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I thought the worst of my troubles was behind me; Not even the Sands of Time could manage to unwind what had been done ...
I had never really decided wither or not the Gods she spoke of where real. Between pondering over fate and being told day in and day out that our lives were lead by some destiny, I never actually came around to believing it. It was never destined that I became a Prince. No magi or preordained scribes foretold of my actions. We make our own destinies. Therefore the very thought of me taking warning from visions and prophecy seems ludicrous.
Her nightmares were getting worse however. She tries to hide it when questioned by the council, but each night she’d lie awake screaming only to awake in a cold sweat.
Dreams became nightmares.
Nightmares became visions.
They would vanish as quickly as they came. Whenever she tried to recall them, she could only remember a few major details. The dreams were strange that way.
One star fell to the earth, striking the city in a blaze before dividing it into fourteen fragments of dazzling light. When the light vanished, all that remained was blackness. No fire, nor destruction of war- only shadows.
What’s strange however about the nightmares, is that Tamina’s Keepers hold no foresight of the symbols. The Gods of their religion would have summoned some sort of maelstrom of sand to vanquish the world- not a falling light from the heavens. They try to reassure her, saying that perhaps a time of enlightenment would soon be upon the city, in that the different sectors of the city would renounce their way with the coming winter solstice, and that the shadows were merely a sign of her waking. Somehow I doubt their conclusions. I do not doubt their attempts, but no man can surmise to a satisfying answer.
The dreams still come.
Each and every day, she spends more of her time in prayer. I’ll find her lying prostrate on the floor of the high temple, placing faith in the unseen to deliver some form of knowledge of these dreams. It’s troubling to see her like this; contemplating lights and shadows. However strong she tries to play, Tamina grows tired; almost frightened of sleep, knowing what’s to come when she closes her eyes. She can’t even put up a good argument any more, which is surprising even for her.
What do the Gods have in store for us?
They found her laying unconscious in the High Temple.
The Dagger of Time was clutched in her hand as well as a large spare vile. Within it, I’ve guessed there’s nearly enough for turning back time at least a dozen times. Long ago, Tamina and the other protectors had issued small quantities of sand to be taken from the crystal hour glass that remained hidden below the city. However the amount that the servants found on her, make me question her own sanity. With that much sand who knows what one could be capable of.
Even used sparingly, a wise hardened soldier could use the Dagger in a key moment of battle and change the outcome of war. He could know an opponent’s attacks before he made them, correct mistakes that could never be undone- even restore life again to someone who had just died moments before.
Aside from my wife and her covenant, I and the only outsider who knows this. I have seen its power with my own eyes. The power of change can corrupt, even that of the strongest of bonds.
The Dagger itself was not to be used unless the device itself was threatened… or something of great magnitude was about to occur.
Princess… What did you see?
 AquilisNoctis · Thu Nov 25, 2010 @ 04:38am · 0 Comments |
