5 Years after the hunt

               Mori and I had joined the small assassin's guild a year after our parents' death. There was a hide out not too far from the home we grew up in. Apparently the elves knew of this location but never spoke of it. It was a right of passage to be invited to the guild.  Regardless, we needed to know more about hunting than just stalking animals.  They worked with our strengths in ranged combat to help get the jump on our enemies.  Our fourth year with the guild lead us to small bounties that allowed us to capture petty thieves and criminals without having to kill them. We knew eventually it would come down to killing our targets and the guild was patient with us.  In fact, our live captures gained them more credibility as a whole.  It meant the assassin's did not have to terminate a target to get justice in every situation. 

               Our hunts would start by Mori going in and distracting the target.  Hidden with my bow prepped in the distance, I would wait for the criminal to be baited into approaching my female counter part.  The men always underestimated her.  Before they could get within reach, my arrow would pierce the meaty flesh of their calf.  Following up with the agonizing screams of my prey, Mori would net them and secure the deal.  I knew these wicked men would never walk the same again, but it didn't matter with the time they would spend in prison.

               One of our contacts within the guild finally came across a bounty that we offered to take.  The bounty described a black robed mage that was spotted a day prior leaving Alspar and heading toward our old home in the woods.  It could not be a coincidence, she was coming back for something.  In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder why?  Was what happened not a mindless murder? Did my parents have something she wanted?  Or is there another fool who made this insidious being upset?

               My sister and borrowed a couple of horses and rode most of the morning toward our home.  Coming upon a familiar sight.  Large smoke rose to the tree tops forming a mushroom like surface as the leaves and branches kept most of inside the canopy.  This time non of my kin were rushing to put out fires. We expected to hear screams like the ones we experienced as children, but there was only the silence of crackling flames.  Everyone was dead.

               I dropped off the horse and to my knees staring past the village of burning homes.  The last member of our family lived here, our grandfather.  Mori must have felt the pain I was feeling as she stood over me, wrapping her arms across my head.  I could feel the drops of her tears running down my head and hair. We were alone.

               In the distance, I saw the familiar black cloak fluttering away into the woods.  Mori must have seen it as well, her instincts took over moving quickly after the mage.  I followed at a bit of a distance preparing for what we have trained all these years for.

                Moving slowly through the brush, using the skills my grandfather had taught us to track her.  The assassin’s guild offered to pay a large bounty for her death.  However, gold was not on my mind, seeing her decapitated head being shoved into my canvas bag satisfied my needs. I thought to myself this time would be the last.  No longer would she destroy anyone’s family with her foul magic again.

                The tracks took us across the river, through brush and through an uninhabited portion of Kanaan. Being a ranger all my life made it easy to follow her through the woods.  Finally, I came to an opening that gave me the opportunity I needed. Immediately I went into action.

               The mage was standing in front of one of the large trees, whispering something and looking into her hands.  This was the perfect time to ambush her, while she was distracted. I watched in the distance as Mori moved toward her preparing her bow at the same time I did.  String tight around my finger, arrow lined up just above the mage's head to compensate for distance.  My hands became sweaty in anticipation waiting for the Mori's signal to release. This was it, we finally had her!

               I heard the resonance of Mori's bow string being release followed by the crackle of her arrow bouncing off the tree behind the mage. How did I miss her signal?   The mage's fiery eye grew brightly as her chanting stopped and her focus was directly on my sister.  Smoke poured around her, and in flash of dark purple light my sister stood where the mage was, confused at her new location.  Her terrified face immediately looked at me, hand raising to brace for what she knew was happening.

“Altus, Stop!” she shouted. 

It was too late, the arrow had already been released from my long bow as the words left her lips. Piercing through the leafy terrain on its way to the mark.  The sharp head penetrating her heart, leaving a faint smoke trail out of her back finally embedding itself into the tree behind the still standing figure.  

Running, leaping and jumping, I rushed almost as fast as my arrow flew.  Just as I got into view the body fell backwards slowly like a cloak landing in from the wind.  Quickly I reached under catching her.  Terrified eyes looking back at me.

“Altus, brother, I love y…..” Mori's strength left her body, her weight fell into my arms. My clutch tightened around her, as I immediately knew the impact of my mistake…..

The smoke had dissipated and the mage was no longer in site. I was alone......

The Sewer

               After a long refreshing few days of meditation, I was awaken by Rohdan. Even to this day his words, new to me, continues to pass through me as if coming from a different spectral plain. The feeling of something great and terrifying coming in my unwritten future.

"Here, it's dangerous to go alone out there. Take this." His arms extended holding what was no longer my once plain looking bow. Beautiful curved markings were etched into its wood frame. As I held it aiming at the wall, pulling the string I noticed thin lines of flame moving toward the arrow notch licking the location before fading away.

               After I was done admiring my bow I regrouped with the misfit bunch of adventurers that I had contracted with. Tyson's expression was clear he was upset with my extended vacation. However, he did not say a word about it and had finally gotten a job for us that required our hands getting dirty. We had to enter the bowels of Alspar, the sewer.

               Now an elf is not normally acquainted to moving through a filth coated, disgusting home of garbage and feces. As I moved along the tunnel behind the group thinking of the time it would take to clean my armor of the stench, Zahara decided slip, fall and take a bath in it. Being a small halfling, which is what I think she is, her fall left her completely drenched with the city's waste. I was very grateful that the focus was on her for being the uncoordinated party member this time around.

               A resident of this tunnel pointed our party in the direction that the problems were occurring. It happened to be yet again another tunnel. At this point Roth must have been bored within his feeble mind, because he took off ahead of us down a dark tunnel. Even I could not see clearly to the end, and this quarter-orc decided to brave it alone without any light source. I will admit he is strong, but what happens next shows his clear lack of intelligence.

               A loud grunt comes from Roth as something large smacks him in the chest. The party moves in to see what the barrier is, only to shed light on a large transparent creature blocking the entire tunnel. Inside it was several items that it seemed to have consumed but was unable to digest.

               Everyone sprung to action. The paladin, Michael jumped forward and took a big swing at the cube. The giant gash looked like a successful hit, until it sealed the hole up in an instant. For a brief moment I cursed Tyson under my breath. I notched, lined up a shot and fire filled the end of the arrow.

               My quiver started vibrating, then my ears, bowstring and finally fingers as a loud shrill sound filled the tunnel. Before I could comprehend what happened I let go of my arrow prematurely. My arrow flew through the air following the object of my distraction, a shriek stone straight into the gelatinous monster. The flame of the arrow instantly went out leaving a entry hole.

               The twin rogues seemed to be confused as to what to do next as one of them pulled out a fuzzy ball which turned into a bat. Everyone watched in horror as the bat was disintegrated inside the creature. Then the giant wall moved forward again, hitting our two front warriors Roth and Michael.

               Roth's whole body turned red as he went berzerker on the cube. At the time I could only think he was pissed at the demise of the rogue's pet flying rat.

               Then to my horror, the mage moved forward, opened her palms and doused the the monster with flames. An incredible amount of rage built up inside of me. I aimed by bow toward her. I could make it look like an accident since the battle was so close to one another. Amiss the confusion, it would be easy to avoid questions. It took all my strength not to put an arrow through her skull. It felt like something, someone, was telling me to wait....

               Finally gripping my sanity and prepping my next arrow I noticed something new floating in the transparent wall. Two symbiotic beings floating in pure loving bliss. The quarter-orcs arms embracing Michael's body from an attempted rescue I had missed while distracted by my internal rage. For a brief moment, I thought about tying a rope to one of my arrows and shooting the orc's butt to attempt to pull them out. However, remembering how he destroyed a solid door in our last event convinced me that putting a hole in his rear is the last thing I wanted to do.

               My last shot took quite a bit of energy as two flaming arrows flew from my bow into the beast ultimately ending its life. The entire creature flushed down into the normal water flow clearing our path. Leaving another Paladin in our path. She had an essence about her that felt like the warmth of the sun as it poured over the mountains for the first time in the morning. Then she spoke. Soon the feeling of pleasantries faded as she was loud and pushy.

               Our path came to another large door blocking in our journey. The shriek stone must have shaken me up quite a bit because when I went to listen the door I apparently moved to fast and bumped my head on it instead. Apparently the new paladin, Gwyneth took that as an indication to pound on it repeatedly with her giant war hammer. This did not help the new headache I had just acquired.

               Eventually the brutes opened the door upon and stumbled upon some Troglodytes that were ready for us. Michael ended up with one of the creatures pet's clinging to the meat of his arm. I think I saw a tear well up in his eye, which he fully earned with that monster holding on. I cringed to think what my skinny arms would have done in its mouth. As if our minds were in focus, Michael struck one of the Troglodytes with his sword as my arrow hit and set the creature ablaze leaving a burning meat husk behind. In the same motion Roth sliced through one then another that stepped in its place splitting both in half. The site was gruesome as the bodies fell to the ground causing the remaining few to flee a the site of their dead kin.

               I quickly followed the trail of the fleeing creatures notating some secret doors to the team while moving down an alternate path coming upon a large room holding their nest. I was able to sense from the guarding troglodytes that they were just trying to protect their home. I backtracked down the alternate fork in the road to join my group just after they tore open an opening in a brick wall leading to a bridge. Before I could see what happened, Zahara had already cleared a trap on the opposite side of the bridge. Its a good thing she went first for in my rush I would have fallen in the black goo that was beneath it.

               As I was crossing the bridge I heard a warning, "Turn back! Turn back! Come no further, for death awaits you within! The curse of Nognor be upon you if you take another step!" The narrow corridor turned twice into a door, that yet again Zahara had cleared.

               I came around the corner just as Gwyneth tapped a large Bugbear Zombie bug bear zombie wither her hammer barely nudging it. The hallway I stood in overcame me with such a claustrophobic feeling as I raised my bow. I started whispering a prayer, not for the gods but for my sister's return.

Darkness filled the room pouring over my party causing each person to vanished. In front of me stood an elf with dark hair in a beautiful elven dress.

"Mori? Wha.. Where am I" I stuttered.

The phantom spoke, "Altus be careful. The path you choose could destroy you and your spirit. Don't allow your followers to fall, for in the end only they can save you."

               A bright fire filled the center of the darkness in front of me. Burning it away, blinding me and in an instant I let go. The arrow furiously flew into the Bugbear causing both the projectile and monster to flare up into nothing.


As I lowered the bow it groaned and creaked unlike anything I heard before....

Forbidden Magic

               After the incident at the warehouse I realized that I was not yet ready to take on a powerful mage with the gear I had. Tyson was generous enough to give me some of his more secretive contacts to make a purchase I had longed for since being a child.

               I walked into the secluded home in a dark nook of Alspar to find a father and son working together, both Dwarven. I knew right away why these two were kept in secret.

"Magic?" the smaller dwarf said staring at me.

I replied, "I heard you two could be discreet in enchanting my bow"

The stubbled mouth around the boys mouth grew into a smile, eyes wide and bright as he shouted in excitement, "MAGIC!!"

The older dwarf shushed his son and looked at me, "Don't get him excited. Alspar has enough problems of its own. We don't need authorities shutting down our business if they hear him shouting."

I nodded in agreement.

He continued, "My name is Rohdan and this is Randal. I can do what you seek, but it will take 16 days and cost 2000 gold."

               Luckily for me the rogue in our group had already known the cost of my quest. Aura seemed to know the inner workings of city life and its costs. She lent me the money I was missing prior to meeting Rohdan. Borrowing money from a rogue may cost me later. Although, if it means I meet the dark mage with an arrow to the face, I will gladly be in her debt.

Rohdan allowed me to stay in his home while he worked. I used this free time to meditate.

The Warehouse

               I could sense Tyson had done this before. He seemed to have the connections to make a adventurer party happen. It wasn't long after our group agreed to the money making mission that this dwarf was handing out gear. I can only assume it was easy for him to do this, because he expected to loot it back off our dead bodies. He would have to wait until I had avenged my sister.

               He surprised me by adding an additional member to our group. A golem, which he named Balarion. This massive creature seemed to obey his commanders after inserting something into its chest. My first thought was this magic may be a threat to our party if the mage took advantage of it. Must stay focused and watch her.

               After the party gathered their goods and the golem joined, we started heading to the adventurer's guild. Tyson made promise of gold to be made with this group that I was unfamiliar with. I could only imagine that blood thirsty fighters from around the world came here to find an excuse to kill something.

               It wasn't far from the merchant store that we encountered people screaming in the streets running from a warehouse. I stood back as the Paladin in our group approached the door that some officials were boarding up. But before he could finish what he was saying, the Orc decided to start ripping down the freshly placed boards like a Green Dragon tearing down a thousand year old forest tree. It was known right there, that I would avoid causing him to rage during our quest.

               I noticed the rogues moving toward the entrance quickly vanishing at the door. I followed preparing my bow as far as I could trying to see in the low-light situation. Instantly I noticed a dark figure in the distance only to slip in something falling to my bottom. Luckily, my bow was still pointed in the direction of the lanky dark figure. Soon I realized what I was aiming at was just the husk of something that was once living.

               Once the group came to realization of the fact we were up against the undead, the battle ensued. It happened so fast that it would be hard to describe the action as anything more than a blur of movement from each party member. At one point I could have sworn a dagger flew past me and bounced off the paladin. I am no expert in the matter, but I didn't think these creatures had the intellect to throw such a precise weapon. The paladin looked like he was more agitated with the new scratch on his armor.

               I pulled an unending supply of arrows and pelted the disgusting monsters as fast as I could. Each time it seemed like there was no effect on the shambling beasts. Every arrow was followed up with a colleague destroying the target. I was starting to feel like the weakest member of the party.

               Once the corpses were taken care of, we moved toward a door. As I moved toward it a terrible fear came over me. When I finally came to, I was over near the opposite wall with Zahara cowering near me. I was not the only person effected by the magic of a skull we noticed near the door. We could all hear people in the next room crying for help. Against my own advice, I used the relic around my neck and moved the skull across the room away from the entrance.

               Roth decided to take out a solid door with his axe nearly smashing its owners on the other side of the room. It was no wonder they were terrified to talk to our group after that. Several running out and escaping into the streets after the rogue showed them the area was clear of walking corpses. Again, I must keep my remarks to myself, this orc is not someone I want to make mad.

               After we cleared the warehouse of its dangers, the group discussed the future of this magical skull. After declaring my distrust to the group for the mage and her dire need to keep this dangerous skull, somehow she ended up with it anyways. I must be vigilante in my watch over her. Letting my guard down may prove to be lethal for the entire group.

Tyson Harcord - The Contract

               It wasn't long after my sister's death before I left the woods of Kanaan to escape the pain it caused me. I still see her phantom form running beside me as I left the wilderness.  There was no reason for me to stay. The mage made sure of that on her second visit to the village. I never did see her face.  She always was made sure the hood of her cloak kept her identity in darkness while her eyes blazed a red inferno from within. The innocents screaming still echoes in my head.  However, I will never forget that cackle. It made me fill with rage remembering it.  The horrendous laugh that woman had as she burned down the entire village would send even the awakened back to the graves they climbed out of.

               It was a journey, but finally I ended up heading into the gigantic city of Alaspar. Every where I looked, the city was decorated with life.  Structures larger and thicker than I could have imagined.  Men wearing sheer brilliant armor that nearly blinded me as I walked into the main streets.  On every other shady corner, I could see a halfling or human holding a cup looking for anything that could feed their addiction.  Guards seemed to ignore them as long as they were not visible to visitors.  It was not hard to see the balance of nature here, even though it was a bit rough on the eyes. Everything was a distraction to my goal.

"Keep focused," I muttered to myself.  I had to find the monster that lead me here.  At this point, it was beyond just a bounty.  Dying would only be satisfying if her neck was between my hands.  Her last breath would be my own. Even a mage leaves a trail, and I tracked it to this wonderful city.

"Mori...." I sighed.  She always wanted me to run away with her to Alaspar.  Start over, leave the past behind us. "I'm so sorry...."

               Not too far from where I ended up stopping, there was a large structure.  It held documents written in familiar and some unfamiliar languages.  Around it, several people were looking at it.  That's when I saw her at a distance. Dark colored hair, fair skin, standing strong.

"Mori?" I whispered.

               She glanced at me as if she heard what I said.  My eyes had deceived me. She was a beautiful halfling whom had emerald colored eyes. It was hard to get rid of the phantoms I had been seeing.  This halfing did have similarities to my twin.

"Do you guys want an adventure?!" A bubble bellied dwarf said to a few by the board.

I ignored most of their responses until a mage spoke up, "Of course!"

               My eyes focused on her.  Is this it?  The demon who destroyed my life?  Could it be this simple?  I could not tell if it was the same woman or not

"How about gold!  Do you want that?" The dwarf bellowed to me.

My concentration dropped.  All of a sudden he had my attention.  What sort of dwarven silver tongue did he have?  "Yes...." I stuttered like a mentally challenged field rat.

               I had to be sure this was the mage.  Joining this party would be the best way to keep an eye on her. And if she wasn't, maybe she knows who is.  I could not make a mistake again.....

The First Hunt

Translated from a young elf diary left in an abandoned village.

                It was in the heart of the forest that I learned how to use my bow.  Grandfather took Mori and I to an unrecognizable field far beyond the village I grew up in.  Now it wasn't the first time I held the smooth curved darkwood bow in my hands.  In fact, I had practiced with it on groups of barrels I stacked to look like a man near our home. I would spend hours a day making my arrows with twine, wood and sharpened stone just to be able to use them in practice.

Mori gasped and pointed, "U’Osi en!"

                Our Grandfather, U'Osi in Elvish, and I looked beyond my twin sister's hand as she pointed to the field.  Almost as if put there for us, a 5 point stag stood bathing in the sunlight.  Grandfather nodded to us allowing us to notch our arrows. Carefully we both aimed and released.  Both arrows flying gracefully to our soon to be family dinner.  My arrow hit the rump of the beast exactly as Mori's struck the death blow through its brain saving the beast from the agony my failed shot would have caused it.  It never bothered me that she was a better shot.

Mori immediately smiled and hugged me, "Altus, we did it.  Our first hunt!"

                Both of us ran to the stag stopping to kneel at it.  Bowing our heads, whispering our thanks and mimicking what our parents  had taught us. Even though I was neutral to our beliefs, I still showed I was grateful for the meal we caught.

                We all pulled out our daggers and canvas sacks and started carving away at the deer.  We took leather, meat, hooves and anything else we could carry and use. Once we were done, we left the remains for the forest scavengers

                Arms linked, my sister and I hopped through the woods in such bliss.  Our long black hair floated in the wind as we moved along. Other young-lings in the village would get us mixed up because we looked so much alike.  I didn't mind that we were twins.  It just meant that I looked like the favorite person in my world.  This day couldn't get any better.

And I was right.......

                Grandfather stopped us in our tracks as we came into view of the village.  Dark black smoke filled the tree canopy above our home.  Elves were trying desperately to put out a fire that was blazing in one of the homes.  We rushed to help, grabbing available buckets near the well and filling them.

"What happened?" My grandfather shouted at a frantic elf running to fill their bucket.

                Filling his bucket he cried out, "A mage came into our village, stopped at that house and started spraying fire from her hands. We are trying to rescue the two that are still in there.".

"Where is this mage" I questioned.

"She vanished as soon as the fire engulfed the home." He shouted running back to the house.

                Filled with water we all hustled to follow.  The villagers had gotten most of the flame under control  by the time we arrived.  I tossed my water while turning my head from the heat of the flame.  My eyes locked onto Mori's horrified face next to me as I looked sideways at her.  Turning back to see what had her in shock, was arrows sticking from a charred man-like shape stack of barrels.

"No....."

The Lost Ranger (Prologue)

Scrolls found written in Elven, Titled and Transcribed as “The Lost Ranger”

Prologue

                Moving slowly through the brush, using the skills my grandfather had taught us to track her.  The assassin’s guild offered to pay a large bounty for her death.  However, gold was not on my mind, seeing her decapitated head being shoved into my canvas bag satisfied my needs. I thought to myself this time would be the last.  No longer would she destroy anyone’s family with her foul magic again.

                The tracks took me across the river, through brush and through an uninhabited portion of Kanaan. Being a ranger all my life made it easy to follow her through the woods.  Finally, I came to an opening that gave me the opportunity I needed. Immediately I went into action.

“Altus, Stop!” she shouted. 

It was too late, the arrow had already been released from my long bow as the words left her lips. Piercing through the leafy terrain on its way to the mark.  The sharp head penetrating her heart, leaving a faint smoke trail and out her back finally embedding itself into the tree behind the still standing figure.  

Running, leaping and jumping, I rushed almost as fast as my arrow flew.  Just as I got into view the body fell backwards slowly like a cloak landing in from the wind.  Quickly I reached under catching her.  Terrified eyes looking back at me.

“Altus, brother, I love y…..” Mori's strength left her body, her weight fell into my arms. My clutch tightened around her, as I immediately knew the impact of my mistake…..