Hessins Daughter

It was quickly discovered that this journey would get no easier. In order to get to mount Moorah, they learned that they would have to climb one mountain range to get to the other. “Wilds all is mountain.” Phe’drah explained to a very disgruntled, cold, tired and hungry group of adventurers. “Where one ends, new mountain rises up high, very high. Dangerous.”

Jae’lyn pulled her fox fur robe around her tightly for warmth, Cyrus snuggled up close to her side and Jaer, her panther laying next to them, his massive head in her lap as they rested for the night. A small fire was all they had for warmth or light as the party crowded around. “Yea we got the dangerous part.” Cyrus grumbled. Already they had run into a pack of wolves and a white bear. The storm had broken up for a few hours, giving everyone, humans and animals alike a chance to get their bearings before it threatened to pick up with force once more.

“So we climb this mountain.” Jae’lyn said over cyrus’s complaint “And then?”

“We cross the mirror.” Phe’drah said, drawing lines in the snow under them, with the firelight it was hard to see...white seemed to be nothing more than...white. No shadows, no indent despite the stick passing through it, it may as well just been snow. But Jae’lyn got the idea...she hoped.

“Mirror...do you mean a lake?” Jae’lyn asked for clarification. She doubted any lake would survive here, to much snow, to cold. Back home when such conditions met their little rivers they would completely ice over, and the ice sheets had often reminded her of some mirror.

“Yes. Big water, frozen.” Phe’drah nodded.

“So a mountain, then a frozen lake.” Bao’vein said behind Jae’lyn and Cyrus as he listened carefully to the plans of their journey. “Back home such environments wouldn’t be a problem. But I bet it’s even colder up top.”

Jae’lyn nodded “Any colder and we will lose our horses.” She sighed as she looked back at the huddling beasts.

“Horses live.” Phe’drah assured “Feed blood, flesh. Horses survive. Make strong, Hot in heart and spirit.” she thumped her chest with a fist “Humans too. Blood tea make strong.”

“What!?” Kisa yelped from the otherside of the fire, she was wrapped in Rohirs arms who tried his best to keep her warm “No no no...Im not...Not eating blood!”

Jae’lyn frowned at the response but nodded “Most among us do not practice the same things as you, Phe’drah. It is as dangerous as daring the cold. We will not give the horses...or humans...blood and flesh until it is necessary to survive.”

Phe’drah however was unswayed by the decision. She looked directly at Jae’lyn, a knowing smile on pale grey lips “You drink though.”

Jae’lyns frown deepened as she returned the hungry and familiar gaze.

“Where have you been, Uncle Sven?” Jae’lyn finally asked as she and her uncle walked along the beach. Sven, was an old friend of the family, her parents had known him long before she was born and since he was there for alot of their younger years, he earned the ever popular title of ‘uncle’ no one really ever tried to correct such a honorary gift from such a cute little girl such as she. “In the mountains I guess but...have you been doing anything...different. Lately?”

Sven, her uncle didn’t answer immediately. He didn’t seem to hear her question at first but slowly he gave a shrug, “Lately? Nothing of great importance. Rather, I’ve been quite busy replacing your father’s duties in the mountain now that you all have a permanent home here by the sea.”

“Oh...” Lyn frowned quizzically “But why? Papa was just a Captains guard of our traders caravan...” When Jae’lyn was but a child her parents traveled alot, moving from one village to the next selling furs as a living. Or so the ruce children were always told and lead to believe...

Turning, Sven smiled sweetly to her, “He took care of more than one caravan, and someone does need to be Captain of their guards.”

Lyn narrowed her eyes as she looked at her Uncle “You lie.” she stated simply.

Sven fell silent again, and after a noticeable pause he gave a soft laugh, “What makes you say that?”

“I’m good at telling those things. Uncle Sven.” she informed, even at such a young age she had a talent at empathy and knowing things she she shouldn’t have known. “And now I wonder if Papa wasn’t something else. Brother Marthas, my mentor said...One day I would have to choose. That Papa was hiding something from me. What is papa hiding?”

After another pause, Sven gave a sigh, “Well I suppose your parents haven’t told you yet about their past in the mountains.”

“Just that they traveled a lot...” Lyn frowned “Papa guarded the caravan and Mama lead it...then we were born...”

Sven smirked, “Not entirely the truth... Well, now that you’re an adult it’s about time that you actually know what your parents do, and who exactly those friends are that they call the Panthers.”

Jae’lyn looked up at her uncle with silent awe and wonder at what story he had to tell of her parents. Such innocence at twelve years of age...so young... “I’m listening, Uncle Sven.”

Together they sat on the beach and her uncle began to tell her parents story. Aditi Ruce had been a mercenary. She traveled the lands taking odd jobs to put coin in her purse and search for a long lost brother. Rumor had it he was a mercenary as well and it was her hope that, one day, they would cross paths once again. And as fate would have it...they did. She was happy to of found her brother, but a dark past had blackened his heart and dampened his spirits. Now all he had was his team of mercenaries and self proclaimed duty in the southern mountains of Hallow Pride. Once such ‘duty’ was the eradication of an ancient cult. Their presence had plagued the land since the dawning of time, so history tells and they had taken a uprising. Growing in numbers and raiding villages, homes. Kidnapping children and women, converting men and boys and murdering anyone who was of no use to them. They had to be stopped and in this desire it put his sister, Aditi, into harms way.

It was Aditi’s idea really. And it was a good idea, an idea that actually worked...The plan was to let a prisoner go, one of the leaders of the accult by way of a staged rescue. Aditi would play the part of a cult member, say the right words, do the right rituals...One such ritual was the act of cutting one’s flesh and drinking blood. Not everyone would do such a thing you see....this was black magic...forbidden. Only a fool would drink the blood of another. But when the time came and she had returned the leader back to his people, she was rewarded with such an offer, and blood she drank was Vaku...the man she fell in love with shortly after.

Not all plans can go exactly as they were drawn up. Initially it had done what they hoped, she successfully lead her brother and his mercenaries to their lair...but in the process of eradicating the cult members, the mining tunnels in the mountains had collapsed, and Aditi was trapped inside.

She was rescued by Vaku. The cult acolyte she had shared blood with at the start of this venture, and she was forced to continue playing as if she were one of them. She became good at it...pretending. Partially because she found that she was alot like them. Partially because she fell in love with the boy named Vaku. And partially, like so many others...she heard the call of the blade, blood and fire.

“......Remember.” Uncle Sven said at the end of his story to the bewildered and confused girl, his words were gentle, soothing and understanding. “Their intentions were good, Lyn.”

“I...” Lyn sighed “Yea. I know, I guess.” she frowned thoughtfully before looking up at him, her eyes meeting his directly “Uncle Sven. If...Mama and Papa would cut themselves...does that mean I’m...like them?”

Sven frowned and gave the question some thought. “Well...” he said cautiously, “I can’t say one way or another. It takes a special kind of person to derive pleasure from the act of cutting or any pain. For some it is an escape from life, others do it simply because they wish to. As for myself, I do it because I see it as an art.” He smirked and shook his head, “Only you know if you are like them or not. Have you ever tried before?”

Lyn shook her head slowly “I never really got...hurt...before. Not like that. I’m twelve and I don’t even have my own dagger yet.” she stated that with a pout. She was training to be a mystic like her uncle but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to learn to fight as well...she was Mommy and daddies little girl though, or at least she was until Sylvia came into their family. Jae’lyn was often coddled and loved. Protected from things that might hurt her.

“Sounds to me like you might be coddled a bit too much,” Sven chuckled. “How do they expect you to grow when they smother you. Getting hurt is learning, and it is experience you can’t keep at bay forever. Pain happens at one time or another, experiencing it now helps to teach how to deal with it when it is a serious matter.”

Lyn nodded “That makes sense...Like when Sylvia kept falling down before she could walk.”

“Exactly.” Sven answered, “You know, there is a way to find out if you are like your parents. Just a quick test.”

Jae’lyn blinked and tilted her head some “Is there? How?” she asked innocently “I mean...I know I’m a Ruce..and I know that I can do strange things, but...I don’t know what I am...what I’m supposed to be...I keep looking in my books but... I can’t find anything that is like...me..”

Tilting his head, Sven gave a laughing smile, “Well I doubt there is any Ruce in the past that is as special as you, Lyn. Here, I want to give you a gift.” Reaching to his back he pulled the scabbard to a curved dagger from its straps to show to her. It was an ebony handle like the rest of his daggers but instead of the snake figurehead hilt of his other daggers this one had the figure of a silver hawk with small ruby eyes. The scabbard was decorated with a pair of silver wings spread out towards the tip. “It isn’t ivory but it’s a good dagger,” he laughed lightly.

“Oh!” Lyn exclaimed as she looked at the dagger “Its beautiful uncle Sven!” she reached out before stopping and looking up at him. Again she frowned and tilted her head, something about her uncle confused her, something she had never really seen before but she couldn’t remember reading about it anywhere “Are you sure? It’s so pretty...” her fingers touched the surface of the blade admirably

“I’m very sure,” Sven answered, he looked down to the six daggers on his chest, “I have plenty more as you can see.”

Lyn giggled and hugged her ‘Uncle’ Sven “Thank you!”

“My pleasure, little niece,” Sven grinned. Pulling back he looked more serious at her, “But yes, that test?”

“Yes.” Lyn nodded “I want to know..”

Sven smiled and looked down to the dagger between them, “Well. It is a simple test. All it takes is a cut to the arm.” He paused to gauge her reaction, “I can understand if you are hesitant to try but if you wish to know if you are like your parents then you should try as they do.”

Lyn bit her lower lip and frowned nervously, even chewing on that lip before coming to a resolution and looking up at him “C-can you...do it? I...” she frowned and looked at the blade “I don’t know how.”

Tilting his head, Sven looked to her seriously, “Allowing someone to cut you is a sign of great trust. I would be honored, and there will be minimal pain. Are you sure you wish for me to do it?”

“Mama would yell at me and Papa would...yell at me more...” she frowned in thought, she didn’t know what she thought of her Uncle, she wanted to trust himl... “Yes. I want you to...please?”

Sven gave a small nod, pulling the blade from its scabbard. “Place your arm out then, I promise it will be quick.”

Lyn crouched in front of him. Slowly and a bit hesitantly she held out her hand and arm out to him, watching the blade carefully and nervously but resolute in her decision. Taking her hand, Sven smiled gently. Laying the blade against her skin he gave a comforting nod.

In one quick and expert motion he dragged the blade across her skin, leaving behind a line of blood.. Lyn blinked at the line with little to no reaction, in truth she didn’t really feel anything which confused her. The blood beaded and slowly rolled down her arm and dripped into the sand beneath them. It was a few moments later before she felt it. A slow, growing fire that flowered from the wound and her eyes closed. She hadn’t even noticed that she swayed back and instead of crouching was now sitting in the sand as she continued to feel the flowering fire grow up her arm and rush through her body. She handled it all in pleasant silence forgetting that Sven was there.

The Snake watched her with silent curiosity, moving from his knee to a crouch he moved to her side. His eyes drifted to the cut on her arm, his attention fixed on the drops of blood that fell to the sand. Wasted, precious blood. Looking further down he found he was still holding her hand. With a smirk he asked quietly, “Enjoying the experience?” Glazed over dark eyes fluttered open to look at the voice that spoke to him, she didn’t need to speak or nod to answer, it could be seen by the spark in those eyes. Her mothers eyes but with a tint of silver like her father. With a smirk, Sven leaned closer to her, “How about we take it one step further, promise it will be even better...” The look she gave was enough of an answer for him. With another smirk, he gently lifted her arm up to his lips. Tenderly he tasted the wound, and for once he held back the bite of his teeth.

A curious thing it was, traversing such harsh landscapes in the midst of a raging blizzard. The dreams, the memories of the past...it was all much clearer now. Phe’drah had told her one night that it was the Wyrm Hessin, preparing her for death, for that was what this journey was...or so the Vixens believes. It was an ominous council that had Jae’lyn snarling in further irritation, there was a more logical answer. The cold was getting to them, their weary and stiffened bodies was making their minds think of darker times...And Jae’lyn had much darkness in her past.

.....It was hours after the ordeal of her complete surrender to the king of demons. She was exhausted, hurting, emotionally and physically the fight was drained from her. Uncle Sven had betrayed them. Kidnapping her younger sister for his own, dark and terrible deeds. Jae’lyn had fought every step of the way though, never leaving her sister's side and protecting her with every ounce of will a twelve year could summon up against evil. One could say it was a double edged blade, while her younger sister, Sylvia had been saved of the dark fate uncle Sven had planned for her, Jae’lyn had traded places. Jae’lyn had given the demon king a better offer to save her sister and see her and her brother free.

Now, alone in this strange and terrible place Jae’lyn had unwittingly fallen asleep on the desk of the chamber she was locked in. There was no bed to lay on, just a small room with a desk and mirror, hours before servants had cleaned her up and dressed her in a beautiful gown. Tied up her hair and painted her face to make her appear as the perfect bride. But in her weariness, and now left alone she had folded arms under her to act as a pillow. As she slept her hand laid lazily open upon the desks, rough and weather worn surface to show a blackened mark of an eye, a permanent mark of ownership left there by the demon king.

Sven was always silent when he entered a room, just as any other assassin would be. That didn’t change now when he was stuck in a hundred different emotions that he normally didn’t feel. Anger chief amongst them. “We’re set to begin tomorrow,” he said, loud enough to wake her and convey how upset he was. He was in no mood for her rants or anger at him, she’d ruined everything already.

Lyn gasped and jumped into wakefulness, causing one of the scented oils to spill. Frowning she stood up and clasped her hands in front of her, head bowed "Y-yes Ser."

“Likely in the evening when the sun is not at its strongest. Or so he dictates,” Sven went on as he walk towards her and the desk. Lyn tried to back away but the desk was behind her and her attempts were halted. All she could do was look up at him waiting for any number of acts she was sure Sven would try in his anger. Instead the snake merely set the spilled oil container upright and set a dabbing cloth over the spilled oils on the desk.

Lyn watched for a moment before asking “What will I do until then?”

“I don’t know,” Sven answered honestly, as he stood straight up again, “I don’t have enough time to think of tricking the Dweller Emperor himself. And before you worry, he cannot hear us.”

Lyn frowned and tilted her head “You would help me?” she asked doubtfully.

“That was my plan with Sylvia. So now you are here instead,” Sven replied and crossed his arms, “And before you get any ideas... It is simply because I do not like the thought of bowing to voices in my mind anymore.”

Lyn looked away, it didn’t matter to her if he was angry. She did what was right. She protected Sylvia. “So just leave. Your debt is paid.... helping me or even Sylvia for that matter won’t make him go away.”

“Oh my dear this isn’t about making him go away. I am not stupid, it takes a lot more to kill an immortal being.” Sven answered with a cruel laugh, “This is about winning. I’ve been playing this game for years, outsmarting the demon. I refuse to allow him to win.”

“So, teach me.” Lyn looked over at him with sharp conviction. She too, was not stupid and had read plenty of books to know some games “I am now forced to marry him tomorrow. You said so. Let him...Teach me. I will be the closest person you have to him, I can do this. I just need to know how. Even if it takes years more to learn it...I will at least take less time than Sylvia would and I am willing to learn.”

Sven looked at her curiously and slowly began to smile, “My word,” he said as the anger faded away, “Now here is a dark side I haven’t noticed before. Conspiring to work with a monster to kill a greater monster... It won’t be easy, and it is a dark path that requires pain, and sacrifice.” Tugging at his vest and shirt he lifted it up enough to show her half of the occult symbol dragged over his skin to cover over his artwork. Wardings to keep Dwellers at bay, only much more intricate to keep his mind from being read and more.

Lyns hand clenched tighter over her the burned mark of the dwellers eye, she knew it would take those things, she had seen the scars on her mother, her father...she had seen the Knights of the cult and felt their harness, a terrible device of straps and spikes that were forcefully pressed into precious skin. “I’m already suffering both those things. I will endure. Teach. Me.”

Still watching her carefully a smile slowly crept on his face, “Yesss,” he hissed, “This is good...” He looked her over again under a new light, “You are beautiful, radiant, just like your mother. But with the appearance of full innocence. Young, you wouldn’t appear as a threat even if he can sense your affinity for magic.”

Lyn smirked “I doubt he would want me to remain the cute little twelve year old of Aditi Ruce. I don’t know your ways...he will want me to though. Yes? All you have to do is help him find the right people to teach me. I’m not the only mystic here... your book said there were others. I could learn more, something to help us.”

“He grows bored easily, no the cute little twelve year old will be fascinating at first but you will need to be something deadlier. It will be easy to persuade him... And there are a few freed Dwellers that he will command to teach you. Innocent becomes boring, but murderous and powerful... So long as you appear to belong to him.” Sven thought out loud, wandering the floor. He looked up to the ceiling. “Tzeelachel’yon’ramel. I suppose you have something to show the girl, should we teach her?”

“Mmm, more than a few,” Sven dweller pet answered with a pur.

The snake tapped his side and nodded, “Yes... Yes this might work...” Turning he looked at her, “And Leonard will enjoy a new pupil...”

Lyn clasped her hands in front of her, once again she looked like the perfect young bride “I seek to learn.” she answered softly. She hated Sven for putting her and her family in this situation, but she knew that if she laid down in self pity now...she would never see said family again. She recalled a passage she read in a story about a fair maiden and a beast. ‘Sometimes it takes a necessary evil, to defeat...evil.’ and Sven was her only chance at doing so.

“Look out!!” Rohir shouted over the thunderous crack of snow and tree’s “Avalanche!” Horses screeched in fear and reared up in protest. Seven days now. They had been traveling these cold waists for seven, long, treacherous days. Through narrow passages, steep cliffs, predators and frostbite....now it was snow. Tumbling down at them like a gigantic wave upon the raging sea.

“Run!!” Jae’lyn cried out, her staff pointing the way down a natural path further towards the mountains cliffs. One horse had yanked his reins out of Kol Tsukimatsus hands. The boy hissing as the attempt had thrown him completely off his feet and face flat into the snow, watching as his mount ran the opposite direction with a percentage of their supplies.

“On your feet boy!” Bao’vein commanded as he grabbed Kols arm and dragged him up onto his feet. Together they ran towards Jae’lyn who was waving them towards a crevice in the mountains cliffs.

“In! Get in!” Jae’lyn called urgently as she looked up, no magic would stop this storm. All three plunged for the crevice and arms wrapped around eachother, pressing themselves tightly against the rocks as the animals, wolves, panther and horses did what they could under feet or further back in their meager protection.

Complete and total darkness swept over them as snow fell past, the cliff face had helped to direct the worst of the avalanche to fall right past them, but until then, the forceful mounds pressed them all back in their little hole and thunder filled their senses for what felt like hours before silence announced the passing of the storm. Complete, deathly silence.

“Lyn.” Rohir whispered, which seemed like a shattering shout as it echoed off the walls of the crevice they were pressed into, buried in their own tomb. “Lyn!” Rohir hissed more urgently

“Yes. Rohir...I hear you...” Jae’lyn whispered. Her back against the cold rocks and weariness in her voice. Was this the right choice? Going on such a dangerous mission? was this worth anything? Or were they all to die here....frozen failures buried under miles of snow.

A ‘clack, clack, clack’ of stones broke her depressed mullings and suddenly a light sprung around them. “Lyn look. Its a cave!” He whispered, his shadowed smile danced in the flickering torch light. The horses had already moved further into the chamber where it was less crowded and could shake their manes full of snow. Jaer, stretched and leaped up onto a large rock to scent the cold air around them while the wolves did the same, spreading out into the chambers and sniffing about.

“Ha!” Cyrus laughed and grinned “Good work Lad!”

Rohir passed Cyrus a narrowed expression before raising his torch up to see more of the cave around them. Stalagmites and stalactites jutted from the ground and ceiling, water pooled in various puddles while ice and snow swept mounds covered the ground in between these teeth like pillars. What was more curious however was that the cave was full of wooden crates and a few skeletons. There was little telling how old these fossils were and it appeared whatever was in the crates were now gone, leaving nothing but husks behind “Gather what wood you can find, start up a fire, the snow should trap the heat for a little while. We should probably get some rest before we decide what to do from here.” Jae’lyn ordered, her arms wrapped tightly around her as she shivered “Kol....” her teeth chattered as she turned to the boy who looked sullen and very angry with himself for losing his horse and supplies “How much of the supplies were lost?” The, also shivering was quite for a time before he started to chatter out numbers. “Well...we will have to make due. We have been fortunate to of made it this far without loss...suppose it had to of happen sometime. Keep your hopes up...it can’t be far now.”

“No. Not far.” Phe’drah spoke from the back of the chamber, pointing at the darkness there.

Raising a brow, Jae’lyn moved to her brothers side and put her hand on his, moving the torchlight towards Phe’drah to show more of the cave “A passage!”

Phe’drah smiled “Passage, yes. Tunnel of seeing. Wyrm tunnel.”

“Tunnel of seeing?” Jae’lyn asked as she let her brothers hand go, allowing him to keep the torch “Seeing what?”

“Come, come. You see.” Phe’drah waved towards Jae’lyn before vanishing in the milky darkness behind her.

“Rohir. Go back with the others, make inventory of our supplies and get a fire started, we all need to warm up before continuing. I wont be long.”

“But...” Rohir frowned. They didn’t know what was in that tunnel, how far it went, if it was safe...

Jae’lyn smirked “You can hear better than any of us, little brother. Keep your ear to the ground, and yourself warm.”

Rohir smiled at the compliment and nodded “Alright. But if your not back soon Im coming after you.”

“Deal.” Jae’lyn nodded before following after their guide. Jae’lyn didn’t need light to see, she could feel the tunnel around her, feel the shift of rock and ice under foot, hear the gentle breathing of Phe’dra a few steps ahead of her. It wasn’t about fifty steps that she began to notice a natural glow. A glow that got brighter and brighter as stars began to speckle the walls, ceiling and even floor of the tunnel “Wooah...” Jade whispered as she continued forward a few paces before slowly turning to take in the natural beauty

“See? Tunnel of seeing.” Phe’drah said.

“You’ve been here then?” Jae’lyn asked wistfully

“Once. Very little, Chieftain showed me during the showering of bright lights.” The vixen shrugged “One day more and we will be on the other side. Then we cross the mirror.”

Jae’lyn nodded “Thank you, Phe’drah. You must miss your father...”

“Come and go on the great hunt. We take turns, gone for long time...We will find eachother again.” Phe’drah answered as she looked up at the ceiling. “Best return, eat and rest...we start tomorrow.”

“Aye...” Jae’lyn nodded as she looked to the glowing walls once more before turning to follow the tribal girl back to the main chamber.

The sounds of steel clacked and clanged against eachother. Both Kol Tsukimatsu and Cyrus were laughing as Cyrus showed the boy some fighting tricks. Bao’vein stood not to far away watching and monitoring them to make sure no one got hurt. A shout from the boy and a clattering of feet had him stumbling and falling right into the Raven as Cyrus took the time to boast by grinning over at Jae’lyn, giving her a wink and pointing the tip of his blade towards her. She knew it as a ‘your next’ gesture and it made her grin back whilst reworking leather ties into her back after giving them a good oil down.

“Why do you like him?” Her brothers voice quipped behind her.

Jae’lyn glanced back at Rohir with a raised brow. Kisa was next to him sleeping in her bedroll as were a few other, taking advantage of time to sleep. “Cyrus is a good guy, Rohir. I’ve known him for a long time.”

“He is far from a good guy.” Rohir rolled his eyes “He’s cocky, arrogant, self absorbed...”

“Witty, charming, strong, caring....Has helped me through some of the worst time’s in my life..” Jae’lyn added to her brothers list and gave a shrug “I don’t see what you have a problem with, Rohir.”

“Exactly.” Rohir growled and looked to Cyrus suspiciously, he had trapped Kol’s blade and was obviously playing with the boy. “He’s one of them.”

This time it was Jae’lyns turn to roll her eyes “Rohir. Mom is one of them...I’m...one of them, heck. Dad was the Grand Master of all of them. The cult was a terrible past and still apart of our present. What makes Cyrus so apart from us?”

“Pfft...Thats different.” Rohir answered dismissively “We are family. Mom and Dad were not proud of their past, they wanted to keep us from that kind of life. That is why they kept it secret from us for so long. To protect us.”

“Well, your one to talk!” Jae’lyn growled as she pulled to tightly on the leather cord and making it snap “You and Kisa do it in secret all the time. At least Im not afraid to admit who I am.”

“Thats not the point! This isn’t about Kisa and I, we weren’t kidnapped and forced to study in a monastery. Remember?

Jae’lyn turned to glare at her brother “Listen! You have no right to butt into my personal love life and tell me what is good for me. What do you know about it!?”

“I am your brother. Ad we risked everything to find you and bring you home safe. And then you insist to bring him back? How do you know he loves you, and not just your blood?”

Jae’lyns anger flared and the pack was thrown to the side as she stood up to glare at her brother “How dare you!! How dare you say such things about him!” her anger had been heard by everyone, causing them to halt activity and look to the quarreling siblings. “Cyrus was just as much a victim as I! The cults came in and burned his village, killed his family in front of him, took him away, beat him...He had no more choice than i did to serve the Monastery! Don’t speak of thing that you don’’t-”

It was when the argument had reached it’s apex and Jae’lyn had stood in anger that the nightmare had began. A series of snarls and angry, feral growls disrupted the restless party and out of the shadows strange, canine beasts leaped out at them with clubs, spikes and axes.

The horses neighed in terror and stamped hooved at the strange creatures while Jaer was cornered on his rock, set upon by a score of these beasts trying to bring the dangerous feline down. The three wolves engaged and humans scrambled on feet, weapons free of scabbards and already cutting into the strange little creatures.

They looked like wolves, but stood on their hind legs and wore very ragged armor taken from their fallen prey. Their weapons were rugged and rudimentary while some held twig like cages that held their candles of light and some even had picks and shovels for weapons. On their backs were large packs of supplies and despite all this, they were quick and dangerous

“Who are they!?” Kol Cried out as he cut two of the attacking creatures.

Cyrus kicked on and twisted to grab another off of his back, throwing it to the ground and stabbing it with his sword “What. Are they id like to know!” He answered.

“There is to many of them!” Baozhen roared where he had taken station next to Jae’lyn for protection. Both Rohir and his sister long forgetting their fight as they diverted focus to this new surprise

“Quick! Grab supplies, and follow me! Through the tunnels! Jaer!” Jae’lyn called to her feline companion who made an agitated hissed and leaped from the stone to run down the tunnel path, the three wolves following after the cat.

Cyrus and Kol continued to hold the wave of creatures back while vixens and the rest of the party grabbed supplies, horses were more reluctant to comply but once they realized that the tunnel was an escape they and their humans were fleeing into the darkness. Jae’lyn stayed behind, lashing out with her staff and dagger while Bao’vein gaurded the enterance on the other side “Kol! Cyrus! Lets go!”

Barks, yips, snarls and growls followed the retreating team as they all ran down the tunnel, their little caged lanterns bobbing and swaying wildly about as they took pursuit. “Run! Keep running!” Jae’lyn drilled as she Cyrus and Bao’vein took up the rear, their blades lashing out to cut down any that caught up and got to close to their heels. It took short order for them to reach the sparkling seeing room, feet splashing and cracking water, snow and ice under boots while horses slipped and one had fallen completely.

“Damn!!” Kol howled as he went back for the horse “It broke it’s leg!”

Forced to stop Cyrus and Bao’vein held their backs while Jae’lyn ran to Kols side, her hands quickly and nervously running down the squealing horses leg to find the break “Im sorry lad...” Jae’lyn whispered “Run! Get the others out, take what you can from our friend.”

Reluctantly Kol grabbed two of the packs off of the saddle and with another command from Jae’lyn he ran. Taking her dagger she stroked the horse's neck and whispered “I’m so sorry...” The deed was done quickly and as blood stained the ground she called to Bao’vein and Cyrus as they continued their retreat.

“Look!” Rohir shouted as they neared the end of the tunnel, a blinding light ready to greet them as they filed out only to slide and shout out in further surprise, Kisa however screamed in terror as she tried to stop, the ice catching her off gaurd and right over the ridge of a cliff drop, just outside the tunnel

“Kisa!” Rohir cried as he threw himself to her rescue, his hands scrambling forward to grab hers and keep her from falling. Kol and Bao’vein had done the same, grabbing onto Rohir so that he wouldn’t fall over as well.

With their numbers and focus devided the creatures set upon them, they were quickly becoming overwhelmed as blades cut into many yet many more continued to come. The Vixens had continued on. Taking the horses and following a narrow path down the mountain. They had no loyalties to the group and here in the wilds it was survival of the fittest. Phe’drah however stayed behind, helping the others to pull Kisa back up over the cliff’s ledge and with frightened pants hurry her after the retreating Vixens, Rohir staying ever closer to her side

“Cyrus! Bao! Back off!” Jae’Lyn called as she closed her eyes and brought her staff up in front of her, words were whispered, a chant before she swung her staff out and with a solid pound she snapped the end against the ground, a thundering blast causing snow, water and ice to gyser up and push the Kobolds back “Hurry!! Across the lake!” Jae’lyn shouted after them as they ran. Jae’lyn was careful stepped back one step after the other It was a treacherous way down the path and from what Jae’lyn could see the lake they had to cross was quite wide. Even with all the snow and layers of ice, it was a bowl in the mountains, with a flat landscape at the bottom. She could feel the sleeping water, miles and miles under snow.

This momentary pause however was her biggest mistake. Two of the creatures leaped out at her and collided into her back, a surprised yelp alerted Cyrus and Bao’vein as her staff fell from hands, slid across the snow and off the ledge Kisa was just rescued from. Her surprised call turned into a cry of pain as one of the beasts bit into her shoulder and more came to rip little claws and teeth through fur and leathers while she struggled tirelessly to pull them off. Like rats on a scrap of food they swarmed their victim and Cyrus yelled her name in a panic, roaring in a hateful rage as he rushed to her rescue, bastard sword swinging wildly as he cut, slashed, kicked and punched the creatures off of the women he had fallen in love with. Jae’lyn struggled on the ground, trying to claw and crawl her way out of the fray as the creatures redirected their focus on the wild warrior.

“Cyrus!” Jae’lyn cried out as she scrambled in snow looking for her lost dagger. The ledge they faught on however was a thin ledge of snow. The weight of the two humans, and the creatures swarming them had been to much and the thunderous ‘crack’ brought terror in Jae’lyns heart as the ground under her...crumbled. “No!!” She called as snow blinded her and the wind whipped past her face in the long fall down.

>>Possible Flashback

Just when she thought she would die here, her body shattered upon the ice and snow, something large and strong grabbed her out of the air and suddenly jerked away from the fall. Eyes opened wide as she screamed, the ground was no longer getting closer, but further away as a great and terrible roar echoed off of the mountains around them. The thrumming beat of wind against wings continued to carry them off to the far side of the mountain before turning around. Looking up she was surprised at what her young eyes found.

It was a Dragon!!!