Summary: The one who was once spoken of in Gypsy legends as a hero and savior had died to save her people from a fate worse than death. Her soul, imbued forever with the energy she sacrificed herself to seal away, was hidden across time and worlds from the only force that could release it... but the force would not be stopped.
Sacrifice
A young woman with long red hair ran quickly through the forest, her mind fixed on one goal and one goal only. Her name was Diana Aphrodine and she was a gypsy. She was not a priestess or a princess; she had no special powers that the other gypsies of her tribe did not possess. She was raised as a huntress; she could dance and fight with the sword like some of the others she grew up with, but her specialty was the bow. Even with the bow she was nothing special, just an ordinary huntress.
Diana stumbled on a tree limb and fell to the ground. Her clothing was a traditional gypsy blouse with a male's leather breeches and boots; her hunting outfit. Already the clothing was torn and bloodied from her run. This was not the first time she fell and she only stopped briefly to make sure nothing was broken before resuming her run. It was a race against time and she was determined not to lose.
Earlier Diana had left her family: her mother, father, sisters and brothers and all the rest of her family and friends within the tribe. She snuck out of the camp while they all met concerning the very matter she was going to take care of. By the time they would notice her absence and find the note she left behind she would be dead... and they would be safe. They could not stop her or change her mind no matter what, even if they did find her. This was something that she knew she had to do; it was her destiny.
Without warning a familiar shape presented itself before her and she forced herself to stop before running into it. Her chest heaved up and down in a desperate attempt to fill her lungs with much needed air as her green eyes searched over the surface of the object. It was a door; an entrance to a sacred and well guarded secret.
The door was hidden within the maze of booby-trapped bushes and caves she had just finished racing through... but although it was expected it was not an entirely comforting site. It was hard obsidian and hidden within the shade of a large tree... making it look as if it went into the tree itself almost.
With only slight hesitation Diana pulled a key from around her neck and quickly fit it into place. She stepped back quickly as the door gave a loud groan and slid back. Quickly Diana ran into the dark cave and lifted one of the torches off the wall. She dipped it in the nearby tub of oil and quickly lit it with the skills she learned as a huntress.
Raising the torch Diana walked swiftly through the cold darkness of the cave; keeping clear of the tree roots as she did so. After a long while she came to a heavy wooden door. Pushing all her weight against it she managed to get it open and when it did her eyes grew wide with surprise and fear.
Within the large circular room the door revealed was a thin stone walkway leading to a pedestal of earth. On either side of the walkway, surrounding the entire room was a pit so deep the bottom was not visible. The heat coming from the pit indicated it was deep enough that at its base was a hot ocean of magma ready to greet any who were foolish enough to fall in.
Diana set the torch in a holder and readied herself. She knew the proper way to make it across without triggering the trap but found that it was not needed. This would be her tomb and she wanted nobody to disturb it. The end would come here as was predicted, but it would not be what the shaman foresaw.
Backing up a few steps she took off at her fastest, running across the bridge. Almost instantly the entire cavern began to shake and the bridge began to fall into the abyss right behind her. Her skills were good enough that she made it to the pedestal just before the stone she was on fell away beneath her.
Catching her breath again Diana looked up at the elaborate dais that stood in the middle of the earthen platform. It was an altar and upon it sat the object of her final quest; a silver stiletto dagger unlike any the world had seen.
The metal emitted a pale glow similar to the moons rays and in the hilt were five stones of different colors arranged in a very specific order. A red stone, blue stone, green stone and clear stone surrounded a slightly larger black stone. The hilt itself was black and all around it were carved runes of the ancient language.
Slowly and with and air of respect Diana approached; she paid little mind to the fact that all around her the cavern was falling apart. She knelt before the altar and muttered an ancient prayer her mother had taught her as a girl. Finally she stood and held her hands just below either side of the dagger. Gently she lifted the weapon off its perch with both hands, holding it out before her.
"Gods..." she began slowly, raising her eyes to the crumbling roof of the chamber. "I know I must not be taken to heaven. I must never know what that peace is like. My soul will wander the plains of existence for all of eternity. I understand that with what I am about to do I condemn myself to guarding this accursed blade and what it holds for all time. If that is what I must do to keep my world safe then so be it."
With ceremonious movements Diana turned her back on the altar, and thus on her people's Gods forever. She walked in measured steps towards the edge of pillar and straight ahead towards the entrance to the room. Decisively she held the dagger at the hilt with both hands, aiming the blade at her heart.
"I may be reborn again and again; but never shall this blade follow. Its powers I take to be a part of me for the rest of eternity; never can one be without the other. This curse is mine to bear; never can anyone undo what will be done here today. May the phoenix cry tears of blood to deliver my soul from evil for all eternity. For love I condemn myself to an eternity in hell; great God of Fire keep safe those I leave behind. I fear they may one day need it. If that day comes may your tears bring them salvation once more." Diana swore.
With all the accuracy of one raised to hunt, Diana plunged the dagger into her heart. Instantly the five gems flared to life and the metals soft glow increased ten fold. Blood flowed freely over the entire blade as Diana forced it further into her chest with a cry of pain. Slowly a smile of accomplishment crossed the dying girls face. With her last bit of strength she forced herself over the edge of the pillar and into the abyss.
She did not see that her eyes were slowly changing to a beautiful shade of purple. Nor did she that the color of her hair was slowly flowing out in drops of blood as it became white. She did not even notice the ethereal glow her skin took on. Remarkably she also remained unaware of the fact that the dagger was no longer anywhere to be seen. The last thing she knew before her eyes closed forever was the sight of a ball of fire crashing through the roof and the sorrowful cry of some unseen creature.