Larksong Grotto Savior

There was no harm in curiosity. The healing of Raas came in many forms, it was only natural to want to know how it came to be. The Cardinal nodded and spoke, "I was healed through His forgiveness, Sister." It was as if he had woken up from a long, depressing dream. His sin, and the burden his sin had bound to him, had been wiped clean. His chains, broken.

"I lived a life of sin and misery," continued the Cardinal. "Once, I was a mated man and I made the mistake of being swayed by temptation and lieing with another." His affair with Tavi had been the biggest mistake of his life -- no, falling for Tavi had. "I was forced to leave my family and unborn pups behind, and as a result, the darkness of the Heartless One invaded my life."

"Though I was no longer with them, I felt their protection to still be my responsibility. I was a fool and made the blunder of entangling myself with a rival pack." His eyes fell downward, guilt clouding his expression. "A war was brewing and I though I could protect my old wolves by using the coalition to my advatage. Somehow, I thought that I could sway them away from war... and the Maplewood would have been left in peace."

He paused to take a deep breath and bite his lip uncomfortably. "But, I botched it," the man mumbled. "Everything just... Fell apart."

"The wolves of Sleeping Dragon marched on the Maplewood without me -- they laid waste to my home and my family." He could feel the warm sting of tears begging to form in his tired eyes, but he kept them at bay -- for now. "Their leader, she howled declaring their victory. When I heard it here, I broke. I never cried so hard in my entire life"

He motioned in the direction of the lake behind them. "The day after, I went down to the lake and waded into the water. It rose around me, but I didn't stop." Even now, after the forgiveness of Raas had made his spirit new, it was hard to describe his lowest moment. His voice began to sound increasingly broken. "I— I tried to take my own life." However, it was not his to take. Raas had a plan for him.

"I thought it was the only way to make it stop," he muttered, shaking his head. "Sometimes -- when I slept -- I would hear their names repeating in my head. Saena... Desna... Shreya... Laika... Spring..." Each, just as clear now as they had been before. "All lost because of me. The ghost of the Maplewood is the burden I bear."

"He led me, broken and emotionally brusied, back to place I made my home, and there I found the Seer," explained the Cardinal. It had been an act of the Daystar that day. "He was not done with me yet -- she told me I was to establish His church, and in return, He would heal my wounds."

It was a long and winded tale, but he finally reached the end. "In Him, the past no longer matters—" and he no longer heard their names.