Helios
Lord Zee
DX3214
Vec
It had truly been a time of fascination for Aen'drannan, the place she had been brought to so long ago was filled with souls of the dead. She could see them, their lives, all things within there, those were some of the gifts she had been given by the Great Eye. She had seen the world through others eyes, and it saddened her. So much occurred that simply did not seem to come for any reason, disaster and tragedy, suffering abounding.
There were good moments too, it was worth it in the end. And it varied so much, war and conquest often bringing justice and tyrants in equal chance, suffering in either case. She knew she could do something, was she not strong and large? Could not her power be put to good use?
So she had asked of the Eye, and so she had been shown. Trolls accorded to defend life, falling to the temptations of feed and their own failings. Even in their power overwhelmed by numbers and organization. Civilization as it were, the conflict between all kinds so very pointless as they all struggled in the same system. She talked with the Eye, he was not subtle, he had a point to make and it was that life was not worth it. She disagreed but they did agree in part on the reduction of suffering. He showed her more souls, and more, and more still.
And yet she grew more convinced that something was needed to change. Life was trapped in conflict, civilizations were trapped in conflict, each of the peoples of Galbar seemed to fight with each other again and again. She searched the lives of the souls she could see, she learned their languages, memorized aspects of their cultures, and yet she could not see why it always came to conflict. It didn't have to, she felt it deep inside that she could make things better, she had to try at the very least.
The Great Eye listened, gave one last set of gifts to her and offered to send her to Galbar. To a place of her choice to try to make a change. She accepted.
A rift of green flame opened in the sky, the wind only shifted slightly as it grew larger and larger. A portal of flame way above in the sky. The booming voice recognized to that of Sigeran was the only announcement, "A champion of my will to guide and lead."
The massive form that flew down out of the portal, flapping massive wings to lower itself onto its four legs, it seemed all vegetation and plants gave way to the creature crumpling as its form neared the ground. A golden helmet adorned its head, gleaming in the light. It was covered from head all down its body to the last bit of its tail in dark red scales, overlapping like that of well made armor. The creature turned its gaze to the area around it as it landed. Apart from its singing landing area, the surrounding snow-clad hills and forests were devoid of motoric life, apart from a distant kveg herd that had suddenly gotten the instinctive urge to evacuate the area with an uncontrolled, panicking stampede.
However, despite looking largely lifeless, there was a small ruined village not too far from the creature’s landing spot. Lifeless? Apparently not, as a man came peeking out from behind a broken wall and then ducked back into hiding upon seeing the creature.
Aen'drannan flipped her sight into the realm of souls, a gift of her golden helm. She spoke as she kept her head facing towards the village, ignoring the herd for now. "Show thyselves, you cannot hide from me in any case, make thyself known."
Ten shadows soared up from behind the building, carried into the sky by great, black wings. They flew in formation, the one at the front unbuckling a whip of sunlight. Banking hard to the right, they set a path down for the dragon’s back, brandishing weapons menacingly. Over by the foot of the ruins again, there stood five men, six women and some children, and something unspeakable even further behind.
“GET IT, ANNIHILARI!” came a distant yell from one of the men.
Rolling her eyes, Aen'drannan turned head head to the right and opened her mouth, breathing out a blast of green flame well in front of the path of the ten to dissuade them. Her mouth opened again, following it with words.
"Calm thyselves lest I be forced to destroy ye, I am no enemies of your kind and ilk, I come to talk as for your future!"
The angels flapped their wings in panic just to avoid the flame and soared back to the village, one of them needing to be carried due to too many singed feathers. They landed in front of the humans, most of whom had lost whatever courage they had had.
The thing behind them though, had not. It stepped forward upon cloven hooves, a large scythe in its left hand, it spoke outward towards the large winged being ”I...must say...if you wish to show yourself...as a friend...I would not recommend...appearing as you did.” Its voice grating against itself as it spoke.
"Little choice did I have, it was willed as per he you know as Sigeran."
Aen'drannan shuffled her wings and shook her claws to remove the loose dirt from the ground beneath her. She spoke again, clear enough and almost musical in tone.
"It is only my first time being in this realm of Galbar, in the western boreal highlands of Toraan are we not? The Dûnlands?"
The being thought for a brief moment ”Yes...you are…” They briefly turned back towards the humans ”Seems...your god...likes us enough to send...a giant winged death...being.”
“Is it the North God?” asked Sedrick.
Azen shook his head ”No...your...Sigeran…”
The men, women and even the children looked to be feeling a collective shiver. “S-Sigeran,” Coner whimpered and folded his hands together, bowing his head to meet his knuckles. Vegard, Knut and Mack, as well as half of the women did the same. Sedrick fell to one knee along with the other half and the children.
“In death, we live forever,” chanted Sedrick, the others echoing him.
The she dragon mused at what the Great Eye would think of such a phrase before turning to the point at hand and speaking in that same half-musical voice. She dipped her head to the cloven hooved creature, "Dragon is what my kind is called, although I hear there are many such of that name in the far corners of Divine insight."
She turned her gaze side on to the kneeling few and said a few words. "Your faith serves you well."
“We thought we had been abandoned - clinging to our faith like a rope over a bottomless pit. Now, Sigeran sends us you.” Now those who stood also bent the knee. “We are yours to command, great one,” Sedrick pledged.
"Fear not for abandonment, Sigeran is supreme. It is good to see you survivng well despite the depredations of our enemies. Especially the little ones." Aen'drannan, smiled a closed lip smile. The children huddled closer to both the men and the women.
Sedrick approached slowly, gesturing to the children. “Only one of them is related to one of the women here - that’s Little Knut; Teagan there’s his aunt.” The woman known as Teagan nodded to identify herself, holding her nephew close. “The rest are orphans. We’re a gathering of stragglers at best - shadows of the folk we were five years ago. All we want now is a break - an existence that can give us both the excitement of the hunt and the tranquility of peace until the day Sigeran comes to claim our souls. Therefore, we…” He eyed Annihilari, who offered him a frown and a shrug. Then looked at the Hunter’s bony face. “... We hope you haven’t come to draft us into a new war.”
The hunter stepped forward, taking a place next to Sedrick ”These...people...have seen much...those...forces of light are strong...they require...sanctuary...as do…” he turned back, looking at the Neiyari ”I...and...the neiyari.”
“-Just- until winter has passed,” Annihilari specified with a ‘hmph!’
Aen'drannan listened and watched them as each spoke, replying only a few moments after silence had taken form. "There is a good reason why I have been sent. To establish a kind of sanctuary, a haven for all those of the good and proper path against those foes that so surround and entrap all us here now. There are more, scattered and disparate, to survive there shall have to be a place wherein all can stand together and all can live in good peace and order."
"I am to help establish that. To protect and guide to a place most suitable, and defend all of you and your kind from there." Her head, and with it her gaze, turned towards Annihilari. "Neiya is numbered among the progenitors of my people, rightly guided siblings are always welcome to stay as long as you wish. My Master speaks highly of your purpose and people, I am sure we can all come together for what needs to be done."
“A sanctuary… Sigeran has heard our prayers!” praised the humans. Annihilari twitched a brow and pursed his lips.
“Suit yourselves - when first spring comes, I will be taking flight southwards to see my love once more - Aveira, our reunion cannot come soon enough.”
“You two will soar joyously in the moonlight, brother - like swallows in a dance of dark, yet wholesome love,” came a respectful comment from behind him. Annihilari slowly raised a palm to the sky.
“So I pray, sister - so I pray.” Around him, the other Neiyari gathered to touch and lament with him.
Azen chuckled ”Come now...Annhilari...you haven’t warmed...up to us yet?”
“Why warm up when I know leaving will be so cool, hmm?” The other Neiyari whooped in celebration of their leader’s ability with words. The humans chuckled more at the reaction than the phrasing.
Azen smiled as much as his boney face could allow ”you...never know my friend.”
“Great one,” Sedrick broke in. “May we know your name, you who is taking is to sanctuary?” The humans lifted their folded hands to the dragon.
"Of course, you may call me Aen'drannan." The dragoness replied in full musical tone.
“Great Aen’drannan - may we know where this sanctuary will be? Will the journey be long? We have little food and drink, and our clothes are all but rags now; we are still working to assemble our people, who have been scattered to every corner of the Dûnlands by now.”
"Far perhaps, but the journey should not be so bad, there are few enough of you that I can carry you to the promised haven." The Dragoness paused as she turned her head briefly, continuing on a different track.
"You may have some need of preparation for such a journey, I can help with game as I might. In any case, we shall be going beyond the range of Ha-Dûna's might, the edge of its influence. A river shielded by mountains to the east of Grimholt. There should be close enough to serve as a beacon and haven for the scattered faithful and all others of good welcoming, but far enough to be safer from the evils of our enemies. Besides the river should do well for growing. There are no great cities there yet, that will be the work of Sigeran."
“Praise be,” Coner whispered. “Our prayers really have been answered.”
“Told ya they would be,” snickered Mack.
“Great Azen, where can we find the closest game?” asked Sedrick.
The hunter rose his head, sniffing the air, distinguishing between all the various scents that surrounded him. ”That...way” He pointed with his scythe in a direction just beyond the great dragon. We...may...find some...kveg there.”
“kveg, you say? That’ll come in handy - we might even be able to capture a few heads so we’ll have milk, blood and meat for the journey!” Coner celebrated.
“Sounds like a plan,” said Sedrick. “Focus on capturing as many as you can, actually. Dead flesh will spoil, but living flesh will remain fresh as long as its body lives.”
“But how will we feed several kveg, Sedrick?” asked Teagan from behind him, crossing her arms over her chest.
“The kveg will eat what the earth provides,” the leader replied. “There might not be much, but we will keep a close eye on then and tap them for milk and blood to survive.”
“Ugh, drinking blood?” gagged Little Knut.
“Don’t be a wuss,” cautioned Vegard and nudged the young boy in the shin with his spear. “Blood’s good for you, kid. It’ll help you gather strength, something we’ll all need for the rest of the winter.”
“Not to mention the spring, when patrols will come looking for us,” moped Knut.
“Shut up, Knut,” Coner growled and the two exchanged knife-like glares. “Anyway, what’ll the rest of you do while we’re capturing kveg? ‘Cuz it’s going to be us, right?”
“You, Mack and Vegard should go. Annihilari, would you like to send any?”
The Neiyari flicked his chin up like someone had punched it. “Hmph! Since you asked so desperately, little maggot, I suppose we can spare one or two - as you so clearly need our help to do everything around here.” He groaned and turned to his small flock. They looked back expectantly. “Alright, Destrura, Agoniri - you two go.”
Destrura grimaced and raised her hand. “Can’t we put it to a vote, o Sadistic One?”
Annihilari rolled his eyes. “Alright, a vote it is, then. Who wishes to vote that Destrura and Agoniri go?” Unanimously, with the exception of the two involved, the Neiyari voted for. Annihilari threw out his arms and shrugged. “See what that accomplished? Now get going.” Bitter and outmatched by such layman’s democracy, the two losers complied reluctantly and flapped their wings over to the three humans.
“Azen, would you come with, as well?” asked Mack humbly.
The hunter looked up towards the Dragon, then to Mack ”I...shall come...I trust...our newest...ally to...keep watch…” He laid his scythe over his shoulder, before continuing to speak ”I suggest...the rest...gather what they can...from our...temporary abode....and keep their eyes out...for any others of our...cause.”
“As you command, Great Hunter,” Sedrick agreed dutifully and started herding the rest into the village to gather what they could find. Sedrick himself remained, however, turning to Coner. “And boys… No fighting, alright?”
“Y’know, you saying that makes it that much more enticing, actually,” Mack snickered. Coner elbowed him in the side.
“Shut up, Mack, you’re embarrassing us in front of the dragon!”
“Not as much as your face embarrasses the entire human race!” Mack snarled back, and both wound up their fists to punch. Sedrick barely managed to step in between them in time, glaring them down into the soil.
“No fighting. Azen, if they fight, take one hand from each.”
“Wha? That’s some cowshit!” Coner protested.
The hunter chuckled ”Gladly.” he replied. Eyeing down the two paladins with mock hunger in his eyes.
“Great Azen, have mercy,” Mack pleaded with big eyes. “Boys will be boys and all that, right? Right?”
Aen'drannan looked on with an idle smile at the antics of the others, occasionally swiveling around keeping track of nearby souls. She commented, "Try for the ones not preferred, such delays in relearning easy tasks with the unpreferred hand can take some time."
Mack swallowed and held out his hand to Coner. “Truce?”
Coner looked at the hand with spite, but took it and squeezed hard - too hard. Mack whimpered and keeled forward, glaring holes through Coner’s scarred skull. “Truce,” Coner snickered back. “Let’s go, then, lads! We have kveg to capture!” He released the hand, which Mack pulled to himself like a wounded child, and the merry band set off in the herd’s direction. Sedrick, meanwhile, remained still, looking back into the village where the salvagers were gathering resources in improvised skin sacks. He breathed a sigh and looked up at Aen’drannan.
“Great Aen’drannan, could I ask you something? Regarding the great Sigeran?”
”I may not have all the answers you seek but you may ask what you will.”
“Does he truly reward the strong with life after death? Do we truly live forever after we die?”
Aen’drannan smiled another closed lipped smile at the question. ”I have seen the souls of the dead in his very realm, the place of my creation and the creation of my people. I have no doubt all the dearly departed are there, and that all of you should in time when your personal tale has reached the full conclusion, that you should join them.”
Tears formed in Sedrick’s eyes, and he descended to his knees and lifted his hands to the dragon. “I knew we were in the right to keep faith. I knew he would come for us at our lowest… Are the conditions still the same?”
Aen'drannan smiled. It was difficult to speak truths leaving out the context that might reveal so much to them. She didn't like it, but she didn't have much choice to accomplish what she needed to, making something better would take time and sacrifice, a few moderately hard moments would be the least of her concerns. She replied, "The conditions have been as they always have from time immemorial. The standing of Sigeran stands strong no matter what."
“Blessed be,” whispered Sedrick in response.
The herd hadn’t run far - or at least, not as far as they could’ve ran. It had topped the hill and hid in its shadow, where all memory of the dragon had faded out of memory and the kveg could once again happily graze on what lichen, grass and weeds still hid under the snow. It wasn’t a feast, exactly, but they had to survive somehow.
It would be interesting to see how much longer they would survive, though, because atop the hill, hiding behind a boulder, the three humans, two angels and one massive wendigo all make their plans for how they would capture the beasts.
“Alright,” Mack mumbled, “I count around twenty heads… One lead… Possibly three lead calves - can’t make that out entirely…”
“Man… Imagine having all those women to yourself, mate…” drooled Coner. The angels looked at him with disgust. Coner noticed them and gaped wide. “No, I meant human women! -Human- women!”
“Swine,” Destrura spat coldly. Coner sank together in despair and shame. Mack ignored them both and looked up at Azen.
“Any ideas for how we should approach this?”
”Depends...do you...wish to capture...or kill these creatures?”
“Like Sedrick said - capture if we can.”
”Then...it would...be in our interest...to cut them off...to herd them...our winged allies can….help in this….we also must...ensure we retain that lead….as the herd will follow them…of course...we must also prevent a...stampede...that would prove....dangerous…”
“Yeah, yeah, we know,” Agoniri muttered and took to the skies. Destrura remained a bit longer and gave a shrug.
“Anything specific you’d like us to do when cutting them off? What angle will you be coming from?”
Coner started, “Well, we’ll--”
“Quiet, maggot. Azen, what angle?”
Azen took stock of the surrounding area, pointing to the side-back of the herd ”There...we shall...try to drive them forward...towards the...village.”
“Understood.” Then she took off. Coner stood staring into the snow as Mack and Vegard were about to move ahead; Mack turned to face him.
“Hey, what’s wrong, man?”
Coner blinked in frustration. “Am I really a maggot? A swine?”
Mack and Vegard exchanged looks, furrowing their brows. Mack turned back and pursed his lips. “Yeah, yeah, absolutely.”
“Totally,” Vegard added without a shred of humour. Coner sank even lower.
“That fate would have it that so many good people died and I’m stuck here with you.”
“Other way around, asshole - we’re stuck here with your dumb noggin and broad shovel-jaw. Now come on.” After some back and forth and wary glances over at Azen’s scythe, the men moved ahead.
Azen kept his distance behind them, while the presence of three humans would not be enough to scare the herd, his strange and twisted form would certainly be enough.
Coner, Mack, and Vegard readied themselves, moving to the back of the herd, meanwhile above, the two neiyari prepared to come from above, keeping the herd going in a, roughly straight direction.
Azen swept his eyes over the herd, the kveg lazely grazing, totally unaware, his gaze drifted towards the lead with its large horns, then, an idea began to form in his head.
He turned towards the humans ”I...have...the perfect...idea.” He spoke in a hushed whisper.
“What are you...” Mack tried to question, but he did not get far in his statement before Azen bolted out of the brush and rocks. His speed was incredible, fitting for a being with practically the legs of a deer and years of hunting skills. The kveg had no time to figure out what was going on, the sudden appearance of the twisted hunter was absolutely sure to spook them into running. Even more so when Azen took a running leap, soaring through the air for a brief moment, landing directly upon the back of the lead.
For a brief moment, it was like even the kveg did not know what to do, even the lead, but, after the few seconds of pure bafflement by all involved(beyond Azen), all hell broke loose. The lead bucked and jumped, but Azen held firmly on, with a swat of his hand, he sent the lead carreening forward. The others took the sign, the three humans launched out of the brush and rocks, and the two Neiyari flew close to the sides, ensuring the now frightened kveg ran forward, in the direction of their now utterly confused lead with a massive wendigo sat atop.
Azen couldn’t help but laugh, waving his scythe in the air like an utter madman which, in all fairness, he was. Behind him the paladins could barely keep up with the herd, and soon resorted to the same tactics as their icon, quickly grabbing the sides of the kveg and planting themselves firmly on top. The neiyari couldn’t help but shake their heads at the display. Azen drove the lead forward, urging the herd towards the village, which only grew in size as they neared, quickly showing the forms of the great dragon and villagers sitting within.
“Why did we even come along for this?” Destrura muttered bleakly to the melody of Agoniri’s groan. “We, what, flapped our wings a bit after Azen took control? We could’ve been back here relaxing.”
“Oh, do you two -ever- stop complaining?” Coner wailed. Destrura scoffed and stuck her nose to the sky; Agoniri mirrored her perfectly.
“Be quiet, flea. Be thankful we were there to help you.”
“But you just said--”
“HMPH!” With that, the two Neiyari took flight and floated over to the rest of their band, all of whom sat in a circle around Annihilari, listening to very sad poetry. Coner was on the verge of tears, his teeth grinding themselves to sand under the pressure of his fury.
“I will pluck every feather off her wing one day.”
“Coner, pipe it down,” Mack snarled and kneeled before Aen’drannan. “Great dragon - we bring back livestock for our people.”
Aen'drannan watched the herd approach, not replying to the kneeling Mack, before springing herself into the air. Her powerful legs throwing herself upwards as her wings outstretched and took over, calmly circling around to beside the coming herd and unleashing balefire on the ground around it. She circled the group entrapping them in a wall of flame before coming back down a little ways away from it, reaching in as the herd milled away from the green fire to help Azen escape the flame himself. She turned her head back to the group and spoke.
"I'll grab whichever few seem best suited for slaughter, best the Aiviri stay away from lifting them, too heavy for a few and too likely to injury in the beasts' panic and such. You others will need to prepare as much as you can carry for the journey, and of course your fill for our time waiting here. We'll not need the full herd nor can we take all of them."
The humans looked at each other. “Well, we oughta bring some living, as well, “ Coner pointed out. “Their milk, meat and blood will spoil along the way, so we should be keeping a few kveg and a lead, shouldn’t we?”
“Coner, don’t be rude! But yes, we think so as well,” agreed Sedrick. “They graze the plains, so feeding a few won’t be too hard, I reckon.”
“Have any of you maggots ever herded livestock?” asked Annihilari sharply. Two of the women raised their hands.
“I was a shepherd back in Ha-Dûna,” said one of them.
“What was your name again?” asked Sedrick.
“Enna,” she responded. Sedrick nodded quietly.
“Alright, you will take responsibility for our kveg. I take it you know how to raise animals?”
Before she could answer, Annihilari spat. “Sheep. She can raise sheep - that’s what a shepherd is.”
“She’s the best we’ve got - unless any of you have a better solution?”
Annihilari smirked and raised his arms fabulously to the heavens. The other Neiyari encircled him awesomely and struck their own poses to further his glory. “As a matter of fact, our dearest Desolari has herded livestock for decades! -He- will certainly do a better job than some meek squirt.”
“Now listen here, you--” Coner started, but Sedrick grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back, scowling at the magnificent angels.
“Whatever you say, Annihilari,” he mumbled and the Neiyari gloated powerfully.
“Hah! That’s the proper attitude when addressing superiority, you tiny, tiny man. Now, shall we go feast, my sisters? My brothers?” The angels squealed in celebration and took flight, soaring over to the balefire ring to pick out the best targets. Sedrick spat.
“Forgive me, Coner - it’s just that we should not fight before our great master.” He bowed back to Aen’drannan.
Aen'drannan really couldn't say that she blamed the ones here for getting excited about the herd, but it was true enough that she wouldn't be able to completely carry them and the whole herd so they'd have to go over land which would be slower, and carry more risk of hostile forces...
Her head followed the Aiviri as she spoke to those still near, "Bicker as you must, fight not. We all have more important enemies than any small slight of word from those assembled here."
She relaxed back onto her haunches and turned her head back to those nearby. "Do you still have the Shrine?"
“The shrine, your greatness?” asked Sedrick. “We have erected many, as Sigeran commands - which one do you mean?”
"It would have been Golden, appearing sometime with a lot of voices saying of its use into your heads, likely at an inconvenient time?" Aen'drannan replied with dry humor. The humans looked to be sweating, uncertain of how to respond.
“W-we’re not sure we know what you mean,” Sedrick admitted meekly, the others looking anywhere else than at Aen’drannan. “When were we given this?”
"I see. It would have been some time ago, might have been when you were more on the run as it were, there would have been news of the happenings in the western highlands at this time from the voices but I recognize that might still pose issue..." She trailed off standing back up and shaking the dirt from her claws.
“How could we have missed something like this?!” Coner broke out.
“Maybe Ragnar’d heard about it.”
“Well, that won’t help us, will it? Ragnar’s dead, and we’ve obviously missed something very important, haven’t we?!” The humans fell to their knees to grovel. “FORGIVE US, GREAT ONE!”
"Get up, I shall require one or two of you to accompany me to show me where you have been and thusly where the Shrine might be. It is of no use to those without knowledge so we shall not have to worry about others being bonded with it at least. The rest can prepare well enough here for what needs to be done."
The humans got up on the spot and shifted sheepishly. Sedrick was about to step forward when Mack raised his hand. “I will go. I knew Ragnar well - he could have hidden it for later use.”
Sedrick nodded. “Good. Coner, you go with him.”
“Why me?! And why with him?!”
Mack frowned. “Could ask the same, chief.”
Sedrick growled quietly and grabbed them both by the shoulder. “You two need to put your differences behind you and learn to work together, you fools. Besides, Coner, you were close to Ragnar, too.”
“His daughter, more like,” mused Mack and Coner grabbed him by the collar in a flash.
“You mention Frianne one more time--”
“Coner!” Sedrick pulled Mack free. “Mack, don’t mock him; Coner, control yourself. This is not acceptable behaviour before the Great One.” He shook his head. “Now go with her. What should we do while you are gone, Great One?”
"Do as you need and make use of the herd, prepare for travel in all sense available and keep vigilant. I would recommend drying any meats you do not use for travel food. You know well enough what to do in any case. As well, and this is most vital, do enjoy yourselves as able, there is much good coming for you and you should not get so caught up in worry, a healthy amount, a strong concern, or such. If the worst comes I will have to ask aid from a Servant of Sigeran, I would prefer not too but it is possible. This is no defeat, nor fault upon ye."
Aen'drannan turned to the pair speaking to them both, "You should prepare to ride upon my back with whatever you'll need for the flight."
“Depends on whether the neiyar’ll share black milk with us,” grunted Coner. Mack rolled his eyes and turned to Sedrick.
“We’ll take our share of the supplies we have, then - better that, than to wait for the kveg meat to dry for the trip.”
Sedrick nodded. “Take whatever you need, brother. We will head northeast, out of reach of the Dûnan riders. I reckon the Great One’s sight and senses will easily spot out caravan from the sky.”
Mack nodded, Coner having already walked off to take the supplies from the ruins in which they stored them. Once he came back, both climbed onto Aen’drannan’s back. Below, Sedrick waved. “Be respectful, you two! We all’ll have to work together in these trying times - even you two.” Mack and Coner exchanged scowls.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Coner growled. Mack grunted in response.
"Hold on tightly, lest you be thrown." She did not waste much time leaping back into the air, careful to maintain an easier ascent path for the riders to manage. She did not go as high as she could, mindful that doing so might cause quite the issue. The two on her back struggled to hold on, clawing at whatever was grippable on her back. On the ground, the sudden buffet of air cast some of the less sturdy onlookers back.
Aen'drannan spoke to them clearly as they clawed at the ridges and plates of her back, falling into a steady gliding circling pattern around the site. "In which direction do I need to go?"
“West! It must be in the west! Closer to Ha-Dûna!”
“Coner, you madman! We cannot go there - they will see us and resume the hunt!”
“That is where we came from, you fool! We couldn’t have left it anywhere else!”
She silently turned westwards keeping a close eye on the ground below and she made sure to keep steadying her flight for the two passengers. "Hold on and keep watch for familiar landmarks."
The two humans kept spying, and though they weren’t at all used to this sort of travel speed and such heights, they did their best to take it what they were observing. After a while, Coner pointed a carrot-like finger at a distant hill. “There! Mack, doesn’t that look like that one hill with, with the cairn?!”
“The cursed hill of the Minks?! Didn’t we run around it?!”
“No - we stopped, remember? It was the only place the Dûnans wouldn’t look for us! I’m sure it has to be there!”
Mack pondered this for a minute. Then he patted Aen’drannan on her back and shouted, “It’s there! It’s that cairn far below!”
Not feeling but hearing, Aen'drannan circled around setting down a little ways off, the vegetation of all kinds near her dying as she approached only a few meters from the ground. She spoke as she came to a stop, "Where would your Ragnar have hidden the shrine can you think? Search if you must."
The two men skipped off of her back and eyed the abandoned stone pyramid atop the hill, oozing as it was with an invisible evil miasma. The grave pile had an entrance - an arch of stacked stones that seemed less than sturdy, and was littered with skulls mounted on sticks to deter both the living and the dead for disturbing the ancestors of the pyramids makers. Mack started approaching, but Coner remained. Mack groaned and beckoned his companion to follow. “Come on, man - I don’t like it either, but we need that shrine!”
“You know what the Mink say about disturbing the dead, right?” Coner was almost shaking. “Neither the living nor the dead may enter or leave the final resting place of their ancestors, for to do so is to break the barrier separating the Overworld and the Underworld. W-we shouldn’t--”
“How you know more about Mink faith than how to ride an elk is beyond me…” Mack took his hand and pulled him along. “But enough bitching! We’ve been in there once and left, and the world is still whole, is it not?”
“But what has happened to us since we did, man?! The Hunter found us again, and now a dragon of Sigeran himself has become our master! Aren’t they both of the dead?!”
Mack groaned yet again. “Okay, first of all - Aizen found us before we even found this place, so you can dismiss that thought right away. Secondly, both Aizen and Aen’drannan are helping us! Thus in my view, breaking the barrier between worlds was the smartest thing we ever did!”
Coner paused to consider this. “Now that you mention it…”
“Yeah, I know. Now let’s go.” The two ducked into the entrance and descended down into the pyramid’s chamber. The staircase was overgrown with moss and lichen, and the roof even inside the chamber was low and in disrepair. Sure enough, as they had predicted from their memory, there was a shrine here, erected atop a mummified corpse lying on a flat stone on the floor. Around them, remains of what had once been an opulently well-decorated burial chamber showed only the scrap and junk the graverobbers had refused to take with them. All was gray except for the shrine.
The shrine was entirely of gold coloration, it seemed to faintly glimmer if it was fully made of such as well. It was centered on a golden figure standing atop a pile of bodies. Gems and other colorful stones dotted the artifact, faintly inscribing eyes into the base of the structure. It had a mural of scenes even as all ended up supporting the intricately decorated bodies of races and peoples near and far, and some that none here had ever seen nor heard of existing. They all formed a cone up to that central figure, triumphantly standing over the defeated masses even as they were scared themselves. It was just small enough that they might be able to carry it between the two of them, if it were not too heavy. Mack nodded slowly.
“Now I remember… The hunters caught old Briain while he was having a piss… We had to escape and couldn’t bring it with us.”
“Rest his soul, that old fool,” Coner sighed. The two then took hold of each side of the shrine and carried it outside.
The great dragon eyed the two as they came out with the shrine, speaking softly enough to them in her semi-musical tone. "Be careful there, don't hurt yourselves with it there. I take it you know not how to utilize the shrine?"
She had been keeping watch out at the landscape around but now centered her attention more fully on the pair. She was upright, not having taken the time to bother to get into a resting position while on the ground.
The two of them placed the shrine down in the snow before her. “No, we don’t. Ragnar might’ve, but he never shared the information with someone like us.”
"Might as well do so now, place your dominant hand on the shrine and pledge your eternal souls to Sigeran, offer up your bodies to his will and power."
The two men gulped, but they knew they had already given more to him than so. They each did as told and spoke, “We offer our bodies and souls forever to the great king of death and victory, Sigeran.”
There was no flash, no mighty sign of any change outwardly. Nor did they feel any great change come across their body, but something was different. They knew exactly that the shrine was there and it was right in front of them. Not from sight or touch, but something else telling them it was close, and the direction of it exactly.
The two men blinked at one another and then up at Aen’drannan. “What, what happened?”
"You are now bonded to the Shrine and it grants you power through the Will of Sigeran, climb back up, I will carry the Shrine, you are more fragile than it even now. We have to bring it back to the others so that they too may swear." As she spoke she moved to make climbing up onto her back again easier for the two men.
"I will explain more later, but know that such power is not a toy or joke"
Not waiting for her to explain further, the men climbed back on her back. Once they were settled it only took a moment for her to grab the shrine in her claw and leap into the air once more, heading back the way she came to reach the camp as quickly as possible given the limitations on height and speed she had to maintain carrying the two men. Never growing quite used to the sensation, the men held on for their lives all the way.
In that way, landing was quite the nice thing as they finally came back to camp, the two eagerly disembarking as Aen'drannan set the Shrine down. "You have been most useful and should be praised for your assistance in securing the Shrine once more."
She nodded to each of them once before turning her attention elsewhere as she fell into a resting posture, having landed a good few meters away from anything of import. The other Sigerans hastened over to the shrine, Sedrick in the lead with eyes wide open. The Neiyari came, as well, curiously eyeing the artifact while rubbing their chins as one flock. Speaking of flock, the captured kveg that had not been slaughtered for food were still kept inside the balefire ring, quickly growing tired of running around in panic. Sedrick regarded the shrine and then Mack and Coner. “Of course! We left this in the--”
“The cairn, yes,” Mack finished and looked up at Aen’drannan. “Should I tell them or would you like the honours?”
She smiled a closed lip smile saying, "You may tell them."
Mack nodded slowly and turned back to the others. “Very well. Aen’drannan has told us of Sigeran’s will, and we are all to place our hands upon this shrine and pledge our souls and bodies to his service.”
There was a pause. “Is that it?” came a quiet remark from Sedrick.
“That’s it.”
Sedrick looked at the shrine and then Aen’drannan, shrugged and raised his hand. “Alright, line up! Let us offer ourselves to our master and--”
“Now hold on,” came the snide, know-it-all voice of Annihilari, his companions folding out behind him like a fan of cards or a pack of vultures. Sedrick, Mack, Coner and the other Sigerans groaned in silence as they turned to look at them.
“What?”
“That’s my question, exactly,” Annihilari declared. “Or perhaps -why- is a better question. Offering yourselves to your god Sigeran is no simple decision - and certainly not one you should take lightly. Of course, I don’t care a feather or a fig for what happens to any of you, but in my merciful stupor, I simply cannot bear to see something so naive as you humans so thoughtlessly taking such orders unquestioningly!”
“So thoughtful!” cooed his companions.
“A heart of gold!” cooed another before being slapped.
“I do not! My heart is as black as the night itself - it beats only once a year, when I get to see my eternal love, Aveira!” He struck a pose, and the other Neiyari swooned.
“Such devotion! Such admiration!”
The Sigerans, meanwhile, looked back up at Aen’drannan as if begging for help. Sedrick stepped forward and tried to speak over the explosion of praise and pride that was Annihilari’s boasting right next to them. “As it may be the only way to shut them up, can you tell us what will happen once we give ourselves to the Master?”
Aen'drannan watched most of this with silent amusement but with the request to explain she spoke to them all. "Should you give yourself in soul and body over to Sigeran through the power of the Shrine you shall not only appraise yourself to a truly worthy god but more importantly for the more self-interested, you shall again powers two fold."
"When near the Shrine these powers will be at their height, your mortal forms while capable of damage will not halt, you will not suffer greatly from wounds and you will become almost undying in form. Secondly you will always know where and how far from you the Shrine is, the two who have retrieved it have pledged themselves. Do so now, or later, as long as you are pledged and with the Shrine no enemy of mortal make could easily best you from your own protection by the Divine hand of Sigeran."
She lowered her head bringing it close to the face, or more precisely looming over the head, of Annihilari. "I hope that has alleviated your 'merciful stupor', and I thank you as one being of Neiya's helpful creation to another for your close and careful consideration for the followers of Sigeran."
“Oh, it’s the least we could do,” Annihilari thanked as the Neiyari quieted down to observe. The Sigerans, after looking at one another to confirm their determination, each swore their oaths in turn and, one by one, were granted the powers their Master had promised them. Sedrick took a deep breath and grinned at Mack and Coner.
“I feel it… This is just like the blessing at Grimholt.” He took out his axe and chopped himself in the thigh. Blood surged forth, but he stood as though it had been a wasp’s sting. He then pulled the axe out and waited as the others looked on. He paled, and the amount of blood he was losing should indicate that he would be dead any minute, but he breathed and smile for all to see, raising his hands to the air. “SIGERAN IS WITH US!”
“SIGERAN IS WITH UUUUS!” echoed the other humans, and even the Neiyari looked somewhat impressed. As Vegard hastened to patch up Sedrick’s leg and give him black milk to rebalance his fluids, the humans turned back to Aen’drannan for further guidance. “What now, then? Where do we go from here?”
Rushing blood began to slow as the wound was healing slowly, but it was even so more than it should by any natural means. Aen'drannan spoke, "South, along the mountains as much as we can to reach the promised lands further up the river and into a tributary river from the mountains in the east. There is a promised land to the faithful of Sigeran and all those of good alliance and righteous power under true Divine might. There will be where you shall finally rest and prosper."
