(All the characters in this story are either my own EQ characters, my friend, Mikanna's, or NPCs. I don't own EQ, I just play. Please R/R. If this part seems disjointed, it sort of is. These are supposed to be seperate, sort of unconnected until the last few. But they will connect...eventually.)
As the sun set over the tree tops of the greater faydark, a young druidess by the name of Larah leaned against her stadd watching the sky. Sitting near her feet, his legs hanging over the edge of the platform was an armor clad man. In silence, he fiddled about with his finely crafted dagger which shone radiantly in the dying light.
"Something is amiss, Klarias, and I can't quite place what it might be."
"T'ain't anuthin' to worry 'bout. If anuthin' is gonna happen, ye know the Emerald Warriors'll see to it."
"Yes, I suppose."
She sat down beside him, leaning against him.
"Ye'd best be seein' to yer folk, Larah, Heartwood Master be lookin' for ye."
"What if I were to say that I don't want to go?"
Klarias laughed merrily and tucked his dagger into its bejeweled sheath.
"I ain't one what can make one like yerself, the noblelass and druidess ye are, do anuthin' what ye ain't wantin' to do but ain't yer folk gonna worry if ye ain't home afore dark?"
"I suppose you're right...Shall we meet here again tomorrow near to sunset?"
"Acourse, I'll be waitin' 'ere for ye, muh love."
"Rravenn!"
"Yes, sir?"
"How many times must I remind you that a dark elven noble such as yourself, and a mage at that should not be traipsing about with common, filthy humans?!"
"Sir, Rianum is not filthy. Neither is he common, he is a wizard."
The elder mage snorted loudly.
"All humans are filthy, disgusting creatures, Rravenn, you would do well to learn that. By all that is magical, soon you'll be going about with the accursed wood elves and high elves..."
Rravenn fumed silently, glaring at her teacher, her purple eyes piercing deep into his dark soul.
"I don't need you anymore, I don't need this mage hall or the library or even this city! I'll learn some other way, even if it means studying with the high elven in Felwithe!"
She turned and began to cast a gate.
"You're a fool, the brightest student I've ever had, but still a damned fool."
She turned back to him, as if to remark, but traveled through her gate instead. With a sigh, the young dark elf leaned against one of the felled trees and wondered what she had gotten herself into.
Ahloru stood doubled over in pain. Dead gnolls lay all around her feet and axe was still embedded in one's skull. She hated this feeling and half-heartedly wished her frenzy had lasted longer, at least in the heat of battle she felt no pain. Slowly, she straightened herself out and then reached for her axe. She grimaced as she lifted it.
"By the seventh hammer, that smarts." she muttered, rubbing her side gingerly.
Slowly, she trudged along until she saw a tunnel. This had to be it, the way out of this infernal rat warren. Silently, she thanked whomever in the great pantheon was listening and strode towards the opening. Light, blessed light, shone from the end of the tunnel. She nearly began to run, and then thought the better of it.
"The hills, Qeynos' that a way...boats there only take a fella to Erudin. A lass' got to get herself o'er to Freeport to be gettin' anywhere."
With a sigh, Ahloru trudged off, her axe slung to her back.
The sounds of a bustling city swirled around the young wizard as he sat in thought by the pond of the Academy of Arcane Sciences. He trusted Rravenn, he cared about her, he perhaps had even grown to love the young mage, but she was a dark elf and he was human. It could never work. He knew she had returned to Neriak after they had met in the forest and talked of many things. He couldn't help but wonder what had become of her. She had said she would return to him after she went to her teacher for a quick lesson, but she was no where to be found.
"Rianum! Rianum!"
"Aye?"
"One of the militia men saw your dark friend leaving the forest. She was headed this way."
"How long ago?"
"Not long."
"I'm leaving."
"I know."
Rianum stood and began to cast a portal to the edge of the city. He stepped through it and could see a person walking along the path. As he ran towards her, he realized she was running and there were other dark elves chasing her.
"RRAVENN!"
A sword caught her across the shoulder and she fell to the ground. Rianum managed to control his emotions just enough to cast a fireball at the dark elves and incinerate them.
"Rianum…"
Her voice was weak and he fell to his knees beside her, hugging her, comforting her and holding her against him.
"Please don't leave me, Rravenn."
A single High Elf walked along the path between Qeynos and Freeport. She hummed to herself softly as she walked.
"Almost there…," she muttered.
She smiled as she spotted the gates of Freeport but then she heard a voice.
"Please, please help!"
Mikanna turned quickly and began to run toward the origin of the voice.
"Where are you?"
"Please! Help her!"
A human wizard cradling in his arms a dark elven woman, the last thing Mikanna had expected to see when she had come to help. She stared for a moment, startled and then began to look the young woman over.
"A sword wound, magical blade…," A wave of her hand and the wound healed over, "Let her rest for a few days and she'll be fine."
"Thank you, thank you so much. How can I ever repay you?"
"No need to thank me, just doing my duty, cleric and all that, you know."
The wizard was now staring at her.
"Do you, uh, need any help in the city? I live there and can offer my services as a guide."
"No, no, I've been here many a time. But, if you can get me ship passage, I'd be very grateful."
"I have a friend…in the shipping business..." muttered the dark elf, "He can get you passage anywhere you may wish to go."
The wizard stood, helping the woman to her feet and supporting her.
"My name is Rianum Magefyre and this is Rravenn D'—"
"I have no last name..."
"I am Mikanna LaVirtue, of Qeynos."
Together, they walked into the city gates and headed for the docks.
