Iris

Iris
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Oracle's Insight.jpg}}|250px]] The Oracle of Ephara
Details
Race	Human
Birthplace	Meletis, Theros
Lifetime	Mending Era
Sources

Iris, the Oracle of Ephara is a blind seer from Meletis on the plane of Theros.

History

Iris had been summoned to the council of the Twelve, the leaders of Meletis, who had discovered that agents of Purphoros had been sent to kidnap her. Head Speaker Perisophia told Iris that she would be escorted in secret by a Skyguard to the garrison at Soli, where she would be safe.

The Skyguard was Alexio, and when she touched him, she was struck by an Oracle's Insight. She felt Alexio's emotions. He would fall in love with her, and then he would be taken from her. She felt his sadness, and then his nothingness. Iris recoiled from the vision, stunned. If his love for her would kill him, then she must seek a way to prevent it. She would attempt to hurry to the garrison before the vision could take hold. Three days should be too short a time for the vision to come to fruition, she thought.

The next day, they rode out of the city and headed into the forest on the way to Soli. They chatted amicably enough, and Alexio went on a scouting mission to see if the agents of Purphoros were following them from the city. Suddenly seized by a sense of newfound freedom, Iris spurred her horse to a trot. The wind caressed her, and she was in the wilds alone, and it was wonderful. She had not realized she had felt so trapped in the city.

Suddenly, she jolted forward as her horse neighed violently. Alexio swooped down and swiped her from the saddle as the horse went tumbling. Then Iris heard Alexio kill two men. He reported that they had been dressed as highwaymen, but Alexio noticed their weapons were Purphoran. They had been discovered and were being hunted even then. Unfortunately, the trip wire had made Iris's horse lame, and Alexio had to put it down.

Iris refused to be carried aloft by Alexio, fearing the nearness of his touch bringing about the prophecy, so they continued on foot. When Iris awoke in the morning, Alexio had achieved contact with a loyal pegasus, who could bear Iris aloft. Iris thought it was the most wonderful gift, and this time, she did not mind him holding her waist as he hoisted her onto the mount. Thus able to take aloft together, they soared through the air, again reveling in the sense of freedom that only flight could provide.

However, a storm soon rolled in, bringing with it heavy rains. They had to land in a cave to seek shelter, where Alexio built a fire for them. They drank wine together, drinking wine and huddling in the blankets together. It was then that Iris realized that she had fallen in love with him, something her earlier vision had not foretold her. She ached for him, and she knew he felt the same. Fate could not be averted, so it might as well be enjoyed. The two spent the night entwined, and she fell asleep in his arms, a smile on her face.

She awoke as Alexio put his hand across her mouth, telling her to be quiet. There were enemies nearby. They tried to leave the cave, but an arrow struck the rock next to them. A graverobber spider had strung a large web across the other exit, trapping them inside. As Alexio cleared the webs, an arrow struck him. He put her on the pegasus and bid her fly as fast as she could. She despaired, but he was firm, and sent the pegasus off into the air, carrying her with him. She knew he would die in that cave, killed by cowards and murderers, and she could do nothing about it.

She buried her face in the pegasus's mane and cried, knowing in her heart that she was the one who killed him. What a fool she had been to think that she could change his fate. Where were the gods then? For the first time in her life, she had tasted love. For the first time in her life, she had experienced enough freedom to even hope for love, and Alexio was dying for that love. If she returned to her old life, to grow old and die in servitude, his death would be for nothing.

So she turned her mount, not toward the garrison at Soli or Meletis, but westward into the unknown. The Oracle of Ephara flew blindly through the rain toward freedom, unseeing and alone, as she had always truly been.

Story appearances

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Oracle of Ephara	Jeremiah Isgur	2014-03-19	Born of the Gods	Theros	Iris, Ephara, Perisophia, Purphoros, Alexio

In-game references

Associated cards:

• Oracle's Insight