"Yes, keep me posted on that General, you are dismissed." The man stood and
left making his way around Elaina and Donovan. "Sit her in the chair would
you please." Donovan pushed her forward and plunged her into the chair
where the general had previously been sitting. "Remove the chains." Koron
smiled evilly, he now had a black amulet tied around his neck signifying
the evil gods were one with him. Donovan unclipped the chains and let them
drop to the floor. "Look up at me." Koron stood and stepped in front of
Elaina. She moved her head up a little and raised her eyelids open so she
stared right into his eyes. "That's better." He paused for a moment before
he resumed talking his voice low. "If there is such thing as too much
power, I have not discovered it. But have fear that I will discover it."
His voice echoed harshly against the walls. The only other sound was the
crackling fire in the far corner, which didn't provide even a minuscule of
warmth. "Well Goddess, are you going to try to harm me?" Elaina didn't
flinch. Her thoughts were drained out of her head, her memory kept flashing
back to the robes on the street drenched in blood. "Damit Elaina!" his hand
hit her across the face with such force she was pushed off the chair and
onto the floor.
"Just put me on the floor to begin with and save yourself the trouble of doing it yourself." She mumbled Koron hearing every word of it.
"Enlighten me" He paused putting his hand on his hip. "Where is the White amulet?"
"It was destroyed centuries ago." She said pushing herself upright.
"Bullshit, you know where it is."
"Actually I do, but I wont tell you." She reached her hand to push back curls from her face. She tried to stand but Koron hit her again, her body sprawling to the floor yet again. Donovan flinched but kept his face plane.
"Donovan, please take her down to cell four." He tossed the key to him then grabbed Elaina's arm and flung her up and forward making her stumble into Donovan. "You know what to do, what we talked about earlier." He caught her and led her down a hallway and down steps that were damp with bitter cold water. Donovan opened the cell door and pushed her inside. He pulled his sword out of his robes and stepped in following her, his sword out stretched pointed towards her chest. "Just tell me where it is, then this can be all over." Her back was pressed against the wall and the tip of his sword was touching her stomach.
"I refuse to tell anything."
"Fine then." Donovan raised the sword a little the point clicking against the amulet around her neck he stepped forward closer to her. "You know this amulet shouldn't be around your neck anymore for the gods aren't with you at this moment." He cut the chain from her neck and let it shatter to the floor. Elaina raised her head up a little and Donovan moved the sword up even more to right below her chin.
"What are you going to do now? You know better than to kill me, because you know how much I can inflict upon you, Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do." Her eyelids closed slowly and her breathing became hidden in her flesh again. Her hair seemed to straighten out. Donovan dropped his sword as her eyes flared amethyst. He reached out wrapping his hand around her neck and kissed her. She returned to normal state as he tightened his grip around her.
"Back away from her." Taiss walked in no longer in black robes but he wore black pants and a shirt, he no longer carried a staff but a sword embedded with red blood stones, the blade itself was black, the hilt a deep gray. Donovan released her and snapped. A pair of chains bound around her wrists and connected them together and then attached to the wall.
"Look little 'darkness' came to save the fallen angel." He said sarcastically as he stepped forward crunching the already broken amulet even more while picking up his own sword and he drew a small stick out of pocket in his robes. Apparently it was his wand. Elaina looked over at Taiss. His eyes were gleaming a crimson color and blood ran down his right arm and a cut bled like a waterfall from his cheek. His hair no longer brown but black seemed a little spikier than it originally was. "What is a wizard like you going to go to me. The gods favor me like they did Elaina." He touched his own amulet around his neck showing off a little.
"Do I look like a wizard to you?" he raised his eyebrows a little. "I have no master. I am chaos." He wiped the blood off his cheek with the back of his hand. "You didn't actually believe the guards killed me did you Donny?" Taiss smiled while taunting him. Elaina shot him a smile and Donovan saw it. He snapped again and metal clamps forced Elaina closer to the wall as one wrapped tightly around her neck, and then a pair at her ankles.
"I could tighten this one a little I think," he twirled his finger and the one around her neck tightened. She pushed her chin up a little bit feeling the biting metal cut into her flesh.
"Stop it." Taiss stepped forward while Donovan still tightened the clamp.
"Its really up to you whether you want her to live or die." He stopped his finger and turned to look at Taiss. "You've been betrayed by the woman you love. Did you see her kiss me with the same passion she kisses you?" He rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Bullshit!" Elaina managed a whisper loud enough both men could hear her."
"I wouldn't Elaina." He tightened it even more and her breathing became constricted her head felt light and airless and rapidly she lost all feeling of where she was, her eyes closed tenderly and her head fell forward. She heard the faint shriek of Taiss as she glided off into unconsciousness.
"Release her!" Taiss shrieked as he saw Elaina gasp for air before drifting off.
"Get though me first."
Taiss moved swiftly moving quickly and silently, Donovan not even knowing he moved until it was to late. "You know you really should learn to fight Donovan." Taiss was now next to him, his hand on his shoulder and black shading spread up and down Donovan's body making him frail and weak. "I don't play games, I only roll the die of death to see my contender's fate." Donovan fell to the ground his body covered in bruises. He groaned in agony.
"You are one of them--." He died on the floor of the cell and the chains around Elaina evaporated, their caster had ended his magical string of mana keeping the chains in place.
"Yes a Shadow Knight I am." He whispered as he scooped up Elaina in his arms "And she is still a goddess and my love." He pointed at the amulet and the shards rose above the gray stone floor floating behind Taiss as he walked up the stairs and into the room where Koron still sat.
He stood at the doorframe and the shards of amulet seemed to continue to float, Elaina lay across Taiss's arm half alive. The room had dimmed in the fading light of the afternoon and started to the rain started light then picked up. The streets by that time were home to millions of puddles and flooded street ways. The fire in the room was just embers now, and candles were lit along the walls of the room. Taiss blinked slowly. He didn't like this state of magic he was in. He knew that Elaina wouldn't get it, but the gods hadn't told her this because she loves him. And love obscures even gods and goddesses.
"Put her down Taiss, and we can have a nice chat." Koron was sprawled out on the couch drinking a deep red wine his head propped up on several pillows. He took his booted feet off the couch to make room for Taiss who didn't move. "How I do want to speak with you." Taiss rolled his eyes and put Elaina down on the floor, her neck bleeding a little and her eyes still closed tightly. Taiss walked over to the couch but stopped at the table in front of it and remained standing. "Please have a seat."
"I rather stand." Taiss blinked and crossed his arms over his chest resting his weight on his right foot. "Make it quick I have places I need to be." Taiss was impatient and really didn't want to leave Elaina on the floor over by the door. "You wont have any places if I decide to kill you like you killed Donovan."
"He was worth killing at least, and it really didn't take any effort, and I would personally like to see you try." He looked across the room with his eyes over at Elaina, the glass pieces still hovering by the door. Koron set his wine on the table and leaned forward then unclipped an amulet from his neck and put it on the table.
"The dark lord grants two of these signifying the Shadow Knights." He ran his human finger over the onyx imbedded in the black metal then clipped it back around his neck letting it dangle over his tunic. He picked up his wine again and took a sip leaning back.
"Tell me something I don't know, I grow bored here." Taiss rolled his eyes again, for Koron was new to the Shadow hood. He shifted his weight onto his left foot and stared at Koron for a moment
"You know I still have the Flowstone blade, and you being a dark god's servant can die by its hand too, and Elaina over there of course." He twisted his head over to where she still sat peacefully. "I would hate to see you both die by one blade though."
"And I would hate to see you die by your own blade, your dark enchantment is still feeble." Taiss pointed his finger at the blade that was clipped around Koron's waist. The blade gradually slipped out of the belt and lingered then moved with Taiss's finger to the front of Koron's face. Koron reached out and grabbed it trying to pull it down but had no such luck. Taiss kept the blade there for a moment then walked over to Elaina, letting it scoot closer and closer to Koron. He picked up Elaina, opened the door and stepped out. The blade moved a centimeter closer then clattered to the table. Taiss now faded into the pouring rain shards of a broken amulet trailing behind him. He walked out of the city leaving Koron sighing heavily from seeing death by his own blade. It may have been an honor to the warriors and knights but to him it would be utterly discomforting. He leaned back on the couch a moment before standing and walking down to see how brutal Donovan's death had been. It ended up he was sprawled out on the floor in a rather uncomfortable position and the color had been drained from his skin. His wand and sword lay next to him.
"Pity." He paused a moment and really thought if it was such a great loss. "Actually." He changed his mind, "No pity is being felt here." He sighed, "I suppose I will have to have someone come down here to dispose of him." Koron smiled slightly and walked out of the cell brushing back his hair. "How it irritates me that no one can slaughter these two." He garbled to himself while stepping up the steps to the main room, his general walking the length of the room waiting for the presence of his lord.
"My lord, I wish to announce we are on schedule at the Red Temple. And none of my men have seen a sign of the two you seek out." The man ran his hand over his moustache and grinned. "The Red temple should go down as easy as this one did, and the amulet will be found right away. But sir, I have a question to ask of you."
"Hurry and speak it now General, I wish to accompany you to the Red Temple."
"Why do we bother gaining control over the amulets, if the white one has been lost."
"Because it hasn't been lost, just misplaced. Now let us go, I will need one of your men to come down here and dispose of Donovan in cell four."
"Our Astrologer is-dead-?"
"Yes General, now let us go." Koron's impatience was getting the best of him and his temper was rising quickly. The General nodded and showed Koron out of the building. Men came in later to clear Donovan from the cell but Koron decided orders to burn everything standing by more than two wooden planks. The rest of the city was now fresh ashes of charred wood and flesh. The journey to the Red temple would take more than a few weeks for it was not as close to the others. ~~ 'The war shall end soon enough, as the mists cover the ground upon the blue temple. Slowly the gods prepare for war against greedy mortals and their foolishness of ruling. Mortals be damned when your time upon these fields will be no more and your blood will run freely down the sides of a fiery mountain of ashed flesh.' Elaina slid five golden beads into her hair, the beads framing her face softly. Her earrings rocked back and forth as her eyes slowly shut, magic being drained slowly from her body yet again. The gods relay messages onto their own, her being the one to change the fate of the world upon mortals. But Elaina like most of the gods had very different opinions of mortals, her realizing these feelings of disgust yet again in her lifetime. She knew not what god or goddess ruled behind Koron, who guided him to challenge the ways of the gods their lives are all dependent upon, but she herself knew the end of the war would draw on quickly and many more shall parish before the end of the bottomless pit is reached. Like throwing a coin into a well listening for it to hit the bottom. You wait there forever never hearing the soft clink of metal hitting stone, but you know that it will come in time. Elaina sat down in a chair; her eyes remained closed as she raised her palms then pushing them down. The candles simmered out and she sat there in remote darkness breathing softly before the wooden door slammed open, light from the corridor pouring in upon her and her silken robes. The golden circlet upon her head flashed brilliantly and her green eyes seemed to suck the light in, making them glow like torches.
"My lady, they come from the west, Raiders of silver." A man bowed and stood waiting.
"Bring their leader to me, give them food, drink and warm beds to rest their weary bodies for they are mortal." Her voice seemed no louder than a whisper and the man bowed and left his leather boots thumping dimly down the hall. Elaina stood her red robes shimmering in the hallway light, the candles flickered on and she shut the curtains of the small window with her finger. Her brother who she hasn't seen or heard from in almost five hundred years comes with news bound by the law of gods.
"My lady." A man in chain mail bowed and removed his helmet, shaking his dirty hair off his sweaty face. The door clicked closed by Elaina's finger and she stared at him with remorse. "My brother for this season I have longed to talk with you! Who is involved with this war, whom is behind it?" she took his hand in hers and a pleaded look stretched upon her face.
"There are five of us now, the mortals shall not over ride the gods."
"Who shall join us on the dirt of this planet?"
"Me, Lord Ostin god of the sword, Lady Turrqua goddess of the plains, Lord Irvos god of the mountains, and Lady Nystheri goddess of the lake. They have pledged to you Elaina goddess of heaven and earth for now they bid me to tell you congratulations for they have heard that you are truly one of us released from the rebirth of your mortal soul. Your magic has become great over that past seven rebirths and now your time has come to fight along with us."
"Brother, I have been fighting this war far longer than any gods have ever. Now what news do you bring so swiftly from the west?"
"The armies are coming, I suggest you take the amulet and destroy the city before they do?"
"The amulet is theirs for the taking, the city however already burns with the rising sun that inflames the plains that lay untouched by bloodshed of mortals." Her eyes rested unblinking as the shade of green reflected the candlelight like a mirror.
"My sister, for I have missed hearing your wise words from the higher gods."
"As I miss hearing silence in my head." She stared at him full of remorse and agony. "You may go clean yourself and you may rest if you so please, but the red temple shall be no longer by the dawn of tomorrow. Get your followers to the Black temple and tell Lady Nystheri that she is needed at the blue temple as soon as possible." He bowed and turned slowly.
"And Lord Taiss, shall he join us soon?"
"For he is at the black temple now finishing a mission he set off to do before this war went on a rampage across the barren lands of waste, his bind with hell shall be honored as we know it."
"I always liked him." He walked out the door and turned to the right, walking though the temple halls that were warm with blazing fires. He sighed heavily and wondered about the wellness of his sister, for she younger than him has already moved upon the great court of gods. Elaina proceeded out of her chambers and walked down the spiral staircase of the temple and walked out of the gates on to the plain. She pushed herself around shrubs and stood in the center of the field. She raised her hands above her head and a soft mist fell over the city and the surrounding land as far as she herself could see. The wind subsided and the moon was quickly shrouded and shut off. The plains grasses no longer whispered in the breeze but rested that night as she kneeled upon them her hands crossed upon her chest.
"For gods rule this world, and the world before and after it. It wouldn't be a comfort to believe, that we can create our own heavens and hells, for the gods do the bidding and mortals shall act upon it. But now I state here that mortals feel their own heaven will not be a hell but hell to them is see as heaven of gods. Their paths are twisted and wound around their own greed and anger, for they believe our powers are not for them but for ourselves. Destruction shall fall upon them like the shroud of darkness on a moonless night, they know not what they do but act upon it." Elaina seemed to talk to herself in the field but the gods above easily heard her words and took comfort. She stood and walked back in the gates that were just closing and she walked back up to her chambers only to find Lady Turrqua dressed in white and yellow waiting for her return.
"Lady Elaina the plains praise you for protecting their bruised grasses with your mist. But that is not why I am here. For my temple was destroyed but it is said the amulet was never found, I had placed it in a jar in your office early one spring, where is it kept now?"
"Here." Elaina touched her neck where the star gem necklace still rested. A small light flickered around in it. "I placed the amulet in the star that floats mercifully in the crystal pendant. Turrqua smiled.
"You truly belong up there with the High Court not down here on this damned planet."
"Thank you for your kind words but war is coming and there will be an end to it placed by me. Now I am tired may I bid you goodnight."
"As to you milady." She smiled and hugged Elaina softly. Turrqua was as much as a sister could ever be to a girl in one lifetime more or less seven. Her robes floated behind her as she left the room and she shut the door softly. Elaina laid her crimson robe on the chair and rested upon the soft bed swiftly falling into a deep slumber. Her head spun with views of war, bloody plains and the stars falling swiftly from the heavens. The gods were getting impatient with this war, and Elaina could only work as fast as her magic could allow her to. She longed for Taiss but he had his own mission to complete and she didn't know if she would ever see him again. That feeling of emptiness ate away at her soul every time she inhaled the stale air that felt death was lurking around each corner. Her mission had started gently with just wanting to go with Taiss but now everything seems to have been spun and twisted around.
"Just put me on the floor to begin with and save yourself the trouble of doing it yourself." She mumbled Koron hearing every word of it.
"Enlighten me" He paused putting his hand on his hip. "Where is the White amulet?"
"It was destroyed centuries ago." She said pushing herself upright.
"Bullshit, you know where it is."
"Actually I do, but I wont tell you." She reached her hand to push back curls from her face. She tried to stand but Koron hit her again, her body sprawling to the floor yet again. Donovan flinched but kept his face plane.
"Donovan, please take her down to cell four." He tossed the key to him then grabbed Elaina's arm and flung her up and forward making her stumble into Donovan. "You know what to do, what we talked about earlier." He caught her and led her down a hallway and down steps that were damp with bitter cold water. Donovan opened the cell door and pushed her inside. He pulled his sword out of his robes and stepped in following her, his sword out stretched pointed towards her chest. "Just tell me where it is, then this can be all over." Her back was pressed against the wall and the tip of his sword was touching her stomach.
"I refuse to tell anything."
"Fine then." Donovan raised the sword a little the point clicking against the amulet around her neck he stepped forward closer to her. "You know this amulet shouldn't be around your neck anymore for the gods aren't with you at this moment." He cut the chain from her neck and let it shatter to the floor. Elaina raised her head up a little and Donovan moved the sword up even more to right below her chin.
"What are you going to do now? You know better than to kill me, because you know how much I can inflict upon you, Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do." Her eyelids closed slowly and her breathing became hidden in her flesh again. Her hair seemed to straighten out. Donovan dropped his sword as her eyes flared amethyst. He reached out wrapping his hand around her neck and kissed her. She returned to normal state as he tightened his grip around her.
"Back away from her." Taiss walked in no longer in black robes but he wore black pants and a shirt, he no longer carried a staff but a sword embedded with red blood stones, the blade itself was black, the hilt a deep gray. Donovan released her and snapped. A pair of chains bound around her wrists and connected them together and then attached to the wall.
"Look little 'darkness' came to save the fallen angel." He said sarcastically as he stepped forward crunching the already broken amulet even more while picking up his own sword and he drew a small stick out of pocket in his robes. Apparently it was his wand. Elaina looked over at Taiss. His eyes were gleaming a crimson color and blood ran down his right arm and a cut bled like a waterfall from his cheek. His hair no longer brown but black seemed a little spikier than it originally was. "What is a wizard like you going to go to me. The gods favor me like they did Elaina." He touched his own amulet around his neck showing off a little.
"Do I look like a wizard to you?" he raised his eyebrows a little. "I have no master. I am chaos." He wiped the blood off his cheek with the back of his hand. "You didn't actually believe the guards killed me did you Donny?" Taiss smiled while taunting him. Elaina shot him a smile and Donovan saw it. He snapped again and metal clamps forced Elaina closer to the wall as one wrapped tightly around her neck, and then a pair at her ankles.
"I could tighten this one a little I think," he twirled his finger and the one around her neck tightened. She pushed her chin up a little bit feeling the biting metal cut into her flesh.
"Stop it." Taiss stepped forward while Donovan still tightened the clamp.
"Its really up to you whether you want her to live or die." He stopped his finger and turned to look at Taiss. "You've been betrayed by the woman you love. Did you see her kiss me with the same passion she kisses you?" He rolled his eyes and laughed.
"Bullshit!" Elaina managed a whisper loud enough both men could hear her."
"I wouldn't Elaina." He tightened it even more and her breathing became constricted her head felt light and airless and rapidly she lost all feeling of where she was, her eyes closed tenderly and her head fell forward. She heard the faint shriek of Taiss as she glided off into unconsciousness.
"Release her!" Taiss shrieked as he saw Elaina gasp for air before drifting off.
"Get though me first."
Taiss moved swiftly moving quickly and silently, Donovan not even knowing he moved until it was to late. "You know you really should learn to fight Donovan." Taiss was now next to him, his hand on his shoulder and black shading spread up and down Donovan's body making him frail and weak. "I don't play games, I only roll the die of death to see my contender's fate." Donovan fell to the ground his body covered in bruises. He groaned in agony.
"You are one of them--." He died on the floor of the cell and the chains around Elaina evaporated, their caster had ended his magical string of mana keeping the chains in place.
"Yes a Shadow Knight I am." He whispered as he scooped up Elaina in his arms "And she is still a goddess and my love." He pointed at the amulet and the shards rose above the gray stone floor floating behind Taiss as he walked up the stairs and into the room where Koron still sat.
He stood at the doorframe and the shards of amulet seemed to continue to float, Elaina lay across Taiss's arm half alive. The room had dimmed in the fading light of the afternoon and started to the rain started light then picked up. The streets by that time were home to millions of puddles and flooded street ways. The fire in the room was just embers now, and candles were lit along the walls of the room. Taiss blinked slowly. He didn't like this state of magic he was in. He knew that Elaina wouldn't get it, but the gods hadn't told her this because she loves him. And love obscures even gods and goddesses.
"Put her down Taiss, and we can have a nice chat." Koron was sprawled out on the couch drinking a deep red wine his head propped up on several pillows. He took his booted feet off the couch to make room for Taiss who didn't move. "How I do want to speak with you." Taiss rolled his eyes and put Elaina down on the floor, her neck bleeding a little and her eyes still closed tightly. Taiss walked over to the couch but stopped at the table in front of it and remained standing. "Please have a seat."
"I rather stand." Taiss blinked and crossed his arms over his chest resting his weight on his right foot. "Make it quick I have places I need to be." Taiss was impatient and really didn't want to leave Elaina on the floor over by the door. "You wont have any places if I decide to kill you like you killed Donovan."
"He was worth killing at least, and it really didn't take any effort, and I would personally like to see you try." He looked across the room with his eyes over at Elaina, the glass pieces still hovering by the door. Koron set his wine on the table and leaned forward then unclipped an amulet from his neck and put it on the table.
"The dark lord grants two of these signifying the Shadow Knights." He ran his human finger over the onyx imbedded in the black metal then clipped it back around his neck letting it dangle over his tunic. He picked up his wine again and took a sip leaning back.
"Tell me something I don't know, I grow bored here." Taiss rolled his eyes again, for Koron was new to the Shadow hood. He shifted his weight onto his left foot and stared at Koron for a moment
"You know I still have the Flowstone blade, and you being a dark god's servant can die by its hand too, and Elaina over there of course." He twisted his head over to where she still sat peacefully. "I would hate to see you both die by one blade though."
"And I would hate to see you die by your own blade, your dark enchantment is still feeble." Taiss pointed his finger at the blade that was clipped around Koron's waist. The blade gradually slipped out of the belt and lingered then moved with Taiss's finger to the front of Koron's face. Koron reached out and grabbed it trying to pull it down but had no such luck. Taiss kept the blade there for a moment then walked over to Elaina, letting it scoot closer and closer to Koron. He picked up Elaina, opened the door and stepped out. The blade moved a centimeter closer then clattered to the table. Taiss now faded into the pouring rain shards of a broken amulet trailing behind him. He walked out of the city leaving Koron sighing heavily from seeing death by his own blade. It may have been an honor to the warriors and knights but to him it would be utterly discomforting. He leaned back on the couch a moment before standing and walking down to see how brutal Donovan's death had been. It ended up he was sprawled out on the floor in a rather uncomfortable position and the color had been drained from his skin. His wand and sword lay next to him.
"Pity." He paused a moment and really thought if it was such a great loss. "Actually." He changed his mind, "No pity is being felt here." He sighed, "I suppose I will have to have someone come down here to dispose of him." Koron smiled slightly and walked out of the cell brushing back his hair. "How it irritates me that no one can slaughter these two." He garbled to himself while stepping up the steps to the main room, his general walking the length of the room waiting for the presence of his lord.
"My lord, I wish to announce we are on schedule at the Red Temple. And none of my men have seen a sign of the two you seek out." The man ran his hand over his moustache and grinned. "The Red temple should go down as easy as this one did, and the amulet will be found right away. But sir, I have a question to ask of you."
"Hurry and speak it now General, I wish to accompany you to the Red Temple."
"Why do we bother gaining control over the amulets, if the white one has been lost."
"Because it hasn't been lost, just misplaced. Now let us go, I will need one of your men to come down here and dispose of Donovan in cell four."
"Our Astrologer is-dead-?"
"Yes General, now let us go." Koron's impatience was getting the best of him and his temper was rising quickly. The General nodded and showed Koron out of the building. Men came in later to clear Donovan from the cell but Koron decided orders to burn everything standing by more than two wooden planks. The rest of the city was now fresh ashes of charred wood and flesh. The journey to the Red temple would take more than a few weeks for it was not as close to the others. ~~ 'The war shall end soon enough, as the mists cover the ground upon the blue temple. Slowly the gods prepare for war against greedy mortals and their foolishness of ruling. Mortals be damned when your time upon these fields will be no more and your blood will run freely down the sides of a fiery mountain of ashed flesh.' Elaina slid five golden beads into her hair, the beads framing her face softly. Her earrings rocked back and forth as her eyes slowly shut, magic being drained slowly from her body yet again. The gods relay messages onto their own, her being the one to change the fate of the world upon mortals. But Elaina like most of the gods had very different opinions of mortals, her realizing these feelings of disgust yet again in her lifetime. She knew not what god or goddess ruled behind Koron, who guided him to challenge the ways of the gods their lives are all dependent upon, but she herself knew the end of the war would draw on quickly and many more shall parish before the end of the bottomless pit is reached. Like throwing a coin into a well listening for it to hit the bottom. You wait there forever never hearing the soft clink of metal hitting stone, but you know that it will come in time. Elaina sat down in a chair; her eyes remained closed as she raised her palms then pushing them down. The candles simmered out and she sat there in remote darkness breathing softly before the wooden door slammed open, light from the corridor pouring in upon her and her silken robes. The golden circlet upon her head flashed brilliantly and her green eyes seemed to suck the light in, making them glow like torches.
"My lady, they come from the west, Raiders of silver." A man bowed and stood waiting.
"Bring their leader to me, give them food, drink and warm beds to rest their weary bodies for they are mortal." Her voice seemed no louder than a whisper and the man bowed and left his leather boots thumping dimly down the hall. Elaina stood her red robes shimmering in the hallway light, the candles flickered on and she shut the curtains of the small window with her finger. Her brother who she hasn't seen or heard from in almost five hundred years comes with news bound by the law of gods.
"My lady." A man in chain mail bowed and removed his helmet, shaking his dirty hair off his sweaty face. The door clicked closed by Elaina's finger and she stared at him with remorse. "My brother for this season I have longed to talk with you! Who is involved with this war, whom is behind it?" she took his hand in hers and a pleaded look stretched upon her face.
"There are five of us now, the mortals shall not over ride the gods."
"Who shall join us on the dirt of this planet?"
"Me, Lord Ostin god of the sword, Lady Turrqua goddess of the plains, Lord Irvos god of the mountains, and Lady Nystheri goddess of the lake. They have pledged to you Elaina goddess of heaven and earth for now they bid me to tell you congratulations for they have heard that you are truly one of us released from the rebirth of your mortal soul. Your magic has become great over that past seven rebirths and now your time has come to fight along with us."
"Brother, I have been fighting this war far longer than any gods have ever. Now what news do you bring so swiftly from the west?"
"The armies are coming, I suggest you take the amulet and destroy the city before they do?"
"The amulet is theirs for the taking, the city however already burns with the rising sun that inflames the plains that lay untouched by bloodshed of mortals." Her eyes rested unblinking as the shade of green reflected the candlelight like a mirror.
"My sister, for I have missed hearing your wise words from the higher gods."
"As I miss hearing silence in my head." She stared at him full of remorse and agony. "You may go clean yourself and you may rest if you so please, but the red temple shall be no longer by the dawn of tomorrow. Get your followers to the Black temple and tell Lady Nystheri that she is needed at the blue temple as soon as possible." He bowed and turned slowly.
"And Lord Taiss, shall he join us soon?"
"For he is at the black temple now finishing a mission he set off to do before this war went on a rampage across the barren lands of waste, his bind with hell shall be honored as we know it."
"I always liked him." He walked out the door and turned to the right, walking though the temple halls that were warm with blazing fires. He sighed heavily and wondered about the wellness of his sister, for she younger than him has already moved upon the great court of gods. Elaina proceeded out of her chambers and walked down the spiral staircase of the temple and walked out of the gates on to the plain. She pushed herself around shrubs and stood in the center of the field. She raised her hands above her head and a soft mist fell over the city and the surrounding land as far as she herself could see. The wind subsided and the moon was quickly shrouded and shut off. The plains grasses no longer whispered in the breeze but rested that night as she kneeled upon them her hands crossed upon her chest.
"For gods rule this world, and the world before and after it. It wouldn't be a comfort to believe, that we can create our own heavens and hells, for the gods do the bidding and mortals shall act upon it. But now I state here that mortals feel their own heaven will not be a hell but hell to them is see as heaven of gods. Their paths are twisted and wound around their own greed and anger, for they believe our powers are not for them but for ourselves. Destruction shall fall upon them like the shroud of darkness on a moonless night, they know not what they do but act upon it." Elaina seemed to talk to herself in the field but the gods above easily heard her words and took comfort. She stood and walked back in the gates that were just closing and she walked back up to her chambers only to find Lady Turrqua dressed in white and yellow waiting for her return.
"Lady Elaina the plains praise you for protecting their bruised grasses with your mist. But that is not why I am here. For my temple was destroyed but it is said the amulet was never found, I had placed it in a jar in your office early one spring, where is it kept now?"
"Here." Elaina touched her neck where the star gem necklace still rested. A small light flickered around in it. "I placed the amulet in the star that floats mercifully in the crystal pendant. Turrqua smiled.
"You truly belong up there with the High Court not down here on this damned planet."
"Thank you for your kind words but war is coming and there will be an end to it placed by me. Now I am tired may I bid you goodnight."
"As to you milady." She smiled and hugged Elaina softly. Turrqua was as much as a sister could ever be to a girl in one lifetime more or less seven. Her robes floated behind her as she left the room and she shut the door softly. Elaina laid her crimson robe on the chair and rested upon the soft bed swiftly falling into a deep slumber. Her head spun with views of war, bloody plains and the stars falling swiftly from the heavens. The gods were getting impatient with this war, and Elaina could only work as fast as her magic could allow her to. She longed for Taiss but he had his own mission to complete and she didn't know if she would ever see him again. That feeling of emptiness ate away at her soul every time she inhaled the stale air that felt death was lurking around each corner. Her mission had started gently with just wanting to go with Taiss but now everything seems to have been spun and twisted around.