Serpentis Family/Erik Eyolf/The Sacred Yule
The Silver Dragon was tired. He remembered the days when he was young and claimed that many traditions were wrong. He challenged the world and the world embraced him. He embraced the world with his wings. And now he was old and tired. There was not Infiltrator to deport anymore. Zartos was old too. Just a shadow. All he had was a handful of Priests in his dungeons. He remembered the deportations. Sometimes twice a day. He reminded the rich prisoners whose gold he confiscated to pay the soldiers of Sirion in large campaigns. The truth is that the war was in decline. Fontan had lost any trace of a realm that deserved respect on the battlefield. The use of religion infected Sirion with its poison. The men discuss the destruction of temples. The war had simply lost its meaning. Nothing in his glorious journey had prepared him for these moments. The timing of Fontan will win the war off the battlefields. A time when the new generations, as well as new generations of Fontan, drove the realm to a deep loss of identity. Erik loved the war. But the war had also changed profoundly. There was no more the pleasure of the great battles. There was no longer the joy of great and glorious victories. All that was now was the persistent desire of a religious war.
Erik missed Trinbar. Erik missed his brother Karl. He missed the simple pleasures such as casual conversations that didn't involve always the war, even when Sirion was desperately fighting against many enemies. He had changed. The happiness was no longer in his face. Everything that he offered to Sirion as Judge eventually steal his own essence. Erik needed to recover the dragon within him. Shake the pillars of Creation. Sirion had lost the joy of battle. All for what he fought had lost the meaning. Now they want juts fought against religion and tortures of a stupid woman. Erik looked to the past and did not recognize the reflexes of his past in the these days. Everything was shrouded in shadows and darkness. He built his temple. Maybe it was time to rest. Follow the example of General Ryu. All his friends had given their great contribution to the realm and left the new generations assume the responsibility. Only he was still actively fighting to defend the old beliefs. But he was tired. And maybe his time had finally run out. He looked at his reflection in the shield of his soldiers and didn't like what he saw.
That afternoon he covered himself with a heavy black cloak and hid his face with a hood. He visited the ruins of the temple in Montijo where some people were gathered. It was a sad scene. And he knew that scene would spread like a plague. He had not fought so much and seen so many of his friends and heroes die to satisfy the new ways that the new generation of Sirion wanted to win the war. And looking at that ruined temple he understood: his time was over.
Erik left the ruins and began his walking through the countryside. Everything was devastated. He saw two children playing at a distance under a burned tree. Two young girls. They were frightened by the approach of the strange hooded man. Especially when he removed the hood. They had learned to distrust and fear the elves. But Erik was beautiful. And at that moment there was kindness in his eyes. Under the cloak he got some cookies in his bag and offered to them.
Erik Eyolf: "You don't need to fear me. I am here in peace. Where do you live?"
The girls accept cookies and pointed an old house. That property was certainly rich and prosperous, but now it was ruined and impoverished. Erik walked up and asked for shelter. He was not afraid to reveal himself as the Judge of Srion. He distributed the food his had and heard for long hours the cries and complaints of that family in Montijo. He knew that nobody in Sirion would ever do that. But there he was him with that family once rich and now devastated by war. Erik understood that pain. He was also devastated. Before leaving he gave a silver bracelet of some gold to the patriarch. With a piece charcoal he drew his symbol at the door. That will protect the family against the soldiers. Soldiers of his own realm.
And then he continued his journey. After walking a few hours he spotted an abandoned farm. A lean lamb was dying at the dry grass. Erik pulled off his robe and looked at the sky. Naked, only with one of his bracelets and holding the Sacred Sword he walked toward the animal. He looked deeply into the its eyes and then he sacrificed the lamb with a quick stroke of the sword. Carefully, he open the belly with a precise cut and let slip the guts out. Nesrah was expert at seeing the future and guess the luck in the gut of a sacrificed animal. Erik couldn't see his future there. Just blood. He knelt down and began to spread the blood in his body.
Erik Eyolf: "ELUNE!!! SHOW ME YOUR FACE! WHIT THIS BLOOD I AM SUMMONING YOU! NOW!!!"
For a moment there was only silence. The time had stopped. And after that a strong wind blew against the bloodied body. Erik turned back and saw Elune before him. The Goddess. She wore the moon's mantle and her red hair burned like the flames of Creation. She was so beautiful. And Erik, so tired, cried.
Elune: "You understand now? You were my favorite son. You did everything you could and all I wanted you to do. You have nothing more to offer Me. You gave your soul to this realm. But your soul is Mine. Your blood is my blood. Every man that you killed in the battlefield belongs to me. I have blessed you in many ways..."
Erik Eyolf: "But my time is over. I understand it now. What You want of me now, my Goddess?"
The Goddess smiled. She extended a hand and touched the face of Her warrior. Her touch was warm and comforting.
Elune: "You did your best. Now you have to be one with Me once again. Once for all. All the rewards that waits for you in the Great Halls, I'll give it to you now. Just leave everything and come back to Me. I was a capricious Mother. I demanded that you follow the path of Ascension. You did it. You have been victorious. But you cannot continue without losing your soul. And your soul belongs to Me. Now I demand that you leave everything and come back to Me. Close your eyes, Erik Eyolf Serpentis..."
Erik dropped the sword and closed his eyes. He felt the embrace of a Goddess. The embrace of the whole Creation. He felt the warm lips and a glowing kiss. In an instant he was on the ground and the Goddess was over him. The bodies were a perfect union. Erik felt the the star exploding in the distant sky. The heat of the sun between her thighs were like the real joy of battle. In Her moans he heard the enemy cry perishing on his blade. When he covered the Goddess, he was again climbing the walls and taking the cities. And at final pleasure, with a battle cry, everything around them burned in an igneous halo of fire. His body was exhausted. His soul was free. Eyes closed, he left the life and entered the Great Halls. Honored warriors honored that he had killed were there drinking and celebrating together with the great heroes. They greeted Erik with enthusiastic shouts. Captain Karl got up from his throne and embraced his brother. And in an oversight of all eternity they fought, dueled, drank, ate and lay down beautiful women in delight. That was the life he wanted and desired. The life after life. But that still was not his time.
When he awoke, Erik opened his eyes and saw a large expanse of charred land. Now he understood. He took his sword and stood up.
The fate was inexorable.
