Kaith's hand moved across his cheek again, "you didn't fail me... I only called for you because I wanted to say goodbye. I love you so much Dante." Her voice quivered and Dante felt her hear being pressed firmly against his chest, "I don't know what I'll do without you. But... just know that I'll always be by your side." She sobbed as he felt her move away, wondering where she was going.
A man's voice came, filling the darkness with a chilly aura. "It's time."
Once more, Kaith's trembling voice spoke out, "goodbye Dante! Good luck... I love you!"
He tried to call out but no words escaped his lips before his eyes snapped open. The brightly lit forest overexposed his vision, flooding it with a bright white as he looked through the canopy of the trees to the blue sky above. He rubbed his aching neck to find that the noose had slackened and a snapped branch was haphazardly leaning against his forehead.
"Owwwwwww..." Dante groaned. He propped himself up, and staggered to his feet. Noticing the gem still glowing, he picked it up. Hope...sometimes it does need to be given...I'll see you again Kaith... Rummaging through the bags, Dante unfurled the scroll. I need to make my amends...I must talk to him...
Dante unravelled the scroll to find that the markings around the map had changed again; there was no denying it this time. The rounded triangles had become crescent shapes, alternating between inward and outward facing ones. They perplexed him but hi focus was still on the map; there was still a great deal of distance to cover before he would reach the alleged land of the dead.
It seemed that with the sun, the forest had become alive. The deathly silence was gone and replaced by the rustling of branches and the howls of various animals. The forest was not very dense but seemed like it spanned all the way to the ocean.
Dante admired the beauty and grace of it all, in spite of himself. In the Nomeni limits, there was certainly greenery, but it was never this...real. This wasn't groomed and tended by earth and water and plant adepts, this was life itself, in all it's majesty. Snapping out of his meditation, Dante silently admonished himself. It's distractions like that which could get him killed.
Kaith's touch still lingered on his cheek and his mind drifted off, thinking about how much she would have loved being with him in the beautiful setting. Before his heart sank, he remembered that she would always be with him, no matter where he ventured.
The makeshift path wound through the forest and though he was appreciative that other Nomeni had cleared the way for him, he knew his fortunes would not last forever.
Well...let's hope the fates are kind to me... Dante thought as he forged through the woods. His focus was on the accendo, looking for any hint of malice.
The accendo gave nothing away. Within the faint wisps of accendo he could see a wide spectrum of emotion; each fleeting glance of the natural force providing perspective on the vastness of the planet. To see the accendo unbound was simultaneously beautiful, puzzling and frightening.
"Don't know why I bother...it's so...different out here. I wouldn't know strange from normal at the best of times." He muttered, still maintaining his focus.
Solitude was a double edged sword for the light adept. On one hand, he was thankful to be able to enjoy the beauty of Disegreth and to be given a second chance at life. Conversely, it was heartbreaking to be without someone to share these experiences with and the time seemed to pass painstakingly slowly.
Hiking over the dense underbrush, Dante's mind kept going back to Kaith...her spirit, her laughter...Just...say hi to Mom and Dad and Griz for me... he thought.
His melancholy was interrupted by the sound of a whirring. It wasn't very loud but it was certainly noticeable and Dante was intrigued by the fact that the accendo in the area had changed its pattern. What was formerly moving in scattered directions was now being pulled to the ground.
Dante moved off of the path slightly, moving between the trees and tracing the path of the accendo until he saw a large hole that was seemingly attracting all the accendo in the area, causing a the whirring sound as air moved in and out of it.
Dante dissolved his image, making him invisible, and looked down into the hold, creeping slowly, silently closer to it. I hope whatever's in there doesn't hunt by smell...
He felt a subtle heat coming from it. It wasn't scorching hot but was warm and humid, shimmering against his invisible frame as droplets of water clung to him.
The stone bounced down the hole, thudding lightly as it made its way down the walls. for a few moments, nothing happened and Dante had to wonder if such things were natural phenomena around here.
His wondering was quickly dispelled as Dante felt a surge of heat, making him blink reflexively. When he opened his eyes, a lizard-like creasure was quickly shooting out of the hole, far too quickly for him to dodge it. The light adept braced himself for impact when something hit his side, knocking him to the ground as the beast vaulted out of the hole, narrowly missing him.
"Your curiosity will get you killed!" shouted the officer woman, flooding Dante's memory with the sorrow of Kaith's death, "if you don't do it yourself, at least."
Rage boiled up in Dante. You're SORRY?! You...you killed her. In cold blood! You took an innocent life, just to make a point! You left me alone...all alone... His expression softened as a revelation washed over Dante. Just like I did to her... He walked towards to woman. "I...I forgive you."
"NO!" she shouted before her voice went back to a soft whisper, "you shouldn't forgive me... you should be furious, like I was. You should want to strike me down... make me pay. Why would you forgive me?"
A man's voice came, filling the darkness with a chilly aura. "It's time."
Once more, Kaith's trembling voice spoke out, "goodbye Dante! Good luck... I love you!"
He tried to call out but no words escaped his lips before his eyes snapped open. The brightly lit forest overexposed his vision, flooding it with a bright white as he looked through the canopy of the trees to the blue sky above. He rubbed his aching neck to find that the noose had slackened and a snapped branch was haphazardly leaning against his forehead.
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
The makeshift path wound through the forest and though he was appreciative that other Nomeni had cleared the way for him, he knew his fortunes would not last forever.
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
His wondering was quickly dispelled as Dante felt a surge of heat, making him blink reflexively. When he opened his eyes, a lizard-like creasure was quickly shooting out of the hole, far too quickly for him to dodge it. The light adept braced himself for impact when something hit his side, knocking him to the ground as the beast vaulted out of the hole, narrowly missing him.
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
The creator of Maro's Magic 8-Ball!
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226