Role

Chapter 7

Doubts
Added Mon Mar 20 19:08:55 2023 at level 51:

Nalaea sat at the edge of a cliff high in the mountain pass connecting the
Ar'atouldain to the plains of Tir Talith. The River Nanthor was a silver
ribbon glinting in the early afternoon sun far below. In the other direction,
and even more distant, The Fortress of Light could be seen from between the
mountain peaks, looking majestic, impenetrable, timeless. She tried to focus
her mind; a difficult task for her at the best of times. And these were not
the best of times.

Above Nalaea's head, a great hawk soared and circled on an updraft that blew
Nalaea's hair back from her face. She reached out with her spirit-self, and
the hawk came to her, perching briefly on her outstretched arm. She felt the
creature's spirit connect with her own, and then it was off again. It circled,
its sharp eyes ever watchful, its wings ever ready to fold in for the dive,
and its claws ever ready to strike. She envied the hawk, a perfect instrument
to hunt its chosen prey. So unlike her, with her many failures stacked high on
her very soul.

"Yes, but the mice and rabbits do not fight back," said-thought Ardreth as he
materialized beside her in the form of a great, lumbering bear. It was a form
he had taken more often now that Nalaea had accepted the storm into her heart
fully.

Nalaea sighed, continuing to gaze out over the bright landscape. Many years
prior, when she had first been inducted as a Squire of the Holy Brigade, The
Prophet, Grysaor, had expressed to her his greatest fears for the Fortress:
that too many Shields wish to be Swords, and too many Swords are dull. She had
grown to feel like one of those dull swords he spoke of. She discussed this
with him, and he had eased her mind a bit regarding her own contributions.
Lyeeth, that enigmatic personality of The Eternal Star, had also given her
words of encouragement. But her mood remained dark.

"It is not too late. You know that," Ardreth's voice in her head. "You could
leave the battle, start a family. You are barely a middle-aged elf."

Nalaea turned to look into Ardreth's eyes. Nalaea, who had never known the
touch of a lover, whose entire life had been focused on diminishing the
darkness. She saw that Ardreth knew, as she knew herself, that there was only
one way her life's path would end, and it was not in a peaceful family home.
Success or failure mattered not.

"Come," Nalaea said. "Let us resume the hunt."