Cast of Characters:

​NARRATOR
MIRALOR
TIMRATH
VAEL
LYRAS
SENFRISLOR
YOUNG EMPATH
ELDER MOON MAGE
YOUNG BARD

The Narrator recites:

As if on cue, the lights in the tent flicker and go out, plunging the room into darkness.

​The Narrator recites:

A silence falls like a thick blanket over the darkness until you hear the sound of a flint striking on stone.

​Miralor quickly picks up the flaming branch and solemly walks over to put it on the pyre, igniting the naptha and setting it ablaze with a quiet reverence in her eyes.

Miralor walks over to stand near her mate and gazes at the flaming bonfire as the flames reach the wrapped bundle atop it.

Miralor waits for a moment before letting her voice ring out over the sound of the flickering flames.

​Miralor sings:

Demrris told us before he left
A promise of a life beyond our deaths.
The Great Old One must have known
That the world is too wide for one life alone.

​Timrath steps forward to add a branch to the bonfire as his rich countertenor joins her in song, his voice full of sorrow and joy as they sing the soul of the dead to Tenemlor.

​Timrath’s voice joins with Miralor’s as she sings:

So though this soul goes to Tenemlor
Soon it shall return to us once more,
Passing from her blessed home,
Back to the plains with us it will roam.

​Miralor smiles softly to herself as the voice of others in the kin join them in song, watching the smoke from the bier rise towards the heavens.

​A chorus of voices join with Miralor’s as she sings:

And wander the forests and drink down the wind
And sing this song with us again.
And when the wheel has turned once more,
It will hear this song, as it did before.

​Timrath raises his hands up towards the sky, and the Wheel.

​A chorus of voices join with Miralor’s as she sings:

Hear us, hear us, hurry along,
Take your rest, but don’t stay long.
For leaves fall to ground and nourish the tree
The leaves come back, and so shall we!

​Miralor watches the flames die down and lets a tear run down her face as the soul of the departed rises up with the smoke from the flames.

​Timrath turns towards Miralor and gazes sadly yet with pride down at her, reaching over to trace a claw along her jaw, then lifting her chin up to look into her eyes.

​Timrath asks:

You understand, don’t you? You know why we have to burn our dead to keep them from Her grasp?

​Miralor flicks her tail peevishly.

​Miralor says:

Yes… I do… but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Lyras has over run our land… killed our kin… but she has to take them from the Wheel too? We have to find a way to stop her!

​Miralor gazes up at her mate with a look of defiance in her eyes.

Timrath says:

Aye love. And that’s just what we’re going to do tonight. Our forces, joined with the Rakash are going to make a joint strike on the north lines of her army.

​Timrath fervently says:

Hopefully the surprise of our working together to make such a large assault will absorb her attention while we sneak up behind her.

Timrath says:

Vael’s plan is that with your help, love, and the assistance of the other moon mages, we can sneak behind the enemy lines and remove the foul blight that leads this army of abomination.

​Miralor gazes at Timrath, a trill of concern rumbling up in the back of her throat.

​Miralor asks:

Must you go with them?

​Timrath blinks down at his mate in disbelief.

​Timrath asks:

Would you have me dishonor our kin? Do you not find it an honor to be asked to go on this mission with Vael?

​Miralor gazes down at her claws and shifts uncomfortably.

​Miralor gazes up at Timrath, her ears held high in pride.

​Miralor asks:

Have I mentioned how proud I am that you were selected to accompany Vael on this mission?

​Miralor kisses Timrath gently on the cheek.

​Miralor says:

Please forgive a silly woman’s weakness.

Timrath, kisses Miralor gently.

​Timrath says:

I must go meet with the others. I will see you when we come back triumphant with Lyras’s bloody head in our grasp.

Timrath turns and leaves with a feral and bloodthirsty look in his eyes.

Miralor gazes sadly after him, looking very alone and bereft.

​Miralor quietly says to herself:

May Eu bless this endeavor and bring you safely back to me.

​Miralor turns, her thoughtful gaze sweeping over you as she looks to the horizon as sun sets, her soft voice carrying out through the area.

​Miralor sings:

Don’t let this be the last time,
I gaze into his eyes…
Don’t let this be the last time,
I kiss him goodbye.

​O Demrris, please watch over him.
Touch him with your guiding hand.
Lyras defeat or future grim!
O Demrris please help him stand.

​Don’t let this be the last day
I wake up in his arms.
Don’t let this be the last day
His smile will greet the dawn.

​O Demrris, he’s in your care.
Let only good prevail this day!
O Demrris hear ye my prayer,
Let not the evil one hold sway.

Don’t let this be the last day,
Our light of love will burn.
Don’t let this be the last day,
His eyes to me will turn.

​O Demrris, bring him home to me.
Let good prevail, heart, hand and claw.
O Demrris, give us victory!
Let us stand, let Lyras fall!

​Miralor lets her eyes fall to the ground beneath her feet as the last note of the song echoes through the air.

​Miralor blinks as her attention is drawn by a loud battle cry that sounds like it comes from a great distance.

​Miralor turns and heads past the bonfire back towards the makeshift hub, seeking out her place with the other moon mages that had cloaked Vael’s infiltrators in invisibility.

​Miralor sits next to an older moon mage.

​The Elder Moon Mage smiles softly at Miralor and then turns back to the hazy mirror that is focused on the image of a human whose flowing black hair whips in the wind as she cackles… a maniacal look in her eyes.

​Lyras cackles, a maniacal look in her eyes.

​Lyras gestures her arms in a wide arc, slowly bringing her hands together to steeple her fingers, her eyes flaring with an ethereal blue glow as her body grows rigid.

​Timrath guards Vael.

​Vael leads his war party stealthy behind Lyras.

​Senfrislor slinks from shadow to shadow, creeping ever closer to her target.

​The Young Bard brings up the rear humming a distracting tone that causes your eyes to automatically want to look elsewhere.

​Vael slinks quietly up behind Lyras, whose attention is completely consummated by the battle taking place on the front lines far away.

​Vael rises up out of a shadow behind Lyras, yanks her hair back and with a cry of triumph, rakes his claws across her throat.

​Lyras contorts in agony, her eyes rolling back into her head as she attempts to retain concentration. Ethereal blue light flicker over Lyras’ form, like tendrils of unnatural lightning.

​Lyras’ eyes glaze over, a shocked expression flashes across her face as her body crumples to the ground.

​Lyras is slain before your very eyes.

​Lyras’ eyes roll back in her head as her knees buckle causing her to collapse in a heap to the ground.

​Vael turns back to his companions, his bloody claws glistening in the moonlight with a feral look in his eyes.

​Lyras twitches slightly as the shadows seem to gather around it.

​Vael roars in triumph!

​Lyras’ body wrenches with a sudden jolt as her spirit is siphoned by an unholy force back into her lifeless corpse. An intense force begins to tug at her spirit, a spectral hand pulls her to her feet. She stands amid a blazing pyre as the burning sensation wanes. The dancing aura of spectral flame surrounding her suddenly falls dim as she steps from the shell of her mortal ashen ruin.

​Lyras leaps to her feet!

​Timrath looks over Vael’s shoulder in horror as he watches Lyras spring to her feet cursing and screaming, the flowing blood still streaming thickly from her shredded throat.

​Lyras smiles maniacally as she rasps out, “Your pathetic attempt has only made me stronger. Did you think it would be that easy?”

​Vael’s ears stand up in shocked surprise as he starts to turn back towards his fallen foe.

​Lyras smiles as fingers of spectral flame flicker down her forearms to swirl over her clenched fists for a brief moment.

​Lyras chants:

Sought and found
Corrupt power
Your very soul
It devours!

​Lyras raises her palms and face to the heavens whispering to the wind. The opaque outline of a spectral hand protectively surrounds Lyras. Its presence soon fades, although a fiery aura of light still emanates from around her.

​Lyras slings a crooked bloodwood staff capped with some dark flame-etched amber off from over her shoulder.

Lyras’ eyes darken as she starts to cast her spell.

​Lyras gestures at Vael, the spell flaring as it works its way through her finger tips through her bloodwood staff capped with some dark flame-etched amber. The fiery blast targeting his heart.

​Timrath leaps towards Vael, knocking him out of the way. The rush of power that was directed towards the Prydaen leader strikes Timrath on the shoulder and he falls to the ground motionless.

​Vael falls over.

​Timrath falls over.

Miralor gasps in horror as she watches her husband struck down through the misty haze of the mirror.

​Vael lets out a roar of frustration as he attempts to regain his footing.

​Vael stands up.

Miralor leaps to her feet drawing on the power of the moons and sending out a plea for Demrris to guide her as she strives to cast a gate towards her fallen love.

​The Elder Moon Mage notices Miralor’s casting and gathers the other mages together to harness power for her spell in a desperate attempt to bring back their kin back to safety.

​The Young Bard lets out a bloodcurdling scream that strikes fear in the heart and causes Lyras and her forces to cower in front of her.

​Lyras cowers in anguish and curses loudly as divine forces keep her from following her prey.

​Vael drags the limp form of Timrath through the waiting moongate.

​Miralor collapses in exhaustion as the last of the stragglers come through the gate and the lights flicker out, plunging the room into darkness again.

​The Narrator recutes:

The sound of a lone violin fills the air as the lights come up again, focusing on Miralor resting on a cot in a makeshift triage tent.

​Miralor lets her eyes flutter open as she tries to sit up. Groaning she holds her head in her hands.

​The Young Empath bustles over and lays her hand lightly on Miralor’s arm.

​The Young Empath says:

You rest now, ma’am. You overextended yourself last night and need to recover.

​The Young Empath turns to head out of the tent but pauses for a moment as she looks back at the moon mage.

Miralor says:

Wait… my mate…

​The Young Empath smiles sadly and says, “I’m sorry, ma’am… he’s gone.” before turning to leave the tent.

​Miralor weeps silently as she closes her eyes, rolling over on the cot.

​Senfrislor enters the tent where Miralor is recovering.

Senfrislor gazes down at Miralor and smiles softly.

​Senfrislor gently says:

I’m glad that you’ve awakened. We were worried that you wouldn’t.

​Miralor looks up at Senfrislor, wiping the tears from her eyes.

​Miralor says:

I’m glad that you made it back safely. Was everyone able to get back through the gate before it collapsed? Were you able to bring my mate back through or was he left with Lyras?

​Senfrislor smiles softly as she gazes down at the dazed moon mage.

​Senfrislor patiently says:

Aye…your quick thinking and your husband’s brave actions allowed most of us to get back alive. Thank you for that. Vael was able to drag your husband back to the hub. He was not left in her hands.

​Miralor, asks:

I heard a loud cry through the portal and there was power unlike anything I’d ever felt before… what happened?

​Senfrislor gets a distant and slightly sad look on her face.

​Senfrislor quietly says:

Demrris was watching out for us. Our bard cried out, throwing the power of her will and talents into a scream of defiance. From what the clerics can tell, Demrris used her resolve to funnel his own power through her. Our enemy fell to the ground around us, fearful of his ire.

​Miralor blinks at Senfrislor, her ears wide in surprise.

​Senfrislor slowly says:

This gave us the time to get through the gate before it collapsed, but sadly she didn’t make it. Since her voice was what was holding them back from following us…she sacrificed herself to give us time to get away.

​Miralor trills softly as her ears droop sadly and gazes at Senfrislor.

​Miralor tries to sit up on the cot but Senfrislor gently pushes her back down.

Senfrislor tenderly says:

Be still young one, you need to recover, and for once we re not running from Lyras and her hoard. More happened last night that you should know about.

​Senfrislor sings:

Through endless hills we fled that night
To the ruins of Journelai
Vael told us then of his desperate plan
We had no choice but to try

​We stood shoulder to shoulder
Every mage and priest
Not only Prydaen and Rakash
But others from the east

For a mile this line of defense stretched
In one last heroic stand
To stop the scourge that killed our kin
And bloodied our great land

The power surged from earth and sky
In light of purest gold
Woven of magic and the will of the gods
We prayed that it would hold

Exhausted we strained to hold the power
Though our bodies were growing weak
Some collapsed and others died
The rest struggled to keep their feet

Then suddenly the spell took hold
And we stared in disbelief
The barrier held, the evil was stopped
But our joy was all too brief

With horror we soon realized
The price of our salvation
Many kin faced death with no release
Trapped behind our own creation

We shall not forget those of us who fell
Though we must now turn away
Our hearts torn between sorrow and relief
As we face the dawning day

​Miralor gazes at Senfrislor in awe.

​Senfrislor firmly says:

So take your time recovering…for once, we have that time.

​Senfrislor turns and quietly leaves the tent.

​Miralor gazes towards the flap and sits up slowly.

​Miralor quietly says to herself:

We don t have to run anymore…

​Miralor struggles to her feet and starts slowly towards the flap of the tent, ducking under it as she wanders out, away from the hustle and bustle of the makeshift campsite.

​Miralor gazes out towards the west as she reaches the top of a small hill, looking down at the barrier, needing to see it for herself.

​Miralor says to herself:

It’s amazing… it’s like all of a sudden… it’s ended… right there…

​Miralor scratches her ear looking thoughtful.

​Miralor sits down and watches as the combined forces of the Rakash and the Prydaen finish clearing out the last of the undead on this side of the barrier.

​Miralor squints.

​Miralor blinks as her ears move outward in surprise.

​Miralor shakes her head.

​Miralor says to herself:

No, it can’t be.

​Miralor gasps as she watches a figure approach.

​Miralor leaps to her feet and rushes towards it.

​Timrath closes the distance between himself and his mate, and hugs her fiercely, sweeping her off her feet.

​Miralor exclaims to Timrath:

I thought you were dead! They told me that you were gone!

​Timrath grins down at his exuberant mate.

Timrath kisses Miralor on the forehead.

​Timrath says:

Aye… I was gone, down on the front line cleaning up after the mages. We’re almost done and then we can leave this vile place and move to a new future, in the East… together.

​Timrath gives Miralor a loving hug.

​Timrath sings:

Dry your eyes my dearest love
There’s no more need to fret.
We’ve fought. We’ve won! And now we’re home.
We beat the vile threat.

​Miralor sings:

I once thought that our future held,

A life we’d live in fear,
But now when I look to the stars,
It’s all become unclear.

​Miralor’s voice joins with Timrath as he sings:

We’ve taken hold of destiny,
We’ve freed ourselves tonight.
Our lives are what we make of them,
Our future’s ours to write.

​Miralor sings:

I’ve seen so many things for us,
So horrible and dark,
But now you’ve chased away the fear
You’ve given life a spark

Timrath sings:

My dear don’t think upon such things,
Just let your fears all go,
We’ve driven back the awful past.
Our future we don’t know.

​Miralor’s voice joins with Timrath as he sings:

We’ve taken hold of destiny,
We’ve freed ourselves tonight.
Our lives are what we make of them,
Our future’s ours to write.

​Miralor’s voice joins with Timrath as he sings:

We’ll make our future starting now,
From now on we’ll be free
We’ve cast away our doubts and fears,
Our future will be…
Everything that we want it to be.

​Miralor and Timrath gaze off to the east, hand in hand, as the sun rises and warms the top of the hill.