My Tale (Part 1)

[Leylae / Leondas 6]

Leondas approaches the White Tree of the druidic grove, and peers around slowly. content with his feeling of his surroundings, he sits himself down at his usual spot. he looks into the water at his reflection, and touches his face, and sees his amulet dangling from his neck. he feels his arms raising to the back of his neck, suddenly beginning to untie his amulet for the first time in his long 386 year life. he holds it in his palm, gazing at the jewel that has journeyed with him for so many years. taking the amulet by the string, he dips it into the water, letting it soak for a while. pulling it from the waters slowly, he sees a reflection of a face, but not of his own. he then begins to see some sort of image in the amulet, it comes to life before him, a reflection of his past shines within the amulet.

The Amulet reflects back to the last he saw of his father

Lerithian: My son... you rest for today. you have worked hard this week. I don't want you getting to tired before the big hunt.

Leondas: But father, I must perfect my shot! I missed the last pig!

Lerithian: Yes, Leondas. In time, you will. I want you to stay here while I hunt today. I will be back very soon for you. *Lerithian goes to walk out the door, swallowing air heavily, he turns back to Leondas, and unties his amulet.* Son.. I want you to have this. It has been passed down through my generations, you deserve to be the wearer now.

Leondas: What? Why now father?

Lerithian: It feels right, son. Take it... *Lerithian forces the amulet into Leondas's hand, closing his grip as he does.* Always wear it... where ever you go. I will be back soon, Leondas. With a great feast. for now you must sleep, regain your strength. I will be back soon. I promise

Leondas: O.. Ok Father... Be careful, Please. I always worry about you!

Lerithian: Yes son... I will be careful. I love you.

Leondas: I love you too.

The image in the amulet turns back to the face of his father, it begins to reflect, as if he was speaking to Leondas

Lerithian: I broke my promise to you, my son... that was 370 years ago, and I still ache within this amulet because of this. I felt something on that day which forced me to hand you the amulet.

What happened next? Do you remember, my son?

Leondas feels no draw of emotion towards his father, his soul at complete peace with the presence around him. he thinks for a moment, and begins to tell his father of what happened, 2 weeks after the departure of his father

Leondas: ...Where in the world am I...

*Leondas spots a dark elf in a cave full of water, he approaches slowly, ducking his head underneath the entrance.*

Leondas: Hello? Are you alright down here?

"Sting": Ohh. Hello. I'm fine. I'm just trying to get somewhere, that's all

Leondas: I see... Where are we?

"Sting": That's a sign that you're new. as an elf, you should know where we are. *Sting looks strangely at Leondas* Why.. this is the glorious land of Aegis. home of many grand cities and communities of people. alot happens here...

Leondas: Aegis... I haven't heard of "Aegis" Before. I'm Leondas By the way.

"Sting": Names Sting. How about you help me out? I'm trying to find somewhere to start a town up, but I'm not sure where.

Leondas: Alright, that sounds like a good start for me!

The image of the amulet suddenly shifts, showing what it was like when Leondas walked that day. an exact reflection of the journey is shown to Leondas through the amulet. Leondas smiles, embracing the amulet, remembering the moment when he walked past the large bridge which led to New Haven, the town of the Ascended. Leondas continues to speak with the amulet when the face of his father returns.

Decora: Hello?! is anyone up there?!

Leondas: H... Hello?! Where are you?!

"Sting": I think they're down in that mine... *Sting quickly points down below from the mountain, to a small mine entrance. They both begin to trek down the mountain towards the entrance, reading the sign "Oren Mine"

Friend of Decora (Male): Hello, Strangers! Where are you? We're stuck in this mine!

"Sting": We're just at the entrance of the mine, we're coming down!

*They both begin to walk down to the bottom of the mine, they bump right into Decora and her friend at the bottom.*

Leondas looks away from the amulet briefly, remembering his past like it had only just happened. the vision of his father smiles slightly, and nods his head at Leondas. Leondas breathes in deeply, trying to control his emotions. he looks down into the water, still holding the amulet up by the string.

Leondas: I remember looking into her eyes... I had never seen a woman. it was like I had just seen some sort of.. mythical goddess before me, like I had to bow before her. The feeling in my stomach changed, it was... fast. and heavy. I remember it all. every second of the moment.

Leondas looks back towards the amulet, focusing once more, and continues to tell of his past

Decora: Ohh, there you are! you found us!

"Sting": No, you found us, I think. the exit is right here.

Friend of Decora: Ahhaha... So we are! Who might you two be?

The amulet shifts suddenly, it skips to an abandoned fort on an island, close to where the Oren mine entrance is located. Leondas closes his eyes tightly, remembering the image he sees before him

Leondas: That Fort... That was my first home in Aegis. I remember telling the girl that I had no home. she took me to this fort. It was, abandoned. old looking. Badly structured. it was right next to another little island near by, and another large town. it was better than living out in the cold though. the months we spent there, living, making it look all that bit nicer. I remember creating her the most comfortable looking bed. it took me so long, too.

The amulet suddenly begins to turn to a darker shade of amber, the image in the amulet shows a small island near by, with a fancy looking house upon it. Leondas lowers the amulet slightly, forcing his gaze away, he begins to remember the darkness of his life.

Leondas: That house. that. HOUSE. *Leondas digs his fingers into the dirt, tensing his grip as he begins to shovel the dirt out of the ground next to him with his bare hands. he gets to a large lump of rock, scraping his fingers so hard against it, that one of his fingers click backwards.* That house, was the darkest moment of my life, Father. I cannot see it again. It drew me back to it. Possessed me. Controlled my mind!

The amulets vision continues to focus on the house, the clouds begin to turn dark, rain begins to fall, and bolts of lightning begin to strike the ground. Leondas feels strange in side, like he is now being forced again to look at the house in the amulet

Lerithian: What is it about this home, My son. what happened here. you must tell me of these troubles.

Leondas: they bought the house off of Decoras new "Lover". She had never told me about him. my heart was crushed when she mentioned the man. and when I saw him, I wanted to rip his throat out and feed it to the fish. I.. I was different back then.

Lerithian: Who bought the house, Leondas?

Leondas:*Leondas swallows air, struggling to say what he is trying to say* - The Black Hand, Father. They bought this house. I don't know why they did it, but they did. They took the house from the boy who constructed it.

And then they took Decora away. From Me.

The Visions then grow even darker, it flashes before images of a screaming woman and man, blood stained walls. familiar figures flash by through the vision, and then Leondas begins to grow with rage as he sees one of the men.

Leondas: Guraim... GURAIM! He was a MURDERER! Dark... Evil... CRUEL. He would TORTURE The innocent women in the depths below the house. The SCREAMS! I remember... I remember it all, Father. He would rape them... and then burn them alive in his "Contraptions"! He... He created torture chambers that normal men could not picture... I remember the images of them all. I cannot do this. It is burning my mind, Father. I am beginning to feel like I did them very years ago!

Lerithian: Control yourself, Leondas! You are a VERY Powerful man now... I have seen what you have become. something that NONE of the Lehywin's and Seiylen's will ever become, not even Leylae. She is in Asulon now, but she shall never be like you. do not fall in to yourself, you have done me proud this far. do NOT Let me down!

*Leondas begins to control his emotions, attempting to connect with the tree and waters infront of him, he loosens his body, attempting release all bad thoughts*

Leondas: I still feel them in my head, father. the same burn I would feel when they got into my mind. It was a pain any normal man would scar from.*pauses for a brief second, remembering yet another image in his head.*

The amulet begins to shift as Leondas thinks, a shrine of Iblees reflects from in the amulet, a great evil stands above the shrine. As Leondas looks deeper, he sees a spirit of himself within the reflection, on his knees to the follower of Iblees, begging for his life back.

Leondas: I... I am a disciple, father. a disciple of Iblees himself. I know he is locked away now. but the presence still lurks around in my veins. I, I have no choice but to control my emotions, otherwise bad things may begin to happen. the horror I remember was named... Nightmare, I believe. he resurrected me through the power of the shrine of Iblees. *Leondas looks down to his hand, sighing slightly with a slight fear* If I die, father, I fear that the power inside may erupt... I am one of the very few carriers of the spirit now. I... I must stay alive for as long as possible. and when my time does come. I shall travel back to Aegis, to leave Asulon in safety.

The amulet begins to turn back to it's normal colour, the darkness fading. Leondas closes his hands around the amulet, looking towards the white tree. he breathes in deeply, and begins to release his memories into the presence of the tree.

Leondas: Presence... Control my thoughts... Release my burdens once more... they are strengthening once more.

Leondas looks into the amulet, beginning to feel that he must abandon the necklace to rid of the feelings of his past. but something inside him prevents him from leaving his amulet behind, so he begins to tie it back up, leaving the dark burden around his neck for the rest of his days.

Leondas: This amulet... is everything. my whole life is locked away within. I... I must find the secret to unlocking this energy. there is much trapped inside, which I must set free before I depart from this world.

Leondas looks around at his surroundings as his face suddenly calms. he looks to the ground, as sees a small daisy poking from the ground. he smiles, and begins to walk off into the unknown of the forest.

[steelersfan1221 300]

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