What night brings. . .aka First contact 'o_O"

[Guest Valdar and Astralis]

I didn't really manage to bring it up in the story, but Valdar at this stage is an apprentice mage, left by his master to finish up his studies on his own before returning to be tested and declared a mage.

 

His family was rich, and owned many estates to the south of the forests, though they didn't pay much attention to it. Because of a reoccuring illness, his parents decided to send him south, where it was hoped the milder winters and/or a change in atmosphere and scenery would bring about a cure.

 

And so. . .

 

****

 

 

The last few rays of the setting sun were fast disappearing when

 

A cough broke the silence of the room, a dry tortured sound. A faint scuffling sound broke out from the general direction of the bed, and presently, a sickly looking elf dragged himself to his feet.

 

 

Muttering alien swear words softly under his breath, his attempt to swear very eloquently regarding his situation came out as a series of disjointed croaks. He grimaced and limped his way to the nightstand, where he poured himself half a glass of dark grey fluid and downed it in one gulp.

 

He broke into an extended fit of coughing.

 

“Accursed disease!” Valdar croaked to himself, pouring himself a glass of water this time. This was the sixth day in a row he had slept from dawn to dusk instead of keeping more earthly hours. And if the pattern was to repeat itself again, he would be sleepless until dawn again, though just as tired. He shook his head in a vain attempt to get rid of the faint buzzing in his ear.

 

In general, elves only got sick once in a lifetime, all other than himself. The disease baffled physicians, both human and elvan- the elvan spellweavers worked for weeks on end to find out what was wrong with him as his anxious parents watched their child writhe under the steady gaze of the three healers.

 

It was not that he was a sickly child; Valdar thought in retrospect- every two years to the day, he would become intensely ill over the course of a week. If the pattern were to be followed on, tomorrow would be the last day of insomniac ill health.

 

He found himself by the window. In his reverie, he had unconsciously walked over to the window; drink in hand and staring towards the eastern horizon, subconsciously awaiting a dawn that was yet far off. A small red star stood out on the horizon.

 

Valdar frowned. I don’t remember any star there . . . let alone a red star? he thought to himself, trying to remember his astrology around the buzzing noise which seemed to come more from inside his head than from his ear.

 

A sudden “chink” made him look down in surprise at the metal grappling hook caught on his window still. He stood transfixed as the line tautened before having enough sense to start backing away.

 

“GUARDS!!” he shouted, darting for his sword on the other side of the room.

 

Where ARE those guards? his mind demanded. As if to answer his unspoken question, the door crashed inwards-revealing two darkly garbed figures. From the window, another dark figure silently dropped to the floor, followed by another, drawing their swords with a nearly noiseless whisper. Valdar’s mind registered the soot-blackened blades, except for the shiny razor sharp edge.

 

Dark brothers! he thought to himself.

 

“GUARDS” he shouted again, and broke into a bout of coughing. He knew at the back of his mind the guards were probably dead by now, by the silent hands of the dark elves.

 

They started advancing on him, and he raised the sword weakly, throat tight with fear.

 

Valdar had no illusions about his swordsmanship, which was about as good as that of a common soldier. Skilled as a mage as he was, four swordsmen made even odds- except for his illness, which left him unable to cast even the simplest spells. The four drow swordsmen approached him warily. He tried to summon his will to summon a fireball, but failed. As one man, they lunged-their blades pointed straight at his heart. He flinched backwards, and the buzz in his head became a roaring crescendo.

 

*

 

Valdar looked down in confusion, there was no pain though he felt a little lightheaded. Three swords stood where his chest was, but he felt nothing, nor was there any blood. The look on the drow’s face was one of surprise, and he knew his own expression mirrored that of the dark elf.

 

The one who was probably the leader was the first to come out of shock, delivering what would have sent his head across the room. The blade cut through space, but did not connect with anything solid.

 

And then there was a presence in the room, darkness so dark that it blackened the night. The drows withdrew their swords in confusion as Valdar’s sight started to fade, pointing into the darkness and turning to run.

 

He passed out.

 

The next morning, it was found five guards dead; one at the guardhouse, two on the patrol route in the forest just outside the manor, and the two in the hall just outside Valdar’s room.

 

The room was thoroughly wrecked when the first guards entered the next day with wary eyes and drawn swords. A seemingly vast quantity of blood had been splashed all over the room, and bits and pieces of flesh littered the floor. A large twisted rune was drawn in blood on the wall. Even the battle-hardened veterans shuddered and looked away from the black symbol.

 

Of the master of the house, nothing was found, until he was found wandering the wood outside the manor a few hours later, in a trance. On encountering the soldiers, he started, and looked about in confusion, not recalling immediately the events of the past night, though thankful to have lived through it somehow.

 

Then the dreams came, and other things. . .

 

*****

Edited by: Valdar and Astralis at: 10/19/01 5:50:15 am

[Peredhil]

Wow...

 

Peredhil notes that Valdar hasn't actually ASKED to join, but since it IS posted in the Recruiter's Office...

 

Wyvie? Can we have this one?

 

Please....

 

Peredhil makes puppy-elf eyes at Wyvern

[Falcon2001]

Elf-puppy?

Cute!

 

I give this one my personal stamp of approval...and my sponsorship, if need be.

*Looks in pocket and hands Wyv a dollar, then gives him a quarter too*

There, I sponsored him.

CiodenDarkeye

Page of The Mighty Pen

[Wyvern]

Wyvern hastily snatches the dollar and quarter from Falcon. Eyeing the money greedily, he immediatly bites the quarter to affirm that it's his. He registers the dollar into the '1s' section of his supposedly huge, but currently rather thin, geld wallet. Having wrote the addition of a dollar and a quarter into an enormous book of savings lying on his desk, he chuckles, turns and walks away...

 

Valdar gazes at this ritual blankly. o_O His jaw goes aslack.

 

He had waited in the overgrown lizards office for over a week only to be IGNORED??!!! He wouldn't have it!

 

Valdar quickly catches up with Wyvern before the lizard manages to escape from the Pen yet again. Panting, he manages:

 

"Wait *gasp* Mr. Wyvern *huff* you forgot my *huff* my application..."

 

Upon hearing this, Wyvern stops at the foot of the exit, turns to Valdar and frowns. Taking out a notepad, he murmers:

 

"Complaining about waiting times, I'm marking it down. Tsk, tsk... This accompanied your killing people on the IRC channel... things are not looking bright for your application, Valdar..."

 

Valdar moans and clenches his teeth... This was almost too much for him... Seeing the stress apparent on Valdar's visage, Wyvern calmly smiles and says:

 

"I'll tell you what... I'm about to go out and make some geld. I'll accept your application if you accompany me and help me make a buck or two. How does that sound?"

 

Upon hearing this, the face of Valdar brightens considerably. Grabbing his possesions, he exclaims:

 

"That's all I have to do?! Of course I'll help!"

 

With that, Wyvern and Valdar exit the gates of the Pen in a search to make geld. Wyvern's secretary notices this, and quickly pushes the red button on her counter labled 'Emergency'. Static comes on, and Jechum's voice is suddenly heard through a speaker:

 

"This had better be good... What's the emergency."

 

"I'm sorry sir..." apologizes the secretary "... but I just saw the new applicant Valdar exit the Pen with Elder Wyvern. They were talking about making geld..."

 

"DEAR LORD!" cries Jechum, hanging up the reciever. He and Peredhil both rush to the office immediatly. Seeing that it's far too late to stop them, Jechum and Peredhil sigh in cohesion... Valdar would have made a great initiate... but noone had ever gone out with Wyvern to make geld and came back alive. Staring sorrowfully towards Astralis, who had dozed off in a near-by armchair, they wondered how they'd be able to explain the loss of his partner...

 

Three weeks later...

 

Wyvern and Valdar arrive back at the Pen. They have both been tarred, feathered, and painted neon orange. They wear beggars rags, and hold signs that say "Poor vagabond. Will spell kingdoms for food.". Wyvern seems to be in his regular state (he was used to doing this kind of thing) while Valdar seemed to be twitching uncontrolably. Valdar's face seemed to have become contorted into a twisted grimace...

 

Jechum, Peredhil, and Astralis are overjoyed to see Valdar still alive. They rush to him just as he collapses, and Wyvern takes out Valdar's application form and marks it 'ACCEPTED'.

 

The other Elders look down at the unconcious figure of Valdar, and then gaze at Wyvern menacingly.

 

"Hey..." starts Wyvern, smiling and taking out one mud covered yellow coin "... At least we managed to make one geld!"

 

OOC: Your accepted Valdar, sorry about the lateness. The story you used for your application was excellent, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your stuff. Welcome.

 

 

------------------------------

 

Almost a Dragon...

 

"My life is like one big crime: I try to scheme through it." -Common, "The 6th Sense"

 

Owner of the Decanter of Endless Booze.