You feel as if you are in a dream.
In a place that is no place (you can't seem to concentrate enough to see where you are), a scarred but beautiful woman dressed in plate armor visits you.
She thanks you for your kindness and service, then apologizes for the fact that she cannot help you in the future.
Yet, she can grant you a token of her gratitude, and kisses you on the brow.
Startled, you feel a wet tongue...
You awaken to a badger nuzzling you.
As you sit up and look around, you see nothing left of your enemies but their clothing, equipment and a little blackened outline on the floor.
You each also find small fragments of the exploded wardstone shard embedded in the walls. A thin fingernail sized flake of bright smooth stone, you can feel the holy energies still infused in it.
As the last of her foes fell Danua felt the light within her fade, along with all her strength and in that moment of weakness she muttered. "Have I found redemption..." Then came a burning that started at the center of her being, she sagged back. Too exhausted to fight and when the vision came it sparked a long forgotten memory. A woman she had met on the road, one who saved her by chance when she had been stumbling through the wound.
When Danua awoke she was changed, the vision she had seen, the woman whohad thanked her and the past with the woman she met. But never knew her name. So much she didn't know, so much she needed to change. When she stood though she realized she was changed, her skin was no longer pitch black but pale like snow. Her dark scales and raptor like feet were more silvery-white in color now as well. With a start she realized that Mi Sutoresu was still in her hand as she was standing there. As her new found allies started to recover she sheathed her blade and took on a more relaxed posture. "So... This is the part where you chain me right? " Her voice was different as well, less savage and more... refined. She even felt sharper too, a pity the inquisition would more then likely end her this time successfully. Despite her dismal thoughts she spotted something interesting and as she spoke her tail gathered up one of the broken wardstone shard fragments and tucked it into her pouch. Best keep this for later...
Voren feels the power fading. He simply collapses into unconsciousness, Ayne coming out of his robes to try and wake him up. When he comes to, he's in some kind of white void. He stands looking around. When he faces forward again, a beautiful yet scarred woman appears. Before he can ask any questions, the woman explains. When she kisses his forehead, Voren turns red (well, redder than normal). He then feels the wet sensation of a tongue licking him. That's when he begins to become conscious. Seeing Tentak standing there licking his forehead, he stands up quickly in embarrassment. He looks himself over. He doesn't appear different. His eyes now glow with golden light. He does, however, feel much stronger. Like something that was long dormant is now stirring. He looks at Ayne and asks, "Ayne. What is this? This power?" Ayne simply replies, "I am unsure, boy. It may have something to do with that Wardstone. I suggest you do some more research into this." Voren nods and looks around. Seeing some wardstone fragments, the tiefling quickly rushes to them and pulls one out, examining it. "Fascinating." When Danua asks about being chained, Voren looks at her, brow raised. "And why would we do that?" His posture is much more confident and he isn't stuttering or unsure. Whatever the power of the Wardstone was, it seemed to make Voren more confident in himself, like he isn't afraid anymore.
She looks at Voren this new found confidence he had was a thrill for her to see. She held back a quip and answered truthfully to his question. "Though I bear the scale I was once an enemy of Mendev, so long as those outside the Grey do not learn of me. Then my past will once more fall into obscurity and I can walk the road to redeeming myself, this is a choice of yours to make. Though..." She looks to her hands and in that brief instances those watching her see her several actions in the span of a few seconds. Though she appeared unsteady momentarily afterwards...
Her blade glowed with new found power and her mind reeled at the sudden speed she had, though the unsteadiness that accompanied was a bit of a shock too. None of her movements were threatening more an attempt at testing her new limits. Afterwards she spoke again, though a bit unsteadily. "... I'd rather continue to accompany you all further and test this new strength as well." She smiles then, truly smiles for the first time in a long time.
Voren shrugs. "I think that we shouldn't hide your past. Since you have aided us and bear a scale, the silver dragon had chosen you to help in this fight. If we hide your past and it gets revealed, it could do more damage in the long run. However, if you want to keep it a secret, then I won't argue it. Just remember that whoever you were doesn't matter. All that matters is the here and now." When Dauna asks to join them, Voren smiles back. "Of course. You don't have to ask. You've been a good friend. The five of us are in this together." He then rests a hand on his head and groans. His eyes cycle through different colors; green, black, white, and more. Eventually, the eyes settle back to a warm golden glow. He closes his eyes and breathes for a moment. He then opens his eyes and looks at his friends. "Sorry. A slight headache. It feels that my mind has expanded a bit. I also feel like my hexes have gotten more powerful. Whether it's from the Wardstone or thr dream I had when I went unconscious." Ayne skitters on his shoulder. "My guess is on the former, boy." He turns to his familiar. "You're probably right, Ayne. The Wardstone was filled with powerful magic from Iomedae's herald."
Jokum collapses, strength spent and features transforming back into their regular cast, as the last demon falls. The dream perplexes him. He knows who the lady is, well enough, but she was never his goddess...
When he wakes up, Tentak is sitting on his chest, rough tongue slobbering over his face. "Fat lot of good you did, idiotic badger," Jokum half-groans, half-mutters, shoving the black-and-silver animal off of him. Tentak makes a gagging sound and coughs up what appears to be a demon's fang, then sets about grooming himself. Smugly.
As Danua and Voren talk, Jokum gets back on his feet, flexing his hands and working out the kinks in his muscles. He stares at his claws. Even now, minutes after the strange light of the wardstone has vanished, they shimmer like steel. Although he's always been tall and trim, his body feels different now too--more lean, harder, as though it's been refined by some sort of mighty forge or trainer.
Aloud, he says to Voren and Danua, "Voren's right. What you were is not as important...as perhaps I once thought." Turning to Danua, he spreads his hands. "Look upon me. When I was young a man I'd wronged tried to sacrifice me to a demon. I don't know what happened that night--I'd always assumed that the demon had taken residence inside me, and that that was why I've passed the last five decades without aging or slowing even as my childhood friends died. But now...now I'm not so sure." He grins and clenches his hand--for the first time, the claws seem to nestle easily in his palm, not piercing or even marking his skin. "Whatever I am...demon or no...I know what I'm here to do. And the demons that have taken my homeland won't like it." His grin turns feral and exuberant.
Voren looks at Jokum. "Interesting. Do you mind if I were to look you over and do some research? It could give you some answers." Despite the answer, Voren puts his hand on Jokum's shoulder. "That is a good mindset. I feel that, due to whatever happened just now, we might be the best chance of saving Sarkoris and ending the demon hordes."
"Feel free, Voren," Jokum says with a dry chuckle. "None have been able to figure it out yet."
He glances away, sniffing the air slightly. "We'd best move--this place remains a stronghold for the demoniacs, and we were not meant to live through this task. We should return to the crusader stronghold and regroup."
Voren does a quick look over of Jokum.
When Jokum makes his suggestion, Voren nods. "Agreed. We also need to take all of the supplies we have found and bury the bodies. Maybe the weapons could help the crusaders in some way."
You hear the pounding of footsteps up the stairway, and you see Commander Irabeth charge into the Wardstone Chamber, followed by a dozen soldiers.
"Are you all..." She starts out, then spots Danua.
"HALT CREATURE!!" She barked out, and a half dozen spears are leveled in Danua's direction.
"They are right, to an extent. You are no prisoner but you'll need to stand trial" says Karthak to Danua.
"You fought fiercely and helped us foil Arelu Voresh plans and I will vouch for you, but for yours and their sake the people of Kenabres need to know you redeemed yourself and helped save the city as much as any of us"
Then Karthak turns to the others:"Seems like on this day Torag smiled upon us! The enemy is defeated and the city saved. Now we just need to cleanse what's left of the demon's infestation... and find a way to reactivate the wardstones. So reporting back seems like a very good idea. I'm sure the others will be overjoyed to hear the news..."
Before he can finish his speech Irabeth enters the chamber and Karthak salutes her, ignoring her outburst:"Well met Irabeth. As you might have surmised by the trail of dead cultists and demons, we just prevented Areelu Vorlesh from blowing up the crusader forces along the mendevian border. Good job distracting the foul bastards by the way, the plan went as smoothly as possile"
Only then Karthak adresses the object of Irabeth's ire: Danua:"As for the tiefling... mind your manners. This is Danua, she was help prisoner by the demons and her help proved crucial in defeating them. She's as much an hero as we all are. Torag teaches that the only way to know what someone is made of is to witness their actions. Let me say Danua's proved she has true gold in her soul. There might be need for a trial but until then I expect you and the others to show her the respect she's due, and that I vouch for her"
Jokum just snorts at Karthak's words, and he rolls his eyes when Irabeth bursts into the chamber with her crusaders.
"Also, if you try to hurt her I will break those spears over your heads," he adds in a rumble to the end of Karthak's speech. "A trial will show nothing that we do not already know better. Come, let us leave this place...unless you've more for us to do?"
She nods, somewhat dumbfounded at the warmth she receiving. It had been a long time since anyone had praised her and a part of her trembled under such praise. Facing her sins was better than hiding them, these men were right and what Karthak suggested was not only sound but was the right path. At the coming of the crusaders Danua nearly took a step back, her hands didn't fall to her weapons but the wish to run and run hard shot through her like lightning.
At Karthuks and Jokum's words she instead detached her weapons slowly. "Please don't fight amongst yourselves. Your words have... given me the courage to do whats right. Again. You have my deepest thanks." She looks to the one called Irabeth and holds her disarmed weapons steady as she tries to hand them over. Her scared arms and hands fully visible as she does so. "Irabeth was it? As Karthak said, I am Danua of Dyinglight and I surrender willingly." Her sword and bow were close together and appeared to be the only weapons she had.
Voren watches and listens to the events being unfolded. At Irabeth calling Danua, Voren grumbles. "Danua and I are the same race. Wouldn't that make me a creature as well?" He looks at Irabeth. "I stand by her as well. She poses no threat to us or our cause. She has been a great help to us and is a valuable ally and friend. However, if a trial is needed, then I will not oppose it."[/smaller] He watches as she turns her weapons over. He looks at Irabeth. "We have discovered numerous weapons and supplies here. It would be wise to collect them. There are also numerous dead to be buried."
Arthas raises a hand to still the armed men.
"She has already been tried. She is proven innocent by trial by ordeal. She fought by our sides against demons beyond imagining, granted power on loan form the Lords of the Heavens themselves."
"I bear witness that Iommade's own herald gave her his blessing as seen by our own eyes and she bears a scale of the great silver martyr in her hand."
Raising the now even more powerful blade to display it divinity the paladin continues.
"Behold, Radiance continues to wake in my hand, as real and as true as the hearts of these two blessed children of Ragathiel who bear resemblance to his holy being."
He appeals to Irabeth with passionate belief in his words.
"I declare that Danua should wear no shackles, know no shame or nor suffer injury by any faithful of this city. If you choose to place her in irons then I too shall be shackled and walk beside her."
Arthas gestures at the ruin of the room
"Rejoice! For today we have saved the city. We must send word beyond its walls of our survival and tell the wounded and widowed the sacrifice was not in vain!"
"Lament, that we must reveal expose traitors whom walked among us we once held incorruptible."
"But for now let us give thanks for our deliverance and celebrate our victor and by Torags beard I believe we all could use a drink!"
Jokum watches Arthas's speechifying, lips quirked. "I know I could use one," he comments. "And no shackles for anyone, say I. Not if the shacklers want to keep their arms..."
Made in his divine image, indeed. A curse is a curse, and they deserve credit for overcoming it.
Danua stood still, not quite sure how to act after Arthas speech and with Irabeth and her soldiers seeming to be awfully on-guard with her as well, It made her a little nervous as to how things would play out.
The soldiers surge forward, but Irabeth flung her arms out at the gleam still shining from Radiance, blocking their way.
"Wait! Look at her. Look at her truly!" She said, and they all turned their Paladin's eyes upon her. Danua felt like they were doing a body cavity search on her soul.
Then the scales of Terendelev started shaking wherever you have them stashed. Without thinking, you all draw them forth. They all shine in your hands; a tough looking dragon scale, jagged and irregular, but still shining brilliantly. They all look at the one in Danua's hand.
Irabeth nodded slowly.
"The token of Terendelev!
"Very well then, consider yourself on Parole at Artha's word of honor. You may speak to the queen on this when she arrives."
She bursts into a terrifying smile.
"But come! See what your efforts have gained!" She shouted, then led you all downstairs and out the entranceway.
"We have retaken the city!" She enthused. "That burst of energy, it stunned and confused the demons, making them easy prey for us! The ones who could, either flew or teleported away! The lesser ones and the cultists who remained, we have routed them!
"KENABRES IS OURS AGAIN!" She shouted, and all the troops within earshot also cheered.
Arthas holds Radiance aloft to those assembled bathing them in it brilliant holy light.
"Behold! Behold, you who remained strong in your faith, firm in your resolve and loyal to our Gods in Heaven!"
"This day was wrought upon us by those who had lost faith! Those who believed they would be rewarded for their betrayal and their lives spared for their treachery. Know that they were rewarded for their cowardice in the only currency evil possess, by corruption of their bodies and the consumption of their very souls by demonic powers. They traded their very immortal essence for paltry worldly possessions and for the fear of mortal discomfort . . . "
"But you my friends, you who stood strong, back to back, fighting resolute against seemingly impossible odds. You defended the weak, sacrificed yourselves for the cause and above all . . . you remained loyal in your faith."
"Let it be known, the gods never abandoned us in our time of need, those who embraced the demons brought this down upon us. Despair, fear, men of weak character and morality brought this woe. But you who remained pious and righteous became a conduit for the heavens so that their holy work could be done through your hands."
"In the darkest moment The Herald stood with me and you. I saw this with my own eyes. Ragathiel handed down this blade to me so that I might wield it as The General wields me, but without sacrifice from you and yours my efforts would have been for naught."
"Look upon your fellow champions who are by my side. A stout dwarf follower of Torag, a nomadic Wildman, and these two that many of you might call half-fiends. These two, who have the hearts of angels, but bodies created in Ragathiel's image. Voren the Healer, who was brought to us from the time of the opening of the wound and Danua the Redeemed Warrior of the Light."
"You have secured a mortal victory for ourselves, but immortal release and salvation for the souls of the blessed dead."
"Now we shall rebuild to give thanks and glory to the Great Martyred Dragon Terendelv and our fallen brothers and sisters. Let us weep in both sorrow and joy, but let none of you hold your heads low."
Jokum watches Arthas, amused. He does like his words...bah, hells take it, they do no harm. I'll not deny these crusaders their celebration of victory, much though I may reject their gods. He scratches Tentak idly behind the ear, then readies himself to follow the others back to their headquarters as soon as possible.
Danua is wide eyed for the better part of the day, unsure of how to act with all this excitement and trying her best not to just back out of it completely.
Her bow chimed in in a somewhat serious but amused fashion. "Right mess you've got yourself in now. Best just enjoy the journey o' Redeemed Warrior of Light. Though, I must admit, that one has the abilities of a skilled Orator for sure."
What have I gotten myself into... Danua's last thought before a whirlwind of a week slammed into her like a boulder. Shattering her once narrow view of the world around her forever...
Karthak just nods sagely at Arthas words:"Indeed we were tested and proved true! The demons hoped to use the fall of Kenabres to fuel their offensive instead we thwarted their plans, uncovered their puppets and halted their advance. And now... now we'll push them back to the Abyss itself!"