| K'Sheyna and Delko Gate to the Grasslands |
| Nighthawk K'Sheyna I lingered outside as being indoors had made me uncomfortable. I was mulling over what Maggie and that irritating book had said...And how the book had become an Elf. That was disturbing. Yet it had to be real. I sigh having come to a decision. Maggie wouldn’t like my next move. It was going to use up a lot of magical energy but I needed to know. There was one person above all others word I trusted above all others. I dust the dirt of my clothing as I stand and pull my cloak off revealing the half elvan features, which I normally kept hidden under the cowl of my cloak. Turning around slowly I spot the perfect grounding point and begin. Slowly drawing in the energy from the nodes and all living things around me I create a portal, those things which my people called Gates. To the grounding point I tie my energies. Knowing I didn’t have long till it drained me and the local ley lines completely. I had once been told that a single person could never be powerful enough to make a gate alone. I watch the swirling kaleidoscope my eyes blurring around the edges. As it whooshes outwards I find a familiar point and ground it to the other end. Calmly even though weakness is spreading I step through to the Grasslands of my home. Into my Fathers tent. With out a word I am in his embrace, wanting to not let go.. to be a small child again. I step back and regard my father's still young face. At 300 he still looked like the human age of 30. "So you know" I nod " I take it you knew all along." It was his turn to nod, serene and calm. "It was the only thing that held my hand from stopping you leaving. If it had not been for Devaeriel assuring that he would care for you I would never allowed you to leave" "Devaeriel is not what he seems Papa." I begin and then see the twinkle in his eye. He knew. "My poor little Hawk. The most powerful of the People in an Age and you don’t want the burden.” He caresses my cheek gently. "Why me?" It was the question I had been asking myself for a long time. "Because when we accepted the Charge from the Goddess before the Time Of Madness, Our Forefather SunEagle promised that one of his linage would redeem us. You see it was the war between the Humans and the Elvan kin that caused the sundering. It was that sundering that caused the Surface Elves and the Drow to become two races instead of one. It was with that promise that our race was born. " He smiles sadly. "The Goddess then gave us the burden we bear and scattered the others to the four corners of the world. As she departed the world for the last time she made a prophecy. As she spoke the words the personification of that prophecy was made." I sit down abruptly as the energies started leaving me. My father tsks at me knowing I would have to leave soon. "And why now Papa? What changed it, what started the prophecies moving?" "The one called Alistar is working for one who is the personification of the Dark. It has many agents but Alistar is the most canny. Yet he knows not how he is being used. Many years ago a woman of the Desert Clans found a book. Her name is Gailla. She formed the Ashanti, a following of Ashanti, a mad god perhaps, or something worse. We do not know. She opened it and read from it. They read the summoning spell." "You knew all about this and didn’t tell me?" I start to feel angry. "Child If I could have I would.. But you did not believe. You had to find out the hard way. Would that I could spare you what is to come but I cannot." "Papa? " I look at him violet eyes wide. This man the only one in the world I could ever trust. " Papa I'm scared...of the magic. Of these people. So alien. Of the very world 's fate lying in my hands. But most of all I am scared I am not up to this challenge. Scared that I will fail." "Little hawk being scared is a useful tool. It keeps you down to size. Makes you think all sides through. I would be frightened indeed if you were not scared. I would be frightened if you embraced this and the power it brings." I curl up in my Father's arms, not ready to go back, closing my eyes as I rest against him. He was my anchor, my lifeline. Reluctantly I push myself away. "Time to Go." I murmur. It was odd, that it was dawn in Wyldewood but still deep night on the plains. I step forward and then feel the blood run from my face. The Gate was draining me quicker then I thought. My father had been supplying energy but it had felt like someone was interfering with the gate. My eyes meet my father's a minute before my vision blacks and I hear my father cursing. Not at me, at something or someone else. Delko Forden I watch the one they call Kshey walk to a point just behind the barn, I walk casually over to watch what and where she is going. She removes her cloak exposing her elvan heritage in her ears. I see her as she turns looking around for some safe harbour to plant one side of a gateway. I could only hazard a guess at where the other end would come out. I keep out of her sight as she makes the portal, a rift between one place and another by using the nature elements of the forest and surrounding plant life. Once she is through I approach quickly and quietly to the entrance to the gate. I hear muffled voices seeping through from the other side. I recognise Kshey's voice but not the other. "It was the only thing that held my hand from stopping you leaving. If it had not been for Devaeriel assuring that he would care for you I would never allowed you to leave." "Devaeriel is not what he seems Papa.” So it's her father she went running to. "My poor little Hawk. The most powerful of the People in an Age and you don’t want the burden." "Why me ?" Good question, it's one I often ask myself but rarely get a response. "Because when we accepted the Charge from the Goddess before the Time Of Madness, Our Forefather SunEagle promised that one of his linage would redeem us. You see it was the war between the Humans and the Elvan kin that caused the sundering. It was that sundering that caused the Surface Elves and the Drow to become two races instead of one. It was with that promise that our race was born. " Yeah thanks for the history lesson like we don't know how it happened ha. "The Goddess then gave us the burden we bear and scattered the others to the four corners of the world. As she departed the world for the last time she made a prophecy. As she spoke the words the personification of that prophecy was made." Yeah if she stuck around she may have gotten her hands dirty and we wouldn't have wanted THAT would we. "And why now papa what changed it, what started the prophecies moving?" "The one called Alistar is working for one who is the personification of the Dark. It has many agents but Alistar is the most canny. Yet he knows not how he is being used. Many years ago a woman of the Desert Clans found a book. Her name is Gailla. She formed the Ashanti, a following of the Ashanti, a mad god perhaps, or something worse. We do not know. She opened it and read from it. They read the summoning spell." The fools, how could they hope to contain the darkness once unleashed? "You knew all about this and didn’t tell me?" I move back away from the gate as it takes a lot to maintain one for any great length of time, I didn't want Kshey to see me standing there eavesdropping on her conversation. As I move away from the gate I feel my feet tangle and slip, by bastalins curse NOOOO! I had walked through the anchor on this side of the gate in my haste to be nowhere near the gate when Kshey exited. I was being drawn into the unknown space between the two gates, the void that joins both sides to the one point. I stumble and as I do I feel a strong pulling sensation on the back of my collar, it felt like someone reefing me up, the next thing I know I'm being held in front of an elf, one of the lighter race, I quickly look around taking in where I am, a tent of some type, I see Kshey laying on a bunk to my left. "Who are you and why were you trying to interfere with my daughters gate?" Ahhh the father, "I was looking for Kshey, we are about to head out and apparently save the world, if you can believe that." I give him my dead serious look for a moment then a faint smile encroaches on my lips. "What are you smiling for??? Do you know what you could have done by stumbling around the other side of an open gate?? Huh? You should, you would have used them to travel into battles." He had a point, I did know what they were and the serious damage that could be caused by tampering with one side or another. "Look, I didn't mean any harm, as I said all I was doing was looking for Kshey so we could be off. Will she be alright?" K'Sheyna Nighthawk I awake, my head splitting from the backlash. My eyes burned and when I open them I see white sparkles in front of them.........Then they are gone I hear a soft tsking noise and look up to see my sister sitting there. I smile. Firesong was a gentle soul and she had the healing gifts. But usually just by being around you she healed. "You made a mess of this one Nighthawk. Ohh and we found the culprit who made the Gate collapse. You have odd choice in friends since you’ve left us" "Friend ?" I look puzzled "A Drow Elf. Named Dumko Defkus Dufus." She shrugs. " Something like that." "He is no friend. He is to be a forced companion according to this damned prophecy." My Sister starts laughing, "Of all people to work for the will of a Prophecy." I whap her on the arm. Sometimes I hate being a twin. She sobers. "Well If this Daklo is to be included you should get to the council cause they all have gone up in arms about a Drow being here. They want to Kill him." "Ohhh hell " With that I race still drained to the council area. I reach there in time to see Delko's defiance Delko Forden Taken from the tent where Kshey lays sleeping I am escorted through the grasslands glade to face the council and await judgement. I walk proud and true to face the council leaders not even flinching when the guard jabs me in the back to move faster. I am placed in the centre of a circle of judgement. I feel the magic of the circle flow from the ground, it is said that whilst in one of these circles it is nearly impossible to tell untruths. The leader of the council looks me over as if I am one that should never grace the light of day with my presence. "Who are you?" he asks in an unpleasant tone. "My name is Delko Forden." the words are out of my mouth before I even have time to think about it. "Why are you here?" the next member of the council asks. "I'm here by accident, pulled here by Kshey's father." well it was true, that IS what happened, but I think the underlying question had more of a basis in why I was above ground instead of safe in the dark caverns of my old home. I see a yellow mist waft around me as the circle decides this last statement, the mist slowly dissipates. “Delko Forden you have no reason to be amongst the surface dwellers or in our lands, why are you here?" the next in the council asks pointedly, almost angrily. "I was outcast from my clan, that’s all I will say on the matter." I had been trained to resist the effects of truth circles before but this one was strong, I had been preparing some story that would have been an impressive lie but the words wouldn’t come out. It was at this stage I notice Kshey walking towards the council, holding her head in pain. "Delko Forden, we say you are a spy working for the darkness in the coming battle, what say you of this?" Again the words exit my mouth before I can stop them "I had worked for the dark but no longer, I have been recruited by the great book to aid in the salvation of the lands from the growing darkness." The council look shocked, I look shocked, where had that come from, surely not from my own mouth, was this some higher magic messing around with my mind? I speak again this time without being asked any questions, "The book of one speaks through this wretched body to behest your judgement, this poor fool does not know why, but the prophesy will be brought full circle and the skill of this amateur thief will be of great value when the time is needed, to the others that are already undertaking the quest." WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?? That isn't me talking, it's like I am possessed or something. AMATUER THIEF?? I have taken more than some of the best in the trade THANK YOU VERY MUCH, and NEVER been caught. The council whisper and talk amongst themselves for a few minutes, while I stand still in the circle arguing in my mind with whatever it was that took over my voice. K'Sheyna Nighthawk I step forward, "You heard the Prophecy. It names him one of its ........Instruments, even as it names me. Even as it has always named me." My tone is one of resignation, a touch of bitterness and a touch, just a touch of curiosity. I walk into the circle and place a hand on Delko's shoulder. "And my People his name is Delko.....with an e.' I grin at Delko, deep amusement even through the bone deep weariness and the head pounding headache. "I 'm afraid Delko that we will have to remain here at least a day till I am rested. You kicked out the anchor and it back lashed into me." I turn and address my Father, "If you would be so kind as to locate the others. I have no doubt that Maggie Heatherwick has moved the others on." My Father nods. "She will more then likely be very very annoyed at you....she always was crotchety and given quickly to anger...Though perhaps the Ages have tempered her. I doubt it. She was here for neigh on a century and she never once changed. Ahh The times we had." I raise an eyebrow as my father smiles. I cut him off quickly before he can give me information I have a feeling I didn't need to know. I bow my head to the council and gently steer Delko away from them. "Come I'll show you to a tent. You can have mine and I'll bunk with my sister." I walk through the camp with him, pointing out the hot springs and the communal kitchens. I see something wistful in his expression. "What is the UnderDark like? I mean I've always heard at how dangerous it is but I've never heard a description of what it is like from someone who has seen it and experienced it." I see Delko hesitate. "I don't want to pry." I say it stiffly after seeing his expression. I move to walk away. If Delko didn’t want to share information then fine. I had tried to be hospitable and all I asked was for a simple answer. Delko Forden Still wrestling with the new voice in my head I am lead out of the circle by Kshey, she shows me several locations in the small community, she then asks me about my home, the UnderDark. "What is the UnderDark like? I mean I've always heard at how dangerous it is but I've never heard a description of what it is like from someone who has seen it and experienced it." she hesitates a couple of seconds then adds, "I don't want to pry." "Your not prying." I say with just a little reluctance, why should it bother me that I tell someone about the place I had been exiled from, it was more than likely I would never be back to see it's beauty again. "The UnderDark is one of the most beautiful places you could ever wish to see, the walls of the caverns would glisten and gleam from the millions of gems and substrata of metal deposits within the walls, you would think that living underground would be dark and daunting but the truth is that it would leave a person feeling secure and safe, like being wrapped up in a thousand tons of blanket." I watch her as she processes this information. "There are dangers in the UnderDark though don't get me wrong, there's often times when creatures can slip in unaware even past our best trained guards but most of those are quickly dealt with. You also might think that the darkness might be too overwhelming but again that isn't the case. We have several means of lighting the tunnels and central chambers of our caverns, we also have the Espiritos Drenada, a staff of light that has been in our care for the last 3000 years. Brought to us by a nomad traveller that told us to take good care of this implement as it could lead to the turning of a new world at some stage, there are songs that have been written about the staff and the one who brought it, some indicate that he was in fact a god, one of the last sane ones, and that after delivering it he disappeared in a flash of blue smoke." Her eye's seem to light up at the mention of the staff of light. "The staff is kept securely fastened and covered, at all times unless it is being used for the ritual ceremonies. The light is said to be caused from the power of the gods, just one of the many bits and pieces scattered around the lands." As we walk I notice everyone watching me as if I am some religious icon. I pull up the hood and shield my eyes from the sun that has risen. It was widely known the Drow do not have an affinity for being in the direct sunlight for any great period of time. I continue talking to Kshey about the caverns of my birth, and of the beauty and splendour that I found in the walls and cliff faces "All training conducted in the high temple was also shone upon by the light of the staff, the elders say that those trained under the light would be blessed by the war god, I myself was trained under the light of the staff but I don’t think it gave me any extra power." The light when it had been shone upon me had burnt like fire all the way through the training that we undertook, it made us more aware of the other factors like disturbances in the air around us, if anyone moved even a hair the air would ignite the fire even more so we knew who moved, how far they moved and at what height. The sun was beginning to warm my skin to the point of discomfort, I suggested to Kshey that we move into the tent and get out of the light. ************************************************************************************ Next - Nighthawk K'Sheyna and Delko Conspire to Steal the Book of Chaos.. or you may return to the library..... |