Chapter 1: Bound Divinity
The woman's eyes opened weakly. She felt her hands constrained to a table. Her long bleach white hair had been knotted above her quite painfully and her wings had been pinned to the table with tight bonding chains.
She shivered and cringed, trying to yank herself free. She had been restrained to the floorboard and unable to move.
"Ah, you have awoken." She turned to the sound of the voice, a pitch black figure looked down at her with dark eyes shimmering with malice and hate.
"W-where am I? What is this place. Who are you?" The woman spoke with a shaky tone, innocent and delicate. It was only now she realised she had been bound to the table void of dignity or clothing, above her several bladed chains lay.
"You might say I am what you will one day be. I am the perfect instrument just as you too shall become the exact same thing."
She tried to get an idea of where she was. She was far from home, she remembered the heavenly tranquility of Mount Celestia. Now she was in a cellar like chamber filled with instruments and devices that made her quiver against the woodwork.
"Tell me, would you like to know how you became me?" The Dark figure said, reaching for a sensory stone.
"I...I.. Let me go! I warn you, if you knew the power you were meddling with mortal!"
"Mortal? No, we are both mortal here. You are simply attempting to intimidate me with something I lack, fear."
The woman turned stubborn. She understood what this was, a game, an attempt to destract her from the truth, she was bound here.
"Enough, release me or I will free myself. You will wish you had not kept me here."
"I will release you, when I am finished. For now, let us just say you should learn how you got here. I think you will find the experience so very enlightening."
The stone glowed brightly as the womans eyes widened, the figure approached her with the stone and moved it towards her slowly.
"What do you want from me, Who are you?!" She struggled with desperation in her tone.
"Me?... Argente Silverblade ...I, am The Ashen."
And with that the stone was thrust upon her, all fell to darkness.
Created By Chaos: The Ashen's History
-
*Captain Vanguard
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 2: The Sanguine Wings
Mount Celestia... a place beyond the grasp of any evil and untouchable by any malevolant force.
So, it seemed...
Argente sat upon the highest peak of a long peer, looking down across the vast layers below.
Venya, was known for its peaks of snow soft to the touch and delicate to the flesh. Argente was at peace here, always on this peak where she could watch the tranquil activities of Mount Celestia against any silent invaders, of which few if any dared to tresspass.
Her eyes closed for a moment as the breeze touched her skin. She felt the cold wind lift her winter kissed hair upwards letting it fly as her wings did so passionatley.
She took to stand and peered below. She let her wings unfold as the beautiful white feathers lashed to kiss the golden sky above.
She took a step forwards, and with one swift rush she leapt from the peak of the mountain, soaring with a joyful laughter as she embraced the flight, dancing in the sky. She glided past two canyons and a small rise. Using the turbulence she hurled herself higher, before soaring down through a hole in a mountain before decending towards a vale below.
She landed, her light plated boots touched the grass with a very careful stop.
There was music ahead and laughter as she stepped towards a festival foundation. A number of halflings all dancing and singing cheerfully.
She smiled and approached one, helping to raise one of the wooden stands holding a festival decoration up. The Hin nodded thankfully and rushed off to the others to join the song.
The musicians were a small band of four, amoungst their play a trumpet, a flute, a drum and a lute. The classic set up for a simple, average and happy orchestra.
Their music drove the hins into a wild frenzy of cheering, clapping and yapping laughter. Dancing around and over stone formations in the grassland. One toppled backwards over a stone as the others chuckled and went to assist him. Argente however walked past the scene towards a single woman standing as tall as herself with equally beautiful golden wings.
"Sister, you came. I thought you'd be too engulfed in peering over the world to embrace it." The brauder woman chuckled.
Of the two women, Argent was average in height and build while the other woman was much taller and muscular. She, like her sibling wore a suit of armour, only unlike Argente's silver plate, this woman's was trimmed in light gold between bright white.
Her hair however was also silver, with a delicate golden blonde streak. Her eyes were a deep pair of lights auraing radiently while Argente simply had brilliant light blue orbs staring back.
"Aureia, why aernt you in Mercuria? Got bored of guarding treasure I take it?" Argente smiled if a little cheeky.
Aureia snickered and pat her on the shoulder firmly. "Always the same silverblade as before, your definatly 'my' little sister. Tell me, what was I about to miss that your keen eyes saw?"
"Well, I think your standing in it sister, the festivals about to start and I wanted to make sure it wasnt hindered this time."
Aureia laughed again and slapped her hard on the back. "HAH! When is it ever? This is Celestia, no one ever causes problems here."
Argente nodded and smiled warmly, she looked over to the hins as one pat a cup an announcement was made.
"Ah me fella's and lassies, we owe our joy to Argente and 'er sis for makin today possible. Without their help, it'd have taken several days more work and lets face it, all work and no play makes a Hin borin!"
Laughter filled the air, as Argente passed a giggle.
"But we owe it to these fine lasses, these deva's and their shinin example, that a good 'eart can make a big difference."
Aureia looked down a moment. Argente's keen eyes hadnt 'not' noticed as she looked to her concerned.
"Is something wrong sis?" She placed a hand on the bigger womans shoulder reassuringly.
Aureia looked over to Argente as her expression braudened a brighter smile. "Not while your around to make it better."
Argente nodded worryingly as Aureia returned to her brood, the Hin seemed ready to make another announcement.
"So then, a toast to the heroes of the day, Aureia and Argente Silverblade! Without ye and yer tall 'ands this short festival wouldnt be possible. So lets hand it to them with a good drink and happy times for us all ey? To peace!"
"TO PEACE!" The crowd cheered and chugs were glassed down. Argente blushed and smiled but then she noticed something was wrong as the ones who had drunk the ale seemed to be acting, strangley.
One of them gripped his head, a female hin started to rub her stomach.
Aureia and Argente peered around confusedly. "Whats wrong?" Argente asked with concern as she approached one Hin.
The young man smiled at her, then his eyes widened, and in an instant the body exploded from inside.
In seconds the entire place was covered in Hin blood as everyone jolted back in panic and fear. Aureia stepped away from the shower but Argente took a full swash of gore and sanguine, staining her white wings.
Her gentle expression turned to a look of horror, as she fell onto her knee's in a paralyzed state of shock.
Who would do such a thing?
And why?
Mount Celestia... a place beyond the grasp of any evil and untouchable by any malevolant force.
So, it seemed...
Argente sat upon the highest peak of a long peer, looking down across the vast layers below.
Venya, was known for its peaks of snow soft to the touch and delicate to the flesh. Argente was at peace here, always on this peak where she could watch the tranquil activities of Mount Celestia against any silent invaders, of which few if any dared to tresspass.
Her eyes closed for a moment as the breeze touched her skin. She felt the cold wind lift her winter kissed hair upwards letting it fly as her wings did so passionatley.
She took to stand and peered below. She let her wings unfold as the beautiful white feathers lashed to kiss the golden sky above.
She took a step forwards, and with one swift rush she leapt from the peak of the mountain, soaring with a joyful laughter as she embraced the flight, dancing in the sky. She glided past two canyons and a small rise. Using the turbulence she hurled herself higher, before soaring down through a hole in a mountain before decending towards a vale below.
She landed, her light plated boots touched the grass with a very careful stop.
There was music ahead and laughter as she stepped towards a festival foundation. A number of halflings all dancing and singing cheerfully.
She smiled and approached one, helping to raise one of the wooden stands holding a festival decoration up. The Hin nodded thankfully and rushed off to the others to join the song.
The musicians were a small band of four, amoungst their play a trumpet, a flute, a drum and a lute. The classic set up for a simple, average and happy orchestra.
Their music drove the hins into a wild frenzy of cheering, clapping and yapping laughter. Dancing around and over stone formations in the grassland. One toppled backwards over a stone as the others chuckled and went to assist him. Argente however walked past the scene towards a single woman standing as tall as herself with equally beautiful golden wings.
"Sister, you came. I thought you'd be too engulfed in peering over the world to embrace it." The brauder woman chuckled.
Of the two women, Argent was average in height and build while the other woman was much taller and muscular. She, like her sibling wore a suit of armour, only unlike Argente's silver plate, this woman's was trimmed in light gold between bright white.
Her hair however was also silver, with a delicate golden blonde streak. Her eyes were a deep pair of lights auraing radiently while Argente simply had brilliant light blue orbs staring back.
"Aureia, why aernt you in Mercuria? Got bored of guarding treasure I take it?" Argente smiled if a little cheeky.
Aureia snickered and pat her on the shoulder firmly. "Always the same silverblade as before, your definatly 'my' little sister. Tell me, what was I about to miss that your keen eyes saw?"
"Well, I think your standing in it sister, the festivals about to start and I wanted to make sure it wasnt hindered this time."
Aureia laughed again and slapped her hard on the back. "HAH! When is it ever? This is Celestia, no one ever causes problems here."
Argente nodded and smiled warmly, she looked over to the hins as one pat a cup an announcement was made.
"Ah me fella's and lassies, we owe our joy to Argente and 'er sis for makin today possible. Without their help, it'd have taken several days more work and lets face it, all work and no play makes a Hin borin!"
Laughter filled the air, as Argente passed a giggle.
"But we owe it to these fine lasses, these deva's and their shinin example, that a good 'eart can make a big difference."
Aureia looked down a moment. Argente's keen eyes hadnt 'not' noticed as she looked to her concerned.
"Is something wrong sis?" She placed a hand on the bigger womans shoulder reassuringly.
Aureia looked over to Argente as her expression braudened a brighter smile. "Not while your around to make it better."
Argente nodded worryingly as Aureia returned to her brood, the Hin seemed ready to make another announcement.
"So then, a toast to the heroes of the day, Aureia and Argente Silverblade! Without ye and yer tall 'ands this short festival wouldnt be possible. So lets hand it to them with a good drink and happy times for us all ey? To peace!"
"TO PEACE!" The crowd cheered and chugs were glassed down. Argente blushed and smiled but then she noticed something was wrong as the ones who had drunk the ale seemed to be acting, strangley.
One of them gripped his head, a female hin started to rub her stomach.
Aureia and Argente peered around confusedly. "Whats wrong?" Argente asked with concern as she approached one Hin.
The young man smiled at her, then his eyes widened, and in an instant the body exploded from inside.
In seconds the entire place was covered in Hin blood as everyone jolted back in panic and fear. Aureia stepped away from the shower but Argente took a full swash of gore and sanguine, staining her white wings.
Her gentle expression turned to a look of horror, as she fell onto her knee's in a paralyzed state of shock.
Who would do such a thing?
And why?
-
*Captain Vanguard
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 3: The First Sign
Argente stared up at the strange contraptions as her eyes went wide, she shuddered and breathed loudly, shaking against the table violently.
"Agh what do you want from me!? I... I have done nothing wrong."
"Havent you?" The Ashen replied, leaning over the table with an empty face. The gender of the creature was impossible to tell, its voice and appearence were masked by a deep robe and a mixed tone of voices, one gutteral, the other delicate. "Perhaps you forgot how you came to create me...?"
"Wh...what do you mean, create you?" She stopped struggling, looking with horror in her eyes.
"Ahhh, little child of innocence.... ...let me remind you of the history of my name. The Ashen is no simple name or a belief, it is a title passed down from champion to champion, each the next destined of chaos betrothed, like an arranged marridge waiting to occur. You chose your fate here when you tried to be a hero, and failed, so now you will become that which you tried so hard to flee from. Here, let me remind you exactly who I am, and what you did to me."
The creatures hands spread apart, glowing with a hollow pair of ethereal purple lights from the Shadow Weave.
She struggled, she wriggled and she screamed as the hands pressed against her head, forcing her back into her memories that lead to this moment.
It was the next day after that henious event. The two had traveled to Mertion, by order of their divine superior in this matter. They stood before a council of five.
Each wore a white and golden robe, glancing down upon the sisters. Aureia hung her head as did Argente, as the two knelt before them.
"This is troubling news... ...such an attack is both injust and unreasonable. Who would do such a thing, and why?" The middlemost of the robed figures asked.
"I dont know mi'lords and ladies. I know only that my heart weeps and my wings drip with innocent blood I did not spill."
"Indeed." One said unconvinced. "You did not spill."
Her head looked up. "What is that supposed to mean exactly? I did nothing wrong!"
"Calm yourself Argente..." Her sister lectured.
"Indeed, remain calm." The middle figure agreed. "Without evidence of a matter no one can accuse anyone of commiting such a crime. That is why you will have to investigate."
"W-what? Why me?" Argente said with a nervous tone.
"Because you and your sister are now held with suspicion, without proof of your innocence you are still the guilty party here." Said the robed figure to the far left of the five, looking more grey than white in their attire colour. "You speak to us of such an event as if it happens every day, but it does not. Especially not in a realm where no force of evil would have any motive to act upon it for any gain. This mischief is subject to question."
"My lords!" Aureia protested with a strong voice, but she was halted.
"Argente Silverblade. You shall be tasked with prooving your innocence. If, we are to assume someone else was responsible for this act, you must find them, and bring justice upon them.
However, if no other criminal is found then 'we' shall have to act on your behalf, and presume that you are the guilty party. You have three days to proove your innocence and to find the person responsible.
Otherwise we will have no choice, but to exile you from Celestia."
Her eyes widened and her heart sank. She felt herself step back by reflex. What had she done to deserve all this accusation?
"I..." she hesitated, then her eyes became stern and as cold as the snow. "I... accept."
The robed figures nodded in unison.
"It is decided then, return to the scene of the incident and investigate if there were any portals recently opened nearby. If your fortunate, you will find something of a crumbtrail to the culprit. Someone always leaves mistakes, to be found."
With that Argente let out a loud scream and shuddered. She felt something press against her wings as she stared over to them, blades, her eyes widened.
"Three days are up Miss Silverblade... and that means your no longer welcome by your own. Welcome to Sigil, exile."
The blades struck down, as she screamed as loudly as she could.
Argente stared up at the strange contraptions as her eyes went wide, she shuddered and breathed loudly, shaking against the table violently.
"Agh what do you want from me!? I... I have done nothing wrong."
"Havent you?" The Ashen replied, leaning over the table with an empty face. The gender of the creature was impossible to tell, its voice and appearence were masked by a deep robe and a mixed tone of voices, one gutteral, the other delicate. "Perhaps you forgot how you came to create me...?"
"Wh...what do you mean, create you?" She stopped struggling, looking with horror in her eyes.
"Ahhh, little child of innocence.... ...let me remind you of the history of my name. The Ashen is no simple name or a belief, it is a title passed down from champion to champion, each the next destined of chaos betrothed, like an arranged marridge waiting to occur. You chose your fate here when you tried to be a hero, and failed, so now you will become that which you tried so hard to flee from. Here, let me remind you exactly who I am, and what you did to me."
The creatures hands spread apart, glowing with a hollow pair of ethereal purple lights from the Shadow Weave.
She struggled, she wriggled and she screamed as the hands pressed against her head, forcing her back into her memories that lead to this moment.
It was the next day after that henious event. The two had traveled to Mertion, by order of their divine superior in this matter. They stood before a council of five.
Each wore a white and golden robe, glancing down upon the sisters. Aureia hung her head as did Argente, as the two knelt before them.
"This is troubling news... ...such an attack is both injust and unreasonable. Who would do such a thing, and why?" The middlemost of the robed figures asked.
"I dont know mi'lords and ladies. I know only that my heart weeps and my wings drip with innocent blood I did not spill."
"Indeed." One said unconvinced. "You did not spill."
Her head looked up. "What is that supposed to mean exactly? I did nothing wrong!"
"Calm yourself Argente..." Her sister lectured.
"Indeed, remain calm." The middle figure agreed. "Without evidence of a matter no one can accuse anyone of commiting such a crime. That is why you will have to investigate."
"W-what? Why me?" Argente said with a nervous tone.
"Because you and your sister are now held with suspicion, without proof of your innocence you are still the guilty party here." Said the robed figure to the far left of the five, looking more grey than white in their attire colour. "You speak to us of such an event as if it happens every day, but it does not. Especially not in a realm where no force of evil would have any motive to act upon it for any gain. This mischief is subject to question."
"My lords!" Aureia protested with a strong voice, but she was halted.
"Argente Silverblade. You shall be tasked with prooving your innocence. If, we are to assume someone else was responsible for this act, you must find them, and bring justice upon them.
However, if no other criminal is found then 'we' shall have to act on your behalf, and presume that you are the guilty party. You have three days to proove your innocence and to find the person responsible.
Otherwise we will have no choice, but to exile you from Celestia."
Her eyes widened and her heart sank. She felt herself step back by reflex. What had she done to deserve all this accusation?
"I..." she hesitated, then her eyes became stern and as cold as the snow. "I... accept."
The robed figures nodded in unison.
"It is decided then, return to the scene of the incident and investigate if there were any portals recently opened nearby. If your fortunate, you will find something of a crumbtrail to the culprit. Someone always leaves mistakes, to be found."
With that Argente let out a loud scream and shuddered. She felt something press against her wings as she stared over to them, blades, her eyes widened.
"Three days are up Miss Silverblade... and that means your no longer welcome by your own. Welcome to Sigil, exile."
The blades struck down, as she screamed as loudly as she could.
-
*Captain Vanguard
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 4: The Second Sign
How long had it been since she was unconsious now? Days? Months?
Starved, she anticipated the next session of lacerations to come. She knew now there was only another moment of agony to follow, another torment, and no sign of hope...
A tear strayed from the fallen maidens face, as she came to realise no one was comming for her.
She closed her eyes and embraced her nightmares, in some way of escaping her reality. She wanted to get away from the pain however possible.
So she dwelled into her memories and recalled how three days, had passed.
The two sisters had returned to the scene of the horrible act where the corpses still lay fresh and untampered with. By the request of Aureia, she wanted to find out exactly what lead to the sudden moment of dissaster that ruined this majestic event.
Argente looked down to the grusome scene and grimmaced, she stared to one side and closed her eyes. "Who would do this sister? Why?"
"Someone with a sick motive and a twisted intent." Aureia replied, glaring at the dead. "Sometimes we shouldnt look for answers to questions, rather, we should accept what we see as the answer itself. For instance, look here."
Reluctantly she followed her sisters direction, Aureia was pointing at the ground, and the floor, where a series of winebottles lay, a few still full.
"The moment the halflings drank this they exploded. Quite clearly someone had put something in the bottles, alchemy, perhaps?"
Argente approached one and took it, inspecting it. Aureia glared at her wide eyed and grasped it.
"Careful! What ever is inside that could still be volatile."
With that tone of voice Argente was careful. Her sisters stern gaze lectured her enough to think reasonably rather than act. She put the bottle down slowly and looked around for other evidence.
Gore stained the place, and the once soft grass was now a dry dark crimson. The decorations had been ruined by erupted bodyparts and some even destroyed by the blasts.
It was a scene no one born of this place should have ever had to witness. Argente followed the dead untill she reached a hollow point in the ground, she stepped on something wet and fresh.
She paused and looked down, there was a footprint under the grass. It must have rained because the trace was thin but followable.
She brushed away some more grass as a crumbtrail lead northwards, it was weak, but it was clearly there.
"Ive found something!" She beaconed her sister to come. Aureia did so and stopped by the trail.
"Well this cant be our own boots, who ever left these tracks was moving fast and light. The patterns show they were moving at some speed, I cant tell how long these have been here."
"But... this is a sign, right?"
Aureia smiled. "Yes sister, a sign of hope, lets follow it, but be careful. You remember how to use that sword I gave you right?"
The white winged woman reached for her hip and retreived a fine blade glowing with the most holy radiance, she gazed at it a moment, and nodded to Aureia.
"I remember."
Aureia grinned braudly, she approached her sister and gave her a pat on the shoulder. Argente looked down as Aureia reached for her chin and raised it, forcing her to look her in the eyes.
"Dont give yourself a look of doubt in the face of an enemy. I know your not familiar to combat, but you have to be, here, more than anywhere else. I will protect you, that you can be sure of and if worst comes to worst, I promise I will do everything in my power to prevent you being exiled."
Argente stared at her worriedly. "Worst comes to worst?"
Aureia brushed off the notion and turned away. "Think about it if it happens, not now. If, being the key word, I plan on living you know?" She chuckled.
Argente smiled, and followed her, as they followed the breadcrumb trail.
They reached an abbandoned passway, laying between the snow. There was no sign of monsterous creatures of any kind nor any obvious danger.
Aureia looked pensive. "This could be a trap. What ever happens, stay close to me." With that, she drew a large war axe and a shield from her shoulder, leaning it close to herself.
The two proceeded into the pass, and kept themselves vigil for any signs of danger. The rocks were surpisingly jagged for a plane known for its smoothe and welcoming envorments, and this area was anything but welcoming or friendly.
A shadow cast itself over one of the cliffs which drowned out the sun and sky above. A huge bladed rock stuck out of the mountain and stared down upon them darkening the enviroment.
Ahead, a single dark pathway lead into a cavern. The two looked at each other nervously.
Their eyes began to glow brilliantly as Aureia went in first, keeping her weapon close and her eyes sharp at all times.
Argente prepaired to follow her. Then, a rock fell to her side, tonking against her armour. She sharply looked upwards.
Nothing... she spent a moment longer keeping her focus, then ventured into the darkness itself, wondering in worry what was to come.
Her eyes shuddered open as she saw the face of The Ashen greet her. The figure leaned forwards with an emptiness in its mask, the shadoweave glowing through its hands as it caressed her chin.
She grimmanced and looked away.
"Why...." she said with a weak, pleading voice, tears flowing down her face. "Please.... stop it."
"If I did that, you wouldnt understand what it is, you, have started." Argente looked over to The Ashen.
"What do you mean what I have started.. ...w...where is my sister?" She realised all this time she hadnt seen her.
"Oh... ....I dont think you want to know...."
"Tell me!" She demanded with anger in her eyes.
The Ashen stepped backwards, sighed and nodded.
"We took special care of Aureia... ...but she wasnt... ....as capable of learning, as you are. Im sorry, Argente, truley I am.... but we had to... ..tend to her."
Her voice and face turned to panic. "W-what do you mean tend to her?"
The Ashen spoke in a delighted tone. "Well, you know what they say about bad weeds.... ..you have to.. ...cut off the head."
With that, Ashen stepped backwards, and in the end of the hallway, the hideously deformed face of her sister stared at her with dead eyes, impaled upon a spike.
Argente's eyes widened, and once again, concluded todays tourture, with a scream of pure terror.
How long had it been since she was unconsious now? Days? Months?
Starved, she anticipated the next session of lacerations to come. She knew now there was only another moment of agony to follow, another torment, and no sign of hope...
A tear strayed from the fallen maidens face, as she came to realise no one was comming for her.
She closed her eyes and embraced her nightmares, in some way of escaping her reality. She wanted to get away from the pain however possible.
So she dwelled into her memories and recalled how three days, had passed.
The two sisters had returned to the scene of the horrible act where the corpses still lay fresh and untampered with. By the request of Aureia, she wanted to find out exactly what lead to the sudden moment of dissaster that ruined this majestic event.
Argente looked down to the grusome scene and grimmaced, she stared to one side and closed her eyes. "Who would do this sister? Why?"
"Someone with a sick motive and a twisted intent." Aureia replied, glaring at the dead. "Sometimes we shouldnt look for answers to questions, rather, we should accept what we see as the answer itself. For instance, look here."
Reluctantly she followed her sisters direction, Aureia was pointing at the ground, and the floor, where a series of winebottles lay, a few still full.
"The moment the halflings drank this they exploded. Quite clearly someone had put something in the bottles, alchemy, perhaps?"
Argente approached one and took it, inspecting it. Aureia glared at her wide eyed and grasped it.
"Careful! What ever is inside that could still be volatile."
With that tone of voice Argente was careful. Her sisters stern gaze lectured her enough to think reasonably rather than act. She put the bottle down slowly and looked around for other evidence.
Gore stained the place, and the once soft grass was now a dry dark crimson. The decorations had been ruined by erupted bodyparts and some even destroyed by the blasts.
It was a scene no one born of this place should have ever had to witness. Argente followed the dead untill she reached a hollow point in the ground, she stepped on something wet and fresh.
She paused and looked down, there was a footprint under the grass. It must have rained because the trace was thin but followable.
She brushed away some more grass as a crumbtrail lead northwards, it was weak, but it was clearly there.
"Ive found something!" She beaconed her sister to come. Aureia did so and stopped by the trail.
"Well this cant be our own boots, who ever left these tracks was moving fast and light. The patterns show they were moving at some speed, I cant tell how long these have been here."
"But... this is a sign, right?"
Aureia smiled. "Yes sister, a sign of hope, lets follow it, but be careful. You remember how to use that sword I gave you right?"
The white winged woman reached for her hip and retreived a fine blade glowing with the most holy radiance, she gazed at it a moment, and nodded to Aureia.
"I remember."
Aureia grinned braudly, she approached her sister and gave her a pat on the shoulder. Argente looked down as Aureia reached for her chin and raised it, forcing her to look her in the eyes.
"Dont give yourself a look of doubt in the face of an enemy. I know your not familiar to combat, but you have to be, here, more than anywhere else. I will protect you, that you can be sure of and if worst comes to worst, I promise I will do everything in my power to prevent you being exiled."
Argente stared at her worriedly. "Worst comes to worst?"
Aureia brushed off the notion and turned away. "Think about it if it happens, not now. If, being the key word, I plan on living you know?" She chuckled.
Argente smiled, and followed her, as they followed the breadcrumb trail.
They reached an abbandoned passway, laying between the snow. There was no sign of monsterous creatures of any kind nor any obvious danger.
Aureia looked pensive. "This could be a trap. What ever happens, stay close to me." With that, she drew a large war axe and a shield from her shoulder, leaning it close to herself.
The two proceeded into the pass, and kept themselves vigil for any signs of danger. The rocks were surpisingly jagged for a plane known for its smoothe and welcoming envorments, and this area was anything but welcoming or friendly.
A shadow cast itself over one of the cliffs which drowned out the sun and sky above. A huge bladed rock stuck out of the mountain and stared down upon them darkening the enviroment.
Ahead, a single dark pathway lead into a cavern. The two looked at each other nervously.
Their eyes began to glow brilliantly as Aureia went in first, keeping her weapon close and her eyes sharp at all times.
Argente prepaired to follow her. Then, a rock fell to her side, tonking against her armour. She sharply looked upwards.
Nothing... she spent a moment longer keeping her focus, then ventured into the darkness itself, wondering in worry what was to come.
Her eyes shuddered open as she saw the face of The Ashen greet her. The figure leaned forwards with an emptiness in its mask, the shadoweave glowing through its hands as it caressed her chin.
She grimmanced and looked away.
"Why...." she said with a weak, pleading voice, tears flowing down her face. "Please.... stop it."
"If I did that, you wouldnt understand what it is, you, have started." Argente looked over to The Ashen.
"What do you mean what I have started.. ...w...where is my sister?" She realised all this time she hadnt seen her.
"Oh... ....I dont think you want to know...."
"Tell me!" She demanded with anger in her eyes.
The Ashen stepped backwards, sighed and nodded.
"We took special care of Aureia... ...but she wasnt... ....as capable of learning, as you are. Im sorry, Argente, truley I am.... but we had to... ..tend to her."
Her voice and face turned to panic. "W-what do you mean tend to her?"
The Ashen spoke in a delighted tone. "Well, you know what they say about bad weeds.... ..you have to.. ...cut off the head."
With that, Ashen stepped backwards, and in the end of the hallway, the hideously deformed face of her sister stared at her with dead eyes, impaled upon a spike.
Argente's eyes widened, and once again, concluded todays tourture, with a scream of pure terror.
-
*Captain Vanguard
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Interlude: The Rules Of Darkness
The Ashen mused over its creation haunted in her nightmares and her waking moments. It recalled the origins of its own existance, and the existance of every Ashen before it...
No one knew what plane the title had come from or if it had even origionated from a Plane outside Sigil, only that those who knew of The Ashen knew it to be a merciless force. The manifestation of darkness itself.
It was said, there could only ever be one true Ashen to surpass another, like a true bond between master and apprentice. The Ashen was permitted to spread its corruption as it pleased, but only one with true innocence could become the truest manifestation of darkness.
So the rules had been born:
The Ashen may have as many apprentices as it desires.
The Ashen must have some sense of selflessness, even if it is through manipulation.
The Ashen is a crusader, scion of chaos itself, and so they are a force devouted to spreading it.
The Ashen must embrace utter damnation, and forever cast away even the most remote trace of a redeemable quality.
They may force their apprentice to understand this view, through any means necessary, weather subtly nurturing their mind over years of friendship and thus training them into a deadly weapon, or simply tourturing every last shread of humane behaviour from their soul.
And the most important rule of all:
There may never, be more than one, Ashen. When an apprentice has reached the comming of age, a trial is set to determine weather one Ashen will survive or another will be born from the death of the previous Ashen.
The rules, had been more guidelines than actual quirks. The Ashen never had to follow them, they were simple recommendations, training instructions, means to help their next of kin fully grasp the concept of what it was, to embody true darkness, to commite ones self to the greatest incarnation of evil itself.
They had to be utterly void, of any humane moral.
Even the most remote trace, had to be purged by fire, or manipulation.
This Ashen had chosen the former, after all.
Pain was a greater teacher, than pleasure. And once a monster understood what it was to feel pain. They could learn to ignore it, to embrace it, to adapt it to their own way of life.
It was like engineering the perfect weapon.
Made flesh.
The Ashen mused over its creation haunted in her nightmares and her waking moments. It recalled the origins of its own existance, and the existance of every Ashen before it...
No one knew what plane the title had come from or if it had even origionated from a Plane outside Sigil, only that those who knew of The Ashen knew it to be a merciless force. The manifestation of darkness itself.
It was said, there could only ever be one true Ashen to surpass another, like a true bond between master and apprentice. The Ashen was permitted to spread its corruption as it pleased, but only one with true innocence could become the truest manifestation of darkness.
So the rules had been born:
The Ashen may have as many apprentices as it desires.
The Ashen must have some sense of selflessness, even if it is through manipulation.
The Ashen is a crusader, scion of chaos itself, and so they are a force devouted to spreading it.
The Ashen must embrace utter damnation, and forever cast away even the most remote trace of a redeemable quality.
They may force their apprentice to understand this view, through any means necessary, weather subtly nurturing their mind over years of friendship and thus training them into a deadly weapon, or simply tourturing every last shread of humane behaviour from their soul.
And the most important rule of all:
There may never, be more than one, Ashen. When an apprentice has reached the comming of age, a trial is set to determine weather one Ashen will survive or another will be born from the death of the previous Ashen.
The rules, had been more guidelines than actual quirks. The Ashen never had to follow them, they were simple recommendations, training instructions, means to help their next of kin fully grasp the concept of what it was, to embody true darkness, to commite ones self to the greatest incarnation of evil itself.
They had to be utterly void, of any humane moral.
Even the most remote trace, had to be purged by fire, or manipulation.
This Ashen had chosen the former, after all.
Pain was a greater teacher, than pleasure. And once a monster understood what it was to feel pain. They could learn to ignore it, to embrace it, to adapt it to their own way of life.
It was like engineering the perfect weapon.
Made flesh.
-
*Captain Vanguard
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
Chapter 5: The Final Sign
How long had the shadow-weave been infused into her body? Argente Silverblade's once wonderful pale white skin had darkened over time. Now it was a darkened grey, with void black veins stretching across her form. Her eyes, once beautiful and radiant now stood as a testimony to the madness that slowly grew within her tourtured soul.
They had performed unspeakable experiments on her, from bodily humiliation to physical brutality. Magical and alchemical experimentation had also been put into the works of forging the ultimate weapon. This... Ashen, had given Argente a heart now fired with hate.
Hope was loosing its place in her once pure and caring soul. A dark reality that no divine being would save her began to spread in her heart. Her paranoid thoughts turned to dark reasons, the fact was, the multiverse just didnt care about some wingless divine now reduced into a simple nobody.
Nothingness became a motive, a purpose to exist. She had nothing, she was nothing save a tourtured creature that had only the ability to feel pain, and perhaps as time went on, inflict it.
Months passed as her intense suffering continued. She began to plot slow and delicate schemes to murder the one responsible. Each time she started to construct elaborate patterns, ways to make sure the pain was maximised as it had been to her. Finally she was seeing what all this had been for, and slowly, she began to enjoy the concept.
Slowly... she wanted, to murder The Ashen.
But how did she end up here? What had driven her to this final failure that had left her in defeat.
How did she end up in Sigil, the city of doors? Was she even in Sigil?
Such elaborate words and lies made things impossible for her to truley discern what the truth was. Eventually she made a conclusive judgement:
The lies were there to be prooven true. In creating a deception, then prooving it was reality, she would create the ultimate perception of truth.
And there was only one ''Truth'' to the multiverse now...
...No one deserved to live.
The tourture had finally begun to break her mind as the last months passed on. She had lost all sight of reason and hope. Her skin had turned an obsidian black as her outlined patterns, once glowing a pure blue, now glowed a mystical violet.
The infusion was completed. Argente Silverblade had fallen to her lowest peak. Finally forged in the baptism of dark essenses combined she decided she needed a new name, a new identity that would best suit her losses, a new identity that could help her escape the pain and torment of this nightmare.
In the end, she looked to the tone of her skin, and to her tormentors actions and thus, her new name was born:
Ebonara Ashenblade.
Where Argente Silverblade had fallen, was weak and unworthy of what she had achieved, Ebonara would succeed and never stop trying. She would become a force of nature incarnate, a wild chaos that could never be tamed. The madness settled in her thoughts.
Only one final thought remained of her once humane mind...
"How" did her story end as Argente?
She took herself back to the moment Aureia and Argente were due to enter the cavern.
Entering the darkness, the former warrior cast an illuminating spell that caused the entire darkness to brighten in a second. There was nothing obvious, but there was signs someone had been here.
Spread out creates and barricades of simple wooden shapes stuck out defencivly around an area as the two turned to each other.
"Stay behind me little sister. Ill take the lead..." Aureia stepped forwards. Argente stepped behind her and followed carefully, her sword drawn her grasp firm.
Amoungst the camp remains there was no clear sign of life. Who ever had been here decided to leave some time ago. But there was a sinister trail that lead further into the cavern nexus. A trail of dry blood.
Aureia narrowed her eyes and kept her weapon close. Argente looked at the bloody trail with worry, and followed carefully behind her sister.
"Blood..." She pointed out to Aureia already aware. "It seems... recent. Someone might still be here."
"The question is..." Aureia replied, then paused. She sniffed the air carefully. "...Was it the prey... or the hunter?"
"What do you mean?"
"This could be the trial of a victim, dragged away, or perhaps our attacker got over-confident and lost a duel. Either way, we should be careful, anything could happen from here."
Nodding, Argente kept her eyes vigilant. Her blue orbs glowed where her sisters illumination spell could not reach far enough to see darkness ahead.
The two siblings ventured deeper as the rocks skittered and slid away. Noises in the distance could clearly be heard now as the distinctive flicker of an electric coil rippling upwards could be heard in the distance.
The two proceeded forwards carefully as Aureia cast out her magical light. Her eyes glowed a golden hue as the two kept step by step close together, watching the nearby darkness for signs of movement.
Then something skittered from the corner of Argente's eye. She flared wide as she turned to something that leapt at her.
Ebonara felt a shock of lightning shiver through her body as she rested herself against the table. The pain was no longer an agonising wash but a delightful revelment. It was like waiting for a sermon to start, a music to play. She wanted the music to continue now, she enjoyed the torment.
For soon... very soon, she would cast it upon them all.
And the Ashen, would regreat even being alive.
How long had the shadow-weave been infused into her body? Argente Silverblade's once wonderful pale white skin had darkened over time. Now it was a darkened grey, with void black veins stretching across her form. Her eyes, once beautiful and radiant now stood as a testimony to the madness that slowly grew within her tourtured soul.
They had performed unspeakable experiments on her, from bodily humiliation to physical brutality. Magical and alchemical experimentation had also been put into the works of forging the ultimate weapon. This... Ashen, had given Argente a heart now fired with hate.
Hope was loosing its place in her once pure and caring soul. A dark reality that no divine being would save her began to spread in her heart. Her paranoid thoughts turned to dark reasons, the fact was, the multiverse just didnt care about some wingless divine now reduced into a simple nobody.
Nothingness became a motive, a purpose to exist. She had nothing, she was nothing save a tourtured creature that had only the ability to feel pain, and perhaps as time went on, inflict it.
Months passed as her intense suffering continued. She began to plot slow and delicate schemes to murder the one responsible. Each time she started to construct elaborate patterns, ways to make sure the pain was maximised as it had been to her. Finally she was seeing what all this had been for, and slowly, she began to enjoy the concept.
Slowly... she wanted, to murder The Ashen.
But how did she end up here? What had driven her to this final failure that had left her in defeat.
How did she end up in Sigil, the city of doors? Was she even in Sigil?
Such elaborate words and lies made things impossible for her to truley discern what the truth was. Eventually she made a conclusive judgement:
The lies were there to be prooven true. In creating a deception, then prooving it was reality, she would create the ultimate perception of truth.
And there was only one ''Truth'' to the multiverse now...
...No one deserved to live.
The tourture had finally begun to break her mind as the last months passed on. She had lost all sight of reason and hope. Her skin had turned an obsidian black as her outlined patterns, once glowing a pure blue, now glowed a mystical violet.
The infusion was completed. Argente Silverblade had fallen to her lowest peak. Finally forged in the baptism of dark essenses combined she decided she needed a new name, a new identity that would best suit her losses, a new identity that could help her escape the pain and torment of this nightmare.
In the end, she looked to the tone of her skin, and to her tormentors actions and thus, her new name was born:
Ebonara Ashenblade.
Where Argente Silverblade had fallen, was weak and unworthy of what she had achieved, Ebonara would succeed and never stop trying. She would become a force of nature incarnate, a wild chaos that could never be tamed. The madness settled in her thoughts.
Only one final thought remained of her once humane mind...
"How" did her story end as Argente?
She took herself back to the moment Aureia and Argente were due to enter the cavern.
Entering the darkness, the former warrior cast an illuminating spell that caused the entire darkness to brighten in a second. There was nothing obvious, but there was signs someone had been here.
Spread out creates and barricades of simple wooden shapes stuck out defencivly around an area as the two turned to each other.
"Stay behind me little sister. Ill take the lead..." Aureia stepped forwards. Argente stepped behind her and followed carefully, her sword drawn her grasp firm.
Amoungst the camp remains there was no clear sign of life. Who ever had been here decided to leave some time ago. But there was a sinister trail that lead further into the cavern nexus. A trail of dry blood.
Aureia narrowed her eyes and kept her weapon close. Argente looked at the bloody trail with worry, and followed carefully behind her sister.
"Blood..." She pointed out to Aureia already aware. "It seems... recent. Someone might still be here."
"The question is..." Aureia replied, then paused. She sniffed the air carefully. "...Was it the prey... or the hunter?"
"What do you mean?"
"This could be the trial of a victim, dragged away, or perhaps our attacker got over-confident and lost a duel. Either way, we should be careful, anything could happen from here."
Nodding, Argente kept her eyes vigilant. Her blue orbs glowed where her sisters illumination spell could not reach far enough to see darkness ahead.
The two siblings ventured deeper as the rocks skittered and slid away. Noises in the distance could clearly be heard now as the distinctive flicker of an electric coil rippling upwards could be heard in the distance.
The two proceeded forwards carefully as Aureia cast out her magical light. Her eyes glowed a golden hue as the two kept step by step close together, watching the nearby darkness for signs of movement.
Then something skittered from the corner of Argente's eye. She flared wide as she turned to something that leapt at her.
Ebonara felt a shock of lightning shiver through her body as she rested herself against the table. The pain was no longer an agonising wash but a delightful revelment. It was like waiting for a sermon to start, a music to play. She wanted the music to continue now, she enjoyed the torment.
For soon... very soon, she would cast it upon them all.
And the Ashen, would regreat even being alive.