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High Witch Mausolinia Wellus had slain many in the Telisium and Empire alike. She was a proud woman, a mighty sorceress of her Lord Nergal. Countless foes had fallen to her dark magics, and she considered it beneath her to think of much beyond this. Her daughters were perhaps her only failings, and they were little more than blights upon her name as far as she was concerned.

Her latest run through the Telisium world of Krain had been, as far as she was concerned, a success. They had taken no small amount of citizens captive, sure to serve as excellent gifts to Nergal. But for now they had to care for these people well, for no poorly-kept slave would do well for her Lord. So despite her misgivings, she took to the duties well, keeping the people well-fed, well-kept, and in generally good condition. One of the prisoners in particular had been chosen by Duke Rahacon to be a future Witch, a young girl whose parents had been left behind on Krain. Mausolinia did not particularly enjoy dealing with children, but nonetheless she accepted her position of handling the child and treated her with the best possible care.

Her name was Kat Atherton, Mausolinia learned. She could have asked the child herself, but that would have been more of a hassle than it was worth. She was a smallish child, perhaps 9 or 10 years of age. Brown eyes that seemed so bright and full of life, always looking around. She radiated a sort of cheer that wasn't often seen in the Cult, something Mausolinia wanted no part of. Even just looking at the child made her angry, and she had to work not to scowl at seeing her.

Weeks were spent instructing Kat on the worship of Nergal, how it should be properly done, what he liked and did not like. She took well to her studies, and for the first time Mausolinia was impressed, even happy with the girl. She certainly could not say that the same had occurred with her own daughters, a point of endless shame for her.

Several months into her training, Mausolinia found young Kat, now ever more precious with the mark of Nergal inked across her forehead, diligently writing something on her desk. Worried it might be a letter home, Mausolinia quickly snatched it away, reading through it carefully. It was a letter, she had been correct, but it had hardly been what she expected. It was addressed not to Kat's parents, but to Nergal himself.

Dear Nergal,

I just want to say thank you for being the nicest Dark Lord in the whole universe. Lots of people in the Telisium said that you were mean and evil, but I think they're just jealous. I was always told that being caught by the Cult would be bad, but your guys, especially Mausolinia, have been super nice to me, and I like you much more than I ever liked the Prince. If there's one thing I could ask for though, do you think you could bring back my daddy? He went off to fight in the war, and when he came back they had to put him in a big machine body. He seems cold, and I think he's lonely. If you can't bring him back, then I think a blanket would be okay.

Love, Kat

P.S. Miss Mausolinia is really nice, you should give her a reward

By the end of the letter, Mausolinia had to wipe a single tear from her eye. It was perhaps the most precious thing she had ever read. "I'll return in a moment, Kat. I'll ensure this is sent to Lord Nergal." Gently folding the letter and placing it in her pocket, she walked off to find Duke Rahacon and have him send it off. Perhaps the letter itself would never make it into Lord Nergal's hands, but if nothing else she was sure it would be read in his court.

It didn't take long to find the old duke, hunched over his tomes as always. "My duke, I would like to ask this be sent to our Lord."

"Hmmm?" Rahacon looked up from his text, carefully examining the letter. "Mausolinia... Surely you are aware this is nothing but trash? Such sentiment is beneath a Witch of your station. Has this apprentice of yours made you so soft?" He stood, using his staff for support. "Lord Nergal has no time for such meaningless dribble, nor for any Witch that spends so much effort on it. You will report to the Hall of Creation at once to be given another child. A few months off the field should teach you something. As for your student, she will indeed be sent to Lord Nergal, Mausolinia." The duke smiled slightly, and in that moment Mausolinia felt overcome with something. Anger? Joy? No, it was pride. Not in herself, but in Kat

"My duke...with all due respect, I cannot accept this outcome. Kat is a devoted servant, well attuned to Nergal. I-"

"I care not about her studies! She is soft! But perhaps you were the one that made her so, hm? She did earn her mark after only a few short months here, yet after so much time under you, her progress has slowed tremendously... Very well. She may stay. She will study under another High Witch. You, Mausolinia..." Raising a hand and gripping Mausolinia by the throat, Rahacon lifted her with strength that should never have come from someone as old as he. "You are no longer welcome in these sacred halls, wench."

Mausolinia felt as though she was on fire, the blessings and magics Nergal had given her all torn away in mere moments. Rahacon let go of her throat, but she didn't even have the strength to stand now, so great was the pain. Rahacon placed his staff on her head and pushed down, asserting his position over her. "Now, how about-"

She never learned what he was going to suggest, for just as he did an immense explosion rocked the temple, audible even here in the inner sanctum. It was then followed by a loud exclamation, one Mausolinia had heard many times before. "This is the Holy Telisium! Accept the light of the Prince, dark ones, or we will respond with lethal force!" How strange. Before those words had always made her angry, but now they seemed her one escape.

Rahacon had finished with her, apparently, disappearing through a gash in reality. Likely getting Kat, if Mausolinia new him well enough. She still couldn't move, and so simply waited for something to happen, a few tears escaping even as she fought to hold them back. After what seemed like an eternity, Telisium knights entered the inner sanctum and quickly scouted the area. One of them, a massive man in silver armor, carrying a boltlance, knelt beside her. It was a face she recognized well, fortunately. "Captain Malmkvist..."

He frowned as he picked her up, admittedly rather gently, and stared her in the eye. "What happened here, Wellus?"

"Rahacon is already gone. He took my student with him. Just kill me, Malmkvist."

With a sign, Captain Malmkvist patted her on the head. Normally Mausolinia would have thought the act condescending, but it seemed genuine. "Your dark god has left you, witch. Nothing left." He moved a lock of her hair in front of her eyes. She thought it had simply been darkness encroaching, but no, her hair was no longer white, but the black it had been before she ever found Nergal. The weight of her exile struck her then, and she cried freely. The captain removed his immense gauntlet and wiped her tears away, letting her cry as long as she needed. "Wellus, you know the offer of salvation is always there. You've seen now the true nature of Nergal. I have never lied to you or your followers about the nature of the Prince."

She thought about it a long time. It seemed so unnatural to ever turn to the Prince, yet the captain was correct. Nergal had left her in but a moment, despite her devotion to him for centuries. Was he such a fickle god, one that cared so little for his subjects? She then thought not only of Kat, but of her daughters. "My...my children, captain... I have to find them, he has them somewhere..."

"I understand, Mausolinia. I'll help you." The captain gave her a small smile and another pat on the head.

"Captain, I'm just a heretic. Surely you wouldn't do that..." Mausolinia looked away, only to have her face brought to Captain Malmkvist's yet again, a strong hand guiding her gently by the chin.

The captain shook his head. "No, you were a heretic. You're now just a lone woman betrayed by Nergal. What you do now is up to you."

The answer was then obvious to her. She would devote a million years to it if she needed to. She understood how wrong she had been. "Captain... How does one repent in the Telisum? I wish... I wish to atone for my sins."

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

High Witch Mausolinia Wellus had slain many in the Telisium and Empire alike. She was a proud woman, a mighty sorceress of her Lord Nergal. Countless foes had fallen to her dark magics, and she considered it beneath her to think of much beyond this. Her daughters were perhaps her only failings, and they were little more than blights upon her name as far as she was concerned.

Her latest run through the Telisium world of Krain had been, as far as she was concerned, a success. They had taken no small amount of citizens captive, sure to serve as excellent gifts to Nergal. But for now they had to care for these people well, for no poorly-kept slave would do well for her Lord. So despite her misgivings, she took to the duties well, keeping the people well-fed, well-kept, and in generally good condition. One of the prisoners in particular had been chosen by Duke Rahacon to be a future Witch, a young girl whose parents had been left behind on Krain. Mausolinia did not particularly enjoy dealing with children, but nonetheless she accepted her position of handling the child and treated her with the best possible care.

Her name was Kat Atherton, Mausolinia learned. She could have asked the child herself, but that would have been more of a hassle than it was worth. She was a smallish child, perhaps 9 or 10 years of age. Brown eyes that seemed so bright and full of life, always looking around. She radiated a sort of cheer that wasn't often seen in the Cult, something Mausolinia wanted no part of. Even just looking at the child made her angry, and she had to work not to scowl at seeing her.

Weeks were spent instructing Kat on the worship of Nergal, how it should be properly done, what he liked and did not like. She took well to her studies, and for the first time Mausolinia was impressed, even happy with the girl. She certainly could not say that the same had occurred with her own daughters, a point of endless shame for her.

Several months into her training, Mausolinia found young Kat, now ever more precious with the mark of Nergal inked across her forehead, diligently writing something on her desk. Worried it might be a letter home, Mausolinia quickly snatched it away, reading through it carefully. It was a letter, she had been correct, but it had hardly been what she expected. It was addressed not to Kat's parents, but to Nergal himself.

Dear Nergal,

I just want to say thank you for being the nicest Dark Lord in the whole universe. Lots of people in the Telisium said that you were mean and evil, but I think they're just jealous. I was always told that being caught by the Cult would be bad, but your guys, especially Mausolinia, have been super nice to me, and I like you much more than I ever liked the Prince. If there's one thing I could ask for though, do you think you could bring back my daddy? He went off to fight in the war, and when he came back they had to put him in a big machine body. He seems cold, and I think he's lonely. If you can't bring him back, then I think a blanket would be okay.

Love, Kat

P.S. Miss Mausolinia is really nice, you should give her a reward

By the end of the letter, Mausolinia had to wipe a single tear from her eye. It was perhaps the most precious thing she had ever read. "I'll return in a moment, Kat. I'll ensure this is sent to Lord Nergal." Gently folding the letter and placing it in her pocket, she walked off to find Duke Rahacon and have him send it off. Perhaps the letter itself would never make it into Lord Nergal's hands, but if nothing else she was sure it would be read in his court.

It didn't take long to find the old duke, hunched over his tomes as always. "My duke, I would like to ask this be sent to our Lord."

"Hmmm?" Rahacon looked up from his text, carefully examining the letter. "Mausolinia... Surely you are aware this is nothing but trash? Such sentiment is beneath a Witch of your station. Has this apprentice of yours made you so soft?" He stood, using his staff for support. "Lord Nergal has no time for such meaningless dribble, nor for any Witch that spends so much effort on it. You will report to the Hall of Creation at once to be given another child. A few months off the field should teach you something. As for your student, she will indeed be sent to Lord Nergal, Mausolinia." The duke smiled slightly, and in that moment Mausolinia felt overcome with something. Anger? Joy? No, it was pride. Not in herself, but in Kat

"My duke...with all due respect, I cannot accept this outcome. Kat is a devoted servant, well attuned to Nergal. I-"

"I care not about her studies! She is soft! But perhaps you were the one that made her so, hm? She did earn her mark after only a few short months here, yet after so much time under you, her progress has slowed tremendously... Very well. She may stay. She will study under another High Witch. You, Mausolinia..." Raising a hand and gripping Mausolinia by the throat, Rahacon lifted her with strength that should never have come from someone as old as he. "You are no longer welcome in these sacred halls, wench."

Mausolinia felt as though she was on fire, the blessings and magics Nergal had given her all torn away in mere moments. Rahacon let go of her throat, but she didn't even have the strength to stand now, so great was the pain. Rahacon placed his staff on her head and pushed down, asserting his position over her. "Now, how about-"

She never learned what he was going to suggest, for just as he did an immense explosion rocked the temple, audible even here in the inner sanctum. It was then followed by a loud exclamation, one Mausolinia had heard many times before. "This is the Holy Telisium! Accept the light of the Prince, dark ones, or we will respond with lethal force!" How strange. Before those words had always made her angry, but now they seemed her one escape.

Rahacon had finished with her, apparently, disappearing through a gash in reality. Likely getting Kat, if Mausolinia new him well enough. She still couldn't move, and so simply waited for something to happen, a few tears escaping even as she fought to hold them back. After what seemed like an eternity, Telisium knights entered the inner sanctum and quickly scouted the area. One of them, a massive man in silver armor, carrying a boltlance, knelt beside her. It was a face she recognized well, fortunately. "Captain Malmkvist..."

He frowned as he picked her up, admittedly rather gently, and stared her in the eye. "What happened here, Wellus?"

"Rahacon is already gone. He took my student with him. Just kill me, Malmkvist."

With a sign, Captain Malmkvist patted her on the head. Normally Mausolinia would have thought the act condescending, but it seemed genuine. "Your dark god has left you, witch. Nothing left." He moved a lock of her hair in front of her eyes. She thought it had simply been darkness encroaching, but no, her hair was no longer white, but the black it had been before she ever found Nergal. The weight of her exile struck her then, and she cried freely. The captain removed his immense gauntlet and wiped her tears away, letting her cry as long as she needed. "Wellus, you know the offer of salvation is always there. You've seen now the true nature of Nergal. I have never lied to you or your followers about the nature of the Prince."

She thought about it a long time. It seemed so unnatural to ever turn to the Prince, yet the captain was correct. Nergal had left her in but a moment, despite her devotion to him for centuries. Was he such a fickle god, one that cared so little for his subjects? She then thought not only of Kat, but of her daughters. "My...my children, captain... I have to find them, he has them somewhere..."

"I understand, Mausolinia. I'll help you." The captain gave her a small smile and another pat on the head.

"Captain, I'm just a heretic. Surely you wouldn't do that..." Mausolinia looked away, only to have her face brought to Captain Malmkvist's yet again, a strong hand guiding her gently by the chin.

The captain shook his head. "No, you were a heretic. You're now just a lone woman betrayed by Nergal. What you do now is up to you."

The answer was then obvious to her. She would devote a million years to it if she needed to. She understood how wrong she had been. "Captain... How does one repent in the Telisum? I wish... I wish to atone for my sins."