Virtuous & the Brave

Soren paced around his darkening chamber as he waited for night fall in irritated silence. There was something evil and wrong at work here in Illythia, and he couldn’t figure it out. Since he himself was consumed by evil, he had a very keen sense of when evil was present, though he never knew for sure where it came from since all evil felt the same. He had a hard time finding the source of evil since his own heart was clutched in evil’s tight grip. Soren was dragged from his thoughts as someone pounded on his door. Rozalyn’s unmistakable voice floated through the heavy door, though its urgency prevented it from bringing the peace it normally brought Soren. “Soren, open the door at once. I need to speak to you.” Soren hurried to the door, but didn’t open it. “You know I can’t let you in Rozalyn, it’s too dangerous.” “It isn’t night fall yet. I will be out in time. Now let me in!” Soren, half curious about what she would need to speak to him about and half intrigued by her urgency, opened the door and Rozalyn rushed in. Rozalyn immediately locked the door behind her and then turned to Soren. When she spoke, her voice was low, as if she were afraid of anyone else hearing. “The Council has rejected Kerizan’s plea for help.” Soren was immediately disappointed and paced away. “You were surprised by this?” “Yes. Any one can see that her plea is legitimate and it is my duty as a Dragell to aid those in need. If what Kerizan says is true, we must stop Prince Rothgard or the Elves will end up just like the Arganots!” “Perhaps their fate is divine retribution.” Rozalyn looked more saddened by the comment than angered. “You know that isn’t true. Something is going on here and we need to figure out what that is. It is our duty.” Soren looked up at the window and saw that stars were beginning to appear high in the evening sky. The sun was almost set now, he could tell by the way his body was beginning to shake. “I have no such duty. Now leave me before you get hurt.” Rozalyn bravely walked up to Soren and grabbed the collar of his shirt. “Do you want me to despise you Soren? Do you want to drive me away? You are better than you are pretending to be, and I am not going to give up on you!” Rozalyn released him and paced away. It was silent for a moment as Soren stood in awe of Rozalyn’s statement and Rozalyn struggled with what to say next. In her desperation to end the silence that seemed to consume the room, Rozalyn’s next words came out abruptly and emotionless. “I am going into the Cloister of Holies, and I would greatly appreciate your help. I could use your wisdom.” “You can’t go into the Cloister. The Dragell code says it is forbidden.” “What do you care of the rules and codes? You wrote the book on how to break them. That is why I need your help. How do you get into a place that is forbidden?” Soren’s body began to shake more, causing him to grit his teeth and lock his jaw. He slammed his fist against the wall he leaned on and yelled over his shoulder. “Get out now Rozalyn!” Rozalyn wasn’t propelled to move. Instead she remained firm in her place and repeated the cold words he had once said to her. “I’m an immortal. I’ll be fine.” Soren’s anger was growing, but his determination was holding off his transformation for a few minutes longer. “You must leave!” “I will leave once you give me your word that you will go with me into the Cloister of Holies tomorrow.” Soren let out a half roar half yell as he turned in irritation, his jaw clenched as tightly as his fists. “You may be an immortal, but I could still rip you to shreds.” Rozalyn calmly looked into his golden eyes as red crept into them from the corners, slowly consuming his eyes. The red was dark, like blood, but glowed like fire, with thin flickers of orange and yellow in it. “Will you go with me?” Soren slammed his fist against the wall once more, causing it to shake this time, then yelled out his answer ferociously. “I will go with you!” “Do I have your word?” “You have my word!” Rozalyn nodded then turned to leave as Soren continued to hold off his transformation. Rozalyn tried to ignore the sounds of his heavy breathing and his fist against the wall, but it broke her heart to see her old friend in such a state. As soon as she was outside, she locked the door and pressed her back against it to catch her breath as a horrible howl filled the night air. Rozalyn listened to the commotion inside the tower for a moment as tears rolled down her cheeks. She missed her friend, and it broke her heart to see him so tormented. She knew his curse had been self induced, but she couldn’t help but feel deep sympathy for him.