He nodded and bowed his head a little.
“
Yes, I am ready for the journey. You need only hand me the imbued crystal and I will be on my way.”
Drexus held her hand up.
“
Not so quick. You know, sometimes you remind me that you really are only human, so impatient and quick to get off the mark. A little prudence in this matter would not go astray.”
She was sounding like a typical elf again. Why was she so formal and distant with him? Suddenly he realized why she was reluctant for him to go straight away. She had, effectively, isolated herself from the rest of the world for the last one hundred years and was lonely. Wollfen was the only familiar face she knew from the past.
“
Tell me Drexus, would you like me to contact the enchanted realms and notify them of finding you safe?”
“
Don’t you think they will hold it against me for not having done my job properly?”
“
It has been almost half a lifetime even in your years, I cannot imagine that any would hold a grudge against you. They may even welcome you back.”
He hoped she would consider the offer seriously, it certainly would solve a lot of problems here in Isogorr. Madeira would also find it a lot easier to wean their society off which they had been indoctrinated in for the last one hundred years.
Drexus smiled at him. If this ignorant man knew half of what she plotted, then there wouldn’t be talk of welcome her back at all. In fact the elves would more than likely attempt to have her put to death. None of it mattered, once Wollfen released the entity it would be all over for them.
“
That sounds like a grand thing Wollfen. You have my permission to approach them and see how they feel.”
Wollfen smiled back, he had no real reason to doubt her sincerity. She handed him the imbued crystal of energy. He had one more question however,
“
Drexus?”
“
Yes?”
“
Why are you being so formal with me?”
Drexus’ eyes closed a little looking at him but didn’t answer, she simply went on with matters at hand.
“
May the gods protect you on your journey, I take it you have someone over there to focus on to guide you to your destination?”
“
Yes, a person with the gift and will be of great help in our journey to Kassandrea.”
Wollfen could see there was no point in pressing the matter. He also would have liked to have said a final goodbye to Madeira, but to do so would have placed her in danger and tipped Drexus off. It was a sad moment for him all of a sudden, it occurred to him he might never see Madeira again.
“
Goodbye Drexus.”
“
Goodbye Wollfen and good luck.” She hesitated and added a little more, “Oh by the way, since I am not in direct contact with any of my forces in the Kingdom they will not know that you and I are allied. They will treat you as the enemy just as before.”
Wollfen acknowledged that important bit of information. He turned and faced away from Drexus. He was feeling a little confused but returned to the job at hand. He closed his eyes and began on focusing on the essence that was Dark. He needed to find her spirit in the ethereal plane and once he saw her there he would have a point of destination for his physical being to travel to. It took a minute but he found her, the orb of light off in the distance, glowing silver and bright. His hand encompassed the crystal and it began to glow.
Opening his mind he reached out towards that orb and pushed off to it. In the throne room a bright shining doorway opened up suspended in the air. The room filled with static electricity and Drexus could see a blackness through the door. Then Wollfen leaned and without him even appearing to move he went in and was gone. The portal shut and nothing was left to mark his departure.
Drexus turned away. She wondered how long it would be before he entered Kassandrea? Anything up to a month she calculated, depending on where in the Kingdom he landed. If he knew someone in Kassandrea that he could see the beacon of then it would be an quicker journey indeed.
Wollfen felt himself moving through the void not by his surroundings because there weren’t any, but he felt himself getting closer to Dark’s orb of silver light. It would only be twenty seconds more before he would be there. In the material world the time would pass instantly but his grip of each plane of existence affected time in different ways. He didn’t concern himself with that, only the anticipation of getting there and seeing Dark after so long.
Then something happened and Wollfen couldn’t comprehend why. Dark’s beacon began dimming and as it dimmed he felt himself slipping back and slowing. He was losing grip on her aura and now he was losing his direction too. He didn’t know what to do and simply focused harder, centering all his mental forces on that one thing, find Dark. But then she was gone and Wollfen’s heart filled with dread. There was only one explanation for what had happened and he cried out into the nothingness but nothing came from his mouth. He was lost in that void, drifting? There was nothing but blackness in all directions around him.
Wollfen’s heart broke. Dark was dead, she was gone. How could it be? What had happened where she was? Had she been in some sort of battle? Wollfen cried, his precious Dark was lost and he too. And then another terrible thought came to his mind. He was stuck here in this void for eternity, no way out and now way of getting back. He couldn’t die here. No laws of the physical world had any bearing and panic gripped him now. Panic at eternity in nothingness, panic at knowing he wouldn’t even see Dark in the afterlife. There would be no afterlife for him. His heart ached and he cried, how could this be? Fear coursed through him and he couldn’t think, couldn’t cry out, couldn’t shout, nothing. He was lost.
Nightwing and Loranda were returning to their quarters in Port Volarus after having had dinner. They had plans of turning in early for the night but sleep wasn’t on their minds. Night turned to Loranda and gave her a wink. Loranda replied by giving her a playful slap on the ass and they giggled. They stepped onto the front patio of their quarters and as Night swung the door open, they were greeted with a shocking sight. Dark was lying on the floor with a dagger protruding from her chest, blood seeping out over the floor. Night and Loranda rushed to Dark’s side and bent over her. Night cradled Dark’s head and searched for signs of life, then she let out a howl that reverberated around the room.
“
No, no, no, no Dark!!”
Loranda began to cry as she realized the truth. She gripped Dark’s hand and squeezed it but she could tell Dark was gone. Loranda sat there on her knees and began rocking as she cried still holding Dark’s limp hand. Night didn’t cry but tears were streaming down her face. She lay Dark’s head in her lap and brushed at her hair. It was an unthinking act and it didn’t make sense but right now Night’s mind was reeling and nothing made sense.
Then she began to shake as her emotions hit home. Night’s thoughts snapped back, who did this? Night’s hand was still resting on Dark’s bloody chest. She had kept feeling for a heartbeat but there was nothing. She looked at the dagger and realized immediately whose it was, Keera’s. That animal had killed Dark! Night’s anger rose and coupled with her grief she turned to Loranda.
“
Loranda, it was Keera! Keera did this!”
But Loranda wasn’t listening, she was still crying and staring at Dark’s body. Night grabbed Loranda’s face and made her look into her own eyes.
“
Listen to me!” Loranda’s eyes focused, “Keera did this! Loranda, you must find Keera now, find her and take her out! Do you understand me?”
Loranda nodded and the blood on Night’s hands smeared her face.
“
Avenge Dark Loranda, make Keera suffer!”
Loranda’s own anger rose and she realized what was going on. Keera had murdered Dark. She stood and addressed Night in a low tone.
“
I will find her and she will die slowly.”
Night nodded in approval.
“
Go then find her before she escapes.”
Loranda turned and rushed outside to the closest barn where two horses were always kept saddled. Borlund, a soldier she knew, was there too.
“
You need to come with me. Dark has been murdered and we ride to catch her killer!”
Borlund didn’t need any encouragement and swung into the saddle of the second horse. They both exited out into the white snow covered street. As Borlund followed he couldn’t help but ask.
“
Who killed Dark?”
Loranda spat out her response,
“
It was that bitch Keera!”
Loranda slowed and her thoughts of logic kicked in. Keera would have run out and made off. There would be a set of tracks to follow. They rode back to the quarters and Loranda looked at the ground. Luckily it wasn’t snowing and the tracks were clear. A single set went northeast away from the building and she turned to Borlund.
“
This way.”
They moved off at a steady pace, Loranda watching the ground as they went. She could tell Keera had run away by the spacing and the spray of disturbed snow. After a good nine hundred yards she had slowed dramatically. There were other footprints too and sometimes they had to stop to work out which set was which but they managed to stay on her trail. Passing a tavern they caught up with a soldier walking over the tracks and Loranda called out.
“
Stop!” The soldier turned with a questioning look, “You are messing the tracks up.”
Loranda surveyed the ground and searched for Keera’s trail. Borlund turned to the soldier and explained.
“
There has been a murder and we are tracking the killer.”
Loranda called out,
“
This way!”
The two of them moved off leaving the soldier standing in the snow. He recognized the woman as being of Dark’s squad. Now he turned and made a beeline for Lord Raz’s quarters. He may not have been informed yet.
As the two on their horses moved along they were approaching the outskirts of the town and the going became easier. A single trail of footsteps went into the trees ahead and Loranda picked up the pace. It was only five minutes into the forest that they came across a wheezing Keera struggling to flee. She turned with wild eyes and Loranda fixed her with a gaze. She spoke to Borlund next to her.
“
Let me deal with her, this is personal.”
Borlund nodded and held back a little. Loranda dismounted and approached Keera who stood there with her legs splayed and sword drawn.
“
Listen to me Loranda. I didn’t set out to hurt Dark. I didn’t mean to stab her, it just, it just happened.” Loranda didn’t react but Keera went on beseeching her, “You have to listen to me! We were arguing! We started fighting and she hit my face! I just reacted! Please Loranda!”
Keera was begging now. She understood Loranda’s intent. She could see it in her eyes and Loranda finally spoke is a scary dull tone.
“
Dark is dead.”
Nothing else needed to be said. Keera moaned at the ramifications and her sword dropped a little. There were tears in Keera’s eyes as Loranda lunged at her going for a quick strike. Keera parried the incoming sword and spun about. Again Loranda swung her sword hard and fast. Keera raised her own in defense and it was knocked from her hand. Loranda didn’t hesitate and thrust her own sword straight at Keera, but she managed to knock it aside with her hand and the two of them clashed.
Keera grabbed Loranda’s sword arm and hugged her close to stop Loranda from getting free to swing again. Loranda punched Keera in the face a number of times, but she wouldn’t let go and they fell to the ground. The two of them rolled and struggled, each trying to gain the ascendancy. Loranda let go of her sword and managed to get her hands around Keera’s neck. She gripped hard and cut off Keera’s air. Keera began choking and hitting Loranda in the side of the head and even gave her a bloody nose, but Loranda was in a rage now. All she could think about was Dark lying there dead with Keera’s dagger sticking out of her chest. She tightened her grip and Keera’s eyes bulged, but not a sound came from her.
Loranda didn’t notice Keera was struggling behind her own back with one hand. Keera had a second dagger hidden away and she got it out sticking it into Loranda's stomach at one side, but even then Loranda didn’t let go her grip. She looked down and saw the dagger being held there by Keera. Loranda let go with one of her hands and grabbed Keera’s hand twisting it making her pull it out, she dropping the dagger. Keera was making guttural sounds trying to breath as one hand still held her in a choke hold. Loranda was able to grab the dagger. She brought it up and stabbed Keera in the neck, the guttural sounds changed to a gurgle as blood stained the snow and began leaking from the edge of Keera’s mouth. Loranda stayed there on top of Keera as her flailing arms went slack and she was able to watch Keera’s eyes slowly glaze over, it was done.
Loranda rolled off, the pain in her lower stomach was excruciating. She managed to get up with the help of Borlund and she reached inside her clothing to feel the wound. Then when she pulled her hand free she saw that her blood was almost black. Keera had got her in the kidney.