Shadow Dreams


His robes were a shadowy blue, complimenting the two sapphire orbs passing for eyes within the depths of the robe. They shone as the black linen edging did for the dark blue robe. The moonlight seemed to hang over the mans outfit, the nights jealousy. He walked a dirt path through the dense woods. The blades of grass danced upon the fine air and the branchs shifted restlessly and relentless in the drifting of the wind from the east, as always. The fiery leaves  danced as well, licking the tips of the grass. The figure stopped suddenly, rough hands found their way from the hefty robed arms and pulled back upon the hood. A soft face gazed about to absorb the beauty that transpired in front of him, all around him. His hair was dark, maybe the color of bark with soft lips. His face was slender and his chin was pressed in a small black goutee.

The great oaks lounged in the softness of the night. His robes swayed as he began his swift steps again but now through woods off the path.The bottom of his robes did not drag against the dew and the dancing grass but niether did it reveal any of his body.
Within the woods his passing went unnoticed and unchallenged and all the while each footstep left behind a trail of glimmering ice and the northmen followed.

Chapter One



"I'm meeting someone here, do you mind?"

"Just trying to have a friendly conversation?"

The voice was husky and caught with surprise, Odessa retored angerly.

"Well I'm afraid I've no use of you and your conversation so I'd warrent it'd be well thought of if you were to seal that mouth of yours before I do so myself!"

Odessa couldn't hide the irritation in her voice despite her best efforts, it leaked out like a rusty fishing bucket that had indeed seen to many years and to many fish.

The man sitting accross from her, drinking a pitchord of Valen Ale, turned back around to gaze at the roaring fire keeping the lofty Inn warm though the cold Autumn night. His face reddened either from embarrassment or his drink, Odessa couldn't tell but either way she didn't care as long as he stopped his loose tounge from quibbering.

She was used to having drunkards "Make conversation" with her. She'd spent enough nights in taverns and inns to have make a 30 year old serving maiden look like a innocent little girl. It was not that she was aged, or even ugly infact she was all but opposite of those and she was far from a worn woman.

She was young, pretty by human standards and a restless swordswoman. She sat at one of the many round oak tables at the Drunken Ogre, one of her favorite Inn's in Valrune City. The fire was always roaring, casting an orange glow to the whole of the inn and the ale was always flowing and there was always an empty seat. She was joined only by the half-drunken fool several tables away from her.  Skyr a half-elven ranger sat in the darkend corner of the room to the right of the door. She had known him since she was a child having worked with him several times withen the city, there were always beasts and bastards that had bounty enough to fill several purses. Skyr was one of the few who Odessa called a friend. He was warm hearted and wise, and she thought for a moment that friend wasn't quite the right word.

He sat in the far corner near the entrance coverted by the shadows gazing into the flames that danced nearby.

She considered her choice of words carefully, silently, she couldn't find the words and after a moment shrugged it off uneasly. They had worked well together those early years and still did so today. They had a reputation in Valrune City, a bounty hunter reputation at least that's what he was, they both knew but Odessa. . . she was a mercinary by all standards.

Her track of thought upon friends, money and career was lost as the wooden door creaked open slighty the cold breeze caught her tiredness, she felt a shiver go down her back only to rise from her feet again.

The door creaked again as it clicked shut. Odessa's face lit up openly in a grin that was cocky and childish. Her curly black hair lapsed into her face and over her tired dark eyes.

"Palin!"

The name escaped her lips and she lept up to hug the Sapphire colored mage.

His sleeves unfolded from one another as she leaned agasn't him in an embrace of siblings. He returned the hug, but not as enthusiastic as she did.

"Dess, your choking me!"

The deep voice gasped through partched lips and a weary face. Odessa released Palin of her bear's grip, and he practically tripped over his own feet into the chair next to Odessa's.

"I'm sorry Palin, here have some of my ale you look like you've been to the Abyss and back! Where have you been, tell me everything about the tower!"

They both sat down at Odessa's table, Palin pushed the mug of Ale away with one finger, as if afraid it would bite off his hand. Odessa eyed him cooly,

"Why don't you drink, brother?"

The question had an edge to it, the edge that Palin knew could easly turn to a rage over nothing. He leaned over the table and motioned with his hand to do the same. Apparently he'd caught her intrest now cause she leaned over the table as well, eyes wide.

"Can't cast spells drunk"

Her face turned red and blotchy but she contained herself from smacking Palin.

After all shouldn't I go easy on him? It's the first time I've seen him in two years, she thought.

"So has anyone else made it, Dess? Where's Skyr? And Thayla?"

"Oh you know Palin, Skyr always sneaking about in the shadows."

A smile lit Odessa's face and a warmth in her eyes glowed at the mention of Skyr. Palin thought about asking but he reconsidered that in a heartbeat. He knew that face he'd seen it enough in the tower and he had seen it crushed every time. It was love he saw twinkling in the density of her heavy eyes and love was never to be questioned, he knew. He pressed on persisant to have the whereabouts of every everyone, including Thayla.

"You never answered my question Dess, where is Thayla?"

"I assume she's with Vega, probably out at the festival on the other side of Valrune, can't see the lights from here but its over there, you can go look for them but I think I'd rather wait here then go out into that cold."

"Right."

Palin replied half heartedly. His face turned ashen and a sudden look of pain and tiredness lasped his faced and his body twisted gauntly beneath his robes.

"Are you alright Palin?"

Sudden worry filled Odessa's face as she watched her little brother twist.

"You never cared before Odessa, don't bother to start now. I'm going to look for Vega and Thayla, alright? Ill come back here with them later."

Palin rose calmly and one foot after another walked out of the bright light of the Inn. Back to the cold he was so familiar with. The city was dark, at least this side of the city. The cobblestone road swerved in and out, between buildings, like a snake. Darkness penetrated the air fighting back against the faint glow of the latern posts. The flames did little more then give the streets a forbodding look thickening the ankle high fog that seemed to have eaten the ground beneath his feet.
He could only wish that the fog had been stronger. He wandered from the doorways of closed inn's or taverns. Mages were not trusted much in these days; common-folk fear what they don't understand. Being seen on a night like this alone would only raise trouble, he'd heard rumors of mages and sorcerers burned alive for simply passing through. He had no way of protecting himself either, he was only but past his apprenticeship years and mages of the Conclave were not allowed to bear any arms but a dagger or prehaps a staff. He simply found it better to avoid conflict of any kind.

Finally he rouded a corner and a wave of light banished the cold and the depths of darkness he had just come from swiming through. A false day seemed to thrive before him. It was the biggest of all traveling fairs that came to Valrune. He had darted around people up until now, he seemed to have no other choice but to step into the throng of people. This paticular street emptied into the cities main plaza. A fountain with a great statue of the lord of Valrune was a bastion upon the top as water swirled in a whirlpool motion. People danced togeather in the fountain, soaked to the bone. There were people dancing about with laterns in thier hands causing shadows to jump about and scare the little children from one side of the plaza to the next.Tents had been pitched in every direction and pettlers as well as vendors shared word of their goods. There were three other streets that seemed to be taking the same amount of abuse as the plaza.

Palin's eyebrows rose he had never been to a festival in his life and he found himself in awe, in shock, he would never find Vega and Thayla in this cursed mess. He rubbed his forhead slowly a headache had begun to form.

Sadly he hung his head and shrugged before dissapearing into the mess of cheerful bliss.

Odessa stared at the back of Palin without saying a word as the young man stepped out into the night. Something was differn't he wasn't who he was when he left she saw that clearly enough. Palin was no longer Palin. She thought the tower would do something as that but she had hoped deep in her mind and in her dreams that he would remain the cheerful care free boy she remembered having so many great times with. Back when they were young he would take any chance to out drink her even if he never succeded.

"Skyr does he seem differen't to you?"

Odessa asked expecting the answer Skyr chose to replie with but still shocked.

"Palin always looked up to you Odessa, you were more then his sister you were his only family. He always strived to be more like you then you cared to notice. At some point you lost him, I could have told you but it wouldn't have made a difference. You are a swordswoman Palin is a mage. From the same world yes, but completely opposite paths were chosen. He's what you were then."

"I'm not supposed to help him solve his problems I had my own life. . ."

Her voice trailed off in thought as Skyr rose and neared the stairs to the rooms.

"I'm going to rest Odessa I suggest you do the same you have lots of catching up to do with Palin."

Creacking shuddered through the tavern as the half elf cloacked in black made his way up the stairs in gaunted boots and found his way to his room. She pushed her chair back and stood up slowly.The broadsword crossing her hip chipped against her leather worked trousers thatched in chainmail. Her shirt was a much softer leather for wear with pauldrens of mesh. The curls of her hair seemed plastard to her face from the heat of the fire, the curls had lost their girlish look and now simply suggested that she would be an easy target for a bedding.
She stepped into the doorway and took in the chill and morning sky that was already beginning to smile upon the Kingdoms.

"I've missed the stars again. . . I told Palin I'd watch with him."

she rejoined the heart warming light of the Inn and retreated to her room accross from Skyrs above the roaring flames.

"Imagine if I had left that day. . ."

The thought was gone before it had even finished as Odessa body fell faint to sleep.

She rose the next morning in deathly need of a bath, her hair still stuck to her face like a mop. She strechted under the worn sheets of the wooden bed and kicked them down to the end of the bed. Swinging her legs over the edge she gave a yawn and stretched her arms up in the air once more. She had not bothered to change from her armor that night. Now it was covered in sweat and what looked like several suspiocously large smashed bugs.
Instantly she grasped her blade in both hands. It had been tucked beneath the matteress, the hilt of the blade poking out. She held it steady at the opposing figure of a blue robed form standing in the corner of the room near the door.

"His eyes are closed."

Odessa spoke in disbeleaf.

Palin slightly swayed from side to side then steadied and repeated.

"Palin!"

The screetch filled the room and was followed shortly after by many other protests from differen't rooms in the inn. Palin's eyes flashed open not surprised but readyly.

Her voice was raw with anger as she managed to choke out the words.

"How in the name of the Karhn did you get in here?"

The gloved hand motioned towards a door that was obvously the only entrance to the room and clearly locked with a steel padlock the size of Odessa's pointing fist.
"Simple spell."

Palin shrugged irritated that his sister would once again disturb him with her pitched screaming.

"You just decided to barge in on me while sleeping and just fall asleep in my room standing?"

Palin took several steps towards the door and placed his hand upon the key hole, odd words escaped his mouth. The voice was not his or so Odessa thought. It was more intense, darker then Palins own. Lemortia. The lock clicked and fell to the floor with a defening 'clunk' as it dulling kissed the floor. The door slid open and Palin exited kindly without a word and continued down the less then stable stairway and out the inns front door.
The sunlight attacked greedy sucking the cold dampness of the old inn from Palins guise.

Palin's face became disgrunteled, "the cobblestone street would've looked better in blood." The street its self was fine but trash and junk littered its edges and seemed to have crept inwards along the street over night. Odessa showed up behind palin leaning in the door jam.

"Looks like one of our old birthdays dosn't it Palin."

It was said with a smirk, but not ment as a jest. Palin retorted in contempt.

"Don't remind me of my ever present youth Dess, for the short time I'm here you should know I'm here on buissness, it just so happens that it intercepted my reunion with you."

Odessa's face looked cross for a moment before she shuffled back into the Drunken Ogre.

He walked stiffly his midnight clock flapped and clapped about him as he made his way down the street to find the Burning Tail another Inn of Valrune City that was slightly a more popular inn then the Drunken Ogre. If he thought he had heard last night correctly from Vega's mouth she and Thayla would be residing there. He had no intention of remaining with his sister anymore then he had to.
He approtched the inn hesitantly. Two planks of rotting wood were nailed to the withered door. In an awful shade of red paint the words "NO MAGIK USERS"
Palin glanced down the winding street to his left and his right from which he had come. No one was coming he could see and thankfully the shoppes near the inn were all closed. He brought his hand like a wave of the Great Sea over the words and they changed. A grin passed his face, it now stated "MAGIK USERS WELCOME." with one brisk motion and a reluctant glance backwards he stepped inside.

Chapter Two

Ragnar's body was shielded in chainmail, thick winter wolf hide wrestled beneath the cold links of armor. It too served as leggings as well. His eyes were cold and hard so deep a color they could pass for caols. Matching the rest of his features, unlike his eyes, his skin was not dark complected his hair and facial exppression were. Locks of his thick black hair hung down past his shoulders and hid his face, a cold look, an Ice Wielders look, that of his people.
His muscular body felt the chill of the impact as he landed on his back, still he whirled the flail he had above his head using the just the right momentum to give the spiked ball atop the chain a deadly crushing impact should he decide to strike. His advisary was a considerably larger man, an aged man more then Ragnar as well. Though he was dressed simiralry to Ragnar he wore no armor, not even a helm or shield. Only skins of wolves covered the great mans frame. A wild tangle of white beard and hair intermixed and hide his features. He held a Halberd both gloved hands gripped the long shaft of steel that was nearly six feet tall but instead of ending in a point as would a lance the curved face of an axe smile in the snowing field above the mans head.
It came down with a force of strength Ragnar knew he would never match, but could flee. He rolled instinctivley to his right, the halberd came down nearly missing his left arm. As he rolled he let the flail lash out, its inch long spikes bit into the mans right ankle with a loud crackling sound that echoed the mans voice in a bellow. He fell to his back as Ragnar took the stand. Blood stained the snow like a flooding canal, smearing crimson this way and that. Gently but hastefully he secured the flail on his worn leather belt, the ball swaying from side to side as he walked slowly over to the wailing figure. Now the halberd was in his it had landed to far away from the figure so he could've grabbed it to weild it agasn't Ragnar his foe. The wailing body stopped all sound, all movement and the liqued crimson seemed to bleed up from the snow then the empty shoulders that held no head. Ragar hefted the heavy axe of sorts over his left shoulder. He bent down and with his free right hand slipped off the mans gloves of seal skin and bore them upon himself, that little warmth fueled his ambition to progress to the next task.
Still kneeling over the corpse he drew a kirkre, a bent looking dagger that was several very long inchs of steel and he began to scalp. A bloodly process he had always enjoyed. Once done with grim satisfaction he tied it to his belt next to his flail and continued northward. Never a word escaped his lips as he trudged on in the white haze of ice and snow.
(GAP IN FILE I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS INCONVIENCE)
The voice she had heard. It was not Palin's. Whose was it she didn’t know but Palin was gone and this man was what had taken his place. He began to laugh and terror Odessa had never known in all her years of combat and war filled her rapidly beating  heart. Palins body was riveted by retching laughter. Then suddenly stopped. The cool senseless eyes drift to meet Odessa’s own fearful orbs. The mask that was his face grew into a dispassionate smile. At first she was frozen, his eyes began to change. Those calm warm blue eyes Odessa knew turned a shade of aged gray. Then she could move her mind willed her hand to her blade strapped across her back. Slowly she drew her sword its flat blade catching the moonlight and watched the rest of what was left of Palin change into a nightmare she could not imagine surviving.
Before her eyes her brother’s body changed into a hellish creature. Eyes turned to slits and the gray murky color had turned a blazing hot white that seemed to equal the glow of the silver moon overseeing from above what conspired below. The Azure robes burst into blue flames that danced and circled around the twisted figure and stuck as if leaves born of an undying Oak. Now standing a distance of twelve paces away from Odessa was the dancing blue flames that seemed skin to Palin. Only the white slits for eyes could be seen within the inferno that held no true shape but yet resembled that of a man.

“See the power I wield sister! It’s mine and I have so many to thank and I will start with you.”

Tears began to fill Odessa’s eyes. She held back from screaming and bit her tongue to shield her terror and anguish alike.

“You are not my brother . . . Palin it's.  . . Not you. . .”

The words she forced from her mouth had no emotion to them. They were dead words. Holding her blade steady in-between herself and Palin she searched for the courage that never failed her before, the courage that always had seemed to come at the absence of hope or common sense.  Now she summoned because she lacked neither hope nor common sense but out of prayer, prayer for her brother.

“Wherever you may be.” Only that whisper escaped her lips as she charged the unnamed entity before her sword held steady unwavering.
Ten steps away, six steps away, four steps away, she spun the blade left in a wide arch above head using her sprint to empower the strike hammering on her heels to stop abruptly the blade slashed at air. Before the blow could be delivered the Sapphire flames curled into itself and disappeared to billow out like an explosion second behind her. Her grip failed her as the hilt of her sword flew from her hands several feet away, it came to a halt on the soft earth of the forest floor. Having been sent flying herself she landed at the base of grand tree that branches reached out like hands wishing to snatch her away from the flames. Landing on her back the wind was knocked from her lungs and gasping for breath she found her feet. Lifting her head in the dark, the silvery moon having sunk below the tree line sad by what the great moon knew what was to happen leaving Odessa all but alone in the darkness. The only light was evilly cast from Palin. She stood strait up regaining her posture and braced herself. The blue fury flashed behind and between trees, stumps seemingly from all around then was gone. She took several uneasy steps forward. She turned. The last thing she saw was a Flash of blue thunder, or was it fire she couldn’t decide as she lay dying, her own sword ran through her chest.
Ragnar the dark eyed Ice Wielder watched from the shadows every movement that had occurred, every word that had been spoken and every blow that had been dealt. Once he was sure this so called Palin the shadow he had been stalking was not within area to sense his spells he brought his heavy frame from mass from hiding and walked slowly to stand over the body of the Swordswoman. Opening one of the three soft leather pouches one his belt he took a pinch of winter blue paint and smeared it across the girls face from left to right then withdrew his hand. Next placing his painted grip on the hilt and drew the blade from her chest and chanted once,

“Dalikua’Porthenthuis,Valhalla En Paradise”

Though it could not be seen life filled the blade as if fled from the woman’s body. Ragnar slung the sheath as Odessa had, upon his back. He sheathed the blade quickly and silently. He placed his hands over her eyes and drew them closed. Whispered a prayer of forgiveness to ---- goddess of the Silver Moon and stood. In his hollow deep voice he spoke.

“Do not fear the wickedness of this shadow; though it was once kin to you it is not now. Your spirit will rest when his does as well. The oath is mine.”

He cradled her in his arms as though a child woken from a nightmare that rested once more to the rocking of a loving mother. He held her body close to his chest, muscular arms bent around her, her head rested neatly upon his shoulder. He walked without a sound towards the spiraling towers of Valrune City along a dirt path before stepping off into the woods. The Ice Wielder went unnoticed and unchallenged.