Vendarr made his way to the frozen west, confident that he would be able to tame the frozen savages that lived there.
For he was Vendarr, wielder of the Inferno Blade, and all knew that ice had no recourse but to melt before the greatness that is fire!
And so, Vendarr trekked into the great snowy whiteness. He approached the massive walls of the frozen city of Shakta-Duu.
Vendarr, the Furious, hailed the guards on the ramparts. “I have come to claim this city as my own. Open these gates and have all those inside bow before me, of I shall melt this city to naught but water!”
And the guard, not knowing what to think of such claims, called down. “You are just one man. How shall you melt this city just by yourself?”
“I may be by myself,” Vendarr cries out, “but I am not alone!”
The guard did scratch his head at this pronouncement, but he continued to listen.
“I have that which you icy heathen should fear the most! The Inferno Blade! Behold!”
Vendarr drew his blade, and the guard had to shade his eyes at the dazzling radiance of it. The guard could indeed almost feel the sword’s heat even from such a distance.
“That sword is indeed a great threat to this great city,” the guard called out. “Never in my years have I seen its equal. It alone might be capable of melting every building in then city of ice that is Shakes-Du.”
Vendarr, smirked certain of his upcoming victory. But then the guard continued.
“Alas, the sword has much power, but is also seems to be cursed. For it has fallen into the hands of a fool who does now the difference between snow-covered tundra, and a frozen river.”
Vendarr looked down just in time to see the rapidly melting ice beneath his fit splinter apart, and the rush of water that was quick to swallow him.
The guard could see very little of Vendarr’s fate, for a great cloud of steam billowed up, obscuring his view. When at last the steam cleared there was no sign of Vendarr or his sword.
The guard wondered how deep the water was, for it did take some time for the ice to once again fully freeze.
As the guard watched the ice reclaim its territory, he hoped that someone else had witnessed the exchange, otherwise there was little chance he would be believed.
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