Angel's Love, Halfling's Trials

Prompt Week 26: Torm's Tears, Sacrifice's Gift

 

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Forgotten Realms setting of D&D, but the characters in here are from a game and of my own creation. Any player characters from the game have been loaned out with permission from their players. I receive no money for this endeavor.

 

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Thistle could only watch in agonizing tears as the lifeless body of her deva laid held in stasis before her. His wings cruelly ripped apart from him and now being placed to either side of him in an attempt to hide the severity of the injuries that had killed him. If you could only see his front side, it would be as if Seth were held in an enchanted sleep- an illusion that would hold until the reality of his back showed multiple defensive wounds that were obtained while protecting their child. Torm's face a quiet picture of anger and pain that hid behind a horrifyingly regretful expression as a mortal man saw fit to argue for her sake. Thistle would have gladly given every breathe she had left to save Seth except the man who avenged his slaughter and her friend had beaten her to offering his life and power in return. He was such a young man at seventeen summers and had just reached the long-craved summit of mage-craft in becoming an archmage. Although few would ever call this mage ordinary as he saw fit to carry a sword nearly as large as Seth's and was quite as proficient in its usage.

 

Her apprehensive horror could only increase when she tried to speak up to say that it was alright, Gareth didn't need to sacrifice his own hard earned skills and life, she would offer up her own to save Seth's life. He had been taken away once and Ivy needed to see her father well and alive again. Even if Torm was reluctant to do as such, it was obvious it would take a great deal of energy from someone to revive her precious shepherd- energy Torm couldn't spare and still be as effective as needed for his followers. Her life was such a small price to pay for that, but it was becoming obvious that Gareth wouldn't even hear her words as he boldly threatened both Torm and Tyr that if they didn't use him to resurrect the martyred celestial he would attack and try to kill them. The fact that this was going to be a suicidal move didn't even have to be said. The great reluctance to take the mage's life was obvious in both the blinded but kindly stern face of Tyr and the resigned yet regretful tears of Torm as he looked over his fallen host leader. A nod showed ascent to this near suicidal of plans.

 

Thistle knew in her heart that this was Gareth's death knell. Few people survived willing weakening themselves when they had a devil lord hot on their heels with revenge in mind; and that was if he survived this at all. She witnessed the whole affair as Gareth began to sag and visibly weaken as Torm attempted to revive his fallen comrade and servant. Tyr and Ilmater talked fairly quietly amongst themselves to where she had to strain to over hear. Tyr was dictating a letter to Ilmater to be sent to the highest power available for Gareth's sake- a letter in which Tyr adduced this very sacrifice and situation to Ao himself. The fact that a mortal gave so much to undue such an act did not deserve to die and become Belial's newest plaything for when the mood struck the petty devil lord to be cruel was mentioned to be written down quietly as Torm took Gareth's willing surrendered essence from him. Tyr's and Ilmater's endeavors hurried up as her attention became torn assunder by a far more pressing and concerning moment. Seth finally became whole once more as the stasis magics that held him from passing on back to Mount Celestia faded. His labored breathing caused tears to flood her eyes as she threw herself down upon him, holding on to the newly restored man as if her own life depended upon it. Sobbingly she could only squeak out a soft thank you and apology to the young human archmage who nearly exhausted his own strength and life for this, Thistle decided then she was never going to let go. At least not for now, not until this didn't seem so painful. She loved her shepherd and his wayward lamb, his unusual friends, and even the promise that took him away. To be completely honest, she didn't know what she would do if he had died by the hands of a group of Banite priests who used Ivy to cause him to drop his defenses.