Post by Bounder Boffin on Jan 4, 2008 22:11:00 GMT -5
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Visitor
The silence had been broken by an unexpected sound. The sound of marching men, ranks spread across the plans, a battle to erupt, Ledorac the Wise could feel it. A sharp tingling sensation in his mind as he sat smoking his pipe. Where is the uproar the rebellion that he had foresaw so long ago when the reign of Malcor was strong and Malsar, malcor's brother, was he still alive? He had seen the uprise of Dareak once again, and the rise and fall of a hero. The strength of darkness was to fall upon the land, but when he did not know. Once again the sharp tingle, appeared as he fell into a trance.
As shadows loomed, an army marched north, a hideous army. Nazzhan! The ancient soldiers of the Lord of Dareak, here again?
Ledorac tried to break the trance but it fought him back. The slaying and hewing of his men and fellow elves he could see as he shook trying to break the accursed trance. Ledorac saw the man he had known so long lay dead at the foot of another shadowy figure, who he presumed to be an Omasari. The shadowy man turned and took an arrow in the shoulder by the bow of a ranger who stood about thirty feet away, "Leave him be!"
The presence of malcor made ledorac shake as the incantation that he spewed killed the ranger instantly. Ledorac cried out, "ALO ESRA CAY LOMA!"
The trance was broken and Ledorac dropped his pipe. He shook his head and said, "I must stop this."
Far from where Ledorac was Thimarus awoke from his slumber to the sound of a crackling fire that provided instant warmth. His brother Arimus was standing near it placing wood to keep the flame alive. Thimarus pulled off his blanket and stepped out of the tent. He looked around for his men were scattered along the camp, sharpening their swords or tending to their own fires. Few looked up to see Thimarus as he joined his brother by the fire. The first frost of the season had descended upon the forest. Fall was definitely here. The ranger’s food supply was scarce and the nights were bitterly cold. Thimarus could see Akhear in the distance surrounded by mountains and its great wall.
Arimus looked up from the fire he saw his brother and stood up then said aloud, "My brother scouts have reported the Omasari movements among the Harls Hills to the east."
Thimarus responded, "I have determined that we will reach Akhear by night. We will be safe within our father's kingdom."
King Thinslan III was the chief of the rangers as well as king of Akhear and was the father of Thimarus and Arimus, Thimarus was the heir, as was Arimus but Thimarus was older which meant he would have the throne. Molsa, the cook of the rangers quickly whipped up some stew form the bear he had shot last night. Thimarus and Arimus helped him pass out the bowls to the rest of the rangers, who wolfed down the stew feeling the joys of internal warmth. Finally the three rangers sat down and ate their own stew. Thimarus looked at Molsa in approval.
Arimus stood up and walked over to the barrel of water that they had brought and filled his mug with it, he gulped it down quickly, and returned back the other two. All the rangers quickly finished their stew and began taking down their tents and packing their belongings for the trip ahead to Akhear.
Arius and Thimarus were in deep argument when a ranger walked up to the captains and said, "my lords a badly wounded ranger has requested your audience immediately."
Arimus commanded that they brought forth the ranger.
A bloody armored man limped up, his cheek was cut and bloody. He was carrying a broken hilt of a sword, the mark of Morenas was on his chest plate as he handed the hilt to Thimarus who looked it over then looked up, "whose blade was this?"
The man answered, "It was the blade of my captain Tor, who has been taken prisoner by the omasari." He paused then continued, "I fear the worst."
Thimarus spoke out, "Tor, captured, where might he be?"
The ranger continued, "I believe deep within the Morislas forest, the one far to the east, near Morenas's outer boundaries. Tor was leading us to meet you in Akhear when we were ambushed by rains of arrows and shadowy men form within the forest. Tor and a few other rangers have been captured, unfortunately I was the only one to escape . . . "
Arimus and Thimarus both stood up, and looked at each other. Arimus said to the injured ranger, "You will come with us to Akhar and we will come up with a plan to save Tor there with my father."
The other ranger had the horses prepared for the ride. Thimarus walked into his tent to grab his sword and bow as well as his and Arimus's belongings, as Arimus walked over to the other rangers who were preparing their weapons. He was inspecting their weapons making sure there were no frayed bow strings or cracked swords among the weapons the soldiers bore. Molsa bandaged up the injured ranger whom they came to call, Brando. Brando then began to exercise his arm and leg.
Once he was through with inspection Arimus looked at the sky there were a few clouds but it was mostly clear. Still darkness from Dareak was in the midst as it was every day. A light breeze blew through the trees along the encampment as they prepared to ride. Brando was helped onto a horse that was positioned next to Molsa. As Thimarus got onto his horse he knew that his father would not like the news of Tor's capture. Tor was a dear friend of Thinslan as well as a useful ally when it came to clearing out omasari encampments along the Akhear and Morenas borderline. Arimus and Thimarus both looked over their shoulders. Arimus nodded to Thimarus who blew his horn and they were off, he led the other rangers out of the thick forest and onto the grassy plains leading to Akhear. The vague towers of Akhear were in sight but a long ride as ahead. They rode swiftly but vigilantly, the omasari were near and they could feel it.
