[Closed to Gum.] A forgotten whisper...

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas observed Gum and his Father, Halm Belthasar with tremendous interest.

It had been a long time since Elthas knew any sort of peace inside...his life had been a consistent state of warfare and tragedy. The man named Xu Bellaparte and his subordinate, Yosef Terrentius had taken much from him. But in that great loss...the terrible tragedy that he knew was the loss of Hylda Terrentius. He was that time's broken heart. Elthas looked at his Father for a long moment. If Gum needed help with something...Elthas would of course lend him his power. But there was something else and Elthas knew that to be the case. He realized that his family was always with him...Mother and Father. The lost elements of the Belthasar clan. At that point he realized that a past failure still lingered.

"Father...I left before I was ready to." He suddenly looked up towards Halm Belthasar. "Though it is true that I was banished...my training was not complete. I could not finish the training I had needed and had no knowledge to preserve the old ways. Only some of it I could complete." Elthas said, the failure of his past coming back to haunt him. "But because of you, I was able to save that man...Seth Terrentius." Elthas knew he had honoured the Old Alliances in a way that would always be his. He'd separated himself from the followers of Xu Bellaparte and the rest of the Ruild Elves. Elthas considered everything he was thinking about at that point. He listened to everything Gum said...the caves had power.

Elthas looked at his Father who remained silent at that point...as if in deep contemplation.

Then he looked towards Gum. "I understand I am meant to see something in these caves." Elthas explained. "A man once told me...Seth Terrentius...that the world of Althanas held many places of power. Some were hallowed grounds, Wards that repelled those in my situation. And some were indeed conduits of greatness." Elthas rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You mentioned you are a Shaman...tell me more about yourself. Perhaps you can help me and my Ancestors more than words can say." Elthas said, he too, was being sincere.

It had been a long time since Elthas had anybody to trust...anybody to call friend.

And in so finding Gum...a part of himself had been healed from the lingering sadness and depression in his heart and soul.

[Gum]

“I am just a shaman. Just that. To be a shaman in the Xangu Basin is to be a servant. I do not have details to tell you.”

The depth of his service was layered with moral ambiguity and dutiful rites, death and life, compassion and brutality. His lack of a detailed explanation came from an unfamiliarity with the question rather than any malice or secrecy. The visions of Elthas's past comforted Gum, it was easy to see that the spectre was a being of principle. So it was that the moist grains of stone trapped under his fingernails that broke his stoic wall, more words came forth. Gum pulled his hand from the wall and rubbed the dirt away.

“I can reach into the Underworld and communicate with the dead. So yes, maybe I can help you and your ancestors a great deal. Your unique predicament and my training seem, at first at least, to compliment each other.”

Gum could do more than that, but that seemed the most relevant.

“And you. I am curious about your limitations, my new friend. My experience with the spirits of the dead is that they are typically weak, confused—they seem to be like bottles floating in the sea. How is it that you appear so permanent? I have encountered living people whose souls were less well anchored than yours. How can that be?”

The shaman was, by Dheathain's savage standards, an expert in death and the realms the dead inhabit. However, in his many years practicing the shamanic discipline, he had never encountered a being like Elthas Belthasar. While the conversation progressed quickly, the shaman's thoughts strayed away from the altruistic. There was a war with the dragon worshipers and an independent Xangu nation on the horizon, a secret weapon in that war could go a long way. Gum wondered if this possible ally could be that very weapon.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Underworld...

The phrase resonated with Elthas in an unexpected deep sort of way. Elthas knew of the Thayne codex, but he also knew there was more than the Thayne Codex's religion on Althanas. He considered the man's words very carefully and let them linger for a moment or two. He knew he was interested in what Gum had to say...he knew it. Elthas was a quick study in life and had always hungered for knowledge. He did not know the world of the Xangu Basin, but Elthas knew of geo-politics. He had to consider the situation at hand, and consider whatever the man was going through as well. Elthas nodded after a minute or two passed.

"I was killed a long time ago. By an enemy..." Elthas thought about Yosef Terrentius at that moment, and his mind flashed, he saw his face for a brief moment. In his mind's eye. He knew that Yosef lurked behind the mask of his face. Somewhere behind the good and honourable man that Elthas always fancied himself. His Father, still present, noticed the subtle change in Elthas's eyes...but perhaps...Gum would notice it as well. There was a shadow hanging over Elthas. Perhaps it was a part of who and what he was...and that shadow would cling for the longest time. Uncontested. Elthas continued to speak in a calm voice. "I did not take the path to final judgment...my desire for vengeance proved much stronger than the cold reaches of death itself." Elthas knew he had to explain quite a bit. "Seth once told me that those like me, those who don't face final judgment wander without a purpose in life." Elthas rubbed his chin calmly. His voice had a soft quality to it when he spoke in the common-tongue, a consistent reminder of who he was in life.

"When I defeated the one who killed me...I kept finding things to occupy my time with. Matters kept following me around that refused to let go. Maybe, I refused to let go in some ways too." Elthas looked at Gum for a long moment. "So now my journey has brought me here, to you." Elthas said casually. In life, he would have considered Gum an ally, and perhaps more than that. A friend...

[Gum]

The idea of "final judgment" left the Xangu native bemused, for his people lived and died and then, if Lord Oxxad required it, they lived again. Life was a journey of gradual improvement across the realms, not a solitary opportunity to succeed against great odds. "They have their beliefs, we have ours," he thought to himself, affirming his people's tolerant notion that religions were not fundamentally exclusive. While he truly found foreign spirituality curious, Gum was no zealot.

"Hmm, vengeance," Gum accepted Elthas's explanation as reasonable. In his homeland, shamans like himself were always present to assuage the burning resolve of those slaughtered without justice. Whereas, in other parts of the world, without a shepherd, it was understandable that fury could make a spirit persist. Wandering long enough would certainly keep them aligned with this world rather than the next.

"So now my journey has brought me here, to you."

The notion resonated with Gum's sense of duty, it was for him to interpret the will of the spirits. The arrival of Belthasar in his life was of clear consequence; and so, he made an offer, "Elthas, should you ever tire of your journey in the Overworld, then I can help you join the spirit of your father in the next life."

As Gum made his sombre offer, the delicate glow radiating from the sacred rocks began to falter. The light pulsed with reduced intensity with each repetition.

"Sir," the shaman addressed the spectre of Elthas's father with a tempered hint of urgency. "Our beacon in this world is fading, soon you will be returned to paradise." The sobre gravity in his eyes inferred the situation's severity, the shaman warned them both, "I implore you to conclude your reunion while this sacred cave has energy left to channel. The energy will recover and we can convene again, but it could take many days."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

It was at that point Elthas turned towards his Father.

Halm Belthasar.

"Father, I thank you for watching over me these many years. It has been a long time that you have done so." Elthas said for his own benefit as well as Gum's and his Father's. He nodded towards his Father. "I will take care of everything that Gum needs to have taken care of. You have taught me well, Father." Elthas said calmly. Then he turned towards Gum. His Father faded into the aether energies and became little more than arcane residue as the spectral body faded away, back into the recesses of Elthas's mind. Elthas looked at Gum for a long moment. Then he spoke.

"I am unfamiliar with this Underworld you speak of." Elthas began. "Is it another place...like the Firmanent and Antifirmanent of the Thayne Codex?" Elthas asked. There were many questions, and Elthas found himself hungry for the information that Gum could provide. It was fascinating in a lot of ways, though Elthas did not study the ways of his own people nearly as much as he should have...he found solace in the fact he could study Gum's ways. And learn all he could from them. In a similar way, he would teach Gum about his own experiences and his own ways, the way of the Forest Elf of Ruild. Elthas oft thought of his homeland, Ruild and he longed for the greenery of his youth. The carefree, wayward life of the adventurer of his day. But that youthful zeal was long since past. He'd replaced it with the mad desire for survival in death, keeping his existence intact.

Elthas thought about what was being put on the table by Gum.

"You speak of a Nation, Gum, does that mean there are more Shamans someplace like yourself?" Elthas was indeed curious and had found an agreeable companion in Gum. It had been a long time since he felt hunger of that nature. The hunger for knowledge, and it was true that the dead envied the living. Elthas rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered everything he had learned from Gum. He also considered something else. "Gum...I think there is something I must tell you. There was an enemy that I eagerly consumed in a moment of rage and possibly insanity. I have recently found out that this person has become a part of me. I'm not sure what that will entail but that person has it's own agenda. The name of the other within me is Yosef Terrentius. The very same man who killed me when I was still alive, trying to stop him from destroying everything I knew and held dear." Elthas was trying to explain everything that he could think of that was important. "Yosef was allied to an Elf named Xu Bellaparte."

His mind became a whirlwind of thoughts, and almost immediately, the energy within the cave became negative at the anger and rage in his heart that was still present. Where once the energy was dissipating, the energy reacted to Elthas's emotions. Elthas did not realize his emotions would also affect the place of power, but he did not stop speaking. Gum had to know. "They took someone away from me and ruined my life." And at that point, there was a face in his mind. Her face... That would always haunt him. He could see Hylda Terrentius, it was the one weight that he would never allow himself to let go. The one failure that had cost him the love of his life. If only I had come back sooner...I might have been able to save her. I will never stop loving her...

"They stole Hylda Terrentius away from me." Elthas said carefully. His mind was obsessively clinging to the image of Hylda, trying to hang on to every last precious memory of her. With time, he was slowly losing the memories, even the once clear images of her face. She was slowly becoming harder and harder to decipher in the darkness. At that point, Elthas's mind was revealed as being starkly unstable. There was a trauma present there that was more than just a man who was killed by an enemy. It was a love that he refused to let go. He had denied death's embrace because of that love, and his vengeance had been complete. But now, on the verge of madness, he realized that his enemy was with him. Taunting him in the silent darkness, and waiting for his time to strike back. Elthas's face was shifting with the weight of his emotions for a few minutes. Then the sudden outburst swelled down. Elthas shook his head. He looked at Gum with a saddened expression.

"You said this place can heal." Elthas considered that. "Perhaps that will be the best course of action here today. I am in pain...but my sort of pain is not a physical one. It has become a rot in my soul that refuses to let go." And it was in such a way, that love sometimes became the worst enemy of all.

[Gum]

Gum relinquished his sway presence, stepping back from the reunited spirits. The reverence Elthas showed Gum was returned with a rare smile. While it was a joy to see a bond so strong between the Overworld and the Underworld, the shaman held a secret fear that the wraith's anguish may anchor him to the Overworld for all eternity. It would be arrogant of Gum to say so aloud, but within he experienced a troubling pang that Elthas could never be happy, there was no serenity to be found for a wandering ghost in the world of the living.

"Is it another place...like the Firmanent and Antifirmanent of the Thayne Codex?"

In Belthasar, Gum felt the vibrant curiosity of a life cut short. It was endearing, but tenderness was not a trait the shaman could afford in times of duress. While the spectre had earned Gum's respect early in their encounter, the layers of Elthas's story portrayed a spirit worthy of trust. Time would tell if it would be wise, but Gum had been tempted into providing additional information about his troubling scenario.

"I am unfamiliar with your religion," the shaman said when prompted about the Thayne Codex and its associated system of belief. Gum surmised when he spoke again, "But all people, I have found, realise that the living exist here and the dead exist somewhere else. The Underworld is somewhere else. On that I am sure we can find common ground."

"You speak of a Nation, Gum, does that mean there are more Shamans someplace like yourself?"

"Each settlement in the Xangu usually has its own shaman. I am not tied to any town or village, I am a Xico Shaman--I must travel from place to place performing my duties. My master, Do U, was also a Xico. He was a very powerful shaman," Gum hesitated, "He made mistakes in his life. His abilities were misused."

The spirit cave was renowned for its powerful energy; so much so that the conduits could be witnessed manifesting in glowing lights, ghosts and rumblings in the rocks. For the first time, the shaman had witnessed the flow of power within the natural sanctuary drained. Like a stream diverted to nourish crops, the cave had given life where there was none. And so, the lights continued to fade. Darkness crept along the walls and towards the shaman and his companions; it was time to leave, and so Gum began to take careful steps in the dimming light.

"While I may not bound to a particular location, I am obliged to serve all those who worship our gods. Wherever I go, I meet with leaders. Politicians are always eager to earn my favour. Together, we discus what is best for our people. If a task meets with the will of the gods, then I will pursue it.

"Up until now, the worshipers of the pantheon have been divided. At war even. We have two races, the Bestu--forest pygmies. And humans, like me. Although, I serve all the races. I have no tribal loyalty, just a loyalty to the gods and to the Xangu itself. The river and forest here is sacred. I have to protect it.

"The wars between the tribes are over now. We have a union of all tribes and both the races. I never believed I would see this day. We have, in essence, the first true Xangu Nation. This union was not formed out of goodwill or progress. In fact, it has come about through tragedy. The Drakari Empire have begun an invasion of our lands. Amongst their worst atrocities are the prison camps.

"In the coming days, I will leave for Radasanth to seek political recognition, and perhaps even military support, from their Imperial government. More imperials, of that I am wary. Nevertheless, it is our last hope."

The shaman turned back to his newfound ally and insisted, "I will discuss you with our nation's leaders and ask them to consider your offer of assistance. We are struggling to withstand the onslaught of the dragons."

"Gum...I think there is something I must tell you," when Elthas spoke, Gum translated the tone in his friend's voice, there was something that could represent a barrier between their cooperation. "There was an enemy that I eagerly consumed in a moment of rage and possibly insanity. I have recently found out that this person has become a part of me. I'm not sure what that will entail but that person has it's own agenda. The name of the other within me is Yosef Terrentius. The very same man who killed me when I was still alive, trying to stop him from destroying everything I knew and held dear."

"That is a dire complication for your soul," while it was a concern, the spirit of Elthas Belthasar was well worth taking a risk on. More than that, Gum was presented with yet another opportunity to act in service of displaced spirits. "I am unsure of a remedy for a bond of that nature," Gum continued, "but I can begin researching the subject. One day we might uncover a way to separate your two spirits."

"They took someone away from me and ruined my life."

Gum steadied himself against the sudden violence within the sacred rocks of the subterranean sanctuary. The place itself was taking on the darkened emotions of his spectral companion. "Elthas," Gum warned, "you must calm your mood. You are turning the energy of the cave. You are powerful, and this place will mirror your emotions. Anger, frustration, hate--when you these emotions into these walls, the walls will send them back to you."

"You said this place can heal. Perhaps that will be the best course of action here today. I am in pain...but my sort of pain is not a physical one. It has become a rot in my soul that refuses to let go."

"For this place to heal you, you cannot let your negative emotions overcome you."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Do not doubt yourself...

Elthas thought to himself for a moment as the spirit cave was beginning to grow negative in nature. A reaction to the powerful emotions in his heart and soul. Elthas clung desperately to the memory of Hylda Terrentius. She was the wraith's only love. His eyes narrowed carefully as he tried to calm himself down, but the weight in his heart proved a difficult one to overcome. However, he tried. Where the rocks in the cavern began to glow red, slowly, they were returning to their normal colour. Elthas took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm the anguish in his heart.

In many ways, the memories he hung on to had become like a shackle.

He felt both a duty and an honour to preserve the precious memories.

Elthas looked at Gum for a moment and finally, the red faded from the rocks as Elthas calmed down. He also had listened to Gum's explanation of the Xangu Nation, concepts he had never of until that point. Strange, but I have never ventured to this part of Althanas up until this point. It is very possible entirely new cultures and people await in other parts of the world. Elthas thought to himself. He listened as Gum spoke. Quickly, the wraith felt his emotions reverting to their normally calm demeanor.

Once he had calmed down, Elthas took another deep breath.

He then waited until Gum had stopped with his lengthy explanation of the Xangu Nation and her tribes. "The Imperials may not be a worthy ally to your cause." Elthas finally said. He was thoughtful and was trying to explain the current instability in Corone. "There was a Civil War in Corone not too long ago. Many lives were lost." Elthas thought back to his own relatively small participation within the Civil War attempting to regain Radasanth back for the people. He shook his head. "However, if you are set on heading to Corone...I know of some other folks there who would be more than willing to help." Elthas was speaking of the people in the township he once called home. As he considered a possible reunion with the ancestors of his people he could not help but feel positive emotion at that.

"But if you're ready to go to Corone...I have the power to take you there myself." Elthas said calmly. He meant that too, he was capable of travelling through Phantaria and seeking out various Gates that would be useful for travelling from place to place. Elthas looked at his friend. "I am also willing to accompany you the entire journey so that you can better situate yourself in Corone. And establish proper contacts and allies." Elthas said. He was admittedly feeling a lot better after the minor outburst had occurred. Perhaps, in some ways, the cave had already started to heal the sad man's heart. Perhaps, someday, he would be able to let go of the pain in his soul...

...For Elthas represented the broken heart of a generation.

[Gum]

"The Imperials may not be a worthy ally to your cause."

"I have no other choice, my people are dying."

It was then that Gum creased the wrinkled skin at the corner of his eyes, they had reached the cave mouth. He squinted at the sunlight illuminating the mouth of the cave. The clear warmth felt like a new beginning flushing through his veins. Elthas, the powerful spectre, had arrived in Gum's life as an unlikely ally. For all his adult life, the shaman had persisted as a servant of the dead. Now a soul from the army of the afterlife was coming to his aid when most needed. A throbbing crack, very much audible, came from his tired knees as he stepped from the uneven rocks of the entrance and onto the forest floor. "You do not suffer from these problems, do you?" he said looking back at the wraith, a being freed from the suffering of flesh and blood.

"There was a Civil War in Corone not too long ago. Many lives were lost. However, if you are set on heading to Corone...I know of some other folks there who would be more than willing to help."

"We have received word there is a new conflict, another civil war, another revolution in Radasanth. The Castigars have begun re-arming themselves and politicians are being assassinated. Elthas, I am afraid that it is that very violence that is providing my people with a political opportunity. I am going because of the danger, not in spite of it."

"But if you're ready to go to Corone...I have the power to take you there myself. I am also willing to accompany you the entire journey so that you can better situate yourself in Corone. And establish proper contacts and allies."

"I wish I could accept your assistance. For strategic reasons, it would be best for me to arrive by ship. I do not want to reveal to my enemies that I have such a strong ally in you, friend. Please, meet me there, in Radasanth. One day I will need to call on you as an escape plan. If the Imperials or the Castigars try to kill me, you may be my only hope."

The steady ground at Gum's feet put him at ease, while his uncertain future received the boon of Belthasar's promise. With the darkness of the cave behind him, he was able to focus on the light of his material existence. Gum felt something substantial about the moment, the gods were near. A flutter of rainbow sparrows broke from the undergrowth and the omen was clear.

"Elthas, those birds are sacred to my people. So many together is a good sign. It means there is a rich bounty ahead of us, my friend."

[Elthas_Belthasar]

As they stepped out of the cave, a great weight was lifted off of Elthas's shoulders.

There were many more questions, and Elthas was convinced that his meeting with the Shaman was part of a larger piece of the puzzle. Then he spotted the spiritual related birds, there was an odd glow about them and he noticed a woman with a cloak made of feathers. Elthas immediately, as a Thayne follower, knew who that was. The woman was handsome and she wore very revealing clothing but had the glowing eyes of the Thaynehood. Elthas immediately walked towards Y'edda the Wild.

He bowed down towards the matron goddess of his people.

He was not sure why she would have been in Dheathain, but he was glad she was. Adventurers and Heroes oft wanted her blessings for their travels. Y'edda looked at the kneeling wraith with a soft smile.

"Rise, my child." She began to say. "I know your name. It has been whispered to me..." She motioned with a hand for him to stand.

He did so. "My lady." Elthas remembered his manners in the presence of greatness. "What is thy bidding?"

"Son of Belthasar, your meeting with the Shaman known as Gum was done so by my design. I wanted you two to meet so that you could see your purpose...I wanted you to become a a Champion once more. The world need you, Elthas Belthasar." She looked at Gum with a sly smile. "And you as well Child of the Xangu Basin." Y'edda continued. "This is my decree. I need champions once again. I need for you to be the Hero you are meant to be."

Elthas felt confused for a moment. "A Hero...? I have not been called that for some time." He wondered if he even had the capacity to help anybody anymore as he was.

"Elthas you have come a long way since you first entered your current state. Gum has and will continue to help you but for now you must part ways. When you two meet next, it will be under better conditions." She said. "Elthas, I have a gift for you, come forward."

Elthas stepped forward and was immediately embraced by the whimsical Goddess. Then, she kissed him deeply, and Elthas sank into the kiss. Having not felt such warmth in a long time. Not since Hylda Terrentius. "I beg of you, Son of Belthasar. Become who you are meant to be."

"I swear I shall." Elthas said as the kiss broke.

Y'edda nodded to him and then said one last thing. "I have given you a gift, Son of Belthasar. Use it well. Soon, I will be calling upon your aide. Until then...become strong." She let Elthas go at that moment.

The birds at Elthas's feet flocked away at that moment, and Elthas saw a single feather of the rainbow coloured birds on the ground.

Elthas knelt down and picked the feather up, it pulsed with power. It had an incredibly calming effect on Elthas's troubled heart and his body glowed with an energy. He put the feather away and looked at Gum, who was already gone.

Elthas smiled knowing that. "We shall meet again, my brother." And with that, Elthas began his journey to explore the Xangu Basin...

~FIN~

~Spoil Request~

Y'edda's Blessing- An elegant and handsome feather dropped by one of Y'edda mystical birds. It's purpose and mysteries will be revealed as Elthas levels. For now, I just want the feather, will be explaining what it does once Elthas hits level 7. Thank you very much.

[Philomel]

Name Of Judgement: A Forgotten Whisper
No Judgement

Rewards:

Elthas_Belthasar receives:
1175 EXP
85 GP

Gum receives:
860 EXP
100 GP

Spoils:
Elthas receives a feather with the following description for 25 GP that was debited from his GP rewards:

"Y'edda's Blessing- An elegant and handsome feather dropped by one of Y'edda mystical birds. It's purpose and mysteries will be revealed as Elthas levels. For now, I just want the feather, will be explaining what it does once Elthas hits level 7."