MysidiaDrakkenbane

The first night in her apartment was a rough one. She wasn't used to the sounds or smells of the place and her bed wasn't as soft as the one she had in Feja's house. When she realized that trying to sleep was more of an effort, she got up.



It was a few hours before the sun rose and she found herself staring into the fireplace, watching the glowing embers of wood lull themselves into the eternal ashen slumber.



She allowed her mind to wander to times passed. It was right before the cataclysms hit. Her and her army had pushed back the Iksar from the site of her old castle and she was remarkably surprised they had rebuilt it. Of course, they added their own touches to it, replacing Rydian statues with theirs. But the architecture was the same and they even used the same materials, making the walls a glistening white that shimmered with silver bands.



She placed a hand along the cold marble with a loving touch. Xerbius, Mardock, Kryimsson, and Machene all walked into the large throne room hall. Machene looked up at the extremely high ceilings and whistled.



"Was this really yours?", Machene asked impressed by what he saw.



"Yes. Minus the Iksar statues, of course.", she mentioned.





Mysidia made her way towards the throne and turned around, slumping into it. She was greatly exhausted from the battles she had fought in the few quick weeks. She had pressed her troops as much as they could be and they all could have used a much needed rest.



"Send the troops on their leave.", Mysidia said and waved a hand. Xerbius walked up to her and gave her a smirk. He reached out and touched a few dirt smears on her face and noticed how dirty her hands were.



"Hmph", she muttered. "You could use a bath yourself, cousin."



The bards all came walking in and just like those before them, they all stared up at the impressive walls and ceilings. Everyone gave an approving smile, happy to see their home rebuilt.



As if in unison, they all looked at one another and nodded. The broke out their instruments and began to play the tunes of old, filling the halls with the haunting music. And while although the Iksar statues were standing silently in their mocking presence, nothing could have torn down the spirits of the Rydian people. They overlooked the stone sentinels and continued their haunting songs, their voices chanting and echoing off the walls.



Mysidia gave a soft and approving smile. Calm washed over her face and filled her eyes, a calm that Machene had never seen before. And while although he appreciated the look, he couldn't help but feel his heartstrings tug when he heard the voices sing in praise and unison. He began to see the remnants of what Mysidia had been telling him in the stories, when they traveled.



The tenor bards sang in their native tongue, their voices swelling, rising and falling, playing the acoustics of the hall as if that in itself was its own instrument. Gooseflesh began to rise on Mysidia's skin, as she felt each note deep within her heart.



Then, the women bards chimed in with their haunting voices singing in the Common Tongue. "…but believe there is a place….a place where we belong."



The song ended in a series of chants from all bards that delicately worked their haunting magic over the stone walls. The voices echoed and moved around them like a sensual velvet blanket that comforted your soul.



And like clockwork, as if Nature heard the song Herself, the sun began to set in the throne room, bathing the place in a warm angelic light. Kryimsson and Xerbius sucked in their breath at the beauty around them.



Mysidia couldn't keep the tears from falling off her face now. Machene walked over to her and wiped one from her cheek. "Was this what you were talking about? The song of praise?"



She could only nod. Indeed, a place where they belonged. For the first time in her life, that she could remember, peace entered her heart. She no longer feared what lurked around corners. She could lay her head down knowing that she was home. Her soul sighed in relief. She closed her eyes and two more tears fell.



"I am… home.", she said.



Her dream was quickly thwarted when she heard a fist pounding on her door. She cleared her throat and saw the sunlight pouring in. She surmised she must have fallen asleep while daydreaming.



She gave a stretch and grunt as the stiffness of sleeping in a chair quickly set in. She hobbled over to the door and opened it, seeing a very annoyed Aust looking impatiently at her.



"I told you that we were starting at dawn. You aren't even ready yet!", he said and threw his arms up.



"I was up, but I fell asleep again. Give me a minute.", she said and walked over to her changing room.



In a few moments, they were on the road. Aust noticed how quiet she was and looked down a tad guilty. "I'm sorry if I was harsh with you, before. It's just a pet peeve of mine when people are late."



"Huh?", Mysidia said and looked up. "Oh, it's not that. I had a rough night sleeping."



"Nightmares?", Aust asked and moved his horse next to hers.



She paused for a moment, trying to really think of something to say that would make him drop the topic. Talking about the past with Machene was painful enough. Realizing that her dreams would never be true again, was something else. She finally said, "Ghosts."



Aust saw the slight look of pain her eyes and discontinued the conversation. Instead, he changed the subject about the dangers that lay outside Qeynos gates. When he got to the topic of gnolls, Mysidia laughed.



"It's nice to know not everything has changed.", Mysidia said.



When they got outside of the gates, Mysidia's heart sank deep into her gut. Everything she had memorized had been completely rearranged. There wasn't much left that held some semblance of the world she knew. There were various scorch marks on the newly growing fields around them. The air smelled different. Even the birds and insects called out differently. Mysidia felt completely alien and alone.



Aust nudged his horse into a canter and Mysidia followed suit. They traveled over several hills. Mysidia began to notice the bushes and roots on the ground. Nothing struck her as familiar. When they rounded one of the guard towers, Aust told her that it was only another couple hundred yards towards the first forest and suggested that they rested there.



Mysidia thought it best to begin to learn the foliage and the things she could use for medicinal purposes versus the ones she couldn't. Some things began to become familiar to her as she placed varied pieces of produce in her bag.



Suddenly, her nature sense was tingling for her and she got the distinct impression she wasn't alone. She slowly turned around to see a wolf baring his teeth for her. She froze. Wolves aren't supposed to attack Druids. They were allied with us. What in the w-- Before she could finish her thought, he lunged for her, teeth snapping shut.



"Whoa!", she said and quickly got out of the way. "Wolf, you have it all wrong." But nothing was going to talk him down. His eyes were red and full of fury. Every ounce of anger and hatred he had came pouring out of him through thick lines of saliva drooling in an anticipation of his easy meal.



He lunged for her again. This time, nicking her thigh. She tumbled back grabbing the small wound, shocked. Her totem, the very spirit that encased her, had deserted her and turned against her. No…she couldn't believe it… She wouldn't.

The smell of her blood sent the animal into a foaming frenzy. He came at her again and bit her arm, this time, never letting go. The snarls and growls were enough to make her stomach turn.



She took the hilt of her dagger and jammed the end into his muzzle, causing him to yelp and stumble back off of her. She struggled to get onto her feet, feeling the blood rush down her arm and drip off her fingers. The animal was about to lunge at her again, when an arrow came flying through the air and found its mark in the wolf's lung. The animal fell out of the sky and rolled over on the ground, dead.



Aust ran over to her and helped her up. "Are you all right? You could have been nearly killed!"



"I only meant to harvest what was in the bush. I didn't know that wolves…", she said looking horrified at the animal.



"Yes, wolves..and bears too. And if you're not careful you'll end up being their supper.", Aust said pulling the wolf off to the side and getting out his skinning knife.



"Gods…has this whole world gone mad?", Mysidia asked, then she began to heal her arm.



Nature had turned Her back on the Druids. The proof was lying bleeding on the ground, being skinned by the ranger. It was no wonder she couldn't align herself with the energy within it. The energy had deserted her class. If wolves and bears had become chaotic, who knew what else the world of Norrath had in store for the kingdomless empress.



She shook her head disbelieving but decided for her own safety, her sword and shield would be coming out of her pack.

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