The Fate of Annera Klorn

[Raleigh]

     In the rooftop of Kada's tavern, in the middle of the night, a shadow lurked towards a small winch used to load items without worrying about the problems of moving them in the middle of the crowd that stays there. This shadow, of disappointment and hope, looked down the floor, and sighed as memories of the philosophical conclusions of the mind came.

     "Nothing changes here, what if there is more? I will risk that ancient teleport magic, regardless of what people tell about it. It minds little what my friends will think about this. I have seen that my presence here is useless, as is my life", her mind tingled as she prepared her incantations with a strange contraption at her hands, pointed toward the skies of Yliakum and ominously casting its shadow down. The dark way, with its entropic nature pulsed through the simple, ovoid metal with three protruded blades on its top as its dark light struck down a piece of the street, opening an apparent hole or portal of absolute blackness.

      With an ensured belief, Annera gave her leap of faith towards the portal, hoping to end up in another, better world as a large amount of negative energy emanated from her inherent hatred of Yliakum and of her use of dark magics. Engulfed by its oblivious darkness, she disappeared from this world, and the portal suddenly closed, leaving her fate unknown to anybody but herself.

      One day later, someone at the organization Annera belongs to sees a letter pinned on its walls, its content was the following:

       "I found a way to leave this wretched world condemned to never change, an old magic involving a device capapable of opening a gateway to another realm. If you are reading this, it means I already left, and now my existence in Yliakum is just a footnote on history. But I left in search for the hope that is not existent on these lands, and I will find it one way or another. I am sorry, you call me coward if you wish, but everything we could ever achieve on this world would be pyrrhic victories against those who are not the true enemies and mainly against casuality. Now I am beyond your reach, beyond. Or perhaps entangled into oblivion. I decided to take the risk, yes. A worthy risk as oblivion seems a little better than remaining on Yliakum now. I hope you will remember me for the few good things I did. Now, the organization in entirely on your hands. "

        "Another lost soul", was heard by Annera, as she opened her eyes to see the new living realm she warped to, and to her disappointment, she saw ahead of her, the infamous death guardian of many legends.

[ To be continued... ]

[Raleigh]

     Walking through the looming bridges and twisted towers of hideous shapes that form the death realm after stating briefly about herself to the death guardian, Annera could not help but think she was in some kind of abyssal realm of torment, although she felt none. At her hands she looked, wondering why should her soul be so limited on the interaction with a realm, that at least in her thoughts, was immaterial, and she glanced at the bottomless abyss below, where darkness was so deep that she thought that perhaps it was infinite, so those unfortunate to fall would pass their eternities falling in the blackness. Soon the citadel was reached to her, with its long winding corridors, and she turned towards a room in a direction she felt attracted to, since her arrival. A dark purple crystal lied on the room, guarded by two diaboli, apparently focused on studies of the dark ways of magic, the same Annera used and tested in a distant past. Looking at it as in the way a greedy man looks at a diamond, soon her interest was noticed by one of the diaboli, less concentrated on his studies than the other one, and he quickly said:

     __The power of the dark crystal brought you here Annera.
     __No, it was a portal spell failure, and how do you know my name? __ Annera asked in a dismissive voice
     __It was a success miss! The magic you use did exactly what it was intended for! Do you not pay attention to details when reading arcane and complex witchcraft books? And all souls that reach this realm can be detected and known by those who master the dark arts__ the diaboli replied, while laughing
     __Yes, it is really funny, and also a big lie, something I would have expected from a diaboli that is a "master of the dark arts"__she dismissed with a cold glare
     __Oh, you really think so? You are not going to fare very well on these hallowed grounds if you continue with your actitude__ He replied in a bitter, hostile tone as Annera moved her hand near her pockets(perhaps just a deceptive perception of her own soul), in an instinctive reaction to his hostility
     __Why should this matter? I am going to leave this place one way or another. If there is a way in, there must be a way out, and I will find it__ Annera said, alternating from a no care tone to a determinated one.
     __For now, I guess that, even though you are not a very pleasant company, I would be interested on the supposed share of knowledge you has as a supposed "master of the dark arts", so perhaps you could do me a small favor and exchange it, for a small sum of, politeness and acknowledgement from me.
     __Do not think you can bring down so much the value of my knowledge! There is only one thing that has value here: your own soul. So if you are so interested, I would like to have it and would gladly teach every bit about the arts __ he replied in a progressively persuasive manner.
     __Freedom is not a commodity, and much less my freedom! __ Annera answered disgruntled

     Bothered by such possibility, she left the room while the diaboli grunted some words against her, negative feelings of despisement and hatred chanelling vibrations from the misterious crystal as she came to the larger room on the other side, a huge library, where she quickly noticed a human skull on a table, and in a daring action, touched it and looked at its empty eyesockets, wondering as the light of a candle reflected over its blank complexion. Until a voice interrupted her.

     __Do not touch that! __ a masculine and arrogant voice shouted
     __Why not? Is it your skull? __ Annera replied bitterly
     __This skull, this room, the citadel and your soul, all that comes through here belongs to me! I am Londris, true master of the dark arts and you will respect and obey me, least you will have an unpleasant eternity of pain and torment!__ The extremely hostile voice replied
     __Is everyone here a "master of the dark arts"?__ Annera asked in an ironic tone, while dismissing the threat
     __I am the only master! Those lowly servants are liars when they claim they are masters. And you dared to mock me Annera Klorn! Now you will pay the price! __ He replied in an even more menacing tone
     __I do not accept, neither recognize you as the owner of my soul! I did not trade my soul in exchange of anything, neither I have choosen to voluntarily serve you as a minion. So, mister Londris, unless you leave me be, our immortal souls will enter in an eternal and perpetual war, and if you insist on this "suffering" threat, then you will suffer as well! __ Annera said in a dismissive, disgusted and hostile voice, caring little if he was being honest or just boasting himself.
     __You insolent brat! You will learn a lesson now! __ he said angrily

     Londris started casting a weakness spell, but a twisted form of it that drains not the body, but the soul and is not bound to the physical limitations of the living realm. Annera simply sits down and closes her eyes, going deep into the essence of her own soul to attempt unleashing raw energy through Lah'ar. Her rhytmic breathing contrasted with the mutterings of an angry man as he was about to cast the dark spell. Both unleashed their different energies against each other. Annera's raw soul power did little against Londris disciplined conscience though, while his spell started draining all her energy, causing immense agony on her for the single minute it lasted, or an eternity for the xacha's feelings. As it ended, Annera gasped and ran towards a corner, scared of the man that easily defeated her.

     __Now, get out of my sight and do not bother me again! __ He grunted

     Annera quickly ran away from the library with a clear frown on her face, as Londris resumed his normal activities. She ran towards more bridges and corridors, watching the dead souls walking in despair, and concluded on her own views as thoughts passed through her awareness:

     "This is a reflection, a sad reflection of the gods true intention towards us. Though one of them may actually be kind and gentle, we are nothing for them but slaves, slaves that are sent to an horrible place, I am glad to be an atheist now, as it matters little in the end. I hope there is a way back... there must be a way back! At least in that world there is some hope and some happiness"

     Walking in a tireless manner, she wandered, wandered and wandered searching for an exit, for a portal back to the world of living... or hoping one of her friends would... somehow help bringing her back, those histories about masters of the crystal way being able of bringing people back from death cannot be just legends and fairy tales, she thought... and an eternity passed as she walked... or was it not an eternity? What did happen with Annera's body? Did the magic destroy it, or was it sent to another realm to wander as a soul less body in despair?

[ Hope the double post isn't a problem. Actually it was done as a way to make it easier to read and to separate the core of the history from its introduction. Also about Londris, well from the way and tone of voice he speaks on the Death Realm, I concluded he was not someone to trifle with and Annera isn't the kind of person that can be intimidated with only words. I can easily make some fixes about it if necessary

Finally, if some people wish to give a "living" RP environment to the Death Realm(the only things I aways see there are RP duels), I'm open for suggestions. Annera will wander there... but I don't log much with her as nobody is there... ]

[Raleigh]

[ I think this whole thread will be better in "Roleplaying: Communitive Storywriting" as this history will now drift away for a while from the scope of PS Settings and even from its "medieval" style to explain what happened to Annera's body(I really got it "wild" hehe), it's in no way intended to be considered as significant for what happens in Planeshift regarding Annera Klorn(And yeah, I'm going to make a jumble of the "past meet future" theme ) Hope you won't find it bad because of the style change ]


     I opened my eyes and observed in awe that the portal magic was an absolute success, I was in another land, perhaps even in another plane of existence. As I looked above I could see stars on the sky and three moons reflecting sunlight, as I looked ahead, I could in a far distance see a vast desert with a strangely thick vegetation I have never seen before on its sands, apparently capable of surviving in such harsh environment, challenging the common sense that deserts cannot host many plants. I looked below to see a strange red grass below my feet, then I glanced at my left, and saw from afar a large ocean chanting its misteries, while at my right a range of white mountains erected in the horizon. Then I lastly looked behind, and I saw my fate as a strange man approached me.

     I could understand no word of what he said, his language was different from anything that exists in Yliakum, and his clothes, were quite strange and shiny. Then suddenly he did something, perhaps casted a magic spell, and his strange words started making sense, I could understand him now as he said:

    "What you are doing here miss? Daylight will come very soon and it will be dangerous for everyone to stay outdoors, specially for you. No offense lady, but I never saw an albino in my life and if you stay here your skin will get pretty damaged."
     I promptly replied to him: "Who are you? What is an 'albino'?"
     "I am sorry, we got only ten minutes to go into a safe haven. Albino are people with a 'problem' that makes their skin whiter than normal, miss Annera Klorn"
     "How do you know my name? And I am not someone with a problem. I am a Xacha and we all have paler skin!"
     "We are all humans miss, it is not a good idea to separate us on false races based on traits like skin color or height as it encouraged many atrocities in the past. And I know your name because you are not the only empath here lady" - he smiled as he said
     "Whatever, now mind to tell me where am I? I just trespassed a portal from Yliakum to here"
     "Oh, how could I forget miss. You are in Fralt IV, class U planetary colony of the Solaris Confederation, and from what I see you got here through a very strange space-time anomaly."
     "Oh, could you stop this weird talk? I just did cast a spell, it opened a portal, and I got lucky and out of there. Now what the? Planetary Colony? Solaris Confederation?"
     "A class U planetary colony is a whole world that is still in development stage and without very hospitable environment, Fralt IV still needs some heavy changes, but it is a nice place to live otherwise. About the Solaris Confederation, well I doubt you would understand it right now, basically it is a really large democracy"
     "Do you mean that you can almost create a world from scratch? I thought only gods could do such thing"
     "Gods? That is a good one miss!", he laughed. "I think you really came from a very primitive world, now lets move. And welcome aboard"

     He instructed me to follow him. I did and he showed me a strange metal machine that moves by itself, we came inside it, then I realized that what I left behind, I would quickly forget. The machine walked through the vast fields, its wheels seemed quite capable of defeating the wilderness, and as the time passed, I tried, just of curiousity to catch a glyph to cast a spell. It failed and the man thought it was funny. I should have expected, something would be missing, but I think that trading magic for ridiculously superior science is worthy, and after all Lah'ar still worked on here. I threw away the now ordinary stones that were before called glyphs. I had a feeling, of both shock and awe. It was almost as if, my dreams of a better world became reality, even though, Yliakum probably remains the same. I cannot help but feel some guilty sometimes. I look into a mirror and see a coward who ran away instead of fighting to change a reality. I miss my friends, I will never see any of them... Jangeol, Suvok, Illysia among many others that I still remember after all these years. But, lacking the opportunity of working for the betterment of Yliakum, I now work and have worked for the betterment of this new world I live in, and am proud to have supported and fought for its own independence. One day we will achieve the so much dreamed utopia, and thus I will achieve absolute happiness from seeing that I was one of its builders.

Diary of the Minister of Education, Research and Welfare of the Independent Commune of Fralt IV, Annera Klorn. Year 3517 A.F. (After the Fall)


    "Therefore, based on these completely scientifical studies of five decades, we can now rightfully prove that there is a body and a soul, and that if both become apart through an artificial way, in the same way that the negative pole of a magnet will attract its positive pole, the soul-less, but yet living body will attract the nearest body-less soul to. Thus, in such case, we would have two distinct souls assuming very alike sentiences and personalities in completely different environments. Adding to that the infinite possibilities of the revised superstring theory, I would not be surprised to see another 'me' in an paralell universe, or even in this one"

- Presentation of the "Self-Awareness Dualistic Theory" for the Fralt IV Scientifical Academy, Year 3567 A.F.

[P.S. Next one will return back to PS Settings scope . About the Annera "true self" in the death realm... ]

[Irick]

well, good story, you did take quit a few creative libertys though ^^. midevil to space collenys, provocitive to say the least.
keep the wrighting up.

[Raleigh]

[ A long time at the death realm makes any non-worshipper a... so back from sci-fi twist to the scope of Planeshift Settings. ]

     The somber soul wandered for an uncountable distance from the depths of death, for apparently eons, but Annera was fully determinated on escaping from the agonizing world of the dead, and she walked and walked, meeting many lost souls along her way, until she found one that could, in her hopes, show her the way to life, unlike the countless thousands of others she had asked about before:

     __How can I escape from death without a body?__she quickly asked
     __You must transcend the bonds of flesh, negate all your existence and begin life anew.
     __But how exactly? Where do I need to go and how to reach it?
     __Everywhere, and nowhere, to annihilate your existence you shall create a new existence. In the darkness life is bred, beyond what the eyes see and the ears hear.
     __Let me see if I understand, are you saying that I should, jump from this bridge down to the darkness of that seemingly endless abyss?
     __You already are in everywhere, now you must go nowhere, jumping through the gaps of the fabric of the reality.
    __What if I cease to exist if I jump? How can you be so sure of it?
    __You asked me a question, and I politely gave my answer based on my eons of existence in this realm.
    __I do not care, there is no meaning to existence anyway, and better to meet oblivion than to remain in this place!

    Without more words, Annera made another leap of faith, like the one she did on the portal, she fell and fell, all she could see was the darkness everywhere and the sensation of falling, time has passed and she did not land on any place, only kept falling, what a huge mistake, she thought, but then the memory came about what the nameless soul said "You must transcend the bonds of flesh, negate all your existence". She pondered then, why is her falling if she has no phyisical body? Why does she remembers her memories of past life if her physical mind is now either rotting and becoming one with the earth or magically annihilated? Then she cried in a loud agonizing voice as she felt in the bottomless abyss:

    __Existence has no meaning! Thus I do not exist! I do not exist! I am nothing, I am gone! We...... __ she said

    Then, a sensation of fading started, her self slowly disintegrating along numberless others, she could no more feel the illusion of a physical body, nor pain, anxiety, happiness, she could feel nothing at all, as she transcended the bonds of flesh and bodily existence and soon thoughts started to vanish, memories fragmented, and she became nothing, her negation of her meaningless existence was fulfilled. Annera Klorn is probably no more, or perhaps there is something else beyond, perhaps after this apparent oblivion, a new life awaits as the nameless soul said, or perhaps the sacrifice of her existence was definitive.


[ A long time at the death realm makes any non-worshipper a hardcore nihilist that has little regards to the perpetuation of the self ]