Prophecy's Twilight: The Dark Elf #1

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hiya
The new direction for Prophecy's Twilight (Two Worlds) continues. This
is the story that will focus on Litni Speed and her companions Angel and
Poet as they make their way across the Shadow Empire in order to
complete the mission of destroying the Heart of Darkness.
Cilia
 
Title: The Dark Elf
Book: Prophecy's Twilight
Chapter: Escape from Shrill
Author: Cilia
Beta: Cheryl
Summary: After the events of Prophecy's Twilight Introduction were Litni
Speed was forced to seemingly kill her lover, the Shadow spy, Poet. We
find her in desperate run through Shrill, the Shadow?s Capital, with
Poet?s body slung over her shoulders. Litni has recently merged with
Angel, who acts as her mentor and friend, the unlikely trio must find
there way to safety, before the spark of life leaves Poet completely.
Litni is the Dark Elf, neither fully drow nor fully elf, she is the
realm?s champion and its destined savior, she wears the armor and wields
Al?x Sun?s sword.
 
PROPHECY?S TWILIGHT: THE DARK ELF
 
Chapter 1: Escape from Shrill
 
I?m a storyteller hero, no longer ?the hero?, just a tag along for the
big show. Although I take a lighthearted tone in my telling of this
particular tale, our current situation is no laughing matter, no
laughing matter indeed.
?Litni you've got to keep going,? Angel whispered into
Litni?s mind as she staggered through the back ways of Shrill, the
Shadow?s capitol, with her lover, Poet, near death slung over her
shoulders. She had been forced to stab him in the chest, with ribbons of
light, in order to expel the influence of the Heart of Darkness, freeing
his spirit, but nearly killing him in the process. 
?You? don?t think? I know that,? Litni said in a strained
voice, the merging with Angel had some what increased her strength and
the armor helped, but still torture and imprisonment took their toll.
?He?s still alive if you are wondering,? Angel whispered.
?I now? but why can?t I fly?? Litni asked, the ethereal
wings granted to her by the merger and her acceptance of her duty, felt
like led, adding to her discomfort. 
?Blood of the innocent,? Angel answered. ?Kind of
complicates things,? he added referring of course to her use of the
wings to free Poet from his enslavement to the darkness.
?So? no flying?? Litni asked.
?No flying,? Angel answered. 
Litni stood still for a moment. She was bleeding, tired, alone and
carrying her only ally more dead than alive on her back through the
enemies stronghold. Training with Tark had never prepared her for this.
But then there was a soft groan that made her heart jump with joy and a
flicker of hope. Laying the prone form of Poet against the wall, she
knelt down, her tattered cloak pooling around her feet. 
?Tough bastard,? she muttered to herself as Poet?s eyes
started fluttering and then snapped open. The assassin was awake much to
Angel and Litni?s surprise. 
?Hello Miss Speed,? he said, his voice showing no strain,
and then he smiled.
?You? you?? Litni stammered. ?How?? she finally asked.
?A gamble? your wings being what they are? are not made for
killing,? he answered and touched the holes in his chest, now partly
healed and no longer bleeding. ?They do not kill those pure of spirit,?
he explained, but then his voice faltered and he slumped over. But Litni
was there to catch him.
?You can do your explanations later. Is there a way out of
the city?? she asked as she raised him up against the wall.
?Tunnels? under the west wall? lead to the river,? he said
as he tried to stand, but Litni pushed him down again, gently, though.
?Where can we go from there, is there a safe house
somewhere?? she asked.
?My families' estate is down river to the south, about a
half days trip down stream,? he explained. 
?Great then we?ll head there, can you walk?? she asked as
she put her arms under his.
 
It was no doubt with much pain and agony that Poet and Litni made their
way through the streets of Shrill. Poet half carried by his friend and
comrade Litni and the young elf held together only by her sense of duty
and her training. The city didn?t help matters; crooked and winding
streets and the permanent stench of dark magic were taking their toll on
Litni in ways she couldn?t comprehend. A patrol came marching town the
street, but thanks to the war going on there weren?t many soldiers in
the city, after all the Shadows weren?t nearly as numerous as their
human and elfin cousins. 
?Anybody think this is just a little too easy?? Angel asked.
?We are lucky, those are just the city guard, everybody who
could carry a sword has been summoned to the Tower,? Poet
thought/whispered back. 
?You can hear him?? Litni asked out loud.
?Of course,? Poet answered.
?Angel?? Litni asked.
?Well he was bonded to me, ever so shortly, but contact was
made,? Angel answered.
?We are here,? Poet said as they reached the west wall of
the city, they were in a alley way between a brothel and a pub, in the
more undesirable part of the city, in other words a perfect place to
find an escape route. 
?What now?? Litni asked.
?We step through?? Poet answered.
?You are kidding right?? Litni asked as she knocked her
gauntlet-covered fist against the wall.
?Trust me,? Poet said and took her hand and together they
stepped into the wall. 
Litni felt a moment of panic as the darkness enclosed her, she was at
heart a surface elf, no matter how much training she received from Tark,
she needed to see the blue sky, the trips into Necris were hard enough,
but this was unlike anything she?d ever endured, but then they emerged
on the other side at the rivers edge.
?Are you alright Litni?? he asked in a gentle voice that
made the young elf smile. He was standing unaided, but his shoulders
were sagged and his wounds although healed slightly didn?t need much to
open up again.
?Fine, fine,? Litni said and stood up straight. ?Now where
is this raft of yours?? she asked moving away from his touch. Poet
frowned for a split second, but then his neutral mask slipped back on. 
?This way,? he said and pointed the way.
?Litni give it time,? Angel said to Litni, softly but
firmly. But Litni just ignored her partner.
 
~*~*~*~
 
Litni pushed them down the river towards the lands belonging to Poet?s
family, they were like he had said one time, farmers, a wealthy and old
family, but still farmers. They stayed as far away from each other as
the small, barrowed, raft allowed them to be. Poet was huddled up as the
night chill started biting at his wounds again and Litni at the back
pushing them along. Angel was not happy from where he watched. 
?How much longer?? Litni asked.
?We?ll arrive at dawn,? Poet answered, straining to keep his
teeth from chattering.
?Good,? Litni answered.
?Keep talking to him so he won?t pass out,? Angel stated
quite firmly in her mind. Litni would have scowled at Angel is she could
have seen his face, but instead she just sighed. Taking a long look at
Poet who sat huddled on the barge, trying to ward of the cold and to
maintain consciousness. She felt a big lump in her stomach, a big ugly
ball of guilt sinking down.
?Poet I don?t? I don?t hate you,? she said.
?And I? am sorry,? he answered.
?Are you alright?? she asked as she pushed the pole.
?I am fine Miss Speed,? Poet said firmly.
?Oh now I know you are faking,? Litni said with a small
smile, which did not come easily. The night was disappearing all around
them, the river seemed to flow into the horizon, she saw no mountains,
just endless plains that stretched to the mountains in the north and
when she looked back she knew there was nothing behind her and the pole.
?You should be keeping me awake you know,? Poet said with a
laugh in his voice that quickly turned into a cough.
?Poet,? Litni said with concern and placed the pole down on
the floor of the raft the stream could carry them the rest of the way.
She made her way carefully towards him, her eyes shining by the lights
of the stars and the moons. Kneeling behind him she wrapped what
remained of her cape around them both, pulled his head against her chest
and started stroking his hair gently while talking to him soothingly.
She noticed that his black hair had lightened somewhat in color and it
made her smile slightly. She didn?t know what came over her but she
started saying everything that came to her mind. Her wished, her dreams
and hopes for the future.
?It?s going to be alright Poet? we are going to make it and
go somewhere and be alone? away from the war, maybe go back to Sun how
does that sound?? she asked.
?I would like to apologize to them,? he answered.
?It?s a start, I have never thought much about the future,
but now I do, strange I just always wanted to be Rose Guard, maybe find
somebody nice to be with, somebody who didn?t want me just because I?m
the heir to the Third House??
?And have you found? somebody?? Poet asked as he pulled
himself up slightly and looked into her eyes.
?Maybe,? Litni answered with a smile, but before she could
act on her impulses the raft ran ashore and sent them tumbling. The sun
was rising and not far from the rivers edge they could see Poet?s
ancestral home and their arrival had been noticed and groups of people,
armed people, came rushing towards them. Litni stiffened and went for
the gauntlet and the green gemstone that held her, sword, but Poet
placed his hand on hers and shook his head. She wordlessly helped him
ashore and he straightened himself up to his full height, ignoring that
it made his wounds bleed again. Once in range the captain of the guard
force called out. There were more than just house guards, behind them
stood a sizeable part of the house staff no doubt.
?Identify yourself!?
Poet took a deep breath and then spoke. The way he spoke shocked Litni
somewhat, always softly spoke and quiet, his voice thundered and carried
a strong air of authority.
?I am Darien Xarlanion,? he called out and a rumble went
through the ranks of the small guard regiment, their ranks parted and a
small and fleshy woman of perhaps fifty years, with gray streaked black
her and large white eyes, made her way towards them. Hugging Poet she
smiled and spoke in the softest voice, a mother?s voice.
?Welcome home son,? she said as she backed away from him
?Mother,? Poet said with a small bow and winced as it tore
at his wounds, he hid it well but Litni and his mother noticed.
?Poet stop this you are killing yourself,? Litni hissed as
she went in to support him.
?You picked wisely,? Poet?s mother said and Litni gave her a small smile
as she supported Poet. 
?Come you need rest,? she offered.
?That would be?? Litni started, but then Poet felt very heavy in her
arms. ?Goddess!? Litni shouted as it hit her, Poet hadn?t come home to
get better, he had come here to die and the holes in his chest started
to bleed again.
 
To be contiuned in Prophecy's Twilight: The Dark Elf #2