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| A Moments Respite By LLDrax |
| "Thank you," Erix said, "You may go. Keep me updated." The scout gave a salute and left. Erix wondered what his news meant. The dense jungle around Emani had slowed the Puritists down, and now, two weeks away from the city, they stopped all together and set up camp. They were next to Sylvan Lake, not an easy place to defend, with only the jungle around them. Perhaps they believed their numbers made up for it. Erix wanted to know the real reason they stopped there, but the fact they did gave him more time to come up with some kind of defense. But he didn't have enough soldiers, just the precious few that made up the Bloodclaws. Erix needed to talk to someone, to leave the problem for a little bit so he could attack it from another angle later. But who? Erix walked out of his study and into the main hall of his house. Toul, the last of his kind sat there on a couch with his wife, Tamra. They were smiling and whispering to each other. Better than the noise the past few nights, Erix supposed, but he still didn't want to interrupt, it had been years since they had seen each other. Tam's arrival in Emani had angered Drax to no end. How was he supposed to protect Bane's wife and daughter if they were in two different locations? In the end, Drax decided Jade would be better protected by her husband and a host of elves than by himself alone, and opted to stay in Emani with Tamra. Drax. Erix could talk to him. But where was he? "I don't know," Toul said, "He left around noon. Something about scouting the city, as if there is someone left here to find." Erix realized he voiced his last thought aloud, "I'm sorry I interrupted you two, I'll leave." "No, no, you didn't interrupt," Toul replied, standing, "I guess I'll go look for the little arrogant hot head, something may have happened to him. He's been gone hours, its getting quite dark out." Toul was quickly into his armor, strapped on his sword, and with a wink and a blown kiss at Tamra, stepped out to start his search. Erix shrugged. At least he had someone to talk to now, "Care for some tea?" "I would love some," Tamra smiled. * * * * * * * * The sky was emblazoned in red from the setting sun as Drax walked down the empty street. The city was spooky, there was no sign that a battle had ever taken place. Sure, there was the blood everywhere when he had first arrived after Erix, but even that had disappeared. Drax was just deciding to head back when he saw a figure in a white robe further up the street, "Hey!" Drax shouted, "You there! Stop!" The figure went around a corner. Drax ran and turn the corner just in time to see the figure turn again. Drax gritted his teeth, this was annoying! He ran to the corner, but he didn't see the white robed figure. Instead he saw a small girl with dark hair and eyes, her cheeks stained with dirt and tears. "Can you help my papa?" She asked, pointing. Drax followed where she pointed, and sitting against the building was a male corpse with its throat ripped out. So there where still people alive in the city, they must all be hiding. And whatever killed most of the others was apparently still in town, too. Where did that white robed man go? The girl tugged on his sleeve, and Drax shook her off, "I've got my own problems to deal with, kid." Drax walked on by her in the direction White Robe probably went. If White Robe wasn't guilty of anything, he wouldn't have run, would he? He heard the girl crying behind him. Stupid human. She didn't see the bigger picture. Suddenly she screamed. Drax turned and saw a dark mage, smiling evilly, its claws dripping with blood. It picked up the girl, "Now for dessert," the dark mage grated. "Leave her alone!" Drax shouted as he drew his sword and charged the dark mage. The mage let out a peal of cruel laughter. flash He turned the corner, and saw a flicker of white cloth. Again Drax was running, always just catching a glimpse in the distance. This went on for a couple of hours when Drax rounded a corner and found himself face to face with White Robe. Drax opened his mouth in shock "Master Xu!" He breathed. Master Xu had been Drax's teacher of martial arts and the only father Drax ever knew in the Temple of the Sun and Moon, but...that was a little over three hundred years ago. Drax regained control over himself, "I attended your funeral." Master Xu shook his head, "You're getting defensive when its unnecessary. Did you learn nothing from what I taught you? I didn't die, merely moved on to a more powerful state. I came to see you because you've fallen, but you're not ready for that yet. I worked something out. If I can return you to the path, you can go back. You need to return to good." "What are you talking about?" Drax demanded, "Go back where?" * * * * * * * * * * * * Erix and Tamra jumped up as the door burst open. Toul stalked inside, he was bleeding, and in his arms he was carrying a small, weeping human child with dark hair. He sat the child down and stood, swaying, "I showed up....Drax was fighting...outside...." Toul fell over. Tamra rushed to his side. "He is hurt, but I can heal him," Tamra said. She looked up at the door, and then to Erix, "You had better go see what he meant by outside." She began to work magic on Toul and speak to the girl to calm her. With sudden dread in his heart, Erix started towards the door. Every footstep felt too heavy. He knew what he would find, but it didn't prepare him for it. On the ground outside the door was the crumpled, broken, cold body of Drax Ri'Vion. Erix sunk to his knees. He didn't see the injuries, he seemed to notice the little things. Drax still had a grip on his sword, it had greenish-black blood on it, and his face, a face that seemed to be in constant turmoil for those who knew what to look for, was at peace. The dam that had started welling up behind Erix's eyes when he was still inside finally burst. LLDrax |