Ce'vanne completes a task

Ce’vanne approached the Blood Knight’s hall and peeked inside. It was late and she’d hoped there would be few officers about at this hour, yet still Knight-Lord Bloodvalor kept his post. Luckily he was dealing with another initiate and she hurried past the entrance towards the ramp that led to the lower level.
She felt watched as she passed through the arch and sure enough, as she glanced backwards, Champion Vranesh’s hard eyes followed her.
There was no going back now; if she delayed any longer there was a good chance she would be hauled in on disciplinary charges! Walking slowly down the passage, her heart thumping, she approached the chamber that held the source of the Blood Knight’s power.

The Magister Astalor Bloodsworn and the Blood Knight Matriarch were deep in conversation, yet Lady Liadrin’s eyes flickered in her direction, while she made her preparations. Seemingly satisfied that the young initiate was finally about to complete her task, the matriarch’s attention returned to the magister and Ce’vanne swallowed hard, trying to still her trembling hands.
She gazed up at the immense being before her and at the four magisters draining the Naruu, keeping it subdued. Her knees almost buckled as the memory surfaced - dark room, hungry faces, draining the life out of her… - tears filled her eyes ‘How...how can they do this?’



The being seemed to pulse as she blinked the tears away and she peered up once more, not sure if she had imagined it. Ce’vanne gasped as an alien awareness filled her mind and she saw the image of herself, stood before the creature. A child, small and afraid, dressed in the clothes of a holy warrior.
No words, as she knew them, passed between the two but the impression was felt ‘What you take child, I shall not miss.’



Doubt still prevented her from channelling the energy into the small flask in her hand, when, unbidden, more images flitted through her mind – early childhood, her dimly remembered parents, the words her uncle spoke as he left her at the orphanage ‘Always remember, you are a Lightsworn’ – ‘Have faith child, things were not always as they are, and nor shall they be.’
Finally, her nerves steady, Ce’vanne began to transfer energy from M’uru to the flask in her left hand.



As she completed the transfer she sank to her knees and a gasp escaped her at a strange burning sensation on the inside of her left wrist.
After carefully stoppering the flask and making sure nobody was watching too closely, she pulled down her left glove and removed the bracer. The previously unmarked skin now bore a small, red design.
‘Thank you’ she breathed as she got to her feet and gave a small bow.



The Matriarch, noticing the movement, gave her a curious look but seeing the filled vessel, gave the youngster a curt nod and turned away. Ce’vanne sighed with relief and hurried from the chamber.

Tears poured down her cheeks as she left the captive but she wiped them away. She couldn’t dwell on it now. It was time she reported back to Bloodvalor for further instructions.