Stretched across burning sands / Hero to None

[Zyphlin]

_The window burns to light the way back home
A light that warms no matter where they've gone

They're off to find the hero of the day
But what if they should fall by someone's wicked way

There they were. After the years of all this torment to the land; the stress and pain, the friendships broken and trusts shattered, the wrecking of families and the deaths of dozens of innocents. The cause of it all laid in front of him.

As he looked around the room, at the would be hero’s, and the lonely dark feeling descended upon him he recalled the events of the past years into his mind. This was to be the end, had to be the end. To many had suffered for it to be anything but that. Yet there was still that strange pulse in the back of his mind that was causing his hair to stand on edge on the back of his neck.

He watched as many of them prayed; Eowien calling out to Tempus to aid in the battle, Lyte asking Mielikki for her blessings upon us all while her sister in spirit Sil asked for her own in silence, Sy’wyn praying that his god is pleased by his actions and will accept him if fate should have him pass from the land. The warriors Grag, General of the Legion, and Arandor, ranger of the Wolves and knight of the Phoenix, were preparing their armor and blades readying for the battle to come. The druids Oreth and Fadia huddled together, speaking in their strange natural language, while Mirkali and Lilly shared soft touches of affection while it was still certain they could. The fallen Banites Rolan and Nicahh sat together, speaking softly as if they were siblings preparing to go out on some grand adventure in their back yard. And the strange foolish gnome by the name of Iydm, well…he was being himself; namely this included spitting out random song snippets no one had ever heard or popping mushrooms into his mouth. And as this was going on the ghostly figure known as Solais Aran, servent and chosen of the True Heart, was preparing himself to fulfill the destiny his goddess sent him to these lands to perform.

All of this Zyphlin watched quietly and sadly. The love shared by some, the devotion of the others, and still the simple pleasures of singular purpose of the rest. None of these things touched him right now; he had watched his love fall twice already that night, the strange dark spot in his mind kept him from truly touching the thoughts of his gods, and more and more the hope of this day being the day that he found his epic he searched so long to be a living part of seemed to be slipping away. Somehow he knew he had to shake this tickle, this little condescending voice sitting within speaking poisoned words, and so he did something he had not truly done since more than a decade ago on a boat heading out of Peltarch…he sang.

Now to some this would naturally seem like a small thing, for bards and non bards alike tend to be known to spout a lyric or two. Even Zyphlin himself wasn’t unlikely to call out a quick battle cry to Tempus or a short hymn of luck when entering into battle. But to a trained bard the difference between singing, truly singing with your heart, and spouting a few lines is like comparing Waterdeep to a town like Jiyyd.

He sang, a song that he had heard years ago during his times of infiltrating a mercenary company, quietly and to himself. He let himself be wrapped within the words of the song, letting them warm his soul and clear his mind so that at least for now that cold feeling would be gone. The words slipped from his tongue at the perfect harmony, quiet yet sharp as they lightly vibrated through the domed cavern opening, as he simply looked forward and let himself be lost within them. Most in the cave took no notice, either enjoying the song or simply finding him to be yet another annoying bard performing at an inappropriate moment, but the bards all looked up. Their heads turned towards their headmaster, a look of slight confusion on their faces. Some days before the realization of the lack of lyrical presence of Zyphlin had came up between many of the bards and the fact he was now, before they entered into a place that could define them all in history, singing gave them all rise to wonder. Whether it was a good omen or ill, they did not have the chance to fully consider, for shortly after the song began Solais returned shocking the Blue Bard from his song and returned him to the matters at hand.

The Chosen looked upon them stating that the present was their only chance. The main group of collective members were in the Lost City…“Ironic,” he thought, “as we come to destroy them they walk through the land they once themselves destroyed.”…and the weakened Core was just below. Giving them warning that he must not be distracted as he seeks to destabilize and shatter the bond between the Crystals and their Collective they then proceeded down into the room of the Core.

They looked upon the great cavern in near wonder. The cavern was shimmering as the lights from their magical items reflected against the crystalline walls, the home location of all the infernal gems that had sprung forth into the world once more in the past years. And there before them, hovering above the ground and vibrating in a strange and horrible rhythm was the heart of all their problems, that which they had to destroy. They were within the sight of the Core of the crystals, the singular entity of control surrounded by three other distinct crystals. Quickly Solais took his position, beginning his ritural as the Core sent forth its Guardians. Elementals charged towards The Chosen but the Defenders of True Hope’s Chosen rushed to meet them. Out matched and out powered they fought with a determination that would not be quelled, they fought with hope and for the side of good. They knew that they could not defeat all the Guardians, beings fifteen feet tall and swirling with primordial energies, but if they could only hold them off long enough…

It was then, how long into the battle they didn’t know…time had no real meaning in this place, at that moment…nor truly care, that they heard Solais cry that it was done, that the link had been severed. Quickly Zyphlin gathered up his bards. This was the time to put their plan into motion. If it would work or not was still up to debate, but wasn’t that true of any great bardic plan.

They circled the core; Zyphlin, Lilly, and Sil behind Mirkali who was preparing his amplify spell. The plan was simple, the three would hit a pitch they discovered earlier was detrimental to the structure integrity of the crystals along with pure bursts of sound from a weapon Zyphlin had long kept, while Mirkali amplified their notes in a hope of shattering the crystals. The three raised their voices, letting them ring out in a ear piercing pitch, vocalizing and projecting towards the core as the blasts from the weapon went forth. One by one a shattering noise was heard…“The plan is working!” he thought…around them as the three unique crystals encircling the core shattered. Guardians were summoned forth and the rest of the companions rushed forward, placing their hope in the bards and Zyphlin’s outlandish plan. It all seemed within their grasp, that they were just a small bit away from becoming forever etched as hero’s within the history of Narfell…

…and that’s when things began to go wrong. Just as the third satellite crystal explored they took their first casualty; a Guardian smashed through the lines and cooked Lilly alive as she screamed out her final note. The three remaining bards, the pain of one of their fellows falling, tried to push on but things were not to be. Another cry came behind them, the brave warrior Rolan fell before one of the Guardians, lungs filled with water as the elemental engulfed and drowned him.

Sil broke off, fleeing from a Guardian herself, as Zyphlin and Mirkali continued on. His mind was wheeling, they had to do it, this had to be done…after all that had happened they could not let the Crystals succe-

His thoughts were cut off by the sudden slam of an earthen Guardian._