Lost in Darkness.

[Kirisa]

Darkness...


It was all she saw when she opened her eyes. It seemed to her as if her eyes were still closed. she saw nothing. Wait, no...a faint stream of luminesence trickled through the blackness. She blinked a few times as her eyes tried to adjust tot he miniscule amount of light cutting through the void. Her head spun as she tried to push herslef up to sit.

She could bearly think. She held her head as she tried to focus her eyes, the thin stream of light below her (or was it above, she wasnt quite sure) seemed to bend and swirl in a dizzying kalidoscopic display. She shut her eyes tight, and clasped a hand to her mouth, gulping back her stomach's reaction tot he vertigo.

Where was she? how long had she been here? Time seemed to have no concept to her. She fell back to the hard floor, curling into a fetal position. Her skin felt cold and clammy. Skin...her hands patted frantically about herself. She was nude...no...she felt sparse fabric at her waist...a strap at the sides of her breasts. Her armor was gone, but not what was under it, little as it was.

She curled up more tightly, hugging ehr arms about herself, her body trembling.

Where am I?

It seemed to be the only truely coherent thought in her mind. Her thoughts were muddled, her memory cloudy. images and fragments of memories flashed through ehr head. She remembered voices...Who's? She couldnt recall what they were saying. She didnt recognize the voices...wait...she did

Father!?

That was his voice, wasnt it? Was it really him? She tried to focus on the image in her mind, straining to see who was there. She felt ill again, and clutched her stomach. shrinking intot he corner of her small, blackened room, she began to cry.

where am I?

The question continued to run through her confused mind, but now answers came. Only darkness. Only the opressive blackness of the abyss surrounding her.

Alone and afraid, Kirisa lay curled in a ball within the darkness and prayed to Shilen for salvation.

[Just Another Sinner]

The eyes watched the knight for several long moments before they turned to one another, a smile hinting in one pair. Silently, they departed.

"Keep her on the edge," said the one. "We want her to be vulnerable. It will take some time, but she will break. Everyone breaks."

"Of course. I'm glad we could see eye to eye on this. She will be useful."

[Kirisa]

Goddess Shilen...



Her stomach growled from the emptiness inside. She clutched at her stomach with both arms, it felt thinner than it used to. She huddled in a corner, head hanging



...Holy Mother, I beseech the, watch over I, your daughter...



down over her chest. She tried to swallow, as much as her parched mouth would allow. her body shook
and trembled. her addled mind tried to peice together the events of the past few days...weeks? Here in the

darkness, time had no meaning. Awake, asleep, she had no idea how much time had passed since she had awoken



...grant me the strength to overcome these hardships...



in this prison. She had no idea how much time had passed since she was captured and put here. Captured...Wasn't she just traveling from the Village? She thought so. At least, her mind drew that image,
but all she saw was a blank slate between then and now, with little bits of memories.



...Long have I been your loving daughter, long have I served you willingly...



She saw her father. He seeemd angry. Hateful. Why? He want to reconcile...at least it seemed...

He raised his hand as if to strike. In the darkness, she flinched.

Blackness...

She heard a scream. One she knew.

"Celita!?" Her eyes snapped open and darted about the room wildly. Sweat formed on her brow. All she saw was opressive darkness. She shrunk back further against the wall, and shut her eyes tight, gaining no comfort. She saw

Red. The red of blood,covering her hands. Blanketing the one she loved.Celtia lay crumbled before her.
She screamed. The raging flames of their burning house consumed al around her. She spun away formt he

scene. Somethign was behind her. Was that her father in the flames?

Her eyes shot open again. She rocked back adn forth, trying to squelch the memory of that years passed horror. Her thoughts drifted to Tregarde, and Jessala. Where were they? Did they know she was gone? Tears flowed down her cheeks, she shivered and bit her chapped, dry lip. She wanted them badly. Jus tot know they were near. Just to feel their touch.



...I ahve asked for little. I only asked you guard my life. Guard my soul



She felt dizzy and lightheaded, and slowly lowered herself to the floor. She closed her eyes again, and saw

A girl. She didn't recognize her. The girl stood motionless, hair flowing over her face. Her eyes accusing. She spun away form her, and jerked back. Anotehr behind her. A man. She knew him! Handel. She gulped back adn spun to anotehr direction.

"Maria?"

She turned again. Marie Handel this time. She trmbled in fear. All stared accusing. "It's your fault" She heard one speak. "It's your fault" "It's your fault" the words echoed and reverberated in her mind, over and over. She screamed

and opened her eyes to darkness nearly hyperventalating. Why did she have that dream again? No. it was different this time. Maria was't there before. She should never have died. None of them should have. Was that really her fault? Tura assured her it wasn't. Jess had assured her it wasn't. The attack would have come either way, right? Why did she keep having these thoughts?



...Grant me salvation. Stay with me at my side...



Was this her punishment? For that? For everything? The Handels, Maria...allt he citizen's of Dion that day. Her midn flashed to Geldriia. And Makora. The day they found out what she and Jess...Christy had done. It flashed to the alter. The Sacrifices..she let him read the book. Wasn't that her fault too?

She curled into a ball, shivering and crying. Was she dead? Was this the Abyss? Was this retrubution for her crimes? Did her mistake's truely warrent such punishment?


"...forgive the wrongs I have done, the sins I have commited. I have tried my best to server you...

her voice trembled, barely a whisper she shut her eyes tight

"...show me a sign that you are here. That I am not alone..save me from this hell"

[Just Another Sinner]

The voice came from the darkness, echoing within the knight's head. Was it real, or was it imagined?

"Kirisa. Kirisa, what's the matter? What's wrong? Why do you look so lost, so forlorn?"

It was soft, feminine, cold and soothing against the harsh blackness.
,
"You are not forsaken, child. She has not turned Her eyes from you. Even now, here, in your hour of need, there is one who watches over you, who always has. Listen to my voice, Kirisa. Hear what I say, and know who I am."

As the knight looked up, she became evident, as though she had been there the whole time. The Celebrant smiled softly, looking down at her.

"I have always been with you, Kirisa, even when you followed your orders and came for me. I will not leave you, ever. Call my name, and know that I will be your strength when you are weak. You have always been able to call on me. You know that."

The sight of the Celebrant began to waver, her smile remaining constant, eyes shining below the mark of Shilen on her forehead.

"I will not turn from you. Just call my name..."

And, with that echoing statement, she was gone, back into the darkness of oblivion.

****

As the Celebrant stepped from the room, he smiled, applauding her.

"Well done. I don't think that I could have done it any better myself. How do you think that went?"

"Well enough. Keep an eye on her. Report any changes immediately. I want to break her, not kill her."

"Of course. And where will you be?"

"I need to sleep. It's been almost three days since I closed my eyes. But do not think I want to be left alone if something happens."

[Kirisa]

She reached out a trembling hand as the apparition faded and darkness enveloped her once more. Was this the sign she prayed for? Was this Shilen's answer?

The blinding light behind the figure made anything beyond a black shadow difficult for hereyes to see, but the voice...it was one she knew.

She sunk back into the corner of her room. She knew the voice spoke truth. It was the voice of one she would have followed. She was even looking to seek her advice...before she was condemned to this prison.

"Can you still help me here? Can anyone?"

[mehrunes]

(("Posts in this forum should not be replied to in an IC manner"


Anyway, just thought I'd say that... please continue though. Great story =D))

[Kirisa]

((we are writing this as a team, Runes, thus Olo's posts are part of the story, and he has prior permissions to post in here. I thought of putting it int he RP forum since we'd be alternating posts, but I didnt want it to be an open RP thread, just exposition until it kicked off ingame. Which, btw, will be this Sunday (tomorrow) evening.))

[Just Another Sinner]

((Just for that, one smite for you! Muahaha!))