Barksain Boltstruck surveyed the ruins of his capital with sadness, the evil Orcs and armies of Dust had killed his subjects, their sheer brutality shocked him to his core. The lands had been despoiled, surely this was not the Green Ladies will?
His remaining Elf forces lead by Elf King Mai-Ladieral had vanished in the night, obviously the cowardly King had had enough, perhaps he would retire to a duckpond...
Barksain turned to Gnarlsly his Warden, "What of our allies, The Red Redeemer and the Brotherhood of the Green Lady?" Gnarlsly bowed her head, "Routed Sire... There is little chance they will return."
"Is there no hope for the West?" called out Barksain? in his deep slow booming voice. "NONE." called out a green figure, appearing translucently before him. Was it, could it be, the Green Lady?
The green and feminine ghostly figure, glided forward. "YOU WERE NEVER MEANT TO SUCCEED MY FOLLOWER." I THANK YOU, BUT YOUR TIME HERE IS DONE." She paused as if is considering how much to share, then continued, with a sad smile. "GOOD WAS IN THE ASCENDANT, AND NOW BALANCE IS BEING RESTORED." , her form beginning to fade. "IT IS TIME FOR EVIL TO ASCEND." And then she was gone.
Barksain bowed his head, and in a broken voice slowly and quietly said to the empty air. "Your will, my queen..." The once mighty king, and his remaining Treekin spread apart, and trudged slowly into the green places of the world. There they stopped and ever so slowly they re-assumed their basic natures once again. They would await the call of the Green Lady, her will be done.
As the last movement left the forms of Barksain Boltstruck and the warden Gnarlsly, their bodies intertwined, locked together for the ages.
 |
| Picture by Josephine Wall |
