The strikes upon him fell true and hard. Gabrial was dying, and then Kidwynn took his last breath. She slit his throat wide open. It all goes black, it was over. The betrayal was complete. As Gabrial slips away into the darkness he feels something pulling him back. Something doesn't want him to die, not yet. He had prepaired himself for it as many had, just not for the way it happened, not by his so called friends. So when the light shined bright he followed it back. As his eyes open and he sees Gaul over him. With the open wound across his neck still bleeding Gaul heals him, Gaul saved him. For that Gabrial will never forget.
Elves are all around the courtyard, yet they don't seem to see Gaul helping Gabrial back to the living. When he is finished he gets up and just walks off, like nothing had happened. Gabrial hears and elf yell "Burn the bodies and take the heads!" They begin moving the bodies to be burned and pick Gabrial up. With his head still on he was sure that he was in trouble. But they don't bring him to the fire, they bring him to the door that leads into the keep. There he stays, still, he lays there waiting. Two more bodies are dropped by him when he hears an order given. "Burn the bodies, what are they doing by that door?" Fear grips him. Will he be able to get out quietly, or will he have to try and fight his way out. He was still very weak and a fight would surly kill him fast. The first body is taken away, still to many elves around to move. The second body gets taken, still to many elves around to move. Then it happens, his chance for escape. The Commander elf walks out the keep doors and an elven captian yells "Form ranks!". He knows the elf will be back to get his body soon, he needs to move now. Thankfully the barricade was still in place. Hes out of sight. Gabrial drops to his side and crawls as far as he can, gets up, and runs. Behind him he hears a elf yell "We have movment!". The chase is on. Gabrial runs up the stairs and climbs over the side of the tower. He jumps, he got away. Off into the woods he runs.
Alone. Scared. Hopeing that others had made it as well. He knew Atrum and Seth made it over too, but were they still alive? Fear sets in. Dispair sets in. He falls to the ground and cries. Everything he cared for...gone. Everything he had loved...gone. He just sat there and cried. Then it hits him, how could he be so stupid. There was hope, there was love. But were they safe? Was Orien ok, was the Mining Village ok? He got up and ran. As fast as he could, he ran. With a glint of hope in his mind that maybe he could get there before the elves did. Maybe he could save them.
After running for 2 hours, only stopping to get around a few elven groups with out being seen, he sees the village. He sees the fire and smoke. The fear grips hold of his heart again. Was he to late? But it wont stop him, he must know. He has to find out if she is still alive. Upon entering the village he finds the first person and asks
"What happened here? Who is incharge?"
The re-awakening and the trip north
Guards and peasants stare at Gabrial with sad eyes, as if not knowing what to say or perhaps as if there is nothing they can say, not without breaking whatever slim thread of strength they have remaining. A couple just shake their heads, not believing the atrocities that they fled simply followed them here.
Seeing a man with dark skin sitting on a nearby hill, Gabrial approaches him. Laggy's face, streaked with tears, has seemingly aged a decade and his eyes match the blood-soaked ground. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse from screaming.
"They just went crazy." He shook his head, trying to understand everything that had happened. "They began burning...everything, killing themselves. The women and children stood there to be trampled by scared guards trying to control the situation. It was something Veran said that started everything and somehow he slipped away again, using the chaos as his cover."
Again he shakes his head and then looks at Gabrial for perhaps the first time, seeing him clearly. His body shuddered, as if suddenly very cold, and it was clear that whatever hope had been there was slowly fading into nothingness. "From the looks of you, I'd say it fared at least as poorly for Haven as it did for us."
He turned again, away from Gabrial, staring into the distance, into the smoke that still swirled from the recent fires...
Seeing a man with dark skin sitting on a nearby hill, Gabrial approaches him. Laggy's face, streaked with tears, has seemingly aged a decade and his eyes match the blood-soaked ground. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse from screaming.
"They just went crazy." He shook his head, trying to understand everything that had happened. "They began burning...everything, killing themselves. The women and children stood there to be trampled by scared guards trying to control the situation. It was something Veran said that started everything and somehow he slipped away again, using the chaos as his cover."
Again he shakes his head and then looks at Gabrial for perhaps the first time, seeing him clearly. His body shuddered, as if suddenly very cold, and it was clear that whatever hope had been there was slowly fading into nothingness. "From the looks of you, I'd say it fared at least as poorly for Haven as it did for us."
He turned again, away from Gabrial, staring into the distance, into the smoke that still swirled from the recent fires...
Darkness. It was as foreign to her as the emotion of hate. And yet, in this haze of agony, it was her only companion, the darkness. That against which she had striven, which she had dedicated her life to fighting, was now the only thing she could see and feel. Besides the places where her skin was still burned, that is.
It had all started out simple enough. Take the old, young, and infirm to the Mining Village where they were all more likely to be safe from the coming battle. Orien had been loathe to leave her hospital, her home, behind, but knew that these people looked to her for guidance and strength. And so, she had smiled and made ready, leading them all to what they had thought would be safety.
The hardest part had been her parting with her beloved, with Gabrial. She and Donovan had spoken their words of parting, both knowing that neither might survive the oncoming Elven onslaught. However, they were Paladins of the Light, and such was the nature of their service, of their vows. Gabrial was another matter entirely. They had watched the sun come up, hand-in-hand and in silence, knowing that no words could express the grief of this parting. As he had when he had first told her, Gabrial just bent forward and kissed her and told her that he loved her.
“Come back to me,” she had whispered just as she had then, not trusting herself to speak more than that. He had nodded then, and vanished into the early morning fog to make ready for war.
She tried to focus on the wound of the child in front of her, to heal the cracked and weeping burn on the girl’s arm. It was all that was left to her, this endless agony and the suffering of those of her charges that were still alive after the nightmare had descended upon them. It was getting harder and harder to heal as she gave more of herself in the healing of others. Where once she had been a bright flame, now she was little more than an ember. She hadn’t even bothered to heal her own wounds, numerous as they were, because she just didn’t have the energy anymore.
What had happened? Everyone had been settled in, as safe and comfortable as they could be made. And then, then something had happened. The soldiers had begun to panic, the villagers too… and the men had come to burn them alive. She had stood her ground, sword in hand as Voralen had taught her. She would die before she permitted her charges to be harmed. But, it had all happened so fast, the fire and the screaming. She knew that at some point she had been hit from behind.
It was one of Robert’s men who found her, saw that she was alive, and had given her a potion. Robert himself had little more information than she did, and so commanded her to the task of seeing to the wounded. And so she had.
She felt the hole in her heart where Donovan, her mentor, had been. She knew he had fallen, and that something horrible had happened in Haven. It was then that she had shut off her heart, shut out all emotions, for she knew if she let herself think about it for even a moment, she would have shattered. She didn’t have time to shatter, she had work to do. Thus, Orian worked on instinct and rote habit more than conscious thought. She tended each as she found them, those, at least, who could be saved. So many were dead. So many.
“Miss Orien?” Little Emry asked, her tiny voice worried.
Orien looked up, meeting the haunted eyes of the seven-year-old. “Hm?”
“You don’t look so good.”
“Don’t I?” Orien heard herself ask. She was exhausted and dizzy. Who did a healer see, when they needed to be healed? She heard herself laugh a little madly, which was cut short when she felt the darkness pulling at her.
Emry screamed as the elven woman, who had been taking care of her at the hospital since the summer when her parents had died, sank to her knees, and then collapsed all together.
“Help! Someone help! Miss Orien is sick!” Hot tears streamed down the child’s eyes as she knelt next to the closest thing she had to a mother, not knowing what to do except for holding the cold hand of the healer.
It had all started out simple enough. Take the old, young, and infirm to the Mining Village where they were all more likely to be safe from the coming battle. Orien had been loathe to leave her hospital, her home, behind, but knew that these people looked to her for guidance and strength. And so, she had smiled and made ready, leading them all to what they had thought would be safety.
The hardest part had been her parting with her beloved, with Gabrial. She and Donovan had spoken their words of parting, both knowing that neither might survive the oncoming Elven onslaught. However, they were Paladins of the Light, and such was the nature of their service, of their vows. Gabrial was another matter entirely. They had watched the sun come up, hand-in-hand and in silence, knowing that no words could express the grief of this parting. As he had when he had first told her, Gabrial just bent forward and kissed her and told her that he loved her.
“Come back to me,” she had whispered just as she had then, not trusting herself to speak more than that. He had nodded then, and vanished into the early morning fog to make ready for war.
She tried to focus on the wound of the child in front of her, to heal the cracked and weeping burn on the girl’s arm. It was all that was left to her, this endless agony and the suffering of those of her charges that were still alive after the nightmare had descended upon them. It was getting harder and harder to heal as she gave more of herself in the healing of others. Where once she had been a bright flame, now she was little more than an ember. She hadn’t even bothered to heal her own wounds, numerous as they were, because she just didn’t have the energy anymore.
What had happened? Everyone had been settled in, as safe and comfortable as they could be made. And then, then something had happened. The soldiers had begun to panic, the villagers too… and the men had come to burn them alive. She had stood her ground, sword in hand as Voralen had taught her. She would die before she permitted her charges to be harmed. But, it had all happened so fast, the fire and the screaming. She knew that at some point she had been hit from behind.
It was one of Robert’s men who found her, saw that she was alive, and had given her a potion. Robert himself had little more information than she did, and so commanded her to the task of seeing to the wounded. And so she had.
She felt the hole in her heart where Donovan, her mentor, had been. She knew he had fallen, and that something horrible had happened in Haven. It was then that she had shut off her heart, shut out all emotions, for she knew if she let herself think about it for even a moment, she would have shattered. She didn’t have time to shatter, she had work to do. Thus, Orian worked on instinct and rote habit more than conscious thought. She tended each as she found them, those, at least, who could be saved. So many were dead. So many.
“Miss Orien?” Little Emry asked, her tiny voice worried.
Orien looked up, meeting the haunted eyes of the seven-year-old. “Hm?”
“You don’t look so good.”
“Don’t I?” Orien heard herself ask. She was exhausted and dizzy. Who did a healer see, when they needed to be healed? She heard herself laugh a little madly, which was cut short when she felt the darkness pulling at her.
Emry screamed as the elven woman, who had been taking care of her at the hospital since the summer when her parents had died, sank to her knees, and then collapsed all together.
“Help! Someone help! Miss Orien is sick!” Hot tears streamed down the child’s eyes as she knelt next to the closest thing she had to a mother, not knowing what to do except for holding the cold hand of the healer.
Gabrial puts a hand on Laggys shoulder and gives it a pat. "Things went bad in Haven as well, things went very bad. We were betrayed by Corbyn and the Order. They killed everyone. Only Atrum and Seth made it out, and I hope they are still alive as well." Gabrial drops his head down and thinks to himself.
"Laggy, get up. Its time to get up. Its time to be strong. We have work to do. We have to get everyone out of here, fast. They may be coming to mop up the rest of the survivors. Ill find Robert and get the villigers ready. I'll need you to find any provisions left. Understood?"
Gabrial headed off to find Robert when he heard the child scream. It takes him by surprise and he yells "Orien!". Gabrial runs over to the child and sees Orien on the ground. "No....NO!" Gabrial bends down and scoops her up into him arms. Holding her close to him. "Orien.....can you hear me?"
"Laggy, get up. Its time to get up. Its time to be strong. We have work to do. We have to get everyone out of here, fast. They may be coming to mop up the rest of the survivors. Ill find Robert and get the villigers ready. I'll need you to find any provisions left. Understood?"
Gabrial headed off to find Robert when he heard the child scream. It takes him by surprise and he yells "Orien!". Gabrial runs over to the child and sees Orien on the ground. "No....NO!" Gabrial bends down and scoops her up into him arms. Holding her close to him. "Orien.....can you hear me?"
Sometimes you need to see the world in a different way...
At the sound of Gabriel's nearby voice, the woman lifts her head to him.
"Do not fear, little brother. I think she will remain with us yet. But you must have strength enough for the both of you to help carry the burden within her, for this is a pain deeper than flesh. You must give her hope."
The woman brushes Orien gently on her cheek and whispers softly. "It was not in vain. You did all that could be done. You must find your grace and stay with us. You are still needed here." Her hands glow softly as she speaks.
"Do not fear, little brother. I think she will remain with us yet. But you must have strength enough for the both of you to help carry the burden within her, for this is a pain deeper than flesh. You must give her hope."
The woman brushes Orien gently on her cheek and whispers softly. "It was not in vain. You did all that could be done. You must find your grace and stay with us. You are still needed here." Her hands glow softly as she speaks.
The woman pauses after a lengthy period of time has passed and nods her head as she finishes healing, but does not awaken the sleeping Orien.
"She will live, but she needs a great deal of rest now. I fear she has little in many days and the strain on her is great." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "These people cannot wait and this procession cannot pause for long, but perhaps a stretcher, sling or little of some sort could be made in a short period of time? I know there are those here willing to help shoulder the burden."
She turns her head to Gabriel. "I know you would carry her, but it would be a hard burden for the both of you and you cannot defend and carry her at the same time for long." She puts a hand over his for a moment. "We are not warriors. Your skills, too, are still needed here, brother."
"She will live, but she needs a great deal of rest now. I fear she has little in many days and the strain on her is great." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "These people cannot wait and this procession cannot pause for long, but perhaps a stretcher, sling or little of some sort could be made in a short period of time? I know there are those here willing to help shoulder the burden."
She turns her head to Gabriel. "I know you would carry her, but it would be a hard burden for the both of you and you cannot defend and carry her at the same time for long." She puts a hand over his for a moment. "We are not warriors. Your skills, too, are still needed here, brother."
Gabrial nods to Isanda and looks down to Orien. He gently brushes the hair out of her face and places a kiss upon her forehead. "Thank you m'lady. And your right, there is still alot of work to be done." Gabrial scoops Orien up off the ground and turns to Emry. "Emry, is there a place I can lay her for awhile?" The little girl nods and starts to run off towords one of the few standing buildings left. Gabrial follows the child and upon entering the building learns that it is being used as a hospital. There are many injured and burned people. Men, women, children, guards. All hurt, all burned, all with fear in their eyes. The carnage that had happened here was far worse then Gabrial had imagined.
Gabrial lays Orien on one of the few empty beds left and speaks to Emry, "Watch her for me, make sure she is safe. If she wakes up make sure to come find me. Got it?" Emry nods and stands there like a soldier with a stern look on her face, ready for anything. Gabrial laughs at the childs strength. After every thing she must have seen she is still full of hope and determination. Gabrial rubs her head saying, "You are a stong one arn't you." With that he heads out the door to find Robert.
Upon leaving the building Gabrial finds one of Roberts men and asks, "I need to find Robert, do you know where he is?"
Gabrial lays Orien on one of the few empty beds left and speaks to Emry, "Watch her for me, make sure she is safe. If she wakes up make sure to come find me. Got it?" Emry nods and stands there like a soldier with a stern look on her face, ready for anything. Gabrial laughs at the childs strength. After every thing she must have seen she is still full of hope and determination. Gabrial rubs her head saying, "You are a stong one arn't you." With that he heads out the door to find Robert.
Upon leaving the building Gabrial finds one of Roberts men and asks, "I need to find Robert, do you know where he is?"
Sometimes you need to see the world in a different way...