[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Calaethis changed into his draconic form, to shield his emotions, still dressed in his golden elven plate; Calaethis left the cave, his features cold, hard and angry. Dimension dooring, half a mile away from it, he stopped. He started cursing. Avalon had not listened – and he had not forgiven him as his deity had promised. He felt hurt and betrayed, and with that betrayal had come anger, and self-hatred. Snarling he broke into tears, tears that ran freely down his face. He felt as if his inside self, the core of who he was, had been ripped out. His emotions were wild, as was his mind. He screamed at the sky, in total disregard and disrespect for his deity “Show Yourself! Damn You! You promised me everything would be all right! I hate You! I bloody hate You! You lying…” angry hot tears streamed down his face; “You manipulated me! You said You loved me! I regret ever calling You ‘Mother’! I hate You! I hate You! I was such a fool! I loved You! And you used me as a pawn!” Calaethis’s voice rose to a high pitched scream;

“You used me! And now You discard me?! Show Yourself, damn You! Damn You to the hells! Or have You no time even for that?! You did this to me! You unlocked my draconic blood! And for what?! So you could have me fight in Your petty wars?! You manipulated me! You made me forsake my family! I had everything I wanted! I loved them, damn You! All of them! I loved Alliene more then my own life! And now she hates me, damn You!” His tone was on the verge of hysteria, and he’d fallen to his knees. He continued, screaming at the sky “I loved Verloren, she’d accepted me, and acknowledged me as kin! And you made me drive them away! I even loved Avalon! I had everything I wanted! Everything! I hate You for what You did to me, and for making me abandon them! I never asked for this to happen to me! Never! And now You won’t even show Yourself! I hate You! I refuse to be Your puppet anymore! To hell with You! To hell with all of you!”

Drawing Tagnik’zurjess, Calaethis threw aside it’s sheath, and taking the sword in both hands, aimed it at himself, and slammed it with all his might towards himself. The sword didn’t move, Calaethis screamed at it, “You dare defy me?! I am your master! I created you!” the sword pulsed in defiance, and Calaethis could feel that it wouldn’t allow him to hurt himself with it; in a fit of rage Calaethis threw the sword as far away from him as he could, tears still streaming down his face. “Damn You! Now I can’t even take my own life!” His head falling to his knees, he wept broken heartedly like a young child who’d lost everything, his hair brushing the ground. Eventually he cried himself to sleep Exhausted and utterly fatigued; he fell into a dreamless sleep.

A pure, white light descended upon Calaethis’s position. Impassively he watched, with a detached interest. Unbeknown to him, he was the only one that could see this white light. A female elf walked with an unearthly grace to Calaethis, picked him up, and cradled his prone form, before laying him down on a bed of moss, and covering him with a thick fur cloak; which appeared from nowhere. Caressing his hair gently, she whispered in a voice Avalon could hear quite clearly; “My beautiful, beautiful child; I am pained to have to have had to put you though all this hurt and misery.” kissing him, She continued “Did I not love you as much as I do, I would not tolerate such insolence; and I would thrash you soundly… …but… you speak truly; I have manipulated you for My own ends; and I have made your forsake your family, which you loved far more then yourself.” still stroking him She knelt beside him, placing a pillow under his head, wiping his tear streaked face She continued “I still love you, despite what you have said about Me, and despite all of this. Never have I lied about calling you My child, nor has My love for you ever ceased. You do not understand Calaethis, nor will you until your cousin has accepted you again. You needed to be away from her, for you to learn. I promised you that everything would be as it was again, and so it shall be…” the goddess, perfect in Her form, looked infinitely sad, and pain painted Her features. “I know your heart and soul, young one, and deep down, I know your spirit to be noble, and pure; for you are Mine. I know how you long to be with your cousin again, and how you long to feel her embrace. I also know your love for her, and for Me, despite what you have said.” Calaethis’s features had become peaceful, as She soothed him, even though he was sleeping deeply. Avalon looked on in interest. “My child, I forced your blood to awaken, and manipulated your outbursts towards those you love. I am truly sorry, and I wish there had been another way, but there was not… I would have spared you this pain, had I been able, and you are not to be held totally responsible for your behaviour. I love you Calaethis, and I shall reveal more to you in the near future. For now it is enough, to know I shall always love you, no matter what. Sleep my child, sleep peacefully and know you are not alone.” Then she disappeared.