Updated: 5/8/14– fixed some basic grammar and spelling, no doubt missed some errors.

Chapter 1 – Stupid Shem

From the high branch of the tree Lyla Mahariel had a clear view of her surroundings, the ancient Brecillian Forest in all its glory, she could see the tall trees span on for miles and miles in all directions except one, in the direction she was looking she could see a small clearing not too far ahead.

"Tamlen?" She called. "Have you had any luck yet?" Tamlen had been her friend for as long as she could remember and was happy that she had been chosen to hunt alongside him, there was truly no one else she would rather have with her.

"I wish, Lethallan! I haven't seen a single creature all day, it's eerie almost as if they know better and are keeping away from here." Came his reply.

"Ah, we can't let the clan down, we must keep going, Lethallin. Wait what was that?" their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of screaming to their south.

"We're the only hunting party, right?" Tamlen asked. When his question was answered with a head nod. "Who could it be then? Mythal protect them, we must check on it."

Running towards the noise Lyla was terrified one of the Elvhen was hurt, only the Dalish roamed this part of the woods, although there was the occasional foolhardy shemlen who didn't know how close to the clan they were.

Tamlen being a quicker elf found the group of humans first, the leader of whom collapsed on his backside once he saw Tamlen's Bow pointed at him.

"It's a Dalish!" the fallen man exclaimed.

"And you three are somewhere you shouldn't be!" Tamlen calmly replied.

"Let us pass, elf, you have no right to stop us" one of the man's companions growled.

"No? We will see about that won't we" Tamlen replied as Lyla walked into the clearing with them in "You're just in time, these humans lurking in the bush, bandits no doubt" he added extra venom when he said human to show his disgust for the race.

"Bandits, Lethallin? Really? Bandits with no weaponry, well shemlen are incredibly stupid I suppose" Lyla chuckled as she spoke however she did unsheathe her sword and dagger.

"We should kill them for coming so close to our camp, if we let them go they will bring more back and attack" Tamlen stated.

"No please, we aren't here to harm you I swear, we just found a cave"

"Yes a cave it had ruins in, we found this inside" he took a stone from his pack and handed it to Tamlen. The stone had carvings of a bow and arrow with ancient Elvish lettering around it.

"Is this Elvish? Written Elvish?!" Tamlen exclaimed obviously surprised at the find.

"There's more in the ruins, we didn't get very far in though"

"Why not, Shem?" Lyla growled, she didn't like humans at the best of times and this group of idiots had annoyed her already with their whimpering.

"There was a demon, with huge black eyes, thank the Maker we got away in time"

"Your false Maker has not room in our forest, shemlen, you would do well to remember that" Lyla spat "where is this cave?"

The humans pointed "just off the west I, I think there's a cave in the rock face." He cried.

"it's easy to spot, I'm surprised you Dalish haven't seen it already." His companion added venomously.

Lyla screamed with anger and ran at the humans driving her sword into the first ones belly. "This is our forest we know all of her secrets! Mythal looks after it as she does us! Now run, shem, before I kill you all!"

The other humans scattered as Tamlen walked towards her. "Well that was certainly interesting, though we should have killed them all" shaking his head and looking towards the west. "We should go find this cave they were talking about though, if there is more Elvish writing the keeper will be interested in anything we take back." Lyla nodded her head in agreement and started walking in the direction the human pointed.

-FTDTD-

As they walked towards the cliff a pack of wolves came upon them, Lyla roared as she ran at the animals, Tamlen simply fired an arrow into the face of one. "Lethallan, do you really have to scream every time you attack something? You're meant to be a hunter not a barbarian!"

She ignored his comment as she kicked a wolf away from her and following it through with her sword crashing down upon its back. She turned to fight the final wolf but an arrow hits it instead stopping it dead. "That was my kill, Lethallin" she murmured with a hint of disappointment. "Well at least we have wolf meat to bring back if this cave has no treasure, come let's carry on."

They walked on fighting off more groups of wolves until they found the entrance to the cave.

"This must be the cave the shem were talking about, I don't recall seeing this before do you?" Tamlen asked.

"No, Lethallin, I have never seen this place, we should be cautious this is very strange."

"Come on, Mahariel, lets at least see what's inside before you get all cowardly like those shemlen."

She growled in protest to his tease but said nothing else and walking into the cave front.

-FTDTD-

They had fought off giant spiders, one managing to bite Lyla's arm but it was superficial and caused her little pain. They turned a corner and spied an ancient moss covered statue of a woman with a spear in one hand and her other bare.

"I can't believe this, you recognise this statue don't you?" Tamlen gasped.

Looking closer at the statue and realised it did look familiar but she couldn't remember where from, she told Tamlen this.

"Back when out people lived in Arlathan statues like this honoured the creators. When the Shems enslaved us much of that lore was lost." Tamlen almost whispered in awe.

"I don't understand we look to be in human ruins but with an Elvish statue?" Lyla looked around and saw that the corpses around them were getting up and bearing arms. "Tamlen watch out there is dark magic here, the corpses are rising."

She ran at the first cutting its head off with one swift motion, the second fell to two arrows hitting its head in quick succession, the third though was using magic and caught Lyla in a paralysing spell holding her still. Tamlen fired a multitude of arrows at the corpse but none stopped it, so he charged, screaming as he did, and stabbed it with the Dar'Misu he had on him. The corpse parried it with its staff but stumbled back and falling. Tamlen quickly jumped upon it and stabbed it as quickly and as numerously as he could finally killing it.

"Ma serannas, Lethallin, that was horrifying being held in that spell." Lyla gasped as she fell to her knees.

"Well I couldn't just leave you there, could I? Merrill would never forgive me leaving her sister frozen in these ruins!" Tamlen laughed.

"Don't think I didn't notice you screaming as you attacked though, Da'assan, I told you it felt good didn't I." She teased as she walked towards the door at the end of the corridor.

Upon opening it a monstrous bear like creature ran towards her, quickly closing the door in its face with a squeal she backed off and steeled herself against the horror she saw. "Do you think this will hold it, Tamlen?"

"Somehow I doubt we will be that lucky."

The door crashed down as the creature ran at her undeterred by the number of arrows Tamlen had fired into its body, it knocked her down and was about to bite her as an arrow landed in its eye.

It let out an angry roar as its attention turned to the archer and ran. It swiped a claw at him hitting him in the chest causing Tamlen to fall to the ground.

The creature rose to its hind legs and roared again this time it sounded almost like it was gloating but it was cut short by a little elven woman jumping on its back and stabbing her twin blades into its skull. It fell unceremoniously to the floor with a thump.

"Da'mi, that was incredible, you fought with the spirit of Andruil herself!" Tamlen said in awe.

"Well I owed you for the save from that mage, we are even now, Lethallin." She chuckled as she spoke, "come let's see what this monster was guarding, yes?"

They walked into the room noting that there was nothing of any real importance apart from a giant mirror in the centre of the room.

"Well this was a waste of time, Lethallin, a fat lot of nothing and a mirror which doesn't even reflect!" Lyla spoke "come let's go inform the keeper of our findings" she turned to make her way out but was interrupted by a noise from Tamlen.

"I think something moved inside the mirror" Tamlen whispered "there it is again! Did you see it?" moving towards the mirror with one hand outstretched.

"Be careful, Lethallin!" Lyla cried as he touched it.

"It saw me!" he screamed "I can't look away, HELP!"

An invisible force flung Lyla back, away from her childhood friend as her world went black.