Chapter 1: The Trials of the Elements

Well look now, mid-travels I find me some recording materials. I had to start this much after I had already taken care to attempt to gain and audience with our esteemed host. But to keep this all in order I shall, work our way to this point. Doing so requires me to inform you of our misadventure at the beginning of the quest. This occurred because one who is tainted with lesser blood had a severe memory lapse concerning the proper pool to jump into first...

The pure randomness of this plane was a joy to me. We started off high atop a mesa that overlooked the land. To get anywhere we had to move through tunnels. "Ohhh scary tunnels." These one were interesting enough to curl your toes. The high winds caused a cacophony of mind-numbing noise. Lesser souls could quite possibly be driven mad by the sheer random nature of the sounds emitted by it.

It seems impossible to think that this wind could carry all sound at once, but it did. Actually concentrating on its separate parts at the time of being subjected to it is impossible. But reflecting on its separate parts now, it is easier to pick it apart.

Think of a melody and then another. Now amplify and make them echo around together. Add one or two more that are in discord with those and you begin to understand why the weak minded would break.

But that is just the surface of the howling winds. Add to it a dozen different conversations in every conceivable language. Some in a hyper-paced version others at normal speed and some painfully slow. Pitched in ranges from tear producing bass to ear-bleeding soprano. Add as well the sounds of all creatures and sounds of nature, from the chirp of the cricket to the crash of thunder, each amplified to its greatest annoying level and cadence.

Greater people have gone mad with the mere constant drip of water hitting them on the forehead.. But, amazing enough, our group managed to survive it without being too much the worse for wear.

Now keep in mind, as I actually get into this story that it is extremely difficult to hear. But despite that I was still able to inspire my comrades to greatness in battle. Hmm...I'll have to remember to write a song about that later, it may not rhyme but it doesn't really need to.

We were walking when four figures galloped towards us. They resolved themselves into creatures that you would expect the Heralds of Hell to be riding. Their coats were as dark as the deepest Darkflame. Their eyes of a matching hue with a pinprick of flame at the center. The quartets manes, tails and hooves, all burned with the heat of sapphire flames. Needless to say, they were itching for a fight.

The group did quite well against them. There were those of us who could not keep a grip on our blades. Tarajae, our token sailor and cleric, couldn't seem to keep her bearings long enough to find hers. This was after she finally realized that her crossbow wouldn't work because of the winds. The winds had to be working a number on her mind.

I am ashamed to say that the winds tore 'Flickering Edge' from my unprepared hand. However, I was able to recover her and get back into the fray. Some fancy acrobatics put me behind Tarl. He was the first to receive the joy of the song I wove. Then Fuji gained its pleasure. That is only after I had tumbled myself to a position on the ceiling. Needless to say, gravity is pretty interesting there. It is once I was there that I made a great symphony play. The flames of the Nightmares own body created a sound so beautiful it would have brought tears to even the most hardened creatures eyes. Unfortunately that same creature would have to have been well within the striking distance of the ebon equines to hear it. That is why the pull of the realm was so important. I was able to get close enough to my traveling partners and the creatures without chancing being struck by them.

At some point we had also seen a great undead creature. A Giant of sorts. Luckily for us, he believed that he was an elf and he needed his lost bow to enter the afterlife. Fuji pointed him in a direction away from where we were headed. The trip to Windblown was uneventful after that.

Once arriving there we found our inn by looking for signs. There were plenty pointing the way to the Scaly Dog. We entered and it took about an hour, give or take a flame-length, for Fuji and Tarl to figure out how to procure a room. The barkeep spoke in a kind of garbled language. I could not really afford one, as it would have left me without a means of getting anything once we got out of here. Couldn't even get a decent glass of wine due to the prices. So if you ever find yourself in Pandemonium, take a hefty amount of coins with you. Anyway, I ended up staying in the common room all night.

I had first believed that I sat in a solid corner to survey the comings and goings. There was a hodgepodge group in the place. Angels and devils would sit side by side playing a good game of cards. Enemies would just drop their grudges with one another, while bosom friends would slit each other's throats over a missed greeting. Even more interesting was when the keep came over and asked me if I wanted a drink. That is when the door became apparent; the top half swinging away from me. I indicated no and made sure to keep a better eye out near to me. The kicker is that later I was asked to open the window. It was right where the door had been. What a great place of random chance, it was so wonderful to me. Things did become more interesting when the others came down later on.

We were discussing how to find our way out of here and then how to find the correct pools for the challenges. I do not quite remember at what point that the devilish figure entered in on it. He did give us the information we needed, for a fee of course, but it proved accurate. He delivered it to us dry so I'll spice it up a bit.

Mossy granite will lead you to many an earthy grave

The path to wooden wonder

Leads from a great mahogany,

Two there are of the shade of blue

Water and Air they are

The former of its darkest depth

The latter as pale as daylight sky,

Of spirit he did mention

But wished to bleed for more

So it was we refused him

And found them on our own.

Not very good but a bit more flavor than what he gave it. He also told us where the exit to the astral plane was from there. We had to jump into an ale barrel in the basement.

Once back out on the astral plane, we found the closest portal. It happened to be to the plane of earth. The trip around there involved a load of digging. Our mission was to "find metals true heart" and that is all we were given to go on. So we would dig and rest and dig and rest. We lost track of how long we were there. There was one rest period that really stuck with me. Mainly because I had contact with "Boss" again and it got interrupted...

I had drawn last watch and, as usual, passed out in short order after digging my nitch. I wasn't asleep long when a hand clamped over my mouth. I was standing. The harsh voice in my ear was enough to set me at ease.

You are proving to be difficult to track 'Staci'. I was briefly taken aback at the name he had called me. It was a name I knew, but only a piece of it. A pet name if you will. It was that name, the way he said it, and the heat of his breath tickling my ear that caused me to shiver.

The hand that covered my mouth slid to my shoulder to turn me. The fact that I had to tilt my head to meet his eyes threw me. The way I saw it we were about the same height.

Somewhere in my thought his hands had moved to tenderly frame my face. I reached for his wrists and removed them gently. You look for me the way you remember me hunter. That is what throws you. See me as I am and find me quicker. I took a step back, just to put me beyond his fingertips and waited.

He closed his eyes and that telltale tic at his jaw gave away his concentration. It stopped as he relaxed. Then, when he opened his eyes, he realized how off he had been. Though my coloration had stayed the same, he had failed to let time work on me in his mind. He now stood corrected that I was no longer a girl on the cusp of becoming a woman.

There was a tentative touch, almost as if I were as fragile as a magma bubble. What's wrong un...?"

I was cut off by a crushing hug. Don't ever call me that again. It always has sounded wrong coming from you. His embrace loosened and I felt him stroke my hair.

I drew a deep breath, as to speak and felt a silencing finger on my lips.

I did not choose to come back the second time for your mother child. Most definitely not for her. One of his metallic fingers traced my jawbone. His other arm encircled my waist. He propelled me to walk with him. He kept talking. The things he was talking about made some but truly little sense to me. They were things that I had a sneaking suspicion he'd told me before but I just couldn't remember right now.

As we continued our way through the rocky caverns that made up my current thought scape, I became apprehensive. Wherever he was leading me was not somewhere I wanted to be, but I wished to remain with him. Then I finally noticed it, the ground had changed. The crunch of gravel gave way to the softer sound of snow crunching.

I began to shrink away toward the real heat of the tunnels behind us. My teeth began to chatter and I began to shiver. Despite his warming presence next to me, I bolted. I made it far enough away to begin to feel myself thaw before he caught me. He wrapped me in living-metal arms. "What is it?"

Vaguely remembered details surfaced and clashed with what I now saw. This man never talked so much in the time I had known him. When he did it was short and to the point and often in a tone so cold that even mother would have shrunk from him. Now here he was all warm, tender, and even caring. Gentle hands and loving arms were not to be expected. "Why now?' I thought.

The familiar smirk was felt against my hair. 'It wasn't appropriate then.' Was his non-verbal reply. He then whipped me around and kissed me.

It was certainly a surprise, but I recovered quickly. It felt right, so I relaxed into it. The more I relaxed the more I felt. It took me a few moments to realize that we were sharing. About the time I did there was a curious snuffle...

I sprang from my nook, blade at the ready. My heart was racing and I felt lightheaded. The tail end of a wake up was all that I heard as the weasels sprang away from me. Tarl soon after befriended one of them. He bribed them with one of the gems that I was carrying and a small bit of rangery spell craft. It did make the digging easier plus the weasels helped us by sniffing out our goal. That sped up our journey nicely. The roof of the tunnel did cave in on us once. We got away from that with a couple of gems that were on the desiccated remains. One was something that no one in the group had ever seen before; it's amazing what those squid-heads will find when left to hunt unchecked. Huh…how did I know what it was?…anyway…

Brigid woke up from one exhausted slumber and was able to give us a direction to the nearest portal. It didn't go to the astral plane, but at least it got us out of the dirt. Its direction was the positive energy plane...

There was a blinding light. Once my vision cleared, I discovered that we were in the middle of a star, or so it seemed. The disembodied voice rang clear, "interesting, you have made your choice. Find the one negative aspect." She, who is so often lost and confused, tried to detect our portal out of here. She ended up blinded. I handed her my darklenses. Luckily Brigid still had the sense enough to know when we had stumbled into an animation pocket. Unfortunately, it was well after the fact. Fujiwara was struggling with his money belt and one of my daggers got a distinctly 'common thug' attitude.

I figured that it would be a good thing to help Fuji try to breath so I went to cut the belt off.

"I'll cut you." It kept saying in its street thug voice.

"Hey do you want to remain alive?" I tried to reason with it. Its only answer was to swing again. I resorted to pulling its twin to defend myself. I eventually shattered it. About that time Fuji began an interesting shuffling hop-run and Brigid apparently regained her sight. She returned the darklenses, unimpressed by their novelty.

A little while later a citadel appeared in the distance. We made our way here. Hey it was rather short and uneventful, hah. The others tried to get us in here and failed miserably. They had confused the servants by stating our business in the realm. Quite the pity, you would think a former slave herself would have remembered the rule when dealing with servants. Keep things short and simple, if you have other reasons for being in a place, seek out the people in charge. Anyway I ended up getting us shelter. I first wrote a letter to the master of the keep before I sat to write this. I just hope we get an answer.

I suppose that now is a good time to reflect on my travel companions.

Fujiwara: An interesting person indeed. He comes from a culture that has a high sense of honor, much like my people. Though there is a niggling doubt in my mind that says a man like him, being human, runs roughly on par with the half bloods that run with is as well. He does have that redeeming quality in him though it is also a fault. Honor. Question or know how to manipulate it to better advantage, oh the joys of that. Human cur has yet to prove he is worthy of my presence. At least he is good for soaking up hits in a fight. Huh? Where did that come from?

Brigid: Uggh, smart as me, if not smarter I am loathe to say, but no clue how to glean an answer from her vast amounts of facts and figures. No wonder though, the poor girl came from the imperium. They don't usually train their slaves so well, but when they do they don't usually teach them the proper questions to ask themselves. At least that seems like a pretty good guess on my part being that I have never been there and never plan to. Maybe I should pity her then. With a little guidance she could easily replace the guardians. Especially that really annoying one...yet again I digress into something and feel my hand grow cold. I need to watch that. Going into another cold snap with my current company wouldn't be a good thing. They probably wouldn't know how to handle it...

Tarajae: Ahh. Haven't gotten to know her really well. She keeps mostly to herself or only associates with Brigid in low foreign tones. Amazing that she could remember how to translate…sorry wrong subject. But like I said, Tara keeps mainly to herself. She is a Sailor from the Emerald Isles is all I can put my money on. The number of half-breeds seems excessively great in this group...

E: Speaking of the bunch here is another. She's even quieter than Tara. Don't think that I will be trying to wheedle anything out of these two. Though the three of them should make good...there it goes again and it is starting to shoot up my arm. Well there is a knock at the door; I'll be back shortly...

Hmm, that was a load of fun, nothing like talking to an amorphous light. That was the most entertainment that I've had all trip though. Brigid abased herself in front of it. She was in awe to be in its presence. Even decided to name the jewel we had found after it. "The Gem of the One" or some such. Though she did not think of it herself, guess who suggested it.

Anyway, I made an inquiry about my ring. I received essentially no help. Told me that I had to discover the meaning on my own. No big deal, I just have to brave the storm associated with it. I don't quite feel ready for that though.

Fuji has an interesting pastime. The servants showed him how to slide down the spiral stair. He just needs to learn to stop before he breaks himself beyond repair. Humans, they already live so short a span, yet they insist on doing things that can shorten it so significantly. Why?

Their choice. Not that it is much of a loss though. Not being able to remember is though. I guess that I will have to start on that when I get the time. Speaking of time, the hour grows late. I need some rest.

This has been a good bit in coming, but between the negative energy plane and growing these plants here I've been terribly busy. Never thought growing things would be so much work. But I do get ahead of myself. All needs to be in order and we did go to the negative plane before coming to the wood.

There was a funny glitch here though. Our task was not given to us until after we had fought a battle. The vampires were a trip. Brigid stood point blank firing magic missiles and Fuji and I were busy slicing the things up.

Until that fight I'd forgotten the capabilities of some of the greater undead. The first hit rattled it loose. The second one drove it home. Nothing like a sudden bout of weakness to cause a person to remember something vital to survival. Poor Brigid took her fair share of hits. I am quite surprised that she did not collapse from fatigue.

Once we were finished our objective was given to us. "Find the one thing that lives in death. "There was a knowing that came with this one as well, a sense that it was a tangible object that we were hunting for.

There was a very interesting place there. To respect something we were told; I will leave that out. Suffice it to say that we found who we were looking for, I got another cold shoulder from someone. This person also called young ones lazy. I took it in stride. Suffice it to say that I have started on that myself, here and now I am slowly uncovering that which was forcibly hidden about my past, but yet again I get ahead of myself, though only slightly.

We went from the negative to the astral and from there; we came here to the plane of wood. Now what we were told to do was "Grow one of each element." So we compiled a list of what plants reminded us most of an element. Each of us chose one of the plants to grow and Fuji took a moment to teach me a meditation technique. It is that which I have been using to regain my self from before.

So when I wasn't busy with nurturing my nightshade, I would meditate, contemplate what I saw inside while walking, jot note on it, or even just narrate it to the plant. I actually slept as little as necessary.

The points when I did sleep brought an occasional "visit' from the others that I was beginning to know. My meditations have been useful it letting me recognize them as well as one or two places. That crack has been ever widening as well, it has been slow and painful at times, but very rewarding. One of the two places I remember much more clearly than the other...maybe because that is where a majority of the memories I've recovered have taken place...

Of all the times I had been in it, this was the only one it hadn't been impeccably kept. It was also the only one that more than a handful had been allowed in at once. I had bounded in like I usually did, ignoring the little edge of wrongness that was eating at me, stopping short as I saw mother and a number of other clerics working hurriedly to stem some serious bleeding. One commented off hand' "really wish that the surgical suite was operational."

It was some never-seen-before piece being added to the hospice building. Mother insisted that would help with the conservation of healing spells for those who needed them. I just thought that she was beginning to go mad from planes hopping. "Apparently they could use it now though." I thought as another blood soaked bandage landed in the congealing pile by the bed.

The clergy's movements obscured my view of the bed. A few chance snatches revealed a skin tone that rivaled in paleness to my own. That caused me to back up in shock. That is when mother had noticed me. "Get Anastasia out of here!" She ground out between clenched teeth. It was a telling thing. She hardly ever lost her temper, so however this happened had really pissed her off.

One of the attendants escorted me back to my rooms. I didn't get to see Kox again for several days. When I did we were at court and he was receiving yet another award from mother. The team that had helped her received medals as well.

There was a telltale glint when he knelt. It naturally drew my eye. His hands were metallic! My breath caught in my throat as I tried to picture what could have possibly done this to him. Then a sudden visual came to me. It was too bright to make them out as more than shadows, but my anger grew as the forms dissipated. How dare...

That is where that memory concludes for me. The rage it invoked in me had pushed me out and I haven't had the nerve to go further into it than that.

There was another, maybe a month after the first that was more of a mix of happiness and fright. I had always loved going flying with mother. She was not able to do it often, so when she did it was special to me. What I didn't realize was that this was going to be a crash course in survival techniques...

We had bundled up against the cold of the upper heights. Frosh did not come down to the upper courtyard often; usually it constituted an emergency when she did. So it was that mother and I had gone to her cave at the mountain's summit.

We weren't there long before the massive dragon lumbered her way out of the cave. They greeted one another as they often did, silently and rather unnervingly. Then mother bounded onto the great white's back. She always rode just tethered to Frosh. Kept telling me that it was better that way, just in case she had to bail off quickly. Then she lowered a bit of rope to aid me in getting on. I just didn't have the springiness that she did.

Once we were both on, Frosh slid over the edge of the cliff and glided along the mountain until she caught an updraft. She certainly was graceful for her size. We danced in the air for quite some time. This way and that, swooping and looping around. I never felt my rope loosen.

I didn't panic when I started to fall. Mother had made sure that we were wearing parachutes. That Is something that she picked up on one of her dimension hopping trips. She taught us how to use them. Wouldn't do for the royal family to all die in a freak flying accident. So I pulled the cord.

The jerk was never a pleasant thing to experience. Something akin to coming to a dead stop while you are running in boots of speed, but at least once it is over you can concentrate enough to cast a spell or two before you hit ground. I usually did to make the landing that much softer.

I had barely hit the ground when Frosh swooped overhead. She had a distinct predatory gleam in her eye. That is when I got an eerie feeling.

I ditched my chute and ran. Dodging trees and attempting not to slip on the crusty snow, as the chunks of ice began to hit around me, I realized that mother had been planning this little piece of training for quite some time. Something hit near me and did not shatter. A pack. No doubt with the barest minimum of supplies in it. I'd get it later, right now I had to find a place to hide from a dragon with permission to hunt...

Mother had done a good job on this one. I spent several days figuring out which way to go. It was the dead of winter and she had dropped me in the middle of a forest. I had been given a weeks worth of food and water. But no clothing, spell book or even a simple pair of sunglasses to block the glare of the sun.

Needless to say, I had one killer of a migraine and no way to rid myself of it. I was dirty and ripe and nearly frozen. That made me a very angry princess indeed.

I let that anger fuel me. I traveled after dark most of the time. One it was easier on my eyes. Two it afforded me some cover. But mostly I could get my bearings much easier. The mountain seemed to have a slight glow to it that made it easier to pick out.

So it was that two weeks after mother had dropped me, I shuffled into the vicinity of the castle. I did not head for my rooms. My instincts directed me elsewhere. I stumbled and fell. Someone caught me; they began to carry me toward the main castle. I began to fight them.

They dropped me and I struggled to pull myself toward the barracks. It was slowly becoming harder to do so. I was too damnably cold. My muscles did not want to respond. Arms wrapped around me again, I attempted to fight. Then I felt that I was being taken the direction I wanted to, so I ceased my twitching.

There was a gentle brush in my mind. It wasn't some one I was used to, but they were there and gone so quickly that I supposed that it was just to assure themselves that my spirit had not moved on. I was spooked to say the least about it, but this person was taking me where I wanted to be. Where I would be safe beyond the shadow of any doubt I could possibly harbor.

I knew when we arrived. The smell alone was enough. The overpowering scent of the cleaner could not hide his underlying one. I had a vague sense of others in here. People that did not belong, and he was not. There conversation drifted to me as if on the breeze…

The door banged open. "You brought her here!" came a female voice that positively should not have been in the area in my opinion.

Her highness fought me tooth and nail when I tried to take her elsewhere."

Someone else hissed through his or her teeth. That much is obvious. Might want to have the healers take a look at that eye Synth.

I just might, if your ladyship doesn't mind tending to the little one here. I might even bring them back. He shot at them as they came over to help. There was a reassuring warmth that I felt as he left the room, as if to say I'll bring one anyway. then he was gone.

This is where I drifted in and out. There was much jostling as my garments were removed. Then I was cleaned and dried and finally wrapped into a chair near the fire.

When I was not aware of there, I seemed to be in a room with no doors and no windows. I sat on a pile of shredded tapestries. I thought what a mess to clean up. and it was my job to do so. The layers of dust in the room were enough to choke the mites. I sorted and resorted things that seemed like a flicker. Then I cleaned up the dust I was swimming in. I realized that I had nowhere to dump it, thought a window would be nice, and then there was one. I opened it briefly and emptied the contents of the dustpan.

There was a brief sense of shock and I was back in my nearly frozen body. Soaking up the heat and listening to another heat nearby,

"Everybody out." A door slammed. There was some quick spell casting, my mind was too numb to pick out which one it was, then I heard the cold stillness that only Kox could convey. "She damn near died. I would have expected this kind of foolishness from Kayla, but you Tatiana? She is your heir!"

"She did not. I wouldn't have done it if I hadn't thought her ready." Besides I can always try for another.

I didn't think it possible but his tone became even harder. "Do not even think it. I will never follow any but her after you are gone.

"Why is that?"

He calmed marginally, "I haven't figured it out yet."

I could feel the knowing smirk on mother's lips before she spoke. "Be sure that I am the first to know after you do. " With that she turned and left leaving me in my chair.

The other's returned as I felt myself being lifted gently. They quietly waited while I was tucked into the bed. The murmured sounds of their conversation lulled me into slumber.

That one I spent some time mulling over. A few days and I decided that I would investigate that odd place I went. But only after I had some other memories first. That other place had felt like something for me, but yet it was not of me. Instead I focused on the young men I had seen in the first vision.

They looked exactly alike in their oddness, which just made it feel even more like they should be related. Both had warrior braided silvery-white hair, when their eyes were not awash with the redness of our inherited dark-vision, one was a baby blue and the other a deep violet. They were cool, calm, confident, and the worst practical jokers in the realm...

One such that they had played on me caused me to miss court for about a month. It just wouldn't do for the Crown Princess to show with ink staining her hair and skin. Nothing I did would get it out either. Mother was both furious with them and quite amused by the prank. I was completely ticked and got them back with a bit of ink in their tea when they weren't expecting it.

Rather short and to the point there. Mikhail and Nikolai were the terrors in my life. But that is the way it is with us, love to hate and hate to love. Though I do believe that they did it more out of love; to help keep me on my toes against those who would attempt to murder me. That could just be an illusion though, but I guess that I'll keep with it until it is proven other wise.

The next one was something buried much deeper. It was locked somewhere that I was not supposed to go. This place was colder than I had been when I was nearly frozen, and brighter than staring strait into a newborn star at pointblank range. But this requires more detail so here goes...

The place appeared cold and barren. A bright center in the inky blackness that had invaded me. There was nothing but a biting wind that howled and beat at me mercilessly. I fought my way through it.

Once I reached its center, I saw a beast the likes of which was unheard of to the people of my new home. But was all too common to those of my previous.

It looked as if it belonged in the sea. The head was all full of tentacles and had the remote shape of a squid. The terror of it that I felt roiled up from the ground on which I stood. You are not allowed here. These things are no longer yours to have.

I cringed slightly. The damn voice came at me from all sides. I had the stupidity to say to it. This is my mind and my soul; anything that lies within it is mine to have.

I felt as if it smiled. So say you child. But powers greater than you have deemed it otherwise; do you challenge their right to do so?

My only answer was to draw my sword.

So be it and we fought. It was a tedious thing; dodging the mental blasts he sent my way. But I managed. I'd learned a few things since the last time...but wait this was the first, wasn't it? Apparently whatever he hid was attempting to help me through this. I eventually drove the blade home, slicing the frightful guardian from his heart through his oblong head.

There was a distinct feeling of perverse pleasure coming from the apparition before it died. Then that which it had been hiding hit me full force.

It was enough to knock me on my ass back here in my current state of reality. The others more or less missed it; though I screamed loud enough to wake the undead on several planes of existence I am quite sure. Memories of the life you led before being reborn into a new one usually present themselves backwards. That is for future reference, just to let people know. No better way to shy one from it than starting with how you died in the first place.

Picking through this will take me a while so I suppose that I will be writing more on that, just to get them in order.

It was a beautiful day. My family had gone out on a picnic to celebrate the coming bonding of my elder brother. We were not expecting an attack.

They fell on my family without warning. I was picked up so quickly that I had no time to see whom it was. All I remember next is the excessive weight on top of me, pinning me to the ground. That is what saved me though; the body effectively hid my small form from the attackers. They disappeared as they came, silently and without warning. Leaving me to wiggle out from my cooling cover.

I wandered in the general direction of the village. I plopped my tired body down next to a tree much later, Knowing full well that I had traveled in the right direction; Just not quite sure if I had made it to my destination yet. My tired little body gave in to the lure of slumber.

When I woke, I was in the home of those who were to have been my in-laws. The eldest of them was on the council. The council had just decided that orphans made under the circumstances that I had been, would be given over to training. So it was that I was given over to the 100-year training program. I was a couple of years older than they wanted, but they waived that.

I met him one day. A chance encounter before we had been set into our group. He was so serious about what he was doing I couldn't help but laugh. Then I quickly grew solemn as I realized that it was the magic that was elusive to me. That is why they had me going through a completely different type of metaphysics that I seemed to have a knack for, psionics.

I hadn't caught the snigger quickly enough and was on the receiving end of an angry glare. I caught my breath once our gazes locked. I do not know if he felt anything then but I just knew that we were something to one another.

My distraction cost him the spell and some face with his classmates. It cost me precious time needed to make my class. If there was anything my teachers hated it was tardiness. So I hustled off to that tower that few others ventured to.

The teacher asked me why I was late. I managed to get him to wait until after the class for an explanation. Once we were alone I told him of the incident. That once I saw the kid I knew. He took this in stride and dismissed me.

About a month later they had divided us into groups. That is when I found out that we had been grouped together. It was going to be a trip. Especially when his first words to me were. "I owe you one mental case. Watch for it.

He paid me back with interest over the next several months of team training. No matter the situation he found a way to make it more difficult for me. Unfortunately for him I knew that it was coming. "Tahmaril you have much to learn before you can pull one over on me like that." I shot at him after his millionth attempt. "Besides what I did was not intentional, it just happened."

He seemed to accept this and quit hampering our efforts. That began our group receiving top marks in everything we did. The thing that most amazed our sages was the apparent way that Tamaril and I read each other's moves. We were a dangerous pair.

Somewhere near the end of our training, he finally realized that we were soul bonded. The night he came to me about it I had just had a scathing interview with my psion instructor on the same subject.

He darn near lost his arm as I turned a block hard enough to crush bone. Luckily he had developed reflexes enough to pull the outreached arm away from me.

"Not a good thing to come sneaking behind me Tahm." Our group had long since gone to knick names. Especially not now." I explained to him the encounter with Patil.

"Well if we are to be separated because of it, why not give into what we've been feeling. "It was a simple statement and he knew the reason why not before I even had to draw breath. That was the very reason they were going to do it. Because they thought that so deep a bond would cause extreme problems for the group, or at least Patil did.

Tahm pulled me close. "Let's not worry about him. He is just afraid of losing his star pupil. Not that he ever had a chance of winning what he wanted from you Dasin. We have been one another's since that day so long ago. Not even death will separate us.

I smile at that statement now. They had tried, the gods, but the laugh was on them. Mother would not let him go. She did not know of the fact that her goddess would take pity on the man and at the same time play a cruel joke on her. But I get off subject, and I'd rather finish this out.

They never did separate us. Mainly on the fact that there was no time to shuffle the groups around before each was sent out. Our first mission was to just gather information on the areas of the Underdark. Unfortunately our first mission was our last.

We had run into the illithids. They did not take kindly to our intrusion. Each of us had our turn in the pits; each of us came out victorious. Unfortunately they had some issues breaking Tahmaril and myself. Him because I personally went in and built him a psychic barrier.

They took personal affront to that and took drastic measures. We were thrown into the pit together to face whatever they threw at us. We were tearing our way through a couple of dwarves, when he was suddenly gone from my mind. The bond hadn't been severed yet, but it was dampened to a point that we could not feel each other. We kept on and one fell, the other doubled his attack. That was when they cut it. Forcibly. It caused me to stumble right into the path of the other's clashing blades. Not that I could tell for all the pain in my head, what direction I had gone...

It turned out that I was dead before the blades even pierced the flesh. The Psychic backlash proved to be too much for me. I can only imagine now that the tattered and dirty place I saw so long ago is what was left of that piece of me that was with him. From the looks of the damage, they went in and did their own brand of clean up on the space.

That pissed me off now. I would have to remedy the situation. The next three months I spent my time working on that room full of tatters. I sorted and mended in my free time. Then I worked on the walls that hid it all away. By all that was, he hadn't died (close calls do not count). He deserved to remember his whole life. To remember his own name and not be called by that which his psyche bending masters had given him.

I guess I'll find out relatively soon what my efforts have brought forth. From the way things were going before hand I suspect it was he who was after me. There is no other explanation for the, in his view, destruction that seemed to follow me after I left the caverns of my home. But now I have a few new things to consider...

Once the seven months were over with we were congratulated on our completion of the trials. The elders of each of the elements came, including that of dark and light. It put me at a little more ease to know that I was not alone. They also appeared to have something for one another. They were holding hands at the very least and crazily enough seemed to take joy in the pain that they caused one another.

The whole episode was over quickly, as we faded back into our original plane of existence. Almost all returned, save the representatives of the positive and negative planes. I assume that they have issues staying away from their respective planes for any length of time. Not to mention that being in each other's presence must be rather draining for them. But for the rest of us there was a feast. Our weapons were enhanced and returned. I was a bit reluctant to let them take grandfather's sword at first. It wasn't very well explained that I would be getting it back after he took care of the enchanting they felt it needed.