Deep underneath the ground in a long forgotten wing of the fortress is a large and ancient place. Underneath the ruins of the wing is a library. The walls doors are crooked and moss grows along the outer coridors, but inside everything is in perfect order, clean and well repaired. Yet no human has dwelt in this place for many years...
Abarhi and his men landed in a large open ampitheatre. He looked around in awe at the neatly arranged book shelves and study tables. His senses told him there was no danger, but the appearance of it all screamed contrary. He quickly ordered the men to fan out and search the place. Finding that the library appeared to be abandoned he began to peruse the selection of books, posting the men on guard duty at the windows and ruined door ways.
Pert followed Abarhi, looking through the books herself, though she didn't know if she dared touch them. She gazed at them, hoping that being exposed to the air and sun would not ruin them...How long had they been here?
"You need not worry about touching them Pert....whoeve
r takes care of them does so exceptionally.....i'm begining to think that there may be or have been a book fae here...it's rare even amidst the snobbish high elves that books this old be maintained so well...though obviously its been awile since anyone has read them" he said holding one such book in his hand "Who ever owned this place was also a very picky collector....only other place i've seen a complete copy of this book and not one in a series is in my vault back in Sedisvar" he was admiring the quality...though many said if he had not been an elf...he would have become a book worm.
Pert smiled, and slid a book of history from it's place, flipping through its pages slowly, almost reverently. There was little in this world that could cause such a reaction from Pert and Abarhi, books were one of them.
Amarlin, the book fae, had hidden in one of her favorite books at the sudden appearance of other creatures in her library. Not being used to people around she peeked over the top of her book at them. They certainly seemed to like her books almost as much as she did.
Pert looked up from the book quite suddenly. She gently slid the book of history back into its place, her fingers lingering almost imperceptibly as she looked around. Her eyes were bright and wolfish as she looked about the library, she knew that there was someone else in the room. One of Ullari's men? Or perhaps a Book Fae?
Amarlin noticed the look around and quickly ducked her head down back into the book, but couldn't help bobbing up again to peek. She was curious about these newcomers and hadn't had anyone around to admire her books for so very long.
Slowly, Amarlin's book was slid out of it's place, "Well hello there." Pert said, flashing the Fae one of her wolfish smiles, though her voice was kind.
Amarlin gasped as her book was removed and she was suddenly able to be seen by anyone who looked in her direction. In a panic the little fairy jumped up her glasses slipping and as she tried to fly away she banged into the nearest bookshelf and fell backwards towards the floor.
Pert caught Amarlin, "My apologies little one, I should not have startled you. We bear no ill intent for you or your library." she said gently, still smiling.
Amarlin sat still for a moment and adjusted her glasses as her wings trembled visibly. She tried to stand up on Pert's hand and in the end had to grab her thumb for stability. She thought through all the books she'd read on manners and quickly tried a combination of a bow and a curtsy and fell over again. Finally she just settled for a frightened "Very nice to meet you."
Pert smiled a bit wider, "It is my pleasure." the young wolf-girl returned, "I am Pert."
Amarlin wobbled back to her feet and tried to straighten her tangled vest not noticing her antennai were actually tangled up with her hair. "My name is Amarlin Sveltus... I am what is known as a library fairy or book fae." Her voice was small and light like a wind chime.
"I know." Pert said kindly, "There isn't much that one who has been around for as long as I have doesn't know." Such words seemed an odd thing coming from one who looked like a thirteen-year-old human.
Amarlin wobbled and sat down quickly on Pert's palm. At the last comment she looked up curiously. She didn't know much about people except what she read from books and was curious about everything, so she couldn't help but ask a few questions. "What do you mean? How long have you been around? What does chicken taste like? How many of you are there? What's the "oldest trick in the book"? I never understood that..."
Pert laughed, looking around momentarily for Abarhi, he loved the little creatures. "Ah, many ages, little friend," she smiled, "despite how it may look, I am the twin of the stuffy old Elf who seems to have disappeared for the moment. And as for your other questions: You would have to taste chicken yourself to find out, there is only one of me, and the "oldest trick in the book" is a very old trick." she said offhandedly.
Abarhi raised an eyebrow at the unwelcomed comotion "Perty...keep it down already" he chided till he noticed Amarlin. Walking over he smiled "Why hello there" he said, forgetting that he was still hooded and looked more or less like a night deamon with his huge sword than anything else.
Amarlin stared for a moment while sitting on Pert's hand, then stood up to once again attempt some kind of formal greeting. At least this time she didn't fall over though it was a close thing. She wobbled and smiled up into the shadowy hood. "Hello! My name is Amarlin Sveltus and it's very nice to meet you." She said and then sat down quickly.
"The pleasure is mine" Abarhi said softly, as the book faes he knew where often sensitive to loud noises.
"Abarhi, manners." Pert said, looking pointedly at the hood, "Our dear new friend is frightened enough already, and you come up looking like some deamon."
He shot her an odd look "Like you're one to talk" he said smuggly. He threw back his hood and let out his long striaght blond hair "She probably thought you where some sort of wolf out for a snack" he teased, setting his huge sword against a book shelf.
"That could be." Pert said, "But I like this form, besides, the uncanny smile keeps Ullari's soldiers away, quite useful. What they could want with a young girl however, is beyond me."
Amarlin listened to the two talk together with interest but she had another question in her head she just needed to ask. "Ummm... pardon me... please. I have to ask... just how did you get in here? There hasn't been anyone around here for ages but me and my little brother."
Abarhi reappeared behind Amarlin "Somthing along the line of this...teleportation via a tunnel through the spirit realm" he said with a smile "And as a matter of fact your library is the ancient part of a much larger fortress...though this part hasn't seen use in a great while...i wonder..." he said catching the wiff of dog shit!...i hope that's just a skin cover book and not what i think it is...im not in the mood to fight he grumbled inwardly as he caught scent of a werewolf.
Pert looked quickly up at Abarhi, her smile immediately gone, "Is that?..."
Amarlin looked back and forth between the two in confusion. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"Company little one" he said stiffly "And im not likeing how strong an impression it makes in the spirit realm" he considered drawing his massive sword, kicking himself for it like i'll ever need to use that!...if i do...then we'd all be in trouble he thought to himself.
"It will be alright." Pert said quickly, placing Amarlin back on her shelf, "We can take care of this."
"More company?" The little fairy said staring at the two with wide golden eyes.
In the room behind the library walls
Rhiah snuck with fingers first into the partially empty room as she always entered first. She entered in a crawling like motion to stand under Furr. Her nose guided her in further and at the given moment, no threat was present. She gave the order to spread out. As she did she made her way to the nearest door to keep watch.
Rafu immediatly began to scavange the room, hopeing to fill his empty black bag.
Kahlah in her wolf form dashed around the room sniffing at anything that seemed the least bit interesting. After investigating this way she ran up to her sister, Rhiah and asked, "What're we looking for? Are we going hunting soon? I'm hungry. Are you hungry?"
Rhiah motioned her to be silent without saying a word herself. She pressed one ear against the door and didn't move for a short moment. She leaned down and growled in a whisper "Go. Find. Some. Thing. Shiney...and put In the bag." Quickly she then pressed her ear against the door again and listened.
Kahlah's ears fell and her tail drooped as she slunk away on her sister's orders. She was quickly in good spirits again as she dug through debris and soon in her human form she had a pile of shinies to hand to Rafu. "Look what I found! Isn't this great? Oh look at this! Look it's swirly! Oh wait, look at this!"
"Can i help you with somthing?" Abarhi said stepping from the shadows now hooded and cloaked. He knew how to handle himself around wolves...though he made sure to keep distance between them.
Kahlah jumped and spun around in the air scattering all her shinies as she changed back into a wolf. She faced down the new stranger growling deep in her throat her ears back tight to her skull.
"I would be very careful if i where you young pup" Abarhi warned. The massive broad sword now visable as he stepped from the shadows. He placed his hand on his shoulder, raising it up as he brought Amarlin from her books "These where the visitors i was talking about" he said with a smile, then lowering his voice "I'm surprised you couldn't smell them....."
The armed man's voice peirced the ears of the nearby Rafu. Quickly he dropped his big black bag and with a silent nose he dashed toward the intruder's sword. Under any circumstances he could not allow Kahlah's injury, that could very well lead to his own death.
Kahlah hearing this meat call her a "young pup" growled angrily and attacked... she wove back and forth attempting to throw him off and get around the shiny sword that he carried. Noticing Rafu's attack she growled at him in wolf tongue "He's mine!"
The falling bag clanked with a muffled sound on the floor instantly alerting the other ears in the room. The attention of their noses instantly turned toward the direction Rafu was running.
Abarhi sensed Rafu. Deciding it was time to show the wolves just what they where getting themselves into, he teleported Rafu into a hay stack "I'm warning you...you don't want to do that" he said addressing them all "To give you an idea of just how powerful i am...i have not had to draw my sword in nearly ten thousand years" he said as fire sprang from his hands and took the form of blades "Now i ask you again...can i help you with somthing?"
Kahlah transformed into her human shape and grinned at the stranger, her tangled mass of blood red hair hanging all around her. "Try that magic trick on me, meat. You might be surprized." Now she stalked slowly closer her golden eyes intent on her prey.
The two others who saw Rafu vanish, split on either side of the armed intruder. Attempting to coordinate their attack simultaniously.
Abarhi smiled at Kahlah "Trust me young one...i have not lived for as long as i have without knowing how to fight off every known creature...iff i draw this sword, none of you will survive" he warned, encasing the other two wolves in ice.
Kahlah looked at her two packmates now wolfsickles and growled again. "You're going to pay for that, meat!" And leaped toward the human.
Amarlin who had been sitting on Abarhi's shoulder when he took her from the library watched all this in amazement. She hadn't left the library before in her entire life and all these things happening were very strange to her. She shivered and pressed her tiny form into Abarhi's hair.
Abarhi felt her hide inside his hair you'll be plenty safe little one....let's just hope for their sakes i don't have to draw my sword...that is a form they don't want to unleash he shuddered inwardly at the thought of releasing his Deamon prince form....and the destruction it could unleash.
Behind his brave words was another set of hungry eyes with thirsty teeth. A swift hand full of claws from Rhiah aiming for the noisy intruder's shoulders.
"I told you...you don't want me to fight!" he roared, sending a gout of flame into Rhiah. Flash stepping he reappeared well behind Khalah.
Kahlah's leap ended with her on all fours on the floor and she quickly spun again to find the meat. She glared at him her eyes burning feircely.
Rhiah flew backwards landing on all four and her bottom. Te flash of fire temporary blinded her. So she immidiatly crawled backwards to gain her ground again.
Rafu back from his temporary displacement snatched the black bag and crawled up behind Rhiah. He helped her to her feet and suggested a retreat.
Rhiah looked suprized at his choice and then thought about her sister.
Abarhi's eyes began to shimmer, a dark presence began to descend on the wolves. He spared Amarlin the nightmarish cloud as he didn't want to frighten her any more than what he had.
Amarlin clung to Abarhi's shoulder and wondered just what was happening now. She'd read in her books that werewolves were angry and violent creatures, and certainly these creatures fit the description. But she hadn't known that werewolves lived close by. She peeked out of Abarhi's hair for a moment to get a better look at them.
Kahlah growled and snapped at the dark cloud surrounding her although it must have looked strange since she still wore her woman form. "What is this?" She glared again at the meat.
Abarhi looked back at Kalhlah, though in place of his eye color there was white light i am a Nightshroud, one who judges the deeds of Deamon princes...you really think you have a chance against me? The only reason why all of you aren't dead is because my sword is not drawn..and thus that form is sealed...continue in threatening me and you will know what it is like to fight in despair he warned Kalhlah. "Amarlin, you are quite safe little one, just be sure not to lose your grip" he said softly to the little faery.
Rhiah turned back to Rafu and with sharp eyes she stated "You're weak!" as she snuck under the dark clouds to her sister's side. Making a circle around the intruder.
Resenting her words Rafu looked to his other companions in a frozen struggle. His leader's judgements were not correct on him as he angrily snuck
after Rhiah, but made no such circle. Instead his attention was caught by something small moving within the intruder's hair. Rafu stayed quiet and low until he was within jumping distance. Leaping with an open hand he snatches at the little back rider.
Amarlin gasped as she felt herself grabbed by the strange werecreature. She let out a peircing cry and struggled inside his hands. Unfortunately in the sudden snatch she had lost her glasses as well and couldn't see well enough to even try to defend herself.
Abarhi had had enough. Grabbing Rafu by his neck, his strengh amplified now nearly ten fold as he drew the huge sword on his back "You puppies just don't learn...now put my little feary friend down....otherwise you'll end up skewered on this sword" he growled, erecting an energy sheild around them to prevent the others from jumping on him. His released form cast a heavy weight on the souls of the pack...one of dread and fear, and his eye color reflected that in the blood red it now shone. His sword began to shimmer and vibrate.
Pert watched, not involving herself, she knew that Abarhi could handle himself. She blinked in surprise when Abarhi drew his sword, then flashed one of her wolfish grins, now this would be worth watching, she hadn't gotten to watch her brother truly fight in many centuries.
"I THINK NOT!!!" Rafu growled back. "Now stand aside or you can fish your companion from my jaw in pieces." He added as he placed the fae in his large mouth between his sharp teeth and held it there with his long tongue.
Amarlin shivered and wished very much that she hadn't lost her glasses.
Abarhi smiled "You are treading on dangerous ground Lycan...or do you not recognize a being infinitly more powerful than yourself?" his voice was emotionaless "I could kill you without my friend even being aware of your passing merely by thinking of it, and should you try to kill her...you have no idea how easy it would be for me to restore life to her....so i will give you one last chance to stand down before i cast you into oblivion"
Kahlah growled menacingly and jumped between Rafu and Abarhi her teeth bared.
Abarhi smiled "All that i ask is that you return my little faery friend to me and in one peice" his tone remained even, but his aura darkened....it was not good to challenge one who judges the deads of Deamons...whats more to harm those he has taken a liking to.
Before anyone knew what happened, Pert was standing beside Abarhi with Amarlin in her hand. She looked up at her brother as she set the small Fae on her shoulder, then looked at the werewolves, flashing that wolfish smile of hers. "Now, mightn't we be able to act civilized?"
Abarhi glanced at the little fae, smiling, turning back to the wolves "What might i ask...warrented your attack on me in the first place?" he then telepathed to amarlin one of these days little fae, i'll show you a library that is unlike any other, you'll even find writings in there written in languages dead for thousands of years Abarhi stopped himself. He often got excited when talking about his island library.
Amarlin still wasn't entirely aware of what was happening being unable to see very much with her glasses missing. She heard Abarhi's comment though and smiled as well as she could hoping that she was smiling in the right direction.
Back to Akallabeth
|
| Show these comments on your site |
Stumble!