The Ultimate Sacrifice (The Journal of Lone Starraiser)

[s4rx7]

..cold, so cold... black, empty.. alone

[Brenna E'lyana]

In all religions there is a place in the Underworld or the Realm of Shadows. Some call it Elysian Fields, others refer to it as Asylum, and still others call it Purgatory. When the innocent or the pure of heart move on, it is said that they are taken to this place. Unlike the rest of the Underworld, this is a place a beauty and peace. There is no judgment, no torture...but there is a choice. There is a body of water in this realm, some say a stream, others say a well. When the soul is led to the stream, they are given a choice...drink from it and forget the past life, perhaps being reborn after a time, or decline and exist forever knowing the dreams and hopes left behind. An eternity is a long, long time to grieve, so, sooner or later, most souls do choose to drink.

Nara and Tal conversed quietly, so as not to disturb the girl, even though she had not stirred once since being brought to the temple. "There is little to be done now, Captain. The rest is up to her. We can make her comfortable and see that she gets the liquids her body needs, but only Nanna-Sin knows if she will awaken." Tal nodded, maintaining his composure even as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "What can I do for her?" Nara looked at the young priestess lying on the pallet. Her body was bruised, cut in numerous places, but healing. She would drink the broths and water brought to her, but had not once opened her eyes or responded to the world around her. "We can talk to her, give her reasons to come back, but in the end, it will be her choice...no matter how much we wish it otherwise."

Isioviel awoke to shimmering golden light, birds singing, a gentle breeze blowing, and a scent much like the perfumed air of Rian lingering in her nostrils. She moved cautiously, expecting pain, and then was surprised when she felt none. She was dressed in an unfamiliar white iridescent garment, the material thin and soft, quite pleasing to the senses. Her hair was clean and perfectly coiffed. Isioviel looked around her in bewilderment. The land was lush and green, jeweled colored flowers dotting the landscape. She saw a beautiful path of colored stones leading to what appeared to be a lovely village, the houses seeming to enhance rather than destroy the landscape. In the distance she heard the sweet sounds of a bubbling brook. As she stood, swaying slightly, she knew one thing for certain... she had never seen such a place in her life.

Suddenly she felt a small warm hand in hers. Looking down in surprise she saw a small young boy, very young. He smiled enchantingly up at her, and if she had been a vain female who was fond of looking in mirrors, she might have recognized it. But his eyes…his eyes were so familiar to her. The warm golden brown eyes that have haunted her dreams for so long, the eyes she wanted so desperately to see. Lone’s eyes.

“Who are you?” she asked in bewilderment. “And what is this place?”

The child smiled up at her.”This is the happy place. You have been rewarded for the life you led. And I am what might have been but what will never be now.”

“You have no name, child?” Isioviel looked at the small boy with compassion.

“No, for you did not name me yet.” The boy then tugged her hand, leading her to the path. “Come, there are so many things to see.”


to be continued...

[Boon]

"Will you be needing a place to rest, Captain?", Nara asked Tal, then following the Redboot's incessant gaze to the injured Isioviel. "If it can be spared. I do not with to take away from followers of your temple." The high priestess inclined her head respectfully. "I am sure something can be arranged. If there is anything else...?" "Yes." Tal finally broke his sight from the wounded Sergeant. "I'll need to send a message to my superiors, letting them know of my whereabouts. If you could be so kind, holy mother." Tal immediately returned his eyes upon Isioviel, not even seeing Nara acknowledging his request and then leaving the small room.

Talaluth sat down on the only seat within the tiny room, never breaking his gaze from Isioviel's bruised face. He thought upon what the High Priestess Nara had said. "We can talk to her,"

"Sergeant Alos....Isioviel, I...." Tal cursed himself, shaking his head in frustration. He was never much for talk. Talaluth gave a sigh and looked back upon Isioviel, his eyes revealing much more than he would have ever allowed to just anyone. He then spoke, saying much he had never told anyone. He asked questions of her, hoping she would respond. He even pleaded with her to come back, telling her how much she was needed by those who cared for her.

The next morning the preistesses found the Captain, slumped in the stool, asleep. He had not left her side all night.

[Brenna E'lyana]

Isioviel followed the young child numbly. Her head turned to look back at the place she just left longingly. The child pulled her almost impatiently, has if he had no wish for her to linger.

“Am I dead, child?” Isioviel braced herself for the answer, and was not surprised at what she heard.

“You have passed into the Plane of Shadows and as I said…you are to be rewarded.”

Isioviel looked around. “Is Lone also here?”

The child looked quite sad. “No, he will be punished for the sins of his past life. He will not be welcome here.”

The cleric frowned at that for it did not seem right to her. Nothing here seemed right to her. But she walked on, her hand in the child’s, following where he led. They came to a well and there the boy turned and looked at her with her beloved’s eyes.

“Now, mamma, you have to make a choice. If you drink from the well, you can stay here with me forever. But you will forget your past.” The child seemed to look at her pleadingly. “If your chose not to drink, you will be forced to stay here alone, with only your memories and broken dreams to keep you solace.”

Isioviel’s mind reeled at the choice presented to her. It just seemed…well…wrong. Her gaze kept turning to the direction from which she came. She felt she could almost hear someone calling her. She turned her gaze to the boy once again. Although the eyes were warm like Lone’s, the boy appeared anxious, too eager.

“Mamma, do you not want to stay with me?” Isioviel’s heart began to ache as she gazed down at her unborn son’s face. This was too much to bear, really. And it was so unfair. What sins did Lone commit to deserve eternal torment? What sins did she commit to be forced to make such a choice?

She turned back once more and faced the direction she came from. The voice was calling her. “Can you hear that?” She looked to the child, whose face became insistent.

“I hear nothing,” he looked back alarmed. “You need to drink, mamma. Or they will take me away.” He pressed the cup into her hand, his nails digging into her flesh. Aloscia’s never give up, I have not released you from my service, and are you so eager to give up on Lone?

Isioviel looked at the claws digging into her hand with wide eyes and made her choice. “ I choose neither.” Alikahar’s roar echoed in her ears as she took off in a sprint, back towards where she started from.

The golden light disappeared, the trees withered and shadows overtook the land. She ran on, desperate to escape the nightmare that held her. Again she felt the unseen hand grab her legs and she was falling…falling.

Isioviel sat straight up, gasping for air. Her lavender eyes met Tal’s in bewilderment. “Captain,” the girl croaked through dry lips, “where am I and how did I get here?”
[/i]

[Boon]

Talaluth jumped from the stool, both in surprise and in excitement, at Isioviel's sudden sign of life. He stared, eyes wide and a smile forming on his normally stoic face.

"Isioviel, I...", he began, but never had the chance to finish. It was then, at hearing the sound of Isioviel's, that several priestesses of Nanna-Sin rushed into the room to see to one of thier own. It was not long before Talaluth was gently pushed from the room and the door closed, his words never to be spoken.

He gazed longing at the door, but eventually turned from it. "No, it is was and not meant to be said.", he thought to himself with some dejection. Talaluth inhaled deeply. "But atleast I was there for my Sergeant."

He placed himself several feet from the closed door and waited.

[Brenna E'lyana]

The priestess kept her abed for days. Tal was allowed in once to say goodbye before he went back to Daris. There was something in his eyes when he told her to make sure she was fully recovered before returning to her post, but she was much too weary to wonder over it. She spoke to Nara once about what had happened to her. The older priestess’ expression and words did not allay her fears.

“It appears that Alinkahar does not want you to interfere with his
plans, and he is not above taking your life, Isioviel. You must be
careful.” Nara watched her, her eyes clouded.

“What of his words of Lone? Do you believe he is lost to us, Nara?”

Nara bit her lip, considering her words. “I do not think so, for if that was the case, Alinkahar would not be so keen on your demise. But
Isioviel…you must realize that it is possible that in the end, Lone
might be lost to you. But I do not believe that his soul should be
left in torment.”

It was late that same night when Isioviel decided that she had to move on. Dragonwatch would be her first stop. She would seek out Falson for two reasons: one, she needed to find out if Falson had any luck in scrying Lone’s location…two, should it be necessary to face Uroch, she would feel more confident with a powerful mage behind her.

She left for Dragonwatch, traveling slowly. As injured as she was, the healers concentrated on the more dangerous injuries, leaving numerous cuts and bruises to heal naturally. She arrived at the fort, tired and dusty. She nodded to the Brutes about and sat down to wait for Falson.

[s4rx7]

..cold.. alone.. forgotten? whimper

[Cerberus]

Its still too difficult for me to describe exactly all that happened. My mind was too foggy at first, but as I sit here in a tent so graciously set up for me within the soon-to-be great fort of Dragon's Watch, bits and pieces come back to me.

It seems Den had hold of my journal, and other items I had kept, and I felt an obligation to commit the details of my absence to writing.

I remember the ritual to destroy the Moonstones vividly... I remember telling Isis to ignore Isha's cries for help, to continue calling down Nanna-sin's power unto her head... to help kill her...

I am still saddened by that loss.

Then... The One pointed his finger at me... I became filled with the pain of fire... and suddenly I was out cold, awaking to peer up into Uroch's cold face. He seemed to enjoy dropping hot coals on my bare skin, leaving them there to smolder and burn my body, and tormented me mentally, trying to convince me that my friends would not think to look for me, that my story ended with my disappearance, my supposed death.

Then I was entrapped within the blasted orb. I felt like I was submerged in acids and fire, rolling in and outside of my body, coursing through my veins. I could not rest, I could not sleep... for the months I stayed trapped away, I could only feel pain.

Then I had a dream... in the midst of it all, the pain disappeared, and for a short time, I saw the friends of mine I had known when I walked on the earth. Although I felt a glimmer of hope that they were looking for me, I realized that it was worthless to find me, that I had only let each of them down... the thoughts raced through my head, convinced of my own failure.

Soon after, I was returned to my prison of acid and fire.

Later, my spirit was forcefully opened to a dark source of power. I, eager to feel something other than the stricken pain of acid, took in as much as I could... it hurt, and at the same time, it was a relief. Little did I know what I was contributing to.

I reached my peak limit, but it was not enough. I continued to draw more and more power in on myself, my spirit contained ten times as much power as I could safely control. Suddenly, all at once, I could feel myself splitting into millions of pieces as a hole was torn across my soul, a hole that opened into another realm, and a even greater evil stepped upon the slippery slope where I had called him to.

All feeling was gone. My spirit flowed along the wings of time, happy to be free from the torment I had been subjected to. My consciousness was fading fast... I was free... I was fading away...

But then...

"...Lone?"

The soul collected itself, startled at hearing its name. "...wha? Who...?"

"They fight for you still. They fight for you now. They fight to save the earth."

"They...? Who?"

"Lone. They're all there. Look."

A kindred spirit encompassed the soul that named itself Lone, and pulled it back, towards the plane of the living.

The souls suspended in air, they looked upon the battlefield below. Heaven casted another spell, barraging The One with magical power, and Isis stood next to her, divine magics raining down on the demon. The demon did not flinch, and turned to sink his blade into Den, who fell with an angry scream.

One by one, the soul known as Lone watched as his friends fought, and died, to protect the world from the coming of such a powerful demon. He cried softly to himself, riddled with his own failure, and yet they fought so valiantly.

"Lone..." The kindred spirit consoled him. "I learned something very important. If you have a deep enough connection, you can stay bound to the earth. My life is long past, but yours, is still there."

"What do you think we can do?"

"Your power. Our power. We can still use our connection to the planet."

Startled, Lone realized he was right. Remembering how, Lone offered a prayer to his god, Anu, whom he had forgotten since his torment. His spirit was embued with magical power, much more than he had ever contained before, reinforced with Anu's love. Smiling, Lone's spirit reformed itself, and looked to the kindred spirit. "I have a plan."

The other spirit turned to be that of Samael Baelkash, my grandfather from long ago. Samael and I realized that a cloak of spirit power was protecting the demon from the mortal weapons that my friends were using. I crossed the plane boundary and appeared to the demon, who was startled to see me standing before him. Keeping the demon distracted long enough, Samael snuck in and blessed my friends with life and strength, rallying them to stand once more.

Then, when the moment was right, I poured Anu's Justice upon the demon, shattering the shield that protected him. Working together, we defeated the monster, depositing the demon harmlessly to the ground.

The spirit known as Lone looked sadly across his friends' faces before turning to face Samael. "Its time to put the spirits where they belong."

Samael nodded. "That it is."

Lone turned to look at his friends one last time before he faded away into the darkness.

I did not see Samael again. As I faded away, I felt my power being drawn, redirected, my spirit being moved not on its own will. I can only assume Anu played some role, but whatever happened, my soul was reunited with my torn and battered body, and my spirit renewed. I know now what Anu had been trying to show me, the pain and suffering that can occur when mankind does not work together, when they rebel against the natural rules and order man sets for himself. And I, I had to suffer and feel the pain, first hand, to know its importance.

Until this day, I called myself a Cleric of Anu, and took on the title of Acolyte. But never did I truly understand its meaning. Through my trials, I've become one of the most powerful Clerics standing, but it matters none. What matters is that Justice is served, not just because it has to be, but done in a way so that others will learn of this Justice, and pass it on to their brethren and children, so that we may all learn from one another.

May Anu look upon us with delight, his Justice supreme, and shelter us all from the darkness.

--Lone Starraiser
Cleric of Anu

Lone put his journal down, and looked up at the face that had not left him since he had returned, the face that haunted him throughout his torture, the face that had kept him going, and the face that gave him the strength to be here once more.

He looked upon Isis, and smiled. "Thank you, Isis." He felt like he should say more... but it was enough, and it was right.

He laid back down, his hands being stroked by the soft touch of the elf who sat next to him, and fell asleep to the rhythm of her teardrops falling upon his arm.

[Redder]

Within the Temple of the Dark Sphere, a lone man stands before the great statue of Darkness. Slowly he bows down and picks up each piece of the Ansharian amour that Uroch had worn. He places the armour on his body with an almost perfect fit.

"The ledgend of Uroch and what he accomplished will not be forgotten to the church. He was the bravest of our Brothers of Darkness and achieved the goal of bringing forth The One. Great are the mysteries of the Halls of Amenti and I shall travel to this place where Uroch succeeded and soon I shall bear the power of Amenti and forge forth the path that Uroch had paved through the power of The One. Listen to my words O Brothers of Darkness, the days of our rule have now begun. I have fashioned new stones and placed them within the hands of the sacred whom protect their mystery, they can never be destoyed, for the power may be called forth once again from our great Lord Alinkahar, the Whole Sky!"

The lone man turns and bows deeply to the shrine within the Temple and raising both his hands, he proceeds to speak words of unknown origin. At the crescendo of this reciting, he shouts:

"I, Arioch, now proclaim to be the High Priest of Lord Alinkahar and shall peform his Will! - Hahahahaha!!!"

[Peregrinus]

Falson, leaning heavilly on Jae, made his way through the southern gate of Dragonwatch. Nodding to the Brute, he began to slip off his fiance's shoulder. The Brute jumped forward and grabbed.

"Is mister Falson okies?" the Brute looked to Jae.

Jae shook her head, and the Brute carried the limp mage into the fortress and set him down by the Brute's cooking fire.

"Mees go get drink fer pet," the Brute wandered towards the ale kegs by the tents.

"I'll be fine," Falson held up his hand to the fretting Jae, "just tired."

"Tired?" Jae glared at him, "you collapsed on the road."

"The scrying attempt took more out of me than I realized," Falson shook his head, "I'll be better after a good night's rest."

Jae continued glaring. Falson signed. He had collapsed along the road, unable to go on with the rest of the party to complete the rescue of Lone. He felt frustrated and gipped as the news of the heroes battling the one and rescuing Lone made their way to the fortress. He hated not finishing what he had begun, but Falson, despite the power he wielded, was still mortal.

"Got drink fer pet!" the Brute declared as he came up to the fire where Falson leaned on Jae.

The sorceress put her finger to her mouth.

"Quiet," she said, "he fell asleep already."

The Brute nodded.

"I leave, go back to gate."