The sun was cold on her skin.
A beautiful lady, hate flowing from her eyes
The wind whispered cruelties in her ears.
A boy of thousands of years, singing a lullaby through his tears
Darkness drowned her sight.
Two Lords, one losing his heart, one losing himself
Spirits and years and trees and elves and humans and DEATH AND HURTING AND PAIN AND TEARS! STOP IT STOP IT STOPITSTOPIT STOP IT!
Alone in the midst of the forest, a child who saw too much collapsed sobbing.
#########################
Winnowill raced through the corridor, not caring for the rocks that caught and tore her gown, or struck against her legs.
Damn Voll! Damn him and the filthy Wolfriders and that accursed huntress! How dare they stand against her! Her! The Lady of Blue Mountain! The guardian of the Gliders! The daughter of the greatest of the High Ones!
Her foot connected with a rock, sending her crashing to the ground. Cursing, she forced herself to her feet, only to freeze.
A lone figure stood before her, gold eyes calm.
The damned huntress's cat! Her eyes blazed hatred, "Filthy beast. You end no- ah!" Their eyes met, she staggered back, horror emblazoned on her features.
"No. No no no no no! No! You're dead! You're dead it can't be you, you're dead!"
The creature came closer, gold eyes steady.
She was mad! It just wasn't possible; she had to have gone mad! She stumbled, half-catching herself before she fell fully. "You're dead!" the words were a harsh shriek, "Don't you understand?! You left and you're dead!" she turned, running deeper into the darkness.
Behind her, the cat was left alone with her words.
"You're dead Father!"
##########################
All over.
He turned from where he had been watching, walking away alone. Great Lord awakened, broken child freed, little floater saved, game ending. There was nothing left here.
A harsh laugh echoed through the caverns of the dead mountain.
You lose Mother.
###########################
The little mother held her child at last, tears pouring down her face. The others crowded around them, looking both relieved and saddened. A short distance away, the humans stared, shocked by such a meeting of Spirits.
Apart from all, Hoykar stood alone. He ached all over. He ached from where the red-headed Wolfrider had slammed him into the rock the moment he appeared. He ached from where Kureel's knife had embedded itself in his arm.
He ached from where Kureel's knife had embedded itself in his heart.
A scream ripped through the air. Head jerking, his eyes fell on a great hawk, looming above the ground. An open send echoed through his mind, filling him with dread. The sight of two children, human and elf, dangling from the claws of the great bird tore into his mind.
The sound of an arrow, tore into his heart.
Through the distance, Hoykar felt the tearing pain of the arrow, heard the chocked gasp, saw the disbelief in ocean-blue eyes.
**Sparro-**
Hoykar stood still, unable to move, tears flowing down his face unchecked.
A precious light slipped from his soul, and faded.
##########################
**Winnowill!**
The dark-healer froze, turning slowly to meet his eyes. For an eternity they stood, staring into each other's souls.
**Beloved, please!** his hand extended, begging, **Please!**
The wind blew, catching cloth and hair. Voices echoed below, human and elfin alike. Gray clouds massed ahead. None of that mattered. Only the extended hand and the figure standing at a cliff's edge mattered.
**Please.** Tears slipped down his face. **Come back to me.**
She looked away. Then, slowly, she looked back. Her eyes hardened. Time slowed around Voll, pulling at him as he leapt through the air, horror written on his face.
The world blurred as Voll collapsed to his knees.
Alone.