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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 2680152" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 478From there, you will be on your own.The words of the druidess rang true in Dannel’s ears six hours later, the morning fog still stick throughout the forest as the dawn light still gathered to filter down through the dense canopy high above.  Even to Dannel’s keen eyes the elves running beside him were like wraiths, shadows moving through the surreal landscape of early morning in the wood.  It was a disturbing impression and one that he quickly tried to banish from his mind.  Eldren and Jannae was some distance ahead, running swiftly in the van, his trained senses alert to the slightest sign of trouble.  Dannel knew little of the eight elves that were his companions on this mission, save that each was an expert woodsman, hand-picked by Eldren.  Most were rangers, and a few had animal companions with them, including a huge gray wolf and an eagle that easily paced them on their journey through the forest.  All bore bows and various melee weapons, but one had also worn a symbol of Corellon, indicating a second cleric in the group, and another had carried familiar small component pouches on his belt alongside his longsword and quiver that suggested a fighter-mage. With the entire company empowered by long-lasting magic, either through their own arts or by draughts provided by the elven druids, the elves maintained a pace that rapidly consumed the miles.  Dannel briefly thought of Dana, and her ability to wind walk, which would have made their journey a matter of hours rather than days.  But even though the High Mage, Tarin, could have transported them to the vicinity of Bryth’an Torgul instantly using his magic, Dannel knew enough about the lore of the mythals to know that such an attempt would have been incredibly risky.  Especially if, as they had theorized, the unpredictable surges of power coming from the ancient artifact was directly responsible for the rampaging undead in the forest. And so they ran, pausing only briefly to take rests and eat food concentrates drawn from Eldren’s small bag of holding.  There was little small talk; all of them had been briefed on what had happened at Korul Ulgor, and knew that they were heading into great danger.Eldren had criticized Dannel’s woodlore, but even the arcane archer could sense the deepening sense of wrong that pervaded the forest as they pressed on, morning turning into afternoon.  The fog finally dissolved around noon, but the wood remained deep within a pervading murk, as though the light from above simply could not muster the effort of reaching the forest floor.  The Wealdath was eerily silent—not even the faint whisper of the breeze, or the subtle sounds of the forest’s teeming wildlife, accompanied their progress.  In that ominous quiet even the faint whisper of the elves’ cloaks against the underbrush as they passed and the soft exertion of their breathing as they ran sounded excessively loud to Dannel’s ears, an announcement of their coming to whatever dark entity awaited them. He quickly broke in his new boots, although in all fairness the supple elven craftsmanship was far kinder to his feet than the best human-made footwear that he could have purchased in Cauldron or even one of the larger cities of Tethyr or Calimshan.  The elven boots made not even a whisper even at their hurried pace.  He’d also acquired new arrows—although far fewer of the blessed holy arrows than he would have liked—and several potent healing draughts, gifts of the elves of Aldair Kelalei.  The other elves were likewise very well equipped.  Jannae carried several scrolls bearing potent clerical spells, and Eldren wore a soft green mantle over his torso that resembled a patch of lush green moss but which in actuality was a powerful garment that offered protection against some of the more terrible powers commonly possessed by the greater of the undead. By mid afternoon their pace slackened some, as their store of longstrider potions and spells became depleted, and exhaustion at their rapid pace began to catch up to them.  Eldren seemed impatient, but Jannae spoke to him and he eased his pace to the need of those accompanying him.  Dannel was grateful for the reprieve, although he too felt the sense of urgency that drove them all on, to dig deeper into their reserves of energy. The day’s light had already faded well into the gloom of twilight when Eldren called a halt.  He’d directed them to a grove of especially massive trees, a place he apparently knew well, for he led them quickly to a particular tree with a trunk over fifteen feet across, and which bore faint marks on its bark that Dannel recognized as subtle aids for climbing. “All right, we’ll take our rest up above,” Eldren said.  “Jovran, go up first, set a line.  Dalan, Yaela, clear the perimeter and then follow us up.”Jovran, a lean, angular elf, shot up the tree with a speed and agility that reminded Dannel of Mole.  Dalan and Yaela, siblings who looked almost alike to be twins, vanished into the forest on their scouting assignment, taking their animal companions with them.  Meanwhile, the others made their way up the tree, rarely needing the rope that Jovran tossed down to aid their descent.  Dannel carefully stashed his bow into his efficient quiver and climbed, not ashamed to use the rope to help with the ascent. The upper branches of the tree contained enough flat space to accommodate all of them, and it clearly had been used for such a purpose in the past.  The elves set safety lines and watched, with Jovran climbing higher into the canopy to set the first watch.  Dalan and Yaela returned a few minutes later to report that the immediate area was clear.  Dalan’s wolf remained below, but Yaela’s eagle floated in to perch atop the ranger’s shoulder, regarding all of them with what Dannel took to be a suspicious look in its eyes.  The fighter-mage, a raven-haired elf named Oloran, placed an alarm spell in the middle of their perch.  The elves remained close, wrapping themselves in their cloaks, dropping into trance to refresh their minds while their bodies rested, while those on watch hovered at the edges of the branches like shadowy gargoyles perched on the battlements of an ancient castle.  Dannel had claimed a spot close to the central bole of the tree, a few yards away from the others.  He sensed a presence and looked up to see Jannae coming over to him.  Eldren had disappeared; he hadn’t seen the ranger since they had started up the tree. “He’s verifying that the position is secure,” she whispered, sensing his question.  She indicated the spot beside him, and when he nodded sat down, her back against the trunk of the tree.“He doesn’t mean to be so abrasive toward you,” she said, finally.  “It’s just that he feels very committed to the traditional ways, to family, to the obligations that he himself has made such a central part of his life.”“You do not need to defend him,” Dannel replied.  “I do not ask Eldren to be anything but what he is, any more than I can be anything but who and what I am.”“We are not ignorant of what the Harpers accomplish, out in the wider world.  And I know that he is impressed with your skill, even if he will not come out and admit such openly.  From what I understand, you were much the same way, in your younger years.”“You’ve been talking to our grandmother,” he said, but his tone was light.  “Give him a chance, and he will accept you.”“I’m afraid that right now we have more important things to worry about than old family squabbles.”She shrugged.  “There is always darkness and danger in the world; at times like this family is even more important.”“I thank you for your wisdom, priestess.  I will think on your words, I promise.”“Good.  It’s good to have you with us, Dannel.”He nodded and the elf woman rose, silently walking over to another empty space on the branch before pulling her cloak around her and lying down, becoming just another dark shape in the night. Dannel let out a sigh, thinking of life and fate, before calming his thoughts, softening his breathing to a slow rhythmic flow as he fell into trance. It seemed like just an instant later when he was startled back into reality by a chaotic explosion of sound.  A tinkling of chimes announced the triggering of Oloran’s alarm spell at the same time that Yaela’s eagle screeched loudly and leapt into the night.  Even as Dannel registered those sounds, his hand already darting for his bow, they were followed by a scream, a terrible cry of agony from above.  A dark form hurtled toward him, and he drew back just in time to avoid being struck by the falling body of Jovran, his face frozen in a look of terror, his flesh a sickly pale white. Looking up, he saw the huge dark forms that had killed the elf descending toward him.</blockquote>

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