The Crossroads

A few days after returning from the pilgrimage to the Great Temple of Voices, The City of Dis has been visited by Daegna’ar’s ambassadors. Which was a surprise to everyone, especially Sahmael. As the ruler of Infernum for the last 16 years, there was no one powerful enough to even have an ambassador, and the hierarchy of this place was very simple - power dictates your position in the food chain of Infernum. Sahmael should thank Abaddon for that.

The ambassadors told Sahmael that a new powerful being whose name is Daegna’ar is marching towards the city’s walls and all Daegna’ar wants is the primordial named Eireen. The Lord of Dis has 3 days to prepare his decision – to fight or to surrender Eireen.

Sahmael called upon Ba’aelzathar and ordered him to do all he must to ensure Eireens expedited recovery from the purification. He must learn why she was so coveted by this Daegna’ar, and how to exploit his weaknesses in the upcoming clash.

Ba’aelzathar summoned 9 elder healers of Dis, who were under the direct control of Ba’aelzathar, and Ba’aelzathar alone. He put the task before them to heal Eireen to full strength, even if it means sacrificing parts of themselves in the process. Knowing their purpose now, the healers got to work. The process thankfully was possible to be done in a short amount of time, but excruciatingly painful for both, the patient and the healers. The ritual started immediately, without a hint of hesitation, the healers obeyed the rule of Ba’aelzathar and committed to it fully.

Eireen didn’t remember much of her time in Infernum, bits, and pieces, like shards of a broken mosaic window pane, darted around her mind, and were foggy at best, these moments were more emotions and colors stored in her mind than a full memory of anything that happened. The erosion became so deep that she partly remembered who she was in the first place. That she gave her life to science and near the end of her memory, where everything becomes murky, she recalled finding the love she coveted all her life. But that love was resented, thrown away, by someone she saved, nursed back to health, and made whole again. She sacrificed her being, to be more than she was, for him, but it was overlooked. And then Eireen remembered Sahmael, the idea of him, the feeling that he evoked in her. She felt safe in his presence, the emanating power of his being gave Eireen peace and she longed for him since.

Ba’aelzathar knew what was at stake, and understood that the reconstruction process will take a lot from the healers, and memories are not going to be returned to her, as there was someone completely different in the driver's seat this whole time she was lurking around Infernum. As his Lord wanted her to be his right hand, Ba’aelzathar wove a sweet lie to get Eireen on their side when Daegna’ar comes about.

The ritual took a few hours to complete, then Eireen left to rest for the night. First thing in the morning, Ba’aelzathar checked in on her to put the lie into action.

As they talked, he told her where she was. And explained to her that she plays a vital part in a prophecy that foretold the coming of a mortal who ascends to power in Infernum side by side with the Lord of Dis, the ruler of Infernum – Sahmael. He shared with her that this prophecy was foretold millennia ago, before the great Fall, and carved into the walls of temples scattered around Infernum. While many details have been lost to time and the great Fall, the carvings tell about the challenge that the mortal will have to endure before she comes to power. This challenge will be her past testing her will to move on to better things, and if she succeeds, a firstborn will be born, who will give the start to a New Era of Conquest.

It seemed that Eireen finally found what she was looking for all her life, the answers to the forever present question of why was she born and is there purpose to a life, or is there only chaos. She always knew the truth, but the scientist in her needed proof. Well, here you are Eireen. Your proof.