught Rachael and James’s attention, and into the Rising Sun Inn. They approached the Innkeeper, Brian and Rachael had ordered drinks and started conversing with the dwarves, but James, who didn’t get very much sleep the night before, had immediately rented out his room and headed off to bed.
Chapter 6 – James Goes to the Bar
The open window let the moonlight filter into the room. James clambered out of his bed, disturbed by the recurring nightmare that haunted his sleep. The sounds of the bartender stirring about downstairs had awakened James. He donned his clothing and stepped down the stairs and into the bar, hoping that a refreshing drink would clear his mind.
Taking a seat on a bar stool, James called to the bartender, “What do you serve here?”
As the bartender finished cleaning out a glass, he replied, “We have the usual Beer, but we specialize in ales such as Dwarven Stouts, Asgarnian Ales or Wizard’s Mind Bombs.”
James slid his hand across his face, touching the Burn mark; he would always remember Vincent. How he and the others humiliated him at every turn. “I’ll take a Mind Bomb.”
James drank the unusually cool ale, which reminded him of an imported Gnome beverage he once had, and ordered another. A few moments later, James thanked the bartender and began to head back to bed when he heard a voice hiss his name.
The voice had come from the far booth in the corner of the Inn covered in shadow. In the booth was a cloaked man, his scarlet cape flowed from behind him and sagged onto the floor beside his feet, and his hood concealed his face.
“Come here, James.” The man whispered. His bloodcurdling voice seemed to echo throughout the room, instilling a gripping fear in James. James crept over to the cold, dark, corner and sat in the booth across the cloaked man.
“How do you know my name?” James quietly demanded.
“My lord has blessed me with much knowledge and power.” The man said, his eyes Burning with a dim redness and continued. “I need your help, James. Help with something you would be interested in.”
James couldn’t help but be curious as to what this mysterious man wanted and so he asked, “With what exactly do you need my help with, stranger?”
A slight grin appeared on the man’s pale lips and he responded, “You see, the Wizard’s Tower holds a monopoly on the ancient secrets of magic. They only allow their own people to divulge in this power; power which should be shared with everyone. My lord wishes to end the Wizard’s rein and pry their greedy hands off the ancient books, before this knowledge is forever lost to the outside world, and share it with all of Gielinor’s citizens. James listened intently, and began to understand what the man meant.
“Imagine if you will,” the man continued, “a world without knowledge, without wisdom. The Wizards would rule with absolute authority and power. They would enslave the outside world to do their biddings, whenever, wherever. Do you see where I’m going with this, James?” The man spewed out and waited for James’s response.
“Yes, I do, but if you are as powerful and wise as you say you are. Why is it that you and your lord cannot capture the tower alone? Why do you need my help?”
The man chuckled to himself. He knew he had caught James’s interest and support and just needed to seal the deal. “My lord is very old; he has passed all of his knowledge to me and asked me to fulfill his dream of releasing the world from the iron grip of the Wizards. I come to you now, because of opportunity. You and your friends are destined to discover the Tears of Guthix, an ancient relic of incredible power; Power which you can use to our advantage. I need you to use the Tears of Guthix to make yourself the most powerful wizard in all of Gielinor and assist me in breaking the Wizard’s monopoly and to bring knowledge back to the world. Will you help me James?
James sat still for a moment, reviewing all what he heard, and pondered on what to do. The Burn on his cheek started to sting slightly. James’s mind was made up. He would betray his friends and steal the Tears of Guthix to assist this man in destroying the Wizard’s Tower and - in doing so – finally, after all these years, enact revenge on Vincent!
“I will help you destroy the Wizard’s Tower.” James replied, with a crooked grin, “But I have one question. What shall I call you?”
Chapter 7 – Taverly & the Druids
Rachael stirred in her bed and finally woke up. Still groggy from the night’s sleep, she staggered down stairs and into the bar area for breakfast. She was uncertain what to order because most of the food on the menu was of Dwarven ethnicity and things like Rock Cake didn’t have much allure. Eventually someone advised her to try the much more Human friendly, Gold Flakes, a Dwarven take on scrambled eggs. After receiving her dish, she searched for a table and noticed James sitting in the corner booth with a cheery looking Dwarf and sat down with them.
The Dwarf let out a hearty laugh as James’s face turned bright red, “I told you that you weren’t able to handle Dwarven food n drink.” James grinned as he placed the dark black drink on the table. “That Brian fellow, on the other hand, could compete with a Dwarf in a drinking contest!”
With the mention of Brian’s name, Rachael became curious as to his whereabouts. She inquired, “Where is Brian anyhow?”
The Dwarf promptly answered, with a heavy accent, “I believe he said something about going to the stables for some horses and should be back shortly.”
Rachael had forgotten about the horses and their quest as well. She had enjoyed the city of Falador, the cultural melting pot of Gielinor, very much and almost didn’t wish to leave. However, the reminiscences of Varrock reminded her of the reason they embarked on their journey.
James added, “He also said to start getting ready because we’re heading for Taverly when he gets back.”
Realizing that they were about to leave soon, Rachael quickly finished her breakfast just as Brian walked in and told them to pick a horse.
Each on horseback; Brian, James, and Rachael rode past the statue of Saradomin and went through the Falador gates heading for Taverly. Brian explained that he had never been in Taverly and didn’t know what to expect. However, he had read about them and knew that they were followers of Guthix, the God of Balance and were very much in tune with nature.
The three shortly arrived at Taverly and passed through the gate, covered in Ivy. The element of nature was strongly evident with the moss covered roads and buildings. Numerous water fountains were scattered about and reflected sunlight which added a brilliant glow to the surrounding areas. Sounds of birds chirping, the wind from Wolf Mountain rustling the leaves of trees, and falling water created a tranquil ambience that welcomed Taverly’s new guests.
The inhabitants were dressed in robes whiter than the snow atop Ice Mountain, which seemed to emanate the sun’s rays. Brian approached one of them and asked if they had any knowledge of the Tears of Guthix. The Druid informed him that only the eldest Druid, Drezle, can help them and that he lives in the log cabin on the hill. Brian thanked the Druid and the three hiked up the hill and knocked on the large wooden door.
A voice came from within the building, “The door is open, and you may come inside.” Rachael opened the door and saw an old, goofy looking Druid sitting in a comfortable chair.
“Come on in. Sit a while; I’ve just started brewing my special herbal tea. It’s not often that I get visitors here,” the Druid said with excitement.
Curiously, James asked, “You are Drezle, the eldest Druid, correct?” James had imagined that, like the high council of the Wizard’s Tower, the eldest Druid would be much more serious and get straight to the point as to why they’re visiting him.
“Yes sir, I am Drezle the leader of the Druids,” the Druid responded. Everyone jumped at the high-pitched noise which came from the kitchen. “Oh good, the tea is done!”
Drezle fetched the tea and gave everyone a cup. Brian eagerly sipped it and was surprised at how minty it was. He asked, “What kind of tea did you say this was again, Drezle?”
Excited at Brian’s inquisitiveness, Drezle enthusiastically responded, “This is my special herbal tea, made from ground Marrentill and a blend of Gnome spices.” A grin slowly appeared on Drezle’s face from ear to ear, “It possesses healing properties, but the Marrentill – if used in large amounts – is potentially fatal.” Drezle laughed as his visitors cautiously put their cups down.
After much conversation, Rachael finally brought up the reason of their visit. She explained that Varrock was on the verge of collapse and was in great need of help. She told him that their plan required the use of the Tears of Guthix in order to bring Varrock back to its former self.
Drezle’s expression became serious, as he listened to Rachael. Once she had finished, he sat still for some time and silently contemplated on his decision. Brian, Rachael, and James all knew that their quest’s success lay in the hope that Drezle would deem them worthy and reveal to them the Tears of Guthix’s location. Drezle told them to stay in the room and that he would be back shortly. James, Rachael, and Brian quietly discussed whether or not their quest was truly a quest in seek of Balance. amongst themselves.
Once Drezle returned, he glanced over a letter he brought in and placed his spectacles on the table. Everyone sat in silence, waiting for his response. After what seemed like an eternity, Drezle stirred and began to speak.
“As a follower of Guthix, I must respect the law of Balance. The Tears of Guthix were entrusted to me and I may only reveal their location to those who seek to restore Balance to the world. “ His eyes flickered to the white mountains outside the window, “My friends in the Seer’s Village have told me about Varrock’s current condition, and how three adventures have set out to restore Balance to a once great city. Thus I shall bestow upon you the ancient knowledge that the Druids have kept for so many years.” Everyone leaned closer to Drezle, as their eyes widened in anticipation, “The legendary Tears of Guthix is concealed within the ice caverns of the Blurite Dungeon to the far West of Port Sarim. Guarding the Tears is the fabled Ice Giant.”
Brian interjected, “The Ice Giant! How are we supposed to get past that?” Nearly everyone was told the stories of the Ice Giant as children and how not a single warrior has ever defeated it.
“Well I do believe that your mage friend, James, would be of great use. However, I suspect he will not be able to do it alone,” Drezle answered. “Before you go, I have something for you.” He reached into his desk and withdrew a small vial filled with an exotic glowing liquid, “The Blurite dungeon, as you may already know from the stories, has sub-zero temperatures of which no human could survive. However, this potion will keep your body temperature from dropping too low, but you mustn’t take too long because the effect will wear off eventually.”
Rachael took the vial and was surprised at the amount of Heat emitting from the vial. She asked, “How long will the potion’s effect last?”
Drezle replied, “I’m not entirely positive since it’s never been tested.” He began to look worried, “But I think it should last for a few hours at least.”
Brian bolstered everyone’s confidence, “No matter, We should be in an out of the dungeon in no time. Besides, James can always use his Fire Staff to keep us warm if anything should go awry.” Having said that, Brian began to discuss the final steps in their Quest. They would leave and head towards Port Sarim and spend the night there for it was, as Drezle previously mentioned, nearby the Blurite Dungeon which should only take a day’s ride.
Eventually, Drezle thanked them for visiting and wished them all good luck. As they headed down the hill, back to their horses, James’s thoughts turned back to the cloaked man…
Chapter 8 – Journey to Port Sarim
James follows the others as they begin to leave Taverly. Brian and Rachael marvel at the spectacular beauty of the home of the Druids one last time, but James is too occupied with his thoughts to take any notice. He is musing over his plans to secretly take the Tears of Guthix for himself and bring back to the cloaked man and finally carry out his ambitions. He has wanted for so long now to enact revenge and now, after all this time, a chance has presented itself. James will not let his chance go and will do whatever it takes to get the Tears.
Riding behind Brian and Rachael, James overheard their conversation.
“I was so worried that we weren’t going to learn where the Tears of Guthix were and that we would have to search for them ourselves,” Rachael anxiously said.
Brian felt the same way and responded, “Yeah, I was pretty on edge too, but I’m grateful that Drezle came through with that information.”
“Was it just me or did Drezle seem a little irresolute when he read that message from the Seer’s village and told us about the Tears?” Rachael inquired.
Despite being much more experienced in adventure, Brian lacked keen observation and therefore often missed subtle details such as Drezle’s indecisiveness. “No, I didn’t notice anything odd about him. After all, the Seers have the aptitude to foretell events in the future. Just think positive, Rachael. We’ll be fine.”
James knew why Drezle had seemed so quirky during their visit and it worried him. It was well known that the Seers of the Seer’s Village could see into the future and vaguely predict events. James worried that they may have seen his intentions and warned Drezle about their uncertainty, but fortunately he told them the location of the Tears of Guthix in spite of their admonitions. Brian posed no threat to discovering his plans, but Rachael was very keen and already seemed a little suspicious as to why Drezle acted the way he did. James would undoubtedly have to be wary around her.
A few hours later, the three crossed the Falador main gates and ventured again into the city. This time however, they would pass up all the wonderful things the city had to offer and go on right through the city. As they reached the courtyard, they slowed their pace and trotted down the crowded streets. James took notice of the Rising Sun Inn out of the corner of his eye and remembered the night where he met the cloaked man. Soon, they began to pass the garden and Brian spoke.
“You know that I have a friend who lives here? She is a gardener for the renowned Falador Gardens and lives somewhere around here.” Brian sighed and watched the garden, “When we’re done with this quest, I want to settle down here and tend to these gardens. I’m growing tired of the life of an adventurer. What are you guys going to do, once we’re done with this?”
Rachael said, “I’m going back to Varrock to visit my family again. Besides, I grew up in that city and I’m just not able to leave behind all the people I know there. What about you James?”
James remained silent for a moment and thought carefully on what to say. “I… I’m just going to visit an old friend of mine in the Wizard’s Tower. It’s been ages since we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”
“Well it seems as if we’re all going our separate ways after this,” Brian glumly said, “Promise you’ll keep in touch okay?”
Rachael knew that Brian would miss everyone and responded, as they approached the back gates, “Of course we will, Brian. Just think positive…” The smell of fresh sea food filled the air, “after all, we’ve still got a long way to go and I haven’t eaten in since this morning so let’s hurry to Port Sarim.”
They quickly galloped out of the city and shortly arrived at the docks of Port Sarim. James quickly spotted an interesting looking diner and walked in with the others. The diner was largely occupied with sailors stopping for a meal before they head back to sea. Brian, in all his adventures, had never gone sailing and so he felt out of place.
Brian ordered a very odd fish, of which he has neither heard nor seen, called a Swordfish. It had a long point on its head which was very sharp and was indisputably the reason of its name. He laughed as James tried eating a banana and showed him that he had to first peel it before eating. Rachael, however, seemed as if she had tried food of this sort before. She had ordered a lobster and began to masterfully crack its shell open to get to the succulent meat inside.
After the exiting meal, they left the dinner and found a quiet looking Inn to get a good, well-deserved rest.
Chapter 9 – The Ice Caverns
Knowing that they were so close to the end of their quest, Rachael had much difficulty sleeping that night. Her dreams brought here back to a happier time, when Varrock was the crown jewel of Gielinor, and its cheery citizens filled the streets with laughter. Rachael walked down the streets and alongside the wonderful buildings then stopped at a familiar home. As she neared the door, she recognized the voices coming from within the house; her parent’s voices. Rachael knocked and waited anxiously to be greeted by her family. A moment later, the door creaked open and a man and women appeared in the door. Just before she looked upon their faces, a blinding light filled Rachael’s eyes and she awoke.
The open window in the corner allowed the morning’s light shine into the room. Rachael sat up, and tried to recall her dream. She has had the same dream on occasion in the past and always ends the same way. Rachael’s parents had died when she was young and their faces had escaped her memory, but at least she had her city of Varrock to constantly remind her of them.
Eager to finish the journey and to get back home, Rachael quickly woke the others and headed down stairs. After finishing their breakfast, they mounted their horses once again and prepared to embark on the last portion of their quest.
“Where exactly are we going, Brian?” Rachael asked.
Brian pulled out the map and said, “Just before we left, Drezle marked the cave on my map. If it’s correct, we’re only a few hours away.”
Rachael’s eyes widened at hearing how close by they were to the Tear’s location. She had been waiting for far too long to save Varrock and now they were only a few hours from doing so.
“Well let’s go then!” Rachael hollered, while grabbing the map from Brian’s hands, and galloped ahead.
When they arrived, they could feel the chilling air coming from the cave’s opening. Peering inside, they could see the winding tunnel which got darker and darker the further it went.
James said, “Pretty scary huh? I Hope we don’t get lost.”
“Yes, I’ll admit that I am a bit scared,” Brian laughed. He began shivering and realized that they probably wouldn’t make it very long without warmth. “Rachael, let me get a drink of that potion before I freeze my ass off.”
Rachael teased, “Here you big baby; Drink up.”
Brian could feel the heat coming from the vial, as he undid the cork. He sniffed the potion and was reminded of Dwarven Stouts. He quickly took a drink, and passed it on to Rachael, who drank and passed the last to James. Drinking the last of the vial, James felt the heat warm his body. The heat was unusual and it burned hotter and hotter.
Everyone, having drunk the potion, ventured into the cave and into the cold darkness. The floor beneath them slowly became icier, and the light diminished as they went further down the cave. James raised his staff and it began to glow red; filling the room with a warm light.
Brian looked around the room and noticed how everything seemed to glow red in the light. He wondered how a place so deadly and hostile could posses such beauty.
Further and further they went, following the winding path until they reached a large room, empty except a rather odd looking chunk of ice in the center and a sturdy looking door at the end. The three of them walked to the door and inspected it and James found what seemed to be a keyhole in the center of the door. However, Drezle had not told given them a key nor even told them there was one needed.
Rachael, frustrated that she had come all this way just to discover they couldn’t open the door holding the one thing that could save her city, began to cry. She banged on the door, in a futile attempt to open it and screamed out.
“No, We’re too close to fail now!”
Brian knew that the key to open the door was somewhere and said, “Let’s think for a moment and calm down. Drezle must have mentioned something that should help us get through.”
At that moment, the odd chunk of ice behind them began to stir and rise up. Right before their eyes stood the fabled Ice Giant and Rachael noticed a yellow glow coming from its chest.
“Of course! The Ice Giant is the guardian of the Tears and has the key.”
Brian yelled, “James cast your magic!” but he was struck with a paralyzing fear rendering him immobile. Realizing that James was of no help, he and Rachael combated the giant alone.
The Ice Giant swung its massive arm at Brian but he jumped out of the way just in time to avoid getting hit. Rachael, behind the giant, ran up and slashed at its legs with her dagger however it didn’t seem to cause anything but a scratch. Brian too charged the giant and deflected a hard blow with his shield. He raised his long sword and hacked at the legs with all his might, but it didn’t seem to harm the giant in the slightest.
“It’s no use, Brian! Normal weapons won’t affect it,” Rachael called out, “James is our only hope!” Just then, the giant turned its attention towards James, who was standing alone, and swung its massive arm. Brian, realizing that without James they stood no chance at defeating the giant, dashed towards James and took the hit for him which sent him skidding across the icy floor with the giant chasing after him.
James regained his senses and realized what was going on. James racked up the courage to fight back and began summoning fire spells. He had never felt so strong before, as his spells crashed into the Giant causing it to scream in pain. The heat within James began to grow, as he furiously cast spell after spell and finished off the Ice Giant.
Rachael rushed over to Brian and looked at his arm. It was bleeding heavily and began to turn ice-cold so she reached into her backpack and wrapped Brian’s arm in the bandages.
Brian coughed, “James, go get the key so we can take the Tears and get the hell out of here.”
James walked towards the lifeless remains of the giant and found the key imbedded in its chest. The key was spectacular. It was made of lustrous, golden, ice crystals that gave off a bright light that illuminated James’s face. He wrenched it free from the body and held it dearly, feeling the heat boil within himself.
As Rachael was tending to Brian’s arm, she noticed that the room around her began to glow red and heard a loud crack. A ball of fire struck Brian and engulfed him in flames causing Rachael to shriek. She quickly spun around and saw a demented James with tears streaming down his cheeks.
“I’m sorry Rachael, but I have to do this. I need to do this,” he said with is voice trembling.
While gripping the key in his fist, James withdrew some fire runes and spoke.
“I’m truly sorry.”
He closed his eyes and cast the fire ball at Rachael.
Chapter 10 – One Last Drink
James glumly walks to the door, key in hand and unlocks it. With a great deal of effort, he slowly creaked the massive door open. The room inside is, with exception to the altar in the center, completely bare. As James creeps into the room, he notices that the altar is dedicated to Guthix. On the altar is a silver offering bowl which is emitting a cool, green, light.
The light added a hue of green to James’s face, as he approached the altar and peered into the bowl. Inside were several small crystals which were no larger than a marble. For closer inspection, James picked one up and was stunned at its brilliance. Never before had he laid his eyes on such a beauty. The seemingly weightless stone felt as if it was made of liquid yet it was actually frozen solid. The swirling shades of green inside swooshed around causing the light it gives off to glow. James then grabbed the rest of the crystals and put them into a small pouch.
James had finally decided to leave the room. On his way out of the caverns, he passed by the remains of his friends without even so much as a glance.
Night had fallen, by the time James emerged from the caves and the potion’s effect began to wear off. Despite being in the frozen caves for hours and having its icy winds blow at James’s back, he didn’t feel cold as the fire within him was raging stronger than ever before.
With haste, James saddled his horse and galloped away leaving his friend’s horses behind. He traveled without rest, for he had only one thing on his mind; to get to Draynor village and meet the cloaked man to begin their plans of revenge on the Wizard’s Tower.
Hours passed and chimney smoke could be seen in the distance. James had traveled without rest, for he had only one thing on his mind; to get to Draynor village and meet the cloaked man to begin their plans of revenge on the Wizard’s Tower.
When he arrived in the early morning, a fog had blanketed Draynor and left the air feeling moist and sticky. James found the bar at the edge of the village that the cloaked man described and entered.
The bar was rather small, with only a few stools at the bar table, and was dimly lit by a flickering candle. Behind the bar table stood the mysterious man however he wasn’t wearing a cloak. Now that James could see his face, the man looked vaguely familiar as if James had met him once before. James sat on the stool across from him and waited for the man to speak.
For a moment or two, they both sat still in the dark, silent bar. Eventually, the man looked up at James.
“I’m glad that you made it, James.” The man’s eyes searched the room, “Where are your friends?”
James sat silent for a short while and responded callously, “They had their own plans for the Tears and would never allow me to take them and so I took their lives…”
The man’s brow raised and his eyes slightly widened. He then asked James to describe the events that past after their last meeting in Falador and how he got the Tears of Guthix. Occasionally, the man would ask James a question or two of which he would promptly answer. Once James had gotten to the end of his tale, he pulled out his pouch and poured the crystals onto the table.
The man picked one up and carefully studied it. “It’s so cold,” he noted as he awed at the brilliant swirls of green. Once he studied each and every Tear, he said and put the crystals back into the pouch.
“Well, now that we have the Tears of Guthix, I think it’s time we discussed our plans.” The man continued while searching through a cupboard for his bartending supplies, “But let us first have a drink. I’m sure that the long trip here has left you restless.”
James had indeed become weary from his trip and yearned for some relaxing time so he accepted the drink. He was greeted by the immense minty flavor and it swept James over with a wave of coolness.
The man drank some of his own glass and began to explain his plan. “We will use the Tears to make you become Gielinor’s strongest mage so you, my lord, and I can finally take the Wizard’s Tower. However, we cannot use them yet as the wizards are sure to detect the Tear’s power and would be alerted of our presence. My lord has already set up base a little further down the road and is awaiting our arri--.”
The man was interrupted by James, who had slipped off his stool and onto the floor. The man’s pale lips spread across his cold face and he hissed.
“I’m sorry but you, of all people, should know that I cannot allow you to share this power with me. For you know, as well as I, that you would have undoubtedly have done the same to me – given the chance.
The man opened the door and said, “The weak die so that the strong may flourish… This is the way of life.” He took one last look at James, before leaving; the door still open.
The fog from outside began to creep its way in and soon filled the bar and James began to feel very alone in the dark, cold, empty, bar. His thoughts raced and recalled his friends who lay in the frozen ice caverns together and their selfless ambitions.
James begged for Guthix’s, as well as his friend’s, forgiveness for James had betrayed his friends in an attempt to steal the Tears of Guthix. Because of his actions, Varrock will crumble and its citizens will never again be proud of their once great city.
Slowly, the fire within James began to dwindle and he felt cold…
The lone candle in the room, extinguished by the fog, left James in complete darkness. In his last moments, James was glad. Glad that such a person, such a monster, would receive a much deserved and cold death.
