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Kolero Duriel · Visitor Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 10

Kolero stood in the rain at the meeting point the letter designated. It was pouring, and the darkness was only lifted for brief moments of light when lightning struck. He was thankful he had recently made the switch to leather armor, because his suit of ringmail would not have protected him from the chill of the cold rain. He was however still very cold and soaked, and not even the warmth his cloak provided was enough. He held the letter up again, looking at key parts whenever he had light from the illumination the storm provided.

A letter from my mother... I haven't seen her in four years, thought Kolero. I wonder what she has to say to me? She said she gave me all the guidance she could, for now... What did she mean all those years ago, 'for now'? What wisdom does she have to offer that I am only ready for now? Am I even sure that I am ready for this wisdom? His mind swam with information, nearly tuning out his warrior training of alertness of his surroundings entirely.

Lightning struck. Kolero used the oppurtunity to see if the light had shown anyone approaching the designated meeting point. He was only a few miles from where he grew up... The deserts of Ilshenar. He was standing upon the bridge that led out of the desert. It was not an easy life, but the healing talents of his mother made things easier for the small clan of families that he and his mother lived with. She was one of the few in Ilshenar that followed the spiritual path of a paladin. He had followed in her footsteps, not having a male role model about. His father, as far as he knew, either deserted them, or died, long before he could have possibly remembered him.

Lightning struck again. This time, light was reflected in his eyes. Looking towards the source of the light, he saw a hooded figure staring directly at him. He wondered why the light reflected briefly, until the lightning struck again, revealing that the reflection had come from a silvery blade hanging from the figure by a small loop in the robe. The figure approached, and Kolero reached for his Katana that was strapped under his cloak to his back.

"Just passing through on the bridge?" He called out to the figure. The Legion he belonged to had many enemies, and it would not be a suprise to find one or many of them here, near the Ancient Citadel that housed strong secrets and undead abominations. A slightly high pitched chuckle came from the figure, clearly a woman. As she approached, he took a step back. The figure reached for the hood of her cloak and adjusted his slightly. Long blonde hair that matched his own spilled out upon her shoulders.

"I would've hoped you'd recognize your own mother, but I can't seem to blame you in this darkness," said a gentle voice from under the hood. The words echoed in Kolero's head. He had, after all, not heard his mother speak in some time. "Do you know why I've summoned you here, beyond what little I told you in the letter?" she asked. "If I knew that, I wouldn't have had to meet with you," he said with a wry smile. She laughed. "You've always had a sense of humor, even since you were little... Just like your father. You kept me laughing after he left." Kolero took a step towards her. They were about five steps apart. "So he did leave. You wouldn't ever tell me if he left... if he died..," Kolero said, trailing off, not wanting to accept the possibility of not ever being able to meet his father. "What was he, what did he do? I assume now he is the topic of this meeting," Kolero said quickly. He took another step towards her. She took a step back. Kolero was confused. "Whats wrong, mother? I am your son after all... No... Prove to me again that you are who you are."

The hood of the cloak nodded. She pulled one of her gloves off, revealing a plain looking ring with odd markings on it. Kolero felt at ease, knowing only his mother could posess that ring. He was reminded of his own identical ring on the ring finger of his gloved left hand. "They're really not runes," she said with a slight chuckle. "They are a different language. The language of where your father is from. He is from another facet of the shard entirely, Kolero. Gates to other worlds would link to Ilshenar as an aftereffect of the magics used to keep Ilshenar from being lost... He accidentally fell into one. He was in a battle, and whatever monster he was battling cast him into our world. He was badly wounded, but you know how that is just a matter of time for me... And then... Kolero... we fell in love, which I am sure you figured out. He was a man of Honor, always of Honor, and I knew that when he had the chance to return home, he would... He had a vow of Honor to his Lord in his lands. He called them the lands of the Feudal Lords... The gate there is opened now, permanently. It is called the Takuno Islands. He was what they called a Samurai, Kolero. I am sure he would want.. want you to seek him out when you could. Now you can... You must hurry. There is..." she spoke quickly, one thing after another, untill Kolero interrupted her. "But... slow down, why is there no time?" he asked alarmingly. She sighed, and the hood of the cloak appeared to look towards the ground slightly. "Kolero... I didn't make it... Two years after you left, there was a newcomer to the clan... He was a thief and a murderer... And well... What you see is not me. It is what is left of me in this realm. I stayed because I had something left to do here. And now I have done it... my time is so very limited." Kolero was in shock. His mother was dead... All that remained was a few moments left of her ghost, to deliver a message to him about what he must do. He was grateful for the rain, because it easily hid the beginning of his weeping from his mother. "I'm so sorry, Kolero..." she said. "You must seek him out... He has a great deal to teach you."

Kolero could barely speak. "I'll miss you, mother." She nodded, clearly ready to cry herself as well. "Oh, one last thing. This belonged to your father... We thought he'd lost it in his facet during the battle, but I found it in the desert where we found him after he had gone back." She unsheathed the short blade, and held it out to him. "Goodbye, Kolero. I'll meet with you again someday... somewhere." she said. He nodded, and reached out for the blade. As he did, she dissapeared entirely, and the hilt fell into his hand.

Lightning struck. He was all alone again. His mind set on finding his father, he carried his new blade off in search of his father and the lands of the feudal lords.