Rage by Pashen

pashen

Thu Feb 1 20:10:32 2001 GMT

Pashen stood atop the plateau in Haven, her lavender eyes
glowed with an eerie red sheen. With a cry wretched from
her soul, she unleashed her fury and anguish in the ancient
tongue of the Dark Ones. Lifting a tear streaked face
towards the afternoon sky she sang out in a hauntingly
beautiful voice of torment, of betrayal, of anger and pain
unknown. Those captured within the range of her voice were
unable to move even though the strange words hurt the ears
and dread darkened their hearts. Lifting her arms above her
head, Pashen’s hands clenched into tight fists, she sang of
a fury unequaled. Within minutes, black thunderclouds
roiled above, the sunlight was obliterated and the realm
was plunged into darkness. Cracks formed in the stone of
the plateau, lightning unleashed in a frightening display
around her and accentuated her eerie words. The wind picked
up and raged around her tiny form, whipping her hair about
her in a shiny cloud. Furious white capped waves rippled
across the lake surface, leaves torn from trees filled the
air. A ring of fire erupted around her, flames danced
wildly in the vicious wind. Cracks in the stone widened,
the storm enlarged, lightning flashed continuously,
zigzagging across the black clouds that writhed almost
painfully, thunder crashed, thankfully drowning out her
wicked voice for some. Creatures that dwelled with the
numerous caves on the sides of the plateau fled the
questionable safety of their dens when the stone began to
groan in protest. And her song continued.

Trees unable to withstand the winds uprooted, sticks,
branches and other debris hurled through the darkness at
speeds high enough to impale wood and flesh alike. Pashen’s
voice rose above the howl of the wind, above the deafening
rumble of thunder as she held onto a single note until a
jagged crimson light ripped through the turbulent clouds.
Shadow images poured out of the rift, black silhouettes
against the storm seen in the brilliant flashes of
lightning that continued to arc wildly. Winged, dragon-like
creatures circled beneath the raging clouds, their shadowy
riders’ eyes glowed red. Unearthy shrieks could be heard
causing terror in any unfortunate enough to hear. Pashen
let go of the note, her fists tightened until the nails bit
into her palms and her eyes became as black as the furious
storm. As her blood spilled she flung her arms backwards,
again singing out as the vital fluid sizzled through the
dancing flames. A fissure tore the ground behind her,
racing outwards and widening until the side of the plateau
split away from the bulk of mass with a wrenching scream of
agonized stone. The two meter wide slivered end of the
plateau Pashen stood upon shattered, massive chunks of
stone crashed to the ground below until she was left
standing on a spiraling pinnacle of stone.

A red-eyed rider broke away from the others, his dragon-like
mount undeterred by the vehemence of the storm. His red gaze
remained unblinking though he urged Dra’Kar faster as
Pashen’s form become encased in an iridescent glow. Seeing
a bright, multi-colored mass of writhing light gather around
her outstretched fists he swore violently, hearing even at
this distance what she sought from the powerful, ancient
words she sang. He had no choice but to intercede. After
ordering Dra’ Kar to return to the others, he disappeared
off his steed’s back to reappear in front of Pashen. He
towered over her, with the glow from the fire in which he
stood cast an ominous glow on his black plate mail and made
his fiercely handsome face appear almost demonic. He spoke
to her in the same nightmarish tongue she sang in. A
brilliant flash of iridescent lightning was his answer, it
struck just behind him and sent a threatening shudder
through the pinnacle. He heard rather than saw a hunk of the
formation break loose to crash to the ground hundreds of
feet below, thrice striking the pinnacle on its downward
plunge, sending shock waves through the already brutalized
stone. He melded his mind with Pashen’s, her thoughts,
feelings, memories were instantly shared with him. In the
span of a heartbeat more was communicated than could be said
in a month.

At the initial touch of his mind Pashen fought against it,
tried vehemently to force him from her. (You can not keep me
out, cara, it is my right to do this) Black, tempestuous
eyes blazed, defying him for an instant longer before
surrendering herself to the meld. A tremor ran through her
after a heartbeat. A wail of protest, of despair, of
remembrance and a vow, was wrenched from her soul knowing
the truth presented to her. Pashen held onto the rage for a
moment longer, his red, feral eyes held her furious ones
forcing acknowledgement and compliance. Slowly she
unclenched her fists, releasing the power she was gathering
and lowered her arms. When her black eyes shimmered once
again to glowing lavender, a single, massive bolt of
iridescent lightning crackled overhead, the resounding peal
of thunder raced across the realm. Only then did the
seething clouds finally open to let torrents of rain lash
the lands. He stepped forward and placed a single gentle
kiss on her lips before disappearing and as Pashen watched
the heavens again tear open with a red slash of crimson
light she burst into her natural form. Through the near
blinding rain and intense display of lightning, she watched
as the last of the riders disappeared, then she too
disappeared. The storm raced northwards. The confirmation
hit her hard and she retreated to the Prismatic Plane to
heal, regroup and raise a son with one she took from a
dream. Eighteen years passed on the plane before she
returned to the realm, strengthened with a steely
determination to make peace. Only a matter of hours had
passed there. She sighed outside the gates and dissipated
the storm that was still raging with a thought, her own
inner storm calmed after the years spent on the plane.