Welcome to Gaia! ::

Where was Zahara through all this drama? Standing right behind everyone watching and listening to everything. Oh yes, she saw and heard it all. Malik being an a** and arguing. Piper getting upset, the whole nine yards. She just stood there petting at Serino while he was messing with her and every once in a while she would hold in a giggle as he nipped her. Serino made her happy, though her eyebrows shot up when Piper lost it, that was rather interesting, now wasn't it? She said nothing, and just shook her head. This hadn't quite gone as planned, now had it? Well...that's life. She smiled softly to herself, served him right. Of course every once in a while she took a glance around, Oracle, upset Vah, Sevilin, Piper, Tarathiel, Sevilin, Malik, Morelle, Sevilin, Nym...wait...she shook her head. She had to stop this...stupid whatever it was.

The air around Zahara began to chill, her breaths seemed to hasten without her giving it any thought or effort, or the hastening was simply caused by everyone else seemingly slowing down.

Suddenly as the world seemed to sit still, the images about her, Piper, Serino, Sevilin, and the rest faded into darkness.

Before her stood two images. The one on the right, looked very much like a drow but his features were augmented by spider-like agumentations. His purple eyes glowed with a soft lavender light. The left image was a more wholesome image, that seemed to be at ease or blessed. His enlightened form was a muscular minotaur, of drow proportiions.

"You have a choice. You may chose to continue to worship the Spider Queen and embrace the Damnation that follows in the Lady Of Chaos' wake. Or You may find another diety, and embrace the Pact that will bring you salvation." The voice was an echo, as though Malik D'vinn, Sevilin, and Kimmuriel were whispering together, while a very strong feminine voice overlapped them.

The spider-like drow male screamed in pain as its body litterally melted away before Zahara. The form became a pile of bile, then the voice spoke. "The Spider Queen is jealous, and will hunt you forever for leaving her." The minotaur-like creature sudenly split into two forms, one white, one black.

A new voice began to speak, very archaic and wise sounding. "You must choose. The Path of Light will bring happiness to the world, but will cause you the most certain peril. The Path of Dark will bring you happiness, but will cause the world most certain peril."

A third minotaur materialized between the two, grey as a soft smoke. The other two minotaur's shrank beneth his gaze before become whiffs of powder which was drawn up into the third creature.

The archaic voice asked another question fallowed by several more. "What is the most important thing in the world? How do you intend to uphold and protect this?" The rude voice seemed to ignore the questions that Zahara asked.

A song began to play within Zahara's mind. The song carried several tunes, each one promised victory in battle, strength of courage, and the triumph of a divinity bent on protecting his beloved.

"This song will replace your former diety's presence within your mind. If ever you need the strength of a diety who wishes success to these goals you present here, in the Trials of Fate, you only need focus within your soul, and feel the righteous might there in."

The grey minotaur began to sing a tune from the vast song encircling the darkness about Zahara. The minotaur suddenly glowed a softer grey, and seemed to contain a great strength, he then called out the archaic words that were within another tune, and conjoured a column of fire before him. With one final demonstation of the song's power, he called forth another, but very faint tune. This tune could barely be heard in the mass of other songs. The body of a fallen minotaur appeared before him, and he pressed one hand to its body, and cried out the final words which caused his soul to be released, but reserected the fallen minotaur.

"These powers and more are yours, but you must meditate each day to find the song. In time, you will hear each verse, and you will know how and when to use it. Never forget your goal, and never forget your strength. Those with strength are charished above all others, but those who will their strength beyond eternity to protect the beloved will be granted great favour."

The darkness became complete for a moment, and the image of Tarathiel appeared. "You called for me?" The Son of Chaos looked very much like Zahara would picture him, as though her mind's eye was altering his image.

"Because I hate Lloth and everything she stands for, and you deserve better than the eternal damnation that accompanies her spellcrafting."

"Because I killed Tarathiel for her desires, and that killed me."

"Because maybe I like you and want you to find happiness."

"Because my consious is an active part of my life."

"Because it will increase your power and your ability to help me."

"Because it will lead you to were you want to go, and that might benefit me."

"Because we might become friends."

"Because we might find something in this world that might bring us some measure of joy."

"Because I might love you."

"Because it will draw Lloth's powers away from me."

"Because Lloth's agenda is not a very productive one."

"Because I am enough Lloth for this side of the Galixy."

"Because I simply wanted to help you."

The answers came out earnistly without break, his voice seemed to uncontrollably speak the answers as though he did not have a choice in the mater.