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"I guess the matrons caught up to her for heresy," Ryld commented as he tossed the medallion back. "It would be best to melt that down before trying to sell it."
"True that," she grinned. "I think we'll be safe here, right?"
"At the very least, the Red Fangs aren't likely to come here. These places are supposedly..." The clatter of the practice swords falling to the floor interrupted him, "By the Abyss, what's wrong with you Tarlshi?!"
Tarlshi turned to Ryld with wide eyes. "Look closer at the dust there,"he said as he pointed towards the open area where they had first entered the hideout. Both dark elf and tiefling turned to where the githerzai was pointing.
The dust and ash that they had kicked up with their passing now out lined two faint figures, one the size and shape of an adult elven female and the other the right size for an elf child. Both looked like they wielded blades, two apiece. Ryld cursed under his breath and drew his short sword. Crinita dove for one of the practice swords. Tarlshi shook his head slowly. "There aren't any footprints," he whispered in a stunned voice.
The outlines paid no attention to the intruders, instead appearing to start sparring with each other. Ryld, Crinita and Tarlshi looked on as the pair went through a dizzying series of silent movements, flowing from one attack routine to a defense routine to another sequence of attacks. Ryld, the most experienced fighter of the three, had trouble following the speed of action between the two apparitions, partially because neither of the ghosts seemed to favor one hand or the other. The child then spun into a flurry of spinning attacks, driving the other ghost back. Ryld did not follow the action well enough to discern any but the last movement, a disengage coming out of a spin to land a hit on the female apparition's rib cage. Given his knowledge of drow family life, Ryld expected retribution to be forthcoming for the little elf ghost. Instead the lady ghost swept the little one up into a hug and ruffled the child's hair. Crinita whispered in an awed voice, "These places really are haunted."
The broken silence seemed to shatter the spell and the outlines became nothing more than idly floating dust and ash.
Ryld said softly, " I think we'll be safe here."
"You think so?" asked Tarlshi.
"This place ... feels different from other bolt holes," answered Ryld. "better memories I suppose."
"Well you ought to know Ryld," Crinita yawned. "I mean, after that fight you had with those jerks from House ... Ilplarl wasn't it? I thought you were as good as dead what with having to change locations every night last week."
"You'll probably still come to grief over that, Ryld," Tarlshi commented as he found a comfy spot on the floor. "You shouldn't have reacted to the insults they slung at us. They don't know any better."
"And I do?" Ryld gave a bleak chuckle. "I'm drow remember? Same as them."
"Not the same as them," Crinita murmured as she drifted into slumber. "The same as us. and you'll always remember it and this place."
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Please Read and review. I'd appreciate the input:-)
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"I guess the matrons caught up to her for heresy," Ryld commented as he tossed the medallion back. "It would be best to melt that down before trying to sell it."
"True that," she grinned. "I think we'll be safe here, right?"
"At the very least, the Red Fangs aren't likely to come here. These places are supposedly..." The clatter of the practice swords falling to the floor interrupted him, "By the Abyss, what's wrong with you Tarlshi?!"
Tarlshi turned to Ryld with wide eyes. "Look closer at the dust there,"he said as he pointed towards the open area where they had first entered the hideout. Both dark elf and tiefling turned to where the githerzai was pointing.
The dust and ash that they had kicked up with their passing now out lined two faint figures, one the size and shape of an adult elven female and the other the right size for an elf child. Both looked like they wielded blades, two apiece. Ryld cursed under his breath and drew his short sword. Crinita dove for one of the practice swords. Tarlshi shook his head slowly. "There aren't any footprints," he whispered in a stunned voice.
The outlines paid no attention to the intruders, instead appearing to start sparring with each other. Ryld, Crinita and Tarlshi looked on as the pair went through a dizzying series of silent movements, flowing from one attack routine to a defense routine to another sequence of attacks. Ryld, the most experienced fighter of the three, had trouble following the speed of action between the two apparitions, partially because neither of the ghosts seemed to favor one hand or the other. The child then spun into a flurry of spinning attacks, driving the other ghost back. Ryld did not follow the action well enough to discern any but the last movement, a disengage coming out of a spin to land a hit on the female apparition's rib cage. Given his knowledge of drow family life, Ryld expected retribution to be forthcoming for the little elf ghost. Instead the lady ghost swept the little one up into a hug and ruffled the child's hair. Crinita whispered in an awed voice, "These places really are haunted."
The broken silence seemed to shatter the spell and the outlines became nothing more than idly floating dust and ash.
Ryld said softly, " I think we'll be safe here."
"You think so?" asked Tarlshi.
"This place ... feels different from other bolt holes," answered Ryld. "better memories I suppose."
"Well you ought to know Ryld," Crinita yawned. "I mean, after that fight you had with those jerks from House ... Ilplarl wasn't it? I thought you were as good as dead what with having to change locations every night last week."
"You'll probably still come to grief over that, Ryld," Tarlshi commented as he found a comfy spot on the floor. "You shouldn't have reacted to the insults they slung at us. They don't know any better."
"And I do?" Ryld gave a bleak chuckle. "I'm drow remember? Same as them."
"Not the same as them," Crinita murmured as she drifted into slumber. "The same as us. and you'll always remember it and this place."
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Please Read and review. I'd appreciate the input:-)