Elves Win

[u]Elves Win[/u]

Twinkle crept into the room and heard a deep, wet coughing sound. She saw her companions bound and kneeling next to one another near a glowing, stone altar. Blood flowed from open wounds all along their bodies. Twenty ghostly, yet mostly intact, elven corpses pointed weapons down at her companions threateningly. They had an ephemeral glow and wore shining armor. Gus' greatbow was broken in half and piled next to both [i]Tempest[/i] and [i]Blightsteel[/i] on the far end of the room. Dozens of dismembered, arrow riddled elven corpses were strewn all over. Dark blood dripped along the walls. The battle must have been extremely fierce.

Ox lifted his head as Twinkle approached. He was badly beaten and both his eyes were swollen shut.

One of the elves, holding a curved sword at Ox's neck, stared Twinkle down as she nervously tip-toed closer. His face was slender and handsome. An unnatural glow pulsated from his bright eyes.

When Twinkle stopped in front of the group, the lead elf dropped onto one knee and held his hand over his heart. The other elves followed suit immediately.

He spoke in elvish with a high pitched, forlorn reverence, "Goddess Ashaya, we have awaited your return for centuries. Your loyal subjects have protected the Tiara of the Moon. Please, assume your mantle and command us as you will."

The rest of the warriors spoke in unison, "Command us as you will."

Ox sputtered with blood running down his chin, "W-what are they saying? Tell them to let us go. Don't forget which side you're on, [i]bitch[/i]!"

The lead elf raised his sword and stuck Ox in the back of the head with the pommel. Ox howled in pain and struggled against his bonds while screaming obscenities.

Twinkle shifted nervously. She hesitated at Ox's words, unsure what she should do. Noticing her pause, one of the guards retrieved a glowing tiara from the altar and approached Twinkle with wide, reverent eyes. He presented the Tiara of the Moon on a black cloth. It was beautiful and looked like it would fit Twinkle perfectly.

"T-Twinkle please...." Gus whined weakly and painfully, "Help us."

Twinkle could feel power emanating from the tiara.

The lead elf spoke in elvish once again, "You have been a slave too long, Goddess. Do not allow these usurpers to sow doubt in your mind."

With the urging of the ghostly legion, Twinkle's short arms grasped the tiara and she carefully placed it on her blonde head.

Twinkle convulsed and shut her eyes tightly as the room illuminated with a blinding, white light. She felt a sentient being transitioning from the tiara forcibly into her brain. The being was extremely strong willed and powerful. Twinkle felt her thoughts and feelings evaporating as the invading, dominating force overthrew her. She was forced to the back of her mind and shoved into a small crevice. She knew the entity could have eliminated her completely, but it chose not to. She was no longer Twinkle, no longer Eadric. She was just a small piece of somebody else. She was a powerless observer. She tried to scream, she tried to free herself. But Twinkle's efforts were in vain.

Ashaya opened her eyes.

She twisted her hand and materialized a beautiful white gown around herself while simultaneously cleaning the sticky, white residue coating her body. The silver slave collar around her neck rusted and fell away while the tattoo on her shoulder absorbed into her perfect skin. She took a deep breath and ran her hands down her shapely body. This vessel would certainly do. The light from the Tiara of the Moon surrounded her and she was bathed in a brilliant glow. Her loyal followers looked on with amazement and wonder.

She cleared her throat and spoke her native tongue for the first time in centuries, "Kill the human scum." She pointed a long fingernail at Eadric, "But spare him."

Without hesitation, her guards dispatched Gus and Ox with multiple simultaneous stabs. Each fell to the floor with a dull *Thud*. Eadric began to quiver. He looked up at Ashaya through cloudy, dark eyes.

Ashaya approached Eadric with movement that was akin to floating. She looked down on him in pity and reached under his chin to caress his masked face. She peeled off his mask to reveal a rugged, masculine, very human face complete with a long, dark beard. Eadric glanced down at his fallen allies and shook his head somberly.

Ashaya allowed power to flow through her hands and Eadric's eyes instantly cleared. He opened them wide and they brightened. His beard was absorbed into his chin and his face became slender and smooth. His ears became pointed while his dark, short hair lengthened. His extremely bulky, muscled body slimmed down significantly and lost all remnants of body hair. More magic flowed from her fingertips reversing every trace of humanity from her most loyal subject until he was back to his original form. He beamed a relieved, awe inspired smile.

Tears flowed down his bright, clear eyes as he removed his cumbersome, human armor.

Once he was free, he fell to his knees and cried out in a high pitched squeak, "Goddess Ashaya, I am yours to command!"

She lightly lifted his chin up before asking sweetly, "What is your name, child?"

"K-Kantl my Goddess!" He nervously blurted out.

She smiled warmly, "Rise, [i]Ava[/i] Kantl, chosen of the Goddess Ashaya."

Kantl took a sharp breath and rose quickly to his feet. Ashaya turned her attention to the undead elves around her. She blew a warm kiss into her hand which she then spread to each ghostly warrior with a sweep of her arm. They absorbed her warmth and drew their first breath in centuries. Life returned to their bodies and color flowed into their faces. A spark flared in each of their bright eyes.

General Vranak stepped forward with his shiny curved sword. He bowed before Kantl and Ashaya as he asked, "Goddess Ashaya, Ava Kantl, what do you command of us?"

Ashaya stretched her arms up and covered her beautiful white gown with a perfectly fitted suit of shining, gold armor. She manifested a glowing black sword that dripped with destructive power.

She stared at her dark reflection in the weapon, marveling at her beauty, as she proclaimed, "We have work to do."