II. Death and Dawning
Rakiri was dying. She knew she was dying, although she did not know why. For that matter, she did not know how she was dying, and when she would die. She would have liked to find out, although she knew she did not have enough time.
Already the sun stained the horizon blood red. As the light spread like spilt blood, Rakiri realized this was a truly glorious way to die. The impenetrable stone wall stood at her back, and the sea stretched unbroken before her in all directions before her. The sea breeze ruffled the edge of her cloak, and she was framed in fading starlight. But all these feelings and the panoramic view were only faded memories. She had not experienced them for millennia.
Rakiri winced as she shifted and her old was wounds gave a pang as if they were fresh. Her thoughts turned bitterly to the new generation, those who had never fought in the Great War, and seen the destruction caused by the anger of the Shadow.
The new generation loved to torture and did the Ministry's bidding happily. They did not see the walls; the boundaries set by the Ministry. Even though the Great War had been for freedom, the new generation enjoyed captivity.
Blood red light had stained most of the sky now, and spilled onto the water. The memories of two shifting red seas filled her thoughts. One had been at the end of the Great War. The nephilim had stood, defeated but still proud, awaiting the final onslaught of their foe. Then the Shadow had come, stripped them of their flight, leader, and human senses, and left them to live as exiles.
Matarek had been a great leader, but he was long gone. She was meant to be the new leader, but the Shadow's curse proved true. Rakiri could no more lead than fly off into the sunrise. The nephilim were left in anarchy with no way out.
The bloody light spilled onto the rocky shore where Rakiri waited. Before the dawn reached the stone prison at Rakiri's back, she was dead, leaving only a ragged cloak strewn upon the rocks.
Far away, on the mainland, Celesti Ellaire was giving birth to her only child, a daughter. Her husband, Alahand, a wizard with a strong build, stood over her anxiously, looking around occasionally as if searching for some unseen danger. Celesti and Alahand had known for a long time that their child would be a girl, and had already named her Ravenna.
But something the young couple did not know if, and could probably never understand was happening. At the time of quickening, when a new soul should have been bestowed upon the child, it was suddenly replaced with one so ancient, it could never have been mistaken for that of a newborn child by any that could have seen it.
Before the soul was chained completely to the child's mind, it had time for a single realization. It was a changeling. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- So, here's the little cheat-sheet summary again:
Rakiri dies, Ravenna is born, and guess what? She's a changeling! Oh boy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Rakiri was dying. She knew she was dying, although she did not know why. For that matter, she did not know how she was dying, and when she would die. She would have liked to find out, although she knew she did not have enough time.
Already the sun stained the horizon blood red. As the light spread like spilt blood, Rakiri realized this was a truly glorious way to die. The impenetrable stone wall stood at her back, and the sea stretched unbroken before her in all directions before her. The sea breeze ruffled the edge of her cloak, and she was framed in fading starlight. But all these feelings and the panoramic view were only faded memories. She had not experienced them for millennia.
Rakiri winced as she shifted and her old was wounds gave a pang as if they were fresh. Her thoughts turned bitterly to the new generation, those who had never fought in the Great War, and seen the destruction caused by the anger of the Shadow.
The new generation loved to torture and did the Ministry's bidding happily. They did not see the walls; the boundaries set by the Ministry. Even though the Great War had been for freedom, the new generation enjoyed captivity.
Blood red light had stained most of the sky now, and spilled onto the water. The memories of two shifting red seas filled her thoughts. One had been at the end of the Great War. The nephilim had stood, defeated but still proud, awaiting the final onslaught of their foe. Then the Shadow had come, stripped them of their flight, leader, and human senses, and left them to live as exiles.
Matarek had been a great leader, but he was long gone. She was meant to be the new leader, but the Shadow's curse proved true. Rakiri could no more lead than fly off into the sunrise. The nephilim were left in anarchy with no way out.
The bloody light spilled onto the rocky shore where Rakiri waited. Before the dawn reached the stone prison at Rakiri's back, she was dead, leaving only a ragged cloak strewn upon the rocks.
Far away, on the mainland, Celesti Ellaire was giving birth to her only child, a daughter. Her husband, Alahand, a wizard with a strong build, stood over her anxiously, looking around occasionally as if searching for some unseen danger. Celesti and Alahand had known for a long time that their child would be a girl, and had already named her Ravenna.
But something the young couple did not know if, and could probably never understand was happening. At the time of quickening, when a new soul should have been bestowed upon the child, it was suddenly replaced with one so ancient, it could never have been mistaken for that of a newborn child by any that could have seen it.
Before the soul was chained completely to the child's mind, it had time for a single realization. It was a changeling. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- So, here's the little cheat-sheet summary again:
Rakiri dies, Ravenna is born, and guess what? She's a changeling! Oh boy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------