Chapter 6
Celcynd placed the ring back on the table next to the statuette and sighed.
"I was responsible for the largest number of orphans ever known in Dereth." he thought to himself and chuckled sarcastically. "It serves me right to live forever with this pain and without the love that was once part of a beautiful dream. Perhaps it is my punishment to do so."
The children had be saved by Celcynds magic, but hadn't he taught those very children that one should always have the basic necessities in order to be prepared in any situation? Why hadn't he carried an elixir that could have restored the mana required to cast another portal spell? The look on Alynnes face as the portal washed him from Holtburg to Rithwic with Hardunna in his arms remained forever as a specter haunting him. Blaming him for the lives taken that he could have saved.
He had waited at the exit drop in Rithwic praying that he was wrong in his timing calculations. Hoping the portal would remain long enough to save at least most of the townspeople. While Brentsella tended to the frightened children, he paced, staring at thin air cringing at every second that a form did not appear. But his calculations were correct, and nobody came.
It wasn't until several days later that he found out what happened to those left behind. Seeing that Celcynd was gone along with the portal, they had scrambled to locate a defensible position. Their only hope was to stay alive long enough for those in Rithwic to hear about their plight and come to their aid. There was a Redoubt built not far from Holtburg that seemed perfect for this need, so they ran east and set up their last defense at the entrance.
When the Tumerok host realized that Keutah was slain, it caused a great deal of confusion, which became no advantage to their campaign. Though they outnumbered their enemies at least four to one, their disorder allowed the escape of the humans to the underground holding. It took much longer to penetrate the redoubt than they had first expected, and many more warriors lost their lives to the defending archers. A regrouping on the second day was met with success as they pushed through the entrance and slowly but surely worked their way from room to room, slaughtering all that came in their path. Eventually, the redoubt was purged of human life. Since the Tumerok numbers had dwindled greatly since the onset of the attack however, they knew they could not resist a retaliatory strike from the neighboring human towns and returned to the North. Leaving the bodies where they lay, and Holtburg a smoldering ruin.
Since that time, Celcynd had stayed here, in Rithwic. His pain prevented him from accepting the gratitude from the people of Dereth and even the love from Brentsella fell impotent upon his heart at first. He hated his life, but with the advent of the lifestones, he could not even bring his pain to an eternal end.
He put the last object from his pocket onto the table and pulled his hand away as if the object stung his hand. This vial before him stirred up as much fear as it did desire. The content of the vial contained water, but not just any water. This liquid from the bowels of Mt Lethe had the property of wiping out the memories of any person that partook of it.
When he first heard of it, he had sent out explorers to find it for him. Many failed, but one finally succeeded and returned with this little flask.
"Oh, how wonderful it would be to be rid of these nightmares. Starting anew, I could once again live a fruitful life." he said to the darkness.
"But I would not be me. Would I? More than that, I would lose all memory of the one person in this world that could possibly heal me. The one person that can make me whole again. Sweet Brentsella, come and save me!"
His words were met with silence, as he had expected. The flask of water shimmered on the table before him as if to taunt him in his agony.
Footsteps sounded from within the tavern, and the thought of getting grief from Ricetha for not leaving as instructed solidified the fact in his mind that nothing would ever change. There would be no savior. It was either now or never, and he could not stand the painful darkness any longer.
Picking up the flask from the table, his hands shook as he pulled the stopper from its keeper. With adrenaline rushing through his veins and his hands shaking, he slowly parted his lips and brought the container of forgetfulness to his mouth.
As he closed his eyes tightly in anticipation of the workings of magic that would rid this world of Celcynd the Dour and rid him of himself, He felt the coolness of velvet hands slip over his eyes from someone standing behind him.
As he let the yet full vial fall from his hands to the floor where it emptied its elixir into the cracks of the boards, he heard a soft voice as from an angel that broke through his darkness.
"Guess my name, and I shall be yours forever."
The End.
A tale of Celcynd. Final Chapter.
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WOW....how did I miss this last chapter for over a week?
Great work as always Tyn!
And congratulations again for getting published on ACVault.
![#angel :angel:](./images/smilies/new_angel.gif)
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Great work as always Tyn!
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
And congratulations again for getting published on ACVault.
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
![#angel :angel:](./images/smilies/new_angel.gif)
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Work like you don't need the money, love
like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."
Work like you don't need the money, love
like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching."
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Yeah.. I had thought to extend the story beyond and include the other parts in between such as Mindorla, and I might still. For being a great mage, Celcynd certaintly lived a very human life where it came to women it seems.
We shall see..
Thanks y'all..
And yes Ranger.. All my stories end intoning "Happily ever after".. I'm still the eternal optimist..![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
We shall see..
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Thanks y'all..
And yes Ranger.. All my stories end intoning "Happily ever after".. I'm still the eternal optimist..
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Dont Sweat the Small Stuff... and Its All Small Stuff!