A New Path, A New Day

[Phelan]

Phelan felt as if though his head was stuffed with cotton and he was floating. He watched through his own eyes and could hear, but couldn't move.

Dread coursed through his mind, and fear gripped his heart. What are you doing? This wasn't the plan. He screamed though his mouth and vocal cords wouldnt' respond.

Phelan felt like crying and losing control all at once. Phelan's body was looking at Kalysta, he was at least comfortated that he could see her. He couldnt' belive he trusted this blue haired dark elf, but she did risk her life to save him. She better know what she is doing. He thought to himself.

( ahh, internal dialouge it is the most common thing surrounding Phelan since he is usually unconcious. lol. k Kal sorry had to put mine in first. )

[Kalysta]

"You're bluffing..." Kalysta says, her eyes daring Sly to make a move.

"Try me." Sly replies, her face showing no emotion.

"Well, than, kill him.. what consequence is it to me."

Sly's eye's narrowed on Kalysta's face, the look of triumph flickered just beneath the mask she wore to hide her true intentions, "Oh, but I believe it is of some consequence to you, unless that is you are no longer seeking to fufill the prophecy, Ka' Latys."

At the mention of her true name, Kalysta flinched.

"So you have figured it out, bravo... you always were such a clever thing," she sneered, "but you seemed to have forgotten, i have a hostage of my own... so why not take your little elf friend, the lycanthrope behind me, and make your exit while you still may."

Slyfoot, the rage seething in her, hissed through clenched teeth, "Not this time, Ka' Latys. There are only two ways this will end... either our deaths, or yours."

"So be it." she replied calmly, "GUARDS!!"

"DAR! THE DOOR!" Sly yelled, watching with awe as the graceful lycan bounded to the door and barred it with the large beam next to it.

As she began to rise, Sly motioned to Jwiz to be ready. Kalysta took one step toward Sly and Phelan and was struck down with a bolt of lightning, knocking her unconcious - or so it seemed. Shooting Jwiz a look that said be more careful, Sly turned back to Kalysta.

"Give me the signal and were out of here, Sly." Jwiz said, sounding alot more nervous than usual.

"Not yet - we finish this now..." she answered, pulling her dagger's from her sleeves and moving cautiously toward the unconcious Kalysta on the floor.

As she neared her body, Sly realized that she wasnt breathing. "I think its ok.." she said, inching closer to be sure.

"Sly! We need to get moving! NOW!" Darlena yelled from her post by the door. She was straining under the effort as twenty or more soldiers tried to break their way in.

"Yes..." Sly said, looking back at Kalysta's lifeless form on the floor, "I'm sorry." she whispers.

"Are you ready J?" Sly asked, turning away from the dead girl and rising, unaware of the slight movement just below her.

The dagger sliced through Sly's boot, cutting the tendon in the back of her foot and causing her to lose her balance and fall screaming in pain to the floor. Her concentration broken, the spell on Phelan wanes and he is able to really see what has taken place.

On the floor, in a pool of blood, he sees Sly writhing in pain. He runs to her, ripping the shirt Jwiz had bought him earlier and creating a makeshift bandage out of it.
This he wraps around her foot, slowing the bloodflow to a trickle.

As he rises to help her to her feet, he notices Kalysta still lying on the floor a few feet away crawling slowly toward Sly's dagger on the floor in front of her. Gently handing Sly off to Jwiz, he moves slowly toward her.

"Kaly?" he whispers, unable it seems, to force his voice to go any higher.

Kalysta, as if having heard him, raises her head, and smiles weakly.

"I'm sorry..." she mouths, sputtering and coughing she rolls onto her back, displaying the jewelled dagger held in her shaky hand. She pluges downward in a violent stabbing motion, driving it to the hilt and embedding it in her heart.

"NO!" he screams, having found his voice at last, he scrambles across the floor to her, craddleing her head in his lap, the tears roll freely down his face, as the pool of blood on the floor around them grows.

A sharp tug from behind rouses Phelan from his grief as Sly, now being supported on one side by Jwiz - grabs him and yanks him to his feet.

"She had to choose... Phelan, im so sorry." she says, her eyes beginning to well with tears, "it's too late for her, but we must go..."

Nodding silently, Phelan allows himself to be lead by the doors where Darlena strains under the approaching onslaught banging at the doors.

"About time-" she begins, cut short by the look on Sly's face.

Jwiz mutters under his breath, and in the same swirl of sparkly blue, they find themselves in Freeport once again.

[Phelan]

No one noticed that Phelan had grabbed the knife from Kalysta's chest. He held it in his hands kneeling in the hot sand of Freeport.

Tears ran down his face and his body quivered with anger. His chest rippled with every twitch of his body.

"....why Kalysta?....why?...." He whispered.

Her blood still on the knife was warm as it dripped in his hands.

"...why must everyone I care about die...my family...Aramis...and now Kalysta, kitten....I won't ever let this happen again" He started out in a whisper but end with a fierce tone.

He raised the dagger over his head and drove it into his chest right through the double sword mark, right at his heart. The snowy white mark was now marred by his and Kalysta's blood.

" It is finished...*cough*...Aramis you are avenged...*cough* " He looked at Sly.
"...Tell Gaien...his brother is avenged.... Kaly..." Phelan fell silent as his labored breathing ceased. His eyes close and there was a smile on his face.

( hope somebody loves me enough to help )

[Gaien]

Gaien blinked as the light from Aust's spell disapated. He was home.He stood up and brushed the dirt off his knees. He glanced up to find Phelan lying dead on the floor.

Alarmed he drew his only weapon, the short blade that had been given to hom by Elasia, and muttering a quick spell of camoflague, stepped into the shadows to take a better look.

He was in a sandy city, Freeport by the looks of it. Over Phelan's dead body stood several notable individuals, two of them dark elfs.

So they finaly found you and killed you at last, He thought, They'll not have your body to desecrate though!

Gaien knew that his brother would not want the body of one of his friends destroyed by some foul ritual so Gaien uttered another quick spell. Just as the blue haired delf knelt next to Phelan's body, Phelan faded from view.

Still under his makeshift guise of invisability, Gaien grabbed Phelan's body, and hoisting it onto his shoulders as he ran, fled through the massive crowds of Freeport to one of the few places he knew he would be safe...

[Darlena O'seth]

Darlena begins to walk off angered by the thought of Phelan taking his life over a woman he hardly knew. When she hears Slyfoots voice.

" Darlena come back here quickly someone just stole Phelan's body."

Darlena rushes back to where she left Slyfoot an Phelan at.

" What happened here I can't leave ya for a second can I?"

" Well it wasn't intentional I was about to contact Rhab when something snatched up his body and dissapeared into the crowd.

" Don't worry... I can find him." Darlena starts to smell the air. " I can smell his blood this body snatcher won't get far."

Slyfoot nods to Darlena " I will find help just don't get in over your head."

Darlena's eyes flash as she follows the scent of Phalens blood. The trail leads her though the back alleys of freeport.

" I'll rip you to pieces, you thief."

[Gaien]

Gaien fled.

He ran through the crowded streets of Freeport, zigzagging as much as possible to deter pursuit. He only had one chance at this.

Gaien didn't like stealing, his brother had taught him a harsh lesson about that many years ago and Gaien still bore the scar from it, but desperate times required desperate measures.

He ducked into the coachman's stable and threw Phelan's body on the back of an unused horse. He hoped the multitude of tracks leading in various directions would help his cause. Not bothering to pause for a saddle, Gaien hopped onto the horse after securing Phelan's body, and sped towards the desert of Ro, following one of the more common routes a short while for safety.

Gaien rode hard into the night, the desert heat washed over him like a plague, but at last Gaien found a small oasis.

This will do, he thought. Gaien was sorely chafed from his ride, as the kilt he had been given did little to protect against the continuous movement of the horse, but he drew his short blade and began to dig.

A few short hours later he had finished his grave, and with a heavy heart, placed Phelan's body inside. Gaien removed the jewel encrusted dagger from Phelan's chest and sheathed it in one of his fur lined boots. He regretted not having the dagger Phelan had given him to add to the grave, but he silently vowed to get it back and burry it with his friend someday.

Friend? Had Gaien finally come to realize too late that Phelan had actually been a friend, even if for a short while? He had been a friend to his brother, and Gaien was sure that had Phelan not killed Aramis that they too would have become friends before long.

Gaien shook his head, another lesson learned. He began the painful task of covering Phelan with the sands of Ro. When he was finished he found several nearby stones and made a small mound to mark the spot where the only good dark elf he had ever known would lie. Gaien knelt down next to the grave.

"I'm sorry that we had not the chance to know one another better. Go and be with Aramis now, I have forgiven you for any wrongs you might have caused me and I hope that your spirit will at least find peace."

He took his necklace from around his neck and placed it on top of the stone pile. His brother had given that to him, it only seemed fitting that he now gave it to Phelan.

The cry of a wolf woke Gaien from his moment of mourning and he once again climbed back onto the weary horse, his only companion. Gaien headed south by east to a place where he would exchange horses and ride home. He just hoped the coachman at the Tea Garden still remembered him...

[Darlena O'seth]

" This is no ordinary thief, he moves like a tracker.. "

Darlena pursues the mysterious bodysnacther though freeport the crowds slows her down but can still smell Phelans blood. The scent brings her to the coachman's stables.

"He was here... and left in a hurry.. I'm starting to lose his scent."

Darlena ready's a horse an set off after them into the desert. Luckly for her the sun was setting but the sand was starting to cover Phelans scent.

" I must be careful an not miss his trail." Darlena slows her persuit to make sure she doesn't pass up his trail. After a few hours she comes across a small oasis.

" Hmmm the scent stops here..." Darlena draws her father's short sword an searches the area. As she comes to a stone pile she notices a necklace.

" What kinda thief would bury an mark a gravesite for a stranger?" Darlena transforms into her were form an starts digging Phalen corpse up, relieved the Zug isn't around to call her a mutt again for doing this. After a few minutes she has his body draped acrossed her horse. Darlena the takes the necklace an puts it around her neck.

" Well stranger I will find you shortly..." She mounts the horse and returns to Freeport. She is met at the city gates by Sly and Jwiz.

" Sorry it took so long..."

" I knew you'd find him but we must act quickly now Jwiz please get him down."

Jwiz sighs in disbelief. " You know I'm not even getting paid for my efforts here."

Darlena smiles " I will buy dinner sometime if you wish."

" I'll hold you to it.." Jwiz pulls Phelan off the horse an puts him on his shoulder and walks off.

" Where did you get that?" Slyfoot says pointing the new necklace darlena was wearing.

" I believe it belongs to our lil bodysnatcher... I'm sure her will return to the spot and when he sees that the body is gone he will look for us."

" He buried him?"

" Yes, he also seemed to be a tracker of sorts so I left a trail for him to follow here where I will slay him if he means to stop us from reviving Phelan."

Sly nods in agreement " Very well lets gather up everyone and get started.

[Kalysta]

Two shadowy figures in Neriak, huddled in secrecy over a onyx and silver laden casket. Speaking in whispered tones, they discuss matters of some importance...

"Is it done?"

"It is done."

"The body?"

"In the casket, as it was meant to be."

"She sleeps?"

"No, she is quite dead."

"What are our chances?"

"Slim to none. She chose this, no one forced her hand..."

"Then we must wait and see what, or who, comes next."

"Yes.. wait.."

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

“Jwiz, to the Inn.”<br>
“You could say please.”<br>
“Please….”<br>
“My pleasure….” Jwiz replies as the blue mist forms around them again, and the three appear in the Freeport Inn, the limp body of Phelan resting on the bed in the far corner.

“Okies, what joo need?” The great bear enters the Inn shaking her great fur coat of the dessert dust.

“We have one down.” Slyfoot points to Phelan. “ I don’t know what his problem is, or who he is, but I have a feeling he is important.”<br>
“Okies, Slyfut, mes talks to dah spirits and ask dem if mes can bring dat black elf back.”<br>
“Please do so Rhab.”

The bear places her paws delicately on Phelan’s chest and begins to meditate, whispering to the spirits and retrieving his soul. Suddenly Phelan jerks awake with a great gasp of breath, knocking Rhubaka back.

“Easy boy!” Jwiz says as he forces Phelan to lay back.

“No! Let me go! I don’t want to live!” Phelan throws a nasty look at Slyfoot. “Its all your fault she is dead!”<br>
“She is alive thanks to me, not dead. Now stop throwing up your fists and relax.” Slyfoot says calmly peering down at the strange teir’dal.

Phelan eases, “She..she’s not dead?”<br>
“Not permanently. We brought you back didn’t we? Now just relax, coming back from the dead is not easy on the body.”<br>
Phelan lays back as Jwiz releases him. “I’m I done here now?”<br>
“Yes, Jwiz you may go.”<br>
“I needs to gets back to Zug to Slyfut. He may eats somting if I leave him to long.”<br>
“Yes Rhab, your help is appreciated here. Please fair well.”<br>
“Okies Slyfut. Joo to.”<br>As the elf and bear leave the room, Slyfoot looks back to Phelan who is staring at her.

[Phelan]

Phelan stared after the stange Dark elf female

" Why me? Why did you bring me back? " he whispered

Phelan lay there in the bed not moving for a long while. He had been ripped away, he finally had peace in his life. He tried to find the heart to get out of bed, so much of his perspective had changed lately.

"who am I? " he asked himself as he drifted into sleep.

It was only in that state of deep sleep that Phelan realized that anger hadn't welled up inside of him, hadn't consumed him, instead all he felt was saddness, regret and pain. Phelan wanted so much just to roll back over and die, but something prompted him, something unseen, unknown urged him on. Phelan also knew that Kalysta was waiting for him, somehow, he knew he had to go see her in Neriak.

[Darlena O'seth]

Darlena enters the room where Slyfoot an the sleeping Phelan are.

" So you returned from you trip so soon." Slyfoot says glancing up at Darlena.

" Yes.... it was uneventful so I chose to cut it short."

She looks at Phelans body and notices that he is now breathing again.

" So the ogre was successful...."

" Yes she was.. but he still seems attached to kalysta."

Darlena sighs as she turns to Slyfoot.

" Here when he wakes up ask him if he knows the owner of this necklace.." Taking off the necklace that was used to mark Phelan's grave.

" I will be sitting outside of the room here let me know when he wakes I would like to hear his answer."

Slyfoot nods to Darlena as she leaves the room.

" There is something changed about you my friend." she whispers. " Your trip wasn't as uneventful as you say... "

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Slyfoot drags a chair from the corner of the room, scraping the legs across the worn wooden floor. She sits facing Phelan, as she rubs the necklace between her fingers, thinking to herself.

“Yes, Darlena, I feel you have changed.” She smiles a little to herself. “Now I hope this Phelan wakes soon. But I will be patient, I have waited a long time for my revenge, I can wait a little longer. It will come…..it will come….”<br>

[Phelan]

Phelan slowly came from his long rest, he felt like he had slept better than he ever had before. Slowly the world around him began to register in his mind.

His eyes fluttered up and then he immeidiately closed them again the bright sun stabbing his eyes. The sounds from outside drifted in to his ears, the bustling of the streets, the sounds of activity.

Slowly he remembered where he was and what he had decided to do. He opened his eyes once more steeling himself for the intial pain that always came to him when he did so.

He saw that strange Dark Elf sitting there watching him from a chair in the corner. He just looked back at her without saying anything as he stood and looked for his clothes. He didnt' know what to say to her but she looked as if though she had something to say.

Slyfoot watched him stand and begin to dress, she promptly stood and held the necklace out before her.

"I belive this is yours? " She said

::: Darlena he is awake :::

Phelan took the necklace from her hands and held it before him.

" So you did tell Gaien? Thank you. It seems that I am forever indebted to you more times than can be counted. If you ever need anything, anything, just ask and I will come. Forever your friend even if you do not consider me as such."

:: Phelan Bowed to Slyfoot who promptly departed without saying any more, as she left the other Dark elf female, Darlena walked in ::

[Phelan]

:: Phelan bowed to her as she entered and then he began to put on his shirt but she started speaking so he waited ::

" Do you know who this necklace belongs too? " Darlena asked.

" I do m'lady, it belongs to an aqquaintence of mine, Gaien Mayree.... I would like to thank you for all you have done for me though you know me not... I am indebted to you, if you ever need anything at all just ask."

:: with that Phelan pulled his shirt over his head and sat on the bed to pull on his boots. Darlena began to say something, but Phelan silenced her with a wave of his hand::

" I have to leave right now there is something I must do. Find me after I have completed my task, I fear I have lingered here to long as it is. I am sorry I wish I had the time to talk, I would love to explain to you all that you wish to know, but I have a pressing matter I must attend to and have no idea how to go on about it. "

:: He smiled at her and winked as he picked up the small back pack from the corner wich he assumed was for him and walked out side. He wondered if he could catch a horse to Neriak or if he would have to run. He knew where he was heading, he could point to her now, he assumed it had something to do with the mark on his chest but he didn't know for sure. He set off in search of the coachman for this city he hoped there was one here ::

[Phelan]

Phelan found the coachman in short order and was soon on his way back for Neriak. The horse was swift and carried him there in a matter of hours, Phelan lost track of time, he was lost in his thoughts.

Thinking of what he would do when he got there. how do you go about bringing back the dead? They said she want dead though, I dont' know exactly what that means. Why can I feel you Kalysta? It is almost as if I can hear you speaking to me, are you with me now? He asked himself silently.

He dismounted the horse and left it with the coachman, he walked back through the forboding gates of the imposing mountain that contained the city that was Neriak. As with every time since he had returned there was a wieght on his shoulders.

There seemed to be less people than usual around as he walked in, it was late in the day but Neriak was usually a hub of activity, but for some reason today if was different...it was eerie.

He walked down the several ramps and twists and turns knowing exactly where he was headed and there in the center of the court room was a casket, obsidian with silver guilding. Phelan walked over to it.

Kalysta's body lay lifeless inside of the casket. Phelan wished he was with her again. He had seen her after he was dead. He did not wish to live anymore, his knees were weak looking at her.

Phelan had taken off his shirt on his ride to Neriak and had forgot to put one back on. Blood was still dried on his chest covering his tattoo like marking.

Phelan caressed Kalysta's cold cheek and tears ran down his face.

" I would die so that you may live if it were possible. I am sorry....I shouldn't have came to you, instead I should have went with Gaien then none of this would have ever happened.

Another life whose blood is on my hands......come back, please. " He leaved over and kissed her.

When his lips touched hers, he felt paralyzed and thought twice about kissing her now. The chill of her body started to ebb. Phelan opened his eyes and he could see a soft red light growing, slowly envoping them. He felt drained, then all of a sudden her eyes opened. Phelan collapsed to the ground.

Phelan's breaths came in short ragged breaths, Kalysta gased for air and sat up in the casket.

Slowly her head began to clear of the haze she was in.

Phelan still lay on the floor, but his breathing, though shallow, was beginning to return to normal.

Kalysta noticed a faint red pulsing glow eminating from the collapsed Phelan's chest, from that curious mark of the two swords which was now two shades of red swirled together.

( Take it away Kal )