25
OCT/20
Arnia turned slowly and looked at the battlefield. Fallen comrades, all around. The fight was all but lost. The undead atrocity stood triumphantly over them. All this time, and sacrifice. A family never to be seen again, a daughter to never raise, and a world with no good and light snuffed out. All that sacrificed for this moment, to help this ragtag group of mishaps and chaos. Just to fail now.
Warmth stared to fill her heart. A feeling she has not felt in days. The sword grew lighter in her hands, and her shield started to glow, oh so dimly. Arnia looked down at the floor where she saw hundreds, or was it thousands of little snakes made of light grabbing and pulling at the flooring. After just a few seconds she could see a small hole that they were creating on the ground, not big, just big enough for a blade. But it was full of light and good. She felt her god reaching for her through there. Then she knew that all it was not all for naught.
Arnia dropped her shield, opening herself up for a death blow from this creature. She grabbed her sword with both hands and aimed the blade towards the crack, ready to create the conduit of pure divine power, and … plummeted in the ground. Deep, and steady the blade drove in. At first nothing happened. Then a burst of light exploded from her.
Anyone looking at her had to squint, but her voice was loud and clear.
“Her Reign of terror shall not last forever, a new sun is rising in the East, and His name is Lathander, the Morninglord. The Lightbringer will cast away the darkness – do not fear! As I do not fear in these final moments!”
The small snakes made of light that helped guide her blade mere moments ago grew into large floating, transparent creatures. Each one reaching and finding a fallen comrade. One end attached to Arnia, and the other to the fallen.
With her final words she screamed, and the light burst forth filling the room with blinding light, and healing magic traveling though each snake, filling each with her own life force.
Each member of the group struggle to understand what they saw.
Vashir saw, if just for a second, what the world was like before, and now understood what Artellius had meant.
Naga felt his magic sway and his heart rip in two, for the decision he will soon have to make.
Oni saw her face as his beloved, and has he watched her face changed slightly from one generation to the next back till it ended with hers, battle scars and all. Oni finally saw this one for who she was, a Paladin of Light, the light that is calling to him. He stood readying to fight, when the pain he was expecting, the pain he has lived with for all this time was not there.
Selise looked and saw her family. All but one dead. And he estranged. But the anger and resentment once felt melted away replaced with new resolve and determination.
Apon looking at Arnia, Sora understood that all her training, and the torture she has endured as brought her to this moment. Any sway or allegiance she once felt to the noble houses washed away, along with the hold that this new found blade had on her.
David looked at Arnia and saw… through her. She was disappearing as her soul was being transferred to each of them. Her scream grew quieter, to the point he could start to hear other sounds. In fact, he heard the sound of Prit running towards them. “I have it!” Prit screamed, and with that Munafik fixed his gaze apon the gnome. Prit knew what was going to happen and threw the gem, as hard as he cold to David. David almost lazily snatched it from the air, and a heartbeat later, Prit’s lifeless body slid across the floor stopping at Arnia’s sword. The only thing left proving she ever existed.