A Glance into her Mind - Zethrion's Blood (part 2)

The following story follows on from the death of Zethrion as our young Barbarian, Nashara falls into a state of confusion and despair. In one last act of surprise Zethrion has cured our female hero. Now Nashara lies exhausted, confused and sick with murder she has committed.

The body of Zethrion has been moved and now Lady Myrtis of Clan Fearghal attempts to calm our story teller. We rejoin the story as Nashara is plagued by robed man and once again her life hangs in the balance. What is the significance of Zethrion’s necklace?



"Ever since I killed Zethrion... I have been meeting a strange man... A robed figure... He keeps popping out of nowhere and talks to me... Why? Who is he? He keeps calling me a murderer... He keeps tormenting me... His voice... in my head... I can not get it out! Get out!

But... No... that is not important right now... There is something else... that bothers me...

Just like Zethrion... Why is he trying to turn me against Tyrnan... and my family? I killed... the only one who really knew me? The only one who really understood me? Who accepted me for who I was and... tried to help me? Zethrion...

I keep saying he is wrong... I keep telling him he lies! I do not believe him! Yet...

Could he be right? Could all that be... true? But... My family... they care about me... right? I do not know what to believe anymore... I am so confused...

But they took me in their family! The took me in... They always tried to help me when they felt I was in trouble... even though I kept pushing them away, saying that I do not need help...

'They took you in as a stray dog. They fed you and made you bite their enemies.'

These words... They will not leave my mind... They keep echoing inside my head... Could that be true? I... I refuse to believe it, but... It keeps bringing up the doubt... I... I should talk to them... But who? Why could I say... If it is not true... they would start doubting me... And if it is, indeed, true... No... No! Why am I thinking this!?

Someone... Please, someone help me! I... I need help... I hate it, but... I really need help...

I can still not believe it... Who... who is it that is trying to use me? Who is the one trying to trick me for their own purpose... No, no... stop thinking about this! It is obvious who is trying to mess with my mind! Zethrion.. And this robed creature... Of course it is them! They are trying to mess with my head!

But last night... last night was horrible... Myrtis... She did not want me to go... there... alone. She came with me to... that room...

Zethrion's corpse was still lying there. On the floor, between the beds. In a pool of his own blood. His necklace... I had his necklace... It started to glow, and... Suddenly, everything was dark... I could not see anything... Where was Myrtis? Where was... I? I... I saw a man... chained to the ground... He... He looked a lot like... Zethrion... Why was he there? And... there was a woman... and a... child? Were they... his...? It was horrible... The woman... she was... raped... and... they were both killed... The man in chains... Zethrion... He looked as if he lost all will to live... A beast... something.. a demon? I do not know what it was, but it came rushing at me... It knocked me back... I fell to the ground... In the room. I was back! Myrtis... she was standing in front of me! It was such a relief! But... The necklace was gone...

Mad? She... she said I am mad? Was I really...

She sent me back to the temple... She had a torch in her hand... She was planning to burn Zethrion's corpse... Perhaps that is for the best...

I waited for her at the temple... She came back, but... Soon... That robed man! Why was he there! Why will he not leave me alone! He... he said he would gain more power... If Zethrion's corpse burned! He told me to save the corpse from the fire... Myrtis... She would not let me. She told me not to listen to him.Of course not! I would not...

Myrtis asked me if I believed his words... Everything he said... What was I to answer? I did not know what to believe... After a moment of hesitation... 'No! N-No..." I screamed... she said there is no time to hesitate... She said... That if I believe him, I can do whatever I want...

Would she really just abandon me like that? I needed help, I needed support from someone... my family... and she... she would just... abandon me? Was I... really that worthless? Did I really not mean anything to them, after all?

He... said something.. some words I could not understand... I felt pressure on my shoulders, pushing me down, as I was sitting. I was barely able to hold myself up... Myrtis... she was pushed out of the temple... What happened? Was he... gaining more power?

He said he would gain even more power if the corpse burned. His kin, would be allowed into our world. Our world? What did that mean? He said Zethrion's corpse was a nexus... that held them in their world. And if it burned, they would be free to roam our world. What was he talking about? I did not understand anything! They would... kill everyone?

He... Grabbed Myrtis by her neck and held her against the wall... She tried to punch his head away but- How could that be? Her hand went right through his arm, as if it was not there... I just forgot what Myrtis said, I was so angry! I grabbed my sword and swung it but - again... It went right through him! Exhailian appeared out of nowhere... What was he doing there?! He was angry... But... So was I... And there was nothing we could do! How were we to help Myrtis? The man told me to put out the fire and save Zethrion's corpse... Exhailian told me not to listen to him, but... Was I to just leave Myrtis to die? Of course not... I had to hurry! I had to save the corpse, before...

I ran as fast as I could... I... I took water from the well and... ran straight to the room. The... the necklace... It was on his corpse! It was glowing... As if it were... calling me to take it... I just took it and put out the flames... There was no time to think! I ran straight back to the temple, hoping... Myrtis was on the ground... and so was Exhailian! What happened?! He said they fainted... I fell to the ground beside Myrtis, I was so scared... I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook it, gently... She startled me! She just opened her eyes and grabbed my hand. But... I was relieved... she was alive... Exhailian was mumbling some strange words... Did he say 'master'?

The robed man told me to give him the necklace... Even unconscious, Exhailian told me not to give it to him... I was... I did not know what to do... If... If I gave it to him, would he leave everyone alone? He was groaning... was he losing his power? Myrtis got up on her feet and Exhailian, too, woke up. They were both yelling at me, telling me not to listen to him, not to give him the necklace...

He said... If I gave it to him, he would bring back those I lost in the past... my family... my... real family. What a laugh! I almost felt like laughing! They were gone! Even if he really could bring them back... They would never forgive me if I had done that! What was done was done... we can not undo our past... I accepted what I had done and lost, long ago. And I lived with it. It made me who I was. He really knew nothing about me.

I was holding tight onto the necklace. Myrtis... I do not know what she did, but the man was pushed out of the temple. He could not get back in. He tried to walk through the door, but it was as if a barrier would not let him in. Exhailian was standing beside me, with his sword drawn... I started seeing visions again... I saw Zethrion again... Everything went dark for a moment, I saw Zethrion... He was younger... He had hair... He was playing with a child... his child? Yes, the child I saw die, earlier when I was in that room... The vision changed... There was a river of blood... And Zethrion...

I came back to my senses... When I saw another vision... Zethrion was... crying? At their graves... I heard his voice! 'Why did they have to die?' He cried... No... Why would he not stay out of my head! When I came back again, I felt weak... The necklace slipped from my hand and fell on the ground...

'Nashara!' I head Myrtis yell my name... 'What have you done!'

The man was slowly walking back inside... I picked up the necklace, gripping it tightly this time. I would not drop it again! The robed creature stopped. He could not come in anymore. Exhailian pulled me further back into the temple. He was...standing in front of me.

'I already told you - You will have to pry this thing out of my cold, dead hand!' I yelled at him, as he was desperately trying to persuade me into giving him the necklace.

'And you will have to go through me!' Exhailian shouted. It felt... reassuring. But... was he protecting me? Or was he just trying to prevent me giving away the necklace?

The robed figure slowly gave up. He said he would start killing them - one by one. I would never let him.

'I will start with Caspian'

What? Caspian? No... I... At hearing those words... I froze. I froze in fear. Myrtis and Exhailian, they told me not to listen... But... I was so close to... I almost ran after him... But I felt too weak and too... scared. I just collapsed on the ground. I forgot about everything. My mind felt blank... When I felt someone touch me, it just scared me... I shivered, pulled my hand away and kept staring at him... It was Exhailian... he was... just trying to help me back on my feet. I apologized to him and asked him to help me up...

They both told me to stay at the temple for the night. They would both stay with me. I told them not to worry about me too much... But... their company was... reassuring.

Myrtis told us not to tell anyone.

'...about this!' she added, when she pulled out a dagger... The dagger I stabbed Zethrion with! Tyrnan's.... dagger?

It was all just too much for me... I needed rest.. I was exhausted...


The following article actually happened live but is from the soul account of the owner and as a result may or may not be a accurate representation of events. However details and emotions described above are all in keeping with the owner’s character and how they perceived the progression of events unfold.

Story written by Nashara, Clan Fearghal
www.clanfearghal.com

The following story follows on from the death of Zethrion, after his strange actions during Maelthe’s rescue. Zethrion cured our young Bear Sharman despite being implicated in her sentence to the Prison Colony. We rejoin the story as young Maelthe ponders the only way to cure the poisoned warrior, Nashara.