The path she had chosen was straight and unremarkable, even as Anna looked around for distinctive landmarks the tall sorceress found it futile. The Heartlands were clearly not exactly the easiest place to navigate, though the fact the path was currently in a straight line helped to some degree. The idea of spending any length of time here was frightening really; Celeste spent a good deal of time in the Prairie so if she did by some miracle manage to gain Kierra Doma’s notice would she be forced to remain here? This place was nightmarish, Anna was not certain her already fragile sanity could manage that.
Finally after a bit of walking the path opened up into a clearing, the mist obscuring and paths nearby that she might take and the Initiate’s warning regarding the mist echoing in her head. A rustling came from behind her, the sorceress turned and found that the path she had come from had vanished and she slowly backed away from the mist obscuring where it had been. It was almost as though the Heartlands itself was alive, like it was toying with her like some kind of separate entity. That was silly though, a place could not possess sentience… right?
A voice came from behind her; the chosen words used chilling Anna to the core as she turned again and noticed a figure in the mist. She squinted first and then felt her grey eyes widen at what she was actually looking upon. The unremarkable face, the arrogant tone, the tall and imposing figure cut it was as though she were looking into a living mirror. The mist swirled and rose off of her double, a sneer upon her face as further words that voiced her own doubts came from her. Words that reflected her hidden doubts beneath the layers of pride and arrogance.
The sorceress clenched her fists, wishing to destroy this creature with her reimancy and banish this mockery. Most of all she was scared because of how truly the words resonated within her, the doubts she had long harbored voiced by herself aloud. That she was a pathetic wretch of a human being, a creature hollow and weak by any definition. She corrupted everything she touched; hurt anyone that dared to get close to her. People she was supposed to protect died or suffered because of her, because of her apparent weakness. Because she was a monster.
"Of course it felt good. It is part of your nature, Annalisa Marin, to take joy in such things. It was a good betrayal, skillfully executed and emotionally devastating."
The words of Rhysol, spoken just last year, echoed in her mind to remind her of He who she owed everything to. Perhaps she was weak; she was mortal and pathetic, full of self-doubt and self-loathing because she did not fully understand the purpose of her actions. She was mortal at the end of the day; however her actions that this thing indicated brought weakness had attracted the notice of a god. She, Annalisa Marin, had attracted the interest of one of the most powerful gods in existence and bore his mark above her heart.
“Maybe you are right, maybe I am weak. Maybe I am powerless at the end of the day, subjected to the flow of time and the shackles of mortality as I am. I have murdered, betrayed, lied to everyone including myself and corrupted all I touched. I am a monster.” The tall woman said, her gaze rising to her apparition and blazing with the dark faith of the Defiler.
“For all that though I am stronger, each betrayal that kills my humanity pleases another. Each lie I speak reaches his ears and the souls I reap in his holy name are signs of my devotion. Though this worship I am made stronger, less full of weakness as he whom I love above all in this world expunges all doubt from me. Magic does not make me strong, it does not make me powerful, faith pure and unquestioning is what makes me strong. It’s what separates me from a pathetic apparition like you and makes my spirit stronger than your words will ever be.” Anna stated, the words resonating true in her spirit.
Finally after a bit of walking the path opened up into a clearing, the mist obscuring and paths nearby that she might take and the Initiate’s warning regarding the mist echoing in her head. A rustling came from behind her, the sorceress turned and found that the path she had come from had vanished and she slowly backed away from the mist obscuring where it had been. It was almost as though the Heartlands itself was alive, like it was toying with her like some kind of separate entity. That was silly though, a place could not possess sentience… right?
A voice came from behind her; the chosen words used chilling Anna to the core as she turned again and noticed a figure in the mist. She squinted first and then felt her grey eyes widen at what she was actually looking upon. The unremarkable face, the arrogant tone, the tall and imposing figure cut it was as though she were looking into a living mirror. The mist swirled and rose off of her double, a sneer upon her face as further words that voiced her own doubts came from her. Words that reflected her hidden doubts beneath the layers of pride and arrogance.
The sorceress clenched her fists, wishing to destroy this creature with her reimancy and banish this mockery. Most of all she was scared because of how truly the words resonated within her, the doubts she had long harbored voiced by herself aloud. That she was a pathetic wretch of a human being, a creature hollow and weak by any definition. She corrupted everything she touched; hurt anyone that dared to get close to her. People she was supposed to protect died or suffered because of her, because of her apparent weakness. Because she was a monster.
"Of course it felt good. It is part of your nature, Annalisa Marin, to take joy in such things. It was a good betrayal, skillfully executed and emotionally devastating."
The words of Rhysol, spoken just last year, echoed in her mind to remind her of He who she owed everything to. Perhaps she was weak; she was mortal and pathetic, full of self-doubt and self-loathing because she did not fully understand the purpose of her actions. She was mortal at the end of the day; however her actions that this thing indicated brought weakness had attracted the notice of a god. She, Annalisa Marin, had attracted the interest of one of the most powerful gods in existence and bore his mark above her heart.
“Maybe you are right, maybe I am weak. Maybe I am powerless at the end of the day, subjected to the flow of time and the shackles of mortality as I am. I have murdered, betrayed, lied to everyone including myself and corrupted all I touched. I am a monster.” The tall woman said, her gaze rising to her apparition and blazing with the dark faith of the Defiler.
“For all that though I am stronger, each betrayal that kills my humanity pleases another. Each lie I speak reaches his ears and the souls I reap in his holy name are signs of my devotion. Though this worship I am made stronger, less full of weakness as he whom I love above all in this world expunges all doubt from me. Magic does not make me strong, it does not make me powerful, faith pure and unquestioning is what makes me strong. It’s what separates me from a pathetic apparition like you and makes my spirit stronger than your words will ever be.” Anna stated, the words resonating true in her spirit.