Book of the Dead

Vic had nothing left. Nothing but memories to plague him while he slept and to torture him though the hours he was awake. Everything had been taken from him. His family, his friends, his home... her... She was what he missed the most. He had been there when they had "disposed" of her. He had watched as they slit her throat and threw her into the pit with all of the other bodies to decompose. His escape from their midst was all a blurr, and he could only remember bits and pieces. Now, the memory he fawned over most, was what the oracle had told him. "Find the book of the fallen, and you can bring her back. Forever." The only explanation he had that the oracle even knew that she had died was that the oracle was jsut that. An oracle. Vic sat alone by the fire, wondering what the book of the fallen was, and where he could find it. Finding the book had become his life, and, untimately, it would become hers, or so he thought. He sat there by the fire, the flames reflecting in his deep, blue eyes. I'll bring you back... he thought. And everything can be just the way it was... We'll live forever, and we'll make them pay...

Slaves were being marched through the streets. It was the slave auction day, where hundreds of slaves were sold off to people who had enough money to buy one.
Mashurae trudged along, his arms chained, wondering whether he should turn into demon form and wreak havoc. But the guards had weapons that were specifically for making demons obey, so he decided against it. Mashurae slowed when he heard some talk, some rich people were swapping stories about a book of the dead. he listened in interest but then a guard tore off his shirt and a whip lashed across his back and he continued walking, gritting his teeth in anger.
Mashurae and the rest of the slaves lined up to be sold, the rock demon's thoughts were still on the book of the dead and they wandered over to what kind of master he would get this time.

After sleeping fitfully for a few hours, Vic had ventured into the nearby city and had witnessed the slaves being marched through. He hated slavery, but today, he was going to buy a slave. Every now and then, when he pooled enough gold, he would buy a slave for the soul purpose of releasing him or her. It was difficult to chose which one, so he usually chose the one that looked likely to be able to atleast defend his or herself. This time, he had seen a man who, judging by his less prominent characteristics, looked to be a demon of some sort. He puzzled over this, wondering how they had managed to capture him. Today was different than the other days. Today, Vic was not paying for someone's freedom, he was hoping to acquire a companion of sorts. "I'll free the demon..." he thought, walking to the square where slaves were bid upon. He pulled out his coinpurse. "I can afford two this time..." he remarked, counting his gold. The demon and..." A young girl in tattered clothes caught his eye. "And her... So innocent..." When not wallowing in his own losses, Vic found himself falling into other's misfortunes. His mind was made up. The demon and the girl. "10,000 gold for that one!" he said, pointing at the demon. "And 25,000 for that one!" he yelled, pointing at the girl.

The guards dragged Mashurae and the girl up onto the auction stage. "Alright! We have bid for the rock demon and the girl! Anyone wish to top it?" The auctioneer boomed.
The other bidders eyes Mashurae warily, and none of them wanted the little girl as a slave. Mashurae glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eye.
"Poor girl..." he thought, making a silent vow to keep her safe.
"No bids?" the auctioneer sounded disappointed "Okay! Going once! Going twice! Sold! to the gentleman over there!" the auctioneer finished, pointing at Vic.
Mashurae looked at Vic.
"Hmm...Doesn't seem too bad" he thought.
The guards dragged Mashurae and the girl over to Vic, one of the guards opened a box that Vic was to put the money in.

Vic simply threw his coinpurse into the box. The girl was about his age with long blonde hair. She was unusually skinny, probably because they didn't feed her well. She was also shy and refused to look at him. He introduced himself. "I'm Vic and you are..." he asked both of them. "Introduce yourselves, and then be off. You're both free.

"M'name is Mashurae Khor, sir, but I'm known by the guards as number 89427" Mashurae replied, bowing. He straightened up when he registered what Vic had said "We're...free? You sure you don't need us for anything?" The rock demon asked tilting his head, confused.
Being in slavery all his life, Mashurae wasn't sure what to make of freedom. He had dreamed of it, but had never been faced with it until now.
"Have you heard of the book of the dead, sir? I heard some people talk of it not long ago" he asked suddenly.

Vic's eyes went wide and before noticing he had even moved, he had Mashurae by the collar and was shaking him. "You know about the book?! I need that book..." The innocent girl stepped back. "Master, my name is Reia... please put him down..." she said, eyes wide. Vic did so. "I'm sorry..." he said. "I just... I've been spending years searching for that book... I need to find it."
"Reia is your slave. She will help you." Again, Vic's eyes widened. "Reia, you're free. I don't want a slave. and don't talk in third person." "Yes master. I won't." "Reia, i'm not your master..."

"I have heard Noblemen speak of it, they say that one of the rulers of this world has it. But they didn't say which one" Mashurae said quickly "I can help you find it, if you wish" he added.
He looked at Reia, wondering where their old masters had her working.
"Reia..Where did our old masters make you work?" he asked quietly, trying not to sound intimidating because he towered in height over pretty much everyone.

"I was..." she began to bawl. "They made me do bad things!!!" Vic knew what she meant. Younger girls were often used in that way. He looked livid upon hearing this. "Who.. Who did you work for..." She looked so sad. "The emperor... of... Tarsa." she said between sobs. Bingo. He would chck there for the book, and bring this girl justice in the process.

"Him? I used to have to work in the mines of Tarsa, as well as Korato and Lukran" Mashurae growled, also wanting to bring Reia justice "It was a pretty advanced organization, that's how it kept us rock demons under control" he added darkly.

"We're going there." Vic announced. "Now." he began walking and turned. "That is, if it's what you want to do with your freedom..."

"O' course I'll tag along, I owe you one. And I'm curious about this Book of the Dead" Mashurae replied, a small smile was almost invisible under his leather mask "Besides, I haven't got anything else to do, I've never known freedom"

Almost cheerfully, Reia said: "Let's get em'!" and followed. Vic now believed, if in secret, that the young girl was estranged because of what they had done to her. He also theorized that if she were ever to get a weapon, she would do some damage indeed. He drew a dagger and handed it to her. "Here. Now you can kill em' with us." he said, an ill attempt at humour.

Mashurae chuckled, then said with some seriousness:
"This town is on the outskirts of Tarsa, but it's a big place...although the Palace is hard to miss"
He fell silent, pondering ways of getting past the guards and mages that would pose a problem.

"We will disguise ourselves." Vic said solemnly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ah...I see" Mashurae said quietly as they approached the gates to the main city of Tarsa "I stick out a bit, disguise or not. But I have my own way of staying hidden" he added.
Mashurae morphed into a small red gem which Reia picked up.
"I'll come out when you need me" came the rock demon's voice from the ruby.

Vic walked into Tarsa, saluting the superior officers as he walked briskly by. This would be a quick coup. Interrogate the emperor, kill him, and dissappear, hopefully with the book.

Mashurae stayed silent in his gem form, hoping that there were no mages or universals that would be able to sense him. He ran through battle plans in his mind, thinking up difficulties and then solutions to them.

They got into the castle with ease, but in the castle, security was tighter, and there were mages backing the guards. Two guards crossed swords to block Vic's way. "Name and status, soldier.""Erm, Savidlin Tarmac, swordsman second class.""There's someone in the bag." a mage said. the soldier gave him a weird look. "you couldn't fit someone in there!""Shapeshifter." was he simple reply. "You think you're clever, Savidlin?" the guard asked, pointing his sword at Vic. Vic drew his blades, prepared to fight. This would be harder than expected. "Mushrae!" he whispered loudly. "I'll need help!" he opened the bag and poured out the stone.

Mashurae transformed back into a man as soon as he hit the floor. He stood up in one fluid motion and shifted into rock demon form. He was now made of black granite and his eyes were lava. The mage prepared a spell but Mashurae smashed the guy's face in with a sweep of his fist. He turned on the guards, growling angrily.