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A small human girl in battered armor too big for her stared across a dismal battlefield under the cloudy, lowering predawn sky.
This is it. She pushed back her flyaway hair with a tired hand. She had been fighting too long. This is either the end, or a really well-disguised beginning.
Turning, she surveyed the tattered army rising from the ashes. Dragons shrugged their mighty scales straight and stretched their blood-streaked wings. Weary elves climbed not-so- nimbly to their feet, stretching out pale hands to help dwarves in their heavy armor. A tall woman with eyes wise and sorrowful held a red and gold crown reverently in strong hands, and beside her three banner-bearers leaned on their flagstaffs.
It had been a long night.
The girl knew better than to believe she was special. She knew better than to believe she was the only one who had tried to rally these people. But she had something to say to them. If it changed things…so be it.
She sheathed her sword and stood her tallest. “Fellow soldiers,” she called in a quavering voice. “Hearken!”
The milling army stilled and turned, surprised.
The girl chewed on her lower lip and passed her helmet from hand to hand. They know me, she reminded herself, picking face after familiar face out of the crowd.
“Friends,” she began again. “I know how long you have fought. I know the enemy has changed, from despair to fear to even those within your own ranks.”
She noticed a few elves and dwarves glancing at each other. One elf near the front wiped his hand on his pant leg. She grinned, then sobered again. “I know how many we have lost. I know how important they were, whether kings and queens or lowly foot soldiers. Either those taken from us, or those gone of their own choice. If that is their way, I will not begrudge it them.
“But I am here today to tell you – I am still here.”
A few of the soldiers squinted in confusion. “I know, I know,” she hurried to say. “Why does that matter? And if I was anyone else, I would add some lightning, a couple swordfights, maybe paint a giant E on the mountains in green fire. But” – she laughed – “I’m not.”
She fingered her sword hilt, wishing she could just beat all the troubles away. Wishing she alone could heal all those who had been wounded. “I want to ask you a question. In the beginning, what was Holy Worlds? At its core, what is it still? I know many of you may have different answers. But to me, Holy Worlds is two things: an ideal, and a family.
“An ideal is defined as a standard of excellence, a goal toward which to strive. Ideals do not die. Especially ideals founded on the word of God.” She shook her head. “The word of God is one mighty hard thing to move. I’d like to see even a dragon try it.”
One of the dragons snorted an offended-looking cloud of smoke.
“We may fail in striving for that ideal. Of course we’ll fail! We’re only human.” She swallowed nervously, bobbing her head toward the ragtag but very inhuman army. “Figuratively speaking, of course.
“But still, that ideal will not stop being a standard of excellence.”
She paced two steps, stopped, and turned to face them again. “Family, now – there’s a different patch of scales. I could tell you a lot about my family, especially the extended ones. They’re very interesting. Take my mother’s side. You could call ‘em all sorts of things. Hicks is one of the most popular and nicer words. There are some who look down on her for moving away and ‘living fancy’. But she didn’t want any part of their life. You never saw such a storm of nasty.
“To be fair, there are good people in that family. But I’m not here to tell you about my grandma and my great aunts.”
The army let out an almost-audible sigh of relief.
“I like to think I’ve grown up with a good family. Sure, we have our fights and squabbles. But we love each other, we stick by each other, we help each other when we need to.
“I’m not calling anyone down, or condemning anyone who departed. I’m asking those who are left – what are you going to do?”
She left them in silence for a moment, gathering her thoughts and letting them gather theirs. “What I’m saying is – I know there have been people worried about what’s happening. Worried that the realm of Holy Worlds is dying. I don’t know the exact problem. I’m not here trying to solve everything. I’m asking. What are you going to do?”
She inhaled shakily. They hadn’t shouted her down yet. That was a good sign. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. You can follow me or not. That’s a matter between you and God and your common sense.
“But I don’t want the legends to say we withered at the first test of trouble. I want the legends to say we rallied, picked up our banners again, and carried them on. I’m not responsible for that, though. I can’t carry you all into the future myself. What I’m responsible for is…me.
“Have I been wounded?” She spread her arms. “No. Have I seen my friends wounded? Yes. Have I disagreed with those in leadership? Yes. Am I still going to support Holy Worlds? Yes! Because it’s an ideal I can stand by and a family I love. And that’s what I’m saying. I’m not leaving. I’m going onward.” She drew her sword again and struck it into the blood-softened ground. “By all the realms there are, I’m still here!”
She lowered her arms, her chain mail clinking, and half-smiled at the silent army. “If you’re disagreeing with me, please do so. It means I’ve stood up for something once in my life. If you’re actually agreeing with me and have listened to me this far…thank you.” She bowed. “Thank you.”
Now. Practically, what does this mean? That’s up to you as well. But, if you want to listen to me ramble a little longer, I do have a few suggestions.
Post on some topics in the Fireside. No, really. They’re there for a reason. Give a good critique, a critique that can be taken as an example for others who follow.
If critique isn’t your thing, post a thoughtful reply to one of the Scholar’s Hall or Village topics. There are people going unanswered, discussions waiting to be had.
Ask your banner-bearer (or group leader) what you can do to help. If you don’t know who that is or don’t have one, go the next level up. Ask the Marcher Lords or the Moderators or even the Admin. Most of them don’t bite.
Encourage others. I see people doing this almost daily, and I thought I would encourage (ha ha) you to continue this practice.
Don't despair. Really, don't. Don't talk about the golden days. Don't sigh and turn your back. This will take work, and time, and lots of love.
Expand your horizons. Many of us (especially us ranked people) only read our few assigned forums. Branch out a little. Everyone loves to hear from you.
Return to the quality standard. Go read the mission statement again. Try to align your next post to what it says. Now the next, and the next. Give it your best shot. Remember, it’s an ideal, and it’s one of the reasons we’re here.
Talk to someone you don’t usually talk to. Break out of your routine a bit. I bet we’d be more active if we had more members who felt welcome. The member number is daunting, but when you count the ones who are gone and the ones who never posted, it becomes much more manageable.
Participate. Don't assume someone else will do it. Join in a game, a discussion, a word war, whatever you need to do. Get things running again.
Lastly, love each other. Be an example. If you’re worried about the community – change it.
Thank you.
E
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2 Corinthians 3:17 ~ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
eleutheria - Greek for liberty
My blog:
http://exhortationsbyelizabeth.blogspot.com
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Great post, E. 
(Although that was already common knowledge, I think. Iri is good promotion for you.) I enjoyed your post as a piece of literature just as much as I found it encouraging and edifying.
