Raa

“The five realms of the Underworld have taken much from you, my friend.” The Overlord of Dreams's voice boomed across the darkness. Its denizens trembled with fear. “They have paid to right this wrong, although these tributes can never replace the life that was taken.

“From the Realm of Silence, I give you the shield of serenity, so that any attack not directed against you will cause you no harm.”

“From the Realm of Fear, I give you the visage of fury, so that your enemies will cower before your wrath.”

“From the Realm of Justice, I give you the fires of conflagration to spread among the guilty who stand against you.”

“From the Realm of Dreams, I give you your body. It was once powerful and strong. So may it be again, fused with the spirit of my oldest friend.

“And lastly, from the Realm of Deception, I give you the chain of truth. May its magic heal you of your doubts and persecute those that mean you harm.”

Raa looked upon the Overlord, his eyes burning brightly. If he had a voice, Raa would have thanked the Overlord for the reparations he had made. Instead, Raa bowed his head and departed the Underworld in silence. When the Dream Ryder traveled into the underworld to become the Overlord of Dreams and rule the Five Realms of Mortis Deep, he all but forgot his previous life as a desert warrior. That all changed, however, when his old friend and companion, Raa, found his way into the underworld through the hidden gateway on Bren-Ha's western slopes. The Overlord sensed his friend's presence and rushed to protect him from the terrifying monsters of the Five Realms. Alas, he was too late. When he found Raa, there was little he could do to save his dying friend's shattered body. Instead, he cradled Raa's spirit and carried it with him until he could find a worthy vessel.

As retribution for the attack on his oldest friend, the Overlord traveled to the Realms of Silence, Fear, and Justice, demanding a tribute from each of the realms' guardians. Next, he uncovered the crumbling bones of his predecessor, once thought lost among the wild nightmares of the Dream Realm. The Overlord fused the spirit of Raa with the broken skeleton and imbued it with the tributes of the other realms. A burning red light shone from within and, beneath its rotting leather hood, Raa's eyes lit with a warped crimson fire.

The Overlord was not finished. There was one last realm that needed to atone. The Overlord rode his dark steed, Nightwind, into the Realm of Deception and once again demanded a tribute. The realm's guardian attempted to fool the Overlord and produced the chain used to shackle truth and hide honesty. He was certain his master would not dare to take it, but the Overlord of Dreams carried it away and gave it to Raa. The Realm of Deception fell. into turmoil as truth and honesty spilled forth.

Meanwhile, Raa held the chain, and his broken body knitted itself together. He would never be whole again, but the chain possessed the power to reanimate that which was broken. Raa had no voice with which to thank his old friend, but he wrapped the chain around himself and knelt at the feet of the Overlord.

The Overlord bade him to rise and laid his hands on Raa's shoulders. “These gifts I have given unto you can never replace or pay for the life that was taken, my friend. Go forth, leave this Underworld, and use them so that you might someday find comfort in the memory of who you once were.”

Raa left the Underworld, never to return, but he remembered the words of his friend, and the hunt for his forgotten past has begun.