Post by thatguyjames on May 16, 2008 10:16:31 GMT -5
Prelude
The room was masked in darkness, save for a single point of light that shone down from above. Slow, snaking trails of incense smoke wove through the shaft of luminance, ever changing and unwinding into a new, more exquisite design. All around the soft hum of machines quietly at work filled the silence. The floor, where the light hit, was a smooth marble, polished and decorated with mother of pearl inlays, trimmed with gold.
On the edge of the light, barely visible, was the figure of a woman. Dark curls of hair hung down, partially obscuring her face in the half light. She knelt on a small prayer mat, worn with love and age, her hands pressed together at the palms. She whispered her incantations over and over, begging the beloved Emperor for forgiveness and guidance.
How long had it been now? Days? Weeks? The woman could only guess. Her prayers had only grown more intense as time went on. As she continued, men of the church had moved her away from the daily worshippers. They recognized the signs, the fevered working of a mind lost in total, all encompassing, concentration and devotion. This woman, they concluded, would die in prayer. Or maybe, just maybe, she would live long enough to receive a genuine revelation, a supreme prophecy. It was their gamble, but a good one nonetheless. All eyes now fell on this woman named Jennifer.
For what had seemed to be the passing of an entire season, Jennifer had been fighting through a veil of mist. The only thing to guide her was her faith and devotion, to tear apart the walls of grey and blue that shrouded her mind. The truth was before her, she only had to see it for what it was. For some time now she could sense she was drawing closer. She fought the temptation to reach out prematurely and grasp at her vision, for fear it would become vapor in her hands, never to be found again. No, for a vision this grand, patience was key above all. Only the patient mind would be able to out-wait the tenure of the approach, to finally reveal itself to the viewer when it was ready, and only when it was ready.
The life support machines Jennifer had been placed on hiccupped for a moment, before resuming their steady hum. She barely noticed. Though the machines were cared for an maintained on a twice daily basis, they were only machines, and could not outlast the divinity the woman sought.
Suddenly the ground began to tremble. Jennifer ignored it as best she could, pouring her mind into her prayer. As the trembling receded, she breathed a sigh of relief, having maintained her concentration through both interruptions.
It was and mighty crack of ancient oak being split that shocked the raven haired woman from her prayer. But in that one fleeting moment, maybe by fate, or the pure force of will finally coming to fruition, Jennifer saw the world with eyes as clear as the sky. She gasped hard, her eyelids trying open further than they were capable, her pupils dilating fiercely. She breathed in, her face one of pure shock.
A warrior.
This was more than a warrior though. This was the one. Mightier and more focused than any of his brethren, but most importantly of all, the strands of fate that connected him to the universe, glowing red hot with anticipation. This was the man who would end the conflict of so many millennia, the man who would bring eternal peace to the galaxies.
And he was in the next room.
Jennifer stood on weak legs. Staggering forward, she grasped the handle to the door that hadn’t opened in nearly four months. The action was difficult, and the door creaked and squealed in protest. Walking forward, pace by pace, Jennifer knew what she had to do. She would confront this man, and imbue him with his holy quest to bring peace to the war torn worlds.
Jennifer felt the strength leaving her body. She had spent so long her trance like state that her body was rapidly failing her. It wouldn’t be long before she collapsed into a coma, probably never to awake, but she didn’t care. If she could perform this one last act, her life would have been well spent. To be the messenger of the fate itself! All she had to do was make it a few more steps.
Jennifer rounded the corner.
Falling to knees, she wrapped her hands around his boot. It was enormous and fashioned of pure steel. Though rough in construction, it had traveled the surface of many planets. Jennifer ran her hand on the sole, feeling all those far destinations under her fingertips.
“My great paladin, I am sorry I cannot stand.”
Jennifer’s voice was raspy, but intelligible.
“I have spent many months in prayer, waiting for a vision, and I saw you, standing in the very church I have called home for all my years. Hear me now, and know that you have been chosen for greatness. You, and you alone, will bring everlasting peace to our worlds, by the decree of fate almighty. You must not waste a moment, for the work of countless centuries must be undone before you find your final rest. Go now, and I pray you safe and wonderful journey, my great Paladin.”
And with that, Jennifer was gone.
Standing in stunned silence, the man she had been clinging to could only listen, trying to comprehend the words of supreme prophecy that had been offered to him. He could see from her lifeless body that this last act had been one of compassion, compassion for all life in the galaxy. Such was the weight of her words, that it even took him a moment to snap out of the trance he was in.
“Sorry Luv, whut was you sayin’?”
Jennifer did not respond.
Tully picked the limp human up in one mighty hand.
“Oi! I’m talking to you.”
“Wha’ chu doin’ Boss?”
Keg wandered up, poking the woman with a stick.
“This ‘umie come blaverin’ bout somepin, but I wasn’t listnin’”
“So you croaked ‘er den?”
“Naw, she done croaked ‘erself”
Keg’s eyes widened.
“You sure is good at killin’ Boss. Yu dun even ‘ave to swing at em anymore!”
Tully considered his Nob’s assessment for a moment, bursting into laughter.
“Good wun lad. Now, let’s get back to stompin’ and lootin’”
The room was masked in darkness, save for a single point of light that shone down from above. Slow, snaking trails of incense smoke wove through the shaft of luminance, ever changing and unwinding into a new, more exquisite design. All around the soft hum of machines quietly at work filled the silence. The floor, where the light hit, was a smooth marble, polished and decorated with mother of pearl inlays, trimmed with gold.
On the edge of the light, barely visible, was the figure of a woman. Dark curls of hair hung down, partially obscuring her face in the half light. She knelt on a small prayer mat, worn with love and age, her hands pressed together at the palms. She whispered her incantations over and over, begging the beloved Emperor for forgiveness and guidance.
How long had it been now? Days? Weeks? The woman could only guess. Her prayers had only grown more intense as time went on. As she continued, men of the church had moved her away from the daily worshippers. They recognized the signs, the fevered working of a mind lost in total, all encompassing, concentration and devotion. This woman, they concluded, would die in prayer. Or maybe, just maybe, she would live long enough to receive a genuine revelation, a supreme prophecy. It was their gamble, but a good one nonetheless. All eyes now fell on this woman named Jennifer.
For what had seemed to be the passing of an entire season, Jennifer had been fighting through a veil of mist. The only thing to guide her was her faith and devotion, to tear apart the walls of grey and blue that shrouded her mind. The truth was before her, she only had to see it for what it was. For some time now she could sense she was drawing closer. She fought the temptation to reach out prematurely and grasp at her vision, for fear it would become vapor in her hands, never to be found again. No, for a vision this grand, patience was key above all. Only the patient mind would be able to out-wait the tenure of the approach, to finally reveal itself to the viewer when it was ready, and only when it was ready.
The life support machines Jennifer had been placed on hiccupped for a moment, before resuming their steady hum. She barely noticed. Though the machines were cared for an maintained on a twice daily basis, they were only machines, and could not outlast the divinity the woman sought.
Suddenly the ground began to tremble. Jennifer ignored it as best she could, pouring her mind into her prayer. As the trembling receded, she breathed a sigh of relief, having maintained her concentration through both interruptions.
It was and mighty crack of ancient oak being split that shocked the raven haired woman from her prayer. But in that one fleeting moment, maybe by fate, or the pure force of will finally coming to fruition, Jennifer saw the world with eyes as clear as the sky. She gasped hard, her eyelids trying open further than they were capable, her pupils dilating fiercely. She breathed in, her face one of pure shock.
A warrior.
This was more than a warrior though. This was the one. Mightier and more focused than any of his brethren, but most importantly of all, the strands of fate that connected him to the universe, glowing red hot with anticipation. This was the man who would end the conflict of so many millennia, the man who would bring eternal peace to the galaxies.
And he was in the next room.
Jennifer stood on weak legs. Staggering forward, she grasped the handle to the door that hadn’t opened in nearly four months. The action was difficult, and the door creaked and squealed in protest. Walking forward, pace by pace, Jennifer knew what she had to do. She would confront this man, and imbue him with his holy quest to bring peace to the war torn worlds.
Jennifer felt the strength leaving her body. She had spent so long her trance like state that her body was rapidly failing her. It wouldn’t be long before she collapsed into a coma, probably never to awake, but she didn’t care. If she could perform this one last act, her life would have been well spent. To be the messenger of the fate itself! All she had to do was make it a few more steps.
Jennifer rounded the corner.
Falling to knees, she wrapped her hands around his boot. It was enormous and fashioned of pure steel. Though rough in construction, it had traveled the surface of many planets. Jennifer ran her hand on the sole, feeling all those far destinations under her fingertips.
“My great paladin, I am sorry I cannot stand.”
Jennifer’s voice was raspy, but intelligible.
“I have spent many months in prayer, waiting for a vision, and I saw you, standing in the very church I have called home for all my years. Hear me now, and know that you have been chosen for greatness. You, and you alone, will bring everlasting peace to our worlds, by the decree of fate almighty. You must not waste a moment, for the work of countless centuries must be undone before you find your final rest. Go now, and I pray you safe and wonderful journey, my great Paladin.”
And with that, Jennifer was gone.
Standing in stunned silence, the man she had been clinging to could only listen, trying to comprehend the words of supreme prophecy that had been offered to him. He could see from her lifeless body that this last act had been one of compassion, compassion for all life in the galaxy. Such was the weight of her words, that it even took him a moment to snap out of the trance he was in.
“Sorry Luv, whut was you sayin’?”
Jennifer did not respond.
Tully picked the limp human up in one mighty hand.
“Oi! I’m talking to you.”
“Wha’ chu doin’ Boss?”
Keg wandered up, poking the woman with a stick.
“This ‘umie come blaverin’ bout somepin, but I wasn’t listnin’”
“So you croaked ‘er den?”
“Naw, she done croaked ‘erself”
Keg’s eyes widened.
“You sure is good at killin’ Boss. Yu dun even ‘ave to swing at em anymore!”
Tully considered his Nob’s assessment for a moment, bursting into laughter.
“Good wun lad. Now, let’s get back to stompin’ and lootin’”