The flickering candle light barely lit
up the small desk at which a young lad sat mezmorized by the
tomes in front of him. Stacks of ancient books dating back to
better times were strewn about the dank and dark chamber in
neat stacks.
Elrion often thought that the ancient
tomes kept here were worth 100s times there weight in gold.
Yet, Kalist the Master scribe had moved these precious gifts
from the past to make room for his personal receiving chambers
and would not hear of funds spent to have proper shelves and
other storage made. Honestly, at times it seemed the old man
was more concerned with his courtly duties then the pursiut
and care taker of knowledge.
As if on que the door flung open with
a bang as Kalist stormed into the room.
"How can ye work in such a mess!..."
the older figure exclaimed in disgust.
"But.. But Sir please listen to my
counsel" stammered the Elrion.
"Listen..., Listen to YOUR counsel,
You know not whom you speak to boy" sneered Kalist. "Best
you remember, if it were not for Kings debt to your father,
you would not have been appointed to such an important position
of serving me". "In fact I am often temtped to have you
cleaning Minatour stalls or serving on the front line with your
foolish brother.", the elder said kicking over a neat stack
of books leading to the younger scribes desk.
"Clean up this mess.. and I will not
here another word of this Shadowbane theory or so help
me I will have you impaled for treason!" spat as he stormed
out of the chamber ending the word treason just before slaming
the door.
"They use the wrong calender to mark
the days,... the king will be dead in two days time, The Shadowbane
is not a sword of light but the sword of pure Chaos" Elrion
remarked absently staring at the now closed chamber door.
From the shadows materialized a solid
well armed figure in a long dark purple cloak, "Brother, fear
not Danciy has taken his ignorance into account. Even as we
speak Druez has planted the seed of vengence".
"We must ride, Martyrdom is lost save
our loyal Serpents left behind to await the champions arrival.
I must meet up with Kurt to dispatch the Champions only other
possession," the figure said as he pushed the young scribes
desk forward exposing a hidden staircase to a secret passage
out of the chamber.
"The Queen has agreed that I can
take some of the tomes with us" Elrion said. "... you
go along I will catch up with you in two days time".
-2-
The creaking of the chamber entrance
momentarily draws attention of the occupants of the chamber.
With the Queen at the head of the table in a serious discusion
with Caligula flanked on the other side by her faitful Death
Knights.
"Greetings my Queen", the soldier
said with a respectful bow.
"Shira tis good to see ye back with your
Queen", Looking up from her conversation she said with a smile.
"As always, I serve at the Pleasure
of my Queen", Shira returned.
"Greetings... Shira" said Foresaken
with a grin.
Grasping his friends arm in a warriors
hand shake, "Ahhh old friend it is good to see you again" Shira
let out with a surprised look. "I did not know ye had rejoined
us as of yet but I am glad to see ye again".
Looking at the Queen's faithful consort,
Shira said, "Sire, Kurt and I have dispatched the champions
woman as fair retribution for what is to come".
Druez motioned for the Serpent to join
them at the table. "Brother there is much Vengence in your
heart. Come drink with me, I seek your counsel. While we wait,
others go to serpents and meet the bearer of the Chaos Sword".
"Aye sire...", Shira obeyed.
-3-
The Eve before the Battle of Rennelind
Elvish victory was all but assured. The Elves openly rejoiced,
with dawn came the rising of the Morningstar, good fortune indeed,
even the gods seemed to smile upon them.
King Valdimanthor took counsel with his
trusted advisors before the upcoming battle. Vainly, Danciy's
Death Knights tried to warn King Valdimanthor of his impending
doom but he would have none of thier counsel. The King scowled
with disgust and open rage at the blasphemy of his loyal subjects
berating them but stopping short of ordering there execution
he had the Family of the Silver Serpent Banished from
his Elven Kingdoms.
Deeply saddened by the King's anger,
the Death Knight retired from his presence and gathered on a
bluff overlooking the fields of Rennelind. Large amounts of
troops gathered in the early mists of dawn for what seemed to
be the last battle of the War of Tears. The winds had an almost
electrifying effect hard to place but similar to the winds before
a great storm. You could almost smell the humans fear mixed
in with the horse dung and smoke of the great camps.
Impatiently waiting the three figures
looked on as the battle below began. "Anything yet mage..."
muttered Telekinesis. "Aye, Elrion how long do you expect
us to wait for this champion. We will take the day here, yet
we still do nothing to regain the King's Favor," remarked
Grimslade.
"My visions say otherwise brothers;
wait for the sign as Danciy has asked," said the wizard.
"I dont remember the Morningstar being so bright", said
Telekinesis. "Aye brother for it is not the Morningstar....
look it gets closer to us",Grimslade said.
"Elrion, is this the sign when do
we kill...", Telekinesis said grabing his finely crafted
oak heart long bow.
The wizard squinting his eyes, "Maybe,
I can not say what the sign is.
Stay alert my brothers,"Elrion
replied.
Grimslade began to string his darkwood
Longbow,"I never miss when I use this" he said with a
chuckle to himself.
The fighting below intensified as King
Valdimanthor himself joined the fray. Sounds of metal on metal
screams of horror and the smell of death were carried up from
the winds over the battle field. Still the shape continued to
get closer and closer until you could make out the shape of
a man on a flying steed.
The wizard's eyes narrowed,"It is
the champion.... he must not live", he sneered. "For
the Queen....", the two serpent knights echoed as they let
there arrows of death fly, burying them deep within the flying
mounts chest.
As the flying mount and mighty rider
fell from the sky, the champion threw Shadowbane, and
the blade spun through the air end over end like a bolt of fire
landing in the hands of the human close to where the King Valdimanthor
and his honor guard were. It seemed like the entire battlefield
was held suspended in time with inticipation of what was to
follow.
A flash of blinding light of a thousand
suns exploded through the ranks leaving no shadow in its wake.
The light engulfed all forms of magics in its path, unraveling
binding spells breaking communications and causing chaos with
in the elvish ranks. Minotaurs attacked there masters, Elven
warriors breaking ranks unable to communicate with there leaders,
general pandamonium through out the ranks. The Elvish camp was
forced to withdraw in utter defeat with Humans in close pursuit.
"We have failed the human king has
the sword", Elrion said in disbelief.... "We must go
now, and report our defeat."
