"Albain is going to die tonight." He kicked the stable door open and
rode out again with Traveler.
Lorilie sunk to the floor stunned. She grabbed her neck and tried to breath. Joshua sprinted into the stable with Birria, Lanie, Brand, and Kel behind. Dropping to his knees, Joshua embraced Lorilie and caressed her hair. "Where's Caleb? What's going on?" Joshua tilted Lorilie's head.
"Leave me alone. Everyone go!" Lorilie tore away from her uncle.
"Lorilie." Brand started.
"You too!" she yelled.
"But." Birria stepped closer.
"Just leave." Joshua herded the four out and walked them to the lift. He waited in the shadows for Lorilie.
******
"Finally, she will be dead." Riley sighed. "My life is almost complete." He grinned into the fire.
"It's been two hours since the ball, when are you going?" Nicola sat on the ground next to him.
"Soon. Now leave and don't disturb me again tonight. Tomorrow I'll have a new job for you." He looked her up and down. After the door closed, Riley stood up and paced the room to the desk and cabinets, pulling out a sword, daggers, potion vials, and pieces of armor. The door creaked open again and shut silently. "Nicola I don't need you till tomorrow night!" Riley sighed.
"You wont need her ever."
Riley spun around. "So, Albain you came to me. Less work I have to do. Are you going to fight like a real man this time? No spells?"
"No spells, I can kill you easily." Albain magically made the fire blaze.
"What did you do to all my guards?" the human asked amused.
"You mean those stupid morons? I already disposed of them all, no one can help you now." Albain's eyes glinted red.
"Prepare yourself you idiotic elf." Riley smirked.
"Riley you're pathetic, you're useless. I'm sick of looking at your hideous blistering scab of a face. Lielay only gave you third degree burns, but I'm going to make you combust like the bag of shit that you are." Albain jumped forward and fiercely attacked.
Riley dropped his sword and gasped. His hand lay next to the sword on the ground. Blood poured freely from his stump of a wrist. "No." He feebly tried to hobble to the door. Three steps from the door, an unseen figure stepped out of the darkness and struck him down.
"Good work Albain, he fell right into our trap." The voice was harmonious.
"Yes, my love, but this time he wont live to see our next one." Albain's voice softened.
"Love? No, it's not true!" Riley clawed the air.
"Lielay, please reveal yourself." Albain held out his arm.
Her silky brown hair flowed over her shoulders as she lightly stepped from the shadows. She grabbed hold of Riley's robed form and halfway lifted him off the ground, her beautiful green eyes flared with the promise of vengeance soon to come.
"How?" Riley muffled out.
Albain leaned against the wall and laughed. "Did you seriously believe I would kill Lielay, my true love, my heart and soul? I used the pretense of alcohol to make myself appear to be just an enraged drunk, a man with a deep dark passion and lust for other women, but in truth, it was all a lie. A necessary farce to trick you into thinking I killed Lielay; her dramatic death was the only way I could protect her from you. Until an opportunity such as now presented itself."
"I had spies reporting Lielay's death and the reason why. You, Albain were having an affair with a high elf and Lielay caught you, so you killed her." Riley clutched his wrist.
Lielay laughed musically. "It was all planned and staged. We knew you had spies; we had spies of our own. Albain has many people working for him. The high elf your spy saw him with has been a family friend for ages, she agreed to help."
"The fire and your body?" Riley glared.
"The fire and my body were real. Caleb carried me out thinking I was dead, but I wasn't. The people who ran over and checked for my pulse were always working for Albain. As you can see we are all very good actors." Lielay stood hovering over Riley.
"No! No! You're supposed to die! All of your family is!" Riley yelled.
"Lielay you may have the honor." Albain bowed to her.
"It's time for you to join your brother." Lielay said calmly.
Lielay pulled out her sword and very slowly pushed it through Riley's neck. She glared and twisted the blade to end the job. Riley slumped over dead. Lielay fell into Albain's arms and cried. He lovingly held her tight and allowed his silent pain to flow. Crying tears of joy Albain transported himself and Lielay far away from the horrible memory.
******
Victoria lounged at the stern of the ship, smiling broadly. Vinx walked up from below with two other dark elves and laughed. The ship turned out to be owned by one of Neriak's traders and was honored to have Victoria and Vinx accompany him back to land. Vinx sat next to Victoria and let out the breath he was holding in. "Do you still want to follow that wood elf or can we," he blushed, "go home together?" he said hesitantly.
"You want me to stay with you? After all those times where I yelled at you?" she arched her eyebrows.
"...Yes." he turned his head away.
"To Neriak we'll go then." She bent down and smiled.
******
Bolting from the stables, Lorilie leaned very close to Midnight's gleaming coat. Joshua watched her leave and prayed to the gods for help. He walked onto the lift and with weak knees waited for the platform to rise.
******
"You need to explain all this to Caleb and Lorilie. I'll wait here for you three." Lielay squeezed Albain's hand.
Aubrey stood shocked as Albain left the house. "Lielay?" he said in time.
"I know Aubrey, it's all too strange. Sit down and I'll tell you the story." Lielay sighed.
******
Caleb pulled back on Traveler's reins quickly. Albain appeared out of nowhere and stood before him. Jumping off the horse's back and slapping it, Traveler speed off into the forest. "Caleb, I need to tell you something." Albain held up his hands in defense. "You can't cast any harmful spells on me. I've already made myself immune to that."
"Albain you ruined my life by killing my father and then my mother. But killing Lorilie's future life is too much. Neither of us got to know our mother, you denied all of our hope."
"Please listen. I don't intend you any harm." Albain pleaded.
"I do intend harm. Prepare yourself, Albain, for your last duel." Caleb held his sword.
"I don't want to hurt you Caleb." The older elf's voice grew stern.
"You won't. And I already took the liberty to boost my own magic resistance too so you can't backstab me."
Caleb hurtled forward and took a swipe at Albain's head. Albain ducked and held up his sword to block Caleb's. Kicking Albain in the stomach while in the air, Caleb steadied himself. Gaining his balance again, Albain dodged time after time to avoid Caleb and his deadly blade. Still the wound in Albain's side burned from the ogre attacks; he grimaced in pain and backed a few feet away. Caleb saw his opportunity and leaped forward with his sword spinning. The blade sank deep into Albain's thigh. Caleb ripped out his sword and spun it around his head. Albain, with regret, swung his blade into Caleb's arm. It missed though. Albain's sword wobbled in Caleb's chest. Sputtering blood, Caleb groaned and dropped to the ground.
"Oh gods no." Albain tried to heal Caleb. "Caleb, burn you! Why did you do this?"
"You killed my mother." Caleb gasped.
"No she's still alive." Albain said.
"You lie." Caleb barely muttered.
"Caleb don't leave, Lielay is awaiting your arrival." Albain tried again to heal him.
Horse hoofs pounded in Albain's mind. Lorilie jumped through the trees and flew from Midnight's back. She fell next to Caleb and cradled his head in her lap. Tears splashed on Caleb's face. He smiled to her before his eyes glazed over and rolled back. His chest stopped moving and his limbs went numb.
Lorilie placed down Caleb's head. "Caleb, Caleb, please say something."
"Lorilie he's dead." Albain said grimly.
"I hate you!" Lorilie screamed as she jumped up and started to beat on Albain's chest.
"I'm sorry." He sadly said.
"I loved you once, a long time ago. I will never have that feeling towards you again, I'll never forgive you!" she screamed.
"Lorilie I."
"No. First you take my loving mother, my everything, my inspiration, and then you rip my heart out again. What did Caleb do! Tell me what the hell Caleb did to deserve to die! Tell me!" Lorilie shouted.
"You don't understand." He stepped closer.
"Oh I understand. I understand more then you know."
"Please." Albain hugged his daughter closely. Lorilie glared. Albain opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Blood oozed out the corners of his mouth and dripped onto his tunic. He stepped back from Lorilie and held his stomach. A large dagger dug deep into his flesh. Albain staggered and leaned against a tree for support. He stared at Lorilie with hurtful and hopeful eyes. His hand reached for her. "Lor.Lorilie. You mother isn't.isn't." he coughed up more blood.
"Isn't what?" Lorilie demanded.
"I didn't kill her. She's still alive. She's waiting." He managed to say before he smiled and collapsed.
Lorilie shook her head slowly and backed away. She fled from the carnage and wept. She didn't know how long she ran for. She ran until her legs burned with pain and her breath came rapidly. She curled up into a ball and moaned. With her own hand and dagger she had murdered her father who was innocent of the crime she hated him for. And her mother still alive? Impossible. Or was it? Lorilie lifted her head and forced herself to think in the past.
She had watched Caleb come out of her burning house with two lifeless bodies over his shoulders. It was too dark to see anything. Gasping was heard all around her as someone said that Lielay Liltreehuggr was dead. Or was she?
Was my mother's death staged? If so why? Why would father pretend to kill mother? To protect her from what? She cupped her forehead in her hands and thought hard. If Lielay was still alive why didn't she ever make contact? Lorilie's head shot up and she slowly stood. She ran again.
******
"My life is like the eternal burning flames of hell, it will never end." The words echoed in Lorilie's head as the fire below her blazed uncontrollable. Lorilie felt the Dragon Volcano's rage, oh how she felt it. She closed her eyes and out stretched her arms. She leaned forward and let herself fly into the burning pit. Gliding down gracefully she entered the volcano. "To fall in love is the worst mistake for the heart to make while living. It is just plain weakness to feel it. To win the battle is to never love at all. But love is wonderful in many ways; to feel so needed, to be so close to one being, being the world to the one person you devote your heart too, that is the most touching thing anyone will ever feel while being in existence in this world." Lorilie smiled and plunged into the scorching flames.
******
Lielay covered her mouth in horror as her beloved daughter dove into the fire. Her knees unbuckled as she fell to the ground sobbing with pain. Her son, her daughter, her husband, her mother, and her father all dead. Lielay lay there for days crying from her tortured heart and soul.
******
Brand scouted the forest searching for Lorilie. He pushed past some brush and spotting something lying motionless on the leaf covered ground. He ran over to the elf and turned her over. Two forest green eyes stared lifelessly back at him. He checked for a pulse, there was one, but it was faint. Who was this elf? She looked so much like Lorilie. Brand picked up the wood elf and ran from Lesser Faydark to Kelethin with her in his arms.
******
A week later, Lielay sat up in a bed and looked around the familiar room. The half-elf Lorilie loved was asleep in a chair on the wall. Lielay bowed her head and said a large prayer for her family. The half-elf awoke with a jerk and opened his eyes. He jumped up when he saw Lielay sitting up.
"Do you know who I am Brand?" Lielay asked.
"Yes. Yes I know all about you Lielay Liltreehuggr-Oakfeller- Tinderblade." He crossed to her.
The names didn't even faze Lielay. "You loved Lorilie will all your heart and soul, didn't you?"
"I did. I loved her more then that." She stood straighter.
"But first you were assigned to kill her, weren't you? Riley hired you since he had a feeling that Albain would never kill Lorilie." Lielay ran her fingers through her brown hair.
"Yes I was." He stiffened more.
"Still you fell in love with her even though you knew Riley would kill you if you ever did."
"The first time I saw her my heart stopped and I knew from that moment I would love her for all eternity. From that day forth I vowed never to harm Lorilie and to protect her from any."
"Brand, she loved you with a deep passion, though, she didn't like showing it." Lielay gave a half-smile.
"I know. I know." He whispered.
The window flew open and the wind circled the room. "Love. That is the most touching thing anyone will ever feel while being in existence in your world." Lorilie's voice filled their ears. "You two showed me that. My wishes were granted, all my questions were answered."
Those words would haunt Brand and Lielay's minds and hearts forever.
The End
Lorilie sunk to the floor stunned. She grabbed her neck and tried to breath. Joshua sprinted into the stable with Birria, Lanie, Brand, and Kel behind. Dropping to his knees, Joshua embraced Lorilie and caressed her hair. "Where's Caleb? What's going on?" Joshua tilted Lorilie's head.
"Leave me alone. Everyone go!" Lorilie tore away from her uncle.
"Lorilie." Brand started.
"You too!" she yelled.
"But." Birria stepped closer.
"Just leave." Joshua herded the four out and walked them to the lift. He waited in the shadows for Lorilie.
******
"Finally, she will be dead." Riley sighed. "My life is almost complete." He grinned into the fire.
"It's been two hours since the ball, when are you going?" Nicola sat on the ground next to him.
"Soon. Now leave and don't disturb me again tonight. Tomorrow I'll have a new job for you." He looked her up and down. After the door closed, Riley stood up and paced the room to the desk and cabinets, pulling out a sword, daggers, potion vials, and pieces of armor. The door creaked open again and shut silently. "Nicola I don't need you till tomorrow night!" Riley sighed.
"You wont need her ever."
Riley spun around. "So, Albain you came to me. Less work I have to do. Are you going to fight like a real man this time? No spells?"
"No spells, I can kill you easily." Albain magically made the fire blaze.
"What did you do to all my guards?" the human asked amused.
"You mean those stupid morons? I already disposed of them all, no one can help you now." Albain's eyes glinted red.
"Prepare yourself you idiotic elf." Riley smirked.
"Riley you're pathetic, you're useless. I'm sick of looking at your hideous blistering scab of a face. Lielay only gave you third degree burns, but I'm going to make you combust like the bag of shit that you are." Albain jumped forward and fiercely attacked.
Riley dropped his sword and gasped. His hand lay next to the sword on the ground. Blood poured freely from his stump of a wrist. "No." He feebly tried to hobble to the door. Three steps from the door, an unseen figure stepped out of the darkness and struck him down.
"Good work Albain, he fell right into our trap." The voice was harmonious.
"Yes, my love, but this time he wont live to see our next one." Albain's voice softened.
"Love? No, it's not true!" Riley clawed the air.
"Lielay, please reveal yourself." Albain held out his arm.
Her silky brown hair flowed over her shoulders as she lightly stepped from the shadows. She grabbed hold of Riley's robed form and halfway lifted him off the ground, her beautiful green eyes flared with the promise of vengeance soon to come.
"How?" Riley muffled out.
Albain leaned against the wall and laughed. "Did you seriously believe I would kill Lielay, my true love, my heart and soul? I used the pretense of alcohol to make myself appear to be just an enraged drunk, a man with a deep dark passion and lust for other women, but in truth, it was all a lie. A necessary farce to trick you into thinking I killed Lielay; her dramatic death was the only way I could protect her from you. Until an opportunity such as now presented itself."
"I had spies reporting Lielay's death and the reason why. You, Albain were having an affair with a high elf and Lielay caught you, so you killed her." Riley clutched his wrist.
Lielay laughed musically. "It was all planned and staged. We knew you had spies; we had spies of our own. Albain has many people working for him. The high elf your spy saw him with has been a family friend for ages, she agreed to help."
"The fire and your body?" Riley glared.
"The fire and my body were real. Caleb carried me out thinking I was dead, but I wasn't. The people who ran over and checked for my pulse were always working for Albain. As you can see we are all very good actors." Lielay stood hovering over Riley.
"No! No! You're supposed to die! All of your family is!" Riley yelled.
"Lielay you may have the honor." Albain bowed to her.
"It's time for you to join your brother." Lielay said calmly.
Lielay pulled out her sword and very slowly pushed it through Riley's neck. She glared and twisted the blade to end the job. Riley slumped over dead. Lielay fell into Albain's arms and cried. He lovingly held her tight and allowed his silent pain to flow. Crying tears of joy Albain transported himself and Lielay far away from the horrible memory.
******
Victoria lounged at the stern of the ship, smiling broadly. Vinx walked up from below with two other dark elves and laughed. The ship turned out to be owned by one of Neriak's traders and was honored to have Victoria and Vinx accompany him back to land. Vinx sat next to Victoria and let out the breath he was holding in. "Do you still want to follow that wood elf or can we," he blushed, "go home together?" he said hesitantly.
"You want me to stay with you? After all those times where I yelled at you?" she arched her eyebrows.
"...Yes." he turned his head away.
"To Neriak we'll go then." She bent down and smiled.
******
Bolting from the stables, Lorilie leaned very close to Midnight's gleaming coat. Joshua watched her leave and prayed to the gods for help. He walked onto the lift and with weak knees waited for the platform to rise.
******
"You need to explain all this to Caleb and Lorilie. I'll wait here for you three." Lielay squeezed Albain's hand.
Aubrey stood shocked as Albain left the house. "Lielay?" he said in time.
"I know Aubrey, it's all too strange. Sit down and I'll tell you the story." Lielay sighed.
******
Caleb pulled back on Traveler's reins quickly. Albain appeared out of nowhere and stood before him. Jumping off the horse's back and slapping it, Traveler speed off into the forest. "Caleb, I need to tell you something." Albain held up his hands in defense. "You can't cast any harmful spells on me. I've already made myself immune to that."
"Albain you ruined my life by killing my father and then my mother. But killing Lorilie's future life is too much. Neither of us got to know our mother, you denied all of our hope."
"Please listen. I don't intend you any harm." Albain pleaded.
"I do intend harm. Prepare yourself, Albain, for your last duel." Caleb held his sword.
"I don't want to hurt you Caleb." The older elf's voice grew stern.
"You won't. And I already took the liberty to boost my own magic resistance too so you can't backstab me."
Caleb hurtled forward and took a swipe at Albain's head. Albain ducked and held up his sword to block Caleb's. Kicking Albain in the stomach while in the air, Caleb steadied himself. Gaining his balance again, Albain dodged time after time to avoid Caleb and his deadly blade. Still the wound in Albain's side burned from the ogre attacks; he grimaced in pain and backed a few feet away. Caleb saw his opportunity and leaped forward with his sword spinning. The blade sank deep into Albain's thigh. Caleb ripped out his sword and spun it around his head. Albain, with regret, swung his blade into Caleb's arm. It missed though. Albain's sword wobbled in Caleb's chest. Sputtering blood, Caleb groaned and dropped to the ground.
"Oh gods no." Albain tried to heal Caleb. "Caleb, burn you! Why did you do this?"
"You killed my mother." Caleb gasped.
"No she's still alive." Albain said.
"You lie." Caleb barely muttered.
"Caleb don't leave, Lielay is awaiting your arrival." Albain tried again to heal him.
Horse hoofs pounded in Albain's mind. Lorilie jumped through the trees and flew from Midnight's back. She fell next to Caleb and cradled his head in her lap. Tears splashed on Caleb's face. He smiled to her before his eyes glazed over and rolled back. His chest stopped moving and his limbs went numb.
Lorilie placed down Caleb's head. "Caleb, Caleb, please say something."
"Lorilie he's dead." Albain said grimly.
"I hate you!" Lorilie screamed as she jumped up and started to beat on Albain's chest.
"I'm sorry." He sadly said.
"I loved you once, a long time ago. I will never have that feeling towards you again, I'll never forgive you!" she screamed.
"Lorilie I."
"No. First you take my loving mother, my everything, my inspiration, and then you rip my heart out again. What did Caleb do! Tell me what the hell Caleb did to deserve to die! Tell me!" Lorilie shouted.
"You don't understand." He stepped closer.
"Oh I understand. I understand more then you know."
"Please." Albain hugged his daughter closely. Lorilie glared. Albain opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Blood oozed out the corners of his mouth and dripped onto his tunic. He stepped back from Lorilie and held his stomach. A large dagger dug deep into his flesh. Albain staggered and leaned against a tree for support. He stared at Lorilie with hurtful and hopeful eyes. His hand reached for her. "Lor.Lorilie. You mother isn't.isn't." he coughed up more blood.
"Isn't what?" Lorilie demanded.
"I didn't kill her. She's still alive. She's waiting." He managed to say before he smiled and collapsed.
Lorilie shook her head slowly and backed away. She fled from the carnage and wept. She didn't know how long she ran for. She ran until her legs burned with pain and her breath came rapidly. She curled up into a ball and moaned. With her own hand and dagger she had murdered her father who was innocent of the crime she hated him for. And her mother still alive? Impossible. Or was it? Lorilie lifted her head and forced herself to think in the past.
She had watched Caleb come out of her burning house with two lifeless bodies over his shoulders. It was too dark to see anything. Gasping was heard all around her as someone said that Lielay Liltreehuggr was dead. Or was she?
Was my mother's death staged? If so why? Why would father pretend to kill mother? To protect her from what? She cupped her forehead in her hands and thought hard. If Lielay was still alive why didn't she ever make contact? Lorilie's head shot up and she slowly stood. She ran again.
******
"My life is like the eternal burning flames of hell, it will never end." The words echoed in Lorilie's head as the fire below her blazed uncontrollable. Lorilie felt the Dragon Volcano's rage, oh how she felt it. She closed her eyes and out stretched her arms. She leaned forward and let herself fly into the burning pit. Gliding down gracefully she entered the volcano. "To fall in love is the worst mistake for the heart to make while living. It is just plain weakness to feel it. To win the battle is to never love at all. But love is wonderful in many ways; to feel so needed, to be so close to one being, being the world to the one person you devote your heart too, that is the most touching thing anyone will ever feel while being in existence in this world." Lorilie smiled and plunged into the scorching flames.
******
Lielay covered her mouth in horror as her beloved daughter dove into the fire. Her knees unbuckled as she fell to the ground sobbing with pain. Her son, her daughter, her husband, her mother, and her father all dead. Lielay lay there for days crying from her tortured heart and soul.
******
Brand scouted the forest searching for Lorilie. He pushed past some brush and spotting something lying motionless on the leaf covered ground. He ran over to the elf and turned her over. Two forest green eyes stared lifelessly back at him. He checked for a pulse, there was one, but it was faint. Who was this elf? She looked so much like Lorilie. Brand picked up the wood elf and ran from Lesser Faydark to Kelethin with her in his arms.
******
A week later, Lielay sat up in a bed and looked around the familiar room. The half-elf Lorilie loved was asleep in a chair on the wall. Lielay bowed her head and said a large prayer for her family. The half-elf awoke with a jerk and opened his eyes. He jumped up when he saw Lielay sitting up.
"Do you know who I am Brand?" Lielay asked.
"Yes. Yes I know all about you Lielay Liltreehuggr-Oakfeller- Tinderblade." He crossed to her.
The names didn't even faze Lielay. "You loved Lorilie will all your heart and soul, didn't you?"
"I did. I loved her more then that." She stood straighter.
"But first you were assigned to kill her, weren't you? Riley hired you since he had a feeling that Albain would never kill Lorilie." Lielay ran her fingers through her brown hair.
"Yes I was." He stiffened more.
"Still you fell in love with her even though you knew Riley would kill you if you ever did."
"The first time I saw her my heart stopped and I knew from that moment I would love her for all eternity. From that day forth I vowed never to harm Lorilie and to protect her from any."
"Brand, she loved you with a deep passion, though, she didn't like showing it." Lielay gave a half-smile.
"I know. I know." He whispered.
The window flew open and the wind circled the room. "Love. That is the most touching thing anyone will ever feel while being in existence in your world." Lorilie's voice filled their ears. "You two showed me that. My wishes were granted, all my questions were answered."
Those words would haunt Brand and Lielay's minds and hearts forever.
The End