Eternal
You believe you’d probably be better off destroying the book, but this isn’t about you. Once again it’s about Tulla. You allowed Tulla to make her own decision on becoming a shadow; you’ll allow her to make this decision on her own as well.
Doesn’t mean you can’t try to sway her against it though.
A week passes and Tulla returns for a visit and asks you what you’ve learned about the ritual. You explain to her what is involved and what you think the result is after it is completed. She’s intrigued, which makes you a little worried.
“Tulla, I know you might not want to hear this and you’ll probably think that I’m just displaying my own prejudices against Dendrin, but I don’t think going through with this ritual is a good idea.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because you’d be giving up you so much. I mean do you really want to be a real shadow that does nothing but serve Dendrin? I mean I know you’re happy serving him now, but you still have the chance to walk away if you should ever change your mind later. This ritual would be a one-way trip. And who knows what it will do to you exactly.”
“It could be nothing like what you’re worrying about then.” Tulla points out.
“Yes, or it could be something even worse than what I’m worrying about. (Sigh) I dunno Tulla, I mean it is ultimately your decision, but I do not believe performing this ritual is a good idea and I worry about you. It is supposed to be cast by a Shadow Master anyway. As it stands, this order doesn’t even officially have a Shadow Master. I mean I certainly don’t count, and I don’t know about you, has Dendrin spoken to you?”
“No. Sadly Dendrin has not yet seen fit to speak with me in the same way he does with you.
“Hmm, he hasn’t spoken to me in a long time either. I even tried asking him about the ritual, no luck though.”
Tulla looks at you in silence for a moment.
“Well given that we still need to worry about Victor, I suppose maybe this isn’t the best time to be messing about with unknown spells and rituals especially when we don’t exactly know what they do. Dendrin hasn’t seen fit to tell you and he hasn’t seen fit to speak to me, so perhaps we’re not worthy of performing it anyway. Maybe nobody has, which is why its never been cast. Another day perhaps.” Tulla says.
“Perhaps.” You say causing Tulla to smile a bit and then give you a great big hug. You’re a little surprised at the suddenness of it given the situation.
“Wha…what’s this for?”
“For being so wonderful of course! You obviously had deep concerns about this ritual and worried about me in particular yet you still allowed me to make the decision. You have always allowed me to make my own choices, just like when I wished to become a shadow to begin with. You could’ve easily forbade me to become one, just like you could’ve destroyed the book.”
“Trust me, it did cross my mind on both accounts.”
“But you didn’t, because you encourage me to be my own person.”
“Hmm, some might call that being overly permissive.”
“Well I call it being a supportive father.” Tulla exclaims.
The two of you just look at each other for a moment. The realization that Tulla just acknowledged you as her father takes only a few seconds to sink in.
“And you’re the best I could ever have in a daughter.” You remark trying to not burst into too much emotion and the pair of you embraces tighter as if the pair of you never wants to let the other one go.
Eventually you do though and Tulla gives you a small peck on the cheek before saying she has to get back to the battle for Delerg.
“I can still help directly you know. I could lob a few shadow bolts a peoples’ heads.” you remark.
“I know, but I worry about you as well. Besides, I’ve been having success in getting more people interested in being shadows. They’ll be coming here for brief training and initiation soon. Your skills a better put to use here.”
“Very well, I’ll be here.”
Tulla leaves and you’re soon left alone pondering all of what just happened. While you’re certainly glad you managed to convince Tulla against the ritual today, who knows what will happen in the future. Still, you can’t dwell on the possible doom and gloom of the future. You’ve done that most of your life. Right now you’re little more than happy that you’re no longer just “uncle” to Tulla. She considers you her father just as you’ve considered her your daughter for a long time.
You naturally go to Talia and tell her the news.
“Tulla called me her father today. Didn’t expect it and I have to say I got all choked up about it nearly to the point that I couldn’t reply back. Made me happy. Don’t think I’ve ever been exactly this happy in a long time. I mean I’ve had moments where I wasn’t unhappy, but I’ve haven’t felt this good since, well since before you died.”
You sit down near Talia’s grave and touch the ground.
“I…just wish you were here to experience it.” You say with a few sniffles. You rub your eyes a few times and just sit quietly near the grave until you eventually fall asleep…
“You continue to surprise Eternal. I really thought you’d destroy that book and make it seem like an accident.”
“Just shows you haven’t been paying attention for over sixty years. However, I am in good spirits and I won’t even let this visit from you bring me down.”
“It’s never my intension I assure you. But you aren’t worried about Tulla one day casting the ritual of ascension?”
“Sorry, like I said, I’m not going to dwell on such matters right now. If she does, then so be it. It’ll be her decision to make as usual. Oh and thanks for helping me out on that as usual. You could’ve at least told me what it does.”
“Sorry, but you don’t get that knowledge. It’s something a shadow master just has to know to do when they feel the time is right. Their choice, not my influence. Something you’re encouraging in your daughter right? But if it’ll ease your mind a bit, she’ll never be able to perform it in your life time.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s not a Shadow Master or Mistress in her case and she won’t be until the current one dies.”
You don’t get it at first, but then you do which just raises further confusion.
“Wait…so that means…me? I’M the Shadow Master? Since when?”
“Unofficially since Master Ebon died, though when you were the last one left you were pretty much the only candidate left.”
“Wha…but you never told me!”
“You never asked, plus I doubt if I had told you, it would’ve made much of a difference to your antagonistic mindset.”
“But…this still doesn’t make sense! I strayed so far that I didn’t even have shadow magic ability!”
“Eh, you were still the closest thing to a shadow. Though I’m pleased that a new group will be able to carry on after you. It’s odd, I was bored with the shadows, but I think starting fresh like this has renewed my interest a bit. I think giving them a bit more free will and making them a little less mind numbingly devoted helps with that. Just think when the group starts numbering in the hundreds or thousands, oh the conflicts of doctrine interpretation they’ll have! I can just see the holy wars now! And I suppose I have you to thank for all of it.”
You shake your head at Dendrin’s enthusiasm at his predicted carnage. He hasn’t changed at all, it’s all still just a game to him, but you’re hardly surprised. Still, you doubt if such a thing will happen any time soon and oddly, you are sort of pleased to hear that Tulla can’t perform the ritual even if she tries. Though you do wonder one thing.
“So tell me, did you know all this was going to happen? Did you know that I would eventually bring about a new group of shadows for you to enjoy all over again?”
“Well as I always said, I predicted you making a major change and you did.”
“And that’s that?”
“And that’s that.” Dendrin says. If you could see place a face with this reply, it would definitely be a smug one.
You’re not getting any more information out of Dendrin, he’s back to being his usual cryptic self so you don’t bother trying anymore.
“I shall leave you now Eternal, we will only speak once more to each other in the far future, but for now I give you a much needed rest from my divine discourse. Think of it as your reward for all your service…as a shadow.” Dendrin says with a laugh.
You eventually wake up. You brush the dirt off of yourself and groggily look over at Talia’s grave.
“Well Talia, Dendrin say’s he’s leaving me alone for a long time. I guess you were right, he does eventually answer all prayers.”
Doesn’t mean you can’t try to sway her against it though.
A week passes and Tulla returns for a visit and asks you what you’ve learned about the ritual. You explain to her what is involved and what you think the result is after it is completed. She’s intrigued, which makes you a little worried.
“Tulla, I know you might not want to hear this and you’ll probably think that I’m just displaying my own prejudices against Dendrin, but I don’t think going through with this ritual is a good idea.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because you’d be giving up you so much. I mean do you really want to be a real shadow that does nothing but serve Dendrin? I mean I know you’re happy serving him now, but you still have the chance to walk away if you should ever change your mind later. This ritual would be a one-way trip. And who knows what it will do to you exactly.”
“It could be nothing like what you’re worrying about then.” Tulla points out.
“Yes, or it could be something even worse than what I’m worrying about. (Sigh) I dunno Tulla, I mean it is ultimately your decision, but I do not believe performing this ritual is a good idea and I worry about you. It is supposed to be cast by a Shadow Master anyway. As it stands, this order doesn’t even officially have a Shadow Master. I mean I certainly don’t count, and I don’t know about you, has Dendrin spoken to you?”
“No. Sadly Dendrin has not yet seen fit to speak with me in the same way he does with you.
“Hmm, he hasn’t spoken to me in a long time either. I even tried asking him about the ritual, no luck though.”
Tulla looks at you in silence for a moment.
“Well given that we still need to worry about Victor, I suppose maybe this isn’t the best time to be messing about with unknown spells and rituals especially when we don’t exactly know what they do. Dendrin hasn’t seen fit to tell you and he hasn’t seen fit to speak to me, so perhaps we’re not worthy of performing it anyway. Maybe nobody has, which is why its never been cast. Another day perhaps.” Tulla says.
“Perhaps.” You say causing Tulla to smile a bit and then give you a great big hug. You’re a little surprised at the suddenness of it given the situation.
“Wha…what’s this for?”
“For being so wonderful of course! You obviously had deep concerns about this ritual and worried about me in particular yet you still allowed me to make the decision. You have always allowed me to make my own choices, just like when I wished to become a shadow to begin with. You could’ve easily forbade me to become one, just like you could’ve destroyed the book.”
“Trust me, it did cross my mind on both accounts.”
“But you didn’t, because you encourage me to be my own person.”
“Hmm, some might call that being overly permissive.”
“Well I call it being a supportive father.” Tulla exclaims.
The two of you just look at each other for a moment. The realization that Tulla just acknowledged you as her father takes only a few seconds to sink in.
“And you’re the best I could ever have in a daughter.” You remark trying to not burst into too much emotion and the pair of you embraces tighter as if the pair of you never wants to let the other one go.
Eventually you do though and Tulla gives you a small peck on the cheek before saying she has to get back to the battle for Delerg.
“I can still help directly you know. I could lob a few shadow bolts a peoples’ heads.” you remark.
“I know, but I worry about you as well. Besides, I’ve been having success in getting more people interested in being shadows. They’ll be coming here for brief training and initiation soon. Your skills a better put to use here.”
“Very well, I’ll be here.”
Tulla leaves and you’re soon left alone pondering all of what just happened. While you’re certainly glad you managed to convince Tulla against the ritual today, who knows what will happen in the future. Still, you can’t dwell on the possible doom and gloom of the future. You’ve done that most of your life. Right now you’re little more than happy that you’re no longer just “uncle” to Tulla. She considers you her father just as you’ve considered her your daughter for a long time.
You naturally go to Talia and tell her the news.
“Tulla called me her father today. Didn’t expect it and I have to say I got all choked up about it nearly to the point that I couldn’t reply back. Made me happy. Don’t think I’ve ever been exactly this happy in a long time. I mean I’ve had moments where I wasn’t unhappy, but I’ve haven’t felt this good since, well since before you died.”
You sit down near Talia’s grave and touch the ground.
“I…just wish you were here to experience it.” You say with a few sniffles. You rub your eyes a few times and just sit quietly near the grave until you eventually fall asleep…
“You continue to surprise Eternal. I really thought you’d destroy that book and make it seem like an accident.”
“Just shows you haven’t been paying attention for over sixty years. However, I am in good spirits and I won’t even let this visit from you bring me down.”
“It’s never my intension I assure you. But you aren’t worried about Tulla one day casting the ritual of ascension?”
“Sorry, like I said, I’m not going to dwell on such matters right now. If she does, then so be it. It’ll be her decision to make as usual. Oh and thanks for helping me out on that as usual. You could’ve at least told me what it does.”
“Sorry, but you don’t get that knowledge. It’s something a shadow master just has to know to do when they feel the time is right. Their choice, not my influence. Something you’re encouraging in your daughter right? But if it’ll ease your mind a bit, she’ll never be able to perform it in your life time.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s not a Shadow Master or Mistress in her case and she won’t be until the current one dies.”
You don’t get it at first, but then you do which just raises further confusion.
“Wait…so that means…me? I’M the Shadow Master? Since when?”
“Unofficially since Master Ebon died, though when you were the last one left you were pretty much the only candidate left.”
“Wha…but you never told me!”
“You never asked, plus I doubt if I had told you, it would’ve made much of a difference to your antagonistic mindset.”
“But…this still doesn’t make sense! I strayed so far that I didn’t even have shadow magic ability!”
“Eh, you were still the closest thing to a shadow. Though I’m pleased that a new group will be able to carry on after you. It’s odd, I was bored with the shadows, but I think starting fresh like this has renewed my interest a bit. I think giving them a bit more free will and making them a little less mind numbingly devoted helps with that. Just think when the group starts numbering in the hundreds or thousands, oh the conflicts of doctrine interpretation they’ll have! I can just see the holy wars now! And I suppose I have you to thank for all of it.”
You shake your head at Dendrin’s enthusiasm at his predicted carnage. He hasn’t changed at all, it’s all still just a game to him, but you’re hardly surprised. Still, you doubt if such a thing will happen any time soon and oddly, you are sort of pleased to hear that Tulla can’t perform the ritual even if she tries. Though you do wonder one thing.
“So tell me, did you know all this was going to happen? Did you know that I would eventually bring about a new group of shadows for you to enjoy all over again?”
“Well as I always said, I predicted you making a major change and you did.”
“And that’s that?”
“And that’s that.” Dendrin says. If you could see place a face with this reply, it would definitely be a smug one.
You’re not getting any more information out of Dendrin, he’s back to being his usual cryptic self so you don’t bother trying anymore.
“I shall leave you now Eternal, we will only speak once more to each other in the far future, but for now I give you a much needed rest from my divine discourse. Think of it as your reward for all your service…as a shadow.” Dendrin says with a laugh.
You eventually wake up. You brush the dirt off of yourself and groggily look over at Talia’s grave.
“Well Talia, Dendrin say’s he’s leaving me alone for a long time. I guess you were right, he does eventually answer all prayers.”