Survival
(about How Alyssa Tessele became a Daggerspell Invoker)
(about How Alyssa Tessele became a Daggerspell Invoker)
In an ancient forest
"You are back" said the old man, sitting in front of the huge tree.
"Wasn't that your advice?" smirked Alyssa.
"You are always welcome. So what's the problem?"
"I.. Something is changing in me. It is not going like it was suppose to go" said Alyssa, frowning a little, "I am dead serious now, I believe I might die if things keep on going like this"
The man nodded slightly, offering her a little smile "Well, let's no rush to any conclusion before the time. Here, take a sit my child, and tell me more"
Alyssa offered a warm smile in response and approached the old man
"Yes, guardian"
A secret mentor from the past
From Alyssa's notes, in the Tesseles' secret residence, somewhere close to Waterdeep
I have spent several days looking for that book but, yet, I have no clue where it could be now. What about my father so far? No cooperation.
He keeps on stating that he destroyed the book, which is something I can't really believe. How fool I have been! A powerful wizard like my mother was, who was writing a research tome with the very purpose to access the library of Candlekeep, fallen dead just before she could complete it… And my father destroys her book?
No way, seriously, it cannot be true.
Memories and thoughts
In an ancient forest
"So you are telling me that it has changed. It burns now?" asked the old man.
"Hotter than fire. It's disturbing and painful" replied Alyssa slowly.
"Then it is worse than my expectations" thoughtfully asserted the man.
"You did know about it? How?" asked Alyssa.
"I guessed it. Must be how your pact is supposed to work, my child. Now, you are in quite a trouble."
"My pact?" suddenly said the girl "I am managing it, I was supposed to use my power to protect me and my family. That is what I am doing!"
The old man smiled briefly "You gullible girl. Where is the gain for the entity who granted you those powers in that? There is something already extraordinary in you, you're managing to keep your mind clear." "But your soul," Kept on "that does not belong to you anymore"
"I am planning to put a fix on that actually" replied humbly Alyssa.
"Which is exactly the reason why what you told me is happening. To consume you, as fast as possible" the old man paused, thoughtful.
"I am using the eldritch power only when necessary" told him Alyssa.
"It won't work. Actually it is making it worse and worse. That dark power is supposed to be unleashed. The more you keep it, the more you will be tempted to use it. In that exact moment it will erupt as strong as a flame coming from the Hells. Then it will devour what remains of you in a flash. I really wish you to not pass away from this life, because there is no after life for the people like you. It is immediate damnation." explained the told man.
"I need more time. I can do something to save myself. I have spoken with a woman, who knows enough about pact mages. She already offered me some ideas to try find a solution." said Alyssa.
"A solution? I hardly believe it. But perhaps… Somebody must have been through a similar condition before you" replied the sage.
"Indeed it must! I am trying to learn more about it. I am doing my best. Even though… Sometimes it is not enough" stated Alyssa, discouraged.
"Adaptation is the answer Alyssa. As far as I see, you are doing fine, but clearly a more dedicated effort is now necessary. If you wish to survive." the man looked deeply at her.
"I choose to survive, whatever it takes" stated the young Waterdhavian. "What shall I do now?"
The secret forest
From Alyssa's notes, in the Tesseles' secret residence, somewhere close to Waterdeep
My father had to confess. Or well, he partially did. He admitted that it wasn't the pain, it was not the fear of ghosts from the past, but he has actually hidden my mother's tome. There must be powerful knowledge inside of it. I do wonder why. Is he trying to keep it away from me?
My mother used to be a very skilled conjurer, is this connected to the devil that is haunting my father's life?
Damn! If only I could know more. I will ask him again, tomorrow, since today he looks already too much upset.
I deserve to know!
How Alyssa imagines the Library of Candlekeep
In an ancient forest
"Does it burn now?"
"DAMN! YES!" cried Alyssa, crawling on the ground. Her hands covering her belly. She spit some blood on the grass.
"Well the worst has yet to come" stated unruffled the old man.
"Why did you hit me with that damn trunk! I could have died!" said Alyssa, looking at him from the ground.
"It is a very ancient trap, indeed. But I warned you. Dodge, I said." smirked the old man, offering a hand.
Alyssa held it, while still shaking "There is no way to dodge something like that… Ya' know.."
"Are you completely sure of that?" asked the man helping her. Then, while dusting off, he disappeared into his own shadow.
"Very funny, mentor…" said Alyssa, lamentful.
"Dodge"
"Wha-?" Said Alyssa, startled. One instant after, she got a strong kick in her bum.
"Hellhound! How I am supposed to reiterate this way?" asked Alyssa, anxious, looking around her for the sage. The old man was looking at her a few steps away, with an amused smile.
"Well you can hardly reiterate. As I see, you are like a helpless chicken, without your power. That is your first mistake. In a situation of extreme danger, even if you try to keep the eldritch magic hidden, you will have to use it at its best to try save your life. That moment you might end destroyed by it. The point is, you hardly know what you are doing my child. You are enslaved by your own power"
Alyssa tried to hit the man with a strong punch. The man was already disappeared in his shadow. Again.
An hearty laugh. It was a day full of sweat and blood for Alyssa.
Blood on the trees
From Alyssa's notes, in the Tesseles' secret residence, somewhere close to Waterdeep
My father has changed his version.
He said that he did hide the tome, but that is was burn down during the big fire in our home in Waterdeep. Is that the truth?
If it is, I should really depart fast from here. There is little to do for me here at home, and my father's life will probably be easier without me around, since I got cursed.
I have heard that there is pretty much action around Baldur's Gate, perhaps there I will be able to develop enough my skills.
And more important, in the meantime I might think my own way to enter the Library of Candlekeep. That has always been my dream! And I am sure there I will find all the answers to my questions. I do not easily dare ask directly to other people.
Protecting the knownledge
In an ancient forest
"I must warn you, there is no chance to go back, if we start this. I am about to do something which only a renegade would probably do" said the old man.
"You know my wish is pure" replied Alyssa.
"I certainly know that I owe my life to your father's boldness. So I am paying my debt, giving to his only daughter the chance to last alive a bit more on this world, spreading as less evil as possible." stated the man.
"I'll eventually not fail your hopes, guardian"
"I hope so, child" smirked the man "your dark energy, held in you, slowly poisons your body. But there is one way to survive this. You must learn how control it and use it as safely as possible"
"Is there a way to do so?" asked Alyssa.
"Well, according to the tradition there is not. But I can teach you at my best an ancient technique that allows you to infuse part of the magic power you possess into a couple of daggers" the old man took a duskwood box from a velvet bag. Inside of it there were two beautiful twin daggers "these, forged by me, will be eventually yours"
"I am not that good with a dagger, will it work?"
"This is just the first thing that we have to change about you. You may be smart, but you cannot rely only on your eldritch power. In addition, you will use them as a key to get rid of all the anger and dark energy that lies inside of your heart. You must fight corruption Alyssa, or you will soon get lost; because without a reliable way to keep yourself under control, even your own existence is an act of evil." said the man to her.
"Alright, I will do it guardian" asserted the girl.
"We will meet here everyday, when the sun rises, because you won't be allowed to join me at the temple. Nobody of the other people in this forest will know about you. At least for now" said the old man.
"I will follow your rules" nodded the Waterdhavian.
"Necessarily, Alyssa. Your body and your preparation must become one thing with your mind. This way you will control your heart. One day, I hope, you will be able to win back your soul too," the old man smiled slightly "but that day you won't be the empty shell you used to be. You will find your true self."
Alyssa smiled "I wish so…"
The guardian bowed a little, turned back, and then suddenly disappeared into his shadow, leaving Alyssa to her thoughts.
"That is not all. I will teach you how to dance into the shadows eventually"
Abruptly, she got a kick in her ass.
The true self
From Alyssa's notes, in an old inn not far away from Waterdeep
Everything is set. I am going to leave these lands to reach Baldur's Gate. There I will found my monster hunters company, it is the best way to train myself and look for fortune.
I am leaving my father here, hoping he will be able to make a living again. As long as I got, he must be now free from the curse. It is in me now. For this reason my father asked me to go visit an old sage that lives in a hidden temple in the middle of a forest. A friend of him, from the times when he was still an adventurer. He believes that he might help me one day or another.
Well, I will leave this to the destiny, since my father has already told me a lot of crap.
No more procrastination, my life as an adventurer begins!
May Tymora help me.
Alyssa closed her diary and flipped a coin.
A slight smile on her face. Then she hit the road again.
Life choices
(and in the end, the mood of this whole story in music)