Chapter 6 - Raynor!

Blinking quickly, I looked around and called out "who's there?", I couldn't see anyone, the room was empty and yet I had heard a voice. Come to think of it, it wasn't like I heard it, but the words sounded within my head. Trying to relax, i mentally intoned "who are you?". There was silence and just as I began to think I was losing it, I heard that voice once again, "my name is Raynor and you are the holder of my will".

My mouth just gaped, maybe I was losing it, people just didn't go around hearing things. Well some did, but bad things happen to those people, which usually ended up with them being put in a nice white jacket and a comfy cell to spend their time in. My thoughts were racing, thinking this isn't good, did I really lose it? When the voice, Raynor, spoke again "Settle down young man. To answer your question, no you are not losing it, no you are not going to a padded cell, nice mental image by the way, though if you really want to, I guess we can look into it later. I am here because, well your blood bonded with the ring I am held within. That ring saved you, when the projectile struck, forcing the ring within your body"

"wait a moment", I said,"you know about the ring and what happened?", I questioned mentally. I had been at first questioning all that had happened to me and yet Raynor, was fully aware of these facts.

"Of course I know, the projectile..", "bullet. It's called a bullet." I interjected. "Ah yes, the bullet, well, it forced the ring into you and that formed the connection. Normally you just need to put a drop of blood on it to form a bond, but well, being put within you, by force, kind of hastened the whole process, which invariably led me being able to hold onto your soul and give it strength to recover in this host. Unfortunately I haven't got the power I once had and it took me a number of years to give your soul the strength to resurrect and that brings us to this day"

My head was swimming with this information and I reflexively moved my hand up to where I had been shot, feeling just smooth skin. "What happened to the ring then? I know it was in my pocket and I did feel the impact when it took the bullet, but it is gone now", I was unsure of this news as of course, you can only read about stuff like this on the interwebz. 

Raynor chuckled, "look at your left ring finger", I glanced down as Raynor said that and slowly the image of the ancient ring appeared resting on my finger, I gasped."touch it, if you doubt your eyes", he encouraged. I brought my other hand over and tentatively touched the ring, feeling the coldness and most definitely firmness of it. As if he was reading my thoughts, and I bet he was, he spoke again "that ring holds my very essence, my soul if you like. At the time of my murder I was able to place my soul within and send it out of the realms to avoid being captured by..", he stopped for a few seconds, then continued, " by people I will tell you about later. Suffice to know, it happened many thousands of years ago and during this time I have slept as I tried to recover some strength in my soul. Which by the way, I earlier mentioned I used on you to bring you to this day"

Strangely I wasn't panicking like I believed I would be, 'probably Raynor's doing', I thought, then I remembered, "murder?", I said,"you said murder before? What was it?"

Raynor sighed, it was really strange hearing this mental sigh, come to think of it, this whole conversation in my head was just strange. "Yes, murder. I was betrayed by my disciple at a most important moment, one that would have set me free of mortality.", he laughed mirthlessly, "I imagine, looking at where I am now, I think I achieved that, though not in the way I wanted, or expected", he said grimly. "My disciple was brilliant, genius you could say, but he was ambitious, prideful and disappointingly, impatient. He wasn't prepared to wait for my ascension and so instead plotted with my enemies to bring me down, just to inherit my treasures and inheritance. Well I would say, to his dismay, he got nothing, as all that I owned was within my spiritual ring and I had prepared this ring for him, to present as my legacy before I ascended.", I could hear the pain in his words as Raynor spoke. "When my enemies appeared before me, I shielded my disciple with my body and stood before them. I think now, seeing their malicious smiles upon their faces, they knew what was to happen next as the viper I took in, slid his sword through my back and passed through my heart. My shock was evident on my face as I turned to look at him, and he smiled, simply smiled as he apologised that he was in a hurry and wanted everything now. With my dying breath I cast a great spell to save my soul, enclosing it within this ring and send it far away, away from the realms and away from their treacherous hands", Raynor fell silent as he finished speaking. I could imagine the betrayal he felt, betrayed by one that he raised and taught, some one he considered close. When I was murdered, I too felt that betrayal, that loss of everything when Craig took my life. Not understanding then that it all came down to simple greed.

"I hear you and yeah, I do know that pain", I said softly. " Well this explains the why that I am here, but am I suppose to help you? I can't even help myself. I am very much out of my league with all this, I still don't know who I am and there is so much that I need to know about all this. Resurrecting needs to come with some kind of a handbook, things not to say or do etc", I joked. "Well first things, first. Raynor, I thank-you for saving me, totally unexpected but totally cool, though the host I am in, is he..", trying to think of way to say it," is he dead? or is he here with me?"

"He has passed", Raynor quietly spoke, "His memories will slowly assimilate with yours and in time you will have them fully with you. His death wasn't painful, just in case you are wondering. The accident he was in rendered him unconscious for many days, he was already at the boundaries of life and death, and when I found him, he just let go. I cannot really understand it myself, but I was seeking a host and his aura was so bright that I had to look closer. It seemed he saw me, I felt that he acknowledged me and he looked directly at where the ring was, I was taken aback and thought I should flee but he just raised his hand as in farewell, and uttered one word, Protect. He faded and was gone. I didn't have time to think as suddenly I felt this pull and was dragged inside him, where I fell asleep, only to awake shortly after you awoke.