3. Tale of a Child of the Light [Beware: contains pictures]

Tale of a Child of the Light [Beware: contains pictures]


  • As any any other day, Rith finished her teachings and let her aprentices enjoy their free time. She walked upstairs and changed to her Dusk clothes, kneeled before the Shrine to Lathander to pray to the Sunset. She had lost her sight over a year ago, but she didn't need to watch the Sun to know that it was fading in the horizon. As every other day in her life, her eyes cried as she bid farewell to the Sun. Such was her devotion, that not a single day her rosy cheeks missed her tears at the Dawn and at the Dusk

    After some minutes, she stood and walked towards her chamber in the impressive temple, which second floor had no roof to not prevent the Sun from reaching its heart every morning. She laid in the bed and with the same difficulties than during the last month, fell asleep.

    Then, she dreamed.. dreamed about she and a group of friend. Partners, friends, brothers and sisters. They all went to a place, it was dark.. She could not remember the place.. they fought shoulder by shoulder. There was Amissa, Vino, Kanen, Elrien, Shane.. and many more.. just blurrs in her mind. They fought bravely, defending their lives, giving theirselves for the each other. Then a dark figure appeared. Breathless, followed by a whispery laugh the dark figure mumbled some words and carried off from their bodies the souls of those she loved, one by one, and then glanced at her, the dark faceless wraith raised its large blade with a hand towards her..

    That was the dream that she was having everydy during the last month, over and over. She used to awake startled breathing heavily, tired as if she just had been in an intense battle. But that night the dream didn't finish there. Rith managed to focus on the dark figure, and she could see it more clearly. It was it.. it was the Remnant Knight. The powerful undead that defied Life and Nature with its mere presence. Where its dark steps left a track the grass wouldn't grow again, leaving a trail of death. The Knight looked at her directly. Even faceless, she could feel its gaze piercing her, and a booming voice resounded in her head. - Thou… child of Light... I challenge thee... Come to my encounter if thou dare... and let's see who is stronger... Light... or... Darkness!
    Rith awoke struck, her sightless eyes wide open, breathing heavily by both mouth and nose. It was the Dawn. The birds could be heard singing their morning melodies in the courtyard, and one of tha apprentices knocked the door. It was Thierulf, a young and promising paladin that brought her the breakfast.

    • It's everything alright, Lady Phoenixfeather?

    • Yes, yes.. I am fine. How many times have I to tell you to call me Rith? - Rith smiled to him - What did you bring me?

    • Ah, another of those nightmares.. oh, I allowed myself to prepare you some cookies of your own recipe, and a bowl of fresh milk, Lady Pho.. Rith - He corrected quickly.

    • Aww… you shouldn't have bothered... thank you honey... - smiled again and took the tray over her legs. Then the young paladin left and Rith went quiet, thinking on her dream.

    It was the fallen Knight, the champion of death, and… it was challenging her to duel. Rith left the tray aside not eating anything and opened a large chest next to her bed. Inside it was her combat gear. Her full plate, the holy shield and the golden scimitar. For second time since she was slaved by the drows and lost her sight she decided to wear them again. Slowly attached all the pieces of the armor and when she was done, walked downstairs, reached the courtyard and left the temple past it.

    When she arrived to the Shrine of the Dawn decided to stop there for a last prayer before departing. She did not know if she was ready. She was blind, and probably deffenseless before the Knight of deth. If she was to face it, how could she win? What weapon did she have against it?

    She said a prayer.

    _Strive always to aid, to foster new hope, new ideas, and new prosperity for all humankind and its allies.
    Perfect thyself, and guard ever against pride, for it is a sacred duty to foster new growth, nurture growing things, and work for rebirth and renewal.
    Be fertile in mind and in body. Consider always the consequences of thine actions so that the least effort may bring the greatest and best reward.
    Wherever you go, sow seeds of plants, tend the growing things you find, and plant seeds of hope, new ideas, and plans for a rosy future in the minds of all.
    Whenever possible, see each dawn.

    With those last words she rose on her feet, and turned away. Somehow she found the answer to her question in that prayer, and now walked with full confidence. She didn't know even where would she meet the dead Knight, or even how to reach the place where it usually was without sight. Nothing was a obstacle. She made her first steps inside the Rawlinswood when the booming voice came to her head. - Child of Light… if thou accept... walk into the circle of stones in Norwick... near the south gates... I am waiting thee, mortal...

    As she heard that, she could confirm that was not a vision, or a nighmare.. it was real. She turned around and walked towards the portal. As she approached the earth started shaking, gusts of wind raised her three feet long golden braid in the air. She could hear people around her, distant voices, far callings that she didn't understand, as she walked into the circle of stones. Then, her eyes stopped perceiving the little light that they usually did at day time. She was sorrounded in darkness, magical darkness, suspended in the space, floating in the void. When the darknessdissipated… she blinked in surprise. She could see. The place was like a dark corridor.. at the sides, only endless void. She couldn't see the end of the place, or the bottom of the pits. She walked forward by the corridor and arrived to a wider area. It was a square portion of floor, beyond it, there was only darkness. Around the square of about thirty feet, only a bottomless pit and endless darkness.

    From the darkness, walking by the void as if there was an invisible floor, appeared the Knight, approaching her as a whispery laugh could be heard coming from its dark figure.

    • You hath cometh…

    Rith tilted her head - Of course I have - she donned her helmet.

    • Then thou accept the challenge, Child of Light who walks in Darkness…

    • Creature of the Darkness who defy Nature with thy mere presence.. thou took the life of many of my friends and brothers. - The eyes of Rith seemed to have a growing flame as she talked

    • Art thou prepared.. to die… ?

    • Thou shalt pay for everything. I shall vanquish thee, thou shalt not walk the land anymore.

    • So be it - replied the Knight of death - and let it begin. Light against Darkness. Thou art what I once was, now thou shalt become what I am… Death. - The Knight drew his magical greatsword and walked toward Rith with confidence, sorrounding him an aura of death that could make men flee with horror and even leave their will to live.

    But Rith did not know the fear.

    Rith pointed at him wih her blade - I am Rith Phoenixfeather, Daughter of the Light and Dawnbringer of Lathander, the shadows where you were born will not avail you, Searing Light! go back to the Earth! - As she finished her words, a powerful beam of light generated from the top of the blade and hit the chest of the dead Knight, spreading by all its breast like sparks.

    The Knight squirmed and turned its face suddenly to Rith, raised one of its gauntlets and pointed to her - Die… - suddenly, something took Rith's breath away. Her pupils widen quickly and her soul seemed to leave her body. The Knight spoke - Thou should hath knowest, that thee, a mere mortal, poseth no danger to us… - But then Rith pressed shut her eyes, and breathless managed to speak - Thine dark tricks can not bend down my will, vanish creature of death! - Her spirit regained strenght as another beam of light hit the chest of the knight a second time, pushing it several feet back, sliding on its back, the metalic sound of the magical armor resounding like an echo in the void place. The Knight stood on its feet like magically, screaming in wraith - Thou fool! - The Knight whispered some words in a dark tongue and generated a black sphere between its hand, that threw towards Rith, hitting her in the chest. The sphere exploded, forming a magic red circle in the floor several feet around her. Everything inside it vanished, the bones turned into ashes, the stones into dust, the insects stopped moving, lifeless, and everything simply desintegrated in a second explosion of light. But when the spell finished, Rith was standing in the place, speaking in the tongue of the Heavens. The Knight could not believe what he was seeing - Impossible! - The Champion of Death spitted that word, and holding its greatsword in one hand dashed towards Rith. Rith finished her prayer and drew an imaginary line with her fingers in the floor. The Knight continued running towards her as the floor suddenly cracked between it and Rith and a blade of six feet darted straight up. The Knight couldn't stop and the blade sank in its chest, running throug its body and magical armor that spilled dark sparks. Almost simultaneously about twenty blades more raised from the crack that formed a line across the whole platform, two of them piercing the knight in a leg and an arm. Rith walked towards the Knight, pinned with the blades and spoke. - Vanish. - The Knight swinged its weapon towards Rith with the hand that still had free while shouting with a booming voice - Never! - Rith in a swift movement deflected the weapon with the her shield, the magical metals creating blue sparks, and quickly, pinned her blade in the ghostly and dark face of the Knight. The whole place started to shake, for a moment it seemed to be about to collapse, but with a final scream the Knight turned into ashes, in the floor only remaining its torn armor, the blade he wielded and the bow that carried in the back.

    • Light cleanse thee… - whispered Rith, exhausted, as she lost sight again. She kneeled to pray.

    Then there was silence…

    After some seconds, slow and long seconds that seemed to be eternal in that place where the time seemed to not pass, a shaft of light cam from the endless darkness above, sorrounding her. And she heard a voice in her mind.

    [Click here for ending music before continuing (Suggested) - Aerith theme]

    • My child. I am proud of you. - Then as the voice spoke, several images flashed in her mind - You that fought always for what is good, beyond the law, beyond the duty. You that arrived to a new place where everything was unknown, and you found a family

    You that loved the land, loved your family, and your friends, and understood that love is not looking at your friend's face, is looking in the same direction that them, even when you can not see the way ahead.

    You that found true love in that darkness.

    You that fought shoulder by shoulder, by and for all of them, no matter how hard it was the battle

    You that made countless sacrifizes for them.

    You that earned their hearts, and they never left you as you never left them

    You that did not know the fear, that fought the enemies of good when it was necesary and showed compassion to the weak, and courage to the strong

    You that never lost faith, even in most hopeless situations

    You that shone in the darkness

    Rith Phoenixfeather, Demon Slayer

    Rith Phoenixfeather, Undead Bane

    Rith Phoenixfeather, Child of the Light

    Your time to to rest has come.
    Your task is done.
    Your mission is accomplished.

    Use all your virtues in this last effort, your sacrifice, your penance, your fieriness, your aestetithism, your audacity, your confidence, your purity.
    And let the new generation fight for the land that once you deffended.

    Thus, I set you free you of all duty and responsability. Thank you my child. Walk always in the Light.

    The End_


  • Since after six months I finally recovered many of my lost posts (thanks Custodies), since along all these months many told me that would love to have had the chance to see this, and since going through it still makes my eyes go wet, a shameless bump.

    I found that back then my english was not so good and it has many gramatical errors, oddly built sentences and even pictures with a silly "Trial Version" banner. However, I wanted to keep it original so there 😉

    Enjoy.


  • @7cb02b8a19=Kerby:

    Tassabra isn't taking off too is she? :?

    Heheh, no way. 😉

    Like they say here: "Mala hierba nunca muere" (It translates more or less like "Bad herb never dies") :twisted:

  • ?

    I've only narfed for a couple of days but already fallen in love with it, didn't know your char, or you for that matter, but it seems it was quite a good one. This is a truly great story, was really drawn into it… almost cried 😉

    Well, have fun with being whatever you'll be doing now and good luck! 🙂

  • T

    So much for that Super Size value meal. :roll:

    A great read there. 😄


  • I can't believe I missed this thread! Good bye Rith. Another character for the hall of fame. Tassabra isn't taking off too is she? :?


  • Aw, another of the goodies leaves. I had fun RPing with Rith.

    And Kanen, don't you dare retire… at least not yet...


  • Feels the pressure to retire his character grow

    A great ending for a great character. Rith left her mark on Narfell, without a doubt and will be remembered and missed.

  • A

    *sniffles :oops: * And that is how a good story should end… 🙂


  • Ah,

    Rith Phoenixfeather. The faithful healer that always forgot my name after a dozen encounters.

    She will be greatly missed. 😞


  • Goodbye miss rith, we will miss you so much, ;), take much care till now, may the light guide our steps waves

  • V

    Meh.

    I saw it coming. Who made you a DM again?

    I'll have their lives…

    😉


  • As Fripp would have put it
    "Buh bye miz Riff… peacockfunker... naw tha ain't righ'...."

  • D

    I did not have the chance to change her life that much. I did once and it was one of my best time in Narfell. I hope you may find another character that will make your imagination run, that will make you as much fun and emotion or even more than Rith did for you.

    I can't wait to see what else you shall come with. It was a pleasure playing with you as Rith as it will be for your next story.

  • ?

    Won't be the same without Lady Rith. 😢

  • S

    smiles sadly

    A great ending for a Rith…The screenshots were awesome. I am sorry to see her end. I am glad that you had such a great time with her while she was here. I enjoyed the few times Ohtar'a got to rp with her whether it be just talking or out on some adventure. I hope to see you around...err well unless it involves me being kidnapped and nearly starved to death by goblins and their blasted umberhulks hehe...

    see you around i am sure winks

  • F

    And another of the old great ones passes this world…nicely done.


  • Hugs


  • I want to thank everyone that made this story possible. Rith arrived to Narfell a year ago, and grew with many friends. Slowly evolved shaped by her friends, and then was she who shaped many things around her.

    This 'epitaph' is heroic, but oh well, in epitaphs the person reffered looks always like an heroe… and I was deeply attached to Rith, so felt like giving her the glory that she never wanted. All the screenshots are from Narfell, though some are slightly manipulated (Rith didn't kill a pit fiend alone, in example 😉 )

    Loreene, Lucia, Kanen, Alania, Zoma, Shyrae, Jenna, Vino, Fishel, Bram, Adam, Linah, Call, Amissa, Equinox, Arianeria, Careena, Sasha, Othar'a, Orock, Vilmar, Yurana, Zora, Elinah, Shane, Ishar, Bacelar, Zak, Braeth, Cera, Coin, Velaria, Yhesail, Ayanie, Aspera, Attentus, Elrien... could continue and name more than a hundred. Thanks to all for creating Rith.

    See you in the next tale.