Secret, Secret
The last day dawns on the Kingdom of Ascalon. It arrives with no fan
fair, no tolling of alarms. Those who remember will speak fondly of the
warm morning breeze. People carry on with their daily lives, unaware
that, in a few short hours, all they know, will come to an end. It was
on that day that the Charr found a way around the Great Wall. A way, to
bring it down.
Charr of every breed gathered around an alter of their own creation. A
thing born for one sole purpose; to quench to killing urge of the Charr.
Their chosen priest, Bonfazz Burntfur, stood on the top of the alter,
conjuring the flame from within. Soon, all they had hoped for would be
realized.
Somewhere away from the massing Charr, within the place called Ashford,
a young woman bearing the garments of the Necromancer trade, walked
passed her friend and mentor, Brother Mhenlo giving him a friendly smile
and courteous wave, which was emphatically returned by the humble Monk.
"Kasha... What brings you to me today?" Mhenlo questioned, approaching
the Necromancer. Kasha Blackblood, an expert in Blood Rituals and
trainer of young Necromancers, smiled at Mhenlo and exhaled.
"I was wondering if you know where my Sister is." Kasha responded,
placing her hands on her hip.
"Eve? Last I heard, she and Mistress Munne were deep within the
Catacombs, appeasing the spirits. Why? You wish to join them?" The Monk
responded, digging the butt end of his staff into the ground.
"I have a request from Grazden that I must deliver." She responded,
producing a sealed letter. Mhenlo nodded, and motioned her towards the
door to the extensive underground network of catacombs and tombs. Kasha
began her stride towards the entrance, watching a young Necromancer
exit, a series of Bone Horrors following her. Bringing up the rear,
behind the young one was Munne, a well versed Necromancer, but a teacher
of Death Magic which, in Kasha's eyes was easy compared to the
manipulation of blood. The younger Necromancer, oblivious to Kasha's
presence bumped into her, knocking the pair of them to the ground.
"Oh! Oh, I'm terribly sorry, mistress!" She spoke instantly. One of the
Bone Horrors tried helping the younger one up. "No, no I'm fine. Help
Mistress Blackblood up." The three Horrors did as their master was told
and aided the older Necromancer to her feet. Kasha dusted herself off
and hoisted the young girl up.
"Are these yours?" Kasha asked, looking at the Minions.
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry about hitting you like that. I really do need to pay
more attention..."
"Nonsense. Wow... three minions... at your training level... What's your
name?"
"Erizen, mistress. Erizen Prophecy. I was just finishing my training
before I head back to school. Uh... sorry again."
"It's okay. Run along now." Erizen did as Kasha told her, the Bone
Horrors behind her. "Cute kid..." Kasha muttered, continuing into the
Catacombs.
-
As one may expect from Catacombs, these were dark and dreary. Just as
most Necromancer's liked. They were also winding, and highly confusing.
Most either avoided the catacombs completely, or stayed to the upper
levels to avoid getting lost. But, thankfully, Kasha knew her way around
very well, and didn't get lost easily.
Kasha finally reached the place she had planned on meeting Eve. While
not related to Kasha through birth, Eve and Kasha were Blood Sisters.
Two people bound through a very powerful bond, created though a special
Blood Ritual. One Kasha taught to only her most promising students. They
had been meeting in the Catacombs for some time now, only because it was
the second most secluded place in all of Ascalon (The most secluded
being Regent Valley, but Nente frequented there too many times, so it
made 'talking' to Eve difficult). When Kasha arrived, she saw Eve
speaking to a very irate looking Oberon. Oberon looked over to Kasha,
grinned nervously, and walked away. Oberon was the only person who knew
of Eve and Kasha's secret meetings, and the true nature of them. He had
tried a multitudinous amounts of times to blackmail the two of them with
that knowledge, but Eve was too clever for him, and always had something
to counter his threats with.
"Kasha, dear. You're late." Eve mused as soon as Oberon was out of
earshot. Kasha blushed.
"Sorry. I had a particularly... troublesome student. Couldn't tell blood
from wine if it bit him on the face." She diverted her eyes. Eve smiled.
"And now, sweets, you know why I declined the position to teach. It's
people like that Kouga Deathwolf that put me off teaching. He's so...
slow to learn the beauty and majesty of Necromancy." Eve walked to Kasha
in this certain seductive stride which she saved only for Kasha. When
they closed distance, Kasha put her arms around Eve and smiled. This was
the only place that, she could safely say, she was completely happy and
content. It was a place where she could cry, smile, laugh, shout, love
or hate, and have someone listen to her. It was the only place on Tyria
she would kill anyone to be.
Eve was also glad to finally see Kasha's smiling face. The two of them
had been separated for what felt like a lifetime. Eve had to speak to
the graduating class of the Ascalon Vanguard a week ago, and was
scheduled to speak to the next batch. It was rushed to see Kasha, but
time would stand still for love's sake.
"You look frustrated, Eve dear. Something bothering you?" Kasha
questioned, addressing the grim look on Eve's brow.
"It's Adam. That stupid idiot keeps saying something about a great
tragedy that will befall Ascalon." She watched Kasha's face mimic the
grim frown. "Oh, but he doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just
a stupid idiot who wants to rain on our parade... Let's not let him,
hum?" Eve replied, pressing her cold lips to Kasha's loosing herself in
a kiss. They backed up against one of the walls to brace themselves as
time slipped into unknowing.
Suddenly, the sound of a skeleton exploding in a thousand pieces
interrupted them.
"What was that?" Kasha whispered, her voice unsteady. Eve was
unconcerned.
"It was a skeleton making a wrong turn. Probably fell off a ledge and
broke. You know how stupid those boneheads can be." Kasha grinned,
relieved.
"Yea. You're right. Come 'ere." She replied, pulling Eve closer. The
sounds of footsteps went unheard by the two lovers until the owner of
the footsteps rounded the corner to see the two. A feminine gasp
interrupted them again.
Both Eve and Kasha turned to see who it was, their faces alive with
shock. It was Cynn, a powerful Elementalist.
"Good God, Cynn." Eve sighed. "Don't scare us like that!"
"You started without me!" Cynn muttered, crossing her arms.
"Well... you were late." Kasha retorted, standing and helping Eve up.
Cynn's face went red.
"I... I was delayed... I had to take the back entrance... didn't want
Mhenlo to know I was here. Might think I was up to something." She
replied, walking towards Eve and Kasha.
"And you're not?" Eve smiled, chuckling.
"Well... the point is, he doesn't need to know." Cynn replied, joining
the two. "Now... show me what I missed..."
"Nothing interesting. I can, however, show you what you almost
missed..." Kasha whispered in the Elementalist's ear, walking behind her
and slipping her cold hand into the slight gap in her clothes, her
fingers touching the Elementalist's warm breasts.
-
The Charr gave no credence to love, affection, or care. All they strove
for was destruction. Something they wrought with terrifying efficiency.
As the day wained into night, the Charr gathering around the effigy
began to chant in their commanding grunts and growls. Suddenly, as if
all of their voices called out at once, a huge crystalline beam shot
from the alter into the sky. They all growled in unison, echoing what
sounded like cheering into the sky.
The Searing had begun.
All over Ascalon, crystals made of a shimmering quartz material rained
down on the sky, either exploding on impact and causing countless
amounts of damage and death, or (some of the bigger ones, anyway)
burrowed into the ground, creating huge craters and horribly disfiguring
the landscape. The Actor's Theater, just outside the city grounds, was
wrenched violently from the earth, tossed hundreds of feet in the air,
and crashed down with a deafening thud.
A thud which could be heard from the Catacombs.
"What was that?!" Kasha whispered again. "And don't say a skeleton
falling. I know it was too loud for that." The half-naked Necromancer
held on tight to Eve and Cynn.
"I can surely say, I have no ide-" Eve's sentence was stopped mid-stream
by one of the crystals crashing through the roof of the Catacombs and
landing right at Kasha's feet as they lay on the ground. Cynn let out a
high-pitched scream in surprise.
"What the hell?" Cynn asked, poking it with her foot. (They were leaned
up against the wall of the Catacombs, cuddling each other sitting on the
ground. It made for a nice, cozy, sensual position.) Cynn retracted her
foot instantly. "It's hot!" Just as Cynn said these words, dozens of
smaller ones followed, peppering the ground around the three women.
"Move!" The Elementalist shouted, wrenching the three up. The moment
they had re-located, a huge crystal smashed right to where they were
sitting. They held each other close, unable to move from fear, as the
crystals continued to rain down, bringing destruction along with them.
"Are we going to die in here?" Kasha whimpered, looking at Eve's eyes,
fear filling her own.
"No, sweets, no we're not. We have to get to the exit, and fast. Before
we're buried alive."
They made haste for the exit, but as they arrived, to their horror, they
saw it sealed by a cave in.
"Oh, god! No!" Cynn called, trying to move the rocks. "We're trapped."
Kasha tried to help Cynn, but the rocks were wedged too tightly to the
entrance.
"Well... it looks like we are going to die in here..." Eve muttered, a
tear running down her cheek.
"Cynn... There's something I've always wanted to say..." Kasha started,
holding Cynn.
"I think I know what it is. Grenth will give is time to speak in the
Mists..."
"I love you two. More then anything in the world. I love you. Dwayna
protect us!" Eve mused, pulling both of them towards her as the
catacombs caved in on top of itself.
-
Soon, Kasha found herself standing in an ice-cold room, mist swirling
around her feet. Holding her hands were Cynn and Eve. They were standing
before a great, cloaked figure.
"Greetings, young ones. Welcome to my domain." The figure spoke. Kasha
and Eve trembled before the figure they knew too well.
"G-Grenth..." Cynn breathed, afraid to say his name.
"I am." Grenth responded, unmoving.
"Are we... dead..." Eve asked, gripping Kasha tighter.
"Yes. And no." The God of the Dead responded, moving an arm and opening
his hand, a swirling portal appearing in his palm. It showed Ascalon.
"You died, never knowing how. And as such, I am bound to tell you of
your deaths." The view changed to a group of Charr standing around an
alter of an unknown make. "The Charr Priest, Bonfazz Burntfur had a
device of sinister proportions created. It's sole purpose was to destroy
all of Ascalon. You three were caught in the middle of this device
during it's activation." He closed his hand and dropped his arm to his
side. The portal disappeared. "You three are caught, not in my own
domain, not in the Underworld, but in Purgatory. You hang in the balance
between life and death, so you are not mine to command. If you wish your
life on Tyria restored, then you shall walk away from me, and you will
come back. However, only two of you may return to life. The other must
remain here, with me. Who remains is not mine to decide. I shall leave
that choice to you."
"I'll stay." Kasha responded quickly, just as Grenth finished. She
turned to face her friends. "You two have been too good to me to die.
I... I think I'll stay here. It's the least I can do. Besides..." She
tried to manage a weak smile. "I've served Grenth all my life... and now
I have the chance to join him..." She sniffed, and dried her tears.
"It's a chance of the lifetime... Funny..." She sighed. "The chance of a
lifetime, I have to be dead to take." She raised her head to her
friends. "Go on. Have a life together. Just... promise me one thing..."
Cynn looked at her. "Kill those bastards for me, would you? Slaughter
them all." She finished. Eve opened her mouth to protest. "Eve... don't.
I'll be fine. Don't try to change my mind. I'll live on in your
memories. Just... don't forget me, okay? The woman the two of you
loved..." She turned to face Grenth.
"Kasha!" Cynn called, running towards Kasha. The Necromancer faced the
Elementalist. "I love you." Cynn muttered, kissing Kasha lovingly on the
lips. "I love you..." She whispered, running away, tears streaming down
her face. Eve approached, her body trembling, her hands unceasingly
shaking.
"I'll tell everyone how you sacrificed yourself for us... How you died
like a true warrior would... fighting for what she loved." Eve wrapped
her arms around her, pulling her closer. "Take care in the Mists... I'll
be for you shortly... I'll come for you." As Eve finished her good-bye,
she couldn't hold her tears anymore, and walked away crying her eyes
out, her sobs echoing in the cold, dead mist.
"Well..." Kasha spoke, turning to Grenth. "Shall we go?" Grenth turned
with her, wrapping an icy, skeleton-like hand around her shoulder.
"You are very brave, young one, to walk into the unknown. You shall
enjoy your existence here. And your lovers shall join you shortly. Time,
after all, has no meaning here."
As she walked endlessly with Grenth by her side, her mind kept telling
her to run. She didn't want to die, she wanted to live with Eve and
Cynn, to have a life together, to love, to laugh, to hurt, to cry, to
smile, to be angry, to be sad... she wanted to feel again... to be
alive. Something that she couldn't do anymore.
The path before her opened into a place of nothing. A sole, stone path
stretched endlessly into the distance, no requiem from the creepy, dead
feeling she had. Suddenly, as though he had broken down, Grenth stopped.
Kasha turned to him.
"You are very brave, young one. More so then most who come my way. Not
once have you pleaded for your life. And that is something I respect.
You are no longer in my care." He muttered. Suddenly, as though on
command, the path disintegrated, falling into nothingness. A pillar of
light exploded from the darkness above, and though walking down stairs,
the figure of Dwayna descended.
"Why, Grenth. Getting soft in your old age?" She spoke to Grenth, who
simply looked away, a groan escaping his would-be mouth.
"I am not getting soft, Dwayna. I am simply getting... generous. I do
grow so tired of people groveling before me, begging for their lives. I
believe that bravery is the first step to honesty. And she did die in
the prime of her life..." The figure of Dwayna laughed, her hand
covering her mouth. She was petite, frail almost. As if the slightest
touch, and she would shatter into a million pieces.
"So... you want me to take her, then. Is that it?" Dwayna asked Grenth.
"If you would be so kind." Grenth responded. "I have more souls to
welcome. So many more were murdered by the Charr. I shall be very busy,
I feel, in the coming years. I leave her soul to you, Dwayna." With
that, Grenth vanished. Kasha was too speechless to notice Dwayna take
her hand. Kasha reacted by pulling away.
"Do not fear me, child. I only wish to help you." Kasha whimpered
slightly, letting Dwayna take her hand. "Do you know who I am?" Kasha
only nodded slightly. The Goddess smiled. "Smart girl. Come, let us
leave this... simply dreadful place." She turned towards the column of
light, and gave Kasha's hand a slight tug. "Follow me, child." Uneasily,
Kasha did as she was told, taking a step towards the light. The moment
she did...
The Necromancer felt her hand twitch. She could feel her body, however
weak it was, laying on a pile of something soft with little weird
feeling pieces. She heard a crackling sound pass her ear, and something
hot beneath her. As it started to touch her, she learned of what it was.
Fire.
Reacting to the flames, she tried to move, but only managed to pick her
arm up and bring it down again.
"What?" A voice asked shocked. "Put the fire out! I think someone's
alive!" He called again. There came the feeling of water being dumped on
her back. Cold water. She let out a small scream from the sudden drop in
temperature. "It's Kasha! She's alive!" The voice, she now recognized as
Brother Mhenlo, shouted. Kasha felt someone grab her arms and pull her
off the pile. "Kasha! Speak to me!" She felt herself sprawl out on the
ground. But, instead of talking, all she could do was let out a loud,
barking cough. With just enough power to open her eyes, she caught a
glimpse of Mhenlo. "Oh, thank Dwayna you're alive!"
"That's all of it..." Cynn's voice choked out a little while away. She
still had the distinct sound in her voice, that of someone who had just
recently finished crying.
"Cynn! Eve! It's Kasha! She's alive!"
"What?!" Eve shouted, the sounds of footsteps thundering in her head.
"Kasha! Speak to me!" Kasha managed an eye open, and this time, managed
to hold it open.
"Hey... beautiful..." She choked out, a slight smile appearing on her
face. Eve grinned, grabbed Kasha in a hug and pulled her closer.
"You... lucky, lucky little bitch! How did you..." Cynn dropped to her
knees and gave Kasha a hug too.
"Let's not go over that now, love..." Kasha muttered, regaining the
energy to sit. "For now... I need a drink. Badly. And a night's rest."
"I think we could all use one after what just happened..." Mhenlo
replied, looking over the warped countryside. "We'll all need one..."
The majority of buildings of what was once Ascalon City survived the
initial attack. Namely the Inn and weapons store survived. The survivors
of the attack took refuge inside these building from the invading
creatures, and the occasional Charr strike. Kasha, Cynn and Eve finished
what was so rudely interrupted in the Catacombs that night in the Inn.
"We're at war..." Eve muttered, laying naked in bed, the covers pulled
up to her chest. Cynn laid beside Eve, and Kasha gripped her tightly in
an embrace, all three of them exhausted from the day's ordeal. "How many
more will die by the Charr? Will we make it? Can we seriously go to bed
at night... with the thought of never waking up looming over us?" Kasha
let a 'shh' sound out, squeezing Eve tighter.
"Let's not think about that. Let's just be glad for the time we have,
and to Grenth for letting me have a second chance." Kasha mused.
"For giving all of us a second chance." Cynn corrected her.
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