Preparing for Doom

[Beleg Megil]

**Posted for the player of the Priestess of the Dark Mother Cult**

Having scoured her skin red, Fauci stood in the shin-deep water.

Purify the flesh.

She reverently poured oil into her hand and rubbed it over each inch of her damp skin.

Prepare the way.

Fauci’s heart was light. Her Dark Mistress could only be pleased with the care she had taken. Her own reward was at hand. As the night wore on Fauci perfumed and dressed her body stopping only to admire herself in the mirror.

There was no fear in her heart as the sun rose on her last day for she knew that the Dark Mother’s will would be done. With a smile on her lips, Fauci fell asleep wondering if any in any Aegis knew that their end was upon them and knew it mattered not at all.


(OOC: Tomorrow evening, around 9 p.m. eastern, prepare to save the Village of Aegis from its looming demise. Will the forces of darkness prevail? Aegis' potential saviours will gather after the Festival at the EM Hall. Come ready for war. This will not be for the feint of heart!)

 

[Aedon Durreah]

The sun rose high into the sky as Aedon sat looking over his notes of the past week. He had searched many tomes, talked to some of those he considered the wisest in the land, and yet still he had no more answers to his questions than before. He had sought to remain calm through most of this hoping that, by not clogging his mind with anger, he would more easily be able to see that which must be done.

With a sudden swift motion he pushed everything from his desk shouting, “This is all useless! Why have I wasted so much time on the writings of others?”

Standing, he went to the chest in the corner. Lifting the lid he careful started to remove the armor he had long kept stored. Beneath the armor lay a bundle wrapped in cloth inlaid with ancient runes which seemed to dance before his eyes, the threads of gold were interlaced through the materials.

He began the long process of putting on the armor of his people. Each step in the process was steeped in traditions long held by the men of Connemara. Once suited he lay the bundle in front of him and, chanting a few ancient words, began to unwrap the item contained within. With care and reverence, he removed each layer until before him lay the great sword, Ahoun.

Grasping its hilt, he shuddered as pain shot through his body. His mind was filled with the faces and images of men long dead and battles long ago fought. He waited for the swirl of emotions to calm themselves.

This was the cost, the price for wielding this reaper of souls. Holding the blade high, he admired the handiwork of Sean McDermott. A blade, black as midnight, unremarkable to most eyes; but, on closer examination, one might notice that no light reflected off its surface. It consumed light, dragging it within the blade and down to meet the essence of all it had consumed in the past.

Staring at the sword of his father, Aedon spoke to it saying, “Seems you were my answer all along. What is it about Aegis that draws the vilest of creatures to seek to destroy her and her people?”

“No matter, I have tried to do things in other ways, but all my paths lead back to you and war,” he said, laying the sword momentarily in the chest.

He strapped its sheath and sash tightly to his waist, and then slid the blade deep inside. His pain intensified as the aura of the blade slowly enveloped him, becoming a part of him, as he was now of it. Walking outside Aedon stood on his steps staring at the cursed Relic before the Knight's Rest.

The uncertainty of the past few days vanished and was replaced by the resolute heart of a king protecting hearth and home. Aedon knew well that the coming days would be a defining time for he and the the people of Aegis.

The time for words and books were now over. To save his home, to protect his wife, child and the people of Aegis, Aedon must rise to take on the role passed to him when long ago Llyrwech refused to assume his rightful place on the throne of Connemara.

Aedon could only hope that those friends and allies, and all who cared about that which was good in the world, would be there at the hour of destiny.

 

[Aedon Durreah]

Aedon lay on the sofa inside the house that he and Jan shared along the water front. Close by, the soft chanting of the Monks could be heard as they blended with the waves of the ocean cascading against the shores in a melody of life.

He was tired. His body ached from the many cuts and bruises he had received during the battle in Aegis. But for the first time in weeks he felt as though he could slip off into a peaceful sleep.

Upstairs in their chamber, Janissan lay sleeping. The heavy sedation the healer had her under would ease her mind and allow her body to rest and heal. Aedon dare not go to lie next to her for fear of disturbing her slumber. When she was awake again she would be told of the battle in Aegis, and of those who came to willingly lay down their lives to protect the Glade.

So many had come, more so then Aedon had any cause to expect. Friends and Allies, those Aegis had some quarrels with, and even those not known to Aedon other then through occasionally passing on the streets of Brit and Luna. And, working together, they had vanquished all that the Dark One had thrown at them.

After the fight, many gathered around the crystal now changed in color to a deep, ruby red. They argued that it must be sealed away for the protection of all. Aedon cold not allow this to happen. He saw not the evil others saw in the item so much as a tribute to those who had given their last full measure of devotion in order for Aegis to survive.

As they left Aedon had walked up to place a white rose at the base of the Crystal. A tribute to those who had lost their lives. Later, going outside to see to the remains of the falling man and demon alike, Aedon noticed that the white rose had a single spot of red on it where it had touched the ancient relic. Looking at it, Aedon was reminded of lines from a poem he once heard.

Pretty flowers
Brightly red
Red from blood
Where life has fled.

He thought of the words spoken to him earlier by Amelia. She spoke of him of the need to place a circle of protection around the crystal. But she did not speak so much of protecting the people around it so much as safeguarding the Relic from the evils men may use it for. He had always found an odd wisdom in Ame's words. Perhaps because he listened to her with an open mind and heart.

“Amelia is right,” he said quietly to himself as he closed his eyes and started to drift off to sleep.

The life essence within the relic must be protected until such time as a way could be found to free the spirits within. It was the resting place now of so many souls, and those who valued life little and held no respect for the honored dead could use it to bring more grief upon Aegis and the world. Tomorrow he would seek out the little sage at her Asylum in Istas and ask what must be done to protect this hallowed temple of souls


(OOC)
A big thank you to our EM's and all who showed up last night to defend Aegis.

 

[CatLord]

When is the next event?