Lost

[Alytys Lamar]

CLOSED

Damn, damn...

she tried to keep at bay, removing the armor carefully, cursing.
Two minor scratches, but the one at her shoulder was a deep cut from an orcish brute axe.
She tried with her teeth to shred her own shirt to pieces, to stop the heavy bleeding.
Pressing it as good as she could against the wound.
Her mind drifted slowly away, so she did bite herself in her hand.
For a moment it did help and maybe the bleeding was also slowing down.

She didn't even know what this place was...

All started with the digging party from Runewick.
Gems were promised for it and well she wanted to do it for the old Man.
As she did notice the puff of dust, she knew her shovel had hit something strange. She wasn't sure but it did look like a cracked stone casket.
Then a sweet scent filled the air and soon after Eli started to act strange.
Jakob did yell something like *I will pick up my armoury* and did run back to Runewick.
Kyre assumed trickery, but she was tensed like a bowstring. Something was wrong..
The Mist did rise from the pit and the air began to feel heavy as it drifted over the swamp.
She did watch it closely as it starts to transform into a beautiful blue color. Jakob was like paralyzed , Kyre did fall for this blue as well, started to walk like in trance.
She didn't understand ... it was... mist !, yeah a blue one, but still mist.
Jakob came back to himself very fast and the guy called Mick did tipp on Kyre.Her breething becomes troubled, she was gasping for air.
The mist started to turn into a deeper metallic blue ...
It gaves her creeps to watching it,
She did start to shake Kyre to keep her wake and be herself.
Kyre could barely speak *it is taking energy...*
the mist started to swirl around the witch and Aly just made an attempt to wave it away... shouting *whatever or whoever you are... fight me !*
The energy started to burst around them, lightnings, fire, tree's burning, pure chaos...
Kyre was deadly pale, whispering some last wishes- Aly did whisper back *forgive me dear* and slapt her in her face. Eli's presence was near, but it had not a lasting effect.
They tried to get Kyre out of danger ...
Then the mist.. thickening, crackling, energy, flashes of blue light, sparking from her own armor ....

Suddenly she was on another place, along with Sammy.
First step scouting... she was careful, as she spotted the huge camp with orcs, lizards, bandits.
The crack in her back did warn her, but the axe from the orc had already hit in her shoulder.
She managed to fight three or four off along with the huge Orc, but she also felt she had to move - fast. Some Archers already did shoot at her.
So she ran - one thing she didn't like, but no other option was left.

Sammy wasn't there either, she just hoped he had made it back to safety.

And now ... she was alone at a god forsaken place. She wasn't even sure if her friends could find her and in time.
As the loss of blood started to take its toll, faces appeared before her face

Kyre, her witch friend she cared deeply for
Eli, the old man and the special bond they shared
Kraex, the proud orc warrior
Drathe and his roguish charming smile
Velin the dark elf with his emerald eyes and...

Bidukan ? ... she tried to shake her head, this was a annoying guy. But he was there.
His blue eyes watching her like he would tell her something, almost like a plea to stay alive.

She was so tired... so damn tired

[HaselNuss]

(( english below ))

Der Mondschein fiel hell in die Fenster seines Zimmers. Schweigend saß der Blondschopf am Tisch, zerbrochene Phiolen lagen verteilt vor ihm. Das Licht brachte sie zum leuchten, funkelnd durchbrachen sie jede dunkle Ecke im Zimmer. Die Miene des jungen Mannes war verfinstert, trübselig, gefasst.

Mittlerweile ist schon ein weiterer Tag verstrichen, doch immer noch nicht erkannte er einen Hinweis. Elemente - sie verzierten anscheinend die Phiolen, zumindest deren Abbild. Einige Edelsteinstaubreste klebten an ihnen. Doch er wusste nicht weiter. Ein jedes Element war vertreten. Feuer - rot vor Wut, Wasser - blau und gutgläubig, Geist - strahlend wie die Erkenntnis, Erde - grün wie die Natur selbst, Wind - stürmisch und beruhigend.
Was sollte es bedeuten?

Er streifte sich durch das blonde Haar, die Strähne störte heute weniger, es ging um das Geheimnis. Der frische Schneidermeister kam vom Grübeln ab, wieder ging er den Tag durch, versuchte sich an jedes Detail zu erinnern...

„Wie ist es dir ergangen in letzter Zeit, mein Freund?“ rief ihm der alte Mann zu. Der Schweiß stand ihm im Gesicht, es war keine Arbeit für den alten Mann, doch auch er wollte die Arbeit am großen Kessel unterstützen.

„Gut, ich hatte endlich Zeit für mich, die großen Aufträge haben ein Ende gefunden, vor allem der Auftr..“ er biss sich auf die Zunge. Jetzt verraten, was er so lange geheim hielt und immer in den Nächten weiter Nähte, weil er abgelenkt war darf nicht passieren. Vor allem nicht bei solch einem Auftrag!

„Nun bist du endgültig ein Bürger von Runewick!“ lachte der alte Mann.
‚Bin ich das, ja?‘ überlegte er, ist es soweit gekommen? Ein Abenteurer mit der Vergangenheit und dem Kampf gegen..
Ein Ruf unterbrach die Gedanken. Aly schien etwas gefunden zu haben. Aly - ja Aly. Er mochte sie, nicht weil sie unfreundlich war und für ihn wie ein Zauberexperiment aussah, welches sogar geling, nein es war die ehrliche Art. Aly sagt was sie denkt, ohne Umschweife - und wenn er in ihren Augen nur der Blondie ist, er störte sich nicht daran, vor allem nicht von einer Blondine.

Es knackte leicht, als sie nochmal in die Erde stach. Irgendwas hat sie getroffen! Und ehe sich alle versammeln konnten ging es schon los, ein Nebel breitete sich aus, dichter Nebel. Er schien die Zauberer zu attackieren, das war sein Zeichen. Er rannte zurück in die Stadt um sich zu wappnen, irgend etwas wird passieren und davor will er zur Not geschützt sein!

Als er auf das Feld zurück rannte, erkannte er kaum noch etwas, doch der Nebel zog ihn in den Bann. Er war die ganze Zeit bei klarem Verstand aber da war etwas, was ihn faszinierte. Wenn er so drüber nachdenkt fällt ihm immer nur diese blaue Farbe ein, ein blau welches er noch nie gesehen hat. Blau metallisch und glänzend.

Doch dieser Nebel war nicht nur schön, er war erzürnt wie es schien, er griff zunächst den alten Mann an, dann die schlanke Elfin. Auch Aly versuchte er zu greifen, doch sie widerstand ihm, kämpfte mit ihrem Schild und dann war es geschehen, sie war weg!

„Oder kamen erst die Blitze?“ er kratzte sich wild am Kopf.
„Bei diesem Geglitzer kann man einfach nicht nachdenken!" Dieser Haufen von Zwergenstuhl machte ihn wütend, ungewohnt wütend. Ein so ruhiger Arbeiter mit vielen Ideen, wurde eingeengt.
„Wo ist sie verdammt?! Elftes Jahr! Ja was ist denn im elften Jahr passiert?! Feuer, Erde, Wasser, Geist... Luft! Ja ihr fünf, sagt es mir!“
Er schmiss in der Wut einige Pergamente vom Tisch, viele beschrieben und bemalt, Notizen seiner Forschung.
„Und wieso interessiert sich niemand für den Fall?!“
Er fing an einige Stadtbewohner nach zu äffen
„Oh ich bin Caswir, schaut auf meine Axt.. Aly ist verschwunden, aber die Axt habe ich dafür gefunden!“
„Oh ich bin Sammy, ich mache lieber unlustige Späße mit neuen Bewohnern. Konzentriere dein Wissen lieber auf was sinnvolles!“

Wütend schlug er gegen die Wand bis er erschöpft auf den Boden sackt und im Schatten des Schrankes sitzt..
„Das wird heute nichts mehr...“

---

The moonlight fell brightly into the windows of his room. In silence, the fair head sat at the table, broken vials lay scattered in front of him. The light made them shine, sparkling they broke through every dark corner of the room. The young man's face was darkened, gloomy, shows an unfazed expression.

Meanwhile, another day has passed, but he still did not recognize a clue. Elements - they apparently decorated the vials, at least their image. Some gemstone dust residues stuck to them. But he didn't know what to do. Each element was represented. Fire - red with rage, water - blue and gullible, spirit - radiant like knowledge, earth - green like nature itself, wind - stormy and calming. What was it supposed to mean?

He stroke his blond hair, the strand didn't bother much today, it was about the secret. The fresh master tailor came away from the brooding, again he went through the day, tried to remember every detail. . .

"How have you been lately, my friend?" the old man called out to him. The sweat stood in his face, it was not work for the old man, but he also wanted to support the work on the big kettle.

"Well, I finally had time for myself, the big orders have come to an end, especially the..." he bit his tongue. Now reveal what he kept secret for so long and always continued sewing during the nights, because he was distracted must not happen. Especially not on such an assignment!

"Now you are definitely a citizen of Runewick!" the old man laughed.
"Am I? Yes?" he thought, has it come to this? An adventurer with the past and the fight against. .
A call interrupted the thoughts. Aly seemed to have found something. Aly - yes Aly. He liked her, not because she was unkind and looked to him like a magic experiment, which even succeeded, no, it was the honest way. Aly said what she thinks, straightforwardly - and if he's just the blondie in her eyes, he didn't mind, especially not by a blonde.

It cracked low when she stabbed the ground again. She had hit something! And before everyone could gather, it started already, a fog spread, dense fog. He seemed to be attacking the magicians, that was his sign. He ran back to the city to arm himself, something will happen and he wanted to be protected just in case!

When he ran back to the field, he hardly recognized anything, but the fog cast a spell on him. He was directly in his mind the whole time, but there was something that fascinated him. When he thought about it like that, all he can think of is this blue color, a blue one he's never seen before. Blue metallic and shiny.

But this fog was not only beautiful, it was enraged as it seemed, it first attacked the old man, then the slender elfess. He also tried to grab Aly, but she resisted him, fought with her shield, and then it happened, she was gone!

"Or did the lightning come first?" he scratched his head wildly. "You just can't think about this glitter! This bunch of dwarfenshit made him angry, unusually angry. Such a quiet worker with many ideas, was constricted.
"Where is she damned?! Eleventh year! Yes, what happened in the eleventh year?! Fire, earth, water, spirit. . . air! Yes, you five, tell me!"
He cast out in anger some parchments from the table, many described and painted, notes of his research.
“And why doesn’t anyone care about the case?”
He started to ape some city dwellers after
“Oh I’m Caswir, look at my axe. . Aly is gone, but I found the axe for it!”
“Oh, I’m Sammy, I’d rather make fun of new residents. Better focus your knowledge on what makes sense!”

Angry he hit the wall until he sink on the floor exhausted and sat in the shade of the cupboard. .
“Nothing will come out of it today... ”

[Kyre]

In the dead of night as the candle flickers at the bar while trying to get her thoughts straight, Kyre writes a parchment to someone she knew on the island but thinks now should be told about Aly..


Dear Drathe,

I want to inform you the picnic planned may need to be postponed. Aly is missing and I am not even sure where to look. We have mapped out some places and have two towns searching. All that can be done.. will be. Sorry for this bad news!

The Witch




Sighing, she sends a raven with the parchment not even sure he would be found for it to be delivered.

[Katharina Brightrim]

They had looked around the old Cadomyrian harbor and the Orc-clan in the northeast of the Kantabi desert. Without success. Katharina sat at her desk and frowned. Without further information from Runewick, she could have as well looked for a certain pebble in the sands of the desert. It was frustrating to be unable to do something and she did not like the odds of finding a single person in these lands. If she was in these lands, that was. Deanna had said something about a long-range teleportation project Runewick worked on all those years ago.

There was one lead, however, which she thought about and she stood to go to Runewick and share her idea with them.

[nathi]

The first light of the morning sun falls through a window on a dusty stack of books behind which a tired elfess sits looking at the wall lost in thought.

What had happened at the Shadow Gate? The group digging clay there had come across a stone coffin which was obviously damaged and it seems a magical fog appeared. Shards of phiols were found. On several of them the number 11 was noted, others show traces of gem dust. In addition, magic glyph shards were found, which were decorated with merinium. The coffin is said to have carried the crest of Runewick.

Humans tend to evaluate reports of this kind emotionally, so Deanna tried to put these individual statements into an understandable context. However, her thoughts were distracted by the statement that the human Alytys Lamar disappeared without a trace in the mentioned fog.
It is clear to her that the search for the missing Alytys have the highest priority. There is said to have been a spontaneous but aimless first search, which did not yield any information. The little information available so far had to be investigated as quickly as possible.

Eli suspects the number 11 to be a year. All historical records in Runewick's library were noted with reference to the year of Kharud's fall. For many hours Deanna had been searching again and again for clues to this one year which was obviously not mentioned in any of the history books. In a first search she discovered a note of a war between Runewick and Cadomyr, which must have taken place from about year 10. During this war the mages of Runewick are said to have destroyed the port of Cadomyr by a powerful magic ritual. However, she found no indication of the location of this ritual.

Numila, however, told her an interesting story about the Shadow Gate. In this area of Runewick, once called the Happy Glade, alchemists once made attempts on Oldra's tower, of which only a ruin remains today. Later this area was used by mages as a testing ground for magical experiments and rituals. Among other things, an attempt is said to have been made here to build a powerful magical portal to distant lands. The experiment failed. Was the ritual for the destruction of the Cadomyer harbour also performed here? What else happened here, where did this coffin come from? After a thorough examination of all historical writings she comes to the conclusion that a secret is kept about this place.

[Alytys Lamar]

Passing in, passing out ...
her lips are dry and brash
time had lost sort of importance.

She heard the bandits searching for her, so she didn't even allow herself to use the last torch she had. It was a problem.
How could her friends find her in the darkness ? Did they even search ?
Another pressing matter was the thirst - her clouded mind did gave her a hint towards her bag... yes ! the red wine.
With her useable right hand she tried to search in her bag - and there it was, a bottle. Without a sound she managed to pull it out, her teeth sink into the cork to open the bottle.
It wasn't water,but better then nothing.
*slow* she thought *drink slowly*
The sensation of the alcoholic beverage did rush through her veins.
Her shoulder did pain as hell, pounding.
Not a good sign.

Listening into the darkness... Did they give up for now ?
Trying to relax her body a little she did lean at the palm tree behind her.
The waves did make a smooth sound if they found her way to the sandy beach.
This pretty small Island bond to the other - much bigger and swampy region, with a small bridge.
A fairly little spot - a survival point for now.

Options ?
In her state nearly none, she felt it. Cherga was waving a hand in the distance.
A bitter fate to die here - indeed.
Her rebellious mind refused to accept it as she drifted into nightmares.
Nightmares full of the betrayals and sacrifices she had to endure...
every event adding one stony wall around her heart

and again there was a low flickering light...
blue eyes pleading her to fight and stay alive.

[Kyre]

After helping make some dishes with Caswir, the witch promised to eat one when putting on her armor which she immediately proceeded to do after he left. Deanna and Jakob were studying hard. Nothing came of the runes so far that she and Eli studied but leaving them with him hoping more will come. She simply couldn't concentrate on any study with her friend missing. The first step was going back where she disappeared and using her magic in an attempt to trace anything that might indicate where her friend went. Kyre knew they were close enough maybe she could get even a hint.

Sitting above the clay pit, nothing.
Laying on the grass where the fog had been nothing.
Staring at the sea nearby nothing.


"Aly give me a sign!"


All her efforts made her feel suddenly sleepy and she lay down on the soft grass in the exact spot Aly had disappeared dreaming of getting quite drunk on a bottle of wine.

[HaselNuss]

(( english below ))

„Du bist ein störrischer Mann!“

Der alte Mann war wütend auf ihn, er achtete die letzten Tage weniger auf sich, die Augenringe wurden immer tiefer und blutunterlaufener. In den Haaren schmierte getrocknetes Blut, Lehm, Schlamm und allerlei anderer Dreck. Er hatte seine Robe abgelegt, so viel Anstand hatte er doch noch, um wenigstens sein Meisterstück nicht zu zerstören. Der Rest seiner Kleidung litt jedoch umso mehr. Es erinnert ihn an die ersten Tage und die letzten Jahre. Nie hatte er so viel Wert auf seine Kleidung gelegt, er musste nicht, er durfte nicht.

Was ist auch Kleidung? Ein Stück Stoff welches seinen Körper bedeckt.
Während er im Badehaus stand, um sich zu entkleiden wanderte seinen Blick über den mitgenommenen Oberkörper. Die Hand wanderte über einige Narben, verloren in Gedanken verschwand sein Geist immer mehr in der Vergangenheit. Ein Platschen weckte ihn und holte ihn zurück aus der Vergangenheit - ‚sie ist vorbei, wir haben wichtigeres zu tun!‘ ermahnte er sich selbst.

Als er so in der Badewanne saß und die Gedanken schwelgen ließ überlegte er nochmal.

Ein blauer Nebel erschien, ein süßer Duft begleitete diesen und dann diese Farbe! So etwas hat er noch nicht gesehen!
Es knisterte in der Luft. Der Nebel zog sich zusammen zu einem Sturm. Der alte Mann schrie auf, doch er hatte keine Gedanken an die anderen, etwas zog ihn an.

„Eli! Er ist ohnmächtig!“

Vernahm er und kam aus der Trance zurück. Kyre stand bereits neben ihm und Aly, auch die war von dem Nebel angezogen worden. ‚Was war das?‘ grübelte er, als der Nebel sich auf die Elbin stürzte!

Blitze kamen aus dem aufgeladenen Nebel. Die Luft zischte und krachte, er dachte zunächst nur an eine - sie selbst ist erschienen - doch das legte sich, als die ersten Bäume getroffen stürzten und Feuer fingen. Die Wut des Nebels brach aus und sie waren genau im Zentrum der Macht.

Sie mussten raus, weg, doch nicht ohne Kyre. Bewegungslos umklammert vom Nebel lag sie da und auch Alys Ohrfeigen brachten sie nicht zurück.
‚Was ist das? Und was will es? Und wieso nur die Magier?‘ dachte er sich.
Alys Wut kochte, er hatte sie schon oft provoziert, aber diese Farbe konnte er nie in ihr Gesicht zaubern.

Seine Gedanken wichen wieder dem Geschehnis und musste an Aly denken, währenddessen machte er sich mit einem Lappen die Arme sauber, wischte durch das Gesicht. Das klare warme Wasser, welches Rose vorbereitete färbte sich nun braun, dreckig.

Aly - sie nannte nie seinen Namen, er war immer nur Blondie. Wahrscheinlich ist einfach schlecht im Namen merken und nennt die anderen nach ihrem Aussehen. Trotz ihrer Unfreundlichkeit bestand aber Respekt, tiefer Respekt. Sie war stets hilfsbereit ihm gegenüber und unterstützte seine ersten Handwerksversuche. Auch im Kampf gegen die Drow Armee und den Akaltult selbst half sie ihm. Sie war da, wenn es sein musste, da konnte er über jede Unfreundlichkeit hinwegsehen. Die Ironie in ihren Worten brachten ihn eher zum Schmunzeln als dass er wütend war.

Wut eine Tugend der Menschen, man brauchte sie, aus Wut erschien oft etwas Neues. Das Feuer musste brennen, nur aus dem vernichtenden Sturm konnte Neues nicht wachsen.

Er schüttelte den Kopf. Die Wut über ihr verschwinden brachte nichts. Doch wie die Geschichte weiter ging konnte er nicht mehr zusammen kriegen, jemand anderes schlich sich in seine Gedanken. Wieder machte sich Wut breit, Wut, die er in Vergangenheit oft nicht bändigen konnte. Wut die ihm im Nachhinein zu oft leid tat.

„Ignoranz, Ignoranz vor Neuem und Geheimen!“

Er schlug einige Male mit den Händen auf die Wasseroberfläche und die Wanne. Das Wasser färbte sich wieder rot, schon in den letzten Tagen schlug er sich die Fäuste an seiner Wand rot. Die Wunden waren nicht verheilt, wie auch, wenn man sich nicht um sie kümmert.

„Gildenleiter, aber keine Ahnung haben, erbärmlich.“

Die Wut sprach aus ihm, am Wannenrand hatte er seine Wasserflasche, aus welcher er einen tiefen Schluck nahm, einige Male tief durchatmete, um sich wieder nach hinten zu legen.

‚Wie war das noch? Aly zog ihr Schild und dann...'

---

“You’re a stubborn man!”

The old man was angry with him, he paid less attention to himself in the last few days, his dark under-eye circles became deeper and deeper and bloodlined. Dried blood, clay, mud and all sorts of other dirt smeared in the hair. He had put off his robe, so much decency he still had, at least not to destroy his masterpiece. The rest of his clothes, however, suffered all the more. It reminds him of the first days and the last years. Never had he put so much emphasis on his clothes, he didn’t have to, he wasn’t allowed.

What's clothing? A piece of fabric that covers his body. While he was standing in the bathhouse to undress, his gaze wandered over the torso which was wrecked. The hand wandered over some scars, lost in thought his mind disappeared more and more in the past. A splash woke him up and brought him back from the past - 'It's over, we have more important things to do!' he admonished himself.

As he sat in the bathtub and let the thoughts drift, he reconsidered.

A blue mist appeared, a sweet scent accompanied it and then this color! He hasn't seen anything like it! It crackled in the air. The fog contracted into a storm. The old man cried out, but he had no thoughts about the others, something attracted him.

"Eli! He is unconscious!"

He heard the call and came back from the trance. Kyre was already standing next to him and Aly, who had also been attracted by the fog. 'What was that?' he pondered as the fog fell on the elfess!

Lightning came from the charged fog. The air hissed and crashed, at first he thought of one only - she herself appeared - but that subsided when the first trees got hit, fell and caught fire. The fury of the fog broke out and they were right in the center of this power.

They had to leave, but not without Kyre. Movelessly clutched by the fog, she lay there and Aly's slapping into her face did not bring her back.
'What is this? And what does it want? And why only the magicians?' he thought to himself.
Aly's anger boiled, he had often provoked her, but he could never conjure that color into her face.

His thoughts gave way to what happened and had to think of Aly, while he cleaned his arms with a rag, wiping through his face. The clear warm water that rose prepared now turned brown, dirty.

Aly - she never mentioned his name, he was always just blondie. Probably just badly remember in the name and named the others by their appearance. Despite her unkindness, however, there was respect, deep respect. She was always helpful to him and supported his first attempts at craftsmanship. She also helped him in the fight against the Drow army and the Akaltult itself. She was there when it had to be, so he could overlook any unkindness. The irony in her words made him smile rather than get angry.

Anger a virtue of men, one needed it, out of anger often appeared something new. The fire had to burn, but nothing new could grow out of the devastating storm.

He shook his head. The anger about her disappearing brought nothing. But as the story went on he could not get together anymore, someone else crept into his thoughts. Again anger spread, anger, which he often could not control in the past. Angriness he regret often deeply in the aftermath.

"Ignorance, ignorance of the new and the secret!"

He hit the water surface and the tub several times with his hands. The water turned red again, already in the last days he slapped his fists on his wall bloody. The wounds were not healed, how if you don't take care for them.

"Guild leader, but have no idea, miserable."

The rage spoke from him, at the edge of the tub he had his water bottle, from which he took a deep sip, breathing deeply a few times, to lie back again.

"What was that again? Aly pulled her shield and then...'

[Katharina Brightrim]

Her armor was full of clay and she held her arms as far away from her body as possible. She could feel at least one broken finger nail, as she waddled over to the river to wash her hands and her arms. The last three hours, she had dug with her hands through the pit, in which Aly had found the casket. A shovel could have potentially broken something again and the last thing any of them wanted was to be teleported as well. Oxi and Neia leaned over the shards she had dug out and tried to make sense of them. As she walked over back to them, she lowered her arms again, allowing them to touch her sides. Her shoulders burned and her right index finger lost half of its nail. She has had better moods in the past.
After standing around the pieces for a moment, they agreed on having Neia taking these stones home to research on them. Waiting again...

[nathi]

Deanna carefully climbed up the old ladder in the ruins near the Shadow Gate. From up here she had a good view over the excavation sites. Since Eli had shown her this excavation site, new excavation tracks had been added. They were apparently the result of Katharina's research, where she was able to recover some parts of the casket lid, which are being examined in Galmair by a magician named Neia.

She knew Katharina as always single-minded and determined. In this matter she seemed to want to wait for the results of the examinations, accordingly she seemed helpless to Deanna. One of her citizens had disappeared, and that on Runewick's ground of all places. Alytys wanted to help Runewick with the excavations, and was obviously a victim of a legacy left by previous generations of Runewick's mages. Deanna didn't know Alytys any better. She knew that Alytys was very close to Kyre, but was not sure how to judge this. Deanna had already learned a lot about the ambiguity in the human language, but Alyty's direct way of expressing herself seemed familiar to her in a way, but also strange.
Deanna felt the responsibility that lay upon her in this situation. She felt something like anger at Caswir for not informing her in any way shortly after the event, valuable time was wasted. She felt pity for Eli, who seemed desperate, he apparently blamed himself. And she felt that she had to help Katharina to take matters into her own hands.

Eli found runes on the side walls of the casket of which he had made a sketch. He said that it was probably a powerful porting spell, which is indicated by certain runes.
Katharina spoke of the mage Neia, who found traces of portal magic on the recovered fragments of the coffin lid.
And Numila spoke of this misguided portal ritual that once held the mages at the Shadow Gate. Where was this portal supposed to lead to, and what had gone wrong with it? Numila, too, knew no answer to this question. Why were there shards with traces of alchemical substances lying around, or did they share these magical shards. Were alchemy and artifact magic used to dampen an impending catastrophe?
Oxiana's hint that Alyty's hopefully wasn't teleported behind the Great Wall made Deanna wonder.

She turned her gaze north, along the coast of the East Land there behind lays the Shoulder Plate Isle. If they wanted to build a portal at that time, it was most likely in the direction of the Great Wall, probably far beyond it. Oxiana was right, if Alytys was teleported over that wall, she was lost. But what if the spell wasn't enough ... ?

[Alytys Lamar]

She woke up, the thirst tortured her terrible.

I need a damn plan ... she thought. I never gave in - even if it did look like there was no way to overcome it. I have to try... I have to !
Taking the bottle she let the last drop of wine roll into her mouth, just enough to let her even more dream about fresh water.

First she needed to have a look at her shoulder and with a very, very deep breath she did pull the piece of cloth away. A choked hiss about the pain broke the silence.
Tears did stream down her dirty cheeks, her lips bloody bitten.
She was really afraid to look at, but the blood started to stream out of the wound again, as if protest about the removal of the cloth.
As the pain started to fade a little she tilted her head...
It did look terrible, but not heavy inflamed yet.
But she had seen enough of wounded soldiers who did lose the life or a part of the body about a wound infection.
She wont risk both ... if she could.
With some effort she took her bag on her lap and searched for anything useful.
A bottle of Stone Face Schnapps !

Oh my... Oh gods, this will hurt !
No hesitation and the decision was made, open the bottle and pour it over the wound was one move.
Her face turned in a ghostly color, bitter acid did fill her mouth, as she gasped for air under the tormenting pain.
She needed some time to come to her clear senses again.
Then she reached for another shirt in her bag. Her left side was soaked with blood as she had torn the shirt to pieces, making sort of a bandage out of it.

Rest... Rest would've been a welcome thing.
But their was still the matter of water to solve.
It was early at the day, time to try to look around.
Well, at least she hoped she could do it with her jelly knees.
Sneaking carefully away from the spot and crossing the bridge ... no bandits so far in sight.
The feeling of nausea filled her stomach, the physical effort was hard to pull off. Her iron will let her move forward, though.

Rocks... more rocks... sand... she stopped hearing a low splashing not far away. Forward, step by step - she did see water flowing from a small rock.
Sinking on her knees she let the water fall over her head, licking her lips, still sane enough to know that too much of cold water could easily cause problems.
After a while she took with a shaking hand the empty bottle and filled it to the brink, also the small schnapps bottle.

It felt as if she needed ages to go back to her safe and hidden spot, so not one of the bandits could find her by accident.
Totally exhausted she dozed off, this time without nightmares.

Her two last thoughts were about Kyre - was she safe ?
and the blue eyed man - she rather wanted to refuse to think about.

[HolyKnight]

Oft unspoken, too much of a mage’s life is spent in a library, scouring books; tomes; and scrolls, or locked away in private research. Knowledge, hidden; secrets, elusive; a mage with any renown to his or her name must be, above all, patient. The arcane is not discovered in casted spells or memorized lectures and theorems, its true power and revelation is between the lines- suspended in gray matter. Innate details escape dulled minds, without obsession and compulsion the mage is doomed to failure or mediocrity. What then are cursed bones to offer? The burden to see and discover that which withholds, thereupon, must be the mage’s to bear.

In lieu of visceral deeds, the mage’s mind is his or her construct to engineer. Here, within, lies the mage’s adventure, a world unseen. Beneath the mortal veil our sandcastle dreams form to fit the need. Equal in pair to the complexity of our problem, a mage’s will can render his mind a prisoner. Trapped in the gray abyss, all sense of time is lost. For some, the obsession has no limits. Life with any sense of normalcy, simply, cannot resume until the truths be knownst.

Eli Travinus, after the disappearance of Aleytys Lamar, sought truth and all else be damned. A scattered puzzle, obscured arcane, and littered clues his endowment for a friend’s selfless bravery. The elder mage, without question or reservation, knew Aly was alive. Destined souls don’t simply pass from this life to the next. Their demise, if it should come to pass, would be harrowing combat- a rancorous affair. Whether she would ever admit it or not, she had a god or gods’ favor. With that, no force known or unknown would end her life source easily.

She felt her time expiring, growing short, her musings were not hidden to Eli. It takes one to know one, some might say. Since Mas, Aly was truly a kindred soul. Their lives were pieced together by destiny. To harm one was to harm the other; to turn your ire upon her receives enmity two-fold. Whomever or whatever took Aleytys Lamar would know fury like no other. The process to reach this endgame, however, would not come without expense or personal sacrifice.

The events at hand were only a matter of time, Eli Travinus- with the help of others- would piece together the clues. Aly’s friends and those with any gall at all were going to find the dark eyed beauty and courageously face what had not yet been discovered.

[Inara Valdris]

(( english below ))

Inara rannte, von der Taverne in Galmair zum Teleporter. Sie war, durcheinander. Sie hatte, Angst? Angst jemanden zu verlieren den sie mochte?
Das kannte sie noch nicht, wie so vieles.
Ihre Gedanken überschlugen sich. Sie wusste nicht genau was sie jetzt tun sollte.
Sie wusste was sie wollte aber ob das eben richtig war, ganz allein, war fraglich.
An Amelia, welche ihr erzählt hatte was passiert war, dachte sie schon gar nicht mehr. Auch nicht daran, dass Inara die arme Amelia einfach in der Taverne in Galmair hatte stehen lassen.

Sie konnte sich gar nicht richtig erinnern wie sie nach Cadomyr teleportiert und sie in dem Zimmer gelandet war mit ihren Sachen. So sehr wirbelten ihre Gedanken und Überlegungen.

Inara musste ruhiger werden. Das es sie so mitnahm, hätte sie nicht erwartet. Eigentlich hatte sie Aly grade erst kennen gelernt. Aber auch das ein oder andere aus den Geschichten ihrer Mutter gehört, zumindest konnte sie das jetzt einordnen. Sie mochte Aly, welche sich ja auch sofort ihrer angenommen hatte was eben das Training mit ihrem Bogen im Kampf anging. Vielleicht lag es zuerst daran, wessen Tochter sie war. Da war ja irgendwie bei vielen die Neugierde geweckt worden.

Inara seufzte und pustete die weiße Strähne aus ihrem Gesicht.

„Nein, nein. Denk logisch...rational...nicht kopflos!“

Sie ermahnte sich selbst. Es wäre dumm einfach loszurennen und alleine sie zu suchen. Immerhin konnte Aly überall sein und nüchtern betrachtet, wäre das für Inara viel zu gefährlich.

„Dem Suchtrupp anschliessen. Nicht alleine was dummes tun.“

Sie sah sich kurz um und ihr Blick fiel auf das Papier und die Feder. Es wurde ohnehin Zeit und vielleicht.....
Inara verfasste eiligst einen Brief und sie hoffte er würde sein Ziel auch schnell erreichen. Sie war sich fast sicher, das ihre Mutter dann so oder so hier auftauchen würde und jene kannte ja mittel und Wege das... recht schnell umzusetzen....

------------

Inara started to run, from the tavern in Galmair to the teleporter. She was, puzzled. Was she in fear? Inn fear to lose someone she liked?
It was a unknown feeling for her, as so much other things.
Her thoughts started to race. What to do know , she wasn't sure about.
She knew what she wanted to do, but it was questionable if it was the right thing to do now.
She even forgot Amelia who told her about the event. She thought not even about that she let stood the poor Amelia in the tavern - just run away.

Her memory was pretty clouded how she reached her room in Cadomyr, all was a twirling blurry mess in her thoughts.

She needed to calm down. It had touched her so deeply, something she didn't expect. She didn't know Aly very long. But her Mother had told her some stories, which know seem to fit. She liked Aly, she was supportive and helpful to get her Bow skills trained. Maybe about the knowledge about her Mother. It had caused by a lot of people a curiosity.

Inara sighed and blow her white strand of hair out of her face.

"No, no. Think logical .. rational.. not headless!"

She did scold herself. It would be dumb just to run and search for her alone.. Aly could be everywhere - and as a matter-of-fact - far to dangerous for Inara.

"Joining the search party. Not alone doing something foolish"

She did look around and her gaze felt upon the parchments and feather. It was anyway about time and maybe ...
Inara did write in a hurry a message und hoped it would reach his mark very fast. She was even pretty sure her Mother would be come to Illarion, she did know ways and means .. and how about to relocate them ....

[Amelia Rotholz]

((English version below))

Amelia wälzt sich im Bett umher. An Schlaf ist nicht zu denken. In Gedanken geht sie die Geschehnisse des Tages noch einmal durch.
War es ein Fehler gewesen, Inara von Alytys‘ Verschwinden zu erzählen? Inara hatte sie in der Taverne einfach stehen lassen und war davongelaufen. Sicher, als sie sie in Cadomyr später traf, wirkte sie wieder gefasster. Dennoch hatte Amelia das dumpfe Gefühl, ihre Freundin könnte etwas Dummes tun. Verdammt, sie hätte ja am Liebsten selbst etwas Dummes getan!
Es hatte an ihr genagt, dazu verdammt zu sein, nichts zu tun, während jene, die das Sagen hatten, nicht mehr tun konnten, als zu diskutieren. So auch an diesem Abend. Wie so oft hatte sie nur dagesessen und zugehört, wie Jacob, Bidukan und Fergro darüber sprachen, dass es noch immer keinen Hinweis gab. In ihr war in den letzten Tagen eine Idee gereift, doch sie erschien ihr zu abwegig, sie überhaupt zu erwähnen. Wer war sie denn schon? Was konnte ihr einfallen, was die anderen nicht längst erwogen hatten? Gedankenverloren hatte sie ins Feuer gestarrt und zu spät bemerkt, dass sie eben diese laut ausgesprochen hatte:
„Warum nicht die Umstände nachstellen und so versuchen, Aly zu folgen?“
Die Männer stimmten der Idee zu, was sie dazu ermutigt hatte, sie dem Treffen der Repräsentanten der Reiche zu unterbreiten und so war sie Ihnen nach Runewick gefolgt.

Doch auch hier: Diskussionen. Nichts als Diskussionen, da es an allen Enden an Informationen fehlte. Dennoch hatte man ihr zumindest zugehört. Sie hatten ja Recht, den Vorschlag zu verwerfen. Es war zu gefährlich, zu ungewiss, wie es ausgehen könnte und das Risiko, noch mehr Leute zu verlieren, war einfach zu groß.
Während die anderen einen neuen Ansatz bezüglich eines missglückten alten Rituals diskutierten, hatte sie wieder nur still zu gehört. Wut war langsam in ihr aufgestiegen, jene hilflose Wut die einen überkommt, wenn man sich hilflos fühlt.
Sie erinnert sich nicht mehr an alle Einzelheiten, aber sehr wohl daran, wie sie die Beherrschung verloren hatte – und sie alle anschrie…

„Ach, kommt schon! Warum fragt ihr den Erzmagier nicht nach dem verdammten Ritual!“

So aus der Haut zu fahren, sah ihr überhaupt nicht ähnlich. Doch es verfehlte nicht seine Wirkung.
Die Zeit des Wartens schien endlos, doch sie war es wert. Mit den Informationen, die Deanna vom Erzmagier erhalten hatte, war es endlich gelungen, zumindest einen Plan zu erarbeiten.

Dennoch, Bidukan hatte sehr deutlich darauf bestanden, dass sie selbst sich nicht an der Suche beteiligen würde. Er war überzeugt, es wäre zu gefährlich, und hatte ihr das Versprechen abgerungen, in der Sicherheit der Stadt zu bleiben, bis die Sache aufgeklärt war. Vermutlich hatte er Recht. Im schlimmsten Fall würde sie noch selbst verloren gehen und damit wäre niemandem geholfen.
„Zhambra, wache über Aly! Und beschütze alle, auf der Suche nach ihr!“, betet sie, bevor der lange Tag endgültig seinen Tribut fordert.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Amelia keeps tossing and turning in her bed. Sleep is unthinkable to reach. She tries to remember all that happened today.

Was it a mistake to tell Inara about Aly's missing? Inara just let her stood in the tavern and did run away. Sure, later on, in Cadomyr, as she met her again, she appeared to be much more calm. However, Amelia had the uncomfortable feeling her friend could do something stupid. Damnit, she wanted to do something stupid herself!

It had heavily nag on her to be condemned to idleness, whilst the people who were in charge couldn't do anything more than discuss. Just as it happened this evening as well. She just sat there and listening, as mostly, as Jacob, Bidukan and Fergro spoke about that there was still no clue. She had pondered a lot and got a vague idea, but it seemed to absurd to even talk about. Who was she to do so anyways? What could she bring up that others didn’t already take in consideration?
Lost within her thoughts, she did stare into the flames and realized to late she had spoken out loud:

"Why not recreate the circumstances and try to follow Aly?"

The men agreed to the idea what encouraged her to represented it to the leaders of the realms and so she followed them up to Runewick. But here again the same: discussions, only discussions, because of the lack of information. Still they did at least listen to her proposal. They were right to neglect it, though, It was to dangerous, to much uncertainty about the outcome, and the risk to lose even more people far too high.

She did still just listen again, as they started to discuss a new approach, fundament was a failed ancient ritual. There was a slow mounting anger in her, the sort of impotent rage you get if you are feeling helpless. She can't remember all the details, but she clearly remembers how she ran out of patience, losing her temper - and yelled at all of them...

"Oh, Come on! Why don’t you just ask the Archmage about the damn ritual?!"

To fly out of the handle like that, wasn't really her. But it made an impact. The time of waiting seems to be endlessly, but it was worth it. With the information which Deanna got from the Archmage they were finally able to work out a plan, at least.

However, Bidukan did heavily insisted, she must not be part of the the search party. He was certain it would be by far to dangerous for her and therefore, he took her promise to stay in the safety of the town, 'til the matter was solved. He was probably right. In a worst-case scenario, she could get lost as well and that wouldn't be of use for anyone.

"Zhambra, please keep watch over Aly! And protect all who are searching for her!" so she prays, before the long day takes its toll.

[Alytys Lamar]

Aly wasn't aware how many days she was aready lost, playing hide and seek with the bandits.
Sometimes she did sneak to the water source, but it grows with every attempt harder. She knew the time did run out slowly, her destiny faded out of her hands.

Fever rushed through her veins, and the bit of fruits she was able to grab, didn't help much against the burning hunger in her stomach.
With the fever the nighmares did come back, sometimes so violent and dark - she felt death breathing upon her neck.

Memories- sharp - like shards of glass

Negros, burning his sign into her forearm with a branding iron, like she would've been a slave. Her father standing there and watch, selling his own daughter and heir out for money.
The tiny tower room, without a window, they held her caged like a animal for month.

Fleeing with the help of her beloved nurse and some squires -
the knight which did behead her nurse ... her heart breaking, lifeless eyes staring on her.

But the worst yet was seeing Edward again, using a poisoned sword to kill her - smirk and mock her.
After all the times they loved each other, the engagement, the dress, the song- he was the one she opened herself fully, for a love she thought it could last, trusted him -
and then he turned on her because of another woman.
Most of times the green emerald eyes turn into blue ones...
Again and again she felt the blade cut into her flesh, the poison claiming her, painfully, lost.

Lost --- like she was now. Last time someone could safe her just in time and brought her back to Varshikar.

and this time ?

[nathi]

After talking to Eli she went to the library, where the old Tol Vanima, with which they once sailed from Gobaith, lay moored at the jetty. She herself had once managed the repair of this ship, which lay unused for a long time on Tol Vanima at the northern landing stage. Saril had been in charge of the crossing. Now the Tol Vanima is supposed to leave again, maybe the missing human is supposed to be searched for on one of the inaccessible islands, although the Archmage said that the search for her should be done mainly in the nearer surroundings of the peninsula.

As so often, these details were not noticed. Instead of following simple and logical paths, the only solution for the mages was only magic, because Alytys Lamar had disappeared through a magical portal. The presence of magic was now taking on an unpleasant power not only in Runewick, which her had grown weary of it.

The rest of the people were not satisfied until they received confirmation of the portal ritual at the Shadowgate from the Archmage. Elvaine mentioned some more details, but in principle, it was already known that Alytys had fallen victim to portal magic.

Instead of finally starting the search in the nearer surroundings, they parted again. Later they explored the distant islands in the north, again one of the measures that did not seem logical to Deanna, this exploration also remained unsuccessful.

The gods granted her mercy only slowly, which is why she herself could only undertake explorations in groups that were able to defend themselves. Maybe she could convince Katharina and a few others who were pragmatic thinking to finally start with the systematic search starting from the south.

She looked around on the Tol Vanima and thought: "If this search is unsuccessful, we will have this old lady seaworthy again by then". She went to the workshops to give instructions to the carpenters.

[Kyre]

No answer is forthcoming in the long searches done, though I sent my rats and ravens here and there on the hunt. Caswir and I talked of what the Archmage told Deanna about his vision of an island... somewhat close. We mainly searched the islands known but I wonder if it is an island unknown?
I'm not sure how many more days I'll be able to use my voice to call since it has become very hoarse with shouting. Eli does it best checking with his wand, I may have to whisper to mine but can also send my rats to help search. Rats are good sneaking aboard pirate ships. I hope Aly isn't too hungry but I'll forgive her for eating one of my messengers if she can't send it back.

[Inara Valdris]

(( english below ))

Der Falke, dem Inara das Schreiben anvertraut hatte, fand wie immer schnell und sicher sein Ziel. Er kannte sein es nur zu genau, sein zu Hause und das zu Hause Inaras und ihrer Eltern.

So war es auch ein stattlich Aussehender Elf mit weißem kurzem Haar, der den Falken von seiner Last befreite und gleich auch frisches Fleisch als Belohnung für ihn parat hatte.

Jeruno: „Gut gemacht Ikon.“

Jeruno faltete den Brief auseinander und begann zu lesen. Zunächst wirkte er mehr als erfreut, dann jedoch waren da ein tiefes Durchatmen und ein sorgenvolles Gesicht.
Der Brief seiner Tochter galt zwar auch ihm aber grade wohl eher Inaras Mutter und so betrat er ein anderes Zimmer, wo eine Frau mit langen dunkelblonden Haaren, und vermehrten dunkleren fast schwarzen Strähnen, in einem Bett lag. Ihr rechtes Bein war fixiert und mit Tüchern umwickelt. Schweiß perlte auf ihrem Gesicht und die Stirn lag leicht in Falten.

Lacy öffnete die Augen als Jeruno eintrat. Sie lächelte leicht und wollte sich etwas aufrichten aber verzog direkt das Gesicht, als sie damit das rechte Bein bewegte.

Jeruno sah sie nur tadelnd an aber sagte nichts dazu. Er hob nur die Hand mit dem Brief.

Jeruno: „Ein Brief von Inara und der ist wohl etwas spezieller an dich gerichtet.“

Lacy war natürlich zunächst erfreut darüber von ihrer Kleinen etwas zu hören, aber Jerunos ernster Gesichtsausdruck ließ sie die Stirn runzeln.

Lacy: „Gut dann...hilf mir mich soweit...hinzusetzen. Denn aufstehen lassen wirst du mich ja kaum.“

Jeruno schmunzelte kurz aber half seiner Gefährtin und sorgte dafür, dass es bequem war. Er sah, wie sie tiefer durchatmete, was bei ihrer Verletzung kein Wunder war.
Lacy nahm den Brief entgegen und begann zu lesen. Es dauerte auch nicht lange, bis sich ihr Blick verfinsterte. Wenn Jeruno nicht gewesen wäre, hätte sie sicherlich direkt versucht aufzustehen, aber sein strenger Blick ließ sie wohl ruhig bleiben, halbwegs.

Jeruno: „Ich kenne deinen Gedankengang gerade und ich sage dir, nein, das wirst du nicht tun Lacy. Du bist so niemandem eine Hilfe.“

Jeruno hob beschwichtigend die Hände. Als er eben diesen feurigen Blick seiner Gefährtin auf sich spürte.

Jeruno: „Ich weiß, dass du eine ausgezeichnete Kriegerin bist. Aber mit einem fast zerschmetterten Bein kommst auch du nicht weit, bei aller Willenskraft nicht.“

Lacy schloss die Augen und man sah ihr die Wut und diesen Unwillen, ihm recht zu geben, deutlich an. Aber, sie tat es.

Lacy: „Dann...bring mir..etwas zu schreiben damit...Inara weiß das ich nicht kommen kann..“

Jeruno nickte und verließ das Zimmer, nur um ihr eine Unterlage und Pergament und Feder zu bringen. Dann ließ er sie allein mit ihren Gedanken.

Lacy nickte ihm zu und strich sich dann die Haare erst mal zurück hinter die leicht spitzen Ohren.
Das war grade alles andere als leicht. Sie würde am liebsten alles stehen und liegen lassen, zum einen um zu verhindern, dass ihre Tochter was Dummes tat und zum anderen um selbst zu helfen, Aly zu finden. Für sie war es doch schon ein Wunder, dass doch einige die Zerstörung Gobaiths überlebt hatten und nun das...
Wäre nicht ihr Bein, nichts würde sie abhalten nach Cadomyr zu reisen. Sie hatte genug Gefallen die sie einlösen konnte, um wirklich mit einem Wimpernschlag dort zu sein. Aber Jeruno hatte Recht, sie war so keine Hilfe.
Alytys Lamar....da kamen so viele Erinnerungen an Varshikar hoch. Schon nach dem letzten Brief Inaras, wo ihre Tochter von den alten Freunden berichtet hatte, welche sie getroffen hatte. Aber Aly war eben am...prägnantesten. Seite an Seite zu kämpfen oder auch im Training gegeneinander, da lernte man sich kennen wie sonst nirgendwo. Respekt und Freundschaft, Kameradschaft. Lacy schloss die Augen für einen Moment, atmete tiefer durch um dann die Zeilen an ihre Tochter zu verfassen.


„Meine Kleine,

Es freut mich zum einen natürlich zu lesen wie gut du dich dort eingewöhnst und Freunde findest. Aber ich gestehe, dass ich auch bestürzt bin, über die Situation die sich bei dir ergeben hat. Alys Verschwinden macht auch mich...rastlos und wütend über meine derzeitige Unfähigkeit, etwas zu tun. Ja, ich kann dir nicht direkt beistehen. Ich kann nicht helfen, Aly zu finden, was an meiner eigenen Verletzung derzeit liegt. Über diese musst du dir aber keine Sorgen machen, Inara. Ich bin in guten Händen, es dauert nur, bis das verheilt ist.
Bleib stark, Inara, und verzweifle nicht. Mache nichts Unüberlegtes oder Überstürztes. Vor allem auch nicht allein! Du bist vernünftig genug, das zu verstehen.
Ich kann mir denken, dass viel Neues auf dich einstürzt. Du bist jung und du kennst auch noch nicht wirklich das Gefühl von Verlust. Und nun spürst du eben die Angst genau davor. Aber, lass dir gesagt sein, Alytys ist stark und fast gar unverwüstlich, ich denke das hat sich auch in ihrem jetzigen Alter nicht geändert. Nur eines bleibt wohl gleich, sich immer mal wieder in Schwierigkeiten zu bringen.
Ihr werdet sie finden, darauf vertraue ich. Und ich ...bete zu den Göttern, dass ihr sie bald findet.

Wir lieben dich, meine Kleine, und bleib stark, aber gönn dir auch genauso, unter Freunden mal schwach zu sein.

Lacy & Jeruno „

Lacy las den Brief nochmals und faltete diesen dann. Sie musste kurz leicht lachen...in der Tat, sie war wirklich bereit zu den Göttern zu beten, damit Aly gefunden werden würde...vielleicht hatten jene ja wenigstens einmal ein Einsehen...


------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Falcon, who was entrusted with teh message, did find his destination fast and safe. He did know it all to well, his home and the home of Inara and her parents.

It was a handsome Elf with short white hair who took the burden from the falcon, presenting fresh meat for him as a reward.

Jeruno: " Well done Ikon."

Jeruno did unfold the letter and started to read. First his expression was delighted, but then he took a deep breath and he looked worried.
The letter from his daughter was for him, but more so for Inaras Mother and so he walked into another room. There did ly in a bed a woman with long and darkblonde hair, darker strands in between. Her right leg was fixed and bandaged. Her face was sweaty and she frowned slightly.

Lacy did open he reyes as Jeruno walked in. She smiled softly and tried to sit up, which caused in another deep frown as he right leg moved a little.

Jeruno gave her a rebuking gaze but did say nothing. He lifted his hand with the letter.

Jeruno: " A letter from Inara and I think its more a particular case for you "

Lacy was pleased to hear from her little one, but Jerunos serious face let her frown again.

Lacy: " Good, just help me to ... sit up. You wont let me stand up anyway"

Jeruno chuckled shortly and did help his companion, took care she was in a comfortable position. He noticed her sharp breath, what was hardly surprising considering her injury.
Lacy took the letter and started to read.It didnt take long before her gaze darkened. If it hadn't be for Jeruno she would have tried to stand up immediate, but his stern gaze calmed her, partly.

Jeruno: " I know what your line of thoughts, and I say, no, you will not do it Lacy. You aren't of any help in your state."

Jeruno raised his hands soothingly as the fiery glance of his companion meet his eyes.

Jeruno: " I know you are a excellent warrior. But with this shattered leg you will not go far, not even with your willpower."

Lacy did close her eyes and one could see the anger and displeasure to agree with him clearly. But, she did it.

Lacy: "Then.. bring me.. something to write... so Inara knows I can't come"

Jeruno nodded to grab a padding, parchment and feather, bringing it to her.Then he left so she had room for her thoughts.

Lacy nodded and stroke her hair back behind her slightly pointed ears. This wasn't easy. She wanted to drop everything to prevent her daughter doing something stupid and on the other hand to find Aly.
It was a wonder for her that some survived teh desastere of Gobaith, and now... this.
Wouldn't it be for her leg nothing would hold her back immediate travel to Cadomyr.There were still some open bills who would bring her with a blink of an eye to Cadomyr. But Jeruno was right, she was no help at all at this moment.
Aleytys Lamar.. so much memories about Varshikar. The last letter of Inara has already told her from old friends there.But Aly was...eye-catching. They fought side by side, trained with each other and you learn to know each other. Respect, friendship, comraderie.. Lacy closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then she started to writes the lines for her daughter.

"My little One,

It was good to read how good you settled down and did find friends.
But I am also shocked about the sitution you are in now.Aly's disappearance let me feel restlessly and furios about my own incapacity something to do. I can't be with you, I can't help find Aly about my own injury. Don't worry about this, though. I'm in good hands
Inara, it will need just take some time to heal.
Be strong, Inara,do not despair. Do nothing rash or hasty. Especially not alone ! You are reasonable enough to understand this.
I can imagine how much new things crashing over you. You are young and you don't know the feeling of loss. Just right now you feel the fear about just this. But let me tell you this, Aleytys is strong and resilient, will not have changed in her age.She had always the habit to get in trouble.
I trust you all will find her. And... I pray to the gods, that she is soon found.

We love you, my little one, be strong, but with friends you can be sometimes weak, too.

Lacy & Jeruno."

Lacy did read over the letter again before she did fold it. A slight chuckle escaped her.. yeah she ws really ready to pray to the gods, so Aly may be found ... maybe they had at least one time a insight ...

[Bidukan]

Kneeling, the warrior thinks. His armor is lying on the ground and he is about to take some rest. But a thought crossed his mind. He thinks about Aly. He remembers the last night he shared with her, next to a campfire in the desert, under a starry night. That was a very meaningful moment.

Bidukan feels so worried about Aly, because the search is fruitless, the pople in charge don't seem to be solving the puzzle. He also thinks about what Jacob proposed. That looked like something worth to try. But he knows he’s not so ready yet to such danger. Doesn’t matter, it will be done. That’s what he learnt. He suddenly remembers an ancient praise for combat, thaught by a forgotten knight.

The verses come to his mind like a spell. He recites:

Malachin I praise your name.
Be with me in the battle.
Be my shield, let me be your sword.
I will honor the godly spark in my soul.
May it flourish and grow.

As he puts his head in the bed he whispers “I won’t hurt you” and closes his eyes. He's ready.

[Alytys Lamar]

Her hope dwindled with every day.

If she wouldn't be wounded she could atleast try something, like using some old tree barks,
rope them together, trying to cross the endless seeming water.
Her swimming skills were honed from her youth 'til now. Everyday in the early morning hours, like a ritual.
Not possible in her current state, enfeebled by hunger, thirst and pain.
She didn't dare to look at the wound, nothing left she could do anyway.
Not even her fiery temper had a chance against this helpless feeling.
Sometimes a group of bandits did stray near. Obviously random patrolling.
Despite her feeling that she was doomed to die, she hid herself away as good as possible.

Most of the time she had to pay for it with increased pain.
One of the scratches on her leg didn't look good either.
She tried to clean it with the salty water, but seems the small infection didn't stop.

The chills and fever attacks had decreased, though.

She started to think back to her past, her life - her lovers- her endless fights against demons, always unbroken.
For what ?
The gods gambled once with her to win their own quarrelling.
Did they even had noticed that she - as a human - won for them against a archdemon and Moshrans horde ?
Not to mention saving countless lifes on Gobaith.
To her, none of the gods had a meaning, after the events.
Maybe beside one exception - Brágon, god of fire.
He was the only one she payed sort of respect.
His noble creatures, the dragons - she did adore deeply.
Someone said once she was a Lady Bird, a free dragon, hunting prey with fire.
Anchalargos was there as it did count, fighting at her side.

And so was the dragon in Cadomyr. He said the right things to get her grounded and shielded against Letma's evil attempt on her mind.
But would Brágon even pay attention if she did pray ?
Again she did doubt it heavily. Praying was nothing then an excuse for mortal souls, a phantasm for an imaginary help you never get.

Over all this thoughts she did fall asleep, dreaming of a knight, praying to Malachin. He looked sort of familar, but before she could get the grasp who he was she did wake up ...

[HaselNuss]

(( english below))

Ihr verschwinden war nun schon einige Wochen her und immer noch war er keinen Schritt weiter gekommen. Unmut ersetzte Wut und Enttäuschung die Sorge. Enttäuschung, dass seine Hände immer noch gefesselt waren und er keinen Schritt weiter kam.

Doch etwas bereitete ihm sorgen. Die Forschung wurde sabotiert. Es waren Goldstücke geflossen um ein Einwirken in die Prozesse zu stören.

„Erwartet meinen Boten, M‘Lady.“ versprach er.
Eine Skizze der zerbrochenen Phiolen und eine Probe der Stücke, welche mit Edelsteinstaub besetzt waren sollte der Bote überbringen. Nichts was er nicht selbst hätte machen können, doch die Zeit und Kraft hatte er in den Tagen nicht. Viel zu sehr schloss er sich in den eigenen vier Wänden ein um weiter zu skizzieren, zu malen, zu grübeln und zu verzweifeln. Abschriften eines jeden Hinweises sollte es geben, alle Bewohner sollten den gleichen Stand haben, niemandem Information fehlen.

„Er kam nie bei mir an.“ antwortete sie einige Tage später auf seine Nachfrage. In seinen Augen ein Vertrauensmissbrauch ihr gegenüber.
„Ich war aber noch nicht zu Hause, vielleicht war er in der Zwischenzeit da.“
Machte ihm Hoffnung aber er hätte längst ankommen müssen. Einen guten Tag kann eine Lieferung nach Cadomyr in Anspruch nehmen, aber nicht eine Woche und erst recht nicht mit solch kleinen Paket.
„Wahrscheinlich war er schon vor Ort.“ nickte er nur zustimmend, doch die Gedanken schweiften zur Taverne, wo er den zunächst freundlichen Boten anheuerte.

Vielleicht sah er nicht so vertrauenswürdig wie die anderen Boten aus, aber auch den Ärmeren sollte man eine Chance geben. Eventuell war er ihm auch nur durch die hellblaue Robe so sympathisch. Bezahlt hatte er ihn, es gab sogar noch einen Obolus von einem Säckchen Silbermünzen.
„Beeilt euch, lasst euch nicht aufhalten, die zweite Hälfte bekommt ihr, wenn ihr erfolgreich wart.“ hatte er ihm gesagt.
Daraus wurde nichts. Nicht mal ein wenig.

Nachdem er die Worte der Gräfin vernahm, war sein direkter Weg nicht wie besprochen zurück an die Forschung, sondern in die Taverne. Der Bote musste einen Namen haben, vielleicht kannten ihn die Bauern, welche sich zum späten Abend versammelten. Aber niemand kannte ihn oder hat ihn jemals zuvor gesehen. Reingefallen. Er trat in eine Falle. Jemand wusste genau, was er vor hatte, was er im Besitz hatte.
‚Aber wozu?‘ Im Grab gab es genügend dieser Phiolen und die Skizzen konnte er mit etwas Mühe nochmal machen. Es ergab keinen Sinn, doch bestohlen wurde er trotzdem, bestohlen um einen wertvollen Hinweis.
Einen von Dutzenden.

„Ich muss sie informieren, der Bote war bestimmt nicht bei ihr gewesen und auch sie muss von dem Vorfall erfahren, er darf nicht verschwiegen werden.“
Sagte er sich immer wieder, als er so im hell erleuchteten Zimmer auf und ab ging. Die Forschungen müssen weiter gehen, auch ohne das Bruchstück, ohne seine Pergamente. Es stand immer noch das Leben von Aly im Spiel.
Als Freundin würde er sie nicht bezeichnen, aber sie gehörte in sein Leben und seinem Schicksal. Und sie hatte manchmal etwas von seiner geliebten Luise, welche immer noch unter Folgen einer schweren Grippe zu leiden hatte.

Seufzend ließ er sich in seinem Ohrensessel vor dem kalten Kamin nach hinten fallen, auf dem Beistelltisch seine Flasche Wasser, von der er wie so oft einen großen Schluck nahm.
Daneben ein Teller mit gebratenem Gemüse, unberührt. Er hatte Wichtiges zu tun als zu essen, aber der Teller stand in letzter Zeit zu oft unberührt auf dem Tisch.

Hustend zuckte er zusammen, als er sich verschluckte und die blonde Strähne fiel mal wieder ins Gesicht. Sie brauchte Aufmerksamkeit, zu selten hat er sie in den letzten Tagen nach hinten an ihren Platz gelegt.
„Ich darf dich nicht vernachlässigen, sonst gibt es wieder Ärger.“ murmelte er zu sich, als er die Strähne fest machte.
Er nahm nochmal einen Schluck des Wassers, die Flasche schwenkte er vor sich als er sich in den Gedanken verlor.

„Aly! Nicht!“ schrie der Alte Mann, als Aly mit dem Schild wutgeladen den Nebel versuchte weg zu wedeln. Doch es war zu spät, es knisterte, die Luft lud sich wieder auf und eine Spannung war zu spüren. Er setzte sich auf ihre Rüstung und das Schild, alles an ihr fing an blau zu leuchten, ein Glühen auf ihr, in ihr, an ihr?
Es knallte.
Er konnte die Augen nach einigen Momenten erst wieder öffnen, der Blitz war zu hell.
Sie war weg, Aly war verschwunden, der Nebel hat sie eingesogen und war ebenfalls verschwunden.
Es wurde ruhig.
Nur das knistern der Flammen in den Bäumen war zu vernehmen.
Stille.
Entsetzen.
Verwirrung.
Bestürzung.
Unwissenheit.
Aly..

———

Her disappearance had been a few weeks ago and he still hadn't gotten any further. Displeasure replaced anger and disappointment. Disappointment that his hands were still handcuffed and he didn't get any further.

But something troubled him. The research has been sabotaged. There were gold pieces flowing to interfere with the process.

"Expect my message, M'Lady. " He promised. A sketch of the broken vials and a sample of the pieces, which were occupied with gemstone dust, was to be delivered by a messenger. Nothing he couldn't have done himself, but he didn't have the time and strength in those days. Too much he locked himself in his own four walls to sketch further, to paint, to ponder and to despair. There should be copies of each reference, all residents should have the same status, no one should lack information.

"He never came to me. " a few days later she replied to his request. In his eyes, an abuse of trust in her. "But I wasn't home yet, maybe he was there in the meantime. "
Gave him hope, but he should have arrived long ago. A delivery could take a good day to Cadomyr, but not a week and certainly not with such a small package.
"He was probably already there. " he nodded only in agreement, but his thoughts wandered to the tavern, where he hired the initially friendly messenger.

Maybe he didn't look as trustworthy as the other messengers, but you should also give the poor a chance. Maybe he was so sympathetic to him only because of the light blue robe. He had paid him, there was even an obolus from a bag of silver coins.

"Hurry up, don't let yourself be stopped, you'll get the second half if you've been successful." he had told him. It didn't work out. Not even a little.

After hearing the Countess's words, his direct way was not back to research as discussed, but to the tavern. The messenger had to have a name, perhaps the peasants, who gathered late in the evening, knew him. But no one knew him or has ever seen him before. He fell into a trap. Someone knew exactly what he was up to, what he had in his possession.

"But why?" In the grave there were enough of these vials and he could do the sketches again with some effort. It made no sense, but he was robbed anyway, robbed of a valuable clue. One of dozens.

"I must inform her, the messenger had certainly not been with her and she must also learn of the incident, he must not be concealed. " He kept saying to himself as he walked up and down the brightly lit room. The research must continue, even without the fragment, without its parchments. Aly's life was still at stake. He wouldn't call her a friend, but she belonged to his life and destiny. And she sometimes had something of his beloved Luise, who was still suffering from the consequences of a severe flu.

Sighing, he let himself fall backwards in his chair in front of the cold fireplace, on the side table his bottle of water, from which he took a large sip very often. Next to it a plate of fried vegetables, untouched. He had more important things to do than eat, but the plate has been untouched, far too often.

Coughing, he did wince, as he choked on the water and the blonde streak fell again in the face. She needed attention, too seldom has he put her back in her place in the last few days. "I can't neglect you, or there'll be trouble again." He muttered to himself as he tightened the strand. He took another sip of the water, he waved the bottle in front of him as he lost himself in thoughts.

"Aly! Don't!" the old man screamed as Aly tried to wave the fog away with the shield full of rage. But it was too late, it crackled, the air recharged and a tension was felt. It sat on her armor and the shield, everything about her began to shine blue, a glow on her, in her, on her?
There was a bang.
He could only open his eyes again after a few moments, the lightning was too bright.
She was gone, Aly had disappeared, the fog had sucked her in and had also disappeared. It was quiet.
Only the crackling of the flames in the trees could be heard.
Silence.
Horror.
Confusion.
It's dismaying.
Unkwowingness.
Aly...

[Custodio]

Mages. Conceited, boastful, narcissistic egomaniacs.
At least in Neia's book, there was nothing good to say about mages. To her, mages were the kind of people who would put their own and more importantly others lives at risk, by casting dangerous potentially lethal magic just for entertainment, to show off. The kind of people you'd find around town, pretending to be reading a book, when in fact they were basking in the supposed image of being of importance, of being someone learned. These people who only cared about making themselves the center of attention at any moment, no matter the cost.

This was why Neia hated being called a mage. Unfortunately, her recent arcane discoveries had lead to more people mistakenly calling her that. At least it had done some good, she thought, or perhaps hoped. While that overly prideful elfess Deanna had refused to accept her discoveries, insisting that the woman Aly was trapped beyond the northern borders, despite the evidence to the contrary that Neia had researched, there were others. At least not all the leaders of these realms were that prideful.

She could still vividly picture how Katharina, a noble, had dug into the clay like some peasant, all in the hopes of discovering a clue that would lead to the rescue of one of her citizen. And how Oxiana, unrelated to all of this, had still gone to the effort of personally washing the clay off of the objects discovered. Looking at her own nails, Neia doubted she would do the same. She would probably get others to do it for her, if put in the same situation. In fact, come to think of it, that is exactly what she did.

Luckily, all that work had not been for naught. They discovered pieces of a stone slate, and with a few sleepless nights and days of researching the arcane significance of this broken slate, Neia had made discoveries. Alas while she discovered potential locations for where this Cadomyrian woman might have been sent to, there were too many. She needed more information to narrow it down, so she suggested sending someone to the Archmage.

She was puzzled how no one had thought of going to the Archmage by then, but luckily, Katharina must have listened to her advice, as soon enough she returned with news. Deanna had gone to the Archmage, perhaps not as overly prideful as Neia had initially thought, and brought back news. News that helped Neia narrow the possible locations down to a few select mana nodes out at sea.

She swiftly set into motion, drawing up a map that detailed these few select locations, which she handed over to Katharina. However, thereafter several days passed and no news were brought back. Supposed what the Archmage said was true, it should have taken nary a few days of sea voyage to discover which mana node was the destination of the teleportation magic. So why were there no news yet?

Did the Archmage spew falsities? Were the people involved so obsessed with their own ideas, their own egos, that they ignored the path made clear to them, all because it was not the result of their own work? Did she simply miscalculate the time that would be needed? Or did something else unexpected happen?

Neia shook her head. She did not even know the woman in question, only having put in this effort partly due to friendships she had with others, and partly due to her interest in researching the arcane. It seemed she had gotten too involved with human society, and found herself disliking the effect it had on her mental state. Perhaps she should go into meditation, and leave the rest to everyone else. Thinking she had done her part, she put all these thoughts aside, returning to her own research for now.

[HolyKnight]

Relief avoided him, too many emotions and chaos for a single day. Had Aly been able to speak, perhaps, the joy could have expunged his begrudging thoughts. Instead, his less amicable side reared its ugly teeth and bit. He meant every scathing look and remark hurled at the seasoned soldiers who’d accompanied the search party for Aly, and he’d be damned before he apologized.

The wee hours of night was a lonely companion at the Cadomyr Inn. While all other patrons slept, Eli sat at a small writing desk in the foyer scoffing at the irony of mortal nature. Confined on a boat, enduring with nothing more than hope; fastenings; and a young captain’s skills, the search party clung together like burrowed mice. Ahoy, cast the same lot upon an unknown craggy island shrouded in a black mist and watch them scatter.

“You lost command…” Jacob’s words had attempted to cut him but sliced through empty air. Eli Travinus wasn’t a commander, but he’d lived long enough and seen enough battles to appreciate capable leaders. In recent memory, he saw men like Sir Exelous and Tyan take the field, lead soldiers and militia if required or asked, and were always keenly aware of how important it was to fight together and protect one another. The pair reminded him of some of Gobaith’s finest: Behemoth, Taliss, Mark Strongarm, Taylor Windslasher, Joxia, Siltaris, Athian, Arcia, and others came to mind.

Perchance, he expected too much from Jacob, Bidukan, and Caswir, but how would they know unless someone told them? Not one of them attempted to take charge and confirm their command with the group. All three ignored requests to stick together and to form into rank and file. No, instead, one of their mage companions nearly drowned, nervousness spread like a disease amongst their support group, and they- apart from Katharina- the capable vanguard, abandoned their comrades on a dark misty island, littered in bizarre skulls and clandestine secrets, for what?

To save Aly.

The surmounting irony was sickening. Had Aly been there, no companion would’ve been left behind. The support group would’ve felt every ounce of her confidence and the surety of her steel defense. Just as she’d ended up on the island in the first place, she’d have died defending her friends.

Like her, Eli had no cause for his own life, only others worthy of the sacrifice. Be assured, Eli felt tremendous guilt for blind trust in the cause, but he learned a value lesson on that cursed island. If innocents were involved only trusted soldiers would be at his side defending them.

The mage had apologies to make, amends for his own errors: Amelia, Inara, and Liel.

Hours later, Eli would creep into the hospital after the search party goers dispersed. He would sit at the desk and wait. Before dawn broke Aly would wake and they would talk about important matters, not these begrudging thoughts or what could have been. They would talk like friends ought, share each other’s joy and put the pieces back together.

Lost no more.