Berserkir 05/04 Sorrel
Apr 5, 2023 22:26:39 GMT
Queen Merla, the Sun-Blessed, Jaezred Vandree, and 3 more like this
Post by stephena on Apr 5, 2023 22:26:39 GMT
Sorrel stood in a vast grey hall, the ground stretching out around her further than her keen eyes could see. High above soft light played against impossibly angled grey walls, leaning through insane geometry.
It was quiet, but she could hear something that could almost be singing deep in the dreaming corners of her sharply focussed mind. She had never felt more alive, and yet she knew she stood in the liminal swirl on the border of eternal night. Death’s ante chamber. The final door.
Then [REDACTED] was there.
Sorrel could feel her before she saw her.
[REDACTED] seemed to drift slowly down from the light, a gentle smile on her face. Sorrel had never seen her look so happy.
Sorrel reached out her hand. “I have come to take you home,” she said. “Step away from the light and take my hand. The others are waiting for you. We won. They are dead.”
But [REDACTED] stayed out of her reach. She shook her head slowly and Sorrel could see that whatever sorrow or pain was there was just the sorrow she felt for others who would miss her.
“You are at peace…” Sorrel’s voice choked with wonder. [REDACTED] simply watched her, her eyes fixed, her smile unwavering.
Sorrel bowed her head, her hand on her heart.
“I pray the gods bring you to the place of eternal rest and let the light of life and love shine on you forever,” she whispered.
Then [REDACTED] was beside her, bent her head as if to kiss Sorrel but let her lips just brush the weary ranger’s ear as she whispered… her name.
Sorrel gasped, raised her eyes, and wept as [REDACTED] opened her arms to the sky and the light filled Sorrel’s eyes so that she wept even harder, but laughed as well, because this was a place of joy where all sorrow was banished.
Then Sorrel looked down at her bloodstained armour, steel blade and strong yew bow. She could smell slaughter on herself and knew this was no place for a killer whose heart still beat away the relentless measure of mortal time.
She turned, the moonlit flooded her body and her soul until she closed her eyes, unable to bear its glory.
“Is she coming back?” Ivan’s voice trembled.
Sorrel opened her eyes. She was in the ruined temple again, her empty hand on [REDACTED]’s broken body, the diamond eaten up by her spell.
She could see the warlock’s rotting corpse just a few steps away.
The stench of blood soaked into her until she felt steeped in gore.
“No,” she looked up at Ivan. “No, she is happy. She will stay.”
Ivan fell to his knees and his shoulders shook as huge sobs wracked his body.
“Why do all those I love die so brutally,” he cried. “Why does my heart reach out to those who are doomed?”
Carnan placed his hand on Ivan’s back. “It’s… “ he was searching for words of comfort but they proved elusive.
Kavel reached down and picked up [REDACTED]’s slender frame. “She is lighter than air,” the goliath murmured, amazed.
Carnan began the enchantment that would bring them to Daring Heights.
Sorrel saw the wounds on her comrades, the place on the island where the towering abomination had fallen now empty and bare, the shattered blood crystals leaving a sheen of glittering scarlet on every surface.
And the magic swept her up and for just one brief second she imagined she too was on her way beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until the gulfs washed her down and she too could touch the timeless land.
It was quiet, but she could hear something that could almost be singing deep in the dreaming corners of her sharply focussed mind. She had never felt more alive, and yet she knew she stood in the liminal swirl on the border of eternal night. Death’s ante chamber. The final door.
Then [REDACTED] was there.
Sorrel could feel her before she saw her.
[REDACTED] seemed to drift slowly down from the light, a gentle smile on her face. Sorrel had never seen her look so happy.
Sorrel reached out her hand. “I have come to take you home,” she said. “Step away from the light and take my hand. The others are waiting for you. We won. They are dead.”
But [REDACTED] stayed out of her reach. She shook her head slowly and Sorrel could see that whatever sorrow or pain was there was just the sorrow she felt for others who would miss her.
“You are at peace…” Sorrel’s voice choked with wonder. [REDACTED] simply watched her, her eyes fixed, her smile unwavering.
Sorrel bowed her head, her hand on her heart.
“I pray the gods bring you to the place of eternal rest and let the light of life and love shine on you forever,” she whispered.
Then [REDACTED] was beside her, bent her head as if to kiss Sorrel but let her lips just brush the weary ranger’s ear as she whispered… her name.
Sorrel gasped, raised her eyes, and wept as [REDACTED] opened her arms to the sky and the light filled Sorrel’s eyes so that she wept even harder, but laughed as well, because this was a place of joy where all sorrow was banished.
Then Sorrel looked down at her bloodstained armour, steel blade and strong yew bow. She could smell slaughter on herself and knew this was no place for a killer whose heart still beat away the relentless measure of mortal time.
She turned, the moonlit flooded her body and her soul until she closed her eyes, unable to bear its glory.
“Is she coming back?” Ivan’s voice trembled.
Sorrel opened her eyes. She was in the ruined temple again, her empty hand on [REDACTED]’s broken body, the diamond eaten up by her spell.
She could see the warlock’s rotting corpse just a few steps away.
The stench of blood soaked into her until she felt steeped in gore.
“No,” she looked up at Ivan. “No, she is happy. She will stay.”
Ivan fell to his knees and his shoulders shook as huge sobs wracked his body.
“Why do all those I love die so brutally,” he cried. “Why does my heart reach out to those who are doomed?”
Carnan placed his hand on Ivan’s back. “It’s… “ he was searching for words of comfort but they proved elusive.
Kavel reached down and picked up [REDACTED]’s slender frame. “She is lighter than air,” the goliath murmured, amazed.
Carnan began the enchantment that would bring them to Daring Heights.
Sorrel saw the wounds on her comrades, the place on the island where the towering abomination had fallen now empty and bare, the shattered blood crystals leaving a sheen of glittering scarlet on every surface.
And the magic swept her up and for just one brief second she imagined she too was on her way beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until the gulfs washed her down and she too could touch the timeless land.
