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Player: Brad One Hundred Forty Seven Years Ago- The night was one that occurred once every fifty years. “The Night Darkness” was when both moons aligned into a total eclipse. Darkness spread across the lands. Inside the dilapidated temple a newborn’s first screams were echoed by the maniacal laughter of the head priest. “Bring the child to me!” With trepidation a goblin passed over the dark elf baby. The priest, an elf, examined the little girl carefully for a moment. “Snert, where’s the mark?” “Mark? What mark my lord?” The goblin was obviously nervous, and began to back away. “What mark? What mark?” The priests voice raised, “the Sigil of Qulin. You know, the marking that proves this is the unholy child.” “Oh … that mark,” Snert, continued his retreat cautiously. “It’s not there?”. “Snert, you know this or you wouldn’t be backing up.” The priest’s anger was obviously growing rapidly. “But master you said the prophecy child would be born on the night of darkness.” Snert had reached the door but knew not to reach for the handle. “This was the only mother I could find that was due this day.” Snert didn’t see the bolt of dark energy. He screamed in despair as his soul was ripped from his body. The dark priest frowned, “now I must find not only the child, but a new lackey.”The priest looked down at the child in his hands and smiled, “ at least I’ve a new lackey.” |
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Eighty-Seven Years Later …
The child had been found and High Priest Transverse was excited. Eighty-seven years was a long time to search, but it meant only thirteen years until the ritual could be performed. He had already missed his chance twice in the last century.
Allaya would have a ‘brother’ for a few years. There was no better watch guard than his own ‘daughter’.
Several goblins entered the hall bloodied and nervous. Transverse was used to the nervousness, a bad goblin habit, but the blood concerned him slightly. “Master, the elves fought us. We got the child but …” tears welled in the goblins eyes. “But we lost many brethren.” Transverse knew what was coming next and kept silent. The goblin continued, “The price has gone up.” Anger flashed in the priest’s eyes briefly, then a broad smile stretched across his face. “But of course dear Snigert. It wouldn’t be fair any other way.” Snigert’s greed overcame his common sense, “excellent,” he turned and screamed down the hallway, “bring the boy!”
Allaya rolled her eyes. If the boy was already in the temple, then she knew that her father could have had him at any time. Because of this, she wondered why he had acquiesced to the goblin’s demands. Her ponderings were interrupted by six goblins carrying a large chest. Instantly she could tell her father was not amused.“Snigert! I specifically said alive!” Anger was now showing freely across his face. Allaya placed her hand on his arm carefully. "Father, I think he's just being held in there". "Yes! Yes! He's alive and unharmed“, Snigert paused looking down nervously,“mostly.”
At that moment the lid opened and a young elf jumped out immediately. “All right who’s in charge here so I can …” young Farrillian’s eyes came upon Allaya. Momentarily distracted his train of thought wandered, “kick … their … ass.” His eyes still locked onto Allaya, “Hi, I’m Farrill. What’s your name?” Allaya stood stunned and unable to speak, enraptured by this brave young man.
“Ahem!!” Transverse broke the silence loudly. “Allaya knows who you are. You are the chosen one.” “The chosen wha-“ Farrillian was interrupted by Snigert’s harsh demand. “Where’s our gold!?!”
Transverse rolled his eyes, and spoke a strange command word. A door opened and through the opening the goblins saw untold riches of gold and jewelry. Transverse waved a hand towards the doorway, “please dear goblins, take all that you can carry.” Squeals of joy erupted from several of the goblins as they rushed into the room. Farrillian thought of joining them but instead sauntered up to Allaya and smiled devilishly. He was about to speak when he heard Transverse say another command and the door slammed shut. Instantly the squeals of joy turn to screams of pain and agony. Farrillian’s eyes grew wide in horror as he looked from the door, to Transverse, and lastly to Allaya. She only shook her head sadly and gave him a knowing glance. Transverse turned, “now boy, we will deal with you.”
Thirteen Years Later … Farrillian understood he was a kidnap victim but didn’t much care. The last few years had flown by, mostly because of the ease Farrill felt whenever he was around Allaya. Tonight was the night of ascension, and Farrill knew he was the key component. He, along with Allaya and the High Priest had rehearsed the ritual so many times he knew everyone’s lines down to the nuances in pronunciation.
Allaya looked over at Farrill and frowned. Transverse had told her the actual end of the ritual, and she didn’t want to see Farrill hurt. Yet she couldn’t go against her father, could she? Time passed thru the night and Farrillian was concerned about a sadness he saw in Allaya’s eyes. Every time she glanced over he saw it. This was supposed to be a time of joy for her father and her. Was she worried about the ritual going awry? Allaya glanced over at Farrill; there he was foolishly believing he was a living focus. It had taken the priest three years to convince Farrillian of his role in the ritual. And there he was sitting on the alter about to be sacrificed to some nameless god just so Transverse could transcend to the next level.
Time was drawing near and High Priest Transverse was getting excited. He uttered the last few lines of the incantation and reached back for the sacrificial dagger. The sudden sharp pain he felt made him forget the next line. His insides were burning and he couldn’t focus.
Allaya withdrew the dagger from Transverse’s back and thought about striking again, when she noticed Farrill’s concerned look. All she could think to say was “run you idiot!”
Farrill jumped up and turned towards Transverse. The wound was bleeding profusely and Transverse was looking stunned, his mouth gaping open and closed but no words were coming out. Allaya was standing behind him with a bloody dagger in her hand. Farrillian looked her right in the eyes, “I said run!”
“What? Why’d … “ Farrill had never seen so much blood. “He was going to kill you, now run!” Allaya was losing patience with him. “You weren’t a focus, you were a sacrifice.” “Well, I’m not going without you.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Transverse had regained enough composure to start making threats. “I’m still strong enough to finish this.” Farrill swung at the priest, connecting against his temple. Allaya used the distraction to again stab her adoptive father. He dropped to one knee, and nearly lost consciousness. Farrill grabbed Allaya’s hand and took off towards the exit.
“Where are we going to go? What are we going to do?” Farrill was trying to focus on what was happening. They reached the exit, and turned to look back at Transverse. He was laid out blood pooling around him. Allaya stopped in her tracks, “I can’t let him die.” “But I can’t leave without you.” “You’ve got to, if not you’re a dead man.” Allaya knew her father’s temper, and that Farrill wouldn’t actually die, but would be tortured for the next fifty years until the next opportunity for the ritual. She lied, “He won’t hurt me.” Farrill kissed her passionately, turned and ran out of the temple.
