Zion: Light of the New Moon, Doen's Milestone 1b
Zion - Light of the New Moon Milestone One
Doen Sun Burned, Part 2
The caravan has been overcome by a large force of Sun Cultists led by a handful of Delani. The Sun Humans have begun the systematic sacrifice of those faithful to Tah'Aveen and several named members of the group already appear to have met their end. Who will end up living and who has yet to die? Let's tune in and see.
I tried to stay safe... you made me promise you that I would. I got out of Myre before they could include me in their ritual. I lived in the Wild Lands for years and with your help and the Goddess' I didn't die. You'e watched over me and protected me even after you and dad... left. I know it wasn't your fault... the Goddess calls people to her when she wills, but I wish-- well... I wish you would have done for yourself what you've done for me. I guess that doesn't make much difference now.
"Will you let go of that stupid necklace and help us for a minute?" the large lion to my right is fidgeting again, pulling at the metal bars of our cage. I know it's useless and so does everyone else, but they're still trying because he seems to think doing something is better than doing nothing... well I AM doing something.
"It won't help." I answer, but I move to join the rest of them at the bars.
"On the count of three..." Lordling Rakken announces, folding his tawny colored paws around the bars again. "One... two... three!" Everyone heaved in unison but, as expected, the cage doesn't give way.
"There isn't a floor on this cage... I can't understand why we can't get it to move." the lion growls at nobody in particular.
"It's a magical container." I volunteer, "A mobile cage." He just doesn't seem to understand.
"But it only has three sides." Haldyn looks at me, "Unless the bars are sunk THAT far into the ground we should be able to lift it... this damn thing can't weigh THAT much."
"Weight doesn't matter." Jasper says, coming to my rescue. I'm not much for arguments and I'm about ready to give up, but the rat apparently plans on educating the Lordling, "I've seen these before too... once they're placed on the ground the only thing that will move them is the command word or the key."
"We can't just sit here." Priest Zachary adds to the conversation; it's not hard to tell that he's out-of-sorts. The rabbit is grinding his knuckles into the ground, expressions of pain, fear, anger, frustration, and sorrow taking their turns on his face. He looks down at the ground and freezes, "What about digging out?" Just then, everything goes crazy.
The air around me suddenly feels like it increased in temperature. The ground rumbles and a large explosion rocks the camp. "Oh Goddess... this is it." I whimper. They must be starting some final ritual to destroy the caravan with fire... it's the only possible explanation. I feel the necklace in my paws biting into my paw pads. If ever there were a time when I needed help, Mother... it's now.
"Nice fireworks, huh?" the casual comment catches more than just my attention. A charred ferret, most of the fur on the front side of his body missing leans against a tree a short distance from the cage, "Let's see what we can put together for an encore."
"Dillan?" Priest Zachary asks.
"It is I." the merchant confirmed, "We ferrets all look alike without our fur." he grins.
"You fucking traitor..." Haldyn growls menacingly, "Come a little closer and I'll show you an encore."
"Oh please... I know I'm a good actor, but I HARDLY expected all of YOU to be taken in too." the ferret casually disregards the threat, "I would have thought you would have put a little more faith in me." he raises a paw, jingling a set of red metal keys. The merchant has the cage open in seconds... just in time for Haldyn to pull the door open and grab him by the neck.
Everyone stands in place as the lion brings his muzzle within an inch of Dillan's, "I don't trust you... and I want to know why I shouldn't just squeeze harder until I pop your scheming head off of your shoulders."
Zachary is at the lion's side in an instant, tugging at his arm, "He just opened the cage, Haldyn." the rabbit explains, "He's not on their side."
"You could have told us your plan earlier." the lordling growls, letting go of the ferret.
Dillan drops to the ground, coughing once as he rubs his neck, "Didn't really have the chance." he answers, voice strained, "...and... you're welcome." Another explosion from the center of camp forestalls any further argument, but the ferret is quick to add, "And it looks like Lord Rust is continuing the fight without us."
"Come on." Jasper says, moving to stand beside Haldyn, "We'll go help."
"We don't have any weapons... no armor..." I point out.
"No holy symbols..." Zachary adds with a scowl.
"So how are we supposed to fight an army of cultists?" I ask.
"All of your equipment is in that wagon there." Dillan responds without a moment's hesitation, motioning to a storage wagon only a few dozen yards away.
"Any guards?" Haldyn asks sourly.
"There were." the ferret responds with a smirk.
"I'll thank you after they're all dead." the lion answers, and moves directly to the wagon, everyone else in hot pursuit... except me.
The forest is only a stone's throw away; it won't be hard to get out. Survival is the most important thing and I know how to live in the Wild Lands... it would be easy enough to get away. Looking back at the rest of the party, moving already toward their equipment--- damn it all... it shouldn't be this hard to escape. Why do they want to fight anyway? We could all get away.
No... most of them are city dwellers... they wouldn't make it two days without their equipment. Goddess... all of mine is there too and not everything there is replaceable. Mother, forgive me, but I can't run this time. Taking a deep breath, I skirt the camp, keeping under cover as much as possible. They are going in a straight line, which is stupid-- no cover there means they-- Goddess! They got spotted!
I hold my breath, watching as the armored jackal leaps at Haldyn, sword leading the way. The lion pivots on his front leg, spinning away from the sun cultist, throwing his arms out to grab hold of the jackal's wrists. Continuing his spin, the lordling leverages the blade out of his attacker's paws. Without wasting any of his momentum the lion finishes his spin and returns the cultist's sword to him via the back of his neck. The jackal falls to the ground, paws grasping without effect at the blade sticking out of the front of his throat.
"He won't be able to shout for help." Haldyn announces and continues toward the wagon. At this point, I figure that it won't be such a bad idea sticking close to the party.
Several more explosions and bursts of heat later and we have our equipment. Whatever's going on further in camp seems to have the cultists' attention, which leaves us able to reequip and rearm. I have to say... it does feel good having my sword back. Everyone else gathers up their gear as fast as they can. I'm ready to go into the forest but, unfortunately, everyone else has a different plan in mind.
"Let's go help Lord Rust." Zachary announces, his paw gripping his holy symbol with white-knuckle determination. Once everyone else turns to follow I sigh... it's not like I have much of a choice at this point. I head after everyone, but I stay at the back of the group.
Brother Zachary leads us toward the source of the explosion-- I'm not too happy about it, but I have to admit that it's the best option we have for ending the attack. What we stumble upon, though, isn't exactly what I thought it was. What looks like an entire battalion of sun cultist warriors face off against Lord Rust... or, at least, it looks like Lord Rust... mixed with the sun.
The echidna stands by the fire pit, entire body engulfed in an aura of flame. His eyes glow white hot and every last one of his quills end in a ball of fire. We stumble onto the scene just as Lord Rust reaches back and pulls one of the fireballs free from its quill and hucks it into the mass of cultists. They scatter, but not fast enough-- a half dozen are sent flying... most of them are already dead from the explosion... the rest don't survive the impact of landing several yards away.
"It's the Prayer of Transference..." I distinctly hear Jasper say to himself. Nobody else seems to understand it in the way I do. It's a Sickle Moon prayer... it's horrible. The mere mention of it sends my tail out, fur up. I'd been a victim to that prayer before, but to see it used this way... oh Goddess.
I find a hiding spot easily beneath the closest carriage while the echidna continues unleashing the Sun Cultists' powers against them until the flames cease flowing from his body. Although my first thought is that he'll finally let up, I'm proven wrong as he wades right into the mass of cultists with his hammer hand leading the way. Worse yet, the rest of our party join him... except for Brother Zachary, who remains where he is, paws gripping his holy symbol.
"You are ALL going to pay for this!" the rabbit cries out, his voice emerging in a primal scream.
I can hardly silence the whimper that escapes me as black tendrils of energy snake out of Brother Zachary. His prayer to the New Moon is answered, and the dark power slithers across the ground like so many snakes, rising up the Sun Cultists, wrapping around their legs and torso before forcing themselves down into the screaming muzzles of their victims; before my eyes I watch as dozens of cultists convulse, their bodies withering... and skeletons fall to the ground.
At that moment, the battle freezes. The warriors on our side stand stunned as all eyes go to Zachary, who is still awash with the crackling power of a vengeful aspect of the Goddess. The Sun Cultists, however, are far from frozen in place... in fact, they're running as fast as they can. I would wag, but I'm still too awestruck and terrified by the glowing orbs of blackness that have replaced the rabbit's eyes. The wisps of darkness continue to flow off of him as they creep along the ground with supernatural speed, overtaking the cultists time and time again.
"ZACH!" Rust shouts, motioning with his iron hand toward the rabbit. Somehow, the priest retained enough of his senses that he must have heard, because he turns around just in time to see a cultist descending upon him with a curved blade. Zachary has enough time to raise his silver staff in defense, but the larger, more powerful boar has the advantage, and I watch as the blade is lowered progressively toward the priest's chest; Zachary's grip on his staff starts to fail.
The boar suddenly lets go of his blade, going rigid as he falls forward against the priest. Zachary sluffs him off to the side, revealing Taggart standing right behind where the cultist had been. The dog's fur, usually a collection of numerous colors, is completely covered in soot and is as black as coal... but it is unmistakably him. "Hi." he offers simply to the rabbit, who throws himself against the dog, hugging him tightly.
It would have been a beautiful moment for victory, but nothing is ever that easy, is it? I ALMOST climbed out from beneath the wagon, but thankfully I didn't. Remaining hiding, I watch as the cultists' reinforcements arrive.
"Form up!" Rust shouts. Haldyn and Jaser join with him as the three stand their ground against twenty-something cultists. The echidna slams his iron fist into his other hand, "You all wanna die today too, do ya?" he growls at the opposition.
The battle is a bloody one, but, with the prayers of protection and empowerment from Zachary, Rust and Haldyn seem indestructible. Jasper moves quickly, dancing around the edge of combat, pulling weapons out of paws and feet off balance with his tail... I think I even might have just seen him wrack the crotch of an attacking Weimaraner... oh Goddess... no... his tail was actually holding a knife at the time... ugh.
We're winning... I can't believe it. After all that, I think we might actually survive! A shout from Rust cuts my optimism. At first I almost thought that he grew a quill out of his arm, but that's just stupid-- blood flows out of the wound from the arrow lodged into his shoulder; he was shot by an archer. Everyone's eyes go to a crow standing by the campfire, long bow in his talons as he takes aim for another shot... but he doesn't get a chance.
Narissa, previously laying unmoving amidst a pile of rubble, leaps up in the space of a breath and her knife nimbly cuts the crow's bowstring. She hooks one of her feet around the back of the bowman's leg and pulls, tumbling the crow to the ground. The tigress follows up with a quick kick to the bird's chest, forcing him back against the ground before he could stand.
With a single motion, Narissa pulls what looks like colored spiderweb from her body. I watch in surprise as she peels away the like grievous, life-threatening wounds as if she were talking off a shawl which, I realize, is exactly what she just did. The cloth, which is a perfect match for her fur coloration is swung as the crow reaches for his dagger. The shawl wraps cleanly around the cultist's wrist and Narissa gives it a sharp tug, pulling the talon to do her will as if the crow were a marionette. I wince as I hear the wet sound of a blade entering through flesh. Narissa lets go of the shawl, leaving the crow laying unmoving, his own dagger buried in the side of his head.
Haldyn and Jasper finish off the last of the few cultists who remain fighting while Rust moves over to embrace the tigress. "Goddess, you can act." the echidna says, pulling her to him tightly.
"You did amazingly well yourself... for a non-thespian" Narissa responds with a chuckle, purring in his arms, "I'm sorry I had to deceive you."
"I'm just glad you had a chance to talk to me alone." he answers, slowly releasing her and moving her to arm's length, looking down at her, "But, if I'd have been given a choice, I would have preferred to know from the start."
"That's exactly what I'M saying." Haldyn scowls, putting his sword through another cultist, "DILLAN." he adds for good measure. Further behind him, the merchant simply shrugs, and continues riffling through the pouches of dead cultists.
This would be another good spot to claim victory... in fact, it would have been perfect, if not for the fact that I see another sun cultist... Goddess, I recognize him... he was the one who was directing this from the beginning. I open my muzzle to shout a warming... but nothing comes out.
"Marvelous." he says, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, "Less than ten of you left, and FINALLY you manage to put up a fight."
"Less than ten?" questions Zachary, turning to face the golden skinned human.
"Of course." the Delani answers, motioning with his hand at those assembled, "It would have been quite a feat to sacrifice the entire caravan with only three losses... but apparently you have finally found your faith and managed to beseech your 'Moon Mother' for aid." he smiles, "Which means that this victory will be all the more meaningful."
"So you're surrendering then?" Rust asks, placing his fist and his hammer on his hips.
"No." the Delani answers with a broad grin.
I watch helplessly as Haldyn, Narissa, and Dillan are thrown backward by the force of the blast. Jasper and Taggard are knocked off their feet, and even Brother Zachary and Lord Rust are forced to one knee. The Delani walks by the wagon right in front of me and I hold my breath, hoping to goddess that he doesn't notice me. I manage to stifle a whimper when I watch the earth in his footsteps burn. He stops with his toes facing the injured.
"Your feeble attempts at resistance have been amusing, but it is time to admit that your Goddess is weak when you don't have your temples to protect you." I hear him say, his voice heavily accented but still understandable.
"Go back to the Eternal Flame where you belong!" Haldyn spits.
The Delani laughs, covering the faint amount of sound I make as I pull myself out from under the carriage, "In time I will find myself there... but there's no way I can explain to a Moon Worshiper that it is hardly the torture you seem to think it is." he laughs again, "Forever illuminated in Her light... no... it will be bliss."
I feel the soft satin of his robe when I rest my paw on his shoulder; I began speaking before he can react. The words that come out of my muzzle are ones I heard years ago but can never forget no matter how hard I try. I raise my voice to the Goddess whose followers have caused me so much pain, calling on her as I ask for something I wouldn't wish on my worst ene-- scratch that... I am wishing it on my worst enemy.
"Coma sah--?" the Delani begins in his own language, so surprised by me that he doesn't even think to speak in Imperial. It doesn't really matter anyway... I'm too busy focused on my chant to listen to him. I feel sick to my stomach as I feel the touch of Tah'Aveen. It's the Prayer of Transference... and it's far too familiar.
I feel energy course through me as I obtain a response to the prayer I had never before thought I would ever use... one I didn't even know I would have answered. I was too used to being the target of the prayer-- I've never been the one to use it. As Her power flows through me I feel my heart beat faster and my breath quicken; the feeling is... amazing.
"This one." I whisper, gripping the cultist's shoulder harder. The moment the Delani convulses the sickness in me returns as I empathize with him. I know what it feels like... I know what it does. Well... I THOUGHT I knew what it does. The moment he collapses my entire body begins burning... it feels like I'm on fire. "No!" and panic sets in.
The next few moments are a blur. Fire sprouts from me and I feel it flowing through my veins like liquid magma. Screaming loses its meaning as I feel... Goddess... I can't describe it. It hurts... it hurts SO MUCH! My tears evaporate even as I try to cry out, begging Tah'aveen with each breath I can't take that the pain ends. That is when I feel the strong grip on my shoulder and, for a moment, my heart stops; I hear the prayer I had just spoken said by another.
A powerful, cooling rain extinguishes the fires burning within me as the Delani's stolen power is taken from me. For a moment I can't help but panic-- does the sun human know how to use the Sickle Moon prayer? Even more frightening is the fact that someone is using the prayer on me. Never again, I had promised myself, and now it is happening! I try to struggle, but I'm just too exhausted, physically and emotionally.
"Calm down, Zeke... calm down." the words cut through the haze in my mind... it's Jasper.
I force my body to stop shaking... but only barely. I can feel the dull pain where his paw rests on my shoulder, my heart fluttering as he siphons the Delani's life force out of me. I've felt that sensation before, though usually it's my own life being slowly bled from me. The priests in the temple... oh Goddess, they used to use me like this. They used to use me like this, and I let them... I told myself never again-- so why am I not resisting now?
The aching throb of life leaving me called by the will of another; the sensation of helplessness as I am overpowered by a superior force; the pins-and-needles that follow as my body begins to go numb; the aching pain in my chest and all over my body as I'm forced to give my essence over to another. My head begins to spin as I experience sensations I'd pushed out of my life. Slowly, the sensations begin to fade and, as my vision clears, I see the concerned face of Jasper looking down at me; apparently I'd ended up on the ground. It doesn't matter though... I close my eyes again as I press my muzzle to his. He's surprised, I can tell.
"Oh Goddess..." I disgust myself as I whisper to him, "...it was amazing."
* * * * *
And now Doen's Milestone concludes.
The votes are in, and it appears that every last person in the party was saved! Way to go folks!
Stay tuned for an intermediary post next week. Would you like influence over what that intermediary post is? All readers may vote below:
1) Rust being exposed to the sacrifices... and his talk with Narissa 2) Everything Dillan was up to during the Sun Cultist's occupation of the camp. 3) Something happens between Jasper and Zeke that night.
Here's the clencher: you have until midnight PST of Tuesday, October 4th... that's about 48 hrs. The default choice is #1.