21st of CrownFall, 

Fourth Age of Aera 

1:00 PM

"I can't."

"I just can't."

"Can't what? Beautiful?" sneered Eridan, who was impaled to the tree by three arrows, and was bleeding extensively.

The Raven struggled with her thoughts. "I would suggest keeping that viper tongue of yours inside it's lying hole" Ci'Ar hissed. "You've lost enough blood as is, if it wasn't for that Nihtirin magic...you'd be dead already." Eridan looked down, down at the gaping maw that was his chest. Dammit, she was right, thanks to this coldhearted bitch and her demonic wraith of a sword, he's lost a third of the blood in his body. "He Couldn't afford to-" Ci'Ar interjected "To bear the thought of a slow and painful death, where otherwise you'd be three, almost four hours dead. tops?” Ci'Ar gave a sly, yet subtle smile. She had the upper-hand, Eridan's played his little game, but you can't play Death. 

Eridan's eyes snapped to Ci'Ar's, he wanted to look inside the bird of prey’s mind. pick at it, like a hawk. a few moments in, just a little bit closer….suddenly, he then let out a horrific, soul-piercing scream. "Ayeeaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Ci''Ar's eyes calmed then narrowed, she smiled coldly; "This is my game now, little serpent." Eridan cried "What darkness is this!? What such tragedy could create such a being!?" Eridan screamed. Ci'Ar leapt to her feet, arrow in hand, and started towards to fallen elven lord. "The tragedy of a girl watching her parents brutalized and murdered, in front of her innocent and helpless eyes. The tragedy was that she could do nothing but watch! The tragedy of a girl losing everything she has ever known!" She stabbed him. "Her childhood!" She slashed him across the torso. "Her family!" Ci'Ar slashed violently, "The only love she has ever cherished, ever wanted!"

 Ci'Ar viciously drove the arrow up into Eridan's skull, blood flowed and streamed out from Eridan's jaw, the only thing that was keeping him alive was the Nithirin magic given to him by the Wraiths of Shalotar. In a strange yet logical sense...Eridan destroyed himself, it was supposed to happen. You can never trust a wraith. But how could that woman... the one with cold black hair, the one he saw on that snow topped mountain, habited only by the lost souls, use such power so easily? Eridan's eyes widened. The woman he saw on the mountain, was the one who had his life in her hands. The one who was now brutalizing him. Eridan's mind flashed. He could see everything. He now knew the truth.

"RavenCrown" Eridan mumbled.

H”e spoke without thinking. “I could give you....." Eridan spoke softly. Ci'Ar stopped. She saw a tortured soul within Eridan, it was almost like...Ci'Ar's eyes widened, faster than a moment's breadth. Certainly, just certainly, he couldn’t have shared the same fate as her?. Ci’Ar’s eyes settled for a moment then narrowed. She knew what must be done. There is one that needs to die, and one that needs to live. The problem? They'e both Eridan. "You will give nothing!" Ci'Ar jerked the arrow upward, Eridan coughed up a splurge of blood. "This has happened...." Eridan failed to speak. "What? 'Happened' what!?" Eridan was gagging on his own blood.

He finally spoke, and when he did, he did with absolute and utmost sincerity: "This has happened before" Eridan breathed painfully. "Do it...Set me free." Eridan pleaded. "Kill me". Ciara stood motionless for a moment. All Eridan ever wanted was a mother, just a mother. Ciara lost that. Ciara bowed her head in pity, acceptance, understanding, and personal sorrow. The only man who ever deserved to see her cry....to ever see her in this state...was Eridan.

"Goodbye....Ciara" whispered Eridan.

"Goodbye, Eridan" sobbed Ciara.

They looked into each others eyes, and for a moment, just a moment, saw each other. Not as enemies, but as kindred spirits, friends....family. Ciara moved in, and closed the gap between them....

They kissed.

After their moment of brief passion, they looked into each other once more, they smiled and laughed. And then....Eridan head fell onto it’s lifeless shoulders. Ciara buried her head into him, and drenched him with her tears, she cried dreadfully, like the girl she used to be, before her life was taken from her. He was buried in Mirei's Meadow. Mirei was the Goddess of Love. Ciara had mourned for Eridan for several months. And after a year, she came back to pay her respects, she noticed something odd, out of place...

It was the sign announcing the Fall of Eridan. Ciara remembered his words, that this happened before.

"No, you arrogant prick.” Ciara smiled a smug smile. “It has not happened before." Ciara’s smile stayed, but as accustomed to her cold, hard personality, it faded away as easily as the wind. "It happened a year ago today, with us." Ciara erased the weathered sign, and wrote a message of her own, one that would stay and stand the tests of time.

"The Rise and Triumph.....

Of Eridan"

“Shirassei Haorus Dol….

Illas Eridanis”