Chapter 2

Valeena walked along the streets on the ground, Arana following quietly. 'What does Tharivol see in her? Maybe it is just none of my business,' she looked at her pregnant belly. "When are you due?"

Arana gave a small smile, "Not for a while. We do know that it is a girl though."

"What are you going to name her?" Valeena was just trying to keep her mind busy.

"Lia, Lia Xiloscient," she rubbed her belly in a motherly fasion.

"Ah so that is your family name. What is Tharivol's?"

"His is Galenodel, hence the name of our Inn. His name means Moonwhisper in common. Mine means Goldenpetals."

"Ohhhh that explains a lot," there was a brief pause. "So you run the local bookstore?"

"Aye I do. I will give you a guess what it is called," she gave a small laugh, close to a giggle, but not.

"Goldenpetal Bookstore?"

"Aye," she stopped walking, gripping her belly.

"What's wrong?" Valeena placed a hand on Arana's back.

"The baby kicked me. I think she has her father's strength," she laughed a bit. "So what about you, what do you like to do?"

"I like to read and study magic. I am a very big bookworm." She gave a chuckle of nervousness, rubbing the back of her head.

"Same here, but I like to read stories. Sometimes I believe that I'm in that world and the main character is me, if it is a woman. Just a little fantasy I like to do. Alas I am stuck here, but at least I'm happy. I don't know what I would be able to do without Tharivol," Arana gave a small sigh, staring off into nothing. "Oh! Sorry, didn't mean to rabble. We should go to the forest for some berries. Tharivol needs them to make his wine."

"What berry does he use?"

"Elven berries, very rare and long lasting. They are named that because you will only find them near our communities. There are a lot in this forest. Stick near me and you will be fine," she smiled and headed for the border.

"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. It's you that needs to be careful, you are carrying another person inside of you," Valeena followed close and entered the forest.

***

Vlad and Haldor looked to Tharivol, Vlad speaking, "Who?"

"There is a woman who recently stumbled into our lands, she is a Drow and we have been trying to get her to leave. We have sent patrols in and they have never returned. We fear for the worst," Thaivol placed the mug he was cleaning on the counter. "She has been seen walking around the forest and wherever she goes, serpents follow. I'm thinking she is a Serpent Warrior."

"But the Serpent order has long since been exterminated ever since the Great War of Wyrms," Haldor cocked an eyebrow after he spoke. "Vlad didn't you fight in that war before you joined the ranks of Lord Spyte?"

Vlad stayed silent as the horrors of the war came back to him. The Wyrms were serpent like dragons that slayed everyone in their paths. Serpent Warriors were their loyal servants and did everything they were told to do. Vlad closed his eyes and spoke, "Yes, I fought in the war. I was a mercenary and fought on both sides of that war, regretting most of the choices I made. Now please don't bring that up with me again." He looked to Haldor, "You know better not to bring it up by now."

Tharivol looked to Vlad, "You are not the only one in that position Vlad. I did my service in that war. What puzzles me is that war was fought about 200 years ago. You are a human correct?"

"Yes that is correct. I am a Blood Knight, which is why I live this long. I became one, when I pledged myself to Lord Spyte."

"I see, that explains a lot," Tharivol grabs another mug and begins to clean it. "Well when the other two get back I will take you three to see if we can find her if you like."

"Aye I would," Vlad spoke out immediately.

Haldor interrupted, "Vlad I would like to stay here till tomorrow. I know you are a workaholic, but we just got here and you want to go running into danger."

"I want to get this over and done with so we can return back to Velorel." Vlad stayed calm in stating this, looking at his old friend.

"I understand this, but we should rest here for tonight and go out looking tomorrow so we can have more time to do so." Haldor crossed his arms as he spoke, his muscles bulging a bit now. "If you want to go out and look for this person than go ahead, no one is stopping you."

Vlad stood and exited the bar, "Tharivol, if you would please bring me to the mages tower, I wish to send a message to my lord."

Tharivol put down the cup he finished washing and nodded, grabbing his cloak, "Follow me." He passed Vlad and headed out, Vlad following.

***

Arana and Valeena were picking the elven berries as the other group was leaving. Valeena looked to Arana, "Are these enough?" She held out her overflowing basket to Arana.

Arana looked inside and nodded, "Yes that is more than enough." A rustling of a bush nearby startled the two and they looked quickly as a Drow female approached from the darkness.

Her skin was as dark as night, long white hair in a ponytail flowing in the wind behind her. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? I thought the wood elves did not allow others in their forest," she said with an evil grin across her face. A rapier was at her hip, and her hand was firmly on the hilt. Her black leather almost looked like it was her skin and not protective clothing.

Arana gave a glare at the Drow, "You! What do you want?"

The Drow chuckled, "I want an end to everything." She smiled, drew her bade and lashed out at Valeena. Valeena was quick to summon up a magical barrier. The Drow gave an evil smirk as she slammed her fist into Valeena's barrier and it seemed to absorb into the Drow's fist. Valeena's eyes went wide and tumbled away from the oncoming blade. She flung a magic missile and the Drow hit it with her fist and, again, it absorbed into her fist. Arana noticing this used her psionic powers to lift a large tree branch and launched it at the Drow as a distraction, at the same time, flung a large boulder on the other side. The Drow took notice to the branch and lashed out at it, splitting it in half. Then turning about, she used her momentum to unleash a mighty blow to the boulder and it shattered into pieces of rubble. She gave a chuckle as a snake like tongue flickered from her mouth, "This will be enjoyable." An arrow flies past the Drow's face from the darkness, "Who goes there?"

A cloaked figure appears from the shadows a female voice coming from the hood, "Be gone abomination!" She notches another arrow, light emitting from it.

The Drow shields her eyes with a serpentine hiss emitting from her throat, "You will not see the last of me Ranger! You will be the first I kill!" The Drow turns and sprints into the forest.

Arana turns to their savior and smiles, "Thank you Fadorna, I did not know what we would of done if you had not shown up."

The woman lifts her hood and it indeed was Fadorna, she looked to Arana, not amused, "Milady you should not have come into the forest with this abomination on the loose. You could have been killed, think of the baby."

Arana sighed, "You are right, but this needed to be done. My husband is not going to go out of business because of this witch."

"In that case let me get your berries for you milady. I will do it free of charge and you need not get yourself in danger," she looks to Valeena. "Head back to your friends at once, you three are not welcome here." She gave a scowl to the human girl.

Arana shouted, "Faldrona these people mean no harm, they are here to take care of the Drow for she has attacked their lord. They have been given permission here and by the teachings of the goddess who created us we must treat all other beings with kindness that show us kindness. They are doing us a favor and we will return it."

"Hmph," Faldrona grunted and walked back into the forest.

Valeena walked over to Arana and placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay, I kind of expected not to be welcome. Let us head back." When Valeena and Arana arrived at the Inn once more, they found it empty.

Arana gave a sigh and looked to Valeena, "Looks like they already left."

***

The Drow woman ran through the forest and stopped at a cave, breathing heavily, "Stupid elf, I almost had them." She entered the cave a fire was evident near the end. She entered a large chamber in the cave and soon her form morphed into a human female, revealing her true colors. She removed her hood, letting her long curly red hair freely fall to her shoulders. On the far end of the chamber was the female Drow she was impersonating, hanging from chains with almost no clothing on her body and whip marks across her dark skin. "So, you going to cooperate yet?"

The Drow woman raised her head slowly and spat a bit of blood in her direction, "I would rather die...."

The human woman removed the pendent that gave this shape shifting powers and laid it on a table in the center, "Well then looks like you have to stay there. I have one question I think you can answer though, why the hell do you guys wear this tight leather?" The Drow woman just hung her head without answering the question, her blood running down and dripping onto the floor. She did not know why this woman wanted her alive still, but she did know what her kidnapper was doing with her form for she had a big mouth. "Hey I asked you a question."

She finally raised her head again, "Because we can move easily in it, and anyone else trying to won't be able to move as agile as the person who wore it before. Anyways it seems that it is not meant for you, because it is a little loose on the top and a bit tight on the bottom, so you might want to consider getting it shaped to your size.

The Human looked to her with a glare, walked right up to her and open handedly slapped her across the face. "Hold your insults bitch! Or I will whip you again!"

"Oh please you think I hate that?" She began to laugh slightly then began to cough and blood came from her mouth and onto the floor. The human turned around and walked over to her cot that she had set up along the right side of the chamber. She began to remove the leaver suit, but soon began to hear footsteps outside of her cave, one was very metallic sounding and so she grabbed her pendent put it on and drew her rapier. The Drow's head looked up hearing the footsteps as well. She began to cry out, "Help! Help me!" The footsteps quickened and soon Vlad Had entered the room, his heavy mythril shield and looked about. The human that was now disguised as the Drow jumped from the side and lashed out with the rapier at Vlad.

"Looks like we got a fighter in here people!" He shouted out as he drew his blade from its resting place. Flames jutted from the sheath as the blade was engulfed by an immense amount of flames, catching the attacker off guard, blinding her slightly. Vlad swung his blade, knocking the rapier from her hand. It landed a next to the real Drow as Vlad had his blade pointed at the imposter. "Don't move."

The human smiled as she clenched her fist and slammed it into the blade. What she did not expect was that his blade was the legendary Flametongue and her ring cracked and fell from her hand as the flames engulfed her hand, burning the leather glove. She screamed out in pain and removed the glove quickly. "What the hell? Wh-Who are you?"

"I am the captain of Lord Spyte's guard, and you are under arrest for kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder," He did not lower his blade one bit, the glowing red eyes behind his helmet pulsated brightly and he gave a chuckle. "So a human...."

The human removed the pendent and tossed it aside, her form returning to human again, "So you are the demon captain everyone talks about. I hear that you are able to see through any disguise, move at incredible speeds, and wield the blade that was forged in hell itself. Not to mention that shield, I bet it is made of the same material as your armor isn't it? And it can absorb any spell flung at it?"

"Someone has been doing their homework. Now get on the ground, or I will do it by force," he stood there, waiting for anything she might do.

She gave a smirk, "I think I will just kill you instead." Her body began to morph once again, this time it was no illusion. Bones could be heard growing and shifting into place. Her two legs melded together and formed a long tail, as scales began to cover her body. A serpentine like tongue flickered from her mouth, "Come now demon warrior, fight me to your heart's content!" She spun and slammed her long tail against Vlad's armor. He flew into the wall and then hit the floor. He looked up in time to see the serpent like tail slamming down, so he rolled out of the way. He stood back up and pointed his blade at the creature, letting loose a stream of flame from it. The woman caught ablaze and began to scream in pain as she slowly crumbled to the floor, dead.

Vlad knew what she was and did not like it. He sheathed his blade and approached the Drow and took her down, "There we go. Come with me." He had her arm over his shoulder and helped her walk out of the cave. He looked about, "Where are they? Haldor I require your healing!"

Soon enough Haldor comes rushing through the trees and over to Vlad. "Sheesh Vlad we weren't supposed to beat the shit out of her," he took the female and laid her on the ground. He held both hands above her. "May Obed-hai heal your wounds and mend your bones," The green tattoos he bore began to glow green and a green energy left his hands and soon enough the wounds began to close. "There you go."

"Haldor listen to me. This is not the right person. A human woman had her tied up in this cave and used an amulet to transform into her," Haldor interrupted in mid-sentence.

"I see so why did she attack our lord?" Vlad returned the favor and interrupted.

"Because she was a Serpent warrior. You were not alive during the War of the Wyrms but they are the ones who fought for the Wyrms," he looked to the Drow female. "Can you walk?"

"I-I think so," she began to stand. She wobbled a bit, but regained balance. "I require food, where am I?"

Haldor spoke softly, "Somewhere where your kind is not welcome. This is the Wood elf forest."

Tharivol appeared from the bushes, "How is she? Don't worry I heard everything. I may be a wood elf that does not mean I will deny someone in need." He brought about his pack and took out a loaf of bread. "Here eat this, but only one bite for it will fill you with just that," with that she took it and took a bite, Tharivol taking off his waterskin from his belt. "Here, drink."

She drank from it and shook her head, "Getting rescued by a bunch of males.... Not my best day." Drow males were considered servants and only kept for breeding purposes. They found Males beneath them in every way shape or form.

Tharivol spoke softly, "What is your name?"

The female glared at the elf, "It's Ona. I was travelling the surface by myself when this witch took me hostage. I would have enjoyed killing her myself, but I guess it is too late for that now."

Haldor cocked an eyebrow at Vlad, "Vlad did you kill the person we were after?"

Vlad nodded, "Yes I did. She attacked me and I had no choice."

Haldor slapped his palm onto his forehead and kept it there, "Ona please tell me you have some information about this person who kidnapped you?"

Ona nodded, "Yes she was planning on assassinating someone to allow her friends to attack it with force."

Vlad spoke whilst removing his helm, "Not first warriors of the Wyrms to attack us. We shall bring you to our city, and I assure you, you will be welcomed with open arms by all."

Ona nodded, "But first I require clothing." She stood there half naked before three men and gave a sigh, crossing her arms.

Tharivol gave a chuckle, "I will return with clothing as quickly as possible." He ran off for the town.

Haldor grabbed his heavy mace and clipped it back on his belt, "Well I guess we have nothing to worry about."

Vlad gave a glare to Haldor, "We should worry. She has friends and they soon will learn of her demise and then they may attack anyway. We need to return quickly for this may be bigger than we know."

Haldor gave a sigh, "You never look on the bright side of things do you?" Vlad just looked back to Ona and stayed silent.

Ona faced Vlad, "What? What are you staring at?" She crossed her arms.

"How good are you with a blade?" Vlad spoke while heading back into the cave, motioning her to follow.

"Yes I am, why do you ask?" She followed him inside, leaving Haldor outside.

Vlad rummaged about the cave before finding the blade the imposter used and tossed it to Ona, "Here you will need it more than she will."

Ona gave a chuckle as she drew the blade. It was still in decent condition and with that she sheathed it once more, "So what's the catch?"

"You travel with us, to find the rest of these people that kidnapped you when the time comes. I know without a doubt our lord will have us go looking for them sooner or later," he stood, exiting the cave once more. Ona hesitated, but nodded. Vlad approached Haldor, "Haldor we need to be leaving soon. What is taking those guys so long?" Haldor just shrugged.

***

Tharivol entered the Inn to find Valeena and Arana holding a conversation, "Valeena, your friends are getting ready to head back. They got who they came for."

Arana smiled and looked to Valeena. Valeena looked to Tharivol, "So you guys caught that Drow?"

Tharivol rubbed the back of his head, "Well come to find out the Drow was an imposter using an amulet that changed her to look like a captive she had. Which reminds me, Arana this Drow will need clothing, and do we have anything that we can spare?"

Arana thought for a moment, "Let me see, well there is the stuff for donation. Go check in there."

Tharivol headed out back and rummaged through some of the clothes that were meant to be donated to the local church. He pulled out a woman's leather chest piece and a brown shirt. Then he rummaged and found a matching pair of pants. He came about and looked to Arana, "Arana if you will please?" Arana placed a hand on the clothes and their color changed to black. "Thank you love." He faced Valeena, "You may want to go get your stuff and your companions' stuff."

Valeena hopped off the stool she was sitting on, "I got it." She ran upstairs and into each of their rooms grabbing their packs and the items she was sure belonged to them. As she came back downstairs Tharivol was already gone, "Where did he go?"

Arana pointed at the door, "Better catch up. He is waiting at the edge of the forest."

Valeena ran out the door with great haste. When she got to Tharivol he was standing with a big smile on his face, "Good now let's go."

***

Haldor just shrugged, Vlad turned to Ona. "So anything else you wish to tell us?" Ona shook her head. Some bushes began to rustle and then an arrow came flying out from the trees and nearly missed Ona's head, but hit her shoulder. She grasped the wound and fell to the ground. Vlad and Haldor quickly turned and drew their weapons.