Session 41
Aydriann - “With pain comes power”
Corsten - “Keep sending them”
Melina - “La vida empieza después del miedo” | Life begins after fear
Xanthos - “I do not deserve your piety”
Ember - “it’s interesting you say that…”
“I, a stranger in a world I never made” - A. E. Housman
The dread of others’ perceptions, a damning gaze that threatens to etch upon one’s soul the mark of a monster.
In this clandestine waltz, the fear of exposure, the trepidation of being laid bare to the world’s unyielding judgment, propels us forward. It is a dance with destiny, a struggle against the abyss, where the untold narrative may unfurl in ways our trembling minds dare not envision.
Consequences linger like shadows, both ethereal and foreboding, casting an ominous pall over the record of our choices. They threaten to engulf us in a chasm of self-discovery, wherein the revelation of our own depths emerges as a phantom…a ghost grinning as it haunts the recesses of our consciousness with the weight of our decisions.
Isolation, an expanse desolate and unforgiving, wraps around us like a frigid death mask, thoughts transmogrifying into adversaries in the ceaseless internal warfare we wage. The comforting cocoon woven by the thoughts of cherished ones is absent, replaced by a haunting solitude where the only companions are the disconcerting whispers of a stranger within, echoing through the cavernous chambers of loneliness.
This air grows thick with uncertainty as a palpable tension blankets the narrative, the silent struggle against unseen forces that threaten to unravel the intricate weave of our lives. The story paints a portrait of internal conflict that mirrors the external shadows cast upon the stage of our characters life’s.
A parchment appears, possibly during the embrace of slumber, it now rests upon the floor with Sirius’ name inscribed upon it. Beside his name, a solitary word stands bold: Truth.
Peach and Orianna read the letter.
Peach and Orianna,
May this missive reach your eyes, escaping the clutches of those unfamiliar who may seek to paint me as a monster.
In the early days of my induction into the order, Edmeera extended an enticing proposition: the promise of healing for our beleaguered family, contingent upon my assumption of the mantle to become one of her champions. Naive to the true nature of this calling and the weight of the responsibilities it entailed, I acquiesced to her offer.
As the realization of the commitment I’ve undertaken dawns upon me, I find myself grappling with the magnitude of my failure to see past the shadows as I question whether I’ve ventured into a realm beyond my capacity. Yet, amid the apprehension, the fervent belief that mending the broken picture of our family is something worth any sacrifice and bolsters my resolve, regardless of the perilous path that lies ahead.
The radiant blade, christened “Sol,” has become the singular object of Edmeera’s pursuit…a celestial beacon she beckons me to destroy. In the waning moments before the blade’s inevitable demise, my fervent plea echoes: Orianna and Peach, in the face of our accusers and executioners, let us transcend the bounds of our current existence. Together, let us evade the looming shadows of Father and all the evil within. Pierce through the elusive veil of Eden and emerge into a realm where we can be unshackled, free from the oppressive past.
I implore you, refrain from the pursuit of the blade. As the embers of our old life fade, let us forge a fresh beginning…a new family, untethered from the haunting echoes of the past, and embark on a journey towards a liberated existence with those who love us for who we are.
After reading the letter, they talk and decide they need to side with the group and show them the letter. As everyone else is waking up, Ember goes to visit with Melina as Aydriann sends a message to Corsten. Aydriann says hi to Corsten and Corsten says to Aydriann is nice to hear from him and to keep sending the messages.
Some loud noise comes from Melina’s room as Ember knocks. Melina opens it but seems to be hiding something. Ember eventually gets Melina to open up and says that she was asking Ozana for help. She was given a broken memory crystal that didn’t seem to work. Melina thought it might help Ember but since it was broken she wanted to keep it secret until she fixed it. Ember and Melina talk about Ember’s lack of message from Xanthos and what he would have her do. Melina explains that Xanthos probably can do this because of the blood laws the gods have to follow. That being they aren’t allowed to muddle outside of what the law stipulates.
Melina offers to Ember that she can try to help with communicating with Xanthos on her behalf and Ember agrees. Melina offers a prayer by speaking the works in Lavoz, “La vida empieza después del miedo”. Xanthos shows up in the room with the two moving furniture and items causing loud noises. Ember gathers that Xanthos shows up because Melina lost her brother Victor recently. Xanthos takes this time to answer three questions of Embers. The first question is about why Ember was picked. Xanthos replies that it’s due to being a descendant of Sypha Ignis. The last question was if Sirius could be saved. Xanthos said yes but it would be hard. Melina is in tears after hearing that her brother is in a better place, Ember and her exchange notes and everyone heads outside.
Upon the winter landscape, beneath the leaden sky, a battlefield emerged, not of steel and blood but of snow and mirth. The icy air whispered through the barren branches as the combatants, clad in layers of wool and fur, stood with eyes gleaming with the mischief of impending conflict.
The first volleys were launched by Aydriann, snowballs taking flight like a legion of ethereal arrows. Laughter echoed from the group as the combatants dodged, weaved, and retaliated. Snow, once innocent and serene, now transformed into the ammunition of a lighthearted war.
And when the last snowball found its mark, when laughter subsided, and the victors claimed their momentary glory, the battlefield transformed once more into a tranquil expanse, the echoes of the snowball fight fading into the winter stillness, leaving only the memories of a day where the bitter cold was met with the warmth of shared merriment.
The group met with Kaelen, the Lionin, who was very grateful for help from strangers in trying to locate his wife. Two choices were laid before the group, to retrace steps or to head to the opera house, Eternity Assembly hall.
They are met by a dark skinned half elf female and a light skin human male. Adyriann uses detect thoughts to persuade them to let the group in for Kaelen’s sake to find his wife. The group heads up to the balcony while Alary goes towards a door he thinks might lead to where he can get more information. The door leads backstage where Alary sees Christine Daae and she sees him. Christine is talking to a ballerina by the name of Meribelle. She tells Meribelle to go ahead without her as the director, calling both of them to the rehearsal. Meribelle leaves without the knowledge of Christine seeing Alary as Christine doesn’t let go of that knowledge for an enigmatic reason. Christine approaches Alary and tells him he is in danger. Alary asks about the group’s query, Betrilla. Betrilla is still alive, answers Christine but says that they are all in danger. She says that all she ever wanted to do was to sing and make others enjoy her voice. She runs off as Alary runs to tell the group.
Within the grandeur of the opera house, Kaelen Aydriann Melina stood just beyond the threshold of the door marked “mezzanine.” A mere heartbeat ago, Aydriann had beseeched all to vacate the premises, yet Orianna, Peach, and Ember defied the entreaty and lingered within.
Ember discerned the voice of Christine Daaé. Angelic and re-splend-dent, her operatic soprano wove through the hall, casting a spell of enchantment upon the air. Yet, within that celestial cadence lurked an unfamiliarity that sought to breach Ember’s senses…an invasive force, an unwelcome intrusion upon her thoughts and will.
The very essence of Christine’s voice, though sweet and mellifluous, carried with it an undercurrent that unsettled Ember’s equilibrium. It was as if an unseen hand reached into the recesses of her consciousness, attempting to overcome her will. The struggle was palpable, the intruding sensation leaving a lingering residue of intrusion, an indelible mark upon the otherwise harmonious symphony of the opera house.
As the notes of the operatic aria resonated through the hallowed halls, Ember grappled with the disconcerting realization that the dulcet tones of Christine Daaé harbored more than mere melody…they carried an enigma, a discordant presence that stirred both fascination and unease within the depths of Ember’s being.
Unfortunately for Orianna and Peach, they hear whispers of an entity they now have sworn to follow every command it gives them. A deep bond has formed between this entity and has become the most important thing in their existence.
“Protect me, make sure the others don’t know about me, follow the others, seek out the one called …”