The Echos of War {open}

[Herlið]

The ancient shade, Herlið by name, slowly paced the room she was in, planning a massive assulat on the kingdom. To her, it represented everything that she hated. Peace, love, power… not that she didn’t love power. She loved power when it was her in power. However, she needed an army, one the likes of which had never been seen before in Alagaesia.

She had thought about capturing and forcing humans to do her will, but soon dismissed that idea: humans were simply too weak. She had thought about the Urgals but they disgusted her. The dwarves were too short and the dragons would never help her. The elves were too powerful to try to capture and force them to do her bidding, and the same went for the riders. That left her with but one option: make an army of shades.

The prospect made her happy. An army that were all many times more powerful than anyone else. An army that could all use magic and many magics that even the elves couldn’t use. An army like that would be impossible to beat she was sure, and that’s what gave her pleasure. However she found it extremely hard to do that.

Once she had captured a few humans and turned them into shades she soon discovered that they were as likely to turn on her as they were to help her, and that did nothing to help her cause. She had decided that in order to defeat all of the major armies she would need an army of shades that numbered two hundred strong. Why? So that they could take casualties, and still win. It took but a single shade to level any of the major towns in the Broddring Kingdom, and so hundreds of shades should be able to stand against even the might of the elves.

He dilemma now though, was how to get all of her created shades to follow her commands without question, as she had already had to destroy her tests.

[Camna Armiel Wrathran]

Torch light illuminated the corridor in an orange glaze. Camna skirted through the flickering shadows, her hushed footfalls ghosting across stone slabs. She was restless. The grains of time dwindled sluggishly when holed within the dark; Camna knew not if it was night or day. Snow-white flesh thirsted for the beams of sunlight, soiled by eternal darkness. Her patience had run out long ago. Perhaps she had no patience at all. Someone in a moment long past had chastised her for quickened exasperation. The thought ignited warmth of unconscious sentiment; a blurred face.

Shaking the muddled images from her mind Camna blinked in the settling dimness. Crimson orbs glinted. She was at a lost as to what to do with herself. Though her transformation had been quite recent if felt as though she had lived this life for centuries, yet she was ignorant in the abilities of Shades. What could she do? How was she to interact with those of a different race? The spirits within were itching to sink their claws into the throats of the innocent and the thought of dominance was most appealing. But her body still hesitated. It had not yet synced with her mind.

The soft murmurs of pacing tickled her ears. Camna paused in her aimless walk, stretching high on the edge of her toes in an effort to hear. It echoed along the hall. With cat-like grace the young Shade leapt forward with a muted giggle. She ran towards the sound before skidding to a halt at the end of the corridor. Her boney fingers grasped the door frame; black nails digging miniature cavities into the wood. With childish caution Camna peered out over her hands exposing only her eyes.

Within ghostly chambers the form of Herlio padded across the flooring. She appeared deep in thought and Camna felt it best to watch into her presence was taken in. But the older Shade continued to walk without casting so much a single glance her way. But Camna waited. The blood beneath her skin simmered with vague annoyance but she kept quiet knowing full well of the consequences of disturbing Herlio, one of great power that could easily extinguish the little flame of life Camna possessed. Craning her head to the side she exhaled through parted lips; a razor-blade smile slitting her mouth in half.

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[Herlið]

Herlið kept pacing, oblivious to the fact that there was someone watching her, trying to figure out some way, or even a spell, that would allow her to create her army without them fighting her or each other. However hard she tried though, the answer would not come to her, though she kept thinking that she almost had it. Eventually she grew frustrated, and not long after that she became angry. Not but a few seconds later she shouted something in the dark tongue that only shades know, causing a table a few feet away from her to explode in a brilliant crimson light. At the same time she heard someone exhale near the doorway.

Her head snapped to the direction that she had heard the breath from, her eyes having no trouble picking out those of Camna, an evil grin slowly spreading across her face. Come in, my young shade. Very young if im not mistaken….still at war with the body you took control of, restless, impatient…perfect. She spoke the last word as a sort of purr, delighted that this young shade had happened upon her chambers at that very instant, as she finally saw a way to make an army.

Do you have any clue what you’re capable of? Tell me about yourself. Where are you from, how were you created? The gears in her mind were turning, starting to figure what she was going to do and how she was going to do it, and then as an afterthought, she mumbled a small string of words that blocked the exit behind Camna. After that, she just stood where she was, waiting for the young shade to decide what she was going to do.

[Camna Armiel Wrathran]

Camna blinked as the wooden table exploded in a fiery light, showering the ground with singed splinters. She shuffled back turning her head so as to avoid any contact with the material. The younger Shade watched the smile that split across Herlio’s lips. Something within bade her to exit and run, it was not safe in the company of the possessed woman. But where was there to run? She had been spotted. Camna wavered on the balls of her feet staring with wide eyes towards Herlio, adapting the air of a newborn fawn. Her head tilted to the side and for a moment she said nothing, simply staring out at the other in curious wonder.

”Come in, my young shade. Very young if I’m not mistaken….still at war with the body you took control of, restless, impatient…perfect.”

A muscle within her leg twitched back but Camna’s body was motionless. She had been called out; addressed. The words pooled onto her tongue weighing like molten lead. So many thoughts. So much emotion. How could she thread one voice from another? Batting her lashes, Camna continued to grin. She never frowned. It was a rarity, but not impossible. The tone that had been used to garner her attention was soft, a luring melody drawing Camna forward. The doors behind shut with forced clamor causing the Shade to startle.

“Do you have any clue what you’re capable of? Tell me about yourself. Where are you from, how were you created?”

What she was capable of? She peered across her shoulder towards the now closed doors honing in on the rusted hinges. Shades were highly skilled in dark magic. She had learned that once long ago. But when? By whom? Old images were naught but blurred stills of a once life. Gradually Camna turned her head to settle her gaze on her outstretched hands; she flexed the muscles. Was she capable of anything? Camna knew little of real magic. In a quiet voice she said brightly,“I can twist my tongue and cross my eyes.” She mimicked the motions pulling on a laughable expression. Her cheeks ignited in a vague blush. “But that is not your intended answer, is it? My name is…” The breath within her throat hitched and for a split second she struggled, choking on the word. “Camna. I am from many places and have been created through various means. But you mean her, the flesh I have been encased within. She is from far. I do not dwell on her history; it is not clear.”

[Herlið]

Herlio stood in exactly the same spot she had been stand when she had first noticed the other shade, Camna, and listened while Camna spoke. She narrowed her eyes at the part about twisting tounges and crossing eyes, bit bit off the scathing reply that readily leaped to her tongue and cept listening, slowly shaking her head at the last part.

Just because you took control of the body doesn't mean that her history isn't important. Why do you think you are still at war with the consciousness that was and still is in there? You hesitated when you said you name, evidence that the will of the person who is in that body has a very strong will, and will do whatever she can to make herself heard. I can help you with that....and much, much more....

Her voice grew steadily smoother the longer she talked, more compelling, finally reaching a low purr when she was almost finished talking. She narrowed her eyes as she fell silent, measuring up the other shade and trying to decide how best to start teaching her.

You have a number of spirits within you yes? you must get them to work together. try to break the spell I placed on the door.

With that she crossed her arms and watch, waiting to see what would happen.

[Camna Armiel Wrathran]

“Just because you took control of the body doesn't mean that her history isn't important. Why do you think you are still at war with the consciousness that was and still is in there? You hesitated when you said you name, evidence that the will of the person who is in that body has a very strong will, and will do whatever she can to make herself heard. I can help you with that....and much, much more....”

Camna cocked her head to the side and blinked. What creature did not enjoy the sensation of control? It was programmed within every race, no matter their moral beliefs. But the extent of control that Camna possessed was a mystery even to her. She had only just been born from various spirits. She was too busy partaking in the chatter within her mind to bother with such concepts. The voices were so loud, blended into one inaudible grating that she knew not what they said and only contributed her own thoughts to the chaos. Camna squinted in an effort to clarify past images interwoven in a fuzzy cloud. Rhyanon would attempt to flood her mind with blurbs of history but to Camna they were faded pieces of an old puzzle. But this was originally Rhyanon’s body. She would strive for dominance. Could the girl beneath truly be ceased?

“She does not like the name. No. Not at all,” Camna said slowly, smiling towards Herlio. Within the young Shade felt somewhat uneasy. Herlio could so very easily overpower her and suffocate the flame of life she possessed. Camna was not foolish enough to miss the flicker of annoyance across her company’s face. Shuffling her weight onto the left foot, Camna peered around the room taking note of the small details. There were various cracks within the walls, more so on the opposite side. “More? She would not like that much either. She doesn’t like much of anything. No fun at all. She tries to show me things but it is never sensible. I think she’s losing her own thoughts.”

“You have a number of spirits within you yes? you must get them to work together. try to break the spell I placed on the door.”

Camna trailed off and settled her gaze back on the Shade. “But why so much from me and little from you?” she pouted jutting out a lower lip. But regardless she did as instructed not desiring to further agitate Herlio; Camna turned to face the doorway and outstretched her hands. Not quite understanding the concept she wiggled her fingers as a self-deemed warm-up. Closing her eyes to concentrate Camna focused her energy at the door; a thunderous boom resonated through the chambers and when Camna peeled back her lids felt the air whoosh out from her mouth. A chunk of rock had fallen from the ceiling and now currently blocked the entrance. As though a child caught in the act of stealing a sweet Camna gradually turned her head back toward Herlio. “It would appear I failed,” she said softly. Immediately Camna grinned brightly and added in a rush, “But I managed to break the ceiling!”

[Herlið]

Herio frowned at the chunk of ceiling that fell in front of the door, her annoyance growing in bounds. She started to wonder why she was wasting her time on this young shade who couldn't even control her own mind let alone a simple piece of magic. The spell she had used to block the door was a simple low energy spell that she was sure anyone who knew even an inkling of magic should know the counterspell that took no more energy to cast that the original spell. Control yourself....you need her if you even plan on having an army..... Even with the mental prodding to control her self she let her annoyance show by throwing a massive ball of flame at the rock blocking the door, completely destroying it.

Camna, Camna, Camna.....ahhh you have much to learn.... She let a large and very evil grin break out across her face, made even more evil from the flickering shadows made by the torches set in the walls. So....you want to know more about me do you? I was made soon after the elves in all their glory arrived here in Alagaesia, and actually i was an elf, i got carried away with experimenting with sorcery one day and summoned thirty spirits at once instead of the three i had intended to summon. They overpowered me and took control of me, making me who i am today. I learned a long time ago how to control the different beings in me, and with that control came unimaginable power. No one rider has ever come close to defeating me, nor any shade. It took every rider there was a hundred years ago to get me to go into exile, to come close to killing me, and here I've been every since then, waiting for my chance to take revenge on them and take control of the land....

She ended her history in a voice that was more of a snarl than anything else, and then turned away and walked over to a table that held a very detailed 3-D sand map of the entire land, as such it was a very large table and started to study it for perhaps the millionth time. I've only one other Shade working with me, and he perhaps could beat me, though only because he has the strength of a dragon to aid him as he was a rider before he turned and some of the spirits took control of the dragon as well as him. You'll meet them soon enough...