Larksong Grotto Savior

Lilac prayed to Raas quietly near the heart of the Grotto.  It was almost night.  Raas you are the savior of us all, the light.  Thank you for being my savior, for you hold the answers, I understand now and it is all because of you.  I am greatful to serve you on this Earth and will do so till the day I die.  I pray for wealth and greatness to be bestowed upon our gloreous Cardinal Hiram, Grand Vicar Jhala and Seer Keshep.  Thank you dear lord for everything you have given us all.  The answers that you have given to me.  I am your humble servant.  Lilac prayed for a little while longer, but as her prayer slowly eased to an end Lilac took a deep breath.  "I am your humble servant Raas."  The agouti whispered under her breath for clarification.

After all of that was over, Lilac began to head a farther away from the heart of the Grotto, to go search for something to hunt.  She was hungry herself, but wanted to find something to fill the catches, to help bring more greatness from other creatures into the stomachs of the Larksong wolves.

The sun dissapeared beyond the watery horizon, yet the lake retained its jewel-like glow in the moonlight. Even in this time of night that was claimed by the Heartless One, Hiram could feel the watchful eye of God upon him. He need only look up to see His many eyes looking down. His protection was abound. Stars -- each shining brilliantly down upon them all. There was an unparalleled beauty lying in each little pinprick. It was much easier to see the beauty of the world -- of the Daystar's creation -- now that he was faithful. With the light of Raas warming the Cardinal's heart, the world was no longer a cold, dead place. 

And so, with a blanket of stars above him, the Cardinal set out to make his nightly rounds around the territory before retiring to the grotto. However, as he walked, he was inturrepted by the scent of one of the sisters whom he hadn't seen or spoken to since the ritual. Feeling particularly social, he followed.

"Sister," he spoke as he came upon her beneath the trees by the lake. "It's been a while since we talked. How've you been?" Surely, the rapid change within the grotto had had some effect on her. But, she had chosen to stay -- meaning she had taken the faith upon herself.

Everything about hunting was forgotten as soon as the Sister heard the Cardinal Hiram speak.  She stopped immediately in her steps and turned around to face her Cardinal her gaze grattified and honored to see him.  "I am doing much better now that I have Raas to guide me.  Now I know why everything is the way it is.  Raas has given that to me.  Raas has given me a better life, now that I know I have someone to place my faith in.  For I am simply a speck in the universe, a pawn at my saviors command."  Lilac told Hiram warmly, believing every single word that she said.

For a few moments the Sister of the faith was silent, but soon she began to speak again, this time in a very respective tone.  "How are you yourself my Cardinal?  I hope that you are doing better now after the ceremony.  I am sure that you are though, for Raas can do extrodinary things as I have seen."  Spring asked and told her Cardinal Hiram, all the while wondering what it would be like to be Raas.  To have so much power and use it for the good.

"Good," he replied with a friendly nod of his head. It was a surprise to the cardinal to see that this subordinate, who had been little more than an acquaintance in the past, had taken to the faith so easily. Perhaps even more surprising was the extent of her devotion. She spoke of Raas with such ferver -- the Cardinal could almost feel her soul alight with His grace. It brought Hiram great joy to see the effect the Almighty had had on her. She had been shown the light of Raas and made pure.

"The Lord heals all wounds—" the Cardinal spoke. She was correct in her belief that the power of Raas was extraordinary. He had been a broken man -- a Reek, but Raas had built him up stronger than before. The Daystar was the foundation in which the Cardinal had been restored. "—just as he has healed mine."

Cardinal Hiram agreed with her that Raas healed all.  When Hiram continued on to talk about how Raas had healed Hiram's own wounds though, Lilac was struck with a sudden wave of curiousity.  She considered her question quietly for a moment, deciding whether or not to ask it, but finally temptation over took her.  Nervously she flicked her eyes around her before asking.

"Cardinal Hiram, if you don't mind me asking... how have you been clensed?  Please do not feel presured to answer my question though, because I can understand why you might not wish to tell.  In return though, I could tell you how the Lord has healed me."  The sister asked and told her Cardinal.  Then Lilac waited for Hiram's response.

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.

Cardinal Hiram's story was sad and she listened to his story quietly, nodding at appropriate times until she heard a name.  The name of her cousin, her best friend as a pup before she was taken away.  Spring.  Shock light up her eyes as she wondered if it was the Spring that she knew, but there was still that possiblity that she wasn't... anyone could have named their pup after that season... but still she wondered if Spring, her Spring really was gone.  She was about to ask when suddenly she remembered that this had all been apart of Raas's plan.  So what if Spring was dead.  She probably didn't believe in the faith so Lilac hoped that she was haunted by the Heartless One, for Spring had never known the power of Raas.  It was sad to the Sister, yet her cousin, if it was even her cousin, deserved to be taken away by the Heartless One if she did not believe.

The Sister listened to the rest in total silence and only began to speak when her Cardinal had finished speaking himself.  "I am terribly sorry to hear that Cardinal Hiram."  Lilac began in a regretful tone.  "You have Raas know and it has all been his plan.  To let you out of anyone build His church must be an honor.  You are very special Cardinal Hiram, no one can deny that."  The Sister told her Cardinal with respect laced into her words.

In recounting the events that had led to his fall, it felt as if the Cardinal was reliving the heartache. Even the purifying light of Raas couldn't block out all the pain. His eyes trailed downward and he sighed. Despite the silver lining of the Daystar's plan for him, the Cardinal felt a level of grief he hadn't felt since he was one of the heartless. 

He lifted his plan. It had all been a part of the Lords plan -- the grief is what drew his heart to the light of the Lord. Without it, everything would be for naught. The lives that were lost in the maplewood, they were all martyrs to the faith. 

"Thank you," he spoke, a thin smile adorning his lips. "The Lord is my rock, and he has seen me though this storm." His attention then turned to her. "How has the light of the Daystar touched you sister Lilac?"

The sister of the cult listened to her Cardinal Hiram speak loyally of Raas, after thanking her.  Lilac nodded.  Soon after thoguh Hiram asked her how the Daystar had touched her.  For a moment she was hesitant to tell, but then pushed past the feeling.  Hiram had told her a part of his story, now she would tell him a part of hers.  No matter how it made her feel.

"When I was very young I had a pretty good life."  Lilac started out.  "But one day an earthquake shook our lands when I was around six months and I got caught up in the storm.  I got separted from the pack and then lived the life of a loner for a whole two years and six months before I found Larksong Grotto.  My time as a loner was terrible.  I never ran into a single wolf once while I was out there alone, only ugly halfbreeds, coyotes, dogs and foxes.  I was lucky though and survived, along the way I taught myself how to survive.  I believe that Raas saved me."  She paused here, sending a sad glance around her.  "Now that I truelly have Raas in my heart though, I feel full.  The Lord is good."  The sister finished strongly.  Then looked to her Cardinal Hiram for his reaction.

Her story was sad and it made the Cardinal's heart ache with empathy. To be seperated from ones own kind for so long... he couldn't even imagine it. But somehow, even in all that darkness, Raas had kept his protective hand over this poor soul. He had a purpose for her. That is why the Lord had brought her to the grotto. He was not done with her yet.

"I'm sorry your life was rife with troubles," spoke the Cardinal. Unfortunately, sometimes suffering was the Lord's plan. "But the Lord has many plans for you Lilac," he added, smiling.

His words charmed her and she gave a small nod of her head.  "Thank you my wonderful Cardinal Hiram.  I am glad that we have all come to find the truth, the truth in Raas."  For a moment she paused, tilting her head a little in thought before continuing.  "I can see that you have much awaiting you in the future my Cardinal.  You are very blessed."

Then with that Lilac began to turn to leave.  "Thank you for your time."  She told him in a smooth voice with a small smile, then with that she walked away, leaving Reek behind for whatever he planned to do.  No matter their pasts they had a new beginning, with much better wolves.  She had more than she could have ever asked for, especially with the power of Raas and the Daystar.  She would be the pawn of her god, where ever he decided to take her till the very day that she died.

Lilac's words filled the Cardinal with pride. He felt important, more-so than he had ever been. The Daystar had given him purpose. No more was he simply the alpha male of the grotto -- now Hiram was responsible for the souls of his flock. To see Lilac's devotion was a breath of fresh air, and for once, Hiram felt as if he had done some good in the world.

He smiled. "No, thank you Sister," spoke the man. "It was good talking to you again." A part of him wished to linger and talk more, but there were duties to attend to. One's that Hiram could not forget. "Take care and may blessings be upon you," he said as he turned to leave.

With a happy heart, Hiram made his way toward the border.