Alestra's History

Born to a small town, Alestra did not realize through the first years of her life that her world was torn by strife, constantly under the yoke of slavery in all but name, the people bowed by pain and enforced servitude. Always a sensitive girl, when she realized how farspread and how deeply the misery of the people around her ran, she dropped to her knees and cried out, begging that somebody help, somebody destroy the pain. A warmth suddenly envelopped her, and she realized that she was no longer alone. Slowly she raised her tear-streaked face, and saw before her three figures cloaked in soft light. The first was a tall woman clothed in the garb of a warrior and emitting a red glow. Her face was strong and proud, and her eyes seemed to shoot fire. Alestra recognized her as Shakanya, the Goddess of War. The next was a young girl with laughing eyes and a constant smile. She skipped rather than walking, and seemed to be never still or silent. The glow around her was gold, and seemed to shimmer as though trembling with laughter. She was obviously Irianelle, the goddess of life. The last was a young man of amazing beauty and the saddest eyes Alestra had ever seen. His glow was of sad blue, and his features were marked by deep sadness, but had the strength of one who had experienced tortures such as most could not imagine and lived to tell the tale. He, Alestra did not recognize.

The man stepped forward and said, in a voice both sad and compassionate. "Do you know who we are, Lady?"

"Milord, I- I recognize your companions, but truly I do not know who you are."

He nodded solemnly. "I am Draim. Known as the God of Death."

Her jaw dropped in shock and she stared at him. Whatever she had expected Death to look like, beautiful, sad, and compassionate would not have come to mind. She realized she was being rude, and quickly glanced away to stop staring. "My lord- I- For what do I have the honor of your presence?"

"We heard your plea," he replied in the same soft tone.

"Are you- are you sending some warrior to fight this pain, then?" she asked, hope filling her voice.

Slowly, regretfully, he shook his head. "Much though I wish t'were otherwise, this we cannot do. How could we order anyone to take on such a task? To champion a cause that they could truly never win? Who would willingly bear such a cause, fight such a war?

Eyes locked on his, she whispered, "Surely there are those who see the pain and would do anything to end it?"

"Lady," he replied, "You overestimate your fellows. You are the first mortal in centuries to feel this pain in others more strongly than your own, and to feel this need to end teh pain in the world, no matter what the cost to yourself."

"What he is saying, lass," the calm voice of Shakanya spoke up, "is that the only possible warrior of the cause you speak of-"

"Is you," Ilanrielle's musical tones finished the statement. "There's nobody else who has so much as truly recognized the pain, much less so whole-heartedly begged for some solution to be found."

Alestra's eyes finally jerked away from those of Draim. "Me?" she whispered. "But- what could I do? I'm no healer to stop the physical pains! No, nor a warrior to end the oppression that seems to be everywhere!"

Draim nodded slowly. "We are here to give you three choices."

Unable to speak, her eyes silently asked the question of what those choices were.

"The first," Ilirielle began, "is the one we find it least likely that you accept. You will continue as you are. Knowing and feeling all this pain around you, but unable or unwilling to do anythign about it. You may make whatever life for yourself that you will."

"How could I ever live, surrounded by all this pain, able to do nothing for it?"

Not answering the question, Shakanya spoke. "Your second option is to take on his mission. To devote your life to the banishment of pain from this realm, even knowing that you can never entirely succeed."

Alestra shivered at the sheer size of the idea, but said nothing as Draim began to speak. "Your third choice," he said, very softly, "is me. Leaving this life and taking a spot free from the misery of this world in the heavens."

Almost, Alestra immediately jumped at the choice. She could never live surrounded by so much pain. And yet- what of all those she left behind? Reluctantly, not sure she wanted to know the answer, she asked that question.

"They will continue as they are," Draim replied.

"Is there no chance that some hero will come and save them? Destroy this pain?"

Slowly, almost unwillingly, Draim shook his head. "There is no chance. Not for several hundred years, at any rate."

Tears in her eyes, Alestra slowly nodded. "Then I must do what I can. I may be good for little- but little is better, surely, than nothing. I will- I will take this quest. I will fight this war."

Shakanya laid a hand upon her shoulder and she felt strength flow into her. "I then gift you with strength and skill," the goddess stated. "That you might fell the evil who keep this land in chains."

Then she stepped back and Ilirielle laid her hand upon her other shoulder and said, "And I do gift you with the ability to heal, that you might aid those who are hurt and in pain."

Finally Draim stepped forward and gently cupped her face with one hand, brushing her cheek with his knuckles. "And I," he whispered, "give you a gift also. I give you the gift of not fighting this battle entirely alone. There is one who will join you, if you will take him."

Slowly she nodded. "I can not imagine refusing help in such an impossible mission."

Draim called out a name, and she heard someone move behind her. She turned, and found herself face to face with a huge tiger. "This is Allian," Draim stated. "He will be friend and companion to you in the lonely days yet to come, if this is agreeable to you both."

~Tis agreeable to me,~ Alestra heard a voice state within her mind. ~I will travel and fight with you, if you will have me, Lady.~

"Yes- of- of course," she whispered back. Then, slowly, reached out and put one hand on the tiger's neck. His purr filled the room, and she suddenly felt her task not quite so impossible. Oh, she could never entirely solve the problems of the world. But surely, together, they could help people. She turned to thank the gods, but found only empty space behind her.

~Don't worry about them,~ Allian's deep voice resounded through her mind. ~They always pull disappearing acts like that.~ A mental laugh made her smile as well.

Since that day, the two travelled and fought together, always fighting for the end of all pain and evil, even knowing that that end will truly never be in sight. Every smile brought to lips, every demon destroyed, and every wound healed is one more step towards the end that will never arrive.

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