The Source (Fiction: Greatlakes/Origin)

[Lore Denin (GL)]

[Closed RP]The Source (Fiction: Greatlakes/Origin)

The Source

The communication crystal flared to life, filling the dark room with azure light. Lore pulled the covers over his head to block out the latest disruption to his already restless sleep, “Will I never know rest”.

Despite his protests, Lore was up in the next instant, casting aside his tangled bedding and the countless aches that pained his war torn body as he gingerly moved toward the glowering crystal. The life of a Faction Commander and Order Knight had taken their toll but no scars were painful then the cuts to his spirit which left him questioning the very purpose of his life. Those dark doubts were the wounds that slowed him now, the scars no eye could see nor spell heal.

For the last year, he had felt much like the crystal, dark and lifeless. Often he gazed upon it, wondering if he had ordered his Knights on a fool's errand. Reports which had initially been frequent and filled with hope came in sporadically, seeped with doubt. Weeks turned to months and months to years with nary a flicker from the distant worlds, Lore began to doubt he would ever see the crystal brighten again. Yet here it was a glowing pillar of light, alive once more.

Lore stretched his arm towards the crystal; his hand found it warm and dry to the touch, his mind met the familiar voice of one of his most trusted Order Knights, echoing his name across the vastness of the multiverse, “Commander Denin, Commander...”

“Carinthian WorldWalker, I am here. Report quickly, the window is short.”

“The world we seek is found. The land is first shadow; the land where all magic stems and flows from the True Universe into the multiverse. A ripple here is felt everywhere. This land is the gateway to the source, the origin.”

Lore took a deep breathe, his heart beating with anticipation, but his mind counseled caution. He had received many reports over the years which promised an end to the searching, only to discover another layer in the Gem’s deception, “The multiverse is a house of mirrors, laden with false hopes and illusions. The curse is powerful, perhaps even sentient. It continually shifts and disguises its nature to preserve its existence. For the greatest time I thought we dwelt in the world you speak, only to discover after recovering the Shards of Immortality that we were mistaken. Then, only upon recovering more of the shards did we grasp the enormity of our task.”

“Yes Commander, I have walked more worlds then I can count, more then any Order Knight. I have seen my share of disappointment, seen days that I thought would be my last. I faced the demons of doubt which I am embarrassed to admit, I fell victim too more then once. Yet, by your example I found the courage to preserve. Today after all these years of searching is our reward."

When I arrived in this land, I initiated the tests as I was taught by Eldrick. I began in Felucca and progressed to all the facets. Unlike previous trials each test confirmed this land to be a candidate for the gateway. Still I had been mistaken before, so I continued to test and re-test, surely I had made a mistake, some error in the incantation, some magical anomaly I was failing properly adjust but after months of scrutiny nothing indicated that this was the case. I remained skeptical and began my travels of the world searching for additional evidence to confirm or disprove my findings. That is when I met…” Carinthian hesitated for the first time, unsure how to proceed. “Well it’s… they were expecting us, Commander.”

“Carinthian, that is encouraging news but not completely unexpected. For years, we sought a means to transverse the shards, and diligently followed any rumor of such travel. Always did we seek knowledge into the nature of our world, its connection with its counterparts and a means to break the Gem’s curse. The lands will be similar in many ways and unique in others. The fact that you have met people who share in our quest is great news and fills me with hope but it does not prove you are at the gateway to the source.”

“No Commander, it’s more then that, in my travels I discovered a hidden kingdom. A mysterious place founded on the principles of Virtue and Order by the followers of the one called the Seer. It is not for me that they have been waiting, but for their King which prophecy says was lost among the shards, and who will one day find his way back home and fulfill the Timelord's Prophecy of Unity. They wait for the Light in the Darkness, “In Lor Des Sanct”; they wait for you milord.”

 

[tink'r_toiz]

The dragon turned its massive head toward the commotion and stared intently at the “instigator”. Moments earlier the quiet of the late spring afternoon had been broken by a vicious sneak attack. The Faction thief had come from nowhere bent on ruining the afternoon for the dragon’s master.

“NWALME!” Saffron leapt to her feet, drenched and spluttering, as the young scoundrel danced in glee at what she had just done. Nwalme had found it too tempting, Saffron sitting next to the brook so engrossed in her reading. She had stealthed silently in the water and taken careful aim with her "splash".

Toi lowered her massive head to her master as if to offer comfort. “Fine lot of help you are Toi.” The elf tamer muttered as she shook the water from the book she had been reading. It had been a quiet afternoon, restful for a restless time, now disrupted by the ever trouble seeking young thief. The edge of Toi’s mouth twitched as if she attempted a smile.

“So are you here to terrorize me or is there a purpose to this visit?” Saffron stroked Toi’s cheek with the back of her fingers and the dragon partially closed her eyes as she accepted the genuine affection of her master.

Nwalme was standing still. Saffron was instantly at alert as Nwalme did not normally stand still, well not visible at least, so this was cause for complete focus. The quiet tension brought Toi to her feet, her great size towering over the two now motionless True Britainnian fighters.

Saffron managed a whisper, “What is it?”

“Can you not feel it Saffron?” Nwlame began to move, effortlessly slipping into wolf form as she stepped next to her friend. She turned to look toward the city of Britain, now under the control of evil, and then glanced back to Saffron.

Saffron took in a deep breath. “So it is true then. What the Seer Hawkwind told us, this is the land? He will be coming soon?” The more reserved, thoughtful, stable of the two fighters, even she was having trouble controlling her excitement and anticipation.

“It will be glorious,” Nwalme had changed back to human form and her eyes shone brightly. It had been months since she and Saffron had been dispatched to this land. Months of scouting, trying to keep a hand in the faction battles, preparing and now, finally, the day was close.

Saffron was sorely tempted to scold Nwalme for her blood-lust but she knew that contrary to the appearance the thief was genuinely caring of the people in this land. The two had barely met and she had not particularly liked the moody thief before they were dispatched on this mission. Since those early days she had grown to appreciate her as a loyal friend.

The two young elves walked a few paces to the North, following the quiet brook, as if to find a better view of Britain; Toi moved in beside them. Nwalme leaned her head contentedly against the dragon’s shoulder, comfortable to remain visible with the great creature in protection, and handed her a treat.

“Nwalme, what have I told you about feeding Toi so many treats?” Saffron glared at Nwalme with momentary disapproval.

The little bandit just shrugged as the mischief had returned to her and before Saffron could react, Nwalme had upended her into the water, rapidly changing to wolf form and dashing away. She stopped on the small rise and looked back enjoying what appeared to be a smile on Toi's lips.

Barely audible to Saffron above the water now dripping from every inch of her, three words travelled on the spring breeze… “It is time” ….Nwalme entered stealth and slipped away.

 

[Lore Denin (GL)]

You understand what you plan is madness. Merging "First Shadow" into the True Universe you will create a chain reaction, like the falling of domino's, destroying the multiverse as each world collapses into the True Universe, destroying all life without form in the true world. What you propose is madness, It is murder on the scale unimaginable. Lore Denin, you are truly as insane as people claim!"

"The gem's curse is a hard truth. We live in a world that is merely a reflection of reality. Our very existence places the True Universe at great risk and will undo the very fabric of time. A reflection can not sustain when the object that casts the shadow is removed from the light and so all life will be lost when the True Univserse is undone."

" This is the truth of the reality we live. No amount of denial will change what is; no amount of wishing this were not so, will make it any different. We must stay true to task Lord British bestowed upon us when he formed the Virtue Guard. The very task the Timelord bestowed upon him. We must save the True Universe by destroying the shadowed reflection left by the Gem of Immortality' curse, leaving only truth in its wake. This is the road of Virtue, Order and the greater good. This is my life's mission, why I am here and why I must depart for "First Shadow".

"Blast you to the Abyss Denin, I will stop you if I have to follow you to the ends of the multiverse to do it! Blackthorn may have made mistakes in his life but opposing this insanity was not one of them!" Cecil turned and stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him.

Lore shook his head sadly staring at the door, "You follow a sane course, in an insane reality"

But Cecil Lionheart was long gone and heard none of it.