Lashandra's Tale

[-Lacie-]

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to anyone in the City, past or present, is merely ... coincidental.

Lashandra's Tale

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived in a beautifully forested realm. She grew up out in the forest, only coming inside to have an evening meal and a secure place to rest for the night. She didn't believe in shoes, so her mother always had a bucket of water, a bar of soap and a towel sitting on the back porch. This was to prevent the girl from tracking up the floors.

Lashandra loved the out of doors. She loved the smells, the sights, the brightly lit planes, the shadowy feel of the over-grown trees... but most of all, she loved the Water. Water, to her, was magical. She was certain it contained more than the liquid; to her, Water had the power to destroy the beaver's dam, give life to the crops, kill the crops, and spread silt when it came out of its banks. Her feet were always wet, to the point her toes were permanently wrinkled.

Her favorite tool was her fishing pole. It simply amazed her that she could take a worm from the Earth, place it on a hook, and retrieve something delicious to eat from the Water. Often her mother would prepare some meal made from animals that had fur. Lashandra couldn't stand the thought of eating the forest's creatures! So she always brought home a large fish. She was old enough now to clean her own catch, and her mother allowed her to cook it as well. This was a major achievement for Lashandra, as her mother's oven was always so very hot!

One afternoon, Lashandra was at her favorite river. The Water lapped at the shore gently and trickled thru the beaver's dam downstream. She sat in her favorite spot, under a willow tree and prepared for what she did each day... fish. She prepared the pole, checking the line. She opened a small can which she kept only the longest, fattest worms in. She laid out a cloth, and set out the cheese, bread and fruit that her mother always sent her out with. Just another glorious day in paradise to her.

The sun went behind a cloud, cooling the grass, and the Air stirred with a cool, gentle breeze, which cooled the sweat on her neck. A yawn passed her lips, although she didn't feel weary in the least. She wedged the pole between two rocks, stretched out and laid back on the cool grass. She reached for the pole with one foot, sliding the pole between two toes, so she would feel the tugging of a catch on the line. Before she knew it, her eyelids drooped and she fell into a rather deep sleep for the middle of the afternoon.

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Lashandra sat up rather suddenly and looked around. Nope, she wasn't at the stream any longer! She had found herself in a Courtyard made of stone. The only comfort to this new place was the lapping of Water against the stone walkways. Uncertain of where she was, she walked up the steps and found herself in Threshold. Her feet had tracked in some mud onto the floor.

"Well, well well! Who do we have here?", the man with the jade halo twirling around his head asked her.

"My... my name is Lashandra. Where... am I?" she asked timidly. That was one of the last times she appeared timid, by the way.

The SoulMaster teacher, let's call him George, then went on to explain to her where she was, how she got there, and then explained some of the possibilities of being a member of the City. Lashandra knew nothing of cities until this point, and the whole idea of growing, learning and becoming more powerful fascinated her. She had always dreamt of being a beautiful princess in a castle, growing up, marrying a (rich, powerful, and OLD) King, and inheriting his realm upon his passing. She dreamt of doing this over and over until she had it all and was the most powerful woman in the kingdom!

She proceeded to ask about the Teacher's green halo. George explained that he was a SoulMaster and that their key elemental focus was that of Water. He then looked her over and proclaimed, "Well, well well! It seems you are a lover of Water too!" This was more than a dream come true for her. Her love of the Water was everything to her and she was very excited to learn she too, was a SoulMaster.

Over the next year, Lashandra wandered the City, learning and growing. She also watched others as they grew and grew in power. Unaware of the consequences, she pondered her lost dream and wondered if she could make it come true in the City of Dreams. At first, her efforts were sincere and with each sphere, felt herself grow more and more powerful. Somehow along this path, the lure of selfishness and deceit crept into her dreams, as it oft-times does. She didn't see it coming. The lure of power was more than her love of the Water.

Friends were made only for the sake of what they could do for her or get for her. She didn't hesitate to destroy a friendship if it meant an increase in her "power". It happens all too often in the City, and she was unaware. She would befriend a teacher, only to turn on them when the opportunity for more power arose. What was worse, she became known for this. It didn't matter; to Lashandra, she was powerful and gaining more each dream. The babbling brooks of Lambent went unfished; the 'secret' pond she discovered when she was young, was overfilled with bottom-feeding Aquaan; the winds through Totality didn't rustle her hair any more.

She was powerful though. She had achieved a very high sphere; her Restore was unrivaled; her Poison... deadly. She reached the station of not only teacher, but Master Teacher, a title she sought for the sake of having it... and its power. Not content though, she turned her sights to the Houses. Her dream of being the most powerful woman in the kingdom just ~had~ to be accomplished by owning and controlling a castle. She turned her attention to the Great Houses of Underlight.

But this isn't a path easily taken.

During one of her dreams, she was approached by a man, or what she thought was a man. He sensed her lust for power and planned to exploit it. He told her of a house, his house, that she might easily get into. He told a sad tale of how he was once the Ruler of this House and how "they" had taken it from him, following with how very much he wanted it back. Instead of wooing her with sweet nothings, he whispered detailed plans of how she could get into this house, overthrow its Ruler and take it over, and then send for him.

The ideas were new to her and she listened attentively, taking note of each whisper, every subtle hint given by the man. He was alluring; his voice almost sang a song to her. She fell very much in love with him. She wanted to please him almost as much as she wanted the power of a Great House. This was his chance.

He set her off, plan in motion. She followed his plan to the letter. She joined the House's ranks and bided her time. She waited for ~the~ opportune moment, then struck swiftly! She got it! She actually made her one dream come true! She was happier than she had been in her whole life! She was powerful, wealthy, affluent. People HAD to listen to her!

This is untrue, of course... people didn't HAVE to listen to her. They ignored her, turned their heads, walked out of rooms. She decided to just associate with those in her House. But they were few and far between, and had devised many excuses to walk away from her.

The man reappeared after some time away to find her ruling his former House. He gathered some of her favorite blossoms and took the long walk up to the House. He reached the House's Facade and surprised her with the flowers.

"I didn't see you come up! I would have met you in Threshold!", she exclaimed excitedly. She didn't even think that Locate Dreamer only locates Dreamers and the occasional DarkMare.

"I wanted to surprise you with my Return, my love!", with that, he gave her the flowers.

"I was so hoping to see you here and in a position of authority." He glared at her Ruler's crest.

She was beside herself, missing him terribly and so glad to see him, that she didn't see past... his facade. "And look! I'm a Ruler and everything! I did it!" She was clearly gloating.

"And now you will replace me to my throne. I will allow you to sit at my side and we will rule together." He spoke as if he knew what her reply was going to be... and wasn't disappointed.

"Well, about that....", she started. The lust for power had now fully consumed her. "I.. think I will start you off as an Initiate and if you behave... I'll make you a Guardian!"

The fishing line tugged at her toes.

"You have forsaken everything for this power! And now, look at you! I am the one you love and you treat me this way? How DARE you!" She was honestly and completely confused, but what her eyes saw next overwhelmed her.

The "man" then enVisioned her. Her mouth went agape when she looked upon his... true form.

"Why you're a ... you can't be! You're... a .... FISH!" She screamed in disbelief.

"Be careful what you Wish for, my dear." And with that, he yanked off her crest and slung her across the Facade with his massive tail-fin.

The hook sank deep into the fish's mouth, obviously making him extremely angry, as well it should! The large fish took off at full steam, literally jumping over the badger's dam, dragging the pole and Lashandra along with him. Neither one was ever seen again.

(Yup! It's a fish story about the one that got away!)

The morale of the story is: Power corrupts absolutely and sometime's it's better to pay more attention to the tugging of the fishing line between one's toes!

~fin~

~Lacie~