The Kindom in Chaos....

[Lan]

Lan

Lan felt the tingling again, and whirled around, quickly changing direction. He prayed that the princess was still safe as he skirted another alley, and burst into a clearing. What he saw amazed him.

Five Drow, though unlike any he had seen before, were stalking a man and a woman. Lan could see the woman fervently trying to weave another spell, as well as the Drow that stalked toward her. Another Fire Ball slammed into the Drow, and it smiled wickedly.

Lan lunged forward, watching as if in slow motion one of the Drow's scimitars swing down... down... down... Lan's blade intercepted his barely half a foot from the womans neck. Lan landed on the ground, and rolled aside, feeling the creatures other scimitar grace the side of his stomach. He winced, but managed to block another blow. Things definately weren't going as well as could be....

 

[LadyRozes]

Narration and Liliana

The drow jumped into attack with the girl.. thinking htatshe was unarmed... little did they know she had a companion... the fifth drow .. hung back and waved its hands around... suddenly the weapons the drow used .. glowed slighty red... they smiled.. knowing that the damage they did with these weapons would continually bleed until healed, they would wound the victom even after the sword left the wound.... continually weakening the fighter until they collapsed of exhustion..

the drow continued to surround the man that jumped below.. he had manged to down one but after a few chants the drow stood back up ... right when the fighter believed that it was hopeless.. another figure emerged from the darkness to fight.. soon after.. a few daggers were being launched at the creatures form the darkness behind... no one could see the source of the daggers... a giggle is heard in the distance.

the drow that was backed off spotted the girl.. and began to dance and weave what looked to be an intricate spell..

Liliana waved her hands together... a fireball the size of a bouncing ball flew from her hands and engulfed the drow.. damaging it badly.. then she began to humm.. suddenly louder she broke into song... the other fighters fighting against the drow suddenly felt as though a ray of sunshine.. seemed to have touched them .. giving them hope that they would succeed. If felt as though they were invinsible.. as though they were stronger faster.... she clung the the branches of the tree.. figuring she would be safer up there.. seeing as though they seemed to be badly out numbered.. better to keep out of way then cause more problems...

she hoped Anya had given the message...

 

[Third Magus]

Delbaeth's heart pounded as he ran towards the encircling drow. Anya's thrown daggers hummed past his ear, one of them burying itself in the muscular back of one of the drow.

Delbaeth gave no war-cry as he emerged from the shadows, his sword raised. He fought in eerie silence, with the mechanical grace of total concentration. Feint, lunge, parry, parry, lunge, feint. He fought without the battle-lust of some warriors, without allowing any emotion at all to cloud his thoughts.

Inside his head, a voice kept repeating What if I'm too late what if I'm too late what if I'm too late. Lunge, parry, feint.

Others fought around him, locked in separate individual combats. He was peripherally aware of Anya's laughter as she faded in and out of the darkness, hurling whistling handfuls of steel at the drow, of two fighters slowly being hemmed in by the other drow, of a woman standing on the edges of the combat desperately chanting words of power. He didn't have the luxury of being able to look more closely, though. The drow he was fighting was a master swordsman.

For a moment, Delbaeth's concentration blurred and the drow's red-tinged sword brushed against his neck, seeming to turn a deeper red as the blade opened up a thin line of blood. Delbaeth slammed his sword downwards, knocking the red sword away, and drove his fist viciously into the drow's midriff, doubling him over. He buried his sword up to the hilt in the drow's chest.

It got caught in the ribs, and Delbaeth used the moment he spent retrieving his sword to survey the fight scene. A movement from the overhead branches of the tree caught his eye.

"Princess?", he hissed, over the noise of the fight, anger and relief both evident in his voice.

 

[Jeremy Davis]

Thay

::Looking at the five Drow before him, He couldn't help but feel that this battle would be lost. A renewed sence of survival passed through his as a bolt of energy struck two of the Drow making them take their eyes off of him. A move that cost them as Thay plundged his mace into one of the Drow and as he went to strike the second, his mace was interupted by a sword that glowed red.

Well I doubt that that is a spell of weakness on the blades...Best not allow it to touch me

Thay then took defensive measures deflecting blow after blow from the red blade wielded by the DRow. As his dance with the Drow continued he watched as other came to help him.

Well I see the Princess was busy recruiting

The battle it seemed would turn aginst the advisaries now, and a feeling of calmness came over him. His skills seemed more focused and he moved with increadable speed. A Spell he knew, but there was no time to figure out who cast it.

Back and forth the battle went, and Thay seeing the other Drow occupied with the others focused on just his Drow. Sword and mace rang as they blocked, parried and struck at one another, and as Thay went to strike at an opening, the Drowswung and the mace and sword caught flesh. Fortunatly the sword merely grazed Thay's cheek, however the mace struck true and crushed the ribs of the Drow sending fragments of bone into the many internal organs.

The Drow fell to the ground and merely gurgled as blood poured from it's mouth. With its comrad up at arms with another, there was no chance of any resurection as had happened before. A sudden feeling of dizzines and nausea pass over Thay, and he fell to a knee and used his mace as a brace to keep him from the ground.::

You fought bravely and as long as the others fall their advisaries, the Princess will be safe.

 

[Lan]

Selene

Selene felt the wind of the blade stop just before decapitating her, and silently thanked the Gods. The man fell to the ground, a thin ribbon of blood slicing along his rib, as Selene began moving. This time she danced rather than simply walked, moving in graceful steps and bringing her hands above her head. She chanted softly as she danced, and lashed out with one of her hands.

Lightning, struck out as if it had been fashioned as a whip, searing one of the Drow's face, then lashing another across his back. She continued, lashing out with whips of pure lightning, striking down the Drow as if they were nothing.

 

[Lan]

Lan

Lan, leapt up as the Drow standing above him reeled back in pain, lighting obliterating most of his face. Without hesitation Lan whirled, and with a sickening thwack! his blade decapitated the Drow.

He stopped his movement, and saw another come out of the alley way, charging. Lan took one step forward, bringing back his sword, and then slammed it out. The Drow was cut cleany in half, and Lan fell to his knee. He looked at his side, and swallowed the lump in his throat, before falling to the ground.

 

[LadyRozes]

The drow that had been weaving his spell finished.. all he had to do now was touch her... he crept up into the tree just as Dalbeath stood under it and called for Liliana

"Princess?", he hissed, over the noise of the fight, anger and relief both evident in his voice.

The drow smiled evily as he shook the branches and just as the princess fell he touched her ankle then jumped off the branch and disappeared from site.. he would come back for her when she was weak...

Liliana lost her balance and fell from the tree right into the hands of her bodyguard.. "Oh, Hello Delbeath Im so Happy you could make it.." She gave him a tight hug and saw the wound on his neck .. "Oh My Goodness you hurt .. let me at least help you with that.." She put her hand on top of the wound and a soft warm glow bathed her hands.. as the wound began to close. She whispered to him "Im sorry my friend to constantly put you in danger of your life.. I should have known better than to run off alone. After the last time I didnt think that our enemy would hurt me again.. Im sorry "

After she was done tending the wound she looked around for the other person that was with her. The man looked injured..

She climbed off her guard then said "that was the man I came here to meet let me go see if he's alright" She let go of him and rushed over to the man bent over(Thay) "are you okay?" she said, and then just past him, She saw that another figure slumped over on the ground.

Anya walked up behind.. "Why do you always get into trouble so I have to bail you out all the time?" Anya looked at the figure on the ground..." Wooh, he doesnt look right.. why dont you help the one thats not moving.. "

Liliana touched the the body on the floor.. She turned it over.. didnt recognize the face then searched the body looking for the wound when she touched the side she felt wetness.. "ohh dear.. by the Goddess of Lorena save this man's life.." She closed her eyes and again her hands glow green this time more bright and Liliana broke into a sweat.. something was happening to her.. her concentration wavered.. just as the wound closed .. she swayed back and forth her vision blurred .. "Delbeath she called for her guard.. "... I dont feel so good.. we need to get to the tavern..I have rooms under princess.. we...safe ... there " Then crumpled to the ground..

 

[Third Magus]

Delbaeth caught the princess as she fell, holding her easily, an arm around her shoulders. His relief at her being alive was too great to allow his anger to stay.

He addressed the strange group in the clearing, assembled by... fate? Blind chance? Or something more sinister?

"There are evil things abroad tonight. Liliana has rooms back in the tavern; we'll be safe there, and we can discuss the future. For those of you who do not know me, I am Delbaeth, sometimes known as the Ill-Starred, guardian to the princess"

He gestured to Anya with his free arm. "Lead the way". He smiled at her, for a moment the cold in his eyes slightly lifted.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

He had followe dthe Lady away from the tavern,but he had tripped and knocked over another farmers small wagon full of foodstuffs,and had spent precious minutes arguing and finally paying off the farmer wiht what was left of his gold.he refused to meet at a specific point,even though the lady had seemed convincing,it was Hard to trust people now,and he knew it could be a ruse to send him into some empty part of the city wiht no one there.
Luckily even in the city a person left tracks nand amrks of their passing,so that he was ablke to follow her,if a bit slwoly,all the way to the woods.He was walking by as a Drow sudde nly slammed into him while runnign away,the drows head connecting to his shepherd's crook with a dull Thump
He leaned down,then gave a yell of fear,stumbling back and falling over,crawling away from the drow till his back hit a tree.

 

[DarkThoughts01]

He had followe dthe Lady away from the tavern,but he had tripped and knocked over another farmers small wagon full of foodstuffs,and had spent precious minutes arguing and finally paying off the farmer wiht what was left of his gold.he refused to meet at a specific point,even though the lady had seemed convincing,it was Hard to trust people now,and he knew it could be a ruse to send him into some empty part of the city with no one there.
Luckily even in the city a person left tracks and marks of their passing,so that he was ablke to follow her,if a bit slwoly,all the way to the woods.He was walking by as a Drow suddenly slammed into him while runnign away,the drows head connecting to his shepherd's crook with a dull Thump
He leaned down,then gave a Pretty Loud yell of fear,stumbling back and falling over,crawling away from the drow till his back hit a tree.

 

[lycanthropedude]

Gavin

Gavin had shifted from the table to the bar after his drinking partner had gone, and found an elven mercenary to drink with. They had been so deep conversation of battles, constantly one-upping the other, that Gavin had missed the departure of the princesses bodyguard. But, looking back over his shoulder now, he noticed the large elf gone, and decided it was time to leave.

As Gavin stood and bid the mercenary farewell, he noticed Anya stick her head out of the kitchen. She caught the attention of the innkeeper and he quickly dissappeared through the doorway. Curiousity got the better of him and decided to have a peek.

He could hear many voices in the kitchen as he came close to the curtain. Pulling it aside he saw the reason for the frightened look on Anya's face. The princess was laid out on the cutting table, unconscious.

"By Grigmar," Gavin invoked the name of his god as he stepped fully into the room. "What has befallen the princess?" he asked, hoping the answer wouldn't come.

"She's fainted, but still lives," Delbaeth growled, but more at himself than Gavin.

The innkeeper attempted to lift Liliana, but Delbaeth snatched his wrists. "We need to get her into her room," he said. Upon hearing this, Delbaeth nodded in agreement easily cradled the limp woman to his chest and followed the innkeeper through a side door and up the stairs. Everyone else followed suit.

Once in the room and the princess was laid onthe bed, Gavin pushed his way to her head. Laying one hand on her forehead and the other on a silver symbol of a waraxe braided into a thick beard, Gavin began to chant to Grigmar.

 

[Lan]

Lan

Lan sucked in a breath as he felt the Princess' hands warm his body. He sat up, shaking his head, trying to clear the muddiness from his head, when he heard Delbaeth speak.

.... then lead the way....

Lan slowly got to his feet, and started following the party, making sure that no more surprises struck out at the rear of the group....

 

[Jeremy Davis]

Thay

::His head swam as he attempted to get enough strength to lift himself from the ground. In his first attempt he couldnt do so, but after regaining his breath he pushed up and got to his feet.

Though unsteady, he followed the group, nearly falling on a few occasions. Right as he thought his strength was waining, a small figure came from behind him and slipped a cloack covered arm around his back and steadied him enough that he didnt need to expend much energy to keep moving.

His eyes looked down at the girl, seeing that she looked like she lived on the streets. He closed his eyes for a moment, then spoke::

-s- Thank you for the help....

 

[The GrandMage]

Yrismir of the Blade

He had downed several more tankards of ale and had eaten a thick stew while in the tavern. People had started going back to their own business, and the servant of the Wise One finally decided to put in for the night.

He had purchased a room, and was now slowly making his way there. He was in no great hurry, and everyone else seemed willing to stay up. But he had to be up early tomorrow if he was to see the King on the Wise One's behalf.

 

[LadyRozes]

Naration, Liliana, and Anya

Anya turned to look at the people that she led determined that her friend would be saved.. just what happened? ... why was it that Lily collapsed.. she never faints... especially when she saves people..

She looked over to the guy Lily saved... just who was he and how come he showed up when he did.. she then turned to the other guy .. wooh, he's not lookin so good.. and just who in the Godess Lorena's name is he? when she got to the tavern she went to the back way .. through the Kitchen.. and poked her head out to get the attention of the owner, who walked in...
"Hey what are you doing in here..?!" he exclaimed

Anya motioned to Delbeath... "We have need for the Princess quarters.." Delbealth layed the princess down cutting table before standing and giving a look that would turn a man's hair white with fright.. Just then Gavin walks in.


"By Grigmar," Gavin invoked the name of his god as he stepped fully into the room. "What has befallen the princess?" he asked, hoping the answer wouldn't come.


"She's fainted, but still lives," Delbaeth growled, but more at himself than Gavin.

The innkeeper tried to lift Liliana but one look from Delbeath made him back away.. Delbeath took Liliana to her rooms upstairs.. and gently put her upon the bed.. apparently the Innkeeper was very fond of the princess because he gave his best suite to her .. and always left it for her should she have had a need for it...

The Dwarf Gavin stood next to her layed a hand on his forhead adn prayed a few words in the dwarven tongue.. to an outsider it looked as though he was praying to his god.. he stopped then a confused look came on his face..

"She has not feinted else I would have been able to wake her.."
The gang that assembled into the room looked at each other worriedly...

Anya scared half to death started yelling at the dwarf...."WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CANT SAVE THE PRINCESS?!?!?" after a few seconds of fighting with her emotions... she looked around frantically spotting the half dead man on his feet (Thay) "If you cant save the princess you might as well tend this guy's wounds so he doesnt keel over and we have someone elses problems on our hands..."

While the dwarf went over to tend the wounded fellow Anya walked over to the bed where Lily was resting.. she put her head down on her chest..as if listening for a heart beat. After that she serched all over Lily's body and then spotted a mark on her ankle ...

"Hey what's that...?!"

It looked like some sort of hand print.. and had an unuasual symbol in the middle of it.. it looked as though it was a snake or worm that coiled itself into and intricate symbol..

She turned to once again look at the people that surrounded them then realized she didnt know half the people in the room... "I think introductions are definately in order..."

She stood hands against her hips molted lava ignighted in her eyes.. that were glistening from unshed tears ...

 

[The GrandMage]

Yrismir

Normally, he was very good at minding his own business. He didn't ask a lot of questions, he kept to himself, and he went about his life as well as he could. But certain things he could not ignore. Such as someone yelling, 'What do you mean you can't save the Princess?'

Especially since he had been sent to meet the royal family. His eyes turned heavenward, wondering what, exactly, he was about to get himself into. He turned, heading back to the door he had heard the yelling through.

He found the door unlocked, and opened it, staring athe the people gathered around the elf on the bed. She did not look well. Could she be the Princess? Gods, things were never easy or clear, were they?

He wondered if he should make himself known or go away. Both were very appealing options, at the moment.

 

[LadyRozes]

narration and Anya

Anya looked around ... she couldnt understand how all these people happened to be in the room and she didnt even know half of them.. calming down she said, " Look if all of us are standing here then we have at least spoken to or kow the princess really well... I know she wanted to go to the wise one and ask for her help to find her brother... well I think we do that .."

she looked at the guard "You can hold on to her until she wakes up from this or maybe... something.." she looks around to the others.."I dont know how much time she has... or if she gets anyworse... its really hard for me to guess cause I dont know anything about sickness or health or anything... but I think we cant trust anybody around here seeing that there is obviously someone here bent on hurting Lily... so why dont we just go to the wise one.. or maybe some of us could go and get her.. "

A silent figure had been in the back of the room spoke up, " the wise one leaves her home for no one..perhaps you should bring her there..."

Anya looked up and demanded, "Who said that?!"

 

[The GrandMage]

Yrismir

He stepped forward, and made a bow towards the elf who asked who had spoken. "I am Yrismir of the Blade, Lord of the Wise One's Enforcers. She sent me to see the King's response to a missive she sent, and to lead any who should wish to be Enlightened about the Queen and Heir to her."

He looked at the Princess, as this would be far too elaborate a charade to believe otherwise. His gaze turned back to the elf he had been addressing. "I can take you to the Wise One. And by the looks of things, you could use her help..."

 

[LadyRozes]

Anya

Anya looked at the orkish elf inthe back of the room.. "Have you any proof of who you are..?"

She looked around the room... "IF he says who he says he is then are you guys willing to go with me? I cannot go alone... " She looked towards Delbeath.. "I know you will help me save her .. right?"

 

[Third Magus]

Events were being set in motion too fast. Delbaeth took in the surroundings; the plush silken sheets of the bed and tapestries of the forest and the hunt, the crowd of hard-eyed strangers. he breathed in, trying to repress the wave of emotion he felt overpowering him. Panic? Rage? Despair? Delbaeth didn't know; it had been too long since he'd felt anything at all.

He ground his hands on the hilt of his sword. Far better to have been a minstrel.

"The princess is my charge", he answered Anya, voice harsh, showing just a hint of the struggles under the surface. "If this... Wise One can help her, can stir her from this dark sleep... I will go with you. I will protect you, and her, and the Wise One's servant, with my very life, as my royal commandments require. As it is written, so shall it be"

 

[The GrandMage]

Yrismir

He looked between the two, and nodded. He looked over at the man, whom he assumed would be one of the elven protectors of the Royal Family. "Yes, the Wise One can help her, but not her. We must take her to the Wise One, in the Neutral Lands. Usually such a trip would probably take far too long for her, but luckily for you, I can guide you there in much less time."

He turned back to the elven woman, and reached into a beltpouch at his side. He pulled out a few small, sealed documents, flipping through them. Each was sealed with the Wise One's seal, and each bore small, orkish letters right under it, telling which document was which.

A few were simple things, to be used to see the King, and if he got any trouble to being armed. He returned those to his beltpouch, handing over one of the sealed documents from the Wise One telling that he was in the land to see the King about one of her missives.

It wasn't unusual, and the Wise One often sent missives to the neighboring lands, in fact, all countries did. He understood a little about the formality of it, but not much, as his position in the High Circle dealt more with life inside the Neutral Zone. "There, that should be able to verify who I am. It was decided I might need some verification, seeing my heritage, the fact I'm armed, and the fact that I came to see the King..."

 

[LadyRozes]

Anya

Anya took teh scroll opened it and saw that what he spoke of was true.. she looked at him.. and then smiled.. :I believe that the Goddess Lorena has smiled upon us tonight ..thank you I believe we should leave at first light.. " She looks around to the other people in the room " No one is to know what has happened to Lily ... this will protect her from her enemies and will allow us some freedom.."

She looked at Delbeath, "I am going to stay here with Lily you can either stay or bring what you need for the journey ... we will all meet here. If anyone else wishes to join us then come back to this room by dawn understood. " She waited for all the others in the room to nod then returned to her spot next to Lily to watch over her...

After most everyone left the room .. she began her nightly ritual.. taking off what seemed like an arsenal of weapons from concealled locations on her body she threw of Lily's cloak then sat back on her perch next to Lily preparing to watch over her through the eve.. lost in thought ...

 

[Third Magus]

Delbaeth shook his head.

"My place is here"

He settled down on the other side of the unconscious princess' sleeping body, taking a relaxed yet alert pose. He watched Anya as she slid concealed knives and other weapons from her clothing and placed them around herself. He stared at her, trying to reason out a puzzle.

"You run through the streets at night without making a sound, wear blades.... how do you know the princess? Where are you from? Who are you?"

As he asked the question, he realised that, despite his exhaustive knowledge of her movements, in some ways the princess had always remained a mystery to him, simply the object of his duty. Perhaps that was why he'd failed her.

 

[LadyRozes]

Anya

Anya looked up to see tjat Delbealth had watched her.

"You run through the streets at night without making a sound, wear blades.... how do you know the princess? Where are you from? Who are you?"

Anya pulled the hair from Lily's forehead.. a gesture a mother would do to her child.. ironic is that anya was younger than Lily.

"The princess is one of my best friends.. when I was younger barely budding elfling.. she and I became fast friends.. you see this habit of hers to run away is an old one thats hard to break her of it. On one of her jaunts she had gotten lost..it was during that uprising. I found her and helped her back to the castle ... that was fifty years ago.. we have been friends since.. her old guard knew of me .. and so long as I as around. he never worried about her. I am from where I have always been from ... the streets.. I am nobody special. the only two things important in my life is Lily and Diablo.. my brother.. although he's not really in blood I just call him that ..

"What about you? If you dont mind tell me about who you are. and Dont worry about Lily If I know her.. she'll bounce back in no time.."

 

[The GrandMage]

Yrismir

One the order of events had been established, he excused himself, quitting to his own room. He locked the door, and made ready for the night. He stripped himself of arms and unifrom, carefully putting them away for the night.

Once that was done, he took his belt in his hands, and sat on the edge of the bed. He opened another of the beltpouches, and removed its meager contents, examining each in turn.

The first item was a finely made necklace. It was the last of his birth mother's possessions, and the only thing of hers he'd ever had. The next was a chunck of broken wood, the remains of the practice sword he had broken when he had earned the title of Second to Swordmaster Tathir, who had held his position in the High Circle before him. The next was a small wooden carving that had been crafted by one of his childhood friends in congratulations when he had earned a position in the Lower Circle.

The last object was a simple band of metal. A ring of silver. He could feel the tears returning as he remembered the hand that had worn that ring. Her smile, and the way it had been enough to brighten his day. Sighing to himself, he replaced the items in his pouch, and lay down. Draping an arm across his eyes to blot out the world, the feel into a sleep filled with tormenting dreams and sad memories.