The winter solstice. A time when the land was sapped of life, when the snow fell, and the leaves shriveled. It was also a time of reunion. For some, it meant spending a week with loved ones, sharing stories and gifts. For others, it meant remembrance of loved ones passed on. For Jy'aad, it meant going to the underworld.
Being in Connlaoth this particular day, he found the into entrance to the underworld in the country, which was far from any sort of town or village. It consisted of a few concentric rings of standing stones around an elaborate circular center piece, carved from obsidian. This was the entrance.
Sitting in the center of this ring of stone, Jy'aad began a strange ritual, summoning violet fire and lighting the standing stones, one by one, until all had been lit. He began chanting, an ancient spell rolling off of his tongue like it was his own language. However, something was wrong. The gates of the underworld didn't open for the prince of Death. Once again, he performed the ritual, and still nothing happened. For a third time, the strange ritual of fire and tongue was performed, but again, the gates wouldn't open.
On his hands and knees, tears streaming from his eyes, Jy'aad let out an agonized cry. He felt abandoned and lost. With a loud voice, he let out a plea, a desperate prayer:
"Agapi̱tí̱ mi̱téra, akoúo̱ ta lógia tou paidioú sas !
Eínai i̱ ó̱ra chrísma tou étous , o chrónos pou échete mou ti̱lefó̱ni̱se xaná kai xaná gia na episkeftheíte sfaíra sas , gia na deíte to próso̱pó sas , o̱ mi̱téra ! Kai páli tha mou ti̱lefo̱ní̱sei, allá oi pýles tou thanátou den tha anoíxei , den tha apoférei sti̱n entolí̱ mou ! Écho̱ kánei kápoia láthos ? Meriká esfalméni̱ práxi̱ pou mou odi̱geítai apó ti̱n agápi̱ sas ?"
((OoC: For ease of reading, here's what he's saying:
"Dearest mother, hear the words of your child!
It is the anointed time of year, the time you have called me again and again to visit your realm, to see your face, oh mother! Again you call me, but the gates of Death will not open, will not yield to my command! Have I done some wrong? Some erroneous deed that has driven me from your love?"))
