Sacrifice
Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2003 7:37 pmBaeldor shivered as he listened to the slow, cold rain that pattered over the forest canopy. The air was chill and dank and here in the thick Yew forests, the light was dim and uncertain. Thunder muttered distantly and errant sprays of chilled rain slipped through the upper foliage to wet the unwary traveler below. This was not the best day to be out hunting but Baeldor was young and vital and eager. He had his eye on a scimitar of Power that a vendor in town displayed to his hungry eyes and a little cold weather and rain wasn't going to keep him from adventuring. The sooner he acquired the necessary funds, the more effective he would be.
The stand of bracken behind him rattled and he whirled, longsword upraised and body tensed to react before he realized it was just an errant gust of wind. He sighed and relaxed minimally as his hazel eyes scanned the surroundings. The almost inaudible hiss of air borne wings flickered in his ears and he pivoted and crouched, his sword slicing upwards and through the mongbat that had launched itself at him from the branches of an oak tree. The dingy brown creature thudded to the ground at his feet, splattering his new thigh high boots with noisome body fluids. Yuck! He had just bought these the other day too. The girls at the bakery had oooohd at the sight of him strutting nonchalantly through the door in his thighhighs and tight leather pants. He grinned as he scrubbed the worst of the mess off with a clump of grass. Baeldor pocketed the few coins the mongbat had stolen from somewhere and peered ahead of him. Ahh, a clearing of sorts, a likely place on sunny days to find monsters but at least he'd be able to see the sky for a change.
It moved slowly through the shadowed trees, shoving branches and even trees aside as it relentlessly pushed forwards. There was human scent in the forest, mixed with the wet, moldering scent of humus and rotting logs. Somewhere near perhaps. It was hungry and it was angry, as it always was. Images flickered through it's mind from days long past. Images of song and thunder, lightning and ecstatic release. The crystal harmonies and brothers of song. Now gone, long dead and rotted. Nothing was left except revenge. Red pulsing mind surging orgasmic bloody death! The golden skinned Titan shuddered within, as it's muscled hand knotted around the thick shaft of his mallet. He ignored the cold rain in the greater need to kill. The massively muscled body slowed and stealthily passed the last two hundred yards silently until it poised motionlessly behind an ancient beech tree. There, at the far edge of the windswept clearing before him.
Dannayl shook out her rain soaked robe and wrung it before hanging it on the tripod of sticks she had erected next to the small campfire. The thick leafed branches of the giant elm seem to enfold this edge of the clearing, keeping the light but steady rain at bay. Thin tendrils of smoke wafted up from the cheery, live giving flames of her fire, only to be shredded by the cold breeze as they ascended. That was fine with her, the little evidence she made of her presence, the better. She was in dangerous territory here. Ogres, Ettins, Ogre Lords and Titans frequented this part of the forest, south of the Justice shrine that lay far beyond around a corner of the lake.
If she hadn't promised her father on his deathbed to honor his memory every year this day at the shrine she wouldn't be out here at all on a day like this. But, he was worth it. He had raised her alone when her mother had died in childbirth and given her everything he could think of to be successful and happy in life. Although he was a warrior, she has shown much potential to the arcane when she was young had learned to become a mage. Her blue eyes clouded as she remembered the day he staggered out of the forest, his armor shredded and shield broken. He had lived only long enough to gaze at her and tell her he loved her and to always uphold Justice. Every year since then, she had made the pilgrimage to that shrine and meditated on what he had taught her.
A quiet crackle at the edge of the clearing made her uncoil from her crouch beside the fire, her short brown hair flaring out around her oval face, her arms spread and fingers extended with spellsongs poised on the full lips of her mouth. A young hunter flinched back momentarily, then moved into clear view in the light rain. "Hi, sorry to startle you, I saw the fire and thought I would, umm, say hi." he stammered, eyeing the lithe figure standing there ready. "I really just am passing through. I, umm, am hunting.", he finished lamely.
"Well don't stand there and get soaked. You may share the warmth of my fire." she replied, shooting an amused glance at the new thighhigh boots he wore. He looked and sounded awfully young but he was human and every human deserved warmth on a day like today. She didn't have a lot of patience for young guys like that, they were often boastful, vain and arrogant. But, sometimes they were amusing and often good to look at. Plenty of vigor, enthusiasm and endurance but little finesse. Still, hmm.
"Thanks!" he said as he strode up to the blaze. He knelt down and added a couple dry sticks to the fire that was crumbling to radiant coals. "My name is Baeldor. I am surprised to find anyone else out here in the forest on such a lousy day. I thought I was the only one stupid enough to do that." he laughed. She arched one eyebrow cooly at the remark and he blushed. "Well, I didn't mean that you were stupid or anything. I just, well, I me.." She held up a hand to stop him and smiled. "No offense, it is a very nasty day to be out adventuring. However, I am on my way to the shrine of Justice and neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night will...", she paused for a moment, that didn't sound right. "Anyway, I go every year regardless of the weather."
He smiled and glanced at her leather studded clad form. The deep purple robe stretched out on the rack by the fire was steaming and he was suddenly glad it was such a rainy day so she would have to remove the robe and gee she sure looked nice in that tight fitting leather armor. It was faded and worn, as if she had used it for many years. Her eyes were amazing and that slightly upturned nose was quite cute. He realized he was being a bit obvious and dug in his pack for his usual supplies. "Beef jerky?" he offered, holding out some dried, twisted sticks of smoked beef. She wrinkled her nose and declined, picking up the half eaten apple she had been munching on before he arrived. "So, *crunch* *slurp*, what are you doing out here" she asked.
"I am hunting." he stated, wondering why she asked such an obvious question. She sighed around a mouthful of apple and swallowed. "I gathered that. WHY are you hunting on such a dreary day?" she elucidated, gesturing with the core of the apple.
"Oh! Well, I don't have a lot of money yet and there is this GREAT scimitar of Power in town that I want so I figured I'd just hunt everyday until I had enough for it." he said enthusiastically. He started describing the scimitar as she nodded and kicked a hole in the grass, dropping the core into it. Maybe a young apple tree would grow here someday.
"So, you are a mage, huh?" he asked, looking at the bulging bag of reagents and mage's staff by her side. "Why yes, I am!", she agreed, barely restraining herself from rolling her eyes. He WAS a young pup but he was also cute. Hmmm. "Maybe we should travel together. If you want to go to the shrine with me, there'll probably be good hunting all the way. After that, I plan on heading back to Yew, I have a little cabin just outside of town." she remarked.
Baeldor stood and thought for a moment. Was she offering him anything but companionship to the shrine and back? He had hunted with others before but a woman mage, well now, that was different. He had never hunted with one before and definitely not with a pretty one like her. She smiled at him inquiringly and he hastily said "Yes, sure I'd love to!" Just then, her eyes widened in alarm and a guttural voice sounded as brilliant lights burst about her form. The sheering sound of a magic spell echoed in the clearing and made leaves on the elm tree shiver.
Dannayl sagged, suddenly weak and disoriented. She blinked her eyes and still couldn't see what was attacking. She saw Jaeldor step forward, his longsword gripped expertly in his hand. He glanced back at her as a blindingly bright bolt of lightning struck her, jerking up upright to her toes, every nerve screaming as it was overwhelmed. Jaledor charged the shadowed figure at the edge of the clearing as she murmured a reflect cantrip. The bolt of coruscating energy that streaked at her rebounded back across the space and impacted on her assailant. She cast Reflect again and then sent a magic arrow winging swiftly at it. It predictably rebounded back at her but now the creature was unprotected. Suddenly, a ball of fire enveloped Jaeldor as he swung his sword at the creature.
The Titan snarled and hammered the impetuous warrior back into the center of the clearing before striding into it himself. He spat a guttural word of power and the human screamed as a sheet of flame burst upon him. He glared at the other human and decided to finish this one first. Dannayl cast Healing on Jaeldor as the Titan's mallet came down with crushing force. Jaeldor staggered to his feet, his ringmail broken in places, his body bleeding and burning. He had to get the Titan away from her! Another delicious spell of Healing washed over him and gave him new strength. He feinted to the left and then darted under the Titan's arm and plunged into the forest, the Titan roaring as it followed.
"IDIOT!" she screamed as she plunged after them. If he had only stayed where he was she could have kept healing him but now she couldn't even see the young warrior. Her eye narrowed into ice blue slits and her upper lip tensed as she eyed the broad golden back of the Titan. Rapidly she cast energy bolts and flamestrikes as she followed. If she could turn it, then she could run and perhaps they both could get out of this alive. She lost sight of both of them for a moment and then swept around the side of a birch tree to see the young warrior on one knee, sword raised defiantly and shield in pieces at his feet. The Titan swung his mallet with full resounding impact and then slammed the warrior with another sheet of flame. 'Goddess, how can it have so much mana?', she wondered as she used her last bit of magical strength to do the same to the Titan. It bellowed, arching its back as the golden skin bubbled and steamed, turning black as it collapsed to the wet forest floor.
Dannayl dropped to her knees beside Baeldor. His cracked, blackened skin sickened her and she ached to Heal him but she had no reserves. She had used every erg of power to finish the Titan. She sought to meditate but she was so drained she knew she would have to wait a bit until she could do it. No, there would not be enough time! His pack was empty of healing potions and all she had was scrolls. Even those took at least a bit of mana and she had none. "Please. Please hold on. Don't give up" she begged him, cradling his head against her chest. "I...I.." he croaked out harshly, "..you are ok. I did it...i saved you.." he sighed painfully.
She bit her lip to refrain from yelling at him. If only he had faced the creature squarely and relied on her to heal him! Ach, inexperience proves out sometimes. She looked into his reddened eyes and smiled tremulously, "Thank you Jaeldor, thank you. You saved me. Just hang on though, don't give up. Just wait two minutes, ok? Please?" she breathed softly. He smiled and then looked confused. His eyes went hazy and body went limp in her arms. No, no! She sobbed inside as she felt his spirit drift away. 'Not today, not him, not now. Oh Goddess, why?', she thought despairingly as the thunderclouds above grumbled sonorously.
A longsword and mallet lay crosswise across the mound of newly dug dirt at the base of the clearing. Dannayl strode through the weeping branches of silent trees, her leather armor dark with the rain. Her eyes were cold and sorrowful but at least he was buried snug in her best purple robe. That was the least she could do and flowers planted on the mound. Maybe he will be less impetuous when the Wheel turns for him once more, she thought. He was so full of life and confidence. Brash as a puppy and brave as a lion. After her meditation at the Justice shrine, she had a journey to the shrine of Sacrifice to make.
The stand of bracken behind him rattled and he whirled, longsword upraised and body tensed to react before he realized it was just an errant gust of wind. He sighed and relaxed minimally as his hazel eyes scanned the surroundings. The almost inaudible hiss of air borne wings flickered in his ears and he pivoted and crouched, his sword slicing upwards and through the mongbat that had launched itself at him from the branches of an oak tree. The dingy brown creature thudded to the ground at his feet, splattering his new thigh high boots with noisome body fluids. Yuck! He had just bought these the other day too. The girls at the bakery had oooohd at the sight of him strutting nonchalantly through the door in his thighhighs and tight leather pants. He grinned as he scrubbed the worst of the mess off with a clump of grass. Baeldor pocketed the few coins the mongbat had stolen from somewhere and peered ahead of him. Ahh, a clearing of sorts, a likely place on sunny days to find monsters but at least he'd be able to see the sky for a change.
It moved slowly through the shadowed trees, shoving branches and even trees aside as it relentlessly pushed forwards. There was human scent in the forest, mixed with the wet, moldering scent of humus and rotting logs. Somewhere near perhaps. It was hungry and it was angry, as it always was. Images flickered through it's mind from days long past. Images of song and thunder, lightning and ecstatic release. The crystal harmonies and brothers of song. Now gone, long dead and rotted. Nothing was left except revenge. Red pulsing mind surging orgasmic bloody death! The golden skinned Titan shuddered within, as it's muscled hand knotted around the thick shaft of his mallet. He ignored the cold rain in the greater need to kill. The massively muscled body slowed and stealthily passed the last two hundred yards silently until it poised motionlessly behind an ancient beech tree. There, at the far edge of the windswept clearing before him.
Dannayl shook out her rain soaked robe and wrung it before hanging it on the tripod of sticks she had erected next to the small campfire. The thick leafed branches of the giant elm seem to enfold this edge of the clearing, keeping the light but steady rain at bay. Thin tendrils of smoke wafted up from the cheery, live giving flames of her fire, only to be shredded by the cold breeze as they ascended. That was fine with her, the little evidence she made of her presence, the better. She was in dangerous territory here. Ogres, Ettins, Ogre Lords and Titans frequented this part of the forest, south of the Justice shrine that lay far beyond around a corner of the lake.
If she hadn't promised her father on his deathbed to honor his memory every year this day at the shrine she wouldn't be out here at all on a day like this. But, he was worth it. He had raised her alone when her mother had died in childbirth and given her everything he could think of to be successful and happy in life. Although he was a warrior, she has shown much potential to the arcane when she was young had learned to become a mage. Her blue eyes clouded as she remembered the day he staggered out of the forest, his armor shredded and shield broken. He had lived only long enough to gaze at her and tell her he loved her and to always uphold Justice. Every year since then, she had made the pilgrimage to that shrine and meditated on what he had taught her.
A quiet crackle at the edge of the clearing made her uncoil from her crouch beside the fire, her short brown hair flaring out around her oval face, her arms spread and fingers extended with spellsongs poised on the full lips of her mouth. A young hunter flinched back momentarily, then moved into clear view in the light rain. "Hi, sorry to startle you, I saw the fire and thought I would, umm, say hi." he stammered, eyeing the lithe figure standing there ready. "I really just am passing through. I, umm, am hunting.", he finished lamely.
"Well don't stand there and get soaked. You may share the warmth of my fire." she replied, shooting an amused glance at the new thighhigh boots he wore. He looked and sounded awfully young but he was human and every human deserved warmth on a day like today. She didn't have a lot of patience for young guys like that, they were often boastful, vain and arrogant. But, sometimes they were amusing and often good to look at. Plenty of vigor, enthusiasm and endurance but little finesse. Still, hmm.
"Thanks!" he said as he strode up to the blaze. He knelt down and added a couple dry sticks to the fire that was crumbling to radiant coals. "My name is Baeldor. I am surprised to find anyone else out here in the forest on such a lousy day. I thought I was the only one stupid enough to do that." he laughed. She arched one eyebrow cooly at the remark and he blushed. "Well, I didn't mean that you were stupid or anything. I just, well, I me.." She held up a hand to stop him and smiled. "No offense, it is a very nasty day to be out adventuring. However, I am on my way to the shrine of Justice and neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night will...", she paused for a moment, that didn't sound right. "Anyway, I go every year regardless of the weather."
He smiled and glanced at her leather studded clad form. The deep purple robe stretched out on the rack by the fire was steaming and he was suddenly glad it was such a rainy day so she would have to remove the robe and gee she sure looked nice in that tight fitting leather armor. It was faded and worn, as if she had used it for many years. Her eyes were amazing and that slightly upturned nose was quite cute. He realized he was being a bit obvious and dug in his pack for his usual supplies. "Beef jerky?" he offered, holding out some dried, twisted sticks of smoked beef. She wrinkled her nose and declined, picking up the half eaten apple she had been munching on before he arrived. "So, *crunch* *slurp*, what are you doing out here" she asked.
"I am hunting." he stated, wondering why she asked such an obvious question. She sighed around a mouthful of apple and swallowed. "I gathered that. WHY are you hunting on such a dreary day?" she elucidated, gesturing with the core of the apple.
"Oh! Well, I don't have a lot of money yet and there is this GREAT scimitar of Power in town that I want so I figured I'd just hunt everyday until I had enough for it." he said enthusiastically. He started describing the scimitar as she nodded and kicked a hole in the grass, dropping the core into it. Maybe a young apple tree would grow here someday.
"So, you are a mage, huh?" he asked, looking at the bulging bag of reagents and mage's staff by her side. "Why yes, I am!", she agreed, barely restraining herself from rolling her eyes. He WAS a young pup but he was also cute. Hmmm. "Maybe we should travel together. If you want to go to the shrine with me, there'll probably be good hunting all the way. After that, I plan on heading back to Yew, I have a little cabin just outside of town." she remarked.
Baeldor stood and thought for a moment. Was she offering him anything but companionship to the shrine and back? He had hunted with others before but a woman mage, well now, that was different. He had never hunted with one before and definitely not with a pretty one like her. She smiled at him inquiringly and he hastily said "Yes, sure I'd love to!" Just then, her eyes widened in alarm and a guttural voice sounded as brilliant lights burst about her form. The sheering sound of a magic spell echoed in the clearing and made leaves on the elm tree shiver.
Dannayl sagged, suddenly weak and disoriented. She blinked her eyes and still couldn't see what was attacking. She saw Jaeldor step forward, his longsword gripped expertly in his hand. He glanced back at her as a blindingly bright bolt of lightning struck her, jerking up upright to her toes, every nerve screaming as it was overwhelmed. Jaledor charged the shadowed figure at the edge of the clearing as she murmured a reflect cantrip. The bolt of coruscating energy that streaked at her rebounded back across the space and impacted on her assailant. She cast Reflect again and then sent a magic arrow winging swiftly at it. It predictably rebounded back at her but now the creature was unprotected. Suddenly, a ball of fire enveloped Jaeldor as he swung his sword at the creature.
The Titan snarled and hammered the impetuous warrior back into the center of the clearing before striding into it himself. He spat a guttural word of power and the human screamed as a sheet of flame burst upon him. He glared at the other human and decided to finish this one first. Dannayl cast Healing on Jaeldor as the Titan's mallet came down with crushing force. Jaeldor staggered to his feet, his ringmail broken in places, his body bleeding and burning. He had to get the Titan away from her! Another delicious spell of Healing washed over him and gave him new strength. He feinted to the left and then darted under the Titan's arm and plunged into the forest, the Titan roaring as it followed.
"IDIOT!" she screamed as she plunged after them. If he had only stayed where he was she could have kept healing him but now she couldn't even see the young warrior. Her eye narrowed into ice blue slits and her upper lip tensed as she eyed the broad golden back of the Titan. Rapidly she cast energy bolts and flamestrikes as she followed. If she could turn it, then she could run and perhaps they both could get out of this alive. She lost sight of both of them for a moment and then swept around the side of a birch tree to see the young warrior on one knee, sword raised defiantly and shield in pieces at his feet. The Titan swung his mallet with full resounding impact and then slammed the warrior with another sheet of flame. 'Goddess, how can it have so much mana?', she wondered as she used her last bit of magical strength to do the same to the Titan. It bellowed, arching its back as the golden skin bubbled and steamed, turning black as it collapsed to the wet forest floor.
Dannayl dropped to her knees beside Baeldor. His cracked, blackened skin sickened her and she ached to Heal him but she had no reserves. She had used every erg of power to finish the Titan. She sought to meditate but she was so drained she knew she would have to wait a bit until she could do it. No, there would not be enough time! His pack was empty of healing potions and all she had was scrolls. Even those took at least a bit of mana and she had none. "Please. Please hold on. Don't give up" she begged him, cradling his head against her chest. "I...I.." he croaked out harshly, "..you are ok. I did it...i saved you.." he sighed painfully.
She bit her lip to refrain from yelling at him. If only he had faced the creature squarely and relied on her to heal him! Ach, inexperience proves out sometimes. She looked into his reddened eyes and smiled tremulously, "Thank you Jaeldor, thank you. You saved me. Just hang on though, don't give up. Just wait two minutes, ok? Please?" she breathed softly. He smiled and then looked confused. His eyes went hazy and body went limp in her arms. No, no! She sobbed inside as she felt his spirit drift away. 'Not today, not him, not now. Oh Goddess, why?', she thought despairingly as the thunderclouds above grumbled sonorously.
A longsword and mallet lay crosswise across the mound of newly dug dirt at the base of the clearing. Dannayl strode through the weeping branches of silent trees, her leather armor dark with the rain. Her eyes were cold and sorrowful but at least he was buried snug in her best purple robe. That was the least she could do and flowers planted on the mound. Maybe he will be less impetuous when the Wheel turns for him once more, she thought. He was so full of life and confidence. Brash as a puppy and brave as a lion. After her meditation at the Justice shrine, she had a journey to the shrine of Sacrifice to make.