For a moment, it seemed as though time had stopped in Lower Guk. Sierradu, Flexen, Cuculainn and Tassa stood frozen, staring in shock and disbelief as Ealandariel fell. Blue light pulsed around Eala's body as both Sierra and Cuch desperately tried to heal the High Elf. But it was to no avail. Eala lay where she had fallen, lying oh so horribly still.
As realisation sunk in ,the party turned upon the remaining ghoulish frogloks with yells of fury. The undead monsters fell swiftly before their wrath, and soon now a single one was left standing.
Stooping, Flexen retrieved the key for to Sierradu's cell from one of the fallen guards. As he unlocked the door, Sierra flew into his arms, and he held her closely, murmuring softly to her as she cried.
Cuch had knelt by Eala's body, and was turning her onto her back. The ice from the spell was melting, but a thick shard still protuded from the fallen cleric's heart. Blood stained the floor, her clothes... so much blood! Eala's lips were blue, and she was so cold to touch... The shaman realised then that there really was no hope. Gently, he closed Ealandariel's blue eyes. Standing up, he put his arm around Tassa, who was sobbing softly.
Sierra pulled away from Flexen and went to kneel by her sister, taking Eala in her arms. Tenderly smoothing stray tendrils of hair from Eala's face, Sierra felt her eyes fill with tears again. This wasn't right! How could fate be so cruel... to reunite her with her sister, only to have Eala snatched away once more? As she thought about it more, Sierra felt a strange energy begin to flow through her. Her thoughts were interrupted though, as suddenly Flexen pulled her to her feet.
"We've got to get out of here now Sierra!" he said, anxiety clouding his features.
"The ghouls are starting to come back," put in Cuch, "If we don't go now, we'll have a hard time getting out at all."
"But... Eala! We can't leave her here!" protested Sierradu.
"I'll carry her." said Cuculainn, and promptly suited action to word, bending over and picking Eala up.
"Quickly, they're coming!" cried Tassa, as she peered around the corner.
The party took off through the ruins of Old Guk. From behind them came the angry cries of the undead creatures. Flexen led the way again, shouting to all the other adventurers nearby about the train of monsters on their heels. The group turned a corner, and sprinted towards the passageway to Upper Guk. Thankfully, the living Frogloks had not replaced their guards yet, so they passed into Upper Guk without a fight. Indeed, the frogloks who saw them noted the ghoulish blood on their clothes, and gave approving nods.
The undead frogs halted at the boundary with Upper Guk. Even in their rage, they would not risk a foray into the living Frogloks' city.
Slowing down, the 4 Silent Avengers walked through Upper Guk towards the exit to Innothule Swamp. Stopping in a hall beside the exit, Flexen said;
"We wait here. Darck will come and meet us."
Cuculainn gently set Ealandariel's body down, thn went to sit beside Tassa, his face unreadable. Tassa's face was white and drawn, she seemed to be having difficulty stopping her tears. Sierra sat down by her sister's body, cradling it like a child. Flexen came and sat beside her. As he put his arms around her, Sierra quietly began to cry again, leaning on her husband for support.
With nothing else to do, the four sat back and waited.
The flowers were so beautiful... the trees seemed to sing... the air was so pure, so clean...
Eala breathed in deeply. She walked through a forest that was much like the Faydark she remembered from her childhood. The cleric had never felt so at peace.
She could not really remember much about what had come before this; Why she was here, what had brought her to this place... Strangely though, this didn't worry her. Who could worry about anything when the world around them was this perfect?
Wandering through the forest, Eala often stopped to pet the deer and rabbits who lived in the serene environment. The sunlight took on a greenish hue as it passed through the leaves of the trees, and made patterns of light and shade on the ground. From somewhere nearby, Eala could hear the splashing of water, a cool, clean sound that drew her towards it as though she were a butterfly drawn to nectar.
As she pushed aside a swathe of ferns, Ealandariel came upon a deep forest pool, fed by a waterfall at one end. With a sigh of delight, Eala settled herself on the edge of the pool, allowing her bare feet to dangle in the clear water. The pool was cold, yet not unpleasantly so, and Eala lay back on the soft grass, feeling complete.
"I did not expect to see you here so soon, my daughter."
With a start, Eala jerked upright. Sitting on the other side of the pool from her, was her Goddess. Tunare, the Great Mother herself. Standing hurriedly, the High Elf curtsied low to Tunare, bowing her head in reverence.
The Goddess laughed.
"Sit, my child. Be comfortable while we talk."
As the cleric sat again, Tunare gestured to the scene around her.
"So, daughter, do you like my realm?"
"It is beautiful Mother... more than beautiful! I feel so at peace here, so complete..."
Tunare smiled.
"Of course you do, Ealandariel. This is the final resting place for all of my children. It is your home after life."
Eala stared at the Great Mother.
"Then, Mother... I really am dead?"
The golden aura around the Goddess dimmed for a moment, as Tunare frowned.
"Yes, you are my child. And that was not part of my plan, I assure you. Yet even I can only interfere so far without an avatar, the other Gods would not allow me to..."
Her voice broke off, and Her eyes took on a slightly glassy look, as though she was gazing at something far away.
"I had not even considered... of the same blood... it may yet work..."
Eala was looking at Tunare nervously.
"Mother... I... I do not understand. I am sorry. What may yet work?"
Tunare's gaze seemed to look right through the Koada'Dal cleric.
"It is not your time to die, Ealandariel. And while I know you would wish to remain here, I still have much left for you to accomplish in Norrath. You must go back."
Ealandariel gasped.
"But... but how! Mother, please, I wish to stay here... I-"
Tunare cut her off with a raised hand.
"I know, my daughter. But it is too soon. I promise you, when the time comes for you to leave Norrath, when you truly feel that you have nothing left to give... then, I will come for you. And you will stay here for the rest of the Ages."
As Eala bowed her head in aquiescence, Tunare's eyes again took on that far-seeing look. She began to murmur words under her breath, in a tongue Eala could not understand. Suddenly the world began to dissolve around the cleric, and she felt herself being pulled away from Tunare's realm. She struggled for a moment, but her efforts were futile. Resolutely, she was drawn backwards... but to where?
Sierradu cried out in astonishment as her hands began to glow. When she tried to pull them away from Eala's body, she found that they would not come free! The others had started awake at her cry, and now stood staring as the light from her hands spread to envelop her sister entirely.
"Sierra.. what... what are you doing!" asked Flexen.
"I don't know!" she gasped, "I was just thinking of how much I wanted her back... praying to Tunare, saying I'd give anything to have her back! And now I feel such power... it's incredible! It... it feels like my skin might burst there's so much of it... oh!"
The light grew so bright that everyone bar Sierradu had long since covered their eyes and turned away. She herself could only shut her eyes, she felt apart from her body, somehow she was pulling on something, willing it to come back to her...
Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the light vanished. Sierra pulled her hands away from Eala's body as if she had been given an electric shock. The ice shard, the hole in Eala's chest, the blood... it was all gone. The four looked on in sheer amazement as Ealandariel stirred. She took a deep, rasping breath and started to cough, weakly. Sierra reacted quickly, turning her sister onto her side to aid her breathing.
When the coughing fit stopped, Sierra gathered Eala in her arms, hugging her tightly. Tears of joy spilled from her eyes as she felt her sister put her own arms around Sierra in return. Tassa, Cuch and Flexen crowded round the sisters, all exclaiming at the top of their voices that it was a miracle, it had to be a miracle, what on earth else could explain what had happened...!
"Seems like that talent runs in the family" murmured Eala tiredly. "Nice to know I haven't lost my mind after all."
"Oh Sis," whispered Sierradu, "I'm so glad to see you again. I thought I'd lost you..."
"You did," replied Eala, "but just like always, you found me again too."
Staggering slightly, Ealandariel got to her feet, supported by Cuculainn. And it was at that point that Darck appeared in Upper Guk, murmuring apologies for being slightly late, hugging Sierradu and saying it was wonderful to see her alive again. Of course, he had to be told the whole story of what had just happened, and his eyes looked about ready to fall out of his head as he heard that Ealandariel had died and been brought back to life.
"Well Ealandariel," Darck said to her, "It seems that you were willing to lay down your life for some of my guild members. I thank you for that. In return... I'd like to offer you something."
He pressed something small and metallic into Eala's hand. She held it up, smiling. A Silent Avengers guild tag. Looking around at Sierradu, Flexen, Cuculainn, Tassa and Darck, she realised that she had not felt so at home in a very long time.
"I'd be honoured to accept your invitation." she replied softly, fastening the tag to her sleeve.
Laughing, Sierradu hugged her sister tightly.
"Welcome to the family, Sis!" she whispered in Eala's ear.
Finally I've found a home, thought Eala. Finally, I've found my Family.
FIN
