Private Home of the Ancients

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Information

The Light of Ashla, Champion and Avatar of Ashla ​

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Objective: Discover Midwinter.
Location: Near to Heavenheim, Midwinter
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (weapons) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Thurion Heavenshield

Eina had never been to Midwinter before, though she had heard a great deal about the place. She knew her ancestors had originally come from here, and recent events had only increased the planet’s importance. And since she was, truth be told, half L'lerim - something she had inherited from her mother - she felt it was important to visit. Even in the Netherworld, she had often heard of Midwinter. So in recent times, she had wandered the planet, never making contact with the locals, remaining immaterial and invisible the entire time - her presence undetectable to those around her. She had even visited the Nexus on the planet, which came as a pleasant surprise to her. Its effects were very similar to those found at the place the Valkyrja called home.

After a long visit, the angel-winged woman finally took on physical form near the capital, choosing a vantage point from which she could observe the city. She appreciated the locals’ simplicity and the fact that technology had not yet firmly embedded itself in this world. Sanctuary shared some of these same traits, and many Valkyrja, as well as the Children of Ashla, lived in similar fashion. In the Netherworld, there was little need for advanced technology - most preferred to use what could be made locally. The living, who ventured into the realm of the dead, of course brought technology with them - just like the HPI - but Eina didn’t believe that disturbed the world of the dead. On the contrary, she sometimes found it helpful when assisting others.

Eina allowed the chilly wind to tousle her hair and wings as she watched the capital from afar. She did not fly, only stood on a high ledge; she did not wish to draw too much attention to herself. Of course, she knew that her presence would likely cause a stir in the Force, as she shone with a golden hue within it, a living vergence. She had become a part of Ashla, knew the thoughts of the Oversoul - the countless spirits who had merged with Ashla after death and now made up a shared consciousness. Though Eina, Geiseric, and their two children were also part of Ashla as Lightborn, they had retained their own minds and personalities.

It was precisely because of this strange state of being that she did not wish to reveal herself to the people living here. She had no desire to interfere in religious or supernatural beliefs. Eina had long since grown used to being venerated as a Living Saint on every Ashlan world. Though she did not understand religion or its necessity, she respected the faith of the living and did not wish to alter or influence it with her own presence.

For a time, as she explored the world, she considered approaching the local rulers - but in the end, she chose not to. She did not want to upset anyone or provoke discomfort by merely existing. After all, the people of this planet did not worship Ashla, and more importantly, Eina had always been an atheist. So she chose to remain unnoticed - at least until she would soon leave. For now, she lingered just a little longer, enjoying the view.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Then came a man, a lone wanderer in a tattered robe of grey and a walking stick in his hand. The hood of his cloak fluttered in the stronger winds this high up, exposing the hint of a golden beard. He spoke not, for who was there to speak to? Certainly not Eina L'lerim-Vandiir in her ghostly aspect.

The wanderer waved his hand, fashioning for himself a bench from a few rocks, then sat down on the cliff's edge right beside the angelic being, not saying a word. He sat there for a long time, contemplating. He looked upon his city, trying to tell members of his family apart from the rest, but they all looked like tiny dots from his elevated position.

He turned his head towards Eina, offered a faint smile, then moved over on the stone slab. He patted the empty seat beside him, as if expecting someone to sit with him. To any bystander, the old man must surely look addled in the mind; mad with grief, such as in the case of his dearly departed wife. Did he expect her ghost to come sit beside him?

"It's beautiful up here, is it not," he asked nobody. "I must have climbed every hill, every mountain and every tall tree in Westmark. This is one of my favourite spots. Doesn't take me too far from home, either."

The hooded man rubbed his knee, aching from the climb.

"Have you come to take me to the Golden Hall," he asked then, only in half-jest. "T'would not suit me ill at this time..."

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Information

The Light of Ashla, Champion and Avatar of Ashla ​

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Objective: Discover Midwinter.
Location: Near to Heavenheim, Midwinter
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (weapons) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Thurion Heavenshield

Eina continued to wait, her gaze still fixed on the capital city. In truth, she did not expect to receive any visitors. Yet, after a while, the woman sensed a presence, one that felt all too familiar. Though she had never met this person face to face, Eina had felt them before, among others, on Tython, back when the Maw had threatened the Galaxy. That presence had been there, too.

She wasn’t even sure what she had expected. Perhaps nothing at all, certainly not to meet someone here who had also been part of that battle. For the time being, however, she simply watched the city and the distant horizon. She only turned around once the owner of the presence had drawn nearer.

That was when she saw the older man; though of course, “older” was relative. Compared to Eina, he was likely still in his childhood years, as the woman had lived for several centuries in the Netherworld, where time passed differently than it did in Realspace. In that moment, she did not speak to the man, who clearly bore the air of nobility. She merely inclined her head respectfully and returned her gaze to the distance. Only when she heard his palm make contact with the stone did she look back again.

The motion was clear and unmistakable, even she understood what it meant. Eina drew in her wings and stepped over to the stone slab, then sat down as well. After his question, she turned her gaze to the man again, a gentle smile appeared on her face as she nodded.

"The whole planet is beautiful." she told him.

Truthfully, both Eina’s aura and her voice might have felt familiar to the man. Her voice was exactly the same as that of her mother, Ingrid L’lerim. Yet, while the Eternal Empress’s tone was cold and devoid of emotion, Eina’s voice was warm and full of feeling. As for her aura, it felt as if Ingrid’s Force signature had been blended with someone else’s. If Thurion had ever encountered Adrian Vandiir, he would likely recognise it.

The woman blinked in surprise at the man’s question — as usual, she did not understand the half-jesting remark. Such things still eluded her comprehension. Because of that, she shook her head firmly and looked at the man with sincerity. Perhaps it was some kind of religious matter? For a moment, that thought occurred to her.

"No, I simply never had the chance until now to visit and get to know the world where my ancestors came from." she said honestly. "I’ve felt your presence before on Tython, but we’ve not met. I am Eina L’lerim-Vandiir." she introduced herself.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"I kid," said the stranger, smiling under his hood. "In our culture, it is said that the honoured dead are plucked from the battlefield by maidens borne by wings. You were wise not to reveal yourself to the populace; they would have taken you for a messenger of the Allfather," he explained, then removed his hood to look her in the eye.

"...and not the daughter of an old friend."

Thurion slid off the stone bench and knelt before her, gingerly taking her hand in his.

"Eina. Forgive this meagre display of reverence. It is not every day a man is visited by an angel of Ashla. I am Thurion Heavenshield, Her willing instrument of justice. I serve the Light at the behest of the Wellspring of Life, and so I am compelled to submit myself to your superiority." He kissed her hand in the manner of ancient chivalry rarely seen in today's day and age. In feudal terms, he was but a vassal of the Force, and the angel before him was the divine made manifest.

"I was indeed on Tython, defending Her in war twice. The first time I faced the Maw Brotherhood, and nearly perished. The second, I put to rest countless corrupted creatures and returned them to the Fount of Life to be reborn pure. Through considerable effort, I alongside other members of the Order successfully restored the once-shattered Lightborn Sister; Ashla's celestial body flies free in the skies of Tython once more."

His report passed along, the Lion remained kneeling before her not out of obligation but out of reverence.

"I offer my condolences, my lady, however belated. For your father, Adrian. I cannot say I knew him, but your mother loved him very much. That is all I need to know he was a good man."

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir ​

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Information

The Light of Ashla, Champion and Avatar of Ashla ​

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Objective: Discover Midwinter.
Location: Near to Heavenheim, Midwinter
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (weapons) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Thurion Heavenshield

"Oh, I see. I struggle with this custom of the living that you call a ‘joke’. I never understand them," Eina said, a little awkwardly at the man’s words.

Geiseric had tried to teach her about it, as had several Ashlan crusaders, but she had never been able to learn it. She had spent far more time among the dead and the souls, who were far less versed in jokes or turns of phrase, and so Eina had never picked them up. She had always taken everything literally; something many had once found endearing about her.

Eina listened attentively as the man spoke of how similar the imagined - or perhaps real - entities of the afterlife here were to the Valkyrja. This drew a kind smile to her face. The Valkyrja could take on a form in which a given culture believed, and the living would see them in a guise shaped by their own death-related superstition or faith.

"My original people, the Valkyrja, do exactly the same. We are present at every great battle, unseen, offering the worthy warriors the chance to join us. In the Netherworld, we protect the souls in need and heal the wounded. It may be that my mother, despite being an atheist, created the Valkyrja in this way precisely because of your faith," the woman said kindly to the man.

The man knelt far too quickly and unexpectedly before her, giving Eina no chance to stop him. He was already advanced in years, and she never expected such displays of respect; though her husband, Lord Geiseric, had often greeted her in the same way, both before and after they had become a couple. In truth, Eina was deeply grateful for such chivalry; it was one of the reasons she held the Ashlan Crusade knights in such high regard, for they, too, were like this.

"Lord Heavenshield, that was truly unnecessary; I would not wish you to cause yourself pain on my account. I do not consider myself above others. I exist to help and protect those in need, and to heal those who ask for it. I am not superior... never have been, and never will be," she said humbly. She had never thought herself more than this, nor had she ever expected any form of glorification.

She smiled with gratitude as the man spoke of what he had done to restore peace to Tython, though sadly it had since been taken once more by evil... by Darth Solipsis . At least this time they had not offered everything and everyone upon it to the Dark Three, the Avatars. That small mercy brought her some measure of comfort.

"You must know that Tython and the Core Worlds have fallen into the hands of the Galactic Empire led by Darth Solipsis," she said sorrowfully. "Please, rise or sit down; it is not necessary for you to do this."

She spoke in some embarrassment, extending her hand to help him up from his kneel. Such religious or honour-bound gestures always unsettled her, and she never quite knew what to do in these situations. When the man mentioned her father, a wave of sadness washed over Eina; not because Adrian Vandiir was dead, but because he had been utterly destroyed and could never return in any form.

"Thank you, Lord Heavenshield. I never knew him; Ashla created me from parts of his and my mother’s souls. I both know him and do not, part of my soul, my very being, is his. I think Ashla wished to show that even from a Sith Lord, something good could be born. But he was destroyed, his soul shattered into a million pieces. My mother spent centuries in the Netherworld trying to piece it back together, but she did not succeed. It was during that time that she created the Valkyrja, so I would not be alone," she told the man.

She fell silent for a few moments, then continued.

"Would you tell me, Lord Heavenshield, why you left your world and why you involve yourself in the affairs of the Galaxy? From what I have seen, that stands in stark contrast to the ways of the majority of your people." she asked gently, with a warm, inquisitive smile.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

The angel spoke, and the Lion listened. He was mesmerised by her way of speech; how she did not fully comprehend every component of a conversation, yet spoke with such conviction of belief in what she was and who she served. Like a divine being trying her best to imitate mortal behaviours, knowing she can never truly understand them, let alone be one of them.

"Then, perhaps there is truth to our stories," he said, elated at the revelation that battle-maidens do deliver the souls of the slain into the hereafter. "Although, with respect, when I am to transcend this realm, I already know who will take me hence. An angel in all but name," he smiled, though his eyes reflected the sadness in his heart. "My angel. She has gone away from me, but I know when I see her again, it will be as I take my last breaths, and my suffering will be no more. Then, I shall have earned my rest."

He looked up at her then, still kneeling, nodding to himself. There was contentment on his face, until she posed him a question.

"..."

Thurion was taken aback. It was such a simple question, yet one he had never been asked before. One he had never asked himself. His eyes darted around whilst internally reaching for an answer, his mouth agape and his forehead creased with confusion.

In this state did he finally sit beside her, for he felt as if the air had been thrust from his lungs. There formed a lump in his throat and his voice became hoarse as he felt a strange wave of emotion wash over him.

"Because..." he struggled to find the words. "I'm sorry, it's just... After almost a century, no one has ever asked me that question, and I have never contemplated the answer. I guess..."

"...Because it is right," he told her, after much thinking. He knew not why he felt the sting of tears. "Because it is kind. Because I owe it to them — the lonely, the frightened, the preyed upon. Because I was one of them, once, and I would not wish that existence on anyone."

When the Lion wiped a tear from his cheek, he looked at it with furrowed brows.

"Because I couldn't live with myself if I didn't. I have the means, the training, the experience. Midvinter may be my home, but I am a servant of the Living Force. These people declared me High King, but that is not who I am. I am a Jedi, like my mother before me. The only way I can justify my existence is through eternal service to others, even the small."

He smiled to himself then, briefly.

"Especially the small."

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir ​

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Information

The Light of Ashla, Champion and Avatar of Ashla ​

"Galactic Common" | <"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Objective: Discover Midwinter.
Location: Near to Heavenheim, Midwinter
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (weapons) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Thurion Heavenshield

As the man spoke, for a brief moment Eina thought he was referring to her. She had been about to say that, if he wished for it, such a thing could certainly be arranged. Although Eina was more often engaged in battle than in observing others to judge who might be worthy of joining them, it did not mean she had not guided souls to the Netherworld. There had been more than a few who had asked her to do so, or whom she had saved from a terrible fate. DEAD Erskine Barran , UNDEAD Aron Gowrie , and The Mongrel were among them.

Yet here, the red-haired woman soon realised Lord Thurion was not speaking of her, but of someone else, another woman who had been important to him. As Eina was a healer of souls above all else, spending most of her time within the Netherworld, she could feel and even see the pain in his heart through his eyes. She herself knew love, thanks to her husband, Geiseric , and thus assumed this was what it might be about. Of course, as always, she was aware that she could be mistaken.

"Who was she?" the woman asked with curiosity, yet cautiously, so as not to tear open deeper wounds within the man’s soul.

The question was met with a reaction she had not anticipated. She was startled by his surprise; she had thought it a simple question, one that he might answer at great length, yet silence settled between them instead. At least she felt a small sense of relief when the man finally sat upon the stone, no longer kneeling. Though he was much younger than she, Eina understood mortality and age, and how the bodies of the living required far more rest than hers, for example.

She never referred to the living as “mortals”, for she herself could die; even a living being could kill her. She preferred to call herself a "being", for from the very moment of her “birth” she had been a Force Entity, never having been truly alive like most creatures.

Eina listened with a smile as Thurion spoke of why he had left this world and ventured out into the galaxy. His reasons were not unlike her own for doing the work she did, and why she had come to Realspace. Life was not easy anywhere, she knew that well; neither in Realspace nor within the Netherworld.

"Especially the small." the woman repeated softly in agreement. "You deserve the utmost respect for this view, Lord Heavenshield. To help others is, in my opinion, the most selfless of deeds. I am glad I asked and was able to hear your answer."

She smiled at him sincerely, then fell briefly into thought before speaking again.

"Would you tell me a little about your people’s faith? I did not learn as much as I would have liked simply by observing your kind." the woman asked gently.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

"Coci," he replied softly. His forehead creased as he lifted his gaze to the heavens.

"My wife for five decades. She's... no longer with us, and I've struggled for a long time to come to terms with that. My only solace is knowing that when my time comes, she and I will have eternity together. But because I am Valkyri, I could well live for another 50-60 years. A long time without the woman you love by your side," he smiled at the angel, though his eyes spoke of his immense sorrow.

Eina spoke words of comfort, praising him for his deeds to safeguard the little ones. There was such warmth in her voice, spoken with such divine calmness that it put even the Lion's pain at ease to the point of youthful bashfulness. It was the boy in him, starved for a mother's approval. Though she did not look it, he could tell this being of light was far older than he.

"Well," he began to answer her sobering question. "There's the Allfather, the High God, and ruler of the pantheon along with his wife Runa. He rules the skies, aloof and unpredictable, whilst she rules the earth, grounded and steadfast. It's often said Runa is an aspect of Midvinter Herself, whose sovereignty is considered equal to the Allfather, if not greater."

"Together they had three children," he went on to explain. "Helm, the eldest, is the warrior-god of courage and justice. Éar, the huntress-godess of self-reliance and fertility. Velkar, the mischievous god of fire and resourcefulness. There are other gods as well, such as Teign, the smithing-god of the forge and artistry."

Thurion looked to the heavens just as the sun broke through the blanket of clouds, its first rays caressing his face.

"And Thrand, god of sunlight, warm and nurturing..."

He sat still for a moment, simply basking in his father's loving touch.

"Valkyri place such devotion in gods because of the harshness of this world. To be weak of spirit or body is considered the mightiest of sins, whilst showing valour in the face of certain defeat is deemed the greatest of virtues, and is the only way to be granted access to the Golden Halls of Beornskald — the great hereafter. It's why they never retreat from battle, or worry about what comes after. If they face adversity with grit and steel, they will be rewarded in the afterlife."

His head sunk somewhat.

"To my great shame, I cannot consider myself a true believer. I have seen too much, know too much. I was raised a Jedi long before I was even reunited with my people and their culture. I know the Force is truth, and yet I have witnessed the impossible become possible through belief. I've beheld direct intervention from the gods themselves, knowing there is only the Force. How can this be, Lady Angel?"

He turned to Eina with doubt in his heart.

"How can the Force coexist with gods?"

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir ​