Tuesday 15 August 2017

Lazarus

....



The Yuan-ti king was dead, cut, bruised and scorched from the multiple attacks upon him. The hydra like creature that has risen from the vat of blood also was dead, split in twain by Galthia's mighty blade.

The party's gaze however was not on the aftermath in the throne room, but upon the fast approaching flying ship with her majesty the Queen of Que on board, looking furious. They could see not far behind an army trudging.. (how is the army getting thru the jungle Simon? or did they come to the palace island by ship?) along and the tall powerful figure of the giants lumbering no more than waist high through the vines and trees that had magically covered the lower part of the palace and the city.


Galthia and Shen were closest to the large glass doors leading out to the balcony overlooking the city; both badly injured from their fights, Norgarth and Hawk were further back in the roof having dispatched more Yuan Ti who have swarmed the back of the room. Haennah was still stood on the gallery above Galthia and Shen, looking down upon all.

Most of her magic energy had been spent upon the fight here and the escape form the university, but she still had some in reserve, and her cloak. The joy of being in Novaya had long left her, and now she was back in Fairhaven , and nothing was as she had remembered., and to cap it all off this cursed ring which the monks had crafted for her seemed intent on inflicting more pain and discomfort upon her. .. Every since they had first come across these orbs all she had felt was pain. And before that pain form the black crystal heart. Pain and suffereing bourn to her by others.

The battle against the Yuan-Ti had almost been a clinical affair, she felt nothing as the creatures had writhed in pain and died under her spells. She had aided her comrades as best she could but had stayed back keeping herself out of harms reach, more interested in her own preservation than if they lived or died.

Hannah struggled with the pain. Each time it became too much to bare she closed her eyes tight and gritted her teeth. It subsided and she slowly opened her eyes. The world About her has a blue hue. (Like a blueprint or an ink wash.) People and objects looked in the negative. Hannah suddenly felt shocked, and the pain returned. Grimacing she tightly shut her eyes but on opening the world about her had returned to the green. She looked down at Galthia and then Shen, then the ring on her finger.

'The monks have cursed me with this thing!' She thought. 'Why would they do such a thing? Evil nasty monkses!' The remnants of Zhang's conscious, deep in the Id of her mind, seemed to waken. A living memory of when he possessed her. Stood on the gallery, she looked down upon the monk Shen, the one who betrayed them over the manuscript. A silent rage filled her. A vow of enmity came to her mind, in the name of her goddess she will seek vengeance against the monk who has inflicted this pain upon her, she wants to strike down Shen . Sparks start to flicker across her fingers....

'Don't be a fool!' A voice in Hannah's head spoke. 'At last our connection is almost complete'.
The voice was strong with age and wisdom. Powerful emotions ran through Hannah's mind. The power crackled even more about her hands. The voice was unknown to her, grave , deep with a  rough gravelled tone.

Her head swam with confusion, another voice in her mind another presence trying to dominate her. Just when she thought she had mastered her own inner demon that was Zhang. Just when she had started to feel content in what she now was, accepting of her own state of mind...now it felt that Zhang's hatred for life would overwhelm her suddenly.. And then another speaks and shocked her to the very core of her mind and body!

Zhang pushed back from the edge of her sanity. 'Who will you listen too girl? This imposter, or he who has given you this gift you wield now so readily? Who Controls you little girl..It has always been me....
....now strike the monk down with the last of our might. Rend his flesh with lightning and flame!
Galthia will come to his aid...end her too...for she is weak.
Lord Hawk is nothing but dust in the wind, sweep him away like the hurricane.
Norgarth is no match for our power..destroy him utterly.
All shall look upon you and despair! '

Haennah stubbornly resists, ignoring the taunts and tests upon her ego, trying to shut out the voice she most feared to hear, 'I am not Zhang,  he has no power over me.. help...'


The flying ship collided with the throne room balcony , wrenching the iron railing apart and shattering parts of the floor.. the palace shook with the impact. An angry looking queen , followed by the angry looking crew of the flying ship dismounted from the deck onto the balcony, and stood there framed in the large doorway.


A second voice joins in Haennahs mind. A similar sound a familiar sound. 'I' am Zhang my plans are finite you will not interfere...'

The gravely voice continues.' I have waited for this too long. We have the key, now. Why wait. ?'

The voices in her mind become too much . Haennah calls out loudly for all to hear.
'...Zhang..No! Stay back! ....You are just a memory of a dream long past! My will is my own. I defeated you before and I can do so again!... aaiieeee!! GODDESS !! SAVE ME! Mother!.The pain!'

'Discard the trappings of magic and I will grant power'

The others in the room hear Haennah gasp as she grabs the railings of the galley with both hands.

'*gasp* You are the weak....the goddess is my shepherd...where she is light I am her fire..*gasp* where she is the shield I am her sword...*gasp* where she protects the innocent, I am her vengeance against evil.....and she will deliver me from death.*gasp'.
Haennah falls to her knees as she repeats the scripture of her faith...searching in her for strength.
' Goddess guide my hand, I am forever your servant! '

It seems to Haennah as if she waits for an age...for some guiding word from some higher power... (or at least for a moment of clarity to her own conviction ). As if drawn somehow her hand with the new ring upon it reaches up close to her heart, instinctively her other hand reaches up to stop herself as if in a moment of self preservation.

But she feels no divine presence no soft words soothe her mind.  Her goddess's silence is disheartening. The pain strikes deep in her chest.
Once again the world about her is like a blueprint, a negative .
Zhang stands to her left. Zhang stands to her right. Her heart is in conflict. Her mind is in confusion. Has her goddess forsaken her?

'Your heart and mind are not ready.' Says Zhang to the right.
Zhang to the left. 'Time is now. Why wait. ?'

Haennah reaches out to the left.

Zhang to the right disappearing in an oily cloud. Fading into the world about her. Every magical item on her seems to heat and burn. The gravely voice continues 'You chose POWER. Prepare your body. You are my vessel. My chalice. Your cup is about to brim over.'




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