The Shroud Lifts

[Tsuyose 3285]

 

The sun rose, morning greeting the lands of Vailor with the mixture of orange and gold cascading along the continent as the suns rays vanquished the darkness, as always. The mobs' which inhabit the lands ignited into a brilliant fire, burning their rotten and emaciated figures', leaving naught but ash whilst the sickened inhabitants of Vailor emerged from their homesteads to resume their daily lives, occasionally pausing and groaning in pain as abhorrent codes flood their minds.

 

The Paladins of Xan docked their boats on a lone isle in the northern lands, having decoded the messages at the aid of several descendants they took it upon themselves to investigate the source. Their boots pressed into the ivory snow which crunched beneath their weight as they explored the isle, eventually coming across an entrance to a cave of old, exchanging brief conversation amidst one another they decided to descend, exploring the caverns, and eventually, they found what they so sought -- an obsidian wall which blocked their path. An altar sat before it, and they adhered to the messages' word.

 

"Gazaridael,"

 

Aelu spoke, glancing around the cavern as silence befalls them all, abruptly, his body felt rejuvenated and in a glorious haze he ushered the Paladins to do the same. One by one they spoke the Watchers' name, cleansing their body of the plague -- to which, a rift tore open, an ashen hand ripped through to clamp its clutches around Aelu's torso, tearing the mali'ame from the warmth of the cavern and into a land elsewhere.

 

The Paladins withdrew in surprise, Herun attempting to shatter the dense wall albeit fruitless, the Prophet ushered the Paladins to sit and pray for the safe return of Aelu, to which they did. The low tune of each Paladin reciting a script, a prayer, a verse to their beloved Aengul;

 

"May Xan protect us
And in turn we protect others
Let Him be our shield,
So we may in turn be His sword,
ridding this world of darkness.
He who stands with me shall be my brother.
And so, may we carry the light of Xan into the darkness,
swords in our hands and brothers at our side.
One unbreakable shield against the coming darkness.
One last blade, forged in defiance of fate.
Where there is uncertainty, I shall bring clarity.
Where there is doubt, I shall sow faith.
Where there is shame, I shall point atonement.
Where there is rage, I shall show its course.
Where there is corruption, I shall bring purity.
Where there is darkness, we bring the light.
And into the darkness we humbly carry this torch.
With its light, we banish corruption and fear,
With its warmth we comfort the worn and weary
With this gift we purify ourselves and other."

 

The Prophet, however, sat by himself, seemingly conversing with naught but his own until his lips curled up in approval, elevating up onto his feet and moments later Aelu re-appeared; whatever had happened, Aelu choosen well, garnering His approval. To which, the descendants of Vailor felt an unearthly sickness brewing within their guts as they craned over, wrenching bile of opaque liquid which boiled beneath the sun's beam, twisting into ash which disappeared with a strong gust of wind. Glancing back, the Prophet provided a firm bob of his head, ushering Leric up the stairs to spread word of the Paladins' deeds for the inhabitants of Vailor.

 

Light swelled and victory was had for the lightsworn disciples of Xan that had triumphed upon this day.

 

 

 

[Aelu / Rel (Combustionary) 1540]

Ac'Aelu retires to his room after the events in the void node, unable to help but to stare out the window in watch of whatever would come next. He sets aside the many scraps of paper and emptied bottles - the tools with which days were spent cracking the code.

 

In his palm he fumbled with a small stone of quartz. The restored connection between him and the void, between him and Xan was comforting. The plague had taken something, though. He knew that for sure, even if he couldn't quite tell what.

 

He did the right thing, refusing the Aengul's will down in the depths of the hollow. He knew that to be true, yet even so he couldn't help but have a feeling that the worst was yet to come.

 

The only course of action left was to decode the last fragment of the message.

 

 

[Elad™ 560]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.