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Shadowcaster
Honorable
Supreme Hero
Shaded Scribe
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posted January 26, 2005 11:35 PM |
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Dawn arrived, and with it the shadow of a sleepless night gave way to the rising sun's rays, beams of finality to the shadow mage. He needed to make his decision soon, or else his time to act would end and he would be left alone, for a Forsaken betrayed never took kindly to the betrayer. This held doubly for anyone outside their ranks. He needed to decide, but not even a night of painful reflection could tilt the shadow mage one way or another. Not even a thousand years of such toil would be enough.
"So, shall we be off, then?" Motherdark slyly spoke up from behind the shadow mage, "Shall we be off, my son?"
Shadowcaster nodded, and turned back to look at Alivia, if only to make sure she was coming too. She was vital, whichever way he chose, and he could not lose her to fate. He held his own fate now.
The sun rose high into the sky, and not a word was spoken along the way to the ancient city now unprotected by the rays of purity. Motherdark walked in the front, looking straight ahead to the horizon, searching for but a sign of their goal. She may have been thinking about the journey, but there was no doubt in the shadow mage's mind that she was also wondering which way he would turn. Alivia thought the same, but she thought about nothing else, instead staring at the ground and occasionally up at her son, as if to warn him of Motherdark's deceit. In a way, she, too, had been deceived so easily by the son she trusted. It would not be difficult to trap her in a web of lies, should he decide to do so. The other alternative would be considerably more difficult, but Alivia was less subject to deceive him than was Motherdark.
It weighed heavily upon his heart, for Shadowcaster had already deceived Alivia, and even something as trivial as a lie seemed to put him on Motherdark's side for the time being. The shadow mage did not want his mother to die, but he had already led her down that path by softening the truth. She was the last thing he had left.
But then again, so was Sheila. He decided.
As the trio crossed the border into the city, it was clear that the burden of action had been passed to the shadow mage. Further and further they went, first into the library and then down into the expansive emerald chamber. Motherdark was the first in, then Shadowcaster, and finally Alivia. They each stopped, and looked toward the center of the room. The emerald had not yet returned, but there was no one there to guard it. It was only a matter of time before it appeared again. All eyes turned to Shadowcaster.
He slowly took out his staff, and slowly bent to place it on the ground. He turned to Motherdark.
"I don't need your powers, I have my own," he said defiantly to her face.
"Then you will lose those as well, boy," she snapped back.
Alivia stepped in the way, "No, Shadowcaster is coming with me."
"Nonsense, girl! You know better than this, you were designed to lose to me, and you will if you try to protect this wretch. Come, get behind me or I will deal with you right here and now."
"No! I've been your spineless lackey for as long as you've beckoned, because I felt I owed you something. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
"I created you, I know what you can do, and now, you shall be unmade at the hand of your maker."
Both stood at the ready, facing each other. Shadowcaster stood behind his mother, and Motherdark grinned to herself as she watched him pick up his staff and advance toward the assassin queen. He had been acting the whole time.
Shadowcaster raised his staff and placed it to Alivia's back, grabbing her around the neck and holding her at bay as her life began to fade. Motherdark only watched as the shadow mage whispered what she thought was a last, heartless goodbye to the assassin queen. The shock on Alivia's face was enough to keep the sinister tyrant from interfering. She could take care of the shadow mage after his mother was gone, or, better yet. She could send him out against Ba'althinor at her side, and if he died, no loss. The elementalist was powerful, but surely he was subject to deceit.
But so was Motherdark.
Moments later, Alivia collapsed to the floor, and Shadowcaster stepped off to the side to let Motherdark advance on the fallen assassin queen, whose life had been drained away. She was going to kill the now helpless Alivia.
"I shall take back all that I gave you," Motherdark announced triumphantly, and she began to drain Alivia of her powers as a Forsaken, the only thing that held her from death.
But before the tyrant could finish the job, Shadowcaster sprung into action, turning coats once again. Ripping the gem from the head of the staff, he threw it full speed at the emerald, which had reappeared just moments before. He hadn't been whispering his goodbyes to his mother, but instead was revealing his plan to her.
The black pearl hit the emerald and shattered into dust, releasing the powers that had been drained into the staff back into their original places. The emerald regained its powers, and RSF's life energy was released into the air, but the time mage's curse would not allow him to be restored so easily. The energy hovered in the air for a brief moment, then darted into the nearest body: Shadowcaster's.
Motherdark reared back, and advanced furiously toward the shadow mage. "You imbecile!" she shouted, "You ruined everything!" She reached out and grabbed his neck, but Shadowcaster simply smiled. He knew she would not last long here.
The emerald began to pulse with energy, and the chamber was soon ablaze in an intense, green light. Motherdark shrieked, and drew back in pain, dropping the shadow mage to the floor. Shadowcaster fell to his knees and watched as the queen of the Forsakens struggled to reach the emerald.
"No, it's right here...in my grasp," she reached toward the emerald. One final flash of light and she had vanished, gone from this world forever.
Shadowcaster remained on the ground, afraid to look over at where Alivia had once lain. She, too, must have been washed away in the flood of holy light. Once again, he had lost all that he held dear, but this time, his loss heralded something greater. The great tyrant, Motherdark, was dead, gone for good from this place of light. Yet he, the shadow, still remained, never to be a Forsaken. His dreams of revenge would never come to pass.
The loss of his mother and of the end of his quest for vengeance left the shadow mage empty, and he could only lay there, a shell of what he once was.
After what seemed an eternity, a hand pulled Shadowcaster up from his stupor, and he was amazed as he looked up into the face of his mother, her real face. The dark aura that she once carried had gone, and the assassin was simply Alivia the mortal once again.
"How?" the shadow mage asked, startled and amazed at his stroke of luck. She answered.
"Mother...I mean, Motherdark, was successful in stripping me completely of my powers, and I would have died at her hand had you really turned against me, but you didn't. All she did was give me a new chance at life, without the powers I once had. In a way, she saved me."
"I'd say we should thank her, but she is gone now," he said, and a look of relief washed over Alivia's face at the news.
"That's good."
She extended her hand to her son, "Come, let's go find that time mage of yours."
"He...cannot be avenged," the shadow mage replied somberly, "I gave up that chance when I destroyed Motherdark's staff. Only my forgiveness can break the curse from which he suffers; he cannot die while I still hold my grudge."
She looked down at the ground.
"...I do have something of his, though. It should be returned," he said, glancing down at his hands. RSF’s life energy still flowed within him.
"So you've forgiven him, then?"
"Not quite, but I believe I will before the end."
And so out of the chamber they left, headed out into a world where power was not everything. In the end, it was love, not power, that had saved them both. Alivia and Shadowcaster knew that the rest of the Forsakens would get their dues in time at the hands of the Supreme Magi, but that was not their story to tell. The story of the Forsaken assassin and her lost, vengeful son was over.
Another was soon to begin.
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>_>
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Vadskye91
Promising
Supreme Hero
Back again
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posted January 27, 2005 02:35 AM |
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Vadskye was startled by a sudden rush of power somewhere in the distance. It was followed immediately by a great emptyness, as though something powerful had just died. Vadskye shrugged it off, he had more important things to do, like trying to keep up with Dean. Where was he going so quickly?
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Knowledge is power...
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Deimos
Known Hero
LHW Paladin
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posted January 27, 2005 01:41 PM |
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Suddenly, Dean roared loudly, transformed into a human, and plummeted from the air. He fell into the treetops that were shaking because of the wind.
Deimos: What happened to him?
Dervol: Is he all right?
They landed where Dean fell. He was unconcious.
Dervol: Dean... are you all right?
Dean awoke.
Dean: It's... gone.
Deimos: What's gone? Your Forsaken power?!
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Let's Have War=Best thread on HC.
By the way, my name is Deimos, not Diemos.
Some people don't have a life. Others spend it on HC- Lord Woock.
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gorman
Promising
Legendary Hero
Been around since before 2003
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posted March 09, 2005 10:06 AM |
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*Off in a tavern at a crossroads*
Gorman: Bartender....gimme another shot!
*As the bartender passes the drink I mumble in a drunken stuper*
Gorman: Damn Deimos! Shut yer yap! Ya talk too mush the way tis!
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When all else fails... Take notes.... ALL the time... ESPECIALLY when playing D&D.... or Pokemon in my case
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:14 PM |
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Filler
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Go Red Sox!
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UndeadRSF
Hired Hero
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posted April 10, 2005 08:15 PM |
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:15 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:15 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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UndeadRSF
Hired Hero
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posted April 10, 2005 08:16 PM |
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:16 PM |
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filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:16 PM |
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filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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UndeadRSF
Hired Hero
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posted April 10, 2005 08:18 PM |
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:18 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:18 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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UndeadRSF
Hired Hero
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posted April 10, 2005 08:19 PM |
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:19 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:19 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:20 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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UndeadRSF
Hired Hero
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posted April 10, 2005 08:21 PM |
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RedSoxFan3
Admirable
Legendary Hero
Fan of Red Sox
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posted April 10, 2005 08:21 PM |
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Filler
____________
Go Red Sox!
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