Imprinted upon the face of the planet stood a man, running through the ever-
night wood. Looking around cautiously he kept his pace-he couldn't stop-not
with what he had seen. Someone had to know, even if it meant his death.
Fatigued, he ran on, thick lines of sweat no longer left the moist line
behind them; they covered his face, his skin drenched in sweat, yet he
still ran.
Thoughts raced through his mind of the scene he had witnessed. They had to be warned. Too many shall die if he fails.
Relorn remembered clearly what his eyes had seen; the image was imprinted in his mind, never to be forgotten while he still lived. Armies of thousands, all following the sign of the Shadow; the very wrath that plagues the society of Norrath. His too-young eyes fell upon them accidentally. He knew he shouldn't have seen it, but he had.
***
Pulling his sword from his waist Relorn looked at his target, his pray, a fair sized spider scurrying itself along the floor of the mountains of Butcher Block. Far away from the nearest city, home of the Dwarves, he kept his target and followed it silently. Relorn had learned quickly that a few silk threads from this insect could pay for food for himself for weeks on end. But then Relorn heard it, sounds of a deeply involved conversation not far from him. He stopped dead in his tracks as certain words perked his ears.
"The foul city of Kelethin is unaware sir. Our scouts have reported no sign of our traveling thus far."
"That, my minion, is good, for you and for your men. The slightest word of our movement would mean your spilled blood on my blade. Now be gone. We are to travel into the Greater Faydark by the time the sun sets tonight. Innoruuk's fury shall be released tomorrow at sunrise. Kelethin shall fall, I assure you of that. Now leave and make sure our path ahead has no witnesses. Dispose of their bodies like the rest."
Muffled movements reached Relorn's ears as two final words were spoken.
"Yes sir."
Relorn shook with terror, forgetting his prey. He stood there, shaking, as the sound of many footsteps approached him. He panicked and ran- he had no choice. Turning quickly Relorn ran and never looked back. Hearing a yell behind him as many angry voices filled the air, he never slowed his running. Many feather-shafted arrows pelted the forest floor around young Relorn, yet he kept running.
He had followed the deserted, quiet path the whole way into the foggy Greater Faydark, and yet he still ran to reach someone, anyone. Suddenly, he came to a halt. A small dust cloud, proof of his hurry, erupted from beneath the man, circulating around his worn cloth sandals and then diminishing. Relorn's chest heaved, his breathing raspy and his face a beet red. Relorn stopped as the second figure stood motionless, facing him. The man stood with his head hunched over in the middle of the path through the quiet woods, a clean, night-black robe covering him. The hood was pulled tightly over his head, hiding his face. Long red symbols were imprinted down the front of the robe, their meanings known only to Scribes and the Ancients. Yet the man stood there, firmly in his place. Relorn knew the man was aware of his presence.
"Sir, please, I need to get by! I have urgent news for the city of Kelethin! It will determine the fate of the city itself!"
Relorn walked up to the man as he spoke and rested a hand on the figure's shoulder before staggering back. His eyes caught the man's flesh-a small amount of the man's skin around his collar was visible in the misty evening. The dark blue flesh seared into Relorn's mind. Taken aback, he stumbled farther away.
"You young, foolish boy. I am sorry about what I must do."
The man's voice was full of ease and swiftness, yet to Relorn it was all too familiar.
"The voice." his thoughts trailing off for a moment. It struck Relorn then like a stone in the gut. The voice from earlier.
"You. You. How could you have gotten past me, I ran the whole way here, with no followers! Not even the Shadow could have kept up with me."
Laughing, the Dark Elf raised his head, looking into Relorn's eyes with a strange darkness. His blue skin seemingly glowed in the mist-filled forest. His green eyes hammered down into Relorn's.
"Must I repeat myself? Foolish is what you are, boy. The Shadow is far greater then you may ever comprehend, our tricks outnumber the Light's. Foolish. You know more then you need, and for that you shall die."
The evil words slipped from the shadowy figure, each word holding the same sureness that struck fear through Relorn's soul. With the last words, the elf flicked two fingers from beneath the long arms of his robe. Many more shadowy figures held the same outline in the forest behind the man.
Relorn, scared and confused, stumbled forward past the man and ran. Passing the line of figures, he ran with new strength, yet couldn't help but notice that not one of the figures moved the slightest bit as he passed. Running still, Relorn didn't get far before the whizzing sound of arrows stung the air around him. Many, many arrows had been shot, Relorn knew this, yet all missed but one. They landed around and into the earth in front of him, causing an abrupt stop to Relorn's getaway. But one didn't miss. Flung through the air, it entered Relorn's back, easily breaking through the barrier of flesh and into his body before breaking the flesh a second time, through his chest. A cry of pain bellowed through the forest as Relorn fell to his knees, warm liquid flowing down from his wound. Scrambling to his feet, Relorn still never heard even the faintest sound of movement from the figures not far from him. His brown eyes squinted painfully as he stared into the forest ahead.
"I'm close, I have to be." he muttered under his breath.
"Yet so very far away, foolish boy."
The words struck such fear in Relorn's body, echoing through his bones and traveling through his streaming blood. The voice came from in front of him. A cry of pain was emitted from Relorn again but this time not from a wound. The man walked up to Relorn, moving swiftly and steadily, his dark eyes locked with the wounded young man's.
"The Shadow conquers all, foolish boy. You shall be yet another proven test of this."
A small, devilish grin flashed briefly on the Dark Elf's features.
"Now run, you vile creature. Run as far as you can make it."
Without another breath, Relorn ran fast as he could, hampered by the pain aching throughout his chest.
"He is surrounded by my men and wounded, yet still he thinks he can finish the run to the city."
Relorn ran still. He hadn't made it far when he noticed a glow being emitted from somewhere behind him, yet he never slowed his pace. The glow grew brighter still; fighting all urges to turn back, Relorn ran. Now the ground around him shone with the bright orange-red light. Relorn knew what the glow was and stopped running, falling to his knees he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"INNORU."
The words were never finished.
Relorn last remembered the bright light flaring around him as the flaming sensation filled his bones, burning with incredible pain and heat. But that is all Relorn would ever remember, for after that a few ashes spread the open green ocean of grass of the forest, the only remnants of the man.
"Foolish boy."
Turning to a recently arrived figure next to him, the man spoke up without ever making eye contact with the second Dark Elf.
"Are the troops ready?"
The second man nodded quickly.
"Has word from Lord D'Vinn arrived?"
Again the man nodded quickly.
"Good, take the troops to our camp for the night. I will arrive shortly after you do. I must first speak to one of our Shadows hiding within the walls of the Elven city."
Nodding again-the man knew better then question his superior-he spun where we stood and faced the men and women surrounding them. Rows and rows of the dark figures stood, their numbers countless, and more were on the way. The army shifted uneasily in the silence. Some held the Dark Elven blue skin, others were promised followers of the great god of Hate, Innoruuk, while others, from all over the forsaken planet, were here for the battle to finally show the Light that the Shadow shall always conquer it.
"Everyone move out Northwest until the word to set up camp is given."
The stern tone of the man's voice held in the crowd as they obeyed and moved all in the direction, some checking their compasses, others already having the talent and automatically headed that way.
***
The siege of Kelethin is near. As the sun rises the next morning, dyeing the early morning sky with a deep red, thus shall the ground carry the same color. Fallen fighters, heroes or not, shall all be destroyed. All for one motive, known only to a god and his most trusted follower, to find one man. The one man who holds the very gift to channel Dark Arts that even the Ancients have not seen. He himself shall become a god with the power; the gift of Innoruuk's Hate had been given to an unaware soul.
Marked forever with the sign of the Shadow, the young man will know the fate he has been given. Whether he follows it or not isn't up to him, but even a man with the gift of gods can fight to change it.
Well there is the first chapter. Wrote this at 5am and was a bit tired, anyhow tell me what you all think by R & Ring it, who knows maybe I might finish it.
Btw, Thanks Amanda. Without her and her damn perfect English this story would be in total crap format. spelling mistakes and such would have been everywhere. Thanks hon ;-)
Casus Angelus
Thoughts raced through his mind of the scene he had witnessed. They had to be warned. Too many shall die if he fails.
Relorn remembered clearly what his eyes had seen; the image was imprinted in his mind, never to be forgotten while he still lived. Armies of thousands, all following the sign of the Shadow; the very wrath that plagues the society of Norrath. His too-young eyes fell upon them accidentally. He knew he shouldn't have seen it, but he had.
***
Pulling his sword from his waist Relorn looked at his target, his pray, a fair sized spider scurrying itself along the floor of the mountains of Butcher Block. Far away from the nearest city, home of the Dwarves, he kept his target and followed it silently. Relorn had learned quickly that a few silk threads from this insect could pay for food for himself for weeks on end. But then Relorn heard it, sounds of a deeply involved conversation not far from him. He stopped dead in his tracks as certain words perked his ears.
"The foul city of Kelethin is unaware sir. Our scouts have reported no sign of our traveling thus far."
"That, my minion, is good, for you and for your men. The slightest word of our movement would mean your spilled blood on my blade. Now be gone. We are to travel into the Greater Faydark by the time the sun sets tonight. Innoruuk's fury shall be released tomorrow at sunrise. Kelethin shall fall, I assure you of that. Now leave and make sure our path ahead has no witnesses. Dispose of their bodies like the rest."
Muffled movements reached Relorn's ears as two final words were spoken.
"Yes sir."
Relorn shook with terror, forgetting his prey. He stood there, shaking, as the sound of many footsteps approached him. He panicked and ran- he had no choice. Turning quickly Relorn ran and never looked back. Hearing a yell behind him as many angry voices filled the air, he never slowed his running. Many feather-shafted arrows pelted the forest floor around young Relorn, yet he kept running.
He had followed the deserted, quiet path the whole way into the foggy Greater Faydark, and yet he still ran to reach someone, anyone. Suddenly, he came to a halt. A small dust cloud, proof of his hurry, erupted from beneath the man, circulating around his worn cloth sandals and then diminishing. Relorn's chest heaved, his breathing raspy and his face a beet red. Relorn stopped as the second figure stood motionless, facing him. The man stood with his head hunched over in the middle of the path through the quiet woods, a clean, night-black robe covering him. The hood was pulled tightly over his head, hiding his face. Long red symbols were imprinted down the front of the robe, their meanings known only to Scribes and the Ancients. Yet the man stood there, firmly in his place. Relorn knew the man was aware of his presence.
"Sir, please, I need to get by! I have urgent news for the city of Kelethin! It will determine the fate of the city itself!"
Relorn walked up to the man as he spoke and rested a hand on the figure's shoulder before staggering back. His eyes caught the man's flesh-a small amount of the man's skin around his collar was visible in the misty evening. The dark blue flesh seared into Relorn's mind. Taken aback, he stumbled farther away.
"You young, foolish boy. I am sorry about what I must do."
The man's voice was full of ease and swiftness, yet to Relorn it was all too familiar.
"The voice." his thoughts trailing off for a moment. It struck Relorn then like a stone in the gut. The voice from earlier.
"You. You. How could you have gotten past me, I ran the whole way here, with no followers! Not even the Shadow could have kept up with me."
Laughing, the Dark Elf raised his head, looking into Relorn's eyes with a strange darkness. His blue skin seemingly glowed in the mist-filled forest. His green eyes hammered down into Relorn's.
"Must I repeat myself? Foolish is what you are, boy. The Shadow is far greater then you may ever comprehend, our tricks outnumber the Light's. Foolish. You know more then you need, and for that you shall die."
The evil words slipped from the shadowy figure, each word holding the same sureness that struck fear through Relorn's soul. With the last words, the elf flicked two fingers from beneath the long arms of his robe. Many more shadowy figures held the same outline in the forest behind the man.
Relorn, scared and confused, stumbled forward past the man and ran. Passing the line of figures, he ran with new strength, yet couldn't help but notice that not one of the figures moved the slightest bit as he passed. Running still, Relorn didn't get far before the whizzing sound of arrows stung the air around him. Many, many arrows had been shot, Relorn knew this, yet all missed but one. They landed around and into the earth in front of him, causing an abrupt stop to Relorn's getaway. But one didn't miss. Flung through the air, it entered Relorn's back, easily breaking through the barrier of flesh and into his body before breaking the flesh a second time, through his chest. A cry of pain bellowed through the forest as Relorn fell to his knees, warm liquid flowing down from his wound. Scrambling to his feet, Relorn still never heard even the faintest sound of movement from the figures not far from him. His brown eyes squinted painfully as he stared into the forest ahead.
"I'm close, I have to be." he muttered under his breath.
"Yet so very far away, foolish boy."
The words struck such fear in Relorn's body, echoing through his bones and traveling through his streaming blood. The voice came from in front of him. A cry of pain was emitted from Relorn again but this time not from a wound. The man walked up to Relorn, moving swiftly and steadily, his dark eyes locked with the wounded young man's.
"The Shadow conquers all, foolish boy. You shall be yet another proven test of this."
A small, devilish grin flashed briefly on the Dark Elf's features.
"Now run, you vile creature. Run as far as you can make it."
Without another breath, Relorn ran fast as he could, hampered by the pain aching throughout his chest.
"He is surrounded by my men and wounded, yet still he thinks he can finish the run to the city."
Relorn ran still. He hadn't made it far when he noticed a glow being emitted from somewhere behind him, yet he never slowed his pace. The glow grew brighter still; fighting all urges to turn back, Relorn ran. Now the ground around him shone with the bright orange-red light. Relorn knew what the glow was and stopped running, falling to his knees he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"INNORU."
The words were never finished.
Relorn last remembered the bright light flaring around him as the flaming sensation filled his bones, burning with incredible pain and heat. But that is all Relorn would ever remember, for after that a few ashes spread the open green ocean of grass of the forest, the only remnants of the man.
"Foolish boy."
Turning to a recently arrived figure next to him, the man spoke up without ever making eye contact with the second Dark Elf.
"Are the troops ready?"
The second man nodded quickly.
"Has word from Lord D'Vinn arrived?"
Again the man nodded quickly.
"Good, take the troops to our camp for the night. I will arrive shortly after you do. I must first speak to one of our Shadows hiding within the walls of the Elven city."
Nodding again-the man knew better then question his superior-he spun where we stood and faced the men and women surrounding them. Rows and rows of the dark figures stood, their numbers countless, and more were on the way. The army shifted uneasily in the silence. Some held the Dark Elven blue skin, others were promised followers of the great god of Hate, Innoruuk, while others, from all over the forsaken planet, were here for the battle to finally show the Light that the Shadow shall always conquer it.
"Everyone move out Northwest until the word to set up camp is given."
The stern tone of the man's voice held in the crowd as they obeyed and moved all in the direction, some checking their compasses, others already having the talent and automatically headed that way.
***
The siege of Kelethin is near. As the sun rises the next morning, dyeing the early morning sky with a deep red, thus shall the ground carry the same color. Fallen fighters, heroes or not, shall all be destroyed. All for one motive, known only to a god and his most trusted follower, to find one man. The one man who holds the very gift to channel Dark Arts that even the Ancients have not seen. He himself shall become a god with the power; the gift of Innoruuk's Hate had been given to an unaware soul.
Marked forever with the sign of the Shadow, the young man will know the fate he has been given. Whether he follows it or not isn't up to him, but even a man with the gift of gods can fight to change it.
Well there is the first chapter. Wrote this at 5am and was a bit tired, anyhow tell me what you all think by R & Ring it, who knows maybe I might finish it.
Btw, Thanks Amanda. Without her and her damn perfect English this story would be in total crap format. spelling mistakes and such would have been everywhere. Thanks hon ;-)
Casus Angelus