"Ironic, she thinks to herself, dying at the hand of a dagger, when they are, were, my own most prized weapon."
She begins to think back to what happened after her death, but it is no use. All her memories are too distorted to be reliable; a flash of white here, the feel of softness and metal against here skin there. Nothing makes sense and it becomes clear it’s a lost cause. Each and every time she begins to see a wider picture, the crashing sounds of cannon balls shatters her fragile hold on the image. Soon, like a dream in the mind of the waking, it is lost for good.
Anneleigh remains fearful of what she will see if she opens her eyes. She has been devoted to Tavril her entire life, but only recently made the choice to recognize the entirety of the Vigil. At the time of her death, her last thoughts were not of the beauty and grace of Tavril, but of the wrath the others may condemn her to for her lack of faith.
Her breathing begins to slow. Still unable to open her eyes, (more out of fear than from lack of physical ability) Anneleigh attempts to make sense of her surroundings using all of her hunter training. The ground is neither hot, nor cold, she thinks, attempting to make a mental picture. It is solid though, and grainy to the touch. Rocks, she believes. Another crash in the distance refocuses her attention on sounds. Everything is very quiet except for a quiet murmur of many voices and a soft, lyrical voice which speaks ever so often. She tries to make out the words spoken, but only catches pieces here and there. Although she cannot see, or fully hear, the being, the voice stirs comfort in her, providing the courage she was lacking. Slowly Anneleigh opens her eyes.
As she suspected, she is laying on rock; the stone floor of a balcony. The wide open space provides a view to the outside. The sky is a dusty orange and Anneleigh remembers the fires set to the village homes by the enemy forces.
"Perhaps," she thinks, "I am still in Mathosia after all."
As she turns to look into the greater room, she is startled by the familiarity of what she sees. Sitting up quickly, Anneleigh takes in the sight. This is the sanctuary of Mathosia. She remembers convening with other recruited soldiers here before entering battle. It looks much the same as it did when she was here last.
"Was that just three days ago," she wonders, "or have I been asleep, or dead, for longer than I realize?"
It seems just an instant to her, and these surroundings seem to hold true to this sensation.
However, though familiar in their appearance, there is strangeness as well. There in the doorway kneel two men. Attentive, they smile at her and direct her attention to an even more unexpected sight. A Messenger of the Vigil itself is waiting just inside the room. Anneleigh approaches.
"Am I dead?" She asks.
"The Gods of the Vigil have returned you to life, Anneleigh. They have returned your body to battle Regulos, but you must give up your old life and begin anew. To become truly ascended, you must absorb an ancient soul. "
Anneleigh finds a secluded section of the sanctuary to take in her new role in the world. She feels great pride in the Vigil’s gift; the chance to help save Telara. She considers this second chance and measures the good she could do against the possibility of returning home to her family; ignoring their gift and return to her simple life.
She has never been particularly close with her family, and besides, everyone who came to the battle will surely have died. No, from the moment the Messenger spoke, Anneleigh felt her heart stir with anticipation of her new life.
Lost in her thoughts, she begins to pace around the sanctuary. She has never been particularly handy with a bow or a sword. Her entire life has been one dagger sting after another. She considers the option to begin truly fresh and take up a new skill, but in the end comes to the conclusion that daggers are her best hope for making a difference.
She comes out of her daze in the presence of the Prince, Zareph Mathos. Her unconscious wandering has delivered her to the balcony where he has been observing the battle. Anneleigh makes a timid curtsey and awaits his acknowledgment of her presence.
"What… who are you? I saw you and your crusaders die when the Death Rift swept across Thedeor Fields. The Vigil must have brought you back!"
Anneleigh steps closer to him. She knows the civil unrest that has led to his title as Prince rather than King. Yet despite his birthright, he speaks to her as an equal. "Yes." She says. "What has Adraxis done?"
"It is a sad time to be a Mathosian. My father, Joster would never have sanctioned this madness. My brother, King Aedraxis Mathos, has gone utterly mad with power. He has ruled Mathosia as a tyrant. He has become obsessed with the technology of the ancients, hoping to use the foul artifacts to oppress his people. ""The people rose up against him, but it appears the civil war was over before it began. Aedraxis made a pact with Regulos, the dragon of extinction. Now a great rift into the Plan of Death has opened in our homeland, and undead abominations spill forth like a black tide. I can only hope that the gods brought you back in time. Are you powerful enough to stop Aedraxis?"
Anneleigh shutters at his question. "I will try your highness, but if I succeed, it is with the assistance and guidance of the vigil."
He turns his gaze once again to the destruction below and Anneleigh turns to leave.
She paces the sanctuary for a few more minutes, working up the courage to approach the messenger once more.
"Ascended, you stand at the threshold of a world blighted by Regulos, the dragon of extinction." The messenger says on her approach. " With the Vigil’s light, you shall be the beacon that banishes the dark. What have you decided?"
Anneleigh no sooner thinks of her response and is enveloped by the soul of Estrael, the first blade dancer.
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