Twin orbs of clear blue flicked this way and that, slender frame motionless in the failing light of day. Sensing nothing in the forest that offered threat, Artemis moved silently forward.
Years it had been since the young woman had set foot in the forests of Qualinesti, three years to be exact. Yet to the battled worn teenager, it seemed like an eternity. After a moment's hesitation, the female allowed her thoughts to wander back in time. Those three years had been difficult for Artemis, yet she had somehow survived and was stronger for it. Thoughts drifted over the events of those years, mingling with memories of her earlier life.
Raised by a Kagonesti woman, Artemis had always enjoyed being one with nature, without the constraints of walls or society. But when a Qualinesti family enslaved Hammana, her foster mother, Artemis became a caged animal. Ten years she had paced, testing for weakness in those bonds. The day she turned sixteen, Artemis fled the elven forest.
Three months she had wandered, alone. Then she met Blayze. The massive bronze male had taken pity on this dying human child. Artemis spent a year amongst the bronze clans, forming bonds with a few. But she grew restless again, as did Blayze. Together, they flew over Krynn, meeting several members of the other metallic clans.
Now Artemis felt homesick for the place she had fled during the night. Blayze accompanied her, in the form of a hawk, perched upon one slender shoulder.
"It's only fitting.. That I should return during the night, like a thieving feline." She muttered, stepping over a fallen tree limb. 'Nature will always have her way' She thought with a smirk. Another thirty minutes would take her straight into Qualinost. But this was not the path she would take.
Turning to the right, Artemis followed the edge of the city until reaching her destination. This route was three times as long as the other, and took over two hours, but it allowed Artemis to remain hidden from the night-sight of the elves.
Circling around a fountain, Artemis stopped, simply listening. A horrid screech rang through the cool night air. 'Something is amiss..' "That sound is out of place.. But so is the silence" She whispered her musings. Blayze, without a sound, began to circle the city, while Artemis crept like a mouse through beautiful gardens.
Blayze let out a shriek, as a sharp snap sounded in the air. Artemis glanced down, and clean blue eyes widened in fear as the hollowed sockets stared back at her.
Shaking uncontrollably, the female sank to the damp ground, her eyes fixated on the skull. Blayze landed beside her, shifting into a humanoid form. He touched the bones, then drew Artemis through the garden. For the first time, Artemis noticed the mud, the ash and the skeletons of animals, birds and elves.
A scream filled the air around the two forms; a scream Artemis knew well. Without thought of caution, the girl drew her cruel-edged sword and rushed forward, Blayze close behind. The two didn't need to speak, years spent alone together had molded them into a fast-reacting, efficient and deadly team.
Telyn screamed again, as cruel leather descended across her flesh again. The other elves winced at her cries, yet dared not to help her. They had seen too many die to know that their lives ment nothing. The band of goblins had taken over Qualinost over night, and it seemed that their numbers grew each day.
Artemis eyed the female elf, then her captors with a smirk. She had dealt with goblins too often to be surprised. Readying a bolt in her crossbow, the human easily found the chieftain. She spat in detest at the oversized hobgoblin.
'He's seen one too many meals and not enough blood shed.' She thought, before allowing the deadly missile fly. The bolt soared soundlessly through the air, finding its mark with ease. Artemis instantly dropped the crossbow, knowing her aim to be true. Aiming a dirk, she send the knife whistling towards Telyn's captor.
It hit true. Now the remaining goblins were discouraged. Both their chieftain and strongest fighter lay dead, victims to a silent predator; a ghastly enemy. Artemis smirked with cold pleasure at their foolish wailing. Her next victim moved into her path, and lost his head for his insolence. Two other goblins fell, their throats slit by the skilled blade of Blayze.
Springing into partial view, the female raised her blood stained blade in salute. "Only a coward attacks from afar!" One of the creatures cried.
"And you would know this well, wouldn't you slug?" Artemis replied calmly, using a goblin insult to add meaning to her already lethal words, her identity hidden within the shadows the whole time.
The goblin lunged, impaling itself on Artemis' blade. She withdrew the steel, brandishing it over her head in a wide arch, severing the toad's head from neck.
Those goblins that remained alive fled at this sight. "Cowards!" Artemis shot after them, cleaning her blade off on the goblin's decapitated body. "You know you'll never get the stench out." Came the deep voice of Blayze, from behind. Artemis smiled, half-turning to speak. "At least I use steel, and not my hands." Came her quick retort.
Sheathing her blade, Artemis went about freeing the captives. As fate's cruel joke would have it, many of the elves she knew; and disliked. But when she reached Telyn, her expression changed. "It's nice to see you again, Telyn."
"And I you, Artemis, my sister." The elf maid bowed, as was customary. Artemis growled like a caged feline. "Save those useless formalities for someone who cares." Artemis shook her head, unpleasant thoughts coursing through her mind.
Telyn nodded solemnly, turning to her brother. The tall elf glowered at Artemis, who stood only a half a head shorter than he. "So you've come back in our time of need. We don't need your help, and we don't want your help." He growled, letting his gaze wash over Artemis in displeasure. Three years ago, that look alone would have made her quake in fear and shame, yet now she looked him in the eye with frozen blue eyes.
"I'll take that as a thank you for saving your miserable life, Daminthos. I came to see Hammana, I care not about you or your people." She replied calmly, stifled yawn indicating boredom.
"So cocky, aren't we, Artemis? Hammana is gone, so you can leave now." Daminthos retorted coldly. Artemis blinked, trained eyes searching for the lie. There was none to be found, Daminthos spoke only truth. "What do you mean… gone?" Her mind flashed back to the skull in the garden of bones.
"Artemis, she was killed by the goblins… and the lizard men." Telyn interjected, seeing the girl's expression. "Lizard men?" Blayze inquired, coming up behind Artemis. "Artemis, they could be the ones we've been hunting for." She simply nodded in reply, attempting to make sense of all this information. "How long ago did they leave?" She questioned, finally clearing her mind.
"A fortnight ago… you aren't going after them? That's suicide! They're so fast, you couldn't possibly catch them, much less survive!" Telyn cried, eyes wide in awe. Daminthos smirked, until Blayze began to lift his spell. That of a mighty bronze dragon replaced the body of a human worrier. Bending the long, elegant neck, allowed Artemis to spring lightly atop his powerful shoulders.
"They may be fast, but we're as the night's shadows. And from the night, there is no escape." She replied, her voice devoid of anything except venom. And with that said, Blayze leapt into the air, circling to gain altitude in the star-studded sky.
Years it had been since the young woman had set foot in the forests of Qualinesti, three years to be exact. Yet to the battled worn teenager, it seemed like an eternity. After a moment's hesitation, the female allowed her thoughts to wander back in time. Those three years had been difficult for Artemis, yet she had somehow survived and was stronger for it. Thoughts drifted over the events of those years, mingling with memories of her earlier life.
Raised by a Kagonesti woman, Artemis had always enjoyed being one with nature, without the constraints of walls or society. But when a Qualinesti family enslaved Hammana, her foster mother, Artemis became a caged animal. Ten years she had paced, testing for weakness in those bonds. The day she turned sixteen, Artemis fled the elven forest.
Three months she had wandered, alone. Then she met Blayze. The massive bronze male had taken pity on this dying human child. Artemis spent a year amongst the bronze clans, forming bonds with a few. But she grew restless again, as did Blayze. Together, they flew over Krynn, meeting several members of the other metallic clans.
Now Artemis felt homesick for the place she had fled during the night. Blayze accompanied her, in the form of a hawk, perched upon one slender shoulder.
"It's only fitting.. That I should return during the night, like a thieving feline." She muttered, stepping over a fallen tree limb. 'Nature will always have her way' She thought with a smirk. Another thirty minutes would take her straight into Qualinost. But this was not the path she would take.
Turning to the right, Artemis followed the edge of the city until reaching her destination. This route was three times as long as the other, and took over two hours, but it allowed Artemis to remain hidden from the night-sight of the elves.
Circling around a fountain, Artemis stopped, simply listening. A horrid screech rang through the cool night air. 'Something is amiss..' "That sound is out of place.. But so is the silence" She whispered her musings. Blayze, without a sound, began to circle the city, while Artemis crept like a mouse through beautiful gardens.
Blayze let out a shriek, as a sharp snap sounded in the air. Artemis glanced down, and clean blue eyes widened in fear as the hollowed sockets stared back at her.
Shaking uncontrollably, the female sank to the damp ground, her eyes fixated on the skull. Blayze landed beside her, shifting into a humanoid form. He touched the bones, then drew Artemis through the garden. For the first time, Artemis noticed the mud, the ash and the skeletons of animals, birds and elves.
A scream filled the air around the two forms; a scream Artemis knew well. Without thought of caution, the girl drew her cruel-edged sword and rushed forward, Blayze close behind. The two didn't need to speak, years spent alone together had molded them into a fast-reacting, efficient and deadly team.
Telyn screamed again, as cruel leather descended across her flesh again. The other elves winced at her cries, yet dared not to help her. They had seen too many die to know that their lives ment nothing. The band of goblins had taken over Qualinost over night, and it seemed that their numbers grew each day.
Artemis eyed the female elf, then her captors with a smirk. She had dealt with goblins too often to be surprised. Readying a bolt in her crossbow, the human easily found the chieftain. She spat in detest at the oversized hobgoblin.
'He's seen one too many meals and not enough blood shed.' She thought, before allowing the deadly missile fly. The bolt soared soundlessly through the air, finding its mark with ease. Artemis instantly dropped the crossbow, knowing her aim to be true. Aiming a dirk, she send the knife whistling towards Telyn's captor.
It hit true. Now the remaining goblins were discouraged. Both their chieftain and strongest fighter lay dead, victims to a silent predator; a ghastly enemy. Artemis smirked with cold pleasure at their foolish wailing. Her next victim moved into her path, and lost his head for his insolence. Two other goblins fell, their throats slit by the skilled blade of Blayze.
Springing into partial view, the female raised her blood stained blade in salute. "Only a coward attacks from afar!" One of the creatures cried.
"And you would know this well, wouldn't you slug?" Artemis replied calmly, using a goblin insult to add meaning to her already lethal words, her identity hidden within the shadows the whole time.
The goblin lunged, impaling itself on Artemis' blade. She withdrew the steel, brandishing it over her head in a wide arch, severing the toad's head from neck.
Those goblins that remained alive fled at this sight. "Cowards!" Artemis shot after them, cleaning her blade off on the goblin's decapitated body. "You know you'll never get the stench out." Came the deep voice of Blayze, from behind. Artemis smiled, half-turning to speak. "At least I use steel, and not my hands." Came her quick retort.
Sheathing her blade, Artemis went about freeing the captives. As fate's cruel joke would have it, many of the elves she knew; and disliked. But when she reached Telyn, her expression changed. "It's nice to see you again, Telyn."
"And I you, Artemis, my sister." The elf maid bowed, as was customary. Artemis growled like a caged feline. "Save those useless formalities for someone who cares." Artemis shook her head, unpleasant thoughts coursing through her mind.
Telyn nodded solemnly, turning to her brother. The tall elf glowered at Artemis, who stood only a half a head shorter than he. "So you've come back in our time of need. We don't need your help, and we don't want your help." He growled, letting his gaze wash over Artemis in displeasure. Three years ago, that look alone would have made her quake in fear and shame, yet now she looked him in the eye with frozen blue eyes.
"I'll take that as a thank you for saving your miserable life, Daminthos. I came to see Hammana, I care not about you or your people." She replied calmly, stifled yawn indicating boredom.
"So cocky, aren't we, Artemis? Hammana is gone, so you can leave now." Daminthos retorted coldly. Artemis blinked, trained eyes searching for the lie. There was none to be found, Daminthos spoke only truth. "What do you mean… gone?" Her mind flashed back to the skull in the garden of bones.
"Artemis, she was killed by the goblins… and the lizard men." Telyn interjected, seeing the girl's expression. "Lizard men?" Blayze inquired, coming up behind Artemis. "Artemis, they could be the ones we've been hunting for." She simply nodded in reply, attempting to make sense of all this information. "How long ago did they leave?" She questioned, finally clearing her mind.
"A fortnight ago… you aren't going after them? That's suicide! They're so fast, you couldn't possibly catch them, much less survive!" Telyn cried, eyes wide in awe. Daminthos smirked, until Blayze began to lift his spell. That of a mighty bronze dragon replaced the body of a human worrier. Bending the long, elegant neck, allowed Artemis to spring lightly atop his powerful shoulders.
"They may be fast, but we're as the night's shadows. And from the night, there is no escape." She replied, her voice devoid of anything except venom. And with that said, Blayze leapt into the air, circling to gain altitude in the star-studded sky.