Post by Morreion on Dec 5, 2008 21:59:52 GMT -5
The Fall of Feladan; A Tale from the Age of Lamentations
The Withered Aegis was on the move. Having taken Rachival, the city of the Gnomes, Torrin Macalir's forces of terror and evil turned slowly south. They despoiled the land, and Blight grew not only upon the earth, but in the hearts of all of the races of Istaria.
In the forests of Elvenkind stood Feladan, home of the Elven Council. The city was magnificent then, full of ancient trees, cascading fountains, and aglow with the light of thousands of magic lanterns. The Council consisted of many magnificent Elven lords, all accomplished in their various fields, master craftsmen and renowned warriors. The King was the traditional head of the Council; his powers much diminished from olden days, yet the King was still a powerful symbol to the Elves.
The King at this time was Andomyrr, a warrior past his prime, though in his day he was a renowned commander, and had brought peace to the Elven forests. Andomyrr had of late ignored the troubling signs of the Withered Aegis, for he loved the hunt, and, after days of tracking beasts in the woods, would return to a great banquet that would last into the night. It was said that the King never failed in bringing back meat of wild boar or great stags which he had personally slew. In doing so, losing himself in the woods for days on end, King Andomyrr sought to forget the fact that he had no son. For his marriage was barren.
His Queen was Celenia, an Elf maiden of unearthly beauty. From all over Istaria, she attracted those who made pilgrimages for the mere chance to gaze upon her face. Songs were composed in her honor, and the Elves looked upon her as if she was a goddess from the ancient times. Beautiful she was, yet her heart was troubled; for she could not give the King, who loved her, the thing he desired most- a son or daughter. As the King had started to grow older, he grew restive and stayed away on the hunt. The Queen suffered to know that he could not bear that they were childless. Though she was revered by all, joy was not in her heart.
Another of the Council was Halgoras, famed warrior and companion-in-arms to the King. Halgoras had fought in many a battle next to his lord, and was never far from Andomyrr's side. Though he was a fighter in his soul, he saw within his King and Queen, and knew how they suffered; one, alone in her room, the other, prowling the woodlands restlessly. Halgoras had been through blood and fire next to Andomyrr, and never spoke of what he saw to him; but he did speak to his Queen, once.
They were in the Hall of the Council one day. Halgoras, due to leave with the King on a hunt soon, took the Queen aside to one of the many green gardens nearby. He showed the Queen a wren's nest which had fallen to the path, the eggs dashed against the ground. He looked up, and pointed to a small bird singing strongly in the sunlight upon a branch.
'All is not lost, Milady. The little one has lost something of itself, yet it sings in the sun. It knows the happiness of its true nature cannot be taken away.'
As the Queen looked upon the singing bird, there awoke in her heart a warmth that had not been there in many a year. She turned and smiled to Halgoras, and she saw a proud warrior sworn to his King, yet alone and serene; for he had never taken a wife, such was his dedication. There awoke in her heart an acceptance of life, and she became happier, with Halgoras as her inspiration.
The Council worried about the Withered Aegis, for finally word had come that foul things were about in the land. The Elves had not the forces to oppose this evil alone; Men had sent some aid, yet they too eventually retreated back to their lands to protect their homes.
One day upon the hunt, the King and Halgoras came upon a troop of Skeletal Warriors; they and the King's Guard cut them down, and returned to Feladan. The alarm was sounded. The King gave orders for the common folk to head towards Tazoon for refuge; bitter were the tears on many Elven faces as they left behind their beautiful city for the last time. The Council was to be relocated; yet the King would not leave.
Many were the arguments of those illustrious members of the Council to have the King go into exile with them; yet nothing swayed Andomyrr, who, approaching the autumn of his years, saw no honor in living at the grace of the generosity of Men or Dwarves. He ordered his Queen to go with the Council, as he ordered the city's defenses with Elven warriors who fought what they knew was a delaying action to save their people as they escaped to safer places.
Celenia, sensing something in the King's heart, begged him to return to her after the battle. He charged Halgoras to see her safely to exile in Tazoon, and set out the the northern edge of the city.
The Withered Aegis had sent Skeletals and Zombies by the thousands through the forests; Elven scouts had slain them by the score, but still they came on. The land was Blighted by the foul march of the Undead.
At the edge of the city, Elven warriors stood in their ranks with their battle-banners, legacies of many a successful battle. Yet a pall was on their hearts, for they saw the enemy in all its numbers bearing down upon them. Huge, shadowy beasts full of unearthly magic reined fear down upon them, Wraiths and other unspeakable entities swarmed upon the Elves, who fought hard and long, giving and receiving no quarter. And their King was in the forefront of the battle, his greatsword flashing like a scythe, cutting down everything in his reach.
Yet the fight went ill. The Elves were pushed back into their city, yelling in despair as Skeletals bearing torches fired the fair trees, and zombies smashed the magic lanterns. Many a stalwart Elf fell dead, fighting for the fair city that was being defiled as they died. Soon, the King alone was left, pushed back into the Council Hall. A cloaked figure stood in the doorway.
'Who is it?' cried the King, raising his sword.
'It is I, Sire', answered Halgoras, 'the Queen is safe with the Master of Scouts and his men, on their way to Tazoon.'
The King grasped the hand of his old friend and looked into his eyes. Halgoras had made the last decision of his life; he left behind him Queen Celenia, the only woman he had ever loved from afar, left behind a life with her to be by the side of the man who he had served all his life, even though he had disobeyed an order to do it. The King saw all of this in his eyes, and they squeezed each other's hand tightly.
The final fight came at last. Evil creatures roamed the city at will, casting the Blight upon all that had been fair. A troop of Zombies threw open the doors to the Council Hall to see two Elves awaiting them, greatswords drawn. Andomyrr gave a great cry and hewed through them with a whirling blade; Halgoras defended him, hacking off limbs raised to strike his King. The Zombies were slaughtered, yet Skeletals took their place; fell Wraiths entered the Hall, and after much struggle, the King lay dead upon the floor, mighty Halgoras standing above him, slaying all who came hear the body of his lord. As foul magic struck him, the last word on his lips was the name of the Queen.
The City was aflame, black figures rushing about in the dark, as the Blight started to grow upon everything.
When the Queen, now in exile, learned of the fate of her husband and her friend, she wept bitterly. When told that their brave deeds would be remembered forever, she said in a voice full of emotion:
'Bravery and honor and duty, yet not love...I have lost the only two who matter to me.'
Celeria shut herself away from everyone, until one day, after hearing birds singing in her garden, she lay down upon her bed and refused food and drink, and died after a time.
The Elves to this day have much to mourn; Feladan is a fearsome place of Blight; the trees are stumps, the lanterns dark, and the birds are gone, singing no more for now.
[This story was originally published on the Horizons Vault Website.]
