Final Confession

by The Spirit of Zantiel

Baresh recovered his vision, and to his utter shock, he saw a gaseous form hovering in the air before him. He grabbed his broom, prepared to do battle. The form was human, sorta, but had several distinct traits that Baresh recognized. The form floated near a familiar seat and sort of placed itself there.

"What ya want?" Baresh was ready ta bash it.

"I want to confess my last wishes, and my last moments to ye, old friend." Baresh remembered that familiar tone. "My spirit is tortured until I can speak the truth...about everything."

Baresh relinquished his broom and leaned on the bar, still a bit wary of the form before him. "I recognize ye."

"My name in life was Zantiel Viskal. Son of Goldoran, brother to Ezelei. But that matters little now, as the memories of my life slowly fade. This final night I was convinced by an old friend to tell my last story to ye. To tell you all of what happened."

"What happened? Why should you tell us anyway?"

"Because, what caused my death, and my suffering in life, should be known to all. For it is a common thing." Baresh was curious, as well as a bit wary.

"Then do tell." He smiled.

The form "floated" to it's "feet". "Until 3 months ago I was a happy person. Then I remembered something important. I remembered what love was. As you know, I was too late. That was the first burden on my soul..."

Baresh nodded, as he rememberd the story. "The next was as my "friend" said to you all. The "rejection from a group that I cared for". This was the major one. I will not divulge names for the sake of not being vendictive, but this is an official group."

Baresh looked squarly at the figure. "What happened there friend?"

"After the initial problems with the woman I love, which almost destroyed me mind you, I was having severe confidence and esteem problems. This caused me to distance myself from that group. Then when I got my head back on straight, they decided to hold it against me. They decided that I was evil or something, and tried to make me "prove" myself to them..."

Baresh raised an eyebrow. "Granted friend, I did say some things that I didn't mean, but anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a violent man. But I do feel pain, and like most everyone else, will say things out of pain. Also, anyone who knows me, knows that I will not be made to prove my words. My word is solemn to me, just as my father's was to him. I was raised by a paladin after all..."

Baresh nodded. "But then, why did you do...that?"

"One final straw. When I was told that they thought I was a joke. It angered and hurt me so badly. In my mind, I had 2 options. I could let them feel the wrath of my pain in the form of physical attacks, or I would let my body die outright, and spare everyone the trouble. The latter option appealed to me, because as I said, I'm not violent..."

Baresh shook his head. "Ye still shouldnae have done this..."

"I know, and I do regret it now, but tis nothing can be done. My spirit will live on to shine down as a star on the travelers of Elanthia. Only my "son", and my old friend will remember me the way I was once."

"Your "son"?"

"Yes, a son born of a certain woman who now loves another. The hidden child of a failed love. But the child carries someone elses soul. Mine, like my uncle and my father, now travels elsewhere." The form floated upward then back down "into" the stool.

"I going to miss your stories friend."

"And I will miss telling them to you. But it's time for me to go onward, toward that great starry void forever." The figure hovered a bit.

"Ye be safe, old friend." Baresh reached out to the form, which drifted away from him.

"I'm sorry Baresh, I can't let you touch me. But I'd hug ya if'n I could. Safe paths to ye..."