Role

Chapter 23

It gnawed on Aurew's brain, what Lord Thaedan had said. All Aurew knew was
that Drissa was not here. But was she... somewhere else? "Time had ever
governed that one's path, even when young... I strongly suspect she fights
the darkness still. Only, not in our reality."

The ticking of a clock. The beating of a heart. The slow thwump-thwump of a
tail. All of these things seemed to move as one, and then stop. Bits and
pieces began to float to the surface of Aurew's memories, bubbling up through
her grief-shrouded fog.

Some three centuries earlier, she sat with Drissa in the Cathedral square,
incredulous and skeptical.

"The title is, 'Stardate 07916.257 (62nd Age)'", Drissa read. "So maybe a
sailor's log? But the 62nd age part is the, uh, perplexing thing." She
continued. "It goes on from there, contains a pretty rousing speech. It
sounds like a Maran wrote it, really."

Even as Aurew sat in the present, she echoed the words Drissa had said those
many years ago: "Soldier of the Light... today is the day of days. You are
about to embark..." The words caught in her throat. "Through the portal, the
past awaits. You will bring security for elves in ages past, present, and
future."

Aurew was disbelieving back then, but tried to be supportive. "Ah, some kind
of portal similar to how we travel to the past. But in this scenario, we are
the past?"

"Aye, exactly what I've been thinking lately." Drissa hesitated. "Well,
maybe? It all sounds rather ridiculous, like a bad joke."

It all felt like a bad joke to Aurew, especially now that she was gone. But
what if it was true? What if Drissa was somewhere ahead, waiting for her?