Rashemen - Book 3

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Kelvados rose with the cry, he had been sleeping the whole time, but after the short nap he oddly felt restless.

"Can't anybody get some shut eye around here?" He grumbled, he stood up and brushed himself off. He looked at his new bow, he decided he needed practise with it. A cactus was sitting 30 meters and he tried himself out, he was pretty good, but not perfect. He needed to be perfect. Viconia needed him to be perfect.

 

Kongol could not rest, so he stud up with Nakia for the reminder of her watch. After Delinos words, Kongol kneel down as close, as he could to his hear “What is done is past; I do not judge you, nor your kind. But I do appreciate your kind word towards the rescue of Miranda”

He then got up and got close to Nakia, “Nakia, I'll take the second watch; even if I wanted I could not sleep. Miranda has always being an important part of my life, even though I do not know her.”

Kongol watched the scared Halflings as he took a drink of water supply, then stared at the sand underneath him, in a burst of speed he reach for his backpack and reached inside.

“I knew it…” Kongol said while looking at the scroll, “…Nakia, look at this…” Kongol sit down to get as close to her as possible, “At first I didn't get what this scroll was about, is written in Ignan and I'm a bit rusty, but it does mention the help of three gods, and the realize off the one that sees. It did not make sense why did it say that, but now I think it might help this poor Hin kin. What do you think?”

 

Nakia perked up at Kongol's words. "Don't know Ignan and don't know magic but maybe the others can help. Ciana helped me and we have Elendie, Maron and Daie. Worth seeing what they think. You are a good friend, Kongol."

She looked over at the sleeping figures, "But maybe we should wait a little while. Time to wake Atten."

She goes over and touches Atten gently, "Watch time Atten." He awakens quickly and easily, "But don't stay up all night. Be sure to wake someone else."

With that she makes herself a little nest near Sepp and the brothers.

 

Atten had, in fact, nodded off, but woke up and sat out the watch. He sat at the mouth of the cave and stared out into the desert night.

The longer he sat there, the more he became aware of the strange types of life there. He became aware of strange plants that clung to the underside of rocks and others that stored water inside internal reservoirs. He became aware of lizards sleeping in crevices and snakes curled up in holes. And, in the distance, he became aware of the unmistakeable life force of a reasonable sized oasis.

Still, the life force in the desert was a subtle beat, when compared to the mighty roar of the forest. His druidic powers would still be subdued out here. Maybe it was time to try and learn some other skills as back up.

He picked up someone's bow and attempted to have a go at firing an arrow, but his arms got all tangled up and the arrow ended up spinning end over end straight up in the air. He quickly put the bow away before he ended up skewering one of his companions.

 

Elendia smiled as she watch Atten put the bow down, obviously hoping he hadn't been seen. She reached in her pack and grabbed her magical sling and several pouches of bullets. She walked over to sit next to Atten. "If you'd like I can show you how to use this. It isn't as powerful as a bow without magic bullets, but if you use explosve bullets you don't really have to have a very good aim." She left the sling and bullets on the ground next to his foot and stared out into the desert.

[ February 02, 2007, 00:25: Message edited by: Cirrus ]

 

Delinos awoke now, admiring Kelvados' sudden skill with the bow. Delinos did not arise, he just lay with his head cradled in Nakia's lap, and dreaming of finding his sister. Soon, he drifted into a restless sleep, dreaming of Viconia.

Darkness swirled around his path, he looked down, all he could see was the stone cobbled road. The darkness, for the first time, frightened him. Usually in darkness, he was attuned to his surroundings, seeing heat, and hearing all. Not this darkness.. it was unnatural. He couldn't hear his footsteps, only the slow heartbeat in his head.

Boom.

Boom.

Suddenly, a woman appeared. Her back was turned towards the lost drow. Her silver hair spilled out of her ratty bonnet. Viconia! Finally! Delinos stumbled forwards, closer and closer. The woman suddenly turned and all that remained of the face was a skull, dotted with rotting flesh and maggots. Before Delinos could react, the skeleton disintegrated and the rags fell to the ground. The drow became dizzy and fell off the path, into the ever-swirling darkness..

Falling.

Falling...

He heard no more heart beat.

Delinos awoke in a cold sweat, choking on the oxygen entering his lungs. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he started convulsing. Before blacking out a few moments later, he managed to squeeze out, "Human.. medicine!" Just loud enough for his brother to hear.

 

EDIT: Stupid Computer...

 

Daie opened an eye slowly, and looked round the room.
Everyone seemed to be suffering from bad dreams this night. Even his beloved Maron was whimpering quietly, the arm that held him to her chest was clutching his shirt tightly.
He murmured a word or two, and liad his hand gently on Maron's leg. She sighed, and settled into a more restful sleep.

He was settling down for sleep himself when he heard Delinos noisily dying in the corner.
Muttering viciously about bloody drow interrupting his rest, he gently moved Maron's arm. and slipped away from her, ignoring her sleepy note of protest.

He crossed to Delinos' side, and laid two fingers against his neck, feeling for a pulse. Weak.

Calling on Selune's power, he summoned up the most powerful healing spell he knew, one that would bring it's target back from the brink of death to complete vitality.

He laid his other hand on the drow's face, and whispered 'Heal,' to him.

Stepping back, he raised a hand to his head, feeling the immediate draining of his strength that such a powerful spell always brought. 'Now stay alive this time,' he muttered, before settling in in Maron's embrace again, and slipping into sleep.

 

Knowing that nothing could move without Atten being aware of it Nakia settled into a deep and dreamless sleep. The best she had gotten in a long time.

Delinos' restless sleep and crying out awoke her but then Daie came to him and quietly cast a healing spell. Nakia drowsily thought to herself, Now that is how it should be done. None of this flash and bother so many go in for. As Delinos settled into a more normal sleep she sank back into a peaceful sleep.

 

Sepp woke up feeling much better. Sleepers were starting to stirr, so he cleared an area of the floor, and laid out a breakfast spread from their supplies on a blanket. Nibbling a little while he worked kept his stomach from growling too loudly, but when it was finished it looked too good to wait much longer for.

"Breakfast's ready everybody!" he called. "Come and get it before my cousin and I make it dissappear!"

 

"Alright, Sepp, but keep those two away from the food until we're done," Delphinae scowled at the Drow brothers. "If they can poison each other, I wouldn't put it past them to poison all of us."

Del snatched some bread and cheese and went to take over for Atten at the mouth of the cave.

 

Kelvados merely looked up and shrugged. He found he had lost his pride and didn't very much care what the people thought. They were ignorant, and he pitied them. Humans and surface elves will always be wary of anything strange. They're like children, they hide from what they don't understand, and if in big enough numbers they'll usualy kill it, excepting no explanation. None except the one out of a million will face their fear alone, and end up realizing their fear was nothing to be afraid of. He took out his own food, to respect their suspisions. Kelvados felt amazing, he really believed the monster that was him was gone, or at least is in the bottom of his conciousness. He said hello, to new Mr. Me, but he had a nagging fear that the monster would return.

Kelvados munched on his food, it was a bit sandy but it was not enough to ruin his mood. He didn't get food for his brother though, something he always did. He unstrung his bow and put the string in an oiled pouch. Suddenly a wave of annoyance flowed over him, he picked up his things and walked outside. When the sun hit him he was blinded, but in his blindness he saw a wooded lot, waterfalls, filled with assortements of fauna and flora, it only lasted a second, but Kelvados would keep that image very long. A century later he will set of by himself and find that spot, it is near Silvery Moon, a beautiful forest, where he sets up his Ranger Lodge. He dies there, a peaceful death, ironicaly, surface elves bury him next to it, on his stone beautifully engraved was their final message.

Kelvados DeVir
Drow, monster no more
No more shall fear
Decide our actions
Missed by Elves,
of all kind.

But Kelvados had many years until then, he had to face his danger know, and his private battle with himself.

 

Ciana woke and untangled herself from her cloak, although she was rested she looked drawn, having listened to Del, she folowed Kelvados outisde and standing next to him deliberately broke off a piece of his bread and started to eat it. She stood beside silently chewing and when she finished the sandy morsel gently asked if he had more.

 

Kelvados looked at the woman, he admired her bravery, he smiled and said he did. He was full but she could have it, it wasn't very good. What Sepp was making smelled delicious.

"You've made your point, and I respect what you did, it gave me some hope that what I am doing is not falling on blind eyes. But I am amazed that you are turning down that smell for crusty bread, I may have to get in there myself and grab a bite."

Ciana walked away, but Kelvados didn't follow. He still thought of his new home, he imaged the scene. He felt the need to go there, but Viconia was more important. He hoped she still lived, he hoped his wasn't too late.

 

Delinos arose before the others, and walked away as the scowls of the others pierced the back of his head. He stood beside Kelvados and stared; into the swirling dust and sand that was the desert. No words were spoken, but Delinos felt better to be at his older brother's side.

 

Kelvados sensed his brother at his side, his skin slightly crawled, but he didn't move. He would get used to his brother again, in time. Everything healed in time, he hoped. Kelvados was doing a lot of hoping, it was the only thing he could do at the moment, so he hoped away.

 

Nakia watched the interplay of the others. So much had changed including her role in the group. She had a feeling of responsibility that she had never had before. She gathered up food and drink, took some to the two halflings and then went out out to Ciana and the brothers.

Settling herself she spread out the food and then gazed westward. "My childhood was a happy one. We did have some trouble from the humans from time to time but mostly we just lived a peaceful, happy life. In my travels have a met many different kinds of people and learned to judge each on their own merits. I traveled for a while with a Drow Cleric of Helm for a while. She told me of life in the Underdark. It is strange to me and very different from what I knew growing up. But then I find humans strange also. The Hin are willing to be friendly with all but the Hin seem to be an oddity in this world. We get along best with the dwarfs and have even mated with them. Ah, I ramble on. Where is Kongol? He has need to speak with our clerics and mayhap, Ciana,, you can help him. He has a scroll he thinks may help with our problem with these renegade halflings."

 

Kongol was not with the group, while they were sleeping he went further inside the passageway, his thoughts were a mess and he could not rest thinking why did so much time went by before he heard of Miranda.

He walked as quiet as possible, but only a few yards down he found himself in a split path, without knowing what it could be ahead, he turned around back into the camp. As he return he saw everyone awake and Nakia looking around “I'm sorry, I had to do some exploring on my own”

Kongol then saw Maron, Daie and Elendia where all together and approached them. “I'm in need of all three of you. Long back when we fought Torturus, I found this scroll” Kongol reaches for his backpack and shows it to all three, “Is in Ignan and although I did not understand what it was for, I kept it. For what I can read it states that the aid of three god would let go of the One that Sees. Maybe that last part means the burning mark that I saw in the last Halfling dead in the desert, perhaps you all can ask a favor to your gods in return for this scroll?”

Kongol patiently waited as the three looked at the scroll pondering.

 

Jex had quietly sat back and watched the others through the fitful night. He had seen most of the events. He was rested mostly due to his amulet and its abilities.

He slowly chewed on a piece of bread he had stolen from Sepps plate and continued to watch.

Pulling aside Del he became serious. "Be easy on the drow. They were raised in a very different society. My father and his brothers attempted to kill leach other a number of times. It was one of those times that chased him to the surface. We will never know what the brothers have done to each other in the past. From my knowledge though I don't think they'd try to kill us. To them we pose no threat."

 

"What Nakia? You've mated with dwarves!? That sounds a bit unnatural to me - but, whatever lights your fire, I guess."