Storyteller
12-23-2004, 02:40 AM
Ilumini stared coldly out the window of the second floor of the villa Nocturne, which overlooked the valley of souls near Baishi. The thunder crashed across the heavens in the distance sending waves of light washing across the bleak, rain swept landscape outside. The flickering of the candles that swung on stained iron chandeliers on the ceiling cast eerie shadows across the room causing the piles of pyreal coins, weapons and armors adorned with gems and gold, and thousands of plats that stacked in neat piles across the treasure strewn floor. The plunder of a thousand men who had died in his hands. The lives paid by mothers and fathers who rose against him to save this world for their children, and their children's children.
His eyes glowed a dim red, like candles through a stained glass rose, and they looked from one grey cloud in the night sky to another. After long moments he let out a sigh and his frown seemed to deepen more than usual.
Spidros sat quiet on the floor a few feet away, giggling insanely to himself as he examined a fire rending crossbow that he had found nestled between a pile of MMD notes, and two suits of fully tinkered black amuli. He caressed it lovingly and purred every so often as he shined a fire opal imbedded in the mahogany handle with some spit and the bottom of his Asheron's Rainment.
"I love you." He whispered to the crossbow, running the tip of his finger across the string and holding the weapon close to his chest. "My precious..." He continued before noticing that Ilumini was in a fouler mood than usual.
"Master, does something trouble you?" Spidros asked stuffing the crossbow into his backpack as though it belonged to him the entire time.
Ilumini didn't turn, but continued to stare out the broken glass to the valley beyond.
"My Master, you are rich beyond my wildest dreams. All the armies of the world have risen against you, and you have proven that you cannot die. Time and time again you have come back to life to bring misery to this place. Asheron himself fears you my lord, and there is none that would stand against you alone. Why my Master are you troubled?"
Ilumini looked down a moment and his head turned slightly toward Spidros.
He spoke then, and a chill crept from the earth below Nocturne itself causing Spidros to cough uncontrollably and pull his Rainment tight around himself.
"I am troubled by Sweet Mary. She has taken too many lives from this place Spidros. It has become empty, lonesome."
Spidros tilted his head confused.
"I don't understand my Master. Has Sweet Mary not done our work for us? She has killed many of those who would see us die, and now we are free to do as we wish. Is that not what you desire my lord?"
"Fool!" Ilumini hissed and flashed around sending Spidros falling backwards in fear into a pile of singularity keys which exploded across the floor sending the sound of clattering metal throughout the villa.
"These worms, these Derethians are our prey Spidros. It is they who give us life, who feed me with their fears. Only an imbecile kills the chicken that lays the eggs he eats. She murdered the cattle upon which I feed, and therefore I go hungry for the suffering I was once able to cause. What good does all the money and riches in the world mean to me?" Ilumini's words were filled with irritation and he reached down grabbing Spidros by his rainment and lifting him into the air.
"Do I look like someone who cares about wealth? This wealth served only the purpose of corrupting those who would follow me for material gains. Now there are few left. Those who dwell in Ayan and stand against me are no threat anymore. The numbers of those who braved my wrath has dwindled to almost nothing. The sport is leaving me, and I grow ever weary with the remaining rebellion. I've quashed all insurgents who have tried to take Ayan from me, and now what city do I claim? I have the crown of this world as my throne. There is nothing left to gain."
Ilumini set Spidros down and turned once more walking to the window to gaze out at the stars. Spidros quickly checked his backpack to make sure the fire rend crossbow hadn't been damaged when he fell, and breathed a sigh of relief to find it in the same condition it had been in before.
"Give me a new land. A new world to explore. A new people to conquer." Ilumini whispered softly, more to the sky than to Spidros. Something would happen very soon. He felt it. Knew in his black heart that something was coming. If only he could have the patience to wait a while longer.
His eyes glowed a dim red, like candles through a stained glass rose, and they looked from one grey cloud in the night sky to another. After long moments he let out a sigh and his frown seemed to deepen more than usual.
Spidros sat quiet on the floor a few feet away, giggling insanely to himself as he examined a fire rending crossbow that he had found nestled between a pile of MMD notes, and two suits of fully tinkered black amuli. He caressed it lovingly and purred every so often as he shined a fire opal imbedded in the mahogany handle with some spit and the bottom of his Asheron's Rainment.
"I love you." He whispered to the crossbow, running the tip of his finger across the string and holding the weapon close to his chest. "My precious..." He continued before noticing that Ilumini was in a fouler mood than usual.
"Master, does something trouble you?" Spidros asked stuffing the crossbow into his backpack as though it belonged to him the entire time.
Ilumini didn't turn, but continued to stare out the broken glass to the valley beyond.
"My Master, you are rich beyond my wildest dreams. All the armies of the world have risen against you, and you have proven that you cannot die. Time and time again you have come back to life to bring misery to this place. Asheron himself fears you my lord, and there is none that would stand against you alone. Why my Master are you troubled?"
Ilumini looked down a moment and his head turned slightly toward Spidros.
He spoke then, and a chill crept from the earth below Nocturne itself causing Spidros to cough uncontrollably and pull his Rainment tight around himself.
"I am troubled by Sweet Mary. She has taken too many lives from this place Spidros. It has become empty, lonesome."
Spidros tilted his head confused.
"I don't understand my Master. Has Sweet Mary not done our work for us? She has killed many of those who would see us die, and now we are free to do as we wish. Is that not what you desire my lord?"
"Fool!" Ilumini hissed and flashed around sending Spidros falling backwards in fear into a pile of singularity keys which exploded across the floor sending the sound of clattering metal throughout the villa.
"These worms, these Derethians are our prey Spidros. It is they who give us life, who feed me with their fears. Only an imbecile kills the chicken that lays the eggs he eats. She murdered the cattle upon which I feed, and therefore I go hungry for the suffering I was once able to cause. What good does all the money and riches in the world mean to me?" Ilumini's words were filled with irritation and he reached down grabbing Spidros by his rainment and lifting him into the air.
"Do I look like someone who cares about wealth? This wealth served only the purpose of corrupting those who would follow me for material gains. Now there are few left. Those who dwell in Ayan and stand against me are no threat anymore. The numbers of those who braved my wrath has dwindled to almost nothing. The sport is leaving me, and I grow ever weary with the remaining rebellion. I've quashed all insurgents who have tried to take Ayan from me, and now what city do I claim? I have the crown of this world as my throne. There is nothing left to gain."
Ilumini set Spidros down and turned once more walking to the window to gaze out at the stars. Spidros quickly checked his backpack to make sure the fire rend crossbow hadn't been damaged when he fell, and breathed a sigh of relief to find it in the same condition it had been in before.
"Give me a new land. A new world to explore. A new people to conquer." Ilumini whispered softly, more to the sky than to Spidros. Something would happen very soon. He felt it. Knew in his black heart that something was coming. If only he could have the patience to wait a while longer.