B.T.V. -- Session 06 Prologue: A Walk among the Embers

“Talk to me of Axildusk.”


The words were spoken in the language of the first veer. Being spoken to in that rare language made him stop walking. The prince of Melinboné had to remind his tongue of its native language. He hadn’t made use of it in what seemed like forever. Thinking this drew into focus for him the fact that the veer speaking to him had the word forever in her name. It was a changed version and used to title her to more than veer alone, so it had become lessened in form and meaning. Forever was a name very suitable for her. She was one of the Principal, the first ‘family’ of veer. Elric let his fingertips trail along the brightly coloured rock face they walked next to. Red dust coated his glove. He considered that Foreve had been born from Lored Veer who had brought the Principals into reality during the period of the Protorealm’s passing into the First Realm. The gods most involved with the Principal had been those of Lore, Magic, Perception and Ourth. Nature put its rightful hand on the veerish future to bring different forces into those who came after. Darkness and Shadow and Song and Willpower and other traits too. It was these other godly things that made him who he was in large measure. He wouldn’t be here at all, if not for the fact that he had learned the snares that these godly gifts laid before him.


“You hesitate to tell me of Axildusk? I thought it an innocuous opener. So many other subjects I could start off with. Some not so easy on you to speak about?”


“Lady, hesitation and consideration are often my bow and arrow.”


Foreve smiled at the antique nature of the other’s speech. “It has been a time since you spoke tasceveer. If it is easier use another.”


“It might be I should continue with it. You are not the only Principal that appeared. There could be others who make the walk here.”


“I had not sensed many prior to today and Annatar was one I had thought lost to the predations of the outcast. It is possible the others are ready to bloom on Axildusk. I think I must tend to them. Better me than Annatar. He was a mason whose main achievements bore odd effects.”


Elric nodded at her words. Her command of language made him long for a place to call home. He’d felt this in Melinboné. He’d searched for it. Thought to find it in Tanelorn. Had learned that was not his fate nor was that eternal city his home. The thought displeased him. His new chance had more to offer than sad reflection. He snapped his fingers. The red dust lifted from his glove into the air. The sombre light of the Furnace backlit the motes, highlighting their eccentric orbits about each other.

Elric said, “Whorls of space, the movements of the spheres. I have come to this place by the power of Shadow. It seeks to reclaim me. Shayyyuusss is its name. The Noble Thought of Shadow it’s called. I would not think to trust in its desire to offer me the opportunity to redeem my spirit. Only that Typhon has spoken as well and to the same cause, has fashioned in me a need to see where this new fated path will lead me.”


“The empty scabbard makes sense to me then. I had wonder at it. Your condition is altered? Your weakness, is gone?”


“That weakness, yes. Other weaknesses, I must still contend with.”


“You disparage yourself.”


“Others might not dare. I create unease in people still. No more the baleful bloody glare. My eyes are filled by Shadow and Time. It isn’t a big improvement. A reflecting pool unnerves me to look at my own face. When I look at it I am shown the uncertainty of what I am about and my likelihood to destroy what is left of things.”


“Good.”


Elric stopped again. He searched Foreve’s expression for a sign. She spoke the one word as a pronouncement. He hadn’t expected any words, or if words then many more than one simple one. The word ‘good’ was definitely not one he could have expected. She smiled at his examination of her. He lowered his eyelids briefly without closing them. The veerish way to ask pardon. Two of these movements, quickly flashed would be a plea for forgiveness among their kind.


“No, Elric. You needn’t seek my face for meaning. I will speak to you as plain as can. I said 'good' because you need to know this is all that is left to you. To me as well and all the rest. The Dragons fly to and from their roosts for the last time. They call to the world. The music must change if there is to be music at all. We are fortunate to be here to be a part of it.”


“This is plain speech?”

Foreve laughed and the sky became less dreary overhead. Elric’s red dust, still moving around them, danced to a melody none with ears could discern.


“Melinbonéan Prince, your manner is still Syndaren when you forget yourself. That is good too.”


“Is it?”


“I cannot be more certain. I should be feared more than you as I am a weapon without master. I act on intuition and not knowledge. I am not armed as you are to cut through guises of the cheats who are set to steal this realm-world from us.”


“Axildusk is a world and a realm?”


“Yes, it is both at once. That is its importance. There is nothing before it and nothing after it.”


“Powerful as the two Thoughts are, how could they manage this against the will of the other Noble Thoughts?”


“Against?”


“I see.”


“All are in accord or had no say in it and therefore no way to dissolve Axildusk’s nature prior to this. Their chance is upon them even as ours is upon us. You are famously a pessimist. You need not speak to doubt.”


“I did say my other weaknesses were still with me.” Elric's smile lengthened unnaturally, almost frozen on his features.


Foreve watched the Melinbonéan while he acknowledged his inner battle. She was fascinated by the sardonic ease he exhibited when confronting the demons within him. This was Elric’s true and natural strength. Within a future darkness, his ‘weakness’ would become a leader’s command to those near him. Darkness would dismantle most in the struggle upcoming but would need to besiege Elric to even have a possibility to unnerve him. Foreve hoped that if Darkness did this, its neglect of those others would gain them the opportunity to make themselves useful. Elric might have to be sacrificed to allow them their chance. She didn’t contemplate whatsoever if Elric would be at ease with this. She knew he was aware of this and would be.


“Su Lady, I will be.”


“You read minds now?”


“A gift of the world. You will develop it too when you have rested here. A gift of Chaos it is said.”


“Who says this? Have you reached to learn the truth of this? Our foe is known to be full of contemptible measures.”


“I was unable to do anything to prevent it. I have not thought worry over it would make any difference. You feel uneasy at the thought.”


“I do. I have no need of a gift of the Mule.”


“Those who aren’t veer, who come here, do not gain this gift. It may prove or disprove your concern. Which do you think would suit the Mule more, withholding this power from the other races and powers or gifting it to them?”


“There’s a danger even in trying to think about him or like him. He will find out anyone doing so. Best to keep this idea of mine hidden between us.”


“It is taboo from now on.”


“Let us speak of you. What do you plan here?”


“I will take control of as many draegerans as will allow me to. I will be the Dragon Emperor. Once I have no rivals I will seek to employ draegeran strength to defeat the jenoine.”


Foreve didn’t recognise the last group mentioned and it showed on her face. Elric’s fingers moved the floating dust particles. His rearrangement created a kind of map of the Realm.


“Lady, here you can see Axildusk and the surrounding objects beyond the Veil.”


“Delightful.”


“Its accuracy is suspect. I cannot be sure that beyond this world everything is as it was. The two Noble Thoughts claim to have stilled everything. It might be that their control isn’t absolute. Worlds could be able to venture along new orbits? I cannot leave to learn this and those arriving have no understanding of these peculiarities.”


Foreve’s eyes told Elric that she grasped what he said.


He continued, “The jenoine come from within the Veil. This shouldn’t be possible. The Veil is Shayyyuuusss’s barrier to invasion. It isn’t meant to be inhabited. Somehow the jenoine have achieved this trick, or they’ve been aided by the outcast to this situation. He is their master. They are masters of racial manipulation. They have brought harm to us over the span of our time. Over that time, Lady, you would know them as Morgothic. They brought forth the balor and the najghul. Humans have known them as the genetic engineers of the Canticle, creating archsoldiery and the warframes. I learned to call them Prometheans. Whatever they’re called, they control their world and seek to control this one. They must be stopped or the veer will unleash the cadavivva. These you know. They are the scourge that will destroy the races even as the veer are destroyed by creating them.”


Foreve’s concern grew throughout Elric’s explanation. When he stopped she brushed the dust motes about to disperse them. “We must prevent the cadavivvan curse. Involving the other races is wise? They are blameless victims in the act of the veer.”


“We cannot ignore their being upon Axildusk. If their fate is not to be cadavivva, then why are they here? There must be a reason for their presence. It is the world of Shadow. Those persons of humanity, the vastness and of rakshahasans are not Shadow’s, whereas the veer are touched by Shadow through his first servant.”


“Lored Veer’s companion...”


“... and the gifts they gave one another, su.”


“Remarkable that the jenoine could influence even a small amount within this world, knowing this is so.”


“Only if it is ignored that the enemy has found this world to his liking as well. He managed it by influencing the Veil rather than the world itself. This was his latest, monstrous deviousness. The races here, including the draegerans, have at least chosen to fight against the jenoine. That should give us hope and the Mule pause.”


“You know he used the Veil for fact?”


“The Inundation swept the Mule away from everything. Its power was greater than his own, even though he was its creator. The Mule might not have known where it was the flood waters took him. Therefore, I cannot be certain where he made landfall. Widely, I travelled the Seas of Fate. I could find no trace of him. Following in his wake was not difficult. The signs of his passage were there to see. The Inundation was like that. Where the path came to an end, there were only wisps of Shadow which I know were remnant bits of the Veil. It is conjecture but logical that he carried the Veil within himself to wherever he went. A thread to find his way back from wherever he decided to tether it. Our cursed luck that he did not grow fonder of where he washed ashore than this Realm which he left.”


“He wants to have his nature consume us not those of another place. It is why he had to return. We cannot allow the veer to fall to him.”


“The Prometheans promulgated his power. They continued his work while he was absent. He has returned with this new Monstrosity as a strength.”


“The veer have to make it the Mule’s final effort. If we are destined to perish, we must make certain to take his blight from the Realm with us.”


“He had already as much as succeeded, Lady. The energies of Colour notwithstanding or perhaps because of them. This world was held apart and made a separate reality by Time and Shadow so that we might change what will be. Aid me as I pledge my life and soul to it.”


“Consider us pacted, you and I. I cannot speak for the Marillion, however. Each has their own mind. I will make certain they understand. Most will comprehend the seriousness of what we face. Those like Annatar, who might otherwise decline to be involved, will likely agree that this thing goes beyond our private, veerish rivalry.”


“I should think.”


“Tell me how you will task me to support you.”


“We must learn more of each other.”


Foreve knew that Elric understood she was aware of his past accomplishments. His statement implied unsettling things. She inclined her head slightly sideways to the Melnibonenan. This confirmed she realised the implications and created new ones.


Annatar watched this from above. He hadn’t departed Axildusk. He had only ceded his place at Elric’s side. Seeing the agreement below him, he was pleased with his choice. It left him free to choose to do other things. What he’d overheard made sense. Annatar knew the Prometheans well. He’d had dealings with them in the First Realm. It would be sensible to speak to them before deciding what he should do.