After the freaks are routed or killed E7 walks to the exact spot whe SS died. He kneels and weeps.
The remnants of the Army of Life harry the last few evil carnies across the fields. Others begin to search for wounded. One beaver medic stumbles across the prostrate form of a dark-haired girl.
We have a wounded human here! The beaver cries
"Ah! Let me help then. At least I can save someone today," Djuhah says sadly, coming over and casting a cure serious on the girl.
The Army of Life scours the battlefield aiding the wounded, and securing any prisoners.
As they approach the spot where LJ fell they find JH's unconscious form beside her. He is no longer made of stone, no longer 9 feet tall, but he is breathing slowly. The tattoos and runes upon his body are faded, their magic spent. A small squirrel nestles beside him.
The Djinn's spell heals the bruises and wounds of the prostrate girl
She sits up and looks around wildly. She looks as if she is in shock.
Father?
The Army of Life scours the battlefield aiding the wounded, and securing any prisoners.
As they approach the spot where LJ fell they find JH's unconscious form beside her. He is no longer made of stone, no longer 9 feet tall, but he is breathing slowly. The tattoos and runes upon his body are faded, their magic spent. A small squirrel nestles beside him.
The Djinn's spell heals the bruises and wounds of the prostrate girl
She sits up and looks around wildly. She looks as if she is in shock.
Father?
"I'm sorry, miss. I do not know who your father is. Or if he is here. There are so many fallen and wounded. But we will help you look if you like."
The Army of Life scours the battlefield aiding the wounded, and securing any prisoners.
As they approach the spot where LJ fell they find JH's unconscious form beside her. He is no longer made of stone, no longer 9 feet tall, but he is breathing slowly. The tattoos and runes upon his body are faded, their magic spent. A small squirrel nestles beside him.
"I'm sorry, miss. I do not know who your father is. Or if he is here. There are so many fallen and wounded. But we will help you look if you like."
The young girl looks at the kindly djinn
N-n-n-n-n-n-nooooooo!!!!!
The girl rocks on the ground
No no nonononononooo
An honor guard of bears lifts the recumbent form of JH back to the command tentsThe Army of Life scours the battlefield aiding the wounded, and securing any prisoners.
As they approach the spot where LJ fell they find JH's unconscious form beside her. He is no longer made of stone, no longer 9 feet tall, but he is breathing slowly. The tattoos and runes upon his body are faded, their magic spent. A small squirrel nestles beside him.
The squirrel holds the bears at bay for a moment, until she is sure that they mean him no harm.
"I'm sorry, miss. I do not know who your father is. Or if he is here. There are so many fallen and wounded. But we will help you look if you like."The young girl looks at the kindly djinn
N-n-n-n-n-n-nooooooo!!!!!
The girl rocks on the ground
No no nonononononooo
"Please, miss, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your pain. We have all lost friends and loved ones here today. Please, it will be alright."
"Please, miss, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your pain. We have all lost friends and loved ones here today. Please, it will be alright."
The girl stares off into space
Oh Gods, the temple. Oh gods, the children! I spent centuries bathing in the blood of c-c-c-hildren ...
The girl screams thinly and throws up a greenish foam in big racking heaves
"Please, miss, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for your pain. We have all lost friends and loved ones here today. Please, it will be alright."The girl stares off into space
Oh Gods, the temple. Oh gods, the children! I spent a century bathing in the blood of c-c-c-hildren ...
The girl screams thinly and throws up a greenish foam in big racking heaves
His eyes widen as he realizes who this is. He holds her as she throws up, keeping her hair back away from her face as best he can.
"You didn't do those things, Serafina. I have something to tell you that may help if you are willing to listen."
The two Wardens walk away, fading into nothingness.
"You didn't do those things, Serafina. I have something to tell you that may help if you are willing to listen."
N-n-n-n-n
The young girl is going into shock, unable to process a half millenium of vampiric life
"You didn't do those things, Serafina. I have something to tell you that may help if you are willing to listen."
N-n-n-n-n
The young girl is going into shock, unable to process a half millenium of vampiric life
He keeps holding her, speaking in a soothing voice. "I suppose it's understandable. You're in shock. I can wait. It's one of the benefits of being a djinn. We're very patient. Just remember that *you* did not do these things you are remembering. You are not responsible. No matter how horrifying it is, you must remember that."
He keeps holding her, speaking in a soothing voice. "I suppose it's understandable. You're in shock. I can wait. It's one of the benefits of being a djinn. We're very patient. Just remember that *you* did not do these things you are remembering. You are not responsible. No matter how horrifying it is, you must remember that."
The young girl begins to wail in heartwrenching sobs, but they blend in well with the wails of the mourners discovering wounded and slain friends on the battlefield. She hugs Djuhah tight.
The young girl begins to wail in heartwrenching sobs, but they blend in well with the wails of the mourners discovering wounded and slain friends on the battlefield. She hugs Djuhah tight.
The djinn will hold her for as long as she needs, repeating over and over that she was not responsible for the things that she was remembering, until she is ready to listen to more than that.
A group of animals approach the frozen form of the Giggler. When they get close waves of cold frost their fur
The raven, unnoticed by others, spits.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to go...it wasn't."He regretfully touches the Giggler, managing to ward against the cold. He and the remains both disappear.
"It wasn't supposed to go down like this...."
The morning after the battle the forces of Life still weep over the devastation. The cries of the wounded are fewer, but still so many. The only remains of the enemy are bits of bone or rotten flesh, scattered and broken weapons, and the occasional piece of armor. The land is scarred, and small pools of blood gather in the depressions. The task of caring for the bodies of the Army of Life will take days. Their bodies scattered everywhere.
Somehow the sun rises over the field, but doing little to relieve the feelings of loss. It seems as if no place was left unspoiled.
The dwarves of the Deep Clans gather up their comrades and head to portals to their homes. They sing lowly; songs of victory and of mourning. The wood elves leave in a silent procession.
The dinosaur legion has been destroyed and Jorel hobbles around wounded, demanding that the others be tended to first. He uses his spells on others. Windwalker patrols the area with the remains of his avian legion, watching for any other threats.
E7 hasn't rested since the battle, caring for animals, trees, and the land alike fearing disease. His dragon friend has long since left. He asks that the bodies of the two sea elves be returned to the Oasis with honor.
JH lays in a coma.
The young air genasi wanders the battlefield, confused. She does not know how she got here, or even where here is. She does not know who she is. Her entire history stretches back no more than a few hours.
When all of the wounded are gathered E7 summons a gentle rain to wash over the battlefield. JH cannot be freed from his coma, so E7 gives orders that he should be returned to the Grove and placed at the base of Yggdrasil. The little squirrel goes with him, refusing to be separated from JH.
The young air genasi finds herself near a large air elemental who appears to be crying.
"Excuse me, but are you alright? Is there anything that I can do to help?"
Azuri'ith looks up, startled from his grief. He sees before him a girl that he has never seen before, although the resemblance to his daughter is uncanny.
"Who are you?"
"I- I do not know. I think my name is Arielle. But I do not remember anything from more than a few hours ago. Who are you?"
"I am Azuri'ith." He ponders this development for a moment. Perhaps, he thinks to himself, there is still hope after all.
"Come. I have indulged my grief too long. You will return with us to the Eyrie of Celestial Harmony."
With that he begins to see to his people. Djuhah is occupied trying to help a young human girl. They have taken heavy losses. Many who flew out with them will not be flying back. But he gathers the survivors and returns to the Eyrie.
"I- I do not know. I think my name is Arielle. But I do not remember anything from more than a few hours ago. Who are you?"
The djinn will hold her for as long as she needs, repeating over and over that she was not responsible for the things that she was remembering, until she is ready to listen to more than that.
The young girl begins to wail in heartwrenching sobs, but they blend in well with the wails of the mourners discovering wounded and slain friends on the battlefield. She hugs Djuhah tight.
With the battle over, Kiba, Aidan, The Bard, and Oroth leave with only Kiba heading for the Grove. The others do not ask why he chooses to be alone. Sky slowly flies for the Eyrie, not saying a word as he leaves the battlefield, wondering why he hasn't risen as the Champion of Wind, hoping LJ may still be alive...
** spoiler omitted **
"I am sorry, my friend. My lady would not wish me to abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. I can best honor her memory by continuing her work."
"If LJ is the one you speak of, her essence is scattered across the Threads, my scrying revealed a shard in the Dream Realm. I think I can help this one more than you can right now, so go and find the Star Song's shards. Perhaps when they are all together she can be reborn."
"I am sorry, my friend. My lady would not wish me to abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. I can best honor her memory by continuing her work.""If LJ is the one you speak of, her essence is scattered across the Threads, my scrying revealed a shard at the base of Yggdrasil. I think I can help this one more than you can right now. Go and find the Star Song's shards. Perhaps when they are all together she can be reborn."
"The Star Song is indeed the one I speak of. And I will certainly aid in tracking down the pieces of her. But I still cannot abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. If you can help her than I would be glad to let you. But first I must know who you are."
"But I still cannot abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. If you can help her than I would be glad to let you. But first I must know who you are."
Moving the hood, Djuhah sees the face of this stranger clearly, and he is shocked to see who he talks to.
"See? You need not worry for her safety. All I ask is that you tell no one I'm here."
"But I still cannot abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. If you can help her than I would be glad to let you. But first I must know who you are."Moving the hood, Djuhah sees the face of this stranger clearly, and he is shocked to see who he talks to.
"See? You need not worry for her safety. All I ask is that you tell no one I'm here."
|
"But I still cannot abandon this girl to the care of a stranger. If you can help her than I would be glad to let you. But first I must know who you are."Moving the hood, Djuhah sees the face of this stranger clearly, and he is shocked to see who he talks to.
"See? You need not worry for her safety. All I ask is that you tell no one I'm here."
"Well, little one, it seems that there is someone else here who cares for you. You see? It will be alright. The goddess I serve, the Star Song, she was not always a goddess. Once she was a scared little girl too, and she was possessed by a horrible being that did awful things using her body. Like you, she had no control over it and no choice. She rose above the horror of that and so can you. You did not do those things that you remember. You are not responsible for them. Do not forget that." With those parting words he relinquishes her to the other. "Take good care of her."
As Djuhah departs, the hooded person scans the area for any who might be still lurking. Seeing none, the figure kneels. He begins to remove his hood so Serafina can see who he is...
As Djuhah departs, the hooded person scans the area for any who might be still lurking. Seeing none, the figure kneels before. He begins to remove his hood so Serafina can see who he is...
As Djuhah departs, the hooded person scans the area for any who might be still lurking. Seeing none, the figure kneels. He begins to remove his hood so Serafina can see who he is...
"Hello Serafina, it's been a long time hasn't it?" He leans in and hugs her, comforting her as best he can.
"The djinn is right, you didn't do any of what you think you did. I know that is true and so should you."
As Djuhah departs, the hooded person scans the area for any who might be still lurking. Seeing none, the figure kneels. He begins to remove his hood so Serafina can see who he is..."Hello Serafina, it's been a long time hasn't it?" He leans in and hugs her, comforting her as best he can.
"The djinn is right, you didn't do any of what you think you did. I know that is true and so should you."
"Hello Serafina, it's been a long time hasn't it?" He leans in and hugs her, comforting her as best he can.
"The djinn is right, you didn't do any of what you think you did. I know that is true and so should you."
Serafina cries and clutches Rio
I don't deserve to be alive, Rio. I don't ..
She begins to wail again
"Hello Serafina, it's been a long time hasn't it?" He leans in and hugs her, comforting her as best he can.
"The djinn is right, you didn't do any of what you think you did. I know that is true and so should you."Serafina cries and clutches Rio
I don't deserve to be alive, Rio. I don't ..
She begins to wail again
"If I thought that would I be here trying to help you? Do you truly belive I would be helping you if you deserved to die? You didn't do any of those things. The instant you were bitten, you stopped being Sera. You deserve to live the life that was taken from you!"
*He hugs her again tightly, letting silent tears flow.*