Book 1: Neutral Partisan

The crisp night air has settled over the city of Grance. The last patrons of the taverns and brothels were shuffling through the streets. Most were in their homes settling into a deep sleep until the morning sun encouraged them to rise once more. Sebille was among those who relished in the quiet peace that night. She was slumbering in her chambers, tucked behind the walls of the Grand Church.

Behind her peaceful eyes, she was far away in her mind. Her oracle sight was working its way through her in away that was unsettling but familiar. Bright vivid colors swirled around her. She felt soft green grass under her feet and, opening her eyes, she found herself standing in an open field. Twilight was settling into the sky above her and a sweet somber song was filling the air. Sebille turned to try and find where the singing was coming from. She realized that the song wasn’t coming from a certain place. Instead, it filled the air around her. The sound took up space and clung to her skin like honey. As she walked, the song faded in and out and began to vary. Some moments it would sound sweet and melancholy, the next, out of tune and chaotic.

She beckoned to the normal guides that accompanied her. There were none here though. Nothing guided her and no one answered her calls when she pulled for more. She was alone, abandoned by those that guided her prophecies. The singing was getting louder and a primal fear washed over her. She began to run as the singing swirled around her. The song turned into a buzzing, like millions of flies had filed the air. She flailed her arms as she felt the sickening sensation of crawling on her skin. In her terror, she lost her footing. Hitting the ground, the singing subsided and the humming of insect dissipated. Sebille lifted herself from the ground to find that the world around her was desolate. The grass beneath her had died and the ground was hard and dry. She looked to the heavens and found that the blackness of the night sky was morphing. It began to ooze from the sky in long black tendrils. Sebille began to weep. She called once again for her guides but the only thing thing that answered her was the sweet singing.

Amri entered Sebille’s chambers to find a horrific scene. Two men struggled to pin her arms and legs to the bed. Blood and tissue caked under Sebille’s nails and deep gashes surrounded her face and ears. A nursemaid was dabbing the wounds with trembling hands. She passed a worried look to Edrol, her ward the followed behind her. His youthful face seemed drained at the sight.

“What has happened here?” Amri asked rolling up her sleeves. Only one of the men answered her through winded breath,

“We don’t know. When we found her, she was screaming and clawing at her ears.” Sebille jerked and man readjusted his weight.

“Gentle! Be gentle with her!” The nursemaid shrieked.

“We can hold her or sit and watch her gouge out her brains! Is that what you want?” The other cleric snapped at her. The nursemaids face turned rosy and hot tears welled up in her eyes. Edrol touched the woman’s shoulder,

“Ma’am, you must rest. I would tend to Sebille.” The woman sighed, holding back a sob, and excused herself from the room. Edrol picked up the task of dabbing at the woman’s wounds.

“Why have we not tried healing her?” He inquired.

“Won’t work.” Both men answered through gritted teeth. Edrol held his hand out over Sebille’s forehead and called forth a healing spell.

“By the goddess…” He exclaimed, the breath feeling stolen from his lungs. Sebille screamed, black foam gushing from the corners of her mouth. Amir rushed over and laid a hand on Sebille’s chest and pulled away. A familiar stinging and cramping surged through her hand and into her arm. There wasn’t enough of her soul left. It had given over to whatever madness was holding her.

“Edrol.” She motioned for him to move away from Sebille,

“Will you go check on the nursemaid.” She requested, pointing to the door. Edrol held Amri’s gaze and shook his head,

“But Sebille’s wounds…” He pleaded.

“Go.” Amri instructed, “Check on the nursemaid.” Edrol nodded and left the room with hast. Amri flexed her fingers to relax the tightened muscles.

“PLEASE!” Sebille screamed, more black liquid gushing through her gritted teeth,

“The SONG! It will not STOP. It’s going to DEVOUR ME!” She screamed again and trashed, attempting to claw at her ears. Amri and the two men struggled with her.

“Listen to me Sebille.” She reached for the woman’s bloodied face, “We are going to help, okay?” Sebille opened her bruised eyes to meet Amri’s gaze. Amri drew back her hand and summoned strength into her open palm. She imagined a hot white light filling her grasp and flowing through her. She filed her mind with prayer and called out to the goddess to aid her. With a quick motion, she brought her tough down to Sebille’s chest. A white light pulsed through Sebille’s body and, with one final gasp, she went limp. The two men sighed as they relaxed against the bed. Amri stood and shook the numbness from her fingers.

“I have expelled what was ailing her. Get the nursemaid to stop her bleeding and let her rest. Make sure you tie her to the bed in case she wakes again. Get the clerics to work on healing her in the morning.”  The men stood and left to fulfill Amri’s request. Amri walked out into the hall to find Edrol leaning against the wall with a somber look on his face.

“Did you kill her?” He asked. Amri’s gaze shifted away from him and she clasp her hands behind her back,

“You did not go check on the nursemaid I’m assuming.”

“Answer my question.” Edrol swallowed hard. Amri sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose,

“No. She is alive for now but if her soul is not strong enough to endure… then she will be dead by morning.” Amri readjusted her shoulders and straightened her chin. In her years she knew that this was what her duties as a paladin called for on occasions. Edrol was training underneath her and was still soft to such methods.

“Other churches are reporting this happening to their oracles too.” Edrol sighed and slumped against the wall.

“Thank the goddess with is the first for our church.” Amri stated watching the nursemaid and the two men return to Sebille’s room. Amri motioned to Edrol and the made their way down the hall towards the sanctuary.

“What will we do?” Edrol asked, struggling to keep up with Amri’s long strides. Amri glanced at him over her shoulder.

“There is nothing for us to do tonight.”

“Can’t we consult it the other churches about their cases or…” Edrol paused, “The song! If this has to do with a song, we could consult some of the bards in town.”  Amri paused and turned to offer a stern   remark,

 “You think bards would know anything about religious affairs? Most of them worship gods of drink and coin.” Amri scoffed and continued walking. Edrol sighed and rolled his eyes before rushing to follow her.