The Forging Chapter 12: Shattered Stone

Laith and Grenwyn had tracked the girls for 3 days straight now, resting only when absolutely necessary. This night, they knew they had to rest, they were making progress so slowly now, that sleeping a few hours and then re-embarking would be more expedient. They laid down next to the campfire, but though completely exhausted, neither man could find rest. “Your hammer,” Laith said, breaking their long silence “I have never seen it’s like before, and if I don’t make it through this alive, I would be saddened not to know the story of such a fine weapon.” Grenwyn smirked ruefully at the comment. It was indeed a fine weapon, one requiring the finest of dwarven craftsmanship. One dwarf out of 1,000 would have the skill and misfortune to make one. “Aye,” said Grenwyn, “she is a fine weapon, who came to me at a very dear price...” he began.

Grenwyn was born into a small dwarven enclave nicknamed Devil’s Deep. The name had come about after a skirmish between the dwarves there and a few denizens of the abyss. The dwarves had dug so deep mining the valuable and rare gold heart sapphires that came from their mines, they had reached into the underdark. Little did they know, their new mine shaft opened up into a secret storeroom for a prominent dark elf matron. When she found out, she summoned creatures from the abyss to attack the dwarves. Though taken by surprise, the sturdy dwarves beat back the attack and sealed the lower cavern, but to this day, the horror of that attack was told and retold as a cautionary tale to young dwarflings. Unfortunately for Grenwyn, he was never one to listen to fairy tails.

Grenwyn was a gifted craftsman, and could have had any maid in the clan, but his heart went to one woman, and one woman only, Onyx Shaleshatter. True to her name, her eyes were black as the stone she was named after, and they sparkled like the finest cut gemstone. Her hair and beard were black and silky like a raven, with just the hint of a wave to them. Her figure was stout, but soft, and her laughter could crumble a cave wall. Although he was well known and well off for his talent, Grenwyn was not from the same level of wealth as Onyx’s family, and he wanted to be able to give her every comfort and treasure. They were married, and with his business growing, and trade increasing, they were beginning to do quite well.

Within a few years, Onyx was with child. Grenwyn could not have been more pleased, and yet, he felt more than ever that he needed to give Onyx more. Onyx gave birth to a beautiful baby girl whom they named Ambre. Grenwyn felt like he was the luckiest dwarf under the rocks, and he wanted to get Onyx a very special gift, so he set out to Devil’s Deep in search of a gold heart sapphire.

Greywn left at night and went alone, he knew it was dangerous, but he felt confident in his abilities and in the fact that it had been hundreds of years since the fight with the demons. He made his way stealthily and silently (for a dwarf) through the tunnels, he used the key he had proffered from an old friend to open the locked door. He entered the dark cavern and held his breath, he stood still, and listened intently, hearing nothing, he proceeded forward. Grenwyn surveyed the area and in the middle of the cavern, sticking out of a stalagmite, was the largest gold heart sapphire he had ever seen, he took one more look around to make sure he was alone, and then went forward to claim his prize.

While it was true no one was in the cavern with him, the sapphire itself had been the trap. When the drow had sent their servants to attack the dwarves, one of the reasons they could not win is that they were never able to find the dwarven compound, so a certain drow matron by the name of Zarjra cast a dweomer on the sapphire that no dwarf could resist, and placed it in the center on the cavern.The effects of the spell were three fold. First, it notified Zarjra when someone touched the stone. Next, it allowed her to scry through the sapphire. Lastly, it allowed her to magically trace the sapphire wherever it went.

Grenwyn returned home and presented the beautiful stone to his wife, who was both astonished at its worth and beauty, and furious at the risk her husband took to get it. Zarjra was startled, but not surprised when she felt of tingle signaling the stone had been touched after all these years. The dark elf none the less smiled wickedly as she saw the sweet family she was about to destroy.

Onyx was furoius at Grenwyn for taking such a risk, and refusing to wear the gem, she hung the sapphire above her babies crib, and Ambre would laugh as the firelight played off the crystals facets. Despite Onyx's initial wrath, Grenwyn was pleased and finally felt like he had given his wife and daughter a gift worthy of them. He went to work the next morning, carefully crafting the fine weapons he plied for his trade, never thinking once that it would be the last time he saw his family.

Zarjra knew just the associate she would use to mete out her revenge, and she smiled to herself as she watched it slither along the dark tunnels toward the dwarven holes. She laughed to herself as a rat scrambled across its path, looked at the creature, and turned to stone only to be turned to dust a moment later as the snake like creature rolled over it.

The basilisk would never take out the whole dwarf colony, but she didn’t need it to. For the moment, the dwarves presence benefited her as it protected her holdings from creatures less intelligent and therefore more apt to cause her problems. Thus it was that she would enact her cruel revenge on the unlucky dwarf who had crossed her path. She had the information she needed about the location of the dwarf stronghold, and she would be sending a strong warning to them to stay away from her territory.

Grenwyn was just coming back to their home for lunch when he saw the door ajar, he knew something must be wrong because Onyx never left it open. Then he heard the hissing, a thousand thoughts rushed through his mind as he raced to the door, and none of them were pleasant. As he turned the corner, he pulled up short, a great snake like creature slithered before his wife who stood frozen in place, turned to stone, and the snake was leering over the baby who did not take her eyes from the reflections in the sapphire. Luckily Grenwyn realized in time what manner of creature he was facing. Grenwyn rushed into the room bringing a mighty swing of his axe down upon the creature’s tail. It screeched in pain and spun on him hoping to freeze him with its gaze. Grenwyn was prepared though and kept his gaze down. The creature jerked its head back and prepared to sink its fangs into the annoying dwarf, but its fangs hit only air and Grenwyn spun behind the creature, covering the babies head with its blanket, and chopped again at the creature's tail.

This time the force cut the end of the tail off, but that only seemed to madden the creature who broke into wild pursuit each lurch of its head barely missing the agile dwarf. Grenwyn was mostly parrying but managed to score a few hits here and there, he could hear other dwarves rushing to his aid, drawn by the commotion. Grenwyn was torn between protecting his baby, and moving towards the hallway to warn his fellows to avert their eyes. Of the first 5 dwarves to reach the room, only 1 was lucky enough to avoid the paralyzing gaze. The others rushing in to help caught on quickly enough, and there were no more casualties in that manner.

The basilisk was surrounded and bleeding from a dozen wounds. Grenwyn rushed in and hacked a mighty blow at its neck, which cut it wide open. Grenwyn held out hope that the petrified condition could be reversed and his child was yet uninjured. Then, in its final throes, the snake lashed the remnant of its tail against the petrified Onyx, and in that moment, his wife, and his heart, shattered into glittering dust. Grenwyn let out a scream of agony, and Ambre, who had by then managed to remove the blanket from her head, turned only to look into the eyes of the serpent, and was turned to stone. Rage overtook Grenwyn and he hacked what remained of the creature in a pile of bloody gore, and then grief took him, and he sat there, uncaring and unfeeling for a very long time, until finally, his thoughts turned to revenge.

The high priests helped him trace the magic and he spent years planning his revenge on the drowess who had taken his family. When he was ready he moved quickly, and his vengeance was swift, but that tale is one best left for another time. He used a rare ancient ritual to bind the bones of Zarjra into a magical hammer. The spell used the sorrow and rage of a person who has been caused great loss and enacted vengeance upon the source, allowing them to create a weapon made of the bones of their slain enemy, and fueled by emotion that is far more powerful than weapons, even magical ones, made of metal and wood. A boneblade only comes once in a dozen or more generations, and it was Grenwyn’s gift and burden to bear one.

After his crafting, Grenwyn could not find peace within the confines of his home. Though no one blamed him outright, he knew it was his stupidity and impetuousness that had killed the woman he loved, turned his child to stone, and turned to stone 4 other of his kinsmen. He wanted to leave, but he had to see if his daughters curse could be reversed as he would not leave her if there were any chance for her.

No matter what spells they tried, the dwarven priests and elders were unable to reverse the petrification. They consulted elves, gnomes, and even svifneblin. Nothing worked, years had passed, and Grenwyn’s heart could bear no more. He hung the sapphire around his daughters neck, and left to create a new life, or destroy his old one.

“My friend, that is a dark and sad tale indeed, I am so sorry for your loss.” Laith said, and he gently placed his hand on Grenwyn’s shoulder. “Aye,” was all Grenwyn could manage, moisture was evident in his eyes, and they sat there in silence for some time.

The next morning Laith saw the first sign they had yet seen of the girls. He found the spot where Mynix must have landed from her flying spell, two small boot marks following a series of skips and skids in the soft sandy earth of the pine forest. They followed the tracks to the edge of the forest. Grenwyn and Laith exchanged looks, and moved together to search the ground for clues...or bodies.

Laith came across her first, and tears came quickly to his eyes as he saw her lying there. Blood, dried and crusted showed where it had leaked from her eyes, her ears, and her mouth. Her eyes were open and stared unseeing into the sky, her mouth hung open, but half in a smile, her cut tongue lay dry and swollen in her mouth. Grenwyn had seen Laiths face and came running to his side, Laith tried to hold him back, but Grenwyn threw himself to the ground next to the girl, weeping and searching for any signs of life.

Laith was sure the girl was dead, but, “She’s still with us!” Grenwyn shouted, and he lifted her head slowly as Laith uncorked him canteen and used his handkerchief to wet her mouth and begin to wipe the blood from her face. “We’ve got to get her back to Taylia,” Grenwyn said. “But Feryl..”Laith began, then trailed off. “She’s gone from here, and in which direction and to where I can’t be guessing, but Mynix is going to die if we don’t get her help, and it might be that Taylia can at least point us in the right direction.” Grenwyn reasoned, Laith nodded in stoic agreement, and they worked to fashion a litter out of trees trunks and extra blankets and began the long journey back to Taylia’s tower.

The Forging Chapter 11: Enter the Villains

They set out after a wonderful breakfast, packs reloaded with all sorts of food items Mathilde had lovingly prepared for them. The goodbyes were friendly and cheerful on the outside, but all of them felt on the inside that this goodbye may be forever. Laith and Taylia had taken it especially hard, being reunited after so many years. The next time they saw each other, Taylia would be even older, if she were even still alive. Her mortality, was a hard burden for Laith to carry.

Mynix was quite excited to get on with their journey. She had learned a lot in the few short weeks they had stayed there, and being in a place and people of such a good alignment made her stronger, and better able to face her shadow. She knew a small array of spells and was confident she would not be a hindrance in their next battle, and in fact, hoped to be a decisive factor in it.

Grewyn was ready to move on as well. Although he had been content there, is restless spirit was eager to move on. They still had not found out enough about their enemy to launch a counter attack, and that unsettled him. He didn’t mind fighting an enemy, but he didn’t like not knowing one.

Feryl was confused, after burying the Mother she barely remembered, and meeting an old woman who had been the lover of the same man who was her lover now, her emotions were beginning to get a bit jumbled. She just felt tired, and the thought of being on the road, and the dangers ahead made her nerves raw. The respite she had at Taylia’s only seemed to make her feel worse now when the reality of her situation had kicked back in.

In addition to all the personal burdens each bore, the road was getting tougher now, with loose gravel and steep inclines making for treacherous footing. There trees were sparse, with conifers and straggly bushes dotting the landscape. They felt very vulnerable in such an open area, but Laith tried to use what small cover there was to best advantage.

They had camped low on the hill that night, building a small fire because winter in the flat lands was setting in. They sat huddled together under a small overhang. Everyone was on edge, having traveled long on hard paths, crossing back and forth and always weary of danger, jumping at the slightest sound. Feryl looked the worst of all, her mind constantly trying to work out the puzzle of her past, her heart trying to make sense of the complicated relationship she had with Laith, and her senses fighting to keep alert.

It was the grey beginning of dawn when Mynix awoke with a start, the fine hairs on the back of her neck rose. She opened her eyes, and noticed she could see her own breath. Under her breath, she mouthed the words to a spell Taylia had taught her, and she cast a protection over herself, and then raced through a spell granting her nightvision. She slowly looked around, first with just her eyes, then, when the area seemed clear, by turning her head. She slowly raised herself to her knees, then she crawled over to Laith. “I think we are under attack,” she whispered to him. She watched his eyes slowly gain focus, and the quick flinch of his facial muscles betrayed the rush of adrenalin as he awoke to danger. By then Mynix had moved on to wake Grenwyn and Feryl. They drew their weapons and stood back to back around the fire. Mynix cast her light spell and still their enemies did not appear. Then as if from no where, flames appeared in a circle around them. The sudden influx of light caused all of their vision to be lost. Flamed seared their skin and scorched their hair. Mynix had the worst of it as her night vision spell had made her eyes extra sensitive. Reeling from the pain, she heard Feryl scream off to her left. Mynix knew they had to break free of the circle so she cast spell causing a spout of water which she flung toward the flames she felt in front of her as she tried to break for the outside. Everyone had either seen or sensed her reaction as she felt 2 bodies move past hers. “Feryl, no!” Grenwyn cried, followed by the anguished gasp of Laith. She heard the sounds of battle about her, but heard Feryl’s scream overhead. Mynix begrudgingly cast one of her precious healing spells on herself and her eyes found focus just in time to see Feryl carried of into the sky by a wizard on a great carrion bird. Mynix looked to Feryl, then looked back to see Grenwyn and Laith hard pressed against several of the undead foes. She knew if she did not leave after Feryl now, she could never hope to follow her. “Laith, Grenwyn” she called, “I am going after Feryl, will you be able to hold these off without me?” Grenwyn grinned at her, “ye just try and stop me!” he called and Mynix waved as she rose into the air under the effect of her flying spell. She did however, cast a brief firewall before she flew away, to ward off the skeletons trying to flank the two men on the right.

Mynix cast another dweomer about herself to cause her to blend in with the night sky as she flew. If Feryl had noticed her she had given no sign. Mynix kept her distance and flew close to the trees, keeping to cover as she flew. The sorcerer who held Feryl must not have noticed either, for he did not look back as he flew off into the distance, as if he were so supremely confident in his magic that he could not fathom that someone would have survived and been capable of following him.

Mynix misjudged him though, he did expect someone to follow him, in fact he hoped for it. He cast a ring of fire and then summoned undead who are weak to fire in hopes that they creatures would delay his enemies, but not hinder their pursuit. He wanted Laith to follow him into his stronghold, where he could easily be captured and then destroyed in front of Feryl. Dastrius knew Feryl's madness was held back only by the thinnest thread, and he was consistantly making that strand thinner. First her heart, then her town, and reanimating her own Mother was just a touch of genius in his opinion. To destroy one such as Laith, so devoted and pathetic in front of her destroy her. Dastrius hoped he could then subvert her to his own use.

Dastrius misjudged Mynix as well though. It did not cross his mind that the fragile girl could have learned such powers so quickly, that someone capable of taking him down if he was caught unawares followed him and he was smirking at his own superiority.

Mynix could feel her flying spell begin to fade, and the wizard still had not landed. She rose up one last time to be sure of his direction and then quickly lowered herself to the forest floor, always keeping his direction in her mind. She had one spell of magic missiles left to her arsenal for the night, and knew she had to save it for when it would really count. She knew it would never be enough, but she had to try.

Grenwyn chopped a mighty over hand swing at the animated skeleton to his right, one of its arms hung uselessly from it shoulder, crushed by Grenwyn’s mighty blows. He reversed direction, moving his aim higher and knocking the creatures head parallel with its shoulders. Grenwyn would have finished it with the next chop, but it was thrown to the ground by a larger and more intact creature. The smell of the creature nearly knocked Grenwyn over, but he gritted his teeth and pulled together his strength for a massive strike knocking the creature back into the flame. It caught fire like smoke powder and burned itself out in a few seconds collapsing to the ground in a pile of ash.

Laith had been quite busy as well, he battled 3 of the less well animated skeleton creatures. He darted back and forth between them, dodging their slow blows with ease. The skeletons were all missing various pieces, but Laith was beginning to slow, and showed signs of a few scratch marks here and there.

Mynix ran through the forest as quickly as she could, knowing she must break the edge before Feryl and the sorcerer flew completely out of view. She nearly blew her cover when she breached the edge of the woods only to find the sorcerer’s carrion bird circling to a landing about 250 feet in front of her. Mynix stepped back so fast she fell, and though she was sure she must have been sighted, the wizard showed no signs of noticing her. Mynix only realized that Feryl was unconscious when she saw her fall limply from the bird’s saddle onto the hard ground, and she hoped that she was not already too late.

Mynxi waited until nightfall since she could see that the sorcerer intended to make camp for a night. She wondered if today had been her lucky day when she noticed the sorcerer did not even set a guard before he lowered himself to a sleeping roll for the night. Slowly, Mynix crept up to him with as much stealth as she could muster. She had but one spell left to her that day, so she had to make it count. A killing blow would be the only thing that would suffice. Mynix crept up as close as she felt she could without arousing his suspicion, Feryl was still out and seemed to be bleeding from a wound in her head, but the slow rise and fall of her chest marked her as yet among the living.

Mynix aimed her hand and fired, the missles hit the sorcerers head with burning force and Mynix instinctively flinched as she saw flesh boil away to reveal muscle. Unfortunately, her spell had not been strong enough to kill the wizard, and the rage in his face as he screamed in horror chilled Mynix to the bone. He looked her way and spoke words that hurt her ears to hear. Her eyes watered and she could no longer see, she could feel warm fluid filling her ears, her muscles moved of their own accord and she felt her mouth fill with blood as she bit her tongue. Mynix felt as though she were turning inside out, and then she sensed a familiar presence, and a blue white light reached out from her chest to push back at the sorcerer. The wizard screamed out it pain, and the power emanating from his receded. Swiftly blowing through a chant, the sorcerer disappeared. Mynix smiled as she sank slowly to the ground. “Wake up Feryl, Run!” she whispered as she sank into the tall grass. Blood dripped down her neck, seeped from her eyes, and drooled from her mouth as she lay staring at the bright sky without blinking. Everything went white, and Mynix knew no more.

Feryl slowly began to wake and realized she was staring up at the open sky, the sun had just past its zenith. The light stung her eyes, and her mouth felt very very dry. She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in her head made the world swim and she laid back down again. She raised her hand to her face and it came back sticky with her own blood. Then, like a whirlwind everything, every memory, came flooding back to her. She remembered her childhood, her mother whom she had recently buried, her rescue by Grenwyn, and her flight with her friends, but most importantly, she remembered her love, Dastrius, and all he had done to her, all she had loved and he had destroyed. Her eyes grew hard as mithril and she let out primal growl. “Dastrius,” she growled to the world in general ”Killing you is going to be the most pleasurable experience of my life.” With that she took off running towards Lithaear searching for her vengeance.

The Forging Chapter 10: Taylia's Tower

They reached the tower quite late that evening and found Mynix fast asleep in a chair waiting for them. Grenwyn looked from Mynix to Feryl and said, “Bah, best to let her sleep, I’ll be the one telling her tomorrow that she helped to put your mother to rest.” Feryl’s eyes teared up again, and she felt a anger grow in her as she looked at Mynix, but she nodded solemnly and they turned to look for Taylia.

Taylia was sitting up in the kitchen, holding hands with another old woman and chatting quietly about the day. Taylia beamed when they walked in, “I would like to introduce you to someone very special to me,” she said, “This is Mathilde, and I love her.” Mathilde blushed, and Laith could see why Taylia was so taken with her. “A pleasure to meet you as well,” Laith said, and sketched a courtly little bow. Mathilde smiled, laughed with a sound somewhere between the springing of a brook and the tinkle of elven bells.

“Allow me to introduce to you, Miss Feryl Flamecloud, and Mr. Grenwyn Shalesplitter,” They all made introductions, and Taylia bade them to sit down. Mathilde rose to get them some food and drink. “This is the life,” Taylia said, nudging Grenwyn with her elbow. “I work on my magic all day, and I have me a beautiful wife with a sweet temperament and a talent in the kitchen,” Taylia looked into the next room to see Mathilde busily scurrying about, and it was easy to see the love and admiration in her eyes. Grenwyn let out a hearty chuckle and said to Taylia, “Yer a woman after me own heart.” they both laughed heartily, and with that, they ate and drank their fill, which was a lot since they had been eating off the land for so long.

Mathilde had eagerly put out a spread of spiced wine, and sweet wonderful bread she had baked herself, she had smoked ham, and wild mushrooms, and a variety of salt cured fish Feryl had never tasted before. It was the first night in a long time that they were able to relax and enjoy each others company. When they were done, Mathilde showed them each to their own room, where they found a bed with clean soft bedding, a change of clothes, and a wash basin filled with warm water and lavender. Each room had its own theme with fabrics from a different part of the world that Taylia had collected on her travels. Mynix seemed to wake as Grenwyn walked by, so he bade the others go ahead, and he sat down to tell her about Feryl’s mother.

Feryl collapsed onto her bed without even doffing her armor, and when Laith peeked in on her, he smiled at the soft sounds of snoring that came from her, he watched her sleep for a few moments, and then returned to his own room. Elves needed less rest than humans as well, and did not actually sleep except in circumstances of extreme exhaustion or sickness. They instead entered a state called Reverie, which was similar to a lucid sort of dreaming. Laith removed his clothing, and washed himself with the sweet scented water that had been left for him in the basin, and settled against the wall with his eyes open as he began to sink into his past memories.

His mind sank back to a particular time for him, he was very hungry and desperate as he wandered through the forest, not long after leaving his village for the last time. He was chasing a rabbit, the first game he had seen for days when he stumbled into a glen with a small pool at its center, his eyes were drawn to a very much unclothed human woman who stood near its bank. She smiled at him, and his ear tips flushed at the unabashed way she walked towards him, completely unembarrassed by her nudity. “Greetings Elfie,” she said in a voice better suited for a tavern. “I’ve never met one of your kind before, and if you’d have a care to stop staring at my chest, you can sit by my fire, have a chat, and share some of my food.” Laith couldn’t manage a coherent reply, so she led him by the hand, and sat him down.

Taylia had come to the forest in search of rare ingredients for spells she was devising. She loved to use items from the natural world in the crafting of spells, and loved better the solitude that life in the mountains offered her. He taught her much about wood lore, and the way the elves used herbs and plants for potions and healing. She taught him about humans, and city life, and women. They forged a deep friendship, and camped together whenever Taylia was on her expeditions. As Taylia advanced in her studies, her visits came less and less, and Laith was stricken with loneliness once again. When more than a year had passed since he had seen or heard from her, he decided to move on to the lower regions of the forest and into the human cities beyond. He searched for Taylia in the city she had most often mentioned but had had no luck in finding her, so he decided she had moved on, and he must do the same. His memories shifted again, and his Reverie was deep now, and he would not remember when he woke the places he traveled while lost in its embrace.

Mynix accepted the story Grenwyn had told her, and now she felt empty inside. It scared her how numb she had felt. She could not get back to sleep, was excited by the spell she had learned from Taylia, so she crept out of the house for a bit of practice. The woods were not asleep that night either. All around her she could hear the chatter of life, the soft rustling of the leaves, the chatter of small animals, and the calls of larger ones. Mynix realized she could see quite well, and looked up into the sky to note the moon was full and bright as were the stars trailing it. The moon was so bright in fact that Mynix cast a shadow on the ground, and when she looked at it, she got the eerie feeling it was leering at her. She shoved hers fears aside though, as she was getting accustomed to doing, and set about remembering the words and practicing the passes with her fingers of the spell Taylia had taught her. “I’m ready,” she thought, and she skulked a bit out into the forest to seek her prey.

Laith arose from reverie with a start, he felt like maybe he had been thinking about his village again, and his mind still held the vision of Tirnaur’s dead eyes staring at him accusingly. He heard a howl in the distance, and realized that must have been what had awakened him. He could never stand to hear the sound of a wolf’s cry, and hearing it then made his skin tingle and his hair stand on end. He felt a little better knowing that he and his friends were safe inside of Taylia and Mathilde’s Tower. Even the experienced werewolves’ native to this forest would not dare pit themselves against her powers. He was just about to relax, feeling secure that his friends were safe, at least for this night, when he heard a rustling in the woods outside of his window. Cautiously he crept on his hands and knees to peer out, hoping he would not be seen. He was just in time to see the backside of Mynix vanish into the trees.

The howling made Mynix a little nervous, but she doubted wolves would venture this close to the homes of humans. However, she did not know the nature of the wolves that roamed this territory. This pack of wolves were shape changers, evil followers of a beastly god, they prowled on the night of the full moon, looking for the most dangerous of prey.

Adan-Draug was one of the oldest members of the pack. He remembered well the taste of elf-flesh and had been part of the raid of Laith’s village when he was only a cub. He bore a scar instead of a right eye where an elven blade had pierced him. He had backed away in time to keep the blade from reaching his brain, but held the ugly scar, and uglier grudge ever since. He was a huge, even for his kind, but held a bit of the gauntness that comes with age. His fur was mottled brown and black, and his one eye was yellow, and it simmered with hate. It was rare to find good prey in the forest these days, many of the elves had been driven out, and few humans dared venture in, especially when a full moon was expected. He was therefore somewhat surprised when he first smelled the sweet scent of a young human. His mouth began to water, and he crept cautiously toward the scent, he was still more than strong enough to take down a human, but he was not the fastest wolf anymore so care was needed so as not to frighten the prey away.

Mynix was searching for a squirrel, or a chipmunk, or even a snake. Taylia had taught her a spell of holding, and she knew that at her level she would be lucky to hold something as small as those. She heard a soft sound coming through the brushes in front of her, and she brought her spell to mind, so she would be ready when the animal appeared. “I hope its not a skunk,” she thought to herself, realizing that this may not have been the best of her ideas.

Laith began to fight down panic. He knew he could not leave Mynix to fend for herself, and he also knew he likely did not have time to wake his friends before the wolves could make their way to her. Laith stood there frozen, knowing his indecision could be costing his friend her life, but could not move. “This time we’ll put them on the defensive,” said a voice from across the room, and Laith reached for the blade he did not have sheathed at his side. Taylia chuckled, and said “C’mon we haven’t got all night, throw your pants on and let’s get moving. I told Mathilde to wake the others and get them ready in case we need the help. I can let her know magically. Laith marveled at the woman’s courage, and despite her years, the vigor in her eyes, and light in her laughter still stirred his heart. “Gods but tis good to see you again” he said as they raced out the door.

Mynix was starting to feel a bit of concern, the animal in the bushes seemed a bit larger than she had intended, but she thought it would be a good way to test her limits anyway. She saw a bit of brownish black fur between the leaves and began the words and passes to her newest spell. Just as she was about to spit out the last phrase, a massive wolf with one eye jumped out of the bushes at her. To Mynix’s credit, she did manage to spit out the last word of the spell without faltering, and to her surprise, the beast, was frozen in mid crouch. Mynix could see the rage in the creature’s eye, and could see it straining against the magical bonds she had placed on it. Being a very troublesome girl, Mynix could not keep herself from bending down and kissing the frozen beast on the nose. The wolf elicited a feral growl, and seemed to fight against the bonds all the stronger. Mynix began to panic now, she had no idea how long the spell would hold and no idea how she could stop the creature once it did.

Laith and Taylia could just make out Mynix’s trail, and followed it till they could hear her shout her spell and the feral growls of the beast she was with. They raced ahead and reached Mynix just in time to see her backing away cautiously. Taylia ran to her side, and Laith raced up to the wolf, sword raised to strike a killing blow. Just as he was about to strike, the wolf fought loose of its spellbindings. It lunged at him, and Laith barely escaped a bite that could have infected him with lycanthropy. Adan-Draug heard the other woman begin to chant and recognized her from the many run ins the werewolves had had with her and he turned to run. Laith’s eyes filled with rage and he jumped after the wolf, it easily stepped aside of the huge swipe, and continued to retreat. Laith let out an inarticulate cry of rage and pain, and sank to his knees as the wolf he knew he could not now catch up to ran away with his chance for redemption.

Laith just sat there for awhile and he was only distantly aware of the scolding Mynix was receiving for bandying about her powers, and putting herself in danger, and so on. A steady hand laid upon his shoulder, and he looked up into Taylia’s eyes and saw not pity, but compassion. The lines were deep in her sun browned skin, and her once dark hair was now traced with lines of silver. Her eyes though, they were exactly the same, deep blue and smiling with love and mischief. He remembered the love he had held for her, and felt a bit foolish and awkward for being so angry that she had abandoned him. She knew how hard it would become, when she grew old, and he was still in the height of manhood. She knew and she chose not to abandon him, but to let him go, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Feryl would one day do the same.

The next morning everyone met at the table for breakfast. Taylia smacked Mathilde on the rump as she scurried about the table piling it with the delicious foods she had prepared. Blackberry cakes, and fresh fruits, and bacon from a wild boar they had caught ravaging their garden. There was everything they could want, and as much as they could want, and everyone was quite content. Although each of them had troubles, and cares, and emotional scars, the morning sunlight, camaraderie, and food seemed to wash everything away, at least for a short while.

Shortly after breakfast, Mynix found Feryl walking in the garden, and she knew she had to speak with her. “Feryl?” Mynix began timidly, “How could you do it,” Feryl spoke, choking back tears ”How could you murder her, she looked so sweet, so fragile, how could you take her away from me?” she asked. Mynix went pale, and did not know what to say. “I know, it isn’t your fault,” Feryl said, “It just felt good to, to have someone to blame for once. All of these things keep happening to me, that are out of my control, and I don’t even know who is doing them. It isn’t fair, it isn’t fair.” Mynix approached Feryl cautiously, she placed her hand on Feryl shoulder, and when she did not flinch away, Mynix said “I am so sorry Feryl, you must believe me, but I did the right thing, your Mother…she spoke to me.” Feryl turned to look at her, “When she…when she became herself again, a mist came out of her mouth, and it took her shape, but it was not corporeal, and she said Thank you, and she turned into motes of light and drifted away. She looked at peace Feryl, and I.. I understand if you hate me, but, I just wanted you to know.” Feryl nodded, and Mynix slowly walked away.

They stayed for 2 weeks with Taylia and Mathilde. Taylia spent most of her time teaching Mynix what spells she knew and Mynix could learn. Grenwyn had a wonderful time eating the food Mathilde prepared, and just sitting about and chatting, with her and with Taylia. Feryl and Laith had time to enjoy their new relationship. They practiced swordwork together during the day, and would often take long walks into the woods near the house. In the evening after the others went to bed, they would move to Taylia’s private garden to be alone.

The garden was a beautiful place, made for private moments. It was surrounded by tall hedges on all sides and filled with colorful and fragrant flowers. A bench for two was situated near the back in front of a small pond which was filled with a type of fish Feryl had never seen before. They were about a foot long and brightly colored in pinks and blues, with long elegant fins and tails. There was also a small cabinet with 2 wine glasses and a stock of wonderful vintages of wine and a few blankets for when the night air chilled. It was more than any couple could ask for, and Laith and Feryl enjoyed every moment of it, for each of them knew how fleeting life can be.

Early the morning of their departure, Taylia awoke to find Laith wandering about her gardens alone. “You knew why I left you don’t you?” she asked him quietly. “Taylia, I did not understand until now, and I am sorry. I thought you had abandoned me, because of my past. You were my first human companion, and… I did not fully understand the difficulties. I am sorry it has been so long, if I survive my current journey, I vow I will not let it be so long again.” Taylia laughed a bit bitterly, “It was not only the elf thing… on my ventures into town, I began to meet people, and I began to feel things differently than I had before. I realized that for me, love was not bound by race, and not bound by gender either. I should have told you, but I did not know how you would react. So the fault is with me as well dear one. Know that I did truly love you though, and if I lived a million lifetimes, I would always choose to be with you for a short sweet while.” Taylia leaned into him, and Laith wrapped his arms around her. “What a funny couple we would make now,” Taylia said, and they stood there together until the sun rose fully, and they could smell the scent of bacon and eggs frying in the pan, then as true friends, they walked into the house together.

Feryl had been up early as well, and went into the kitchen to see if she could help Mathilde in any way. Mathilde put her to work chopping vegetables and cleaning berries, and they talked as they worked. Mathilde and Feryl stared out the window and saw Laith and Taylia coming up the walk arm in arm, “I could almost feel jealous,” Mathilde said half jokingly, “What is it they talk about do you think?” Feryl asked, not admitting it, but feeling a bit of that jealousy herself. “Old times I would imagine, did you not know Taylia and Laith were once great friends, and possibly lovers?” The look on Feryl’s face told Mathilde all she needed to know. “Worry not child,” Mathilde told her, ”When you find true love, like I have with Taylia, you don’t need to worry, you may feel jealousy for things past, but you know that you don’t need to worry because in the present and the future their heart belongs to you alone.” Mathilde smiled, “I have seen the way Laith looks at you, for as long as you want him, his heart is yours. He may have had lovers before you, and he may have lovers after you, but he will fully give you all his love for as long as you live, and that my dear, is the greatest treasure you’ll find.” Feryl sat there with her mouth open, and Mathilde gently tapped it closed and gave her a wink as she went back about her work. It wasn’t until she heard Mynix and Grenwyn bumbling down the stairs that Feryl managed to find her focus.

The Forging Chapter 9: Bad Memories

It is so frustrating to not remember,” Feryl sighed at she trudged along next to Laith. “If I could only remember who did this, or why, we could face them head on, be done with it, and go back to our lives.” It was Mynix who spoke up then, “I don’t really think it is as simple as all that Feryl. There doesn’t seem to be just one bad guy, but a group of them, and they are spreading from small village to small village and slowly gaining influence and taking over. We do not seem to be facing a single enemy, we seem to be facing a movement.” No one said anything for a few minutes, pausing to think about all they had seen and been through.

Feryl began to feel overwhelmed again. It can be quite hard for a person to face the prospect of being hunted by a mysterious villain, but it is quite another to handle this while having no memory of your previous life, and no clue as to the identity of the person pursuing you. Feryl felt like she might slip away and forget the life she had made since then, and a rising surge of panic hit her. Then Laith gently grabbed her hand, and she felt herself begin to calm. “I have loved you as Faelyn, and I have loved you as Feryl, and I will always be here to remind you who you are”

“How did you know what I was thinking?” Feryl asked him, “Elves,” Laith began, “have a unique ability. We are able to sense the thoughts and feelings of others we are close to. All elves have this innate sense with each other. We do not have marriage, but we are able to form a special bond with our lovers. This is only undertaken with careful consideration as the process is irreversible, and will last our long lifetimes. Feryl looked saddened and she said softly, ”I do not know that I could ever do this with you, I am human, my life will be so short compared to yours, what will happen when I grow old, when I am lost to this world?” Laith placed his arm around her and smiled gently, “That is the fate of the long lived, we see and experience much, but sadly that includes the passing of many friends and lovers. Whether it is requited or not, I know I could love no one else while you still walk the Earth, and perhaps, not even after.” He kissed her gently on the cheek, and went to scout ahead with Grenwyn. Feryl could not breathe, and knew she must not be worthy of such devotion.

The woods continued to deepen, and soon the only way to tell day from night was when the breeze was sufficient to move the tops of the trees, and then only a light dappling would appear, and give their skin an odd camoflauged look. The travel became more difficult as well, the land was less uniform, and they often had to wind down deep gullies, and up steep hills. Often times they had to trek several hours around a ravine to find a safe crossing. The land here had been torn by glaciers many many lifetimes ago, so long ago that even the oldest living elves did not remember it.

It had been three days now since the ghast attack, and Laith was just beginning to think they might escape further pursuit when the trees began to whisper to him. Laith did not warn the others yet, but they sensed his urgency as he picked up the pace. They traveled for longer hours at a time, and slept little. When they could go no further, they rested, and Laith, volunteered to take the first, and likely the only watch that night. They made no fire that night, and ate only what things they had gathered that day on the trail. Everyone fell asleep quickly after eating dinner. Once he was sure everyone was asleep, Laith began to sing gently. It was a song his sister had taught him when he was a small child, and was meant to coax the dryads into speaking with them. The normally reclusive creatures had a fondness for the elf siblings, and would spend many a day teaching them woodcraft, and more often teaching them troublesome pranks. Laith knew it was unlikely the fickle creatures would speak with him, but he had to try. He knew something was following them, and any information he could gather might help them prevail.

“Well Met,” said a voice to his left, he turned to look, and heard a giggle to his right. “come away from the animals,” the voice said, with a hint of disdain. “Some things never change” Laith whispered to himself, eliciting a petulant “Hmmph,” from in front of him. He followed the voice until he came to a small glen. He was far enough from camp that he could not see it, but he was confident his hearing would alert him to danger should it arrive sooner than he expected it.

“My how you’ve grown,” cooed the voice as the beautiful and fey creature seemed to step out of the trees. Her skin was as brown as the bark she stepped out of, and her eyes were the color of leaves when they first unravel in the spring. Laith tried to fight the charm, tried to keep his mind on the business at hand, but his eyes were drawn downward to the dryads hands as she ran them slowly over the ample curves of her body. His mouth felt very dry, and she pulled him close to her and kissed him. Her kiss tasted like good earth, and her breath smelled of a cool breeze, he felt ablaze with passion, and at one with the forest. “Ask us your question,” she whispered, allowing her lips to brush his ear with each syllable. He looked at her with a blank expression and she giggled, and cast a glamour to make herself into the image of Feryl, and he regained some of his composure. “You needn’t ask,” she said haughtily, looking once again like herself. “Darkness follows your party.” She seemed to listen to something, and continued “These creatures are not like those that attacked you earlier. They are made of shadow, and can only be driven away by the light. These too are undead, of a sort, and their presence here is an affront to our being.” Her eyes grew angry, and Laith was a bit afraid despite himself, and despite the fact that the woman still clung to him like a lover. “Destroy them, and burn them like trolls. Only then will the forest forgive you, I on the other hand….” She said as she began to run her hands down chest. She sighed loudly then said petulantly, “you must return to camp, the shadows will be here shortly.” She spun him away from her, and as he made his way back to the camp, her whisper came to him form all around,”Do try not to die, I will not be satisfied until your debt to me is repaid, and I intend to make the repayment very satisfying.

Laith got back to camp, and woke his comrades. Feryl kissed him upon waking and sleepily said “your mouth tastes like dirt” Laith knew his ear tips were flushing but didn’t feel it best to explain at that time. He couldn’t very well fight Feryl and whatever was coming against them at the same time. “Feryl, Grenwyn, build a fire fast, make it as big as you can. Mynix are you prepared with your light spell? This time I want you to try to cast it directly on the creatures.” Mynix nodded solemnly and Feryl and Grenwyn went to work on the fire. “I have spoken to the forest and what comes against us is some type of shade. They are weak against light, but I know not how many or how strong.” Grenwyn looked to Laith, and nodded in a solemn way that signaled to Laith that he must tell Feryl the last bit of information they had kept from her. Laith went to Feryl and bade her sit, “Feryl, there is one more thing I need to tell you.”

“The ghasts that attacked us, they, well, they were from Sparrow Haven. I knew one of them, it was…it was the inn keeper you had paid to care for me.” Feryl looked taken aback, and couldn’t keep the single tear from sliding slowly down her face. “Why, why would they do this?” she asked quietly, “I don’t know Feryl, but I mean to find out.” Grenwyn walked up to them, his face looking as craggy as a cliff in the firelight. “he’s telling you this now Feryl, because it might be ye’ll be fightin what looks like someone ye knew or loved. Ye need to be prepared for that, these creatures aren’t those people any more, there just monsters wearing the masks of those ye knew and loved, ye’ve got to kill the monster to free the person.” Feryl swallowed and nodded gravely, sincerely hoping her body would not pick this time to bring her memories back to mind.

They all sat there, close to the fire, waiting for doom to fall upon them. Laith looked to Grenwyn, who had a grim and determined look on his face. Feryl stood there stoically, as if preparing herself to accept whatever fate thrust at her. It was Mynix though, that caught her attention. Her fingers were gripped so tightly on the fine dagger Grenwyn had made for her,that her knuckles looked like they would burst through at any moment. Her breathing seemed quickened, and she had a sheen a sweat on her, that she nervously wiped from her forehead every few moments. She saw Laith looking at her and looked up at him, their eyes met, and he nodded to her, and that seemed to steel her a bit, as she loosened her grip, and breathed a bit more slowly.

Then all at once it was as if the air from the great glaciers had descended on them. All warmth went out of the air, and it seemed to thicken and slow their movements. The fire began to die down too, as it it was smothered. Laith heard the sound of steel coming out of its scabbard. They tried to gauge where the enemy was located, but with such little light, that in itself was a challenge. Laith thought Mynix must have lost her nerve so he began to move forward in the darkness. Just then he heard Mynix call out “Galad Silim Fe-in!” and there was such a power in her words that he felt momentarily stunned, as his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a giant ball of it form itself in front of five of the shadow creatures. The creatures hissed and recoiled, and Laith was sure he recognized at least two of them. Laith being closest to the light was the last to regain his sense and engage with the creatures, and thus took a moment to assess their situation. Grenwyn batted 2 of the creatures with his bone hammer, and smoke came from wherever it touched the creatures forms. Feryl was engaged with another of the creatures, and she seemed to have the upper hand, but two of the creatures were headed towards Mynix.

Mynix backed up slowly, knowing she would struggle to keep one creature off of her and stood no chance defending herself from two. Laith raced toward her, but fell roughly to the ground as he was grabbed from behind by a much more corporeal creature, a massive man in a black robe.

Laith turned the fall into a roll and came up in a fighting stance, he could not go to Mynix now, he would have to leave her to Grenwyn and Feryl. The mountain of a man sneered at Laith through his filthy black bear,and then stepped forward with his left foot and lunged at him with a massive overhead strike from a two handed sword whose blade was aflame.

Laith waited until the last possible second and then dodged to the left and slashed to the man’s middle with the sword in his right hand. The sword made contact but rang off his side as if he had hit stone. Laith had encountered this before and knew it to be a steel guard spell. He was stuck in a difficult situation. He knew he would not be able to score an actual hit on his opponent until he could wear off the steel guard spell. The number of hits it would take depended on several things, but to destroy the guard would require the one thing Laith did not have, time.

Grenwyn saw Mynix’s dilemma from the corner of his eye, and decided he needed to finish his work up quickly. The shadow ghouls came at him from opposite directions now, and Grenwyn waited for them, they both pounced at the same time with their mistyclaws set and ready to rend his flesh. He jumped back at the last possible second, and was nearly too slow as he caught a glancing blow on his right shoulder. The searing cold from the wound nearly stole his breath, but as a sturdy dwarf, he set his teeth and went about his work. As Grenwyn had predicted, the two creatures crashed into each other and became disoriented. That was when Grenwyn smashed into them from the right, followed immediately by a smash from the left, which he turned, using the gained momentum into a rock shattering downward chop. He held the bone hammer there and the two shadows began to revert to human form. When he was sure they would not rise again, Grenwyn tramped off to Mynix’s aid.

“This is it” Mynix thought, “I am going to die now.” She saw her doom coming at her, and vowed she would not go down without a fight. She was indeed proud of her performance so far, her light spell not only helped her friends to see, but seemed to stun her opponents as well. She tried to cast it again, but it did not work. She saw Grenwyn finishing his two opponents then the pain struck her. It was like a cold fire as it slashed her forearm. Instinctively she bought her dagger down and winced as she heard the other worldly scream the thing elicited. The other creature seemed to leer at her, and she backed away. “Narloth” said a powerful voice behind her and to her left. The shadow creatures screamed again as fire blossomed all around them. She had to shield her eyes, and when she could see again, she found she was facing only one opponent, the other had fled in the direction of the voice. Mynix smiled a bit when she saw it was the creature who had cut her. She lunged at it and stabbed. Luck or the gods guided her hand because her dagger found the things heart. The creature screeched and black mist began to boil out of the wound. Mynix snatched her hand back and watched in horror as the creature solidified into the form of a elderly human woman. Mynix looked at her own bloody hands with terror. A bluish vapor seemed to escape from the woman’s lips and began to coalesce. It looked at her, and whispered “Thank you” and then began to dissipate into a thousand glowing stars.

Feryl had been winning the fight from the start although her shadow beast was much larger and stronger than the others had been. She even had time to check on the progress of her comrades between parries, as the creature was big, but also slow. Grenwyn seemed to be faring well, and Laith was holding his own, some help had even seemed to come to Mynix who now faced only one monster. The brute she was fighting lunged at her in a sloppy way and Feryl chopped hard and severed one of its filthy insubstantial arms. The monster staggered back and Feryl turned to see Mynix plunge her dagger into the heart of the monster. As the thing fell to the ground, it began to revert to its human form. Feryl looked on in horror as she saw the face of someone who looked very much like her mother looking up at Mynix. Feryl felt a rush of air, and then sparks exploded in her head as the creature hit her with the arm she had just severed. She could feel herself falling to the ground and fought to stay conscious, she felt a new burst of pain as the mist creature somehow bore her to the ground and she felt its teeth pierce her shoulder. The coldness nearly overwhelmed her, but she fought to stay conscious. She used her gauntleted hand to punch the creature repeatedly but her punches went through it and seemed to hinder it little. She forced her knees to her chest and pushed the creature back enough to get her sword arm free. The creature caught her intention and kicked the sword away from her. It was becoming a struggle of brute force and although she was holding her own, her injured head and shoulder were making it hard for her to keep it up. She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable but all she felt was a lessening of the pressure. The creature collapsed onto her and shrank back into the form of a very dirty human male, a northerner from the looks of it. Grenwyn leaned over and peeked at her “ I thought ye might be wanting yer sword back,” he said, “but if nows a bad time…” Feryl glared at him “Get this beast off of me, he smells worse than your feet!” she growled. “I thought ye might be havin a bit of fun,” Grenwyn joked, “though I would think ye might be likin one a bit more lively.” Feryl smacked him as he helped pull her to her feet, she leaned heavily on the dwarf as they moved to survey the how the others had fared.

Laith fought like a desperate man, he took chances and pushed when he should have parried. He constantly danced forward with slash after slash never giving the human pause to breathe, let alone counterstrike. He had hit the man at least a dozen times, good solid hits, and still had not drawn blood. As if the man could sense his desperation, he accepted the next hit without even trying to parry and instead lifted his huge blade in another downward chop. Laith barely managed to dodge, and then was singed and scratched by glancing blow on the upswing as the man raised his sword to strike again, Laith did not have time to dodge back or to the sides, the sword was already too close. Laith had no where to go but down, so be dove beneath the blade and rolled between the man's wide stance, stabbing upward with his blade as he did. Much to Laith's surprise that strike hit home. Laith winced as his blade severed a very special part of the man’s body and bit deeply into his thigh. “No one deserves that,” Laith thought, and he moved around to finish the man with a clean stab through the heart. He should have kept him alive for questioning, but Laith could never stand to see anyone suffer.

As soon as the battle rage left her, Feryl remembered what had so distracted her in the first place, and she ran to where Mynix had stood a few moments ago. Feryl collapsed to the ground and held the corpse against her. Feryl rocked back and forth as memory after memory raced through her head. She couldn’t seem to concentrate on any one, and they were so fleeting she could not focus on any long enough to retain them. Grenwyn who had followed her over, placed his hand on her shoulder, and she placed her hand on his and stared teary eyed at the woman who had given her birth. “I can’t even remember her name,” she whispered, “How can I…how can…”she trailed away. “Of course ye can remember her name child, it’s Mother.” he said. With that she gently laid the corpse down and cried into Grenwyn’s shoulder like a small child. Anyone who had been watching closely would have seen a little chip in the dwarfs rock hard demeanor, as he cautiously wiped a small tear away from his own eye.

As soon as Laith dispatched his enemy, he took stock of the battle field. He saw Grenwyn helping Feryl to her feet, and he was just in time to see Mynix turn and head deeper into the woods. He was surprised she was still alive considering the onslaught of opponents she was left to deal with, he was even more surprised to see all of her opponents dead. He left Feryl to have a moment with Grenwyn and followed quietly after Mynix, very curious as to how she had fared so well.

Mynix walked slowly though the woods by herself. She was curious about the voice that had cast the fire spell and saved her, but she was still unsure whether it came from a friend or a foe. She knew she should have let the others investigate it, but something about the battles of the past few days had brought out an adventurers spirit in her, and she wanted to see for herself. She felt a tingling sensation cover her entire body, and she froze into place. Panic began to grip her and she realized her error in heading out on her own. “You should be ashamed of yourself sneaking up on an old woman,” the voice said, Mynix tried to move her head, but only her eyes cooperated. She could roughly make out a shape coming towards her very slowly. “They don’t teach children manners these days, that’s what is wrong with the world. Everyone running about the forest with swords and daggers, and all types of undead creatures. I come here for some peace and quiet with my dear Mathilde, and all I get is a bunch of racket.” Mynix relaxed a little, although she was terrified by the power the woman must possess in order to hold her so completely still.

Laith had drawn his sword when he saw Mynix freeze in place. He could sense her panic where he was, and he began to move forward to intercept her attacker when he heard her babbling on. A slow smile spread across his face, he recognized that voice, "Taylia," he breathed, and he knew they were in trouble, but it was an enjoyable sort of trouble at that. “Don’t think I don’t sense you out there too Elfie, you might as well grab your other 2 friends, if that’s what they be and head up to my tower. I will deal with the mageling myself.” Mynix nearly fell as the spell effect was removed, and a warm hearty hand was there to steady her. Laith moved into view and embraced the old woman who stood before them, “Taylia, you are looking as ravishing as ever my dear, may I present to you Miss Mynix Steelmere.” Taylia seemed to blush a bit and Mynix stared wonderingly at them both, then remembered herself and reached out to take Taylia’s offered hand. “Pleased to meet you,” she managed to stammer. Taylia smiled warmly and said, “It is truly wonderful to see you again Elfie, you haven’t changed a bit, as for me, I weather as well as the rest of my race, but enough of that, come mageling, there is a lot I have to teach you before you can go wandering out in the wilds alone again. We'll let your friends catch up to us at the tower,” she said, and blinked out of existence, Mynix in tow.

For Laith, the meeting was bitter sweet. He and Taylia had been the best of friends some short years ago, but seeing how time had ravaged the still elegant woman, it reminded him of the fate of his current love. He was an elf and would stay young, and live much longer than Feryl would. When he had first met Taylia, she had been in the full bloom of youth, and now, though still an elegant woman by all means, her life was in its decline Laith tried to dismiss the thought, having already given his heart to her, he could not, and did not want to take it back. One might wonder how he could do this, but think of the lifespan of the average dog or cat, they live a much shorter time than us, but we accept them into our lives and love them unabashedly although we know the fate that will ultimately separate us.

Laith was surprised to find the mood at the fight scene much more somber than when he had left it. Feryl knelt over a corpse, gently stroking its hair and weeping softly. Grenywn stood guard over her, while giving her some space. Laith stopped near to Grenwyn, and looked at him with a question in his eyes. “Her mother.” Was all Grenwyn said, and Laith stood silently next to Grenwyn, standing guard and allowing the girl her grief.

While they waited for Feryl, Laith explained the fortuitous intervention of his old friend Taylia, and how she had taken Mynix with her to train in the arcane arts. Laith and Feryl worked together silently to dig graves for all the slain, and Grenwyn used his master stone skills to create a beautiful monument for Feryl’s mother. When they had finished, Grenwyn and Laith walked ahead, and gave Feryl a few moments to say her goodbyes. When she was finished, Laith walked forward to join her, and knelt down in front of the graves. He set his hands on the ground, and closed his eyes, and a glow spread from them, out into the ground all around the clearing. As the glow grew brighter, sprouts began to pop out of the ground, and the graves grew over with lush green foliage. On Feryl’s Mother’s grave, pink flowers bloomed. Laith stood up a bit unsteadily, and Feryl embraced him. “Thank you,” she managed to say between sobs. Together once again, the three adventurers headed deeper into the woods to Taylia’s tower.

The Forging Chapter 8: Full Disclosure

(Note: This story and all characters within are the sole property of the author, and is under the protection of United States copyright law)

Later that morning Feryl and Grenwyn set out to search out the area to see if there were any more signs of trouble, and to gather some food for the next leg of their journey. That left Mynix to watch over and care for Laith. She sat by his side, and wondered at the thoughts that must be passing through his head.

Finally, Laith started to wake. He opened his unfocused eyes, and looked at Mynix, as tears began to form, but did not flow. She went to him, and held him against her like a mother would a child. It was a while before any words passed between them, but over the weeks they had formed an unspoken bond of friendship, and no words needed to be said for them to find comfort in eachother.

. “I have a confession…” Laith began, and he relayed to her the story of his prior meetings with Faelyn, the woman she had only known as Feryl. He told her of the identity of the ghasts that attacked them, and his fears of their significance. Mynix did not judge him, and did not offer him advice. She listened as he confessed, and when he was done she sat with him in silence and held his hand. They sat this way until the others returned from camp, Feryl was very happy to see he was awake and punched him lightly in his uninjured arm, and scolded him for “being a hero” which everyone knows can be interchanged with being a fool. They all laughed together and decided to set out for a new camp first thing in the morning.Laith played the cheery companion, and savored the moments. He was afraid that once he was exposed, that all of this would come to an end, and he would be exiled once again.

Feryl and Mynix had wandered off to a pool nearby to bathe, and that left Grenwyn and Laith alone at the campsite. Gremwyn had long suspected Laith knew more than he let on, but it wasn't until he saw Laith's reaction to the ghasts that attacked them that he felt he had the evidence to bolster his suspicions. Now that he had him alone, he would find out those secrets, one way or another.

“What’re ye hiding boy?” Grenwyn asked, startling Laith out of his thoughts. “I got a feeling ye didn’t just happen by the night of the attack at the shop, and I’m thinking ye know something more about Feryl too!” the dwarf growled, “And I’d have to be a durned idiot not to notice that you KNEW that ghast last night.” Laith noticed that Grenwyn held his Bone Hammer in his hands and felt very uncomfortable with the sight. ”I be expecting some answers elf, unless ye want me to be beatin them out of you.” Laith knew enough about dwarfs to tell that Grenwyn was only partially kidding about the beating. Laith sighed and knew he could keep his secrets no longer. “I knew Feryl, by the name of Faelyn Firecloud," he began, "and I fell deeply in love with her the day I met her, though I doubt she would remember me even if she could.”

“She rescued me from certain death on the roadside after I had been lost in a winter storm. She carried me to an inn and paid for my care and board. The inn keeper, rest her soul, told me that Faelyn stopped in each day to check on my status, although she never came to my room.” he said a bit despondently. Laith went on to explain how he had met with her lover, and the words they had exchanged. He told of his quest to make something of himself, and to expose this Dastrius for who he really was. Finally he came to the hunt of the Black Stag and his eventual return to the ruins of Sparrow Haven, where he followed their trail back to Grenwyn’s shop and stood guard over them. “The ghasts…”he said, suppressing an involuntary shudder, ”They were…I think..at least the one I fought..were the residents of Sparrow haven.” He said “ The one that attacked me, she was once the Inn Keeper I told you of.” Grenwyn let out a long, low whistle.”That’s a heck of a confession boy.” He shook his head, once again at a loss for words. “Are you going to tell Faelyn, I mean, Feryl?” Laith asked quietly. “I don’t know boy, I don’t know..” and that was all they said for the rest of the night.

The girls came back, moonlight glistening off of the water on their skin, and sat close together by the fire to dry. Laith couldn’t help but stare. They looked like the sun and the moon. Feryl’s radiant red hair, finally shoulder length after being burnt off, her golden skin stretched over well honed muscle. She looked like a perfect living statue of a goddess. Next to her sat quiet Mynix. Her hair was Black like a night sky, and her pale skin looked the color of moonlight. Mynix was plain of feature, and at the stage of adolescence where she was a bit too skinny, and all arms and legs. Sitting next to Feryl and the fire however, a beauty seemed to be reflected in her, and danger and mystery swam in her eyes. “Don’t think I’m not noticing your ears,” Grenwyn said as he went about packing their bags. Laith hadn’t been among elves or elf-friends in so long, he had almost forgotten his embarrassing habit. He decided to go for a bit of a walk and a cold dip in the forest pool.

Feryl and Grenwyn had done a thorough search of the area again that evening, so Laith was reasonably sure he could safely enjoy a few minutes away from the group. He slid slowly into the water, his browned skin tensing at the cool sensation. The curls of his golden hair floating on top of the pool for a bit before sinking down. His chest felt so heavy, he had so much on his mind that he could not breath, he lowered himself below the waters surface for a moment and considered staying there, until he thought of Feryl outshining the firelight, and he made his way back to the surface. Suddenly he felt very warm.

“Feryl, I’ve got something to tell ye,” Grenwyn said to her after Mynix had laid down for the night. ”I’ve found some things out about yer past, and I think ye should be knowin them,” Feryl had a sinking feeling in her stomach, she swallowed down the growing lump in her throat and nodded for him to continue. “Yer name is Faelyn Firecloud, and you were from the former town of Sparrow’s Haven” at the mention of her name, her head began to spin, wasn’t that the person Laith had said he loved, she caught her breath and asked the question she knew she did not want the answer to, “What do you mean former?” She asked, tears already forming in her eyes.

Grenwyn explained how he had found the town, and her, the lone survivor, and carried her back. “How did know find all of this out,” asked Feryl, “Have you known all along?” The dwarf looked at her with sorrow and pity in his eyes, “I knew part of it me girl, I knew how I found ye and where ye were from. The rest of the story came from Laith, he had known ye a bit in your past life, though he doubted ye would remember.” The dwarf’s voice caught a bit, “I’m so sorry me girl, I didn’t want you to have to relive whatever happened to you, I figured your mind would let ye know when you were ready, but I think ye might be in bigger danger than we thought, and I know now, I should have told you sooner.” Feryl hugged him and he held her close. “I understand you were only trying to protect me, and I know I wasn’t ready to know, I don’t know if I am now, but I think I want to know.”

Grenwyn looked at her, with pride and admiration in his eyes, “That’s me strong beautiful wild cat, I think ye had ought to be going down to the pool to have a talk with Laith. I’ve never seen one with a heart like that one, or one as stupid mind ye!” Feryl smiled at that and left to look for Laith. Mynix who had been pretending to sleep, smiled softly to herself, glad to see that all the secrets were being aired out, and hoping that would keep everyone’s mind off hers. “And you young lady,” the dwarf gruffly interrupted, “Have some explaining to do about that magic light ball!” Mynix couldn’t help but laugh, and soon Grenwyn joined in too.

For the second time that evening, Feryl thought her heart would stop, her breath caught in her chest as she saw Laith in the forest pool. The moonlight reflected off his golden curls, his skin, more bronze than gold, shimmered as the water reflected the firelight. Feryl felt an urge she had not felt in quite some time, and tip toed closer to watch him. His face seemed so familiar, and yet she still could not place it. Even with the knowledge of her past given to her tonight, she had no real memories of her prior life. He gazed up into the sky with a plaintive, sorrowful gaze, and her mind flashed back to the sight of her pulling him from the street, and into an inn, but that was all she remembered. She noticed her pulse had quickened and her heart was racing, and she knew at that moment she did not care about the past or the future, for the first time in a very long while, she knew exactly what she wanted, and regardless of the consequences, she would follow her heart.

“Laith,” she asked quietly, he turned quickly, both startled and embarrassed, and sunk down in the water in an attempt at modesty, which made Feryl smile. “I think you have some explaining to do,” she said. Laith knew that she had been told, and he felt his heart shatter again. He hoped she would release her anger and kill him then so that he would not have to suffer without her. Then, she began to disrobe and wade into the water. The look on his face, almost made her laugh, but she managed to stifle it, and spare his pride. Laith’s ears turned a deep shade of scarlet.

Laith forgot all modesty, and rushed to Feryl’s side. “Faelyn," he said, “you don’t know how long I have wanted to tell you, how long I have wanted to..” Feryl held her hand up to his lips, “I still don’t remember Laith, I don’t remember anything, and I don’t think I could be Faelyn again if I wanted to be.” She said, “I am Feryl now, and this is who I want to be. If you want Faelyn, I regret to tell you she is gone, but Feryl is here, and now..”she trailed off, suddenly embarassed by her own boldness “if you want me to leave, if I have been too bold..”she stuttered.

It was his turn to put his hands to her lips, and then he gently wrapped his arms around her, and drew her into him. He kissed her, and it was so much more than he had imagined, he felt her firm muscles pressed against him, and her strangely gentle touch as she ran her hands over his body. He could not breathe, and he liked that feeling, he had in his arms, everything he had wanted for so long. Feryl pulled him closer and their kisses intensified. They moved to the shore, and lay down upon the cool damp grass. Feryl would wait no longer, and they joined together. Feryl had no memories of her other encounters, but she knew this must be the best she has had. Laith thought of his other partners, and while he would remember each with special fondness, he knew they had held no comparison. They moved together, their golden and bronze skin shimmering in the moonlight. When they were done, no words needed to be said, they were pledged to each other, and the past was meaningless. When they dressed and walked back into camp, Feryl’s cheeks were very flushed, and Laith’s ears were quite the same. Feryl could have sworn she saw Grenwyn give Laith a wink, but she chose to ignore it.

The rest of the night they were left undisturbed, but Grenwyn and Laith knew that it would not be long before they were attacked again, and this time they might not be so lucky. They had been heading deep into the woods, without a specific destination in mind. Laith knew the woods around there better than almost anyone, and they thought that no one would be able to track them. They were obviously wrong. Laith knew if he returned to his village, he would be killed, which might not have stopped him, but it was likely his friends would be killed too, in order to keep the village’s location a secret. Grenwyn had brought up the possibility of heading towards a dwarven outpost deep in a canyon to the west. The rest of the party was not too pleased at the idea of going so deep underground, but they had decided it was their best option, and they began to head west.

(Note: This story and all characters within are the sole property of the author, and is under the protection of United States copyright law)