The White Lady- Volume 4

The White Lady : Volume 4

Another tale circulates through the city, although the source is more obscure than the last. Another overcast sky darkened the night to almost pitch-blackness, and the sound of rainfall dampened most sounds. To the southeast of the city, in the Shaahesk encampment to the outside, was a medical tent filled with the seriously and mortally wounded. Typical guard regiments paced the camp outside, while various other lizardmen huddled around sizzling fires or rested in their tents. The medics had retired for the night, and the priests had done all they had been instructed to do for these particular warriors - most merely rank and file amongst the Shaahesk slashlings, and hardly worth the energy of great healing magic.

On one bed slept a Shaahesk male - the tale has his name as Ss'karo - who had lost most of a leg and the opposite arm in the fighting. The male was young, one could tell by his scales, perhaps even just old enough to fight. He was doomed, and likely only a miracle that he had survived at all. This particular Shaahesk had been bandaged, and was conscious by day, but was deeply depressed because he knew his career, and perhaps his life, was over before it had truly begun. The tending physicians didn't even see after him anymore, except to change his bandages. Nobody spoke to him. He simply took up space and provisions. And as he had no real prior service and would offer no further service, the endless hours he spent laying still were filled with anxious thoughts that his life would soon be forfeit.

Although the sleeping Shaahesk did not know it, the room grew darker. The few candles that kept light were snuffed out with a quick gust from outside. Ss'karo opened his eyes and peered into the void of blackness that surrounded him. He glanced towards the back entrance of the tent, and saw a figure standing in the door as a flash of lightning outlined her form. Too tired and bewildered to interpret what was happening, the Shaahesk merely watched. Another flash of lightning revealed a number of smaller forms clutching at the hems of what appeared to be robes on the first figure. As the lightning flash faded and Ss'karo's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see now the woman was cloaked in a ghostly blue nimbus. At her side was several children.

The ghost woman walked slowly, deliberately toward the Shaahesk. In fact, her walk appeared almost as if it were in slow motion. The smaller figures - human children - hurried away from her and up to the bed. One of them, a young boy with a bright smile and round face, pressed a finger to his lips and shushed Ss'karo. The Shaahesk called out for help, but no noise came from his throat. In fact, no noise came from the children either. All he could hear was the ringing in his ears that started after the battle at Dracon Gate. He swallowed hard, and an expression of fear fell over his countenance. As if to indicate her disapproval, the ghost woman slowly shook her hooded head from left to right. The faint blue glow of her nimbus highlighted the plain white robe that she wore beneath.

The White Lady stood and watched as the children climbed onto the cot and the lizard. They produced a number of containers and implement from their packs... and started feeding him smoked trout. Ss'karo hadn't had a meal like this in ...he couldn't remember how long it had been. At least that's what the story claims. Still frightened, though, the Shaahesk ate pensively. The kids helped him drink some tangy, but delicious liquid, and then they hopped off him. Ss'karo tried to sit up a bit, but his head started spinning. Everything went dark.

While he slept, he dreamed. Or at least he thought he dreamed. He dreamed of this White Lady, surrounded by children, mind controlling them to help her murder Shaahesk. In his dream, Ss'karo was present. But he could not move! He was paralyzed, and this white-robed woman and her miniature slaves were slowly making their way towards him to do him in...

But that was not the case when he awoke. It was daytime, and his leg and arm hurt like the ninth hell. What?! His leg and arm?! He panicked, squirmed, and fell out of bed. And caught himself with two hands and two legs. His two severed limbs had returned, and there was no scarring whatsoever. The scales were a bit different though, as though the new scales were younger and less coarse than the ones on the rest of his body. Ss'karo looked around, shocked, and stood up. The limbs felt awkward... not a perfect match. They would take some getting used to. And by Hades did they ever ache. On his bed table there was small potion vial, labeled in Shaahesk "Drink half now, half tomorrow, and never on an empty stomach". He sniffed it... it was that strange tangy liquid that knocked him out the night before.

To hells with it. He chugged. He probably should have laid back down first. The last thing he remembered was hitting the floor.

The next day he woke up in his bed, and when he came to the Shaahesk physicians started interrogating him. He did his best to explain, but the lizards thought that he had gone barmy. They called in a mindslaver, who shook Ss'karo over until he was confident the lizard wasn't lying. They also demanded to know why Ss'karo had burnt a hole in the tent. Surprised, the lizard looked over to see a massive window burnt into the side of the tent with a view of the City, and the spires of Champion's Keep within. He had no clue what this was all about. Ss'karo noticed his regrown arm and leg had molted, and slightly more mature scales replaced those from the day before; the limbs still ached, but not with the same intensity they did before. He grabbed the drought, made sure he was in bed this time, and finished it before being drugged to unconsciousness.

When awoke again, it was night. His new limbs did not ache, nor did any other part of his body. He lay still a moment, mentally surveying his limbs and pondering the strangeness of the White Lady. Finally, he sat up, and was struck by a vision that caused him to audibly gasp. What was simply a hazy castle the day before was now a blazing nimbus of light exploding from the heart of the city. A rainbow of hues pulsed like aurora where Champion's Keep should be, illuminating the city and beyond. Ss'karo stared. Despite the potency of the shield surrounding the Keep, its colors and fires were almost gentle and welcoming to the palette. He clenched his fist, and flexed his foot.

He was surprised when sunrise interrupted his gazing, but it did not matter. He understood.

The next day he requested transfer to the city guard. His officer was shocked. Ss'karo had the opportunity to rejoin a true combat regiment and prove himself anew, but instead chose to wallow as a peace keeper in a city. The young warrior was adamant that he be transferred. The officer gladly let him go.

By afternoon, Ss'karo was patrolling the residences and market, playfully teasing any children that he came across. Three even ran up and hugged him, as if they had met him some time before. Frequently, his gaze would turn center-ward to the Keep, then glance at his regenerated hand and chuckle a quiet, raspy chuckle. Whenever any of his coworkers asked what had healed him, he avoided answering unless heavily pressured.

Only then would he say, "The Spirit of Elysia," and nothing else.