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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tokiwong" data-source="post: 1111365" data-attributes="member: 961">Total ChaosTuk shivered in the cold, the party had already broken the tree lines and was camped out in the high grass of the plains.  A fierce gale ripped through the empty space, causing a large ripple of grass, and the grass stirred in an endless whisper.  It had been a hard journey so far, but thankfully Corine and Semmarin had been skilled in keeping the party fed, food was plentiful with two experienced wildlanders working in tandem to keep the party fed.  Dae crouched near the fire, and glanced to Borca who was busy tending to his warhammer, while the rest of the party sat in silence.  They were all tired and cold, the gnawing cold was a constant.  Semmarin stayed alert but little had transpired over the past week of travel, and it seemed that the lands were empty of any signs of life or activity.  There was freedom in knowing that they were alone, but there was also the realization that they were quite vulnerable out in the open high grass.   The elfling felt almost naked without the cover of trees, they were in a dangerous place, in a foreign land he was not all that familiar with.  It was a recipe for trouble.Corine returned from her hunt and dropped two rabbits next to Tuk, “This will have to do for tonight.”Tuk nodded and set to the dirty business of preparing the food for the evening meal, “Thank ye milady.”Corine sat with a sigh of relief, “How far do you think we have to go?”Semmarin replied without even looking at her, “Three weeks at worst, we have a long way to go yet.” Tuk sighed, “My feet hurt, why do places have to be so far from each other.”Borca shrugged, “Cause men like to spread out, now in a proper dwarf clan hold things are not so spread out, we believe in conserving that kind of energy for other things like killing orcs and mining iron.”Semmarin smirked, “Pleasant conversation at last.”Tuk grinned, “Borca can you tell of us of the clan holds?”Borca grinned, “Why certainly little one,” as Borca began a grand explanation of what life is like in the Kaladrun Mountains.  The cold austere halls of the dwarves, the mining of precious ores, and the nearly daily battle against the legions of orcs that threaten to destroy the dwarf race altogether.  It brought back good memories for the dwarf, but a flood of painful memories raced through his heart.  Of his late wife, and his son, dwarves rarely cry, but the old warrior had to steel himself to keep his composure.  He kept these thoughts to himself, they were his burden alone, but the whisper knew.  She always knew.****************************************************Four more days of travel, and the party was growing weary.  The open plains were mild in the day, and freezing in the night.  A fierce wind howled, and the green-auburn waves of tall grass flowed like waves all around the party.  Dusk was setting in, and Semmarin started to slow his pace as he squinted.  He raised his hand to block out the light of the setting sun, as he peered through the swaying grass.It was a hamlet, quaint and silent.Semmarin raised his hand, and turned to the his companions, “I see a village, do you think we should approach it?”Dae scowled, “No, we should go around, they are most likely slaves to the shadow, we will get no friendly reception there.”Corine nodded, “Maybe, perhaps you should scout ahead Semmarin?”Semmarin nodded, “You all wait here.”  The elfling turned and stalked off into the high grass, his elven cloak blending and shifting colors, and he was lost amidst the swaying grass.Tuk moved forward and sat watching where Semmarin left, welcome to rest, and not have to move.  It was a blessing for the little halfling, a moment of rest.  The time is now Dae, she will betray you, kill her now, before she has the chance, the voice was seductive as it whispered to Dae.  He glanced to Borca and then turned to Corine, his eyes narrowing, “Corine…”Corine turned to Dae, “Yes?”“Go ahead lad, now is as good a time as any,” Borca replied resting his warhammer on his shoulder.Dae nodded and drew his bastard sword, keeping the tip pointed towards the ground, “Why did you betray us?”Corine stepped back, “What?  Why?  What are you talking about, I have always served the resistance, what is going on?”Tuk stood glaring at Dae, “What are you doing?”“Silence Tuk,” Dae’s words were cold, but one look at his eyes, and the halfling cringed not sure what he could do to such a massive warrior.Corine drew her own blade; “I don’t need to prove myself to you, Dorn.”“You need to give me a reason for not killing you, what do you have to say to prove your innocence,” Dae replied.Borca stepped forward, “We know you are the traitor, lass, spare yourself the trouble and submit.  I promise to make the death quick and painless.”“I submit to nothing,” Corine replied.Semmarin returned at this moment, “I saw a figure, and the village seems to be dead, the villagers died of plague and,” he stayed his words seeing the scene develop in front of him.Corine glanced to Semmarin, and then back to Dae, “Dae I don’t want to fight you.”“Too bad,” Dae swung his blade, and slashes Corine across her arm as she brought her blade up to defend herself.  She swung wide, causing the Dorn to step back, as Borca moved in to flank her.  Tuk drew his spear, too scared to act, but ready in case they came after him next.Semmarin heard something else though, and drew his blade and spun on his heels as a walking corpse lashed out from the grass.  Dozens of shambling figures stepped forth from the high grass.  The fetid smell of decay, and the glow of the eyes, was all too familiar to the elfling.  The fell surrounded the party.  Semmarin lashed out with his shortsword, Dae turned his attentions to an oncoming farmer, whose face was ripe with putrid sores and his flesh, gray and shriveled.  Tuk raised his spear, and impaled a screaming woman on the end of his weapon nearly knocking him over, and Borca slammed his warhammer into a fell, and then smashed child-like corpse with no remorse.Corine turned and fled towards the village, slashing at a walking corpse taking its head, and evading another blow.  Borca howled as she fled for freedom, but she quickly halted her run.  The village was alive with movement, more shambling creatures, and more death.  It was hell, and she was in the midst of it, stuck between the murderous dead and the murderous living.  As she saw the number of the fell increase her choice was made for her, she ran back towards the party, keeping her weapon raised and ready for any attack.Semmarin chopped down a skeletal peasant, and stumbled back from a powerful punch to his stomach.  He raised his blade but Borca cleared the path, “This place is death, we must flee it!”Tuk stumbled back, and began to run, he spotted Corine through the high grass and followed her into a small clearing.  Semmarin stumbled after, followed by Dae and Borca.  Corine raised her blade towards her companions, and glared.  She said nothing, but let the fury in her eyes speak for her.Dae stepped forward, “You cannot escape traitor.”Borca followed, “Kill her Dae and be done with it, we waste time with talk.”Tuk jumped in front of Corine, “You stop this right now!  Corine is not a traitor, she saved my life, she saved your life; how can you turn on her!”Dae growled, “This does not concern you, Tuk step aside.”“I will not stand aside, Dae, I do not forsake my friends, I owe her my life,” Tuk replied raising his spear.Borca growled, “Kill her now, the fell will be on us soon.”Dae stepped forward.  Tuk narrowed his eyes, but stood his ground.  Dae raised his blade and brought it down forcefully on the halfling, there was no scream.  Nothing.  Tuk fell back, his lifeblood dribbling on the ground.  Semmarin scowled and lowered his blade; he wanted no part in this dirty business.Corine knelt down, and cradled the halfling in her arms, “You bastard!  You want the truth; I have always fought the Shadow!  Ever since I was young, I have hated them.  I would rather die then be a thrall to its Evil!  Kill me if you must, you ”“Why are you listening to her Dae, kill her now,” Borca growled.Dae stepped back, the murderous gleam slipping from his eyes, “If you want her dead so badly, then you kill her Borca.”Borca replied, “You said you would go to the end with this Dae, you killed the halfling, finish the job, and let’s be done with it.”“No,” Dae turned, “I will not.”“You pathetic waste of flesh, you were so close, and then you give up?  You think she will ever trust you again Dorn, don’t be so foolish.  If you won’t kill her I will, but it won’t stop their, it seems you don’t have the stomach for the work that must be done, in this dark world,” Borca replied as he dropped the warhammer.  He unsheathed the shortsword, and the black metallic blade burst into flame, the gleam in his eyes were foul, and the glow made Borca seem all the more sinister.Dae stepped back, “What sorcery!” and instinctively raised his blade to parry the enchanted blade, pushing it aside, and drawing his masterwork shortsword in his offhand, as he raised it to the ready.Corine and Semmarin both fled from the dwarf as he started to laugh a chilling laugh of despair and madness.  They fled into the darkness and the waving grass.  Leaving Dae to face the dwarf alone.The dwarf rushed forward and brought the flaming blade in a wide slash, causing Dae to stumble back.  He caught his footing, and slashed the blade drawing blood as he used his off-hand to try and keep the dwarf on guard.  Borca kept coming, as he slashed Dae violently across his chest, causing the large Dorn to tumble back, his flesh burning from the flames.  Dae scrambled quickly to his feet and lead with his shortsword sliding into Borca’s chest, but his chainmail saved him from truly grievous injury as he parried the slash from Dae’s bastard sword, batting the weapon aside.  He pushed the large warrior back and slashed him again with his blade, causing the Dorn considerable pain.“You can’t kill me, Dae, I have the Lady’s favor now, join us or die?” Borca spoke gruffly.Dae scowled, “I will not submit to shadow, traitor!”“Traitor?” the dwarf asked in a curious tone, “Oh you made the wrong decision Dae.”Dae took the moment to flee, as the dwarf followed in a gentle stroll, the blade flaming with power as he sauntered after the human.  There was no sign of Corine and Semmarin.  Dae was alone in the high grass, and he could hear the laughter emanating from Borca as he stalked ever closer.Dae sighed, there was no escape, he was wounded, and a proper Dorn did not die on his heels.  A proper Dorn died fighting; so he turned to see Borca glaring at him.  There was a palpable aura of menace and darkness around the dwarf as he grinned, through bloody teeth.“Well hello, old friend,” he spoke with a snarl.“I am not afraid of you Borca,” Dae replied getting into his stance.“I was hoping you would say that,” he stalked forward, and then there was the sound.  The Dwarf took one more tenuous step forward before he fell face forward into the dirt.  An arrow protruded from the back of his skull and Corine stood behind him her bow was gripped tightly in her hands.Corine walked forward and removed the arrow from the back of Borca’s head.  She faced Dae, “I will believe that the dwarf poisoned your mind.  But I will never forget the murder of Tuk.  When and if the day of reckoning comes, this arrow,” she raised the bloody arrow in her hand, “will be your death, Dorn.”Dae said nothing, and instead removed the dwarf’s head.  Corine went to tend to the body of Tuk.  The sword was buried, and the body of the dwarf was burned.  Later that night a second funeral pyre was lit.  It was a dark day for their journey.This brings us full circle with the first post in the Story....</blockquote>

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