Chapter 4
Dark and Aeron rose with the sun; not wanting to be caught in an unknown terrain without shelter before dark. For both of them this would be their first time outside of Tirranwn (at least, as far as Dark knew). This meant this was to be their first time to make contact with dwarves, and gnomes, and more humans. The scariest part of walking outside those gates though, was that they were walking blind. They did not know at all what they were going to face. There obviously was going to be a great deal of damage, but they did not know the extent, nor what new dangers they would face.
Dark and Aeron walked up to the gate, noticing the guards and signing in greeting. Both were relieved to see that they survived, being on the gate between their world and the rest of Runescape. Dark cursed the isolation they lived in for the umpteenth time (though she had blessed it as many times). All of a sudden, something flashed in the corner of Dark's eye. A human would have waved it off, but her finely tuned senses told her otherwise.
"Wait!" yelled Dark, just as the guards were making to operate the pulleys to open the gate doors. Looking to where she saw the movement, Dark spotted a small Saradomin owl perched in the crook of a nearby evergreen. With a smirk, she slowly approached the tree. Taking out her sling, she threw it in a blur with much accuracy and skill. It wrapped itself around the owl's legs, and it landed with a squawk onto a bed of pine needles below. "Dark, why let it live?" asked Aeron.
"It is the will of Seren. The Head Elf told me of a sign such as this when I sought council with him before we left," she lied smoothly. He shrugged and sat down, knowing this would take a while. Dark slowly approached the owl, cooing and imitating its call. Yet again, the Elder in his endless knowledge taught him how to tame owls as well, as they were useful messenger birds. It was calm, as she approached it. Slowly, she took the sling off the owl, already an idea forming in her head with memories from that meeting with that very interesting stranger.
Elves have an interesting way of bonding with animals, if they choose to. It is similar to when a witch bonds with a familiar, yet instead of merely overcoming its consciousness, the elves formed a mental bond with their chosen animal. It was a much purer, much more holistic ceremony. She drew a ring of salt around them with not regular mineral salt, but faerie salt. This insured that while her consciousness was vulnerable, no malevolent spirits could possess or access her mind; though that would be nearly nigh impossible in Tirranwn (having been cast over with ancient runes to repel any sort of demon), it was a traditional and cautionary measure. Dark also recited incantations, and drew the necessary runes. She then attempted to access the owl's mind; though when she did, she was a bit surprised to find that he answered back. Without any resistance, they joined minds. In that moment, Dark recited the final words to make the bond. A small amount of energy was drained from her, but the deed was done.
She and the owl were permanently bonded. It was not only her will (as owls were very useful creatures), but the will of Guthix and Seren, and she knew it as well as she knew the very skies above her.
"I am ready," said Dark with a satisfied, deciding nod. Aeron shrugged, still not knowing very much of what was going on, and followed Dark to the gate. Together, side by side, they walked into the land of Gielinor, and into the unknown.