Chapter 16

Ryltar

It was several days later, and Linu and I had just made camp. As we settled down after eating I decided to ask her if she had seen anything related to the bluish glow which had overcome me on the Host Tower.

"Linu? A question." I said to her.

"Yes, dear Ryltar. What is it?" She said to me

Quickly looking her over I once more thought. "By the woods, she has got to be one of the most beautiful woman on all of this world."

"Well I was wondering. Right before you passed out, from Maugrim choking you. Did you happen to see any thing strange around my body? Like a bluish glow?" I asked.

"Bluish glow! Well... I'm not sure at that point. But now that you mention it I do remember back in the Neverwinter Woods. Shortly after you had "died" from the dagger to the heart your body had glowed a faint blue. I figured it was just stress getting to me and I said nothing about it to you. Why do you ask dear?" Linu explained to me.

"Well... It was strange just as I was about to accept Maugrim's offer to join the cult..." I started but Linu interrupted me.

"You were going to do WHAT! Ryltar you can't let me cause you to do things such as this. You must realize that there is always another way out of a situation. If there's not and it involves a stituation like the one you faced today. Promise me, dear... you'll let me die." Linu said quietly

"I can't promise that Linu. But please let me explain. Like you said there's always another way. Well that's what I did. As I was about to accept, a mysterious voice told me to use my emotoins to release a hidden power inside of me. When I saw you pass out I snapped. I leaped faster and stronger then I had ever been. My muscles strength increased, and my bones toughened. I flew across the Host Tower's roof faster then even I could comprehend. Let's just say Maugrim didn't' look to good when he teleported away." I finished explaining.

"Could you do it again?" Linu asked.

"I'm... I'm not sure. Let me try." I said. I once more tried calling up this power that the voice said I had. I felt a faint power increase inside of me, and a even faitner tint of a glow surround me but nothing else. Relaxing I said "I guess not. Let's hope that if I need it I can bring it forth when the time is right."

"Ok, dear." Linu said to me.

I moved over next to Linu and kissed her on the cheek. I laid back and stared at the growing night sky. Stars begain to appear as the sun set. I had picked an area near a stream but which contained a nice open field. Linu followed me and laid back as well.

"What are you thinking about, dear?" Linu asked me as she snuggled into my side.

"Us, what will happen if we find these Words of Power and put a stop to this Morag's plans. What will happen if we find Aribeth, and how we could convince her of the lies she is accepting. She sees us as only her enemies now. Whatever is controlling her is far beyond simple charm magic." I said running my left hand over my temple.

"I understand Ryltar. I see what you mean, especially with Aribeth. Let's not worry about that now however." Linu said running her hand across my chest.

I sighed and sat up enough to lean against the tree that was behind me. "I know that Linu. But Aribeth's betrayal weighs heaviy on me. The Spirit of the Woods, gave me chance to stop it. But Maugrim must have been watching me. Or he knew something like that might happen. If he had the power to trick even the Spirit... I shudder to think about how strong her actually is. I only was able to save you because he didn't expect my surge of energy, or attack. He'll be prepared for that now." I said sighing once more and looing at the sky. It was now more or less nighttime, and off in the distance I could hear crickets chirping, and a pack of wolves on the hunt.

"Ryltar, there's nothing more you could do. You even tried again at the Host Tower." Linu said trying to comfort me.

I smashed my hand against the grass. "Damnit! I know that. But it seems like I'm missing something." I said. Anger flowing through me.

"Ryltar calm yourself, please, dear. Gettting angry and something you can't change is useless. All we can do now is recover these Words of Power, and try to stop Maugrim and this Morag." Linu said leaning back against me. Her touch seemed to evaporate my anger. I sighed once more. And once more rubbed my temples and forehead. "I'm sorry Linu. I guess... I guess the pressure is getting the me." I laughed lightly saying. "Ok well let's say we beat the daylights out of Maurgrim and this Morag, and put a stop to whatever it is their planning. What do you want to do then? I mean about us." I said taking Linu's hand in mine.

"Ryltar... I... well I don't know. Not yet at least. It's... just well it's been only about a week since we found Syth's... remains. I well I don't know." Linu looked as though in lost.

I lifted up her face to fine. Tears rolled from her eyes. I wiped them away with my hand. Kissing her lightly I said. "Linu as I've said before. We're elves.We live for hundreds of years. We're both young by elven standards. So please don't rush on anything on my account." I said to her. "Please understand, when I asked about "us" I meant what we were going to do about you. You've acomplished all your reasons for coming out of Evermeet. I only figured that is where you would wish to head back to when this adventure was done."

"Oh... I see Ryltar." Linu said.

"Please understand Linu, I also meant us getting married at some point. But I was more concerned at this moment on what you planned after we defeated Morag and Maugrim." I said. Explaining myself.

"Well... your right. After this is all over I would like to return to Evermeet. But your wrong when you say that I have accomplished all my goals for leaving Evermeet." Linu said to me. "I was given a task from Sephanine Moonbow, when I first came into her service."

"How did you come into her service anyhow?" I asked. "And what is this task she wants you to do?"

Linu leaned back into my arms snuggling once more. "I'll tell you someother time dear. For now I just wish to rest." Linu said.

"Very well, my dear love Linu. Rest for now. I will keep watch tonight." I said laying my arm across Linu's body.

Within an hour Linu had fallen asleep in my arms. As the night darkened, I couldn't shake the feeling the the feeling that the peacefulness I felt now would be short lived. With this in mind I kept an even sharper watch for danger.

Three hours past midnight, Linu awoke, nothing had come near us except for a few smaller animals. "Alright, dear Ryltar. It's time for you to at least get some sleep." Linu told me.

Stretching I said. "Very well but only for two hours." laying my head back against the tree. I soon was fast asleep.

Dream

I awoke in an endless void of darkness. Nothing, was around me. I had the feeling of falling, but to where I could not tell. It remind me of the time I had vistied the Abyss, a plain often sought after by the drow. I had accidently ended up there, during a fight with a powerful mage. I barely escaped with my life. "I wonder if I ever did? Could everything I experienced up to this point be an illusion? Could what I'm experiencing now! Be real!" I thought. Before I could answer this huge qustion three spots of light, where they came from I didn't know, appeared before me. All three had three figures in them. They were from left to right, Mayra, Aribeth, and Linu. A fourth was shorouded in a greyier light off behind Aribeth. This from seemed most like me in appearance but I got a bad feeling radiating off of him. I "landed" near the Linu figure and said. "Linu? Aribeth? Mayra? Wha... How?... What's going on here?" I stammered.

"Ah, the choosen one arrives." The image of Aribeth said.

"Yes, he does. But does he know his reasons for being chossen?" The image of Mayra said.

The image of Linu looked at them both. "It matters, not if he knows or not. The point is he IS the choosen one."

"What do you mean choosen one?" I asked.

All three images spoke. "We mean, that you are the destined one who will save this land, and world from the return of the Old Ones."

"I would try to save this world even if I wasn't thise "Choosen One" you speak of." I said

"No, you would not have survived the tests. If you weren't." The image of Aribeth said.

"Test!" I said shocked.

"Yes, tests. The plauge in Neverwinter had two reasons for happening. Yes it was caused by the cult you are searchign for. But it was also used as a testsing ground, to prove to us that you were who we thought you were. It was also meant to strengthen you for the trials and journeys ahead of you." The image of Linu said.

"But what about this "power" that I have? This bluish glow. What is it?" I asked.

"It is a great power, that has been passed down through mortals throughout the ages. It's source is unknown. Not even the Gods themselves know where it came from." The image of Mayra said to me.

I looked behind them and glanced at the image of the cloaked figure. "And what is that figure behind you?" I asked.

The image of Linu turned and looked. "That? That is something you must be weary of. As with all great power in this world. Everything has a price. Every time your power is used, it draws a small amount of power to this being. As you can see it is weak." The image said, "Your power is a gift, and a curse. You can only use it in times of great stress, and need. However, there will come a point when you will have to face your most inner demon. When that time comes the fate of the world will hand in the balance. A great battle between you and this creature will occur."

"Is there anyway to weaken, or prevent his or it's coming? I do not wish to be the cause of the end of the world." I said.

The image of Aribeth turned to me. "Sadly no. Even if you found a way to refrain from using your gift. This creature as you put it, will only take longer to come around. At some point you WILL have to face him."

"But who is he?" I asked. "And how do I defeat him?"

The image of Mayra moved towards me. "Your only hope is to train yourself. Push yourself harder then you ever have before. As for who he is..." The dark figure moved up to me. I took a step back as his hood was lowered.

"Who am I?" It said as the hood was lowered. "I am you. What you would have become, SHOULD have become had you been like other drow." He poked me in my shoulder hard. Forcing me a back a step. "You would have been able to control the very fabric of time and space around you. Power beyond any Gods dream would have been yours... but it is still not to late." He reached out his hand to me. "Take my hand embrass me and all of exsistence will be yours."

I moved forward to him, "Sorry, but I've got to many people that are counting on me. Besides, I would never willingly perform evil acts." I said.

"No? Have you forgotten about the town of villagers you slaughtered? Tell me... do you think they would forgive you, if they were here now?" The image of myself asked.

"I... I was tricked. That... That's different. Different form willingly commiting the crimes. If I was given the chance to... to explain what happened. I'm... I'm sure some of them would forgive me, and if even ONE! would forgive me, then I know I'm not evil." I turned away from my darker image of myself. I looked at Aribeth, Linu, and Mayra. "Whoever you beings are. I will defeat this... this thing! I will save this world from a time of darkness and despair, even if it means my life."

"HAHAHA, your pathetic Ryltar." I turned back to my laughing dark form. "Look around you. These are the very SOULS! you killed in that village." I looked around to see sadden faces, but also filled with anger and the need for revenge. "Tell me just looking at them. Do they LOOK like they would forgive you? Why would you want to save a world that would hate you even AFTER everything you did?"

I looke at each face, each one I had killed. Despair overcame me, "I... You..." I shook the trick he was trying to pull on me off. I looked at the dark image of myself. "You want to know why! I'll tell you why! BECAUSE I'm NOT LIKE YOU!"

"No, but you could be. And will be, it's just a matter of time, and choices. I WILL be back." the dark image of myself faded away and I felt a part of me lighten.

"Excellent choose. Remember, for every time you use your powers, for good or evil purposes you stregten his power. But for Every time you commit evil acts even without your gift, you stregten him as well." The image of Linu said.

"So I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't right?" I said to them.

"Yes." The image of Aribeth said. "Your powers have been passed down through many eons of civilaztion, from race to race. But only those choosen by the power to save this world in times of great evil... or time of peace. Show any signs of there gift."

"Wait, your telling me this power can manifest itself in a choosen person, if the entire world is at peace?" I asked confused.

"Only if the person is a truly evil person. The gift becomes corrupt, and evil as the person who is gifted with it." the image of Mayra explained to me.

"I see. Very well, then I shall guard my soul against this." I said.

"You understand now choosen warrior. A final word of warning. Those the often travel with one such as you, rarely survive." The image of Linu said.

I felt the darkness once more overcome me as I woke. I shouted out. "Wait! Explain yourself!"

End Dream

"RYLTAR, dear are you ok? What's wrong?" Linu asked me rushing over to my side. I looked around and saw that I was indeed in the meadow we had settled down in again. I was leaning agaist the tree, the same tree I had fallen against when I slept. I looked at Linu. "I... I'm fine. I just had a bad dream. That's all." I said to Linu.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked me concerend.

"No, at leat not yet. I'm not sure if was even real." I said. I felt my stomach growl in hunger, as I smelled the food that Linu was cooking. "How long have I slept?" I asked.

"About five hours, give or take a few minutes." Linu said.

I grumbled. "I thought I said only two?" I said fakingly annoyance.

"You needed it, dear. Admit it." Linu said.

I stood up and stretched. "Yes, I suppose your right. Thank you for allowing me to rest as long as I did." I moved over to the pot of food. "MMMM, smells great. What is it?" I asked.

"Roast rabbit, with vegtables." Linu said smiling. "Lucky for you, I'm a great cook."

"Well, then, let's eat. Cause that dream, got me hungry." I said sitting down on a nearby rock.

Linu moved between the soup and me, she said. "Not till you tell me about this dream you had. I know it shook you up, it's important isn't? "

I sighed knowing she wouldn't let the issue drop till I told her. "Damn her and her charming ways!" I thouht. "Alright fine I'll tell you." I said. I quickly filled her in on what happened in the dream state, and what I had been told about me being "Choosen" for saving the world.

"Ryltar, that's wonderful, dear. But why do you still look troubled." She asked.

I told her about the dark side of me that I had seen as well, and that at some point I would have to battle it. Linu sat down next to me. She said. "Ryltar listen to my words. You are nothing like that image of you." I interrupted her. "But don't you see Linu? The "images" told me he was. The fact he is there troubles me. He is right about one point though. Had I stayed in the Underdark, were I like other drow. Well I shudder to think what I might have become, besides an assaisin."

"Well your not dear. So stop thinking about what if and concentrate on what you are." Linu said looking at me. She took her hands and held them to my face. "What you are is a kind hearted person. Who sacrifice yourself if it meant saving the world."

"Actually I'd that even if I wasn't saving the world." I said half jokingly.

"Alright, dear. Let's stop fooling around, and find those Words of Power. And put your statement to the test." Linu said to me.

I stood and said. Thrusting my left hand to the sky. "RIGHT! And while we're at it, We'll have a bake sale, and give the procedes to the poor."

"Only if I'm the one cooking and reciving the coin pieces." Linu said to me stiffling laugh from my pose.

"Then what am I doing?" I asked.

"You'll be carrying the baked goods for the elderly, dear." Linu said to me now laughing.

"Righto, let's get going." I said.

After an hour of packing and cleaning up the area we were in, Linu and I headed into The Craigs.

(A/N: WOOT! i'm done with chap 16. Just so those that asked know. For the fight that was on the Host Towers roof between Ryltar and Maugrim. Think DBZ fight scene. AND NO RYLTAR IS NOT GOKU. Quotes of wisdom: "Don't be a long tailed cat if you like rocking chairs.")