Where an idol remains.

[Melancor]

Solo Quest.


The wind arrived as a tender breeze from the east. Perhaps, a storm was approaching, perhaps it was only Haskara playing tricks against my brothers’ intuition. She had always been a mischievous brat that no other divinity was able to submit. She must have passed through these routs, like a gloating gust or a blushed cloud, always vainly crowning the sky with her presence. The rumors of my fall had probably not reached her hears yet, otherwise she would have appeared before me to make my suffering ever more unbearable, as it was her obnoxious nature.

However, no such thing happened. I cannot pity Suravani more; since the beginning of time she gained an adversary without any provocation. The celestial mother should not have to deal with that maliciously coy viper. Then again, Suravani was much more resilient that she appeared, to her Haskara had not been more than a little annoyance in comparison with Mitra.

So far my trip had been a pleasant one. It had been just two days ago when I entered Istraloth. The feeling of nostalgia was far too great, as I walked through the lagoon continent. Things had progressed on the last five hundred years, somehow the trees had managed to grow avoiding the salt from the last time I had flooded the place. I had never taken the care to admire the beauty of this land.

Young trees showed off their scarlet leaves, giving off one last glimmer of beauty before death came upon them. It was already autumn, and Haskara had invited the resigned leaves to dance on the ground with her song in the apogee of her season. The sun was about to die in the horizon. The sky tainted orange, and the star appeared as an eye, about to close, and give birth to the night. As if Haskara wore her veil on behalf of her feelings, the black veil would come soon to mourn Mitra. But as a lothing Gesture, the moon will wear white and ride the skies with the swift pace of celebration.

Even though I had never really set a course for my travels, a mysterious force had pushed me in the direction of Istraloth; I had never considered visiting my old playground.
It was a place where I had been hated and revoked worship by Am'aleh’s priests. There, shrines set for the eight of the Aegean, including myself. Mine where probably burnt down after the first time I flooded the place, how they got to guess it had been my divine seal which ruined their crops was something much different. I have a certain aversion when it came to human priests and priestesses. It is believed that a god knows it all, but I lack the understanding of such human sorcery, one so unnatural that could take my powers away in a moment of weakness. It is a weapon far to dangerous on human hands, it is not only the feeling of retribution that shall drive me to punish the human race, but a reminder that the balance of their precious home depends on the very same they dare to lock away.

I must admit though, I see the day distant. far too much time has passes since that cursed day. And yet I have not been able to find a way to return. I must have brought it against myself. no one has offered help, but I do not blame them, as I loath even my holy brethren. Today, I only live in the sorry asylum of Suravani. But I doubt that she will even have sympathy toward my goal, since she is so fond of that human scorn, as my war against mortals would not be under her best interest.

[Melancor]

As I emerged from my meandering thoughts, I had found myself walking faster than my usual rate, my heart was racing and my breathing had become accelerated, erratic. I halted for a minute, allowing my body to calm down. Where was I anyways? It was obvious that not always would I know my current location, especially when it came to traveling. Never had a map, never needed a map. With old age came the knowledge, memorizing the regions like the small dents in my silver plate. Little details in the landscape where the ones that usually threw me off, and the causes of my disorientation most of the times when I found myself ‘lost’.

There was something different about this place though. It seemed eerie familiar, yet abhor of the unknown came along with the nostalgic feeling. I must have stared at the seemingly endless road before me for more than ten minutes with a stupid curiosity . Like a scar, it defiled the face of the unusual red forest, already in an unusual location. The road extended ,modest, in a quivering fashion, as it curved to and fro until it disappeared in the distance behind a blanket of red leaves.

My sense of direction had been strangely annulled. I was certainly not exploring new lands, I had swum to get to Istraloth, before I would be able to leave, I would have to meet the sea. I possessed no knowledge as to where I was standing, nor how far I was from the place where my foot met the sand. Was I on the western tip? Somewhere in the middle? High on the mountain range? Or many just inches by the coast, no able to witness due to the thick vegetation.

I dropped to the floor while I cleared my thoughts. Resting my chin upon my hand. It seemed as it had been the first time I had ever sat down, I did not realized that I had been walking this whole time, and how tiered I really was. I could remembered the sun and the moon come and go. I dimly remember viewing any signs of life. Not a single bird in the sky, nor the sound of furtive animals, the cackle or insects, or the slight smell of a dead prey.

What had I been doing for all of this time? Had the stupidity of my dreams submerged me into some kind of trance? What ever the reason was for me to randomly divagate through the archaic dirt roads of Istraloth, it had not been of my own choosing.

What sort of force must have been upon me? That at the realization of a day’s end shattered, open, the mouth of my awareness as that of the sun closed. The Aegean signature was much more violent that this stealthy chain that had impounded me since I was at land abroad. Besides It was on my brother’s fashion to communicate, and gloat about their ,now, superior abilities before attempting against me.

Again the slight feeling of familiarity and that of duplicity cut through the front of my skull, hard, like a hot knife. This force had been a persistent one. Daring to lure me like a siren, for nights have passed and it is now that I realize the effect of this odd spell.

[Melancor]

I could do no other than to acknowledge this force, even in mortality it takes a lot to hack into an Aegean’s unpredictable mind wall. It must have prior experience with me; something that finally ignited my curiosity, and undermined the slight fear that teased me at the end of the road.

“It must be in need”

But what is it such problem, and such need that it intrusively commands me to come to Istraloth?

“One that a mortal cannot solve,” Of-course.

And what does an exiled god have to do with helping those who need of a divine hand? I cannot be of much comfort to those who demand help, nor can I lend the assistance I would most likely desire, as I have been spoiled by the seeds of power. How to compare a human muscle, to the blade of a thunder? The spot of a heir to the throne of a wise ethereal? I cannot submit a much better reply as a mortal, than when speaking sacred tongue, order the winter to spare a rose:

“It cannot be done.”

Not even as a god had I yield to answer prayers.

“What makes you think I’ll do it now, that I lack resources?”

This was for to much inquiry for my soul, as whichever isolated presence from afar influenced me to question myself.

“But now I am curious for what you are.”

I spoke to that little and selfish presence residing at the unknown realm, beyond the quiver, and the dirt, and the scarlet wall.

“I am curious to know what you are, for all you have dragged me here, and turned my eyes blue,”

And you taunt me now, knowing my Achilles heel, exploration.

[Melancor]

I stood up, trying to look as regal as I could, for I found the necessity to rise from the ground pathetic.

Well, as curious as I may be. There is no real reason why to take risks, especially when it comes to weird magnetic forces that can intrude my head somehow. There where to options. I could keep walking through the natural promenade until I met that… thing…. Or I could just simply turn back and leave through the sea. I was missing my little pond, puddle too. There was not much to it.

A sole step forth made it for me, I would keep walking until I made it through the scarlet forest. My destination did not feel too far away, even if I could not remotely imagine its position. It seemed I would be applauding this person’s rash move, as I accepted the challenge. For I could sense, this entity was either: very weak, too old, or too young. As it lacked that particular kicking power of a person on the summer of it’s life.

Nature didn’t seem to take it’s proper course on Istraloth. Even after the sun has passed strong through those lands the soil was still wet and made an anguishing sigh at each step. The air still carried the name of warmth from the beautiful day that had been. The night was coming, now, closer, and I could appreciate the blue and ochre boundary in the sky.
As if I where appreciating Althanas for the first time, everything seemed so vivid, yet so delicate.

“Wait…”

Again, I came out of a thinking trance; this time swiftly interrupted by my conscience prioritizing its future actions. I had to ensure that it was actually my judgment, which had chosen to move that way, or that entity’s luring again. I had never dealt with something like this before, It was not like an Aegean mind proved a fallible defense against these kinds of attacks.

Mentally I hesitantly patted myself.

No.. this is me….

Oh, but are you sure? I replied.

Don’t you believe me, myself? I’ll show you how sure I am.

What childish feeling had this entity brought with it's muzzle that I talked to myself as a lunatic to the starts?

My pace began to accelerate; from a casual walk into a throttle, until I ran with the moon that had just emerged from the crowns of trees that reached to embrace her in vain.
I ran that night until my steps echoed through the forest, until I became the ghost of the woods, until I turned into the wind, until my human legs would allow me.

[Melancor]

It felt now like three hours, and I was already feeling exhaustion run through my body like a swift plague. Like I dog I panted, as a chicken I slanted, and like a baby; crawling seemed a much more desirable choice.

“Is there no end to this god forsaken forest?” the sentence escaped my lips, shoved out with the thrust of my breath.

I knew well the dimensions of Istraloth, was there even enough space for a single day’s walk? To many days had I walked without stopping, and now I was finally feeling the effects.

rows and rows of now carmine trees where my only companions, I would see their horrid faces, gaunt yet viciously angry faces. Seeking revenge for some salt? Laughing at my pointless pursue of what was provably never there? Trying to lower my morale?

“We have no trees at sea, ever wondered why?”

I had always hated these scrawl of vegetation. Always standing numb grasping the ground, hard with their claws. Yet they had no better purpose that a shield from Mitra’s eye. And now, they decided to dress in red, sinking me under a sea of flames, now dulled by the void of night.

And dark void it was, that only the white light of the moon could barely scare-off.

Without the moon maybe I had not been able to snipe the fast shadow that rushed before me, leaving one leaved wall to enter another. But as much help the moon could offer It was not clear what this silhouette belonged too. It must have not been taller than six feet, nor wiser than two. Did it had arms? I don’t know. Did it have a head? Maybe so. Was it a human? I did not see.

What was I doing standing there wondering about it? I rushed to where the creature had disappeared, about two or three meter from where it had crossed me. The tangible figure left an unusual smell of hickory oil. How I knew such smell was unknown to me. But then again, this trip through the scarlet forest had turned into a bizarre odyssey.

I immediately felt drawn into chasing this dark figure.

“I must keep following the path,” I murmured to myself, even as I stared at the mass of branches, trough the scarlet wall, where the shadow had merged with the distant obscure barrier. “I must keep.. following the road…”

[Melancor]

Like a nagging reprisal, I saw the road broaden and the trees close upon its view of the stars. I could almost hear a voice in the wind, indicating me to move forth, beyond the trees, where the shadow still crackled through the leaves but which sound disappeared swiftly.

Maybe I could take a little detour. That thing calling for help was not that desperate. Otherwise, it would again possess me with its unusual sorcery.

Just as this thought crossed my mind I felt my legs go numb, and my shoulders stiffen. As if someone had logged hooks in my extremities, I felt a stubborn force that pushed me down and demanded me to slowly get in my knees. I resisted this sudden retaliation but it almost seemed useless. My legs shook as I embroiled in this tug-of war over my own limbs.

“Do not force me!” I exclaimed to the heavens, my knees almost touching the floor.

Why was this presence now acting so violently? If it was so powerful then why not possess my body since the beginning instead of implanting an allure on me? Now it did not sense the spring, or winter, but the summer could be felt, as the moon shone high, imposing its silver light upon the forest.

“So it seems,” I explained as I reached my realization. “You are not the only one who draws power from the moon!”
Concentrating all my efforts in denying submission, I slowly made my way back up, until those tight hooks where beaten into shattering. This entity was more stubborn that I thought. It seemed like a woman, consenting my curiosity and hoping me to choose her path, but under distraction, forcing me to follow the road, through the sea of flames.

Before I was able to consider leaving the place or continuing my path, this time with hostility beforehand, the same shadow emerged from the brush, and stood static a couple of yards in the road.

Like happened before, I could not recognize its features, as the shadow seemed to have a light of its own: one so dark that emanated intemperately and avoided Suravani’s. As much mystery came out of this being, there seemed to be no intelligence behind it, as I felt a hollow void when setting my eyes upon it. It was certainly not that which was calling out. But one that seemed to have an erratic form, a life, and personality.

In my numerous years of life have I ever seen such a strange spectacle. There was no name for this aura of black fire, other than a shadow, but one that moved and ran, and defied, and that managed to appear intangible, even when made sound as it rushed through the vegetation. Was this a demon? A meandering soul? The spirit of the woods? To this day I have not been able to name the unique creature.

[Melancor]

It felt almost ironic for me that I doubted of my former destination, yet a creature from the most unknown realms imposed no fear on me. Rather, like the grasping force, it provoked an explosion of great curiosity.

I could not tell if the creature was staring at me, the path beyond me or the path behind. As no eyes where to be spotted on the small bulb that resembled a head. If a sound can be described as the blow of a shadow it would be this, that the creature exhaled from somewhere on the black mass. As if a thousand voices sighed, horrid, like those of the living dead, in an almost unrecognizable tone, just like a whisper.

Before it had seemed interested, sharing my Achilles heel, on me; it had decided to return after all. But at the same time it seemed indifferent to my persona, at least what I could translate from its deformed body language.
It did not budge when I pulled my bow, nor when I reached for my arrow. It did not react to the flickering cry of the stretching thread, nor to the impact of the projectile that strangely buried into its mass but slowly disappeared beneath the dark.

It did not seem to care for me.

The so far ignored entity made its presence felt again. this time with a loud screech inside my head that made me drop my bow and quiver in the mud, and uselessly place my hands around my ears. It resonated like a the violent and angry scream of a serpent, one of which they had not been able to mutter for some years now.

It seemed as not only I had been annoyed by what seemed as a personal encounter. The shadow’s surface became irregular, and it seemed to move with a brutal spin on itself. It was as if it horribly shivered with the tumultuous intonation of the chime. So much was it’s suffering that after such unreal sound silenced into the blow of the wind it too fell to the ground and lost all human silhouette that it may so vainly had before.

But it did not take long for it to slowly start to rise again, and to shrill into an uninterrupted column, with that same dark aura around it that so much resembled the black fire in the sea of ember leaves.

Our encounter did not last more than a minute, when it again decided to move, this time through the dirt road I had previously selected as my path. It did not resemble any desires of being followed, as it was quick to move through the night that it sometimes disappeared from my sight into the common dark of the late hours. But it kept constant, following the same trajectory, as I tailed it with a stupid curiosity, without any stealth in my movements.

[Melancor]

What is it seeking? I could only infer as I studied the strange behavior of the shadow. Now I could probably guess, I was meant to be the savior of the stubborn presence.

“What can that shadow do,” That this entity needs protection against it?

Before me the long road was finally opening, what had continued as a slim road, now began to clear as the vegetation retrieved to form an elongated ellipse in the ground. The presence of the luring seer was now stronger than ever, it was near. Inside my head, that horrid screech resonated once again, but at this the shadow continued, raising its speed, now not feeling the effect.


I had to stop for a second, to catch my breath and to study the situation. Where to head? Where to look? It seemed as the runner was already one step ahead of me. It had already reached its destination, and in term, mine, as it had suddenly vanished from my sight. I could feel that chain again, that which I had believed broken, was still in place, stupidly blowing its cover with long and agitated waves of anguish and fear.

“I cannot help you if you do not let your self be seen…” I murmured to the wind, the only one who offered a reply to my voice.

Like a fish from a lake, it sprouted from the shadows, a small building, that shone silver in the light of the moon. As I slowly walked to the unrecognizable monument, I could appreciate three streaks of light, that soon grew into five and then to eight. Eight columns rose to hold a white rim that toppled the archaic structure, as it revealed the marble-face dome, half eaten by the shadows. It was minute, no more than seven feet in diameter, no more than ten in height. Four of the streaks stood at the right, two at the left, leaving a, opening into the shadows. I could only see a sleek face, craved sharp by the gloom of the night. Small, and pale, and static.

“Oh well, oh well,” my voice proclaimed, “I wouldn’t have thought on finding an Aegean shrine in a place like this”
beyond the white, and dusty, marble foundation of the structure I knew there stood an altar, not more than a stone table, and the best human attempt to recreate the form of the Aegean. It was impressive how it had battled the years, judging for the little the black veil would reveal. Who’s this shrine belonged to was a mystery, but I could already select Am’aleh as the best suitable candidate.

As if all worries of the present vanished with the touch of the stone, everything seemed silent. Softly I placed my hand in the cold column, and a foot of the hard foundation.
What had driven me to ignore the danger of the malignant black fire lurking in the red sea I do not know. But this feeling had dragged me back to a time where no danger mattered. Everything was peaceful, the chilly breeze ran down my neck. And the stars shone dim, squinting upon my presence.

[Melancor]

But everything was swiftly devastated. A multitude of sounds, a sound that I have never forgotten, like those of a thousand wailing dead, broke like a vicious roar. The moon flinched, the wind gasped, and everything in the forest shook. Like a vicious raptor It emerged from the fiery wall beyond my eyes, covering the moon, taking it by ambush and violently dancing in the sky. The Shadow rose through the wind, ignoring all element of nature and impacted the ground with a thud, a great tremor, that called the dirt into the sky.

The third, and the most forceful of the screeches emerged once again, this time somehow attempting to repel the threatening intrusion, hit. Such was its desperation of the captive presence that it profuse its scream as if grasping to life for the last time. I felt my mind boil and my energy freeze like stone, as I was caught in the middle of the desperate counterstrike.

Where is it coming from? Where is this person?!

The shadow, now uncovered from the dirt laid as a strange liquid, and it rippled as the sound, or the telepathic sizzle, defiled, though rare, its imposing figure. But this hesitant posture it had adopted after the sound tore, quickly evaporated. The sound halted. For a second the forest regained its quiet status, but the dark liquid began to emerge like a column, lacking of imperfection, almost like a black serpent. It stretched, slowly spiraling towards me.

A cold shiver ran up my spine. Fear stuck fast and steady, as it grew by the inch the void of liquid approached me, without allowing itself to being manipulated. As much terror it imposed on me I did not show it, more by being in the verge of petrifaction rather than reveling against it’s presence.

With a rise of an eyebrow, a curved wall of thick ice sprouted from the moist ground. I could feel the cold emanating from the ice, as it caressed my lips and which quickly inhaled my throat. An atmosphere of blue light surrounded the wall, projected by the white light from above, and this, allowed me to see the sinister silhouette that kept approaching with the passing of the seconds.

It touched it. With the round long finger, and I could feel my power slip from my grasp. The ice had proven a fallible defense against this seer, as without a problem, it permeated through the crystal. I felt ice reduce, and saw how the clear surface was corrupted with a thick and dark red substance, of a much different composition from its creator’s. I could smell the foul stench like a wave expanded through the ice, slowly, storming in all directions as the shadow penetrated through. I could feel the wall beat, with the last will of those who where no longer there, when finally the wall was no longer mine. That liquid of life which had attempted to defend me, had been transformed into that more primordial to life. It was an opaque and scarlet wall that stood now before me, tainting the moon red. It was blood.

[Melancor]

I gave two of three gradual steps back into the cover of the small shrine. I rose my hand, swiftly I attempted to push back the vile being, long and thick strings of water emerged from my hands, as they usually work like whips, but fell dead, quivering, a slim trait of gushing drops of blood into the dirt, before ever touching the scorn.

My bow dropped as my mouth shook with terror. It was now not more than five feet away, when with a malicious thrust, it lunged forward like a snake, followed by the rest of its body that now expanded like a veil.

More by reflex than by skill, my barrier deployed. A round wall, glowing blue appeared before the shadow, which hit it without any remorse. Like a rushing wave that summered me it crashed in the interior of the shrine. My barrier was thrown backwards, I could feel the essence of this malevolent field go straight through my body, it was almost as if I could see the gray interior of its dead mind, like a fast rushing vapor it surpassed the barrier and it quickly abandoned it. My heart halted as it passed, and I could almost feel my soul being ripped off my body. But it all abruptly halted, as the shadow surfed across the wind to its original position to lunge a second attack. The sphere disappeared.

With a second thrust forward, it began retaliating, and this time, it sang that song of the dead that had escaped its mouth when it violently appeared.

This time there was no escape. No practical barrier, nor a wall of ice, nor would my armor halt it. Time seemed to slow to an almost peaceful halt as I witnessed the great mass of shadow’s wrath. Here I would die, sacrificed for a stranger. Someone who had forced me to die for him, someone who had muzzled me into its own affairs, someone who’s face I had yet not seen.

I turned into the unknown altar, touched to desperately look for possible cover in the blinding darkness. When my hands rushed through a metallic ornament belonging to a leathery cube, which I felt absorb every single ounce of my breath from the bottom of my feet through the core of my body.

A rushing light emerged, a sky-blue aura that illuminated the shrine like an explosion. For the fourth time it resonated, the same violent screech that had haunted me, now ever more clear and more sharp than any other times before. A strangle sliver body, sleek like silk, and fast like a bird rushed out from the light with a brusque gust that engulfed my head. Quick as it had happened, my hearing faded, my vision blurred and by legs failed.

I fell to the ground dead, as I could hear with the last reaming of senses a clashing battle, the soaring of bodies, cutting the wind, barely feeling another gust and hear the angry roar of wailing and the threatening screech. That body which had stole my life emitted an beautiful blue aura, a light casted upon the marble. Now I could appreciate the immaculate décor. The minute details that made such small place great. And everything silenced into a celestial sigh, and the cool breeze came again. I focused my vision, for the last time, to see my face immortalized in stone, for ages it had remained mute, just to speak to me the last words: “fool…”



I felt my eyes dye silver and I was plunged into darkness….

[Melancor]

Awakening in the middle of a cold and moist atmosphere, I felt a slim finger poke my cheek, once, twice, three times, four, five… it paused for a second, six, seven. I could hear the soft ruckus of the birds and my eyes stood behind a bright red wall.

I moaned in unpleasant disposition, but the poking resumed its petulancy. Trying to stretch my back I could feel the hard floor, I head was hurting, and most of my body was sore.

Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen…

It was morning. What had happened?

Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-one…

“Who the hell keeps poking my face!” I exclaimed, still unable to open my eyes, or gather the strength to sit up.

“…So you are not dead, Sire?” A male voice rose from the darkness, sounding tiered and worn by the years, yet not defeated.

“If dead can talk then I might as-well be.” My hand reached for my face and began rubbing my eyes as if trying to arouse them to open. It worked. I could not remember the last time my body had ached so badly. So sharp was the pain that at my first attempt to move, it ran from the plant of my foot through my spine into my neck. But at the second or third try I had already sat up, and was now staring into the forest wall.

The sky was clear, and the sun had just risen into the morning. A pleasant shadow was casting upon me, I was inside the ancient shrine, just where I had fallen the night before. I placed my hands on the floor, far behind my shoulders, carefully twisting my muscles to avoid the dawning craps throughout my body.

“I am glad you are ok, Sire…” The same voice spoke again.

I turned my head left, to find a man, keeling besides me. His face already embraced numerous dry and deep wrinkles that seemed as the endless canyons of Althanas. His greasy hair tainted a few steaks of silver through its black surface. His face was heavy, and his expression showed continuous deception; his skin was pale from a fair skin tone beneath. His forehead leaned forth in his face, covering part of his dark and tiered eyes defiled by fine red lines. He did not look me in the eye, but stared with lifeless eyes into the floor.

“And you are?”

[Melancor]

Expression in the man’s face turned into one of slight shock.

“My name is Siosieck,” The man bowed, now speaking to the floor, “My family has been protecting this shrine for generations. My great grand uncle was entrusted with it along time ago, but with no direct family it was passed to my great grand father…” the man paused for a second, and spoke again with a slightly broken voice, “…and in term I am now the guardian of this shrine, and it will be on my grandson to safeguard it.”

“I asked for your name, not for a summary of your pitiful inheritance.” I spoke to the man while rubbing my face, trying ease the sharp pain that I could now feel above my eyelids, a horrible migraine.

“I am sorry Sire” And the man turned into still rock, staring at the marble floor.

“As much as I like the title, stop calling me Sire. I stopped being that a long while ago”I answered indifferently to the man, with my eyes closed; now gently hitting the side of my head with my palm, another stupid attempt.

“I understand you position in Istraloth, Sire-“

“Don’t” I barked.

“But my family has always been a devout follower of you, Meh’al-dcor,” How the… "We are the only group that still follows your Lore. The only opposition to the raids against your veneration, after you where accused of flooding the farmlands and cursing the fishers.”

I quickly rose from the ground , and dissolved all traces of my pain. Was this man serious?

“Even in Istraloth I have been forgotten from the Aegean, just to become. The third Brother. I am surprised you know who I am.”

The man sat up, and as if his insecurity had vanished he glanced right into my eyes.

“How can I not, Sire? When I come to see your image every day in the morning and evening”

A dim memory of last night strange encounter crossed my mind. I rose my sight and encountered the sacred statue. It was me, vaguely depicted, but me. A plae-white face, a galore of little alabaster fish, the shield and the immaculate outfit of the Aegean. Now I could see the Altar better with the light of the sun. Below the statue, and above the pesetal rested a small brown leather box. A pattern of a slim silver thread ran through, casting rhombuses, holding down two ellipses of metal to each side of the silver lock.

“…is this?”

[Melancor]

“This is the last remaining shrine, probably in all Althanas, dedicated to you, Sire”

I resisted the temptation to break in laughter. The last thing I had ever admired in this world had been human worship, what makes this man think that I appreciate him keeping this ‘monument’ for me? It was obvious that this man and his family where incredibly misguided by my nature.

“Because this place is so isolated from the rest of the cominities in Istraloth we have managed to hide the whereabouts of this place, otherwise it would have been distoyed. It is the only one left, the only one from the twenty-one there once existed in Istraloth. Even your temple has been destroyed, but that you must already know”

“You have are the one who kept praying to me, those few voices that I used to hear. Wishes of safeguard, blessings to the sea, a good fishing and good health.”

“I most deeply appreciate your Blessings my, Sire” The man bowed again into the cold floor, “I will be your faithful servant, for my family submits to you and it will until our bloodline perishes.”

“I will not repeat myself when I tell you not to address me as ‘Sire’” I answered to the man’s sincere surrender with a cold and punishing tone. And the whole forest seemed to stop and listen, “If you’d agree to what I order then you will submit when I tell you not to obey me, nor to worship me any longer.”
The man quickly lifted his head from the ground and rose his glace to see me, again, straight into the eye.

“I am afraid I cannot do that, Sire” his voice now shivered with anguish.

“What is it with you humans, you do not obey to disobey, always been a worthless greedy breed!”
“And you work to play a role model” I could see the slight streaks of anger cut his face.
had he dared to insult me?

With a swift motion I pulled my hand and reach for the man. My hand drew through his face and across the his check. His face looked away as he rejected my retaliation. "I will not indulge to decipher what message is hidden behind the arrogance but I will not stand it..."

“I am sorry, Meh’al-dcor” And he bowed again into that same submission I so much undesired. “I am not worthy to be in your presence, but now that you are here I will carry out my duty” An eyebrow in my face must have risen as the man spoke “For generations my the guardians of this shrine have carried out the obligation to appear here, in this sacred spot, every morning and every evening. It was prophesized by one of Amdaleh’s priests that you could dignify to visit this shrine when you would be in a time of need.”

[Melancor]

“Amdaleh never ceases to amuse me”

“It was arranged about a five hundred years ago, just when Istraloth was purged from your presence, that we should wait here, and give you that that has been entrusted to us. It is a ring, my lord. This rin-”

“And who exactly gave you an object as mundane as a ring to guard, and give to a god?”

“That is a mystery for my too, my lord. But my father used to believe that it had appeared during an Autumn Equinox, in a year when the wind did not blow at all, in this same shrine. That priest of Amdaleh was instructed to travel over to this shrine from the lowlands, when he found it just hanging from the spear of this statue. He have kept secret about this place, as he realizes that is also on Am’aleh’s interest to kept it here and to be delivered by a mortal to you, Meh’al-dcor. A strange request as it’s metal burns our skin and affects our thinking at the touch.”

“An Autumn Equinox in a year without the wind. It sounds like the Harekian crisis, that one time Haskara fell from her pedestal.” It had been so long ago when Haskara had been in an even worse position than myself that I had already forgotten.

A ring? It could be possible that this might be…

“Quick, show me the ring”

“My lord, the ring rests below your image, in that box” the man faintly pointed to the small leather coffin.

I was almost sure this could be one of those. How could I be so doubtful? How is it so simple for me to forget my own history and my own linage? My heart began to increase its rate, a cold ran through my spine again, and my felt my eyes turn blue. I gave to steps forth and placed my hands around the small brown cube. This must be one of them, this must be. I was quick to open the box. The inside was stuffed with a thick maroon silk. Inside rested beautifully a ring, perfectly crafted, made of gold and incrusted with three sapphires. Took it and placed it in my hand. I began to sweat cold, it must be one of them. I took it In my fingers, and placed the decorated ring in my right hand, just in the third finger. And I waited; a second, two, three, looking at the ring in vain, but nothing happened.

“That is not it ,my lord”

“I can tell…”

[Melancor]

“Since the ring had to stay in the shrine we had another ring created, hoping it would satisfy any thief’s desire”

“Where is the real ring?!” I rose my voice, now in great distress

“My lord, it’s in from of your eyes. It is not that in the box, but one of those on the box.”

I shut the leather cube with a snap and released the garnished ring from my finger into the ground. My hand crackled over the object until I felt the firm am sharp edges of the metal ellipses. I stood in admiration of the modestly beautiful items, made of a silver so white and clear as a mirror. But one was visibly finer than the other.

“It’s the one on the left”

And I ripped the metal off the captive thread. Carefully I caressed the small object, sliding my finger through its sleek surface. I felt the cold silver against my skin from the morning breeze, until it came to rest at the end of my palm.

“Well, come on.” I ordered. And the right brightened ember bright when a brute gust was emitted from the ancient prison.

Like it had done last night, a long and slick silver and scaled body rushed out of the light. Soft as feathers but firm as rock it ambushed my body. It was fast on her movements, as it propelled it self through the air and circled me without allowing me to set an eye on her. Until her serpent nature came alive and it launched an unexpected attack, grasping to my face with her thin fingers and pinching me with her small, but sharp caws. I did not struggle with her intrusion, but she held tight to my head, restricting my sight, extending her body across my face.

I must have stood there immobile for five seconds, while I heard how the man shuffled to repel the ‘evil serpent’s’ presence.

“IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!” What I had remembered as an almost angelic tone had now elevated to a roaring scream, that was more or less literally injected into my skull.

“I am sorry..” I placed my hand over her head and began pulling her off my head “…but I don’t have the time to go around trying to find any of you”

“Apparently you do, otherwise you wouldn’t have come all the way to Istraloth, Brother”

Incited by the arrogant comments I finalized removing her from my face.

“you coy viper” I glared.

[Melancor]

The man rose from the floor in angst of the intrusion.

“I should not have to force you to come and rescue me.”

“Rescue you?” I replied petulantly “If I recall correctly you where the one who gave up divine privileges for Haskara, if you are stupid enough to do something like that, well, that is just probably the effects of the fall from that cliff”
The silver serpent was quick to wrap around my arm, and grasp it with its unnatural strength, just to roar in dismissal of my observation. The man hurried back into the woods after the sudden movement, responding to the mask of aversion that weighed against my face.

“Unlike you foul Aegean, we have honor, and pride to recognize any superior. The pleasure of helping others, something you will never know!”

My face was tainted with a slight smirk distorted by a hint of embarrassment from the sermon.

“Helping others? look where that’s gotten you. Pity you, trapped on a Qual’s body.”

“Pity you, trapped on a human’s body!” The serpent retaliated.

I placed the hand of my free arm around the squalid body of the Qual, and began pulling, freeing my arm from her coil.

“And it was not a cliff, I rolled down a hill, and it happened just once”[/quote] She spoke, the sales on her head pulled back as I tried to get a grasp on my sister.
From the bushed the man emerged, with a thick and wrested branch on his hand, embezzled like a primitive garrote. Holding it just below his head he charged against me, aiming for the object of my discomfort. He must have yelled something in the fashion of “leave him alone!” that I realized he was trying to protect me. But just before he was able to injure the divine serpent I released the serpent and stopped the garrote in my palm deflecting the attack.

“What do you think you are doing, brute!” I barked to the man, having missed her scales for less than a few inches.

“My, my, feisty humans” She spoke.

“But, Master, that thing is attacking you”

[COLOR="slategray"]“Did he just call me a thing!”

[Melancor]

“I am not surprised, what sense could someone make of a lunatic Qual which speaks and acts as if she where drunk!”
“You,” speaking to the man, ignoring my last attack to her morale, “are a sailor, are you not? then you should be bowing now, for I am Neletia, a demigoddess of the sea”

The man did not move from his stacking stance, his aggressive pose, nor did he lower his arms. But the aggressive bulge on his face had dissolved into a relaxed face expression of surprise. Time seemed to freeze, as for a few seconds no object moved, until his head to a side tilted, and Neletia released a sigh.

Putting all my human efforts into not releasing the gauging laughter that pretended to erupt from my throat I spoke solemnly “I am not surprised he doesn’t know about the Qual sisters-“
“is that what they call us now?!” she interrupted

“-..the-the Agean, we do…” do not laugh – you have been locked away for a long time, far before his grandfather was conceived- besides, if he even knew about then you have to guess which one of the twelve it is…” do not.

“I serve only one, and that is Lord Melancor”

“it’s Lord, then Master, Sire, decide already!” With an incredible mood swing the serpent immediately abandoned her frown, and released my arm, to rise abruptly into the sky and
began to soar freely in long ellipses through the wind. She was enjoying her freedom.

“I am sorry my lord, but seeing how it seemed you had been attacked by something that had left you unconscious till morn, I dared not to touch you, for you are too sacred. I have never felt more powerless, I could not see of you where alright”

What was that thing from last nigh? I wondered.

“It was a Noxiavelli” She answered, after reading my thoughts.

“I am old enough to realize those are facts of legends”
Neletia quickly descended from the skies and began to hover before me.

“Oh, but they are no myth brother. Creatures so abstract that cannot be toutched by humans, yet they act as the omega to the gods, the only creatures that can actually hurt a god, and annul it from all its powers, until its body and memory is turned into dust. They have no physical form and they can divide and unite to become one or many, as they please.”

[Melancor]

“And how could you battle a Noxiavelli. It was not after me, but you. I doubt that a Noxiavelli would seek something it cannot destroy.”

“I could have become a part of him, had your fear and touch not released me. I am no human, but I am no god. I managed to repel the Noxiavelli, but I had to drain your energy to do so, but it did not take long after you fell that I too had to return.”

“Was one of these who leached Haskara, and finished by making you like this?”

“A Nox”

“What about the other eleven?”

“I cannot tell for sure, two at the north have already been released simultaneously. But I have not been sensing any of the nine… I do not plan to leave them alone”

“And make of us what? A band of have-beens?”

“We are family..”

“You always claimed your independence, the goddesses of storm. And now they need of my help? You do understand that if I have come here is because your forced me, I never bothered to seek them before”

Before what? you would need us… you are a mortal Melancor, who ever flinches by the grip of a viper is no more than a mortal. She whispered into my head, do not dispersing the information to third party people.

As if it wasn’t even obvious by me haven’t already butchered that human. And that I am here walking in Istraloth

For a second I saw the slightest impact of shock ran through her body, her eyes widened and her claws tightened.
“ They are calling…”

The man besides me fell to his knees and brought his two calloused hands together. For the last time elevating his gaze upon my face.

“My Lord, it has been prophesized that you shall not stay for long. Than my mission, my only mission is to deliver such item to you. You must leave now. Through the red woods, from the shrine or stone into the gardens of the ocean. You must leave now for the day is still young and the night wont toll once you are at sea.

“I do not intend to spend my life in this place.”

“I will ask you for one request, for the health of my family and plentiful fish. For our years of service you have honored me this day, and I just ask for one simple request.”

How to explain to this man, who could see on me a person that had never been? His precious god, now only a mortal. He had failed to see him with his own eyes. But should my mouth reveal what eyes cannot? I placed my hand kindly on the man’s head.

“I shall arrange for your family, health and a good harvest of the sea, you have been of service.”
And I walked through the red wall, through the quiver. A silk body by my side.

“He is a good man” She spoke softly with the rhythm of my steps.

"Yes…” I spoke.

“Am’aleh well provide for him, he always has…”

And we walked until the red was now blue, and we merged with the salty water of the fishing sea.


~The End.~

[Melancor]

Spoils: (?)

Neletia lv.0: ( http://www.inu-yasha.themoon.co.uk/o/kikyo/kikyo001.jpg)

Neletia is a sea demigoddess, once subordinate to Haskara. By sacrificing their status to aid a bizarre situation for Haskara, she, and the other eleven of her sisters where turned into Quals. Qulas are creatures resembling serpents, their body is completely scaled, and their color is usually white-silver. Neletia stands seven feet long, and below her head she holds six finger-like claws, three to the left and three to the right of her head. Quals can sore at high altitudes, and move fairly quick when necessary.

The ring can only be worn by someone of holy blood, as it can burn human skin at contact. There is no real curfew for her to be released from her ring, but if Melancor decides when she would go back into the ring and release her when ever he pleases.

Neletia can be considered Melancor's positive side, as she usually provokes Melancor into breaking his serious habits. She may also know, small, but important pieces of information melancor cannot remember, though, she does not know as much as her "master". When not inside the ring, in public places Neletia will hide under Melancor's cloak, or she will be soaring high to avoid being seen.

Neletia can create a varier only to protect herself that may defend her from an attack from a lv.0, but not from anything above. Since Quals do not possess mouths Neletia communicates by telepathy, choosing her listeners, defeated into a large range so that her communication may seem as a voice. If she wishes she can read Melancor's thoughts, but Melancor can avoid this if he decides to.

Neletia also acts as a portable mind fire-wall. She will intercept anything that is sent or pulled from Melancor telepathically and so she can block someone from reading his thoughts, or anything involving mind control, on a medium level. She cannot read someone elses thoughts. She might be able to scratch someone badly, but nothing that will cause a serious injury. A Qual's cranium is pretty strong to resist several punches. She can create A liter of water or Ice, and she is also Melancor's healer, being able to heal small wounds, such as cuts and small burns.

Because the Qual is closely related to its "owner" the Qual will level up with the person.

[AdventWings]

Hopefully, this Judgment is worth the wait for you. :)

Story

Continuity - 7

While I could not exactly tell where Melanchor was from the way things were written in the beginnning of the solo, the story afterwards explained adequately why he was here and where he would be going next.

Setting - 7

Well done in many aspects.

Pacing - 7

The way the story flowed was well-paced and interesting. The way you moved Melanchor through Istraloth started a bit slow and did not really begin to actively trace his location until Post #3, but the story movement afterwards were quite good.

Writing Style

Mechanics - 6

Watch those spellings very carefully. Often times you switched letters (such as "plae" instead of "pale"), dropped letters ("to" in place of "too") or mispelled some words ("cominities" when you wanted to say "communities"). If you are using FireFox, there is a spellchecker plug-in that can help you spot these common errors or you can run them through a wordprocessor. Be aware that they could not be able to spot semantic errors, which would require you to read through the text a few times or more. Above all, take your time. Oh, yes. Watch those commas and capital letters as well.

Technique - 6

While there are many effective alliteration and metaphors, sometimes too much literary techniques can spoil the writing.

Clarity - 5

My main complaint was with the multiple spelling errors which tripped up the reading. Otherwise, you did fairly well and led to a very interesting read.

Character

Dialogue - 6

Separation of different speakers with different color markers was a very clever technique. While there were only three people in the entire story, their ways of speaking lend each character a unique taste and feel. While Neletia came off as a pissed off, but good-hearted demigoddess and Siosciek feeling like an old man with a history, Melanchor himself came off a bit "generic" in texture and volume. Try adding some flavor into his speech a bit to spice him up, even if he turns into a spicy cold fish afterwards (ha).

Action - 7

Fairly straight-forward but nothing that I could not see him do. His acting is believable and hinted at his past without appearing too bland, such as calling the old man to stop instead of just swatting him away like any other gods would do.

Persona - 6

Fairly straight-forward, which was a bit bland considering how the secondary characters actually outshone him in the latter half of the story.

Miscellaneous

Wild Card - 6

It began slow, but proved to be an enjoyable read. There was a lot of potential in depicting the drama between the three characters, but I felt it was inadequately explored here. However, you also exploited the conflict and history of Istraloth and connected it with the present. Good job!

FINAL SCORE – 62!

((Rewards + Spoils))

~Poseidon~ receives 1200 EXP and 240 GP. Neletia is also approve as is, with more details to be looked at by the RoG Moderators.

Oh, by the way, you have just Levelled Up! :D

[Witchblade]

EXP and GP added!

Poseidon reaches level 1!