Private Tales Bad Stakes

[Eilerias]

Eilerias giggled as he tried to compliment her, even though her white hair was stained red, soaked with his blood. It was such an odd time to try to get her to laugh, but between the tears and prayers it worked. She was so relieved that she hadn't killed him again.

"I'm sorry Isak, I shouldn't have done that to you." Her voice was barely a whisper as he was thanking her for saving him. "I nearly killed you, don't thank me please." She raised her eyebrows, trying to figure out why he wasn't mad or at least upset with her. "I did not mean for any of that to happen. Perhaps Lidia was not as ready as I assumed she was for this."

She rocked back and forth in his arms, trying to calm herself before he placed a small kiss on her forehead and helped her up. "Yeah, I suppose we do look quite...out of place." She laughed a little as she delivered the last few words. "Even in a place like Alliria." Eilerias was alerted to the ladies coming back with buckets and mops, so she took it as their time to leave. "Lidia, I'm sorry." She apologized to the shaken up girl. "I should have known you were not well enough for such a harsh lesson today. This is my fault." She admitted. "Please don't be deterred from practice. You did as well as you could."

Lidia smiled in response and the two talked a little bit about what hade just happened, minus the part where Isak and Eilerias visited the strange realm of his demon.

"Ready to go?" She asked, walking back to Isak and grabbing his hand. She had managed to convince Lidia to lend her a cloak because her strangely magical glow made her stick out like a sore thumb already. Surely a glowing, white haired, healer covered in blood would be a strange sight.

The walk back was a bit chilly, but Eilerias was more concerned with how Isak was feeling. She wanted to ask, but he seemed comfortable in the silence. As did she.

She was delighted to use one of his hidden entrances. She always got excited when he added them on. She could count at least four that she knew of at this point. This one looked to have led to that same storage area she walked through before with the dusty ashes all over the ground, but it was a large building and she couldn't' be completely sure.

She had been in her own thoughts for so long, she hadn't realized they were back in their room until Isak was peeling the bloody dress off of her and she was undressing him. Maybe he was right, maybe she was a bloodlusted cultist. She bit her lip as he leaned in to kiss her and shoved him so she could get in the warm bath. Of course he followed, yet a little bewildered at her sudden change in attitude.

His statement made her laugh. "He knows Sol'Nityr...well, knows of him." She smiled. "I wonder if he can bring us to him and I can learn my divine magic directly from the source." She started to get excited, talking quickly as she turned around. "Maybe he can teach me some holy smite or how to do mass shields or something." She wrapped her arms around Isak, kissing his neck. "I'm so incredibly sorry for nearly killing you again, and I'm not completely sure what happened, but thank your demon for me."

She showered him with love as they bathed in the bloody waters, excited for the future of her magic and his ability to resist death. "What do we need to do tomorrow?" She asked between rapid breaths. "I think I'll let everyone have the day off at the church after that...erm...lesson." She chuckled and went back to kissing him.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Bathing with Eilerias a very distracting task, as they usually did many others things except for bathing, but with the blood covering both of them now, it had been impossible not to try and focus on washing it away, each taking turns with a sponge and cleaning the other. Isak gently passed the sponge over her back, trying to make it feel like a massage as the red slowly gave away to the soft and pale skin of hers, making Isak blush as he tried to push aside some of the lustful thoughts that made their way to his mind.

He spent a few more moments washing her back just so he could admire her silently, before Eilerias laughed at his statement about visiting her church. It was a nice feeling to see her somewhat happy again, as opposed to the sadness and utter desperation she showed back at the church, when she was covered with his blood and afraid for him. He held no grudges about her risky experiment, but he knew Eilerias would have a hard time forgiving herself after he nearly died.

She started talking about Sol'Nityr again, about possibly convincing Isak's demon to 'take' them to her god, so she could learn more about her powers directly from their source, but even to Isak's very creative mind, that sounded like a distant dream. He was sure about the existence of demons, and maybe even gods now, but how could they possibly come face to face with the so called Light God and even ask favours from him?

This time, it were her apologies that brought him back from thoughts, his eyes focusing on her face as Eilerias turned, her eyes filled with disappointment again. It was in those times that Isak wished he had some of her powers, so he could take away those painful thoughts and sorrow that she had, so he could see her smiling truthfully, with no sadness on her heart. He wished to show her more of his own heart, so she could truly understand how deeply his love ran for her, in the hopes that it erased any thoughts that she could have about Isak being angry or disappointed in her. He was even proud, that she took the risk to practice her powers, and he was happy to see them growing stronger.

Words couldn't do his love for Eilerias enough justice, but he would never tire of professing that love to her.

She started kissing his neck now, and Isak was sure he was about to lose his restraint and take her on that bath again, like he had done many times since they started bathing together. "You don't need to be sorry, Eile." He spoke between a few short moans, his arms wrapping around her waist and bringing her closer, so she could hear his heart beating, so she could know that he was really alive. "You brought me back, and that's all that matters. I would put my life on your hands again and again if necessary." Isak felt her tightening their embrace, before he managed to escape the hug and snatch her lips in a hungry kiss. He ran his fingers all over her waist and down to her legs, his lips rushing back and forth between her mouth and her neck.

She was addicting, and Isak could never get enough of her.

They made love many times on that bath, melting under each other's touches and letting those passionate feelings wash away the traumatizing memories of what had happened earlier. Isak was laying against the edge of the large tub, holding Eilerias in his arms as she laid her head on his chest, both of them still feeling tired and out of breath. Isak laid a few kisses on her forehead as he continued to gently wash her away, taking in her sweet fragrance. "There's a place I haven't shown you yet, here in the club." He felt her turning on his arms a bit, her golden eyes, full of curiosity, now meeting his before he continued to speak. "It's a training room, on one of the old underground storages. We should spend some time there tomorrow."

Isak anxiously waited for her answer, but Eilerias looked conflicted, which was understandable. She was a priestess, and even though she spoke about fighters amongst the holy ranks of her sacred douctrine, she was only a healer. But even healers needed to learn how to defend themselves, and Isak couldn't bear the thought of Eilerias being defenseless against coward attacks like the one she went through, the night before their heist. "I felt your power, Eile. When I was... sleeping, I could feel you healing me, keeping me from dying. It felt different, it felt stronger. You are stronger now."

He gently traced a few lines on her face with his fingers before resuming his thoughts. "I know of your holy vows, and that you could never practice violence or hurt someone, but at least let me teach you how to defend yourself. Then maybe..." He opened a cheeky smile to her. "Maybe you'll even start smiting me with your precious light, like a true paladin of justice." He laughed as she punched him slightly in the arm, clearly upset with the thought of using her powers to harm him. He embraced her tightly afterwards, resting his face against her neck and breathing in deeply.

They spent a few more minutes there before leaving the bath and wearing some new and comfortable clothes, falling to a much needed sleep after it. Isak and Eilerias managed to wake up earlier that morning, with Ogden still sleeping and snoring loudly ontop of one of the dirty tables, a bottle of ale resting on his belly. They did their best not to laugh at that terribly funny sight before Isak took her to a room in the back, near the kitchen, pressing forth one of the tiles in the stone wall and watching it slowly open, revealing another one of the club's hidden passages. They went down the narrow set of stairs and reached a somewhat large room filled with candles, weapons, training dummies and old armors that Isak used to collect from his travel. He had always been interested in the way smithing changed from region to region, with each blacksmith specializing in different ways to create their weapons and armors. It also had a big fireplace next to a few weapon racks, across the room. The place was well illuminated, with Isak always worrying about having enough light near her so the shadows couldn't reach Eilerias.

Isak watched silently and with a short smile on his face as Eilerias admired each part of that room, stopping before a dagger that looked elven in design, glowing as it lay on one of the racks hanging in the wall. Slowly, Isak approached her, startling her a bit as she seemed too focused on the blade. "I found it in Dalanar, years ago, next to one of the statues. It must've belonged to someone who lived there, and I can feel the elven power coming from it, as I'm sure you can too." He saw how proudly she smiled at seeing and touching something that belonged to their people, something that hadn't been lost to the ages.

"It's yours, my love. Once you learn how to wield it." Isak took a few steps back, waiting for Eilerias to turn and look at him. "But I won't do this unless you really want to, Eile."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias felt terrible as he pulled her in to reassure her that it was okay and he was alive. "I promise I won't use you for experiments ever again. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't come back to me." She held onto him tightly as they kissed. Even in this moment where she was losing herself in her misery, he managed to pull her out into his intoxicating embrace.

After what felt like hours of making love, they finally succumbed to exhaustion, panting as they lay back in the tub. She stared in the distance as the continued to wash the rest of the blood from her hair and body. "Another mysterious hidden room in the Raven Club? How intriguing!" She turned to face him at the mention of his training room. "You mean like with weapons?" She asked him curiously to which he confirmed.

She was concerned as he spoke of her power growing stronger. She was unsure of which powers he spoke of, but nodded in agreement. "I think you're right. I'm not sure I would have been able to save you until I tried more powerful spells. Spells I have never been able to carry out before. Do you think it had anything to do with Behron?" She looked deep into his eyes as though she was searching for the answer from his demon rather than Isak.

It took a bit of convincing, but Eilerias agreed to Isak's training. She should be able to defend herself without calling upon the energy of her shadows. It only made them stronger when she chose to acknowledge their existence. "You know, I think Dalanar had an impact on my shadows." She said thoughtfully. "They've been awfully quiet since then. Maybe it was the lights or my ancestors fighting them back. I don't know."

With those words and a few more terms of endearment, the two fell asleep in the comfort of Isak's...their bed...wrapped in luxurious furs and each other's embrace.

Eilerias followed him quietly past the snoring Ogden as they made their way to the secret training rooms below the Raven Club. She had chosen an outfit she would normally stay far away from, though her close friend Charity would probably love. It was a pair of dark pants and a top that would allow her to learn how to defend herself without tangling herself up in her usual priestess attire. It wasn't comfortable, but she would make do with all these new outfits.

She raised an eyebrows to see the room was already lit up with candles. Had Isak snuck out of bed early to prepare this all for her or was Ogden up all night setting this up? She chuckled at the thought. She admired each room he took her through, commenting on the artifacts he had collected. "I never knew things like armor and weapons changed so drastically from city to city." She side, leaving a finger print on the set of armor she pointed at.

Something caught her eye as she browsed Isak's collection. A glowing dagger of sorts, one that was unfamiliar yet reminded her of the moment she stabbed an intruder, the dagger glowing purple with Gwendolyn's enchantment as she did so. She ran her fingers along it as he explained the origins. "Dalanar, you say?" She felt a strange flow of energy, similar to the one she felt back in the ruins between her and the blade. "I do feel it..." She said, staring curiously as it seemed to glow brighter.

"Are you sure I can keep it?" She turned to look at him. "It feels very...right...in my hand. I don't know how to explain it." She held it out, curious to see if it would glow in his hands as well, but it didn't. "It feels connected to me. Isak, it's strange but I really would like to learn how to use this." She smiled, admiring the way the blade lit up in her hands, staring at it as though she were hypnotized by its power.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

As Isak had imagined, Eilerias was very intrigued by the dagger. He didn't know much about the blade, only that he found it in Dalanar, hidden amongst the statues, and it seemed to carry some sort of unknown power, but the dagger had never reacted this way to him before, even with his elven blood. It was as if it chose Eilerias to wield it, the light coming from it flashing across the room, glittering against the iron and steel of the many weapons and armors there.

"You can keep it, but you have to be careful with it." Isak replied to her, watching as Eilerias continued to inspect the weapon, her golden eyes sparkling with excitement. "A weapon is only a tool, but it's a powerful tool nonetheless." He tried to explain, to convey the seriousness of what he was about to teach to her. Fighting wasn't a noble skill as healing people, it was hard and it took a toll on both the mind and the boy. Isak knew that Eilerias wasn't weak, but he wanted her to be sure that she wanted to go along with this.

Suddenly, she held out the dagger against him, and Isak could see the light slowly dimming as it reached near him, losing its power. Isak smiled to her, having confirmed his suspicions about the blade. "It chose you, Eile. You have the power to wield it, but now you must learn to."

Isak was unsure as to what had happened for her power to grow like this, and he had been thinking about what Eilerias said last night in the bath, about not feeling the shadows as much as she felt before ever since they went to Dalanar. She mentioned something about Bhéron, Isak's demon, possibly being involved with the changes in her power, but Isak didn't think even that creature had the means to meddle with affairs that reached beyond him, affairs that concerned Eilerias and her light god. He knew she wasn't giving herself enough credit - it was through her own will that her powers were growing, and Isak felt relieved that she had accepted to use that to her defense as well, not only as a tool to heal others.

Isak distanced himself from the blade, allowing the glow to return to it as he searched for something in a nearby crate, taking out two short wooden swords and bringing them to the light of the fireplace, so Eilerias could see them. He noticed she flinched a bit, perhaps in fear or hesitation of what was to come, but Isak wouldn't let her back down yet. He wanted her to feel powerful, and the training was a mandatory step for that.

"These aren't heavy, and they won't hurt too much." He explained with a short smile on his face, walking towards Eilerias to give her one of the swords. "Hands gripping the handle tightly, so you won't let it fall or get hurt." His warm fingers touched hers, leading her hands to the right grip on the sword as she looked at him. Isak looked confident, and he wanted to convey that confidence to her as well. "Give it a few swings, so you'll get used to the weight and the movement." He said, taking a few steps back to lend her space. Isak watched as Eilerias slowly and clumsy swung the wooden sword around, still unsure of what she was doing.

Seeing her moving around swiftly and with a few drops of sweat falling through her body made Isak realize how different she looked with those clothes, tighter and more revealing than anything she had wore before. It took Eilerias several times calling for him before Isak dropped out of his mesmerized state, blushing as he realized she had caught him. "Sorry, those clothes... They look really well on you." He said with a awkward smile on his face, clearing his throat before preparing himself.

Isak gave her a few instructions about their lesson, practicing the initial basic movements of swordplay so that Eilerias could let herself loose with a weapon. He didn't attack her, merely waited for her to charge at him several times, trying her best to hit him as Isak skillfully evaded any dangers, giving out tips on what she could do to improve. It took them a couple hours, and they were both panting and tired, their sweat falling to the ground but Eilerias managed to hit him on the arm in a fast movement that caught him off guard. She looked afraid when she hit him, fearing that Isak had gotten hurt, but he had been quick to reassure her that it was all part of the training.

"You did very well for a first lesson, Eile. Not many could say the same." Isak spoke as he put the swords away, passing her a bottle filled with water so she could hydrate. His shirt was off, and the sweat was dripping heavily from his hair and all over his body, especially with the nearby fireplace in such a closed and hot room. The familiarity of the situation made him remember about the combat lessons he had with Atreon, much more brutal than what Eilerias faced now. He felt her staring at him for a moment, inspecting his scars as she always liked to do. "My training gave me many of these. Atreon was a brutal teacher." He spoke suddenly, surprising her a bit.

Isak was much more comfortable to tell her more of his past ever since they got closer, after the Black Forge Keep heist. And especially now, he trusted Eilerias with his many secrets, and knew that she would seek to comfort him as he went through those painful memories of the past. "But the pain can sometimes be a good thing. It teaches you how to endure, how to live." He faced her now, softly looking at her as he took her hands, bringing them close to a scar he had on his ribs. "My first lesson. His sword almost ran through me, but I survived." Eilerias looked shocked with the violence that Isak had gone through, but after so many times, such things became a part of his life, something that he even embraced now.

He didn't want her to feel the same way, but Isak wanted her to see that even bad things could be turned into something useful.

Isak felt her getting closer, slowly wrapping her arms around her waist and letting her head rest against his chest, and they stood there silently for a few minutes, comforting each other. "I think we're done for the day, my love. I don't want you exhausted on your first lesson." He spoke from over her shoulder, taking a few more giggles out of her as he slowly ran his fingers on her back, calming her. He noticed now that those small gestures were very effective in making her more at ease, something that Isak now felt proud of. It was like he had his own soothing touch on her, but without any magic, just his fingers, once so used to beat people up, now serving a more useful purpose.

Bad things, being turned into something useful, just like he had thought before.

Isak smiled at that realization, breaking their embrace to glance upon her, being taken aback by her beauty for a short moment. "We should get some rest. Ogden should be awake by now and I'm faminished." He chuckled shortly before taking her hand and leading Eilerias back to the lobby, a proud sensation taking over him.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias was oddly excited about a weapon for the first time in her life, but even more happy when Isak agreed to allow her to keep it as long as she learned how to use it. "Thank you so much for this." She smiled, putting her arms around him momentarily before he left to find wooden swords for her to train with.

She walked over to the fireplace, now growing a little more nervous seeing larger tools they'd be using but he reassured her that it would be okay. "If you say so..." She grabbed one of them and followed his instructions to try out the sword to get used to it. She swung it around a few times, throwing herself off balance clumsily losing her footing and falling to the floor. She was determine though and got back off the ground quickly, ready to try again.

She had finally begun to feel like she was moving the right way, sweating from all the heat in the room, when she realized Isak was staring at her. "Hey!" She waved at him. "Hey Isak!" Her voice was a little louder this time. She laughed as she realized he was staring at the clothes. "Thank yourself, you picked them out!" She did a spin in the new outfit for him, still not very comfortable in such strange attire.

The lesson went as smoothly as a first lesson with a clumsy girl could go. Most of the lesson comprised of her trying to maintain her balance and hit him with the wooden sword. When she missed, she'd try again. Eventually she managed to catch him off guard and hit him hard. "I'm so sorry!" She rushed to his side just to be complimented on her first lesson. She repeatedly asked him if he was okay, but he insisted and told her some of the training he endured with his master.

"You can be more brutal with me. I can handle it." She insisted, tracing her fingers along his sweaty scarred skin. Of course, he refused and decided to end their lesson before they were both too exhausted to carry on with the duties they had for the rest of their day. She nodded, "I'm pretty hungry as well." She admitted to him, something she rarely said out loud for it made her feel guilty for those who didn't have a crime lord making sure they ate every meal.

She watched as Isak stood and offered her a hand to help her up before they walked to the lobby together to be greeted by Ogden and Lidia who were both finishing some cleaning duties together. Eilerias smiled, delighted that Lidia was fond of Ogden and enjoyed helping him around the Raven Club. "Morning!" She waved, as she walked into the lobby with Isak. "Do you think I could help cook everyone something today with you?" She asked, her stomach growling. "I don't really know how to cook much but I really fancy some eggs today." She chuckled at such a simple food choice when Isak and Ogden usually prepared meats and fruits for them.

She didn't allow Isak to respond before she was walking back into the kitchen, searching through foods and tools she had never even seen before. "Help!" She yelled, confused among the sea of pots and pans. "Where do you keep eggs?" Isak had to come to her rescue and eventually they whipped up a combination of foods they liked. Eileirias provided some questionable looking, yet delicious fried eggs, while Isak provided the standard fruits, meats, and cheeses. They looked proud of themselves as they brought out the food and plates before instructing Lidia and Ogden to dig in as well.

About halfway through eating, Eilerias spoke up "Isak, I think we should go on that trip now." She set her fork down. "The one to Vel'Anir and Fal'Addas. I don't want to wait, I think we should go now." She looked determined, staring deep into Isak's eyes. Something in that realm with Isak's demon put it in her mind that there was something there they needed to do. "I just...I think we need to go as soon as possible. I just feel like something is there. What do you say?"

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Ogden and Lidia were a bit surprised once Isak and Eilerias appeared from one of the back rooms of the club, their hands entwined and dripping with sweat. It didn't take long for Ogden to realize that they had been using the underground training room, which prompted him to let out a few playful teases towards Eilerias, calling her a 'warrior-priestess' a few times. She was quick to dismiss that, telling him about her strict vows and her disdain towards violence, but Isak could feel that she had enjoyed those hours of hard training. Lidia was also intrigued with their practice, asking for more details.

Isak didn't have a chance to answer as Eilerias asked him about cooking something for everyone, bringing a smile to his face. "I'm sure Ogden wouldn't be opposed to us using his kitchen for today." The dwarf gulped, already fearing what kind of disaster they would bring about to his precious plates and expensive cutlery, all bought with his own share of the coin he made from the Raven Club. But before he could have a chance to plead against her request, Eilerias bolted towards the kitchen ahead of Isak, who simply shrugged and followed after her. He could even hear Ogden sighing behind him as he left to continue his cleaning of the lobby, with Lidia's help.

"I'll let you decide the meals today, love. As long as you can find the ingredients, that is." Isak teased her, a cheeky smile on his face as he tried to hold back a louder laugh, watching as Eilerias desperately searched amongst the many pots and pans for everything she'd need to cook for them. They began to prepare the meals separately, Eilerias making some eggs while Isak went on to more complex dishes, with a big combination of scrambled fruits, heavily sauced steak and some sweets to the side, to be eaten after lunch. He held out in the tip of his finger a piece of the small cake he was preparing, still far from its finished state but with enough flavour for Eilerias to taste, looking for her approval. Purposefully, he grazed his finger over her mouth as she leaned in to eat, leaving her lips all messy with sugar and cake.

He chuckled a bit as she looked at him, not believing he had done that. "There's something on your lips, my beloved priestess. Need some help cleaning it?" He leaned in to kiss her but Eilerias reached for a glass of water nearby, throwing some of it on Isak's face as retribution, laughing for a bit as wiped some water from his eyes. He chased after her across the kitchen as the food almost got burned beyond their point, and not surprisingly, Ogden and Lidia were starting to wonder why they were taking so long in the kitchen.

Eventually, Isak and Eilerias proudly returned from the kitchen, holding a few plates filled with food and juice jars, setting them down on a large table that would do enough for the four of them to sit at. Isak sat across from Eilerias as she helped Lidia with some of her food, reiterating the need for her to eat properly, something that she had now learned from Isak after being worried of how little she ate before she started living with him at the club. Isak understood that clergy had to look after the people's needs before their own, but it wouldn't stop him from looking after Eilerias', and now Lidia's well being, making sure they ate even more than their bellies could hold.

They spoke of casual things over their food, with Lidia being excited about her practices with Eilerias, even if the last one had been much more dangerous than she would've thought. Isak also explained some details about his business to her and Eilerias, making sure to hide the more shady parts about them. Even if he was a criminal, Isak still had stakes in a few legal enterprises across Alliria, such as sugar commerce, bringing and reselling spices from Amol Kalit and other things he used to pass as legitimate businessman for those who weren't the wiser. After his years of efforts, those businesses were giving him profit, but not nearly as much as his illegal dealings, also partly in thanks to the Cherry Rose, bolstering his influence in a few parts of the city that he couldn't reach before.

After some time, Eilerias called to him, and also taking everyone's attention. She told him of her desire to start the journey that they had mentioned before, as soon as possible now, which surprised Isak a bit. He was hoping they would stick around for some more time before hitting the road again, but Eilerias explained to him about what made her change her tune, and why she wanted to set out so soon. Deep down, Isak agreed with her, the short encounter they had with Bhéron had given him much to think about. Some nights, he even caught himself glancing at the Falwood, the imagery etched on the large map he had painted on the wall of his room. It felt like something was calling to them, driving them to those ancient forests.

A place that would feel familiar to him and to Eilerias. The last of the elves, their blood, would certainly feel familiar enough to them.

Still, he had promised Eilerias that they would visit Vel'Anir first, to take her back to her old church. Lidia and Ogden seemed thrilled about the idea of that trip, and even without Isak saying anything, Eilerias had gone ahead and invited them. Eilerias grabbed his hand, looking at him softly, and Isak squeezed her hand gently, letting out a assuring smile. "Just give me a few days to prepare everything, and we'll leave as soon as possible. With Ogden and Lidia as well."

Her happiness and gratitude at his answer had been reason enough to convince Isak that they were right to leave sooner, rather than later.

Over the next few days, Isak worked hard at arranging safe transport for them, to both Vel'Anir and the Falwood. He also tended to a few loose ends in his latest business meetings, leaving some deals to be further taken by a few of his most trusted guards, since Ogden would also be accompanying him. Eilerias and Lidia tended to their own affairs in the church, spending most of the mornings and evenings away in their practices and prayers, only arriving back at the Raven Club at night.

That night, the club had been closed to any activities, but Isak was still focused on a few of the papers on his desk, accounts from his latest undertaking in the docks, when Eilerias arrived in their room, wearing a looser, more comfortable and also more enticing robe, carrying two empty glasses and a bottle of wine that Isak instantly recognized as her favorite, the Cortosi edition. She called to him, to the comfort of their bed, and Isak was quick to accept, following after her, leaving his gloves on the desk and taking his glass from her as she filled it with wine and took a sip from her own glass. She was blushing, and with the lights of the candles touching her face, she was even more beautiful and irresistible.

He wanted her, like he wanted every night.

"Everything's set for tomorrow, my love. Perhaps we should enjoy our bed for one more night, before leaving for the next few weeks."

 

[Eilerias]

Just give me a few days to prepare everything, and we will leave as soon as possible.

Eilerias nearly screamed from excitement as he permitted them to depart earlier than expected for Falwood. She knew they couldn't go without their closest companions Lidia and Ogden, so she invited them as well. "Thank you so much." She shot out of her chair and embraced Isak, kissing him hard for the first time in front of Lidia and Ogden. She blushed a bright pink as she realized they had witnessed her showing affection. "Sorry!" She squeaked, sitting back down and eating her food.

It was a bit bittersweet, returning to the place that brought her so much grief, but she was excited to experience it. Physically, she hadn't changed much since she last stepped foot in Vel'Anir, but she was more confident that she could handle things if something went awry. She figured these last few days would be a good time to brief Lidia on what to expect if the citizens are unkind to her. Lidia was a human, but being in the company of Half-Elves and a Dwarf, there was no doubt she would be hurled abuse if they so much as look at a citizen wrong.

While Isak prepared transport for the group, Eilerias and Lidia trained. She had managed to get Lidia much more confident with her use of a mid level healing spell, though she lectured her to not use it unless it was an emergency. Her magic reserves were still barely developed and it would be detrimental if she were to overuse her magic in an event such as an ambush or mugging.

The final night, Eilerias had been unable to sleep as she watched Isak double check that all his affairs were in order prior to their trip. She sighed, slipping out of the room unnoticed and down to the lobby where not even Ogden was to be found. She slid carefully into the wine cellar and retrieved a bottle of the Cortosi wine, which she had become extremely fond of in recent weeks.

She was already dressed in a rather revealing robe, no doubt one that Isak had hand picked for her, as she silently grabbed two glasses and snuck back up the stairs. Careful not to disturb Isak immediately, she slipped back through the door and into the bed. She fluffed her hair and made sure she looked good before she called to him. "You work too hard, love." She opened the bottle and held a glass up as she poured it. "Come, have a drink with me." She beckoned him over, taking a sip from his glass before handing it to him.

She was blushing as she filled her own glass and began to drink it slowly. She wanted to savor these moments before they left to sleep in a foreign place for who knows how long. She giggled as he suggested they enjoy the bed once more, with the same idea in his head. "How do you read minds, Isak?" She gave him a devilish smile as she set the glasses down on the table beside the bed and pulled on the collar of his white button up shirt so he would be on top of her, inches away from her face.

"Perhaps we should enjoy it just once more my darling." She stared at him, admiring how he looked under candle light for a few moments before they began to tear each other's clothes off, leaving the nearly full glasses of wine untouched.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Chapter 2 - Hallowed be thy Blood​

Eilerias always seemed to know how to surprise him. So focused on his work as he was, Isak failed to see her slipping out of the room, grabbing a wine bottle from the cellar before returning, silently all the way. It was unusual for him to not notice someone or leaving his office, but Eilerias had become agile with her feet in the last few days, when they had the time to further hone her skills with a sword, yet another part of their preparation for their voyage.

Isak didn't fear any sort of trouble in Vel'Anir, other than the crossed looks people would give to them upon noticing that Eilerias wasn't entirely human, and that they would be accompanied by a feisty dwarf. But rather, he knew of the dangers that could be waiting for them at Falwood. Lately, it had become home to people other than elves, with dangerous vagrants and runaways from both Alliria and Vel'Anir, using the freedom of the woods to hide, far from any sort of justice. The Falwood was grand as it is, and those criminals would be wise to stay far away from Fal'Addas, where the elves could hunt them down, instead spreading out to the edges of the woods, preying upon the roads for any unlucky travelers. With that, Isak figured that it would be necessary for them to keep training, for even travelling in a group, they could still come face to face with such vagabonds.

He raised his eyes from his papers to glance upon Eilerias, already focusing on her lips from a distance as the candlelight touched her face only slightly. She had that bottle of wine in her hands and was calling to him, and always Isak had come to learn, it was futile to try and resist her. Before, he had been a man solely focused on his work, but now... He was entirely at the hands of that wonderful woman, and he enjoyed every minute of it.

Isak let go of his duties and went straight to their large bed, full of furs and expensive blankets that would keep them warm in Alliria's cold nights, although he suspected that something else would help them against the cold that night. He took the glass of wine that Eilerias had offering him, taking a small sip as she did the same, their eyes never looking away from each other. She looked even more beautiful with the soft red on her cheeks, her mouth open only slightly and those revealing robes of hers that made every fiber of Isak's body twitch, his skin starting to get hotter as he got closer to her. She was so incredibly hard to resist, and Isak gave up on that foolish notion the moment she smiled at him, setting down their glasses and pulling him on top of her by the collar of his shirt.

He smiled against her lips, their breaths so close to each other. "A good magician never reveals his tricks." Isak teased her after her previous questions, and Eilerias giggled a bit before taking his lips in a hungry and lustful kiss, her hands rapidly running through his bare back as Isak pushed her against the bed, grabbing at the sides of her waist before filling her neck with kisses and small bites. Shortly afterwards, at their own suggestions, Isak and Eilerias enjoyed that last night in the comfort of their room to the fullest, letting their satisfied screams and moans echo all around the stone and wooden walls of the club, not caring if Ogden or Lidia would hear them from their rooms nearby.

The only thing that mattered to them was their love, as the morning would bring upon a new path to their lives, away from their homes.

They woke up early, and even with some minor headaches, Isak and Eilerias managed to take a good bath before preparing themselves to meet Ogden and Lidia downstairs. The dwarf told them that he had been successful in hiring a caravan for their own use, if only for a few days. He insisted he would take the reins himself, while Isak, Eilerias and Lidia enjoyed the views from the beautiful countryside roads. Lidia asked Eilerias if she could stay next to Ogden with the horses, watching it all from the outside, and Isak stood quiet watching the white haired priestess treat her precious acolyte as a younger sister, a smile forming on his lips, a smile borne out of happiness for that pure bond. Many good things had happened in their lives in these last few months.

"We should get going, then. With luck, we shall reach Vel'Anir within a few days, if we set out early." Isak took Eilerias' hand as the four made their way to the Western Gates, where the caravan was already waiting for them, all but prepared. Isak threw a small pouch of coins to the stable hand who was taking care of the horses before they took the roads, letting the winds hit their faces as they travelled to Vel'Anir. Without any troubles, it would be a rather straight journey, the change in the landscape easily noticable as they entered the region.

It took them a few days and several stops along the way to eat and sleep, but the group eventually reached the mighty gates of Vel'Anir one morning, being stopped by the guards for a moment as a part of a routine inspection. When asked about it, with a bit of convincing, the guards relayed to Isak that the watches were more rigid due to rumours of trouble going around in nearby villages, especially the ones closer to the forests.

After leaving the caraven to be well looked after during their stay in the city, the group wandered the streets of Vel'Anir for a bit, glancing upon the majestic and imposing structures, much more different than what they were used to seeing in Alliria. They also couldn't help but notice a few looks shot at them, wary of the presence of a half elf and a dwarf amongst them. As always, Isak glared back at them, and the civilians were quick to look the other way and keep walking.

When they reached the town square, Isak turned to face Eilerias, who was still enjoying a bit of the views of the city. "Should we visit your old church now?"​

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias and Isak had spent much of the night embraced in one another's love, leaving only a few hours to sleep before they had to prepare for their trip. "Ughh." She groaned, as Isak woke her up. She stretched lazily, before groggily making her way to their bath. Most of the bath was a blur as she nodded off while Isak washed her hair and got her out, wrapping her in one of the warm towels before he covered himself.

She sat on the edge of the bed, sleepily wondering what attire would be appropriate for traveling to Vel'Anir. It wasn't until Isak was fully dressed and nudging her towards the wardrobe that she settled on the black pants and a brown jacket that covered a grey shirt. She slipped her feet into a pair of brown boots that matched the jacket and styled her hair to ensure her ears were covered. She grabbed the dagger she had been practicing with and concealed it, making sure it's elven glow was covered up from any angle.

The pair made their way downstairs and ate a last meal together while discussing the details of their transport- things Eilerias wasn't particularly interested in. She smiled as Lidia asked if she could sit with Ogden in the open air. "Of course you can, just please be careful. No falling off!" She jokingly lectured her as she stuffed her face with fruits.

"Yes, lets go!" Eilerias said, her voice muffled as she chewed. Now that their trip was a reality, she had began to get a little nervous. She often wondered how things had changed since she left. Were people still as judgmental and cruel or had they seen the error of their nasty ways and changed? She wondered. She cleaned up their plates and let Isak take her hand to lead the way to the stables.

"Thank you for doing this...for taking me back to my old home." She said to Isak, looking out of the caravan as they began their journey. "It really means a lot to me." She squeezed his hand and leaned onto his shoulder, staring at the trees they were riding through.

As the landscape shifted, Eilerias knew they were getting closer. She began to recognize certain details she had seen in her youth outside of Vel'Anir, where she would often find herself exploring alone before the days she spent in the church. "Over there!" She pointed frantically to a grouping of trees she recognized. "There is a waterfall just below that grove. When I was younger I used to explore around there." She smiled, lowering her arm. "I wonder if the hunter's camp is still there. It was abandoned well before my time, but they left some arrows and a broken bow I used to play with."

Eventually they made it to a stop just before entering the gates. She was curious to know which of the villages had been facing troubles and wanted to know the origins, but she kept her head down, avoiding the guards until they were allowed in the city.

She hopped out onto the familiar cobblestone pathways and placed a hand along one of the thick stone walls that surrounded them. She smiled, feeling full of nostalgia. She took a few moments to comment on the notability of the huge walls, covered in banners that spoke of how powerful and prosperous the human race was considered to by by the citizens of Vel'Anir. She commented on the rumors that they were so thick, they could even withstand the most powerful elven magics.

She largely tried to ignore the odd looks her and Ogden received. She could only do so much to hide her elven half and it did not appear to be fooling the citizens. She was fortunate that she had Isak and Lidia to at least pass as human for the rest of the group.

She felt herself get a little nervous as Isak mentioned visiting her old church. "I..Uh..okay sure we can do that now." She responded, tripping on a loose stone and regaining her balance. She pointed towards a crowded pathway. "It's just a bit east of here. You really can't miss it." She began walking towards the direction she pointed, hearing comments on the group as they made their way through the crowd. Of course, she paid no mind to the hurtful comments.

She held no ill will towards those who hurt her for she didn't truly believe it was their fault. The government and military were a very large part of Vel'Anir's culture, and their hatred of nonhumans seemed to spread like a disease through the city. To Eilerias, the people giving them weird looks were only victims of their surroundings.

It was a short walk, soon the glorious cathedral was in their sights. It was exactly as she once described to Isak. A massive structure made of stone on the outside that matched the cities appearance. The doors were heavy as she pushed them, hearing the creaking echo through the marble chambers. Surely enough, Isak would soon see the interior marble and golden accents that spread throughout the building. She was surprised to see the place was dark and empty, with a film of dust covering most of the furniture.

"Hello?" She called only to be greeted by silence as she moved ahead of the group towards the towering statue of Sol'Nityr that stood with his sword of light, carved of marble. It stood about 30 feet tall and seemed to look over the cathedral. The light shined into the cathedral from behind him, making the dust in the air look like little snowflakes. She bowed before the man and prayed for a few moments as she had done many times before moving to the center of the cathedral.

She ran her hands along the lectern that stood at the front of the church, wiping the dust off a scroll that had been left out.

"To the Church of The Light" Eilerias began reading the scroll. "There have been reports of a plague outbreak of unknown origin in the following village: Stoneforge. It has been requested that the healers of light travel to this location in order to provide aid to those who have been afflicted before it spreads any further." She grabbed the scroll and brought it over to Isak, coughing as the dust flew into her face. "It's dated to be several weeks old and no one has returned yet..." She pointed out the date underneath the signature from the government official who went the letter.

"Something strange is happening here if they've abandoned the church." She said, looking at Isak's face for reassurance.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

The journey to Vel'Anir had been peaceful, giving Isak the time to contemplate many of the beautiful landscapes as they went by. The countryside was a sight to behold in that time of the year, the crops nearing peak conditions for their harvest on the farms, the roads sometimes filled with other caravans, of both merchants and simple travelers like them, and he could see Ogden pointing out to Lidia a few things about the region, teaching her about the animals that lived in the area, or telling her stories about the crossroads that connected the kingdoms, all the way from Amol Kalit and its deserts to the Allirian Strait.

Eilerias had thanked Isak on their first day of travel, grateful that he took the time and resources to have this journey with her. He smiled tenderly at her as she put her head against his shoulder, taking a deep breath as she stared at the mountains in the horizon, from the comfortable inside of their wagon. It was big enough to hold more than 4 people, but Ogden had taken charge of the reins and Lidia spent most of the time with him, leaving Eilerias and Isak alone, which was something that he enjoyed greatly.

As the days went by, she began to tell him a few stories about her time in Vel'Anir, how she used to roam the clearings near the city once she recognized a familiar spot nearby, close to a few trees that seemed to stand out from the rest. Seeing her so happy and excited brought no shortage of smiles and satisfaction to Isak, who was comfortable enough to just sit back and listen to her stories this time, as opposed to their first travel together, when he spent most days telling her about his own voyages, when they were travelling to Cerak. Still, he didn't fail to notice the glimmer of sadness on her voice and on her gaze as she spoke of life back in Vel'Anir, which Isak immediately picked it up as fear regarding the odd looks and prejudices they would find back in that city.

He knew of the pain she endured back then, but this time was different. This time, he would be with her every step of the way, and Isak would brook no threat or provocation thrown against her.

They arrived at Vel'Anir shortly after that, and took their time to explore a few of the most known districts and famous streets of the city, with Isak always looming about, his eyes ever watchful as people went past them and looked strangely towards the group. They admired a few of the hardened and majestic structures that Vel'Anir offered, well known for being one of the greatest military cities in Arethil, its sturdy walls almost impossible to breach and even their buildings serving as reminders of the strength of that place. The architecture was vastly different from what they had back in Alliria, and the city itself was more polished and well organized, guards patrolling the streets at every moment and lookouts at every turn. There was nothing left to chance or to the whims of men like him in Vel'Anir, and suddenly Isak even felt relieved to call Alliria a home.

He doubted he'd be able to work his shady craft in a place like Vel'Anir, with eyes watching him always.

He was taken from his thoughts as a grumpy man murmured a few rude words towards them, and more especifically Eilerias, as they passed by. In a fit of anger and disdain, Isak rushed towards the man, holding him high by the collar of his shirt, his rasp voice filled with nothing but hatred. "Is your humanity so frail that you can't stand to look upon others that aren't of your kind, without calling them names? Should I call you man or monster?" Eilerias was quick to seize Isak's arm, pulling him away from the scared man who quickly ran away. Isak didn't seem to regret it, but his eyes evaded Eilerias' gaze for a moment, uttering whispers of apology to her, in light of his violent behavior. He would spare no wrath towards the people who had always been crude and prejudiced at her.

After almost an hour of walking around and happily watching how nostalgic and blissful Eilerias looked as she remembered some of the streets she walked in her youth, Isak asked her about visiting her church. Ever since she told him the stories, he had been anxious to lay his eyes upon that place, to see the statues of Sol'Nityr that she said reached all the way to the ceiling of the immense building, standing out as one of the major points of interest in Vel'Anir, well respected by civilians and military alike. The roads to the church had been mostly empty though, which sparkled Isak's suspicions for a moment.

For a place so popular, he would've expected more people seeking to visit it, but even as they reached the clearing of the church and glanced upon its great gates, it was all empty. Not a single priest parading around, just the four of them walking the hallowed grounds, with Eilerias and Lidia seemingly taken back by the beauty of the vast garden. They opened the doors with ease, raising a few speckles of dust around them as they entered the church and contemplated its wonderful surroundings, with Isak surprised that the place looked every bit as beautiful as Eilerias told him. He watched her walk up to a tall statue of her god, saying a small prayer as she approached, before her eyes scanned around in search of someone, her visage troubled once she called out to any priests, but no one answered back.

They walked around the church a bit more, until Eilerias found a scroll and began to read it. It spoke about a plague in the region, and the need of healers to deal with it, but it dated back to a few weeks ago, and there seemed to be no one at the church capable of heeding such plea at that moment, just four strangers. Eilerias looked at him, her eyes seeking some sort of reassurance from Isak as he took the scroll from her hand when she held it out, reading it quickly. He frowned, trying to piece together all the details that he could find in that roll of paper, but only coming upon more questions.

A plague outbreak... He recalled something similar many years ago in Alliria, and the Shallows were always troubled with many kinds of disease, especially at winter, but a outbreak sounded much more severe, and by the scroll, it had claimed a nearby village. Stoneforge.

They would need to investigate, to ask around the city for rumours or informations about what was happening. He knew the guards already had some information of their own, but they would never divulge them to foreigners, so they would have to resort to the gossip of the markets or the taverns, which were both things he was very used to hearing.

Gently, Isak reached out to Eilerias' arm, his gloved hand squeezing it a bit as if looking to comfort her with that slight touch. "We should ask around, gather some information. The taverns are of no proper use until nightfall, but we could try the markets." Eilerias looked distraught, and the sadness and worry in her eyes had been enough to convince Isak to dig deep into what had happened at the church, as to what reason could've called every man and woman of that place to abandon their holy duties. They left the church and followed the roads back to the market square, almost as grand as Alliria's own market district.

They approached a fruit stall who was free of clients for a moment, but before they could ask the merchant any questions, Isak tilted his head to the side a bit, noticing the way Eilerias looked towards a woman nearby, and also the way she was looking back. He sought to ask of his beloved priestess what was wrong, but the woman approached them, her eyes shocked and her face looking as if he was glancing upon a ghost. A ghost of her past.

"I... I recognize you, girl..." She spoke, and Eilerias reached for Isak's hand in surprise, while the young man just stood there, silent and without any idea as to what was happening in that strange day.

 

[Eilerias]

"I really wonder what happened..." She thought aloud, as Isak read the scroll to himself. "The guards...they mentioned something strange going on in several of the nearby villages that Vel'Anir oversees, but they didn't say anything about a plague. Do you think they're hiding something from the people in the city?" She looked at Isak, curious to hear his thoughts.

She agreed with Isak, they should investigate something that was now involving the servants of her god. "We can't ask the guards either, they appeared to be hiding it earlier and asking too much of the wrong person will only get us thrown in jail." She nodded. "I guess the markets would be a good place to get some information. Just please be careful with who you are asking these questions."

The group left and made their way back into the Vel'Anirian market district. Eilerias always found it to be so menacing, the city of Vel'Anir. The stone walls that bordered everything felt like a prison, but at the same time she missed the familiar stalls that had bright banners and fabrics, similar to those in the Shallows. Eilerias followed Isak's lead heading towards a fruit stall, but stopped in her tracks to stare at a woman.

A few people bumped into her as the two looked at each other and Eilerias went pale as though she had seen a monster. She kept silent as the woman approached the group, saying she recognized her. Eilerias blindly reached for Isak and grabbed his hand tightly, growing nervous.

The woman stood in front of Eilerias, looking her over as a mixture of emotions crossed over her face. Eilerias looked up at Isak and back at Lidia, trying to see if they were seeing her too. The woman, who stood in front of them looked like a mirror image of Eilerias, though she had brown hair and blue eyes.

"Do I know you?" Eilerias finally managed to get the words out as the woman inspected her, lifting her arms and grabbing at her hair before standing before her once again.

"You may not know me, but I've known you for a long time my dear Sylvanna." She smiled softly, extending her hand. "My name is Marionna."

Eilerias' eyes went wide and her stomach dropped as she heard the name Sylvanna for the first time in years. "How do you know that name?" She demanded, frozen in place by fear.

"You mean the name Sylvanna?" The woman cocked her head, confused by Eilerias' nervous stuttering. "Oh my sweet child, I was the one who gave you that name."

Eilerias took a step back, nearly tripping over Isak's foot. "In the orphanage...?" Her question trailed off as the woman laughed quietly and shook her head.

"Of course not, I gave it to you before I put you in that old orphanage. I am your mother Sylvanna. I know I haven't been here for you, but I have had the orphanage report back to me on your whereabouts and activities up until you left." There was a resentment in the tone of her voice, though Eilerias couldn't tell if she regretted putting her in an orphanage or her existence entirely. "Last I heard, you had left Vel'Anir. Tell me, child, what are you doing here?" The woman smiled as she looked at Isak, ignoring Lidia and Ogden's presence.

"And who is this nice young man? I do hope no one is giving you grief for being associated with a half-elf!" She spoke to Isak, ignoring the sadness Eilerias felt as her own mother seemed to be one of the citizens infected by the hatred of nonhumans. She wouldn't correct her that Isak was not a human either, for she seemed smitten by him. "My dears, I know it has been a very long time...twenty one years...but I would like to get to know you. Would you accept an invitation to a meal at my house?"

Eilerias was wary of the stranger...her mother's kind invitation, but before she could decline, Isak accepted, strangely eager to know this woman and her insistance that Eilerias' name was Sylvanna. Eilerias didn't respond as the group was being escorted to a small home that was decorated with colorful flowers and a lovely cobblestone staircase that led up to the front door. She nervously stepped inside, and was surprised that while she was living in a filthy orphanage, her mother had a lovely decorated home with a large wooden table, a cooking pot, a piano, and tons of decorations from Vel'Anirian artists. She was even more surprised when two children, a younger boy and a teenage girl, came down the staircase to greet their- her mother.

"Now now, no shouting!" Her mother stepped between the two bickering children. "Devon, Gemma please say hello to our dinner guests. This is Sylvanna" She pointed to Eilerias, noticing the children staring at her strange resemblance to their mother. "She's a relative of ours who's come to visit. And these are her friends." She pointed to the other three.

Eilerias finally managed to speak up, still not correcting her mother. "Um...this is Isak Lavelle, Ogden, and Lidia." She said quietly, pointing each one out.

Marionna began to set the table and serve portions of stewed meats, bread, and drinks to all of the guests, excited to hear about what Sylvanna was doing now that she had left Vel'Anir as well as the profitable business of Mr. Lavelle.

Eilerias smiled as she was asked about her line of work. "Actually I still work within the Church of the Light." She lit up at the opportunity to talk about Sol'Nityr. "I was fortunate enough to be able to afford a building in Alliria and the head of the church permitted me to start a practice within the city." She spoke for a while about her faith and the teachings.

Her mother gave her a look of approval for the first time since they arrived. "I'm very glad you didn't end up like your father." She commented quietly as Eilerias spoke.

"Speaking of the church, have you heard of some strange plague spreading outside the city...in the nearby villages?" Eilerias looked over her Marionna's face, searching for a response. "The church was empty when we went to go visit, but a letter was left behind dated several weeks ago."

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Sylvanna...

Isak didn't really know what to make of all that. The two women seemed to be in a place of their own, and even though Eilerias was tightly gripping at Isak's gloved hand, as if looking for his protection, she was still focused on nothing else but the strange woman, who looked to be double her age, but still bearing many striking similarities in their appearance. They were so alike, although Eilerias had her beautiful white hair and the soft elven features along the lines of her face.

He watched as the woman inspected her, touching her hair and her skin, and then backing off. She introduced herself as Marionna, mother to Eilerias, but Isak could sense something in her voice. He had developed great instincts to read people, it was one of his secrets to being such a successful man in a world of crime, knowledge and influence. He could almost sense a kind of coldness coming from Marionna, especially in the way she so casually treated Eilerias after what he presumed had been so many years apart. They spoke about a orphanage, and Isak remembered the stories Eilerias had told him before, of being left alone in such a place, to fend off by herself. He was careful not to squeeze her small hand, but he couldn't hide the way his brow furrowed and his jaw clinched, moments before he composed himself, as Marionna switched her gaze to him.

Isak let out a charming smile as she seemed to take a interest on him, probably assuming him to be someone of status and importance, by the way he portrayed himself, and his expensive clothes. And then... his mask almost fell off. He could see it all now - the prejudice, once again. He could see now why that woman left her own daughter in a orphanage, for she looked more elven than human, and as a Vel'Anirian, she wouldn't have that.

"There's no grief in accompanying such a beautiful woman, Miss Marionna. I am lucky to be with your daughter, and I care for her deeply." He said confidently, making Eilerias blush and feeling her squeeze his hand a bit more. He simply smiled back at her, before tilting his head to face her mother again.

He was having a hard time discerning those people from beasts, so cold and ruthless to others who weren't of their same kind. But Isak would play along, for now. He wouldn't want to scare the mother of his future wife, and he could certainly play the part of a foolish rich human, smitten by the lovely elven lady.

"Twenty one years, you say? It wouldn't be wise to keep a mother away from her daughter for much longer, so let us accept your humble invitation." Isak said, as cordially as possible, still bearing his charming smile. He could keep that charade up, if only to glance at the kind of people Eilerias had to endure in her early life. He looked at her then, silently trying to reassure her, to make it seem that everything would be alright. Their feelings and thoughts were so well connected now, that they learned to speak without even saying a word to each other.

It was all in their hearts and in their eyes, and she could certainly see how uncomfortable he was at seeing her being treated like that, but he'd try his best not to ruin that important moment for her.

They set out, following Marionna's lead until they came upon a small but good looking house, being greeted by two other kids as soon as they step foot inside. They learned their names and Isak assumed they were children to Marionna, which would make them relatives to Eilerias, but she was quietly watching them by his side. She shrugged a bit before finally introducing the group to Marionna and her children, and Isak quickly let out his captivating smile again. They sat at the table and enjoyed the delicious food offered to them, with Isak happy to learn more about the relation between mother and daughter.

He could see now why she held Gwendolyn to such high regards, thinking of her as a mother. Marionna had failed her, but Isak would abstain from any hurtful comments that night, for Eilerias' sake.

Marionna now called to him, asking him about his work, and how he came to meet Eilerias. He put his fork and knife down, contemplating the white haired woman by his side for a bit. He had that old look on his face, the one she could recognize almost instantly that he was plotting someone, before Isak turned to look at Marionna. "Tell me, Lady Marionna. Are you a woman of faith?"

The question seemed to surprise her a bit, but Isak went on before receiving an answer. "I like to believe that I'm a man of faith. It was Sol'Nityr himself that put your beautiful daughter on my path, to enligthen my dark ways. Business had taken such a great part of my life, and she taught me many things." He didn't stray from looking at Eilerias not even for a single moment as he spoke, seeing how emotional she was becoming with each of his words, even though she knew that Isak was lying about being a man of faith. "I have to wonder though... What ill fears plague your good heart that you would resent her blood, your own blood, as different, something to be discarded? Human, elves, dwarves... We all breathe the same air and eat the same food, right here at your table. We live the same life and die all the same, wouldn't you agree?"

He had tried his absolute best not to overstep his boundaries and be rude to that woman, who was showing him nothing but kindness, and yet, given the awkward silence that had taken over the table, Isak knew that he had struck his point where he had intended to do. He carefully eased back to the chair, a confident smile on his face as he took another sip of water, before Eilerias sought to break that tense moment with some other kind of question to her mother. She still looked shocked and confused by Isak's previous questions, but Eilerias had been smart to ask her about the rumours going around of a plague in the region.

Marionna looked to her children from a moment, and then to Isak and Eilerias before responding, her eyes heavy with fear. "They don't want the people to know, they say it raises terror in the city. People been going missing, for weeks now. A few guards came back from their search parties, and they were carrying the plague. Gemma even saw their bodies being dumped outside the walls!" Isak looked at Ogden as he put a large piece of bread on his mouth, their eyes meeting each other with suspicion, intrigued at that information.

"And the church? There must be a reason for it to be so empty. They wouldn't abandon the people so easily." Isak questioned, and Marionna composed herself for a moment, taking a sip of her tea. She told them that many healers were being dispatched to the nearby villages, and some had come back, but left again without warning. Whenever people asked around, they would be shut down by guards, warning them not to spread ill gossip. Marionna also told them that a few healers ended up dying of the plague, and that it was far more powerful than what they were imagining.

"Occultism..." Isak whispered, low enough that only few people on that table could hear. He had heard much about supernatural diseases used as a way to reap the populace of some places, driven by magic and controlled to the slightest details, so that even healing magic wouldn't be of great effect. The sciences of the occult, knowledge of the mind and body being subverted and used to foul gains. There was no doubt left in his mind that they would have to visit Stoneforge in the morning, to investigate the source of that problem.

After a few more moments, Eilerias called them to bid everyone a good night, and they left without much ceremony, something that Isak could feel that she had been yearning to do. They weren't very comfortable in that house, and they were relieved to be away now. Marionna led them to the door, asking them to come visit them again with news about the plague and the missing healers, to which Isak kindly agreed.

As they walked the streets of Vel'Anir, night had begun to fall and there were lots of thoughts to be considered, preferably under the comfort of a sturdy roof. "We should seek a inn, to pass the night. In the morning, we'll go to Stoneforge."

There was something else on Isak's mind, though. The name that Marionna used to call Eilerias, back in the market. Isak wondered what had driven Eilerias to hide such a important part of her past from them, and especially him.

"My love, once we get to the inn, can we talk for a bit?" He asked softly, his hand still entwined with hers as they walked ahead of Ogden and Lidia, who were busy with their own conversation behind them.

 

[Eilerias]

After Eilerias had finished a brief explanation of what her occupation was to Marionna and her children, she listened as Isak spoke. His words were a bit more harsh than Eilerias thought they had to be, as she nervously picked at her food. He had a point, though and it resonated as the room was left in an awkward silence.

She listened carefully as Marionna spoke of the rumors that were going around the city. "How many people have gone missing?" She interjected, only to be given a shrug. She looked to Gemma, curious about where these bodies were now rotting. She looked at Isak as if to say "We should check it out." Though she knew they would probably get caught if they weren't careful.

"Many healers were sent?" Eilerias looked at Isak and then back at Marionna. "All of the healers were sent. Even the head of the church is missing. The entire place was covered in dust." She heard Isak mention a word that she didn't quite understand, so she continued. "How long exactly has this plague been going on?"

Marionna sighed and looked at her children. "We've been hearing rumors about this plague for a month or two now. It's only rumor though so don't go shouting in the streets about no plague." Her voice was almost motherly as she lectured Eilerias.

With that last comment, Eilerias could feel they were overstaying their welcome. She thanked Marionna for the meal and said goodbye to the children. Gemma seemed a bit wary of their presence, but Devon warmed up to the group right away, commenting on how strong Isak and Ogden looked and how he wanted to marry Lidia one day.

"There's plenty of Inns here in Vel'Anir, but we are probably going to want to go to The Hound and The Stag. It in a slightly less affluent area within Vel'Anir, but it's probably the only one that will allow us." She watched her feet on the cobblestone as she led the way. "The people likely won't be the most trustworthy, but they won't give us trouble for not being humans." She grabbed at Isak's hand and looked back up.

They walked for a while in silence, enjoying the quiet city when no one was out to give them strange looks or heckle them in the streets. Isak's voice broke the silence, as he asked her to talk. She raised an eyebrow, growing nervous of what he wanted to talk about. "Yes, of course." She gave him a shaky smile. "It's just up ahead!"

She pulled the group along and they made their way into a slightly more run down inn. She looked over the group and then to the man who was behind a counter. "Three rooms, please." The man stared at the group and gave them the price of 35 gold pieces. It was expensive, to Eilerias, but she agreed. It was the only place that would house a dwarf and two half elves. The group paid and made grabbed the keys they were given to the rooms upstairs.

She watched patiently as Ogden and Lidia made their way into their own rooms and said a quiet goodnight to the two before her and Isak entered their room. It was nothing like the rooms in the Raven Club, but it was a much better place to rest her head than the floor of a caravan.

She sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Isak to join her, nervous of his questions. "What is there you wish to know?" She asked, grabbing his hands.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

They arrived at a inn called The Hound and the Stag, at Eilerias' instruction. It was slightly more run down and certainly less charming than his own Raven Club, but it would do well for them to spend a few nights there. It certainly beat sleeping on the caravan's floor or in a makeshift bed in the side of a road, as they did while travelling from Alliria.

There weren't many people at the lobby, and a few of them were too busy in their own conversations and drinks to care for the group of four very unusual people that made their way inside. He saw the look of the old innkeeper towards Eilerias and Ogden for a fleeting moment, before it landed on Isak, instantly recognizing his cold stare and falling into a respectful manner, greeting them with a certain kindness. Eilerias asked for three rooms, and the man laid out his price, to which he saw Eilerias getting rather surprised at the cost. In normal times, inns wouldn't be so costly to a few travelers, but there was something off about that city from the moment they step foot through the gates.

And also, there was the presence of a woman who looked more elf than human, and a redbearded dwarf who kept moaning about the hot weather of Vel'Anir, in comparison to Alliria's damp nights.

Eilerias started searching through her purse for the coins but Isak was quicker, taking even a few more coins than the normal price, telling the innkeeper that they didn't wish to be disturbed. The old man gladly accepted the overpayment, a tired and surprised smile on his face shining at them before he lowered himself behind the counter to look for the keys to their room. Isak let out a small smile to Eilerias before she grabbed the keys and they set off towards the stairs, Ogden and Lidia entering their respective rooms until Eilerias unlocked the door to their own room.

It was far less decorated and well kept than their room back at the Raven Club, but it looked comfortable enough that it would suffice for a few nights. And the bed looked ample enough to fit the both of them, a bit bigger than the one they had on the ship towards Cerak.

Eilerias went on to sit on it as Isak took off his coat and gloves, laying them on a small desk nearby, with a couple candles on it. She looked a bit nervous, perhaps wary of what Isak would ask of her, which made him feel a bit bad for putting her through that. She reached for his hands and Isak promptly caressed them, his pale fingers gently tracing circles on them, looking to calm her down. When she asked him what had been on his mind, Isak looked away to the candles for a moment, thinking about what had happened in the market earlier.

"Sylvanna... That woman, your mother, she called you by that name. You never told me about it." He didn't mean it as to show her he was hurt, Isak knew well that she probably had her reasons, especially given what she had faced before meeting him. He didn't want her to assume that he was suspicious of her, but he was curious as to her motives.

The name 'Isak' had been chosen for him by his old master, and 'Lavelle' was merely a joke, to make people think that he was some sort of noble, or rich businessman with means. He didn't know her reasons, but Isak would always look to understand her.

His fingers now wandered off to her face and to her hair, softly caressing her cheeks as she prepared to tell him, perhaps reliving some bad memories of her past. He needed to tell her that she could always trust him, and that things would be better going forward, rather than being stuck in the past. Gently, he pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, feeling her so close by. "Your mother, the people of the city... They don't know you, regardless of your true name. They have never seen your light, your kindness, how you saved countless people, including me." He paused for a moment, breathing deeply before opening his eyes to face her.

"I'm not a man of faith, as you well know, but if such things as gods and destiny truly exist, then I'll be forever grateful that they allowed me to meet you, Eile." He put a few strands of her hair behind her pointy ear, admiring her beauty for a few seconds.

He couldn't help but feel a bit selfish, and without regretting it, that Gwendolyn had whiskered her away from this terrible city, away from the eyes filled with hatred and prejudice, to a place where she could find comfort, in her church, in her healing of those who needed, and in his arms. Isak would always seek to comfort her, to hold her in his arms in her hours of need. "Forgive me, for my words back at your mother's house. I couldn't bear to see the look in her face towards you, as if our blood made us less than what we really are."

After he sought her forgiveness, and jokingly asked of her what name she would've preferred Isak to call her by, Eilerias and Isak embraced each other lovingly, in that small and cozy room, so much different from what they had in Alliria, but still with the same love and meaning. No matter where they were, their feelings would always remain the same, and that was enough for him.

"Stoneforge has been cursed by occultism, Eile. I need to confirm my suspicions about it, but it certainly looks like it. We need to be careful tomorrow... Those responsible for this must still be lingering nearby."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias sat on the edge of the bed, watching Isak take off his coat and gloves before he joined her. She knew what was coming, she should have prepared for this possibility, but she had no idea who her mother was, nor did she know she had remained in Vel'Anir for all these years. She sighed and looked away as he asked about her name.

Sylvanna.

The name she had been hiding for years now. The identity she hid from her friends, the people she considered a family. The name only her and Gwendolyn were familiar with. The name of a "disgraced healer from Vel'Anir- poor thing was only a teenager when she was exiled from her faith."

The name of the corpse they found near that waterfall she pointed out while they were in the caravan.

Sylvanna.

Her voice was low as she spoke. "Sylvanna was my true name. The name I grew up with. The name the church here would know me as." She kept her eyes locked to the warped floorboards as she continued. "I always thought it was given to me by the orphanage, but I guess I was wrong. That name died the night Gwendolyn and I fled." A few tears began to hit the floor below her. She was fond of the name, though elven in nature and the cause of some torment she received growing up.

It was special to her. A connection to her past and the forests in which she spent her youth. "It means forest...in elvish. I don't know much elvish, but that much I do know." But the name was also something she hoped to keep buried deep in the forests of Falwood like her other belongings they left along with the corpse framed to be her own. She sat in silence for a few minutes trying to figure out why the woman who hated the elven race so much would give her a name from their language.

"Gwendolyn thought it would be easier to fake my death and start new in Alliria. She couldn't change my faith, but she could change the name I was known by. She gave me the name Eilerias as we traveled back." She chuckled at the irony of the chosen name's meaning of bravery or strength between tears. Eilerias thought herself to carry neither of these traits. "I never thought someone would recognize me after all of these years, nevertheless my own mother. A mother I didn't even know existed until today." She took a few deep breaths, trying to compose herself.

"You think me to be weak and passive, correct?" She looked to get a response of confirmation from Isak before she continued. She knew Isak would not call her weak to her face, but she knew that deep down, she wasn't a strong person. She promised never to her another innocent being...after this night. "The night we fled I took another's life." She looked up at Isak as he caressed her cheeks. "I lured a young girl from her family in one of the working districts and I killed her. I killed her Isak. I killed someone's daughter...someone's child... so I could leave Vel'Anir." She began to cry harder as she spoke. "An innocent girl who's only sin was looking like me."

She uncovered her pointy ears. The ears she was embarrassed to have attached to her head, though she would never tell Isak how much she hated them. "Gwendolyn gave me a blade to use and I slit her throat before we burned the body and left a trail of my belongings to trick the guards. By the time news spread, I was already halfway to Alliria."

She pulled away from his forehead. "The people of the city don't know me; to them I died a long time ago. The poor half-elf brutally murdered in the woods." Her words were cold as she moved her gaze back to the floor. "Your words at my...Marionna's house...I am grateful for your opinions but perhaps the people here are right. My kind are evil. We shouldn't have come here Isak."

Tears silently flowed from her eyes as Isak held onto her, trying to crack jokes. She was confused. Was he not horrified that she killed someone who hadn't wronged her in cold blood so she could leave? She worried he would think her devotion to Sol'Nityr was a fallacy, like her name. The girl who fled that night to retain her ability to spread the words of light and heal those in need was a murderer of an innocent child.

There was silence broken up by the occasional sniffle as Eilerias cried in Isak's arms. It wasn't until several minutes later, he decided to break the silence and talk about the plague. She looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot from how hard she had been crying. "Occultism?" She sniffled, her voice quavering. "I don't even know what that means. What are we going to do about it Isak?"

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak didn't as much as flinch or look away from her as Eilerias told him her story, the darkest moments that lay in her past. He would never think to judge her on those, but she surprised him, telling him of how she came to leave Vel'Anir, and what she had to do to escape. The entire time, he held onto her, not allowing her to think for even the slightest second that he would resent her for the things she's done, his hands gripping her in a warm touch, as Isak kept watching her, his eyes focused on hers.

She asked him if he thought her to be weak and passive, but before Isak could answer her, Eilerias continued on with her story, and he didn't want to interrupt, choosing to stay in silence and comforting her as she began to tear down over those harsh memories. She threw herself on his chest, sobbing and almost screaming, angry and disappointed at herself with every word she spoke, of having killed a innocent girl so that she could escape.

It reminded him of the night he realized the shackles that held him, back when he served Atreon.

Hearing her voice breaking down as the tears flown heavily down her cheeks was hurting Isak more than any blade had cut him before, and he felt completely powerless to help her, to at least ease her pain. She was suffering so much, simply because she did what she needed to do to survive. He wished he could've protected from such cruel things in this wretched world, but Isak had appeared on her life a bit too late, and it was that pain that drove her to him, to Alliria, to her new life as Eilerias.

Isak kept silent, but he let his arms slowly wrap around Eilerias as she cried against his chest, against the fabric of his shirt. He hugged for a moment before pressing his forehead to hers, trying to comfort her even for a bit before she spoke again, pulling away from him and talking as if she was some kind of evil person, something that Isak would never let her think herself as. His eyes changed from pity to seriousness, his whole demeanor changing in a instant as he grabbed her hand again, not allowing her to wallow herself in that self pity, into thinking that she was some kind of monster.

She wasn't a monster, she was a priestess of light, and she survived. That was all.

He didn't know what to do, if he was supposed to make her feel better by cracking stupid jokes, or simply saying to her that he was also a murderer, and she didn't have to worry about having blood on her hands. He hated being so cold and tactless in moments like this, but he couldn't allow her to keep thinking that she didn't deserve any good in life.

"I won't allow you to think that, Eile. Not after everything you've endured, not after every life you've saved." His eyes looked down softly at her now, once the initial surprise of his words had passed, and he now gently caressed her hands, opening a short smile as if he was trying to recall something from the back of his mind. "The week after Gwendolyn brought you to the Raven Club, I got into a fight, do you remember? She saw me bleeding when I was returning from the docks, and she ordered me to go see you in your house, even if it was late at night."

He paused for a moment, losing himself in her eyes for a bit, before pushing on as she seemed to remember a few details of that night. "We had barely spoken before, but you healed me. And I kept asking you about your faith, and why you didn't seem scared of me. People usually are." He chuckled, his thumb tracing a few circles on the back of her hand. "You told me of your faith, and you said that everyone has a bit of goodness in them, even in a cesspit like that. I wondered if you were simply insane, I couldn't believe that Gwendolyn had brought someone so innocent and naive into such a dangerous place, to be taking care of criminals."

Isak looked at her now, his smile genuine and his brown eyes looking at her affectionately. "I was such an idiot back then. I didn't even realize that I was already..." His mouth stopped before saying any more words, before he could admit that he had already fallen in love with her from the moment he laid his eyes upon her, that he was so intrigued by her from the moment they talked, that he always found excuses to speak to her again, even if it was to provoke her about her faith. His eyes now set upon the burning candle on the table, as Isak let out a heavy sigh, preparing himself for what he would tell her.

"My first kill wasn't my master." He started, then paused for a bit, not wanting to look back to her. "He sent me after someone, a dangerous thief he said. Khet went with me, he would oversee this... test. We captured the man, and when I was about to kill him, I saw his face. It wasn't a man, Eile, it was a kid. He must've been a few years younger than me, but I had to follow Atreon's bidding, so I cut his throat and left him to bleed." He was scared to even look at Eilerias, fearing what she was thinking of him.

"Khet told me that I only did what I was supposed to do, that I survived, but I knew it wasn't so simple. I took a life, and I was angry and confused. Khet told me everything about Atreon, but I wanted to flee, to find my mother and escape. But once I lost her as well... I had lost everything. It wasn't survival anymore, it was retribution, and so I took Atreon's life in return."

Slowly, she put her hand on his face and made him look at her, his eyes watering as he remembered about the terrible night that started everything. Eilerias took his hands and sought to calm him, and once Isak felt more at ease about it, he looked at her again. "We're not evil. We're survivors, Eile. We only did what we had to do, for this world is cruel and merciless. And you're not weak, my love. You're so much more stronger than you realize."

He pressed their foreheads together again, his thumb wiping away a few of her tears as they took that moment of silence to reflect upon each other's words, before Isak remembered about the problem they were about to face, the plague in Stoneforge. Eilerias looked at him confused, and so Isak went on to explain to her.

"Occultism is a dark art. It's magic, but it also involves science, the manipulation of anatomy and biology. Diseases, plagues, curses... It's heartless and dangerous, and it requires a enormous amount of power to be used properly. There must be some sort of occultism at work here, but it doesn't explain how or why your church was empty. But perhaps, if the priests tried to stop it by themselves..."

He didn't want her to think that they were all dead, victims of whatever evil was at play there. They still needed to investigate Stoneforge in the morning, but he suspected there would only be more questions than answers waiting for them there.

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias leaned on him quietly enjoying his embrace as he tried to reassure her that she wasn't a monster. It was hard to believe otherwise. She felt even worse for hiding the parts of her she wished to keep buried from the one person who loved her. The person who showed her his demons.

She nodded as he asked if she remembered their first encounter. It was just a week after she was brought to this strange new city. Gwendolyn woke her in the middle of the night, asking her to help a young man whom she did business with. Eilerias had no clue he lived only across the street or that he was the owner of The Raven Club.

She remembered the broken bones he had. She hadn't fully figured out how to soothe people as she healed them, so she talked his ear off to keep him distracted as she replaced the bones and sealed the cuts. She found herself laughing as he mentioned finding her insane at their first meeting. "I guess Gwendolyn figured I could handle myself if I had to again." She said quietly. He was right, Eilerias was innocent and naïve with many things, but she had Gwendolyn always watching her, making sure nothing dangerous ever came too close to her. Eilerias was too trusting and did see the good in everyone.

Everyone but herself.

She listened as he trailed off, but worried she would push him away if she made him continue. She listened as he spoke of his first kill, noticing that his eyes moved away from her face. She gently put her hand to his jaw to tilt his head back towards her. "That wasn't your fault. Khet was right." She hated that she agreed with the man who caused Isak so much pain and left him for dead.

She noticed his eyes were watering as he looked at her. She couldn't help but use her magic to calm him down. "I'm sorry." She said, realizing she was manipulating his emotional states. She took a deep breath as he moved in, their foreheads touching. "Maybe you are right. The world is cruel and merciless." She repeated after him. "I just feel so guilty. I feel like a hypocrite...always preaching what is right and wrong while I have done one of the most evil things a person can do."

They stayed there for a while before Isak took some time to explain his thoughts on the plague. She stared at him curiously, "You have seen something like this before?" She asked him. "Is it safe for us to go? What if we catch this strange occult plague?" She sounded more and more worried with each word she spoke. "Is there any way to protect ourselves?"

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak chuckled a bit at her words, even though he wasn't supposed to find amusement in a moment like that. He knew that Eilerias couldn't be more wrong, thinking that she was hypocrite for wanting to preach and heal others while having committed murder before. It reminded Isak of his little crusade, to kill and steal from others, from the powerful men of Alliria like he was some sort of hero of legend, taking from the rich to give back to the poor.

He was far from a hero, and his agenda ran deeper than that. Of course, he never stole or sought to bring harm to those less fortunate, to the poor and the needy, but he wasn't exactly worried about building a just society for them. He just didn't want to act like the monsters he fought so hard against, and that's why his schemed and planned, that's why he fought so hard to grow his business, in order to pose a challenge to the corrupt and the greedy.

Stealing from the rich, using part of that money for his own needs, and looking after the poor. A twisted definition of a hero that there would ever be. In truth, Isak was out in that business for himself, and he would never deny that. But now, he had a few more people to look after, people important to him, like the woman beside him.

"I suppose... there's a bit of darkness in all of us, Eile. Some simply ignore it, while others embrace it." He was looking deep into her eyes now, half a smile forming on his lips as he gently caressed her cheek. "As long as we don't lose sight of who we are, and what we want to accomplish, we won't fail. I've seen many monsters over the years, some even literally, but those aren't us."

He recalled the experience he had in the Falwood a few years ago, uncovering a series of gruesome crimes involving monsters being controlled by drows, who sought to enslave entire villages in the surface. He had help from a escaped drow slave, and together they had sent them back to their holes, along with their terrifying monsters. It wasn't a experience that he recalled fondly though - it was one of his most difficult battles, and he lost a few good men in those times. They were only mercenaries, but they were good men nonetheless. They had families, and they still died to protect a ungrateful village.

Isak and Eilerias began to discuss their plans for the investigation in Stoneforge in the morning, with the white haired priestess promptly asking him what entailed this mysterious practice of occultism. Isak enjoyed sharing some of his knowledge with her, and like the greatly intelligent student that she was, Eilerias was always attentive to his stories, taking in all the tiniest details. She was showering him with questions, sounding more and more worry, but for some reason Isak simply smiled at her, almost dismissing her fears for a time. She probably thought him insane, for making so little of a grave danger like that.

"A few months prior to your arrival, a few districts of the Outer City were experiencing a strange outbreak of diseases. No one ever suspected of magic, not even myself, but business was being affected greatly. That's when Ogden and I started to... ask around." He spoke with a smile at the end, already imagining what Eilerias would think of his methods of questioning people. They usually ranged from bribery to open violence, but they all worked very effectively all the same. "I'll spare you the nasty details, but after two weeks we uncovered something. Turns out a rich merchant had arrived in the city just weeks before, but his entry into the Merchant's Guild had been denied, which deeply frustrated him. The bastard hired the services of a powerful warlock, well versed in occultism and other strong curses, and he begun to slowly control the flow of the market, using timely outbreaks of plagues across the city. He just didn't think other people would follow up on this. We stopped the merchant, but the warlock still wanted to be paid, and it speaks bad for business to deny a man of his honorable payment."

Isak's brown eyes now looked towards the candle, the light ushering on the side of his face as he smiled devilishly. "Ogden convinced him that he would have his coin, but all he found was my blade to his throat. A few days later, and the Outer City started to heal, but many people lost their lives to the whims of a greedy bastard."

Luckily, Eilerias had arrived in Alliria in a much more peaceful time, not having to see the worst of what that plague had brought upon the people of the Outer City, while the nobles and merchants kept living on as if nothing had happened. Isak spared a few of his resources to help and support those in need, before the Merchant's Guild eventually stepped in and took care of the remaining efforts. But with Vel'Anir, it was something entirely different. Isak didn't know what they would find in Stoneforge, but he already suspected that the leaders of the city wouldn't move a finger to help, unless it affected their precious military and their war efforts.

"There's a incantation I've learned, to use against the warlock. It's a ancient spell, used to deny the effects of a curse, and it must be fueled by the same dark magics." And Isak had just the fuel - Bhéron, the demon inside him. "Before we arrive at the village tomorrow, I'll set it on us, and it should be enough to protect us against the plague. But we still need to be careful."

Isak slowly reached for Eilerias' hand, holding it higher as he glanced upon the ring he had given to her, watching it shine against the candlelight, a bright spark that made it even more beautiful, just like the necklace he wore. "I'd never let anything bad happen to my wife." He didn't mean to sound so direct, and even speaking that word greatly surprised him, but it felt right to call Eilerias like that. It had only been a few weeks since that night in Dalanar, and there was still so much to plan, but it felt right. But perhaps the plans would have to be postponed a little bit, for they had to rid Vel'Anir of a great danger now, even though the city owed them nothing but pain and hatred.

With a huge smile, Eilerias jumped to his arms and they kissed deeply, for what felt like long minutes. They spent the rest of the night peacefully talking of many unimportant things on that bed, with her head resting on Isak's chest as he played with a few strands of her beautiful hair, before eventually falling to their sleep, being awakened in the morning by a few knocks on the door and the annoying voice of Ogden, and his burps from all the drinks he had.

They prepared themselves and set out to Stoneforge on foot, without heeding the warnings of a few guards. Isak stopped them when the village appeared in the vicinity, removing one of his gloves and kneeling down to touch the grass. He took some dirt from the ground and held his hand high to show it to them, the veins of his hand slowly darkening as the curse began to flow out. He saw the desperate look in Eilerias and Lidia's faces, before Isak spoke a few words in a unknown language, his eyes turning from brown to a dark smoke, and flashing a small red light for a moment. A wind blasted by them after he finished the incantation, and suddenly his hand was back to normal, before he threw some of the glowing dirt towards the rest of the group.

"I believe it's safe for us now. Shall we?"

 

[Eilerias]

It seemed like Isak knew exactly what to say to calm down the erratic priestess as he held onto her and reassured her that she wasn't a monster. "But how do we keep sight of who we are?" She asked, not sure if she truly wanted an answer or just wanted him to keep talking her down. "I promised I would never kill another innocent person in the stolen caravan to Alliria. I don't think Gwendolyn believed me, but that is one of the only vows I have left." She smiled for a moment.

Eilerias listened patiently as he began to share his knowledge of the occult with her, interjecting with questions every so often that peaked her curiosity. He knew she was worried, as she always showered him with questions concerning every little detail of everything they did. When he didn't answer them, she was even more worried. Usually as she asked questions, the two of them would come up with a way to avoid the specific danger or a plan to get past an object. He could tell she was on the verge of freaking out as she rocked back and forth on the bed, waiting for some sort of promise that they would be okay.

Of course, he didn't answer her questions but rather told her about his previous experience with a similar situation. She stopped rocking and sat still, staring wide eyed as he told the story. "How did you manage to figure that out?" She asked in a shocked whisper as he continued with his story.

"But how do we save everyone else?" She asked as he spoke about the incantation he would put on them. "Surely there must be a way to save the people there before we find the root of this...problem?" She searched his face for some glimmer of hope, but his expression said there was no way to stop those who had already been infected unless they killed the source.

She worried about the dark magic he planned to use on the two of them. She hadn't told Isak, but ever since they spent their time in Dalanar, she hadn't heard the voices of her shadows. It was pleasant to hear herself think without the torturous lies being whispered in her ears all the time. Isak could tell she had been sleeping better and seemed unbothered about the rather dim room they were in. She was afraid to bring it up, but was worried his magic might bring them back out.

Her worries seemed to vanish as she noticed Isak lifting her arm to admire her ring. She blushed as he referred to her as his wife. The sound of it was so different, but it felt so right. "I can't wait to be Mrs. Lavelle." A huge smile went across her face as she turned towards him and jumped on top of him. "Maybe we don't even need a wedding, we could just elope." She suggested between kisses, knowing he would never agree. He had begun to change into a person who valued their friendships with others and he wanted those friends to be present for such an important ceremony. The two of them spent the night talking about everything and anything that came to mind until they both fell asleep.

The sound of Lidia knocking on their door woke Eilerias up in the morning, prompting a couple "Five more minutes" as she refused to open her eyes. Eventually Isak made them get up and get dressed. Eilerias kept up with her new outfit that she deemed to be appropriate in case she had to run. Lidia followed suit, wearing an outfit that left her looking like the common citizen from Vel'Anir.

It wasn't a long walk to Stoneforge, but it was clear that they were not welcome as guards warned them of danger. Still, the group continued until they came outside the village gates. It was time for Isak to protect them from this plague. Eilerias watched as Isak cast the spell, noticing how strange the language was. The gust of wind spooked her and Lidia who both yelped in fear and began laughing at each other. "Ready when you are!" The two girls said in unison, laughing once again at each other before they calmed down and prepared to enter.

Eilerias stood slightly behind Isak, but grabbed onto his jacket as they walked into the village. She had never been to any of the small villages outside of Vel'Anir because typically they didn't take kindly to people like her, though she had healed people from the villages in the church. She always imagined the villages would be as busy as the main city was with people all around selling goods and enjoying the gorgeous weather, but it was quiet. It was too quiet, in Eilerias' opinion, which she shared with Isak.

They were fortunate that guards were too fearful of the plague to enter the village, so they didn't have to worry too much about bothering the few people who seemed to inhabit the village. Isak pointed out a villager that appeared to be peeking through the bottom of their window at the group and decided that would be the first person they spoke with. He knocked on the door a few times, only to be met with silence. Carefully, he opened the door and let the person know they were not infected, only there to help.

"Git outta 'ere! GIT GIT!" A rough voice hissed at them from the dark corner of the room. "I know you got the plague! Disgusting rats!" The hostility worried Eilerias, but with a nod from Isak, she began to cast a spell to calm the person and lure them from the shadows.

"Hello there, come out!" Her smooth voice called to the stranger. After a few moments they heard uneven footsteps and a sickly looking person emerged from the darkness. The old woman had straw like hair colored like salt and pepper and was much too thin for the canvas clothes she wore. It was obvious she was not the owner of the home, but rather a beggar that took refuge in the home of someone gone with the plague.

"There is a plague?" Eilerias asked, feigning a curiosity as she manipulated the stranger.

"Aye there's a plague goin' round these parts. City sent some priests out 'ere to help us, but it got to 'em too." The woman began to speak to Eilerias as though they were the only two people in the room.

"Can you tell me when this all started? What happened to all the people who lived here? Certainly there should be bodies somewhere?" She pulled up a chair at the table the woman had been hiding by and sat down, motioning for her to join.

The woman moved, like she was in a daze towards Eilerias and sat down. "Been at least a few months now since we first heard o' it." She commented. "But it aint hit 'ere 'til just a few weeks ago. Guards won't even step foot in here...too 'fraid to catch whatever it is. Don't blame 'em. They won't let any of us out. They left us all to fend for ourselves 'til it's over or we're dead. People been actin real strange and then they just go missin' suddenly."

Eilerias' eyes went wide and she looked at Isak, wondering what he thought. "And the bodies?" She asked again.

"I was just gettin' there my dear." The woman thought for a few moments. "Come to think o' it, I ain't seen a body anywhere. Not in the streets, not being taken from the houses, not even being burned like they told us they was gonna do to anyone who was showin' signs o' the sickness." She looked around at nothing in particular. "A lot o' people gone missin' recently and the only way we get out is by those guards outside. If you ask me, they're helpin' the sick get out to spread whatever it is."

Once again, Eilerias turned to Isak looking for something in what this woman was saying. "So the guards are...helping spread the plague?" She kept her eyes locked onto Isak's, wondering if the guards were afflicted and helping the person behind all of this.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Eilerias seemed to follow up quickly on Isak's stories, as he told her the details of his previous experiences with occultism. He was glad to see her less saddened about the painful memories of the past, and more curious about the problems they'd be dealing with soon. She asked him about how he managed to figure out the plans of the merchant he had told her about, and how he learned of the way to stop the warlock behind the curses that once placed the districts of the Outer City, to which Isak responded with a cheeky smile, boasting about his quick thinking and sharp intellect, earning a few funny grimaces from the priestess.

She took hold of his arm and carefully listened as he went on, worrying about how they would save the people from the plague. Unfortunately, Isak had no answer to that, imagining that the whole way to stop such thing was cut it off from its source, which would be the person or creature behind it all. Seeking to cure everyone would just take more of their time, exhausting them or even risking their own lives, which would do nothing to help them.

Eilerias looked troubled about something else in the moment, but Isak preferred to not disturb her with his words, simply taking her hand carefully to admire the ring she wore, the ring he had given to her. She would be his wife, and that thought brought the greatest smile to his face, making Eilerias blush slightly as he spoke of it.

Mrs. Lavelle... He could get used to that. It was a very pleasant thought, one that made him giggle like an idiot.

She jumped at him and they began to kiss tenderly, while Eilerias spoke to him about not hosting a wedding ceremony in the first place, looking for something peaceful and quiet for themselves, but strangely enough, Isak wanted to share some of his happiness with his... friends. He owed them as much, for always looking after him all these years. Ogden, Lidia, the people of the syndicate... A unusual bunch of friends a man could ever find, but it was enough to Isak. They ceased the eerie talks about curses and murders for the night, simply lying down in each other's arms, speaking of simpler and happier days, discussing a few details of what the future had in store for them, and even betting as to who would get drunk on the wedding first, between Charity, Ogden and Urchin.

Eilerias fell to her sleep first, and Isak kept watching over her for a few minutes, before leaving a small kiss on her forehead and falling to his own sleep, and they managed to get a few hours of precious sleep before being awakened by Ogden and Lidia, who were already anxiously expecting them, so they could leave for Stoneforge. With some reluctance of his own, Isak eventually managed to get Eilerias off the bed and they went on to prepare themselves, leaving for the village shortly after.

Once they neared Stoneforge, Isak stopped the group so he could cast the incantation that would shield them from the harmful effects of whatever occultism was plaguing that village. They arrived there to find a place ravaged by disease, with most of the small houses vacant, a few guards watching over the perimeter but never stepping foot inside, nor allowing any of the survivors to leave. The whole place felt dead and grey, a contrast totally different from the verdant plains that they had passed before reaching Stoneforge, flies and crows flying over the small village, even though no corpses could be seen - neither dead or burned.

It was strange, especially because the guards seemed awfully at ease with everything, even letting them into the village without any sort of confrontation. They trekked through the mudded roads in search of anyone they could speak to in order to gain some information, before Isak spotted someone in a house nearby, peering at them from the window. He went to knock on the door, but receiving only silence in return, before opening on its own. Whoever was hiding there didn't seem to want to talk to them, even trying to scare them out, but Eilerias managed to call them out with her soothing voice, probably aided by some of her own magic, and soon a old woman came out from the shadows of the deserted house.

She looked more like a scavenger than a inhabitant of that place, and she didn't take well to any of Isak's questions, only reacting calmly once Eilerias asked of her. Isak let the priestess take care of the questions, paying attention to every word spoken, and drawing out his thoughts silently. The guards seemed to be involved in all that, but they still had to figure out how or why. Isak looked back at Eilerias, facing her gaze of worry. He didn't have any answers that could reassure her, so he tried to question the woman one last time, asking her about the guards. Luckily, she told them that she had seen some guards taking a few dead bodies into the woods a week ago, and some people around the village had seen them acting strangely ever since they were exposed to a few of the infected.

Isak needed to process all that information, so he left the house as Eilerias tried to soothe the woman and ease some of her pain due to her sickly disposition, while Ogden and Lidia searched the house for any more clues. Eventually, they all met outside, but Isak's gaze seemed to be set on somewhere across the village - a pair of guards walking towards a large building that he supposed would be the mayor's house. "Guards wouldn't have any knowledge about how this plague works, or how they could even spread it. But someone could have... instructed them."

Or rather, controlled them. He had seen something of such nature before.

The group moved towards the house just as the guards went inside, managing to slip through before the gates closed. The main hall was dark, and there were no candles lit, making it hard for them to even see the messy state of it, with the only light being a strange purple glow, coming from one of the side rooms. They crossed the hall and leaned in the wall so they could get a good look of what was happening inside without being spotted, and so they came upon a most disturbing scene.

Bodies of a few priests were laying scattered across the floor, their entrails and blood splattered all over. There was also a pile of bodies there - some of the dead villagers - while a man waved some magic into the heads of the pair of guards they had seen earlier. It looked like mind control, which was exactly what Isak had suspected before, and the man wore the robes of the church, but his eyes were taken with a blue glow that shined through his veins as well, his flesh decaying as if was also a corpse. Somehow, he felt the presence of Isak and the rest of the group in the corridor, and the glow disappeared, making the priest fall backwards as well as the guards, who fell lifeless on the ground.

Even though they were horrified, the group rushed inside the room, with Eilerias desperately trying to cure the priest who looked to still live. The magic that had taken hold over him was too strong even for Eilerias to heal, and they could see the man's life slowly slipping away, but he still managed to whisper something helpful.

'An... army... of dead... Falwood... Stop th-...'

And then the priest drew his last breath, with Isak closing his eyes in respect and reaching out to lay his hand on Eilerias' shoulder as she looked distraught that the man had died in front of her, even though she had done everything to save his life.

It wasn't her fault, and even in death, he had been of great help to them. They knew where they had to go next to solve that mystery.

But once the group set foot outside the mayor's house, they were greeted by a bunch of guards, with the captain at the front, his hand resting on the blade at his waist and the other holding his iron helmet. He looked like a fierce and experienced fighter, and by the lively and angry look on his face, Isak doubted he was being mind controlled like the two guards from before. The young man took a few steps forward, putting himself between the guards and the rest of the group, just as the captain began to speak.

"I can see by your peculiar company that you aren't from these parts... But beggars can't be choosers." The captain eased his posture, breathing heavily as if he had been carrying a great burden atop his shoulders, looking at each one of them for a brief moment before he continued. "You have intruded upon this blighted village, but you don't seem to have the damn plague. I have no idea what sort of business brought you all out here, but I fear I must ask you to accompany us."

He let go of his sword, trying to show them that he was not the enemy there. "We need help, whatever help you can provide. Please, I beg of you. Help us fight back this evil."

Isak now looked at Eilerias as she walked to his side, watching at how she seemed to take pity of those people, even though they had once been the people who drove her away from her home. Even after all that's happened, if she wanted to help them, then so would Isak.

 

[Eilerias]

"Thank you for your cooperation Abigail." Eilerias said as she shut the door behind her. She was the last one out of the house as they all met back up to discuss what they learned from their snooping. "Abigail, didn't know much about the source, but she's really suspicious of the guards." She mentioned, watching as Isak's gaze shifted from the group to some large home all the way across the village.

She stared, a little confused as Isak spoke and began walking towards that house. Eilerias immediately regretted entering the building as she noticed how dark it was. All that went on in her mind was worry about the shadows that had been noticeably absent recently. She followed Isak, completely unaware of the strange glow. She could sense the group was feeling rather disturbed by the scene in front of them, and she soon joined them as she moved around the corner.

She stared, frozen in place as the priest who was doing some strange spell on guards collapsed on the ground, looking as dead as the other bodies. The room smelled like rotting bodies, but Eilerias pushed past Isak and ran to the side of the priest, desperately trying to use her healing spells to help him. It was obvious to the others in the room she had known this priest as tears fell from her eyes.

"Please father." She shook him with her glowing hands. "Please stay strong, don't let death take you from this realm." She pleaded with the priest, though she knew it was too late for him. There was nothing more to be done as his body relaxed into an endless slumber on the floor, dead like the others.

She flinched at Isak's touch on her shoulder. "Dead." Was all she said as she stood up and wiped the dirt from the filthy floors off of her knees. She didn't tell him that was the man who brought her into the church, only to kick her out. It was probably better Isak didn't know or he may have burnt him before he could give them some vague, yet valuable information.

Following Isak out, they were all rather confused when they were greeted by a bunch of guards. She looked over the group for any familiar faces from when she used to be a citizen of Vel'Anir. She eyed the captain as him and Isak spoke, worried what trouble they were getting themselves into now. She silently hoped Isak would refuse the captain, but he didn't and she was pulled along with the group to yet another house abandoned by its previous inhabitant.

As they entered, she was relieved to find this place well lit by candles and windows unlike the other two buildings. They were escorted to a large dining table covered by papers with different villages crossed off, presumably lost to the plague, and other information the guards have gathered. The captain informed them of the first round of guards sent out going missing or turning up dead and explained why he was refusing to allow more guards within the perimeters of the village.

The captain looked at the group, "I have instructed the locals to burn bodies that have perished in order to help stop the spread of this plague, but there haven't been any fires and bodies are going missing. I suspect those damn elves from Falwood are casting some evil magic upon us to weaken Vel'Anir, but I can't be sure. It's been a mighty long time since they tried to penetrate the unbreakable walls, but who's to say they haven't been chipping away for hundreds of years?"

Eilerias kept her eyes low and made sure her ears weren't in sight. She worried if he knew what she was, he would have her and her friends executed on suspicion they were only there to spread more of the evil magic he spoke of.

Lidia spoke up for the first time, "So Falwood...where's that?" She asked the guard.

"Falwood's the massive forest that borders the southeastern part of Vel'Anir. It's the home of the elves." He explained to the curious girl who seemed to lock that in her memory. "No one in the big city seems to think the elves have anything to do with this, but something about this plague isn't natural. It's too mystical to not be something by those bloody elves."

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Seeing no other choice, and still looking for answers as to what exactly was happening there, Isak and the rest of the group decided to follow the guards, as they walked through the small village and towards a house near a water well, with one of the guards stationed there trying to collect some water. The captain rushed towards him, knocking down the bucket filled of water from his hands, as the guard gasped in surprise, almost a bit horrified.

"You drink from this water, and you'd be dead within the hour, son." The captain explained to him, before motioning the rest of the guards and the group to follow him inside the house. It was certainly better organized and even somewhat clean in comparison to the rest of the village, almost as if the guards cared more for their own safety than the well being of the people they were supposed to protect.

Isak kept his sharp tongue from any remarks of course, only interested in what information those people would have to share with him. He looked at Eilerias a few times, noticing how she still felt a bit lost after what happened in that building, with those priests and all those rotten bodies. He wondered if perhaps any one of those unfortunate people were familiar to her, but Isak would never pry and risk making her even more sad amidst everything that had been going ever since they arrived in Vel'Anir.

"Take a seat, make yourselves comfortable. Well, as comfortable as you could get around here." The captain said, laying his helmet on the table and sitting on one of the chairs, as Isak and the rest of the group followed. Ogden had been the only one to stay standing, taking his time to wander around the house while being watched by some guards and their distasteful looks at him, which Isak hadn't missed.

The captain began to explain the situation, showing them a few maps of the region. Isak could see the villages drawn on the papers, but many of them had been marked with a red 'X', and he already knew what it meant. Was the plague this powerful to ruin so many villages in a few months? After all, if Marionna's information was right, this chaos had started recently, and they were facing the worst of the plague just now. Isak could see how emotionally and even physically drained the captain was, having to see so many deaths, to lose so many friends and comrades, to a invisible threat that couldn't possibly cease with ordinary efforts.

And yet, he spoke with a burning hatred for elves. Isak had noticed this, and certainly Eilerias did too, as she slightly shrugged next to him, setting her hair in a way that they could never notice her pointy ears. The captain didn't seem to harbor the same hatred for other species, but Isak suspected this was more of a personal anger towards the kind that warred with humans for many years. And still, if this plague was so deeply rooted in the region, it would be affecting the rest of the woods, which meant elves would also be losing their lives.

This wasn't a matter of race, of stupid prejudice and foolish conclusions - it was magic. Pure, powerful, unchecked and corrupted magic.

Once the captain had finished, Isak kept looking at the papers for a moment, before finally speaking up. "Tell me, captain. Why is it that the powerful military force of Vel'Anir is choosing to turn a blind eye to its people's suffering? I can scarcely believe that they sent so few of you to protect these villages." Isak spoke coldly, even making the captain look away, conflicted, as if he knew the young man was telling him some harsh truths. For all their strength, they had sent only a handful of ill prepared grunts to deal with such a grave threat, and even with the people suffering and disappearing, the leaders of the city seemed more comfortable to sit behind their giant walls and wait for it all to pass.

At a loss for words, the captain, named Ramsdale, eventually admitted they were too outmatched to deal with such a plague, but he did give them some valuable information. He told them about the bodies mysteriously being taken away to the Falwood, without anyone ever figuring out who was behind this, and also how some of the guards have been acting strangely. Ramsdale told them that they didn't look infected by the plague, but it was like their minds were elsewhere, and they wouldn't follow any commands given to them.

It looked awfully familiar to what they had briefly seen inside the mayor's house. Isak told him the details about that as well, and everyone there realized that if they wanted to get any more answers, they would have to venture deep inside the Falwood. There were many things to be expected from those woods, along with answers. Elves, rogues, monsters and... Fal'Addas. If they were to explore the forest deep enough, they would certainly come across the last elven bastion, and if the answers to that plague continued to elude them, Isak knew they would have to resort to the old knowledge of the elven people.

"A couple weeks ago, I ordered a few of my boys to keep watch around the village at night, and we managed to track some of the missing bodies to this place here." He pointed to a marked spot on the map, on what looked to be quite a walk from that village and into the woods. But if they wanted to rid those poor people of that plague, they would have to exhaust every option. "There's a abandoned hut there, but we could never get too close at night. My soldiers are often too deep in their minds, dreaming about silly monsters in the woods. I'm afraid the four of you are my only hope right now."

Isak took the piece of paper and folded it before putting it inside one of his pockets of his coat. "Look after your people, captain. We'll return with answers shortly." And with that, the group left the house, taking one last good look of that awful place before they went on to follow the trail drawn by the captain on the map.

It didn't take too long for them to come upon the first piece of strange activity in the region. A tree, broken into three pieces, with a few deep cuts on it. Isak came close to it so he could properly inspect the tree, realizing that the cuts were too thin and straight for a monster's claws, which led him to believe that whoever did that was wielding a blade.

The sun was starting to disappear behind the mountains in the horizon and night was beginning to fall, but they had to keep pushing forth. "We need to stay together now. We're not far from the hut."

 

[Eilerias]

Isak had a point- for a city who's entire image was built on its terrifying military and impenetrable defenses, it seemed strange they would send only a handful of barely trained guards. Eilerias would keep her mouth shut though as Isak and the captain spoke. There was no reason to be foolish and draw attention to herself.

Her eyes followed the man's finger as he spoke of finding bodies at the location on a map. The location was familiar to her, it was a place she had been long ago in her childhood explorations. She had never entered the abandoned hut, but knew it to be a location where fishermen would sleep and keep belongings while they spent time fishing in the large lake hidden beneath the thick trees. It amused her that the guards were scared of monsters when the only monster she'd ever seen out there was a bear. Hardly a threat to well armed men.

On their walk to observe the locations the captain marked, Eilerias finally spoke up, telling him about the location with the hut. "It's only a fisherman's hut. I don't think it's used these days, but how much could actually occur in a hut thats only the size of a bathroom back at the club?" She asked him. He seemed to be a little too into something as she watched him stare at a tree cut in three large pieces. "Could be a bear." She suggested as he traced the thin cuts along the bark. She knew, there was no way it could have been a bear, but suggesting anything helped ease her worries.

Lidia seemed nervous as the group continued, so Eilerias grabbed her hand and pulled her along, giving her a little mood boost with her magic. "Its only up ahead a little ways, hidden pretty well in the trees." She commented, watching Isak struggle to see the paper as the sky quickly went dark. "I've never been inside, but I used to see it when I was taking walks along the lake. Its a hut for the fishermen who used to come here, a long time ago. Its been abandoned so long, probably fish left in the lake." She shrugged as they began to close in on the old shack. She could make out the rotting wood structure before they approached.

"Isak, can you make a light for us?" She asked, growing a little nervous as things got more dark. "I don't know what is inside, but it would be better to be prepared with a light so we can see it first, right?" She tried to come up with excuses so she didn't have to say she was terrified as they approached the door and Isak opened it.

 

[Isak Lavelle]

Isak was often fond of mysteries, of tales that would make one's skin crawl, keep their ears up for any sort of haunting details. But one thing was to hear those tales... being in the middle of one was entirely different, and it upset him.

They had been trekking through those woods for a time, the damp grasses and mud almost sticking to their shoes after the heavy rains from days before, mosquitoes flying around and usually the surprising sound of wood breaking as they stepped on a few branches scattered on the ground of the forest. Navigating through the Falwood at night, with only a piece of paper as a map, was quite the herculean task.

He always kept Eilerias at his sight, looking at her from the corner of his eyes as he fought between paying attention ahead, so that they wouldn't be surprised by any traps, ambushes or other dangers, and watching her, as she sought to calm Lidia with some of her magic, her hands glowing as it reached the girl's. He wished there was more he could do to assure them that things would work out, but he wasn't sure of that himself. But he knew of one thing - he would keep them safe.

Eventually, the group stumbled a broken tree, and Isak went on to examine the damage done to it as Eilerias spoke of her own experience travelling those woods before, talking about bears and also the fisherman's hut she spoke of, the place they were supposed to investigate thanks to Captain Ramsdale's information. Isak put his gloved hands over the cuts on the tree, realizing they were too straight and even for claws, which meant this wasn't some deranged attack from a animal, certainly not a bear. "The Falwood is a vast place, although not much of it is inhabited. We could be near an area occupied by rogues, so we need to be careful."

Isak stood up and walked over to Eilerias, reaching for her hand as if he sought to calm her himself, before they continued onwards into the forest, eventually laying sight upon the hut, after Eilerias told her of the times she had been there, although never going inside. It was awfully dark, with even the moonlight not proving to be helpful, and so Eilerias asked him to provide them with his own light, and of course Isak would indulge her, as he always did with her every request. Isak called forth his flames into blazes on the palm of his land, slightly illuminating their surroundings as they got closer to the shack, and so Lavelle touched the run down door.

They didn't found much inside. It was darkness, and scattered objects all over the place. Broken jars, rotten food and cobwebs at the crevices of the hut. With enough curiosity, Isak and the rest of the group slowly and carefully went inside, and after waving his hand around a bit, powering up his flame, they could finally glimpse upon something else. Boxes filled with fish, ropes, broken rods, hooks...

Blood.

As they went on and on, they could start seeing even more blood, and then more corpses. They were so badly mutilated that they were barely even recognizable. Strange writings began to light up in front of them, and they could now look at a bloodied altar with a skull on top of it.

"This is... a death ritual." Isak spoke slowly, stunned. His eyes were trembling, as if he could barely believe that he was looking at it. As they got closer, he could see that the writings were made of blood, and the skull was small enough for them to assume that it wasn't just the skull of a man, it was that of a child. Eilerias looked for him, horrified at what she was seeing, as well as Lidia who embraced her with Ogden, the dwarf making her look away for a moment so she wouldn't start screaming.

One of the corpses started to rise from the ground, his flesh decaying and his veins and bones taken by the same magical energy that they had seen back at the mayor's house at Stoneforge. It was probably one of the old fishermen. It had a sickened smile on his face, with some of the skin falling off. And then it spoke, with a unnatural voice, almost as if someone else had been speaking through him. "Welcome, children of the woods. I can almost taste the old blood in you..."

He took a few steps forward, even though his leg had been twisted and the bone broken. He raised his hand, almost as if he corpse wanted to touch Isak and Eilerias, but the young man put her behind, trying to protect her. "Have you come to see our honor restored? Are you prepared for... war?" He laughed devilishly, upsetting Isak even more.

"We've come for answers, and to put an end to the plague that consumed so many lives already." Isak replied, visibly angry.

The corpse stopped its advance, looking at him in confusion. From the shadows close to him, came forth a bear, like the one Eilerias spoke of, but it wasn't just that. It was a malformed beast, with spikes coming out of it and blood flowing out of his mouth, its teeth twisted and turning inside out, puncturing his own jaw. It grunted in agony, before the corpse put a hand on his head, calming it down a bit.

"Poor beast... It has been suffering of the same plague you speak of, but as you can see, I am not able to help it, for I am only a messenger. I knew of your arrival, and I've come to deliver a message..."

The corpse walked forth again, and suddenly a wind blew inside the house through the small windows, raising the dust around them. Once they opened their eyes again, Isak and Eilerias were surprised to see the corpse falling on the ground again, completely lifeless, even though his voice remained, echoing throughout the dark edges of that hut.

"Fal'Addas... The ancestor home... The elves will... be free again..."

Isak embraced Eilerias, relieved that the danger seemed to pass. The lights around the water slowly dimmed, and the skull turned to dust. The beast had strangely disappeared, leaving behind only a pool of blood from where it was standing. Ogden came over to talk to them, distraught and confused with all those riddles and mysteries. "Soddin' gods, now we need to go knock on the elves' doors?!"

There seemed to be no other way forward, and Isak and Eilerias had been feeling that Fal'Addas was calling to them, calling to their old blood, even if it wasn't as pure as true elves. They could feel it in their bones that the old elven city would be the place where they would find what they were looking for, for better or worse.

"It's a few days travel from here to Fal'Addas. It's our only hope to stop this, Ogden." Isak gently squeezed Eilerias' hand, looking at her briefly. "There's no way back now."

 

[Eilerias]

Eilerias knew Isak was right, there very well could be rogues all around them. The forest was beautiful and usually absent of sounds that didn't originate from the nature that surrounded them. They were also so thick and it was easy to get lost, making it an ideal place for criminals who wished to prey upon the poor fools who found themselves lost in the maze of trees.

Entering the shack, Eilerias noticed it was messy and smelled quite terrible, just as the mayors house had. She immediately recognized the stench as death. "I really think we should head back." She suggested, stepping in something sticky. She knew it was blood, as Isak pointed out that it seemed to be everywhere.

"A death ritual?" She approached Isak, wrapping an arm around his waist. She then noticed what he was staring at and backed away. "That....that's not what I think it is....is it?" She asked, staring at the tiny skull. "What the hell is going on here? Why would someone do something like this?"

She let out a blood curdling scream as a body began to rise as bits of flesh and bone fell from him, landing on the floor. Isak was quick to cover her mouth and grab her to offer some comfort as the strange contorted being began to speak to them, mentioning the old blood that ran through their veins.

Isak shoved her behind him in an effort to shield her as the corpse hobbled up towards him. Eilerias cringed, hearing his broken bones snapping as he moved.

Have you come to see our honor restored?

Are you prepared for...war?

Eilerias froze in place. Were the elves really behind this? Why now were they planning to wage war against the humans?

She could hear a low growl coming from behind the man and out came a malformed bear that looked as dead as the man who was speaking to them. "Please, we need to go." She whispered as though the corpse who stood before them couldn't hear her.

Fal'Addas.....

"There's no way." Eilerias was shaking as Ogden broke the silence. "We aren't going there, I'm sorry but I'm not going." She tried to take deep breaths to calm herself before she continued. "What business do they want with us? Why are we being sent to work by people who hate us?" She snapped at both Isak and Ogden. "Why did we even entertain the idea we could fix some strange strong enough to take out several villages?"

Deep down, she knew they had no other choice but to proceed with this investigation. Isak confirmed this, letting her know there was no way back. Nodding nervously, she agreed. "I don't want to agree...but I guess you're right." She sighed, pulling Isak close to her. She had no reason to have any emotional attachment to Marionna, but something was telling her she needed to go back. "Please can we go back to Vel'Anir for the night? I think we should meet with Marionna and let her know what we have seen....and it might be nice to have one last night under the warm blankets before we leave to go to Fal'Addas..." She gently grabbed his hands and led the group out of the hut.

Isak agreed and the group carefully made their way back through the forest at Eilerias' guidance while he used his flames to ensure they had enough light to both deter any criminals or animals that were in the forest.

It was nearly midnight by the time they arrived back in Vel'Anir, but they were determined to alert Marionna to the dangers before they left.

Eilerias knocked on the door only to hear a soft, shaky voice.

"Doors unlocked, come in." Marionna called, as though she were expecting them.

Eilerias entered first, a little confused by the surroundings. The room was noticeably darker, with only a few candles providing light. She could tell Marionna had been crying as she sat at the wooden table with a mug of what Eilerias assumed to be ale in front of her. "Oh dear, are you alright?" She rushed to the woman's side, showing the first bit of kindness since they met.

The woman rested her head in her hands, crying. "My son..."She choked out the words. "The plague."

Eilerias looked up from the woman and nodded to the stairs as if to tell him to go look at the boy they had just met the previous day. "What do you mean Marionna...mom?" She tried to make the woman feel more comfortable, in order to get some answers from her. "How could he have caught the plague?"

"He..." She sniffled. "He told me he was going to go out and play in the forest with a few classmates after school today but from what I've gathered, he was the only one who came back. He was freaking out, spouting some nonsense about zombies and told me his friend was taken." She shook her head and took a sip of the drink. "Course I thought he was just messin with me, but around dinner he started complaining about a fever and feeling ill. I put him in his bed and he's burning up." She let out a few noises as though she were trying to suppress her tears. "The cold cloths and teas aren't bringing the fever down. I reckon he's caught it...the plague. I thought they were just rumors...how could I be such a terrible mother?!" She began sobbing into her hands and Eilerias grabbed onto her.

"Marionna, its not your fault. Please don't blame yourself." Her hands glowed softly. She could feel herself growing tired from using her magic and getting little rest. "Isak has some theories about this plague. He seems to think its possible to cure it, but we have to go to Fal'Addas."