Under the Sun V: Rebirth

Under the Sun V: Rebirth

There are many kinds of Death.

We visit the Lifestones of Dereth with regularity, the pain of wounds fading quickly in our memories. How else would be have the courage to face our foes time and time again? But there are other deaths. Where the memories of pain and horror fade slowly, where there are scars within but a clean and fresh body without.

************************************

Roland Esque and his wife, Zia, were the leaders of a Noble House in Clan Prosper. Their liege lord, John Prosper, had been struggling with his ruling Council, who''s members came from all the Kingdoms of Dereth. There sat Sargonas of the Shadows, Alayna Lynn of the Dominion, Valr Kelgrael of the King''s Guard, questmasters, loremasters, and simpering hangers on from all parts of the Clan. Roland fought battles at his King''s side in the Council chambers, engagements with tactics, strategy, and blood none the less real for taking place with words and expression, rather than bows, swords, or fiery magics.

When it was all said and done, Clan Prosper had been rent asunder by the internecine strife and Roland lay dying on the grass in Shoushi. His wife stumbled to fall next to him, both slain by assassins, traitors, faceless foes from the far lands of Linvak Tukal. And though both had felt the stab of death in this world many times before, for some unknown reason they both felt that this time it was different, for it was not some base creature that had struck them down. This time, it was indeed different...

This time, there was no blue glow of the space between spaces. There was only a blankness, a darkness, enveloping them both in an irresistible wave.

And then nothing, nothing at all.

************************************

Berit stood carefully, looking around him at the vista presented by this high elevation. The ruins of the town of Arwic lay to the south, a Lifestone visible in the near distance. Brushing the dirt from his plain clothing, Berit wondered at how he came to be here in the north of Osteth. The last he remembered...

Was nothing.

Much of the lands about him were familiar to him, for reasons he could not place. Had he walked this path before, in another life? He knew one thing for sure, he had never walked them alone.

A name floated out of the darkness of Berit''s memory. "Annalia! Annalia!"

Berit''s shout echoed from the canyon walls as he descended from the high place of his birth. Ahead, a woman turned to wave to him. He saw her face, her expression of profound relief, and he knew her.

"Annalia, my wife, I had feared... I did not know where you were, or who you were now."

Berit''s wife smiled at him as they embraced, looking at his unfamiliar face approvingly. "And I had thought I had lost you too, my dear one." Giggling, she pulled at his long blonde hair. "I don''t recall for sure but I think this may be an improvement, Berit."

The smile on Berit''s face creased around his moustaches. "Yes, well, I don''t know how we came to be here my love, or in these forms. I don''t even truly recall who we were..."

Annalia settled her bow across her shoulders and took her husband by the hand, leading him towards the town of Arwic. As they both walked along the broken road Berit ran his hand along the crude carvings on the staff he carried. It seemed both wrong and right at the same time. Right to carry such a weapon, but he had the feeling he was used to much finer workmanship than this implement offered.

Ahead, several figures stood, seemingly waiting for someone. As Berit and Annalia approached, the foremost of the group looked up and smiled, though with a sadness in his eyes as he took in the unfamiliar faces of the couple.

"Hello, I am Zackarias. I think we knew each other, once upon a time." The Isparian slung his fine bow across his well armored shoulders and shook hands with Berit and Annalia. He then gestured to the others gathered. "We did not know if you would return to us, but we are glad that you have. This is Verity, Yarl, Rebecca, the Tumeroks are Exuta Toth and Aern."

Zackarias smiled at the combination of confusion and recognition on Berit and Annalia''s faces. "There are others, of course. We''ve come to ask you what it is you will do now, and if you will lead us as we were once led by... well, by two others who are now gone from Dereth."

Berit looked at Annalia, a feeling of rightness settling over him and peace suffusing him for the first time that day. "What think you my dear? I remember only bits and pieces of the world, for some reason, but one thing I remember more than anything else is that we are here to build something, to reclaim this world."

Annalia nodded her agreement and turned to the gathered group. "We are Berit and Annalia, and we are the Concilium. We welcome you all into our family, though we ask that you please have patience with us, as much has been lost to us it seems."

Berit laughed and shouted out, "We start anew! Put the past and pain behind you all, and smile on this world that lies under the sun. Let us go and begin, we seek to build, to regain that which has been lost, to return this world to the golden age of our ancestors!"

Smiling and laughing, Berit and Annalia embraced their freinds. Freinds who were true through fire and fury, past death and memory.

And the Tumerok Aern danced the Moose Dance.

Magnate Berit of The Concilium