1: Onward to Oron-D-Narr

Several times Alrick’s mount stumbled or slipped a step back on the treacherous path, but every time the gelding managed to regain himself without more harm than elevating Alrick’s pulse. Though Walnut could not move as swiftly or surely as the midnight-black Lightning, Lac held the stallion back to keep the horses together. But by the way the ranger frowned at the swirling snowflakes, Alrick suspected he wished they were moving much faster.

Alrick couldn’t be bothered to worry much about that fact, though; he was too busy staying in the saddle and marveling at the odd dynamic between the two elves astride the stallion. When he noticed Tiphereth jogging a few paces behind, he was tempted to make a remark to him, to observe the unusualness to the faerie and hear his reaction. He managed to resist this urge due to the fact that he would have had to speak loudly enough for the elves to hear him as well. So instead of gossiping about Lac and Jin, he made a series of solicitous but random comments to Tiphereth, each one like a small stitch to keep himself from unraveling.

“By the way,” he said at one point, “I meant what I said, that you can ask anything of me, Tiphereth. I really did mean it.” At another point he said, “You know, if you ever have any questions about anything around here, don’t hesitate to ask. I don’t mean here, in specific, of course, I mean here, in general. My perspective may be finite and unique, of course, but it is at your disposal nonetheless, Tiphereth. As am I. As am I.”

As the sun, cold and distant as a crown jewel, climbed to the apex of its journey, Alrick began to wonder if he was hungry, or was getting that indigestion feeling again… Before he could decide whether or not it was worth mentioning, Lac reined Lightning to a halt. Walnut staggered to a clumsy stop behind. An acidic splash of adrenaline coursed into Alrick’s blood as he saw what caused the elves to pull up.

Ahead on the next ridge, a short figure in glinting armor stood in plain view, as if guarding the mountain path. Though the stocky person was not hidden himself, he was positioned in such a way that he had not appeared in view until they themselves were in view as well, just as they rounded the bend. The stranger had the high ground and was roughly fifty yards removed.

“Is that a dwarf?” Alrick asked with audible surprise, leaning forward to peer past the shoulders of the elves. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a dwarf.

* * *
Unbeknownst to the companions or the traveling dwarf, a party of orcs was even now closing in on them from upwind, hunching and loping amongst the rocks, nostrils quivering on the scent of hateful elves and dwarves.

Jin comfortably sat astride Lightning in front of Lac and as the stallion maneuvered his way up the steep slope, she would move her own body in tandem with Lac’s to make sure she put as little stress on the sure footed horse as possible. As unsure as she was of the animals before she started this journey, she had grown quite comfortable around and on them. A few times she had even glanced behind them to make sure Walnut was in good hands and that Alrick wasn’t being too restrictive on the geldings moves.

As the snow grew heavier the higher they climbed, Jin had a sensation of something nipping at her heels. She didn’t like this feeling and she knew it wasn’t a good omen. In fact, it felt as though there was a force holding them back, making the climbing a little more difficult than it should have been but she couldn’t say for certain without proper proof.

On the occasions when Jin glanced back at Alrick and Tiphereth, she would look beyond both of them to see if there was something that would either lay her suspicions to rest or confirm them. Each time she would hold her breath and not let it out until she was certain there was nothing physically back there to see. Of course that was doing nothing to help her feeling as though they were headed right into the mouth of the beast. Especially with the way the wind was beginning to whip the snow around them like a swirling scene in a snow globe.

When Lac caught sight of the figure at the mountain pass, Jin saw it at the same instance. Beneath her hood, she uttered a soft curse then spoke softly to the others as her eyes began to search all around, up and down. Lightning pawed at the ground and snorted impatiently and when Alrick drew Walnut up beside them, the gelding was acting anxious as well.

“Aye, young Alrick. It is a lone dwarf. Either he is gone mad or he is setting us up for a trap. That is the only things I can think of to draw him from his warm home deep within the mountain. I do not suppose you have another path we could take from here, do you, Ranger?”

Beldegir




Shaking his head in utter disgust he watches the group approach. Why on earth they close this dreadful pass he nary can fathom. He now wishes he had scouted more carefully for any signs of the orcs for this is a cavern of death.

He looks up and down the passage in hopes of being able to catch signs of any attack but knows there is little chance with this passage and snow blowing. Knowing he has been spotted he waves them onward and moves back to try and get more cover from the winds. Instinctively he ensures his weapons are at the ready should this be a poor encounter. Desiring greatly to pull his bow he refrains not wanting to seem threating since he is technically out numbered.

Was that an imp or some such miserable creating in the back bouncing like a rabbit? Cursing heavily he asks the gods why these could not be at least warriors and not creatures many Humans only consider to be a myth.

Again he glances about and thinks he he best look for a place to get a better look ahead before they continue the dreadful ascent. Oh how his heart dreams of heading through the mountain instead of over it.

A Dwarf so high? Tiphereth was curious and thought to get a better view of this guardian of the mountain. Leaping high above the mountain side the Phaerie took flight, or seemed to. Propelling himself into the air he became light and drifted upwards, soaring upon the winds like a kite but so fast had the winds become that he was forced to descend at full weight just managing to land on another ridge off to the side of his companions. The gusts would not allow him to hover so easily across the rocks and so, Tiphereth was forced to scramble slowly along the cliff side to meet up with the group that would soon cross paths with the Dwarf.

From his high vantage point, however, something caught his eye and the Deithir-Phaerie allowed his vision to gaze through the distracting snow, to force the elements from view and look upon the mountain as if it were a clear day. He could make them out then, foul and malicious creatures moving fast over the other side of the ridge upon which stood the Dwarf. He uttered his generic word for the vile creatures "Yulgrith", then spat the foulness from his mouth. He was unsure what they would be called in this world but what he was sure of was that they would be upon the others soon and they had yet to see them as they approached by cover of rock and snow.

Concentrating upon, Lac'Nala, Tiphereth summoned a 'long whisper' and cast the message, "Danger is upon you!" in soft haunting tones originating from the direction of the approaching Orcs.

Tiphereth then descended as quickly as he could without the use of his 'light-body' and feared that he would be too late to assist in the first wave of the attack.

Lac saw the dwarf at the same time and slid off the back of Lightning and whispered softly to him. Lac held his hand up in greeting to the Dwarf. He then stepped forward with his hands empty, held them open and out streched to his sides. It was then he percieved Tiphereth's words of warning in his mind. Lac looked at the Dwarf and said softly "There is danger ahead. My Faye friend senses it." Lac stepping to the Dwarf's side Lac looked forward and up the sides of the pass for any movement or passing shadow. "There just to the right of that outcropping." Lac nodded towards a rock outcropping just ahead as a dark face and large eyed Orc ducked down. Lac held his sword up in front of him and said "Curaothmirelda othnar yisothuthu forothuthulin stareldarenvalarthnartir othfor tirhilelda Daearthrenkarn Linothrendae. Curaothmirelda arthnardae daeoth yisothuthuren mirarthstartireldaren'star brinistadaedaeistanargil. Curaothmirelda arthnardae mireldaeldatir yisothuthuren daeothothmir. (Translation: Come on you foul servant of the Dark Lord. Come and do your master's bidding. Come and meet your doom.") Lac then held his sword up with the blade infront of his determined face, and stepped forward towards where the Orc were hiding.

Shape trotted up next to Lac and the wolves gathered on either side of the pass, standing on out cropping, their heads down low, snarling and growling.

When Jin heard the words Lac spoke, she knew this was not going to be an easy battle. When he spotted the moving figures up ahead and the way they were slithering over the rocks and rugged mountain terrain, she grit her teeth then looked back at Alrick.

“Alrick! Dismount and give the horse the chance to defend itself! Prepare for battle!”

Reaching into her cloak, Jin pulled out a dark, long bow and a quiver of equally dark arrows. Quickly sprinting up the rocks until she found a landing that gave her a higher vantage point, she knocked the arrow, pulled the string back and waited until she had a clear shot. A she waited for the enemy to come into view, the wind whipped her hood off her head, exposing her dark skin and white head to the world.

Jin’s first arrow ricocheted off the rock wall and the Drowess cursed. There was no doubt these creatures were well versed in the art of fighting in tight spaces. Drawing another arrow from her quiver, she drew the string back, took aim and let the bolt fly. This time, she heard the anguished scream of the Orc as it fell and was trampled on by the others.

Lowering her bow, she blinked and looked at what was coming for them. As Jin realized
what this enemy was, she cursed again. She looked back at Alrick and yelled at him.

“Cast a Spell of Confusion, Alrick! It is the only way we can have a chance of coming out of this!”


Alrick, realizing he was bout to be over run by Orcs, blinked and looked at Jin as all the color drained from his face.

“But….I fear…I will…”

Jin snapped back at him.

“Do not worry you will not be successful! I know you will!”

Alrick muttered under his breath.

“That’s not what I was worried about.”

When Alrick saw the wave of Orcs pressing down upon them and the arrows began whizzing by his head, he quickly sought cover behind a large rock and began to cast his spell. With each passing moment, Alrick began to feel queasy and the more he worked at conjuring a spell, the worse it got.

Seeing that Alrick was going to cast the spell, Jin turned her attention back to the oncoming Orcs. For each arrow she fired, the Orcs returned three. As Lac, Tiphereth and the Dwarf now met the enemy head on with clashing blades and shields, Jin knew they were outnumbered almost four to one. With the odds stacked against them, she cast a Bolt of Discord spell over her arrows, giving them the ability to cause the Orc directly hit by the arrow to go insane. She hoped, with this aided by Alrick’s spell, it would give them the added help they all needed.

From behind her, Jin heard Alrick’s voice rising as he cast his spell. As the spell was set free, she felt a wave of energy rush past her causing her cloak to whip wildly. The spell blanketed the Orc and instantly she could see the way they seemed to become confused. Her face lit into a bright smile as she realized the spell was successful….or so she thought. The Orcs in the front of the band has become completely confused, but the ones further back in the pass were unaffected.

Jin’s smile faded and when she looked back to see where Alrick was, she didn’t see him anywhere. Gritting her teeth, she yelled as loud as she could, certain the young Wizard apprentice had abandoned them to their fate.

“COWARD!”

An arrow that came very close to her head caused her to bring her attention back to the Orcs and she began firing off one bolt after another as fast as her hands would let her. The Orcs, as per their nature, were relentless and pressed forward, determined to bring their Dark Lord victory this day and bring the head of these pitiful creatures back on pikes to him.

Unhindered by the the blowing snow that swirled around them the Orcs charged forward. The first of their ranks drawing sword and spear while their archers remained to the back, some perched on taller rocks, loosing their arrows before their comrades would obscure their targets.



From the high ridge behind, Tiphereth descended as fast as he could, the winds preventing him from making one time saving leap. He could see that at least twelve of the raging fiends descended upon the three fighters while Alrick had retreated behind a boulder to their rear. Jin, still mounted, prepared her bow and Lac'Nala and the Dwarf already engaged in melee seemed to be having little trouble dispatching their opponents. Those that had lead the charge had suffered the effects of Alrick's spell and quickly fell before the sure strikes of the Half Elf and Dwarf.

His feet on level ground, the Phaerie's strides allowed him to cross the ground in little time and he leapt to the top of the boulder above Alrick. A prime target, many of the archer's concentrated their arrows upon him as he had hoped.

Tiphereth focused and slowed his breathing. The blowing snow whipped about him and the winds tossed his long golden hair, but then time began to ebb, the snow slowed and his hair seemed suspended in water as his body moved with great speed. His muscles ached as they strained against the force of time when he pushed aside the first arrow, then with all his strength he twisted his body allowing two more to fly past him. He pushed his hands out before him, pushing against the immense weight of time, screaming to intensify his strength, catching the last two arrows in his hands.

Momentarily drained, he crouched down, defiantly snapping the black arrows in his fists. The arrows of the Orcs wasted for the moment, he hoped that Jin would have time to deal death to a few of the archers while they reloaded their bows. He let out a long breath and returned into time, releasing the tremendous pressure around him.

Lac waded into the Orc advance, with the Dwarf, weilding his sword. From behind and above him the bolts from Ssinjin's bow flew into the confused Orc. A stong wind blew from his back as he steadily advanced further into the maylay. An Orc arrow grazed his shoulder, another flew above his head as he ducked. Lac's blade fell heavily upon an Orc's sholder, severing the arm. With another swing of his sword the Orc's head dropped from his shoulders. The Dwarf's hammer fell with a sickening sound upon the Orc warriors. Further into the fray they advanced, leaving the dead behind them.

Jin’s mind was still whirling as she fired one bolt after another as fast as she could get the arrows nocked and pulled back. If they didn’t stop this onslaught of Orc wave, they would be trampled beneath the muddy boots the foul creatures wore. Or worse. Either way, Jin didn’t like those odds and she vowed to stop that from happening, but her mind was drawing a blank as to how. There were so many of them.

As Tiphereth moved in his time slowed warp, Jin looked over to see nothing but a blur of movement where the Phaerie was. If she could have taken the time to study him, she would have gladly done so, but right now she had her hands full. Literally. Jin’s bolts struck several targets that would suddenly go stark raving mad and begin attacking their own kind. After a few more bolts, the Orcs were fighting off as many of their own as they were the band of travelers.

Several of the Orcs advanced on Lac drawing swords and clubs attacking in chaotic, random order. Several times their blades came close to striking him down but the Ranger would somehow evade their strikes and end up delivering his own blows with his blade cutting the foul beasts down. That still didn’t stop them from ganging up on the half-elf, determined to have his head on the end of a pike. Several of the creatures surrounded Lac in a tight circle, trying to make it impossible for the Ranger to weild his beloved blade.

The Dwarf, whose name was yet to be known, sent the creatures flying through the air when his powerful blows hit them. Several times he spun in a circle letting out a loud war cry sending the Orcs flinging out from the radius of his hammer like rag dolls. That didn’t stop more Orcs from swarming the pint sized warrior meeting his mighty hammer with their spiked, rotted gut littered clubs.

Tiphereth soon found himself swarmed by the Orcs as though they were flies on a carcass. While they knew he was a strange creature, it didn’t stop them from chopping, slicing and swinging their crude, blood smeared blades and swinging their spiked end clubs at him in an attempt to kill him.

Several more Orc archers had arrived and were now sending a volley of deadly bolts into the melee’ not caring it it were their own kind or the band of travelers they hit.



Jin was just getting ready to let a volley of her bolts go when she heard a noise at the last moment over head. Looking up just in time to see a body coming towards her, she tucked and dropped her bow letting it land with a soft clunk on the rock she had been standing on.

Jin and the Orc fell from the rock and landed with a solid THUD to the ground below, rolling to a stop. Both Orc and Drow quickly got to their feet. Before the Orc could gain his bearings, Jin lunged at him, tackling him to the ground once more. The two rolled over and over in an eternal battle for superiority. The Orc finally got the upper hand and sat astride Jin’s prone form and lifted up his jagged blade to make the killing blow. Before he could plunge the large knife into her body, the Orc jerked violently and his eyes grew wide. The knife went slack in his hand and he dropped it, barely missing Jin’s head. As he slowly looked down he saw a sinister looking blade sticking into his lower abdomen with Jin’s hand on it.

Jin thrust the blade in further then twisted it as she rolled toppling the Orc off her. As she rolled, she ripped the Orcs stomach open then violently pulled the blade from him. The result was a long string of entrails came out at the same time as the end of her blade was barbed for just such result.

The stench of Orc guts filled her nose and Jin quickly turned to face her newest opponent. Or opponents, truth be told. They didn’t give the Drowess time to collect her breath before they were once more attacking her with fervor. Finally she cast a spell that forcefully pushed the Orcs back away from her and she quickly sprinted back to the rock she had occupied before. Grabbing her bow she moved even higher as the Orc pursued.

As she climbed she began to chant a sing song like phrase in her native language once more. Higher and higher she climbed and the louder her chants became until finally she disappeared from sight as the snow began to fall even heavier. Suddenly her chants stopped and from the snow bathed sky a single dark bolt whizzed towards the mountain pass into the center of the Orcs. This bolt, though, had a glowing tip to it and as it flew through the air, Jin’s voice seemed to whisper in Lac, Tiphereth’s and the Dwarfs ears over the noise of the raging battle around them.

“Seek shelter behind the boulders NOW!”

When the bolt hit the first solid object it came in contact with, a single explosion of great strength erupted, radiating from the center and moved outwards, growing weaker the further away from the epicenter it moved. It obliterated the Orcs as it moved through their ranks. As it quickly approached Lac, Tiphereth and the Dwarf, Jin hoped they heard her warning and moved to seek shelter behind some of the boulders near them or else they would fall victim to her blast as well. Even as she herself now huddled behind a boulder.

With the half-elf near he is glad to taste battle and is pleased with the Orc meat flying from his hammer.

Like so many of his kind his soon is deeply entrench ion a single will to destroy all before him. he thought he might have heard a warning call but knows not from where or why so he doubles his efforts in clearing those before him and trying to ensure the long blade of his battle mate has room to roam.

Noting the orcs are crowing him more then a moment ago his notes the half-elf moving back toward the side. Not knowing why he chooses to take that lead. his many battle shave told him to trust the other seasoned warrior. Swinging faster and bucking with his shield he follows as fast as he can rather enjoying the battle sounds.

The boulder that Tiphereth stood upon was beyond the reach of sword but not spear or polearm, and the Orcs that began to swarm the rock stabbed and slashed at his legs. He easily dodged and kicked their feeble attacks aside, but fearing that they may discover Alrick, (who as far as he knew yet remained hidden behind the rock) Tiphereth leapt high above the Orcs and landed a good distance away from his former perch.

Spinning about he could barely see Lac'Nala and the Dwarf as they hacked their way through the bulk of the Orc force and Jin had been forced to wrestle with one of the beasts. He thought to give her aid but with so many eyes upon him he could not fold the distance. Only in those times when the perception of those around him waned was he able to cover several strides in the blink of an eye, a talent not so useful in full combat.

He could have ran, but then the Orcs would only turn on the others, providing reinforcement that would very likely turn the tables on the valiant warriors. As they surrounded him, he could feel their iron pressing against him, he could taste it his mouth. Tiphereth knew it would start to nullify his magic and indeed he could not summon his talisquetric spear. He would have to summon all of his skills to fight his way clear and as the first sword descended toward his head, the Deithir deflected it away by striking the flat part of the blade with his hand then countered with a kick that sunk deep into the Orc's plate breast, sending the creature through two of his battle mates with a spectacular display of power and speed.

Tiphereth was immediately put on the defensive, exhibiting great flexibility and well practiced acrobatics as he blocked and dodged the Orc attacks, but there were too many for him to counter. He felt an iron blade burn through his flesh, the mere scratch throbbing like a war wound. Enraged then, Tiphereth grabbed the nearest Orc, picked him up off his feet and hurled the creature into several others, knocking them to the ground.

"Seek shelter...."

What Tiphereth referred to as a long whisper resonated in his ears, and he recognized the voice to be Jin. Then he saw chain lightening radiating out from a single point, the bolts ricocheting from one Orc to another. He had no time to take cover and instead slowed time as much as we was able, moving behind the Orcs, using them as shields as the blinding bolts blasted through armour and flesh.

When Alrick recovered from the distorting shock that made his vision blur and every muscle ache with a fever, he didn’t bother to move but remained curled up behind the boulder, staring at his feet. The feet used to be his hands, but now they were feet, front feet to be precise, split into little hooves. Snow swirled around him like so many feathers from a burst pillow, but he was still tingling and hot from the transformation, and didn’t mind.

The crackle from Jin’s dark, magical bolt raised the little bristles on his snout and he scrabbled up onto his four feet and peered around the boulder. A few spumes of steam arose from the snowy path where the freshly dead bodies of orcs sprawled.

The four enemies who still remained, not yet hacked apart or decimated by magic, now turned and attempted to flee, slung low to the ground and flinging themselves onto the rocky ascent up the mountain. Lac’s blood-drenched sword, Tiphereth’s flickering spear, and the dwarf’s hammer quickly dispatched them as the companions launched themselves out of cover in pursuit. Jin managed to recover from her powerful spell, and soon the companions found themselves in a quiet, snowy pass, breathing heavily and examining the unknown dwarf who had aided them in the fight.

Alrick ventured out from hiding and looked up at his friends. “Oink,” he said, a little forlornly.

It looked like the curse was still not broken, not truly, and now he was beginning to suspect it never would be.

Jin shot one last arrow at the back of a retreating orc and heard the satisfying, sickening thud of it as the bolt struck the coward in the back of its head. Winded and tired, she made her way down the rocky embankment carefully. She didn’t realize how precarious the climb had really been for her but then again, when you’re running for your life, it doesn’t matter either.

Dropping to the snow covered ground that was now littered with broken, burnt and bleeding Orc bodies, she let an expression of true disgust slip over her face. Murmuring something in her native tongue that didn’t sound very nice at all, she spat on the ground then kicked some of the blood soaked snow towards one of the bodies. Obviously she harbored no love or kindness for these foul creatures and it seems rightfully so.

As Jin’s wide eyes assessed her companions, she saw they were just as winded as she was but suffered only minor injuries. As she stood there looking around, her brows furrowed as she remembered Alrick’s cowardly retreat and abandonment of his fellow travelers. Turning a hateful glare towards the boulder she had last seen Alrick behind, she saw the pig poke its head out from behind the thing. Her hateful glare quickly changed to a look of disbelief and her fine brows raised to a lovely arch over her eyes.

“Oh dear….”

Lac quickly whirled around thinking something was drastically wrong and saw the pig standing there. When he turned his equally surprised gaze to Jin, she was trying not to chuckle. It was the strangest feeling Jin had ever had before. She was so angry at the thought of Alrick abandoning them she was ready to murder him with her bare hands and when she saw his pink, pig snout poke out from behind the boulder she felt a mixture of relief and concern.

“Well…..I thought he had abandoned us. It appears as though his spell casting has caused him to revert back to his swine form.”

Jin walked over to where Alrick’s pig form stood and scooped the pig up into her arms.

“Alrick, my good apprentice, I am so glad you did not run away. I was beginning to like you and didn’t want to have to kill you.”

Without even thinking, the Drowess leaned down and placed a pecking kiss on top of Alrick’s head.

Lac looked around quickly, wiped the blood from his sword on a fallen Orc, then sheathed his sword bowing slightly to the dwarf he spoke in dwarvish "We thank you Master Dwarf, I am known as Lac'nala of Oron_D_Narr, my companions are Ssinjin, the Faye Tipherreth and the wizards apprentice Alrick. We are indebted to you."

Lac then heard the sound of a pig, turned heard Ssinjin's words and smiled slightly as he saw her bend down and place a kiss on the top of the pigs head.

Seeing the battle ebbing and the last of the orcs near him fall on the end of the half elves blades he turns and sees the one fleeing and with a roar he launches his hammer. With accuracy it flies but the orc trips to save him self from the mighty blow to the back.

Deftly snagging the hammer on its returning flight he curses the darkness and those that it grows.



Hearing the one near him speaking he turns as not to be rude and recognizes his battle mate. Upon a quick scan of the ragtag group he outwardly grimaces.

Setting he faces so as not to retch at the sight of this group, "No thanks are required. I would have fought this lot beside a herd of swine just for the pleasure."

"Well Master Lac'nala of Oron_D_Narr, unless I a mistaken it would seem we are to travel together for a spell. They call me Beldegir as may you." Once again he looks about this group and can not believe thy travel with a swine and treat it like one a child.

"Lac'nala you do pick strange companions though I must admit they did fight valiantly in battle." Strokes his long beard thoughtfully then says no mare as he checks for cuts and hole punctures in his amour.

Completed he looks very content.

"Now I must ask what business you have in our hills?'

As Jin unthinkingly bobbed her head down to deliver a kiss to the head of the pig in her arms, the tingle of magic became as thick as ozone before a rain, winds changed direction, sucking snowflakes in around Alrick the Pig and Jin, and the strange tinkle of silver bells sounded. Alrick’s vision clouded with golden smoky light so intense he screwed his eyes shut; his body contorted for the second time that day.

When the mists of magic cleared, Alrick, restored to his true form, found himself trembling, still in Jin’s arms, and clinging to her gray-faced and weak as a foal. The transformation—wrenching not only his skeleton but the colors before his eyes and the smells in his nostrils—left him nauseous and he feared me might vomit on the drow. “Warn me next time you do that, will you…!” he gasped.

And here Lac was making introductions to the strange dwarf—who just had to make that comment about fighting alongside swine. How embarrassing. “D-don’t mind me,” he apologized to the dwarf, offering him a feeble smile. He slumped towards the ground at Jin’s feet to collect himself while Lac and the dwarf, Beldegir, talked of the journey head.

Returning his gaze to the dwarf, Lac "We are traveling to the lands of my people. We must cross these mountains and the plains beyond then over the mountains of Oron-D_Narr. Master Beldegir, I must tell you we are being persued by a dark force. One that is a servant of the Dark Lord, who has sworn to kill Ssinjin. I have sworn my protection to her. Once we reach the lands of my people a great force can be raised to oppose the Dark Lord. I hope to rekindle the great alliances that defeated the Dark Lord ages ago. With these alliances we can once again banish him back to the abyss." Lac paused then looked at Beldegir with a pleading yet determined expression on his face.... "Once before Dwarves, Elves and the race of Man fought side by side to bring all our lands from the brink of darkness. The threat of plunging the world into the shadow of evil has risen again, this threat hovers over all races."

As soon as Jin felt the tug of magic beginning to swirl, she realized what she had done. Too late to take it back, the Drowess merely stopped and cringed, waiting for the bottom to drop out from under her. She felt the form in her hands transform and when she dared open her eyes once more, she was face to chest with Alrick. Blinking, she glanced up into his ashen face and quickly released her hold on him to almost jump back a few feet. When he barked at her, she blinked again then furrowed her brows and practically hissed at him.

“There will not be a next time!”

But when Alrick slumped to the ground, Jin was by his side in a heartbeat making sure he was not suffering from anything other than what the transforming did to him. Her nimble hands moved all around his form poking and probing gently until she was satisfied he was unharmed. Without explaining herself to the apprentice wizard, even when he tried to shoo her hands away, she made no apologies for what she did.

As she stood back up and heard the Dwarf’s accented voice, she groaned. Great…just what they needed; a hard headed, thick skulled Dwarf. As Lac and the Dwarf exchanged words, Jin marched over to where they stood and looked down her nose at the armored warrior. There was no doubt she had about the same feelings for him as he did for the rest of them.

“The more we stand here exchanging pleasantries, the more time we waste. And no, I am not about to share my horse with the likes of him.”

Finally turning her gaze to Lac, she practically glared at him.

“Walnut would have trouble carrying this……Dwarf’s heavy hide anywhere and I do not wish to see the animal suffer trying to do so. I would rather kill the animal myself first then watch his sturdy legs buckle under the weight he so nobly tried to carry.”

With another glance over her shoulder at the Dwarf, she snorted and said something under her breath in her native language then walked back over to where Alrick still rested on the ground. Kneeling next to him again, she gave a concerned look to him and spoke in that soft, caressing voice she so rarely used.

“Will you be alright, Master Alrick? If you need me to, I will assist you to Walnut and ride double with you if you are too weak to ride solo. And no, I do not mean as a sack of potatoes behind me.”

Even as these words were uttered by Lac'Nala, who dared speak His name while not yet in his home lands the wind began to turn. The threat of alliance stirred a fell wind from the north, so cold that even the Dwarf and the Phaerie shuddered before it. All of the companions could feel the icy touch of the Dark Lord himself upon it, and they were forced to avert their eyes else they freeze before it.

Then just as fast as the winds had come did they return to north westerly gusts, gentle by comparison to what had just occurred. All had felt his presence and knew that his eye would be fixed upon them until they reached the safety of Oron-D-Narr.



Sorrelwind, stood off at a distance and watched the exchange of greeting between the Half Elf and the Dwarf while trying to ignore the cursed Alrick and the unpleasantness of the Drow. 'All shall be judged by themselves', he reminded himself, and as for Alrick, he feared his curse and sought to distance himself for a while.

There were far more to curses than could be seen by mortal eyes, they were not unlike a foul odour that came and went, only this stench effected only those beings that were born of magic, like himself. Soon, Alrick's aura would be restored, but until then the Phaerie preferred not to endure the curse that still lingered on the surface of the man. So he kept away, which was easier than providing a long winded explanation that would take just as long as the curse to fade.

When the presence of the Dark Lord fell upon them, he could feel the sting of cold that his kind knew little of. It was a humbling experience, succumbing to the lesser elements but so powerful was this monster that his very shadow infused all with evil. "How could anything stand before him?", he wondered.

"Ye be not worried on my account witch I shall be on the other side of this mountain before ye can gain the summit. Just be watchful ye mount do not end up wolf bait.", turning he calls his ram.

"Now this fine friend will be just fine", he ruffles the fleece and enjoys it aroma.

"The dwarfs be knowing who follows you Master Lac. It is my burden then to go on this path with you and see what is to be done. The elders await my word for them to choose our plight in this time."

Picking up a stone he studies it and looks toward the Drowess with more then some scorn and dislike. "Protect Jin if that be your way but I make no such promise. come we best move before the foul weather consumes our bones. We can make what we can of each others news on the way."

He notes the one off by himself and decides this group might be thinly attached other then the underlying need to disperse the dark forces at hand. He also feels a strong dislike in dealling with phearie types, at least he showed his mettle in battle this day.

Shape and the other wolves came bounding from the rocks, their muzzles bloodied from the Orc they had killed. Shape clammouerd on top of a boulder, stood pointing his snout to the sky and howled in triumph. Soon the other three wolves joined him in their chorus. Shape then clammoured down and padded silently over to stand at Lac's side, as Lac knelt down down and petted the wolf.

It was a good thing Jin was kneeling next to Alrick for if she hadn’t been, she would have found herself on her knees unwillingly when she felt the icy cold presence of the Dark Lord. Fear was not an emotion she was used to feeling but that’s exactly what she felt when the wind turned colder than anything she’d ever felt before. For some reason, she didn’t even WANT to look in the direction it came from for fear she would never look upon anything again.

When the presence faded away, Jin found herself trembling like the last autumn leaf clinging to the bare branch of a tree in a stiff wind. At some point she had closed her eyes and now she blinked them open to see Alrick’s puzzled look gazing back at her. Without offering an explanation or apology, she slowly got to her feet and looked over at the Dwarf who now had a sturdy Ram for a mount. Why that surprised her, she didn’t know but it shouldn’t have.

It was high time they moved on for already the air was turning foul with the stench of Orc death. Not even the cold weather could stop their fetid bodies from reeking. As Jin walked over to Walnut, she placed her hand on the horses velvet like muzzle to calm him down some. Waiting to see if Alrick was going to need her assistance or not, she stood next to the gelding until word was given.

Lac knelt next to Shape and spoke softly to his long time companion and protector "Osnaycurayeth astrigulastraisanae wileld astrirayesta istinay yorothunestar artanardil yorothunerae celosmiralnarithonnelsir dilestabrintae mayya orlaedel farreninaethanaedil. lorevtil unesay lonethaarthuvireth tynhiliststar fayossaunelin panliranceleld. Halosmoretha istisor nelevaarthrin. (Translation:Once again we are in yours and your comanions debt my old friend. let us leave this foul place. Home is near.)

Lac rose and stood next to Lightning , as a chill, like a death grip on his heart caused Lightning and him to shudder slightly. He turned to the others and said "I think it would be wise for us not to delay any longer. We must cross many leagues before the sun sets." He then pulled himself into the saddle and began to cross the platue and closer to the snowy pass.

Grunting in agreement he takes his mount and looks to see if the rest are ready. "With a waves he shouts follow." He takes the lead and heads his ram up the slope and hopes to see the down slope before dark.

Alrick brushed off Jin’s offer to ride with him so she decided to leave him alone on Walnut and mounted on Lightning in front of Lac. Once more pulling the hood over her head, she settled on the horse before Lac and kept a wary eye out for any more Orcs or any other creatures that would be headed for them to slow them or try to kill them.

Looking over her shoulder at the others, she wondered how she got involved in all of this and the answer always came back to one word. Verin. Her murderous, betraying, blasphemous brother. He sold his soul for the promise of power and prestige. Something that is short lived in their world unless you fight for that right each and every day.

One day, she thought, one day Verin would get a dose of his own medicine and she hoped she would be there to see it come to fruition. He deserved nothing but pain and suffering for all he put her and her Mother through. Of course, her best wish was that she would be the one to give Verin that dose of self medication. But that remained to be seen. Right now, she had to survive this journey in order to be able to see that day come and with the way things are going, that might be difficult.