The Pillar of Winter: Part 5

Part 5

You step away from the corpse of the fallen Fomorian as the Duchess approaches you, “Thank you, I was beginning to worry there for a moment.” she says between labored breaths, giving you a nod of thanks. 

Seeing that Rosalind’s wounds are not an immediate concern the both of you go back over to Serena to help her to her feet and she reminds you of the other individual that came with the Fomorian. Not wanting to separate, the three of you make your way to the shadow of the Temple and step through the opening. 

The world turns 90 degrees rather suddenly and you find yourself standing inside a dark corridor covered in ice. After only a few steps blue flames in sconces along the wall begin to ignite and the ice beneath Rosalind’s feets glows subtly with each step. 

At the end of the corridor is a massive worship chamber with frozen benches lining the main aisle. Here too, sconces begin to ignite with cold blue flame, illuminating the vaulted ceilings of the chamber to reveal expertly painted frescos along the ceiling. A massive ice statue of Ghetea stands at the altar at the front of the chamber and at the feet of the statue a nude elven looking woman encased in ice opens her eyes as the ice around her begins to break. 

The three of you step closer as chunk by heavy chunk the ice falls away from the woman. Halfway down the aisle you detect that same scent of autumn leaves and look around, expecting to find another Fomorian waiting to ambush you. Instead, on the balcony behind you, there stands a white skinned woman in a black dress. Though her face is concealed behind a dark veil you can swear that where she should have eyes are simply dark pits. She stares coldly at the three of you before sparing the thawing woman a glance before turning away and melting into the shadows. 

“Let her go…the day is lost for her.” the woman from the ice says in a silken voice as she steps off the altar with grace the likes of which you have seldom seen. Though she appears elven, there is something in her gaze and in the magic radiating from her presence that tells you she is more than that. 

Rosalind steps forward with her hand resting on the hilt of her weapon, “And who might you be?” 

“My name is Phaedra, Sidhe of the Winter Court. Are you a Von Amsel?” she asks. 

“I am.” Rosalind answers simply, lifting her chin a little imperiously, ready to answer any challenge. 

“Then it is to you who I owe my thanks, for freeing me from my prison.” she bows her head subtly, “Only the presence of royal blood could undo the curse placed upon this temple by the Autumn court so long ago. Now doubt they attempted to prevent your entry but met with failure.” 

“I cannot claim all the credit for this.” Rosalind’s eyes fall upon you and Serena, “If it were not for you, we would not have found the temple in the first place. Thank you.” 

You learn from Phaedra that she was given the honor of overseeing the Urcare ceremony many years ago and waited here for Rosalind’s mother who never arrived. She alone remained behind after everyone else who had gathered for the ceremony had left, and it was then that she had been ambushed and the temple cursed to remain in shadow. Only by a royal stepping through the shadows and into the temple once more could the curse be lifted. She explains further that the shadows only allow entry to the temple when the moon is full during the period of Urcare, which started just today. 

“I didn’t realize” Serena admits as she weaves healing magic into her arm to mend the bone, “I was so caught up in everything else, I completely lost track of the time.” 

“We should be going.” Rosalind interjects somberly, “There’s still much to do and we should see if any of those soldiers can still be saved.” 

Rosalind instructs you to return to the castle when you’re ready, where she will be prepared to reward you handsomely for all you have done. As the two leave together the Sidhe steps around you, very clearly appraising you before she steps closer. 

“Yes, I do suppose that a proper reward for what you’ve done for me and the Winter Court would be in order as well, wouldn’t it?” Phaedra’s silken voice transfixes you even as she brushes her long platinum hair back to reveal what little was hidden of her nude youthful body. 

“As you can see, I have little on me to give. But perhaps we can come to some other arrangement between us?” 

With the curse lifted the Temple has re-emerged into the physical world and shortly after Duchess Rosalind and Phaedra perform the first ceremony for Urcare that the temple has seen in many years. In thanks, Phaedra uses a portion of the Winter Mantle she carries to empower the blizzard protecting Amsel and the whole of the realm is surrounded in a perpetually swirling column of winter snow and ice. A phenomenon Damsarlia comes to call the Pillar of Winter.