"We're not going to get away, Aidan. We wouldn't then, and we won't now. Get it through your thick head, we're your family and you can't get rid of us. No matter what.""Not.. not that."
He manages to break away and falls to his hands and knees. He promptly begins to vomit up ash and bits of black flame.
She sighs. "Poor kid."
She went over and knelt beside him, offering him a cloth to clean up his face with after he finished vomiting.
"That's what I figured. Thanks for the tip - I'll look for her now," as picks LJ up and starts looking for Hlawith. He looks over at Allura and the boys and says, "I'll be back in a few minutes. Nobody go anywhere," trusting that she can take care of his bout of sickness.
Hlawith lands nearby and extends a wing bending as low as she could, to make it easier for Devlyn to settle LJ on her back.
:I will see to it that Starsong gets safely back to her room. You may cease worrying about that at least. And I hope that the boy recovers soon.:
Hlawith lands nearby and extends a wing bending as low as she could, to make it easier for Devlyn to settle LJ on her back.
:I will see to it that Starsong gets safely back to her room. You may cease worrying about that at least. And I hope that the boy recovers soon.:
He blinks as he realizes she just spoke to him telepathically, then remembers.
:Thanks, Hlawith. I didn't think it would be appropriate for me to be carrying her through the halls - wouldn't be good for either morale or the rumor mill.: :)
:And I'll take all the well-wishes I can get for Aidan - though I'm more worried about the soul than the body at this point.:
He carefully lays LJ on Hlawith's back so she will nestle securely between her wings. As she gets ready to take off, he says to LJ:
"Get some rest, and some quiet time to deal with this. I'll send CH as soon as he's free."
Hlawith flies carefully to the balcony outside LJ's room, landing as gently as she could and hopping awkwardly inside. Luckily, Azuri'ith was there watching Arielle and he was able to help her get LJ off her back and laid her gently on the bed.
Arielle sat beside the bed. She leaned her head down close to her mother's, watching her, worried.
Devlyn goes back over to Allura, Oroth and Aidan once Hlawith has taken wing. He kneels down and puts a hand on his shoulder, and pulls out some water for him when he is finished.
"Well - this sure has been an interesting day, hasn't it?" he says with a gentle chuckle. "Welcome back, Aidan."
She sighs. "Poor kid."
She went over and knelt beside him, offering him a cloth to clean up his face with after he finished vomiting.
Devlyn goes back over to Allura, Oroth and Aidan once Hlawith has taken wing. He kneels down and puts a hand on his shoulder, and pulls out some water for him when he is finished.
"Well - this sure has been an interesting day, hasn't it?" he says with a gentle chuckle. "Welcome back, Aidan."
"Thanks..."
He looks up at them both, a grim look in his eyes.
"I .. I can remember what I felt. I can deal with the fires I didn't start, but I enjoyed what I felt from the forest fire. The worst part though, was that I was happy. I couldn't feel grief or sorrow, pain or loss. I knew something was wrong. But when I tried to get rid of what I thought was the problem, it... must have backfired."
With the crisis contained for now E7 leaves to go take of some forest fires.
CH heads to their rooms to check on LJ.
Arielle sat beside the bed. She leaned her head down close to her mother's, watching her, worried.
LJ smiles tiredly. "You don't need to look at me all worried like that. Everything's going to be fine, sweetie. I just need to rest."
Her words were reassuring, but her voice sounded weak."Hmmph. No. I don't know what you need. But something more than rest. I should go find Daddy. Maybe he can help." Arielle said indignantly.
"Daddy," she said, sounding a little relieved when CH comes into the room. "Something's wrong with Mommy. You need to help her."
Arielle sat beside the bed. She leaned her head down close to her mother's, watching her, worried.LJ smiles tiredly. "You don't need to look at me all worried like that. Everything's going to be fine, sweetie. I just need to rest."
Her words were reassuring, but her voice sounded weak."Hmmph. No. I don't know what you need. But something more than rest. I should go find Daddy. Maybe he can help." Arielle said indignantly.
"Daddy," she said, sounding a little relieved when CH comes into the room. "Something's wrong with Mommy. You need to help her."
As CH enters the blue wolf stands. CH whispers thanks and the wolf dissipates. He heads over to LJ, placing his hand upon her brow.
"What's wrong?", he asks, concern upon his face. "Overdo it?"
[
As CH enters the blue wolf stands. CH whispers thanks and the wolf dissipates. He heads over to LJ, placing his hand upon her brow.
"What's wrong?", he asks, concern upon his face. "Overdo it?"
"How do you stand it?" she whispered. "Being two people at the same time? I feel like I'm being torn in two different directions and it hurts. I thought finding out who I was would help. Only now I'm losing my grip on all of it."
"How do you stand it?" she whispered. "Being two people at the same time? I feel like I'm being torn in two different directions and it hurts. I thought finding out who I was would help. Only now I'm losing my grip on all of it."[
As CH enters the blue wolf stands. CH whispers thanks and the wolf dissipates. He heads over to LJ, placing his hand upon her brow.
"What's wrong?", he asks, concern upon his face. "Overdo it?"
His voice softens, "You don't. You have to get to the point that you realize that the two people are one and the same. Kinda like the person you were yesterday is different than the one you are right now. It's just rough when the two apsects don't know about each other. You need to find the overlaps."
"It's hard to explain better."
His voice softens, "You don't. You have to get to the point that you realize that the two people are one and the same. Kinda like the person you were yesterday is different than the one you are right now. It's just rough when the two aspects don't know about each other. You need to find the overlaps."
"It's hard to explain better."
"I'm not sure how to do that. They tampered with my soul quite a bit when they decided to use it to create a prison for a goddess. I don't think I can reconcile the parts of myself without undoing that. But if I do I'm not sure if I can actually hang on to the divine power. I won't be a goddess anymore. And then what? I've got so many powerful enemies. What if they attack and I don't have the strength to face them? I wouldn't be able to protect everyone."
Tears had started flowing down her face and she choked back a sob."I'm scared."
His voice softens, "You don't. You have to get to the point that you realize that the two people are one and the same. Kinda like the person you were yesterday is different than the one you are right now. It's just rough when the two aspects don't know about each other. You need to find the overlaps."
"It's hard to explain better."
"I'm not sure how to do that. They tampered with my soul quite a bit when they decided to use it to create a prison for a goddess. I don't think I can reconcile the parts of myself without undoing that. But if I do I'm not sure if I can actually hang on to the divine power. I won't be a goddess anymore. And then what? I've got so many powerful enemies. What if they attack and I don't have the strength to face them? I wouldn't be able to protect everyone."
Tears had started flowing down her face and she choked back a sob.
"I'm scared."
He holds her. "You don't, you can't, protect everyone all the time. Goddess, or not."
"Tell me of your other half. Maybe we can find something to build upon."
He holds her. "You don't, you can't, protect everyone all the time. Goddess, or not.""Tell me of your other half. Maybe we can find something to build upon."
"Her name is Linna. Here, it's easier to show than tell." She places her fingertips gently on his temple and shares the memories of Linna's life. And death. And a few of the torment her soul experienced after. But she cut that off quickly.
He exhales as he realizes he was holding his breath.
"So the archery and healing, the stubborness..."arching an eyebrow, ..."the longing for acceptance and eagerness to sacrifice. To start."
"Sounds like Linna is very much a part of who you are now."
He exhales as he realizes he was holding his breath.
"So the archery and healing, the stubborness..."arching an eyebrow, ..."the longing for acceptance and eagerness to sacrifice. To start."
"Sounds like Linna is very much a part of who you are now."
"There are some notable similarities," she agrees, with a small, tired smile. "So why do I feel like I'm being torn in half?"
Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.
Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.
Allura exchanges glances with Devlyn.
"We can't let him go alone."
"There are some notable similarities," she agrees, with a small, tired smile. "So why do I feel like I'm being torn in half?"He exhales as he realizes he was holding his breath.
"So the archery and healing, the stubborness..."arching an eyebrow, ..."the longing for acceptance and eagerness to sacrifice. To start."
"Sounds like Linna is very much a part of who you are now."
"The torment? Probably to make you more malleable. A house divided and all that. I'm not sure."
"What of your captor? Anything you can recall there?"
Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.Allura exchanges glances with Devlyn.
"We can't let him go alone."
"Maybe, maybe not."
"There are some notable similarities," she agrees, with a small, tired smile. "So why do I feel like I'm being torn in half?"He exhales as he realizes he was holding his breath.
"So the archery and healing, the stubborness..."arching an eyebrow, ..."the longing for acceptance and eagerness to sacrifice. To start."
"Sounds like Linna is very much a part of who you are now."
"The torment? Probably to make you more malleable. A house divided and all that. I'm not sure."
"What of your captor? Anything you can recall there?"
"My captor? Oh. Izmayel." She made a face when she said his name. "He sold my soul along with several others to a devil. He didn't want whatever Power he served finding out what a mess he'd made of things. I hope they did find out. I hope they did something awful to him. Wretch. At the moment I am trying my very best to remember as little as possible about what happened then. I was in Hell for a long, long time. Many centuries I think. Only I didn't break like I was supposed to. I changed. And that's what made them think I'd make a good prison for the goddess."
"Maybe, maybe not."Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.Allura exchanges glances with Devlyn.
"We can't let him go alone."
"What do you mean, Oroth?"
"What do you mean, Oroth?""Maybe, maybe not."Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.Allura exchanges glances with Devlyn.
"We can't let him go alone."
"Think about all that just happened. Now how did Aidan react when he remembered everything he did. Everything he would have done had no one been here and see him change. Now look at it from Aidan's point of veiw. If you realize you nearly ruined everything you knew, what would you do?"
Aidan shakily gets to his feet, and begins to make his way down the mountain, turning down any help or attempts to make him stop, grim determination in his eyes as he heads for the omniportal.
Aidan hears Tristan's voice and it sounds concerned to him.
:Forgive yourself first, seek answers within yourself and the truth will council you on a path to recovery. They were words my mother told me before she was murdered.:
"My captor? Oh. Izmayel." She made a face when she said his name. "He sold my soul along with several others to a devil. He didn't want whatever Power he served finding out what a mess he'd made of things. I hope they did find out. I hope they did something awful to him. Wretch. At the moment I am trying my very best to remember as little as possible about what happened then. I was in Hell for a long, long time. Many centuries I think. Only I didn't break like I was supposed to. I changed. And that's what made them think I'd make a good prison for the goddess.""There are some notable similarities," she agrees, with a small, tired smile. "So why do I feel like I'm being torn in half?"He exhales as he realizes he was holding his breath.
"So the archery and healing, the stubborness..."arching an eyebrow, ..."the longing for acceptance and eagerness to sacrifice. To start."
"Sounds like Linna is very much a part of who you are now."
"The torment? Probably to make you more malleable. A house divided and all that. I'm not sure."
"What of your captor? Anything you can recall there?"
"You made yourself a prison within a prison? I wouldn't even know where to start to understand."
"You made yourself a prison within a prison? I wouldn't even know where to start to understand."
"No. I didn't. Look, I saw a devil giving my soul to Ash's father to use to create a prison for the goddess. He had to use tongs to pull it out of the bag he was carrying. He said it hurt to touch because it had started to glow with holy energy...." her voice trails off and she looks off into the distance, clearly starting to put some pieces together in her mind.
"I was changing, but into what?" she muttered to herself. "If you wanted to imprison a deity, what would you have to use to contain that much divine power?"
She turned her gaze back to Ch'ack Hammer. She looked terrified. "I don't know exactly what I was turning into before they started meddling, but I think my soul is trying to finish its transformation right now. That's why it hurts so much. If I don't let go of the power, of being a goddess, I think I might just burn up. But I liked being powerful. I liked being able to protect people. And I'm afraid of being weak again."
"You made yourself a prison within a prison? I wouldn't even know where to start to understand."
"No. I didn't. Look, I saw a devil giving my soul to Ash's father to use to create a prison for the goddess. He had to use tongs to pull it out of the bag he was carrying. He said it hurt to touch because it had started to glow with holy energy...." her voice trails off and she looks off into the distance, clearly starting to put some pieces together in her mind.
"I was changing, but into what?" she muttered to herself. "If you wanted to imprison a deity, what would you have to use to contain that much divine power?"
She turned her gaze back to Ch'ack Hammer. She looked terrified. "I don't know exactly what I was turning into before they started meddling, but I think my soul is trying to finish its transformation right now. That's why it hurts so much. If I don't let go of the power, of being a goddess, I think I might just burn up. But I liked being powerful. I liked being able to protect people. And I'm afraid of being weak again."
"You may lose power, but you will never be weak."
He considers his words, "I cannot even fathom the power behind the Fates, the Old Gods. Or their intentions. You cannot let yourself burn up. The more power you wield the more you risk that. I have seen into Yggdrasil's branches. Entire planets consumed by their own power, destroying those around them. The more you put on yourself, the more you risk."
"I don't know if I make any sense...but know that Arielle and I would rather have you than a memory."
"You may lose power, but you will never be weak."
He considers his words, "I cannot even fathom the power behind the Fates, the Old Gods. Or their intentions. You cannot let yourself burn up. The more power you wield the more you risk that. I have seen into Yggdrasil's branches. Entire planets consumed by their own power, destroying those around them. The more you put on yourself, the more you risk."
"I don't know if I make any sense...but know that Arielle and I would rather have you than a memory."
She nodded, swallowing back tears. "You do make sense. I'm still afraid, but I think I can do this. I have to. You and Arielle are everything to me. I won't leave you if I can help it."
She took a deep breath."Djuhah. I have to give this power to someone, and I can't think of anyone better qualified. He'll probably be better at this whole guarding the universe thing than I was anyway."
:Djuhah! I know you're busy repairing the Eyrie, but this is really urgent. You need to come here right now.:
"Yes, Starsong, I am here. What is so terribly urgent?" the djinn asked, politely and calmly as always, as he teleported into the room from the other side of the Eyrie where he had been supervising repairs. "Repairing the lava flows damage is proving especially problematic at present, and I would not wish to delay longer than necessary."
"I think you're going to find that a lot easier in just a little bit, Djuhah. I...have to retire from the whole goddess thing. I need you to take my place. I mean, you'll have to find your own way of doing things. I'm pretty sure the whole music thing was my own personal quirk. But it's going to be your responsibility to make sure that the universe continues in an orderly fashion and that nothing gets through the borders of reality that doesn't belong here. I have a feeling you'll do wonderfully. I'm sorry, I don't really have the time to let you think about this. If you really don't want it, I can try and find someone else, but I don't have much time."
Djuhah looks a bit overwhelmed. And then he bows.
"It would be my honor to serve thus, Starsong. I do not understand the reasons for your need, but I will gladly take up this burden."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. I don't think this should be too difficult, since we already have a connection. Oh, one thing I almost forgot."
:Sky, I'm sorry I couldn't give you more warning about this, but you won't be able to be my herald anymore. Not that you ever needed, or let's be honest, even used that power. You have plenty of your own. Djuhah will be taking over for me. I'm...not really sure what I'm going to be doing from now on.:
"Okay, I'm ready."
Power started flowing from LJ to Djuhah. It was hard at first, but the more power she let go, the better she felt. Finally, after what might have been a short time or a long one, she had lost track, the transfer was complete. All of the energy she had gained from GDK was gone. Completely and utterly gone. She felt helpless and terrified, but also much lighter and freer than she had in a long time.
She turned back to look at her family and smiled. "It's done. I'm not a goddess anymore."
Djuhah breathed in. Somehow he had expected that to be more dramatic. Instead, it had been like receiving spells, only much, much stronger.
"If you will excuse me, please, there are some things I need to see to."
He vanished much the same way that he had arrived.
She turned back to look at her family and smiled. "It's done. I'm not a goddess anymore."
"Yes, you are."
"To me."
She turned back to look at her family and smiled. "It's done. I'm not a goddess anymore.""Yes, you are."
"To me."
She walked over to him and hugged him tightly. She didn't feel at all weak or shaky anymore and the pain was gone.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?"
She turned back to look at her family and smiled. "It's done. I'm not a goddess anymore.""Yes, you are."
"To me."
She walked over to him and hugged him tightly. She didn't feel at all weak or shaky anymore and the pain was gone.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?"
"I don't think so," he replies with a smirk.
"I don't think so," he replies with a smirk.She turned back to look at her family and smiled. "It's done. I'm not a goddess anymore.""Yes, you are."
"To me."
She walked over to him and hugged him tightly. She didn't feel at all weak or shaky anymore and the pain was gone.
"Have I told you today how much I love you?"
She grinned. "Remind me to go over it in detail later," she said, laughter dancing in her eyes. There were no stars in her eyes now, only the deep blue they had been before.
"I'm glad you're okay now, Mommy," Arielle said, smiling. She had been really worried for awhile there, but now it looked like everything was right with the world again. Different, but that was okay. She could live with different.
Kobold Cleaver's eyes snap open. He is silent for a moment. "This is unprecedented." His voice is quiet. "You there!" He shouts to a nearby messenger, his voice high-pitched and hoarse. "I need you to tell our lord a message. That Lynora, Goddess of Bards, is dead."
The soft whisper of a magical communication from some remote point reaches Lynora's ears.
Lady Lynora?