Nightmares and Shadows

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Crying,the cries of a small boy can be heard thru out the small village of Urthmore.The two sentries leaning against the old rusted gate that bar's the only road into Urthmore listen to the wailing coming from the village."That d**n kid and his snivling is to likely drive me mad" the older gaurdsman whispers to his comrade. The younger of the two looks deeply at the older "Ya best keep yer thoughts to yer self, if Rath heres ya he will skin ya alive,he will!!.Quickly looking around as if just saying the name would bring great sorrows to them.The older gaurdsman stares at the village" that boy and his mother are mighty lucky that rath took them in, thems being elflings and all" ,and after making a sign to ward evil the older man spat to add to his protection."Well lucky or not Rath is war chief and his word is law,and ya better not say something to upset him when I am around none can beat him and I ain't gonna be the fool to challenge him,alright!!"The younger gving the older man a deep serious look,the old man nodding"Sorry lad it's just the boy has been having these d**n nightmares for more then a week,and his crying it makes my soul hurt for him"The younger man nodding as if saying I know,I as well feel the boys pain.  

In the largeset wooden house the crying seems almost unbearable the large warrior sits at his small table drinking listening to the wailing"H'ELLENA SHUT THAT LITTLE BA$*@D UP I MEAN IT!!" wiping his mouth on his sleave draining another pitcher of grog,looking towards the door where the offensive noise is originating from"DO YOU HERE ME,WENCH!!"

Very quietly a small very beutiful elf steps out, long copper hair falls to her waist ,lavender eyes that reflect the candles with a sadness that seems to devour the small elf.H'ellena  looks straight at the big warrior"Yes Rath I hear you,I have tried but Ruhhan won't wake" her voice trembling as if she expects the worst  "By the sacred elders I have tried" I think he as been taken to the land of the shadows and I...before she could finish Rath charges at her and grabs her a little to rough"NO,NO MORE ELFLING LIES,NO MORE!!...I DON'T WANT TO HEAR OF THIS NIGHTMARE WORLD WHERE THE SHADOW CREATURE STEALS LIVES NO,YOU AND YOUR BOY IS BAD MAGIC AND I WILL STOP THIS BLUBBERING ONCE AND FOR ALL".Throwing the small elf aside as if she was a rag doll Rath makes for the door...Rath only gets two strides  when he his taken from behind and push to the floor, surprise stricken his face when the small elf women sitting on top of him holding a dagger to his throat,almost growling "if you try it will be the last thing you do human",fear begins to seep in the warrior::how did she throw me down like that::,the thought of the small elf throwing him down raced thru his mind:slowly Rath backs away "to hell with  both of you" with that Rath walks out ,slamming the door.

Ruhhan looks around the grey town of stone and fear over takes him the sky almost the same colorless grey,his sobbing seems almost uncontrolable.Ruhhan looks toward the castle of sheer black ontop of the rocky mountain the long staircase that stretchs along the mountain and the three towers that the stairs run thru, a shadow races down the mountainside across the towers, across the lake and across the town and it touchs Ruhhan the coldness seems to overwhelm the small boy,almost frozen with fear "no,please" barely whispering "help me,please help me" and as if  his cries were a beacon of hope he begins to wail..the shadows winces in pain and retreats back to the castle...waiting for the boy to come to it.  

O.O.C:Please forgive the very long intro ,I just wanted to establish the mood,hope I did ,anywho all are welcome to join(I hope some will..lol)...only two things whatever your characters has equipment wise come with them into the shadow lands and you can describe what you are attempting to do in battles and I will take it from thier...but all other actions are yours.....thanks

[Ria Hawk]

OOC:  Hmmm.  Intriguing.  Okay, then.

Demetria Silvereye awoke with a start.  She wasn't where she had stopped to camp.  She jumped to her feet, weapons drawn.  She looked around the desolate gray land.  The wind shrieked at her.  The town below seemed a twisted mockery of the village she had stopped outside of; they wouldn't let her stay in the inn.  Cursedborn, they called her, and chased her from the village.  But that had been last night, and now, she instinctively knew that nothing lived in that gray and broken village.  That wasn't to say, however, that nothing dwelt there.  She could see shadows flitting about.  She could see a dark citadel rising menacingly on the distant cliffs, and a tide of darker shadow seemed to pour down the slope.  Suddenly, it reversed, and the land was silent.  No, not quite silent.  She could hear the terrified crying of a small child.  Many people had called her many things, and much was justified.  But Demetria wasn't heartless.  She stowed her twin swords and raced towards the sound.  She found him soon enough, a boy.  He seemed to be the only thing of color in this blasted land.  She stopped short, unsure of how to procede.  She would probably frighten him more if she wasn't careful.  She wondered how she would appear to him.  A half-wild looking woman, tangled dark hair tied roughly back, and her eyes.  Her eyes were what scared most people: one eye was normal, and was the color of the deepest, wildest ocean.  The other was the same silver color as the swords strapped across her back.

[Shadoweagle]

Durith Longshot's left eye quirks open apon the irritating wailing of a child - What was a child doing in the middle of a forest...? Of course, after several seconds, his right eye opens, too, as he finds himself not in a forest, as he had first thought... odd - he was keeping watch in a sturdy branch and closed his eyes for a second to collect his thoughts, and here he was - in a seated position, his back propped up against a grey stone wall... "Uuuh..." Now this was strange. Snapping back to attention, his eyes open fully and he pushes himself up to a stand, staring around him. Disbelief is apparant in his features as he stares up at the bland, colourless sky, but before long he simply shakes his head - worrying about it will do no good, but trying to find out where he is, will be far more rational.
So, as a result, he steps forth, peering steadily at the sobbing boy before he finally walks towards the only adult within view - the wild looking woman... "Uuh, excuse me ma'am... I dont suppose you could tell me where I..." He trails off at a particularly loud howl from the boy, and turns his gaze to stare at him, shouting, "Dammit child! Will you calm down!?" Obviously, he wasnt worried about talking to the child, though perhaps not in the kindest of manners - he was always a bit crabby when just woken up, and this strange surrounding has done nothing to help him. All the same, he turns back to the woman, now self-consciously brushing down his own attire:
A forest green tunic with matching leggings. Since he was not intending on sleeping when he got here, his shoulderlength, raven-black hair is tied in a single, neat ponytail which trails along the back of his head. Also, fortunately, he holds a servicable longbow in his right hand, and a quiver of arrows, average in quality, is strapped apon his back. Another quiver of thick, fletched, high quality arrows is strapped apon his hip, however - obviously ready for use in those more critical shots. The only other visible weapon, is a single dagger, lodged in a sheathe and connected to his belt.

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Ruhhan looks at the the women,with large moon shape eyes,he stares at her for what seems like hours,but only a few seconds go by,as if he was judging her very soul.The small boy now only sniffling smiles at the wild women "are you here to help?" the very air hung heavy as if the words were the only sound in the colorlus grey world,the sky brightens,with lightning forcing its way thru the erie air  revealing low  ceiling of clouds and grey.Almost whispering "the shadow ki.... when the man in green leggings appears the small boy begins to cry as if it's his only security,the green leggings man yells at Ruhhan he shrivels on the ground,wrapping his small skinny arms around his head "please don't hurt me" revealing the deep purple bruises on his arms.

In the distance on top of the black castle,a flame appears,a flame made of shadow and darkness,the flame that gives no light,but burns,burns at the soul of all in the grey world ,trying to draw out the evil that men  carry,the wild hair women and green leggings man feel a tugging at thier hidden desires,trying to nuture it,and in thier mind the hear "join me and all your desires can be yours".The flame burns seemly hotter, casting a shadow,that swallows the broken grey town.

Ruhhan lets out  a horrid wail "NNNNOOOOOOOOO" as if pleading with the core of his soul.Sobbing "it, it hurts" and the small skinny boy begins to claw at him self.   [/i]

[Shadoweagle]

Durith sighs faintly and turns back to watch the boy, shaking his head in protest. His words halt momentarily apon noticing the bruises and wounds on the childs arms, but after several seconds, he speaks, in a much softer manner than he had intended apon seeing these injuries. "Listen... I'm not going to hurt you..." He pauses once more, before reluctantly uttering, "I'm sorry." Seems he wasnt used to saying such words, they were all but forced out of him - but seeing the abuse that had been administered to the child softened him a bit. After all, he could relate to him.
All the same, as this flame of non-light appears, burning from an unknown fuel atop the castle, he blinks, at once feeling the effects. The words etching into his very mind are familiar to him, though, he has heard such a thing before in his mind, and thus betrayed many of his loved ones - but that is a story for another time. At the moment, however, His teeth clench, not at the tug of desire he feels to do evil, but rather at the memories this flame has forcibly brought to the surface. Memories he had carefully hidden from even himself. And, as a result, he lowers himself to his knees jerkily, placing head in hands and beginning to weep himself, muttering incoherently as this flame and voice makes his guilt feel ten-fold. He holds no defences against such a thing, and thus it strikes him with full force. Seems it was up to the woman, now. She had one man weeping pitifully, not in a dissimilar manner to what the boy was doing earlier, and she also has a child seemedly attempting to tear his own insides out...

((Hope that was understandable ^_^ *Goes to add Darith to the character section of Strolens*))

[Naymu]

...Awakened from a scream..I reach for my ale, vision still blurred. Finding my bottle in rich i tip the top to empty the liquid inside. As my focus clears and no liquid comes, i find im not holding a bottle at all. "Hrm, where am i?" Looking around my surrounding, a room of stone, the corner I lay in damp,  at the realization of this i jump up. A door seems the only thing between the sound of the sobs of a child, and...another...I walk to the door, i stand fairly small compared to the door, my snow white tri-hawk and beard dampened from laying on the cold, wet, stone floor. I wear a dark robe, the night of the darkest night, no visible weapons. I reach into empty pockets, "cursed be, wheres me flask?" The door wont seem to budge, but hearing sobs the dwarf calls out, "Would one of you, stop crying and help me with this door?"...(thinking he must've had a grand time the night before locking himself up in such a place)

[Ria Hawk]

Demetria was about to answer the man, when she heard the voice in her head.  She stood stock still for a moment, seeming to ignore all else.  Visions of what it seemed that the nameless entity promised her whriled through her head.  But she also seemed to see that it would keep no such promises.  Finally, she snapped out of it and drew the swords from their place across her back.  She glared up at the dark flame on the mountain, and yelled, "I'm of sterner stuff than that!"  She struck the swords together, and they glowed with a white light that shone bright and clear.  It wasn't a harsh light, though.  She stepped in front of the child, a little to the side of the sobbing man and held the swords out in front of her, the light radiating over the three of them.  "Calm yourself, boy.  It'll be all right."

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Demetria's soft bright light,shined like a bright beacon,burning the shadows casting from the dark flame,as the light touch's the shadow,a hissing sound can be heard in the grey world,as if the light was a abomanation born in the dark nightmarish world.Ruhhan stops his crying,listening to Demetria's strong soothing voice,Ruhhan looks at Durith and hugs the sobbing man,Ruhhans flesh filled with warmth and love pours into the wilderness warrior"ssshhh,it's ok we will be ok" the skinny little boy smiles,Demetria's light seems to brighten.

The once soothing voice filled with promises and want,turns to hideous screaching ravenous voice "so you seem to be,women!!" the voice falling off as if it was contemplating its next words "you warriors of light,wish to test me,so be it!! as the words are being forced into the partys minds."we will play,yes, we will,we will play for the boy and your very souls and your prize freedom from my realm" the last of the words seemed as if they were spit out." I await for you warriors of light in my castle" the voice replaced with a hideous cackle.

As if the laugh was a call sign,the earth begins to tremble,a old grey stone house a few feet from the party,collapse upon its self,with sounding crash, spouts of hot steam snake through ground filling the air with a foul stench,a old rusted door falls to the ground,revealing a small stranger in one of the stone structures,with the town caught in the qauke the cackling laughter continues ringing throughout the grey starless world.

[Ria Hawk]

Demetria looked around at the shuddering town.  "I think," she yelled over the rumble, "That we should leave the area."  She barely maintained her balance.  "Now."

[Tyrion Gaunt]

As the ground continues to shake and rumble Ruhhan falls to the ground looking up at Demetria the skinny boy nods  pulling himself up Ruhham begins to shake Durith "sir we got to go sir don't be scared any more"shaking Durith even harder turning to Demetria "HE WON'T COME" yelling over the noise of another house collapsing.Pleading "Sir come let's go" trying to drag Durith to no avail.

[Shadoweagle]

Durith's memories fade slightly due to the the light of the womans swords, and thus he is able, with some time to force them back down into his subconscious - There was a time to think, and a time to act, and this was not a time to think. So, finally, apon feeling the earth shaking uncontrollably, the man staggers to his feet, an arm wiping at his face to rid them of his tears. Ugh - he wanted to vomit simply for showing such lack of control - especially in front of a woman and a child! But all the same, he shakes his head faintly to clear his mind, then peers around, "Ok, im fine... Where do we go?" His voice certainly sounds hard - if a little hasty due to the quaking of the ground - and not as though he had not just been weeping, and his gaze shifts back and forth between the woman and the child, impatiently awaiting direction - he personally would have suggested heading towards that blackened castle - as whatever was causing this quake would surely not wish to destroy its own place - but he knows nothing about this 'realm', whereas the others might, and therefore may have a better idea...

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Ruhhan jumped up and down when Durith fought off the effects"good,good" clapping and smiling.Turning towards Demetria"We need to get to the lake the ferry will get us quicker to the stairs and to the mounatain castle thats where the shadow king lives come on" the boy begins to stumble towards the east wall "its not far,come on" waving for the others to follow.

[Shadoweagle]

Durith mutters softly to himself as he follows, "...Knows an awful lot about this place for a mere child..." But all the same, he may as well follow - he was a stranger in even stranger land. The mans gaze slides briefly to Demetria, before turning back to study the boy as he runs.

[Ria Hawk]

Demetria followed the other two, keeping pace easily.  As they ran, she threw a glance at the third stranger, the one who had been in the building.  She briefly wondered if he would join them, or if he was just another denizen of this nightmare landscape.  Which brought to her mind the question:  "Where in blazes is this?"

[Tyrion Gaunt]

The cackling and earth shaking mysteriously stoped when the party cleared the the ancient,crumbling east wall.The small boy points at the long serpentine trail that is walled on both sides by large grey twisted trees the only color in the twisted decaying woods are the very few leafs clinging despertly to the gnarled,knotted branchs.Red the leafs are a deep red hanging and drooping as if the trees were crying bood.Ruhhans eyes wide with fear look at Durith and Demetria "sshhhhhh,the mad woodsman and his folk dwell here" in a hush whisper. The small boy's eyes shining as if light was reflecting of them (in which it was not).Ruhhan begins to tremble "we should be careful" and walks into the twisted grey woods.

O.O.C:Just wanted to take a moment to thank both of you,Ria and shadoweagle for joining and letting me try this story out it is my first time creating a story in this type of forum.So thank you   and forgive me for any bad grammar and my wild imagination.

[Shadoweagle]

OOC: Your doing better than I probably would. ^_^

The man slows to a walk as they neared the entrance of the woods, and peers around curiously. Hm, these woods made him uneasy... He reaches a hand over his shoulder and grasps the end of an arrow in his quiver, drawing it forth and notching it in his bow. "The mad woodsman..." How strange. He steps idly closer to Demetria and speaks softly, in a whisper so as not to allow the boy to hear him, "Does it seem to you that this boy knows a little too much about this place...?" Hm, his mistrusting nature kicking in again. All the same, his gaze darts around in an almost catlike manner, never remaining idle for more than a second as he scans both the ground level and the tree branches for any sign of movement...

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Ruhhan looks back at Demetria and Durith with his large moon eyes watching them whisper.Tilting his head at them as if trying to figure what was said.Ruhhan Quickly turns towards the dark path"do you hear something" a whizzing is heard follow by a thud,a large black arrow is seen protruding out of one of the old twisted trees.The serpetine path explodes with creatures swarming on both sides of the path. Small jackel headed humanoids begin to rush at the party each holding a wicked pitch fork like dagger.The jackel fiends begin barking in wild anticipation of the fresh blood soon to be had. With the jackel fiends bearing down on the party another arrow is shot from the dark dense forrest.Ruhhan jumps behind Durith screaming the "the mad woodsman!!"

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Ruhhan begins to crawl into a bush hoping that Durith and Demetria can handle the onslaught of jackel fiends.Two more arrows streak by narrowly missing Durith the jackel fiends close in trying to cut any means  of escape.

[Ria Hawk]

Demetria drew her twin swords again and waded into the fray.  There were many of them, to be sure, but Demetria was very skilled.  But she wouldn't be able to handle the onslought alone.  The glow was fading from the twin swords, and she'd not be able to call it up again for some while.

[Shadoweagle]

Durith traces back several paces as soon as that first arrow strikes, his bow already raised. He almost stumbles back onto Ruhhan, of course, but steadies himself and slips a hand back to his bountiful supply of arrows which he uses to be wasted on large groups. Notching and shooting arrow after arrow over the womans shoulder, targetting one after another jackal-creature's head. Each draw, aim and shoot would take two to three seconds, but he is counting on the woman with the swords to keep them within shooting distance for him. An expression of calm determination is splayed across his features - though he is truly fearful of these beasts, of which he has never seen anything like before in his life. There is time enough later for emotions, however, and at the moment, there are only his arrows, and their eyes as targets.

[Naymu]

"Hey! wait for me!...time to do something i havent done since at the monestary...(and between dwarven hands, currents of electricity flowed. Throwing his hands toward the door, Naymu blasted the darned thing right off, and in wonder, gazed into the grey world but just a second, and ran towards the group. "Thanks for the help back there"

[Naymu]

Just now taking notice as what was attacking, the Dwarves words stopped..."A lady, an archer, and a boy in visible sight...clearly the one that was crying, but what? this hidious beast had passed the woman, she seemed not to notice, too busy with the rest of these things to focus on one, it seemed to be headed for the boy...again passing past the archer...sneaky little bugger, it was up to him...a full out sprint into the wood, a distracting battle cry of terror let loose from his mouth came, he only need a second for the thing to focus on him, for all of them to, and as he planned it looked at him with a confused look, a dwarf wearing close to nothing charging him at a speed no man or elf could compare, jumping into the air lightning passed from the dwarves hands, into his foot, and he struck the beast with a flying kick powered with strength, and lightning rolled through the beast, seeming to deal unreal damage as it cryed and begin twitching next to the boy..."How would the rest of you things like to feel his pain?!" said with a booming scream, an attempt to engulf these creatures with terror.

[Tyrion Gaunt]

Wave after wave of jackel-fiends came crashing at the party only to be repel by Demetria's whirling twin blades and when it looked like she would be overwhelmed a volley of arrows from Durith would strike forcing the the jackel-fiends back.The jackel-fiends seeing that thier strategy of tiring the party out wasn't working began to  form up for a outright charge to completely overwhelm the party as another smaller group sneak in behind Demetria and Durith.As the jackel-fiends begins thier final charge a battle cry is heard over all the commotion of combat a strangely dressed dwarf surrounded with lightning kicks a jackel-fiend sending it into convulsions.Seeing the the dwarf disrupt thier plans the jackel-fiends scream and begin to rush the party.

Ruhhan looking towards the shadows to the far left screams as  four arrows explode from the shadows racing towards Ruhhan.

[Naymu]

OOC: Tyrion, what race is Ruhhan?

"Do any of you know what in hells name these things are?" says the dwarf as he readies their attack. "What is that sou....he turns to his left and holds his hands out, reaching for something, arrows...he attempts to deflect as many as he could from Ruhhan's path screaming, "MOVE!" to the boy. For a dwarf, you notice this one is very much dexterous.

[Ria Hawk]

They had meant to tire them out, Demetria realized, but it wasn't working.  She could go all day if she had to.  But another problem was developing.  Though none had passed her or the archer, the very numbers that they had killed was quickly turning into a disadvantage.  The piles of bodies were starting to hamper her movement.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the strange dwarf rush in to the fray.  Maybe he'd help tip the balance one way or another.  Another wave of the demons rushed up.  "Is there no end to these things?"