Forgotten, not lost; one in being with the planet

The barely audible thud of Anghara’s feet reverberated almost silently through the loosely packed soil. She was silently reciting the prayer that was forever etched into her memory. It held so much more meaning for her now. She, herself, was long forgotten. But lost? No; she was truly one in being with the planet. Her steps were quick but precise on the scarcely visible path. Very few travelers ever used it; hence the lack of direction it seemed to have.

Sacred, divine, and pure; a being of virtue

It was here she stopped and allowed the sweet scent of pine to assail her nostrils. The smell drew memories from deep within her subconscious to replay themselves behind her glistening brown eyes. Her feet moved forward again at a rapid pace until she found herself surrounded with the very trees she had smelled only moments before. Once safely enclosed in the sweet scent of remembrance, she squatted down in the dirt so that her knees were to her chest and her face stared at the ground. This place felt so very Sacred and pure that she herself was almost enveloped with the heavy feeling of it.

It is with solemn heart and heavy hand that all integrate themselves into the plan of the Mother

One of her olive-skinned hands removed itself from the folds of her cloak to trace circles absently in the loose dirt as she let memories flood back to her. Images of her family, the council, the debate…all of it flashed before her as it had done so many times. There was her rival; accusing her of the crime she had never committed. There was the head of the council, shaking his head and condemning her to exile. The forlorn faces of her family grimacing as tears streamed down their helpless faces. A cool feeling on her cheek jerked her back to reality. A breeze had blown across the tear she had shed. Her fingers flicked the dust from them and moved to wipe the elf’s face. She stood quickly and began to press on.

The woods were not deep. She knew the city was not far off, and the thought of something warm to eat and a soft bed to sleep in was motivation for her pace to quicken. Upon leaving the woods, Anghara drew her hood up to save her face from the occasional harsh winds that blew over these plains. The familiar touch of rigid metal against her left leg was a constant reminder of her purpose. Her sword had been crafted from Stethryl by the hands of her own people only a few years before her departure from the city. The combination of steel and mythril complimented each other beautifully. This weapon was easy to swing, but also accommodated for a very great deal of power. The dagger on her right hip was also within easy reach, but it was only a secondary weapon.

To love and to serve to the best of one’s ability

She paused once more to listen attentively for any sound at all. The dying grass beneath her boots whispered quietly to the trees at her back. She heard their branches respond in the wind, rustling their deeper, wiser tones to the younger but fading grass. A gentle and sincere smile appeared briefly in the corners of her mouth. She had grown so accustomed to nature’s discussions of this kind that it was almost like being able to understand them again. Her destination could not be much further off. Moments later she would be in view of it. Once again, she moved forward.

Perhaps only minutes later, a general hum of activity reached her slightly pointed ears, and her sharp eyes started to pick up an occasional puff of smoke or a flicker of light. Dusk was falling somewhat rapidly, and it was only as she turned a corner around a large outcropping that she saw the entrance to the city in the fading sunlight. It was then she chose to recite the last line of her prayer, and folded her hands across her chest as she did so – purely in the fashion that was accustomed to her upon ending a prayer such as this.

Until the great light has gone out. (Namar)