The Genesis of the Sacred Flame

Iprix rubbed his temples again to ease the tension headache that just wouldn’t go away. His bloodshot and iridescent lavender eyes gazed across the cluttered table at his friend Hashim. “Where was I?”

“You were telling me where that dancing Flame behind you came from” said Hashim.

“Ah yes…sorry…my brain’s a bit more disorganized than usual” Iprix responded with his infamous cackle. His familiar, Camazotz, echoed with a shriek of his own from his upside-down perch in the rafters of the Observatory. “Well, I’ll do my best to put the pieces together for you best I can. Bear with me, my friend.”

Iprix took a long draught from his goblet of mead, which somehow seemed to focus his piercing gaze inwards as he began his tale…

Iprix had spent the better part of a week traversing from his Observatory across the barren lands bordering the Psychic Leap due to the dreams that had been plaguing him for weeks on end of a burning fire in the distance. He would wake with a start, covered in sweat, knowing that he needed this Fire just as that Ancient, Prometheus, had lusted after the flame to benefit humanity. The emerald-hued Wizard wasn’t sure his quest was nearly as noble but knew in the depths of his soul that it was just as necessary. To him at least and that was all that mattered. Plus, he had his lucky horseshoe and his demonic little bat friend Camazotz, so all was as it should be.

After six arduous days of trudging through what many considered wastelands, Iprix gazed upon the shimmer on the horizon that marked the pathway to the Psychic Leap. This was far from unfamiliar to him, but it was a place he had learned to only venture towards in times of dire need the older he got. His first visit here many years in the past was the reason he had become a member of the Purple Order, but now in his wisdom was well aware that one day a trip through the Veil would result in him never coming back…at least not to this Reality. If it weren’t for the Rune of Brass branded in his skin at a young age, Iprix understood he already would have succumbed to madness.

“What do ya say, Camie? Think we got this in us one more time?”

Camazotz, per usual, just flitted about his Master’s head, but one thing he would never do is leave the crazed Wizard’s side. That bond was unbreakable. Without another word said, the pair stepped through the Portal leading to the Realm of madness and dreams.

Upon the other side, Iprix sneezed twice and rubbed the glare from his eyes to adjust as the Psychic Leap was both part of yet far removed from the Realm of Man. Due to Iprix’s previous travels here, he was accustomed to the mental strain, but anyone not already bordering on madness was not welcome here. Luckily, Iprix and Camazotz both were slightly insane from birth.

Per usual, the landscape was never the same upon entering with this occasion having the vista ahead be a path leading upwards to what appeared to be a mountain peak without a summit in sight. “Kobold shit that’s gonna be a hike eh Camie?” Camazotz did not care as he had wings and could perch under his mad master’s cloak if he needed a rest.

“But we have to do this cuz I can’t take these dreams anymore. They’re driving me even madder!” Iprix burst into laughter that echoed off the mountainside. Camie did not seem amused but his lot in life was chosen, so he had no other choice but to tag along to keep an eye on the slightly insane Iprix.

As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step and Iprix hoped this would be far shorter but was willing to go as far as he needed to just so he could get a decent night’s rest again. With the thought of dreamless nights ahead of him, he stepped onto the slightly uneven terrain leading into the clouds.

After walking upwards through the mist for what seemed like hours, Iprix heard from around the next bend “Oy! Who goes there?! Announce yourselves or I’ll skewer you right through!”

Iprix, an adept Artificer of the Purple Hat Guild, was confident he wouldn’t be riven in half but also knew to respect whatever entities inhabited the Realm he had entered. So to be politik, he responded “It is I, Artificer Iprix of the Cosmos, with his faithful servant Camazotz but pray do not be disarmed by his cute appearance as he is actually a fearsome deity bound within this tiny little furry body that titters and flits about my being.” Camie gave his best attempt at a sigh but let his Master deprecate him as he knew it was necessary in case he needed to save Iprix once again.

With that being said, the tiniest Kobold one had ever seen with the biggest broadsword balanced precariously on it’s shoulder stepped from around the corner. With an untrustworthy glance, the tiny creature spoke with much bravado “What reason do you have for climbing MY mountain?!”

“Surely this can’t be YOUR mountain little…”

“LITTLE?! I WILL SMITE YOU DOWN NOW FOR SUCH INSOLENCE!” Scream the knee-high Kobold as he charged towards Iprix who nimbly sidestepped the tiny tyrant.

“Apologies apologies my friend. What I meant to say was MAGNAMIMOUS Master of said Mountain…yes yes that’s correct right, Camie?” Iprix said as he side-eyed his familiar. If Camazotz was not in mid-flight he may have shrugged his shoulders in exasperation but all he could do was let a little squeak of embarrassment out for the both of them.

“Oh…well…yes I am MAGNAMIMOUS and I AM a MASTER of this MOUNTAIN!” the miniscule Kobold said. “Now that you recognize my power, I need to know why you’re here! Otherwise…” as he menacingly raised the sword above his head.

“No no my friend. I want no trouble. You see, I am no stranger to this Land. Don’t you see this lovely purple hat that so perfectly sits astride my disturbingly handsome head? It is here that I have found my Power and from here is where I draw my Power. With all due respect, I am on a quest as a Flame has been infuriatingly infiltrating my peaceful dream each and every night and after night upon night of restless sleep I knew this was the only place I could find surcease and the reason to my madness…well not my total madness but the madness of my sleeplessness. You see?”

The tiny Kobold was clearly confused by the ramblings of Iprix but being an entity of madness itself refused to admit to such, so he said “Yes…I see. Regardless of you being ‘welcome’ in this Realm and on my Mountain, I can’t let you go any further because I am the Guardian of what lies at the Mount!”

Iprix rubbed his eyes trying to hide his exasperation. Being in the Psychic Leap, he knew that this little being was probably one of immense power, but also knew his own strengths and was confident he could blast it into oblivion. Knowing that Camie disapproved of his brash behavior, he figured he would be polite and try to solve this diplomatically.

“What is it that I need to do for you to let me pass, my friend?” Iprix intoned.

The small mud-green Kobold squinted up at the emerald hued Wizard while still holding his massive sword en garde. “We could battle…” to which Iprix lavender eyes flashed and Camazotz seemed to grow three times larger causing the Kobold to shrink back “…or you could answer a question that I’ve been pondering for quite a while…” he said hopefully after seeing the Magic emanate from the two before him.

“Ah…yes…the pursuit of solving a problem…yes yes I would MUCH prefer that than battling one such as…you…for I truly fear the outcome.” Iprix knew he could blast the tiny tyrant from the side of the mountain but something about the little monster with the giant sword touched one of the few soft spots he had left in his heart. “Go one, friend. What is this question?”

“If you fail, It is not I who will blast you from this Realm but the Realm itself! You know what that means yes?!”

“Yes I do. It means utter madness for me. I have been to the brink before and know what lies on the other side but at this point sleepless nights are driving me there regardless. Please, my friend, just give me your riddle. I am half past mad as it is. Mayhaps full madness would be welcome.” To that, Camie gave an alarmed look.

“Well then…here it is…You measure my life in hours and I serve you by expiring. I’m quick when I’m thin and slow when I’m fat. The wind is my enemy. What am I?”

Upon hearing this, Iprix burst out laughing. The answer was beyond obvious to a mind such as his. “Really Magnanimous Master of the Mount? You are this easy to defeat? Why this is what I have been visited in my dreams every night…a flame! A candle’s flame to be precise!!”

“What?! How…did…I can’t…NOOOOOO!!!” The small green man screamed as his dissipated into the aether. As his body quickly disappeared it was replaced by a rotating jewel that was lit with an ethereal flame. Immediately Camazotz flew in-between Iprix and the object his sleepless nights shrieking and batting his wings trying to keep the Wizard from walking towards the Flame.

“Hey! Stop that ya little flea-bag!” As Iprix reached forward to touch the floating fiery rune. Upon touching it a cataclysmic BOOM erupted leading to nothingness.

Iprix wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he was back in his Observatory and in his fireplace was the dancing jewel encompassed by the ethereal flame. He was slumped in his favorite chair with an open jar of Peyote buttons strewn across his lap. Camie was perched in the rafters glaring at him.

“Camie…did..uh…we…uhh…travel to the Psychic Leap and talk to a tiny Kobold with a massive sword? And did that creepy flame over there get won in a battle of a riddle?”

Camazotz, per usual, said nothing out loud but everything with his baleful stare.

Hashim just stared at the only person he considered his friend for a few moments before speaking. “So…was this just a drug induced psychosis or did you really travel to the Psychic Leap again to get that Thing?”

“My friend, I wish I could tell you but I haven’t the faintest idea” Iprix cackled.

“Gods you’re insane Iprix. So what’s it do?” The assassin-sorcerer asked as he idly scratched the chin of his familiar Azazel.

With an astonishingly quick moment of clarity, Iprix told the veiled man before him “That’s the frightening part. My delving into the object has shown me that it’s sole purpose is to consume one’s soul and transmute it into the Darkness. I’m not talking madness my friend...I’m talking actual Evil.”

“And your choice?” Hashim asked with slitted eyes knowing he may have to kill his only friend if he chose that other path.

Without his normal joking cadence, Iprix looked Hashim dead in the eye and said “If it weren’t for my Rune of Brass branded into my chest, I would have already been taken by the Flame. It’s the only thing keeping me from being taken. One day soon, we must be rid of it. I know now it cannot be destroyed without consuming a soul in it’s place. Trust me, Hashim, I do not want this for myself. I told you because you’re the only one I trust besides Camie.”

With that, Hashim and Iprix raised their goblets and drained the last of their mead as the glow of the Flame played across their somber features.

Entered by: 0x481E…b8fC and preserved on chain (see transaction)