The River Part One, Silvia - 11/05/2022
May 15, 2022 16:09:20 GMT
Velania Kalugina, stephena, and 3 more like this
Post by Wixspartan on May 15, 2022 16:09:20 GMT
Silvia knelt in front of the makeshift shrine she had established, candles and incense burning around her, all evoking different gods and prayers. It had been years since she had properly prayed like this. Oh sure every now and again she'd mutter the odd prayer under her breath .
"Shar kill this man if he doesn't fucking shut up...Lathander preserve me I'm tired...by Shaundakul my legs hurt..."
But never this, never true prayer. But she needed it, now more than ever. She was following Sorrel into hell because... she loved her? No that was bullshit, not that she didn't love her more than anything in the world but it was bullshit thinking that's why she was going, Sorrel was strong, she didn't need Silvia, if anything she was a liability. But she needed to prove to herself that she was worth something, that seven years of solitude, Delilah's training, all the times she had thrown herself into battle, Kurtz's gifts, they all had to mean something surely. She couldn't bear thinking about not going, about staying home and cooking. Oh sure she was good at it, very good, but she was Silvia, Fifth Claw of Kurtz, slayer of hellhounds and almost slayer of Millincalli, she had to do this. That's right, she had to, she didn't have a choice, she couldn't back down now. She prayed to every god she half remembered from her time at the church, and to Lathander most of all. She could feel nothing, what did she expect, years of neglecting prayers doesn't put you in the best books with the gods. All of a sudden she felt a weight in her pocket, a small disc of metal, the symbol of Selune. She began to cry, the only person that could hear her was the person she knew had already done everything she could, the party would be alone, she would be alone. An hour later she was in Portal Plaza handing out freshly cooked stew to keep people warm and to make sure no one ventured into hell hungry. It was fucking stupid she knew but it was something, anything. She looked around at her companions.
Marto she hadn't met before, at least not to her knowledge, Zola too was new to her. Both of them however looked solid enough, she could tell they were worth their salt in a fight. Velania, now that's someone she had never met but immediately recognised. Enough late night chats with Sorrel after temple duty had filled her in to who the radiant aasimar was and she was glad to have her along. Suddenly she caught Kavel entering the square and grinned, here came the backup. Good old Kavel, always a good friend and always reliable, sure she gave him shit sometimes but she couldn't have asked for anyone else to be her backup in a fight, well except Sorrel of course. Speaking of which, Sorrel had just arrived too, looking beautiful as ever and someone else too, Jackal, a face she had never seen but instantly knew to be wary of. The seven of them sat and made introductions over stew until Sorrel spoke up. It was a good speech, of course it was this was Sorrel after all, but it had ended uncomfortably, the shadow of what they had to do hovering over it ominously. Sorrel similarly seemed to have something on her mind but Silvia couldn't make it out, as fucking usual she thought, she wished she knew what Sorrel needed more of some times...
Aurelia arrived then, introducing the mission. Looking back Silvia barely remembered what was said, immediately filing most of it into her subconscious in the hope that instinct would keep her alive. Her mind was instead preoccupied with Sorrel, and herself. This mission could end in death, as she reminded Kavel. She didn't know why she said that, Kavel was smart, he was competent. Well, she did know, she was reminding herself...
Jackal moved to the teleportation circle with the party in tow. He raised his sword and drove it into the stone as they all began to fall. Silvia clutched at Sorrel's hand, no matter what she wanted Sorrel to know she was there, and she wanted to remember Sorrel was there, Sorrel was always going to be there, she wasn't going to lose the only person that mattered to her. Phlethegos was hell. Well, more than usual. The heat penetrated her bones, cooking her marrow and drawing every last bit of moisture from her. She barely remembered the next few hours, slowly trekking behind the rest of the party, becoming more and more exhausted. She knew there was a river of fire, a bowl where the fiends would be, and more fucking walking. At some point they stopped to rest on a hill, although calling it rest was generous. Someone went scouting ahead and came back with news of the road ahead, yet more walking...
It was then she spotted something strange, the sky above began to fill with a mass of ravens. Instantly she stood and summoned Shadowclaw to her hand, thankful that even in the depths of the hells she could still rely on her pact. The ravens began descending as everyone took up positions. She slashed at the ravens, watching with satisfaction as green flame tore through them, and scowling as it left only smoke. She wondered how much longer she'd have to keep this up when suddenly she watched as something seemed to come over Sorrel and Marto. Marto had Velania and Zola so she immediately turned her attention to Sorrel. No, that was a lie she knew but there wasn't time to stop herself. She raced towards Sorrel, her mind flashing back to the first time they met, that expression of uncontrolled hatred for those around her. It was happening again, she would be there again, she would stop it again. She whipped the manacles from her belt as the massive form of Kavel appeared almost out of nowhere behind Sorrel, restraining her. Silvia moved almost automatically, binding Sorrel's hands and holding her wrists, staring into her eyes, looking for the person she loved. A few moments later and she found it, a smile creeping across her face. She watched as Sorrel fought her way out of the enchantment controlling her. And then she kissed her...
She sat next to Marto in silence afterwards, she had put two and two together that Marto had struck Velania. She wasn't going to try and console him, he was his own man, but she sat next to him anyway, sharing a companionable silence for a few minutes before returning to try and get some rest. She could feel her legs shaking, she knew she was slowly failing in the hellish conditions. She shouldn't have come, why had she been so stupid. Kavel carried her the next couple hours to the bowl, good old Kavel, always reliable, always there, she really should thank him properly after this, for everything...
Then they were there, Kavel set her down and she took in the scene. Rholor, the man they were after, floated on a plinth, a thin strand of magical energy tying his body to some sort of strange sphere. And the fiends. She didn't know them, she didn't care to know them, she didn't care who they were or what they each wanted out of this. One of the fiends stood and made a speech, Zola responed, she didn't care. She didn't fucking care, these fiends had stolen her girlfriend. Forced her to stand guard at the temple late into the night, forced her to live in fear for this Rholor, forced her to come to hell to fight and die all for what? Nothing. She was going to end this, no speeches, no last words, no tears. She was Silvia, Fifth Claw of Kurtz, and she had sworn herself to Sorrel and that meant she would see this mission through. Every emotion left in her subsided, there would be time for that later, now her mind simply focused every attention to the fight, she was ready...
"Shar kill this man if he doesn't fucking shut up...Lathander preserve me I'm tired...by Shaundakul my legs hurt..."
But never this, never true prayer. But she needed it, now more than ever. She was following Sorrel into hell because... she loved her? No that was bullshit, not that she didn't love her more than anything in the world but it was bullshit thinking that's why she was going, Sorrel was strong, she didn't need Silvia, if anything she was a liability. But she needed to prove to herself that she was worth something, that seven years of solitude, Delilah's training, all the times she had thrown herself into battle, Kurtz's gifts, they all had to mean something surely. She couldn't bear thinking about not going, about staying home and cooking. Oh sure she was good at it, very good, but she was Silvia, Fifth Claw of Kurtz, slayer of hellhounds and almost slayer of Millincalli, she had to do this. That's right, she had to, she didn't have a choice, she couldn't back down now. She prayed to every god she half remembered from her time at the church, and to Lathander most of all. She could feel nothing, what did she expect, years of neglecting prayers doesn't put you in the best books with the gods. All of a sudden she felt a weight in her pocket, a small disc of metal, the symbol of Selune. She began to cry, the only person that could hear her was the person she knew had already done everything she could, the party would be alone, she would be alone. An hour later she was in Portal Plaza handing out freshly cooked stew to keep people warm and to make sure no one ventured into hell hungry. It was fucking stupid she knew but it was something, anything. She looked around at her companions.
Marto she hadn't met before, at least not to her knowledge, Zola too was new to her. Both of them however looked solid enough, she could tell they were worth their salt in a fight. Velania, now that's someone she had never met but immediately recognised. Enough late night chats with Sorrel after temple duty had filled her in to who the radiant aasimar was and she was glad to have her along. Suddenly she caught Kavel entering the square and grinned, here came the backup. Good old Kavel, always a good friend and always reliable, sure she gave him shit sometimes but she couldn't have asked for anyone else to be her backup in a fight, well except Sorrel of course. Speaking of which, Sorrel had just arrived too, looking beautiful as ever and someone else too, Jackal, a face she had never seen but instantly knew to be wary of. The seven of them sat and made introductions over stew until Sorrel spoke up. It was a good speech, of course it was this was Sorrel after all, but it had ended uncomfortably, the shadow of what they had to do hovering over it ominously. Sorrel similarly seemed to have something on her mind but Silvia couldn't make it out, as fucking usual she thought, she wished she knew what Sorrel needed more of some times...
Aurelia arrived then, introducing the mission. Looking back Silvia barely remembered what was said, immediately filing most of it into her subconscious in the hope that instinct would keep her alive. Her mind was instead preoccupied with Sorrel, and herself. This mission could end in death, as she reminded Kavel. She didn't know why she said that, Kavel was smart, he was competent. Well, she did know, she was reminding herself...
Jackal moved to the teleportation circle with the party in tow. He raised his sword and drove it into the stone as they all began to fall. Silvia clutched at Sorrel's hand, no matter what she wanted Sorrel to know she was there, and she wanted to remember Sorrel was there, Sorrel was always going to be there, she wasn't going to lose the only person that mattered to her. Phlethegos was hell. Well, more than usual. The heat penetrated her bones, cooking her marrow and drawing every last bit of moisture from her. She barely remembered the next few hours, slowly trekking behind the rest of the party, becoming more and more exhausted. She knew there was a river of fire, a bowl where the fiends would be, and more fucking walking. At some point they stopped to rest on a hill, although calling it rest was generous. Someone went scouting ahead and came back with news of the road ahead, yet more walking...
It was then she spotted something strange, the sky above began to fill with a mass of ravens. Instantly she stood and summoned Shadowclaw to her hand, thankful that even in the depths of the hells she could still rely on her pact. The ravens began descending as everyone took up positions. She slashed at the ravens, watching with satisfaction as green flame tore through them, and scowling as it left only smoke. She wondered how much longer she'd have to keep this up when suddenly she watched as something seemed to come over Sorrel and Marto. Marto had Velania and Zola so she immediately turned her attention to Sorrel. No, that was a lie she knew but there wasn't time to stop herself. She raced towards Sorrel, her mind flashing back to the first time they met, that expression of uncontrolled hatred for those around her. It was happening again, she would be there again, she would stop it again. She whipped the manacles from her belt as the massive form of Kavel appeared almost out of nowhere behind Sorrel, restraining her. Silvia moved almost automatically, binding Sorrel's hands and holding her wrists, staring into her eyes, looking for the person she loved. A few moments later and she found it, a smile creeping across her face. She watched as Sorrel fought her way out of the enchantment controlling her. And then she kissed her...
She sat next to Marto in silence afterwards, she had put two and two together that Marto had struck Velania. She wasn't going to try and console him, he was his own man, but she sat next to him anyway, sharing a companionable silence for a few minutes before returning to try and get some rest. She could feel her legs shaking, she knew she was slowly failing in the hellish conditions. She shouldn't have come, why had she been so stupid. Kavel carried her the next couple hours to the bowl, good old Kavel, always reliable, always there, she really should thank him properly after this, for everything...
Then they were there, Kavel set her down and she took in the scene. Rholor, the man they were after, floated on a plinth, a thin strand of magical energy tying his body to some sort of strange sphere. And the fiends. She didn't know them, she didn't care to know them, she didn't care who they were or what they each wanted out of this. One of the fiends stood and made a speech, Zola responed, she didn't care. She didn't fucking care, these fiends had stolen her girlfriend. Forced her to stand guard at the temple late into the night, forced her to live in fear for this Rholor, forced her to come to hell to fight and die all for what? Nothing. She was going to end this, no speeches, no last words, no tears. She was Silvia, Fifth Claw of Kurtz, and she had sworn herself to Sorrel and that meant she would see this mission through. Every emotion left in her subsided, there would be time for that later, now her mind simply focused every attention to the fight, she was ready...
