//------------------------------// // The Draydon Conference // Story: A Raven’s Greatest Flight // by Chemtest //------------------------------// I trot behind Burion and Balder with my four other friends. The castle is nicely decorated, murals and tapestry’s of differnt kings and emperors. A King charging with some men towards a dark castle, all four races fighting in tandem against dark abominations, even one of Burion, Frey, and Balder charging against hordes of Orcs and undead. Burion takes a moment to look at the mural, “I remember those days. When the dark forces marched through our lands, and this very castle was our only defense. Me, Frey, and Balder worked together to push back the forces. Many good lives were lost to the era of Heroes. One hundred years later, and I still awaken sometimes to nightmares about the enemy.” I look over at him, “You’re immortal?” He shakes his head, “Only ageless, not immortal. Frey, and Balder are in the same boat. There would be more of us, but our fellow friends fell in battle. Ranger Elric, brothers Runesmith Graknar and Berserker Kragnar, Grandmaster Raevon. All brothers in arms, and it is only because of their sacrifice that we could win. Pictured here is the Siege of Scarwood Keep, the final battle of the era.” Frey takes out a staff with a huge green orb at the end, “My magic managed to easily cut them down, and they couldn’t do a thing against it. I used to be the highest position possible, but I was deranked back to Captain when I spoke out against the last kings corruption.” Balder even looks back to the mural, “This beauty in my hand here cut down those walls, and any in their way. My turrets, combined with Burion’s skill with a sword and Frey’s magical shields and blasts evicerated everything. Then, Kragnar charged at them in a fit of rage... he was a good Dwarf. He took hundreds down in that final charge. He looks at the war today with shame from the afterlife. He fought for peace, and here we are killing those we fought with back then.” Burion follows that up, “These two and all those that fell were brothers, closer than blood as we were coated in it. I fought alongside Raevon, carving a path through unprepared enemies. I saw that catapult fire at him, I shouted out to warn him. He couldn’t hear me over the sound of his sword cutting through enemies, and the million other shouts that happend. By the time he looked up, he only had time to say one thing. He looked at me, right in my eyes, he said ‘peace’ right before he died. These wars we declare now are stupid, but we still commit to them. We fight when the only good option is peace.” Frey leans against a wall, “I stood next to Elric, following up any arrows of his with blasts of my magic. I was so caught up with watching his attacks, I never saw the arrow headed towards him. Only when he fell, I realized I had made a mistake. His last words were that he forgave me, and he died. Forgiveness is the one thing beings lack today. We can’t forgive others, much less ourselves for so many things. We need to learn how. This is the one opportunity for forgiveness, and I am glad it is finnaly happening. Let’s us go, we have disscusions to make.” And so, we walk on through the throne rooms doors. Sitting together are the Kings of Dwarves and Men. The man looks up at us, “Who are you, why are you here?” I enter in all the way, “I am here to discuss peace.” The Human narrows his eyes, “On what authority?” I smile, “On one very simple authority. I am from Tel’la De Rus.” The mans eyes widen, “Show your scythe, now.” The Dwarf King laughs, “Oh, calm down already, Henry! Look, it’s a foal with no eyes, a black cloak, and a raven skull playing card as a mark. Are you really going to ask for a scythe when it’s so obviously him?” Henry looks at me more intensely, “You can’t be too careful with this, Thogar, you know what this could possibly mean.” Thogar shakes his head, “If my life is about to end again, then let’s get it over with so I don’t have to live in this fantasy anymore. My death was very peaceful, and I find no reason delaying my return.” Henry locks with my eyes, “Show me that scythe, please.” I grab my scythe with some magic, and give it to him, “Here.” He takes a swing with it, and sees the green fire burst out and trace it, “Hot damn it really is you.” I look at both of them, and take back my scythe, “My name is Hopeful Sight, and I am here to learn the legend of Ravens Breath and discuss peace.” Thogar laughs, “Ah, I’d love to have peace, laddy I really would. But it would be useless after this illusion falls apart.” I lean in, “What illusion?” Thogar looks me right in the eye, “This entire world, laddy. Ravens Breath, Lord of Magic, Bearer of Unity, Lord of Life, Death himself, last Necromancer ever. If you wanted to see him, all you needed to do was look in a mirror.” Is he implying, “No, no, that can’t be true. You lie!” He doesn’t laugh, just look more seriously, “You can not deny what the truth is, Death. Think, remember who you really are, Raven!” I... I can’t be... it’s not possible! I am... I am... Ravens Breath. Hopeful Sight never existed, it was just me with differnt memories. Was this the challenge? To figure this out? I look over to my right to see Op- no, not Open Skies, Open Skies never existed. All of it was an illusion, Open never existed. All the time it was her, Celestia, “Betrayer. Murderer. Monster!” She looks back at me in confusion, “What are you talking about, Hopeful?” I... I need to think, formulate a strategy. I fling myself out of the window, and sprout my wings of bone. I don’t know where I’m flying, I’m just going. The snow around me picks up to almost a blizzard, but the rage inside of me keeps me warm. Open never existed, it was Celestia all along. Betrayal.