Orders of Magic Book Two

Orders of Magic: Book 2, The Shadow

In a land of myth and magic a great evil known as the Shadow stretched across the land spreading death and famine to those it touched. Many hundreds of years ago the forces of good stood against the Shadow in an effort to stop the destruction and bring peace to the world. After long and horrid battles lasting months the Shadows forces were too strong and could not be stopped. When the Grand Council concluded the Shadow and its minions could not be stopped by force they summoned every magical being in the land to come. Those that arrived came to see a blood soaked land of death where not even plants dare grow. The Grand Council and all those that came gathered together and summoned every ounce of power they possessed and from the ground erupted a massive Wave of energy that shimmered with many colors reaching up as far as any could see and for hundreds of years the land remained safe and life began to grow again in the dead land but it was dark life forever tainted by the death and blood that once filled the land. Those that dared to travel through the dark land encountered many dangerous creatures but nothing like the darkness of the Shadow that clouded the very Wave itself and none could see passed it.

While the Shadow remained stuck behind the wave those that traveled near it could still be taken and tainted by it. The Grand Council now split and travelling the path of the Wave seeking those tainted by the Shadow to free them from its grasp. While the sun was high in the sky and it light breaking through the clouds above, Kai Rygel a member of the Grand Council came across a region of the Wave that was particularly tainted by the Shadow. He held his staff high and spoke in a loud and controlling voice "Dukal igen wesh." And from the tip of his staff a bright flash of lightning weaved in blue and green struck around him and formed into an orb atop his staff lighting the area. Kai walked through the dense trees and thorny bushes coming to a clearing where he saw a shrine built along the Wave and from it a thin stream of dark smoke seemed to slowly make its way to the shrine and move about within the center of it. Around the shrine knelt a large number of men and creatures tainted, Kai waved his hand across the top of the staff as if to block the light and just as his hand passed it the light faded and the orb of lightning vanished. He ducked low and watched them, a man from the group stood and looked around he walked up to the shrine and leaned into it and the smoke rushed into its face and entered into him and the man turned, his eyes black as the night sky, Kai turned and ran from the clearing out of the tainted land. Once clear and in the light of the sun again he turned back and looked into the gloom of the tainted land. "The Shadow comes again." He said in a low and mournful tone. He turned again and made his way back for the Grand Council meeting hall, When Kai came to the river Wave which marked the boarder of the tainted lands a dark orb flew passed him. Kai ducked and spun to see ten men standing tall casting a dark shadow about them, there were taken by the Shadow and such were vessels of it. Becoming a vessel of the Shadow granted long life and great power but it also drained your soul and stripped away everything that made you who you were.

Kai stood tall again and looked toward the men. He slammed his staff into the ground and spoke loudly "Rahm Sahriv." And lightning struck his staff and he thrust it toward them and the sky rumbled and a terrible thunderstorm erupted above them, lighting struck around them and the wind whipped up dirt and small debris all around them as hailstones pelted at them from above. Kai turned and ran to the river and rushed across the small bridge and looked down to the raging waters and ran. Several hours later as the sun was getting low in the sky he came to a tall and glorious tower, the home of the Grand Council. He entered it and rushed his way through the doorways and up the long winding stair finally coming to the top chamber, the Grand Council Meeting Hall. He ran to the center of the room and breathing heavily he spoke just three words. "The Shadow comes!" And the Council stood in shock and the room came to a roar with all the voices speaking, Kai walked to his chair and fell into it holding his staff in his right hand. Once the room finally calmed and people could talk again another member stood and looked to Kai "What gives you the right, to bring such chaos here with those words?!" Kai stood in response "I am Kai Rygel; I have been on this council for many years and am among the few Elders left. The words I speak are true, I have seen it with my own eyes and witnessed the Shadow take more as minions to its cause" another stood and looked around the room "Kai" he said, "You have been a friend and loyal member of this council for as long as I can remember, but what you speak cannot be true. The Wave still remains and the Shadow cannot pass it." Kai pulled his long light brown hair back behind his pointed ear. "I was there long ago when the Shadows threat was real; I have seen it with my own eyes. I have seen it again, in the tainted lands. The Shadow has somehow breached the wave just enough to come through, If we do not act quickly the Shadow will again destroy the land that so many have died to defend. If nothing more than to prove me wrong, I say we send another to the Wave to follow my direction and find the hole that I found."

After many hours the Grand Councils chamber was sealed and they remained in deliberation, just as the sun began to rise again and the Council decided to send two others to find the breach Kai spoke of. By midday the two had set off and were set to return before nightfall, they rode atop the fasted horses in the land. Kai sat and talked with the Council with assumptions that the Shadow was indeed returning they discussed what could be done to stop it again. With most of those that helped to make the Wave before dead or spread across the land. As the sun began to set the Council went to the roof of the tower to look down over the land for the return of the two they sent to the Wave, after hours of waiting late into the night the two finally returned on two black horses which had been pure white when they set out. The Council walked out of the door at the bottom of the tower and up to the two as they returned and jumped off the horses, their eyes shifted from black to their normal state before notice was taken. Yoth walked away from the horses and stood before the Council. "We found nothing, it was steady and clear the entire way." Kai's eyes widened as he looked at them. "Lies!" he yelled. "If it was clear why did you take so long, where are the horses you left with?" he turned back toward the Council, "There is something happening here, how can you not see it?!" he shouted at them, The Council looked at him as his friend Dagus walked to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps you were mistaken my friend, you were out traveling the Waves path for days, being on that side of the river for that long will make anyone weary." Kai was uneasy about the whole event. "I know what I saw; I was attacked by the Shadows minions. I should have killed them and brought them as proof." Kai turned as sat on the stairs to the tower and place his staff on the ground next to him. Handrid walked to Kai, "It is better this way, at least the Shadow is still contained on the other side." He put his hand on Kai's shoulder and walked back inside followed by the rest of the Council, as they all walked in Yoth and Uvil the two riders followed in last just as the doors slid closed their eyes went black and shifted back to normal.

Kai stood and picked up his staff and walked to the horses, they began jumping and getting unsettled as he approached. He began talking to them in ancient Elven and they settled some, he got up next to one and looked it in the eye seeing nothing but darkness he stepped back and looked at the two and raised his staff and pointed it at them and spoke "Akmor Than Tolos Ulin Vail" and the horses shifted and jumped and fell to the ground and the darkness on them faded and the white returned and the eyes clears and the horses jumped back to their feet and walked up to him and nuzzled him. He pet them on the head and walked to its side and jumped up on it and with a word in its ear it rushed off and into the night they disappeared. Early the next morning Kai and the horse were at the edge of the Tainted land, Kai jumped down from the horse and walked into the dense trees and brush. Again he spoke "Dukal igen wesh." And the orb appeared on the tip of his staff bright and shimmering with blue and green streaks of lightning swirled around it. He sifted through the trees and bushes finally coming to the clearing with the shine. He jumped in and whipped his staff forward thrusting the orb off the tip of the staff and into the ball of lightning, it flew into the center of the clearing just above the shrine and it erupted into massive bolts shooting all around the clearing. He raised the staff high and yelled with furry and strength "Igen Wesh Sahriv!" and the staff tip sent a bright bolt flying into the center of the shrine right into the Shadow within and the sky rumbled above and dark clouds gathered and lowered and in a moment there was a massive shower of green and blue lightning bolts falling all around the clearing filling every hole with a bright light. Before long the entire clearing was nothing but a blackened pit filled with smoking bodies and burning rubble. Kai looked around the smoldering clearing as he leaned heavily on his staff and he shook his head gently and began to turn around to leave. Just as he turned he noticed the Shadow began to slip through that small crack again, he rushed back out and to the horse and jumped back up on it and grabbed the rains and held them tight whipping them against the horse.

The horse rushed off with speed that could only be matched by wind, within hours the horse arrived at the foot of the tower and he jumped off the horse and headed up the stairs to the door and made his way to the top of the tower. Kai ran in the Council Chambers and looked around at the empty and dark room, he was worried. The Grand Council Chamber was always lit and bright even when no one was within. He walked the dark and unlit room and came to the roof door; he opened it to find Yoth and Uvil holding the rest of the Council in a magical field. He rushed at them and with his staff he spun swiftly and hit Yoth in the chest sending him backward to the floor, he twisted around and just before he thrust his staff at Uvil he was hit with a dark sphere to his right shoulder sending him twirling into the air and falling hard to the floor. With what strength he had left he raised his hand fingers spread and palm facing Uvil, he closed his eyes and when he opened them a spark of white lightning flashed in them and from his hand a shield of thin streaks of lightning rushed at Uvil and collapsed around him and flew off the roof and vanished sending the singed Uvil falling down the tower and to his death. With Yoth unconscious and Uvil dead the magical field holding the Council disintegrated and Kai passed out from the loss of energy.

He awoke the next morning to Dagus standing over him."You were right my friend, the shadow has breached the Wave." said Dagus in a low and regretful tone. Kai sat up and looked at Dagus. "Do the magi remain, is the rest of the council alive?" he as anxiously. Dagus lowered his head and with much sorrow said "the field they kept us in drained us of power and life, Yoth died in the night, there was no way to save him from the taint. Roland, Rita and I are all that remain, we have gathered what strength we had left and lifted their powers before they were lost. The powers are being held in the chamber under heavy guard and contained in the orb of Arckus." Kai turned and looked at the door which leads to the Grand Council Chambers. "What was decided about them?" he asked. Dagus followed his gaze and looked to the door, "With so few of us left and the Shadow a threat again, we cannot leave the power un-held. Those of us left have chosen to split the power between us, but with what we lost in the field it would only bring us back to the level we were before if not slightly higher. You on the other hand still have your full powers, with taking in these new ones you will become the strongest of us and thus should be the rightful leader of the council, you have always been strong and loyal as well as a great friend for many years, I will support you and follow you to whatever end awaits us." The next day the remaining council members gathered around the Orb of Arckus, Roland stepped forward "With the loss of our friends and allies, we take these gifts they left us and bring them into us to remember them always and forever. All present and loyal to the Magi step forward and place you hand on the Orb of Arckus." The remaining four of sixteen stepped forward placing their right hands on the Orb and closed their eyes. Seconds later the orb lit and the light swirled around their arms moving toward them and rushing into their chests, with such force behind the power being expelled from the orb it shattered and with the last ounce of energy the four were thrown back to the ground. As the four begun to stand they noticed that the others were changing. Kai's eyes flickered with tiny strings of blue and green lightning shooting from them. He looked to Dagus whose eye burned bright with red and white flames. Roland stood his eyes glowing with green as the seed that adorned his circlet shimmered and vines slivered out and swirled around the ring atop his head. Rita lifted herself to the stand where the orb once rested, her eyes shifting in sight from cats eyes to fox and finally to bear and ending with her own again. They all stood in silent amazement for a few moments as they watched each other shift and change ending at last to what they appeared before. They all made their way back to the chair that circled the shattered orb and sat around it; each of them took a shard of the orb from the ground and with their new gifted power melded it to their weapon. Kai placed it atop his staff in the center of the enclosed molding; Dagus fused it into the blade of his sword just where it met the hilt. Roland plugged it into the opening at the tip of his staff which when not being used he could contort it to bend around him like a sash but when he needed it would straighten and form as hard as stone and as light and a twisted vine, the shard glowed with a green hue of nature flowing through it. Rita fit her shard into a small pendant that she never took off. Rita rarely use weapons such as the others carried for she was a weapon, since a young age Rita could talk to animal and a wide assortment of other creatures. Years later Rita found that she could actually shift herself into the form of the animals she talked to.

Many leagues away, on the far side of the Wave. In one of the few small towns that survives the taint of the shadow. Tolian sits on a chair in his home next to a fire reading from his tome of magic when a woman walks in and sits next to him. He leans over and kisses her on the cheek. The window covers broke off and flew into the house hitting the woman knocking her to the ground. Tolian rushed to her when the door to his home opened and a man walked in and threw him aside taking the woman and biting her on the neck and began to feed on her blood. Tolian raised his head and saw the man and jumped to his feet and shouted "Vampire!" Just then the man turned quick and rushed out the door taking the woman. Tolian ran after them but could not keep up with the man so he reached behind his back and pulled out a small stick with a jewel atop it. He shook the stick up then down and from that stick a six foot Staff grew, Tolian waved the top of the staff back toward him then to the man and from the staff out shot a bolt of white lightning. The bolt struck the man sending him and the woman flying forward landing on the ground, Tolian ran to the two with the tip of his staff facing the man when he turned to him. Tolian held the staff at the man's face. Tolian saw the man's eyes were blacker then the night sky. "You are a taint to this land, minion of the Shadow." The jewel atop Tolians staff shimmered and erupted with light. Just then the tainted vampire vanished into a cloudy of mist and the beam from the staff struck the ground. A cold damp feeling fell on his back just as he turned he felt a sharp pain in his neck"

Many days later he awoke in his home with no memory of going back. Hours later after what sunlight that shown through the darkness of the shadow appeared he stood and walked over to a closet near the front door. He opened the closest and from it took a pouch and clasped it to his belt, a cloak which he flung around and hooked together across his chest. He turned back and walked to the couch where his tome lay open on the floor; he knelt down and lifted it gently brushing it off. He closed the book and held it in the palm of his left hand while his right hand floated over it with his eyes closed and as his hand passed by a small string of sparkles flew around it and is seconds the book shrunk and fit perfectly in his palm. He placed the book in the pouch. He walked toward the door again noticing a faded image in the mirror he turned to see his face pale and fading away, he grabbed his face and still felt it, and he looked to his hands which were still solid. He went to the mirror and touched it, just before his image faded completely he saw two small marks on his neck. He reaches his hand to them and pick what he found to be dried blood, his own blood and suddenly his memories rushed back of what had happened. He stood tall and took a deep breath knowing what had happened he knew there was nothing he could do now but try to find his wife.

He left the house and began down the dirt road that he last saw his wife on; he came to the spot and fell to his knees. A rustling sound from the bushes, he turn to look seeing small points of light as if animals peered at him through the leave. He opened his mouth to shout at them but as he did a sharp pain filled his head and he grabbed it falling down more to the ground. Memories and thoughts rushed through his head, he screamed as the pain built up. Something more than just the vampire taint was passed to him. It was also the knowledge of vampirism, the knowledge of how to use his new found gifts. He sat up from the ground and the eyes rushed at him. "Goblins!" he yelled. Their eyes shown black as night, they were vessels of the shadow. The largest of the goblins threw a spear at Tolian and his eyes widened. Just as the spear was about to hit him he vanished into a cloud of mist and swiftly reformed on his feet behind the goblin. He lifted his hand and faced them to the goblin and from them a cone of flames broke out and enveloped the goblin. Those remaining scattered running around trying to avoid the fires rushed at him with sword drawn. Tolian pulled out the wand like device from the back of his belt and with a wave up and down it extended nearly six feet smacking the first goblin in the face knocking him down, he swung around whacking another in the side with such force it flew into a tree several feet away. The rest ran back into the trees and disappeared into the darkness.

Far away across the only ocean on a cool misty morning a man walks over a grassy hill following a path made by passing travelers over time, along the side a densely packed woodland area. The man walked along his long flowing hooded robes and a pouch strapped across his left shoulder to his right hip, next to his pouch he had a small rod being held by a small loop, the rod about a foot long with a jewel atop it. The man stopped and looked toward the wooded area and in it he saw a bush ruffle and his eyes narrowed and he approached the area. From behind the tall bush a man stepped out that wore a long white and golden robe with a hood back. "Ah, here you are, I have been looking for you for a long time" Said the white robed man. "Looking for me? Why?" said the other man as he stepped back not knowing who the other was. The white hooded man raised his hand and in a shimmer of white glowing orbs a piece of parchment paper appeared in his hand. He handed the parchment to the other man. The man looked at the parchment and saw five names listed on it. "Who are these people?" The first man asked. "They are people like you who have gifts but unlike you they have just come into their powers" The white robed man said. "And what do you want me to do about it?" said the first man. "You need to protect them" Said the white robed man. "Me!? Protect them?" He said. "Yes" Said the other man as he wave his hand and made the first man vanish in a swirl of white lights.

In a shimmer of white lights he appeared near a small entrance to a cave in the side of a large hill. The man walked toward the cave and peered in looking to see if he could make anything out. As he got closer to the entrance he stepped to the side and leaned in seeing a small light to the side. He went to walk in and a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "What are you doing? What do you want?" The person behind the hand said. "I was sent to help you" He said. "Who are you and who sent you?" The person behind the hand Said. "My name is Noxalon and I don't know who it was that sent me, I didn't really have a choice. Who are you?" Noxalon said. "Oh, my name is Rina" She stepped back away from Noxalon. "Sorry didn't mean to be so grabby and such but there was this guy here before he was kind of mean. He, he shot something out of his hand, it was like a beam thing and when it hit the wall it blew up." Rina said. Noxalon looked at the girl she must have been about five foot nine inches tall and long brown hair pulled back in a pony tail and two curled locks down each side of her face. "How did you stop him?" He asked. "I don't know, he aimed his hands at me and the beams came out and I raised my hands and looked away. When I looked back he was gone." Rina said. Noxalon turned and looked in the cave then back to the girl. "Where did this happen? Would you show me?" he said. Rina walked into the cave and Noxalon followed slowly not sure what to expect he was looking around.

After a few minutes the two arrived in a small room, as Noxalon came in he looked around seeing a small fire in the middle of the room and what looked like a bed made out of various animal skins and a pale full of water with a curved wooden handle leaning over the side. "Have you been here long?" he said. "For a little while a few weeks I guess" Said Rina. The two walked over to a small hole in the wall large enough just for Rina to squeeze into and hide. "I was in here. I heard something coming in the cave so I hid" Said Rina. Noxalon walked over to the hole and looked in and back to where he thought the man would be standing. "Maybe you should come with me. Just to be on the safe side, if he comes back." He said. "Where are you going?" Rina asked. Noxalon reached into his pouch and pulled out the parchment he got before with the list of names. "Looks like about a half days travel from here to the next person I was supposed to find." He said. "Well I don't really have anything here for me, so I will come with you" Rina said. The two walked toward the entrance to the cave when Noxalon turned to Rina "Isn't there anything you want to bring? I'm not sure when we will be able to come back" He said. "Yes I should pack some of my things." She said. She walked back over and rolled up her animal skin bed and rapped a strap around both ends and put it over her back. She then walked over to the fire and dumped the pale of water on to it and grabbed a small cloth bag that was next to it and she ran over to Noxalon. "Alright, that's everything." She said. The two walked off toward a distant wooded area.

Later that evening as the sun was setting the two came across a fallen plank that looked as if it were burnt. They followed a trail of fallen planks and burnt rope until they came to a giant tree that had a knotted rope leading up the tree to a shack. Just as the two were about to climb up in search of the next person on the list a man appears in a puff of smoke. "Here you are!"He said as he raised his hand and shot a white beam out of the palm of his hand at Rina. Rina raised her and as if to block the beam when a blue orb formed around her hands then moved and covered her body and blocked the beam. Noxalon jumped in front of her after she blocked the beam and pulled his hand back and as if throwing something he moved his hand forward toward the man and a bolt of lightning shot from his hand and struck the man in his upper left shoulder. The man went twirling into the air, and then vanishes in a puff of smoke. With a shocked look on her face Rina looked at her hands "What was that?" She said. "I believe you have the power to create some kind of protective shield" said Noxalon. "Really!?" She said excitedly with a grin on her face. She raised her hands and tried to make the shield again but nothing happened. She looked at Noxalon with a puzzled look on her face. "You might only be able to do it when you're scared, at least until you learn to control it" he said. They began to climb the tree, by now it was getting dark and was harder to see the grips in the rope. They were near the top now and it started to rain, Rina was the first to make it onto the ledge around the shack so she walked over to a hanging cloth which covered the doorway. She pulled it aside and looked in to see a man sitting at a small table with a candle burning in the center of it and a bowl in front of him. "Excuse me?" Rina said. The man looked quickly to the door and moved his hand to face it toward the door and a burst a wind pushed Rina nearly off the edge if Noxalon wasn't able to catch her. "We don't mean you any harm" Noxalon shouted before he approached the door.

The two walked into the shack and looked at the man that was now standing at the far end of the shack. "Who are you? What do you want?" The man asked angrily. "My Name is Noxalon and this is Rina" He said motioning to her. "And who would you be sir? Noxalon said. "My name in Keegan, and this or rather was my home before a group of men came not too long ago. They had powers far greater than my own" Keegan said. "You're a wind caster, right?" Noxalon asked. "Yes, I've had my power for a few weeks now. I still have problems controlling It." said Keegan. "I have had my powers for a while now, about two years I think. I'm a lightning caster and I can sense people when they are near." said Noxalon. "I just got my power a couple days ago, I can shield myself. So I guess I am a Shield Caster?" Rina said looking to Noxalon. He nodded in agreement. The rain began to come down harder now and it was late into the night as the two sat down at the table and ate some of the stew that Keegan had made before they came. "Thank you for the meal but we should be on our way its late and we need to find a shelter before the storm picks up more." Noxalon said. "You are welcome to stay here for the night I have the room and it's warm." said Keegan. "Thank you" the two said to Keegan. And the two began to setup areas in which to sleep. While the others were sleeping Noxalon reached into his pouch and pulled out a small book that fit in the palm of his hand. He placed the small book on the floor in front of him and placed his hand over it and closed his eyes and spoke softly and the book grew. He opened it and started to read.

The three awoke in the early morning to the sound of birds and the breeze ruffling the branches of the trees. The sun light crept in through the cracks in the shack and lit the room. Noxalon sat up and looked around "It's early we should be going before the day is gone." He said. Rina looked at him and began to roll up her bed when Keegan spoke, "where are you headed?" He asked. Noxalon stood and looked outside the door. "We are searching for these people on this list, the next one is a two day journey by foot." said Noxalon. Keegan looked around the room and sighed "could you use another traveling companion?" he asked. "Sure, pack what supplies you have and anything you wish to bring. We will set out within the hour." Said Noxalon as he picked up the two candles he had and placed them back into his bag along with the list. He took his cloak off a hook near the door and clasped it around his neck and slid the jeweled stick into the hoop. Keegan standing a few feet away at a closet filling his bad with supplies and placing a blade about a foot long in a sheath and hooked it to his belt. Rina stood by the door with her bag and rolled up bed waiting for the others. Just then Noxalon turned quickly and looked toward a window on the other side of the shack. "Some ones out there" he whispered. Keegan pulled his blade and slowly moved to the window and Rina ducked behind the table. Noxalon standing in front of the doorway he raised his hand and faced it to the window ready to fire a bolt of lightning. The man jumped in front of the window and shot a pulse like wave into the room knocking Noxalon out the door and off the ledge, falling down through the air to the ground he spun to see the ground rushing toward him. His eyes widened and he put his hands in front of him and just before he hit the ground he was enveloped by lightning and vanished. He reappeared a moment later and was standing a few feet away, looking around with a shocked look on his face. "Did I just, how? I didn't know I could do that" Then he heard a loud scream come from the tree and a burst of wind pushed the man out of the tree and he started to fall. Noxalon raise both hands and faced them at the man as he fell, two massive bolt shot from his hand and struck the man mid fall and he burst into flames and exploded.

Moments later Rina and Keegan joined Noxalon on the ground. "You should be dead!? Said Keegan. Rina ran to him and hugged him, "I thought you were gone" she said. "No, I'm still here. I think I" He paused for a second "Teleported or something, I'm not really sure what happened" He said. The both looked at him then up to the top of the tree. "Well I guess you got lucky, I've seen a few people fall and, well let's just say they didn't make It." said Keegan. Noxalon looked up at the tree then back to the others "Well I guess we should be going." said Noxalon. He started walking away and the two followed, they followed the opening in the trees as it got more densely packed they had to climb over some of the fallen branches and vines that had grown between the trees. They came to a clearing in the trees and stepped in, they saw a hole in the middle of the clearing and they approached it. "This is the Drow tunnel. It should lead us right to a small village where we should find the next person on the list." said Noxalon. He pulled out the stick and shook it from it grew a staff that was slightly taller than he was and he tapped it on the ground three times as he walked in and the jewel atop it began to glow bright enough to see in this deep dark cave.

Walking through the tunnel, every so often ducking as bumps in the ceiling were to low for the three to stand up right in. "This cave seems a little small for a Drow cave." said Noxalon. Keegan found a stick on the floor and rapped a cloth around in and put a few drops of oil on it from a flask he had in with his supplies. "Anyone have a way to light this?" He asked Noxalon walked over and placed his hand next to the cloth as if to grab it but sparks of lightning began to shoot from his fingers and the cloth lit and Keegan pulled back a torch. They continued walking down the tunnel until they can to a break that led off in two directions. "I don't recall this from before' said Noxalon. He looked down the tunnels leaning his staff down them to light the way and hopefully see something he would remember. He turned and looked back to the other. "What do you think, left or right?" he asked. They both replied at the same time. "Left" said Rina. "Right" said Keegan. From behind them they could hear a group of people and from the left tunnel a light began to shine and the sound of foot falls could be heard coming from both areas. The group ran down the right tunnel with the light following them and the sound of many creatures. "What is that?" Rina asked. "Drow's I believe, Dark Elves. Keep running." Said Noxalon as he stopped and turn about to face the creatures he lowered his staff to point it toward them, he pulled it back and thrust it forward and his arm glowed as bolts of lightning surrounded it and flowed to the staff and shot out at the roof of the tunnel collapsing it. But not before a few of the creatures jumped past it and on to Noxalon. He grabbed one of them and threw it aside, hitting the others knocking them off of him to the ground. He waved his staff hitting two of them knocking them down. He then pushed his hand forward throwing a bolt of lightning out at the feet of the creatures. Just then a small blade flew past Noxalon hitting one of the creatures in the chest. Noxalon looked back to see Keegan standing there. Noxalon spun around and swung his staff hitting the other making it fly into a wall.

All the creatures have been killed but the sound of falling rocks could be heard. "Those are Drow's?" asked Keegan as Rina walked up. "No, they are Drowlings. They are like the Hobbits of the Drow world." Noxalon said. Another group of rocks could be heard falling. "They are digging through. Let's go!" Shouted Rina. And the group ran off away from the sound of falling rocks. The three ran and came to the exit of the tunnel they ran out and saw a number of large mounds of grass with windows in it. From out of the mounds came two or three Drowlings who ran to the cave and surrounded it and as the Drowlings from within came out the others started to attack them and fight them back into cave. The surface Drowlings which looked similar to the cave Drowlings closely related to goblins in appearance. The surface Drowlings had gained the ability to use magic much more advanced then the cave Drowlings. The surface Drowlings used their powers which looked like energy balls to fight the other back whenever they tried to come to the surface.

Once the cave dwellers were fought back the surface Drowlings came to the group. "You come through cave, why?â€ they asked. "Yes, we are heading for the village on the far side of the woods." Noxalon said. "Oh why you go there?" one asked. "We are looking for someone named Zule." said Noxalon. "Zule not at that place, Zule here." The one said. "Oh could we meet with him" Keegan asked. "Me is Zule, why you look for me?" He asked. "This man gave me a list and said find these people." said Noxalon. "Tall man with white and gold?" Zule asked. "Yes that was him, how did you know?" asked Noxalon. "he said for Zule to go with you." Said Zule. Zule stands all of 4 foot tall placed his hands in front of him with palms facing the ground. He waved them in a circle pattern and then snapped his fingers and a small cloak appeared on the ground under his hands and a walking stick with a clear orb on the top appeared in his hand he picked up the cloak and put it over his back and clasped it. "Zule ready." He said.

The three began to walk off with the new forth member of the group as the sun began to fall over the horizon. The group came to the village on the other side of the woods, walking along the main road through the center of town. They looked in the windows of the buildings as they walked but didn't see anyone anywhere in the village, they came to a pillar in the center of the town it had some kind of writings on it that no one knew how to read. The group split up in search of people. Noxalon came to a large building, he walked in and saw rows of seats and a stand in the front webs and dust everywhere. He came to a book shelf in a small room he took a book and pulled it off the shelf and the webs on it stretched and broke as he pulled. He opened the book and began to read. Rina Walking along a small path between two houses, she walked in a door on the side of the one house and looked around, it appeared to be empty. Zule was creeping around. The orb on the end of his walking stick was lit and lighting his way. He came to what he thought was a barn of sorts telling by the look of it. He walked in and looked around not seeing anything but hay, he walked up to a stall and looked in seeing the remains of a cow standing in its place but it was nothing but bone. "Why no fall?" Zule said to himself. Keegan was walking along the outside of the buildings looking in all the widows as he went. He passed the last building and came to a cemetery. He walked in and looked at the head stones and notice that a lot of them died at the same time. He came to a section that was dug up and the graves were empty.

The group came back together at the pillar in the center of town."I didn't see anyone, but I found a history book that someone was writing, but they just stopped." Said Noxalon. "I found some empty graves, I found that odd but I didn't see any people." Keegan said. Rina spoke "I went in a couple houses but didn't see anything." She said. "Zule find animal bones. They no fall, still stand." He said. "Hmm that's interesting, maybe we should move on but it is getting late." Noxalon said. "I'm getting tired and my feet hurt." Said Rina. "We can stay here I could take first watch." Said Keegan. "Zule make rooms for us, not big but good for night." Said Zule. Zule placed his hands in front of him with palms facing the ground, he moved the in small circles and snapped his fingers and flipped his hands with palms facing the sky and moved them up and snapped again. The ground shook a little and four mounds grew one for each member of the group each one connected by a small hole. The four slept for a few hours into the night until Rina awoke to a strange sound coming from outside.

Rina walked out of her mound hut and looked around, she thought she saw something off in the fog. She walked forward slowly toward it until something grabber her shoulder and pulled her around, she turned to see a man who looked like he should be dead. His eye hung from its socket and the flesh peeling from his body and a green tint to his skin. Rina screamed and woke the others. She tried to fight it off until her shield grew from her hands and pushed the man zombie away. The others came out just in time to see the zombie land just in front of a large group of undead fiends slowly approaching the four. Noxalon pulled his stick and turned it into his staff and stood ready. Keegan pulled his blade and held it in front of him and held his palm toward the zombies. Zule held his walking stick, with the top orb facing the zombies. Rina stood back to the side her shield still hold. The zombies crept closer and closer until the four attacked. Noxalon shot a bolt of lightning striking two down. Keegan thrust his hand toward them hurtling 3 of the zombies back into a building and smashing through a wall. Zule pushed his stick forward and from it two bursts of energy shot out and struck two zombies sending them flying. Rina had a zombie come up on the side of her and she panicked pushing her hand away and down which caused her shield to move and form over the zombie and smash it into the ground. The four continued to fight using power and slashing with blades and twirling with staff. And energy blasts and lightning bolts could be seen flying every which way. A shield bubble flying around smashing zombies into the ground and pushing others back. Gusts of wind flew about causing mini whirlwind storm picking up zombies and throwing them. The four fought on for what felt likes hours but it was only closer to about one. Near the end they were all getting tired and draining power until a zombie managed to sneak in close to them and bite Keegan. Just then as Keegan was bit Noxalon thrust his staff toward the zombie and a ball of white energy shot out and enveÂ¬Â¬loped it turning it to ash.

Keegan held his left forearm where he was bit and the other three rushed to him to see if he was ok. They saw his arm and the bite mark, around the wound was turning a light shade of green. Noxalon knelt down and pulled out the palm sized book and place it on the ground, he placed his hand over the book and whispered something the others couldn't hear and the book grew. He read and flipped through the pages swiftly looking for anything he could find about zombies or the undead. "Vampires, Ghouls, Dead Marshes, Ghosts." He read as he flipped through the pages. He turned the page again to see a picture of a decaying body with green flesh and peeling skin. "Ah, here it is." He said. He read the page quickly. "There is an antidote to a zombie bite, but if we don't get it soon he will turn into one". He said. The group looked shocked and horrified, all except for Zule who was poking one of the zombies with his stick. Noxalon looked at Zule. 'Zule. Zule. ZULE!" he shouted. Zule jumped and turned around."Oh scared Zule." He said. "Can you conjure this potion?" asked Noxalon. "Zule only conjure what he knows. No see the potion before." Zule replied. "Then we should be on our way I don't think we have much time" said Noxalon. They stared of toward the closest village that any of them new about. The group set out toward the sun rise.

Keegan began to sweat now and the discoloration spread and covered his arm and was moving slowly across his chest and up his neck. The group was slowing now because Keegan couldn't move as fast now that the sickness was spreading. ""Zule can you teleport?" Noxalon asked. "Zule, teleport? No." he said. ""You can though can you go to the village and come back?" asked Rina. "I don't know how, I don't even know if it was me." said Noxalon. He looked to the rest of the group then to Keegan. "We have nearly a day left until we reach the village, but I don't think we have that long" Noxalon said. The group continued on as fast as they could until they came to an entrenched river and the rope bridge was cut. Noxalons face was full of worry as he could see the changes in Keegan taking hold. Noxalon took out his book and made it grow. He came to a page and held the book in his left hand and held his right hand out facing where the bridge should have been. He spoke aloud as he read from the book and from his hand came four little balls of light that flew out a started to spiral around the cut bridge and make it whole again. They ran across as the cam to the middle of the bridge it began to wobble and fluctuate and the bridge broke.

The four began to fall. "Take my hand." Noxalon shouted. And they all held on to each other. Noxalon closed his eyes and began a chant that he hoped would slow the fall enough for them to survive the great fall into the river below. Seconds later the group touched down in a wave of water rushing through and about them. As the flow pulled them swiftly down the river they each floated back to the top breaking through the surface and began swimming to the shore of the river. The shore was small and narrow but they managed to gather and along the wall and walk down the river bank.

& nbsp;After a long and tiring walk they came to a forest that ran along the river and the ventured in. the four stayed close as they walked in to the growing shadow the farther they went. Noxalon reached down to his belt to grab the shrunken staff but to his surprise it was gone. He came to a quick stop and turned around, through the crack in the trees he could see the river swelling and rising. He knew only a storm could cause the river to rise and by now the staff was gone washed away with the raging water. He fell to the ground on his knees and lowered his head. "My staff, it's gone." He said with much sorrow in his voice. "It's ok we won't need it we can light torches, so we can see." said Rina standing a few feet away. Noxalon looked up to her his face filled with the pain of loss. "I have had that staff since I was a young boy, my grandmother gave it to me just before she died. She said it was my grandfathers and it's been passed down through my family for thousands of years and to take care of it. Now it's gone." He said. Rina walked up to him and kneeled beside him placing her left arm around him and her right hand on his shoulder. "We will find it." She said, with a strong look of compassion and determination. Noxalon looked into her eyes and could tell that she cared. He stood and coughed to clear his throat then looked at the group. "We should probably start moving before it gets to dark to see our noses." He looked to the ground and started walking. He glanced back at Rina to see where she was and as through the entire time since they first met she was just off his side.

An hour later the group was still walking into forest so dark they couldn't see anything beyond an inch or two in front of them. Noxalon stopped and the tug he felt from Rina holding his cloak loosened as she got close to him. He closed his eye and rubbed his right hand over his face then balled it tight and placed it a few inches away from him he release his grip on air and from his hand a light appeared as tiny streams on lightning flowed between his fingers and palm forming a ball of light or white and blue tint that swirled in his hand. He looked back to see the group to see them all looking with wide eyes of amazement. Zule stood a few feet behind but closer then Keegan. "Zule could see, I did. But light you all need I make." Zule took his walking stick right up in his face and with one eye glaring in he tapped it a few times and nothing happened. Then he took it and clubbed the ground and a tiny white light began to emerge from the orb.

The four continued walking through most of the night now that they could see and most of the day. Through the cracks in the dense forest a light could be seem glimmering through from the sun. From that light they knew the edge was near and they would soon be out of the darkness. The group came to the tree line and stepped out the glare brighter than any had seen in days. The reflection from a towering spire, miles off perched on the side of a mountain. Rina looked to Noxalon. "What is that?" she asked. "It looks like a tower, but I don't know anything about it. I have never been there." He said. Keegan walked up and stood just in front of the group and looked up at the great tower. "That is the Tower of Endar; it is the tallest tower in the kingdom of Endar. I was there once many years ago." Keegan looked back at the group. "That's not where we are going is it?" he asked. Noxalon looked at the parchment. "No it says we will find the next two in a place south of here along the forest." The four began walking down along the trees. Keegan walked ahead of the group faster than he had ever walked as though he was trying to get away from something, Noxalon began to turn to look behind them but he caught a glimpse of Rina staring at him then looked away just as he saw her. Noxalon continued to turn to looked behind them and only saw Zule playing with his long ear that came to a point and curled out slightly, Noxalon smiled and shook his head and turned back looking at Rina who was now since the woods walking right next to him.

The group has been walking for several hours now and was getting tired more quickly as they tried to keep up with Keegan who still seemed to be running from something. Darkness began to creep back as the sun lowered behind the mountains. The group slowed and came to a few fallen trees and went under them and began setting up a camp for the night. "How much farther do we have to go until we find the last two on the list?' Rina asked as she sat next to Noxalon with her hand on his knee. He looked at her as she leaned on him her eyes nearly closed asleep. "Just a few more hours, we will leave in the morning after we all have a goodnights sleep." He said to her as she began to fall asleep. The four all laid back and drifted away into the world of dreams. As Noxalon slept he dreamt of a strange place, one he had never seen before. It was dark and from the distance a tall wall like thing shimmered in the sky, it showed many colors. He moved toward the wall but as he did he saw people hurt and dying other being beaten. He rushed toward them to help them but when he got them then the others turned toward him their eyes black and cold, it scared him and he backed away. He stepped back and hit into the wall falling down, he stood ad looked to the great wall and through it he could see many people crying out and screaming. "Please help us, please you must help us!'

Noxalon woke with a jerk and looked around seeing he was still in this place he knew, he leaned back again but saw Keegan sitting on a log nearby looking out at the distance where a small light could be seen. "Why does that place scare you?" he asked. Keegan turned to him; I am supposed to be king." He replied. Noxalon shook his head in amazement. "What do you mean you're supposed to be king?" he asked again. "My father was the king and he died when I was young and the rule of the kingdom fell to me. I was too young for that and it scared me so I ran and ran and I haven't gone back since." He said in a low and regretful manner. "Maybe it would be a good thing to do; it's who you are meant to be. After we get the Shadow taken care of we will go there." Keegan turned to him looking so confused. "The Shadow?" he asked. Noxalon looked back to him. "Oh sorry, it was in this dream I had it was horrible. There was this thing called the Shadow, it killed people and took them over as it tried to take control of the land." Keegan looked shocked. "That was no dream, across the Sea of Tears the land there is plagued by a being known as the shadow, the land it controls in known as Shadowland and the other side of the Wave is the Lightland." He explained. "What is the Wave?" Noxalon asked. "It is a towering wall of shimmering color, made or pure magic and energy." Noxalon looked amazed. "I think I have to go there, in my dream they kept asking me to help them. They were crying out and bleeding everywhere, just kept yelling "please help me." Noxalon said as he lowered his head. "I think you and the rest of the group should go for the last two and take them to Endar, you should be safe there. I have to go to this place and try and help them." He said as he stood. "Rina will not like that." said Keegan. "Tell her I had to go and to keep safe, I will be back" and off he went travelling for many days and through the night, resting for only a few hours at a time. He came to the shores of Endar and across the sparkling Sea of Tears he could see the faded shores of Shadowland and Lightland. After spending a day to rest he found a man who was willing to take him across the sea. Nearly five days later after hearing many stories and eating horrible food the ship was at the coast of Durance home of Shadowland and Lightland but which side would he continue to. He sat in the lower deck of the boat and looked through his book for anything that would help him choose, when to his surprise he came across and conjuring spelled to bring a lost treasure. He read over it carefully and closed his eyes and took a deep breath and began to speak the word from the book holding his right hand out palm facing up and when he finished nothing happened. He looked to the book again and read it over, he closed his eyes and spoke again and a shimmer of light swirled in his hand and from it his staff materialized in it shrunken form. He jumped up and screamed. "YES! It's back!" he was so happy to have his staff back he ran up to the top of the boat. "Shadowland." He said and walked to the small boat hanging off the side and stepped in and it lowered into the water and he paddled ashore to Shadowland.

Kai, Dagus, Roland and Rita left the tower and the Grand Council Chambers. They set out to find allies against the coming horde of the Shadows taint and minions. While traveling the group was attacked several times by creatures and men all taken by the Shadow. Though they were victorious they used much of their energies holding back the waves that came, their horses waned and the sun was falling low behind the mountains off in the distance. They came to an old tavern that lay in ruin near the edge of the Wave River, though much of it had fallen or been taken back by nature it was still shelter and the safest place for miles. The four tied their horses to poles along the front of the tavern and entered into the damp must of the taverns main room. Roland walked to the side of the tavern that was missing a wall, he knelt low and placed his hand on the ground speaking softly "Lap Ek'sehl." And the ground rumbled and cracked and from it sprung branches and vines filling the holes in the wall. Rita walked to the door and with a loudly released a chorus of sounds, and shortly after a small army of birds and small woodland creatures surrounded the tavern. Dagus came to a fire pit near the center of the room and lowered his hand into the ashes and closed his eyes and sparks of light lit the ashes and he threw in some pieces of broken chairs. The four crowded around the fire and slowly drifted away.

Late in the night the sound of animals screeching and popping sounds woke Rita, she walked to the door and peered out the small cracks. To her surprise a troll stood on the other side, her eyes widened and she turned to the others and quickly ran over to them. "Wake, there are trolls out there." She said to them as she shook them. Dagus woke first and pulled his sword rushing to the door and peering through the crack to see the troll's eye looking back at him. A loud roaring scream filled the tavern and the door shattered open and the troll rushed in. In much haste the group did what they could to fight back, Roland whipped his staff around slapping the troll in the head. He shook the whip like staff and it hardened into its staff like state. Dagus swung his sword high and with a yell its blade became writhed in flame, he struck the troll hitting its back leaving a small cut and singed marks. Rita roared and her eyes shifted and hair sprang from her body and in seconds she stood nearly seven foot tall as a fierce bear, she lunged at the troll taking it to the ground and mauling at it. Kai jumped up the stairs and from a window he pointed his hand at the sky and summoned a great cloud. The cloud bursts in the sky and giant green streaks of lightning struck the ground scattering trolls and goblins. He lowered his staff out the window and from its tip the shard flickered and came to life as a stream of ice filled wind blew toward the trolls. Roland ran out the door to the tavern and slammed his staff into the ground and it cracked open and huge vines flopped out and grabbed at the goblins crushing them in their grip. Rita in bear form leaped through the door, her fur drenched in troll blood she talked another and bit down at its face. Dagus rushed through the door just behind Rita; he waved his sword striking goblins left and right. He raised his hand and from it a cone of fire thrust forward and engulfed a group of them. Kai leapt from the window on a gust of wind pushing him high into the sky, he raised his staff and the cloud broke with one final burst striking the staff and Kai. He flew to the ground enveloped in blue and green bolts of lightning, he lunged his staff into the biggest troll breaking through its rough stone like skin the field of lightning flowed through the staff and into the troll. The pressure built and the troll fell to the ground and split with spark of light flying out. Kai stood over the split troll and turned to the other when a black energy ball flew at him from the trees, he raised his staff to stop it but was too late and it struck him in the center of his chest. Kai flew back with such force he broke through the wall of the tavern and landed on the stairs, he raised his head with his vision blurred he saw a group of taken minions emerge from the woods and he collapsed back onto the stairs.

Dagus, Rita and Roland held the fight as long as they could, Rita returned to her human form and in her hands she form bright orbs of energy and flung it at the Minions hitting one. Roland raised his staff and swung its end toward the group, from the end of the staff came a bright wave a green energy that sliced through the air hurtling at the minions hitting two of them sending them flying back into the woods. Dagus rolled to the side dodging the brunt of a dark orb and from his hand he form a ball of fire and thrusts it at the leader of the minions hitting his shoulder. Dagus grabbed he arm and looked to it, he pulled his hand away to see blood. The dark orb had hit him; he fell to the ground and knelt aside the others. The minions rushed at them throwing waves and balls of dark shadow energy at the three. The dove and jumped away from them dodging what they could. The three scramble about the area returning fire with their own energy balls and fireballs and vines whipping from the ground. Dagus flung his sword through the air its flame glowed bright and embers trailed behind it. The sword sunk deep into the chest of the lead minion, the trailing embers scattered over the others lighting their clothes and sending them into a panic. Rita threw two balls of white energy into the air above them and with a wave of her hand they burst sending a shower of searing sparks over the remaining two minions. Roland raised his hand with a glove of vines around it he reached out and squeezed his hand and the vines that lay on the ground lifted and with his movements they followed and wrapped around a minion and crushed it. The final minion fled limping into the darkness of the woods.

Kai awoke hours later laying next to the fire as a stream on light flowed through a crack in the window and hit his face, his eyes adjusted to the mixed light and his vision cleared he could see Rita, Dagus and Roland sitting around him. "What happened?" he asked. Rita leaned over him and spoke "The minions have been pushed back and the goblins and trolls have fled. We won but you took the brunt of an energy ball. You'll be ok though." She smiled and sat back. Roland put his hand on his shoulder. "It was a grand fight, I haven't been in one like that in many years." He said. Kai smiled and sat up looking to Dagus seeing his arm in bandage. "Are you ok?" he asked. Dagus smiled and nodded "Aye, how are you?" he asked. Kai felt his chest. "I think I am ok." He answered. He swung his legs around and sat looking deep into the fire as sparks shot high and lifted with the smoke through the chimney.

Tolian sifted through the thickness of the dark woods as he made his way to the other side. He walked through the darkness with no light his vision remained unchanged, the vampire taint has given him night eyes and he could see as clearly as if it was day. While walking he came across a small dirt path between the trees that lead to a small broken and cracked building, above its door hung a holy symbol. A church of the old ways, long before the Shadow grew and plagued the land. Tolian stepped up to the half fallen door and pulled it away from the passage, he stepped through seeing webs and dust had taken over. A small flickering shadow caught the corner of his eye, he turned to face it and saw a passage way to a staircase. He hid in the shadows as he approached the stairs in silence. He stepped down onto the first rocky stair and peered around the corner seeing a figure sitting by a candle surrounded by books and parchments. He came down the final stairs and with caution spoke out. "Hello?" the figure slowly stood and began to turn and as it did an arrow flew from it straight at Tolian. Tolian pounced at the wall and pushed off with his feet and in mid air turned into a cloud of mist rushing at the figure enveloping it and materializing on the other side, he grabbed the figure and held it. The figure spoke with a rasp "You will have to kill me if you want the chronicles, you vial Shadow taint!" Told released the old man and stepped back. "I am no taint of the Shadow, I serve no one." He said, as the man turned around lowering his hood showing long white hair on both his head and his wrinkled face. "Then what is it you want here?" He asked. "I was just traveling through the woods trying to reach the other side." He explained. The old man sat down in his chair next to the small candle. "Why would you risk so much to pass such a dangerous place?" Tolian shifted in place and lowered his head. "My wife, she was taken from me by a vampire. There is little hope that she still lives, I have nothing to lose." He said as he sat on the cold stone of the ground. The old man stood and slowly made his way to a stack of old papers, from the pile he pulled a large scroll and unraveled it revealing a faded map. Tolian stood and walked to the man looking over the map, running his finger along the path he took as he came to the temple. His figure continued moving along the map coming to the edge of the wood and a small town on the brink of the Sea of Tears.

After resting and looking over many scrolls he left the old man to his vigil guard of the Chronicles. Before long Tolian emerged at the end of the wood, seeing a small stream of light breaking through the crack in the darkness above he continued out and walked to the cities gate. Many shady and dubious looking people walked the streets and stood near the lamp posts watching him as he entered the town. He saw an Inn sign hanging from a dank and rundown stone and wooden building. He walked up to it and opened the door seeing only 3 people inside. The keeper stood behind the bar watching him as he entered and the other two watched from a table just off the bar. As he walked in further he placed his hand on the edge of the wet wooden plank that served at the bar top. "Do you have a room available for the night?" he asked the man behind the bar. The man's eyes glared at him from under his dark bushy brows. "We have one, its twenty pieces for one night" as he spoke his long stringy beard wobbled across his chest. Tolian reached down his side and into his pouch pulling out a golden gem that glimmered brightly in the fires light. The keeper grabbed it and pointed up the stairs. "First door." He said as he turned back around to continue his work.

Tolian turned to the fire to see another person sitting off to the side of the mantle, the man bore a clean mended cloak with vibrant color to it, setting him apart from the rest of the town. Tolian walked to the man and sat across from him on the other side of the mantle. "You're not from here are you?" he asked. The man shifted and looked away from the fire and toward Tolian. "I came ashore three days ago, just after setting foot on land I was attacked by a group of, I think they were goblins but they did not fight like any goblin I had ever seen before. I barely got away but I did manage to kill a good number of them before I got over run so I ran and found this place. Not what I would call homey but it's safe at least." Said the man. Tolian looked surprised. "You came ashore? I have never heard of anyone coming here from another land before. My name is Tolian Maros." The man nodded to him. "My name is Noxalon; I come from the land of Florthera across the sea." The two talked for hours about what they had done to bring them to this place and what had happened to them on their travels. The sun shown slightly through the clouds as it lifted into the sky the two stood and walked up stairs going to their rooms to rest for a few hours.

Tolian walked down the stairs crossing the front of the bar headed for the door, as he opened it the bright glare of the sun shown from above the sea. He shut his eyes tight not seeing such brightness before it shocked his system and his eyes pained as they tried to adjust to the light. Since Tolian was born the Shadow had tainted the sky and only thin beams cut through the clouds on occasion. Several minutes later he was able to open his eyes normally, his skin tingled with the warmth of the sun but before long the tingle became a sharp jabbing like needle. He stepped into the shadow and the feeling of needles and tingling dissipated and he rubbed his arms checking them, everything seemed fine. Tolian shook his head as he remember he carried the taint of vampirism and the sun when it did hit him would cause severe irritation, because he wasn't fully turned with the vampire ritual he was able to travel in the light of day as long as he could tolerate it.

The two travelled for hours when the sun was bright and high in the sky Tolian pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and pulled the cloak around him. He looked to Noxalon, "How far is it to where ever we are going?" Noxalon looked to him am shrugged, "I'm not sure. I am just following a feeling. I had a vision that someone needed my help." The two talked and travelled for several more hours not seeing anyone. Every so often they came across animals and tried to catch something to eat but were un able to. Soon after night fall Tolian was able to stalk a large wolf and take it down. He carried it back to the camp that Noxalon had been making and they began to cook. About an hour later the meat was finally cooked and they ate, Tolians face was growing more white by the hour and was beginning to feel weak. He ran into the dark woods coming across a group of people in another camp on the other side of a large hill.

Tolian approached the camp getting closer and closer but stopping as he saw each of them held staves. He turned and misted back into the dense of the woods and hunted again finding a fox, he grabbed it and fed on it, the color flushed back into his face and his eyes filled with color. He stood and began walking back to his camp when Noxalon was walking toward him. "The person I was supposed to help is near here, I can feel it." Tolian pointed into the woods toward a thin stream of dim light in the pitch darkness. "There was a camp there, four people. I think they were all wizards." Noxalon began walking toward the light watching as it grew slowly and the light flickered between the trees.

Noxalon and Tolian came to the camp as Noxalon stepped into the light the four stood grabbing their weapons pointing them at the two. One of the men stepped forward. "I know you.." he said. "I am Kai Rygel, Leader of the Grand Council or Magi" He bowed his head slightly. "And you are?" Noxalon stepped forward again returning the bow. "Noxalon, and this is Tolian Maros." Tolian stepped forward into the light and the other stood. Noxalon raised his hand and stepped in front of Tolian. "He is friendly and my companion." Roland stepped forward nodding his head. "I am Roland." Rita stood next to Kai. "I am Rita, nice to meet you." She smiled and lowered her staff back to the log on which she was sitting on. Dagus nodded and walked forward. "I am Dagus, welcome." They all sat around the fire and talked for hours into the night.

In the morning one by one they woke and began to pack their gear and roll the bed throws and filled their water in a small stream that fell from a rock nearby.