[center][h1]A New beginning[/h1][/center]

[hr]

“...Ema. My Unseen Rose…”

It was that voice that compelled her to rise, not with slow trepidation but with determined might. She sat up with the ease her body lent her and took in her immediate surroundings. Though her body acted with haste, her mind flowed like a trickle. Questions assaulted her that came with answers in tow. Who was she? She was Ema. What was she? The Aelos, Ema. Who created her? The maker. What was her purpose? It was… There the answers seemed to stop. 

She knew who she was. She knew what she was. She knew who created her. But she did not seem to know her purpose. Unless, her purpose needed further prodding? She turned and placed her feet upon the floor, wherein she wiggled them. The tap tap tap of metal on dry dirt was an odd sound. More of a low thumping. She moved her arms forward but as she did, Ema realized her hands were not as empty as she had believed. In one she carried a red shaft with a blunt object upon its head. It was a hammer. 

She hefted it before her, gripping it tight, feeling it with her hand. Had her Maker left it for her? Her eyes peered upon her other hand, gripping a pouch of some weight to it. She placed the hammer down, carefully, before undoing the string that bound the pouch closed. She looked over the open bag to see something strange. With her hand she brought out one of the objects. Round, flat, with heavy weight. She flicked it and soft reverberation went up her fingers, which startled Ema and she almost dropped the circle. She was sure it was made of some sort of metal and upon a closer look she realized it had embossed upon it a strange shape. It looked like a little Aelos but who would make one so small? The Maker? No, that was silly. Furthermore, why would the maker give it horns? What was the purpose?

Perplexed by this newest development, Ema dropped the circle back into the sack and picked up a handful. More of the horned Aelos peered back up at her. Joined by strange shapes that weren’t shapes and creatures that had too many eyes. It was all very strange, so she placed them back into the bag and tied it shut. 

Ema scanned the area. It was a workshop of sorts, plain and dusty that sat outside under the dim shadow of a roof. Outside yonder she could see white clouds hovering in a blue sky that stretched on forever. A field of flowers amid tall grass surrounded the place and the chorus of insects indicated that this was their domain. Other than that, it was seemingly abandoned, she stood for the first time and thus took her first steps. Wobbly feet almost made for a quick fall but she managed to steady herself upon the table and took it slow after. Ema used the table for a bit, getting a feeling for it. When she felt confident enough, she let go and walked about the forge. A large furnace sat empty, tools were hung from racks, firewood was stacked nearby, whilst water sat ready in a wooden tub. She knew these things instinctively, almost as if she could reach out and they’d be an extension of herself. The patterns, the ideas, the knowledge- It was all there. She could make more Aelos. All she needed was material and time.

Yet, try as Ema might, she hadn’t a clue on how to create anything else. Or if it was even possible. She looked over the tools and knew them to be that, tools, but what she did not know was how to recreate them. How to cast, how to hammer, how to forge. Was it as simple as looking at a hammer and fashioning a blunt head? How did one come up with such designs? How did she know how to use them but not make them?

This jostled the Aelos and long did she think upon her next move. She had a duty to create more Aelos, so that they in turn, could create more Aelos. So that the Maker would be pleased. Is that what she wanted? To please the Maker? To create more of her kind? Her brain told her to think upon it with cold reasoning but… Elsewhere, somewhere perhaps inside her chest, a small voice urged her to do as she wanted. 

After some time with her thoughts running amok, she came to the conclusion that she should make more Aelos but only after making sure the immediate land was safe enough for them. Who would she be if they came under immediate threat? That wouldn't do anyone good in the slightest and she knew it would ease her itch to explore. 

So, grabbing her meager things, Ema sat out from under the roof after much hesitation, she was welcomed by the sight of a world she had only seen from the shadows. It was brighter then she had anticipated, so she squinted as her eyes adjusted. Upon this newest inspection she could see distant trees and the smell of salt in the air. Strange things indeed. Furthermore, as she looked around her, she came to realize the workshop forge was attached to another building. One with a few windows and a door.

Her curiosity could not be contained as she went over to it and pushed the wooden door open with a creak. Inside it was dim again but her eyes spotted a bed for resting, a table like the one she awoken on, some stools and a chair and some more tools. Pots sat in a corner, whilst the smell of age wafted over her. Such a strange place. Had the Maker built it? Had the Maker used it? Did she have a right to enter such a place?

Ema nodded her head to no one and left the house, pulling shut the door on her way out. Perhaps in time she would have further use of it.

A strange whistling sound, followed by a THWAK right next to her head, alarmed Ema and she glanced upon something embedded in the house. She hadn’t a clue what it was, some narrow shaft with feathers at the end. It seemed to have penetrated the wood but with what? She had her answer as something struck her, glancing off her cheek and sticking into the wood. She pulled it out to see a sharpened stone, almost a triangle in shape, at the tip. But why had it struck her?

She looked out into the thick bramble of forest that sat close by. Another projectile whizzed past but it did not hit her. Figures began to emerge from the shadows of the trees and out of the corner of her eye she saw someone coming fast at her. She wasn’t able to dodge as they swung something hard into her stomach. Pain doubled her over, it was the strangest sensation, and hard to focus on anything else. She was then hit repeatedly in the back.

“That’s enough Hine!” Someone shouted, feet scuffled about her as another feeling set in; Fear.

“We need it alive!” The same voice barked. 

“It killed my Erik! An eye for an eye Jokab, that’s rights!” a woman, Hine, snarled. 

“You’ll have your rights but not know.” he retorted, “Jinsip, Yule, Ikihn- Search this place, find anything useful. Macab, Duro- Get this thing on its feet.” There was a flutter of movement and Ema felt herself being raised. She didn’t know them, no matter who they were, searching through the Maker’s creation. 

She was lifted upright, head still drooping. Something warm grabbed her chin and lifted her head up. She was just as shocked to see them as they were shocked to see her. 

‘That’s not the same one.” Hine, a woman with pointy ears hissed. “Where’s the other! Where!” She snarled, pushing forward with a long sharp stone. A man with pointed features, as well as pointed ears, punched her in the gut and shoved her back, knocking the wind out of her. 

“Stay your anger, Hine.” Jokab snarled. “What are you?” he next asked Ema, “Where is the other one?”

Ema looked between them all, even to the two that held her. All had pointy ears and sharp features. Golden, brown, silver hair, wearing an assortment of furs, carrying many stone and wooden tools. Jokab had more of those pointed shafts and some sort of wooden object, strung with hair that he put over his arm and chest. 

“It doesn’t speak, it’s stupid. Let us kill it and be done with it!” The woman rose, clutching her stomach. One look from Jokab was enough to silence her and she dipped her head to the ground. 

“Speak.” he said, brandishing a long stone knife and holding it up to her throat. “Speak!” he shouted at her. 

“I am Aelos.” Her voice came forth with startling clarity and with strength she did not really feel. “And I am alone. You should not be here. This place is the Maker’s!” she said with conviction. 

Jokab furrowed his brow. “Aelos? Alone? You’re lying!” He pressed the stone dagger into her neck, oblivious that it did little to her. “Where is the one who killed Erik in cold blood?”
“I woke alone.” Ema reiterated then added, “I am sorry for your loss.”

Jokab frowned in anger and released the dagger. “Search it.”

She did not struggle against the searching hands, for the thought of more pain was almost unbearable. Eventually, after this violation was complete, Jokab both held the bag with the circles and her hammer. He and the Hine looked both over, starting first with the hammer. Both seemed amazed by it and a startling quarrel came over them, as both claimed it as theirs by right until Jokab won with a quick backhand to Hine’s face. 

Ema winced at the violence, she did not care for it in the slightest. In fact, she felt another emotion added upon her fear and pain- Sadness. Why did this happen? Why was it happening? She was the only Aelos, so why did they think another had murdered one of their own? Why? What wasn’t she seeing?

“Jokab!” A new voice called out, bringing forth full arms of the Maker’s tools. Followed by the other two. They carried almost everything in the forge. Bits of metal, tools for working it, coal and scraps. “Look at all this!”

“Good, we’ll take it all back! Now search this!” he pointed at the door next to Ema. She was growing with a sense of agitation. They couldn’t take any of that! It was the Maker’s! How would she build more Aelos? She couldn’t disappoint the Maker! With a quick movement, she broke free with her left arm and elbowed her captor. He cursed as she used her free arm to punch the other man in the face. He dropped instantly but that was when Jokab pounced, slashing her with his knife. There was a scraping sound and Ema barely felt anything before leaping back into the building. She hit the wall and the blow knocked her off balance, so she fell. By that point, the other three, not yet in the house, dropped their stolen goods and leapt on her. She kicked briefly before they howled with pain. 

Then pain struck her across the face, as sparks flew. Jokab stood over her, wielding her hammer. He had managed to strike a blow and pain swelled and rang out all across her body. Now thoroughly pinned down by the others, Jokab turned to Hine and snarled, “Burn it. Burn it all!” The woman, who had been peering into the bag with the embossed circles, looked up with a mischievous glee. She put the pouch into her furs and took out a small pot of some sort and one of the other men brought out some sticks. The two hurried into the house as Ema struggled against captivity, receiving another blow to her stomach as they rushed out, trailed by a cloud of smoke. 

“Nothin’ of use in there.” The man grumbled as Hine stared into the glowering room. 

“It’s all dry, quick blaze. We best be going before those horse-elf scum show up.” She said with a spit. “Curse them and their goddess.” She began to walk off, evidently no longer caring about her lust for death. 

“What do we do with it?” One of them asked Jokab.

“Knife’s too dull to slice it’s throat and it would take to long to hammer it to death, the damn thing. Can’t bring it with us either, would cause too much trouble.” he stroked his chin. 

“Seems like a waste to leave it, might come after us.” The man, who she had struck in the face, said. He rubbed his cheek, hate burning in his eyes as he looked at her with contempt. 

“Throw her in the building. Fire burns everything, doesn’t it?” Jokab stated and their faces curled with sinister smiles. 

“You cannot…” She groaned, being lifted by her arms. “You cannot!” she shouted but it was useless. They crowded over her, and someone grabbed her feet. She began to kick and the man cursed before Jokab smashed the hammer into her stomach again. This time she felt something dent and she gasped with pain. 

“We can and we will. Don’t know what you or your friend was but we don’t want your kind around here anymore. Can’t be having you interfering with our survival, now can we?” Jokab sneered as they entered the building. Smoke billowed now as the fire crept up the walls. The men recoiled at the heat and quickly threw her in, where she landed in a heap. Her head spun to the door and she quickly scampered up as they shut it. 

As she pounded on the door, she could hear them yelling and cursing before something heavy was brought to keep the door shut. Everytime she banged on it, the pain in her stomach could be felt. The roaring of the fire began to drone everything else out but she couldn’t stop. She had to get out!

She began to bang her fists into the door but when that wouldn’t give, she began to bang them into the wall. Ema learned quickly that her metal was far more durable and stronger than wood would ever be as she punched her fist clean through the boards. She began to try again but as soon as her fist struck the boards, the wall and ceiling began to cave and the world grew dark as something hard fell upon her.

[hider=Summary]
Ema wakes up and familiarizes herself with herself and the items she has. She comes to a conundrum about making more Aelos or doing what the feeling in her chest tells her to do. She decides to do that and makes preparations to leave but is then attacked by the elves that Exordium chased off. They have a small chat before it’s decided they didn't have the means to kill her so they throw her in the burning workshop and hope that will work out. Ema, now trapped, is almost successful getting out but the walls and ceiling collapse in on her and everything goes dark.
[/hider]

[hider=Spirit]
Ema
+1 at minimum
+1 no Creator Deity
+1 for 5k chars
+1 for 10k chars

= 4 Spirit
[/hider]