Chapter 7
The elves were creeping slowly in the dark mines. Their nocturnal instincts kicked in. They checked for any life forms with their heat sensing vision (thank you Osama) their eyes glowed red except Briaos', which glowed an eerie white. Nothing that gave off heat, but wait what in the world was this. Two blue objects (in nocturnal vision sight) were shaped like the Intunerici, and what was stranger was that they were moving. A blue, pointed object shot towards the brave elves; they raised their shields and the object, obviously an arrow ricocheted of Staria's shield. This was bad they had to rely completely on their hearing, if they wanted to accomplish anything. They closed their eyes and immediately saw the patter emitted by the creatures Laus drew an arrow, a pattern started disappearing, Braios had already killed one and had drawn his axe. Everyone else drew their swords.
'We can't afford to be heard.' Braios said, looking at them with his heat vision. They all nodded, their eyes gave off a tremendous amount of heat, so they had done the same.
'Lorriana, look for the dwarves we'll cover you.' said Laus. 'Form a circle around her.' They all obeyed, guarding their psychic friend. It took about half a minute for Lorriana to find the captives.
'Got'em!' she said. 'I think I saw the messenger and your party, Aril.'
Aril sighed with relief. 'What are we waiting for then let's go!' the eager, young, elven princess said. They all nodded and started walking; the dwarves were about ten miles south-west.
King Caius was sitting in his study, in a big comfy arm chair. A bright fire was burning in his fire place, disintegrating the wood and giving off a pleasant amount of heat. Snow was starting to fall again; the city was back to its calm and peaceful self. The elven children were playing happily; the guards were patrolling the walls, stopping to have a sip of home mad wine from time to time. Here and there a few sturdy elves were carrying wood to different places in the palace; the kitchen, or the dinning room and many such places. Other's that had fought in protecting the city were resting at home of doing everyday chores such as gathering wood, or feeding the livestock. The king was pondering, a glass of wine in his hand. He took a sip, put the glass on his desk and returned to staring into abyss. Had he done the right thing? Was it a stupid death sentence for his son and his friends? What could be in those dark mines? He sunk his heavy brow into his palms. There was nothing he could do now; just like the time. he couldn't think about that now. He started to rise when a painting of a beautiful elven madden struck him in the face. He sunk back into his chair, looking horror struck at the tremendous painting. He couldn't help it, he started sobbing, and he walked over to the painting and fell to his knees in front of the painting.
"There was nothing I could do." he whispered. "I should've fought to find a way. But I didn't."
His wife was looking at him now, touching his left cheek slowly. The noble king remembered it a flash; it was his wife's last words.
'I love you all.' a young Laus appeared to Caius' side.
'I love you too mommy.' the elven child said. The scene disappeared from the king's mind only to be replaced by another, shortly after his wife's death. The confuse Caius was watching his young son climbing a tree, no the ceremonial tree. The child fell, Caius gasped. The young Laus got up, not a scratch on him; it was the day he had discovered his powers. Young elves are very emotional and things like death affect them deeply. Because of his mother's death at in his youth, Laus developed the tremendous healing powers and speed he had today. Speed because of his inability to run; yes when he was young Laus was not able to run and this created a lot of pain in his young mind, to see all the other elven children frolicking through the grass. Healing because of his mother's death and how he thought it was his fault his mother died.
Lorriana had developed her psychic powers because she watched her pony die and couldn't know what the animal was thinking and if it loved her or not. Osirian and Staria were drows so they had a strong magic in them (Osirian just trained above all standards). Braios had developed his powers to shape and call hence mythril, and his speed, because he had forgotten to pack his father's mythril coat when he left for battle and arrived at the battle sight with the coat at the perfect time to see his father being struck down by an arrow (this happened in a different war). Urias had tremendous strength, though no one knew, because he failed to lift a table off of his infant sister, resulting in her death. Aril had developed an ability to talk to plants and anything that lives (as you shall see), because she suffered so much, because she could not warn trees that a fire was coming, or some one was coming to chop it down.
The elves had walked about a mile, when many blue objects hurtled over them, flying toward another place in the mines. The elven heroes ran to a vague shelter, when one of the Intunerici spotted them and gave off a loud shriek. The others followed him and started rushing towards the elves.
"Time, you guys found out something about me." said Urias, running towards a huge boulder. He lifted the boulder above his head and hurtled it at the creatures killing about three quarters of their group. Osirian held out his arm, made a fist and opened it; a dark orb surrounded the remaining creatures. Osirian closed his fist and so did the orb obliterating the creatures. One of the creatures got away, and started flying towards the direction it came from and escaped. The elves were too busy looking at their friend in amazement that they forgot about their mission.
'Why didn't you tell us?' asked Aril.
Urias shook his head and raised his shoulders. He didn't know. 'I guess I just didn't.'
Everyone looked at him a little disappointed; Aril looked sad. Braios walked over to his loved one and hugged her. 'What's wrong?' he transmitted only to her.
'I have powers too.' she answered sinking her head into Braios' chest. 'I can communicate with all living things.'
She announced this to everyone else, and sunk back into Braios' arms. Before anyone could say anything about four hundred creatures came out of nowhere shooting arrows and shrieking menacingly. Braios and Laus were shooting arrows using their great speed. Osirian was throwing dark waves at the Intunerici obliterating them and Staria was doing the same, after all these waves were her specialty. Aril was ready to fire an arrow from her quiver (thank you again Osama, I saw this in your story), when something caught her eye. Little red objects were hanging above the Intunerici. She concentrated and the red objects (bats) started attacking the creatures. They weren't little at all, their wing was as long as grown man's arm and their claws as long as a grown man's fingers. The enormous bats killed the remaining Intunerici and went back to their testing place. They wondered if more would come, and decided not to find out. They walked about five more miles and stopped for a break. Lorriana was checking if they were on the right track; turned out they were about half a mile south of the path they were supposed to take. The others had pulled out a canister that contained a liquid that looked like water but it was so pure that it could hardly be called water. One drop and their thirst was quenched; now for some nice lembas (for those that don't know it's an elvish biscuit that produces a large supply of nutrition) and some rest. They ate the little biscuits, called lembas, each elf having but one, which was a fair enough meal. They sat down on some boulders and relaxed for about half an hour. It had been a long, tiring journey and they were all fatigued, so this rest did them good.
The group began to walk once more, and walk they did; for about two miles when they were once more attacked by a swarm of Intunerici. This battle was a little bit harder; there were many more creatures than last time, and there were no huge bats or boulders to attack the creatures with. The battle took place on a naturally made platform of rock. Staria and Aril stayed to the back of the platform hitting the creatures with arrows. Laus and Braios used their speed to run through the lines of Intunerici and slice them into pieces; the black oozing blood of the creatures was now infecting the platform. Braios ran from one side of the platform to another; left, right, right, left, right, left, right, right, right, right, right, right, left and done. By the time the elf had reached the other side of the platform he had left a line of dead creatures he had slashed during his sprint; four on his left and nine on his right, they all lay dead, the black ooze pouring slowly on the dark cold rock. Osirian was slicing and obliterating creatures all around him; one of them held out its claws to protect itself but the drow's blade cut right the claws and the rest of the creature's body. Laus was at the edge of the platform; he had just killed an enemy when he noticed a pattern at the base of the long, wide pillar that was suspending the platform. There was about a meter long distance between the edges of the platform and the mine. At the base of this pillar hundreds if not thousand of creatures were chipping away at the rock. This gave him an idea.
'Osirian!' he cried out telepathically. 'I have an idea; get Lorriana and run towards the edge of the mine over there.' There was a moment's pause when Osirian had grabbed Lorriana and headed towards the edge of the mine. Laus finished killing a foe and he said 'Break the pillar suspending the platform so it'll create hundreds of boulders that will crash on the things bellow. Lorriana, you suspend us in mid air so we don't fall with the platform.'
'No need to give a full explanation we get it.' said Lorriana extending her arms out. Osirian took careful aim and shot the pillar; it burst into millions of boulders and fell to the gap bellow, the huge platform following. The creatures on the platform used their wings to keep attacking. Braios pulled out his axe and started performing rotating slashes killing the creatures around him. Staria was cutting through the creatures like butter when one snuck behind her; it raised its claws and was ready to kill the elf when an arrow pierced it's skull, spraying blood on the drow girl, who reacted to the disgusting substance and performed a rotating slash, which cut the already dead enemy in half along with a few of it's fellows. Urias was doing fine, slashing and bashing the enemies, killing them as they came. At long last Laus and Braios pulled out an arrow and killed the remaining two. Lorriana brought them to the ledge and they continued their journey. They walked for another hour when they saw small red objects all huddled together around a blue pillar (in nocturnal vision again). A blue object carrying a red, unsteady ball on a stick was walking towards the huddle of dwarves.
'Crap their gonna' kill them!' Urias exclaimed.
'We need to save them now.'
'Staria, Lorriana, Aril and Urias stay behind and cover us. Braios, Osirian and I will rush in and save the dwarves.' There was a brief pause, were they all nodded, and readied their weapons. 'Ready? Go!'
Braios and Laus rushed in first sprinting through the four corners of the small chamber killing the guards. Osirian obliterated the one with the torch and they all went to help the dwarves. The sound of smashing blades sounded outside, Braios and Osirian ran to aid their friends and Laus stayed behind and freed the captives. Once they were all free he gave one of them his axe, (Braios would be so disappointed, he thought) and went to help his friends. The battle outside was already finished, Laus shot the final arrow at an incoming enemy and went to see if his friends were alright. Lorriana had an arrow piercing her arm; without even thinking, as if it was an instinct, Laus bend over to her pulled out the arrow and touched the wound gently. The elven girl opened her eyes slowly regaining consciousness; she kissed Laus and got up. In the room with the captives the dwarves were helping themselves to a fresh supply of supplies obviously confiscated by the creatures. The king of the dwarves walked over to the group of elves.
"My dearest thanks." he said bowing to the young elves. Laus returned the bow and presented the young looking (for a dwarf) king the axe they had made especially for him. "Thank you!"
"We hope you receive this insignificant gift and our services." Laus said. "We want to help you regain your mines and territory. For that we need your guidance, how ever."
"Anything to be of service." the dwarf said. "With what do you need help exactly?"
"We need to be taken to the center of the mines, so we can place a magical orb there that will destroy the creatures. It dose this" the elf added, looking at the confused face of the dwarf "By hunting down their fowl blood. It is Osirian's (he said pointing to his friend) spell; he took the blood of the Intunerici and united it with the orb. Once he ignites it the creatures will be dead and your mines will be returned to their rightful rulers."
"I shall go myself." said the dwarf. Osirian gave the dwarf a mythril coat and pulled out the canister of the pure water, taking a small sip.
Laus walked over to his friends and instructed them:
"Osirian, Urias, Aril and Lorriana stay behind, the rest of us will go with the dwarf king."
Lorriana sighed. "I never get to go."
"This is important too, you know."
"Yeah."
"Next time I promise."
"Okay."
"Okay, you ready?" Laus asked. They nodded; Laus held his hand up and all everyone felt rejuvenated. Aril's party walked over to her to see if she was alright. Braios conjured weapons for the former prisoners and rejoined his best friend Laus.
The party of Laus, Braios, Staria and the dwarf king, named Ginghy, set out to the center of the great mine palace; led of course by Ginghy. This journey was less unfortunate than the elves', they avoided a huge party of Intunerici, thanks to Ginghy's knowledge of the mines and it was also a lot shorter. After about an hour of walking they were finally there, the center was a huge platform. This was were all the plays went on, informed Ginghy; it was lit by a skylight, which let in beautiful rays of sunlight or moonlight. This was now sealed by a huge boulder; about ten Intunerici guards were surrounding the perimeter. The elves took them out using spells and arrows and advanced to the center. Osirian let go of the orb and it started floating, the drow tapped it with his sword and the mines erupted in light, obliterating every source of Intunerici.
The mines were free once more, the dwarves were reunited and the brave elves were on their way home. Another victory for the elves; the next would be the greatest one. Attacking these creatures on their home ground would be quite the challenge.
The elves were creeping slowly in the dark mines. Their nocturnal instincts kicked in. They checked for any life forms with their heat sensing vision (thank you Osama) their eyes glowed red except Briaos', which glowed an eerie white. Nothing that gave off heat, but wait what in the world was this. Two blue objects (in nocturnal vision sight) were shaped like the Intunerici, and what was stranger was that they were moving. A blue, pointed object shot towards the brave elves; they raised their shields and the object, obviously an arrow ricocheted of Staria's shield. This was bad they had to rely completely on their hearing, if they wanted to accomplish anything. They closed their eyes and immediately saw the patter emitted by the creatures Laus drew an arrow, a pattern started disappearing, Braios had already killed one and had drawn his axe. Everyone else drew their swords.
'We can't afford to be heard.' Braios said, looking at them with his heat vision. They all nodded, their eyes gave off a tremendous amount of heat, so they had done the same.
'Lorriana, look for the dwarves we'll cover you.' said Laus. 'Form a circle around her.' They all obeyed, guarding their psychic friend. It took about half a minute for Lorriana to find the captives.
'Got'em!' she said. 'I think I saw the messenger and your party, Aril.'
Aril sighed with relief. 'What are we waiting for then let's go!' the eager, young, elven princess said. They all nodded and started walking; the dwarves were about ten miles south-west.
King Caius was sitting in his study, in a big comfy arm chair. A bright fire was burning in his fire place, disintegrating the wood and giving off a pleasant amount of heat. Snow was starting to fall again; the city was back to its calm and peaceful self. The elven children were playing happily; the guards were patrolling the walls, stopping to have a sip of home mad wine from time to time. Here and there a few sturdy elves were carrying wood to different places in the palace; the kitchen, or the dinning room and many such places. Other's that had fought in protecting the city were resting at home of doing everyday chores such as gathering wood, or feeding the livestock. The king was pondering, a glass of wine in his hand. He took a sip, put the glass on his desk and returned to staring into abyss. Had he done the right thing? Was it a stupid death sentence for his son and his friends? What could be in those dark mines? He sunk his heavy brow into his palms. There was nothing he could do now; just like the time. he couldn't think about that now. He started to rise when a painting of a beautiful elven madden struck him in the face. He sunk back into his chair, looking horror struck at the tremendous painting. He couldn't help it, he started sobbing, and he walked over to the painting and fell to his knees in front of the painting.
"There was nothing I could do." he whispered. "I should've fought to find a way. But I didn't."
His wife was looking at him now, touching his left cheek slowly. The noble king remembered it a flash; it was his wife's last words.
'I love you all.' a young Laus appeared to Caius' side.
'I love you too mommy.' the elven child said. The scene disappeared from the king's mind only to be replaced by another, shortly after his wife's death. The confuse Caius was watching his young son climbing a tree, no the ceremonial tree. The child fell, Caius gasped. The young Laus got up, not a scratch on him; it was the day he had discovered his powers. Young elves are very emotional and things like death affect them deeply. Because of his mother's death at in his youth, Laus developed the tremendous healing powers and speed he had today. Speed because of his inability to run; yes when he was young Laus was not able to run and this created a lot of pain in his young mind, to see all the other elven children frolicking through the grass. Healing because of his mother's death and how he thought it was his fault his mother died.
Lorriana had developed her psychic powers because she watched her pony die and couldn't know what the animal was thinking and if it loved her or not. Osirian and Staria were drows so they had a strong magic in them (Osirian just trained above all standards). Braios had developed his powers to shape and call hence mythril, and his speed, because he had forgotten to pack his father's mythril coat when he left for battle and arrived at the battle sight with the coat at the perfect time to see his father being struck down by an arrow (this happened in a different war). Urias had tremendous strength, though no one knew, because he failed to lift a table off of his infant sister, resulting in her death. Aril had developed an ability to talk to plants and anything that lives (as you shall see), because she suffered so much, because she could not warn trees that a fire was coming, or some one was coming to chop it down.
The elves had walked about a mile, when many blue objects hurtled over them, flying toward another place in the mines. The elven heroes ran to a vague shelter, when one of the Intunerici spotted them and gave off a loud shriek. The others followed him and started rushing towards the elves.
"Time, you guys found out something about me." said Urias, running towards a huge boulder. He lifted the boulder above his head and hurtled it at the creatures killing about three quarters of their group. Osirian held out his arm, made a fist and opened it; a dark orb surrounded the remaining creatures. Osirian closed his fist and so did the orb obliterating the creatures. One of the creatures got away, and started flying towards the direction it came from and escaped. The elves were too busy looking at their friend in amazement that they forgot about their mission.
'Why didn't you tell us?' asked Aril.
Urias shook his head and raised his shoulders. He didn't know. 'I guess I just didn't.'
Everyone looked at him a little disappointed; Aril looked sad. Braios walked over to his loved one and hugged her. 'What's wrong?' he transmitted only to her.
'I have powers too.' she answered sinking her head into Braios' chest. 'I can communicate with all living things.'
She announced this to everyone else, and sunk back into Braios' arms. Before anyone could say anything about four hundred creatures came out of nowhere shooting arrows and shrieking menacingly. Braios and Laus were shooting arrows using their great speed. Osirian was throwing dark waves at the Intunerici obliterating them and Staria was doing the same, after all these waves were her specialty. Aril was ready to fire an arrow from her quiver (thank you again Osama, I saw this in your story), when something caught her eye. Little red objects were hanging above the Intunerici. She concentrated and the red objects (bats) started attacking the creatures. They weren't little at all, their wing was as long as grown man's arm and their claws as long as a grown man's fingers. The enormous bats killed the remaining Intunerici and went back to their testing place. They wondered if more would come, and decided not to find out. They walked about five more miles and stopped for a break. Lorriana was checking if they were on the right track; turned out they were about half a mile south of the path they were supposed to take. The others had pulled out a canister that contained a liquid that looked like water but it was so pure that it could hardly be called water. One drop and their thirst was quenched; now for some nice lembas (for those that don't know it's an elvish biscuit that produces a large supply of nutrition) and some rest. They ate the little biscuits, called lembas, each elf having but one, which was a fair enough meal. They sat down on some boulders and relaxed for about half an hour. It had been a long, tiring journey and they were all fatigued, so this rest did them good.
The group began to walk once more, and walk they did; for about two miles when they were once more attacked by a swarm of Intunerici. This battle was a little bit harder; there were many more creatures than last time, and there were no huge bats or boulders to attack the creatures with. The battle took place on a naturally made platform of rock. Staria and Aril stayed to the back of the platform hitting the creatures with arrows. Laus and Braios used their speed to run through the lines of Intunerici and slice them into pieces; the black oozing blood of the creatures was now infecting the platform. Braios ran from one side of the platform to another; left, right, right, left, right, left, right, right, right, right, right, right, left and done. By the time the elf had reached the other side of the platform he had left a line of dead creatures he had slashed during his sprint; four on his left and nine on his right, they all lay dead, the black ooze pouring slowly on the dark cold rock. Osirian was slicing and obliterating creatures all around him; one of them held out its claws to protect itself but the drow's blade cut right the claws and the rest of the creature's body. Laus was at the edge of the platform; he had just killed an enemy when he noticed a pattern at the base of the long, wide pillar that was suspending the platform. There was about a meter long distance between the edges of the platform and the mine. At the base of this pillar hundreds if not thousand of creatures were chipping away at the rock. This gave him an idea.
'Osirian!' he cried out telepathically. 'I have an idea; get Lorriana and run towards the edge of the mine over there.' There was a moment's pause when Osirian had grabbed Lorriana and headed towards the edge of the mine. Laus finished killing a foe and he said 'Break the pillar suspending the platform so it'll create hundreds of boulders that will crash on the things bellow. Lorriana, you suspend us in mid air so we don't fall with the platform.'
'No need to give a full explanation we get it.' said Lorriana extending her arms out. Osirian took careful aim and shot the pillar; it burst into millions of boulders and fell to the gap bellow, the huge platform following. The creatures on the platform used their wings to keep attacking. Braios pulled out his axe and started performing rotating slashes killing the creatures around him. Staria was cutting through the creatures like butter when one snuck behind her; it raised its claws and was ready to kill the elf when an arrow pierced it's skull, spraying blood on the drow girl, who reacted to the disgusting substance and performed a rotating slash, which cut the already dead enemy in half along with a few of it's fellows. Urias was doing fine, slashing and bashing the enemies, killing them as they came. At long last Laus and Braios pulled out an arrow and killed the remaining two. Lorriana brought them to the ledge and they continued their journey. They walked for another hour when they saw small red objects all huddled together around a blue pillar (in nocturnal vision again). A blue object carrying a red, unsteady ball on a stick was walking towards the huddle of dwarves.
'Crap their gonna' kill them!' Urias exclaimed.
'We need to save them now.'
'Staria, Lorriana, Aril and Urias stay behind and cover us. Braios, Osirian and I will rush in and save the dwarves.' There was a brief pause, were they all nodded, and readied their weapons. 'Ready? Go!'
Braios and Laus rushed in first sprinting through the four corners of the small chamber killing the guards. Osirian obliterated the one with the torch and they all went to help the dwarves. The sound of smashing blades sounded outside, Braios and Osirian ran to aid their friends and Laus stayed behind and freed the captives. Once they were all free he gave one of them his axe, (Braios would be so disappointed, he thought) and went to help his friends. The battle outside was already finished, Laus shot the final arrow at an incoming enemy and went to see if his friends were alright. Lorriana had an arrow piercing her arm; without even thinking, as if it was an instinct, Laus bend over to her pulled out the arrow and touched the wound gently. The elven girl opened her eyes slowly regaining consciousness; she kissed Laus and got up. In the room with the captives the dwarves were helping themselves to a fresh supply of supplies obviously confiscated by the creatures. The king of the dwarves walked over to the group of elves.
"My dearest thanks." he said bowing to the young elves. Laus returned the bow and presented the young looking (for a dwarf) king the axe they had made especially for him. "Thank you!"
"We hope you receive this insignificant gift and our services." Laus said. "We want to help you regain your mines and territory. For that we need your guidance, how ever."
"Anything to be of service." the dwarf said. "With what do you need help exactly?"
"We need to be taken to the center of the mines, so we can place a magical orb there that will destroy the creatures. It dose this" the elf added, looking at the confused face of the dwarf "By hunting down their fowl blood. It is Osirian's (he said pointing to his friend) spell; he took the blood of the Intunerici and united it with the orb. Once he ignites it the creatures will be dead and your mines will be returned to their rightful rulers."
"I shall go myself." said the dwarf. Osirian gave the dwarf a mythril coat and pulled out the canister of the pure water, taking a small sip.
Laus walked over to his friends and instructed them:
"Osirian, Urias, Aril and Lorriana stay behind, the rest of us will go with the dwarf king."
Lorriana sighed. "I never get to go."
"This is important too, you know."
"Yeah."
"Next time I promise."
"Okay."
"Okay, you ready?" Laus asked. They nodded; Laus held his hand up and all everyone felt rejuvenated. Aril's party walked over to her to see if she was alright. Braios conjured weapons for the former prisoners and rejoined his best friend Laus.
The party of Laus, Braios, Staria and the dwarf king, named Ginghy, set out to the center of the great mine palace; led of course by Ginghy. This journey was less unfortunate than the elves', they avoided a huge party of Intunerici, thanks to Ginghy's knowledge of the mines and it was also a lot shorter. After about an hour of walking they were finally there, the center was a huge platform. This was were all the plays went on, informed Ginghy; it was lit by a skylight, which let in beautiful rays of sunlight or moonlight. This was now sealed by a huge boulder; about ten Intunerici guards were surrounding the perimeter. The elves took them out using spells and arrows and advanced to the center. Osirian let go of the orb and it started floating, the drow tapped it with his sword and the mines erupted in light, obliterating every source of Intunerici.
The mines were free once more, the dwarves were reunited and the brave elves were on their way home. Another victory for the elves; the next would be the greatest one. Attacking these creatures on their home ground would be quite the challenge.