The mountain passes of the Thak-Tharak mountain range was no safe place, and in winter even less so than usual. They were well known for being the last resting place of several unfortunate travellers and most people would shun the high altitude passes and travel along the low land rivers instead. That trip was much longer but almost safe. Nobody wanted to take a chance and risk their lives when they could reach their destination in a far more comfortable way. Up there you risked freezing to death first and foremost, then came the danger of avalanches and rock slides and the area was also well known for being the hunting grounds of less than friendly creatures like orcs and trolls and gnomes and the gods alone knew what else of evil beings.
The winds were howling, a shrill sound that were a harbinger of death to anyone being outdoors. It was already very cold and the wind made it even worse, it could freeze exposed tissue in a matter of a few minutes. This winter had been a hard one, snow had piled up everywhere and even the old could not remember having seen this much of it before. Some places the buildings were completely covered, and some feared that this was the end of the world, that their existence would be brought to an end by an unending winter. The pass leading down from the mountain known as Zhepultras peak was one nobody used, even in summer. Some years ago, a rockslide had damaged the road and so the travellers sought the other more easy routes instead.

Yet on this very day a lone figure could be seen struggling its way through the deep snow, a small hairy short legged horse carrying a lone rider. The animal was panting, the snow was packed and hard to move through and the animal was exhausted but the figure on its back was in an even worse state.

Snow was drifting through the air like a dense white veil and the winds were like cold claws, trying to tear away any sign of life. The horse had a thick winter coat and the breed was known to survive even the bitter cold of the mountains but the rider did not fare so well. He was wearing good winter clothes and a huge cloak was wrapped around him, yet he was close to fainting from the cold. He was shivering like a leaf in the wind and could barely hold on to the saddle. He had quit guiding the horse a long time ago, he trusted the animal’s keen instincts and knew that it would try to find a safe place, but he feared that it would be too late.

The horse was a faithful companion, he felt like the worst person in the world to push it like he had but there was no other way. They would both succumb to the cold soon if they didn’t find any shelter. He was leaning forward, the pain in his hands and feet was almost gone and that scared him more than anything else. He could not die, but he could most certainly loose fingers and toes to frostbite and perhaps even more vital body parts too and the idea scared him to the core. Intense cold or intense heat was among the very few things which could cause him real harm.

He had been an idiot, and he knew it. Crossing the mountains at this time of the year was sheer madness but he had no other choice the way he saw it. He had to get away from the bay area since there had been no more jobs and people often got aggressive when they started to understand how he made his living, and what he was. People with his profession rarely got to see the welcoming side of the small communities and he was a very unusual individual, even for those accustomed to elves. Some had begun to question his right to be there and then there were the small but significant group of people who did believe that those of elven blood gained their longevity and strength by robbing humans of theirs. He had decided to leave when the local priest had started to create rumours just to get him out of town, he knew where this was heading and he didn’t want to cause anyone to lose their lives unless he could help it. He could have slaughtered them all but what was the point in that? They were primitive superstitious beings and he had no reason to stay there, it was better to move on.

 It was several decades since he had crossed the mountains this way and he had forgotten a lot, too much even. He had lost his way and only blind luck had allowed him to find a safe way down toward the valley below, and now he was desperately searching for the one small village he knew lay there somewhere. But it too could have changed, it could have been moved or even been abandoned and he bit his teeth together and just prayed that there still were people there.
He had seen no lights so far, not even tracks that revealed activity and it seemed like the area was dead, not even wolves or other mountain dwellers had left any marks in the snow and he feared the worst. The horse needed rest and food and he feared that he would lose consciousness soon. He was so cold he felt like a piece of ice. Even his good clothes could not keep the bitter cold out and to the poor horse it had to be even worse, the animal was covered in snow and ice and it was breathing hard and desperately trying to find its way through the snowdrifts.

He had not anticipated anything like this, but like they said, pride comes before the fall. He thought he could cross using only one day but he was very wrong, this was the tenth day and neither of them had eaten anything for the last three days. He had been carrying a sack of food and some oats but it had been lost when the horse lost its footing and skidded down a slope with him on top of it. And so the problems had started.

At first he feared the creatures of the mountains but that fear was quickly dispelled, nothing moved outside in a winter storm, not even trolls. But the cold was an enemy even greater than any giant and he soon realized that he was in deep trouble.

It was going downhill, his eyes were almost frozen shut by the flying snow and ice and he could not feel his hands anymore but he could see that the landscape had somehow changed. The forest and open moor had changed into what had to be meadows and he could see that there had been cattle grazing there during the summer. His hope was rekindled, he tried desperately to stay awake and the horse seemed to sense it too and found its last reserves of strength. His eyes could see light, and it was not the light of distant stars but a flickering weak light that had to be fire.

The horse grunted and started to push forward toward the light, he promised himself that he would reward the little fellow with a very good meal as soon as possible, if they survived that was. The fatigue almost overwhelmed him, he felt dizzy and lightheaded and was glad he had tied himself to the saddle, just in case. He could go for weeks without food or water and his endurance was great even compared with that of a dwarf or an ordinary elf but the cold had been sucking the strength out of him like a bleeding wound. And he had been walking a lot too and tried to make a path the weary horse could use.

Some would perhaps have abandoned the animal and tried to find their way on foot but he was not like that, the small horse had no chance there, it would freeze to death or the wolves would find it and it had been a friend to him for a couple of months now. He could have bought himself a better horse of course, he had money but a huge expensive animal would draw attention toward him, and that he tried to avoid. For an ordinary mercenary the small gelding was more than enough and it made his stories more believable. He had not given the horse a name, but he did not feel like he had to, they had each other and that was all he needed.

The horse found something that had to be a road, it was covered by almost five feet of snow just like the surroundings but one could see that it was flat and going somewhere. He fought the drowsy feeling, it was a hard battle but he had to win, this time too. He did not want to suffer injuries from frostbite and the idea of losing limbs terrified him. He had to keep his body in good shape in order to get jobs or else he would get himself into deep trouble. His thoughts were slow, almost reluctant like his brain would prefer to shut down. He did not even shiver anymore and it felt so tempting to fall asleep. The snow looked so soft and inviting and he was so very tired. And he did not feel the cold anymore, it was weird. Alarm bells were ringing in his mind and he knew that this was dangerous but he no longer had the strength to fight the exhaustion. He tipped forwards and was hanging along the neck of the horse as it ploughed through the snow with determination within its gentle eyes.

The light got closer, it was small and weak but real. It came through a small window and there was a group of buildings there. This was a very small village consisting of farm buildings and small cabins and it could not house that many people. The horse pushed its way through the snowdrifts that had piled up within the gate, there was a low fence around the place but it was almost invisible now. The animal could smell people, it could smell smoke and other horses and it knew that people meant help. He was not dumb and carried his now unconscious rider toward the house where the light was shining. The door was almost covered by the snow too, nobody had left the house for hours and the horse was swaying now. It had drained the last of its strength and stood there with his head close to the ground, flanks heaving and legs wobbly and threatening to give in. The horse lifted its head and whinnied, a sound barely audible over the roar of the wind but he managed to repeat it a few times before his legs gave in and he collapsed on the snow.
There were silence for a few seconds, then the door started to shake and someone pushed it open. A lamp was held up and there was a shadow in the doorway. The horse neighed once more and the figure got busy. “Dhora, girls, by the gods, there is really someone out here. Come and give me a hand.”

The small gelding felt relieved, there were in deed people there and now everything would be fine. He just lay there and allowed the man and the three women to cut his rider free before they carried him inside. A younger man came and helped the animal onto its feet again and gently supported it while leading it into a small stable across the open yard. They were safe, at least for the time being.

Lady Shayrean of Thoracy was feeling rather peaceful this lovely evening, the sun was setting behind the beautiful towers of the fifth island and the air was filled with the pleasant fragrances of high summer. She turned her face toward the light and sighed to herself, she had to admit to herself that she should be very pleased with her work and what she had achieved. But she could not, she still felt a sort of irrational guilt she could not explain. The garden she was walking through was perfect, no other word could describe it. Flowers and trees were growing there in a seemingly random pattern but everything was in fact placed according to very skilled planning. Nothing was out of place, not even the vines that were growing between the branches had been allowed to follow their natural pattern. This was nature made more natural than it actually was and she did not know if she liked it or not.

 It was beautiful but she felt that it was stiff somehow. There was nothing of the free energy she sensed within a real forest. But it was as it always had, their house had been famous for their garden since the very start and she could not just go ahead and change what had been a trademark for their family for millennia.
She sighed, took a look around, tried to return to the peaceful state she had been in. It was hard to find peace these days, and she was feeling tired. Things had not been thus when her husband had been alive but he passed away because of a tragic accident two years earlier and suddenly she was left with the responsibility of ruling their house. And that job was not something anyone with a soft heart and weak condition should try, it was back breaking and she sometimes felt like she had put her hand into a nest of venomous snakes. Her husband had been strong, he had a lot of authority within their society and everybody respected him. She had lived within his shadow and had been happy that way but now she had been pushed into the light and had to do what he had done. 

Shayrean had been a high priestess of the Goddess Ahklariel for most of her life, it had indeed given her both a taste of power and a deep insight into the minds of others but she had never imagined that ruling a noble house would be this demanding. She felt trapped, no less than that. As a priestess she had often been involved in intrigues and petty fights between different groups within their herd of believers and also between followers of different deities but the constant battle for power that was fought among the seven ruling houses was down right insane.
Her race was a peaceful one, or at least that was the common belief but by every god she knew of, the noble houses were no less ferocious and bloodthirsty than a band of wild orcs. Murder was not the way of their people, after all they tried to be civilised but the gossip and the dirty tricks were often no less lethal than a dagger. Magic were commonly used to assure one owns power while destroying that of others and every house had at least five strong magicians. And a whole herd of priests and priestesses who sought their own form of power. By influencing their masters they could increase the wealth of their own temple and it had become a spider’s web of hidden treaties and alliances that could make anyone confused.
           Shayrean was in a way lucky, her house was the lowest of the seven noble ones and it had been so for ages. To some this was a sign of weakness and a lack of ambitions but the truth was that they knew how to survive. Being among the top houses was practically equal to being at war and while the others were spinning their plans and wasting their energy the seventh house was growing ever more powerful but doing so very slowly and discreetly. She had to smile to herself, the methods that were used! Lies and deceit was of course normal, everything well camouflaged as friendly advice and benign chit-chat. Getting someone of your own house married into one of the houses above you was just normal, it was to expect and nobody saw anything weird in it. Parents were desperately trying to catch the attention of that particular someone they thought could make a good son or daughter in law and the children themselves seldom had anything they could say.
It was terrible really, they were all the children of light and yet they were struggling to climb this rather rackety social ladder like they were worshipers of the dark gods. But time had forced this change upon them, they had removed themselves from their original state and she felt deep within her heart that it was the commoners who carried the true legacy of their people. Her class was no longer what they once had been, not in any way. They worshiped nature like all of their race but denied to see the true beauty of it and she knew of no one who would leave all this luxury and wealth behind and live like their ancestors, free within the shades of the mighty forests.
In fact they lived so far away from the rest of their people that some nobles never had seen a city or a natural forest. It was a shame, it truly was. The seven islands of the sacred star was the ultimate symbol of their power and in her eyes the ultimate symbol of their failure. When had power become more important than people, than happiness and fulfilment? The seven islands were artificial, some said that a very mighty magician had formed them during a stormy night with the help of a horde of demons. The lake which housed them was huge and not very deep and now it had become like a world of its own. All islands were shaped like a star with seven spikes, and they lay there with wide canals between them.

To travel from one island to the other one had to use some of the very lovely boats that lay moored at the designated piers and the water was literally sparkling with magical defences and some more sinister ones too. She knew that falling into the canal could be fatal, there were things living in the lake that could strip a body of flesh in a few seconds.
And this was the fate of her people, of this ruling class. To become so paranoid and mad they literally caged themselves in and forgot all about living. Of course the islands were beautiful, admired by everyone and many came from other countries just to behold them. The buildings on each island were representing the preferred style of the house that lived there and so were the rest of the island too. Her family had chosen natural shapes to their architecture and garden, it wasn’t too bad and seemed inviting even to Shayrean’s eyes but she had to admit that their island was rather anonymous compared with the grandness and glory of some of the stronger houses.

Towers of silver or gold, gardens made from magical plants and animals or gardens where everything was made from living crystal. It was such a waste because in her mind nothing could ever compare with the beauty of a real forest. But it all showed power and nothing showed power more than the island of the house of Hara’kree, the ruling house. They had the most influence and the ruler of the entire society was of that house now. On that island which was the biggest of them all everything was kept in an almost Spartan form. There were nothing extravagant or luxurious to be seen, the walkways and gardens almost bleak compared with those of the other houses and the buildings simple and almost boring to watch. No magic, no extra lighting at night and absolutely no show of strength. Because they did not have to, everybody knew what Hara’kree could achieve. One word and everyone could become  nobody over just one night. They had the most powerful wizards and the greatest wealth and everyone who had actually visited the island could tell that inside of the seemingly mundane buildings was a luxury that was both overwhelming and tasteful. And that was one of the very signatures of the Hara’kree family, taste!
The only reason why Shayrean liked them was that fact, their taste. They were known for elegance and style, not for being of those who thought that they could show power by over dressing and carrying enough jewels to almost break their own necks.
Yes, Shayrean liked some of the Hara’krees, since they did not have to fear being overthrown by some devious outsider they relaxed and sought other things than just worldly power. Some were great artists or very devoted priests while others spend their time doing charity and helping the less fortunate members of their people. Yes, in her eyes the upper house was the only one worthy of respect. The lake lay far from any city and the area was very secluded and peaceful, like a small world of its own and it was both a good thing and a nuisance. If their forefathers had placed this centre of power within a major city everybody would have been able to see reality every day but to most of the upper class the world outside of the sacred star was a mere word. It did not concern them and they knew very little of the realities of everyday life. Shayrean was privileged by the fact that she had served as a priestess in the temple of the country capital and had seen more of the world than many others. And thus it saddened her even more to see how unreal the lives of many were.
She walked through the garden, the sun was warm and she fanned herself and tried to keep a straight face as always. You never showed anyone your true emotions and she could never allow herself to seem weak or even distracted. There were eyes everywhere and even within her own house there were people who would have enjoyed to have her removed from her position. But she was too smart, too cunning. Shayrean had lived for more than three thousand seven hundred years and that gave her enough respect to secure her in at least some ways.

But on the other hand the future looked a bit bleak in deed. She had only one child and he was a weakly boy who didn’t seem to be interested in anything except books and sulking. He was her great sorrow and the source of many of her worries, a boy should be more energetic and show more initiative but Ushann was the opposite of their ideals. A silent and somewhat shy child who just celebrated his eight birthday and he was not at all the future leader they had wanted. He would never be able to lead their house because he would bend to the will of others and allow them to lead him in whatever direction they desired. Shayrean could see that very well, she was a master at reading peoples personality and she had little faith in Ushann, he would never change.

There were too much of his father’s family in him, their lack of a strong will and lack of self-confidence had struck again within this boy and she could only be grateful that it had skipped his father. She sighed and walked on, she would have to come up with a plan to save their position, a marriage with a good and wise woman was of course an option but treasures like that did not grow on trees. She would really have to think hard to find a solution.

 
She sat down on a bench and tried to relax, she could see a gardener working on a decorative fence close to where she sat. He was obviously trying to fix it and she saw that a young boy came running to him with some tools. It had to be an apprentice but so young? The upper class seldom noticed those who worked for them but Shayrean was different, she did not see her own class as any different from all others, they were just born by the right parents and luck had decided this fact. She cared about her servants and she cocked her head and stared at the man who tried to push two parts of the fence back together again.

He was a tall blond man with the smooth features of the elven race native for this land but the boy was dark. Shayrean got curious, the child was obviously trying to obey and learn but it was rather clear that he didn’t enjoy the work. His attention was elsewhere and Shayrean had to smile. Children were innocent and didn’t always understand that their parents only wanted what was best for them. She fanned herself again and allowed her inherited special power to get active. She had been born with the gift of chere-char, the eye that saw everything, it was a secret within her family that some women had this ability and she rarely used it because it gave her a terrible headache and could show her things she really didn’t want to see. But there was something about this child that made her forget about that.
To Shayrean the gardener and the child suddenly were surrounded by a strong light and its colour and shape told her a lot about the person. The gardener’s aura was normal, he was a strong healthy male who probably was a very good person, dedicated to his work and his family. But the boy… Shayrean felt how all colour faded from her face, she had to gasp for air and grasped on to the bench not to topple over. She had never seen anything like that, anything more horrifying or fascinating and she did not understand. She had to use all of her will power to pull her gaze away from the child, her heart was thundering in her chest and she felt her throat go dry. The aura of the boy had been unlike any aura she had ever seen, it carried within it every thinkable colour and yet none, and there had been things moving within it. It had reminded her of staring at a thundercloud, it carried with it an ominous warning of great danger, and power. More power than she could comprehend there and then. It was like staring at a giant nest of snakes, half of them white and half of them black and they were slithering and writhing, fighting for dominance. She gasped again and the gardener got aware of her and her obvious distress.
He walked over toward her and stared at her as politely as he could. “My lady, are you OK?”
She had to grasp a hold of herself, tried to smile and seem calm but her mind was racing. What was this? “I…I am fine, it’s just the heat.”
She straightened herself up and smiled at the man, fanned herself frantically to hide her emotional chaos. The boy walked over to the man, stood there and stared at her and she felt cold chills running down her spine. He was a beautiful boy, in fact one of the loveliest children she had ever seen in her life and she could see that he had to be of mixed heritage. His features were not entirely elven and she had a suspicion that one of his parents had been a half elf or at least someone with a bit of human blood. His face lacked the typical roundness of elven youths, it was all angles and made him look sharp somehow. The skin was also rather dark, most unusual among elves and he seemed to be a rather strong lad, even at this tender age.
She smiled at the two, tried to look like the powerful and yet benign lady she was known to be. She had become good at hiding her true feelings over the years and knew that they probably believed her. Everybody knew that the current fashion often caused the high ladies to faint, those darn dresses demanded the use of tight corsets and she hated it of all her heart. “You have brought an apprentice to work I see?”
She smiled at the two and the man ruffled the boys black hair with a loving gesture. “Yes my lady, he is my grandson actually.”
She raised a perfect brow in a questioning grimace and the man bowed slightly. “I am known as Aldhiin lady, he is my son’s child but my son and his wife died last summer. It was at sea, their boat sank and I have been taking care of him ever after.”
Shayrean smiled, could sense the man’s sorrow. “So your daughter in law must have been dark haired?”
Aldhiin shook his head. “No my lady, she was blond like my son. They could not get children on their own so they adopted him, he was found abandoned on the steps of the orphanage in Chualdy.”
Shayrean blushed, she feared that she had insulted the man somehow. “I…I am sorry, I really am. I have no business asking such questions, but he is such a beautiful child”
Aldhiin smiled lovingly. “Yes he is, and he is smart too. Much more bright than the other boys of his age. He should not have to become a gardener but what other options is there? We are poor, we cannot afford sending him to school.”
Shayrean sighed, it was a common problem. The children of the rich and powerful got to learn the things they needed to remain powerful and rich and the children of the poor remained poor. But she had to find out what it was she had seen in this boy’s aura. “I am sure he is very bright yes, how old are you young man?”
The boy bowed and swallowed, he was not shy or withdrawn like her son and it made her heart ache. He had such wonderful blue eyes, blue like nothing she had ever seen. They looked almost unreal and she wondered who his true parents were, that very unnatural eye colour set him apart from others. “I am seven years old my lady, and my name is Kyall.”
Shayrean was for a moment startled by what he said, just seven? He was tall like a boy of fifteen and the name? She knew why he had gotten it, it was his eyes of course. That colour was so intense and Kyall was the name used for a very special type of steel that was almost legendary. It was known for having an intense beautiful blue colour and as far as anyone knew only six items had ever been made from this metal.

 It had fallen from the sky itself within a falling star and a master smith had wrought six weapons from the heart of that star. Two daggers, two swords and two battle axes and all the six weapons were masterpieces unlike any other ever made. And they hid a terrible secret. All of the weapons forged by that dwarf smith were magical and they would feed upon the very life of those who were killed by them and give the one who wielded them an almost unending amount of power. They would draw magical powers too and so the weapons had been known as the dragon blades since some dragons also were able to feed upon the magic of others. They were lost somewhere within the oceans of time and nobody knew where they were now but the legends were still well known. But she did not like the idea, that such a beautiful boy was named after the most terrible weapons ever made.
“It is a very nice name young man, don’t you like helping your grandfather with the gardens?”
The boy shook his head and stared down at his shoes.” No, it is boring! But he says I have to, I want to be a knight or something!”
Shayrean forced herself to laugh. “Oh I am sure you would make a fine knight too, the very best!”
The boy blushed and stared down and she could see no evil in this child, he was innocent like all children are but she could sense the potential within him. By the gods, there had to be a way to… She shook her head, no, she would not think about that. She could not exploit a child that way, even if he somehow could strengthen her position. Kyall was staring at a bird that flew by and there was a strange grace within his moves that reminded the noble lady of the huge cats she had seen in the king’s zoo.
Aldhiin touched the boys shoulder. “Come now, we should not disturb the lady any further. The fence does not repair itself”
The boy turned his head and looked at her once more, there was a silent question within those incredible blue eyes and Shayrean had to swallow hard. By everything sacred, this child was indeed special. She had to do something, there was a mystery there somewhere and she needed to get to the bottom of it, and soon!
She hurried to her chambers and fetched the key to the huge library the family had gathered over the centuries. They had books of almost every thinkable kind and some were very ancient and valuable. She hurried down into the huge room and stopped at the entrance. She had to know what she was looking for and sighed. It would be tricky but she had a small trick up her sleeve. She pulled a small crystal hanging in a chain from her pocket and whispered a few silent words, the crystal began to shine and she followed the small streak of light. The light was leading her along the huge shelves and she threw nervous glances around her. The huge room was dark and dusty and it smelled of something stale and dead, it had to be the books that smelled that way.

After a while she stopped before a small shelf at the back of the room, she lit a lamp and stared at the books gathered there. “Show me which book I need”
The light turned toward a rather small and insignificantly looking book that had been pushed in between a rather monumental book about the herbs of inner Vhyliar and a book about rare and exotic dishes made from fowl. She pulled the book out from the shelf and hurried back toward her chambers. She did not want anyone to know what she was doing and so she ordered the servants to leave. She claimed that she was tired and needed to sleep, they believed her because she had been pushing herself hard lately. The newest achievement, a trading agreement with some well-known merchants had been made possible only through countless meetings and a lot of presents and some rather huge payments underneath the table. But she had pulled it through and the deal was done, right in front of the other houses. She was a little proud but also ashamed.
There had been a time when someone’s word had been enough, now there was no such thing as loyal attitudes or honest trade, money was everything that mattered and the deals and the wealth went to those who could pay the most. It was a shame, the world had changed a lot since she was a child and she feared the consequences. She got her tight yellow dress of and put on a soft robe. Here within the walls of her own chambers she could relax and just be herself and she got rid of her jewellery too. She was expected to show the family’s wealth by wearing expensive dresses and fine jewellery but she hated it. She had never really cared about fashion and had always thought that the body in itself was pretty enough without being adorned with such trinkets.
She placed herself in her bed and started looking at the book. It was a book of ancient magic and it told of many magicians that were forgotten by everyone these days. But they had been great names and she slowed down when she suddenly recognized what she was reading. It was a description from the days before the great disaster when dragons were common and the lands wild and uncharted. There had been magicians and warriors back then with powers nobody possessed any more, the power to rule the forces of nature and control the mightiest of beasts.
She knew of the history of their lands, everybody did that, even the commoners. Once upon a time there had been no countries, just one huge land where several minor kings tried to rule as best as they could and even though there had been freedom there had also been wars and many battles. And the magic had been more vibrant back then, almost everyone owned that special power that was given to them because of their heritage and there had been few cities and many tribes were roaming the lands like nomads. And the dragon guards had protected the goodly races from the evil forces of darkness that was always trying to gain control.
Shayrean closed the book, bit her lower lip. She thought she now at least had a suspicion of what it was that rested within that boy, a power that could turn both to good and bad. What should she do? Should she allow him to be just a gardener? He would probably spend his life peacefully and with a feeling of being incomplete but was that so bad? Was there any other choice? She sighed, hid the book within a secret room in her bed and tried to sleep but it was hard. She trusted few people but she knew of one person who maybe could help her decide what to do. Yes, that was the answer. She would go see that someone the next day and then she would know what to do. Relieved she fell asleep and dreamt of a pair of beautiful and yet terrifying blue eyes that carried within them the promise of both life and death.

The next day the lady ordered her carriage made ready and she hurried with her first meal of the day. Still she tried to appear as calm as possible because she would not reveal her plans and what she was so frantic about. She dressed in a rather plain dress and had her handmaidens braid her hair and tie it up in a simple style, she was good looking and she knew it and she also knew that her face was well known everywhere. Sometimes that could be a problem so she made sure to bring a few small items along with her. She gave the driver the order to set the course toward the capital as soon as the boat touched the pier and he drove the two horses with considerable skill. The road was wide and well maintained and they made good speed. The carriage was not particularly nice, in fact it was the same type of carriage people who made a living by transporting passengers and goods used and the horses were of the local breed that was plain but strong. She tried to remain as anonymous as possible.

They reached the gates to the capital that evening after a few shorts stops to rest the horses. She was unimpressed by the sight she had seen so many times before but others stopped and stared at the mighty walls and the impressive castles and temples within the city walls. The driver went straight to the address she had given him, he was very loyal to her and she had in secret made sure that he would keep his mouth shut too. She had put a small spell on him that made it impossible for him to remember where he had been for more than a day and a night.
The house was small and ancient, squeezed in between two warehouses and it looked like it was about to fall down. But it was a charade, the building was very solid and she left the carriage while squeezing one of her magical amulets between her fingers. To anyone watching her she would look like a wrinkled old human woman wearing nothing but rags and hardly worthy of any attention. She knocked on the door and went in. The room behind the door was empty and seemingly abandoned. Garbage lay everywhere together with bird droppings and spiders webs and the smell was terrible. She stood still for a moment, a cold feeling rushed through her and she closed her eyes. When she opened them the room had changed into a very inviting lounge with couches and soft chairs. There were lights everywhere and a soft sent of perfume hang in the air. The place looked a bit like a brothel but it was no such thing and the woman who came down the stairs to greet her was only known by a very few.
Shayrean bowed and the sorceress smiled at her and embraced her, she looked genuinely happy to see her. “My dear friend, I have not seen you for years, what brings you to my humble abode?”
Her voice was melodic and soft and told nothing of the fact that this woman was ancient even by the way elves regard time. She had gorgeous sparkling green eyes and a thick red hair and a body that made many a man forget his own name.
Shayrean smiled and returned the hug, this was one of her best friends and a person she knew she could trust. “Nhalaine, I have discovered something very strange and I need your help to decide what to do.”
The sorceress took her by the hand and led her into a room that was much smaller and very comfortable. A fire was lit in the fireplace and the smell of flowers was breath taking. She sat down and Shayrean sat down beside her. “Tell me more my friend, open your mind and let me see what it is that is bothering you!”
Shayrean sighed and cleared her mind, opened herself to the sorceress telepathy and allowed her to see her memories and her thoughts. Nhalaine was silent for a few minutes, searched through Shayrean’s memories and she froze and sat there in a strange position. She was panting and her eyes were wild.
“By the gods…”
She grasped Shayrean’s hand and stared her straight into the eyes. “It is as you fear, what you suspect. He is…”
She closed her eyes for a few seconds and there were fear in them when she opened them again. “There has not been anyone like that for millennia Shayrean, nobody knows what someone like him is capable of or whether he will be good or evil. But there is power within him to do both, and it cannot be denied nor erased. He is what he is no matter what happens to him and it is the core of his soul. “
Shayrean sighed, looked down. She felt sick, that poor innocent child. “Is there anything I can do, I wish to help…”
Nhalaine closed her eyes again. “His path will be one of blood, no matter what direction he chooses. I can see pain in his path, and death but also joy and maybe even love. Few souls are like this one, a beacon in the night destined to change the world for good or for worse.”
She placed her hands on Shayrean’s shoulders. “There are things you can do yes. This world will be hard on him, he is different and will always be. People will sense it and fear him or face him with hatred or even turn their backs on him. Teach him strength sister, allow him to grow to be more than he thinks that he can be. Clear the path towards greatness.“
Shayrean made a grimace. “And if he is a bringer of chaos and death?”
Nhalaine petted her on her cheek. “Then be it, it is destiny and we cannot make those Gods turn their plans into something else.”
Shayrean nodded. “I will help him, no matter what. His grandfather will be grateful if I pay for his education, and no mind should go to waste.”
The sorceress smiled gently. “Wise words my dear, see to it that he gets all the education he wants and desires. He will be of great importance one day, I can see that. And even if his destiny may be a harsh one he will face it with pride.”
Shayrean bit her lower lip. ” I would really have loved to know who he really is and who his parents were?”
The sorceress looked down, there was darkness in her eyes. “That is a question to which he should never find the answer, but the gods have played a very strange game with his existence. He was conceived with the help of ancient and forbidden magic and although he is mostly of elven blood there is also some small amount of a different type of blood in him, and that being was of the forgotten.”
Shayrean went pale.”By the goddess, a dark God?”
Nhalaine nodded, there was a hint of something wild within her face, something that told of disgust and even fear. “It is not possible yet it has been done. I think some of the brothers of darkness are behind this, I know there have been rumours of them interfering with nature in the most terrible ways and this would be just the kind of thing they would try to do. They tried to make darkness itself their slave.”
Shayrean gasped and for a second she hid her face in her hands. “The circle of magicians destroyed the last of the brotherhood six years ago.”
Nhalaine smiled and the smile was not a pretty one. “And the boy is seven? Just the right age, his mother was probably unaware of the nature of the child she carried and the gods of destiny saw a chance to let the ancient power come to life once more. When the brotherhood was destroyed there was no one left who knew of what they had done.“
Shayrean made a determined grin. “The mother must have abandoned him, or perhaps she died?”
Nhalaine closed her eyes, searched through the energy she had seen in Shayrean’s mind. “She is dead, nobody knows the truth any longer. And it is good.”
Shayrean nodded. “But what will it do with him?”
Nhalaine just shrugged. “The gods alone knows, his sire was after all one of the nameless, from beyond the void between the stars, a denizen of a dimension we cannot even imagine. He is a child of both life and death and so he is completely immortal.”
Shayrean closed her eyes. “I should expect that, after all he is of mostly elven origin, but totally immortal? Poor child.”
The sorceress smiled, caressed Shayrean’s hand. “We can only use what the gods have given us, to him they have given a gift that can be both a blessing and a curse, and it is up to him which way it will turn. He will be comfortable both with darkness and light, fear not for that. And he will possess strength like none other.”
Shayrean made a faint smile. “Still I pity him, I can’t help it”.
Nhalaine smiled. “You have a soft heart my friend, and it blesses you in every way. See to it that he is properly schooled and leave the rest to the Gods.”

The lady took a deep breath. “That I swear to you, I will do everything that is within my power to prepare him for his destiny.”
Nhalaine smiled and embraced her gently. “I know you will, and don’t forget to tell me everything that happens.”
Shayrean sighed and straightened her skirt, she knew what to do now but it would not be easy. She could not let anyone know she tried to help the boy. But she could surely do it, she had her tricks and knew how to use them too. She thanked the sorceress for her help and just prayed that nobody ever would know the truth.
They talked for a while about other things and when Shayrean left the sorceress it was night. She was tired but remained awake the whole way back to the island. She had to make careful plans and be sure that there were no holes in them. Her servants helped her to bed and she fell asleep knowing that she suddenly had a mission and one she feared to fail at. The power she had seen hidden within this child had to be a secret well hidden from everyone, perhaps even the boy himself. Only time would show what kind of man he would turn out to be.

The next day she got busy making arrangements, she had many people serving her and many more who owed her favours and she pulled every string she knew of. Before a week had passed by the gardener received a heritage from a distant relative he didn’t even know he had together with a scholarship at the best academy of the capital. And the lady offered him a new job at her palace in the city so he could bring the boy and let him use that offer. It sounded almost too good to be true but it was real and so the boy started at the ground level at the academy.
Many there sent their children to school when they were only six and to the boy it was a shock but a good one. Suddenly he could learn things and he was among the most eager of the young students. The first year went to basic things like reading and writing, math and such things but later the masters would determine what path would be best for the individuals and try to teach them enough for them to make a choice for themselves.
Kyall was no noble, he was a commoner and even though his grandfather now had money he was still a nobody. The other kids often made fun of him when he did not know things they were brought up to know but he quickly learned to ignore such things. There was a burning desire within him, a desire to learn and explore and the masters were very satisfied with this boy. He was best in his class and soon he excelled in every way. The boys were naturally trained also in different martial arts and Kyall was very strong for his age, and he had a body control that was just amazing. The teachers swore to themselves that they could create a warrior like no other out of this kid and they did not care who he was. To them talent was all that mattered and the fact that the teachers liked him made some of the other boys hate him, but he did not care.
And Shayrean was watching him carefully, she removed any obstacle in his way and made sure that his progress was without any thing that hindered him. He could soon read like he never had done anything else and the boy flourished, he enjoyed this life to the full.
He got to know Ushann, Shayrean’s son. He was also an outcast among the others and the two boys formed a very strange friendship. Ushann was older than Kyall and a noble but they looked upon each other as equals. They both had a strong need to learn and loved books but where Kyall was strong and agile and soon became a promising fencer, Ushann was weak and frail and feared weapons. But they protected each other and so the years passed. Training and learning, learning and training and the boy spent all of his time either reading or doing physical training. And it showed too. The school was the best in the country and the students were well fed, they never had to go hungry and the boys the teachers thought would be knights or warriors were given the best food. He grew, and he grew fast too. He soon outgrew his classmates and the masters agreed that he would be an extremely tall man one day, and strong too.

The other boys never tried to make friends with Kyall, it was as if they somehow sensed something within him that scared them and when training he would sometimes lose control of himself and become more violent than he should. He broke another boys arm once and dislocated the elbow of one of the teachers and that was a turning point. He was old enough now to realize that he had to remain in control of himself and he joined those who were meditating and sought to unravel the mysteries of the mind. And also there did he stand out among the others, the master saw his potential and made sure that he also got some training that involved magic and the use of magical items. It seemed as if he was naturally carrying the powers which others would need decades to learn, to him it all felt just as natural as breathing and he didn’t really need all that much training nor advice. His days were filled from sunrise to sunset and it felt good that way. He never had to think about the fact that he was of simple birth and he could feel that he was achieving his goals.
When the other boys were leaving the school at night to party or visit the taverns he would study and the masters were encouraging him. He learned that he had some special gifts that made the magic teacher beside himself with fascination and the masters of weapons allowed him to train with boys who were several years older than him. And he raced through the lessons with incredible speed. He was never satisfied with only a piece of information about a topic, he wanted the whole truth and he often spent long evenings in the school’s library with Ushann and they managed to read books not even the senior students were allowed near.
Kyall had a strange feeling sometimes, like there were voices within the shadows and they were calling to him but he did not know what they were saying, all he knew was that it scared him. Since he was a friend of Ushann Shayrean often saw him and she was surprised by his development.

At ten he was as tall as a boy almost fully grown and when he was fifteen he was more than six feet five heading towards seven feet and looked fully grown. And yet he continued to grow and the hard training gave him a body few of the masters had seen the likes of. He was finished with all the masters who taught things like history and religion could teach him when he was sixteen, there was nothing more anyone could teach him. He was just as learned as the masters themselves and they saw in him a jewel, a hope of achieving something grand. The only things that were left for him to learn were physical and he trained even more than before. When he finally stopped growing he was seven and a half foot and still as elegant as a good sword but with amazing body control and strength.

Ushann still had a long way to go and he spent his spare time helping his friend achieving his exams. The two were like brothers but things were changing now, Ushann was coming of age and he did notice some things that had been of no importance before but they bothered him now.
Ushann was by no means ugly, he was just frail and his frame delicate and almost feminine and he had his mother’s lovely brown eyes and nice skin too but compared with his best friend he was just bleak to look at. It was like comparing a small ragged pony with a huge beautiful steed. Kyall did not have time to bother with girls but Ushann quickly developed some healthy urges and he gradually grew jealous of Kyall and was terribly ashamed of this fact. And so he made the decision that would change their lives forever. He chose to become a magician. 

Thus he would gain the respect of others he though since he never would be able to compare with Kyall in other ways. Kyall of course supported him like he always had but he did somehow doubt Ushann’s motives. To be a magician was a very long and hard path to wander and it required an inner strength that few men did possess. Some of the things a magician dealt with on a daily basis would scare other men to death and the training would take the better part of a century. But Ushann was certain, it was his destiny to become a true magician and the masters too supported him because they could sense at least some talent within the boy.
And so the two boys wandered onto different paths and their friendship became more distant but yet real and true and they kept in touch and met whenever they could. Ushann seemed to thrive, at the special school for magic he was just like the others, a bookworm who never wanted to excel in battle and he got more open and flourished. He even went out and visited the taverns every now and then. He had money and influence because of his name and soon some started to gather around him, he got a small flock of followers and this small taste of power made Ushann hunger for even more. He lost his virginity at nineteen to a barmaid with a very nice bosom and lots of experience and that made him aware of pleasures he had denied himself until then. He still studied like before and he learned a lot but his goals became more and more distant.
Kyall on the other hand finished his education when he was twenty, by then he was the best fighter the school had ever created and the rumours said that nobody would be able to beat him no matter what weapon they used. He had lightning quick reflexes in spite of being the tallest male around and he had the elven elegance and slender frame but he was much more toned than a normal elven male and also wider across the shoulders and back.

He was skilled in magic too and although he was no magician he knew enough to use even difficult spells safely. He was in perfect control of himself and the masters had begun to bring him with them into the city to test him out. They knew that he needed to see reality and learn how to behave among others and for an entire year he travelled around the country side and learned about nature and its mysteries from an old ranger. Kyall learned also these things fast, he had this insatiable appetite for knowledge and the ranger also taught him of the different dangerous creatures one could encounter. Soon he felt like he had found his calling, he and the ranger tracked down and killed several monsters and Kyall discovered that this was a perfect way of living. He loved the forests and the moors and he started to shun the cities with their filth and crowds.
Soon he left school for good and started working as a ranger and the rangers took him inn with arms wide open. The rumour of his skills had spread wide and far and they were thrilled to have such a magnificent fighter among them. He was doing good work and felt happy and although he was somewhat shy he did make friends. And then one day Shayrean came to see him and he immediately knew that something was wrong, the lady seemed worried and in distress and she was pale. She told him that Ushann had started to gamble, he was drinking and sleeping with whores and he had already wasted a lot of money. She was deeply worried and asked if Kyall could try to talk some sense into him. His studies were suffering from all this and the masters were furious. If he did not make an effort they would banish him and as a half studied magician he would have no future to speak of.
Kyall promised to talk with his friend and left for the city that very evening and Shayrean could only wonder about the changes that had happened to the once innocent child. He was just half a foot short of being eight feet and had a physique that was nothing less than stunning, and yet he was slender and elegant like a giant cat and so handsome even men with no gay tendencies would turn and stare. But the biggest change was within his eyes, the innocent look had been replaced by one of bittersweet sadness. He had learned so much and seen so much and he knew that the world was a tough and dangerous place and far from just and righteous. His grandfather was well taken care of, he would live his life very well but that peaceful life was nothing for Kyall. His blood was too wild, there were still those voices within the darkness and he feared what they might reveal. But as long as he kept moving around and kept challenging himself he did not have to listen to them.

He found Ushann within a tavern in the more dangerous areas of the city. Here you would find cutthroats and scum everywhere and it really was no place for a young noble man. Ushann was not pleased to see him, in fact he was furious. The sight of his old friend reminded him of too many things and he wanted Kyall to leave. He did not want to stop this wonderful new life he had found and he saw nothing wrong in it. He should be allowed some fun before he put on the cloak and the hat and Kyall’s pleading words had no effect. Ushann got really angry and now Kyall saw the less than charming side of his former friend, he turned against not only Kyall but everybody within the tavern. In a drunken stupor Ushann did what no magicians apprentice should ever even think about, he started using spells. And things got from heated to hellish.
Suddenly the place was teeming with small demons and Kyall had a hard time protecting the rest of the guests from them, the beasts were quick and lethal and several got killed. Kyall tried desperately to fend off the terrible creatures, the building caught fire and people got trapped and something within him just snapped. The fear and the shock pushed him through the barriers of his own mind and allowed him to see things he never had seen before. He knew how to fight them, and he did without hesitation or even thinking. They fell dead before his feet. He got the people out of harm’s way but Ushann was still on the rampage and now he tried more spells and threw them at Kyall who just shook them off and desperately tried to talk Ushann into submission. It did not work, and suddenly Kyall heard those voices again and now he understood what they were saying and it made him more terrified than anything he had ever encountered. The shock made him freeze for a short second and Ushann threw one last spell at him.

It would have killed any ordinary man, elf or human but it only hurt Kyall. It hurt him so bad he screamed and dropped his sword to the ground and Ushann was beyond himself now. The rage had possessed him like a demon would and he saw red. To him everyone was an enemy and he started to conjure up something even experienced magicians with many centuries of studies would refuse to even think about. He was opening a gateway to another dimension and he was probably planning to bring something through from the other side. Some wizards from the school managed to get into the building just at the moment when that portal opened and a long sticky burning tentacle came through and swung around the screaming apprentice. He was pulled through before anyone could do anything and the portal closed with a terrible bang that almost brought the entire house down.
The wizards managed to pull Kyall to safety but he was heartbroken. He had not managed to save Ushann and even if they over and over again ensured him that there really had been nothing he could do he did not believe them, not entirely. He blamed himself and he was deeply scared by this strange glimpse of the powers within him. He had heard the voices and they had been pleading him to kill, to lose all control and become a tool of death itself and he refused to listen to that. Instead he had almost gotten himself killed.

Some said that this would have happened anyhow, Ushann had been a disaster waiting to happen from the first day he joined the academy and it was plain luck that not more people got killed. It could have gone far worse and Kyall was seen as a hero. But he felt nothing like it. Shayrean mourned her son but she did not blame Kyall at all and that made him feel even more terrible. Why had he not seen the flaws within Ushann’s character earlier? Why hadn’t he managed to turn things around? Those were pointless questions and they bothered him for a long time.

Shayrean gave him some of Ushann’s belongings. She said that they were tokens of gratitude, after all he had been her son’s only friend for years and it had brought her too great relief and joy. He felt ashamed by her gratitude and did not feel worthy of his things but he did keep them. She told him that he always would be welcome within her house and he could sense that she wanted him to come and visit but he felt like it would be wrong somehow. He had realized who it was that had helped him all this time and he was grateful but also confused. He had no idea why and Shayrean could only sigh and tell him that it was because of the innocent child he once had been. It was an answer but not the whole truth and he knew that she never would tell him the rest of it.
And so Kyall left the area, left the city and the country and tried to leave also his memories behind but they continued to haunt him. He had failed, but he would never fail again, not in such a way. And at the sacred star Shayrean could only hope that what she had did had been enough to strengthen him for the future that lay ahead. She sensed darkness approaching and knew that changes were coming, changes nobody could have anticipated.

It hurt, he tried to escape the pain but he couldn’t. It felt like a million little needles were poking at him everywhere and he groaned and tried to open his eyes. There was something wrapped around him and he could not move and panic started to kick in. He gathered his strength, his head was spinning and he felt nauseous and both warm and cold. Slowly he managed to force his eyelids open, there was some light around him and he was utterly confused. Where was he? The last he could remember was the howling wind and the constant onslaught of snow against his skin and clothes. He turned his head, the muscles were aching and he feared he would faint again. He couldn’t remember having been this weak ever!
He was in a bed in a small room with a fireplace, the walls were made from rocks and wood and it looked like an ordinary farm house. An elderly man sat by the fireplace and was working with some leather and it was very silent there. He tried to lift his head to see more, his body ached even worse than before and he gasped as a particularly bad wave of pain shot through his legs. The old man turned his head and saw that he was awake, he got up and walked over to the bed.
“Relax stranger, you are safe here.”
The voice was friendly and gentle and he felt a little better but he was still very confused and he had to struggle to remain conscious, his head spinning like a top. The man lifted the thick blankets that covered him a bit and looked at his feet for a second. “Good, my wife is very good with her herbs and lotions, you will be fine!”
It did not feel that way and he gasped again, the needles were there constantly and his fingers felt like they were about to explode. The old man smiled and touched his shoulder gently. “Your horse saved you, it collapsed just outside of our door but managed to alert us, or else you would both have frozen to death.”
He gasped, the horse, what had happened to it? “How…”

He could not speak, his throat felt raw and he had trouble breathing. The man smiled, he seemed to be a truly good person and there was no danger there he was sure of but his instincts were just that way. He could never trust anyone, his experience told him that.
The man sat down in a chair next to the bed. “Your horse is fine, he is in our stable and is getting better by the hour, tough little fellow. You were half dead, we never thought you would make it but I guess you elves are tougher than us mere mortals. And your fingers and toes were damaged but Dhora managed to get your circulation back in order. So they will hurt for a few more days but that is a small price to pay, you could have lost them you know.”
He felt relieved, his horse was fine and he was alive too, he should probably praise the gods had it not been that he had turned his back to every deity he knew of. But indeed his hands and feet hurt and he had to fight the urge to moan in pain. The old man smiled and looked a bit curious, he looked down.

“Not that it is any business of mine but what the hell were you doing here in the mountains now? Only the insane and those who are tired of life try to cross at this time of year and I hope for your sake that you are neither.”
He shook his head, felt that everything was spinning immediately. He had not been this humbled for decades. “Stupid”
His voice was barely audible and the old man chuckled. “Ah, at least you are honest, you should be really thankful because the gods must favour you, all other would have perished.”

He sighed and closed his eyes again, indeed. He had been too cocky, that was the truth. Things had been going well for a while and it had given him a bit too much confidence in his own abilities. Well, he had learned his lesson. If the horse had died he would have laid there in the snow until the thaw returned and by then his body would have been severely damaged, probably beyond even his ability to heal. The gifts he had been given could be a curse as much as a blessing. Being alive but losing limbs was not a very happy thought at all.  
“Rest now young man and regain your strength. Dhora is preparing some soup for you and I would give you the advice to eat it all. She will be very disappointed if you don’t and believe me, she is not a woman who takes insults lightly. Wonderful wife but tough as nails”

Young man? He would have laughed if he could, but he understood the old man. He looked rather young and that even by elven standards. Most thought he had to be less than a hundred years old and still a mere youth but in truth he was almost fifteen hundred years old. And he did not look entirely elven either, his features were a bit more rough than normal for elves and it made him look more masculine than most elven males. It gave him a bit more respect from some and he knew too darn well how he looked. Right now he looked like some wild elf, hair uncut and unkempt and his clothes were torn and dirty, and he was pretty sure that he smelled terribly too.
He sniffed discretely, his nose was so sensitive he could use it like a dog would and he felt nothing of the stench that had followed him for the last weeks. In fact he felt a weak scent of lavender and rosemary that had to be some kind of soap. He was naked underneath the blankets!! The thought hit him like a war hammer and he felt himself blush. They had washed him!

 The old man saw his expression and snickered discreetly. “So, easy there. Yes, the womenfolk did clean you up, you reeked like old garbage and they did not mind, I can tell you that. We rarely see something as pretty as you up here.”
He blushed once more, wanted to hide his face within his hands but he could not move. “For how long?”
He did not manage to say anything more and the man shook his head. “Save your voice mister, no point in adding to your discomfort. I can see that you are well used to pain but there is no point in seeking it on purpose is there? You were unconscious for a week”
He gasped and stared at the old man with huge eyes, a week? He had been out of it for a whole week? He had been wounded many times and his body told of it too, he had scars everywhere but this he could hardly believe. He should have awakened earlier, his body somehow took care of injuries very rapidly. It had to be the goddam freezing temperature. He shook his head and grunted, his feet were on fire, he could swear it and the old man sighed and patted the edge of the bed.

“Dhora gave you something that kept you asleep, or else the pain would have been too much even for someone as strong as you. She said she had to use almost fifty times the normal dose to keep you under. It is extremely painful when frozen limbs start to thaw, what you feel now is the remnants of the damage leaving.”
He smiled for a second, an almost sad smile. “My Dhora should have been a healer you know, but we are poor and thus is destiny. By the way, my name is Owhan, and I am a humble farmer. Judging by the immense number of weapons you were carrying both on your person and on the horse I would guess that you are a mercenary?”
There was a bit of apprehension within the old man’s voice and he knew why. Some of that profession were bastards without any honour or decency. Owhan was nervous for his family, it was just normal and to anticipate. He tried to gather enough strength to speak again, at least once.
“Yes I am, my name is Kyall, and I mean you no harm. I am very grateful!”
Owhan stared at him with countless questions within his eyes. “An elven mercenary? I have never encountered one, most unusual”
Kyall nodded and closed his eyes again, his head was spinning and the pain made him want to writhe in agony but he forced himself to relax. He was good at that, controlling himself. It was a virtue learned through countless battles and hard times and he never let go of that control. He knew the consequences of failure.
The door at the end of the room opened and a grey haired woman with a gentle face and a somewhat bent body came in. She carried a bowl of soup upon a simple tray together with a smaller bowl to eat from and a spoon. Kyall could smell the soup, and it made his stomach growl like crazy. He blushed again and felt strange, he was a stranger to these people and they recognized the danger he could represent and yet they helped him. He was not worthy of such care and wished there was something he could do to repay them for this kindness. He was not accustomed to it, not at all. This was a time of fear and suspicion and strangers were often less than welcome.
Owhan smiled at the woman. “Dhora my dear, let me present you to Kyall.”
Dhora just nodded and gave him a somewhat toothless smile before she placed the tray on a chair and went over to the bed. “Help me raise him a bit, he cannot eat like this”
Owhan went over to the other side of the bed and they gently lifted his upper body and stuffed more pillows in behind him so he was almost sitting up straight. It felt strange and he almost fainted again but she steadied him and looked at him with a kind of professional compassion that was strangely reassuring. She obviously knew what she was doing.
“Yer not the first one I have thawed you see!”
She filled the small bowl and sat down on the edge of the bed, started feeding him and he felt embarrassed. He was no kid but there he was, being fed like one. “Don’t worry, we have plenty of food.“
The soup was wonderful, for a moment he felt like he never had tasted anything that good ever and he stared at her with gratitude. The warmth was good and made his throat feel less sore and it was wonderful to feel something in his stomach again. She slowly fed him the entire bowl and when it was empty he felt sleepy and light headed. Dhora giggled and dried some soup of his chin with her apron before she gathered the things and left the room. Kyall sighed and felt like falling asleep again but Owhan grinned and placed himself a little closer to him. “I think you need a drink”
Kyall shook his head. “I don’t drink alcohol, never!”

He didn’t really react to alcohol the way others did, he had to drink an awful lot to even feel a thing but he couldn’t take the chance, if he lost control of himself the gods alone knew what may happen.
Owhan looked at him with surprise, he looked a bit shocked. “Really? That’s a first. We have good ale I can assure you and some liquor too but Dhora makes some nice cider, and it’s without any alcohol, I promise.”
Kyall just nodded and Owhan disappeared out the door and came back a minute later with a jug that smelled like ripe apples. He gently helped Kyall drinking and it tasted good, in fact very good. He emptied the jug and sighed with relief, he had been thirsty. Owhan helped him lay down again and Kyall felt that he could sleep without worrying about any dangers so he allowed himself to drift away immediately. Normally he never slept, like most elves he could rest while meditating for a few hours but he knew that his body needed real sleep now. Only thus would it be able to recover completely. And the darkness welcomed him once more.
He was dreaming and he knew it, he feared dreams because he could not escape his memories when they appeared in such a form. He was back at the field of Ohn’ruihar, the dead meadow, and it was in the middle of the battle. He was seeing himself from the outside and the sight sickened him. This was one of those occasions he feared, when he no longer was able to rein the monster that was hiding within his soul, this soulless heartless thing whose only goal was to kill.

 He had several other mercenaries by his side, all fighting for the good king Athelrad and their opponents were the army of Ashrakk the bold, the mighty orc leader who had tried to erase the entire human civilization of that area. He saw himself racing forward like a dark shadow, teeth bared and eyes blazing as he chopped down orcs like he was a reaper and they the autumns harvest. It was a dance, an elegant graceful dance of death and destruction and wonderful to witness and yet horrifying. He was the best, of that there was no question and there had been no doubt or even thoughts through those moments. He had been death incarnate and he and the others had saved the day and the orc rebellion was crushed before it had time to spread.
But he had lost control, he had been unable to control the bloodthirsty dark side of him and it had terrified him like nothing else. He had not killed any of his own but if they had been in his way he would have. In that state he could not separate between friends and enemies and all he sought was to drench his blades in blood, whose blood was of no importance. The voices within him had been cheering and he loathed them but he had to admit that in some cases they had saved him. That blind instinct had gotten him through situation where control would have been the death of him, so they were his friends, maybe.
In this battle he had fought with the good longsword he had obtained just after he left the academy, it had been a trusty companion but he lost it some months later, and he had also used the slim elven sword he now favoured. He had several of them, three in fact. And they all were made by master blacksmiths and quite valuable. Kyall had found that he had a strange fascination for beautiful weapons, they had an attraction he could not deny and he took pride in owning the very best. Someone he once knew had described him as a weapon, just as lethal and sharp as any sword and just as beautiful. He often blushed when he thought of her, Irrelin. She had been a true friend and one of the few people he had ever dared to trust. She had been a half elf who looked almost entirely human and she had been beautiful and smart and a good ally in many battles. She had been his confidant and his lover and he had been at peace with her. With her around he had not feared the shadows, they had no power over him.
She died suddenly, not from wounds obtained in battle or something like that but a pain in her stomach that just got worse and worse and he had felt so helpless. The healers told them that there were nothing they could do, it had gotten too far and they could not cut it out without killing her. And so she had died screaming at a cheap inn and not even the strong medicine they had managed to obtain had been able to take the pain away. He had felt like dying to, and he never let anyone that close again. He closed his heart and felt how the shadows in his mind cheered that decision but there was no other choice. He had in his own mind served his own heart on a silver platter and got it back broken and he swore that he never would do that mistake again. People died, he wouldn’t and he would have to go on feeling the pain so to avoid more losses he would avoid feelings.
He did have people he cooperated with every now and then, but he never started a real friendship with anyone and if he felt that the need for intimacy got too strong to just ignore he bought himself what he needed.
That particular battle had showed him above all others what he could achieve but also what he could lose and he tried to avoid open battle ever after. He worked only alone or in small groups and as an assassin he was one of the best. But he had a code of honour and he only killed those who deserved it. And he did enjoy a challenge too, it kept his mind in check and honed his instincts, forged him into perfection. He never settled down anywhere, he was constantly moving and to some it would appear like he was fleeing from something and they were right. He was fleeing from his past, his memories and his very self.

 
When he woke up again Dhora was sitting by the bed, she smiled at him and had a tray with some stew in a bowl and some pieces of bread. He felt hungry again and felt less dizzy now, the pain was not so bad anymore, it was fading away, but he felt scared because of his dreams. She helped him sitting up and this time he managed to hold the spoon and feed himself. It went very slowly but she understood that his pride would be hurt if she did not let him try. The stew was delicious and he understood that Dhora was a gem of a housewife. She smiled when he was finished, cleaned some remains of his face and petted him on his cheek like a gentle old grandma. “There you go, you need some sustenance now my friend. You are weak.”
Kyall felt a bit embarrassed, she had washed him and seen all there was to see quite literally and he did not really know how to behave around her. “Are… Are there many people living here?”
He would guess that a stranger had to be the biggest thing that had happened there this winter and the stuff that everybody was discussing.
“Two families, the others have moved down to the lowlands for the winter. We are the only ones who are stubborn enough to stay up here but it is our home and we are well prepared for the winters, even one as bad as this one.”
She lifted the blanket and touched his feet very gently but he twitched and made a strange sound. He was not used to getting touched and it felt weird and disturbing.

“Easy, I am not going to hurt you, I hope you know that? But I have to check on the progress!”

She let him see and he was shocked by the sight, his feet were so pale and he could barely feel them. She smiled but the smile was a sad one.

“See? You could have lost them! They were almost completely frozen.”
He tried to think about something else. “So, how many people are you really here right now?”
Dhora smiled and started to rub some strong smelling ointment onto his feet, it smelled like peppermint and alcohol and it made him sneeze. The smell was a bit too much for his sensitive nose. She massaged it into his skin very thoroughly and he stared at the roof, it hurt like hell but he knew that it was done with the best of intentions.

“Oh, it is my husband and me, our three daughters and our son and our son in law and four grandchildren. Only one of our daughters are married yet.”

He tried to smile, a very small community in deed. But they managed to survive there and managed fine from what he could see. There was some wealth there he could tell and the blankets and their clothes were of good quality. These were not that poor compared with other farmers.
Dhora grinned and rearranged his pillows. “We farm some very valuable herbs, they get extra power this far up you see and I know just how to grow them. And we keep a special breed of goats too, their hair can be woven into very fine fabric, it gives a nice income. But it’s a lot of work, those goats are little devils I tell you, always plotting together to create mischief of some kind.”
She grinned and he had to smile, she was right about that, goats were experts at creating problems and he could remember one time when he and some others had camped within a barn and the goats had eaten two saddles and a whole sack of oats during the night. Their leader had been furious.

“So, you must have come from the bay right?”
He got a grasp of himself, nodded. “Yes, I do. There was no work there so I thought I would look for something to do in Ardthwan.”
She sighed and touched his cheek again, almost lovingly. “It is sad that someone as beautiful as you have chosen such a terrible path in life! And Ardthwan? The city of dusk? It is a hellhole I tell you, nothing more. You will find little there my friend, except greed, treachery and death.”
He nodded, he knew what kind of reputation that city had. “I know, but I have got to work and my profession is always needed, in such places more than elsewhere.”
She shook her head and patted his shoulder again, her hand white against his tanned skin. He was quick to tan up and it was another sign of mixed heritage. Pure blooded elves never got a real tan but he looked like a bronze kettle after just a few days in the sun, and he felt like it suited him too, adding more colour to his already rather dark complexion. His black hair and blue eyes would have been too striking otherwise.
Dhora left him to rest and he relaxed and felt rather comfortable. The needles and pins were almost gone unless he moved and so he tried to lay completely still. Before long he drifted back into sleep again and this time he did not even dream.
He woke up again with a feeling that it was late in the day, but he could not know for sure because the room had no windows and the light came from the fireplace and a few candles. The door opened and a young woman entered, she had to be somewhere in her late teens and was cute but chubby and she looked like a rather shy person. She carried a basket filled with firewood and quickly got the fire going again. Kyall tried to pretend like he wasn’t there, he stared at the ceiling like he was deep within his own thoughts. The girl checked the candles and turned toward him, there was something strange about her body language and Kyall was very good at reading people. He had to be, it could mean the difference between life and death. She was trying to tell something but did not know how to. Kyall cleared his voice ”You must be one of the daughters of the house?”
The girl nodded, stared at the floor. “Yes, I am Lishel. I am the youngest one, Moira and Betny are older than me, Betny is the oldest of us, she is married.”
She was clearly feeling uncomfortable and he got curious, she threw stolen glances at him and they were not the kind he was used to. She was not trying to flirt, she was worried somehow. He tried to sit up a bit, his every muscle ached from the effort and he gasped. “Is something wrong girl?”
She looked around herself, as if to check that they were really alone, then she whispered something so low he could not hear it. “I did not hear that, was that a sound at all?”
She sighed and got a little closer, bent forward and whispered again. “Watch out for Moira, she is not right in the head!”
Then she turned around and almost ran from the room and Kyall was left with a feeling of unease. What was this? Was it true? Or had he got in the middle of some sibling rivalry? He decided that it was none of his business and he did not even know what she meant by what she had said. Not being right in the head can mean so many different things. After a while Dhora came once more with some more food and this time it was roasted meat and some fried vegetables and it tasted better than the food one got served at even the expensive restaurants within the great cities. He feared that he would feel like an overfed pig if he had to stay there for long.
The next two days he spent in bed but he slowly gained enough strength to sit up most of the time and Owhan entertained him with stories of life in the mountains. He tried to give something back by telling of the things that went on along the coast and in other countries and the girls were eager listeners. None of the girls were great beauties, they were plain but there was a gentleness within their eyes that made them lovely anyhow. Betny and her husband Orhen proved to be hard working and gentle people and their kids were well raised and very polite. He enjoyed talking with them, he was not used to this but it felt comfortable and to them even the simplest tale was wonderful and strange since they never had seen anything but this mountain valley.
And he realized that there was something in what the youngest daughter had said, Moira was not like her sisters. There was something dark within her eyes that made him worried and she looked at him in a way he found less than comfortable. He was attractive and he knew it but few would stare at him like that, the way a hungry dog stares at a juicy steak. He tried to hide his doubt and discomfort and tried to get well again as fast as he could.

The pain in his hands and feet disappeared and he got the colour back and he felt stronger, he was no longer dizzy and tried to get up but his feet were still a bit too wobbly.
Dhora kept feeding him really nutritious food and slowly he regained his full strength, he felt humble and tried to express his gratitude in every way that he could. They had been so kind to him and he felt like a wretch compared with the purity and honesty of this family. He started to move into the living room and could sit there and help Owhan with different work. There was always something to do and he felt good when he could keep his hands and his mind busy. He tried to tell as little as he could about himself or what he did for a living, he felt like he would stain this peaceful place if they were told anything so he kept his mouth shut and they respected that. They never tried to ask him personal questions and he was happy they didn’t.
It wasn’t until a morning almost two weeks later he realized what Lishel had meant, he had started to plan his further journey and had gone to bed rather late since Owhan had some maps he found very interesting. They were old but he could still use them and he had some fun comparing them in his mind with the maps he had seen at the academy. Few of them were accurate any longer, the world had changed too much. He went to bed after drinking some cider and soon fell into a reverie. He no longer needed to sleep but he needed rest and the meditative trance was an excellent way to achieve it. He let his mind drift and soon he was oblivious to the world, but not for long.
He suddenly realized that he was no longer alone in the room and he regained full consciousness within seconds, but something was very wrong. He felt dizzy and he had a weird taste in his mouth and he could not move. It was as if his limbs had turned into stone and he fought the panic with all his heart. What was this? Had he fallen ill again? He managed to turn his head. Moira was standing by the bed, her eyes had a weird expression and he felt scared. He was helpless! The voices were calling to him but he ignored them, he could probably break free but it would mean that he most likely would hurt her. He tried to speak but not even his voice seemed to work.

She was leaning in over him, tugged at his blanket to get it free. “You cannot speak, the herb I had in your cider works that way, I have watched mother work and I know how much I needed to use. And you cannot move either, but do not worry, I don’t want to hurt you.”

She slid her hand in underneath the covers and Kyall realized what she was about to do, his mind reared and he started to sweat. This he had not anticipated, not at all. He was used to girls being rather eager and shameless but nobody had drugged him before. She had had to use a rather hefty dose to cause this sort of reaction, normally drugs had little to no effect on him at all. But as she said, she had watched her mother and knew that he needed a very large dose for it to have any effect at all. She was devious, in a clever manner.

He did not want this, not a bit. It was not right! He had never been of those men who only thought of their own pleasure and in his mind both partners should at least agree on what they were doing. He was horrified, did Dhora and Owhan know that their daughter was capable of this?

He struggled but could not move a muscle, the herb had paralyzed him but not all of him. Her hand had found what it was looking for and she had some experience he could tell for sure. She knew what she was doing and he felt how his body reacted to that very skilled touch. He would have been swearing and cursing if he had been able to speak, even yelled for help. She pulled the covers down, stared at him with something akin to hunger and he was panting now, he tried to force his body to obey him but to no prevail. She continued to caress him and even though it felt good it also felt like an invasion. Nobody had ever raped him, it had been close a couple of times when men who preferred their own gender didn’t take no for an answer and tried to overpower him but they had regretted it very soon. This was different, women were usually not so desperate.
Moira gave him a smile but it was a very stiff smile, like she was stressed. “Have you any idea how it is like to live up here? There is nobody here, no one at my age. Betny worked in the village down by the river and she found herself a man but here I can’t get any. And they won’t let me leave!”
If he had been able to speak he would have tried to talk some sense into her but she crawled onto the bed and straddled him. His mind was racing, what if someone found out? She had probably done something like this before since her sister had warned him, or perhaps that had been about something else all-together? He did not know. All he cared about was that this was something he didn’t want to do.
She stared straight into his eyes. “I want what she has, at least to feel a man and have some children to”
Kyall made a grimace and it took all of his willpower. He could not give her what she wanted, he just knew it. A sorceress he once had been healed by after a vicious fight told him that, he could not produce any offspring. She did not know why but it was a fact.

He wanted to tell Moira this but he somehow knew that it wouldn’t have mattered if he had told her. She was too determined and would not believe him. She got into position and did not hesitate, she did what she wanted with him and he had to close his eyes and force himself to continue breathing. He felt ashamed, violated and humiliated. She had a good rhythm and was clearly enjoying this but he wasn’t at all. He wanted to throw her off him but couldn’t and she gasped and closed her eyes as her release rushed through her. And soon he felt that he too was getting close to that point, he moaned as it forced its way and she grinned as in triumph. She remained sitting there on top of him for a while, then she slid down from the bed and found a bowl of water and a cloth, cleaned him carefully and he felt that he was close to fainting from sheer emotional stress.
She petted him on the cheek. “If you mention this to anyone I will make sure that you’ll regret it for the rest of your life, I know what to say you see.”
He trembled slightly and she pulled the blanket back over him, her smile was a grim one. She placed a finger across her lips and left the room and he just lay there, gasping and feeling like he really didn’t believe what had just happened. But it had and he did not know what to do. Should he tell her parents? No, they would probably never believe him because no parent wants to believe that their child is capable of committing a crime. And she had not hurt him, well she had, but not physically. He just felt so dirty, so used.

Whence he had calmed down a bit he had to grin to himself, a bitter and hard smile. He was a whore, nothing else than that. He sold his skills with a weapon to anyone who needed them and that was no different than selling one’s body or was it? He was honest to himself, at least he could find some pride in that fact.
He still felt terrible but he made a decision there and then, as soon as the weather allowed it he would leave. He would not risk any other nightly visits. He got drowsy again and fell asleep and when he woke up he felt normal again and it was as if it never had happened. It was almost like some bad dream. But he still had that weird taste in his mouth and he yawned and tried to stretch the tension out of his limbs. He got up, the others were out of their beds and he wished that he had a mirror, he could have sworn that it would show somehow.

Dhora was cooking some oatmeal and he left his cup on the table, sat down to talk to Owhan about the weather and the path down to the valleys. Dhora grabbed the cup to wash it and she froze when she noticed the residue at the bottom of the ceramic cup. Kyall was too busy talking to Owhan to notice her reaction and neither of the men saw that she placed the things on the table again with a thud and got a very dark expression on her face. Then she left the room and Owhan threw a surprised glance at the door before he continued to describe the path. Kyall was trying to make a sort of mental map of the area and he realized that the trip could be a tough one. The terrain was steep and treacherous and Owhan told of many who had lost their lives due to avalanches.

Both men stared with startled expressions when Dhora returned, she looked like a thundercloud and Kyall feared the worst, that Moira somehow had convinced her mother that this was his fault. Owhan blinked a few times and looked at his wife with confusion. “What is it my dearest? You look so….Angry?!!”
Dhora made a snorting sound and she sat down by the table, her strong arms were crossed over her chest and her eyes shot lightning. “We owe our guest a great apology, she has done it again that wench!”
Owhan turned to Kyall with shock all over his gentle face. “Oh gods, is it true?”
Kyall did not really know what to say, he felt his face go red like berries and his eyes were flickering from side to side. “I…I am sorry, I didn’t want to but…”
Dhora gave him a look filled with black despair. “I know my friend, do not blame yourself please!!”
Owhan moaned and hid his face behind his hands.” She is mad that girl, can’t control herself when there is men around. She wants to leave but where could we send her? She’ll end up as a whore or even worse, dead!”
Kyall cleared his throat. “She…She has done this before?”
Owhan nodded, there were tears on his cheeks. “Yes, twice. A distant relative of us visited two years ago, she drugged him and had her way with him the second night he stayed here, the poor guy almost lost it because he was going to be a priest and had already sworn an oath of celibacy.”
Kyall made a grimace. “Owtch!”
Dhora sighed and looked very tired and sad. “And last year a tradesman came this way, he was selling seeds and agricultural equipment but that was not what she was interested in. She did the same with him and we had to pay him a lot just so he wouldn’t report her to the sheriff down in the valley.”
Kyall swallowed. “At least there won’t be any consequences, well not what she hopes for anyhow . I…I can’t… uhm…reproduce!”

Owhan looked at him with sadness within his eyes. “I am so sorry to hear that, children are such a joy, the things that makes life worth living, at least most of the time that is.”
Dhora made a strange grin. “When they doesn’t try to ruin everything by doing such terrible stupid things”
Kyall bit his lower lip. “What will you do with her? She did not hurt me and I don’t mind if she goes unpunished.”
Owhan sighed deeply, he looked older than ever before. “She has to face the consequences my friend, there is no other way. Sooner or later she goes too far. We have discussed a solution Dhora and me. There is a temple in Ghoirash, two days travel from the lake. When spring comes we will take her there and hopefully the good sisters of the monastery will take her in. As a nun she has no chance of creating such calamity again.”
Kyall felt a bit shocked. “Isn’t that a bit harsh, I mean…”
Dhora touched his hand gently. “It is, but to us there is no other way. If this gets known many will shun us, many are very strict when it comes to moral within these valleys.”
He could understand and nodded slowly. Dhora got on her feet again. “I have locked her in her room, there will be no supper for her today.”
Owhan stared at him, there was sadness within his eyes. “I guess you are used to women being a bit eager around you but that does not excuse what she did. There is one thing I wish to do to make it up to you. You are a guest in our house and it hurts our honour that you had to go through this. “

Kyall wanted to protest but realized that it would hurt the old man. “I am grateful.”
Owhan smiled for a short second. “Well don’t be grateful too early my friend, get your boots on and follow me.”

Kyall got curious, he had not been outside of the house since he came there and Dhora gave him a thick cloak and an extra shirt. Outside the snow covered everything except the buildings. They were free from snow and Owhan told him that they dug the snow off the roofs so they wouldn’t collapse from the weight. It was very smart and Kyall knew that these people had adapted to their living conditions very well. They moved toward a small house that was placed a bit away from the others and it proved to be a smithy. The fire was dead now and the place freezing and Owhan lit a few candles and walked around the fireplace a few times. “My father found this when he was just a lad. He was looking for some lost cows and fell into a cave somewhere in the hills close to the peak. He was wandering around in the darkness for days before he found this weird cave.”
Kyall got curious, caves could hide many things of old and the man’s expression was one of awe.

“There was a tomb within that cave, surrounded by skeletons of orcs and dwarves and someone had plundered it but on the floor next to the tomb itself he found this, the thieves must have forgotten it. Or perhaps they did not want it?”
Owhan bent over with a groan and removed a loose stone from the masonry, stuck his hand into the room behind it and pulled out an object hidden within a piece of dark cloth. Kyall suddenly got scared, he felt something strange when looking at it, it was magical. And the voices were shouting to him, in joy it seemed. Owhan removed the cloth, it was a dagger and not like any other Kyall had ever seen. The blade was very long, almost long enough to be a short sword of some kind and it was slightly curved and double edged but that was not what caught his attention the most. The blade was blue, a wonderful rich hue that made it shine and sparkle like a diamond and there were runes engraved into it along the length of the blade.

The hilt was rather simple but yet beautiful and had to be made from some kind of black bone? And a single huge ruby was attached to the end of it, the value of only that alone was huge. Kyall almost backed away, he could sense this blade, sense that it was somehow alive and sentient, that it had a purpose and a will and that it was hungry! It was a terrible hunger, cold and merciless and unending and he shivered to the core. Owhan lifted the dagger, as to give it to him and Kyall knew that once he had touched that hilt there would be no way back. This weapon was mighty, it would give him an edge in battle no other had but what was the drawback? Could he ever hope to become its master and not its slave?
“Take it, it is beautiful and there is no point in it being hidden here. None of us are warriors, we do not need such a thing.”

Owhan’s voice was pleading and Kyall felt like he had to take it, to please the old man and show his gratitude. But he hesitated. The magic was so strong, he could almost see it. Slowly he reached out, touched the hilt. Immediately something touched him in return, light and swift like the wings of a butterfly. It was a friendly contact, powerful yes but not hostile, not at all. At least not against him. This blade wanted him to carry it, it deemed him worthy and it would forever serve him like a true friend and brother. He believed it, he really did. This feeling could not lie because this type of magic is always true to its nature. It would be a valuable ally to him, and he would make sure that it was never forgotten again. He let his grip tighten around the hilt, it could have been made for him. He felt strong with this blade in his hands, like there was nothing that could stop him anymore.
“I…I am very thankful Owhan, do you know how valuable this really is?”
The old man smiled and nodded. “I think I do yes, such old weapons are mysterious and made to be used and honoured. You are a worthy carrier of this dagger, I can somehow feel it.”
Kyall could only smile and attached the sheath to his belt and it felt very right to do that, like he had always waited for this blade to become his. He petted the old man on the back and left the room, this would somehow change his path but he did not yet know how.
Back at the house the two other girls were helping their mother and there was sympathy within their eyes, they knew and Kyall felt a little weird. He did not want to be reminded of this but there was no way out of it. He spent the rest of the day trying to fix some damages to his saddle and Owhan had a lot of very good advice about how he should do it and even more not so good ones. The atmosphere was rather good and light and he enjoyed himself. He had to draw some of the beasts he had fought on the table with a piece of charcoal and the kids were staring with huge eyes as he explained how he had killed them.

The next day it snowed and it continued for a few days but then the sun started to shine and he felt like he could leave safely. It was a very heartfelt goodbye and he really felt like he was leaving a safe harbour but he could not stay, it was impossible. He managed to hide a pouch with several gold coins within his bed before he left. Dhora would find it when she made the bed again but by then he would be far away and they deserved the money, he felt like he owed them it after the kindness they had shared with him. The small horse was full of energy and Owhans son in law had marked the road earlier that winter with long twigs so he could see it. Dhora had given him a sack filled with food and he had several blankets and some good new clothes too. She had even washed his leather armour and it did not stink like it had before. How she had achieved that miracle was beyond his understanding but now it just smelled like leather.
He hugged them all before he left and promised to take good care of himself and watch his back at all times. It was nothing he needed to be reminded off but it only told him how much they cared. He had no idea what awaited him whence he reached the city but it was normal, destiny was pulling him around like a plough after a horse and he could only hang on and hope for the best. He had no problem following the road and he reached the lower valley before it got dark. He made camp within a cave they had told him about and he felt very optimistic. He would reach his goal rather easily he was sure of.

Two weeks later he rode slowly over a hilltop and got the first glimpse of his goal, the city of Ardthwan, the city of dusk. It was named thus because of the way it was placed within the very narrow gorge like valley. Walls of rock rose from the valley floor and hovered over the city like vertical harbingers of doom, and they shut the sun out too. It was always dark down there, even in the midst of summer. The cliffs were thousands of feet high and as smooth as a well made floor and they closed around the place in three directions. The city was built at the end of the gorge and it was both ancient and mysterious. No other city in Zhra’khyr looked like this, the architecture and the very method was so alien and strange and nobody knew how the various buildings had been made.
The city lay there looking like something that had crept up to the dark dead rock and died there, like a heap of something almost skeletal and he knew that he looked at only a minor part of it. The people who built this city had burrowed deep into the ground and it was said that the city was hiding wonderful sights no other city of either men nor elves nor dwarfs could match. It had to be a powerful race which ruled there once upon a time but now it was inhabited by most humans and some dwarves and gnomes and also some specimens of other races too. And it had lost its glory, the colours that once adorned walls and roofs were faded and it looked bleak and grey, like it was dying. The colourful crowd that was filling the narrow streets with their goods and their everyday lives could not dispel the feeling of decay and death.
He sighed, it was indeed a hell hole and he knew that he never would be able to trust anyone within that place. Life was cheap there, and death a common guest. It was based upon mining, someone had discovered huge veins of ore and precious gems deep underneath the city and they were still mining down there. Ripping the treasures of the earth from its belly, never caring about the damage that was done. The mines were deep now, so deep it was almost impossible to continue deeper but greed was pushing them forward. Humans could not survive the heat and the lack of air down there, and humans were by the way far too big to fit into the narrow crawl ways and mine shafts. So they used gnomes and when they got too big too they had to turn to other races. Now they were using a sort of small goblin race that stood only one and a half foot tall and they were lean and agile but very aggressive creatures none the less.

Kyall knew that the slavers were constantly looking for more of them, the death toll was great because the mines were an extremely dangerous place to be. Whole tunnels would collapse from time to time, gas would choke whole work teams, fires could erupt or water break through and drown everything or they would kill each other. Some of the people who owned mines paid magicians to place spells upon their slaves so they became more docile but it was expensive. And new slaves were not that hard to come by. The slavers were raiding the goblin villages one by one and the small creatures never stood that much of a chance no matter how hard they fought. The whole idea of this business made Kyall cringe but there was little anyone could do. As long as the mountains still provided enough treasures to pay for the costs they would not stop.

The road leading down to the city was wide and well used, there was no snow here and he was feeling tired and knew that his horse was tired too. The feed they had gotten from Owhan had ended a week earlier and it was little food to be found anywhere. Luckily there were stables on the outskirts of the city and they were good. Horses were very valuable there and nobody would diminish the value of a horse by starving it or making it work too hard.
Kyall could see the entrances to the mines, at the back of the city. Huge openings into the dark rock which were guarded by orcs or even giants and he also saw the big wheels that were used to lift the rock to the surface and pump air down into the shafts. Some giant creatures were used to power the wheels, they were walking slowly around in circles pulling the whole mechanism and he had to look twice. He had never seen animals like those before, they looked a bit like a huge rhino but their legs were longer and the heads short and wide with a very big lower jaw and tiny eyes. There were still things in this world that was unknown to him, it was good to know.
The shadows of the mountains fell over him and he felt a strange chill passing through his bones, this place reeked of danger but he was no stranger to that feeling. It could mean income and he needed it now, his money nearly spent. The road passed through the main gate, the wall built to protect the front of the city was very tall and impressive and it seemed like it was made from one single piece of rock, perhaps they had carved the wall out of the mountain before they started carving the city itself? Then it would have been a monumental task, and the creators would have had to work by a very detailed plan. It had some beauty, he had to admit it, a kind of cold and almost distant elegance that told of a time long gone. The city did not look very welcoming but he sighed and rode toward a stable that looked nice. It was clean and well maintained and a few horses were walking around in a small enclosure outside of it and they were shiny and fit.

He dismounted and a man came from the entrance, stared at him with a serious look upon his face. The man was alert he could tell, and it was to be anticipated. You never knew what kind of people they were those who showed up at a place like this. The wealth of the mines attracted everything from traders to killers and the man had probably guessed his profession already. Kyall just nodded and petted the horse on the neck. “I need a stable for my horse, don’t know for how long, and he needs some new shoes too.“
The man nodded and walked forward, he held his hand out and Kyall sighed and dropped a gold coin into it. The man bit in it to check if it was real or a fake and was obviously pleased with the result because he smiled and grabbed the horse by the reins. “My name is Ishran, I own this facility. Is there anything else I should know of?”
His voice was soft and low and Kyall liked him, he could see that this man loved horses and knew how to treat them and it was worthy of respect. “He hasn’t eaten that much the last week so don’t feed him too much the first days. “
Ishran nodded. “That is fine, I’ll notify the workers. Does he have a name?”
Kyall just shook his head. “No, he doesn’t. Is there a tavern or something like that somewhere here which you could recommend?”
Ishran made a sort of grimace. “If this was somewhere else I would tell you that every tavern in this city is a death trap and a disgrace no decent people ever would dare to visit, but the least appalling place has to be Myrtle’s lap. It’s the huge building at the end of the main road that used to be painted green.”
Kyall had to grin, the name told him everything he needed to know of what sort of tavern it was. But it also told him that the place had to be of at least some quality and a little less dangerous than the others, and probably a heck of a lot more expensive. But he still had money and he expected to find some work rather fast. “Myrtle’s lap it is then, thank you!”
He walked into the main street and it was packed with people, he felt a little nervous and kept his bags close and his eyes did not miss a thing. He knew that these cities were literally crawling with pick pockets and they usually worked in groups. But his appearance would normally be enough to discourage any thieves from trying to get his stuff. The swords he carried across his back and in his belt and the general look of him told most people that he was violent and dangerous and would retaliate any insults with a very sharp blade.
        The city stank, it was something he had anticipated but the stench here was worse than any other place he had ever been. There were no sewers there, everything was just thrown into the streets and they were disgusting. Pigs and dogs were running around digging in the waste to find something edible and rats were swarming everywhere. It gave him chills down his spine. Such cities were known to make even healthy people fall ill and he felt a need to cover his mouth and nose. In summer this place had to be one giant stinking baking oven. Merchants were shouting at him and trying to convince him that he should by whatever it was they sold but he ignored them. He did not need anything he saw there and a small skinny man with a face that reminded him of a weasel even tried to make him buy an hour with a very fat woman without teeth who stood leaned up against the wall. By the looks of her she was well beyond her youth to put it nicely and had to be so wasted she would have fallen if she didn’t have the wall to lean against.
It was a city and not that different from many other cities he had visited but this place had an atmosphere that was disturbing. It had some sort of energy to it, wild and reckless and unpredictable. Here everything could happen and so he prepared himself mentally for just about that, everything.
The tavern did lay at the end of the street just like the stable manager had told him and the colour was barely visible but the sign over the door left no doubt. It showed a woman sitting on a chair with her legs spread and her skirts lifted to her knees in an inviting gesture. Kyall shook his head and snickered before he went up the stairs and opened the door. He did not really know what to expect, this place could be really bad or very nice and he was prepared for both but not for what he saw. There was wealth within this city, not particularly obvious but many were filthy rich and he knew that you could tell the condition of the local economy from the condition of establishments like this one. This city was indeed rich!
The hall he entered was one of the most elegant he had ever seen in a tavern, it was held in white and blue colours and it revealed a sense of taste that was an insane contrast to the filth and mayhem outside. He could see that there were rooms available on the top floors and the ground floor was a huge dining room, some lounges and a kitchen. He could smell food and it made his stomach growl. The dining room had a bar and a huge fireplace and it looked cosy, some men were sitting at the tables closest to the fireplace and he could see that they were playing cards. Judging by the stack of coins in the middle of the tables they were not exactly being careful with their wealth. It had to be enough money there to feed a village for a year.
He sighed, walked up to the counter and felt a little unsure, he did not fit in there at all, he looked like a mess once more with his dirty clothes and somewhat ragged appearance. He wasn’t even sure if he could afford staying at such an elegant place. He had not seen such luxury even in the capital and he felt like a misfit. Still he rang the bell and a door opened, a very well-groomed and dressed young man came forth and smiled at him. He did not seem to notice Kyall’s appearance but he knew that the man had seen all he needed to see right away. In such places the employees had to be able to read people immediately to avoid troublemakers and dangerous individuals.
“I need a room for some nights, with meals and baths and my clothes needs to be cleaned.”
The man just smiled and stared at Kyall’s face with something that looked like admiration, Kyall felt a bit uncomfortable. The guy reminded him of a cat who has spotted a bowl of delicious cream right in front of it. He did not mind that men with such a preference tried to flirt with him but it made him feel a bit nervous none the less. He had had some less than pleasant experiences in the past. “Off course Sir, it will be one and a half gold for each night, other services will have to be paid extra”
Kyall just nodded, he knew what sort of extra services the man was speaking off. This was both a tavern and a very expensive brothel and he did not want that sort of service, at least not yet. The experience with Moira was still bothering him and he made a grimace. “That will not be needed thank you, I think I will stay for five nights, at least until further notice.”
He paid and the man was all smiles, gave him a receipt and a room key. “I suppose that you are here looking for work?”
Kyall noticed that the man was staring at his swords and he smiled back, tried to look friendly or even inviting. It could be smart to use every opportunity to spread the word and he did not doubt that the people of this tavern knew everyone worth knowing within this city. “Yes, that is correct.”
The young man licked his lips before he looked around, whispered. “I’ll see what I can do, are you any good?”
Before the man could even blink twice he had two blades meeting right underneath his chin and was staring into two incredibly blue eyes and a cold grin. “I…I see, that good! Right!”
Kyall smiled again and sheathed his swords, tried to look friendly once more. The man swallowed and it was clear from his expression that he was impressed. “If you could please sign here?”
He held up the house book and Kyall signed with a sigh, he did not like to leave his name anywhere but here he had to. He knew that it was of security reasons, and it told him that these people were both professional and careful. It was a rather good sign.
The man smiled again, played with his long braid for a second. “I am Beorg, if you need anything, and I mean anything, just let me know alright?”
Kyall smiled but felt a bit silly, the guy was obviously very feminine, almost to degree where it became ridiculous. “I promise I will!”
He went up the stairs to the second floor and found the room, it was at the end of the corridor and he did not like that but what the hey, he did not expect any trouble, at least not yet. The room was not large but very nice with a wide soft bed and a closet to place things in. A basked for dirty clothes was placed on the floor and it had a bath tub placed behind a glass screen. He was surprised when he noticed that there were taps above the tub, you could fill it yourself and on a small shelf there stood some ceramic pots that had to contain different types of soap. Few places had such an advanced system, it required pipes and plumbing and was both costly and extravagant but it fitted the place, it really did. It was just as decadent as the tavern itself.
He decided to enjoy his stay there, such luxury was something he hadn’t enjoyed too often. He got his armour and clothes off and looked at the running water with almost childlike fascination before he got in and started to wash himself. When he was clean he just lay there for a while and relaxed, it felt good and he got a drowsy feeling but he needed some food before he could rest. He reluctantly left the tub and dried off, studied himself carefully. He didn’t have an ounce of fat anywhere, he was just muscle and bone and he was far more muscular than the normal elven male, he was a bit proud of that fact. And he was stronger than he looked even, also something his teachers had wondered about.

He saw that there was a mirror placed above the closet and took a quick look, he had to do something with his hair, it looked terrible now. He managed to comb through it while swearing and moaning in pain and he braided it quickly. He looked a bit more civilized right away and put on his change of clean clothes. Even there he put on his weapons belt and carried the new dagger and one of his long curved elven swords. He sighed and for a second he let his fingers trace the pattern he had tattooed across his shoulders and down his back.
It was beautiful and suited him well, looked like dancing flames and curling vines but if one looked closely there were different patterns hidden within the main design and he allowed himself to drift into memories for a few seconds.

It had been done by an old druid about two hundred years ago, and he still remembered the pain but also the pride. Few would have endured that whole process and he felt that it somehow represented his essence. The druid called this type of tattoo a soul mark and claimed that it captured the very core of one’s soul and showed it to the world. The druid had been able to read the truth of every man’s inner being and make it visible etched into the flesh with the help of needles and ink. On him the druid had used both black and white ink and the two colours were entwined and mirrored each other in a most intriguing way, there were patterns within patterns within patterns, like a never ending dance. He knew that the druid had seen the truth of him, had wrung it from his soul and forced it to the surface but he had never asked if he would tell what it was that he saw. The tattoo was the light and the darkness within him and both were equally beautiful and terrible.

He had been very insecure back then, had tried to come to terms with his destiny and it had been a hard fight at times. He had visited so many temples and heard the words of the worshippers of many a deity but he never felt like they spoke the truth. There was always something within all those nice promises that felt hollow and false and so at the end he turned back to the ways of the ranger and his appreciation of nature and it felt more natural and right than any words from a priest. Another ranger had introduced him to the old druid and he felt like he shared at least some of his beliefs with this old man. They had been friends for a few months and the tattoo was a parting gift, and one he still appreciated very much.

He went down into the dining hall and sat down by a table, took a look around. The men were still playing and a few more guests had arrived. They looked like merchants and he could guess that they had to be from the east coast judging by their accents. A servant girl came to the table with a list of available dishes, it was rather unusual because normally there would be just one option. It did indeed tell a lot of the place, it was very modern and the one owning this place was probably very smart. He choose some chicken and the girl had a hard time believing that he didn’t want anything else than water to go with it. He sat back and relaxed, studied his fellow guests with his eyes half shut. The men who were gambling were armed, their weapons were well hidden but he could tell anyhow, and they were also carrying several magical amulets. He could sense that it probably was some kind of protective spells and it told him that they were alert and nervous. This was a dangerous place to be in spite of its peaceful appearance.

The food was great, cooked with great care and a very skilled use of spices and some vegetables and a mash made from a root that grew in the area was added to the meat. The meal was surprisingly good and he enjoyed it. More people arrived, it was getting late in the afternoon and many came to eat and drink. He wanted to remain there for a while to watch the inhabitants of this place, he ordered a small bowl of fruits and sat there slowly eating while he tried to look like he didn’t care about his surroundings at all. Suddenly a door opened at the back of the room and some girls came walking into the dining room. They sat down by a table close to the door and he could clearly see that these were the ones offering the services Beorg had spoken off.
They were all very beautiful and most striking was the fact that neither of these girls were normal humans, they were all of mixed heritage and it only added to their beauty. They were tall and elegant and showed a great deal of class and they seemed both healthy and happy. The girls were laughing and talking with each other and appeared to be in a very good mood. He had not anticipated anything else, not in such a classy place. These girls were gems and treated accordingly to that fact, they would never be beaten raped and humiliated like most others who got involved in this type of business. He had to admit that a couple of them were so unusual that even he had to stare for a few seconds, one girl was a black half elf with the grace of a queen and another one had to be three parts human and a quarter dwarf because she was one of the most toned and muscular women he had ever seen and yet she had a grace that was impressive.
He sat there and contemplated leaving when he heard a soft voice behind him. “May I sit down?”
He turned around and prepared to tell the girl that he wasn’t interested in what she could offer but he shut his mouth. This was no whore, he could tell by the way she was looking at him. There was power within her gaze and she was dressed in a way that was very elegant but not at all inviting. She was tall and pale and her hair very dark, her eyes were brown and he could tell that she had a very strong personality. He knew that he was looking at the owner of this place. He bowed slightly and tried to appear as friendly and polite as possible. “Of course my lady!”
She sat down with a smooth move, he would guess that she had to be somewhere around fifty years of age but she had few wrinkles and was still very beautiful. She smiled at him and gestured towards the jug of water. “You do not drink, and you carry several swords. Beorg told me you were looking for work and he also said that he never had seen a man move so fast, and with such precision.”

Kyall felt a tingle of curiosity, had she some kind of work to offer him? “I am flattered my lady!”
She smiled, studied him carefully. “Not entirely elven features and yet more handsome than any elf I have ever seen, eyes like sapphires and by the looks strong like a bull. I would say it is a shame that all this is wasted on a mere assassin?”
He blushed, hoped that she wouldn’t offer him that kind of a job. “But it is my profession, my skills are for sale. “
She sighed and pulled her wide skirts closer around her legs, this was a very determined person with a lot of intelligence and he could also sense that she was cunning and ruthless if she needed to be. She sighed and waved at a servant who immediately brought her a glass of red wine. Kyall could sense that it was very expensive wine too, this lady had class and style and loved to show it although discreetly. “I might have a job for you, one that requires your skills with a blade. Tell me, are you a smart man or just pretty and good with a sword?”
She was very direct, she did not try to sugar coat her words and he knew that she did that on purpose, to see if she could get the person she was talking with out of balance mentally. Kyall had to blush, she was speaking volumes without saying more than needed. She found him attractive and did not doubt his skills but she needed someone who was more than a soldier, someone who could hide his true self and use his mind as well as his body, a true assassin.
“I am rather smart yes, above average I would say!”
He kept his voice relaxed, soft. He did not reveal anything about his feelings at this stage. She stared straight into his eyes and for a brief moment he could see something there, something that looked like fear. She sipped at her wine to savour the taste of it, then she smiled and the smile was relaxed and inviting but it was a mask, he could see that clearly.
“You are most impressive Kyall, yes I checked your name. I do not doubt that you are capable of doing an excellent job.”
He stared at her, openly but without defiance of any kind, he just wanted to let her know that he did not bow or crawl for anyone, he showed his strength. “I am listening!”
She grinned, placed the glass on the table again. “Good, I anticipated that. I will tell you what it is that I need to have done and then I will let you decide whether you will do it or not! Fair?”

He nodded and leaned forward over the table, pretended like he was studying the lovely details of the very expensive tablecloth. It had no stains or marks so it was probably protected by some spell of some sort. “Sounds very fair to me”
She got the servant to refill her glass, looked very relaxed like she was having a cosy conversation with an old friend. “Fine, a week ago something was stolen from me, something I hate to lose and it is very precious to me of several reasons. It was two separate items that were stolen and I know both by whom and where they are but I cannot retrieve them on my own. I do not have the manpower nor the knowledge. “
He got curious, there were some lines in her face that told him she was very stressed and struggled emotionally. “Tell me more?”

She nodded, got on her feet and lifted her hand, he took it carefully and she was leading him through the door at the back of the room and by the table the girls were sitting at. They stared at him and giggled with big eyes and he realized what she was doing. To the other guests it seemed like he was a customer who wanted to check the goods before he made a purchase. It was smart! Behind the door was a corridor and she went through a door and into an office. It was luxurious and very tidy and looked both professional and inviting at the same time.

She sat down in a huge chair and opened a box, pulled out two pieces of paper. She gestured for him to take them and he stared down at two very good drawings. One was of a goblet of some kind, it was rather small and looked insignificant and ordinary but he could see some runes etched into the rim of it and knew instantly that this was no ordinary household item. It contained great magical power and had to be insanely valuable. The other drawing was of a woman, a very beautiful girl with thick dark hair and the features of a forest elf. He stared at her and she closed her eyes for a few seconds, when she opened them there were tears in them.
“She is my daughter, the very jewel of my life. The goblet is important to me but nowhere near as dear as she is. “
He could sense the tragedy, the terrible truth behind this. He usually never got himself involved in cases that involved people in such a way but he felt like he had to this time. “What is it that I need to do?”

She looked down, her chin trembled. “I have been the only one in this city who has owned an establishment like this, there are brothels yes but they are horrible places, filled with every thinkable disease known to mankind and the girls are wrecks. Last year a stranger came to town, bought one of those houses and turned it into big business. Nothing like this, nothing with class or style or even safety but still he sees my establishment as competition and want me removed. He has tried to buy this place several times. “
Kyall got a hard expression in his eyes, for a second he looked terrifying, his violent nature was apparent to anyone with the gift of eyesight. “He has been making threats”
It was said like a matter of fact and she nodded slowly. “Yes, and he is very powerful, has lots of guards and is trying to choke my business. He has bought many of the merchants I use and if it doesn’t end I will have to close this place and leave. My customers are being threatened too and a couple of girls have left, they did not dare to stay any longer.”
Kyall was making a growling sound deep in his throat. “He has kidnapped your daughter?”
She gasped and gripped onto his hand, shivering and obviously in distress. “Yes, and if I do not sell to him he will let his soldiers have her, all of them!”
Kyall sighed, he had already heard enough to make an impression of the person. This was a swine and he would not hesitate to kill someone like that. “And the goblet?”
She tried to get a grip of herself. “It is magical, and very old. If you drink from it you will be healed of any ailments and it will stop ageing. I let my girls drink from it every now and then, it keeps them free of disease.”
Kyall was already busy making plans. “I will do it, you want your daughter and the goblet back and this swine dead right?”
She smiled. “Yes, I will never be safe if he is left alive.”
Kyall sat down and his eyes were calm, he touched the hilt of his dagger almost lovingly. Some jobs he did enjoy more than others, this would most definitely be one of them. “Then tell me everything you know, where he is, where she is and what sorts of defences he has got.”
She blushed and placed her hands on the desk. “I have some spies, just a few but they can be trusted. I have had them working for some days. “

She took up a sheet of paper and handed it over to him.
“He is anticipating my surrender soon, he does not know that I have someone like you available.”
Kyall sighed and bit his lower lip. “If he is any good he knows I have arrived, and he knows where I stay. A man like him would take special interest in mercenaries and assassins who arrive here. This means that I must act quickly, before he has time to prepare.”

She looked scared. “I will do whatever I can to aid you.”
He smiled and got up. “I know you will. There are a few things I will require.”

He looked at the sheet, it was a rough drawing of a building with several tunnels underneath and the numbers of guards and other defensive measures. It would be tough yes but not impossible and he had gotten a strange expression he knew startled some. It showed the darker side of him and to many it had been the last thing they had seen in this life.

“I need two persons for this mission, they do not need to be soldiers or anything like that but they have to be brave. And many small torches, fast burning and easy to lit on fire. I will also need a vial filled with the milk of white down flowers.”

She swallowed. “That is poison, but yes, I will have it ready tonight, all of it. “
He touched her shoulder, very gently. “And I will have to pick one of your girls and go to a room with her, are your ladies good actresses?”

She looked confused but then she understood, it was a diversion. If the enemy had spies among the guests it would seem like he was busy doing far more enjoyable things than preparing for an assassination. She grinned. “Then pick Olive, it is the black girl. She can convince anyone that she is in bed with someone and enjoying it too. If need be I have a servant who is dark haired who can join her.”

Kyall smiled. “Good, have everything ready by midnight, and make sure that everyone within this house who is trustworthy is alerted. It could get ugly!”

She closed her eyes, seemed to be gathering her strength and got up, her eyes were shining and she looked a bit younger than before like her energy was restored. Kyall followed her out the door and stopped by the table, then he looked as if he was considering the different girls before he pointed at OIive who stood up very gracefully and took him by the arm. The lady of the house smiled at them and went to sit by the counter. “If you need anything just call for Beorg or me.”
Kyall made an embarrassed smile. “I have not even asked for your name my lady, these beauties have clouded my mind I fear.”
She smiled and the smile was a professional one, the kind of smile you would anticipate from a madam. “I am Eithne, just that.”

Kyall just grinned, pinched Olive’s butt and tried to pretend like he really was going to spend the night with the dark girl. She on the other hand was flirting all the time but he somehow knew that she had been warned that he was no usual customer. The girls and their madam probably had some sort of sign language they used amongst themselves. He followed Olive through the door and up a couple of stairs, she stopped by a door and smiled at him. “Too bad this isn’t for real, you look like you really know what a woman wants and needs. But do save Oleen, she is such a good girl and we all love her.”
Kyall bent over and kissed her hand and she opened the door and slipped inside. “Go through the blue door at the end of the corridor, it leads back to where your room is.”

He nodded and smiled and Olive closed the door, after a few seconds he could have sworn that there were two people in there, having fun. His grin got wider as he very silently got back to his room, he had to make preparations fast and he could not forget anything. He worked silently and determined, got his clothes on, his armour and his weapons. Braided and tied up his hair, hid different things both on himself and inside of his cloak. He was not thinking while he did these things, he was meditating and clearing his mind.

When he was ready he started to move around the room, slowly and silently while he allowed his instincts to kick in.

Then he sat down with the note, stared at it and stored every ounce of information within his memory. The man was named Uthelar of Akhinoor and he had more than fifty guards on his property and he also had a magician working for him so there were certainly magical defenses. The buildings above the ground were insignificant, they were just a mask. It was underground the majority of his business was hidden and Kyall knew that it would be like entering a snakes nest. He enjoyed the challenge this gave him. He smiled while he studied the simple map. He had a plan and it was audacious at its best, but it is often the unexpected that works in such situations. The normal thing to do would be to try and rescue the girl first and foremost but he would turn everything upside down. He was a master at creating chaos and knew that his methods were efficient if not always clean.

Beorg came to his room carrying towels and a bucket filled with washing equipment but underneath it were the things he had asked for. The vial was small but it was more than enough for what he was planning to do with it. The small torches were of good quality too and he grinned widely.

Beorg smiled at him. “There is two guys sitting at the corner of this street and the first to the left, they look like beggars but they are the ladies loyal servants. They will help you.”
Kyall nodded and tightened his belt, checked that everything was in place. Then he patted Beorg on the back and opened the small window, it was very small but he was agile like a cat and soon he was moving along the roof until he reached the back of the building. He was very careful not to make any sound and he did not jump down until he was absolutely certain that nobody saw him. Then he grabbed a small amulet and squeezed it between his fingers. To any bystanders he would look like a weary old man on his way home from a hard day and he quickly located the two beggars. They looked like they were half asleep and he stopped by the corner and pretended like he did not even see them. Instead he pretended like he was stopping to take a leak against the wall of a house while he silently whispered his instructions to the two men. They did not seem to respond but he knew that they had heard him.
He continued to walk and soon he saw his target, a strange building surrounded by a high metal fence and he could see the patrolling guards. He smiled to himself, this was what he lived for, the excitement and the adrenalin rush. Now he could only wait for the diversion!