Chapter 1

                                                    
        Cothzin ran and leaped with all his might, feeling the blazing sting 
of a fireball graze his leg.  He rolled down the grassy hill and looked for 
cover.  He found it in a small hollow on the side of the hill he had just 
rolled down.  He climbed in and waited for the inevitable.

        "COTHZIN! Emerge WITH the Scarab or face the concequences!" yelled 
Katovorkh.

        "And allow it into the possession of one so vile as yourself?  I would 
not ask such sacrifices were I you.  It shall never be yours!  Were I forced 
to choose between my death and the scarab falling into your hands I should 
choose the former, for I know what you would use your power for, and I cannot 
allow that,"  answered Cothzin.        

        "Then you would die to prevent my use of the Scarab?  I am afraid you 
cannot stop me from getting the Scarab, but your request for death is one I 
will honor with pleasure.  You have chosen to die, and die you will, Cothzin!" 

        With that Cothzin realized the full measure of Katovorkh's hate; he 
would stop at nothing for the power that ate away at him from his bones to his 
flesh, indeed, his very heart.  He realized he was going to die, and if he did 
not act quickly, it was likely that his entire land would be destroyed along 
with him.  He had to get rid of the Scarab somewhere.  Knowing he was as good 
as dead, he concentrated for a minute and the familiar yellow glow sprang 
fourth from the deepest depths of his mind, and then following it, the Sign 
that he had reached the state he needed to cast his enchantments.  He knew 
the sorcery he needed;  He knew it was within his power to cast it; He simply 
did not know if he could bring himself to cast it, to destroy himself, even at 
the risk of losing everything he held dear if he did not.  He broke through 
the yellow, and was facing himself.  He saw Katovorkh outside, readying his 
hateful magick to destroy him.  He saw his family at home, not knowing where 
he was or the danger and impeding destruction he faced.  He suddenly knew, not 
in his mind, but in his heart, that they had to live, that he must die so that 
so many could live.  But he knew not if he had the time to save them.  He ripped 
a hole in the very air surroundings and climbed through.  He saw much, and 
understood nothing.  He took a piece of that reality and wrapped it around the 
Scarab and heaved it into the hollow.  He then returned to reality and went to 
face Katovorkh outside.  

        "Come and get it, Katovorkh, its all yours," He said with a smile.

        Katovorkh was worried.  He  wanted the Scarab, but this worried him.  
Why would Cothzin give it up?  The answer was obvious to him;  He had not. 

        "What have you done with the Scarab, imbicile!"  screamed Katovorkh.

        "I have put it in a place that you should easily find it. Right over 
there in the cave.  I will lead you to it if you desire,"  Cothzin said with a 
carefully false cheerfulness, turning towards the cave.  

        Katovorkh didn't like something about this,  he had not thought of 
Cothzin as such an easy win.   However, he  was not one to mistrust good 
fortune, and this certainly was good fortune.  "Fine then, lead the way."

        Cothzin brought him to the cave and pointed to the Scarab. Katovorkh 
grabbed for it and felt a strange sensation;  His body filled with energy, 
and felt near to the point bursting.  His heart filled with power and his 
life-blood ran and bursted from his flesh.  His hair stood on end with the 
vast power it felt and his eyes and stomach churned.   His flesh blackened, 
his hands curled into black shivering balls of burning flesh and it was over. 

        "I won.  I WON!" exclaimed Cothzin breathlessly, not realizing the 
cave's natural unstability.  The power of what had recently flowed through it 
had weakened the already nearly collapsing walls and ceiling, and it started 
to fall in upon him.  There was not even time enough to think;  it started 
with a rock falling upon his head and knocking him unconcious,  and then it 
finished him off with the power of a tidal wave.

..............................................................................