Judgement of the Spear of Vengeance

[extrapenguin]

Posting Kalista's League Judgement that I wrote some time ago. On AO3

OBSERVATION

Kalista strides into the chamber with measured, purposeful strides. There are spectral spears piercing her sternum, letting the ghostly green glow of her body shine through her armor. It is hard to tell whether the hair coming form her helmet is hers or from some sacrificial animal. She looks emaciated.

The truest opponent lies within

Kalista pauses at the door, no emotion gracing her face. She looks around for a handle, comes up with nothing, then hesitantly places her palm on the marble. She minutely raises one eyebrow when the doors swing open.

She walks into the darkness without hesitation.

 

REFLECTION

They were... torn apart. First went the most recent addition to them, screaming the tale of her betrayal. Then the next. And the next. And the next. One by one, until only Kalista herself was left.

It was ... lonely.

Suddenly, it wasn't dark anymore. She was in her body in life, leader of the Queen's bodyguards.

She was at the Queen's bedside. The Queen was dying. This was what had started it all.

The Queen coughed weakly. Her vibrant personality had been flattened by disease. Her vitality was gone. Kalista was aware of the déjà-vu when she thought that she was looking at someone already dead.

The Queen removed her hand from her mouth. There was blood on it.

"Why do you want to join the League, Kalista?" she asked in her now-raspy voice. Even now, frailty could not claim her.

"I seek to avenge the betrayed." It was odd, to speak without echoing, after so long.

The Queen looked up at her. "You never were betrayed."

Kalista was ripped from the Queen's bedside.

Now, she was in the King's rooms, in a meeting she'd known would change everything.

"The Queen is dead", she said. She remained standing at the precipice. There were not many people in the room. There seldom were, when truly consequential decisions were made.

The King sat on his throne. To his right, the Warden of the grounds. In front of him, the man who'd promised to cure his wife, encased in a suit of metal. Completing the circle, the head of cavalry and the Princess.

The warlock turned his attention back to the King. "There is still one hope for her yet."

Kalista tried to shout. No words came out. There wouldn't have been a use, anyway. The King was lost in his grief, wanting to undo everything. The Queen had refused the warlock's aid in life, but in death, she could not object.

The Warden volunteered as the chain between life and afterlife.

Kalista turned and ran. If the Queen's wishes were not to be respected, then save her the humiliation of her most loyal bodyguard participating. She ran out to the palace grounds.

The palace shook. The ground trembled. A wail burst forth. A chill ran down Kalista's spine.

Then, the world turned a ghastly green. The air turned the smell of death and decay. The wind stopped. Kalista stopped.

She felt just as empty as the first time she'd lived this through.

She stood for a small eternity until the King came, steps stuttering, terror in his eyes.

"She... was right", he said. "She never came back. May she forgive me."

Anger. Kalista clenched her hand around her spear, and drove it through the King. She saw the life drain from his eyes.

As he had betrayed the Queen, Kalista had failed him. There was nothing here for her. She took her spear and plunged it into her sternum once. Twice. Thrice. She died. Unfortunately, she also came back.

"How does it feel, exposing your mind?" the King asked.

Kalista reached out with her mind. The souls of the betrayed came to her, one by one.

"We seek vengeance. There are many traitors here." Their echo was back.

"Welcome to the League, Spear of Vengeance", the young summoner said, a tremor in his voice.