Zia: Within the Ruins.

Zia was uncomfortable.

Despite her petition to the Archprophetess for a group of paladins, she was issued a team of rank-and-file soldiers to safeguard her passage into Estara. Since then her life has been one of saddle sores and crass, unrefined company. After her arrival in these crumbling ruins, however, her displeasure at her treatment vanished, replaced by pure curiosity as to the purpose of the artifact held within them.

The artifact in question is a sword, of simple design, yet with peerless craftsmanship. It appears to be a simple, two edged, straight, hand-and-a-half, Estaran sword, but it is far too large. It is nearly five feet in length, and is far too heavy to be wielded by anyone Zia can imagine. The sword is forged of a mysterious black metal that Zia finds herself unable to identify. The flat of the blade is spanned on both faces by silver-etched runes, clearly arcane in nature, but their nature eludes her.

Most curious of all, however, is the fact that the sword is indestructible. Hammers, stones, fire, all fail to even scratch the mysterious weapon.

Zia stares at the blade, sequestered away from her escort in the rear of the decaying structure.

She channels magic into her hand, preparing herself to touch the sword and analyze it's properties, in the hopes to better understand how to destroy it. She considers the weapon, her brow furrowed, before reaching out and taking hold of it.

Instantly her mind is filled with words, words made of pride and hatred and fire.

NOT YOU. YOU ARE NOT WORTHY.

Zia recoils, not expecting something to touch her mind in response to her magical probing, but she recovers quickly, grabbing hold of the weapon once more, this time asking it a question.

Why am I unworthy?

YOU WERE NOT CHOSEN.

If not me, who? Who was chosen?

The voice pauses for a moment, and when it speaks again, it seems almost mocking.

YOU WILL SEE.

With that, the voice fades, and Zia's mind returns it's focus to her surroundings.

And that's when she hears the screams.