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Post by Joxcenia on Jun 22, 2004 23:22:43 GMT -6
1 Xwpfan
Registered Member
Posts: 714
(4/21/03 7:25 pm)
At a stand still (continued)
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When the howling stopped and the winds died down, Red's was the first voice Xendra became concious of,for Red had lifted her voice in a shrieking battle hymn before launching herself back into the battle.
The battle raged on,three women were intertwined in a dance of the ages... shifting anticipating,dodging ,weaving, attacking with their out stretched swords as each saw fit .
Xendra would have loved to have seen the pure power and poetry of the swords of Ares and Artemis used in battle. Instead, Xendra was left in the gut wrenching postion of being an eavesdroper rather than an onlooker or particpant.
Xendra stood there just listening for she could not fluidly move to be of use to anyone, all she could do is stand there breathing through her mouth and listen as the battles sounds continued on for what seemed like eternity .
Xendra intently listened as the swords told the battle's tale. The swords of the Gods cut the air as they swung , with a stiff slice here and a whoosh there, soon preceded by a thunderous clang of refined steel against steel.
Xendra held her breath what did the clang mean ?Were they deadlocked ,evenly matched or had an advantage been gained?
For a moment, silence filled the air again... only to be broken by Red,“Now . . . shall we be dancin’?” Tha Lady be e’er pleased by tha grace o’ well drawn ." The words made no sense to Xendra but knew by the tone they meant something to Red..
Sudddenly she heard a sharp intake of air much like her own breathing only this time it came from Red just before she screamed, “KEDOS!” In that moment Puella thrust the sword of Ares through Red's shoulder.
Red screamed out words and symbols that no human had ever heard with their ears but that Xendra had known all too well in her heart. Xendra quivered and convulsed as Red spoke the demon’s first and truest name.
Even before Xendra's unseeing eyes were mental images of unspeakable and uncomprehensible Evil...
The delicate fabric of reality had been abruptly torn ..
As Red's syllables finished a new voice whispered in Xendra's ear
"Are you ready to banish Evil from your heart, your mind, your world?"
Xendra stammered, "I want to, more than anything I want to but I don't know how."
The voice answered "It is enough that you want, you do not have to know. The others will help you through the transition as you will later help others."
Xendra hung her head low and softly said," Obviously you do not know what I have done to these women, to this tribe, I once lead Puella to insanity, I ordered the attempt to separate Blackwolf from her soulmate, I voiced the words that caused Leara's words not to be believed,it was My minions who sought to put Little Gabbyfan in peril, and worse yet I knew of the attempt to erase the connection between Evergreen and Zena and had did nothing to stop it!I battled them hard and I even brought the elements of the earth against them in order to destroy them . No, I dont deserve their help."
The voice answered, "No you do not deserve their help but they will give it anyway."
As the voice faded Lightening lite up the sky , bringing a thunder that left Xendra almost deaf.
Moments later Xendra could sense fluid coming out of her body .Xendra wondered if what was happening to her was happening to anyone else.
Xendra felt relief when she heard Red 's shattered voice, pronounce “Thrice I be namin’ ye. Thrice I be claimin’ ye.
From this world ye are banished by me!”
Phalon suddenly yelled “From this world you are banished by me!”
Xendra spun as Blackwolf.howled “You are banished by me!”
Xendra grimaced as she heard Puella scream“You are banished by me!”
“From this earth you are forever banished by me!” shrieked Evergreen, She was echoed by Gabby, and then the screeching cries of the ravens.
Suddenly a familar voice came out of the wind and directed itself towards Xendra,"They have given you their help. That now leaves you- do you wish to banish Kedos as well?
Xendra in her beaten and sightless state straightened herself to full stature lifted her head up to the heavens and cried out ,"You orchestrated all the wrongs I've done to my sisters, my tribe and the Amazon nation !! I FOREVER banish you from my heart my mind, my spirit and this world! "
..there is only one success... to be able to spend your life your own way.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jun 22, 2004 23:24:43 GMT -6
blackwolf
Registered Member
Posts: 76
(4/22/03 2:08 am)
To fight or not to fight
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The strength of Red's punch to my chest sent me to my knees, gasping for air. I watched as she walked by me, yelling out a war cry as she advanced on Puella now. I tried to get up to follow, but the lack of breathing kept me down. As soon as my breath returned though, I was back on my feet, ready to stop Red.
"Wait." Montara said. "Did you not hear what she said."
"I heard words coming out of her mouth, but understanding them is a whole heck of a lot harder."
Montara chuckled at this. "Well, you need to listen harder. She needs this fight. She will be the one to end this thing, but she must do it through her greatest power, through her gift. She might be a priestess, but above that, and part of that, she is a warrior. Don't you see that?"
I looked at Red. I guess, in a sense, I had realized that. The same need for battle raged in me. Somehow though, through this entire venture, I had been able to keep that need controlled. It confused me, considering that I used to be a warrior before a philosopher. Now, I had switched roles. I was now trying my best to make sure people didn't fight.
"Your need for battle is still as strong as before. Make no mistake about that, Blackwolf. It is just tempered because at the moment, we don't need another warrior." I felt Montara smile. "You get that from me."
"Well, a lot of good philosophy has done me. Everybody is still fighting against Red, a person that I swore to help when no one else would. Now I stand torn. I do not want to fight her, though I'm probably the strongest here. And yet I don't want to stand and wait for something to happen."
"Well, if you don't want to stand there, you can come let me loose!" Another voice yelled. I looked over to where the two raven's were still struggling to get the scarf off. As I walked towards them, I picked up Red's axe and hooked it into my belt. I could get used to this weapon, I thought. My thoughts were diverted by the battle ceasing behind me. I turned and looked, and saw Zena impaled on Puella's sword. Time seemed to slow down as I watched the events unfold before me. I stood rooted to the spot, uncertain of what to do. I knew that this was a war we were fighting, and I had seen many people killed in battles, but none hit me like this did. I had known these people only a short time, but they already meant a lot to me. The thought of one of them dying was unbearable.
Time sped up again, and I watched as first Phalon and then Puella joined in forces against the priestess. I felt my own tempered battle need rise to surface, and I gripped the axe at my belt, ready to battle the one I had sworn to help.
"Nay, you must not. You are needed elsewhere." Montara told me.
"Elsewhere? This is what I was born to do. Be a Protector. And from where I'm standing, I've forsaken my duties. I should have been fighting from the beginning."
"Your job in this battle was not to fight. Don't you understand that by now? You have another purpose in this war."
"And what is that?" I hissed at him, still gripping the axe.
"To give strength to those that need it. To give others a reason to keep on fighting. You told others we needed to stop fighting each other, and start fighting that which we needed to."
"A lot of good that did. We are still fighting each other."
"On the surface it might seem that way. But with your instincts, look below the obvious. Does the fighting going on now seem wrong?"
I railed against Montara's words, but I did as he said. I quieted the battle rage within me, and looked. At first, all I saw were three people battling each other. Then I looked beneath it all, and saw what Montara meant. As he'd said before, Red needed a battle to win this war, and looking at the fighting going on, I knew this was the battle she needed. There was intensity and power in each motion, in each strike and parry of the gifts of the God's. But above all that, I saw the power. The power being molded to end everything. I was not meant for this battle.
"I'm glad you're finally listening. Now, go tend to Zena."
I looked over to where she lay, Evergreen and Gabby still watching over her. I nodded my head, and then skirting the battle, I hurried to my horse. I was glad to see his saddle bags were on him. I dug through some of the stuff and found my pouch of herbs and bandages. I headed to where Zena lay. As I passed Xendra, it seemed she was blinded by the blow that Red had given her earlier. I left her where she was, content to know she would be of no danger any time soon.
I knelt next to Zena. At first, Evergreen tried to shield her from me. I didn't take offense from this. She knew I had stood up for Red when no one else would, and it had been Red who had caused her so much pain. However, I was determined, and in her weakened state, she was no match for me.
I pulled away Zena's tunic and looked at the wound. It was deep and nasty looking. I had seen men die from lesser wounds. Already she was getting the pale look of death and her breathing and heart rate were slowing.
"She will not last long enough for me to heal her," I told Montara.
"Then give her some of your strength, like you did with Phalon."
"But I did that with the Wheel, and that's kind-of in use at the moment."
"The Wheel was only a catalyst for your new powers. You weren't strong enough at the time to transfer the strength without help. You can do it now."
Trusting Montara, I grasped one of Zena's hands in my own and laid the other on her head. I closed my eyes, and sought that quiet place again. It came much easier this time, even without the wheel. I quickly found the strength tap as I had before, and poured a great deal into the prone body in front of me. It came so easily and quickly that I almost collapsed from the loss of my own strength. Only Gabby's hand holding me up kept me from falling down. It took me a while to re-orient myself. I looked down to Zena, and was pleased to note that she looked much better. Her color was almost normal, as was her breathing. I then turned my attention to her wound.
Though I lived in a village known for it's healing herbs, I knew only the rudimentary skills for healing someone. My knowledge was limited to the scrapes and bruises from battles. I did the best that I could. I looked in her wound and breathed a sigh of relief. The sword had missed all major organs and had passed right through. I turned to my pouch and pulled out the appropriate herbs. I cleaned the wound with what little resources I had and then packed the wound to the best of my ability. With Gabby's help, I turned her on her side so that I could work on the exit wound on her back. Evergreen stayed at Zena's head, promising her several things if only she'd make it through. After packing the wounds, I wrapped her middle with the bandages.
And just in time too. I heard a scream come from both Red and Xendra, and a gust of wind like a cyclone sent us to protecting our faces. I covered Zena's body with my own, attempting to protect it from any flying debris. As quickly as the wind came up, it was gone. I looked around at the combatants. Up to that point I had steadfastedly ignored the fighting. Whatever had gone on before, Red now had the upper hand.
She fought with a renewed strength that wasn't there before. I could feel the power radiating off of her. It was like waves washing over me. I soaked in it all in, and used it to strengthen me. I stood and watched, entranced, as each of the figures moved in glorious ways. Bhen Rudha moved with lightning speed, so quick I could barely follow each motion, even with my eyes. Puella fought with skill and ease, as if Ares' sword was no more than an extension of herself. There was fire in each of her movements, moving from the sword through her body. To her fire, Phalon was graceful and powerful at the same time. She was not the warrior that Puella and Red were, but she held her own just the same. She was like the river next to my village. Quiet and peaceful during the summer, but angry and deadly when agitated.
I first saw resignation and then acceptance in Red's face and understood it all to well. The fight was coming to the end, and the beauty that was occurring was going to have to stop. I saw this mirrored on the other two faces. The priestess took a deep breath and screamed, “KEDOS!” as Puella thrust the sword of Ares through her shoulder.
Lightening lanced across a cloudless sky, bringing thunder that left our ears deaf. Next she shouted “FUATH!” As the name left her lips, Phalon sliced cleanly through her thigh with the sword of Artemis.
Lightening struck the ground between the combatants, throwing them backwards. On her knees, Red yelled one more name into the sky, a name I did not recognize but knew to be the truest name for the evil we were fighting. I watched as large black clouds oozed out of Red and Xendra, followed by smaller ones coming from each of us surrounding the field. The clouds formed one large, formidable mass above our heads, and I knew true fear. Here was an evil not contained within frail human bodies. Here was an evil unleashed and in full fury. Purple lightning filled the sky, and I found myself holding the axe in my hand yet again. Though futile, it gave me some sense of security.
The priestess, weakened by loss of blood and battered by the forces above, lifted her face and stared at the evil that hovered over her. With her shattered voice, she pronounced, “Thrice I be namin’ ye. Thrice I be claimin’ ye. From this world ye are banished by me!”
"To fight for what you believe in and to never give up is to have the heart of a wolf."
Edited by: blackwolf at: 4/22/03 2:25:21 am
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Post by Joxcenia on Jun 22, 2004 23:26:38 GMT -6
blackwolf
Registered Member
Posts: 76
(4/22/03 2:08 am)
To fight or not to fight (Continued)
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The cloud screamed, lightening lancing out in every direction. I watched as one fork struck the priestess, lifting her into the air and throwing her away into the surrounding forest. The cloud began to come apart, unable to remain. It fought, the center of the cloud boiling with activity, seeking some way out of its sentence.
“From this world you are banished by me!” yelled Phalon suddenly, tears streaming down her face.
Understanding, I lofted Bhen Rudha’s axe in defiance and howled “You are banished by me!”
“You are banished by me!” screamed Puella, picking herself up from the ground.
“From this earth you are forever banished by me!” shrieked Evergreen, still holding Zena's head in her lap. Gabby also yelled up in defiance at the evil above us, followed by the shrieking of the ravens, who had managed to free themselves some time before. I turned to look at Xendra, who seemed to be hesitating. Then, she too yelled "You orchestrated all the wrongs I've done to my sisters, my tribe and the Amazon nation !! I FOREVER banish you from my heart my mind, my spirit and this world!"
With one final clap of lightning, the power overhead broke apart and disappeared. I felt a breeze blow through my hair, and looked around at all the others. It was done. The war was over. Evil had been defeated.
"To fight for what you believe in and to never give up is to have the heart of a wolf."
Edited by: blackwolf at: 4/22/03 2:25:21 am
gabbyfan4ever
Registered Member
Posts: 84
(4/22/03 9:40 pm)
Hope Unfailing
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The deafening roar in Gabby’s ears slowly receded, and awareness of the world around her came with it. Time no longer stood still, but seemed to speed up in an attempt to rob Gabby of her precious moments with Zena. She became aware of Evergreen cradling Zena’s head in her lap, and everyone else present in their own state of shock.
This lapse of activity lasted only moments as everyone started reacting at once. Gabby knew the rest of the Amazons would try and make Red pay dearly for Zena’s pain, but this time she wanted no part in it. Where normally she would have jumped at the chance to fight for whatever cause her sisters took on, fighting now seemed the least priority for her. Anger took a backseat to an overwhelming sense of sadness and loss. Nothing was more important than soaking in everything about the Amazon who became her mother only such a short time ago. The woman who seemed to be sent straight from the Elysian Fields to save this lost little girl, and was now being ripped away so soon after. Ripped away like everything good that Gabby had ever had, and now it was happening again, even though she had known it would be different this time. What would she do without her? What would they all do without her? Gabby wouldn’t be without her.
Outside these thoughts a battle raged, as Puella and Phalon fought the Red woman. They danced with each other as if they were meant for that day, for that battle, and all others were mere rehearsals. Gabby became suddenly aware of Blackwolf beside her, seeking to help Zena. Perhaps it will be different this time, thought Gabby as she looked fondly on her fallen mother. She remembered how much distrust she had for Blackwolf when they first met under a tree outside the sea port. Now nothing seemed more right than to trust everything to this woman without a second thought. Gabby supported her as she seemed to transfer life itself back into Zena, and helped shield her mother as they were stuck with cyclone force winds. The young warriors eyes widened as the color returned to her mother’s face, and hope of any future worth living followed. This small show of returning life to Zena was as big as the whole world to Gabby.
At this same time the battle dance was coming to an end. Two strokes that carried more weight than any other before fell on Bhen Rudha, and with each she named the evil that had caused so much suffering. The last blow came not from Puella or Phalon, but from the evil itself, as purple lightening stuck the Red woman. The last name Bhen Rudha called was the true name of the evil they fought, and with this she banished it from her. Each Amazon in turn banished the evil that they had been fighting, and as Gabby said it she knew these words carried more weight than perhaps any she had ever uttered. “You are banished by me!”
The last and final victory was won by Xendra with the words “You’ve orchestrated all the wrong’s I’ve done to my sisters, my tribe and the Amazon Nation!! I FOREVER banish you from my heart, my mind, my spirit, and this world!”
Another war had been won. And with this victory Gabby clung to the knowledge that this time it had been different.
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Post by Joxcenia on Jun 22, 2004 23:27:48 GMT -6
phalon1
Registered Member
Posts: 1130
(4/22/03 10:57 pm)
Justice Served Well
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Phalon stood stunned, quite unsure for the moment of what had just taken place. She looked over to Puella, her dancing partner in a battle like none that Phalon had ever taken part in prior, and saw a bewildered look in her eyes that mirrored her own. “Is it over?” she asked.
“Yes, I believe so”, Phalon replied. Over. Kedos. Evil. Fuath. By whatever name it be called, it was gone. Bhen Rudha had seen to that, just as the Widow had promised. What a toll it had taken, this fight, on all of them. Puella bruised from the battle, torn from her friendship with Xendra. Xendra, mind and body, used as a vessel, stood blinded, face shattered. Evergreen, bloodied and beaten in body, but perhaps more alarming, was the price exacted on her spiritual well being, witnessing the death of her beloved friend. Gabbyfan, losing yet another she called Mother. And Zena…What?
Zena was alive?! Phalon had been sure she was dead, having seen Ares sword rammed through her middle, seen the immense pool of blood surrounding her, and feeling her cold, lifeless her skin. The faint rise and fall of her chest said otherwise though. She saw Blackwolf nearby, and remembered a time when a surge of energy entered her own body via the warrior’s touch. She wondered if it would be enough this time.
Instead of rejoicing in the knowledge that this war was over, she felt the same melancholic feelings so familiar to her at the end of every battle. She ran her hand through her hair, and felt a warm, thickness spread from her temple. Blood from a gash delivered by Bhen Rhuda. The physical and mental wounds, words said out of spite and in hatred, could they ever fully be healed?
Phalon felt the cold metal of Nemesis’ Wheel in her hand. She looked at its blood stained rim. Armed with the wheel and the sword of Artemis, she had fought with a skill and fury in which she was not akin. The wheel though, unlike the sword, was never intended to be used as a weapon of destruction, of war. It had another purpose.
“Nemesis. Your scales are again tipped in favor of goodness. Evil is back at the lower end, where it needs to be, where hopefully it will remain. The task set before this group is done.” Phalon looking up to the sky, ran her hands around the smooth curves of the wheel for the last time. “Goddess, let it be.”
* * *
The wheel sliced through the air silently until it hit its intended destination. Ping. The impact to the tree caused it to ricochet to another tree standing near. Ping. After the wheel hit its third mark, it again returned to the first. Ping. Ping. Ping. It completed the circle, gaining momentum with each pass. Ping-ping-ping. The leaves on the ground beneath began to swirl, rising up from the ground, creating a whirlwind around the clearing. Dust rose, and mixed with the swirling leaves, created a wall around them. The howl of the wind became deafening, but inside the eye, where the women gathered, all was still and silent. The finest mist began to fall, colored golden as rays from the sun were, filtering through a canopy of leaves on a warm spring day. This golden mist, as it fell, covered the women, spreading warmth, just as the sun warmed body and soul after the long, cold harshness of winter.
Wounds healed, heated words and feelings of hatred between them all but forgotten, the whirlwind rose up, vanishing into the heavens, taking the wheel with it.
She often wondered, throughout years to come, if it all could have been avoided if she’d discovered the secret of the wheel earlier. The power to turn back time, and correct all that was wrong. It weighed on her, heavy, sometimes when she lay awake, unable to sleep. She always came to the same conclusion though. No. It had to be. If not them, then someone else, perhaps having gone unchallenged. Evil would always lurk amongst mankind and would never totally be banished from this world. But for now at least, because of the war they fought and won, it was quelled into submission until next time, when hopefully someone would be there to take up the challenge once more.
* * *
She left the others in the clearing and entered the surrounding woods. There, she found her, broken, laying on forest floor, impaled by Evergreen’s sword with which she fought and won her battle. Won the war for all of them. A raven lay nearby, lifeless as she. She picked up the bird, wondering if this were the one called Widow, and placed it in the Priestess' stiff arms. As she did, tiny specks of gold from her hair lightly landed on the other’s cheek. She then pulled Evergreen's sword from her and layed it on the ground next to her. Phalon removed her cobalt colored robe, the one she hated so much, the one that forever got in her way, the one that was now covered in the golden mist, and lay it over the Priestess. “You have served us well, Bhen Rudha. You truly are Gaza. A treasure.”
Wearing only a thin shirtwaist and leggings now, she shivered in the night air. A welcome shiver, refreshing and alive. Off in the distance, from the clearing which she had just come, she heard the happy bark of one small dog.
Edited by: phalon1 at: 4/22/03 11:04:56 pm
phalon1
Registered Member
Posts: 1131
(4/22/03 11:17 pm)
DISCLAIMER
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No one person was turned into a fish, no little dog possessed, ravens killed, or pine bough shirts destroyed during the production of these scrolls. Zena, on the other hand, did suffer a nasty hangnail, but thankfully is on the way to a speedy recovery. We all wish her well during her convalescence.
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