12: Opinions, Protocol, Politics

Splendid was the morning, the burdens of the coming tide seemed pushed aside by this glorious sunrise. Ceridwyn sat on the grass, her eyes focused to the east as the majestic sun broke the horizon line and peeked upon morning. She smiled and rubbed the cover of her snow white spell book. The runes on the cover shimmered and moved at her touch, animating themselves into a knot that took a center point on the cover. She tucked the book into her robes and leaned back on one of the large standing stones that poked out of the ground all over the area. She felt the coolness of the smooth stone and she shut her eyes, inhaling the scent of the morning air. Her ears twitched slightly as she caught the sound of a beetle moving across the grass by her feet. Then again as a bird fluttered off a branch and landed with a thud on a worm. She listened, the rhythmic dance of life returning from slumber echoing all around her.

With a soft, deep breath she opened her eyes again, the deep chestnut brown was almost black this morning as she scanned the horizon line. She turned and looked to the north, Glen Durel was no more than a half days ride. She smiled thinking about seeing her dear friend Rayann again. Her heart swelled at the thought of honey mint tea and sugar cakes beside the hearth, the sound of Shearer cooing on the soft wool rugs at their feet. She could hear Rayann’s contagious laughter and her smile grew all the wider. Suddenly then, her smile faded, this was not a social call, there would be none of that this time. She turned her head and looked back at the encampment, Trystan was folding his bedroll and Kellan was tending to Lady Roses as the Commander herself cut the newly smoked meat into small chunks and placed them caringly into a leather travel pack. She was amazed that this Commander was a leader by example, she didn’t sit around barking instruction, she got involved in the grunt work when she needed to, and most likely it was the reason her troops supported her so fiercely. She then gazed to where she had left Aeolis, his bedroll was gone, tucked up behind the saddle of his mount, she smiled softly and whispered, “A’maelamin, did you think I could not hear your approach?”

She turned and saw Aeolis, he was a mere meter away. He smiled and leaned in for a kiss but she withdrew, “My darling? Have we just come to assume that the nectar is free for the taking whenever the honey bee wishes a nip?” He quirked a brow and simply reach forth, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her in. She melted under his touch, the warmth of his lips buzzing as she inhaled deeply. He withdrew and smiled as she spoke again, “Well, if you insist.”

She winked and lifted her hand. He assisted in helping her stand and she looked at the nearly broken camp. She smiled sadly and turned to Aeolis, “This journey is only beginning, though we are nearly at our destination. By the light I pray this first step will be worth it.”


Kali was in the kitchen when her parents came downstairs. The table was cleared of last night’s dishes and settings were made for breakfast. She smiled as they walked past the hearth and she came out to greet them. “Good morrow mother and father, I trust you slept well.”

She hugged them both briefly and then returned to the kitchen, as she moved she spoke, “Sit and have tea, the eggs and bread will be done momentarily.” She could feel her parents look at each other oddly thought she couldn’t see, and she could feel them trying not to think about her. She simply smiled, it was understandable, she was not a morning person and yet here she was, up first and preparing for their nourishment. She returned quickly, a loaf of steaming out of the oven bread in one hand and a wooden bowl full of eggs in the other.

“I know what you two of thinking, masking your thoughts isn’t helping.” She narrowed her eyes playfully on Rayann and smiled a half smile. “I am just interested in what the Knights will have to say, to know what they are seeking. I couldn’t sleep, it was all I could think about.”

She served them both and then leaned back in her chair with a heavy exhalation, staring at her father. He looked up at her and his face took on an expression of curiosity. “Sorry father, it’s just that Shearer is looking more and more like you every day, it’s amazing.” She smiled and they ate, the thoughts of what was to come tucked behind their thoughts for the time being. After 45 minutes or so, their bodies needs satisfied Myth excused himself to train as he normally did and Kali turned to look outside. There was a rushing sound and a thunderous clap of pressure. Kali knew the sound all too well, and a mere second later Nol in his massive dragon form swooped in low over the castle and landed about a hundred meters out on the grounds. Kali turned to look at Rayann, conflict and confusion in her face. She turned and looked back as Nol morphed into his human form and then turned back to look at Rayann, “Mother…” “GO Kali, I will take care of the dishes.”

Kali looked at her apprehensively, it was obvious that dishes was not the first thing on her mind, but it was her mother’s way of saying, “There is nothing here for you to do but meet him.” Kali sighed deeply and stood, her red dress ruffled around her and fell with soft swishes to the floor. “If I am not back in ten minutes…,” she paused, “I’m probably taking a ride on his back again.” She rolled her eyes sarcastically and there was a hint of a smile on her face. Since She had broken things off with Nol several months back he continued to return and visit. Kali didn’t speak much of it, but Rayann would know that Nol was continuing to gently court her during these visits. He never put any sort of pressure or pushed, but he certainly didn’t leave her out there on her own. Every now and then she would agree to fly with him, and though she did love the experience, she also would let her thoughts linger on how it was taking time from her studies.

Kali crossed the green grass and approached Nol. From the window Rayann would see her go up on her tip toes and hug him tightly, and then release, stepping back slightly. The stood for a very long time, talking and even from this distance, Rayann could see a smile on Kali’s face.

Aeolis didn’t have the heart to move Ceri for a good while after she drifted off to sleep. Besides, he enjoyed having her leaning up against him, truth be told. And while his elven sight was impecible as well as his hearing, he could also feel the tug of magic around them and knew Ceri had somehow weaved her spells once more giving them all the privacy they longed for in the wilds. All without compromising their safety. Needless to say, she never ceased to amaze him.

As he sat with Ceri leaned up against him, he let his arm slip around her and hold her close to him protectively. His mind drifted to more unpleasant times and his eyes narrowed at the thoughts. He would give his life gladly to save her if it came to that. Never had he been so ready to lay down his life as he was now and that thought frightened and exhilarated him at the same time.

Finally he glanced down at her angelic beauty and kissed her forehead tenderly. Moving carefully so he wouldn’t awaken her, Aeolis picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed rolls Lady Kellan had laid out for them. Covering her to make sure she remained warm, he let the back of his fingers drift over her smooth cheek before he returned to the fire.

Pulling his pipe out, he placed some of the sweet, aromatic tobacco in the well then lit it so he could puff on it as he let his tactical mind drift off into some much needed strategic thinking. While Trystan and Kellan were occupied elsewhere and Lady Rose was already well into her own thoughts he took the quiet time to do some thinking of his own.

The area around him soon took on the sweet smell of his pipe and a soft, bluish ring of smoke drifted around his head. His Elven ears and eyes never forgetting his surroundings as he allowed himself the time to think of almost every possible scenario when they met the mages they were on their way to see.

And the Prince was sure to be there as well.

That’s what troubled Aeolis the most. What were these Solamnic Knights reaction going to be when they realized who he was. Or more precisely, who he USED to be.

There in lay the issue.





Kellan thought she was dreaming when she heard Trystan tell her Lady Rose was allowing them to stay together despite knowing the truth of their feelings for each other. She was so overcome with her own joy that it bubbled over and she reacted in a way she never thought she would react in mixed company. Especially with her Commanding Officer in the mix. But when she heard the news, she couldn’t contain her emotions.





Rayann watched Kali leave with Shaer in her arms and when the door clicked closed behind her daughter, she turned to look upon Myth. She could see the weariness in his brilliant gaze but she also saw the spark within their emerald depths as well. Times like this were few and far between for them these days and she wasn’t going to allow the moment pass her by without taking full advantage of it. One night was a gift she would take and cherish for as long as she lived.


The morning light came all too soon for the good people of Krynn. The blaring light seemed to dispel the sense of serenity that enveloped the travelers. Aeolis kept watch for a good while into the night. Trystan relieved him later into the night and Kellan took the watch that brought the morning sun with it.

As the travelers began to rouse from their slumber, the encampment was quickly packed up and put away for the next time it would be used. There was a soft glow to Kellan’s cheeks as she worked with a renewed enthusiasm and a small smile that seemed to never leave her features. Particularly when she glanced at Trystan.

But true to her training, when Trystan gave the orders for the day ahead, she was all business and quickly went about her duties of preparing the horses for the days travel that lay ahead of them all. As each equine was prepared, she walked them over to their perspective rider and with one final check, she handed the reins over to them. As soon as Lady Rose finished preparing the smoked meat, Kellan packed it away carefully making sure it would not be a draw for unwelcomed visitors. Even Lady Rose and Sir Trystan’s steeds were prepared by the Knight leaving her own four legged partner, Smoke, the last to be prepared.

The horse waited patiently for his mistress to tend to her saddle and checking it three times before she mounted up with the rest of the group. As Trystan gave the order to head out, Kellan took up the rear of the group to guard against any trouble that may come at them from that direction.






After their playful moment, Aeolis and Ceri prepared for the days events that lie ahead of them. Aeolis could feel Ceri’s anticipation and knew she wanted to see her friends again but he also knew she was aware this was more than just a social call. Business would need to be tended to before any break away for socializing could be conducted. And with the fact Myth would be with the mages made matters a little more interesting than they normally would be.

Aeolis rode beside Ceri and a silence seemed to come over the group as they moved onward to their destination with the mages. He finally looked over at Ceri and smiled as he spoke to her mind for her alone to hear his words.

~I wonder how our reception will be, mel’amin? I am certain the Prince is there now which should prove to be an interesting introduction to say the least. While the name may elude some people, there will be no mistaking when he stands before them.~






Rayann had not slept so soundly in a long time as she did last night. In fact, she had not even been aware when Myth rose early to meditate and practice like she normally did. It wasn’t until the morning sun had risen into the sky enough to flood the bedroom with its bright, golden light that she finally awoke from her slumber. Her lavender eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to see the empty side of the bed and smiled when she saw the rose left on the pillow for her to see. Turning on her side and rising up on her elbow, she took the flower carefully in her hand and brought it to her nose to gently inhale the fragrance of the bloom. Another smile slipped over her features as memories of the night before came back to her reminding her that while she and Myth spent more time apart than they did together, their love for each other had not diminished any. If anything, it had grown.

With a sigh, she forced herself out of the bed to prepare for the day ahead. Guests were arriving before the sun set and there was much to do to prepare for their arrival. Once she was dressed and her inner robes in place, she made her way down the stairs and through the castle to the kitchen where she knew she would find her family. What she wasn’t prepared for were the twin guards who were on either side of the door when she walked in.

Her surprise clearly showed and if it hadn’t been for the relaxed look on Myth’s and Kali’s faces, Rayann was certain she would have lashed out at the intruders. But upon closer inspection of their attire she realized who they were. Raising her brows, she looked over at Myth and spoke to his mind so as not to offend their new house guests.

~I take it your mother convinced your father to send these fine Elves to protect our son. I know first hand there are some things you simply cannot tell a mother no to.~

With her surprise over with, she was even more surprised when she discovered Myth had risen early, not to meditate and practice, but to share some private time with his son and then with his daughter. What was even more interesting was the fact Kali had risen early and prepared breakfast for all of them. Both Rayann and Myth were a bit puzzled by her actions but as the girl explained herself, it all made sense. Rayann was certain if Myth had not been with her, she would not have slept well either.

As Nol arrived and Rayann saw the look on Kali’s face, she smiled knowingly and shooed her daughter along to spend time with the handsome dragon. Taking the time to watch Kali and Nol interact, Rayann wondered how long Kali would keep denying herself and Nol. While Rayann knew Kali was as devoted to her magic as any mage, she hoped her daughter would realize that the human and Elven side of her needed an emotional attachment to keep her grounded in the world around her. It wasn’t until Rayann discovered her love for Myth that she realized what that really meant.

Smiling as she saw the smile Kali had on her face, Rayann finished cleaning up the kitchen so that when their guests arrived they were ready to prepare another meal for them if need be. Which Rayann was certain would be the case.

Myth had awakened with the rising of the sun as was his way. This morning however he had no desire to actually move. He was enjoying the warmth from the body pressed up against him as he lay there in silence. He took in a deep breath taking in his beloved's scent before letting out a quiet sigh. Sadly he was awake and would soon become restless. So it was with great care he eased himself from his place of comfort and rose from the bed. Smiling he reached into his pack at the side of the bed and pulled out a long rose and laid it upon the bed.

Myth exited the room and contemplated his morning meditations but the two elven guards in the hall at his sons door made him think differently. With little more than a look he entered the room and retrieved his son before heading to the kitchen to make something for the two of them. The guards were of course in tow but they kept a respectable distance. The elven prince could only shake his head as he went into the kitchen only to find Kali preparing to make food.

It was a pleasant morning for Myth spent playing with Shaer and talking extensively with Kali about everything he had missed in his absence. He took keen interest in the siblings strong connection and it brought him a small amount of relief and a small bit of apprehension all at the same time. It would make them strong but they would need to learn not to depend on it lest something truly unfortunate were to happen that broke the connection. Last thing Myth would want is a rift between siblings. On the edge of that thought Rayann appeared through the door. It was a morning of light conversation and all to soon Myth knew he needed to get to his meditations and practice. Excusing himself from the table he bid his children to be mindful and gave a loving kiss to his wife before he vanished to the salley to practice.

Myth meditations would last only last long enough to clear his mind and center himself for the day. However today it was even more important to purge his system of excess. He would be dealing with the Knights of Solomnia before nightfall. He was apprehensive about the meeting but hopeful the Ceridwyn would not bring them here without do and fari warning. He did not wish for a conflict but he would be prepared for it just in case. An hour later Myth's eyes opened and with a smile upon his face he would remain in practice until the afternoon.

Upon completion of his exercises he would relocate himself to the battlements and watch towards the direction of Heartlund. His eyes remained on the road and it was here he would stand until the approaching band arrived. His crimson mane blew in the wind and he watched the roads arms crossed.




Rose wasted little time getting prepared to move for the day when she was awakened. She made short work of getting her things together and wrapped so that Kellan could load the horses. Happy with the state of her personal belongings she took the time to strip and prepare the previous nights meal for travel. She had been impressed with the catch and was grateful to have had an opportunity to eat something other than field rations.

She took note of the moods of the entire party and it brought a sad smile to her face. She could feel the love flow from each couple and it made her heart ache slightly. Her hand slipped to the necklace around her neck and she let out a sigh as she became lost in thought. When the reins of her mount were brought to her by Kellan she finally opened her eyes and let out a breath,

She saw the look that was given her and she smiled shooing Kellan off as she mounted her horse and waited on everyone else. The life of a commander was never an easy one she reminded herself. She was eager to get moving knowing they would arrive at Glen Durel easily before the setting of the sun this day.

The half day’s passed so quickly it seemed like they had only been on the road mere minutes. The party rode in relative silence with very little words being exchanged between any of them; a much different mode had set in than the talkative ride the day before. Ceridwyn spoke into Aeolis mind as they crossed a massive rocky ridge and began descent into a lush green valley, ~ “We are here.” ~, and then galloped her horse forward to sidle up with Trystan who was riding point.

Trystan turned and smiled as Ceridwyn came beside him speaking kindly, “My lady.”

“Sir Trystan, this is the Valley of Ar. You may have noticed that the last stone line we crossed was jagged and weathered, and you will notice the next is even more so. Beyond the next ridge line is Glen Durel. The company needs to stop and wait while I go secure our passage.”

Trystan nodded without hesitation and raised his hand in the military gesture meaning stop and then turned to speak, “Party Halt! Ceridwyn needs to move forward without us. We will wait until her return here.”

Ceridwyn turned to the group and spoke, “There are wardings beyond imagination that secure this place. I will go and make a place for us to ride. Though you might not remember what I am about to say, remember that we are welcome here. If not, we would not have made it past the first line of stones behind us.”

There were confused looks from the three Knights and Ceridwyn ignored them. It was understandable that they would not comprehend the magic that was involved here, and she didn’t have the time to explain it. She turned and looked at Aeolis. Her soft smile faded but the sparkle in her deep chestnut brown eyes remained. He would understand her expression. Even she was in danger if she didn’t get things right when entering Glen Durel. Though this was not one of the Towers of High Sorcery it was treated as such by all factions of wizards. Lachlan was a powerful wizard who maintained his own extremely potent library of magic and secrets. The Tower of Glen Durel was a place of magic, but not all magi were welcomed there, for it was also his home. Rayann and Kali were its residents now and though Ceridwyn did have permission to be there and knew the secrets to passing through the wardings, miscasting the protective spells to enter could mean that the entire party would be locked in an eternal nightmare, sleeping in unspeakable horrors until they died. Normally she didn’t need to go through all these motions when she came to Glen Durel alone, she had a special transportation device that Kali had made her which allowed her to come and go at will. However, bringing in a whole party of non-magic users made it so that certain steps be taken. This was magic that had been set by Rayann and Rorie’s parents to protect their home and family. It was deeply rooted magic, magic that grew increasingly in strength every year due to being woven into the very land itself. Not even Kali or Rayann could remove or alter it; they could only add to it and make it stronger.

Ceridwyn nudged her horse and he broke into a gallop. She rode into the valley between the two ridges of jagged rocks and dismounted her horse. She was moving in small circles, sprinkling small amounts of reagents onto the ground and then they saw her begin to move her hands in small circular motions. She was far enough away that only Aeolis would be able to pick up the sound of her incantation. She was weaving the spidery words of magic, her hands began to emit a brilliant light and the components on the ground shimmered and sparked to life. Slowly an arch of purple and green light grew from the ground and formed a semi circle that created the shape of a tunnel entrance. The archway sparkled with magic and then faded, creating a ghostly image of itself, barely visible to the human eye, and only slightly more visible to Aeolis’. Ceridwyn stepped into the archway and disappeared, never emerging from the other side. Though the archway appeared to only be half a meter thick, and was transparent, Ceridwyn disappeared from site as she entered. Many long moments passed and her horse began to paw at the ground nervously, neighing and snorting as it stood alone in the valley. Finally Ceridwyn reappeared, a sharply featured Silvanesti Elf beside her on horseback. She remounted her horse and the two galloped back up the hillside together. She came to a halt; Trystan took in the sight of this man and gave Rose and Kellan an uneasy glance.

“Lady Commander Rose, I would like to introduce you to Nol’lore Silentclaw. He has aided my spells and we can now pass into the Glen of Durel safely. He will need to accompany us so as to insure the magics will remain aligned in our favor.”


Trystan was watching the jagged stones with fascination. He had never seen such formidable natural features in the landscape. His natural tendency as a soldier was to keep scanning the area for potential ambush points and assembly areas, though he never once felt uneasy about their surroundings. There was a strange peace that seemed to flow from everything.

When Ceridwyn came up beside him and spoke, he nodded his head and gave his orders for the company to wait for her. As she wove her magic he was fascinated with what she was doing. He didn’t understand magic except that it was an essential part of their world, and there was an elite few with the ability to wield it. His confusion only grew as she disappeared into the shimmering archway. He turned and looked at Lady Rose who simply looked back at him reassuringly, a look that said, “Let the Wizard do her job so we can do ours.” He nodded quietly and then turned to Kellan who had made her way up and was directly beside him now on his right. He smiled softly to her as she looked back at him. It wasn’t an inappropriate or sensual smile, it was more a smile given when there is a connection.

As the moments passed Trystan looked over at Aeolis, his gaze was fixed intently on the archway. Trystan could only wonder what was going through the Ranger’s mind. Though Aeolis was doing his very best to hide it, the stone gaze only cracked when Ceridwyn finally reemerged. As Ceridwyn appeared with another figure, Trystan felt his hand instinctually moved down and rest on the hilt of his sword. With that movement he heard Rose, “Wisht!” He turned and looked at her. She had her brows furrowed and her head gently shake “NO!” Trystan brought his hand back up and grasped the reigns of Glaive and watched as the two galloped up. Ceridwyn introduced Nol’lore to Rose, but only Rose, and he silently nodded to himself. She was the Commander, and this was her mission. It was obvious there were protocols that would need to be observed.


Nol’lore looked at Rose and smiled softly. Please Lady rose, call me “Nol”. His delicate yet sharply masculine features were etched deep with wisdom and age. His skin seemed to have an almost barely visible silver shimmer to it and his long hair, tied back neatly still spilled out behind him across the saddle. His silver-grey eyes pierced with their gaze, but there was nothing aggressive in his mannerisms what-so-ever. If anything he seemed to bring a peace to the area he stood in, as if all of nature was holding its breath simply because he stood there. “Lady Rose, it is a pleasure to meet you. We had word of your coming two days past and we have been expecting you. Please allow me to escort you into the Glen.”

Lady Rose nodded after her reply and Nol then finally turned to the other two Knights. Though their names had not been spoken he addressed them, “Lord Trystan and Lady Kellan, please flank the Commander on either side and ride three abreast. Aeolis, ride in the back with Ceridwyn, I shall take point.”

To say there was authority in his voice was an understatement. It was as if you had no choice but to agree with him. He flicked his wrist ever so gently and his mount responded immediately, turning and stomping the ground with its massive and strong hooves. The ground trembled slightly with the impact and it was then that Trystan noticed the man’s blades. The twin blades were completely covered in strange runes and symbols and appeared to be identical to one another. They glowed brightly, even in the mid day sun, one with red, the other with blue, enchanted with ancient spells that made them mesmerizing to behold. They were not sheathed but rather held in place by some sort of intricate clamp that held them fast to his belt. As he rode and the blades moved a wisping trail like the tail of a comet scattered and dissolved behind them. It was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. He silently motioned to Kellan and gestured in the direction of the Elves blades, but saw that she had already noticed and her gaze was fixed on them as well. He raised his eyes brows in a motion that silently spoke about how genuinely impressed he was to see something like that and the party moved forward into the gateway.

As they crossed the threshold, the sky darkened and they were no longer in a lush and green landscape surrounded by formidable looking stones. They were in a twisted and blacked forest; the limbs of the trees were twisted into agonizing looking positions and dripped with a sickly green liquid. Trystan felt his hand twitch as he wanted to grab and unsheathe his blade, but his training, not to mention the very recent memories of Roses’ scolding gaze only moments before crashed into his mind. He thought to himself, “We are invited guests..., we are invited guests…” The forest all around them twitched and writhed with strange motion. Small sets of silver eyes stared at them from the shadows, blinking and glancing at one another before looking hungrily back at the party crossing through their land. Trystan chanced a glance behind him and could see now why Nol’lore had told Aeolis to ride beside Ceridwyn. She was locked deep in an incantation, Aeolis had the reigns of her mount and she was hissing ancient words as she moved her hands in strange gestures. Aeolis’ face was calm and focused, keeping an eye on everything around them. Trystan suddenly felt himself envying the Ranger again, Aeolis knew so much more about magic than he did and he wished to himself that he could at least understand what was going on enough that he could be prepared if something went wrong.

The forest closed in around them, getting thicker and darker with each step. Nol’lore’s voice entered their minds all at once, “Steady yourselves Knights, it gets worse before it gets better. The magic of the mistresses keeps the guardians at bay.” Trystan could only assume Nol’lore was referring to the two red robed Wizards they were traveling to see, but these images and creatures seemed more the imagination of a Black Robe or Necromancer. Finally after slow and agonizing minutes the darkness subsided and the light began to break through again, the party emerged through a similar looking archway, and to Trystan’s amazement they had only traveled the distance it would have taken them to walk through the half meter wide archway of light. He turned and looked at Nol’lore in amazement and the Elf only smiled and nodded. “The Mistresses come from a long line of powerful wizards, their mysteries elude us all."

Nol watched as the whole party emerged and he looked at Ceridwyn, “How do you fair Ceridwyn?” She nodded with a soft smile, her face was pale and her expression showed her exhaustion. Trystan could only imagine the amount of energy she had just spent to cast her spell. Nol’lore looked at the group and spoke, “Well, with Ceridwyn feeling fit to travel,” He looked at her with a slight wink and she shot him a mischievous look that said, "Oh you're gonna get it if you keep that up". It was obvious these two knew each other and with a small smile he said, “Then let us cross the pass into the Glen.”

Nol turned his mount and the party went up the long hill and through the small gap in the jagged stones. The rocks were razor sharp and dozens of meters tall. The passage way was only wide enough for the horses to ride single file and they had to weave through a delicately arching pass before emerging on the other side. Trystan’s eyes had never seen such wonderment; he turned to Rose and Kellan, “Only in my dreams have I seen a place such as this.” The entire valley was lush and fragrant with flowers and fruits. Despite the fact that they were in late autumn, the ground burst with summer blooms and harvestable food. A massive Loch of crystal blue water shimmered in the center, and on the far end a huge castle of thick, ancient stone stood proudly overlooking a massive cliff that went out to the sea. The smell of the fresh salt air caused all to smile and Nol looked at them. “We are expected, so I suggest we take in the sights later.”

He winked at Ceridwyn; both of them had seen these looks before, the look of humans who were opening their eyes to more than just the bubble around them. As they began to ride Trystan looked at the castle. On its highest battlement he saw what appeared to be a lone figure standing there, a long red banner of some sort flying proudly above him.


Kali stood with Nol. They talked and laughed. She could not help but see the look in his eyes; he was still hungry for her. She buried her feelings and didn’t allow them to show. They still enjoyed many moments of laughter and conversation before he finally turned his head slightly to the south. “They are in the Ar.” Kali turned and looked, then turned back to Nol and smiled, “Will you guide them in? I will go and tell mother and father. You know the wardings and the spells as well as mother or me; after all, you helped Papa put them in place.

Nol smiled softly and brushed his finger on her cheek. “Of course I will.” She turned her head slightly to the side as made his gesture of love and she whispered, “Nol, please… I still love you, please understand, but we simply must wait.” He smiled warmly and spoke, “Time is a nuisance, you think you have all you need, and suddenly you don’t have enough.” She turned quickly, her eyes snapping to his but he was already on the ridge. He had blinked and was standing with Relin, one of the dragons under his command. The two were standing just inside the stone ring and Relin was morphing into a horse. Nol was looking at her; even from this distance her half-elven eyes were able to see it. She bit her lip angrily and stomped her foot slightly in frustration.

She spoke to her parents in their minds. ~ “Mother, Father… our guests are in the Ar.” ~ The plain tone in her voice was obvious, and she saw her father standing on the highest battlement, he was looking at her and smiling. She didn’t wave, she simply blinked herself into the castle, and he would be able to feel the frustration in her.”

Aeolis knew the passage into Glen Durel itself would not come easy for the others in the party. It was difficult for him at times and e was more than aware of what it was and why it had to be. What he was worried about was rather or not these Knights had what it took to stay themselves and face these next few moments in time. Even with Nol’Lore accompanying them.

He was glad to see Lady Rose use her head and make sure her Knights didn’t do anything out of line when the “elf” accompanied Ceri back to the group. Did she know what Nol really was or was she merely giving Ceri the benefit of the doubt? That was something Aeolis would gladly like to find out when the time permitted.

As Nol gave instructions to the group, Aeolis took up his spot beside Ceri and without thinking, he reached out and took the reins of her mount in his hand. Sharing a look with her, he saw the mischief deeply embedded in her chestnut eyes but the seriousness within them as well. He nodded ever so slightly and gave her the slightest smiles as his mind reached out to hers.

~Worry not, M’Lady….I shall make sure your mount stays on the straight and narrow and does not get frightened.~

As he spoke to Ceri his free hand was stroking the neck of her mount reassuringly allowing his natural bond with the world around him and the living creatures within it reaffirm itself. As he saw the look Ceri shot him, he could do nothing but chuckle softly and shake his head knowing she would make him pay dearly later. A time he would gladly look forward to.

As the group started out, he suddenly became all business and even the look on his face changed. While Ceri was the one weaving the magic around them, Aeolis was sensitive to the current of magic all around him and he kept his senses on high alert just in case. The last thing he wanted was something to happen to any of them but Ceri most of all.

As they moved through the warding around Glen Durel, he closely watched the humans to see how they would react to both Nol and their surroundings. There were a few tense moments as he watched them observe the weapons the man had at his side and the look on their faces, from what he could see, as they passed through the worst of the wards. He saw the fear in them but he saw the way they pushed that aside and concentrated on keeping themselves focused on what lie ahead of them. He felt a new sense of respect for them and knew the right members of their society had made this trip.

As Ceri kept weaving her magic he glanced over at her and saw how deep entranced she was. His brows furrowed in concern for a moment as he thought of the toll this would have upon her physically. All he could do when it was over was be there to support her and support her he would.

As they finally emerged on the other side of the tunnel and the lush lands lay before them with the castle in the short distance, he breathed a sigh of relief. When Nol addressed Ceri he glanced at her and saw how pale she looked. Knowing she wouldn’t let the others see just how exhausted she really was, he urged his horse over to a little closer to offer her even more support as he still held onto the reins of her horse.





Kellan felt a knot of excitement and anxiety form in her chest as she heard Ceridwyn announce they had reached the outskirts of Glen Durel. She’d been in the company of magi before but never ones as important as these women and never under such importance. That knot grew when she saw the rider coming back to the group with Ceridwyn. Like Trystan, she instinctively reached for her blade but when she saw Lady Rose’s near silent disapproval, she easedher hand away from the hilt and let it rest on her saddles pummel.

Kellan thought she was looking at the most beautiful male specimen of any species she’d ever seen before. His silvery hair looked like it was spun from the finest silver silken threads and his Elven features were more than handsome. They were down right mesmerizing. And when he looked at her then spoke her name, she felt herself flush slightly and all she could do was nod her head. What the devil was wrong with her? It was almost as though she had been charmed or something. Thankfully, as he turned and started leading the group further into Glen Durel, Kellan was able to shake herself out of her childish infatuation and silently berate herself.

As they began to travel through the wardings, Kellan felt a tingle of familiarity to the things she was feeling. The dark, twisted forest that seemed to bend and grab for them, the fiendish eyes that looked upon them hungrily, the fear she felt nipping at her heels and her soul. Even Smoke was picking up on his mistresses edginess and snorted nodding his head up and down a few times.

Kellan’s legs pressed into the horses ribs a little tighter than usual and when the horse snorted, nodding his head, it was enough to snap her out of her thoughts. Realizing what she was doing to her mount, she reached a shakey hand out and leaned slightly forward to ease her hand over the horses neck in an effort to sooth him. Or was it herself she was trying to sooth?

When they emerged from the darkness, Kellan let out her breath and then took in a deep breath of the fresh, fragrant air that washed over her. Daring to glance back at the dark misery they had just emerged from, she shivered uncontrollably then turned to look at the beauty before her. As she heard Trystan talk about seeing a place like this only in his dreams, Kellan smiled slowly and nodded.

”Aye. A dream we are all sharing now, Sir Trystan. Surely anyone who lives here cannot be evil. Not with such peace and beauty surrounding them.”

As Nol began to lead them towards the castle, Kellan let her eyes take in her surroundings and she noticed the figure on the highest battlement. Squinting to get a better look at the figure, she couldn’t quite make it out from this distance. Her brows furrowed and she leaned closer to Trystan as she spoke softly.

”We are being watched, M’Lord. Why do I suddenly get the feeling we are flies traveling further into the spiders web?”




Rayann knew the instant the guests arrived on the furthest outskirts of Glen Durel. Much as Kali and Nol did. She was amazingly calm for such a moment, all things considered. As she heard Kali’s voice in her mind, she nodded to both her daughter and to herself. Picking Shaer up in her arms, she cradled him close to her and then kissed his forehead tenderly. Walking the child to his nursery, she laid him down in his large cradle so he could nap peacefully while business is discussed below. Pausing to let her eyes linger on his angelic face, she took a deep breath then turned towards the door where the twins stood near motionless on either side of the door.

”I leave him in your care. If things should go awry you know what to do. Remember to give the message to the Speaker and his wife when you return with him.”

The twins bowed their heads respectfully and in that moment, Rayann blinked from the nursery to the entrance of Glen Durel castle. Kali was already there with her Red Robes in place. Like Rayann she pulled the hood up over her head knowing they were now in official capacity as Red Mages and thus protocol called for them to look official. Even in their own home.

As Nol came up with the party behind him, he dismounted and walked towards them. Rayann took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As Nol was walking towards them, Rayann was assessing the three Knights behind him. Her lavender eyes studied each one for a moment before passing on to the next one. Of course she was doing more than merely looking at them with her eyes and while the three didn’t know this, all the others would. When she saw Ceri, she grew worried seeing how pale her dear friend was and while she reached out to her friend with a gentle caress of her mind, she said nothing yet.

When Nol finally stopped before them, she gave him a warm smile and nodded.

~Thank you for escorting them for us, Nol. I would welcome your presence within the castle as well if you and Relin would be so kind. Your knowledge would be an asset we would be foolish not to tap into.~

Looking at Kali, she smiled as she felt Myth moving up behind them now.

~Shall we greet our guests?~

Kali turned to Rayann as she addressed Nol. Looking back Nol chanced a glance at her and she kept herself steady and looked deeply into his eyes. Nol turned back to Rayann and spoke with a voice that held so much authority it caused shivers in the spine, “It was my pleasure Rayann, If you need us, you know where we will be.”

With Rayann’s understanding nod Nol and Relin, still morphed into the shape of a mount, strode past the two. Nol saw Myth emerging from the castle gate and saluted respectfully. It was the first time he had ever done something of this nature to Myth, and the Elf Prince would understand this was part of the dog and pony show. The Knights could NOT know the true nature of Nol or Relin, not yet. Long ago the Knights understood who and what the chromatic dragons were. The story of the hero Huma and his silver dragon defeating the forces of Tahkisis was still at the front of their minds and they knew that the chromatic dragons were of good nature and no evil could be found in them. In this ago however, just the mention of the word dragon caused too much fear. The legends of the chromatic dragons of good were nothing more than vague rumors anymore and the whole meeting would be compromised if it was known that two dragons were among them. With his salute Nol gave a slight wink that only Myth would see, and Nol’s hand snapped neatly and swiftly down as he rode atop Relin, disappearing around the side of the castle walls.

Kali turned from Rayann and watched the three Knights carefully. Myth and Rayann would feel the complete focus and seriousness coming from her, she was reverting back to her roots, to the time when one would stand before her and be scrutinized and judged. She was like a cold piece of marble, calculating and summing up the individuals that rode up before them. Her hood was pulled up so far forward that only the very bottom of her chin was visible, but the nature of the magical fabric allowed her to see everything without missing a single detail. The Commander in the middle was strong, Kali could feel and see that immediately. She held herself not only with the confidence of her rank but also the purpose for which she was here. There was not a single shred of fear in her face or her stature, and Kali admired this. She watched as the Commander raised her hand slightly to stop the two Knights, one on either side.

The male, a dashing looking specimen with the rank of the sword on his breastplate was watching her and Rayann with eyes that were more curious than concerned. Obviously he understood that they would never have gotten this far should they not have been welcomed. Kali watched him a while, her eyes traced his facial features and she felt the right side of her mouth curve up ever so slightly. He was dashing in his flashing, polished armor. His leather gloves creaked slightly as he tightened the grip on his mounts reigns and pulled ever so gently to bring the majestic war horse to a stop. She didn’t realize that Solamnic Knights came in such splendid looking varieties.

Her eyes then shifted to the lady Knight. It was obvious she was the youngest, and her ranking of Crown (neatly displayed on her spaulders) immediately told Kali that she was also the least experienced. All this was confirmed as Kali watched the lady Knights eyes taking in everything like a kid brought into a sweets shop and given free reign to pick whatever she chose. The girls eyes were everywhere at once and never seemed to focus on any single thing for too long, as if everything else around it had to be seen before it magically disappeared. Kali let her gaze linger on this one for the longest time. She was confident, there was no doubt, but back in her days of mayhem this is the one that would have been killed last.

Kali felt her Father emerge from behind them and could see him in her mind’s eye as he stepped up beside Rayann on the side furthest from Kali. She spoke to her parents as Rayann asked her question, “They know they are welcomed and have no power here, you can see it in their faces, even the Commander understands that she has no advantage in this place. We have nothing to fear.” She knew her parents would already know this, but her battle mage tendencies were surfacing here, she was only doing and saying what was natural to her.


Ceridwyn looked at Aeolis as he made his wise crack. Her glance suggested that he would pay for it later when they were alone, and the slight smile that crossed his lips told her he knew it, and had done it deliberately. She shoke her head ever so slightly and left her hood up, she was so tired from concentrating such a large protective ward around the whole party that even the sun was hurting her. She was grateful that Aeolis offered to take the reigns for her all the way to the castle, realistically she wasn’t sure if she would have to strength to hold them.

As Nol addressed the two mages Ceridwyn saw the look of concern on Rayann’s face. She reached out with her mind and spoke to her dearest friend, ~ “Worry not Rayann, I have simply over extended myself coming through the wardings. I will be fine with rest and tea.”~ Though she never smiled outwardly Rayann would feel that lingering cheer in her voice that was always present when the two got together.

She observed the show of respect from Nol to Myth and understood immediately what was up. As noble and brave as these Knights were, knowing what those two were would cause immediate problems, they would have to be eased into that scenario for certain. As Nol strode off Ceridwyn spoke to Aeolis mind as if she had read his thoughts from earlier, ~Perhaps that will answer your question if they know what Nol and Relin are… or are you too tired and missed it? Maybe sleeping in this morning has clouded your judgement.~ She could feel Aeolis internal laughter, once again she had cracked his formal stature, one of these days she would make him break externally during official business.




Trystan was mesmerized to say the least. Every step towards the castle seemed to make this place come more alive with sights, sounds and smells that dazzled the senses. He simply could not believe that a place like this existed on Krynn and he kept feeling as though he was in a dream. “To think that someone actually LIVES here…,” he kept thinking to himself. He saw the lone red hooded figure emerge. She was small, even from this distance he could see that. His own thoughts and lingering curiosity regarding what these two ladies would be like had caused him to create what they looked like in his mind, and this petite specimen that just arrived was not at all what he expected. Suddenly a second one emerged, she was identical in stature and size. He knew one was mother and one was daughter but half way across the valley he was damned if he couldn’t figure it out. The stood in absolute silence and only the soft breeze caused their robes to move. As Nol stopped and Rose gestured to stop he pulled slightly on Glaive’s bit and stopped beside his Commander.

He was perfectly at ease, he felt no sense of danger and simply watched in silence as Nol addressed the ladies and then saluted to the crimson haired warrior that emerged from the house. It was impossible that this man was an Elf. He was huge, even by human standards. He was dressed in the finest garments Trystan had ever beheld and it was obvious that he was an Elf of importance. He knew so little about ‘Myth’, and Lady Rose had given what she knew, which was still brief. The warrior regarded all three of them with a serious look and then turned to speak to Commander Rose.

Rose spent most of that morning lost in her thoughts as they traveled to the outskirts of Glen Durel. Do to the previous evening and the energy of the party that morning she had found her hand slipping to the pendant that hung from her neck. Her fingers tracing every curve and indentation. A sad smile upon her lips and a shed tear as she watched the morning sun were the telling sign of her thoughts. Her face was hidden from her comrades but she knew the elves would have noticed. However she would not succumb to her sadness.

She channeled that energy as she did whenever she thought of her fallen love. The memory of his smile gave her strength to move ever onward. He died battling the dark forces that threatened the good people of Ansilon and she would not allow his death to be in vain. Each day she renewed her vow to battle the evils of the world to make it a safer place for all who lived in this land. By the time they had reached the edge of the Glen she was composed and looked at the world with new found strength. This day would be a good one and she could feel it in her bones. A slight smile appeared briefly vanishing all together when Trystan brought them to a halt.
As Ceridwyn vanished Rose pondered the portal before them. She was curious what defenses the mages had in place upon their home that required such preparation for guests to enter. She took note of the looks on her subordinates faces and found them equally confused and curious. Magic, such a simple word to define a world altering force. No knight ever held a true respect for this unknown power. She now had a very healthy respect for this mystic force. Her thoughts were lingering on the battle of Northkeep when Ceridwyn reappeared with another elf in toe. Brushing a lock of hair from her face she regarded this fellow.

She could see that he was elven in appearance but there was something otherworldly. Her senses told her all was not as it seemed but she said nothing. He was quite striking and that is what threw her sense into action. She had met elves of varying social stature over the years and one noted that they had very defined features that bordered on artistic perfection. The elf before her was an embodiment of physical perfection. He seemed to perfect and the slight silver glow that hung around him gave her pause. There was a hint of movement from her knights as he approached and a pointed and curt glance was enough to get her point across. They were guests and reaching for your weapon was simply bad form and spoke of ill manners. Listening to Nol explain the situation she responded as she would be expected to.

As the group moved forward and the fear tried to grip Rose sat emotionless in her seat. This forest of fear was nothing compared to the magic she had seen unleashed at the keep. Her heart remained steady and when they emerged from the magic she let out her breath. She hadn't even realized that she had started holding it. Her eyes looked around and she allowed a brief smile before she was ushered onwards towards the gates. Her thoughts shifted to business and she could feel the eys of the figure on the battlements. She knew who it was even if she could not see him.




Myth stood staring out over the grounds of Glen Durel. He enjoyed the peace that permeated this place. Rayann's parents had made a wonderful home here and he was grateful for his place in it. Here surrounded by his family he could gather his thoughts and think about what was transpiring in the world outside both the Glen and Silvanost itself. Already he could see the skies darkening in the direction of these mysterious towers. The reports describing them were ominous to say the least. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared in their direction.

A ripple in the magic of Glen Durel told him that their guests had arrived at the same moment the missive of his daughter came. Standing in silence he shifted his emerald eyes towards the direction he knew they would come. His keen elven sight picked them out at the edge of the magical wards. His eyes remained on the travellers throug the entire process. When they were finally passing through the gates Myth descended to greet them.

He was dressed in the finery that was expected of his station. His long mane of red hair had been pulled and tied back worked into a fine braid. He looked every bit the noble save for the sword at his side and the elegent gauntlets on his arms. Myth was always a warrior first and it was rare for him to attend any function without either item. He nodded to Nol as the silver dragon and his friend passed knowing their purpose. Emerald eyes shifted back towards the knights and the two elves in attendence.

There was a slight nod in response to his daughter's words before Myth stepped forward to face the commander. She still had a great deal to learn about proper diplomacy but that would come in due time. He bowed to Ceridwyn and Aeolis thanking them in proper elvish for escorting their guests. He could imagine how odd it was to hear his native tongue spoken in its elegence by someone who looked almost brutish in size and stature. His physical differences from his kind was both a strength and a curse but he accepted that fact and at times used it to his advantage.

He put on a warm smile and bowed slightly to Lady Rose speaking in common now. His tone was firm and commanding but also not threatening. "Good knights I welcome you to the Glen of Durel. You are our welcome guests and shall be treated as such. Should you need anything you have but to ask and we shall provide. I simply ask that old ghosts not be allowed to cast a shadow over your visit here.” It was a polite way of saying my past is the past leave it there while here in our home.

Rose’s eyes were shifting between the two women before them when Myth appeared like a wraith. She found herself blinking looking up at the elven warrior. She knew of this elf but had never met him and she could see that there were some stories about him that were not exaggerated. He still possessed his red mane but saw that it was bound. At his side she saw his sword and on his arms elegant but functional armor. His eyes were emotionless pools of emerald and it unsettled her somewhere deep in her soul. This was a man that had seen battle and death on a scale beyond that which she knew. She cleared her throat once introductions were made and she smiled breaking her eyes away from Myth. “I am Commander Rose Fairwind of the Solomnic knights. To my side are my aide and escort Lord Trystan and Lady Kellan. We are grateful to be welcome to your home this day and your request will be honored.”

~When you are in the mix, I know better than to let anything cloud my judgment. I would wake up with additional body parts that would be more of a nuisance to me than an asset.~

Aeolis had gotten used to this internal jesting they always did with each other. It was their way of keeping in constant contact with each other. Outwardly his stoic look had not changed. And if anyone were to look upon him right now they would think he was quite the serious prude. He sat proudly astride his horse and even had that air of arrogance about him as he seemed to have when he was on official business and protocol demanded he do his sworn duty.

As he watched the silent exchange between Nol and Rayann followed by an audible response, Aeolis knew things were about to really get started. And with Myth now joining the ladies of Glen Durel, he let his gaze drift to the Knights to see what sort of reaction he would get from them, if any. When Myth addressed he and Ceri in their native language, Aeolis placed his fisted hand over his heart and bowed his head respectfully to the Prince. Now would be the time he would see what sort of diplomats the Knights could truly be. He was certain Lady Rose was capable and he had the gut feeling Trystan could be as well but it was the Lady Kellan he was most curious to see. While she had been through many teachings on diplomacy, he had the feeling she had never really been in a situation where it was so important as it was now.





Kellan was amazed at this place. Never had she seen such beauty and yet here she was, surrounded by it. Finally she turned her attention to the reason they had come to this place. A lone, red robed figure stood at the entrance to the castle. She immediately knew it to be one of the magi they had come to see simply from the color of the robes the figure wore. But she hadn’t expected the figure to be so….small. Could this one, small figure be as powerful as Ceridwyn had stated? Of course size really didn’t mean anything when it came to magic, but Kellan knew the physical toll of their magic wielding was something that had to be quite formidable upon such a small person.

When the second, identical red robed figure emerged from the castle, Kellan blinked. These women were touted as mother and daughter but from this vantage point, they looked more like twins. Both the same size and stature. If one could not see the face beneath the hoods, which right now she couldn’t, it would be difficult to tell which one you were talking to.

As they rode closer, Kellan’s eyes drifted around her surroundings again. She suddenly felt helpless knowing there wasn’t a thing she or the others could do to protect themselves should these mages mean to do harm to she and her fellow Knights. And after what happened to Liam and his fellow comrades, she now had a deep rooted mistrust of mages. While she knew her mission with Lady Rose and Sir Trystan were to seek these mages help against those dreadful towers, Kellan couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps these mages had agenda’s of their own. Finally she looked back at the robed figures and saw the only facial feature of each one she could see was their chins. And even they looked identical. Were they trying to play some sort of game wi……

Dear Gods in the Heavens! What in the name of Paladin is THAT???!!!! When Myth walked up from behind the women more like a wraith than an actual being, Kellan’s wondering eyes quickly focused in on the large warrior. His features were strictly Elven but his stature was even larger than most humans. And that red hair! By the Gods! That was HIM I saw on the battlement! Kellan’s mind was whirling with all of this realization and while she sat tall in the saddle, she remained still and focused. The only indication anything was happening inside of her head was the way her light brown eyes seemed to grow a little wider when Myth appeared. Thankfully she kept herself in check and remained calm outwardly as she watched him move to stand beside one of the red robed women at the castle entrance.

As the large Elf addressed the Elves traveling with the group, her mind began to work again. He was dressed in the finest clothing she’d ever seen, even for an elf, and the way he held himself spoke more than just his warrior training. And the gauntlets he sported on his forearms told her they were more than just for show. Same for the blade at his side. When he spoke there was an authority to his voice that breeched no argument. Much like the other Elf that had escorted them through the wardings but where the other Elf’s authority seemed to be different than this ones, the authority was there all the same. And those brilliant emerald colored eyes made Kellan feel cold and a slight shiver slid down the length of her spine.

Needless to say, Kellan’s curiosity was getting the best of her when she heard his last statement and she couldn’t wait to find out exactly what he meant by that. First and foremost, of course, was making sure their mounts were taken care of and settled. As Lady Rose dismounted, so did she and Trystan and instinctively Kellan took the reins of the three horses so she could be shown where to house them for now.




Rayann, like Kali, was watching everything through the magic veil of her hood. As Myth arrived and walked to stand beside her, she felt the corners of her mouth turn slightly upwards as she noticed the young Lady knight’s reaction to the large warrior. If the moment arrived and Rayann could speak with the young woman, she would tell her the reaction was no less then her own when she first met her beloved.

As she heard Myth’s voice speaking to the Commander, she looked to Ceri and spoke softly to the Elf’s mind.

~Your tea awaits you in my parlor, my friend. Have Aeolis take you there as soon as you can break away. Rest and I will join you as soon as I am able. Nol and Relin will keep watch over everything.~

As the formal introductions were made, Rayann took a small step closer to Myth and turned slightly sideways gesturing with her arm as a smile slid across her mouth.

”Please. Come inside and we will discuss the matter for which you have traveled to see us. I am Rayann Padraig Thel’Redin and this is our daughter, Kali Os Padraig Thel’Redin. As my husband, Myth’Alas has stated, you are welcomed guests in our home. Should you need anything, please don’t hesitate to let us know. There is fresh water should you wish to freshen up after your journey but if you are like us; we would rather get right down to business.”

Turning, she walked back into the castle, her movements seeming more like she was gliding across the floor than actually walking but that was just the way the robes cascaded down and around her legs. While her steps were very quiet, if the Knights listened close enough, they would hear her foot falls all the same. Unlike Kali and Myth who were as silent as ghosts as they walked behind the Knights.

Trystan felt at peace, but still uneasy. It was a dichotomy that perplexed him as much as caused him to tingle with excitement. This whole place made ones head fuzzy and he was still certain that at any second he would wake up from a dream. As Kellan grabbed the reigns of the horses Trystan’s eyes met hers. He was about to speak when a soft feminine voice broke the silence behind them. He had heard Rayann speak as she made her introductions and knew it wasn’t her. He also knew the voice of his Commander all too well, which left only one option. Until now Kali had not spoken.

Her voice was like silk, the delightful harmony of a thousand sirens calling him to bash his ship against the rocks so he could be devoured, “If you will follow me Ms. Kellan I will escort you to the Livery so you can pen your mounts. We have very nice accommodations for them, I assure you that they will be most safe.” Trystan turned and saw her chin and the very bottom of her lower lip. It was ruby red and begged for him to explore the rest of her face, a face that was still obscured by the red hood pulled low. He could tell she was now looking at him even though he could not see her eyes, how he had no idea.


Kali walked past him and touched Kellan on her gloved hand, indicating that she was to follow. Her touch was soft and warm, even felt through Kellan’s thick leather glove. How this was possible was a mystery but at her touch Kellan would feel completely at ease and know that everything was as it should be. As Kali lead Kellan away Trystan spoke, “Lady Kellan, I will meet you inside.” His voice cracked slightly and revealed his nerves, he cleared his throat uncomfortably and turned to find he was staring directly into the stern eyes of his Commander. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath knowing that he had made her wait far too long. He glanced at her apologetically and walked beside her at a quickened pace as they attempted to catch up to their hosts. He also could not help but notice that Aeolis and Ceridwyn were somehow gone, he had never even heard them leave.

Kali walked in front of Kellan, as hard as she might try Kellan would not hear a single step, only the soft swishing of her red, thick, velvet robes. They walked around the side of the castle and down a slight slope towards a building that was obviously the Livery. The building was nicer than most houses and it looked large enough to house 25 horses. Off to the south in a dark green meadow Kellan would see Nol and another man, this one a human. They turned and looked at the two ladies walking down the path and Nol nodded softly to Kali. Kali smiled back, even though Kellan couldn’t see her face, somehow she knew it. As the approached the building Kali reached up and pulled the hood back from her head and turned to face Kellan. As she did her waist length honey-blond hair fell in rivulets down the front of her shoulders and then across the front of her robes. At first glance she appeared to be about the same age as Kellan. She stared at Kellan with striking crystal blue eyes and her naturally ruby red lips looked all the more sensual against the pale skin of her face. Her face was perfectly symmetrical on both sides, as if an artist had sculpted her from the finest porcelain and her slightly pointed ears poked up through the sides of her hair. She smiled a slightly crooked and alluring grin, and suddenly appeared to be much less the powerful wizard and more an old friend. “Kellan, this, obviously is the Livery.”

She turned taking a few more steps and raised her hand, giving it a slight wave to the right. The two massive oaken doors audibly unlatched and swung open revealing a huge hallway that was lined on either side with stables. The floor was hardwood and set with huge flat stones down the center for the horses to walk on with fingers that lead off to the doors of each stable. Kellan would be able to see that each stable was large enough for a horse to move comfortably and each had a secondary access door to the outside. Kali spoke without turning back around as she lead Kellan down the hallway, “We have three stables prepared here at the end, I apologize that they can’t be closer to the front but mother and father are both avid riders and as you can see have quite the string of horses.”

She was right, the most magnificent horses Kellan had ever seen were in the stables, each one more beautiful than the last. They also seemed to look at Kellan as if they could size her up and had their own thoughts on what type of person she was. Kali finally stopped and turned again, smiling softly to Kellan, “These three stables should do well for your mounts, I took the liberty of making sure there were fresh oats and alfalfa in the troughs as well as fresh water.”

She reached up and took two sets of the reigns so that Kellan could lead Commander Roses’ mount into the first stable, then as Kellan turned Kali was handing her the reigns to Trystan’s horse, and finally her own. As Kellan finished Kali waited patiently and then spoke with a slight air of sarcasm in her voice, “Well, now that our chores are done, shall we to the house?” Before Kellan could answer Kali reached forth and touched the Knights hand, instantly Kellan felt as if her stomach was on the ground 5000 miles behind her and almost instantly she felt her feet leave the ground and then land again inside the main foyer of the castle. She felt a soft hand on the small of her back and looked up to see Kali’s sharp blue eyes staring directly into her own, “Don’t worry, you’re safe. If you need to throw up there’s a trash bin right there.” Kali winked as she withdrew her hand and turned her head towards the voices that were in the main living room behind her. Turning back towards Kellan she spoke softly, “They are in formalities, you didn’t miss anything.” She smiled, Kellan would have no idea how Kali knew she was afraid she had missed the beginning of the discussion.



Ceridwyn had reached and touched Aeolis on the arm, instantly they had vaporated into the kitchen and Ceri sat down to get the weight off her weary legs. She was too tired to speak and with a puppy dog glance to Aeolis gestured towards the tea pot that was whistling ever so softly on the hearth. She smiled as Aeolis gave her a sympathetic look and waved her hand, “None of your doteing… well maybe a little. I just need the tea A’melamine, and a warm soft bed for 32 hours.”

She winked lovingly and laid her head on the cool counter, moaning softly at how good it felt. She smelled the tea as Aeolis brought it to her and lifted her weary head, reaching out and taking it in her small hands. “Thank you my love.” She smelled the tea and her face instantly brightened, “Mmmm, there are few problems that can’t be solved simply by a cup of honey mint tea.” She looked up at Aeolis and smiled softly. He would see the love in her eyes and she gestured for him to bring his face closer. As he did she pressed her lips softly against his and held them there a few seconds before pulling back, a slight ‘smack’ sounding as she did. “Go to the main parlor, Lady Kellan and Kali are back, attend the meeting on my behalf, I am not needed, this meeting already has enough wizards.” She winked and smiled, “I will be in our room, Rayann has the same one prepared that we always stay in. I will see you soon A’melamine.” She whisped away like snow white smoke.

The sound of Kali’s voice made Kellan stop what she was doing and look at the petite form that was talking. The voice was soothing and Kellan instantly felt at ease. That sensation was even more prevalent when Kali touched Kellan’s gloved hand. The warmth Kellan felt made her wonder how that could be but she was well aware this petite form was no ordinary woman. She was magi and with that reality Kellan felt a twinge of her mistrust make its way to the forefront of her thoughts. Would she ever be able to trust any magi ever again? That remained to be seen.

As Kali began to lead the Knight away from Trystan, she heard her Lord’s voice call to her. Turning to glance over her shoulder, she nodded ever so slightly as her eyes made brief contact with his. As Kali moved, Kellan tried to hear the tell tale sign she was walking and not gilding but for the life of her, the Knight simply couldn’t hear anything but the soft swishing of the velvet robes the woman wore.

As the landscape once more became visible to Kellan, she let her gaze sweep over the area and took a deep breath inhaling the scents that surrounded her. Across the distance she saw the Elf that had escorted them through the wardings talking with a human man. Seeing the Elf nod to Kali, she knew the woman was smiling even though she couldn’t see the face beneath the hood of the robe. Kellan was getting ready to say something when Kali removed the hood from her head and the honey-blonde colored hair spilled out of the material. When Kali turned to look at Kellan the Knight suddenly felt her throat grow dry as she recognized the porcelain beauty that existed below that hood.

Ceridwyn was Elven beauty but this woman was even more beautiful than Ceridwyn. Something Kellan didn’t think was possible. But as the crystal blue eyes locked onto Kellan’s own light brown eyes, Kellan suddenly felt self conscious of her own appearance. Kellan was certain there was no way she could compete with such natural beauty and for some reason she suddenly felt her heart sink thinking Trystan would soon find another to capture his gaze. Feeling her cheeks flush slightly, Kellan tore her gaze away from the angelic face of Kali when the woman mentioned they were in the Livery, obviously. Clearing her throat softly, she smiled and nodded.

”So it would appear so, Lady Kali.”

As Kali opened the buildings gates with just a wave of her hand, Kellan was reminded of who and what she was in the company of. As they moved into the Livery, Kellan observed the layout of the stables and the structure of the building itself. It was steadfast and solid. And the construction was quite impressive. As they walked over the wooden floor the horses hooves made solid thuds onto the wooden planks telling Kellan the wooden floor was quite solid indeed. The fact it was wooden made it easier for the horses hooves to strike against and cushion the feel beneath them.

As Kali explained the location of the stable, Kellan observed the horses contained within. She’d never seen such a striking collection of magnificent horses in all her life. Like the young woman who stood with her, they were the picture of perfection as far as horse flesh was concerned. Kellan wanted nothing more than to run her hand over the smooth coat and feel the rippling muscles beneath her hand. Even as they turned intelligent eyes upon the new comer to observe her actions, Kellan couldn’t help but take the time to admire each one individually.

Drawing herself back to the chore at hand, she was thankful for Kali’s guidance in helping her keep her mind on the tasks at hand. As each horse was settled into their stall, Kellan took the time to remove the saddles and rising bridles off the equines and even took the time to give each horse a quick rub down with her gloved hands to make sure there were no unseen problems. Content the horses were good to go and had all they needed for now, the Knight turned to Kali and returned the soft smile given to her.

”I thank you and your family for such fine accommodations for our mounts. Sometimes they are the forgotten Knights and I try to do anything I can to make their life and burdens easier to bear.”

When Kali reached out to touch her hand, the last thing Kellan thought would happen was what actually did. Kellan sucked in her breath and was unable to let it go until they came to stand still after they made it back into the castle. When gravity finally caught back up to her Kellan’s ears were ringing and she felt herself sway and was grateful for Kali’s steadying hand to the small of her back. Instantly Kellan felt as though she were going to get sick to her stomach and when Kali told her there was a place she could do such a thing, she swallowed several times and shook her head. After a couple of deep breaths, the feeling began to pass and Kellan felt the blood returning ot her face as well.

”Suffice it to say that mode of transportation is something I’m not used to.”

When the hearing finally returned to her ears, she heard the voices of her Commander and Sir Trystan from down the hallway. There was a moment of panic on her face when she realized they had begun discussions without her and it must have been what Kali saw (at least that’s what Kellan reasoned) to give her the idea Kellan was worried about being late to the meeting. Blinking, Kellan looked at Kali and nodded slightly giving a nervous smile.

”Then let me not hold them up any longer. Would you be so kind as to escort me to the room?”


Aeolis didn’t like it when Ceri drained herself like this. It made her vulnerable and he wouldn’t be there to protect her right now. Not that she was in any immediate danger here in Glen Durel, but still…..So he got the tea she needed, made sure it was made to her liking then brought it to her.

”You worry me Ceri. I pray to the Gods that one day you do not cast a spell your body cannot afford. If anything were to happen to you….”

She merely looked up at him with the love she felt for him in her eyes and he was helpless to do anything but what she wanted or needed him to. When she beckoned him closer for the kiss, he didn’t hesitate. As her soft lips met his, Aeolis knew for as long as he lived he would forever be at this Elf Maidens beck and call and loving every moment of it.

When the soft, brief kiss was over she let him know the others were now back and he was needed to attend. With a sigh and a shake of his head, Ceri disappeared in a puff of sweet scented smoke. He stood there for a moment still hunched over the place she had been sitting. Finally he moved and straightened his clothing, making himself presentable then slipped from the kitchen to join the others in the main parlor. He, Kali and Kellan arrived at the same time just as Myth was finishing up saying something to Commander Rose and Sir Trystan.

Rose and Trystan were escorted through the halls and eventually found themselves standing in front of a est of elegant double doors. Myth stepped passed the party and produced a small item from a pocket and touched it to the silver handle of the door. There was a n audible click before the doors swung upon allowing the group entrance. Roses eyes wandered about the room as she entered making note of the simplicity of the layout.

Typical of a study the walls were lined with tomes and objects. Most of the trappings were quite plain with the exception of the desk and suit of armor towards the back of the study. Rose's eyes first focused on the desk. Judging by the look of the wood and the seamless design she guessed that it was of elven make. Not to surprising a thing to find here in the home of the elven prince. Her eyes shifted then to the armor that stood like a silent sentinel behind the chair of the desk. It did not take much thought to determine that this was Myth's full suit of armor. It was a strange mix of elven chain blended with dwarven craftsmanship. Given the prince's unnatural size she did not find it all that strange a combination. Elves after all were good at making armor for their own kind but Myth was so far outside the norm that the need for outside help was obvious. A careful look revealed the suit was not complete. The gauntlets were missing and Rose was aware of where they actually were.

To the center of the room a table had been set up with chairs to either side. On one a chair for each knight but on the other there was only two. Rose wondered if perhaps one of the three would be distancing themselves from this meeting. Myth had the most colored path that she knew of and removing himself from the table would not be out of the question. Putting these thoughts aside Rose smiled to her hosts and took her seat at the table to begin waiting patiently for all to be seated. Trystan was to her right and the left would be for Kallen when she returned. Across from her Sat the mage and to no surprise Myth stood stoic as a statue at his wife's side while the other chair would remain open for Kali. This was a clear indication of Myth's role in these affairs. The knights were here to talk to his wife and daughter. However he was more than father and husband to these women, he was their guardian.

Not knowing how long it would take for the other women to join them Rose started the meeting off formally. Formal introductions were made with titles and the usual interwoven niceties that one would expect from a human knight of Rose's position. She extolled on the benefits of the meeting and the hopes she had for it and the good it would do for all of Krynn. Rose spoke eloquently but there was a barely perceptible edge to her voice that made it clear she wanted to get this tedium over with but was doing it to allow Kali and Kallen to join them.

When the doors finally opened Rose brought herself to silence letting the women settle. There was a nod to her subordinate before she looked to the mages before her. Her face lost all the pleasantness that had been there not a moment before.

"The darkness that now looms over Krynn I believe is the work of two mages. Mages that wielded terrible power against the solomnic knights at our stronghold Northkeep. These two were responsible for the laying of the force stationed there which included one of the high command of the order of the sword. As a result two separate counter attacks were launched to take back the keep and take down these magi. However both met catastrophic ends for we did not anticipate the power that was rallied against us. I believe the souls of the fallen knights were harvested to power a ritual that took affect on the night of the high moon. In the time following the diminishing light of the moons three towers came forth from the earth."

Reaching to her belt Rose produced rolled up parchment and spread them out revealing the faces she had drawn of the two mages in question.

"These are the two I believe responsible..."

Rose had a slim hope that Myth himself would have knowledge of at least one of the two. She was not aware of Kali's own past and so her eyes had had settled on Myth for a brief moment before going back to the women.

Trystan looked around the room, noting the simplicity of it. It was certainly not the ornate and highly decorated he was expecting. He was surprised at the simplicity of the whole castle in fact. There were things nicer than the average homes he had seen, but there was nothing gaudy or overly ornate glaring at them, in fact the place had a warmth about it that was inviting and comfortable. He wasn’t sure if the family that lived here was not wanting to compete with the natural beauty of the valley or if they were really just living this simple a life. With the exception of Nol, who looked nothing like a servant, he hadn’t seen a single servant or maid to attend any of them, perhaps they would surface in time, but nothing indicated that there were any other souls in the entire castle except those he had already seen.

As they sat Trystan purposely remained in the shadow of his Commander, letting her do the talking. She was after all the only one of the three Knights who would be attending this meeting that had witnessed the events at Northkeep. As she spoke he allowed his eyes to take in the armor that stood ominously behind the only piece of ornate furniture in the room. The armor almost seem to be an entity unto itself, and he wondered what stories would be told if it spoke to him. Myth was obviously a formidable looking warrior, but if the bits he had heard were true, he could only imagine.

As Kali and Kellan entered he was immediately captivated once again by what he saw, he swallowed hard and looked at Kellan with a subtle smile. He didn't want to be over welcoming and did not do so for the sake of protocol. As Kali sat right across from him he felt his palms begin toe sweat and he did his absolute best to pay attention with being distracted by the melodious voice coming from her mouth.


Kali stood with Kellan in the hallway, and as Kellan asked that Kali escort her into the meeting chamber she nodded softly and leaving her hood down walked into her Father’s study. Myth nodded at her with an almost invisible greeting as the meeting was already semi-underway and Rayann only whispered a greeting to her mind. Kali went and sat beside her mother and looked across the table at Rose who spoke of the destruction at Northkeep and produced a parchment with two drawings on it. Immediately Kali looked at Myth who returned her knowing glance and she pointed to the woman, “High Inquisitor of the Dark Queen, yes, THE Dark Queen, she is called Pyramay and I assure you is not to be trifled with. Many fools who decided that being an informally trained wizard would make her an easy mark have found themselves burned to a crisp. She is a specialist at extracting information from those whom she was assigned, keeping many of her victims alive for days on end as she slowly cooked them from within. I know little about her past, but I do know that her name was synonymous with a short future when the Queen summoned her to deal with someone. This one,” She moved her finger and pointed at the male, “is only known as Fifth. I trained under him for many years, and he is as cruel as any being I have ever met. Minotaurs and Orcs would dare to live up to the standard of his evil. He is a talented and powerful Black Robed Wizard who is also a master of ambient magic, but his true passion and love, if you can call it that, is necromancy. The Dark Queen put him in charge of the corrupting of the good dragon eggs to create the Draconians, I am sure you have had enough dealings with them to know what sort of twisted beings they are. Why these two are working together is completely beyond me, never in the hundred and twenty years I was in the Dark Queen’s castle did I even see them interact. I can assure you however that I they are tasked to do something together or are otherwise acting in accord with one another we have something much deeper than a serious situation on our hands.”

She looked up and noted the look on Trystan’s face, a look that was echoed on Kellan’s face as well, Rose in fact was the only of the three who still seemed to be maintaining somewhat of a calm composure. Kali inhaled deeply and turned to Rayann, then looked at Myth before returning her gaze to Commander Rose. “I think the obvious conclusion is that we need to come and see these towers and come up with a strategy for a response, though I fear the worst, if they have been manipulating the ambient magic and somehow tapped the deep magic of the universe, we will have little to no recourse against them.”

The first thing Kellan noticed when she walked into the room with Kali was Trystan and the small smile he gave her. It bolstered her confidence a little but when she looked around, the next thing that she saw was the suit of armor behind the desk. Her confidence seemed to take another hit at the sight of such a combination of Elven and Dwarven craftsmanship. Instantly her eyes strayed to the owner of that armor and she saw the look on his face. It was stone cold serious and no emotions could be seen in the depths of those emerald orbs.

As Kellan listened to Rose recount what took place at Northkeep, Kellan let her gaze drop and she stared at the tables smooth surface. At one point she closed her eyes and took a deep breath letting it out slowly so she could maintain her composure. Finally she swallowed hard and let her gaze slide back up to look at the two mages and Myth. She could feel the eyes of the other mage, Rayann, upon her and she merely glanced once more at her before turning her attention to Kali as she spoke about the mages responsible for Liam’s death and the death of hundreds of other fellow Knights and the formation of those hideous towers.

What ever hope they she and her commander’s had when they started out this trip had just been dashed upon the rocks. Kellan knew her eyes couldn’t hide the shock and despair she was feeling as Kali spoke about how she trained under the one called Fifth and what his specialty was. This young girl was over a hundred years old? But…she looked younger than Kellan herself. While Kellan knew Elves aged slower than humans, she still found this news surprising. But more disturbing than that was the fact this mage had….studied under this Fifth? Did that mean she had once been a Black Robe as that monster? If that were true, could this Kali be trusted? Kali was beginning to think that maybe this Kali might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Necromancy. Even the word itself conjured up despicable images. Images Kellan could only see Liam’s
face twisted in horrific pain. The thought of her dear brother falling victim to this sort of twisted magic turned her stomach and she felt as though she were going to get sick right there. It was all she could do to control herself and keep from leaning over and making a mess of the floor in Myth’s study.

She remained silent as she listened to Kali but Kellan wanted nothing more than to run outside and scream at the top of her lungs from the pain, grief and despair she now felt overwhelming her. How were they to defeat an undefeatable enemy? Even with two of the most powerful mages in all of Krynn working with them? Perhaps this trip had been a huge mistake after all.



Rayann listened to Rose recount the happenings at Nothkeep and could feel the commanders emotions welling up within her. This commander took the loss of her Knights personally which told Rayann she was more than just a calculating strategist. She was indeed human and had feelings. This was good. It meant she hadn’t lost who she was.

As Rayann listened to Kali speak of the two mages responsible for the deaths of the Knights and the construction of the Towers, she suddenly felt such a strong sense of grief and despair that she let her eyes rest on Kellan. While Rayann still had the hood of her robe over her head, an old habit she still could not break in the company of strangers, she felt that well of emotions within Kellan almost explode.

As Kali explained who and what the mages were Rose had a drawing of, Rayann herself suddenly felt a wave of despair slip over her. This was NOT going to be easy, but Rayann had learned a long time ago, nothing was ever easy. Especially when the forces of opposing forces of magic were involved. Even when all seems hopeless there is always a tiny spark of hope left and that spark can ignite an inferno. It was all in how you used that spark.

Reaching up and slowly easing he hood of her robe off her head, her silvery white hair fell in cascades of ringlet curls down past her shoulders. The resemblance between mother and daughter was uncanny but there was no doubt she was Myth’s flesh and blood as well. The soft, Elven features seemed to compliment the delicate features she inherited from her mother not to mention the slight point of her ears that peeked out from her honey blond hair. Even Kali’s hair was a mix between her mother and father's hair colors. Letting her lavender eyes slip from Rose to Trystan then settle on Kellan, she held the young Lady Knights gaze as she spoke before looking to the others then letting her gaze settle on Kellan‘s once more as she spoke the last sentence. Obviously the young Lady Knight had lost someone very dear to her during these attacks.

”That is not to say we are completely helpless, good Knights. While the forces of these towers creation are indeed powerful, Krynn has been in existence far longer than those mages have been alive. Sometimes, in order to give the land and its peoples a bright future, one must dip into the dark past. As Kali has stated, we will travel to see these towers and once we see them, we will be able to determine what direction we need to move in order to return balance back to Krynn. And tranquility to its peoples.”





Aeolis stood quietly behind the Knights as the discussion of what occurred at Northkeep and the sudden appearance of the Towers took place. When Rose produced the drawings of who the Mages were that created the towers and Kali explained who and what they were, Aeolis felt a shiver slide up the length of his spine.

To hear Kali say things were dire was not good at all. He dared to glance at Myth to see what sort of reaction he may have at the revelation of who the mages were but true to his nature, the Prince’s face was unreadable. Aeolis didn’t think he would see anything differently.

As Rayann spoke, there was something about her words that gave Aeolis the feeling this wasn’t such a lost cause as it all seemed to be. He was beginning to understand what Ceri meant when she said about the human spirit and the need to see good in all things. Because from here, Aeolis only saw a grim future.

Kali turned to listen to her mother as she spoke, and she then turned back to look at the faces of the three Knights across the table. She looked at Kellan last and could see the distrust and despair in her face. Kali regarded her a while and when Kellan finally looked up and they made eye contact she would see in Kali’s face that she was far less optimistic about things than Rayann was. She leaned forward slightly and spoke as if she read the young Knight’s mind, “It is not a matter of if you trust us or not, it is a matter of importance that we go. Keep in mind Lady Kellan, you came to us, not us to you. We felt the disturbance months ago when the magic was flowing at Northkeep, and though we did not know the nature of this magic, or how it was being used, we could sense the disruption in the flow. When the towers were created a week ago, again we felt the disturbance, and we knew that the river of magic had had its flow altered forever. I may not share the same glimmer of hope in my voice as my mother, but she and I have walked much, MUCH different paths in our lives.”

She inhaled deeply and turned to Rose, “My mother has fought dark magic all her life, including a treachery within her own family. I Ms. Rose, have walked in the darkness, a past that I do not regret, but certainly turned away from. I am not telling you this so that you or your Knights can approve or disapprove of who and what I am, but more so that you know the whole story, there are multiple experience perspectives at play. Find the timeline or the faces before you as you will, but the fact remains, I am the only one in this room who has wielded the type of magic you are up against, and I assure you it is nothing compared to what you have experienced, not even at Northkeep.”

She let her gaze drift back to Kellan and her crystal blue eyes seemed to pierce the young Knight, holding her fast and not allowing her to break eye contact even though she obviously wanted to. Then she turned her gave back to Lady Rose and spoke again, “Hope isn’t lost Commander, but it is certainly weigning and quickly. My guess is that what you have seen is only the beginning. A mage, no matter how powerful, must rest after extended casting or complicated spells. Even my mother nor myself can cast indefinitely. You saw the effect that the wardings had on Ceridwyn, and so it will be should a battle ensue and we resort to spells. This is the balance of flesh and magic that the gods put into place so that wizards could never become too powerful and dominate all life on Krynn. Ambient magic however, can bend these rules, it can be woven with the divine magic and create spells that are much more powerful without exhausting the caster as much. On top of that there were talks and discussion of ‘deep magic’, the magic that the gods themselves seek. Though this magic will amplify and boost spells it still saps the caster of their physical strength, and judging by the fact that we felt this spell’s effects from so far away is a great indication that whatever was done was extremely powerful, and therefore exhausting. My guess is that Pyramay and Fifth are dormant within the towers, most likely in a coma type state, recovering.

“Your postulation that the souls of the slain Knights was used to power the ritual is most likely correct, the timing of the night of High Moon when divine magic is at its apex, along with what I know of Fifth’s experimenting with a brand of casting he referred to as ‘harvesting’ makes sense. On top of that, the location of the three towers is not only strategic in terms of where it resides in the landscape, it is also right at the doorstep of the main headquarters of the Knights of Solamnia, a group that Tahkisis herself loathes due to their alignment with her immortal enemy Paladine. All the pieces add up, it’s too circumstantial to be coincidence.”

She turned to look at her Father, smiling softly, almost timidly and then turned to face the Knights, “Towers are built, and towers fall, the fact is somehow they were made, and somehow we will find a way to unmake them, though I will admit I am deeply disturbed by your eye witness account.” She inhaled deeply and sat back in her chair. Her face darkened and she was suddenly deep in thought and concentration.


Trystan listened to Kali, and suddenly he wasn’t so distracted by her physical attractiveness. He took all these words in and mulled over them in his mind, trying to find the light in the darkness, but he couldn’t even see a candle flame in all this. It seemed too calculated and twisted that these towers would grow from the very earth of Krynn itself, and for the first time he felt discouraged, until Kali said her last words, ‘…we will find a way to unmake them.’ He looked up and felt a smile cling to his lips, desperate to hang on, trying to bring a small measure of positivity to the room.

Myth stood next to his wife and daughter silent and still as a statue. His eyes had shifted to the drawingd of the figures in question. They were faces that he knew all to well and he could only nod to Kali when she looked to him. He watched and assessed the looks on their faces as Kali and Rayann spoke. The reactions of the two lower ranking knights were as Myth expected. Trystan was not seasoned enough in the ways of war and the world to keep his emotions hidden. Kellan's reaction while the same as Trystan's carried with it a deeper tone. There was personal loss there and it was a very close loss.

Myth finally uncrossed his arms making the first movement since the meeting started. His voice was firm and confident. "It is as stated... the situation is while dire is not impossible to over come. I know both these spell casters to some degree and they are both meticulous in their planning and precision. However... and I do not mean offense to my wife and daughter... they are still just casters. Prone to arrogance and over confidence and as meticulous as either one can be no wizard can plan for everything."



Rose sat and listened quietly as Rayann and Kali each took the time to speak their peace. She took in the information as best she could and despite the grip of despair that tried wrapping itself around her heart she did her best to remain composed. Her eyes wavered a moment here and there but her face remained impassive and contemplative through out the discussion. Myth had mentioned the ghosts of the past and now she realized that it was not only his own past he meant. There was a deep and curious story behind this family and Rose could only wonder.

She pushed these random thoughts aside and refocus on the discussion at hand. "I appreciate the information we have gained from this meeting. Indeed I was not expecting to learn as much as I have about these two individuals. However the painted picture is indeed quite bleak and I would be lying if I did not admit that I have my doubts about how this may all play out."

Her eyes shifted to her subordinates then back to Rayann and Kali. "However we are knights sworn to protect the land and we are not likely to just roll over like whipped dogs in the face of adversity." Her voice was confident but the ghosts of the keep were present in her eyes. She wanted to believe there was a shred of hope in taking down these towers but images of the battle raged in her mind and it made it hard to remain hopeful knowing her comrades had been used to make these magical abominations.

Kali turned and looked at her father as he spoke, and the words rung in her ears in such a manner she almost thought she had only dreamed he had said them. Instantly her face went cold and she stood, walking across the room to the fireplace, staring into the flame that crackled within. She spoke, her back to the assembled, “Still Casters?” She stood, her parents would know, even though her back was to them, that she was very upset. She turned slowly, her eyes seemed to be more deeply set and rung in shadows. She looked directly at her father and spoke, “Tell me Myth, do you consider Mother and I arrogant and over confident? Your statement was a blanket statement, lumping us wizards into one great nutshell!” She saw the look on her father’s face, she had called him by his name, something she hadn’t done in years. He was giving her that over knowing look, his Elven nature surfacing for just the briefest of moments, and he was practically sighing at her with his eyes, “I know Fifth, I trained under Fifth, I was tortured and had my mind dissected by Fifth, and I dare any single one of you to face the horrors that he challenged my with every single day more times than I care to remember. This is NOT ordinary magic, ordinary magic does not make other Castors queasy. I have wielded this magic, I have tasted its essence, I have succumb to its lust and made love to its potential. Silvanost was finished that day so long ago, Rorie and I, two Casters who apparently couldn’t plan for it all as you so beautifully put it, we would have brought your beloved city to ruin, and if you don’t believe me allow me to remind you that I personally and single handedly shattered a magically enchanted city gate that had stood for many millennium in a matter of seconds. North Keep was not razed to the ground by simple magic, nor could it have been. And lastly Father, if you think this man be a simple Wizard, why not ask Ceridwyn if she would agree with you.”

She was breathing heavily, it was obvious that the nerve had not only been hit, it had been severed, and she was in pain. She paced slowly, her soft red robes swishing behind her movements. Finally she turned again to the assembled and spoke, this time her voice was calmer, but she never made eye contact with her father for the rest of her speaking, “I do agree, the situation is not an ultimate defeat, and we won’t just lay down and surrender, that word has NEVER been in my vocabulary unless it was uttered by the opposition. We still don’t have what we need to make informed decisions, but I do not want to fill anyone with false confidence or assure them that ‘thing are going to be alright.’ Yes, Castors must rest, yes, Castors can’t last forever, but the wake of potential destruction they can bring in those moments when they are doing their worst can be beyond measure, and because we don’t yet know what we are facing, I suggest we adjourn this meeting, get to know each other on a more social level, and eat something. I can only imagine that our guests are hungry after their long journey.”

Her face was seemingly covered in shadow but there was no light from afar that caused the shadows to make sense. It was obvious that there was more to this girl then lingered on the surface, there was scars and memories which were buried deep, and they had all seen a glimpse. She didn’t even chance a smile, simply speaking again in her normal, soft voice, “I will meet you all in the dining area should any of you care to join me.” With those words, she disappeared in a puff of grey smoke.


Trystan listened to Myth and nodded, he was feeling confident as he took in Myth’s words. His face suddenly took on new life and looked less dire, until Kali spoke. He leaned forward with great interest as she unleashed her words, taking note of Myth’s face but mostly watching the delicate features, which still looked so lovely, even in her anger. As she finished and disappeared he turned to Commander Rose and cleared his throat to break the tension in the room, “You are right Commander, we will not lie down and accept defeat. WE are Knights, pledged to do our duty, and to fight the evils that cover all of Ansalon. If you would like, I will travel back to Heartlund early and begin rallying the troops, and announce the day of the wizard’s arrival.” She would see the look on his face, despite Kali’s words and unloading at her father, he was filled with confidence and new strength, Myth had inspired him, and he was ready to begin sooner than later.

Rayann stiffened when she felt Kali stir slightly next to her. Already she could feel the young woman’s tumultuous emotions beneath the surface. And try as she may, Kali was unable to keep them penned up inside of her. As Kali began spilling forth her words dripping with venom, Rayann was reminded of just how lethal and spiteful the young woman that was her daughter could be. Knowing her husband meant no offense to his daughter and wife, he had struck a nerve that didn’t set well with his daughter.

Rayann actually flinched slightly as she heard Kali call Myth by his name. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to calm her own self, she let Kali say what she needed to say. It was important for these Knights to understand who they were dealing with and why Kali was taking this so personally. While Kali could have been a little more diplomatic, Rayann knew she had both her mother and father’s blood in her veins therefore diplomacy was not at the top of her thoughts.

Opening her eyes, Rayann looked around at the Knights, watching the faces as Kali revealed some of her past to them. Sir Trystan seemed genuinely interested in what Kali was saying. Lady Rose, while she may not have approved of Kali’s way, seemed to understand what happened. Lady Kellan sat transfixed as she watched Kali speak. The younger Knight was not as experienced as the others, but she was paying attention to Kali and not just because of the fact she was talking the way she was.

When Kali was done and left them alone, she looked to Trystan as he broke the silence that seemed to fill the room after Kali’s stinging words and abrupt departure. There was no doubt he understood the situation but he refused, like Lady Rose, to accept this mission was an absolute defeat to them. There was the slightest of smiles as Rayann heard what he said.

Slowly standing, she stood next to Myth, placing her smaller hand in his to help calm his own emotions right now, and invited the Knights to relax for a short period before any decisions were made.

”Good Knights, let’s not make any hasty decisions just yet. Please join us in the dining room, as our daughter has suggested. A good meal and some relaxed conversation might yield some other plans of action for us to follow. Besides, as Kali stated, we don’t truly know what we’re dealing with yet other than what you’ve reported. Perhaps during our meal some more information may become available. Besides, I know I could use something good to eat as I’m sure all of you could.”

Rayann glanced up at Myth and shared a quick look with him that spoke volumes then turned and slipped her arm under his elbow so he could escort her and their guests to the dining room. AS they departed the room and walked down the hallway, Rayann spoke to Myth’s mind.

~Don’t be too harsh on her, Mel’Amin. She is our daughter after all and she has both of our tempers. As difficult as I know it may be, we have to try and understand what she’s been through before she returned home to us where she belongs.~



Kellan stopped being infatuated with her surroundings the moment the talks began. This was her opportunity to show she was a good Knight and could not only wield a weapon but understand the importance of diplomacy and strategic planning. When Kali began her tirade against her father, Kellan glanced at the large, crimson haired Elf to see what his initial reaction was and when she saw little to none she realized he was very well trained. More so than even some of the more experienced Knights she’d trained with.

As Kali revealed she’d trained under this Fifth, a tingle of warning traveled down her spine and it was all she could do to suppress the shiver she wanted to have. This young woman had trained under the very mage that was responsible for Liam’s eternal suffering? How could they trust her? How could Lady Rose even think of entertaining an alliance with her? She could, at any moment, turn on them all and they would be helpless to defend against her. Even her own mother and father would be hard pressed to protect them or even prevent her from doing something to them all. That one, as far as Kellan was concerned, needed to be watched and watched very closely.

When the young mage disappeared, Kellan blinked then turned her attention to Lord Trystan as he spoke. His words echoed her own thoughts but she knew she would have to remain with Lady Rose, regardless. And while she was conflicted on staying with Lady Rose or leaving with Lord Trystan, she knew she couldn’t leave Lady Rose here by herself. When Rayann suggested they retire to the dining room, Kellan felt as though the tension had been eased away from her bones. A hot meal in a comfortable chair sounded utterly inviting but she would do whatever it was her commanding officers needed her to do.

)) This is more a solo, character dev. post. It won't affect the order but describes events outside the room ((

Kali reappeared. She stood in a huge open area, her Grandparents had intentionally built it to be warm and inviting and unlike most castles the dining area and the kitchen area were practically one space. The spaces were separated by the massive hearth which constantly burned with a warm fire that would instantly cheer your heart and bring warmth right to ones bones. The kitchen area was massive but paled in comparison to the dining and socializing area across from it. One part of the space had the dining table which could accommodate 20 people and beside it was a sitting area designed for comfort and long talks. The area in summary was a beautiful mixture of functionality and practicality that struck a perfect harmony.

Kali looked around and her hands were flexing with anger and anticipation. She felt as if her insides were going to explode as they churned with the pain of her father’s words and the conflict within her to keep her emotions in check. She turned and looked out the window, the emerald grass was swaying ever so softly as the mid afternoon breeze coming off the sea filled the air with a fresh and slightly salty aroma. A quarter of a kilometer away she saw Nol, standing and staring at her through the window, how in the Abyss did he always seem to know? She focused on the spot right beside him and closed her eyes, flashing and then instantly reappearing in the grass. Nol reached out and without a word slipped his arm around the small of her back, pulling her against himself. The warmth of her skin could be felt all the way through her thick, red velvet robes. She pressed her face into his chest and began to sob uncontrollably. Her tears instantly soaking the fine silk garment he wore. Nol took his other hand and gently stroked her honey blond hair, each time he did shadows escaped, wisping around his hand like sea snakes before they dissipated quickly in the light.

Several minutes went by before she finally broke her tight grip on him and her sobs decreased. She spoke through a whisper, “I hated him Nol, for a moment… I hated him.” Nol pulled her head against his chest again and this time it was she who was aware of the warmth. She pressed her cheek into his chest and just remained in the comfort of his arms, suddenly cognoscente of the strength that lied within him. She inhaled deeply and let out a soft sigh as she found sanctuary and calm in Nol’s grasp, and it hit her like a Dwarven war hammer, all those months, those long, wonderful, beautiful summer months when she would fly with him, when he would hold her, when their lips pressed and exchanged the very breath of life with one another, that was her safety, her solace, her moments of calm that could reset the balance of her inner turmoil. She felt shame and sorrow, and she shivered as she realized the dependence she had on him.

Despite her silence on the matter and refusal to discuss the subject, Kali believed deep down that one could only depend on themselves. Though she never spoke of it directly with her family, she always suspected that Rayann knew how she felt. It sometimes shamed her that she withheld this ideal from her family, but one cannot simply walk away from what they are. All the maltreatment and torture and pain she had endured those dozens and dozens of years had been designed to create fear and respect for the power over her. Instead of giving in to its control she fought back and unknowingly to her Master, she forged new walls of protection in her mind. As Fifth attempted to crack her she found ways to manipulate the magic he was using to create the mind link he would establish and left him believing he had control while she fed him what he was after. It took 20 years to manage this control of their sessions, and as the exercise became more intense it allowed her to gain more power against her torturers attacks. At the moment of her presentation to the Dark Queen, when the true power of Tahkisis was given to her, as her eyes were burned from the sockets and all the knowledge of ambient and dark magic finally coursed through her veins, only she knew that their control was an illusion. She would play the game, she would allow them to think they had broken her and forged the ultimate weapon, but in the end it was she that won, she was not their puppet and everything she did, she did for herself. However, with her power came a price, she had severed herself of all that was the human side of her, she had turned her back on her own essence, and was weaker for it.

She squeezed Nol, and leaned back slightly, looking deep into his silvery grey eyes. She smiled and he returned it in kind, she was about to speak and as if anticipating her words he spoke instead, “There is no shame in relationships, no matter what level they reside. I will never turn my back on you.” She smiled softly and reached up, rubbing a finger across his cheek and spoke, “My own personal guardian angel, only spoken of in myth and legend.” His smile broke the tension and she looked out towards the sea, still holding him, pressing her cheek back against his chest, “There is a storm coming, it’s obvious to some of us, not so much to others. Father sees things in black and white, as warriors are prone to do. It’s always so cut and dry with him, and though I appreciate that he sees things so simply, this is not such a situation.”

Nol rubbed her hair, again the wisps of shadow escaping and vaporizing almost immediately. He spoke, “Myth’alas is a fine man, strong and brave, not just physically. He is a credit to his race, and perhaps you need to take a look deeper into his perspective on things.” She leaned back, furrowing her brows slightly, “How so?”

Nol smiled and looked deeply into her eyes, “Don’t forget, he served the Dark Queen as well, and no one, no matter how strong or how brave walks away from that without scars. He may not be want to admit it, and he might hide it behind the stone wall of his physical body, but he has pain and suffering in his past as well, and he is trying to rebuild his life, caught between the duties of being the son of the Speaker of the Stars and the husband of a human and father of half breeds. He may attempt to shelter you all as much as he wants, but ultimately he won’t be able to keep out all the prejudice in this world, and he knows it. No father wants to see his kids suffer.”

She thumped him as hard as she could on the chest and he winced slightly as he leaned back with a whimsical look of surprise on his face, “God’s damn you Nol’Lore Silentclaw, why in the Abyss do you always have to speak with wisdom.” He laughed and his silver hair swirled around him as he wrapped her in his arms and drew her in close to himself again. She struggled, pretending to want release from him, but they both knew the game, and he dropped to the ground, holding her fast and rolling in the grass. Finally they stopped and he held her pinned as she breathed heavily, “You are lucky you are a dragon Nol, or I would vaporize you from the face of Krynn!” He snipped, “Oh would you now?” She looked at him, her eyes sparkling mischievously, “Oh I would, and Krynn would be better for it!”

“Well if that is how you feel!” He vanished into thin air, the sensation of his hands on her wrists dwindled quickly and she sat up with a start, looking around, expecting a rush of movement or incoming move of some kind, but there was nothing, no sound except the soft rustle of the grass. She began to feel sick to her stomach and she whispered, “Nol?”

“I thought the world was better without me…,” the words drifted past her face, as if physical, she smiled a half smile and whispered back, “Parlor tricks, how delightful. The passerby’s will pay good money to watch you manipulate flash powder and create coins from behind their ears seemingly from thin air!” There was a rush of wind and she was blown back down onto the flat of her back, she spun and scrambled to her feet quickly, looking around with anticipation, “Perhaps something a little more impressive then?” She was lifted from her feet and thrust into the sky, the castle of Glen Durel became as small as an ant hill in a matter of seconds and she attempted to reorient herself, as well as find her stomach again. Suddenly she felt his claws grasp her and lift her onto his back. She laughed and gently kicked his sides, screaming into the sky, “TAKE ME SOMEWHERE FULL OF ADVENTURE MY DRAGON LORD!”

With a laugh the massive shiny silver wings thrust through the air and pounded the ears as he picked up speed. He disappeared over the ocean, the clouds obscuring the view of anyone who might have been watching, Kali was flying once again.

Myth was not entirely surprised by his daughter's outburst at his words. She greatly underestimated his grap of the situation and some of his comments were taking personally. It was regretable but he would not hold that against his daughter. He broke his stoic look for only a moment to give her that knowing look and bit his tongue. If not for the presence of the knights he would have said something but there were some conversations that should not be had in the company of others. He made a note to take the time and talk with her later about things. Myth could only sigh mentally thinking he could have chosen his words better, but there was no sense in dwelling upon it. The great warrior nodded his head to the knights as they were invited to dine. He smiled slightly when his eyes connected with those of his wife and walked with her to their destination. His response was held a somber tone.

"I do not blame her for her empassioned words... we both have skeletons in our closet that have left their marks upon our souls because of our years of service to the darkness. I will not pretend to fully understand what happened while under Fifth's tutelage. What I do know of the man tells me volumes about what he may have done to my daughter's mind, and I mean to see him run through on my sword one way or another."

The last words held with them a tone that spoke greatly about his determination to see the threat to its end. A soft smile spread on his lips as he pushed the unpleasantness from his mind. They were swept to the furthest reaches of his mind in that place that Rayann knew was there for both her protection and their children's. This was the place of his darkest thoughts and deeds. With some effort a smile returned to his face as they entered the area they would dine.



Lady Rose sat in silence as the young mage spoke her mind. The words were enough to make the commander almost want to wince in response. It spoke a great deal about the young woman's past. It also concerned her about the young woman's role in the events that would come. There was a deep hurt there and that kind of pain made a person prone to rash and dangerous decisions. She was aware that she had no concept of the pain and suffering the woman had endured in this mage's service. She could not help but frown slightly when Kali departed but it vanished soon afterwards as the parents made ready to lead them to a more comfortable setting.

Trystan walked with the rest of the group as they made their way to the dining area. The hearth was burning with a warm and inviting fire, and a smile crossed his face purely on instinct. He looked around and marveled at how comfortable this whole place was, something he had not expected at all. He turned to Kellan who was a step behind him and spoke in a hushed tone, “As if the valley itself was the most calming place in the whole of Krynn we find ourselves in the warmest, most inviting room I have ever seen.” Everything seemed like it was perfectly in place and felt as if one thing were removed it would bring the whole place into complete disharmony and upset the balance of perfection. He looked at Myth as he turned back to look at the group and when their eyes met he nodded respectfully, “This is a wonderful place sir, I have never seen such a delightful residence.” He opened his mouth to say more, but stopped, simply nodding again. He wanted so desperately to engage the warrior in conversation, to hear the wisdom in his words, but he knew that now was not the time. He could only wait and hope that the opportunity would arise and that he could perhaps even train with the Elf.

He pushed these thoughts out of his mind and turned to Commander Rose. His voice was strong and full of intent, “Commander, can I get you something?” She smiled and nodded a silent ‘yes’ and he nodded in return. He knew her and had served under her long enough to understand what she wanted and he took a step towards the kitchen area but then stopped and turned to the Lady of the house. He was about to speak when Rayann simply gestured that he should continue and to help himself to what he needed. He smiled in response and went to the kitchen area. There was a series of stone counter tops that held every manner of food and drink, there was enough for a hundred people and he marveled at how his favorite dishes, as well as what he knew Lady Rose and Lady Kellan’s loved the most were set out, piping hot and ready to eat. He could not grasp how this was possible, again, there were no servants, no maids or butlers, only the Man and Lady of the house present. It suddenly struck him, Kali was nowhere to be seen. She had said she would meet them in the dining area and he assumed that she had meant upon their arrival, but alas she was not here. He chanced a peek around but did not manage to get his eyes on her. As he turned back around found himself face to face with Kellan and he smiled, slightly flushing in the cheeks. He whispered, “Lady Kellan, is this not the most amazing and yet strange place you have ever seen? Food appears at will and people disappear in an instant.” He chuckled and shoke his head, gathering some of the foods he knew that Lady Rose would enjoy and smiling with a warm nod to Kellan as he dismissed himself to bring the food and drink to their Commander.


Time passed too quickly as Nol’Lore’s flight path circled high above the ground. They had been gone for hours, she could tell by the sun’s position in the sky and the chill of the coming evening was in the air. She never felt cold on Nol’s back, his scales simply radiated heat and it was always a comfort to be in this very spot. She felt her heart sink at the sight of Glen Durel, not because she didn’t want to be home, but more because the flight was over. She inhaled deeply knowing that all she would have to do is ask if she wanted to ride again and she leaned forward, grabbing him around the neck and squeezing. He responded, his voice deep and gravely in his dragon form, “There there lass… All is well.” He smiled and flipped over in a roll still a kilometer off the coast and high in the air. Their bodies turned in the sky and then a flash of light engulfed them. They landed on their feet in an instant, he was back in his Elven form and they were just out of sight of the castle. He grabbed her and hugged her tightly, and then leaned back, kissing her gently on the forehead. “I know what you are thinking, and we are not back together so fear not, but as I said, I will never leave you, I swear it.” She smiled and hugged him, wanting to speak but knowing he understood her mind and simply let the silence surround them.

She chanted ancient words of magic and they appeared on the rear stone deck. They were side by side and suddenly visible through the massive windows to those in the dining area. They began to walk and she was slightly shaky on her legs after the long flight and her hair was tossed and teased from the incredibly fast winds she had been experiencing for the last few hours. They entered and Kali half smiled to her mother without saying a word. Her father was off by the hearth with his back to her speaking to Trystan who seemed to notice her immediately but his face was suddenly crossed with a queer expression. She suddenly remembered what she looked like after Nol had taken her up and her cheeks flushed. A faint feeling of embarrassment at her appearance suddenly made her feel a small bit self conscious and she spoke to her mother’s mind ~ Excuse me Mother, I will make myself more presentable and return in a few moments. ~ She nodded to Kellan who she realized was staring at her and side slipped through a door near the back of the kitchen.

Nol went to the table and looked at all the food, he turned and looked at Rayann with a warm smile, “As usual Rayann, everything here is splendid and as it should be.” Rayann smiled warmly and he winked, she would know exactly what he meant by that statement. Kali was centered and focused again, he was the only being on the Krynn that could get her back to who she was at the heart of her, and as he popped a grape into his mouth he walked by Rayann and patted her lovingly, and gently on her shoulder.

)) More character development and events outside the common room. Won't affect the flow. ((

Kali walked through the small door, she could feel Kellan looking at her even after she turned her back and she felt slightly self conscious. Slipping around to the main area through the small access hall she went upstairs to her room. Closing the door behind her she leaned against it heavily and sighed. She stayed for a moment before moving over to the bathing area and brushed her hand over the brass faucet. It came on immediately, warm water filling the basin and begging her to wash. She looked into the mirror and bit her lip, her normally well groomed honey blond hair was more resembling a rat’s nest at the moment and she shoke her head. Her face was pale and her cheeks deeply flushed from the constant cold air beating against it for the last few hours and she scooped up some of the warm water to remove the chill. Sitting down at her dressing station she removed the ivory handled brush and began to unwork the tangles. Many times she pushed the bristles through unimaginable knots and after several minutes had worked her hair back to its normal state of being. She inhaled deeply and looked at herself, feeling that a change of clothing was certainly in order. She went to her closet and waved her hand, the small glass orbs that hung from the ceiling illuminated and she stepped in, looking around. Removing a long and comfortable red velvet dress she took off her robes and slipped it on, brushing out the wrinkles as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. She was not a vain person by any stretch of the imagination however these were highly important guests that were being hosted at Glen Durel and she was more ashamed that they had seen her in the condition they had.

She smiled softly to herself, tucking her hair behind her slightly pointy ears and clasped it back with a mithril hair piece set with rubies. She nodded and feeling more comfortable walked out of her room and into the hallway. She stopped as she heard her name from the room across the hall, “Kali.” Turning she saw the door was slightly open and Ceridwyn was sitting in a tall back chair facing the window. Her head was turned and she was smiling at Kali who returned the gesture and walked into the room, “Good evening Ceridwyn, did you rest well?”


Ceridwyn smiled and gestured to the chair beside her as she nodded, “Too well dear, I always do when I come to the Glen. Even when I would come to visit your Grandparents, there was always a delightful feeling of warmth and comfort here.” Kali looked slightly surprised, “You used to come visit Papa and Gramma?” Ceridwyn chuckled softly and nodded her head as she sipped her tea, “Of course Kali, we were members of the same order and worked together a lot in our studies. This wasn’t my room just recently you know.” She looked over the rim of her tea cup and the twinkle in her eye made Kali smile.

“I suppose I should have figured, you would have been head of the order during their lives, it only makes sense that you would have known them.” Ceridwyn gestured to the table beside Kali and Kali looked, grinning at the sudden appearance of a piping hot cup of honey mint tea. She picked it up and inhaled the scent deeply as she looked back at Ceridwyn, “I aided them as I could, as they did for me during the dark time in my life.” Kali felt a small pain in her stomach, she knew exactly what Ceridwyn was referring to and she felt herself sink heavily into the chair she occupied. “I am so sorry that you had to endure that Ceri.”

“Why would you be sorry? Life is a journey, sometimes sad, sometimes happy, but it’s the choices that we make which determine our course. We have the rudder, despite what people tell you about prophecy or destiny, sure our lives may have an intended purpose, but it is the choices we make when there is no time to make them that define not only our character but also our path.”

Kali looked at her curiously, the cup in her hand suddenly felt hot and she shifted it to her other hand, shaking the slightly burned one as she spoke, “I do understand, but what about the root? We are taught, trained, sometimes even molded to fit into a place that we might not belong, how do you account for those times when we are either expected or HAVE to conform to where we are.” Ceri looked at her almost sternly, “Does that not also include a choice?” Kali furrowed her eyebrows, “Yes but, what if it means death should you not?” Ceridwyn smiled and leaned forward slightly, “Also, a choice.”

Kali felt as if her head were swimming and she leaned back, starring out the window and sipping her tea, her eye brows crossed in thought as she tried to grasp what Ceridwyn was saying. A moment of silence passed between them and then Ceri spoke again, “How was your flight with Nol?” Kali looked at her quickly and her face went red with embarrassment. Ceri chuckled softly and shoke her head as she spoke, “Why do you always flush when anyone mentions his name?” Kali didn’t know how to answer that and gave a timid shrug, finding comfort in hiding behind her tea cup as she took another sip, swallowing hard. Ceri smiled softly and spoke again, “It is not wrong to say no to love, someone needs to let you know that.” Kali looked over at her quickly, choking on her tea, “What??”

Ceri shoke her head again with her same soft smile, “Choices Kali, it is possible to love without romance, but it is also ok to say no. I am not saying it would be the right or wrong decision, I am just saying it is never wrong to make a choice that you feel is right for you. Nol obviously loves you, and you love him.” Kali swallowed hard and was finding it harder and harder to maintain eye contact with the she elf, “Kali, he fills a void in your life, he brings you peace, but the relationship doesn’t HAVE to be one of romantic inclination. I just don’t want to see you slip into confusion and lose concentration because you are constantly struggling with a decision. If you are struggling with a decision however, you might want to revisit why and never turn your back on your instincts, especially as a woman. I am not your mother, but I am your friend and I have your best interests at heart, Nol is a dragon, and he will outlive you, that is not to be left out of the equation, but love is capable of seeing past such boundaries.”

Kali turned and looked at her again, confusion completely covering her face. Ceri leaned forward and set her tea down before taking Kali in her arms and hugging her tightly, “There are very tough decision coming for you, the toughest you will ever face, and you need to have a clear head.” Kali pushed back and looked at her, “What decisions? What are you talking about?” Ceri patted her leg and responded, “I can’t answer that, I am not a Seer, but I do have the gift of warning, to prepare someone for their walk. I know, it is hard to hear something that only raises a thousand questions, but that is all I know, choices are coming.”

Kali nodded understanding what Ceridwyn was saying, and she set her tea cup down. Standing she extended a hand to Ceridwyn and helped her stand, “I suppose we should go down and socialize with the rest, it is improper to cause them to wonder where we are.”

“So it is.” Ceridwyn smiled and hugged Kali again, “Worry not lass, you will be fine no matter what you chose, I did not tell you to cause you to be disheartened, but I can feel that a crossroad is coming for you and I only want you to be prepared.” Kali smiled and hugged Ceridwyn tightly, “Thank you.”

They turned and walked down the massive staircase together, walking through the main greeting hall and into the back kichen and dining area. The group was still assembled and the atmosphere was much lighter. Kali smiled softly as she saw Nol sitting with Myth and Trystan, he nodded in response and the warm smile on his face caused her heart to flutter slightly. She inhaled deeply and began to cross the room towards Rayann knowing that she owed her mother (and her father) and apology.

Kellan followed along at the respectable distance she was required to be as the small group was led to the dining area. As they approached she noticed how different it was than other stately homes she had visited. Instead of being a formal dining area with a separated kitchen area away from the dining hall, it seemed to be all open save for the massive stone fireplace that made a distinction between where one room ended and the other began. And Lord Trystan was right, it was the warmest, most inviting room she’d ever seen. It reminded her of her own home she used to share with Liam and their parents and a sudden pang of loss slid through her.

The home she and Liam grew up in was not near as big as this one but it was filled with love and the kind of warmth one found being surrounded by family. Kellan felt a sudden knot form in her throat and she swallowed hard to make it go away as the slightest bit of moisture began to form in her eyes. Clamping down hard on her jaw, she forced herself to remain in control and nodded to Trystan’s words. In the back of her mind she couldn’t help but wish Liam were there to share this with her but that was not the case now.

As they moved further into the room, Kellan was able to gain control of herself again and observe the room now without wanting to burst into tears. The large windows overlooked the valley and she could see the rolling, emerald colored grass as it swayed in the warm breeze that drifted off the water. The colorful flowers danced merrily as the breeze caressed every living thing it could find. A slight smile eased over her face then as she remembered how much she loved to run bare footed through the grass near her childhood home. To her mother’s dismay and her father’s delight, she was more like that wind that danced across the land.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Trystan as Lady Rose if he could get her something. Quickly remembering her duties, she moved quietly to join Trystan. Kellan caught the gesture Rayann made to Trystan and she furrowed her brows slightly. It was almost as though the woman knew what he was going to say even before he spoke the words. Perhaps this was something they should be mindful of. If she could somehow read minds…..

As she followed behind Trystan into the kitchen area, she blinked when she saw the food that was prepared for them all. Again she glanced around but saw no servants moving about. How was all of this possible without people to prepare it all then serve it? Of course she didn’t think about that long when she saw that almost every dish she personally loved was there before her. Another smile graced her lips then and this time it was more of a smile than anyone had seen from her since the Towers creation.

Making mental note to return to fill her own plate when she helped Trystan get Lady Rose’s food and drink prepared, Kellan picked up a goblet and filled it with a wine that she’d not seen before but the aroma was exquisite. Noting movement from Trystan out of the corner of her eye, she glanced up to see what he was doing when she noticed he was looking towards the dining hall and his eyes searching for something…..or someone. Kellan felt a pang of another kind then, something she’d not felt before in her life and she frowned slightly at what it meant. It was at that moment Trystan turned back around to notice her standing there next to him. There was no doubt amazement in his voice when he spoke. Perhaps she was being ridiculous. Blinking, Kellan quickly replaced the frown with a small smile and nodded as she spoke in a hushed voice as well.

”Aye….I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Not even the finest spun tales around a campfire could do this place justice. It’s as if they reached into our minds and saw what we wanted and needed. It’s amazing.”

As Trystan filled Lady Rose’s plate and gave that smile to Kellan, she felt her cheeks flush slightly and silently berated herself for the thoughts she had just moments ago. How could she be so silly? She had just walked over to Lady Rose and handed her the goblet when she heard Kali enter into the dining hall. Kellan didn’t think the young woman could get any more beautiful but when she saw the almost wild look about Kali, Kellan knew she had been wrong to think that. At almost the same instant, Kellan felt her eyes drifting to the handsome Elf walking with Kali.

As beautiful as Kali was, to Kellan, Nol was just as handsome. His sharp, Elven features coupled with his physique and confidence brought a slight flush to Kellan’s cheeks. Her eyes darted to Trystan to make sure he didn’t see her reaction when she saw him staring at Kali with an odd look on his face. Once more that pang slipped through her and she looked back at Kali. She was still staring at Kali when the young woman glanced her way then nodded as she slipped by her to exit the room in a hurry. Glancing quickly at Rayann then looking away, Kellan was reminded the woman had a sixth sense about her and the last thing Kellan wanted to do was let her thoughts be known at this moment.





As soon as the small group entered the dining hall area, Rayann could almost feel the tension melt away. As Myth released her hand, Rayann glanced up at her husband and smiled letting him know everything would be just fine. Both of them knew Kali would understand there was nothing personal meant by Myth’s words towards their daughter. When the moment was right, everything would be set straight. Until then, they would entertain their guests and see if any more information could be discovered as they talked more like friends than business partners.

Rayann was always aware of her ability to gauge others emotions and there was something about the Lady Kellan that told her the woman had suffered something terrible at the creation of these towers. It was even more evident to Rayann when she felt a sudden, deep pain of loss coming from the young woman. It was so intense that Rayann sucked in her breath making the slightest gasp. Myth turned to cast a concerned eye upon his wife when Rayann made the slightest gesture not to worry and reached out to his mind to ease his worry.

~It’s alright. Just a sudden emotion I was not expecting from one of our guests. I’ll be fine in a moment.~

Her eyes rested on Kellan then and Myth would know by who she was looking at who had caused Rayann’s reaction. Quickly placing up barriers so the intensity of what she felt from Kellan didn’t overwhelm her, Rayann recovered. All of this taking place in a matter of a few seconds and their guests none the wiser of it all.

As Myth took his place by the hearth, Rayann sat down in one of the comfortable chairs at the table gesturing for Rose to sit next to her. As Trystan went to prepare Lady Rose’s food, she gestured to the man to make himself at home. Looking over at Rose, Rayann smiled again.

”It’s been quite some time since we’ve had guests here in Glen Durel. I have to say, it was nice to get the place ready for your arrival. I was just getting ready to leave with my brother to take our Wizards Trials the last time we had company here.”

Rayann’s eyes glanced around the hall as she smiled letting beautiful memories flood her mind. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly then looked at Rose again.

”It’s good to be able to make more good memories in here again.”

A sudden presence lat her known her daughter and Nol had returned from the jaunt to wherever it was they went when Kali got to fly with the Dragon. Glancing out the window, she saw both of them walking towards the castle and enter through the door that lead to the courtyard just off the dining hall. Kali looked, to say the least, like a beautiful tempest. Inwardly Rayann groaned knowing her guests would be wondering what she’d been up to with the handsome Elf by her side.

With one glance around at the way Trystan, Rose and Kellan were looking at her daughter, Rayann knew they were all coming to their own conclusions and Rayann had a feeling they weren’t all that good. Giving her daughter a stern look, Rayann knew Kali realized what was going on. As her daughter glanced around at the stares at her, she heard her daughters voice in her mind. As Kali slipped off, Rayann spoke to Kali’s mind in return.

~There is no doubt you are your father’s child~

When Kali left, Rayann turned her attention to Nol. The warm smile he gave her was too infectious and she couldn’t help but smile in return, shaking her head slightly. When he gave her the coded message, she smiled even more. While Kali may not have realized how much she needs Nol, Nol knows how much Kali needs him and for that, Rayann could never thank the wise Dragon for the comfort that brought her. As he walked by and patted her shoulder, Rayann reached up and gently touched the back of his hand with her fingers.

”Thank you, Nol. It means a lot to me to hear you say that.”

Turning her attention back to her guests, she smiled as she looked at each face.

”Well now, I believe it’s time for all of us to enjoy a good meal together.”

Nol walked over to Kellan as she sat to eat. He spoke with a voice that was delightful to the ear and almost seemed to caress the mind, releasing all tension and angst, “Greetings Lady Kellan. We have not formally met, I am Nol’Lore Silentclaw.” His smile was infectious, “Do you mind if I sit?” She nodded, and he could see the slight conflict in her eyes as they darted to Trystan ever so quickly and then back to him. She smiled as he sat and he gently swirled the wine in his goblet.

“I hear good things about you, your skill is beyond your years and you have a very brave heart.” She looked at him curiously, as if to ask HOW he knew of her, but he continued, “I am looking forward to getting to know the three of you and working to eliminate this blight on the land.” He spoke and moved like a Silvanesti Elf, but he did not have the stiff necked smugness of superiority that most of them seemed to have. His eyes shimmered like pure silver in the fire light and his hair almost sparkled it was so white. He turned, his face jovial and full of laughter and he made eye contact with Trystan who was staring at them from across the room. Trystan quickly turned his attention away and Nol turned back to Kellan, “Your Lord seems a little less than thrilled that we are engaged in conversation.”

He sipped his wine and saw the look of apology on Kellan’s face, he brought up his hand and smiled, shaking his head, “No worry, he probably doesn’t want me pressing in on his command, I assure you, I won’t.” He sipped his wine and looked at her over the rim of his wine goblet and spoke again as he lowered his cup, “So tell me about yourself Lady Kellan, what is your story? Everyone has a story, I’d love to hear yours.”



Kali walked up to her Mother and spoke, “Might I a word Mother?” Rayann smiled and excused herself from Lady Rose, and the two walked slightly away from the group. Though the two of them were equals when it came to their magic, still in the end they were mother and daughter. Kali had led the way and turned as they reached the window, her eyes said everything in an instant before she spoke and Rayann’s warm and forgiving smile put her at ease, “Mother, it’s obvious that I owe you and Father an apology, I…” Rayann took her in her arms and they embraced for a short moment, in the seconds of that embrace Kali felt the forgiveness as much as Rayann spoke it to her mind. She smiled and rubbed her hand up the middle of Rayann’s back. As the two moved apart Kali looked over at Myth who was watching them. She smiled and blinked slowly as he looked at her. His wink said it all, that though there might still be a conversation coming there was no conflict between them. She inhaled deeply and gave a soft nod. Turning to the food she spoke in a whisper, “I need to eat something.”

She reached and grabbed her mother’s hand and then walked towards the food, releasing her grip as quickly as she had made it. Their fingers rubbed together for the briefest of seconds but the connection between them was reestablished and they both knew that there was peace again. She walked towards the kitchen and her eyes met Nol’s as he sat with Kellan. He lifted his goblet to her and she smiled, her eyes closed as she felt his warmth inside her, that seal that closed off the furnace of her heart and kept her inner dragon at bay. She reached down and touched her abdomen and opened her eyes again, she was at peace again, all the way to her guts. Her eyes shimmered as she stared at Nol, his voice entering her mind, ~ “The best moments of my days are when you are in my gaze.” ~ She flushed, her cheeks getting as red as her robes and she shoke her head, Nol laughed aloud and Kali turned her eyes, catching Kellan’s gaze. There was something about the way the Lady Knight was looking at her that suggested so much more than just a simple stare. For now, Kali let it go and she cleared her throat, smoothing the front of her robes and walking to the food. She served herself and poured herself some honey mint tea. She walked to the outskirts of the group and sat at an end table, eating as she watched the group.


Ceridwyn walked into the room and watched the interaction between Rayann and Kali, she smiled as she turned to Aeolis and walked over to him. He was sitting with Myth and Trystan. His gaze met hers and she reached out, gently touching his shoulder. He was about to stand so she could sit where he was and she put pressure on his shoulder, indicating that she did not need his chair. The look in his eyes said it all and she whispered to his mind, ~ “That was a delightful rest, I believe I am ready to join the land of the living once again.” She smiled and turned, looking at Myth. “My Prince, it is good to see you this fine evening.”

She noted the look in Myth’s face, it was the first time she had ever referred to him as “Her” Prince. Clearly she was indicating that despite her own personal feelings towards the way Silvanesti royalty handled their affairs she supported him. He gave a subtle and thankful nod as she reached and squeezed his shoulder. “If you gentleman will excuse me, I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation, I just needed to let a worry wart know that my rest was a good one.” She winked at Aeolis, and with that crack he would know that she was back to normal.

Kellan was just sitting down to enjoy the food she prepared for herself when the undeniable male form of Nol came over to sit down next to her. As he began to talk to her, Kellan felt as if all her worries had neem cleansed from her mind and left her feeling as though there was nothing to concern herself about except for what this very moment brought her. With a quick glance at Trystan then back to Nol, she smiled back at the handsome Elf and gladly invited him to sit with her.

As he spoke about the things he heard about her, she couldn’t help but give him a rather curious look. How in all of Krynn did he know anything about her? She’d never seen him before this day. And a man like Nol would be difficult to forget. Ever. The more he spoke to her directly, the more she noticed about him. The shimmer in his eyes, the way the light reflected off his hair making it seem almost metallic in color, even the way his voice sounded in her ears made her think of a time when life was carefree and she was running in the warm summer breeze once more.

When Nol mentioned Trystan was ‘less than thrilled’ he was talking to her, Kellan looked over the Elf’s shoulder to see Trystan was doing anything but looking at her. Still, to think Trystan was possibly upset at her made her look back at Nol with a strange look on her face. One that seemed to combine a plea for mercy and the curiosity of a cat.

Remembering the way Trystan looked at Kali, Kellan seemed to gain courage. There was nothing wrong with relaxed conversation. She talked to other men all the time. It was part of her duty. So why should this be any different? Because this man before her was quite possibly the most handsome specimen of maleness she’d ever seen. That’s why.

When Nol asked her about her story, Kellan seemed to stare at the handsome Elf for a few seconds before what ever spell she was under let her go. Blinking, she chuckled softly as she wiped her hands off on the linen napkin that was draped over her lap then dabbed at her lips. Placing the napkin back in her lap, she sat straight and proud as was expected of her. Her voice was soft yet not shy as she spoke to Nol.

”My story? I assure you, M’Lord, my story is quite boring to tell. I was born to common folk who worked hard on a small farm. My days were filled with hard work and my nights were for sleeping as hard as I worked. From the time I was old enough to walk I was with my mother and father in the fields. Even after my brother left to study with the Knights. I was certain I was going to become a farmer’s wife and live the same life my parents did until the day my brother came home for a visit and filled my head full of the stories of what it was to be a Solamnic Knight. From that moment on, I wanted to follow in his footsteps, not my parents. When I was finally old enough o become an understudy squire, I left home. I began studying for my Knighthood and have just recently been given the rank of Knight of the Crown. Under Sir Trystan’s tutelage I have learned many things. Both on and off the battlefield. Even now I am accompanying our Commander to learn from this experience.”

She nibbled on her food in between sentences and when she mentioned Liam there was some emotion in her voice. It was obvious she loved her brother dearly and respected him greatly. Even though Nol made her self conscious of herself, she kept eye contact with him when she spoke to him and while her manners were impeccable, there was a kindness to her that was genuine. And when she mentioned her learning with Trystan there was a tenderness in the way she spoke his name that most people wouldn’t have picked up on but Nol would certainly know it.

When Kali returned to the dining hall with Ceridwyn, Kellan glanced at the changed young woman and glanced at Trystan to see the way he was watching the younger mage. Kellan looked back at Nol and saw that he had raised his goblet to the young woman and then laughed aloud. Obviously there was some sort of message between them that no one was privy to and Kellan looked once more at Kali. There was a moment when both women held eye contact and in that brief moment each had their own thoughts about the other. Forcing herself to look away and return to her own feed, Kellan looked over at Nol again and smiled.

”So, as I stated earlier, nothing exciting. What about you, M’Lord Nol’Lore? What is your story? How did you come to know these fine people and stay at such a wonderful home?”

Kellan referred to Glen Durel as a ‘home’ and not a castle letting everyone know she knew this place was more than just living quarters. It was filled with the love of family and friends and that made all the difference.




When Kali and Ceri came walking in together, Rayann smiled brightly. To be able to see her daughter again so soon was wonderful but to see her best friend so soon again as well was an added bonus. Meeting Ceri and Kali halfway, Rayann embraced her best friend and hugged her warmly then turned to her daughter. As Kali said she needed a word, Rayann excused herself and walked with Kali a little away from the others. Even before the words were out of Kali’s mouth, Rayann was already pulling her daughter into a heartfelt hug. Stroking Kali’s hair with her hand and closing her eyes, allowing the scent of her daughter to fill her senses, she smiled then reluctantly released the young woman. Rayann’s voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke to Kali, lovingly touching her daughters cheek

”It’s alright, Kali. We understand.”

As they began to walk back to the others and the food, Rayann felt the touch of her daughters fingers on her own and felt that connection return once more. Peace had returned to both of them. Glancing at Myth, she knew by the look on his face that he was at peace with them as well.

As Kali helped herself to her food, Rayann glanced at Nol and Kellan as they shared some conversation then glanced back at Trystan and Kali before returning to Ceri and Rose.




Aeolis sat puffing on his pipe letting the sweet aroma of his tobacco fill the dining hall. Rayann had welcomed his pip telling him it reminded her of the way Lachlan used to sit with his own pipe and the Elf was more than glad to oblige her fond memories. For the most part, he was quiet as he sat with Trystan and Myth listening to the two of them discuss strategy and other things warrior related. He was gaining a keen insight to both men as he sat and listened.

When Ceri appeared his eyes transfixed on her and never left her form as she made her way eventually over to where he sat. As he attempted to stand only to have her gentle hand on his shoulder, he felt her voice caress his mind. The slightest smile eased over his features as he heard her words. As Ceri called Myth HER Prince, Aeolis blinked and looked up at her but said nothing. He glanced at Myth and saw there was a hint of surprise and humor in his emerald gaze. Leave it to Ceri to say something like that in mixed company.

With a soft chuckle and slight shake of his head, Aeolis looked up at Ceri as she excused herself from the men with her comment about him. He smiled slyly then.

”I swore to protect you so therefore I HAVE to worry where you are concerned, M’Lady Ceridwyn.”

Nol leaned back comfortably in his chair and looked tenderly at Kellan. She was as fine specimen of a woman, even by the standards of human beauty she stood above many he had seen. Her face was still soft, it was obvious she had not seen many, if any real battles. He wasn’t sure and dared not pry, figuring such things would be revealed in time. He caught the subtle change in her voice as she mentioned Liam, and he nodded sympathetically. It wasn’t a gesture of being patronizing, he seemed to truly understand.

She also spoke ever so briefly about her training under Trystan and he glanced over at the man once again. He was no longer looking at them but Nol could sense he wished to desperately. Furrowing his brows slightly he turned his gaze back to Kellan and she would immediately be able to see in his eyes that he had figured it out, there was more between them than met the eye. Again, it was not his place to pry, but he did linger on the thought of a Knight having romantic tendencies towards a young Knight in his charge. Women had only been granted the privilege, or so the humans called it, of being Knights a century ago, and even at that there were substantial debates and lingering doubts about sending women into battle. Nol seemed to stare right into Kellan’s heart as he sat across from her, and he spoke again.

“My story? Well, if ever there was a boring tale it would be that of my life. Serving has its privileges but also its perils. Trust me when I say the moments of boredom far outweigh the moments of excitement.” She could tell, somehow, that he wasn’t being completely truthful. He wasn’t lying, that was obvious, his eyes told nothing but truth, but it was also obvious to Kellan that he was only scratching the surface. “What are your thoughts and feelings on dragons?”

The question absolutely came out of nowhere. The tales of the Dragon Wars and the Great Huma who had personally beat back the advances of the Dark Queen Tahkisis were well known to the Knights of Solamnia. Huma was perhaps the greatest war hero of the Solamnic Knights and all Squires of the Knighthood were taught about his bravery, valor and who he was. The knowing look on her face suggested that she knew of the existence of dragons, but he wanted to know more, he wanted to hear to what depth she knew and believed.