Galathil's Birth

            Some days favor Life, while others favor Death; the day my son was born was a strange mixture of both, and more than any other day, it shall remain forever etched deeply within my memory…

            I very seldom wish death upon people, for life is, to me, the highest and greatest power of all. I certainly never wished death upon Naralarn, no matter how much I may have felt that I hated him. Nonetheless, death found Naralarn, or rather Naralarn found it with his own blade, and my brother found Naralarn’s lifeless body.

            The day began much like any other, I was quite happy, even, for I had only recently been inducted into the order of Our Lady. I had no inkling that anything was wrong, that is until Eredis found me in the center square of Quant, near dusk, and I saw the look that his face wore. 

            Naralarn was dead, he told me, dead by his own hand. The words struck me hard as if one of the gods themselves had smote me. How horrible must I have been to prompt the demise of the father of my unborn child? That question gnaws at my mind even now, so many years later.

                                                            * * *

            I clung to Eredis, grief welling up inside of me, and I uttered quietly “At least my child is safe.”

            “We shall see about that…” Answered a raspy voice, and even before I turned to see the speaker, I was filled with dread. The figure of the Dark Father stood before us, with a half smile upon his lips.

            I hid my face against Eredis, unwilling to believe what I saw, as He took a step closer. “What’s this…?” The Dark Father mocked. “Found someone new, already, Slut?”

            “Please… Please leave my child…” I pleaded between sobs. He moved closer still, and reached out his hand, resting it on my abdomen, and causing me to shiver violently.

            Eredis stayed next to me, such comfort he provided, though Lord Necrucian would not allow that… Eredis whispered to me that he would protect my child and I, and it was the last thing he was to say, before his jaw was broken, and he was flung across the square by the Dark Father’s hand.

            I screamed as I saw Eredis smash into a wall on the far side of the square, bricks clattering. I could not tell if he lived, and from the way his body lay on the ground limply, and covered with dust, I feared that he did not.

            Lord Necrucian was still before me, and now in his hands was a sphere of crackling deep black. He slowly raised it, to toss, as if he were playing some godly game of catch. The fear within me intensified. I tried to take a step backwards, but the heel of my boot caught on the hem of my robe, causing me to stumble, and to fall upon my back.

            I saw movement out of the corner of my eye then, Eredis was alive! He quickly moved in front of me, blocking the Dark Father’s intended path for the sphere. There was nothing he could have done of course, even the most valiant of mortals is nothing to a god… Lord Necrucian merely brushed him aside, and let go of the sphere, sending it toward me.

            I lay frozen in horror as the sphere disappeared into myself, the dark energy beginning to cloud my mind. As my wits faded, I discerned Lord Necrucian gesture, as if to pull something toward him… I heard, as if from far away, a scream of pure agony- though it seemed to be using my voice… It was so warm, and so quiet… But dark, much too dark… Thoughts spiraled away from me, lost in the darkness, and I wished for something to clutch onto, something real… A soothing voice spoke to me, indiscernible words of comfort. Colors began to appear then, and I felt arms around me… I was a child again, in the arms of my mother…

            As I stirred back into consciousness, I found myself indeed cradled in comforting arms, though there was blood everywhere, and it was not my mortal mother that held me.  The gaping hole in my abdomen, that had nearly torn me in half when the Dark Father had drawn the sphere back to himself was closed, healed by My Lady Herself. I looked up into Her face, which wore an air of sorrow, and very slowly, my gaze moved beyond Her, to where Lord Necrucian stood. Floating next to him was the sphere, still crackling and dark… Yet now there was something within it; a small, pale shape encased in the center… My child…

                                                            * * *

            A battle followed, and though it was between two individuals, the power tossed back and forth was greater than that of an entire army! Lord Necrucian bombarded Lady Ariel with crippling energy; Lady Ariel healed herself, and sent immense bolts of searing lightening toward Lord Necrucian!

            All the while, the sphere hung near the edge of the square, too high for anyone to reach, even if they dared to risk the Dark Father’s wrath. I stared at the sphere, at my child, too weak to even sit up to perhaps take a closer look. As I watched, the sphere slowly began to tremble, then to float downward. I moved my gaze to Eredis, who had his arm outstretched, and was attempting to draw the sphere to himself with a spell of summoning. I was astounded at how much he would go through to keep his promise of protecting us… Was there ever a better person? I only wish that he did not have to pay so dearly for it… Lord Necrucian did not take long in noticing, of course, and waved a hand at Eredis, while blocking an attack from My Lady with his other.

            It was not the first time I’d seen someone smote by a god, but seeing Eredis smote… That tore at my heart more even, then when I witnessed my husband in the same situation. I could not even go to him, as I had with Naralarn, to heal his other injuries.

            I heard another voice then, a prayer was being uttered. As I turned my head to see the speaker, he finished the prayer with a forceful, “Lord Mythandor!”  As Diomedes spoke His name, the Lord of Justice appeared in the square. Together with Lady Ariel, He forced the Dark Father to retreat. Lord Necrucian muttered something hatefully at Lord Mythandor, seized up the sphere, and was gone.

* * *

            I was to get my son back far later, still encased in the sphere, his growth stopped, and his body all but dead. Almost a year it was that I carried the sphere with me, until Lady Ariel was able to free him, and he could begin to lead an ordinary existence.

            At present, Galathil is off journeying, as all those close to me seem to do more often than I like. I know I shouldn’t worry so much; he is an adult, and he can care for himself, (as he so often reminds me), but I can’t help thinking that one day he will not return.

            Of course, that is just me fretting. I am past the age to bear children, and I dote upon Galathil. He is my only child, and he is the one thing of happiness that seems to have come from the union between Naralarn and myself. Now, if only my dear brother would find someone to settle down with… Maybe then I’d have some children to dote upon!