edsandarkbane
Active member
Engal Azul woke, purple light spilling through his one window. He pulled himself up and forced himself to dress.
Both hands on the porcelain wash basin, head hung low. He did it fast. A quick jerk of his head to face the mirror then back down.
His hair had fallen out, replaced with scales. And the horns. The horns swooped back and flared up and out at their tips.
He looked again into the mirror and smiled a wicked grin. His teeth pointed and primal.
In this quiet moment before dawn, Engal, softly wept, giving in to the self pity. Who could love such a creature as he had become. As if to mock him further the tears landed on the perfectly white smooth basin, pitting it.
He grabbed the Raven Queen's Amulet around his neck, and called the magic disguise onto himself.
He looked again at the mirror. Smooth elven skin and slanted eyes, his hair thick , his smile perfect. He hated it.
"We are ready." Min's voice filtered through his closed door.
Engal opened the door with a click of the handle. "Strength of the Ancestors, guide you, Dragon Blood." The ghost warrior, Velo, in his head prayed for him.
"Did you expect someone else?" Min gave him a look.
"It's just the voices. " Engal let his magical disguise flicker, "the ones in my head," he tapped a finger on his temple and offered a mischievous grin, closing the door behind him.
The two navigated the halls and stairs of the inn. They made their way down a side road that led out of town. The early hour allowed the two movement without distractions or slow downs of a busy trade town. They left the road after they entered the forest. A morning dove could be heard, and the ranger Min nudged Engal in its direction. They walked toward the bird.
Until they came across a discreet campfire, and a large Half Orc sitting on a rock making bird calls through his hands. The green hands moved from his mouth and he smiled warmly as he saw Engal and Min.
"There's not a morning dove for a thousand miles, you know!" His large strides closed the distance and Orza hugged them both on turn. He kept one arm around Min's waist and the two shared an intimate greeting, where no words were needed.
"You said something about a key?" Engal shifted his weight.
"Apparently, that night we were ambushed in Saltmarsh was an attempt to secure it. " Orza moved to his backpack and pulled out a worn leather cartography case, he popped the lid and freed the map for display.
"You see your ancestors, used this gateway to secretly strengthen their forces before turning on the giants of Xendrik. However, after the elven coup, the leader of the elves, Aeren in order to protect his people and their freedom he severed the magic to the portal." Orza paced back and forth one hand behind his back the other stroking the long beard on his chin.
"Apparently, it would take another of his blood line to Jumpstart it again." He finished looking directly at Engal.
Engal's disguise had dropped, his new advanced form far more frightening. "I don't feel much like an elf these days. And, I can hear her more...the whispering of Khyber, and the rage. "
Engal's ghostly passenger sent a soothing hum through his bones. "And now after the melding, it's like a war inside me. Look at me Orza, what am I now? Who am I? " Engals voice raised over the rush of his wings as he lept high, and spread his wings hovering still for a moment. His clawed hands out for display, his tail whipped and he descended, the ground shook.
"Engal!" Orza shoved the map into his view and dragged his finger from one corner to a spot somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
"The mystery of its destruction has never been answered, not by a single scholar. The conspiracy theorists believe it goes to the homeland of the elves, and Aeren received aide from them, and due to the world ending events that followed, the deal was made to unplug the portal to protect all elves.
Engal's eyes flared red then yellow, he spoke with Velo's voice, "it's a myth, I won't say more, they are trusted allies, but not elves." Engal's yellow eyes looked at each before flickering to a normal dull brown.
"Well, now that's new, can the ghost possess you fully?" Orza scratched the top knot on hus head with one finger. He shared concerned eyes with Min.
Engal looked confused. He stared blankly towards his friends. "I told you, I am a beast! I am a slave to all this...shut!"
"Bloodline duels, a Mad Lich Aunt, voices in my head, now a secret portal! How much life is mine! What is this hell!" Engal paced back and forth his ire rising with each step. He grabbed the Raven's Amulet and his closed fist tightened. His voice crescendoed to a growl he pulled the amulet and slung it against the rock. A bright light blinded the three before they all stood staring at the shattered jewelry.
Both hands on the porcelain wash basin, head hung low. He did it fast. A quick jerk of his head to face the mirror then back down.
His hair had fallen out, replaced with scales. And the horns. The horns swooped back and flared up and out at their tips.
He looked again into the mirror and smiled a wicked grin. His teeth pointed and primal.
In this quiet moment before dawn, Engal, softly wept, giving in to the self pity. Who could love such a creature as he had become. As if to mock him further the tears landed on the perfectly white smooth basin, pitting it.
He grabbed the Raven Queen's Amulet around his neck, and called the magic disguise onto himself.
He looked again at the mirror. Smooth elven skin and slanted eyes, his hair thick , his smile perfect. He hated it.
"We are ready." Min's voice filtered through his closed door.
Engal opened the door with a click of the handle. "Strength of the Ancestors, guide you, Dragon Blood." The ghost warrior, Velo, in his head prayed for him.
"Did you expect someone else?" Min gave him a look.
"It's just the voices. " Engal let his magical disguise flicker, "the ones in my head," he tapped a finger on his temple and offered a mischievous grin, closing the door behind him.
The two navigated the halls and stairs of the inn. They made their way down a side road that led out of town. The early hour allowed the two movement without distractions or slow downs of a busy trade town. They left the road after they entered the forest. A morning dove could be heard, and the ranger Min nudged Engal in its direction. They walked toward the bird.
Until they came across a discreet campfire, and a large Half Orc sitting on a rock making bird calls through his hands. The green hands moved from his mouth and he smiled warmly as he saw Engal and Min.
"There's not a morning dove for a thousand miles, you know!" His large strides closed the distance and Orza hugged them both on turn. He kept one arm around Min's waist and the two shared an intimate greeting, where no words were needed.
"You said something about a key?" Engal shifted his weight.
"Apparently, that night we were ambushed in Saltmarsh was an attempt to secure it. " Orza moved to his backpack and pulled out a worn leather cartography case, he popped the lid and freed the map for display.
"You see your ancestors, used this gateway to secretly strengthen their forces before turning on the giants of Xendrik. However, after the elven coup, the leader of the elves, Aeren in order to protect his people and their freedom he severed the magic to the portal." Orza paced back and forth one hand behind his back the other stroking the long beard on his chin.
"Apparently, it would take another of his blood line to Jumpstart it again." He finished looking directly at Engal.
Engal's disguise had dropped, his new advanced form far more frightening. "I don't feel much like an elf these days. And, I can hear her more...the whispering of Khyber, and the rage. "
Engal's ghostly passenger sent a soothing hum through his bones. "And now after the melding, it's like a war inside me. Look at me Orza, what am I now? Who am I? " Engals voice raised over the rush of his wings as he lept high, and spread his wings hovering still for a moment. His clawed hands out for display, his tail whipped and he descended, the ground shook.
"Engal!" Orza shoved the map into his view and dragged his finger from one corner to a spot somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
"The mystery of its destruction has never been answered, not by a single scholar. The conspiracy theorists believe it goes to the homeland of the elves, and Aeren received aide from them, and due to the world ending events that followed, the deal was made to unplug the portal to protect all elves.
Engal's eyes flared red then yellow, he spoke with Velo's voice, "it's a myth, I won't say more, they are trusted allies, but not elves." Engal's yellow eyes looked at each before flickering to a normal dull brown.
"Well, now that's new, can the ghost possess you fully?" Orza scratched the top knot on hus head with one finger. He shared concerned eyes with Min.
Engal looked confused. He stared blankly towards his friends. "I told you, I am a beast! I am a slave to all this...shut!"
"Bloodline duels, a Mad Lich Aunt, voices in my head, now a secret portal! How much life is mine! What is this hell!" Engal paced back and forth his ire rising with each step. He grabbed the Raven's Amulet and his closed fist tightened. His voice crescendoed to a growl he pulled the amulet and slung it against the rock. A bright light blinded the three before they all stood staring at the shattered jewelry.