"I will leave you then," she cooed, a little too sweetly to be real. Then her look and her voice darkened. "But I will not leave you in peace."

With that she stood, her staff held tightly in one hand, all-the-while casting a dark and foreboding look in Talasti's direction. Then she threw back her head, stretching her free arm with the palm of her hand downward and fingers extended, her eyes for the moment closed as she drew upon the dark energies and evil dancing in the night. She reveled there for a moment, then her icy blue eyes snapped open and she pinned Talasti with a look born from Hell.

In that moment, something made of nothing more than sheer evil yet completely invisible burst to life from her the staff which she now pointed towards him, slamming into Talasti and pinning him to the floor of the castle dungeon, wrapping about him and squeezing til at length he couldn't even breath. So he merely laid there, gasping desperately for breath, til at length the world began to fade into spots of blackness.

Adra would have none of this. She released him from the deathly hold her powers had upon him, allowing him a precious few seconds to gasp free air.

Then she let that evil slam into him once more. The chains upon his wrists and ankles suddenly snapped free, but before he could even think of moving she lifted her free arm upward, and his body rose in tandem into the air, where it spun upon the invisible cloud of evil he was being held up upon. With another move of her staff, he then was slammed into a dungeon wall with great force, drawing a few cracking sounds from his body. He crumpled to the floor but was once again weighed down with evil, once again gasping for breath.

Adra left him there once more, this time waiting til he had blacked out completely before letting him go. Even as he gasped for breath in unconsciousness, she saw to it that he was once more chained by both the wrists and ankles by the dungeon warden. Only after she was certain he was once more restrained, completely disregarding the probability that he had several broken ribs and bones, she stretched out once more and shoved him back into consciousness so that he could feel the utter pain now coursing through his body.

And likewise so he could hear her next words, if he even had the remainder of stamina to interpret them.

"See that this one is guarded personally," she told the prison warden. "Through him I have discovered that the elves intend to find The Ring and defeat us all; this one is one of the chief Ring-searchers. I shall consult the King regarding this immediately, but make certain this one is never out of your sights, and he should be beaten if he utters yet one plea to be released. Otherwise, I shall return to...discuss matters further with him regularly."

The warden nodded in understanding, and Adra cast one final gaze in the direction of Talasti, reveling one final time in the pain she felt coursing through him. She couldn't help but extend her staff at him, shooting one final thread of pain into him to heighten that which he was already feeling.

He would not die. But he might wish he could.

With nothing more than that then, she turned and headed for her chambers to her crystal, writing something forged by evil yet in Elven tongue upon one of the trees near the place where she knew the Ringwraith had abducted Talasti, keenly aware that there was an elven village somewhere nearby.

Regarding the one who was foolish enough to seek the Ring of Power: Only I, Sorceress of Taunderon, shall succeed in that quest...

[ 01-03-2003 03:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Adra Slavonic ]

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That darkness was not merely a result of the New Moon... for New Moon should not be hanging in the sky overhead. Upon that night before, indeed, did not he bear the Daughter of the Moon into the clearing, where she herself grasped the stuff of the Moon in its entirety, flinging that into the Faces of the Destroyers, to allow them to slip beyond the grasp of Death and gain sanctuary within the sturdy walls of the Keep?

He bugled and frothed his dismay and alarm, caroming back to circle the Keep, his trail now a deep path cut into the loam and duff upon the forest floor. Even as he passed, branches seemed to hold out to him, to beseech him stay, and not tear any further that from which they took sustenance.

He could not restrain himself, but he broadened his path, now moving outward that his poundings not lay upon one path only and deepen it so destructively. Onward, ever onward, he tore through the shadows and the trees and the dark, until at length he came to a particular tree standing as sad and lonely sentinel amidst the living strengths of the others.

It was blackened, sere and wizened, great heaving cracks marring the wood, from which an abundance of sap had oozed but had not managed to heal. Two knots peered out in pain and anguish for what it bore, what it was forced to bear, that gleaming with the utter lack of light and written as warning in Elvish.

Gorfynt took an instinctive step backwards, snorting in new alarm and distaste. He shook his proud head, reacting to the evil placed there before him, sensing the pain of the yet-living tree.

His bugle tore the night then as, lowering his head, he rushed the tree, plunging that spiraled point deeply into the heartwood, rending and splintering, until he reached the very core of the tree connecting roots to crown, and ripped it in twain. A kind of light, unseen by mortal eyes, stared out at him as he pulled his horn out amidst a flurry of wood and sap and bark, then faded gratefully into Night.

Trembling with fury and disgust, his feelings mimicked by the fiercely protesting screams coming from the distant Hecate, that one of his own beloved needed to be put out of misery imposed so direly upon it, Gorfynt whirled and reared. His hooves lashed in promise of death to any who dared bring harm to the Keep of the Moon, and his beloved Daughter who dwelled within it.

Then he took off in pounding haste, upon his horn pinioned that bit of engraven bark, this time to actually enter the Gates of Moon's Keep, to bring forth this awful message he had discovered in the woods, limned in blackness, and radiating the cold of eternal death.

[ 01-03-2003 03:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Gorfynt ]

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For he could feel the shadows growing, and that clearly gave light to what he saught...

In a moment he found himself in the chambers of the sorceress, who's powers had obviously been augmented by the night... She wore darkness as a cloak, her deeds clear, he smiled and approuched, his pressence suddenly becoming known, dispite his utter silence.

Mother... I wish i had more of your talent... I saught so little in the skills you had offered me...

But i will do what i can...

He stood slowly, and exited the room, finding a little garden he plucked a few flowers, and plants, uttering a thanks, and appology to them before returning...

Quietly he dipped a few flower pettles in water, and lay them upon Eirianna's cheeks, before continuing by grinding a few routs, and leaves into a bowl, turning them to a fine powder, before adding water and soon seeking a small fire to heat the liquid mush...

As the liquid heated he saught out more petals and returned to deep those in the strange concoction and then place the soaked petals upon her forhead, and cheeks, over the ones he had previously placed.

Waiting a moment he saught out a small bit of whin, which he then poured into a glass, and mixed with the other liquid mush...

With a quiet sigh he opened her fair lips, and forced some of the drink down her throat before backing away...

"I am unsure if this will work, but my mother said that this was the strongest healing remedy for those in a coma"

after a moment more, allowing what he had done so far to find its way through her system, he went back, and rubbed a bit of the strange mush accross her chest and stepped away. "if this will work, it will take affect soon..."

--------------------

Then the fluttering grew stonger, and the bloom of the petals came into her fair cheeks, the living essence of those upon her forehead absorbing deeply into her brain, even as that smeared upon her chest soaked down into her heart, both to coax her into awakening even as the salving broth flowed down her throat into her stomach, from there to be carried into every part of her body.

She uttered a slight groan, then a little sigh, and shifted upon her bed.

Her gray eyes snapped open, then, staring unseeing at the ceiling arching overhead, yet seeing something graven there only too clearly, something only she could see, and one other....

"Gorfynt," her whisper cut the otherwise silence of the chambers, echoing off its stony walls, loud as a portent of doom.

"Wydde's Wood is in Darkness... and we have touched that Night...."

She then fell silent, sentience and normalcy returning to her demeanor, her faculties returning to normal before their very eyes. She cut her gaze up to those around her, finally letting it settle upon E'rae with the realization that it was he who had awakened her.

Her eyes closed briefly, her lashes brushing her cheeks. Then they opened, clear and strong once again.

"I thank you, E'rae," she said in her musical contralto, sitting up now to finally rise to her feet. She reached a hand out, one pearl-tipped finger gently touching his cheek before she allowed her eyes to slide from his, a frown now coming to her features.

"Gorfynt..." she murmured, a touch of alarm now coming into her voice. Then without so much as another look to the others, she departed her chambers, seeking the Grand Hallway of the Keep, where she sensed her beloved steed awaited her, a trembling harbinger of something too awful to even consider.

[ 01-03-2003 04:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Eirianna ]

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Two visitors in one day...? she wondered darkly then rose to turn and meet this rather bold newcomer with a steel gaze tipped with ice. Behind her Talon bared his fangs, stepping out of the shadows in preparation...

In that split second Adra cocked her head, considering this one who had so suddenly come to her, sensing something within him which gave her life as well. She reached one arm out to stop Talon in his tracks.

She shot a dark and not-all-too-pleasant look in Kalion's direction. "Who are you?" she whispered icily yet with a touch of something else in her words. "And for what reason should I trust the likes of you?

After all, there is no greater power to seek for than the Ring..."

[ 01-03-2003 07:24 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Adra Slavonic ]

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He was unsure if the Elves had acknowledged his presence, though E'rae had gestured to him earlier before.

They're preoccupied with something...

Moments later, both E'rae and the King left the Throne Room through another doorway...to where Arandil was not sure.

The ranger finally walked forward, seeking to follow them.

--------------------

At length the sound of dancing hooves came to her daintily pointed ears, and she came out into the Grand Hall where Gorfynt stood prancing about between the great stone fireplaces occupying centerplace on either side of the hall. Flames flickered and wallowed therein, gleaming out to reflect upon him, casting upon his coat the illuminating illusion of fire, only underscoring his obvious distress as he danced and pranced and whinnied, tossing his head, his mane flinging into the faces of the court members who had come to try to settle him.

Eirianna flew to him, shushing, her hands reaching out to smooth upon his strong, arched neck. She petted him, laying her head against his muscled shoulder, whispering in Elvish that he calm, that all was fair, that she was with him and he need not carry his great concern alone any longer.

Then she caught sight of the slab of bark he carried upon his horn. For some reason, a great foreboding came crashing down upon her; her hand trembled as, not removing her cheek from the warm security of Gorfynt's hide she now reached forth and took that bark from the pearly spear which graced his head. She looked at it, distress now growing in her eyes; then gasped and leaned more tightly against her friend, the bark dropping from nerveless fingers.

"It is She, the Sorceress of Taunderon..." she began, trailing off as her voice began a trembling to match that of her limbs. She gestured a hand to the bark; then with a great inhalation managed to calm herself and stood tall and firm beside Gorfynt. Her initial shock overcome, shock easily come to her for her recent descent into the Darkness from which it originated, she continued on, her voice musical and strong once again.

"She has taken the lad, Talasti," she whispered, turning her gaze up into the eyes of E'rae and then her King. "It was her wraiths which touched my friend and I in the last light of the moon... it was they who sought to send me into that Night."

Her eyes cast back into E'rae's, glowing with thanks for his help to her.

"It is She my dear Gorfynt brings warning of...

"It has begun. She seeks the Ring."

With that she fell silent, biting her lip, while beneath her hand Gorfynt's mighty frame was once again racked by a series of tremors as he danced and pawed upon the stones of the Grand Hall of Moon's Keep.

--------------------

In his dreams, L’Endriel found himself in the woods once more. The ground was covered with a mist so thick that he couldn’t see his own feet. The whole world in fact, had been colored in shades of gray and dark blue, and the sun seemed to be blotted out. L’Endriel stopped staring at his feet, or where they would’ve been anyway, and looked up, where he saw the specter that haunted him.

About twenty feet away stood the wraith he had attempted to attack earlier. There was a difference, however. This time, the wraith seemed to be cloaked in grey, and its hood was removed. The face of the wraith was almost regal, and it bore straight white hair that came down to its shoulders. A grizzly beard covered its face, which was deathly white. A small circlet of power sat on his brow, and he was mounted on a pale horse with gleaming red eyes. It held in its right hand a short scepter, with a long spike at the end of the blunt weapon.

He was looking off into the distance, as if he were expecting someone. Slowly, he turned towards L’Endriel and smiled evilly. L’Endriel tried to look away from the wraith’s baneful gaze, but found that he could not turn away. The wraith extended a pale, emaciated hand, and beckoned L’Endriel to come.

Unwillingly, L’Endriel took a step, and another, and another, before he finally stopped himself. He managed to look at the ground in doubt, and shake his head very slightly. His confidence grew, and he looked at the wraith now, and told the wraith his answer. No sound came from his mouth, but it was enough.

The wraith’s look became one of confusion at first, and then his face became expressionless. He tugged on the reigns of his horse, which reared and neighed violently. Blue flames shout out from its nostrils, and the horse charged towards L’Endriel, who was on foot. L’Endriel, who was unarmed, began to literally quake with fear.

Meanwhile, in the Moon’s Keep, L’Endriel’s body began to convulse violently. One nurse called for buckets of both warm and cold water, while another held his hand, and whispered his name into his ear. The other nurse began to dab at his forehead with a soaked cloth.

In his dream, L’Endriel looked down at his hands and saw that he now held two hatchets. They seemed to be the very hatchets that his former adoptive father had given him. Now that he was armed, his confidence rose, and he gave the wraith’s steed such a look that it was overcome with doubt, and stopped its run. L’Endriel on the other hand, was now beyond any doubt of what he had to do, and quickly stuck one axe into the chest of the beast, and used the other to cut its legs out from underneath it. The horse bucked on its remaining hind legs and whinnied, and the wraith was thrown off...and lost in the mist covering the floor.

L’Endriel’s convulsions slowly began to die down into little twitches, until his body stopped moving. Slowly, he opened his eyelids, and took a deep breath. He saw the two elvish nurses staring back at him, and both of them instantly smiled. One of them muttered something under her breath, and the other went to inform the king of his adoptive son’s recovery.

Strangely enough, L’Endriel understood what was said, even though the nurse had not spoken in the Common Speech.

His trip into the netherealm had granted him much knowledge, and he came back to the land of the living wiser. As always, however, wisdom came with its own price, and L’Endriel became very grim later on because of his trips into the land of the dead.

But for now, he was content to rise from his bed, and look out the window into the depths of the Wydde Wood.

[ 01-05-2003 11:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by L'Endriel ]

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"It is She my dear Gorfynt brings warning of...

"It has begun. She seeks the Ring."
Feileacan didn't know what the Daughter meant by this but she refused to remain ignorant of such an important matter any longer. Softly she slipped up next to E'rae and whispered to him, "What is this Ring of which she speaks?"

--------------------

Finaly he nodded his head to her, in a slight bow and spoke softly, "M'lady, She speaks of the One Ring, the ring which was taken from this world with darkness, to be shrouded in mystery."

His smile then turned soft and true for a moment, before he turned his gaze back to Eirianna, "If there is one that seeks the ring... Then the young Talista will not easily be realised... He too seeks the ring, and in that, has made himself most likely a chance of finding information...

M'lady, is there a way of finding this Sorcerress's lair?"

--------------------

"I am Kalion... And i do not recall saying anything about trust.. No, no indeed, you should not trust me, To do that would be foolish.

But, trust has nothing to do with assistance, Assist me, and i assure you that you will have what you seek..."

He once more chuckled, now taking his sword from its place upon his shoulder, and embedding it 2 or so feet into the ground, before taking another step forward.

"I would be a great ally to have... yes, there is a chance that once my goals are complet, i would leave you to rot as i held the power i had saught out... But in the past i have never left an ally without what they desire...

"Perhaps then we can determine how indeed we might help one another," she finished, smiling wickedly and standing, her cloak of midnight-blue billowing about her frame in splendor, her icy blue eyes alive with a desire to create evil regardless of who was at the recieving end.

--------------------

"i seek these stones... Each possesses great magick, together they become able to do amazing deeds of both light and dark potential, the time of disision is now... but be warned, through the course of this transaction, should your desires sway, and you turn to seek these stones, i will take your life faster then you beleave your companion can take mine..."

Dimly, from without the stone walls of the Keep, there came the piercing scream of a hawk.

"Hecate knows the path, and Gorfynt would tread upon it," she affirmed, loosening her gaze as she lowered her lids. Beneath her hands the unicorn's hide rippled as he tensed his muscles in readiness to act for her sake.

"The way is treacherous, but not nearly that so much as its end. Will I take you upon the back of my steed? For he bears no one other upon it save me, or one with me. And he would not yield to assist you in any manner at that."

She blinked, flicking her eyes back up into E'rae's once more, shifting back and forth as Gorfynt moved restlessly, taking her with him in a dancing two-step as she waited to hear how this elven of noble birth would reply.

[ 01-06-2003 02:03 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Eirianna ]

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"No," she denied her, shaking her head again. "This is not the place for a muse, nor a poet. Your talents would be most put to great task within these walls, to keep my father's spirits high in my absence."

Here she turned about, now directing a look into King Gildur's countenance that mimicked the strength in his own, a strength she had herself inherited from him, being the Princess and Daughter of the Moon which she was. For a long moment their eyes clashed with one another; then his filled with a kind of proud sadness, and he nodded in singular defeat to her.

"My King needs stay, and see to his court and his peoples. In fact..."

Now she returned to the quiet Feileacan, memory of a darkly bearded visage swimming into her mind.

"There is one amidst us who looked somewhat aback when I saw him last. Go now to him, Feileacan; see to his needs. For he is stranger to our Keep, and I must with pain announce that now I have not the time to give unto him the mannerly inquiries that are due."

She nodded then to Feileacan, urging her to seek out the one called Arandil; of course she had no idea of his name at this point, but his visage and the fact that he was indeed a stranger to the Keep was enough that she send someone immediately to him in her stead.

"He last was seen without the King's Hallway," she finished, sending Feileacan another encouraging nod of her head.

Then she turned back from her in complete dismissal, laying her head against Gorfynt's sleek hide, shushing his obvious need for movement and action, and continued to wait what E'rae should reply.

For indeed she saw the wisdom in seeking the Sorceress: there is no better defense than a quickly enacted offense... and a stealthily contrived one at that.

--------------------

“Still...this alliance could be very profitable.”

She actually nodded her head in a semblence of respect at that.

“Now, my new ally,” she stated, once again pinning him with her icy blues. “No alliance can be truly made if it is not sealed.”

With no hesitation, and waiting for no confirmation on his part, Adra reached out with her staff, laying it on his shoulder blade. She threw her head back, and a thread of nothing other than darkness flashed between them, somehow binding him to her so that she could contact him at any time, in much the same way she could contact her Ringwraiths and demonic hordes.

Then, removing her staff from him, she stated one final thing. “I am a woman of darkness, but I keep my word so long as yours is not broken. And as I can call upon you at any time, you likewise may do the same through this bond which I have established between us.

“But now,” she continued, turning to her crystal and raising her right palm above it, momentarily closing her eyes and casting an image engraved in her memory into its depths for Kalion to see, an image of a beautiful white-haired elf with gray eyes riding upon a fearful steed. “I seek this elf, for she seems to hold powers which may threaten my own quest...

...and perhaps yours as well, for the stones of which you speak seem to be something which Elves may hold interest in. Even now I hold one of the elves from her village as my prisoner; I suspect a task force of some kind will be sent to find him, and they have one clue as to where their comrade has been taken should they find it. At any rate I am certain at some point they will arrive here.”

“Before they arrive I will have siezed power over this entire region.”

After she spoke these words, an image of the still unconscious King of Taunderon appeared in the crystal to replace that of the elven woman. She smiled darkly at him, knowing it was at long last time to make her move. The villagers and King’s men firmly believed that the Elves were seeking the Ring of Power, and would in the meantime use the rings they already had to lay claim to their region of Men. And she had not taken the one elf, Talasti, merely as bait. Indeed, his Elven bow and arrows would prove most useful...

Adra stretched out with her staff and her powers, utterly ignoring Kalion now, and aimed them directly for the bow and arrows sitting in her chambers, the bow and arrows she had had taken from Talasti. In doing thus, she bent the magicks of the weapons, twisting them to work for her and her minions. Satisfied that this was accomplished, Adra then blinded the eyes and deafened the ears of the guards protecting the King and his quarters with a spell. She nodded to Talon to proceed.

“It is time to do as we discussed,” she said to him pointedly. He nodded in response only once, and in moments had retrieved the arrows which had been taken from the young Talasti, whereupon he headed outward and entered into the King’s chambers, making one well executed and deadly accurate shot. Only when Talon had returned, leaving only the bloodied arrow in the chest of the now-dead king as evidence, did Adra reopen the eyes and ears of the guards. The look in her eye grew impossibly darker as she again looked to Kalion. ”They shall find the King murdered at the hands of an elf,” she whispered darkly, falling silent for a few moments and relishing the the deadly aura bouncing against the castle walls even as she could feel the glimmerings of the rising sun.

Then, “If the elves have any of your precious stones, you will soon have your chance to find them... personally. Know you of any way by which to trace these stones you seek more specifically?” she queried then finally fell silent, keenly aware through the eyes of her demonic horde that the King’s guardsmen were finding his slain body even now...

[ 01-06-2003 08:33 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Mara1Jade ]

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The King's daughter? Only a fool would think she was a servant.

The ranger had felt an aura of peace coming from her, but it passed as soon as he could no longer see her. He let out a sigh of disappointment, over what he didn't care to know, and continued wandering the hallway. Within moments, he saw someone approaching him...

--------------------

As she addressed him he smiled to himself "There is but one way to remotly find the stones, and that is to possess others of its kind... Other then that, blind luck must be used..."

he shook his head slightly as he considered her previous words, "if the elves possess a stone, they do not realize it, for otherwise, you would indeed know of it..."

He chuckled to himself as he stepped closer to her, eyeing her for a moment carefuly he spoke darkly, "This bond you have created... Do not relly on it... I will only be contacted when i desire such... And at no other time shall i be bothered..."

he then smiled politly and stepped away heading towards his sword and carefuly withdrawing it, "do not feel so certain of your ability to kill me if i should change our bargen... Though i have no intention of it, should i choose to, there is little you could do to stop me..."

he then reached within his pouch and closed a fist about the stones, eyes closing as he hummed to himself quietly... finaly his eyes opened and his hand was withdrawn, "Have your servents check the boundries of this kingdom, stone hides stone...

And now, i will see what i can learn about your precious ring."

And soon they were off on the trail, moving as fast as they could move, following behind the flying hecate

E'rae was utterly amazed at the grace and speed which this animal could move, it was not so much as though they were moving through the forest, more of a feeling that the forest was moving past them, falling behind as though in a great race.

--------------------

"Excuse me milady, but do you know who it was that brought me back from the forest?"

The nurse thought a moment, and replied.

"There were two men, sir. One had the look of a human, and the other was Lord Velic himself."

Hmm...Velic...that name sounds strangely familiar...ahhh, yes! That was the elf that came to speak with the king and the lady of the keep earlier.

"Uh...kind lady, can you tell me where these two men are?"

The nurse pointed down the stairs.

"I know not where the human is right now, but the Lord Velic is apparently preparing to ride with Lady Eirianna to rescue some young boy. I'm not sure though..."

L'Endriel swore under his breath. Even with their superior knowledge of the happenings of the surrounding world, L'Endriel didn't know if the Lord and Lady knew what they were up against. He quickly thanked the nurse, and jogged down the steps of the tower. After a few minutes, L'Endriel reached the King's hall, where the guards evidently recognized him and let him pass. L'Endriel walked through the great door, only to find the King looking out a window, apparently lost in his thoughts.

"Uh...milord...father. Can I ask where my sister has gone?"

The king turned around with a startled look, as if awaking from a dream. Immediately he smiled benevolently at L'Endriel.

"Well, it seems you have recovered rather quickly."

"Thank you, father, but my speedy recovery was mainly due to the extensive care of your skilled nurses." L'Endriel took a deep breath. "Please, tell me where Lady Eirianna has gone."

"Hmm? Oh, she went to go see if she could rescue that young boy with E'rae."

L'Endriel's eyes widened, and he immediately took leave of the king. He sprinted again for a little while, until he found where the jail was, and the two hatchets that had been taken from him during his short imprisonment.

L'Endriel fastened the simple twin axes to his legs and ran yet again, this time outside. He searched the elvish encampment for a small clearing, and eventually found one. He then cupped his mouth with his hands, and made a strange call, at a frequency too high for normal ears to hear. Only a few moments passed by before a large eagle came swooping down, and after beating its wings a few times, landed in the clearing, and allowed L'Endriel to ride it's back again.

"I thank you, for bearing me again on such short notice."

The eagle quickly rose up into the air, and replied, "It's no problem. Just tell me where you need to go, friend."

Damn!

L'Endriel had absolutely no idea where the small rescue party had taken off.

"Fly straight up, and search for two steeds. Your keen eyes might be able to spot who I am looking for."

As soon as he said this the eagle immediately soared to great heights, and circled overhead. If he hadn't known better, L'Endriel would have thought he was flying straight up into the sun.

"There, I see one, but not two, dust trails on the horizon."

L'Endriel looked, and squinted, but still could not see anything.

"I cannot see what you see, friend. Fly in closer."

The eagle immediately obeyed. With a great speed that seemed to match the wind itself, the eagle quickly closed off the distance between the dust trail and his rider. L'Endriel squinted again, and saw that one steed bore two riders, and one of them had stark-white hair, flying about wildly in the wind. They were riding a horse with a single horn sprouting from its brow - a unicorn. A strange ghostly apparition in the form of a hawk was leading them, and L'Endriel felt his heart drop into his stomach for a moment, but the feeling passed. This...spirit...didn't seem malevolent like the wraith

"Yes that's them. I am indebted to you once again. Please bring me in closer..."

[ 01-07-2003 05:40 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by L'Endriel ]

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Without being told to, he thrashed to a sudden halt, his riders jerking involuntarily forward against his withers as he brought his swift pace so abruptly to an end. With a snort for the safety of his riders he whirled, now pulling his weight and that of the two back on his haunches as he rose into a controlled levade. There, balanced powerfully upon his lowered hind legs, he sliced the air with his forehooves, his wild cry of defiance and challenge piercing the night.

No one shall bring harm to the One on his back and her escort... no one. It was his duty to see to her safety; that was first and foremost in his heart.

Hecate came back in great circles, stooping and diving himself, crying as he flew at the immense shadow now flying down from above toward their group...

...until he sensed just exactly who that dark shadow was. As well as the rider he bore.

His cry became more urgent then, more piercing as he shot past the eagle and L'Endriel, truncating his attack to swoop upward, crying the announcement that foe was friend.

Beneath him, Gorfynt merely remained on his hind feet, his forelegs lashing the dark to ribbons, his mane flying into the faces of the two upon his back.

--------------------

"Hold, my friend!" she suddenly cried, turning forward in her seat again and laying a hand against Gorfynt's tensely arched neck. "This is no enemy dire seeking our demise; stay your wild thrashings, I beg you! Look!"

She pointed aloft with her other hand, twisting quickly about that the finger she was holding out would stay on target as the eagle screamed in reply and careered through the trees once again and shooting over their heads.

"It is my new brother, L'Endriel!" she exclaimed, with not a little worry crossing her features. "Hold!"

The ground rose up beneath her then as the unicorn instantly obeyed, coming to all four feet again, which then pranced in place as he moved about, still nervous from being taken by surprise. Eirianna grunted lightly as the reverberations of that coming to earth vibrated through her willowy body; then pushing aside a strand of hair which had fallen into her face, she called upward into the dark:

"L'Endriel! Brother! You are well and whole! Yet surely this is not why you have followed; what is it that brings you to us in such haste?"

A hand involuntarily grabbed Gorfynt's mane as he moved suddenly beneath her and her companion, the movement sending her body jerking backwards against E'rae's body as the unicorn pranced in reply to the eagle who was now swooping in to come to an apparent landing atop their very heads.

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"I have heard that you are going to try to rescue the boy?"

Eirianna replied, "Yes, that’s true."

"Well, I’m not sure why I came up here, because it wasn’t to stop you." L’Endriel paused for effect, before starting again. "I will not speak of my uneasy dreams while recovering from the touch of the wraith. Such matters should not be discussed. However, I will say that I have not come back unchanged, and that many things were revealed to me while I strayed along the borders of the netherealm."

"I can tell you that the woman who holds the young elf is no ordinary sorceress. The spells she weaves are not to be taken lightly...and also..." L’Endriel’s eyes strayed as he searched for words. He did not wish to describe the horrors of his dreams, but he needed to tell what he saw, and what he sensed.

"There is a growing darkness. When I first walked along the lands of the death, the spirits I saw frightened me, but they didn’t hold much power over me. But...I felt a calling, if you will, in the last dream I had. The apparition I saw in my final dream seemed stronger, though he was the same undead creature I had first seen. I...I do not know what this means, but I sense that much power has gathered in alliance with the keeper of the boy. And that power seeks something...though I know not what."

L’Endriel looked up at the two riders, both sitting on Gorfynt and calmly listening to him speak. "I don’t know what power lies with the keeper of the boy, but I fear it has grown enourmously. I...I came to warn you, not to dissuade you from your journey. Much danger lies ahead."

L’Endriel let his words sink in, and awaited a reply.

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