Double post for anyone who reads this:


-- Chapter 5 --


Elrich awoke, short of breath. He quickly scanned the room to assure himself of his surroundings. After a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief. Misty Meadows Inn.

What had been happening to him recently? He'd begun by dreaming of what he thought might be the future, and now he was dreaming of the days past. The dreams, he thought, were eerily realistic, as though he'd been reliving them. Or living them for the first time, he told himself in a brooding manner.

There was something to this last dream, however. Something he couldn't point out. He began to dig within his memory, but the dream's details passed with his waking. Sighing once more, he rolled himself out of bed and began to dress himself. He would think more on it with a full stomach.

Elrich quickly donned his clothing and grabbed his packs. He didn't plan on staying long. The floors creaked beneath his feet as he stepped out of his small room and made way for the stairs. He could already hear the laughter of the inn's morning patrons. The smell of sizzling pork assaulted his senses. He didn't realize how hungry he'd been until the idea of gorging himself on the famous Misty Meadows salted pork entered his mind.

The pub had been lit by several candles, as the light outside was often not visible. A product of the unnatural mist in the surrounding area. Elrich found himself a small table for two and sat himself. A young barmaid who'd noticed him as he made his way down the stairs flounced her way over to his table. She bent down, brushing her long, curly blonde hair out of the way of her bountiful cleavage.

"What can I get for you, sir?" she beamed.

"Whatever you're serving for breakfast and some tea," he said, bluntly.

"Coming right up," she smiled and winked before bouncing off to the kitchen.

Elrich looked around the small pub. Not many patrons this time of year, he noticed. While Autumn was never particularly rough in these parts, he knew the Winter to be very cold. Few people travelled during these months to avoid being snowed in.

His waitress returned shortly, snapping him out of his daze. She set down his plate of food and a small kettle of piping hot tea. She smiled once more and set off for the kitchen again. Elrich poured himself a mug of the tea, wrapped both his hands around it and brought it his face. Breathing in deeply, he inhaled the steam coming off the tea. The aroma cleared his head, and he took several deep gulps before beginning to devour his food.

The food was delicious, some of the best in the region. Misty Meadows Inn was especially known for its salted pork. The owner served it with almost every meal. He quickly finished off his plate, following it up with another mug of hot tea. When he'd finished, he set twenty silver pieces on the table and walked out, not waiting for change.

Upon exiting, he looked around the small rest stop. Misty Meadows Inn was one of only three buildings here. There was also a general store and a stable. The stable was now Elrich's next stop. He walked down the foggy road, unable to see much of anything. The fog had been unusually thick this morning. As he moved on, the small stable began to take shape in the distance, and he could hear a man working in the near distance.

As he got closer, he was greeted by a man sitting atop a barrel with a long blade of grass dangling from his mouth. When Elrich approached, the old man smiled, revealing several missing teeth.

"What c'n I do fer ye today, lad?" the old man piped.

"I travel to Elendria and I am in need of a horse suited for riding in the mists of the plains. I plan not to return," he added.

The old man pondered. "Elendria you say? I've a brother there. If ye're headin' to Elendria, I could give ye this brown mare for a discount. If ye be handin' it back to me brother in Elendria, that be." The old man smiled once more.

Elrich raised his eyebrow. "Awfully trusting of a stranger, aren't we?"

The old man winked. "You look like someone I c'n trust."

Elrich fished a gold coin from his pouch and tossed it to the old man. The old man held the coin in his hands and looked back to Elrich who was already throwing a saddle on the horse. He looked as though he were ready to protest.

"Keep it," Elrich said before the old man could say anything. "And I shall turn the horse over to your brother when I reach Elendria. What is his name?"

"Marvin! Marvin Horvath!" The old man yelled to Elrich who was already riding off into the mists. "Tell 'im Jake sent ye!"

Elrich turned his head to the old man and nodded, before once again heading to the East.


-- Chapter 6 --

He'd been riding through the Misty Meadows for several hours now. Before the war, the Meadows were simply a vast, rolling plains filled with wheat and grass. Many a major battle took place here during the war. It was the main route from the Vek'nath lands to the city of Elendria. Ashtar's armies erected several pylons between the Vek'nathi village of Maskari and the Elendrian waypoint, Shadybrook. These pylons were not only used as magical foci for the dreaded bloodmages, but as a means of reinforcing fallen units with fresh troops. Many soldiers on both sides lost their lives on these very plains.

When the war was won, the plains remained ever darkened and enshrouded by an unnatural mist that never lifts. Bandits and all manner of vicious creatures now lurked within the fulminating fogs, hiding and waiting for unsuspecting travellers. Among the monstrosities lurking the plains were undead minions, remnants of Ashtar's army.

Elrich thought back to the days of fighting on these plains and sighed wistfully. He was glad the war had ended, but he was saddened to see the meadows in such a state. He took a deep breath and cocked his head, listening. Where were the sounds of the birds and crickets chirping?

He brought his horse to a halt and dismounted. He figured it was time for a rest, perhaps let his horse eat some food. After a brief search, he spotted a large slab of stone upon which he could sit. Elrich reached out for a long blade of grass and plucked it as he walked over to the boulder. He placed the blade lengthwise from the tip of his thumb to the heel of his palm, then placed his other hand over it in the same manner. Bringing his hands to his mouth, he took a deep breath, then blew upon the grass. The sound it made was loud and shrill, like that of a bird calling for help. Elrich hoped to ellicit the response of the area birds; instead he heard nothing but a small breeze blow over the plains.

He stood, shrugged, then walked to his horse who seemed to be finished with her business. Elrich patted the mare's head and tied her down to the rock upon which he had been sitting. Sitting down again, himself, he looked to the sky. It was early evening, and the stars had begun peeping through the blackened sky, like holes being punched into a dark canvas.

Elrich began to drift off when he heard something rustling in a bush to the South. The wind, perhaps? He didn't want to chance it, so he stood up to inspect, readying his weapons, just in case. As he closed in on the hedge in question, a form darted out from within, slamming hard into him. The figure, which looked human, collapsed to the ground, a crude arrow lodged in his thigh.

Elrich looked back up to see four shapes emerge from the bushes. Skeletal minions. He steadied himself for the inevitable fight. He'd fought the undead before, he knew that they were slow, but oftentimes difficult to bring down. They took noticed of Elrich and charged in.

He waited patiently for the attack, standing in a defensive position. Elrich took notice of what he was up against. Three skirmishers and an archer who stood back and knocked another arrow. Upon seeing the bowman, Elrich changed his stance and charged in, running straight for the archer.

He rushed in and slashed several times at the archer's head and neck. The skeleton threw its bow up in a feeble attempt to parry or block Elrich's continued blows, but they came too rapidly, and soon Elrich caught the neck with a solid hit, severing it from the rest of the skeleton's body. He whirred, expecting to meet the sword of one of the skirmishers who'd undoubtedly caught up to the agile Elrich. To his surprise and dismay, the remaining aberrations lumbered toward the unconscious newcomer.

"Shit!" he swore. He hadn't anticipated this.

He rushed the three skeletons, his blade twirling and slicing in a deadly dance, simply hoping to get their attention. The one closest to him turned to swing its shield at Elrich, but he'd managed to cut it down before it could take action. The others stayed on their target.

Elrich crouched down and kicked the feet of the next skeleton from under it, sending it sprawling to the ground. Getting up as quickly as he could, he slammed his shoulder into the remaining skeleton, pushing it away from the newcomer. After pushing it away, he ran back to dispatch the skeleton on the ground, but he wasn't quick enough. The undead minion behind him lunged forward and slammed its shield onto Elrich's back, sending the young man to the ground and knocking the wind out of him.

He rolled over, cursing, and hoping to defend the next attack, but it never came. Puzzled, he saw that the skeletons were once more shambling over to the newcomer on the ground. He swept his sword across the ground and cut at the ankles of the nearest skeleton, sending it crashing to the ground. He stood quickly and dispatched the minion in the muck.

He took a moment to catch his breath. It had been several years since the last time Elrich had to fight. He felt a brief moment of embarassment at the thought of being out of shape and out of practice. Putting his worries aside, he rushed the remaining skirmisher.

Elrich ran up behind the unsuspecting minion of darkness and kicked it in the back as hard as he could, sending it sprawling to the ground. As it struggled to get back up, Elrich grabbed a nearby rock and smashed the creature's back, severing the spinal cord and leaving it lifeless once more. He huffed and puffed for a moment, then made his way over to the newcomer who was still face down in the muck.

He rolled the victim over and began to clean them up. To his surprise he found it to be a young woman. She had short cut black hair, sharp facial features, and lovely, puffy lips. He continued to wipe the dirt from her face, admiring her beauty, when her eyes suddenly flitted open in shock and pain.

Elrich gasped in surprise. Her eyes, he thought. They were a deep penetrating blue, all outlined in black. They were amazing. Her pupils, however, were not the standard black dot as a human might have. She had vertical slivers of black, much like those of a cat. This young girl was of Vek'nathi blood. The young woman attempted to move, but collapsed under the pain of her thigh.

"Wait," he instructed. "Hold still." She did so, letting him inspect the injury. "My name is Elrich. Elrich Fane," he offered.

"El-rick?" she asked. He looked down at her and nodded with a smile. "Venna Moonshadow," she replied.

"Venna, I'm going to have to pull this arrow out," he told her. She simply nodded. He looked around for anything useful. Reaching over to one of the nearby skeletons, he ripped a piece of cloth from its garment and snatched its belt.

"Bite down on this," he said, handing her the belt. Again, she did as instructed. "One, two, three," he counted before violently yanking the arrow from her thigh.

Venna yelped in pain and instinctively wrapped her hands around the open wound on her thigh. Hot blood poured over her hand, and upon seeing it, her eyes rolled to the back of her head, sending her into a state of shock. Elrich took the belt and the piece of cloth, making a small bandage and applied pressure to the wound. He stood up and began to set up camp. He would have to watch over her until she awoke.