Dragon Revived, Chapter 2- Soaring on wings of pain

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

The goddess placed her hand on her chosen's cheek, "There, the poison is gone from you as well." Shar smiled at her, "I must congratulate you, my Chosen. You have grown wiser over the years and I am most pleased with you." she smiled, "The sword you forged is quite beautiful, Alliene. She will serve you faithfully, in years to come and when you take my place... she shall be at your side, serving you." the deity paused, "Though, in order for that to happen, you will need to be a mother to her, not a drow mother, but a mother for an elf. Your aquatic side." Shar smiled sadly, "Though I know you loathe it, the girl will grow up to be one of your most devoted followers, if you treat her right now. I am also pleased that you accepted your former cousin's child. He will also serve you well, and when you ascend, he may be one of your most loyal followers. Indeed, he has the potential to lead your forces to glory, and crush many of your mortal enemies. Hold both of them close, my Chosen, treat them well, and they will become some of your strongest warriors. You have amassed a fine selection of allies, and both your sister's children, your own child, and the former noble will all stand with you, more then any." she paused, waiting for Alliene to speak.

[Lady Blue03]

"I...Mistress, I will try my best to treat Zyaevl as my aquatic father treated me. It is hard, after all these centuries in the Underdark." She sighed, "I believe you are correct about the young elf. It will be especially difficult keeping him...close. But I will try." She smiled slightly, "My thanks to your praise...it means everything to me."

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

The goddess kissed Alliene's forehead "I did not say it would be easy, my Chosen, but if you wish loyal allies, you must do so." she paused, and looked thoughtful, then suggested, "Treat them both as you would were they siblings, and as your father treated you. Both will come to love you greatly, and that love will be more binding then any loyalty." she paused, "I would suggest you train them both personally, the girl in magic, and the boy in swordscraft." she smiled, "Ironic that one once a sword should learn how to wield one, and choose magic over it." The deity smiled again and asked, "Is there any more advice you needed, my Chosen?" she paused, "As you know, I cannot tell you all, but I can tell you some."

[Lady Blue03]

"I only wish to know about the one time sword, Mistress. Does she possess the ability to turn back into the weapon she once was?"

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Shar paused, "That, I do not know, child. It is up to her, ultimately, but no, I do not think she will willing revert back to her original form unless the need is dire; after all, she has spent centuries as a blade, always being wielder by another, never being able to move for herself, and now she can? Would you give up such freedom, my Chosen?" she paused, "If she does... I doubt she will have as much power as before, maybe when you first forged her."

[Lady Blue03]

"I see. Perhaps I should forge another sword for the elf." She sighed, "I will do as you have commanded, Mistressm as always." Alliene bowed again.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

The goddess smiled, "My Chosen, it is not a command. It is a suggestion. Unless you suddenly prove yourself to be a child, we are past the stage where I command you. The time will come for you to make your own decisions and I will not be there to guide you, or tell you what to do. Instead, I am offering you advice now, so you may learn and grow, much as a mother stops holding her child's hand, and instead allows the child to make mistakes so it will from them." Shar smiled. "Anything else?"

[Lady Blue03]

Alliene shook her head, but suddenly grinned wickedly, "I hope the golden one's deity is not too mad with me? Has she confronted you at all?"

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Shar actually looked amused, "No, dear one, but she was quite irritable as of late, though it may surprise you, your cousin saw the error of his ways, and saw through her lies, trickery and deceit he actually abandoned her." at this, Shar burst out laughing. "The look on her face when he told her... Oh, my Alliene, you should have been there. When he confronted her, and told her he'd be damned to the nine hells thrice over before he worshiped her again... and the look of sheer fury and frustration on her face..." Shar eyes danced with mirth. "As you can well imagine, she was furious. She was actually going to strike him, but he changed into his golden form, and dared her to try... his audacity knows no bounds at times. He told her to try it, and see what happened - and that she'd wind up having to face the very blood she'd unleashed in him. My, she was angry. But then, Calaethis's own rage was a sight to behold. He told her that she had manipulated him as a child, and turned him against his cousin, and that when you, my dear Alliene, come to power, you would destroy her, and he would do everything in his power to support that. At that point, she was ready to explode, and Calaethis innocently asked her if she needed Tagnik to achieve her goals... since she had altered the blade through him as well. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and asked him what he'd done with it. Then he told her he'd sealed in in a plane!" Shar laughed aloud again. "Her 'You did WHAT?!' was most amusing. Even as she fumed, Calaethis asked her if she would be petty, and strike down the other mortal's she'd influenced, his family. She glared at him, and Calaethis said she was nothing but a spoiled, whimiscal, childish, brat of a deity who had somehow arisen to power, and her parents should have spanked her as a child!" Shar laughed again. "Your cousin's eyes were as cold as you own, my dear. Then he changed back into elven form, and she into her own mortal avatar and she attempted to calm him down, with her soothing seductive voice - saying that even now, she forgave him and hoped he would see the error of his ways, and she'd always love him. Your cousin didn't buy it, not a second time and he told her the only one he'd ever worship is you, dear Alliene. You should have seen her stalk out. It was most amusing." Shar smiled, and kissed Alliene's forehead, "You may see the events in your own mind, now, my chosen. She hates you, you know. She fears you, and Calaethis's own defection has ruined her plans, and set them back years. You know," Shar said slyly, "Knowing your cousin, he did that on purpose, waiting for the right time." Shar cupped her hands around Alliene's cheeks. "My Chosen, you should know that he has always loved you, and always tried to act as you would have him, even after he was manipulated by that deity, and despite he foolishly followed her orders, he was just a child at the time. Since then, he has exiled himself and done things... that you would not believe, to atone for his single childish error of not listening to you, and listening to Her instead." Shar looked at Alliene, her eyes serious. "He has grown up since you last saw him, my Chosen. How he managed to hide what was in his heart from Her, I do not know, but I do know that he struck back at her, not for himself, but for you. He did not have to and his deity would have been none the wiser. I suspect that he hide his true intensions, by masking them with his love for you. I do not jest when I say he has struck a crippling blow to her plans. She is incredibly angry, not at him, but at you. But do not fear, she cannot harm you - not with so many allies about, and since your cousin has gone rogue, he is hellbent on causing more disruption to her plans, and he is being quite successful. She created her own worst enemy when she caused you to hate him. Even now, he slaughters her warriors." she laughed, and her eyes turned hard. "Do not be fooled, my child. She is not as elven as she made out; she is Fey-ri - part demon, part elf. Calaethis has gone on a killing spree, and slaughters her demonic followers, and any abominations of demonic blending with elves." she paused, "I have told you enough about him for now, unless you wish me to tell you more." the goddess revealed to her chosen.

Edit: missed a tag

[ 11-01-2003, 07:03 PM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]

[Lady Blue03]

Alliene bowed her head, "No, Mistress, I think you have revealed enough. I thank you. If it pleases you, I would go back to obliterating my enemies to ash."
Shar smirked, "Of course, my Chosen. This new information should aid you somewhat, I think." She laughed, then touched Alliene's forehead before fading into her statue.
Alliene stood with her teeth clenched, trying to keep her rising temper under control. The last thing she ever wanted to hear was the damned golden one worshipping her, "He follows me like a plague." She hissed, seething. She shouted for Zennenn and her priestesses to return.