This story is set in a version of the warhammer world that has over many years of role play drifted away from the one created by games workshop. However many of the places and gods remain the same and are trade marked by Games Workshop.

The Darkness within

Talin opened his eyes but there was nothing to see but a faint light far above him. He reached up grasping for the light but it began to fade. He felt sick to his stomach as a sensation of falling swept over him. The light was now gone and only darkness remained but Talin still reached out desperately trying to grab hold of anything that might stop his fall and allow him to climb back toward the light. "Give up and surrender to your fate." A deep voice sounded from somewhere below him. "You belong with us here in the darkness."

"NO!" Talin screamed as he recognised the voice of the Exile. Then a strong hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him upwards.

Talin opened his eyes. He was sat up on his sweat soaked bedroll, being rocked slightly by the muscular but decidedly female arm that was latched on to his shoulder. As his mind started to become accustomed to being wakened he could make out a soft female voice. "… you ok?" Licking his dry lips he managed to mumble. "Yeh I'm fine." He looked up into the soft blue eyes of Liriel "Sorry sis. Did I wake you?" he managed a half hearted smile. " Its ok the suns coming up we should move out soon anyway." Liriel sat back relinquishing her grip on his shoulder. "The same dream?" she asked. "Yeh." He sighed. "A rush of images showing an undead hoard sweeping from the north, the empire in flames then just darkness." He negligence to tell her about the voices and his fears about what they may portend. Still he knew his sister well enough to know she suspected what he left unsaid. "The dreams are growing more vivid. I think we're getting closer."

Four weeks ago Talin along with his farther and sister had attended a reunion of sorts with many of their old friends at the Golden Khrone inn. Spitfire had put out a call for adventures and many had answered. Apparently darkness was once more gathering within the imperial state of Sylvania. Originally they had intended to join the expedition but a number of factors had prompted Talin to leave on his own. Lyria had been one of those to answer Spitfires call. Talin still loved Lyria and her developing relationship with the dark elf Tellarond disturbed him far more than he was willing to admit. However this was not the main reason for his departure. Since his return from the Exiles realm his dreams had been plagued with visions of a vast undead hoard sweeping from the north setting the empire ablaze. The dreams always ended with his falling into darkness. At first he had dismissed the dreams as being flash backs to his time as the Exiles Lieutenant, but as time had passed he became increasingly convinced that they were prophetic in nature. Not wanting to distract anyone else from the confirmed danger in Sylvania, for what may well turn out to be a wild goose chase, Talin had slipped out in the night. Tarin had been busy talking with his old friends and Lyria was busy with Tellarond and Liriel had been practically fighting off most off the eligible males at the gathering so he had thought no one would notice him go. He had underestimated his sister, within a couple of minutes of his leaving the inn she had excused herself with the excuse of going to the toilet. Knowing that sooner or later Tarin would come looking for him Talin had taken care not to leave an obvious trail but the first morning after leaving the in he had awoken to find Liriel perched on a branch above him gleaming down at him. "Where do you think your going without me? I told you I'm not letting you out my sight." She had said before jumping down and punching him for trying to leave her behind. Talin had supposed if she had came then Tarin would soon be joining them but Liriel explained that, just as he had, she had 'forgotten' the pendant that allowed Tarin to track them leaving it in her room at the inn. No doubt Tarin would be mad with the pair of them but it wasn't like this was the first time either of them had slipped out from under his over protective gaze.

Four weeks of riding north had brought them to the very northern edge of the empire to a densely wooded area devoid of settlements. There seemed to be nothing here and yet Talin's dreams had became more vivid and even awake he felt drawn in a certain direction. Something was happening deep in these deserted woods, something powerful and evil of that he was sure.

"Come on don't just sit there staring into space. Help me get a fire going so we can cook some breakfast." Liriel roused him from his revere. "Sorry. Guess I'm still a bit tiered." Talin stood up and stretched knocking over their make do canvas tent in the process. "Come on look lively you big oaf." Liriel jeered. "You'll have plenty of time to sleep when you're dead." Talin stopped yawning. "I truly hope your right." Both his expression and tone were deadly serious. Liriel sighed. "Sorry. Guess I should think before letting my mouth run riot." There was a minute or two of silence as both busied themselves with morning chores before Talin spoke up again. "When did you develop an affinity for mornings? I remember when we were younger I used to have to drag you kicking and screaming from your bed" Liriel glared at him with mock annoyance. "You never did." Talin grinned "Oh yes I did and I've still got the scars to prove it." Liriel was about to retaliate but then her expression became serious and she gestured for silence. The two of them froze listening to the sound of the forest around them. At first there was nothing out of place but then the sound of hoof beats drawing closer became audible. "They're approaching from the north, and quickly." Liriel uttered. "But horses in this forest? The riders would have to be mad!" Talin snorted "Or dead. Terrain like this isn't much of an impediment if you can turn ethereal." Liriel kicked the fire over and started smothering it. "Hurry up we need to grab our gear and hide." Talin reached under their fallen tent and recovered his magical bastard sword Starfire. "No. They already know where we are they're coming for us." Liriel abandoned the fire to recover her chaos slaying broadsword, Teras, from the folds of the canvas. "How do you know that?" Talin shook his head as he freed Starfires glowing blue blade from its sheath. "I don't know how but I can sense them and some of there intent."

Moments later the two of them stood side by side in middle clearing that had been their camp facing the direction of the oncoming hoof beats. Both held their magical swords out in front of them in a tight grip ready to fight for their lives. As they watched the shadows between the trees seemed to darken then one by one skeletal horses each bearing a skeletal rider rode into view. Liriel gasped never having seen such a sight before. While this forest would prove a virtually impenetrable maze for any mortal horseman the undead cavalry rode in a straight line ignoring all impediments. Where something would stop them they simple seemed to blink briefly out of reality re-materialising on the other side. As they entered the clearing they broke left and right moving to encircle the pair. Liriel pivoted to the side so she now stood back to back with Talin. "This isn't good." She uttered. "I count twenty of them." "Make that twenty one." Talin replied prompting Liriel to risk a quick glance over her shoulder to see what was obviously the leader of the group, enter the clearing. Unlike the rest of the horsemen he wasn't merely a bare skeleton bearing rusted weaponry, this rider was clad in heavy chain armour that seemed to glimmer with power. Instead of the hollow eye sockets of the other riders this one had eyrie blue balls of flame flickering in its sockets. He now rode into the circle the rest of the riders had formed around the Tareks. "Wait till I give the signal." Talin hissed as the leader of the group trotted towards him. It stopped just out with easy swords reach of him and for a second he made eye contact with those burning spheres of its unnatural eyes. In that second he heard a terrible and familiar voice within his own head. "You belong with us here in the darkness." As their leader continued to stare at Talin the twenty riders reversed their previous coarse heading back off through the forest. Finally without a word the leader turned and followed them.

Liriel watched with a mixture of shock and relief as the skeletal riders rode swiftly vanishing into the trees. As soon as she was sure they didn't intend to return she sheathed Teras slowly releasing the breath she had been holding as she did. "Well that was intense. What in Sigmars name just happened?" Beside her Talin stood staring in the direction the riders had taken. "They… they recognised me." He stammered. Liriel brightened at the notion slapping him hard on the back. "So you inspire that much fear in the undead?" she laughed. Finally Talin turned to look her in the eyes. The anguished expression on his face quickly destroyed her levity. "No!" he shook his head. "They recognised me as one of their own." "What?" Liriel exclaimed. After all that had happened why would he even think that? "They recognised me as one of the dammed." Talin attempted to clarify. "No! Your no more dammed than I am. You live you breath, you have a conscience and a soul, your nothing like those things." Liriels voice rose till she was shouting. "Maybe what you say is true or maybe its just wishful thinking I only know one thing for certain." Talin paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not the person I was. As for my soul…" he let out a humour less laugh. "That doesn't separate me. Dad accidentally restored my soul five years before I broke free of the Exiles control. My soul wasn't strong enough…" Talin trailed off, tears now freely flowing down his cheeks. Unsure of what to say Liriel flung her arm around her brother's neck and gently held him to her allowing him to sob quietly into her shoulder. After a while Talin looked up "Liriel what if I was wrong what if my dreams haven't been guiding me here to stop this evil but to join it." Taking hold of his hand and squeezing reassuringly she responded. "That's not going to happen. You're much too strong for that especially when you have me helping you. End of story." She grinned. "And you know even fathers scared of arguing with me once I've made up my mind." Despite his anguish Talin managed a slight smile. "You know your as over protective as he is at time." Liriel laughed "I am not. Besides what are sisters for?"

Having adorned their armour the Tareks had decided that their best chance of finding the source of Talin's nightmares was to find where the undead riders had came from. To that end they had spent the last four hours picking their way through the forest taking as close to a straight line as they could manage. Periodically they would have to detour around an area where the under growth was too dense to allow passage. Liriel had doubted this approach since it seemed impossible that they would manage to follow the undead horsemen's unseen trail exactly without even a point of reference to navigate by but Talin had insisted that he felt they were still on the right track, a clam that was given some weight when he periodically paused to alter there coarse based on his "gut feeling." Now the pair of them stood at the edge of a vast and unnatural clearing. It clearing seemed to have been burned into the forest however no natural fire had been responsible judging by the way it had selectively burned the trees around the edge of the clearing in such a controlled fashion as to form a perfect circle. Trees that would have fallen on the edge of the circle had been burned in such a way that the portion of them that occurred within the circle had been reduced to ash while the portion out with the circle was left completely unscathed. The floor of the clearing was a black carpet of soot and blackened earth. In the centre of the clearing stood a spherical dome of jet black material that seemed to absorb all light that fell upon it. At the base of the dome a dark passage sloped off into the ground. In the entrance the passage stood the armoured figure that had lead the horsemen during their earlier encounter and he was not alone scattered around the clearing were thirty skeletal figures of various shapes and sizes, carrying an array of ancient weaponry, all of them were stood motionless. "There's too many of them." Liriel shook her head. Talin shrugged. "Wait here I think they'll let me pass." He took a step forward into the circle but Liriel grabbed his arm. "What the hell do you think your doing? Why would they let you pass?" Talin turned and smiled at her. "They think I'm one of them remember. Time to make that work for us. Now stay put and be ready to run if this doesn't work." Reluctantly Liriel let go of his arm and drew Teras determined that she would charge in at the first sign of trouble.

Talin strode confidently across the clearing; Starfire held tightly in one hand ready should any of the skeletons make a move towards him. He arrived at the passage leading down below the dome without any of the skeletons paying any attention to him. However his progress was now barred by the leader of the undead horsemen. It didn't move as he approached but its flaming eyes seemed to track his process. May as well try bluffing Talin though "I have come to meet with your master." For a moment nothing happened and Talin though he may have to rely on being able to fight his way inside but then a gravely voice sounded in his head 'We have been expecting you, follow me.' Then the armoured figure turned and strode off down the passage. As he entered the dark passage Talin became acutely aware of how dark it was. The material of the dome seemed to absorb all natural light so daylight didn't carry very far into the passage. Starfire emitted a soft blue magical light but it seemed sadly insufficient in here Talin had long carried two magical light gems for such occasions but even they seemed capable of allowing him to see little more than a foot in front of himself. For a moment Talin considered retreating back to Liriel but as he looked behind he saw that the skeletons that had been stationed in the clearing had followed him and were now filing down the passage behind him. As he though of withdrawing a voice in the back of Talin's mind protested. 'This is your destiny.' It told him. 'You have no reason to fear it.' Tightening his grip on Starfire Talin turned back after his guide and continued deeper into the darkness.

Talin reckoned that five minutes had passed since he left the light of day behind, yet the meagre light from his gems was fading. Under normal conditions they should last for twelve hours, something about this place defiantly seemed hostile towards light. The skeletons that had been following him had seemed to vanish into the shadows yet Talin had seem no sign of side tunnels. Again thoughts of retreat surfaced but were quickly dismissed. 'This is something I have to do.' Talin reassured himself. Up ahead his guide paused in front of what, in the dime glow of Starfire, appeared to be a dead end. As Talin drew level with him he raised his armoured arms to the wall and pushed. With a grating noise of stone on stone a section of the wall swung inwards spilling light in to the passage from the room beyond. Talin blinked temporarily blinded as his eyes grew accustomed to the light. When his sight returned it turned out that what had at first appeared as a blinding light was actually the glow generated by a ring of candles in the centre of a large room. In the centre of the circle was the room sole piece of furnishing, a large ornate throne on which sat a skeletal figure wearing long purple robes, a Lich Talin realised. Judging from the colour and texture Talin guessed that the throne had been carved from bone. Human skulls had been worked into the design of the armrest and adorned the top of the back panel. Set into the back panel above the robed figure was a gem the size of Talin's fist. It glowed generating an eerie green light and as Talin watched spectral figures seemed to swirl flowing out of and then back into the gem.

Talin realised he had been staring into the gem when the Lich rose to its skeletal feet, its skull with glowing eldritch blue eyes coming between Talin and the gem. "Ah you're here at last." The thing spoke in a deep and menacing voice. "The spirits had told me that one touched by the darkness would seek me out." At this point he released a dry chuckle. "They also told me that he was destined to be the general of my new army." He raised his bony hand and Talin felt a sudden chill as magical energy washed over him. "You do indeed have an enormous quantity of dark energy sleeping within you. Why do you reject it?" Talin smiled then span before either of the undead could react lashing out with Starfire in a blow that shattered the neck of his undead guide sending its skull rattling across the floor. "I'm Talin Tarek and I'm here to destroy you undead filth!" Talin bellowed rushing towards the Lich. The Lich laughed. "I think not." It swept its arm forward and as it did the spirits, Talin had seen earlier flowing from the gem, rushed out towards him taking the form of skeletons as they came. Talin's charge came to an abrupt halt as he now found himself facing five skeletons wielding long swords.

"For Sigmar!" Talin roared and drove Starfire past the guard of the first skeleton shattering its spine and sending it tumbling to the ground. The next two skeletons swung at Talin's flank while the others circled around him to try and strike against his back. Talin managed to push one of the blows aside with Starfire but the other smashed into his armour denting the metal plate and bruising his side. Not wanting to be surrounded Talin pressed his attack against the skeleton who's first strike he had parried. Too close to bring Starfire to bare Talin drove his knee up into his opponents pelvis cracking the brittle bone and sending it clattering to the floor. As he did Talin felt two more impacts on his back. His armour held but he winced from the bruising. Spinning around Talin swept Starfire in a blow that started high and swept down. The Skeleton that fell in the path of the attack managed to interpose its own blade but its guard couldn't hold against the force of Talin's blow. The ancient weapon broke in two and Starfire swept through crushing through bone from shoulder blade to hip. His remaining two opponents swung for his chest. Talin managed to pivot so that the first attack went wide but the second put another massive dent in his breastplate and winded him. Gritting his teeth Talin feel back to buy himself time to recover his breath, sending a darts of kinetic energy from Starfire into each of his opponents as he did so. The blast of magical energy wasn't enough to cause any damage but it did cause both skeletons to stumble, buying Talin all the time he needed to recover and rush back at his foes swinging Starfire in a deadly arc that shattered both of their skulls. "Very good." The Lich cackled. "But I'm sure you can do much better." With a wave of his arm he sent more spirits rushing towards Talin.

Again and again Talin swung Starfire. Long ago he had lost track of the number of undead foes he had vanquished but still there was no end in sight. His armour was now so pitted and battered that it offered him only minimal protection and he was bleeding from numerous cuts. His over worked muscles were ablaze with inner fire and threatened to fail at any moment, yet Talin fought on like a mad man. Fuelled by all of the hatred and rage he felt over his untimely death and later resurrection at the hands of the Exile, but even that was beginning to wear out. The muscles in his left arm had been left scared and weakened following his last fight with the Exile and it now hung useless by his side while he swung Starfire one handed. "I cannot loose." Talin hissed through clenched teeth, but even as he did one of his assailants brought its blade crashing down on his sword arm. The force of the blow cut through the already weakened plate and carved a deep cut in his arm forcing Talin to cry out in pain. He quickly withdrew his arm and swung at the offending skeleton. The blow crushed its skull but its jarring force knocked Starfire from Talin's numb hand. 'Its over.' he realised, exhaustion and injury finally over taking him causing him to sink to his knees. "Enough." Called the Lich raising its arms. As it did so the Skeletons attacking Talin faded back to spirits and rushed back toward the gem set into the Throne.

"You were foolish to challenge me. The soul gem allows me to call forth an army of thousands to serve my will. Still you're performance was exemplary… for a human." He began to pace towards Talin as he continued. "You are indeed a fascinating creature. You have been blessed by the darkness as few other ever have. I gather that you walked the land as a powerful undead lord and yet now you are content to live as a human?" "I am a human!" Talin spat as he struggles to rise. With a wave of his hand the Lich sent a blast of dark energy into Talin, smashing him into the floor. "Your current body is human true enough but the dark taint remains within you. Call on it now. You have such potential you could rule over millions, being second only to me." Grunting in pain Talin tried to rise again "I am a knight of the empire." He regained his knees and began to rise to his feet "I fight for Sigmar and the Emperor!" The Lich laughed and sent him sprawling with another blast of energy. "You are a creature of evil! Your very existence an affront to the god you clam to serve. You belong by my side. Join me now or…" "Your wrong." A strong female voice interrupted. The Lich spun round to face the source of the new voice just a glowing broad sword connected with the side of its skull sending it staggering. Liriel stood her hair thick with sweat and dirt was tied back in a tight bun and her leather armour was sliced in many places revelling numerous cuts and burses. "I got tiered of waiting for you." she smiled a Talin before stepping forward and swinging again at the Lich. This time it saw the blow coming and was able to call upon dark magic to protect itself. A dark mist formed around it that seemed to soak all of the force from Liriel's blow. Quickly she swung again and again but to no avail. "Pathetic creature." The Lich snarled as it sent blast of energy into her chest at point blank range. The blast tore though her armour as if it were paper burning her skin. Liriel collapsed screaming out in pain. "You to shall join my ranks." It laughed, "I have need of a new serving wench."

"NO!" Talin staggered back to his feet. "You wanted to make me embrace the darkness… Well done you've succeeded!" the shadows around Talin began to darken then rose up seeming to crawl up him until he appeared a blob of darkness barely recognisable as human. Then the darkness began to compress its self, forming jet-black plates of armour with numerous wicked spikes protruding from it. Only Talin's eyes identified him and even they now appeared different, colder and bereft of humanity. "Now it is you who will fall before me!" The voice seethed with so much haltered and violent intent that Liriel, now struggling to her feet, could scarcely believe that it belonged to her brother. Talin reached out his hand towards the Lich and dark tendrils of energy shot from is palm twisting and contorting themselves into the shape of a sword. Liriel gasped as she recognised it. A jet black blade with a hilt adorned by a skull with two glowing blood red gems for eyes, it was the cursed blade the Exile had given to Talin when he had been bound to its service as an undead creature. "It cant be!" she shook her head in denial. "Dad destroyed it."

Oblivious of his sister now Talin advanced on the Lich. "This changes nothing." It cackled "You had your chance to join me. Now you die." Raising its arms it sent a torrent of dark energy rushing towards Talin intent on flaying his new armour then his flesh from his bones. Talin made no move to dodge the incoming energy he just kept advancing. The evil energy smashed into him but then parted and sped around him like a wave being diverted around a rock too large to move. "You cant…" the Lich started but then Talin swung his sword low shattering its legs and sending it sprawling across the floor. Desperately pushing itself into a sitting position the Lich stammered "You truly are powerful. Please let me join you. I could help you carve out a new and better empire…" Talin looked down straight into the eldritch blue flames that served as the Lich's eyes. "Yes!" he mussed looking away "The present empire is weak or beings such as you and I would never exist. I can build a better one, one that spans this land from ocean to ocean." "Yes my master." Drawing Talin's attention back to itself proved to be a mistake. Talin turned back to the Lich and with an inhuman snarl drove his blade down tearing its skull in two. "I have no need of weak servants. Thanks for the soul gem though I'm sure it will serve me well." As he spoke he paced across the room towards the Lich's ornate throne and the soul gem it contained.

Throwing of her initial shock Liriel picked her way across the broken furniture. "No Talin this isn't you. It can't be!" she called to him. Talin had now reached the throne and was running a black armoured hand almost tenderly over the bone carvings. "Your right. I'm not that whining whelp Talin. Honestly all I did for that brat and still all he does with it is betray his destiny and wallow in self pity." Liriel froze horror spreading through her numbing her muscles into inactivity. That voice wasn't Talin's. Though she had never heard it before she knew without a shadow of a doubt who it belonged to. She struggled to reply. To say something, anything to defend her brother but all she could manage was one word "Exile!" The dark figure finally turned to face her. "Ah my dear I see I have no need of introduction." Questions welled up within Liriel spurring her vocal cords back into action. "How? Your dead your link to the physical plane was destroyed." A chilling mockery of Talin's laugh escaped from the armoured figure. "As long as one vessel of my dark energy remains I can never be destroyed. I honestly thought Id thought your brother enough of the dark arts that he should have realised that." He paused in thought for a moment. "Or perhaps he did realise but didn't have the strength of will to do what was necessary."

Liriel knew she had to do something, but what this was the Exile. Not only that but could she really fight him while he possessed Talin's body. 'I have to.' she told herself if that maniac takes control of the Lich's army the empire would suffer. With no prior warning many towns would be slaughtered before a sizable army could be gathered to respond to the threat. But how could she face an opponent that had killed Talin and nearly bested her father? She had to stall for time and close to within swords reach of him. She knew that, magical though it was, Teras could never hope to penetrate mundane plate armour let alone the dark plate that now surrounded her opponent. Hopefully one of the gaps present to allow the wearers joints to articulate would provide an opening. "I don't understand what should he have done?" The armoured figure shook its head. "Silly girl. I would have thought that was obvious. After all I created this body for Talin. Did you really think I would do that out the kindness of…" he let loose a terrible laugh. "my heart. No girl I did it so that he could contain a portion of my power. He is all the link I need to return to the physical realm. As soon as he stopped resisting my power and gave in to his destiny I was born again."

The last revelation cut into Liriel's heart like a knife. Talin had only submitted to the taint in order to gain the power to save her. "NO!" she screamed. During the exchange Liriel had closed to within a couple of meters. Now she flung herself towards him driving Teras straight towards the dark armours hip joint. The blade slid in between the armoured plates slicing into flesh. The Exile looked down at wound and laughed. "Do you honestly think a toy like that can actually hurt me?" Before Liriel could react he drove his fist into her chest with so much force that she was flung half way across the room. Through sheer desperation she had managed to keep a hold of Teras drawing a stream of blood from the Exiles leg as it was ripped clear, but as she slammed into the ground she lost her grip and Teras spun away across the stone floor. Gasping for breath Liriel rolled onto her front and forced her self to rise to her knees. The Exile was now striding towards her, hatred flaring in his eyes and his sword held ready to strike. Desperately she looked around for Teras but instead found Starfire still lying where it had fallen after being knocked from Talin's grasp. It was far heavier and clumsier to use than the types of swords she was used to but it would have to do. Seizing it in both hands she rolled to the left narrowly avoiding a strike from the Exile that had been intended to carve her in two. However this left her prone and she had no time to stand before the Exile swung for her again. This time she rolled onto her back and brought Starfire up holding it across her body with one hand on the hilt and the other half way up the blade. The force of the exiles attack was almost strong enough to drive straight through her defence but she managed to hold the blow back. The Exile despite his current form lacked any real experience of fighting with a sword so when his blade was blocked by Starfire he simply pushed harder trying to push through the guard, rather that yielding and launching a new attack. This proved to Liriel's advantage as it gave her time to recover her breath. "Talin I know your still in there. Please you've got to fight." She pleaded. The Exile sneered down at her. "Your brother is gone little girl." But even as he said it the pressure of his attack seemed to ease. "Fight Talin you're a Tarek and we're to stubborn to be beaten like this." Now the pressure was reduced to the point where Liriel could push the blade back enough that she could roll out from under it. The Exile seemed to be struggling to maintain control as he did not renew his attack and Liriel was able to regain her feet. The armoured figure shook and screamed then the dark helm seemed to dissolve revealing Talin's head. "Talin?" Liriel approached cautiously. "I've driven him back for now." His voice was strained as is talking required a great deal of effort. "We don't have long you have to kill me. It's the only way." Liriel didn't move shocked into silence. "Hurry Liriel." Talin urged. "I knew this day would come. I've been living in denial but when the Exile died and his realm was collapsing I knew, I meant to stay and pass into nothing with it but Lyria was there and I had to make sure she was safe. Now I have to die but I don't have the strength to do what must be done…" He was shocked into silence as Liriel stepped forward and slapped him. "How dare you lay this on me." Her voice seethed with anger but there were tears lining her eyes. "You think by killing you Ill make it all go away and you can rest in peace is that it? You'll run off and leave me alone to deal with the sorrow and guilt of killing you. Is that your solution?" Her voice was now becoming unsteady and she was obviously on the verge of breaking down into a fit of sobbing. "No Talin I cant do it."

This was the first time Talin had ever seen his sister cry, as long as he could remember she had been a strong and independent person clam and unfazed in the face of any adversity and it tore at his heart to know that he was the one that made her cry now. He wanted to apologise, to somehow make it all right but there was no time he could feel the Exiles strength growing again. It seemed like he was drawing on energy from somewhere, using it to bolster his assault on Talin's consciousness. "The soul gem!" Talin realised as a sharp pain in his head caused him to sink to his knee clutching his head. "Liriel you have to destroy it. Quickly!" He screamed in pain and desperation struggling to hang on to his consciousness.

Liriel hearing the desperation in her brothers voice moved as quickly as she was able. Adrenalin once more coursed through her veins allowing her to blot out the pain of her numerous injuries as she advanced on the throne. As she approached she heaved the unfamiliar weight of Starfire over her head and swung it in a two handed blow that drove the blade through the brittle bones that made up the throne and connected with the soul gem. There was a horrendous scream as a thousand tortured souls cried out in pain and then the gem exploded sending fine slivers of crystal flying in all directions. Liriel was caught of guard having staggered back stunned by the scream she had no time to defend herself from the concussive force of the blast or the hundreds of tiny slivers that it drove into her body. The force of the blast knocked her backwards off her feet leaving her lying on the ground, bleeding and unconscious.

Liriel did not know how long she was out for. When she eventually awoke she found herself lying in a warm bed with clean sheets. A kindly old women wearing the robes of a Shalian nun had explained to her that she was in the a small temple dedicated to Shalia in a small town on the edge of the forest of Shadows. She had apparently been brought in over a week ago by a young man who had made a sizable donation to the temple in exchange for her care. The nun confessed that at first they had not out much hope of her recovering but said the young man had seemed convinced almost to the point of fanaticism that Shalia would smile on her. Indeed Liriel had seemed to have recovered well under the care of the Shalians the only sign of her ordeal which now remained was a scar that now blemished her left cheek and seemed to resist even magical healing. To many a young noble women, especially those as naturally beautiful as Liriel, receiving such a scar would be a fate worse than death but Liriel actually liked it. She though of it as a mark of honour, it marked her out as a warrior not a usual noble woman only fit to remain home and look after children. Talin, as she guessed the young man to be, had apparently left town shortly after delivering her and extracting the priests promise of care. However he had left a package for her in the care of the priest. Now Liriel sat tearing into the canvas wrapping of the parcel reviling a small bag of coins, a note and more surprisingly Starfire complete with the ring that allowed Talin to summon it to his hand. Liriel picked up the note hoping it would shed some light on Talin's current condition and state.

Dear Sister.

I don't know how to begin to express my sorrow over what has happened. I am confident of your recovery since Shalia seems to smile on our family, with the exception of me that is. I'm sorry I can't be there for you when you wake up but I know if I wait till then you will want to come with me and I simply cant allow that. When you destroyed the soul gem the Exile lost much of his hold over me as he was relying on its power for support but I'm not strong enough to drive him out completely. I cannot remain in the Empire as I am now or I risk hurting those I love. I will return if I ever find a way to ride myself of this taint but till then know that I love you and please don't try to follow me.

Talin.

P.S. I have left you Starfire as I no longer consider myself worthy to wield it, I have faith that you will be quick to master it.

Liriel crumpled up the note and shook her head. "No Talin its not that simple. I'm not going to abandon you to face this on your own. I may have no means of finding you now but I know someone that does."