Baer 19th, 4288: 80 Days in the Mortal Realm
The morning dawned it's overly cheerful rays. I looked down at the lifeless body in my arms. A few tears worked out seeing my sister dead and the wave of memories cascading through my mind. If there was one thing I was thankful for, it was taking the time to write out what had happened for my thoughts seemed so jumbled as parts jumped out. As the memories from last night played in my mind, coupled with Meryth’s cold, stiff body in my arms, I broke down again. I never would be with her again.
I had carefully made my way down to the ground with Meryth last night. I knew it wouldn’t be practical for me to stay up in the tree, what with sleep being a factor and my desire to write. I continued to watch the jungle come to life around me. The creatures kept their distance as I continued to wait for my party.
The sun was nearing it’s zenith and I knew I couldn't wait any longer in hopes that my party would find me. I had to get moving. I had to bury Meryth before leaving. I chucked a few fluff balls from my gray bag of tricks hoping a badger would appear. As my luck would have it I ended up with 5 bats, a rabbit and a few weasels. I then tossed a fluff ball from my rust bag and got a black bear. I instructed it to dig a hole 6 feet deep and 5 feet wide. The bear set about digging while I sat and waited.
Knowing this wasn't going to be the most fancy of funerals, I thought it might be nice if the other creatures I had summoned could go scrounge up some flowers. Before long the grave was dug and flowers were gathered. I carefully laid Meryth in her grave, crowning her with the floral wreath I made her, and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Once out of the grave, I looked down at my sister peacefully resting for eternity now, thankful that she wasn’t a slave to Them any more.
"Goodbye," I barely uttered. I then commanded another bear I summoned to cover her up. I hugged my knees, trying to hold myself together. I really didn't like being alone dealing with this pain... I longed for Raæin to be with me.
"Oh Raæin, where are you?" I muttered to myself.
"What is it mistress?" I heard Raæin ask. I looked up and was shocked. Raæin was before me! I got to my feet and threw my arms around him, not caring if I was being too forward or invasive of his personal space. I let a sob out that was mingled with sorrow and joy. I felt him shift and soon a pair of arms encompassed me. How secure I felt with Raæin there. How was it he found me?
“What happened?” Raæin inquired. I looked at him and could see he had altered himself to look like a Mira, a cat like folk. His eyes were the same opal color and his fur was white, so I knew he had used the magic of his circlet. I shook my head at the question, my lips quivering. I let out a heavy sigh knowing I needed to explain the grave that was nearly filled.
“I killed my sister again,” I confessed. Raæin pulled me into another hug to which I let my emotions rack my body once more. Despite the feeling that I might have freed her from whatever was possessing her, I still felt awful for the choice I made.
“Raæin,” I managed to get out, “We have more in common than I thought,” I let the words hang for a moment as I moved out of Raaein’s embrace, “I too have been in hell... and I also can’t remember much of my past... so much of who I am has been forgotten...” as I spoke, the sorrow I felt was replaced by anger, “I want to believe what I’ve learned tonight, but it’s so maddening knowing there are critical things I can’t remember! Can’t fathom! And worse, the vivid memories I do have are mostly delusions and unreal,” I exhaled an exasperated breath of air. I looked back at Raæin who was intently listening.
“How do you do it Raæin? How do you bare knowing there are things you can’t remember?” I asked. Raæin pondered my question before letting out a sigh of his own.
“One day at a time Araja. One day at a time,” he said solemnly.
I then heard the wisps of my summoned bear disappear and I looked at the mound of earth that marked Meryth’s grave. I took the remaining flowers and placed them over the grave. The sorrow began to creep back in and a few tears escaped. I then turned and went back to Raæin, ready to leave that place.
“May I get a ride?” I asked. Raæin gave a nod of his head and shifted back into his true form. I climbed on ready for him to take me to wherever the group happened to be.
As I looked back once more at the grave I had placed my sister in, I felt him take a step and the grave was gone. I whipped my head around and found I was with my party. It was a little startling for I had hoped I would have had some time to calm down before seeing them again. I needed time to collect my thoughts. Instead, there I was, all eyes were upon me and I felt vulnerable to their stares. And Gideon was back too. How did he even find us?
I attempted to be stoic though I’m sure my whole appearance was obvious that I had been crying. Cortanna was blunt enough to break the awkward silence.
“What happened Araja?”
The thought of answering her question set my lips trembling and I shook my head, hoping I conveyed that now wasn’t a good time for me to answer. I chewed on my tongue and my lower lip trying to distract my mind. Thankfully Rekka caught on and changed the subject.
I don’t recall a whole lot, just because I was trying very hard to not let my emotions take over, but what I remember was there were lots of shadowy people that Isaac was chatting with. Apparently he was able to get out of them that the continent was altered, disguised after the incident I remember that had happened when I first killed Meryth, so people would forget about it and the island near where I knew Rehm to be was Rehm. Oh and all the shadow beings were marked by Erythnul. A form of the soul trapped... just no body, yet. At the time I had to wonder if that meant I was right about the mark. Then the thought came that the mark still claimed their soul but didn't possess them.
However, the most curious thing was a shadow who volunteered to help Isaac find someone that could give more answers about what had happened to the continent of France. The shadow said his name was Achmath Eloirakn. Isaac waved me over. He pointed to the ground where he and the shadow were conversing.
"Look familiar?" he asked. I read the name and looked at the shadow.
"That's my father's name..." I answered. Isaac passed the dagger he was using to write with to me. I looked at the dagger for a moment, my blood stained hand gripping it. I then wrote in the earth.
Father? The shadow looked more closely at me. Then he moved over what I wrote and what was left was my name.
Araja? I was surprised. How was it my father was among these marked, soul trapped beings?
So you're marked?
Me and your mother were shortly after you and your sister had died. What? They died before me and my sister. I was about to question it, but then I figured that memory was probably just another jumbled one. Yet maybe he knew about Meryth and could confirm that.
Have you heard of Meryth's involvement in what's going on with the Gods?
Nothing that I've heard of. If anything I knew you to be special and destined to kill Erythnul.
I looked at the writing perplexed. My father was telling me that I was destined to kill a God... and one I would be most pleased to see dead! But how could I, a seemingly ordinary person, take down a God?
With my mind actively thinking about the news I received, I gave the dagger back to Isaac, but before I walked away I saw the writing change.
I’m glad to see you and your Unicorn are reunited.
I would have jumped back and asked more about my past, but my mind was caught up in the thought that I was said to destroy Erythnul. There was some warmth that crept into me, to know Raæin was part of my past.
Isaac continued to converse with my father. My father was going to stay with Isaac and help find some other shadow willing to give the answers we sought. Something about convincing a Night Shadow. I had heard of Night Shadows, and they were not something to tamper with, but Isaac wanted to talk with one...
I kept with Raæin the rest of the day as we set out on the long trip to Rehm. We didn't want to use the fortress until tonight to try and avoid being spotted by another giant or other troublesome creature.
As I conclude, part of me suddenly feels uneasy about the shadowy figure that claims to be my father. I probably should have asked more personal question, yet could I believe or disbelieve the answers he’d give me? My memories clearly are shot if I can’t remember something crucial like being destined to destroy Erythnul and that Raæin had been with me from the start... then again, what if those were lies meant to confuse me?
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