PhalonHerald
Legends and portents concerning the Herald of the Unconquered Sun have been appearing since about a hundred years after the Great Uprising. The First prophecy was fulfilled around one hundred years later, with the first reincarnation of Laeleth and the arrival of the Herald. Although she herself is unaware of the prophecy that surrounds her, Laeleth is already written into the destiny of the world. While the Unconquered Sun prefers not to be heavy handed in his guiding of the world, his Herald is the closest he comes to personal intervention. He has also seen how much her soul aches, and is using this work he gives her to try and heal her pain, as well as giving her something to occupy her so she does not dwell to deeply on her pain. Of all the Dawn Caste, Laeleth’s condition is unique. No other Solar Exalted reincarnates as she does. She is unaware of this fact, but the particulars of their reincarnation do not overly concern her, so she has discussed this little with any other of the few Solars she has met, even less than she discusses other things with them at all. While she enjoys the chance to be with one of her kind when she can, she does not want to talk of her past and is fearful that others may remember her, despite their fractured memories of their past and her new appearance. Her pride means that she does not want to be the focus of their pity as she was during the First Age.
The Sidereal of all factions view the prophecies they have gotten that revolve around the Herald with some confusion. Few refer to the Herald in person, just to the task the Herald will perform. They know the Herald to be of the Dawn Caste, especially since most of the prophecies concern the defeat of villains and usurpers by the Herald, but divining who this Herald is has confounded them. They do, however, have some solid facts drawn from certain prophecies (not all gleaned from sources believed to be the Unconquered Sun): The Herald is female. All references to the Herald in person refer to ‘her’ and ‘she’. This is one of the reasons they are having such trouble tracking Laeleth down; her current appearance not really holding with the references to her. Another important reference came from a couple of prophecies which are believed to refer to the Herald but do not all of which mention her by the title of Herald. These prophecies that the Sidereals have linked to her refer to her as ‘she of Moon-clouded eyes’. A few of these even mention the Herald as ‘she of Moon-clouded eyes’.
This does in fact reference to the fact that Luna clouded over the appearance of Laeleth’s eyes. She in fact did this to spite Ul’shar, who abandoned her. He had loved the golden pupils of her eyes, and was enraged to find the feature of his love that he had most admired had been clouded over (and that and she now appeared as a man). The final major link they have is one that refers to her as ‘the lover of Night’s Bloody Tears’. The Sidereals of course know of Night’s Bloody Tears, as he is a powerful and favoured champion of the Malfeans, but are somewhat reluctant to approach him to ask him of his connection to this Herald. They also do not know that he was once Ul’shar. Karen learned the story of Laeleth around one hundred years ago. As of yet she has not connected her to the prophecies of the Herald, and since Laeleth did not refer to Ul’shar as Night’s Bloody Tears she has not made that connection since Laeleth spoke little of him. Karen is keeping knowledge of Laeleth’s existence to herself as her ‘ace in the hole’.
The Sidereals also do their best to prevent these prophecies reaching the ears of Dragon-blooded, since they inevitably cast the Herald in a good light, unless one accepts the wishes of the Unconquered Sun to be an unfavourable thing (promoted of course by the teachings of the Immaculate Order).
Ul’shar is unaware of his lover’s role in prophecy, and his masters would see it kept that way. They care slightly less about their other followers knowing of these prophecies, but anything that shows the followers of their enemies as inevitable champions smiting their foes is of course a bad thing for morale. The Fair Folk have no idea about the Herald. A rare few who take an interest in prophecy will probably have heard at least one or two referring to the ‘Herald of the Unconquered Sun’ but these are the exception rather than the rule.
Any spirits that have heard the prophecies respect the Herald for her role (unwitting though not unwilling as it is) in the plans of the Unconquered Sun. The downside to this is that most prefer to avoid dealing with one who is obviously a favoured champion of the Unconquered Sun himself. As a result, most are cordial to Laeleth but reluctant to face her in the first place. This has led her to have fewer dealings with spirits than might be expected for someone who is like her, but she hasn’t really noticed as she tends to focus on her own affairs.
The Yozi know of the prophecies concerning the Herald, and prefer to avoid all contact with this mysterious Solar as possible. It is also puzzlingly to them how hard it is for them to gather information on this Herald.
The Lunars are fully aware of the prophecies of the Herald. They are especially interested in the references to Luna that are made in some of them, and would dearly like to meet this Herald. Some of the Silver Pact who support the idea of the return of the solar Deliberative view this mysterious Herald as the key to linking the newly reborn Solars back to the Lunars. Needless to say, the opposing faction also thinks the Herald should be eliminated as a threat if they should ever discover her identity… The Lunars also have no idea that Night’s Bloody Tears was once Ul’shar. They know of this terrible shadowy killer of the Malfeans, and should they learn of his former identity, it would probably fill them with a rage at his betrayal such as has never before been seen among their kind. They know, of course, of the ancient tale of tragedy that was the romance of Laeleth and Ul’shar, and of the betrayal Ul’shar made, but since that was in ancient times most think that Ul’shar has long since perished.
(This takes place about thirty years ago from the present)
Talar Ironfists was having a good day. He had finally gotten used to being Anathema, and had tested the extent of his powers. He had usurped the place of this kingdom’s king, slaying most of his guard personally. The rest had seen his glory in combat and surrendered to him. He had taken care to give off public displays of his powers, and most of his subjects worshipped him as a god. This was good, he thought, since it meant they put up with the crippling taxes he had put on them. He laughed as he pulled the meat from the haunch in his right hand with his teeth and washed it down with the wine he held in his left. No vague feeling that he was supposed to be serving this ‘Unconquered Sun’ was going to stop his ambitions. Someday he would rule the whole world with his iron fist. That night was a little less pleasant for him. His dreams had started out dark and disturbing and then a figure had stepped from the darkness that clouded his mind. It appeared to be an average looking man dressed in brilliant white robs emblazoned with the same symbol that glowed on his own chest. It spoke to him in a clear, ringing voice. “My Master is displeased with the way you have abused His gifts. His Herald now comes for you, that your gift may be passed to someone who will prove more worthy. She of Moon-clouded eyes will be here soon to slay you, betrayer.” And with that, the figure faded into the darkness once more. Talar woke with a start. Over the next few days he was somewhat paranoid, checking the eyes of all women who came before him. But when nothing had happened after a week, he relaxed a little once more and dismissed the whole thing as the troubled dreams of a paranoid man.
Laeleth had been travelling through the lands of the East, following rumours of an Anathema in the region when she was visited at night by the Unconquered Sun in her dreams. She was a little disturbed when he appeared angry, but she knew him to be just and thought she had done nothing wrong. So she merely bowed before him and waited for his words. He spoke but four words.
“Go north. Talar Ironfists.”
Her dreams returned to somewhat normal dreams after that. When she woke in the morning, she travelled north. After a few days, she came across a farm in the road. She could see the remains of a good harvest, but when she saw the farmer working the fields, she saw he was gaunt and listless. This troubled her, so she went over to him.
“Good farmer,” she began, “why is it that you seem to have such a good crop but are in such a dishevelled state?” The man looked up at her, startled that someone had approached him.
“’Tis the king mi’lord. He has ruled these lands for five years now, ever since he slew the rightful king and his heirs, and he taxes the lands more heavily every year. I fear that soon I will not have the food to feed my family, despite the good harvests we receive.” The farmer jumped back at the look of anger that now clouded his visitor’s features after his words.
“What is the name of this new king?”
“Talar Ironfists mi’lord.” The farmer saw the man’s eyes narrow. “He is a god, come to rule over us. I just wish the fates had sent one kinder than he, but we do as best we can.” The farmer was now truly frightened, shaking with fear as the man before him now shook with anger.
“Which way. To his city.” Laeleth ground out. The farmer wordlessly pointed towards the king’s city, and his visitor stormed off. He swallowed to clear his dry mouth, and wondered what was to come.
It took Laeleth several more days to reach the capitol. The state she saw the people of this land in only served to hasten her steps. She calmed herself as she walked, so that she did not quiver with rage at every step. If she guessed right, it was one of her fellow Dawn Caste that had done this. She remembered the excesses some of her people had fallen into before the Great Uprising, and this mirrored the very worst of them. Abuse of their god-granted power for their own gain and pleasure, regardless of what it cost the people around them. Laeleth had always despaired at what her people had done, and had worked with others to try and curb the growing excesses of her people that preceded the Great Uprising, which obviously put a halt to their efforts. But being reborn should have cured them of what she had suspected to be the entropy of their souls tainted by their fight with the Great Enemy. There was no excuse now for this behaviour. And she would put an end to it.
After hanging around the city for a few days, she discovered that the best way to get access to this Talar Ironfists was to sign on as a soldier for him, as he met all potential new recruits personally to see of they were ‘worthy’ of joining his Holy army. She also knew she would have to defeat him in a public place to free these people completely from his oppression, so they could be witness to his death. Not being able to wait any longer witnessing the shocking poverty around her, she marched off to the castle to do just that.
Flanked by two guards, mean looking large fellows, Laeleth was brought before the king. Talar Ironfists looked up with interest as she was led into the room.
“So you wish to join my Holy Army?” he asked. Laeleth responded by drawing her sword in a lightning fast motion and cutting down the guards beside her without even glancing at them before either had even registered what she had done. She then looked straight into his eyes, so he could see her hatred.
“No, I wish for you to die.” Upon seeing her pale eyes, Talar blanched.
“B-but, you were supposed to be female…” Laeleth was a little confused by his words, but would not let them deter her from the task at hand she advanced on him, sword in hand. He recovered quickly however and drew his own blade. He then flared his anima in a glorious display, his totem of a raging lion roaring behind him.
“Know then that you face a god, assassin!” he yelled, confidant in his powers. His confidence faded somewhat however when his assailant still advanced upon him, unconcerned by his display, a dispassionate look across his features as he seemed to flow towards him. Talar roared and advanced toward his opponent. He was not so skilled with his blade, but he had a few charms to back him up. As soon as he clashed blades with Laeleth, however, he knew he was in trouble. She effortlessly parried even his charm-enhanced strikes. He pressed his attack, burning his essence at a furious rate as his anima flared bright and his caste mark glowed. She didn’t even have to burn her essence to stop his clumsy strikes. Perhaps, she mused, he should have spent more time practicing the arts of war and less time being a despot and tyrant. She knew he was still easily a match for any mortal, but he was no match for her.
She effortlessly dodged around his attacks, leading him to a large window as she danced around him. Timing her moment precisely she leapt, bearing him out the window and into the streets below. This seemed to hurt him little however. So she continued with her plan, drawing him through the streets to a public square. They had attracted quite a crowd by now, his ‘devoted’ followers coming out to watch their false god battle his assailant. The looks of fear on their faces and the glimmer of hope in their eyes that Laeleth caught only served to harden her resolve. Soon she had the tyrant driven before her. He was all but spent, his anima flaring its brightest even as sweat ran down his face and he panted with his exertions. Laeleth had yet to spend more than the barest portion of her essence, and her long years of training meant that her breath had hardly quickened at all. Ironfists was backed up against the fountain in the middle of the square, his sword held defensively before him.
“You cannot prevail against me.” He stated, but she could hear the quiver in his voice, and see the shaking of his hands. Looking him straight in the eyes, she lowered her guard and dropped her sword. The sound it made as it clattered to the ground was heard all round the silent square. The people looked on with breathless anticipation. Upon seeing her drop her sword, Ironfists laughed. He raised his sword and charged.
Those that watched what happened next all seem to differ in what they say. Some say that there was a flash of blinding light. Some say they saw the strangers hands move even as he glowed with fearsome light. Some say the stranger transformed into a terrible avatar of awesome fury. In a way they are all right. Laeleth’s body blurred as she called upon the reserves of her strength. All of a sudden Scion of Light was gracing her hands as she moved, and the aura of her caste blazed into furious existence as she swung blindingly fast at her foe. Her caste mark burned brightly upon her brow as Scion of Light neatly cut Ironfists’ sword in half with a single blow, its progress seemingly unimpeded by the inches of tempered steel it passed through as easily as the air that surrounded it. Silence descended on the square once more, somehow more complete than before. It was broken only by the sound of the severed blade end joining that of Laeleth’s discarded blade on the ground. Ironfists looked up at Laeleth ion awe, her aura only adding to his terror.
“W-what are you?” he stuttered in fear.
Scion of Light sung in her hands. It never gloried more than when she faced one of her own kind or another of equivalent power in single combat. Of course, it had never been drawn to kill one of her own before. Its bloodlust and anticipation was… palpable. Laeleth found the feelings it added to her own lust for combat quite intoxicating. She struggled to remain rational and not simply butcher this filthy traitor before her as she knew she must. She stared down at him, and he saw no mercy in her Moon-shrouded eyes.
“You have betrayed the gift our god was gracious enough to bestow upon you.” Her words were a bare whisper and did not carry to the crowd, meant for the tyrant’s ears alone. “And he has desired you punished. I will avenge the suffering of your people whom you have so abused. The glory of your Exaltation shall go to one more worthy of its gift, and your corpse shall nurture the ground as you have failed to nurture your people.” She swung Scion of Light over her head in an impossible arc, its blade pointed at Ironfists’ chest even as the handle was raised above her head. The onlookers could swear they saw the blade shiver with… anticipation. Laeleth could hear nothing else as the blood roared in her ears. She could practically hear Scion of Light telling her to kill, glorying in the chance to spill blood worthy of its edge. Time seemed to slow around her.
She watched as Ironfists slowly moved his arm out as if to ward off the blade even as her arms tensed, terror in his eyes. It was that which brought Laeleth back to herself. The terror she saw in his eyes. She was no killer, no murderous beast. She was a soldier, and she was merely carrying out the will of the Unconquered Sun. She must control her instincts if she was to be his warrior rather than merely another tool, even as Scion of Light was a tool in her hands. Time resumed its normal pace.
“No, wai-“ Ironfists only got that much out before Scion of Light plunged into his chest. The surgical strike killed him instantly, and Laeleth watched dispassionately as the terror faded from his eyes along with his life. Laeleth said a quick prayer over his body, praying for his soul to find a better place, as Scion of Light faded from her hands, sated by the blood of a Celestial. Her aura faded from around her as she leant over and picked up her sword, sheathing it. She turned to gaze at the crowd, sweeping it with her eyes. Then she addressed them. “We are not gods. We are just people granted strength by our god to fulfil his plan for this world. Your tyrant there was granted power, but abused it and used it for his own ends. I am his justice. Worship him no more. Go back to your lives.” She strode then from the town, eager to get away from what to her seemed like an execution. She wasn’t meant for duties like this, she was just a soldier. But she would do as her god asked. None dared bar her passage as she stormed from the city.
And as He watched over her, the Unconquered Sun smiled at his troubled daughter. She had come so far.
In the crowds, Yaresh knew that his masters back on the Blessed Isle would want to hear of this. This behaviour was unheard of from the Anathema. Besides, he had been sent to keep an eye on Ironfists while the Realm was thinking up an excuse to get a Wyld Hunt to him, so deep in the Scavenger Lands. He didn’t now want to have to track this other Anathema, especially since he had seemed so dangerous. He hadn’t been close enough to see his features anyway. And that look… Yaresh knew he didn’t want that gaze turned on him. It had seemed so knowing, so powerful. He was just a mortal, and not meant to contend with demons. No, best he take word of this event to his masters himself.
Tepet Kaelar looked over at Yaresh.
“You are sure that this is what he said?” Yaresh looked a little nervous under the unexpected scrutiny.
“Yes Lord. I remember it precisely. The Anathema carried itself with such an air of power, it is hard to forget.”
“Well, be glad it didn’t decide to turn its fell powers on you. Mention this to no others. I will have it taken care of.” Yaresh looked a little confused.
“But Lord Kaelar, what of your superi-“ Yaresh was cut of as Kaelar hauled him bodily off the ground. “No others. Do I make myself clear?” Yaresh looked up at Kaelar, despite his feet no longer touching the ground, fear in his eyes.
“Yes mi’lord. No others.” Kaelar released him.
“Good. Now be on your way. I will have a new assignment for you in the morning.” Yaresh bowed and left. Kaelar briefly considered having him killed to keep his silence. But no, he was no butcher. Besides, Yaresh was a fine agent. He could still serve the Realm yet. Kaelar went to his desk, and drew out the prophecies he had collected. He got the two he was interested out and read them again.
‘And a King of Men shall rise in the land of Vultures as those chosen by the Unconquered Sun are soon to return. And he will rally the people to glorious victory, and help restore the land to the way it once was. But as with all men, so is the King. And should he falter from his path, the Unconquered Sun shall send his Herald so that she may bring him low for his crimes.’ If he was right, this is just what had happened. Which was a little confusing. He’d heard of all the suffering those people were going through, and would have thought that was what the Anathema’s dread god would want. Not to mention the fact that this Herald was indicated with a feminine pronoun. He lifted up the second prophecy.
‘And the Herald, who once led Kirian Halestar in battle, shall meet again with his descendant. And she will bring unto him the truth he so seeks about those who lurk in shadows. The descendant shall know her words ring true, and some of lies shall be lifted from his eyes.’ Now Dragon-blooded took great pride in their lineage. And Kaeler was very proud to trace his lineage all the way back to the Great Uprising and a little further beyond. And that was his ancestor. He had to find this ‘Herald’ and talk to it, demon though it may be. He had gone through a lot to wrest this prophecy from that spirit, and he knew it to be true. But he was on the edge of truth here. There was so much he was beginning to question about the way the Realm did things, and the motives of the Immaculate Order. He had to know that he was doing the right thing.
So he would send out his most loyal and trusted troops to seek out this Herald. His only clue was his distinctive sword which Yaresh had witnessed, since he hadn’t been close enough to get a good look at his face. And he had to do this quietly. If a Hunt was called on this Anathema, he would never get his answers. And he swore if he had to wrestle with this demon himself, he would get it to talk to him and give him the answers he sought. Perhaps then he could finally understand what these ‘shadows’ of the prophecy were. He had linked them to a name through his studies, and knew that they were somehow involved with both the Realm and the Great Uprising in a major way, as well as being inextricably linked with the Anathema. He would find out what lurked behind the Realm and find if it was friend or foe. He would find the truth about these ‘Sidereals’.
