Urominiel Family/Annaej
Annaej
Realms:Sandalak(SWI), Kingdom of Alluran, Monsters of Gilgamesh, Thalmarkin
Positions:High Marshal, Duchess, Queen, Justicar.
Currently:Dead, Killed by Overlord in the battle of Winifael.
Annaej is the second child of Elenaraloki and Nnaoj, she was raised by her mother in a secluded community after the death of her father, who died before she was born. When she came of age Annaej spent a short while on the war torn south islands before emigrating to Beluaterra in the continued search for her dead brother Elenhir. She joined the young Kingdom of Alluran and quickly rose through the ranks into the realm council and lead the realm through the third invasion. In the fourth invasion Annaej was captured by Monsters and became sympathetic to her captors joining their cause as her kingdom fell. She later joined Thalmarkin to continue the war on the Daimons, she later died in the frozen north doing just that.
Dauntless
The early rays of light warmed the frost on the grass fields drawing forth a blanket of myst over the lowlands of Ovujemeh. Annaej with her dark golden hair sat up stern in her smoke gray horse as scout reports trickled in from all directions. As a child she was taxed with a heavy burden, to remain steadfast staring into the face of death and purge of land of its curse. All the years of training had made her what she is today, undaunting yet compassionate. The tainted soil of the monster isle was where she belonged to defend the lands from the walking dead and to find her brother, Elenhir, and put him to rest. To lift the curse on all the living dead, was her destiny. The people of Ovujemeh were scared, she could sense it, but soon they would have nothing to fear. Once they learn, the sight of Alluran banners flapping in the wind will be welcomed with open arms. They no longer needed to fear a plague across the land.
The Holy Alluran Army
Eight hundred plus bodies were tossed into the ocean as Annaej watched through the spyglass. There was nothing she could do, there was nothing anyone could do. The city simply did not have enough food and when food arrived the peasents ate without any sense to ration food for the hard days ahead. Annaej handed the spyglass off to her aid and motioned to the soldiers to put out the signal fire as she made her way back from the edge of the stone pier. "Keep an eye out on the water for any who have gained unfavourable judgement from Alluran," She said to the captain as she walked passed one of the gatehouses to the harbour. She paid little attention to the suffering in the streets, saved for the ones that looked too dead to still be alive, but the adventurers should take care of them if they wanted part of the bounty.
As they reached her estate, she sent an aid ahead to prepare 100 gold for the war chest. The army would be on the move again soon, but it would be under a new name. Ten riders from her estate were out front to greet her. She sent them away two by two with a the names of nobles assigned to the new army. The Holy army of Alluran; Ten of Eno's finest knights, sooned to be joined by knights from Brovyl and Xween. Annaej motions to the few remaining riders,"Inform all the trainers and blacksmiths within the realm that the war chest in Eno will be paying for the training and repairs of everyone in the Holy Alluran Army."
"May Alluran guide his army to bring his judgement over the land."
To Part
The two women stood about ten paces apart on the slope of grassy green, gazing into one another's eyes. Their tawny cloaks flapping in the wind broke the lull of dead air. The infant slept, craddled in Amelie's arms.
"Give me the child" Annaej spoke in soft undertone to match the calm of their surroundings.
"She belongs to the order now, you of all people should know that" Amelie replied.
"She is a Namtrah, and I will hunt them til the ends of the world" Annaej brandished a sword from under her cloak. But before she could act she saw the red hoods of four figures emerging from the other side of the slope.
"I'm sorry Annaej, but I have other callings now" Amelie mumbled as she handed off the infant and shedded her yellow cloak. She disappeared along with the others as quickly as they had came leaving Annaej in the open field. Feeling betrayed and abandoned once again she walked over to the formless cloak and lifted it with her sword. Knowing no one could see she, Annaej dropped down on both knees and for a moment forgot about her years of training. Holding the cloak close, she cried.
Reflections
There she lay, a girl of about 7 or 8, not knowing exactly where she had been taken for she was blind folded and carried there in the middle of the night. The smell was overpowering and the ground she was dropped on soggy and soft. The riders galloped had galloped away before she could remove her bounds. She knew her mission but was reluctant to follow it. When she had freed herself, she helped the other children. Five of them there were, each carried a dagger and a large sacks. There they stood in the sea of corpses, the older children quickly began their work. Gold and valuables into the black one and "ingredients" into the yellow sacks. Annaej tried to control her shaking as she pried open a fallen soldiers mouth, she pulled out his tongue and began to saw away with her dagger. They had to work quick before the sun would come and the elders would expect their goods.
Annaej thought about escape, but then her thoughts would center back on her mother. Tears rolled down the child's face as she longed for her, and Annaej knew if she escaped now she would not even see her, however infrequently, as she did now.The night was cold even under her cloak and the carrion harassed them throughout. Annaej shivered as she continued and her body ached, soon her movement slowed and the corpses spun around her. The night grew dimmer and then completely dark.
Annaej awoke to the smell of medicinal herbs and incense. She struggled to bring her vision into focus to see her healers standing intently over her. A column of leeches lined her arms, there to suck out the poison from the assassins blade. The healers informed her that soon enough she should be back on her feet, but for now she should rest.
Instincts
Annaej rode from Eylmon to Jidington on the main road used by merchants since the cities were established. As she left the city filled with beasts from the forest she noticed the once familiar landscape was only a shell of its former self. The trees still stood as they once did and the mountains still hung as a backdrop to the north, but where were the people? Tools without a bearer littered the fields, curtains fluttered from the windows of abandoned cottages. The once thriving agricultural strip now seemed devoid of all activity. Annaej wondered where all the commoners had gone, had they just fled the regions when the groups of monsters moved through? Or maybe they suffered a worst fate and were devoured, was she about to be devoured herself? She rode onwards to Jidington, secretly looking forward to meeting Justice without dungeon bars separating them.
Unity
The rich overcast sky shadowed their march over the hills of Cjelorg, each cloud engorged so full that at any moment one would expect it to unleash its burden on the earth. The air lay motionless and heavy expectant of the cleansing that was to come. No man or beast could halt nature from its course. The rains would come and with them the land would be renewed. The treachery and treason would be washed away leaving fresh loamy soil on which new seeds would be sown. Nature had already began to take its course, the once simple vineyards were now overgrown and shrubberies had sprung up along the path. Soon the lands will forget that humans ever existed, but at that Annaej was dismayed.
Humanity had so much untapped potential, but yet they could never fully realise their strength. They were perhaps too clever or cunning for their own good, their selfishness and distrust proved unsurmountable hurdles to overcome. And their foolhardy pride may cause their heroic acts to be done in vain; for who is there to tell their tales when none remain. If the rift between the realms were mended and humanity stood united against the coming tide, perhaps the outcome would be different. But Annaej knew that nature would take its course and such was human nature; greed and pride would stand firm as their mortal vice.
Annaej had chosen her path, the intermitten pain that shot up from her arm from the jagged seals reminded her of that. She would ride onto the battlefield for the south, her home. Whether that was at the head of a cavalry column, or on the shoulders of a gargantuan beast that did not matter. Where one has failed, others will succeed for the very definition of each depends on the other.
Black Daimons
Annaej sat propped up in her saddle by her heavy plate armour, a custom design that covered both horse and her from the waist down. It fixed her to the steed in battle, obscuring the signs of her advancing age. She wore a tawny veil over most of her visage, for unlike her mother, the many years of battle had not been kind to her. But despite this, time and time again she continued to ride onto the battlefield seeking what had always alluded her. Whether it was redemption, or vengeance, even she did not know. For even though the powers of the command seal had faded, the scars remained, serving as a constant reminder of what had been and even the blackest of Daimons would not deter her resolve.
These Black Daimons, though fearsome in appearance, were not particularly powerful on the battlefield. Daimons, that could soar over the highest of walls, dark as the abyss and swallowed whatever light that came near making their true size difficult to estimate. This time as they gathered for another strike, their number no longer blacked out the early rays at they did the day before. Annaej guessed that they had less than half their original number. She set out from her estate to rally the remnant of her riders, men that had faced the shadow Daimons thrice before and faired well considering the odds. They would ride again and show the Daimons the price of arrogance. Her Lancers formed a single line behind the main force on the palisade. Raising her sword, Annaej called out, "For Justice!" signalling their march into the fray.
The End
The battle began with the sun sinking into the undulating foothills of Winifael. The horrors lead by Overlord indeed suited their name. Every charge was devastating throwing back entire waves of the main assault force and soon men lay sprawled across the battlefield dead and dying. Only a small contingent remained and Annaej stood among them. She steadied her sword as the Horrors approached. Justice would never approve of this but Annaej knew that this could very well be the last stand against the Daimons. They have taken everything, but no longer. She swung her sword and struck a Horror in the torso as its charge threw her back onto the heap of bodies. She thrust her sword through a horrors throat before another took her sword arm clean off, armour and all; the heat from its blade searing the wound shut. Annaej threw it back with her shield. This was when she noticed him, the Overlord as he looked over the battlefield, the soft screams of suffering souls emanating from his armour. With each swing of his blade he shattered bodies sending shrapnel of iron and bone across the field. As he approached her she could feel her soul leaving her body, then he swung.
