The Lone Hellbred
I followed after the two as they continued to ignore me. Granted Araja was preoccupied with her agenda while Heinul tolerated my presence. It was curious to discover that Sven was the true evil, something I had suspected but now had confirmation.
As I waited patiently, hoping Araja would obtain her freedom, what I was silently dreading began to unfold before me. Heinul announced that they would need to remove each other’s circlet from the other. The parasite had become too much apart of them and now they needed to die.
Araja looked at me with her empty eyes and her smile faint.
“You will be missed Isaac,” she said, “Thank you for always being there. You were always so good to me despite my childish fits.”
I clasped my hands tightly behind my back, to keep Araja from seeing them shake. This was it. She had chosen her death over me. A contrite thanks being all she had ever given me in return for my devotion. I’ve been tossed aside and only now do I see it. My Dwarven friend was right, there was no one for me in this world... I dug my nails into my skin in an effort to steady my voice.
"So this is your choice then?” She nodded. It felt like pieces of me were slipping away. “Goodbye then Araja. I will think fondly of you from time to time."
A single tear escaped each of my eyes. The first tears I’ve ever cried in my four long years of life. Araja nodded and flashed one of her rare smiles toward me. I’d do almost anything, even die, to be her everything.
I watched as she grasped Heinul's circlet and He hers. I watched as He filled her with His holy might and count down from 3. Then the sound of cracking bones filled the air as they purged one another of the cursed circlet. Heinul collapsed immediately. Araja eyes stared off in the distance, wide with shock.
"Save... Harbinger... please," was barely uttered as she gave me one final glance. Her knees then buckled and to the ground she fell.
I made no attempt to catch her. Her final words were of a man from her half crazed ravings. Yet as I looked upon her lifeless body, she was all I could see and I was powerless against her. I never thought I would mourn the death of anyone, but her... I’ll mourn, and what would never have been, for the rest of eternity.
Darkness then swallowed my heart.
"She was a noble creature, but confused. She will need you to guide her into my rest," the Raven Queen spoke into my mind.
I knew what to do. Though she had broken my heart, she still held its pieces in her hands.
"Araja Eloirakn, the fallen daughter of Heironious. Our time together grows short,” I felt a knot in my throat as I knelt down next to her, "All that is left for you to do is to enter the rest of the ancients. I will aid you one last time." The words felt like someone else was saying them. They were too mechanical.
I clasped Araja's blood soaked hand and leaned back, as if to pull her to her feet. She rose up, wispy and insubstantial, but as clean and whole as the day I met her. Only her broken body remained on the floor to remind me that she was in fact dead. I had to guide her to the Raven Queen if there was any hope of her returning to the grand cycle.
While keeping a hand on her, I made a grabbing motion at the sky with my left hand before waving it in a half circle. The sky wheeled overhead, suddenly revealing stars and a waning moon. Our surroundings slowly fade away into mist, the golden halls of Heironious no longer visible. An archway made of stone came into sight, its interior dark. This was the entrance into the realm of the Raven Queen.
I pointed at the archway and gave Araja a gentle push toward it.
"My Queen is just inside. She will take you the rest of the way, to rest in the halls of your fathers. This is as far as I can go, for it is not yet my time to meet Her. Once given time to heal, you may chose to venture forth again and start as a new life. Perhaps when that happens I will meet you again-” I stopped short, wanting to say more, but my throat seized up. Her eyes looked about as though she were lost and that was when I remembered. She couldn’t reply in her insubstantial form. She may not even be able to understand what I was saying. An injury to the body could disorient the spirit, and her spirit was already confused and damaged.
I guided Araja with my hands until her spirit had entered the archway and vanished from all perception. I once more clasped my hands tightly behind my back to keep them from shaking. I stood there long after her passing into the care of the Raven Queen. Waves of emotion crashing against me like the ocean against a lighthouse. I continued to stand in place as the archway faded back into the mist, not moving a muscle.
However I didn’t see the mist. I saw Araja. I saw her how I remembered first seeing her in the village square of Podunk. My emotions churned as I replayed every memory I had of her to the very end. Then, when there was nothing left to remember, I pulled my emotions around me like a heavy cloak. My rage, anger, and love. I scoured my mind clean with the emotions until nothing was left.
I too died today and all that remains is a shell.
"This... It's almost like a disease. I know soon you will be over the lies. You'll be strong. You'll be rich in love and you will carry on, but no...... you won't be mine." I finally uttered, my last words of love for her. I then grasped at the mist and turn the world back.
Psh, Harbinger indeed. The world will need one to protect itself from me.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
Return to Athvala
“Welcome Araja,” a calming voice spoke to me. It was the clearest words I had heard since... since... well I’m not sure. Everything was blurred still, sounds ebbing in and out. I vaguely remember a red personage once walking with me.
“This way my child,” the woman’s voice called. I followed the sound as it lingered on the air. Bright light illuminated the blue gray fog I walked in. In time tree’s sprang into view followed by grassy hills. Though it felt like a summer day, the colors were dark and dreary, as though the sun had lost most of it’s intensity. I stopped walking and looked about the place I now stood.
“Where am I?” I asked. Movement caught my eyes and a royal looking woman stood before me. She was dressed in black and dark blues. Her black hair was long and flowing and draped about her shoulders. She wore a simple, silver circlet upon her fair head and had a warm smile on her face.
“You are in my realm now and under my care fallen one,” she answered. Though her tone was inviting and warm, the word ‘fallen’ pinged at my heart. I remembered clearly how I was cast out by Heironious... and how I had failed Him. Realization dawned on me that I had died... How though escaped me.
“How did I get here?”
“Your friend Isaac sent you.” I cocked my head. “You needn’t be surprised dear one. You were very special to him and he wanted you to rest in peace.”
I felt the emotions of sorrow and gratitude flood through me, but for once no tears came. It was as though I had become a hollowed shell.
“Araja?” someone else called out to me. I turned and beheld a familiar face.
“Lash?” I questioned as I saw the true form of my once dead comrade. “How?”
The silver haired woman approached me and surprisingly gave me a hug. “Welcome to the Raven Queen’s home,” Lash greeted, “It would appear we both have been freed.”
“Freed from what?” I asked.
“It would seem your death has stunted recent memories,” the Raven Queen mused.
“May I show her around?” the cleric asked.
“Please do.” With that, the Queen went her way leaving me and my comrade alone.
“This way Araja,” Lash instructed. I followed after her, trying to decipher what we were freed from. My thoughts kept wandering to Isaac and the people I traveled with in Athvala. What were they up to now?
“Do you remember the circlet?” Lash asked.
“The one the Raven Queen’s wearing?”
“No not that one,” the cleric laughed, “Else you and I wouldn’t have a place to call home.” Lash looked upon me appraisingly, “I suppose it’s best you don’t remember. But I’m very much interested in what you remember of Cloudbreaker, Grendel, Bal Vyr, and Trickfoot. Were you able to find the Gnome? Were you able to destroy the undead? What about the Druidess? Did you all fulfill her wishes or did you side with the townsfolk?”
I furrowed my brows as I reflected. The names were familiar and as I pondered them, it came back more clearly. I then filled Lash in on what all happened that I could remember, explaining how everyone had turned into their demon, but, unlike her, we all reverted back to our normal selves.
“They said the reason you didn’t come back had to do with Bal Vyr’s fire magicks,” I explained.
“It wasn’t that,” Lash responded.
“When you say we were freed, is that meaning from the mark we bore in Athvala?”
“Basically.”
I became silent as I thought about that. We were freed from the mark, but by doing so, we’ve died.
“Do you think the others will be able to rid themselves of the mark without dying?”
Lash became contemplative, her features becoming serene, if not forlorn.
“It’s hard to say. The longer they have the mark the less likely they’ll survive it’s removal.”
“And if we didn’t survive the removal... surely they won’t,” I muttered. Harbinger came into my mind and I was sad for him. Though if he died, and his Gods were still around, perhaps he would be sent to live with them. Still, he and I would never be. Whatever life I had hoped for was gone. At least this time the emotions played out in my hollowed shell with no substance to hold onto.
“You miss him don’t you,” Lash said suddenly. I gave a slow nod of my head. I would miss the Goliath for eternity, “If we asked, I would imagine the Raven Queen could send you back to Athvala.” I looked at the cleric imploringly, but then reality weighed it’s hand on me.
“What use would it be? I’m dead.”
“True, but it certainly would be nicer than staying here. He might even appreciate the closure to know where you’ve gone. Maybe you can help rid him of the mark so he might live.”
The idea was desirable, but how would I be of help?
“I don’t even remember how I got rid of mine,” I confessed.
“Well, then maybe to make sure the mark doesn’t continue to evolve over them. Keep him and the others from becoming their demon.”
“Actually, that would be useful Araja,” the Raven Queen suddenly spoke from behind me, “My apologies for eavesdropping, but I think you could do good there if you prevent them from dying. The curse will only grow stronger the more they succumb to death.”
At first, my thoughts were muddled. Then the first tangible emotion to take hold where my heart should be was joy. I’d be able to see Harbinger once more... I’d be able to tell him goodbye and perhaps even help him survive the removal of his mark.
“Then send me back. I’ll see what I can do.”
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
I slowly woke up to the sounds of people stirring about me. Food was being prepared by Trickfoot and Tornar as Bal Vyr, Abu, and Harbinger discussed about something. Grendel kept his distance, possibly brooding over his misfortune to be stuck with us. I slowly sat up, stretching my arms and wings.
“Hey, you’re awake,” Harbinger said once he took note of me, “Sleep any better?”
A smile broke my lips as I reveled in knowing I was back, but the weight of knowing I was dead bore down on me too. How would I ever explain that to him?
“Uh, yeah. I slept very soundly.”
“No more nightmares about helpful Giants?” he chuckled. I cocked my head, forcing my smile to remain. I couldn’t recall any nightmare other than dying.
“No... none that I can recall,” I quickly said. My mind raced trying to figure out another detail. I was killed elsewhere, away from this group. Why was that? Where had I gone?
“That’s good. I’m about to head off to town now. I wish you could come.”
“Same. Be quick and safe in the mean time,” I instructed.
“Will do,” the Goliath answered before giving me a kiss, “Kuli’gol ananaka.”
“Uil æaer,” I replied. It was fun being able to use our languages freely with each other.
Harbinger then put on an Orcish disguise with Bal Vyr’s rin. Once approved by all that he looked like a half Orc, he bid us all farewell. I then spent the following hours exercising my wings and contemplating how to remove the curse mark. Nothing came of my pondering and so to pass time, I took a nap.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
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