1: Journey into the Unknown

It was the most difficult thing Rayan ever had to do. Even now, if she thought about it, she could feel tears well up in her eyes and for the umpteenth time today, she swallowed back the lump that formed in her throat. She couldn’t let herself get distracted by thinking about it. She HAD to remain focused. If she didn’t, much more would be lost and that was the one thing that kept her moving.

After the attack by the goblins in Witch Wood, it was they could do to get Rorie to North Haven safely. If it hadn’t been for Smythe’s incredible strength and her magic, Rayann was certain Rorie would not be alive today. And dear Smythe….he had taken a few blows himself. Thankfully the healers welcomed them with open arms. None too soon either.

She watched her brother in pain and it ripped her heart from her chest each time she heard him groan. That’s when she made up her mind to do what she did. It didn’t make it easy. In fact, it was something she still wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do, but she knew she couldn’t let anything happen to her dear sibling.

She left Rorie and Smythe to seek out the mysterious, large Elf they had encountered in Witch Wood. He was a warrior, no doubt, well trained in the art of combat and self control. He was precisely what she would need to help her in the decision she had made.

When she laid out her plan to him he didn’t say anything for a long moment. He merely stood, stoically, looking down at her with those piercing green eyes. She was certain he was about to turn her down when he finally nodded and told her he agreed, but they would do things his way or not at all. Rayann, being the stubborn woman she was, wouldn’t agree to that until she heard, upfront, what his way was.

It took almost three hours of negotiations between them before they came to an agreement they could both live with. They went their separate ways then. Rayann going to check in on Rorie and saw he was sleeping peacefully with the help of the healers herbs and magic. She gave her brother a soft smile, kissed his forehead tenderly then whispered good bye in his ear.

Before she left, she cast a spell that would block the strong connection she shared with him, making it impossible for him to find her. Even as she cast the spell, she gave into the tears as her heart broke. She knew it would break his heart, knowing she had left him behind, but she saw no other way. Leaving her pristine White robe draped over his sleeping form on top of the soft blankets covering him, she knew he would realize what she did the instant he saw it.

Leaving her brother, she sought refuge in her room at the local Inn and tried to rest as much as she could. Knowing it was critical for her to regain her strength, she did get a few hours of sleep. It was the wee hours of the morning when she set out, alone. She had walked almost a mile before a large shadow emerged from the forest and joined her. Myth set out on his own, in a different direction then doubled back to meet her. It was all necessary. Wearing nothing but a plain traveling cloak of a gray-ish color, she looked no different than any other traveler on the road. Making sure she kept her head covered, she didn’t want to call notice to herself.

She never said a word to the large elf when he joined her, merely held his steady, piercing gaze for a moment then set out walking once again. What could she say? Every time she tried, her emotions welled up and she felt herself wanting to stop and turn to run back and stay with her brother.

But that wasn’t an option anymore.

There was just her…and Myth…and the unknown path before them.

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That one day had been a complete blur for Myth. He could not fathom how much trouble one group of people could run into in such a short period of time. Their day had started with the finding of him and his men, but that in and of itself was planned out, after that it was the spider, and the goblins were the real kicker. Though he wagered that part of the trouble the party was having was in fact the Witch Wood itself and not the party’s karmic balance.

With Rorie down it reduced the group’s magical capabilities a great deal but at the same time it had provided Myth with a key opportunity when night had come that evening. With Rorie down resting Rayann was responsible for setting the night’s magical defenses. Myth had taken the time to produce the small stone. As she wove her defensive magic he had gotten his answer. His target was now in place but he passed on the opportunity to act upon it in the group’s moment of defenselessness. While his orders were clear he could tell that a forceful departure would be bad for the woman’s psyche and thus her power. After all he was certain there would be a level of displeasure if he brought back his target in a shattered emotional and psychological state. With a sigh he let the matter slip from his mind and he took his watch and rested when the time came. Come mid day they would reach New Haven.

When they had reached the city one could tell the encounters had taken their toll upon the little group. Word seemed to travel fast in this small town as there were healers waiting at the door when the group brought Rorie and Smythe for treatment. Though Smythe’s injuries were nothing compared to Rorie’s they insisted he get some rest as well. Myth stayed at Rayann’s side playing his part as indebted guard while Pax himself had taken the little ones off to find lodging. Myth took his leave of her so that he could hit the bar and listen to the local gossip and get a much needed drink. After all she needed her private time with her brother. He did to some extent want to respect her privacy and he wanted time to think and plan his next moves anyways.

He had taken his place in a lone booth in a seemingly inconspicuous section of the local bar and sat drinking. Knowing his appearance generally drew attentions he was wearing a dark cloak with a hood. The cloak hid his read mane and ears but his face and eyes were clear to all who looked upon him. He listened to the ongoing chatter of the bar. One man complained to his friend about his cheating wife, while another pair spoke of attacks by black clad soldiers along trade routes. Typical tavern discussions one would find in any good bar. After a time his silence came to an end when the familiar form of Rayann entered the bar. The bright white of her robes drew looks from all. That was until she brought herself to his table and sat. One look towards the man clad in dark robes caused them to go back to their discussions. Though she spoke to his mind he held up a hand and insisted they go someplace else to speak. He was never one for conversation when there were ears present and if she had come to him he was certain it was important.

He got them a room at the tavern across the way and once they were inside and he was happy with their privacy he let her speak of her plan. When she finished he didn’t know how to react to her plans. One part of him remained calm and cool while another practically leapt for joy. One of his most monumental obstacles had just been removed from the equation. However he also felt this was the best time to test her resolve and will power, and thus he laid out the basic ground work that they would do it his way, no buts, knowing she would argue the point.

Thus he baited her into the hours of negotiation till he was happy that she had the will and the determination to pull this off. He didn’t want to be a day out from the city only to have her change her mind and go running back to her brother and the fellowship.
With a nod of approval he left her to do as she willed and told her where to meet him. He would be setting out from the city himself in but a few hours. He gathered his things and did as he had said and set out just before midnight leaving New Haven. The hours passed and he camped near where he had set up the meeting point. He pulled from his belongings two pieces of parchment, a quill, and a small pouch from which he drew forth two pieces of clay in the visage of a pigeon and a squirrel .

The first letter was addressed to his superiors and explained that he had discerned the identity of his target and had found a way to draw her from her friends and family, but also informed them his return would not be imminent do to unforeseen circumstances that required more time for him to deal with so that he could ensure the chosen one’s safe and intact return. More details would be given at a later date when he had a chance to report in after a further assessment of the situation. Sealing the letter Myth new his commander would not be happy but at the same time would not be overly displeased. His judgment had always proven to be justified in the end. He picked up the visage of the pigeon and whispered a word of magic and it grew taking on life and growing in size. With a piece of ribbon he attached the letter to the bird and sent it off to deliver his message to his superiors.

He sat down once more and penned out a second note. While he was certain Rayann was trying her best to assure he was not involved in any way Myth felt compelled to leave her brother with one piece of information. As he was certain that an investigation would inevitably point towards the elf.

Rorie Padraig,

I feel it prudent to inform you of a few things you yourself have come to know or realize. Rayann has chosen to set out upon her own path. As of yet I am not privy to the reasons she has chosen to take this action nor do I intend to pry. I will not lie to you Rorie, for I will be travelling with her. Do not mistake my intentions though as I will not try to sway her mind into returning. I will simply seek to be her sword and shield and keep her from harm. Honor alone demands that I do this just as honor compels me to leave you this missive. I can tell there exists a strong bond between you and therefore I feel it may be this that compels me.

Trust that she will be safe Rorie and do not despair for I feel she walks a divinely guided path.

Captain Myth
2nd Legion

Sealing the letter Myth could only smirk because in the coming months the latter part of his signature would become all too clear. He drew up the visage of the squirrel and when life came to it he sent the message to be delivered the sleeping white robe after Rayann had left the city. After that Myth rested until dawn where he waited in the forests as he said he would for Rayann.

A short time after dawn she appeared on the road and he met with her. In the brief moment his gaze met hers he could see the inner struggle to go back fighting with the will to leave. He understood what was going on in her head and that alone was the reason he would delay his return with her in tow. For now he was silent and he set himself to her pace and they walked leaving New Haven and her old life behind them. In time they would come for her but for now they had a good head start.

They walked on in silence. Rayann’s thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions and try as she may to keep a closed lid on them, from time to time she felt tears sting her eyes. Thankfully the tall elf walking with her didn’t see these things for she was certain if he did, he would try and persuade her to return. But she couldn’t. She had to keep moving on. She couldn’t stop what she’d started. Not now.

How many times had she heard her father state when you committed yourself to something you had to see it through to the end otherwise it didn’t mean a thing. And she was committed to finishing this quest they had all started out on. Wasn’t it better to set out a lone and try to finish this quest and if she died, be the only casualty? Instead of letting EVERYONE die?

Yes, yes…that was certainly better. To lose the one and not the whole. Besides, she reasoned, splitting her and Rorie up was the only way she saw of making sure one of them survived if things went badly for her. At least with Rorie’s magic still in play, the darkness she felt looming closer and closer would not be able to take over so easily.

The sun was high over head when Myth finally said something. They were near a stream and he suggested they rest, eat and drink before going any further. Reluctantly Rayann agreed. While she knew it was for the best they stop, she wanted to keep moving, put as much distance behind them as they could. But if she didn’t at least TRY to eat something and drink, she would fall victim to her own physical weakness. And she wouldn’t be a burden to someone who barely knew her.

Moving to the side of the stream, she sat down wearily on the bank and pushed the hood of her cloak off her head. It felt good to let the air cool her head and let her feel the sunlight filtering through the trees upon her. Myth had given her some dried meat and a small chunk of cheese so she could eat while she rested, but she didn’t have much of an appetite. She nibbled mostly.

When the large elf sat down next to her a few feet away, she cast him a sideways glance. He was quite different. He was reserved and quiet, yet he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind when the opportunity arrived. How strange. She would have thought such discipline like that would have come from one skilled as a soldier. Yet…he bore no markings or insignia that stated he was a soldier in any army.

Finally, she broke the silence that had been between them since they started out early in the morning. Her mind reached his with her soft spoken word.

I would like to put as much distance between us before night falls. I don’t mind sleeping in the wild, so don’t worry about finding accommodations on my behalf. I will make sure we are properly protected again. I’ve rested since my last spell casting so I will have the strength to cast.

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The morning hours slipped passed and Myth kept to himself mostly letting the woman dwell upon her own thoughts. For the moment he let her wrestle with her own thoughts about her recent decisions. He could offer some words of encouragement or support he guessed but that really wasn’t the kind of person he was. You choose your path in life and you live with the consequences of your decisions. This was one of many things his teacher had taught him.

So far he had let her set the pace of travel and whether she realized it or not they had been travelling at a fairly brisk pace. It was clear that Rayann wished to put as much distance as she could between herself and the former group of travelers. Myth himself was a well travelled individual and travelling long distances by foot was nothing new to him, but his companion was not as travelled would burn herself out before day’s end at the current pace. So he thought it best to suggest a break for now and rest.

As he broke out the food and drink for their lunch he let his mind wander. Rayann being one of the foremost things on his list of thoughts intrigued him to a small degree. She was very different from the few mages he had met in his life. Though he was not surprised by the degree of difference in personality she had from other mages of the colored robes. She was exactly what he expected of a wearer of white. She was kind, helpful, and confident but at the same time there was something lurking beneath the surface he could not put his finger on yet.

There were few skills at this time that made Myth stand out from his peers; his ever increasing unnatural speed and his ability to read people simply through observing bodily movement. It gave him a strange, but disturbing, level of insight into the person’s intent. There were other uses as well but all parts of this ability were a piece of the whole and it served him well even now.

Hearing her voice in his head brought his thoughts back to the present. He chided himself for letting his mind wonder too far off not noticing a few details about their rest so far. He nodded his head in response to her statement before he spoke.

“You underestimate how far we have travelled so far, but I understand your desire to do so. It will be a couple days before we reach the next town as it stands so I am glad you don’t mind roughing it so to speak.”

He bit off a piece of bread and took a small drink before speaking again. “In regards to your magic, I think it would be prudent if we attempted for now to keep it down to defensive measures at best. Until there is more distance between you and your brother I have a feeling any kind of heavy exertion would serve as a beacon despite any precautions you may have taken.”

Though magic was a fickle thing he was certain of the truth in his words and would let her ponder on the matter

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Rayann had not considered the fact her magic would be a beacon to Rorie. The elf was not only well versed in the art of blade dancing, but he was quite intelligent as well. Not that it should surprise her. In order to get as good as he was, one had to have more then just the sense a goose had been given. No….this rather tall elf was much more than what met the eye.

To Rayann’s way of thinking right now was that she had chosen the perfect companion for this journey. He was quiet, thus giving her an unspoken privacy. She felt safe with him, knowing that if something should come upon them, man, beast or otherwise, between the two of them, they could handle it with no problem.

And he didn’t ask her questions. Questions led to conversation and right now, conversation was the least of her priorities. She just wanted to keep on walking until her legs fell off. Even then she would drag herself on the ground using her hands if she had to.

With his suggestion to use minimal magic, she nodded in agreement and nibbled on the bread and cheese a little more. It dawned on her then that she had no real idea of where they were going, merely letting her instincts lead her. But to what, she wasn’t exactly sure. All she knew was that they had started out this way ad it was this way she felt certain they had to keep traveling.

She took a drink of water and looked over at the flame haired elf once more. Once more her voice slipped into his mind as she conversed with him as she normally conversed with those close to her.

We’ll continue on until you say it’s time to rest for the evening. Don’t stop early because you think I may need the rest. While I’m not a seasoned traveler, I can endure to do what I have to do.

She looked out at the stream then and grew silent. As her lavender eyes watched the softly rippling water, she spoke once more to his mind, three simple words.

Thank you. Myth

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Myth said nothing more on the matter letting silence descend upon them once more. He could go on about how it was a pleasure and that it was his duty, but he felt that he could leave it unsaid and the message would be perceived. The thought occurred to him though that his men had survived this ordeal. That was an unexpected outcome that he may have to rectify. The truth of that little encounter would cast a rather negative damper on his current efforts.

He let out a slight sigh and pushed the matter of the soldiers from his mind and focused instead on the former companions left behind. He was certain it would be a couple days at best before the white robe would be able to convince his keepers he was fit for travel. The knightly fellow and wood cutter would likely be looking for horses though if they desired a hasty pursuit. That would be problematic if they managed to pass anyone heading to New Haven who might mention the pair if questioned.

His mind sprawled out in every direction before him a smile finally crossed his lips. Locking away all that information once more, he set about cleaning up from their meal and prepping to move out again. He moved around silent as a wraith leaving Rayann to her thoughts for the moment. Once he was satisfied with things he knelt down near her staring off into the distance.

“I think we should head north towards the lands just beginning their winter. It won’t be a pleasant trip and we will want to provision well for it, but we will likely run into less travelers and thus leave less leads for people to follow us if they so desired. We can go to the outer regions and then swing towards which ever direction you fancy. However it is entirely up to you though.”

He shifted his gaze to her and then looked north where you could see clouds on the distant horizon covering the mountains further beyond.

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Rayann watched the large elf move like he was a ghost. Exactly where does one learn how to be so….stealthy? She would have sworn he was a specter if she didn’t know for a fact he was as real as she was. Ah well. She still thought he was the likely companion for traveling given the decision she made.

She had just stood up from resting when he made the suggestion they ravel to the north lands. She stopped moving, glanced towards the north, saw the gathering clouds then turned to cast her lavender gaze upon his face. Her brows furrowed showing him her confusion as to his suggestion.

I detest the cold.

She turned to look towards the north again and stood in silent contemplation. He was right, though. Heading north would certainly dissuade the others from traveling up there to look for her. And if they DID, their travel would be seriously hindered by the blowing snow and mind numbing cold.

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly then turned to face Myth once more. Her eyes settled on his piercing gaze once more. As she raised the hood of her cloak to cover her head once more, she let him know what she thought of his idea.

Well? If we’re heading north, we’d best get going now. The sooner we get there, the sooner we’ll be out of the cold and can move to more warmer climates.

Turning on her heel, she headed out once more, walking straight for the ominous clouds she knew were dumping snow in the northern lands they were getting ready to cross into.

Myth could only offer a slight chuckle as the woman stood and began to walk towards the north. If her words held any truth then her companions would likely not look towards the north. Either way he now worked on pushing further thoughts of the troop from his mind. Until he came across them again there was litle reason to give them anymore thought for the time being.

Slinging his pack over his shoulder he set out to follow after Rayann. It was mis-day and they wanted to cover as much ground as they could. Despite her insistence he would only travel what he thought would be a safe distance. There was little point in exhausting oneself to the point that you could not hold a watch. If they truly wanted to stay from notice then they would be handling their stops much differently than she was likely used to.

With a sign he set his mind to the road ahead and fell silent in step behind Rayann.

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Rayann and the large Elf warrior Myth walked on for hours again in silence. Each caught in their own thoughts, trying to reason why they were doing what they were doing. No doubt if they could have heard each other’s thought’s, they would have turned tale and run. N Well, at least Rayann would have. But because she was a very private person and respected others privacy as well, she refused to break that cardinal rule of slipping uninvited into another’s mind. Besides that, it was just plain rude and Myth had been the perfect gentlemen traveler thus far.

It wasn’t until the sun began to set on the day when she realized she was quite hungry and no doubt, the Elf was as well. Stopping so suddenly the Elf nearly ran into her, Rayann decided it was time to stop for the night, eat and rest before heading out again in the morning. Glancing over at Myth and looking at him as though he were the one to blame for the near collision, she spoke to him again using her mind.

I believe we’ve traveled enough for one day. Tell me what you need me to do and I will do it. Keeping in mind, as you stated earlier, we keep it at a minimum just in case.

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Myth's mind remained in constant motion as they travelled though the day. If he was wasn't focused on the job at hand he was going over bits of sword play in his mind.He was not one to just let his mind wander and if one peared into his thoughts they would see nothing but a frightening level of efficiency. This was completely contrary to what most people believed of Myth. His actions generally came off as brash and half thought sometimes even borderline crazy. In truth he never did anything on the fly he was always trying to plan for any conceivable contingency he could come up with. At times he did over think though and once or twice he had to make a brash choice but thats the way things went sometimes. It mattered not how well he planned cause there was always a level of unknown to it.

He was lost in thought pondering their next move when he found himself almost walking over her. He was surprised as even in idle though he was usually more aware of things than this. He chided himself inwardly before he offered a smile as she made her desire to rest known. It was as he expected as he looked to the sky seeing the night air. They had been traveling a good clip the entirety of the day. He unshouldered his pack and looked at their surroundings and moved them off the beaten path to a more exceptable place of rest. He thought for a moment about their need for protection before speaking "A simple alarm to alert us if anything substantial approached would be a good idea. Even in my elven meditation I am as you would say, a light sleeper."

He let her ponder an that and unpacked the necessary items before standing once more "I shall collect us some firewood so that we may enjoy a warm meal this eve."

He said little as he spun on his heel keeping his sword in hand he vanished into the foilage to gather wood. As one would expect there was little noise made as he moved about. One couldn't be to sure how close or far he would stray from camp.

Ponder indeed. Rayann watched the Elf’s retreating back as he slipped silently from the camp to gather up some food for them to eat. While she wasn’t ignorant to the ways of Elves, she did find it interesting he was revealing this to her. She perceived them to be fairly personal creatures that, while they loved seeking adventure, kept themselves at arms length from the human race as much as possible. Then again, he could be telling her that to keep her from thinking of sneaking off without him. Like she had done the others.

Oh well. There wasn’t time to waste thinking of why he may have indulged such information to her. She had to prepare the camp for his return and when he finally did return, she would set up the alarm he requested. Gathering up some rocks nearby, Rayann created a circle to build the fire in. There were ample tress around so they would be protected from the wind during the dark, cold hours of the night.

Walking the perimeter of the campsite, Rayann figured she could easily place an alarm for a hundred foot radius with little effort and minimal use of her magic. That would cover both aspects of what they needed and that was making sure they were both well aware of any unwanted visitors and keep her form using anything too powerful and alerting her sibling to her where abouts.

Thinking of her brother made her wonder how he was doing. Had he awakened yet? Did he realize she left without him? Was he mad at her for doing so? Would he try to follow her? She hoped not. Rayann hoped he would somehow see what she did was for his safety and well being and not because she wanted to go this route alone. On the contrary. She felt more alone now than she ever had. And with that loneliness came fear. Fearing she wouldn’t be able to di what had to be done alone. Never had Rayann been without Rorie. And to be without him now was like having half of her ripped from her very being. Still….there was no other way she could see to go on. What ever this was she was going to face wasn’t waiting and with each day she ceased her journey, it was one day more this…this….thing was ahead of her. No. She HAD to go on. Alone.

A slight noise made her surface from her thoughts and as the large Elf, Myth, came into view, she quickly amended her last thought. Alone….except for this strangely quiet, very large Elf warrior. Some company you keep, Rayann., she thought to herself

The issue of firewood for their evening meal and late night comfort was a simple matter. A few dried ground twigs here and there would serve in the starting and a few severed branches would serve as the main fuel. Myth landed with a soft thump sheathing his blade as several branches fell neatly around his feet. He had taken care to only remove older less vibrant branches to serve as a better fuel for the fire.

He paid little attention to the shadow that detached itself from the forest floor as it drew near him. As a small imp like figure crawled from the shadow carrying a crystal sphere in its hands. Myth turned with some resignation in the direction of the imp and quirked an eyebrow. It was quite strange for someone to send an imp with a communication crystal. Myth guessed that his superiors were curious as to his progress. He cleared his throat and nodded to the creature as it placed the orb at his feet.

As Myth took up the crystal the familiar voice of his immediate commander, Hades, emanated from it's depths. "Have you determined the identity of the chosen?"

"I have identified the chosen commander... also through some strange matter of fortune I have managed to separate the chosen from the other members of the group and am now traveling due north."

There was silence for a long moment before Hades spoke again "This is good news Myth, do you have a time estimate for when you and the chosen will arrive? Her grace will be most curious about the time frame of your return."

It was Myth's turn to ponder his response. He knew that there would be pressure to return but something in his gut told him that an immediate return could have an ill-desired effect. "I regret to report that I do not have a estimated time to report. The circumstances surrounding our departure from the former troup have forced me to choose a path of return that is most indirect. While I acknowledge that her grace wished the chosen to be brought before her as swift as possible I believe it prudent to follow our current path. I will endeavor to cut down this delay as best I can commander."

Myth knew his commander was weighing his words. He was not known to be an outspoken soldier and thus when he did choose to speak his superiors did have a tendency to listen. Though with this order having the backing of the goddess herself he would not be surprised if he was ordered to move immediately regardless. "I will relay your message to the high command and the queen. Though I doubt they will be happy to hear of a delay I will do my best to point out it was necessary. I assume your parting was not an amicable and will leave it at that. We will speak again soon."

With that the orb lost its luster and dissolved in the imps hands. The little creature disappeared into the shadows once more and was gone. Myth himself sighed and gathered his wood. He was grateful he had chosen to travel a great distance from the camp. With a shake of his head he headed back to his charge and let his mind wander. He was curious how his benefactor would change this servant of the white moon into her chosen champion. As the clearing came into view he brushed these thoughts away and offered a stoic nod as he returned to camp. There was something in her eyes that caught his attention but he couldn't place it. It was only there for a moment and then was gone. He shook his head and set the wood down and set to making their fire.

As Myth set the wood into the makeshift pit she had created and started the fire going, Rayann watched him very closely. In fact, she studied him more now than she ever had in the past and she didn’t try to hide the fact from him. Who was this Elf? Where, exactly, did he come from? How did he learn to fight the way he did? Why was he so quiet when other elves were more than willing to talk?

As Myth got the fire going well enough where he could stop tending to it each second, Rayann pulled out some of the food they had procured before leaving the town they had stopped at. Taking out some bread, cheese and some dried meat, she let Myth take his share first before she broke off a little for herself. Once they were settled next to the fire on their sleeping mats, Rayann decided to find out more about her strange traveling companion. Her eyes seemed to bore into him as her voice gently spoke to his mind.

Tell me about yourself, Myth. We can’t keep traveling in relative silence and acting like complete strangers like this. It will eventually drive both of us insane. At least, it will me. You are, by far, the strangest Elf I have ever met. Not that it’s a bad thing….but….you are more quiet then any other elves I have ever met. And you appear to be quite well trained. Did you study in some sort of military someplace?

If Rayann had any clue as to the can of worms she was trying to open, she would remain quiet and let this Elf to himself. Instead, she was taking it upon herself to pry into places she might be better off to leave alone. Even as she sat, nibbling on her meal, she let her oddly colored eyes rest on the Elf’s face with a curious look to in them. There was no doubt she was genuinely curious about her traveling companion.

Myth's gaze had long since strayed to the skies above when Rayann's mental voice penetrated the deep silence of his mind. After the last few days it was startling him less and less with each communication. Myth doubted he could ever become fully used to such a manner of speaking but he guessed she had been communicating like this for a long time and was not likely to change soon. Upon the uttering of her questions Myth simply raised an eyebrow before swallowing the remainder of his food. He spoke in a soft tone high enough for her to hear but low so as not to drown out other sounds.

"As I am growing to expect your words hold a certain degree of merit to them." He sat the remainder of his meal to his side before meeting her gaze with his own.

"I suppose I should start with the most obvious question that is likely swimming around in your mind." He offered an amused smirk "How on earth does an elf grow to be as big as a mountain.? To be honest I am not a hundred percent certain myself, but I am told that upon the days following my conception there was a great up-ending of magic that seemed to shake the core of our world. Sages say it was caused by some great cataclysmic event in some other realm in the greater megaverse. No one truly knows what happened but this event had some effect upon my birth. My mother carried me till birth and nearly died bringing me into this world. Due to my size even at birth the healer were certain mother had been carrying twins. I was a surprise to say the very least on the matter."

He shifted his gaze away looking skyward as if peering into the past "I caused troubles from the moment I was birthed. Upon seeing me my father demanded to know who's child I was. It took several days of divination and meditation for the mystics to determine that I was indeed a being of full elven blood. It made lie interesting for me to say the least." He looked at her once more offering a pained smile.

As Rayann listened to Myth explain his unusual size and the events that followed him since birth because of it, she felt as though they now had something in common. She found the short story of the life he had with his parents fascinating, to say the least. To have ones father demand to know if the son his wife birthed was really his or not could certainly place a strain on a relationship. Not to mention prevent one from occurring with his son. Without even thinking, she asked the question.

Did you ever form a bond with your father?

After the question was asked, she wished she could take it back. Lowering her gaze from his piercing green eyes, she quickly apologized for her insensitivity.

Forgive me, Myth. That’s none of my business. I’m afraid my curiosity gets the better of me and I don’t think before I speak.

Quickly changing the subject as she nibbled on her food, Rayann asked him another, more appropriate question.

And your training? Where did you learn how to be a warrior? And how is it you can be so quiet for one so big? That was something I’m sure you had more difficulty learning than anything. It’s difficult for normal sized adolescence. I can imagine it was doubly difficult for you. Even Rorie would trip over his own feet when we were teenagers…

The smile she had been giving Myth slowly faded as she mentioned Rorie. There was no doubt she was still feeling the anguish of leaving her sibling behind.

Myth himself was somewhat surprised by the little bit of information he had divulged to this women he barely knew. He was not fond of his past or his upbringing. In fact he barely ever spoke of anyone in his family unless asked about them directly and even then it was never about a matter such as this. He shook his head slightly as she asked her question. Her curiosity did not surprise him in the least. She was young and untested just leaving home for the first time and he expected such things. Still he was growing weary of talking of his youth and her point of changing the subject was welcomed.

"Though I am loathe to point the matter out we elves posses a natural grace of movement early in are life unlike our human counter-parts. Admittedly though in my case I did posses the aforementioned clumsy feet. It took me a couple years more to get my footwork to a point that satisfied my parents but it was a small matter."

He took out his water skin and took a long draw quenching his parched throat. "When I was old enough I was ushered into service in the military as was expected of me. I was the second eldest and while my brother spent his time schooling as was his duty I learned the ways of the warrior as our father decreed. In time my brother would join me but as heir to our father's throne his education was highest priority, mine would come later. This is not to say that my education was forfeit as my brother and I spent many an hour with tutors and scholars. It was a more focused type of eductaion, the education of leadership." He wrinkled his nose slightly.

"I went into the army and carved a healthy reputation for myself. I was a fast learner and was able to put my unique physical qualities to good use. Though some thought it would be a hinderence to the way our people did things I was driven to prove them wrong and I did so. Saddly in the ignorance of my youth I grew a bit over zealous during training one day and nearly took the head of my partner. Despite my great ability I had a slight temper and due to obvious reasons I was taken out of the army proper and sent to a special weapons instructor. There I remain to this day cast aside and forgotten to a degree." In a sense there was obviously more to the story but Myth made no indication he wished to delve further into the matter. He smiled slightly and nodded to her. "So thats me in a nutshell, a freak of nature shoved into a dark corner..."

"How about yourself Rayann? I'm sure there is a tale of interest behind you and your brother, or would you wish to save that tale for another time?" Just as she was curious about his past he was a bit interested in her own. He was curious what kind of life this chosen child had. Perhaps he could gleen what made her so important or right or this special opportunity.

If Rayann had been more worldly, she would have picked up on the fact Myth didn’t say what army he trained with. But the naïve young woman found his story so fascinating; she didn’t think anything strange about it. In her mind, all she could see was a dashing, head strong young Elf proving himself to his superiors. She couldn’t help but wonder if he frightened away any young women that may have been interested with his height and rather formidable look. She would have to make a point to tell him it would serve him good to smile once in a while.

When he referred to himself as a freak of nature, Rayann furrowed her brows and shook her head. There was no doubt she disagreed with his analogy and she was going to let him know.

You’re no freak of nature, Myth. We were all given unique attributes for some reason or another. Just because we’re different doesn’t make us freaks. You certainly used your uniqueness to serve the army you trained with and from what I’ve seen thus far; you are quite the formidable opponent. Even when the odds are stacked against you. It’s because of people like you the rest of us that are different from others can hold our heads up proudly and not be ashamed or hide our difference.

She paused for a moment then raised her hand to point her index finger up.

And one more thing….Your handsome face will wrinkle prematurely if you don’t smile from time to time.

When Myth asked Rayann about her own life, she nibbled on the rest of her bread and nodded.

You would be correct in thinking there are some points of interest. Rorie and I grew up with both of our parents. Rorie was the first born of the two of us and it took a little longer for me to come into the world, but eventually I gave up my stubborn hold upon my dear mother and decided to join my brother. From almost the day we were born, we seemed to be able to communicate on a level one other could understand. It’s almost as if we share the same mind. It was no different when we showed a keen interest in magical arts. We were naturally swayed to the light of Solinari. It seemed only fitting since we detested being indoors during the day. We were much more comfortable when we were outside in the sunshine. We excelled in our studies. Even as small children we seemed to be able to understand more complex spells.

Her face lit up in a mischievous smile as she remembered a particular incident.

Rorie and I were 10 and there was a visiting Mage at our school. He didn’t like the fact we were allowed to be together so much. He said it would eventually be the one handicap instead of an aid and he insisted we be separated. Rorie was sent to a school about 5 miles away while I stayed where we were. While Rorie was studying with this Mage at the other school, I was in the library and reading a new spell I thought would suite the Mage that took Rorie away from me quite well. I must have been concentrating quite hard because at the same instance I was studying the spell, Rorie began to cast it. To the Mage’s horror, Rorie was casting a spell that would turn him into a frog. If the Mage hadn’t stopped Rorie when he did, the man would have been a frog….well…for quite some time. Fortunately for him, He was able to snap Rorie out of his trance like state. When he asked Rorie where he got the spell from, Rorie told him ‘from my sister’. The Mage was so shaken by what happened, and he immediately insisted on sending Rorie back to the school I was attending. From the day he came back, we never spent a day apart. Until now.

Rayann’s smile faded and she looked away for a moment. After regaining her composure, she looked over at Myth once more.

We studied everything together but we taught ourselves to be independent of each other as well. There was some truth to what the Mage had said. If we didn’t learn how to be independent, we would be a liability to each other. It was difficult to learn how to do that, but eventually we got the hang of it. While we’re much more powerful together, we can still hold our own as individuals. I just never realized I would have to learn the importance of that the first time we left home. I was so in hopes Rorie would be with me….all the way. Perhaps this is just another test of Solinari to prove to me that we CAN be strong independently. Stronger than we both realize. I just hope I’m capable of passing this test.

Myth quirked his eyebrow up slightly as she responded to his comment about being a freak. He was a bit surprised for a moment but he guessed that being a magic user as her and her brother were they likely had their own share of riducule in some manner or another. One thing he could definitely tell its that she had no problem speaking her mind if she had an opinion. He could think of many ways that was going to serve her well and equally as many ways it would hinder. He half caught the comment about the wrinkling of his skin as he returned from his thoughts and only raised his eyebrow further before responding.

"I will keep that in mind Lady Rayann..."

While he wasn't catching everything with his full conscious attention he heard enough to respond as she went on with her tail. Her tale intrigued him to say the least and it gave him a good deal of insight as to the workings of the relationship she had with her twin. It also showed that she was comfortable in his presence by sharing such a tale. One of the more impressive things was her utter lack of fear in his presence. This was something he was not accustomed to when he travelled with anyone. Either he was with a sniveling soldier or a wimpering lordling, in either case both would sit in abject fear of the large wariior. It was a refreshing feeling to be around a person whom he did not consider a total loss of flesh. He was begining to wander if his commander knew more than she let on and knew he would be traveling with a woman or something. This was quite a different task than he was used to performing for his superiors. Usually it was stealth in and break out or some other combination of those two. This was the first time he was sent to do something that would likely take months to accomplish. Somehow he didn't think he was going to complain much. He chuckled as hse spoke of the frog spell and shook his head rousing once more from deep thought.

"A fine tale... Perhaps you are right though and this is a test from the divine ones. Your tale illustrates your closeness to your brother and from what I have seen with my own eyes you are indeed a formidable pair. However I also saw how one could effect the other in the most profound manner. This may be a journey to further set you on a path of independence from Rorie."

He shrugged at the thought "But who is to say what the gods have planned for us mortal beings.

He offered a slight smile and stood stretching his arms out. "I do believe it is time to turn in m'lady... it is late and we wil have more time to share stories upon the road on the morrow."

Kneeling down he drew up some dirt offering a slight smile before tossing it upon the fire snuffing its light out. He would gather the used supper items in the morning when he awoke or in the night during one of his breaks from revere. A tug in the back of his mind made him stop and turn "It dawns upon me that I should mention that while I am sure the fire would give us a degree of warmth I would rather not attract friends in the night if you catch my meaning."

He was certain he need not say more and finished messing with things before heading to his roll to lay out for the night. Well in his case it seemed like more of a matt than a roll with quite the plush pillow on it. Myth sat upon the pillow sitting cross legged with his sword layed out upon his lap. He said little else before sitting straight backed closing his eyes. Elves did not sleep like humans. They entered a meditative trance so to speak that some called revere. His breathing leveled out a bit and a calm seemed to settle over his form as his breathing fell into a soft rhythmic pace.

Rayann could tell the warrior seemed preoccupied while she relayed the story of Rorie and her youth. But when Myth responded to her story it appeared as though he had paid close attention to it all. Needless to say, he was rather complex and difficult to figure out. Rather it was from purposely keeping himself shut off or if it was part of his warrior training, she didn’t know but it was frustrating not to know if your traveling companion was sincere or not.

When he announced it was time to turn in for the day, Rayann blinked. It had been a long day and while she was tired, she didn’t realize it was that late. And the small smile that Myth offered her was contagious enough that she gave him a brighter one in return.

Oh yes. I catch your meaning alright. Yes. I’d rather have less warmth than unwanted visitors.

Her smile faded as a thought came to her.

Speaking of unwanted guests. I will cast a spell that will alert us to intruders for 100 yards around us in all directions.

Rayann moved over to where her bed roll was spread out and sat on her knees. Closing her eyes, she concentrated for a moment and began rubbing her hands together slowly. A soft lavender glow surrounded her and after a few seconds, she moved her hands away from each other and turned them face down toward the ground. The lavender glow seemed to be absorbed into her body then flow out of her hands into the ground. The lavender glow spread out all around them from the ground to 30 feet in the air. When it reached that 100 yard perimeter she stated, the glow seemed to slowly disappear. The spell was still there, only unseen by normal eyes now.

When Rayann took to her bed roll, she felt exhaustion slip over her and knew it wouldn’t be long before she was fast asleep. Or so she thought. She lay awake for a while after she laid down and pulled the blanket up over her. Even as she looked over at Myth who was now resting peacefully, she felt an ache deep within her. Had she really done the right thing by leaving Rorie behind? She could only hope she had for it was far too dangerous for him to go with her now. He had so much healing that needed to be done. Finally Rayann’s eyes drifted shut and she fell into an exhaustion induced sleep.

Myth awoke a few hours later as the moons had passed their zenith and were descending towards the horizon once more. If the warrior had to guess he had been sleeping for all of four or five hours. The day had been thankfully uneventful when compared to the day they had initially met the mottly little group of would be heroes. Maybe it was just some cruel joke of the gods to send waves of trouble upon the mortals who gathered into groups. Atany rate it had made the elf a little uneasy about things to come, but the day had passed with little incident so maybe he was just being paranoid. At the same time he wondered if his majesty would be watching out for the well being of her would be chosen servant. Myth could only chuckle the thought away knowing full and well she was more likely to throw little tests at them.

His mind was a jumble with thoughts, ideas, plans.... it was starting to become a writhing mass of chaos to say the least.The elven warrior decided that he needed to clear his mind a bit. He hoped that he didn't wake the wizardress but judging by the exhausted look upon her face before they had gone to rest he doubted she would awaken or stay up long if she did for that matter.

Stepping several paces away from the sleeping area he began to slow his breathing taking in deep breathes to calm his mind as his right hand lay gently upon his sword. He carefully took his stance angling his body slightly as his knees bent and his right foot slipped forward as he took in one last slow breath.

His eyes opened as he stepped forward with his left foot drawing his weapon from its sheath bringing it out in a strike meant to fell a man in one blow through his torso. He brought the blade down rotating it drawing it back then slashing with a wide overhead strike that was pulled into a sweeping slice to the left. His movements flowed as he brought the blade up once more to slash down to the right were he drew the strike out wide before spinning around slicing at waste level.

He drew the sword out twisting it in his grip stabbing behind himself as if striking an unseen foe. He took but a step back before changing his grip again striking out with the weapon. Following the flow of motion once more he took a step bringing himself around 180 degrees keeping the weapon level as if striking another foe. Holding the blade out for a moment he drew in a breath as he stepped into the next piece of his exercise performing a series of short slashes cross left, down and to the right reversing the blade to come back up and to the left before drawing back up to slash and drop to a roll forward only to stab out at its completion.

He steps back as he stands drawing back the blade before making a wide overhead slash that angled to his right bringing himself around once more to make a series three short precise cuts to the left and right then back once more. Twisting around he made two final wide slashes bringing on at a right slant bringing it around into a left angles slash. He struck once to his left once more and then right again before he stabbed his blade into the earth as if striking a fallen foe for the kill. He then withdrew the blade before sliding it back into his sheath.

His movements had been calculated and precise as he moved with a grace that could only come with a great deal of practice. His breathing was still slow and deliberate as he stood there in silence a slight sheen of sweat could be seen in the moonlight. He would do two more such exercises before he would sit down once more. This for him was an almost nightly exercise except on days of battle or days when he had exerted himself to much. While it was good to push the body to its limits there is something to be said about not over doing it. His master had taught him the importance of this fact, Myth's thoughts wondered once more.

As Rayann rested in the peaceful blackness of dreamless sleep her mind was finally able to rest as well. The exhaustion of the day left her so tired that even her mind was unable to keep moving even after she closed her eyes. It was blissful. It was rejuvenating. It was refreshing.

But as with all pleasant things, it was not to last.

The darkness that surrounded her mind slowly began to get restrictive. Rayann could feel a tightness closing around her making it impossible for her to move, even breathe. The more she struggled, the worse it became and the more she began to panic. As her panic level rose, she found her breathing was all the more difficult. She tried to cast a spell that would allow her to free herself but she couldn’t remember the words. It was like all of her knowledge of magic had been drained from her. She KNEW she knew the spell, but what exactly it was, she couldn’t recall.

That blackness that surrounded her and constricted her movements took on a gel like substance and Rayann felt it slowly rising over her body starting at her feet. Higher and higher it rose and the closer it got to her head, the more she struggled only to have the tightness of her constriction grow even tighter and her body began to curl into a fetal position. She tried to scream more than once but she was so tightly wrapped that she couldn’t even do that.

The gel like substance reached her face and she closed her eyes and mouth tight to keep it from getting into them but she felt a burning sensation suddenly course through her body. Instinct caused her to open her mouth and try to scream and when she did, the gel like substance quickly rushed down her throat. Rayann could feel her lungs quickly filling with this oozing matter and now, she panicked even more.

Suddenly Rayann stopped struggling as she felt her body grow limp. Was this death? Was this what it was like to die? Why didn’t she try to fight harder against it? Please! Don’t let me die! I don’t want to die like this! I want to live!

That’s when she heard the voice. It was feminine and soothing. And each time she heard it talk to her, it was like she had found the arms of her mother. The more she heard it, the more she wanted it.

“Shhhh….hush child. It’s alright. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I….I want to live. Please help me.

“And live you shall, child.”

Please….get me out of this…this…this thick water.

“You will be freed very soon.”

Why can’t I get out of it now?

“It takes time to remove it. It didn’t suddenly appear around you. It slowly formed around you and therefore it must be slowly removed to prevent any damage to you.”

I’m scared.

“Shhh….there is nothing to be scared of. I have you now and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Promise?

“Of course, child. I never go back on my word.”

Rayann felt another searing, burning sensation course through her and she tried to scream in pain again.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP! IT BURNS!

“Just a few more minutes now and you will be free.”

GODS! IT HURTS SO BAD!

“I know, child, I know. Baptism by fire is never a pleasant experience but sometimes necessary.”

I…I don’t…understand…

“I know you don’t right now…but one day you will, my child.”

Please…..help….me….

“Almost done.”

Please….I’ll do anything….just…get me out of here…please….the pain….

Rayann heard a strange cracking sound that grew louder and louder. She suddenly felt the constriction around her give way and she heard what sounded like a rush of water. The next instant she knew she was falling and as she was falling, she heard the feminine voice speak to her again.

“Anything is a broad definition, child, but I know you are a woman of her word, as I am. Perhaps you can repay me one day when I need your help just as I have done for you now.”

Rayann felt herself hit a hard surface and as she was jolted she began to cough to expel the gel like substance from her body.

In reality Rayann suddenly sat up from her bed roll with a loud gasp. Leaning over she began to cough and even gag as she imagined the gel forcing its way up her throat. Completely confused and now in a panic from the horrible nightmare she just had, she struggled against the blanket that she used thinking it was more of the constriction trying to wrap around her again.

“No…No….NO!”

Myth had been resting after one of his routines when he felt a presence descend upon the area around him. At first a great unfathomable fear spread over his body cause his eyes to snap open. The presence was a familiar one to him for it was not one he thought he would ever forget, for it was the presense of a god. As a frown began to creep across the elven warriors face it eased as the presence held an air of familiarity. It was the presense of the Dark One herself. Myth found it to be quite strange that she would present herself in such a way as to trigger his senses. After all as a divine power he knew good and well she could exact her will upon the world without any notice what so ever. A slight chill spread across his being and he found himself shivering for the briefest of moments.

After a short time he felt the presence depart and moments later he watched as Rayann sprang up acting as if she had been nearly drowned by some invisible substance. He sprang up to his feet taking only a few steps towards the woman thrashing in her covers. Sadly he had never been known for his gentle continence. He grasped the covers by a loose flap and yanked hard dropping the young woman squarely on the ground away from her confines. He could see the fear deep in her eyes and for the briefest of moments he almost felt sorry for her. Dropping the cover he knelt down to grasp her and snap her back to attention. He spoke in a soft almost melodic tone as he fixed his gaze upon her.

"Rayann... Rayann... snap out of it..." he snapped his fingers a couple time before going on

"You are safe now... nothing has a hold of you..." He reached out to her.

Rayann heard the voice. While it wasn’t that familiar to her, it was familiar all the same. Blinking several times, her frightened eyes cleared and she saw the face of Myth floating before her. The quiet, mysterious warrior was there for her and when he reached out to her, she didn’t hesitate. Throwing herself into his embrace, she clung to him desperately as the horrible nightmare was still very fresh in her mind. It was a good thing he was well trained and had the strength he did because she would have easily knocked him down if he were not who he was.

Her body trembled with the fear she felt and she felt both hot and freezing at the same time. How could that be? Rayann had never experienced anything like this before. Who was the woman that spoke to her in her dream? Rayann could only think of one and even then she didn’t want to consider THAT possibility.

The dream had frightened her so much that Rayann didn’t even want to blink for fear she would somehow be swallowed up by the darkness that had swallowed her up before. It took some time but eventually she stopped trembling but she didn’t loosen her grip in the least. Rayann concentrated on the even, steady heart beat of Myth and nothing else, trying to block out what just happened.

Finally her mind reached out to Myth’s as she tried to relay to him what happened.

I….I had a t-terrible dream. Night mare, actually. It was dark…p-pitch black…and I couldn’t…move. Thick water….surrounded me. I tried to get out…but I couldn’t. The blackness was too tight. It covered my head and I couldn’t breath….then the pain….Gods the pain….it burned me…everywhere….and a woman’s voice…she was helping me…..then I was falling….and landed hard…and next thing I know…I h-heard you…..

Rayann finally, slowly began to release the grip she had around Myth’s torso (at least what she could reach anyway) and sit back on her haunches, pulling her legs tight against her. Her eyes still held a great deal of fear in them as she looked up into his almond shaped eyes.

Thank you….for being there for me…

The elf simply offered her slight smile and a nod before he responded. "I have offered to be your guardian and I will do the best that I can."

His brow furrowed a bit as his thoughts started to wander slightly. He quickly reigned them in before his mind voiced anything that might be picked up by his companion. He placed a protective arm over her shoulder before looking to the east. "Well given the circumstances of your waking I think it would be safe to say we should start today's travels."

He was quite aware that she would not likely fall back to sleep after her ordeal. Myth knew that had he experienced anything similar he would have a hard time as well himself. His thoughts strayed once more as it finally dawned that she had wrapped herself around his torso. He admitted it was a comfortable feeling if a bit awkward do to his half kneeling state. He chuckled and gave her a reassuring pat before his stood letting her arms slide away. His first act was to toss her a bit of bread and a water skin before turning his attention to getting them ready to go.

Rayann couldn’t have gone back to sleep if her life depended on it. Her mind was racing, her nerves were jittery and her heart still wasn’t beating at a normal rate yet. No. Sleep was the furthest from her mind right now. Not to mention the fact she didn’t want to close her eyes for fear that darkness would swallow her up once again.

Thanking Myth for the bread and water, Rayann nibbled on the bread and sipped the water. In reality, though, Rayann wanted to gulp as much of the water down as she could. Never before had she felt such a powerful thirst. And why was she so thirsty? Had her nightmare caused it? And what was that annoying pain she had on her left shoulder just over her shoulder blade area? It felt like she had scraped her shoulder. Perhaps when she was struggling in her nightmare she was struggling in reality and scraped it then.

When Rayann was done eating and drinking all she dared to drink, she helped Myth clean up what was left of their make shift camp. The quiet warrior packed light so there wasn’t much to get squared away once they had the bed rolls secure.

The morning air was chilly but Rayann was thankful for that. It meant the crisp air would keep her alert to anything that might cross their path. Just in case the dream was some sort of omen or something.

When they finally started heading out, Rayann fell in behind Myth and traveled silently behind him. Of course while she wasn’t saying much to him didn’t mean her mind wasn’t working. Quite the opposite. Her mind was whirling. She had never had such a vivid dream like that in all her life. Why now? What was so different about that dream that she couldn’t stop trembling just thinking about it? And while she could recall many parts of the dream, she couldn’t recall all of it. She knew it was a woman that had spoken to her, but she couldn’t remember exactly what her voice sounded like. Was there a cracking noise that preceded her falling? OR was she just imagining all that?

So many questions and not an answer in sight of any of them. Needless to say, Rayann was quite frustrated with the whole ordeal and couldn’t wait to get back home. The sooner this was over with, the better.

((I do apologize for any liberties taken... I felt we should advance the story a hair bit ^_^))

The days passed and the traveling duo traveled further into the northern lands. In an effort to put distance between them and their former comrades Myth had acquired a set of traveler's boots so that Rayann could keep up with his more brisk walking pace. Conversation was light as Myth offered stories of home and his travels. They had passed a trading post and stocked up on winter clothing as the weather was growing increasingly colder the further north they traveled. Up to this point Myth had insisted on traveling light however when traveling in the colder regions he was more open to carrying provisions as opposed to trying to live off the land. Though the elf was more than capable of getting them their nightly meals he reasoned that edible wildlife would be a little more sparse in the coming travels, and as a result the potential dangers would increase.

All in all trouble along their path had been light, a few brigands here a couple hungry wolves there. As Myth scouted out a place for them to spend the evening away from the frigid howling winds he had the unfortunate pleasure of stumbling upon a displacer beast. The creature was insulted that Myth had both interrupted it's meal and had dared enter it's home. One of his other reasons for ensuring their swift rate of travel was so that Rayann could resume at least a modest use of her magical power. In this particular instance Myth was quite grateful that he had. Battling with displacers was always unpleasant even in the best circumstances. Beast and warrior traded off blows both nimbly dodging the other. Myth had cautioned against using magic to freely because of the beasts inate ability to distort its position and teleport. Almost to illustrate the point as Myth swung a killing blow the beats image was displaced and Myth found himself on the disadvantage. However the battle had gone on long enough for a pattern to be seen. It took several seconds for the beasts illusion to resume and that was when the beast tried to teleport to avoid death.

Myth noticed this and with expert skill began to maneuver the beast around. At last Myth had the beast where he wanted it and he moved in for the killing blow. Sadly though he had assumed a pattern he was not prepared for the beast to instead teleport as it was not in the position he had expected. His sword swung through empty air. Shock was evident upon his face as a low growling noise filled his ears. The hair on his neck stood on end and he swore he felt the beasts breath upon his back. As he twisted in an attempt to block the blow he knew was coming the air grew heated. Searing violet fire encased the beasts form. The impact of the fiery blast slammed the creature into the wall and in moments there was only ash as the violet flames snuffed out. There was still a slight look of surprise on the elf's face but in the span of a breath it was gone. He had seen many a ball of flame but none such as this and this alone is what gave him pause. The light in the cave began to dim once more and Myth drew forth a light stone calling its magic into being as he slipped his sword into its sheath. His gaze leveled on his companion. "Are you all right Rayann?'

((Not at all IT was PERFECT!!))

Rayann was tired from traveling with the added weight and from spending extended time in the colder air. While it kept her alert, it did tend to make her feel as though she were a human popsicle. Grateful to Myth for his conversations, it helped keep her mind off the horrible nightmare she had. When they stopped for the night, Myth would always check on her to make sure she was alright just before she closed her eyes. Rayann would respond with a smile and a nod, then feign a yawn and turn her back on the elf. Of course she didn’t fall asleep until a few hours later when she was too exhausted to hold her eyes open anymore.

The more time she spent around Myth, the more she began to relax around him. Rayann found herself talking to him more like a friend than a stranger and she found this to be more liberating than she had ever thought. In fact, she found herself telling him things she had never told another. Not even Rorie. It just seemed….natural for her to do so.

When Myth found himself in battle with the displacer beast, Rayann stayed well out of the way and let the warrior do what he did best. Of course that didn’t mean she wasn’t worried. Quite the opposite. But knowing any noise from her would distract him, she remained silent and watched with a wary eye. Several times she wanted to scream for the Elf to watch out but she dared not. Any hesitation on his part would be his last and she couldn’t take that chance. Besides, she didn’t want to see him hurt. The more she watched the Elf battle the beast, the angrier she would get at the beast thinking he was cheating.

When she saw the displacer beast teleported out as Myth swung his sword, she knew Myth was in trouble. Before she realized what she was doing, Rayann was already conjuring a fire ball spell that was fueled by her anger. As the beast lunged for Myth, the fireball raced from Rayann’s hands and hit the beast full force. When the beast hit the wall and the fireball quickly engulfed its form turning it to ash then dissipated, Rayann stood statue still with a furrowed brow and her hands still outstretched.

“Are you alright, Rayann?”

Myth’s voice penetrated into her mind and she slowly began to move. Blinking, Rayann looked at what was left of the creature then looked at her outstretched hands. The confusion on her face was unmistakable and she slowly brought her hands back to her side. Her softly glowing, lavender gaze then settled on Myth as he gave her a concerned look. Nodding her head, she set his mind at ease as she quickly closed the gap between them. Once more her mind speaking to his.

Yes…yes…I’m fine….

Her hands reached out then and touched his forearms and Myth could still feel the heat in her hands. Not hot but definitely warm. When she looked into his face now there was concerned etched upon her brow.

Are you OK, Myth? Did the beast injure you anywhere?

Myth grimaced slightly as Rayann grasped his arm. He offered a slight smile in the gloom of the cave. The fire that ran through his veins was subsiding and he was now beginning to feel the ache of his wounds. It was the warmness of her touch that brought the pain to the forefront of his mind. It was not that her hands were overly warm it was because it had brought his attention to the wound and subsequently the pain that should have been associated with those wounds. He took in a breath and slowly sat himself down. He spoke with a tone of annoyance as he drew back the remaining cloth on his arms.

"It appears... that I was not quite as careful as I had hoped..."

He winced slightly as he twisted as he felt a dull ache spread across his backside. Hesitantly he reached around and discovered tattered cloth but felt the cold hard surface of his armor. It had protected him but he had been hit hard enough to cause a deep aching.

((brain went bleah on me lol))

Rayann blinked when she saw the wounds on Myth’s arms. The warrior wasn’t injured TOO badly but his wounds were going to require attention. Quickly working, Rayann pulled the hem of her gray cloak up and ripped off portions of it. Ripping the portions into manageable strips of cloth, she got the water skin out and poured some of the water onto one of the pieces of cloth. Kneeling in front of Myth, she reached out to tend his wound only to have him give her a disapproving look and pull his arm away form her. Furrowing her brow, Rayann made a good argument for him to let her help.

You are a magnificent warrior, Myth. There is no denying that. And you fought a grand fight with the beast. I don’t think anyone else would have survived to say such a thing about fighting against a Displacer Beast. And I would hate to see your arm grow infected and have to be cut off because you were too stubborn to allow a mere female wizard to tend to your wounds.

It became a battle of wills for a moment then. Each one standing their own ground on an invisible field. Finally Myth relented and slowly stretched his arm out to Rayann. She heard him mutter something under his breath but she didn’t call him out for it. Now wasn’t the time to get into pissing contests with each other.

Tearing the rest of his sleeve away, Rayann saw the beast had swiped across his arm in an attempt to prevent him from using his sword but Myth proved too quick for the beast. Thank goodness, too. Otherwise Myth would be dead and most likely she would be as well.

With some careful cleaning of the wound, Rayann made sure all the dirt was removed before she wrapped Myth’s forearm up in one of the strips of cloth, tying it snugly in the center of the bandage to hold it secure. When she was done, she looked up into his handsome face and smiled.

There. I think that should hold. I’ll put a clean bandage on it in the morning before we head out again. You’re very lucky, Myth, the beast didn’t do more damage.

Standing, Rayann walked away from Myth and towards the center of the cave. Gathering up some dried twigs, she piled them together with a quick flip of her wrist conjured up a small fire spell to get the wood burning. As the soft glow of the fire illuminated the cave, she began to forage for more suitable pieces of wood for their fire.

Myth scolded himself inwardly as the wizard made her point about tending his wounds. He was honestly not used to having anyone around that gave two licks about his wounds much less someone who wanted to help tend them. He was so used to it being only himself he had reacted to her more out of suspicious instinct. In the past help came with a price and as such he reacted as he would have to any other. He was still getting used to having a companion that was not motivated by the same passions as his other allies. In the future that would likely change but for now it was something he had to get used to. Lost in this thought he almost hadn't realized he had spoken under his breath.

"A person tries to be nice and you have to act like an obstinate ass, good job Myth..."

He realized after a moment that he had said something and was shocked that he hadn't been put on the spot for his mutterings. Myth himself had put men at knife's edge for such a thing yet Rayann said nothing and continued her ministrations. He simply watched as she finished bandaging his arms and only offered a slight nod as she commented on her work and his own luck.

She was right that he had been lucky. If she hadn't acted quickly the thing would have had him. He got overconfident and careless and it had almost cost him. This thought alone raised Myth's ire, but not at his companion, no he was angry with himself for being a fool.

He let out a grunt as he stood from his seat. The time spent had let his worked muscles relax and now they were stiff as he stood. It had not been the best decision but he didn't think he would have had a big choice if Rayann had seen the wounds before he sat. His eyes followed as she set the fire and began to gather fuel for the flames. Perhaps later he could take a moment to thank her for her kindness. He busied himself with helping her with the wood, but before to long her motioned towards their gear.

"Why don't you get us set up for this evening and I'll worry about the firewood."

He offered a sincere smile that gave the impression that he was in good spirits once more and that it really hadn't been a suggestion and more of a request. It would not take him long to get the wood even if it was several paces from the cave mouth this much she would be sure of.

Rayann reluctantly allowed Myth to take over the fire only after giving him a close look and making sure he was indeed good to go. The Elf Warrior had taken quite a beating to his pride as well as having his physical and mental skills challenged so it would only figure he would be a little frustrated to say the least. Knowing what it was like to realize you made a mistake in front of another, Rayann left him to his thoughts and private council to get out the bed rolls and blankets placing them close to the fire so they could share some warmth from the fire.

Once she got the bed rolls situated, Rayann pulled out their food supplies and broke off some bread, a couple of chunks of cheese and a few pieces of dried meat for their meal as well as their individual water skins. With dinner ready to eat, she settled on her bed roll, curling her legs in front of her. Looking over at the serious Elf, Rayann saw he was deep in thought. Most likely from what happened earlier. No greater criticism existed than that of your own.

Knowing he was critiquing his own work, Rayann didn’t say anything right away but she didn’t want to start eating without him. Somehow that just seemed….rude. Finally her stomach couldn’t take anymore and she cleared her throat softly to get his attention. When Myth’s piercing green eyes finally flickered over to her, she felt as though she had just interrupted the most scared of all ceremonies. And the look he gave her made her suddenly feel like a rabbit caught in the open with a hungry hawk flying overhead. Swallowing hard, Rayann tried to look and sound as brave as she could.

Dinner’s r-ready….Th-thought you might want to e-eat something.

When she smiled, it looked more like a happy grimace than a real smile.

So many things were crowding his head vying for priority of thought that it was quite distracting. There was the recent bout with the now ashen beast, the task laid out before him by his commanders, and another set of thoughts that were beginning to rise up as they traveled. He had been in the midst of applying his attention to the more recent of his many issues when her voice broke through the clouds of his mind. Again habit more than anything dictated his less than pleasant response. As she spoke with hesitation and offered a slight grimace he realized how he must have responded and shook his head. He spoke with a voice that did not fit with his outward looking mood.

"I... apologize..." He took a moment to wipe the look of displeasure from his face and tried offering a smile as he moved himself into a better position to join her for their evening meal. His eyes lifted up once more to meet her gaze. He found himself lost in the violet pools of her eyes for a moment as his train of thought wandered off on him.

"I am not used to traveling with company much so I am used to being alone with my thoughts. Usually when I am traveling with someone the interruptions are generally about things of non-importance. Usually about things related to an assigned task or matters of my opinion of the latest military or political gossip. Things that really have no business being discussed at the time if you understand my meaning. It is for this reason I am usually rather cross about being interrupted." he let out a light sigh as he forced his mind to settle and pointedly shifted his gaze away from looking directly into her sight.

"Try not to blame yourself or think you are in the wrong to interrupt me. You have more than proven that if you are calling for my attention it is indeed warranted, or giving our present traveling circumstances, a welcome distraction." He tore off a piece of bread and popped it in his mouth.