centeriuReuinion, Prologue/i/ubrbrcenter

Katula opened her eyes. Everything was blurry, but she could make out a pair of green eyes. Sitting up, Katula came face to face with those eyes. "Umm..." she blushed. Vijayendra looked away and stood up. "I healed your wound," he mumbled. Katula looked down to see her legs where in perfect condition. "Thank you," she wobbled as she stood up. i What's the matter with me? I haven't been with this guy, what? 2 hours...? 3 hours...? How long was I passed out? /i "How long was I out?" she said. Vijayendra looked back at her. "Nearly seven hours," he replied.br

Katula looked at her surroundings. Everything had a bluish-tint to it, as always in early morning. They were in an alleyway somewhere east of the prison. Lying next to her where her belongings. "How did you get them?" Katula knelt down to examine her belongings for any damage.br

After making sure everything was there, she turned up to the elf. "I'm sorry. I've never asked you your name." Vijayendra's eyes warmed up. "Vijayendra. It means victory, my mother gave it to me." His warm glow seemed to fade as he spoke of his mother.br

Katula looked at him, and decided to let him be. She shouldered her spear and hooked her staff onto her belt. "Well, shall we get a move on?" she said as she slid her knife into her boot. "Yes," Vijayendra snapped out of his thoughts. "Do you have an idea where this hafling might be?"br

Katula became serious at once. "The Mage's tower." Vijayendra nodded and picked up his spear. "Lead the way." He extended his arm, pointing in the general direction of the tower. Katula paused, then proceeded down the alley. iRemember, don't let anything interfere with you your work.../ibrbr

/centeruiReunion, Beow's condition/i/ucenterbrbr

Gnimish squinted through the torchlight. He could barely make out the frozen carcass that lay before him. After battling the Orc army, he heard news of his leader's death. He didn't believe it at first, but after seeing the body, he gave in. He was astonished to learn his colleagues had some healing scrolls, so he decided to try them out. br

The flames glazed Beow's body with a yellow shine. The reflection didn't faze Gnimish's concentration. He read the words with relative ease. They seemed to flow from his mouth and wrap themselves over the carcass. The body twitched, and some ice fell to the floor.br

Gnimish continued the words, when a giant vibration filled the tower, and shook him to his knees. The torches fell to the ground and went out, leaving the two in complete darkness. Gnimish held outa palm and a flame erupted from his hand, and settled onto his fingers, spreading light into the room.br

The wooden door burst open, putting the magical flame out. "What the?" Gnimish croaked. A hafling mage ran into the room and quickly shut the door once more. "Draconians! They've infiltrated the tower! They most have flown in while we were under siege with the orcs!" "DRACONIANS!" Gnimish yelped.br

Draconians are half-human, half-dragon creatures that were combined together only by black magic. They used to be servants of Balkoth, but now only follow dragon overlords who seem to have the only power to control them. bR

The hafling went to bolt-lock the door, when it was kicked open, smashing the creature into the wall. Gnimish could tell a draconian had entered the room. The stench was unbearable, and the yellow eyes were quite distinguishable. The pair fell on Beow...br

/centeruiReunion/u/icenterbrbr

The tower stood a few yards away. Katula took one look at it and smirked. The giant carved tower was completely overgrown with weeds and vines. It looked more run-downs then anything. The tower of the water faith was of sleek marble, and had sapphires decorating the interior and exterior, to give it a dewed sort of look.br

Vijayendra nodded. The journey, all efforts, finally coming to a close. "All right then, let's not stop now," the elf took a step toward the tower. Suddenly, he fell to his knees, clutching his chest. Katula was at his side immediately.br

"What's wrong?!" she asked frantically. She could hear the elf's heart beat echoing off the walls. Vijayendra didn't respond and shut his eyes tightly. His once silver hair started to turn a dark gray as sweat poured down his face and onto the ground. Katula felt helpless, listening to his heartbeat growing louder by the second. Then, just as it had come, the beating dropped to it's normal pace, and Vijayendra collapsed.br

Katula pulled him up against a wall, and put a hand to his face. It was freezing. She ignored the burning sensation and tried to comfort the fallen elf. He finally opened his eyes and looked into hers. "I'm all right, really." His eyes seemed to glow weakly. "No you're not."br

"Yes, just give me a minute," and with that the elf fell asleep. Katula retracted her hand and searched through her pouch for an herb. But just like he said, Vijayendra awoke peacefully and smiled. "There's no need, I'm fine." True enough, Katula felt his face and it was warm once more. His eyes had their regular glow again.br

"OK, but at least eat this," she gave him an herb, which he respectfully took and ate. "Can we go now?" he stood up and picked up his spear. "I guess, but what was that?" she asked as she also stood up. "Nothing important," the elf cleared his throat and walked down the street.br

Katula caught up with him at the end of the street. Vijayendra smiled once more as he waited patiently for the amazon to catch up. He quickly spun around as a voice sounded.br

"You can't go in there," a voice said. The twos' eyes fell upon a Wood elf. His hair was pitch black, his face cleanly carved, and his eyes were of sky- blue. His maple bow hung elegantly on his back, along with a quiver containing a knife as well as arrows. But there was no mistaking the sword carried on his belt. He was of noble birth.br

"I must go in there," Vijayendra's eyes slanted. "He is already captive, there is no way to save him from her majesty's clutches." the elf replied, stepping forward to block his path. "I don't care Kelevandros! I have to try! What if Balkoth receives him in his clutches?" The elf called Kelevandros spotted Katula. "And you saved her I see."br

It clicked. The absence of the word "lord" before Balkoth, the warm voice, green foliage eyes, this was no servant of Balkoth. No. But who was he? Kelevandros turned to Vijayendra. "I can understand your concern, but this matter does not deal with ius/i. We have our own problems to deal with."br

"I am bnot/b leaving here without the hafling." Vijayendra's voice became hard. "You can't! If her majesty finds either of us here, we're done for! You heard her call! She's trying to lure us out so she can slay us one by one!" the elf shrieked.br

Katula stepped forward. Her sense of unease came to her the moment she stepped between the two "elves". "Listen, I have no idea what's going on and I have a right to know." Katula saw the two exchange glances. Kelevandros nodded.br

The amazon looked at Vijayendra for an explanation. He briefly told Katula the story of Kelevandros's father and the spiders invading their village. "But when my mother fled," Kelevandros interjected. "She was pregnant with a son." "That son was me," Vijayendra finished. "My mother was dying after she gave birth to me. Her last words were directed to my brother. 'Take good care of Vijayendra'. " the elf's eyes watered slightly. Kelevandros finished the story. " I raised him. I taught him martial arts that were taught to me by my father. During his later years, he mastered the arts of a spear."br

"What does that have to do with anything?" she demanded. "Katula, we were born in the village of Neihm. We are drakes." Katula's face went pale. "Of course drakes are just elves that were born with the ability to transform themselves into small dragons." Vijayendra said quickly. Kelevandros grabbed both of them and pulled them into the shadows.br

In the pale light, the trio could see twelve Draconians flying towards the tower. "If you had gone in there, you wouldn't have made it out," Kelevandros's voice seemed somber at the thought of losing his only relative. "Why are you afraid of...who is this 'her majesty'?"br

Kelevandros looked frightened. "Beryl. A green dragon overlord. She had our ancestors as her personal servants to do her dirty work. But soon, our ancestors found out what they were doing was horrible, so they broke away from Beryl. She lost control over them and tried to slay them at once, but her dragons and draconian goons didn't stand a chance against us. She finally made a deal with Balkoth and invaded our village with giant spiders."br

"Wait. How old are you?" Katula asked Kelevandros. "A few thousand years old," he replied. She fell onto her back. Vijayendra gave her a hand. Katula realized that if her information on drakes was correct, Vijayendra was no more than a mere teenager!br

"So what are you suggesting?" Vijayendra asked. "We can't be found, but maybe we can follow the Draconians." Kelevandros thought for a moment. Katula looked completely dazed and more confused then a gnome on whisky. "Look," Vijayendra faced the amazon. "The only way I could get you to come with me was if I told you I was sent here by Balkoth." Katula's became cold and stern. "Why am I with you? Why should I be around you? I'm out of prison, I'm an assassin, I could track down Beow myself!" she turned to leave but Vijayendra grabbed her arm. "I can't let you go. If Beryl finds you th-" "I don't give a damn about Beryl! I can take care of myself!" she pulled out her dagger and held it out with her free arm.br

The elf could easily have taken her, but he let her go. "You have a right just like anyone else," he turned and went back to Kelevandros who had stood against the wall the whole time. Katula turned and headed towards the tower. Suddenly, a draconian swept out of the sky and grabbed her.br

"Aaah!" she screamed. Her dagger in hand, she stabbed its foot. It screeched, but continued to hold on tightly. The amazon squirmed, but fell still as the draconian bit the back of her neck, sending her into blackness...brbr

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Vijayendra leapt after her but fell short as the draconian took flight. He threw his fists against the ground in frustration. He would go after her but one drake against twelve Draconians was not good. Especially since he was of a young age. Kelevandros ran to his brother.br

"We will get her back, that I promise you." he knelt next to the elf. "Come, we must follow them." Vijayendra looked up. "Yes, let's go."br

The looming tower exploded as glass and rock poured out of its windows, along with the rest of the Draconians. One carried a frozen carcass, another carried a gnome, and the rest carried some sort of artifacts. br

The two elves covered their heads as they were showered with debree and glass. Fourtunently they weren't spotted, so they decided not to press their luck and stayed in the shadows for a while.br

It wasn't long before the Draconians disappeared into the sunrise. The two stepped out in the open and went over their options. Not many, but there were few. Suddenly, a giant spider jumped out of an ally-way. The two elves drew their weapons and had them out before them by the time the spider finished its jump.br

There were two riders on the spider. A female with black hair and reddish streaks spotted the elves before the driver did. The driver was an elf looking somewhat like Kelevandros, although his scars tended to blur his facial features.br

"What happened?!" The elf yelled as he saw the busted tower. The brothers put sheathed their weapons. "A raid of Draconians," Kelevandros answered. The female nodded. "Yes, this does look like their handiwork."br

"Listen, if your looking for the hafling Beow, he was taken away by the Draconians." Vijayendra pointed toward the east. "WHAT?!" the elf's face went pale. "We can help you retrieve him, in exchange for a ride on your spider."br

Kelevandros flinched. "Why would you help us?" the elf replied. "The Draconians also took someone dear to us with them." Vijayendra continued. The elf thought about it then said, "Hop on." Vijayendra jumped onto the spider. Kelevandros reluctantly sat behind his brother.br

"Onward!" the elf shouted. The spider scurried east, with 4 passengers and one furball who seemed quite attached to Kelevandros. So the journey east began...brbr