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To Chapter 2
Immortal Echoes
Beginning of Darkness
Chapter One
The dark age was not seen by the beings which populated the Sinori region. Quickly and softly it came, only becoming worse as it moved secretly beneath the lands. The time of peace and prosperity would come to a sudden end.. Brought by the adventurous mind of that pure of soul. Darkness would fall.

Arinaria, a dark sorceress of once dreaded power was awoken from her sleep of two millennia by a curious elf, Andruil. A harsh and cunning creature she was, often taking the form of a beautiful human woman and a horrid spider merged together. Her mind was corrupted long ago, and had only intensified during her long sleep.

Living in the underground, she preferred the darkest caverns. Though eventually, even from the earthy depths, she sensed Gaia's absence and control in the world. It had been one of the naturalistic deity's beloved elves which had awoken her after all, and this she used such to her advantage. Using Andruil as her pawn, she was able to finally make contact with an ancient elvish priest whom spoke of Gaia's sleep, much to Arinaria's delight.

Leaving her dark caverns, she made her way through the underground and eventually entered the realm of the dark elves, the drow. Heading to Anie Ringeril Arinaria planned to find her greatest ally. It is unknown when exactly, or how she and the drow merged as allies, but thus the underworld force began to grow. It is with the drow queen Elexi that the alliance was finalized.

For as long as anyone could remember, the drow had always kept to their ways underneath the earth's crust. Introverted and anti social, drow were rarely seen on the main lands. Partially due to the sun's rays being much too harsh for their skin and eyes, as well as the generalized non existent care for other races. Already a female dominant society, Arinaria's presence would add more tension between the genders.

Soon after the underworld pact was made, some of the more rebellious and audacious male drow left the hidden cities and made their way to the surface. Enraged by the movement, Elexi ordered the cease of the evacuations and for the death of all those who defied her rule. The numbers slaughtered is uncertain, it is said however that few made it to the surface.

Over the next century Arinaria's army would grow, not only with drow but of a new evil, a goblin and spider hybrid which Arinaria would introduce. On the lands above the change in the underworld had indeed become known.  The human race over three decades ago had left the lands of Sinori, heading for the south. The war to come it seems was not to their liking and most likely far past their strength and abilities. Word had not come if the race still survived now, though it was of no knowledge or care for the beings whom still populated the region.

The largest population of the land, the wood elves, spoke of a great evil to come, and though not warrior's by nature, they too would come to prepare themselves. It was said that the harpy and draconian races in the northern parts had also formed an alliance, though their ways and nature were not known well by the elven kind. For the other races of Sinori, none was heard. Many wondered if they had not evacuated the land, much like the human's had done.

Years would pass, tension growing stronger, times growing darker. Though in the final years of the century the time did come. Beings of Arinaria's lead wandered above the ground. Peace had come to an end, the dark times were in full. War had started, darkness had fallen over the land.




As sigh was given as the papers of elvish lore were folded and neatly placed into the pocket from which they were withdrawn. Dreary green eyes blinked and gave an apathetic look at the surrounding area. "Lore" they called it, and though many of the ancient beings still supported the word that the erudition was indeed truth, generally it was still sought of as a myth. She herself had even thought the story of Arinaria was lore, a reason to justify the evil in the world.. Though now, she wasn't so sure. It was truth that the drow had always been the stereotypical ‘enemies' of the elves, though they had never before went out of their way to make trouble. Actions nowadays however were much different than they used to be. Innocents were being slaughtered, not only by the drow which had been making more and more surface appearances, but also by a strange race of hybrids. Terrifying by nature, it was hard to explain what these creature were. They were indeed part arachnid, eight large legs that carried them haste fully and their fangs were indeed rumored to be poison, though very few had lived to confirm such notions. What other creature they resembled, it was hard to tell.. Something like a goblin, though not exactly.
A short low growl snapped her attention back from her unhappy thoughts. She noticed just now that her brows were creased and her frown so sharp that it was uncomfortable and unnatural to hold much longer. Letting her face relax the elvish maiden signed once again, then turned her attention to the elegant creature that sat next to her in the tree limb. Rubbing behind the panther's ears and giving the midnight black fur around her neck a couple pats, the elf smiled.
"It's okay Meoi. Alcarin," she paused, "I know you're there, what do you want?"
"You're too quick for me Elzamine," grinned a male as he came into sight below her on the ground.
"Hiding behind the branches will get you no where half-elf, the trees tell me everything," she stated matter-of-factly, though not in a boasting manner.
"Yes yes, the trees have ears and leaves whisper to you, I've heard such before you know," he grinned slightly, pushing back a lock of white hair that had fallen into his eyes.
Elzamine looked down at the half-elf that stood before her. He was a half elf not due to the usual elf and human born child, but of an elf and drow. His father had been a drow, he'd fled the underground long ago, so she heard. Alcarin however, showed very few of the drow traits, he had acquired the pure white hair, and though his skin was light, the darkness of the drow had tinged his skin slightly, making him scarcely darker than pure wood elves, but surely not dark. The most interesting difference about him however were his eyes, a bright lavender. She had guessed the blue of his mother and the red of his father's eyes had produced the rare hue. His eyes however, usually full of life, were now quite dull.  Though she knew he wouldn't show it purposely, she saw the sadness in him.  She understood however, for she too shared the same grief.
"Elza?" intruded the male, disrupting the pure elf from her thoughts. She looked at him questioningly, he looked back silently for a moment before speaking. "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm sure you know," she replied harshly, though not meaning to.
"Don't give me that bite of yours elf-sister, you know I miss Indilia just as much as you," he retorted, though more sad than angry.
She shifted her gaze from his, she knew he was right. He was Indilia's husband after all. Though, she were her sister, her twin sister at that, and that insured a direct closeness between her and Indilia. Family was usually close, though in other races, it was nothing compared to the closeness of the elves.
"I know," she finally spoke. Alcarin gave her a nod of acknowledgment, which she knew was forgiveness towards her harshness.
Another longer growl that sounded quite similar to a cry sounded from the feline which now sat up in tree limbs
Alcarin raised a brow as Elzamine again scratched behind Meoi's ears.
"She misses Nenarye," the elf spoke simply, turning to look to Alcarin. "She wants to see him." Elzamine smiled as the large cat jumped down from the branches and looked at the male expectantly.
"And I suppose she wants me to take her to him," he grinned and mimicked Elzamine's action of scratching behind the panther's ears.
"Of course," she replied simply.
"I'll take her then?"he questioned looking up to Elzamine in the branches, "or would you rather?"
"No, take her back to Cuulraef, I'd like to stay here for a little longer."
Alcarin nodded, took a couple steps with Meoi right on his heals, then stopped. "Oh.. Elzamine, your brother, Aeruil, wanted to speak with you I believe."
"Doesn't he always," she stated with a sigh, then nodded. "I'll return to Cuulraef soon enough. Take Meoi to see her brother now, she's becoming impatient."
Nodding once again, Alcarin left on his way back to the elven village.
Elzamine sighed, then mentally scolded herself for the actions. She couldn't let herself be so weak. It was she who was free, and she knew she had to be strong for her sister, or so she told herself. A twinge of guilt however, was residing in the back of her mind, and she knew it would not take it's absence anytime soon.

It had been four days ago, she had accompanied her sister and elf-brother to the outskirts of the forest. Though armed with their weapons of choice, they had not expected any attacks. The quest had been to find a rare herb, Indilia had insisted such could be used in healing a poison of some sort. Elzamine herself had not paid attention to the details of the herb's uses, it was her sister's area of choice, not hers. Though the simple task had taken an ill turn. Just outside the forest they'd run into a rather large group of the spider hybrids. Eight Jiievu, the lowest rank, and two Gapexi, the mid rank, to be exact. What had happened was mostly a blur however. All she knew was she awake back in Cuulraef, her brother at her side and news of her sister's abduction.

Shaking her head, Elzamine gracefully made her way down the branches of the tree and to the ground. She knew she had to get back, there were things to do. She had been working on hand crafted arrows, she much needed to finish them Of course her brother also wanted to see her, yet again. Turning towards the small stream which flowed through the forest., just under her foliage perch, she watched her reflection in the ripples. In the vagueness of the reflection, she noticed that she and her sister were somewhat similar in looks, though not identical like most twins. Kicking a few pebbles into the stream she watched the reflection wane. "I'm coming for you Indilia.."