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--- story:body_and_soul [2024/09/07 19:21] – Kyle
+++ story:body_and_soul [2025/05/29 13:00] (current) – Kyle
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 <WRAP centeralign>
 ======Body & Soul======
-[[story:start|Back to Stories]] - [[mcdm:character:dotty|More about Dotty]] - [[character:aldrun|More about Aldrun]]\\ \\
+[[story:start|Back to Stories]] - [[character:dotty|More about Dotty]] - [[character:aldrun|More about Aldrun]]\\ \\
 //Written by: Kyle//\\
@@ Line 215: / Line 215: @@
 Dispater accepted Dotty’s deal, both her’s and Aldrun’s souls will belong to Dispater until the end of time, unless they can kill Chancellor Halgevur, Bane of Hope, Archduke of Minauros, Third city of the Nine Hells. In which case, Dotty’s soul would be returned to her and released from Archdevil Dispater’s service.
+The two stood found seating at an arena hosted by Halgevur. Their target sat in sectioned off and raised platform only a dozen seats away from where Dotty and Aldrun sat. They planned to make their move once the arena fights began, hoping the display would distract most from their goal.
+Aldrun looked over to Dotty after assessing the scene. She was nervous, a rare sight for her. “We can get him now. If you don’t want to wait.”
+“You shouldn’t be here. This is a mistake.” Dotty remained staring at the empty arena.
+“Look, they’re starting.” Aldrun pointed out to a gate on the far end from them that slowly opened.
+“Aren’t you afraid?”
+“I’m terrified. But I’m here with you, that’s all that matters.”
+Dotty sighed and looked at Aldrun’s helm. “Your face better have expressions when we get it back.” Dotty looked back to see a bone devil emerging with a couple of warg. “But also oddly calming when I can’t see a terrified face.”
+“Bone devil, can’t slash ‘em have to stab into gaps between the bone.”
+“I know you’re trying to distract me.”
+“The hells is that?” Aldrun looked in front of them where another devil had emerged from a gate out of their views.
+“Steel devil, never fought one before?” Dotty looked to Aldrun shaking his head. “Neither have I, but heard tales of them shredding their foes to a fine mince.”
+----
+It wasn’t long until Dotty was proven right. The arena had become a bloody battlefield. There were no recognisable parts of the wargs remaining, bone armour scattered, and the steel devil screeching as a heavily scratched Aldrun pulled the head of the devil from its body trapped under Aldrun’s boot. The Bane of Hope floated from above his platform down to the arena where he came eye level with Dotty, hovering just above the viscera and out of blades reach.
+“I must say, you two put on quite the display.” Halgevur spun around announcing to the crowd, arms stretched out. “Give our new fighters a round of applause.” The hoard of fiends erupted in thunderous noise, slowing as he lowered his left arm, right arm reaching for a cut on his cheek. Eyes narrowing on Dotty. “It was rude of you to think I was combatant. Time I teach you two a lesson in politeness.”
+Dotty rushed forward hoping to catch Halgevur off guard, he flew back dodging Dotty’s sword by an inch. Aldrun followed up from the side planning to do the same, but like Dotty, he missed. Halgevur scoffed at their attempts, rose his right hand ready to snap his fingers.
+“Kneel.” His fingers snapped, Dotty’s body contorted and moved against her will, forcing her to the ground. The Chancellor looked confusingly toward Aldrun. “How?”
+Aldrun saw a moment and took it. With quick step and slide across the slick blood, slicing into Halgevur’s side. Halgevur looked directly at Aldrun, snapping his fingers once again to no effect. Aldrun made another charge, the Chancellor flicked his wrist moments before Aldrun reached him, sending the Slayer of Fiends through the air, into the crowd.
+Returning to the writhing Dotty, Halgevur flicked his wrist down slamming her into the bloody muck, forcing her grip of her sword to fail. Then flicking up, he lifted her into the air. Halgevur brought her close, studying the fury in her eyes. Dotty tried speaking but the same force held her mouth closed.
+“Hush now. Look to your partner.” Helgevur’s words rung in Dotty’s ears as her head twisted toward the ravaging crowd all fighting and clamouring over each other, trying to get to a treasure buried deep. “They call me the Bane of Hope, because all that try to end me give up before they can even get close. Your friend was curious. I can control flesh and bone with ease, even the steel devil they killed still has some hidden deep. They were also much better and faster than any construct or automaton I’ve seen.” A tear formed in Dotty’s eye, forced by the devil. “Now, now, I’m sure you both lived full lives, but it’s time for your sad story to end.”
+A force slashed its way from inside the crowd, carving a path out and back to the arena. The suit of armour emerging from the horde alongside a ghost of an orc. The two cutting down fiends while remaining focused on the Archduke. Dotty feeling a weakness in the Archduke’s force, grabbed a knife strapped to her thigh, plunging it into the cut made by Aldrun. Both dropping to the muck.
+Halgevur was the first to rise. “Still some hope left, I see.” He looked to the armour and ghost still fighting off the lesser demons, redirected to Dotty he rose his hand once more prepared to snap. He would have snapped if not for the ghostly orc that appeared by his side, lopping off his hand with swift action. Dotty grabbed her sword and with a roll slashed the back of the devil’s knees, causing him to drop to a kneel as his one good hand held the stump of the other.
+Dotty made eye contact with the ghost, then glancing toward the suit cleaning up the rest of the horde, then back to the orcish ghost. “Aldrun?” The ghost nodded and shrugged at the same time before pointing his sword at Chancellor Halgevur’s chest. Dotty followed suit, pointing her sword into the Archduke of Minauros’ spine. The battered and failing armour walked over, placing the sword of Greyhawk against the Bane of Hope’s neck.
+The devil opened his mouth to speak. Two blades sunk into him and the third opened his throat. No words came out.
+Dotty looked up to see the ghost had gone. No movement or noise remained in the arena. Dotty and Aldrun were alone. “Who was that?”
+“That was me.”
+“You’re good looking. Seriously though, how long have you been able to do that?”
+“Since I was bound to this armour and only when I’ve lost hope.”
+Dotty looked at the body on the ground before looking back at Aldrun, smiling at him. “Time to get my soul back.”
+<WRAP centeralign>
+====Spring 12338====
+</WRAP>
+It was the night before the ritual day to restore Aldrun’s body. Since the two couldn’t use training to recover Dotty’s soul anymore, Aldrun had spent countless days talking with scholars and historians as they examined the sword of Greyhawk and queried him on his past life and of Hendertown. Dotty insisted it was only twelve days, Aldrun insisted he’s never needed to count more than he has fingers, anymore is too many. The two sat on a lounge together. A low fireplace provided no warmth, but the soft crackle reminded both of their days roaming the wilds, with no home to return to and only the stars above their heads.
+Dotty was reading a book titled ‘Bartholomew, Knight of Anera’ a book loaned to her by Movrag, detailing the discovery of a 10,000-year-old petrified Knight belonging to an unknown goddess, his restoration to life and struggles he had fitting into society before requesting to be re-petrified, not wishing to continue living but not wanting to die either. Aldrun on the other hand, had a book titled ‘Legend of Lady Greyhawk’ which the scholars freely gave to him after he allowed them to examine his sword, forged by the Lady herself. He pretended to read the book, skipping the pages without images or diagrams.
+Aldrun closed his book, unable to find any new images within its pages. “Last night bound to this armour and we’re sitting around.”
+Dotty remained focused on her book, but responded. “Should we be doing something?”
+“I don’t know. Should we prepare?”
+“Aldy, it’s all being sorted. All we have to do is show up in the morning.”
+“What then?” Aldrun sighed.
+Dotty put her book down, then faced Aldrun. “Then whatever we want. We’ll both be free from any control over us.”
+“I don’t know what I want.”
+“With our souls and bodies our own,” Dotty hesitated before continuing, “You could seek the worthy-”
+“No.” Aldrun interrupted. A silence lingered for a moment. “Ever since we met, I have felt alive. I looked for death as it was all I wanted.”
+Dotty eyes saddened at the thought of him seeking death, but smiled at the thought of the change. “Then we can leave the city, find a village and grow old. Together. Pick up the odd contract when we need coin, live a mostly quiet life. Few of us get to retire and this might be our chance.”
+Aldrun thought for a while. “Can we rebuild Hendertown? It’s the only place I’ve ever called home.”
+A simple nod is all Aldrun needed. He instead received Dotty’s head on his shoulder and as she agreed. “Of course. I love the idea.”
+----
+The following morning, Dotty and Aldrun packed light as they typically did for long distance travel, intending to not step foot in the shack outside of Sunwood that had sheltered them over the past months. Both were keen to leave the city behind them as soon as they were done with it. The walk to the academy seemed to drag longer than their usual trips to the academy. Reaching the outer gates they stopped. Each waiting for the other to be brave enough to continue. A voice called out from behind them, neither noticing it at first until it was right behind them.
+“Hello? Anyone home?”
+Dotty and Aldrun spun around, reflectively ready to fight until they saw Oliver’s shocked face.
+“My apologies, please, I didn’t mean to frighten.”
+Dotty was first to snap out. “No, we’re sorry, bit on edge today.” Both Dotty and Aldrun calmed.
+Oliver let out a sigh of relief. “Today? This is it?”
+“Yes, then we leave.” Aldrun spoke bluntly.
+“Right, well I have a busy schedule, if I don’t see you in the flesh, I wish you all the best.” Oliver held out his hand and shook Aldrun’s hand, before turning to Dotty. “Make sure he remembers to eat and drink. Don’t want him starving to death after getting a stomach back.” Oliver held out his hand to Dotty who shook his hand in return. “I know you’re not the city type, but if you ever find yourselves here, we’ll have to have another lunch, one that you can join Aldrun.”
+“Thank you, many feasts shall be had.” Aldrun thanked Oliver, “We still get lost. Do you have enough time to?”
+“For friends, I always have time.”
+Oliver led the pair to the small necromancy wing and the practical hall, there they found Masters Movrag and Hebaroot waiting, having just finished their preparations. While the other Masters of Remon’s Academy were intrigued no others where available to attend, the Grand Master Inawyn, highest rank in the academy, while unavailable to stay for the ritual itself, made time to examine the preparations and brief meeting with Aldrun and Dotty.
+The two Masters drew symbols on Aldrun’s armour, another odd sensation for him but was growing used to odd feelings. Aldrun was so wrapped up in following the Movrag’s and Hebaroot’s orders it wasn’t until the ritual had begun that he noticed Dotty in the room's corner, looking terrified and watching every movement the wizards made, searching for a hostile intent that wasn’t there.
+Light filled Aldrun’s vision. Pain surged across every part of him. He felt like screaming but nothing came out, tried to move but felt an incredible weight force him down. Visions, memories flooded Aldrun, from childhood not fitting in with full blood orcs, searching for his human father, aiding villages and towns, finding Hendertown, earning his title and ally-ship with the town, wielding Rebutter. Memory of his own shameful death. Waking up in the cold armour in an unfamiliar land and time, bound to serve a Queen, deserting his servitude, fearing another shameful death, slaying all fiends in his path, wanting to have a prideful death. The night he and Dotty fought, thinking she’d bring him the death he wished for, instead, she brought him life.
+A final surge of pain caused Aldrun to scream, as he felt what he imagined what being flayed alive would feel like. He moved against his will, parts of him constricting and extending. Relief. Aldrun felt at peace.
+<WRAP centeralign>
+====Summer 12338====
+</WRAP>
+Aldrun felt the heat of the sun, the sweat rolling down his back, the dryness of his throat. Most would consider the experience unpleasant, but for him, they were feelings he had only dreamed of feeling again. He tilted his head back, trying to catch whatever breeze he could. Dropping an axe, he wiped down his bald head before placing his hands on his hips.
+“Can’t hide your tiredness now, can you old man?” Dotty laughed, finishing a last cut through a log.
+Aldrun didn’t speak to the comment right away, opting to fetch the nearby waterskins, handing one to Dotty then taking a swig from the other. “Wizards said you were a hand full of years older.”
+“They forgot you were born at least 500 years ago.” Claimed Dotty. The two looked into each other’s eyes “Fine, we’ll drop it for now old man. So much easier to read you now you have a face.”
+Aldrun chuckled before looking back to the sky. “Good work this morning. Pick back up when sun is lower?”
+Dotty followed Aldrun’s gaze. “Agreed. Come meet me at the hilltop soon.”
+Raise his eyebrows, Aldrun reluctantly agreed, no doubt more town planning. He knew it wasn’t his strength, but he also was the one who put forth the idea of building a town.
+Dotty leant against a large easel at the hill’s top, overlooking the area, their mostly complete home, start of reforming road, and rough plots marked out for more homes, farms, shops, and services. She made a slight tweak to the design as she waited for Aldrun. They had both already agreed she’d be best suited to run the management New Hendertown as Mayor, while Aldrun advised on its history and hold position of Captain.
+Together at the hill, Dotty led Aldrun through an overgrown path. Aldrun knew where she was leading him right away, but followed her anyway. After a short trek, they emerged into a clearing. Trees and most bushes respected the boundary laid out by a short stone wall. Gravestones came into view. Dotty stopped at the foot of Aldrun’s gravestone. Aldrun looked to Dotty then to his own grave. It had been restored and a line added underneath, ‘Reborn 12338’ and a space next to his grave had been marked with a crude wooden markers which read, ‘For future Dotty’. Aldrun didn’t speak, only smiling.
+Dotty wrapped an arm around Aldrun pulling him close. “I hope we live long, free lives. But know, no matter what we’ll be side by side until end of time.”
+Returning the action, Aldrun leant his head against Dotty’s. “Thank you. I’ve been dead long enough. It’s time for both of us to live.”