The Midnight Maiden

The Ahlissan Chronicles

~ Novella 1 ~

The Midnight Maiden

~ Epilogue ~

The Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia, Venya, the Fields of Glory, the Citadel of Heironeous (Infinite Time)

His large longsword leaning against his throne, the Archpaladin sat upon the great copper and steel chair looking deeply into the brilliant golden sphere that floated before him. The sphere was held aloft or more appropriately floated above the appraised arms and outstretched hands of four beings that were all kneeling on one knee beneath the sphere. The four Archons were clad in brilliant white tunics with breastplates and pauldrons the color of highly polished copper their snow white wings folded behind them. The Archpaladin himself wore his usual robe of incredibly fine copper chainmail. Stroking his auburn colored beard, Heironeous stared into the glowing ethereal sphere watching the events as they unfolded a thousand worlds away in another plane of existence on the small blue and green world of Oerth.

The protector that he had chosen had found the avatar, although they themselves did not know it. He smiled to himself knowing that even though he and other higher beings did occasionally push mortals towards their fates, sometimes destiny itself worked without their aid. Heironeous had nothing to do with their meeting that had been left completely to chance and it seemed fate had brought them together. The avatar and her protector had found each other, become lovers and were now betrothed. He smiled to himself, their impending nuptials pleased him greatly.

That sacred joining would bring them even closer together and thus reinforce the important bond between them. If the vessel was to drive back the Eater of Worlds the protectors' strength would be needed. The conjunction that would begin the weakening in the Chained God's prison was still far off in the future and the life of a mortal was tenuous at best. The avatar needed to survive not only the trials of mortal life but also the journey to the Dark Gods' plane of imprisonment where the vessel would once again bind the Eater of Worlds. The fate of not only their world but of creation depended on their success or failure.

Heironeous sat back in his throne and with a wave of his hand dismissed the large radiant sphere. It disappeared with a flash then the four Archons rose, bowed toward the Archpaladin and left the throne room. The greater being dropped his right hand over the armrest of the oversized chair and absentmindedly stroked the pommel of the great sword that leaned there as he sat deep in thought. He would continue to watch these two mortals as the time of Great Conjunction grew closer and with it the Chained Gods' possible release.

* * *

The Ethereal Plane, the crystalline Demiplane of Imprisonment

Within the deepest recesses of the Etheric Plane adrift on an endless sea of ether floated an immense multi-faceted prismatic crystal. Nearly a mile in diameter and a deep violet in color with innumerable spurs the crystal seemed to burn with an inner light yet provided no warmth or illumination. The ether surrounding the crystalline structure literally bubbled and frothed with surrealistic visions dominated by purple eyes, mouths, veined whirlpools and dark humanoid figures. They would form from the ether itself only to collapse in on themselves and form new loathsome depictions.

Created millennia ago, this swollen crystalline cyst heavy with the presence of its shackled occupant floats within the endless plane of ether; formed from the ether by will of this universes' higher beings it served but one purpose to imprison for all eternity, the Dark God, the Eater of Worlds, a pitch-black roiling amorphous form known as Tharaziduun.

As it had done a billion times before, a black tentacle emerged from the chaotic mass and smashed at the inner wall of the crystal prison and as before there was no scratch, no dent, no fracture. Nothing indicated that the wall had been struck by such a force and yet Tharaziduun could send forth its' will and unholy blessings upon those who were receptive to his evil.

The Dark God knew from the dreams and thoughts of his followers that the conjunction, a great alignment of stars was swiftly approaching and that with that conjunction the crystal walls of his prison would finally weaken allowing the artifact to shatter the crystal and allow his escape.

He need only be patient and continue his constant and chaotic communication with his worshippers. One follower in particular appeared quite promising...