Apocalypse 0:01/HOPE

Red.

All was red.

Deedlit was looking at the window of the mansion she just fell to.

Yes, she fell. She did not knew then what happened. For her it was some kind of dream she woke up from and, at waking up, fell from the dreamscape. She does remember she fell from the mirror, wich made it even more strange. But as she was watching the scenario outside the mansion, she thought that the fact that she just appeared as if out of nowhere was not too important right now.

She recognized she was still in Lodoss. She recognized the ruins and the dead soldiers uniforms.

After she accepted that it was definitely not a dream. She decided to explore the place she just woke up in. She had her normal clother on, minus the cape. Her sword was in it's usual place and held it close as she began to walk in the mansion.

A mansion with long halls, ripped paintings, broken sculptures and ragged carpet, but neat nevertheless. She inspected every room. Being her an elf she was light and made no noise. What she saw in every room troubled her. Persons sleeping and what she identified as the Marmo's armor at their side in large ammounts on each room. And she kept looking.

She arrived to a place she knew was the living room. And she saw Ashram, too. Deedlit was surprised, not because she saw Ashram, his enemy, but because she was actually not surpised to see him. "Seems like I'm getting used to all this chaos". She thought.

She approached quietly until she stepped in some light. She wanted him to see her. Specially, she wanted him to see the sword she defiantly had in her hand.

He seemed busy looking and writing on a map that he did not saw or heard her. It was not until he felt the cold steel on his throat that he realized he was not alone.

"If you got this close, you really deserve to end me" he colddly said to her. He finally was able to see the face of the figure in front of him and he smirked. "You are that elf that tried to kill me on the War of the Heroes. Most importanly. you are the HIGH ELF that was going to be sacrificed to Kardis! Am I right?". Still not a word from Deedlit.

"Please trust me". His face turned serious. "If you are not with Kardis, then that means we are on the same side and must help each other," he said as he began to raise his sword. She replied by giving more presure on his throat with her own sword. "Hey, hey... I'm slowly going to let you keep my sword for a while, until you learn to trust me!".

Deedlit took his sword and now had both swords pointing at him, one to his throat and one to his heart. Deedlit finally spoke. "What the hell is going on here? And why did you mentioned Kardis?" she firmly asked.

Ashram looked sincerily surprised. "You mean you don't know? Where have you been for the last three years!?". Deedlit as confusd and it showed a little. Ashram noticed it. "You really don't know, then." Ashram raised from his chair. "Allow me to explain..."

"A Dark Elf named Pirotess," he began, "who was a companion of mine until she died in Fire Dragon Mountain, gave her soul to Kardis so she could return to this word and settle things with the Elfs." He was carefully tring to read Deedlit's face but he couldn't, "The one condition was for her to sacrifice the remaining High Elf so she can be resurrected. Kardis gave Pirotess god-like power and now she is very dangerous. She killed all the elfs... or so we all thought...". He looked at her again. "She is looking for you. You are the key element on the outcome of this war!".

Deedlit, being a High Elf, was able to discern heart intentions. She was looking but did not found wicked inclinations on Ashram no more. She returned him his sword and lowered her own.

Ashram continued, now more relieved. "Among the powers Kardis gave to her was the power to influence in the minds of others. What she did was influence in the leaders of the nations and they began fighting each other for Kardis' power. Only three remained: Alania, Valis and Flaim. And they united their forces to erradicate the last resistance: us". Ashram began to pace around Deedlit as he continued speaking, "To aid the Trinity, Kardis freed beasts and demons from hell itself. Alania is on it's way to find us as we speak, they will arrive in a couple of days."

"What can we do?" the Elf aked him.

"Well, we thought this was going to be our last fight, since our numbers are few... but now that you are here, I think we have hope. Being an Elf you are the only one who can truly see through the veil of lies and illusions of Kardis. You are an Elf of Light, you have the power to turn the tide. I think you are the only one who can finish Pirotess!"

"I understand" said Deedlit, taking a deep breath.

Ashram took Deedlit to the biggest room in the mansion and told her to rest there.

Deedlit did not wanted to stay long. She wanted to look for her friends. Specially Leylia. She had the desire to confront Pirotess and defeat her, also. She knew that Ashram would not let her go so she had to sneak out of the mansion and travel under the blood red sky.