The elderly elezen with the white beard known as the Voice of Nald'thal' was sitting in a small, well groomed garden that was filled with exotic flowers and well trimmed hedges. Â The Smell of the earthen sanctuary was delightful to the nose and the Voice found it very complimentary to his cup of tea.
The Voice took another sip and then, after a moment of savioring the tea, reached into the void and seized the mangled, tortured wreck he had placed there. Smoke began to form in the chair opposite the small table from him. The Voice watched with mild disinterest as the smoke thickened, swelled, and suddenly took the form of a shuddering Atrium.Â
The Crow was trembling and her eyes were wide but she said nothing as she looked up at the Voice and then bowed her head in submission.
"Well now, has some time in the void seperated from the truth of Nald'thal restored your resolution?" the Voice said with a calm inflection while sipping his tea.
Atrium nodded several times but neither lifted her gaze or spoke.
"I am pleased to hear this. Please understand, Atrium, your punishment did not have to be so severe. It was intensified by the insubordination of those. . . Interlopers you encountered last night. I offered a trade, they declined, and one of the terms I promised was your suffering if they declined. Just as Nald'thal is honest, so am I. Do you understand? It wasn't personal Atrium just business."
The Voice sipped as Atrium nodded.
"Though I am concerned of the influence this Misha is having on you. Your. . .dedication to our god and our purpose was once the strongest of the Crows. Â You were my perfect tool. Has that changed?"
"I am still a faithful servant of Nald'thal." Atrium.replied weakly, her time being tormented by the Voice's magic inside the void had taken its toll.
"I see." the Voice answered, raising an eyebrow at something she had said."Well then, your fellow Crows and you shall continue taking the needed sacrifices. Â Time is dwindling. Should you encounter those trouble makers again as you and Oubliette did last night, you will kill them without mercy."
"All of them?" Atrium asked. The Voice stared in surprise and then smiled calmly.
"All of them my dear. I am ordering you to kill all of them. And if you see this. . .Misha whom I spoke with through you last night, you are to kill her first."
"But" Atrium started.
"That's an order." the Voice explained very pleasently. Atrium felt a twinge of magic convulse her muscles. Atrium knew she must obey should she encounter Misha.
"This one serves Nald'thal. This one shall carry out the true god's will and shall bless this world with the twin god's rebirth."
The Voice was delighted.
"There is the Atrium I know. You are a faithful Crow and you shall be rewarded. Now, go and be ready.'
Atrium exploded into smoke and blew away. Â The Voice watched the assassin leave before he closed his eyes and spoke softly, his voice traveling hundred of miles to a mind.
"Rotunda, weapon of Nald'thal. There is a task needed of you."
The Voice took another sip and then, after a moment of savioring the tea, reached into the void and seized the mangled, tortured wreck he had placed there. Smoke began to form in the chair opposite the small table from him. The Voice watched with mild disinterest as the smoke thickened, swelled, and suddenly took the form of a shuddering Atrium.Â
The Crow was trembling and her eyes were wide but she said nothing as she looked up at the Voice and then bowed her head in submission.
"Well now, has some time in the void seperated from the truth of Nald'thal restored your resolution?" the Voice said with a calm inflection while sipping his tea.
Atrium nodded several times but neither lifted her gaze or spoke.
"I am pleased to hear this. Please understand, Atrium, your punishment did not have to be so severe. It was intensified by the insubordination of those. . . Interlopers you encountered last night. I offered a trade, they declined, and one of the terms I promised was your suffering if they declined. Just as Nald'thal is honest, so am I. Do you understand? It wasn't personal Atrium just business."
The Voice sipped as Atrium nodded.
"Though I am concerned of the influence this Misha is having on you. Your. . .dedication to our god and our purpose was once the strongest of the Crows. Â You were my perfect tool. Has that changed?"
"I am still a faithful servant of Nald'thal." Atrium.replied weakly, her time being tormented by the Voice's magic inside the void had taken its toll.
"I see." the Voice answered, raising an eyebrow at something she had said."Well then, your fellow Crows and you shall continue taking the needed sacrifices. Â Time is dwindling. Should you encounter those trouble makers again as you and Oubliette did last night, you will kill them without mercy."
"All of them?" Atrium asked. The Voice stared in surprise and then smiled calmly.
"All of them my dear. I am ordering you to kill all of them. And if you see this. . .Misha whom I spoke with through you last night, you are to kill her first."
"But" Atrium started.
"That's an order." the Voice explained very pleasently. Atrium felt a twinge of magic convulse her muscles. Atrium knew she must obey should she encounter Misha.
"This one serves Nald'thal. This one shall carry out the true god's will and shall bless this world with the twin god's rebirth."
The Voice was delighted.
"There is the Atrium I know. You are a faithful Crow and you shall be rewarded. Now, go and be ready.'
Atrium exploded into smoke and blew away. Â The Voice watched the assassin leave before he closed his eyes and spoke softly, his voice traveling hundred of miles to a mind.
"Rotunda, weapon of Nald'thal. There is a task needed of you."
