Hytorax

[Earniel]

"Mmmm... There's thruth in what you say."She looked thoughtful at the disappearing company. "None of the horses they ride are a match for either Ruafus or Merrah. We might even be able to overtake them if we wish. It's a good thing I had her with me in the woods this time. But they've taken Tiamar, the horse I borrowed in Néred to pursue them. And as I promised to return him, I cannot go back to Néred without that horse."

She turned to face Athalt. "Therefore I will go with you if you intend to follow them as you said."

Athalt nodded, he had not expected anything else.

Imarwyn continued "However it will not be easy, stealing the Hytorax from them. Their horses may not be a match for ours but their magic certainly is. My heart warns me against stealing magical objects from sorcerors. And I feel that there is danger too, coming from the Hytorax and the Barrow Downs themselves."

"But, " she said as she checked the bonds that held her pack tied to Merrah's back, "I suppose we'll have to see to that when we get there. I am ready to go."

[Lief Erikson]

Dawn's light pierced the darkness, glowing faintly across the plains. The company raced on, and it wasn't until midday that they stopped to rest their horses.

"That run has been tough on our steeds, I'd imagine," Hruad said, "but it has gained a space between us and Athalt Cranain that will be difficult for him to close again. And now we can continue at a more leisurely pace."

Behind them they saw a dust cloud rising, and turned their heads toward the commotion. Hruad frowned and walked toward the front of them as two riders approached. They continued to come closer, and finally he smiled in relief.

"Welcome!" he called out as they reached him. "We lost track of you last night and couldn't afford to wait around and find those by whom our salvation came. Thanks be to the Valar that you showed up when you did!"

Aralle smiled as she and Losillewen reined in their horses. "Your thanks are well placed," she remarked as her horse danced slightly in uncertainty. She reined it quickly to a halt again

"Why have you followed us and helped us as much as you have?" Hruad asked, as he extended a hand to help them dismount.

He glanced at Boulderhead a moment later and noticed something else as well- Glimdrell was awake. "Boulderhead, bring the elf over. We also need to talk with him."

[Arat-Falathion]

Glimdrell shook his head in a vast effort of regaining a clear picture of the world around him. Slowly the fogged sight cleared up. His head was stinging and his back was hurting.

"Boulderhead, bring the elf over. We also need to talk with him." Glimdrell suddenly heard a voice beneath him speaking, Suddenly the rocks he was sitting on began to move, and in a leap in the striking moment of panic he jumped off and landed firmly planted on the ground, turning quickly at the Ontor.

Boulderhead chuckled lightly. "Easy now there, elf. If I wanted to crush you I would have done so long ago..." Glimdrell nodded, it was true. And in this moment a warm hand landed on his shoulder.

"Glimdrell, you are finally awake..." He turned to face Hruad, smiling confidently. In the background Aralle and Glistenfae stood, resting their pace. Glistenfae grinned down at the grass before her, telling Glimdrell all he needed to know. They had told her to stay off him. Aralle seemed nothing but friendly, smiling at him.

"May I ask you how you became involved with Arthain and his company, master elf." Hruad asked. "Little has the interferances with elves been in the city of Néred, and now that the elves has sailed west, I find your presence here even stranger... why?"

Ah, so they had him right were they wanted him. Outnumbered to the extreem, and as if that wasn't enough, they had helped him, given him firstaid. The first impression that had laid upon him as he first met these thugs came back into his heart... Yes, strange indeed would it seem if these were nothing but plain thieves and rebellions. And why whould an Ent and the stone creature be traveling with them for, if their course were not of higher importance then the simple rebell against a city they hadn't even dwelt in? Glimdrell shrugged...

"I am from Lothlorien, as my looks must tell you. Friends of many birds I am, and news they bring me of the world about. News reached me of a whispered name, giving me shivers down the back. I knew something new and evil was at hand, or I thought I knew, and decided to go southwest and search it all out. If evil was at hand, I would be a part of its destruction... I met with Arthain in the Dunlands, on the return to Néred after heroic deeds against villains in that area. He said people in his city would probably be able to answer whatever question I needed to have answered. And so one thing led to another, and suddenly I was riding out from the city again with him and his soldiers hunting you. I did sence something in that city, something strange, something evil..."

[Lief Erikson]

"Your senses are very acute," Hruad observed. "That is the evil that we have fought and are fighting. It is because of that evil that we are out here, seeking haunted hills. Here's another evidence, besides your own senses, that I can bring to you right now to help show the validity of our claims. I was a politician of some standing, a representative of a region in Enedwaith. I had a career ahead of me. If I was an enemy, I would have remained in the place where I could do the most damage. If I was a rebel, having someone in the government would have helped my cause. But I instead am out here with these others, simply because I know we need all the help we can get if we are to succeed in this quest."

[Arat-Falathion]

Glimdrell looked around at the company and nodded solemly. "I believe you, and I shall acompany you into whatever perill that may lay before us..." Looking over the company again, suddenly Glimdrell noticed a third elf, one he hadn't seen before, yet there were something about this elf that reminded him of something, or someone.

OOC: Sorry, have no more time to write Celebration time!

[Ms. Undomial]

ooc: BTW, Losillewen’s horse does not use the saddle or bridle.

Losillewen dismounted her horse, but did not answer Hruad, for the elf that was unconscious before was walking over. Namarie pranced a bit, unsure of the company, “Quilde Namarie,� she whispered to her horse. She looked cautiously at this elf, strange and familiar he seemed, as if she had seen him before but she couldn’t recollect precisely where, when, or how. She studied him for a bit longer. She knew she had seen this elf before, and now she wondered as to what his name was. After a few moments she slowly walked towards him, “Vendui’ Elda en’ Lorien, Lótessë inye maquet’, man ye lye essë? (Greetings elf of Lorien, may I ask, What is your name?)� she asked.

“Inye Glimdrell.(I am Glimdrell.)� He answered, eyeing her strangely.
“I Glimdrell en’ yerna(The Glimdrell of old?)?� she questioned, surprise in her voice.
“Inye intya mme nar I ve, manen? (I believe we are the same, why?)� He asked, unsure of this elf.
“Nar lye tanca? Inye Losillewen en Lothlorien, ar inye nyar’Glimdrell ve inye né telellë. Ve lúmë lendë or mme vanwa sóra en’ máca mine, inye vanwa lá cens hota lúmë, ar inye intya aiqu’inye vanwa talmas ata. (Are you certain? I am Losillewen of Lothlorien, and I knew a Glimdrell when I was an elfling. As time went on we lost track of each other, I haven’t seen him since, and I am wondering if I have found him again.)�

ooc: so sorry for my horrible quenya, it works, but is not perfect.

[Arat-Falathion]

"Losilleven! Andawë hriver ar lairëi vanwaier et nótimë, ar sÃ* vanimelda calanyén! Ciryandilva sÃ* tuliënuva ve mÃ* lumë, yetenye tulyen Lómion..."
(Losilleven! Long winters and summers are gone out of the countable, and now your beauty shine for me again! Our friendship shall blossom now like in the time, before I became a child of twilight...) Glimdrell said with a light smile on his face.

"Indeed you have grown since I last saw you!" Losilleven replied. She raised her hand and touched his cheeck and smiled. "You dissapeared so suddenly and knowone knew of it, but I believe that our past should be discussed under other sircumstances then those we are upon now." Glimdrell nodded solemly. "I agree!"

[Lief Erikson]

*Arat-Falation, your Inbox is full.*


Hruad bowed briefly to the two elves and stepped past them, walking over to Aralle. "A pleasure to meet you again," he said with a smile as she dismounted. "Would you please answer the question I asked? Why have you come and helped us as much as you have? Who sent you?"

[Silverstripe]

As Aralle dismounted, she could not help wincing a little. While riding, she had almost forgotten about her injured leg. The griffin in human form leaned against her horse for a moment, then stood up straight as she answered Hruad's questions, ignoring any pain she felt. She'd become quite good at that over the years.

"I helped you because I had learned what you are trying to do, and believe it is the right thing," said Aralle. "I was also informed that the soldiers you were with were planning to kill some of you."

Aralle already knew that Glistenfae might have exaggerated the danger, but she was glad to have the company away from the soldiers.

"As for who sent me," Aralle told Hruad, "I am simply a wanderer." That was true enough, although not a complete answer. "Now, if all of you are finally together, I suggest we keep moving."

[Sicirus]

ooc:Ok on with our quest. here is a bit of a booster. Hope you don't mind but in case you do than In will delete the post.

ic:We startet off again on our journey towards barrow Downs. We had to get the Hytorax as soon as possible before the enemy decided it would put an extra search on for it. Elise told us off for taking another pause and we all marched off on the path accompinied by the griffin. I mounted Poko my pony and buckled down my dog on the back of the pony by my side. The exited but cold grayhound licked my face and I strocked his soft red fur.
Adrien trotted next to me on Swift who was looking at the grayhound with envy for getting a ride. Assar laughed and passed me by to show he was edging for a race. I laughed and patted the pony and told it to go forword. We raced ahead of everyone and were told off by a very annoyed Elise.

[Lief Erikson]

The days slipped by, and regardless of the apparent lack of pursuit, Hruad said they should take turns keeping watch at night. No one appeared though, and their passage went on uninhibited.

"They can't have given up on us," Hruad told himself quietly one evening. "It's too important to them. They can't give up."

"Athalt wouldn't have," Elise said from behind him.

He turned around to glance at her.

"I could see it in his eyes," she said with a shrug. "He's clever and determined. That parade they held for him in Néred wasn't without reason. Somehow or other, I fear we'll encounter him again before this business is done."

"But how could he be pursuing?"

"I don't know," she answered. "I don't have the answers. I'm simply giving you my opinion that he is."

Hruad lay down and pulled his blanket over himself, soon finding sleep. Bushbark kept first watch, but his eyes saw nothing but the blackness. Nothing moved in the dark.

But someone was watching.

Athalt stepped away from the bush he'd been hiding behind and crawled back several paces before standing up and walking back to the place their horses were bound.

"They aren't stupid," he remarked. "Their ent is keeping watch."

"We never expected them to be stupid," Imarwyn said with a small smile.

"We can pass them and if we ride hard, we can reach the Barrow Downs two days ahead of them. But we'll not do that."

"Athalt Cranain?" a voice came from behind him.

His blade was at the speaker's throat in a moment.

"We meet again, in the same manner," Glimdrell said with a half smile.

"Cursed elf," Athalt said with a grin and reached out, grasping the other's hand. "What have you found?"

"They have many races forming one company," Glimdrell answered. "Races that aren't easily deceived, and which traditionally fight for the good. An old friend of mine is among them. They spoke to me, and I will have to leave your side."

"They have a sorceress among them," Athalt told him, his voice wary. "Her magic could lower your resistance to convince you."

"I am an elf," he answered. "I can sense their magic, and I am strong enough to resist. No, they never attempted anything like that."

"How am I to know that?"

"They are a strong willed and good company. Their whole company would have had to be deceived to get these specific people there. The sister of Frodo Baggins is among them, along with others who were on their way to Gondor. I strongly believe that no magic has been used upon any of them. The two politicians among them, Brilindil and Hruad, have both left successful careers to accomplish something neither of them has many natural abilities in favor of. Most of the others have some skill in arms, but those two would have been far more useful in Néred."

"We don't know what is going on behind the scenes, there."

"They have given me the political situation and it sounds realistic. Vahatres has been acting to seize more power for himself in the country, to deprive the regions of their rights. These things are in keeping with what little I heard while I was in Néred, and they aren't in keeping with what a good king would be doing."

Athalt scowled. "The dissatisfaction of the people is the very reason why a revolt now sounds so possible."

Glimdrell shook his head. "You are blinding yourself because you refuse to take any action but what your government dictates. You want to retain your post and honor among the guard, but in so doing you join the side of evil."

Athalt's face darkened still more.

"What strong reason have we to believe you in this?" Imarwyn asked. "What reason do they claim this sorcerer has for taking the Hytorax in the first place?"

"They don't know. All they know is his presence there-"

"Which shows that they could be just as easily being manipulated."

"Imarwyn," Athalt interupted. "If a sorcerer is in control of King Vahatres, then it is up to us to stop him. Regardless of the reasons for his control."

"Who they are, their reasons for going, the lack of a detectable spell or reason for a spell, the political situation in Néred, everything that I see confirms what I am hearing. Please help us and don't hinder us, or at least watch and wait."

Athalt turned back to Glimdrell and stared at him for a long moment. "I will think about it."

Glimdrell nodded and turned back into the night.





The company moved on at a swift pace, and the remaining days passed uneventfully. Finally, ahead of them dark rocks loomed into the sky. The sky was clouded and the land misty. The grass that covered these slopes and valleys was green and lush, and no bird sung in the sky.

Quiet filled the air, and they slowed their pace to a halt, staring out tensely into the Barrow Downs.

[Adrian Baggins]

ic:"Swift, Swift where are you?" I whisper, moving through the trees. I see him, running ahead, I follow, shifting into wizard form, grabbing for my staff.

I hear a voice, almost singing, calling me, "Adrian, Adrian. Come with us Adrian, you could see your brother again."

I stop, standing still, I am knocked out and the last thing I see is a light, growing brighter at first, then darker and far away.

ooc: okay, Swift comes back to camp and leads the group to me, I am still unconcious.

[Sicirus]

ooc: Er... how do you shift into wizard form Adrian?

ic: I sat by the fire petting the lazy tired out greyhound by my side. The greyhound gave a big yawn and fell to sleep twiching as he dreamed of chasing a rabbit in a meadow of lush (grey in his case) grass.
I smilled and looked around to see if Swift was dreaming too but only saw a horse without an owner and a hobbit who was missing. I gave a small cry of alarm and searched around the camp for the crafty hobbit but did not find her nor the wolf. I grabbed Assar and (I forgot my dogs name so I will just call him Sandyman) Sandyman and led them to the edge of the Barrow downs.
"DO you think she went off by herself? "I asked before assar could ask why I brought him over here.
"Don't know." She said shacking himself back awake.
Before we could utter another word a lardge figure came bounding across the fields its ears back and eyes wild with fear.
"Its Swift." I cried with joy and ran over to the galloping wolf. I hugged him then saw that he came not for a long stay but a warning. I nodded then ran to get Poko and set of with following the wolf to were it wanted me to go.
We arrived in a foresty bit of land and I found Adrian unconcious on the ground hardly breathing. I grabbed her and pushed her onto the pony who shifetd alittle.
A growl started up from behind me and I was surprised to find Sandyman crouched down with his teeth visible and his fur sticking up along the ridge of his back. he lifted one paw and sniffed the air. he gave another growl then bounded in front of me and stayed there. Swift smelled the air then joined him.
Some thing was moving in the depths of the forest that I wanted to get away from as soon as possible. I jum,ped onto Poko's back and tried to make him move but from fear he refused.
In the distance moans could be heard and cold sweat purred down my back and forehead. I heard of the legends of the Barrow Downs and did not believe them. But could they be true?

[Adrian Baggins]

ooc:It's weird charms on a neclace. I'm grounded off net for 2 weeks, sneaking these posts. g2g.

[Tessar]

Excuse me... Elise's magic tricks?...

Erm could you please edit that?

[Lief Erikson]

* Yes, it probably would be a good idea for you to edit that thing about the magic tricks, Sicirus.


Adrian, I don't know if you read it, but I had some problems with your shape shifting ability as well, and I brought those up in the discussion area. I'll talk to you about it over PM.*


I see two figures standing before me. I felt the presence of their warm flesh the moment they entered my domain, and was drawn to them. Naturally, they already fall under our sway. There is some chance that their comrades rescue them, but we have always been skilled at leading people onto false trails.

I move closer to the hobbit that is awake, a black shadow that is now vaguely visible to her sight. Only vaguely, but it is still enough to inspire the necessary terror.

The hobbit's mount bolts in terror, its rider still clinging to its back. They run half a mile, not directly toward us, but we are patient.

"Gil-Thalion? Gil, where are you!" Assar cries, and I deflect his voice.

It sounds now as if it came from the right direction, and the hobbit is already disorientated. In day we cloak our victims with mist, but right now we have night as our ally. No one in their right mind enters the Barrow Downs at night, for the legend of Tyrn Gorthad lives on still, and the knowledge of our presence has not faded completely from the minds of our inhabitants.

One of our enemies has powerful magic; I can hear her singing, tearing away the darkness. Gil-Thalion's certainty wavers and she wonders if our trail is the right one.

We attempt to cloak that enemy's song, to cover the small creature's ears. But the power of her magic is too strong for us at this moment, and our opponents gain certainty as they follow in Gil's direction.

We withdraw, leaving our blades within their scabbards, still sheathed. We have one of them, anyway. The hobbit that plunged into our land alone first we still have, and another of my kind is bringing her now into the mounds. She will be gained by us.

We watch in the distance, from the shadows as Gil-Thalion enters the light of Elise's staff and is accepted back into their company in their embraces.

We are strong, more strong than they can imagine. We watch the members of their company curiously, recognizing some of them. The tree and rock creatures we recognize, as well as the female magical being.

While with them, it will prove difficult to reach the other members of their company. The elf we can deceive, given time and effort. But this could prove a difficult problem.

They obviously have come here for some purpose; they aren't just passing through. If they were passing, we would let them all go. But these interlopers have come to disturb our burial sights, to take what is ours.

The magical woman was capable of breaking into our top mounds without support, but she never attempted to crack the deeps of our realm. If she had penetrated our realm of darkness alone, we would have crushed her. We are strong there. The dead dwell with us.

[Sicirus]

ooc: Sorry bout that stupid post. I have edited that part out and give my appoligies.

ic: I arrived at camp led by the light of Elise's staff. The light was like a heavens welcome to safty. I rushed in and ran right to the side of the sorcerer.
" You have our lost memeber?" she asked
"No." I replied gesturing towards ponies.
"Something was out there. It was chasing us." I said with a shiver.
"It was like it wanted something that only I could lead it too. But it could not enter our camp." I looked around the camp but only found a company of brave but tired warriors of all sorts.

[Lief Erikson]

*Sicirus, I'm really sorry to have to make you edit one of your posts again, but I wrote in my last post that they had taken Adrian. It's logical that you didn't notice that though, because I didn't mention Adrian by name. The Barrow Wights don't know it.

But don't call your other post stupid. It's a good post, it's just not in Elise's character to do magic tricks for people. She's not as 'user-friendly' as Gandalf was .*

[Arat-Falathion]

"We must stay together!" Glimdrell said quietly, the air swallowed his words, nearly muting them, but the company could still hear what he said. "I sence great evil and magic here, may the name of Elbereth be laid upon Adrians shoulders, and rescue him from the terror he's now confronting."

Glimdrell walked to the front of the company where Elise and Gil-Thalion was standing. "The legends of this place is true indeed! Ever did I pray never to see such a land as this... it weightens my heart with sorrow..."
Looking into the haze before them he stood still and stared. "So, does anyone have any good ideas of how to get him back?" He turned suddenly at the company. "My vote goes for awaiting the dawn..."

[Tessar]

*it's\a\she*

"My heart warns me against any waiting, but I fear they have her." Elise said tiredly and leaned on her staff, watching the mist.

"I dare not go in the darkness." Elise said finally, shaking her head sadly, "It simply cannot be risked untill morning."