The old, soul-persistent man told tales of one long ago. One who's blows fell so heavy -- enemies vanished from his sight.

With a wry smile invisible from his ancient clouded eyes, I thought to myself as I'm certain she had:

They will run, but Abhaya's arrows will fell them all.

We fought for what seemed like days. The temporal shifts in this plane are still a riddle for me. Oft we would take time at this garden. Though it was overgrown and filled with the bones of fools, it can steady the mind to halt and look within.

I re-read this entire wt last night before bed! You are an excellent story teller. I still laugh for some reason when I see one of the early posts of Kashya coming near Mr. Mathos as he says “Keep your distance”. I don’t know why but it cracks me up. Thanks

I feel as if the ether runs through my very veins in this forsaken land of gore and spite.

A forlorn warrior has abandoned these in haste, alas where can they take me. I must focus my resolve, lest we perish in these halls.

A place to rinse the fetid flesh from battle's fury. This inner sanctum has brought back an old mind's eye. We both know what lies ahead, time ever-writhing in the dampness of these entombed walls.

Had these painting and pigments made folly of us all along? It was too early to tell.

Farewell old mage, though you fall as all the rest.

A lance between the bloods of time,
Words less worthy of vain rhyme,
What have they to offer thus,
The bricks and dust of avarice.

-- Letters to Abhaya

When one looks into the facets of a rare stone, an ancient gaze is set loose. As crimson as this jewel appears to me, I wonder how it has passed the eons alone.

We knew what horrors awaited us. Abhaya struck with her now familiar fury. The dead here are a tapestry of loss, unflinching yet staring into the void surrounding us all.

Let the blood boil, we come for you Andariel. A demon's fate awaits you.

I thought to cleave her in two myself, but it was clear Abhaya would yield the killing blow. As the pyre ascended into the heights of the chamber our eyes met once more. With but a nod, we returned to the camp and slumbered for the first in five days time.