The Unholy Legions of Anti-Sanctus Chaotica, a Warhammer Online Destruction Regiment, The Awakening of Lyllien Weiss Part 3

((Catch the first two parts! Part 1 & Part 2. ))



The dinner table was silent; only Lyllien and her mother occupied it.

“Where is father?” Lyllien asked innocently as her mind flooded with images of the book. The various voices in her head (which she now counted as three) desperately cried urgency and the girl felt her heart speed increase. The text… the text… She had never wanted anything so badly, but wasn’t sure why. They told her she did, and that was good enough, which was a bit out of character of her. Lyllien had always been so independent and had always been quite a bright girl, but felt stifled by her peers and her parents. Her father always cried ‘heresy’ every time she asked questions of Sigmar but never did it occur to here there might be something else no matter how much she wished it. This was an out. The voices told her that it would make her better than the naysayers. The voices assured her that she would be recognized.

“He had to step out for a while.” Her mother looked concerned, but it didn’t faze Lyllien.

"Perfect!" Cried one voice.

"Opportunity!" Cried another. Lyllien had to bow her face over her plate to hide the smile.

“Oh, I was hoping to see him,” the girl said softly. Shaking her head, her mother sighed.

“You know he’s involved in his work right now.”

“I miss him,” Lyllien lied.

“Me too.”

The rest of the dinner was silent, save for the trio of voices in Lyllien’s head. As they talked, she began to pick out specific voices and gave each of them a name. Turik was the reassuring one, constantly comforting Lyllien; Syd was the angry one, reminding Lyllien of everything people had done to her. And Xen. He was the off kilter one, constantly bouncing back and forth between Xen, Turik and Lyllien, pointing out the obvious and the not so obvious. While Syd craved revenge, Xen was creative in thinking up solutions for him. While Turik was comforting, Xen found images and items to assist in Turik’s cause. Each of them loved her and in turn she loved them.

The raven was a fourth voice, drawing Xen, Turik and Syd together as one, though that voice faded in and out.

“We’re a present,” Turik told her.

“We want the best for you,” Syd assured her.

“We love you!” Xen exclaimed.

“To fully free you we need the book,” the raven said, though she could not see him. The voices answered excitedly agreeing with the raven.

“The book! The book! The book!” they chanted. “The book!”

“Yes,” Lyllien breathed.

“What?” Her mother asked. Lyllien glanced up over her half full plate.

“I asked if I may be excused,” she said quickly.

“Good one,” Turik said.

“She hates you,” Syd murmured darkly.

“I liked the potatoes, they were tasty,” commented Xen.

Her mother looked at her suspiciously, but Lyllien tilted her head slightly pouting. The woman finally wore down with a bit of a smile. “Alright go ahead.”

“Thank you!” Lyllien pushed herself away from the table and headed into the main room off of the dining room. A quick glance her mother’s way confirmed that she was looking the other way, and Lyllien took the opportunity to head off in the direction of her father’s study. A swift beat of wings was heard and Lyllien looked over to see the raven soaring stealthily towards her, landing on her shoulder.

“What if it’s not in there?” Lyllien asked.

“He doesn’t trust you,” reminded Syd.

“He never did,” Xen replied.

“But it doesn’t matter,” the raven said. “You’re far cleverer than he is.”

“It’s true.” Turik agreed.

“You’re special,” Xen giggled.

The girl tried the door handle to find it was locked and no matter how hard she tried it, the door would not open. She was about ready to give up, when all the voices rose up in unison. “NO!”

“You’re a beautiful little girl!” Turik told her.

“Don’t give up or they win,” warned Syd.

“The door is made of wood. Fascinating!” mused Xen.

“Do not fear, dear one. Just do as I say.” The raven hopped close to her ear and she felt its beak clack as soft words in a strange language were whispered into her ear. In response she felt the voices in her head murmur amongst themselves excitedly. Lyllien’s eyes rolled back in her head as she took the instructions in. A strange power emanating from the raven extended tendrils to her and her skin responded to it, drinking it in thirstily. Reluctantly she expelled it by performing the quick motions and words she was told and the door creaked open.

The voices congratulated her and cheered her on as she tiptoed into the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She felt a slight remorse as she released the power and almost wept aloud, but the raven brushed his wing on her face assumingly.

“You will have more,” the raven explained. “Once you read the book.”

“I don’t understand,” Lyllien replied. “What is this? Why is father hiding it if it feels this good?”

“He’s stupid!” Xen laughed.

“He doesn’t want you to live up to your potential. He is afraid of you. He hates you,” Syd spat.

“Do you trust me?” the raven asked as he took flight from her shoulder and settled down where the book sat on his desk.

“I love you,” Lyllien replied desperately.

“Would you do anything for me?”

“I will! Anything, you ask of me! I am yours.” Her eyes welled up with desperate tears again and the raven hopped off the book.

“Then read, my child, and you will be filled with everything you want.”

Without hesitating she stumbled towards the book, ignoring everything else. Frantically she climbed onto the chair and put her hands on its cover, unable to breathe. This was it. It was exactly what she wanted. Exactly what she needed. Exactly what she craved.

The cover was leathery in some type of skin, still sticky with what appeared to be blood, although the pages betrayed it to be much, much older than she could ever imagine. Despite it’s appearance, she wasn’t deterred and accepted it.

“It’s very lovely,” Xen said. “Doesn’t it feel lovely?”

“You wish that it was someone you know, don’t you?” Syd snickered.

“It’s alright to admit it,” Turik laughed.

Reverently, she opened the book and began to read. The pages were all in languages she couldn’t understand, but still the knowledge flooded her mind, invading every nook and cranny until she understood it and it understood her. Such thoughts started popping up in her mind as she read the writing and took in the teachings. Her friends only stoked it, massaging her hate and whispering secrets about the world. They were her friends. Not the humans, not the Empire, not Sigmar. Only they cared for her; wanted the best for her. And she wanted them.

It was then her father opened the door.