Legalities: Don't own NWN. Don't own Sharwyn either. Don't own Silver and Cold either. Darn it. Don't own a car… oops, T.M.I.
AN: Much thanks for the reviews. I also changed my settings to allow anonymous reviews as well. I want to apologize for my previous attempts at writing; I'm working on slowing down and producing better work. I'm also looking for a beta-reader other than my mother, j/k, if anyone is interested.
Guan- Thanks for your faithful reviewing practices. You're amazing.
Firilya- Thanks and I'm still your biggest fan.
Tasharene- Keep being honest, it well, keeps me honest.
Everyone else- One day, I will die. And all I will behind is my muse. This is it. Revere like it's air. LOL.
Anywayz, on to the main event…
Chapter Eight: True Lives
Beggar's Nest.
Visceral darkness, the essence of demise.
Death was the King and he must have been a tyrant.
I noticed one major difference that had changed since my first visit when I buried Delphena.
Zombies.
Decaying bodies.
Voyaging under there own esteem, blank expressions peeking into your soul.
Lord, I wanted to get out of this place.
"Ash," spoke Sharwyn, "we need to figure out where... or whom all these undead fiends are emerging from."
"Sharwyn," I said looking up into the sky contemplating escape, "would you think less of me if I were afraid of something."
"Do not tell me that The Savior is afraid of some corpses," Sharwyn said as she took out her double sword and ran forward. Full throttle.
I followed suit taking my bow out and protecting Sharwyn from behind as she carved through the ocean of zombies until we came to a thin alley and became cornered by the enemy forces. I stood still.
"Ash," Sharwyn again screamed out her newly acquired pet name for me as she fended of a horde of undead that engulfed her, "I need a little help."
I was stagnant. Bow in hand. I couldn't fire. I couldn't think. Breathless. I tried focus. But couldn't, the walls were closing. Contracting. Deteriorating. I started to panic. My eyes filled with tears. Sharwyn keep violently slashing through the staggering maggot crested peasants and made her way to me.
"Ash," she said after killing everything that moved, "Are you okay? I knew we should have waited, I bet your still drunk."
I stiffly rolled my head left to right, "I'm…I…the walls are closing… in."
"Goodness Lord, you're claustrophobic." She said and grabbed my hand and pulled me into a house that was in our vicinity. We walked in and though it wasn't much bigger, it seemed more familiar and I exhaled as Sharwyn stood in front of me cross-armed.
"I'm sorry. I don't usually do that." I said.
"And I don't usually help half rate adventurers. But you seem different and I'll give you one last chance."
"So being claustrophobic makes me half rate."
"NO," She screamed with her hands across her forehead, "Not telling me, your companion, that you are, that's what is half rate. We could have died, you need to put your ego aside…"
"My ego, look who's talking…"
"I didn't go cataleptic out there…"
"Stop yelling at me," I yelled and covered my ears. Then I looked at Sharwyn who just stood there.
"I apologize. I've insulted you from something you don't have control over." She paused to regain her thoughts.
"I sorry about not telling you, I didn't think it would affect me that much," I said and stuck my hand out, "You're still my partner, right."
She reached and shook my hand, "till death."
Then an unfamiliar voice spoke, "who is in my house?"
"We were just resting," Sharwyn spoke to the wall as we walked around the corridor, "We assumed this house would be vacant," She finished as we say the tall, dark haired figure.
"I assume that you're here as friends. You have the look of decent folks. I am Jemanie, I used to tend the Great Graveyard, before it could do so itself."
"We are investigating the undead. You wouldn't know anything aboutthe situationwould you," I asked.
"I might know something about the problem, but who are you two?"
"I am Ashmorlenna, I am part of the City Guard and this is one of the town's best adventures, Sharwyn. We are aiding Neverwinter in this time of trouble, trying to relieve the strain."
"Oh well, then I guess that you both could help me with my problem with my brother."
Sharwyn asked, "Your brother, I only see you here."
"He's part of some cult that appeared right before the undead started walking about. I think they've taken his mind… he's not himself, anymore."
"Was he a grave keeper also," Sharwyn asked as she retrieved a paper from her pack and feverishly wrote down a million and a half characters in no time flat.
"No, he babbled in magic. He studied a bit at a mage tower outside of Waterdeep but wasn't much for books and left to make his mark here, in Neverwinter, then the plague set in. We were lucky, I guess. I saw all my friends, family, everyone wither and die."
I thought about Delphena, the awful plague. I needed to do something to stop it, "So you think this cult could be behind the undead," I asked.
"It would be my guess. Would you like my brother's key to the house were they meet?"
"Yes, of course," I said and grabbed the strange looking serpentmedallion, "Where is this house at?"
"Just to the north, you can't miss it. The undead leave it alone."
"Okay, and thank you. We will find out what your brother is involved in, okay."
"If something happens… and you… if he's dead can return his ring. It's was my sister's favorite and it has her name engraved in it."
"We will be sure to do that," I said as we left the house and headed due north and spotted an odd building with a sign that matched the serpent symbol on the medallion.
"DO YOU FOLLOW THE WAY OF THE SERPENT?" Spoke a foreboding voice spoke as we stood in front of the doorway.
"Ah, oh yeah…I follow the serpent." I said holding up the medallion. Sharwyn shook her head.
"I see you carry the symbol. Welcome avariel one, follower of the scale. All praise to our new matron. All praise to Gulnan."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
The cult was an odd place. We both decided to wait until we could find out what was happening before we decided to attack.So, we became similar to the cultist, even dressing as them gaining knowledge about what there purpose was. Our nemesis went by the title of Gulnan we learned from our two day stint. According to the grapevine, they were aiding in flourishing a ritual to bring the undead alive. For what reason, we did not know but this needed to be stopped so we decided to sneak out of the back door, which lead to the infamous Great Graveyard, and see what was going on.
I did mention that I hated zombies, right.
Sharwyn with her resilient alto voice and I with my resonate soprano, sang our way though the sea of death and made our way to the door of the Warrens of the Damned. As we entered, the zombies quickly surrounded us.
I...I came here by day
But I left here in darkness
And found you, found you on the wayyyy
Now...it is silver and silent
It is silver and cold
You in somber resplendence...I holddddd.
(Your sins into me)
Oh my beautiful one
(Your sins into me) Oh oh
As your rapturous voice escapes I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me)
Your sins into me
Oh my beautiful one
As I started to feel weak and powerless Sharwyn calmly encouraged me, "Ashmorlenna, you have come to far to fail. We are close to finding the cult leader, let's finish this now."
With that I withdrew my rapier and began putting rat holes into the cursed bodies and soon all came to taste my blade as Sharwyn focused on casting protective spells on us. I stood over the dead bodies and felt an contemptible spirit overwhelm me. Consume me. I felt the way I did after I slaughtered the demon inside of Salzatorre, abundant with energy, incinerated with rage. I wanted to fight. I wanted to destroy and Sharwyn was feeding off of it.
"Let's move on. We'll have all our enemies lining this building before daybreak," she said as she rushed forward farther into the edifice. Still singing. Continuously chanting. We marched through until we reached an isolated room where a young man was sitting in a large chair.
Light (light)...like the flutter of wings (like a flutter of wings)
Feel your hollow voice rushing
Into me...as your longing to singggggg
So I (I)...I will paint you in silver (silver)
I will wrap you in cold
I will lift up your voice as...I sinkkkkkk
(Your sins into me)
Oh my beautiful one now
(Your sins into me) Oh oh
As your rapturous voice escapes I will tremble a prayer
and I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me)
Your sins into me
"Are you Gulnan?" spoke Sharwyn.
"No, I'm her protector. I'm Torin."
"You're Jemanie's brother!" I exclaimed.
"He is not my brother. He's weak. I'm powerful. I'm a GOD." He screamed and sprinted toward me with a longsword. I lingered for a moment as he closed in. He was mere inches away from when… when he fell over…dead. As he tumbled over, behind him stood Sharwyn, bow in hand.
"You didn't think you were the only one that was a acute shot, did you?" sarcastically spoke Sharwyn as she returned her bow back in her back quiver.
"Thank you. I would have defeated him, though."
"Of course, but you've been having all the fun. I thought that I get some action in." She smiled. She was so quaint when she did that. Smile.
I bent over and gather the ring off of his cold dead finger and took a key that looked older than dirt itself, "I bet that this will lead us some where." I said as I looked at the ring and saw the name…
DELPHENA
(Cold in life's throws)
I fall asleep for you
(Cold in life's throws)
I only ask you turn away
Cold in life's throws
I fall asleep for you
Cold in life's throw
I only ask you turnnnnn
As you seep
Into me
Oh my beautiful one nowwwww
My heart omitted a few strikes and I stood there silent. Sharwyn's cool confident smile was traded for a despairing guise that permeated her entire essence. She muttered some inaudible curses under her voice, flippantly tickled her hair across her face as stormed out of the room.
I made my way to her side as we walked down the corpse-saturated corridor, staying in the shadows and she began to speak, "I again acted poorly, you have much on your mind, don't you?"
"I'm… fine. It's just… the ring is Delphena's, the little girl's. I didn't know that they were family. I… I'll be okay. Let's get moving."
"Okay, but you'd better not have another episode like before," Sharwyn said as she approached a large door. We made our way to a large steel door that was apparently as old as the key. They harmonized and it opened up. Instantaneously we were encumbered with adversaries and then we saw it. The yuan-ti.
Your sins into me
Oh my beautiful one
Your sins into me oh oh
As your rapturous voice escapes I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness.
Your sins into me
Your sins into me
Oh
"There it is," Sharwyn said and pointed her double sword in its general locale.
"I AM NOT GOING BACK." the yuan-ti spoke.
"You can speak," I screamed to it as she stood mellifluously on a platform a good distance away from me.
"I, Gulnan, have gained much since the Academy was attacked. I was unable to see who freed me and do not care. Divine strength has come to me strangely… quickly. There is definitely some greater power at work in Neverwinter. I have seen it in my dreams… I see the eye…I don't know what it means but I know this: IF YOU WANT ME FOR THE CURE, THAN YOU"LL HAVE TO CARVE MY CONTRIBUTION FROM MY CORPSE!" With that my heart jumped and the cold-blooded creature began to recite a spell toward Sharwyn and I as her force came in to attack us.
Sharwyn raced forward and said, "I'm going after Gulnan. Take your bow out and cover me," she directed. I gathered myself, took out my longbow and began to methodically obliterate the opposition. I was stunned by the result. One shot. One enemy fell. Another projectile. Another executed. Two more fired and two more finished off. I fulfilled my half of the mission by eradicating the army as Sharwyn ascended up toward the yuan-ti as a massive fireball detonated unswervingly in Sharwyn face, momentarily filling the arena with a searing heat and a blinding light.
Sharwyn crumbled to the pavement but I deemed that she was fine as I targeted Gulnan, who was probably a good two hundred feet away from me and my arrows. I pulled a single, breasted one out of my quiver. Kissed the silver head. Placed it through the bow. Leveled it. I inhaled leisurely. Sealed my eyes with their lids. Cleared my head of everything. Sharwyn. Salzatorre. Delphena. Delphie. Amar. Avarivase. Neverwinter. Nothingness. My eyes returned me to battle. Fire surrounded me. Heat singed my skin. Another fireball. I stood my ground. I kept my death lock. Completely still. One with my bow. I could feel it. Power unlimited. I was locked onto her heart. I placed my lips upon my kisser. It lined my bowstring. I move my bow. Ever so slightly. The head. Perfect.
The breasted arrow ripped through the heavens and time itself as it approached Gulnan and pierced her skull. The reptile fell to the ground with a shriek and I serenely walked over to the scene of my victorious achievement.
I smiled wide-eyed at the sight of my fallen foe. Then I noticed her. Sharwyn. Motionless. I began to panic. My thoughts ran together. I looked in my packets for a scroll. A potion maybe. Anything. I had nothing. I didn't know what to do. I dragged Sharwyn body close to Gulnan's and respited. Mediating. I reached into my pack. The stone. THE STONE.
"How in blue blazes do you work?" I said to the rock, half expecting it to answer me, "Good lord, why can't I recall…"
In mere nanoseconds, I was back at the Halls of Justice and staring directly at Aribeth across the room. She sprinted as fast as her powerful legs would carry her to me.
"Are you okay?" She asked reaching to pull me up from the ground.
"I'm good enough but… Sharwyn. She took a fireball directly. I think… she's… she's," Aribeth bent over and placed her dainty hand over Sharwyn's heart about an inch away from her scalded leather armor as she chanted a dulcet spell that triggered Sharwyn to jump back to life and rise swiftly to her feet.
"Did I die again?" she asked coolly.
"Yes," Aribeth said giving Sharwyn room by retreat back a few steps, "It seems Ashmorlenna saved your life."
"That yuan-ti was more powerful than I suspected, did you retreat safely?" Sharwyn asked.
"Nope," I grabbed the bloody head and held it as a trophy, "One shot."
"The…the… yuan-ti," Aribeth said nearly inaudibly, "You… you've recovered it."
"Yep." I said dropping the scaly head and standing heroically over the body with my hands on my hips and my blood stained, off white wings spread wide. Aribeth grabbed it and inspected the body, glancing intensely at the chest cavity.
She spoke in awe, "You even managed to avoid damage to the heart."
"The heart?" I asked as I could see tears well up in Aribeth's eyes.
"Yes," she swallowed, "It is the part we need for the cure. You are truly sent from above."
"Ash," Sharwyn said as she apparently cold cocked some halfling senseless, "Can we hurry along? I have a few things that I need to attend to."
"Sure, do you need anything else from me, Aribeth?"
"No. Here take this gold for recovering the agent and may Tyr guild your steps."
We walked out and stared at one another, everything was quiet for a brief moment until Sharwyn broke the tranquility by touching my shoulder and said, "I guess we are even, now."
I smiled and handed her the gold that Aribeth had given me, "Here, now all is even."
"What is this for? You were the one that defeated the yuan-ti."
"Yes. But I couldn't do it without you. If we stick together, I bet that we'll be more famous that we can even imagine."
"Promises. Promises. But I do see something in you. There is a lot more to you than what are you are right now, your aptitude seems to be limitless." Limitless. At times it did seem like I could do whatever I wanted to.
"So what do you need to do?"
"I need to go to see my mother. She lives right outside the city. She's… I hear that things aren't good."
"I'll go with you."
"I figured that you would. I don't know why you'd want to but if you do…" I soared to her side, grabbed her arm and we promptly made our way to her mother's home, a weather battered classical wood cottage.
Sharwyn leisurely teased her hair in the wind as she stood staring at the shack and said, "Fate waits for no fool," and made a path the front door of the humble residence.
Your sins into me
Oh my beautiful one now
Your sins into me oh oh
As your rapturous voice escapes I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
Your sins into me
Your sins into
Your sins into me
Your sins into me
Oh my beautiful one
AN: I'm thinking about posting my poetry on fiction press. What do you guys (and gals)think? Should I? Xero (my alter ego)and I got into a fight about what song to use in this chapter. He wanted Silver and Cold, A.F.I.I wanted the song that will probably appear in chapter nine. Anywayz, I want everyone to be brutally honest about this chapter (I and Xero, worked on it longer than the first seven combined) my spelling and spacing should be improved since it FINALLY got my new keyboard, Sharwyn seems more like Sharwyn to meand my grammar, well, 2/3 is good. Or is that well. Nevermind. Laterz rockers,
TheShadow(issssOUTTTofffffHEREEEEEEE)
P.S. Oh yeah my alter ego Xero wanted to right this chapter so I decided…to…let…him (he's got a knife, help)