Psilon

[Nevermore]

I wrote the begining quite a while ago (a year?) and the outline then droped it because I got into other things (Morrowind among them). I am now dedicated to finishing this and have been adding to it for the past week. Sorry for the poorly written begining, that was written a year ago and I'm too lazy to rewrite it. The new stuff is Chapter 2+.

 

This takes place in the confines of the D&D 3E and is meant to be read by D&D players, like the Drizzit stuff. I explain some of the stuff in here but not all of it, so if you don't know a bit about D&D you may get lost at some points. You can practicly make a char sheet for the chars and follow along and level them up as the story goes, I stuck THAT closly to the rule books. In fact I do ave their char sheets and do up date them as I write the story.

 

Last part of intro: This story contains strong violence and brief sexual topics. If you were offended at the half-time show then DO NOT read this. If you are offended by violence DO NOT read this.

 

PS: I'll add quite a bit to this every sunday or so. Enjoy!

 

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Psilon (pronounced: sigh - lon)

 

Chapter One: The Beginning

 

It was late afternoon and the sun was hanging low in the sky. The air was cool with a small breeze that carried with it the smell of the rows of corn, potatoes, and many other crops that surrounded the village. The small village of Deverio was whining down for the day, families were gathering at their tables for dinner and the days work was finished. It was no different for little Conner's family.

 

His mother had cooked a chicken for supper. It was a gift from the Randals for helping bring John Randel to the nearby monastery after a farming accident. Troy, Conner's father, asked the monks to please mend John's broken leg bones, which the elder monk did without hesitation. Whenever a farmer was injured he ended up in the monastery with the monks. The elder monk was the usual healer and could only heal the wounds a little each day so the wounded stayed for a few days, but the monks never accepted payment or even gifts.

 

They had brought Conner with because Troy thought it would be a good experience to see the monks doing their fancy moves, sparring, and meditation. When they got there the monks were in the middle of a group physical meditation, were they would stand on one leg and slowly push both palms out to expel negative energy, then go on the next stance. Conner immediately ran up and copied the basic gestures to the amusement of the gardening monks who watched him fall, but when Conner got back up and tried again and again till he managed to stand like that for quite awhile even the meditating monks took notice.

 

Through the three days at the monastery Conner showed remarkable dedication to learning the simple moves monks would teach him on their free time. When it was time to leave Conner kept saying, "Stay! Stay! Stay!" the elder monk told Conner he could visit the monks the monastery sent down to buy crops from Deverio in a few days.

 

It was, in fact, that night the monks would arrive. Mary, Troy's wife and Conner's mother, cooked the chicken a little earlier so Conner could be with the monks as long as possible. Mary found it cute the little boy showed such enthusiasm, but Troy was a little worried it would stick and Conner wouldn't take over the farm. They discussed that while Troy sat Conner in a makeshift high chair so he could reach the table. Mary just changed the subject to how wonderful the chicken looked as she took it out of the oven.

 

"Haven’t had chicken for quite a while, this'll be quite the treat for you Conner" said Troy.

 

Conner was only a child of three years and had yet to speak fluently, "I wike Chigen!"

 

Conner's mother, who put the chicken on the special platter, turned around and put it on the table. "Troy, will you do the honors?" She passed her husband the carving knife. He started to speak,

 

"Well certin-" but out side there was a sudden screaming coming from the edge of the small village. Troy looked out the window from where he stood, but was unable to trace the cause of the blood-curdling shriek. Troy and his wife looked at each other, concern splashed on their face. Troy began heading toward the door when more screaming began erupting from outside. Troy now dashed out of the door and seen that houses on the southern side were on fire. At a moments glance it just looked like that but suddenly dark figures appeared down the road.

 

Drow, evil subterranean dark elves, were raiding the town, and there were swarms of them. Troy hollered at his wife, "Go attach the cart to Wilma," their horse, " and bring Conner! Go!" She quickly picked Conner out of his makeshift high chair and ran out the back door toward the stable. Troy had run into their barn to get a pitchfork when he heard his wife screaming. He ran to the back of the house and saw two Drow pinning Mary to the ground as another was holding a club. Another was holding a confused but scared Conner, forcing him to watch. The scared and angered Troy lurched forward to try and tackle the group attacking his wife when a Drow he hadn't notice clobbered him from behind knocking him down.

 

The imposing dark figure holding the crude wooden club bashed Mary in the ribs and she cried out in pain. The battering Drow brought the club back, as to swing, but stopped. "Where is it,” He commanded rather then asked. Mary just struggled and sobbed and the interrogator brought the club down hard on one of her knees, a sickening crunch could be heard. "Tell me now!" Mary had no idea what "it" was and was able to only sob and flail uselessly has they continued to beat her. The same question was asked repeatedly to Troy too as they slowly disemboweled him while forcing a crying Conner to watch both his parents being tutored.

 

After only a minute of the attack great explosions could be heard, and the raider's leaders were loudly barking orders over the cry of the village inhabitants. Stray fireballs whizzed through the air and for a brief few minutes the occasional death shout of a Drow could be heard. But that quite suddenly was snuffed out, along with all hope that remained in the villagers being savagely tortured. Every house was now ablaze and only a few people were still alive.

 

Conner was forced to watch in horror as Drow after Drow ravaged his mother. Conner was condemned to see all life bleed out of his dissected father's body. Suddenly, as Conner kept trying to wiggle free from the evil elf's grip, a sharp pang in his neck made him freeze. The metal blade of his holder's knife ripped through Conner's little neck like a jagged stone through paper. He let out a gurgling scream that only lifted his adam's apple to the passing blade. His body fell limply to the ground, bleeding all over ground and himself. His breaths sent warm blood into his lungs and his body gagged spraying the blood out. The young boy caught a glance of the Drow that sliced him, as the man stepped over him to kill Conner's mother.

 

The Drow stood tall at about six ten and had unusually large muscles for a Drow. The Drow clubbing the defenseless mother called out to Conner's slayer "Vilzetter." The slayer responded with a nod and stepped over Conner toward the mother, knife at his ready. Vilzetter looked at the dieing boy for a moment with a smirk. Conner's vision bleared but he still managed to see the smirker’s face. He had eyebrows that narrowed at both ends to make a long thin strip across the man's brow that drooped in the middle where most peoples would separate. A scar ran under the killer's right eye, and where the above eye should have been there was nothing but a dark hole slightly covered by the limp eyelid hanging down. The other eye was a deep rose red that screamed evil. His mouth had a scar continuing off his left upper lip, to the middle of the cheek. Over all Vilzetter had a pretty disfigured face that showed his years of fighting, but his lack of an eye was offset by strength and a way of moving that spewed confidence.

 

Conner's all ready blurred vision went dark as he fainted. In his hollow rest he could feel the searing pain from his neck and could hear the final wail of his dieing mother, "Conner" and the laughs of the murderers. All sound then dropped out and he fell into a deep black catatonic state.

 

* * *

 

The monks arrived at the town to buy crops as planned, but instead of the pleasant people and beautiful cottages, they seen dead bodies and destroyed houses, some of which were still burning. Although shocked and deeply saddened by the apparent death of all the towns’ people, the monks still searched in hopes of finding a few survivors. As some of the monks quickly went through any house not burnt down to see if anyone managed to hide, others began checking the bodies for signs of life. As hope for any survivor dwindled they got to Conner's house.

 

The house had not been destroyed and the only thing out of order was the scene in the back. Troy was cut wide open and his organs lie to the side, his face frozen in extreme pain and agony. Mary's clothes were ripped all over her body and her skirt was removed entirely. The slashes on her wrists proved to be the cause of her untimely death.

 

The monk found the bloody body of Conner and checked for a pulse with no hope of finding any. Amazingly though the gored boy was still alive. The monk immediately called for the other monks, one of which was a cleric in the earlier years of his life. The ex-cleric was only strong enough to temporarily post pone the boys death, which would buy them time to bring him to the monastery were better healing was possible. So they all left, carrying the boy in the cart they brought for the crops. Upon getting back, the returning monks told the Elder what they had seen and showed the old man the boy. The Elder sent down a team to burry the bodies, and set the critically wounded child up in the spare room made for the farmers.

 

Through several weeks the Elder and ex-cleric cooperated to bring the child, they named Little One, back to a healthy state. His blood supply had been brought back from practically nothing, and the gapping slit in the throat had sealed back up, the arteries magically reattaching themselves by spells and the ki healing supplied by the Elder monk. Though it was in their power to do so they had not returned Little One's voice, and they also left the jagged scar on across his neck. The Elder felt that what happened to the boy was terrible, but it one should deal with what has happened and not cover it up. And if when the boy grew up, and so chose, they could return his voice and remove the scar.

 

After three weeks Little One started opening his eyes but they just shifted around in a delirium never focusing on one particular point, then after a few moments the boys eyelids would slowly shut. This was noticed by the Elder who spent all the extra time he had sitting by the cot Little One was in. The Elder read scriptures and scrolls to the sleeping boy, and when there was nothing left to read the Elder just described the room they were in. He wanted the boy to be able to understand the common tongue, if not for the sake of the boy at least for anyone that needs to talk to him.

 

Other monks visited on occasion, bringing incense and food for both Little One and the Elder. Every one spoke about the boy when the Elder was not around, about what the Elder is planning, if the boy was going to stay or not, and how having a child around would change the monastery, for better or worse no one knew. Some grew to like the sleeping boy, but most kept their distance not wanting to grow attached to a child that may leave soon after his wound heals.

 

And heal they did. About a month after the monks brought Little One to the monastery he was fully awake and aware of his surroundings. The Elder failed several times to explain to the child what happened to his parents and eventually gave up and decided to wait till the boy could fully understand. So the days and weeks went by that Little One would begin missing his parents and home and cry himself to sleep in the cot he was kept in since the first day. The weeks turned into months and little One cried less and the monks started teaching him the basics of discipline. Well, what little discipline a three year old can be taut anyways.

 

The months passed by into years and Little One became not so little anymore. When Little One was thirteen the Elder made up his mind that it was time for the young man to learn of his past.

 

***

 

Conner (Little One's name given to him at the age of eight) had woken up earlier then usual to find that his favorite pot had fallen off his dresser during the night. He resolved to make another later on, and he began his morning jog around the path in the near-by forest as he pondered how the pot broke. It had been far from the edge of the dresser and it had never tipped before. As Conner broke into a light run he remembered his dream from the night.

 

His dream was an unusual one were he was in a covered wagon looking out the back. There was nothing but blackness and lines of people on either side of the wagon that were just standing there. As the wagon passes each one and moved them into he view he looked at each one and they would fall over into the blackness that was the ground. There had been a man and a women standing in the lines that looked faintly familiar, but he could not place where he had seen them before. As all had when he looked at them, the couple fell off the edge of nothingness when he looked at them. Unlike the others though these two screamed. It was at the sound of the screams that he had startled himself awake with a jump to find that his favorite pot, like the people, had fallen.

 

He walked back to the monastery in a solemn mood from the strange dream. He got to the arched entrance of the monastery and the elder was standing there waiting. Conner bowed the traditional welcome and the elder returned it, but by the look on the elder's face Conner knew this was not going to be a good meeting.

 

"Conner, there is no doubt that you have questions about why your here at your age and were your scar came from," said the elder cutting straight to the point. "I was waiting till you were a little older and better able to handle the truth, and I feel that you’re ready now."

 

So the elder told Conner of his little home village of Deverio, and how the monks arrived to find the village destroyed, his parents murdered along with the rest of the village, and how they found Conner in a pool of his own blood barely alive. As his unknown past was filled in he begin remembering suppressed memories of the actual attack. He remembered being held, forced to watch as drows ravaged his mother and of the side disemboweled his father. He felt his scar heat up and become sore as the memory of the blade slicing through his neck caused him to tear-up. Then finally when he passing in and out of conscience, blood soaking into his clothes, his neck slashed open struggling to breath.

 

The thirteen-year-old boy began to cry and spent the rest of the day alone in the woods. A few of the monks worried that Conner may finish the job the Drows started, but the elder knew he had to much strength of will to do such a thing. Alone in the woods Conner sat near a pond with his eyes closed trying to submerge himself in deep enough meditation were he could get the gory images out of his head. After a few hours he did get a handle on his mind and pushed the memories back and meditated. His mind subtracted into the deepest black that he has ever attained before. So deep was his meditation he became oblivious to the fact an entire day passed will he sat by the pond. The only sign that he was alive was only noticeable to those who looked not at Conner but at the pond's surface, which for no apparent reason began ripple.

 

***

 

Two middle-aged monks in orange and white cloth were standing at the entrance of the dojo, which was empty except for Conner who was doing a dusk meditating session. Conner, now twenty-seven, had never been the same after the day he was reminded of his childhood trauma. For fourteen years he kept up a strenuous routine of exercise and meditation. That meditation was the focus of the two monks' discussion at the dojo while watching Conner meditate.

 

"I can't see how he can meditate like that," one remarked.

"Well, I suppose he has a lot to meditate about. Being he can't speak he has to keep all his thoughts bottled up," the other tried to explain.

 

"He doesn't have to keep them to himself. He could write, or play the flute, or something."

 

"Nah, the only thing Conner does is meditate and train."

 

"Well I don't get it. What is he training so hard for? I train like the rest of us do because it teaches discipline, but him... it's borderline obsessive for him."

 

Neither could find anything else to say so they just stood and watched Conner for a moment. The elder walked up to the two and seen that they were just watching Conner. The elder always tried to keep Conner from being made a spectacle of but with such a peculiar person it was imposable to stop the talk that goes on when the elder's back is turned. The elder approached the two asked if they were waiting for something.

 

They turned around surprised and one said "uh, no. No Master. Just, uh, marveling at Conner's abilities." The other monk looked at the one who replied to the elder with rolling eyes.

 

The elder just smiled and said, "Well perhaps you would like to spar with him. No one has for quite a while and I'm sure he would enjoy putting all his work to use."

 

The one monk that spoke before looked around quickly and said, "No, I'm a little tired and should be getting to bed." He bowed goodbye to the elder and walked of to the living quarters. The second monk said he too was tired and hustled away. The elder turned his attention to Conner who had been oblivious to the whole event.

 

The elder found it hard to believe that Little One had grown so much since he came here, but was glad that Conner had stayed at the monastery rather then have left when he was old enough to go to the city and find some smith or merchant to take him in as an apprentice. Not much Conner could do in a city with his lack of speech anyways.

 

Conner had plenty of opportunities to get his voice back and the scar

removed but he never took them. For everyone but Conner the scar and speech disability was a way for him to remember that he had a happy childhood long ago, and also it was a way to keep people away. Conner was left alone most of the time because that's the way he wanted it. The only one that could comfortably approach Conner was the elder, but even then the elder got a sense that Conner whished the elder would leave him alone also.

 

It's not that Conner hated the elder, or anyone else for that matter, but he would always think that they were talking to him out of pity. Conner hated pity, and could not talk anyways so always found ways to avoid people. It seemed that everyone was right about Conner keeping the scar as a defense mechanism but they were wrong. Conner kept the scar and voice impediment as a reminder that he had something left to do, family to avenge, and his own life to make up for by ending that of his attempted-murderer's.

 

He trained hard for the day he would get the chance to do get his revenge but he never even attempted to leave the monastery in search for the Drow, ugh- what was his name? Viliter, Zetver Vilizet? It was that that he was meditating on. It was twenty-four years to the day that the Drows had slaughtered his village and he felt that if he did not act immediately he would never gather enough hatred to go after the Drows again. So Conner decided that is was time and tomorrow he would set off to try and find the Drow.

 

In his deep state Conner first was trying to remember everything in a logical way to get some leads. Then he would, for the first time, force the memories of the attack into his head to reinforce his hatred and determination to kill Vilzetter. Yeh, that's the name; Vilzetter. Vilzetter attacked my family and killed them, and tried to kill me. But why? After a few minutes he finally remembered the Drow were telling his parents to tell them were 'it' is. Conner could not remember if they ever said what "it" was. Explosion, yes there were explosions during the raid. That Conner could also remember. He even heard Drow screaming, but could not figure out how a bunch of farmers could kill attacking Drow. So the explosions must have been hurting the Drow, but farmers do not have exploding material so it must have been magic. But that makes no sense because farmers almost never have any kind of magical skills; much less know magic powerful enough to kill a few Drows. So either a Drow mage had went renegade (which was unlikely), or a farmer had a magical item of some sort. Conner could not think of a reason a farmer would spend so much on a magical item that was capable making those explosions and killing the Drow, so he decided that was one of the questions that needed answering. Also why the Drows attacked in the first place, surely not for the crops.

 

Two things that need answering and with the attack occurring twenty-four years ago it will be hard to answer them, much less find a specific Drow with only a word that may or may not be his name. Vilzetter for all he knew it meant 'happy' in undercommen, which is what the Drow speak amongst each other with. At least Conner would never forget Vilzetter's face, although if he would recognize it when it is aged twenty-four years is another thing.

 

Enough, Conner told himself, no more beating avoiding it. I need to remember it all if I plan on doing this. So he slowly began to let the thoughts creep into his mind. His parents murder, their pain and suffering. The Drows could have just killed them, but they tortured them and raped his mother. He was only a little child yet they slit his throat as indifferently as they disemboweled his screaming father. The memories suddenly took hold of his mind and forced themselves into being the only thing Conner could think of. It was as if he was living through it all over again.

 

Unknown to him he had gotten up and begun to throw mental concussions out, and absent mindedly used his telekinetic powers to throw random object around the room. To him he was now fully back into the past as the child, and his father telling his mother to get the horses ready. His unwilling psionic attacks cracked a support beam of the dojo and the building shifted violently. Outside it had begun to storm as expected from everyone earlier.

 

A group of Drow pushed his mother, Mary, to the ground and Conner fell beside her and was snatched up by Vilzetter and held. Conner's body was fighting furiously to escape from the grip of Vilzetter even though it was only a memory. The storm picked up and loud thunder shook the monastery, further loosening the support beam Conner struck with his mind.

 

Conner watched as his mother was beat with a club and stripped down, his father appeared and he too was struck down and beat. Conner's scar was now a hot pink and burning up as his blood rushed through his fighting body. Punches were being thrown that had no specific target, and his mind continued to unleash his psionic powers. Rain was now pouring down and the storm disguised Conner's noise to dull booming that was dismissed by most as thunder. The elder though heard this and knew better and began making his way out of his bedroom to outside.

 

His father was being cut open now and a Drow was reaching into the screaming man's body and searching for the intestines to pull out. Drows were taking turns with little Conner's mother while Conner himself was cry but far to weak to wiggle away from a full-grown Drow. Conner's body now kicked the split beam several times and the beam gave entirely. Out of pure luck, or possibly subconscious reactions Conner's body jumped out the doorway into the rain soaked rock path outside. The elder made it outside in time to see the dojo fall in on its self and Conner jumping out. Rain continued but the thunder hardly out sounded the crashing of the building and all the monks quickly made their way outside.

 

Vilzetter's blade now sunk into Conner's throat and ripped it's way across. Vilzetter is called out to by the other Drows and he drops the boy's limp body to the ground. Blood gushes everywhere and little Conner is quickly losing conscience but he still manages to see Vilzetter's face and helplessly watches as his mother is killed. His dad's screaming as come to an end that marks his death too. Conner's body jumps up from the muddy rock path and throws a series of punches while his mind lets the last bit of it's energy go to raise a few nearby stones and toss them in random directions. The monks were outside watching that takes place as they tried to make sense of it.

 

Conner's memory ended there as the he had passed out then twenty-four years ago, and his conscience mind went back to his fatigued body. He opened his eyes and realized he was standing outside in the rain, and everyone was looking at him. His tired legs gave out and he fell kneeling over, his throat throbbed and his eyes watered in sorrow and in furry over the Drows' ruthless evil.

 

The monks watched as Conner kneeled in the rain revowing his revenge in his mind. They turned their attention to the destroyed dojo. They had not known Conner was a psion, mostly because Conner did not want them to know. When he was seventeen he had finally took control of his powers and thought that if anyone found out he would be an outcast. Psions were rare, and no one trusted them. The monks did not know of his mental capabilities, but the elder did. The elder was good at seeing the truth, and he know seen what had happened to Conner, and the dojo, and knew what Conner was probably thinking.

 

I'll have my revenge Vilzetter. Nothing can stop me. You killed my family, my neighbors, my entire village, and you tried to kill me. You tried to kill me but I'm still here. Still alive. You can't kill me, I won't allow it. I can kill you though, and I will... I will.

 

The rain continued and there was a rumbling thunder in the distance that shook the ground.

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Chapters will be seperated by posts

[Nevermore]

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Chapter Two: Out into the world

 

Conner was making his way down a steep rocky hill with a small satchel slung over his shoulder. It was blue skies all around and a pleasant breeze that pushed Conner’s neck length hair out of his way. It certainly was a great day, and Conner also had a sense of relief and of excitement. Relief because he had finally left the monastery to avenge his family. He had took the first step in a quest he knew would be a long one, and it was the first step that he could not bring himself to do for several years. He was exited for two reasons: One because he was finally doing something instead of the repetitive training at the monastery. Twenty-four years was a long time for doing only one thing, and now not only could Conner put to use his skills, but he could also begin to absorb new experiences. Another reason for his excitement was again the fact he was starting the quest for vengeance and he knew he would get it.

 

As he reached a flat ledge on the hill he sat on a log and put his pack down in front of him. Conner opened the pack and took out a piece of bread. As he chewed on that and relaxed from the descent down the mountains hill he felt grateful that the Elder let him go with no worries.

 

After his sworn vengeance on Vilzetter the Elder stepped forward in the night and, with effort, shoed everyone back into their quarters. When Conner approached him, the old man simply said, "Not tonight. I will deal with you in the morning hours". Soaking wet and worried Conner went to his room. There he changed into dry clothes and sat on his cot. He knew he was leaving the next day but had no idea what he would bring with him. Not that there was much to bring anyways, only robes. He eventually got to sleep and had a dream that he could not quite remember but knew it was about his new life out side the monastery.

 

The Elder woke him up while it was still dark out. Conner did not feel tired so he knew it must have been just before sunrise. The Elder spoke before Conner collected all his thoughts and Conner missed the first few moments his master spoke.

 

"- bleeding and almost dead. I never thought you would have stayed here after you healed up but you did. You stayed and absentmindedly began training for the day I know would eventually come. The day you would leave the monastery in search of the murderers of your parents and village. Last night when I seen you in the rain after the destruction of the dojo I realized that it was time for you to start your journey."

 

Conner, now fully aware, had sat up and noticed a sack sitting at the end of his cot that the Elder must of put there. The Elder continued, "I have packed some food and other travel necessities for you Conner and I give you my best wishes. Although I will not condone your search for vengeance I will hope for your well being. You have done much for this monastery and us living here. You owe us nothing so have no worries of the dojo. It is simply a building and buildings can be rebuilt. There is nothing more to say but good-bye Conner. Do feel free to return whenever you wish. There will always be a place for you here." The Master then turned and walked out of the room.

 

So as the he had already planned on Conner left the monastery and now sat on a log near the bottom of the small mountain the monastery presided at. He stood up and picked up the pack. Break time was over and he had two miles to go till he would reach Deverio.

 

***

 

When Conner reached Deverio it was a bust. Most the houses were now just piles of rocks covered in moss. The few that were recognizably a building were half toppled over. The village as a whole was only a ghost of it's former self, and the only reason Conner knew where his house was (used to be?) because it was the farthest house to the north.

 

Conner approached the wreck that was his old home. Now it was just several piles of stones and one tiny corner still standing. Conner stepped into where his door way was. He stood there not wanting to remember what had happened but not able to fight off the flood of memories.

 

In his mind the destroyed walls rebuilt themselves and the furniture reappeared. A couple was just starting dinner with their young son. They were smiling and happy, Conner felt the warmth of the scene as he walked through it to the opposite door that led to the fields. When he got to the gap in the rubble that was once a doorway he looked out into the unmanaged grass and it was corn and wheat in his mind. He looked at the ground and seen a small child laying there bleeding from the neck. The child was trying to talk but only made horrible gurgling sounds. Drow were standing about torturing the couple from the dinner. Conner was living in his memories yet again.

 

He watched as the drow- possibly -called Vilzetter killed the woman, Conner's mother. A splatter of blood burst out and Conner moved to avoid it at the same moment there was a twig snap behind him.

 

Conner whirled around and instinctively went into combat stance. He scanned the area while simultaneously reaching out to his mind to have his mental powers on the ready. As he searched his mind raced at to who would be at a destroyed village and for a second he foolishly thought that a drow had came to finish him off. No, he thought quickly, it is broad daylight and why would the drow still be camped at a ruined village after twenty-four years. All his questioning was dismissed immediately when he seen a man not more then fifteen feet from him.

 

The man was a bit taller then Conner who was an inch over six feet, but unlike Conner the man donned full plate armor that was the typical image of a fighter where Conner wore gray and blue towels. As armored as the man was he still seemed to give the impression of being strong and the stranger stood as such. One would have to be strong to be using the great sword that the fighter was wielding. The man spoke loudly in a solid voice in a neutral tone, "I am Ry, fighter and adventurer for the kingdom of Tindervel. You seem of no hostility and so I am lowering my sword as a gesture of peace," and Ry slowly began to lower his sword.

 

Conner lowered his hands and stood naturally, matching the peace gesture and eliminating the tension of unknown alliance. Ry seethed his sword behind his back and gave Conner a quick size up. "As I said, I am Ry, fighter and adventurer, and who might you be?" Conner pointed to his throat scar and Ry nodded. "Hm, you can not speak?" Conner shook his head no. "I would normally make small talk by asking where you are from and why you are here, but the answers would be hard to gesture so I'll skip that."

 

Conner mentally tapped the man's mind and sent a short one way message, <I have come from the monastery atop that mountain.> The words were spoken in Ry's mind as if he thought them himself.

 

Ry gave a look of surprise, "A psion, not often I see one of you," he looked at the mountain then added, "and a monk." Conner nodded. Ry said, "So you know the surrounding land then? Do you have any information on the Drow Kingdoms?"

 

Conner was shocked at the mention of drows, and doubly shocked that they would ever have Kingdoms. Conner rapidly sent another mental message, <What is this of "Drow Kingdoms"? Where are they?>

 

Ry looked at Conner quizzically then said, "You don't know about the Drow Kingdoms!?! You live right next to them. Sure the monastery probably doesn't get much news, but seriously..." Conner shrugged in a yeah-and motion. Ry sighed then gave the history of the area.

 

Thirty years ago there was a farmer, Threndal, that lived in the now destroyed village of Deverio, which had inherited a rod of considerable-but unknown-power from his dieing father. Six years later a nearby drow group got hold of that information and attacked Deverio in search for the rod. Using the power of that rod they have taken over the kingdoms of Hendil, Reggworth, and Vesnear, while also growing in numbers by subordinating all the drow sects in the area. They had attacked during the day a few times which means the rod has given them the power to be out in the sunlight. The kingdoms next to the Drow Kingdoms had formed an alliance of sorts and the leaders decided it was best not to attack the Drow. Though the leaders were obviously not attacking in fear of losing their wealth, they were powerful and kept their positions for twenty-three years. That is when there was a coup and brought about the rule of new leaders. One of those leaders hired Ry find and steal the rod to critically injure the Drows' powers.

 

"So now I am here in Deverio looking for clues as to where the rod is," Ry concluded. "Now that you know what I'm doing here I think it's time you told me what your doing here," he half asked.

 

Conner gave it some thought then again sent a message, <I am the lone survivor of the Deverio raid. I was taken in by the monks as an injured victim,> Conner raised his chin to show the throat scar, <and grew up there. I now seek to avenge my parents and village. It seems we seek the same people but for different reasons.> Conner finished the message with a look of relief. Missiving can be quite the mental drain if done for long periods like that.

 

Ry nodded solemnly at the mention of murdered family, "I am sorry to hear about your family’s death. Though we have mutual interests. The group of drow that attacked your village would probably still have the rod. I'm after the rod and you’re after the group. I could use your help and I'm sure you could use mine." Conner looked at Ry a moment then nodded in agreement, he had no real knowledge of the world outside the monastery and could use a traveling partner.

 

"Then it is settled. Are you done here?" Conner looked back at the ruble that was once his home, thought briefly of the cruel murdering of both his parents, then looked back at his new partner and nodded. "Ok, we'll head to Gunderton. It's not too far away and there is some one there that we should talk to." Conner secured his satchel and they were off.

 

***

 

The time seemed to crawl by since neither really knew the other and Conner's only way of communication was either charades or missives that would tire him if he did it too much. Ry did not speak much either. He thought he would feel awkward having a one way conversation with a stranger. So they plotted silently along in no particular rush to get to Gunderton.

 

It was a pretty uneventful day until nighttime when they were sitting next to camp fire Ry had started. Ry was going over the plan for the following day. "It'll be about mid day when we reach Gunderton. We'll need to ask the locals where a woman named Mabilear lives. She is the daughter of Threndal. She might know a little about the rod her father had, and any information will be useful. I like to know what it is I'm after when I-" just then there was a sudden movement near them behind a tree and before either had a moment to react ten drow ran out from behind trees from every direction.

 

Five of the attackers swarmed Ry and he barely had time to pull out his sword to parry the slew of drow blades that were being swung at him. While Ry was busy clashing swords with his opponents the second half of drow got to Conner.

 

The first charging drow to reach Conner was smacked with an upward palm directly on the nose. The drow crumbled to the ground but the other four used the opportunity to swing at Conner. One blade slashed him shallowly on a calve while he ducked and rolled his way from the other two, the fourth blade swung uselessly at the air. A total miss.

 

Ry was being attacked from all sides and doing a bad job of defending himself. His armor took several hits as he made a sudden surge toward the two drow in front of him. His huge blade swinging madly caught one of the drow deeply across the gut causing him to yelp and shrivel to the ground, the other drow got Ry's bastered sword thrust right into his chest and Ry used the drow's weight and the end of his sword to help him arc his way out of the surrounding three drows. He was no longer surrounded but still outnumbered.

 

Jumping out of his dodging roll Conner shoot a foot into the knee of the nearest drow. The drow bent forward to compensate for the sudden lack of support from one leg and Conner used the drow's upper body momentum to add to the force of his knee which was brought up to smash the crippled drow in the face. A square hit and that drow was down.

 

Both teams were now matched three to one. Ry and Conner stood at opposite corners of the campsite separated by six remaining drow standing around the fire. There was a moment of peace as all combatants processed the situation. The moment was broken when Conner finished manifesting a psionic power and lifted his knee into the air and stomped the ground fiercely. The ground itself rippled out and everyone could hear a low roar as access psionic power resonated. Four of the drow were tripped by the unexpected move. Ry managed to stay on his feet and charged after the group of fallen drow. Conner quickly went after the two standing drow that were about to attack Ry as he was easily killing the tripped. The drow on the ground did not stand a chance in their position and their lives were ended by Ry's blade as Conner dispensed of the two standing ones with a fury of punches and kicks that battered them dead. The fight was over.

 

Ry and Conner stood a while just breathing and looking to see if any drow were still alive. None were and their bodies were piled up just out of view of the campsite. "Probably just a patrolling band," said Ry. Conner looked at the wound on his calve and closed his eyes. He knew how to make minor body adjustments with his mind, such as curing small cuts and used it now to fully heal his one wound.

 

"It'll be at least a week or two before anyone even knows their missing. Strange though, they were pretty far from the nearest Drow Kingdom," added Ry as he smothered the flame not wanting to attract any more attention then they all ready got. Both went to sleep but it was an edgy sleep because they were half expecting another raid.

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[Nevermore]

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Chapter Three: Mabilear's Request

 

They started off early the next morning eager to put some distance between them and the rotting bodies. It was another nice warm day out with scattered white clouds here and there; it was usually nice weather in this region known as Averio.

 

Averio Region was in many ways it's own little world. It was a huge temperate forest broken by the occasional plain. All of it was cut off from the rest of the world by tall mountains surrounding the entire area. It contained the small kingdoms of Hendil, Reggworth, and Vesnear, which was known as the Drow Kingdoms, and the kingdoms still unconquered were Zarilda and Tindervel. Each kingdom held a city, a town, and a village. Also each kingdom held just about the same population.

 

None of the kingdoms were at war with each other and the only problem was the number of drow caves, but it was under control by the kingdoms' armies. After the drow took over three of the five kingdoms Averio had been a bad place to live. The kingdoms outside Averio did not bother to send help because even if the drows took over all five kingdoms there was just no way they could have of successfully launched an attack outside the mountain enclosed bowl.

 

So the Drow Kingdoms were taking their time and slowly taking over all the kingdoms and it was the two northern kingdoms against the three tightly packed southern kingdoms with a band of disputed territory running down the middle.

 

It was in that disputed territory that the two had camped and were attacked. Now though, they entered Zarilda Kingdom area and were at the town of Gunderton sooner then they had expected to be there.

 

Gunderton was just a town but it had built walls all around itself since the drows uprising. The walls were fifteen feet high all around, which is quite an accomplishment for a town of this size. Inside the walls all the buildings were made of logs and stone, the only real building resource around. There was a main street that ran from the center of town to the gate, which Conner and Ry were at. The street was lined with the usual assortment of shops and had a fairly large tavern at the end of the street in the middle of the town. The left side of the street to the wall was the residential district, home to about only 4,000 people. To the right of Main Street are small gardens run by only part of the populous and a few buildings probably used for processing the grains and storage.

 

Ry spoke to the gate guard for entrance and asked if he knew where Mabilear Thatcher lived. The guard said he did and added that Mabilear ran the only magic shop in town and even people from the nearby Zarildaen city of Marlet some times travel the half day journey down here on recommendation from Marlet mages. As Ry and Conner walked to the house the guard pointed out Ry gave Conner a brief explanation. Threndal was the son of a very powerful wizard, and every other generation in that family had a knack for magic. Mabilear was the powerful wizards granddaughter and so was born with naturally powerful magic abilities. So it seems natural that she would be recommended from a city mage.

 

They reached Mabilear's place. It was a typical shop on the first floor with a bay window displaying the simple title "Mabilear's Magic" and an open sign. They walked inside and were hit with a strong smell that seemed to breath like one would breath inseparable water, the effect made it so they could feel themselves breath. There were shelves lining the walls stocked with bright colored liquids in flasks and jars. A few of the jars on the shelves held dead creature parts, most notably was one that was labeled Beholder Eye. The sunlight hit the colored liquids casting a rainbow patchwork on everything in the store. The counter was opposite the entrance and blocked off the way to a staircase and a door that was slightly ajar reveling a lab where Mabilear brewed all her potions.

 

The door closed behind them and hit a bell. Answering to the ding an older middle-aged women stepped out of the lab and welcomed them. "Hello, I have not seen you two, you must be new. From Merit? My name is Mabilear, how can I help you?" she talked in the casual sweet way one would normally greet a stranger in a small familiar community. Mabilear wore a worn dark orange robe that covered her frail build. Her hair was black with thick streaks of gray and white. She had a wrinkled face that would fool one to think that she was considerably older then she was.

 

"Hello, I am Ry," and getting straight to the point as usual, "I have questions about your father." The smile on Mabilear's face faded.

 

"No one has come to ask me of my father. I knew this day would come soon when Zanitinian," one of the new leader of the kingdom Zarilda Ry later explained, "came to power," Mabilear said mostly to herself quietly.

 

"Do you have the time now?" Ry asked.

 

"I know what you’re going to ask,” the introspective face returned back to a pleasant one. After twenty-four years she had mourned her father enough and was able to speak of her father with out breaking up. "You're here to ask about the rod, the one the drows killed him for." Not really requiring an answer she went on. "While I would love to help bring the Drow Kingdoms down, I ask that you bring me a certain item before I answer any questions."

 

Ry sighed, "What item?"

 

Mabilear turned her attention from Ry and looked at Conner, "You haven't introduced your friend here, Ry."

 

Never having to need to refer to Conner before Ry had never asked for his name. Now he stumbled his words and searched his unnamed companion’s stone still face for an answer. "His... he is named- uh..." Ry hesitated and Mabilear broke in and asked Conner for his name directly. When Conner said nothing Ry explained, "He can't talk. His throat was slit in the same attack on Deverio that killed your father. He is a silent one."

 

Mabilear must have entirely misheard Ry's explanation with her worn hearing because she responded, "Silent One is it? That is a strange name."

 

Not caring to correct her mistake Ry brought the discussion back on track and soon under stood why Mabilear was hesitant to give an answer. "What item is it that you want us to get for you?"

 

"Ah, that. Well," a pause, "I need an illithid's brain."

 

Ry's shoulders sunk, "A mind flayer! Do you realize what you're-"

 

"Yes, I know," Mabilear cut in with a tone of slight annoyance. "I know, but if you want my help you'll need to get one's brain."

 

Ry sighed, looked at Silent One in an exasperated way, then headed for the door asking as he left, "Don't suppose you know where an illithid may be around here, Mabilear?"

 

Mabilear responded almost smugly, "No."

 

The two stepped out of the shop and headed back for the city's smithy. Ry knew there was a tough fight coming up and he wanted to make sure his gear was in top shape.

 

***

 

Silent One and Ry had searched for a full three days for any sign of a mind flayer. Ry told Silent One about many things as they quested around the forestry. He taught Silent One about some of the common wildlife, about the kingdoms, and about mind flayers and the particular challenge that they held, especially for the psion.

 

Illithids, commonly called mind flayers, were tall skinny humanoid creatures that used their mental abilities to kill and enslave other creatures. They were vastly intelligent but hideous creatures. Their head looked vaguely human only that their eyes were too slanted and their maw was a dangling group of tentacles that they used to suck the brains out of their enemies. That was a fear factor for most people but what really got people was the flayer's mental capabilities. Illithids were all psions, and powerful ones at that.

 

Ry and Silent One had searched the entire day under heavy cloud cover that made for an eerie quite feeling thought the forest that unsettled both of them. Ry spotted a cave up a hill and was just about to point it out for a campsite when it started to rain.

 

They both ran up the hill to the cave but the attempt to stay dry was pretty useless as they were both soaked by the time they got into the cave entrance. "Jeez, out of the wet and into the cold," Ry grumbled as the coolness of the cave hit him.

 

Silent One turned to face the inside of the cave and was surprised to see a faint flicker of light far off into the cave. He tapped Ry and pointed toward the flickering. "Some one is in here. We should check who it is before we lay down asleep for hours at the entrance. Who knows, maybe they have food and drink, and would welcome company,” Ry whispered as he quietly pulled out his sword. "But you never know."

 

The cavern was dark except for the light at the end, which was not enough to make a seeable path through the cave. Ry lifted the torch he always hung from his side while out, but it was wet and unusable. Silent One stood still a moment with his eyes closed, when he opened them a few seconds later a beam of light from both eyes shot out onto the cavern floor where Silent One looked. Ry was impressed, but remained quite however. Silent One led the way, and as it turned out the ground was rather clear of ruble and seemed used often enough so that they probably could have of made it through easily in the dark.

 

The end of the dark tunnel curved slightly and hid the room that the firelight was flickering from. After Silent One forcefully ended his lighting they peeked around the corner. The room was fairly large but rather empty. The only noticeable unnatural things in there were the torches that stood up from the ground. The natural features did make up for the lack of furniture though. At the entrance was a circular room about twenty feet in diameter. Encircling slopes ran up each side and meeting at the opposite end of the entrance about ten feet up. It seemed there was more up there but from Silent One and Ry's view they could not see.

 

Ry stepped out from the corner and took a slow walk toward the room, Silent One followed even quieter. When they both took one step into the room they waited, expecting something to come out from the dark room that they now knew was up there. After a brief wait Ry called out, "Hello?"

 

Instantly afterwards two huge minotaurs leaped from the upper darkness and landed with thundering booms to the ground in front of the two intruders. They were only fifteen feet away and began to charge. Ry stepped up and prepared himself for a nasty fight. The first beast hit Ry knocking him backward into a cave wall. Ry instinctively rolled to the side and unto his feet just as the second charger accidentaly rammed into the wall while aiming for him. The rammer roared loudly as it stood upright again shaking its head. Ry quickly got a slice of his sword in before the creature had much time to regain its composure.

 

Silent One hardly noticed any of that as he was, from the start of the battle, telepathically assaulted. A powerful mental force was up there and it was aiming to destroy Silent One's mind from afar. Silent One was struck hard in the initial blast of power but threw his mental shields up as soon as he got the chance. He doubted how long he could last if the unknown threat continued its strong attack.

 

Ry seen his companion standing there with his eyes closed with a strained look on his face and knew better then to disturb what ever it was Silent One was doing. Right now he had other things to think about. The minotaur that hit him was now running toward him with its giant club, and the second one was picking up the club it dropped in the charge. Ry made one more slash at the minotaur that was picking up its club and got as far away from it as he could before the other got to him.

 

Silent One's defense was now fully in place and he started his own offensive measures. He was building confidence on the fact the first attack he was hit by was the strongest and now all the subsequent attacks were a bit weaker, though still extremely dangerous. He figured the first might have just felt stronger because he took the hit unhampered and now reduced the strength of his opponents attacks.

 

Ry narrowly escaped a blow by minotaur one but took a forceful hit by the other. The pain surged through his body but Ry could not stop to think about it. He was a fighter and his life hinged on his ability to ignore pain, which he now did and made a probing attack on his grizzly foes to find weak points in their defensive tactics. One minotaur, he noted, kept most of its weight pressed on the left leg. He applied this knowledge by suddenly thrusting after the leg. The minotaur was caught off guard by the lunge and was not able to neither parry nor dodge the move. Ry's sword met knee and he forced his sword in, pushing and crushing the half-bull's kneecap out of place. The minotaur lost all balance and fell forward toward Ry.

 

Silent One's battle was completely separate from Ry's, but like Ry, Silent One gained the upper hand in a surge of strength, albeit mental. From his tragic past Silent One had developed a malignant rage that, in times of great need, would surface and feed his mental and physical abilities. And Silent One was in need. What ever was attacking him had broken through his defense and hit him hard, making his body lose control of all strength and slouch against a wall. It was then that his rage from his past burst up and gave him renewed strength and stamina. Silent One pulled away from the wall and sent out a mental attack that was strong enough to fry any human's brain that he targeted. Almost seeing the pulse rush up toward the darkness above, Silent One charged past the falling minotaur and Ry, and leaped up the ten-foot wall and disappeared into the darkness.

 

Ry lost his focus from Silent One's rush and had only enough time to partially get out of the minotaur's landing path. Ry was knocked to the ground, sending his sword sprawling away, and his feet were trapped under the heavy fallen enemy. The last standing minotaur took its time to step over to helpless Ry and raise its club. Before bringing the surely fatal last blow down on the pinned Ry, there was a high pitched screech from the room above that made the minotaur stop. It dropped its club to the floor and shook its head. It groaned something in its Giant language. It seemed confused but still angry. The vexed thing looked at Ry who was taking the opportunity to struggle free and roared loudly. Ry stopped his wiggling for a moment but when his executioner lifted its hoof to stomp one him, Ry quickly changed tactics and reached for his dagger. The minotaur brought its leg unknowingly down on Ry's waiting dagger, and Ry began to try and force the leg, which was dangerously close to Ry's head, away.

 

The pain from the dagger stabbed the minotaur, and weakened it enough so that Ry had a chance at out-muscling the leg. With his last ounce of strength Ry managed to repel the leg and pull out from under the limp body of the minotaur that was bleeding out from the knee. The other, though, pulled the dagger out of its hoofed foot and set up for a charge at Ry. That gave Ry enough time to get to his bastered sword and come up with a quick plan. The creature once again charged Ry but this time had no problem nailing him, mostly because Ry was not moving. Ry had simply held out his sword against the ram and now was lifted off his feet by hanging on to his sword, which was now deep in the collor of his large attacker. The hairy tower of an animal had been punctured through several major organs including one of its lungs and its heart. The creature was going down and with the last flick of its body sent Ry quickly to the ground. The impaled minotaur died before it even landed flat on the cave floor.

 

Ry groaned from the aches of the battle and got to his feet. His feet hurt from being crushed under the minotaur but he staggered over to his sword and pulled it out from the dead body. He remembered Silent One going to the next room where he now heard no noise. Ry walked up a slope and entered the above room. He thought it had been a dark room but when he got up there he realized that it had not been completely dark. There were candles lit at an alter on the far side of the round room about thirty feet way. With the dim light he could see the few things there were to see there. There were large shackles to the left side on the floor, and on the right was a tiny fountain that doubtlessly used an underground water source to feed it. There were massive pools of fresh blood all around the room.

 

At the alter Silent One was kneeling over a body. Ry stepped toward his partner and heard a cracking sound that was the undeniable sound of a spine being twisted harshly past the breaking point. Ry stopped walking and waited as Silent One worked on something with the body. After a few squishing noises and hard jerks Silent One stood up and turned around to face Ry. Silent One was covered in blood and looked extremly fatigued. In his hands he held a head that dangled tentacles. The face's white eyes were frozen wide open in a look of terror or pain. Ry did not know which; it was hard to tell the expressions of a mind flayer.

 

Trying to ease the silence Ry said, "Well, that takes care of that, but there is no way I'm going to sleep in here for the night."

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[Nevermore]

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Chapter Four: Defending Gunderton

 

The next morning they awake to clear skies for the first time in three days. Both in high spirits they set off rather early and kept up a rapid pace. Ry figured they would reach Gunderton by midday if they kept the speed up. Silent One was looking at the new dark purple tattoo that wove around his right hand knuckles.

 

Before they had left the cave the night before they rummaged through the few things that were there to hopefully find something valuable, or better yet usable. They only found little trinkets that evil creatures usually had such as skulls and medallions of evil deities. Ry though had found a torch buried under a pile of other junk that would magically stay lit as long as he wanted it to be. Silent One had found nothing and decided to check the decapitated body of the Mind Flayer. Finding nothing of use in the pockets he just stared at the body in a moment of reflection.

 

He had been in tight mental combat with the creature and had been dealt a hard hit. Once his rage began he jumped up to the room and seen the Mind Flayer oddly just sitting down. Silent One used the time it took the Mind Flayer to get to its feet to run up to it and begin punching hard and fast at the white-eyed face. Beating it to the ground with the first set of strikes he began to kick and actually stomp on the shrieking illithid. It had been a violent moment, one that he wished had not happened. He did not want to be like the ruthless killers that had killed his village. He then thought that the only thing that could be compared to the drow here was the Mind Flayer. Silent One squatted down and twisted the slimy head roughly to break the thing's neck and began to rip the head off. When he had it off his rage was well past drained and he only felt a sick mix of revulsion, regret, and satisfaction.

 

He was snapped out of the remembrance by the sight of a slightly shimmering purple blurb on the body’s wrist. Silent One bent down to pull up the sleeve to see what it was. When he touched the blurb he felt he could will it to crawl up his hand and onto his own body. He did so and the moving design settled in an exotic looking design that made his right fist appear to be considerably more freighting. Silent One knew it was not any more dangerous, but such a design does invoke a certain feeling of forigness- and thus fear- in the viewer.

 

Silent One reached out to his knuckles with his mind, as he can do with any part of his body using his intense meditation knowledge. The tattoo soundly felt like it was pulsing out and Conner could some how feel a burst in his mind. He decided that the tattoo was telling him that its power was that of a burst of psionic power, which when he thought about his own known powers he thought could mean a concussion or some sort.

 

While Silent One stared at his new tattoo he willed it to move slightly around. After a while he lost fascination with it and speed up to catch up with Ry who was several yards ahead now.

 

After a few hours of walking they had stopped for a quick break. They chewed on the old trail rations Silent One had. Ry's where used up in the unexpended long search for an illithid. The bread was stale and the jerky tasted like hard leather, but it was edible and Ry had a flask of wine for each of them to wash it down with. He usually kept wine around for special occasions and considered this to be one of them.

 

While Ry was a pretty experienced fighter, he had never fought such a tough battle before. He had fought a minotaur before, but not two of them. He opened his mouth to tell Silent One the story of the past minotaur battle. Silent One loved stories, Ry thought because of Silent One's sheltered life of at the monastery. Before the first word was spoken though there was a sudden loud voice that came not too far from where the two sat.

 

The voice continued speaking but in a language Silent One did not know, though Ry seemed to be listening and understanding. The voice went on and Ry stood up and quickly began picking up his gear, not knowing what to do and not receiving and cues from Ry, Silent One did the same. Ry threw his pack over his shoulder and scanned the woods, and began to move quietly away from their break area, motioning to Silent One to do the same. Silent One followed Ry, but noticed they were headed closer to the voice and so away from Gunderton. The two crawled up a little hill and at the top could see the small clearing that voice was coming from.

 

The field was swarmed with, Silent One estimated, four hundred drow. Most of them dressed in leather amour and bows slung around them. They where listening to the speaker that stood on a large flat bed wagon as a sort of stage. The speaker was a strong drow male that wore heavy metal amour, he seemed to be briefing the crowd on something but Silent One did not know on what.

 

Ry and Silent One laid there huddled in bushes until Ry suddenly tapped Silent One on the shoulders and motioned for them to head out quickly. They snuck away and continued to quietly move for quite some time till the sound of the voice was too far away to hear. Then Ry began to quickly sprint as he informed Silent One what the amour-clad drow had said.

 

The drow where going to attack Gunderton in two days at sunrise. The early hour would catch the, all ready unprepared, city by surprise when many are still asleep so that there would be no hope of the simpletons of forming any kind of defense. The two days was a wait for a second cluster of drow to get into position that was coming from another drow settlement. Ry and Silent One would have to get to Gunderton as soon as possible if there was going to be any hope of getting troops from the larger city of Zarilda. Defending Gunderton with out their help was just not possible.

 

***

 

They got to Gunderton heaving heavily form the marathon run. The gate guard was the same one as before. After a while of catching his breath Ry asked the guard- who was sniffing the air wondering what smelt so raunchy -where the mayor of the city lived. The guard pointed out a large house and another building that was his office. The guard continued to cringe at the foul odor of the two but kept silence knowing that, for whatever reason, now was not the best time to pester the two urgent smellers.

 

They headed toward the mayor's office when Ry said, "An Illithids head is not exactly a wonder to smell in the presence of a city official. Why don't we split up? You deliver the head to Mabilear and I'll get the mayor to send for help from Zarilda." Silent One nodded in agreement and pulled the head out of Ry's sack. They split up and Silent One jogged toward Mabilear's shop, though his duty had no particular rush to it Silent One still felt the urgency of the situation.

 

The shop was open for business and Silent One stepped in. The strange smell- if you could call it that -was absent this time but the multicolored shadows of all the liquids were still there though. An older woman was just leaving the store and gasped when she saw the evil looking head of the illithid being carried in by a stern looking man with a jagged scar running the width of his throat. Not wishing to have the awkward moment last Silent One stepped to the side so the plump woman could leave which see did with out hesitation.

 

Mabilear, who was at the counter watching this all take place, was grinning broadly, "You found one!" Silent One thought to him self, yeah, we “found” it. He stepped up to the counter and was going to set it down but Mabilear snatched it out of his hands and held it up to her face examining it. "This is wonderful! I've been waiting for quite a while for some opportunity to get a hold on one of these," she stepped into her back room and raised her voice so Silent One could hear her.

 

"Where is your buddy- uh... Ry wasn't it?" Silent One stood there blankly waiting for Mabilear to say something useful for quite some time while she went on about how she came to acquire some of the rarer components she had in her store, he could hear her using metal tools and once heard a distinct thunk and crack. It was during the middle of the eye of the beholder story that Silent One had to interrupt.

 

<Tell me about the rod,> he sent mentally to her. The noise of the tools stopped and Mabilear walked from the back room wiping her hands on a towel.

 

"So, the silent one speaks after all. I never did meet a quite person tha-" again Silent One sent a message only shorter.

 

<The rod.> Mabilear put the towel down and sat on a stool behind the counter.

 

"Ok. Ok. Simmer down," her tone dropped to seriousness. "The rod was created long ago by one of my great wizard ancestors that led an army against an invasion of earth elementals that were pouring out of a portal created by the now dead deity Terraiantine. My ancestor, Sarin, needed to protect his army from the elementals and also magically build up their general effectiveness through spell that boosts ones strength and battle smarts. Unable to cast the required spells on each of the thousands of soldiers individually he forged the powerful rod so it could cast such ability influencing spells continuously and target large crowds, not individuals.

 

Sarin sacrificed a lot of his own power in order to craft the rod but it was a necessary sacrifice. After losing most of his power from making the rod he fell ill and was unable to partake in the last battle against Terraiantine's forces. So Sarin's son and apprentice was given the rod and he strengthened the army and led them into battle. Sarin demanded to be at the battle but being so ill no one would let him, but they did move him to the army's camp. This quieted the dieing man down and raised the determination of the troops.

 

The morning the troops left the camp to battle the elementals Sarin got considerably worse and the few that stayed behind to look after him feared he would not live to hear the news of a victory. If there was to be one.

 

The two massive armies spanned so far that the one battle spread from the field, into a forest and through a mountain valley. The battle was large in scale but short in time because both sides were incredibly powerful and quickly were wiping each other out. After only one intense hour Sarin's son/apprentice, Jatt, had fought the troops all the way up to the portal. Jatt examined it and claimed the portal was far too powerful to close through mortal means.

 

Sarin's caretakers marked the great wizard's time of death to be four hours after the troops left. It was four hours since they left that they got to the portal. The surviving, and still fighting, troops all watched in shock as a mysterious pinkish-white force formed in the sky. All claimed to have been reminded of Sarin as the force swept through the battle and all the elementals crumbled dead to the ground. The force then surged into the portal and with a thundering roar and a gust of strong wind the portal imploded and the war was won. It was through the god of magic Boccob that Sarin was granted his last attack.

 

With his forces lost and his portal closed Terraiantine was enshrouded with hate and contempt. He could not kill Sarin for Sarin was all ready dead and his soul belonged to Boccob-, which was Sarin's payment for his last attack - and Boccob is considerably stronger then the minor deity Terraiantine was. So with no way of alleviating his hate it consumed him till he used his own power to destroy himself."

 

There was a long period of silence before Mabilear spoke again, "So Sarin's rod can cast mass spells that grant the recipients extra protection and strength. That's why the drow can be out during the day with no ill effects now, the drow must have used the rod to eliminate their weakness to daylight."

 

Silent One thought a long while then asked, <Is the protection permanent?>

 

"The duration of the effects are effected by the strength and type of spell and the number of people it effects. If the drow only used it to eliminate daylight weakness then the effects could last for an entire year."

 

Silent One thought for a while then remembered that the drow where going to attack in three days, the story had thrown him off a bit. <Thank you, but now you need to trust me. Make healing potions. Lots of them. Trust me something big is going to happen to this city.> Ignoring the brief ache of his head from the long missiving he turned and walked out of the store and headed toward the mayor's offices to see how Ry was doing.

 

Which was good. Ry had easily convinced them that he was telling the truth. He said that the mayor had been expecting an attack for quite some time but let his guard down when it never came. At the news of the approaching drows the mayor immediately sent out two teams of riders to Zarilda to ensure the message got there. Ry and Silent One were told that there would be military forces back by tomorrow afternoon.

 

After offering their help the mayor set them up at the inn and said that they were going to start building catapults and barrackaids the next day. The Zarilda troops would not get here on time if they had to drag thier own artillery and the town's only defence all ready biult was the wall.

 

Unfortenitly the women and children all had to stay because nobody knew where the other squads of drow were going to approach from and so they could not risk having them goig throught the forest not knowing if they are going to run across drow. Also they would need to have sent them with all the gaurds in order to have even crudy protection for all of them and they needed the gaurds for building.

 

Simply abandening the city was out of the question because if any cities along the Drow Kingdom border fell then all of Averio was likely to be swollowed up with in the next century. Agian also there was just not enough gaurds there to provide desent protection from the mass of people that would have to be moved.

 

So they were all stuck waiting for the Zarildaians and building catapolts.

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This marks the end of what I got so far. This is the end of this section, but not the chapter.

 

Please do read this and respond any way you wish, beside complaining about my spelling which is not perfect.

 

Expect to see more of this evert sunday. Though no more humungo posts like I got so here. The story will be done in, I'm guessing, three months, maybe four.

[Nevermore]

Due to lack of time and energy I was unable to write much. Though I did rewrite the ending of the above post.

 

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The next day the entire city was alive. Not one single person seemed to be idle. Every man was putting together the catapolts and barrackades. They had all ready built three of them using the large stocks of wood they had stored in the sheds. Ten women were being heavily suppervised by Mabilear and were makeing healing potions and flasks that exploded with fire on impact. The rest of the women were keeping the young children watched and out of everyones way, and some were keeping a break stand filled for the biulders.

 

It was amazing how quickly everyone had gotten situated in these jobs, and were even more amazeing at how well they were all dealing with it. The break stand was used often due to the wealth of builders that were all working as hard and fast as they could, but those that used it only stood around till they caught their breaths and drank a bit of water then went back to the grualing work.

 

By the end of the day they had built a dozen catapolts, completly barricaded weak points in the wall, and had plenty of fearsome traps ready to be activated at the gate. With the Zarilda troops arriving early the next morning, things were looking good. Well, Alam thought, my city being attacked is under no curcumstance "good" but we are dealing with it rather nicely.

 

It was midnight and everyone execept the gaurds were asleep. Alam, a moon elf gaurd, was circuling the city's parimiter keeping a look out for an early attack. He doubted the drow would attack early for they all ready thought thier planned attack was going to be a suprise, but if would be foolish not to have gaurds out anyways.

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[Peregrine]

The Vagrant's post deleted. I don't recall seeing Nevermore give permission for anyone else to add to the story, and especially not to contradict his posts.