Role

Chapter 8

The Dark Night
Added Sun Jan 30 00:25:01 2005 at level 1:

It was a dark and stormy night, and all who were sane walled up in their cozy
homes. Two men on horseback were traveling on the one civilized road,
trudging through the mud in almost complete silence. One man was dressed in
all white, and hidden below his clothes were some wands and a brilliant mace,
yet sported no armor. The other carried a gleaming longsword, and a shield
emblazed with the symbol of a phoenix carried on his back. Both seemed very
troubled and kept a hurried pace. The men stopped suddenly, for they saw a
horrific sight.A mutilated body of a once noble elf was nailed to a wooden
post. Both dismounted their steeds in a heartbeat, and with fluid, even
steps, made way towards the fallen. Keeping a firm hand on their weapons,
both were at the ready as they tended to one of the High Born.

"By the godswhat happened to our captain?" the white cloaked man whispered,
apparently appalled at the sight. The head of the mutilated body moved
upwards slightly at the uttered words.

"Oh, Numair and Ithiren, my best Marans. I must be brief for my time here is
short" the elf gasped as life slowly seeped from his broken body,

The wielder of the sword stepped forward. "Allow me to heal your wounds. I
cannot watch you die when I can stop it."

"Ah, Ithiren, the wounds are more than they appear. Do not try to delay the
inevitable. There is no hope for me save one. So let me quickly say what
needs to be said, we have little time," the elf whispered as the grievous
wounds begin to bleed deep black.

"Well, tell us what needs to be done," Ithiren said.

"The Imperials are on the move.I tried to stop their foul deeds but, as you
can see, I am but one and was overwhelmed. I know that the felar settlement
of Tue Rien will be destroyed, perhaps it has been razed and all were lost."

"What do these Imperials want from the felar?" the white cloaked man asked.
"They pose no threat to them."

"Ah, you would be right, but we all know how the Empire operates. The felar
in the settlement refuse to pay their taxes and are trying to rebel against
the Imperials. The Empire plans to make an example of them for all to see"
the dying elf answered.

"But the felar would be slaughtered!" the sword wielder exclaimed in anger,

"They will be, they will be, unless you and Numair get there in time. The two
of you are my strongest" The elf starts to convulse and coughs violently,
blood dripping out of the edges of his lips. "My time is gone, you must not
fail. May Shokai grant you his prayers.." The elf trembles slightly and
eyes roll back as his death rattle sounds the ending of his life. Ithiren
closes his eyes and touches the slain elf's forehead, while muttering a
blessing.

"Ithiren, we have a job to do!" The white cloaked man says, pulling Ithiren
away from the lifeless body of their captain. "Let's go..."

The two men remount horses, pulling their cloaks back over their bodies and
rode into the night.