"Her dreams, they are getting stronger. She sees even us from time to time."
A warmth breaks over you, promising of summer sun, that voice is so like one that you have heard before, "She gets stronger, not the amulets. They just woke the ability, Morrigan."
"In the end they may kill her, those visions. The truth may well kill them all."
"You may or may not be right Morrigan. It is time for us to talk, away from the eyes of my daughter. Go child, dream what you are supposed to see, the future, the past, the present, they await you." Epona's warm voice said.
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"Gaius is gone. His path led him away from us." Gaviao says, "He is not who he once used to be, but none of us are."
"I knew that long ago when he killed his drow girlfriend. I just didn't want to believe it until now." It is your own voice that speaks.
"He was a friend but now he walks in Arumaga's footsteps. We may have to kill him." Gaviao replies, leaning on Excalibur, "You know that don't you?"
"We might, Gaviao. I am not sure that I could handle that right now."
"I can, Callas."
------------
Two figures walking down a long hallway, filled with bookcases and books.
"I am glad that you joined us Gaius, that cloak we have sought for sometime. We need all the gate locations as soon as you can provide them."
Gaius nods, "As soon as the ceremony that links me to the powers of the gods you have killed is performed, then the cloaks secrets will be yours, Arumaga."
--------------
"Arnie is fading. The one, you call Aiden has to be removed. The orb he touched is interfering in some manner with his abilities. It acts as if he is one of the artifacts and is trying to destroy him." An illithid is speaking telepathically to you, "Only his father may be able to help him."
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Passion, two lovers tangled in the night, twisting, writhing, thrusting. The woman's face turns to you. It is you. The male body, filled with scars, turns. Galvin. "I have always loved you and always will, Callas."
You run your hand down to Galvins right thigh. Its scars crosshatched into a pattern. It is obviously your name burned there. "How did Malik know?"
"Malik did a great many things unconsciously. Carving your name in my leg was just one of them." Galvin replied.
You settle into his arms for warm and comfort but that scar is horrible reminder of things past and situations yet to come. But tonight is just tonight.
----------------
Strawberries, in her human form, throws a fistful of gems at the wall. The softer gems shatter against the hard granite, the diamonds drill their way into the wall. She is crying, tears streaming down her face. "Forever human." She sobs.
"I am sorry, my wife." Riyor says, standing over her.
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"It is the destiny of the person wielding Excalibur to be a King. I am the lord of the Knights Templar, long may they reign." Gaviao shouts standing high on a castle wall. Shouts and cheers greet him back. "Evil has taken purchase in this land and we will take it back. Death to the king of france. Death to Louis." Shouts of death to Louis ring out. "When this day is done, Evil will tremble at the sight of us. Long live the Knight Templar. Long live my empire." Shouts of Gaviao ring out.
---------------
"I did not think that drow, could grow beards, Tennant."
"Under normal circumstances, I would have to agree with you, Callas. But if you have the ability, you have to try it just once. What do you think?"
"I liked you better evil, I think." You clap him on the back, scanning a horde of dead orc, goblins, and ogres. "You scare me now."
------------------
A birth in process, your mother much younger giving birth. An older midwife attending. Your father in the background. Your mother gives one mighty push and out drops a baby girl. Its head lolls off to the side, no sound from its tiny lungs. The midwife slaps it hard, no response, she holds its chest to her ear and slowly shakes her head.
"I am sorry," She says, "Stillborn."
Your father walks over to the baby and takes her, "We were going to name you Callas little one. It will have to be on your tombstone now."
Epona appears, invisible to the rest. Her stomach is swollen with child as well. She reaches her hand into her belly and pulls forth a living child. Your father looks up to your mother who is crying. He looks down again and the child's hand twitches. Your father turns and slaps the child hard on the back. The baby screams. "She lives," he yells.
Epona stands, stillborn child in her hand, "At least you have the same father, if different mothers. Live long, Callas. I will be watching you."
"That is a miracle." The old midwife says, "I have never seen a stillborn come back to life." The old midwife stares a bit longer, "Didn't Callas have a different hair color just a minute ago?"
**************************************
Callas wakes with a start, long experience with waking from nightmares around horses being the only thing that muffles the shriek that feels as if it wants to climb out of her throat. She breathes shallowly and rapidly, drawing comfort from the warmth of the horses she's nestled between.
Her hands shaking, she fumbles with the claps of the necklaces the amulets are hung on, as their heat nearly burns the bare skin they're resting on. One, then two, are tucked into a pouch.
She lifts her hands again, to undo the third, and hesitates. Then shakes her head, and leaves it on. The heat is fading rapidly from the amulet.
Galvin is awake, she knows, woken by her fear and confusion, but she stays where she is. There's that paralysis, too, of acknowledging something that had always been there, unrecognized until the last few days. The sky is still dark, it's maybe two hours till sunrise, on one of the longest nights of the year. She pulls a piece of parchment and a pen and ink bottle out of the same pouch, and scribbles a few lines.
She doesn't realize she's crying until a tear falls on the page, smearing the fresh ink. Hastily, she shoves ink and pen and paper back into her bag, and then curls up tight against Daffodil.
"I didn't want to know. I didn't want to know...that. Any of it... I hoped it would be better if I could see it clearer, but it's worse."
There's a light step outside the large stall she and the horses are in. Callas frowns and rises silently to her feet.
Galvin stops at the stall entrance. Callas' face is streaked with grime and blood and tears, she's obviously exhausted beyond all reason and completely out of spells, and still stands ready to fight if need be.
"Peace, Callas." Her shoulders sag as she recognizes him. "I told Gavaio where you were, so he didn't worry when he finds you gone in the morning. And I brought some blankets for you. The straw gets scratchy, I know."
The first question that comes to Callas' mind is "how did you know where I was?" but the answer to that comes as quickly as the question; Galvin has known her for years, knows it's her habit when the nightmares come to go sleep in the barn, knows that the first place she runs when emotionally wounded is to the comfort of her first friends, the horses.
Instead, the second question, spoken before she can think about it: "Will you stay with me?"
He steps forward, into the stall. "You had only to ask."
In the morning, when the tardy sun finally makes its way over the hill and into the barn, it finds Callas and Galvin asleep in the straw, still fully clothed. Galvin is curled around Callas as if trying to protect her from the nightmares that have haunted her ever since he's known her.
Or trying to protect her from the evil that is coming for them all.
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