Round 1 Group 6

[Silence Sei]

Round lasts for 2 weeks! Good Luck!

[Taste of Treason]

I always seem to end up in these situations. I won’t add through no fault of my own, as that would be a cop out. Fate is a scapegoat for those who choose to ignore their own poor judgment. Me? I am poor judgement.

I heard the whispers as I delivered a package to a seedy inn on the edge of Radasanth. The plans to cleanse the Red Forest were set, and any warrior worth their salt would be there. A few names were thrown around and while at first I took little notice, two names stopped me in my tracks.

Zack Blaze. True, the drunken merchants described a much different man than the one I knew, but there was no doubt they meant my former friend. I wondered silently what he intended to accomplish.

Then the conversation turned a bit dirty as the focus became the assets of Alyssa Snow. I did my best to listen without being noticed. Apparently Alyssa was one of many from the mysterious new group that sought to aid in the cleansing of their home.

A small piece of me fumed at the leader of the Tarot, I had seen Leona less than a day ago and nothing of this adventure had been mentioned. If I were to be a part of her band of warriors, however small my role, shouldn’t I be kept abreast of these things? That small piece grew with each passing thought. I may not be strong, but I am certainly capable of aiding the cause. I may not be large, but I can carry my own weight. I am smart. Why else does the one who sees the future seek me out for guidance? I will not be ignored while the others go gallivanting off to glory with my ideals as their battle cry!

I believe it took twelve steps from the door before my mind was made up. I would travel to the Red Forest. I would aid in whatever way I could. I would be standing there when the Thayne Pode fell, and I would prove to Leona that I wasn’t a child she could send on errands and ask silly questions.

The resolve stood strong as I packed my few belongings in a knapsack and began the journey. It held the test of time as I made the journey, from boat to inn to horseback. It withstood the two days on foot that finally led me to the edge of the forest. Then, in a moment, it faded. I stared up at the treeline as it jousled softly in the wind, and only one thought filled my mind.

What the hell am I doing?

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"They're after me, you know."

"They've always been after you, haven't they?"

"This time is different. I can feel it across the aether, even as I linger in the space between life and death. A storm is brewing, my little monster. The High Bard Council has made their decision, and have put plans into motion that would loosen my grip on this world."

"You mean Lindequalmë."

"Yes. They mean to cleanse the forest of its affliction and restore to it the beauty that Raiaera does not deserve to behold. They're gathering their forces, their warriors, their spellsingers and druids and scholars, and they plan on striking soon."

"So let them. It's been eons since the War, and every single one of their efforts since has failed. It will be eons more before they are able to penetrate the deepest recesses of the forest to reach the heart of your power there."

"I feel that this time is different. They've reached out for help from around the known world. They've never done that before. This is an act of desperation on the Council's part, and I fear that this time they will have the power necessary to succeed."

"..."

"I have been having visions, my friend. They tell me that my time is nearly up, and that soon warriors with faces that I cannot make out will cause my downfall. With every vision, a new scenario plays out. Every single one of them end with my death."

"But you can't die. You've achieved godhood, haven't you? Your magic is too strong to simply run a sword through you and be done with it..."

"Once upon a time, that may have been true. But my power has waned as the years have gone by... I am not able to repulse their advances into Lindequalmë for much longer. That is why I have summoned you to the world between life and death. I have another gift and another task for you."

"You have?"

"My dear, while my power is slowly withering, yours is growing by the day. Your drive, your hatred, your almost serene wrath... With each setting sun, the Curse I have given you makes you more and more powerful. But I fear that may not be enough to continue my work when I am gone. I shall be granting you more of my power, more of my knowledge."

"More? Not all? After all that I've done for you in this short time? You know what I'm capable of, why spare--"

"I can sense your jealousy, but it is a mere tactical choice. While you may consider yourself worthy to carry on my work by yourself, there are others who also share that honor. I will be visiting them as well; and as a group but separate, you shall continue my dark legacy. That way, should one of you fall, the others can carry on with their grand work. Do you understand?"

"...I do, yes. And this task you mentioned? What would you have me do?"

"Sign up for their efforts within Lindequalmë. Join their ranks and find out their plans. Learn the ways of your new enemy--memorize their faces, their names, their ways of thinking so you may take your revenge in the future. Learn whatever you can, and then bide your time. Wait for the perfect moment to strike back."

"Understood. But... Why don't I just stop them now?"

"Because I have foreseen my ultimate death. Don't waste your own life trying to change my destiny."

"Alright, fair enough. I'll just... keep it low key, then."

The Forgotten One Podë smiled as she placed her hands on my shoulders once more, fingers crackling with the dark energy that warped the most beautiful thing in the world. "I knew that my trust in you was well-placed, my Agent."

-~-~-~-~-

I woke from my meditation to the busy sounds of foreign adventurers and native Raiaerans in the camp preparing for the task at hand--cleansing Lindequalmë, The Red Forest, of the Curse that held it fast within its spidery grasp. The Red Witch herself had tasked me with a glorified reconnaissance mission; watch the others and take notes. She reassured me that there will be plenty of time to avenge her death in the future.

...Still not quite sure how I felt about that. It had only been a couple of months since I became the Forgotten One's Agent. I thought I was the only one; but apparently there are others who walk a dark enough path to take up her cause as well. These past few nights, I've dreamed about hunting them down and taking the gifts that they've been granted by her... But she was right. The more we numbered, the more we would be able to carry on her dark crusade.

I'm getting ahead of myself here. You'll have to excuse me--my body and mind have been adjusting to... to whatever it was that she gifted me with.

It's been a bit of a weird sort of adjustment period. Once or twice I've found myself irrationally angry over the past couple days, and to my surprise I found my hands suddenly engulfed with a flame as black as the midnight sky, which quickly snuffed itself out. Had I suddenly become attuned to magic? I've always found spellcasting very difficult to wrap my mind around. It just wasn't something we practiced much as kids. But I was certain that it had to do with the boon that the sorceress gave me after our final talk together. How else would her powers manifest themselves in my body? Only time will tell, I guess.

...Time. Podë was running out of it, but assured me that I had nothing but. I--we, sorry--would have all the time in the world to avenge her imminent and ultimate death.

That was something I would have to remind myself constantly of while I'm here. She had given me strict orders to just simply participate in her downfall.

Something else that I'm not sure how I feel of. I mean, she did give me a new purpose in life, after all. It really makes my heart ache to have that taken from me so soon.

No, not taken. The purpose is still there; just not the guidance. ...Thinking about it, that may actually be worse.

Either way, I will carry on her cause, as she wishes.

Boy, will I fucking ever.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

There was one in the group who was simply there.

He'd been working with the adventure team, in Raiaeras' Red Forest job. He had no ties to the High Elves, he was simply an Elf. It was some sort of a nationalistic sense of pride that kept him bound to the foolish adventurers venturing out into the red forest. Elthas knew the score, his contractor had hired him out SPECIFICALLY as a member of The Red Six. He was to show no ties to The Trading Company and work of his own accord, despite being it's leader.

The afternoon sun shown overhead in the camp. Each of the different pieces of the grand puzzle were going about their business in the camp portion by portion. Elthas however, had a different job. His contractor had been very specific that he had to keep an eye on the movements and activities of one of the members of the adventure party. The one called Madison Freebird. In his earlier youth, a lifetime ago, Elthas had some involvement with Madison during a party gone completely awry. It signaled his initial involvements with The Red Six. Elthas sat by himself despite the fact that he was a Prince at that point. Though he had taken over the township his particular tribe had come from, it was irrelevant because the very same town had lost any of it's former influence. He was a prince without much power, and he wanted to keep it that way. Only Philomel and Mister Draak knew of his elevation to Princehood after the defeat of the Master Elf named Xu Bellaparte.

Elthas was thinking about that event, what he had accomplished.

He sat in a quiet corner of the camp, smoking the cannibus herb from his smoking pipe.

The smoke was wispy tendrils that smelled the distinct scent of the herb he liked so much. It helped him relax because he knew what was the score. His contractor had told him so even though the majority of the Adventure Party ultimately had NO idea what was about to happen. Cleanse the Red Forest? Yeah right. We are here to kill Pode. Elthas kept careful tabs on the movements of Madison Freebird, but did so in a non-conspicuous sort of way. A stare here, a glance there. Mental notes other times. He was studying her habits, learning her way of doing things. But the rest would come together in due time. His contractor had told him NOT to engage Madison until a threat was revealed. We're here to kill one of The Forgotten Ones. The thoughts sent a chill up and down his spine. He was not a fool, he was very frightened of the prospect and very real fact that he could die at any point in the suicide mission. He took a moment to observe the workers around him. They were NOT company workers but he still felt sorry for them. You're being used by your Nations. Heroes. Adventure teams, it's all bullshit if you ask me. Elthas had grown grim since he'd defeated Xu Bellaparte.

That whole event was the reason he was placed in his current mission.

Elthas wore a comfortably warm trench coat, that was well embroidered. He liked to dress to impress, that was part of who he was. His suit was a three piece suit, double breasted, that was cut in Radasanth tradition. He hated wearing ties, so instead wore a fancy amulet that was just basic jewelry. At either of his sides were his delyn daggers. They sat a quiet reminder of the power at Elthas' command. He wasn't one of the world destroyers by far, but the Forest Elf could hold his own. His eyes were sharp and scanned the base camp carefully as he looked at what everybody was doing. There was a nervous tension in the air. It was always the case before any sort of conflict began. They think they are here to reverse the curse...poor fucks been lied to. He took a deep pull of his smoking pipe and exhaled it his through his nostrils. That was when one of the female adventurers walked over towards him.

"My lord, may I have a seat next to you?" She asked politely.

Elthas observed her carefully, she appeared to be in her late forties and a seasoned veteran of these sorts of ordeals. "As you wish." Elthas responded.

She sat down next to Elthas, he admitted to himself it was nice to have some companionship at the hour before the storm fell.

Without ever knowing why, and perhaps impulsively, he began to sing. He sang in the native Ruildian tongue which was unique to the Forest Elves of Ruild. "<From the mountains...comes the north men...guided by the Valkyries of olde, ye battle maidens, guide my blade today. Guide our hearts to victory...>" Elthas was young in the ways of The Bard. But as he sang he noticed people looking his way. The female Adenturer leaned in close to Elthas.

"It is a lovely battle hymn you sing, Ruildian." She said calmly.

And the gathered began to prepare for the suicide mission at hand.

[Sulla]

Dussek was a man of many offices, both titular and physical, and gave them all equally small doses of visitation and respect. On this particular day, we met in a vacant mill that skirted Radasanth’s city limits so as not to offend the sensible city folk with noise and stale smells. The managerial office was in desperate need of a good cleaning. Though glaringly bright outside, sunlight struggled passed the sullied panes of sooty glass. Even without walls - opened and exposed to the factory floor below - a few oil lamps had to be placed upon any surface within reach. The factory had been emptied since the night before when Dussek offered the workforce an entire day off to celebrate some minor deity’s feast; it was a perfect move, as always for him. His employees continued their sycophantic devotion to him and we had a perfect spot to conduct our perfidy in peace.

Behind the central desk covered in scattered paperwork and coffee stains, Dussek sat with an utter stillness. Even though his chair had weathered a score of fat-assed middlemen with neither dignity nor grace, his statuesque grandeur made it seem a seat of some great power. As he carefully flicked through the pages of a folder, he nibbled at a few small bites of a single finger sandwich that his servant held on a platter nearby. I waited with the same agitated smile I always mustered when summoned by him, eager to get this latest target info and be done with his silly power games.

“Are you sure you don’t want Bahl’ir to get you something?” His words rang as hollow as his sunken cheeks. Accepting any favor him, no matter how small, pulled at a thousand strings he’d planned before the offer.

I looked to his mute servant with a grin; the man stared daggers back at me from behind his cowl and tattooed face. Bahl’ir had been something of a poet back in Fallien; his spoken word epics were the talk of many a traveler who’d had the luck to see him live. But my younger self had never been too good at keeping his temper, and Bahl’ir's tongue was sharp. Almost as sharp as my knife.

“No thank you, I fear my tastes aren’t quite up to it this morning.” Oh how I loved that hate that emanated from the servant’s eyes. He couldn’t touch me, not unless Dussek was feeling especially punitive for my latest discretion, so all he did was fume with impotent anger. He knew I could sense every sweet, petty wave that washed over him; the slave’s warning was all the sustenance I needed.

“Enough,” my uncle said with a stern, sour note. He was always eager to ruin what little fun I could find, or perhaps he was the only one allowed to play head games at these meetings. “I have a new task for you, one that I’m certain you’ll excel at.”

“Who’s the target, dear nuncle?” He hated that word and the tone of familiarity that dripped with it, though it was hard to notice anything on that dour face of his, besides the occasional twitch of annoyance.

“This little mission is far more important than any single target, and has far-reaching effects that would be most beneficial to my enterprises.” He slid the folder across the desk to me. I could see light wear on the sides that faded the manila, no doubt he’d given the matter some thought. Its contents contained an open letter from Raiaera’s High Bard Council, information I had read in the Radasanth Reader only days ago. Behind that were several dossiers on what seemed to be team members I was assigned to. I could feel my canine bite into my upper lip as a glared at my dear, sweet uncle.

“You know how I hate these little expeditions. Why not send any of the hundred sword-armed lackeys you employ? Their avarice more than makes up for their will to live, I’m sure they’d be happy to die in the company of one of these fine cohorts that have been chosen for this gallant crusade.” Disappointment, shame, or loathing; my uncle had always been one of the few people I had a hard time reading. But his mood began to lighten, and to my shock, I could see the beginnings to a smile around the wrinkles on his lips.

“If you’d kept silent and continued to read, you’d notice this mission is more a gift from me than a job.” Hesitantly, my eyes scoured through page after page, until a came across two pieces of information that not only piqued my interest, but damned near sent my into the throngs of ecstasy.

Madison Freebird, the stuff of legend made flesh, would be put amongst the group. We’d met very recently under less than optimal circumstances, but I continued to delve into any information I could find on the plant-hybrid. She was something of an anomaly for me, a curiosity; an extension of the power of the will to bend the world at a whim when necessity dictated it. Despite her ill-fated gender, I found something of a kindred in the idea of her, perhaps even an equal – equals are made to destroy and stand on high atop the peak of their rubble.

But that only whetted my appetite, because the next page detailed the most efficient means to cleanse the corrupt Red Forest. There were a few theories and quotes my uncle had collected from his soothsayers and scientifically minded, but the gist of it all sent my heart into a furious rhythm. Behind the technical aspects, the history, the lore, was the simple statement of what must be done. ”To kill a god.”

I tried my best to hide my excitement, but I was sure Dussek or Bahl’ir heard a sudden thump from beneath the desk. “Are my travel arrangements all made up?” There was a breathless whisper where I had hoped stout words stood.

“You’ll leave tonight.” Dussek was pleased, or at least seemed slightly more chipper than usual. “A Raiaeran by the name of Maelynd shall accompany you on the boat, and guide you to your meeting. Pleasant hunting.”

[Taste of Treason]

The camp was far more organized than I would have expected. It seemed the Council were leaving nothing to chance. Several tables were set up for purchasing last minute wares and several more provided food and drinks for those participating. A large sign stood to the left with directions toward a long line of men and women who no doubt hoped to prove themselves today. I took my place behind a large man, grateful that perhaps I would be mostly hidden from view as I tried not to panic. I dug the toe of my gray boot into the grass slowly and smiled as I left behind a circle of broken blades. Was it sadistic to enjoy leaving a footprint upon living things weaker than yourself?

I smiled. Perhaps the meaning of life was in finding just how much you could effect the world around you. Did it really matter if those effects were good or bad? The brown mud-stained boots in front of me shuffled forward out of view. The line was moving. I pulled my attention from my mark with a strange sadness. For the first time I noticed the beauty of the forest in front of me. How had I missed it before?

I could hear birds chirping even from thirty paces outside that lush treeline. The wildflowers that grew beneath the perfect leaves were bright yellow and purple and smelled more wonderful than anything I’ve ever known. Why would we send all these men into such a wondrous place? Each step from the dirty man standing before me would only sully its existence. Why would Leona support such a mission?
My rage with the leader of the Tarot Hierarchy had mostly faded, but now it hit anew. Who was Leona to decide the fate of this place? The line moved forward again as I resolved to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.

I stared around me at the different adventurers, eyeing each one suspiciously. What could they have to gain by destroying the forest and its protector? Would the damage caused be irreversible? I silently wished for each and every one of them to be swallowed whole by the larger being inside the trees.

I stared absentmindedly ahead until a small voice called out to me. “Ma’am?”

The elf looked far too young to be involved in such a disgusting facade. True, elves never appeared to be old enough for anything, but she couldn’t have been more than twenty. She squeaked out a few questions about my abilities and strengths. That didn’t take long, I have none. She questioned my family line which only lead to some quick, boring lies and then she asked something I hadn’t been expecting.

“What do you hope to gain by aiding this noble cause?”

Noble my ass. I considered my words. It wasn’t time yet. “I hope we can finally find closure.” I pressed my lips into a smile.

This seemed to satisfy her. She carefully searched through a stack of parchment sheets in front of her. She slowly placed each on upon the table until only two were still in her grip. Her eyes jumped from one to the other and back again as she mumbled something too low for me to make out. Finally, she sketched my name on one of the sheets and smiled. Her bright blue eyes lit up as she pointed toward a group of people. “That will be your team right there! We’ve tried to arrange a good mix in each group so that whatever challenges you face there will be someone with the knowledge to handle it. Thanks so much for your aid, and good luck out there!”

I turned away with all the strength I had. “Good luck? Challenges? Was this a game?” I puzzled the complete lack of respect as I took slow, deliberate steps toward my new ‘group.’

Muddy boots was there. Of course. Also, a strange woman who from the looks of things might as well have grown in the forest herself. Three other men rounded out the team. One seemed to be staring at the forest expectantly while another seemed far more interested in my arrival.

“Finally, now we can get started.”

I hated him. I can’t even explain where the rage came from, but something inside me screamed that he could not be trusted. I stared blankly at his average features for something of note, but found nothing. It wasn’t until the final man cleared his throat that I pulled my attention away. His eyes had not left the strange woman, but his intent was obvious.

“Right, so let’s get going.” Apparently without my stare the man had found his voice again. “We have a forest to cleanse.”

Far more than the forest shall be cleansed today.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

One of my squad members seemed very eager to die.

I turned to the man, who appeared to be a weathered adventurer in his late forties decked out in some well-worn leather armor with a fur-collared jacked over it. "If you got a death wish, then by all means walk right in and go cleanse the forest. The rest of us are going to come up with a plan of attack here that'll see us all walk out in one piece when it's all over," I said with a sneer. The man's lips pursed underneath his salt and pepper beard as he tilted his head up just a bit, as if he was trying to intimidate me or something.

A high elf that had been running around the base camp with a stack of folders stopped by my little group and handed me one. Thanking him, I opened it to see what he had given me. Inside the folder were several sheets of paper, a few field maps drawn up by the scouts that the High Bard Council sent in ahead of time, some reports from mercenary teams who had gone on missions such as this one before us, a generic letter from a Councilman commending us for our bravery and selflessness for helping the Raiaerans on this most important quest of theirs blah blah blah. At least that last one could make for some decent kindling for a campfire.

Tucking the folder under my left arm, I started handing out the ink-drawn maps to my teammates. The first one went to the older guy in the leather duds. The next one went to another adventurer, a younger gentleman in similar gear who had a shaggy mop of blond hair and three scars across his left cheek, presumably from a beast attack.

I turned to the young girl next to me, a map held out for her to take as well, but she was looking off in the distance at the Red Forest. She was a short, frail little thing, giving off an air of a bratty teenager who is here just to prove her snobby, influential parents that she's tough enough to hack it in the real world. She won't last long out here.

"Hey," I called out to her. One of the pages inside the folder contained the entire group's names. I tried using hers. "Hey, Cellar." Still no response.

I stuck my briar-knit fingers right next to her ear and gave them a quick snap that cracked like thunder through the camp, drawing the attention of dozens of people milling around. The young girl slowly turned towards me, a sparkle in her sapphire eyes and a bitter smile on her pretty face. "Yes?"

"Do pay attention, dear," I replied curtly as I shoved a map into her hands. Words about not wanting to be both a squad leader and a babysitter were on the tip of my tongue, but I thought better of myself. I would have to keep an eye on this one; she seemed completely out of her element and definitely not suited for the dangerous mission that the Council organized.

Turning to the next person in the group, I hesitated briefly before handing him a map of his own. His name was Sulla, and we met under the most unfortunate circumstances several weeks ago while I was out shopping. After that little event, I recognized him for the monster that he is and tried my hardest to dig up what I could about him (for he could be useful within the ranks of the Crimson Hand as an assassin). However, not even my oldest sources from back when I was a killer for my family could turn up anything substantial on him.

For all I could discover, he barely existed. He was an enigma. An unknown. And, being a member of my team, with what I've seen him do, and with that bastard smile of his that was always plastered on his face, it worried me.

Just my fucking luck that he would be in my little adventuring group--but why? That uncertainty is what truly frightened me. I would have to keep a close eye on him, the creep.

The last map went to a man I was familiar with, having met him once at a dinner party that took a turn for the worse (not my fault, I promise); the elf Elthas Belthasar. He was tall and lean with a long mane of green hair, his muscular frame hidden underneath fine Coronian duds and a long jacket befitting of the man currently running The Trading Company, who the Crimson Hands have a good working relationship with.

And yet... There were several times the past two days since I arrived in the Raiaerans' base camp when I caught him giving me these looks, as if he were watching my every movement.

As the elf took the map from me, I caught a whiff of something rotten coming off him. Cannabis, I thought to myself sourly. "That better be for medical purposes," I said, making no effort to hide my disdain for the weed. The last thing I needed was for Elthas's reflexes and mental faculties to be slowed down just because he wanted to see some pretty lights and get happy for a hour or two.

What a wonderful little party we've assembled here, I mused to myself as I took another look through the folder for the orders the camp commanders scribbled down inside. A plaguesinger, an efficient sociopath, a drug-addled shopkeeper, a worthless brat, and two suicidal sellswords.

I addressed my little group once more, waving the parchment with the orders in front of them. "Right, so, from the looks of things these high elves have everything all figured out. We're being sent in at various points throughout the edge of the Red Forest, traveling in small groups in order to converge on a point deep within the forest--presumably the heart of it, where Podë's power is centered."

I looked up at the group to try and get a read on them. Cellar was distracted once again, the beard and the blond were only slightly interested in hearing what I had to say, Sulla was unreadable past his smile, and Elthas was giving me another one of those looks that gave me the impression that the elves' mission wasn't the only one he was on.

I clicked my tongue softly and balled up my fists, vine-woven knuckles turning a lighter shade of green as my anger simmered. Absolutely nothing was going to go right today.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas was standing before Madision Freebird.

She handed him what appeared to be a map of some sort, he had some working knowledge of the Red Forest, but he would always welcome some sort of extra help to expand that knowledge.

Elthas narrowed his eyes casually as the plans that the his kin, the high elves, put together. She made a rude comment towards him, he let it go. He didn't know if she was speaking of his smoking habits or not...he didn't care. He was there for an entirely other purpose. When the shit hit the fan...and it likely would...he would be the fall back guy. These Adventuring folks were all the same. The nationalistic bullshit again. It's so easy for some pompous bastard in his fancy chamber to send these poor folks to die. And then they wouldn't even care, just write it off as a loss on their account books and send more and more of these folks through the meat fucking grinder. Well I am here to make sure these kids don't pay for some arrogant politicians' bullshit. I am here to bring them home safely. That's when the man in the fedora hat noticed the tag along. The girl from earlier seemed intent on following the bard around. Not that he minded at all, the Adventure Party was the sort of environment one made life-long allies. He nodded towards her. He noticed the absent minded girl and the other members of the party being handed maps as well. Elthas nodded towards Sulla and the other veteran "Heroes".

Except when it comes to one of The Forgotten Ones, there is nothing to figure out. Elthas thought to himself. The bard had his battle horn at the ready and he would sing for their victory when the hour was right. He would follow Madisons' lead for the time being. For now at least. Just stay out of my way. He thought menacingly. Elthas carefully prepared himself. Smoking the cannibus herb earlier had helped him relax. He felt like he was ready. That's when he noticed something very wrong with the mission. There are too many of us. He looked around and the thought had occurred to him that they WERE likely the back up for whatever scheme the Elves were cooking up. Elthas wasn't liking the odds of dealing with a Forgotten One anyway. There were more than one. His knowledge of them was limited, and he hated that he had not spent enough time studying the old books. I have to remedy that when I get back home. Time to learn the layout of this belief system. Time to know the way the enemy operations. N'Jal isn't the only enemy of the people. Elthas thought to himself. He had limited working knowledge of The Thayne Codex, but it would suffice. He would provide whatever aid in the adventure he could.

As he stood there he waited for Madison to give the word.

Then they would all march to certain death.

His expression was a calm but a grim one.

As he stood there listening to the various conversations going on all around him, he knew one thing. The hour is here. Getting himself mentally prepared, he turned to look towards the larger portion of the gathered group. There were bigger, more equipped fellows giving out orders and assembling various teams together. Military protocol. Elthas thought to himself. He didn't like being so close to Madison Freebird, something about her gave him chills. Either way he noticed the leadership structure of the camp beginning to move. He looked towards his would-be female companion with a concerned expression. "Don't be afraid." He said to nobody in particular. She nodded back at his general direction. Then he looked at the absent minded girl that seemed to be at totally the wrong place at the wrong time. She was the only one in Elthas' mind that was the TRUE enigma. Why is that kid even here? That was the one person out of the group of Heroes he couldn't figure out.

The orders were given in the camp and the group began to move out. Elthas kept his eye on how Madison would behave. Keep a close eye on her... Elthas remembered his specific orders that the contractor gave him. Regardless, I'm not dying for this shit either, and I'm here to make sure these kids are NOT thrown away for nothing... Elthas thought to himself as the march into The Red Forest started. Elthas was a quick footed fellow, but he would stay with the group that followed Madison for the time being. He felt thankful to have a friend watching his back and the female companion followed him as well.

"What's your name my lord?" She asked.

"Elthas Belthasar." He responded to her casually. "Yours?"

"Lilly Drendyn." She responded with a soft smile.

"You've fought for a long time." He could see it in her eyes, she had experience. "I'll be certain to return you to your family in one piece. Count on it."

"And I'll be certain to return you to yours." She said in response.

The two shook hands.

Then Elthas focused on the job at hand. His eyes became deadly serious.

[Sulla]

The journey had been an arduous crossing on calm, cool seas. As the days slid by in the comfort of my cabin, the boredom bore a rot somewhere deep inside my being. A particularly ugly first mate had the nasty habit of rapping his fingers against the ship’s bannisters while he was on watch; though I nodded and smiled at him on every passing, oh how I loathed his incessant need to remind the world he was there. The cabin boy had felled a small shark during the trip, and for some reason this called for a debauched celebration on deck to welcome him to manhood. Swarthy sailors in peacock costumes swore they’d find him a whore as soon as they made port. I meditated, sometimes for hours on end, to escape the monotony of their petty lives.

My companion Maeylnd earnestly attempted small talk with me. He seemed curious as to my connection to Dussek, my job, my hobbies – his questions just made my search for inner peace that much harder. Control was slipping through my grasp with rapid abandon. Had we not reached shore when we did, I fear I would have blown my cover right open, endangered my life, all to get the world to cease the senselessness.

Raiaera was a strange country to set foot in. The ravages of the Corpse War still stood in stark reminder of a time when the elves could no longer rely on their mysticism and conviction to gird them from sweet reality. Rubble littered the ground as makeshift cobblestone, and it was hard to step a few feet in any direction without tripping over a shard of mythril shattered from some ancient house’s blade. The crusader’s camp attempted to temper the chaotic influx into some sort of order, but it failed to predict the laughable stragglers and stereotypes that flooded it. Harsh men in boiled leather honed their blades in full view of the crowds, desperately grasping at some bragging right. Elves in silk and velvet scampered between the lines, deftly avoiding the scarred soldiers and cowled apostates that breathed their fetid breath around me.

“I have other business to take care of, so I will take my leave now if you believe you are be able to find your way around.” Maelynd had that despicable doublespeak famous of his people; an innate ability to care and condescend at the same time. I regretted not slitting his throat on the ship.

“I’ll be fine,” I said, playfully tugging at a strand of my hair that had grown much too long for my liking. “If all goes well, I’ll meet you back at this camp. We’ll enjoy a nice luncheon on a hill overlooking the purified forest.” He smiled and dashed off to be lost in the crowd. I relaxed a bit then – it’s so tiring to always be on.

Though I had read my dossiers front to back, intel was never perfect until you saw the target in the field. The scant paragraphs could hardly prepare me for the shameful showing that gathered together. Two warriors - one older and clad in animal hide, the other a youth with vile scars on his face – stood close to each other. I could tell they had some skill with the swords they carried, but noticed how the elder put more weight on his right leg than his left, and the youngster’s nervously darting eyes. Details like that were always of some importance later.

A powerhouse of an elf with verdant mane kept himself in a constant haze as he puffed away at his pipe. The cloud that surrounded him had that herbal sweet, all too familiar aroma I associated with poets, the elderly, and the infirmed. He wore noble garb and acted every bit the part; I was hopeful that such sensibilities would prove a useful later.

Madison looked as dreadful as ever – I could never tell if she was exhausted or being eaten from within from some contrition. She dressed fairly well, but put silken trappings on a weed and all you have is a haughty dandelion. Still, she was the most dangerous of the group that I had accounted for. My true feelings were veiled behind a grin and a nod; it didn’t matter that she could melt my flesh with a sneeze, so long as I kept her on edge. I straightened my glasses as she handed me a copy of the map she received, truly gleeful of the reminder that the accoutrement would prevent any accurate description of me later.

My mood soured, though, as I caught sight of the last member. She had that doe-liked quality that most predators sought out – a sickly innocence about her, a thin veneer to hide weakness. I detested her from the first moment our eyes locked, but would not allow my emotions to betray me. My smile never broke, even as I bit my villainous tongue. The quest to end the Lindequalmë would take more than idealism and puppy kisses. Strength, courage, resolve, and a keen animal’s intellect were the only true weapons a mortal had to slay a god.

Madison took charge without ever being asked, and we were soon on our way into the depths of the Red Forest. I remember the storybooks from my youth and the legend of the Red Witch. Podë had stolen the glory of this hallowed earth, and turned it into a mockery. But with each carefully step I took, I saw only a wonder. Gone were dull trees one could see in any spot in the world. This forest looked as if it had been hewn from flesh, with crimson leaves that stretched in desperation for the sun, and gray-skin trunks that sunk into the corpse-worn earth. I had never been an avid gardener, but perhaps I’d steal a few seeds before I slew the witch.

However, my sightseeing ended when I caught another look at that deplorable imp. I wanted to open my mind’s eye to her, to feel her fear and sickness at the sights the surrounded her. But as I looked into her vacant stare, I found something most peculiar – perhaps even frighteningly familiar.

”Joy”

[Taste of Treason]

When I first saw the forest I thought it terrifying. I dreamed of all the dangers that lurked inside, of my blood pooling into the damp earth and becoming just another half life in the chaotic creation of a calamitous celestial.

Now, as my troup allowed ourselves to be swallowed whole by the treeline, I felt an inner piece like never before. With each glance at the scenic beauty I felt more and more at home amid that which we sought to destroy. To say I fell in love with the place would be an understatement. I wanted nothing more than to allow myself to become one with nature’s creation.

Every so often I would catch a word or two of the conversation around me. Apparently Muddy Boots had three kids at home and a wife who worried his involvement with the cause would bring a curse upon their door. The scarred man was unmarried and apparently rather enjoyed his freedom often with various barmaids. Our fearless leader kept quiet save for the occasional instruction, though her glances around the group let me know we had our doubts about the same individuals. The third man seemed focused on ensuring the safety of all involved, always a dangerous way to go. The willing hero rarely survives in a good story. The last man was quiet, calculating. He looked each of us over more than once.

I had very nearly proven myself a mute when the barfly caught my stride. “I haven’t heard a peep out of you yet, girl. Care to share a bit about yourself?”

I started to reply curtly, then bit my tongue. Why was I so testy? “What would you like to know?”

“A name would be a fair start I suppose.”

Simple enough. He wasn’t going to believe me anyway. “Cellar. Cellar Door to be exact. I’ve never been a barmaid and I have no interest in pretending for your amusement. I think that about covers the truth of your interest, no?” Apparently biting my tongue had done little good.

His eyes lit up at the challenge. “Now, now. That’s a bit harsh don’t you think? I’m Nicolas. If any of us is to leave this damned place alive I suppose we ought to be able to trust each other, don’t you, Cellar?”

“I hardly think this place is a damned as they’d have us believe.” I had no control of my mouth. It is a curse of being me just as much as poor decision making. “Look around you...does this looked cursed to you?”

I may as well have grown a second head from the look I received. When he had finally regained control of his words he laughed. “No, nothing odd at all about a forest the color of blood.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and gave him a puzzled look. I couldn’t help but notice the others stopping to stare. So much for going unnoticed. The quiet one seemed to look into my very soul through his lenses.

It was only the annoyed voice of the woman in charge that ended the awkwardness. “If you two are finished, the rest of us would like to get back to the task at hand.”

I pressed my lips hard together as we once again moved through the trees. I tried not to let it show, but confusion filled my entire being. His words made no sense. The forest around me was healthy, alive, and very very green.