Death and Other Deadly Things

[cmosier]

The Beast, as Caelryth came to call him, was doing what he did best, kill. It was easy for the warlock. He simply set back and let the Beast do the work. He just made sure he didn’t go off and do anything foolish, like destroy a village or set a farm ablaze.

He remembered going into the Mossdale and fighting past the orcish guards. His dwarven friend Orlin had turned himself into a giant of some sort, and took to stomping on the attacking orcs. Folina kept up their spirits with song while attacking the creatures with her short bow. They came to the entrance of the armory. Somebody asked if they should go on, Caelryth agreed and the Beast nodded.

The guards here were stronger. A few were even resistant to the dark magic the Beast threw at them, but he was more than capable of fighting with his claws and teeth. They fought hard and afterwards looked to the cave. He heard a voice asking if they should go into the cave, Caelryth agreed and the Beast nodded.

Caelryth recognized the symbol of Grummsh, what elf doesn’t? The Beast, though, doesn’t concern himself with the deities of orcs or their history with elven gods. He continued to fight the undead, thrashing them around like toys. Caelryth noticed, for a moment, that his friend Orlin was injured. The Beast looked to the giant with a concerned look. “There is some noise in the room up ahead; we should investigate that before we head back.” Caelryth agreed and the Beast nodded.

He opened the door and was set upon quickly. Several archers sprung up and fired their arrows at the Beast. Swordsmen moved in and began to hack away vigorously. Caelryth had grown too complacent. He should have heard his friend’s pleas for him to allow them room so they could fight along side him. Even the undead, it seems, get lucky. One arrow found its mark, and few protective spells faded. The Beast fought on. The next arrow found its mark, and all but one invocation was destroyed. The swordsmen fell and the Beast looked up to the archers who had harassed him. He smiled and took a step toward his new prey. One of the archers took aim and fired. The arrow found its mark.

Caelryth fell violently to the floor. The change back was hard on the elf, and he began to spit up blood. His friends, now very worried, moved to help him, but the skeletal archers moved quicker. Five arrows hit the prone elf. The cold, a different cold than what his magic caused, crept over his body. The room and all sound within it faded until there was nothing. Caelryth lay flat on the ground, motionless.

[cmosier]

Caelryth looked at his surroundings, trying to clear his head of the haze that now overran his thoughts.

Where the Hells am I?

He rubbed his eyes and finally his vision cleared. He looked around, in what he could only describe as a meadow with an eerie mist floating about it. He was taking in this environment when he caught site of his own hands. He quickly rolled up the sleeves on the robe he was wearing he slowly caressed the light blue skin in utter amazement.

Incredible. What happened to me? This isn’t right at all.

“Pretty amazing isn’t Cael?”

I know that voice…

The elf turned around and his face was one of shock and amazement. “Uziel, is that you?”

“It is indeed, my friend. I must say I’m quite honored to be here, to say the least.”

Uziel was a tall man. His skin had almost and orange hue to it and his eyes were a soft purple. Caelryth had once said he was the strangest human he’d ever seen, but Uziel assured him he wasn’t completely human. He was one of Celestial blood, an aasimar.

“I’m quite honored, Cael. You think highly enough of me to represent wisdom in this little vision of yours.” Uziel smiled.

“You taught me a great deal. Without you I’m not sure I would be who I am today.”

Uziel chuckled. “Well at this moment, you’re in pretty bad shape.”

Caelryth rubbed his head. “We were fighting undead, powerful ones at that. We were doing so well and things seemed to get ugly in a quick way.”

“You let your powers guide your judgment, instead of using your judgment to guide your powers. You grew arrogant with your power and now it bit you in the ass, hard.” Uziel gave Cael a sagely glare.

“I know I taught you better than that. It wasn’t easy bringing you from the brink of madness my friend. You’ve come too far to fall back into such a state.”

Caelryth looked down. “I know. I just got caught up in the power. The shear strength is impressive and can be hard to resist.”

“Of course it’s hard! The path you walk is hard! There are those with the same powers that we have that choose not to take the difficult route, and they succumb to that which they are trying to control! Temper yourself Cael, or you’ll end up much like your father.” Uziel put his hand on his former student’s shoulder.

“I… I know. I was just trying to help. Even after all this time, I still feel you passed on before I could learn all I could.” Caelryth closes his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter how many centuries you’ve walked Toril, there is always a lesson to be learned.” Uziel embraces the elf and pats his back. “It’s good to see you again though.”

Caelryth looks around. “Where is this anyway, Uziel?”

“Not entirely sure to be honest. You’re the elf who follows the Goddess of Visions. I’m just here to help. Oh, and I’m not the only one here, there are others who want to see you.”

Caelryth gives Uziel a questioning look.

“Don’t ask me Cael, this is all you. As I said, I’m just here to help.”

* * *

Orlin laid the body down near the pool at the Glade. He gently took the bandages off the arrow wounds.

“Lend me a hand, lass. We’ve got to be gettin his armor off.”

Folina nodded and helped dress down the broken to get a better look at his wound. As they removed his shirt they both suddenly stopped. On the elf’s chest were carved strange symbols and runes.

Orlin traced over them. “Sumthin carved him up real good. Do you know these runes?”

Folina shook her head. “They look like some sort of Planar writing. I would need more time to find out though.”

“Well, we ain’t havin much of that. I’m goin to push the shafts through. Lucky he’s out cold, goin to hurt… bad.”

Folina nods and assits Orlin where she can.