The Revenant
Imported from SF2 with no description.
Hey! James! That’s not fair!” Sasha screamed.
Not today, dragon! Not today!” James exclaimed as he crawled deeper in the crevice in the rocks he used to escape his predator.
James! Get out of there! Ok. I’m being serious. I’m concerned!” Sasha said.
“Shit!” James said as he slipped.
Sasha heard James hit the sides of the cave as he fell.
“James! Are you ok?” Sasha said.
James caughed, goaned, and caughed again as he gripped his arm.
“My arm broke”, James said as he looked up noticing the deep cavern underground, with only a small amount of light coming from the crevice he crawled through.
“I’ll get you out, James. Just hang in there”, Sasha said.
James caughed as he tried to regain the wind that was knocked out of him.
“Wait, I see movement in the shadows”, James said.
Eyes from the moving figured gleamed in the dim light with emerald colored serpentine eyes.
James sighed in relief, thinking it was a dragon.
The figure moved into the dim light.
“A naga?” James thought.
The serpent slithered curiously to James. James crawled backwards as quickly as he could.
The snake flared it’s hood and revealed it’s fangs.
“Sasha! A naga!” James screamed. As he leaped to his feet and ran deeper into the cave. The naga slithered in pursuit of him.
“A naga? Here? Right under our noses? In clan territory?” Sasha thought.
“James! Nagas are allies! Let it know you’re with the clan!” Sasha said to James in thought.
“Are you crazy!” James exclaimed as he ran from the serpent. Forgetting about the painful fall, adrenaline flowed in him.
James saw the cave got dark very quickly. He slipped on the rocks, and fell. James crawled backwards and suddenly felt nothing under his feet. And he realized it was an underground cliff of unknown depth in the dark. The naga slithered in the dark flicking its tongue in an attempt to smell James. The slippery rocks caused James to slip further over the edge. To James’s horror, His grip was failing him as he tried to pull himself up with one arm. It was no use. James lost his grip.
“Shit”! James cursed.
James’s fingers slipped off the rock and began falling.
Something caught him and began to lift him up.
James then felt his feet on solid ground in the dark.
The Naga’s glowing emerald eyes stared at James.
“Sorry for scaring you. A flare of my hood and a hiss can be a greeting. We Nagi speak in both common tongue as well as body language”, the nagi said.
“Then you’re very enthusiastic with your greeting. Bearing your fangs too. They’re quite intimidating”. We humans can be quite… Flighty when a giant serpent flares it’s hood and bears venomous fangs at us after all”, James said with a little sarcastic tone.
“Cylitha, is my name. Yours must be James as your dragon friend was quite concerned shouting your name.
The crevice you crawled in is too high for you or I to reach. Come… I will lead you through a passage in this cave complex. It’s a three day walk, and has creaturessss that would be a threat to you”, Cylitha said.
“There wouldn’t be an underground spring or pond here by any chance?” James asked in worry of being without water for three days.
“There is a spring matter of fact. It is a day’s walk from here. Follow me, human”. The nagi slithered. “I suppose I have no choice but to trust her”, James thought to himself as he walked behind the naga.
“So, humans used to worship your kind, some still do matter of fact”. James stated, trying to stir conversation.
“Yes”, they still do. It's a tradition of theirs thats as old as I. The Hindu religion is the oldest documentation as well as the most accurate for us. You being not of their color however, tells me you are not of the region those humans are in. We are in our own right, gods. Just as all gods are here in what your traditions would call the otherworld. In mine, it’s the netherworld.
“She’s helping me… A godess in her own right. As all in the otherworld, what will she require in return”? James thought in suspicion.
“I smell many questions, James”. Your mind is quite busy”, Cylitha said.
James gave a loud sigh.
“You’ll see your friend Sasha in due time I assure you”, Cylitha said.
“Sasha is more than a friend. She’s my mate”, James said.
“A human? Mating with a dragon? Why would a dragon mate with a human”? Your kind are so small and frail”, Cylitha said.
“We humans are more hardy than most give us credit for. I’ve fought wars with enemies of actual threat to the dragon clan, that should say enough for my abilities”, James said.
“And yet so clumbsy. You could have fallen to your death had I not caught you. This cave is dangerous for those who cannot see in the dark, and the dangers for you have just begun. If armed, you’ll need to keep your weapons close”, Cylitha said.
“I’m unarmed”, James said lowering his head.
“How could you find yourself unarmed and in a dangerous place”, Cylitha asked.
It was all by accident. Sasha and I where just playing a game of predator and prey. I run and try to hide and she hunts me. But it is just… a game… I must add that I don’t die for loosing”? James said. Do you at least know magic”? Cylitha asked as they continued through the caves.
“Nope”, James said recalling the last time Sasha tried to teach him.
“Once we reach the spring, I must teach you defensive magic at the very least. It will be crucial for your survival”, Cylitha said.
“Oh, Sasha tried that. I ain’t going through that again”, James said in a defiant tone.
“My guess is she took a shortcut with you? Which Chakra, I wonder?” Cylitha said.
“Nope, not telling… not letting you find out either”, James said knowing where this would go.
“You’re quite defiant. Even to a god”, Cylitha said.
“A lesser one”, James shot back.
Another disrespectful remark from you, human, you’ll be sorry”, Cylitha said.
“One aggressive act from you, and you’ll answer for it. My mate is Pach Eh An, Sasha is just a nickname for common folk. So no, it’ll be you who is sorry. Her temperament is really short towards those who attempt to harm me.
Cylitha spoke in a tongue James never heard before. Frantically, James patted his face. To his horror, his mouth disappeared.
“Never speak that name in the dark. You don’t know what lies in the deep places of the world. Too many enemies would love to destroy you, just to crush your lover’s heart and break her spirit. For that, you’re a fool. Heed my wisdom, James, or you can have your mouth removed from your face for the two and a half days we have left till we get back to the clan”, Cylitha said. Cylitha reversed the spell, and James’s mouth appeared back on his face.
James remained silent, not wanting to experience such an event like that again.
“I wish not to harm you. I’m only trying to help you. I only ask that you do not make it more difficult than this has to be”, Cylitha said.
“Help huh?” James said in a skeptical tone and broke his silence.
“I understand your suspicions. Your clan has many enemies. However, your clan does indeed have just as many friends. Dragons aided Nagas and Nagas aided dragons. Allow me to aid you.
“I guess I don’t have a choice but to take your word for it”, James said.
“Finally I got you to be more reasonable”, Cylitha said.
“Ok James, I’m getting you out”, Sasha said.
Sasha heard no voice come from the crevice.
“James… James! James?” Sasha said as she tried to see if he was still there.
“I know that Naga heard me saying I was going to get him out. Why is he gone?” Sasha asked herself. “I’m not dead, so that means James is not dead. But he would be if he smells like someone else’s breath. Wait, don’t think those thoughts… James wouldn’t” Sasha thought. Sasha put her ring on to make herself smaller and she crawled through the crevice in pursuit of James and Cylitha.
After hours of walking, James and Cylitha continued to travel through the cave complex. Just as Cylitha said, there was an underground water source. James walked up to the water and cupped his hands and began drinking.
“James! Can you hear me”? Sasha thought.
“Yes I can. I’m ok, so you know. I’m with the naga. Her name is Cylitha”. James thought back to Sasha.
Several moments passed by and James noticed the silence.
“Sasha, is everything ok?” James asked.
“Cylitha died hundreds of years ago James, it can’t be her”. Sasha said.
“That’s the name she gave to me”, James thought to Sasha as he continued to drink from the underground river fed lake.
“I’m coming, James. Please don’t panic or raise that naga’s suspicion of you”, Sasha said.
“James, we should continue making our way”, Cylitha said.
“Cylitha wants us to continue deeper in the cave system”, James thought.
“Keep going James. I’m going to get you. But continue with Cylitha for now”, Sasha thought back.
“I thought creatures in the Otherworld don’t lie”, James thought.
“They don’t, but they do play tricks. Sometimes fatal ones. But…If she’s a revenant, she could be lying. And if she is one… We’ll, this is bad”, Sasha said in thought.
“What is a revenant?” James thought.
“A fae that possesses the dead. Regenerates flesh so you’d never know. They’re extremely hard to kill… Or more accurately get rid of. Even with my magic, a revenant is an extremely formidable foe. Sasha said.
“She doesn’t stink like a corpse, or have rotting flesh exposed”, James thought as he imagined what an undead would look like.
“Revenant corpses are undead by powerful magic. Do not allow her lively appearance to fool you. Please, be careful”, Sasha thought.
For several more hours, James and Cylitha continued through the cave. The cave ended in a massive cavern. It looked to be an ancient city inside this cavern. James had a very strong feeling of a malevolent presence. James turned to Cylitha, and the naga was no longer there.
“Sasha! Cylitha disappeared!” James exclaimed in thought.
“I'm almost there! I’ll get you out! Hang in there!” Sasha replied with a nervous tone.
James turned and saw a white ghost like figure. Like a giant woman, the revenant gave an ear piecing scream and disappeared in a burial mound within the ancient city.
James ran through the cavern entrance, frantically running the other direction. “Sasha! She disappeared in a burial mound! What the fuck is going on!” James exclaimed in thought as he continued running through the dark.
James ran into something and fell to the ground. James looked up and saw familiar green serpentine eyes. “Sasha?” James exclaimed. A very low pitched growl came from where James ran away from. The growl rumbled through the cave entrance. “Uh oh”, James said.
Flames burst through the cavern entrance and the flames headed for James. Quickly, Sasha laid on James, folding her wings to protect James from the flames. “What the fuck was that!” James exclaimed.
“We’re not staying to find out! Get on me! Sasha exclaimed.
Sasha spoke in Gaelic. The same spell she uses to keep James from falling off of her back. Sasha began running through the caves. As Sasha ran through the caves, the growls turned to roars.
“Is it me, or are the roars getting louder!” James yelled. Sasha did not respond.
James looked behind Sasha as she ran. A look of horror fell on his face.
Sasha! It’s a dragon! A very very big one! Run faster!” James exclaimed.
Sasha took flight and began weaving through the turns of the cave walls as well as avoiding stalagmites and stalactites.
“It’s still gaining on us! Faster!” James exclaimed.
Sasha frantically sopoke in Gaelic. As she did, the cave walls behind them began to crumble. The cave ceiling fell on top of the undead dragon chasing James and Sasha.
James and Sasha. made it to the cavern entrance. Sasha leaped on the cavern wall and began climbing to get to the crevice James entered a day earlier when they were playing.
As Sasha climbed, a high pitch scream came.
James screamed as he felt a sharp burning pain in his shoulder. James saw a flaming blade piece through his skin. Sasha leaped off of the cavern wall and laid James down. As she looked back up, the revenant spirit was still floating in the cavern. Sasha began to cast a spell to shield James.
After casting her spell of protection, her eyes turned black as she focused her gaze at the revenant. “You fucked with the wrong human, Sasha said
The revenant drew a flaming sword and landed on the ground. Sasha collapsed as her spirit left her body. Stone began to plate her ghostly scales.
“Tell me, can fire undo stone?” Sasha asked.
“No, but it will undo your human”, The revenant said. The revenant fled in retreat.
Sasha returned to her body. She stood up and walked towards James. James grunted in pain.
“Show me your wound”, Sasha bade. James took off his shirt, and Sasha examined it. Sasha smelled the stench of death in the wound.
“This is beyond my skills, James. We must get you some help”, Sasha said as she helped James to his feet.
“Get on”, Sasha said softly.
Sasha climbed up the cavern wall and pushed James through the crevice.
“James, help me put his ring on so I can get through”, Sasha said. James extended his hand to her mouth. Sasha regurgitated the magical ring into James’s hand as she continued to hang on the cavern wall. James slipped the wrong over her claw and slid it up for a secure fit.
Sasha shrunk in size and she squeezed through the crevice.
James crawled out of the crevice, whining in pain as he tried to get back to his feet. Sasha then made it out of the crevice. Sasha looked at James and saw his eyes blacken. “Oh shit!” Sasha exclaimed. James stared at Sasha for a brief moment, then suddenly slipped out of consciousness.
Sasha made it to the clan’s city and hastily made her way through.
“Traza! Sasha frantically screamed as she tapped on the door of Traza’s hut. Sasha continued tapping on the door. “Traza!” Sasha screamed again.
The elf woman opened the door to her hut.
With sleep still on her face, she looked at the dragon.
“Sasha, it’s awfully early in the morning. What’s wrong? It’ll be hours before the sun is up”. Traza said.
“It’s James! He got stabbed by a revenant's blade!” Sasha said as she motioned Traza to take James off her back.
Traza grunted as she tried to pull James off her back and carry him. “Gods he’s heavy”, Traza said.
Sasha put her ring back on as she followed Traza into the hut.
“Sasha, light the candles for me, will you please?” Traza asked. Sasha cast a spell that lit all the candles as well as the oil lamps. Traza laid James on the bed and grabbed a dagger. She then began cutting James’s shirt off. “His right arm is also broken. We’ll have to reset it. Oh my…” Traza said as she turned to James’s festering and rotting wound.
“How bad is it?” Sasha asked.
“Did his eyes turn black?” Traza said.
“Yes”, Sasha replied.
Traza pulled James’s eyelids open and found his eyes are black.
“There is no lore, no book or scroll in my possession to make a cure for this. This isn’t just a magical curse. No… It’s a spirit curse at that. It’ll rot his body. Once he dies, his very spirit will become a revenant, Sasha. I do not have the wisdom to cure this”, Traza said.
“How long does he have?” Sasha asked.
“A few days, with medical aid a day longer. This is an aggressive curse”, Traza said.
“I have a book that may have an answer. Me reading the book takes a vote, which takes time. But I memorized a spell to speak to my ancestors. They likely have the answer. Sense I cannot draw a circle on your stone floor, do you have salt? In this situation making a circle with salt will do”, Sasha asked.
Traza made way to her kitchen and grabbed a jar of salt. Then walked to Sasha and sprinkled the salt and made a circle around Sasha.
“I need some small wood planks. I need to carve a script on them for the spell”. Sasha said.
James opened his mouth and an ear piercing revenant scream came from his mouth. Sasha leaped from the circle and landed at James’s bed side. James began convulsing. Traza ran to James and held his mouth closed to prevent him from biting his tongue.
“Sasha! Hold him down and spit on his wound! Now!” Traza screamed. Sasha did as she was told.
Moments later, James stopped convulsing.
James began to breathe heavily as he laid there still unconscious.
“His consciousness has slipped in the land of the dead. There’s no telling what he’s facing or fighting there”, Traza said.
“I must go there and help him”, Sasha said
The land is so vast, Sasha. It’s a place of unlimited places, places within places. How will you find James when you have no idea where he could possibly be? You need to go to your ancestors. Get answers from them. There’s some small wood planks in my backyard. Use them to draw your script on”.
In a place of darkness and flame, James and the revenant spirit were fighting. The revenant swung his sword, James blocked the blow with his own sword. Swing after swing of their blades, blocking after blocking, step after step, James and the revenant danced the dance of war and death.
After what seemed to already be an eternity, James felt himself growing weaker after every moment in the fight. “You cannot last forever, no mortal soul can”, the revenant said in his unholy hollow voice.
“That is most definitely true”, James said with a demoralized look on his face.
He starred in the revenant’s eyes. “But you don’t know my mate”, James said. Defiantly, James swung his blade and struck the revenant’s arm.
The revenant gave an ear piercing scream and went underground. James stood at the ground wondering where the spectre would appear next.
“It’s James. He’s been pierced by a revenant blade. He’s somewhere here, in the land of the dead. I need your help. This is too far beyond my knowledge”, Sasha said to her ancestors.
Sasha, this is an extremely serious matter. If James perishes and his spirit gives into the revenaunt’s power, not only will his body perish, his spirit… It’ll become a revenant. You two being bound together means you’d face the same fate as James”, her ancestors said simultaneously.
“I just want James Back”, Sasha said.
A portal opened and Sasha stared into the portal.
“Go now, get James, and bring him back to us. It is extremely important you bring him back to us”, Sasha’s ancestors said.
“I will, thank you”, Sasha said.
“Do not thank us yet. You must still bring him back to us”, her ancestors replied.
Frantically, James was looking arround, turning, and anticipating the revenant to appear again. The revenant appeared behind James and the spectre swung his sword. The sword made contact with James’s back. James screamed in agony as he fell to his knees. “Time to become one of us”, The spectre raised his sword. The spectre swung, aiming for James’s neck.
James tilted his head sharply and the revenaunt’s sword missed its mark. Quickly, James used his own sword and shoved it into the Revenant’s body. The revenant gave another ear piercing scream of death. Suddenly, a dragon bit on the Revanant’s head and threw the spectre side to side like a rag.
She pinned the spectre down and viciously clawed at his body. She then spit flames at the revenant.
She Raised a paw lit with black flames. She ripped the soul out of the revenaunt’s spirit body and killed its soul. The spirit lacked consciousness and vanished. James smiled, and got up. James walked to Sasha. “You came”, James said as he hugged her. James cried uncontrollably. “We must go and get back to my ancestors. They said it’s urgent”, Sasha said. James nodded, understanding that whatever it was, it was important. James climbed on Sasha’s back. The two went back through the portal.
“I brought him back, as promised”, Sasha said.
“We wish to speak with James, in private”, Sasha’s ancestors said.
James’s eyes widened in fear.
“Please… Don’t hurt him! It’s not his fault”, Sasha said.
“We never said, or assumed it was. But as for James, we need to speak with him in private. There are some matters of his situation we must discuss. Once we are finished, we’ll help him determine his fate. You asked for our help, we ask this of you in return”, the ancestors said.
“Determine his fate?” Sasha asked herself as she began to cry.
“Sasha, I’ll see you soon. Don’t worry”, James said, as he tried to be optimistic.
Sasha returned to her body. She got up and looked at James’s body. She began crying uncontrollably.
James stood before Sasha’s ancestors.
“James, can you tell us exactly how you came across a revenant?” They asked.
“Sasha and I where playing a game. Just well, a way for us to spend time with eachother”, James said.
“And what game would cause you to come across a revenant?”, the ancestors asked.
James shrugged his shoulders and slightly blushed. “I just call it predator and prey”, James said.
“So Sasha is the predator, she hunts you, and in order for you to win, you cannot get caught”, The ancestors said.
“Exactly”, James said.
This began to spark their curiosity. “I don’t like where this is going”, James thought to himself.
“What happens if you get caught?” They asked.
“Well, I’m prey… Sort of… At least”, James said.
“And Sasha enjoys this?” They asked.
“Why wouldn’t she? She loves to hunt. It’s actually a good way for me to spend quality bonding time with her as well”, James said.
“Where does the revenant fit in this story?” The ancestors asked.
“I found a crevice in some rocks. I thought it’d be a good place where Sasha couldn’t reach me. I slipped, fell, and long story short, in a cavern is where I had first contact with the revenant”, James said.
“So the other parts of the story aren’t important?” The ancestors asked.
“In terms of what happened, they wouldn’t be”, James stated.
“Thank you James. We ask so we can make an informed decision.
However, now we leave it to you to choose your fate. There are two choices. The first choice is you not returning to your body. You have an open space. A space with us. A space where wounds of your encounter will never affect you”, the ancestors said.
“And option two?”James asked.
“You return to your family. Sasha, Gael, and Moonlight… But you should know… returning means bearing that wound. And with the otherworld, you’d bear it for a very… Very long time before death ever releases you from its pains. So our first option was out of sympathy, as well as respect for you. We don’t want to see you suffer”, the ancestors said.
“If I stayed, Sasha would be more hurt than I ever was. I won’t allow it”, James said.
“Brave and selfless, we admire it”, the ancestors said.
“I’d like to go”, James said.
“Before you do, take this”, the ancestors said.
A ring appeared. James walked to it and picked it up.
“It’ll numb the pain from that wound you’ll bear. You can still live a fruitful life with it. This is a gift, it isn’t borrowed like your necklace is. And now, consider that necklace a gift. You now have both our respect, and our love”, the ancestors said.
A tear ran down James’s eyes.
“Go, be with your family, James”, Sasha’s ancestors said.
James woke up in a bed. He looked around and saw Traza with another patient. James looked to the other side of the bed and saw Sasha sleeping next to his bed with tears running down her eyes.
“Sasha!”, James said.
Sasha leaped to her feet. “James! You’re awake! Today was the last day Traza expected you to live!” Sasha said.
“No, just a dead man talking from beyond the grave! Mmmmuuuuaaahahahahaaaa!” James exclaimed with a maniacal laugh.
“Not funny”, Sasha said.
“James! I’m glad you feel better, but I’m working on a patient ”, Traza said.
I sure did show the revenant who has real power too”, Sasha said.
“Oh I had him when you came along”, James said.
“You were on your knees!”, Sasha exclaimed.
“Did you see me dodge that neck blow? Turn around and stuck him with a sword?” James said.
“It takes allot more than that to stop a revenant. You got nerve, I’ll give you that. However, my way was the only way to get rid of the problem”, Sasha said.
“Damn, bested by a dragon again”, James said.
“You being a human, there’s no shame in it”, Sasha said as she moved her snout to James’s face and kissed him.
Sasha looked at James’s right hand.
“What’s that?” Sasha said.
“Your ancestors gave it to me. They said that this will numb the pain from the wound I bear. And they also said I have both their love and respect”, James said.
“Bullshit! Every item used from them is borrowed. And they often eventually take back what was borrowed”, Sasha said. They said gift. They also said the necklace or my leg is now a gift and no longer borrowed”, James said.
“You did something to impress them”, Sasha said.
“They gave me two options. I can stay with them, or return to a life of pain. I chose to return for you and our offspring. So, maybe? It was a loyalty test”, James said.
“Now that makes more sense”, Sasha said.
James moved his left arm. “I thought this arm was broken. It doesn’t hurt!”, James said.
“Nonsense, it’ll take months for it to be fixed”, Traza said.
“I’m moving it”, James replied.
“It’s the ring”, Sasha said.
“Can We go home now? I’d rather rest there. Spend time with the little rascals too”, James said.
“That’ll be one hundred gold coins”, Traza said.
“How is that price fair?” Sasha asked.
Stay in the hut, bed use, you where here for almost three days. Medical aid, and monitoring his condition. The costs of it all add up”, Traza said.
James looked at Sasha and cringed. “I haven’t gotten paid yet for being a leader in the clan yet”, James said.
“That’s an expensive bill”, Sasha said.
“You’re a dragon, you don’t have a hoard of gold?” James said, raising an eyebrow.
“You humans aren’t just a pain in the ass, you’re an expensive pain in the ass. And we didn’t work for three days. Meaning we don’t get paid for those days”, I’m sure people are upset that the clan leaders aren’t able to function yet over this.
“So we’ll be at work in the morning? James asked.
“Absolutely not, you need to rest. And I’d say Sasha watching you as you rest for the next couple days is a good idea. It’s her saliva you’ll require for now on to keep that permanent wound you’ll have in check. I’ll be alerting the clan leaders of whyyou two need more time off”, Traza said.
“Yay, more throat snuggles”, James said.
Sasha began speaking in Gaelic. A pile of gold coins appeared in front of Treza.
“That’s one hundred coins. Come on James, before you make the bill bigger”, Sasha said. James left the hut and the two made it to their cave.
“Take your clothes off James”, Sasha said.
James took his shirt off. Sasha inspected the wound. “Now the rest of them”, she said.
“Can we just… Lay with eachother, and cuddle with each other? James asked.
“Why? Me swallowing you is a form of cuddle when you think of it that way”, Sasha said.
“We almost lost eachother entirely. Like as in… ceasing to exist as ourselves”, James said as he broke down crying.
“James, it’s really important not to dwell on those things”, Sasha said.
“How do such beings exist? How can a being with half a brain want to send others through so much hell?” James said as He became emotionally unglued. “The horror that revenant put me through. That battle was the worst of my life. And I know I’ll never have another worse than it. Those couple days felt eternal. And every defensive and offensive move I made, I felt my strength being drained. It was hopelessness, such a potent feeling of doom. I wish no one would experience”, James said.
“I may not know how you feel about it. But I can imagine fighting a battle with both your spirit and your mate’s spirit at stake would be very draining”, Sasha said.
“I didn’t even know what would come of us if I lost. All I could sense was it’s a fight I cannot loose, a feeling of everything at stake. And yes… I was loosing”, James said as he continued crying. Sasha embraced him with her forelegs.
“Easy James, we won, you’re letting it play with your mind”, Sasha said.
“It’s how I felt sense I woke up. I just hid it from Treza”, James said.
“That explains you clowning around so much when you woke up”, Sasha said.
James saw something in the corner of their cave. The Revenant standing there, seemingly staring at them.
James buried his face in Sasha’s chest, figuring it’s a trick his mind is playing on him.
Sasha gently laid James down. “In you go human”, Sasha said as she moved her snout to his feet. She quickly swallowed him, placing him in her throat.
Sasha laid down on the cave floor, with a feeling of something becoming very wrong with James.