Rashemen IV

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He felt awkward as his size and speed increased. He saw the cleric flinch as he rushed forwards and in a split moment the cleric made a wrong choice. Instead of reaching for his weapon he attempted a spell. It cost him his heart but that was the choice he made.

Shaking the cleric from his scimitars Jex turned towards the Plantar and rushed. With his increased size, strength and speed he felt confident, but confidence had killed many warriors. Jex knew that because he had killed many confident warriors. The Planetar turned at the last second to block a strike from Jex's scimitar. Hopefull it would allow the Deva to strike because it left Jex wide open for a retaliation.

 

Sepp had gotten out his sling and some extra special bullets one of the druids had given him. He saw the opening Jex had made and let fly. The bullet whacked the planetar hard in the side of the head, enough to make it grimace a little.

 

Jex smiled, the Planetars head snapped to the side and launched himself back at the Planetar. With his increased size and strength the fight was a little closer to even than it should of been normally but it didn't take Jex long to learn that he was outclassed. No matter though he'd been outclassed before things like this happened. He parried a strike from the planetar and launched into his attack. He drove both blades towards the creatures midsection, but at the last second swept one blade high and kept the other slashing straight towards the stomach.

It would be a deadly attack. Nearly impossible for a being using one weapon to counter. Jex knew this his father had done it to him many times and he had used it plenty himself. He felt the high blade get parried and at the same time he felt his scimitar sink into the Planetars stomach. The strike had been successful.

The Planetar wrenched his body in pain. the blade had bite deep and hard. This half drow was skilled but he had made a fatal mistake in being over aggressive. As the Planetar twisted it pulle Jex off balance. With the awkwardness of his new size Jex found it hard to keep his balance and stumbled to his knees. He felt a sharp pain high in his shoulders as he attempted to stand, but his legs felt strange. They felt weak and useless. He peeked down to see why and noticed the point of the Planetars sword sticking from his own chest. Blood was leaking from the wound down Jex's armour and pooling on the ground at his feet.

Jex still attempted to fight as things started to fade. The planetar unceremoniously dumped Jex's body to the ground leaving the half drow and turning it's attention to the rest of the party.

Jexs hands clenched but there was no strength. It felt like his hands were really cold like they had been stuck in cold water for a long time. Around his vision he could see darkness and it kept closing in until all he could see was a point of light in the middle of a dark field. He could hear the fight around him but could do nothing. It was that realization that scared him. But none of that mattered because suddenly the light disappeared.

 

Rosie's eyes widened in horror as she saw Jexxy's body crumple and fall.

"JEEEEXXXXXXXXXXYYYYYY! NOOOOOOO!"

She screamed and jumped upright, a look of intense anger shrouding her face. Suddenly, a large pink and yellow orb surrounded her, the eyes of the girl turning and glowing a bright blue. Rosie lifted into the air, shouting some sort of incantation that again caught the attention of the planetar. It reared its ugly head just in time to catch a huge blast of energy from the small girl. Her words echoed throughout the oasis.

The Planetar regained its composure and blasted back, with dark swirling energies. Her orb shifted and appeared a few metres away, narrowly avoiding the blast.

Rosie lowered her head. It seemed as though she was going to charge! She screamed again and rushed at the Planetar, who smugly put up a defense. An instant before coming in contact, the two braced themselves. A look of fear passed over the Planetar's face, while a smile crept on Rosie's.

The small girl blasted straight through the large creature, freezing it in place. A large roar echoed out of its mouth, and it disintegrated to the ground. The world seemed to be still.

As her threat was destroyed, Rosie fell, lifeless to the ground, and into the pile of dust that was once a Planetar.

Delinos rushed over, swimming through the dust in an effort to find her. A few feet away, he saw a piece of red hair slip into the sand. "Rosie!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. The drow dove into the dust, causing a cloud to burst forth. A moment later, the two emerged, covered in a gray layer. He pulled her to safety as the others rushed over.

He sat, with the girl's head in his lap, weeping. Slowly, he started, "I have a new name for pain." He paused, apparently in thought, "The Obliterator. Because when you're in pain, nothing else can exist. Not thought, not feeling, no emotion. Only the drive to escape the pain."

He sniffed, wiping away tears and continuing, "When it's strong enough, the Obliterator strips us of everything that makes us who we are, until we're reduced to creatures less than animals, creatures with a single desire and goal; escape."

Rosie then groggily answered, "A good name, then." Delinos, shocked, hugged her limp body.

"Rosie!" Tears of joy and sorrow streamed down his face, "I.. I'm falling apart, Rosie, like an old horse that's plowed too many fields. Keep hold of me with your mind, Rosie, for I feel I may drift apart and forget who I am."

Rosie smiled slowly and hugged him, "Let you go, I will never."

[ March 14, 2007, 20:54: Message edited by: Elwithral Irenicus ]

 

Daie lifted his head, and looked around groggily. 'What in Selune's shinging face just happened?' He stopepd when he saw the stone that symbolised what remained of the demon. Growling, he climbed to his feet, and stalked over. he picked the stone up, and stuck it in one of the pockets of his robe.

'Welcome back, Hierophant.'
He turned, and bowed deeply. 'Shard, an honour.'
The Deva bowed back. 'You should do something with that stone. The Cathedral in Waterdeep would be a good place to take it.'

She stepped back. 'And my task is complete. The Sharrans have been sent running with their tales between their legs, and the cleric is whole again. One final piece of advise. You should commune with Lady Moonlight, Hierophant. Seek her wisdom. Farewell.'

A portal opened behind the Deva, and she stepped through.

Daie stood silent for a moment, before Maron crashed into the side of him.

'Daie! I was so worried!'

 

Sepp tucked his sling into a belt and picked up the Staff. He walked over to Jex, knowing that all was lost. He had helped bring Jex back from death before, had been pulled into the realm of the dead with Jex and come out into the living, but this time he could feel that there was no coming back for the great warrior.

Jex had been the first person other than his family that Sepp had ever seen, or spoken to, or befriended. His sense of loss was profound, lessened only slightly by the feeling that Jex was now at peace.

He sat on the ground, cradling Jex's head in his lap, and wept.

 

maron heard weeping, and turned her head. 'Jex? Jex!'
She dived over, Daie following closely.
'What happened?' she asked, kneeling beside him and feeling for a pulse. 'Can't he be healed? Raised? Brought back?'

 

"It was that bad angel," Sepp said. "I think he could be brought back, but I know he doesn't want to be."

He stood to address everyone. "This is too late for Jex, but hopefully not for you all. Your service to the Guardian of the Eye is complete. The oath you spoke to come through the whirlwind is fullfilled. The Eye is hidden, even from myself. In the future, I may feel that it is worth it to release it and use its power, but if I do, I will do so at my own risk. If you are still with me, and choose to help me, I will be happy for your help, but you do not owe it too me. Of course, the geas about not telling the truth about what we did still holds."

 

Kelvados awoke, this time silently. His head hurt less, but his vision was too blurry. He inwardly sighed, he was getting hurt too many times with this group. But he guessed it was more his fault, he cautiously propped himself on his elbows. He was in a cave, and a light filled openning was to the side. He grimaced, and squinted at the blinding light. He stumbled forward and tripped over something living. It was Ciana, she was weeping, she held her knees to her chest and her head was bowed. Kelvados was uneasy at first, but decided to play the role of a gentleman. He pulled himself to the wall, and awkwardly put his arm around her. She made it easier for him and her head on his shoulders, and her hand on his chest. They were silent other than the gentle sobs, he rubbed her back in a soothing motion, but still he was silent. It was Ciana who broke the silence.

"What's wrong with me?" She whispered, not lifting her head.

"Your crying it's nothing wrong, your a surface elf you can cry." Kelvados said matter of factly, unfourtunately it was not the thing she wanted to hear. She sigh and got up and walked away. SHe wanted him to follow, but Kelvados had no idea and thought she wanted to by herself. He went through the same thing, when it's inside you, you never want to be left alone.

 

Delinos slowly stood, carrying Rosie, who was as limp as a rag doll. Her head bobbed up and down as he walked towards the cave, away from the sunlight. He found Kelvados with his eyes closed, apparently in thought. The drow set the small girl down gently in front of his brother. Her eyes suddenly opened, as soon as Delinos slumped against the wall.

Groggily sitting up, she croaked, "Unky Kelly?"

 

Kelvados was aware of them for awhile, he knew his brother's gait, he heard he was carrying something very light not trying to disturb it. He didn't need to open his eyes, to know a little girl was sitting infront of him. Kelvados realised he had gripped his hilts under his cloak when he knew his brother approached. He was ashamed of the distrust, but once a Drow always a Drow. He didn't open his eyes, and murmered.

"Yes sweet pea?" He held his arm out and she snuggled into the same position as Ciana, earlier had done. His shoulder was still damp from her shead tears.

 

"I make the bad angel go away. I don't know if people are happy with me though." She paused, and snuggled deeper into the Drow's side, "And.. *sniff*.. they .. Jexxy.. he's not.. *sob*.." She turned her head and cried into the leather jerkin. Overcome with fatigue, she soon fell asleep.

Delinos looked to his brother. "Kelvados, I don't know what she is, but her power - it is immense! She vanquished a Dark Planetar almost singlehandedly!" He whispered incredulously. The drow looked out to the desert, where his friends wept.

"But it is true, sadly. Jex.. he was killed by the Planetar.. I don't think the group is taking it well." He paused again, and looked back at his brother, "I assume you've seen to Ciana then? I saw her storm out of here a moment before we entered."

 

"Jex is dead..."Kelvados paused, he felt it was a loss to the world. But being a man of action, he couldn't dwell on the past. "Singlehandedly? Rosie I believe is not what she appears to be, she could be many things. A master wizard's soul, a god, a demi god, a spirit. She could be anything, the one thing that makes me wonder is, that she feels the need for protection. But she is the most powerful person in this room, she doesn't know how powerful she is. She might hurt someone..." Kelvados paused and looked down at the little girl, her cute little face scrunched up tight as to not let anything in. He smiled and looked back at his brother. "I've always wanted a child." He whispered, "a child I could raise, that needed my protection. I want to live somewhere quiet and raise my little one. It wouldn't matter be it a girl or boy, just someone that loved me, someone that knew onl to love me." Kelvados paused again, and hugged the little girl. He leant back against the wall and listened to the quiet heart beat of teh child, his heart beat, the heart beat of his brother, the heart beat of the others outside, the beat of the tree, the beat of the world. He listened to the change of the wind, he smelt the different smells. He knew right there and then, that he wanted out of this, he wanted solitude. He wanted a life of peace.

 

Nakia settles Perim at the Oasis Atten has created, tightly wraps his ankle and plies him with a healing potion, then mead and food. Lying down beside him she cries silently her tie with Jex is gone and she feels lost and alone.

She whispers softly, "I'm just a little Hin. Sure I'm not dumb I know I'm a Master Thief but I sure ain't a demi-god. Not even a run-o-the-mill magic user."

Perim gently caresses her showing an unusual understanding of her feelings and delima.

 

Ciana strode out of the cave fuming, she'd never being so angry before. He'd being holding her, that had been good, despite the fact she'd been crying it had felt good to be in his arms; safe, warm and comforting. Then the stupid son of a camelherder had said that, when she tried to open up to him; he'd taken no notice and come out with some mindless comment about it was alright to cry as she was a surface Elf. ELF! ELF! Who the lolthspawn was he calling an Elf.

She let vent to her rage with a scream and then to finish it off tossed a couple of fireballs into the magic area that Delinos and Rosie had created. It didn't get rid of her anger or feelings; but, at least it took the edge off.

 

Ciana's anger roused Nakia from her sorrow, rising she heads towards Ciana with arms outstretched.

 

She fell into the outstretched arms the nager preventing her making sense "He.. he.. he.." she started crying gently and then said vehemently

"Dreck, he's so clueless and no help!" she settled back into Nakia's comforting embrace.

 

Kelvados opened his eyes, he had dozed off. Rosie was still in his armpit, he didn't move. This group is no place for a little girl, but Rosie was not a normal little girl. He leant back, and closed his eyes. He heard the footsteps, the gait was soft and steady. Delinos' gait, it was a little different.

Kelvados' eyes flashed open, a Drow stood infront of him. It was no DeVir, Kelvados' blade was in his free hand in a second. The Drow merely smiled, it descended back into the shadows. The shadows of death, the shadows of treachery, the shadows of the Underdark.

 

Nakia held Ciana as close a little person could hold a big person. She rested her head on Ciana's shoulder. She felt so tired, her mind wandered and she just didn't seem able to cope with anything. All she could do was pour out feelings of love and caring and even that seemed to drain her.

 

Ciana had cried out most of her anger and frustration on Nakia's shoulder, drying her eyes she stood up; standing in the shadows of the cave she looked out over the desert as the sun started to set. Deserts took on a beauty of their own as the sun set on them, and she stood there admiring it's beauty, she heard a noise and concentrating on that she saw a party of half-drow moving towards the cave. They appeared to be some form of mercenary company, judging by their looks she overheard one of them

"Remember it's the Auburn-haired witch we want, she's worth more alive than dead, and our employer does not care what state she's in."

The anger welled up in Ciana at hearing how they described her and that they had no qualms about how they would treat her, moving quietly back to Nakia and Perim she spoke softly to them

"There's a party of half-drow about 20 coming towards the cave and they seem to want me for some reason, gather the others and we'll give them something to think about."

The anger was growing now in Ciana steadily pouring into her blood, her vision changing to only darkened figures limned with red, laughter was bubbling at the edges of her mind, not that of fun, but that of the truly deranged.


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