{"id":1677,"date":"2016-05-01T11:51:33","date_gmt":"2016-05-01T15:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jeezjosie.com\/blog\/?p=1677"},"modified":"2016-03-09T09:31:57","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T13:31:57","slug":"rhiallis-fallen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jeezjosie.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/rhiallis-fallen\/","title":{"rendered":"Rhiallis: Fallen"},"content":{"rendered":"

      Today\u2019s snippet, titled \u201cFallen\u201d, is a piece I wrote about my PC in Mark’s new (Good) Pathfinder Campaign.
\n      Be forewarned, there may be mature themes and naughty language below.
\n– \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 –
\n      Rhiallis hung back, still astride her new mount – an enchanted beast of burden Aimsley had conjured. It was a queer sensation, riding a horse she had never met before, particularly one that was so amiable and well-trained, yet somehow still alien and\u2026 other. She imagined that it had been plucked from a pristine, green world with no natural predators and a life of gentle ease. What a difference it must find here in the \u2018Wound, yet it obeyed placidly and went where she guided without balking or hesitation. She was impressed, but she missed Emerald.
\n      Six strangers approached along an adjoining ridge; they were the first the Valorous Order had encountered inside the \u2018Wound. Somehow, the fact that there were folk out here – on purpose – both intrigued and worried her. That they were travelling in the dark of night, for the hour was perhaps one or two past midnight, gave her pause.
\n      Celeste moved forward. She seemed to be focusing, her holy symbol aloft. Rhiallis\u2019 wings fluttered against her back, anxious.
\n      \tThere were six of them, plus a pair of mules pulling a cart laden with supplies. Her eyes, preternaturally sharp in the darkness, made out details about each as the tension grew in her friends. There was a dwarf in leathers, a scout or tracker type, whose beard was red as blood. A human man in heavy armor, who bore a hammer and a shield. A slender, beautiful half-elf woman with a violin in one hand and bow in the other – why would she be playing that out here? Horrible things are attracted to sound<\/em>. Crouched in the wagon, there was a male elf with a longbow in hand. He notched an arrow, but the sinewy muscles of his arms were still relaxed. Two females in dresses, one an elf and the other human, completed the group.
\n      \tNo one had called out, yet as Rhiallis watched on, they were still moving closer. She chewed the inside of her lips.
\n      \tCeleste moved to slide from her saddle with practiced ease and somehow, her foot caught in the stirrup. Her ankle twisting brutally, she fell to the dirt with a grunt.
\n      \t\u201cHave a nice trip,\u201d the dwarf snorted.
\n      \tOne of the ladies began to snigger and Rhiallis was ashamed of herself for having to struggle to keep a straight face. It was so undignified, she was certain Celeste was miserable. The thought that perhaps Sadie – or even Mira – had decided to play a prank on the paladin crossed her mind briefly. But no<\/em>, she decided, watching her friends begin to move forward warily, they wouldn\u2019t\u2026 it is too dangerous.<\/em>
\n      \t\u201cHail, friends,\u201d Celeste\u2019s voice boomed across the distance. \u201cWho goes there?\u201d
\n      \t\u201cWho goes there?\u201d One of the strangers retorted. \u201cIdentify yourselves.\u201d
\n      \t\u201cWe asked first,\u201d Korael muttered, fingering her bowstring. The elf was uneasy and spoiling for a fight. Beside her, Aimsley nodded. Rhiallis urged her mount forward a step or two more, loosening Radiance in its sheath.
\n      \t\u201cThis is BULLSHIT!\u201d The sing-songy shout came from the woman nearest the wagon.
\n      \t\u201cHey – don\u2019t you dare. Don\u2019t fuck me on this.\u201d That one, the hooded woman, must be the leader, Rhiallis thought.
\n      \t\u201cBlaaaah blahbitty blah,\u201d spat the elven mage.
\n      \tThe parlay ended mere seconds later when the mage cast Haste and her friends flew into aggressive positions. Friend might be overstating their relationship<\/em>, she thought, drawing Radiance at last. They don\u2019t seem to like or trust her either.<\/em>
\n      \tIt was no wonder, the taint of evil was strong on her. As soon as she confirmed that the elven mage was an enemy of the Light, Rhiallis surged into the air. Her new wings felt powerful as they lifted her from the horse\u2019s back. She shot toward the evil bitch who had flown straight up into the air.
\n      \t\u201cYou\u2019re mine,\u201d Rhiallis heard herself growl.
\n      \t\u201cFu-\u201d she began, turning her gaze to Rhiallis. It was too late. Those eyes widened in surprise and horror as she realized that her end was nigh. Crying out for Iomedae\u2019s blessing to cleanse the wickedness, Rhiallis swung Radiance with all her might.
\n      \tA spray of crimson sprouted from the woman\u2019s neck. Her head was spinning through the night, her hair billowing around it rather majestically. It landed with a disgusting splat, those wicked elven eyes still staring up at her, shocked.
\n      \t\u201cHah haaaah!\u201d Sadie cackled, yanking her blade free. The bard\u2019s violin dropped to the dirt, her nerveless fingers trembling. Scarlet dribbled from a series of wounds, so precisely struck, that they killed her before she even knew she had been hit.       There was hardly any blood at all.
\n      \u201cSave him, he is without taint!\u201d
\n      \tStill hanging in the air above the fight, Rhiallis changed her focus.
\n      \tCeleste was fighting the hammerman\u2019s mistress, the hooded woman who radiated distinctively evil to both paladins. Her bodyguard, however, was merely charmed or bespelled, and lacked the same malicious nature.
\n      \tSadie materialized past Celeste, helping her battle the strange woman whose body seemed to be writhing beneath her robes.
\n      \t\u201cOh.\u201d
\n      \tCeleste\u2019s grunt was so innocuous. It was as if the blow had hardly landed. Yet blood dribbled from her split lip and she looked as if she might vomit when a thousand thousand locusts spilled forth from Mistress\u2019 sleeve, pouring over her body.
\n      \t\u201cFuck this, I\u2019m outta here!\u201d The dwarf threw himself out of the melee and hurtled away, into the darkness.
\n      \t\u201cRedbeard, you pussy! Get back here!\u201d
\n      \tHis cry reminded the Valorous Order of his presence and within the span of ten heartbeats, Korael had filled the elf\u2019s heavily muscled torso with arrows.
\n      \t\u201cBitch!\u201d Celeste cursed through grit teeth as Mistress and her bodyguard laid their wrath upon her. She was teeming with locusts; angry, flesh-eating bugs that seemed to be a living cocoon around her. Still, she fought on. She lay a hand upon her chest, pausing her offensive moves just long enough to heal her wounds.
\n      \tRhiallis closed her eyes and called forth Iomedae\u2019s blessed light. A burst of energy emanated from her spot once, twice, three times. Many of the wounds Celeste had taken began to close, but the locusts were unaffected and they kept chewing at her.
\nEating her.
\n      \tThe valiant paladin lashed out with Snowblood, dislodging one of the Mistress\u2019 arms. She looked triumphant and for an instant, Rhiallis\u2019 pride surged. Her friend was perhaps not as flamboyant as Graves, but she was a hero worthy of song, worthy of legend. She would stand victorious this day, and the hammerman would be redeemed.
\n      \tThen she fell. Her knees could no longer support the weight of her armor, her body sickly and drawn.
\n      \tIt was only then Rhiallis realized that no mere burst of healing light could repair the damage the locusts had done.
\n      \tCeleste\u2019s cheeks were sunken, her eyes huge and dark in their sockets.
\n      \tShe groaned, unable to fight off the encroaching sickness.
\n      \t\u201cI-\u201d she began. \u201c…tried.\u201d
\n      \t\u201cCELESTE!\u201d Aimsley cried. \u201cNo!\u201d
\n      \tCole drove his blades through the hammerman\u2019s spine, severing it with a feral growl. Rhiallis\u2019 eyes were filling with tears – sorrow for Celeste and rage at Cole, for killing the man. Celeste wanted him alive damn it! Her thoughts were hers alone, now was not a time for recriminations.
\n      \t\u201cTake that!\u201d Mira cried, leveling her wand at Mistress.
\n      \t\u201cEEeeeeEEEee!\u201d the locust lady shrieked and fled into the nightsky, transformed into a cloud of locusts.
\n      \t\u201cDamn it,\u201d Mira cursed. She lobbed a fireball at the corpse that had been their friend. The flames charred the locusts that covered her body, but it was too late to save her. Like Mytra, like Graves, the very constitution of her body had been drained away to nothing. It would take a miracle, a true resurrection, to bring Celeste back to the mortal coil.
\n      \t\u201cShe fought like a demon, right to the end,\u201d Cole said with grudging respect. \u201cLike a true warrior.\u201d
\n      \t\u201cHer heart was a valiant heart.\u201d
\n      \tThe Valorous Order gathered around their fallen comrade.
\n      \tOnce there were three of us<\/em>, Rhiallis thought wiping a tear from her cheek. It is unthinkable that I – the least worthy – am all that remains. Mighty Graves, Brave Celeste. How is it you have fallen and I still stand?<\/em> She straightened her shoulders, denying herself more than that one moment of sorrow and self-pity. I will be all that I can, to honor your sacrifices. In your stead, I shall call Iomedae\u2019s fire and glory onto this battlefield and with your spirits behind me, I will fight until my last breath to close the \u2018Wound and restore this land to the people. I will do all I can, since you cannot.<\/em>
\n      \t\u201cMaybe we can bring her back,\u201d Korael said softly. \u201cHer and Graves, and Mytra. And Niro, and even Kumiko and Jensen. And-\u201d
\n      \tAimsley touched her shoulder and gave the tiniest shake of her head.
\n\tThere was silence for a long moment, the Valorous Order standing short vigil for the       honorable Celeste . There was a prayer, whispered against the harsh nighttime winds of the Worldwound, and if there were tears on any cheeks, they were dry before they even had time to glimmer in the eerie light of the bloody moon.
\n      \tUnceremoniously, Celeste and her gear were trundled into her enchanted bag for safe keeping and the Valorous Order of the Golden Sword, its light dimmer now, set out into the darkness, hunting the ones who fled.
\n      \tIn Her name, they would be sought, they would be found, and Gods be willing, they would pay.
\n      \tRhiallis was sick of losing friends and Radiance ached in her hands. Both of them were ready for vengeance.<\/p>\n

– \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 –
\n\"Signed,
\nNote: Image is “King Jagiello Statue Central” by (Mulligand) from SXC.hu; edited by me<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Today\u2019s snippet, titled \u201cFallen\u201d, is a piece I wrote about my PC in Mark’s new (Good) Pathfinder Campaign.       Be forewarned, there may be mature themes and naughty language below. – \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 –       Rhiallis hung back, still astride her… <\/p>\n

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