Role

Chapter 6

The sun was beginning to set, as Nalaea looked out over the cliff's edge. The
clouds were all colors of red and purple, reflecting in the choppy waves of
the Dragon Sea below and beyond it the great and vast Aryth Ocean. The sound
of crashing waves was almost deafening, for just beyond the cliff a howling
storm raged. Nalaea stood in a pocket of calm, gazing into the swirling winds
and battering rains before her. The reddish light faded to black within that
swirling mass, alluding only to chaos and destruction.

Ardreth appeared by her side in the form of an agile mountain goat. Nalaea
placed her spirit-mirror hand upon his head, and they stepped together into
the storm.

Once past the edge of the swirling winds, Nalaea was immediately swept off her
feet. The power was immense. She was pulled, thrashing into the darkness.
Water beat a stinging staccato on her face and exposed arms. Her clothing was
torn, while hailstones pinged off of her armor. Nalaea let go of the golden
sword that she held in her hand, and it was immediately taken by the gales. A
stroke of lightning pealed through the air only feet from her, the resulting
thunder deafening her and leaving a smell of burnt ozone in its wake.

She saw the spirits gather around her as her body was battered in the
darkness, Ardreth at their center. The spirits looked upon her with fierce
eyes, lightning dancing within. Her body careened off the cliff wall as the
winds brought her around again, rattling her very bones. Nalaea closed her
eyes, and felt a deep trance overtake her.

When she opened her eyes again, it was morning. She lay soaking and shivering
on the rocks below the cliff, the storm raging now some way in the distance.
Her clothing was destroyed, her body was bruised... but she felt changed in a
way. She had surrendered to the full fury of the storm, and had come out the
other side. That fury was now inside her as well. If anyone had been there to
see her aside from the spirits, they would have seen lightning crackling in
her strange, violet eyes.