09-24-2013, 04:04 AM
When the elves had first mentioned the Blight, Nyx began to remember things about her old life. The one which seemed just outside of her consciousness, ever since she was brought here, to a world which she couldn't anticipate and predict. She remembered things.
Blights were something she was already all too familiar with. There were countless tomes in the Circle Tower detailing the Blights of old – Ferelden, her home, had seen more than its fair share of blights in its time. It had seen four before Nyx had even been born, and after her birth, its fifth descended upon the land. Though she supposedly lived in safety within the walls of the Circle Tower, she was all too familiar with the effects of the darkspawn. They drained the life of the things around them, leaving only desolation and destruction in their wake. They cared not for the sadness or the loss of others.
'Neither did I...'
As the blighted lands came into view, Nyx was rudely jolted from her reverie. Previously unfocused crimson eyes now sharpened, furtively searching the landscape for any signs of life. What she saw took her breath away.
It was as though the very essence of the forest had been drained away, leaving nothing but an empty shell. Flowers that should have bloomed merely wilted; trees that should've been ripe with leaves were bare and skeletal; wildlife that should've thrived wasted away. It felt more like a graveyard than a forest.
Even stepping over the threshold had a tangible effect on the group. It was as though someone had put a sign up saying 'abandon hope, all ye who enter here'. They may as well have. Every face furrowed in concern, while some twisted in grief for those they had lost to the blight. Nyx's heart went out to them.
Yet something didn't sit quite right with her. She couldn't quite shake the feeling that this desolate landscape was how others viewed her effect on the world. She knew how the mages in the Circle Tower felt about blood magic – they viewed it as a 'blight on this world'. They seemed to believe that everything blood mages touched would wither and die, that no good could come from their presence.
'That's ridiculous,' Nyx thought to herself, daring to take a step deeper into the corrupted lands. 'I haven't even been here before. Besides, this looks to be the work of the darkspawn... but they can't possibly be here... Can they?'
The exchange between Whirda and Tyrande caught her attention. She turned away from the corruption before her and strode towards the Night Elf. “We'll do everything we can, Lady Tyrande. Everything in our power. Just tell us how.”
When Whirda eventually agreed, Nyx turned her attention back to Tyrande. She looked as exhausted as Nyx felt, but to the elf's credit, she was doing a stellar job of holding it together.
“You look weary. Let us head to Yggdrassil.”
Tyrande mounted her Frostsaber, prompting her elves to fall into formation around her. To Nyx's surprise, Whirda fell into line without so much as a sigh of complaint. She suspected this was partially due to the effects of seeing the blight first hand. But, with each step that put the corruption further behind them, the elves begin to perk up a little. Nyx was at a loss as to why, until it all became clear – they were nearing Yggdrassil.
The sentinels guarding Yggdrassil hurried to open the gate and allow their esteemed leader passage. Tyrande graciously bowed her head in thanks, slowing the pace to allow her guests enough time to truly embrace how beautiful the elves' fabled World Tree was.
And boy, was it beautiful.
Beyond the gate was an arched passageway. Though the structure was made of metal, vines and branches from the World Tree had reached out and wrapped around it all, making the passageway look like an extension of the tree itself. Wisps lingered around the area, providing ambient light and drawing attention to the mossy stone beneath their feet.
The tree itself was much bigger than Nyx could have imagined; it seemed to take up all of the space in front of her. As she gazed up, she felt dizzy – a maze of branches was woven above her, and somehow some water seemed to pour from some of the highest points of the tree. The water draped from the uppermost branches, almost like curtains.
Tyrande lead the procession across the bridge, drawing Nyx's gaze to an entrance which somehow managed to look like it was simply part of the tree. It had a distinctly elven feel – as they drew nearer, the intricate patterns etched in the woodwork came into focus. Elves seemed to have a thing for finery, and their World Tree was no exception.
As they neared the entrance itself, Tyrande stopped, turning to face Nyx and Whirda.
“Welcome to Yggdrassil,” she said warmly, as the sentinels behind her rushed to open the doors.
Blights were something she was already all too familiar with. There were countless tomes in the Circle Tower detailing the Blights of old – Ferelden, her home, had seen more than its fair share of blights in its time. It had seen four before Nyx had even been born, and after her birth, its fifth descended upon the land. Though she supposedly lived in safety within the walls of the Circle Tower, she was all too familiar with the effects of the darkspawn. They drained the life of the things around them, leaving only desolation and destruction in their wake. They cared not for the sadness or the loss of others.
'Neither did I...'
As the blighted lands came into view, Nyx was rudely jolted from her reverie. Previously unfocused crimson eyes now sharpened, furtively searching the landscape for any signs of life. What she saw took her breath away.
It was as though the very essence of the forest had been drained away, leaving nothing but an empty shell. Flowers that should have bloomed merely wilted; trees that should've been ripe with leaves were bare and skeletal; wildlife that should've thrived wasted away. It felt more like a graveyard than a forest.
Even stepping over the threshold had a tangible effect on the group. It was as though someone had put a sign up saying 'abandon hope, all ye who enter here'. They may as well have. Every face furrowed in concern, while some twisted in grief for those they had lost to the blight. Nyx's heart went out to them.
Yet something didn't sit quite right with her. She couldn't quite shake the feeling that this desolate landscape was how others viewed her effect on the world. She knew how the mages in the Circle Tower felt about blood magic – they viewed it as a 'blight on this world'. They seemed to believe that everything blood mages touched would wither and die, that no good could come from their presence.
'That's ridiculous,' Nyx thought to herself, daring to take a step deeper into the corrupted lands. 'I haven't even been here before. Besides, this looks to be the work of the darkspawn... but they can't possibly be here... Can they?'
The exchange between Whirda and Tyrande caught her attention. She turned away from the corruption before her and strode towards the Night Elf. “We'll do everything we can, Lady Tyrande. Everything in our power. Just tell us how.”
When Whirda eventually agreed, Nyx turned her attention back to Tyrande. She looked as exhausted as Nyx felt, but to the elf's credit, she was doing a stellar job of holding it together.
“You look weary. Let us head to Yggdrassil.”
Tyrande mounted her Frostsaber, prompting her elves to fall into formation around her. To Nyx's surprise, Whirda fell into line without so much as a sigh of complaint. She suspected this was partially due to the effects of seeing the blight first hand. But, with each step that put the corruption further behind them, the elves begin to perk up a little. Nyx was at a loss as to why, until it all became clear – they were nearing Yggdrassil.
The sentinels guarding Yggdrassil hurried to open the gate and allow their esteemed leader passage. Tyrande graciously bowed her head in thanks, slowing the pace to allow her guests enough time to truly embrace how beautiful the elves' fabled World Tree was.
And boy, was it beautiful.
Beyond the gate was an arched passageway. Though the structure was made of metal, vines and branches from the World Tree had reached out and wrapped around it all, making the passageway look like an extension of the tree itself. Wisps lingered around the area, providing ambient light and drawing attention to the mossy stone beneath their feet.
The tree itself was much bigger than Nyx could have imagined; it seemed to take up all of the space in front of her. As she gazed up, she felt dizzy – a maze of branches was woven above her, and somehow some water seemed to pour from some of the highest points of the tree. The water draped from the uppermost branches, almost like curtains.
Tyrande lead the procession across the bridge, drawing Nyx's gaze to an entrance which somehow managed to look like it was simply part of the tree. It had a distinctly elven feel – as they drew nearer, the intricate patterns etched in the woodwork came into focus. Elves seemed to have a thing for finery, and their World Tree was no exception.
As they neared the entrance itself, Tyrande stopped, turning to face Nyx and Whirda.
“Welcome to Yggdrassil,” she said warmly, as the sentinels behind her rushed to open the doors.