Abelas
the Sentinel

Independent Dragon Age roleplay blog.

est. Jan 2015 !

prayers
Abelas' reaction to "I love this song!"

pinkymorty

“I love this song.”

  His eyes open, heavy lidded and guarded, and the melody falters, tumbling off his lips like the last faint echo, the ghost of a tune carrying on for an instant more, even after the song, itself, had died.  He did not even have a sigh in him – not a dry, rattling rasp of breath left to spare. He pushed aside the weariness that seemed to overlay him like a shroud.  It was not so easy a task, sloughing away the somewhat protective desire to distance himself from this alien world, to slip into Uthenera and walk his own walking dreams. { But he knows he cannot afford to – not again. The long slumber might take him, and this time … he might never wish to leave it }

  “Sit, da'len.”

  { He feels that change is coming.  It reverberates in his very bones } He watches her sing, her cowl loose upon her shoulders, her vallaslin like bright poison upon her brow.  She is the youngest of them all, what little that means to them now, and he has never stopped thinking of her as a child.  She is special only in that she was the last to be anointed with the blood writing of Mythal, the last to enter into Her service.  Abelas’ second had been her mentor, once, but then the temple was assaulted, and she was among but many to fall.  So much immortal flesh – wasted, corpses eaten by the same flames that had lapped so hungrily at these walls.

  But that was eons ago, and the youngest acolyte had survived, even when her mentor had not.  Abelas had collected her, drew her to him.  And why not?  Their numbers had been reaped by the scythe’s cuts of intrigue and revolt.  Even when Arlathan fell, he kept this temple standing.  As did they all. { He used to wonder if it was devotion to him that kept them thus bound.  None of their number had been worthy of the Vir'Abelasan.  None of them had been compelled to stay… but he dismissed that as heresy.  Of course it was love for Mythal which inspired them to remain at his side.  It was devotion to their shared duty, and Abelas punished himself for a moment’s egotistical indulgence 

  not for the leader who remained steadfast, who guided them and gave them purpose, who fought at their sides, who kept the old ways and meted justice with a fairness that would have pleased Mythal, who sang the dirges when their numbers dwindled further, who knew their hearts as well as he knew himself

  “Sing with me.” He bids her, leading her in the old hymns of worship.  Her voice intermingles with his, as much a chanted psalm as it was an expression of music.  Her eyes close, as his had been, caught up in the sweeping notes of praise.  Elvhenan might well have died everywhere but in this place, and she would never know of it  The eluvian was not hers to use.  It was not his.

 Yes, he feels change coming.  It was why they had all awoken, and now he fears it will be their last.  He shares his concerns with no one.  He must shepherd them, these last living faithful.  He must give them hope, even at the expense of truth.  He has fallen far from Mythal’s dictates, for Abelas cannot even remember when last he thought with a clear mind and open heart.  The cloud of ennui, the crush of bitterness against his heart – these were what he carried with him.  This is his burden.  Malas suldein madas.  Now I must endure. 

  He rises slowly, and he glances to the west.  A new song has intermingled with their own.  It is a song he knows just as well.  It is the interwoven harmony of dueling magics, the choral shouts of the dying, the staccato thrusts of swords and daggers and the arrow whose aim is true. 

  Abelas looks at his ward – his sister – one last time, and he is consumed by the knowledge that this is their last battle.  Their last song.

Ma ghilana mir din'an, halam'shivanas.

U