On The Shores of Despair (Part 4)

[Drakashin]

"In truth," Drakashin said, "I don't know. Why would a paladin become friends with an assassin and a Necromancer? Our friendship may have started out being used for mutual benefits, but that has long since past."

Drakashin shrugged, "In the end, it really doesn't seem all that strange to me that Grisnaw believes that he'll be the uncle. He actually looks forward to it, though he would never admit it."

[Zarae Zyne Kilanatlar]

((alright, internet is working...as for time line, ummmm, depends. the attack of lith maythar is during lloth's silence. but i dont count the events of the lady penitent series, so things continue as were but lloth stronger. we could have a spell plague idea, but with not the loss of so much if that works.))

((im not sure what/where zarae has been placed, so im gunna guess...))

Zarae layed on the blanket wrapped and covered well watching the sky. she had entered reverie, but not long. for her mind was full of thoughts. the coversation behind her(?) continued long into the night(?). she listened as everyone was busy with whatever they were doing.
tho, the movement of the lady made her aware of her distractions and she watched from her periphal her make way to the winged elf and the pronouncment afterwards.
she smiled that there was some goodness here among the bad. but the group had much more to go thru.
after a while, while the bright woman spoke with the wizard, Zarae got up quietly as only a drow rogue could, and walked over to the edge of (assuming were up somewhat in elevation) drop off and looked to the small valley below.
she pulled her piwafwi tight around her thin frame to block the cold wind. she heard a slight russle behind her, her hand instinctly going to her dagger as she was prepared for whatever.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder brought Adain a breakfast of bacon and bread and hot herb tea and sat down beside him with hers.

She asked him if they would burn the demons body, was it not fitting to do so as a sacrifice to Eiistraee.

[Adian Novar]

He shook his head briefly.

"Not as a sacrifice," he said. "But as an offering. There is an important difference."

He looked at the bodies of the demons that had been slain.

"But will they actually burn?" he wondered. The balor, after all, had been on fire.

[CinderSuru]

Oh yes offering my head is a little fuzzy..Cinder replyed

Well maybe we should try at least.

[veraka]

The smell of cooking meat and the little small talk that filtered through the camp rouse Veraka from his slumber. Seeing Adian and Cinder talking to each other brought a slight smile to his face as he lifted his armored body up and off the ground, but doing so with a gentle touch as to not disturb Neriah, whom still slept.

It was when he locked eyes with Sanisa that his visage returned from last night.
"So, mother; are you ready to explain your reasons to me?" he asks the celestial in a monotone voice.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder went back to the fire with Adain and desided to brush down Menldrinus and listen to what Verake would desided on concering his mother...there is a platter of bacon cooked for anyone who wants some Verake ...she said as she took out Menldrins brush.

[Adian Novar]

Adian wished he could come up with something to say to the storm warrior that would make what she was going to tell him easier to bear, something wise and profound. He was out of ideas. All he could do was hold his breath...metaphorically speaking...and listen as she told him her story.

How he would react was impossible to predict in the short term, but Adian had faith that Veraka would realize how painful the action she had taken...withholding action...had been for her.

Meanwhile, he casually positioned himself so that if Veraka's dark side took over he would be able to knock his legs from under him.

[veraka]

Sanisa looked her son in the eyes and nodded; "if you are ready to hear them, then yes, I will explain everything to you."

Veraka crossed his armored hands into each other, indicating that he wished to hear his mother's story, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

"As you well know, yes I left your father and you to your fates,”

“All too well,” Veraka interrupted, much to Aurora’s surprise; but Sanisa let it go. She understood her son’s anger to a very fine degree.

“Yes, I’m sure you do, but please do let me finish Veraka; you see, it was not my decision to abandon you or your father to your fates. If I could, I would have rushed to your father’s aid and destroyed all who would’ve dared to threaten him, or you.”

Veraka felt his anger spike as he held it in check, waiting with every ounce of patience he could muster for his mother to explain herself; “then why didn’t you?” he asked through gritted teeth as he clenched his fists tightly.

“Because, my son, I was commanded not to by my deity,” Sanisa continued, a slight sadness in her tone as she spoke; “it was not my choice to abandon you, but a command directly from my god. Had I done so, I . . . . . .” she stopped mid-sentence, noticing that Veraka’s eyes now glowed silver with a hue of crimson-red in them, a pure indicator that he was barely containing the berserker rage that roared within him, wanting to lash out at her.

The solar noticed that Adian was in a position to disable Veraka; but she waved him down, knowing that doing something like that would only provoke Veraka’s barely contained rage into exploding full-force.

“What kind of bullshit is that?” Veraka growled in a low tone, a darkening edge creeping into his voice.

“If that is what you will call it, then fine. Let me ask you something. You know above all of us here whom it is you’re faithful to, correct?” Sanisa asked the near-raging aasimar.

Veraka’s expression softened for a moment, his mother’s question catching him off guard; his voice calmed somewhat as he answered, “yes; you should know that I serve Bahamut, the great Platinum Dragon, god of Justice.”

“Yes, my son; you are correct; do you know who was his predecessor before the great wyrm took on the portfolio of justice?”

“That one is something you should be able to answer with your mind closed off, mother. It was Tyr whom was the god of justice prior to Bahamut taking on the position. Why are you asking me these simple and mundane questions, mother?” the aasimar asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as the berserker settled itself to watch and wait. His eyes reverted back to their normal silvery hue.

Sanisa’s face saddened as she revealed the ‘why’ of her explanation; “Because, my son, it was Tyr himself that commanded me to leave you and your father for dead.”

The revelation hit Veraka like a one-ton boulder slamming into him at full force. He didn’t know what to say, his emotions were a tangled vortex of swirling power. The berserker roared out inside him, but it wouldn’t come out, his emotions and shock were too great.

“I . . think. . . I need . . to be alone for a . . . moment,” he stumbled as he made his way to the outer-edge of the camp; when the aasimar reached the outer edge of the camp, his knees buckled, and he collapsed into the white soft powder, not knowing what to think as he stared up into the brightening sky.


Aurora moved to go over and comfort Veraka, but Sanisa put a firm hand on her head; “now is not the time for comforting. My son needs to deal with this on his own; there is nothing you or I can do now for him; though if his friends feel compelled to add their own words and talk to him, I cannot stop them; it is not my place.”
Aurora looked up to Sanisa, her ice-blue eyes full of wander and sorrow.

[Adian Novar]

"A revelation like that can make one lose faith in the gods entirely," Adian said quietly. "Excuse me, Cinder."

Adian got up, wrapped his cloak around himself, and walked towards here the palidin had gone. He did not blunder into his space, however. He stood quietly back until Veraka noticed and acknowledged him in his own time.

"Bahamut, one who is like your son is in need," Adian said very quietly, out of earshot. "Give him strength to hold back the despair. Dark Lady, give him wisdom to see his way through this darkness of the soul."

One of the things that defined a palidin was his or her faith. The trust they had in their gods, and in turn the trust that the gods had in them. Learning that a god of justice had wanted him killed at birth...

He watched and waited. Veraka would acknowledge him when he was ready. He didn't know how he knew that. He just did.

[veraka]

Veraka just knelt there in the snow for what seemed like an eternity, just staring into the sky, not sure what to think. All his life, he had thought that his mother had abandoned him and his father to the fates that had played out that day out of some other reason for herself.
He never could have imagined that she would have been [b:1k007aws]ordered[/b:1k007aws] to stay her hand. Right then, the storm warrior felt helpless, he knew not what to think. It had been his patron deity's predecessor, Tyr, whom had commanded his mother to not interfere with his life and let him and his father die that day.

Sorrow for his mother filled his heart and guilt overtook him as he looked as his own two armored hands; "why would the god of justice pain my mother like that?" he asked himself in a near whispering voice. Conflicting emotions rolled over him like a tidal wave. He didn't know what to think.

Yes, he had wrongly judged his mother, and for that, he felt ashamed, but he now knew the truth, and the truth, as he found out the hard way, can wound more than any lie. Veraka found himself starting to question his own beliefs, why had the mighty Platinum Dragon accepted him into his service and faith. Veraka looked at the sky once more and felt like roaring out in anguish and frustration at his newly found knowledge.

However, the aasimar found himself grasping his Black Lion talisman that was wrapped around his neck. He felt strength flowing from it, but it was a renewed strength, a strength that held his sorrow, and the seething hatred that he held for the gods at that moment, at bay. A slight aura overtook his left bracer, causing Veraka to stare at it for a split second; glowing on it was the symbol of the Platinum Dragon, a dark-blue shield with a platinum dragon head on it. Though Veraka still felt despair and rage coursing through him still, he felt somewhat relieved at the moment.

As the glow faded, something told him that he had company. Turning around, the aasimar found himself thanking the Dark Maiden for the other paladin's presence.
The mere fact that Adian had come over to stand by him spoke volumes to the confused and frustrated aasimar that words couldn't begin to describe.

"Hey, Adian," Veraka spoke up in weak voice, nodding at the young drow paladin and acknowledging his presence.

[Adian Novar]

"Hey, Veraka," Adian said as he approached. He was still cautious, but Veraka's voice was tired and calm. A good sign. "I thought you could use some company."

A breeze stirred Adian's cloak around him, and it fluttered like a pair of wings.

"I am sorry, my friend," he said.

[veraka]

Veraka looked Adian in the eyes and asked "Sorry for what; if what my mother says is true, then my father died [b:3lnrpjyh]because[/b:3lnrpjyh] of me, not for me. That. . . " he stumbled, not being able to find the words; "that isn't right. That I am responsible for my fathers death and my mothers grief."

"My friend, did you ever know your father?"

[Adian Novar]

"No," Adian said. "Nor my mother. My earliest memories are of my brothers and sisters...by shared experience, not blood...wandering alone on the tunnels, following a singing voice towards the Promenade. We were raised by the priestesses and Protectors there.

"So I know very little of the connection you had with your father," he continued. "But I know this: [i:2vz26m8b] You are not responsable for what happened.[/i:2vz26m8b] A judgement was made out of fear. Your being here, as a favored talon of Bahamut, is proof that that fear was unfounded. The descision was utterly out of your control."

He paused to let that sink in.

"Your mother had no choice but to obey...beings like her are limited by their nature. It was Tyr who made that judgement. But he was wrong.

"Every day you live, every day you fight to control the darkness inside, and every day you fight for what is good is a blow to those who would condemn you...and serve as a monument to your father. And your mother. To the love that was between them, and a defiance against the sacrifice they were forced to make."

There was another pause as he tried to think of something else.

"Anyway...that's how i see it," he said at last.

[veraka]

Veraka looked to Adian, utterly astounded as to what Adian had just said; it was basic facts, but the way the young paladin said it made the words sound like liquid wisdom.

"Perhaps that is true, my friend; I know my mother was forced to take what decision was placed before her and walk with it, but the fact that I, even it was a judgmental decision made out of fear, was and am the living reason that my father now lies dead and my mother is has a wound in her heart; it's nearly to much to gulp down."

The aasimar's shivered at the thought, his thoughts going back to his mother's words. He took a deep breath and let it out.

"It's just something that I would not have imagined; I feel almost crushed. Yes, Adian, I do serve Bahamut as one of his swords and fierce fighters, but I just don't know how I can continue anymore. If my berserker taint is the reason that my father is dead, then how many more will die as a result of its power?" As he asked that question, Veraka looked Adian in the eye, not sure what to make of his own life anymore.


Hearing the real meaning behind her sons words stung Sanisa to the core, but she expected as much from him; such revelations were much for any person to chew on and swallow without so much as a thought.
Breathing out in a calm sigh of relief, Sanisa took a quick note of the shivering drowess who lay on the edge of the camp.
The solar strode over to Zarae and sat down, looking at the rogue as she lay there.
"So, you're Zarae, of Lith My'athar, correct?" the celestial asked in a calm voice.