How long had it been? A few days? Weeks? It couldn't have been a month. Time was hard to track for the angelic spirit. The enigma even among her own kind. Or rather, the supernatural category that normal mortals would have labeled her as such. Still, no matter the amount of time that had elapsed the memory was fresh. The brief encounter with the necromancer brought... discontentment to Eyir. That was quite a feat. She was always content. Unnerved. Passive. The dark mage had disrupted the existence she had made routine for centuries in just mere minutes. Perhaps it was because she had never encountered one before then. While she did know all too well their strengths and her possible vulnerability around them it was never put to the test. Now she knew for sure. The threat he had given before departing was one that had to be taken seriously. Just in case.
Allowing her to leave to become stronger had been his intent. The problem with his return could be solved if she just remained as she was. Weak. Others in her place might have been quite satisfied with that solution if it meant they would be safe from a necromancer stalking them. Eyir did not have that luxury. She could feel the essence of her spirit weakening. Fading away. The angelic spirit had already spent centuries being idle. To remain in the world of the living required more power. Her spirit and soul required fuel. The magical energies of the world would be enough for that. She only needed to be able to tap into it and absorb it. But, it was blocked. Her ability to complete the process in greater amounts was limited and slow. Becoming stronger was the only way she could think of to break that barrier and absorb more. That, too, was a slow process, but she knew it was working. Her powers had increased since joining the ranks of Luminous Rose. She could feel it. Though, it was not enough. Not yet. The pull of the realm of death was still strong. Its call to her soul still loud. Eyir was not ready to return to that place she feared.
Two problems were now threats to the future of her existence. At least in the case of the necromancer she had time. Focusing on the other might be enough to deal with both issues. And so, Eyir had turned to the libram that she had found, left behind for her by Havardr. It contained no answers. Only blank pages to reveal once it believed that she was ready. She would be acquiring no help chasing that route. Eyir did not personally know anyone else that would have suggestions or answers. Her guildmates and leaders she was distant from, but even then she could not entertain the thought that they knew anything that would be considered helpful. Or that they knew anyone who would be. Many of them had talents of a different kind, and thus a particular set of knowledge and experiences. She'd disbelieve it if she were told otherwise. Besides, it was not something she wanted to just put out there at random.
No. Instead Eyir had a different idea. There were the ancient souls of the world. Ones that had been wandering since the dawn of time. Of course, she doubted she'd get the attention of one quite so old. Communication with them was rare. Their wisdom and guidance even less so. Eyir would settle for the younger ones. Still considered ancient but still young by comparison. They were easier to track and communicate with. Eyir knew just where to get started. Although she was not sure why or how she knew. The knowledge was just there, inviting her to make use of it and travel into the unknown.
Away from Ishgar the call had taken the angelic spirit. Across the vast oceans of Earthland she soared until reaching an ancient and hidden land that not many alive would know existed. In fact, the land was one that no one would find unless it wanted them there. Even for Eyir it did not appear until she was near. To consider it an official landmark of the world would be a stretch. The land was magical, living, with its own soul and intent. But, the land was not what she was there for. It was the wandering spirits that had made themselves at home there long ago.
The sky had darkened since she had departed, or maybe that was how that land always was. Grey clouds covered the landscape high above, eclipsing whatever sunset that would have normally been painted upon it. To some, it might have been gloomy, depressing, sad, perhaps even eerie. Eyir would agree. Even she could feel those emotions radiating from the land she now touched. There was no happiness to be found there. Not from the land or of the souls that existed there.
The moment Eyir made her soft landing the land around her sparkled with light as thousands of souls that took the shape of orbs swarmed and spread out. They were weaker and more minor souls. Just like the typical ones she would have found in Ishgar. They would not be helpful for her plight and only served to be a nuisance instead as their voices pierced loudly through Eyir's mental defenses. It was... painful. Eyir stepped back and slightly crouched as she held the hood where a head normally would have been. Was it an intentional attack for intrusion? She didn't know, and she could not fully decipher one voice from another to understand what they said. Nor did they listen to her. They then began to swarm like insects around her. They were not going to go away or become idle. Eventually, she had no choice but to act to stop the attack. In a way that she did not know she was capable of.
During the attack, Eyir could feel her spirit weakening from the attack of the gathered souls. Now she could tell what they were doing. They were absorbing her, stealing her spiritual energy for themselves. The light of her essence was pulled from her armor in streams and her ethereal wings began to dim. All of it being sucked towards the swarming soul orbs as they devoured it. They were starving and craved a new source of energy. They considered her the rare meal that arrived on the silver platter. They considered her as the weak one and would consume her entirely to make themselves stronger. Eyir realized then that her will to exist was unbreakable. No swarm of weaker souls was going to turn her into nothing. The normally emotionless angelic spirit became angry. It was in that momentary state of anger that she finally acted.
(Word Count: 1139)
Allowing her to leave to become stronger had been his intent. The problem with his return could be solved if she just remained as she was. Weak. Others in her place might have been quite satisfied with that solution if it meant they would be safe from a necromancer stalking them. Eyir did not have that luxury. She could feel the essence of her spirit weakening. Fading away. The angelic spirit had already spent centuries being idle. To remain in the world of the living required more power. Her spirit and soul required fuel. The magical energies of the world would be enough for that. She only needed to be able to tap into it and absorb it. But, it was blocked. Her ability to complete the process in greater amounts was limited and slow. Becoming stronger was the only way she could think of to break that barrier and absorb more. That, too, was a slow process, but she knew it was working. Her powers had increased since joining the ranks of Luminous Rose. She could feel it. Though, it was not enough. Not yet. The pull of the realm of death was still strong. Its call to her soul still loud. Eyir was not ready to return to that place she feared.
Two problems were now threats to the future of her existence. At least in the case of the necromancer she had time. Focusing on the other might be enough to deal with both issues. And so, Eyir had turned to the libram that she had found, left behind for her by Havardr. It contained no answers. Only blank pages to reveal once it believed that she was ready. She would be acquiring no help chasing that route. Eyir did not personally know anyone else that would have suggestions or answers. Her guildmates and leaders she was distant from, but even then she could not entertain the thought that they knew anything that would be considered helpful. Or that they knew anyone who would be. Many of them had talents of a different kind, and thus a particular set of knowledge and experiences. She'd disbelieve it if she were told otherwise. Besides, it was not something she wanted to just put out there at random.
No. Instead Eyir had a different idea. There were the ancient souls of the world. Ones that had been wandering since the dawn of time. Of course, she doubted she'd get the attention of one quite so old. Communication with them was rare. Their wisdom and guidance even less so. Eyir would settle for the younger ones. Still considered ancient but still young by comparison. They were easier to track and communicate with. Eyir knew just where to get started. Although she was not sure why or how she knew. The knowledge was just there, inviting her to make use of it and travel into the unknown.
Away from Ishgar the call had taken the angelic spirit. Across the vast oceans of Earthland she soared until reaching an ancient and hidden land that not many alive would know existed. In fact, the land was one that no one would find unless it wanted them there. Even for Eyir it did not appear until she was near. To consider it an official landmark of the world would be a stretch. The land was magical, living, with its own soul and intent. But, the land was not what she was there for. It was the wandering spirits that had made themselves at home there long ago.
The sky had darkened since she had departed, or maybe that was how that land always was. Grey clouds covered the landscape high above, eclipsing whatever sunset that would have normally been painted upon it. To some, it might have been gloomy, depressing, sad, perhaps even eerie. Eyir would agree. Even she could feel those emotions radiating from the land she now touched. There was no happiness to be found there. Not from the land or of the souls that existed there.
The moment Eyir made her soft landing the land around her sparkled with light as thousands of souls that took the shape of orbs swarmed and spread out. They were weaker and more minor souls. Just like the typical ones she would have found in Ishgar. They would not be helpful for her plight and only served to be a nuisance instead as their voices pierced loudly through Eyir's mental defenses. It was... painful. Eyir stepped back and slightly crouched as she held the hood where a head normally would have been. Was it an intentional attack for intrusion? She didn't know, and she could not fully decipher one voice from another to understand what they said. Nor did they listen to her. They then began to swarm like insects around her. They were not going to go away or become idle. Eventually, she had no choice but to act to stop the attack. In a way that she did not know she was capable of.
During the attack, Eyir could feel her spirit weakening from the attack of the gathered souls. Now she could tell what they were doing. They were absorbing her, stealing her spiritual energy for themselves. The light of her essence was pulled from her armor in streams and her ethereal wings began to dim. All of it being sucked towards the swarming soul orbs as they devoured it. They were starving and craved a new source of energy. They considered her the rare meal that arrived on the silver platter. They considered her as the weak one and would consume her entirely to make themselves stronger. Eyir realized then that her will to exist was unbreakable. No swarm of weaker souls was going to turn her into nothing. The normally emotionless angelic spirit became angry. It was in that momentary state of anger that she finally acted.
(Word Count: 1139)