Year 75

"Well the liberation of Delerg seems to be going better this time around, Triumph has been seized. Let's hope when Tulla wins this war, it'll stay free of petty dictators once and for all." You say to Talia.

Tulla's been succeeding in her goal nearly as soon as she put her mind to it, which wasn't long after her shadow initiation. Tulla managed to recruit people even easier than her mother did, you guess she inherited her charisma in that way. Of course it helped that the people from Quala forced to live in Delerg weren't very happy with Victor for a long time anyway. Not to mention all the criminal types that had been brought here to work off their sentences as well as the outright slaves. Delerg pretty much became a breeding ground of recruits. What was surprising is that Tulla managed to not only recruit them into a rebellion, but also got some interested into becoming shadows. That's mainly where your help came in. You provided your home as the training ground along with performing the initiation ritual for said recruits. With their help you even managed to rebuild the temple a bit, though you still tend to keep to your underground sanctuary.

It's odd though, this new generation of shadows don't seem quite as fanatical as the ones you were familiar with. They revere Dendrin of course, but they don't regard someone like you with hostility. You remember you were shocked when Tulla first came back from the portal and you found that she treated you with the same respect that she always had despite your attitude towards Dendrin. At first you figured that maybe your previous influence over her had been so great that it over came Dendrin's indoctrination, but its obvious now that Dendrin hasn't been doing the old routine of indoctrinating the shadows with mindless loyalty anymore.

You'd ask him about it, but he hasn't been speaking to you lately. Besides, you'd rather not jinx a good thing. It's enough that you've still got your magic to a small degree.

"Just wish I could be of more help to her. Damn old body. I hate this weakness. I used to be so quick and strong." You continue to say to Talia. You haven't had a chance to speak with her like this in a while so you're taking advantage of your sudden clearing of responsibility.

"You ever think we could've actually won a sound victory against the Empire? I've been thinking about it, and I think we could've. Maybe I shouldn't have been so proud and just never told you and Cyrus the truth about Dendrin. It might've kept us more united. Certainly would've help when I fought Kane practically all by myself. Remember that? What a battle! I was probably at my peak and I still couldn't get the advantage over that tough bastard. I was really happy to see you when you showed up and not just because you saved my life either, though it played a big part of it at the time."

You suddenly stop reminiscing because your statement has now made you think about how you didn't manage to save her life. After all these years, you wonder why you continue to do this to yourself and why you can't move on. You can only guess its because what Talia once said. You're Eternals and you had a special bond that nobody else did.

There must be some truth to it, Brenda was the ruler of the Nalin Empire for decades and she never married or even took another lover after her beloved Roldan died during the Empire War. Last news you heard of her was that she committed suicide a couple years ago and her second in command Tarna took power. You guess the absence of her mate for so many years was just ultimately too much for her to bother going on. You wonder if it hadn't been for your encounter with Lena and later your relationship with Tulla if you would've eventually done the same thing. Probably not in the same way, but still…

It also makes you realize how many people you've outlived in general. If you were anyone else you probably would've been dead several times over already. You're not just the last of the true Eternals, but as the second generation has been murdering each other out of existence, you might very well end up being the last one period.

"Survival Talia, I always was good at it." You say patting the earth near the grave.

You suddenly hear Tulla calling for you.

"Yes, Tulla I'm in here."

Tulla stands near the entrance of the cavern with a large black book in her hand. She knows when you're speaking with Talia, she prefers not to disturb you.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you were busy." She asks.
"It's fine, I was finished anyway. What is it? The liberation of Delerg is going well I trust?"
"Oh yes. Victor's troops have been pushed back to the borders. Actually there are reports that he's suffering strife in his territory in Quala as well."
"Not surprising. Most of those so-called eternals have little grasp on how to rule effectively. As soon as a crack forms their little dominions start folding like a house of cards. Look at Warden Matron Brenda. She ran the Nalin Empire for what, about thirty some odd years? She kept it stable and those second generation eternals never dared to attack her."
"I'm surprised to hear you praise her. Didn't you fight against her in the old Empire war?"
"Not directly, but it doesn't matter. I can at least respect her even if she was on the other side. Who knows? Maybe if things had been different, we may have fought on the same side. Bah, I'm rambling nonsense, what was it that you needed?"
"Oh, this book." Tulla says and hands it to you.

You glance through it and then close it.

"Yes, what about it?"
"Do you know what it is? I can't really make any sense of the rest of it and most of it is in a language I don't even understand."
"Oh yeah, I vaguely remember this book now. I tried reading it once during my hermit days, but I put it back pretty quickly and never looked at it again until just now. It holds a spell called the ritual of ascension."
"Ritual of ascension? Sounds pretty impressive."
"I suppose it does. It was supposedly passed down from Dendrin himself to the first Shadow Master. It wasn't really clear what it does exactly except that it would strengthen the shadows link to Dendrin's realm forever. I guess that means it would make the shadows more powerful. Dunno though. Seems weird that no Shadow Master ever tried to use it. Maybe it was more of a symbolic thing."
"Maybe…but maybe now is the time to try it!"
"I doubt if you need this spell to win the war with Victor."
"No, but a chance to bring ourselves closer to Dendrin? Why shouldn't we jump at such a chance?"
"Eh...I think you're asking the wrong person, Tulla."
"I know, but I'm so busy with coordinating the war effort, I just don't have time to study this book like I would've been able to in the old days. I mean I suppose I could wait until after the war is won, but who knows how long that will be exactly? And there's never a guarantee on survival."
"Don't say that." You remark.
"You know better than anyone that life can be cut short in a blink of an eye."
"Hmm, I also know that sometime life can just go on and on and on…" you say causing Tulla to laugh.

"Alright, I'll study this book again, I've got the time after all. You just be careful out there." You say.

Tulla thanks you and after a couple more brief exchanges she's on her way again, leaving you alone.

"Well Talia, I said I wanted to help more, guess I better get to it."

You spend the next few days reading over the book. You thought you weren't going to have any better luck than you did decades ago, but actually you understand it a little better now. You can even figure out some of the unfamiliar language. The problem though is you're still not getting a good feeling about the ritual.

It's still vague on what exactly will happen, but the shadows would be linked with Dendrin's realm not just in a spiritual sense, but also in a very real physical sense. The shadows essentially would become REAL shadows. Incorporeal and no longer susceptible to the weaknesses that most beings suffer. At least that's what you think it means.

Worshipping Dendrin is one thing, but becoming some sort of a wisp? An intangible being with real no sense of self? You can't imagine wanting to transform yourself in such a manner regardless of the benefits. However you wouldn't be involved, it would be Tulla and the rest of her shadows and they may be more willing to jump at the chance. True they aren't the fanatics like the old shadows, but one never can tell.

You even attempt to pray to Dendrin, just so you can ask him more about this ritual, but you have no luck. You're on your own in this and you're only left with a couple choices. You could just destroy the book and solve the problem that way or you can tell Tulla the truth about the spell and let her make her own decision.

You tell the truth

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."