Jessi: Just one exam left on Friday and then it'll all be over... I'm so happy I could cry. Anyway I used this chapter to put some detail on the paladins' characters. For paladins they haven't come across as very religious :P
"We should stop for the night Vale," Keroigar turned to the elf. Every time he and his brother looked at the young cleric they were filled with an unnatural feeling of dread. There was something deeply unsettling about the dull, lustreless orbs that looked out from the shadow of her hood. The paladin swallowed deeply.
"It matters not," the elf tugged on the reins to make her horse stop, her voice emotionless. She remained absolutely still, head hanging down onto her chest.
It's nothing, the paladin thought to himself, she misses Chel... that's all...
Still he kept one eye on her as the three dismounted. Their chosen campsite was a stretch of grass that lead to a gently-sloping bank and a narrow stream. A cave was set a little way away.
Samera nodded to the dark entrance and drew his sword. Keroigar followed his twin up towards the cave.
"You think there may be monsters here?" Keroigar tucked a golden bang behind his ear- his hair was really due for a trim.
"Can't hurt to check," the other paladin touched his holy symbol and spoke a single word. Instantly a bright light shone forth, each of the nine stars in Mystra's holy symbol shedding their own radiance. The spell illuminated the entire chamber.
The search for monsters was forgotten by the sight of the creature that lay at the back of the cave. It wore a filthy, blood-stained robe and was curled up on its side, facing away from the paladins. It also had thick white hair, grown extremely long.
"I can't be..." Keroigar pushed past his brother and gently sat the slender figure up. The face had been torn away on one side but there was no mistaking the pale elf. It was Chel.
"Mother Mystra!" Samera leant closer to see the damage inflicted, whilst Keroigar summoned Mystra's power to use his healing ability.
The elf moaned in pain, the healing magic glowing brighter for a brief moment before vanishing without a trace.
"It didn't work?" Samera frowned, even on someone with this many wounds there should have been at least some improvement. He stretched out a hand to try with his own healing magic.
Chel's single remaining eye opened abruptly,
"No..." his chest heaved with pain and another cry escaped him.
"You have so many wounds," Keroigar gently lowered the wingless elf down, cushioning his head on the paladin's folded cloak, "We must use our healing magic."
"The collar!" Chel raised his unbroken hand, his urgent movements causing more and more agony to course through his body, "You must remove it!"
"The collar?" one paladin touched it, feeling immediately the wave of evil magic that emitted from the device. In one smooth movement he brought his sword down onto it.
The screech of metal on metal was the only result. Not even a scratch flawed the collar's surface. It would require more powerful methods to break it.
Keroigar carried the injured elf out of the cave and into the circle of nine candles. The image of Mystra's holy symbol was completed with curved lines flowing out from the centre made in the earth by the swords of both paladins and dusted with red powder.
The pale elf's eyes were closed tightly and his teeth were clenched as he suppressed his cries of pain. A short gasp managed to escape as he was set down in the centre of Mystra's holy symbol.
The paladins took up their positions facing each other on opposite sides. Vale hugged the shadows, hunched over in her cloak. She seemed a little distant considering who it was that was writhing in agony on the ground.
Both twins were now deep in meditation , swords laid out in front of them. The candlelight set the blades gleaming brightly in the night. Abruptly they began to speak in perfect synchronicity, their identical voices making it seem much more eerie.
"Mystra, Mother of the Weave, hear us," began the twins, "we, your humble mortal servants, have need of your mighty powers. Our minds are bared to you, no thought is secret, nothing is hidden from your sight. Mother Mystra, we beg you to take that which your power created. In your great wisdom we ask that you take back that which has been used for evil in your name.
"Mother Mystra, hear us. Mother Mystra, hear us. Mother Mystra, HEAR US," their voice rose into a sudden roar, repeating the same phrase over and over again.
The candle flames flared up suddenly, creating a circle of fire. A sound, not unlike a wet finger running along the rim of a wineglass, filled the air. Blue-and-silver radiance filled the air, flickering about the collar.
Deep within her shadows the young female watched, her eyes appearing a vivid green in the light. A strange expression crossed her face, almost as if in jealousy and her hands clenched into fists beneath the thick fabric of her cloak.
The ringing noise rose in volume, changing in a female voice singing to some strange and haunting tune. Lines of white fire rose from each of the candles, streaming down into the collar. Every rune, every twisted carving on the metal surface was brightly illuminated, growing brighter and brighter still.
Finally with a screech of tortured metal sounded the collar shattered.
The pale elf flung back his head and screamed, his back arching and his hair writhing about his head like a halo.
Then there was silence.
Both exhausted paladins staggered to Chel's side.
Ghostly silver radiance clung to him, outlining the almond shape of his closed eyes, his angular jaw and the torn Cupid's bow lips. The collar lay in pieces about him, scattered on the ground and amongst the long strands of his hair.
"It's done then," Keroigar looked across at his brother, then at the approaching elf, "Vale, we still might not be able to save him, his wounds are many and we've used up all of Mystra's favour today."
The elf put her head to one side as though she was considering something.
Deep within her prison Vale twisted in pain as her memories were rummaged through. The presence mercifully withdrew swiftly with an answer.
"His regeneration ability will save him," the toneless voice droned from underneath the hood, "He merely needs time to heal."
Samera nodded,
"We need time to rest Vale," he tossed her a thick roll of bandages, "cover his wounds and keep watch."
As the paladins stumbled off the body of Vale knelt and began to cut the robe away from Chel's slender frame.
The morning light shone onto the pale elf's face, waking him from his deep and dreamless sleep. He sat up, wincing at the pain from his sides.
As always his regeneration had been at work in his sleep, aiming for the simpler wounds first. The many deep gouges had gone, save for a few on his ribs and hips. His hair had grown back and his lips were whole.
More complex wounds and the regeneration of complete limbs took time and he left the bandages on his hand, face and back.
His bag of holding was nearby and Chel dressed. It was his usual attire, black robes that covered him from ankles to his neck, tightly belted about his waist. He kept his face in a blank mask even as the belt pressed down on his wounds. He threw on his cloak to cover the vacant slits in the back where his wings would have stuck through and drew the hood up to conceal his bandaged face.
None of his flesh was exposed. Everything that could be hurt was hidden and drawn in.
Limping he headed into the camp.
Chel raised his head at the paladin's greeting and lifted his hand in acknowledgement. A soft noise from the horses made him glance quickly in that direction. Having found no threat he turned back and...
He twisted around, his eyes wide and his hands going to his mouth. A familiar little figure had reached the camp, a narrow face looking out from beneath the hood framed with blond hair.
"Vale?" his voice was quiet, disbelieving, but at the same time, desperately wishing for it to be true. In his mind's eye he could see her bleeding and dying on a forest floor.
The head lifted.
"Vale!" he ran to her, flinging his arms about her. She was back, the little elf that he depended on so much. Everything was going to be alright, she was here, she was here, and it was all going to be fine.
Her slap came as a complete surprise to him and the push caught him off guard. Chel tumbled onto the ground and looked up at her, hurt in his eyes and her handprint a darker patch of silver on his pale cheek.
Jessi: Wow... this is a long chapter. The break must have been good for me.