It was hard, the waiting. This one person that she had invested herself in lay waiting in what was perhaps now a tomb of stone. For him this could be a last battle, a final show of defiance before passing into the next realm with the gods. Alyssia stood behind everyone as Malius took out his rope and climbing gear. A single tear began to slide down the side of her face. Tears always came for those she could not save, the children, the elderly, and even the warriors. Or perhaps this tear was for another reason intirely.

The Syl ranger had gotten far enough up the wall to use his grappling hook when a faint click came from the front door. She caught herself holding her breath, waiting and hopin, wondering if she had mistaken of what she had heard. The tower's doors opened so slowly or it may have just seemed to her. Draven, covered in blood, stood there in the entrance with his weapon hanging limply from his hand. He didn't even acknowledge that they were there as he strode over to his gear.

Alyssia coud only ponder over what had happened in the tower but knew without a doubt that the other bear was dead; but at what price? She was trying to heal this man's soul not rend it even more that it already was. He looked so distant as he cleaned the gore from his body. The Dark Warrior just shoved Geim away as he tried to aid him, words passing beyond her hearing, her attention not on their sound.

The khords crouded Draven as he cleaned himself up, probably wanting tales of his battle inside the tower as prone to violence as khords were. She just watched him as he drank from his waterskin before turning to his black-bladed sword.

Alyssia watched as everyone asked Draven over the tower and Geim leave for the tower. It was not perpaps the most sane thought that she had, heading in after him into the tower, not knowing if there was any latent magic that could possibly harm them for being intruders. Chance and luck only kept one alive for son long.

The sound of wood and dragging leaves came to her ears from oustside of the door. The crackle of flames and the smell of smoke reached her first and then it was the scent of burnt fur and then cooking meat. She steeled herself against it all while her stomach threatened to empty its contents.

There was something that was drawing her to this other bear that lay in this lower room of the tower. Alyssia could not say what drove her to touch the disgusting thing. A moment passed in which a voice passed through head, whispering a word in her head, a woman's voice that sounded familiar and was astonished or maybe just a bit full of fear.

An arm came to rest on the bear beside hers and then another. It was just all a bit much for her to pay attention to whose they were. With all of them pulling, they managed to get the beast out and onto the fire with the first. Thoughts just swarmed through her mind.

"We need to kill all these maggots up here and check this place out for any more that might have gottten away from here. We don't need giant blood sucking insects to hatch from these things. Some one have some oil and fire we can burn this nest," the words came from Geim as he went back into the tower.

Draven though was not as patient, "I don't think we should waste any more of our precious time. Are we going to help every commoner, kill every goblin, and go after every wanted fugitive we find on our way?"

He looks at the shield maiden who had been outside the tower on their arrival.

"Leave them for her. Surely she doesn't need our help cleaning out the tower as well as slaying the beasts?"

This was perhaps where she should finally speak up, "Draven, maybe you could allow them to clear out the tower before we press on. I would wish to speak with you and could also use some rest."

(OOC:So here it is. Next posting opp will be no sooner than Monday it not even until Tuesday. Am going to be in KC)

Elessarae's heart is pounding in her throat as she approaches the tree, not sure if the tree itself might animate and entangle her in its roots or branches. As the Goblin reacts to being hit by a acorn she pulls up her cloak's hood to cover her head she wipes off the Goblin's head with the bottom edge of her cloak as they move in closer to the tree. She flinches as she is hit by acorns she could not dodge.

Once she rubs the tree with the potion, she flys back with the Goblin in tow. She moves well away from the tree before setting down. Tying the goblin to a tree, she strips all her clothes off, and uses water from water skin to wash off all her skin under where she was hit by the acorns. Though all hit the cloak she was afraid there might have been some bleed through. She uses the last of her water to rinse off the Goblin's head. She also checks all her equipment to be sure none was hit by the acorns or showed any damp spot to indicate that some of the mushy innards of the arcorns had bled through. If she suspects any piece as tainted she will burn it too.

"Do you have a fire spells left?" If all the Mage's fire spells are used up Elessarae gathers wood and uses her flint and steel to start a fire to burn them.

She stands next to Comrade, for warmth and comfort as they make sure all the clothes and equipment are consumed by fire. The magnitute of what had transpired since she had first entered the village was now seeping into her bones. Had she been other than what she was she might have run back to the tower, told them the problem and be done with it, but she had choosen the path of a Bladesinger and that carried with it duty to the Sylvari lands and the Sylvari people.

All the way back to the attack of the Demon Owls on Comrade's mother, to the attack on the High Druid in his Tower, and all the other attacks by the mutated animals of unusual size, it all boiled down to this day, but would it be enough. Could there be other groups of Goblins in the Sylvari Lands and other diseased trees. Even though this had not been what she had been sent out to do, it was a duty that had to take prescedents. Though ostensively she was to learn about the situations of the goblins in the Charkhan Mts, and this had to be linked to it. She only wondered now, as the flames consumed her clothes,

Luckily her boots took no hits being shielded by her cloak and she made sure that when she landed that she kept her cloak back away fron her legs. The three of them made it back to the village with no problem. She keeps a watchful eye out for any Goblins and calls for Gharion, and keeps a lookout for any of the their horses. Once back to the village, she ties the Goblin to a tree and gives the mage her dagger.

"If he starts to change in anyway, kill him, and..." she pauses with a lump in her throat, "...if I start to feel myself changing I will return here and I ask you....to kill me."

If none or not all of the mounts is found before they get back to the village and if there there is any fly time left she will fly about looking for any of the horses, the Mage's and the guards' mounts, and Gharion. Elessarae starts her search where she had last sent Gharion safely away. She will track him, even if she has to light a torch, as Gharion's packs hold her extra sets of clothes and moreso because the bay gelding had earned a place in her heart for his depth of heart, his willingness and his endurance.

At one point she pauses and look to Comrade. "Call to him, Comrade. Call to Gharion," she says though she does not think the colt will understand her.

They need the horses for Elessarae wants to take the bodies of the 2 dead guards back with her. If they can not find all of the horses, then 3 would do, or 2, or 1. There is no safe place for them to rest here. For rest they would have to return to the tower, even if it meant leaving the bodies and walking all night dragging the Goblin with them.

Thondrek, still inside the tower was amazed at just how much carnage had ensued in the confined space. Hearing Geim's mentioning of burning the maggots which littered the corpses seemed like a good idea, and so everywhere Thondrek went he put the piles of squiggling critters to the torch, mindful of potential fire hazards. He took a guilty pleaseure in the curling and crisping of the maggots as he held the torch near.

Moving up a level towards the 'nest' Thondrek kept his eyes peeled for anything that may have changed, while moving towards the nest.

(Provided it's not anything apparently dangerous, he'll again ward off the maggots and such with fire while searching through it first with his guisarme as a prodding tool, then closer inspection by hand.)

"Draven, maybe you could allow them to clear out the tower before we press on. I would wish to speak with you and could also use some rest."

Dravens gaze fell on Alyssia, but he said nothing. Whatever he thought of her suggestion, he didn't show it. The enigma behind the fire in his eyes as veiled as ever. Without a word he turned from her, the group, and the tower. Digging out his own flask from his pockets, and drinking deeply from it, he started for the eaves of the forest that surrounded the clearing.

She watched as Draven turned from her and stalked toward the eaves of the forest with flask in hand. A slight chuckle was all she let out at the thought of the trouble he was going to be. The sorceress followed in the warriors footsteps and closed the distance.

"So," Alyssia spoke to him softly, "I would like to know if you recognized the word Avesaath."

The woman watched for any hints from his face that could possible give anything away. Perhaps this was part of his dark past that he so refused to devulge.

(OOC: Making sense motives checks as needed.)

The word caused him to freeze, for but an instance, before spinning around on her, his face contorted and his eyes burning. There was no denying he knew that name. In his surprise, he dropped his flask. The syrupy fluid poured onto his boot, for a moment before he realized, and stooped to pick it up.

"How do you know that name, sorceress?"

Geim gets busy helping Thondrek to kill the maggots. "Best these be dead least we have giant bloodsucking insects to deal with. We’ll pull out this nest of refuse as well and burn it all with the bodies of the beasties. Well rid of them all we will be." The old runemaster was tired not that he would admit this to anyone but he would be glad when the job here was done. In fact if the clean this place up and then locked the door again they could stay here the night in relative safety.

Then a thought came to his mine. Where is Malius? Geim turns to look around. “Has anyone seen Malius yet? He should be here somewhere."

Geim heads upstairs which had Malius's destination and since he had chosen not to come down while outside her must have continued up and certainly must have arrived at that window long before now.

"Ho, Malius, where ye be? Sing out boy, let us know you are okay

Geim suddenly remember that Malius had been bitten by one of the creatures. .” Geim’s short legs flashed quickly as he hurried up the spiral staircase. Under his breath he railed at long legged elves that made the steps so deep. Geim continues to call Malius's name. “Malius. Malius. MALIUS. Speak up boy. Where are you? Are you okay?” Geim shouts out in his booming voice, "Come quick, someone, anyone, Malius may be in trouble. He was bit by one of those creatures. I healed his wounds but did'nae think about him being afflicted by the taint." Geim berates himself over his oversight and moves as fast as he can.

Alloryen Kingdom
The Exaulted Tower
2nd day of the 8th month: Temoth Ore
5:30 pm
When Geim and Thondrek arrived at the nest, things had changed a bit. Instead of a nest full of Maggots, they found the nest relatively peaceful, if such was ever possible in the twisted horror of this place.

In the midst of the room lay a pile of dead worms, and the remains of a fight. Perhaps Malius had been here, but all trace of the Ranger was gone.

With his arrival finally inside the tower, Malius took stock of his surroundings as he re rolled the climbing rope and repacked the pinions and grappling hook. Once finished with his short sword in one hand a brightly lit torch in the other, he moved deeper into the interior and began to search each room as he looked for the stairs downward to the Towers entrance.

To the Rangers surprise everything of value or seeming to be of such was gone perhaps the tower had been raided even before the bears took control. His search of the floors finally took him to the Towers third level, he had encountered no mutated beasts or for that matter any of the party and wondered for the first time what was taking them so long to join him inside.

As he moved through the third floor he came upon a nest composed clearly of the Towers once valuable and magical items, now useless. Crawling over this nest he could see were a few dozen worm like creatures, clearly maggots, yet unlike anything he had seen before for these maggots were three times the size of normal ones and these had teeth!!
For but a split second his surprise was such that he did not at first see that they were headed right towards him clearly wanting to rip and tear him apart. Then the surprise was gone and torch and sword were at the ready as the maggots reached him.

Maggots piled up around him, crawling over each other to come close enough to take a bite of his flesh. He swung at them with his torch, and stabbed them with his short sword, but where one maggot fell down with punctured hide, another would take its place.
Although they were swarming him, the dark Ranger didn’t have a hard time keeping them off. He was no novice to battle, and would not give away his defense so easily. While teeth ragged his cloths and skin, he kept in mind the goal he had set himself to eradicate these mutated worms.

The fight seemed to easily be going his way but just as he thought he was gaining the upper hand, two maggots penetrated his fire and blade. The first one, digging its teeth hard into his right shin, the second to his thigh did go both sucking themselves to vacuum against the skin. Malius could feel how his blood, and pieces of muscle, were being sucked into the first maggot’s stomach. Not sparing a long look but out of the corner of his eye, his attention yet on the other maggots before him; he could see the creature contract. Instantly, its hide burst open and sprouted short stubs of hard leathery skin. He tried to pry the creature loose, and keep the others at bay, but the attempt resulted only in more pain, as the maggot kept a fierce hold. The other maggots, still a dozen or so kept pressing as well, sword and torch yet in action and no real time to pry the maggots loose.

Then as if sensing his need his two ferrets were there and attacking the two upon him easily dispatching the second but finding the one with wings to be a very different story, both taking a small wounds as it turned its growing wings towards them.
Then as if seemingly done with it’s feeding upon his legs and with the Ferrets attacking it released itself and away it flew further up into the towers heights growing bigger as it went.

As he turned to watch it go the Ferrets not content with their one kill did at once jump over the pile of carcasses at his feet and start the killing of the last maggots yet alive. With the last of the maggots soon to be dead Malius once again returned to the stairs but this time inside of going down as he had before, he went up.
Finally reaching the Towers top once again he raced to follow the winged maggot and found himself once again in the windowed room, the flying maggot before him attempting to escape.

But though the window had been large enough for the Syl Ranger to climb through it was now too small for the maggot to exit, its wings having grown so big. With a cry born out of pain and frustration it turned back towards Malius and attacked.....

"Come on Thodrek. We didn't pass him on the way up here so he must be around somewhere this seems to be some of his handiwork. Up we go, Geim's orders," and he mutters about the elves yet again as he moves up the steps. "Durn elves not much bigger than us, but all legs they are."

"Malius, Malius, Sing out, boy. Where are You?" Geim short legs though are powerful and he makes it up to the next level and calls out, then listens for an answer. If nothing is heard, he moves up another level and repeats his calls. "Carn-sarn, ye boy, Where ye be?"

Thondrek had followed Geim upwards into the higher reaches of the tower, torchfire leading the way as they searched for Malius. The ranger was a swift one, and yet in a supposedly cleared tower he had yet to descend. Geim's bringing to Thondrek's attention the fact that Malius had been bitten by one of the abominable creature's spurned the Khord's short powerful legs even faster, as he took to the stairs with more vigor than before. Their companion might need them; Thondrek only prayed he was still their companion when they arrived.

~~~~~Providing we're unobstructed from reaching Malius~~~~~~
Thondrek burst up the stairs to the highest reaches of the tower, the windowed apex he had ventured through himself earlier. There stood a wounded Malius, though very much still the Syl Ranger. What bothered him more was the flying maggot critter whose lined maw gleamed with gore and razor sharp teeth. As it neared, Thondrek left Malius' needs to Geim, as he threw his Torch at the creature (more as a distraction than an attack) and immediately fell into the incantation for a Kelgore's Fire Bolt sending the second projectile hurtling towards the beast, biding the ranger more time.

Londelirinen Kingdom
Sylvari village
4th day of the 8th month: Temoth Ore
7:26 pm
Elessarae was tying up the last ends on her journey to this mutilated Sylvari village. Once, little children had played here, lovers had found each other and time had passed gently. Now it had gone on a rampage and caught up with the horrors of the world. But the bladesinger had come, and had caused a stop in its tidings, though she had paid dearly:

Once the goblin was secured, and the mage had helped her burn any possessions touched by the trees foul poison, she had used what was left of Luronya’s fly spell. Going over the trees in the darkening sky, she scouted the area for the horses. One had remained at the village, but the other she found at quite a distance from the village. She brought it back to the mage, and had it secured. Quickly she returned for Gharion.

She would not have found him if it hadn’t been for the cawing of crows that sprouted from between the trees. She descended through a cloud of feathers as the birds burst towards the heavens. When she landed, it was near the torn body of her loyal steed. Noting the wounds on his flank and face, goblins had found him before the crows did. Life had left him long ago.

---

Alloryen Kingdom
The Exaulted Tower
2nd day of the 8th month: Temoth Ore
5:40 pm
In the highest room of the tallest tower ( ) Malius battled the last of the maggots. It was a wicked creature, that chaotically sprang and dodged and launched itself, sometimes at him, then away from him. This was no enemy that could be calculated and easily defeated through tactics.

The dark skinned ranger had already tipped his blade in the creature’s hide, but a real wound had not been dealt. Then, from the stairs, came the calling of a well known voice. Geim was coming.

Again Malius awaited the maggot’s manoeuvres, judging the right time to block and stab. He thrust his blade up, and sliced a hole in one of the creature’s wings. It did not seem to feel it, but flung itself upon him.
The long, almost metallic teeth took a bite from his shoulder, that same shoulder, only this time right beside the neck. He could feel it sucking away his life again, and pried it from his body with all the strength and disgust he possessed.

The footsteps came closer, not one pair of boots, but two; Geim was not alone.

In a wisp of anger, Malius wildly hacked at the maggot as it regained its composure. He smacked it full in the head, and yellow-green puss surfaced from its skin.
Then Geim and Thondrek arrived. The two Khords didn’t waste much time. While Malius pressed the thing backwards, Thondrek threw his torch at the thing, and right after it came a handful of stones that smouldered and burned the maggot’s hide. It squirmed on the floor and yelled out in pain. Then it sprang up and dove at Malius. The ranger and Geimiedefher hacked at it simultaneous, and it fell limb before ever closing its yaw on the warrior.

***********************

At the bottom of the tower, Loda was tapped on her shoulder by the bladesinger. Lady Quilanday looked down at the druid and nodded towards the tower.

“Do you want to accompany me into the tower? I’m going to see if the sages found anything of interest before they were murdered. There must be at least something we can find here that will help us destroy this plague!”

It was clear that the woman was not eager to go alone.

As Malius watched the mutated maggot turn towards him he could not believe how big it had gotten in the short time since it had first tasted his blood. It had become a wicked chaotic attacking withdrawing attacking once again. This was no enemy that could be calculated and easily defeated through tactics. Though Malius had already hit the flying maggot a time or two no real wound had he dealt to the grotesque creature. In return the wounds it had given him were also small things but combined together with the wounds he had already taken at the nest they became telling, as the Ranger’s strength slowly started to fade.

Then, from the stairs behind him came the calling of a known voice. Geim, one of the parties two Khords was coming, and in truth Malius could not ask for better timing.

As Malius awaited Geim’s arrival he watched the maggot’s maneuvers, judging the right time to block and stab. He thrust his blade up, and sliced a hole in one of the creature’s wings. It did not seem to feel it, but flung itself upon him.
The long, almost metallic teeth took a bite from his shoulder, the same shoulder wounded earlier, only this time right beside the neck, unable to stop himself he screamed in pain. As he recovered from the hit Malius could feel it sucking away his life again, with all the strength left to him and in disgust he pried it away from his neck and threw it away from him.

In a wisp of anger, he wildly hacked at the maggot as it regained its composure and succeeded in hitting it full in the head, yellow-green puss surfaced from its skin.
Then Geim and with him Thondrek arrived wasting no time the two Khords attacked allowing Malius to hard press the thing backwards.

Thondrek threw his torch at the lothsome creature, and right after it a handful of stones that smoldered and burned the maggot’s hide. It squirmed on the floor and yelled out in pain. Then it sprang up and dove at Malius. The ranger and Geimiedefher hacked at it simultaneous, both scoring solid hits and so it fell limp to the floor, dead, before ever closing its yaw on either Sylvari warrior or Khord cleric.

As Malius stood a little uneven, a look of weariness upon his face, he looked to both Khords and spoke

“Thank you Geim and to you also Thondrek, let it be not said that ye two do not know the meaning of a timely arrival.”

With his thank you given, Malius began to move somewhat slowly to the stairs, his intention to descend them once again and find his two small companions....

Londelirinen Kingdom
Flame Tower
4-5th day of the 8th month: Temoth Ore
7:35 pm to 6:30 am

Elessarae moved up to the fallen gelding, through a building film of tears she knelt and stroked his mane and scratched the place and the junction of his neck and withers that he had like so much. Tears then fell, for all the innocent lives that had been lost even to her beloved Gharion.

“Adaron, receive Gharion’s soul for he was kind, faithful, and valiant.” With each word tears fell on the chestnut’s neck.

She turns to find her white shadow beside her, and lays a hand on the Moonhorse's neck. "We must go on alone."

She returned to the village with her packs, not sure how she got there, maybe Comrade lead her and still unclothed not taking tht time to dress, as the Mage was alone with the goblin. Only when she was back and the Mage was still well did she take the time to dress. She swung her packs and tied them to the guard’s horse. She took out another rope and tied it fairly tightly about the goblin’s neck so that there were two long ends. One she fastened to the pommel of the Mage’s saddle, she takes the other end and after mounting ties it to the pommel of her saddle. The goblin is stretched between them whether riding front to back, or side to side.

For the entire return Elessarae with inwardly withdrawn and outwardly alert. So they returned, and in the pinkish dawn they spied the Flame Tower and as they rode up to the gates the first fiery rays of the sun inflamed the top of the tower even as it bottom had been so decorated. Inflamed as it should be and as all of the Sylvari nation should be.

Elessarae dismounted and passed the reins to someone. Looking up she saw face of the other gurads, she bowed her head to them, "I am sorry we could not bring them back with us."

To whoever else was there, "Please allow Comrade to be where he would be, he is my Ward. As for me, a bath, pen and ink, and a bed."

In that order for there were words in her minds that she had gathered into rhyme and her need to set them to paper was an almost consuming passion. She bathed, scrubbing hard to wash away any threat of taint scouring herself till her skin was red, hoping to wash away some of the memories of this day. Someone had kindly provided her with a night gown which she donned and then went to the table to set to paper the words and rhymes that had been inscribed in her mind with blood and tears.

For the Sake of the Sylvari

For the Sake of the Sylvari four set out, to put an enemy to route,
A mage and two guards with her, and a newly made Bladesinger.
To fight a foe and heal a tree.

And to the village they came, the village without a name,
For those who lived there had died there and no one cried
As all were dead.

To face an overwhelming force, two guards went out of course,
It was their duty and they died, and this one cried out,
For the shame of it.

Scores of Goblins and a Troll did take their toll.
The guards had little chance, so great was the enemies’ advance.
They gave their lives for the Sylvari.

Their sacrifice helped to save the day, helped keep the enemy at bay
For Bladesinger and Mage, had their own battles to wage,
Until the day was won.

By the Grace of the Deities of Good, at the end of the day the two still stood
To see the poisoned tree set right, with a Potion of the Lotus of Light.
For the sake of the Sylvari.

The day was done, the battle won, with the setting of the sun.
Time to return, time to rest, having passed another test.
Two went back where four had come.

Say their names with pride, the two guards that died,
For the Sylvari they did save, Hivalus the Bold and Mirnando the Brave.
Salute them, all Sylvari.

And forget not Luronya, the still standing Mage, who singly faced a Troll enraged.
Her magics helped to save the day and cause the Goblins to run away.
She, too, saved the Sylvari.

And not to forget one other soul who carried me to my goal.
Brave Gharion, faithful mount from the start
Gone now from the world, but not from my heart.

Oh, I lament for those that died, I am the one who for them cried.
Oh, why did they die alone, so far from their home?
Oh, where were the Sylvari?

The Goblins poisoned a mighty oak and they killed the village folk.
It poisoned the land and the animals it touched
With tainted acorns splatting the ground.

Beware Sylvari there may be more than one, to which the poisoning was done
There may be other such trees in the kingdoms
Where the mutated beasts lust for blood.

Rise up Sylvari, defend you land, the enemy is now at hand
Take up sword and bow, hunt them high and low.
The Sylvari are under attack.

Elessarae Isiliri
Bladesinger

Following that she writes a short poignant letter to his Majesty the High King of the Sylvari.

Your Royal Majesty,

What I have already written on another page says all that I have to say.

Elessarae copied the poem, but put the tear stained original in the letter folded it and sealed it with her signet ring. The copy was for a eulogy for the dead.

What was between the lines of her poem was even more scathing, for it spoke to not being prepared, delaying the building of defenses, not having the men and resources to even combat this initial foray by the Goblins. Flame Tower should have been able to send forth a troop, not two guards and a non combatant Mage.

When all was written, Elessarae dragged herself to the bed and lay down to sleep with a prayer for sleep with no dreams.

Nothing in the way of the Bladesingers' final test came even close to what Elessarae had experienced only a few days into her first assignment. Like a sword blade she had been heated then forged and tempered then sent to do battle, but found that she was to be heated, reforged and temeper again and again in rapid succession until she was the steel she had become this day. There was a lifetime of life changing events that had transpired, and she knew that she was not who she had been the day she left Megilindar Nost. That child had been reforged in the fires of conflict and pounded into a finely honed weapon to deal with the enemies of the Sylvari.

Loda looked around at the things that everyone was doing. Thondrek and Gheim were searching the tower along side Malius,and Draven was still missing according to her. Her and Gothard were standing there resting for a bit, catching their breathes when a tap on the shoulder arrested her attention.

“Do you want to accompany me into the tower? I’m going to see if the sages found anything of interest before they were murdered. There must be at least something we can find here that will help us destroy this plague!”

Her face looked a little bit worried, and Loda thought it was on account of what came out of the tower. But She didn't want to be alone either, so she gladly accepted.

" Don't worry there, I'll go in with ya. I don't really want to be here alone either. Gothard and I will make ya good company, and if ya ever want some of our brew, your welcome to try it."

Loda took out one of her few flasks with ale and took a sip, relaxing her nerves of the days events. She squirted some in Gothards mouth and laughed as he chomped at the air, taking some in and letting the rest splatter onto the ground. She adjusted her gear and hoped what spells she had left would do her good, and decided she was ready.

" So, whenever you're ready, I'm ready. It's your call."