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The Arcane Order |
| ...his jaw set with a grim determination. He
noted the change to the sign above the door. It read: Tel'Ruid~Zarum
Embassy. He snorted to himself as he reached up and banged the enormous
knocker on the door.
After a pause that seemed to Glor to last hours the door swung wide with a creak. The figure in the door was completely hidden by the shadows, buy Glor didn't need to see his face to know who it was he was facing. He could smell him from miles off. "Ahhhh...Glorfindle." Dolenamo hissed. "To what do I owe this honor?" "Dont ya be playin' games with me Tel'. Where's Ebircs?" The figure in the door took a step forward. "How should I know? He left with his few belongings shortly after signing the title deed to this tower to me." "Ya got this deed the do ya? I'd like ta have a look at that if it's all tha same to ya." "But of course Glorfindle old friend." Dolenamo's lips curled into a sneer as he reached into a pouch and produced an official looking document. "Your lucky day as I was about to put this away safely at the bank." Glorfindle looked over the title trasfer with suspicion. On the bottom line was Ebircs' name in his unmistakable flowing script. Glor's eyes narrowed as he saw this. He raised his eyes to see Dolenamo grinning back at him and his heart filled with an unbridled hatred he had never before experienced. "As you can see old friend all is nice and legal." Dolenamo stated as he tucked the deed back into his pouch. "As for your friend...I seem to recall him saying something about getting away from this 'faerie infested place' and taking up dungeon exploring...hmmm...he seemed kind of weakly to be setting of on such a dangerous profession. I can understand your concern. You always had such concern for your....servants." Dolenamo's voice dripped with venom as he spoke that last word. "Ya can't fool me Tel'Halda....I know ya better than that. I'm gonna get to tha bottom of this...and then I'm comin fer ya. This ain't over." "Splendid my old friend." Dolenamo grinned at him. "I look forward to seeing you again soon then....We've old times to reminisce about. Oh...And I do hope you find your friend. I would feel bad if he were found dead in the bottom of a pit like Hythloth. Seemed like a most kind sort of fellow." Dolenamo's grin twisted into a sneer. "If that is all then...I have some matters to attend to. Good afternoon." And with that the tower door swung shut with a loud click. Glor stood for a moment more...his fits clenched at his side. He wondered desperately what his next move would be. With a quick turn he headed back toward Tel'Ruid meaning to seek the council of his friends. Behind him he could hear a low chuckle rise above the soft sounds of the breeze in the trees. |
| Melyanna lightly dozed on the balcony, the
melodic chirping of the birds and the soft breeze coming off the bay
having relaxed her guard. At first she thought she was dreaming when the
voices drifted to her.
"Ahhhh...Glorfindle." Dolenamo hissed. "To what do I owe this honor?" A tremor of fear raced through her as she struggled to wake. That voice was familiar and disturbing. "Dont ya be playin' games with me Tel'. Where's Ebircs?" Glorfindle? What was he doing in her dream? Finally she managed to drag herself awake, the voices becoming jumbled as the birds sensed the tension in the air. "I wonder what's going on?" she thought, the area usually very quiet. Stepping into their bedroom, she opened the armoire and slipped one of Azeron's shirts over her kilt. Her curiosity aroused, she quickly made her way down the stairs, bare feet padding across the sandstone floor and the wood planks of the patio. "Ya can't fool me Tel'Halda....I know ya better than that. I'm gonna get to tha bottom of this...and then I'm comin fer ya. This aint over." "Tel'Halda? Who is that?" she thought as she padded across the cool grass towards the voices. She couldn't remember hearing Glorfindle this angry before, which lent speed and energy to the frail elf. Pausing next to the marble tower, resting her hand on the wall as she tried to catch her breath. "If that is all then...I have some matters to attend to. Good afternoon." Mely heard the steel door slam shut, soon followed by Glorfindle's muttered curses as he started off towards Tel'Ruid. Torn between investigating the tower and following Glor, Mely chose the latter and followed him. "Glor? Are you alright mellon? I thought I heard you fighting with someone?" she called after him, coming to a halt and sinking exhausted onto a fallen log. |
| So caught up he was in his fury, he almost
didn't hear Melyanna call from behind him. Had she heard him yelling at
Dolenamo? He was suddenly embarrassed by his own rage. He blamed it on
his human half and considered it a weakness.
He turned and called to her softly. She had stopped he was sure...and suddenly. He drew his blade and ran back through the trees the way he had come, shouting her name. He found her looking quite pale and exhausted on a fallen log. She looked as if she could barely keep her eyes open. "Seleramin." He cried, sheathing his blade. "I thought fer a sec that that fiend had gotten to ya. I wouldn't put it past tha likes of him." He gently took her hand and helped her to her feet. "Yer not lookin' well seler. Lemme help ya home and I'll fill ya in on what's goin on." |
| She could simply go no further. Though she
had walked perhaps a few hundred yards, it felt as if she had been
running all day. Her chest hurt from her exertion, and there was a
slight sheen of perspiration on her brow. "I'll wait here...he had
to have heard me," she thought to herself. She heard him call her
name and next thing she knew, Glorfindle was running, screaming his
battle cry, his sword held as if he would slay the foulest of daemons
charging straight for her. Her eyes widened in sudden fear, afraid that
whatever had set him off, would cause him to swing that finely honed
blade at her, quickly separating her head from her shoulders. Before she
could mutter a sound of protest he had stopped before her.
"Seleramin." He cried, sheathing his blade. "I thought fer a sec that that fiend had gotten to ya. I wouldn't put it past tha likes of him." Fiend? What fiend? Melyanna looked up at Glorfindle, thoroughly confused and quite a bit frightened by this side of him. Though she gratefully accepted his help as he gently took her hand and helped her to her feet. "Yer not lookin' well seler. Lemme help ya home and I'll fill ya in on what's goin on." "Diola lle, tororamin. When you came charging back here..." her words trailed off as she leaned against him, ashamed of her own fears and feeling as if she had just aged a century in a second. "Tis made me afraid of my own shadow, this affliction of mine" she though quietly, listening as Glorfindle helped her home, explaining what had happened. |
| Standing with Mely on the porch of her house,
he concluded his thoughts to her as Von and Lu joined them.
"It just don't make any sense. I know fer a fact that Ebircs wouldn't just pack and leave as Tel'Halda said. And fer him ta go dungeoning?? Never. Tha fiend sent him someplace against his will. Heh...can't tell me that Ebircs signed away tha tower neither. If theres a chance ta find Ebircs then I gotta start lookin'. Gonna need some help tho." |
| Once in the house, he set her easily in a large comfortable chair. "Mela, could you get her some water please?" Strongbow turned to Glorfindle momentarily, "As Lu said toror, we will help you find Ebircs.. but for now, we need to see to Mely.. " He frowned in thought before speaking. "I wonder where Azeron has got to? I haven't seen him around in a while..." |
| Mely was exhausted, she knew if Glorfindle
hadn't been supporting her, she would have collapsed. She smiled half
heartedly at Luthien and Strongbow as they joined them on the patio. The
two seemed to know the stranger who now inhabited Glor's tower. A small
shriek escaped her as suddenly Strongbow picked her up and carried her
inside, setting her in the deep blue chair.
She smiled gratefully when Luthien brought her a glass of water. "I wonder where Azeron has got to? I haven't seen him around in a while..." Strongbow asked. "He's upstairs, sleeping. He...he hasn't been sleeping at night because he watches over me." She murmured, looking down guiltily. Tired emerald eyes looked towards Glorfindle. "Tororamin, what was that all about? And who is Tel'Halda? And why is he living in your tower?" perhaps it was her illness but she was thoroughly confused. Upstairs, the bed creaked as its inhabitant climbed out of bed, awoken by the noise from downstairs. Azeron hastily threw on a nearby silk robe and wandered down stairs, sleepily rubbing his eyes. "Love...what's going on? Are you al..." Azeron blinked as he noticed the full house. "Hello everyone..." |
| I looked up at I heard his voice and nearly laughed aloud when I saw him in his robe. Clearly he had not been expecting company. But soon the paleness of Mely's face erased all thoughts of laughter... that and the presence of Tel'Halda among us once more. "Sorry to disturb your reverie, toror." I murmured in a polite voice, "But there has been a bit of excitement in the neighborhood." I glance over at his verne with a worried look, "And I fear your verne is ill!" I begin to rub Mely's wrists in an attempt to stir her blood and pause, glancing from Azeron to Glor, as if awaiting an explanation of this, and Tel'Halda's disturbing appearance. |
The
Library Arcane: The Lord of the Dead