The beginning or end of a journey?

This forum represent casual roleplay within the Sigil streets, its bars, and other "walk-in" roleplay avenues.
Post Reply
silinrul357
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 12, 2020 6:22 pm

Posted by silinrul357 »


It was no secret now that she was leaving soon. She had already made the arrangements to make sure the infirmaries would be maintained at least for a time in her absence. She did have many regrets that she was leaving something in which she truly felt she was making a difference. For a time now, An'aroluth had taken some great comfort in that healing wounds and sickness without profit was making some difference in people's lives. Indeed, many had given her thanks for that work, and some of the donations that had come in were a reminder to her that for all the bad there was out there, good hearts also held strength as well.

Yet An'aroluth no longer had any reservations about whether she was making the right move or not. Her eyes looked first to Turaniir, and then to Julakiir, respectively the armor and blade made specifically for her. The eyes that reflected back to her had something she hadn't seen in them for awhile: Determination.

Although they'd accompanied her more than once in dance or simple walks through dangerous areas, the armor and blade had only been used once in retribution against darker forces. That war against the Crimson Dawn was the only time that had seen An'aroluth take up a blade to fight, and even then, it was only against the one they'd called 'Seer.' She had been content to tend to the wounds of others for the rest of the trip. This trip was perhaps the only time since then that she was doing something in part for herself, and in a very real way, ready to fight for it. Yet just like against the Seer, it was not just for herself.

Her eyes gazed to the moon for a moment in reflection of her recently completed Evensong, and then down to the blade she held a bit aloft. That thought and the Evensong a reminder that her 'problem' had taken a heavy toll. Without any guardianship, help, or protection otherwise, she once more faced the fact that anyone she'd dared to gain attachment to would ultimately suffer ill fates, and probably ultimately death. A curse some in the past had simply called the mind games of a truly evil one, or a worry of the dramatic. Yet a decade later, she was the only one left, and those people were either dead or gone. Her daughter was the latest victim of it in this war, and whether dead or gone, there was no mistaking that she was lost forever to An'aroluth.

That though stung quite a bit. It was several months since that war, and more since the loss of her daughter. While she had made peace with it, it was ultimately a wound that could only scar, but it would never fully heal. The wetness in the eyes that reflected back at her in the blade betrayed this emotion, despite the determination in them. She noticed that and closed them while taking in a deep breath to hold for a time. After, she slowly let out that breath through her mouth while opening her eyes in a matching pace. That determined look was still there, if a bit more calm once more.

This journey was going to be made, one way or another. Events in the City of Doors had made her again recently rethink the involvement of others, not out of any sense of martyrdom like she had been making up as an excuse before. There was a very real problem of assassination with those whom had offered her help, and combining that with the threats that haunted An'aroluth herself, the circles of protection that accompanied them in the city might not necessarily help them. Genuinely, An'aroluth felt it may have been prudent to deal with those issues first. Adorabella was, after all, trying to make genuine, good change in the city, and comparatively An'aroluth found that mission far worth more every time. Yet, she found that her own could not be delayed for much longer. The longer she waited, the more her attachments turned into very real threats.

Her head bowed and she held the blade aloft once more, beginning the post-Evensong prayers she had been doing every night now, only now planning to spend every moment she could doing so. Her words altered between Elven and Drow, to the two goddesses Eilistraee and Hanali which she sought. Her pleas were simple:

Please guide us, and please keep the company I bring safe.

Image
silinrul357
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue May 12, 2020 6:22 pm

Posted by silinrul357 »


Her eyes opened. She saw the space... the astral? No... definitely not. She saw the wings... were they of light? Of fire? They were a little of both actually... a phoenix? She felt the heat of its wings. Her wings? It flowed through the very blood in her body, the divine fire. The 'rebirth.' Set on by a celestial? Silver was the color she saw at first, but the astral cloud faded soon afterward and just left An'aroluth there once more, floating in the astral sea. How did she even get here? She had decided throughout the prayers to set forth. She felt the call of it too.

But when she stepped through the portal, she felt something wrap around her and pull. Like she walked through the door, but was somehow yanked through the frame of it? She did stumble a bit while going through the portal. Was she pushed? She couldn't fully tell, in truth. All An'aroluth knew was that her head was spinning like it'd just been hit by something really hard right on the skull. She hadn't of course, but she knew the effects that a misstep jaunt could have on a body. Of course she did though, or otherwise she wouldn't be a good doctor.

The fuzzy images continued to swirl around her though. She couldn't get her bearings. Where was she? It looked like the astral, but it was somehow different. Ana thought she saw a sphere off in the distance. It was multi-colored, but hard to make out. Things were a chaotic mess... but if it were like the astral... was it?

"Are you lost, mom?"

She turned around, as best as one could 'turn' in this floating space. Her daughter Minasien floated in front of her, ghostly as every other time she had seen the apparition, but somehow this time, far more forceful in presence. Ana had seen her in dreams before, this grown up version, wearing an outfit she never recognized the style or material of black pants, a corset, a glowing green trim, and her ankle-length hair pulled up into a ponytail of some kind.

"Yes. What happened?" Ana asked the apparition, but knew full well she wouldn't get a straight answer.

You have before you a choice to make," She pointed to a far off, distant glowing, "Will yourself that way, and after maybe mere hours, you will see that storm of dreams that have been plaguing you come true. For better or worse, you can live your dreams," her finger then moved elsewhere, and pointed to the multi-colored orb nearby, "Or... should you so choose to take the same path I did, throw it all away. She'll understand, I know she will. "

Ana looked both directions, the struggle on her face clear. Cryptic as it may have been, Ana knew exactly what her daughter was asking her to do: choose her future. Something that up until this point, she had been certain about anyway. The awe of the situation was still astounding to her. Was this a dream? Probably... Ana had had so many vivid dreams before, and increasing in frequency anyway, but they always led to something important. This, in truth, felt like the culmination of all of that.

She slowly smiled her daughter's way and met her eyes, "you had a hand in this, didn't you?"

Minasien just slowly smiled herself, "I didn't let fate rule me. I figured you should at least have the chance to choose yours," even as she faded from view.

An'aroluth floated there, in the space, this realm. It wasn't a dream, was it? No... she looked off to the distant, shining star, so beautiful from where she was, but also now so very far away. She simply let herself float there for a long time, thoughts racing through her head. Questions came, and then subsequently were answered. Every one of them a relic of the past eventually. Finally, slowly, her hand raised to the sapphire around her neck, and slowly wrapped around it. She took a breath, and slowly let it out.

"You have been so wonderful to me... I hope I always do right by you. And I cannot forget the lessons you have taught me. What you have done for my heart and my soul. So I must honor you above all else..." her gaze turned towards the multi-colored orb, and she started that way, "and choose my own path, forever carrying you in my heart. Farewell...."

Ana floated towards the orb of swirling colors. As she did, she felt parts of her power, and indeed soul, start to wain a bit. But she pressed on. She was free, and in it, she decided that she was going to seek her own way. It was finally time to see to her own 'end'.
Post Reply