Story TimePrologueThe preacher was late.
He always came this time of day, reliable as the Lamordian time-piece Argali now referenced.
She clicked it shut with disatisfaction, wondering to his whereabouts.
A breeze played over the field she resided, rustling the grass and leaves.
She was alone as usual, though it never deterred the Preacher before.
He had taken an interest in the outlandish elf and her peculiar behavior, and had appropriated her as a disciple of sorts,
instructing her in the way of the Lord and Deity he wouldn't name.
They would meet every week, and he would speak, and she would listen.
Slowly but surely she had shown progress, meeted by the less and less frequent lapse of judgement or sanity, depending on who you asked.
Argali was a troubled soul, and nothing prior to the preacher's efforts had shown any result.
Each week she would leave him full of peace, and the next she would return lacking and hungry for more.
The preacher had never been late before.
Argali waited, impatient, anxious.
Some hours later an old man showed himself on the field, ambling his way over to the tree Argali postured under.
Argali gave the man a three fingered salute.
"Father."The old man returned it.
"Forgive my old bones, I'm not as young as I used to be."
"I think you were born old, father."He shook his head briefly.
"Oh, no, no. Believe it or not I was once as young and insufferable as you, my dear."He nodded sagely and Argali smirked.
"You are alone." He remarked.
"You never fail to notice."He stroked the gray stubble at his chin, quirking a bushy brow.
"I'm beginning to wonder if you have friends at all."Argali smiled in her reserved fashion.
"As you revealed last week, my pride and arrogance seldom allows equals, let alone superiors."He nodded once.
"Such a lonely world. What have you done with this revelation?"
"Acknowledged it. Repented. Though still I find myself guarded more often than not."
"Why are you afraid, my dear?"
"I'm not afraid." She almost snapped.
"You can lie to yourself, but not to me."Argali chuckled.
"Now who is arrogant?"The old man sighed.
"You are so clever, Argali. Such a gift you have, yet you have turned it into a curse."The elf paused.
"Explain.""Through your iniquity you have built a fortress within your mind full of dark rooms and labyrinth halls.
Though you have conquered many demons, there is yet still one hiding within this fortress."Argali had grown quiet now and simply listened as he continued.
"This is why you crave my ministry. I speak judgement to this monster and it hides away behind its walls.
When it is weak, you know peace and joy for its absence. As time passes, it comes out of hiding, whispering blasphemies and confounding your thoughts.
When you look for the source of these thoughts, it hides in the vastness of the fortress you have built for it but,
Argali, you are the architect of your mind. You can make a door to nowhere lead to anywhere.
You have the power.
You must find where this monster hides, and cast it back into the pits of hell.
I cannot help you with this, and I must leave you now." The old man straightened up with his staff and turned, taking leave at his elderly pace.
Argali protested.
"But you've only arrived!"The old man continued on his way.
"You rely on me too heavily and my back is tired, my dear. I will not be here forever, or much longer for that matter."He stopped and turned to Argali with a daft old smile.
"I have taught you much and have faith you will know what to do."Argali stared at him incredulously.
"You've only just arrived, late, at that, and you're leaving.""I may be old, but I am not deaf." The old man squinted at the elf and stroked his stubbled chin.
"Though I am beginning to wonder about you.
I had thought those ears were for more than show."Argali was not amused.
The old man was as he continued on his way.
As he drew distance he spoke again.
"You know what to do!"Argali was petulant.
"What do I know?""More than you think." He replied, and then there was silence but for the wind.
Argali slumped against the tree and puzzled at those words.
"More than you think." She murmured, and closed her eyes to find reverie.. .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~