The Ceremony

The carriage pulling up to the walled place moved slowly through the growing crowd.  The guards waved the driver through, keeping people away from the two large horses that powered the carriage.  Smells of fresh bread, cooking meat on open fires, and distinct whiff of ale floated through the carriage windows.  Jason took in a large deep breath, taking it all in.  As always, he enjoyed watching people, move to and fro, usually to unknown destinations, but today, they shuffled around the wall.  Besides celebrating, what were they doing?  They were spending silver, tossing it away for food, beer, games, and trinkets.

A few mere weeks ago, taking silver from people was his only true goal in life.  Whether it was legally or not, it did not matter.  He held little worry if they could afford his services or it was their last coin.  His inn and casino, the Silver Dagger, located perfectly on the park, had already started making him plenty of silver.  Now, it laid in ruin, crushed during the battle with Clinox and the place of Catherine's death.  As the carriage rounded the back of the palace, he wondered if he should rebuild.

Things were not the same now, his life changed by the events in the last few weeks, mostly his focus.  Of which, he was no longer the center of.  Others now relied on him, whether it was fate or by his doing, or if he liked the situation or not.  That was a lot of ors he thought.

Lillian crawled up on him as they stopped; she was definitely one blessing that changed his life.  He had a daughter now, she has been around for eight years and due to his stubbornness, he missed all of it.  Did he regret the past eight years of his life?  Mistreating those he once called friends?  He had to admit; only a part of him did.  Those eight years brought him Catherine and his loyal friend Shae.  They also brought in silver, which he figured now he would need.

Opening the door when they came to a full halt, he stepped out.  The carriage driver looked at him with an unusual glare.  Jason guessed he should have waited for him to do his job.  He definitely was not used to this kind of treatment.  Still, ignoring the man, he helped Lillian down who began to run into the crowd.

Turning and stepping away from the carriage, he bent next to her.  "Stay here, with me little one," he said with a smile.  She smiled back and gave him a hug.

"Yes daddy," she said.  Another item he needed to get used to, daddy.

He lifted her as the driver assisted Fiona from the carriage.  She was beautiful, and despite her sufferings over the past weeks, she now seemed to glow.  Her soft soled black boots stepped softly on the grass.  She did look good, dressed in tight, tight he thought�"better hold that thought until later�"black leather pants.  Her black silk shirt hung snugly around her shapely body.  Her red hair accented the green sash that ran from her left shoulder to her belt.  She too was dressed in Islesen's colors�"black and green.

Never taking his eyes off her, Jason watched Fiona walked up to him and gently touch his arm.  Her green eyes locked to his.  As she stepped beside him, Lillian jumped to her.  Looking at the two of them next to him he was thinking.  Could this be his life now?  A family man?

He lowered his eyes, but Cat?  He did love her, he admitted it to her.  They shared a moment of true passion, albeit brief.  Glancing back at Fiona, he smiled as she looked toward the carriage as Mother Friedman stepped out. Would he feel for her the same as he once did?  Before Catherine?  If so, was he betraying Cat?  Shaking his head no, she was gone, he had to move on.  Staring back at Fiona as the wind fluffed her hair, he knew he felt something for her.  Maybe not what was once there, but something grew again.  That something he could build on, he knew he could.

Looking around him, the people around, the royal guards gathering near the main stage in preparations for the upcoming proceedings, all celebrated the victory against Clinox.  This was to be a start to a new era, yet most of these people are unaware of what was ahead of them.  There was going to be yet more darkness before the true new dawn.  (He now dedicated himself another cause himself too)?, seeing Norrelle through this, with Fiona's help.  The outcome of this would also determine his future.  Would he lose it all, as he has had before?  Or was it his time now, time to stand up for something, friends and family, love and friendship.  Only the future held those answers, he must live in the now.  His path chose by his own design, not the gods.  And damn it, he was going to fight to keep it all.

Fiona wrapped her arm around him as they walked behind Norrelle and Mother.  King Richmond was now standing on the stage, waving them over.  People stopped, a quiet surrounded them as Norrelle's elfin guard, no longer disguised, marched alongside of them, followed by Yassir's elfin guard, led by the man he has come to know as a half elf much like Shae, Dajmal Deluka.  The crowd parted like magic as they made their way to the platform to the waiting royal Richmond family.

King Richmond greeted Mother like an old friend.  Jason wished he could remember her elfin name, but all these years, she has been known to him as Mama or Mother.  The elfin guard moved, standing in front of the stage, along with the king's guard.  Norrelle took the king's hand next, hugged Queen Anne, and gave their eleven year old son Tanner a rub on the head.

Fiona and he went up the small steps next; Richmond's hand went out for Jason's immediately.  He accepted and gave the king a firm handshake, as the Queen proceeded to hug Fiona and a kiss her on the cheek.  Shaking his hand, the king placed his other on Jason's shoulder.

"I," pausing, "the city owes you a great debt my old friend.  If it were not for you, this city and many more would be lost."

Letting go of the king's hand, Jason said, "Let us not forget all those who stood by my side, especially those who cannot stand by me now."

"Yes, they should not and will not be forgotten.  We are planning a memorial statute to be placed in the park, all those who fought, both those who survived and those who sacrificed their lives will be honored upon it.  And that day, every year from now will be celebrated in their name.  No, Jason, they will not be forgotten, never."

"Thanks," Jason returned as the queen hugged him gently.

"Thank you for saving my husband," she said with a kiss on the cheek.

"You must save that gratitude for Prince Yassir milady, and honor Sven Haynmen. They were instrumental in his rescue."

"Yes, I know.  I was there, remember," the king said with a chuckle.

"Mommy," Lillian interrupted.  "Can I play with Tanner?"

Fiona looked at the queen, who nodded in agreement.  "Okay, just don't go far," Fiona told her as she let her slide down herself to the stage.  As the two children headed off the stage, Jason noticed the king nod to a young woman dressed in black thin leathers, with a long sword at her side.  She nodded in return and intercepted the young ones, grabbing both of their hands, then leading them into the crowd.

"Elizabeth will ensure their safety Lord Shadowgrass, do not fret.  She's been Tanner's guardian for five years now."

"I'm at ease," Jason lied.  As he stepped away from the stage, nearing the crowd, his eyes roamed the walls.  Too many people, too many targets in public, the stage for tragedy could not be better.  Something was not right, he sensed it.  If he wished to strike anyone of importance, this would be the time and place.  Stephan was missing, this posed a problem, and he was arrogant enough to try to attempt something.  Rygerri was about also, what a wonderful gathering to blast nearly every threat he had.

As Jason cautiously scanned the area another murmur silently ran through the crowd as people began to back away from the gate that allowed entrance into the rear field of the keep.  At first he could not see what they were reacting to, but then he heard the sounds of marching ring out above the quiet gesturing.  No sooner than he was ready to guess what it was, he spied the Dwarven honor guard escorting Nalin and his brother Gimdur.

The Dwarven group passed by him, he saw Nalin nod in his direction, and then continued to the stage.  Once there, both Nalin and Gimdur bowed slightly to King Richmond, then bowed deeper to Norrelle.  Did everyone know her secret?  It really was not much of one then, he thought.  Then they proceeded with pleasant introductions to each other.

That was it, everyone was here.  He saw Shae, Connacht and the young girl Rosalba milling around the stage, and eventually greeting Nalin. He thought he should be social and turned toward the dwarves, meeting Fiona next to Nalin, arriving as Laurel and Erinwolfe stepped up.  Most of those involved were now present, all but Blade, who had business elsewhere.  Business titled Stephan Hardin.  Carl, aka Blade, was not one for these sorts of functions, and told both Shae and he, he only reacted to save Laurel, not the city.

"Jason," Nalin began, and then was cut short by the sound of thunder and a flash of lightning at the rear of the yard.  The green lightning crackled its way across the yard, causing people to dive recklessly out-of-the-way.  A few were struck, fried instantly, their charred flesh filling the once sweet festival air with a disgusting aroma.

Jason reacted, trying to pull Hunter, but realizing his peace cord prevented him.  With a quick yank on the leather strap, the cord was loose and his sword was free.  He and Fiona now stood between the unknown assailant and the dozen or so various elite guards.

* * *

Constance smiled as she heard the screams of the people and the cries of the dying.  She had never killed before, but seeing her power rip through the poor humans so easily, she quickly discovered she enjoyed it.  She pulled her staff from the ground and held it before herself.  She knew to be cautious, for no doubt her aunt would be here.

Stepping forward she nodded at the nervous Kaynan who stood beside her to follow.  He looked awkward in the slightly oversized leather vest and the short sword that was almost two-handed for him.  He hesitantly moved forward with her, keeping about a pace behind.

"Halt," she heard as some of the royal guard, all heavily armored ran around the man she knew as Jason Shadowgrass.

"No," he cried, trying to stop them.  They should have listened.

Lifting the staff into the air, she spoke the ancient elfin words summoning the lightning from the sky.  A bolt came forth, striking the staff, which channeled it, outward in a fan toward the advancing soldiers.  The lightning struck their armor, illuminating them quickly.  They glowed as they bounced around on the ground until only smoke rolled from the now empty armor.

"Constance stop!" she heard Norrelle yell.  "What is the meaning of this attack?"

Stalker walked past her, standing ten feet in front, but out of her view of Norrelle.  "My mother was slain for what?  Serving the whim of humans?  She should have paid far more attention to our goddess!"  Constance slowly walked forward, Stalker kept pace in front of her, Kaynan in the rear.  "Our goddess chooses no side in the war but her own.  The great dragon god Eteliwyth slain over two hundred years ago, before that betrayed by those he created.  Oh, now the world is guided by the kind hand of Asoamar, the gentle loving god.  Look at the turmoil the world is in.  Chaos, darkness, death, and destruction, these are the ways of my goddess, and this is how the world has been, not kind or gentle or loving."  She paused, looking at the crowd, then King Richmond.  "No, the human's time is finished, so it is with the elves.  Neither is fit to consult the leader of our world.  Death shall be whispering in that ear.

"Who should that be?  Not you Norrelle," Constance continued.  "You enjoy hiding amongst these lesser beings. These beings whose blood has only weakened mine, which runs in my veins no more, thanks to my mother, the greedy humans?  Or the elves who guide you Norrelle, but not a one of them can agree on anything.  I'm ashamed I carry their blood in my veins.  But elfin blood does not strengthen me; it's the blood of the dead.  That was only way my mother could keep me alive so to speak."

"So, who do you stand for then?"

"The strongest, the one whose goal is for himself, I will stand with Rygerri until I need him no longer!"

"I cannot allow that young one!" her aunt spoke up.

"You have no choice.  I did not come here to seek vengeance on those who betrayed my mother, or those who forced her to hide.  I came as a warning.  Do not continue with your plan, or I will have you destroyed.  I do this now out of respect for my misguided mother, only.  My good graces will not stretch much further."

"Honey," Norrelle chastised her, "please think, right now you're hurt and angry."

"Please Norrelle, you forget I am as old as you, do not let this young child's body fool you.  I have thought this through and have been working with the goddess for many years behind my mother's back."

"Why would Arerradan wish such darkness and destruction upon her world," her aunt yelled.

"Simply, because she can.  She let the other two do as they wanted for millennia, and the world has grown weak!  As it is now, the demon god has corrupted many humans and his demon minions flourish on the other land across the sea.  It is a matter of time before he strikes to rule this world as he once did before our gods rose against him.   Arerradan claims this now as hers and her old consort Asoamar is turning a blind eye to the demons grasps."

"We can work together to destroy this threat," Norrelle insisted.

"As before?  As now?  Feel the hatred here Norrelle.  These humans fear and hate those that stand around you.  The dwarves are ready to pounce on anyone who looks at them cross-eyed.  And your guardians, they stand there haughty, believing them above everyone else here except maybe you!  No, there is no working together, never truly was.  The Age of Unity was a farce!"

"We cannot allow that," her aunt yelled, lifting her staff into the air.

"You cannot stop me!" Constance cried out holding her staff high.  She knew what her aunt would do, she was prepared.  Soon the grass around her began to grow and weave its way toward her.  Smiling, she held her hand to the sun and summoned the blazing flame from its core.  The sun beam struck her staff, immediately flames arced out from its tip in all directions.  Scorching the earth, grass and crowd alike, she laughed.  Predictable, she thought, too damn predictable.

After igniting a large portion of the field and killing dozens of people, she reached her hand back, pointing to the sea.  Speaking the incantations quickly, water droplets from a hundred feet below rose up and landed on her staff's tip.  She then swung the staff, aiming toward her aunt.  A stream of water shot out of it, striking her aunt, Norrelle, King Richmond, and the queen, tossing them all back into the stone wall of the keep.

Now, the royal guards were coming her way, along with Jason.  Poor fools, she thought.  Looking around at the smoldering field she smiled at the several dozen dead bodies that litter it.  Pushing her staff into the ground she again spoke ancient elfish and with the power of her goddess commanded those human remains to rise and protect her.

* * *

The scene below was frustrating, but yet a tad bit comical.  Kyrian had no clean shot at either her target, or any of the knights.  It was utterly chaotic and dark black smoke covered the entire field.  At first she opted to leave her perch, thinking this young witch would solve Hardin and her problems, but then she decided to sit it out and see who survived.  After that, she would take action.

Seeing the scene below, she knew the young witch to be involved with Ayrial somehow, but the wind carried most of the conversation in the opposite direction.  Regardless, they attacked her, she struck back.  Kyrian now rested and watched, chuckling.  She was not being lax at all, she was ready, bow still in hand, and her fingers holding the arrow ready until it she needed it.

As she moved her head back and forth, following the action, such as the huge man that came with the girl walking through the armored soldiers, tossing them as a giant swinging a club, her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of something over the west face.  It was behind the area where the girl first appeared.  It was moving, slowly, circling just below the field, out of sight by those on the ground. Focusing with her keen elfin eyes, she saw only a small portion of it.

That was enough; she quickly ascertained what or who was below.  The shadow flickering on the rough seas below could only be one thing.  Now would be her chance to make contact, she needed to clear her mind.  Ignoring the action below, she focused on one thing.  The large black dragon circling far beneath the foray above, now was waiting for the right moment.