Ye-Asperr

Legend

Ye-Asperr wrote his legend more than most heroes; he even dared face the eternally tainting gods.

“Although he has as many tales as he has titles, they are a grand spin of greatness and tragedy.”

Skjald Ulrich

 

Description

Ye-Asperr is of unique lineage, born to a father of N'Aldaan and Ogryl origin and a mother of Moss'Ari and Jomzaar descent; he carries a rare blend of bloodlines that manifests in his highly unusual Mermerant features.  His most defining characteristic is his vibrant, bright golden hair. This standout trait is so prominent that his descendants have collectively become known as the “sun-hairs” due to the prominence of this standout trait.

His physical state has fluctuated dramatically over time. Following his exhausting, half-dissolving run through the astral plane, he returned to the physical world severely emaciated, having lost almost half of himself. He has, though, since recovered his strength and possesses a striking and distinct physical presence, a lean, agile, and athletic build with exceptional physical grace, boasting near-peerless agility and reaction times.

Despite having lived through decades of tumultuous history and travelled across the isles for over a century, Ye-Asperr maintains remarkably youthful looks. This uncanny, age-defying appearance is the result of a harrowing journey through the astral plane, during which he swallowed a handful of raw, magical shards that essentially preserved his physical form.

Ye-Asperr’s Pink Aura radiates a distinct, soft pink glow associated with the realm of essence, hinting at his internal energy. He carries himself with the effortless charm of a seasoned bard, yet his presence is grounded by the sharp vigilance of a survivor. Trained in Naldarian cultural arts from an early age, he masters calligraphy and heraldry and is also a master herbalist, capable of crafting deadly poisons and handling combat herbs.

He never behaved merely as a participant in the world but as the author of his destiny. He has an innate, inescapable urge to “write the story.” This manifests as a dramatic flair, making him prone to incredibly bold, theatrical, and, to others, seemingly suicidal acts. Examples of this include stepping forward as an 8-year-old prisoner to recite a flattering epic to a warlord and solo-charging enemy lines on horseback.

Despite his theatricality, Ye-Asperr is incredibly poised and dangerous. He can remain remarkably calm even when face-to-face with hostile, powerful deities – as when he successfully saw through the divine illusions of Murf and Neoraldo. He uses polite, soft-spoken conversation to disarm his targets before executing swift, lethal close-quarters strikes.

In combat, he possesses an uncanny, practical knack for outmanoeuvring and besting foes. Highly adept in blade weaving, his bearing is fluid, rhythmic, and dance-like. He favours low-profile evasion, tumbling, sliding, and rolling around the strikes of larger foes before delivering precise, crippling cuts.

Under extreme, life-threatening duress, Ye-Asperr’s physical form can violently shift. In this state, he explodes in a flash of bright light, temporarily transforming into a highly muscular, furred, beast-like creature capable of tearing foes apart with sheer, devastating physical force.

Beneath his charismatic bardic exterior lies a deeply emotional, sorrowful soul. Driven by the tragic loss of his loved ones and family members, he carries a heavy heart. He is a nomad, constantly searching the dusty roads of Midgard for his remaining lost family, holding tight to a quiet, melancholy determination.

“A self-writing book, with many an odd and blank page.”

Skjald Valgrif

 

History

Fourth Age

It’s said he was born in the village of Kuxarami to a confluent father of N’Aldaan and Ogryl origin and a Mermerant mother of Mossari and Jomzaar origins. Thus, he was born a Mermerant, and the true N’Aldaan looked down on him. From an early age he enjoyed the N’aldaan cultural arts of calligraphy, heraldry, and blade weaving the most. But the Moss’Ari herbal traditions also grew strong within him.

In 1140, when he was 8 years old, his village was sacked by a rivalling warlord grasping for power. As prisoners, Ye-Asperr among them, were to be executed, he stepped forth and made a fabulously bold recital of the battle, praising the victors. When the warlord heard the lad’s story, he knew it was but a bold life-saving attempt; nonetheless, he acknowledged the boldness.

His life spared, Ye-Asperr entered the warlord’s household and was trained further in storytelling and lore. At every victory, he spun grand tales; at every withdrawal, he wrapped it in deceiving gods. The splendour kept him alive and also moved him closer to the warlords’ elite. Honing all his skills, he also became adept as a herbalist and at blade-weaving.

In 1145, at a great meeting to settle a truce amongst the strifing warlords and name him as their unified leader, he made a decisive move. As he freely walked amongst the warlords, he spun a grand tale weaving them all into a complex tapestry of shared grandness. Lifting their moods, he shared a toast with each as he faced them all. Then, as he had just toasted with his own, the first toaster of the others coughed hard and grabbed his throat.

All stared at the warlord’s swollen face, then turned to Ye-Asperr, who snapped his goblet and drove its long, thin, footless end through the eye and into the brain of his leader. Then he yelled, “You all chose violence instead of peace. Now, die violently, you miserable lot,” and then he jumped into the river and began to swim the best he knew.

Arrows rained at his back, but he managed to escape. This was partly because most guards were busy tending to their suffocating warlords and partly because none of them dived in to swim after him. Most are too armoured; others were not willing to pursue in the rain of arrows. Reaching the other shore, he located his hidden horse and rode off.

It was not until 1163, when Ed Huginn saw him at a Moss’Ari tribe and enquired who he was. Ye-Asperr reappears in our annals. He had somehow become a master herbalist, and Ed managed to persuade Ye-Asperr to travel with him. They aimed to explore new herbs and knowledge because Ed was acquainted with many lord herbalists. When Ed enquired about the fates of the warlords and Ye-Asperr’s subsequent actions, Ye-Asperr shared nothing.

As they travelled, Ye-Asperr became intrigued about both skjalds and bards as they shared a lifestyle that seemingly fit his temper. Although he was guided by a skjald, Ye-Asperr increasingly leaned towards the bards, as their freestyle interpretations of local lore reminded him of his own tales and made him feel more comfortable than the strict adherence to facts required of skjalds.

In 1166, after travelling extensively throughout Naldar and with Ed showing Ye-Asperr a multitude of astral gates and sites, Ye-Asperr decided to focus on finding and studying these locations. So they parted, and Ye-Asper travelled all over the isles performing as a bard to make a living while studying the astral sites. In 1168, one of the formal bards approached Ye-Asperr, but he declined their offer to join.

He refused because he at an inn had met Kazumix, and Bosatsu Hoxi, with whom he had an affair. Some claim she bore him twins, but if she did, neither he nor we knew their names, genders, or whereabouts. At that meeting, he heard of the 1st alliance; in it, he saw the greatness of the vision and, as he later admitted, a chance to write his own story.

And write his own story he surely did, as in 1172, right after Trikzy Kizvik had met the pair, stolen Bosatsu’s heart, and then she disappeared. He decided to climb the ranks of the 1st alliance and lead its Naldar agenda. It was not an effortless task for a non-N’Aldaan to secure a position among the ancient N’Aaldaan rulers or the old Wanderer and Mermerant enclaves. He set out to meet those who were behind the 1st alliance.

As the travel to Midgard's eastern end and the country from which the idea sprang, Zapri, would take years, Ye-Asperr decided to astravel there. But as he did not know the destination sites, it would be a danger. The trip resulted in a detour that shaped his destiny. As he tried to will the astral spin to guide his thoughts alone for the adventure ahead, it seemed to take the word “adventure” literally.

So when he stepped out, he initially thought he was either at Dalip, on the distant isle of East or West Fjella, or in that far-away land of Darin. Fatigue, caused by both the cool temperature and the cloudy weather, indicated that his bodily energies had traversed a long path across the astral as well. Without any shards to return, he started walking away from the clearly unused astravel site, wanting to find someone who could tell him his whereabouts.

What he found was not friendly commoners but a group of dark grey-furred boar-like humans carrying two human females bound to heavy poles. Dangling from the poles, they had sobbed so loud that the group hadn’t heard Ye-Asperr, so when they stood face-to-face, everyone froze. Then the six boar-men dropped their load, and although one was wounded, all drew their weapons.

With no intention to end his days here, far away from his home, he charged the group. He planned to slice the legs of the first opponent, roll away, and then gut the next one. As he closed in, the first attacker swung at him; he dropped to the ground and slid past it. But instead he was hit by a long pole in the face and tumbled past the group, landing atop one of the sobbing prisoners. As he stared into her eyes, he suddenly felt dizzy as energies overcame him.

When he came to his senses, both female victims were tending to his head wound and a few extra cuts and bruises he had gained. Feeling extremely odd and fatigued, he also realised he had changed somewhat. As he stood and looked around on wobbly legs at the dead boar-men, he felt his senses had, in an odd way, matured.

Studying the cuts and wounds of the corpses, it seemed most had been sliced by a blade – his, he assumed. Although a few limbs also appeared to have been severed by sheer pulling force, he tried to get answers but to no avail. So, the two females led him back to their settlement. The settlement resembled what he had heard about the Moss’Ari and Clovincaz settlements.

The area was utterly razed, with boar-men and golden ebony-skinned humans lying dead all over the place. It was clear that these two were the last of theirs and had no clue about the world outside.  The trio gathered what provisions were worth salvaging, and he even found some magic shards. Then the two natives took him to a nearby cave system, meanwhile covering their tracks. They stayed there for a couple of months until they had fully recovered. In that time, he managed to learn enough of their ways to figure out that the boar-men lived in the north. He also learned that he had somehow exploded into a bright light and turned into a muscular, furred creature that easily bested the boar-men. But he had no recollection of that at all.

Although the situation evolved quite comfortably, he eventually decided to leave and started walking north. The last time he saw the two natives, they were standing with their hands gently folded in front of their bellies and smiling at him. As he wandered, he tried to recall what had happened, but the only thing that grew for him was the vast mountain range to the north.

As he came closer to the mountains, avoiding anything that could lead to more encounters, he set primitive traps and fished to forage. A few times, he managed to catch furred prey, which provided welcomed meat and helped keep him warm as the temperature dropped during his travels. Then it struck him; he was south of the rim. That had to be it, and he would never be able to pass that way dressed so lightly.

So he turned east and began to walk along the foothills, avoiding anything that did not resemble a human being. Months became years, and despite him finding several astravel sites he was unable to make them work. But he kept walking, climbing, and swimming. He knew that at some point he would find a pass and get back on track with the 1st alliance, if it still existed.

The wildlife made him an excellent hunter and tracker, and he found several intriguing combat herbs. And he encountered not only tall bird-men and enormous ape-men, which he avoided, but also a few tribes similar to the two females he freed years ago. He learnt that they were some sort of Mawmen or Izir and skilled shamans and spirit masters – most females were even able to shapeshift.

Slowly the event back then dimmed for him; he had been taken over by the one he landed on. But it had resulted in his fate seed cracking open, and he had his fate awakening. Seeing this, both had aided him in the slaying and then wrapped him in spells and taken advantage of him for months. He wondered if their plan had succeeded and for a while thought about going back.

But the thought vanished when he one day saw a human looking much like himself. Hailing the stranger, it turned and looked at him, then it hand-weaved and vanished. Finding this situation odd, he went to the spot and began tracking the stranger. Later that day he stood at an astravel site, believing this to be his best chance to get back, well, at least to the astral. He fed the device enough energy to enter the astral realm and then activated it.

There he was, somewhere in the astral, and the first thing he noticed was that the rest of the shards in hand began to soften and melt. Never one to shy away from bold actions, he quickly decided to swallow all the shards. Now, if he had ever thought his fate awakening was odd and blurred, the energetic ingestion turned the astral into a blooming garden and odd silhouettes.

He remembered the old stories that described the astral as a vast swirling sea, a turning wheel, or something else entirely. He began to run against its rotation. Occasionally he saw silhouettes coming close and materialising into friendly-looking beings; other times, they were scary or horrific creatures. But not knowing what a being really carries in their spirit, he avoided all and kept moving.

He had no idea for how long he ran, but fatigue began to take its toll, and his skin began to soften; even his bones began to bend on every step, and his mind began to drift. Then suddenly a strong hand grabbed his shoulder, and he heard a distant, deep voice calling for him to better come to safety. Feeling a hard pull, he was hewed out of the astral, and the weight of our world hit him like an ox.

When he woke, he was lying in a large bed. As he slowly came to his senses, he realised the clothes on the chair, although not his old outfit, were quite similar to it. He rose, dressed, and then it struck him how skinny he had become. Almost half of him lost, and even the donning of the new outfit fatigued him. Slowly, he walked to the door and stepped outside. Down the hallway he could hear voices, and he walked there and entered a large study.

He was greeted by Zizu, lord of Ashenhall, and Kanziganthir, Merksmadhir of Ye Olde Zephyrs. Zizu then asked him what in the astral and void’s name he was doing running like that in the astral realm. Asking if he could sit and taste the delicious wine they shared, he began to tell his tale – but he omitted one fact about the months in the caves. When he stopped, Zizu said those were some crazy but bold acts.

Kanziganthir then gave him a welcome back north of the rim and to the year 1212. ‘Ye-Asperr almost yelled, “1212!” Then they began to try to figure out how long he had wandered south of the rim and how long he had been inside the astral realm. But as it was impossible to determine, they then began to discuss the looks of the mana manipulator Ye-Asperr had met. Finally, Ye-Asperr asked how they had seen him.

Zizu said that all his mirrors had suddenly displayed Ye-Asper, willing his half-dissolved shape onwards. And when those artefacts did that, it meant that all greater gods meant for this one to be aided, so he had summoned Kanziganthir, and they jointly extracted Ye-Asperr as fully as they could. And to be honest, it was difficult, as your aura was quite chaotic due to that handful of shards you had swallowed.

His newfound proximity to Kanziganthir and the rumour of boldness beyond most made him a member of the 1st alliance’s inner circle. He went back to Waitan, where he began to plan quite a few things for the 1st alliance with another of their agents, Laradaka. As he visited former friends, several commented on his youthful looks, and a few even asked for the secret behind it.

He never shared that his youthful appearance was due to the time spent in the astral realm, with a belly stuffed with magic shards. However, understanding the astral and how to use it safely became a significant focus of his time. In the autumn of 1213 he met Ed again, and they spent a few days together discussing what had passed in the past 42 years.

The most intriguing news was that Ye-Asperr was considered quite the hero for destroying that group of brutal warlords. Trikzy had left Bosatsu upon seeing the children she had given birth to. The twins had the same golden hair as Ye-Asperr, but their skin was pale-golden like Bosatsu’s. Ed had seen them once after they had come of age, and there was no doubt they were not Trikzy’s, as they even moved and behaved as Ye-Asper.

But no one currently had a clue about the whereabouts of the trio. Ed told me Ye-Asperr had sighed and expressed that it was his life in a nutshell – people he wanted to find. Eventually he parted with Ed and focused on the plan for the 1st alliance. Years passed; work and studies consumed almost a handful of decades, and then the conflict between the torch and the realmsters exploded in 1247.

While participating in the crusade, he rode alongside leaders when, in early 1248, he spotted someone among the enemy whom he had not seen in a very long time. Standing next to the general, weaving destructive magic towards the realmsters, was the same person he had encountered south of the rim. Pointing at the mana manipulator, he screamed towards Kanziganthir that this was the one. But Kanziganthir didn’t hear him.

So Ye-Asperr did what he always does: write the story, and rushing his destrier, he charged the enemy command. Most thought him gone crazy, as it was a suicide solo charge, but seeing it, Kanziganthir somehow felt the act was important, and he charged after him. Seeing Kanziganthir rush impetuously along, the command group joined, and so did the entire army. The enemy general became quite surprised over the unexpected strategic shift of the realmsters’. The general recognised that it was a force shifting allowing the possible outcome to be his defeat, and he decided to abandon the scene. As he turned his warhorse’s head, the manipulator stopped his weaving and looked at him. Realising the general would flee, he engulfed him in a paralysing spell.

Seeing Ye-Asper aiming directly for the mana manipulator and the caster attacking their general, Kanziganthir focused and cast a far-vision path. Getting a clear look at the manipulator, just before it astravelled away. And then the forces clashed, with Ye-Asperr cutting the head clean off the general, just as Kanziganthir yelled a booming, “Don’t kill him! ”. Victorious, with far less lost than anticipated, Ye-Asperr was knighted for the bold move.

Later, as the army still celebrated, Kanzi, Black Oak, and a few others summoned him, demanding an explanation. Then all heard about the travel down south, the odd encounter, and why Ye-Asper had found it vital to face the manipulator. Well, I can tell you all who it is, said Kanziganthir. It’s Nikko Lia! A hefty debate arose regarding the purpose and actions of the torch south of the rim. Especially if by means of astravel. In the aftermath of that, Ye-Asperr met with Themac, the most knowledgeable of the isles regarding the topology of the rim, and they discussed the mountains Ye-Asperr had passed on his travels. This led to Themac formulating a theory about where they might have met and drawing some maps.

Keeping up with the escalating conflict, the coronation, and the growth of the realm kept Ye-Asper pursuing a few important tasks. Bosatsu, his children – all of them, astravel back south of the rim, as well as visiting Mt. Vula – a desire Themac had planted in him. This led to him meeting a few interesting people like Elu Frantzi, Thōm Dūihol and others with whom he recreated Circle du Faramer in 1273.

They managed to pull quite some stunts, and it’s said their biggest score was one of the waggons Niellu Muhuaela had helped Zoe Egrn, Hebra Hargi and Iaspa Roullo load in 1274. Others say it’s most likely from the chests Niellu secured earlier. One thing is for sure: Circle du Faramer has spread more than 1274 gold Liber Floris, with Methil's profile, than anyone else. They either sold the gold coins to collectors or used them directly to buy property across the isles.

Then one day at the astral. Suddenly it was as if a sudden weight entered, slowing the spin and making Ye-Asperr stagger a few steps. As he noticed row upon row of silhouettes marching at the astral, he also, in some oddly mirrored way, saw some vague worldly conjectures he had seen before. Either participating in the world’s spin or boldly writing the tale, he stepped out. Standing at an overgrown astral travel site, he looked around and began walking towards a settlement he hadn’t seen in over 70 years. Y’elge-maarr, the home of the captives he saved in 1172.

Carefully examining tracks, he came to the conclusion that, although abandoned, someone passed now and then. Thus, he headed towards the caves, and as he reached them, a grand palisade wall and gate blocked the entrance. As the gate was open, he entered and was met by an elderly woman who froze when she saw him—then he recognised her eyes. It was Abildo’eo-lione. From her he learned that both of them had sired him twins, and these had given him 16 grandchildren. All with their skin and crimson-tainted black eyes, but with his golden hair. Sought after by her kin, as her people revered them as legends. They had formed a significant new group of tribes that had spread across the landscape. However, 28 years ago, some large white ape-men, led by one resembling Ye-Asperr, surged through their territory while hunting the “sun-hairs“.

Realising it must have been Nikko, cursing the cruelty of life, he began to cry. Abildo’eo-lione, embraced him, and they comforted each other. The next day they travelled to the astravel site, and he offered her to come with him. But she persistently declined, explaining that her kin were forbidden to travel there; as he asked why, a voice reached them. Spinning around, he was stunned.

Before him stood a stunning young female, the skin tone of Abildo’eo-lione but hair like his and a frame more towards his than hers. Looking at both, Abildo’eo-lione nodded, and he gave the youth a hug. Then he watched them discuss something, most likely related to his connection with both of them. However, as they discussed, something changed: Abildo’eo-lione’s eyes widened, and her voice became increasingly concerned.

Then the youth pointed at the astravel site, then at herself, and then back to the site. Ye-Asperr understood that she wanted to come along. Looking into Abildo’eo-lione’s eyes, he tried to explain that such a self-writing story should be for the youth to decide herself. Finally, Abildo’eo-lione looked at the youth and said, “Niagh-ka-ol-re, yetaug merr snips.” To which the youth looked at Ye-Asperr, and as she pointed to herself, she said, “Niagh-ka-ol-re,” and then pointed at the site. Activating the site, he held Niagh-ka-ol-re’s hands, and they ported to the astral. There, just as he was to take a step, he noticed she changed. Skin cracking, bones protruding, claws growing – she almost became wolf-like – and in her eyes he saw unmistakable terror and agony. Then she and her fylgia exploded in a spray of dissolving matter – sending Ye-Asper staggering back.

As he fell, something at his back gave way, and he fell into a room with several coloured doors. Still holding the half-furred, long-nailed hand of Niagh-ka-ol-re, he stood, and the light in the room was suddenly lit. There stood Deepminded, fan in hand, looking at the part in his hand. She asked who he was, what he held, and why he came. He merely looked at her and said, “I’m Ye-Asperr. It’s my grandchild; I stumbled.” Unable to understand his meaning, she handed him a handful of shards and said he should use the blue door. But as he merely stood staring at shards in one hand and Niagh-ka-ol-re’s remains in the other, he declined. For a while they stood teeth-gritting when suddenly Ye-Asperr yanked open the violet door and threw himself in.

Deepminded later told me she had never seen such astral weight engulfing a mortal mind before. But somehow, as a clovincaz totem rooted in millennia-long belief, he had kept his foothold. Despite it having seemed like his aura had been twisted a thousand times, he had even disobeyed her and chosen the violet door, the colour of essence and the physical.
Ye-Asperr once more stood at the astral, this time determined to ignore any future tales or songs, and he began to trot against its spin. Eventually he noticed silhouettes of what seemed to be boar-men, and as they surged out at a astravel site he jumped along. And he found himself amidst a large battlefield where elephant-like humans fought against half-humans like Niagh-ka-ol-re.

With a large howl he threw himself at the back of the group he had followed, cutting and slicing limbs as he surged and tumbled forward. Leaving a trail of the wounded and maimed, he suddenly noticed a large pile of slain pig- and elephant-men. Then he saw a sight that horrified him. A hero of the Ye Olde Zephyrs, Aragon, was dangling in the firm magic grasp of one of them four-armed birdmen.

So Ye-Asperr tumbled, rolled, and slided. Eventually landing right behind it, he sliced both legs of the creature. Shrieking, it lost its grip on Aragon and turned to face the new immediate danger. As Aragon came to his senses, he bashed its helmet-mask off, grabbed its ugly head firmly and ripped it from its body. Keeping his head, Aragon disappeared in the carnage. Satisfied he had aided one of the great legends, he turned towards the other foes and saw a gargantuan Gaji-Kulat stomping with its eyes rolling and snout sprouting towards him. Just moments before impact, a large, muscular T'Aurs tackled the Gaji-Kulat from the left.

As both surged past his right side, he planted his katana deep into the Gaji-Kulats’ face and sliced it deeply from ear to chin. Severing its trunk completely, it stood and tried to stop blood from spraying and its one eye from falling out. Then it was speared by the T’Aurs and Kobold Scion who had tackled it. Dropping the speared foe, it yelled for him to follow as they had to retreat. On the escape it crushed several pigryn and an odd frog-like billhook wielder, although it managed to deliver a fatal chest cut to the scion. As they trotted away, the scion handed him a tome. You must deliver this Truename Tome to Zizu, as I fear I can’t.

As he took the tome, the scion toppled over, looked at him, and whispered, “No astral, never bring it there.” Staring at the dead, he finally nodded to himself, and as he figured this to be Academy of Ea, he ran towards the south. Jumping a small boat with a few dead ones in it, he pushed it adrift. Staying in the water he kept the tome dry by holding it just above the water while hiding himself as much as possible among the dead bodies. Several Aquarians flying above mistook the boat for a drifting pile of dead bodies, allowing him to steer it all the way to East Fjella. And then once more he ran until his legs softened and muscles ached. Then he found a mount.

A month later, he viewed Ashenhall, its roof gone and its towers still smoking. As he turned his mount and cursed it all, a handsome, well-built man appeared, saying, “Now that foul language befits no proper knight, does it, father of many?” Only one type of being would call him that: one of the damned gods stirring up all this trouble, yet Ye-Asperr remained remarkably calm. “You’re right, but this just weighs so much on me,” he said, showing the tome. In the blink of an eye the stranger stood right in front of him, smiling with both hands on the tome. It said, “Then let me lighten your burden.”

“Well, not much point to burden you more than already,” said Ye-Asperr and twisted the blade that had gone deep into the divine husk. The smile vanished; it let go of the tome and grabbed its guts. Green and cyan energy was spraying and spluttering from the wound, and it disappeared. Looking around, Ye-Asper smiled and quickly gathered the shards, then jumped back in the saddle and rode off. Soon he sensed someone following, and he cursed, picking up the shards. But as he looked back, he saw a familiar shape. But as it could be an illusion, he kept the pace.

His speed was no match for “Firehoof,” the mount of Den Godan. So as he was caught he slowed, and the pair trotted alongside each other. As Den Godan complimented him for the bold trick against Neoraldo, a god of whispers. Ye-Asperr told him that the move was one he had learned from Nahita and was similar to this one. Then Ye-Asper showed some moves, and as Den Godan looked at the raised hand, Ye-Asperr stabbed him in the throat with a stiletto. Falling down from the dissolving mount, the lesser god yelled how he’d known. Your remains in my pocket pull too hard, and Den would never approach me like that, I’m sure. Bested for the second time, it was just about to try again when they heard a voice, “He’s right, you know; it was far too dangerous a pursuit.”

Seeing the real Den Godan, Neoraldo howled and fled in a flash. Staring at each other for a while, Ye-Asperr finally looked at the few shards the stab had produced and asked, “Whichever of them you are, do you mind?”“Now that’s perceptive. How?” “Well, no eagerness, not the slightest interest in divine shards, not even a glance. That isn’t mortal and can only be for those with enough already. So?” “I’m Murf,” it said and changed, “Dens beloved, moth…” “Yes, yes, guess I’m a goner for sure now?” said Ye-Asperr. “Not at all,” was the fading reply.

After cleaning the scene, he laughed at himself. Then he went back inside Ashenhall and hid the tome. During the rest of the invasion, Ye-Asperr spent his time trying to travel home. However, as Astravel became increasingly unstable and approached fatal danger due to the presence of more than just mere invaders, he made his way to the shores of southwestern Midgard. Unable to get to Naldar, he fought alongside anyone he met for at least a year or two. Then he heard that the high king was going to reclaim Grimsborg. And he set out in that direction.

He met the remaining forces of the 2nd alliance as they retreated from Grimsborg. Suddenly, he found himself alongside old comrades from the time of the 1st alliance. Although most of them had changed due to witnessing too much death and destruction, some were still breathing because of their desire to destroy invaders and traitors. Now, while on the run from a relentless foe, he decided to stand by their side. At the Battle of Weeping Plains, he caught a glimpse of a young girl that, in an odd way, looked familiar. As he focused his sight, the stranger turned in the saddle and stared right back at him.

It was as if seeing Botsatu again, but with his golden mane atop. As she looked puzzled at him and he spurred his mount, her group was attacked by a large group of Anurai. The foes easily overcame the cavalry, and surged onwards,. He rode to the spot and dismounted by jumping onto the back of a spear-wielding nastiness that ran from wounded to wounded, maiming them further. Just as it was to pierce the female he had seen, he sliced its back, and it spun with a spear tip in a deadly cut. But he knew the dance; Nahita and the others had taught him well.

Recalling the tale Atallanti told him, he kneeslided between its long legs and sliced its body. On wobbly legs, suddenly a blade’s length longer but with no body control, it fell face-forward into the dirt and died. Another one turned and charged him, and he stepped between her and it, taking its powerful naginata swing with both sword and dagger. He staggered backwards – and as he felt something touch his sleeve, he saw its eyes widen in dread.

The female had used the sliced one’s spear and poked it through Ye-Asperr’s armpit and into the chest of the attacker. As the Anurai died he turned towards her, and he was sure. It was his daughter, and he began to cry. “Don’t cry, Dad, I found you,” she said, smiling with a faint voice. “You sure did, dear,” he said and kneeled down and held her tight. Then he closed her dead eyes and stood. Turning towards the Anurai, a flash of bright golden light engulfed him, and it charged the invaders.

When they had won, he declined the cleansing crusade. It was time to find Botsatsu and that other child Ed had mentioned. So far, there has been no luck, but this means you can still meet and greet this legend anywhere on the dusty roads. And if you have the information he needs, he might share the legendary divine shards he’s carrying. And don’t try anything foolish, as he knows some intriguing and powerful true names.

“The sun-haired, the divine stabber, the father of many, and the seeker. Although mortal, he has as many names as a god.

Skjald Sejrik