Spirit of Catastrophe

[Blazingshadowz]

Standing before the inferno she had set loose, her face illuminated by the raging flames which consumed several lives, leaving only twisted and charred remains of the men and women who dared cross her path. As she watched the flames flicker, many things went through her mind. In particular, she wondered who these people were, and what their intentions were in their attempt to rob her. Perhaps they needed the coin for an ointment to save an innocent child, or simply to put food in their bellies. Were they good people?

Turning her gaze towards the road once more, she continued along with her path, leaving the flames to devour what they wished. The sun had long passed, so she tread through the darkness of the night for hours more. Eventually reaching an abandoned campsite. Though typically happy, right now was not one of those moments. A plain and simple desire to simply close her eyes had been washing over her for hours, and so she did.


After some time meditating, the birds songs seemed to stop, the very music of life about her ceasing as she opened her eyes. She was somewhere else, a different place and a different time. The sky and almost everything around her was dull and grey. Dead. Ashes being blown in the wind, it was apparent where she was now, there had been some great calamity, and terrible destruction of the land and its people. As she stood up and silently wandered the grey abyss something had caught her eye. In the distance there was a small gathering of people outside of a small burned down hut.


Nearing in silence, the evident sobbing of these folk had grown louder and louder, each breath of air feeling less and less satisfying, as if around them the air had grown thin, regardless, she felt a need to see what was happening. As she opened her mouth to greet the mourning people, they all turned their gaze to her. Each person covered in black and looking torn, the only visible color in this world being their vibrant tears which stained their eyes, cheeks and clothes. A smaller woman in the group holding a small charred child spoke up.

"What more do you wish to take from us? How much more death will you cause before you are satisfied?!"

If there had been any color to drain out of Aaloria's face, it would have at that very moment, but instead she had to settle with a look of horror upon this terrible and grotesque fate. A disembodied feeling suddenly struck her, as did some sort of revelation that these people were dear friends from some past or future. Reaching out to comfort the woman, upon her touch, she aswell as everyone else withered and crumbled away only to be carried on by the slight breeze. The shock of watching this felt like it crushed her very heart, and before she knew it, she awoke to where she had begun her meditation, wiping a stray tear away from her cheek, and then packing her things to continue her travels along the star lit road.

[Blazingshadowz]

Only moments had passed since Aaloria cast a spell and wreathed the shadows of the night about herself, leaving Eldarel to the thoughtful perch overlooking the water he had taken her to. Despite it being years since she had seen him and had proper welcomings, the very sight of her love felt like it was crushing her windpipe and churning her stomach with hot oil. For many things had changed, and deep down inside, the idea of this fading love made her noxious and spiteful, as it would never be for her.


Upon reaching her room in the Tipsy Imp, she immediately tossed herself onto the bed, and fell into a silence. Holding her hands over her eyes, and enjoying the simple darkness for a couple moments before glancing around to the dimly lit candles around the room, watching the room light up and dance with a faint energy. She seemed to dread her meditation nowdays, as her rest was filled with nothing but a repetitive nightmare that would not loosen its grasp upon her mind. But despite her wishes, her exhaustion forced her eyes shut eventually, and she motionlessly lay, waiting.


Awakening in a dream yet again, but something was different this time. The lands were full of life, color and people, rushing around in a small village of about two-hundred people. Though the bustle of folks didn't seem to excite her like it would when she was younger. She felt a strong sense of hatred towards something in this village, and she watched herself roam in search of the source of her hard feelings. Children rushed by her laughing and playing, unaware of the sudden intense look that had sealed itself upon her very eyes. Evidently things all rushed into her mind as she glanced upon a particular house in the distance.

Her hatred swelling inside of her, she could hardly bare to even look upon this house, who she somehow knew was home to a sinister and disgusting man. She knew what had to be done. There was no point in giving him a chance in confronting him of his errors, and her judgement would prove just and right. Still watching herself in an out of body experience, the skies turned amber, and common chatter of the common folk had stopped. 

The clouds turning dark and tinged with scarlet like blood, foretold the fate of this small village, as the skies made way for a large comet that struck the land. The land ruptured before her eyes, the wake of this comet caused a shockwave that easily wiped out the entire village, and as the wave of dust and destruction came for her, she awoke just before she would find herself destroyed as well. 


She immediately sat up and caught her breath, a cold sweat running down her spine.

[Blazingshadowz]

Seeking answers, in the back of her mind repeated the warning Eldarel had given her. But her fears wouldn't stop her this time. She had a method to finally shed some light on the madness that had been enveloping her dreams, and her life. The winds seemed especially cruel and unforgiving, as if beckoning her to return and abandon her problems once more. But that wouldn't happen this time. Not again.

Many days seemed to pass before she found herself looking at the image described to her by the scryer back in Marsember. Standing along the Dusk Road, her gaze looked over the Sunset Mountains, and as promised, a flicker of light very far off in the distance. Seeing this for herself seemed rather surreal, and filled her with an excitement she had not felt in a long time.

It wasn't much further up along the jagged and rough paths, the cold numbed her body, besides her palms, which burned from the many wounds she attained on the ascent up the mountainous range. The comforting scent of burning wood teased her, as she pulled herself up a steep slope, and was greeted with a gust that threatened to throw her back off the mountain. She cast her gaze down, and gripped the large immobile rocks by her feet, as her hair and cloak was tossled about by the wind.

As the winds calmed down, out of breath, she gazed up, to see small tents, surrounding a fire in a circular pattern. Approaching the encampment, many folks with blue tinged skin gaze over towards her, and as though the wind had subsided, their hair still gently tussled about. Taking but a moment to compose herself, she then spoke up, gasping between words:

"My name... is Aaloria Elyantide.... and I must speak with your Wise-man."

[Blazingshadowz]

The moment stood still, as her words attracted the attention, but not the words out of these people. For each person she looked upon, their eyes had all been upon her. If not for some charms tied to one of the tents, it would have been absolutely silent. The altitude made the air thin, and no matter how many breaths she took, her lungs still burned with exhaustion.

Narrowing her eyes at the people and growing agitated with their silence, she spoke up once more. A rather commanding tone to her words this time around as if trying to prove she wasn't playing some mere jest this time around.

"Kelinthar... which tent is his? I have traveled long and far! I will speak to him!"

The currents of wind picked up again, and she was met with no response, save the howling winds meeting her eardrums. As she inhaled to speak once more, something caught her eye, as she watched a withered old hand emerge from the charmed tent. Revealing a man of similar race to these strange people, but twisted by old age, having to support himself with a gnarled cane which was adorned with many trinkets and charms. Her eyes lit up, and she knew she had found who she sought. 


"Now, calm yourself, stranger.. you are making the spirits of this land uneasy. Come."

The old man spoke up with a surprisingly soothing voice, which seemed to calm the winds bombarding the very sunset mountains. He craned his neck, and used a crooked and bony finger to beckon her to follow him, as he quickly retreated back into his tent.

Of course, Aaloria followed without much other thought. She entered the tent behind him to be greeted by several strange smokey scents, as she glanced about the tent semi-curiously she caught a look at several incense burners that had seen lots of use, as well as a whole plethora of bone-based charms that dangled from the roof. She felt somewhat uneasy but ultimately chose to ignore the feeling in her gut.

"Now, my dear stranger.. what is it you have come to see me for?"

[Blazingshadowz]

Kelinthar bowed his head finally in agreement, his fair white hair flowing gently in a non existant breeze.

"So be it, Sorceress. But... I warn you one last time. You may not like the truth.. some would say ignorance is bliss. If you are so adamant about this.. lie on that cot over there and I shall prepare the ritual."

With little hesitation, Aaloria agreed. Stepping over towards the old cot, she placed down all her supplies, shooting a glance back to the old man, who had been preparing something on the other side of the little tent. She didn't know these people well, or at all really. To this point, she had been going off the word of other people. But here she was. In one last thought before lying down, she contemplated: How exactly did I end up in a gypsy encampment in the mountains? Will this even work, and is this man a real shaman?

With a sigh of discomfort, her thoughts her disturbed by wrinkled fingertips caressing her hair out of her face. She opened her eyes to catch a last glance at the old man.

"Close your eyes and relax.. you must attempt to bring upon yourself another dream."

Well, that shouldn't be hard. Atleast she thought, as she closed her eyes and felt the old man smear some thick substance all over her face in a symmetrical pattern. Minutes, hours- it was hard to tell how much time had passed in silence, as she tried to relax. Over time, the old shaman had removed several pieces of her clothing to continue his ritual, including some incoherent chanting and bangling of charms. She instead focused on the sound of the wind howling about the tent, and before she had known it, she had been slowly drifting away. 

Opening her eyes, The sky and almost everything around her was dull and grey. Dead. Ashes being blown in the wind, it was apparent where she was now, there had been some great calamity, and terrible destruction of the land and its people as always portrayed in her dream. As she stood up and silently wandered the grey abyss something had caught her eye. Again, in the distance there was a small gathering of people outside of a small burned down hut.

Nearing the people, she felt the wind brush through her hair, the evident sobbing of these folk had grown louder and louder, each breath of air feeling somewhat invigorating, as if urging her to continue, regardless, she felt a need to see what was happening. As she opened her mouth to greet the mourning people, they all turned their gaze to her. Each person covered in black and looking torn, the only visible color in this world being their vibrant tears which stained their eyes, cheeks and clothes. A smaller woman in the group holding a small charred child spoke up, but something felt different.

"Aaloria? ...Wh-.. what has happened to you?"

With a soothing tailwind behind her steps, she reached out of the woman, but stopped a moment before touching her soot covered face. Suddenly something she had never noticed before had caught her eye. She looked to the side and stared at the blackened framework of the destroyed hut, then looked back at the familiar people. A gentle voice whispered in her ear, though strange it was, this gentle voice was her own.

"Why is it that you do not see?
Every dream.. every action leaves a choice.
Free yourself, and powerful you shall be
So hear me out, and listen to my voice."

"You pretend to be a delicate bird in a cage
But these dreams, are -your- stage.
In which you cant be hurt, or burned.
Make your choice, we shall see if you've learned."

[Blazingshadowz]

These whispered words set in motion a chain reaction inside of Aaloria, with the ultimate result being a sudden realization of certain aspects of this dreamscape. A faint glimmer could be seen all over the place. Showing a tiny golden thread that connected to each and everything. Everything in her dream stood still, as if time had frozen everything around her till she had made her choice.

Inspecting one of the golden wires connecting to the burned hut, she brushed the back of her hand against it, and watched it glow and emit a soothing hum. The humming would grow louder till every golden wire about her would be humming to create a beautiful lullaby that repeated over and over in her mind. She reached out towards the hut, and her hands would glow, with this same eerie golden light before running her palm along the burned framework. As she watched herself do this almost instinctive technique, the wooden beams slowly were washed over by magic that made the material new once more.

As she looked to her handiwork, her hands would glow brighter and brighter, till she couldn't see anything but the golden-white light. The silence got so loud, it practically deafened her, and the next moment she found herself awake, jolting a little bit up. A uncontrollable shiver ran up her spine, and she glanced down upon herself, a moment of confusion washing over her as she was covered in mud, charms and a bloody bandage along her right shin.

Kelinthar slowly peeled back the curtain and stepped into the tent, giving a glance over the waking sorceress. He cleared his throat then spoke in his somewhat distant tone.

"You have awoken... I have seen the lifeblood that flows through you.. and I have communed with the spirits. So I will say this, before we forever part.. you bear the blood of one who has the power to touch the farthest shores of night. This is a great gift.. but I regret to say.. I have been convinced this is also a great burden of power.. a curse. I am sorry, but you are too dangerous to walk these realms, may you pass peacefully."

Kelinthar planted his staff on the ground, and the ground seemed to tremble with power.

"STOP! --Please! "

Aaloria grimaced and forced herself off of the cot, her shin becoming immediately stressed from a fresh wound, forcing her to limp. She stumbled into one of the tables near the center of the tent and shoved it over, all sorts of vials and baubles falling onto the ground alongside her, as she knelt behind it. 

She glanced over towards her belongings, under the cot she just ran from, and quickly muttered a spell, beckoning a coiled rope to animate itself and very slowly- and snakelike, slither towards Kelinthar. She peeked up to look at him, speaking up to gather his attention away from the rope.

"Why are you doing this?! I don't want to fight you, old man! Stand down and walk away before you get yourself hurt!"

"You walk these lands.. and yet you have no idea what kind of affect you have on others lives.. perhaps not even a care. You haven't even figured out how to use your real strength- yet you could leave such a trail of death and misery even now."

"Oh... you've gotta be kidding-- Come on! Aren't you Shaman supposed to be reknowned for your wisdom?! Just.. just teach me!"

A look of consideration washed over his face, as he looked over Aaloria with steel eyes. Meanwhile her rope had coiled itself around his foot, and was moments away from tying itself into place. The seconds seemed to last ages, as no words were spoken. The rope set itself in place, and her heart raced, she could either wait for a potentially peaceful resolution, or seize the moment. Her hands ached, and she ran for the rope, pulling it onto her shoulder and turning, then pulling with all her might.

A yelp escaped the old man- as this forced his leg up and he tripped, the shaking subsiding from her entire body as she dropped the rope, and turned about, taking in a deep breath and raising her hands beside her mouth, she exhaled and pushed her hands out, an energy sparking forth from her hands and fueled by her powerful exhale, as a torrent of fire consumed the old man's torso and face.

First it was one scream-- then another. The old man rolled about spewing words as fast as they would come out.

"TRICKSTER! I WAS RIGHT ABOUT YOU!"

The other folks from the campment this time started to barge into the tent-- and were met with a fiery demise, as Aaloria took no chances on her life, and conjured a storm of roaring flame. The entire tent quickly lit up- as did the others, as she directed molten fireballs to crush and annihilate anyone who entered the tent. After the air was filled with screams and smoke, she grabbed her bag, and used her dagger to carve a path out of the back of the tent, and then made her way down the peaks of Sunset Mountain.