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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 1183829" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Draelond #3] Claimed and Unclaimed[/PLAIN]Draelond saw the blissful look sweep across Ruze's face and suddenly felt as though he understood many things. A surprising pang of jealousy tugged at his heart and he pushed it aside, his sense of duty overpowering his longing. He approached and began his appeal, hesitantly at first, but growing quickly in urgency. "If we are... where I think we are, Ruze, we have unfinished business... elsewhere."Ruze turned slowly to look at Draelond, drawing his gaze away from the celestial with difficulty. He clearly did not want to turn his face from his spirit guide, but felt the bonds of brotherhood pull his eyes toward Draelond."I think I know how strongly you believe in the fates, but maybe we have the opportunity to finish our work in the material world," Draelond urged and Ruze grinned back him, his cheeks still wet with tears of joy."Can you not see her?" Ruze asked, dreamily. "She is so beautiful. Look how she comes for me!""I see nothing, Ruze," Draelond replied and that distant sense of longing stirred again in his chest. He forced it down; there was still work for him to do. "Think of the good that could be... Think of the evil that we were so close to destroying.""I did not know until this moment, how much I have coveted to stand next to my Queen as her personal retinue," the cleric answered, his eyes glazing over in rapture. "Me, a son of a poor dirt clod farmer, will stand at the ready for Shaharizod.""I am sure that I am not ready," Draelond admitted, taking the Battleguard's hand as he spoke as if to keep Ruze from drifting away into the falling non-snow. As he took the cleric's hand, Draelond saw the green-skinned woman flinch as if she were ready to raise her falchion at the Battleguard's defense."I know not what faith you follow, Draelond, but my Goddess is pure and true and I can entreat her to have you stand at her foot as well," Ruze said. He gave Draelond's hand a reassuring squeeze and then slipped free of the man's grip."I have left too much above," the big warrior answered. He looked up at the stern-faced woman... angel... whatever.... and pressed his mouth into a resolute line. "I am willing to fight the fates to leave this place and return to the others. Will you come with me?""No," Ruze said flatly. "We have fought and died well! This is our reward. You can be part of those that believe - the uninitiated warrior!""You must first renounce the two who already lay claim to you," the bald figure told Draelond in a voice that sounded almost like wind chimes. "Only then can the Silver Queen take you as her own.""Come, Draelond. Come follow me," Ruze said as he and the winged woman turned into the storm. "Come.""Beware this place, warrior," the woman added, her voice clearly reaching Draelond's ears even as Ruze's began to fade. "There are dangers aplenty for the unclaimed.""Come follow me. Draelond Come with me to my Queen," Ruze continued to call, his voice now barely audible from the swirling snowstorm. "Come."</blockquote>

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