Dragons and Magic II: The Hunt for DreamWeaver

[Mantra]

Khan

Khan pulled away, trying to disentangle his shield arm from the mass, but only succeded in keeping the thing from drawing his arm in further. With grit teeth, Khan slashed and stabbed at the bloody mass with Dukar. Each hit hissed and burned when the white hot blade contacted the mass, occasionally severing a chunk of the beastie but his efforts did little to slow the gelatenous mass.

Apparently his plan did not have the effect he had hoped for. Khan needed a new plan...and quickly.

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn looked solemnly at Dolomas.

There was an old Elven saying: "To make war, one has to become war".

To fight magic, one has to use magic.

O'Bonn closed his eyes and whispered silently an incantation in ancient Elvish. The gentle breeze that was blowing soon changed into a strong wind, with whisps of leaves and broken twigs scurrying around them. The sky, with its crystal sheen of stars was blanketed by clouds, and a few bolts of lightening flashed high in the heavens. And then, everything was quiet again. It was over as soon as it had begun. O'Bonn opened his eyes and bowed deeply to Dolomas.

"We are strong, my friend," he said. "We venture where others dare not go. This is our path, and we walk it with virtue, honor, and with the hearts of warriors. We only need to be shown the way."

 

[rengadeirishman]

Cormac nodded in agreement with the words of O'bonn. "I know my destiny is to die in battle, a warrior can ask for nothing more. I fear no enemy, nor its blades, besmirched by undeath or not." he said to Dolomas.

 

[Mantra]

Dolomas's Camp

Dolomas looked from one face to another, finally sighing when he saw that no one would be disuaded from their course of action.

"The way is not really hard." he began, drawing a rough sketch in the dirt with a twig from the fire. " We have been on this road for six days. Boar's Back would be another day top the north east, so seven days march. Of course, none fo you are burdened with young folk or livestock, so you could move much faster, especially if you have horses. You could probably make it in three days, maybe two if you ride hard."

"Problem comes after that though." Dolomas continued. "If you wanna go father back into the swamp, back where the zombies came from, you'll have to enter the swamp proper. No roads to speak of for a horse and the ground gets really dangerous. You'd best due with a guide unless you want to risk quicksand, bogs or even dead lights."

 

[Mantra]

Khan

As he struggled, Khan's back finally pressed against one of the room's walls. With nowhere else to go, the blob-thing managed to surge forward, enveloping Khan's arm further.
Khan made another, futile stab, nearly running the creature through before the blood again smashed into his head and torso. His breastplate and helm prevented any real harm from befalling Khan, but once more the metalic taste of blood filled his mouth, his nose, his eyes...

There was a muffled, whistling sound, seemingly from far away and the blood thing quivered. A second whistle sounded and a moment later, Khan was able to draw a spluttering breath as the blob hesitated.

Although his vision sparkled, he saw the human staggering across the room, struggling futily to reach feathered shafts from where they projected from his back and side. He turned slowly, and another whistle sounded from the farthest corner, near the otiginal door he had entered from. A final arrow took the human through the throat. He jerked straight and rigid, then finally, crumpled to the floor.

As the human fell, the blob gave a final shudder, then liquified. The great swelling blood spill covering the oozing blood of the human as it spread over the floor.

Still spitting blood, Khan caught a glimpse of two hooded and cloaked figures, the nearest of which regarded Khan harshly with clear almond shaped eyes. Both held carved longbows and both had arrown knocked, although neither had then drawn towards Khan.

Moon elves! Living moon elves!

From outside, there were more whistles and distant shouts. The two elves turned and without a sound, vanished out the door with a flourish of their cloaks.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Khan

As he struggled, Khan's back finally pressed against one of the room's walls. With nowhere else to go, the blob-thing managed to surge forward, enveloping Khan's arm further.
Khan made another, futile stab, nearly running the creature through before the blood again smashed into his head and torso. His breastplate and helm prevented any real harm from befalling Khan, but once more the metalic taste of blood filled his mouth, his nose, his eyes...

There was a muffled, whistling sound, seemingly from far away and the blood thing quivered. A second whistle sounded and a moment later, Khan was able to draw a spluttering breath as the blob hesitated.

Although his vision sparkled, he saw the human staggering across the room, struggling futily to reach feathered shafts from where they projected from his back and side. He turned slowly, and another whistle sounded from the farthest corner, near the otiginal door he had entered from. A final arrow took the human through the throat. He jerked straight and rigid, then finally, crumpled to the floor.

As the human fell, the blob gave a final shudder, then liquified. The great swelling blood spill covering the oozing blood of the human as it spread over the floor.

Still spitting blood, Khan caught a glimpse of two hooded and cloaked figures, the nearest of which regarded Khan harshly with clear almond shaped eyes. Both held carved longbows and both had arrown knocked, although neither had then drawn towards Khan.

Moon elves! Living moon elves!

From outside, there were more whistles and distant shouts. The two elves turned and without a sound, vanished out the door with a flourish of their cloaks.

Khan struggled hard against the blob, hacking, slashing, and stabbing with his fiery blade, but to no avail. It eventually pinned him to the wall and surely kill him, albeit slowly.

Then the human was killed and the blob dissolved into a puddle. So that's how you beat one of these things. Why didn't I think of that? thought Khan to himself. Then he saw who had "rescued" him. A pair of living Moon Elves. So there was hope yet for Khan to remove the curse upon him.

Khan quickly made sure that his illusion was in place (whether or not it had fallen during the fight), and then watched the two elves vanish out the door. Khan could hear the sounds of battle outside and figured that there were enough Moon Elves that they could retake the village, especially after they had regrouped from the intial attack.

Khan removed his helm and sat down against a wall where the puddle of blood did not reach. His brillant white hair glistened with sweat as he sat there and awaited the inevitable return of the elves. They would most certainly want to know why he was here.

As he sat there, he silently admitted to himself that he was just a bit nervous fighting that blob, but he sure wasn't going to admit that to anybody else.

 

[LittleSprite2]

Idrial thanked Dolomas for his directions and wished him and his band as safe a journy as was possable in these times of trouble, asking him only where they might find a guide to lead them thru the swamps should they need to continue there journy past Boar's Back.

Idrial waited for Dolomas's reply before looking to O'Bonn , Cormac, and Ona she said We should go and gather the rest of our party they are most likely worried for we have been gone long with out sending word all is well, and again I wish you and yours a safe journy Dolomas, ohh and by and by just curious how was it your senterys discoverd i was near i made no noise.. she asked the last because she had been curious and wondering if perhaps it was a charm or something Dolomas's people knew of that might aid them in there travels or perhaps not..

 

[Mantra]

Khan

Khan sat, still tasting the coppery taste of foreign blood and covered with the sticky stuff as he waited. Outside he could hear the sounds of shouts and curses, occasionally puncuated by one of the whistling sounds he identified as one of the moon elves arrows.

Khan had lived a long time and endured many, many battles. His experiences allowed him to partly follow that battle happening outside, or at least, he thought he could.

Five minutes had passed since the elves had left him. If the whistles were the elves firing bows, then Khan suspected there were fewer than 15 and they were moving about, hitting and running but more importantly, he suspected that they were either being overrun by a superior force or being forced away from his location. Either way, he was being left behind.

 

[Mantra]

Idrial and company

"Ma'am," Dolomas said with a sheepish smile. "I do wish you well, but I will not go back, nor do I think anyone else here willing to return to a slaughterhouse that we all barely escaped from. If anyone still lives in the swamp now that would be a willing guide..." he shrugged, indicating his thoughts on that subject.

Idrial glances around the fire at some of the people who were still about. The arrival of Idrial and her group had not abated any of their fears and tension was still palpable in the air all around them.

"Dolomas looked over the fire as well, towards where Idrial had been discovered. "Honestly ma'am, I can't say how you were spotted per say. We border folk are used to having a keen eye and ear, true, but sometimes...well, just plain old luck can make the difference for good or evil."

"We don't have much, and we'll move again come first light. You're welcome to stay the night with us, share bacon, bread and coffee with us, but we can offer you little more than that."

 

[LittleSprite2]

Idrial nodded her understanding of Dolomas's words she had known that there was a slim chance any would wish to guide them considering what they had been thru, it would seem that unless they met some one on there way that they would needs make there own way and be as catuious as ever. She smiled when he explanined how he thought she had been discovered and nodded.. Luck.. yes it was something she hadnt thuought about in some time but then wasnt it luck that she had arrived in time to save Rhys from the burnt down village?...

I thank you for your offer Dolomas it would be an honor to stay the night with you and yours.. there is also safty in numbers.. if i may, and it will not alarm your people futher i would like to return to our camp and bring forward the rest of our party there are only three others. Though if you fear your peoples reaction to such a large number of warriors in there midst then we can return to our own fires. We also have plenty of deer meat left to share of which Cormac provided for us earler, so that we will not run you low on provisions. Idrial new from the tension level around them that some for knowladge of how many would join them, and the offer of the deer meat might ease things and make them a little less nurvious.

 

[Mantra]

Elsewhere....

Everywhere the dead shambled about, moving with their single minded determination while completing whatever tasks they had been given to complete. They were of all races, colors, sizes and types to be sure, as well as varying states of decay, from the freshly dead to bony skeletons to skeletons which were little more than crumbled husks. They had been drawn from every place the living could be 'harvested' from and reanimated to do the bidding of a single master.
From time to time a living individual could be seen moving about some dark business or sheparding the shamblers about.

It was an army, an army with only one purpose...To kill the living.

Even with all the bussle, for there were a great many events, plots and conspiricies swirling about this base of operations happening, it was (to pardon the pun) dead. The dead did not speak and the living spoke as little as possible. None spoke to the Master as he strode about.
He was tall, over six feet, dressed in flowing black robes adorned with silver arcane symbols. He carried a long, ivory staff carved with many skeletal animals and birds, each entwined in a thorny vine which covered the entire five foot length of the staff. The shamblers moved aside for him as he passed without a word from their lord. Even the sound of the staff striking the ground was muffled by the soft loam. The hand which clutched the staff was thin and pale, as pale as the corpses and bones which surrounded him. It was impossible to really tell what he might have looked like, as what remained of his patchy hair was white and thin, the skin on his palid face was pulled tight over his skull. He did not mind the undead around him, he himself had created many of them. In addition, he was not only their lord, he was one of them as well.

Thier was a brief commotion as a rider appeared, moving quickly through the mass of dead ones. A human man, quite common looking, with shoulder length blond hair and piercing eyes, rode in on a jet black horse whose hoves scorched and burned the earth...when they touched at all. In a semi-circle around the rider were three other monsterous figures, running along on overly long legs, giving them a foolish loping stride. Each thing looked sort of like a cross between a vulture and an ostrich, but where wings should be, long, bony hook like arms extended and curved. One of the things however, had only one hook-arm, the other ending in a jagged stump.
The man wore no armor, only heavy leathers covered by a travel worn cloak. While he was unarmed, a scabbarded bastard sword lay across his horse's flanks along with a bracer of javalins. He rode unerringly towards the master, the vulture thinhs herding teh shamblers, sometimes forcefully, out of the way of the rider.

"I need more." the rider said without ceremony. "I will take fifty to Ur-Lagoros."

The master's stretched features scowled back at the rider. "I have sent you enough." he responded.

"The skeketons are too frail for the work. I need flesh and muscle, even if it is rotting. You may have the others back if you wish."

The master tapped the ground with his ivory staff and slowly a group of zombies began to assemble themselves around the rider. "These are the freshest I have at the moment. They shall suffice."

The rider looked about him at the zombies and suddenly did a double take. He drew a riding crop and leaned forward, pushing aside a dirt and blood stained hood. Long silvery white hair fell in silky locks around a thin, feminine face. Skin that was pale and fair, even in undeath. It was the prettiest zombie he had ever seen. He looked around closer this time, noting several like featured among the crowd.

"Moon elves." the rider said flatly. " You attacked the moon elves."

The master made a sarcastic half-smile. 'Harvested would be a -" His words were ended abruptly as the riding crop slapped his across one cheek.

"You stupid bastard!" the rider cursed at him. "I told you to leave the moon elves be!There were better uses for them than this!"

The master glared death at the rider, who only glared back with equal malice. The many shamblers around them suddenly turned from docile inaction to malicious intent in a second. The vulture things instantly circled the rider, chattering and clicking with the promise of violence. The horse snorted wisps of smoke from it's nostrils as it bared fanged teeth and pawed the ground with hooves which hissed and scorched the loam.

"I was promised the Scroll of Animus the Wise! Greatness." the master practically spat at the rider with the final word twisted into an insult. "Where is it? You have known the Moon elves posess it and done nothing! You have failed to retrieve it for me, so I have moved to claim what is due to me!"

"And you do not have it either, do you?" the rider answered with equal venom. "For a dead man, you have very little paitence Malus. I had a plan. A plan to claim your precious scroll and deal with the elves. All ruined because of your stupidity! All you have done is scatter what remains and drive the scroll underground, fool!"

The rider leaned back, visibly relaxing his stance. Still holding eye contact, he deftly untied a bundle from his saddle, letting a pair of small burlap sacks fall to the ground.
"Your cut." he said, calmly. His own escort easing and relaxing as the rider did. "Remember Malus, you are a part of a grand and wonderous future, remember what is coming and the part you play in it.... Master." He eased his horse around, begining to move away the way he came.
"I will take the fifty with me to Ur-Lagoros."

Malus glared daggers at the rider's back but finally tapped his staff on the ground again. The milling zombies began shuffling after the withdrawing horse. He glared long after he had gone, inwardly fuming. His scolding had only served to inflame the truth of the situation, although he had indeed smashed the moon elves puny dwelings, he had not claimed that which he sought.

He needed the rider and his resources, yes...for now. Of course, the future he envisioned did not 'quire' match the future that the rider envisioned, ... but there was no need to tell him that.

On that thought, Malus made another half-smile and turned. There was still much work to be done.

 

[Bladesman]

Draken cursed as he checked his leg again. He checked in the wagons once more, he found several bandages. He wrapped one around his leg and packed the other two into his gear. After he had taken care of the wound Draken looked at the cart, it was slowing him down and had to be taken care of. He drew his scimitar and sliced the traces from the horse and cart. He sheathed the sword and leapt back onto the horse.

He strung his bow and nocked and aroow then kicked the horses ribs, sending it in the direction that his target was in. He knew that he was close, probably within an hour of his target.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Khan sat, still tasting the coppery taste of foreign blood and covered with the sticky stuff as he waited. Outside he could hear the sounds of shouts and curses, occasionally puncuated by one of the whistling sounds he identified as one of the moon elves arrows.

Khan had lived a long time and endured many, many battles. His experiences allowed him to partly follow that battle happening outside, or at least, he thought he could.

Five minutes had passed since the elves had left him. If the whistles were the elves firing bows, then Khan suspected there were fewer than 15 and they were moving about, hitting and running but more importantly, he suspected that they were either being overrun by a superior force or being forced away from his location. Either way, he was being left behind.

Khan sat a listened to the fight for a while, taking a couple sigs out of flask on his hip a couple of times to get the taste of blood out of his mouth. He eventually determined that the elves were fighting a retreating battle, and he decided to pitch in to help them.

He stood up, put on his helmet, and stepped outside to see what he could do.

 

[Mantra]

Draken

Draken had riden long and hard since first learning of his target, now at last, he was sure he had found the roost of his prey.

They had come relativly close to human settlements within the forest now he looked down on a little hovel, a single house with a thatched roof and a pitiable little garden to one side, Chickens bobbed and strutted around the yard and a cow somewhere out of sight mooed, adding to the pathetic existance these humans endured. Dawn had broken and now early morning sunlight was peaking through the tree canopy above.
Draken watched the scene from the shadows. He had already circled the house checking on any possible distractions and checked his enchanted dagger. Each time, it had pointed unerringly to the house. As Draken watched, an elderly woman had come into view, stringing laundry on a line outside to dry, but she was clearly not his target. Finally his paitence paid off as a young woman with short brown hair exited the cabin and began tossing grain to the chickens out front.
She wore only a long off-white robe, cinched around the middle and was barefoot. The older woman came around and imeadiatly fussed at the younger, shooing her back inside.

Draken smiled, even at this distance, the younger woman matched that of his vision.

 

[Mantra]

Khan

Khan followed out from where he had last seen the moon elves depart. Outside, he expected to see a raging battle, but there was nothing of the sort. There was however, undead swarming all obout, scores of them moving towards the woods behind him. Occasionally, an arrow would zing past to strike one of the advancing undead, but now, none of the arrows whistled as they had before.

Several of the shamblers had new arrows protruding from their remains, a few had even been put down but clearly the arrows had little effect on the dead and the evles were far too few to take on such a horde. Arrows were fired at forheads and kneecaps incapasitating the shamblers if not destroying them outright.

Finally, there was a single arrow fired into the air. It whistled long and loud as it flew. As one, the elves turned and vanished into the trees.

 

[Bladesman]

Draken waited patiently, he perfered not to kill during the day. So he hid with in the woods around the cabin, his bow in his hands and his scimitars in easy reach. As he hid, he studied the cabin, his eyes taking careful note of everything around the cabin. He knew it would be much easier just to open a portal near the cabin rather then to cross the open ground. Now he would wait for the sun to move across the sky and set.

Entering a light meditative state, Draken rested and began to regain his strength, his leg wound stopping bleeding. Eight hours later, the sun had set and it was now twilight. Draken rose from where he had lain, his sensitive eyes scanning the area around him and around the cabin. Seeing no one around, he opened a small portal near the house. He stepped through the portal and stepped out of the other side of the portal.

He was beside the house, his right scimitar held loosely by his side. He crept up to the door when suddenly it opened. The older woman stepped outside, closing the door behind her and heading towards the barn. Draken struck seconds later, his scimitar slashing her throat twice before it began to bleed or she even realized. As she pitched forward, Draken opened another portal and her body feel into it, disappearing from sight. With the old woman taken care of, all that remained was for him to kill the young woman as was his agreement.

Draken opened the door slowly, his face hidden by his hood and his scimitar hidden with in the folds of his cloak. In front of him was the woman he was to kill.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Cormac bowed his head to dolomas' offer, "I would share the evening with you and your band, but i have with me my companions. Setanta, son of the Horse King, Conchobar, the elder raven, and Eoghain, my spirit wolf. I'm afraid i must return to them. They are lordly animals, and Eoghain has been known to make a pass or two at livestock. So I must return to my camp, but feel free to call upon me should danger threaten, for we will not be far." Cormac said, rising. He bowed raised his hands above the gathering. "May Cernus grant you all honour in the hunt, May Luagh strengthen your arm and make your spear strike true, May Elunnara heal what ails you and grant you many children, and may Danu bless and watch over you, in your journey under the sky." He said, drawing his bloodknife and slashing his palm, not too deeply, but deep enough to drip blood on the ground. He pulled his bloodcloth from its place on his belt and quickly cleaned the blade, resheathing it, before wrapping the cloth around his hand. "I take my leave."

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Khan

Khan followed out from where he had last seen the moon elves depart. Outside, he expected to see a raging battle, but there was nothing of the sort. There was however, undead swarming all obout, scores of them moving towards the woods behind him. Occasionally, an arrow would zing past to strike one of the advancing undead, but now, none of the arrows whistled as they had before.

Several of the shamblers had new arrows protruding from their remains, a few had even been put down but clearly the arrows had little effect on the dead and the evles were far too few to take on such a horde. Arrows were fired at forheads and kneecaps incapasitating the shamblers if not destroying them outright.

Finally, there was a single arrow fired into the air. It whistled long and loud as it flew. As one, the elves turned and vanished into the trees.

Khan looked around and saw a cart nearby. He remembered that the human had said there was looted gold in the cart. Taking a quick look to make sure that the zombies had their backs to him, Khan quickly moved to the cart and pulled out a few pieces of gold that seemed to be rather valuable and important; these he pocketed. He would use these gold pieces as a peace offering when and if he caught up to the elves.

He turned back to the zombies and whistled good and loud to catch their attention. Once he had their attention, and the started moving towards him, he drew Dukar and rushed them, lopping off heads left and right. He twisted and spun, blocked and parried, countered and struck, always thinning the number of zombies.

When things got a bit hairy for him, he spread his wings, knocking over several zombies in the process, and took off, high into the sky. Once he was out of sight, he headed out in the direction the elves had gone, hoping to catch up with them.

 

[Mantra]

Draken

As Draken entered the young woman looked up at him. She was young, perhaps only in her late teens or early twenties. She was pretty in a girlish sort of way and her face split into a warm and welcoming smile.

"Hi!" she said cheerilly. "Are you here for supper? Phylis was kind enough to take me in after I got chased out of town. She's a really nice woman, Phylis. Have you seen her? She went out to see about getting some thread for mending my pants, I ripped them coming through the woods and..."

She paused for a moment, the smile fading slightly. "You you smell something? Kinda like...um, blood?"

 

[Mantra]

Khan

Quickly, Khan snatched up a small bag the size of his palm from the cart and two silver hoop braclets. There was no more time to loot as the undead neared. There was no need to charge, as Khan had hoped, the monsters simply shambled to him. Khan attacked, but having failed to take note of the numbers. was quickly moving back, slashing as he went to avoid being swarmed by the tide of dead elves.

Finally Khan spread his wings and lept skyward towards escape. The elf town quickly was lost to view beneath the canopy of trees and Khan realized that if he wanted any hope of finding the elves, he would have to search beneath the trees as well.
He landed, as close as he could guess where they were. Hopefully away from the zombie horde but close enough to pick up the trail of the living. He wandeder for a moment, looking for any clue and realizing the diffuculty of tracking elves in their own environment, when they didn't wish to be found.

Suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere, striking Dukar square on the crossguard, sending the sword to the ground.

"We have not had dealingd with winged abominations in many an age." Came a voice from the woods around him. "Is there some sort of reason you can fathom why we shouldn't just kill you now?"

 

[Jedi_Khan]

Quickly, Khan snatched up a small bag the size of his palm from the cart and two silver hoop braclets. There was no more time to loot as the undead neared. There was no need to charge, as Khan had hoped, the monsters simply shambled to him. Khan attacked, but having failed to take note of the numbers. was quickly moving back, slashing as he went to avoid being swarmed by the tide of dead elves.

Finally Khan spread his wings and lept skyward towards escape. The elf town quickly was lost to view beneath the canopy of trees and Khan realized that if he wanted any hope of finding the elves, he would have to search beneath the trees as well.
He landed, as close as he could guess where they were. Hopefully away from the zombie horde but close enough to pick up the trail of the living. He wandeder for a moment, looking for any clue and realizing the diffuculty of tracking elves in their own environment, when they didn't wish to be found.

Suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere, striking Dukar square on the crossguard, sending the sword to the ground.

"We have not had dealingd with winged abominations in many an age." Came a voice from the woods around him. "Is there some sort of reason you can fathom why we shouldn't just kill you now?"

An arrow flew out from among the trees and struck Dukar, causing Khan to drop it for the first time in centuries. Then a voice called out. Khan stood where he was, did not dare move to pick up his sword. Instead, he slowly pulled out his shield and placed it on the ground, along with his helm, so that his white hair shone in what light there was.

"The reason why you should not kill me now," said Khan to the forest in his best elvish. "Is because I am no demon. A demon would not dare speak the elvish tongue, nor would he return to those what belongs to them."

As he spoke, he brought out the gold and other items he had taken and placed them on his right, with his shield, sword, and helm being on his left.

"Another reason," continued Khan, "is because you have seen me fight against the undead. You know that I am an enemy of theirs, but you do not know whether or not I am a friend or foe of yours."

Khan backed up a few steps and then knelt down, keeping his hands in sight at all times. He knelt there, perfectly motionless, waiting for the elves next move.

 

[Mantra]

Khan

"Demon?" came the elvish voice. "How quickly the word falls from your lips..."

There was a moment of silence what Khan stood still. When the voice returned, it came from another location.

"Demons are capable of many things, lies, deception and illusions for example. All you have shown is that you were interrupted in your own plundering." Again there was silence until the voice returned, coming from behind him.

"Yet is it so kind of you to return what is not yours in the first place.." the voice dripped with sarcasm. "So at least we have not killed you outright. What business did you have with us, or were you simply following your nose to the scent of chaos?"

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn rose, and bowed to Dolomas.

"Your kindness is well taken," he said, "If you should ever find yourself among the Great Northern lands, seek me out, and your hospitality shall be repaid tenfold."

With that, O'Bonn followed Cormac away from them and to their campsite.

 

[Jedi_Khan]

"Demon?" came the elvish voice. "How quickly the word falls from your lips..."

There was a moment of silence what Khan stood still. When the voice returned, it came from another location.

"Demons are capable of many things, lies, deception and illusions for example. All you have shown is that you were interrupted in your own plundering." Again there was silence until the voice returned, coming from behind him.

"Yet is it so kind of you to return what is not yours in the first place.." the voice dripped with sarcasm. "So at least we have not killed you outright. What business did you have with us, or were you simply following your nose to the scent of chaos?"

Khan continued to kneel where he was, not even daring to look around to where the elvish voices were coming from. He kept his eyes foward and his back straight.

"I am given to believe that it is impossible to lie in the elvish language," said Khan, continuing to speak in elvish. "And if that is indeed true, then there is no denying that what I speak is true. I sought out you and your people to ask for aid."

"After a long journey and much searching, I came upon your village only to find it empty save for the dead. The reason why I had those valued items," continued Khan, indicating the gold and other items. 'Is because I had believed that the fair race of the Moon Elves had been wiped from this world, and so I sought to preserve some of their works for future generations as proof that the Moon Elves had indeed existed."

Khan fell silent again, still kneeling, waiting for the elves.

 

[Bladesman]

"You you smell something? Kinda like...um, blood?"

"Well you might say that. Although I doubt you will be seeing Phylis again. see she met a rather sad end at the end of scimitar. It is her blood that you smell. Tell me, what are your beliefs in the afterlife if you believe in such?"

Draken's scimitar began to vibrate in his hand, hungry for a taste of blood again.