YJ: Origins (Ep3 - Raven) Part 1/3

Azarath
October 31st, 2001
Unknown

    The soft blue sky was just beginning to darken, the evening slowly setting the sky awash in the brilliant orange and pink tide of the setting sun. White fluffy clouds dissipated in the evening air, what little was left of them taking on the fiery hues around them; the same light washed over the city below, marble and alabaster walls taking on matching color. Though beautiful and wondrous as it was, it was not an uncommon sight to be seen by the people of Azarath. Every sunset was different but no less astounding than the last, and every sunrise just as beautiful. Peace settled over the city, much like it always did as all returned to their homes.

This night however, a sudden change did not go unnoticed. Red began to bleed through the sky, not a change in the clouds, but from the sun itself. As the color spread, more and more people stopped where they stood, entranced by the strange phenomenon. The wave of red drew ever closer to the city until it was licking at the walls. In just mere moments, the peaceful evening erupted in a thunderous howl.

As quickly as it had come, the noise and color were sucked away, leaving the city in dead silence, but the respite was brief. Moments later it reappeared, the scarlet ribbons flooding over the city, carrying with it massive wraiths of flame and the torturous yowls that followed them.

A tremor rolled through the city, dropping fleeing citizens to their knees as they fled from the horrible creatures as more and more of them appeared from the crimson cloud that now blocked out the sun’s light. When the shaking had subsided, another tremor followed with others in its wake. Wave after wave poured through the city’s foundation, every quake rattling the temples and buildings, sending once proud statues falling to the ground in crumpled heaps of broken stone. As the minutes passed, the shuddering stopped, allowing the sound of terrified screams to rise into the air mingling with wraiths’ gleeful shrieks of satisfaction.

Their pace was quick, their work efficient, as if they had done the same things a thousand times before; as the people ran they found no escape or haven, taking to the streets as the city began to burn, thick clouds of dark choking smoke billowing into the crimson sky.

On the far side of the city, the barest hint of calm still remained. People came out of their houses, looking down the streets, marveling in horror at the columns of smoke rolling ever closer, all except one. Drifting through the shadows between the stone buildings was a woman shrouded from head to toe in a flowing snowy white robe, the hood pulled up to hide her face. Silent tears spilled down her cheeks, disappearing into the neckline of the garment.

A heavy breath escaped her as she leaned around the edge of the building she was leaning against, glancing up and down the street for signs of closer danger when a soft cry emanated from the folds of her robe, making a subtle quiver enter the breath that trailed it. Slowly and carefully, she gently shifted the robe’s edge to reveal the tiny swaddled bundle tucked safely in her arms against her chest. Despite her tears, a smile pulls at the woman’s lips as the child looks up at her sleepily, happily unaware of the destruction happening around her.

“Hush, my daughter. Everything will be alright...” This time her voice was steady. She placed a gentle kiss to the baby’s forehead, the tender girl having only been born hours earlier, before tucking her away once more and making a dash across the now deserted street, her path taking her up a set of stairs and into the temple beyond.

The temple was quite small compared to those within the inner city, but its size seemed to increase due to its emptiness. Like the street outside, it was devoid of life, save the two who had just entered. The candles and torches that would normally have been lit at such an hour were dosed, leaving the halls in darkness as the woman hurried along, the sound of her quickened footsteps bouncing back from the vaulted ceilings above. She only paused briefly to haul open the great door that barred her way to the temple’s altar, then again to close it behind her with a resounding tone of finality. One hand slowly reached up to the hood of her robe, pulling it down and revealing blue-black hair that fell far past her shoulders.

As quietly as she could manage, she took the steps up to the flat stone altar, uncovering her child again. Now soundly asleep, the baby barely made a sound as her mother gently set her on the altar; she hesitated a moment, looking at her daughter with sadness and longing, stroking her hand over the baby’s forehead before turning her attention to her task. A second item was produced from within the cloak, an ancient looking tome with fraying pages and handwritten scrawling words in black ink that was fading on the page’s edges, which was promptly set next to the sleeping infant. With deft fingers, the woman flipped to the page she was searching for and quietly began to read. The words fell from her mouth in a rhythmic tone, picking up pace as she moved to the next page. Red light filtered through a small window to the side of the room followed by a rumble that had the temple shaking.

“Arella, why do you hide from me? Do you not want to see your lover again?” A deep voice echoed around the temple from an unseen source, the resounding growl that followed waking the baby, sending her into a fit of sobs.

The woman, Arella, ignored the question and continued to read; all around the room objects began to float, hovering just out of reach, including the baby, now fully in the clutches of fear and desperately crying for the comfort of her mother. “Come to me. Come to me and you shall be Queen of this world you have given to me.”

Arella ignored him still; a soft purple light filled the room emanating from the floating objects that had begun to orbit her daughter.

“You cannot hide from me, Arella. I can see you.” A crash went through the room, starting from the doors which now had their own glow, a sickening bloody red that matched the sky. Arella chanted louder, trying to mask all other sounds with her voice, hoping to give the child one last piece of her. “You cannot hide behind these walls, Arella! They cannot stop me!”

“No, they cannot. But they can give me time, and that is all I need. MY DAUGHTER WILL NEVER BE YOURS!!!!” Arella half-shouted then raised her arms high above her head. Tears began to spill down her cheek anew as her eyes locked on the baby; her hands came together in a clap, the book and the baby suddenly disappearing as if they had never been. The rest of the floating objects fell to the floor with a clatter. A breath later the door splintered and flew open.

Arella’s hands were steady as she reached to her neck, pulling the white hood of her robe back up into place. With one more look at the now empty altar, she turned on her heel to face the flaming wraiths now drifting into the temple. Seemingly unafraid, she walked toward them at a confident pace, watching as they parted before her to make a path through the empty doorway then out onto the street. "

The wraiths lined the street in all directions; more hovered on the rooftops and balconies of the buildings that remained standing, either as yet unburned or having survived the many tremors that rocked the city. They made no move toward her, just hovered and stared. Quiet had settled over the city, the screams that had filled the air now silenced and replaced only with the crackling of the fires on the outskirts. The entire sky was now a deep blood red only broken by thick clouds of pitch colored smoke. The voice continued coming from somewhere high above.

“Arella, my love! You cannot keep her from me! You know you cannot resist me forever... just as you know this ritual is both futile and costing of what little time you have!” The deep voice was louder now as if it had grown closer. Arella made no reply, but straightened her shoulders and stood up taller.

“You may not wish to speak to me, but I shall speak and you will listen! I gave you my love, I gave you the chance to rule on high. If it were not for you, I would not have been able to claim your world as my own.... and yet you reject and defy me! YOU TRY TO SHILED MY CHILD FROM ME!”

Arella finally spoke, a venomous sneer leaking into her voice. “She is no more a daughter to you, than you are a lover to me! YOU USED ME! And you were going to use her to doom my world! But now that you are drawn here, the Earth is safe... my daughter is safe!”

Laughter filled the air around her, both from the wraiths and the voice, sending a chill down her spine. “You think by escaping here it will delay the fate of your world? Seal me away and stop me from getting to HER!? Worlds and dimensions, by the score of hundeds... have all fallen before me! None can resist me! ”

“I am glad then, that there is one world that will have the power to defend itself against your power!” Arella’s voice carried a note of challenge.

“She is but mortal!!!"

"She is also.... your only daughter, is this not so, my love!"

"That is of no concern of mine! I have seeded throughout the cosmos... she cannot fight what is destined, just like none of them long before her could!"

“The why did you seek to stop my ritual?” Arella demanded turning her face up to the sky. “Is the demon god Trigon so afraid of an infant?”

A shock of lightning flared across the sky, following by a deafening clap of thunder. Moments later, one by one, four glowing crimson eyes appeared in the sky. “DO NOT TEST ME! Do not try my patience or you will share the same that will befall your people... that has now befallen Azareth this day! You've doomed both worlds!”

“I would gladly share their fate, if only to be rid of you! To know that your reign will end soon!!!” Arella shot back, her face settling into one of grim resignation and determination. "But this place does have the power to stop you!"

Another clap of thunder mixed with Trigon’s roar as the whole of Azarath went up in flames, whilst bright glowing white orbs swirled around Arella and the child. Trigon's roars turned to gasps

“And I know in my heart.... that she will be your undoing!”

October 31st, 2001
22:16pm NPT       

A chill wind howled around the mountain top sending blinding flurries of snow cascading through the air. Though the moon was full, its slivery light was unable to break through the solid cloud cover of the night. Still, tucked away in the deepest shadow set into the mountain side, a soft golden glow appeared as a small square of light. Candles in a variety of sizes and colors were burning, lighting the modest building there. The monastery was small, but home to a number of monks, all of which were now gathered around the altar in the middle of the largest room.

Each of them was turned to another, exchanging glances and hushed words, confounded and amazed by what they saw. Their small crowd parted though as the eldest monk made his way closer to the altar where a small white wrapped bundle lay. As he approached, the bundle let out a wail that rivaled the wind outside, but the man didn’t startle. A few more steps and he was looking down at the child, a soft smile pulling at his lips and making the skin around his eyes crinkle.

“Hello child.” He said soothingly, reaching out one hand to gently lay it on the bundle. The child’s crying dissipated to a mixture of hiccups and quiet sniffled laced sobs. The monk continued to speak to her quietly, just gentle comforting words until her unrest seemed to vanish altogether. Soon the child was looking at him with a curious light in her eyes, then a smile bloomed on her own face.

Gently the monk picked her up, tucking her safely against his chest and then turned around to face the others.

“Our home shall be yours now... Rama Kushna will keep you safe.”




Nanda Parbat, Nepal
December 29th, 2016
23:35pm NPT

"Azarath.... Metrion.... Zinthos" echoed calm cold voice.

"Azarath.... Metrion.... Zinthos" the same young girl chanted aloud, in an empty meditation chamber. A chilled wind running through her hair as she sat upon the stone floor.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zin-" just then her cold breath