Above the Keep, Volume 16

Above the Keep - By Lorelai Silvermoon Volume 16

A still heavily salved and bandaged Champion stands solemnly in Nor'seere once more for the memorial service of the fallen Atalya, remaining quiet with his head bowed as last rites are given in the custom of their people ...

The following morning, as large shadows cross the elf gate in quick succession, their creators alighting upon the Keep with an eerie grace for such large creatures ... Cole relates that their scouts south are still out, and that MJ and Tryphena have gone looking for them.

To dispel any rumor, and replace it with fact ... he relates the events of a few days past. In which Kisshet and Atalya, who were scouting north, made decision to look upon the jungles of Jechran on their return journey. They found nothing of worth, until while resting, five large ambers flew above them at high speed, plunging into the wastelands and the storm of chaos within. A course to follow and then report back was made, and they flew on after them at a fast clip.

It was a terrible mistake. The place swirls and has its effects upon you, poisoning you. Kisshet and Laeroth made it back, barely, crashing down at the elf gate. Meager report was managed before both, obviously feverish and sick, were seen to Dagroth Woods to heal with the druids. As far as he knows, they are still there recovering.

Atalya and Rinedra did not make it back; they were lost and engulfed in the hellhole called the Wastelands. Search and rescue was decided upon, composed of Cole and Thaylis, with a deal of local adventurers.

In the course of their stay in that mad place, they slew the five ambers, and managed to recover Rinedra and get her to safety as everything burned around them, due to timely spell of the magi. By the time of their arrival, Atalya had passed.

Rinedra recovers at the temple of Cha'reth in Zvidureth.

After taking the time to answer any question raised then ... Cole sets the groups to their day's tasks and drills. If Thaylis seems up to task, he is put with the rest of the 'skirmisher' set, to learn the basics of fighting upon dragonback.

Along a small strip of atoll, the sun sparked waves break in a white roll of foam and rush forward across a stretch of sand. The sound of the breaking only reaching the small stand of struggling trees long after the water has dispersed across the shallow sandbar.

Under the trees, the muted roar of the surf is accompanied by the scrape of a whetstone across steel as a black-haired Avariel in dented plate sharpens her short-sword.

"You know we are missing the wedding," The Avariel remarks as she pauses in her endeavor to examine the blade's edge.

"What wedding?" The Avariel's companion raises her head slightly and pushes back her feathered hat from her eyes.

Tryphena turns her eyes on MJ where she rests against one of the trees, "Yours."

"Me?" MJ replies, muddled, "I don't have a wedding."

"Well, that's a good thing - or we would probably be missing that too." Tryphena replies with only the slightest hint of amusement.

MJ blinks at Tryphena a moment before looking beyond the Avariel to measure the shadows for a sense of time.

Tryphena rises from the volcanic stone she had been using as her seat, sliding her blade home in its sheath. "The wedding I was making dishes for, Princess Aviviya and Lord Hebashian ... our comrade in arms?"

"Oh! Right!" MJ rises to her feet and goes through a series of stretches, "well I hope they have a good party. Airy said she and Istrin had a good party."

"Oh, I'm sure they will have a good party." Tryphena unlatches some of the buckles from her plate and sets aside some of the pieces in a neat stack.

"You stack those just like Cole." MJ observes.

"Do I? Maybe Cole stacks them just like me." Tryphena takes her turn to lean in the shade against one of the scrabbling trees and close her eyes.

"Er ... hrm," MJ considers that, as if it were a profound insight into the workings of the universe, as she takes up her well used long bow and adjusts her arrow quivers slightly.

A slight chuckle escapes Try as she settles down for her turn to rest while MJ looks searchingly across the near empty sea.