Fulayin Dreae
For every soul lost, another is re-birthed in the cycle of life. The gatekeeper
of this cycle is none other than my Goddess that I am proud to serve, The Great
Lady Lorminstra. Born form Cleric Missionaries, you would think my life would
have been rough, however; it has been nothing but a blessing, for that I have my
faith of my Goddess, the one that has blessed me.
From the moment of my birth, my parents understood the severity of
allowing one to choose their own deity to serve. Unlike other children that
attended school, home or otherwise, I attended the Temple to learn clergy
etiquette, learn and study about the Gods of Arkati, as well as following in my
parents’ footsteps and learn to become a missionary myself.
I still remember vividly getting up extra early to do my chores, even on
days I nae had classes, so that I could go to the temple and pray to the deities, in
hopes to dedicate myself to one of them.
Even though I was a small, shy child, I devoted myself day in and day out
to the Arkati Gods, however; as I got older, I soon realized that one of them stood
out more than the others, and I would find myself praying more in her temple than
the other gods. I remember the comfort of the smell of smoldering incense and
the smoking paraffin in her Temple as I arrived at the temple each day and prayed
to her. After my mother and father were done praying, my mother would tap me
on the shoulder, and we would go home together.
As I got older, wiser, I was sent to my grandparents’ house, who seemed
more Spartan in their ways of household chores, which took some use to getting
to at first. The day that my mother and father left on another missionary mission, I
could not help but cry, what child wouldn’t. To this day I still pray for their safety
and have hopes of being reunited with them.
As days turned to weeks, weeks turned into months and months turned
into years, each day was bliss. I got up and done my chores like a good little girl,
and would go to the temple and pray. Something that I have forgotten to mention
is that my grandparent ran a small, local bar that was nowhere near as popular as
Helga’s.
Before bedtime, my grandmother would always read to me stories that
were passed down to her, and if I am lucky, she would tell me stories about my
parents, and their brave feats. Like how one time, my parents saved a small band
of adventurers who were cleansing and releasing the Undead in the graveyard. I
loved these stories, for it somehow made me more connected to my parents.
While helping out in the bar by serving drinks and wiping down tables, one
summer eve, I happened to overhear grandpa talking to a group of customers
while he was attending the bar.

“Hey Greggech, who’s the pretty little new lass you got working for ya?”
one of them asked. Grandpa replied, “That pretty little lass so happens to be my
granddaughter Fulayin.”
“Fulayin? That is an unusual name, how did her parents come up with
that?”
“Heh, buy another round and I’ll tell you.” and my grandpa told the story,
“My idiotic son, Fuller Draea, somehow ended up with a very pretty wife. If
you ask me lads, she was way too good for him. Lilly, or her real name Lillia-
Layan, was a very stubborn child that she was. She and my blockhead son could
not for the love of the gods, agree with a name. Hell, Fuller, wanted to name
Fulayin, Lorminstra at one point of time, if they had a girl, and Kai, if they had a
boy. Poor Lilly was in so much pain at this time all she could say was, no Fuller,
we are not doing that.
As a joke, and out of irritation, I told them they were both idiots and
suggested why don’t you fools just combine your names and call him or her
Fulayin. Well as fate would have it, Lilly loved the idea, they both agreed and
there you have it. After she was born, they sure enough Named her Fulayin.”
On the morning of the day I came of age, I had made my decision on which
deity I would follow, my Goddess Lorminstra. During the ceremony, she came to
me in a vision. She placed her hand under my chin, lifted my head up, and told
me to rise. I nae forget the joy, fear, and awe I had in that moment.
The Goddess Lorminstra was everything that the texts have said. She is a
beautiful, thin woman with black hair and pale, alabaster skin. Her voice,
powerful, but gentle, stated, “My child, I am pleased with your devotion. Not one
day has passed, have you forgotten to pray to me and to the other Gods. I have
heard your prayers, and I understand that you long for your Elanthian parents,
which is understandable. Continue your devotion and shortly, your faith in me
will be tested. Now young one, GO!”
With tears of joy and fear I got up and went home to my grandparents.
Later on that evening, Grandma had gotten sick, and seemed to be dying. That
night, I knelt beside my grandmother’s bed and said my prayers to Lady
Lorminstra. A short time later, I felt a cold, yet warm hand on my should and a
powerful, gentle, familiar voice that said, “Rise my child, for I must complete the
cycle.”
Sadden, I knew what she had meant by those words. I stood up, bowed,
and moved aside as Lady Lorminstra placed her hand slightly above my
grandmother’s face and gave her authoritative commanded, “Rise Spirit of
Samantha, Wife of William Drae, your time has come to enter the gate, and await
your new fate.”
I saw the last of my grandmother’s life leave her body, and reform next to
Lady Lorminstra with a joyful expression and she turned to me and smiled, then
disappeared. Before leaving herself, Lady Lorminstra turned to me with a
warning, “Fair lovely child, as this is the cycle of death and rebirth, rest assured
you have became a witness to this even with thy own eyes. Continue to be faithful
to me and I must warn you. Heed the White Serpent, for he is coming.”