Rp#57- Search For The Lost Ranger

[Arathin]

"Then stop yapping and show us." Arathin snarled softly. They were getting close to the Orcs now. She switched her sword to her right hand and pulled out a short knife in the other.

[HLGStrider]

"She's behind three large gates. . . each very well guarded by very evil things," Elgee swallowed. "The Orcs are trying to push us away from them. . .Come, this way. . ."

Elgee darted down a narrow corridor just as an Orc arrow whistled past Arathin's head.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn amidst the rest of the group suddenly looked back and saw Elgee leading Arathin down a small dark passage and quickly took off after them,"the others can handle the orcs" he muttered as he left. When he had snuck up close enough to the two he asked " Where are you guys off to?" both were surprised and didn't answer stright away. "Having you sneak off like this makes me very apprehensive of all your actions, Who's side are you on?" Aravorn asked.

[HLGStrider]

"If this group was just a little more military, I'd have you courtmartialed. I am the leader after all," Elgee scowled. "Come on. . .If we're to reach Goldie before it is too late we need to hurry. . ."

The corridor led them to a wide hall. At the end of this hall was the first of the predicted doors.

"How are we going to open that?" Aravorn swallowed.

"It will open for us. .. what is on the other side wants us to enter. . .it will try to prevent us from leaving again."

[Arathin]

Arathin balanced her sword Rauko Umbar, the Demon Slayer, in her hand and drew again her short knife. She kept her throwing daggers hidden well in each boot. "We'll have to be careful then. Or perhaps, heedless. Probably only a slightly heedless attack will throw this 'creature' off enough for a swift kill... or a kill at all." She added the last under her breath so the other two wouldn't hear, but the words hung in the air as if shouted for all to hear as she crept towards the door. Sinking low into a ready position, Arathin watched in anticipation and fear as the massive double doors silently began to swing open to reveal...

[HLGStrider]

a wall of flame.

For a moment they could see nothing but its brightness and hear nothing but its crackle. Then from within came a dull roar. The door swung shut behind them, blocking their exit, but they would not have run anyway.

Arathin gave out a horse battle cry and lunged at the beast within.

[Thomas Baggins]

"I am Aravorn of the house Elendil and you shall not defeat me, Iluvatar is king over you!!!" Aravorn screamed at the fell beast, and for the second time ever in the histroy of Middle-earth Gurthang had the chance to attack a foe greater then he.

[HLGStrider]

The creature gave a shriek and backed up, its serpantine neck waving back and forth.

Elgee wrinkled her nose, trying to breathe through the fumes. . .

[Goldberry344]

Goldberry opened her eyes slowly. She felt as if she had been slamed by a hammer over and over in rapid succesion. She closed her eyes, trying to remember what was going on, when a voice cut through the silence, "At last you awake," Goldie's eyes snapped open to see a young looking man sitting accross the room. "I have been waiting to hear from you. You will tell me everything. About your friends, your family and most importatnly, where your army is!"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee struck out at part of the beast with her frying pan. There was a loud metalic clang. The creature was as hard as iron!

"We have to defeat him. . .he's only the first of three!"

[Thomas Baggins]

After his battlecry Aravorn ran to the giant beast and charging at it, he swerved at the last moment and as he was passing he jumped up and cut off the beasts head. To anyone who was watching he would have looked like on of the kings of Gondor or an elf from the ancient times. After slaying the creature he called Arathin and Elgee, and said "lets go, we must be quick before he sees us, niether of you are hurt right?" "Arathin can you lead the way?" he asked.


Aravorn knew Elgee must be mad with him acting like a leader
but he didn't care the ancient blood flowed in his veins and sometime it came to the surface.

[Ecthelion]

The others started to follow Elgee, Arathin, and Aravorn, but Ecthelion shouted, "No! We will catch up, our business are with the orcs now." The others nodded and drew their blades. The orcs crashed upon the Rangers with great fury swinging thier posion blades with no aim or leadership. Ecthelion and the others met the wild group head-on, Ecthelion heard nothing, only saw the lifless orc bodies fall at his sword. When about 10 of the vile creatures remained Ecthelion shouted while fighting, "All of you get a torch and meet up with the others!" Ecthelion heard no answers, but knew they had listened. Slowly the creatures fell one by one, and when he heard the last thud of an orc body he sat against the wall and quickly checked his wounds. Minor scratches except a large cut from a poision blade, he had no remedies for the found so he quickly sheathed his sword and ran to find the others.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee felt faint as the next door swung open. A cloud of black fog engulfed them. . .and with it came the gentle hiss of the next creature.

[Thomas Baggins]

"Can you two take this one, I have to bandage the wound I got when I stabbed that last beast"

[HLGStrider]

"We can certainly try," Elgee frowned, brandishing her frying pan, wishing she'd procured a sword somehow.

The fog started to clear. The creature was almost shapeless, a glutenous mass that glowed a sickly gray-green. It started to move slowly towards them. Elgee swung, hitting it.

It had not expected a fight, so it shrunk back. Then it began to grow. . .

[Ecthelion]

And as it grew most of the Rangers came running up towards the gate heading not the dead creature from the first gate, all quickly took out thier weaponss, but were in awe at the beast as it grew. When the creature grown fully Ecthelion came running up behind the others and to stared in awe wondering what was going to happen next.

[HLGStrider]

It started to fill the room, oozing towards them. Elgee drew back in disgust. She then curled her lips into a sneer.

"Hack it to death!" she growled.

Blades in hand the Rangers rushed forward, slashing at the creature. It grabbed one about the leg with a trail of slime. . .

[Ecthelion]

Up into the air it lifted Goldmare, her sword fell to the cold floor with a dull clank. Ecthelion barked orders, "Those with arrows aim for the head! The rest of you follow me!" Arrows whizzed past Ecthelion's head as he charged the beast with fellow Rangers, "Hack anything that moves that isn't a Ranger." With that the creatures limbs began falling off from every side, not only did it deal with that, but arrows constantly hit its face or right around it. The beast could do nothing now, but wail and fight to the death. It wouldn't be long now.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn ran beside his friend and started hacking away at fell creature, after a few minutes he realised like Ecthelion did that the creature was near it's final doom.

"It's near death!"

"Elendil!"

"onward Rangers!!!"

[Ecthelion]

Soon the best began to sway back and forth, "Back Rangers!" Ecthelion yelled and back did the Rangers dart. Nearly seconds later the fell beast collapsed into the left wall and then fell to the earth, the force from it's fall shook the very ground beneath The Rangers. Ecthelion quickly ran over to the beast, Goldmares sword in hand. He soon found her and pulled her out of the slimey mess. And for the first time in awhile the Rangers laughed at the sight of oozing green Goldmare, but thier laughter was cut short as the 3rd and finally gate creaked open.

[HLGStrider]

They weren't attacked. There was nothing in the room. Feeling very on edge, the Rangers cautiously entered the room. Cold sweat dripped off Elgee's forehead. An enemy was one thing, but no enemy where there was supposed to be one was unsettling. . .Then she saw it. Right at the end of the room was a single, old fashioned mirror, just a little taller than the tallest member of the company. She swallowed. What was so frightening about a mirror?

[Arathin]

Arathin walked forward, sword in hand. Her gaze was on the mirror. Could this be the mirror? She pondered. Keeping her eyes off the mirror's clear, inviting reflective surface, she called to the other Rangers. "Be wary. I believe this might be a mirror long ago lost to Mortal Men. I am not sure, but it might be the Accursed Mirror which makes one see enemies in their fellows."

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara wiped the slime from her sword with disgust as she entered the third room. She, too, saw the mirror, but did not hear Arathin's words. She had looked straight into the mirror as soon as she saw it. For a moment she was entranced with what she saw, but the vision passed briefly. Fiara's face contorted with rage, and quick as a flash, she ran up to Aravorn, knocked his sword out of his hands, then held them behind his back. In the next instant Fiara's sword was at Aravorn's throat. "He's the traitor!" she shouted. "He's the one the evil has been speaking to! Give the word, Elgee, and I shall slit his throat!"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee, who always went through combat situations in a daze, was now highly confused. The words of Fiara went with what Arathin had stated but still. . .what if they were all traitors. . .Elgee realized just short of too late that the mirror was getting to her as well. She sunk down, curled up into a ball, and closed her eyes. It was speaking too her. . .

Some minds are too naive to be touched by evilness, and Elgee was blessed with a mind such as this. However, what evil cannot corrupt, it can bewilder, and Elgee was very susceptible to this. . .

"Let him go," she managed to stammer. "Fiara, you know not what you do. . .Please, let him go, close your eyes, and turn away. . ."

Meanwhile Aravorn, who had been too shocked to react to Fiara, had been pushed by her in his attack so that he held the mirror in full view. He could see his face, and he could see the faces of those around him, but suddenly everything was different. Everything was strange. . .

He began to struggle. Fiara held tight. . .

[Goldberry344]

Goldberry was shocked by the words of the young man, and backed as far away from him as possible, glancing around the room for her weapons. They were resting in the far corner of the room, a mere foot from the man. He sneered, sensing the direction of her glance. "Just tell me what i need to know, Goldberry. Where is the leader, Elgee. She is the one of concern in this matter. You, you are just a pawn!" he laughed, "Though a strong-willed and pretty pawn, you too can be broken to my will."

Goldberry shrank away, leaning against the wall in fear. The voice which had once compelled her to kill her friends, to betray them, the voice which she was hearing from the source....was not so fair as it had been in her mind. "What do you want from my friends! We have done naught to you, and yet you treat us so fouly!"

"Fouly treated, madam?" the man asked, laughter in his voice. "You have slept well on a fine down matress, on a golden framed bed. You, madam, have naught to complain of!"

"That which you do to my companions you do to me," Goldie retorted, grasping at straws. Her mind was giving way to that voice, but her heart, body, soul and voice would not do so! "Show me what you have done to them!" she yelled.

"As you wish." The man sneered, "My master would wish you to see them!" And the man led Goldberry to a fountain, and told her to look into the pool of water. Nervously, Goldberry glanced into the fountain. Slowly an image materiaized under the water....her friends fighting eachother, the mirror seemed to be mocking them...

"What have you done!" She screamed, furious, "You and your foul weapons you use your sorcery to turn my friends into suspicious commoners! We are the rangers! The Dunedain! Your sorcery will not cheat us of our honor!"

The man grabbed Goldie's arm and sneered, "I will not be repremanded by you, girl." he said as he threw her across the room. Smiling, Goldie got up and grabbed her weapons, now unguarded agains the wall.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn with great strength of will pulled his eyes away from the horrid mirror and push Arathin's away from it too and angered Arathin started to slit his throat but seeing Aravorn as himself stopped just in time. then they both cowered on the floor away from the mirror not caring what happened just wishing they were somewhere else.

[HobbitGirl]

OOC: Tom B., I think you mean Fiara, not Arathin. :)

Fiara had not heeded Elgee's words, but as she caught a good look at Aravorn's face she realized what she was doing. She stepped back frantically and let her sword fall with a clatter. She stared at Aravorn in horror. "I...I..." Words would not come. Fiara's brain wasn't working right. She could only think about how horrible the thing was that she had almost done. She sank down to the floor, her head in her hands. The minutes passed, and niether Aravorn nor Fiara stirred.

Suddenly Fiara jumped up, her eyes flashing. Aravorn drew his sword, fearing that Fiara would attack him again, but as Fiara picked Triassa up from the ground she turned away from Aravorn, towards the cursed mirror. With her eyes closed she rushed at the mirror. As she came closer she heard its voice inside her head, words whispering, tearing at her, telling her to turn around, to kill her friends. But the words did nothing, for Fiara's mind was completely closed. There was only one thing going through her head: destroy the mirror.

With a cry Fiara stabbed the glass with all the force of her charge. An earsplitting, unearthly scream came from the mirror as it shattered. Fiara still stood in front of the mirror, twisting her sword through it, her teeth gritted and eyes still closed. The scream died away. Fiara slumped to the floor.

[Arathin]

Arathin walked up behind Fiara and looked at the shattered mirror. She knelt down and put her hand on the Ranger's shoulder. "Don't worry." She whispered. "It is over. Now come we must go save Goldie and kill whomever is behind this treachery." Arathin led the others to the far door. She pushed it open, sword in hand.

[HLGStrider]

The room was dark, pitch dark. Elgee's eyes dialated, glowing like one of her cat's eyes. She could see movement in the corner.

"Who's there?" she snapped. There was the sound of flint on iron and a light was lit. The person slowly approached. "Goldie?" Elgee swallowed. "Is that you? Are you all right?"

[Thomas Baggins]

OOC: sorry, my bad *Fiara*

Aravorn always the brash one yalled, "Stop it is a trap, do not look at her, turn away, there must be someone else here. we must search the room carefully!"

[Goldberry344]

Goldie glared at Aravorn. "Shush, you're the one yelling! And there's no need to search the room, there is someone here. Whatever your name is, you have my friends here, so you might as well turn on the lights!"

"My name, in case you should desire to use it, is Xrachnat. However," he sneered on, "That may be a bit to harsh for your dainty ears, madam." As he said this, the candles burst into flame. The other of the company drew their swords at the sudden movement. Goldie, however, was caught between the wall and Xrachnat's hand at her neck. "You, madam, will go to my master, the Necromancer. The others will follow, in chains. You will be in my care."

He signaled for the others to have their arms bound by the guarding orcs, then he glanced over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of a weary Elgee. "Wait!" he snapped, "leave her untied. She will travel with me as well."

[HLGStrider]

Elgee started to struggle a bit, but not much. She gave out a cat like hiss at her captors, just for the effect.

What was going on?

[Thomas Baggins]

Before the orcs tied his hands Aravorn layed Gurthang and his other weapons on the groung warning them saying, "This sword is an anceint blade who's power can be only geussed, if you touch it then I would geuss that your hands should be burnt off!!!" the orcs looked at his weapons in wonder and quickly tied his hands with the others, making sure though, to avoid the sword on the ground.

[Arathin]

Arathin submitted to being tied, but was sure the orces never found any of her many hidden daggers and knives. She didn't move, but her eyes never left Xrachnat's face. A clear, unmarred mask hide her emotions, not that she had many, as the Rangers were led out behind Xrachnat, Goldie, and Elgee. Arathin kept in front, her eyes never leaving him.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee gave out another hiss and started to struggle just a bit, not with the intention of escape, which didn't seem possible, but the intention of annoyance towards her captor. He pushed her along.
"At least I'm not tied," she thought. "What is the point of this exercise?"

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn wondered the same thing as Elgee, what could this mean, and why were they being taken captive instead of killed? he brooded over it as they went giving some semblance of struggling so that the other Ranger's knew he didn't enjoy it any more then they did.

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara knew that giving a fight before being bound was pointless with so many orcs around, but whenever she came close enough to an orc to smell it, she could hardly contain her rage. Orcs murdered her parents. Fiara loathed them with every fiber of her being. She didn't try to slice the orc's limbs off as they came to bind her, for that would only make them search her, and they would find her throwing knives. But as the orcs tied her hands together, her face was contorted with hatred. She spit right into one orc's face as they began to lead her away. When the spit-on orc drew his schimitar to threaten Fiara, she merely scowled. A few minutes later, she spit again on another orc.

[HLGStrider]

The hall that the villian led them down was empty and quiet. Too quiet. Only they were in it. . . Elgee swallowed. What was going on?

[Goldberry344]

Goldie walked confidantly and unguarded on the right side of Xrachnat. Her shoulders were back, her head up and foreward. She looked proud and fulfilled any assumptions of her heratage. Her attitude may have confused a few of her friends, but Goldie didn't care. Something wasnt right in this place. Her friends were in danger, but she knew she wasnt. She pretended to be oblivious to any danger, but in reality her senses were more aware then ever.

The sound of the footsteps of the group echoed through the long corridor.

[Arathin]

Arathin walked along as close to Goldie and Xrachnat as the orcs would let her get. Her eyes darted between the two. Both walked with such confidence, such pride, such noble bearing. Almost like husband and wife, Arathin thought bitterly.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn also wondered about Goldies noble beaing, with not too much joy either.:mad:

[HLGStrider]

As they approached the end of the hall way they began to hear a loud humming noise. Elgee stared when they reached the end of the hall. It was a room lit wiht a soft purple glow. In the middle was a fountain filled with black water. . .Xcratet reached into it and pulled out a cup.

[Goldberry344]

Xrachnat filled the cup with the water and walked to a heavily embroidered chair that stood at the head of a rich mahogony table. He gestured to the orcs, and they reluctantly released the rangers. "You wouldn't think me so rude as to not offer you a seat," he laughed, "Please sit."

One by one the rangers took seats at the table.

[Arathin]

Arathin sank into a chair as close to Xrachnat as she could without seeming to interested in him. She was, in fact, more interested in Goldie. Her friend seemed too interested in this... thing. A meal was suddenly spread before those at the table. The fantastic smells and sights of the food enticed all the hungry Rangers, but Arathin noticed none immediately reached for the food. Xrachnat seemed amused by this. "Please eat. It isn't poisoned. I assure you of that much at least." She didn't like the smile that accompanied this statement, but what choice did they have? Arathin reached, hesitantly, for a small loaf of bread. It was still warm from being cooked, and taste amazing even without butter when she ripped off a small bit with her teeth.

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara sat down with the rest of the Rangers, but when the food appeared she stubbornly folded her arms. Everything about this place was wrong; everything stank of sorcery and trechery, and in Fiara's eyes the food was no exception. When Arathin bit into the bread, Fiara's stomach fluttered with worry. What if the food was enchanted, and it put them all to sleep to allow that feind Xrachnat to kill them one by one? She refused to touch a single morsel, but she gave Arathin a look that tried to tell her not to eat the food.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie loaded her plate with food, oblivious to the caution of her fellow Rangers. She finished her plate in record time, eating hungrily though not gluttinously. When she had finished, she wiped her mouth on her sleeve, leaning back in her chair. Her eyes closed a bit as she let her food settle.

Xrachnat smiled at Goldie, then turned to the other Rangers and said, "Your manners are lacking, friends. I had thought you to be a noble group of wanderes. You have proven me wrong. But nonetheless, I am obligated, as your host, to offer you refreshments." With that, he took the wine pitcher and filled his own cup, then Goldie's and Elgee's, before he passed the pitcher to the other Rangers. "Now," he continued, "To buisiness. You have, as a group, made my job rather difficult. If you had not chased Elgee when we captured her, our business would be done already. It was foolish, I admit, to kidnap the leader. However, the information she carries is vital to my Master's plans."

Xrachnat leaned back in his chair a bit, letting the Rangers absorb his words.

[goldmare]

Goldmare broke her long silence. "What information?" she spat out, fixing Xrachnat with a glare of loathing as, like Fiara, she pointedly ignored the food before her.

Though they had taken her sword, Swiftkill, and her hunting knife from her, they had still not discovered the two daggers hidden in her boot legs, and she was waiting for just the right oportunity to use them...

[HLGStrider]

Elgee swallowed some wine. She hated wine. . .she winced at its bitterness.
"I know nothing about anything," she commented. "You're going to have a hard time getting anything more from me than my recipe for roast oliphant." She smiled at him, hoping she was at least being annoying.

[Arathin]

Arathin dipped the bread she had been munching on into the wine. "You'll have to forgive my friends." She spoke sweetly, diplomatically. "But would you accept food you thought possibly poisoned or worse after you had been taken captive?" While Xrachnat considered this thought, she took another small bite of wine dipped bread. "However, you mean now to speak of business. I personally am quite interested to know what sort of plans we have interupted by dutifully and rightly taking our leader back, whom you stole. Couldn't you have merely asked her, us for the information and avoided all of this." She waved her hand in a disparaging mannor, meaning all the events that had occured since Elgee's capture.

[HLGStrider]

Their enemy chuckled.

"And would she have given it to me ? No. . .no. . .no. . ." He drew a deep breath. "She doesn't even know she carries it, and it must be extracted by extreme measures. . .extreme measures which are worth the annoyance you've caused me. . .the slight annoyance you've caused me."

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara stiffened at the mention of "extreme measures," and proceded to shoot glares like daggers at Xrachnat. She looked around at her friends, especially at Elgee. What was that fiend talking about? What information? If Xrachnat thought he was going to take "extreme measures" and get away with it, he was sorely mistaken. Fiara flexed her feet inside her boots, checking to make sure her knives were there. All were present. If he makes one move toward Elgee, or anyone for that matter, I'll have something to say about it, she thought fiercly.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee shifted in her seat. If she didn't know what it was that he said she knew then she couldn't very well not tell him. . .she might accidentally tell him. Still, everything she knew seemed so trivial. . .nothing that none of the other Ranger's didn't possess, for certain.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn meanwhile was thinking the exact oppisite thoughts as Elgee, for being who he was he had all the keys to the gates of the head cities of Gondor and all the codes memorized, he discretly ducked his head and tried to act like the other Ranger's.

[Arathin]

"What exactly is it that you wish to know from her? Perhaps informing her of what you seek will call the information to mind..." Arathin arched a delicate eyebrow at Xrachnat. She was concious of what Aravorn must be thinking, and endeavored with all her might to keep the conversation from him.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee ran her fingers up and down the table, then picked up her butter knife and started to carve pictures into the wood.
"Really don't know anything. . .are you sure you have the right Elgee?"

[HLGStrider]

He chuckled in an arrogant way and took a bite of the chicken before him.
"Yes. . .I'm sure. . .I'm more sure with every minute. . .Only you can give me what you have. . .Though I may need your friend here," he motioned towards Goldie who was sitting with a far off look in her eye, "to help me obtain it."

Goldie was not herself. She looked faint and far off. . .She was pale and glossy eyed.

"What have you done with her?" Elgee inquired.
"I've drawn her into myself," he responded. "We are now one. . .or more of, I am a part of her. . .A part she can never lose and will carry for the rest of her life." He smiled sinisterly. Elgee glared at him. "Would you like to be the same way, little cat girl?" he asked.
"Would you like me to run my fork through your toes?" Elgee shot back starting to sulk just a little bit.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn decided that this pestering of the ranger's had gone on long enough, so in order to save Elgee and all the other's anymore hassle he stood up and shouted, "What is it you want you cruel, cowardly, moronicly annoying being!?!" (Not really planning on telling him anything but at least giving everyone else time to think although it could endanger Gondor at the same time)

The man slowly turned his gaze upon Aravorn and began to walk down to his end of the table.................................

[HLGStrider]

"Foolish fellow. ..foolish mortal man. ..You think there is anything you know I could not extract within minutes. .. This child, however," he waved at Elgee, "Knows things not even she knows. ..and that is what makes her so valuable and so difficult. . ."

[Arathin]

Arathin remained seated, stoney-faced and grim. Aravorn had done exactly what she needed. He was out of his seat and thus more vunerable to attack. She knew she might die in the process and Elgee might die if she suceded, but it was a chance she had to take. Arathin's face remained motionless as she prepared herself to attack, she didn't like killing unless attacked, but this was in her mind an attack on a dear friend that she would not withstand. As he walked past her chair towards Aravorn, Arathin slipped one of her boot knives from its shealth silently, her thoughts on everything besides what she was doing for she felt he could read the path of her thoughts. Then with lightning quick speed she was out of her seat and on him, knife raised.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee barely stiffled a scream as the monster grabbed Arathin by the wrist and threw her to the ground. Ever ready Arathin kicked him as she fell, knocking him to the ground. Arathin and the creature began to tussle. Elgee grabbed a bottle of wine and waited for a clear shot at his head. . .Just then Goldie grabbed Elgee from behind. The smaller Elgee gave a cry of surprise as she was hurled on to the floor. Eglee was shaking but Goldie was as pale as death.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn was on Xrachnet in moments, protecting the Ranger's was second now, he was getting revenge! "You! are the only foolish one present for you mistook me for being a foolish mortal, I am Half-Elven, My mother was the daughter Arwen! perhaps you've heard of her!" Aravorn quiped, while holding Xrachnet down by the throat, he then commenced to punch Xrachnet in the head knocking him out.


After a few moments of catching his breath Aravorn (who had sitting on the ground) got up and appologised for his actions but said he could not let the good name of the Men of Numenor or of the Elves, be put down when he could stop it.


He the turned noticing Goldie, who looked angry with his actions. "Goldie?"


OOC: :confused: I don't know where everyone else was headed with the storyline I hope I didn't mess it up.:o :rolleyes:

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara stood up as Arathin did, unsheathing a knife out of her own boot, but Arathin, Aravorn and Xrachnat began thier scuffle before she could do anything. She stood by and watched for an opening, but her attention was caught by Goldie and Elgee. "Goldie! What are you doing?!" By this time Aravorn had knocked Xrachnat out cold.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee was cradling her arm which Goldie had hurt in the struggle.
"I don't understand," Elgee mumbled. "This isn't right. ..I don't know anything. .. I dont' know. . ." She passed out.

[Arathin]

OOC: I do believe Goldie is away at camp for the summer. We can just keep posting for/about her. She doesn't want us to stop.

IC: Arathin stood up, eyeing Xrachnat warily. She didn't trust that he was actually out. She held her sword at ready, watching for the tiny movement, eye flicker, anything that would tell her he was faking so she could kill him. She hadn't noticed Goldie, as she was with her back to her friend, but she hoped nothing horrible had happened.

[HLGStrider]

Aravorn pulled Elgee out of the way, staring at Goldie. Elgee began to mumble in words Aravorn couldn't understand, the same words again and again. Goldie hissed and backed away. . .Then she fell to the floor weeping.
Fiara looked around in shock. What was going on?

[Arathin]

Arathin wanted to go help Goldie so badly, but dared not to leave Xrachnat unguarded. She felt her friend needed her, but... No, she thought firmly. I must not leave this rat alone.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee's voice grew fainter again, and Goldie straigtened up. .. still pale but stern in the face.

[HLGStrider]

"You'll never win," Goldie said. . .at least her mouth was moving, the voice did not sound like her own. "We are too strong. We will not let you win. . ."
"Goldie! Wake up!" Fiara shoke her friend, but Goldie pushed her away.
"You will not kill me, and you cannot kill him. We are too strong," Goldie repeated. "Do not try to crush us. Give us what we want."
"We don't even know what you want," Arathin said cooly. Goldie eyed her.
"The words. The words that will open the doors to what we most desire. The words she possess. . ."

[Arathin]

Arathin snorted. "Try Mellon..." She snarled sarcastically. "What is it you most wish to possess? Perhaps then the words would come..." She still eyed Xrachnat warily. Perhaps he was only using Goldie's voice because he was truly unconcious and couldn't use his own... or perhaps he was trying to trick the Rangers into letting down their guard.

[HLGStrider]

Goldie laughed, harshly and coldly, "I'll tell you when the last star has left the sky and all the rivers run with blood! Then you shall know what I possess! What I alone can weild! I shall not tell you sooner. . .but you shall tell me the words. . .or you shall all die."

[Thomas Baggins]

To the other Ranger's it was as if fear itself had come into Aravorn's eyes, he suddenly shoke with a terrible trembling, "no I wont say anything, I wont tell you" He then ran over to the way they had come in and collapsed on the floor...........................

[HLGStrider]

Now two members were unconscious as well as Xrancat. . .and Goldie was. . .not herself. . .Everyone cast nervous glances around the room. What now?

Elgee moaned and sat up.

"Words. . .?" she mumbled. "What words?"

[Arathin]

Arathin glanced about her cautiously. She was one of the only Rangers still able to handle the situation, and she was duty torn. Her first duty should be to her friend, Goldie, but she had to watch Xrachnat. She couldn't let him grab a Ranger unawares for her lack of watchfulness. "Why do you hold Goldie? You say that Elgee is the one you want. You say she is the one with the words. So why then have you driven Aravorn to madness and possessed Goldie?" She spoke quietly, so only the unconcious body of Xrachnat could hear her words, but she knew that Goldie had heard them. Not from Arathin's lips, but through Xrachnat's unconcious ears.

[HLGStrider]

"We cannot defeat her. . .You we will slowly wear down. . .slower than the others but eventually. . .We will wear you down. . .and until Elgee speaks we will destroy you. . .one by one and bit by bit. . ."

Elgee stood up, glancing around nervously.

"We must leave this place. . .and leave Xrancat and. . ." her voice faltered. . ."Goldie. We cannot save her now. She must save herself, and if we do not soon escape we will not be here when she does."

[Arathin]

Arathin couldn't just leave Goldie, but she had to at least try something. "Well," She muttered quietly. "If that is how you feel," her eyes were upon Xrachnat's unconcious form. "You would only follow us, wouldn't you?" Goldie was begining to to eye Arathin suspiciously. "So if that is the case..." She seemed to think a moment before speaking aloud. "I am through with this foolishness." Goldie lunged at Arathin, but before she could get near enough to stop the blow, Arathin unsheathed her sword and severed Xrachnat's head from his body. His head rolled into the fire blazing in the hearth.

[HLGStrider]

Goldie shrieked and fell unconscious upon the floor. Aravorn started to shake.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn suddenly woke up, looking at the sword in Arathin's hand and Xrachnet's beheaded body he quickly deduced what had happened. "You have done it then..............Very well, good job Arathin." He then stood up and walked over to Xrachnet's body, bending over he quickly searched the pockets. Finding a few gold coins and some other misc. items he stood back up, "Well there was nothing of intrest on his person but these few coins I shall keep, he caused us enough trouble, that at least we should get something in return." He then walked over and began administering to Goldie's confused mind.

[Arathin]

Arathin numbly watched Aravorn, but when he neared Goldie she was again in quick action. It seemed to have only just struck her that she could now look after her dear friend. Roughly, she shoved Aravorn out of the way, her gut told her he wasn't helping anyway. She took Goldie in her arms and craddled her there, calling softly to her, reminding her unconcious mind of their many fun times together through their long friendship. Goldie's eyelid fluttered, but didn't yet open.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee blinked. Then blinked again.

"Will she be all right?" Elgee murmured. "We need to get out of here fast. When they find their leader is dead, the Orcs will attack."

[Arathin]

"Right," Arathin muttered. She lifted Goldie gently in her arms and started for the door. "Well I need to be in the middle," She said, pausing. "I can't find and carry her out of here at the same time."

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn quickly stood after getting pushed oput of the way and got in front of the other Ranger's, "Nuro Lim! I remember the way otu follow me!!!" he speedily led them out the way they had come in and in a few minutes they had reached the open air without stoppong he went over and grabbed Goldie from Arathin, who needed a break, "Here let me carry her, we must hurry" the Ranger's then went on into the woods where there horse were. "What should we do now?" Aravorn said while giving Goldie back to Arathin so she could attend to her.

[HLGStrider]

"Ride like the wind itself!" Elgee swallowed. "Are we all here? Have we lost anyone?"

She ran around making a head count. Goldie moaned but did not awake.

A great shout arose from the fortress.

"They've found him!" Elgee gasped. "I can tell."

[Arathin]

Arathin turned back to the fortress only a moment before pushing Goldie into Aravorn's arms once again. "Hand her to me once I mount. Gildar can carry two as easily as one." She mounted quickly and pulled Goldie before her in the saddle. "Quickly before they find our trail." She sped off with the others close behind. "Where shall we go now?"

[HLGStrider]

"Home!" Elgee burst out. "Is that doable?" Arathin nodded and they all begin to mount their horses. The orcs were now shrieking and growling, coming closer. Elgee had lost her frying pan and a few of the other rangers had been seperated from their weapons.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn jumped on Roheryn and rode swiftly west with the other Ranger's.

[HLGStrider]

The orcs clambored after them, yelling futile curses into the wind. Goldie remained unconscious.

"We still don't know what they wanted from me," Elgee commented. "It was odd to say the least. . .I almost hope I never find out. It sounded onimous."

[Arathin]

"They wanted the words to open some special weapon or such thing for that monster. Perhaps Goldie will know more about it when she wakes up, but for now, lets forget about that and ride with the wind. I am sure, if we push them, our horses will easily out run the orcs."

[HLGStrider]

They reached the edge of the forest. The trees grew lighter. Soon they were in the open air near the home of some woods men.

"We probably can camp when we reach the other side of the river. We are now not far from the land of the Beornings."

[Thomas Baggins]

"Good idea Elgee, but we'll need to hurry so we can make it to the Woodsmen before dark, when the Warg's will come down and help the Orc's attack us.

Nuro Lim Roheryn ! Let's go everyone, C'mon Ranger's!

[HLGStrider]

They set up camp in the town square of a little village and with the help of the village leaders set sentries about the edge. The villagers were nervous at the thought of a possible Warg attack, but Elgee assured them that they would do their best not to let the Orcs enter the village.

Fortunately it was surrounded by a tall, log, fence which made it somewhat easier to defend.

[Thomas Baggins]

"Hmm........."

Aravorn sat in deep thought. Finally standing up he walked over to Elgee,

"The Warg's and Orc's wont attack if we're not here we should leave, I can take Goldie and everyone else is fit to ride. There's no way we could hold back all of Xrachnet's host, we must leave soon. I can feel something, not all of the evil of that Necromancer is gone, we can still be destroyed easily by his army. I feel a great danger drawing near"

[Arathin]

Arathin sat with Goldie in her arms. Her friend was still unconcious, and Arathin was gently pouring trickles of water down her throat. "We can't ride on further this night, Aravorn." She reprimanded upon hearing him. "The horses need rest, even yours, and so do the Rangers. No we cannot fight off all of Xrachnat's hords and yes they will all come for us no matter where we are, but there are things in that forest to hold them and give us some time. The animals protect this village even now. We won't have a need to hold them back. I have set the giant spiders to watch the forest eaves." "How could you have set the giant spiders of Mirkwood to do your bidding?" cried Aravorn angrily. Arathin bowed her head. "I wasn't going to tell any of you about this. There was no need. I am one of the Ohtar Valiana. I am the green wizardess of the Vala, Yevanna, and the animals and plants heed my call. The forest will protect us this night, but it cannot kill off the entire hord. We will still be tracked, still be hunted." Arathin fell silent, craddling Goldie in her arms, and tried to use herbs and roots to revive her. The most any did was to cause her eyelids to flutter and a moan or groan to escape her lips.

[HLGStrider]

"With such power among us, we indeed have hope," Elgee murmured. She gazed up into the starlit sky. "We must leave before dawn tomorrow. Make for the land of the Beornings and then try to get over the mountains. No one will dare persue us further. If only we knew what they wanted for sure. . .and how to use it against them! I wish Goldie would wake up!"

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn got up and went over to Arathin, "With one of the Valar among us I will not give up hope,

Suddenly, in the midst of Aravorn's talking, a huge eagle flew down right next to Goldie, Arathin, himself. Aravorn immediately jumped up, "What new's do you bring Rothecarn!?!" the eagle leaned in and held a wispered conversation to Aravorn for a few moments then flew away.

"I must leave, friends, I can't tell how long I'll be gone but I'll try and make it back before morning, Namarie!" Aravorn ran off into the woods where he met back up with Rothecarn the eagle "Arrre ye Ready, me wee frieend?" "Yes let's go" Aravorn replied.




The great eagle took off with Aravorn on his back and within four hour's they had arrived at the great sea. "Hop orff and do yeor buisnarss, and I'll find sormethang to eat," the eagle said. Aravorn jumped off and ran strait down to the ocean where he espied what looked like a seaweed covered old man, as he approached though, the old man straightned up becoming many more times taller then Aravorn and much bigger too,

"I have been waiting, what help would you ask of me?"

"Only that you would make sure that no Orc's cross any of the river's or streams in the forest of Mirkwood, my lord."

"That can be done easliy enough, but I would deem that you are in a great hurry, now get back on your eagle friend there and go back to your business!" "

"Yes sir, I will, thank you! may the lord Eru bless you, Namarie!"



By three'o'clock in the morning Aravorn was back in the camp with other Ranger's who were safely being protected by two of the Valar. Aravorn soon found his horse and was on the ground next to him, asleep, in short time.

OOC: Sorry it's a kind of long post.:o

[goldmare]

OOC: Yay, I'm back!

IC: Goldmare, awoken by Aravorn's return, lay back and stared at the sky, absentmindedly picking out constellations as she pondered. Ever since Xrachnet had been destroyed, something had been bugging her. Somehow, it was all too easy, killing him. She thought that he would have had more than an orc army and a few mind tricks on his side, and put up more of a fight. And what was that whole dinner thing about? He could have just imprisoned and interrogated them one by one so as not to take a risk. He had certainly had the power to do so. Now that she thought about it, he seemed to have been a bit stupid to her.

A thought came to her, unbidden, but inevitable. What if, she mused, what if he had not been the real master? What if he had been taking orders from someone else? If so, then the Rangers were still in very real danger, not just from a scattered orc army, but from yet another unknown power.

Goldmare got abruptly to her feet, determined to go check on Goldie. If she was awake, she just might be able to answer a few questions...

[Arathin]

Arathin sat with her back against a fence post, her legs crossed. Goldie was still craddled in her arms, though both slept. But beside Arathin lay a coal gray wolf with its large amber eyes wide and alert. As soon as it saw Goldmare approaching, it sent a silent message to Arathin, waking her up.

"What is it Goldmare? We'll be leaving in about two hours. You need to rest." Arathin spoke without lifting her head, which startled Goldmare a bit. "Goldie still hasn't woke and I don't expect her to for a while yet."

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara sat awake propped up against a rock. She hadn't been able to sleep much of late. First the battles, then the mind tricks, and now this nagging worry in the back of her mind that something still wasn't right. Somehow, when the Rangers first confronted Xrachnat, Fiara had a fleeting feeling that he wasn't the necromancer behind it all. As time had gone on, she was convinced differently. Now she wasn't so sure. If he was the necromancer, why was it so easy to kill him? Fiara had half-expected the fortress to collapse on top of them as they escaped. It sounded like the sort of boobey trap a necromancer would lay in case he was killed. She shrugged the thought off, dismissing it as foolishness. But still, the Ranger had a strange feeling that things weren't over yet, and new surpirses awaited them.

Her sword, Triassa, was gone, still in the hands of the orcs. But she had her knives. They would have to be enough.

[Thomas Baggins]

Before much time had passed it was already six-o-clock, Aravorn then awoke as he had for many years, seeing most of the Ranger's asleep he was about to lay back down when he noticed something funny, the ground was caving-in right to the side of the rock Fiara was leaning against. He walked over and noticing Fiara awake he motioned for her not to get up. Upon reaching the spot though, the groung apeared normal so he sat down next to Fiara. "What was it?" she asked, "Oh nothing, just my eyes seeing stuff in this tricky light.....................Fiara, do you think we killed the necromancer? Because the part of me that's Elvish warns that we are still in incredible danger, even though the orcs wont reach us anytime soon."

[HobbitGirl]

"No, Aravorn," Fiara said, leaning her head back against the rock when she saw it was only him approaching. "I do not think he is dead. But I have to wonder: if the true necromancer isn't dead, who was the one we killed? What was he?" She sighed. "One thing's for sure. The night's surprises are far from over."

[Arathin]

Arathin stood up, she hadn't slept at all during the night. She had also been recieving hourly mental messages from the forest. The orcs were being held back right now, but the price to the forest was becoming great. The Rangers had to get moving. She went over to Fiara and Aravorn in time to hear Fiara's comment about the necromancer. "No, I don't believe the Necromancer is dead. Xrachnat even made mention, I believe, to himself being but a very important servent or some such thing. But that is besides the point. We all have to leave now. The orcs are presistant to get through the forest and it will not hold them much longer. Hurry up and wake the others." She whistled for Gildar and put bridle on, then pushed Goldie onto his bare back and threw herself on as well. "We can't stay here any longer. Orcs don't fight this hard for a dead leader. They are still being commanded by the true Necromancer. I believe it is he we much find."

[goldmare]

Goldmare, overhearing Fiara, Aravorn, and Arathin's conversation, silently agreed with them and said out loud, "I suspect that it is he who will find us, unless we are careful. You're right, we must leave. I will go wake the others. It is best if we leave quietly, so the fiends do not know we are gone until we are far away from here." Striding among the others to wake them, she glanced at Goldie, slung over Gildar's back, and silently prayed that she would stay asleep until they were free of the orcs. It would not be good if she woke and was still being controlled by the Necromancer, and even if she wasn't, there was still a very real danger that she could be again.

After making sure the others were awake, Goldmare readied Darkmoon for the journey, still smarting from the fact that she did not have her sword, Swiftkill, or her bow. That was yet another thing this Necromancer had to answer for, and Goldmare would not rest until he got what he deserved.

[Arathin]

Arathin fumed silently at the delay everyone was taking. She uncorked a skin at her side and poured some of the green liquid down Goldie's throat. She couldn't let her friend wake up... not yet. The sleeping potion would keep her asleep for a long time. Arathin sighed. How she wished to just end her own worries and take a few sips of the potion, but no she couldn't abandon her responsiblities that easily. Angrily, she shoved the cork back on and waited for the others; Gildar prancing beneath her.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee stood waiting for her friends to move and wishing she had a good frying pan or some other weapon. . .She brandished a large stick which she knew would be good for "whacking" if not quite for stabbing.

"Well, we should make good times," she commented. "Let's start moving."

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn stood up helping Fiara to her feet, "Aye, let's go!"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee yawned and stretched before mounting her horse. The journey would be long. . .and perhaps the end was no where near.

[Arathin]

Arathin kicked Gildar into a swift canter. "We have to get back home." She called over her shoulder, heading west toward the Misty Mountains.

[Thomas Baggins]

Jumping onto Roheryn, Aravorn was off towards the Misty Mountains.

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara mounted Vitase, her mare, and followed Arathin, keeping pace behind her. She glanced back as the rest of the Rangers followed, then felt her heart sink slightly as the village dwindled out of sight. What if the orcs stopped to do a little slaughtering on thier way to catch the Rangers? Fiara wouldn't put it past orcs for a minute, no matter who thier master was. Suddenly her brow furrowed with determination. She had an idea. Maybe it was suicide, but it would keep the orcs from killing innocent people. She heeled Vitase up next to Arathin's horse. "Arathin," Fiara began, "what if the orcs aren't satisfied with just pursuing us? The village lies between them and us. What if they stop to pillage and burn for a while? You know they'd do it just for fun. We should turn around and meet them head on! Even if we can't fight all of them, we can at least draw them away from the village. Away from innocent people."

[Thomas Baggins]

"I'm going to go up ahead and scout, I'll be back in a sec." Aravorn said while riding off in front.

The Ranger's, plotting and planning, didn't realise how long it was taking Aravorn to get back when suddenly the spied him slumped over in the saddle of Roheryn, catching up to him they were able to catch a few words before he blacked out. "There were................only three.............but one, more powerful then the other's, threw me to the ground without touching me.........he had some kind of power strait from hell................the other two.............were orrrrrrcccccs..................................... ..................."

[HLGStrider]

"I say we ride," Elgee said. "They want us. They can't risk losing us. They will persue us. . .We'll just have to make sure they would have to go out of their way to attack the village. . .We'll go at an odd angle from it so that it will be swifter for them to cut across straight to us and bypass the village."

[Arathin]

Arathin's eyes widened. "What was the other thing that attacked him? We must keep moving." She knelt down at his side and poured some purple liquid onto his wounds, which hissed and bubbled then seemed to heal in seconds. Then she fed him several leaves of some plant none of the others had ever seen before. His eyes fluttered open. "Hurry we must keep moving. What attacked you? Do you know? What did it look like?"

[Thomas Baggins]

After climbing bsck onto Roheryn and thanking Arathin Aravorn replied. "From what I've heard the head one looked something like one of the Nazgul of Sauron, but I never saw them so it might not have." "Whatever the case it was not pleasent, let's go, and no more scouting alone."

[Arathin]

"Indeed, none shall venture out alone. Did you get a good look at this creature? Can you describe it? My brother once described the Nazgul to me." The Rangers had all mounted and trotted at an angle from the village to try and keep the orcs from it.

[Thomas Baggins]

Well let's see, he had a dark black cape covering most of his body, which is what made me think of the Wraith's, but then he had a face, if you could call it that, It was more like a skull covered by some very pale skin. Anyway he had on a large black crown under his dark hood. That's all I was able to see, for then I was hit by his staff, a long dark piece of wood, with a ruby the shape of a cat's eye, in the end of it. The staff never really touched me though, it had some power in it, like that of a wizard's staff.

[goldmare]

Goldmare raised her eyebrows. "And this thing is in front of us? Arathin, is it a Nazgul? For if it is, it would be too risky to continue on with the prospect of meeting it. Either we turn and face the orcs, or we run from both. If we fight the orcs, this wraith might come up from behind us in battle. If we run, we would have both the orcs and this thing pursuing us. That is, if the thing wants us at all. I do not advise battling both at the same time. Elgee's right, we should go at an angle so that the orcs do not bother the village, and hope that this wraith-like creature does not want anything to do with us. If we go at an angle we should be able to put enough distance between ourselves and him. What say you all?" She turned to the others.

[Arathin]

Arathin pondered a moment. She hesitiated before speaking. "It does not ... sound like one of the dreaded Nazgul. Indeed, if it was I think it would not carry a wizarding staff. Perhaps it is a barrow-wright set free or some thing conjured by the true Necromancer to do his work or even the Necromancer himself. Fore truely, there are very few in this world that are still possessed of a wizarding staff. I think it is best that we move at an angel and pray we do not meet this being before we have lost the orcs." "You think it is after us then?" asked Aravorn. "Somehow I am sure of it. I do not know how, but I know in my heart that whatever it is, it comes for us. The Necromancer is not dead, and we must flee the long reach of his arm."

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara shook her head, frowning. She did not like to flee. Nevertheless, Goldmare was right. The Rangers could not battle both the orcs and the apparation and live. "I will follow Elgee," Fiara said finally.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee clicked her heels at her horse.

"Must move, must move fast, must not stop. . .It is coming. It will come fast, and unless we move fast it will getus.. . .which would not be desireable."

[Thomas Baggins]

"Nuro Lim!!!" Aravorn stood up in his saddle and for one moment the the majesty of Elendil was seen agian, "Come Ranger's, if we have to flee, let us at least flee with strong heart's, and not in fear!" and with some wispered Elvish in Roheryn's ear Aravorn was off to, away from the evil behind and perhaps into more evil ahead, for his Elvish foresight warned him of impending doom.

[Arathin]

Arathin urged Gildar onward. The faithful dapple-gray stallion broke into a dead gallop, and began out pacing every other horse for he was of the same line as the great Gandalf's Shadowfax. Arathin leaned down, as close to the saddle as she could be while laying over Goldie. When she had begun to outpace the others by a fair distance, she started to pull up, having only noticed how far they were behind. It was then, as she sat up to slow Gildar down, that she saw it. The fiend that had attacked Aravorn. It does look a bit like one of the Nazgul. She thought as it swung its staff at her, to do unto her what had been done to Aravorn, but Arathin would have none of that. She lay flat against the saddle pressing Goldie flat, and viciously kicked Gildar in the sides. He, already spooked enough by the apparision, bolted. Arathin could not hope to warn the others, Gildar was out of control now, and would run for a while. She glanced back carefully so as not to get it with a low-hanging branch. She had to get back to them.

[Thomas Baggins]

The other Ranger's hadden't noticed that Aravorn was stpoed and they quickly left him behind in there haste, but Aravron had stoped so that he could focuse all of his abilities into seeing what was ahead........................

The first thing his mind saw was Arathing clinging to the back of Gildar, who was flying as if being pursued by Morgoth. That wa enough, he pressed his knees hard into Roheryn's side, the sign that he gave only in dire times, the horse responded with such an amount of speed that even a fairly good rider would have been knocked off but he held on unitll they were close to the rest of the Ranger's. Noticing that Arathin was not among the group he screamed. "Hallllllllttttttttttt!!!" they all immiedeatly reigned in there mounts. Aravorn breathlessly explained, "Arathin is fleeing from something, I looked ahead and saw what I had feared, it must be that creature who attacked me was indeed the Necromancer. What should we do?" The Ranger's looked on with bewildered faces.

[Arathin]

Arathin risked a glance behind her through the thick branches. She could see the wisp of a black clock from between the tree trunks. Why is he pursuing me? she pondered, clinging to Gildar and trying to keep herself and Goldie on the stallion's back. He must be after Goldie. That can be the only explaination. Or he wants to kill the one that killed that Xrachnat character. She gulped in a deep breath of air and nudged Gildar again in the sides, but still the flicks of black began to grow more numerous. The thing, the Necromancer, was closing the gap between them.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee stared into the distance. She could see something rising from above the trees, a whisp of grayish smoke that seemed to be moving before a great wind. It was going away from them. . .

"It's pursuing something. . .but not us. . .It must be Arathin, but why. . .It wanted me. . .Goldie must be the reason, somehow. . .but why, why, why?"

She glanced about.

"I say we face it once and for all. Together, in strength, and on our terms."

[HobbitGirl]

Fiara heeled Vitase up next to Elgee. She grinned when she heard what she had to say. That was the way Fiara liked doing things. No running away. "Our terms," Fiara said, her grin turning into a dangerous smile of battlelust. She pulled two knives out of her boot and held them between her fingers. Even without her sword Fiara would fight for everything she was worth and more.

[HLGStrider]

"Which means we'll have to move fast," Elgee snapped her reigns. "Come on!"

[Arathin]

A great fear seemed to sweep out from the Necromancer behind her. She could feel it working in herself. She could feel it driving Gildar into a wild frenzy as he ran for dear life, but he was begining to slow, ever so slightly. She could feel it in the powerful strides his great legs were taking slowling in the very slightlest. Luckily, the fear flowing from the Necromancer was only driving Gildar forward more than she could have right now. She knew she would have to turn and fight this demon from the Abyss, but not until she was ready. Until then, they continued through the dense branches of the trees.

[HLGStrider]

The Rangers galloped after the enemy but could not gain on them. Arathin's horse was going fast, and the creature seemed made of wind, not flesh.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn pulled Gurthang out while they galloped on and prepared all of his skills to fight the evil one ahead.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee strained forward, trying to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead. . .but she could not. . .were they going th eright way?

[goldmare]

Goldmare rode hard, clinging to Darkmoon and straining towards the front of the group. She knew that Gildar would not be able to go on at this speed much longer, and when he slowed down, the Necromancer would catch up to them. They had to get closer....slowing a little, she sent an arrow toward the distant figure ahead, knowing as she did that it would be a miracle if it hit him; she could not aim so accurately on a galloping horse. She drew her sword, so as to be ready to fight when the inevitable came, and urged Darkmoon on.

[HLGStrider]

An arrow swished past Elgee's head. She dodged, recognizing the sort of arrow as not an orc shaft. Now what in the world. . .

Shaking her head she kept riding.

Ahead of them she could hear running water.

[Arathin]

Arathin saw up ahead a river. She dared not cross it for she didn't know if the water had some mystical properties. Instead, she yanked hard on the reins, spinning Gildar around on the spot. She pushed Goldie off the saddle on the far side of a tree next to the river. If she is what he wants, he'll have to go through me to get her. She thought fiercely as Gildar rose up and lashed out at the Necromancer with his powerful forelegs. Arathin wasn't going to give the demon a chance to use his staff, if she didn't have to.

[Thomas Baggins]

Just as the thing was about to attack Arathin, Aravorn rode right into it with Gurthang going first. He was immiediatly thrown back and somehow manged to stay on Roheryn who was also blasted back also, but Gurthang stayed in the cloud of black surounding the Necromancer and back and forth they fought, Gurthang now and then being seen until it was thrown back out, or perhaps it jumped...............anyway whatever the case Aravorn grabed it and charged the fell beast along with the other Ranger's who were charging too.Ttogether they went into it's outlying shadow but nothing seemed to be there it was as if the Necromancer had vanished, jumping off Roheryn Aravorn ran to check on Goldie while the other's looked for the evil creature and as he stood over Goldie a thought came to him, maybe, just maybe Gurthang had accomplished the killing of another great evil. Afterall when Saruman was destroyed all's that was left was a big cloud...........

[HLGStrider]

Elgee pulled her horse back, gazing at the river. Where, exactly, were they? As she watched the water began to swell, rising from its banks quickly and furiously. She swallowed.

"Back away from it!" she ordered.

[Arathin]

Arathin turned to see the river at Elgee's shout. She wheeled Gildar about and rushed over to Goldie, grabbing her, and throwing her again onto the saddle. "Get back on your horse, Aravorn!" She yelled as she cantered off on Gildar. "The Necromancer means to drown us all!"

[Thomas Baggins]

"Nay Arathin, I think rather that he wanted to drown us, for I believe he is dead. This river though, will never be good agian we must back away, in that you are most certianly correct!" he wheeled his horse about and headed back for the trail they had come on. "I'm leaving, if the Necromancer is still alive I have not the strength to fight him anyway so I must leave."

[HLGStrider]

Elgee spurred her horse forward.

"We must go. .. We must!"

[Arathin]

Arathin shook her head, but said nothing to Aravorn in reply. The Necromancer, if Necromancer it was, could not be dead merely because of some enchanted sword. She knew that if he was truly dead, Goldie would awaken for there would be nothing holding her still. Yet a quick glance as she sped from the water upon Gildar's back concered with her fear. Goldie slept on, her eyes fluttering occation as though she were trying to wake up with no aveil.

[goldmare]

Goldmare whirled Darkmoon from the bank of the river and shook her head, frowning grimly. No, the Necromancer was not dead, not yet....he had just disappeared, probably because he was outnumbered. Whether or not he would reappear would remain to be seen.

After regrouping safely away from the river, Goldmare turned to the others. "Well? What should we do? Will we stay and fight, or keep going? And if we continue to run, what is our destination? The Necromancer could attack again soon, and the orcs are still coming, so we should be on our way."

[HLGStrider]

He was not dead, but when confronted on those terms, those not to his liking, he had redirected himself. Changed shape. . .poured all his malice and evil into the river itself, perverting it and drawing it above its banks so that it swelled in disgust of itself.

It began to churn, bringing mud and filth from its bottom. It desired to consume. It flowed towards the Rangers.

[Thomas Baggins]

" I was trying to convice you all he was dead so we could leave but apparently you are still lagging behind, I know he cannot be dead but let's at least go so he can't attack again!" "We might be able to make it away from both the orcs and HIM if we hurry."

[Arathin]

"Not likely." Arathin said loudly, as she watched the water. She turned Gildar and took off at a swift canter, a gait the other's horses could match. "Well come on! Aravorn was right about one thing. We have to move and now!"

[HLGStrider]

The water came faster and harder. . .It was begining to gain on them.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn saw that the water was going to cover them so he slowed his horse down and waited till they had gone by then turning to face the, rapidly approaching, water he stoped completly and screamed "BY THE POWERS OF ULMO, RETREAT!!!" "ULMOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" his last screm was drowned by the flowing water, as he was swept under. The other Ranger's kept going though, and the water's slowly started losing on them they eventually stoped and looked back at the water now far behind and retreating, Aravorn was nowhere in site.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee shuddered.

"We need to head for higher ground before it cuts us off. ..higher ground or at least trees!" She looked around. Trees seemed the most likely, but taking shelter in trees would strand them as well as save them and they would lose their horses. Still, if all else failed. . ."Make for the forest!"

[Arathin]

Arathin shook her head. She halted Gildar below a branch and pulled herself and Goldie into it. Gildar took off to only Arathin knew where, and she threw Goldie over her shoulders. "Come on, we can travel through the branches." She pulled herself and Goldie through the trees, away from the water.

[Thomas Baggins]

As soon as Aravorn was swept under the water's started rising agian, 'chasing' the Ranger's, but Aravorn wasstanding on dry ground, the water WAS chasing them it had left the river and was following the Ranger's. The riverbed was empty! Amazed to still be alive Aravorn started tracking the enormous wall of water.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee swung up into the tree, clinging to the branches. She drew a deep breath and climbed after Arathin.

[goldmare]

Goldmare swung off of Darkmoon into the trees. Since the Necromancer wanted them, not their horses, Darkmoon and the others might have a chance to escape and meet up with them later. Ducking branches and leaping from limb to limb, she followed Elgee and Arathin through the trees.

[HLGStrider]

All the Rangers, with the notable exception of Aravorn, were safe within the trees, but the water kept rising. Now it was accompanied by a wail of anger and rage, a haunting, tearing shriek.

[Arathin]

Arathin climbed up and away from the water with all the speed she could. Goldie was a burden barely felt in her flight from rising flood. She could see no way from it when a shape appeared in the waters below her. The shape was not of the Necromancer, but of her half-brother Aragorn Elessar from the time of the Rings of Power and Sauron. She paused only a moment to see more clearly if it was his image or the Necromancer's in the water, but as she paused this brief moment the water rose and engulfed her and Goldie. Just before Arathin lost conciousness, she saw not water around her, but a room filled with firelight and soft cusions with a gentle musical voice whispering in her ear.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee climbed higher and saw no escape. . .Where was Arathin? She'd been just a little ways below a little bit ago. . .what now?

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn continued to follow the water which by now was some way's into the trees. As he was tracking it through the trees he heard a noise, looking up he saw Elgee. "What's going on? Where's everyone else?" Elgee began to climb down so she could explain. Aravorn reigned in Roheryn and waited with a troubled look on his face.

[HLGStrider]

"I don't know what happened. Arathin and Goldie have disappeared and I'm nervous!" She shook her head. "Have you seen our horses? The water just disappeared!"

[Arathin]

Arathin woke to find herself in the same cushioned room she remember from just before she blacked out. The room was elegantly decorated with tapasties depicting times far in Middle Earth's past. She moved to sit up and get a better look around, but found her hands and feet bound with thick leather thongs. The same soft musical voice she had heard whispering in her ear sounded from somewhere behind her and above her head. It was laughing mirthlessly. "So you finally awaken, do you woman of Aragorn's kin?" "Who are you? What do you want with us?" Arathin demanded, trying to turn to see the source of the voice. She couldn't move, some spell held her to the spot, but she found she didn't have to. Booted footsteps, slightly muffled by the lush carpeting and cushions, came toward where she and Goldie lay on the floor. Boots of the finest supple leather came level with Arathin's eyes. The owner of the boots knelt down beside her and she saw the face of the Necromancer. He seemed almost young, yet in the way of the elves, aged beyond measure. His eye were the palest of leave greens, and his hair was an earthy dark brown, so dark as to almost appear black. His features were strong, yet elegant and refined. She would have said he had elven blood running thick through his veins. "You'll find out soon enough, Arathin. Yes I know much about you. You're Aragorn's own half-sister, a highly valuable prize... far to valuable to damage, but there is another of your party that I wish to bring here..." "And we're the bait? Is that your plan?" "Yes, it is, and you know they will come if they can. And I will allow them to for I need something from the one you call Elgee. Certain words and such, but from you two I can get several other things of value." He stood and went back over to the table he had been seated at before, leaving Arathin with only her thoughts and hopes that the Rangers wouldn't be able to find this place. She would perfer to offer up herself and Goldie than to see all of the Rangers fall.

[HLGStrider]

"It was like they somehow fell out of space and time. . .Like they just disappeared into someplace else. . .and took the water with it. . ."

A thought suddenly struck her, and she ran back towards the river. It was flowing again, its banks full but not overflowing, as if nothing had ever happened. She drew a deep breath.

"It is no longer being used for evil. . .and I don't know how to use it for good," she swallowed.

[Thomas Baggins]

"Wait! step back, Elgee!" Aravorn stepped up on to a rock. "By the powers of Ulmo with water, and the force of Manwe's wind, search out the other Ranger's! Wash out the evil in the land!" the water's didn't move.....................and didn't move...........and didn't move. "ERU HELP US!!!" the waters surged to life.......and began to rise up into a shape, awesome and horrible to behold. "I think it's working........." Aravorn said, as the water's came into the shape of an enormous eagle/lion creature and and washed over the two Ranger's not killing or even wetting them. It then headed the way, where the Necromancer was...............Aravorn, unlike someone who had just used wizardy or like an Elf controlling something, was not tired at all, the Valar had done all the work, with the help of there creater. "Yay, Even Now it's going to the rescue of our friends hopefully!"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee drew a deep breath.

"We need to await the results now, I suppose," she murmured. "Wait quietly and carefully. . .and perhaps, just perhaps, we shall find out what that creature wanted. . .from me. . .or from all of us."

[Thomas Baggins]

"Yes, you are right, Elgee"

[goldmare]

Goldmare came running up just in time to see the water rise over the two other Rangers. "No!" she cried, and leapt forward, straining to reach Elgee and Aravorn in time. Then she stepped back in surprise, for the two had not been swept away as she had expected. She remembered Aravorn's voice rising above the sound of the river and realized that he had been commanding it, that it was no longer under the control of the Necromancer. She breathed a sigh of relief. Stepping up next to her friends, she heard Aravorn saying that the waters would rescue Arathin and Goldie, and she understood what had happened.

Meanwhile, the waters rushed forth, leaping to reach the place where the Necromancer had taken Arathin and Goldie. Goldmare only hoped that it wasn't too far. She jumped as Darkmoon nudged her in the back, and she turned to comfort her horse. Then she looked back at Elgee and Aravorn and said, "Since I have Darkmoon, I'm going to follow the river to find Arathin. Maybe you guys should get your horses and do the same. You may be willing to wait, but I am not. I fear too much for their lives." She whirled Darkmoon around and galloped after the river. Oh, Eru, she prayed silently, let us not be too late.

And the river rushed on, thundering towards their enemy.

[HLGStrider]

"I have an extreme feeling we are riding towards trouble.. .and that this horse doesn't like me."

Elgee's borrowed horse nickered ominously.

[Arathin]

Arathin drifted in and out of sleep. Beside her, Goldie moaned from time to time, but did not awake that Arathin knew of. She didn't know how much time had passed, but the Necromancer never moved. Arathin could see out the one small window of the room from where she lay upon the cushioned floor. After a long time, she saw something coming towards the window. It looked like an eagle made of water. She thought this was just her imagination or some spell affecting her brain until she heard the Necromancer. "Finally, they come..." Then Arathin feared in her heart for she could tell the water eagle was the work of Aravorn praying to the Valar.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn mounted Roheryn and followed after Goldmare and Elgee.

[HLGStrider]

Suddenly the eagle broke like a wave upon. . .nothing. . .
Elgee pulled rein despite another annoyed whinny from her persnickity horse. She stared. There was nothing before them but air, sky, and the horizon, and yet something had stopped the eagle. . .

She dismounted, grabbed a stone, and hurled it in that direction. It bounced off the sky and came back at her.

"An invisible wall?" she whispered. "Or something more. ..scary. . .?"

[Thomas Baggins]

"I guess the Valar mean for us to go agianst this ourselves." Aravorn said with a grin, "Well I'm ready, if only there's a way to get through the wall, hmmm."

[HLGStrider]

"Don't try!" Elgee hissed. "This can't be right. . .It just can't. . .well, I know it isn't right but it isn't right either. .. I mean. . .Oh dear. ..I mean. . .We're not in the right spot to fight this. We need to do something else. . .something that is. . .right. . . Stickle backs! Even I don't know what I'm saying, but don't rush against it. Hang back."

[Thomas Baggins]

Well don't worry about it Elgee, I wont try to go through alone.

[HLGStrider]

"But we can't go around if we can't see it . ..and we can't go over. ..under? No, that's silly. . ."Elgee mused. ..

[Thomas Baggins]

Hmm you aren't making much since............But we have to hurry. There's probably some simple way to get rid of it..........if only one of us knew some wizardry, or something.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee's horse nickered again so she stroke its neck. It looked at her rather meanly. She sighed. ..

"Let's try to go around. ..come on. .." Elgee moved to the side and kept going. . .Soon she noticed two trees, leaning together to form an arched gateway. . .Her instincts flared. "There we are! Let's ride!"

[goldmare]

The three rangers rode through the archway... and halted, confused. They appeared to be inside some kind of building, with a small room off to their left. Puzzled, Goldmare and the others dismounted and started for the room. She paused in the doorway and then began to rush forward, seeing Arathin and Goldie there on the floor. But she slowed her steps, looking around. This felt like a trap. Where was the Necromancer?

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn halted at the doorway, he couldn't get through! Seeing the other Ranger's go through puzzled him, why couldn't he........



suddenly he heard something behind him.......... turning around he saw the Necromancer. Not that he knew what he looked like but somehow he just knew. Knowing that he couldn't escape he stood up and straightened his shoulders, this creature wasn't going to beat him!

"Well the evil demon finally show's himself, huh?" Aravorn said to the Necromancer, who replied,

"My name is Gornag! You shall call me such!"

"I will call you what I want! you do not have will over me."

OOC: You can do what you want with Gornag, I just thought he needed a name finally. I hope you guy's don't mind.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee started to slowly back towards Arathin. This wasn't going to be easy. She needed to know what was going on. . .what had been going on.

[Arathin]

Arathin's back was to the door, she couldn't see what was going on, but she could still hear. No, they've come! Her mind screamed its hatred of the Necromancer. She heard Aravorn speaking with him, and turned in her bonds and caught a glimpse of Elgee backing up towards her and Goldie. "Elgee," Arathin hissed. "My weapons are over there... in the corner. You shouldn't have come, none of you should have come, but since you have we have to escape quickly."

Something told Arathin that Elgee wouldn't be able to get to Goldie and herself. Perhaps Gurnag wouldn't let them. Perhaps he had cast a protection spell around the two while Arathin had slept, but somehow Arathin knew Elgee would be stopped from reaching them.

[Thomas Baggins]

Aravorn backed up slowly......not noticing that he had gone right through the door. Gornag advanced trying to distract him with hand motions but Aravorn still stared into his eyes, trying not to be controled. After he had almost gone halfway across the room he stoped and said to Gornag "We have the will of the Valar and Eru himself backing us!" "you know that don't you?"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee reached for the sword and then leaned against the wall. To her surprise it shimmered and for a second blinked out, revealing the forest outside. She jumped away, nearly catching the monster's attention. She leaned against it harder. . .and with a cry she fell through it and was outside. She blinked.

[Arathin]

Arathin watched helplessly while Elgee fell through the wall. "Aravorn," she cried. "Elgee, you have to help her. She fell through the wall, I don't know to where." She turned and looked hard at Gornag. Something is wrong. He doesn't seem the same as he did when he was in here before they came... He seems different somehow... weaker. Then she looked in the corner seat he had occupied and saw why. The real Gornag was sitting in his seat, smiling quietly to himself, while the fake was backing Aravorn right into the corner. "Aravorn, he means to t---" A kick delivered to her head by Gornag's booted foot left her unconcious and her warning unfinished.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee felt for the wall but could not find it. . .she backed up, and again saw the gateway of trees. . .however, now she was on the other side. That meant the wall was over there. . .she walked over and felt with her hands. . .she could feel the wall, but she could not see it. . .and she could not see the other portions of the palace around her.

Frustrated, she closed her eyes. She gave a gasp and quickly opened them. Then, to check what she had just seen, she closed her eyes again. She was in a gray world inside the palace, not as it had been with her there before, real and solid, but a shadow palace. She could see her friends. She was standing right between Gornag and Aravorn, but they kept talking as if she was abscent and not in their way.

She reached forward and her hand went right through her friend. She opened her eyes and was again in the forest.

There had to be someway to use this to her advantage. . .she closed her eyes and found herself again in the shadow world. . .then she sighted Arathin and Goldie, TWO of them.

Arathin and Goldie lay upon the floor unconscious, and yet another Arathin and another Goldie sat above them, not gray like the rest of the world about them, but solid and real.

"Where are we?" Arathin frowned.

[Arathin]

"What's is going on here?" The form of Arathin sitting up looked around and spotted Elgee. "I thought you fell through the wall." Then she saw Goldie sitting next to her totally concious and awake. "But you... you and I were just unconcious... You haven't been awake for days!"

Goldie smiled at her. "No... I haven't been in my body... Look down." Arathin looked down and saw her own form laying beneath her. "What's going on, Goldie?" "I'm not sure... I think this is the shadow form of the palace which was created so that the actual palace could be invisible. I've been here ever since my body lost conciousness. I believe whenever we're in the palace or under his spell and we lose conciousness, a part of us comes to this shadow existance... However I dont' know why Elgee's here... she didn't lose conciousness."

[HLGStrider]

"I don' tknow either. . .I don't know. . ."

Elgee opened her eyes and found herself in the forest again, just to make sure, then she closed her eyes. She was back.

"Apparently I can leave and enter this place at will. . .But not the solid version of this palace. . .so how is this possible?" She shook her head. . .

They looked over at their friends within the solid palace, only shadowy figures to them.

"We have to reach them somehow. . ."

[Arathin]

Arathin shook her head. "I think it is you that has to find a way to reach them... Goldie has been out for days and I don't think she wake up anytime before the Necromancer is dead or at least defeated... As for me... Well he kicked me pretty hard and I don't think my body will wake up too soon unless Aravorn decides to trip over me... then I might wake up, but I don't see what good that will do."

[Thomas Baggins]

Meanwhile Aravorn was just realising the trick Gornag had played on him. He knew Gornag would most-likely want information or such so he quickly pulled out Gurthang and hit himself ove the head with Gurthang's hilt. He fell to the floor in a faint......."What? what are you guy's doing here? where are we?" he said upon seeing the other Ranger's.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie smiled knowingly. She raised her head, and sat straight in her seat. Looking at her, one could almost see her at an elven court in a shimmering white gown, such was her manner. "It is not a matter of waking. It is a matter of returing to yourself. I would have done so much sooner, had Arathin not been drugging me. It would have been the right thing to do, had i been asleep. On the contrary, i was fully aware of all the actions of the necromancer, and i still am. That is why it is imparitive for us to find the others now." Goldie stood up, and walked down invisible steps in the air to her body. She knelt next to her body, and touched her own face, gently. In that instant, her shadow form vanished, and the eyes of her body fluttered open. Slowly she sat up, blinking her eyes as they adjusted to the light.

Elgee ran to her, and Goldie held up a hand to stop her. "I am still connected to Him. Don't touch me, it will get his attention. He is distracted by the others now. We must hurry. Arathin?"

[Arathin]

Arathin walked down the air to her own body. Tentivately she placed her own hand on her body's cheek. The sensation that followed was like being tugged along by ones hand and sucked into a hole at the same time. She felt the weight of her body again around her and her eyes fluttered open. She sighed and looked at where Goldie sat.

OOC: I'm going to be away from this friday the 15th to friday the 22nd. I give my character to Goldie to control during that time... starting tomorrow night.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee allowed herself to slip back into the real world, but she was still in the forest. . .still away from them. She scampered through the tree gate, and gazed into it. If she went in she would be trapped. . .if she stayed out she could do nothing. . .but what if she could do both?

She reached for a rock and threw it through the gate. It disappeared.

[Goldberry344]

Neither Goldie or Arathin wondered at Elgee's dissapearance. Goldie sighed, "It is better she is not here. He would have eventually claimed control of my mind, she would be helpless to his power. As it is, you cannot touch me. As soon as he knows i am with you, he will try to claim my mind. My struggle will only make it take longer, he has trained his magic to a strength mine cannot fight."

She glanced around, Arathin did the same, both looking for an exit. Arathin spotted the door first, and they headed to it together. A flood of light overtook the room as the door opened, and it was only in this instant that they realized how dark the room they'd been in was. They bliked their eyes to adjust them to the light, and walked out into an ancient courtyard.

[goldmare]

OOC: Very confused...

Goldmare was confused. And frightened. And exasperated. First Elgee disappeared, into a wall no less, then Arathin had been knocked unconscious, and then Aravorn had knocked himself out with his own sword hilt. (What could have possessed him?) She was now the only one awake with the Necromancer. Gornag didn't seem to be paying much attention to her. Instead, he kept whispering under his breath and staring about in different directions. She wondered if he was insane. Then again, maybe her friends were up to something. Might as well distract him, so he wouldn't catch on. She picked up the sword that was Arathin's, stepped up to him, and in a split second had brought the sword to his throat, waiting for the kill.

"Looking for me?" she said sharply as he refocused his gaze on her. He rolled his eyes, gave a frustrated sigh, and disappeared with a *CRACK*, reappearing across the room in the corner near Aravorn. She leapt after him, and he disappeared from the room with another *CRACK*. Goldmare raced towards the door, and, sticking her head out of it, looked for him. He wasn't anywhere around. Then she heard two people come up behind her into the courtyard. She turned and saw that Arathin and Goldie were awake. Relieved that Goldie was okay, she took the opportunity to ask them, "Do you know where Elgee is?"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee started to wander about. If only she knew what the heck he wanted from her so she could keep him from getting it. . .someone had to know. . .

[Goldberry344]

Goldie and arathin gazed around in wonder at the courtyard. "Perhaps this is the wrong door." goldie suggested. She turned to open the door they had gone through, but it was locked.

"well, i guess we'll never know. But im sure this is the castle we're supposed to be at." arathin replied. Goldie took a few steps to the locked garden gate adn looked down to the surrounding woods.

"Theres someone down there!" she exlaimed. squinting, she began to recognize the figure. "ELGEE!" she cried. "Arathin, it's Elgee down there!"

[HLGStrider]

Elgee looked up for she was sure she had heard a voice calling her name. She spooked and turned. No one. . .It came from up. . .but there was nothing up. . .only trees. She went over to one and began to climb.

[Goldberry344]

Goldie and arathin watched the figure curiously. "ELGEE?" arathin yelled down. The figure went behind a tree and out of sight, but the two continued to peer through the gat and down the hill.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee climbed and climbed and climbed. . .but she couldnn't see where the voice was coming from. It was frustrating!

Then she slipped and began to fall. . .a hand caught her and pulled her up.

She gasped! She was sitting on thin air.

[goldmare]

Fine. Don't notice me, thought Goldmare. She stepped forward and peered through the gate, looking for Elgee. There was no one there anymore. Handing the sword back to Arathin, she said to them, "I'm going to go take a peek outside, see if I can find Elgee." She slipped around them and through the tree-gate, and then turned around. There was nothing there. This is getting stranger and stranger by the minute, thought Goldmare. Looking around, she saw no sign of Elgee, so she started off to the right, keeping one hand on the invisible wall so that she could work out how big it was, and if there was another gate. They needed to know more about the castle before they could hope to defeat the man who dwelt within, and maybe Goldmare would be able to find where Elgee had gone. She had disappeared through a wall to the outside, so by all rights she should be here... worried and alert, Goldmare kept walking.

[HLGStrider]

Elgee started to carefully crawl along the invisible roof, examining the ground below her through it. It seemed to be a normal forest. . .so which was real, the forest or the castle?