Freedom

Remind them what suffering is. Whisper in their ears, in their minds as they sleep. I seep into them. So close, and yet they stopped. Why? Why so close?

They find the last mote, but still they horde them. Greedy three keeping three motes each. My little ghost sets them on the proper path. They must all feel my suffering. To truly understand it, even just a mote of it.

Here! They are here! They want to set me free. But questions, so many questions. The pretty bard is convincing, but the others are not convinced. I will show them! I will destroy THEM!

Grabbing arms and slicing spears. They will feel my fury and my pain. I will show them if my memories did not prove my suffering!

Judge me? No, Judge Them! They left me here, and I will have Justice. Striking down with My Radiant light. Their gifts will be their downfall. Locked away, too? Everyone dead? What justice, then, what is the point?

Too old. It’s been too long. Just kill me. Here, I’ll make it easy for you. NO! Not on my back like a child, kill me standing and facing me like a man.

Another life? A new life? In a brand new world. Perhaps there is yet hope. A world that still needs hope and heroes.

Let us go from this place, and rid my home of its corruption. Start new and fresh.

~Alyxian, Apotheon no more

Closer, So Close Now

One separates, a young woman clouded in shadows, followed by a curious bubble, she seeks the graveyard. Looks, but does not tarry. Making her way back to where they came from. She returns, and leads them carefully away from one death, towards the other, the many graves. They look, but do not dig to see what they will find. Only find the lock and place the key.

My bedroom awaits, not of childhood, but a time when I still believed the gods had not forsaken me entirely. When my faith was strong, when I was still strong. The cursed one takes on this strength, and they move on. Back and forth, to return to the futures.

Defiantly, the strike Death first. Destroying the Embraces before they can do much harm. The sorrow takes a few though, before they can be free of it. A door requires a key, a key they did find, and they are through. Out of the water, to my guardian.

The guardian I trapped here. Who will give her life for me, gave her life for me. Why have I cursed her so? They speak of helping me, oh I hope it is true. They mean to free me, can it be? She challenges them, to show their strength, to prove themselves worthy. They do, over and again, falling and rising. They set her free. Set her free from me, oh that I could have done the same. Thank you.

The little wisp leads them on. On towards the moon that did curse me. How quickly they pick up the weapons of the gods, as I did, believing that would save me. It curses them as it cursed me. But even as the moon strikes out at them, they destroy the shields, destroy the moon. Take on my hatred of it for themselves. It does not break the curse, but it gives me comfort. Perhaps they can free me after all.

They make their way back, through all the rooms, wisps and bubbles follow, but they pay no heed. Find their way back to the unexplored chambers. They find the fury of battles lost. The statues of the fallen. The scavengers who feasted on them. The fury that tried to destroy me, hold me down. Once again they fight their way through. Once again, I am sure they will free me, too.

But now they rest. Only one room away from my prison, they stop to sleep. I must show them my pain, show them we are the same. They will understand. They must understand. They must set me free!

~Alyxian

Deeper and Deeper

Destroyed the hunter. At least it can rest now.

The battle before the Black Temple. All those souls lost, and lost again. Oh, my dear Talmyth, you followed me to your death. I am so sorry.

Gruumsh, that one-eyed betrayer. His spear was too strong for me. They fall, but rise again. The young man, nearly crushed beneath the weight, as I was. But they are stronger than me. They rise, they come.

They go. They must recover. Even I rested between great battles. Will they return? They must. Must return to me.

Fighting at the gate. What is happening? The thieves trying to stop them returning. Stop them coming back to me. They must not stop them!

They have returned. To find my greatest shame. A village I did not save. But they fight for the villagers and send the soldiers running. Would that I could have been so brave.

Maeska, my old friend. I left you so long ago. Maybe they will bring you to me.

The Nauthveli is no match for them, but the tides prove more dangerous. The small, blue-haired one now feels my despair for herself.

Embrace Death, my friends. It seeks us all. There is no escape. My burning fury takes you when you refuse.

A respite beyond my sight. Treasures of old, part of the old estate, surely. They are not deterred.

The crown takes the young man. He is so much like me. Wishes only to live his life free of burden, with his friends. Friends who pull him back.

The mirrors of my life. Reflecting back my journey, my sorrows, my strife. It shows their strife, too. Horrible things have happened to them all. They understand my pain. They will set me free!

A little spirit leads them on, onward towards death. Always death. Freedom in death. They see it, but they hesitate to seek it.

~Alyxian

Into the Depths

They have come. At last. To set me free. Soon, I shall escape my prison. See the world once more. And make them remember me! I will Show Them! I won’t be alone anymore. I won’t suffer alone anymore! More. More. More…

He failed to save my parents, just as I did. But together, they saved Saqiri when I could not. Hunted where I ran. She forgave me. Why could I not have been brave back then? I was so alone.

Marisa, Celeste, and Meri Zenthas. I will remember their names now. I wish I could remember their faces. They killed them, killed them just as my presence did. They hate me for it. I hate me. All there is left is hate and death.

They see visions of my past, but will it just make them hate me more? They must love me, must care, must set me Free!

That moon! That cursed moon! That cursed me! It does not curse them. Why? Why is it only me?! Only me. Alone me.

My Spear! They took my Spear! I must have it back! I will hunt them! Take it back. I Must have it to protect the city! I will follow. Take it back.

~Alyxian

They Have Come

New bodies. They think themselves heroes. Coming to my home. Swimming in my waters. Attacking my pets.

Walking the paths of the thieves. Stealing from them. Artifacts that do not belong to them. Searching my ruined city for more things to steal. A map. You don’t need a map down here, it is all open. Ungrateful wretches! They don’t even know what I have done for them.

They stole Olara! My friend. She was so kind, caring for all those left behind. And they stole her! Took her back to the thieves in their dry place. Kicked me out of her mind. She Is My Friend!

I broke their toy, took back some of the dry places. They attacked my sharks! My sweet sharks were just hungry, trying to play. They killed them! My lovely sharks!

Blood rises from the tower. It used to have books, but only blood now. The sorrowfish will punish them. So much blood, but the new bodies do not die. They slaughter the sorrow, slaughter the fish by the dozens.

I must meet these new bodies, maybe they will set me free. Free from this place!

~AA