From alt.pub.dragons-inn Fri Apr 8 11:12:35 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7188 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!amd!amdahl!pacbell.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.ans.net!malgudi.oar.net!sun!vax.cns.muskingum.edu!hsexauer From: hsexauer@muskingum.edu (Rapunzel) Subject: [Legacy] Benediction Message-ID: <1994Apr6.143429.1@muskingum.edu> Lines: 159 Sender: root@sun.cns.muskingum.edu (Operator) Organization: Muskingum College Date: Wed, 6 Apr 1994 18:34:29 GMT The golden goddess of the Lyorn turned Her gaze earthward again to view the mortals assembled before Her. It had been so long since She had last interacted with them, it was refreshing to see their slightly defiant stance rather than the abject worship the other gods tended to receive. She approved of a feisty spirit. Her glance passed over the two human mages, and the stocky human valeman. When it came to the elves, it lingered momentarily on the younger of the two. She quirked an eyebrow at the silver-haired elf, amused to see one of his kind so far from home. The last to come under Her scrutiny were Her two Lyorn children. A smile lit Her features to behold them, dazzling the mortals with its intensity. Obviously the siblings of Her injured child, they stood bravely forward with curious thoughts in their minds. Her daughter stepped forward a inch or two, raising her head to her full height to be closer to eye-level with the goddess. "Who are you?" she asked in a strong voice. "You look like a Lyorn, and yet...." "Sa ne T'Ryllthamir," the goddess began in the ancient tongue, but repeated Herself in the present dialect so as to be understood. "I am the Sylvan Huntress. You may call me Ryll. It has been many ages since I have last been in the presence of my children." Ryll smiled again at Kieriah, approving of her question. Jaerodyn was faster to catch on than his sister. He unsheathed Xel'ha which he still carried and saluted briskly. Ryll turned and repeated the salute with her own sword. "Know that I am well please with you my son, yet you will have still more duties in the future. Be sure to return Xel'ha to his true partner, for _he_ is not yours to wield," She added with a nod to the shining blade. Jaerodyn bowed his head in acceptance. "It shall be even as you command, Divine One." Kieriah frowned slightly, listening to the exchange. An inkling of an idea clutched at her mind. "Jaer, you are...." she began slowly. The Lyorn goddess shook Her head, cutting off the Lyorn girl's words. "It is not wise to speak of that which you now realize," She chided gently. "The time will come soon enough for all to know. But you my daughter, who have no predestined duties shall have a task of my own to complete. For you shall speak the words that will bring my children back from their long exile." Ryll laid Her hand upon Kieriah's coppery head with a light touch. Where Her fingers touched Kieriah's hair at the temple, a streak of white washed the lock of hair. Kieriah bowed her head to her goddess, and pulled her daggers out in a salute before returning them to their accustomed places. Too free spirited to remain in such a pose for long, she looked up at Ryll with a small smile and a quirk of her eyebrow that nearly matched that of the Huntress. Ryll laughed, a silvery peal of merriment that lifted their hearts and bathed them with the glow of Her love. "And now my children, I leave you and your friends to continue your quest. Keep Me in your minds and your hearts, and I will help you as I am able," Ryll said. She turned and began walking away into the forest, deeper into the Vale. "Wait!" Kieriah called after her. The goddess paused at the edge of the trees and glanced back over Her shoulder. "Aleric.... he is well?" "He is healed and will live." So saying, She melted into the forest. The last glimpse they had of Her was a stray sparkle of sunlight glinting off her sword hilt. The silence that held the group was broken only by the sound of the rushing waterfall. They exchanged glances among themselves, unsure how to react to the recent occurrance. Ruel definitely looked thoughtful, and Elcoran was suspiciously quiet, avoiding everyone's eyes. Jaerodyn was the first to move after the goddess's disappearance. He hurried through the widened opening in the cliff face, anxious to see his brother. Just inside the mouth of the cave Segoi had watched the proceedings without. Jaerodyn almost bumped into him in his haste to enter before his eyes adjusted to the darkened chamber. He knelt on the cold stone near Aleric, and pulled aside the torn sleeve from the elder Lyorn's shoulder. The wound, which had been mostly healed before, save for the ugly swelling and patina of color that marked the infection, was now the color of healthy skin, and the edges of the wound had been closed. There was only the marks of the ghoul's teeth left in pink, unhealed flesh. And even that would be only a couple days in closing completely. Jaerodyn sighed in relief and studied his brother's face. The pallor had left and his breathing was slow and deep. His eyes flickered in the stages before waking. A flurry of motion at the entrance distracted Jaerodyn's attention, letting him focus on the brightness leaking in from the opening. It was blotted out for a second by Kieriah as she entered and joined Jaerodyn next to Aleric. He found his gaze drawn to the white streak that now marked her hair. It was very noticable at the moment since her hair was flowing loose over her shoulder and the white lock was uppermost. A groan from Aleric made them both look down, seeing his eyes flutter and open showing the deep blue. Aleric woke to see two forms hovering, but in the light he wasn't sure at first who they were. As his vision cleared, he recognized his siblings. He swallowed against the dryness in his throat, and made an effort to speak. "Jaer, Kia," he whispered. His eyes swept around the cavern and took in his surroundings. "Where are we?" With a happy cry, Kieriah pulled him into her arms and hugged him fiercely. She dropped kisses of jubilation on his face, entirely forgetting to answer him. So, Jaerodyn did so for her. "We are scarcely a week from Highspire, below one of the fallen towns," he replied. "You've been unconscious for....." he paused for some rapid calculations, "....um....a long time. I lost track of the days since you finally succumbed to the infection." "What infection?" "When that ghoul bit you, he infected you with his venom, and that is reputed to be fatal every time." "I'm not dead," Aleric scoffed, weakly raising a hand to push Kieriah away so he could sit up. She helped him to a sitting position, and let him brace himself against the rocky wall. "If you only knew how close you really came..." Kieriah responded quickly, trailing off as she shut away the memory. "We, Ruel and I, tried to find help, but they said there was nothing they could do. They refused even to come." "Fortunately, someone whom you should remember happened to appear and he was able to offer some aid," Jaerodyn filled in, gesturing over his shoulder to where Segoi still stood. Aleric shifted his gaze to the dark figure. "Segoi! How did you come to be here? What happened to the rest of our company...?" Aleric asked, questions tumbling from his lips as they occurred to his brain. Segoi smiled slowly and answered, "They were well when I left them. I had my own purpose to pursue and departed. I did find out later that you were in trouble, so I endeavored to be of service." "I am grateful to you, though I know nothing of what has happened since we fought the Shekiren," Aleric said. A troubled look fell across his features, and the shadows of memory from his illness were forefront in his mind. "Though what I do remember... is a nightmare of death and danger." He shuddered and pushed the thoughts firmly from his mind. The elder Lyorn turned his head and studied his sister. His eyes lingered on the new mark that adorned her hair. "What has happened here? Please, someone fill me in. I am feeling very well now and need to know, so that we may continue our quest." His eyes implored his companions, and with a single glance at each other, Jaerodyn and Kieriah launched into the long tale. -- Heather Sexauer Muskingum College hsexauer@muskingum.edu A man always has two reasons for doing anything-- a good reason and the real reason. -- J.P Morgan