The Rebirth of Alie'th. Ellrien's view
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 4:51 am
This story deserves to be posted here. I asked Swift if I could, and got a yes. Wyvern deserves the credit for writting this up. I enjoyed it alot and so should all of you. Wyvern, here is your due for a great story. *bows*
This story is long, sorry. As well as that I can't remember the dialogues word for word, so if anybody else who was there want's to make their own changes then tell meeee. I take artistic liberties.
---
It was a pleasent day, for such a gruesome task, and the sun light reflected brightly off Emela's guilt silver and red armour as the four of them strolled along intently ever eastwards towards the Immerflow, and onwards to the Hullack. Isaniel and Aaron with their magics, Bital with her own defenses, and Emela with her unbound fury. Up ahead padded the silent and sleek figure of a large, midnight black feline, who was bounding along and otherwise enjoying the wind through her fur.
But of course, when travelling the roads through the wilds of Cormyr, trouble is never lurking that far away, and the panther was the first to walk into it. Scant seconds later she was racing back to the rest of the group, with a similar looking creature snapping at her tail. Similar at least, if you could tear your eyes away from the blood red markings across it's sides, and the wild look in it's eyes. The four of them raised their bows and crossbows and sent a flurry of arrows at the beast. Elrien stopped in her tracks and spun around, growling at the panther demon, and launched herself at it, as did Bital, armed with her staff.
Along with the Malar panther, there was yet another of these beasts slinking along further up the road, several tree-demons, or Treants, as Aaron called them waited for them, and a small gang of were-beasts. All of them leaving a trail of destruction ever eastwards. After emerging from a section of forest on their way towards the Hullack they were greeted by a flurry of magics. And they weren't of a friendly disposition. After the first burst of magic's flying over they're head, the mage in question darted out and broke cover. A slight elven woman began running away from the group as fast as she could, occasionally glancing over her shoulder. Arrows and bolts went flying through the air after here, only to bounce off the magical protections in place over her. Aaron let off a volley of magic towards the mage, throwing her to the ground, but she picked herself up and ran on again. Elrien darted after her and gave chase, yelling at her kin in elven.
"Wait!" The woman didn't respond, she just kept on running. "Wait!" Elrien yelled again, the woman glanced over her shoulder frantically. "Please! Wait!" The woman slowed to a stop and spun around on Elrien, gripping her dagger tensely. Elrien made a show of re-sheathing her scimitar and holding her hands away from the hilt.
Behind her, Elrien could hear Emela sliding her sword away, and limping up beside her, whispering into her ear, "Be careful..." Elrien nodded in reply and turned her attentions back to the mage.
"Why do you attack us?"
"He... he told me too." She stammered simply, as though that was explanation enough.
"Who is this master of yours?"
"I-I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"He-he said I must... kill you" Elrien frowned and opened her mouth to ask another question, but rather then oblige her the elven woman darted backwards and let of dispelling magic right at Elrien, ripping away most of her magical protections. Elrien jumped backwards, drew her spear off her back and lunged at the running elf, taking chase, quickly followed by the other four.
After their brief encounter with the rogue mage, it wasn't long before the five of them reached the Immerflow, and crossed over easily with the help of the ferryman. And upon their arrival at the Purple Dragon outpost they were greeted to the sounds of combat. A flurry of arrows flashed in the sunlight, follwed by the scream of a woman near by. Aaron and Elrien took off in the direction of the scream, followed by a troupe of Purple Dragon's whilst Bital and Isaniel stood beside Emela, who was slumped, exhausted on the roadside.
One of the purple dragons leant down and rolled over the limp form of an elven woman, while the commander cursed loudly and turned across to Aaron and Elrien.
"Third bloody attack today," The Purple Dragon grumbled, as El and Aaron elbowed their way past the Dragon's to get a better view of the corpse. Another spell caster, with the same wild look in her eyes like the last one who attacked them on the road.
Aaron searched the corpse briefly for any belongings, whilst Elrien conversed with the Dragon's Commander, enquiring as to the other attacks. Aaron straightened up as the Commancder signalled for the rest of the soldiers to carry the body away.
"The garrison has been strengthened here, hasn't it?" Enquired Aaron.
"Aye, that it has."
"Good, trouble's stirring in the woods." Elrien pipped in, the Commander and gave a resigned sigh, and nodded his head.
Elrien turned to Aaron, "We should get a move on, nearly nightfall." She said, glancing at the sun beginning it's slow dip into the horizen.
Heading back to the others, Elrien voiced her concern about the onslaught of nightfall.
"The woods hold no fear for me," muttered Emela, who was still catching her breath, looking unusually tired. Elrien turned on Emela and replied rather curtly, "They should."
Considering all the efforts the Malarites and the Orcs had put into stop their arrival at the Hullack, there really wasn't too much difference, it still was equally dangerous, as they found out the moment they took foot in the woods. Yet more Were-beasts were crawling through the foliage, and tree-demons lumbered between the trunks, crashing loudly through the low hanging branches between them and their prey. Elrien grimaced briefly, clutching at her forehead with a free hand the closer the Malarite beasts came to them. Resigned, they slogged through the woods until they could see the orc guards stationed outside the camp.
The five of them waited briefly outside the campsite, Emela catching her breath, while the others were watching the orcs patrolling about it intently, catching a brief respite from the fighting that was about to begin. Elrien hitched up her shield onto her arm, and took her spear in the other. Aaron, Isaniel and Bital took a brief moment to cast their magic protections over them, and Emela hefted up her greatsword. Two orcs had been placed as guards outside the camp, both of them grunting to one another in some crude language. The five of them sent a volley of arrows and bolts towards the two guards, before Bital, Elrien and Emela rushed forward to join in combat. No sooner were the two of them downed, a volley of arrows came over the wall of the orcish campsite, followed by gutteral howls and screeches. Where the rusting arrow heads cut through flesh there was poison and disease, Elrien did the best she could at hiding behind her shield while Aaron sent blazing balls of white hot fire bowling down the gate. With the stench of burning flesh in the air, the gate into the camp groaned and crumbled into ash. Another fireball was thrown into the campsite, follwed by a rush from the group, cutting down any standing orcs behind the walls, and engaging those with the will to fight.
Further in the camp the group cut their path, the harder the fighting became. These orcs were battle hardened and ready, marksmen positioned all through the camp, ready to let loose arrow after arrow on any victims that should stroll into their sights. Mingled among the orcs were the dog men, the gnolls with their naturalistic magics, somewhat akin to Elrien's own gift. And littered among the orcs were the spell casters, whoever taught the orcs to call upon arcane might was somewhat deserving of a painful death. After fighting their way across to where they believed the captains tent to be, they still hadn't found who they'd come for. On the eastern fringe of the camp, the five of them stopped briefly to catch their breath, heal one anothers wounds as well they could, and enjoy to small respite from the continuous fighting.
Emela slumped back on the mulchy forest floor, while Elrien doubled over, catching her breath, Isaniel and Aaron kept a quiet look out while Bital went about doing her best to heal the wounds of others. They didn't wait long before heavy footsteps could be head approaching from the desner forests to the east of them.
Alie'th lumbered forward, growling savagely, swaggering under his huge round shield and the heavy longsword dangling from his belt. His beady yellow eyes locked on the still form of Emela, lying inert on the ground. The towering figure was cloathed in some robust looking armour, with greasy black hair tied back into a scruffy ponytail. The horrible stench emnating from him reached them before he did. Seeing the group all standing and lying there, surrounded by orc's corpses, all of us looking a little worse for wear, Alie'th reached for the hilt of his blade and wrenched it free, charging towards them. Elrien got her spear up in the way quick enough to block his first blow, the sharp sound of metal on her spear stave making her ears ring and sending vibrations up her arm. The lithe elf ducked under the next blow and summoned the strength to bring her spear up into the orcs sword arm.
"LEAVE HIM!" Came Aaron's voice from behind the combatting to two, and Elrien rolled out of the way in time to see one of Aaron's magics flying over her head. The ball of light hit Alie'th in the chest midswing, with his sword back over his head ready to bring it down into Elrien. There was a small grunt of suprise from the orc, and then silence. Looking up closely at Alie'th, it looked as though he'd become as still as a statue, and indeed, upon closer inspection, his green tinged skin was now, rather a stoney mottled grey. Each strand of his hair was frozen in place, the same stoney colour, even his sword, shield and armour were all turned into stone.
"Well what now?" Enquired Aaron.
Emela wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye and sighed heavil, pushing herself up onto her feet with the help of her greatsword.
"We need to get him to either Voran or Semmach."
Aaron looked appraisingly at the statue, and then towards Emela.
"I might be able to teleport myself and Alie'th to the grove..." Emela cast a pleading look in Aaron's direction. "And I might be able to manage you as well... though it will be taxing."
"Aye, yer magics be best," Bital nodded. "I be walkin' if your magics can't take us all,"
"Perhaps your gift could help us Bital?"
Bital gave Aaron a confusing look.
"I maybe could take Isaniel and El, but no to the grove, maybe the chamber?"
"It's not much of a walk from the caverns," added Elrien.
Emela stood up limply, glancing anxiously between Aaron and Alie'th, as Aaron started up a low chant, slowly growing in emphasis.
"Ye two got silver rings?" asked Bital. Elrien's eyes snapped briefly from the chanting figure of Aaron to Bital. There was a loud crack, and turning back to where Aaron was orignally standing was nothing, Alie'th and Emela were gone as well. Elrien and Isaniel turned back to Bital, Elrien nodded and tapped a small silver ring with one finger. Isaniel shook her head, having no such jewelery on her person.
"No matter, here, have one o' mine," Bital handed a small band of silver to Isaniel, who slipped it over one of her fingers. The three of them closed their eyes to the sound of Bital's ferverent praying to "Mother"
---
When the three of them opened there eyes again, gone were the tall tree's, casting down their mottled shadows onto the forest floor, no more stench of already decaying orc corpses, no blood stains around them. Rather then being in the middle of a bloody camp, they were in a cavernous room. The carvings on the ancient walls playing out various scenes in the history of the chamber. The stones beneath their feet were cool to the touch, and covered in dust, unmoved in centuries. Pillars in the corners of the room towering up into the darkness. Elrien sneezed loudly, sending dust clouds up around her head and echo's off into the darkness. While Isaniel was still getting her bearing, Bital stared informing her about where they were, and Elrien disappeared off around the corner, only for a small canine head to reappear around the corner seconds later, it might have looked like any other wolf, were it not for the fact that there were a handful of grey feathers tangled in it's fur aroud it's head, and that it looked to be slightly whiter then any normal wolf to be found in the Cormyrian wilds.
"I'm hopin' that's Elrien there," the wolf yipped appreciatively and dashed off around the corner, keeping several paces ahead of Bital and Isaniel as they made their way up through the chambers, occasinally sticking her nose into crevices and cracks in the stonework and sending spiders and other insects scuttling around.
---
Up in the grove, Emela and Aaron had arrived safely, with their large stoney cargo. Aaron was smiling appreciatively at his accuracy at teleportation, while Emela was unbuckling her armour and wrapping herself up in her bedroll.
---
The three of them made their way up through the chambers, arriving in the labyrinth of caves below the grove proper.
"Go'on ya pest, ya know the way now." the wolf wagged it's tail and yipped loudly before turning sharply and bounding off into the darkness, ahead of Isaniel and Bital, arriving up in the grove a moment or two later.
Spying out Emela and Aaron, the wolf bounded around the two of them and Alie'th enthusiastically before pausing briefly to sniff Emela's hair, as she lay down, wrapped up in her bedroll to one side of the druid circle in the grove. Emela shifted slightly, but wasn't quick enough to avoid being licked happily in the face, before the canine darted off and went back to bounding cheerfully around the grove, before settling down and sitting on Aaron's feet. Bital wandered over to the Core stone and offered up prayers whilest Isaniel stood off to one side watching the event intently.
"Now... we just need someone to fetch Voran and we can get on with this..." The wolf yipped enthusiastically and bounced off Aaron's feet, doing one lap of the circle before darting off in a different direction.
"Um, that is Elrien isn't it?"
The wolf reappeared a scant few minutes later, walking sedately beside another elven figure. Elrien barked something up to the figure who came forward into the circle, examining the group critically, halting his gaze on Emela, sitting down quietly, wrapped in her bedroll still.
"Emela?" Emela peered up at Voran, "Why have you brought this?" said Voran, pointing at the figure of Alie'th, "We do not desire statues so ugly," he said light heartedly, smiling comfortably.
Emela looked up between Alie'th and Voran, "Can you perform a reincarnation?"
"Yes, yes I can, but for an orc?" Voran gave Emela a scepticle look, raising an eyebrow.
"This is Alie'th, my brother," Emela sighed heavily. The wolf shifted position and sat beside Voran's feet, as he gave the silent figure of Alie'th a appraising look.
---
"If you were to shatter the statue it would kill him"
"Yes, but I don't want to destroy his items." Aaron nodded and rubbed his chin. "Then somebody bind him up."
"I got rope, but ya need somebody else to tie him up."
"Very well," Several of them took Bital's rope and bound the sentinal figure securely.
"I'll undo the petrification then... be ready" Emela nodded and slid one of her dresses over her head and retrieved her blade from the ground beside her armour and nodded to Aaron. Aaron chanted quietly the counter for the spell, and slowly the stoney quiality of Alie'th's skin seemed to melt away, from his head first down his arms and finally, his feet were free. The lumbering orc shifted angrily against his bindings.
Emela stepped forward, while everyone else took a step back, away from the grunting beast. Emela gazed up at the towering figure, her eyes shinign with tears.
"Alie'th..." She trailed off, at a loss for words perhaps.
Alie'th's beady bloodshot eyes turned sharply on Emela, a gutteral growl starting up in his throat and building in volume. The Orc snarled and flexed his muscles, snapping the ropes around him as though they were nothing more then cotton. His sword still entrapped within his hand from where he was paralyzed initially, completed it's intended course, slicing a shallow red line through Emela's midriff, she stumbled away from the enraged orc and Aaron stepped forward, letting off a spell and paralyzing the orc in place for a second time. Emela shrugged off the score across her stomach, and stepped forward again, gripping her sword determinedly, tears flowing freely down her face. She locked her eyes upon those of her brothers, and placed the tip of her sword against the orcs unprotected chest.
"See you on the other side, Brother." She whispered quietly, before taking a deep breath, and sliding the blade home, easily through the sinew and muscle in his chest, between his large rib cage and the tip of the blade piercing the orcs heart. The yellow eyes glossed over in death, Emela withdrew the blade swiftly, and the Orc stood a moment longer, before collapsing heavily onto the ground, his sword and shield lying forgotten beside him.
"Aaron, Bital, help me carry him," Came the commanding voice of Voran, the three of them combined were not enough to lift the heavily built orc completely, and they settled with dragging him up to the head of the Corestone. The wolf darted forwards and took Arie'th's sword hilt grip between it's teeth, and dragged the blade through the grass, dropping it next to it's owner.
By now there were two other figures watching the ritual with increasing intrest, both of them occasionally whispering to one another, stanidng on the outside of the druid circle. Both of them of slight build, one a helmeted and armoured female, and the other, a simply robed male elf.
Next, Voran turned on the wolf.
"Elrien, help me." The wolf nodded briefly, and took several paces forward, the canine form slowly changing, becoming more upright, more human like, until standing next to Voran was Elrien, minus any canine like attributes. Voran took a step closer to the prone form of Alie'th, and motioned for Elrien to follow. Voran slipped down onto the grass, praying quietly in druidic, Elrien followed Voran's lead and chanted the passage on accordence with Voran. After a while, that seemed like an eternity for those watching, the circle was filled with pure white light, from some unknown source, throwing out long shadows and casting everyone's faces in an eerie glow. Voran motioned for Elrien to stand up, and so she did, standing next to Voran.
Voran whispered something into Elrien's ear, "Let me share your power..." Voran held out his hands and Elrien took them, linking their fingers together, Elrien closed her eyes and breathed deeply, focusing inwardly on the moment. Voran closed his eyes and started chanting, his voice sending the archaic words echoing throughout Draedan's tree's. Voran motioned for the robed male elf from outside the circle to stand next to him. The elf tentatively stepped past Aaron and Emela and stood patiently next to Voran, on the other side of him to Elrien, linking his free hand with Voran's like Elrien had done earlier.
The others watched, apprehension etched across their faces, waiting patiently and silently for whatever results this ritual might bring about. The white light emenating from above them shone even brighter, causing the onlookers to close their eyes as the light pulsed brighter and brighter still over the orcs prone form.
As abruptly as the light had formed over them, it disappeared, as though snuffed out like a candle. Voran groaned and fell to his knees, abruptly severing his links with Aden and Elrien, both of whom fell to the floor beside Voran in a similar fashion. Elrien could hear gasps of suprise, and opened her eyes groggily, only to gasp herself. Rather then the prone body of the orc before her, stood a male elf, chestnut brown hair, and piercing eyes. Carrying no remenance of his original identity, except for the sword that he carried in one hand. Emela lept past the drained forms of Elrien, Voran and Aden, and envoloped Alie'th in a large, heartfelt hug.
"Welcome back"
---
As I said, the dialogues are guesswork for the most part, hopefully it's pretty much on the mark. If anyone wants to make any changes then go for it, I wasn't really concentrating in the large chunk of dialogue prior to the re-incarnation of Alie'th.
This story is long, sorry. As well as that I can't remember the dialogues word for word, so if anybody else who was there want's to make their own changes then tell meeee. I take artistic liberties.
---
It was a pleasent day, for such a gruesome task, and the sun light reflected brightly off Emela's guilt silver and red armour as the four of them strolled along intently ever eastwards towards the Immerflow, and onwards to the Hullack. Isaniel and Aaron with their magics, Bital with her own defenses, and Emela with her unbound fury. Up ahead padded the silent and sleek figure of a large, midnight black feline, who was bounding along and otherwise enjoying the wind through her fur.
But of course, when travelling the roads through the wilds of Cormyr, trouble is never lurking that far away, and the panther was the first to walk into it. Scant seconds later she was racing back to the rest of the group, with a similar looking creature snapping at her tail. Similar at least, if you could tear your eyes away from the blood red markings across it's sides, and the wild look in it's eyes. The four of them raised their bows and crossbows and sent a flurry of arrows at the beast. Elrien stopped in her tracks and spun around, growling at the panther demon, and launched herself at it, as did Bital, armed with her staff.
Along with the Malar panther, there was yet another of these beasts slinking along further up the road, several tree-demons, or Treants, as Aaron called them waited for them, and a small gang of were-beasts. All of them leaving a trail of destruction ever eastwards. After emerging from a section of forest on their way towards the Hullack they were greeted by a flurry of magics. And they weren't of a friendly disposition. After the first burst of magic's flying over they're head, the mage in question darted out and broke cover. A slight elven woman began running away from the group as fast as she could, occasionally glancing over her shoulder. Arrows and bolts went flying through the air after here, only to bounce off the magical protections in place over her. Aaron let off a volley of magic towards the mage, throwing her to the ground, but she picked herself up and ran on again. Elrien darted after her and gave chase, yelling at her kin in elven.
"Wait!" The woman didn't respond, she just kept on running. "Wait!" Elrien yelled again, the woman glanced over her shoulder frantically. "Please! Wait!" The woman slowed to a stop and spun around on Elrien, gripping her dagger tensely. Elrien made a show of re-sheathing her scimitar and holding her hands away from the hilt.
Behind her, Elrien could hear Emela sliding her sword away, and limping up beside her, whispering into her ear, "Be careful..." Elrien nodded in reply and turned her attentions back to the mage.
"Why do you attack us?"
"He... he told me too." She stammered simply, as though that was explanation enough.
"Who is this master of yours?"
"I-I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"He-he said I must... kill you" Elrien frowned and opened her mouth to ask another question, but rather then oblige her the elven woman darted backwards and let of dispelling magic right at Elrien, ripping away most of her magical protections. Elrien jumped backwards, drew her spear off her back and lunged at the running elf, taking chase, quickly followed by the other four.
After their brief encounter with the rogue mage, it wasn't long before the five of them reached the Immerflow, and crossed over easily with the help of the ferryman. And upon their arrival at the Purple Dragon outpost they were greeted to the sounds of combat. A flurry of arrows flashed in the sunlight, follwed by the scream of a woman near by. Aaron and Elrien took off in the direction of the scream, followed by a troupe of Purple Dragon's whilst Bital and Isaniel stood beside Emela, who was slumped, exhausted on the roadside.
One of the purple dragons leant down and rolled over the limp form of an elven woman, while the commander cursed loudly and turned across to Aaron and Elrien.
"Third bloody attack today," The Purple Dragon grumbled, as El and Aaron elbowed their way past the Dragon's to get a better view of the corpse. Another spell caster, with the same wild look in her eyes like the last one who attacked them on the road.
Aaron searched the corpse briefly for any belongings, whilst Elrien conversed with the Dragon's Commander, enquiring as to the other attacks. Aaron straightened up as the Commancder signalled for the rest of the soldiers to carry the body away.
"The garrison has been strengthened here, hasn't it?" Enquired Aaron.
"Aye, that it has."
"Good, trouble's stirring in the woods." Elrien pipped in, the Commander and gave a resigned sigh, and nodded his head.
Elrien turned to Aaron, "We should get a move on, nearly nightfall." She said, glancing at the sun beginning it's slow dip into the horizen.
Heading back to the others, Elrien voiced her concern about the onslaught of nightfall.
"The woods hold no fear for me," muttered Emela, who was still catching her breath, looking unusually tired. Elrien turned on Emela and replied rather curtly, "They should."
Considering all the efforts the Malarites and the Orcs had put into stop their arrival at the Hullack, there really wasn't too much difference, it still was equally dangerous, as they found out the moment they took foot in the woods. Yet more Were-beasts were crawling through the foliage, and tree-demons lumbered between the trunks, crashing loudly through the low hanging branches between them and their prey. Elrien grimaced briefly, clutching at her forehead with a free hand the closer the Malarite beasts came to them. Resigned, they slogged through the woods until they could see the orc guards stationed outside the camp.
The five of them waited briefly outside the campsite, Emela catching her breath, while the others were watching the orcs patrolling about it intently, catching a brief respite from the fighting that was about to begin. Elrien hitched up her shield onto her arm, and took her spear in the other. Aaron, Isaniel and Bital took a brief moment to cast their magic protections over them, and Emela hefted up her greatsword. Two orcs had been placed as guards outside the camp, both of them grunting to one another in some crude language. The five of them sent a volley of arrows and bolts towards the two guards, before Bital, Elrien and Emela rushed forward to join in combat. No sooner were the two of them downed, a volley of arrows came over the wall of the orcish campsite, followed by gutteral howls and screeches. Where the rusting arrow heads cut through flesh there was poison and disease, Elrien did the best she could at hiding behind her shield while Aaron sent blazing balls of white hot fire bowling down the gate. With the stench of burning flesh in the air, the gate into the camp groaned and crumbled into ash. Another fireball was thrown into the campsite, follwed by a rush from the group, cutting down any standing orcs behind the walls, and engaging those with the will to fight.
Further in the camp the group cut their path, the harder the fighting became. These orcs were battle hardened and ready, marksmen positioned all through the camp, ready to let loose arrow after arrow on any victims that should stroll into their sights. Mingled among the orcs were the dog men, the gnolls with their naturalistic magics, somewhat akin to Elrien's own gift. And littered among the orcs were the spell casters, whoever taught the orcs to call upon arcane might was somewhat deserving of a painful death. After fighting their way across to where they believed the captains tent to be, they still hadn't found who they'd come for. On the eastern fringe of the camp, the five of them stopped briefly to catch their breath, heal one anothers wounds as well they could, and enjoy to small respite from the continuous fighting.
Emela slumped back on the mulchy forest floor, while Elrien doubled over, catching her breath, Isaniel and Aaron kept a quiet look out while Bital went about doing her best to heal the wounds of others. They didn't wait long before heavy footsteps could be head approaching from the desner forests to the east of them.
Alie'th lumbered forward, growling savagely, swaggering under his huge round shield and the heavy longsword dangling from his belt. His beady yellow eyes locked on the still form of Emela, lying inert on the ground. The towering figure was cloathed in some robust looking armour, with greasy black hair tied back into a scruffy ponytail. The horrible stench emnating from him reached them before he did. Seeing the group all standing and lying there, surrounded by orc's corpses, all of us looking a little worse for wear, Alie'th reached for the hilt of his blade and wrenched it free, charging towards them. Elrien got her spear up in the way quick enough to block his first blow, the sharp sound of metal on her spear stave making her ears ring and sending vibrations up her arm. The lithe elf ducked under the next blow and summoned the strength to bring her spear up into the orcs sword arm.
"LEAVE HIM!" Came Aaron's voice from behind the combatting to two, and Elrien rolled out of the way in time to see one of Aaron's magics flying over her head. The ball of light hit Alie'th in the chest midswing, with his sword back over his head ready to bring it down into Elrien. There was a small grunt of suprise from the orc, and then silence. Looking up closely at Alie'th, it looked as though he'd become as still as a statue, and indeed, upon closer inspection, his green tinged skin was now, rather a stoney mottled grey. Each strand of his hair was frozen in place, the same stoney colour, even his sword, shield and armour were all turned into stone.
"Well what now?" Enquired Aaron.
Emela wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye and sighed heavil, pushing herself up onto her feet with the help of her greatsword.
"We need to get him to either Voran or Semmach."
Aaron looked appraisingly at the statue, and then towards Emela.
"I might be able to teleport myself and Alie'th to the grove..." Emela cast a pleading look in Aaron's direction. "And I might be able to manage you as well... though it will be taxing."
"Aye, yer magics be best," Bital nodded. "I be walkin' if your magics can't take us all,"
"Perhaps your gift could help us Bital?"
Bital gave Aaron a confusing look.
"I maybe could take Isaniel and El, but no to the grove, maybe the chamber?"
"It's not much of a walk from the caverns," added Elrien.
Emela stood up limply, glancing anxiously between Aaron and Alie'th, as Aaron started up a low chant, slowly growing in emphasis.
"Ye two got silver rings?" asked Bital. Elrien's eyes snapped briefly from the chanting figure of Aaron to Bital. There was a loud crack, and turning back to where Aaron was orignally standing was nothing, Alie'th and Emela were gone as well. Elrien and Isaniel turned back to Bital, Elrien nodded and tapped a small silver ring with one finger. Isaniel shook her head, having no such jewelery on her person.
"No matter, here, have one o' mine," Bital handed a small band of silver to Isaniel, who slipped it over one of her fingers. The three of them closed their eyes to the sound of Bital's ferverent praying to "Mother"
---
When the three of them opened there eyes again, gone were the tall tree's, casting down their mottled shadows onto the forest floor, no more stench of already decaying orc corpses, no blood stains around them. Rather then being in the middle of a bloody camp, they were in a cavernous room. The carvings on the ancient walls playing out various scenes in the history of the chamber. The stones beneath their feet were cool to the touch, and covered in dust, unmoved in centuries. Pillars in the corners of the room towering up into the darkness. Elrien sneezed loudly, sending dust clouds up around her head and echo's off into the darkness. While Isaniel was still getting her bearing, Bital stared informing her about where they were, and Elrien disappeared off around the corner, only for a small canine head to reappear around the corner seconds later, it might have looked like any other wolf, were it not for the fact that there were a handful of grey feathers tangled in it's fur aroud it's head, and that it looked to be slightly whiter then any normal wolf to be found in the Cormyrian wilds.
"I'm hopin' that's Elrien there," the wolf yipped appreciatively and dashed off around the corner, keeping several paces ahead of Bital and Isaniel as they made their way up through the chambers, occasinally sticking her nose into crevices and cracks in the stonework and sending spiders and other insects scuttling around.
---
Up in the grove, Emela and Aaron had arrived safely, with their large stoney cargo. Aaron was smiling appreciatively at his accuracy at teleportation, while Emela was unbuckling her armour and wrapping herself up in her bedroll.
---
The three of them made their way up through the chambers, arriving in the labyrinth of caves below the grove proper.
"Go'on ya pest, ya know the way now." the wolf wagged it's tail and yipped loudly before turning sharply and bounding off into the darkness, ahead of Isaniel and Bital, arriving up in the grove a moment or two later.
Spying out Emela and Aaron, the wolf bounded around the two of them and Alie'th enthusiastically before pausing briefly to sniff Emela's hair, as she lay down, wrapped up in her bedroll to one side of the druid circle in the grove. Emela shifted slightly, but wasn't quick enough to avoid being licked happily in the face, before the canine darted off and went back to bounding cheerfully around the grove, before settling down and sitting on Aaron's feet. Bital wandered over to the Core stone and offered up prayers whilest Isaniel stood off to one side watching the event intently.
"Now... we just need someone to fetch Voran and we can get on with this..." The wolf yipped enthusiastically and bounced off Aaron's feet, doing one lap of the circle before darting off in a different direction.
"Um, that is Elrien isn't it?"
The wolf reappeared a scant few minutes later, walking sedately beside another elven figure. Elrien barked something up to the figure who came forward into the circle, examining the group critically, halting his gaze on Emela, sitting down quietly, wrapped in her bedroll still.
"Emela?" Emela peered up at Voran, "Why have you brought this?" said Voran, pointing at the figure of Alie'th, "We do not desire statues so ugly," he said light heartedly, smiling comfortably.
Emela looked up between Alie'th and Voran, "Can you perform a reincarnation?"
"Yes, yes I can, but for an orc?" Voran gave Emela a scepticle look, raising an eyebrow.
"This is Alie'th, my brother," Emela sighed heavily. The wolf shifted position and sat beside Voran's feet, as he gave the silent figure of Alie'th a appraising look.
---
"If you were to shatter the statue it would kill him"
"Yes, but I don't want to destroy his items." Aaron nodded and rubbed his chin. "Then somebody bind him up."
"I got rope, but ya need somebody else to tie him up."
"Very well," Several of them took Bital's rope and bound the sentinal figure securely.
"I'll undo the petrification then... be ready" Emela nodded and slid one of her dresses over her head and retrieved her blade from the ground beside her armour and nodded to Aaron. Aaron chanted quietly the counter for the spell, and slowly the stoney quiality of Alie'th's skin seemed to melt away, from his head first down his arms and finally, his feet were free. The lumbering orc shifted angrily against his bindings.
Emela stepped forward, while everyone else took a step back, away from the grunting beast. Emela gazed up at the towering figure, her eyes shinign with tears.
"Alie'th..." She trailed off, at a loss for words perhaps.
Alie'th's beady bloodshot eyes turned sharply on Emela, a gutteral growl starting up in his throat and building in volume. The Orc snarled and flexed his muscles, snapping the ropes around him as though they were nothing more then cotton. His sword still entrapped within his hand from where he was paralyzed initially, completed it's intended course, slicing a shallow red line through Emela's midriff, she stumbled away from the enraged orc and Aaron stepped forward, letting off a spell and paralyzing the orc in place for a second time. Emela shrugged off the score across her stomach, and stepped forward again, gripping her sword determinedly, tears flowing freely down her face. She locked her eyes upon those of her brothers, and placed the tip of her sword against the orcs unprotected chest.
"See you on the other side, Brother." She whispered quietly, before taking a deep breath, and sliding the blade home, easily through the sinew and muscle in his chest, between his large rib cage and the tip of the blade piercing the orcs heart. The yellow eyes glossed over in death, Emela withdrew the blade swiftly, and the Orc stood a moment longer, before collapsing heavily onto the ground, his sword and shield lying forgotten beside him.
"Aaron, Bital, help me carry him," Came the commanding voice of Voran, the three of them combined were not enough to lift the heavily built orc completely, and they settled with dragging him up to the head of the Corestone. The wolf darted forwards and took Arie'th's sword hilt grip between it's teeth, and dragged the blade through the grass, dropping it next to it's owner.
By now there were two other figures watching the ritual with increasing intrest, both of them occasionally whispering to one another, stanidng on the outside of the druid circle. Both of them of slight build, one a helmeted and armoured female, and the other, a simply robed male elf.
Next, Voran turned on the wolf.
"Elrien, help me." The wolf nodded briefly, and took several paces forward, the canine form slowly changing, becoming more upright, more human like, until standing next to Voran was Elrien, minus any canine like attributes. Voran took a step closer to the prone form of Alie'th, and motioned for Elrien to follow. Voran slipped down onto the grass, praying quietly in druidic, Elrien followed Voran's lead and chanted the passage on accordence with Voran. After a while, that seemed like an eternity for those watching, the circle was filled with pure white light, from some unknown source, throwing out long shadows and casting everyone's faces in an eerie glow. Voran motioned for Elrien to stand up, and so she did, standing next to Voran.
Voran whispered something into Elrien's ear, "Let me share your power..." Voran held out his hands and Elrien took them, linking their fingers together, Elrien closed her eyes and breathed deeply, focusing inwardly on the moment. Voran closed his eyes and started chanting, his voice sending the archaic words echoing throughout Draedan's tree's. Voran motioned for the robed male elf from outside the circle to stand next to him. The elf tentatively stepped past Aaron and Emela and stood patiently next to Voran, on the other side of him to Elrien, linking his free hand with Voran's like Elrien had done earlier.
The others watched, apprehension etched across their faces, waiting patiently and silently for whatever results this ritual might bring about. The white light emenating from above them shone even brighter, causing the onlookers to close their eyes as the light pulsed brighter and brighter still over the orcs prone form.
As abruptly as the light had formed over them, it disappeared, as though snuffed out like a candle. Voran groaned and fell to his knees, abruptly severing his links with Aden and Elrien, both of whom fell to the floor beside Voran in a similar fashion. Elrien could hear gasps of suprise, and opened her eyes groggily, only to gasp herself. Rather then the prone body of the orc before her, stood a male elf, chestnut brown hair, and piercing eyes. Carrying no remenance of his original identity, except for the sword that he carried in one hand. Emela lept past the drained forms of Elrien, Voran and Aden, and envoloped Alie'th in a large, heartfelt hug.
"Welcome back"
---
As I said, the dialogues are guesswork for the most part, hopefully it's pretty much on the mark. If anyone wants to make any changes then go for it, I wasn't really concentrating in the large chunk of dialogue prior to the re-incarnation of Alie'th.
