Seven seals: The Reforging of the Seals

[Grimr]

Lorgan cursed himself after fifteen years as a mercenary I should haven't been so cocky He checked Thunder's wound. Well boy you look worse for wear so lets head for the Elven City. They arrived at the city three days later. Lorgan was admitted. He walked up to one of his old friends who happened to be Caption of the guard Well old friend I’m looking for an army that passed through my territory with out my leave and I’m here to get my toll. I'm afraid your two days late old friend they have left. Well then I guess i'll have to continue my hunt. Lorgan bought some supplies then rode off following his quarry's trail.

 

[Kookaburra]

A question -- why would the elves hire a mercenary? These are good elves, not black elves!

 

[Grimr]

Even honest people may need hired muscle sometimes

 

[Blessed-one]

uh........ right, say that they don't know which side Lorgain's on?
----

"Allright, time to go!" Aridol said as he came up to knock at Freezia's door, and he frowned as he heard gigglings inside.
"Right there Commander," Clise said, and Freezia laughed.

"You know what that's about?" Aridol asked Taren who had just come up the stairs. After a day of rest, the earth seal bearer looked refreshed and there was once again a merry light in his eye.
"When they laugh like that, you can guess the joke," he said knowingly, leaning against the railing.

"Me?" Aridol guessed.
The door opened. "Morning!" Freezia said, "So where to next?"
Aridol exchanged a glance with Taren, as if daring him to say something about the joke. Taren gave him a thump on the back, "Time to move right?"
----

next destination, the captial city of Elario. Let's do some city exploring.

 

[ferment8]

right, let's c......
---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Right," Aridol said drily and gave the women a suspicious look.
"Looks like you two love elf clothing," He said, sounding amused as they walked toward the Queen's private hall, at which the Queen would share the farewell breakfast, or rather lunch, before the groups departure.
"It's better than always wearing chain mail beneath your shirt," Freezia replied grinning.
Aridol shrugged, "Habit dies hard," and Taren laughed, pulling his shirt open to show a gleaming chain mail as well.
"That's my fellow!" The two men laughed together.

"Men..." Clise muttered.

They entered the Queen's hall, bowed and took their seats around the dining table. The hall was painted in white and pale green, imitating the forests outside. A cool breeze blew from gigantic windows, and flowing tapestries of the symbols Arwillene flew with the wind.

"I hope you have slept well my friends." Queen Elwillenio Arsh said, smiling.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The meal was comprised of elven dishes, filling Aridol to fullness quite quickly. The wine was the finest of the elves too.
After Elwillenio Arsh has again thanked them for their help, and blessed them in the name of the Lord for the journey ahead, they departed through the western gate and headed towards the city of Blackbridge, where they would board a ship to the capital city of Elario - Dal Calaine.

"Why couldn't we just fly over to Dal Calaine on the eagles?" Freezia asked for the fifth time after their departure of Arwillene.
"Because the Elarians have not much love for strangers, and I doubt they will hesitate to shoot when giant eagles fly over their territory. Let's not risk it." Taren said, after noting that it was his turn to explain. He and Aridol have taken turns to explain the situation to the Windsong, whom obviously had no love for water.

Freezia sighed and muttered, "I don't have to like it."

Blackbridge, apparently, had its name from the famous blackbridge that cross over the huge river Halbring. The bridge was built with black stones and was one enormus infrastructure.
The group still had three to four days till they reached Blackbridge, then they would have to somehow find a ship to Dal Calaine, where Clise said she sensed a seal there.

Aridol had left his armies to be in charged by his commanders, and would sent half of it to Waterfall City to fend off skirmishes, while leaving the other half to march back to Eyre because of the lately troubles caused by the Orcs.

"When we get into Blackbridge in the next few days, remember to watch each other's back and stay as a group. Elarians disliked all strangers for some unknown reasons." Taren adviced.
Aridol added, "True, even Eyre does not have good politics with Elario."

"Don't have to worry, warrior-boys, we can take care of ourselves," said Clise, unsheating her impossibly long knife and waving it menacingly.
Aridol arched his eyebrows and grinned, "So much for lady like."
The group laughed, as they journeyed on to Blackbrdige.
--------------------------------------------------------

hehe.... let's not fly for some time... i wanna try other modes of transportation. ANyway, the group will reach Blackbridge in a few days, then we'll have to find a way to get on a ship to Dal Calaine, where Clise sensed the seal.

 

[Kookaburra]

 

[ferment8]

er..... kook..... a problem.....

aren't we on our way to Blackbridge where we will catch a ship?

we are on horses at the moment.... if it's not clear......
we still have a few days till we get there.....

 

[Kookaburra]

oooh
that IS a problem. Well, I'll delete that....

 

[Blessed-one]

three to four days um?
is the elf prince with the party too?
----

Clise wasn't really looking forward to sleeping on the road again, but there was no other alternative. She was still having trouble riding a horse, that was why she was given a more sedate mare to ride on. However, riding for a day did hurt, and she refused to sit while the others sat comfortably around the cooking fire.

"Nice cooking," Aridol commented. Taren smiled appreciatively, "Thanks, i'd have made a better dinner if we had more supplies."

"Why don't you sit?" Freezia said quizzically.
"I'm just not used to riding so much," Clise replied, frowning, "I wish we could get to Blackbridge faster. Anyone been there before?"
Taren nodded, "It'll be quite a sight, that bridge is the most famous part of town."

"I can't wait," Clise said, thinking that catching a ship may be better than riding a horse.

 

[ferment8]

"So is the roughness of Edorians. The women fight as well as any men," Aridol commented, while drinking the rest of the soup.
"Really? I'd have to meet some of these women!" Freezia exclaimed in excitement.
Aridol churckled, "Then we have to be careful around you!"

After the quick dinner, they put out the fire and rolled out their blankets.
Aridol had volunteered to take the first watch. Times like this wasn't exactly safe to travel.

Scanning through the trees, Aridol leaned on a tree and sighed.
*Hope it'll be an uneventful night for once* he thought.
-------------

bedtime now..... i'll post tomorrow...... if my download limit holds up ><

 

[Million Pieces]

Patryn crouched under the tall trees, the familiar shimmering in her vision distorting her view of the small band sleeping across the little valley. The distance might have been a little over a standard mile, but Patryn's FarSight brought them closer in her mind. A few whispered words tightened her sheild, and gave her confidence that the group wouldn't see her even if they walked over her.

She closed her eyes and hunkered down on her haunches, laying her head back to rest on the trunk of the great pine. It only took a few moments to find her center, and take a tentative Feel for the flowing energies in the ground. She was mostly spent, but tapping into magical channels deeper into the earth helped immensely. The deeper channels ran swifter, and she could open her mind's channels wider to replenish her reserves. She closed the connection gently, careful to Heal the rift she might have created in the flow, for danger of causing a tremor.

She could still Feel the earth seal, and the great damage that had been done to it. She wanted so much to Fetch it closer, but she didn't dare from this distance. Certainly a use of magic from that distance might alert some wizard in the vicinity, especially since Patryn would have to use a bit of Node magic to do it. Patryn's strength was in Healing, for both people and land. The great power of the seal worried her. In it's damaged state, it dould be devastating to lives and to the land. But Healed... well, Healed it could wield immense power, such that these humans couldn't conceive.

Patryn focused tightly sheided energy on stretching her weak FarSight again. Locating the seals had proved more difficult than she expected. The humans had located three of the more minor seals. The dark elf held one rather powerful one, if handled correctly. Patryn was not certain the humans knew the dark elf had the fourth seal, but she was beginnning to suspect they did. The seals were slowly losing their energy. One by one they would wink out of existence, unless she could accomplish this one great task. She must bring the seals together. They must be joined once again, to restore the balance of power in both worlds. For it was only when the seals were physically joined that the greatest Heartstone could be established, and end once and for all the turmoil and destruction this earth had been suffering all these generations.

Needles of the pine tree whistled and began to gently rain over Patryn's head, startling her. She hurriedly restored her sheilds, and with a word, set a small wind blowing to cover up the sudden movement of the trees nearest her. It was just no use trying to See the seals from her location. She would have to keep searching alongside the humans, unknowingly to them, guiding them closer to the seals, and bringing herself in an ever-closing distance.

Sighing, Patryn relaxed her limbs, and lay herself out on the bare ground. She would give her left hand to be back in her ekele, the sweeping tree-house of her Clan. Sleepily she winked out the small fire glowing before her, and wrapped her arms about her for warmth. The fire was more for light than comfortable heat, as her magical sheilds kept out the elements from her skin. As uneasy sleep drifted into her mind, Patryn furrowed her brows ever so slightly and allowed it to drift over her. Until the seals were joined, her sleep would continue haunted by her visions, but that was just one more thing to juggle with the fears of failing in her quest.

 

[Million Pieces]

Now that I've jumped in here, I guess I owe you all a little description. LOL

Name: Patryn SunRider
Race: Tayledras
Clan: K'Treva. Granddaughter of Herald-Mage Vanyel of Valdemar.
Abilities: Mind magic, Healing all types of creation, both animal and mineral.
Weapons: short dagger
Description: Female, but only marginally so. 6'2" tall, sliver hair elaborately braided and woven with feathers and leaves. Limbs almost unnaturally long. Grey eyes, pale lips and hands. Dressed in long earth-toned garments, tunic, shirt and robes. Tough leather short boots, brown. She is protected by extremely strong magical sheilds, which can distort her appearance to outsiders. Her magical abilities are so strong, these sheilds are needed to prevent any stray elements escaping. She never removes these sheilds, least of all the closest sheild, which was not her own casting to begin with.

 

[Blessed-one]

download limit ferment?! you better cut back on it!

Jn207! i know that Herald Mage Valdemar series!! but i never finish it as the libraries don't have a complete set.
----

The night proved to be uneventful, and Clise and Freezia were so tired that they couldn't sense the nearby visitor.

They continued onto Blackbridge.
----

would Lorgain make an appearance here or elsewhere?
sorry, this's a bit short.

 

[Grimr]

Lorgan had ridden through the nite hunting the group he came upon them three miles from Blackbridge. Halt fools I am here for your sacred seals. Who sent you bounty Hunter? Why no one you tresspased through my territory I had come to collect the toll when you attacked me and my horse. Now give me the seals they don't belong and I intend to take them to their rightful owner. Lorgan drew his long sword and prepared for any attack

 

[ferment8]

er..... y don't u use quotation marks? the description and the conversations are mixed up.........
------------------------------

It was already morning and luckily everyone were awake when this bounty hunter came upon them and looked ready to fight.
Aridol immediately draw his black blade and eyes wry.
Clise unsheathed her long knife and the other two got ready.
"Do you really think you can defeat the four of us with one of you?" Taren taunted.
Freezia turned to Aridol, "We don't have time for this, if we are to reach Black brdige by evening."
Aridol nodded and in an instant, they all jumped back as Freezia drew magic, and froze all the moisture around the bounty hunter into ice, wrapping the man and horse in solid ice. However, maybe the hunter was prepared for magic, somehing shined in the hunter and the ice just melted into droplets.

With that, Lorgan jumped off his horse and swung the sword at them. Being the Lord Commander of Eyre, Aridol was a skilled swordsmen. He and Taren parried Lorgan's sword swing by swing. However, it seems the hunter's skills were exceptional. It only needed one opponent to show a mistake, and fatality was ensured.

All of a sudden, time seemed to slow. Everything went into slow motion, including Lorgan. However, the four travellers could still move in real time. Aridol exchanged startled looks at Taren who returend with a dropped jaw.

"Run now!!" A voice suddenly shouted.
Without hesitation, the group jumped onto the horses and quickly galloped away, leaving the hunter behind, still in slow motion.

After a seemingly long time of gallop, the group slowed into a walk.
"What the heck happened back there? Who was that, voice?" Clise asked, workds jumbled with Freezia's same question.

A woman walked out of the trees, gave them a quick smile and said, "I hope none of you are hurt. That hunter seemed, competent. I'm Patryn. I had been planning not to come out, but it seems that hunter is resilient to certain magics. And I do not want you people killed."

Somehow, Aridol had a feeling that she wanted something from them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ok, Lorgan won't be in slow motiont 4ever. He will return to normal very soon. I'm sorry to bring Patryn into this so quick Jn207, but i really really don't know how to write this....... ><

 

[Blessed-one]

Jn207,

um... well, so far we've figured out that once the seals are all found, we're gonna take them to Waterfall City where they will be reforged, together.

so, can you explain your idea, and we'll see whether we can incorporate it into our idea or not?

and the seals, they act as a prison, that prevents the evil from reaching out, but the seals have been weakening, and things in the world are getting chaotic. (that explains why Taren's behaving strangely because his seal has a crack, and he carries it directly). Adding onto that, the seals have special powers: they are seals of (Kookaburra's idea) fire, earth, gem, water, air, life, light.

Freezia has the light seal while Taren has the earth seal, the Romanian leader has the fire seal and someone else has a another seal (i forgot... is it Waterfall City's leader Kookaburra?)

 

[Kookaburra]

No, Vialla it's the daughter of the leader of the Hahael (Vialdi), she has the air seal. And you've given me charge of the Life Seal for later on. We don't want them all discovered simultaniously, as I found out . . . . . . .

Waterfall City(humans, good), the City of the Sun (Hahael, good), Romanians (Bad), Arwillene (elves, good), Scattered bad elves, Windsongs (almost all gone, good), Dreamchildren (gone), The men of Eyre (humans, good), and assorted bad/good creatures and beasts. All of these exist, and that is basically a list of all the humans/humanoids that we've been using, and several that are kind of branches off the human ladder (Hahael, Windsong, Dreamchild) that are basically humans with types of powers or just different tribes.

As said before, the seals are:

• fire
• earth
• gem
• water
• air
• life
• light

 

[Million Pieces]

Blessed, I was just kind of going with your plan already of joining the seals once they were gathered up. I'm thinking we're missing seeing what these seals can do, even seperately. We've been batlting a lot, but not focusing very much on the seals. They are the whole point of the story are they not?? Any takers?

No problem ferment8. I don't get here as often as I'd like, and you all seem to take turns in this. I have an idea what character Patryn has, and if anything you write is particularly different, I'll let you know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patryn held her palms out to the little group, in the fashion of her Clan, and bowed slightly.

"I am Patryn SunRider of the Tayledras." she straightened up and caught Freezia's eyes, "I am a HawkSister."

Freezia knit her brow ever so slightly, it seemed more a blink.&nbsp;Tayledras. Why does that sound so darned familiar? Was it someone she once knew? A song she heard? A story. . . yes! Her mother had told her stories long ago of the Hawkbrothers. Mystical creatures who inhabited the farthest North country, called the Pelagirs, where the earth met the sky. She had no idea how real they were.

Patryn turned her cool attention first to Freezia. "You know me, don't you, daughter? You are descended from the lands of the East, yes?&nbsp; You are Windsong.&nbsp; You and I are as close to kin as I might have.&nbsp; Even our magics are not dissimilar." The others saw at once the similarities between Freezia and this tall stranger. The silver hair, the long features, the ice-cold eyes. Even the styles of dress were faintly recognizable.

Patryn turned to address the small troupe gathered in the stones. "This one has told you of lands called Valinor. In our language it is called Valdemar. An ancestor of mine was a great Mage in those lands in generations past. Much of his Gift passed to me, and to my kin. I am a Healer, I bring balance and correction to the earth around us.

"I have been following you for some days. You have been searching for . . . treasures. . . "

"The seven seals," Aridol offered. He tried with all his strength not to shudder at the thought of having been followed by an invisible stranger.

"Yes, the seals. You have obtained some of them I know. I believe one of them has proved . . . difficult for you." Taren fingered the seal resting in his tavelling bag. "I can be of service, if you wish."

The seal quivered ever so slightly under Taren's palm. He yelped and shot his hand to his mouth. His view of the tall woman was blocked by Aridol's head. He stepped forward, not seeing who he brushed, and held out the seal tentatively. It seemed the seal became lighter in his hand even as he held it forward.

Patryn sighed deeply, involuntarily, seeing the damaged seal up close. All of her will was held back from Fetching the thing clean out of the copper-haired boy-man's hand and clutching it to herself. Shuddering, she reached out her hand to take the white disk from Taren. She held it reverently in both palms, and Looked deeply into the faded engravings on the face. She Saw the damage, the hurt, the injury to the magics in it. She set about quickly setting a thin shield around her and the seal, and quickly tapping a shallow node for exra resources. She Centered down and into herself and let the Healing flow into her hands. The familiar burning sensation comforted her as she Watched the injury begin to come together. From the deepest levels of the disk, the various spells and magics were re-woven back to it's original power. Finally the very surface of the seal began to melt together.&nbsp;

Suddenly it seemed the heat-shimmering effect that had first appeared as she began to concentrate, lifted from around the tall old woman.

"How do you do that?"&nbsp;A&nbsp;tentative voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Rousing from concentrating so deeply, Patryn replied to the air. "The shields are for your proctection, as much as mine. I have terrifying enemies, such as you can not imagine." Her eyes centered clearly on the faces she addressed, "using my magics causes me to stand out to them, putting me in grave danger if I am not most careful. It is for your good as well to be shielded away from the effects of my spells and the injury it might cause you. This is why you have not noticed my presence lately. I can render myself practically invisible to your senses if needed.&nbsp; As you no doubt have assumed by my sudden appearance today."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edited to fix some names I forgot.&nbsp; And again to make Kook's corrections.&nbsp; Thanks for the reminder blessed-one.

 

[Blessed-one]

uh, guys.... i thought Janwah and Daniel are left in the elven forest? since DARRIONS's not playing anymore... (if we all agreed, would you please edit out that part about Janwah and Daniel, Jn207.)

um, sure.... focusing on the seals, sounds good.
one question, Patryn "healed" the earth seal, but it's still weakening right?
----
Masking her emotion, Patryn handed the seal back to Taren with a trembling hand. Taren held up the seal and examined it. "It's gone," he said in wonder.
Clise nodded beside him in confirmation. "That should last long enough till we get to Waterfall City."

Aridol shrugged, "Well... i suppose that means we take her along?"
"Sounds like it," Clise said.

 

[Kookaburra]

Oh, Jn02, just one more thing...Freezia's not the type to gape, but oh well. She's the more silent, serious type, and shows little emotion. But guys, we need to keep our minds open and remember we don't own the story.

Here goes....

~~~~~

Freezia stroked her bow and looked out over the salt flat that they were crossing. "Aridol!" she exclaimed, suddenly halting her horse. "We must turn to the side. Now."

Clise spurred her horse up to Freezia's and looked out over the white, shimmering plain, dotted with clumps of sage grass and low-growing cactus. "I see nothing." Almost involentarily, she looked towards Patryn, who was gaining on them.

"Yes, we must turn. We mustn't cross it, just under the surface is quicksand, and should we break through the crust, we would die."

Freezia looked away. Somehow, she felt less needed now that the stranger had joined them, and she felt something tugging at the corners ot the mind, something she might have forgotten.

She looked this way and that, trying to identify the cause of her uneasiness. She dismounted and cast about in hopes of finding a trail, some tracks. She found nothing, and her sharp eyes lifted just in time to hear the voice of Lorgan, who had approached them.

"Halt fools! I am here for your sacred seals."

Too bad he didn't know that if he moved one inch further, he would be wrapped in a tight layer of ice, or he would become so dehydrated by a lack of water that he would drop down dead. His sword was drawn and he was staring levelly at Aridol, unafraid.

"Who sent you, bounty hunter?" Aridol asked, a chill in his voice as well as his obvious disgust.

"Why, no one. You trespassed on my territory. I am here to collect the toll when you attacked me and my horse. Now give me the seals, they don't belong to you. I will take them to their rightful owner."

Freezia sprung lightly onto her horse, which was bareback, the way she liked it. Her eyes laughed at him. "You are the fool, sir. You attacked first, without warning. And the land belongs to no-one but God. You draw your sword to attack -- and I tell you, you shall have no need of it if you wish to die." She felt Patryn's eyes on her, and she glanced over to see the slightest of smiles on her face.

"Nay," Aridol said. "I shall fight with him hand-to-hand. If I die, I die -- and no gain to him. If he loses, he shall leave us, immediately."

Lorgan gave him an incredulous look, then hissed angrily between his two front teeth. "With the swords, then."

"No, the challenged choose the weapons. With the knife."

"All right." Lorgan was displeased, but he had no choice.

Aridol dismounted and took off his sword, bow and other assorted weapons, choosing a long, curving 'pick or knife. Lorgan did the same and pulled his knife out of his scabbard and charged without warning.

He stabbed for Aridol's throat, but he dodged and kicked Lorgan's legs out from under him. Lorgan hit the ground and then rolled to his feet, throwing a lightning-fast punch that connected with the Commander's jaw.

Staggaring back, Aridol thought he heard the sound of an arrow being knocked to string, and his eyes saw Freezia take aim and fire into the darkness, a yelp resulting.

Lorgan moved in, ready for the kill. His knife plunged for Aridol's chest, ripping his shirt but Aridol whipped around and it only grazed his side. Aridol's knife slid along Lorgan's spine, and gashed his arm and thigh with a quick stroke. The clash of steel-on-steel rang through the plain, and his arm shot out. He grasped Lorgan by the throat and threw him from himself, rising from his low crouch with two jarring uppercuts to the ribs.

Reeling with pain and bleeding in several spots, Lorgan lunged up from the ground but found himself flattened by another volley of punches. Desperately, he tried to get up, and tripped Aridol, who calmly regained his footing and dropped his knife to Lorgan's throat.

He stared at him a long time, then silently mounted and wheeled his horse. The pound of hoofbeats, a glint in the darkness, and they were gone.

Lorgan lay still for a long moment, then swore mentally. The cold flint eyes of those two girls had made him cautious. The one had moved quicker than sight and had put an arrow into the darkness before he could blink. The other had simply looked at him, and he had the uncanny feeling she had known what would happen.

~~~~~

Clise looked over at Freezia, irritated. She had stopped her horse, again. "What is it?" she asked a little sharply, and saw the alertness and distant look in her companion's eyes.

Aridol had turned his horse, and Patryn had also, who had been riding beside him. Taren caught up and he looked at Freezia, confused. "What is it?"

"Something . . . is calling me."

"I sense nothing," Patryn said, as confused as the others.

"Not everyone senses something. But this wants me to come . . . I can feel it."

Patryn shrugged. "I suggest you stay with your group. To make it will be hard . . . alone? Deadly."

Freezia didn't hear. "I shall go."

"Wait!" Clise shouted, spurring her horse after her. "You can't just -- "

She rounded a bend in the small cleft, and saw that the tracks seemed to end, right before her. Freezia and her horse had vanished without a trace. "Freezia!" she shouted, and Aridol, Taren and Patryn rounded the bend and pulled up abruptly.

"Where is she?" he demanded quickly, and Patryn seemed to shudder.

"There is great evil here, get back!"

They jerked on the reins as a sort of heat wave altered the appearance of the rocks behind it. A bright shimmer, glow, flash, then it was gone.

Clise jumped forward and looked around. "What happened?"

"She's been snared. You must always be watching for the tricks of the enemy. She must have seen one of their lures and taken it for a seal."

They backed off warily. "What do we do?"

"There's no hope finding her now. We must go on, and she must find a way out if she can." Patryn's glance lingered on the rocks where Freezia had dissapeared. "If she isn't caught in their hexes."

They turned reluctantly and started away, down through the salt flats, their canteens sloshing uninvitingly with warm, brackish water. Fingers of hardened lava stretched down from the distant hills, black against the sand, as if reaching towards the passing group.

There was water out there, if they could find it. And find it they must, or they would die.

~~~~~

Stay tuned for the continuation of Freezia's deadly adventure, next on The Seven Seals. . .