The Tale of Mistress Valdis the Undying

The Tale of Mistress Valdis the Undying
Chapter 1 - Path to Undeath

She came upon being the mistress of Warlord Marikysh during a time of unfettered darkness that engulfed all the known lands. He, a warlord ruling over a vast nation, bathed in the blood of those who opposed him, those he conquered, and those in which he became bored. But never had he met one such as his new mistress, Valdis. Boredom could never be farther away than when she was near. Even in absentia, his mind would swim in images and memory of his mistress, Valdis. For the first time during Warlord Marikysh's totalitarian reign, he felt an alien emotion - he felt love.

Valdis, described as a dark vision of absolute beauty. Valdis, tall and curved as if carved from the most perfect of marble stone. Valdis, her dark flesh shone with the clarity of a bright moon shining through the most thinly carved obsidian. Valdis, her perfect lines accented by imperfections that only nature could artistically master, rounded out her unyielding magnificence. Framing her striking form were black locks of hair that flowed past perfectly rounded hips. None within all the kingdoms struck such an incredible vision as Mistress Valdis, consort of the great Warlord Marikysh.

Valdis and Marikysh soon became one in the same. For a chemistry between two had never been seen before. Two dark forces of power and beauty figuratively merge into one. None were strong enough to stand against Marikysh and Valdis. For it was this absolute power that not only brought unity to the lands, but also boredom to the two most powerful beings of the realm. Both fell into the studies of the Obsidian dark arts; Marikysh focused on martial potency, while Valdis assigned her attention to the darkest and most chaotic of magics. Their natural affinity was only accentuated by the desire for immortality, for none should rule the lands except for Marikysh and Valdis.

Chapter 2 - Blood for Immortality

The Blood Ritual began as a monthly arcane practice, but soon turned to a blessed nightly act. It started with those arrested for heinous crimes against the realm, wherein the condemned would be stripped and tied to tri-standing poles, made to hover over the sacred Bloodstone, their throats slit and the blood allowed to cascade over the Bloodstone. Three acolytes chanted the sacred words to incite the Bloodstone to spout its glorious fountain of blood accumulated over untold years. It was at this moment that the sacred masters of the realm came in and danced in the bloody fountain, saturating their naked bodies with the life fluid from eons past. Eternal youth was only the first of the gifts bestowed upon Valdis and Marikysh.

With each Blood Ritual, the martial proficiency, physical strength and fortitude, and skill of Marikysh increased to godlike levels. No one and nothing could match Marikysh in combat, not even an entire battalion of the realm's finest warriors, for Marikysh tested his prowess against many battalions and found the boast to be unquestionably true. He became the most powerful of beings, except for one; his love, his life, his world, Valdis.

Valdis' power grew beyond that of even the most power arcane masters. With each Blood Ritual, she expanded her power to that of a demi-goddess - a being so powerful that not even the physical and martial prowess of the Great Marikysh could match. Valdis could feel that her power was unstoppable, but her growth was beginning to stagnate, even when performing the Blood Ritual two and three times per day. Mortal blood was no longer strong enough to add to her power, she knew she needed more. Her love had been great for Marikysh, but her love for power turned greater, and soon Valdis saw Marikysh as nothing more than food for her power. Counter to everything Marikysh had believed, presented, and practiced, he saw the change in Valdis, and Marikysh wept.

Chapter 3 - There is only Mistress Valdis

The mountains shook and the valleys cracked when the battle between Valdis and Marikysh ensued. Buildings toppled, legions perished, and the realm was dissolved into chaos. This, of course, pleased the Obsidians, but they also saw that if the battle continued, their very existence may come into question. It was upon this realization that the highest of the Obsidians gathered and enacted an obliteration spell to end the lives, and the battle, of both Marikysh and Valdis.

The incantation took days to complete, and more of the realm fell into burning and decay. The battle reached its peak when the spell was finally released. The sky filled with a multitude of the darkest hues of purple, crimson, blue and of course a blackness that refused to let light pass through. A beam with the volume of the largest tornadoes burst from the sky and slammed into the area in which Valdis and Marikysh fought. The resulting explosion destroyed lands thousands of cubits in every direction. The High Obsidians never faltered from their safe vantage point and felt pride in their success. But their success was short lived, for Valdis, burned flesh that turned into hardened ash, eyes glowing a violent violet, and rage that not even the darkest of the High Obsidians had ever experienced, soared towards them and engulfed their very being.

Nothing was left of the High Obsidians that cast their spell upon Valdis. Valdis should have been pleased, but she knew her corporeal time was to be short lived. For her body did indeed disintegrate in the Obsidians' blast, but her incorporeal self remained, refusing to go into the hereafter, even at the beckoning of her former love, Marikysh, who embraced the end of his self. No, she wanted to continue her pursuit of blood and power. She needed to exist in any form. She would possess the bodies of warriors; injured warriors for their blood ran true and their soul barely clung to their physical bodies. She desired to rule over the Obsidians and all other being upon this world. And to do so, she needed to continue her rituals, gather worshippers, and one day find a body strong enough to hold her immense power for eternity. All who knew of Valdis, knew she was destined to rule - everything. For there is only Mistress Valdis, forever to be known as Mistress Valdis the Undying.