Slowly, Bareck's eyes fluttered open, but for a moment, he wondered if he had. Everything was just as dark with them shut. He lay quietly for a moment, trying to figure out where he was while trying to ignore the pain throbbing from every limb and joint in his body. After a little while, his eyes adjusted to the dark, telling him that he was someplace…he just didn't know where.

The more he tried to think about it, the more he became confused. Hadn't he been in the Jerall Mountains? Hadn't there been a fight? Where were Baurus and Keyarrion? He hadn't just dreamed this whole thing up had he?

His head spun as he slowly pushed himself upright, making groan him a little, more that just from pain. He closed his eyes and rubbed at them until the pain subsided to a more bearable level before opening them again, taking in his surroundings.

He was in a forest (not the mountains?), surrounded by towering oaks and elms…reminding him a lot of his native Valenwood. The thought of his homeland sent regret and loneliness twisting at his heart. He hadn't wanted to leave…but he had had no choice then, not since…

He shook his head. This was no time for reminiscing. He needed to figure out where he was and how to get back to Keyarrion and Baurus. He stood slowly, using the support of an oak to steady himself, waiting for his shaky legs to fully bear his weight. When he felt steady enough, he began to walk around, looking for any clues.

The forest was quiet…too quiet, even for one that had been born and raised in the quiet of a forest. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he held still, straining to pick up anything, through sight, sound, smell, feel or taste, that didn't feel right. He stayed like that for a while until his back ached, the sore muscles complaining over the unnecessary exertion. He relaxed a little. Maybe he was just being over-cautious, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of something being off.

Like he normally did when tense, he ran his tongue from side to side over his teeth, feeling the difference between molars, pre-molars, canine, incisors, back to pre-molars and ending again with molars. The action forced him to calm the frenzy of thoughts that hot-wired through his mind, and opened his senses even more, both to him and his surroundings. Suddenly his tongue froze on his teeth. His eyes widened in sudden realization and he moved his tongue over his teeth once more, slower this time, lingering over the canines especially.

There were no more fangs there.

Eagerly, he looked down at his arms. Sure enough, they were the hue he had been born with, not dark like a Dunmer. While he had no means to be able to see, he was sure that his eyes had gone back to his normal blue. Gone, too, were the talons on his fingers, replaced by small, round, blunt nails that had little value as a weapon. There was no more lust for blood screaming at him, no more insane energy or mad strength in him that nearly drove him to kill his friends, say nothing of those unfortunate bandits.

He was elated. More than elated. He couldn't even begin to describe what it was like to suddenly have his own body back, with his own natural instincts and not something else. Though he had had this body for the past 122 years of his life and the Shadow-like qualities for only a few days, it made no difference; it only served to make him appreciate what he had even more. Still, he almost couldn't believe it…he had won, THEY had won. They had defeated the Shadows and he had lived and was now back to normal.

Then he stopped. If they had won…and he was back to normal…and he was certain that he had been in the Jerall mountains with Baurus and Keyarrion…then why in all 16 levels of Oblivion was he here in these bloody woods?!? Once again, questions fired through his mind, each more frantic than the last and no amount of running his tongue over his teeth could calm him. His most frightening thought was that he was dead, but he managed to dissuade himself from that as he believed in an afterlife that did NOT consisting of a forest…at least not a forest like this one.

He looked around at the trees surrounding him again, this time looking at more than just the trees themselves. Sure enough, there was a chilling familiarity to these trees. The hairs rose on his neck again as it finally dawned on him.

No fevered dream this, but a living nightmare. He was in the Black Woods; he could see that now in the dead-looking, blackened bark of the trees, of the persisting gloom and the overall dread that hung over the woods like a suffocating blanket. He couldn't believe that he, a bloody Wood Elf, hadn't seen that…especially him.

However, he wasn't as frightened as he thought he would be. In fact, he was quite calm now that he knew where he was. He was, after all, back to his normal self. He had no need to fear falling away from his humanity… mer-anity or whatever…into a demonic world. A plan began to form in his head. Then he smiled, a cocky half-smile that had prevailed over many adventures and had pissed off Jauffre more than once.

XxXxXx

As Bareck walked through the woods, he noticed that the gloom seemed to deepen and the black trees get, if possible, darker. He knew that he was getting close, which was exactly what he wanted.

Soon, as he had planned on, he came to the giant black oak tree; its dead crooked limbs stretching out over an impossible dark abyss. With a jaunty confidence he didn't feel, he strode over to the Black Gate.

Red eyes appeared suddenly not 20 ft. away from him, startling him but he managed to keep his expression neutral. A deep rumbling voice echoed, just as it had in his fevered dreams.

"I have lost many of my loyal servants and my general Vorac." The Guardian rumbled, "Yet have I gained a warrior in return." It wasn't a question.

Bareck didn't respond but walked closer towards the black abyss. As he got closer, he could make out shapes beyond; morbid shadows of those who had fallen to the poisoned blades and were now stuck for eternity in the Black Woods as Shadows. He suppressed a shiver as he stood there. He could hear voices beyond calling him, just as they had when he had been in the middle of the transformation. Yet, this time they did not stir any longing in him. He felt no need to cross over to them. As he stood there at the very entrance, taunting the Shadows, he turned to the Guardian.

"We will meet again and next time, it won't be in your favor. You have gained nothing!" He said. Before the full meaning of his words could sink into the demon's head, Bareck turned and ran away from the Black Gate, an earth-shattering roar of rage following him.

He ran on and on, the tree trunks blurring together in a dark mass. He didn't care where he went, just as long as it put distance between him and that horrible place. Faster and faster he went, his breath coming harsh now and his legs burning. Pain shot up his sides and down his arms, making him falter a step before going on again. Even when he slowed, the world around him remained blurred. It began to twist and turn, becoming a vortex. His feet left the ground as he was pulled towards it. Light grew from its center, blinding him after the darkness of the forest. He squeezed his eyes shut and held him arms up to his face. It got brighter and brighter, making him cry out with the pain of the light as it made his head feel like it would split open. More pain, all through his body. From what he didn't know. Something pulled at his arms, exposing his face to the bright light. He tried to fight it, to pull his arms back, but whatever held them had an iron grip. He couldn't get loose.

"Bareck!"

He heard his name being called, very faint and from far away. For a brief moment he thought it was Lurin… but it could not be. She was…

"Bareck!"

His name again. This time closer and louder. He really thought the voice was Lurin. His heart jumped in his chest. If only it was her.

"Wake up, you bloody wood elf, you're about to rip my arms out!"

That voice, however, belonged to only one person.

Bareck's eyes snapped open and he found himself lying on the floor in a wood cabin, Baurus doing his level best to hold down Bareck's convulsing body. As he came more to his senses and regained control of his body, Bareck stilled. Baurus leaned back with a relieved sigh and wiped away at the sweat forming on his brow.

"You know, for a midget tree-climber with pointy ears you're pretty strong." Baurus said.

"And for a dark-skinned half-wit in a tin suit you can hold on to such a midget pretty good!" Bareck said brightly.

Baurus glared and swatted at Bareck's arm gently, "As over-joyed as I am that you're back to normal, you were more bearable when you were trying to rip my throat out with your teeth."

"Yeah, about that…"

"Don't mention it, Bareck. You weren't in control then. It's best left to the past." A bright pink braid fell into Bareck's line of sight, leading up to Keyarrion's face, her nose bright red. She smiled at him, her head cocked to one side, "You know this is the first time I've seen you look normal…not passed out or looking like a midget Dunmer."

"Great, now both of you are on the midget thing?" Bareck sat up, all his muscles protesting. He was getting really sick of this muscle pain.

"By the way…who is Lurin?" Keyarrion asked.

Bareck froze. "Why do you ask?" he asked slowly.

"You were screaming her name out right before you woke up."

Bareck didn't know what to say. He hadn't meant to call out that name that was for sure. He didn't want to tell them, he couldn't, but at the same time he didn't want to outright refuse his friends that had been by him this whole damn nightmare.

"Enough, enough. That one was just fought his way back from the Black Woods and the Dark Guardian, more battles than you have fought. Leave him be." A rough voice hissed at Keyarrion, causing her to shrink back sheepishly.

Re-Asker padded over to Bareck and looked him in the eye. Amber eyes that were starting to cloud with cataracts met with bright blue eyes, still shining with youth. After a long moment, the feline amber eyes creased in a smile and worn yellowed teeth were exposed as she smiled.

"This one is stronger than the Shadows. This is good. This one will defeat the Shadows, yes?"

XxXxXx TBC

Author's note; I'm so sorry I haven't updated in, I dunno, several months. Writer's block combined with way-to-busy schedule you know how it is. But Bareck's story continues and I am working on getting another chapter up soon. Once again, my sincerest apologies on taking so flippin long on this chapter.

-Vanillathunder215