#rip Theren's lute

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Broken Lute, Broken Brother

In the darkness of the evening, the olive skinned woman darted from hiding spot to hiding spot. Although only 25, Metiria has the wisdom to know that encroaching on Leonin land could be fatal. Fortunately for her, her training had forged her body to be strong yet with delicate air about her, not shuddering a blade of grass. She had been sent this far from Setessa and the Ophis Tower by the high priestess of Setessa, who had a vision of danger coming from the rocky lands of the Leonin.

Quickly she arrived near the edge of Orekos where she heard a familiar voice yell, “NOOOOOO!” and ran to hide in the safety of a rock formation. The priestess was right, she thought, there is danger afoot here.

“You have proven far more capable than I might have expected from a bard. But the gods smile on me. Clearly my cause is just. Go, be with your family, stop wasting my time and yours, what little of it is left,” said a voice. She heard the footsteps of a leonin walking away and she silenced her breath, using a spell taught to her in her teachings of the Ophis Tower.

As the leonin’s footsteps sounded far away, she heard another cry from a familiar voice, “Why? Why did you do this to me!” Theren… what did he get himself into? A thud rang from the source of the familiar voice, then all went still. The only sound was that of crickets chirping. Muting her footsteps, she sneaked over to a scarred and bruised Theren. His bare chest had an open wound near the shoulder. Next to him lay his prized lute, burnt in half with broken strings. Hoping he was just beat up, Metiria slapped her brother but there was no response.

“Little Wolf!,” she whispered. “Little Wolf, get up!” The prone bard did not stir. She put her ear near his face, and her breathing slowed to match his. She stood up again, looking around for a bush or a tree. She then saw it, a mighty oak with large overgrown roots. There, that’ll work.

Soon Metiria had expertly hid the unconscious bard and placed a sleeping spell on him. “Don’t you dare wake up before I come back for you, Little Wolf.” She picked up the charred lute and sprinted towards Setessa.

A couple hours later after midnight

Metiria had just past Akros when she got to an Ophis Tower checkpoint. “Valencia, Thank Karametra you are here! Send word to Setessa that the high priestess was right, and that my brother is in danger. Also, ask them to send Thristos, it will be faster to get him to safety that way.” Valencia saluted Metiria and soon came back to the opening where they stood with a falcon. “Gods speed little one,” Valencia said as the falcon soared into the clouds.

Later that morning

Theren was pushing Thristos as fast as he could. “Faster Thristos Faster!” He yelled as another arrow whizzed by. Metiria sat behind him, firing arrows back at the Leonin squad that had found Metiria and Thristos as they were waking Theren. Pain jolted from the spike wound but he kept pushing forward.

Soon, the trio were near the foot of the Kolophon. “Leonin intruders! Fire a volley,” said a guard on the wall. Thristos stopped at the bottom of the wall of the Kolophon, arrows flying down towards the Leonin. “Retreat! Retreat!,” yelled one of the Leonin, and began to run back towards their rocky homeland.

After the Leonin disappeared over the horizon, Theren led Thristos past the walls of the Kalaphon and to the Ophis Tower checkpoint. Valencia was standing there, guarding the tree that was the ceiling of the underground base of operation. “Ahhh, so this is Little Wolf, it is a pleasure meeting you,” Valencia said while she shook his hand. “I heard you walk between the worlds.”

Theren nodded, “I do walk between wo—“ as a violent pain hit his body. He convulsed once before hitting the ground.

“Little Wolf! Little Wolf! Are you alright?!,” Metiria screamed as she watched her brother yelp in pain. “We need to get him back to Setessa.”

Valencia helped Metiria get Theren back onto Thristos and waved as the dire wolf raced down the road.

Two hours later

Thristos panted as they finally arrived at the gates of Setessa. The dire wolf slowed his pace but headed straight for the temple. As they arrived, the temple guards stood as an archway, and the three went in.

“High Priestess! Your vision was correct, but now I don’t know to help Theren. He’s been going in and out of consciousness. Please help my brother, he’s the only one I have,” Metiria exclaimed. The priestess motioned Metiria to bring her brother forward. The priestess spoke. “I will do what I can Metiria. Go and I will send a messenger for you.”

As a curtain was drawn to give the priestess and the body of the bard some privacy, Metiria walked down the steps of the great temple. I have to do something more, she thought. Soon, her walking led her to the Abora Market. She noticed a woman, arrayed in clothing foreign from this land. Perhaps she can search for aid, thought Metiria.

Metiria closed the distance between her and the stranger and herself. Not trying to scare the woman, Metiria tapped her on the shoulder. “Salutations, I happened to notice your clothing and I can tell you are much like my brother, Theren.”

The stranger looked back confused but responded. “Theren? You are his sister? Interesting, how is he doing?” 

Metiria looked back with forlorn eyes. “He is hurt and in danger and I do not know what to do. I am but a warrior but I cannot spread the message to his friends that he needs help. Could you help me?”

The stranger looked back at her. “Theren helped me defeat a metal giant, I can help him get some help. Where should I tell them to go? Straight here to Setessa or somewhere else to meet you?”

Metiria looked back at her. “Tell them the Nistos forests, the Ophis Tower will see to their safe passage to him.”

“That sounds good, I hope he will be okay, tell him Isobel sends her regards.” Isobel then walked off towards the forests edge and disappeared from view.

Meteria let up a small, quiet prayer to Karametra.

“Blessed Karametra, protecter of the hearth and provider to our people, hear my silent plea. Allow Theren to live through the night, and to the morning, so I may speak with him again. I am not ready to lose my little brother and the worlds of the multiverse need him. Keep him safe from harm. In your name I pray, Amen”