The Esana Chronicles: Alasar

This is a full length book that I am trying to publish. If anyone has time to read and review this book, I'd be eternally grateful!

QUARIAN

Welcome one and all to this history lesson.

My name is Quarian Esana. I am here to tell you all what you should know already. You humans are not alone in the world. I am living proof of this. My mother was proof of this, until she was called home by Corellon. My father, that man in the corner over there, with the eyepatch, is one of Corellon’s exarchs. He also is proof that this is true.

But what I just said is too simplistic. It is too simple for you humans to go, okay there are elves amongst us. Big galaranor deal.

Neya. I know. But they can’t understand it anyways Etul. It’s not like I’m cursing them. Yet.

Sorry. I am no bard. I would say go find my uncle if you want a bard, but Kyle is long gone. Killed himself after Paelius died. Who are these people, you might ask. Well, if you don’t know who they are, then you have lived under a rock for the last few decades. I pity you, blissfully ignorant nelsaroi.

Fine. I’ll try to stop. Sorry Dad.

Look, all you really need to know is that my family has been keeping all of you safe for the past century. But that’s not all that I want you to know. I want you to know the pain, the anguish we have endured. Some of you have endured it beside us. Those of you who are Seers, and those of you who accepted the message my brother devoted his life to spreading. You are not alone. Elves are real. And they aren’t the only ones either. My uncles were werewolves. Paelius actually was a weredragon before his first experience with the dhaeraow. Of course I shouldn’t really call them that any more. They are part of the elves and the eladrin once more. The long extinct race of Faerie is recreated anew.

Some of you are getting restless. You don’t really care. Well, I care a lot. I have lost countless friends and family in keeping you safe. So settle in for a long tale. I may be no bard, but you are going to hear this story to the end. And trust me, this story has no happy ending. It is filled with guts and death and sometimes even a little love finds its way into my family’s tale. But for the most part, this tale is one of unimaginable horror and pain. So, if you are squeamish, or you can’t control your emotions too well, get a grip. You’re going nowhere. Please keep your vomit and tears held in until the end of this story. Thank you.

Oh, and by the way, you are on your own with the Elven. It is the preferred language for me, and therefore, I use it whenever I can. Happy listening.



ALASAR

“Leim saelu nela cen du te eladrin!” Alasar Esana protested.

“Alasar, the eladrin train their whole lives with the blade. They are the best teachers for anyone who wants to improve in melee,” Mira Endurlan pressed.

“Mira, have you seen them? What am I saying? Of course you have! Ey avor av veilanaer! They freak me out!”

“They’re magicians. Of course they seem a little weird. But honestly, you’re talking to an elf Alasar. That’s got to be weird too,” Mira reminded him, brushing her long auburn hair from her eyes.

“Mira, ey avor nela serdala arro pel. It’s just… Skeil uva mei esul? She would never allow me to vanish for a year! And anyways, no one will be able to get near me! As long as there are arrows in my quiver, I will be unstoppable!”

“And when the quiver runs dry? Alasar, leim areula ey. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you. And what about Danuva? He trained under them.”

“Danuva is different. He wouldn’t touch a bow with a ten foot pole,” Alasar objected, his light green eyes flashing with frustration.

“He fights on all fours Alasar, but he is still preparing for the days when he is trapped in his human form. And besides, you don’t have to worry about your mother. I’m sure Mira can put a block on her mind-”

“Nela! Sael Evuna Mira! I will not go behind my mother’s back like that!”

“Well, you definitely can not tell her. The gnolls would attack at once. You know how they are about seers.”

“Fine. Danuva’s training under eladrin. I’ll train under him.”

“Nela Alasar! Cal nela ey remara skeil se caln du ey?”

“Of course I remember. But that was a year ago Mira. He was upset about Emily and Angela. Besides, I can handle myself now.”

“Pedun Alasar. Don’t tempt fate,” Mira begged. “Jurda cen du te eladrin.”

“And what if they enchant me? You know it’s possible. Ve avor adorel. Scary, yes, but still, they are beautiful. Skeil ni leim nelmara ey?”

“Leim eln cen elna ey. You won’t get hooked with me at your side.”

“Nela Mira. Danuva is the only option. Leim cal nela aral enu eidura, bern se ek,” Alasar sighed.

“Alasar! It’s time to come in!”

“Rehun anag! I am seventeen years old, and she still treats me like I’m five!” Alasar complained.

“Ne jurda eto te belerda fer ey.”

Mira took a deep breath.

“Alasar, I want to- I mean, Masia has improved the Mortality-”

“Nela Mira. Pedun. Not yet. I want you to live your life to it’s fullest,” Alasar said.

“Enu ek mei deculo Alasar. I want you to agree, but I don’t need your approval to do it.”

“Don’t you dare talk her into it. Your etul would freak out,” Alasar warned.

He placed two fingers on Mira’s lips.

“I love you the way you are, Mira. You are beautiful. Leim eln elaun ey dunyal," he whispered.

“Geyn kriyal Alasar,” Mira replied, and Alasar ran out of the forest.



PAELIUS

Paelius Serande set a box of papers on the floor, and went to explore the new house. He quickly claimed his bedroom; a room with a large, screenless window facing the front yard.

“Paelius! The dungeons do not go in the middle of the walkway!" his father yelled.

The box slid into the room, and his dad stood at the door.

“Well? Are you going to help me unload the car?" he asked.

“What’s the point?” Paelius grumbled. “We’re just going to be packing up again in a few weeks.”

“No we aren’t. We’re here for as long as it takes to make 200 suits. And then we’ll have enough money to wait another year for the next job.”

“Great! Now I can make friends and then lose them in six years!” Paelius snapped.

“Or you can get a job and stay behind when I move on. Pae, you’re almost eighteen. Eight more months. Then you can do whatever you want.”

“No thanks. The money from training those buffoons will be enough,” Paelius denied.

“Look. This is a big contract Pae. We’re in the hundred thousands just from cost alone. Just… try to relax. They want a chain and a scale in two weeks. The scale is done, and I just need the hood on the chain. Maybe you can help me with that one.”

Paelius sighed, and followed his father outside.



ALASAR

Alasar rang the doorbell.

“Okay, I guess they’re not home," he said quickly, turning to leave.

“Alasar, don’t be that way. Who knows? Maybe they have a son," his mother said.

“Forget it Mom. It’s not-”

The door opened, and a seventeen year old kid stared out at them.

“Why didn’t you run when you had the chance?!”

“Zenoan, seun ad!” Alasar hissed.

The kid’s eyes widened in shock.

“He’s a Seer!” Zenoan gasped.

Alasar stared into the boy’s eyes, and the teen stared back.

“Cal senale tedarl!” Zenoan snapped.

“Leim cal nela! Enu ek du esalo!” Alasar breathed.

“Hello. We’re your new neighbors,” Alasar’s mother smiled. “Are your parents here?”

“Dad’s out back. Are you in the movie?”

“Movie? No-”

“Are you looking for extras?” Alasar interrupted.

“Actually, they are. Why don’t you come in,” The boy invited.

They followed the kid into the backyard, where a man was hammering a sheet of metal rings.

“DAD!" he bellowed.

The man looked up, and  pulled a pair of earplugs out.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t hear the doorbell," he grinned nervously.

“Hi. I’m Sara. this is my son, Alasar. We live next door.”

“I’m Jared. This is Paelius.”

“What are you doing?” Sara asked.

“I’m making chainmail armor. The producers hired me to create the weapons and armor for the movie. Paelius is supposed to be helping me with the fire, but he ran off, and it’s gone slower than usual.”

“Alasar asked about extras, Dad,” Paelius interrupted.

“Well, I’m not the one to talk to about that. But, I am delivering two suits tomorrow. If it’s okay with your mother, I could take you to audition,” Jared replied.

“It’s fine with me,” Sara shrugged. “What’s the movie?”

“It’s about an elf who falls in love with a human.”

“Ey teren gelu Mira du cen elna ey,” Zenoan snorted. “I’m going to tell Mom.”

The dragon flew away, and Paelius watched his flight.

“Do you like swords?” Jared asked.

“No. I’m an archer,” Alasar replied.

“Well, come in here, and I’ll fit you for free anyways. The actual blade will cost you though,” Jared grinned.

“Cost me what?”

“Just an arm and a leg. Maybe an eye too.”

“What?!”

“I’m just joking with you,” Jared laughed.

“Okay…” Alasar said slowly.

“Come on. Pae will help you.”

Alasar followed Jared into a shed, and stared at a collection of hilts and blades.

“Okay. You are an archer. One hand, short sword, easy access,” Jared said quickly, picking up a hilt. “Try this one.”

Alasar waved the hilt through the air.

“Not bad,” Jared said. “Okay. Now try this blade.”

Alasar cut through the air with the blade, and Paelius snorted.

“He’s hopeless Dad," he said, grabbing a blade for himself. “Come out here, and attack me.”

Alasar followed him out of the shed, and poked at him.

An instant later, he was on the ground.

“No! Actually hit me!” Paelius commanded.

Alasar stood up, and lunged at the boy. The blades clashed, and Paelius grinned.

“Good weight, heavy force in the blow.”

The swords met again, and he continued, “ Grip’s a little off. Your hand is sliding all around the hilt.”

“Got it!” Jared called, and Paelius backed away.

“Those are props, right?” Sara asked.

“Of course not! They’re the same weight as real blades, made from the same metal!” Paelius denied, looking insulted.

“Don’t worry though. Paelius has been doing this his whole life,” Jared grinned. “I’ll make you a blade tonight.”

“Terna ey- I mean, thank you,” Alasar corrected himself.

“Where did you learn that?!” Jared gasped.

“You know it?!”

“A little,” Jared replied. “If you say a few words tomorrow, you won’t be in an extra role.”

“Thanks for the tip,” Alasar said. “So, who do I talk to tomorrow?”

“He goes by the name of Riardin.”

“Te eladrin?!” Alasar breathed.

“Oh! You play?” Paelius asked.

“Play what?”

“Dungeons and Dragons.”

“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never played,” Alasar replied carefully.

“Paelius and I play every Saturday. You’re welcome to join in if you’d like,” Jared offered.

“I could see you as an elven ranger,” Paelius said.

“Sure. So what time do I need to be ready by tomorrow?” Alasar asked.

“Five in the morning is when I’m leaving,” Jared answered.

“I’ll be ready.”

“Well, it looks like everyone needs their sleep,” Sara said. “I guess we should go now.”

“Geyn kriasyal,” Jared grinned.

“Kriyal,” Alasar muttered in correction, heading towards the car.

THE NEXT DAY…

“You got the suits, right?”

“Duh,” Paelius said, closing the car door.

“Well, you can’t be too careful,” Jared shrugged, pulling out of the driveway.

Two minutes later, Alasar climbed into the car.

“That’s a lot of blades," he said in greeting, staring at a pile of swords on the seat.

“This one is yours,” Paelius said, handing Alasar a scabbard.

“Thanks!” Alasar said, unsheathing the blade.

“Hey! No naked blades in the car please!” Jared called.

Alasar sheathed the sword, and turned to look at two suits of armor in the back of the car.

“Those look amazing!" he said.

“Thank you,” Jared replied.

Ten minutes later, they pulled onto a large open field, covered with tents of various sizes.

“Pae, you get the scale. I’ll take the chain.”

“Of course,” Paelius said, already out of the car.

“Alasar, I could use some help with the blades,” Jared continued.

“Okay. Where do I take them?”

“Riardin’s tent. That one right over there.”

Jared pointed at a large tent standing a good distance from the rest.

“Got it,” Alasar nodded.

He carried an armful of swords to the tent, and set them down outside. Alasar knocked on a piece of wood outside the tent, and a voice called out, “Eflan.”

Alasar stepped into the tent, and stared at the eladrin.

“Skeil avor ey calen enarl?” The eladrin asked, turning to face him.

“I was told to deliver some swords to you. How-”

“Nela senu. Actually, I was thinking about you. How’s Mira?”

“Why do you ask?” Alasar questioned.

Someone knocked on the wood, and Riardin called, “Enter!”

“Oh good! You’ve met then,” Paelius grinned. “Riardin, your assistant would like to begin the training now.”

“Eighel… Your assistant…” Alasar paled.

“What about him?”

“Please tell me Danuva is not here,” Alasar breathed.

“You know about Danuva?” Paelius gasped. “I just met him!”

“Okay. Paelius, you need to sit down for a moment. I have something I need to tell you,” Alasar said.

“What?”

“Yesterday, did you see something next to me?”

“Your mother.”

“Anything else?”

“Alasar, you can not-” Riardin started.

“I thought I saw a dragon… But it was just my eyes, right? I mean, dragons-”

“They are real. You saw Zenoan. He was right. You are a Seer,” Alasar sighed. “Look, this is going to sound crazy, but it’s true. There is a world that almost no humans know about. Elves exist, as well as dragons. There are eladrin, lycanthropes, vampires, and other things. Riardin is an eladrin. That is why I know the elven language so well.”

“You’re insane,” Paelius said, backing away.

“No Paelius. He speaks the truth,” Riardin replied.

“What the hell?”

“Paelius, you can not tell anyone. It would put them in danger. Even your father can not know,” Alasar said.

“You said Zenoan. Skeil ek Masia’s serael calor elna ey?” Riardin asked.

“He likes my company.”

“So the rumors about you and Mira-”

“Ve avor orsu,” Alasar said.

“Prove it. If he’s an eladrin, prove it to me,” Paelius demanded.

“Okay. You mentioned eladrin yesterday. What can they do?” Alasar asked.

“They can teleport,” Paelius said.

Riardin grinned.

“Aen keir," he said, and he suddenly appeared behind Paelius.

“Holy-”

“Told you,” Alasar said.

“I- I need to go- I need to-”

Paelius barrelled out of the tent, and Riardin looked at Alasar.

“What?” Alasar said.

“Well, as I mentioned, I would like to use you in the movie. There is a real lack of men who can speak Elven properly. You have experience, and you don’t butcher the words. Zi jurda nelv ey du agaran,” the eladrin replied.

“But-”

“As long as you can remara eyn lines, leim sonal tel ey teren aen te elf.”

“But I-”

“And besides, this role will require extensive swordplay, which I know you want.”

“There’s-”

“Alasar, I will give you free lessons, but only if you agree to do this. Think hard before you answer. Arrows won’t solve every problem. I’d hate for Mira to be left without ne areula,” Riardin finished.

“Leim hedav ey. Fine. I’ll do it,” Alasar snapped.

“Geyn! Now, this is the script, and here is your schedule-”

Someone knocked outside, and then barged into the tent.

“Zi nelv du weirlen-” The person started, before noticing Alasar.

“Oh! Who is this?”

“This is the elf. Alasar, meet Leah. She is the human you are going to fall for.”

“What?! Riardin, he looks nothing like an elf!”

“Amy can work miracles,” Riardin grinned. “Alasar, start on the script. You better pull this off, or the lessons are void.”

Alasar took the papers, and stormed out of the tent.



PAELIUS

Two blades met in mid-air, and Paelius nodded in approval.

“Better. Alan, try to take control of the blade. The enemy is attacking. Your sword is the only thing that can keep him from killing you. Use the weapon," he told one of the two men.

“This is impossible!”

“You just proved that it is possible,” Paelius denied.

“Paelius Serande! You are ruining their training! Don’t be soft! Either get it, or get out!” Riardin roared.

“Y-yes s-sir!” Alan gasped.

“You are pathetic! You have the grace of a dead kobold!” Riardin snapped.

“Sir, I can teach them-”

“Go work with the humans. It doesn’t matter how they fight,” Riardin dismissed.

“Yes sir,” Paelius sighed.

He trudged over to where the human extras were messing around, and watched them for a few minutes.

“Alright! Time to get to work!" he finally called, and 100 pairs of eyes turned towards him.

Paelius shuddered inwardly, and then stepped forward.

“You two! Let me see your skills!" he commanded, pointing at two teens.

“In front of everyone?” one of them asked.

Paelius rolled his eyes.

“You are going to be in a movie. Millions of people are going to see you," he said.

“Good point,” The teen shrugged, turning to face the other kid.

Their swords began swinging, and Paelius called, “Stop!”

“What?”

“First of all, these are short swords These are light blades, made for lunging and stabbing, not swinging wildly. Second, that’s just not how you use a sword.”

“Then show us how to use them,” The second kid grinned.

“Gladly,” Paelius said, drawing the sword his father had forged years ago for him.

This blade was special in a way that nothing else could be. Paelius still remembered the moment on his 9th birthday when Jared had handed it to him. The sword was a longsword, heavier than most other longswords, yet lighter than a b*****d sword. The hilt was large enough for a two-handed grip, yet the blade was balanced enough to be used in one hand. It was the only sword that Paelius would use, as long as it was there to be chosen.

The blade gleamed in the early morning light, and the teen backed away.

“That’s not fair! Your sword is bigger!" he complained.

“Size doesn’t mean anything. I just happen to be better at cutting than at stabbing,” Paelius said. “Now, who’s first?”

One of the kids lunged at Paelius, and Paelius sidestepped the attack easily, slapping the teen’s back with the flat of his sword.

The other teen attacked Paelius from behind. Paelius dodged the first assault, and caught the second on his sword.

“No! You never use the edge of the sword!" he snapped, pushing the kid back.

They leaped at each other again, and Paelius let the teen hit his blade.

“Better. You’re quick," he noted, as they backed off for another leap.

The kid charged, and Paelius knocked the sword out of his hands. He grabbed the blade out of the air, and held it at the kid’s neck.

“Sael Evuna! Se ek rehunor!”

Paelius handed the teen’s sword back, and a blade touched his own neck.

“Now show me,” The owner of the blade hissed.

Paelius shrugged, and turned towards the person.

“Why? You don’t need me to show you. Riardin would have taught you everything you know," he said, staring at the eladrin’s apprentice.

“Just to test us both.”

“Paelius, don’t-” Alasar began.

Paelius leaped at Danuva, and a second later, Danuva had him pinned to the ground.

ALASAR

“Gelu avbora feir se!”

Alasar slammed into Danuva, and they both fell to the ground.

“Fine. I’ll take you instead,” Danuva grinned, and Alasar leaped away.

“Skeil avor ey calor enarl?" he spat.

“Helping Riardin. He is my mentor after all. Leim elnu aen te vielanaer, bern leim seid randomly still.”

“A whole year with them, and ey sano saelu nela eduln enu.”

Alasar helped Paelius stand up, and Danuva chuckled.

“Oh, I can finish it," he grinned. “Bern cal nela ey gelu esalo pei telano pel te tien? It must be exhausting to talk to Mira.”

“I never get tired of the words. And you leave Mira out of it.

“Who are you…?” Paelius mumbled, wobbling on his feet.

“Elaune. Jurda cal eyn pelle,” Alasar snarled.

“Aren’t you supposed to be keeping me in line?” Danuva asked.

“Riardin brought you here. He’s responsible for you,” Alasar spat. “Pela bora, leim elnu avu du kriask ey.”

Alasar pulled Paelius out of earshot.

“Who was that?” Paelius asked again.

“A were-wolf. Arudan akerasel,” Alasar fumed.

“Hey! New elf!” Leah called, running towards them.

“What?” Alasar snapped.

“Whoa! Calm down! I just wanted to let you know that if you need help pronouncing any words or translating them, I can-”

“Terna ey, bern leim gela enu pel edarol,” Alasar said quickly.

The girl stared at Alasar in shock.

Jared approached them, and asked, “So, how did it go?”

“I got the lead because of the language. Thanks for the tip.”

“Congratulations! I bet-”

“Could we please celebrate elsewhere? I think Paelius is a little sick,” Alasar interrupted.

“Let’s go then,” Jared agreed.

LATER…

“So what does all of this mean?” Sara asked, staring at the schedule.

“Well, tomorrow, I will need to be there at seven in the morning, for a read-through. The next day, I will need to be there at six in the morning for a basic costume check. Whatever that means,” Alasar replied.

“Okay, let’s just do this one day at a time. Right now, I’m late for a meeting. I’ll be back late, so you’re on your own for dinner,” Sara said.

“See you later then,” Alasar told her, as Sara left the house.

Alasar grabbed his bow, given to him by Mira as his first defense against the gnolls who frequently raided the area. He had worked for years on perfecting his shot, to the point where he could hit a moving target at a distance of 200 yards. And still he strove to improve more. The oaths of the Defenders were not to be taken lightly. As the first human member of the fey order, Alasar was always under pressure to prove himself. He could never let a foe get past him unless he was already gone from the world.

Hence the longbow. And the endless arrows shot at a tree in the front yard.

Alasar stood a dozen yards from the tree, and set a quiver loaded with arrows beside him. He took a deep breath, and his right hand shot out, grabbed an arrow, and launched it into the tree trunk all in less than two seconds. He grabbed a second arrow and shot it as well, continuing for the next minute, before he slowed down, his arms burning.

“Cal nela aen ela ango,” Mira said, walking towards him.

“Mira, I need to do this. You know what I’m up against,” Alasar replied, recovering the arrows.

“You’re in pain in more ways than one. You are better now,” Mira whispered, embracing the human.

“I found a Seer last night.”

Alasar pulled away gently.

“I can not fail them.”

“Ey leygan du nurg mei areula,” Mira pressed. “Ey nelv du melure.”

“Leim saelu nela Mira.”

“Alasar, please,” Mira begged. “Stop it. You won’t fail. Think. Seven years you have been working. Seven years since that night.”

“Mira, why are you here?”

“I wanted to be with you. I brought you a cranberry pie,” Mira smiled, pulling out a pie.

“Terna ey,” Alasar said, as he took the pie. “Did you bake it just to keep me away from the bow?”

“Neya. I did. Is it going to work?”

“Well, my esul just left for the next few hours, so she won’t hog it all,” Alasar laughed.

“Geyn.”

“However, I’d feel horrible if you didn’t sit with me and enjoy it as well.”

“Alasar, Masia wanted to see me. Something about the satyrs,” Mira frowned slightly.

“Don’t do that. It does not fit you Mira,” Alasar said.

“Even elves have unhappy thoughts. Now more than ever,” Mira whispered.

“Last year’s fight is still weighing on your mind.”

“Neya. I messed up, and Masia almost paid for my mistake.”

“It is behind us now. Nelmara uva enu, Mira Endurlan.”

“She’s waiting. I should go,” the elf murmured.

Alasar held his hand in farewell, as the elf turned, and rapidly retreated back into the woods.



PAELIUS

“More fuel right there,” Jared signalled.

Paelius carefully dumped a bucket of coals on the fire, and the fire exploded upwards.

Jared’s hammer came down on the sword with a thunderous clang. Even through the earplugs, it still hurt Paelius’ ears.

He grabbed a box of metal rings, and pulled out a chain. Paelius sat near the entrance, and began connecting more rings to the chain.

They worked for three hours, before the sun was close to setting. Then Jared doused the flames, and grabbed five unmarked, metal shields from the corner.

“How are your hands?" he questioned.

“Sore,” Paelius replied, showing him several small cuts in his fingers.

“I keep telling you to use the gloves,” Jared admonished, as they left the shed.

“They don’t help. I can’t get my fingers where they need to be.”

“Oh well. Let’s just get these shields painted,” Jared sighed.

They went into the house, and Jared gathered a stack of stencils, while Paelius brought out the paint.

“Andrew wants the humans to be plain. He says their symbol is a white unicorn with a golden horn, on a wooden shield. I figured we could save time and money by painting around the emblems with the brown.”

“What about the elves?” Paelius asked.

“Two arrows crossing right under the tip, left red, right blue, with black tips for both, and green and orange fletches. The field is also brown.”

Jared pressed the first stencil onto the metal, and then carefully removed it.

“This one’s elven. Have fun," he grinned.

Paelius opened the blue paint first. With extreme precision, he dipped a brush in the paint, and slowly slid it down the arrow.

“So, do you want to DM if they decide to join us?” Jared asked.

“No thanks. It’s fun to be able to hack and slash without having to hold back for the others,” Paelius grinned.

Two hours passed in silence after that, before Paelius finished his work.

“I can’t start another one," he said. “My hands are messed up.”

“Okay, well, we have ten days before the first five shields are wanted. In other words, we have enough time for you to crank them out. The stencils are placed, so you should have no problem painting them.”

“Great. I’m heading to bed,” Paelius replied.

“Good night.”



ALASAR

“Riardin, te satyr avor elauvor fer av hedanael,” Alasar said, as the eladrin joined him on the practice field.

“Big deal. They are easily dealt with,” Riardin dismissed. “The gnolls will get worried, and attack them. They need to learn that it is not wise to flaunt their strength.”

The eladrin unsheathed his sword.

“Now, you were looking for a teacher, right?" he continued.

“Master, I’m going to the seer,” Danuva called to him.

“What?!” Alasar yelped. “No! Riardin, you-”

“Danuva will be just hard enough on him. Paelius will live. The question is, will you?”

The eladrin swung at Alasar, and the human dove out of the way. He unsheathed his new sword, and held it up.

“So much better than those awful script readings,” Riardin grinned, closing in on Alasar.

Alasar struck out at Riardin, and was on the ground in less than a second.

“Pathetic,” Riardin scowled. “You are not worth my time.”

He sheathed his blade, and walked off the field.



PAELIUS

Paelius opened the front door, and gasped in shock.

“Danuva!”

The lycanthrope was standing in front of him, completely naked.

“Riardin sent me," he said nonchalantly. “You need to improve your skills if you want to stay alive. Do you have an area to train at?”

“Why - Where-” Paelius sputtered.

“What? You’ve never seen a man before?” Danuva laughed. “Lycanthropy is a difficult disease to live with. It really saps your money, so I only wear clothes in public. Besides, I just ran eight miles to get here. Easy as a wolf, not as a human.”

Paelius just stared in amazement.

“Well? Are we going to work?” Danuva pressed.

“Y-yeah… Sure…” Paelius stammered.

He led the werewolf through the house and into the back yard.

“Great! You have a b*****d sword!” Danuva grinned, picking up a sword from Jared’s workbench. “Get yours out.”

Paelius unsheathed his weapon, and held it shakily, still not comfortable with Danuva.

“So, you’re a seer.”

“And apparently you’re a nudist,” Paelius said.

Danuva leaped at Paelius, and a moment later, Paelius’ pants fell around his ankles.

“And apparently, so are you,” Danuva retorted. “Don’t mouth off to someone who could kill you whenever he feels like it.”

Paelius tried to pull his pants up, but Danuva had destroy them with the blade.

“Now, do you even know what it means to be a seer?” Danuva questioned.

“Why should it even matter?”Paelius snapped, getting angry.

He kicked the pants away, and Danuva lunged at him again.

Their swords clanged against each other, and Danuva said, “Nice parry, but wrong answer. However, since you asked, Alasar’s father was murdered by a drow. He never saw it. Everyone else just put it down as a heart attack.”

Paelius backed up, and stumbled on a rock. Danuva stabbed towards him, and he caught the blade, shoving the lycanthrope back.

“Good.”

Danuva backed away, and studied Paelius.

“One thing you need to know is that many races exist in the world, and most of them would be happy to stick a blade into you. Drow, gnolls, kobolds, goblins, and dragonborn, to name just a few. The dragonborn are not as much of a threat since Galinndan launched a full scale attack to keep them away from the tieflings. You follow?”

“What?”

Danuva slashed across the human’s chest, leaving a large gash in his shirt.

“Pay attention. Another thing is lycanthropy. Humans call it rabies. And I guess it was rabies, or at least a certain type of rabies at one point. But the disease is now extinct in animals, and the only way to get it is by being bitten by a lycanthrope. Now, lycanthropy is not limited to just the wolves. There are wererats, were-birds, even-”

Something large blurred between the two, and Paelius felt a burning sensation in his chest.

“S**t!” Danuva growled.

The lycanthrope spun around, and pinpointed a dragon flying back towards them.

Danuva stuck out his sword, and the dragon slammed right into the blade, its head spinning off of the body..

“-even weredragons,” Danuva sighed, angling his sword downward, as the dragon’s body melted into the body of an eladrin.

Paelius sat down hard, staring at his bloody chest.

“We need to get Masia here now,” Danuva said, looking at the human. “Wait here, and someone will come for you soon. Stay inside though.”

Danuva’s body rippled violently, and he turned into a massive wolf with a snarl.



ALASAR

“Danuva! Skeil te hedaga-”

“Paelius,” the lycanthrope interrupted.

“Seda. I’ll be back soon Mom!” Alasar called into the house, before closing the door behind him.

Danuva shifted forms, and Alasar gritted his teeth in revulsion as he climbed onto the werewolf’s back.

They reached Paelius’ house in minutes, and Alasar leaped toward the door, hammering on the doorbell.

Jared opened the door.

“Calm down! Don’t destroy the bell," he said.

“Where’s Paelius?” Alasar gasped out, trying to catch his breath.

“In his room. Why is Danuva standing naked on my lawn?”

“Lost a bet… Paelius beat him…” Alasar coughed. “Danuva! Enarle ek Masia?! Zi nelv ne!”

“Ne ek rehunor!” Danuva called back.

“Paelius, Alasar wants to talk to you!” Jared called.

Paelius stepped onto the porch, and closed the door behind him.

“What happened?” Alasar demanded.

“I was attacked.”

“It was a weredragon,” Danuva added.

“Are you sure it was a bite? Not just a scratch?”

“No, but-”

“When is the next full?”

“Next Friday, but-”

“He’s not bleeding anymore. Isn’t that the first sign?”

“Neya, bern-”

“But what?”

“This close to the full means the disease is strong. It will be accelerated,” Danuva said quietly.

“So, you’re saying that I might not have been bitten? That this is just a scratch?” Paelius exclaimed.

“We’re about to find out,” Someone said, stepping onto the porch.

“Masia, terna ey fer rehunor-”

“Alasar Esana, I am bound by both the Defender’s code and the honor of a lycanthrope to do all I can for this boy,” the eladrin said sharply, pulling out a syringe.

Paelius’ eyes widened at the sight of the needle.

“You know, I think I’ll be okay with not knowing," he said, backing towards the door.

“You’re a swordsman. Surely you aren’t afraid of a little pinprick,” Alasar said in disbelief.

“Dude, if those tests are positive, you have a whole lot more to worry about than a little needle,” Danuva added grimly.

“Little?! That thing is at least an inch long!”

Masia drew a vial full of blood, and separated it into three different vials.

Then, the eladrin added some powder into two of the vials, and watched them closely.

The liquid in one vial turned blue, and Masia nodded in confirmation. The other powdered vial suddenly shattered, and she winced.

“He was bitten," she announced. “He is in the second stage already.”

“Second stage?” Alasar asked.

“He’s going to start the basic changes soon,” Masia explained. “Danuva, I need to keep watch on the gnolls. They’re preparing the Well again. You need to help him with the changing.”

“But-”

“Do it, or all that training with a sword won’t be able to stop what I’ll do to you,” the eladrin growled, before turning into a large, silver dragon and flying away.

“Nelsaro akerasel,” Danuva hissed.

“Watch it. She is more than a match for Riardin,” Alasar warned. “Well, I guess I better get going. Elaune se Danuva. We all know what that Well is for.”



PAELIUS

“Dad, can Danuva spend the night please?”

“Paelius-” Danuva started.

“He needs to get dressed first. And no more bets,” Jared said.

“Thanks. Come on Danuva.”

Paelius led the lycanthrope to his room, and closed the door behind them.

“Here. These should work,” Paelius said, tossing some clothes at Danuva.

“Look, I don’t think I should be staying here Paelius.”

“Danuva, I can’t do this alone. I’m scared to death now,” Paelius admitted. “When it happens, I want to know that someone will be able to keep me sane, or at least be able to protect my dad.”

“I’m not-”

“I’m making some pasta for dinner! You guys want some?” Jared called to them.

Danuva’s resolve melted completely.

“Real food?" he said, drooling a little.

“Okay, that’s gross,” Paelius grinned.

“You don’t understand. Riardin feeds me a strict diet of bread and vegetables. I haven’t had human food in over a year.”

“Well, I’m sure my dad will make extra,” Paelius replied. “Come on.”

They ran out into the kitchen, and Paelius began helping his father pull out pots for the food.

“Tomorrow’s Saturday. Are you sure you don’t want to run the campaign Pae?” Jared asked.

“You’re more experienced anyways, Dad.”

“Pae?” Danuva said.

“My mother’s nickname for me. She passed away last year,” Paelius replied.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Danuva apologized.

“It’s okay. I’m dealing with it,” Paelius shrugged.

Soon, the smell of pasta filled the air.

“I made plenty for us all,” Jared announced, ladling the pasta onto plates.

“Thanks Dad,” Paelius said, sitting at the table.

Danuva sat beside him, and immediately began devouring his food.

“Whoa! Slow down!” Jared laughed, placing his own plate on the table.

“This stuff is amazing!” Danuva gasped out.

“Well, at least someone enjoys my cooking.”

In less than a minute, Danuva’s plate was empty.

“May I have some more please?” Danuva asked.

“Help yourself,” Paelius replied.

Danuva reloaded his plate, and rejoined the two at the table.

“So, what kind of campaign are you guys talking about?" he asked.

“Dungeons and Dragons,” Jared said. “Do you play?”

“No. I’ve always wanted to though,” Danuva replied. “What are you playing?”

“I prefer the dragonborn paladin,” Paelius told him.

Danuva flinched slightly, and Paelius said, “What’s wrong?”

“I just really don’t like the dragonborn. They’re almost as bloodthirsty as the drow,” Danuva shuddered.

“They are noble warriors,” Jared corrected. “Personally, I like the dwarf warlord.”

“I like just plain humans,” Danuva shrugged.

“You’re boring,” Paelius grinned.

“Well, the fey are too weird, and so are the tieflings. Dwarves and halflings are way too small for me.”

“What class do you like?”

“Class?” Danuva asked.

“You know, like the wizard, paladin, barbarian, psion, ranger. Class,” Paelius said.

“I don’t know,” Danuva replied. “Can you narrow it all down for me?”

“Okay,” Paelius sighed. “First, let’s go with role. Do you like to heal your allies, attack everyone in a room at once, keep your foes away from your friends, or hit hard and run away?”

“Well, I like the idea of hit and run attacks, but I also like to hit everyone in the room at once,” Danuva said.

“Okay. That narrows it down to ranger, rogue, warlock, sorcerer, psion, druid, and barbarian. Would you rather fight with a sword or a bow?”

“Sword.”

“Okay. And are you magic, or brute force?”

“I’ll stick with my strength. Magic is a cheater’s way to win,” Danuva snorted.

“Okay, that leaves ranger and rogue. Next question is two swords, or a dagger in the back?”

“Can’t I stick two daggers in two backs at once?” Danuva asked.

“Hybrid. Nice. Focus on thievery or nature?”

“Nature.”

“Done. Your preferred character is a human ranger with some rogue characteristics,” Paelius announced.

Danuva gulped down the last of his food.

Paelius finished his dinner, and took Danuva into the basement.

“I think we could both use some relaxation," he grinned, as he flipped on the lights.

“Whoa! You have a pool in your basement?!”

“It came with the house,” Paelius replied. “Hot water included free of charge.”

He stripped to his underwear, and slid into the water, sighing in contentment.

“Come on. The water’s perfect," he invited.

Danuva stripped, and jumped into the pool.

When he resurfaced, Paelius splashed him.

“Hey!”

“That’s not how you enter this pool,” Paelius laughed.

Danuva splashed him back, and a water fight started.

Paelius dove under the water, and resurfaced inches from Danuva’s face.

Slowly, Paelius leaned towards Danuva, and their lips met.

Danuva’s eyes widened in shock, and he sank under the surface of the water.

“Danuva?”

The lycanthrope surfaced at the edge of the pool.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting that," he said.

“No. It was my fault. You must hate me now,” Paelius winced.

“No! Paelius, how could I hate you? You got me away from Riardon! Besides, you are a good kisser.”



ALASAR

“I am just not comfortable with you doing this. I feel like I need to be there with you.”

“Mira, relax. You know I love you, and no human will ever change that,” Alasar said, draping his arms over the elf.

“If you love me, then ey elnu voin eim cen du Masia,” Mira whispered.

“Mira, once you do this, there is no going back!” Alasar protested.

“I know. Veig leim cal nela eto du cen belav,” Mira told him. “Alasar, I want to weirlen te areuweirle elna you.”

“Mira, it’s too early for this-”

“Nela. I am ready Alasar. I have thought long about this. I love you, and all the years in the world would not bring me happiness unless they were spent with you.”

Mira kissed Alasar, and the human drew away.

“Eyn etul-”

“My father does not control me,” Mira said.

“Alasar! Come here!”

“Seda,” Mira laughed quietly. “You should cen.”

Alasar started to leave, and then he turned back towards the elf.

“If… if you’re sure… if this is what you want… leim saelu nela melure ey. Cen du ne," he said.

“Really?”

“Neya.”

Alasar smiled slightly.

“Besides," he added, “if you really want to say the vows, then you should at least meet my mother first.”

“Leim eln cen du Masia tel kriyal!” Mira exclaimed, throwing her arms around the human.

“I do have to get home,” Alasar reminded her. “I’ll meet you here tomorrow at noon.”

THE NEXT DAY…

“Ow!”

“Quit complaining. It needs to all come off. Besides, you have only one more patch. George! Where’s the mask?!” Amy hollered.

“Right here!” came the response.

“Well, it needs to be over here!”

Amy ripped the last sheet of tape off Alasar’s leg, and he clenched his teeth to avoid yelling again.

“See? It wasn’t that bad after all,” Amy chided.

She jammed a mask over Alasar’s head, and continued, “Now for the hair.”

“Great. Now my hair will get ripped out there too,” Alasar groaned.

“Elves don’t have bald spots. Now shut up so I can concentrate,” Amy snapped.

Three hours passed before Amy finally said, “Now take it off.”

Alasar sighed in relief, and pulled the mask off.

“Evanel seda! Skeil te hedaga caln ey cal du eim?!" he yelped, looking in the mirror.

His hair was now shoulder length, and a golden color. The combination made his face seem regal, and also gave him a slight mischievous glint to his eyes.

“I have no idea what you just said, but from now on, this is your first stop of the day. You will meet in here every morning, so I can work on improving you. You will shave your body every day, and you will pay extra attention to the arms and legs. When you shower, you will use this shampoo only, so the dye doesn’t wash out. Twice a day, you will use this cream on your face. It covers the whole face. Leave it on for ten minutes, and then wash it all off. We will do your hair in here every morning, but at least try to keep it untangled.”

Amy shoved a spongy block against Alasar’s ear, and carefully removed it.

“You’re free to go," she grinned.



PAELIUS

“Pae, hand me that sleeve please,” Jared requested.

Paelius passed the linked sleeve over, and then continued linking more rings together. He reached for a ring in the box, and gasped as his arm began screaming in pain.

“S**t!" he cried out, holding his arm against his chest.

“What?!” Jared yelped, dropping his hammer.

“My arm hurts,” Paelius said, gritting his teeth.

“Hey Paelius! You in there?!”

“What’s he doing here?” Jared asked.

“Riardin was thinking of using me as an extra. He sent Danuva to help me with my skills,” Paelius made up.

Danuva stuck his head into the building.

“Come on! I want to get you on a shield!" he said.

Paelius ran outside, and Jared followed.

“If your arm hurts, I doubt you should spar," he called to them.

“Your arm? What’s wrong with your arm?” Danuva asked.

“It just hurts. It’s nothing,” Paelius brushed off.

“It’s probably just your bones hollowing out,” Danuva told him.

“Paelius has his license,” Jared said. “Why don’t you two go for a ride?”

“You’d let me?!” Paelius exclaimed.

“I know the perfect place,” Danuva laughed.

“Just be careful!” Jared called as the two ran off.

Paelius grabbed his dad’s keys, and jumped into the driver’s seat.

“So, where are we going?" he asked, speeding down the road.

“Slow down!” Danuva yelped.

“Sorry,” Paelius grinned. “Need for speed and all that stuff.”

“Okay. Turn left right here, and go for about three miles.”

“No further?” Paelius pouted.

“Trust me. You will love this,” Danuva promised.

Paelius followed the lycanthrope’s directions, and they ended up at a cliff overlooking a river.

“Oh my God…" he gasped.

“Told you,” Danuva laughed, as they got out of the car.

He ran behind a bush, and emerged a second later with a basket.

“What is that?” Paelius questioned.

“Lunch.”

“Did you plan this?” Paelius demanded.

“Come on Paelius! Did I plan for your arm to hurt and your father to let you drive the car out here?” Danuva snorted.

“Okay, then what’s with the basket?”

“I was planning on bringing you out here after we sparred.”

“So you did plan this,” Paelius asserted.

“I guess I did,” Danuva admitted.

“Well, thanks,” Paelius grinned, taking a sandwich.

“Hey Paelius?”

“What?”

“Would you like to go to dinner on Friday with me?”

Paelius snorted at the idea.

“You mean like on a date?!" he laughed.

“Yeah. I guess so,” Danuva replied.

“I’d love to,” Paelius told him.

LATER…

“Finally!” Jared fumed.

“What?”

“Where have you been?!”

“You said we could go out,” Paelius reminded his father.

“Not for three hours! The Esanas will be here any minute now! I’m no where near ready!”

“Hey, it’s your dungeon,” Paelius brushed off.

Right on cue, someone knocked on the door.

Paelius opened it, and let Alasar and his mother into the house.

“Whoa! What happened to you?!" he exclaimed, as Alasar removed a hat.

“Amy.”

“Do you think she’ll do my hair too?”

“What?”

“Danuva asked me to have dinner with him on Friday.”

“What?! Are you serious?!” Alasar yelped. “Please tell me you said no!”

“Why?”

“Danuva is not someone to mess around with!”

“And elves are?” Paelius retorted.

“That is completely different! And anyways, that was not my choice! It just… happened.”

“So did this.”

“So, why are you grouping the two together anyways-”

“Forget it.”

“Paelius Serande, you like him, don’t you?” Alasar accused.

“I do not!”

“Sure. Then why do you want to change your hair for dinner with him? If you two will be staying together to avoid any mistakes, then you wouldn’t care about how you look!”

“It’s nothing like that! I wanted to look like him so that if there was an accident, it would be blamed on him,” Paelius fabricated.

“Seda sei. You’re more evil than he is. I think I preferred it just being a crush,” Alasar snorted.

“A crush? Who has a crush?” Jared asked, walking back into the room.

“No one,” Paelius said quickly, and Alasar laughed.

“Well, hurry up. I want to get the characters created,” Jared said.

“That’s easy! I’ll do mine and Alasar’s, you do yours and Sara’s,” Paelius brushed off.

“I’m a leader,” Jared told him.

“I’ve got the hybrid defender,” Paelius added.

“As always.”

“So, what are you guys talking about?” Alasar questioned.

“Character roles. You can either be a striker, leader or healer, defender, or controller. Since you enjoy archery, I thought it would be a good idea to have you be a ranger. Most likely elven,” Paelius said.

“Are there hobbits in the game?” Sara asked.

“They’re called halflings. They are great rogues, okay warlocks, bards, sorcerers and ardents, and they are okay rangers as well, using a short bow,” Jared provided.

“I’ll be a halfling rogue then,” Sara decided. “That’s like a thief, right?”

“Yep. A tiny thief. Alasar, you can choose anything you want to be, but now, I would suggest a seeker. They’re still ranged, but they use primal magic to control the field of battle.”

“What kind of magic is there?”

“Arcane, divine, primal, and psionic.”

“Arcane as in wizards?”

“Wizards, bards, sorcerers, warlocks, and swordmages.”

“Can I try out the swordmage?” Alasar asked.

“I play the defenders,” Paelius said.

“Pae, calm down. It’s my dungeon remember? My dungeon, my rules,” Jared said. “Alasar, if you want to play a swordmage, I suggest a genasi as your race, and playing as an assault swordmage, focusing more on dealing damage to your foes than on shielding your allies. Although, you still could focus on shielding us, especially since Trigger-happy enjoys fighting a little too much.”

“I’d like to play an eladrin swordmage,” Alasar decided.

“Okay! Let’s get rolling!”

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Paelius said.

He ran to the door, and threw it open, expecting to see Danuva on the other side.

“Alasar said he was coming to this house tonight. Is he here yet?” the elf questioned quietly.



ALASAR

“Hed avor ey enarl?!” Alasar gasped, embracing the elf.

“I have done it,” Mira breathed in his ear.

“Does your father know?”

“Nela enai. He would have stopped me. I couldn’t take that chance.”

“Leim areula ey ela nurg,” Alasar whispered.

“Alasar, who is this?” Sara asked, entering the room behind them.

“This is Mira.”

“Geyn kri- Good evening,” Mira corrected herself.

“You’re in the movie too? It must be huge,” Sara said.

“It’s good sized,” Alasar replied. “We met this morning.”

“And yet I feel like we’ve known each other forever,” Mira laughed, taking Alasar’s hand.

“I haven’t seen you amongst the fighters. Who do you play?” Jared asked.

“An archer,” Alasar provided.

“They let you keep the ears on?” Sara noticed.

“I made my own,” Mira denied quickly, running a hand over the tip of her left ear.

“You’re very talented,” Sara complimented.

“Terna ey nevuna- I mean, thank you.”

“Lenav caln ey gelu enarl?” Alasar asked.

“Masia enad eim. Mei etul sonal leim me geluor laerisa feir te eladrin,” Mira told him. “I have an hour before I have to get back.”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble for coming here-”

“Alasar, if he really knew all that I have done today, he would kick me out of the village,” Mira said.

“Really? I would think he’d try to force Masia to reverse it. Or he would hide it and invoke the ritual as soon as he could,” Alasar denied. “He wouldn’t kick you out until it was obvious that you couldn’t be changed.”

Someone knocked on the door again, and Paelius flung it open.

“Whoa! Calm down Paelius!” Danuva laughed outside.

“Skeil ek se calor enarl?!” Mira gasped.

“Leim sonal tel Paelius ek erl areula eln se.”

“Skeil?!”

“I know. It’s like a dhaeraow and an eladrin.”

“Paelius areul seil?!”

“He wouldn’t be the first,” Alasar said, as Danuva entered the room.

“I heard that you guys are creating characters today,” Danuva said.

“Danuva, staen avbora feir veys,” Mira warned.

“Masia eto eim du staen elna Paelius. Veig ela cal Riardin. Ela, enu ek ad du ey du paunil. Ni ey leygan pela tedarl, leim eln weirl Galinndan skeil ey avor calor tel kriyal,” Danuva said coolly.

Mira gasped in horror, and Alasar put his arm around her reassuringly.

“He doesn’t believe seidur," he spat.

“It won’t just be me. Everyone knows about you two. Riardin will back me up, and when eyn etul hears about a certain visit you made last night, he will stop at nothing to undo it.”

“Hey Danuva! You coming?!” Paelius called from the other room.

“Have fun you two,” Danuva sneered, exiting the room.

“Do you want to go?” Alasar asked gently.

“Nela. Come what may, and Corellon’s will be done. I refuse to let a dog frighten me,” Mira declared, and they followed the others into the room.



PAELIUS

That week passed in a blur for Paelius. Before he knew it, Friday had arrived.

And Jared still didn’t know about his plans for that night.

Paelius stood in the kitchen, nervously fidgeting.

“What’s going on?” Jared asked, drying off a bowl.

“I just wanted to ask you if I could go out tonight,” Paelius breathed fearfully.

“What was that?”

“I want to go out tonight,” Paelius repeated a little louder.

“Where?”

“I don’t know. Danuva invited me to dinner,” Paelius mumbled, holding his breath.

“Danuva? I don’t know. He seems like a nice guy, but…”

Jared fell quiet for a moment.

“I guess I’m just worried that you don’t know where you’re going," he said.

“I trust him Dad. It’s not like some gang is going to attack me.”

Jared stayed quiet.

“Look, I’ll take my sword if it will make you feel better,” Paelius said.

“A sword against a gun? Well, at least you would have some sort of protection,” Jared admitted.

“So I can go?”

“I didn’t say that,” Jared denied.

“We’re probably just going to some restaurant,” Paelius told him.

“Why does he want to take you to dinner anyways?”

There it was. The dreaded question.

Paelius paled.

“What? It’s just a simple question,” Jared said. “Is he rewarding you for training an untrainable person?”

“N-not exactly,” Paelius stammered.

“Then, what is his motive for this action?”

“He- I-”

There were two truths to this question. One of them could mean Jared’s death. But the other one could mean the end of Paelius’ social life. Yet, those were the only choices, for Paelius could not lie to his father. He never had, and he hoped that he would never have to. No, in this case, he just had to gather his courage, and jump.

“I like him…”

Suddenly, it was like the world was holding it’s breath, not wanting to miss a single word. The silence was unbearable.

“You like him. Like as a really good friend?” Jared clarified.

“No… Dad, please believe that I never meant for this to happen-”

“You’re telling me that you are gay then.”

Jared took a deep breath, and sat down at the table.

“Dad, I’m sorry-”

“Okay.”

“What?”

“Why don’t you go get ready for tonight. Do you know when you’ll be back?”

“Y-you’ll let me go?” Paelius stammered.

“If I tried to stop you, you would hate me for the rest of your life.”

“I- I don’t know when he’s bringing me back.”

“Okay, well, keep your phone on you, and call me if you need anything. And if you’re going to spend the night at his house, please give me a call so that I know.”

“Thank you so much!” Paelius cried.

“Paelius, don’t do anything you might regret,” Jared warned.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“You’re a teen Pae. You dream about it all the time,” Jared laughed.

LATER…

Paelius raced to answer the door.

“Wow! You’re all dressed up,” Danuva grinned.

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” Paelius replied.

“You guys be good!” Jared called to them, as they left the house.

“So, where are we going?”

“You’ll see. I didn’t feel like running today, so we’re taking my car,” Danuva said.

They climbed into Danuva’s truck, and were soon racing through turns and hills. Within ten minutes, they had stopped on a beach next to a slow moving river about three hundred yards across.

“I’m not dressed to go swimming,” Paelius said, staring at the water.

“I wasn’t planning on swimming anyways,” Danuva replied, as they stepped out of the car.

He climbed onto a stone cube, and the rock sank into the ground slightly.

Suddenly, the ground sank all around them, creating stairs, walls, and a roof.

“What in the world?”

“Welcome to my home,” Danuva laughed.

“How… This… You… Oh my God!”

“Cool, huh?”

“This is incredible!”

“Let me give you the tour,” Danuva said, taking Paelius’ hand.

They walked down a set of stairs, and Danuva pressed a spot on the wall. A section of stone sank into the ground, granting access into the building.

“Just a second please,” Danuva requested, taking a pair of darts from a bowl beside the entrance.

He handed one to Paelius.

“Do you see that picture over there?" he pointed. “Nail her in the face.”

Paelius shrugged, and sent the dart at the picture. The missile sailed into the girl’s neck.

“Nice shot,” Danuva complimented.

He sent his own dart speeding towards the picture, and it tore a hole in the girl’s left eye.

“That’s for her track awards!" he snarled.

“What the hell was that all about?” Paelius asked.

“Later. I can’t talk about it yet,” Danuva said. “Come on.”

He led Paelius to the kitchen, and said, “Riardin has forbidden human food from my diet.”

On a long table sat several plates loaded with exotic foods.

“It’s all a bunch of bread,” Paelius said.

“Laerisa. Elven staple food. They don’t eat meat unless they absolutely have to,” Danuva informed him.

He handed Paelius a plate, and Paelius scanned the food.

“And since they don’t eat meat, I had to come up with my own recipe for meat laerisa. In other words, be careful with it,” Danuva warned.

Paelius stood there for a minute, just looking at the food.

“You know you can come back for more, right? You don’t have to choose between them all.”

“I just want to try everything,” Paelius said, taking a piece of the meat.

“Everything?” Danuva grinned, sliding his arms around Paelius from behind.

“Well, maybe not everything. At least, not yet,” Paelius laughed.

They sat at another table, and Paelius took a small bite of the meat. His mouth exploded in heat.

“Oh my God! You are trying to kill me!" he gagged.

“Here. This should take the edge off,” Danuva said, handing him a glass of milk.

Paelius drained the liquid, and grimaced.

“Goat milk,” Danuva explained. “It’s an acquired taste.”

“Is there any other poisons here?” Paelius coughed.

“Ouch. That stings,” Danuva laughed.

“So does my throat.”

“All the other dishes are real elven recipes. They should be fine.”

Paelius cautiously bit into another piece of bread, and his mouth was invaded by waves of a bittersweet juice.

“The cranberry laerisa. I’ve heard that Mira makes a great cranberry laerisa pie.”

“It would be hard to beat this one,” Paelius said.

They finished dinner, and Danuva grabbed Paelius’ hand, as some music suddenly began to play.

“May I have this dance?" he requested.

Paelius laughed, and they began dancing in the middle of the kitchen.

Suddenly, the music shut off, and someone began clapping.

“Getara, don’t lose focus,” someone snapped.

Paelius spun around, and gasped at the sight of six hyena headed creatures.

“Paelius, get out. Go to my car, and get to your house,” Danuva hissed, pressing a key into the human’s hand.

“No! I’m not going to leave you!” Paelius protested, as the gnolls unsheathed their swords.

One of the gnolls lunged at Paelius, and he dodged the sword, driving his shoulder into the gnoll’s groin.

The gnoll crumpled, yipping in pain, and the sword clattered to the ground.

Paelius grabbed the blade, and ducked as a wolf flew over him.

A sword sliced into the wolf’s chest, and the wolf’s body transformed into Danuva, falling to the ground.

“Danuva!” Paelius cried.

He leaped at the gnolls, and a foot sent him flying into a wall.

The sword fell out of Paelius’ hand, and he slumped to the floor. A gnoll stood up over him, and Paelius saw a sword hover over Danuva.

“No!" he bellowed, kicking the gnoll away.

Pealius’ vision grew red, and he grabbed the fallen sword. A cloud passed over his eyes momentarily. It cleared, and he saw the five remaining gnolls cowering against a wall. He swung his sword at them, but it was a scaly claw that tore through the creatures, not a blade.

A wave of pain washed over his body, and he dropped to his knees beside Danuva.

“Yeenoghu will feast on your flesh,” the sixth gnoll snarled, as it’s blade was wrenched out of Paelius’ shoulder.

The pain overwhelmed the new lycanthrope, and he blacked out.



ALASAR

It was ten at night when Alasar received the call from Danuva. And it was only a minute later when Mira joined him in his bedroom.

“I don’t see what we can do," he sighed.

“Alasar, you have sworn the Defenders’ oath. Whether you can fulfill it or not, you are bound by honor to do or die trying, as am I,” Mira said.

“It is impossible!”

“So was the thought of a human successfully completing the first task. This will be seen as the second of the three Trials. Either you go, or you lose your honor, and your life. This you know. This you accepted when you spoke those words.”

“Mira, they are five miles ahead of us! If Danuva can’t reach them, how are we supposed to stop them?!”

“With a little help from a friend.”

Masia joined the three, and Zenoan landed on the window behind her.

“They chose their raid poorly. They attacked on the first night of the full moon. They will have at least two, if not three shifters to deal with. As for catching up to them, we won’t. That task is to be left to Zenoan and Danuva. Our task is to provide the final line of defense. We will strike at the Well,” Masia declared.

“Attack the Well on the night of a sacrifice?! Are you insane?!” Alasar yelped.

“It’s the perfect time. They know we would never dare to do it, so we have the element of surprise,” Masia defended. “There is a boulder that can’t be climbed only a dozen yards from the Well. If we have an archer up there, then we can not be defeated. Alasar, you are by far our best archer. That boulder will be your fortress tonight. Mira and I will be fighting from the trees on the other side, which will draw off some of the fire from you.”

Masia pulled out a glass vial filled with a black, bubbling, hissing liquid.

“Zenoan," she started.

“Nela. Paunil eim delan pei enu,” The dragon said.

“Zenoan, you will hit the vehicle with this potion. Aim only for the wheels, and whatever you do, do not let even a drop hit you or the human. If some lands on the gnolls, great, but if any of it touches you or Paelius, instant death will follow.”

“Ey eln nela gelu eim du cal tel!” Zenoan protested.

“You will do this, or I will have you grounded for the rest of your days,” Masia threatened.

Zenoan flinched, and pulled his wings in tightly.

“Neya esul," he whimpered.

“Be careful. Go safely, my son,” Masia said.

Zenoan took the vial gingerly in his claws, and flew off into the night sky.

“Now, gather your weapons,” Masia ordered.

She climbed out the window, and shifted.

Alasar grabbed his bow, and three quivers loaded with arrows. Together, he and Mira ran outside, and climbed on Masia’s back. The dragon leaped into the air, and Alasar felt Mira’s arms grip around his waist tightly.



PAELIUS

Paelius’ head slammed into the wooden seat, and he groaned.

A fist slammed into his gut, and he gasped in pain.

“How do you like it?!” A gnoll snarled, driving his fist into the lycanthrope’s groin.

Tears streamed down Paelius’ face, as the gnoll continued beating him.

“Getara, we need a living victim,” another gnoll snapped. “Dhyrn, bind his mouth.”

The gnoll called Getara backed off, and another gnoll forced a gag into Paelius’ mouth, tying it tightly around the human’s head. The other gnoll took one last opportunity to pummel Paelius, and the breath fled from his lungs.

Paelius gasped for air, but found little entered his blocked mouth. Soon, he fell unconscious once more.

“Dragon!”

That scream brought Paelius back, and he started sliding off the bench as the wagon suddenly began tilting.

“Acid,” The gnoll leader spat. “We must travel on foot now. The Well is three miles onward still. Dhyrn, deal with the wyrm.”

Paelius was forced to his feet as a bow twanged. He fell out of the wagon, and Getara kicked him when he tried to stand back up. A jet of flame flew into the wagon, and it exploded, sending Paelius into a tree.

The dragon circled around the wagon, searching for survivors. An arrow leaped towards him, and pierced the dragon’s throat.

The last thing Paelius saw was the dragon falling beside a burning gnoll corpse.



ALASAR

“Danuva has him!!!”

Alasar unleashed a pair of arrows, slaying two gnolls trying to flank him.

A boulder flew in his direction, and landed in the middle of the swarming gnolls.

Masia roared in response to his call, and Alasar saw Mira leap onto the dragon’s back.

Masia jumped across the battlefield, landing right beside the boulder on which Alasar fought.

Alasar began putting weight on the dragon, and Masia’s knees wobbled.

“Seda!” Alasar gasped, backing away.

“Alasar, just get on!” Mira cried.

“I- I’m so sorry…” Masia breathed, struggling to get off the ground. “I’ll come back…”

“Don’t bother,” Alasar smiled grimly. “I won’t be here for you.”

“Stop fooling around and let’s go!” Mira screamed.

“Leim areula ey Mira Endurlan,” Alasar called to the elf, as Masia rose heavily into the air.

“ALASAR!!!”

Alasar shot one last gnoll, before sliding off of the boulder. He landed and took off, sprinting for the trees. The gnolls chased after him, and he launched two more arrows behind him, widening the gap a bit more.

Alasar used that gap to scamper up a tree. He hid in the top of the tree, as the horde of gnolls thundered beneath him.

Finally, the forest was quiet around him.

Alasar dropped to the ground, and warily began the long journey home.

THE NEXT DAY…

“This past evening, two Defenders-in-training, Mira Endurlan and the human Alasar Esana, fulfilled their second Trial, rescuing the Seer Paelius Serande from the gnolls-”

“Paelius Serande is a lycanthrope, not a human!” An elf yelled, and the gathering of fey all began arguing amongst themselves.

“Silence!” Masia roared, and the crowd quieted down again.

She glared at the first elf.

“Yes, Paelius Serande is a lycanthrope. Danuva was with him both for his injury, and for his first changing. However, Danuva is no Defender. And Paelius still considers himself a human, as does his father," she declared. “He has only just begun his introduction into our world, and therefore is still full of the weaknesses of humans. Thus, Paelius Serande is a human, and was a human at the time of his kidnapping by the gnolls last night. The two Defenders were forced to enlist the aid of myself, and of my son to carry out the oaths they took. Therefore, I viewed first-hand their valor in the face of almost certain failure. They held off the gnolls at the Well of Yeenoghu, and kept the human safe, even before he reached the Well. As the founder of the Aurul Defenders, I declare their second Trial to be ended, and the beginning of their third and final Trial before their full acceptance into the ranks of the Defenders. I call upon Mira Endurlan to now accept her weapon of choice to aid her in this task.”

Mira approached the lycanthrope, and took a pair of longswords from her hands. She bowed low, and said, “Terna ey nevuna.”

The elf left the eladrin lycanthrope, and stood beside her father.

“Unfortunately, Alasar Esana was forced to remain at the Well after my departure with Mira. It shames me to know that the greatest archer Aurul has seen since the great Dayereth of old was lost because of my weakness. I pray to Corellon, begging the lord’s forgiveness, and his acceptance of the bow meant for Alasar Esana.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Alasar called out, approaching the gathered elves.

“Alasar!” Mira cried out, before remembering where she was.

“Forgive me my lateness. I only got back to my house two hours ago,” Alasar apologized.

Masia composed herself quickly.

“I am mistaken. Alasar Esana is alive and well. I now call upon him to accept the weapon of his choice.”

Alasar approached the were-dragon, and accepted the elven bow, and the quiver with a single arrow in it.

“May the bow of the elves, and their endless quiver show you success in your travels,” Masia said quietly.

“Terna ey nevuna,” Alasar bowed.

He retreated and stood a few yards from Mira, as Masia finished the ceremony.

“Mira and Alasar, only one task more lies before you. You have shown your worth in great battles. You have both successfully protected your charges from hostile groups. However, one must be ready at all times to deal with the unexpected. Return here in a year’s time, and then I will announce your final task,” Masia commanded.



PAELIUS

Paelius woke up to the sound of a hammer striking metal the next morning. He groaned as his muscles clenched, and bolted upright as the memory of the previous night hit him.

The gnolls had knocked Danuva out, and had almost killed them both. Paelius swore silently in the darkness of his room that no one would ever disable him like that again.

The lycanthrope felt his shoulder, and realized that there was nothing to feel. The stab wound was gone!

“What the hell? He stabbed me right here,” Paelius whispered.

He stood up, and the room spun around him. He looked down at the floor, and realized that the floor was a foot further away than it should have been. Paelius rushed to a mirror, and checked his reflection.

To his amazement, he had somehow grown a foot in height overnight.

Before Paelius could figure out this weird growth spurt, there was a tapping at his window, and Masia pushed it open.

“Paelius, I need you to come with me on my rounds today. It is a liability to have a weredragon who cannot fly," she said quickly.

Paelius stared at the eladrin blankly, and Masia sighed.

“You went through your first changing last night. You need to go through it again. This is something you need to learn to control," she told him impatiently. “Get your clothes off, and put them in this bag. You can keep it on your ankle, so when you return to normal, you can get them right away.”

Numbly, Paelius did as he was told. When he went outside, Masia said, “Now, last night you most likely changed through your emotion, in this case fear. That is an unreliable trigger. You need to want to change in order to shift.”

“What?” Paelius said.

“”Pay attention,” Masia snapped. “It takes effort to get through the first few intentional changings. The easiest way to learn to change is to change through emotions until you can recognize how the change feels. So, try to change.”

“How? I don’t know what I am supposed to do!”

“Get mad. Get extremely sad. Yell, shout, stomp your feet. There has only ever been one joyful shifting in recorded history, and that was Danuva’s first changing.”

Paelius thought of the previous night, when Danuva had been lying unconscious on the floor. But now that had no real emotion in it. Danuva was safe now, and there was no need to get angry at the dead. Then, Paelius tried to force himself to get mad. It didn’t work either.

“Okay. I guess we’ll have to do this the invasive way,” Masia sighed. “Seid.”

Paelius gasped as a wave of pain enveloped his body. In less than a second, he was towering over Masia. The eladrin shifted, and told Paelius to follow her.

They flew out of the city, heading north, and Masia told Paelius many things about lycanthropy.

“The first major thing you need to know is that, as a lycanthrope, you are basically immortal," she began, as they flew over a valley. “Unless you fall in battle, you will never die.”

“What?!?” Paelius yelped.

“Danuva is the same, so you will at least have him for as long as he can defend himself,” Masia consoled him.

“And why should that be comforting?” Paelius demanded.

“Quit the innocent act,” Masia said. “I have lived for over five hundred years, and have seen more than my share of unnatural pairings. You and Danuva obviously enjoy each other’s company. Hold up a moment.”

Masia suddenly swooped towards the ground, and rose rapidly back towards Paelius.

“Dragonborn! 500 strong! They’re heading for the tieflings beyond us! Tell Alasar!" she yelled frantically.

Paelius wheeled around in the air, and sped back towards his home.



ALASAR

“Once more, we will place our safety in your hands, Alasar Esana. You will have twenty archers to hold this fortress,” Galinndan announced.

“You trust the human at your own risk,” Riardin spoke up. “At a time long past, he may have been the best choice for the defense of the fortress, but his mind is clouded by his love for a certain young elf at the present time.”

“A human may desire an elf, but Alasar knows all too well the folly of that desire. He may watch an elf, but he would never try to act on his feelings,” Galinndan denied.

“The elf in question has returned his affections.”

Alasar clenched his fists in rage. His love of Mira needed to be known to her father, but Riardin was not the one who should reveal it.

“I would advise you to be cautious then, young human. I feel that even you do not fully understand the perils of elven mischief,” Galinndan warned with a slight smile.

“Nela, Galinndan,” Riardin said. “It is you who does not know the extent of human resourcefulness. The elf has gone so far as to request the Mortality potion from Masia, most likely at the urging of Alasar.”

“That’s a lie! I tried to keep her from going to Masia!” Alasar protested.

“Really? I distinctly remember hearing you tell her to do it.”

“She wanted to do it, and it was her choice. It would have been my choice for her to live out her years after me!”

“Of whom do you speak?” Galinndan asked.

Alasar took a deep breath. He was afraid that it might be his last.

“The elf is Mira," he said.

“WHAT!?!” Galinndan roared. “You ruined my daughter’s life?”

“Nela Evuna! She wanted to do it!”

Galinndan unsheathed his sword, and Masia flew into the room.

“Galinndan! Melure enu!" she snarled, knocking the sword out of the elf’s hand.

“Ey akerasele! Ey belev avor mei nerael kriaskor!”

“You are a Defender! Alasar is still a human, no matter how much he acts otherwise!”

“Make an antidote,” Galinndan demanded.

“It will take at least a hundred years to complete it. Galinndan, your daughter has chosen mortality. That choice can not be undone. I suggest we all turn our thoughts to keeping her alive as long as possible.”

“Var ceur yal feir senu, ne eln avu av vaelanaer areulan,” Galinndan growled.

“Mira will not have a chance to gain suitors if she is dead. And she will be dead if Alasar is killed today. Like it or not, Alasar Esana is our best hope for victory,” Masia said.



PAELIUS

“So, we have a human warlock named Hope the Devourer, an eladrin swordmage by the name of Quarian, a halfling rogue called Quayle, a dragonborn fighter paladin hybrid named Brego, and a dwarf warlord named Hadrin.”

Paelius handed out several sheets of paper to the others.

“Okay. Let’s get this party started,” Jared grinned, placing figures on a map.

Before they could begin, someone knocked on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Paelius sighed, rolling a die. “Initiative is 13.”

He hurried to the door, and opened it, revealing Mira on the other side.

“We don’t have much time," she said. “Tell Alasar that the dragonborn are heading for my village, and there are 500 kobolds moving towards the fortress. Everyone will reach their destinations by noon tomorrow at the latest.”

Then Mira hurried out of sight, and Paelius closed the door behind her.

“Who was it?” Jared questioned as he rejoined the others.

“Mira. Alasar, she said that there are two groups now, 500 in each. The group we’re concerned with are smaller in height, and everyone will arrive tomorrow at noon.”

“500 more?!” Danuva yelped.

“Tomorrow?”

“Masia said she would head south to gather some help-”

“She won’t get back in time!”

“Danuva, seun enu!” Alasar snapped. “Zi eln aen sutelan. I did not swear empty words. While Paelius lives, no one will touch him!”

“Tell that to Zenoan,” Danuva spat.

“Danuva, you don’t want to mess with me,” Alasar snarled.

“Leim cal,” Danuva denied.

“What is going on?” Jared asked.

“It’s best if you don’t ask,” Paelius said.

“Zenoan kelan tel se erda kriask. He went anyways.”

“Maybe I should talk to Galinndan-”

“Riardin told him already. You have no power with that threat any more,” Alasar snapped.

“Look, guys, stop it. Tomorrow can wait. Let’s just finish what we’re doing here,” Paelius interrupted.

“I need to go,” Danuva told him. “I’m sorry Paelius.”

The lycanthrope left, and a heavy silence fell over the house.



ALASAR

The next day dawned bright and warm. Alasar felt knots in his stomach as he bolted down a bagel and dressed in his gear. The endless quiver and the longbow went over his shoulder, and his shortsword went on his hip. He grabbed a large knife out of the kitchen, and stuck it in a belt loop. Then he hurried to the fortress.

The fortress was a large complex weaving through the tall trees about twenty feet in the air. There were several guard posts connected by rope bridges and wooden walkways, and the whole place was reached through only one access point: a narrow bridge that served as a ramp.

Mira joined him at the building, with twenty grim faced elves wielding bows.

“We have the kobold swarm coming within the hour," she warned.

“They will not reach the ramp,” Alasar promised.

Danuva and Paelius approached the fort, and soon joined the defenders.

“Masia is early,” Danuva informed them. “There are twenty wolves heading this way, led by a lycanthrope named Sandra. The other dragon is with Masia, over the village.”

“Paelius, stay back. I don’t want you to fight,” Alasar ordered.

“You don’t control me. I will fight, and they will learn to fear us humans,” the lycanthrope denied.

“Can you shift at will?”

“Not yet, but-”

“Then it is too dangerous for you,” Alasar interrupted. “These are enemies who have trained with their weapons against live foes. They are coming to kill us. They will not take prisoners, and they will not show mercy.”

“So I won’t let them touch me,” Paelius retorted.

“No, we won’t let them near you,” Alasar said.

“Alasar! Seidure du te esan!” An elf called.

“Voin vel rehun! Ve avor vey enad!” Alasar called back.

Five minutes later, a young girl was standing in front of Alasar.

“Twenty archers. What are they thinking, sending twenty archers to guard one of the most important forts in the area?” the girl fumed.

“So, you are Sandra?”

“What did you expect? A giantess?”

“Not at all. You just seem a little young,” Alasar said.

“Young? I am 800 years old! I trained Masia herself! Do not call me young!” Sandra snapped.

“I’m sorry,” Alasar apologized.

“Okay. You pass,” The lycanthrope grinned. “I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn’t try to dodge my commands.”

“I don’t know your followers. I would be afraid to try leading them, and it would be stupid for you to try to take command of the elves,” Alasar told her.

“Don’t I know it,” Sandra muttered.

“So, we should use the melee focused fighters to hold back the flow, while the archers try to pick off the main problems.”

“I was told that there was a dragon present,” Sandra said.

“Yes and no. He is not a reliable shifter yet,” Alasar replied carefully.

“Well, that will just have to change,” Sandra said grimly.

“They’re here!” Danuva yelled.

“Seda!” Alasar hissed, stringing his bow.

“Alasar Esana, it does my heart good to know that a Defender is watching my back,” Sandra said, before she shifted into a wolf.



PAELIUS

Paelius stared into the trees.

“I don’t see-" he started.

A small black arrow slammed into the wall beside his face, and he yelped in shock.

“Don’t fall from a stupid arrow,” Danuva laughed, drawing his sword.

Paelius unsheathed his sword, and followed Danuva to the ramp.

“Danuva. How have you been?” a lycanthrope asked.

“Okay, I guess. I’m still working on my anger problems. This will do me a ton of good today,” Danuva replied.

“Don’t lose your head out there.”

“They’re in the open now,” someone called out.

A loud hum filled the air, and several screams sounded as the first volley of fire fell amongst the kobolds.

“Now!” Alasar yelled.

“Don’t let your guards down! Watch out for stray arrows!” Sandra commanded, before shifting back into a wolf.

The wolves leaped off of the ramp, and sprinted across the gap between fort and kobolds.

Paelius watched Danuva shift and race in the middle of the pack, and he stared at the sword in his hand.

“I can fight," he whispered, dropping the sword.

Paelius focused on his body, trying to recall the burning sensation of the shifting.

“Come on!" he growled in frustration, willing his body to shift.

A wolf cried in pain, and Paelius’ blood boiled. Danuva was out there, in danger, and he was sitting here, hiding.

Paelius bellowed in rage, and his body exploded into a fiery pain. The pain passed, and he leaped into the battlefield.

“Dragon!!!” Several combatants screamed.

Paelius launched himself into the air, and sent his claws raking through the crowd of kobolds. The survivors of his onslaught panicked, and ran back into the forest, followed by one last volley of arrows.

Paelius let out an ear-shattering roar, and felt his body contracting back into its human form.

“Paelius!” Danuva yelled, slamming into him.

The two toppled over, landing next to a kobold corpse.

“You’re okay!” Paelius cried in relief.

“I can watch out for myself,” Danuva laughed. “I hope you have a spare set of clothes. You seem to have ruined the last set.”

Paelius blushed in embarrassment.

“Hey. You should be proud. That was your first intentional shifting!” Danuva grinned.

Paelius saw a corpse moving behind Danuva.

“Oh my God!" he gasped, backing away.

Danuva picked up a dagger, and lazily flicked it into the kobold’s throat.

Paelius retched, and his breakfast splattered all over another corpse.

“Come on,” Danuva said, placing his arm around Paelius’ shoulder. “The first fight is always the hardest to get over.”

“I don’t want there to be a second one…” Paelius gagged.

“Let’s get back to the others,” Danuva replied, gently leading him back to the ramp.



ALASAR

The kobolds sent a fresh wave only five minutes later. The senseless slaughter sickened Alasar. Fifty kobolds had fallen in the first attempt, and now Alasar gave the order to slay another twenty.

“Tesoru!”

Arrows intercepted the scales covering the kobolds, and fifteen kobolds fell from the volley.

But this time, there was a response.

Forty arrows leaped up towards the elves, and Alasar called for everyone to drop low. None of the arrows found a living target.

Below the archers, Alasar heard several howls and yips, as the lycanthropes waited impatiently for the command to attack again.

“Now! Tesoru!” Alasar yelled, and the elves launched a volley of arrows to cover the werewolves as they ran into the kobold lines again.

Still, black arrows responded to the charge. Several flew into the swarming wolves, while several others flew towards the elves.

“Alasar!” Mira yelped, as the human launched a pair of arrows at two kobold archers.

Alasar felt a sharp pain, and turned to the side, trying to figure out the cause.

An arrow hit him in the left eye, and he cried out in pain.

“Alasar!!!”

The yells began fading, as did the sounds of the battle. Alasar’s mind dimmed, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.



PAELIUS

“ALASAR!!!”

Paelius felt his heart slam against his gut. Alasar was in trouble. Big trouble.

The lycanthrope parried a blow from a kobold, and the creature fell from a wolf’s claw. Paelius retreated towards the fort, blocking the strikes of dozens of kobolds. A sword hissed past his knee, and he instinctively kicked out, sending a kobold flying into a group of them.

Another volley slew several more kobolds, and the rest made one last push towards the fort.

Paelius suddenly found himself surrounded by kobolds. He slashed at one with his sword, and it fell at his feet, headless.

An arrow whizzed past his ear, and killed a kobold behind Paelius, while he beat off three more of the small monsters.

A horn sounded out, and the kobolds began retreating again. They left behind 300 dead kobolds, 5 wounded lycanthropes, 3 dead lycanthropes, and one wounded human.

Alasar Esana was not responding to any attempt to revive him. There was no doubt that he was still alive, but everyone was wondering if he would stay alive.



ALASAR

“Greetings, Alasar Esana, son of Robert Esana and Sara Daran, beloved of Mira Endurlan, and first human Defender.”

“Mira! Is she okay?!” Alasar exclaimed.

“Mira is safe. The kobolds have already retreated for the last time.”

Alasar breathed a sigh of relief, even as he warily glanced around him, searching for the speaker in the blinding light around him.

“I am over here. I welcome you to the entrance of Arvandor.”

“Arvandor?! No- this isn’t happening! Evanel- Corellon?!”

“I am he,” The god replied.

“Forgive me my Lord! I would have held my tongue if I had known to whom I spoke!” Alasar cried, falling to his knees.

“But you could not have known. Alasar Esana, you are here for the sake of the elves. Faced with the prospect of death, your mind immediately went to Mira Endurlan’s well-being. You have selflessly placed yourself in harm’s way to protect a race that is not your own. Alasar Esana, you have already sworn the oaths of a Defender. You help protect those who know nothing of the real world. However, the time for ignorance is past. Now I ask you to fulfill your oaths in a different way. Will you become my exarch, and promote the knowledge of all races throughout the world? I will give you all of the tools which you might need to succeed in this mission.”

“My parents would throw me in a mental institute. Without me to protect them-”

“I do not speak of these small matters. And I know that you will be ridiculed for this. This mission will require immense wisdom upon your part. You should not reveal the truth to anyone who can not be protected, or protect themself.”

“I’m human. At best I’ll only reach 100 years-”

“As my exarch, you will be immortal. You will only die in battle, and death will never be permanent. Keep in mind that you will also be called upon to protect all Seers that you find, whether they are influenced by elf, eladrin, gnoll, or even the dhaeraow. Do you accept the costs and the benefits of this request?”

“What about Mira? She’s mortal-”

“She was always mortal. She just reduced her life expectancy. Mira Endurlan will die someday, and join me here in Arvandor. However, if you accept, then I will reverse the effects of the poison that she drank.”

“But she will die regardless. I don’t know if I can face life without her,” Alasar said.

“Very well. I will give you four months to think about my offer. If you choose to accept it, just call upon me, and I will come to you. Of course, you can still embark on this quest without the benefits of being an exarch. Now, return to your friends. I await your call.”



PAELIUS

Paelius couldn’t sleep that night. He had killed so many kobolds that day, and regardless of what Danuva might say, he could not get over the deaths. The result was that he was exhausted when he and his father went down to the set the next morning.

Paelius was snappier than usual when dealing with the extras the next day. At one point, he actually shoved a couple of them to the ground, and they leaped up, bristling for a fight.

“Paelius!” Danuva called to him, running over.

“I can’t do this right now!” Paelius snapped.

“Paelius, calm down. Look at me. Now, why are you so upset?” Danuva asked.

“You said I’d forget about it. You told me that I’d learn to live with it!”

Danuva pulled Paelius aside.

“These things take time. I’m still trying to get over my sister’s death," he said quietly.

“It hurts so bad. I want it to not have happened. I don’t want to know that I killed those creatures.”

“But you did. You had to. It was either you or them.”

Danuva embraced Paelius, and murmured, “Even if you had killed hundreds of people, I would still love you Paelius Serande.”

“What?”

“Leim areula ey. I love you.”

Paelius pulled away slightly.

“Danuva-”

“Paelius, I had to say it. I had to get it out in the open,” Danuva said quickly.

“I think we should talk later,” Paelius told him.

“DANUVA!!! Rehun enarl!” Riardin roared.

Danuva winced, and Paelius placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Sorry," he said, and then Danuva ran back over to Riardin.

A minute later, he called Paelius.

Paelius went to them, worried.

“I am glad to see that you made it through the battle yesterday,” Riardin said. “Did you learn anything?”

“I don’t know. I think I spent most of it trying to stay alive,” Paelius said honestly.

“Well, I would like to test you. It is time for real trainers here, not beginning fighters. I want you to spar with Danuva.”

“That’s no test! You just want me to be hurt!”

“Just do it,” Riardin growled.

Reluctantly, Paelius held up his sword towards Danuva, who copied him.

“Attack me,” Danuva hissed.

“No, you attack me,” Paelius whispered, as they walked in a circle, searching for an advantage.

Suddenly, Danuva darted towards Paelius, and Paelius spun aside, swinging at Danuva as he passed.

The two swords met in mid-air, and the lycanthropes drew closer together.

Paelius took a deep breath, and said quietly, “Did you mean what you said?”

“Every word,” Danuva replied, before pushing him back.

Paelius stumbled over a rock, and Danuva leaped at him. Paelius ducked, and the sword hissed over his head. He stood back up, and nimbly side-stepped a thrust aimed at his chest.

Once again, the two swords locked together, and Paelius heard himself say, “I love you too.”

Danuva’s eyes widened at the confession, and Paelius took the opportunity to knee the lycanthrope in the gut. Gently, though.

Danuva took the hit, and fell back. A moment later, he was on the ground, and Paelius’ sword was at his throat.

“You cheated,” Danuva laughed softly.

“Gelu ad!” Riardin bellowed. “How could he beat you?! I have trained you better than any other being alive!”

“You told me to train him,” Danuva shrugged. “Like master like apprentice, I guess.”

“You guess?! Next thing you know, Alasar Esana will beat me in a fight!” Riardin roared.

“We can only hope,” Danuva muttered under his breath.

“What’s wrong?” Jared asked, running towards them.

“Nothing. I won a round with Danuva,” Paelius said.

“Good job,” Jared applauded.

“Paelius, I would like you to come at five in the morning from now on,” Riardin requested coldly.

“Five?!” Paelius gasped.

“We can do that,” Jared agreed.

Thus, Paelius Serande became Riardin’s student.



ALASAR

After the battle, Mira was forced to stay at home. For two months, Alasar was unable to see her. To pass the time, he learned to make potions under Masia’s watchful eye.

He knew what was going to happen. Galinndan would hold a tournament, and the one who won would become the official husband of Mira Endurlan.

Alasar had kept quiet about the meeting with Corellon, but as the tournament drew nearer, he found himself thinking more and more about the offer. It pained him to admit that he could barely go two months without Mira’s presence. Now he was certain that he couldn’t go without her for eternity. But being with her for the next three centuries would be better than not being with her at all.

He would enter the tournament as an elf. Humans could participate, but it was an unspoken crime to do so. With the knowledge he had gained from Masia, he would use the magic contest to create a teleportation sword, and use it to stay out of the melee fighting. He only hoped that he could survive long enough to get to that point.



PAELIUS

The two lycanthropes entered Danuva’s house, and Paelius went through the now-familiar ritual of sending a dart at the picture on the wall. Today, he hit her nose.

“Dan, why do you have me do this anyways?" he asked, as Danuva’s dart settled into it’s spot in the girl’s eye.

“She’s my ex-girlfriend,” Danuva sighed.

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Paelius said quickly.

“You should know about it. Some lycanthropes are evil. Angela was one of them. She…” Danuva’s voice trailed off, and he shuddered.

Paelius placed an arm around him, and held him.

“Sorry. She was the one who changed me. I was so excited when it happened. I loved her, and now we were given the chance to be together forever,” Danuva whispered. “I- I invited her to my house one night, and she brought a bunch of those animals. They… She murdered my sister… I couldn’t stop them. I hadn’t figured out how to shift at will until that night. They had told me that we can’t shift when there is a new moon, and I hadn’t started watching the moon cycle yet. The guilt was the worst part. Feeling guilty because it was all my fault. They got away cleanly. I couldn’t fight them all at once… It is my fault Emily died that night…”

“I’m so sorry,” Paelius breathed in horror.

He pulled away from Danuva, and picked up a dart. Then he walked to the picture, and plunged the dart as hard as he could into Angela’s forehead.

“I killed her,” Danuva said, tears streaming down his face. “I ran away that night, and I hunted them all down. None of them could escape my rage. She was the last one. I never went back. David wanted to come with me, but I said he would be safer in the care of the lycanthropes. This was in L.A. That guy I was talking to in the fort was David’s brother.”

“Who’s David?”

“He’s a wererat, looks like he’s about thirteen years old. He was turned ten years ago.”

Paelius sat next to Danuva on the couch.

“It doesn’t sound like they’re all evil," he said. “Just a few of them.”



ALASAR

Early the next morning, Alasar readied himself. He pulled on a cloak Masia had brought from Senellaisse, an elven city in the Feywild. Then, he stuck on the elven ear molds he had borrowed from Amy the day before.

The weapons would be provided for him, and so he decided not to take his own bow. By seven, he was arriving at the village.

Ten minutes later, he was at the front of the short registration line.

“Verla?” an elf asked. Name?

“Lucan Adaro,” Alasar said.

“Magic or potions?”

“Potions,” Alasar replied.

“Cen,” The elf allowed, handing him a mask, a longsword, and a bow.

Alasar was through.

And so were the other nineteen fey competing for Mira’s hand.

Galinndan was already calling for attention.

“First we will have the sword contest. Your opponent is the person right next to you," he called in Elven.

The person next to Alasar was only about five feet tall, but Alasar knew that size could mean superior agility. Still, he had to win, no matter what, and he would likely have to get vicious in order to win.

So, as everyone moved apart, Alasar stayed within arms reach of his opponent. And when the command was given, he drew his sword so the blade would slice across the other person’s side.

“First blood,” the elf acknowledged, placing his hand on the cut.

Alasar struck again, and over swung, just barely dodging a counter strike. The two closed again, and Alasar swept his blade across the elf’s chest. He pulled back, and prepared to stab the elf, and the elf cried, “Stop! You got the win!”

Something in the elf’s voice troubled Alasar’s mind.

“Who are you?" he asked.

The elf stood up, and Alasar saw his injuries vanish.

“My name is David. Masia sent me.”

His mask came off, and Alasar realized that he had been fighting a 13-year old boy.

“Human!” An elf called, and Galinndan appeared beside the two.

“Humans are not allowed in this competition!” the elf snarled.

He grabbed David by the back of his robe, and shoved him towards a guard.

In less than ten minutes, the sparring had ended, leaving ten competitors behind.

Galinndan led them all to the archery range, where twenty targets stood 200 yards down the range.

“You have three shots! Each one must be in the center ring!" he yelled.

Then, he began counting them off.

Three elves fired before Alasar, and only one succeeded in his task. Then, Galinndan was on Alasar.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!" he barked.

At each word, an arrow sailed into the very center of the ring, and the last two ended their flights buried in the first arrow.

“You pass,” Galinndan said, before moving on to the next archer.

In all, only four archers made it through the shooting. Next came the magic trial.

Alasar and one other elf followed Masia to a room filled with cauldrons and a wall of mixtures.

“Which potion?" she requested of the elf.

“Flight.”

“This station," she said, pointing. “You will have twenty minutes. And you?”

“Teleportation,” Alasar replied.

“This station. You will have 15 minutes. Your time starts now.”

Alasar leaped to the cauldron, and began pulling out ingredients from the wall, quickly planning. He had five minutes less than he had expected.

“Painting is three minimum. Twelve minutes to make," he muttered. “Twelve ounces of satyr horn, dry mix with ten ounces of vampire fang, add twenty ounces of diluted dragon blood. Bowl two is twelve ounces of wererat teeth, mixed with three ounces of werewolf teeth, and add fifteen ounces of lycanthrope blood. Then mix the two together with a silver spoon to counter the worst of the reaction, and paint the mixture on.”

It took ten minutes to create the potion, and Alasar immediately began rubbing the mixture onto his sword with a brush, repeating the word “eido” rapidly under his breath as he painted.

“Teleportation time is up!” Masia called, as Alasar applied the last drop to his sword.

Six minutes later, they joined the third elf, and were taken to an enclosed arena.

“Now comes the final test. The last one standing will be the victor,” Galinndan declared.

Alasar distanced himself from the others, as Galinndan called out the rules.

“No killing, no permanent maiming, and no mercy!" he called to them.

A gong rang out, and two arrows leaped at Alasar. He easily dodged them, and scampered up a tree, before fitting an arrow to his string.

The two elves were engaged in a furious bout of melee combat. Alasar held his arrow back, waiting for the end. He didn’t have to wait long.

One elf called out, and rose off the ground. The other elf yelled, and the flying elf slammed into the ground, stunned. The victor drew his blade across the loser’s chest, and began scanning the area for Alasar.

Alasar released his arrow, slapped a hand on his sword hilt, and breathed, “Eido,” while staring at a tree branch behind the elf.

The air around him began constricting his body, and then released him, as he appeared on the branch.

The elf dodged the first arrow, but didn’t turn in time to avoid the next two arrows sent at his back.

The arrows slammed into the padding in the elf’s cloak, and Alasar teleported next to the elf, piercing the elf’s back with his sword to prove his victory.

The gong rang again, and three figures approached Alasar.

“Congratulations!” Galinndan called. “You have won the honor of marrying my daughter!”

As the three drew closer, Galinndan continued, “Now you may remove your mask, and reveal yourself.”

Alasar scanned Galinndan for weapons quickly, before he removed his mask slowly. Then, he removed the ear molds.

“You! How is this possible?!” Galinndan roared.

“Alasar!” Mira cried, leaping towards him.

The two embraced, and Alasar called, “Hey Riardin, remember the last time you were successful, because that feeling will never return to you.”

The eladrin ripped off his mask, and snarled, “You cheated!”

“Nela,” Masia interrupted. “Galinndan, there is no law against humans competing for an elven hand, and Riardin, Alasar was using only one potion, as is the rule.”

“Etul, leim areula Alasar. Leim me erl areula elna se,” Mira said.

“Seun ad!”

Galinndan thundered up to Mira, and smeared dirt across her face.

“Ey avor nela nerael pei mei!" he snarled. “I have no daughter! Mira, daughter of none, you are forbidden to ever enter this village again!”

“Nela!” Mira cried in horror.

“Get out of my sight!”

“Galinndan, you will regret this decision,” Alasar hissed.

“Go!”

Alasar took Mira’s hand, and led her away.

“I am ruined!” the elf sobbed.

“Mira, I don’t love you for your family. I love you because of you,” Alasar said.

“Where will I go? Who will take care of me?”

“You can stay with me Mira. We can take over the fort.”

Mira smiled slightly at the thought.

“Vey barael eln eila erl selalne," she said.

“No children would be safer,” Alasar agreed.



PAELIUS

“The Spellblade of Shifters?”

“Te Gramyre-seunel pei Seidure, to the elves,” Danuva nodded. “According to the elves, the god Corellon made six weapons. Three were swords, and three were bows. The one I am looking for is the one that is most useful to lycanthropes. And it isn’t just a sword. There is supposed to be a suit of scale armor,  which allows the wearer to change even during the new moon.”

“So, you want to find it. Sounds easy. We have forever to look for it,” Paelius grinned.

“It’s not that simple. It is an elven myth, so all of the writings that talk about it are in Elven,” Danuva denied.

“I can’t speak Elven, let alone read it,” Paelius said.

“And neither can I. Well, I know Elven, but I can’t read the symbols.”

“That one’s easy. I learned their writings when I was ten,” Paelius snorted.

“So, between the two of us, we should translate the first sentence in a day.”

“I can rewrite it in a few seconds.”

Paelius pulled a page towards himself.

“Enarl ek te kriasmara pei Erevan Esaral urul, te urulen pei Galaen, te serael pei Berrian Esaral, veig te etul pei Paelias Elesai.”

“Okay. Here is the dead memory of Erevan Esaral rule, the ruler of Golden, the son of Berrian Esaral, and the father of Paelias Elesai,” Danuva translated.

“Golden?” Paelius asked.

“Must be the city. I think it is in England somewhere,” Danuva explained. “Did you know you were named after an eladrin?”

“Yeah. My name is spelled with a u, not an a,” Paelius replied.

“Try the first paragraph of the eighth page,” Danuva suggested.

Paelius pulled a sheet of paper towards him, and began writing.

Ten minutes later, he began reading from the fresh paper.

“Te enad rehun erl te seid pei se serael, Paelias, nure rehun elna av gramyre-seunel, veig cadoln erl du av-”

“Got it!” Danuva yelped in shock. “A Spellblade, and changed into a- Paelius, he shifted!”

“Good call,” Paelius laughed.

“How do they write his name?”

Paelius pointed it out, and Danuva said, “Start pulling out all writings with that name in them! He would have ruled, so we need his history for sure.”

Paelius shrugged, and started leafing through papers.



ALASAR

“Quarian swings his sword around, and sends a bolt of fire at the orc chief, burning the left side of it’s face,” Jared announced. “Hope, you’re up.”

“Cal nela ey avu enugo pei tel pel edarol?” Mira asked quietly.

“Leim cal enu fer Paelius,” Alasar replied, as Danuva rolled a pair of dice.

He turned towards Mira, searching for the words he wanted to say.

“Mira, we- we need to talk for a minute. Enu ek uva te hedanael.”

“Ey esu heda. Bern ey caln nela agaran aral enu yeral,” Mira remembered.

“Te Evuna gela eim av deculo. Se eto mei enad.”

Mira gasped.

“What’s going on you two?” Sara asked.

“Zi teren cen delan suun,” Mira said shakily, standing up.

“We need to go outside for a minute,” Alasar said.

“Okay, well, I’ll take you out of the action until you get back,” Jared told him.

“Thanks.”

Alasar led Mira outside, and turned towards her with a sigh.

“Corellon wants your help?”

Alasar nodded.

“He told me that he would make me an exarch. I would become immortal.”

“And you accepted?” Mira said quietly, flinching.

“Nela.”

“W-what? You denied the chance to live forever?”

“No. I asked for time. I couldn’t do that to you without talking to you. He offered to remove the effects of the Mortality Potion,” Alasar added.

“Alasar, I’m not immortal, and I never will be,” Mira said.

“I know. That’s why I don’t want to do it. We would have three hundred years together, or maybe more if we’re lucky. I don’t think I could lose you like that.”

“Alasar, three hundred years is a long time. It is much better than the seventy years we would have otherwise. I think you should do it.”

“What?”

“Accept his offer Alasar. What does he need?”

“He said that the time had come to end the human ignorance. He wants me to spread the news of the existence of elves to the world. And he said that he would call on me to protect Seers around the world.”

“It is a good cause.”

“Mira, if we have children-”

“When we have children, they will understand that you do a god’s work. They will not begrudge you your immortality. And neither will I. You stayed with me even when I was going to outlive you. Now I can repay that debt.”

“What debt? Mira, I didn’t stay with you to make you feel like you had to repay me somehow!”

“No. But still, you deserve the opportunity to do Corellon’s work. Accept his offer, Alasar.”

“Are you sure Mira?”

“Neya. Cal enu,” The elf whispered, embracing him.

“Corellon, leim eln enad ey,” Alasar said, stepping away from Mira.

“Very well.”

The god appeared behind Mira.

“Alasar Esana, I renounce your oaths of the Defender. I charge you with spreading the word of knowledge whenever you can, and protecting those who become targets as a result of gaining that knowledge. To aid you, I give you gramyre, and my own armament, the Raiment of Motion. I name you Alasar Esana, exarch of Corellon Larethian, and I now send you forward to fulfill your agreements.”

The god vanished, and a pile of clothing appeared in front of Alasar.

“Ey avu gramyre?” Mira breathed.

“I don’t know. I’ll have to talk to Masia,” Alasar said.

“Hey! You two done making out yet?!” Paelius called to them.

“He’s not necessarily a Seer anymore. I think I’ll take him out first,” Alasar grinned.

Mira laughed, and shoved the bundle of cloth into Alasar’s arms.

Together, they went back into the house.



PAELIUS

“You know, there is something terrifying about swords. They’re too painful. I think I’d rather die from a bullet to the head. Preferably without knowing it was coming,” Paelius said, leaning back against Danuva.

The two were laying on Paelius’ bed, enjoying the feeling of closeness. Danuva held a knife and was sharpening it.

“Death by a random bullet is a sure way to fade out of memory," he said. “If you get killed in a swordfight, as long as you fought well, you will be remembered.”

“And you might end up slowly bleeding out,” Paelius retorted.

“So? You’re dead anyways. It’s the end. Who cares if it’s painful? At least that way you will be able to know when you die. The pain will just stop.”

“As long as it’s not from an arrow, I’m good,” Paelius said.

Something suddenly flew through the open window, and pierced Paelius’ leg.

“S**t!" he yelped.

“What the hell?!”

A second object hit Danuva in the back, and he gasped in pain.

“Dhaeraow!”

“Drow?! How-”

“Paelius, get out of here! They’re coming for you!” Danuva cried.

Three elf-like figures swiftly approached the window. Each figure held a pair of scimitars like long claws. Their skin was dark in color, and their hair was pure white.

“Oh my God…” Paelius breathed.

The first dhaeraow leaped into his room, and Paelius tried to shift.

“Poison! Don’t try it!” Danuva yelled, drawing his sword.

Paelius grabbed his sword from under his bed, and blocked a two-bladed slash towards his head.

He stabbed at the drow, and his sword was knocked aside as the second sword plunged towards his chest.

Paelius dodged the strike, and backed into an open area.

The drow leaped at Paelius, and the lycanthrope stabbed downwards, driving his sword into the drow’s left ankle.

The drow howled in pain, and Paelius stabbed him in the throat.

Another drow flew at Paelius, and he dodged the first attack. He watched the drow carefully as the dark elf came at him again. The scimitars were angled a little low.

Paelius leaped aside, and plunged his sword into the drow’s chest, ripping the blade back out.

Danuva laughed weakly.

“You win for now," he coughed.

“Danuva-”

Blood began dripping down Danuva’s back, and Paelius fainted.



ALASAR

Alasar drove another nail into the wood, and wiped the sweat away from his eyes.

“How’s it going?” Mira called up to him.

“I’m almost done,” Alasar replied, laying the last board across the support beams.

He hammered into the wood, and breathed a sigh of relief as the last nail went in. The floor for the bedroom was done. Alasar was now standing on a wooden platform about thirty feet above the ground, that was twenty feet long and wide. And it was solid too.

Mira climbed onto the platform.

“Look! You can see the sunset from up here!" she laughed.

The elf laid on her back, and Alasar joined her.

“Not bad for three hours,” Alasar breathed.

“Tomorrow we can get the walls up.”

They watched the sun go down, and then Mira said, “You know, we should probably get back to your house.”

“We can’t really stay here yet,” Alasar laughed.

They went back down to the ground, and ran to Alasar’s house.



PAELIUS

“I- what do you mean I can’t change any more?”

“Exactly what I said. The poison has destroyed the lycanthropy,” Masia said.

“Paelius, it’s not that bad,” Danuva said quietly.

“I’ve become a helpless target!” Paelius wept.

Masia pulled a vial of blood out of Danuva’s arm, and separated it into empty vials. Ten seconds later, a vial shattered.

“What the hell?!” Danuva yelped.

“Danuva, you still have the lycanthropy,” Masia said, looking troubled.

“Nela! Masia, I can’t still have it!”

“The potions never lie,” Masia denied. “I don’t think you can shift, but you have the disease still.”

“I’m sorry Dan,” Paelius said. “I know you were hoping for it.”

“You might not be immortal anymore. Only time will tell,” Masia told him. “Paelius, your body would accept the change again, if you wanted to.”

“Not without Danuva. I don’t want to live forever without him,” Paelius rejected.

“The offer is open if you change your mind,” Masia said.

“Thank you.”

Masia left them, and Paelius sat next to Danuva.

“I still can’t see her…”

“Danuva, you will still see her someday. It is very unlikely that you will live forever, with all of the people that seem to want us dead,” Paelius said.



ALASAR

Several months passed, and the fort neared the end of its conversion. On the last Saturday of November, Alasar and Mira went to Jared’s house bubbling with happiness. That day was going to be a day they would remember forever.

“Tonight’s game will be memorable,” Jared greeted them. “Sara’s here already, and so is Danuva, and Paelius of course.”

“Memorable as in fighting a dragon, right?” Mira laughed.

“You’ll see,” Jared promised.

They went into the living room, and sat at the table where everything was already set up.

“Geyn kriyal ey du,” Paelius said, watching them enter.

“I thought you didn’t know Elven,” Alasar replied.

“Danuva’s been helping me with that. We’ve been spending a lot of time searching through kriasmarae.”

“Any particular reasons?”

“Eh, just tracing the history of te seidur suenel.”

“Good luck,” Alasar grinned knowingly.

“The weapons are given only to those worthy to wield them,” Mira added.

“Well, can we get started?” Sara asked.

“Of course!”

Everyone rolled the twenty sided die.

“So, we’re going Paelius, me, Sara, Alasar, Danuva, enemy, and then Mira,” Jared announced. “Early in the morning, after taking eight hours to rest from the fight yesterday, we continue on our way towards the city dungeons of Araol. What are our passive perceptions at level 5?”

“I have 15,” Paelius said. “Alasar is 15, Danuva is 14, Sara is 22, and Mira is 22 as well.”

“And mine is 19. Okay. An hour after we depart our campsite, Paelius feels something cold and slimy close in around his body. Paelius is dazed and takes ongoing ten damage.”

“A gelatinous cube. Why am I not surprised?” Paelius grumbled.

“Now that it has engulfed something edible, the cube begins to show its outlines in a faint bluish color. I am going to attack it with my polearm,” Jared announced.

He rolled a 15 on the die, and a ten on the ten sided die.

“Great! I stab at it, and my spear slides easily through the thin membrane, dealing 14 points of damage to the cube.”

“My turn. I am going to use sly flourish with my magic shuriken,” Sara announced.

She rolled a twenty, and whooped in delight.

“Great throw!” Jared grinned. “16 damage and roll the 6 sided die.”

Sara rolled a four, and Jared continued, “20 damage total. You hurl your shuriken at the cube, and it sinks into the soft membrane, before ripping back out and flying back to your hand. Alasar?”

“I want to try out Elemental Foible.”

Alasar rolled a 20 as well, and started counting.

“The farbond spellblade deals an extra 1d6 damage,” Jared reminded him.

“So the total damage is 22 points of fire damage, and vulnerable five fire as well,” Alasar declared.

“You swing your b*****d sword, and it cuts into the cube, creating a fiery symbol that burns out within a second. Even after it burns out, you can still hear a faint sizzling coming from the cube. Danuva?”

“Fiery bolt,” Danuva said.

“Wait, that’s going to hit me,” Paelius said quickly.

“It will only deal ten points of damage to you. You have 44 right now, and you are a defender. It will hurt the cube more than it hurts you.”

Danuva rolled the dice, and they landed on 17 and 6.

“The six sided die gets two more rolls,” Jared grinned.

The other two rolls came up on 5 and 6.

“And once more for Paelius.”

This die landed on a 3.

“Paelius takes twelve points of damage, and the cube takes 27 points of fire damage. The ooze is down to 69,” Jared muttered to himself.

He moved the ooze’s figure, with Paelius’ figure attached to it, and said, “The ooze moves towards me and Sara, and attacks us both.”

He rolled a 15, and a 6, and continued, “The cube engulfs me, but Sara manages to dodge the ooze. Mira’s turn.”

“I guess I’ll use the Two Fanged Strike.”

The elf rolled the dice, and Jared began to count.

“Two twenties. That’s pretty lucky," he said. “So, 15 doubled, you deal thirty damage to the cube. You shoot two arrows rapidly at the cube, and the arrows rip through the cube’s membrane. Paelius, you can try to escape now.”

Paelius rolled a ten, and said, “The total is 20.”

“You’re free. You did take 10 poison damage when you began your turn. My turn. I will try to escape as well.”

Jared rolled a 3, and sucked in a breath.

“The grand total is 15. I am still grabbed.”

“I think I’ll use Trickster’s blade,” Sara decided.

Mira leaned towards Alasar, and whispered, “Voin veys weirlen vel senu.”

“Lenav cal ey eto du cal enu?” Alasar asked.

“Leim cal nela kelan,” Mira grinned.

“What are you two talking about?” Paelius asked.

“If you can understand it, Mira veig leim avor cenor du avu av barael,” Alasar said.

“Really?!” Danuva cried, leaping up. “Congratulations you two!”

“What?” Sara questioned.

“Erda aen zi teren jurda weirlen ne,” Mira said, and Alasar took her hand.

“Well, I will be a father in about nine months," he told the room.

“What?!” Sara yelped.

“You’re going to be a grandmother.”

“Alasar Esana, are you telling me that you knocked up this young lady?!”

“Wow. Way to be blunt Mom,” Alasar sighed.

“Please tell me this is a joke.”

“Skeil? Alasar, leim sonaln ne elnu aen areul uva tel!” Mira gasped.

“This is not a joke, and you are insulting us both,” Alasar said sharply.

“So, why didn’t we get invited to the wedding?” Jared grinned.

“Actually, there wasn’t one,” Alasar revealed.

“I’m not surprised about that one,” Danuva muttered.

“What was that?” Alasar growled.

“Well, Galinndan was pissed enough to exile both you and his only daughter. I seriously doubt he would have given his permission for you to say the vows at his place,” Danuva spoke up.

“Look, guys, can this wait until later?” Paelius asked.

“Alasar, you better take good care of your family-”

“I’ve been taking good care of my family,” Alasar retorted.

“Sara, don’t worry about it. I don’t see him as the type that would ditch his children,” Jared soothed.

“We’ll be having a lengthy talk about this later,” Sara warned.

“Okay. Sara, your shuriken flashes past the cube, and returns to your hand. Alasar?”

“Greenflame blade.”

Alasar rolled a ten, and added his modifiers to reach 19. His damage total was 12.

“Alasar leaps at the cube, and his sword slashes through the ooze’s membrane, crackling with a green fire. The fire flares up while the blade is in the ooze, and deals 17 points of damage to it in total. Danuva’s turn.”

“I’ll use the Vampiric Embrace,” Danuva said, rolling the dice.

Jared counted up the totals, and said, “A ribbon of black energy shoots towards the cube, and hits a ring that has found it’s way into the cube. The cube takes no damage from the attack.”

Jared moved the figures again, and rolled a couple of dice.

“The ooze moves next to Alasar and Paelius. It tries to engulf them, but they both jump out of it’s way. Mira?”

Mira was silent for a minute.

Jared called her again, and the elf stared at him blankly.

“It’s your turn,” Jared said.

“Oh. Leim- I am sorry,” Mira corrected. “I’ll use careful attack.”

She rolled, and Jared said, “You aim carefully, and launch a single arrow. The arrow flies through the cube and out the other side, and deals 8 damage to it. Paelius?”

“I’ll use Rain of Steel, and then I will use Precise Strike to hurt the cube a little more,” Paelius declared.

He rolled the dice, and groaned when they landed on four and six.

“The attack is 9, 12, 16, 18 total, and the damage is just plain 6. You stab at the cube, and your sword skewers it, but the blade doesn’t go as deep as it seems. My turn.”

Jared rolled a die, and it landed on a twelve.

“Sweet! Okay, I am now free. I fight my way towards the outer membrane, grabbing the ring as I pass, and finally break out of the ooze. Sara?”

“I’ll use sly flourish again.”

Jared totalled the numbers, and said, “This time, your shuriken blows through the cube, dealing ten points of damage to it. The cube is now just a plain puddle of goo on the dungeon floor.”

Jared removed the ooze figurine, and continued talking.

“Hadrin carries the ring over to Quayle, wiping it off on his beard. He kneels beside Quayle, and holds up the ring to her.”

As Jared spoke, he knelt next to Sara, and revealed a ring inside a small box.

“Oh my God…” Sara gasped.

“Sara Esana, will you marry me?”

Alasar leaped out of his chair, and it fell with an explosive bang in the silent room.

“Yes…” Sara laughed.

“Nela!”

“What-?!”

Both Alasar and Paelius stared at their parents.

“How- why-” Paelius stuttered.

“Hey you guys, calm down,” Jared grinned.

“How could you do that to us?!” Alasar exploded.

“Alasar, we love each other,” Sara said.

“Dad-”

“Alasar, Robert’s gone. He’s not coming back, and it’s time for me to move on,” Sara prodded.

“Nela… You- you-”

Alasar spun around and ran out of the house.



PAELIUS

Seven months passed. Sara and Jared were now openly spending time together. Alasar and Mira continued to work on the fort, and Alasar struggled to get over the betrayal, as he called the engagement between his mother and Jared.

Meanwhile, Paelius and Danuva began working on deciphering the history of Paelias Elesai’s son. They spent most of their time in Danuva’s large library, reading.

On the first day of February, Paelius arrived at Danuva’s house, at his usual time, and let himself inside.

The first thing he noticed was that Angela’s picture was missing. Then he realized that the door leading to Danuva’s bedroom was closed, even though Danuva always left it open.

Cautiously, Paelius approached the door, and opened it.

The sight inside the room would never leave him until the day he died.



ALASAR

“Paelius, I’m so sorry,” Alasar said, holding the sobbing boy.

“How could he do this?! I loved him! Why would he leave me?!”

Alasar kept thinking, ‘I told you not to trust him,’ but he couldn’t say that to Paelius. Not now.

Instead, he said, “Danuva always said he would choose when and how he died.”

“It doesn’t make sense! He wouldn’t kill himself!” Paelius yelled.

“There would be signs of a struggle if he had been murdered.”

Someone walked up behind Paelius.

“Paelius Serande, I would like you to come live with me, to further train you,” Riardin said coldly.

“Corellon hedag ey! Don’t you see he’s in pain?! Leave him alone!” Alasar snarled.

“Alasar Esana, stay out of this. This conversation does not concern you,” The eladrin replied.

He turned back to Paelius, and said, “You have a day to decide. Farewell.”

Then, the eladrin left.

“Akerasel,” Alasar growled at the retreating figure.

“He did it… Oh my God… Riardin killed him!”

“Paelius, that’s crazy-”

“No it’s not! I’ve been the one he wants for months now! He got rid of Danuva!” Paelius insisted.

He began following Riardin, and Alasar grabbed his arm.

“Paelius, stop. You can not fight him. We’ll talk to Masia. She can deal with it," he said.

Alasar got Paelius to calm down, and then he excused himself.



PAELIUS

“Are you sure about this Paelius?” Masia asked.

“Masia, I’ll be the next target. I need some way to protect myself,” Paelius argued.

“Okay. I’ll do it for you.”

Masia shifted, and carefully lowered her head towards Paelius. She bit his arm, and the human screamed in pain as the disease flooded his body.

Masia returned to her eladrin form, and said, “Seid, Paelius Serande.”

Paelius’ body began contorting, and Masia gasped in shock as hair began growing from the human’s body.

Soon, the change was over.

“Why am I so small?” Paelius tried to ask.

The words came out in a series of barks and whines.

“What happened to me?!”

Paelius yelped in surprise.

“Seid,” Masia said again, and Paelius returned to his normal body.

“Masia, what happened?! Why am I a wolf?!” Paelius cried.

“I’ve never seen this happen before,” Masia told him. “It’s like Danuva’s spirit is in you, but that’s impossible…”

She stared past Paelius for a moment, thinking.

“I can’t figure it out. I think you should get home, and just don’t worry about it," she said finally.

LATER…

Paelius was laying on his bed, trying not to cry again, when he heard his name faintly.

“Paelius…”

“Danuva…?” Paelius breathed.

There was no way the voice could be Danuva’s.

“Paelius… Leim me ela san...”

“What?”

The voice was stronger, and louder.

“I’m sorry Paelius. He took my exit from me.”

“Danuva?” Paelius whispered again.

“Who else would I be?”

It was Danuva for sure.

“What happened?”

“Tel akerasel…” Danuva’s voice stopped suddenly.

When it started again, the voice was more subdued.

“Riardin killed me. He wanted to make an invulnerable fighter by combining my mind with your body. I think it failed.”

“How-”

“Oh good. Danuva’s with us.”

Paelius spun around at the voice behind him. Riardin was standing beside the open window, grinning darkly.

“The day’s up. You must decide now. will you come with me, or will your father have a dead son the next time there is a fight?”

“I will never go with you! You better leave my family alone!” Paelius snarled.

To his immense anger, Riardin’s smile widened.

“Excellent! Danuva’s fluency in Elven has been transferred to you!”

“Get out!”

“Tomorrow, I will get you settled into the river home. I’m sure you’ll find it quite… familiar to you.”

With that, Riardin vanished again.

“I think I can get over. Pae, I’ll always love you…” Danuva’s voice trailed.



ALASAR

The Saturday after Danuva’s funeral saw no change in the usual schedule. Jared still held the game in his house, and the family still played, in hope that Paelius would accept the loss easier.

Jared started off on the wrong foot in that attempt.

“So, the warlock’s gone. The order is now Alasar, me, Mira, Paelius, and then Sara.”

“Gone? Dad, he’s dead! Danuva is not on some damn vacation!” Paelius exploded.

“Pheyruen siado Paelius!” Alasar yelled, grabbing his arm. “Zi cal nela nelv ey du seid reina senu!”

Paelius sat down and leaned back, taking long, deep breaths.

“Cal nela era cal tel du eim avgel," he growled at Alasar.

“You needed it.”

“Do you know how wrong it feels?!”

“Yes. I do. Masia made sure of that.”

Alasar knew all too well how horrible the sensation was. Even if you tried as hard as you could, if a stronger spellcaster had bent his will against you, you had to do what was demanded of you.

“I’m sorry Pae,” Jared apologized.

“I don’t think I can do this,” Paelius breathed, holding his head.

“Eyn areula paunilen ey,” Mira said quietly, placing her arm around the boy.

“Se ek sano elna eim,” Paelius said. “Danuva ek sano enarl, veig Riardin caln kriaske se.”

“Skeil avor ey weirlen uva?” Alasar interrupted.

“I don’t know. No one knows. Danuva said something about Riardin experimenting-”

Paelius was interrupted by someone rapping on the front door.

“I’ll get it,” Alasar said, heading towards the door.

The door opened before he could reach it.



PAELIUS

“Seda!”

Paelius leapt up, scattering the game pieces across the floor.

“Ey-”

“Paelius, leim caln weirle ey tel enu elnu anoan duyal,” Riardin said, striding into the room.

“Who are you?” Sara asked, standing up.

“My name is Riardin. Paelius told me he would train under me. It is time for his training to begin,” the eladrin said.

“Leim eln nelera cen elna ey! Danuva weirlen mei uva skeil ey caln du veys!” Paelius bellowed.

“Really? Then you know about all of the things I have done to help you,” Riardin said.

“Riardin, there is a Defender in this room-” Mira started.

“Not two? I told Masia not to let a human try it,” Riardin smirked.

“What is going on here?” Jared demanded.

“Riardin, you better get out of here. You are not on our good side,” Alasar snapped.

“Nela lena saelu melure eim,” Riardin snorted.

“Alasar-” Sara began.

“Mom, I need you and Jared to get away from here,” Alasar interrupted. “I will explain everything later.”

“You-”

“Please!”

“Riardin, you’re wrong about not being able to stop you,” Paelius snarled, trembling.

“Paelius, don’t do it!” Mira yelped.

“I thought the dhaeraow hit you both. I’m glad he missed. It makes this a lot easier,” Riardin said.

Mira grabbed Paelius’ arm, and pulled him away from Riardin.

“Ey etul eln aen kriaske ni se kelan uva ey!" she said urgently.

“Sara, I think we need to listen to Alasar,” Jared said, grabbing Sara’s arm.

The two humans ran to the front door, and raced outside.

“Seudal rehun enarle,” Alasar demanded, and a sword appeared in his hand.

“You only won because David was your opponent,” Riardin laughed.

“I beat you in a fair fight!” Alasar snapped.

Paelius grabbed his sword from his room, and raced back out to face Riardin.

“I will kill you for what you did to Danuva," he snarled.

“What I did to Danuva was comfort him in the aftermath of his sister’s death. I introduced him to Masia, and then to Alasar, hoping that they could help him when I couldn’t,” Riardin revealed.

“You killed him.”

“Only his body. It was necessary. He was slowing down for some reason. I needed someone who could remain a good guard. I actually foresaw your talents, and helped bring them out in you.”

“You have done nothing to help me!”

“Paelius, don’t you think it is weird that a lycanthrope- an eladrin lycanthrope- attacked you on the same day that Danuva began to work with you?”

“What?! You tried to kill him?!” Alasar yelled.

“Not at all. I just wanted him to become immortal. Lycanthropes are easier. They don’t require blood to drink.”

“Why Danuva?! Why not me?!” Paelius cried.

“Well, Danuva had the right mental abilities. You aren’t as smart as he was. Your usefulness is physical. Of course, I got rather upset when I heard that the Blood-Web assassins actually tried to kill the two of you. I just wanted Danuva to be mortal.”

“You sent the dhaeraow?”

“Of course I did. And the gnolls. And I also convinced the dragonborn that we were weak enough to destroy. I had to make sure you were the right one.”

“Then you killed Zenoan,” Alasar whispered.

“Yes. In a way, I guess I did. He was a weakling anyways. Zenoan never did anything for anyone,” Riardin shrugged.

“He was trying to save Paelius! He was a better person than you are!”

“He wasn’t even a person you idiot.”

That sent Paelius over the edge.

“And I’m sure Danuva was just some animal for you to experiment on!" he roared.

The lycanthrope flew at Riardin, and his sword was blocked by Riardin’s own blade.

Alasar dove towards Riardin’s knees, and his sword met the flat of Riardin’s blade.

The eladrin backed up, and grinned.

“Come on human. Let my sword feast on your blood.”

An arrow slammed into Riardin’s calf, and he cried out in shock.

“You will not harm him ey akerasel!” Mira yelled, fitting another arrow to her bow.

Riardin snarled in anger, and his sword bashed into Paelius’ side before swinging towards Mira.

“Eido!”

Alasar teleported between Riardin and Mira. The eladrin’s sword slid into his thigh, and he screamed in agony.

“Alasar!” Mira shrieked.

Paelius leapt at the eladrin’s back, and his sword drove into Riardin’s shoulder.

Riardin fell to the ground, and Alasar gasped out one word.

“Tesoru…”

Riardin’s robe burst into flames, and within seconds, the eladrin’s body had been consumed.



ALASAR

Magic was a lifesaver, and a curse.

With Riardin gone, the money that Alasar had been making in the movie suddenly stopped. A week after the fight, he and Paelius were fired.

Even with the injury to his leg, Alasar continued to work on the fort, converting it into a home for his family. To reach that goal, he had already built a kitchen, three bedrooms, a dining area, and several walkways connecting the new additions.

Finally, three weeks after Riardin had tried to kidnap Paelius, Alasar finished the remodelling. The new fortress now had a defensive level, and a level that would serve as a well defended home above it.

The Esanas would be the safest family in the world, even if they were also the most hunted family. But the hunting would be delayed. Sara and Jared knew nothing of the fight against Riardin. Thanks to Alasar, they thought nothing memorable had happened on that night, because they couldn’t remember anything from that night. Alasar had made them forget it all.

The era of knowledge would not start with his mother’s death.



PAELIUS

Three weeks after Riardin was killed, Paelius was fighting a bout of insomnia.

The moon was only a week from its new moon stage, when the lycanthropy would die down for three days. It didn’t have anything to do with Paelius’ inability to sleep.

No, Paelius was unable to sleep because this was the first night in his new home. Jared had decided to move in with Sara, since Alasar and his mother were more established in their home.

But that wasn’t all. There was something that wouldn’t let Paelius sleep. Some nagging itch in the back of his mind, that wanted him to leave the house and go where it told him to.

And it was getting really annoying.

Finally, around midnight, Paelius gave in. He shoved his clothes into the bag strapped around his ankle, and slipped through the screenless window facing  the forest. There, he shifted, and embraced the primal instincts of the wolf he was growing to love.

Entire books of wisdom had no way of determining all of the information that blew through Paelius’ nose with each breath that he took. And yet, his canine mind told him that there were several coyotes running in a pack two miles to his left, and there was a river five miles to his right. It was the scent of water that drew his focus tonight. There was a strange smell near it, one that sent chills of excitement and anxiety down Paelius’ spine.

Paelius loped towards the river, puzzling over the information as he ran. David’s scent was near the river, and Paelius knew that Danuva’s home was beside that river, so David obviously was in the home. That didn’t bother Paelius. David had been Danuva’s friend. He was welcome in the house.

But the strange scent in the air was not familiar. Paelius knew David’s smell. It was earthy, and the blood mixed with the scent smelled of both human and rat. This strange smell was more like the coyotes than like a rat. And there was definitely a human tinge to it.

Before Paelius could successfully puzzle it out, he reached the river, and returned to his human form.

Paelius rapidly strode towards the open door of the building by the river. Someone was obviously inside the building. David knew better than to leave the door wide open.

As Paelius stepped through the entrance, a large animal slammed into him from the right.

Paelius fell, his body once more transforming into the wolf’s. He hit the ground and rolled, leaping back up away from the assailant. A threatening growl rippled from his jaws, and the other animal whined in fear, it’s body shimmering.

A second later, a boy was standing on the other side of the room.

Paelius shifted again, and snapped, “Nure avor ey?”

The boy shrank to the floor, whimpering.

“Who are you?”

“I-I was just looking around!” The teen cried. “I smelled another lycanthrope here!”

“Who are you?” Paelius asked for the third time.

“My name’s Kyle! I just moved here from Redding!”

“Don’t you know better than to leave doors wide open? The dhaeraow would skin you alive at the first chance they got!”

“Drow? They don’t exist.”

That statement brought Paelius up short.

“They don’t exist?" he echoed in shock.

Here was a lycanthrope that knew he wasn’t the only one in the world. He sounded older than the sixteen years that he looked, which pointed to the suggestion that he was not a new lycanthrope. And yet he didn’t know about the dhaeraow.

“Yeah. They’re just part of a game, aren’t they?”

Before Paelius could answer, a voice right outside the door hissed, “Du erl suun! Seidure! Ni tel lena ek keir du, zi nelv du kriaske sei lena.”

“Seda!” Paelius breathed. “Get back!”

He grabbed Kyle’s wrist, and dragged him away from the door. They were halfway across the room when an arrow buzzed past Kyle’s ear.

“Oh s**t!” Kyle screamed, throwing himself to the ground.

“Move!”

Paelius threw open a closet door, where he knew Danuva had stockpiled several blades. He selected one carefully, despite the flood of arrows that were pouring through the door behind him.

A rat scurried towards Paelius, and Paelius snapped, “I could use a distraction right about now!”

The rat scampered out the door, and a minute later, Paelius heard a cry of pain. David had given him the distraction he needed.

Paelius grabbed a large shield, and turned back towards the door, just in time to stop an arrow speeding towards his head.

Ten dhaeraow were rushing through the door, all armed with longbows or scimitars. One of them leapt at Paelius, and he brought his shield up to block the attack.

A voice rang out, sliding up and down in a quavery tune. The drow all froze, searching for the source of the noise.

Kyle was cowering in a corner, shaking in fear even as his voice made its way into the ears of the invaders.

One of the drow stumbled blindly towards Paelius, and Paelius slammed his shield into the dark elf, knocking him back. Then, Paelius leapt forward, and the sword in his hands slid into the dhaeraow’s neck.

The other nine drow backed to the doorway, and another drow fell with a cry. David appeared behind the drow, a bloody dagger in his hand.

Now, the drow began looking at the three lycanthropes, while bunching together in the middle of the room. Several arrows sped towards Paelius and David. David shifted into the rat again, and Paelius caught the other arrows on his shield again.

Kyle just stayed in his corner, still singing, but quietly now.

Paelius ran at the drow, and his sword flashed out. Three drow fell to the ground in front of him, as Paelius backed away again.

Two drow advanced on Paelius now, and he raised his shield in anticipation of the blows.

A growl ripped through the air, and all of the combatants turned towards the noise.

A large blond wolf slammed into the cluster of drow, scattering them around the room. The wolf tore into a drow’s arm, causing the dhaeraow to howl in agony.

Paelius stabbed his blade into another drow’s gut, and parried a blow from his right. His shield swung around and bashed a drow in the face, breaking her nose.

Only two drow were still standing now. They ran towards the door, and Paelius dropped the battered shield, as he watched them go.

The wolf melted into Kyle as the drow vanished. The lycanthrope fell to the ground and puked on a body.

“They’re gone,” David said, shifting back into a thirteen year old boy again.

“Good. Kyle-”

“I- I just-”

Paelius crouched next to the shaking boy.

“Dhaeraow are real. Elves are real and many other things. Kyle, you killed to save your life. If you hadn’t killed those drow, you would probably be dead by now.”

A sob broke from Kyle, and Paelius placed an arm around him.

“Paelius, you should get back home,” David said. “They had no reason to think that you would be here.”

“Seda!”

Paelius pulled Kyle to his feet.

“Go home Kyle. Come back tomorrow, around noon, and we’ll talk. But for now, lock up your house, and don’t let anyone in," he said.

Then Paelius sprinted back home.



ALASAR

“It was for revenge,” Masia said simply. “They wanted revenge for the deaths of their companions. See? There is the Bloodweb symbol right there.”

“If they failed to kill Paelius-”

“They are going to try again. In fact, they have already started the next attempt. Gnolls and lycanthropes are swarming all over the south. They want to draw Paelius out. And if they can get you at the same time, then they will think it well worth the thousands of deaths that will result from this attack.”

“Wait. The dhaeraow are attacking L.A.?” Alasar said.

“With 5,000 dhaeraow, 4,500 gnolls, and 500 lycanthropes,” Masia affirmed.

“Then why are we still here?! We need to be there!”

“Corellon may be with you, Alasar, but I personally have no desire to leave mortality any century soon,” Masia denied.

“Masia, Alasar is right. We can not let thousands of humans die because we want to stay alive,” Paelius protested.

“The Defenders have an obligation to the humans-” Mira added.

“Don’t talk to me about obligations!” Masia snarled. “My son died because of the oath I swore.”

“Yes. You swore an oath. And it still binds you,” Alasar pressed.

“Alasar Esana, you may be a true immortal, but I will find lots of pleasure in tearing you apart.”

“And it would be the last thing you ever did,” Mira snapped, drawing the twin longsword on her hips.

“Nela Mira!” Alasar cried, grabbing her arms. “Please! Just stop! We are wasting time and killing humans right now!”

Paelius held up a note he had just found on one of the drow corpses.

“Masia," he said, handing her the blood-soaked piece of paper.

Masia took the paper, as a voice called out, “Paelius?”

“Who is that?” Alasar questioned.

“Kyle. I told him to meet me here,” Paelius said.

He let the lycanthrope in, and Alasar approached him.

“Are there more lycanthropes here?” Kyle breathed, wide-eyed.

“Just you, Paelius, and Masia,” Alasar replied.

“Oh my God! You’re an elf!”

“Kyle, calm down,” Paelius said. “We’re kind of in the middle of something.”

“The- the bodies are still here?”

“I wanted Masia to look at them,” Paelius said.

Masia glanced up.

“Alasar, te arudan egulnei avor rehunor," she said.

“Blood eaters?” Paelius translated.

“Vampires,” Alasar explained. “How many?”

“Too many for you to fight,” A voice said.

Alasar spun around, pushing Mira behind him.

“Masia, we want to offer you our services,” a young man said. “There are fifty vampires under my command. We can lessen the numbers of the invaders for you, if you are willing to help us out.”

“With what?” Masia asked.

“We have several newborns, and they are thirsty. They are also impatient. They want blood, and with our bimonthly rations, we don’t have enough to feed them. I want weekly feedings.”

“No,” Alasar said immediately.

“Having newborns was never a problem before,” Masia observed.

“This generation of humans are spoiled brats,” The vampire grinned.

“Hey!” Paelius yelled.

“Shut up Paelius,” Alasar snapped. “Masia-”

“Agreed,” Masia said.

“Masia!”

“Alasar, we don’t have enough people to do what needs to be done. The vampires can take out at least half of our enemies.”

“They are our enemies!” Alasar protested.

“But now it appears that we are allies. It will be an honor to fight on the same side as Alasar Dhaeraowkri,” another vampire said.

“You’re all-”

“Vampires,” The vampire nodded at Kyle. “Such a shame that the animals got to you first. We could have used your mind in our ranks.”

“Call me an animal again, leech, and see what happens to your immortality!” Paelius growled.

“Look! Can we please all stop this stupidness? Humans are dying as we sit here arguing about words!” Mira yelled.

“The elf is right. I think we should go now. Masia, the vampires will hold you to your word.”

With that warning, the vampires vanished.

“What just happened there?” Kyle asked.

“Masia, I will go by myself if I need to,” Alasar said.

“Not alone,” Mira denied.

“You can’t go Mira!” Alasar said.

“I can still defend those who are in danger,” Mira pressed.

“I will go with you too,” Paelius said.

“What’s going on?” Kyle interrupted.

“Seda. Masia, enad se,” Alasar said.

“Leim saelu nela enad se. Paelius needs to do it.”

“Why me?!”

“Because I said so,” the weredragon growled.

“The dhaeraow don’t know about him yet.”

“They will soon.”

“I need to do this Masia! I need to make them pay for what they did to Danuva! We need to hit them hard enough that they will never mess with us again!”

“Fine. I’ll be staying anyways. I’ll try to get a group of allies to head south, but don’t expect help any time soon.”

“Great. And our parents?” Alasar asked.

“That goes without saying of course,” Masia said.

Alasar took a deep breath.

“Look, Masia, if- if I don’t come back-”

“We will come back Alasar,” Mira interrupted.

“If I don’t come back… I don’t want my mom to suffer.”

“I will see to her. She will have a good life,” Masia promised gently, a small tear in her eye.

“He did it for a good cause,” Alasar said, thinking about Zenoan.

“I know.”

“Paelius, get clothes on. We don’t need people to freak out when we appear,” Alasar told him.

“Is there an extra set around here?” Kyle asked.

“Plenty. And you already know where the weapons are,” Paelius said.

He took Kyle’s wrist, and led him out of the room.

“Land here,” Masia said, placing her hand on Alasar’s head.

An image of a grassy field bordered by trees entered Alasar’s mind, and he memorized the layout.

“Got it," he said.

“Be careful. That is Sandra’s headquarters. If they don’t kill you as soon as you appear, they will find a good spot for the Aurul vanguard.”

“That’s a big if there,” Alasar said.

“Nelagar, Alasar Dhaeraowkri. You will lead your group to victory,” Masia said.

“But… 5,000 enemies Masia…”

“The shifters are with us,” Mira said, taking Alasar’s hand. “I will go where you go.”



PAELIUS

“This place is amazing,” Kyle breathed, staring at the walls around them.

“Listen. We are leaving soon. You will be staying here with Masia, and she will help you. You need to lie low until we get back. No shifting. Our enemies will still be here, and in force. If you get found, your family and yourself will all be killed,” Paelius warned.

“Where are you going?”

“L.A. It’s being attacked by dhaeraow and a load of other monsters. Masia will keep you safe here.”

“I was fine on my own in Redding!”

“This is Auburn. There is an elven village, and an eladrin city within five miles of this place. The drow launch a major attack at least once a year here. Being in this city makes you a target.”

“Then take me with you!” Kyle blurted.

“What?”

“Take me with you. If I’m a target, then I need to get away from my family.”

Paelius was silent for a minute, as he pulled on a shirt.

“I can fight,” Kyle said.

“Ten drow is one thing. 5,000 is very different,” Paelius told him.

“Then use me as a messenger. I don’t care. But I can not- I will not endanger my parents by staying here.”

“Masia can keep you safe here. If you go, then you probably will die.”

Kyle buttoned his pants, and sat on a bed.

“I have fought lycanthropes before," he said.

“That doesn’t change anything. Before I moved to Auburn, I considered myself one of the better sword fighters. Then I was kidnapped by a bunch of gnolls who knocked me out in less than a minute.”

“The hyena dudes? They’re a bunch of idiots.”

“In the real world, they are actually capable of making plans,” Paelius denied. “By the way, what are you?”

“Goliath Umbriri.”

“What?! That’s like a seven foot tall rogue!” Paelius choked.

“It sure beats a halfling Barbarian.”

“You’re a defender though. Same here. Dragonborn Paladin Fighter.”

“Overpowered.”

“Too true. Nothing can get past me.”

“Hey! You two ready yet?!” Alasar yelled.

“Time to go,” Paelius sighed.

He and Kyle went out to the main room.

“Before we go, I want to make sure Kyle has at least some kind of weapon other than a knife,” Paelius said, approaching the weapon closet.

He opened it, and pulled out several weapons.

“Which one do you think you can use?" he asked.

Kyle picked up a greatsword, and it fell from his hands.

“That thing is heavy!" he gasped.

“Here. Try this one,” Paelius suggested, handing him a short sword,

“Too light,” Kyle denied.

He picked up an axe, and swung it a few times.

“This one’s good," he said.

Paelius handed him a small shield, and Kyle took it.

“There you go. Try not to use them," he said.

“Okay. He’s armed. Now let’s go,” Alasar said tiredly.

He held up a short sword.

“Finally we get to use it,” Paelius snorted, grabbing Alasar’s shoulder.

Mira took Alasar’s hand, and Alasar took a deep breath.

“Wait!”

“Aen keir!”



ALASAR

They landed in a battle.

Of course they did. It couldn’t be too easy for them to get where they were needed.

Alasar spun around, gathering information in one swift glance.

Gnolls and wolves were locked in combat all around them. Laying on the ground were the fallen, gnoll and shifter alike. Alasar noted the trees one hundred yards to his left, and he also noticed a small pond two hundred yards behind them.

“The trees!" he yelled a second after they landed.

Mira ran towards the trees, neatly gutting a gnoll on the way there.

“Seda!” Paelius snapped. “What the hell?”

“Just move!” Alasar snarled.

“Sandra! John!”

Alasar paused for a moment.

It sounded like David had tagged along. Oh well. He knew what he was doing.

“Move!” Paelius growled.

Someone blurred past Alasar, followed by Paelius.

“Seda!” Alasar cursed.

Kyle had jumped with them.

“Alasar!” Mira yelled.

An arrow sped past his ear, and he took off, running for the trees.

Once in the relative safety of the trees, Alasar took another look to assess their situation.

The gnolls were pushing the wolves back, and more were joining by the second.

“What are we doing?” Paelius asked.

“Well, for one thing, Mira and Kyle will be staying here.”

“No,” Mira said immediately.

“Mira, they need an eye opener out there,” Alasar said. “I have magic. You have your bow. I’ll leave my quiver, and you can provide cover, while keeping Kyle safe.”

Alasar watched the elf slowly give in to the logic.

“Fine. Alasar, ni ey kriask delan keir, leim eln kriask ey,” Mira said.

Alasar smiled.

“I love you too," he told her, handing her the endless quiver on his back.

Then, he and Paelius ran out of the trees.



PAELIUS

The gnolls were fine with another lycanthrope joining the slaughter.

Unfortunately for them, Paelius foresaw that problem, and he charged into battle as a human, swinging his sword more like a barbarian than the reserved, quiet, foe-killing fighter he was.

The fighter’s first target was a group of gnolls surrounding an injured wolf.

Paelius swung with all his power, and five of the gnolls fell under his blade before they even knew he was there. Then, an arrow slew a gnoll right before his sword could hit it.

Paelius growled in irritation. The least she could do was stay away from his kills.

“That one was mine!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Mira shrugged innocently, before sending an arrow into a gnoll right next to Paelius.

“Five!" she called over.

Paelius slammed his sword into another gnoll, and the rest scattered, as a pair of arrows slew two more.

Paelius helped the lycanthrope to her feet, and raced after the gnolls.

Soon, he was surrounded.

Paelius grabbed a shield from the ground, and warded off an ax blow that would have decapitated him. He skewered the owner of the ax, and slammed the shield into another gnoll, breaking its neck.

"Tesoru!"

Three gnolls burst into flame next to Paelius, and he finished them off quickly.

But dozens of gnolls were still swarming around the lycanthropes. And more were joining by the second.



ALASAR

Alasar headed for a larger group of gnolls, as a pair of arrows preceded him. The Spellblade of Motion glistened in the afternoon sunlight, as he swung toward a trio of gnolls standing over a fallen lycanthrope.

Two of the gnolls fell to his short sword, but the third dodged the blow, and swung lightly with the huge greataxe in its hands. The axe caught Alasar's shirt, and tore it open, but Alasar missed most of the strike.

An arrow hit the gnoll in the leg, and Alasar stabbed it in the chest.

He spun to the left, and shouted, "Tesoru!"

Three gnolls burst into flames beside Paelius, and Alasar moved on, going after another group of gnolls elsewhere.



PAELIUS

The lycanthropes all fell back to the trees, as the gnolls rallied around the pond.

Paelius went with the lycanthropes, making sure that everyone made it to cover before he joined them.

“It’s Paelius, right? Danuva’s friend?” A lycanthrope nodded at him, wiping blood off his face.

“Danuva? Where is he?” Another lycanthrope asked.

“He… he was murdered by an eladrin,” Paelius grimaced at the reminder.

The lycanthropes all began yelling in outrage at the news.

“They’re supposed to be on our side!”

“He wouldn’t have let anyone near him!”

Paelius wiped the blood off of his sword, and stared out of the trees, at the swarming gnolls. He remembered all the good times he had spent with the werewolf, as the gnolls began moving out again.

“Paelius! You awake in there?”

Paelius blinked, and noticed Mira standing in front of him.

“Fifteen,” the elf informed him.

“Thirteen,” Paelius replied. “Unlimited ammo is so not fair.”

Kyle appeared beside Mira.

“I want to help,” the lycanthrope demanded.

“Kyle, last night, you were freaking out about ten dhaeraow, and now you want to attack at least 100 gnolls?” Paelius said.

“I can fight!”

Paelius flashed back to his first real battle. He knew Kyle’s frustration, he had felt it before. And yet…

“Kyle, if they kill you, your family will be in a lot of pain.”

“Then I won’t die,” Kyle retorted.

“Good. Now we have two dragons,” someone said.

Paelius turned around to face Sandra.

“I’m not a dragon anymore," he denied. “Wolf.”

“Oh. Why-?”

“Dhaeraow. The drow,” Paelius answered.

“And Danuva? Where is he?”

“Dead.”

“I’m sorry. We could have used his experience here.”

Sandra glanced at Kyle.

“What form?" she questioned.

“Wolf,” Kyle replied.

“Better than nothing, I guess. Are you a reliable shifter?”

“Of course I am!” Kyle snorted.

“Sandra, he just learned of the drow yesterday. He knows almost nothing,” Paelius warned.

“Sandra! They’re coming!” Someone bellowed, and the shifter turned towards the gnolls.

“The elves?" she asked.

“Not coming,” Paelius answered quickly, right before the woman shifted.

Sandra sprang out of the trees, dodging a volley of arrows. Behind her, forty lycanthropes followed their leader.



ALASAR

Ten gnolls fell to Alasar’s arrows before he set aside Mira’s empty quiver for the short sword on his hip. Charging into the frenzy, he sliced through a gnoll, and stabbed another gnoll. Then, he was surrounded by his enemies.

“Eido!” Alasar spat, as the ring of gnolls charged.

He teleported outside the ring, and winced as the gnolls speared each other with their swords.

Looking around, Alasar noticed a gnoll with a huge greataxe cleave into a group of wolves. He turned, and ran at the gnoll.

“A Seer!” The gnoll cackled in delight, raising his bloody axe.

Alasar rolled under the first blow, and leapt up behind the gnoll. He stabbed at the creature’s back, and his sword bounced off of the axe.

The gnoll laughed, and swung his weapon again.

Alasar leapt aside, but the axe followed him, and bit into his left shoulder. He cried out in pain, and the gnoll fell into a fit of laughter, as it closed in for the kill.

Static electricity rolled off of Alasar in waves as he struggled to stand up again. The gnoll raised his axe again, and Alasar grabbed the gnoll’s leg.

Electricity ran down Alasar’s arm, and into the gnoll’s leg, causing the creature’s hair to smoke. The gnoll fell back, and Alasar took the moment to place his uninjured hand over his wound and whisper, “Eila”.

Instantly, the pain went away, and Alasar stood up again. He backed away, and hurled his sword at the gnoll.

The sword spun around, and cut a gash deep into the gnoll’s own arm. The gnoll howled in rage, and ran at Alasar, as the sword landed back in Alasar’s hand. Alasar stabbed into the gnoll’s leg, and the gnoll went down, writhing in agony. The gnoll tried to pull away, but the sword ripped through its leg again. Alasar pulled the sword back out, and plunged it deep into the gnoll’s throat.



PAELIUS

This time, Paelius had too much work near Mira and Kyle. That alone proved that the gnolls were winning.

He used his shield to slam a gnoll backwards, and skewered the enemy as he pushed forward. An ax flew at his head, and he ducked, letting another gnoll fall instead.

He heard Alasar cry out, and grimaced in frustration. There were too many gnolls around him. Alasar was on his own for now.

Suddenly, a voice sang out over the din of battle.

“The foes are many and friends are few! Yet while three stand our foes dare not hope! The fighter with his sword and shield, fighting on a mound of dog corpses! An elf with her magnificent bow easily ends the lives of all! A human may be weak, but this one is not! Brave soul he stands, tirelessly massacring his foes!”

The gnolls all froze, glancing around. Several headed towards the trees, but a hail of arrows cut them down like grass. Paelius drove through the throng of gnolls, dealing death with every swing of his sword.

The gnolls all let out a roar of disbelief, and scattered.

But Paelius felt the bloodlust flare up in him. He raced after the gnolls, slaying several of the retreating force. Mira continued firing at the gnolls, a seemingly endless stream of missiles flying past Paelius.

Only Alasar, standing over a gnoll’s corpse, restrained himself. He walked towards the trees, and called the lycanthropes back to himself.



ALASAR

“Where’s Sandra?” Alasar demanded.

“I saw her fall…”

“She was fighting twenty of them by herself!”

“The gnolls got her…”

“One at a time!” Alasar yelled over the noise.

“I thought you told me you weren’t interested in leading my pack,” A voice hissed in Alasar’s ear.

“I’m not. But I did stop them from killing themselves. Masia said your base is nearby. If the gnolls have gotten this far, then the rest of the city is bound to be filled with our enemies.”

“Thank you for your concern. However-”

“Alasar Esana!”

Everyone fell silent, as Alasar wiped the blood off of his sword.

“What’s wrong?”

Masia’s face appeared along the flat of his blade.

“Te dhaeraow avor enarl!”

“What?! That’s impossible! They’re all here!”

“Alasar, they’ve taken the fort, and sent a gang to your home! I can not stop them all! The Defenders are holding the cities!” Masia exclaimed.

Mira grabbed the sword.

“Mei etul Masia! Enarle ek mei etul?!" she cried.

“Paelius! Kyle!” Alasar bellowed.

“Alasar, we still need you here-”

“Sandra, my family is in danger-”

“So is mine! My brothers and sisters have died to protect this place! You killed the leader of this one group! There will be more!” Sandra yelled.

“Sandra, I’ve got us covered,” Another girl interrupted.

“Gabby, you’re only one dragon-”

“And I have survived hundreds of fights. He is a swordfighter. He is worthless against large groups.”

Paelius ran up to Alasar.

“What’s going on?" he asked, as Kyle approached from the trees.

“The drow launched their invasion early this year.”

“Seda!” Paelius cursed.

“Paelius, the Defenders are struggling to hold the villages. There is a group of dhaeraow heading for home right now,” Alasar informed him.

“Alasar, you better get us there by yesterday, or I am-”

Mira slapped the sword hilt into Alasar’s hand.

“Grab me,” Alasar ordered, and the three latched onto him right before he said, "Aen keir!”



PAELIUS

Paelius growled in anger as he followed Kyle. Alasar was acting selfishly. Paelius should have gone to his house, not Alasar. He was the better fighter by a longshot.

Kyle loped with long easy strides towards Paelius’ old house.

“Where are we going?” Paelius barked.

“My house!” came the snappish response.

They reached Paelius’s house a minute later, right as twenty dhaeraow turned onto the street.

In the fading light, Paelius saw the faint gleam of scimitars in the hands of the dhaeraow. He shifted, and yanked on his pants before unsheathing his longsword, which had been tied to his back.

Kyle shifted, and pulled out his ax.

“No,” Paelius said quietly, but firmly.

“You’ll be killed. There is no way you can take out twenty dhaeraow on your own!” Kyle argued.

An arrow hit the street inches from Paelius’s left leg, and he cursed.

“Darkvision. Of course," he grumbled.

“Tesoru!”

A bolt of flames slammed into the group of drow, and they all shrieked in shock.

Paelius sprinted at the drow, and Kyle sped in front of him.

The human slammed his ax into a drow’s side, slicing deep into the dark elf. Paelius stabbed through two drow with one strike, and threw himself to the side as an arrow flew into another drow’s eye.

"Ve avor enarl! Te dhaeraowkri avor enarl!" A dhaeraow screamed, right before Paelius slammed his sword through the assassin's back.

The drow all scattered, except for one.

Paelius raised his sword, and the drow threw his own blade away.

"Caln Alasar rehun du?" The unarmed drow asked quickly. "I come with a warning from my nephew."

"I don't care who sent you, ey arudan akerasel," Paelius spat. "You came to murder my family!"

"Nela! I would have tried to stop them, even if it meant my death!"

"Paelius, he speaks the truth," Alasar spoke up.

"Elada, Exarch pei Corellon Larethian," the drow said, lowering his head to the human.

"Paelius, get Kyle inside, and help him with whatever he needs. Mira-"

"You are not sending me away," the elf said immediately.

"I would not think of it," Alasar smiled slightly.



ALASAR

"Her name is Nedara. Agaran is obsessed with her."

"A dhaeraow obsessed with a human?" Alasar questioned.

"We're not all that different from the eladrin, or the elves for that matter," the drow grinned.

"So, you're telling me that a drow might send me to Egypt-"

"Corellon, not a drow," the drow corrected.

"But why? If she has a drow lover, surely she would be safer than if she had a human protector," Alasar protested.

"It is not Nedara that I am concerned about. Agaran will keep her safe."

"So, my services might be required at a later date."

"He doesn't know what he's doing. He's only a hundred years old," the drow said. “He has abandoned his plans to become a lich, but eventually, he will leave Nedara and resume his attempt. And if Nedara has a child at that point, my kin will be swift in their punishment of both Nedara and Agaran.”

“I appreciate the warning, but I will not go until Corellon commands it. I will soon have a family of my own to worry about,” Alasar said.

“That implies that you will go later. Thank you sir. If you ever need a dhaeraow’s help, ask for Asaro. I will hear and answer,” The drow replied, before he vanished.



PAELIUS

Paelius was surprised to see how different his house was after only two days. The entrance hall was filled with sculptures, and on the walls, several degrees were hanging.

“This looks cool,” Paelius said, staring at a wolf.

“My dad’s a sculptor. Mom’s the one with all of the college papers,” Kyle explained. “Look, I appreciate everything you guys are trying to do for me, but you should probably go-”

“Is that you Kyle?” someone called.

Kyle sighed.

“Yes!" he answered.

A man walked into the room, spinning something in his hands.

“You’re late," he said, before noticing Paelius.

“Dad, this is Paelius. He’s been showing me around town,” Kyle said quickly.

“You live next door, right? I’ve seen you around,” the man noted. “My name’s Lysander.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Paelius said, holding out his hand.

“My hands are a little full at the moment,” Lysander said, holding up a ball of clay.

“Sorry,” Paelius apologized.

“My dad is a gnome warlord,” Kyle said.

“Oh, you play?” Lysander grinned.

“Yeah. I’m a dragonborn paladin fighter hybrid,” Paelius replied.

“We found some weird stains in one of the bedroom. Kyle’s convinced that they are bloodstains. Have you heard of any murders in this house?”

Paelius sucked in a breath.

“No," he said. “No murders.”

A woman entered the room.

“Hello," she said brightly. “My name’s Rachel. It’s nice to finally see Kyle making some friends.”

She glanced at Kyle, and the boy grinned sheepishly,

“I see he has convinced you to resupply his clothes,”

“Mom, I told you it isn’t my fault,” Kyle sighed.

“You know, I have destroyed plenty of clothes myself,” Paelius said. “It’s kind of a medical issue.”

“His problem is that he won’t listen to some simple requests.”

“Look, can we talk about this later please?” Kyle said. “I’m sure Paelius doesn’t want to hear about my latest messups.”

“Actually, I need to talk to Alasar,” Paelius agreed. “Kyle, are you going to be okay?”

“I think I’d do better at a range, or stabbing. Axes are not easy to use. But yeah, I should be fine for tonight,” Kyle replied.

“What are you talking about?” Rachel asked sharply.

“Paelius is a master swordsman. He was teaching me a few tricks,” Kyle said smoothly.

“Tomorrow at the river house, noon. If I’m not there, stay inside. Do not leave the house unless you know for a fact that you are alone.”

With those words, Paelius left the house.



ALASAR

Alasar slipped out of the bed carefully, leaving Mira sleeping. He crept across the room, and quickly changed into the armor Corellon had given to him.

“Skeil ek enu?” Mira asked quietly.

“I was hoping you wouldn’t wake up,” Alasar muttered.

The elf walked silently over to Alasar.

“You’re dressed for a fight. I’m coming with you," she said.

“Pedun Mira. Staen enarl. Keep my family safe.”

“Paelius is here. he can protect your mom.”

Paelius stepped into the room, wearing a suit of dull scale armor, stuffed with rags in the joints.

“What about me?" he asked.

Alasar shook his head.

“What the hell is wrong with you Paelius? You can’t do anything in the dark! They will shoot you from a mile away!" he hissed.

“The same goes for you,” Paelius retorted.

“Not at all. With this armor, I can snipe them unseen.”

“Alasar, ey eln paunil vey barael elna nela av etul,” Mira accused.

“No! Mira, I’m not going to die! The drow are feeling safe in the house that we built! They need to be driven out!”

“And one person can do that alone?” Paelius snorted.

“Please. I’m begging you two. Stay here. I can’t lose you.”

“But we can lose you?”

“Alasar, I promised to stay with you to the end,” Mira said.

“Mira, Corellon gave me magic. And he also told me that death wouldn’t be permanent for me. But it is permanent for the two of you. I don’t want you to be in danger,” Alasar implored.

“Alasar Esana, if you leave us here, I will tell our parents everything. The gnolls will swarm this place,” Paelius snapped.

“You wouldn’t. You know the dangers of that,” Alasar denied.

“Try me. I’m rather anxious to be reunited with Danuva, wherever he is.”

Alasar stared at Paelius. Then he sighed.

“Fine. But there will be no melee combat. Just bows.”



PAELIUS

The bow felt weird in Paelius’ hands. Alasar had already strung it for him, and had loaded him up with thirty arrows. And now they were running silently towards the waiting dhaeraow.

Alasar stopped them when they were 400 yards from the fortress.

“There’s a pair of guards standing on the nearest wall," he whispered.

“Then kill them,” Paelius said.

Alasar cast a withering glance at him.

“The guard changes regularly. Asaro told me that it comes every hour. See?”

Right on cue, two dhaeraow approached the other two guards. They talked for a moment, before the old guard left.

“If I had killed them earlier, we would be dead already,” Alasar said.

Paelius watched Alasar place two arrows on his bow. The archer pulled back, and then released the arrows, murmuring, “Aen lenarle.”

The arrows sped silently into the drows’ necks, killing both guards without a sound.

Then, Alasar led the other two forward.

He suddenly shot another pair of arrows, and Paelius heard the thump of two more bodies hitting the ground.

“You two stay here. Stay hidden,” Alasar breathed, setting his longbow down.

“Where are you going?” Paelius demanded.

“Into the lion’s den,” Alasar replied, before striding away.

Paelius stared at the human moving confidently towards the fortress swarming with enemies.

“You fell in love with a suicidal idiot," he said to Mira.

“He may be an idiot, but he’s my idiot, and I will always love him,” the elf retorted.



ALASAR

Alasar’s body was fighting him. He wanted desperately to run away. These were the same creatures that had murdered his father. And now he was heading to talk with them.

“Eido.”

He teleported beside one of the non-guards, and stabbed him in the back. Then, he dragged the dead drow into a discreet corner, and stripped the body.

Five minutes later, he was dressed in the dark clothes of a dhaeraow soldier, and a spell was giving him the appearance of the same drow he had just killed. Now, Alasar hid the body in a locked storeroom, and hurried towards the center of the drow infested fortress.

He reached the drow leader’s room easily, but the problems began there.

“Why aren’t you at your post?” one of the two guards outside the room said sharply in English.

The drow will expect Alasar Esana to speak in English, and understand it well. If they talk fast in English, don’t respond. Most of the rank and file soldiers do not speak the human tongues.

Asaro’s warnings were foremost in Alasar’s mind. And so was the warning that drow respect authority, and murder those who are too weak to have it. Yet to force your way into where you should not be would lead to immediate death.

“He asked you a question you akerasel,” The second drow said, slamming his polearm into Alasar’s foot.

Alasar’s eyes watered in pain, but he refused to show more obvious signs of pain. Besides, the second drow had spoken in Elven.

“What question was that, masters?” Alasar asked harshly in Elven.

“Why aren’t you at your post?” This time in Elven.

“I think the Dhaeraowkri is here. There is a pair of bodies on the outer ring, with arrows in their throats.”

“What’s the password for her approval?”

“Esanakri,” Alasar said smoothly.

“Go tell her of this foolish concern. Even if he was here, he could never kill us all by himself,” The first guard sneered.

Alasar entered the room, which had been the strategy room for the elves.

A map was laid out on the table, and a cluster of female drow were bent over it.

“Mei nevuna, leim avu rinel fer ey,” Alasar said humbly.

While the males can have minor feuds amongst them, and argue with each other, no male would ever risk angering a female. Their lives would be ended on the spot.

The drow all turned, and stared at the imposter.

“Leave us,” A drow commanded, and the other drow scurried from the room.

Alasar reached in his pocket, and pulled out a piece of paper, on which a note was scribbled out in English.

“I bring a message from the Dhaeraowkri. He shot one of the guards and this was on the arrow,” Alasar said.

The drow approached, and held out her hand to take the paper.

Alasar dropped his free hand to his waist, and drew his sword in a blur.

As fast as he was, the drow was faster.

A loud crack sounded in the room, and Alasar yelped in pain. His left arm now hung loosely at his side, and he tilted sideways slightly.

The drow grinned, and held up a bloody mace.

“You think you’re the first one who has tried to assassinate me?" she laughed.

Drow poured into the room, and surrounded Alasar.

“I’ve heard that you have an elf wife, Alasar Dhaeraowkri. Too bad you won’t be around to see the look on her face when she finds out that you are dead.”

A drow reached for the sword in Alasar’s hand, and the sword leapt into the drow’s gut. Alasar swung his sword around, and gashes appeared on the drow surrounding him. They all crumpled to the ground, and Alasar threw himself at the leader.

The mace swung towards Alasar, and he ducked under it, stabbing forward with his blade.

The drow shrieked as the steel blade entered her body. Alasar slid the sword across the drow’s body, and a fiery symbol left itself in the drow’s chest.

The drow swung desperately, and the tip of the mace tore through Alasar’s pants, leaving a large hole across his thigh.

Alasar attacked back with a feint to the left, bringing his sword to the right and stabbing the drow in the side.

A geyser of flames erupted from the wound, and the drow screamed in agony as her body burned from the inside out. All of the drow around her caught on fire, and fell under the flames.

The drow fell backwards, and smothered the flames. She rose to her feet again, and leapt at Alasar, her eyes blazing red in anger.

Alasar stumbled backwards, and a dagger grazed his back, leaving a shallow cut in his lower back.

Alasar spun around, and the drow around him fell in waves. Finally, it was down to Alasar and the drow leader.

The door slammed open, and Paelius and Mira flew into the room. Paelius took one look at the situation, and flung himself at the drow, followed by an arrow from Mira.

The drow fell under the fresh assault, and Paelius slammed his sword through her neck, finishing her off.



PAELIUS

With the utter failure of the dhaeraow assassination and invasion, the gnolls in the south lost all hope of victory.

Of course, it took three days for the news to reach them, in the form of an elven army.

In the meantime, Paelius still had Kyle to deal with.

“Thanks for leaving me with all that garbage yesterday about staying inside. My parents were really interested after that one,” Kyle grumbled, as he entered the river house.

“Sorry. But there wasn’t really any way to be discreet about it,” Paelius said. “So, you said something about stabbing instead of slashing? Do you want to try using a sword?”

“I’ll try, but I don’t know-”

“Just let me figure out your style, and then I’ll get my dad to make one for you,” Paelius interrupted.

“Your dad makes swords?” Kyle gaped.

“He does better with armor, but yeah. Actually, he made this sword.”

Paelius handed his sword to Kyle.

“That is so cool,” Kyle whispered.

“So, does this sword feel like it has the right amount of weight to you?”

Kyle lifted the blade a few times.

“I think I would need something just a little bit lighter," he replied.

“Okay, one hand or two hands?”

“One handed,” Kyle said.

“Will you use a shield or just the sword?” Paelius asked.

“Just the sword.”

“Got it. Come on. I want to get started on the sword right away,” Paelius said.

Ten minutes later, Paelius led Kyle into his house.

Sara was working in the kitchen when they entered the room.

“Hey, who’s this?" she asked, flattening a ball of dough.

“My name’s Kyle. I just moved in next door,” Kyle said.

“Sara. It’s nice to meet you Kyle.”

“Do you know where Dad is?” Paelius questioned.

“I think he’s working on another contract, since the last one didn’t end too well. They said that the guy just didn’t show up one day,” Sara said. “Not even a phone call either. It’s ridiculous, the things people try to get away with.”

“Come on,” Paelius said, grabbing Kyle’s wrist.

They went outside, and headed in the direction of several loud bangs. Jared was hammering a suit of chains, with earplugs in his head.

“Hey Dad!” Paelius yelled.

Jared glanced up, and set down his hammer. He pulled out the earplugs, and said, “What’s up? Who’s your friend?”

“This is Kyle. I thought it would be cool if we could get him a blade. I’ve already gotten the measurements.”

“Another sword. Hmm.”

“Longsword, a little lighter than my blade, and a one handed grip,” Paelius said.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“So you are the dwarf warlord?” Kyle grinned.

“That’s me. I keep the group alive,” Jared laughed. “We’re playing tonight. Would you like to join us?”

“Sure. What are you missing?”

“Let’s see. Alasar is a defender, Paelius is a defender, Sara is a striker, Mira is a striker, and I am a leader.”

“Oh no. I never play controller,” Kyle said.

“Well, I guess we could use another leader,” Jared offered.

“What about a bard?” Paelius suggested.

“Hell no! Bards are the worst! Can you imagine that? Bling! I’m fully healed. Bling! Oh look, your leg is rotting off. Not happening.”

“Good, you passed the test,” Paelius laughed. “I can’t stand bards.”

“What about a psion? It’s a controller, but it’s actually one of the good controllers,” Jared said.

“I guess that would work. At will powers and everything. What level?”

“We’re at level seven right now.”

“Okay, well, I’ll go talk to my parents, and make sure they are okay with me coming over. What time?”

“Seven.”

“Do you use the standard array when creating your characters?” Kyle questioned.

“Sort of. We came up with a more successful standard array. 18, 18, 17, 15, 14, and 14,” Jared replied.

“That does work, as long as you aren’t using plate and a heavy shield,” Kyle agreed. “Alright. Thanks.”



ALASAR

By the time Alasar and Mira headed for the house, the fortress was spotless. There was no sign whatsoever that the place had been infested with dhaeraow the day before.

Tonight, Jared had them heading to the Festival of the Eye in Hammerfast. Kyle was assimilated into the group seamlessly, and by the time they began the first battle, he was joking along with the rest of them.

“You know, I fought Gerrek five years ago, and beat him with a knife to the back. He didn’t notice the eight foot tall guy standing right behind him.”

“Well, I’m going to teleport behind him first,” Alasar said, moving his figure five squares. “He’s my mark. I’ll use greenflame blade against him.”

And then, later in the encounter, Kyle knifed Gerrek in the back.

“See? He never notices the noticeable ones!" he grinned.

“We still have the rest of the minions to take out. And we still need to get Gerrek to die,” Paelius said.

“I know.”

And later still: “I think we should mount his head on a spike, and stick it in the ground in front of the city!”

“Kyle, we’re trying to avoid a major blow up with the dwarves, not create one,” Paelius said.

“Yeah, I know. We shouldn’t do it . I was just joking,” Kyle laughed, pushing Paelius.

Paelius was caught off balance, and he fell over.

“Sorry,” Kyle said.

“No problem.”

“He’s dead now, so we can just tell the dwarfs that he wouldn’t take our offer to surrender. We had to kill him,” Alasar said.

The session ended sooner than usual that night. Alasar got the feeling that Jared didn’t know what to do with Kyle.

When Alasar and Mira returned to their own home, they just went to bed. The day had been long and hard for them.



PAELIUS

That night was awful for Paelius. He couldn’t stop thinking about Kyle, and it hurt him because he thought it meant that he didn’t really care about Danuva.

Danuva had died just over a month ago, and already, Paelius was falling for Kyle. There was something about that five foot seven tanned body that just captivated him. And the pale blond hair. And the soft brown in Kyle’s eyes.

“Melure enu. Sei ek neltedarl. Skeil uva Danuva? Ey weirle ey areula sei!" he fumed.

But the fact was that Danuva was dead. He was never coming back. And Paelius couldn’t stop thinking about Kyle.

Someone tapped on the window, and Paelius sat up in his bed.

Kyle was standing outside. He waved to Paelius, and Paelius headed to the window.

“What are you doing here?!" he hissed.

“It’s the night before the new moon. I always run right before the shifting leaves. I was just wondering if you would like to go with me,” Kyle said quietly.

Paelius stared at the lycanthrope. This was horrible. He couldn’t go with Kyle, because if he did, it would just mean that he would be more likely to abandon Danuva’s memory.

“You don’t have to of course,” Kyle said apologetically. “I can go alone.”

“No. No, I’ll go too,” Paelius blurted. “I’d love to go.”

He climbed out of the window, and Kyle stared.

“I didn’t realize that you slept ready to shift," he said.

“Better than ruining another set of clothes,” Paelius grinned.

Kyle stripped out of his clothes, and threw them behind a tree.

“I’ll race you to the river," he grinned.

“You’re on,” Paelius laughed, and they shifted.

The two wolves tore through the forest, startling a flock of birds from their roost.

Kyle slammed his shoulder into Paelius, and Paelius went down, rolling over. He leapt back up, and raced after Kyle.

Kyle let out a bark of laughter, as Paelius caught up to him again. Then, he sped up.

Paelius forced his legs to go faster, and he passed Kyle by a nose as the neared the river. Suddenly, Kyle veered off, and sprinted towards a cliff.

Paelius reached the water, and skidded to a halt right beside it. Something flew through the air, and splashed into the water, sending the liquid all over Paelius as the moon rose.

Paelius shifted back to his human form, as the new moon rose into the air.

"There must be a hot spring or something down there," Kyle grinned, stepping out of the river.

"I hope you realize that we have a five mile hike ahead of us now," Paelius told him.

The grin melted off Kyle's face.

"I'm not that much of a hiker," he admitted.

"Well I am not carrying you," Paelius warned.

"I guess we should get started then," Kyle shrugged.

They began walking back toward the house.

"So, who was Danuva? You seemed a little upset when that wolf asked you about him."

Paelius flinched slightly.

"Sore topic?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah. He- he was my boyfriend," Paelius admitted.

"Oh. Uh... I'm sorry."

Kyle fell silent for a few minutes.

"What? Is that too much for you to handle?" Paelius snorted.

"No. I just didn't expect you to be... You know..."

"Well, I am, so you'll just have to deal with it if you're going to be around me."

They walked in silence for a couple of miles.

Suddenly Kyle broke the silence.

"How did you know that you liked him that way?"

Paelius thought for a minute.

"You know, I honestly don't know how I knew. I just felt like if we were together, the world couldn't hurt us. The two Immortals, out to take the world by storm."

Paelius laughed slightly at the thought.

"And then of course the world decided to prove me wrong."

"Did it ever reach the bedroom?" Kyle asked.

"Whoa. That's where the line into personal information is set," Paelius said sharply.

"Sorry," Kyle said quietly.

The rest of the walk was finished in silence.

When they reached the houses, Kyle said, “Would you like to do this every month?”

“Sure,” Paelius said carelessly.

Inside, however, he was screaming “YES!!!”



ALASAR

“Lena malara,” Mira smiled. “One more month of waiting, and then we can say hello to our child.”

“And nothing new from te evuna. Maybe I will get to be a father to our child after all,” Alasar said.

“Do you regret your decision? Is an eternity of life serving Corellon already unappealing to you?”

“Nela. Mira, that isn’t the problem. For me, the problem lies in not knowing when I will be called away from my family.”

Alasar stood up and walked to the door of their bedroom.

“Our child will understand that you are in the service of a god. You have nothing to fear from that.”

“Mira, I want to be there when my child starts crawling. When he first smiles. When she begins talking. I want to be there to protect you and them from harm.”

Mira walked up behind Alasar. She wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his shoulder.

“We will be okay Alasar. You said yourself that this conversation is pointless. Corellon has not called for you yet," she murmured.

“Paelius Dhaeraowkri!”

Someone approached the entrance of the room, and Alasar stepped outside.

“Paelius isn’t here," he said.

“Do you know where I can find him?”

Alasar looked at the speaker, trying to recognize her.

“He should be with Kyle, at the river fortress. What happened? Is Masia okay?” Mira asked worriedly.

“Gabby,” Alasar remembered. “The elves made it then?”

“Yes. Thank you. Unfortunately, I bring bad news. Sandra fell in battle yesterday.”

“Nela!” Mira gasped.

“Masia is safe. 200 vampires fought, and 150 of them were destroyed in the battle. However, they killed enough that it made a big difference for us. Excuse me. I need to find Paelius now.”

The weredragon leapt off the walkway as she shifted, and flew towards the river fort.

“Sandra was a great leader. The shifters of L.A. have lost their best member,” Alasar said quietly.



PAELIUS

Paelius swiped his sword into Kyle’s pants, leaving another long gash in the fabric.

“Start moving," he admonished.

“I am moving!” Kyle snapped.

“Not fast enough,” Paelius shot back, as yet another hole appeared in Kyle’s shirt, which already hung in shreds.

Kyle swung wildly, and the edge of his blade bit into Paelius’ leg.

“Ow!” Paelius yelped.

“Sorry!” Kyle gasped.

Paelius stabbed at Kyle, and Kyle tripped over his pant legs.

“That’s not fair!" he shouted.

“Dhaeraow don’t care about what is fair,” Paelius reprimanded.

Kyle lunged up, and the tip of his sword cut through Paelius’ shirt, leaving it hanging wide open.

“That was not fair. You were already dead,” Paelius grinned.

“Actually, I have died, what, 30? 40 times?”

“I lost count around 38,” Paelius admitted. “You look good in shorts.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kyle snapped.

“It was a compliment. It doesn’t mean anything. Calm down,” Paelius said.

“There you are.”

Paelius and Kyle turned in shock.

“Paelius, I have news from L.A.,” Gabby said.

“What?” Paelius asked.

“David is dead.”

“What?!”

“He fell trying to save Sandra. She was killed moments after. I couldn’t stop it. I’m sorry.”

The weredragon glanced around uncomfortably.

“Paelius, Masia sent me to tell you. My place is with my leader. I need to go," she said.

“Okay,” Paelius murmured, staring blankly at the ground.

Gabby shifted, and sped off into the afternoon sky.

“Paelius-” Kyle began.

Paelius suddenly drove his sword into the ground with a scream.

“Kriask eim! Jurda kriask eim reina senu! I don’t want this death anymore!" he yelled at the sky.

Take up your sword my child. Your life is hard, but you have tasks left to do. When your time comes, you will sink into the ground gratefully. Until then, you will always desire life deep inside you…

Paelius yanked his sword back out.

“We’re done for today," he choked out.

“Paelius, I-”

“Go home.”



ALASAR

Twins.

Alasar sank against the wall, holding one of his sons. Tears of joy trailed down his face as he held his child.

Paelius sat next to Alasar, and said, “So, what’s his name?”

“Jordan. Paelius, I am the happiest man alive right now. And I am so scared too. This can’t be happening to me. My sons will grow up not knowing me if Corellon calls me.”

“Alasar, I will watch over them. When you aren’t there to help them, I will. I will be a second father to your children,” Paelius promised.

Masia opened the door across the walkway.

“Alasar, come here," she called.

Alasar stood up shakily, and entered the room. Mira was sitting up in bed, holding a second baby.

“Heran," she said softly. “He will bring honor to our family. Alasar, I wish so much that my etul was here to see his grandchildren.”

“Eyn etul eto du aen enarl du,” someone said.

Corellon appeared beside Mira, and the elf gasped in shock.

“Mei evuna! Enu ek av sael heran du avu ey erl vey heyno!”

“Elada, mei nerael,” the god said.

“What do you require of me, my lord?” Alasar asked, failing to hide the fear in his voice.

“To raise your sons into the best adults that you can. Alasar Esana, I know of your fears. Your sons will never want for a father, or a mother. Heran will bring great honor to his family, as will Jordan. Both will face struggles, but that is just part of the world of the living.”

Corellon placed his hands of the babies.

“Ey eln aen avan lena erl sonal," he said.

Then, Corellon turned to the door.

“Paelius Serande, ey saelu rehun erl.”

Paelius cautiously entered the room.

“Shifters are not common amongst my followers, and rarer still are those who follow me with the love for another man in their hearts. The passing of Danuva was like death for you, and you suffered it again recently with the death of David, through whom you could talk about your lost love. But I can ease the sting slightly. I tell you once again. When your time comes, you will accept death peacefully and gratefully. But, you will not enter Arvandor. No human, save for my exarch, may enter my realm. You will stay in the spirit world, and remain with Danuva until the end of time.”

“W-what of… I’m lost. I have feelings for another already, and-”

“My child, you are quick to love, but your love is as lasting as the love between two elves. Do not be ashamed of your feelings. In time, they may be returned once more,” Corellon said. “Mira and Alasar, I revoke the words of Galinndan. You are once more free to go amongst the elves, as is your family.”

With those last words, the god vanished again.

“Alasar, you don’t have to be afraid any more,” Mira laughed quietly.

“I know. He won’t drag me away anytime soon,” Alasar smiled.



PAELIUS

The two lycanthropes had been racing the new moon for three months before Paelius finally made a decision.

The morning after the new moon ended, Paelius took Kyle into the river fortress, and into Danuva’s library.

“That’s a lot of scrolls,” Kyle whistled, looking at the dust covered paper.

“Kriasmarae, as the elves call them. Dead memories. I haven’t been down here since Danuva was killed.”

“What are they for? From the sound of their name, they are memoirs,” Kyle said.

“They are the histories of the royals. I’m still working on the kriasmara of Paelias Elesai. The whole point in looking through them is to find the three Spellblades. Right now, I am looking for the Spellblade of Shifters,” Paelius said.

“Do they have any poems in here?” Kyle asked.

“What would you want poems for?” Paelius questioned.

“I- uh-” Kyle’s face turned red. “I actually enjoy writing poetry, and reading it. I was wondering if theirs was different.”

“I don’t know. All of them are in Elven, and I am still learning to read it. I’m not even all that good at speaking it yet.”

“Paelius, I can read the Davek runes and the Iokharic alphabet. I am useless when it comes to Rellanic,” Kyle said.

“No problem. If you want to help, I have an extra copy of the handbook with the Rellanic script in it. We can bring it down here, and you could use it if you wanted to,” Paelius replied.

“So, you want me to help you find a magical sword,” Kyle said.

“Yep. Sounds about right,” Paelius grinned.

“I’m in.”



PAELIUS

The moon was messing with Paelius again. Every month it was like this. The new moon came, and he wanted to sleep all day and all night, and then when the moon came back, he was bouncing off the walls.

Paelius sighed as he got out of bed and climbed out his window. The moon wouldn’t let him go until it had squeezed every last drop of energy out of him.

Outside, he sat for a few minutes, trying to will his mind to calm down. But sleep wouldn’t be forced onto him. So Paelius stood up, and began walking into the forest silently.

Even while in his human form, he felt the presence of someone following him. But he didn’t want to let the other person know yet, so he set a course for the thicker part of the woods, from where he could easily drop out of sight.

As he walked, Paelius kept seeing the image of Kyle in his mind. The whole thing was absurd. Kyle definitely did not feel that way towards Paelius. That was obvious. And yet, Paelius could not stop thinking about the other lycanthrope.

Paelius heard a splash, and almost laughed. His stalker had found the pond near the fort.

“S**t!” the person cursed in anger.

Kyle. Why did this always have to happen?

“I know you’re there,” Paelius called to the lycanthrope.

Kyle emerged from the brush, dripping wet.

Now Paelius did laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Kyle demanded.

“You got some algae in your hair,” Paelius snorted.

Kyle swept his hand over his hair, and looked at the plant.

“Gross," he muttered, trying to flick it off.

The mass of green algae shot off his hand, and landed on his gut, sticking on it like glue.

Paelius laughed again.

“Stop it!” Kyle fumed.

“Why were you following me anyways?” Paelius grinned, as Kyle continued his fight with the plant.

“I was just wondering where you were going in the middle of the night.”

“You were already in the trees outside my window,” Paelius accused.

“Was not.”

“So you know the secret of invisibility, and passing through walls. Come on Kyle. Nothing came out of your house after I came outside.”

Kyle finally got the algae off, and glared at Paelius.

“What if I don’t want to tell you what I was doing?" he said sharply.

“Fine then. Don’t tell me.”

They stared for a few more seconds at each other.

Then Kyle growled.

“Fine. Paelius, I wanted to see you.”

“What for? And why didn’t you just come talk instead of trying to hide?”

“No. I mean I- I wanted to look at you, okay?”

Paelius felt an electric shock inside his stomach.

“What?”

“I’m so stupid,” Kyle sighed.

“Wait, you like me?”

“Please don’t scream it to the world Paelius. If my parents found out about this, they’d kill me,” Kyle said.

“But you- this whole time you’ve been trying to stay away from me!”

“Yes. And it was torture trying to stop feeling like I do. I just… I had to come. I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It’s just… You’ve been after me this whole time and I’ve been trying to ignore my own feelings, and-”

Kyle grabbed Paelius, and kissed him.

“I’m sorry. But my parents really would freak out about this, if they knew," he murmured, pulling away slightly.

“So, this was the reason for all of the questions-?”

Kyle nodded.

“Ever since I first met you, that night in the fort," he replied.

He fidgeted slightly.

"Look, I didn't even want you to know yet. Can we please just... keep this between the two of us?"

"Deal. Honestly Kyle, I am still trying to get over Danuva. I don't know if I am ready for this yet," Paelius said.

And with that said, the two lycanthropes headed back home.



ALASAR

It took five months for Alasar to be comfortable with the idea of taking Jordan and Heran to his parents' house. Even then, during the whole thirty minute walk, he was constantly scanning the area, looking for any kind of threat. It was only a small relief when they reached the shelter of the house. The dhaeraow had marked the building, and Alasar knew that they could attack at any moment. Therefore, he was dressed in his armor underneath his normal clothing, and he carried the Spellblade of Motion on his side.

But when they got into the house, the torrents of elation that his children brought his mother went far in making him settle down a little.

"Your son is a little over protective," Mira laughed as Sara took Jordan. "I think he expected to get attacked by a pack of bloodthirsty deer on the way over here."

"Mira, ey kelan skeil leim ango," Alasar said defensively.

"They are so adorable!" Sara exclaimed for the tenth time in five minutes.

"I always thought babies cried all the time," Alasar admitted. "These two hardly ever cry."

"And Heran is always scaring us," Mira added. "He keeps trying to play with bugs and animals. Once, we even found a coyote cub curled up next to his crib."

"What?!" Sara yelped.

Jordan stirred in her arms, and let out a soft whine.

"I don't know how it happens," Alasar said. "Their room is on the second floor, and there are no unscreened windows in the room."

Heran found Alasar's face and grinned.

"Se eln gela heran fer vey falial," Alasar snorted.

"Alasar, cal nela aen aral tel," Mira said quietly.

"It sounds like you're quite the troublemaker," Jared said, holding Heran up.

"But Jordan is completely different. He's never causing problems," Mira smiled.

"I don't know Mira. Something tells me that Jordan will be the joker of the two," Jared said. "He's got this look about him. The picture of innocence."

"They've already settled into a good schedule," Alasar added. "It's a little unnerving how they seem to do everything together."

They sat and talked for an hour, before Alasar decided that it was time to leave. The sun was starting to sink, and he wanted to get home before it was completely dark.