|
Chapter 1: Sarathyn
In the outer rings of Rowan's realm Sarathyn sat. She stood in what can best be described as a room of pur energy. The light of this realm was everywhere and it made everything feel good and loved and beyond most mortal words. Sarathyn stood silently and gathered her strength. Her wings - if they were wings for again everything in this realm is beyond words and almost dreamlike, and can only be explained by simplifying everything until it could be pictured - were folded behind her. Her blonde hair flowed out like a cascade of brilliance in a million different levels of light. She placed her index fingers together and raised them to her face. "Send her in" She entered. Like Sarathyn she was brilliant. Despite her darker features, her dark brown hair, and tanned skin she appeared just as bright as all the others of the realm. Her wings moved restlessly giving away the calm appearance that she showed others. "Well my sister. You have once again interfered with the prime." The sister stood unwavering. No response was necessary. "This is the third and final time I can warn you. You have been told on numerous occasions that we can not interact directly with anyone in the prime. Not humans, not elves, not even the animals. And yet time and time again you feel the need to leave our realm and journey there." "It was necessary sister...I had to..." "I know what you think and you know as well as I that it was not necessary. It's true that lives would have been lost. Wrong's would have been committed. Still these events were not of your concern." "But..." "Don't argue. You know I speak fact. You know I can not lie." Both stood in silence. Yet even in the silence the air hummed. Musical and wonderful -- the air was full and there was no anger in the room. There was no disappointment. There was nothing but beauty. "If you interfere directly again there will be consequences. You will lose your place among us here and you will be stuck on the prime." The sister's wings pulled back in shock. Still her face did not move. With her stone face she continued to listen. "You will be human. You will live and die a mortal life and will never be welcome here again. Do you understand?" "Yes." "Then go. And may Rowan continue to shine through us all." The sister turned and left. Moments went by. Perhaps longer. Time was meaningless here. After a while Sarathyn smiled to herself, "You will make the right choice Tierra....and we will miss you" Chapter 2: Lyla, Ahna, and Kali Winter winds whipped around the camp. Numerous fires were scattered throughout the woods. Tents were put up, and armor was being removed. 3 of the followers had gathered around one of the fires and had begun to discuss what they had heard. Lyla spoke up first, "I was in town when she first appeared. Or re-appeared. I mean, she was around years ago - right? Anyway. I was there. Talkat was overrun with orcs. They came on us three nights in a row, and the third night they had broken through. My father had died the first night protecting the gate. So it was just me and my mother. My mother had left me at home as she went to Rowan's temple to pray - and that's when the orcs finally got in. Screams and clanging swords were heard all over. I was scared and clutched my fathers blade in front of me. My front door came crashing in and there stood an orc. I lifted my father's sword and the orc swung his axe at me knocking it out of my grasp. He lifted me up - laughing. His stench was overpowering. Then I dropped to the floor. Someone had come up from behind him and spun him around. It was Lady Tierra. She wore nothing but brown rags, and held no weapons yet she leapt into battle immediately. The orc threw her back out the door and into a pile of junk outside the smithy. She grabbed a decrepit old sword - more rust then metal - and lunged back at him. His axe met her sword, and her sword held together. In fact - I swear it began to glow. Brighter and brighter. With each swing it grew in size slightly and the rust fell away. Within moments she had shattered his axe and with one final extension her blade entered his gut. He dropped to his knees and she lopped his head off. She glanced up to see if I was ok, and seeing that I was she turned out the door to re-enter the battle. She turned the tide that day. All of the children whose parents were killed in the battle wished to follow her. She refused. But I - and a few other girls...followed at a distance." For a time silence. Then Ahna spoke, "I remember when she arrived in my town. I wish there had been orcs to blame for the terror that gripped Darfil, but it was only ugly human emotion. A local nobles son was passing through, and must have had too much to drink - or so he claimed. All that I know is his rape of the bar maiden was inexcusable. The girls' father killed the noble in rage, and days later the duke who was father of the rapist arrived with a small band of mercenaries. The town - Rowan bless them - rose up against the mercenaries. Fighting broke out. But amongst the fighting other elements began to rise. Looting began to take place. Houses began to burn. Innocents were being slain. Then Tierra arrived. She strode into the center of town. Wearing her glorious armor and without drawing her sword she slowly marched alone. Everyone she passed stopped fighting and began to watch. Those that continued with their thefts or acts of violence would stop the moment she glared at them. She arrived in the town center. She stood there for maybe 2 or 3 minutes as everyone - and I mean everyone - gathered around. The Duke shoved aside the crowd and stepped out towards her. He demanded to know who she was. She did not answer but said the violence must stop. He refused to stop until everyone in town had been killed. Tierra challenged him to fight one on one. He accepted but demanded they fight with a strange weapon he carried. The weapon he wished to use was a long staff, with blades on either end. One was jagged like a harpoon, the other smooth like an axe, but more curved. He gave her a similar - if cruder - weapon. She dropped her sword on the ground. He lunged forward, but she parried it as if she had fought with this weapon her entire life. For a while she just blocked his every move. Never attacking. She just watched and blocked. And then after 20 or 30 attempts by the duke, she spun her blade and stabbed the harpoon end into his heart. She cleaved right through his armor and stabbed him in the heart. He dropped to the ground. I followed Tierra when she left town. Soon I met up with all of you" Kali looked up. "I still recall vividly the fight from a month ago. My family had been kidnapped...sort of. Our uncle had been falling into dark arts and he invited us over for dinner. Of course we did not know of his evil path so we went. He locked us all in his house and took my younger sister. He....sacrificed her to some dark god. Summoning an army of undead to aid in his conquest of a merchants manor. He killed my sister out of simple greed. Tierra came slashing through the undead monsters and reached the house. She kicked open the door and slew my uncle. She unlocked the door that held us captive and told us to get help. The undead horde was not dissipating and was attacking anyone who came near it. She then ran out to face the monsters. They did not fall easily. In fact after a few moments on the ground they would generally pull themselves back together and attack her again. But still she held her ground, despite never having a chance to rest. She cleared a path for my family and we hurried past them and ran to the woods hoping to find a mercenary group, or soldiers on a mission. Anything. Then we found all of you. Camped outside town following at a distance. Kept back - as she did not want to be treated as the true leader she was. We told you of the problem. All of you raced back to town, but we feared it would be too late. It took us hours to find you and return. And yet she fought on. Not one person in town had been hurt thanks to her unending bravery. And when you began to aid her in battle the tide was turned. The abominations were kept down long enough for Tierra to return into my uncle's house and find the cause of the trouble. She destroyed a symbol that sat in a pool of blood....my sister's blood. And all was done." Ahna added, "And now thanks to that terrible event...we finally get to travel with.." Ahna was cut off by announcement. "Lady Tierra says to mobilize. There is trouble at a nearby farm. Let's move! Move!" The ladies stood and quickly began to gear up. Saddened by the evil they would soon face, but proud of where there lives had taken them. Chapter 3: Tierra "You do not belong here." Tierra could not see who spoke. She sensed him. Or her. Or it. "You must leave." The voice came from the mists. Or seemed to be just outside her field of vision. "This is not where you are needed." Tierra could not answer. Nor did she have anything to say. She knew the voice was right. Dawn's first light crept into Tierra's tent awakening her. She was sweating and felt cold despite the air's warmth. She glanced around. Her armor sat nearby ready to be worn. Her sword lay next to her, easy to grab. She stood up and splashed some water in her face. The girls always left her breakfast and water to wash up with. Tierra woke up earlier and earlier every day. The dream (nightmare?) repeated itself every night. Tierra was meant to be dead (an angel?). Did she have to return? She was banned from the heavens. Was she needed elsewhere? Tierra did not know, but she could feel something summoning her. She tossed the water bowl into her armor. One of the girls stuck her head in the tent, "Is everything ok in ...." "I thought I was through with this! Fate and destiny were nothing more then a madman's trick. I am not MEANT to be anywhere. I have things to do. Lives to save!" The girl looked nervous at Tierra, "Lady Tierra is there..." "I am not your leader! We are equals!" "Yes of course, but.." "Listen...Kali. I won't be here for much longer." Kali looked confused, and she wanted to argue, but decided to keep her mouth silent. "You girls have become able warriors. You can carry on without me." "Where are you going." "I don't know. Nowhere. Not yet. I am not done here. First we must stop those brigands in the forest near Lake Bracht. But after that maybe. Or maybe not." Kali stood silent. "Get the others ready. We should ride out soon." Kali left. Tierra began to put her armor on. She had made a mistake coming back to the prime. She needed to leave (return?). She had to find who was summoning her and stop (help?) them. But not now. No...right now she had to fight. She lifted her sword and looked at her reflection in the blade. Her face looked so hard. Was it always like this? She felt like she was hardened back when she traveled with Galen, Perrin, Daryuun, and the others...but she wasn't. She was still innocent. Fighting to save a world from a power hungry mad man. And to what end. She had lost track of the others. Daryuun had not gotten word to Tierra in years. She had not spoken to Perrin since before she went to Rowan's realm, though she assumed he knew she was back. She had gotten word from Galen a year back. He sounded unhappy. He never wanted to rule Barovia, but it was his place. She had not heard from any of the others either, and that worried her. Rowan help stop whatever they might be up to. Tierra heard the gear being packed up. These girls followed her. And though at first Tierra ignored them she eventually found it easier to ride with them. Train them properly so they can protect themselves. Its too bad that they didn't know better. This road was endless. There would always be wrongs to right. And not always as black and white as the undead or brigands. There were corrupt soldiers. And power hungry lords. And they looked to Tierra for answers. Soon she and her answers would be gone (dead?). Tierra was done donning her armor. She stepped out in the morning air and towards her fate. |