Fragments of Time II
Lighting flashed overhead, illuminating twin pairs of emerald green eyes. Sounds of battle roared around the small congregation of people on the hill as each twin's army dove headlong into the other, each crash of sword against armor and spell crackling against a body merged with the rumble of thunder creating a battle hymn worthy of Karana Himself.
The paladin gasped as pain shot up her left side as she tried -- and failed -- to stand. Broken leg, surely. No way to fight. No way to flee. I will survive this. It was Karana's will that he die, not I. I will survive this...
"Sugan!" a voice called from the thick grey fog. A figure, clad in deeper greens than the grassy hill, clawed his way through the rain-soaked turf. His swords sparked brightly against the gloom around him.
"Darkrain..." another voice spoke above her; deep, powerful and despisedly familiar. Her brother noticed the ranger half-heartedly, and returned his gaze back to his prone sister and enemy.
"He'll be here soon, my Lord," Envy hissed urgently behind the Lord of Shadows, "The time is right. Take her soul!"
Fingers clenched tightly around Soul Binder as dripping wet hair fell in his eyes.
Take it. It will never be so easy as this moment.
Take it.
Yet something screamed no, deep in his soul.
"My Lord..."
Faileas glanced harshly at Envy, silencing her.
"I won't expect mercy from you, brother," Sugan spat.
"I don't care what you will expect from me, Sugan," the shadow knight growled, lowering his weapon as another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. "You can't even walk, let alone fight me in honorable combat. DARKRAIN!"
Jerhyn skidded to a halt on the slippery grass a few yards away, tanned face caked in mud as he watched the Shadow Lord carefully.
"Take her out of here," The platemail-clad man said simply, turning towards the battle that raged below them.
Envy clenched the hilt of her black-bladed sword tightly with rage, as the ranger lifted his injured leader and carried her as hastily as possible off the field for healing. I told you... a voice whispered in her head, Getting rid of me wouldn't make you any less of a failure. He will never kill her. Never.
Faileas remained silent a long while. Envy glared at his back and then, calmly lifted her chin. "I should have known you'd do that."
"I want to take her standing, not lying flat on her back."
"Pathetic..."
The shadow knight turned and the Imp struck hard and fast, the point of her curved blade piercing through his mailed gut and up into his lungs. He gasped and stared at her, dumbstruck. Something inside the sword screamed...in horror.
Envy smiled wistfully at her Lord, "Yes, pathetic. I should have known you would be weak. I'd hoped I could keep you strong by getting rid of that pathetic woman."
"Diera," Faileas whispered with a gurgle, struggling for breath as his lungs began to fill with blood, "You..."
"Yes, me," she leered, "You are mine, Faileas. Mine to keep in power, mine to bed..."
With a flick of her wrist, the Tier'Dal twisted the blade and jammed it further into the man's body. "Mine to destroy..." Envy pushed Faileas off of her sword with her boot, and lifted it to watch his deep red blood slide down the black metal. "And how much more fitting to be killed by the very sword that houses your precious faerie's soul."
And as the life faded from the Lord of Shadow's eyes, Envy turned on her heel and strode with satisfaction off the field, and towards her Legacy.
Centuries passed on Norrath...and the Spirit waited.
Envy ruled her people with an iron hand...and the Spirit waited.
Waited...and built up power.
The Dark Lady lifted the wine glass to her lips as she watched her soldiers slip out the doorway to the throne room. Finally, peace and quiet, despite the rumbling thunder that could still be heard within Legacy's walls.
Lightning flashed outside...and the sword she kept leaning against her throne crashed to the floor.
Envy glared at the sword. Thank Hate the damned woman had gone silent since the night she slaughtered Faileas. Listening to her rants for centuries would have driven her mad.
I've been waiting...
Out of habit, the now aged elf leaned for the sword.
Lightning flashed...
A hand quickly snatched the sword with one hand, and the Tier'Dal's throat with the other, pinning her up against the back of the throne.
"Patience is a virtue, Imp," Diera growled, hiding a wince as the woman clawed at her hand. The faerie then grinned. "And how much more fitting to be killed by the very sword you betrayed Faileas with..."
And with a quick thrust, she drove the sword in hard, piercing the elf's flesh and deep into the wood of the throne...Faileas' throne. Diera stepped back slowly, watching impassively as Envy's eyes faded from horror to the nothingness of death.
"How...poetic. You have quite a flair, Faeshadow."
Diera turned to Nauria, grabbing Envy's cloak from the back of the throne. "She deserved worse for what she did to him, but a deal is a deal. There's her body, Nauria, for the most part intact."
The vampire nodded, sliding a hand through her hair. "So she is. Thank you. I trust you won't ask me what I want with her body?"
"I could care less what you do with it. Burn it, molest it, whatever."
Again Nauria nodded. "Well...good luck in whatever it is you're going to do."
Diera half-smiled, heading out of the hall. "Enjoy eternity, Nauria..." The faerie strode through the darkened corridors of a sleeping Legacy, making her way towards the outside world.
Then, the sky exploded. Scrambling to the surface, the faerie gaped in awe.
Luclin was on fire.