VIMworld Universe Lore Series #1: Austrför’s Magma Blade: The Retrieval and Encounter (part 2)
Austrför’s quest for the Magma Blade continues. With his powers weakened, will he be able to escape from his perils?
Who reached out to him? And how would this event affect what is to come? Enjoy the second half of this special short story!
Click here for Part 1 of Austrför’s Quest.
Shocked, Austrför turned towards the source of the voice and was met with the most curious creature he had ever witnessed. It appeared to be some kind of half man, half machine hybrid from a dimension he had certainly never visited before. The newcomer’s arm already outstretched, Austrför grasped its strong hand which promptly hauled him out of danger.
“To whom am I indebted for this rescue?” Austrför exclaimed, after dusting himself off.
“They call me Armstrong.”, he responded, flexing his muscular arms “And I’m sure you can see why” he said, smirking.
“I am but a lowly tankman soldier from one of the adjoining dimensions. Strange portals have been appearing throughout our land and I heard your cries emanating from one. Although our people have been warned to stay away by the eldersfolk, I couldn’t ignore the cries of someone in peril.”, he explained.
Austrför snorted loudly. The notion of a god needing help from a mortal amused him but without his interjection, he had faced certain doom.
“I appreciate the help”, he said, smiling and nodding.
Armstrong instinctively knew he was talking to a Godly being. Austrför’s voice seemed to echo, resonating with the materials of the planet around him. He could sense nobility in the tone of his voice. Armstrong had never met or heard of a god from outside his own dimension, he was in awe. “Why are you here, in this hellish landscape?” he inquired.
Taking a deep breath, Austrför began regaling Armstrong with the tale of his great sword, his diminished powers, his mother’s great triumphs and their family pride. “With my powers reduced, I had almost given up any hope of recovering the blade.” he said. “Then, strange portals began appearing throughout my world,”… “Mine too!” Armstrong interjected, “it’s as though the fabric of the universe is fracturing at its very core,” he noted, alarmed.
“When the latest portal opened, I felt the call of the blade reaching out. I could sense it through dimensions.” Austrför continued, ignoring the interruption. “With great trepidation, I entered the portal, arriving at the base of this mountain, across the magma planes over there”, signaling with his right hand roughly where he had landed.
Austrför looked longingly towards the tip of the Hjornbarg volcano with its brilliant purple hue.
“It is there”, he bellowed in his godly tone, “at the peak of this volcano. It is growing in strength as I move closer. It knows I am coming.”
Armstrong’s eyes lit up.
“The eldersfolk from my dimension told us tales of how Hjornbarg gained its purple peak, with a great glowing orb descending from the heavens one day, many moons ago. In an instant, the area was transformed from wonderful mountainous terrain to a hellish no-man’s land, such was the power of that orb. Many adventurers have tried to scale this mountain to get a glimpse of the legend for themselves. None ever returned though”, he said, trailing off as though ruminating on a memory. “This mountain is far too perilous!”.
“I must and I will ascend”, Austrför pushed back. “I must retrieve the blade, restore my power and most of all, honor my mother. It is my duty”, he responded, defiantly.
In that moment, Armstrong was transported back to visions of his own youth and time spent with his mother. He glanced down at the ‘Mom’ tattoo that had adorned his arm for decades. He felt a kinship with Austrför at that moment, understanding him more deeply.
“Austrför, it is too dangerous for you to travel up this mountain by yourself” Armstrong asserted. “I am well equipped for this type of environment. Climb aboard, we can move swiftly through these lava fields and up the steep slopes with ease”. Austrför nodded at the half tank, half-human’s request.
“I can not afford to have any further mishaps”, he replied in tacit recognition and climbed aboard.
The Final Ascent
Armstrong cranked his motor to maximum and sped off back towards the base of the mountain, his tread traversing the uneven ground effortlessly and making light work of the steep terrain. Armstrong and Austrför rapidly ascended, higher than any mortal had ever gone before. Before long, however, the sheer pitch of the slope became too much, the air grew thin and a cold gale blew down the volcano from the tempestuous clouds above. It quickly became apparent that they would not both finish this journey in their current configuration.
“This journey is my rite of passage” Austrför explained “I will finish this”.
And with that, he disembarked, casting Armstrong an appreciative smile. He reached down and scooped up Armstrong, instructing him to wrap his arms around his neck. Austrför strided intently towards a sheer cliff extending through the storm above.
Taking deep breaths, he summoned all the power he could muster. Weakened twice by both the loss of his blade and in travelling to this dimension, he felt a moment of concern that his mission might not succeed, but he quickly drew his mind back to the task at hand. “The final ascent”, he uttered. “Hold on tight, Armstrong”, he instructed.
Gripping the cold, hard stone in front of him, Austrför hoisted himself up. And again. And once more. Arm over arm, he began to haul himself upwards, through the swirling violent storm, through the buffeting winds and past the dashing rains. With unrelenting fervor, he climbed through any and all adversity, all the while, Armstrong clinging on with his powerful grip.
After what felt like hours, Austrför finally felt flat land. They had made it to the summit.
The Magma Blade
Austrför and Armstrong stood atop the small plateau. It was eerily calm above the storm and the purple glow had become overwhelmingly intense. Looking towards the center of the platform, Austrför’s eyes locked on a strange configuration of floating rocks and, within the middle, was the magma blade, levitating, exuding energy and raw power. He was overcome by the intense wave of joy he felt at its sight.
As he began to make his way towards the center of the plateau, violent bolts of electricity began darting between the stones, blocking any path directly to the blade.
“How are you going to reach the blade?”, Armstrong called out.
“I can feel my divine energy returning” Austrför responded, “My connection to this blade is restoring me, granting me power, even in this dimension. I will make light work of this obstacle.”
Suddenly, Austrför began running at great speed, circling the structure at ever greater pace. Armstrong lost all sight of Austrför, such was his quickness, but he could feel him. He could feel a vortex of air forming, with the atmosphere changing direction around him. Austrför began to move so quickly that the very fabric of space time began to crackle, moving the electrical charge that obstructed his path upwards and away from the stones and blade.
“I can’t divert the lightning and grab the sword at the same time,” shouted Austrför, “You need to finish this, Armstrong!”.
Dutifully, Armstrong approached the periphery of the hovering stones.
“Hurry!”, Austrför prompted, “I Can’t hold back this electricity forever!”
Looking up, Armstrong could see the charge was gathering, forming a huge maelstrom of pure energy, as though it was regrouping and fighting back against Austrför’s efforts. There was no time to waste. Armstrong reached out with his muscular arms, his ‘Mom’ tattoo shimmering in the purple light.
“Do it now!” shouted Austrför. “Before the lightning becomes unmanageable!”
Gulping, Armstrong reached out into the void, reaching the hilt of the blade. Static electricity coursed through his body imparting great discomfort. Pulling as hard as he could, Armstrong wrestled the sword free from the energy field that had held it for aeons. It came free, the threatening charge instantly dispersing. As soon as he had it in his grasp, Armstrong felt a great surge of power, unlike anything he had ever felt before. He felt the power of a god course through his veins.
The sword, as though sensing its freedom and the return of its master began glowing brightly, casting great spires of purple light far above the summit of the volcano. With the energy of the blade no longer being funneled into the heart of the volcano and in corrupting the land, the environment began to calm. The great swirling storm diminished and they could see the roiling magma fields below reducing in their vigor. The return of the sword had brought balance to imbalance.
“I am restored!”, Austrför exclaimed, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through his body. “The great magma blade resides with me again”.
The journey down the mountain took far less time. Austrför was able to easily descend with Armstrong in his arms, moving across the terrain at an incredible pace. In mere seconds, they were back to where they had first met.
“I will never forget the acts of kindness and bravery you have displayed today”, Austrför stated. “For the bravest and wisest among our dimensions, I will deliver great rewards in honor of your service. Until we meet again, Armstrong. I feel it will not be long”.
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