Hytorax

[Silverstripe]

Aralle told Losillewen, still mostly in pictures, that she didn't know exactly what the future would hold for the company, only that their road would be extremely perilous. The griffin knew that the gargoyle wasn't acting alone, as Aralle was. He had help, whether in the form of other gargoyles, wizards, Men, or another race.

Most of the company didn't know that griffins and gargoyles had ever existed. They would need help in fighting the evil they were facing, more help than Aralle alone could give them.

Aralle explained to Losillewen that she did not know what either griffin or elf might be called upon to do. She did know that the company would need Losillewen's help. It was Losillewen's choice to come, of course, but if she didn't, many lives would be lost.

::Their mission is vital,:: Aralle finished.

::I'm on my way,:: responded Losillewen.

::Thank you, Losillewen.::

Aralle rode into the clearing where the company was still resting only moments after that.

[Sicirus]

ooc: I am going to be off the moot for two days(grounded for my very dull memory) so it may be awhile.

ic: The ent moved swiftly through the forest and I held on tight so I wouldnot fall. But after awhile a thick fog purred over the land and I became dizzy and feared for the others. When I looked over at Assar he was gone. I climbed off the ent who took no notice and ran on a trail that I thought Assar had followed. Instead Ihad run into the strange creature called Aralle (your by the way in the wrong concept. I was with the ent and did not notice the absence of Glistfean(sp)) The woman turned to me and I exclaimed that Assar was missing but instead Aralle heard another name and ran off into the forest. But as she ran she stoped and glanced at the sky and then changed her path and ran under the shades of the trees. I looked puzzled at the sky and only caught a dark blurr before it vanished into the clouds. I decided to follow the path Aralle was starting on and found myself face to face my pony Poko. I sighed in relief for it had been getting dark and every shadow was staring to scare me.
I jumped onto Poko and continued on the trail on till I found myself in a claering and two people one big and one short was standing over a body on the ground. I cried out with pure joy to find it was Assar and Hruad. I jumped off the pony and to my surprise hugged the human boy tight.
Then looking at the stiff form on the ground gasped to find it was the Glimdrell. He was bloody all over his fair face and his dagger hung half out of its shief as if he was about to attack something but thought better of it.
What happend?"
"We don't know." Hruad answwered. But all we know is we have to get him back for medican and bandaging before he bleeds to death. " Poko carried the limb elf on his back as we accompinied him on the trail to find the others. As we walked we stumbled into a rather thick foggy part of the trail and tried to find our way without tripping.
Behind us light foot falls could be heard. Then a soft but evil voice came from behind our backs.
"So here you are. I've been waiting for you."
starteld we turned quickly and could only see fog.

[Ms. Undomial]

At Aralle’s answer Losillewen smiled, ::You know that I would always be glad to help you Aralle, whether the mission was vital or not,:: Losillewen then stopped ‘talking’, for she had been in these parts many times, and by what Aralle had shown her, she now knew where she was.

A few moments later Losillewen slowed Namarie down, and arrived in the clearing, where she instantly saw Aralle. But then she looked at the company a bit closer. She had seen many strange companies, searching for many strange things, but this out ruled them all. She brought her head up, and looked questionably at Aralle.

[Silverstripe]

Aralle looked around at Losillewen and the company, about to start introducing people, and instantly noticed that something was wrong. Not all of the company was present.

::This isn't all of them, Losillewen. There are at least two missing, maybe more::

Someone was out alone with a gargoyle loose, a foe they knew nothing about. If they made a single wrong move, they could all be killed. But Aralle went on as if nothing were troubling her. It was important not to let the others see her fear.

"This is my good friend Losillewen," said Aralle, smiling and hoping there wouldn't be many questions.

::We have to find the missing ones.::

[Arat-Falathion]

The world around became more and more unclear to Glimdrells closing sight and distant hearing. A strong pain filled his head as he felt something thighten around his head, and he let go of a sigh of pain, then he fainted and fell into a cursed dream...

Shadows, darkness. Things that always had been his friend and allie, suddenly was his uttermost enemy. He felt helpless, naked. The endless blackness and creepy cold air was terrifying, making foggy smoke leave his mouth at his every shivering breath.
Whispers was surrounding him... Harsh voices, too many to make any sence of any single one, all whispers boiling together into an irresisteble scream of fear and perill.

Glimdrells heart was beating faster and faster, his constant breath following the rising tempo of the hammering chest. The pain struck him down on his knees in this endless despair of helplessness. So blackened was everything, so distant, so shrouded with endless hate...

[Ms. Undomial]

Losillewen smiled at the company, also concealing her fear. Slowly she dismounted, and looked around, “Aralle, úmëa ye hare, mme vanwa ana hirte, nte selma la ana nyarin I nyárë. La mine selma. (Aralle, Evil is near, we have to find them, or they will not live to tell the tale. No one will.)” Losillewen said quietly,

“Tulin, mme selma linna, man mi te?” Aralle answered slowly in the tongue of the elves.

“Selmante na en,”

Aralle nodded, “Tereva,” she said rather abruptly.

The company looked at them strangely, for most of them had never heard the tongue of the elves, let alone understood it, and none of them knew what they were talking about. “Mme selma asca Aralle, (We must hurry Aralle,)” Losillewen said as she mounted her horse.

Ooc: Aralle does have a horse right?

Ic:

They rode away from the company, and deep into the woods, searching for the missing company members. Suddenly in the distance Losillewen heard the words of a shadow, “So here you are. I've been waiting for you.” She immediately turned her horse in that direction, and motioned Aralle to do the same.

They came upon them just as they turned to try and see who was speaking. “Aralle, Take the elf, I will get the others,” Losillewen dismounted, carefully taking the elf off the back of the wolf(??) and handing him to Aralle. “Get him back to the camp, I will be there soon.” She turned back to the other three figures, “Tulin, mount my horse,” she helped the three of them get a good seat atop Namarie, “Heca ar asca Namarie, meldanya rocco, ava hautasi.” The great Black Stallion understood what Losillewen wanted, and galloped towards the company.

Losillewen turned towards where the voice had come from. Now she was alone, but thankfully they had gotten the others back to the company. She now wanted to defy that shadow, and show it what happens when it messes with elves, but she flung that thought far from her; she was not going to let pride get the better of her. She turned her back to the shadow, and started making her way back towards the company; it was about a twenty-minute walk away, and with luck she would not run into any trouble.

[elvishfaerie3088]

"Ahhhhh i can't stand this anymore, i'm not going to wait around to find that dratted elf! I'll go find him myself! And if anyone gets in my way, doom to them!" I muttered under my breath. I tend to mutter under my breath a lot. I jumped down from the tree and began to set out on foot, heck if i was going to find anyone though. But mine as well try, anyhow if they weren't there i could always strorm back to where the rest of them are.

[zavron]

ooc: I'm sorry but the soldiers are still alive and you can't change that. I'm going to ignore that whole post.

ic:

I slid down the side of the mountain and made my way to the camp.

[Mathron]

Imarwyn glanced through the cover of the trees into the clearing. Only a few of the party was there - but even as she watched, some more entered, including a few figures she did not recognize from before.

Looking back at the clearing, she noticed the sage who had taken her horse resting against a rock. She sunk deeper into her hiding place, and continued to watch - for now.

Aasinav staggered to his feet and opened his eyes, looking around. His spellcasting was, for the moment, finished. Elise approached, and handed him a flask of water, which he gratefully took, pouring some down his parched throat. She said softly, "We seem to have gathered most of our members back here. Pure blind luck, I suppose, that we didn't loose more of our band in that mad dash through the wilderness."

He glanced up at the accusation in her voice. Did she suspect... he sighed. Of course she would have noticed him casting the fog over the soldier's minds. He shrugged apologetically as he stood.

Bushbark and Boulderhead were engaged in a casual discussion off to the side of the clearing. They seemed to have been mostly unfazed by the flight from the soldiers, and were discussing the unusual terrain that they had passed through during the escape.

He looked up and noticed that a few others had entered the clearing. Adrian had quickly rushed to Gil-Lorien's side, asking where she and the others had been.

Gil gestured at the unconscious elf (Glimdrell) they had with them. "He was running from something, and hurt his head - we decided to bring him along, rather than leave him in the woods, alone."

Elise walked over. "Let me look at that. You bandaged it well enough, but it still needs more care. Hopefully we can rest here for a bit while I look it over."

Hruad nodded. "A good plan. Especially since we still need to make sure all of us are here."

Asaar looked around. "I see most of us. We even seemed to have picked up some others," he added, glancing at Aralle and Lossilewen.

Aasinav glanced at Aralle. "You were the one who helped our escape, were you not?"

She nodded. "Myself and another, though I don't see her here right now..."

Even as she spoke, though, Glistenfae appeared out of the forest. "There you all are!" She stopped, noticing Glimdrell, and her face grew stormy. "And him - he attacked me!"

Hruad stepped forward. "Whatever his actions were before, he is rather harmless in his current state. When he comes to, we can see where his loyalties lie. And now that everyone seems to be here, perhaps we should prepare to rest for a bit.

"We should be very careful." The others turned at Lossilewen's words. She looked at them all in turn, and then continued. "There is a dark evil in these woods. We encountered it before reaching here, but it seemed content not to follow us. "

Aasinav nodded. "Nevertheless, being careful is assuredly a good idea. Even if this mystery sorcerer is content to let us be, we must recall where we are journeying to - the barrowdowns, which are filled with their own share of dark things. And who knows what strange creatures might lurk in the shadows of this forest?"

"I know," said Glistenfae, loudly, eyes flashing. "You don't have to worry about what is in the woods. The only evil to worry about is what you've brought with you."

Aasinav nodded. "Very well. The dangers continue to mount, and our goal remains a ways ahead of us. Are we all still determined to continue the path we've chosen?"

[Sicirus]

ooc: What happend to our Ontor and ent, aas well as our hobbit Adrian?

ic; I stepped up to the captain Aasinav and nodded to him.
"I will follow you enywere" Is aid to my surprise.
:Adrian followed."This can help us with our training."
Aasar joined us and smilled at me and Adrian then stood by the captains side proudly.

[Mathron]

OOC: Buried in the midst of the above post: "Bushbark and Boulderhead were engaged in a casual discussion off to the side of the clearing. They seemed to have been mostly unfazed by the flight from the soldiers, and were discussing the unusual terrain that they had passed through during the escape.
He looked up and noticed that a few others had entered the clearing. Adrian had quickly rushed to Gil-Lorien's side, asking where she and the others had been."

IC:

Aasinav's eyes opened a bit in shock. "Well, I... I never claimed to be the captain! Hruad was the one who organized all this..."

Hruad shook his head. "I will do what I do best - advise, and try to help my people. But out here, amidst the wilderness, I am hardly in my element. I am but a politician, in the end. "

Aasinav smiled a little sadly. "And I am but a sage. We all have skills that will aid in our quest. I will do the best, then, to see this out, along with the rest of you."

[Lief Erikson]

"My thanks, Aasinav," Hruad said, nodding his head. He turned to the others, and then glanced down to Glimdrell. "It has been a most confusing night. By some magic our escape transpired, then subsequently we were scattered and regrouped.

"Glistenfae, I'm afraid that your quarrel with this elf will have to wait for a time.

"Boulderhead?"

Boulderhead turned his head back to him, stopping what he was saying to Bushbark in midsentence. "What?"

"This elf has a good heart, if misguided. We'll take him with us, and I'd appreciate it if you carried him."

"But-" Boulderhead said, his eyes flicking down to the elf in annoyance.

"You are the strongest and he could do no harm to you."

Boulderhead glanced down at the elf once more and sighed. "Well, all right."

"Good, my thanks," Hruad said, and turned back to the other members of the company. "We must continue. It will be some weeks travel to the Barrow Downs, but I think the worst could well be behind us now. Somehow, Athalt Cranain's men have been disabled, and we must snatch what time that affords us. Come, we must be well away from here by the time they begin to come to consciousness."

[elvishfaerie3088]

"Well if i can't fight with that darned elf! I'll fight with you! You still have not answered my question of why you are here! This little secret of yours is making very angry. Why won't you tell me or why hasn't anyone told me! You shall not leave without my questions being answered and if you do it will be because you have killed me! Now speak up!" I said as calmly as one could, when i have helped them and yet no explanation of why they were there was given to me.

[Lief Erikson]

"Enedwaith is under the control of a sorcerer," Hruad told Glistenfae. "The king is under a spell, and the way to break the spell is to use the Hytorax, a gem of sorts that is a magical item."

[elvishfaerie3088]

"A sorcerer? What kind of sorcerer!? What is he up to? What does he want with Enedwatih or whatever?" I said curiously. "Stupid sorcerers," I scoffed under my breath so none could hear.

[Lief Erikson]

"We don't know what he is going to do with Enedwaith, or what his overall scheme is. But what we do know is that he is in control of our king and has seized control of our kingdom. It is my duty as one of the countrymen of this realm to help him get free, and to save our country. These others are my friends, who are helping me on this quest. But we cannot stand here speaking of it for long, we have to go at once.

"Ah, and the reason why you can't have Glimdrell is that he is an elf who is seeking to do what is best. He still believes the king of Enedwaith to be in his right mind and Athalt Cranain and his men to be in the right. He is deceived, but after he comes to understand the truth, he will no longer be an enemy."

[Sicirus]

The Hytorax is near my home?" i said with shock.
"I have ben to the Barrow downs but once and all who go there even once never wish to return for it is haunted by the dead."
"Well if my brother can defeat them and still be strong then I thinn we can" Said an exited Adrian who recieved encouraging nods from those who knew Frodo apart from herself.
"I thought you would be coming with us" I said looking at the elf Maiden.

[Tessar]

Asaar leaned back against a rock and listened to the conversation with interest, this elf girl was quite odd and Asaar was certain she must be insane.

Asaar noticed that some one else near him was breathing, and very quietly, so he looked around warily to see if Adrian was sneaking up on him to play a prank.

Seeing no one, Asaar listened more carefuly and the breathing stopped, so with a shrug, Asaar walked back over to the others and eyed Elise curiously, how was it possible she still had that rather old looking mare? Well, old women tended to be invintive, and tricky.

Asaar winced at the memory of the white haired woman from his village, granny they all called her, who always seemed to know just when he was about to play a prank on her, plus unless he was mistaken she had kept a special broom with a longer handel just for him.

A hand touched Asaar lightly on the shoulder and caused him to jump and spin away, but it was only Aasinave.

"Sorry." The old man chuckled, he looked like another one of those people who could just tell when Asaar would strike, all old people seemed to. "Could you climb up that tree over there and tell me if the soldiers are coming after us again?"

With a grin Asaar nodded and crouched down, placing his hands firmly on the ground and bending his elbows a bit.

Then with a grunt, Asaar pushed off the ground and leapt into the air, catching a branch with his hands and swiftly swinging himself up, he climbed a little further up and looked at a very strange sight, almost all the solders were lieing on the ground with a man running back and forth between them and waving his arms angrily, rousing some and bullying them to thier feet.

Looking down, Asaar called out, "Well it's rather odd, but it looks like they all tripped or something. But their getting up now and that man who commands them doesn't look very happy."

[Mathron]

OOC: Aasinav isn't too old - he's only in his 40's! Though, I suppose that looks old enough to a young kid. ~grin~

IC:
Aasinav frowned. "I suspect they will have trouble coming after us immediately - and may not wish to pursue after what they've been through. We should have enough time to remain here for at least a short rest before moving on. With luck, we won't have any more dire threats until we reach the Barrow Downs..."

[Lief Erikson]

Hruad nodded at what Aasinav said and briefly smiled thanks to Elise for her assistance in imobilizing Athalt's troops. "Come on then, everyone."

First he led them back to Athalt's camp by a roundabout way, and approached it cautiously. Boulderhead and Bushbark had to be left behind, for even at night their height would make them too obvious to even a casual observor. The camp was empty; Athalt's men were still out in the brush.

Hurriedly, they took horses again, the swiftest they could find. Not all of them could locate the precise horses they'd had before, but the ones they had were good and should be sufficient.

Hruad saw a dagger lying near the fire and picked it up. Walking back to the horses, he moved among them till he reached the posts they were tied to, and proceeded to cut the ropes attached to their halters.

"Athalt Cranain is not going to like this," he said aloud, "and personally, I don't like having to do it. But this should assist us in keeping those soldiers off our back, probably for good."

"Save one for me," a voice came from behind him.

He turned around and was surprised to see Glistenfae standing there.

"I believe I should come with you. If this sorcerer you speak of is taking control of this country, my wood will die within the year anyway, and my guardianship of it will be for naught."

"Choose your mount," Hruad said with a smile. "It will be good to have you joining us."

The horses were all cut loose now.

"Aasinav!" Hruad called out as he got clear of the horses and mounted his own. "Call Boulderhead!"

"Boulderhead and Bushbark!" Aasinav shouted. "Give us a hand scaring these horses, will you?"

A broad grin spread across Boulderhead's face and he lunged out of the shadows, dropping Glimdrell by the fire. He and Bushbark then ran at the frightened horses, swinging their limbs and letting out loud cries.

The horses screamed in panic as those in the middle attempted to climb over their fellows in fright. The horses thundered out over the plain below.

"Now we will have a more free ride," Hruad said, urging his steed forward. "Forward, everyone!"

Their company rode swiftly out into the night, keeping along the forest's edge at first, and then vanishing altogether out into the plains country.

Behind them, there was a movement among the trees and Athalt Cranain stepped out, holding Ruafus' bridle. Imarwyn had ridden swiftly out of the shadows and was mounted at the campfire, staring after the company. She glanced at Athalt as he approached.

"Will it do any good to follow?" she asked.

"At least some good," Athalt answered. "We will be able to learn if there is any truth in the tales they spin. Glimdrell is with them and some night or other I'm going to have a chat with him about what he learns from being in there among them. My men are without horses, and therefore rendered useless to us. The magic that was used upon them has humiliated me and them- they escaped far too easily. My men are capable of more than they showed, but some art I believe dulled their minds. I still have a duty, and by some method I can complete it, I think."

"You're either brave or reckless in accomplishing your duty," Imarwyn said, shaking her head. "They're more than a match for you."

"Are they a match for Ruafus or your steed?"

"What do you mean?"

"We can keep up with them or escape from them as we choose. We can steal the Hytorax from them once they take it, thereby foiling their mission without having to harm any of them. There are ways we can still accomplish this; it's not over yet."