The Twilight War
Cilia
Chapter One: Matters of Some Importance
Tare felt the a warm wind brush against her and all of a sudden her doubts and fears seemed to melt away into the night, smiling despite her nervousness she fixed her cloak and stepped boldly into the tent she?d been hovering outside for the past candle mark or so. Inside was total darkness not even the light of a single candle, shifting her eyes into infravision her eyes began to glow a dim blue color. She could she the outline of Tark, hunched over his work desk, pouring over drow maps of the Nether, drawn in ink that gaveoff heat so it could seen by those blessed with the gift of infravision in eventhe darkest of pits. Stealing herself once again she took a bold step forward. For the past year she?d been pinning after the handsome General, perhaps evencoming close to spilling all to him, but she?d never found the time nor the place. Also Tark had proved a most elusive prey, with his high morals and somewhat unorthodox views.
Now she was through with playing the game, she was, after all, a drow female, and it was her right to choose a male, not the other way around. Usually the slender drow wouldn?t have given a damn about the tradition of her people. But this thing she shared with Tark had gone on long enough, it had gotten in the way on their search for the Isle of Ages and again at the battle for the Tower, it needed to be out of the way before the war erupted into open fighting.
?Turn around and face me please,? she said in her sweetest voice.
Rising from his chair, she saw Tark as a blur of colors and asthe light of a candle flickered to life she shifted back into normal vision. Tark was one of those elves, drow or surface that had the ability to make women swoon when they passed, but underneath the exterior of his elfish stunning looks there lay a sharp mind and the fierce heart of a man that by many was considered the last of a breed. Ruler of the Third House and the sole survivor of his family he was considered a fine catch, but had so far managed to stay unattached.
?Lady Tare,? he greeted in his voice that if need be could command entire armies, but now sounded neutral and monotone.
?Tark,? Tare said as she made her way up to him, shifting from her fighter?s walk into a swishing walk, so her hips danced and her sword slapped slightly against her thigh. ?We need to talk,? she said with a smile.
?Are you going to address me as a ?male? now?? Tark asked, his mind, albeit distracted by such a brazen display of aggressive behavior on the part of the young female, was still working perfectly as always.
?Alright this is stupid I know,? Tare said. ?But if it wakes you up, then I?ll do it,? she said a little loudly. ?Ever since the trip to the Isle of Ages, you?ve been acting like? like you have this great burden to bear, it?s even worse than before,? she stated.
?I do?? he started, but Tare cut him off.
?No you don?t, Xare believed in living for the day,? Tare pleaded. ?She would hate to see you like this, I remember what the men at the Honor used to say about the old Tark,? she said. ?The man who stood up for every woman he thought was being mistreated even escort them home if the occasion rose, a man with ideals and a fire in his eyes,? she stated. ?What happened to the man?? she asked with pleading eyes.
?You should leave,? he said and turned away.
?No,? Tare roared as she spun him around. ?You will answer me now,? she demanded.
?That man died on the fields of Necris,? he answered. ?I am all that remains,? he stated and the next sound in the tent was the slapping soundof Tare?s palm hiding Tark?s cheek.
?I refuse to believe that,? she said firmly. ?And it?s only gotten worse,? she stated. ?I saw a part of you fade when Litni went into the Dark Lands, how many more burdens must you carry?? she asked. ?How many CAN you carry??
?As many as need be,? he answered firmly and Tare sighed and caressed his cheek while taking his hand in hers.
?Come I want to show you something,? she said and lead him silently out of the tent and away from the massive encampment that surrounded Larken, soon they heard the sounds of laughing women. They had walked upon a small tree-filled grove and here and there in the thick undergrowth and in the trees, men and women of all races shared the night.
?Look there,? Tare said with a smile and pointed at a pair high in one of the trees. ?That?s Stjar?a and Cordy, you remember them don?t you?? she asked and Tark nodded with his usual unreadable expressions. ?Both carry many burdens, but that does not hinder them from happiness,? she said with a smile. ?And there,? she said and pointed into the distance where twin figures stood upon a small hill. ?That?s Piratess and Grimm, perhaps burdened with as much as you, and there,? she pointed at the mage tower rising up into the night sky behind the walls of Larken. ?In there no doubt are Willow and Elisabeth, in each other?s arms, burdened but still grasping for happiness,? she said and then turn and looked into Tark?s red eyes. ?Why can?t you do the same? And don?t tell you are too old, or have seen too much, for I know it not to be true,? she stated.
?I?? Tark started, but was silenced as Tare tackled him to theground and
kissed him fiercely.
?Just try it,? she said. ?For one night shed your cloak of iceand be
free,? she pleaded as she removed her lips from him. Tark found himself lost in
deep blue eyes, perhaps almost as dark as his fears, but his mind ever sharp and
ever vigilant, found wisdom in her words. So with a small smile, for that was
all that he had to offer, he wrapped his cloak around her and surrendered, for
one night, to happiness. An old promise was fulfilled that night in the tree
grove a short distance from Larken, a promise to not make the same mistake
again. For Tark it was a matter of some importance and for Tare it was heaven on
Earth, two people of different minds yet of similar
hearts.
* * * * *
Theris Forestwalker, High Elf, hero of many battles and livinglegend in the Realms stood on the slanting rooftop of the mage tower, here the magical energies were strong and it gave her clarity of vision, a clarity she desperately needed if she were to survive the coming battles. Having been stripped of her rank and sword, the once almost omnipotent High Elf, now only possessed the inherent powers of her race and a sliver of her former Guardian abilities, a considerable amount but nowhere near her former levels.
Framed against the moonlight she was a vision of beauty, her long blond hair flowing behind her, blown by the gentle breeze that rolled over the planes from the sea to the east. Her elfin features smooth and regal, but her large eyes were what set her apart from many of the other elfin maidens, they were deep blue and reflected her true age, eyes that had seen the humans arrive on the shores of the elfin lands, seen the rise and fall of kingdoms and maybe seen too much.
Standing tall with her deep green traveling cloak blowing around her, her hand went to her empty sheath; it had been with her for as long as there had been a king on the crystal throne. It was gone now along with her white armor and authority. Maybe it was for the better, she thought, times were changing, she could feel it and the signs were all around her, for the second time things would shift and the balance of power would be altered, but this time the darkness was real, not some power-mad sorcerer bent on revenge, but an oncoming force of true darkness, but still there was hope, a glimmer, but it was there.
?You?re brooding old friend,? a gentle voice said from behind her and there hovered Cordelia Moondancer, Guardian and an old friend, by human standards anyway. Tall and carrying with her an air of superiority and calmness that unnerved many although it was somewhat subdued by her ruffled short brown hair, flushed cheeks and large brown eyes showed a gentle spirit resting within.
?Hello Cordelia,? Theris said in her melodic voice without turning around from her perch. ?How is your companion?? she asked.
?Stjar?a is fine, but I?m more worried about you,? the whiteclad Ranger Knight answered. Cordelia was one of the few people who understood the events that had transpired on the Isle of Ages, she too was a Guardian, but she?d chosen to stand outside the circles. She?d been a normal human when she?d arrived in the Realms, but her power had been clear soon after her arrival,she was a Ranger by training, but her status as a Knight came from her relationship with Stjar?a the half drow princess of the drow city Necris.
?I?ll be alright Cordelia,? Theris answered. ?I?ve survived worse things than this,? she stated and it was true, she?d fought a black dragon andbeen killed only to be brought back to life through the magic and unique bond with a spirit.
?You miss him don?t you?? Cordelia asked as she hovered aroundto face Theris.
?If you mean Angel, yes I do,? Theris answered. Angel had been the one who saved her ten years ago. He was the spirit of Cordelia?s friend, an angel, who?d died in battle with a power mad mage. He was now too gone from Theris; bound to Litni Speed with the hopes he would aid the young elf in her quest. Another friend lost.
?Litni?s taking good care of him,? Cordelia said to reassure the elf of her friend?s safety.
?I know,? Theris whispered as she thought about Litni Speed, theadopted daughter of the drow general Tark Dragon, she?d watched the young girl from time to time, she was a part of a new generation of beings, a generation that looked beyond the racial boundaries of the world. She was now somewhere in the North, trying to rescue her friend.
?If you need me you know where to find me,? Cordelia said after the silence had dragged on and then slowly descended down to the ground, leaving the High Elf alone on the roof once again with only the stars and the twin moons as her company.
* * * * *
North of the land of Elves, lay the Dark Lands, home of the Shadows, a race of humans that had been there when a great battle was fought betweenthe gods, a dark god of chaos had died there and tainted the land with his essence, the mountains surrounding the land were black as shadows and so were its people. Black skinned and white eyed, for centuries they?d waited, fought amongst themselves, but now in the face of events beyond they saw an opportunity for war. A council of Dark Priests had risen to power some years ago and then spurred the people on the road to war, using the power of an ancient artifact; The Heart of Darkness. The powerful artifact had been somewhat destroyed through the acts of Litni Speed and perhaps more importantly, the seeds of rebellion had been sown amongst the peoples of the Dark Lands. Now Litni Speed had found her way along with her companions Poet and Light, brother and sister that had aided her. Poet she?d rescued from the influence of the Heart and by doing so shattered the artifact, Light had joined them on the road. Now they were gathered in the palace of Al?x Sun, Lord and ruler of the Valley of Sun, a small kingdom on the outskirts of the Dark Lands. Hidden amongst high peaks and protected by powerful magic.
Litni had never thought it would come to this, at best she?dalways thought she?d be the princess of the Third House of Necris, maybe even a captain of the imperial guards, but this went beyond her wildest childhood dreams. She had climbed the highest peak surrounding the valley, the army was still assembling and Al?x had ordered her to take a day?s leave. So she?d dressed in her old ranger clothes and set out from the castle and into the mountains. She looked out from underneath her green hood and smiled, the sword of Speed rested against her hip.
From here she could see the entire valley and even a hint of the Forest of the Elves in the distant south. Up here she was just Litni Speed, adopted daughter of Tark Dragon and a lowly soldier of the Third House, not Litni Speed, the elfin champion and field-commander of the Sun Army, the girl who?d traveled into the heart of darkness to save her friend and then fought her way out. She?d often read about innocence lost, but never fully understood what that meant and she still didn?t understand it fully, yes she?d suffered through hardships and seen much death, but still she couldn?t shake the feeling that there was good in everyone, that good and evil were just choices not something decided by fate.
?You?re on the right track, Kiddo,? the voice in her mind said, it was Liam, her guardian angel and companion on her quest.
?Thanks,? she said out loud. ?And I?m glad you?ve stuck around,? she added.
?Why on Earth would I wish to leave?? he asked.
?Well it begins with a T,? Litni answered with a grin as her blue eyes sparkled with mischief.
?If you?re talking about Tark?," Liam said with a laugh.
?You?re not going to admit that you miss being with Theris are you?? she asked.
?Nope,? Liam answered. ?She?s a good friend and all but I like to be where the action is,? he explained with a grin.
?Well either way I?m glad to have you with me,? she said.
?What about you?? he asked. ?You and Poet doing alright?? he asked.
?You should know, you are always there,? she answered, as her face grew dark.
?Not always, I usually take off into my little dimensional pocket when he?s around,? he answered. ?I do respect your privacy,? he added.
?Well good, but things have been? different,? Litni answered. ?Since the Heart and the flight from the Dark Lands,? she explained.
?I understood,? Liam nodded. ?Sometimes putting things together is easier said than done,? he explained.
?Truth,? Litni nodded. ?You up for flying?? she asked as shespread her light wings, a gift granted to her through the merging with Liam.
?Always,? he answered as the elf hurled herself from the peak and took to the skies.
* * * * *
June Xare Summers felt the tug, but fought to ignore it, running her hands through her reddish blond hair she focused her mismatched eyes on the horizon. She wouldn?t leave until she was sure, sure that her mission was completed. Again the tug came stronger than the last time and this time almost lost her balance to it. Only to be caught by strong arms and then finding herself looking into icy blue eyes. William Blood, Prince of the Undying smiled down at her.
?It?s starting,? he said in a matter of fact tone, as he studied her mismatched eyes carefully for any sign of fear.
?I can handle it,? she said firmly.
?You?ve overstayed your time,? he said firmly. ?If you??she stopped him by gently kissing him.
?If you stay,? he went on after she broke away. ?It could meanthe end of you,? he finished.
?I?ll take that chance,? she said. ?I won?t leave y? my parents,? she said firmly
?They?ll be fine,? he tried to assure them. ?And I?ll be behind them every step of the way,? he said.
?How can you be sure?? she asked with wide eyes as she pushed him away.