Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Ch. 5, The Darkening Wood

[Hrothgar]

Kaela and Valurel:
[sblock]Aislinn screams and thrashes feebly at Valurel's words. No! Nooooo! My body is rotting! My mind is slipping...I cannot fight these desires any more! Kill me! End my suffering! There never was any Hope! Please! The little, scared girl returns, her words only a whimper now, calm. Please...Kaela, Valurel. I love all of my friends, more true than my own people who would betray me to Shadow. But...do not let me suffer because you are afraid to be parted from me...we will all meet again. Please, end this now? The Widowmaker scans Kaela's and Valurel's faces. He turns to see the undead horror emerge from above the black pool. Thune crouches with a snarl, his obsidian blades in his hands. With a growl he turns to Kaela, I know little, witch, other than what she claims. A goddess, yes, but shattered in spirit with the fall of my dark god. Her poison has already spread to the girl...and now both of you two. That is a dark mirror, Thune motions to the pool of inky darkness, raised under dark skies eons ago with bloody Elven sacrifices. Ancient and forgotten. Yet, he looks at Kaela and Valurel, this one does not only drink magic. Instead, life. She has usurped it. Destroy it - and sever her connection to this dark forest. In doing so, destroy Aislinn...and yourself. In Kaela's pocket, the green stone begins to grow warm.[/sblock]

Unsure, Herger strides forward, he blade held high. With a roar his axe crashes into the undead, rotting woman...only to have his massive bulk thrown backward. Why do you attack me, Newborn? I mean you no harm! I have slept, but felt your pain...my nightmares. And now I return to help, and this is how you treat me? With a crack, a stone slams into the undead creature's head. Stop! The decayed, weakened voice is replaced with one of power. Herger and Mardo feel their limbs no longer under their control momentarily, both forced backward a few feet from the battle. On the ground, the Wolf latches onto Starhl and drags him back away from the undead thing. His cries to have Aislinn removed from the area seem to go unheeded. The undead thing almost seems to grow in size, a towering figure, or a trick of the eye? I do not wish to fight! Help me remember who I was!

Then, Lodric is there, a bucket of water reflecting the green light, shaking beneath the towering creature. Newborn! Receive me bles- A hideous shriek rends the air as the undead thing's reflection meets her vision. What have I become? Now, truly at last does she realize that no longer is it important who she was, but what she has become. She falls to her knees. What have I become? I am dead...I have poisoned the land! She raises her hands to the heavens, wailing. Take me back to the Celestial fields of green and gold! Help me! Her shriek shatters stone and leaves ears bleeding. Sobbing, her eyes rise to meet the Heroes. Izrador...I sense his corruption in you! It was he who did this to me! I will start to exact my vengeance on you! I will strip to flesh from your bones!

 

[Krug]

Starhl tries to resist the wolf's pull, but allows himself to be dragged away. His sword is out and ready, as he watches the undead thing.

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo gasps and coughs, trying to catch a breath again after being knocked off his perch onto the hard ground. He winces and reaches behind him to pull out a sharp rock that must have stuck him harshly in the side. He looks over at Herger, who appears to have fallen just as hard, though he was standing on the ground already.

Then, his limbs lock and no longer listen to his pleas to run, as the undead monstrocity booms her horrible pain across the ruins.

"Herger," Mardo mutters as best he can in Norther, "I think anythin that 'ants the Shada gone is ouauy... auiee... 'ost likely gonna 'e a hhriend. Let's not hurt it again."


OOC: Trying to get across that Mardo can't move his lips, hehe. Oh, and that bucket of water was brilliant!!!

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

"Yes Mother, Izrador did this to you, as he has corrupted us and this entire world. Some of us fight this corruption, others revel in it, while most just try to bear it as best they can for they see no other choice. Kill me if you must, but if you truly wish your vengeance upon Izrador, find in yourself what you once were and become the Mother to this world. Bring hope to the world again, as we found it in one young girl whom you have touched. We called Aislinn "The Hope" because she made us see beyond revenge, death and despair." Lodric seats himself on the ground behind the bucket of water.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel, obviously confused by all that he has heard, gently sets Aislinn down on the ground and slowly moves towards the black mirror. He is unsure of what he will do or even how to destroy it but he is drawn to it nonetheless.

 

[maddmic]

Herger picks himself up off the ground and grips his axe, like machine of war, he is ready to continue mindlessly until Lodric speaks. He takes one step forward and then lowers his axe a bit.

"He speaks the truth. We have all been tainted by the dark one, but some of us fight against the shadow. We see the light left here and strive to keep it from being extinguished. We fight as best we can against the forces of darkness. We have found many allies in the fight. We have seen the destruction that has been unleashed even upon the forests of the elves and are trying to end that. The winged one here is a minion of the dark one, we are not. If you wish to turn back the destruction, then start by letting us live so that we can continue to be a thorn in Izradors side."

 

[Bobitron]

The words spoken by Lodric and Herger ring of wisdom and insight to Kaela's ears, but she stands wary of the corrupted Mother's reaction. Her body tense and ready to fly, she bends down and holds Aislinn close.

"Please, hear our words. We fight the Shadow as best we can in these dark times. Don't give yourself to his evil. The corruption you sense in us is no more part of our being or due to our choices than what has happened to you."

Considering the Widowmaker's words, Kaela looks to the pool of inky darkness. She takes her glowing stone in her hand, lifting it high in the air and letting the green, soothing light pour over the scene.

The Widowmaker has proven that he holds some honor and compassion despite his evil. Perhaps his words are true! Perhaps our Mother cannot be convinced. Her head reels with the thought.

 

[Hrothgar]

The undead divinity stalks forward, ready to lay waste to the Heroes of Caft. Her fury is directed at Lodric, the child foolish enough to reveal Izrador's taint in her.

"Bring hope to the world again, as we found it in one young girl whom you have touched. We called Aislinn "The Hope" because she made us see beyond revenge, death and despair."

The dead goddess halts at Lodric's words. She turns to look at the small bundle on the ground, Aislinn's frail arm tangled in her wild hair. Her eyes ignore Valurel as he backs toward the black pool. Hope? My child. Instantly the goddess' demeanor changes from fury to extreme sadness. Great sobs heave her body as she stares at Aislinn's broken form.

The Widowmaker bends down to whisper in Kaela's ear. She is unhinged. A goddess awoken with untapped power...but the mind of a child. And children can be so cruel. Be careful.

"If you wish to turn back the destruction, then start by letting us live so that we can continue to be a thorn in Izradors side."

The goddess' eyes are drawn back to Herger, her dead, black eyes meeting those of the gnome as well. Destruction? I am...was...the green forest. Root and leaf. Wild things...of life. Have a I caused such destruction? Again, great sobs escape her cracked ribs.

As Kaela raises the green stone, its light so like the glow emanating from the glade, but more pure, a green glow of life, of green leaf and green field, of healthy growing things, of sun, and life. So unlike the almost putrescent green of the glade. With the healthy green glow illuminating the dead divinity, a sudden change comes over her. She looks down on her skeletal hands. A change must come. A change must come! Raising herself to her great height, she stalks over to Aislinn and grabs the girl, the divinity treading toward the dark pool, shielding herself from the glow of Kaela's stone. Join me, my chosen one!

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo approaches, behind Herger. He is obviously tense, sensing how close they all tread on the edge of disaster with this blindingly powerful being of madness and death. "Someone do something!" he mutters to himself.

 

[Bobitron]

"Put her DOWN!"

Kaela's eyes flash with anger, any fear she had replaced with fury. Her voice is scolding and firm. If she wants to act like a child, I'll treat her like one! she thinks, emboldened by the Widowmaker's words. Stepping swiftly past the broken goddess and holding the stone before her like a warding talisman, the slim young woman displays her old strength as she moves to stand between the corrupted Mother and the pool.

"She is not your to command and take! She is a daughter of Caft and our little sister, and we will not let you take her into the darkness! Remember who you are and stand alongside us."

Although I don't think this is the caution the Widowmaker meant, she thought, watching the goddess for a reaction, her eyes drawn to Aislinn's limp form.