Child of the Night [Archive] - EQ2 Forum Archive @ EQ2Wire

NocteBla

01-24-2005, 03:32 AM

<DIV> Under normal circumstances, Kijiro didn’t mind a cool swim, but the jungle river was stagnant and murky. He swam slowly, as to avoid disturbing the water too much, but he could not wait to get out of this muck. Every stroke seemed to seep more slime into his coat, and he shuddered slightly as he finally emerged on the bank. A large twisted tree, choked with vines provided ample cover to wipe off the algae with a bit of deerskin he had acquired in cleaner lands. When he was satisfied with his coat and armor, he quickly buried the deerskin the moist ground. The lizardmen stood watch over their temple, murmuring amongst themselves in guttural buzzes and hisses. None of them had heard Kijiro approach, and most had their backs to the tree that provided his temporary refuge. The old iksar had given Kijiro directions through the jungle, and of that he was glad they were accurate. The vines held strong as the large feline figure pulled himself to a branch for a better view. He eyed a large block of the temple that had fallen in days past, and in his mind he wished another would simply loosen themselves and topple onto a few of the scaled savages below him. ‘No,’ he told himself, ‘Cazic loves his children. No harm can come to them by his hand… or by mine.’ Kijiro had trekked far from his Stonebrunt village, and had not come this far with intent to anger the god that ruled here. It had been 8 years since he was cast away by the matriarch for disrespect to his ancestors, and had fled to Toxxulia in his reckless youth. If things went poorly here, he would have nowhere to run. Toxxulia was lost with the great Erudite “incident.” He shook the thoughts from his head and lowered himself from a branch. Landing on large padded feet, he slipped behind the fallen block, and stole a glance up to see the stone’s former residence. With his back pressed against the stone, he waited for the patrolling Alliz Ew to move on, and silently crept up the cobbled ramp leading into the temple. Keeping his eyes still on the patrolling lizards, he crept backwards into the tunnel leading in. When he was sure he was out of sight of the patrols, he spun around and locked eyes with an Alliz shaman. Or rather, eye sockets. ‘Can he see me?’ Kijiro asked himself. The old iksar Vrrath had joked (as best as an iksar can joke) about the devotion of the Alliz. Again, he proved to be dead on; the lizardman staring Kijiro down had no eyes. ‘He’s clawed his own eyes out…’ he thought and took a silent step forward. The Alliz continued to stare, seemingly through him. Kijiro dared a look behind him, and saw nothing but the way he came. A chill went down his spine and made his fur stand up on his neck. Another step forward. A putrid mist swirled about the lizardman’s feet, and the shaman began an odd clicking sound. It reminded Kijiro of bones breaking. His eyes darted left and right, the mist was growing. Kijiro had heard stories of the Greenmist, but this wasn’t quite the same. He wanted to turn and escape. ‘Go.’ He told himself ‘Run. NOW.’ Kijiro didn’t move. He couldn’t move. With his muscles tensed and body trembling, the mist disseminated. The Alliz continued its bony clicking and Kijiro could hear more footsteps scaling the ramp behind him. Kijiro’s mind raced ‘Did they know all along? Did HE know all along? What’s going to happ…’ The butt end of a spear met the back of his skull; his muscles loosened and Kijiro crumpled to the stone floor. Pairs of scaled claws hoisted him inside and all went black. Arise, child of the night, arise. Kijiro opened his eyes and saw a face in green mist. But it wasn’t a face at all. It swirled and moved closer, but Kijiro did not flinch. It pulsed and grew as it spoke again. You have sought Him for decades, yet your journey is not complete. You have known Terror and you have come before Fright. You stand in the heart of Fear, and he has chosen you. Norrath will know Horror through you, and tremble before you as they tremble before death. You are no longer who you came here as, you are His child of the night. In the darkness you will find His face, and in the darkness you will show them Fear. Arise, Nocte. The mist dissipated and moonlight peeked through his eyelids. He awoke and found himself alone in the courtyard, but he felt watched all the same. “Ughnnn… how long was I out?” he asked out loud. A hand went to the lump on the back of his head. It wasn’t there. “Cazic loves his children…” he told himself. His eyes bolted open at his own thought, then eased back to a steel blue stare. Sitting up and looking around, he was alone. Water poured down the terraces, torches blazed, and he found his way out of the seemingly deserted temple without so much as double checking his bearings. It was as if he had been here hundreds of time before. “Nocte.” He said out loud, grinning. He liked his new name.</DIV> Message Edited by NocteBlanc on 01-23-2005 02:37 PMMessage Edited by NocteBlanc on 02-24-2005 05:59 PM