[Center][h1]A Life of Choices[/h1][/center]

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As Carn raged his battle eye to eye, blade to blade, so too did Auriëlle fight from afar. Wielding not blades but the elements of this world. Arcs of lightning were thrown up the wall, while a torrent of arrows flew down. Unbeknown to the sorceress, the eyed metal disk on her hip was subtly moving the arrows around. Leaving her unscathed even after an aimed volley. Seeing all the arrows around her but none of them hitting her made her laugh out loud as she threw another ball of fire that collided up against the wall.

The sorceress only saw a flicker before she felt a searing pain in her tight, forcing her to a knee. A beam of pure light had burned away the cloth armor on her leg. Cinder still ate away at the black edges of the elsewise blue cloth, while the skin underneath began to bleed. With a snarl she pulled the gnarled wooden staff from her back and put it against her leg. It hurt, but flesh began to knit itself together again. Auriëlle held it near the wound for just long enough to seal the wound. There was no time to spare. When she ducked out of the stone covered she looked up. Only to be blinded by another flash. She winced and ducked away again,  blinking a few times in an attempt to regain her sight.

“Now you’re pissing me off.” The sorceress said. Again she pulled from her cover but instantly reached out with the building hatred for whoever was throwing the light at her. The malice manifested itself into the sorceress’ eyes. “You think light will save you!?” Auriëlle yelled out, knowing her victim couldn’t hear her. “But if you love it so much, then I’ll take it from you. Forever!” She closed the grip of her outstretched hand, completing the hex. Knowing that high up there on the walls, whatever fool had thought her prey was on their knees screaming as her hex destroyed her eyes.

It brought a strange sense of serenity to Auriëlle as another five arrows fell just short of her and someone else died, impaled on a shard of ice beside her. A smirk formed on her lips. “Look at your pathetic follower, Oraelia. That is what worshipping you brings them. Maybe they should’ve been worshipping me.”

[color=goldenrod]”There you are.”[/color] Came an impassive feminine whisper all around her. The air began growing warmer. [color=goldenrod]”Betrayed by your hubris.”[/color] She said with a mocking laugh. All at once a pillar of light descended from the heavens, surrounding Auriëlle in a torrent of color that resembled a rainbow. Nothing else could be seen, not even the battle that raged around her. [color=goldenrod]”A mortal life is a precious thing, Auriëlle.”[/color] She said with anger, there was no warmth here, just heat. 

The sudden pillar took her by surprise but she quickly shook it off, replacing it with defiance as the goddess spoke. She could still hear the battle raging around her but saw only color. A snarl formed on Auriëlle’s face as she kept a tight grip on the staff in her hand as she realized the voice lacked any kindness. It wouldn’t matter, she survived the onslaught of something divine before. She could survive again, maybe even kill it! Arcs of blue lightning travelled over her scaled arm in anticipation. Her red eyes peered around, ready to strike at whatever form the goddess would take while saying: “Then I have destroyed many precious things. I [i]chose[/i] to kill” A smirk formed on her lips. “And I’m no longer afraid. No longer alone. No longer lost. I have found myself.” By now she was practically begging for the sun goddess to take form.

[color=goldenrod]”Yes, you have found yourself. That is clear now. No longer are you the misguided child Oraelia talked to so long ago.”[/color] A woman’s face, made of light appeared before her from the wall. She looked disappointed. [color=goldenrod]”And look how far you’ve fallen.”[/color] She said, lips unmoving.

Auriëlle almost frowned when she heard the mention of Oraelia. Did she just send a pawn to deal with her!? How disappointing. “Fallen?” She took a small step back, her smirk growing into a full grin. “I have ascended!” Auriëlle proclaimed, firmly ignoring Neiya’s advice to never go up against a god. “I have grown more in power than any of your worshippers. Nothing can stop me!” With those words said she reached out with her arm, launching the bolt of lightning at the manifestation of light.

The lightning hit the face on the wall, then arced upwards, briefly turning the pillar blue. When it at last dissipated, the face was gone yet the ring of light remained, fading back into its colors. [color=goldenrod]”And it seems,”[/color] the voice came again, a new face forming in the wall, [color=goldenrod]”That your aspirations have clouded your judgement. You are sick, Auriëlle. Sick of the mind. Drunk on this lust for power. You have murdered innocents, you have razed towns and now, you attempt to be worshipped like a god? What are you doing Auriëlle? Think for but a moment, is this truly what you want to be?”[/color] 

She never had to think. She had two years to think. Yet even now she looked down at the hand that had cast the lightning. Was this who she truly wanted to be? But the scale that had formed on her forearm brought her back. Why wouldn’t she want all this? Before she was weak. Now she was strong. The goddess before her would have her believe, apparently, that this lust for power was a sickness. Was wrong. How could something that felt this good be wrong. 

“It is.”

Again she threw her magic out, lightning arced from the oaken branch towards the newly formed face. With her free hand she called upon every bit of shadow found in every nook and fold on herself and bid it to crawl out. To banish the light and push it away. 

The light bent backwards, the chorus and view of battle seeping into view like slits on a cut bag, then it exploded outwards and dissipated. The battle still raged on and the heat was replaced by cole. But it was not the end.

[color=goldenrod]”So be it.”[/color] Came the avatar's disappointed voice. A blinding flash of light erupted before her in the very air. When the light died down, a tall oval mirror was suspended over the ground. It did not show any reflection from her world, but of one beyond beauty, of a faraway place beyond the war that surrounded her. And then from that mirror- no, that portal- She came. 

Tall, eatherael and with beauty beyond compare, an avatar stepped forth. An embodiment of Oraelia. Arms outstretched. 

Waiting. 

This time, her lips did move when she spoke. [color=goldenrod]”Go on then. Strike me down. Kill me. Show the world how it should fear you.”[/color] She said in a voice like a summer breeze. 

For a second the taunt pushed Auriëlle off base. Could she really kill a god? Was she powerful enough for that? Seeing what she assumed to be the goddess herself now made her doubt. After all, just a moment ago she learned that there was another curtain in her life, and she had peered beyond it for only a moment to realize she was still just a speck of dust compared to what was truly out there. How she wished she still wielded that power now.

But this speck of dust was going to stand up now. Like before, she didn’t just imagine the goddess dead. She wanted her destroyed. Erased from history even! Never to have existed! With a banshee scream she unleashed the mirage wave at the creature of light.

The wave consumed the avatar, wrapping all around her in foul dark magic. All was quiet, a singular focus was on that sight. Then the mirage was cast outwards, like leaves blowing in an autumn spring. Revealing an untouched being, who dropped her hands down to her side.  

[color=goldenrod]”I wanted you to see me. So that the last thing you ever saw was the Light.”[/color] she said, unbothered by her attack. She then tilted her head at Auriëlle and waved her hand. [color=goldenrod]”I now take from you, that which you took with your hex and cruelty.”[/color]

Real fear gripped Auriëlle when the avatar waved her hand. What did she do!? Where would the stone come from!? Nothing happened. It was nothing. Of course it was nothing! She was protected after all. Now even from the gods… wait. Something was happening. The bright day, once an ironic symbol of what Auriëlle presumed to be a true uncaring goddess, grew dim. It wasn’t even close to evening? Did clouds appear? The world became darker. Akin to early dusk, yet the sun was still bright above. “What did you do?” Auriëlle asked, an inkling of fear crept in her voice. The world kept darkening. Shadows grew more prominent. “What did you do!?” Auriëlle yelled. Day turned to night before Auriëlle’s eyes. The only light she saw came from faint, unfocused fires. But even that fire faded. Coated the world in a deep darkness.

The sorceress collapsed on her knees, frantically looking around her. The fighting was everywhere around her, yet she couldn’t place it. “What did you do!?” She screamed as she turned around and around, trying to find something to see. Fear truly gripped her now as her body began to shake. Anything could be coming for her. Anything could hurt her now.

Her voice was closer now, [color=goldenrod]”Why, you serve the darkness do you not? Taking sight from those you have murdered. It seems only right that the same punishment is given to you.”[/color] Her voice loomed over Auriëlle now, [color=goldenrod]”Isn’t it fitting, to feel that fear? To know, in the end, you were powerless to stop it? Nalla felt the same. In fact, she’s the reason I even found you, her memories were so… So fixated on you and your crimes. Now you’ve both been punished but… Hmm… Yes, I think every face that sees you, every child, woman and man- They should know just how far you’ve fallen. A testament to hubris and the enemy you've become of life.”[/color]

A finger touched her forehead and something burned in her flesh, lasting for a painful few seconds. The finger then lifted away. [color=goldenrod]”There, a Sunbrand to mark you.”[/color]

A second after the finger touched her forehead she struck forward. Bidding fire to explode before her. And a second later she heard deafening screams. The fire hadn’t struck the goddess but her own mages. Two of them were now burning and screaming and running. Others turned to look at her. Even if the battle’s flow had ebbed somewhat, arrows and bolts of fire were still exchanged. Most didn’t know what was happening. Most didn’t know Auriëlle and her magic well enough. But when the sorceress clawed back, causing another great burst of fire Esiré was one of the first to realize something was deeply, dangerously wrong. She looked at the light and then her increasingly frantic Prophetess. Fear gripped her own heart.

“I will kill you!” Auriëlle screamed as she unleashed a burst of ice hitting and gutting another sorcerer. The druids of her band were stepping away, muttering their prayers to Oraelia or whatever native name they knew. “I will kill you!” She kept yelling as she frantically flailed around with her magic. But tears began to stream from her face as fear set in completely. Eventually she tripped over something, she never saw what, and fell down. Her rage shattered like it was thin ice. Replaced by desperation and dread.

[color=goldenrod]”Now you see what happens to those that aspire with such wickedness in their hearts. Fear not Auriëlle, by the grace of your god you still yet live, as thanks for his patronage of My Lady’s daughter.”[/color] the voice seemed to echo above her. [color=goldenrod]”There are much worse fates than losing your eyes, just ask all those that you’ve marred. I shall leave you now, but know this, Auriëlle. I wish you the best and perhaps one day, you will find your way to the Light again. Farewell, Daughter of Qael.”[/color] There was a strange sound, like fabric being ripped and then nothing but the dying of men. 

Loyal Esiré waited, hidden behind one of the raised stones until the avatar and her light had finally vanished. Auriëlle kept throwing around magic in a desperate attempt to hit something. Anything! Anything so she wouldn’t feel so weak. So helpless. Esiré dashed towards her, sprinting and dodging arrows left and right. Her heart nearly broke out of her chest as she managed to jump over a wave of fire unleashed by the Prophetess. A roll only half-broke her fall. Something warm began to trickle from her shoulder but she ignored it. Finally she reached Auriëlle. “It’s okay! It’s okay! I’m here. I’m here!” She exclaimed, taking Auriëlle into a hug and ceasing her indiscriminate assault upon everyone around her.

For a moment Esiré held her there as Auriëlle cried out. When she pulled back though, she saw frantic eyes looking around and something new. A black arch with thorns, no a black half-sun branded upon the Prophetess' forehead. “I can’t see you.” Auriëlle said in a meek voice as she held Esiré firmly. Afraid that she’d be alone and in the dark again if she left. “I can’t see anything.”

[hider=Summary]
Auriëlle fights from the backline against the few mages and archers still on the remains of the wall near the breach. One brave mage even manages to hit her with a ray of light. Which prompts her to hex and destroy their eyesight. Then she challenges’ Oraelia’s very godhood by saying that maybe the mage should’ve worshipped her. Finally Rhiona decides to make an appearance to shut the mouthy brat down. A rainbow colored beam of light came down upon the sorceress as a face of golden light appeared upon the wall. The two enter a short conversation. Rhiona is not impressed by Auriëlle’s growth, in turn pushing Auriëlle over the edge as she tries to destroy the face. Twice, in fact. Finally Rhiona decides to come down from her realm to face Auriëlle face to face.

The sorceress, in her boundless arrogance, unleashes her most devastating magic. Only for it to have no effect on the avatar at all. Rhiona then finally decides on a fitting punishment for the sorceress. With a wave of her hand she took away Auriëlle’s sight. Rendering her blind without a chance to ever heal it. The sorceress slowly realizes the light is taken from her and thrashes around, throwing fire all around her in an effort to hit the avatar but instead hits her own troops. Then Rhiona marks her with the Sunbrand, declaring her an enemy of life itself. With the punishment delivered, Rhiona pulls back into her realm. Esiré then manages to get close to her Prophetess and draws her in a disarming hug. Only to notice a moment later that Auriëlle is branded by a black half-sun on her forehead.
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[hider=MP]
Oraelia 4MP/5MP
-1MP To portal Rhiona down to Galbar
-1MP To portal Rhiona back to her Realm
-2MP To Curse Auriëlle with blindness. This blindness cannot be healed by any means. 
-1DP (Sunlight) To Mark Auriëlle with a Sunbrand, designating her as an enemy of life. 
-1DP (Sunlight) To do sunlight shenanigans.

0MP/3DP Remaining 
[/hider]

[hider=Prestige]
[b]Post Length:[/b] +10K Characters
+5 Prestige >> Auriëlle
-3 Prestige >> Auriëlle: Using the Disintegration spell
-15 Prestige >> Auriëlle: Upgrade Heliath I to II
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