The Great Quest

*Just two more things that need to be altered in your post now. Narsh and Elrov's deaths. Or near deaths. The Nightrider wouldn't pick up a dead body, and Elrov died trying to protect Ayna, not gazing at a battle until he got hit in the head.*

"They captured Ayna as well," Slythre said softly.

"Narsh and Elrov dead, and a couple of the broodlord's men as well," Faradin said. "At last it seems that we have begun to suffer losses."

"Elrov isn't dead," called a soft voice from further along the battlefield.

They quickly headed over to the site. Dania held Elrov's head on her lap, his head was bloody and his eyes wide, but he was still alive.

"How badly is he hurt?" Slythre asked sharply. "We haven't much time."

Dania turned his head slightly and winced. The back of his skull was slightly visible through the blood, and it had been cracked.

"He hasn't long, I'm afraid."

Elrov's mouth opened slightly and he licked his lips. "Ayna . . . is she alive?"

Slythre glanced at Harnauro momentarily before turning her head back to the elf. "Yes."

"But she is captured? They have the key?"

"I don't know anything about any key, but if Ayna had it, they surely do now."

Dania looked up at Slythre in exasperation. "If he is dying, there is no need to trouble his heart with difficult knews. We should let him go in as much peace as we can give him . . ."

Elrov reached up toward Slythre and Harnauro. "You must rescue her." He winced in pain and was racked with convulsions. He seemed to gain control with an effort and turned his head back to them. "The fate of the world . . . They are trying to bring back the darkness. Only a gate of magic stands between the world and terrible evil. Ayna holds the key. Even if you don't do it for me or her . . ." he broke off again, pain filling him. "Do it for the rest of the world . . ."

"Why do they want Dania, though?" asked Slythre in confusion.

"A trick, Ayna managed to pull off," he said with a feeble grin. "You were never meant to be involved . . . any of you. Not even her." He pointed up at Dania. "Ayna changed her name to Dania early on in the chase, managing to convince them that that was who they were after. A mix up, a strange shift in coincidence brought you into the hunt that was unfolding. The Nrakes however knew her scent, and nothing could put them off the track. Useless after all."

Pain filled Elrov and they saw that a small pool of blood had begun to collect around his head. "Ayna knows more about what it is about. Rescue her, before it is too late. Please . . . you must be in time."

He reached up towards them again, a pleeding guesture which never got very far. For at that moment, his eyes glazed over and his hand fell backwards onto the ground with a slight thump.

Ulrog smiled to himself as the others crowded around their fallen comrade. They had completely forgotten about him. Ulrog slowly slunk away into the shadows, but he didn't get very far. He was grabbed by the arm and easily lifted off the ground. Twisting to see who his captor was, Ulrog looked into the inquisitive face of Seetoo.
"Is this games?", the strange creature said in a loud clear voice.
Ulrog was about to yell abuse, but then he noticed something. He had caught sight of the battle with the nightrider, and had noticed the strange scent of the creature that had opposed it. Now that he was close to Seetoo, Ulrog noticed that his scent was very similar.
"That fast thing, that fought the dark one, is he a friend of yours?"

Seetoo blinked, and looked about as though wondering what Ulrog was referring to. Then, turning back, his eyes seemed to widen in recognition of the question, and he nodded his head, saying, "Saw him in the caves!"

*Ok, now where are we? It seems I can't take a few days off for midterms without getting lost again. *

*Well, it looks as though things have slowed down. The following has occured: The last Nightrider attacked the camp with some Nrakes. Many of the Nrakes fell, but so did some companions. Ayna was captured, as was Narsh (though the party thinks him dead). Elrov is dead, after delivering a message that it was Ayna the enemy was after all along. I think it is my turn to post, which I will do so today or tommorow - I have been busy as well.*

*Good. I've been waiting for it.*

*Sorry for keeping you waiting! Also sorry for the short post, I will have some more tommorow.*

As the light fell from Elrov's eyes, Harnauro stood up, a dread look upon his face.

"I don't like being involved in such events against my will, but I've been attack far too much for my liking. I'll go after the girl," said he, turning away from the group and looking over the dead Nrake bodies.

The others met gazes, and with grim resolution amongst them all, stood. "I think we all shall go after her," said Faradin. "If it is as dire a situation as Elrov said, then far more is at stake than we think."

"Aye, I'll go," said Slythre, "but they are long gone ahead of us. How are we to find their lair, and how are we to follow them?"

A form from the back of the clearing shifted, and they turned to see the broodlord, leaning against a tree, clearly exhausted, though without outward sign of injury. His men's corpses lay about the ground near him, along with nearly triple their number of Nrakes. He spoke, soft and deadly, "I may be able to help with that. As the foes fled, I saw an ally pursuing them, unnoticed. If he returns, as well, he can help transport you all there. If, of course, you will trust me," he finished with a wicked, pain-filled cough.

"We appear to have little choice. If what you say is true, you're our only lead, and you're the only one who can help us to find them." Slythre cocked her head slightly. "So I assume we'll have to wait until this . . . creature returns?"

The Nightrider swept to a landing, the Nrake's bats also landing quickly behind him. He could have outdistanced them with ease, sweeping along the shades of night and reaching this place within a matter of minutes, while instead it had taken seven hours. But he had to stay behind and guard Dania. She was the truly important one in all this, not the fool elf. And if the eagles or the creature he'd fought earlier were willing to attack them, they'd have little ability for defense and could easily be slaughtered.

Thus, he had stayed with them. And now dismounted from his mount, which was folded into the darkness and faded from sight.

He released Narsh, only just then realizing that he still held him by the neck, and let his body drop to the ground.

He motioned to a couple orc guards. "Take Dania to the master's chamber, and move fast."

"What about the elf?" one of the Nrakes asked as he dismounted from a bat.

"Take him to the prisons under heavy guard. His escaping abilities were shown to us quite plainly in Edoras."

The Nightrider felt the sky, carressing its source and in moments detected the non-magic of his pursuer. He snarled slightly, as it was already moving away at high speeds, but the Nightrider didn't have time to deal with him now.

Instead, he folded the darkness, pulling himself across its expanse and seeping through its depths, reappearing a few moments later in Vardor's chamber in the eagle kingdom.

"Master . . ." he said, bowing to the ground. "The one named Dania has been captured, and awaits questioning at your stronghold."

"Then I shall see to it," Vardor responded with a bare trace of eagerness piercing the mask over his emotions which normally covered his face.

He then disintegrated into the shadows, followed quickly by the Nightrider, but not nearly as fast as Vardor had moved. Even though Vardor wasn't a creature of the night, he still somehow manipulated it to his advantage even better than the Nightrider. Impressive. But that emotion too was sucked away into the void before it even had time to be. When the Nightrider reappeared next to Vardor shortly after, the interrogation was already underway. How she withstood it so well, the Nightrider didn't know. But after a time even she had endured enough pain and could stand no more. Then she answered to their questions, and the key was theirs.

Malagar blinked his eyes open, feeling light burning brightly against the back of his skull. With a groan, he lifted himself up, and nearly fell over, his body filled with weakness. It was a moment before his eyes widened in realization he was not longer bound into the form of whatever had captured him.

He rolled over, and looked at his surroundings. A dimly lit stone chamber, with one bound oaken door opposite him. Standing up, and cursing the weakness of his legs, he staggered over to the door and opened it.

What he saw on the other side surprised him, and his hand instinctively grabbed for the dagger he carried at his side, closing on air as he realized it was no longer with him. As the dark, hulking form leaning against the stone wall opposite the door stood up and stepped towards him, Mal grabbed for his powers and lashed at it with shadow magic - or, at least, intended to do so. No visible effect occured.

"That would not be advisable, shadow man." The rumbling voice was, nevertheless, well cultured and with the undertone of intelligence and knowledge.

Breathing heavily, and feeling less than in charge of the situation, Mal looked over the form that faced him. Obsidian armor resembled that of those he had fought before, but it was exceedingly well made, and radiated strength and power. It also covered his entire body, seeming almost molded to the flesh, all the way up to an intricate helmet that revealed only glowing slits that were his eyes.

When Mal gave no response, the man continued. "Perhaps you are wondering about your situation?"

Mal grudgingly spoke, "Aye."

A touch of amusement entered the others voice, as he said, "You are a guest of my father, who has of the powers of your kind. I am afraid that your powers are our for the time being... you may regain them one day."

As Mal stared at him in shock, the man continued, "You are free to wander his citadel, though I would not advise attempting to escape - after all, you are now simply mortal, and can die just as easily as any other man."

Aetoo skimmed along the ground, heading for his home. It wouldn't take long to reach the mountains, at the speed he traveled, and the information he had learned had stayed his quest for vengeance, temporarily. He had felt the power from within the lair, of the one called Vardor, and his father would be able to deal with him directly once he had learned of Vardor's lair.

*Do your creatures have any means of long range communication?*

Vardor folded the shadows again, stepping out of their darkness and appearing inside the eagle's kingdom again. Or rather, their gathering of muddy nests.

His lip curled in disdain as he walked, unseen and unheard, towards the hidden building that had been discovered by his spies, not long since.

He entered into the shadows and seized hold of his magic, now prepared to face this guardian the Valar would surely have set over the clasp.

"Who desires entry?" came a deep, rough voice from inside.

"A friend of the eagles," he answered as he used his magic to seek out the speaker.

Quickly he located him, leaning casually against the wall. But the guardian had sensed his magical probing as soon as he sent it, and was put partially on his guard. Probably he assumed that he was an Istari or a messenger from the Valar.

"We shall see," he said, with equal casual arrogance walking forward towards him, stopping with a good ways still to go. "Who exactly are you, and why have you come? You must have some proof . . ."

Vardor gave him no time to continue with his questioning, hitting him fast and hard with a boiling fire which lit up the entire cavern, destroying everything . . . except his opponent.

The man instead laughed. Then he stretched out his own hands and sent out boiling streams of light, slashing outwards at him and pressing hard at every shield Vardor had set up.

Vardor heaved extra strength into his attack, beating away the first two of his opponent's shields and melting away the cavern top over his head.

The guardian had to divert some of his power away immediately to strengthening the walls, an instant of time that Vardor snatched to put his full power into attack, vaporizing his opponent's shields and throwing him back into the wall.

The guardian picked himself up from the wall, a large grin still positioned on his face.

It was disconcerting, fighting a man who laughed at him as he fought, even though Vardor could tell that the man was straining to his utmost ability to hold Vardor off. And was succeeding, although it could not last long.

Suddenly the smile faded from the man's face, and he stepped back into the inner chamber. Then his magic diverted entirely, hitting the roof which Vardor had been earlier attempting to collapse upon his enemy. It fell, crushing the opening to the cave and blocking Vardor off.

He manipulated the shadows and stepped out of their hold inside the inner cave. The clasp was on a stone block, lying in the center of the room.

The guardian leapt forward with incredible speed, a beam of energy appearing in his hand, slashing at Vardor. But at that moment, a shadow from behind the wall leapt up and cut through his defenses, slashing the guardian's throat open.

He looked surprised, and his shields faltered. His weapon disintegrated entirely, and he looked at Vardor again, with a shrug.

Vardor hit him again with everything he had, completely vaporizing the odd, smiling guardian, blasting his atoms to oblivion.

"Fool," he muttered. "Overconfident fool." Then he stepped forward, and had just reached out his hand for the clasp when a beam of light struck for his chest, deflected only just in time to keep from piercing Vardor through and through.

Vardor fell back with an angry shout of surprise, and looked up to see another man stepping up out of the shadows toward him, all casual ease.

Fire poured from both of the man's hands, melting the stone where Vardor had been standing an instant ago. Vardor struck again, fury boiling through him as he struck with everything he had. There was a tenuous moment as the balance shifted back and forth, falling backwards and forwards as both attempted to destroy the other. Then, finally, the man fell backwards, and was boiled away in a raging furnace of fire.

Vardor stood again, a look of puzzlement on his face. But he kept his shields prepared this time, and therefore came not quite so near to death when he was hit again.

*Yes, but it is rare and not often used. Aetoo wouldn't have any, as his speed in the air could get him halfway across middle-earth without trouble.*

In a cold, stone room, am old man pulled at his beard while looking over several strange metallic devices. A noise behind him caused him to spin about, shoving the devices aside like a child caught stealing cookies.

In the doorway, the fully armored warrior bowed to him, saying only, "Father, Aetoo has returned. And has news of much interest, such that I thought to confer with you before any action is taken."

The old man's eyes widen, and a delighted grin splits his face. "Well then, yes, yes, take me to him, let's talk!"

The armored man bowed, and turned and led his master down the corridors to where Aetoo waited..

*I saw your post almost immediately after it came, but I've been unable to post until now. I've been diverted by school work. (Shrugs) You surely know what that's like.

Does your broodlord have access to that type of communication?*

Vardor strained hard, barely managing to keep his attacker at bay. Each of them was as strong as he, yet each of them attacked at different times. Two together could have overwhelmed him in the beginning. What was this? The guardians were erratic and insane. Was it some code of honor that only allowed one to fight him at a time?

Vardor strained his attack, but he was becoming tired now, and his attacks and defenses were becoming more and more feeble. This was now the fifth opponent who had leapt from the shadows to attack him, and Vardor sensed that he was being outwitted as well as outfought.

Suddenly, the darkness in the cave seemed to have a hole bored in its depths, vaguely recognizable as the shape of a man. Blue firebolts flashed from his fingers, striking his Vardor's opponent.

The surprise attack was enough, and the being Vardor fought changed its attack to the newcomer, giving Vardor time to lash out with the shadow magic, tearing ruthlessly at the shields the man had built around himself. The combined strength of the two attacks shattered their opponent, and what was left of his body fell to the floor.

Vardor sent out a magical probing of the chamber, scrutinizing the whole thing. If it hadn't been for his close up check, he wouldn't have noticed the slight magical shield blocking him from detecting the different presences in the room. With a slight effort, he pierced it. It was then that he noticed that there were eight beings in the room. Himself, the Nightrider, and six others. Four of them were leaning casually against the walls, hidden in the shadows and without a trace of magic in their bodies.

One of the other two was empowered with it, and he was the one stepping out of the shadows now. But it was the other magic controlling being that caught Vardor's attention. This man was, like the other four, leaned casually against the wall in the shadows. He was clad in robes of grey, and was holding a faint, invisible beam of magic, connecting his magic source to the other man's.

And then Vardor knew. As ruthlessly clever a strategy as he himself had ever thought up. Incredibly simple for a clever and knowledgable Maia. This was the true guardian, standing there in the corner. He had linked his magical source to the other man, and was spitting out his magic through him. This man was probably an innocent civilian, brainwashed and completely under the control of the guardian. He through his magic at Vardor through the different beings, but was only able to support one if they were to have any chance of survival. Still, as he lost one, he sent his link to another, attacking Vardor through him. A strategy clever enough to defeat almost anyone. Any Maia would eventually get worn down and defeated by the multiple opponents and unceasing battle.

Vardor certainly would have been to, if not for the intervention of the Nightrider, which had given him the time to really see what was happening.

Fury flared through Vardor, and he seized the shadows that the guardian hid among, twisting them upon him and slicing him open.

A smile drifted across Vardor's face and he finally felt real pleasure at destroying an opponent once again. A clever opponent, and a valiant one as well. The Valar had chosen their guardian well.

As the guardian's broken body finally slumped to the ground, the magic faded from the man the Nightrider had just been fighting, and a single blow burnt him away. The Nightrider's head lifted in what might have been surprise, but it faded quickly.

Then, Vardor stepped up to the platform and seized the clasp.

*Yes, the broodlord has items that will let his master contact them, but he only has two left, and they only operate once each. (he used one of them a while back, to see how it works, if you have time to search. )*

*Okay, good. That makes my plan fit a bit better. You messed it up a little bit by changing the direction Aetoo was going, but this makes everything likely to be fine.*

*Well, I was planning on changing it yet again, having him return to the others... would that seriously affect your plans?*

*Aetoo returning to the company will solve a problem, it won't hinder me.*

Darkness was beginning to fall again. Nearly a day had passed since the disastrous fight, and though they had waited on the Broodlord's advice, distrust of him was arising again, as his companion failed to return.

A flash of darkness in the skies above drew their attention, however, and moments later, Aetoo was standing in their midst. The only other glimpses the party had had of him had been brief, and only now could they look him over. Any marks he had gained in the battle were once again gone, and his figure showed only a perfection that even elves could envy. As well, none could look upon him and fail to note the resemblance to Seetoo.

Aetoo looked about, taking the measure of the party slowly, and then approached the Broodlord, gesturing him to the side, while the others waited impatiently.

Once they were out of earshot of the others, Aetoo explained, "I have both tracked those we fought, and reported the information to our Father."

The Broodlord nodded, saying only, "And his responsse?"

"He seemed to take more interest than usual - and, even more, has gained back a measure of his old self for a bit. He seems to believe the final Move may soon be upon us."

The Broodlord's eyes widened, amazement coursing through him, and after a breathless movement, he said, "Praise Father, and all is worth it, if our brotherss shall live in peace - even if we may not make it."

Aetoo nodded, seemingly much more somber than normal. "We are to go to the fortress of this Vardor, and see what more we can learn. Apparently, whatever is at stake is more than the power of a mere Maia."

The Broodlord, calm once more, said slowly, "Thosse I am with wish to seek out Vardor's lair as well, but will likely not follow our plan."

Aetoo laughed. "Their goals and ours are close enough, at this time. A distraction is needed, and they shall provide it. I shall transport them, if they agree."

The Broodlord nodded, and returned to the group. Looking them over, he said shortly, "My companion has located Vardor's lair, and is willing to transport you there, if you feel you can travel with us. The decision is yours."

Slythre stepped forward. "Do you believe that that is where Ayna has been taken?"

Aetoo nodded. "I followed them there."

"In that case, we agree to your offer."

The others looked at each other, but shrugged in agreement. This was their only chance to get her back and get to the bottom of this mystery, however dangerous this chance was.