Uncommon Ballads sung by Brienae and Alyerra

Discussion in 'Traveler's Tales' started by ARCHIVED-lisemanta, Jul 6, 2011.

  1. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    "A true bard performs not for their own glory, but the glory of others," words I use as a motto for my troubador Brienae. In medieval times a bard had the power to make someone immortal. Not physically but if a bard told your story you would always be remembered. The bard's name might fade but thier stories would remind people of the great deed performed by Joe Smith for many generations thus making Joe Smith immortal in a way.
    It is with this spirit that I have decided to tell the stories or "Ballads" of my eight primary characters: Tetriemmy Windfoot, Kyriu Flamefist, Mordedana Shadowlight, Tsimia Plaguewren, Alyerra, Ziqua Reborne, Tari Clearshadow and Lady Brienae De'Esalcoda. I'm hoping to have all of them done with in a year but we shall see what happens. As for a bard telling her own story Brienae will be narrating/singing most of the ballads but as she refuses to tell her own story Alyerra my dirge will be narrating/singing her story as well Tari's because Brienae would never dare to have anything to do with her vile distant cousin.
    The Ballads:
    Nature's Rat: Tetriemmy Windfoot sung by Brienae
    Child of Balance: Kyriu Flamefist sung by Brienae
    Light Out of Shadow: Mordedana Shadowlight Sung by Brienae
    Song of Blood: Alyerra Sung by Brienae
    I hope you enjoy
    Sincerly,
    Lise Manta
  2. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    A Fae stands in a corner. Her orange and purple wings seem to glow in the light. Her orange hair is frosted with purple her blue and white armor also glistens. She strums a tiny lyre made for her small Fae hands. With a curtsey she introduces herself "I am Lady Brienae De`Esalcoda, but you may call me Brienae." she sighs "Other than that there is not much else to say about myself." she strums her lyre letting the music drift "I will tell some ballads that I have collected, ballads of lives not so common," she closes her eyes and begins to sing her soprano voice filling the room as she begins her ballads:
    Nature's Rat

    News of the accident on the Freeport Docks faded once everyone was healed everyone except a pregnant Ratonga. The day Gorgonzola Desmens gave birth to her three children the whispers started again about what had happened... what had happened to cause a Ratonga to be born black as the first born Crumpet was and what would cause a baby Ratonga to be born coughing? The second child seemed unaffected. The clerics reasoned that his siblings had shielded him from the necromantic forces. They reasoned that the first two children Crumpet and Ratiel would survive, but they feared the third child the girl named Tetriemmy would die in a few days.
    Days turned into a week and the the young infant was still coughing but living. Friends told the family that they should drown the girl but Gorgonzola refused. A week turned into a month. Gorgonzola reasoned the girl was a fighter and therefore again refused to drown her despite the ever present cough.
    Four years later Tetriemmy still lived but the cough never went away. She had never been outside because her mother was afraid, of what the young Ratonga wasn't sure. Through the window she could see into the alley. She could see her brothers playing with the other children. She started coughing yet again. There seemed to be only moments when the young Ratonga wasn't coughing. She was used to it but she hated it. She sighed as she got out of bed to get herself water. She noticed that it was getting dark outside. In the living room she passed Gorgonzola who was at her loom working on a new robe for someone.
    Crumpet and Ratiel came back in as she was leaving the kitchen glass of water in hand.
    She sipped the water in between coughs.
    Crumpet laughed as he held up a dead cat to his mother “Looks whats I founds,” he said
    “Takes it backs outsides,” Gorgonzola ordered
    “Buts I cans makes its a pets if I cans just learns hows,” the young black Ratonga pouted
    “Nos, it smells,”
    “Dos as yours mothers says,” said their father.
    Crumpet sighed and took the dead cat outside.
    He returned moments later empty handed.
    Tetriemmy started coughing more and was forced to her knees. She spilled the water as she collapsed.
    Gorgonzola dropped what she was working on rushed to her daughter. “Ratiel go gets more water.”
    The young dark brown Ratonga said nothing but ran into the kitchen returning with another glass of water and handed it to his mother.
    Gorgonzola helped her cream colored daughter to sip the water.
    Crumpet knelt down next to her “You knows Tet if yous dies I'm sures I coulds brings yous backs yous coulds bes mys firsts undeads servants,”
    “Shuts ups Crumpet,” Tetriemmy coughed.
    Dinner was silent. Tetriemmy had never minded it much. It gave her time to think and daydream. She wanted to leave the house but she was never allowed to.
    It was as they were finishing dinner that their father spoke “I wants to takes my familys on a picnics tos the Commonlands,”
  3. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Gorgonzola gasped “But whats abouts Tet?”
    Their father frowned “I guess we'll haves to finds someones to watch hers,”
    Tetriemmy looked up “Buts I wants to gos.”
    Gorgonzola bit her lip “I don't knows if thats a goods ideas.”
    “Please lets mes gos toos,” the young Ratonga pleaded.
    “Fines saves us some times,” the father answered.
    “Oh thanks yous Daddys thanks yous,”
    The Ratonga glared at his daughter. She was cream colored like him but he seemed to have always resented her for continuing to live.
    The next morning the family packed what they would need for the picnic. Tetriemmy was more excited than she had ever been in her short life. As soon as she stepped out the door her coughing seemed to calm, but once they reached the fresh air of the Commonlands her coughing ceased completely.
    From a distance a lone figure watched the Ratonga family enjoying their food. She was a Wood-elf. Balira looked at the sky and sighed. Her nickname was Wind-Reader. All Druids could read subtle things in the wind as the wind was how Nature herself spoke as well as talking to trees and animals, but Balira since she was very young had been able to read the wind better than anyone even druids who had been studying the speech of Nature for centuries. To her it came naturally. She was known to have conversations with the wind. She had become famous for her ability to a point where she most often hid her face so that she could have quiet without the constant nagging of someone wanting to know the future or simply wanting to know what was the wind saying at that moment. At that particular moment it was telling her about the family below her. “That boy doesn't know he's only drawn to Necromancy because he's so infused with the energy.” she blinked “You can not be serious... you want me to train her as a Fury?” she shook her head “No find someone else. There is no way in Norrath I will take a child under my wing. Maybe when she's older, but I don't deal well with children.” she watched as the family threw the paper wraps from their sandwiches on the ground. She stood up and walked over to them. “Excuse me,” she said
    The family looked up. “Whats dos yous wants?” asked the father.
    “I suggest you pick that up,” Balira answered indicating the trash.
    Tetriemmy and Gorgonzola started to each reach for a piece of trash when the head of the family stopped them “It's nots hurtings anyones,” he said.
    Balira looked at the sky and nodded “You will be punished for your disrespect of Nature,” she turned and vanished in swirl of leaves. Once invisible she continued to watch the family. She continued to read the winds and was relieved that she had gone some distance from the family as she gasped “Why her? I thought you had chosen her,” she closed her eyes “I see it is the only way she can be trained. I still don't think I'm the right one to train her though,”
    Crumpet stood up “Comes on Ratiel let's gos plays,”
    Ratiel stood up to run with his brother.
    “Waits fors mes,” Tetriemmy said as she stood.
    Gorgonzola frowned.
    “Please, I've nevers felts betters,” she said to her mother her eyes pleading.
    Gorgonzola nodded “Crumpet, Ratiel keeps an eyes on yours sisters,”
    Both boys sighed as they stopped to wait for their cream colored sister.
    “Don't gos too fars,” Gorgonzola shouted after them.
    The Ratonga children played a game of tag.
    Tetriemmy was able to keep up with her brothers like she had never been able to do before.
    There was a rumble of thunder. Crumpet and Ratiel dashed back towards their parents.
    Tetriemmy stopped as her cough which had not been there all day erupted with a vengeance.
    Ratiel stopped “Tet hurries ups!”
    Crumpet snarled and grabbed his brother “She'lls catch ups!”
  4. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Tetriemmy watched as the sky began to pour and her brothers vanished in the torrent. She forced herself to stand and walk in the direction she hoped was right. She watched as a funnel of wind formed and touched the ground right in front of her. She turned to run the other way. A part of the young Ratonga knew that it was hopeless to out run the swirling wind but there was that spirit that had kept her alive as well “You's nots goings tos dies” she stopped as her cough erupted again causing her to collapse. She turned her head just as the whirlwind reached her. She screamed as a large rock came towards her. There was no time to move even though the rock appeared to be moving in slow motion. The young Ratonga fell to the ground bleeding profusely from her right eye.
    The boys found their parents and ran to them for protection.
    Gorgonzola looked around frantically “Where's Tet?” she asked.
    The storm ended and an intense argument began.
    The father wanted to take his sons home and leave the girl.
    Balira shook her head as she listened to the male Ratonga talk. She had respect for the mother as she argued against leaving her daughter. Finally the male Ratonga turned and headed back to Freeport with his two sons.
    Gorgonzola stayed to search for her daughter. “Tetriemmy!” she called the girl's name several times.
    Balira showed herself to the Ratonga woman. “Come with me, I'll help you find her.” she already knew where the girl was as the wind kept informing her. “There isn't much time,” she told the Ratonga woman. She led the way to where the the young Ratonga lay.
    Gorgonzola gasped when she saw all the blood on the ground which appeared to be coming from her daughter's head.
    Balira knelt down by the tiny girl's side “She's alive but barely,” she carefully turned the young girl over. Her right eye was a mass of blood.
    Gorgonzola cried “Oh my poor little Tet...”
    “I can stop the bleeding but her eye... she'll never see out of it again,” Balira said as she started to weave her hands over the girl.
    Gorgonzola bit her lip “Would she lives ifs I tooks hers tos the clerics in Freeport?”
    Balira shook her head “Not bleeding as she is now, but after I'm finished yes, but they won't be able to heal her eye.”
    Gorgonzola watched as a spray of Autumn leaves erupted around her daughter. “You'res a druids?”
    “Yes,” Balira answered “And Nature has chosen Tetriemmy to become a Fury as well,”
    Gorgonzola closed her eyes “That is an honors I'm sures, but there's really nothings yous cans dos abouts thats?” she asked pointing at her daughter's face.
    Balira nodded “There is nothing anyone can do.”
    Gorgonzola nodded and bent down to kiss her daughter on the forehead “I loves yous Tet but your fathers woulds nots understands,” she stood up and ran back towards Freeport forever leaving her only daughter in the hands of a stranger.
  5. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Balira watched the Ratonga run and sighed as the bleeding stopped. She picked the girl up and carried her to her camp. “Now what?” she asked out loud. She sighed “I'm a Feir'Dal and she's a Ratonga. I can teach her how to represent you but how can you expect me to raise a child?” she bandaged the girl's head while she continued her conversation with the wind “I mean she'll need a father and don't even think about trying to play match maker although I suppose you would be the best at it... yeah you laugh... my brother? Sephen is as reckless as they come. He's a Ranger... well yes he could teach her how to hunt nicely... Aunt Corielle she loves children... that's it I'll let Aunt Corielle raise her.... why are you so insistent I have to raise this cub?” she finished her bandage job and covered the Ratonga child with a blanket. Balira sighed as she put the ingredients she had gathered and hunted into a pot and to make a stew.
    Tetriemmy woke up. She could smell something cooking as she opened her eye. Everything was flat. She raised a paw to the right side of her face and felt the bandage over her right eye. She growled as she tried to find how to undo the covering. A hand stopped her. She screamed having not seen the Wood-elf.
    “Cub leave it,” she ordered “The injury needs to be covered so it can heal.”
    “But I can'ts see,” the young Ratonga protested. “Nothings looks rights.”
    Balira sighed “I'm afraid you'll have to get used to your vision being like this.”
    Tetriemmy glared at the Wood-Elf “Whys?”
    Balira sighed “Nature decided to show your family a sign... hopefully they will never forget the lesson. You will learn to live with it. Eventually Nature will improve your hearing.”
    “But I wants tos sees,”
    “I'm sorry,” Balira said as she dished a bowl of stew for the girl.
    Tetriemmy sniffed the stew. “Do yous haves anys cheese?”
    “No,” Balira answered “I live on what I find in Nature,”
    Tetriemmy picked up the spoon the Wood-elf had given her and tried a little bit of the stew. She frowned “There's nos spices,”
    Balira sighed “I don't have any spices.” she glared at the Ratonga as she put the bowl down and turned away. “You need to eat. With my powers I was able to stop the bleeding, but you are still fighting infection. You need the strength.”
    “I don'ts likes its it's too plains,”
    “You will eat if I have to hold you down and force it down your throat!” Balira shouted.
    Tetriemmy glared back.
    “So be it,” Balira hissed she summoned vines from the ground which wrapped around the Ratonga girl.
    “Let's gos of mes. My Dads wills hears of this,”
    Balira released the child “No he will not. He left you here to die Cub,”
    “But Mom woulds never lets hims do thats,”
    “Your mother left you with me because she does love you. You would have died if she had tried to take you back to Freeport. She also said your father wouldn't understand.” she watched as the young Ratonga's lip began to tremble “No please don't cry...” she began to plead before the young Ratonga burst into tears. Balira not sure what else to do picked up the child and held her as she wailed. She looked at the sky “Really? I'm at a loss here. She's far too young to understand and I don't have the patience... I'll learn... I'm almost nine hundred years old, I don't have the patience to chase around a girl this young or this small... I mean seriously.” Thunder rumbled in the sky. “Fine you win. I still don't agree but you win.”
  6. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    “Who are yous talkings to” Tetriemmy sniffed.
    Balira looked down “Nature. She speaks to me through the wind. She speaks to all Druids through the wind. Some just translate her words better than others,”
    Tetriemmy twitched her ears “I don'ts hears anythings,”
    “The wind doesn't speak in a way that you can hear. You have to watch,” At that moment the wind swirled around the Ratonga girl. “The wind right now is telling me that you are be trained as Fury.” she bit her lip as the wind spoke more about her "daughter". She shook her head “No I draw the line there,”
    “Draw the lines wheres?”
    Balira looked again at the young Ratonga “Nothing. Don't worry about it. Now are you going to eat or do I have to force it down your throat?”
    Tetriemmy scowled but picked up the spoon and bowl and finished the stew. After she ate she yawned and curled up in a ball falling asleep.
    Balira waited for the girl to be settled before she ate some stew herself and then fell asleep.
    Tetriemmy slept more soundly than she ever had in her life. In the morning she was awakened by the sunlight. She blinked her one eye. Again she felt the bandage that was over her right eye. Gradually it came to her what had happened. She twitched her nose as she thought she smelled fruit.
    “Are you going to eat breakfast?” Balira asked handing the girl a handful of berries.
    The Ratonga grinned and devoured the berries in one messy juicy bite.
    After Breakfast Balira packed up everything she had with her and began walking towards the docks. She had to stop often to wait for the Ratonga child.
    Once on the ship bound for The Thundering Steppes Tetriemmy ran to the other side of the ship. The wind blew strongly jingling the earrings she wore.
    “Tis a good wind,” One of the sailors said.
    Balira laughed “You have no idea. Tetriemmy be careful,”
    The Ratonga child sighed and placed her feet back on the deck as she had been trying to peer over the side.
    There were not many children on board besides Tetriemmy. One of the sailors had a talking parrot. It did not take the bird long to learn the child's name or at least part of it. “Watch Tetri,” he took to saying as the tiny Ratonga sometimes got underfoot of the sailors despite Balira's best efforts.
    It was a stormy night. Tetriemmy lay in bed trying to sleep but it it was difficult. She knew that Balira was asleep below her although the constant rustling below told her the Wood-Elf was restless. Tetriemmy sat up as the door burst open “Any druids on board!”
    Balira got out of her bed “I'm a Fury what's wrong? Other than the storm,”
    “It's getting worse.” one of the sailors said “Captain's afraid we're gonna capsize,”
    “Fine,” Balira growled. She looked up at Tetriemmy. “Go back to sleep,” she ordered.
    Tetriemmy waited until the Wood-Elf's back was turned before she quietly climbed down. “She said go back to sleep,” her mind laughed “Can't do that if I wasn't asleep,” She arrived on deck and hid behind a barrel.
  7. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    “Who be this?” The Captain asked.
    Balira sighed “My name is Balira Windfoot,”
    The Captain smiled “The Wind Reader,”
    Balira sighed and nodded.
    “Alright Wind-Reader why the sea be mad at us?”
    “The sea is not mad at you it's just a severe storm. You should know Captain these things happen,”
    “Aye, but in all me years I've never seen a storm like this,”
    Balira shook her head. She looked at the sky “Grab onto something,”
    The sailors scrambled to do as the druid said some grabbing the mast some onto the ropes. The captain held the helm tighter.
    As the wind and waves pushed the ship to lean on its side there was an unmistakable cry “Watch Tetri! Watch Tetri!”
    “Tetri?” Balira cursed.
    Tetriemmy screamed as she slid behind the rolling barrel towards the water. She scrambled to grab onto the wooden floor of the deck with her tiny claws but it wasn't working. She closed her eye as she felt something wrap around her. She opened her eye to see a vine wrapped around her torso.
    The ship righted itself. “What part of go back to sleep did you miss Cub?” Balira shouted as she picked Ratonga child up and held her on her hip.
    “The backs parts. I wasn't asleeps befores,”
    Balira wanted to laugh at that but she reminded herself she had to be stern with the child. “You knew what I meant,”
    The Ratonga child grinned.
    The storm calmed.
    Balira sighed “The answer is still no,” she muttered. She looked down. The young Ratonga had nestled into her shoulder and fallen asleep. She sighed and took the child back to bed.
  8. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    They boarded a ship from Thundering steppes to Antonica. There were more children running around. Among the passengers was another Wood-Elf who wore only cloth and carried a large stick which she called Bo Staff. In the mornings the children Tetriemmy included enjoyed watching her twirl her staff.
    “Who is shes?” Tetriemmy asked Balira one day as Balira watched the young woman practice as well.
    “Her name is Mesena Windstaff. She is a Monk. She's not a Grandmaster yet but she is very strong and courageous. There is no doubt that someday she will be.”
    Mesena sat with Tetriemmy and Balira one day during dinner. She studied Tetriemmy closely “What happened to your eye child?”
    Tetriemmy sighed “There was a bigs storms and lasts things I remembers is a bigs rocks,”
    Mesena nodded. “You are a strong child to keep your spirits up despite everything,”
    Tetriemmy looked at the brown haired Wood-Elf.
    “Everything is balance,” Mesena said “Nothing just happens. Perhaps the deities in their ultimate wisdom foresaw that you would be very powerful someday and so they had to limit your power. Who knows but I can tell you are one to watch.”
    The ship docked in Antonica. Many got off to stretch and explore. A few would be taking the ship to Qeynos Harbor.
  9. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Tetriemmy was trying to play with the other children. Her wound had healed and the bandage had been removed but her right eye was white with scars. She quit playing after many failed attempts at playing hide and seek. She began to head back to Balira's side. She stopped overhearing Balira talking to Mesena.
    Mesena asked her “How did you come to raise a Ratonga? There's nothing wrong with it I think the child will grow and learn much better in Qeynos than in that dirty city Freeport,”
    “I'm not raising her,” Balira sighed “Her mother ran off and left her with me. I have no intention of raising a child. I will train her in the ways of a Fury but I will not be her mother.
    The Ratonga child blinked. She turned and just ran.
    Mesena shook her head “You should be mindful of your surroundings. I would think a Fury would know that.”
    “What are you talking about. I'm aware of everything around me,” Balira snapped.
    “Are you?” Mesena questioned “Where is the child,”
    Balira laughed and shook her head “Playing with the other children where else?”
    “Look again,” Mesena said her voice as though issuing a challenge.
    Balira turned and watched the children. She gasped not one of them was the tiny Ratonga child. “We have to find her.” she said to the younger Wood-Elf.
    Mesena shook her head “I sense this is something you must do, but what does the wind say Wind Reader?”
    Balira looked at the sky and growled. She turned and ran out into Antonica
    Tetriemmy ran. Tears began to form in her left eye. She just ran straight not knowing or caring where she was going. She came to a hill and heard laughing. She turned and screamed as a group of skeletons surrounded her. “L-leaves mes alones!” she managed to shout.
    The skeletons laughed.
    Tetriemmy picked up a rock and threw it. She whimpered the rock appeared to hit but she realized it hadn't. Her lack of depth perception hindering her aim. “P-please leaves mes alones?”
    This provoked more laughter.
    Tetriemmy started coughing and collapsed to the ground. “Please... I don'ts ...wants... to... dies,” she said between coughs. She closed her eye and then she heard thunder. She opened her eye to see bones scattered on the ground and underneath her was a large fire.
    Balira dashed to the young Ratonga and pulled her close “What were you thinking?” she asked pulling the child away to look at her.
    “Thats yous didn'ts wants mes. Theys thoughts I didn'ts knows but I heards the talks. Dads wanteds to drowns mes and Crumpet wanteds mes to bes his undeads servants. Mom lefts mes ands yous don'ts wants me either... no one wants me...”
    The wind swirled around the Ratonga and the Wood Elf. Balira sighed “You win,”
    They walked through the North Qeynos gate and on to the courthouse where Balira requested adoption papers. On that day Tetriemmy Desmens became Tetriemmy Windfoot.
    Many years later Tetriemmy was a powerful Fury in her own right. Some say she surpassed her mother Balira. While she could never read the Winds as Balira had her reputation spread. Necromancers fear her name.
    Like her mother she never married but has taken it upon herself to look after others. She calls us her Cubs and somehow whenever any of her cubs is in trouble she is always there.
  10. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    ((I would not be playing this game if it were not for my boyfriend who is now my husband. I became interested in playing when I watched him play Everquest 2. His main character was his Monk Silzin. To this day my favorite class to watch is by far the monk. It was after watching him play that I created Tetriemmy. Years later we were actually able to play together and after much debate with myself I created Kyriu. My husband started teaching how to play the monk and in the process often he would literally mentor Kyriu. So in this way Silzin became Kyriu's mentor. When I started writing “Child of Balance,” I tried to create a new mentor for her but I just could not seem to create one that could work, so I asked my husband if I could borrow Silzin. He agreed. So with his input I began writing and once I finished and he read the story he confirmed that indeed I had captured the essence of Silzin well,))
    Brienae pauses in her playing to grab a drink of water before she starts to sing again. Her soprano voice filling the room with the second ballad
    Child of Balance
    Mesena Windstaff twirled her staff in a practiced rhythm by her camp fire.
    A human approached her. His red hair was unbound flowing to his shoulders. His green eyes watched the Feir'dal dance as he approached. He tried to sneak closer without her noticing but the end of her staff caught him in the gut knocking out his breath.
  11. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Mesena sheathed her staff and bowed “Forgive me sir, but I sensed your approach, but could not see who you were, Mesena Windstaff,”
    The human returned the bow “I understand. Jacob Flamefist.” As they straightened he grinned at her “Would you mind sharing your camp?”
    Mesena smiled “I suppose not,”
    Jacob slept on the other side of the fire from Mesena. They both awoke as an army of undead approached their campsite. They stood back to back.
    Mesena's staff moving in time with Jacob's fists. After the undead fell Mesena turned to look at her partner. Her yellow eyes met his green. “I hope we can meet again,” she whispered.
    “So do I,” Jacob answered.
    From that day it is said that Mesena and Jacob could not be parted.
    A year after they married they had a single daughter: Kyriu. Mesena said that in ancient 'Dal it meant Perfect Balance, because as she said “She is the perfect balance Elf and Human, Staff and Fist,” Once Kyriu was born the family traveled together all the time. Kyriu started training at the age of two. Ten years after they started training their daughter tragedy struck in the Commonlands.
  12. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    The drum beats formed a rhythm in Kyriu's mind. Her eyes were closed but the twelve year old Half-Elf kicked and twirled her staff. She stopped as the Drum beats stopped. She opened her eyes and turned to her friend who had been playing the drum “Aly what's wrong?” she turned to see a group of horses coming towards them.
    The pale purple half-elf stood up “Look behind them in the carts... coffins,”
    Kyriu looked. Sure enough there were four coffins inside four carts.

    Alyerra shuddered.
    Kyriu approached the men as they stopped and one of them blew a horn.
    “Stay back lass,” one of the men said “This be no sight for a young lady such as yourself,”
    Kyriu bowed “With all due respect sir I am Kyriu Flamefist daughter of Mesena Windstaff Flamefist and Jacob Flamefist. I am not as squeamish as some people,” she glanced at her pale faced friend.
    The man placed a hand on her shoulder “I'm very sorry Lass,”
    Kyriu looked up at him wondering why he was sorry. Somehow she sensed that it had nothing to do with her seeing the bodies.
  13. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    A crowd formed around the men.
    The man who had apologized to Kyriu held up his hand “We believe we know who these bodies are, but we need someone to verify our suspicions.” he looked at the young girl “We need a next of kin that is not a child to identify Mesena and Jacob Flamefist.”
    Kyriu gasped as she watched her uncle Zachary approach the men and introduce himself. “It's not them,” she said to Alyerra “It can't be them. They're both Grandmasters,” she watched her uncle nod at one coffin and then the other. “No...” Kyriu shook her head “No... it can't be,”
    Zachary walked over to his niece and sighed “Kyriu there's something I need to tell you.”
    Kyriu shook her head “It's not true!” she screamed “Dad and Momma can't be... they can't be!”
    “Does anyone know where we can find the next of Kin for Balira and Sephen Windfoot?”
    Kyriu watched as a small cream colored Ratonga approached the coffins. She knew who the Ratonga was there were few who did not recognize Tetriemmy Windfoot. Kyriu had known the Fury her entire life. Tetriemmy had been there the day Kyriu was born. She watched the Ratonga nod to both of the other coffins and then leave. She turned back to her uncle “Tell me it's not true!”
    “I will not lie to you.” Zachary said to her “A lie would not serve balance. Kyriu the truth is they are dead,”
    Kyriu shook her head as though it would make it untrue. She looked after the small figure disappearing into the forest. An idea struck her “I'll be right back and so will Dad and Momma,” she ran to catch up to the Ratonga.
    Zach looked at her friend “Alyerra please go with her,”
    Alyerra nodded and dashed after Kyriu easily catching up to her.
    “Ms Tetri!” Kyriu shouted.
  14. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    The Ratonga turned and waited for the two girls to catch up to her. “What is it Cub?” she asked. There was a streak of slightly damp fur where tears had leaked from the old Ratonga's left eye. Her right eye was covered with an eye-patch.
    “I was thinking you could bring them back!” Kyriu exclaimed.
    Tetriemmy shook her head “No Cub they are dead,”
    “But with your power...”
    “Cub I can not do as you ask. As much as I want to. They are gone Cub.”
    “I know but Nature's power can bring them back can't it?”
    Tetriemmy closed her eye for a moment“Sometimes, but it is too late. Had I been there minutes after they died then perhaps yes. But they have been dead for days Cub and Nature will not let me bring them back.” she looked at the young girl “Mesena was a dear friend of mine,” she closed her eye again “And of course my Mother and Uncle are gone as well,”
    Kyriu glared at her “So you're telling me that they died Naturally? Momma was just over two-hundred years old which is young for a wood-elf and Dad was only in his thirties. People like that don't just die naturally and they were both healthy,”
    “I did not say it was Natural Cub. Mother was over Nine hundred, but Uncle Sephen was only just barely one hundred he was a half-elf like you,” she sighed “Their death was not Natural, but too much time has elapsed and there is nothing I can do.”
    Alyerra touched her friend's shoulder as the Ratonga turned to leave “Ky you know I'm here for you if you want to just talk.”
    Kyriu shrugged the purple hand off “You wouldn't understand. You've never had a father and your mother is alive,”
    Alyerra bit her lip “Sometimes especially when I traveled with y'all he treated me like I was his daughter... your Dad was the closest thing I had...”
    Kyriu looked at her friend and without any words she collapsed on her friend's shoulder and cried.
  15. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    The funeral was a few days later. Kyriu watched as the bodies of her parents were burned. In her hand she held her mother's staff. Mesena had left it to her until she could craft her own.
    The next day a council of Grandmasters met.
    “It grieves us to have to mourn for the loss of two of our number.” One of the Grandmasters spoke “But because they are both gone the training of their daughter must be taken over by another Grandmaster.”
    “I will train the little one,” said a wood-elf. His hair was gray with red strands sprinkled throughout. Over his eyes was tattooed what looked like a brown bandit's mask to some.
    “Grandmaster Silzin,” the first Grandmaster said bowing to the wood-elf “I did not hear you come in.” he looked at the shorter man “If no one objects then Kyriu Flamefist will become the Protege' of Grandmaster Silzin Lightfoot,”
    There were no objections.
    Kyriu said nothing when she heard the news. She practiced with her mother's staff by the Emerald Lake. She could hear the whispers. Word had spread fast that the great Silzin Lightfoot had taken a Protege', for the first time ever. She could feel the eyes of people watching her. To be trained by someone so great was an honor. It should have been an honor. Kyriu did not feel it was so honoring as the only reason why she needed a new mentor was because both of her mentors were dead.
  16. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    The next day she left with Silzin. The sun had just risen as they walked the path to Butcherblock Mountains.
    Silzin never paused in his steps. He somehow knew the girl was with him.
    Kyriu sighed she had been here before with her parents and nothing had changed. She looked around her but there seemed to be nothing around. The mountains were quiet. Normally her parents would have also chosen a safe path but they were always alert. She noticed that Silzin kept his eyes forward. “He's not paying attention to anything,”
    A bear ran towards them.
    Before Kyriu could swing her staff around to make one attack the bear was on the ground. Her mouth dropped.
    “Were you paying attention Little One?” Silzin asked.
    “Uh- of course Sensei... I...I...” she hadn't even seen the Feir'dal move,”
    Silzin smiled and continued walking.
    Kyriu stood for a few moments still shocked.
    Silzin turned “Are you coming Little One?”
    Kyriu nodded. She kept her staff in her hand just in case they were attacked again.
    They camped on a cliff overlooking the docks.
    Silzin roasted some meat over the fire and gave half of it to the girl.
    She ate without a word. After she finished she meditated as had been her ritual every evening. She remembered sitting meditating with her parents. Normally the idea was to clear her mind. She could not seem to focus. Her thoughts drifting back to her parents. She had always been with them everywhere they went. Her mind focused on that day about a week before:
    The family of three returned to Kelethin. They stopped first at The Tainted Eagle where they received a complete free meal. They were joined by Senriala a Dark-Elf who owned the tavern and her Half-Elf daughter Alyerra. During the meal Kyriu started telling her friend about everything her parents had done while they had been gone.
    Alyerra listened intently as her friend talked.
    Once in awhile Jacob or Mesena would interrupt their daughter to correct an exaggerated detail.
    “Can I go with them next time Mom?” Alyerra asked.
    Senriala sighed and nodded “For one week, if it's alright with them,”
    “Of course,” Mesena answered. She reached into a bag and pulled out a guitar.
    Kyriu smiled she had watched her mother carve this guitar for her friend over several weeks. Someday she hoped that she would be able to craft as well as her mother. She watched as Alyerra's face lit up when the Feir'dal handed her the instrument.
    After they finished the meal they headed to their Silverleaf Inn “room”. The next morning Kyriu woke up. She headed down the ramp. She could hear her parents talking:
    “What about Kyriu.” her mother started “From the sounds of this she can't come with us.”
    “My brothers would have no problem if she stayed with them.” Jacob answered.
    Kyriu finished coming downstairs “Why can't I go with you?”
    The human and Feir'dal turned.
    Mesena sighed “Your father and I have been asked to go on a special mission. It is very secret.”
    “I promise I won't tell anyone. I'll be very quiet.”
    Jacob walked over and touched his daughter's shoulder “It is going to be very dangerous.”
    “But Dad...”
    “Not this time. You are not ready, but I promise when we return we will take you and Alyerra with us.”
    Kyriu's mind returned to present. Tears were in her eyes “He promised...” she whispered. She looked over to the Feir'Dal who was meditating next to her.
  17. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    “And he had every intention of keeping his promise. We are only mortal we can not control when we leave this world.” Silzin spoke his eyes were still closed.
    Kyriu looked at him. She knew he was right.
    “Get some sleep Little One we have a long journey ahead of us,”
    Kyriu sighed and fell asleep on the bare ground.
    The next morning Silzin woke her up. “Ready for breakfast Little one?”
    Kyriu growled.
    “I assume they taught you how to hunt.”
    Kyriu nodded.
    “Then breakfast is whatever we can catch,” He stood up and descended the cliff.
    Kyriu followed. She was determined this time to show her new mentor what she was capable of. She sighed as she climbed down.
    Silzin met her at the bottom. He nodded his head towards a bird. He then pulled out two shuriken and threw them. He ran over to the bird and picked it up.
    Kyriu saw another bird flying. She reached into her own pouch and pulled out a handful of shuriken. One hit and the bird darted towards her. She expected Silzin to leap in but he didn't move. She blocked the bird's beak from hitting her face with her staff. “Be one with your weapon,” she whispered as she swung her staff to hit the bird. The bird pecked at her face. Kyriu took a step back. “You must be one with your weapon and one with your surroundings.” she muttered under her breath as she brought the staff down on the bird pinning it to the ground. The bird ceased moving. She bent down to pick it up. Turning to look at Silzin she saw no reaction on his face. She sighed as she picked up what would be her breakfast.
  18. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Silzin made a fire for them to roast the birds over but said no further words.
    Inwardly the child fumed. “Had he turned his head the moment she had succeeded? Had he not seen what she did?”
    After the meal they boarded a ship bound for Thundering Steppes.
    Kyriu leaned over the side of the ship and watched the waves. She glanced to either side and sighed. Silzin was nowhere to be seen. “What does he expect me do?” she asked no one in particular. “Or did I do something wrong?”
    “No you did everything right Little One,”
    Kyriu jumped as the Feir'Dal spoke.
    “I had nothing to correct,” He turned and walked away.
    Kyriu clenched her fists “I am getting tired of him calling me that.” she looked out towards the ocean “Maybe he really doesn't want to train me, maybe he was stuck with me.” tears streamed from her eyes again.
    “What's wrongs?”
    Kyriu turned and looked down slightly. Next to her was a pure black Ratonga. She bit her lip “Sorry I just... I think I might be a burden on my new mentor that's all,”
    “New Mentors? What happeneds to your's old ones?”
    Kyriu swallowed “They died. I was being trained by my parents and they were killed.”
    “Oh you poors girls. Yous miss thems don't yous?”
    Kyriu nodded.
    “What ifs I tolds yous I coulds brings thems backs?”
    Kyriu shook her head “Tetri said it was impossible,”
    “Who is this Tetri?”
    “Tetriemmy Windfoot,” Kyriu answered “She's a powerful Fury, but she said not even her power could bring them back.”
    The Ratonga nodded “Let's mes tells yous a secrets abouts Windfoot. I thinks her reputations is exaggerated. She was once a weaks runts and I doubts thats changed. I cans brings them backs. I'm Crumpet Desmens bys the ways.”
    “Kyriu Flamefist,” Kyriu answered with a bow.
    Crumpet nodded “Nows whats dos we haves to works withs wheres are the bodies buried?”
    “They were cremated,”
    “Oh I sees” He pondered a moment “Thens we'll needs some bloods,”
    “Where are you going to get their blood?”
    “From you's you're their daughters their bloods is in yours veins,”
    It was dark when the ship arrived in Thundering Steppes, but only because of storm clouds.
    Kyriu arranged to meet Crumpet at sunset near the Ruins of Varsoon.
    Silzin stopped in the Dead River Basin and pointed to a skeleton ahead “Everything lives and everything dies Little One. Things which are dead should stay dead,”
    Kyriu sighed “Of course Sensei,”
  19. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    That night she waited until the Wood-Elf was sound asleep before she took a griffon. She walked to the Ruins of Varsoon. She was grabbed by an armored skeleton. She squirmed and screamed. Her scream was cut off by a skeletal hand over her mouth.
    “Quits strugglings,” Crumpet shouted as he emerged from the shadows carrying a torch. “Thanks fors commings foolish girls. I lieds I won't bes bringings yours parents backs buts I dos requires yours bloods,” He pulled out a dagger and advanced towards the girl. He yelped as a bolt of lightning struck him. He turned to see the Cream colored Ratonga advancing towards him. “Tet,” he growled “Longs times nos sees,”
    The skeleton dropped Kyriu and turned to fight the Wood-Elf behind it.
    Kyriu pulled out her staff and struck the skeleton's back. It turned to her briefly but turned back to face the Grandmaster.
    Finally with a devastating fist from Silzin the skeleton fell to the ground in pieces.
    Silzin nodded towards where Tetriemmy was fighting the Necromancer and dashed to aid the Fury.
    Kyriu followed.
    Crumpet looked around and sighed “Looks likes it's times fors mes to gos.” he waved his hands and pillars appeared around him. A final lightning bolt hit him before he vanished.
    Silzin turned to Kyriu “Are you alright Little One?”
    “I'm fine!” Kyriu snapped.
    Tetriemmy walked over “Cub I heard him mention he told you he could bring them back,” she shook her head “He could have but not in way that is natural or acceptable,”
    Kyriu glared at the Fury “So what? They didn't die naturally!”
    Tetriemmy sighed “He would have brought them back as mindless zombies. Their spirits are gone Cub,”
    Kyriu fell to the ground in tears.
    “But they still live,” Silzin said.
    Kyriu turned her gaze to her mentor and scowled.
    Silzin continued “They live in you Little One.”
    “But how?”
    “You are their daughter, as long as you remember them and hold to what they taught you and continue to learn they will never die,”
    Kyriu blinked at him “Why did they choose you to train me?” she asked “I've heard of you. You're reputation should allow you to choose any student you want so why'd they stick you with me?”
    “They didn't stick me with you. I asked.” Silzin answered “I saw potential in you,”
    Kyriu stood up and hugged the Wood-Elf while she cried.
    Silzin looked at Tetriemmy a little taken aback.
    Kyriu wiped her eyes and looked up at Silzin. She stepped back and twirled her staff “Let's show these skeletons balance,” she hissed.
    Silzin grinned as a large group of Skeletons advanced towards them.
    Kyriu stood at his back following his movement in mirror with her staff as she had watched her mother do many times with her father
    A few years later Kyriu is not a Grandmaster but continues her training under Silzin who still calls her Little One. She now carries a staff crafted by her own hands She often will explore on her own so that she may learn more about the world. She still mourns for her parents but takes comfort knowing that they are watching. Some day who knows maybe the name Kyriu Flamefist will be just as famous as Silzin Lightfoot, maybe only time will tell.
  20. ARCHIVED-lisemanta Guest

    Brienae closes her eyes before she continues playing. She pauses for a moment. Her purple eyes blink as she remembers the tale. She starts playing again and begins her song.
    Light Out of Shadow
    The Iksar packed quickly. She was sorry to leave so abruptly but she had to. Her life depended on it. She was hoping to be gone before her children returned. That hope was dashed when she heard a small voice.
    “Mommy where are we going?”
    The Iksar sighed as she looked at her young daughter “I am going somewhere.”
    “Can I come?”
    “When you are older Mordedana if you still want to follow me I will welcome you with open armsss.” She finished packing and with the dark wolf she vanished.