Disappeared.. once again they had all disappeared. Just a moment ago, they had been there, gathering wood, mushrooms and other materials needed by them. A young pair of elves, chatting and running about. Then, they had caught glimpse of her, and frozen in place. They seemed scared of her.. The moment after they had been assaulted by mindless undead, cropping up like moths to the fire. Then, a split second later, everything had disappeared. On the ground there were visible fragments in the aftermath of the battle. Scattered lay limbs of the mindless undead, and then a minor trail of blood, leading away from the place.
It had quickly spread. Rumors, whispers, of a young elven ghost, leading the mindless scourge onto wayfarers entering the deeper trenches of the woods. Priests had gone venturing in the Ghostlands, finding nothing but glimpses of her, matter where they seemed to search.
Saerwen was situated at the abandoned ruins, the place which had been her home. Noone were ever venturing there anymore, and Saerwen had begone to fade further and further from this plane of existance. It had been many years since she had passed away. Even Saerwen were beginning to realise that something was amiss. Feeling constantly tired, Saerwen was mostly keeping quiet and staying in a closer and closer vicinity of the place she died. At first, she had been able to roam across the entire Ghostlands and almost to Silvermoon. Now, she could barely gather the strenght to leave the ruins. Sitting in the room she had died, Saerwen closed her eyes.. What was happening to her..?
Kevin had been walking for days, and having to avoid Sin'dorei patrols did not make easier. Far from enjoyable either but this was a special case. A ghost without a name was attributed to killing many travelers and possibly leading scourge but such a thing was quite a far fetched tale. Of course there are records of ghosts and the like attack but these were often unfocused, rage-filled spirits. Any competent warlock or necromancer with the skill to control a spirit would not limit it in such a way. Hence his curiosity. The few high elf friends he had were able to pick up more information for him from the locals around Tranquillien and so he went searching in various ruins. Not uncommon in the Ghostlands. The land and people were still recovering from the devastation the scourge wrought.
He cast few spells trying to determine the location of the spirit but so far none turned up anything more than the normal levels that most battle stricken lands shared. Perhaps I am in the wrong location. Kevin consulted his map again and decided to move to another prominent village that had been destroyed, much much deeper in the forest. A surge of energy and a loud clap rang as he vanished further north. Tripping over a branch as he reappeared he cursed himself. So much of these lands were unknown to him and he hated looking a fool over such little things. Straightening up he re-lit a fire in the palm of his hand and continued on.
...she could see him, and hear him. A young human man, a little older than she was herself, in human years. In a glimpse she was kneeling in front of him, stretching out her hand in what would seem like a gesture to help him back up on his feet. Then a low laughter appeared as she shimmered away once more. It was obvious, her spirit was weak. The laughter was cold and emotionless. It didn't feel like an embracing laughter, more like something that was pulling you closer to your grave..
As Kevin got back up on his feet, and fire slowly burst up in his hand, a low crying errupted from the ruins further away. A heart-tearing cry, from a lone child. "P-please.. please don't leave me.." The flame in Kevin's hand started to flicker, and it would feel as if a frozen female gave him a chilling hug.
Last edited by mmoc510818b846; 2011-12-03 at 06:13 PM.
Kevin let the fire go out as he felt a presence. Definitively a feminine presence, and then he heard her. He turned around and thought he caught a glimmer of her but not more. He couldn't feel anything threatening about her but there was something undoubtedly unsettling about her. He was not about to be deterred by something as simple the goosebumps.
He walked quickly towards the ruins where he felt her presence strongest and looked around. Not much but a chair caught his attention. "I'm not leaving. Are you here?"
Everything fell silent. Cold, so cold. Then the crying began again, this time more silently, more human like. Then came a low gasp for air, as if whoever had been crying realised someone else had been there. The gasp itself was far more ghostly than the crying..
"Who.. who are you..?" The voice called from somewhere in the ruins.. It sounded like it was comming from the far end, where a little elven house had halfways collapsed. The living room and the parents chambers were still standing. The part that had collapsed seemed to be a youngsters room, the guestroom and storage room. The house was right next to a larger building, resembling an arcane study. On the outside, a half-rotten sign was hanging. Tranquillien School. So the house to the right of the school, would be where the headmaster and his family had been living.
"There's noone here.. They're all gone..
Last edited by mmoc510818b846; 2011-12-03 at 06:44 PM.
Kevin slowly and cautiously followed the voice. "I am a magi by the name of Kevin Brenshaw." He decided against naming that he was tied to the Alliance. He still wasn't sure how old or what class the ghost belonged to and didn't want to frighten her off or....provoke her. He watched each of the different rooms ahead and then noticed the remains of a school. This peaked his interest even more. All elfs were usually very knowledgeable but few took to it with more than their chosen profession. Kevin knew from a few sources that the teacher's of their race tended to live nearby if not in the schools. Her spirit seeming so weak might have chosen this home for it's closeness to her life, or death. Either way his hope rose that she would retain her knowledge. It would make studying her so much easier. The educated are just so much more enjoyable to deal with.
Her last comment was a little unnerving but at the same time he still felt no malice from her. "We are here though. Could you tell me your name?"
The voice appeared to come from the half destroyed house. There was a strange chill over the place, and it was easy for a magician to feel the strange aura in the air around it. Even if most of the Ghostlands had a trickling sensation, it appeared that whatever had caused it still lingered here somewhat.. "..The school is closed, Kevin.. I said, there's noone here anymore."
As Kevin walked closer, he could hear whispers, from what would appear to be the same being.. "Where must we.. find them.. left me here.. so strange" They only stopped once he asked his question, as it appeared to hit somewhat of a weak spot. It also seemed to grant whatever resided in the area more.. strenght? "We are.. here, yes.. My name..? My name.. is... I... ...what is my name?" The voice seemed thoughtful, before it turned into that of a more hurt state, on the verge of breaking into despair. "How can I have forgotten my name..?"
As Kevin got closer, the voice seemed to call from the strange rubble.
She seemed hurt and confused. Not at all like most spirits, at least the ones Kevin had met. This turn of events on made him more intrigued. If only I can help her. Win her trust. Although I hope she doesn't need to much consoling. I really don't want to degrade myself to the practices of those Light worshipers. He wasn't against the Light as a general rule, he just knew many more important powers to place his trust in.
"You haven't just clam and think. You know your name." He tried to keep her focused on the task of remembering who she was. Her energy seemed to strengthen with the inquire and Kevin was able to discern a more direct source of the flow. With a flick of his wrist the rubble blocking and covering a small bedroom began to shift out of the way. He was careful to leave whatever didn't appear to be the walls or the ceiling where it was. All too soon he saw a corpse. There could be no question that it belonged to this spirit. "I think this room may help you. Can you remember your name now?"
As the rubble moved, the skeleton of a young elf appeared below the fallen stones. A few bones were smashes, others broken, yet it seemed like the youngling had been asleep when it had all happened.. Around the neck of the skeleton, the remains of a broken gold necklace hang. A cold sensation ran down Kevin's spine, as something seemed to appear behind him in a strange mist. A young elf, entirely shaded. White and ethereal, so that you could see textures of whatever was behind her, through her. "Why're you moving around with my things?! Get ou--" As the ghost noticed the skeleton, silence befell her.. for a moment she was just standing there, staring blankly. "Why's there.. in my bed..?"
The old house seemed to being to tremble, and the aura in the air had changed, it had become, malevolent. "Why is it wearing my necklace?.. Whats g-g-going on?!"
Kevin twisted as he felt the apparition start to form behind him. "I'm trying to help..." but his words were lost as the building began to shake. Well damn..... He stepped back a pace and held up is hands trying to appear non-threatening and begin try to calm her down but at the same time he was no fool. A few mumbled words and several wards shimmered in place around him. "It's alright elf. I can help you understand. You just need to calm down and we can talk."
How can she not know she is dead....
Last edited by Nonfictionless; 2011-12-04 at 12:52 AM.
"Mom?! Dad?! Where are you?!.. Get out! Get out get out get out!" The apparition roared at Kevin. Shifting in and out of reality, it seemed that the ghost was having immense trouble stabilizing herself.. "I-I-I'm D-d-dead?!" Moving around she was now screaming in fury and agony. The walls were shaking and dust was comming down from the roof. Then, everything went calm, yet the aura was deadly and cold. Half a second later, the ghost was standing right up at Kevin. The eyes of her seemed strange, and her figure almost poised to kill. Her voice echoing and furious. "What happened?! Why am I dead, and still here?! Whats going on, answer me!"
Kevin watched in a tensed position as she stormed about. He prepared for the eventuality that he may have to defend himself but if it came to that he feared his whole journey would have been for naught. She vanished and reappeared much more solidly than before. Everything stilled. He had hoped for her to be able to focus more but he was slowly coming to regret that. "I can only guess that your village was attacked by the scourge. I can not tell you why you are still here though. I can tell you that I can help though." Honestly he wasn't sure but as long as she believed him he knew he could put up a front of helping her with enough credibility while he studied her unearthly existence.
The ghost experienced another shimmer, before fading away once more. The necklace dropped from the skeleton's neck, landing on the floor next to Kevin's feet. It seemed to be an elvish birthday present, likely an amulet to follow the reciever through life. It had been given to the victim at birth, and carried her name, engraved in the bottum of it. ''Saerwen Sunwhisper.''
All around the house books lay scattered, and upon further inspection, Kevin would find that this place had witnessed a battle on magic. Scourge had been crushed, before the mages defending it had fallen. Then, there was a strange taint of failed necromantic energy. They had attempted to ressurect the corpse in the bedroom, but failed to do so, as the ceiling collapsed from the aforementioned pressure.. That's why the child was trapped in her ethereal form, unable to truely die and pass on, and unable to return to life.. at least, without help.
"You cannot help me. You cannot give me back the life that I had. Begone!" A voice echoed throughout the broken building.
Kevin cautiously bent down to pick up the necklace that dropped by his feet. "Saerwen Sunwhisper," he whispered. He examined the necklace as she spoke from a disembodied voice, echoing through the small home. A faint trace of darker magic clung to the necklace. I wonder..... The high elfs had not been known for practicing much necromancy, but who knows with the threat of the Scourge rampaging over them. He extended his senses and worked over the home, only this time looking for signs of different magic rather than just the spiritual energies of Saerwen. Spells clung to the air even after so long a battle could be seen with ease. However Saerwen's room spoke to something different. The same necromantic magic clung all over the walls and to her skeleton. Well that explains a lot. Fools for trying such a thing. Obviously had no practice and to try it on their own daughter....such ignorance. Undoubtedly meaning well but to trap her to such a existence.
He magically and mundanely cleaned her necklace. "Searwen can you still hear me?" He proceeded slowly hoping her name would calm her.
"...Saerwen..?" The shimmering continued, as she was now standing outside, looking at Kevin with saddened eyes.. The ghostly figure had got more form, taken more shape. It seemed as if the more of her personality that returned, the stronger her ties to the world became. The more it became apparent, that there was something she needed to finish.. "...What does that matter. I'm dead, all I had has been lost.. Why can't I just disappear..?"
The ghost slowly walked up towards Kevin.. she seemed to have stopped shimmering entirely. Saerwen's spirit had found a lot of strenght. Magic was starting to circulate the air around her, as her emotions were giving way. It was clear she had talent and blood to perform great magics.. at least, she had in life.
Kevin felt a small shudder as her presence took much more solid-looking and magical state, very near her full strength he guessed. Well as much as a spirit can have. Luck finally. She was magi too. This will make this so much easier than having to guess. He held up the necklace for her to see. "Well I think it has to do with how you died Saerwen. And the fact that it may only be your body that is dead and not your soul." He could literally feel her emotions. If only he could play on them well enough he could convince her to stay with him and be his research. He started slowly, "It would only be lost if you gave up, and I think I can help you. So what do you say?"
"I'm.. not dead? Saerwen looked down upon her ghost like fingers. Even if she had the feeling that what he was saying was pure lies and playing with her mind, the elf really wanted it to be true, wished it to be true, needed it to be true. A low crying, could be heard from her, as she merely raised her head to meet Kevin's eyes.. There was only one thing Saerwen needed to ask him first... "The humans weren't there to help my homeland.. Why would you be willing to help me now?"
"I can not speak for my race but as for myself I was just a child. I couldn't help then and through my studies I have learned much and even more to appreciate. So I offer my help now." Saerwen seemed to be a bit more clever when she wasn't angry, but being an arrogant man that he was Kevin was sure he could still trick her. "If you do not wish it though I will not bother you again." He was sure with that line she couldn't help but accept him. For all her angry cries he still felt her loneliness. She needed someone, something and he was willing to be that, for now.
Thoughtful, and silent, Saerwen considered it deeply. It was so obvious that there was something wrong. The humans had not been in Tranquillien for ages past.. at least, Saerwen hadn't seen any all the time she had been there, which apparently could've been a long time. Yet, what other choice did she have? If anything, sitting down alone to mourn her memory, was only going to make her wither away and disappear again. Saerwen was scared of being alone, scared of losing what little hope she had gained. Nodding slowly, she neared Kevin... "What do you.. plan to do?"
Kevin smiled reassuringly at her. "Well for now just examine your being. It is quite an easy thing to understand when the spell is preformed correctly. But it is almost unheard of for a spirit to be able to roam about, such as yourself, without the need for a necromancer keeping you tied to this plane of existence. And without a living body it is even more confusing." He waved his hand a few items unpacked themselves from his bag and at the same time he let down his previous wards for fear she might be able to detect them now that she was more stable. A small but sturdy camp table unfolded many times than would seem normally possible without magic and set itself down to the side of them, along with a single chair. Several books, a number of pieces of heavily written on parchment, and several arcane trinkets landed quietly on the table after it unfolded. "Of course though not without your permission." He quickly held up a hand before she spoke and continued. "I must tell you though. I can not offer any certainty that this endeavor will succeed. Gifted as I am, such darker arts are not my main strength."
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