Iorrjaer

Chapter 29

Sorâth stopped Malka from intervening. He was curious about this development and wanted to see what more would come from it. They stood back and started to examine their surroundings, things looked normal but Häsmæl still had his nostrils flared as if he was trying to identify an unfamiliar stench.

Graphiel was well on his way back towards the town square.

Yophiel stared blankly towards the ziggurat. In her head she heard a powerful voice, unlike anything that she had ever heard before. Deep, powerful, resonating within the recesses of her mind, her entire body quaked from its power. Her larva wiggled and stirred, clinging to life and spreading its power through its host.

It was a voice that she recognized in the deepest parts of her subconscious. It was the voice that spoke from her when it realized the true form of Jorcnir.

Do you hear me, child? I am the power bestowed unto you for your Divine Devoir. Do you know your role? Do you know the great goal you are to achieve? Do you understand your part in the path that is now before you?

Chami? Is that you?

Chami? Nay, child. I am a deity far greater than Chami.

Chami's purity is....

Chami's purity is an illusion. A false concept adopted by humanity to justify its own means. Chami forsakes you now that you are in commune with me. Dost thou still seek her wanting blessing? Truly? Then thou must complete mine tasks for thee.

Chami has already blessed me. Her blessing -

It was not Chami that blessed you when Granna opened your mind. Granna is mine. Victor is mine. Ockburg is mine. You are mine.

I am a Paladin of Chami

Foolish, child. Blind to all but thine own fantasy. Thine own lies betray thine truth. I am the one that you commune with. I am the one that has bestowed you with the power that thou squander in the name of that paltry goddess. Dost thou not recall Chami's last message to you?

She told me that I am her champion, that I am now a full Paladin. My will is hers!

Lost to thine own lies. Unfortunate. I had high hopes for thee as mine instrument to destroy Jorcnir.

Wait! Wait, please. Who are you? Are you the ziggurat?

The ziggurat is but a door. I dwell beyond, in a realm far more complex than that of mortals. Mine will has shaped thine world, mine design is what has brought thine into existence. Serve me; complete mine task, be mine instrument and I will see that thou get all that thou deserves. All that thine desire. All that thine is meant to have.

Give me the power to destroy your enemies! Jorcnir is the impurity I seek to purge!

Thou must awaken it - it is not merely physical strength, no; it is more. More that you have to discover, you must know his true nature. Know who he really is, then and only then will my power awaken and only then will you be able to destroy him.

What of the orc? Will this power be enough to defeat him, as well?

Foolish, child. Can you not see past your own prejudice? Can you not see the greater design? I have given you enough of my power to allow you to see him, truly. Yet, thou hides from thine own sight? Open thine eyes!

A rush of visions flooded Yophiel's mind. She saw a high-elven king in a land of pure beauty. She saw his prosperity, his influence on the kingdom he had built and the surrounding land. Then as he enjoyed the fruits of his labour and all that he had created for his land and people, something started to grow behind him. Something dark and foreboding lingered behind him and she watched in awe and horror as the shadow overtook the king and caused him to transform into a hideous dark version of himself.