3. The years gone by

The years gone by


  • He heard the soft rasp of metal sliding against leather. It was faint, but the sound itself was too recognizable. He dropped and rolled from his run, hearing metal clatter against the stone wall of the alley. He rolled straight to his feet and spun around, drawing his blade. The Hin, Alenna, stood facing him, two more throwing daggers drawn, and two knives hanging at her belt.

    "I told you the very first day I saw Ibis look at you, elf. If you ever did anything to hurt her, I would have your head. Today I come to collect." _The woman said. There was only the vaguest hint of anger in her voice, like that of a disappointed parent. She strode forward calmly, and let the other two daggers fly. It was almost a halfhearted attempt. He dodged one, deflecting the other with his sword. The Hin then drew her knives, smiling a bit. She did not throw the knives to kill, he knew, she wanted to savour his pain.

    He had once thought her a few cards short of a full deck. He was beginning to understand just how far gone she really was. The woman had gotten a name for unusual cruelty towards opponents. Cruelty, apathy, disinterest, sowing discord, rumour mongering… Towards everyone but Moirae and Ibis... Moirae she feared... Ibis she saw as property. As an investment.

    And now, this creature that openly spoke of Dalla Thaun and readily admitted to praising her, that flaunted being an interest of the Shadowmasters, had been accused and found guilty of assassinating one of the city's nobility. And Ibis had helped her escape the Telflammar guard. Confronting Ibis on how... careless... that was, had been incredibly hurtful, for both Ibis and her friends. Apparently, the Hin took it as breaking one of her toys.

    Tian and Moirae had gone off to talk to the watch commander about the incident. He had run off to find Ibis. He'd assumed Alenna would've fled the city immediately after seeing a chance. Sizing the Hin up, he felt like a right idiot. This would also have been a lot easier if he'd worn his armour. Nothing else for it now. He put both his hands on his sword and took up a defensive stance as the Hin grinned wickedly and charged.

    When the battle started, he'd thought she was no match for him. The fight had reminded him just how much he relied on his armour and shield. They both still stood. They were both panting. They had both drawn the other's blood. Gods, but the woman was fast. Two strikes for every strike he made, two hands to watch out for, and nimble beyond anything he could muster. If she'd been stronger, he would be dead already. Thankfully she could not deal too well with falling crates or rolling barrels. Plus, she lacked the momentum to break through his blocks.

    When he managed to block her, that was. Her short stature made it difficult, at times, and he had gathered plenty of minor cuts in his midsection and legs. Thank his luck he'd at least worn leather. But the minor cuts were stacking, and his clothes were turning red. Looking at her, she was not faring that much better.

    A gash in her side from the one clean hit he scored against her. The most damage he'd done was from kicking or punching her when she tried to block or dodge his sword. Already she was bruised heavily, with some lacerations from where she'd been hit by a crate or the blunt of his sword. He had difficulty determining whom had taken the heavier beating, but one thing was certain. He usually fought clad in metal. She always fought in leather. She took this kind of a beating more often than he fought.

    The fight had to end soon, or it would not be in his favour. As though she was reading the doubts in his mind, she raised her blades and slowly moved towards him again. A snake, slowly approaching a prey it realized was as dangerous as her. She slowly circled him, looking for an opening, as he took on a reliable defensive stance. It would be hard to counter from it, but all the easier to defend. She stabbed, testing. He deflected. Again and again. This game went on until he ended up with his back against the wall. "Perfect." He thought.

    As did she. She made a feinting stab at him, causing him to overreach himself as he tried to deflect a blow that simply wasn't there. It created an opening. His back exposed, she charged at him. He dropped his sword. It would've made him too slow as he coiled back towards her. She stabbed. He spun. He felt the blade pierce his side. He kept moving. The second knife slid into his leg. He kept moving. He saw her grin fade as his elbow connected with her temple, his momentum and the full weight of his body driving her into the wall.

    They sank against the wall together, and darkness overcame him._


  • _It had been a while since they last spoke, in the mines. He had been angry with her at the time, though that had quickly subsided. Later that day, even, he had gone to meet her, to tell her he had overreacted. Provided she was willing to apologize for the way she had acted in front of the new adventurers. She had not seen him. Nor had she spoken to him on the streets. She walked away, not even bothering with the pretense of not having seen him. Spurned three times, he had given up trying, despite Tian's urging, and spent most of those days in the Lethyr, by himself, or training Tathar how to decently use the swords she carried. He still vaguely remembered what fighting with two swords was like. Avinoam had organized two Lateu'quor since then.

    And now, they were walking side by side through the Lethyr. He was wearing robes of a kind he had not worn in a very long time, along with the warbraid that had been given to him by Eluriel. He held a small wooden box. In it was a silver ring, and an agate. Cinnaelos'Cor was coming soon, and as such, so was the day of the Melding of the Three. For fear that he would miss it, he was going to pray and make his offering tonight.

    His plan had been to do this in solitude, but she said she wished to talk, and for all the scorn she had given him, he could not deny her this. Had he not scorned other so? Did he not hope for their forgiveness? Horfirith had wanted to draw his blood, when he left. Thorn likely had, too. So he let her come, and he let her speak. Well, speak… While she usually jumped at a chance to be heard, he noticed offering the apology was very hard on her. He supposed it was easier for her to speak her mind on things that did not involve her feelings.

    And it were her feelings she laid bare, that walk. She spoke of how she had been hurt by the idea that he was trying to get from under her wing. Hurt by the idea that he would leave her company if he considered himself well and truly capable of his own feats of might. He found it amusing, somehow. Would she not be considered a decade older than him, in relative age? Should she not be past that? But then, would he be? As she struggled on with her words, it dawned on him that she was beating around the bush. The hesitation had left her voice, though the torrent of words that came from her now seemed to hint at something she dared not say.

    So Tian had not been teasing him, after all. Well, she might have been, but for the most part she had been teasing Ibis. He considered as she rambled on. She had feelings for him. Why was it that meant so little, now? Back then, it would have made him jittery. Nervous. Right now, nothing. Somewhere, he knew the answer. He ignored it. He took one of his hands from the box and took her hand. It silenced her. Nothing on the matter needed to be said, anymore.

    They came to a clearing at the south of the Lethyr. Nearby, the grove of Syclis could be found. It also marked the last safe ground within the forest. Mighty pillars of stone formed a circle in the clearing. Despite the wealth of life in the forest, nothing but grass grew inside this circle. At the center of the circle, there was another stone pillar. It had once been carved to resemble something, but time had long since weathered it away. The stone was now covered in moss, with several place sprouting chickweed and stitchwort. At one side, the side facing the direction of the grove, common ivy crawled its way to the top.

    He calmly walked to the center pillar. Ibis stayed outside the circle, understanding full well that this moment was private to him. Upon reaching the pillar, he opened the box and moved a few steps back, kneeling and laying down his sword before him. He recited his prayer to the Triune, then asked them for strength. Not for the strength to deal with his pain. He had long since abandoned praying for that. He prayed only for the strength and resolve to deal with the troubles that would come to Telflamm. Asking for guidance, and a sign that he was on the right path. When he finished, he rose and walked over to the box, closing it and leaving it. He went to gather his sword, and Ibis walked over him, putting a hand on his shoulder. She was about to speak when a blinding flash of light came.

    Both had their swords drawn and were back to back before they could even see clearly. When his vision cleared, however, the circle was empty. Empty of the box he had left, as well. The pair of them stood there, staring at the place the box had been. Almost a minute passed before the silence was broken. The sound of a small metal object ringing as it fell down the stone. When it had touched the ground, he walked over slowly, carefully. His jaw dropped when he saw the precious bauble lying in the grass. It was a silver ring, set with a moonstone. In the failing light of day, he could see it glowed with a soft blue hue. When Ibis walked over and saw the ring, she hugged him softly and congratulated him. Congratulating him for being shown a kindness seemed odd somehow, regardless of who showed him. Still, he did not make that remark. He put the ring on, and it fit perfectly. He took Ibis' hand, and they made their way back to the city.

    Later that night, he lay alone again in his bed. The riddle that was Ibis, and the greater riddle that was his ring had taken his mind off the pain and feelings of loneliness. He had been wondering about what the ring meant, though in Ibis' company, he had not taken the time to examine it. He slid the ring off his finger and looked it over closely. The silverwork was of elven design and exquisite workmanship. Beautiful though it was, it told him little, so he moved on to the moonstone. Upon closer inspection, the gem was not as perfect and unmarred as it had appeared. Intricately cut into the moonstone was a symbol, faded with time, it was hard to make out.

    He went over to the desk in his room and took some paper from a shelf, as well as his candle. It was hardly as suited as sealing wax, but for this, it would do. He let a few drops fall from the candle onto the paper, pressing the ring into it as it hardened. He picked up his ring again, looking down at the symbol. He did not scream. He did not lose his temper. He -refused- to. He had asked for a sign, and he was given one. He looked down at a damaged symbol of house Ka'lin. He did not scream.

    Oh, but he wanted to._


  • _And so far it had been interesting, in more ways than one. They had ended up in what appeared to be an abandoned temple. The masonry was of superb craftsmanship, and the statues, now defaced, were beautiful once. The rooms had once been lit by enormous braziers, which were dark now, and the halls by luminous crystals, which still gave off an eerie blue light. They had all wondered who had once bothered to build a temple beneath the ground in this area. Despite its locations, the artwork in no way resembled dwarven. It hinted of human design, but none could be certain, and Moirae remained silent, smiling her wiley smile.

    The first room in the second level of the temple had been a surprise as well. They had come upon a room where the defenses the goblins had put up faced the other way, towards the deeper part of the temple. They had soon discovered why this was, though. They did not even receive a proper welcome from the goblins, as they were too busy to fend off the undead that came from beyond their makeshit walls.

    An even greater surprise was their… ruthlessness. He had grown accustomed to his usual companions' demeanor in battle. If it swung a weapon your way, if it was more than likely to swing a weapon your way, it died, regardless of the manner, no exceptions. He did not expect the youngbloods to be perfectly fine with the idea of simply catching the goblins between themselves and the undead. He had heard others complain that this was cowardly, or unfair. Not one of them had, however.

    And so they had struck from behind, brutal and efficient. Syrinx especially so. Surprisingly so. Without pity or remorse. Why would he? They were goblin kin... Still, that time it felt different to him... No matter. They had soon dispatched of the goblins and found themselves face to face with the skeletons and zombies. No matter his age, no matter the fights he'd seen, no matter the number of undead creatures he had faced, there was something eternally unnerving about them, to him. It was no real fear, but if ever there was an enemy he wished he would not have to face, it was the undead.

    Perhaps it was the fact that an undead that was not destroyed would walk this world longer than he. Perhaps it was the fact that the corpses of even the holiest of men could be made to walk again against their will. The idea that, perhaps, -his- corpse would be made to walk, and turned on his own kin. And so he had lashed out in fury at the nearest skeleton, whose skull looked entirely too much as though it had been grinning at him.

    Oh yes, it had been an interesting venture so far. And it was turning out to be even more so. He now stood eye to eye with an undead creature, clad in full platemail, a two hander in its claws, and a half open helmet on its head. It had no flesh left, no eyes. Yet he could tell its gaze was fixed on him, and it spoke through a voice that had no right being there. He did not listen to the creature's tiresome monologue. He spent what time he had left figuring out how to deal with the creature, as skeletons did not normally speak.

    He caught something about it being the lieutenant of a greater creature lurking in the depths of the temple's crypt. He would have to get close to the creature, stay within its circle, make sure he could not use the large weapon to its full extent. He did not know whether or not he could damage it in that position, but that would be the job of his companions. He heard the creature speak its challenge, obvious contempt in its voice. He did not let it finish, and stepped in, shield forward.

    The creature was apparently smart enough to be surprised and staggered backward. It was also smart enough to understand what he was doing, and kept moving away from him, trying to get in a full swing. This allowed for the others to sneak up on him. Avinoam, Tathar and Syrinx were out of the fight. Tathar was nearly carrying a wounded Syrinx, and Avinoam had no more blessings to give. This was between the lieutenant, Ibis, Tian and he. Huo would spare himself until they were in trouble. Moirae was in the background, moving just enough to distract the creature now and again, and placing calming hands on the fighters' shoulders now and again.

    Despite its self proclaimed might, it could not deal with three experienced warriors and the bard. When it took its attention from Ridian, he shoved his shield into the creature, when it kept its focus on him, the others would nick at it. Eventualy it crumbled before them. And the others moved ahead, towards the stairs at the end of the room, which led into an unnatural darkness. As they discussed among themselves, he made a point to strip the armor from the skeleton. It was in near perfect condition, aside from the damage they'd done to it. And it would fit him. He did not think twice and began putting it on, strapping himself in as best he could, being aided by Ibis.

    It fit. And it would serve him well. It felt good to feel the wait of a full mail around him again. As he finished strapping in, a wind blew up from the darkness. A voice carried on the wind... "You dare?" it asked, and they could hear movement from the stairs that led down. The youngbloods inched backwards, and were ushered along by Moirae as they heard the cry of undead, and the shuffling turned to running. Huo threw a fireball down the stairs, which was met with more cries and hissing. Ibis and Tian came to stand next to him again, as Huo prepared himself for the coming fight. He coul hear the footsteps of a troll just a second before the first creatures jumped from the darkness, howling like madmen.

    Wights, ghouls and ghasts flooded the room. The four of them formed a line as Moirae took the youngbloods and ran. They would buy some time before they retreated themselves... Looking at the undead swarming from the darkness, this was no battle they would win. And so they fought, and it felt glorious. Countless undead fell before them, and he remembered how ineffective he had been when fighting in the crypt. He then remembered how he had once fought with giants and ice golems in Narfell. Yes, he felt every bit the warrior he had once been.

    He could see the others as they fought. The blademaster, the troll, and the spellsword. Every one of them was a weapon. Every one of them made short work of the creatures that faced them. The four of them would one day be the greatest martial force of Telflamm... But there and then, it was not enough. They were sweating and panting already, under these numbers. He noticed his own shield was growing heavy, and he noticed the wounds Ibis and Tian had gotten. Even the troll's face looked strained with the effort. It was time for them to retreat.

    As one, they moved backwards. One by one, they fell away from the line. Tian, then Ibis, then Ridian. Huo held the mass of creatures in the doorway a few moments longer before turning and running after them. The wights gave chase, still howling, despite the number thy had lost. He was not certain they could reach the surface before being run down... But luck was on their side, this time. When they reached the mines, the howling died down. It seemed the creatures would not chase beyond the temple grounds. None were willing to test the theory, however, and they kept running, straight for the surface._


  • _He wanted to slap her. No. A slap would not do. He wanted to backhand her with his shield. The entire trip he had spent trying to teach the youngbloods how to fight carefully, stressing the importance of using ranged weapons before joining melee, of staying together instead of running ahead of a group, using shieldwalls, firing from cover, singling out stragglers, letting the damn scouts do their jobs…

    But no. In every fight, she threw herself at the enemy, flailing her sword wildly, screaming, running ahead, ignoring traps she knew were there, ignoring casters, charging a line of archers in a chain shirt, with no shield, once even bringing back a group of goblins to the party... Every single damn thing she ever stressed people should not do. Every single damn thing common sense told you not to do. She got beat up worse than ever. And every time the fighting stopped, she smirked at him and chugged a few potions to heal the wounds.

    But that was her choice. If she wanted to waste a fortune worth of potions or die for being an idiot, he was not going to stop her. What angered him was the fact that she was trying to rile up Tian. Failing that, she was trying to rile up the youngbloods and get them to charge with her. The youngbloods. Not a one of them would survive. Luckily, all he needed to do was point out just how beaten up Ibis was. Thankyfully, Tian stayed in line perfectly, as did Huo, and Moirae. The confidence and trust they showed him reinforced the group's morale.

    When he had let go of the idea of just punching her, he walked up to her, hoping to have a civil conversation. He didn't get the chance, though._

    "Ridian! I found something!" Huo called from the other end of the room, by an old bookcase.

    "'Something' is very vague, Huo. What did you find?"

    Huo motioned Tathar and Syrinx to stand clear, then pushed over an old bookcase. It shattered as it hit the ground and dust flew up, starting a coughing fit in those closest to it. Huo simply stood there with a triumphant grin, however.

    "Subtle." He replied, and he couldn't help but give a small grin as he walked over to the rubble to see what the boy had found. Apparently there was a staircase leading down, which none had noticed before. Even Moirae said she didn't, but that was probably an outright lie.

    "This should be interesting… Are all of you in good enough health to continue?" He asked, looking them over. One by one, they nodded their agreement. Huo had not used much spells and Moirae had not done much of anything. Ibis would have to deal with all she had wasted. He turned to the three youngbloods. The others wouldn't need a speech.

    "Very well, then. We will continue as we have thus far. Remember, we are headed to a place not a one of us has visited before, so there will be no time for playing around. We do not know what is down there, nor do we know where we will end up. For all we know, we might be gone for days. I need to know if you are all up for this?" As one, they nodded. Tathar's eyes even seemed to light up at the prospect, despite her dislike of being underground. He then turned to Ibis, who was faking disinterest in the find.

    "Ibis. I need you to fall in line. What we are doing now may well cost us our lives. If you do anything to endanger our lives, I will beat you down and leave you tied up until we come back." _He expected her to start shouting. He half expected her to fly at him with sword drawn. He expected her to, at least, fly off the handle. She didn't. She looked stumped. Hurt. Silently, she went to stand by the youngbloods.

    He hesistated, perhaps just a bit too long, before addressing the entire group again._

    "Very well, then. Let us see what we can find."


  • _He stood and watched over the market square. It was a beautiful morning. The market was bustling, and he picked up all the scents that came with it. Fresh bread, meat, fish, fruits… newly cured leather mingled with the scent of flowers... this again mingled with the smell of the forges being heated up, and the sawdust being cleared from the carpenter's workshop. Then there was the smell of alcohol coming from the nearby tavern, as well as urine, somewhere nearby. He didn't appreciate everything he smelled, but the mixture was the smell he had come to associate with Telflamm.

    Huo stood beside him, and Tian. They all three watched as their would be companions went around the market, stocking up for their excursion into the mines. The priest of Corellon, Avinoam, a young wood elf by the name of Tathar, and her friend, a stuttering young human girl called Syrinx. One by one, they returned, all claiming to be ready for it. This would good practice. The fighting would be, for them. Keeping them alive would be good practice for him and his friends.
    It seemed a fairly routine excursion to him. Drive back the goblins that flooded into the nearby mines near constantly. There shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to it, even with the youngbloods tagging along. When they reached the gate, however, they were greeted by a familiar figure._

    “Hello you three, headed out for a picnic? I think it’d be more enjoyable should I take Ridian along in private and you take Huo, Tian.” Moirae said in her usual playful tone. Ridian simply responded with a frown in her direction while Huo pretended he was distracted by a bird. Maybe he really was distracted.

    “While you do make it sound interesting, I’m afraid I have to point out I’m far too old for young Huo. And I should also point out perhaps that Ridian seems fairly taken with Ibis.” _Tian responded, hiding a small smile as Ridian shot her a glare. Moirae of course picked up on it, and the pair had a conversation that had him vexed more than embarrassed as Huo and the other three looked on and had their own private conversation.

    Honestly, what had them thinking he had romantic interest in Ibis? Yes, a very interesting woman. Yes, beautiful, despite being nearly as muscular as he himself. Yes, funny. Yes, kind. Yes, intelligent. Yes, caring. Yes, they got along wonderfully… Why didn’t he have a romantic interest in her? Thinking on it now, it struck him as slightly odd. Something about it did not add up. No matter, there was a task at hand, and it seemed Tian and Miorae had gotten to that part now._

    “I suppose you were too many and too well armed to simply be having a picnic. An trip to the mines, then? This should be interesting. Would you mind if I tagged along… for moral support only, of course.” She asked, almost sounding sincere. Not a one objected, so then she asked the next question. “And who will be leading this merry band?”
    The question stumped them. None of them had given it any thought that they would need anyone to lead them, let alone who it should be. They replied with an apologetic shrug.

    “That is… disappointing. I thought you three to at least have the sense to appoint a leader. When you go to battle with just your closest friends, you don’t need a leader, because you know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but remember you are taking along adventurers you barely even know by name, who likely won’t be able to fend for themselves in the deeper mine. How can you trust they will even be sensible?” Moirae looked mostly between him and Tian, and he felt himself being stared down by the ageless bard.

    “I am certain Ridian can lead us.” Tian suggested, sounding slightly amused. His eyes shot wide, but before he could even begin to protest, Moirae grinned and agreed. “It would be very good practice indeed for the young warrior. After all, there may well be times that his life, and those of others, depend on more than just his ability to wave a piece of metal around.”

    He turned to see what the others would say, but they all agreed, including Huo, who just shrugged at him. And so he would lead them. Quite the responsibility to be thrust into his hands, but seeing as everyone’s mind was made up, he would not turn from it. Yet, even before they had made the first steps, the trip took a turn for the worst. He saw Ibis walk up, looking in a good mood.

    “Greetings, you all, might I ask where you are headed? And are you full up, or can I join, as well?”

    “The more the merrier, Ibis,” Moirae replied, “this entire group is headed for the mines, to drive back the goblins, at least for another day. I’m certain we could use your blade and wit.”

    “Ah, grand. You are all set, I trust? Shall I lead, then?”

    “Actually, Ibis, dear Ridian has already been appointed as the leader of this expedition.” Tian replied, though her voice was soft, as though trying to be careful about it.
    Something changed about Ibis’ demeanour then. She turned slowly towards Ridian, looking at him with a slightly raised eyebrow and pursed lips.

    “Is that so?” She asked. She sounded… annoyed. He swore that any minute she would cross her arms and start tapping her feet.

    “Yes. This group has appointed me to lead, and so I shall.” He replied. Curt. Matter of fact. He was uncertain about how to deal with her when she was like this.

    “I see.” It was all she said, but she narrowed her eyes at him before turning and falling in with the group. No protests, no objections, just those eyes. It didn’t promise anything good. He gave a sigh as he rallied them and they headed out the gates towards the mines.


  • ((edited out))


  • _Where was he? The place seemed familiar, but he could not see… As if everything around him lay just beyond the edge of his vision. It was bright, but he could see no sun. He could see nothing above him... It looked like an overcast sky, though there were no imperfections, no changes to mark the clouds... As though there hung a gray slate above him, which gave off its own light.

    The world itself was equally colourless and shapeless. Only when he looked straight at something, could he make out the grass... stones... trees... All gray and hazy... He did not think he could touch them if he tried. But he could not even move, aside from looking around. He recognized it now. This had been his home once. So it was this dream again...

    He wanted to resist. To wake up. It would not work. It never had. He now looked straight ahead, to the woman he knew he'd find. Calia stood before him. He could not read her expression, though he could feel her heart shattering as he heard himself speak the words. She turned, and started to walk away. He still could not move. He felt part of himself wanting to go after her, but he could not.

    Instead, he felt the agony he felt when in solitude, stronger than he did during waking life. It felt as though he was being drawn and quartered. The pain subsided. He sank to his knees and looked up.He could now see a vision of himself, starting after Calia. The vision halted and turned, leaving them eye to eye. Behind his twin stood the vague figures of three women. All four of them disapproved of him, he could tell. The figure took his sword from his back, then started towards Ridian instead. Coming closer, he prepared for a swing. Closer... closer... closer...
    The swing came._

    –-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    He bolted upright, sweat rolling down his face and back. As the memory of the dream faded, he rubbed his eyes, in part to get rid of any tears. Where was he? Looking around the room, he could see mirror stands, instruments and clothing hanging around. The ceiling above him was curved, like some sort of dome. He could hear music from somewhere inside the structure. He was lying on a low cot, his cuts and bruises tended to. Even the spider's bite had receded to little more than a red spot.

    "Welcome, Ridian Anserlon, to the Pegasus theater. I had so hoped your first impressions of it would be when you attended one of our plays, but I suppose this will have to do."

    He turned to face the voice, finding Moirae to be sitting, entirely unscathed, on a chest in the corner. He'd not seen her enter. He'd not heard her enter. She wasn't there when he came to.How did she…

    "You are plaguing your mind with questions that are entirely irrelevant at this time, young warrior, I can tell. Let it go. You went to test your skills. You were winning, you became careless, and nearly paid for it with your life. Someone saved you. Be grateful for it, and let it go."

    "How did you know we…"

    "Again, entirely irrelevant. Let it go." She interrupted

    "Then, why did you…"

    "Ah, now we come to the more interesting question..." she interrupted, yet again. "Why indeed… Because I find you curious... Interesting. It is as simple as that. You will need to learn to stop complicating things, some time. Though I can imagine that, for now, you find my answer unsatisfactory. Allow me to explain..."

    He simply nodded for her to continue. He noted how, there and then, she left her flirtatious nature behind completely. This was a new side of Moirae, to him.

    "I am old, Ridian. Do not give me that look. I merely mean I have lived a long time, not that I am withering. I have lived in this city for most of that life. I have seen the rise and fall of many Merchant Councils, and I've seen many a Merchant Prince born. I have seen wars and other troubles beset my city and the surrounding lands, and I have seen even more adventurers arriving and being swept up by these troubles." As she spoke, he saw her produce a deck of cards from her bag, she began performing minor tricks… or minor magic... with them, still keeping her explanation going

    "What do you think of fate, I wonder… Do you believe we are all predestined to live certain lives? Or do you cast this idea aside and claim every single mortal and immortal is the captain of their own ship, so to speak?"

    "Fate? There is no such thing, our lives are the outcome of the choices we make."

    "So... The suffering you caused another was her choice?"

    He was gobsmacked. He felt as though the woman had delivered a swift kick to his gut. How did she know? How dare she. If she…

    "I know nothing, Ridian. But I have lived a long time. I have seen and done many things, and I have met a lot of people, who have also seen and done many things. Answer the question."

    He remained silent, though he held her gaze.

    "It was not her choice. Who would ever choose to suffer? Yet she did suffer. Then is there no choice? Of course there is. What you did, what she did, what any mortal does, is their choice. Fate and choice appear to be perpendicular, at first, but both are true. They are one and the same. Every mortal has free will. Every mortal can choose. They cannot, however, control the choices of the mortals around them, nor can they control the consequences of their actions. That is fate." She smiled slyly at him. She had found a sensitive spot to play, and she enjoyed it. He remained silent to her barbs. Still, she made sense.

    "When one lives as long as I have, one can see fate unfolding before it happens. Yes, there is magic involved, but also something far too many people overlook. Common sense. And I have seen the increase of adventurers in the city. I see how they grow stronger, your merry band most of all. The arrival of your band tells me new troubles will soon arise, for that has always been how Telflamm's fate plays out."

    She got to her feet, walking over slowly, shuffling the card in the deck, then settling on the cot next to him.

    "And so, I wait, and I watch. I watch as the game is played and fate unfolds. I play my cards in the interest of my fair city. Or I consult my cards when all is not clear to me." Upon saying this, put the deck of cards face down on the cot, and drew the top one. She smiled as she watched it, then turned back to him

    "Would you like to see your card, young warrior?" Her eyes twinkled as she held the card close. He simply nodded. He had no patience for her games, curious though he was. She turned the card to show him.

    "You are the King of Pentacles… It tells me you are loyal and trustworthy... Ambitious and pragmatic... Reliable, strong, protective of what you have garnered and what you care for. You live up to it, from what I have seen, now fate tells me it is so. I do so hope you remain to be this man in the years to come. Tell me, Ridian. In the game of chess that will be played over Telflamm's fate, will you be my King?"

    _She put a hand on his hand and inched closer, but he gently pushed her away. She frowned slightly, watching him. He considered it. Be a piece in another person's game? Every mortal was, to some extent. If there was a game to be played, Huo, Ibis and Tian would most certainly be swept up in it. He could not let them stand alone. He too would be swept up, then. And if he was to be a piece in a game… Would it not be better to be someone's King?

    He looked to Moirae again and simply nodded. One choice made._


  • _He should have seen this coming. Odd how that was the only thing he could think of as he stood staring into the black bead that was one eye of an enormous spider. It was hard to tell what the creature was looking at, exactly, but he was confident that that one eye was fixated on him. Yet, he was not afraid. Thought upon thought ran through his head… Huo, the spider, advantages, disadvantages, tactics for brining it down, the stranger, possible escape routes, possibly dying... Not once did he feel afraid. Though that left him with a discomforting feeling in the back of his mind.

    No matter. He seized the beast up. He had thought Huo was a behemoth... The spider dwarfed the troll. 18 feet tall? 20? 20 feet. Likely a few tons. 8 legs... 15 feet in length? Slightly less... 8 eyes. Poisenous fangs... The creature probably had a stinger as well. He scratched an eyebrow, then tossed bow aside, opting for his spear instead. He did make a not of where he left the things, of course.

    An odd thing was that the spider hadn't moved an inch since it found them, it just stared. Ridian turned towards Huo, with some luck they could plan something before the creature decided to attack. But no. Of course not. As he looked at the boy troll, he saw him hurling a dead spider at the giant spider's face. It was a clean hit. The creature had no readable expression of course, but he fancied it felt a mixture between confusion and rage now. He knew he would if he'd been smacked in the face with a dead elf child.

    He saw a single leg move towards Huo, smacking the mage aside. He himself ducked behind a tree. Seeing what a sweep like that could do to the troll, he had no desire to take a hit. Huo would be fine. Ridian needed to do some damage before Huo's spells faded. And so he weaved between the trees and bush that grew in the swamp, in the hopes of attacking the creature from behind. The creature was too busy dealing with the larger threat that was the troll, right now, so he easily made it. Only to be faced with another large spider as he got there.

    Huo would have to fend for himself a bit longer. The spider circled Ridian, looking for an opening. As far as he could tell, there were no others around. He could easily deal with this one. The creature lunged at him several times, though he managed to knock every appendage aside, at one point hitting the spider in the face with the butt of his spear. This apparently annoyed the spider enough to tempt the creature into jumping at him.

    Ridian positioned his spear to keep its fangs off of him, but let the momentum of the spider knock him backwards, rolling with it as he touched the ground. He put his feet in the spider's abdomen, and kicked as hard as he could. The spider hissed and flew off, then scurried off into the bushed.Not dead yet, but it'd have to wait. Huo called out for him, and it was obvious the mage wasn't going to hold out much longer. Ridian ran the remaining distance between himself and the giant spider, thrusting his zalantar spear into the joint between its hind leg and abdomen.

    It connected and the wood seemed to send a jolt into the joint. He did not stay to get his spear back, however, he simply ran as the creature screeched and let go of Huo, knowing full well the beast would be coming for him, now. He ran for the spot where he'd thrown his bow, and grabbed it from the ground as he ran on. He figured he'd gained enough ground, weaving through the trees, then turned to fire an arrow. The creature was gone. Huo had gotten to his feet, and pointed up as he looked at Ridian.

    The two closed in one one another and kept their eyes on the canopy. They saw nothing. They heard nothing. Did it run? It seemed too good to be true. It was. They were met with a telltale arrow hitting the ground before them as they moved back towards the main road. He could not see the figure anywhere. He looked to Huo, who shook his head. That one outclassed them. They decided to head deeper into the swamp, to flush the spider out.

    It found them. He was hardly surprised. The breaking of a few branches had given it away as it descended from one of the larger trees. Ichor seeped from the wound that still held the spear. He could almost feel the creature seething with rage as it made its way towards them. It came for him at a slow and deliberate pace. He knocked an arrow and motioned for Huo to go around. As Huo ran off through the bushes, the spider kept focussed on Ridian.

    He nocked an arrow and took careful aim. The creature began to move faster. He was almost certain it would jump him any moment now, but he held steady. He was right. The creature launched itself into the air and was going to land right on top of him. Still, he waited for the creature to get close enough... Het let the arrow fly. It pierced that damn bead he felt always kept looking at him. The pain and confusion it caused allowed him to jump ahead and roll away from the spider that flew clean over him and skidded past.

    He threw aside his bow, drawing both sword and shield this time. A last resort, but his spear was still stuck, and he felt the spider would not fall for any more tricks. And so, he faced the creature off. It seemed surprised. Though it might be the loss of an eye disorienting it. It moved more careful this time, more patient. He made a point of staying out of its reach, until he saw Huo moving up behind the creature. When he saw the mage was ready, he stopped moving, and took up a defensive stance.

    The creature backed up a bit, then lunged at him. He could only imagine the feeling of rage that must have gone through the creature when it didn't quite make the jump. Huo had grabbed the spear stuck in its hind leg just as it tried the jump. The spider had still jumped, of course, and Huo was dragged along, though it landed a few feet short of its target. As it tried to crawl back to its feet, Ridian set to hacking at its front leg. At the same time, Huo twisted the spear in its wound, and managed to sever the hind leg.

    He backed off when he felt he'd done enough damage to mail the front leg. Huo had been stabbing furiously with the spear. Still it managed to get back to its feet. But it bled. Oh, it bled. They were winning. A spider easily as large as some of the houses in Telflamm, and they would slay it. The creature stumbled towards him, and took a swing at him with its remaining front leg. It lost its balance and he managed to dodge him. Dying or no, that swing could have broken a few ribs, he still had to be care--

    He felt a jolt of pain coursing up through his leg. He cried out at the burn and turned to look behind him, only to see one of the smaller spiders scurry off. Bitten. Poisoned. He looked at the larger spider, then narrowly ducked beneath another swing. He stumbled back, having to lean in to a tree. He couldn't focus. Suddenly, something big and green lifted him off his feet. Huo. He was running, carrying him off. Seldarine bless the boy. He would have to repay him one day...

    He felt himself falling, and hitting the ground, hard. He could barely move. He heard a voice, talking to them in a disapproving tone. He could see her now. A dhaerow, lording over the boy mage. Huo's feet were bound, the woman's whip cracking at his hands as he tried to release himself. She ignored Ridian, he was obvisouly no threat. Death it was, then. Disappointing... It had gone so well. He felt tired. Oh so tired. And the pain... But he could sleep now. What he did now mattered none. Not even the nightmares mattered...

    He got lifted from the ground again. Abducted? Taken to the Underdark? He tried to look around him... He noticed they were moving. Fast. Away from the swamp. He regained some of his consciousness. He looked towards the swamp and saw the dhaerow fighting... Moirae? Was that Moirae? Alone? He struggled against the hands that held him, but he could not have won against this grip even if he wasn't poisoned.

    He gave in to the darkness creeping up at him, the last thought going through him was the surreal picture of a being saved by a bard and being carried to safety by a troll._


  • _He turned around and let loose an arrow into the canopy above. He had not even aimed, but he heard the arrow strike something that certainly wasn't wood, followed by a spider as large as his forearm falling to the ground. He tossed his bow and quiver aside, knowing it'd do little good when those things decided to attack.

    Now that he'd seen the first, he had an easier time finding the others. There were only about a dozen, so it should not be too hard. He drew his sword, not bothering with his shield yet, and kept them at bay his Huo weaved his spells. As Huo laid a hand on him, he could feel himself become faster and stronger. He felt as though nothing in the world could harm him, and the world itself would do well to stay out of its way.

    Slowly, the critters started to test him, crawling near, then backing off, one by one. One actually attacked, but he swatted it aside with his sword.

    "Just a little longer…" He thought, as Huo was now preparing himself. Three of them jumped at him, he slapped one out of the air mid jump, dodging the second. The third landed on his leg, but he crushed it between his plated leg and the hilt of his sword. This was almost easier than the goblins, yet he did not like it. The way the critters moved betrayed an amount of intelligence beyond that of normal predators.

    He now felt a huge hand on his shoulder and looked up at the grinning face of a 9 foot behemoth, who then clapped his hands together and turned to face the spiders. Moments ago, it felt as though it was too easy. Now it felt as though it would be a walk in the park. That's when something landed on his back, the surprise and weight sinking him into the wet ground.

    As he looked up he saw the legs of a spider that needed to be almost as large as himself. Then he saw the tiny critters closing in. Outsmarted by a bunch of spiders. Embarrassing. He murmured a silent thanks to the Seldarine when he felt the weight disappear. He rolled back to his feet and kicked the nearest small spider a good thirty feet. Liberating. He looked towards Huo and saw two of the larger spiders ripped to pieces at the troll's feet. And more of the large spiders sitting atop the crypt, ready to attack. Finally this was turning into a fight.

    He thoroughly regretted saying this was easier than the goblins. Damned Shou and their "karma". Being outnumbered by little greenskins that may or may not hold weapons a size too large for them, was nothing compared to these things. Larger, heavier, faster and almost as strong as him, to say nothing of their number, or the fact that the small ones were constantly trying to get into his boots. Huo seemed to have it somewhat easier in that regard, he simply flailed his arms around, or picked up one spider to slam it into another. Their bites didn't scare the boy troll. To Ridian, they would be a death sentence.

    But the fight went well, and after a few minutes, the creatures scattered. When they had all retreated, the swamp reverted to its silence. Aside from clapping. A half hearted, unimpressed applause coming from the top of the crypt. They looked up and saw a lone figure standing there, watching. The shadows around her were too thick to really make out who or what it was. She stopped her applause and just waited, watching them, until Huo tried to speak. The figure cut him off just as the boy opened his mouth._

    "Not bad, or was it just luck? I am not used to seeing such skill in a little moon elf or a human, especially at such a young age." A woman's voice stated in a peculiar accent. "Now, I would like to see if you really are worth the air you breathe. In a few moments, a pet of mine will come, and you will fight it. If you win, you walk away with your lives, for now. What'd happen if you lost should be obvious. If you try to run, I will kill you myself. I promise you, you should take your chances with my pet.
    So what say you, shall we play?"

    _Huo looked at Ridian, and he gave a shrug in reply. To him it seemed they had little choice in the matter. Huo seemed to agree. They looked back to the crypt, but the figure was already gone. Ridian tended to what little wounds he'd gotten, and arranged a few potion at his belt. He also gathered his bow and quiver. Archery was always a good choice, even if you could only shoot once before the distance was closed.

    And so, they waited. Neither truly felt like talking, so it was a silent wait. Out of boredom, Huo was tossing around the dead spiders, trying to set a record, he said. Ridian turned to prayer. He had not done that since… No matter. He was vaguely surprised at how easily he could ignore his feelings in this situation, but right now, it didn't matter. He might die and never be found again. Worse fates came to mind as well..._

    "Though we share this humble path, alone. How fragile is the heart.
    Winged Mother, give these clay feet wings to fly, so I may touch the face of the stars.
    Winsome Rose, breathe life into this feeble heart. Mystic Seer, lift this mortal veil of fear.
    May my Queen take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears, so that I may rise above my earthly cares."

    He felt a stab of shame, praying to the Triune. He only hoped they would hear, and see fit to aid him through the coming fight. Huo was standing there, looking at him with an unreadable expression, but before either of them could say anything, they could hear something approaching.


  • "Think fast!"

    _He heard the voice and was already moving before it truly registered. The sound reminded of a game he'd all too often lost already. He bent forward slightly and rolled his hip into an arching spin, stepping sideways as he came face to face with his "opponent". For a change, he neatly dodged the hairy little bundle that was thrown at him. He was getting better. A few feet away stood Huo, the boy's grin faded when he realized his ploy had failed.

    He heard a soft thud and skidding as the bundle hit the ground, and he looked behind to see Mercalas, Huo's pet spider, scurrying away. All too often had that creature landed on his neck or in his face. He much preferred Ibis' beetle, Zhruek, for looks. And temper. Huo's grin had already picked up again when Ridian gave him a questioning look, and they couldn't help bursting out in laughter, getting some odd looks from the merchants nearest to them._

    "All your exercise seems to be paying off, just a good thing you have me then, Telflamm's Magical Weapon, to test you every now and then."

    _That eternal grin. The flair. The flamboyance. The overconfidence. Just a boy, but on the other hand, not just a boy. A boy that could touch the Weave without making an effort. Without a single night of study. A boy that could turn into a troll, and rip through ranks of brigands. A boy that knew bloody well what was going on, despite an air of carelessness.
    A comrade in arms. A friend.

    Somehow, the boy reminded him of Naul, though the pair could not be any more different. Naul, the grizzled, aged northerner with a mouth too big for his own good, that would sing and laugh as he picked a fight with someone or edged Ridian on. He remembered how Calia had often been victim to what came out of Naul's gob. Calia…

    No. Focus. This was not Naul. This was not Narfell, this was Thesk.

    That gob. That mouth they had that was too big for their own good. That was the trait they shared, the trait he so appreciated. It somehow inspired him to join in the pranks and laughter. Huo's presence was soothing, even if only a little. He wondered if the boy realized how much he appreciated his company. How Ridian considered him a friend.

    It was odd to call the boy that. Ridian had always had few friends, in Narfell. He had always used the title sparingly. But the boy certainly deserved it, and would earn the word even more as time passed, he was sure of it. Huo, Ibis, Tian and he would carve their name into the history of Tellflam._

    "Well, how are you then, oh Magical Weapon of Telflamm? I do hope the day greets you well."

    "It does, thank you. Just. You know. Bored. I was thinking of heading into the Lethyr, and try out some new tricks. Perhaps you'd like to come? Practice won't kill you."

    "Practice won't, no. Fighting might."

    "Stop being a gloomy old man and get your things, already. We're gonna be fine, and we're only gonna get better. I need to stop at the market first and stock up, meet you at the gates in a few, alright?"

    _Of course the boy didn't even wait for a reply. Just started running towards the market. Ridian heaved a sigh and went to his room to get a few last things they might need. He didn't know why he showed reluctance. He didn't know why he felt reluctance. The training would do him good, and nothing that roamed the forest during the day could truly threaten them… but something seemed to be pulling at him, trying to make him stay, trying to make him, simply, no bother with it. He could not give in to that...

    And, indeed, in a few, they were already well on their way to the Lethyr Forest. The road was quiet, aside from Huo’s banter. The bandits that had once roamed these roads had been… discouraged… by the number of adventurers now having taken residence in the city. And their not infrequent trips to the Telflamm countryside, of course. He only gave half an ear to Huo’s banter, jokes, recounting of the last few days… He enjoyed it, but on the other hand, it seemed… insignificant, somehow.

    But he would not let his mind wonder. He could not. And so, he spent their walk trying to actively take in all he could sense on their road to the forest. Every scent, every sound, every slightest motion in the bushes. He strained to smell, hear and see. Tried to place every little thing he caught. Huo rambled on. Ridian kept his attention to the world around them, but slowly his mind did begin to wander, as he took in the world, the difference with Narfell reminded him all the more of home._

    “Ridian? You alright?”

    “Hm?” He blinked and looked at Huo, who was now giving him a worried look.

    “Are. You. Alright? You’d think you elves had better hearing than that. Must be the age. We’re nearing the grove, you haven’t said a single thing, and… well…” _The boy nodded towards his face.

    Then he realized. He’d cried. He moved slowly to wipe the drying tear from his face._

    “I am well. This place simply reminded me of… someone. It matters not. We came here to train, did we not?”

    “Well… sure…” The boy said uncertainly, but his face lit up again almost instantly. “Northwest, then? Haven’t gone through that part of the forest yet.”

    “I thought we were not going to get ourselves killed? You want to go deeper into the woods than we have ever been. Just the two of us?”

    “We’ll be fine. You’re getting to the point where you can outfight Ibis and Tian, and I’m Telflamm’s Magical Weapon. Telflamm’s Magical Weapon. What could go wrong?

    “Right. Fine. But if we die, -you- will be the one answering to Ibis.”

    “No I won’t, and you know that too.”

    _Ridian sighed and unshouldered his bow, then donned his warbraid and motioned Huo to follow. Into the woods then. With luck, it would only be goblins they faced today. He’d heard of far worse creatures roaming the depths of the Lethyr, and he wasn’t looking forward to facing those with just the two of them.
    They walked passed the path that lead to what was said to be the druid grove. He made a mental note to visit it in the future and walked on.

    The whole trip turned out to be rather dull. Goblins were all they encountered, aside from a pair of worgs that happened across their path, and even those were fairly easily taken care of. But, of course, Huo’s enthusiasm got the better of him, and he wandered into the swamped part of the forest. No, that was unfair towards Huo. He’d made no objections and might even have entered himself, for indeed it looked safe enough.

    The swamp was quiet. The fabled “too quiet” bards would often speak of. There was no wildlife there, none that he could see or hear, at least. A burning curiosity drove him on. The pain and reluctance fled him completely, for some reason. As they went deeper into the swamp, it became darker, as the canopy above blocked most of the daylight. They noticed a peculiar purple light from deep within the swamp and decided to take a look.

    Still not a sound could he heard as they neared the strange light, aside from the flicker of torches. They came upon what appeared to be a crypt, leading into the earth, two torches at the entrance, giving off the purple light. It was then that he heard an all too familiar sound. The chittering of a large insect._

    “Huo. Tell me that was Mercalas.”

    “It was Mercalas. Though, just so we’re clear, I’m lying through my teeth.”


  • _The trip to the mines was over. They'd gotten back to town safely, where they'd met up with Huo and this Hin named Alenna, who seemed to be a friend of Ibis. They'd spent the evening in the common room of the Sleeping Hawk, laughing and telling him of the several adventures they had had before his arrival. In all, it seemed as though most of the adventurers here were very new to the city. All but a trio named Selenia, Frost and Yashe had been there for less than a year. Moirae didn't count. Some seemed convinced she was as old as the city itself.

    It was a fun evening. It was good company. Aside from Alenna… That one was a few cards short of a full deck, and not in the happy go lucky way. Still. Mostly good company. But the evening had ended, and they all retired to their rooms across the city. He was alone now. As he went up to his room, he dreaded the idea of the silence, and trying to rest.

    It hurt. Everything about him hurt. He had no wounds, no bruises, no strains, no disease or poisoning that could be cured. During the day, when there was enough going on to distract him from it, to keep him busy, it was bearable, though he still carried the weight of it. He sometimes snapped at his friends, for no reason, he was gruff at times, harder than he wished to be, distant when the pain was worst.

    The pain... It was hard to describe. His muscles burned as though he was trying to lift a house. His head felt as though it might split open. And he felt empty. Alone and empty. It was as though his entire being suffered from hunger pangs, all his energy being drawn towards a void he needed all his strength to keep himself from. And he had done this to himself... No, not just himself. Somewhere out there, there was another suffering just as he, if not worse, and he could not help but wonder if she had the strength to live through this.

    Was she sleeping? He had not slept properly in months. He could no longer enter reverie, the constant pain and pulling was too much. He once thought he simply preferred sleep. He now knew that it had been the first sign he was losing his grip. He had just been lying to himself. Sleep was all he had, but in sleep, the nightmares came. Once they were nightmares of his father. Then they were nightmares of his friends. As time passed, his nightmares became nightmares of her, and amidst them all was the most horrid dream of all, the memory of what he had done.

    It became painfully obvious that facing his sin would become his life.
    What had possessed him?

    Pain. Grief. Loneliness. Nightmares.

    It was getting worse.

    "Angarradh send that she gets through."_


  • _It was good that he had found Ibis. It was not until he had sparred her that he realized just how out of shape he was. She had offered him tutelage, and in return asked only that she could get to know him.
    There in the mines near the city, driving the goblins before them, her tutelage was most definitely paying off. He could only wonder what she was learning about him, however, and why it mattered so.

    Little did that matter, now. All he could say for now, was that it worked. Especially since Ibis' friend Xue Tian had joined them. Allegedly, Xue was a sword master, and watching her work her blade, he was inclined to believe the rumour. Along with Ibis' mixture of spell and sword, one would think the pair unbeatable. He truly did feel as a child among men. There was one weakness to the pair, however. Xue wore no armour, and Ibis wore but a light chain shirt, and the small swarm of goblins could likely have overrun them had Ridian not stood there to take the brunt of the hits.

    He gave a soft chuckle at the irony of it, drawing an odd look from both Xue and Ibis, but he simply shook his head and motioned for them to move onward. Which got him a rather foul look from Ibis. Odd woman. After he accepted her tutelage, she'd scorned every attempt he'd made at initiative, telling him to be patient and learn. What he'd done in the past was of no concern to her. Odd woman. But admirable from what he could tell.

    He was getting better. Not weeks ago, this sort of daydreaming would have gotten him roughed up by the goblins in short order. He now glanced over the 8 dead creatures at his feet and moved along with the two women as though nothing at all had happened. Soon he would be able to face these odds alone, again. It was good that he had found Ibis.

    And an interesting meeting it had been. That day in the square, she had been hiding from a group of Thayvians, who were hunting her for using magic within city bounds. Apparently, this sort of thing was outlawed and could cost you quite a bit of coin or body parts, depending on the severity, and while the Thayvians had no official power outside their enclave, the Merchant Prince and the Merchant's Council trusted them to deal with that sort of thing.

    Ibis'… Characteristics... only strengthened their resolve, of course. Ridian could easily imagine the Thayvians wanting to get their hands on a creature who had the ancestry of an elemental running in their veins, no matter how small. Perhaps it had been foolish of him, but when they discovered her and she fled, he'd tripped one of the Thayvians that was chasing her. He could not remember the last time he had run so fast.

    And so they ended up canvassing half the city, each chased by a pair of Thayvians, taking dizzying routes away from the square, knocking over crates and barrels, following impossibly small alleys. He felt so alive then, and the conspiratorial grin on Ibis' face when they crossed paths made him laugh as though they were playing a game. Slowly gaining ground, they paired up as they reached the docks district. Here Ibis led the way to the hill that held the Merchant's Fortress.

    It was not until they reached the top of the hill that he realized how tired the chase had left him, but she urged him on, a few stairs more, onto the roof of a large building. The Pegasus. As they came at the top of the stair, the wind rushed over his face and through his hair. The roof provided a view of the entire city, and lay highest of all buildings, aside from the temple of Shaundakul._

    "Welcome to the Pensive Platform." Ibis spoke "Where villains scheme, lovers pine and heroes contemplate."

    _He couldn't help but laugh. Gods, but he felt so alive right now. The view, the winds, the chase…

    Ibis grinned at him and settled on the roof. Ridian settled a few feet away from her, just gaping at the activity in the docks below, the Easting Reach, the Lethyr and the Thesk Mountains were all visible from that rooftop. He would travel to all these places, before he moved on..._

    "Ridian!"

    Xue called to him, motioning behind him as she pulled her blade free from a dead goblin. He spun around just in time to intercept an incoming axe. That would have hurt. Ibis cleanly disposed of the creature from behind, and he nodded his thanks to both women.

    "Perhaps today's lessons have been enough, no? For dear Ridian is so tired he could not distinguish between a goblin and dear Ibis. Or is there another reason for the young elf to have been looking at her so?"

    His eyes shot open wide and he turned to give Xue a foul look, but the woman was already tending to the cleaning of her sword, showing a thin smile, though not looking up.

    "Without a doubt our dear friend was merely paying close attention to how I fought, Xue Tian. Do not embarrass him." Replied Ibis, who cut an ear from the goblin for the reward, then cleaned her sword and sheathed it. "Though perhaps you are right. We should probably make our way to the city before dark."

    And so the three returned to the surface. Ridian brought up the rear, and he could have sworn the women would be giggling all the way home had he not been there…


  • _The days that followed the failure at the crypts had been fairly quiet. Huo had made it out alive, though he had failed to drive out the Talonar on his own. When the fallen had returned to life and all those present were licking their wounds, they decided they were not ready to try again, especially since the Talonar would be expecting them, now. The Shrine of War, from their part, did not seem inclined to clear the crypts themselves. No, that wasn't quite right. The Temposians wanted to try. The followers of the Red Knight were advising against it.

    It would take time for them to settle on the matter. Time he could use to train, to get back into shape, and of course, time to get to know the people around the city. He really should have known better than to simply try his hand at it, when he was not even sure he was pronouncing his companions' names right.

    Ah, no matter, he survived. Ibis and Huo lived. Things could have gone much worse had he not joined them. In all, it was a positive outcome. He threw on some clothes and headed down to the common room of the inn. Here he noticed a pair of elves talking. One looked like the woman who'd been watching him in the streets when he arrived. He approached the pair and they both turned to greet him._

    "Vedui, cousin. I'd heard there was a new face of the People in the city. I'm glad I finally found you." _Said the man, a smile on his face. He had a golden tinged skin, blue eyes and red hair. Somehow, he reminded Ridian of Calia.

    Calia…_

    "I am Avinoam, priest of Corellon, allow me to welcome you to the city in the name of the People that dwell here. The beauty you see here is Moirae, the city's leading bard and owner of the Pegasus theater."

    Avinoam stepped aside and Moirae stepped closer to Ridian. A little too close to be comfortable for him. Not that she wasn't a sight to see, but there was something strange about her, about the way she moved, the way she studied him, and that little smile. He did not trust her.

    "My word, you still have a cut from your little playtime in the crypts…" _She grinned, edging closer still.

    She knew? How? He hadn't heard the city's rumour mill mention it…_

    "Will you accept the blessings of Sharess? I could fix you right up…"

    _He watched her grin grow just a tiny bit bigger. Elf. Bard. Sharess. Creator, is there any place on Faerun where he -wouldn't- run into their kind?

    "I will accept." He answered, as sternly as he could manage. He was not about to be swept into some bard's game of seduction, but that cut had had a hard time healing, and it still annoyed him.

    "Then in Sharess' name, be blessed."

    And before he could begin to protest she was kissing him. He'd lie if he'd say he didn't enjoy it, but he would not be forced upon. He pushed her off, firmly though trying not to be aggressive. When he opened his eyes, she was gone. Just, gone.
    He looked at Avinoam, and the priest looked back, his face almost perfectly serene. Almost. He could tell the priest was very amused indeed.

    "You will have to forgive Moirae, if you think she is too… forward. She has lived in this city in human ways for a few centuries already. I swear, I'd never have guessed her age, though.
    Anyway, my friend, I must be going, it is time for me to attend my prayers, though I am certain our paths will cross again. Sweet water and light laughter to you."

    "Sweet water and light laughter, cousin, and may the Seldarine see you safe." _Ridian replied as the priest made his way outside again.

    For a time, he simply stood there, wondering about the bard. Had she been watching him on the streets? Bards could be annoying, but they certainly were perceptive… Oh well, time would tell if there was something about her.

    He adjusted his pack and headed outside, greeted by the glory of Telflamm in the morning sun, and the sight of Ibis skulking around the market square for some reason or other...__


  • _He was awake. Or at least, present. He could not open his eyes, or move. Not yet. The pain was too great. This, ironically, came as a relief. It meant he had not died. He tried again to compose himself. Slowly. Pain coursed through his body. He focused his attention on each body part separately. He did not feel as though he had broken something, nor did it feel as though he was bleeding. He should be able to move if need be.

    He felt the ground beneath him. Hard, cold, uneven. He smelled the air. Stale. Smoke. Sweat. No blood? No blood. His ears twitched as he listened for the sounds in the room, which had just been a soft murmur at the edge of his consciousness. Shuffling of feet. A calm pace. The fighting was over, then. Discussion. The sound of torches. It came back to him now. The crypt. He had taken a serious beating, fighting living shadow.

    A slap. Not quite that… Another one. A bit rougher, that. Next one would hurt. And as the third one struck, his eyes shot open, and he had the unpleasant experience of staring at the face of a grizzled priest of the Red Knight._

    "There we go. Glad to see you're among the living. Don't worry, The pain will be gone soon."

    He closed his eyes again, keeping his breath steady as healing energy was channeled through him by the priest. He shivered and let out a heavy sigh. The fight for this crypt was not over yet, otherwise this would have been done outside.

    "The Shrine sends squire Jonan and myself as reinforcements. You were taking so long, we gathered not everything had gone according to plan. We did not expect you to be facing… unnatural things."

    "Unnatural things. Considering we are fighting to liberate a crypt, that was rather shortsighted of you. Especially you." Stone replied

    "We are well aware of that." _Said the priest. There was something dangerous in his voice at that moment.

    Ibis whispered something to Stone, and the man seemed to have dropped it, as the conversation fell into an awkward silence for a few moments._

    "Regardless, we should be moving on, I assume you all are ready then?"

    _He got to his feet as the others spoke their agreement. There was more fighting to be had yet, but he feared that they would only be beaten down again before the day was through. He picked up the spear he'd been given and went to wait by the door with Gragor and stone as Huo and Ibis prepared themselves. So she was a spellsword. It did explain much.

    As they gathered together, the priest asked about discussing tactics before opening the door, but Stone just grinned, then nodded to Gragor, who slammed his weight into the door and went crashing through. A pair of figures in robes stood there, watching. Despite the fact that they probably knew people were raiding the crypt, they seemed surprised at the display. It lasted only a moment, but it was all Ridian needed. He lithely dodged past Gragor's bulk and stabbed his spear forward while one was waving his hands and muttering words.

    It connected. He felt resistance as the spear tore through the robe. He heard a startled cry, and felt resistance again as he pulled back his spear. There was blood on the tip. Mortal creatures. As his target sank to its knees, Gragor overtook the other figure. The greatsword connected, and he heard something snap as the blow threw the creature back. He got a good look, then, and saw a human under the hood. The robe displayed a purple triangle, with three red golden drops.

    So Talonar had taken control of the crypt. Whatever their reasons, that could not stand. And now he knew they were facing mortals._

    "What's going on here? Who in the Hells are you?" _A hooded figure called as he stepped into the corridor.

    Ridian turned, and as Gragor started running towards the figure, he threw his spear with all the strength he could muster. The hooded figure dodged the projectile, but in doing so wasted valuable time he could have used to get away from Gragor. The halfer did not even bother to use his sword, this time, simply throwing his weight against the figure, and placing his hand on the man's face and slamming its head in to the wall. Ridian did not need to watch to know the man would not be getting up.

    Stone and he ran past Gragor who was getting back to his feet, Ibis and troll Huo close behind. They burst into an open room where the cultists had set up a sacrificial altar, several cultists gathered around it.

    the fight was over in just a few minutes, though not without a cost. He wasn't exactly sure if he preferred the bloodless wounds the shadows had left him, or the slightly burning sensation he had from the cuts he'd taken. Though he was in better shape than most. The squire lay dead. The priest was wounded. So were Ibis and Stone. Huo was fine, though his spells became few. Gragor was bleeding like a stuck pig, though he claimed he would be fine.

    They searched the room, though found nothing of real interest. Even the altar seemed unused, so far. Ridian felt a bit of pride in the fact that they were early enough for that, even if he had gotten there only by chance.
    After the worst of their wounds were tended to by the priest, they decided to move on, this time with more caution. To no avail.

    The moment Stone opened the door to the next corridor, a hail of arrows and bolts came their way. Gragor died instantly, as did the priest. Ridian could raise his shield in time to stop most of the arrows that flew at him. Most. He sank to the ground, an arrow stuck in his lower leg. Stone caught a pair of arrows in his shoulder. Huo and Ibis ran through the door and closed it behind them, leaving Ridian behind with three dead men, one dying, and he himself severely wounded.

    Behind the door, he could still hear the sounds of fighting, and he decided he had to make use of the time. He broke the arrow caught in his leg, so it wouldn't snag on anything. Removing it would have to wait. Then he set to the arduous task of dragging his companions to the surface. Quickly. He had to move quickly, pain be damned. The sound of the fighting grew softer with every trip he made to the surface. By the time he made his last trip, to gather the lost weapons and supplies, the sounds had stopped.

    His mind raced and his heart pounded. Had they won? It seemed near impossible. If they'd lost, were the cultists waiting for him? If he opened that door, would he be met by another hail of arrows? Should he just leave? Could he just leave? No, he could not. He could not simply leave two companions to the hands of the Talonar. He inched towards the door, slowly, as quietly as he could, then opened it about an inch and glanced inside.

    He threw open the door, though keeping out of the doorway. No arrows came. No sounds. He looked through the doorway and sneered. Ibis lay dead, riddled with arrows, not ten feet from the door. Though Huo was nowhere to be seen. What he did see was cultists. Dead cultists. He didn't waste a moment, he hurried over to the body of Ibis and picked it up, making himself scarce as swiftly as he could.

    He made it to the surface, looking at the dead bodies of his newly found companions and the faithful of the Red Knight. He'd failed them. He could have done better. He was better. Sorrow now struck him harder than the shadows had. The memories of friends he'd lost. He would make amends.
    Huo? He was obviously more fit to deal with the Talonar than any of them were. The boy would make it out alive. Ridian hoped he would.

    He looked towards the city and saw people approaching. Another pair of priests. He told his story, and let them heal the worst of his wounds. They'd need their strength. He headed back to the city. He needed rest._


  • _"This could be going better."

    He thought, as the group had formed a circle, fending off the very shadows of the crypt. A dark tendril reached out, almost like smoke, but more consistent. He swung his sword at it. It connected, and passed through. Not quite consistent enough. The tendril retracted, however. He had no way to tell if he was harming the thing. Things. He had no way to tell how many there were. Nor could he say if his companions were harming it. And they could not retreat for the black mass blocked every passage from the room.

    Another tendril came forward, and this time he was too slow. It landed on his shoulder and passed straight through his armor. A jolt of pain ran through him, and his knees almost buckled. Gragor stepped in and shielded him from a second blow. Good man. The halfer was fighting with every bit of strength and rage he had to keep his companions safe. When he composed himself, he patted the big brawler's shoulder and nudged him back to Huo.

    Composed, but still very much in pain. A pain that would not fade. He knew well enough the implications.

    "This could be going much better." He thought.

    He looked to his right, and Gragor was still going strong. The halfer, too, seemed to have little effect on the wall of shadows closing in. Then he looked to his left. The wall seemed less thick on that side, somehow. He saw the woman cleave at the wall of shadow, and the blade sparked lightly as it connected, the tendril retracting from the merest touch.

    "Well, at least one blade that can harm the creatures." He thought as he fought on, falling into a defensive stance, giving her the occasional glance. She was strong enough to wield the sword. Probably stronger than him. She had some skill, from what he could see, but she was careless. Yet some of the things he thought would have been a clean hit did not even faze her. There was something odd about her.

    Yet no more than what he heard was going on behind him, though he could spare no time to look. One of the men was chanting, nothing he'd ever heard from wizard nor priest. He wasn't even sure he was chanting. It felt pleading, as if he were actually talking to the creatures. The other sounded big. Bigger than Gragor next to him. Grunting and breathing heavily, it almost felt as if there was a bear guarding his back.

    Another hit. This time was the careless one. He groaned faintly as he felt his strength being sapped. Then he got pulled back by the woman, her yelling commands at the others as she turned to look at him. He looked now to the other side of the circle. The guard and the woman had actually harmed the creatures a fair bit. The troll willingly taking blows while shielding them was the biggest surprise though. That was Huo? He'd not thought the boy to be that strong.

    She handed him a spear. Was that anger and disappoint on her face? She said something about warning her, and using the spear. He couldn't hear her clearly anymore. The last blow must've been heavier than he'd thought. He gleaned that the spear could harm the creatures, and so, without giving it much thought, he turned again to face the shadows.

    Bad timing. He watched as Gragor sank to the ground, the halfer's gray skin having turned paler still. Gritting his teeth he raised the spear towards the shadows, stabbing furiously at each approaching tendril. They drew back at the spear's touch. Had the thing been intelligent, he mused it might have been shocked. But from what he could see, the thing did not care. It lunged at him again and again, and though the shadows began to seem less thick, he grew weary. He missed an oncoming tendril by a hair's breadth. It caught him dead in the chest, and all turned black._


  • _Telflamm.

    "Here lay the first steps of the Golden Way". A beautiful city. At first glance, of course, as was always the case with cities. He had once thought Peltarch was a grand city. The Jewel of the Icelace. But truly, it paled in comparison to the trade hub that was Telflamm, where the cultures of fabled Kara Tur mingled with those of Faerun.

    He had taken a ship out of Lyrabar some days ago. He'd forgotten how much he'd loved sailing. Blame Eluriel for that. And thankfully, the weather was milder this far south, only adding to the experience. As he got off the ship in the Telflamm docks, He felt gob smacked at the sight of the city.

    He truly did feel just like a child again as he made his way through the city. It wasn't too difficult, human cities were fairly predictable. But that did not change the fact that this was a whole new adventure. He felt like a greenhorn, again.

    Truth be told, he might as well have been. Remarkable how swiftly one forgot certain skills when one did not keep practicing. "Use it or lose it", the humans would say. That and all he brought along were his old breastplate and a sword that Horfirith had given him. Travelling light and without attracting attention seemed the sensible thing to do.

    It seemed as though every turn he took struck him with awe over the things he saw. The architecture, the different people. At one point, he thought he saw a woman watching him, though she was lost in the crowd in a matter of moments. Slowly he made his way to what seemed the center of activity. And there it lay, Shemszarr Square. Telflamm's market. And its inn. The Sleeping Hawk. His new home in the days to come, as he would explore what this city had to offer.

    He approached the inn, and just as he wanted to head in, a voice called out behind him_

    "Hey stranger! Yes, you, elf!"

    _He raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed, and turned around. There stood a group of all manner of backgrounds, dressed up for a fight, watching him. A Shou boy, holding a staff, with a spider on his shoulder. A gray skinned half orc, wearing a breastplate, a greatsword on his back. A dark skinned human, wearing what seemed to be a worn Telflammar guard outfit, a falchion on his back.

    And then… a woman... more than a head taller than him, and at least as broad of shoulder... There was something strange about her. Dressed in a riding dress, a longsword at her side, and a beetle on her shoulder. Her skin was tinged blue, her eyes golden, and her hair white, but she was no elf. Her hair moved with the breeze. A breeze that wasn't there._

    "You carry yourself with grace and confidence." Said the man wearing the colours of Telflamm "You wear armour and you bear a weapon. That saves me money. Chances are I could use you. How about you make use of those things, and I pay for your night at the Sleeping Hawk this evening?"

    He considered for a short time, it seemed a solid offer. He nodded and fell in line.

    "I'm Stone." The man told him "The boy is Huo. The halfer is called Gragor. And that's Ibis." Nodding towards the strange woman.

    "Ridian."

    "You've just been hired to clear out a crypt for the city's Shrine of War. Welcome to Telflamm."


  • _Screams.

    They were all around, some calling to rally together and take up arms, others to flee.
    Some were in agony. Others, the most horrid among them, were in revel.

    They came swiftly, they were brutal and without mercy, and they… they were lead by one of their own... The bard... she had come to their settlement so often, and always in friendship, but now...
    An army of demons... How she got them there without notice was beyond him, but they were there, and they were wreaking havoc.

    A shout. His name.. His mother was calling to him. His sister holding er hand, and his father looking around cautiously. The settlement was lost, and they all knew. The time had come to scatter to the wind like leaves.

    And so they ran. Father first, him last. The smell of fire was apparent before even the smoke and flames were. The first tents had been torched, they had little time now, if they had any.
    They ran from their home hidden in the canopy, like the others. As they climbed down, he noticed that two other homes had already been put to the torch.

    Dashing between trees, burning, torn down, some standing, some merely hacked at, they made their way to the south of the camp. Luckily, the enemy only came from one direction, it would seem chaos was their plan more than anything.
    Yet the loss of life and the loss of beauty to the woods was indescribable. The Rawlins would never be the same after this.
    They reached the end of the camp, and he believed his family to have escaped, but then his father suddenly stopped.

    No words were needed, the boy knew what his father was doing.
    He could not speak, he would not. He knew that his father did only what he believed was right.
    When his father turned to leave, so did his mother in the opposite direction.
    She called after him, and for a moment he was torn.
    Then he ran, after his father. He would not let him go alone to what he was surely facing.

    He came upon his father holding one of the demons at bay with a spear... His boarhunting spear... he had known he would be doing this at the first sign of trouble, for he did not bring it with him as they were fleeing their home...
    He dashed towards him, he had nothing but a wooden training sword, but at that time, it made no difference.
    Too late.
    As he ran towards his father, one of the trees fell in between the two of them. He narrowly escaped it. He tried to climb over, but he was too late.
    He heard his father scream.

    And he awoke.
    He stared up at the ceiling, then looked around to make sure he was where he thought he was.
    He heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, then sat up on his bed, looking around and taking in the world around him. The faintest streak of gray was visible above the canopy to the east. Dawn was still a few more hours away.
    He did not know why he kept trying to sleep... Reverie was all an elf needed, and each time he slept the nightmares came.

    No matter.
    He walked out onto the balcony of his tree house and looked over the trees. How long had it been?
    50 years or so, now.

    He saw a few lights flicker down among the trees... Travellers, nothing to be worried over.
    He watched them as they made their way to the nearby city... Lyrabar...
    His mother and sister lived there, still. Five years he had lived alone now, but he liked to be near, in case they had need of him.

    But, of course, as time progressed, they had less and less actual need of him. They had built up their own lives inside the city, and he had lived his own life in the lazy luxury of the forest, though doubtlessly some would think him mad for calling it that.

    He realized the time of his travels with them was coming to an end, as they seemed more settled in the city now than in the forest, Amaque earning their keep with her harp. She had even found a partner. He wasn't certain he approved of the boy half elf, but likely that was just him being the older brother.

    He was planning on leaving. The desire for it had struck him as odd. Decades he'd spent in anger, believing his entire family dead. Years he'd spent trying to find them, protecting them and caring for them when they needed. He hadn't been wrong. In time, everything had turned out as it should be. And now, he wanted to leave them again. The difference was, he knew they were fine. And he knew they were fine with his departure.

    So, come morning, he would set off.
    But not to Narfell. And not to the West, as so many of his kin did, no. He wanted to discover what lay east. Thesk. The Golden Way. Farther still, if fate permitted.
    Once more on his way to unknown lands. The prospect excited him._