The Ultimate Ritual (standard:science fiction, 1984 words)
Author: Jim Westergren	Added: Jan 13 2005	Views/Reads: 3276/2315	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Aliath, the most powerful magician, makes the ultimate ritual to find his answer to his riddle of man and is ready to confront God. He arrives thousands of years into the future and what does he see? And does he find his answer?

Aliath felt the wind blowing through his white bear. The cold air made
an effect on him even though he was a High-Elf. He was the last person 
existing who had been around since more than thousand years - almost 
the beginning of time. He has done everything that could be imagined, 
seen man performing all kinds of action but yet the basic riddle of man 
he could not comprehend - why was man fighting each other? Why? 

Aliath felt ashamed to not know the answer. Who else would know, if not
him? And this had been the motivation for his travel. He will carry out 
his ultimate ritual - his life achievement. Then he will get his 
answers ... 

He had traveled for 3 months and the old magician had now almost reached
the ancient ruins of Ghylopia. There he stood with the view over the 
valley and the green field. On the hill before the horizon laid the 
ruins of what had been the most powerful magical temple for High-Elfs - 
Ghylopia. He remembered a vague memory when the temple was new almost 
1000 years ago. That was a long time ago ... 

Still, a millennia later, Aliath felt the presence of the magical field
over the area. Not a single person had been here since hundreds of 
years. Not after the great battle of Klepony - Aliath remembered ... 

Now there was totally quite, only the sound of the wind remained. 

Aliath continued his travel with his twig that had been with him as far
as he could remember. 

A couple of hours passed and Aliath had arrived to the top of the hill.
All that was left of the ruins of Ghylopia were a few fallen big 
stones. Aliath took out a flat stone he had with him and placed it on 
the ground. On it was indented: 

A MAN WITH THE NAME ALIATH LEAVES THIS PLACE ON THIS DAY, YEAR 1632 AND
ONE DAY IN A FAR DISTANT FUTURE HE WILL RETURN. 

It had been a burden to carry it all the way but he considered it
necessary. Aliath took up his ancient book which were written in the 
forgotten elf language, he was one of the last people able to 
understand it. Aliath formed the Pentagram on the stone floor under him 
with the blood from a dragon he had obtained for this purpose. 

He started to read out the first lines of a ritual which had never
before been performed. Today was the day. He would find his answers ... 


The wind went stronger and the clouds slowly grew dark over the hill. 

Aliath continued to read out line after line and it started to suck the
life out of him. Dark clouds now covered the sun and the area on the 
hill was covered in darkness. Thunder started and some nearby trees 
took fire. 

Aliath almost could not stand anymore due to his weakness but it didn't
prevent him for continue reading out the commands of the ritual. 

Fire started to spread onto the hill. 

The strong wind developed into a storm which threw out the leaves from
the trees. 

Aliath read out the last line and then he screamed out the forbidden
ancient magical word while he smashed his magic stick in the Pentagram 
so that it broke. 

The cacophony suddenly diminished and a blindning light so strong so
that it made Aliath falling back generated from the Pentagram. The 
burst of light went up in the sky and all the black clouds evaporated. 
The light took a blue form and then disappeared with a strange sudden 
sound. All was dark. 

Aliath opened his eyes. In front of him was a portal in lighting blue
frames and an eternal blackness inside. Aliath felt ready to confront 
the Gods and stepped inside. 



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