Carefully placing his delicate flute case into one of his two packs, Brand
tightened the strings on the top and closed the bag. Beside him, Slith was
shoving his belongings in two bags of his own; the iksar was so excited
about going with Brand. It had been exactly one week since the day Brand
arrived in Kelethin. The elf-elf stood, sighed, and started to make his
rounds to say good-bye to everyone.
"I've already sssaid farewell to my family and friendsss, ssso it'sss jussst you that isss delaying our leaving." Slith straightened his back and yawned.
"I'm on my way, don't rush me." Brand rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Waiting outside their home, Slith's family said their good-byes to the half-elf, wished him good travels and said to visit back soon. Brand departed from their large home with an armload of provisions and gifts. Stopping only for a quick moment to pack his new supplies, Brand headed towards the Liltreehuggr house to say his farewell's there.
Joshua, his wife, and his two daughters stood with yet more gifts for him. After having Birria hug him for the hundredth time and Kayla kiss him on the cheek once more, Brand followed Joshua who motioned him into the house. Crossing to a locked chest in the corner, Joshua opened it and slowly pulled out a sheathed sword. He got up and handed the long blade to the bard.
"I've noticed you carried no weapon.so here. I want you to be safe in your journeys."
"I carry my small dagger...sometimes." Brand added.
"This is Albain's sword. I found it when I found his and Caleb's bodies in the forest." Joshua let out a sigh.
"Thank you." Was all Brand could say in return.
"Be safe my lad." Joshua clapped the younger elf's shoulder and the two walked back outside.
A short time later, Brand and Slith were traveling through the Greater Faydark towards the Butcher Block Mountains where they would take the boat to wherever they wanted to go. Slith began to hum a quite awkward song that Brand had never heard before. He quickly took out his small book and began to copy down the notes Slith hummed. Slith changed his humming in pitch and the song now sounded beautiful to the half-elf's ears.
"What do you call this tune you hum?" Brand held his quill, ready to jot down the title.
"I made it up. It'sss about Lorilie." Slith bowed his horned head.
Biting his bottom lip hardly, Brand slowly wrote "Lorilie's Song" over the notes he just copied down. He pushed his small book and quill into his pocket, hauled his packs higher up his back, and continued their walk. Slith did not resume his humming; he did not want to hurt Brand. A strong breeze picked up and swirled clusters of leaves around the two's heads.
Jumping in front of the two friends, two dark elves blocked the road. The one-eyed female held a dagger in each hand, while the male held his palms up. "Let us pass." Brand growled and pulled out Albain's sword. "I know who you two fiends are.Victoria and Vinx."
Slith stared at Brand confused. "How did you know?"
"Because Victoria and I used to work for Albain years ago." He glared at the dark elf.
"Wait." Slith turned to Victoria. "Aren't you Valamora'sss lossst daughter?" the iksar asked.
"I'm not lost, but yes I am her daughter. Just as you are Mirk's pathetic son." She sneered.
"Let's just get this over with." Vinx snarled and began to chant.
Brand leapt forward in attempt to slice Vinx with his sword, but Victoria intercepted him with her daggers. She twirled around and tried to stab the bard. Slith brought his staff down on her shoulder, causing her to stumble and cower behind Vinx. Finally, the enchanter finished his spell and shot it at the two in front of him. Brand and Slith flew back ten feet and rolled over on the ground.
Lightning shot from the sky and hit Victoria, but missed Vinx by just inches. The enchanter grinned evilly, pulled out a vile, and raced off into some nearby trees. Victoria shakily got to her feet and slowly crossed to the two on the ground. She kicked each one hard in the stomach before chasing off after Vinx.
"What wasss that about?" Slith coughed.
"I don't know."
A scream erupted din the forest making startled birds fly out of their nests in the tress and circled above. The two dark elves returned, but in between them an unconscious wood elf was dragged. Brand's heart stopped. It was Lielay.
"Release her!" Brand jumped to his feet.
"Stand back half-breed." Vinx tossed a rolled piece of paper to him. "Take that to Lielay's brother and tell him that his sister is powerless now." Vinx threw back this head in laughter.
"You ssstole her powersss?" Slith gasped.
"Yes. I was given an extraordinary potion form my new employer that if drunken, the victim's powers are lost forever." The dark elf persistent his grinning.
"And Lielay drank it." Victoria's daggers disappeared from her hands.
"Be sure to take that scroll to her brother." Vinx mumbled a few simple words and he, Victoria, and Lielay were gone.
Without a word to Slith, Brand grabbed his packs and as fast as he could, started running towards Kelethin. Slith too took his packs and followed behind. Brand's pants snagged on the underbrush, but he just ignored it as he dodged trees and jumped over small bushes.
Not even stopping to tell the guard his name, Brand ran onto the lift and pushed down the lever to carry his up to the main platforms. Scampering over the edge before the lift was even level with the platform, Brand raced to the Liltreehuggr house as he pushed past wood elves.
Knocking franticly on the locked door, Brand shouted for Joshua to answer. Moments later, Joshua opened the door and tried to make out what the bard was saying. "Lielay's been kidnapped and her druid powers are gone!" Brand finally spat out. He handed Joshua the scroll as Slith ran up behind and panted beside Brand.
Tearing the letter open, the wood elf quickly read what was written. Joshua growled and crumbled the paper into a ball. He then tossed it as far as he could over the ledge. Brand was still catching his breath when Slith straightened up and spoke. "What did it sssay?"
"Did anyone ever tell you the story of how Albain saved Lielay's life from a crazed high elf named Papsworth?" Joshua inhaled deeply.
"I remember Caleb telling me sssomething about that?" Slith said.
"That letter was from that same high elf, Papsworth. It said that he is finally avenging his old master by taking Lielay. He wrote that if we want Lielay back a rescue team must go to the Freeport Arenas." Joshua yelled a curse.
"I'm going." Brand finally spoke.
"Asss will I." Mirk came up behind them and said.
"Well, I'm going too." Slith stood beside his father.
"You can't leave me." Kel trotted out of the house.
"We leave today." Joshua growled again.
"You're not coming Jossshua." Mirk stepped forward. "You have a family to take care of here. Leave thisss missssssion to usss. I can get help in Freeport."
Joshua didn't say anything for a minute or so. "I trust you four. Bring back Lielay safe."
"Don't worry Joshua. We will all come back safe." Brand turned on his heel and headed to the lift with his three companions trailing behind.
"I've already sssaid farewell to my family and friendsss, ssso it'sss jussst you that isss delaying our leaving." Slith straightened his back and yawned.
"I'm on my way, don't rush me." Brand rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Waiting outside their home, Slith's family said their good-byes to the half-elf, wished him good travels and said to visit back soon. Brand departed from their large home with an armload of provisions and gifts. Stopping only for a quick moment to pack his new supplies, Brand headed towards the Liltreehuggr house to say his farewell's there.
Joshua, his wife, and his two daughters stood with yet more gifts for him. After having Birria hug him for the hundredth time and Kayla kiss him on the cheek once more, Brand followed Joshua who motioned him into the house. Crossing to a locked chest in the corner, Joshua opened it and slowly pulled out a sheathed sword. He got up and handed the long blade to the bard.
"I've noticed you carried no weapon.so here. I want you to be safe in your journeys."
"I carry my small dagger...sometimes." Brand added.
"This is Albain's sword. I found it when I found his and Caleb's bodies in the forest." Joshua let out a sigh.
"Thank you." Was all Brand could say in return.
"Be safe my lad." Joshua clapped the younger elf's shoulder and the two walked back outside.
A short time later, Brand and Slith were traveling through the Greater Faydark towards the Butcher Block Mountains where they would take the boat to wherever they wanted to go. Slith began to hum a quite awkward song that Brand had never heard before. He quickly took out his small book and began to copy down the notes Slith hummed. Slith changed his humming in pitch and the song now sounded beautiful to the half-elf's ears.
"What do you call this tune you hum?" Brand held his quill, ready to jot down the title.
"I made it up. It'sss about Lorilie." Slith bowed his horned head.
Biting his bottom lip hardly, Brand slowly wrote "Lorilie's Song" over the notes he just copied down. He pushed his small book and quill into his pocket, hauled his packs higher up his back, and continued their walk. Slith did not resume his humming; he did not want to hurt Brand. A strong breeze picked up and swirled clusters of leaves around the two's heads.
Jumping in front of the two friends, two dark elves blocked the road. The one-eyed female held a dagger in each hand, while the male held his palms up. "Let us pass." Brand growled and pulled out Albain's sword. "I know who you two fiends are.Victoria and Vinx."
Slith stared at Brand confused. "How did you know?"
"Because Victoria and I used to work for Albain years ago." He glared at the dark elf.
"Wait." Slith turned to Victoria. "Aren't you Valamora'sss lossst daughter?" the iksar asked.
"I'm not lost, but yes I am her daughter. Just as you are Mirk's pathetic son." She sneered.
"Let's just get this over with." Vinx snarled and began to chant.
Brand leapt forward in attempt to slice Vinx with his sword, but Victoria intercepted him with her daggers. She twirled around and tried to stab the bard. Slith brought his staff down on her shoulder, causing her to stumble and cower behind Vinx. Finally, the enchanter finished his spell and shot it at the two in front of him. Brand and Slith flew back ten feet and rolled over on the ground.
Lightning shot from the sky and hit Victoria, but missed Vinx by just inches. The enchanter grinned evilly, pulled out a vile, and raced off into some nearby trees. Victoria shakily got to her feet and slowly crossed to the two on the ground. She kicked each one hard in the stomach before chasing off after Vinx.
"What wasss that about?" Slith coughed.
"I don't know."
A scream erupted din the forest making startled birds fly out of their nests in the tress and circled above. The two dark elves returned, but in between them an unconscious wood elf was dragged. Brand's heart stopped. It was Lielay.
"Release her!" Brand jumped to his feet.
"Stand back half-breed." Vinx tossed a rolled piece of paper to him. "Take that to Lielay's brother and tell him that his sister is powerless now." Vinx threw back this head in laughter.
"You ssstole her powersss?" Slith gasped.
"Yes. I was given an extraordinary potion form my new employer that if drunken, the victim's powers are lost forever." The dark elf persistent his grinning.
"And Lielay drank it." Victoria's daggers disappeared from her hands.
"Be sure to take that scroll to her brother." Vinx mumbled a few simple words and he, Victoria, and Lielay were gone.
Without a word to Slith, Brand grabbed his packs and as fast as he could, started running towards Kelethin. Slith too took his packs and followed behind. Brand's pants snagged on the underbrush, but he just ignored it as he dodged trees and jumped over small bushes.
Not even stopping to tell the guard his name, Brand ran onto the lift and pushed down the lever to carry his up to the main platforms. Scampering over the edge before the lift was even level with the platform, Brand raced to the Liltreehuggr house as he pushed past wood elves.
Knocking franticly on the locked door, Brand shouted for Joshua to answer. Moments later, Joshua opened the door and tried to make out what the bard was saying. "Lielay's been kidnapped and her druid powers are gone!" Brand finally spat out. He handed Joshua the scroll as Slith ran up behind and panted beside Brand.
Tearing the letter open, the wood elf quickly read what was written. Joshua growled and crumbled the paper into a ball. He then tossed it as far as he could over the ledge. Brand was still catching his breath when Slith straightened up and spoke. "What did it sssay?"
"Did anyone ever tell you the story of how Albain saved Lielay's life from a crazed high elf named Papsworth?" Joshua inhaled deeply.
"I remember Caleb telling me sssomething about that?" Slith said.
"That letter was from that same high elf, Papsworth. It said that he is finally avenging his old master by taking Lielay. He wrote that if we want Lielay back a rescue team must go to the Freeport Arenas." Joshua yelled a curse.
"I'm going." Brand finally spoke.
"Asss will I." Mirk came up behind them and said.
"Well, I'm going too." Slith stood beside his father.
"You can't leave me." Kel trotted out of the house.
"We leave today." Joshua growled again.
"You're not coming Jossshua." Mirk stepped forward. "You have a family to take care of here. Leave thisss missssssion to usss. I can get help in Freeport."
Joshua didn't say anything for a minute or so. "I trust you four. Bring back Lielay safe."
"Don't worry Joshua. We will all come back safe." Brand turned on his heel and headed to the lift with his three companions trailing behind.
