Prologue
The night was dark where Malic stood watch over his city of Anithore. The wind played out its haunted melody at the south gate stood tall as a monument to all who wish to enter the city. He looked down from his tower waiting for Rob to show it was three hours since the watch had started and there was no sign of his fellow guardsmen. "Probably winching late!" Malic muttered finishing his thought out loud. Tonight will be a long one and by my luck there will be no travelers to break up the monotony of the watch. He shook his head and continued on with his watch.
Malic was a man of short starchier. His black hair fell just to the bottom of his ears. His armor was simple chain mail, which was the same for all the city guard, His tunic a worn out blue from years of service. A simple man with a simple job, no wife or any children to call his own. For fifteen years he has held his spear, for fifteen years he has worn a bow, and for fifteen years he has not used a single one. Life was simple for a man who new nothing more about the world around him.
Two more hours had passed when he spotted two sets of gleaming armor off in the distance. Marching at a steady pace, singing as they traveled on. There song of praise where aimed for their ears and the ears of their god, ST. Cuthbert. Which is something to fear if you where one who was wicked or in order of retribution. Closer and closer they came until he could see the red beards swaying in the light breeze. Dwarfs two of them Clerics to the look of it. Malic took his time with them "Hale travelers. What are your names and business hear in Anithore tonight?" One with blue eyes and a shorter beard spoke up in a feminine voice "Valin and Mornith of the Blood Horn Clan. Hear to sample good food, a warm bed, and holy retribution to one single soul."
"What sort of retribution will you be having in the city walls tonight good dwarf?"
"His time be over, a year come tomorrow. For stealing a holy relic from the good church of ST. Cuthbert."
"There is no killing with in these walls."
"Then for your laws we will take him out side to do our job. Now if you would be so kind as to let us in and point us to the nearest Inn."
Malic thought for a second on his duties and regulations pertaining the matter of death out side the wall. Then dwelled on the thought of angering a cleric of ST. Cuthbert. After a spell he decided that it would be better to let them in rather to face their wrath. "Open the gates." He bellowed as the sound of the gate echoed of the walls of the barracks and the gates door bit by bit opened as the two dwarf started there journey in to Anithore this evening.
Mornith looked on to the night with eyes that told of the heartbreak and loss that filled his life. His Brown eyes where the only thing that would tell you of his life for he was one of action not words. The full plate he worn adorned with symbols of the riotous god he worshiped seemed to play the tune he and his where singing.
The town of Anithore was a former shell of the bustling trade city that it use to be. All around where condemned buildings that played out their live some time ago. Few merchants where ever on the streets and even fewer shops still remained open now. The sound of the coast gave this town a somber melody, and in the middle of this carcass of a town was where Tunewher Inn stood. As the dwarfs opened the door and entered it seem they stepped through a gate way to time long since pasted. A sweet song seemed to share the air with the smell of fresh cooking food and strong ale. Valin looked over to her companion and a smile escaped from deep inside her heart and was played across her face as she says with simple warmness "Fined us some sets Mornith and I will get the ale and the rooms." She slowly walked away. Mornith's eyes fallowed her to the bar once she leaned in to the bar to talk to the Innkeeper he turned to find seats for Valin and him.
Valin walked slowly to the bar thinking of the travels her and Mornith have taken together. It was hard to recall how many nights they spent in towns like this spreading holy retribution. There was one night that stuck in her mind more then any other we she betrayed her god, order, and clan. "Can I help you?" interrupted her and brought her back to the present. She looked up to the innkeeper with her eyes that held secret tears for the past. " Yes you do look like the person that could. I need a room and two mugs of your finest." She said cheerfully with anticipation for the drink. The innkeeper just nodded and when to the work he loved so much. She turned to the entertainment and let her self drift away with the notes of the fiddle that play like liquid fire. So much emotion how she secretly wished for a life of such for her order forbid any sense of love, emotion, you are married to your god forbidding another's touch. The sound of full mugs took her eyes off the fiddler and back to the task at hand. "That will be five silver for the Dwarven ale and a gold piece for the room you be haven." Was said as Valin reached in to her money pouch and paid the man. Turned to see Mornith over in the corner sitting with a look that could curdle milk. All she could do was let out a silent chuckle for her and her alone to hear as she maid her way over to him with two mugs and a room for the night. She set the two mugs down and sat down next to her cold partner. "I got us a room together."
Valin said looking in to his eyes hopping to see something more then pain.
"Why must ye be putting us through this. You know I'll get my own room."
"I was just thinking that we could talk about the past. Rethink choices we made."
"The past is the past. That was a moment of weakness between us one day you'll see that."
"You said you loved me."
"I love no one but my god! Now leave me be!" Mornith bellowed and left the inn to take a walk around this wretched place. Valin look out in pain hoping that he would turn to her and tell her the truth that she knew was held inside. Wishing she could tell him about Pasius... their son.
Candles lit the dark room as two figures were rapped in a passionate embrace. The figures rolled around on the bed, a male elf and a human woman oblivious to the world around them. Holding one another as fire ran through their veins. His lavender eyes met her green eyes as they rolled around in the bed kissing and sweating trapped in each other's lust. His sliver hair draped around her head as lifted himself above her. "AUST!! " was herd bellowing through out the room and the elf eyes darted towards the door to the human standing in it. The women screamed as she did her best to cover her self to hide what she had done. "You not suppose to be home..." Aust said as he darted towards his clothes. "Your going to die for bedding my wife elf!" the man yelled as his dagger gleamed in the candlelight. "Now, lets not be to hasty... We can talk this out. Look at her, would you want to kill some one in front of your own innocent wife." Aust stuttered as he backed himself to the window with clothes in hand. He looked out the window and leapt as the man ran at him. The ground met his back with a load thud, all the air escaped from his lungs as he looked to the second story window. I human looked out the window and at Aust and muttered something as he moved out of sight.
Despite the pain in his legs and back Aust forced himself up and darted down the long ally trying to dress along the way. He emerged out on the main street of the town their was no one to be seen but a dwarf that look like he could talk the fun right out of a copper dragon. So he continued in to the ally across the road to get back home to his guild.
The bladed finger was a guild that prided them selves in the art of relieving cash from those who could spare it. Mainly the rich and well off but in these time the motto was seal from any one who did not buy our protection. But now a days it seem that everyone was protected. As he slowed down and turned around the dwarf was not from this town their for has no protection.
"It was a dark night for dark deeds." said a hooded figure smiling to himself as he walk down a street long forgotten by the men of this town. His quite steps where barely heard and with a ring of invisibility, he was sure he was not seen as he open a door and walked in to a ruined temple. "Now for the fun to begin." He said as he took a egg from under his cloak removing a runic cloth that wrapped around. "This is to make sure no one bothers me." He said with pure amusement as he placed the egg in the middle of the dark room and walked in to the temple dark depths. "I wonder if mommy wants her egg back." His chuckles echoed through out the crumbling temple.