Kronos took up his bow, aiming an arrow toward the bond between Adra and the young Elf...

They left the embrace without his assistance...

Yet, he kept his line straight on target... in case Adra attempted to advance on Talasti...

The two elves, the man, and the wizard held their ground on the far regions of the bedchamber...

No one spoke up against the words Adra said, for they mattered not...

The preverbal ball was primarily in Eirianna's court, now...

Eirianna's clear voice rang out against the muffling darkness which oiled about the bedchamber, pushing it back as she herself now stepped forward, flinging the cloak of invisibility from her as she did. One swift motion sent it flying to Arandil for safe-keeping; it landed unerringly in his arms though she did not so much as turn to look.

Instead she merely took another step forward, her own bow now raised defensively. For a moment she let silence reign, then knowing she was covered by the alert and quiveringly ready Kronos she allowed the string to slacken, the arrow to dip. At length she gathered them into her hands and stood there.

But scarcely vulnerable.

"One who would do what must be done, to prevent events more dire from descending upon Middle Earth!" she finally cried out, her voice impassioned and shaking with barely controlled anger. One slender hand shot forward, a finger pointing at the young elven.

"Talasti, we have come far, endured much, aye and have created our own havoc, all for your sake! Do not believe this one; she cares only for the One Ring! Think, my dear Talasti, you know this is true! She cares not for you, but for power, and the Ring is that and more; once she would have it, you would be tossed aside as easily as you were taken and used by her to begin with!"

She paused, trembling, anger flashing in her eyes, sending stormclouds gathering there and discharging great bolts of lightning in their depths. Her voice took on the timbre of thunder.

"Think! She would have thrown you to the wolves! She would have the Realm of Man at the throats of the Kingdom of the Elven, for the death of a king the blame for which she has laid at your feet! The words I speak are true; you know I do not -- can not lie!

"Talasti!" Now she grew even more impassioned, taking a step forward, holding her two arms out to him that he might take the step. And in her hand was the little mushroom cap, silently beckoning that the young elven come look within its mysteries, that the words spoken by the Daughter of the Moon would be verified.

Kronos was not shocked, yet it did alert him of his reason for being in this land...

The One Ring...

He now spoke up to Adra, forgetting his place in doing so...

"What say you of my party's occupation??" He asked, finding himself coming to a stop only a few feet behind Eirianna...

"Kronos..." Landi spoke in a bleak manor...

Turning to look upon Landi's body language, Kronos fully understood what he meant...

His party had fallen...

The bow wavering slightly, as anger swept over him...

"What say you?!" Kronos said again, as his eyes filled with pain... and moisture...

At least on the outside.

The ranger noted the chained elf, and figured that to be Talasti. He pulled the arrow upon the bowstring and aimed it at the sorceress, just in case.

The chamber smelled foul, more so than he expected it to be. But, strangely, it seemed to be growing stronger...

Out of the shadows, a figure leapt forward and tackled Kronos. Arandil quickly aimed the bow at the creature, and saw it was an orc.

It carried a spear in one hand and a sword in the other. The orc pinned the elf to the ground, and placed the blade of its sword against his neck. But its target was not the elf; the creature balanced its spear towards Eirianna in order to throw it like a javelin at her.

"You killed my men..." Ulfhak the Scourge snarled.

Arandil let the arrow fly and it drove into the orc's back. But he only flinched as it stopped short of his armour. He then pulled his arm back, getting ready to throw...

Ulfhak clutched the tattered remains of the Mordor flag in his hands. He had seen some of his finest troops...destroyed without ever tasting battle.

All of them had died, gripping each by the throat, screaming in pure madness. The Men too, but he could care less about them.

Ulfhak dropped the banner, and picked up his spear. Even now, he could hear the words of the sorceress calling to him, asking for his help. The orc will go to her chamber, but not in the intentions of protecting her...just to have his chance at killing those damned Elves for what they had done to him.

The orc let out a roar of malice and hatred, gripped his spear to the point in which his fingernails dug into his skin, and charged up the stairs to Adra's chamber...

I'll ambush their party...and cut their sorceress to pieces...

Connecting with Ulfhak... he was thrown from Kronos, clear across the room, and onto the bed...

Landi would allow no more death to fall upon the kingdom of Ithilien...

Kronos shot Landi a short smile of relief, appreciation, and a spec of coy smugness...

I could have taken the Orc any time I pleased...

He gracefully lunged to his feet, as quickly as Ulfhak had put him down...

His bow still lay at his feet, he took upon the magics of his elven short swords...

His plea was still muted, but only slightly, as his demeanor showed that of defense...

Ready for anything, from the shadows... or from the woman before him...

Nonetheless, he had gotten what he wanted from the elf.

Ulfhak turned sharply to Adra.

"You're on your own, sorceress! The Army of the Iron Hills will have no part in your weak planning!"

And if you're as wise as the master says you are... Ulfhak thought, knowing the sorceress could hear him. In fact, he wanted her too. You'll flee as well. Let them rescue the elf; I have a plan of my own that will crush everything they hoped to gain.

A corner of his mouth, black blood spilling from it, turned upwawrd in the form of a half smile. It quickly faded...then Ulfhak hopped from the bed, ran forward, and jumped through the window next to Slavonic.

The fall would have killed him, but the orc managed to drive his sword into a crack on one of the walls of Taunderon. He hanged from the wall for a short time before grappling the edge and leaping himself over it.

Ulfhak landed outside of Taunderon, and swiftly dashed into the forest. His destination was not to his resting Army to the north; instead it was to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor.

The orc smiled as he held the arrow he took from the elf Kronos...

And he came.

His great wings bore him swiftly through the dwindling night, arrow straight toward the decimated Taunderon, until there before him grew the dark and creeping Keep of that city once filled with men. Now it was filled with body after body, the dead lay about like cordwood flashing beneath him, both man and orc...

Hecate cried against the carnage, knowing the pain in the heart of his Mistress that such a deed had to be done. Cried out again, hearing new pain rising in her breast as she confronted something....

With a mightly thrashing of wings the Guardian of the Night soared into the bedchamber of the evil sorceress, the feathers of one wing buffeting her and sending her staggering back a bit even as he came in, talons raking the air, crying and announcing his presence there.

Then the room darkened just a touch as he then flung his body back out of the room, blocking the light, and there hovered, his hawk's vision keenly splitting the night.

He arrowed down directly upon the fleeing orc... and with outreached talons yanked the arrow from his hands.

Then he soared to the heavens, circled there, crying in a piercing keen, waiting should he be needed again.

Anything for his beloved friend....

Damnation...DAMNATION TO THAT WITCH! his anger was to the point in which he could not even speak words aloud.

However, not all has been lost. His plans of assassinating the Steward of Gondor can still happen...its just that he cannot use solid evidence to make it seem like the Elves did it. If he manages to kill him without leaving a trace, perhaps the gullible humans will make a connection...

The death of the King of Taunderon, swiftly followed by an assault of Elves...and now the sudden death of their Steward. It might work...it just might...

He leapt from the horde of death, as best he could...

He landed a little shaken up, using a wall to steady himself...

D'Artagnan felt the elven woman nearby,"Which way?" He said, not waiting another moment before lending his hand in battle...

"They went that way..." A hobbit said, confusing the hell out of D'Artagnan...

Hobbits?? three, hobbits???

Feileacan, not a mere healer, used her tracking senses to lead D'Artagnan up to the sorceress' bedchamber...

Indeed...I have plans of my own...

She stepped forward to young Talasti even as Eirianna presented him the mushroom cap, her icy blues boring into Eirianna's eyes. "These words are foolishness!" she spat, then turning to Talasti. "You may listen to her tales...

...or you may pay heed to what you see. In the elven world you are seen as nothing more than a mere peasant...

...here..." she paused, motioning to indicate the temple, "You have been given a place and a purpose. Admittedly, my original thoughts of you were ill-concieved...

...but I recognize the strength and knowledge burning within you."

She turned back to eye the small and rather tense group. "They recognized you not when they had the chance."

She quieted a moment then, her lips curling in a deadly smile as she uttered one last thing to the young Talasti. "What shall their fate be for neglecting you, my young friend?"

"Talasti," she said now, her voice all moonlight's silver. "Listen to what she speaks to you... think of what she refers to. You are no peasant to us; did I not treat you with equality when you came to us? Did I not show concern for you, even as you did for me, when we entered into Moon's Keep together to the thundering sound of Gorfynt's hooves?"

She paused a moment, remembering that ride back, fleeing from the ringwraiths, the young man holding to the end of the unicorn's tail. Recalled with nearly supernatural clarity the following moments: offering the young man haven within her Keep, offering him the comforts of her court, wanting to protect him, not understanding when he had cried out against his own personal demons and had inexplicably fled into Wydde's Woods, only to be taken by the evil creatures at the command of this dark sorceress and imprisoned here in her castle.

"Talasti," she pressed on, utterly ignoring Adra, her eyes only for the young elf. "Would I be here now if I did not care enough for you? Please, child... do not mistake a kiss of possession for one mimicking the purity of a true kiss."

Now she held out the mushroom cap, wherein was reflected that very act: the desperation on behalf of Talasti, his confusion so easily manipulated and overpowered by the returning actions of the sorceress. And even as the cap revealed the truth, it displayed that confusion in Talasti's soul, so clearly evident by the dark shadows encircling his eyes, the tortured grimace about his lips, the paleness of his skin, the tightness of his features.

"I truly care for you, Talasti, or I would not have come," Eirianna repeated softly, replacing the cap in her pouch. Then utterly disdaining the hovering Adra, knowing the others were ready at the drop of a pin to protect her from that dark one, Eirianna took three swift steps forward, and knelt down before the young elven. Her cool hands reached out, cupping his face, lifting it up to hers.

Then she kissed him lightly on the forehead, stood up, and drew back.

"There is a place for you with us in Moon's Keep, Talasti... as brother to me, if that would appease your need. But need I sense in you, and would assuage it, and for the sake of you, Talasti Dubliss, and none other or for no other thing."

With that she took yet another step backwards, holding a hand out to her companions, and fell silent. Indeed, their next actions would depend entirely on those of the young elven....

He fell blind than, his eyes closing as he let himself fall into the transportation of emotions. The truth was that the emotions would bring what he truly felt deep inside to the frontier of this interior war, and then everything with end. The turmoil inside him, the pain in his body, the ache in his mind form the past, it would all dissipate along with the views that created confusion.

Reaching, his eyes still closed shut as he touched the palm of Adra. The boy opened his eyes slowly, looking into the face that was darkness, and a smile came to his face.

A smile...

Talasti brought himself upward, his young aching body being pressed against her's as he felt the strenght be created once again within him. Kissing her, he felt a sensation of bliss creep into his brain. A tongue slittered into her mouth while his arms embrace her with a tight hold.

Moments drifted by for the others to register the action with disbelief, fear, love, or anger. Talasti pulled back, and looked down as he stared toward them all..

"All for naught..." she whispered softly, painfully. "And father was right to do as he did, and who was I to come to the assistance of one who merely mocks?"

With no further ado, and before the sorceress could even draw a breath, she flashed into the aspect of pure warrioress, crying out and reaching with both arms before the full moon sunk below the horizon. It's brilliant light flowed in, blinding the sorceress and the young elven...

...even as Eirianna flew forward and took him up in her arms.

She turned with the speed of light, ran from the chambers, whistling as she did. Behind her came the cry of the birds, coming to cover them as she fled with her companions and the young elven, down and down the stairs and the corridors of the Keep, coming into the Grand Hall where their steeds awaited them.

"Forgive me, child, but you know not what you do," she murmured softly before touching Talasti on his forehead and sending him into a sleep adrift with moonbeams.

Then she was astride the wildly neighing Gorfynt, Talasti's limp body in her arms, and fleeing from the keep for the protection of Wydde's Woods, whose protective shadows she gained even as the sounds of pounding hoofbeats came into her ears from behind. Relaxing a little, she slowed Gorfynt's headlong pace, and waited for her companions to catch up to her.

The only word to describe the escape from Taunderon...

Landi and Arandil followed Eirianna's lead, leaving Kronos alone with Adra in the chamber...

He spent a long moment staring at her, disgusted with her ignorance...

He gave up, yet Kronos was victorious... turning now, he chased the others down the stairwell...

Liberation...

The four that waited at D'Artagnan's side, and that of D'Artagnan himself, divided themselves evenly upon 2 of the 3 steeds that awaited them in the keep...

The 3rd steed belonging to Arandil... Kronos and Landi shared the black unicorn, as Eirianna and the unconscious Talasti were upon the other beautiful beast...

The eight followers successfully caught up to Eirianna, waiting for words that could explain the utter confusion...

"This soul has been corrupted," she began softly, flicking a damp tendril of his locks from his heated brow. "But yet... but yet, I cannot help wonder...."

She trailed off as hoofbeats came stamping up to the tune of Kronos galloping up to her side. He brought the dapple-black unicorn to a slower gait once catching up with Gorfynt, and rode quietly alongside her. Eirianna turned troubled eyes to the pair astride Brisgean, clearly worried.

"I cannot help but think there is something other which has slid into this young elven's heart," she murmured in consternation. She continued looking down at him, but in reality seeing only that day long hence, when he had come to Moon's Keep, had graciously worried for her sake, taken room with them... only to inexplicably depart in the manner of someone quite mad...

Or possessed.

She shook her head, continuing to stroke his forehead, every so often moving a cool hand down to lightly caress his cheek.

Why this one? What was it about this young elven, who in all the frivolity of youth desired the adventure of seeking out the One Ring... but why was it he who the sorceress gathered up unto herself as a spider would a hapless fly in its web? Why this elven? Why would she try to turn him to her... unless....

"Unless...."

Eirianna paused, her eyes widening. She cut them to Landi.

"What does your wizardry tell you, Wise One?" she asked respectfully. "Am I dealing here with a young and easily misled youth, one missing a deeply rooted need in his life, to find caring and love and home...

"Or is there yet something too dark and drear about him that even I, with all the light my Moon can radiate, even I cannot see but am instead blinded and drawn to assist him, thinking it by his fairness and youth?"

And then it struck, as blindingly white and certain as the moon in it's dazzling fullness.

Not the elven... not the elven. He too a pawn, this she knew... but not the cause for the effect which had been desired.

It had been for her.

She gasped at the painful epiphany, tightening her grip instinctively against Gorfynt's hide and bringing him to a champing halt.

An elven youth and a single arrow... would men be that foolish to consider the merely circumstantial alone? Aye while first drawn up in anger; would they not have truly considered the possibilities that though of elven origin, a single arrow could be loosed by many a race's hands?

But who would send the beasts of the forest in ravening championship? Who would send the waters flooding and crashing to drown... then send in the very moon to drive to madness those not yet destroyed?

Who indeed but an elven... and one with the Power at her command to do so....

She reeled as the damning evidence clicked neatly into place.

Pawn indeed....

The darkness of the woods grew darker yet as, tottering, she slid to the loamy soil at Gorfynt's hooves, fainted for the sheer horror of her actions, and how she had been so unwittingly coerced into possibly triggering exactly what she rescued Talasti in order to prevent:

An artificially fomented war between the Elven and Man.

For he felt the great cloud of despair come over the Daughter of the Moon,"He is save able, yet..."

Eirianna fell into horrific slumber, and the soft soil beneath them all...

The group converged on the fallen elf, Kronos pleaded they give Eirianna room to breath...

"Feileacan, your talents are required..." Kronos said, as the others looked on with worry...

The hobbits seemed to be bored, and D'Artagnan was nearly heart broken...

A woman falling from a beast of that size, the odds were not in her favor...

He looked on, heeding Kronos's plea...

Landi merely looked off into the tree line, as he too realized what it was that terrified Eirianna's induced slumber...

Begun, this cloned war has...

...excepting two...her faithful Talon, and one of the few remaining Taunderon guards. The latter was at her side, and the former was recovering from blindess as well.

"My lady! They have escaped!" the guard said in a panick. "And our peoples and our land..."

He paused at that, his eyes defocusing and his look hardening in anger. "What shall we do to recover from this travesty, my Lady? Shall we pursue them?"

Adra rose to her feet at the words, her blue eyes even icier than usual. She walked back to the balcony beyond them, followed humbly by the guard and Talon. Her eyes slit as she viewed the utter devestation.

Powerful, indeed, that one who can command the Moon is...

...too powerful. There has to be a way to stop her...

Then, "Let them go," she whispered coolly, "for now."

Then she turned her gaze to the young and clearly troubled guardsmen. "We have been weakened my friend, and must rebuild ourselves. If we are to succeed in avenging our loss..."

"...we must make more allies. I shall travel to Gondor...

...and then to Isengaurd. In the meantime you shall become Captain...

...refurbish our lands, my friend, and rebuild our army. Go now, and begin. This, my young Captain, calls for War."

"Yes, my lady," the guardsmen replied, kneeling in the utmost respect. "May the gods be with you to return to us quickly and safely."

With that he departed. Adra stepped out onto her balcony once more, holding her staff in a death's grip. Then she spoke out in a commanding voice. "Come Ubel, my servant!"

At the call, a large dragon, his rough skin black and scales the color of blood, flew to the edge of the balcony, hovering there and waiting. Adra turned her head back towards her chambers. "Talon, bring the crystal!"

Her evil companion complied immediately, coming to her side with the precious belonging. Then they both mounted the dragon. Adra leaned over and whispered into his pointed ear, "To Gondor, my loyal dragon..."

The Warg leaped over fallen branches and dodged trees in the way as its pace quickened to their destination.

There was a mighty roar from the sky above, sounding as if it came from the mouth of Mount Doom itself. Ulfhak instinctively looked up, and saw a great horrifying shadow block the moon itself. The shape of it placed great fear in the orc when he realized what it was...

A dragon?! he looked behind him From the direction of Taunderon...could the sorceress also be journeying to Gondor?

Ulfhak again kicked the side of his mount several times, pushing to go faster...to meet up with Adra and discuss what their next move should be...

So far we have travelled...if she were to die now...

He turned away from the group, and started pacing back and forth from them. Arandil did not doubt Feileacan's healing skills, but what if the fall had done irreversible damage to Eirianna? What if her powers could no longer help this party, or what if she forgets...

Me. If she forgets why I am here.

Arandil stopped, his back facing them, and thought hard on this situation.

She is the only one who knows the fate of my brother. And I have already spent too much time helping her...

The ranger knew that his quest has become more precious now than it could have ever been. This incident at Taunderon...it will push Gondor and Rohan to war.

Perhaps not Rohan...their King is wise and thoughtful. But the Steward of Gondor is weak...always ill-advised from his closest friends.

Arandil thought briefly of D'Artagnan. He would have to confront him soon on this issue, but not until he knows Eirianna is safe and sound. He knew there was something he could do to help, yet he was afraid...

Afraid of a question that has haunted him since he knew of his lineage...

What if he failed?

Arandil pondered on what he should do now. He has reached another crossroad; should he leave the group and go his own seperate way, or stay the course?

I'll make my choice later... he decided, his thoughts still on the elf...

Struggling, she sat up, blinking.

Froze.

Blinked again, now reaching a groping arm out. Her flailing hand struck against Gorfynt's leg, and grasped hold of it. Her head spun. She blinked again, and turned vague eyes outward. Then, finally found the strength to speak through the blackness which yet persisted:

"My friends, are you still with me? For I cannot see."

With all due respect given to Elven healing magics, this required sorcery...

Landi came close to Eirianna, his left palm engulfing her face...

A short foreign chant of sight was given to the Daughter of the Moon...

"Can you see, my dear?" a tranquil Landi inquired...

Blinded... he thought Surely this won't be permanent...

It was almost as if...

Knowing she could not use her demonic powers in the rising daylight to gather more information, Adra turned to Talon. “Go, my servant, and find out how our valiant warriors are faring. I sense something amiss, something we just might be able to use, for the destruction of Taunderon via elven magick is only the beginning of our work. Pay special attention to the little elven Sorceress...

...and to the Ranger who rides with them. I wonder if he is yet aware that he is not simply an Heir to the Gondor throne, but the Heir. We must soon find out just what he knows, for this may be a key to what we shall embark upon next...

...as is the elven Sorceress’s wellbeing. Go now, find out what you can without being discovered, and return quickly.”

Talon simply bowed in acknowledgement. “As you wish it.” With that he departed altogether, and Adra remained waiting for Ulfhak just outside the gates of Gondor, a fearsome Ubel guarding her in the shadow of those gates. All the while her mind was spinning with evil plots...

"First my company at Taunderon, and now this!" he said, kicking the wolf's body. Grunting, the orc began to run through the forest, still determined to reach Gondor.

Several hours later, he too became tired from his traveling. Night had fallen upon this kingdom of Man, and it didn't help him see any better.

Lungs aching, his stomach searing from a lack of food, Ulfhak fell on one knee to try and catch his breath.

It was not long before the orc realized that he was not just hearing his own breathing...

Ulfhak looked up to see Adra, and behind her the frightening shadow of the dragon.

Fear replaced his stomach's unease, but Ulfhak still managed to bow his head in front of the sorceress.

As this conception struck...

Blind??

Then, another concept hit altogether...

Turning from the concerned group, Kronos gracefully sprinted to a small ridge between they and the Kingdom of Taunderon...

His eyes scanned and surveyed the surrounding basin... as a hawk scouts its prey...

A foul one comes this way...