A Dark Home coming

[Phelan]

:: Phelan stood staring at the peaks of what was once home, he felt as if a great wieght had been lifted from his back. Then he remembered why he had to leave and felt an even greater wieght return. Unconciously he gripped the hilts of his swords at his hips. Phelan pulled a length or black satin from his bag and tied his white hair back. He pulled up the hood on his cloak and pulled it tight. I will be approaching the gates tomorrow evening, am I ready for this? I have already delayed here camping for a week. If it was not Innoruks will I would have died with my family. I will return home without fear in my heart, I will walk with my head held hi as I pass through the gates. Phelan kept glancing over his shoulder, he was positive someone was watching him, but he could find no signs of tracks near his camp in the past days. He sat down by his fire and stared at the flames which entranced him.

After a short while Phelan fell asleep, weary from a very long journey home. Phelan slept with trouble dreams as the day ebbed on into the night and the fire began to burn low. He tossed and turned. As he slept a shape watched from just beyond the light of the fire. ::

[aquella]

On her way to the gnomish city of Klick Anon, Aquella spots a campfire a ways off the beaten path, and (being curious in nature) she heads toward it cautiously.

Upon closer inspection, she sees a silver haired dark elf lying on the ground. Alarmed at first, she thought it possible that he had been slain by one of the guards mistaking him for an approaching enemy. But as she watched him from the shadows, she could see his chest slowly moving up and down and knew he was alive.

"I wonder who he is..." she thought to herself, "and why he's sleeping here instead of in the city."

As she gathered herself and prepared to continue her journey, she gave a single glance over her shoulder to the sleeping delf. She mumbled a spell, and he became invisible. Content that he would be safe, she left - confident that they would meet again.

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

A frog leaps from the bushes and sees yet another of the enormous creatures he so often dodges as they pound thier massive feet into the earth. But this one, he looks a little strange to the frog. Besides, he was sitting on one of his favorite mud patches, and was wondering how long he was going to hog it to himself. :::Blastedipt dark elvits, always ruinits everythingits ::: Thought the frog.

[Phelan]

Phelan slowly opened his blood red eyes, he instinctivley shielded his eyes then realized that even outside around Neriak it was dim enough not to sting his eyes when he first opened them. He felt as if though he hadn't slept at all. He broke down his small camp. He dusted off his black chain mail, pulled his heavy black leather cloak tight around him making sure his hood was up and he put on his small pack. Once again his eyes were drawn to the beautiful peaks of his true home. He turned back to the south toward the small place known as Bobble by water, he face creased in worry. Surely he wasn't being followed any more, he had camped here almost a week without any problems. He shrugged, what ever my fate it is in Innoruks guiding hand. He silently headed off toward the gates of Neriak, completely unaware of the stranger who mysteriously visted him in the night.

(I am not exactly sure where I am going with this, anyone can jump in)

[Phelan]

Phelan moved swiftly with determination, he walked and the peaks grew closer. Phelan was consumed by memories.

*He remebered having to leave Neriak for fear that if any knew he was alive he would be slaughtered. So he fled, he left to seek a new home. He travelled far far away from neriak, most of his travels a blur. Lots of things confronted him, but Phelan fled. He barely knew how to use his sword when he left Neriak. He wandered into woods that seemed greener than any he had ever seen, not the gloomy forest he remembered from Neriak. Phelan again tried to flee any confrontation that presented itself around this forest. Phelan decided that though the woods were filled with orcs he would camp there for a while. Things were going ok for a bout week, then as he was getting some wood together not far from his camp, an orc spotted him, Phelan tried to run, but he couldn't outdistance the orc.

Phelan knowing that a confrontation was unavoidable turned and drew the sword he had taken from his oldest brothers corpse. He held the viscious blade before him gleeming in the sunlight, that action brought the orc from his charge. The orc lunged seeing that Phelan wielded the sword awkwardly. Phelan tried to position the blade to deflect the viscious blows, but some slipped through. Pain burned in his shoulder where the orc had landed a wicked blow. The orc smiled and batted aside the sword and raised his high for a death blow.

Just then Phelan was pushed aside by an elf, who at the same time as pushing Phelan stepped in and deflected the blow. Quickly routing the orcs attack, the elf finished it off with a simple slash to the neck.

Then the elf turned his gaze on phelan, his intense green eyes scrutinizing every ounce of Phelan. His look was all the more fierce since his face was framed by jet black hair. Phelan's heart sank and he didn't dare move.

"so have you saved me from the orc only for me to die on your blade?" Phelan said once he could muster the courage.

The elf stared in to Phelan's eyes for a long moment before replying.

"No, you will not die by my blade this day. Now young master ...."

"Oh, I am Phelan"

"Now young master Phelan, tell me why a delf is so very far away from Neriak." He said the name with disgust.

Phelan stood and began relating his tale to the elf. To Phelan's great suprise he saw pain in the elfs eyes. By the time Phelan was done telling him the tale and of his travels it was dark and they sat by a small fire in Phelan's camp. Phelan trying to doctor his wounds the best he could.

"Well young Phelan, My name is Aramis, you may call me Master Aramis. I give you this warning if any elf from either Fayspire or Telethin find you here they will slay you. If it hadn't been for the orc you would have been dead, but I understand the pain that has been brought to you. I will teach you to defend yourself and how to survive in these woods, but you must never go near either city and avoid the elves at all cost. Learn your lessons and learn them well they will only be taught once." with that the elf turned and left. over his shoulder he said "See you in the morning Delf"

Throughout the years Aramis taught Phelan how to use his sword and then gave him two masterwork short swords and instructed him in the use of two weapons, at the same time Aramis taught him how to live off the land and to hide among the woods. Over the years the two became friends, through their percarious deal. That all came to an end sixteen years after they had met, Phelan was walking through the woods observing the Elves, Phelan longed to talk to someone, even if it was an Elf. One of them spotted him deep in the woods and ran for the guards. Phelan knew he had to run and hide, he was exceptionally stealthy but these guards were also trained by Aramis who through the years became an officer in the guard of Fayspire.

Phelan ran and tried to cover his tracks the best he could. He got to his camp and began packing. He heard their approach before he saw them, he knew that they were too close to run from. Phelan had only one option left and this was a lesson he had been taught in Neriak, Kill or be killed.

He spun around to confront his attackers as they came into sight. His heart sank, Aramis stood there with three other guards. They positioned themselves around him. Phelan looked in to Aramis' eyes and he saw great sorrow in them, it was then that Phelan knew that only one of them would be walking away from his camp this day. Phelan also knew it would be himself to leave and not Aramis.

Phelan threw himself in a forward roll coming up face to face with Aramis, his swords already in motion to catch Aramis'. Phelan knew his every move, Phelan also had been thinking of ways to defeat them. Phelan spun his swords in the deadly dance that he had mastered along side of Aramis. Darting in with one sword while the other slashed, slowly working Aramis back, then it happend, Aramis was on his heels, Phelan swung into a spin. One blade coming at Aramis' neck and the other darted in under Aramis' swords, which were poised for the second high blow, the sword scored a leathal hit through his lung. Phelan completed the spin, drawing his sword free. Phelan saluted the corpse and turned to attack the other three who were watching in amazement as thier master had been defeated. Phelan made short work of them as well. Phelan passed by Telethin on his way away from the area, he saw the scouts assembling, he knew it wouldn't be long before a hunting party would be assembled for him. Phelan headed north crying while he ran, mourning his friends death, hating the position Aramis had put him in, hating himself as well, he felt the anger empower him as he ran. *

Phelan snapped back to reality as he approached the edge of the woods, before him was the mouth of the Gate and the guards standing post. Now or never he thought as he looked up the ramp.

[Rhabuka]

(Excellent story, more please!!!)

[aquella]

(nicely done Phel, quite impressive, i loved the description in it, i could almost see the battle )

[Phelan]

Phelan readjusted his pack and dropped his hood before he walked up the ramp. He glanced at the guards as he walked up the ramp, wondering if any would recognize him, the guards just stared straight ahead. Phelan relaxed, it is good to be home he thought.

He crested the ramp and began his decent to where most of his child hood memories took place. He made his way past merchants and many other people milling around. Phelan was overwhelmed by the joy and relief he felt at being near others, ecspecially his brethern. He walked to the chamber that housed the minor houses, grief and pain struck his heart remembering his family's bodies strew amongst the ruble that remained of their house.

He was suprised by the fact that none of the houses he remembered now stood there. Phelan wandered into the heart of the city, wanting to talk to someone, but not knowing where to begin, it had been so long since he talked to anyone other than himself. The last person was Aramis he thought to himself, with that thought came the guilt and grief that he felt and tears began to form in his eyes. He struggled to keep from crying, he found a nice spot by the tavern to relax by and watch the city that was Neriak.

[Gaien]

Gaien watched carefuly as his quarry entered the fortress-like gates of the dark elf haven. His enemy would have to come out sooner or later and he would be waiting.

Gaien had been observing this delf very carefuly over the last couple of nights. No oppertunity had presented itself for him to avenge his brother so Gaien took the time to study the movements of his prey.

It became quite evedent that Aramis had taught him the use of the blades he carried. The fluid way he moved, the footwork, all of it screamed Aramis and Gaien almost rushed his target then and there, but a frog croaking in the distance brought him out of his mad rage.

Yes, he would wait for this demon of an elf to leave the city, and Gaien would be waiting...

[Rhabuka]

The great bear tromped slowly along the banks of the River Saren. She had spent the last several hours searching unsuccessfully for the group of humans who had gone to find Slyfoot. Now she had decided to assuage her annoyance with a late night snack from the town on the water.

She stopped suddenly when she scented an unusual fragrance in the air. It was not something one usually would usually find in this part of Tunaria... it was something... almost floral. Something alive. Curious, she ambled up from the riverbank and crested a small ridge.

Spread out before her were the small encampments surrounding the black elf city. Guards stood outside the gaping maw of the Neriak. The coachman was running around giving orders. The grocer was busy selling his wares. The bear's lip curled slightly when she noticed the blockish form of an ogre bouncer moving among the Tier Dal below.

::sniff sniff::

That scent again. She shifted her gaze slightly and her black eyes widened. A human, just a few feet below her! That was a sight she had never seen before in her travels through this shadowy place. She wondered had brought him here. How interesting...

Gaien turned suddenly and looked behind him, weapon drawn... but there was nothing there.

[Phelan]

Phelan stood after a short while. He didn't want to press his luck, he still didn't know if anyone was looking for him. He wanted to ask someone about his house and find out who did this, so he could take revenge in due time.

Phelan walked back through the city, I will make camp for a few more nights. I didnt' even think about the fact that I didnt have a place to stay in the city.

Phelan crested the ramp that led out of the city, he smiled as he walked out, this had been a good day. A good ending to a long journey.

Phelan began his trip through the woods, forgetting all his worries. He walked toward his last camp site, far away form the gates of neriak, in fact out of sight of them.

Phelan had almost got to the fire pit when he felt the biting pain in his left shoulder blade. His arm went numb instantly.

Phelan out of instinct threw himself into a forward roll, moving with the blow. As he tucked his chin he saw an arrow head sticking out just below his clavicle, Phelan tried to not land on his left shoulder now realizing that there was an arrow sticking out his back, but it was too late.

Phelan was wracked with a wave of nausea as the arrow torqued in the wound and snapped off as he rolled over it. Phelan fought with conciosness for a second and came up with a sword in his right hand.

Phelan spun toward where the arrow had come from and backed behind a tree. He glanced down at the remnats of the shaft that was now laying on the ground, elven, figures it had to be today he thought to himself. He sheathed his sword and stepped out from behind the tree, hands spread wide.

[Gaien]

Gaien admired the bravado of the delf, blindly walking around from the tree where he thought Gaien was. A slow smile spred across Gaien's lips, soon the poison would take effect and his quarry would fall to the ground, helpless as a sleeping babe.

Quick enough the delf colapsed, uncerimoniously, into a heap.

"Elf" Phelan said quietly, "will you at least show yourslef?"

Gaien would not give his brothers murderer any satisfaction, still high in the branches he called out.

"You presume much to call me an elf. Did you recognise that arrow? It belonged to my brother, the man you murdered some years ago!"

Aramis had a brother and he wasn't an elf? Phelan thought. As he thought of Aramis tears began to form in his eyes.

"I am sorry" Phelan said as he let out a sob

You will be, Gaien thought. What a pitiful elf he thought, the pain from the arrow is making him cry.

"Yes he had a brother!" Gaien cried as he lept down from the branches. "And now it is time for you to pay for your evil deed. Before I cut that dark skin from your body, tell me, were you his friend?"

"I deserve no less, I cut down the only friend I ever had... *sob* Yes he was my friend...he saved my life..*sob* believe me I had no choice. He knew it and I knew it...*sob* but do as you will I will not harm another elf...." Phelan's words trailed off as he actually looked at the man standing before him. He was a human.

"Filthy lying dark elf! My brother went out to help a friend, you! You murdered him!" Gaien raged. "You would say anything to save yourself! What a filthy breed of elf you are. Innoruk did more than turn you hearts and skin, he twisted your very soul!"

Phelan knew that this was probably it, he was going to die. How ironic to have run from Neriak to avoid death to only return to Neriak and be killed outside its gates

"I cannot help that I am a Tier'dal, I say nothing that isn't true when concerning these matters"

Phelans head spun, his eyes began to dim.

"I tellyou the truth. Aramis came to see me everyday, in fact for 16 years he was the only one I ever talked to. You are the second in 20 years other than myself. I made a deal with Aramis the day he saved me... it was because I was seen that things ended the way they did, with his blood on my blade"

The last words of the dark elf came out barely more audibale than a whisper. Gaien's quarry had passed out. Gaien drew his brothers sword and placed it at the heart of the dark elf. One stroke and his brother would be avenged...

Gaien sheathed the blade. Something rang queer in this delfs tale and Gaien needed to know more before slaying his enemy. Quickly binding the dark elfs limbs with rope Gaien uncaringly dragged the near corpse of the dark elf to his horse. After strapping his enemy down Gaien began to lead the horse away, back towards home...

[Jwiz]

Jwiz watched the elf and dark elf in a tree over the camp,makeing sure they didn't notice him."so someone has beat me to my prey...maybe there is more to this dark elf then i thought"Jwiz thought to himself.

:: Jwiz invis' himself and jumps down makeing sure not to make any noise::

I will wait

[Phelan]

:: Phelan felt as if though he were floating, there was a thick fog about him. The mist swirled about him. Slowly a shape approached in the mist, it was Aramis.

Phelan's jaw dropped. "Aram...Aramis?"

"Yes Phelan."

"I am....I didnt.....I never wanted this to happen."

"I know my friend, it is ok. I want you to know that I forgive you, no matter what happens I could never have asked for a better friend."

Phelan didn't know what to say, tears ran down his cheeks but they were not the tears of grief that had consumed him for the past 4 years, they were tears of joy. Aramis was here with him, his sole friend, his one and only family.

"Phelan I must go...remember, no matter what we were friends.."

"Aramis no!!.."

Aramis faded into the mist

"Aramis... I can't lose you again.." Phelan whispered::

Slowly the mist darkened to blackness.


Gaien walked the horse leading it along the path...The dark elf twiched on the horse and kept mumbling incoherently.

He is delusional, he must have a fever from the poison. :: He thought to himself::

"Aramis....Aramis....Aramis..." He heard the dark elf saying. Rage welled in Gaien, he fought to remain in control.

"No...No... I will take him to Fayspire where he will stand trial for his crimes and then I will see him executed." He reminded himself.

The dark elf continued to mumble... Gaien blocked it out.

:: Phelan felt a warm liquid running down his left arm. He groaned as he tried to move, his muscles screamed with pain. Phelan slowly forced his eyes open, it took him a minute to realize that he was moving.

It took him even longer to realize that he wasn't moving himself. He was laying across something...an animal...a horse. He focused on his hands, which wouldnt respond, then he saw that his hands were bound. He also saw a red fluid dripping from his fingertips.

Phelan tried to move, his head swam with pain and he was hit by a severe wave a nasuea. Everything went black once again...

[Phelan]

:: Phelan once again found himself surrounded by the strange thick mist. Phelan looked around, all he could see was the same oddly lit mist swirling about him, then it was gone and he was back in the forest of the Elves.

Phelan saw himself and Aramis laughing as they worked through the steps of thier sword forms. I remeber this day Phelan thought to himself.

Phelan watched knowing that he was about to make a mistake in the forms. Just as he remembered, he placed his foot wrong and he fell to the ground.

What he hadn't seen before was the look of concern on Aramis' face as he rushed to his side, by the time Phelan looked up he saw the face of his mentor set grim looking at him to let him know he made a mistake.

"Do you know what you did wrong?" Aramis asked

"Yes, Aramis, I placed my foot too far forward and I was put off balance." the young Phelan replied.

"Good, now we move on." Aramis said.

Phelan turned his back to Aramis and took his place to his side. Again Phelan saw that he had missed another smile, a smile that said I am proud of you.

Phelan watched for the next hour as they ran through the motions of the forms, all which by now he never even had to think about.

Phelan knew that it was coming, as before he knew that a small band of orcs would be coming in upon the two. Five to be exact.

Again Phelan was correct the band came in charging, two against Phelan and three against Aramis.

Phelan was taken aback at the contrast between the way the he and Aramis fought. It was obivious that Aramis fought with compassion a tenderness, you could see in the way he moved that he regreted every stike. Phelan on the other hand fought with a vigirous determination, you could see the hate he had for his enemy the scorn he felt toward them for their gaul.

Phelan could tell, even though their forms were identical and they moved together as one, the where two halves of a whole. Rage and elation side by side, good and evil maybe? Phelan couldnt' tell, but he knew they blended, they were two sides of one mind.

The scene faded back into the blackness, Phelan's mind went blank...

Phelan came back to conciousness breifly. Enough to realize that he was no longer in the forests of Neriak. He tried to speak to the Human who had captured him, but his eyes rolled back before the words would come out.

Yet again Phelan found himself in the mist. The mist that seemed to being showing Phelan something. Phelan had no idea what though.

In the haze of the mist he saw a vision, a vision of a small Dark Elf girl with jet black hair streaked with silver as she stepped barefoot through a strange city to the shore of an Ocean. Wearing only a sheer robe of black satin, she stood on a rock, mezmorized by the red orb hanging low in the night sky.

The image faded... Phelan had no idea who the beautiful girl was or what significance this had for him, but he knew some how this was important. Every thing began to grow dim and blackness overcame him yet again.