Requiem
~Requiem~
~Description~
Once, an unassuming wooden Lyre.
Then, scattered fragments of sweetly scented wood- wrapped in a single frayed wire- To be entombed in a black lacquered wooden box.
Now, An encore.
~Blessed Strength~
This Artifact is amongst the last remaining emblems left behind by the Ascendi- a physical manifestation of the pact between Daedria & her chosen champion.
While in and of itself, this makes the item notably blessed- it's true value lies in the hidden connection it has with the 'living' Requiem. Specifically, it houses the paladins soul, guarding it against the ruinous forces that would seek to consume it. Guarded as such, and with the added benefit of being tethered to the material world- the relic ensures that Daedria's flock will not be without a protector for long.
~To Compose A Requiem~
The initial creation of the Artifact was a closely guarded secret- born of a pact made between Kasyr & Daedria. He would request of her the ability to defy death, so that he might be able to guard those he cared for- and in exchange, he would provide her an endlessly loyal servant. Her people would be protected, her enemies put to the sword.
And in that moment, she saw that his words were true. The accord was struck- and his fate was sealed. But immortality was not a safeguard against suffering. It simply meant he'd be the last one standing, as friends and family fell to the sword or faded. As organizations evaporated around him. As tyrants, and demi-gods rose and fell.
But he kept his vow. Until for just a moment, he found a means to rest. When a fractured divinity was poised to steal a place in the pantheon property- the Kensai ignited his life in order to bar the way. An act which not only granted him a much needed respite, but elevated his Matron Goddess.
And so he fell silent.
~Second Verse, Same As The First~
But that wasn't the curtain call. Even after his sacrifice, another rose in his stead to entreat the Ascendi for his return. Providing a token to a Little Bird that might lead the swordsman home- in the hour of their need.
~Bridge To Nowhere~
And yet. There's something slightly amiss, isn't there? Missing moments from each time he'd fallen. Time stretched out on a celestial span. A man placed where he's needed, again and again. But no one left to remember it.