Updated as soon as I could…sorry it's not as long, but it's more exciting then the last one…ravens…prophecies beginning to make sense…orcs…etc. Please read and review! As long as you keep reviewing I'll keep updating!!
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A large raven was making lazy circles over a group of knights, sunlight glistening off the backs of its black wings. No one took notice to the bird. No one except the night elf. Her sharp eyes spotted it and her gaze lingered. Ravens rarely circled unless something had died, and then it was in groups. As if it had heard her thoughts it gracefully swooped down low and brushed a banner one of the knights held high. She fingered the pouch that she wore at her waist and pulled out a single black feather.
The blue banner waved in the wind and the large winged creature on it seemed to fly, its mouth opened in a mighty roar. "Agraelith," Carya looked up at her companion but he did not hear. "Agraelith!" she was forced to yell over the noisy street. He looked down at her and she pulled her hand away from his to point at the banner. "What is that?"
"The Crest of the king of Thal-Morian," his expression was puzzled. "Why?"
"No, the creature on it."
"A griffin, surely you knew that?"
She fell silent, fingering the feather between her fingers. The raven was no where to be seen but she could still feel it's piercing gaze. "Medivh…" she muttered, it had to have been the shape shifter. She tried to recall the prophecy that he had made, her gaze fell once more on the king's banner. Suddenly a piece of his riddle fell into place.
"Break the bond and the griffin shall fall…spread it to others and it shall rise above…" The words of the old prophet rang clear in her mind. The griffin…the king…Thal-Morian…attacks up and down the country…
"Let us hurry," she said and began to move quickly back towards the inn. Agraelith was thoroughly confused but quickened his pace.
Once inside she dragged him over to a vacant table away from where any ears could over hear. "The prophecy!" she exclaimed. "Do you remember the prophecy?"
"Of course I remember, that old fool," he grumbled.
"Fool you may think he is but he spoke the truth before and I believe he speaks it now!" Agraelith could behave quite childishly and it was beginning to irk her.
"Before? What do you mean by that? He's a traitor and an old-"
"He tried to warn the King and no one listened. What of the story of Arthas?"
He leaned back in his seat, "What exactly are trying to get at?"
"The griffin…the prophecy…" Why was it he did not understand?
Agraelith began to laugh. He could not believe that Carya thought the prophecy was real and that it had to do with Thal-Morian. "Carya, it's not real. The prophecy means nothing."
"This city will crumble and burn. Stones that were erected thousands of years ago will fall and the grounds will be nothing but ruins, a shadow of what once was, as will this world!"
In her mind she could see it. She could see the smoldering houses and buildings that now stood proud and strong. She could see the sky turn black and the air thick with the evil that was slowly creeping like a vine, ready to choke its victim, to take its place. She would do what she could to stop, she had too. To sit idly and watch it all happen was not even a possibility. She would stop it, any way she could, whether Agraelith helped her or not.
But she needed his help, she needed him. He was a part of the prophecy, a small piece of a larger puzzle. But even the smallest piece made a difference, without him, it could never be completed and they would be broken. Somehow he had to understand, but he refused to listen. Unless he listened soon then it would be too late. There was a bond between them and unless it held it would shatter completely.
It was impossible to understand what was going on, to understand why it was going on. All she new was that somehow they were connected with the fate of the city. The fate of the griffin. She did not believe in fixed patterns, she believed in the moon, the constantly changing moon. Whatever their decisions were could either save the city or let it fall to ruin. One more city destroyed one more victory for the constantly choking vine. They had to destroy it here, before it spread. But how to make him understand?
Outside a raven perched on the roof of the inn, it's black feathers immaculate, it's eyes searching, calculating. Something crucial was about to happen, it could sense it. The prophet felt it deep inside his bones and in his mind. What it was he did not know but he knew that the elf and the human were tied to it. He had failed before but he would not fail now. The elf he knew believed him but the human was stubborn as they normally were. If only he could get him to believe…but he knew that he could not, there was only one who could.
"MAKE WAY!" the shout could be heard from even the darkest corners of the city. It resonated with its importance and a deep grumbling laugh could be heard nearly as clear.
Shrieks of women filled the streets and threatening shouts could be heard from the men. The raven's head shot up and his cold eyes shifted. His wings began to beat and the feeling in him began to grow. This was something of importance.
Agraelith heard the shouts and sprang to his feet, something was happening. Whatever it was had to whole city turned out to watch. He could see Illyath running through the crowd until he came through the door, a large grin on his face.
"You'll never believe what they've got down there. This is going to be interesting," he had an odd grin on his face, "Thought you should come out and join us," he said with a wink.
Carya felt an immediate twinge in her stomach, something was going to happen. Agraelith glanced at her, "Let's go take a look." He saw the hesitation and added, "Don't worry, nothing will happen to you. Not while I still live." Neither of them saw the look in Illyath's eyes.
Back out side the street was even more packed than it had been that morning. Now it was thick with tension and pure hatred. They pushed their way through and Agraelith shouted a question to the onlookers, "What's going on? What's happened?"
"An filthy orc's been brought in…alive," a man spat.
Women cringed holding their children closer to them as a wagon passed with a cage on it. Thick iron bars separated them from the orc. It was a grotesque sight, greenish scaled skin and large protruding pointed teeth. It sat back and laughed at all the people, a calm look on its monstrous face.
"What a welcome, what a welcome," it grunted. Angry and profane yells were hurled at it and it simply laughed harder.
Carya stared at the creature with a mixture of hatred, pity, and horror. A large gaping wound leaked blood down its dirty body. She covered her nose, trying to block out the horrid stench. She felt sick yet she did not know why. She had fought in battles before and seen worse than this, yet this seemed for some reason…unjust? Yet this creature was loathsome…she felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at Agraelith. His eye brows were drawn with worry.
Without thinking she turned into his warm chest and she felt his strong arms wrap around her. "It'll be all right," he murmered.
"No…there's something about it, something about all of this. It's wrong," she whispered, unsure if he heard her.
"What do you mean?"
"Can't you feel it?" The twinge in her stomach that she had felt earlier had turned into an knot. What was happening?
He sighed with resignation, "Yes…yes I feel it. There's something not right. Not right with any of it."
She lifted her head, "If you feel it too, then do you now believe?"
He had hoped to stay out of it all, to be done with it all, to let all of it fade behind him. No matter what he knew he could never escape it. He would go to the ends of the earth for her. He knew it was true, the prophecy, the griffin, all of it. And he knew that whatever this creature in front of them was, it was not evil and it was part of the puzzle.
"Yes, yes I believe."
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