"It was horrendous. Everywhere I turned, there were corpses. Blackened and charred ones of people I might or might not know were sprawled all around, giving off a putrid scent. I resisted the urge to regurgitate my innards, and continued walking. Occasionally, there would be a pile of bones or dried corpses. I then realized how lucky I was to survive, when the vampires and shapeshifters were around. I wondered if I am the only one. It seemed and remained that way, after a full hour of searching.

Although it was morning, I dared not linger too long. Reports that came from Sai'Yu'Mie before the second large faerie city was destroyed had said that the demons are able to use magic to prevent being harmed by the sun. And Sai'Yu'Mie itself was taken on a bright sunny morning and many faeries were caught unaware and dead. Not wanting the same thing to happen to me, I quickly grabbed my few important possessions and decided to fly straight to Fir'Xe'Yui where the Night forces should not have reach yet."

----------

"How wrong I was! Fir'Xe'Yui has fallen! There was no doubts about it, for a dreadful dragon sat perched on the Tower of Rainbows. What should I do now? What should I do when even Mother Purest has fallen too? She must have, or she would never have let this foul monsters get near the Tower where all our crafts are kept. What am I to do?

I know. I will seek refuge with the elves of Silvire. I must tell them what has happened. They must know, that Fir'Xe'Yui has fallen and our beloved Mother is gone. They must be told and prepared to face this terrible disaster that has befallen upon us all. They must know."

----------

"It hurts... my legs... they are gone... but I must complete this. This will be the last of my daily recordings, as I will not live long. Barely any strength have I left, after I forced myself to teleport away before demonic Geilzra could burn me to ashes. Dear Purielle, are we doomed to die? Would you not grant me enough fortune to be found by those damned Nightlords?

But nonetheless, you must have heard my prayer. I do not hurt as much now. Now I have the strength to finish this task given to me by Mother Purest, to record what happened, and I shall. You who finds my beaten body and read this, I beseech you. Bring this journal and the scrolls bound to it to the elven high lord. He Who Is Wise will understand the importance of the news I bring. And only then can I rest in peace. Make haste, for the world needs this."

"- Ver Lea Wialern, the last of the space faeries. Head of the Mother's Scribes."

Elraein the Wise, of the house Silvanair of Silvire, carefully ran a finger around the name, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. Ver Lea Wialern was indeed right. The faerie was the last of his element, and last few hundreds of his kind, after he breathed his last on the doorstep of Elraein's house.

Right after the journal had reached Elraein's father, Loerein Silvanair, all of the best messengers were dispatched to confirm if what was written were true. And they were. Fir'Xe'Yui had turned into a stronghold for the Night forces, and the death of Mother Purest, the queen of the faeries, was a huge blow to all of Memoira. The faeries were all wiped out in the matter of days after that, caught up by grief and unprepared by the sudden invasion. And all happened just a month after the Barrier was taken down and caused the night skies to turn a vivid shade of blood.

Elraein remembered watching his father wept openly for the extinction of their cousin race and feeling tears ran down his own cheeks. The faeries and elves were relatively closed to each other, although the faeries were generally a reclusive kind. And the loss of the powerful magic that ran in their veins and the destruction of most of the precious craft they have created had no small impact on their morale. As he recalled, the elves were upset for nearly a month before they retaliated against the Night Races with a vengence.

And what a vengence it was. For a whole century they fought the Night Races, doing it even after numerous had fallen, in more ways than one. Loerein himself was killed when defeating and sealing the vile vampire lord Eailen, and Elraein took his place. Together with the humans and dwarves who had came to realize exactly how serious a threat the Night forces had became, they made the Night Races pay for their deeds.

It was finally over when Elraein tricked the remaining Nightlord, Iaxyu of the shifters, into being sealed, and the Night Races were sucked into a portal that Elraein assumed would take the entire forces of darkness back to the Cursed Lands, where they belong. Left with only the scars and the dead, and memories of those who were taken from them, the people of Memoira slowly returned back to their lives.

But now, the Night Races were once again going to be unleashed, according to the prophecy written on the scrolls that Ver Lea Wialern had entrusted to his father, and now him. But thankfully, those who could stop there from being a repeat of the Blood Nights War were awakened on the Nis-She'zara, the Dawn of the Age of Lightning, though it would be a tough period for both the chosen ones and all of Memoira.

Speaking of the chosen ones, Elraein wondered if the notices that he had asked the lords of the other places to put up were able to reach the other Faes spread across Memoira. The meeting of the Faes was to take place two weeks from Nis-She'zara, and if all thirteen Fae were to come together for the quest to find the hidden faerie relic, the chances of there be another war would be lower. And even if having all thirteen was not possible, Elraein was going to make sure they get all the help he could give.

[OOC: Thanks goes to Hugo who helped me named the night when the lightning struck. ^^ Does it sound lovely? Anyway, the meeting will take place two weeks from the night the lightning struck, one week after the day the fire Fae woke up from his coma, at the elven city of Silvire.]

The land before Sylvanas was a ruined waste, blackened scorched earth, the dead stumps of trees and shambles of what were once houses and shops, charred bones of the dead lay sprawled along the path leading down towards this ruined capital, but in the center, the Tower stood tall.

Walking down towards this ruin Sylvanas could only imagine the day the Night Races descended upon the faerie capital, the Nightlords leading a massacre of a peaceful people, but people with powers so... dangerous he had heard. Still it mattered not to him, it was long ago, he forced himself to focus on the now. On what he needed from within the Rainbow Tower of Fir'Xe'Yui.

Sylvanas stopped as he reached the base of the tower, and was surprised to find he could detect no magical enchantments around the place, although he did assume that the pentagrams and demonic symbols scrawled upon the towers walls were in no way part of the original design. Pausing before entering he wondered what the lords of Silvire would say if they knew exactly how much he knew, exactly how deep Sylvanas understood the matters of the faerie and all that it entailed, no doubt if they did, his head would be quickly seperated from his neck, and with that thought he entered the tower.

Inside, he was awed by the beauty of the construct, the rainbow shimmer of the walls, the murals of faerie artisans along the walls, the finely crafted shelves and stairways, closing his eyes Sylvanas sighed, and proceeded up the stairs. The room he sought would be one that no creature in his lifetime would ever have seen, perhaps no non-faerie had EVER seen this room, The Chamber of Purest Light.

It was almost dusk by the time he reached the Chamber entrance, the murals here depicted a beautiful faerie female sitting on a throne with her hands open, as if she was asking for an embrace, and other faeries depicted bowing their heads in reverance to her, Sylvanas assumed this was the Mother Purest. He noticed a minor oddity, the murals here were more detailed than others throughout the tower, with interest he saw more murals inside the chamber, with eagerness befitting that of a curious child he entered the room.

Sylvanas gasped in fear, he could no longer move, frozen to the spot in the entrance as a ray of pure white light rushed toward him, as the light hit him, he heard a voice cry out too him, a beautiful woman's voice. "Show me, Show me how pure your heart is!"

Moments passed, the light remained, and the voice cried out again. "THE SOUL IS IMPURE, LI'YO'MIN"DAE!!!!!"

Sylvanas was confused, how could faerie magic still hold its power, the corruption of the land should have penetrated this tower, or perhaps the Nightlords could not penetrate this room. His chain of thought however was broken, as the light left him and reappeared at three points in the room in the form of pillars, Sylvanas could dimly make out the forms of humanoids, elf-like yet not, they were Cuendar, magic guardians they were neither real nor fake, simply a conjured magic, much like an enchanted skeleton was real.

He would have to kill them before he obtained anything in this chamber.

The space was empty. Kate was alone in this…place. There was no sense or logic to it, there was just emptiness…so much of it. Although deep in the pool of this emptiness a friend could be felt. Everything was in chaos, yet this chaos fuelled its peace. The wrong was right and the right was wrong. Everything was just, connected. Kate could feel herself holding it all in her palm, as if it was waiting on her…this glorious honour. Unfortunately Kate knew it was all a dream, she had been here before waiting on it all catching up on her. Eventually as time passed there would be a home for her to return to but at this moment in time she was alone with…with these angels that hid in the shadows. These angels had passed on what they had known, although Kate didn’t understand. Nothing was the same; once she had thought all was bright…but now darkness spread.

“Kate! Kate!”, the young voice of Helena echoed through the store. Kate kept remembering the same unimportant thing, what had happened the morning of her slumber.

“Yes?”, Kate responded in a calm voice. Kate always remained calm, although around Helena she sometimes wondered how she kept calm.

“ Look! Look!”, Helena pointed to her knee. It was scraped, a little blood…must have feel. Helena was always falling and the likes, quite annoying she was wasting all of her supplies...however she was her most popular customer.

“Sit yourself down here”, Kate stepped off of the stool she had been standing on while stacking the Goats Milk. Not any goats milk though, Kate had ordered it from the elves, they’re goats milk had some strange medical effects. Kate walked behind the counter and bent down to look through the cupboard for some ivy and a few other ingredients required for fixing up a scrape like Helena’s. Kate was a little surprised Helena’s leg hadn’t fallen off from the amount of times she had cut it, bruised it, broken it and twisted it. Kate grabbed what she needed and raised her head to find three men standing her store. They were those bailiffs, so Kate hadn’t paid her taxes for a month or two, she couldn’t afford to.

“Hello gentlemen…come for some hair growth serum?” Kate asked the three bald men while walking back over to the injured Helena. The three men didn’t laugh, they looked angrier than they had the last time she had said it…and they still hadn’t taken her advice.

“You know why were here”, the smallest of the bunch stepped forward. They were like some musical group, the idiot was tall and the genius was short. What a bunch of freaks…Kate wondered if they were even legal. The men had been hassling everyone for money, the village of Leanne couldn’t depend on anyone…the human government didn’t both with the distant village.

“And I’m telling you just like last time…I’m not handing money over to a pair of idiotic criminals”, Kate raised her voice. She then put some mountain rain on the brown ivy and rubbed Helena’s knee. Then she quickly wrapped the bandage around her knee. This entire time Kate hadn’t been paying attention to the fearsome group, everyone in town feared them except for her…and Helena.

Then the short man rushed over to Kate, grabbing her by the throat he knocked her against the wall...holding her tight. In the process all of the items on the shelves had fallen to the ground. Kate looked at Helena who was obviously frightened.

“Let go of her!” Helena shouted. Helena was a brave child, but not a very bright one. The middleman grabbed Helena and put his hand over her mouth making sure she couldn’t scream.

“Now…Katie…if you know what’s good for you you’ll have the money for tomorrow, understand?” The man gripped tighter. He had a fire in his eyes…Kate feared them for the first time. Although he disgusted her, fear and disgust. Disgust won the fight, Kate spat in his face. Stupid idea but the best one she had going for her at that moment.

He spat back in her face. Kate tried to move her hand to wipe her face clean but she was to weak. Kate was only talk; she couldn’t fight…this man especially. If you could call him a man, he was a fowl being.

“Money tomorrow…or else were gonna break your pretty neck”, He spoke evilly through his wet lips. His grip was tighter than ever…Kate nodded her head in desperation so he would let go. He gentles his grip then slapped her across the face. Kate fell to the ground; her throat bruised a heavy red colour. The short man walked out of the store, the tall man followed…the middleman stood still. Helena was still standing silently with the man; he let go of her and tossed her at Kate. Kate grabbed Helena so she wouldn’t get hurt. Helena and Kate both lay on the floor. The middleman then began walking out but pushed a tall vase of flowers and then ran out. Water, glass and various items covered the floor.

“Are you ok?” Kate looked down at Helena. Kate feared what Helena’s parents would think of this experience. They surely wouldn’t let Helena visit Kate again.

“I’m fine…are you fine to?” Helena asked in her same happy childish tone. This made Kate smile knowing some normality still clung in the air. Kate wanted to grab it but was afraid it would disappear.

“I’m fine to…now…help me up”, Kate ordered Helena in a superior tone. Helena did so without arguing. She got to her tiny feet and held onto Kate’s hand allowing her to stand again. Kate was a little surprised by Helena’s strength, a little sad. A child shouldn’t have to be that strong but in this village everyone had to have some strength to fend off rouges and the likes.

“Ill help you clean up”, Helena said bending down to pick up some glass.

“No!” Kate said loudly. Helena got back to her feet and gave Kate a confused expression.

“Home!” Kate pointed to the door. Helena’s face turned from happy to confused to angry.

“Rghhh I hate you I hate you!” Helena continued stomping out of the door. Helena was a nice kid but a little stubborn.

Kate looked at the destruction again; she then fell to her stool giving out a long sigh. It was about time she moved out of this village…but the time she had spent in it was a good one. Kate couldn’t just go back to the capital and give up on her dream, sure she had had a rough start but that was just setback, things what sort themselves out…eventually.

Kate’s mind came back to reality. That was the day…that night she had fallen by some force, she hadn’t had a chance to look at it. Everything was a mystery. Kate felt her eyes open. Her first look was out of a window onto a beautiful garden. From the small amount of architecture she had already seen Kate could tell she was in the elf city of Silvire…how long had she been sleeping?

“Hello?” Kate pulled herself up and looked around. She was a small bedroom; obviously her injury had been fatal. Nobody had yet come to her voice. Kate could hear birds singing from outside. The elves were known for their beautiful atmosphere, but this was the first time Kate had ever been in this city...she had visited an elf store back in the capital.

“Hello?” Kate asked a little bit louder. Still no answer, she wished the elves would hurry themselves up and help her out.

"AHH! Man watch out. Almost singed my hair," Maedhros called out as Daedwin's fireball just barely missed his head.

Daedwin was practicing his magical arts. Since he had picked up the power of the Faeries, he had decided the time called for some practice. However... He wasn't the best, possibly the worst, which was why Maedhros was training him.

They both stood in a clearing towards the center of the forest, and Daedwin was wearing his normal clothes: a soft brown tunic, a pair of warm, loose pants, black in color, no shoes, and his father's headband and mother's bracelet. He also wore his left bracer. He had drawn runes all over the trees, in the ground, and also had the ones on his left arm and bracer. He needed all the control he could get. He had a few leaves he had picked up in the forest on his way here, namely fireweed, as well as a bucket of water... just in case. The words he had committed to memory by now. He had always known them, but he had to think. Now, it seemed, the words, movements, and everything was ok. But still, he was having trouble.

"Concentrate. If you don't, the magic will control YOU."

"I know that, Maedhros. But, it won't listen!"

"Then try again. Block out everything. Just like when you fight. Focus only on your goal."

He stopped, and took a breath. He closed his eyes, and focused, once again. Again, he said the words, again, he scattered the fireweed, and again, he called on all the runes surrounding him. Just as his hand dropped, he opened his eyes. The target he had set up across the field had a scorch mark just off center.

"EXACTLY! Now, again!"

Daedwin took a moment to feel his joy. Now, he had gotten it. After only thirty minutes out here, he had hit the target close enough to the center mark to be happy with it. He repeated the same steps, and again hit the target, just to the left of the mark. Once more and he nailed it. Direct hit.

He walked back to a tree and sank down, back resting against it. He had lain his sword and bow, and his pack there. As Maedhros came over he looked up.

"Well, I did it. Now I'm taking a break. The power of the Faeries can wait. How can you do this? Just pick up a sword and stab him through!" Daedwin exclaimed. "Anyway, you do this part. I prefer MY weapons." To prove his point, he picked up his bow, loaded it with an arrow, and shot into the air, all without taking his eyes from Maedhros, and heard a loud thunk! He looked over and saw with satisfaction his arrow standing clear in the center.

"Yes, well, watch as I teach you another lesson," and then Maedhros took his own turn, and made his hand motion, called on the runes, but also without any fireweed at all, shot a huge blast at the target and the arrow. The whole thing went up in smoke.

"Damn you, you know that?" Daedwin said with a smile, getting up and patting his cousin on the back. "That's why you're here. Anyway, conjure up another target so you can get your archery practice in, too.

Before he could so much as move, though, a messenger came running into the clearing. "Daedwin, sir, Elraein wants you now! He says its urgent, and to come straight away."

With that, both of the two set off after the messenger.

(ooc: rean, i hope its ok, if not yell at me asap, k?)

Trees passed by slowly, like tall sentries guarding something secret with the chilled air of the mountains flowing down in to the forest. Slowly a small caravan of three wagons tottered through the bushes and trees being quite careful it would seem to disturb the natural beauty. The bodies of people were hidden inside the house like caravans, every one breathing or doing something to pass time rarely quite with out a soft musical hum of talk. A female body curled in the back corner with a male partner was staring out of lower window her eyes slanted in the honeyed daylight, awkward blue eyes watching the poles and towers of oak, maple and other trees slowly sink away in to the camouflage of the forest. The light dappled out side as the odd wagons trolled along on the indented wagon path; inside this light warmly spread catching on this strange female. Others did not pay mind to her as they did some of their daily chores, others trying to teach their children different trades that they knew. Everything was warm and cozy almost like a small cabin with no worries, as the female’s lips curved down wards with hair like a golden flame and skin bronzed with the love of the sun. Braids hung in a lively presence with gleaming jem beads and wooden carvings strung in them as it crowned the crania of the elven female as the pointed ears were caught in the web of thick fire gold hair. Tattoos ran down the woman’s left bicep quite easily, flowing and connecting with every pattern, as still they were vibrant as if newly administered.

Still the female yawned with a cracking of her jaws in the presence of the long breath of air. Ranie only grinned after wards with the frown melting away like snow in the heat of summer, the grin was directed to Elden. She did not feel so alone after he showed up that day where most of the people of the caravan Human, Halflings and Full were afraid of what power he had. It was no matter as the leader welcomed him with a warm heart and a sharp smile, and she gained a new friend that kept her from lament over depressing subjects of leaving her elven home for this life. At the time the thought of joining a caravan and learning different things of the different cultures that embraced Memoria was seducing, she left promising her adoptive family to write in which she did. Along these travels she had met so many people whom thanked her for creating them more heartier healing products or different poisons or thanked her for the beautiful entertainment of her singing voice and dancing body as one of the skilled musicians played for her to set a stage. Her head turned to watch other members of this hodge podge caravan do their menial tasks, others snuggled closely trying to attain warmth from each other when really it wasn’t that cold at all. Still Ranie did the same only not as closely as some of the others, nestling down next to Elden quite easily as her head leaned on his bicep quite easily being smaller than him by a few inches. Breathing slowly as if meditating when the sounds of the axles creaking, the rustle of one of the woman’s skirts and a deep shuttering of cough of a child evaded that want to be silence.

Quite at peace with the rustling of the vagrant warm winds and songs of birds echoed in the forest with the moving fragments of a small river/creek. Ranie would of preferred to walk along the wagons and bask in the late summer sun and feel what nature had bestowed on this land as they traveled to the inner sanctum of the elven forest for the city of Silvire. Her cheek nestled more in to Elden’s bicep, rubbing the cloth more than the actually flesh and muscle underneath, one eye was half open watching the nature stroll on by with out recognition for the small caravan. Looking up quietly feeling great joy under the sleepy visage as lips twisted only a little at the corners, watching Elden’s expressions quietly it was placid, holding a warm glow of friendship. His Black scarf was still wrapped about his neck and mouth the rest of it rolled up onto her lap as the narrow and calloused fingers fiddled with the thick piece of cloth, hair thickly rolled over on to his shoulder from her head, having quite an amount of hair. The small paintings on the lattice work of the caravan room was chipping slightly as one of the women in a simple working dress tried snapping for her child’s attention, there were almost no males in here besides children, two men and Elden. A thick carpet went over the wooden floor, as under that was a thick trapdoor just in case of an emergency as the small caravan was prepared to deal with anything it would seem. The air inside the cabin it’s self was cozy as they totted along with a distant whicker from one of the equines pulling the cabins as closer they wound inwards to Silvire. Nesting closer to Elden, looking quite sleepy from the constant peace, as soon there was a stopping for the wagons, Her eyes perked up looking about all most confused. ‘Was it a time of resting?’ It probably was she though calmly as she sat up more straightly to watch the expressions of the occupants in the cabin.


Relax

The traveler had decided that, in order to best understand the nature of the lightning that struck her, she would need to find the wisest person in the lore of the Faeries. Though she had never seen it or felt it, Astoreth had told her many stories of the Faeries and their magic. He also told her that, if all else fails, seek answers from He Who is Wise, in the grand city of Silvire.

"Master...does fate curse me?" she asks to no one in particular.

At this, a few men block her path, from behind and to the front. Obviously bandits. Ever since the war ended, bandits became a problem. There were many poor now and some turned to attacking anyone who roamed into their territory. A shame they assumed she was defenseless.

"There ain't no such thing as fate, lady! Only luck!"

"Oh? And what about yours?"

The girl crouches, her long staff barely touching the ground. Slamming her left palm into the ground, the grass around her immediatly dies. The color is literally sucked out of the trees around them, through the branches, down the trunks, out the roots, and into the girl's body. The leaves and trees slowly die as their life is ripped away. The girl laughs lightly as she stands again. Twirling the staff above her head, a two foot long blade snaps from the body of the staff and curves wickedly downward.

"Now then. Shall we test our luck?"

The girl swings her scythe, the blade whistling loudly as it zeros in on a target.

---

The men found themselves quickly disarmed. Using rapiers and a pike, they relied only on stabbing weapons. Mistake number one. Against a weapon as lethal as a halberd at long range, her scythe made it almost impossible to approach for a jab. Again, using such weapons was mistake number two. A rapier is flexible and the pike was made of wood. The heavy and sharp blade of the scythe cut the pike in half and bent the rapiers to the point of breakage. All except one had fled and he now found himself in a rather desperate situation.

---

The tip of the scythe's blade was only a scant centimeter from his throat. A simple thrust would cut his throat open. If she pulled violently, well...it would get messy. The girl, instead of slaying him on the spot, retracts the blade and continues on her way.

"Mend your ways. I am the Arbiter of the dead. Cross me again with such intentions, I'll make sure 'luck' is the least of your problems."

[OOC: Arael introduced~]

A cool breeze blew through the night, passing through his visor and touching his warm face. He welcomed it though, and took a deep breath. He was standing in the entranceway to a town. It was old by the looks, and the sign with the town's name was worn back to wood, with only faint hints of a previous painting.

Duran chuckled to himself. You'd think they would keep things like that at least somewhat in shape he thought to himself. He wanted to find somewhere to lay his head for the night, and for cheap. He had most of the money from his last mission which had payed well, but he didn't know when the next time would be when he would get any more. His shield which he had strapped to his back was getting heavy, and his shoulders were sagging slightly.

Looking into the town, he could see that most of the inhabitants were sleeping. A few lanterns were still lit in some houses, probably for children still afraid of the dark. From what Shalamar, the shaman who got him started on this quest, had told him, these children were right to fear it. And he was right to travel in it.

A street lamp illuminated the front of a building, and it's sign. The sign read "Tavern & Inn", but nothing else. [i]No Sleepy Dragon or Lazy Dwarf?[/] Duran thought jokingly to himself. The sign swung from side to side some as the wind blew, casting a shadow on the ground. "I guess it's better than nothing." He headed off in the direction of the tavern.

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The door was open, and plenty of noise was coming from it. The noise was accompanied with the stench of throwup and smoke, mixed with some type of food, probably rodent judging by the look of the place. There were tables in what looked like a random placement scattered around the room, and barmaids shuffled along trying to fill orders. There were "Women of the Night" as Duran called them, sitting on the laps of drunk men, trying to get their orders filled also.

A table in the corner was empty, and Duran headed that direction. As he passed through the entrance, some of the noise died a little as some people took notice of him, but it picked back up. In the center of the room sat a larger table that was being occupied by a group of loud and obnoxious men. They looked to be bandits, but could easily pass as the towns militia also.

Right as Duran passed the table, one of the men shouted out, "Well, looky here! We have a Knight of the Lilly!" Everyone at the table erupted at the poor attempt at a joke.

Duran paused in his movement and looked back over his shoulder. The lighting in the room over his visor cast a shadow on his face that masked his glare, but He figure that the eye cutout on the visor did the job for him. The man who obviously shouted it looked the best of the bunch, which didn't say much for him. He was likely the learder of the group. His facial expression changed to anger as he took Duran's look as a challenge, but he didn't move.

Duran continued to the table in the corner. He slid his seat around to the wall so he could get a view of the whole room and sat down. He noticed the number 28 etched into the table. A barmaid came to him almost immediatly with a pencil and pad to take his order, and he figured that the number was so that she could identify which table the order would go to. The woman was pretty despite her attire, and she looked awfully worn out. But she greeted him with a shaky looking smile. His armor must have intimidated here, and he hadn't had the chance to remove his helm. He did so, and returned the smile.

"Hi, your a n-new face here arn't you?" She stammered. Duran smiled at her innocence.

"Yea, my first time here." he said as kindly as he could, trying to ease her nerves some. The fear in her face subsided a little. She must have been expecting a gruff voice telling her to mind her own business. He couldn't blame her, his armor was made to make him look that way, and he actually enjoyed people's expressions towards it.

"Oh... so, what will you be having today?" she asked, laying the point of her pencil to the tablet.

"I don't know, whatever you think is edible here." He smiled at her, and the rest of the fear left here face, and she smiled back at him.

"Not much is sir, but..." She started to speak, but Duran held up a hand to cut her off.

"Please, my name is Duran, how about yours?" The girl blushed a little before she spoke.

"Donna. Pleased to meet you Duran." She wiped her hand on her apron and offered it to Duran. He shook it gengerly.

"I'll have whatever you think is the best, and just some water." She wrote on the pad, and smiled at him once again.

"Coming right up!" she said cheerily. She hurried off to give the order to the cook and tend to the other customers. She brought him his food about 15 minutes later and told him that she would be back in a few minutes to check on him. From time to time, she would glance over and smile at him. She must have taken a liking to him, and Duran had found her attractive. He began eating his meal.
-----------------------------------------------

The tavern had cleared out except for the table of men who insulted him earlier. The one who he had glared at earlier kept looking at him the whole night, but never did anything. Duran didn't think the man was even able to stand up at this point though. He was quite full now too. He found the food to actually be good, and had ordered a second helping of it.

Donna came to his table with her apron in hand.

"Well, I'm off for the rest of the night." She said. "It was nice meeting you sir, er, I mean, Duran. He didn't understand why she kept calling him sir. He wasn't that much older than her, and he wasn't old at all anyway. "The man over there at the bar can help you to a room if you need one. Not many people stay here anymore."

She turned to leave, but Duran stopped her. "Hey, would you mind talking for awhile?" She blushed again, but came back and sat down opposite of Duran. "So..."
-------------------------------------------------

Much time had passed, and Duran and Donna had gotten tired. He told her that he was going to find a room, and she said that she was going to go home for the night. She stood and left the tavern. The group of men were still there, and were still being loud. Some men were scattered around the room sleep, but the bartender didn't bother them, nor did any of the remaining maids.

Duran closed his eyes and leaned back into the chair. He heard a chair scoot across the floor, and opened his eyes. The leader of the group of men stood up and came to his table. Duran sighed. He thought he was going to be able to make it throught the night without confronting him, but that turned out to be a false assumption.

"So, you think your tough, eh?" the man asked Duran. Duran said nothing just shook his slowly from side to side in shame. This man was too drunk to even stand on his own feet, and kept teetering in various directions. "Well? Do yeh? or are you too stupid to talk?"

"Go home and leave me be." Duran said to the man. He had no want to quarrel with anyone right now. He was tired and full, and was ready to climb into a bed. The man pulled a dagger from his belt and pointed it at Duran. Duran stood, pulled his sword from it's sheath and pointed it back at the man. Duran's sword though touched his neck, and a split second of regret crossed the mans face. But that faded faster than it had come.

The man lunged at Duran, but the table was between the two. The man fell onto the table, and Duran snatched the dagger from his hand. The men at the table stood, and grabbed their own weapons. Duran Drove the dagger into the mans shirt at the shoulder and into the wood, pinning him down. He grabbed another from the mans belt and did the same to his other shoulder.

The bartender came from around the bar and over to his table.

"Serves you right Barnam." He looked at Duran apologeticly and pulled Barnam from the table. "You and your friends leave here, now." The men made their exit, but not before Barnam yelled out threats.

The bartender gave Duran a key with a number on it. "The room is that direction." He pointed to a hall. Duran thanked him, and left a few coins on the table and left for the room. He had another days journey ahead of him and needed rest.

[OOC: sorry for the long post my first ones usually are...]

"Damn you, you know that? That's why you're here. Anyway, conjure up another target so you can get your archery practice in, too."

It was fun, taunting his cousin with what little he could do. After all, he had done the same. Though it always seemed phenomenal what progress Daedwin would make, the young elf could not help but seem a little insecure about his cousin's use of magic.

"Daedwin, sir, Elraein wants you now! He says it’s urgent, and to come straight away." The messenger waited for a sign of compliance, then took his leave.

"I suppose that means we'd better be going. So much for the rest of training," Daedwin joked, dusting off what dirt lay on his clothing.

"I suppose that means we'll just have to pick up training some other time."

It took but a small time before the two returned to the sanctitude of elven civilization.

"It's going to rain soon." A breeze of clean, crisp air passed through, leaving the subtle scent of dew in the air. Almond-shaped brown eyes glanced knowingly at the blue droplet shining brilliantly in the staff. The color always seemed to clear at the nearing of a new rain, something the elf had but recently noticed.

"From what I've heard, some people believe rain is an omen." The subtle enthusiasm in Daedwin's voice was only emphasized as he supported the back of his head with both arms, slightly leaning into the pillow.

"Really? Of what?"

"You know? I'm not really sure," he chuckled.

Slowly, the two arrived at an average-looking house in the center of the forest. Despite the fact that the house appeared as every other house, connecting with nature as every other domain had, this was special. On the outside, the only difference was that the house appeared to be larger than the surrounding residencies. That, and the magnificent illumination, flowing from holes in the canopy. Rumor had it that the light was a sign, a covenant, from Elareia herself.

Maedhros could always recall a sense of awe while gazing upon the sight--not because of the illumination or the size, but rather from its commonality. His father flaunted his success, while still maintaining "close ties" to his peers, while the greatest elf of all lived here--humble.

Before Daedwin's fist could so much as touch the door, it had already begun to open. The two stepped forth at the call of their names. Immediately, the two beings knelt low, rising at the elderly beings words.

"I apologize, for I cannot say what needs to be said - at least, not yet. Until then, perhaps you should know that the fae of space has woken."

(OOC: please forgive/tell me if this post is flawed in any way)

So that's it? Just like that, we're going back into town. I should've expected as much, when the letter came, summoning those that had been struck by the lightning. I just... didn't think it would be so soon. Silvire, has your perception of me changed in these last few days? I doubt it, all beings need time to change, and grudges can be held for very long...

Elden's mind was racing, but he also seemed at peace. He was happy, for once, with his new found friend, Ranie, and couldn't help but smile when she looked up at him. Odd... she didn't shun me like the rest. I don't fit in here, nor do I fit in back home. I'll be looked down upon, frightening people with my power... Elden sighed, staring out of the window of the moving wagon.

We're getting closer. The trees look more lively. And indeed they did. As he neared the edge of the forest, Elden took note that the trees seemed to have less leaves, and a dull color to their bark. Some were dry and brittle, but as they neared the center, they grew more vivid with colors, and looked to flourish even more. Even though Elden was afraid of returning, he couldn't help but be happy, he hadn't been away from home before, and now he could say he had.

But if the rumors floating about the caravan were true, then those known as Faes would need to head off to find the relics left behind. Ultimately meaning that Elden would leave home, taking a chance of never returning, taking a chance of death. The thought struck Elden quickly, and his mind screamed out upon the thought of losing his life. Ranie seemed to have caught the message, her body jerked, causing Elden to attempt to apologize, when a man came to the window of the wagon. "Elden, please, try and control yourself. Some of the children can't sit still anymore, thinking that they're going to all die."

Elden nodded slowly, My apologies. I don't have this mastered quite yet. The man didn't seem to hear him, as he turned away, and walked back out of view. Elden looked at Ranie once more.

The thoughts of everyone here... they still pervade my mind. It's as if a storm has begun, and won't stop. It isn't as bad as it was in town, here, it is at least bearable. I need to concentrate, keep them all out of my head. Night... is at least peaceful, no voices, only dreams, which I can't see, unless I'm in contact... and even then, I've only tested it on two children, not going too far, out of fear of harming their minds. The next day, they seemed fine, the same as they had before. Elden looked back out the window once more, having no idea if his private monologue had just been broadcast to all in the caravan.

“This is not for human consumption.” Drake announced to no one in particular as though he’s advertising the god-knows-what food Xirella whipped out. Then, the brunette continued, “This, is digestible, edible, nutritious, sufficient enough. In other words, better.” Munching off the orange vegetable, also known as the raw carrot, he got bolted.

“Oh dear…they are at it again.” Cassia sighed, foreseeing the possible incoming events installed for her, she prepared some medication.

“My food isn’t THAT bad, you big brute!” Xirella pouted as she slurped her…er… “food” as though it was perfectly alright.

“This is one of the very main reasons why I don’t want her to tag along.” He groaned painfully, still suffering the aftermath of the lightning bolt he received by her despite the countless times he experienced them.

“You…” with a devious glint in her eyes, Xirella begun a rapid shot of lightning bolts at Drake.

“Why-must-you-always-use-this-of-all-means and ways-to-settle-things!” he muttered between each bolts. Drake Silverstone was currently sizzling smokes, nothing out of the ordinary for Cassia whom just did her job as a doctor in a serene pace once Xirella cooled off.

“Seriously…why don’t you just counter back at her rather than to get fried by fireballs or lightning bolts?” Cassia chuckled as she noted a slight flush across the brunette.

“Th-that’s because I swore to always protect her and never to hurt her no matter what.” Stuttered the male warrior, softly enough for Cassia, a person whom he looked up as a sister, to hear. She cooed, embarrassing him further until Xirella got curious about their conversation.

“What cha both talking about?” asked the curious mage, eyes wavering back and forth between the duo she was facing at.

“Food!” “Tattoo!” came the replies simultaneously, Xirella twitched her bluish eyebrows, her pink eyes glaring daggers solely at the male, Drake’s hands gestured a prayer as incantations were murmuring out of the mage’s mouth.

“Fireball!” A destructive fiery ball flew towards Drake’s angle, causing an explosion upon impact.

“… Remind me that my resistance against fire isn’t as good as against lightning yet…”

---Short interval of healing later---
“Right, before Xirella shoots me again, where the heck are we anyways?” the male hunter inquired, highlighting the situation in which they were in. They were heading towards the great human capital of Memoria, Oniera, however due to a specific aqua-blue haired, they ended up in a particular forest along the route instead, on top of that, they were lost.

Never trust Xirella to be your navigator, ever. The brunette mentally registered. Oh, the cooking too. His face paled on the thought of the food she cooked Such monstrosity! Such impaling sight! Such gruesome texture! Such irksome stench! Way…too indescribable…

Was my cooking really that bad…? The mage thought innocently. Better ask for Cassia nee-san for some tips…I want to surprise Drake next time. She smiled at the thought, she always wanted to be complimented by him for once. Immediately, she consulted the blonde.

(Tag Yume.)

Arael's arrival into the next town was uneventful. No one really seemed to pay much attention to her. In fact, many made sure to step out of her path as she passed. Other than a few glances from curious children and some contemptuous looks from some older folk, Arael was able to pass through the village without incident.

---

After traveling for most of the day, Arael found herself near a large city. She had no idea what city it was, or where the city of Silvire was either. So, entering such a large and bustling city was nessecary.

Arael soon discovered she hated crowds. The noise, the smell, and the people bumping into and touching her. She detested it to the core of her being. As she was walking into the center of town, she began breathing heavily. Suddenly, she felt forced to her knees, gasping for air. Her eyes widened in pain and she tried to scream, but no sound would come.

"Wh..what is happening!? My power is...!?

She felt the magic energy within her body trying to force its way out. Why was it doing this? It had never done anything like this before. Master Astoreth had never experienced this either. The rune-tattoos on her arms began glowing blood-red. The searing pain in her chest grew worse.

"S..someone...help...help me...!"

It took a few minutes for anyone around her to realize she was in pain.

[OOC: Arael's Fae powers are starting to manifest. If anyone wishes to be present in the city I'm in, feel free to notice her. She can't talk or respond right now, so having a conversation will be impossible until my next post.]

Watching the two in front of her begin another session of non-stop bickering, Cassia could only roll her eyes dryly, and return to the map and compass that Drake had decided to stuff to her before they set off again. It was the return of the classics, she supposed. In which the two who have feelings for each other would be totally blind to each other's feelings, while the bystanders simultaneously rolled their eyeballs out their sockets at their aforementioned blindness.

Nevertheless, she returned to her map, reading through the elegant cursival scrawl dictating which building was what. After a few minutes of having her nose buried in the map and having the sounds of bickering as background music, Cassia turned back to the duo in front of her. More specifically, the female of the duo.

"Xirella?" she called out, effectively interrupting the two in the middle of another nose-to-nose glaring session.

"Yes?" the female in question asked, bouncing out of her staring match with Drake and towards Cassia.

"We have a problem." the healer declared, catching Drake's attention as well. The brunette scuttled over to her immediately, peeking at what she was pointing at.

"We're supposed to be going to Oniera through here." Cassia explained, tracing a route on the map with a finger. Then she frowned, "But when we reached the forest, we began travelling in this direction." she drew an elaborate circle on the patch called the forest.

"We were travelling in a circle literally?!" Drake exclaimed in shock.

"Yes." Cassia agreed gravely.

"Uh, so what are we going to do now?" Xirella asked, almost timidly.

Cassia watched with some amount of amusement as Drake sputtered and restrained himself from saying anything akin to cooking his female childhood friend.

"Well, for one, we're going to take a break first. Then, we'll change directions." Cassia finally said.

Syia did not understand why she had to come all the way out of the Silvire to Sulyahn just to buy these items that she now carefully carried against her bosom. Elraein the Wise must have his own reasons to ask her to run this errand, no matter how illogical it seemed to her. After all, why would he need these common-looking glass vials when there were beautifully carved ones in Silvire?

Shaking her head to stop herself from thinking too much, Syia quickened her steps so that she could reach the edge of Silvire forest before noon. The central was crowded as usual, as vendors and shoppers alike filled the streets with a thick blanket of noise and activity. But it was no big deal to Syia, who had been in charge of shopping when she was back at home.

She was halfway across the busy area when she felt a ripple of magic, though rather foreign to her. Frowning, she decided to investigate the cause out of curiosity, and found a strange lady kneeling on the floor. On closer look, Syia gasped as she saw a tattoo similar to Daedwin's were glowing. Quickly, she made her way to beside the one she guessed to be a Fae and lowered herself carefully so as not to shift the glassware in her arms.

"Lady, are you alright?"

[OOC: Tag Sammy. By the way, Sulyahn is the human city nearest to Silvire.]

"Lady, are you alright?"

"...help...me..."

Arael's pleas, amplified by her Fae abilities, call forth some rather unexpected help. Unearthly wails and moans make passerbys in the square freeze in their tracks. Three shadowy creatures materialize around Arael, one of them in front of the girl who had just spoken to her. The wraiths screech at anyone coming too close to Arael, but decline to actually attack. Instead, they float menecingly over the pale girl. By this time, someone had summoned the town guard to investigate the disturbance.

Arael is able to stand now, supporting herself on her staff.

"She's the one controlling those things! Arrest her!" says one of the guards.

"GO AWAY!" screams Arael.

The wraiths oblige and vanish, their horrid screeching ceasing as they do. Arael promptly faints and falls unconsious to the street.

"Uhh... That was unexpected..." Syia wiped her pale face with one shaking hand, clutching onto her precious items with the other. Then she heard the gathering crowd around them, whispering and muttering darkly among themselves, and turned around to find the town guards standing forbiddingly before her. "Wait! Wait! I... I can explain!"

"Oh?" One of them crossed his arms, looming menacingly over her. "What happened then?"

"She... She is an old friend of mine." Syia stood up and gave them what she hoped was an embarressed smile, though she was sure her face was white as sheets. "I was supposed to meet her here on orders of Lord Elraein the Wise, for the strange meeting he is calling. We haven't seen each other for a long time and she decided to play a prank on me."

The guard that called for arresting Arael scowled. "By summoning those wraiths and ghosts in daylight? Isn't that too much?"

"Actually, those are just illusions." Syia piped up quickly, and took out a handful of powder from a some pouch hanging from her waistband and chanted softly. The powder shimmered and turned into vapour, from which a butterfly the size of a small dog was formed, hovering over Syia's hand for a few long moments before disappearing. "I can make them too, just not as good as her. She knows I'm scared of ghosts, you see. But she lost control and fainted, served her right."

"Hmph. Tell your friend not to do anymore of such nonsense. Get her off the street, you're blocking the way." The town guards turned to go, either buying Syia's ridiculous story, or not giving them trouble on Elraein's account. Or both.

Syia exhaled quickly with relief as she watched them and the crowd go on their way, thanking the gods mentally. She half-kneeled beside Arael and checked her physical conditions, satisfied that she was merely unconscious and not injured. "You're lucky I recognized those tattoos from Daedwin, lady. Now let's find some way to get you to Silvire. Lord Elraein will know what to do."

[OOC: Okay, disaster averted. ^^ If somebody wants to be in the vicinity and help me, feel free to approach. Syia will be heading for Silvire, and it'll take her quite a few hours to reach the elven city itself, so Sammy, feel free to wake Arael up then. ^^;;]

There wasn’t a need to spell it out; the brunette was literally pissed as his stomach was on the verge of suffering intolerable ‘diarrhea’(again) which hoped to exit the god forsaken forest in which he was in to savor the taste of a decent meal at a nearby village. Cassia’s simple tips of cooking meat, plainly roasting it over a fire, had became overly charred crisps in Xirella’s case whom again didn’t have any problem with digesting the food. Drake’s face entirely squinted at his meal, his stomach begging him not to eat it.

Oh no… don’t tell me he’s getting bored of my attention?? Maybe I’ll try something else other than bolting and shooting fireballs… Trip to Cassia nee-san, round 2!

---Few Minutes Later---
“Cas!!!! What did you teach her now?!?” a cry emerged nearby the healer, Drake’s mouth was forcefully stuffed with…er…food.

Similarly, a group of bandits spawned to the trio’s vision, demanding goods typically. Xirella blinked to her perception, registering ideas of settling the matter peacefully to earn some good points from Drake. Then, she ‘pleaded’ in a sickeningly sweet voice with her combo of ‘cuteness’ in mind, “Please don’t hurt us, we are just poor wanderers roaming in search for a proper home. We got absolutely nothing!”

The bandit leader’s eyes examined from weapons to expensive accessories on the trio and replied in a frustrated voice, “Do you take me for a fool? That lie can’t even fool a child, you are pathetic, you idiotic popsicle!”

Xirella’s eyebrows twitched along the veins at the fore corner of her head, flashing a hint of danger. Drake, being slightly concerned to the outcome of the soon-to-be-thrashed criminals, stuttered, “Um… you should…take that back or even myself will not be able to save you from the torments later.” He took several steps back to take cover for safety.

“Or what? That little piece of maggot ##### is going to take out her magic wand to shoot flowers at my face?” mocked the bandit, not taken back by Drake’s warning and instead, provoked Xirella further.

“Pray that the damage will be swift and painless, bite a stick, write a will, you four bandits earned yourself seriously negative points.” His advice was futile.

A direct uppercut to the jaws of victim number one, a swift side-kick to the loin of victim number two followed by a clothesline to the head of victim number three, Xirella slapped the bandit leader senseless last. All four victims were unconscious to the ground thanks to Xirella’s magic of strengthening her fatal blows. However, Xirella wasn’t quite done with them yet, without any pity or sympathy, she flamed away every visible hair on them, then she cast a forked lightning, striking the unmentionables. Ceaseless screams of pain, agony and pleading echoed through the forest.

“Goodbye father’s day.” Drake gulped gravely, the exact same phrase he used several months back on a pervert who ended up in the monastery. Cassia was unfortunately, having the time of her life laughing at the variety of faces they made during the process.

---After Xirella Was Presumably Done With The Bandits---
“Shall I tie them?” Drake inquired, rather thoughtfully.

“No, I’ll handle it.” The Armageddon wasn’t over for the poor bandits. Xirella bound the ropes around the half-naked souls in a bondage style, then hung them inversely under the tree. Drake could only watch in awe, mind debating what inspired Xirella to tie them in such a manner. Sadly, the idea was none other than Cassia’s. He was without a doubt developing a fear of women.

“It’s still mid-day, let’s hurry on to our destination.” He gestured promptly, concealing his fear and doubts behind him. With tedious effort, the trio finally emerged out of the forest, onto a road path unquestionably man-made as visible trails of caravan wheels and hoofs were left behind. They followed the path, which led to a town ‘Franz Wart’ where they would restock their necessities and perhaps, pay for better means of transport and of course, a truly deserved meal.

(Tag Yume)

He had been travelling for a few days now, having left the forest near Mirweil, the area where his teacher had passed on. People that had seen the dwarf looked upon him as if he were some sort of freak, he could hear the whispers and he could see fingers being pointed. This did not phase him however, for the dwarf had been used to being ridiculed, to being an outcast simply because he was different.

His trip was unimpeded as he made his way towards Silvire and the elves, he was determined to find out anything he could about what had happened to him. He could feel something stir inside of him when he had first awoken after the lightning strike. His newfound affinity to metal, and how easy it had become to manipulate it and work with it. This ability came in handy along the way as he did odd jobs here and there, blacksmiths were amazed at how easily he shifted metal as if it were some sort of clay that he could sculpt.

His companion during the journey was a large wolf, Grey Eyes had been a loyal servant to the Dwarf's teacher, and now had chosen to serve him. He was glad for that as it afforded him some protecction from would be harassers. It wasn't long before he entered into Sulyahn, a city just outside the forest where Silvire was located, at least on his map.

He made his was to a local tavern and entered, Grey Eyes entered right in with him. This brought immediate stares and whispers, but the dwarf ignored them, strolling up to the innkeeper. "A weak ale, and a loaf of bread please." The innkeeper looked at him with a quizzical look, but went about getting the dwarf what he asked for.

Shortly after the meal, if one could call it that, the dwarf and his wolf friend made their way out of the tavern and once again set out on the road to Silvire. Before they were able to depart from the city however a woman had screamed out as if she was in pain, then wraiths appeared around her, looming over her as if they were impending doom upon her soul. The dwarf began making his way towards her, chanting a few spells of protection in case the wraiths had decided to attack him.

The city guard rushed over and were saying something about putting the girl under arrest when she fell unconcsious after banishing the wraiths. Another woman looked to be giving the guards an explanation of what had transpired, as the dwarf made his way over to them he could make out some of the words. It seemed as if the woman was saying it was some sort of illusion, or trick. He didn't care about any of that however, she had mentioned something about a meeting and Elraein the Wise. He counted himself lucky, recognizing the name. This meant that the girl must know the elven sage. He kissed the holy symbol of the elven godess, and made his way over to them.

As he approached, one of the girls was kneeling over the unconcsious girl saying something about tatoos. "Y'mean one like this?" he said pointing to the left side of his face which was covered by a tatoo that went down his neck and disappeared under his collar, near the Elven Holy Symbol.

"Y'mean one like this?"

Syia spinned towards the speaker so fast stars seemed to appear for a moment before the world settled firmly before her eyes, and her attention was drawn to the tattoo that on the speaker's face.

Blue eyes widened when her brain processed what was presented to her, and she quickly took a quick but good look of the newcomer. He was shorter than her but seem not to be younger than her, and there was not a single hair on his head or on the lower portion of his face. Taking in the rest of his appearance, a slim eyebrow quirked up as she wondered if he was a midget human... or a very strange dwarf.

Glancing at the prominently placed tattoo, Syia was about to reply to his question when she caught sight of his companion and her face took on a look of amazement. Nodding in what she hoped was a respectful manner, she then turned back to the one who had spoken. "Yes, one like that which is on your face, fellow elf-friend. If I may ask, are you on your way to Silvire?"

He could tell that he had startled her, and backed up a step as she whirled about. "Now, now lass, no need to be gettin' frightened." He scratched his head, "I suppose ye could say that I be headin' to Silvire. Ye mentioned that ye knew someone, Elraein the Wise? I be seekin' that feller. I figured he'd know somethin' 'bout this damned tatoo."

He looked around and noticed that though the city guard had backed off they were eyeing the trio, as if the three were already guilty of some crime. "Come lass, let's get this one out of here, them guards seem none to friendly. The name is Valin." He handed her his bow, and then went over to the unconscious girl, hefting her over her shoulder with only a little trouble.

"Let's head back to that inn there until she awakes, don't forget that" He pointed to the scythe laying on the ground. With that the dwarf started marching towards the inn with the unconscious one over his shoulder, upon entering he asked the innkeep if there was a spare bed they might be able to rest her on until she awoke. The kind gentleman led the way, and Valin laid the girl to rest.

"Thank ye sir, we shant be to too long, she fainted 'tis all."

Kate had waited what felt like...well too long. Kate lifted up the silk white blacket and stumbled onto the cold floor of the infirmary. Obviously the sleep had caused her to temporary lose the ability to walk. Luckily Kate being involved in medical illnesses and the likes she knew a quick cure for this problem. Kate lifted up her right hand clenching it and creating a fist, she then hit hard on both knees. Although this seemed insane Kate was doing the right thing, lots of doctors beat their patients legs to get them walking. It worked, after ten minutes of beating her legs senceless Kate was walking again.

Her first step was to find some clothes, Kate was wearing a long silk white elven night gown. It had gold stiching around the neck and sleeves. Kate felt strange in it and scanned the room for some sort of alternative. Kate's eyes caught sight of a long white dress, it wasnt much of a change from the gown but it allowed Kate to at least leave the room presentable. Running her hands quickly through her long black hair Kate took a long look in the mirror. She splashed some water in her face and satisfied she made for the door. Then she stopped after getting a quick glance from something she noticed on her arm. Kate moved closer to the mirror.

"What?", she murmured to herself investigating the black tatoo on her arm. Kate was never one for tatoos, anything flamboyant was out of the question. The elves must have done this to her, but why? Kate had never come across any sort of illness that required a tatoo for the remedy. Furthermore it somehow identified whom she was, Kate could already feel connected to it. Although she couldnt quite explain her situatiton she understood the connectioin.

Kate walked out of the room and down the hall taking her mind off of the tatto, it didnt bother her that much. Why hadnt she washed it off? Kate stopped for a second taking a deep breath wondering if she was dreaming or not. The Kate she remembered would have scrubbed the tatoo until her skin began to pell off of her arm.

"Hey!", Kate shouted at a female elf standing in the distance. The elf wore ordinary elven clothes, nothing fancy. The elf looked old and wizened, her face had several wrinkles and she bent her back over.

"Your awake!? Shes awake!", The elf shouted through the halls. Obviously Kate had become some sort of asset to them...what had occured during her short coma? Had it been as short as she had thought?

"Yes yes yes.....I'm fine...whats going on?", Kate got straight to the point as she almost always ussually did. Kate reallised several elves were running down the hall...running towards her. Kate wasnt used to this much attention.

"You were in a state of coma....Lets go back to your room and we'll talk this over", The female said holding onto Kates hadn and guiding heer back to the room. Kate felt out of sorts in the city...Silvire seemed extremley odd. Kate didnt have a chance to argue, she was just glad that she was going to be getting some answers. This old fool however probably wouldnt give her these answers, she seemed as lost as Kate was in this city. This idea made Kate feel like and old lost fool.

As the sun started to set over the hills, Terre approached the town of Franz Wart. She had been here before, had worked in some of the farmers fields in the area as a labourer. Terre was on the last part of the path. It wound through the trees at the edge of a small forest before opening to a small valley, wherein nestled the town of Franz Wart. By the time Terre hit the outskirts of the town it was almost dark. The only light remaining was ambient, giving everything in the area a soft glow before plunging into inpenetrable darkness.

She walked down the hill, and as the last of the light was leaving the land, Rasch swopped in with a primal, "kee-aah", backwinging to land on her extended forearm. Terre reached out her other arm and scratched the hawk on top of its head where it could not reach itself. Burbling in contentment, the red accented hawk hopped up to it's perch on her shoulder and started to preen as Terre made her way into town.

Terre knew nothing of the significance of her new tattoo, she didn't even know how to read. But it seemed that her powers as the Fae of Air were manifesting, the basic, non-combative powers first. She did not recognize this new ability as such although she did wonder....

How the hell can I talk to a simple-minded hawk?

Picking up on Terre's thoughts and ruffling her feathers in indignation, Rasch turned and nipped Terre's slightly pointed ear.

Simple-minded? How dare you!? I don't know why you can communicate with me... don't have a clue....

Shock filled Terre's already confused and tired mind.

She can speak in words!?

On the road towards Silvire their communication had become gradually clearer, but it was restricted to images as the mode of communication. Terre sensed that this was the normal mode of communication for birds and the two of them had become very good at communicating with each other. She felt as if she was the one being taught and she supposed this was in fact the case. After all imaging was the hawks' native mode of communication..... But now Rasch was speaking to her in words, and sounded totally comfortable doing so. Terre could only guess that Rasch had been using her mind to listen to human speech. Before she would have had no way to understand what words meant but now.....

Have you been in my mind without consent Rasch?

The shuffling from foot to foot and the almost human look of gesture gave her her answer. Ignoring the matter for the moment, she reached into her belt pouch and pulled a small piece of deer meat from it. Holding it gently between her fingers, Terre gingerly extended towards Rasch. She was a little apprehensive because the hawk had an unfortunate habit of nipping and drawing blood if you were not very quick to release the meat. Rasch snapped it up and gave a very meek thank-you to her mind.

By now Terre was walking down the main road of Franz Wart which was simply a graded extension of the road she had been following. She was heading towards the town inn, one which she knew served ale that was not terribly watered, and cooked meat that was actually recognizable for what it was.

Terre was on the threshold, reaching towards the door to push it open, when she was brought up short.

A gentle, seductive breeze blew around her, blowing back her brown-green hood and messing her hair. The wind, the very air was whispering to her. Terre strained to hear, but could only make out a few of the words.

".........Winden Sie scythe", a raspy not-voice whispered, one with the air.

Before she realized what she was doing, the words were on her lips and she spoke them to the night.

Winden Sie scythe!

At first nothing happened, but when the increasing agitation of her hawk resulted in her flying off with a panicked, "kee-aah", she called out.

Rasch?

The wind was suddenly there, screaming around her. Cutting into her hands, her face, her back. Right through cloth and leather, opening deep, burning cuts on her body. She collapsed on the doorstep of the inn, into a fetal position, trying to protect herself. But it didn't work. The wind was scything through her clothing, ripping it to shreds across her back, and slowly exposing the pulsing, shining red of her tattoo. She screamed in her mind to Rasch,

Get help!

Terre fell, unconcious, on the doorstep of the inn. As soon as she did so the winds died.

Her clothing in tatters, more so on her back then front though. It was as if the wind had been trying to expose the tattoo that was still pulsing, blood red on her back. Multiple small gashes covered her small, well-formed body, bleeding profusely. It was night and the town had shut down. Franz Wart was a quiet town, and had a quieter inn. Very few people in and out. And the screaming of the wind had been in Terre's mind. Also since she had not cried out, no one came to investigate. So she lay, bleeding from multiple injuries.....

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

As the attack on her master was occuring, Rasch was already looking for help. When she heard Terre's mental cry, she would have snorted if she wasn't so worried for her master. In panicked flight, she flew as fast as she could, scanning the road below her. It was hard to see, to fly at night. She was almost blind, but she knew enough to....

Ah, there!

Rasch swooped lower and approached a small party of three people. One of them had a similar aura to her master, although it was a crackling yellow instead of a pale, pale grey interspersed with green and blue. She sensed power in this one, just as she had in her master so she turned to this one for help. Diving, uttering a high-pitched kee-aah, she pulled out of the dive and hovered in front of the group.

Rasch only spoke to her master, but this was urgent. Projecting an image, she addressed the scarlet-eyed one who was carrying blades, blades that glinted in the non-light.

She built the image in her mind, imbuing it with a sense of great urgency. The image of a child-sized person, with a strangely androgynous face. Unconcious, blood streaming from many wounds. And a blood-red, pulsing tattoo exposed through the tattered clothes on her back.

Ranie looked at Elden’s face quizzically, searching for an answer wishing he spoke vocally sometimes but she knew that was rare. His thoughts magnified in to her brain as those awkward eyes watched him fight him self from some type of inner demon. Out side the comforting walls of the lurching caravan the trees rustled more with life of the elven “magic’s”, colors vibrate in every glitter of sunlight. Raising one hand up and placing it on Elden’s quite peacefully no speaking a word. She was trying to clam him of frantic thoughts and erratic sentences in his mind that he projected in a very motherly way. The light played on the deep gains of wizard wood and oak with rippling lines of paint; carpets softened the floor along with textiles. Mothers and children and men whittling near another window not paying mind to the surrounding sonly to that thinning piece of wood.
The curved bodice curled up against her partners, glossed with fragmented sunlight that bounced and caught on the beads and other jems on the body. The sun only made her look ethereal or more a glow of gold and fire as celery-slivered eyes watched him before closing behind gauzy lids. Cranium ducking right down against his right arm, nesting right down almost to easily with her left hand grasping the cloth of that scarf almost for a panging comfort, showing some insecurity and childish behavior which was odd for her persona. Breath crept in wards then out, slowly as if meditating with thoughts centering down to the ocean and the rolling of the calm waves on black pebbles that lay askew on the beach. Teeth chattered only a little bit distracting only the more of the active children, whom stared intently at the scene. The mother clucked from her needlepoint a the child only looking over at Elden and Ranie in disappointment of their cuddling behavior in front of younger eyes whom seen it before. Ranie molded the sound in her ears to be attuned to everything, as if to pick up information from the people whom walked aside the wooden cart/cars. Eyes closed completely relying on her other senses such as her acute hearing and touch with a combination of scent, nesting closer feeling a soft pulse of blood from Elden’s hand.



Thoughts centered around her core, muscles were relaxing quite slowly to the movement of the caravan as they started up again so they could find a better place to rest for the night and time being. Shrubbery thickened around the road and the trees grew thicker with rare baby treelings, the flooring of the forest ranged in browns with golden leaves as well to the off shoots of grasses that usually inhabited the meadows. Flowers and berries were decorated on a few bushes and trees, all different and unique holding their own glow in the world. Creaking of the wooden wheels and axles as they rolled on rubbing a deeper groove in their bindings of wood and metal in which rusted and had patches of polish apoun them. Birds called out shrilly and rustles of native fauna rolled by or paused when the fleet slowly sunk past with a distant whicker of a horse that lead one of the band of carts with slow plodding feet of the people outside. The corner of Ranie’s lips twitched as a slow dream faded over the deep meditation, which was supposed to have never happened.

The golden head burrowed deeper against Elden, falling in to the space between his right arm and torso, quite unaware as if trying to run from the odd dream that stalked her brain only to fade away in the morning and leave her forgetful of its details. Almost painful expression twisted apoun her facial features before melting away like hot water on honey that clung on ones cheek. A flash of pink darted from the brink of her mouth and jail of teeth to wet her rosy lips with breathing drawing in slowly and out as if to mimic water or wind. Wind out side gave a small ruckus clinging to the people whom marched diligently and on the moving cabins, it moaned and rustled the leaves that hung on every limb of the trees resonating the noise of water going though rocks and other items. Ranie’s heart beat fluttered for only a minute quite attuned to the over turning of leaves and the deep throaty moans of fallen trees and logs in atrophy before going back to a slow and almost steady pace. Her mind picked out of being in that dream to meditation again, with a slow gulp from her throat and a rustle of her own garments against the blankets apoun the two elves. Ranie stirred only a little under those thick amounts of blanket against her partner, yawning once or twice with jaws cracking subtly and flashing the insides of her mouth like a lion would to a combatant.



Opening her left ocular looking up at the stoic façade of Elden, sun dappled again from the trees on his male face as her eye wandered to stare out the window. Thick cotton candy white clouds rolled by past the holes in the canopy of the thickening elven forest. Letting out a small jet of air from her nostrils, lips were a flat line of rose petals and warm ginseng tea as the other eye unstitched its own self from its lower lid and opened looking quite drowsily across the room almost blindly. Smells of warm rolls and other foods arose to tickle noses of those whom cared, at also caught her attention was the thick smell of tea from a ceramic whistling pot which was created by one of the ceramic makers of a town they passed. Her fingers rubbed the tops of Elden’s hand quietly and almost methodically like a blacksmith creating a weapon or a woman knitting a blanket of many threads only to use two needles or one. A slow resonating hum came from the deep of her throat showing off a quite song of calming, one that she heard an other mother of the troupe sing to a sick child. Stopping after a few minutes to watch him more observing trying to get to know him better so she could understand what he was thinking a little bit. Listening to Elden and his slow breathing patterns her voice rolled out off the tip of her pink tongue.

“Elden, you know soon this caravan is stopping in Silvire. Then there will be a plague of thoughts, I hope you have the strength to keep them from your mind.” Her head ducked one more to nuzzle his chest before her body sat right up, pressing against the wooden wall. Closing her eyes once more and practicing her breathing control before they peeled open again, feeling some pain in her lower abdomen from the lack of consuming food projects and water but that did not bother her. Muscles were sore, in need for exercise from the long and almost still borne trip to the elven home of Silvire. Dust kicked up out side everything with the path being beaten down and packed tightly only a few weeds managed to grow in the compacted earth of many travels. Some tendrils of leaves swayed out side easily in the short gusts of wind and forlorn breezes that whipped off though the mountain pass that over looked a more flat plain of forest.


They only reached the half way mark.

They had been nearing Franz Wart when the bird of prey approached them, looking as hurried and livid as a bird can. Almost as quickly as it flew towards them though, it drew to a brake and stared at Drake meaningfully.

Ignoring the confused look on Drake's face and the bird's intent, Cassia turned to another direction. The direction that the bird had come from. It could have been because of the gentle wind that was blowing from that direction, or becasue she had simply smelt it too often, but she was sure that a familiar coppery smell was in the air.

The smell of blood.

"Someone is injured." she murmured softly.

The bird seemed to understand, and turned around, almost as if to lead them somewhere.

A crazy thought popped into her mind then, Maybe the bird knows where that injured person is.

"Let's follow it." she gestured to the duo beside her.

Together the three followed the hawk into the heart of the town where the inn stood. Almost immediately, she could see the bloodied form lying just in front of the inn.

Ignoring the gasp emitted from Xirella's mouth, she allowed her mind to kick into motion and began to order the duo as she had usually done. "Drake, help me get that patient up into one of the rooms in the inn. Xirella, get me a bowl of warm water and some cloths. Once you've done that, settle the bill with the inn-keeper."

~*~

It had taken her quite some time to finally finish bandaging the girl up. Thankfully, the wounds, though many, had been quite shallow, and she was in no way in danger of dying. However, the problem had yet to come.

Though shallow, some of the cuts still had to be stitched close. And when stitching came in, she would always have to restrain the patient and, somehow, make sure that they stay in bed until there was a much much lower chance of her hard work being wasted by broken stitches.

Now, the only other problem at hand, would be to inform Drake about the tattoo on the girl's back, which was revealed only after she had managed to clean all the blood away, that was the exact same as the one on him.

Syia fidgeted for the nth time since she had settled down on the chair and fiddled with the package in her hand restlessly, at the same time trying, to hide her anxiety but failing.

A full hour had passed since they have entered the inn but the figure on the bed had not even twitched. Syia remembered the coma that Daedwin was in after being struck by the strange lightning and felt worry for the girl.

A slight movement from the other person in the room, the Fae who had revealed through small chat that he was indeed a one of a kind dwarf, drew the farmgirl's attention away from the girl, and Syia stopped her fidgetting for the moment as her thoughts focused.

At first, Syia had been quite appropriately confused by him and his behaviour, which was distinctively un-dwarvish, according to what she had been told about the shorter kind. But she accepted it quickly as she had always did, for her very nature demanded it, and was chatting with him before she knew it.

Having considered their situation as thoroughly as she could, Syia made her decision. "Valin, is it alright with you if we set off for Silvire now, bringing her along? I am worried about her, and Lord Elraein should be expecting me back soon."

Terre slowly swam upwards towards conciousness. She didn't want to wake up though.... The pain was atrocious. Her eyes still shut, breathing evenly, she woke. Terre was lying on a bed, on her stomach. She could feel someone's gentle hands washing the cuts, then bandaging them. Terre had a sneaking suspicion that some would have to have stitches.

Some will....

Rasch?

Yes, I'm on the headboard. Keep still while she finishes.

She?

Yes, she. I do not know who she is, but the male in the group carried you inside, and the one female went for water, the other started to treat you.

Ignoring Rasch for the moment, her eyes opened and she tried to turn over on her side. The pain hit her, sudden and intense, she fell back on her stomach. Gasping, her voice muffled by the pillow, she said in a voice gasping in pain,

What is going on? Thanks for the help, but who are you?

(ooc: his voice and word usage may change from post to post as I try to bang out the details of his accent.)


The girl who he had come to know as Syia seemed interested deeply in his racial background. He laughed and told her that he was indeed a dwarf, an outcast at that. He didn't dive into details and answered questions that followed with brief responses. He wasn't the type for idle conversation, and hoped that this other girl would awake soon so they could be on their way.

Syia asked if it was alright if they could set off before the girl on the bed awoke. She had to get back to see Elraein it seemed. Valin nodded in agreement. "Aye lass, ah'd like to be seein' this wise fellow mahself. I've some questions fer 'im. Ah'll be back in ah few minutes." With that the dwarf took his leave of the room, letting Syia watch over the girl. He went up to the innkeep and grabbed the man's attention. "Do ye know were I kin find mahself a horse and a wagon?" The kind gentleman once again obliged to help Valin, and for that the dwarf flipped him a silver coin and thanked him.

Making his way to where the innkeep mentioned the stables nearby could be found he approached the stable boy who was about the same height as himself. "Hello mistur, what can I do ya for?" Valin fished out a copper coin. "Can ye find me yer master boy, I need ta be speakin' to 'im." The boy took the coin thankfully, and ran off wide eyed searching for the owner of the stables. Meanwhile Valin fished out one of his bricks of mithral, he used his magic to seperate a good sized portion and awaited the return of the boy and his master.

It wasn't log before the man arrived, "What can I do for you good sir?" He offered his hand to Valin who took it shaking it heartily, showing he would be sincere. One could tell a lot about a man from shaking his hand, and Valin could tell this was an honest hard working man. "Well ah have a proposal a sorts for ye. Ah need a wagun, an' one of them beasts o'burden there. Ah's wonderin' if ye'd like to trade." The man thought about it for a moment and then nodded, "what do you have for me good sir?" Valin produced the chunk of mithral and the stable owner's eyes lit up. "Mithral from tha halls of me kin. Ah'm sure ye could catch a fair price fer it around these parts." The stable owner accepted the offer and thanked Valin.

Soon the dwarf with horse and wagon in tow arrived back at the inn. He made his way inside to the room where he left the two girls. "Alright lass, let's be off then." He went over and hoisted the unconscious girl over his shoulder once again and made his way out of the tavern, thanking the innkeep once more. When he made his way outside he found himself in a new dilemma, he was a bit short to lay her down in the wagon, he would need Syia's help. "Think ye could help me out here lass, it seems ah'm a bit short." He chuckled and muttered something about humans being so tall.

"Lilwin, please, I'll take care of it from here," Daedwin said kindly, gently removing the female elf's hand from Kate.

Turning to Kate, he said, "Hello, my name is Daedwin, and this," he gestured towards Maedhros, "is my cousin, Maedhros. Clearly, you are in the same boat as I am myself. You slept for quite a long time, I came out a few days ago. But, nevermind that, you look very flustered at the moment. Would you care to tell us your name?"

"Kate," she said, somewhat warily.

"Ok Kate, well, would you rather us sit and talk, back in your room, or walk around Silvire? We need to explain some things to you, regarding why your here."

"Uh... walk, i suppose," Kate responded. "But I would like to change... where are my clothes?"

"Ehh... Lilwin, any idea?"

"Yes, yes, follow me." The three fell into step behind Lilwin. "We had them cleaned for you, but we didn't want you to get too warm. Ahh here you go." They had stopped in front of a closet, which Lilwin opened, grabbed Kate's clothes, and handed them to her. Kate went back to change as they waited, and came back shortly after. "Ok, I'm ready. Let's go."

"Ok, just wait a second and we'll be off." He turned to Lilwin and said, "Syia is supposed to be back soon. When she comes, just tell her I'm explaining things to the Space Fae, and if she needs me, I'll be right around the garden, likely. Ok?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks." Turning back to Kate, he said, "Ok, let's go." As they started walking down the hallway, he said, "So, I bet you've never seen Silvare before, have you? Well, its quite a sight. You'll feel stronger in no time after being out in the forest." At this they reached the exit. Kate simply stared around her in wonder as they walked. "Ahh I thought so," Daedwin said with a smile. "So, as i said, I'm Daedwin, and this is Maedhros. I'll tell you a little about us, and then get into the important stuff. So, my story's pretty short. While Maedhros here is a pure elf, I'm only half, my father was a human warrior. I live in a town right near here, a small human town where my mother still lives. My cousin here and his mother have lived with me for about my whole life, and is a pretty good spellcaster. I'm twenty five, a decent warrior, to say the least, and a dabbler in magic arts. I've been adventuring about 15 years, though for the first few of those years my "adventures" were really just glorified trips into the forest and other towns, exploring really. I am also the Fae of Fire. And you are Kate. You are the Fae of Space."

Kate stopped looking around and instead looked at Deadwin intently. "Fae... of Space? What on earth does that mean, exactly?"

"Well, Fae is Elvish for 'Chosen one.' You have been chosen, and what you have been chosen for is to wield the power of every single Faerie who was of the space element, as I have been for every Faerie of the Fire element. You see your new tatoo?"

"Yes... I though you did that?"

"Well, its actually a rune, the rune of Space. It's simple, unlike mine," he proffered his left arm, and Kate looked at it closely.

"I... see...." she said, still looking confused. "Whats a Faerie? And are there more of us 'Faes?' Is your cousin there one?"

"No, only a loyal friend. But there are more of us, eleven more, and Faeries were an ancient race, much like us elves. They died out a long time ago in the Blood Nights War, and ancient war between all of us and the Night Races. They were each associated with a type of magic as they were born, and could only use that kind of magic. We have received the power. It is incredibly strong, even for someone who uses normal magic. I am somewhat better off, but for you... you don't practice magic, do you?"

"No, never, and I've never wielded a weapon. What are these Night Races, and do WE have to fight them?"

"Ahh, I see. Then it will be hard for you to control you power. But the Night Races are various Demons, but no, we need not fight them... to our current knowledge at least. They lost the War, and have been imprisoned in their own zone for centuries. But, this is where we come in. To maintain the peace, we must find three ancient Faerie Relics. The other eleven are on their way."

"I see... So its up to us? To stop the destruction on the world?"

"Well... its not the destruction necessarily, but it will make our job easier when the seal breaks, as it seems it should do soon."

"Ok... i guess, but... when will we go? How will we know where to go?"

"I, uh, don't actually know that just yet. We need to wait until the others come. Right now we're just waiting. I think that covers everything. Let's rest, shall we?" He stopped walking and sat down a a bench by the side of the path. He smiled up at Kate, and continued,"Do you have any more questions? I will be happy to answer them. Or would you like to tell us your tale?"

<ooc: uhh.. Fae is elvish, right? Also, Alexandrou, I hope this is ok. just yell at me and i'll fix it. later>

[OOC: Uh... actually... Fae is more like descendents of the faeries or something but nevermind. It could be that it is a elvish or coincidentally mean 'chosen one' in elvish.]

"No worries." Syia gave a good-natured chuckle as she took over from Valin and gently placed Arael onto the wagon, shifting her so that any rough road that they could encounter would not disturb her. She was about to climb up as well when she remembered about the wolf that was Valin's companion, and went to speak to the horses. It was only after a few moments when she finally settled herself at the front end of the vehicle, keeping a ready eye on both the road and the girl.

The short trip back to the elven city was uneventful, though it was amusing how the woodland creatures were wary about approaching them because of the wolf that paced along beside the wagon, but out of sheer curiosity, still watched them from a safe distance away. Some that knew Syia ventured forward cautiously, encouraged by the human girl, and were rewarded with bits of food that they quickly devoured. Syia was delighted when one of the birds gave her a feather, which was already falling out, as a gift and she promptly departed with more of her birdseeds.

Pleased by the present, Syia was in a very good mood when she arrived back in Silvire together with Valin and Arael. They had made good time, and Syia was not as late as she thought she would be. Hopping off the wagon, she was approached by an old female elf. "Lilwin, it's great to see you again. How are the preparations?"

"Elareia bless your sweet heart, Syia. The preparations are going fine, though there are some small hiccups here and there." The wise elf looked at the wagon and the people along, and frowned. "They are?"

"They are both Lord Elraein's guests." Syia explained, and Lilwin nodded knowingly. "Lady Arael fainted earlier and is now unconscious, so could you help me arrange for her to be looked after?"

"Consider it done, young one. Now, be off to Lord Elraein's. And Daedwin is with the space Fae and will be in the garden if you need him."

Syia flashed her a grateful grin and motioned for Valin to follow her as she retreived the package from the wagon and set off for her destination with it in her arms.

Vanz looked at the contents of the scroll carefully. Long has it been since his silver hawk brought messages from the Elves, especially one from Lord Elraein himself. "Has it been so long already...?" Vanz said to himself as he lowered the scroll and sighed. The memories of the previous flashed past him, vivid as if it took place yesterday. The cries, bodies and wounds inflicted remained fresh to him.

Vanz put down the scroll on the table and walked towards his equipment. His fingers ran across the scabbard of his blade, the emblem of the Elven Guards imprinted in the middle. The time had come, time to fulfil his mission that Elraein has entrusted him five centuries ago. Watcher. But clearly, he had failed in his responsibilities. With such evil arising, yet he remain oblivious to it. He should have known when he noticed the trees and natural forces stirring lately. Vanz glaced towards the window. Noon. With good weather, he'll probably take a day or two before he reaches Silvre. Perhaps he would meet an old friend there, whom he was certain still running errands for the Elven Lord himself.

Packing a day's ration, Vanz equipped himself with whatever was necessary. Grabbing the sword off the hilt, Vanz fixed the sword onto his leather armour and picked his bow. Time to pay a visit back to Silvre. His hometown. Silenting offering an prayer to Jinn, master of the wind, Vanz dashed off towards Silvre.

Dark times lay ahead.

OOC: Sorry sel for taking a while to post my intro post. I'll catch up with another later tonight. =)

“Cassia, Cassia Talbot.” replied the doctor serenely as she nudged the brunette, notifying him there wasn’t a need to shelter his eyes any further.

“Mine’s Drake.” He muttered, still dazed by the same bird.

“Please to meet you. My name’s Xirella. What’s yours?” Xirella bowed, with her goody goody innocent persona.

“Terre… Thanks for the help.” The girl replied gratefully.

“Though you should rest, I would like to ask a question.” Cassia inquired as she promptly gestured Drake to turn his back. “Does this look familiar?” she casually lifted up Drake’s shirt, revealing the tattoo. Xirella however misinterpreted the whole idea and shrieked, “Kyaaaaaaaaa! Pervert!” closing her eyes with yet a tiny bit of smile across her flushed cheeks, she bolted him, again.

“Xirella 1569 points, Drake 0.” Cassia cracked joke smothered with sarcasm.

“It’s the same tattoo located on your neck Terre.” The simple phrase bewildered the other trio.

“By the gods of Memoria! How did you get it? Did someone bolt you or did you get it from a tattoo shop? Why did you come to this town? Why are you injured? Where do you intend to go? Is it the capital of Oneira? Are you searching for some sage or an ancient book for information about that tattoo?” Xirella anxiously asked.

Drake, being ashamed by the actions of his childhood friend, covered her mouth before another dozen questions zoom out, “Eheh, pardon her, she’s finally taking the side-effects of her cooking, care to explain?”

(OOC: Tag…sorry for the poor quality, I can’t seem to post much in a interaction between RPers period)

Terre simply stared at Drake's back for a moment, frightened by the similarities of their tattoos. She did not understand what was going on and it scared her. Realizing that she had been staring longer than was proper, she dropped her gaze, hoping that her actions would not be misconstrued.

I.....I don't have a clue what this tattoo is. One day I was on my way back to camp and I was struck by lightning. I woke up with Rasch sitting on me and found that I could communicate with her. Our communication got better and better. Started with images, now we speak in words.

The others in the room looked confused until she added,

Rasch is my hawk, the one on the headboard there.

The bird nodded her head solemnly and Terre added,

Rasch is a female hawk and she understands every word you say so be careful....or she will bite.

Terre did not know why she was confiding in these people. She didn't know them that well, though they seemed nice enough.... Rasch caught her unease, shifting back and forth on her talons on the headboard. Ruffling her feathers, Rasch hopped forward to speak for her master. Projecting to Drake's mind she said, using words to great effect and surprising the hell out of Drake,

My master's name is Terre Bannie. She is half-dwarf, half-elf. Yes, yes an odd combination I know..... Point being she does NOT know what happened to her, she wants to find out. She was injured because....

Drake could hear a whispered conversation in the back of his head although he couldn't quite make out the words.

I'll continue.....

Terre sat up. Someone had thoughtfully put a tunic on her but there were still many bandages on her arms and face. Some weren't bandaged and the stitches could be seen, raw and red. She tried to remain sitting straight, but couldn't, and slumped back to the headboard with a gasp of pain. Rasch hopped onto the bed and let Terre rub the feathers on the top of her head.

I...I heard something on the wind. These words.... The wind, the very air seemed to wanto me to say them, so I did. It took moments but the wind started to howl around me, an invisible vortex. The very air was cutting me! Rasch went for help, and as soon as I fell unconcious the wind stopped.

Hesitating, taking a deep breath, she added,

I suppose it was magic......

Terre hesitated again, not sure how Drake would take it,

Well.....due to the similarity of our tattoos, and......you were struck by lightning too were you not?

Drake nodded, so she continued,

You probably have a power too......

Terre had made the connection, although she still wasn't entirely sure about it.

Think....No tattoo before lightning. After lightning strange abilities or huge increase in your normal magic power right? I don't like the conclusion any more than you likely do, I hate magic. But it seems to me that for some reason we have benn gifted, or cursed, with something that neither of us understand.

She was looking in Drake's eyes now and continued,

Be careful....If you hear a strange voice whisper something to you don't say it! I did, and...well....

She held up her bandaged arms, giving a wry grin,

It could have killed me I think. If it had gone on long enough.....

I should probably tell you,

Terre conferred with Rasch for a moment,

Rasch here saw your aura, that's how she found your group, she says it's clear with a crackling, kind of, yellow color running through it..... That would lead me to believe lightning is your power.....

Seeing the skeptical looks on the faces around her she challenged Drake,

If you don't believe me go outside and try a bolt spell. I'm sure it will be much more powerful than normal. Just.....don't aim at any buildings ok?

(OOC: Sorry for taking so long to post this. Life has been hectic.)

Elden continued to think about what Ranie had said. Silvire... She's right, I can tell how close we are, thoughts are already beginning to pervade my mind. Will... will I be able to hold back? How can I make it to the council? Aren't we going to be doing something about these powers? What will I be able to do? How will I be able to do it? What can I do?! The last sentence boomed out from his mind, he could tell when Ranie had jumped from the sudden burst of emotion.

She looked up at him, his face showing a sign of apology, and she replied with another nuzzle. Elden thought she was rather comfortable with him, but it was only natural. The only two elves on the caravan were of the opposite sex, it seemed to make sense to him. Perhaps it was because he reminded her of home, but he knew not, he tried his hardest not to listen to her thoughts, she meant something to him, and he was willing to protect it.

Once again, however, her stomach growled. Ranie, perhaps you should eat. There's a mother in the last wagon that has made some food. It will help. After that, Elden heard the voice of a child running by the caravan, "Momma made food!" It seemed he still needed help to control his thoughts.

He gently lifted her up, and began to guide her to the last wagon, when he finally noticed the colors of the trees and their leaves. Every end of the spectrum adorned the plants, and with the sun in the position it was at now, it seemed to make the colors dance. Elden knew they were getting close to Silvire, his home, but the beauty of the trees caught him off-guard. He had always taken them for granted, but now, having seen the outer rim of the forest, he could appreciate them.

After taking a moment to watch the trees, the couple found themselves standing next to the last caravan, and they could now smell the food being cooked. They approached the opening, and were greeted by many children, and a lone mother. She had cooked nothing more than a simple stew, but it would be enough to feed all the mouths that had gathered 'round. The two sat inside the wagon, and Elden slowly grasped a clay bowl with the food held inside, and stared at what was in front of him for a moment. He had no real purpose of doing so, but his mind began to wander. He stopped himself before he allowed his thoughts to escape, and took a look at Ranie, whom had begun eating. He followed suit, and downed his bowl quickly.

The two gave their thanks, Ranie speaking for the both of them, and they made their way back to the original caravan they had been waiting in. Elden took a seat upon the neatly decorated rug, running his fingers across it. Ranie took a seat next to him, and held his hand as she guided his fingers along the pattern.

Elden once again looked outside, the trees, if possible, became more vibrant, as the sun began to set. It was clear now, Silvire was extremely near.

(OOC: If anything's wrong, let me know. Sorry it took so long to get this up.)

Night fell. Two days has it been since Vanz started his journey back to Silvre. Vanz settled down on top of a tree near the entrance of the forest. Long has it been since he ventured towards the forest, the place he once called home.

The place he was forbidden to return till the time was right. And the time was now. For five centuries, Vanz waited, with apprehension. On one hand, he was about to venture into the home he had not stepped into for half a millenium, yet it is because of the dark times ahead that he must return. How he wished the Dark Lords would still be safely kept within the damned realm, never to return. His scar hurt from the memories of the previous. The war that determined the fate of Memoria.

Faes...are they truly the ones...? Vanz thought to himself. The legend of the Faes was one that Vanz hoped never came true. If it did, the creatures of the Dark would walk the lands of Memoria again. The sound of footsteps caught his attention as Vanz turned his eyes upon a hooded figure walking towards the exit.

The hooded figure stepped out of the shadows, towards the opening of the forest. Vanz jumped from his hiding spot, with sword in hand, and struck at the figure. The blow was parried away by the figure and both held their stances.

"I see that five hundred years of wandering has not dulled your blade, Vanz." the figure spoke.

"Yet five centuries of guarding Silvre made you sharper than when I left you, Jethias Silverwind," Vanz paused, a smile appearing on his lip. 'My old friend." The hooded figure sheathed his sword and revealed himself, laughing. Both Elves embraced in a hug, something uncommonly seen among Elves. "It is good to see you again."

"Yes, Captain. It's been great to see you once again." Jethias released his embrace and patted Vanz's shoulders. "Much has happened since you left us. Your duties were hard to take over."

"It may comfort you to know, my current ones aren't any better," Vanz joked. Jethias was his second-in-command of his squad when he was still an Elven Guard. After Vanz's 'banish', Jethias took over the reins of his duties as Captain. "And I am no longer a Captain. You are."

Jethias laughed. "Tell that to the rest back home! They've been anticipating your return, though with a heavy heart." Vanz knew what he meant. "Come, we have much to do. I must bring you to meet Lord Elraein"

Kate tried to make sense of what Daedwin was explaining to her, but it didn’t seem normal. How could this happen to her? Kate was just an ordinary girl struggling to make a living in this world, some struggles had brought tears others happiness and knowledge. Daedwin seemed to be the kind of man that didn’t lie; he seemed to have a good soul in him. Breaking her invisible barriers Kate accepted Daedwin for everything he was.

“Then I suppose we should start this sooner rather than later”, Kate spoke after a few minutes of silence. The only way this would go away was if they found these relic things and save- save the world before this barrier was broken. For a second she wanted to know what was beyond the barrier, but the fear of demons swiped the idea from her mind.


(Krazed I hope this suits)

"I'm glad you feel that way, however, we still have some time. We are waiting on some of the others to arrive. They are all supposed to be here soon. In the meantime, I suggest you explore and relax. You might also want to find someone to teach you some magic. If you can control some kind of magic, then you will be able to control your Fae powers more quickly and easily. You shouldn't have a hard time of finding people; everyone here knows who you are. At least by title. But if you want, I can lead you back to the castle now."

He led her back through the garden to the entrance, and turned to her as he stepped under the roof. "Her you go. Your room is off to the left, there, and the exit is down this hall," he pointed to the right, "Take the right at the end of that hall, and the exit is there. Or you can continue your walk of the garden. You can go whereever you like in the castle or in the city, unless it is guarded. And if you need anything, simply ask for me, him," he pointed to Maedhros, "or for the king, Elraein. If not, then I'll find you soon. Enjoy your stay, this truly is a beautiful city."

(yep that was fine alex)

Poor tree. Cassia thought, glancing at the (once) plant.

Apparently, the bolt spell that Rasch had told Drake to try out was anything but small. The spell that had been intended to zap off a branch from the tree had practically cooked the entire tree, from leaf to root.

Although no flame had emerged from the poor plant, Cassia could safely say that the tree would no longer be able to flower or bear fruit. It was as dead as a dead tree could be.

Turning back to the brunette who was still in shock at what he had done, she said, "Alright, let's go back to the inn. We will discuss this at a later date. For now all of us need our rest."

Drake nodded silently and turned to return to the aforementioned building, closely followed by his childhood friend who, for once, knew that now was the time to allow him some space.

"Will he be alright?" Xirella asked, shuffling to Cassia's side.

"Yes, he will. But for now, we leave him alone." Cassia replied. "Do you mind helping me with the final touches of bandaging Terre up?"

"I'll help!"

~*~

Morning came swiftly, and the four met again in Terre's room. The girl in question was quickly on the road to recovery, and Cassia declared her to be able to move about freely without tearing her wounds open by the next morn.

The only male in the room seemed to have awaken from the stupor that had overcome him the previous night as well, and he joined in their conversations over breakfast enthusiastically. Once their meals had been cleared, however, the mood grew serious and they resumed the topic that had been left off the previous night.

"We have witnessed the power of one who bears the tattoo." Cassia began, "However, if that was only a mere portion of it, I daresay that misuse of it has repercussions that is beyond our imaginations."

Xirella was next to comment on it, and she too, grew serious, and almost solemn, "I think, that it is best that it is not used often. When Drake pulled that bolt spell, it could feel the huge power radiating from him. What if the tree was not a tree, but another person?"

Valin didn't ride along in the wagon, he had chosen to walk alongside it with Grey Eyes beside him. The loyal wolf kept a warry eye towards the woods, but Valin walked with a sense of calm about him. He was a dwarven outcast, but the elves were a rather accepting people, or so he had experienced. He even worshipped their goddess. Valin went from outcast to protector, trained by an elven ranger who never revealed his true name, not even to his apprentice. He had learned how to use his elven bow with deadly precision from his elven master, and yet carried with him the sturdiness of his race. Despite being a mage, Valin knew very well how to protect himself physically. With Grey Eyes at his side he feared nothing.

They came to the Elven city of Silvire, Valin was amazed at the structures in the city. The homes were in the trees themselves, the elves built their structures with magic, being careful to make it look natural. It was likely the most splendid city in the world. Valin felt as if he could live out his days here, the elves however looked upon him with a strange curiosity. A bald, beardless dwarf wearing the garb of a sorceror, and wielding an elven shortbow and not a dwarven crossbow? Or a midget human?

One of the elves stopped them and exchanged words with Syia who cleared them as guests of the elven lord, Elraein the wise. Valin kept silent, his wolf companion at his side. Some of the elves eyed him warily, until they saw the holy symbol of the elven godess, and realized the wolf was not his pet but his friend, comrade, and companion. They saw the tatoo he bore, and realized he was one of the chosen. After this they relaxed.

"Well lass, when will we be seein' this wise feller of yers? I got business wit' 'im ya know."

"Right away, my impatient friend. I've got business with him too, and I really shouldn't delay it anymore than I need to." Syia eyed her bundle meaningfully as she smiled sheepishly. "I should have been back earlier, if not for my nosiness."

Humming a tune that mingled pleasantly with the soft elven song in the background, Syia led them towards a building that looked slightly different from the rest. Despite the little unique touches that probably each and every home had, that building stood out significantly, and it was not just about its larger size. The very tree itself seemed to give off an aura of authority and wisdom, and it was not hard to tell who exactly lived in those quarters. Words had it that only the tree that was rumored to be the mortal form of Elareia was more impressive.

"We are here. Lord Elraein should be in his study or in hi.. oof!" As Syia had turned to look at Valin as she was talking, she collided neatly into a figure who was standing in front of the entrance area. After she recovered from her daze, she gasped and checked the things she carried carefully. Only when she was certain they were unharmed then did she let out a relieved sigh and looked up to find a pair of amused elven faces staring at her.

She was about to open her mouth to apologise when one of them suddenly asked. "Syia Sireaus?"

The girl replied quickly, her expression was one filled with confused question. "Yes? Is there anything you want?"

"No, there's nothing. I was just wondering if you were the one that Lord Elraein had sent on an errand, the lady friend of the Fae of fire and the young Maedhros Lingavli, since you spoke of seeing his Lordship."

"Oh." Syia blinked as she processed the information, then she relaxed with a smile. "Yes, I have just finished my errand and we are going to see Lord Elraein. Were you with him just now? If it is not too much trouble, can you tell us where Lord Elraein is?"

"Actually, we were just about to see him too." The elf that had struck up the conversation said apologetically. "Perhaps we can go together? Do you mind, Captain?"

"No, Jethias, not at all. Especially not when the lady's friend bear the mark of the Fae on his face."

[OOC: Gene-chan, Hugo, tag! Hope this is okay. ^^;]

Xirella was next to comment on it, and she too, grew serious, and almost solemn, "I think, that it is best that it is not used often. When Drake pulled that bolt spell, it could feel the huge power radiating from him. What if the tree was not a tree, but another person?"

"Well, they would be very, very dead I would think." Terre laughed, thinking of the poor tree she had seen from her window, but abruptly stopped as the seriousness of the situation caught up to her. "My advice to you Drake is just forget about it, and don't use bolt spells. After all, there isn't exactly anything we can do about it at the moment is there?" She sighed, her short frame releasing the rigid exhale and slumped in the bed again. "Whatever you do, do not listen to whispered words or the voice of the storm....."

Terre leaned over, that much she could do at least, and grabbed a few coins from her leather bag. She tossed them to Cassia and said, "These are for whatever supplies you used to help me, and I humbly thank all three of you for your assistance." At Rasch's indignant squawk, an odd sound from a hawk, Terre added sheepishly, "Fine the four of you. Are you happy now Rasch?" The hawk nodded and jumped to her master's hand, wings fluttering, and allowed Terre to