The small town of Tervel is the only completely neutral port town. It is Lomien's favorite place from which to sail to Telpurion.
The fortress is lost, we sprung the trap now let us regroup elswhere Lomien whispered telepathically to Ear. Lomien rode quietly through the shadows of the woods, having evaded Nin and the rest of the retreating Alliance army
i will not remain here so do not worry about me he communicated again, he was by now no where near the fort, crossing the back side of the fortress and on down to his hidden port, a town that was unaffected by either Alliance or Dark Army meaning easy travel for Lomien, who was now arrayed as a traveler, though he still kept his travel armour on.
Ninquelote rode into the town some time after Lomien, still in her black dress, but without her armor. She wore a black cloak, with the hood shadowing much of her face. As she rode through the town she studied every man she passed. She knew that Lomien would be difficult to spot, but she knew she could find him, she had been married to him for a couple thousand years after all.
Lomien, boarding the boat he had moored in the channel, which was the only neautral water way between Telpurion and Arda
Some day i'm going to have to wrangle over this town with my brother he sighed, venturing now off the boat and into his rooms in a nearby inn. Lomien intended to wait here until Seriph showed up.
As she rode down one street, she noticed a man walk into an inn, she knew that gait. Rode over to the inn, payed for board for her horse at the inn's stable, and entered the inn itself. "A man just came in here." She said to the clerk inside, "Tall, black hair, probably in traveling armor."
"I dunno who yer talkin' 'bout."The clerk said, clearly bewildered.
"Figures," Nin looked at the man, "I'll find him myself." She said, and turned for the stairs before he could say anything more. When she reached the top of the stairs, she walked slowly down the hall, reaching out with her mind looking for a familiar spirit. She located Lomien, and knocked on the door that was apparently his.
Lomien had already bolted. In his weariness he had mistaken her for Gurthar or Rayne, and he was in no mood to fight. Concealing any signature that he might give off, he was now on the otherside of the inn, bunked down and very much worn out and grouchy.
Nin reached out with her mind again, when he was no longer to be found in the room she had knocked on, she widened her field of vision to cover the rest of the inn. She couldn't sense him, she decided on a new approach. She removed the mental barriers that she had learned to keep about her mind, and projected her thoughts, it was dangerous if any telepaths besides Lomien were around , but she knew that he would hear her, and then she could put her barriers back up.
"Where are you love, I know you are here. She thought softly.
A very tired Lomien shook himself awake, surprised to hear a voice he recognized
I'm in the inn by the waterway, some miles away from the fort he thought, curling back up into a corner on the couch and dozing off.
How did you find this place? he asked sleepily.
"I know more than you probably think." She thought,
"Now will you kindly tell me which room is yours? Remember, I cannot hear your thoughts or where they come from, I hear only what you contact me with." She told him, preparing to raise her mental barriers as soon as she got an answer from him.
Some palacial sweet on the seaward facing block of the inn, i have no idea what the room number is..hear..it's the one with a black singe mark on it he said, causing a small hole to be burnt in the door, a small one but large enough to distinguish from the rest. His eyes closed, and his mind took him to the recesses of his past, all of this though was blocked so that no one could read it.
Ninquelote raised her mental barriers, and headed for Lomien's room. She located the correct room and entered quietly. She found Lomien half asleep on the couch and sat down beside him. She looked down at him and brushed a piece of his long black hair from his eyes. "Hello love." She said softly.
Lomien, slightly startled by her voice "how did you find me Nin?" he said sitting up. about the room where his things, assorted maps as well as his battle armour neatly packed away in a trunk with Gurthang propped up against it.
"As I said, I know more than you probably realize." Ninquelote smiled at her husband. "How are you my love?"
"And i still fail to realize this because why?" he sighed "I am fine, healing from wounds incured at the fortress, and making planes to set sail for Telpurion" he smiled at her, he was glad to have her along
though how am i to go the routes that i intended? he thought to himself.
Ninquelote caught her breath at the mention of their old home, she had not been back to Telpurion since it's destruction. She smiled a little sadly at the memories. "I shall follow." She said, "It is about time I returned home." No one but Lomien would have recognized the look of sadness in her eyes, but there was no way that she would be dissuaded.
"You are a stubborn one you" he smiled resting his arm on her shoulder, it had been awile since he had been back, though he had not been to the places they had lived since their destruction "Why in Telpurion would you like to go?" he asked her. Lomien was looking forward to taking her as much as he was dreading it, for he had unfinished buisness that he was going to take care of, not to mention he wanted to journey through the dark forest to get to the wood elves instead of sailing into the hidden ports.
No matter, i suppose such things will have to wait he thought, memories of the wars that he had fought in his home land, long before the rebellion made him start alittle though he was quick to make it seem like a hick up.
Ninquelote rested her head on Lomien's shoulder as he put his arm around her, "I have not ever been back, I suppose it's about time that I returned. What are you thinking?" she asked him, not entirely sure she believed that he had hiccuped.
"Our home is not the same, it has changed in more ways than you know some of which are good, but many are not" he said lightly, not wishing to alarm her "They say there is an evil in the dark forest the likes of which even my brother dares not go near....and i was intending to look into that" This was true, and was inpart why he was wishing to dodge her and head off on his investigation
Maybe in the city with the realatives...if they are alive he thought sadly to himself.
"I know it is not the same, how could it be after what happened?" Nin sighed, "After all these years, I still cannot believe what happened. I still cannot believe that...." Nin choked, "that Ullari betrayed us." Even after all this time, it still pained her to think of Ullari. She had loved him, not the way that she loved Lomien, but she had loved him. Nin buried her face in Lomien's chest, hoping that he would not see the tears that threatened.
and she wants me to let her come with? oh well i guess i'll be avoiding some of the usual haunts he thought quietly to himself
to think, that after all this time it still affects her he sighed inwardly not sure what to say, his thoughts no longer guarded "Do you really want to visit Telpurion Nin?" he asked her gently
how could i convince her to let me search that accursed wood...and for her to stay this as well as the memories he had of slipping off as a boy to the woods with Ullari, and the incident that he was sure led Ullari down the road he had now chosen.
"I do," Nin said softly, "and I will follow you you into the forest." When she looked back up at him, her look told him that she would do as she said, he would be unable to dissuade her.
"Nin, somthing lingers in that wood, somthing Ullari and i where foolish enough as boys to awaken....somt
hing that claimned him and left me" he said now holding her by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes "I won't be gone long, but i would ask that you would at least stay in the city where it is safer" he asked her, images, though vague, where nonetheless horrid. They where but passing glimpses of the many things they had encountered in the forest what ever posessed Ullari and i to take that bet from the councilmen's son? he thought to himself. Lomien held himself largly responsible for Ullari. Ullari had followed him wherever he went, and it was that devotion that (or so Lomien felt) had destroyed him and brought a war upon the world. Though he had never shared this with any one, to ashamed and haunted by the terrors of that dark corner of his past. For that matter he never spoke about his past to any one.
Ninquelote raised her hand and brushed her long white fingers over his cheek, "Where you go, I will follow." Was her simple reply.
"Very well" he allowed a slight smile to escape "What would you say if i told you i wanted to destroy Gurthang, and forge a weapon even deadlier out it's ashes?" he asked her quietly.
Nin looked at her husband for a few seconds, "I would say be careful." she told him quietly, "Something like that will be dangerous."
"I plan to reforge the sword into many blades, each retaining the ability to trap the soul of its' victim, but the swords i will remake will be able to do that and much more. I found a way to channel abilities through a blade, making both blade and ability much more powerful" he said to her. Lomien was however hesitant to do so, for reasons of the past you and i pulled that blade from him Ullari, and now i will use it to forge a weapon that you can't even stop, not even with all your legions he thought to himself.
"Lomien my love, do you not believe Gurthang to be dangerous enough? The blades you speak of would be even more so, what if they fell into the wrong hands? What if Ullari got his hands on just one, what damage could that do? Lomien, you sacrificed much to ensure that he did not receive Gurthang, how much more might you have to sacrifice in order to keep multiple weapons with power more than that of Gurthang safe from him?" Ninquelote looked at her husband earnestly, she truly did not believe this to be a good idea. "However," She said slowly, "if you wish to move forward with your plan, I shall stand beside you, always." She looked Lomien in the eye, she had always stood beside him, even when she didn't necessarily agree with his choices, she was loyal to him, and he knew that.
"I also have thought about that....very well i wont order the weapons to be created..i wasn't sure entirely sure i like the methods to create them" he said with a grimace. "So, when do you wish to sail?" he said rising, walking over to the window.
Seriph walked the streets, sure he had spotted somone he did not whant any where near him where are you! he thought, looking amoungst the ally ways, wary of what might jump out at him.
Gurthar slipt in and out of the shadows, trying to evade Seriph's persistant chase of him what do you want with me, and where did Rayne vanish off to? a very grouchy Gurthar wondered, flitting from shadow to shadow in the evening light, soon it would be dark and the Crusnik would be in his own realm.
Rhapsody entered Tervel, glancing around in search of Gurthar and wanders the streets, moving in and out of the shadows, keeping her hand on her sword hilt. She thinks quietly to herself, making sure that no enemies could hear her thoughts. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she turned down a street. Where are you Gurthar?
Gurthar, by now running at full pace could vaguely hear somone calling to him what now! i'm a little... his sentance was cut short as he plowed right into Rhapsody, with a grunt and a growl "ow" he groaned.
"Omph." Steadies both Gurthar and herself as she looks up at you. "Ullari wants a report on the battle and he also wants you and Rayne back." Looks over his shoulder and sighs softly. "Let me guess, you're being followed?"
"Yes i am being followed, come i'll explain on the way" he said flitting through the shadows like a wraith. Gurthar looked wary, eyes whaching the shadows as he walked slowly through the back ally ways.
"Okay then." Follows him closely and looks around warily as well. She was tense, but not because of him. She was prepared for anything that might happen.
"We won the fortress, but my Army is destroyed...they set a trap, there isn't a man left of my army, nor sadly any of the seige engines" he whispered to her "You know that hunter..i believe his name is Seriphim? well i'm pretty sure he is the one after me...why i do not know" Gurthar stopped and dove behind a cluster of boxes, pulling Rhapsody with him, with a hand over her mouth "wraith guard, be still and don't move" he hissed. Soon after five black robed and black armoured figures strode quietly by them, an aura of fear permeated the ally way as Lomien's dread guard swept through "What are Elite custodes doing here?!?!" he whispered silently, not at all relishing having to dodge them, much less fight them.
Stays silent and presses her body against Gurthar's, making sure that she doesn't move and watches them pass by. She whispers back to him. "I don't know why they are here. Do you think you might have an idea of why they are here?
"Usually the wraithe guard, or at least this kind only follows Lomien or usually Nin, around....either that or Seriph has them on patrol. In any case we are in a bit of a tight spot" he whispered, peering out to check the corridors for the dread knights.
Rhapsody stays silent and looks for a way out and narrows her eyes. "Yeah, it looks like we are." She slightly repositioned herself to make herself comfortable as they waited.
"I think they're gone..wait here" he said to her. Gurthar, began to leap onto a tall stack of crates, then fell back, knocked out of the air with a dull thudd.
Seriph lept out of the shadows, materialising from out of now where thanks to his Demon. "So this is where you have been hiding" he growled. He had drawn his Katana like sword and was now rushing a very dazed Gurthar.
Rhapsody draws her Elven long sword and gets up, sprinting at Seriph and ran right into him, trying to knock him away from Gurthar. Her eyes flashed angerily at Seriph as she straightened up.
Seriph lept aside, his black katana like blade crashing into Rhapsody's armour with the blunt side though, as he was intending to decapitate the Crusnik. Seriph's eyes glowed white as he struggled to maintain control over his power.
Gurthar seeing his opportunity, drew his own blade. Its' runes glowing the same blood red as his eyes, as he stood waiting for Seriph to recover from Rhapsody's attack.
Rhapsody leaps back to stand beside Gurthar, smirking up at Seriph as she shifted her grip on her sword. She then pushed her hair out of her face as it fell in it caused by the light breeze blowing.
"Hashi ne tel na kor" Seriph belowed, though this was actually his Deamon Prince Balakor speaking, summoning the wraith guard.
Gurthar's eyes widened as he heard the Deamon speak, calmly extending his hand, Seriph became Gurthar's puppet. With a sickening crunch Seriphs arms and legs broke. Gurthar calmly walked over to Seriph, throwing a hood over his head and hanging him by his arms from the alcove roof. "We must go now" he said to Rhapsody running the lengh of the corridor "Maybe we can take refuge in one of the nearby inns along the water front" he said as the sun had set, darkening everything in the town.
Rhapsody runs after Gurthar and catches up to him. In a bewildered voice, her voice was slightly higher than normal. "What the was that?! What just happened?!
"What was what?" he asked her bewildered. Gurthar had never had somone ask him about his abilities.
"What you just did. I have never seen you do that before!" Points at a nearby inn and breaths lightly. "Will that inn do?"
Ninquelote followed Lomien over to the window, "I am ready whenever you are." She said slipping her arm into his.
"Very well then, let's go...i was hoping to wait for Seriph, but he knows the routes i take better than any so i'm sure he'll be fine" he said walking downstairs and outside to the waiting ship.
"Yes that will..do..uh oh" Gurthar said hiding once again in the shadows. "What you saw is a highly advanced form of water wielding, i can control the water in a person's body, to manipulate them into doing whatever i wish" he said now crouched in the corner concealing what he might give off to any one else "Hide yourself so they won't be able to detect you" he warned her.
Nin followed her husband to the ship.
Gurthar seeing Nin, decided on a new plan of attack. Turning to Rhapsody "I think we may bring Ullari back a prize unlike anything else" he said reaching out with his power, paralizing her, making sure she couldn't use her power This could bring the whole war to an end if i play this correctly he thought to himself, standing up now and walking towards her.
She smiles and follows Gurthar closely behind and keeps my eyes on Nin. She chuckles softly next to him. "Yes, Ullari will be pleased with this."
Nin stopped short, realizing that she was unable to move, she tried to call out to Lomien, but she could not even speak. She thought about removing her mental barriers and calling out with her mind, but she knew that an enemy had control of her body, she was unsure if she wished to risk allowing them control of her mind. She decided instead to be patient.
Gurthar came up behind Nin, his cold red eyes burning with anger "Look what the cat drug in now Lomien" he taunted with a cruel smile.
Lomien's shock and surprise quickly turned to a calm cool anger "What do you want Gurthar" he asked, his voice calm, and icy cold. Lomien's eyes now had a white glimmer in the back of them.
Rhapsody smirked slightly. "Ahhh Lomien, we want your wife." She glanced up at Gurthar mystchievouly.
Ninquelote's mind raced, Gurthar was here, they wanted her, Ullari. They wanted to take her to Ullari.
"You can't have her" he responded cooly, drawing Gurthang "I will give you one warning, and one warning only, let her go and you may return to my brother in one peice" he glared at the two of them.
Gurthar, took a step back What kind of stunt is he trying to pull? he wondered, the smiled "Lomien, we hold all the cards here, why don't you just back down so i don't have to break her in two" he sneered, giving Nin a slight twist around the neck.
Were Nin able to move, she would have cringed from the pain in her neck. Her mind still raced, How was she going to get out of this? What was Lomien going to do?
Lomien caught his breath, relaxing alittle as his eyes turned white. "Gurthar, you of all people should know better than to trifle with me, now let Nin go!" he barked, taking ahold of Gurthar's life force, and giving it a wrench inside of him "You see crusnik, you do not hold all of the cards" he smiled, he always liked to see his opponents reaction when they no longer held control.
Gurthar lurched from the impact, in his anger he broke Nin's arm. Gurthar landed in a heap, still in control over Nin.
Nin cried out internally, unable to do so with her voice.
Lomien whached helplessly as he saw her arm twist. Focusing his wrath on Gurthar, a blinding white bolt shot from Lomien to Gurthar, sending him flying into the darkness.
Gurthar losing control finall, though in his final grasp he attempted to affect her heart in some way. Gurthar lept clear and hid in the shadows, his eyes no longer glowing.
Lomien turned to Rhapsody his eyes white "Well little one, you want to have a go as well" he said, his voice sounding disembodied and cold. Lightning appeared on Lomiens hand, taking the form of four semi-long blades extending from his knuckles on each hand.
Nin cried out and clutched her broken arm as she regained control of her body.
Rhapsody glares at Lomien and fades into the darkness, knowing she is of no match for him. Her whisper sounds in his ear. "Just you wait Lomien, we will win this war."
"Oh really young one" he says, a pillar of fire sent in her direction, obliterating everything in it's path. Lomien turned to Nin, picking her up "Nin i told you that it was better that you stay back" he gently chided her, his eyes still white as he cast a wary glance to the shadows setting her down on a bench on the ship.
She lets out a small cry of pain as the pillar of fire just barely touch her skin. She hurries to find Gurthar, slightly limping
Nin smiled a little weakly up at Lomien, "I won't leave you," she said softly, "You know that."
"You're in alot of pain love" he said setting her arm then putting it in a sling "Rest now, i'll meet you in Telpurion" he said getting up to go My quarrel with that damned Crusnik will end, if i'm lucky it will end tonight he thought to himself. Lomiens' thoughts where not concealed.
Rhapsody soon finds Gurthar and looks at him. "I need to train more in order to take him on Gurthar." She looks at him in slight pain and asks gruffly. "How are you Gurthar?"
"Alittle addled, torn up..but what else is new?" he smiled at her making his way through the maze "I would stear clear of him Rhapsody, every time i fight him he always throws somthing at me that i didn't know him capable of doing" he warned her earnestly.
"Thank you for the warning my friend." She looks down to the ground as she walked beside him and sighed. "That was my first encounter with him. I am glad that I made it out in time when he shot that pillar of fire at me."
"That was one of his weakest attacks" said Gurthar a grim look came across his face "He is older that even Ullari, and then by a couple thousand years. He is powerful, and i am not surprised that he was able to strike down the entire council for there are few who have ever been so devoted to the path of the warrior as he"
"Yeah...I heard of that." She looks up at Gurthar and smiles gently up at him. "Will we going back to Ullari now or soon?"
"I think we will..ugh!!" Gurthar grunts as he bulldozes Rhapsody out of the way, a huge wall of fire consuming the ally way. Gurthar peered around the corner "eep" he says as an all to familiar black shadow stands in the smoldering ashes of the ally way Lomien! his eyes widen ducking behind the boxes again.
"I will wait for you my love." Nin said softly, watching Lomien leave.
Rhapsody huddles down beside Gurthar, rubbing her shoulder gingerly as she peers out behind the boxes slightly and looks over at him. Whispers to him. "Well, Gurthar, I wander how many times you will do that to me." She narrows her eyes at the black shadow. "He is being a real pain now..."
"Sorry about that...i fugured though that you would pefer that to being incinerated" he smiled at her, forming several icy spears in his hand "Rule number one when dealing with really old and powerful ancients...never hurt those that they love unless you are willing to get into a nasty fight" he said to her, leaping clear of the boxes and hurling the spears at Lomien.
Lomien danced aside, as if he was only playing. To counter this notion lightning sprang from each of his finger tips, criss crossing in such a pattern as to destroy anything that Gurthar might hide behing.
Gurthar, raising an ice barrier turned to Rhapsody "Well now shall we stay hear and fight? Or return to camp?" he asked her.
Her eyes widen as she presses her body against the wall as lightning flies in front of her, looking up at Gurthar. "Well, considering I can't do anything to him, because my fire isnt strong enough to do anything to him. Let's return back to camp for now."
"Very well" Gurthar said with a grunt, letting fly icy spikes in Lomien's direction "To camp we go, and hurry before we really make him mad!" he said towing her in hand leaping from building to building "The one time i enjoy being a crusnik is when i can get out of a tight scap like this...oh and sorry for the bumpy ride" he said whaching her bounce along behind him.
Lomien was not expecting the ice attack and did not have time to deflect them. With a cry of pain he fell to the ground, icy spikes sticking out of his armour, leds and arms. Lomien lay in a pool of blood, vaguely aware that nothing critical had been hit, but that he was none the less bleeding alot.
"Gurthar!" She gasped out. "Do you think I can just cling to your back?" She smiles slightly. "Well, at least you can get us out of this situation quickly and without him knowing where we are heading for!"
"True..oi how much gear to you got on you!" he asked landing on the top of a roof, forgetting to keep hold of her has he dropped "Yikes!" he said grasping hold of her arms as he slid down the roof "yeow!!" he said pulling a tile out of his side "This is so not my day" he moaned.
"I am just wearing my robes and light armor with my Elven long sword and Elven long bow." Groans in pain as she looks up at him. "Yes, I can tell this isn't your day." She winces slightly and looks around, just in case if they attracted any unwanted attention.
Gurthar yanked Rhapsody up onto the roof "I think i'm just really tired...haven't slept in days..or eaten for that matter" he sighed.
"Well, we will get you something to eat when we get back to camp." Wipes off my robes and wraps my arms about your neck and clings to your back, making sure that not all of my weight was put on you.
Jumps up "well then, i'm taking this as we should continue?" he said smiling at her.
"You got it Gurthar. I also want something to eat as well." She replied back, also smiling at him.
"I don't suppose then we could raid this small Vampire coven? There's plenty of food there as there are alot of normal people living there as well" he said with a somwhat dark smile "I'm a Crusnik in case you didn't know...meaning i'm a vampire hunter...if your not up for it though we don't have to go" he said softly sensing the hunger in her.
Nin sat on the small ship, waiting for Lomien to return. She began to wonder if she should go looking for him, but decided that if he needed her he would contact her with his mind.
Lomien, sat up in the ally way, his mind dazed by the loss of blood where am I? what are these aching pains in my..ouch! he jumped seeing multiple objects protruding from him, his arms, and any part of him visible below the neck, was covered in blood What happened, and how did i manage to survive this one? he thought to himself, as he struggled to stand.
Seriph released Balakor to heal him, having cut his bonds now stumbled along the water front, seeing the ship in the near distance oi i'm surprised they haven't left yet..ugh i hurt he grumbled, limping along the water front.
Nin, seeing Seriph, lrft the ship to meet him. "Seriph, have you seen Lomien?" She asked, her husband had been gone without contact for a little longer than she felt comfortable with.
"Huh?..Lomien?..say what? i thought he was here? I was supposed to meet him here at the ship about an hour ago...i got...jumped..blech" Seriph said falling face down on the ground, throwing up from the pain.
A very dazed Lomien began looking over his wounds "T-t-the Crusnik did this? oh now i remember...nasty little side attack..yeow!" he jumped feeling a spike in his neck, though it was small and thin enough to have passed between everything however it still bled alot "What a mess...what..what..was i supposed to even be doing?" he asked himself looking down then backing away in surprise...then cursing because of the pain "so much blood" he gasped looking at the pool of blood before him.
"We were jumped as well, by a Crusnik and an elf, he left to run them off, he hasn't contacted me." Nin told him, worried.
"Uh-oh....i would venture to say then he's in a pretty bad spot, those two work well as a pair....she's like some scout/decoy and he jumps anyone who falls for the bait" he groaned propping himself against a wall.
"I am going to search for him." Nin said, holding her still throbbing arm against her side.
"Might be a good idea to take the wraith guard with you m'lady, i don't think it's safe for you to go wandering out there..especially with your broken arm an all" Seriph said, ordering ten of them to accompany her, keeping five for himself.
Lomien propped himself up against a stack of charred crates, blood trickling out of the side of his mouth, he had taken his armour off, it lay in the pieces that it had fragmented in front of him, his mail shirt was off as well, as he begand looking over the many ice shards that stuck out from him "Luckly that crusnik hasn't learned how to poison these things...yet" he spat, at the moment to weak to do anything because of the blood loss.
"Thank you." Nin called over her shoulder as she strode quickly off in the direction Lomien had taken. A couple of minutes later she found him, propped up against some crates in an alley. "Lomien, are you alright?" She cried urgently, kneeling beside him.
Dazed and confused, Lomien looked up catapulting himself back letting forth a weak gout of fire as he barreled into a pile of crates and colapsed from loss of blood and wearyness "Wh-who are you?" he said, as he could barely hear anything in his struggle to maintain conceiousness.
"Lomien, love, it's me. Look at me," Nin said taking his face in her hands, and reaching out to his spirit with hers, "stay with me love, it's me, it's Nin."
"Nin...y-y-your okay" he said smiling weakly "I'm fine my love...just our friend Gurthar pulled a nasty little trick on me at the last minute when he was trying to escape" he said gestureing to the multiple icy blades in his arms, shoulder and body, not realizing that there was one in his neck as well. Lomien's eyes glazed over a bit before he snapped out of it "I'm not leaving you Nin" he said coughing, blood flecks flying from his mouth.
Nin wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth, "Shh, don't move love, you have one in your neck." She told him, searching both visually and spiritually for any sign of anything that might be wrong besides loss of blood.
"So that is why i can't move my head down...probably why i have such a wreched ice headache to" he growled, stirring alittle. It drove him crazy to sit still, and he did not like it when Nin saw him like this. Lomien began plucking out the ice shards "They are all superficial, except for this little bighter in my neck" he sighed, most of the blood cam from his neck except for the one in each wrist and foot.
"Sre you sure you should be doing that?" Nin asked him worried, "We need to stop the bleeding."
"I'll be fine Nin, besides i promised a certain somone a return trip to her home land and i intend to live up to it" he smiled getting up. Lomien under strain of concetration had managed to stop the bleeding for the most part, his face though was ashen, and the life all but gone from his eyes.
"Maybe you should just sit down for a while. Seriph sent some Wraith Guard with me, we're safe here. Just sit and recover, our trip can wait."
"I'm fine my love, unless you would rather wait here but why not on the ship?" he asked staggering slowly to the entrance of the ally way. "Where was Seriph anyways? He was supposed to meet me at the ship nigh an hour before you came" he smiled at her, caressing the side of her face with his hand "I'm going to live Nin, see even this thing won't bother me much more" he said reaching up to yank the spike out of his neck. Lomien was regaining his strengh, at least enought to walk.
"Don't!" Nin cried, seeing him reach for the spike in his neck.
"Ok i'll melt it off then, the thing is already melting..and the ice headache that goes with it is not at all pleasant..but i won't yank it. Come on you, lets get back to the ship" he said sweeping her off he feet to carry her back to the ship. As weak as he was he still could carry her with ease "Don't worry i'm fine really..just got all scaped up again" he sighed Crusnik, you will pay for this he thought with a glare into the darkened ally ways. Walking along one such corridor he fell with a loud "oof" as five masked men leaped from the shadows. "Well well well, if it isn't the dark army assasin's come to get me....go home before you die boys" he said standing between Nin and the group, a dangerous look came to his eye as he crouched ready to attack..the spike still in his neck.
Nin walked around to stand in front of Lomien and glared at the assassins, a dangerous look in her own eyes as they began to glow white. "Leave my husband alone." She said, low and dangerous, reaching out to their spirits.
"It's you we want little one" one said with a wicked smile, as they drew their swords "Now you can give up and come peacfully, or will we have to cut you to ribbons fir...." his voice died in his throat, followed by the cries of the others as they sank to their knees, small blades protruding from their torsos "Well well boys, it would seem that the tables have been turned" Lomien said, side stepping around Nin, a dark look in his eyes as he walked over to the men, who where now cringing in the corner "Not so brave now are you worthless scum!" he mocked them, jumping out of the way as one swung at his foot, landing on the poor guys head heal first as he prepared to grind it into the ground.
Rhapsody rested her head on Gurthar's shoulder and whispered softly. "Sure, we can go raid the Vampire coven. I'm pretty starved." She closed her eyes, shifting her grip onto her wrists and smiled at him. "I could have some fun against something that I know I would win against." A small chuckle passes through her lips.
"Very well then, when shall we begin? It's that little town with the castle sitting on that hill over there" he said to her pointing alittle north of where they where at "As you can see, it is not far. Besides..i owe the Vampire lord there alittle...visit you might say" he said with a snide chuckle.
"We can go there now if you want." She looks in the direction of the castle and smiles slightly, catching onto his snide chuckle.
"Very well then" he said hoisting her onto his back again, running at top speed to the castle "I must warn you though...this is not going to be a clean affair" he said stopping befrore the castle gates, four Vampire guard walked out to meet them "Welcome brother Vampire, i see you brought a snack" the captain said with a cruel smile cast in Rhapsody's direction "Yes it would appear that a snack has been brought" he said with a wicked smile in return, gently making his arm and Rhapsody's bleed don't worry, i won't let them eat you he said telepathically to her.
She takes in a sharp inward of breath when he makes her arm bleed as she peers out over his shoulder at the Vampire guards. Okay, I was a little worried. I do not make a good meal. She weakly smiles at the guards, making it look like she was completely terrified of what is about to happen.
"Sorry about the scrape..i'll fix that up soon. Sit back and Enjoy the show" he said emotionalessly, setting her down gently on the ground "Well then i hear that i need to bribe the captain with a meal...dig in" he said. The Vampire walked calmly over to Rhapsody, one of whom picked her up about to bight in "This..is very good, i tha...ugh" the Vampire grunted, blood pouring from his mouth, Gurthar lept to all of them, killing all five in secounds, draining three of them of blood completly "And now i am full" he said as the blood from the other two flowed to him, seeming to be drawn to him "are you ok?" he said holding her looking over her carefully to see if there had been any tricks the Vamps may have pulled.
Shakes my head and looks up at him, smiling brightly. "Oh I'm fine, don't worry about me. I've had a Vampire try to pull tricks on me one time and I cut his throat out in the process." She straigtened her robes and wiped the dirt off from them.
looks down at her with a smile "Very well then, let us comence our little raid" he said running up to then vaulting the castle wall "Food!" he said diving into a bakery coming out with numerous loaves of bread an a basket of pastries "Will this do...oolch" he stumbled forward, a spear protruding from his chest a learing smile on his face. Seven Vampire guard had come up behind him, hissing and eyeing Rhapsody evily Four of who went up to her, grabbing ahold of her "What's this? a Vampire with a traveling snack" he purred in her ear. Gurthar snarling shot his fist into his attackers chest whaching the Vampire squirm an wrech about as it felt its' life force drain "What the" one of the other Vampires said taking a step back.
Rhapsody slams the back of her head to the Vampires face and breaking his nose as she twists about in his grasp, flinging him to the ground with a loud thud. She unsheathes her long sword and places her boot on his chest, pinning him to the ground and looks down at him, glaring. "I'm not food you foolish Vampire....I'm your worst nightmare." She impales him with her sword and sends her control over fire through the blade of her sword and chars the Vampire's body.
"I've had enough with you guys" Gurthar growled. Suddenly the Four remaining Vampires where suspended in mid air as Gurthar turned his eyes now glowing red as he addressed the Vampires "I am a Crusnik, one who feeds off of the blood of Vampires you have troubled me and my friend for the last time...die" he said, his voice disembodied and gutteral. Cruel laughter filled the court yard as the Vampires all collapsed their bodies disintegrating, as their blood crawled to Gurthar who was absorbing it. "Now let's find the Vampire Lord and be done with this Coven" he turned to her "Sorry i guess i missed one, glad you could handle it" he smiled at her.
She shudders as she watches the blood crawl over to you and smiles up at you. "Yeah, no problem. He was just an annoying pest in my ear."
Seeing her shudder sent a pang through him "I'm sorry you have to see this, unfortunatly it's what i am...power comes at a price..mine is an immortal Vampire predator" he said darkly looking for the palace door "I owe this Monster a battle...he killed the life i was trying to rebuild" speaking darkly searching for the entrance.
"Oh it's okay. It's just the first time that I have seen you do this. I will be used to it maybe after the second time." She also searches for the palace door. "Aha! There it is!" Points at the door, cleverly hidden as it was the same color as the rest of the building. "Oh, and for the food, it will be enough."
"Very well" Gurthar turned to the gate sword drawn an on his shoulder "Dias Nirnaeth uldor, come forth scum!" he challenged, his voice ringing deep, full of hatred and passion. THe Gates Swung open, a huge black armoured figure loomed out of the shadows, flanked on both sides by Minotuars, each of whom stood at least eight feet tall "Well then it look like we are in for a fight" he said turning to Rhapsody "If you wish to save yourself, then now is the chance to, for we may not make it out of here unscathed" he warned her.
She draws her blade and smiles wickedly. "I am not running from this fight. I am a Captain and I will not be beaten by these guys!" She turns back to the Minotuars and the man, grinning. "I am ready for any fight Gurthar!"
"Very well" he said solemnly turning to face the advancing onturage "I challenge your leader to single combat" he said raising high his sword "Or is he afraid of one Crusnik" he sneered taunting the Vampire, knowing that the more he did so the more off guard an brash they would be. Instead the Huge Minotuars charged "yikes lookout!!" he said darting aside as the swund their huge swords and massive shields "This is rigged" he sighed.
Nin took a step toward Lomien and the assassins, her eyes still glowing, "If you want one of us, you will have to take the both of us. Whichever one of you lives may tell Ullari that he will never have me." She said, low and dangerous.
Lomien hovered over them in mock pity, very much enjoying playing with his now hapless quarry "Which one of you will live and which will die...oh and be sure to tell my brother to stop trying to take my wife from me...you see, it puts me in this mood that i can't quite explain" his voice had an unusual edge to it, his eyes had now turned black "please, we're sorry!" begged the assasins, who lay imobilised around Lomiens feet as he continued to circle them knowing that doing so was sheer torture in itself.
Ninquelote's eyes ceased to glow, her rage subsiding, and she gently placed her hand on Lomien's arm. "Let them go love, they will do no harm now." She said looking at the men with pity. Not pity for their fear, but pity because they were probably young men who had been bullied by Ullari's underlings into serving a cause they did not understand.
Lomien could barely hear her "Not before i give them and their fellow brats alittle somthing to remember" he said. Four of the assasins eyes grew wide, their mouths flew open in silent anguish, Lomien drew Gurthang, walking over to two of them, running the dread blade through them both "Kill the two in front of you" he said emotionalessly. Like zombies they arose, though their eyes glowed white, their two former comrades with looks of horror as they where hacked apart "Now cease to exist" he said in the same tone. The two fell on their own blades, the one surviving assasin stared at the scene. Turning to him, Lomien let fly a gout of flame seering the skin off of half of his face "Leave" he belowed, the assasin getting up, running into the night crying cluching his ruined face.
Nin turned away as Lomien drew Gurthang, she knew that she could not bear to watch what would follow. When it was over, she hung her head, at times like this she was reminded that Lomien had changed upon the fall of Telpurion, and it saddened her.
Lomien, saying nothing turned an walked to the ship ever since that day in that dark wood, this state has been apart of me he thought to himself, wondering if this was some sort of Demonic possesion. He was sure to shroud his thoughts, for with it came the deeds that he and Ullari had done, before he turned on Ullari refusing to be apart of it.
Nin walked up behind Lomien and wrapped her arm around his, leaning her head against his shoulder as they boarded the ship.
Seriph, boarding the ship behind them gave a start when he saw the look in Lomien's eye not again, what is it with you Lomien? he thought, his thoughts where unguarded. Seriph gave an exasperated sigh before heading to the stern of the ship. Seriph knew more of Lomien's past than most anyone else, though he owed this alot to first hand account. Sitting down on the rear he whached Lomien.
Lomien headed to the prow, leaping up unto a bench, whaching the moonlit river before him.
Nin followed him, her hand still on his arm, "Love," she asked softly, "are you alright?"
Lomien sat quietly starring off down the river, the blackness in his eyes was only slowly ebbing. Lomien had Gurthang across his lap.
Seriph reached out to Nin's mind Nin, let him alone. Come sit down..i'll try to explain to you what i can he offered. Seriph was however surprised at how severe this reaction had been, though it was not as bad as what had happened on telpurion he mused to himself.
Nin kissed her husband's shoulder and reluctantly turned from him. "It shouldn't have to be explained by you." She said softly, passing Seriph and siting where she could watch Lomien as he stared out over the water.
"I know, but he hates talking about it...yeesh took him almost a thousand years before he would tell me...and that's after i had most everything figured out" he said with a slight smile "Lomien was not always like this, he changed when he found an mastered Gurthang. That sword, and the magic it uses has driven careless others to their own berserk death, Lomien however mastered it...or so he thought. The blade had found his weakness before he realised it, and now he has no control over it. It unleashes in him a rage that is like no other.....Telpurion was the worst...and the reason why it took Ullari so long to assauly Arda" he said to her looking off at Lomien. "That m'lady is all i know...that Gurthang is a dangerous weapon both to victim and weilder, and Lomien suffers from the side effects. He curses himself for it to...oh how he curses himself for it" Seriph said with a shudder.
"That much I have realized." Nin said softly, still looking at Lomien, "I have known him for thousands of years, and it pains me to see him like this, he is not all of who he was."
"War does that to people, he led two lives for along time, when you two where still just friends he was by day the one you knew and by night an assasin, areana fighter, and which hunter" Seriph said mournfully "He is plagued and haunted by all those he killed"
Lomien sat at the prow, whaching each passing wave as they now where at the rivers mouth why, why can't i control that blade? I'm so powerdul an yet so weak he thought to himself, thinking about the past and now i've cheated her....made her fall in love with a lie he thought bitterly as he felt the wound on his neck.
"I knew what he did, Ullari used to brag about it at times. Ullari idolized Lomien, followed him like a shadow." Nin smiled a little, "Lords know I would have done the same, had I been able."
"Yeah Ullari did always idolize him...and then it happened, which snapped Lomien out of his martial zeal, and turned Ullari on the downward path" seriph said "But...i probably shouldn't talk about it...it's as fresh in the old hunters mind now as it was three thousand years ago" Seriph looked on as if dazed.
"I have always known that there was a certain event that caused all of this, but I never asked Lomien about it. I knew that it was too painful for him, it was too painful for us both." She said to Seriph, gazing at Lomien. It was still painful, even just to think about Ullari, to mention his name was like shifting on a pile of thorns.
"I can't tell you what it is, if you want to know i'm sure he'll tell you...but be careful where you tread Nin" Seriph warned "Did he ever tell you what happened during the Echtelion seiges?" he asked, his tone forboding.
Lomien, growing weary of the night, arose as if to walk below deck. Seeing Nin and Seriph together, he gave an odd look at them before shaking his head slightly and heading below deck to tired, weary and burdened to care about anything.
"I was there, I lived in Echtelion, near to the Palace of the High Counsel. I spent those days cowering in fear at Lomien's side, when he was there. When he was fighting I would sit by a window, searching the streets for his return, so afraid that he would not come back to me." Nin's eyes were far off as she remembered those days, "That is why I made Lomien teach me to fight, after that I decided that I would never again sit helpless while my love fought without me."
"He wages a war of his own Nin, what you see is but a fraction of what he fights. He loves you more than anything and i can guarentee you that he is kicking himself till his foot is broke for letting you see him like that" Seriph said looking over the maps on the table before him "I don't know why he chose the path that he did on Telpurion, but he now regrets it....and has long withdrawn, it has only now become visible as he grows weary"
Lomien walking down the stair, entered the large cabin, ignoring for once all the sealed reports that lay on the desk. Lomien seeing the bed, collapsed in the corner against the wall, curled up looking more like the caged animal that he felt like.
"I know." Nin watched Lomien disappear below the deck, and rose to her feet. "I will leave you to your tasks Seriph." She said, her mind a little preoccupied, and followed Lomien.
She entered the cabin and looked around the room, seeing her husband huddled in the corner, her heart felt like it would break. She went over and sat beside him and wrapped her arms around him, saying nothing, just holding him and, for the first time in many years, letting her tears go.
Lomien, stirred by the sudden drops on his face i fell asleep on the deck? or was i walking in my sleep...if so what damage did i do now? he groaned. Lomien stopped, seeing Nin as all of it flooded back into his mind what had happened. "Nin?" he spoke softly looking into her eyes, it had been awile since he had seen her like this, and the last time he had seen her so he would rather forget.
Nin looked up into Lomien's eyes, "I'm alright." She said softly, "Are you?" She asked him, searching his eyes.
Lomien fell silent, his mind still roiling in torment from the past. "Yes....i am" he said, though the voice was not quite his own.
"Oh Lomien," she cried, "what has this world come to? What has become of us?" She wrapped her arms tightly about his neck.
Lomien's eyes lost their black tinge as he looked down on her, sorrow filling his eyes "Nin, why must i bring you into this? This is war Nin, i warned you of this" he said softly taking her in his arms "Why did you stay? What made you stay? I am sorry you had to see me Nin" he said casting a dark glare over at Gurthang "That blade, is both a super weapon and a curse...and to think i wanted to create more...no i just wanted to ease my own pain" he said bitterly, holding her tighter. Lomien thought back to when he first uncovered the blade I supose it could be worse...if he had gotten a hold of it instead of Ullari or i he thought to himself, though he had let the barriers of his mind now fall.
"I know that Lomien, and I have followed you willingly, I always will, until the end of time. I will not cower in fear while you fight on your own." Nin let him hold her, it was comforting to feel his arms around her, "Shh my love, do not let your mind be troubled, just sit here with me, don't think about it." She said reaching up to brush his dark hair out of his face.
He dipped his head alittle so she could reach "That blade....is unique in that i binds the soul of it's weilder to it, amplifying the emotions which they draw their power off of...." his voice trailed off as his mind wandered to the final Telpurion seige when he was making his escape with her the images of the slaughter he had inflicted crossed his mind as he winced from the memories. "You aren't helpless Nin, and i won't leave you" he said to her softly stroking her hair.
Nin just closed her eyes and sat there beside him, wishing that they could continue like that forever.
Weariness overcoming him, Lomien dozed off, at peice for the first time in nearly an age.
Seriph gazed out in the mourning sun, as the boat arrived near Ecthelion
"Yikes!" Rhapsody dodged out of the way of the Minotuars' huge swords and shields and searched for shadows as they were her speciality. Her brother's words rang clear in her mind If you are ever in a situation that you can't handle, use the shadows for advantage. She shook her head angerily as she looked back at the Minotuars again, finding ways to bypass their defense. She called out to Gurthar. "Gurthar! Worry about the Vampire! I will keep them away from you!"
"Do your best to avoid them, don't anger them to quickly as that will only make them harder to kill...an for god sake stear clear of their weapons!!" he cried out to her, leaping aside as the huge Vampire brought its' sword down meating blade with blade.
"Okay!" She called out, leaping away from one of the Minotuars blades crashing down towards her. She continued to eye them both, to figure out how to kill them quickly and not to put her at a greater risk of killing herself. Hmm...I wonder if it will work or no....but its very risky. She moved cautiously towards them, keeping her distance from them, waiting for her chance to move in.
"Magic won't work..less you know how to create weapons that can peirce armour, there are ten of them and one of you be very careful as they will try to back you into a corner" he cautioned her, clashing blades with the huge Vampire. Leaping back Gurthar released a fullisade of silver and ice blades at the Vamp, hearing a satisfactory grunt, as it sank to one knee "You're mine!" he said charging, sword and eyes glowing a bright ruby red.
She smiles as she pulled her bow out and notched an arrow. She whispers softly. "In fact, I can use their anger to my advantage..." Pulls back on her bow and lets the arrow fly, the arrow digging deeply into one of the Minotuars neck. Just as quickly as she fired the arrow, she slung her bow over her shoulder and sprinted towards the second Minotuar, leaping up and with one hand, grabbed onto its clothing, pulling herself up along its eight foot tall body, keeping an eye out for the other Minotuar and the one she was climbing to see what they would try to pull.
A snarling below was the only warning she got, as the other bit down into her leg. Gurthar decapitated a Minotuar that had gotten in his way, intent on his prize. He ran the Vampire lord through the gut, his own blood on the blade to mingle with the other.
She screamed in pain, and unsheathed her sword. With all of her might, she released the Minotuar she was clinging too, twisted about and decapitated the other Minotuar and drops to the ground. She shakily gets to her feet, not putting any weight on her wounded leg.
Gurthar dueled with the Vampire count, though it was clear now who was winning. The Vamp was losing control gradually of himself...a testiment to how strong he was. Gurthar calmly decapitated the lord. Turning to Rhapsody he went to give he warning, as one of the remaining brutes picked her up by her neck.
She grasps at the brutes hand and wiggles, trying to break herself free from its grip. She gasped for breath as she struggled to grip her sword so that she could stab the Minotuar in its hand. Her eyes quickly sought Gurthar's, a slight fear in them.
Gurthar met her eyes with a reassuring smile, outstretching his hand. The Minotuar dropped her whimpering, clutching its throat then its arm as it's arm broke, as it sank to the ground defeated. It looked up pitifully as Gurthar impaled its' head with his sword "Are you alright..that leg looks like it might be broken" he said grimly whaching the remaining five Minotuars stand at a distance "I see no need to kill them so long as the behave"
She tries to stand again and crumpled to the ground. "Yeah, my leg is broken. I can't stand on it at all." She tried to hide the pain she was in, but the pain was way too great for her to bear and it showed greatly on her face. "And I have learned a lesson today...don't go into a battle cocky the way I did...I realized that I didn't know how to face against a Minotuar."
"Well you learned, and that shows that you have alot of potential in you. As for the Minotuars..it takes alot of time an effort to be able to best a Minotuar brute..there are many different types of Minotuar..these being one of the deadlier but far from the worst" he said laying her down "Now let's see about this leg of yours" calmly manipulating the blood flow in her leg to set the bones "This might hurt, i can turn off the nerves temporarily if you want...don't recomend it though..phantom pains are no fun at all" he said searching for the point of the break, giving an exasperated huff as he realised there where many "There never is such thing as a clean break with a Minotuar involved"
She winces slightly and looks at him. "Do what ever it takes to make me be able to walk again. I don't want Ullari see me as unfit anymore." She laid her head down on the ground and closed her eyes. "God...that hurts so much!"
"Easy Rhapsody, you compare yourself to people much more powerful than you" he spoke gently as he set the numerous breaks in her leg "He does not see you as unfit, just as one who needs more training..which is no insult to you" speaking casually working on solidifying the bones, and closing up the wounds "To think i almost wound up in the medic team..blech no thank you! alittle repair hear an there is fine..24/7 no thank you" he laughed.
Watches him as he works and only winces, but not crying out in pain. She mulled his words over and smiled up at him, laughing with him. "I cannot picture you doing that." She looks up to the sky. "And thank you Gurthar, for healing my leg and your words." She looks back at him. "And I will also make sure to train more too."
"I can teach you, and i have a good friend who is a Minotuar who would be glad to teach you how to fight against other Minotuars" Gurthar said, finishing up her leg "There try to walk on it and tell me if you hurt anywhere" he said lifting her up.
She gingerily steps on her leg and tries to walk around. "My leg is fine and I don't feel any other pains at all." She turns back to him and nods. "I accept your offer to train me and the same with your friend." She smiles and rubs her stomach. "I am even more starved!"
Gurthar disapeared inside the castle. a few screams and shouts errupted. When he returned he had a huge tray of food in one hand, and a keg of wine in the other "Will this do? sorry about the noise...i kinda scared the poor cook an butler to death" he said smiling sheepishly
Rhapsody chuckles and shakes her head. "No, its fine. You startled me too when thier screams sounded." Smiles widely and nods. "That will do nicely Gurthar!" She walks over to him and plucks a loaf of bread from the tray and sighs. "I should really carry a dagger with me for times like this..." She looks back at him. "Do you have one on you?"
"I have several" he said bending down, and extracting a long curved one with ornate runes on it "Here ya go" he said using the keg as a table and the dead Minotuar as a seat "rather cushy fellas if you ask me" he laughed filling one of the mugs up with wine, an taking a long pull from it.
She begins to cut the bread and chuckles, sitting down next to him. "You are something else Gurthar..." She smiles sadly. "You are my only friend since..." She falls silent, the painful memories of her husband being killed. She closes her eyes and takes in a shuttering breath. Farim...I miss you... She butters the slice of bread she had taken and takes a bite of it, lost in thought.
Gurthar seeing her pained look "What's wrong? he asked kindly "Remember when we found you on patrol? You looked like a frightened rabbit" he said softly
She sighs softly and lowers her head. "I miss my husband terribly..." She looked back up at him, tears in her eyes.
"If it makes you feel any better...the beast who deprived him of his life sits not five feet from me" Gurthar said gesturing to the fallen Vampire lord. Gurthar manipulated her tears into a long icy spear, sending it through a Minotuar who had crept up behind her silently. The beast fell with an ear splitting shriek as Gurthar covered his ears angerly.
Rhapsody covers her ears when the beast shrieked and looks back at the brute, rolling her eyes and went back to eating. "I wish they leave me alone. I'm not something good to eat." She smiles. "And thank you for killing the man who took my husband life. I owe you alot now."
"You don't owe me anything....i made a promise to him to look after you, so needless to say he died in peace, which i was glad that i could do that much for him..." his voice trailed off, he had been unable to heal him as the wounds where far to severe to save before he bled out. This as well as the others..his beloved family that he had been unable to save haunted him greatly.
Her eyes widen as he said those words. "A-are you serious? I didn't know that you made him that promise." Seeing his pained look as well, she moved over to him and wrapped her thin arms about his shoulders, giving him a tight hug.
"Yes i am, i found him to late to save him and for that much i am sorry. I promised him three things, an end to his suffering, your saftey, and retrobution for those who had taken him from you. I was happy for him, he got to die in peace knowing that before the end all would be taken care of" he said softly looking down at her with a saddened smile "I found you two days later...but i only knew it was you because i could sense the bond you two had shared in trying to heal your wounds"
Tears entered her eyes as she buried her face into his shoulder, trying to control her emotions. Memories flooded her mind as she completely loses it and breaks down into heart wrenching sobs. She buried her face into her hands and continued to sob for a long time.
"I tried to save him Rhapsody.." he said mournfully gently wrapping his arm around her. Seeing that the Vampire lord still stired "I think i may have found a way to repay that miserable wretch" he said eying the young family that gathered around him darkly.
She looks up at the Vampire lord and whispers. "What do you have in mind?"
"Taking everything away from him, his entire family right before his eyes. I will only do this though if you want me to" he said softly to her.
She doesnt hesitate at all when she replied darkly. "Do it Gurthar. Let him know what it feels like to lose everything he has ever known."
"Very well" he replied, his voice devoid of emotion "Farim my friend, this is for you" he said walking over to the Vampire family. The mother stood up, defiantly protecting her four young children at her side "Leave us alone please" she begged him. The Vampire lord tried to get up, but he was under the influence of Gurthars' ability and could only whach. "Ah what a sweet little thing" he said circling her, he was clearly toying with them, making them more miserable. He held aloft one of the children, a young boy ripping out his heart with his bare hand and tossing his lifeless body to the side "No!" the lord and his wife both screamed as she ran to her dead son.
Guthar then lifted up the remaining three, making sure their cries could be heard "Please don't do this, why do you do this!" pleaded the wife, sinking to her knees in agony as she whached Gurthar rip the children limb from limb, then finally tearing out their hearts as well, casting them aside like so much baggadge. "Which one should i let live?" he said to Rhapsody. He felt sorry for the wife as she had nothing to do with this, he wanted her to live she was a human wench of the Vampire lord and she had lost everything just now.
Rhapsody goes up to the woman and takes her in her arms and leads her away. "Kill the Vampire, he took my life away from me.." Turns back to the woman and tries to soothe her.
"Yes please..kill the Vampire" the woman said with a sob "I don't want to be a part of him any more" she cried. "Very well" Gurthar replied. Taking ahold of the Vampire, he broke his legs, then his arms. Finally after taking the skin off of him slowly he disembowled him, leaving him to die in pain. The woman scowled at Gurthar, breaking free of Rhapsodys' grasp, rushing at him with a drawn katana "This is for taking away what little that i had" she shrieked running Gurthar through with her blade. Gurthar stood still as the blade passed through his shoulder as she was now pressed up against him, surprised that he had diverted her blade. her eyes wide with with rage and terror.
Rhapsody sighed in annoyance and walked up to the woman, breaking her grip on the sword's hilt and pulled her away from Gurthar. "Woman, we are truely sorry for your loss and I know how you feel to lose everything that meant so precious to you. But what you just did, would have gotten you killed if it was someone besided Gurthar." Rhapsody looks deep in her eyes and smiles warmly, trying to make her feel better.
Determined to have her revenge fire leaps from her fists, shooting a gout of flame that seems to envelope Guthar Not again...geez i hate fire! he thought to himself as the flames burned around him how long will she keep this flame up? he wondered safely inside a Minotuar sheild he had hid under, though he made it seem like he was being burnt to a crisp.
"I've had enough of this..." Rhapsody takes the hilt of her sword and slams it into her head to knock her unconcious. She slumps in my arms and I lift her up in my arms.
A very singed, and very grouchy Gurthar, pushed over the shield standing up sweating from being under the metal shield "Oi...what took ya so long girl?" he said with a smile. The wound in his shoulder was already repaired.
Rhapsody smiles and teases him. "Oh, I just thought you needed a tan." She throws the girl over her shoulder and goes over and takes a long drink from the wine in her mug. "Well, its about time that I got a drink from my mug." She takes another drink and looks over at Gurthar.
"Yeah i would say so" he said looking at the petite asian girl slung over her back "And i really am tired of getting my arm hairs burnt off" he growled "What are we going to do with her?..eat her?" he teased devouring a large portion of a steak that was sitting on the plate, then taking another gulp from his mug before refilling and repeating the process.
"Oh yes, you know me...I eat human all the time." Sets her on the ground and takes another drink from her mug. "Maybe we should take her to Ullari. Maybe he will know what to do with her." Looks at you, smiles and steals the rest of the steak before you could eat it. Takes a bite from the steak. "Mhmmm this steak is good."
Laughs "Hey! oh well..ooh is that sour dough?!" he said eying the loaf, devouring that in turn "Yeah i mistook a human for a Vampire...kinda sucked their blood...and ended up throwing up like a drunk fool for the rest of the evening" he said shuddering at the memory. Gurthar filled his mug again, taking a swig out of it "Ullari i think may end up selling her off in Telpurion if she proves to much trouble" he said teasingly "Not that i would blame him..troublsome little brat"
Laughs at your playfulness for the sourdough and your misfourtune with the human. "Ahhh poor you." Fills up my mug and takes another swig. "Hmm, he might...I mean I would for sure if I had to deal with her hostile towards others 24/7. But she might shape up if shes brought down to size."
Gurthar looked at the ruined Vampire family as the Minotuars began rebelling against their former masters. The woman awoke, seeing the feast arrayed before Gurthar and Rhapsody she dove at Gurthar with a dagger. A very annoyed Gurthar lept aside, swinging the flat end of his sword at her, connecting with her backside with a loud crack as both her legs broke. He whached her land in a crumpled heap "Finally a moments peice if you will! or do i have to break your arms as well?" he growled turning back to the feast.
Rhapsody places her foot on the small of her back and continues to eat without a second glance at her. "Gurthar, what made you decide to be part of Ullari's Army?"
"My Family owned the fighting ring that Lomien used to fight in, they made the mistake of trying to go after his wife and for that Lomien wiped them out to a man. He came for my family when i was out running errands for my wife, when i cam back they where all dead" he said sorrowfully "After that i started infiltrating and spying for Ullari, never an open member of his rising rebellion until he made fulscale war on Telpurion" The girl beneath her feet moaned in pain struggling to get free. Gurthar calmly walked over picking her up as if she where a rag doll by the neck "I spared your miserable little life and yet you still keep trying to...ugh" he growled, as she buried a knife into his neck. He managed to maintain his grasp about her neck.
"You're worth more trouble than your worth!" Rhapsody broke the womans arms and tossed her to the ground, kneeling down beside her and placed her sword to her throat. "We let you live where we could have easily killed you woman! Don't make us regret that decision by leaving you to die here in your agony."
"Rhapsody, how's about i let those rather hungry wolves out over there and we enjoy dinner and a show?" he said cruely. "No, please don't do this!" the woman writhed in agony. "What is your name girl?" he growled at her "Riann..it's Rianne" she said crying in her misery, terrified of her surroundings.
Rhapsody smiled harshly down at her and savagely kicked her before walking back over to Gurthar. "I agree, lets have a show."
"Very well" he said with a smile. Gurthar threw a dagger at the cage, killing one of the giant wolves, and letting the other one go in the process. Rianne screamed in terror, backing up as best she could "Please, i'll do anything, i'm sorry!" she said as the wolf began walking over to her.
Gurthar laughed "Why would i want to use you? how disgusting" he spat.
She smiles and leans forward slightly, taking a bite from her slice of bread, preparing to watch the show.
The wolf pounced on her, as she fought to stave off it's attacks screaming in pain "Make it stop please Gurthar, please make it stop" she cried out to him. Gurthar turned to Rhapsody "what would you like to do now?" he asked her, devouring another slab of meat he had found.
Watches you eat the slab of meat and and thinks slowly. "Hmmmm I think she should suffer for her ignorance." Reaches over and grabs my mug, taking a drink of wine.
"Should we let the wolf kill her? or should we have her fight over the course of a couple days until the beast goes insane an rips her apart? or do we let her live after being mauled?" he asked, lighting a fire an playing a flute that he had tucked into his pocket. It was a tune like the one sung by the fawn in Narnia.
"Or perhaps you should cease waisting time and return to camp." Rayne said hotly as she approached. "Ullari has sent for the two of you."
"Sent for us? since when where you an errand girl?" Gurthar said laughing. returning to the large tray. Rianne had crawled back from the wolf now as it began circling her again "Please Gurthar, don't do this. I'm sorry!" she pleaded. Gurthar turned a calouse look to her "You had your chance, but instead you kill my family, your husband depriving Rhapsody of her family..i think you deserve alittle torment" he said cruely tossing her a dull blade.
Rayne looked at Gurthar in disgust at his snide remark, and cruel amusement.
"Don't you have any mercy? you killed my husband and my children is that not punishment enough?" she begged, turning to Rayne with pleading eyes "Help me please..aiee" she screamed tustling with the hungry wolf again. G
Gurthar sat by, clearly sickened, though he non-the less turned to enjoying the first feast he had had in a long time.
Rayne flicked her hand and a pillar of fire shot past Gurthar and Rhapsody and impacted the wolf, the already wounded beast collapsed beside the woman. Rayne turned to Rhapsody and Gurthar, her eyes burning, "The two of you will return."
Gurthar, slightly preturbed at her intrusion turned to her "or else what?" he challenged, taking control of her body and pinning her to the ground whispering in her ear "I know you hate me Rayne, that much is plain and i can read your mind through your thoughts..Ullari sent you only to find us..not bring us back, again i don't know what it is that has made you hate me so much..." his voice trailed off.
Rayne looked away from him, "You know very well why. You are a threat to Ullari and his cause." That was her simple reply, for her that was enough and she did not see why anyone might want any better reason than that.
Rhapsody rolled her eyes and watched the situation going on between you and Rayne. Continues to keep an eye on the woman that is hurt.
"What shall we do with Rayne? in all honesty i feel sorry for Rianne, as i probe her mind she was more hypmotised by the Vamp an now that that is wearing off she has forgotten everything an remembers me only as a friend. However i would not mind feeding Rayne to the wolves...she's just as likely to kill me as that Vampire would.....i thought i was making mends with her..but i guess not" he said mournfully, making sure Rayne was imobilised on the ground.
Rhapsody looks down at Rayne and sneered slightly. "Do whatever you want with her. Like I said, we could bring Rianne with us."
"Let me go." Rayne snapped, struggling against Gurthar's hold on her, "I may not sit at Ullari's right hand, but he would surely punish you for harming me."
"You really think that just because you are his pet that he would care? how pathetic. Listen Rayne Ullari doesn't let people get close to him anymore, his heart was torn out of him along time ago. He cares after a fashion, but do you really think that he can't replace you?" Gurthar said ernestly "No one is ir-replacable Rayne, an for that matter...who would even know you where harmed if you never returned" Gurthar said holding her face in one of his huge hands, he felt sorry for her and it showed.
Rayne spat in his face, "Release me Crusnik." She said glaring hostilely at him.
"How's about i snap your neck instead you impertinant little brat, and leave you for the wolves" he sneered taking hold of her neck, begining to manipulate the muscles in it.
Rhapsody sneers some more and looks down at her. "You won't be missed." She looks up at Gurthar. "Do it my friend."
Rayne refused to cry out, instead a burst of flame blew in Gurthar's face.
A very singed Gurthar glared at her "Give me one good reason why i should spare your miserable life Rayne..when all you have ever done is cause me trouble and become a thorn in my side...even after i saved you neck back at the fort" he said, his face healing before her, as he had gorged himself on Vampire blood, making sure she couldn't use her abilities.
"Because Ullari will make you regret it." She said defiantly, "I don't care what you say, I have served him since my childhood, he has always looked after me."
"Regret it? Rayne i have nothing to lose, all of it was taken away from me by Lomien. The only thing Ullari can take away from me that i value is my life" he said darkly "You know nothing about the ways of men and war ingorant child, you don't think i'm aware of the sancioned duel allowed between the two of us. Do you have any idea how easy it would be tow write this off as you challenging me then losing...and don't think i couldn't stage it either" he said flatly.
Rayne just glared at him.
"So i ask you again Rayne, why should i let you live when all you do is try to kill me?" Gurthar growled "All i have ever done is aid Ullari, that aid cost me my entire family and the life i had before the war and still i have aided him. I don't go around picking quarels with his other generals either, and i obey him without question. Somthing you have never done, your always fighting and always nagging him about anything you see as out of line. So tell me now...who's the bigger detriment to Ullari?" he asked her, his voice soft.
"I have never attempted to kill you Crusnik." She snapped, "I have merely pointed out to Ullari and to you that your personal agendas are not in Ullari's best interest. I have always had nothing but his best interest at heart."
"That is a lie, my own 'agenda' is Lomien, and is the same as Ullari" he said letting her go "you're an embarassment; you're power hungry, hot headed, and rash" he said to her walking over to finish the rest of his meal.
Rayne hit the ground and rolled into a crouch, still glaring at Gurthar. "Fine." She spat. "And what of you?" She said angrily turning to Rhapsody, "Ullari sent for you too."
"We where planning on returning of our own accord, we just decided to end one of our many tormentors" Gurthar said in a light tone "Back down Rayne i could kill you instantly, the fact that i haven't done that and much worse makes me wonder why you still hate me" he said, looking around, bending down to heal Rianne "Easy little one, your torment has passed, i did that to shake the spell off of you, let the darkness pass" he said speaking softly to her as he began to heal her many lacerations.
Rhaspody ignored Rayne and slowly drank from her mug, once again lost in thought. She grimaced when she remembered her brothers dragging her before Ullari, frightened and determined at the same time. She doesn't remember what had happened after that.
Gurthar having fed Rianne, turned to Rhapsody "Well then, it would seem that all the food is gone, shall we return then? or drive poor little Rayne crazy?" he asked teasing Rayne on purpose. Gurthar enjoyed being on the other end of the stick....somthing he did not get to do hardly ever.
She finishes her wine and looks at Gurthar. "I think I may return back to camp. You can stay here and drive her crazy." She sets the mug down and repositioned her bow on her back. "I just need some time to think Gurthar. I hope you understand."
"I understand, i think Ullari wanted to brief me on a mission of sorts" he sighed, hoisting Rianne up onto a horse he had found "You can ride with Rianne, i think i'll run...it's been awile since i've had a good long run" turns to gather up his sword and assorted belongings.
"Thank you Gurthar." Rhapsody whispered and mounts the horse, wrapping her arm about Rianne and eased the horse past Gurthar. She looks down at him. "I will see you back at camp. Heya!" She sent the horse into a gallop, waving back to Gurthar and heads back to Ullari's camp.
Gurthar seeing three remaining Vampires challenge him eyed them with a gleeful look. Outstreching his arm, an icy blade appeared from it, armour shrouding the same arm also made out of ice, with ice blades protruding "Well i guess one more bout before the run wouldn't hurt" he said charging them with a yell, cutting them to pieces in secounds, his blade an arm dripping in blood.
Rayne watched Rhapsody leave then looked at Gurthar in disgust. She turned to where she left her horse tethered and rode off, back to the Command Tent.
Rhapsody also rides back to the Command Tent
Gurthar bored of the place runs after them, keeping pace with the galloping horse to the Command Tent
Eldur walked the streets where everything had taken place lately. The air had the smell of blood and that disgusted him. He did not want to stay here more. Hiding his glowing eyes under his hood, he went to the dock and asked when the next ship to Ecthelion would leave. He would not dare fly over the sea, he never knew when his connection with the spirits would be lost, and surely he did not want that to happen in midair. Unable to sleep being filled with so much magic, he sat at the dock trying to stay unnoticable and waited for the time to pass.
Hours later, Eldur went aboard and sat on a corner of the ship. No-one dared to come close to him, who wouldn't scare a weird stranger who whispers and is comletely hidden under black velvet? The ship departed as the sun rose from the East. It as a long trip, but Eldur enjoyed the morning wind and its smell over the sea.
With the sun rising on her face, Phedra paused momentarliy. Fatigue and hunger knawed at her stomach. She just needed to come upon a nearby town and replenish her stores. It had been a hard travel this time. She could only remember the one time where she had felt that way. And she would best forget it.Too many bad memories. Only a year?
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