Evaria: Lament for Lae'yem

Collection: Of Greater Shadows
​Chronicled by Valhel
Recommended listening: Final Battle by Alan Silvestri

Throughout creation spirits were gifted guardianship over various dominions. To some were gifted the waters and stone, others arts, or philosophies.
Upon reaching their charge these spirits were transformed and took on an appearance fitting their ward. From time to time these spirits returned to the heavens to give report on their work upon the world, thus they were renamed Revenants.
Lae'yem was set as lord over the construct of music and all sounds of melody belonged to her. Under her guidance the peoples of creation discovered music and devised all manner of instrument with which to create song.

Lae'yem was pleased with her students, though they seldom were aware of her guiding influence. Longing to connect with the composers of the world Lae'yem endowed the most gifted musicians with a taste of her own power. They were the Bards, visionary creatives empowered to wield lyric and lyre as a weapon through the hearts and minds of humanity. The Bards were sent wandering through the ancient lands, and straying upon conflicted peoples, they sought to use their craft to bring about peace and order. Their songs raised armies and quelled mobs, defined cultures and defied tyrants.
Yet as the ages wore on the Bards began to diminish along with their power. Their secret communion with Lae'yem had been broken by pride, and a seldom few still looked to their guardian for inspiration. Yet still their was one young Bard who venerated the Revenant of Music, and her voice carried more beauty than any Bard had yet. Reddish brown hair was kept loosely in a bun, some of which swept down to the shoulder of a pale blue coat that fastened down to the belt before parting over dark blue trousers and boots. Her green eyes were often closed as she mused at the keys of her piano, a smile of contentment belying the difficulty of composing.
Lae'yem was pleased with her student and called Evaria, the Bard blessed. To her was gifted not only power over songcraft, but also strength to cause music to take form around her.
Evaria was unaware of her blessing, as Lae'yem wished for the young bard to discover her power like a new song. And so the young songstress quietly and beautifully composed at her piano, singing of sunlight and evening rains.
Now many were the spirits amount the Revenants, and not all of them pure. The Revenant of Sound, whose power enabled the songs of Lae'yem and her pupils, was ever jealous of the exclusive beauty that belonged to their music. For though his realm included the sounds of harmony they are conveyed noise and violence of discord and terror. The old malice crept into the heart of Desmodeph, Revenant of Sound, and he plotted evil against his sister.
On winter's eve a shrill cry fell over the land and with it came darkness. Rain began to fall and then turn to snow, peels of thunder roared through the sky. And though no cloud was in the sky, not star nor Moon could shine through that unearthly night.
Lae'yem grew fearful and soared down to watch over the last Bard. Though Evaria could not perceive, the Revenant of Music overshadowed her. Six ghostly luminescent wings stretched wide over the Bard as Lae'yem brandished her weapon, a conductor's baton of throned white light.
Evaria turned from her music and began to fasten the windows and doors of her room, but the darkness transcended them and shadows closed in around her.
The shrill cry reverberated once more and Lae'yem drew up her brand and began to weave song into air.
The world around Evaria vanished and all was shadow until Lae'yem alone shown in the darkness, finally visible to her student. But the light revealed more horror still.
A winged claw reached down through the darkness and pulled a monstrous figure before the Seraph. Bits of plated armor glinted through tears vast black cloak as the creature spun up to his full height. Five more fleshy wings folded down from the shadows and behind the beast as it raised a head crowned in a magnificent iron mask. Behind the guise of fangs, a voice came from the blinded face, "Your song cannot be heard here, muse."
She did not answer, but only threw her might into the melody. But where there should had been a crash of drums and the rise of strings and horns there was only thunder and storm. Desmodeph thrust out a clawed hand and the brand flew from Lae'yem's grasp into his own. Tragically the Revenant of Music realized that Desmodeph had denied sound to her music. Again the creature swept out a claw and just as it was to tear at the Seraph she gave one final boon to Evaria. Then shadow fell over Lae'yem and she was no more.
Bewildered and horrified, Evaria collapsed to the floor.