Hafez the Lion

''You seek to destroy my lord? Prepare to perish the sands! ''(sic)

For the glory of the Wizard-King!

''Long ago, when Raiyum was but a young prince, he set off into the desert in search of adventure. After traveling for many days, he came upon a large man standing in the middle of a canyon pass. All around him were the slain bodies of men and beasts. Raiyum approached, warily. 'Who are you, stranger?' he asked, keeping his headscarf wrapped around his face to hide his identity. The large man laughed. 'They call me Hafez, the Lion of Menechtarun.' Raiyum nodded. 'I see, and surely you are as fierce as a lion. Tell me, Hafez... did you kill all these men and all these beasts?' Hafez laughed again. 'Yes I did. Neither man nor beast may pass unless they beat me in combat. And as you can see, none have passed...' Raiyum considered this, then asked, 'So, Hafez. Must I fight you if I want to pass?' Hafez nodded and drew a large bronze hammer. 'Yes, you must. You may not move forward, nor head back until you have beaten me.' ''

''Raiyum smiled to himself a quietly slipped a ring onto his finger. He became as quick as a scorpion and darted past Hafez. 'Oh no! Little traveler, how do you move so fast?' Hafez readied his hammer but Raiyum slipped another ring onto his finger, becoming as hard as stone. Hafez' hammer crashed into Raiyum and glanced off. 'Oh no! Little traveler, how are you so strong?' Raiyum laughed and skipped past the large man. 'I am Prince Raiyum, fool. And I have beaten you! What do you say to that?' Hafez became so angry that he smashed his hammer into the ground. The ground trembled and shook, sending large rocks crashing down from the canyon's walls. Raiyum was too fast to be hit, but Hafez was buried alive under tons of stone. Seeing this happen, Raiyum bent down and began to move largest rocks from Hafez's body. When he was done, the Lion of Menechtarun was battered and bloody but still alive. 'Prince Raiyum, for saving me I pledge my life to you, even unto death.' ''

And that is how the Lion became one of the most feared men in Raiyum's kingdom.