A story, discovered among the depths of the Worldpool.. a story of one
elf.. of how he affected the World of Two Moons.. a story of..
What If Lord Voll Never Died?
(Part Two)
by Jessica Orr
original scripting by Richard and Wendy Pini
"I'm not sure why, Black-Hair, but I'm glad to see you alive,"
Treestump's eyes were on Rayek, blue and calm with age. He was not
much older than Rayek, yet he was elder to the Wolfriders, and somehow
had an air of wisdom the airwalker had yet to find. "We hear you
helped save Cutter."
A smirk hinted at the corners of Rayek's lips, a comment to
which he only responded with a mild, "If you wish."
Treestump tilted his head, running his fingers through his beard
as he regarded the arrogant airwalker. "Seems you did some growing up
out there in the desert, eh?"
Before Rayek could answer, Pike cut in with, "But how did you
end up here?"
The smirk grew as Rayek shifted his gaze to rest it on the
berry-eyed Wolfrider. "Not as messily or as unintentionally as -you-
did," he answered cryptically as he straightened, leaving it at that as
he turned to his one-time lover, Leetah. He offered her a hand. "Come
outside," he requested softly. "I want you to meet someone. Unless
you see him, the story I have to tell will not mean as much."
As Leetah took his hand and allowed him to guide her outside,
Treestump's eyes followed the two brown-skinned elves. He grunted
softly. Still thinks he shines brighter than the sun, was his thoughts
towards Rayek.
The wind blew harshly and Leetah clutched her coat around her
tightly, her auburn locks getting caught and flying wildly in the wind.
By contraste, Rayek's own jet-black strands flicked calmly, flecks of
white clinging to them. He gripped her hand tight, but not too tight,
as if he were afraid she might blow away in the wind, but was as
delicate as glass and therefor might shatter at the slightest bit of
force. Presently, an image came to view, a figure huddled on a rock,
braving the cold. The only thing that made him stick out from the
white was the slightly violet-tinged glow that trickled from his hand
onto the surrounding stone. The soft sound of humming, only slightly
out of tune, somehow made its way through the sound of the rushing
wind. Then the mumblings came with it as well.
"..oh yes, this maimed and miserable rock shaper remembers you,
Greymung.. from the warts beneath your eyes to your twisted gobbling
mouth, oh yes!.." There was a soft chuckle. "But Guttlekraw gobbled up
you, didn't he?.. with all your gold and jewels for sauce.." Suddenly,
a pair of large, bright brown eyes were upon them as the disfigured elf
looked upon them, his ancient face folding as a smile spread across his
face. "Ah, Brownskin! This is the Leetah you spoke of so many times!"
His brown eyes twinkled. "Very beautiful! And very strong! I feel the
power in her pretty hands!"
Caught off-guard, Leetah could only stare at the scars that
lined the rock-shaper's face, and at the bit of cloth where his other
arm would be.
"You look at me with pity." Leetah blinked, looking up at the
strange elf as his tone shifted, his eyes gentle. "Why? I am free. I
belong to myself now." The ancient elf started to his feet, moving
towards the pair. "Thanks to this brave one here." He nodded once to
Rayek, then smiled amusedly at Leetah's perplexedness. "Oh.. he has
not told you tet? Sit! Sit! It is a tale I never tire of.. and I'm in
it!" Rayek reached to touch the rockshaper's arm. "Oh! My name is..
uh.. eh.." He blinked, then his eyes sparked with recognition.
"Ekuar." He offered a lopsided grin. "I shape rock."
Rayek smiled, stepping forward. "More than that. He is my
teacher."
"Teacher?" Leetah blinked once, then moved to stand, pausing
midway there. "Rayek! The way you helped me to heal Cutter.. the way
you lifted the pull of the world from his body.. taking all the strain
away from his heart!" She stared at him as he started to turn away
from him, her green eyes wide and round. "You were not able to use
your powers in that fashion.."
Rayek smirked, folding his arms over his chest as he kept his
eyes forward, not meeting hers. "Until now." With only a trace of his
familiar self-satisfaction, Rayek prepared to recount the events of
seven years past, only to be interrupted when a practiced, gently calm
send overlapped him, the touch strange and unfamiliar, but strangely
reminding him of his dear Mother of Memory.
** I trust I am not interrupting anything? **
"Eh?" Ekuar looked up to see who was sending, then looked up
farther. "Oh! Oh-ho my!" Leetah and Rayek, too, looked up, and Leetah
heard her one-time suiter inhale sharply at what they saw.
One of the giant bondbirds looked down at them from atop a rocky
perch. It was devouring an elk - in fact, all that was left was
cleanly picked bones by now - and had been there since the conversation
had started and had otherwise been ignored. What was new, however, was
the figure of a Chosen wrapped in white furs tending to it. Picking
through her memory, Leetah remembered the name of the Chosen, her nose
wrinkling. Kureel's younger brother, and just as nasty. Reevol.
Rayek blinked, opening his mouth. "Who..?"
** Reevol. ** Leetah's sending was unfocused and rough, but the
magical shadow of the nearby palace was enough to highten her minimal
ability. ** No.. of course not. ** She glanced at Ekuar and Rayek, a
silent request to stay quiet. ** We were.. just talking. **
** Indeed. ** With a natural grace, Reevol glided down towards
the three-some below, the white fur cloak trailing behind him. His
sharp crystal eyes gave Leetah the barest of glances, instead settling
on the maimed rockshaper and the black-haired rogue. His eyebrows
lifted. ** And who are these? **
** My mentor, Ekuar.. and I am Rayek. ** Rayek's tone was one of
subdued awe, looking at Reevol through half-slitted eyes. After a
moment, he sent, almost awe-struck, ** You.. You can fly! **
A smirk settled on Reevol's face, replying with only a dry, **
How perceptive. **
Leetah stepped forward, her leaf green eyes hardening to jade.
She started to cut in, but Rayek held her back with a fluid gesture,
his amber eyes lighting to a candle yellow. ** You misunderstand,
Reevol..! So can I! **
Leetah blinked. "What?"
Rayek turned to her, his eyes dancing as he took her hands in
hers. "I was going to tell you, Leetah," he whispered excitedly.
"Ekuar taught me many things, helped me to make my talents grow.. I can
fly! Like a bird or.. or a G-Glider!" He forced out the unfamiliar
word with barely a blink, too caught up in himself. Leetah felt
something in herself plummet by the overly self-satisfied look started
to take over his eyes. "Look!" A faintly magenta glow surrounded Rayek
before his feet left the ground, spreading his hands with a broad
smile. "Look! The old power which you said was lost to all of us.. is
mine!"
Leetah swallowed, saying nothing.
Reevol, however, was unimpressed and commented, ** All of -my-
folk can fly. It is nothing special. **
Rayek faltered, a stung look coming over his face as Reevol's
words bruised his pride harshly. Disappointed, his gaze dropped, then
lifted to Leetah, hoping to have impressed his one time lover, but all
his eyes met was startlement and horror. He swallowed once, a bitter
fist taking hold of his stomach. So long had he waited for this
moment, to show Leetah his talents, to watch amazement and wonder wash
over her lovely face.. but this? This was a terrible disappointment.
He felt Ekuar's hand on his shoulder, the three fingers squeezing it
gently, offering support, but he shrugged it off. "I.. should go speak
with Kahvi," he finally mumbled, walking - not gliding - away quickly,
feeling the healer and Chosen's eyes at his back.
Leetah hugged herself, turning away. He's become a Glider, she
realized, her thoughts bitter and cold. So proud and vain, and he can
fly now. My beloved Rayek has become a Glider to the core. She felt
tears on her cheeks, but the cold wind whipped up silently, freezing
them to her skin. Biting her lip, she reached up to brush the ice from
her cheeks, eyes lowered to the ground.
** Interesting little floater, isn't he? ** Reevol's unwanted
sending cut through her thoughts. The healer turned to see the
Chosen's crystal eyes still lingering after Rayek, his arms folded over
his thin frame thoughtfully. ** Tastes of magic. **
Leetah felt sick when she thought of what the Gliders could do
to her Rayek, but before she could respond a soft, haunting melody sang
over the hillside. Elven and wolfen voices blended together in a
single song of grief and harmony, echoing off the surrounding
mountains. Her eyes shifted to see the Wolfriders and their wolves
crying out their grief to the uncaring stars. Unneeded, she murmured,
"The howl is for One-Eye and Woodshaver.." She looked to Reevol. "I
should be there."
The Glider rolled his shoulders, his crystal eyes taking a
fierce look to them. ** You howl for a tribemate slain, and for a
beast as well.. but not a Chosen? ** he asked, his tone betraying its
edge.
Leetah looked at Reevol for a moment, tilting her head, then
turned away, silenting padding away, her footsteps silent upon the snow
as she moved towards the grieving Wolfriders.
Unseen, Rayek watched it all from a place on the rocks. His
arms were folded over his chest, his eyes on Leetah. His eyes were
also bright with tears, his thoughts bitter and his own as he watched
her join the Wolfriders. Watched her touch Cutter's arm with a
fondness she used to reserve for him and him alone. Watched her lovely
lips part and heard her sweet voice join their coarse, untrained voices
in chorus. Unable to watch more, the airwalker turned away, moving to
leave..
"So -she- threw you over for the Wolf Chief, eh, Airwalker?"
Kahvi cocked an eyebrow at him, her brown eyes glittering at him
curiously.
Rayek's teeth gritted, giving a half-mumbled reply. "It.. was
Recogntion."
"Recog.. what?" The War Chieftess gave him an odd, confused
look, then blinked as she pulled up a dusty, long forgotten memory.
"Oh.. yes. They still bother with that, do they?" She chuckled
softly, a touch of pride to her voice as she leaned back against the
rocks. "My folk have been breeding without it since we called
ourselves Go-Backs!"
"It shows."
Kahvi arched an eyebrow at Rayek's growled reply and tsked
softly. "You were meant for lovemates, not for a lifemate." She
touched his arm. "Enjoy it!"
Welcomed by the Go-Backs, the Wolfriders and Gliders soon
discover they have much in common with their hardy hosts, though
differences are numerous as well.
Pike laughed, jabbing his spear into the air, his brows furrowed
into a sinister grin. "See that reach? For throwing or stabbing a
spear's the best!"
Tok, a GoBack, smirked, sliding a finger along the blunt end of
a jagged looking troll sword. "Ha! You want to talk reach?"
Without warning, a flash of movement and silver cut through
their conversation, lashing out between them to seize a towel on a
nearby bench, only to yank it back with another flash of silver. Tok
and Pike whirled around to gape at the Chosen, Hoykar, as he fingered
his talon whip with an amused smirk. "Yes, little warriors," he
grinned. "I would like to 'talk reach'."
They hunt.
Scouter dug his heels into his wolf's sides, urging the wolf
forward, his fingers tight on his knife's hilt. The snow bear roared
in pain as Treestump's axe found flesh again and tore, splashing blood
on the eldest Wolfrider's fur vest. The Chosen, Talno and Aroree,
zigzagged through the air, Aroree brandishing her talon whip and Talon
with a crossbow, fumbling with his newly-learned weapon, firing bolt
after bolt into the snowbear, wasting ammunition even as Aroree's talon
whip sent fur flying.
From afar, Dewshine and Redlance watched with the GoBack named
Skot. Dewshine murmured a worried comment, but Skot shrugged it away.
"Oh, he's finished, all right," he reassured her. "He just won't admit
it." He laughed softly. "Snow bears never do."
They learn.
Yif traced the markings in the tree with his finger, splinters
embedding in his glove. "Twelve eights. And then some." He
straightened, looking at the cloud-maned Wolfrider. "That's how many
turns of the seasons we've been here."
Skywise whistled softly, his eyes wide.
Yif nodded slightly. "That's how long the Palace has been
calling to us."
They argue.
Vaya gritted her teeth, shaking a fist at Strongbow. "Listen!"
She barked. "Your wolves can feed off the roving herd all they want.
Just keep them away from the double-cursed pens! Understand?!"
Strongbow shot her a tight-lipped look, then turned to leave,
his thoughts his own as he idlyt scratched behind his wolf's ears. I
was in a cage once, he thought. Hated it. He glanced to his wolf. So
would Briarsting. "Taking to killing deer now, wolfling?" The harsh
voice sliced through his thoughts and Strongbow looked up to stare into
Kureel's hateful eyes.
"Since you can't shoot bondbirds, I guess you need to kill the
GoBack's bonds now, huh?"
Strongbow narrowed his eyes, relishing the image of cracking
Kureel's neck and throwing him to the wolves. He brushed it back to
the back of his mind and instead ignored the Glider, his fingers
tightening over Briarsting's fur as wolf and rider stalked off.
And they brood.
"Stop admiring your hands and put on this new coat!" Mekka
forcibly tried to push the fur-covered coat on Leetah, her brown eyes
flashing beneath her headband irritably. "You can't go about in colors
bright enough for trolls to spot you in pitch blackness!"
Leetah didn't spare the angry GoBack a glance, staring silently
at her hands, feeling drained. As Mekka drapped the coat over Leetah's
shoulders, the healer thought, Admire.. these hands? Feeling worried
eyes on her, she folded her hands in her arms, looking towards the
Lodge entrance. They have taken a life. What can heal that?
What indeed?
"Aaahhh!" Clearbrook forced out a battle cry through her lungs
as she slamed her knife against the shield, her gray eyes flashing with
blood hunger, throwing Vaya off balance as she slammed herself forward
again, her foot sweeping to trip the GoBack. Behind her, Yeyeen's
talon whip sang through the air, its talons taking hold of her
opponent's crossbow and flinging it aside with ridiculous ease.
Clearbrook lunged forward at the same moment Yeyeen did, pinning
Vaya to the ground even as Yeyeen forced Yif down as well. Behind
them, Kahvi, Cutter, and Voll watched silently until Kavhi spoke, a
smirk on her face. "See Old Bird? Wolf Chief? Vaya and Yif.. they're
not used to being put on their guard.." She turned, giving them an
encouraging smile. "You came out of your troubles richer by warriors
who hunger for revenge!" She turned back, folding her arms over her
chest. "That's the best kind."
"Let me up, curse you!" Vaya squawled, glaring up at
Clearbrook.
"Aye!" Yif echoed her, on his back and shooting an equally angry
look at Yeyeen. "We're not trolls!"
Lord Voll folded his arms over his chest. ** Yes, ** he agreed
softly, not knowing that only Cutter bothered to recieve his words. **
But I worry.. **
Thoughts are ever on battle and on weapons.
Strongbow placed his hands on his knees, looking over Redlance's
shoulder as yellow-green magic flowed evenly from the treeshaper's
fingers. ** That's it, ** he sent encouragingly. ** Make me a bow just
like the one I used to have. Nightfall's never suited me. **
"I'll try," Redlance murmured, his brow heavy with
concentration. "But the wood around here is soft! You may have to
settle for horn and sinew."
And so the days pass. But, although reecovered, Cutter is
withdrawn and moody, as was Lord Voll. But while the Glider Lord tried
to recover from his brush with death by exploring the GoBack's strange
way of living, trying to become closer to his Chosen and the other
elves as well, Cutter found himself atop a snowy hill, feeling the wind
whip through his hair as he looked off to where the Palace's magical
glimmer could just barely be seen.
Leetah looked out at him, pausing near the elk pens, her fingers
wound together. Her voice too soft to be heard over the rush of the
wind, she called out, "Beloved..?"
"It could be your fault, you know." Leetah's head tilted
slightly as Kahvi commented aloud, sharpening her mount's antlers as
Ember and Suntop played int he snow. "A close brush with death can
change an elf for the better. But to be kept from death with its his
time..?" She snorted. "Who knows how that could twist his insides?"
She smirked, moving slightly as she concentrated on one area, patting
the elk's muzzle to keep him calm. "We Go-Backs don't hold much with
magic. It can foul up the good order of things. And Healers?" She
tossed Leetah a pointed look. "They're poison to a warrior's spirit..
ah!" The elk moved suddenly, the sharpened point of his antlers
catching her finger.
"There!" Kahvi turned, gesturing to the single droplet of
crimson on her finger. "A healthy respect for pain keeps you alert -
ready for anything. Knowing a healer's around to close every little
scratch can only you make you careless.." She paused, a frown settling
on her face. "Or worse, soft!"
Leetah's look was cold, as was her reply. "You are partly right,
Kahvi. The Sun Folk depended too much on me and it weakened them. I've
changed." Her voice hardened. "I've even killed. But death will
-always- be my enemy! I will always fight it!" She turned away, folding
her arms over her chest. "As fiercely as you battle trolls!"
Smiling slyly, Kahvi gave no reply, popping her wounded finger
in her mouth as she turned back to her tasks.
Cutter stood atop the hill, staring down at his reflection in
New Moon's blade. His own indigo eyes flashed back at him, weighted
with thought. Moments passed and the Chieftain found himself lost
within his own eyes, lost within his thoughts, not noticing the passage
of time until a pair of serpentine eyes looked back at him. Startled,
Cutter stepped back a step. "Eh?"
"Leetah told me of your quest.." Rayek stepped forward, using a
metal-tipped spear as a walking stick. "It seems I misjudged you." He
tiled his head slightly, speaking words he never thought he'd speak.
"You are more elf than beast. Maybe the Palace was not your original
goal, perhaps it is only the whispers and memory of an old, fool Glider
Lord and a tribe of inbred warriors.." The airwalker paused. "But it
is a worthy one. Are you still game to win it?"
Cutter paused for a moment, then slumped, knees bending into a
crouch, pushing his knife into the snow with his palm over its hilt.
What started out as a growling mumble slowly started to grow louder.
"WE've been burned out.. hunted.. captured.. killed.. tortured.. lied
to.. and all but boiled in fish oil..! We're within spitting distance
of the thing that started that whole mess.. and I'll be buried in zwoot
dung.." With sudden fire, Cutter jumped to his feet, whirling around so
fast snow sprayed around his feet, New Moon flashing in front of him.
"..before I let a bunch of blood-hungry TROLLS stop us now!!"
Rayek smiled a sly smile. "Yes, the trolls.. they live to keep
us from reclaiming the Palace." He shook his head. "I don't know why.
What use could it be to them?"
"Trolls don't have reasons, just greed!" Cutter growled softly,
turning around again, holding New Moon before him. "Kahvi says these
slopes are riddled with traps and pitfalls."
"True." Rayek nodded once. "Even Go-Backs who have managed to
'go back' over the mountains.. have never returned."
Cutter's reply was determined. "But -we- will!"
"The moon sword must not cross over -- to play its part!"
Rayek whirled around as a cracked voice interrupted their
conversation. "That voice! That voice again!" he choked.
Cutter growled. "Two-Edge!"
"It must go in.. In.. IN...! And stab the Mountain's heart!"
A rising moan drew their attention away from the pair of yellow
eyes that gleamed at them from the shadows of the rocks. Cutter's
wolf-keen eyes found the forms of Gliders on the nearby hills.
Aroree's arms were draped around Skywise's neck, but now she seemed to
have collapsed over him. Eresir and Talno's faces had drained of blood,
leaving them colorless, and even stone-cold Kureel looked startled. It
was Aroree who first cried out, "The voice! The voice from the wall!"
"He whispered to me! He tormented my dreams!" Eresir seconded
her, his wail tortured.
Skywise shot Aroree a worried look, sending confused queries to
her as Cutter whirled away, forcing down his rising questions. How
long had they been there? How much had they heard? "Enough rhymes,
sick-brain!" he yelled out. "Was it you who told Guttlekraw of our
coming? Was it you who shot down Lord Voll?
"Find us both, my treasure and me.." the shadow whispered
softly, the cracked voice strangely musical in its rhyming. Then an
ear-piercing shriek shattered any illusion of melody as a familiar
scramble of green-yellow-and-pink came into view. "Eeeeeee!" the
preserver squealed. "Help! Nastybad dig-dig!"
Cutter boggled. "Petalwing!"
Rayek flipped his spear over with casual ease, the weapon
snapping into a ready position quickly. "The preserver! Leetah spoke
of it.."
"-- Well, whatver she told you is true!" Cutter growled, New
Moon drawnas he stalked towards the half-troll and the preserver.
"That pest's good for one thing only! It can lead us to the Palace!"
His eyes narrowed at Two-Edge, silenting wondering why Skywise and the
Gliders nearby weren't helping.. why were they just -standing- there?
"And you knoiw it, don't you, Two-Edge? Let the bug go -- NOW!"
Two-Edge grinned maliciously. "Come!" he hissed. "Come and
take it!"
Fearlessly, Rayek and Cutter strode forward, both weapons held
in front of them. With a movement too quick for their eyes to
register, Two-Edge's hand slipped behind a rock, a mysterious 'click'
somehow making it past the wind to their ears. Then the ground was no
longer there, and though Rayek instinctively pushed himself to the air,
Cutter fell with with a vehement curse, disappearing down the hole.
Ember's cry shattered the air. "Oh no! Father!"
Cutter, at gravity's mercy, rolled and bumped and thudded down a
narrow, rocky hole until even that disappeared and he was in freefall.
Then, his face met the ground and pain washed over him, blacking out
for a few seconds. When the moments passed and awareness dug a
handhold in his mind again, he awoke to black, pain, and a strange
place. The thick scent of decay and pain overpowered his senses.
Then something growled.
To Be Continued...
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