Re: Hell of a life

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51. Beating

Elvina lifted up her head and tried to look Eligor in the eyes. She was rewarded with a stabbing pain in her neck.
He visited her once more after he gave her to Duke Astagor... clearly convinced she just might adjust her answer.
"Never... ," she whispered.

Eligor kneeled and looked at her. "I just don't understand... you only loose when you die, but you gain so much if you just say yes."
He disappeared suddenly...

Why didn't he just killed her. What the HELL was going on?
The mighty Duke Astagor smiled upon her...
This beating wasn't over yet...

She moaned...

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52. Hell of a day part 4 - Zinna’s side of story

Zinna grew restless. The past days she traveled to many places, hoping to find any sign of Elvina’s activities. She believed the vision she had in the temple. Elvina was alive and in hell. But to get there, you needed a portal. She had actually no idea how to get there, but as soon as she found a trace of a portal, she could actually sense Elvina’s work, and at that point, she had to find a powerful warlock. Perhaps he could reopen the gate.

Her journey brought her to Ravenswatch. For a moment she enjoyed the view. Suddenly she heard footsteps... Celestia! But she didn’t saw Zinna as she was cloaked.
Of course the damn cat needed to blow her cover. She didn’t want that Celestia knew she was there... but Eamon thought different... scratching Celestia’s leg.
They only had a short conversation, Zinna walked to the inn afterwards.


She couldn’t recall how long she sat there, until she suddenly saw people whispering to each other, and running around to tell something, apparently important to others.
Her elven ears quickly picked up the essence. A large portal appeared at the gates of Ravenswatch. Zinna shivered and ran outside.
She got there just in time to see how some demons came out of a portal that was spreading a terrible stench... sulfur, rotten eggs.
She took her bow and shot a couple of the beasts threatening Celestia. She focused on the other figure... Adrian Sunheim!

After the attack she observed the place where the portal, shortly after the attack disappeared. Behind her other people arrived.
She start to ask questions to some of them... but no one seemed to listen to her. Until she got really angry. She yelled, “Can someone tell me what is bloody going on?! Is it something to do with Elvina?!”

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. “Easy girl.”

She looked in the face of Adrian.
“We think so yes, didn’t you got the letter of Elvina?”

Zinna’s eyes widened, “WHAT!? A letter???”

Adrian showed it and she grabbed it out of his calmly waiting hand.

“What the..., “ Zinna looked around and saw Celestia ,”... did you knew?”

Celestia sighed and nodded.

“You , you … gaah. “ She tried to control herself. “What are we going to do now?”

A little man appeared near her, in an attempt to calm her down.
Zinna looked confused at Enyeto.
She heard Adrian talk. “We follow that smoke.” He pointed and Zinna followed his hand to a place where suddenly of pillar of clouds appeared.

Zinna noticed another familiar face. “Ioe? Is that you?”

The girl looked at her and nodded.

They only met a week or two ago, and their first conversation started with scratching each other. Zinna was upset on that moment about Elvina’s disappearance. The moment she started to cry during their … “fight”, Ioe comforted her.

Zinna smiled lightly at her.
She saw Jeremiah too, but he didn’t say much. She sensed something weird around him... as if he was angry at her. Although, she couldn’t think of a reason.

The group followed Adrian and Celestia. There were faces she never saw before. They didn’t knew Elvina, but they seemed worried about the demon attacks.
Zinna just felt it had something to do with her love.
The smoke seemed to start in the forest, but before they got there they were overwhelmed by more demons coming out of the forest.
One time, Zinna fell... feeling her death frightening close. It was Enyeto, or so she believed, who brought her back... and it wouldn’t be the last time.
When they arrived in the forest she noticed Adele joined too. They nodded to each other, but didn’t talk much. She knew Adele knew about the letter, and Adele by now knew that she knew...
It gave a tention between them. Still, she was glad she was here. Another powerful warrior just like Celestia and Adrian was mostly welcome.

The group discovered a great disc... flikkering... Zinna got in front and tasted the air with her senses. Her eyes widened and turned red. Some tears appeared while she mumbled to herself. “Elvina, what have you done...”
Adrian happened to have heard her and asked to tell them more.
Zinna didn’t knew much, but told the others this was a special portal ment to summon a demon prince. She also told something weird was going on with the portal, namely it should be long closed by now.
A small group led by Adrian stepped in the portal with the purpose to scout. Zinna followed them.

A rotten atmosphere, hot and smelly air was thrown in her face. It almost knocked her of her feet. She saw the others fighting off some fierceful demons.
Soon the spot around the portal was safe. Zinna offered to call for the others.
Back in the forest she asked some people to help... she was a bit desperate...
Finally she turned to Celestia. “Will you guard the area until we come back?”

The woman smiled upon her. “Would you like me to stay here? Cause i was thinking to join you there.”

Zinna couldn’t believe it. “But, but … you in hell, isn’t that very dangerous?”

Celestia smiled. “I want to help you and Elvina.” And with that she disappeared in the portal along with some others.

They advanced slowly, a long winding path down a hill with around every corner more demons. Zinna got helped once more by Enyeto, the air was killing her, literally...
They arrived at some hovering door... another portal. Behind it was a castle or dungeon, filled with terrible things. Some very large demons were waiting for them. Almost everyone got knocked of their feet , and only due the bravery and cunning of some people they survived.
This time Zinna was helped by Adele... with only a smile on her face, doing her work silently.
She nodded at her.
Finally they ended up in a room that seemed to have the goal to confuse them. Whenever you stepped on a big tile, you got magically transported to another.
It was here Zinna blacked out for the first time. This place wasn’t very welcome to her.
Someone helped her through and before she knew it, they arrived in a huge hall. And she sensed something really terrible.
She saw the others looking... an enormous demon was hitting a figure hanging on some kind of pillory.

“Elvina!! Elvina!! ,” She tried to run towards her, but a calm hand grabbed her shoulder.

“Not now girl... , “ Adrian said grimly. He stepped forward along with Celestia, Adele and some others. They started to run and Zinna could hear their battle cries.
What happened next was unbelievable. The demon knocked down some of them but the blades filled with divine and other energies weakened it quickly.
Zinna felt godly for a moment and was honoured that a group of mortals could pull this off.
However some of them took terrible hits and blood was soon on everyone’s clothes.
Zinna’s arrows bounced off, as she tried to do her share while the others were slashing with their blades.
Her eyes were on Elvina... was she alive? To find out, they needed to pass that demon.
She turned to the beast. It almost grapped Celestia with one of its enormous clawing hands. She was just too quick. And Adele... she turned very powerful. Every hit brought a severe injury to the demon, almost as if she had to prove something. Adrian stood like a rock, his face contorted due the pain of his wounds and the effort of his wielding arms.
Others were making hits from different sides... She saw, or better didn’t saw Ioe jumping in and out the fight. Enyeto supported... just like Jeremiah and many others.
Suddenly it was over... the beast fell...

This time there wasn’t an Adrian on the planet that could stop her from running to Elvina.
“My love, my love... we are here... we are here to bring you back!”

No response. Celestia arrived after her. “El... Elvina? Are you alright.” She saw the blooded woman hanging. Ioe cut her loose, and Zinna helped Elvina sit on her bum leaning with her head again the pillory. Celestia and Adele called for their divine powers to heal her. Her body remained limp!
No response, except Elvina coughed up some blood. She was alive after all.
Zinna had only eye for Elvina. She heard Celestia mentioning something about internal wounds.
“Elvina, my love, please wake up.” Zinna heard the others talking about carrying Elvina out.

And on that moment a Tiefling appeared in there midst.

Great, another attack, Zinna thought. But nothing happened. He just started to talk. She observed him from a distance. It was Eligor... the demon of her dreams.
"What have you done to her, you monster!" Zinna cried and turned to Elvina.
Zinna didn’t follow the whole conversation... and missed some parts.
“Elvina, please, wake up.”

One of Elvina's eyes shivered. “No Eligor, I am … not buying this... another of your great illusions?"

“Elvina! It’s me! It’s real.” Other members of their party tried too... but Elvina kept shaking, her eyes half open and her sight seemed blurry.

Elvina smiled coldly at Celestia. “And another ... of your ... beautiful demons hmm?” She looked with one eye to Celestia and Zinna. “You can tell your master he can go to hell.” They saw Elvina tried to grin.

Zinna heard Eligor talk about a wedding... she turned to the conversation.
“You are all invited offcourse.” He grinned at the party. She heard Celestia ,” Never, we take Elvina with us!”

“Now what do we have here? The Lightbringer?! You may stay as well. And if Zinna can’t forget her love... well, she can stay. Two or three women for the price of one!” He clapped in his hands, and seemed very pleased.
Zinna almost exploded. “You, marry my Elvina? Over my dead body!” If some people wouldn’t have stopped her, the Tiefling would have had some scratches in his face. Too bad, cause a fiery female elf can be quite the challenge.

She turned to Elvina and ignored the Tiefling, confident her friends will deal with him.

Adrian said ,”Zinna, perhaps you can wake her up with something only the two of you know?”

Right... but what... She knew what and kneeled before Elvina. “Elvina, my love. It’s me Zinna. Can you remember our first kiss, and how it was? After those guys almost took you. We left the cave and talked... and suddenly this happened.” She lifted Elvina’s chin, bowed to Elvina’s lips and gave a kiss just like that time.

She felt Elvina reacting... almost returning the kiss... “Zinna... is .. it really.. you?” Tears appeared in Zinna’s eyes and she saw some in Elvina’s blurry eyes as well.

“It’s me my love, you’re back with us. We will get you out.” She looked up at the conversation between the others and Eligor.
Meanwhile she heard Elvina saying the names of the others. She smiled at her, good, her memory or whatever was coming back. Suddenly she heard Elvina whisper another name.

“Josh, … Josh? Is that you?” Zinna shook her head as she saw Jeremiah Swift approaching.

“No, I’m afraid not.” His face was dark. Zinna shivered and told Elvina it was his brother, Jeremiah.

“No, Elvina, Zinna and Celestia are staying here.” She heard the Tiefling was loosing it’s temper.
The others stood firm and before they knew it, the attack began. Eligor turned out to be a mighty magician and shadowdemons appeared out of nowhere.
Before she could raise her defences, Zinna got struck by a spell and everything turned black...


Dark... warm... wind... cold, she opened an eye carefully, it hurt. “What...”

“Sttt keep silent milady... we escaped and are bringing you directly to Ravenswatch. Someone needs to take care of your wounds, we barely managed to bring you back from the dead.” The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t recall the name going with it. Still, she felt save... but … “Elvina?”

“Sttt, they are bringing her too. Now rest, please, We’ll be there soon.”

She smiled and then everything turned black once more...

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53. Hell of a day part 4 - Elvina’s side of the story

“Celestia !!!?”

Elvina shivered as she felt the raging anger of Zinna. You didn’t had to be empathic to sense that. Elvina nodded.

“So, let me get this straight. While I was recovering here... ,” she pointed at some bed at the inn in Ravenswatch ,” … you were recovering in her personal room!?”

Elvina had to swallow.

“In her ‘personal’ bed !!?” Zinna shook her head with her eyes widened.

Elvina nodded almost unnoticeable.

Zinna, who was sitting up in her bed, fell back on her pillow.
Elvina quickly approached...

“Unbelievable... ,” Zinna whispered.

“My love …, “ Elvina started.

“Just tell me your story Elvina... tell me everything what happened.” Zinna averted her eyes from Elvina.


Elvina took a seat near the bed. She knew better then sitting on it...
She told everything to Zinna, how she left the inn, her letters to her friends, her journey to Lendose... she wisely skipped the part where she stopped at Ravenswatch to look for Celestia. How she went to the forest and opened the gate.
“And when nothing happened i decided to see what was going on. It just wasn’t normal so I needed to make sure this portal wasn’t captured by some demon.”
Zinna replied ,”Which actually happened...”

Elvina nodded.

“Save your sorry’s for later and do go on...”

Elvina told how she was captured by Eligor and about his ‘proposals’. How he tried to convince her, first with sweet words, with gifts, with promises, and later on with threats, lies and deception.
By the time she started about the violence and torture they used on her, Zinna’s eyes turned back to Elvina. Her eyes were blinking and watery. Elvina didn’t notice it as her head was down.
“They hung me on a pillory. Eligor appeared one more time before you showed up.”

….......

Eligor took her chin and lifted her head. He gave her a kiss. “Time to wake up my Dark Princess. Our wedding can almost start.” He grinned at her as she opened her eyes.

She spat in his face.

“My o my, aren’t we in a good mood. Well i have very good news for you. We are having visitors. And we need to make you look good before they arrive.” He took her hair in his hand and pulled. “And you better be good... hahaha, you heard that? ... be ‘good’.” He chuckled when he walked away from the pillory. On his way out he nodded to the Duke.

Not again..., she thought.
The Duke prepared his fists, slamming each of them in his open hand as if to warm them up.
Elvina was knocked out on the first blow... somewhere in the distance she heard his strikes on her body... but she couldn’t feel them anymore... maybe, just maybe she was allowed to die.
….......

Zinna took Elvina’s hand in hers, and turned her face towards hers.
“My love, i can’t believe you survived such cruelty and horrible beat-ups. You could have accepted his proposal and then think of a way to escape...”

Elvina shook her head. "No my dear, you know as good as i that you better don’t make deals with devils. My soul would have been under his control then.”
She paused for a moment.
“Besides, everything that happened was my stupid fault. So i needed to pay the price... not the rest of the world. Imagine what would happen if he made me his Dark Princess...”

….......

Elvina heard noises, battle cries... the way to heaven sure seemed turbulent. In her imagination she smiled... maybe she could be of use in heaven... or was she going to hell. No, she … left that place. Perhaps she needed to prove herself, to earn her place up there.
Strange... no warm circle appeared this time.
She heard a whisper... someone calling her name.
“Alright? Elvina... alright... .” Elvina knew that voice. She moaned innerly, seems she didn’t die after all. That devil was trying it again... deceiving her.
She heard shouting and cursing. Then a hand on her face... a warm glow was spreading from her face to the rest of her body. Why did he heal her, why couldn’t he just let her go.
“El... it.. me... Cele... we... here... get you.”
Opening her eyes seemed a big problem as it hurt. Her view was blurry. She saw a little man besides her, some little folk. In front of her was a shining light, and when it dimmed it looked like Celestia’s face.
“Go … away!! You devils.” She heard Eligors voice and she was convinced it was all a trick.
“... Another … of your … beautiful demons hmm? You can tell your master he can go to hell.”
It hurt but she tried to grin... trying to look stubborn.
She blacked out.

….......

Zinna was holding Elvina’s head in her arms, just as down there. The two girls were crying.
Elvina felt Zinna’s salty lips searching hers.
She paused her story for a moment as the two girls were holding each other on the bed.

“It’s your kiss that brought me back... that made me believe you guys really showed up. I just couldn’t believe that... not after all those weeks... that devil really made me believe everyone was angry at me... that I was forgotten...”

Zinna replied ,”So time travels faster there than here?”

“Seems so... so he had more time to ‘convince’ me...,” Elvina answered.

….......

Elvina sensed a kiss on her mouth, it was a familiar feeling... the time it lasted, the pressure, the taste. She had to know and answered with her typical kiss. She felt the tip of a tongue touching her lips in response.
“Zinna... is... it really... you?”

She could hear Zinna’s voice, clear and sharper this time. “It’s me my love, you’re back with us. We will get you out.”

She saw Zinna leaving, another head appeared... Celestia!

“We bring you home girl.”

“No, Celestia, … you are … in Hell.”

“Yeah, all the way to get you back.” Celestia smiled warmly upon Elvina. “And there are few others that joined too.”

Elvina recognized Adrian, her eyes filled with tears again. The very man she almost killed was here to save her. He squeezed her hand lightly.
Then she saw another familiar face, her sight was however still a bit blurry. “Josh... is that you?”

The dark figure stepped closer. “No, I’m afraid not.”

She heard Zinna’s voice. “No, it’s his brother Jeremiah.”
Elvina shivered when she saw his face and realized something. Jeremiah and Celestia were here together. How painful it must be for him to fight besides the one who killed his brother. What was he doing here, after all, he didn’t knew Elvina. Maybe he was a friend of Zinna?

….......

Zinna nodded, “I guess you can say he’s my friend... together with Adele they helped me on certain occassions."

“I saw Adele too, but only shortly. She seemed... distant.”

Zinna looked strangely at Elvina.

“Do you remember what happened with her, I … got a big hit and can’t remember anything of the fight. They say Adele attacked members of our party and disappeared.”

Elvina shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t recall much. After I got up, some big man helped me I saw Adele for a few seconds. She was raging... and radiating something dark, I also remember she was talking in a language I couldn’t understand.”
Elvina sighed.

Zinna took her arm. “I know she’s a very good friend of yours, I’m so sorry.”

….......

“Go... Elvina.” She heard Jeremiah’s voice.
She looked confused at Adele who disappeared.
“Can’t you hear what I am saying? I said GO!” He pointed to the portal behind her.

She saw Celestia and Adrian were coming after her as she jumped in.
Elvina fell on her knees on the other side. The fresh air filled with oxygen hit her longues really hard. Her hands beneath her could feel the grass... how long was that ago.
She coughed and heard people were concerned about her. “Just... gimme a minute.”
Calmly she tried to adept to the other atmosphere. Her hearing improved, a bird sang, the wind rushing through the leaves.
Celestia and Adrian helped her up. She noticed other faces too, although she didn’t knew everyone. “Zinna... is she...”

“They took her to Ravenswatch for caring, she’ll be alright.”

….......

“And that is how you ended up in Celestia’s bed. Tell me everything about that.”

Elvina shook her head. “I don’t recall much, I... she helped me in bed and talked to me... she cared for my injuries just as someone else was caring for yours.”

“Girl, you forget I can sense things, certainly everything about you.”

“But...” Elvina tried.

“No, listen to me. I feel your love for me. It is still there, and unchanged, yes. But when the name Celestia comes in...”

“But I care for all my fr... “ Elvina tried once more.

“I feel that, yes, but it’s different with Celestia... I... can’t tell what it is, it’s only a feeling I get. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful she helped. And that she is your friend, that she saved your life once of twice...”

Elvina was worried. “But?”

“But nothing, forget it. Now, I’d like to rest, It’s only a couple of days ago-=i i left hell and it wasn’t a pleasure for my body.” She looked at Elvina. “While you seem in pretty good shape... I wonder how that would be possible.” Sarcasm was dripping in those last words.

….......

Elvina left Zinna’s room.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. And she even didn’t tell Zinna yet about what happened yesterday with Adele, and Celestia...

Just as she left the hallway she passed a very beautiful looking woman with bluish hair... and saw her entering Zinna’s room.
Elvina stared, then shook her head, probably one of the healers...

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54. Temporary

“You have failed.” A bluish-haired woman stood before Zinna’s bed.
Zinna didn’t answer, instead she looked at the ceiling as if there were fantastic things waiting to be discovered up there.

“It’s time to go. The Master is waiting for us. Pack your things and lets go.”
Zinna didn’t move.
“Oh c’mon girl, you’ll miss all the fun... oh wait... right, your wounds.”
The woman called for a power that made Zinna shiver. Her wounds started to heal immediately.
“There... much better.” She giggled ,”Much better then how Elvina treated you.”
She bowed and kissed Zinna on the lips.
“There sweety, you are back aaallll mine.”

Zinna got out her bed and started to pack her things.
Only minutes later the room, ‘their’ room was empty besides some stuff of Elvina.
Zinna looked one more time and shrugged. Still, a light shiver was noticeable in her stomach.

"Oh c'mon, we both knew this was only temporary. You had lots of fu.... .”

“Temporary !? How long were you planning to let me keep up this... ,” Zinna softly cursed,” I really had feelings for her.”

“You see, you said ‘had’, so it is over. Temporary, just like I said.”

“Elves live long indeed, but you just let me stay with her for more than ten years.”

“Nine to be correct, the first year you did all by yourself. And don’t say you didn’t liked it... cause you did. Well, playtime is over. Time to go.”


Zinna followed the bluish haired woman outside... and looked once more back at the inn.
Somehow she had mixed feelings about this.
“Will I ever return?”

The woman stopped and looked at her. “Are you saying you still love her? More than you love me?”

“No, it’s just... I have some nice memories...”

“Temporary, all of it was temporary... .”



Zinna woke up with a shock... her heart was beating like hell, her nightdress was soaking wet.
She heard the cracking sound of the door handle. Someone entered her room...

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55. Home

“Hello mo’m...”

Sha-’della couldn’t believe it. One moment she was doing her laundry, the next she saw a black cloaked woman with white hair surrounded by lots of little elven childs walking towards her.
Her work fell out of her hands, and she ran towards her. She threw her both arms around the woman, tears in her eyes... “Elvina... my child... is that you?”

“Yes mother, I’m home... ,” Elvina replied.

Sha-’della stretched her arms to give her foster child a good look. She immediately felt something was wrong, or different...
“What … happened … , “ Sha-’della started.

Elvina tried to get grip on her emotions and looked at the person who became a mother for her. “Zinna … is she … here?”

Sha-’della saw tears appear in Elvina’s eyes. She shook her head ,”No ... my child ... why?”

Elvina threw her head on her mothers shoulder and cried.

“Elvina is that you?” She recognized the voice, her foster father.

“Dad... I...” Elvina tried.

“Come my child, no need to stay here, let’s go inside and get you something to drink and eat.” Sha-'della took her adopted daughter by her arm.


After she ate a bit... she wasn’t very hungry, Sha-’della looked at her and laid her hand on Elvina’s arm.
“Now child, if you’re able, tell us everything you want to tell. We are here for you.” She smiled upon Elvina.

And so Elvina started to tell, now and then stuttering but after a while she got a bit grip on it. During the story Sha-’della had to wipe her eyes many times. She couldn’t believe what Elvina experienced in the past months.
It was almost night when Elvina completed her story. In the mean time she ate a bit more. Sha-’della only interrupted Elvina few times to ask a question. For the rest of the time she and her husband listened silently, but sat closely by her side trying to comfort her... which proved to be very difficult.

“I... my child, I don’t know what to say. Come here in my arms, my daughter.”

Elvina laid her head against her foster mother's shoulder and cried for a little while.

“You must be tired. I think it’s better you go to bed now, we’ll bring you... and we talk in the morning when we are all fresh enough.”
Her mother sat a while on her bed, with Elvina’s head in her arms, until she felt she was asleep.
She walked back to the main room. Her husband was sitting in his favored chair with his eyes focused on a non existing distant point. He was a strong but sweet man, who never showed lots of emotions... but this time Sha-’della saw watery eyes.
She took a seat on the table, preoccupied.


“I feel so powerless... our child... how can we help her?” he started.

Sha-’della shook her head. “I’m afraid we can’t do anything more then be there for her. Her heart is broken but we can’t fix that.”

“She changed, didn’t she?”

Sha-’della nodded. “Do you remember when they just brought her? And the first years she was here? Well, she’s back that little girl... but she doesn’t realize it yet. Instead she has to deal with emotions that were hidden from her.”

Her husband looked up. “You mean... that devil?”

“Yes, I think that day it happened he stole a part of her soul, or her being... I don’t know. I should talk with the Loremasters about it... but that’s for later. Right now, it’s enough for me to say Elvina is back the person she was before it happened. And the change she’s experiencing is very big and very sudden.”

“As if a door was blown open and fresh air enters the room?” he asked.

“Just like she said, something like that yes. And it’s hard to digest for her. Her personality didn’t change that much, but you can say there are things added again.”

“Well, actually... that would be … hmm good news.” he carefully said.

Sha-’della changed position on her chair. “In normal circumstances, yes... but these things with Zinna, and some of Elvina's friends, are consuming her heart. I’m a bit worried my husband.”

“She’s like a barrel filled with emotions now, isn’t she? Then we have to help her deal with them, give them place so she can go back taking decisions on a clear basis.”

“I’m afraid everything she’s experiencing is the truth. But indeed what she’s going to do with it, is important.”


It was silent for a while.
“So, do you think she’s really loving another?” he asked.

Sha-’della didn’t nod this time. “Now, that’s a hard question and difficult to judge. I think she still loves Zinna, but isn’t it weird they stayed together that long? I mean, this almost never happened before, a human and elf in a relation for that long. They were good friends and attracted to each other yes, but elves are quite different from humans. It was a if she was attached to her in a very focused way. I mean, after a while humans start to find elves a bit boring... as they don’t change often... as a result of our longer lives. We have more time. But humans live shorter, they like to change more, experience new things... and if we start talking about aging...”

“There are enough examples of human marriages with elves, my loving wife, but you are right... the ones that stay together end in despair. The elf hoping his human partner will stay strong and live longer...”

“What age do you think Elvina will reach? I mean, she’s filled with some kind of magic i’ll never understand... but ever since she’s practicing it, she ages a bit slower.”

Her husband shook his head. “I have no idea... but since she’s with us, I’m also hoping she will live longer than most humans. It will be hard for me to bury her as an old woman, while we still haven’t changed.”

Sha-’della nodded, “Zinna knew that too when she chose for Elvina. I’m not saying I was against their marriage... two women together ,” she shook her head ,” … is not very common, but elves and humans, that’s something quite different. Zinna never saw this as a problem.”

Her husband replied ,” Or she didn’t want to see that...”

“Anyways, to get back at your question... I think Elvina met in her life lots of other, erh... ‘offers’, chances or whatever... but her eyes were always shut, … until now.”

Her husband reacted ,”So that devil had something to do with it? Made her stay with Zinna?”

Sha-’della shook her head ,”No, not on purpose... at least, thats what I’m hoping. No, he more likely blinded her... but if so, with what reason.”


Sha-’della needed to think a bit before she continued.
“I think there’s a big chance her love for ‘others’ is truly. But it doesn’t matter now I guess. We need to support our daughter now.”

Her husband stood up and gave his wife a kiss. “I’m so glad she’s came back, even if she doesn’t stay long. She’s really a daughter to me, human or not.”

“And we’ll never give her up... ,” Sha-’della replied.


Elvina turned around in her bed as she heard her foster parents' door close. She cried softly...

[Admin]

56. Inner

AS FROM HERE I STILL HAVE TO DO SPELL CHECKS !!

“Elvina, are you prepared?" Incha, Elvina’s previous guide in magic, sat before her.
Her mother was standing near the big tree where the two were sitting under. “My girl, please be careful with understanding the things you are about to experience.”
Elvina nodded to both of them. “I just want to know... i want to know which feelings were hidden from me over the last years. I want to learn the truth.”
Sha-’della smiled but was worried ,”Remember, it’s possible certain things, you can’t turn back, are revealed. I don’t like to see you become even more sad, just because of chances you might have missed, certainly when they were long ago.”

Incha looked up at Sha-’della. “I will do my best to guide her and i will try to prevent traumatic experiences. Normally there isn’t a big risk by doing this, i might even help her canalize and control her emotions, and put certain things in a better perspective.”
Elvina sighed ,”Perhaps i can set things straight?”
Sha-’della shook ,”Just don’t attach to the things shown, and remember, … most of the time it will tell something about you and your feelings. At most you will sense signals about other peoples feelings for you... but even those are only an interpretation of your own feelings... what you would have made about them... if they wouldn’t have been ‘covered’ for you. But, you are not going back in time by doing this, to set things straight. Perhaps you will be able to give certain emotions and feelings a better place and bring those rushing feelings into your heart at rest.”
Incha looked in Elvina’s eyes ,”And you still have the future my girl.” She smiled warmly.

The Spirit Shaman closed her eyes and start to hum softly. Sha-’della left the peaceful place they chose in the forest. She heard how the birds stopped singing, almost as if they were listening. Just before she left, she sensed a feeling of serenity.
She nodded, good, if someone would happen to disturb those two, he or she would just fall to sleep before reaching them.
Elvina’s eyes closed... she was sleepy, tired... the feelings, that had been consuming her heart, settled down... and it was as if she could breathe deeper.
At this point it looked like all her emotions calmed down, giving more room to her mind.

She heard a soft voice. “Very good, put things aside so you can concentrate on them one by one later. Now, Elvina, in your imagination, open your eyes.”
She did, her sight was bit blurry. She saw Incha sitting before her, on the same place in the forest. She saw white silhouettes walking between the trees. “Who...”
Incha spoke, but without opening her mouth. “Easy Elvina, let me explain a bit. You just entered what you would call the dreamworld. It is a place were people go to process things they experienced during the day or even during their life. The only difference with a normal sleep is that you will be able to navigate a bit what you would like to see. It takes some time before you get good at it... so if you see people running around in the forest, that’s because you think of … too many things in one time. Now, you have to start concentrating. Go back in time and bring the persons you have met forward, one by one. It doesn’t matter if it happens chronological or not.”

Elvina closed her eyes for a brief moment. Suddenly the figure of an adult elven woman appeared. Her foster mother... Elvina smiled in the dream.
She heard Incha’s voice ,”Very good Elvina, try to focus on the image... tell me what you see or feel.”
“This is easy Incha, it’s Sha-’della, the person who became my second mother. I love her with all my heart. She raised me as her own and i’m very thankful to her. She is dear to me... i … i think she’s … scared … of loosing me. Not only now, but ever since i got adopted by her... i sense it … in ways she looked at me, or in certain things she ever said to me.”
Incha spoke in her mind. “Listen Elvina, i’m not going to judge any of the feelings you might have... but here, i can sense the love of a child for it's mother... I only do it this time to give you a bit self-confidence.”

The image of her mother disappeared, and in it’s place appeared the image of a man... no, a dwarf.
“Now that’s been a long time... Raughwar. He’s a dwarf i met when i came to Cear. A bit grumpy, strong as a bull but a true friend. He did what had to be done and was always there to help me when i needed it. I did the same for him... i loved adventuring with him...”
She felt Incha nodding and the image of Raughwar disappeared.
Another man appeared, he had a beard and an eyepatch... easy... “This is Sorc. A man with who i traveled much. I learned a lot from him... he was an expert at strategy and most things i learned from him. I think... i liked him, more or less... and he was … ,” she hesitated ,” attractive in a way... in a way like men can be attractive i mean...”. She shook her head.
Incha nodded again and without any further word Elvina continued to the next person.

A young elf appeared... Elvina recognized him immediately and grinned. “Cully... he found me attractive... it’s before i was with Zinna. He was such a dear boy... but i had no feelings for him... he was a good friend, but when he saw his feelings kept unanswered he started avoiding me. He started to hate me, and once, he called me a witch... i burned his chest hair... i … don’t feel sorry for it.”
Incha spoke ,”You are agreeing with your own feelings... very well Elvina. This helps you accepting certain events.”
A young beautiful woman appeared … an elf... Elvina paused and shivered.
She heard Incha ,”This is someone that surely has a big impact on you.”
Elvina nodded as the image became sharper... “Zinna... my wife... she... i love her... from the moment we met we were very close friends... we grew to each other... more and more... until the day she came to help me fight off some … ‘pushy’ drow males.”
“Take your time my child ,” Incha said.
The sight of Zinna was almost too much for her, … and so was the truth... “I loved her, yes, but... under normal, other circumstances, the relation would have ended. We have our differences and i know now i had my thoughts about it as well. We lived together yes, but didn’t talk much about the consequences of our relation and how these would affect each of us. Now, i picture myself how she would be standing by my grave, while i died as a very old lady, and she … still in the prime of her life. The thought of it now, is unbearable... even knowing i will probably live a bit longer then most other humans. When i see her again, when... i’ll have bring up this and many other things we never talked about, or avoided... so i can settle this once and for a all... and know how the cards are on the table.”
“Very well ,” Incha just nodded, but she felt Elvina’s sadness.

A dark cloaked man appeared... “Alright, this is getting harder then i expected... ,” as she knew who he was. “Josh... it’s been a while... i have only seen him a couple of times... but with him i felt connected... however that was how i felt in the past, when i was adventuring with him. Now, it’s... a bit deeper. I think he was on the same path as i... seeking and exploring the paths of light and darkness... he may have been one of the guides i have been searching for... or so i believe. He showed interest in me and how i acted. He told me he understood me... and i believed him, even now. I... i still can’t believe he choose the path of darkness... he never seemed the person to do something like that... i only wished i was there they day he was caught. Perhaps i could have helped him...”
“Elvina, don’t think back about things you could have done in the past... what about the future?”
Elvina shook ,”There is no future, he’s … dead...”
Incha remained silent for a moment.
“I am sorry Elvina, i sense you may have lost someone important. I hope you can give this a place in your heart.”

A robust figure appeared, half orc so it seemed... Adrian.
“I can be short on this one. I think he’s great, i almost killed him under influence of a vampire. He forgave me. Later on he even came to hell to rescue me from Eligor. Or how true friendship and loyalty can be heartwarming. My feelings about this and him are the same now as i experienced them in the past.”
Next a woman appeared... but the image stayed blurry... Elvina tried to focus on her.
Suddenly she saw the same person twice... the image became sharper.
Adele! Elvina shivered a bit, but didn’t say a word. After a few moments the two images of Adele came back to one.
“Are you alright Elvina?” Incha sounded a bit worried.
“This is... Adele... one of my closest friends and she …” Elvina paused. “It’s clear to me i would like to help her. She’s struggling with something inside herself. I think she risked something when she came to help me get out of hell. I’m really worried about her and i … i...”
Incha waited for a few moments. “Can you face it Elvina? Or would you like to do her later?”
Elvina replied ,”No, no... i know almost exactly how i feel about her... i love her. I’m not certain which kind of love it is... but i can feel it’s about friendship, and some kind of bond i can’t explain right now. As soon as i see her again... i need to bring this up. However, i’m not sure if i will be confident enough...”
“It’s good to face certain emotions... remember, you don’t have expose yourself completely when you talk to people about them.”

Elvina nodded, the next image appeared. Where her heart was bouncing a bit when she saw Adele, there was now a certain calmness. She got a bit sad when the figure became sharper.
“This is … i call him Archie. He’s a great , or he was a great dwarf, a druid.”
Incha frowned ,” A dwarf that took up the role of a druid?”
“Archdruid to be more precise... and someone i trust.... now it’s becoming very clear to me he could have been my guide. He didn’t understand my magic, but he kept me balanced. And i loved him as a true friend. I feel very sad he’s gone... actually i wonder what happened to him...”
It took a while after the Archdruid disappeared before someone else took his place.
Suddenly a lot of people in one time appeared.
“Do not be afraid Elvina, this probably is more an event or happening you remember and where you might have missed … ‘signals’. Try to concentrate on where you have seen these particulary people together.”
Elvina’s heart beat raised a bit, she knew exactly about what it was. “This group of people i recognize as my rescuers, the ones that came to hell to save me. Hmm, i also see a lot of faces i don’t recognize and i don’t have particulary feelings about them...”
Suddenly the image of the people flashed a couple of times and they were gone. Elvina got blinded for a short time... a dark figure appeared.
“No... nono, noooooooooooooo!!!!!!! Not him!!” Elvina screamed like hell...

The man who became visible wasn’t a man... but Eligor.
“Easy Elvina, calm down girl. It’s only an image, really. We are walking in your memory, and this is just a part of it. It’s clear to me you didn’t liked him.”
Elvina took her hands of her face and dared to look. “Incha, this is, or better was, Eligor the devil who captured me... and the one who may be responsible for blocking my feelings.”
Incha took a good look. “I remember him, but he looks different then the day it happened. He was good in disguising himself, so this will probably his new look.”
“I hate him, i hate him soo much... i... what he did too me... not only in hell, but if he’s the one who’s responsible for the fact i didn’t feel certain things in the past years … he ruined my life!! I would kill him again and again for it.”
“Elvina, don’t let it make you angry... although the fact you can still get angry is very positive... it means you’re more … complete again.”

As dark as the last figure was, as bright appeared the next.
Elvina didn’t react. Incha looked at her... she felt Elvina’s heart was pounding again... and she was very nervous.
“Elvina? ,” Incha tried.
“No, not her, do it later, please... i can’t take it after this confrontation with Eligor. Please...”
Incha observed her for just a second ,”This one must be special too i take it? But alright, we move on to the next.”
The bright figure disappeared, and a man came in sight.
“This is Darion, he’s a gentle man. At least he was the last time. I really not always understand him. He can be sometimes mad, and was once angry with me when i talked about the plans i had with killing Kasandra. Hmm, i feel now he was not really mad at me... but i think he was concerned. Not only about me, but also about many others. I really should talk to him. He also seemed different the last time i met him near Ravenswatch... he said he was my friend and he would be there for me whenever i needed to talk.” Elvina fell silent for a short while. “I just wonder why i didn’t do that yet? He gave me a strange, but warm feeling.”

Many others passed before Elvina’s spiritual eye. Nothing special occured until …
Once more a dark figure appeared. Maladict! She had almost forgotten him. The gentle vampire who asked her to be her spy in Cear... yes one of the things she almost did wrong.
After the latest conversation she never heared him again. He had a certain influence on her feelings... his charisma was above the treetops. Weird, how she knew he was evil, yet his charming approach worked on her... even though it was temporarily. She said it so Incha could help her place her feelings. But Incha didn’t reacted.
“I think you can say i was a little attracted to him... not bad for a vampire … male.”
She saw Incha grinning this time.

Maladict disappeared. A bright light took his place.
“Not again...” Elvina sighed.
Incha looked at her. “Elvina i’m not judging you... but i think you need to face this...”
“I know Incha, i tried to push it away, not only today, but also the last weeks. This is Celestia, the Lightbringer... i already told her, so not much more to learn about myself. I know how i feel.”
Incha frowned. She felt how Elvina’s heart beat was raising again. And how she tried to avoid to look at Celestia’s image... but her eyes seemed stronger then her neck.
“Would you like to share it with me? Perhaps i can help to give your thoughts and feelings a place...”
Elvina shook her head,” No, no... i already gave it a place. I...”
Incha interrupted her ,”You’re locking them up. I’m not judging, i just … notice it.”
Elvina buried her face in her cloak. “Please Incha, make it stop!!”
Her world went dark...

[Admin]

57. Forgiveness

They traveled for many days and through many forests. Even for an elf like Zinna it was confusing to keep track where they were heading. Suddenly deep in a very dense dark forest they stopped. Zinna couldn’t hear birds sing, any other animals that might be present kept quiet as well. The wilderness pushed on Zinna’s breathing.
The bluish-haired woman turned around. “We are almost there.” She walked towards a gigantic tree with a trunk as big as a house. She knocked on it, and said some kind of fiendish word.
The lines of a door appeared on it, a suddenly a part of the bark turned open, behind it a deep black space downwards.
She smiled at Zinna as she stepped down an invisible trap. “Don’t be afraid sweety, i’ll hold your hand.”
Zinna couldn’t see a hand for her eyes as the door shut again. Even her elven eyes couldn’t help her. Suddenly a red glow appeared at the end of the tunnel.
They entered, what appeared to be a warm and comfy bedroom with some seats near a burning fireplace. The walls looked like dark mud but felt as hard as a rock.

Someone, who was sitting in one of the seats, got up from it.
“Well well, look who’s paying me a visit. Zinna Dawn.”
Zinna lowered her head ,”Master... i...”
“You have failed,” he interrupted her.
“I told her already, Master... ,” the bluish-haired woman started.
“Shut up! Both of you! I am the only one who speaks now!” He threw a magical bolt at her.
He shook his head ,”Only a couple of days away, and they forget how to show respect.” He kindly smiled at Zinna.
“Now, please take a seat.’’ He pointed.
“Something to drink?” He gave her a glass of wine and took place in a seat on the other side of a small low table.
“I tell you why you have failed,“ he observed her face as he talked ,”You really started to love her with your heart. And don’t say anything! It’s going on for quite a while.”
He paused.

“That was your first mistake. I could have forgiven you that, because it would also have worked in our advantage.” He raised two fingers in the air. “But then you make a second.”
Again he took time to observe her emotions. “You showed her the door! And that just because of that same love! You got jealous!”
He got up and walked towards the fire, and poked it a bit with his bare foot.
“You’re job was to keep her with you, very close. And you let her go to Cear? And when you got there, you broke up with her?"
Zinna knew better then answering, besides, he seemed to know it all... let him do the talking. So she remained silent.
“So my girl, do you think you can solve this … problem?"
This time there was room for an answer. She nodded ,”I could go back, find her and tell her i’m sorry... i pretty sure she still loves me very much. And i’ll show her my love.”
The man near the fire shook his head ,”That just sounds sooo easy, my girl... TO easy.”
He paused.
“Did you know she left Cear? My agents told me, she gave up her rooms at the Mistyvale, Lendose and Ravenswatch.”
Zinna seemed confused but risked to react ,”Agents? But i just got here? I...”
“Silence stupid girl! My agents travel much faster then you. A couple of days after you were gone, she left civilization.”
Zinna shook her head and asked herself where Elvina could have gone.
And as if he read her mind ,”Home... she’s traveling home. Let’s just hope she’s just searching you. Cause if she ever finds out...”
He seemed to think.

“I think i will send you back, however you will have only one shot. Don’t screw it up.”
He took a seat next to her. “Now, i will tell you my plan.”
After a couple hours of talking Zinna knew exactly what was expected. Meanwhile, the bluish-haired woman has took a seat on Zinna’s lap.
“So Zinna, you see... only one go. Just seduce her again, make her back your wife and everything will be fine.”
The bluish-haired woman dared to talk for the first time after he punished her. “Master, and what about me?”
He grinned at her. “My sweet girl, Zinna here still has to ask for forgiveness and i have something in mind that includes you.”
He got up and walked towards the bed. The bluish-haired woman only said ,’Your wish Master.” She got up and unbuttoned her dress. It fell on the ground and you could see she hasn’t been wearing anything underneath. She nodded to Zinna.
Zinna did the same. Together they walked towards the bed where the Master was waiting.
The bluish-haired woman crawled on the king size bed like a cat, and Zinna followed her.
“Ow right... you appearances girls, you’re just to skinny like this Zinna.” While the girls crawled slowly towards the Master, they changed into succubuses.
“Remember Zinna, don’t forget to ask Elvina for forgiveness... and now, i shall forgive you.”
His white teeth flickered...

[Admin]

58. Requests

Incha looked up, she sat on a beautiful open place near the elven city. The aroma’s of the flowers were overwhelming and everywhere flew colorful butterflies.
“My child? You are back... ,” she said while she suddenly noticed Elvina. Her lips formed a smile.
“I... just needed to talk with you again Incha... i... ,” Elvina replied.
“Love brings you here.” Incha kept smiling as Elvina took a seat in front of her.
“How... how did you know...?”
Incha stretched her arms to Elvina to welcome her with a typical formal elven ‘hug’. Her fingertops touched Elvina’s shoulders. “My girl! You are radiating so much of it you can easily warm a house.”
Elvina blushed ,” Well, erh... i came back for a couple of reasons...”
Incha sat straight ,” I’m listening dear child.”
Elvina first looked around and as Incha noticed it she quickly said ,” We’re alone my child, you can speak freely.”

“I seek a cure to help a friend... .” Elvina told Incha about the situation …” So i thought we might help her with entering her dreamworld. ...and i would like to stand by her side together with any other friends who would like to support her.”
Incha nodded ,” It might help her, but i also sense a danger for everyone who enters her dreams... i’m afraid you may get stuck in there... and that you copy her dreams to you own mind... “
Elvina shook her head ,” Please, Incha , you must help us. She’s one of the people that came looking for me in hell.”
Incha slowly nodded ,” But there will be a lot of time needed for preparations. And a nice talk with her is just one of them. Now, you said you had another request?”

Elvina looked up ,” I have... i need to go back to my … dreamworld …”
Incha stayed silent for a while and observed Elvina before answering.
“My child, i sense you’re not doubting the feelings you experienced last time... you even recognized the underlying ones and even a certain truth about them. The story you just told proves that. So what are you looking for?”
Elvina quickly explained her intentions and even Incha had to wipe off a tear.
“My child, perhaps you first need to talk with your foster mother... she...”
Elvina quickly replied ,”No! Please don’t, it will break her heart... she doesn’t even know i came back.”
Incha sighed ,”Very well my child, i guess i can understand this … request of yours.”

Just like previous time Incha created a space of peace around them. They entered the dreamworld.
Elvina felt warm.
“Very good my child, that’s your love you are feeling now. So... think you can picture them, or do you need my help?”
“I would like to do this on my own, Incha ,” Elvina replied softly.
She felt Incha understood and noticed her taking some distance.
Elvina concentrated... she felt warmth running through her arms and fingers, just like her hellfire. Except, this time no fire appeared. She saw two white silhouettes appearing, a large and one a bit smaller... the image wasn’t clear yet... but Elvina knew they were the ones she loved to see again. She started to cry as their image became sharper.
“Mom, ... dad... ?”
...

After she ended the dream, Incha laid her arms around Elvina. She was still crying, and with her, Incha couldn’t resist her own tears. “My child, i understand you miss them... but what were you hoping to find? You can’t stay in there.”
Elvina looked up. “My name, Incha, my true name... ,” she whispered. “I saw them a couple of months ago in a moment when i came close to death. Even there they called me Elvina. As if my own natural parents didn’t knew my name anymore... “
“My girl, are you sure it wasn’t a dream...” Incha tried.
Elvina shook her head.
She stayed in the forest for a couple of hours, talking with Incha.
Even though she wasn’t her guide anymore in controlling magical powers, she was still someone she could talk too.
“I have to go...”
Incha looked up ,” See your foster parents again?”
Elvina nodded ,” Yes, i quickly stop by and then on my way back to Cear... i...”
“What is it, my child?”
Elvina paused ,” Nothing, it’s … fine. Thank you for listening and the help. I hope to see you soon again.”

Later, as she traveled towards Cear, that disturbing thought presented itself again...
In the whole conversation with Incha, Elvina didn’t mention Zinna once.
She looked at the road ahead... another disturbing feeling stirred in her heart. Home...
She knew she was always welcome with the elves and her foster parents, but that was something different... home...
The place where she lived with Zinna felt cold now... just as the rooms she shared with her in Ravenswatch and Cear. She gave up those rooms, and hired chambers for a day or two, depending on her travels... home...

Where was she heading to ... ?

[Admin]

59. Nightly visit

The door of the bedroom opened silently. She closed the door and waited until her eyes got used to the dim light. Slowly she walked towards the bed. Her heart stopped for a second when she saw her again. Very softly she stroke one of the beautiful white tresses.
Gently she lifted the sheets and got stunned by the amazing body under them. Her head was soon underneath and softly kissing the slightly tanned skin.
She heard the woman moaning and took it as a positive signal. “Elvina ,” she whispered ,” i’m back...”
She heard the moaning stopped and felt a hand touching her head under the sheets, a finger on her ears... next thing she felt was a knee punch right in her face. She fell of the bed and hit the ground with a big smack.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Elvina yelled while she got up and tried to keep the sheets in front of her.
Zinna, who was rubbing her face, looked up, blood dripping out of her mouth. “My... my love... i... ?”
Elvina face was very red, she seemed pretty angry and upset. “DON’T CALL ME LIKE THAT!”
Zinna tried to get up ,”I’m sorry … i was... ,” Zinna’s brain was working really fast to find a way to calm her down. She didn’t expected this... so she paused briefly.
“What are YOU doing here?” Elvina looked Zinna straight in the eyes.
Zinna recovered a bit and looked Elvina back in the eyes, a bit provocative... even though it was difficult. “And who were YOU expecting? ... Clearly not me!” She tried an offensive approach.
Both the girls fell silent, and Zinna knew she caught Elvina onto something...

Elvina shivered while she sat on her bed.
Zinna tried it again ,” It’s her, isn’t it... Celestia? I just felt the passion in your body. You don’t love me anymore? After all what we have been through?”
Elvina looked angry at Zinna, her eyes sparkled dangerously. It made Zinna shudder. “And WHERE have YOU been? WHY did you threw me out? Why did YOU clean out the rooms we shared... OUR home in the Elven Forest without anyone noticing it? And HOW did you find me?”
Zinna got up and took a chair as it was pretty obvious sitting on the bed wasn’t really a good idea... she sighed.
“I was... confused... i... i felt you changed after you came back out of hell. I sensed new and different feelings in you... i... was afraid, angry... i don’t know...” She looked up at Elvina and noticed she was listening so she continued.

“I took off, to think. Didn’t you saw my little note? ‘Temporarily’ , it said. It meant i was only taking time for myself.” She tried to sense Elvina’s feelings, but couldn’t feel a thing. She panicked a bit.
“I know, it’s not an explanation why i took all my gear and left. But actually, i was looking for answers, … and solutions... Elvina... ,” she risked a short glance at Elvina’s eyes ,” Haven’t you noticed? ... You are sick. Something happened with you in hell and your personality is changing.” She saw Elvina holding her breath shortly. Seeing this as a chance she continued ,” Elvina, i only wanted to help you. I was looking for people who might help you... and yes, i … i was wrong. I should have told what i was up to …. but the thought of you … and her … was unbearable at the time.”
Zinna paused briefly and observed Elvina who hadn’t moved yet.
“You must feel it too, … what i am saying. Don’t you have the feeling you act strange sometimes... and you are more sensitive? I... i have been talking with some... people, … they confirm it. ‘Elvina hasn’t been herself lately’.”

Zinna got up from the chair and walked towards the bed. She got on her knees and looked Elvina in the eyes. “Can you please forgive me?”
Elvina, who was staring at her bed, looked up to answer Zinna’s gaze.
Zinna’s heart was beating heavily in her chest...
Suddenly she saw Elvina’s eyes turning red, flames appeared. “NO, i will not listen to this.”
Zinna, who was shocked because of this angry outburst, fell on the ground. She saw how Elvina lowered her hellfire and started to dress herself. “I don’t want to see you anymore Zinna, i was right when i asked the druid to dissolve our marriage.”
Zinna was suprised how quickly Elvina got dressed … she was wearing a beautiful gown. She saw her taking her backpack and walking towards the door. As she opened it and looked back to Zinna, who was still on the ground, she said ,” Now you know how it feels... the only difference between us, is i’m doing it in your face while you do it behind my back.”
Zinna, who recovered from the outburst, got up. She faked a smile ,” You have no idea what you are giving up, Elvina. Have a nice life and enjoy your time while it lasts.” With that last phrase she aimed at Elvina’s shorter life expectancy compared to that of the elves.
The door slammed loud.

Zinna needed to get her head clear but just as she was about to leave, someone knocked on the door.
“Elvina, is that you?” she started, but the door was already opening.
The bluish-haired woman entered the room with a smile on her face.
“Now, that went well, don’t you think?”
Zinna nodded ,” I underestimated the difficulty of this assignment yes.” But she stopped as she wasn’t planning to expose all her feelings.
The bluish-haired woman walked towards the bed while Zinna seemed plunged in her own thoughts. “I have to get her back, she’s mine... i … you were right, i feel love for her yes. And the thought of losing her to that Celestial bitch makes me very angry.”
She heard the bluish-haired woman giggling and turned towards her. She was almost covered under the sheets. “You are so wrong my dear... first of all... you are mine. And secondly, how do you know so sure Elvina is going with ‘her’?”
Zinna paused ,” I...”
“Exactly, you don’t know, ...now.... come here... just imagine i have white hair and if you smell deeply ,” she sniffed the sheets as if to demonstrate it ,” it will be almost as if Elvina lies next to you.
The door of the same room slammed loudly for the second time.
The bluish-haired woman mumbled ,” I guess she couldn’t stand a joke... “

[Admin]

60. Just a dress

Elvina was furious, on the edge of selfcontrol. She could easily burn down the inn, just by her emotions. How could Zinna dare to do such a thing?
It almost felt as if she was raped. Did she really think she could make it up with some sex? And then all the things she said. Elvina could feel the doubt in her head, even now... was she ‘ill’? She shook her head quickly. No, the conversations with her foster parents and her guide made her more confident … that... she was even more... ‘normal’ then before...
Before what? They made it feel as is she was ‘cured’ after she returned from hell... that she was back the same person as many years ago. But they were not willing to talk about it further, as if it didn’t matter. Well, it mattered to Elvina now... has she been 'ill' ... and is she … 'cured'?

Plunged in her thoughts she took the stairs down and didn’t noticed a bluish-haired woman staring at her from the dark portal of another room.
Elvina got down and quickly left the inn where she was staying. She sighed, this meant she would be sleeping outside the next few days. If Zinna started to look for her again... she shivered... no, a nice place to sleep under the stars seemed more attractive. After all, she learned how to survive in the wild.
While she set course to Two Bridges she remembered Zinna’s face when Elvina was putting on a dress. She grinned slightly... she has never worn a dress before, even not when Zinna asked to do so for their marriage. Elvina loved beautiful clothes, but never … a dress...
She just didn’t feel confident at the time. Elvina always had the feeling she needed to be prepared for anything, to never lower her defenses, always expecting for the worst. It wasn’t too difficult to guess why. Ever since her parents died, she had this... alertness.

She shook her head as she passed the farms. She changed alot. Look at her, she was walking in a dress towards Two Bridges, while knowing boars and wolves could be lurking between the trees.
She stopped to look at her dress again... and smiled. Selene helped her the evening before, showing her around where to get the best. Selene tried to make her confident with it. Elvina even suspected her for calling in some of her friends... as if to convince her she really looked good in a dress. Valenya was among them... and she said she might even get a dress as well in the nearby future.
After they left, Elvina took some time to think about it... and before she knew it she was walking back towards the stores... looking for even more dresses. It was really late when she got back at the inn and she was tired. How could shopping be more tiresome then fight off an entire undead horde?
And as if that wasn’t enough, Zinna had to show up that very night.

She yawned. While she walked towards Thralls Gate she started to smile again. There was one particular person to who she wanted to show this dress. Her heart started to beat a little faster in her chest. Why was she so thrilled? And , could this also be result of her … ‘cure’ , that she even considered a dress? Has she really been ‘ill’ ? She looked at her dress again... this one was really beautiful and it made even Zinna speechless when she put it on.
As she passed Thralls Gate, she shook her head... it was only … a dress.

[Admin]

61. Confrontation

Zinna felt pleased. She walked from Ravenswatch back to Two Bridges, the place where she temporarily stayed. Today she had quarrel with Celestia.
And now, it won’t take long before Elvina would hear about. She was pretty sure Celestia would tell her as soon as possible... and with a bit of luck, she would be angry at her as well.
She grinned. She knew that Elvina never wants to see her again... at least, thats what she said. But now, things could be different... and she just may have Celestia on her “side” to see to that.
Not a bad result for only a few broken nails. Now she needed to be careful with Elvina. She lost her temper on her the last time... no, she actually still loved her. Even after she heard their marriage was over.
If Elvina came to see her, she would be ready for her...

She stepped into her room. The bluish-haired woman was sitting in her bed and looked up at her. “It’s done?”
Zinna nodded ,” I don’t think it will take long before Elvina comes to look for me.”
The bluish-haired woman grinned ,” And you will be ‘ready’ for her. Just don’t lose your temper this time. Stay focused on what you want to achieve.”
Zinna nodded, and she knew exactly Elvina's weak spot. “Just get it over with...”
The bluish-haired woman got up from the bed and walked towards Zinna. “Just a shame of that pretty face... by the way, did you make sure she can find you... and about those other 'things'?”
Zinna smiled ,” I spread a few rumors here and there... yes...”
“Good,” said the bluish-haired woman. She hit Zinna with her armored fist in the face. Everything turned black...

Zinna heard knocking on her door. And she felt pain... “Y..ye..s?”
“Zinna, it’s Elvina... i like a word with you!” Zinna could hear some anger in Elvina’s voice. She shivered... and for a moment she was sorry about how things were going.
“N..no... not … now... i... ,” Zinna answered. Her lips were swollen, and they hurt. It was to be expected Elvina wouldn’t walk away. She heard Elvina tried her door... which was locked of course.
“Zinna, open up! Now! Don’t make me destroy this door. I just want to talk with you!”
Zinna tried to get up from the bed, she was almost at the door when she noticed she was naked... and she had terrible pain. It was still dark in her room but she found a small blanket and wrapped it a bit around her.
She turned around the lock but didn’t open the door yet. On the other side she heard nothing for a brief moment. Elvina was hesitating, was she scared?
Just as she thought she might gone off, she heard Elvina’s voice ,”I’m coming in Zinna...”

The door opened slowly, it seemed Elvina was careful... what was she expecting? A trap?
Zinna shivered again, this was how she liked Elvina the most. It made her remember how they sneaked through the forests...
The door opened further and she heard Elvina’s voice ,” I’m going to make it a bit lighter in here.” Suddenly a little crystal in Elvina’s hand started to glow softly, spreading a light just like a fire place.
Zinna blinked with her eyes as she looked at it... her head throbbed.
She heard how Elvina started to talk and how suddenly her breath stopped. “Zinna, i heard about Celestia you....................”
She saw Elvina coming a little closer while she was leaning on the bed.
“Zinna, … what happened to you... is that the result of your fight with Celestia?”
Now Elvina made some light in the room, Zinna could see her own body. She immediately turned away from the light. The bluish-haired woman has done her work good... too good...
Zinna started to cry and shaking her head ,”No... not Celestia... on the way back i … got raped by four men.” While she said it the blanket fell off, showing numerous wounds on her body. Most of them were scratches and dark spots. Her face was swollen from the lips to the eyes.

Zinna smiled a bit... she loved Elvina tending her. When she looked up at her she didn’t saw her smile however.
“Zinna, … i’m sorry you got attacked and hurt like this. I will find the men who did this. However, … this doesn’t change anything about my feelings. Celestia, she... “
Zinna sighed ,” So it is … her after all why you don’t want me anymore...” She tried to force Elvina telling her story.
She got interrupted by Elvina. “Let me talk Zinna, because there are things you misunderstand, and … there are some things i like to discuss.”
Zinna nodded and tried to stay calm. Elvina continued putting bandages on Zinna’s arm.

“When i got back from hell, something happened to me, indeed. People who know me whole my life say i got ‘some things’ back that i lost in the past years. I don’t understand you didn’t noticed while they did.” She paused and looked Zinna in the eyes. She saw Zinna closing them. “Anyways, when i was laying in Celestia’s bed... and not for ‘that’... she took care of me... just like i’m taking care of you right now. Something was ‘wrong’ with me, at least that’s what i thought. In those moments and the days after hell i had unknown feelings for Celestia, yes. It was as if a door that had been closed for years, was opened again. All my feelings rushed out... while i was receiving other people’s feelings. That’s how normal people are... but with me... it was as if all those feelings build up from all those years were unleashed and ran through my heart in one second. It took me a couple of days to adapt. By that time you were already gone. And to be honest, after a few days looking for you... i suddenly didn’t care anymore.” She looked up at Zinna again. “I’m getting back to that later.” She got up and took more bandages out of her backpack.
“I got back to our home, i talked with my foster parents and … requested Incha to help me.”
She saw Zinna shivering when she said that name.

“I started to walk with her in my dreamworld and memories to search for an answer... how to interpret all those rushing feelings and emotions. And it … gave me some insight.”
Zinna opened her eyes ,”You saw you loved Celestia?”
Elvina shook ,” Not in the way you are thinking. It’s because of all the things she has done... to me, to others... what she stands for. I saw the devil exists, so, she must be some kind of angel to the world i thought. It was easy, when i had all these feelings... to feel some kind of warmth for her. However, i gave that a place... a good friendship.”
Elvina paused ,”After today i really had a bad feeling about this friendship. You shouldn’t have done that Zinna. I’m trying to take care of my personal problems now. On the other hand, it’s because of Celestia i’m here. She said i should talk with you... I, … i was angry when i came here, and ashamed towards Celestia. I... didn’t expect to find you here like that.” Elvina continued to tend Zinna’s wounds.

“Be angry at me, Elvina, just say what you have to say and leave me alone with my scars.”
Elvina shook her head. “Because of what we had, i shall help you now Zinna, i’ll get those men. But, there are some other things i like to discuss. Things you really need to understand and things i like to understand.”
Zinna tried to get up a little, her head leaning against the pillow. She touched Elvina’s arm when doing that. And she sensed two things. “Elvina, your skin... are you sick?” She just realised Elvina had been coughing. “Your temperature is high!”
Elvina shook her head ,”It’s just a cold, i have been sleeping alot in wild lately...”
Zinna looked at her ,”All by yourself? Or was there someone with you?”
Now it was her turn to see Elvina shiver, or was it just because of her cold?
“That’s my business now Zinna. Remember, you left me almost months ago. I would like to ask where you have been all that time, but i don’t care. It’s not of my business anymore. Now, i have a few questions.”
“I”m not sure i will answer them Elvina.” Zinna’s eyes filled with tears and she hoped Elvina would notice it. After all, those were cold words Elvina just said.

Elvina started ,"When i, first came to Cear and left our forest i... only … i almost … i didn’t think much about you. But when i found you in that house after that vampire attack, my feelings for you were rushing again... I cannot explain this for myself. Zinna...?”
Zinna shivered a little.
“Have you been using magic on me? To stay with you?” Elvina was pretty direct.
Zinna’s face got a bit pale, but she quickly recovered and slapped Elvina in the face. “How dare you saying such things. As if... as if i made you my puppet!”
Elvina looked at her and stayed calm. “I had to ask Zinna, because if i ever find out someone has been playing with my mind and with my feelings... i... i...”
Both fell silent.
"So... Zinna, when you married me almost 10 years ago... you didn't think about our... differences?"
Zinna needed time to think how to answer on that question, as she knew what Elvina was asking... she had to be very careful now. "I ... i loved you Elvina... i didn't care." She hoped this was part of the 'right' answer.
Elvina didn't responded to that at first. But then ," I ... i have a weird feeling about this ..." She shook her head.
Elvina asked Zinna a few other things about Elvina's own past. After that she got up and walked towards the door.

“Elvina... i’m... staying here in Two Bridges... so...”
Elvina turned to Zinna, her voice neutral ,”As soon as i find those men, i’ll let you know. Off course. Take care, Zinna.”
The door was softly shut and the room turned dark again. Except for a little candle near her bed.
Her inside turned cold and warm at the same time. They didn’t had a fight... but... Zinna knew their marriage was over. Not because of Elvina saying it... but because what she felt when she touched Elvina’s arm... she sensed Elvina’s feelings...
She decided to keep that to herself for a while and give herself some room to think what can be done about it. Going back to the Master and report about it, was not on the top of her list...

[Admin]

62. Writing down

Elvina was sitting at her desk. Some days ago now she took a new room at the Ravenswatch Inn. She sighed and was really happy she had a decent bed again. Adele helped her on a few quests and the treasure they found was enough for Elvina to get her room back. She even had some coin left to put on the bank.
In front of her was a blanc piece of parchment and a quill pen. Once in a while she made some notes of her adventures and insights. In particulary cases she made her notes quite detailed... as if they might be of use later, looking back at them if she needed it.
Not everything she experienced would find itself on paper however. There were things that were better off in her mind then on paper.
She sighed, and started to write.

A couple of days ago i found myself in Two Bridges. It was my first attempt to track down the men who raped Zinna. When i reached the place i went at the inn first. Not to see Zinna, but to talk with some people and listen to some rumors.
As soon as i started to ask questions, here and there people, mostly women, immediately offered me their help. One little woman with black hair said she might have seen suspicious looking men at the top of a hill on the other side of the river. Another woman, more girl than woman actually thought she was followed by some men when she walked towards the inn. None of the woman however could give me any form of description.
I decided not to stay any longer but left to scout the terrain. Only two places might be interesting. The place Zinna vaguely described as the place of the attack, and the hills on the other side of the river.

I walked back to the little forest near the road to Thralls Gate. It wasn’t very big so if there where any leads i soon would find them. And i thank the elves they learned me how to recognize traces. Very cautious, preventing to mess up possible tracks i entered the forest. It was dark outside and if the rapists where here, they wouldn’t see me coming. Inch after inch i searched the woods, checked the bushes... and found … nothing. That was just the odd thing. Nothing. If Zinna was raped here, there would be traces of it. Remembering Zinna’s injuries, there must have been a lot of struggling, but... i couldn’t find any traces that were comparable with the degree of violence they ‘used’ on Zinna.
Zinnas probably couldn’t remember the place, a result of this terrible experience.
I went to the other side of the river and checked every hill to find only one thing. A cold campfire. I checked its remains and searched the place around it. The only thing i could find was a small piece of paper. It was just a list of some groceries. Probably lost by merchants. And with the wind of the past days, it was not sure if it belonged to the same people of this old campfire. With no further leads i returned back to Ravenswatch. I'm not sure how to investigate this case further.

Elvina leaned a bit back in her chair. She really had no idea how to solve this one. Perhaps she could ask the guards but quickly rejected that idea again. There was nothing further they could do besides the things she already did. She saw no reason to see Zinna again about it. That was only possible if she had some news. She mumbled to herself and wished that this case was quickly behind her.
Elvina shook her head and started to write again... about yesterday...

I just got back from the caves in the forest. The werewolf plague was a bit under control after i payed them a visit. I was carrying a bag with treasure when i met Adele. In the caves i found a beautiful gem and gave it to her... partly... because of the help she gave me a couple of days ago... I went to the shop and sold most of the stuff.
When i got back on the street, talking with Adele i noticed a dark stone in my pocket. It didn’t seemed very valuable so i threw it away.
I was still talking to Adele when i noticed the stone started to glow... and i heard a voice. It asked, no, wanted me to pick up the stone. Adele noticed too i guess, as she turned around and walked towards the stone. She examined it but i asked her to stay away from it. A bit afraid it was something dark i took one of my wands and destroyed it with a lightning bolt.
But the voice didn’t go away... and suddenly i noticed something in my pocket... i checked and took out another black stone. I threw it away on a whim. But it kept calling for me, for us.
The stone disappeared and i could feel it in my pocket again... something got in my mind and that’s when i started to scream.

It felt like my soul was detaching from my body. Everything went dark and when i opened my eyes i felt very weird. I was standing in some kind of tomb and a voice kept asking me to step in the coffin in front of me. I tried to shout for help but noticed i had no voice in this surrounding. It only lasted shortly and suddenly it was if i felt my body was pulling on my soul to return. I woke up in the streets of Ravenswatch looking in Adele’s concerned eyes.
I heard her calling me, but my senses and speech wasn’t recovered yet, bringing out only a few words.
It happened a second time... and it got horrific. I was standing on a hill in a very grey, darkish world. Everywhere around me i saw crawling undead. Just too terrible to write it down... Again, this lasted only a few moments before my soul, or whatever happened to me, was pulled back to my body. I felt Adele was softly trying to wake up my body. I screamed a second time... much louder then the first. This time i could tell her a bit more, but while i was getting up a big portal opened just in front of us.
Somehow i felt attracted to it and heard Adele shouting not to go in. She yelled that i should throw the dark stone in it and so i did.

Elvina shoved her chair back and started to walk up and down in her room. She shook... did she enter the portal after all? She can’t remember what happened but she remembered what happened when she opened her eyes.
She took a seat and continued writing.

I ‘woke’ up and noticed i was in some kind of prison... just when i got aware of the surrounding i saw Adele appearing next to me. We felt a dark force upon us as it tried to lower our resistance.
An ugly man stopped before our barred door. Soon we found out we were kidnapped by Canites operating in the name of their Master. They tried to convince Adele to join them... i remember i tried to stop them, ignoring the magician and focusing on Adele. Just before the magician put a spell on me to bring me to silence i said... two words that mean much to me... When i was under the silence spell i hoped Adele heard them. I was furious and banged on the doors. Suddenly i heard the voice talking to me. To join Canas... i refused. For a moment everything went dark, i don’t know what happened to me and Adele. When i opened my eyes, i was in the same cell... alone. I noticed the door was not locked and opened it. I could hear the voice again... saying they won’t hurt me and are expecting me. Not that i would do such a thing but i was curious. Maybe there was a way to find Adele, and escape. I entered a room filled with Canites. A strange force blew away my invisibility, making me vulnerable to their possible attacks... but they didn’t do anything. I remember my hellfire shield injured some of them... but they simply didn’ react.

I took the stairs down, and entered a big hall filled with Canites. In the middle of it was a big altar spreading a dark power. I refused to answer the voice which resulted in an attack i barely survived. Suddenly out of nowhere Adele arrived in the same place. Together we killed the Canites blocking our way to a portal on the other side of the hall.
As soon as we reached that portal we realized it wasn’t an escape route. The dark power of the altar dragged us back. It had a great influence on us, but we resisted. I felt the power growing and before we knew it we were under attack again. Canite sorcerers and knights appeared in great numbers... quicker then we could kill them and soon we were greatly outnumbered... i looked at Adele and wondered if this would be the last time. Her grace and skill in combat was unseen. She fought off the Canites with great power, her sword making one or two deadly wounds everytime it zoomed through the air. I tried to assist her, bringing death and destruction with my hellfire. But things were getting worse... two Harbingers were unleashed...

We were not match for them... and soon i saw Adele fall... just seconds before i fell. We weren’t dead yet... and we heard the voice again. It said it didn’t need his servants anymore but us. The dark power i felt was killing its own followers. I saw the Canites silently die, one by one... horrible. Again it returned its attention to us... i could only bring out a few words... he was asking for us to join Him. Adele refused and so did i.
With the Canites around us dead, we tried to get up. Adele’s healing powers brought me on my feet again. A large portal opened before us. I looked at the altar... he was just letting us go? I shook my head and grabbed the chance to escape. Adele and i took each others hand and stepped in the portal. We were back in Ravenswatch.

Elvina was still sitting at her desk, long after the last candle went out........

[Admin]

63. The day it happened

Zinna sat in her chair, recovering from her wounds when the bluish-haired woman entered the room at the Two Bridges inn.
“So my dear, how are you today?”
Zinna looked up at her ,” What have you done to me? It feels like i really got raped.” She sounded a bit angry.
The bluish-haired woman seemed in a good mood. “My dear, it had to look real... it cost me though...”
“Cost you? What do you mean?” Zinna turned her chair.
The bluish-haired woman grinned. “I had to pay those men. Those poor men.”
“Men, what you mean? Did you … did they... ? WHAT ?!!” Zinna looked shocked.
The bluish-haired woman made a throat laugh. “Off course not, i’m not sharing you with anyone else... except with the Master and … Elvina. Speaking of which, … how are ‘things’ going now between you?”

Zinna decided to keep things for herself and only to reveal what she wanted to reveal. “We didn’t fight. I think Elvina believed me and she truly is seeking for the rapists. I talked to some women downstairs so they make the story even more convincing.”
The bluish-haired woman nodded ,” Hm, perhaps i really need to search for some scapegoats who match with the rumors. With some gold and placed in the nearby area...”
Zinna shook her head ,” No, let it rest. Elvina won’t find anything... but that’s just what happens mostly with rapists.”
“Oh, well, could have been fun. So, what happens next... Elvina paying you a visit now and then?”
This was a dangerous question to answer and Zinna knew it... “I’m not sure when she’s coming back. She took care of my wounds and went off to search for leads.”
While the bluish-haired woman undressed herself to go to bed, Zinna got plunged in thoughts again. How did things got this far...

She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair... it probably started ‘the day it happened’.
Zinna knew the Loremasters tried to erase their minds to forget about it... however, ... they didn’t succeeded completely. Not to her, not to Elvina... until a couple of months ago, the day they escaped hell...
In her mind she was back in the Elven Forest, almost 9 years ago. She and Elvina were married for one year... it asked for a celebration. Zinna made some cake and bought a nice dress for their private party. Elvina didn’t came home yet and Zinna used the free time to decorate their lovely treehouse. She was so deeply in love with Elvina... and knew Elvina felt the same. They married without listening to what the Elders had to say about it. Two women together... an elf and a human... it was very uncommon.

Elvina got home in the late afternoon, and didn’t seem to realize it was a special day. Zinna remembered her look when she entered the house. She remembered Elvina’s eyes filling with tears when she saw how lovely their house was decorated in elven style... she remembered how Elvina turned to her, crying, and asking ,” Is it … today...?”
She remembered Elvina was ashamed she forgot and didn’t had a present for her.
And that’s how things went wrong...
Elvina removed herself from the house ‘to get something’. But it took long... way too long.
Zinna decided to look for her and found her, not far from their place, in the woods.
She got just in time to see how Elvina opened a portal. Zinna ran to Elvina.

“Love, what are you doing here? Isn’t that dangerous... “
Elvina turned around and widened her eyes ,” No, please go back... it’s something i heard about... to get you a present... please Zinna, my love, … go home... i’ll be right with...”
The portal suddenly seemed to explode. Both girls were thrown back. Red smoke filled the air... and the stench was unbearable.
A very good looking man appeared from behind the mist... his white teeth visible as he smiled upon the two girls.
“Hello mistress. You summoned me?”
Elvina and Zinna got up from the ground. “Who are you?”
“I am your humble servant, and i’m here to serve you. What is it that you want?”
Elvina looked at Zinna ,”I... i... wanted a present for my wife here... you see, we are one year married... and...”
The man smiled to Elvina ,” And you forgot about it?”
Elvina blushed ,” Y..yes … i want a beautiful gift for her.”
Zinna turned to her ,” You stupid girl, why you summon a devil just to bring me a gift? Humans...”

Zinna shivered in her chair remembering all these feelings and thoughts. And it was only just the beginning.
She remembered suddenly hearing a strange voice... but i seemed Elvina didn’t hear it. It was another voice … and it was in her mind... perhaps because of her senses?
“Ziiinnnaaaa... pleaaaasssseeee, don’t beee angry with herrrrrr. She did it becaussseee she lovesssss youuuu. Feeeel heerrrr.”
While she was occupied with the voice, the man and Elvina continued their conversation.
“I will get you a very nice present... something magical... but... i like a favor.”
Zinna heard Elvina answering ,” A favor? Like what?”
“It will become clear in time... just say yes... and when the time is ripe i shall return and tell you.”
Elvina’s answered ,” I don’t like it... just say what you want from me...”
Zinna heard the voice in her head ,” Don’t worryyyy, she’ll be fineeee... just as youuuu willl... Ziiiiinnaaa... listen toooo what he has to sayyyy and to offerrrrr.”
She remembered something was poking in her mind... to make her feel at ease.
“Iiiii have a proposalllll for youuuuu. I can take awayyy your worst fearrrr. Elvinaaaaa.... i can make herrrr live longerrrrrr. I can make herrrrr.... love youuuuuu... foreverrrrrrr.”
Zinna yelled ,” Nooooo, it’s not needed.....”
“Zinnnaaaaa, i have seeeeeenn it.... in herrr mind.... sheeee will not stayyyyy with youuuuu... and... i knowwwww you knowww it toooo....”

Zinna tried to shake off the voice and heard to conversation between Elvina and the man.
“So, do we have a deal?” Zinna was a bit in shock. What deal, what did she missed?
The voice in her mind came back ,”Soooooo, do we have a deallll?”
Both Elvina and Zinna hesitated in answering their individual question.
And almost together they answered ,” Yes.....”
“NOOOOOOO.... ,” a new voice mixed itself in the conversation.
Both girls turned their heads to the right. They saw the Loremasters, and Incha who stepped in front of them. “LEAVE!!! LEAVE THESE TWO GIRLS MONSTER!! BEGONE!!!” Incha and the Loremasters started to weave some kind of magic.
The voice in Zinna’s head was still present ,” Youuuu will bring meee Elvinaaa when the time is ripe. And she will live longerrrrr.... as for nowwww... i promise she willll love youuu... foreverrrrrr.”
She saw how Elvina fell on the ground. Just as the Loremasters and Incha blew magic in their direction... hitting the man in front of them.
“We.. have a deal , Elvina ….. and my favor.... you will... serve us !!!”
“NOOOO ,” Incha stepped forward hitting the man on the chest with her magic, combining her power with those of the Loremasters.”
The man in front of them turned one more time towards Elvina, just as the voice one more time spoke in Zinna’s mind.
“Zinnnaaaa, it isss done... and you will serrrrve meeee. Bringggg herrrr and togetherrrrr you willll live and love each otherrrr… foreverrrrrrrr.”
The man got up one more time ,” Elvina, until we meet again....”

Zinna walked around in the room. She remembered how the Loremasters tried to erase their memory. So that the devil, or whoever they thought was involved, would loose his grip on them.
She knew what happened to Elvina. It... the man, or that voice, took a part of Elvina’s soul. She shivered at the time and was scared in the beginning... but she also remembered between them nothing changed... except when Elvina and Zinna were seperated from each other for longer periods. Elvina’s love however was back at full power when she saw Zinna. Elvina still loved and cared for other people... but less then before... she was more on her own and started to study other ways of her magic.
Zinna, on the other hand, started to remember things, by her dreams. And it didn’t took long before someone contacted her.
She looked at the bluish-haired woman, sleeping in her bed at the Two Bridges inn...

[Admin]

64. Poem

When the sun shines,
warming the moon’s skin,
it means there is no world,
standing in between.

The only silent witnesses,
are the tiny stars,
watching from a distance,
how love evolves.

And even in dark times,
with the world’s shadow,
the moon waits silently,
tarring on the afterglow.

If the sun finally reappears,
the moon smiles brightly,
bringing light in darkness,
for eternity.


Elvina finished the text and shoved her chair back. She felt tears forming in her eyes but fought them off. Instead she walked towards the closet and started to change. She removed her dress... a dress.... she shook her head. She lifted her black armor, it was pretty clean after she took care of it. Turning it around in the air, made her think of everything she has seen while wearing it. The smith did a excellent job reparing the small damages.
It took a while before she had it on, carefully and precisely tying the leather straps on the side.

Her head was still full with all kinds of emotions... but she knew what to do... there was a path forming between all those rushing thoughts. She smiled sadly, soon she would be the old Hellcat again... mixed with something that would survive from past and upcoming weeks.
She shook her head, trying not to think to much about future things. One step at a time, as Celestia would say.
She sat on the bed putting her boots on. Soon they would need repairs... or even better... she had to buy new ones. Well, it had to wait... since she wasn’t very rich. She looked up... remembering the only person who she ever said this too... sharing every tiny bit of her own personality. No time for self-pity... come on Elvina... get up.

She got up from the bed and took her gloves... her soft hands... again in these black things.
She shook her head ... thinking she better get used to them again. She threw her black cape in the air, swirling it around her and covering a part of her white hair... white, as the moon. Staring at herself in the mirror, made her shiver a little but quickly she managed to get a grip on herself.
She looked around... her room at the Mystivale Inn, she cleaned out yesterday. But here in Ravenswatch... no, this room she wouldn’t give up... not yet anyways.
Something gave her a bit of warmth today... she saw the Archdruid... Archie... she thought he was dead. But there he was... and they talked long...
While she stepped at the door she looked around, her attention shortly drawn to the piece of paper she just wrote, lying on her desk.
She gave it a sad smile and left the room.

[Admin]

65. Searching

A dark storm raged and ravaged the areas west of Lendose. There was so much rain you could barely see a thing. During the many lightning flashes a lonely silhouette became visible now and then, searching it’s way through the muddy terrain...
Elvina cursed, this storm didn’t seem to end soon. The persistent rain soaked everything she was wearing, the additional wind lowering her body heat dramatically. Yet, she remained determined to find her. The worst thing that could happen now was getting a cold.
A cold... Elvina got plunged in thoughts... remembering how the one she was looking for, cared for her when she got sick. It... gave her a warm feeling... it was one of those... moments they shared.

She looked around searching for a place to shelter... it was hopeless... the rain curtain obstructed her sight. All she could see was meadow.
From time to time she traveled in hope to find her. Now, she was more then a week on the road, visiting little towns, questioning farmers at their remote farmlands and searching the forest.
The forest... it reminded Elvina of how she heard it for the first time... the demon or whatever it was, in the person she was searching for. She recognized the language as the fiendish tongue. The memory made her shiver and realizing the situation grew serious.
It happened a second time, just before she lost sight of her.

That second time was even worse... Elvina got sucked up in a vision then. A woman standing in the plains of what seemed hell. The demons... the Balors she killed with one mighty stroke of her blade... and the same woman threating Elvina... just before killing her.
Elvina tried to believe this was all a dream... or at least something not true... just fantasy.
Elvina suspected it was that experience that formed the drop that made the bucket overflow... why that person left... It made her painfully aware of the situation in her own heart... love.
It was the thing that kept her going... helping, caring for her... watching over her... while awaiting a solution.
A solution... they had a few options... ways to discover what was causing the problem... and ways that might even solve the problem. Elvina cursed. She asked her to promise her to give them a chance... a chance to cure her. And now... she was gone.

Elvina grew desperate. The first days she was looking for her she could only think of her heart... now, she learned it was a step to far. Now, she would be just happy to find her.
While plunged in her thoughts Elvina wasn’t aware of something following her, until the moment it hit.
She got smacked in the mud, and rolled aside just in time... a second later and a blade would have pierced her heart. In front of her stood a dark figure... its face lurking from under its black hood... the skin almost as dark as the stormclouds... and tresses of white hair flowing in the wind.
Dark elf... Elvina recognized the race immediately... after all, it wasn’t the first time she faced such creatures. He moved silently on the muddy field... as if it wasn’t a problem to stay on its feet on the slippery grass.

It reminded Elvina of the time she got kidnapped by some Dark elves... when Zinna came to rescue her while she was trying to break free. Only this time she was alone...
Alone... Darion... she saw him just before she left Cear. They only spoke briefly... and agreed to see each other for a common chat on a free moment. Just before he left he said to her : “Remember Elvina, … you are not alone.”
It … comforted her in a way. It was as if he sensed her feelings a bit. He probably meant something different... yet, his words matched with her thoughts.
She kept her eye on the Drow... now she wasn’t alone indeed. But the person she was facing wasn’t as friendly as Darion. She grinned... trying to intimidate the Dark elf. But its eyes were cold as ice, piercing hers as if he tried to kill her just by looking at her.

It didn’t freak her out, on the contrary... she raged. How did this creature dare trying to kill her... while she was on such an important quest? She tempered a bit, knowing when she took a step to soon, it could be fatal. And the creature seemed determined to kill her. Was he send by someone? What was he doing here? Did he follow her? He sure was far from home with the region of the Dark elves thirty days of traveling from here, by horse.
Suddenly he stepped back in the rain and his silhouette became vague. Elvina did the same, knowing it was her only chance. She raised her defences and cloaked herself. Now, they were both hunter and prey. This moment made her forget the misery of the rain... it made her blood run warm... raising her heart beat a little... and for a moment she seemed thrilled.
At least it gave her something to do. So far, this search has been lonely and a bit depressing.

She focused her hearing... but the falling rain and thunder messed up. Knowing that Dark elves have superiour senses... made her cautious. Through the years Elvina also learned how to evade danger, assessings risks... did she had to do the same thing with her feelings... with love? After all, she opened herself completely, making herself very vulnerable.
She shook her head... trying to stay focused on any incoming attacks. “One step at a time Elvina,” she mumbled to herself. Wondering about these things and fighting at the same time wasn’t a very good idea.
She stood there in the rain, waiting for the Dark elf to make his move... but nothing happened. He was probably doing the same... waiting for her. Maybe he knew her, knowing how dangerous she could be.
Suddenly she saw movement... or was is just the wind. But she couldn’t hear a thing.
There it was again, she could see him very briefly when the lightning lit the sky. Good, that gave her an edge. He, on the other hand, would have to find her with magic or very keen senses.

The blade almost killed her, she saw him coming from the side and while turning away she felt how the blade hit one of her ribs. How the hell did he saw her? Magic? No time to worry about it. But when she looked around he was gone. Right, this was starting to get a bit frightening.
Blood was dripping out of her wound and it hurt badly. Trying to negate the pain she focused. It was clear this was some kind of assassin, and he was after her death.
Fine, she would fry him. She raised her hellfire shield and cloaked again. His third attack came much later. Elvina was almost convinced he was gone. The moment he appeared, he would feel her rage... she would attack him.
Unfortunately his blade struck her again... but this time her hellfire shield blew him back. And that was the moment Elvina could launch her attack. A terrible blast struck the drow full in his face... the acid decomposing his skin.
She fell on the ground, but knew she had to reach civilization fast.
The poison from the elven-blade was already weakening her legs, and the blood flowing from the wounds didn’t improve the situation.

She looked at the Dark elf. If he was working for someone else, he must have known this mission would cost him his life... fanatics... someone was convinced of their.... qualities.
Elvina got up and started to walk... and feeling how the poison spread through her body.
But she got lucky... after a couple of hours she reached a little hamlet, and it had a small church. With any luck there was cleric with the right medicins.
She stumbled just after passing the church doors... everything turned black... but not before seeing the one she looked for in her imagination..

[Admin]

66. Free

Zinna looked through the window of the inn at Two Bridges. It was raining and storming for a couple of days now. She was fully recoverd from her ‘injuries’ ... but with this weather... even a dog would stay in.
She turned around to the bed. The bluish-haired woman was sleeping. Zinna shivered. She never spent much time with her before. But, the past weeks, she sure showed up a lot. On the few occassions Zinna was alone, she had time to think... and write.
“Elvina... ,” she sighed. Last time she saw her, was when she left to search for the rapists. And she said she would only return if she found them... and that meant... never.

She got plunged in thoughts again. Elvina was free... in many ways... the little bond between Elvina and her ‘devil’ was probably broken. That time she said ‘yes’ in the forest, to get Zinna a gift... it was stupid... but now, she was free. It was probably with the death of Eligor the bond got broken... and whatever happened to Elvina... it was undone.
Then there was their marriage... gone, Elvina was free again. Zinna always knew it would happen someday... but she never thought it would go like this way.
She shivered when she remembered sensing Elvina’s feelings... pure love. In the past Elvina also showed Zinna her love... but not... like this.

Zinna turned around and looked outside. “And what am i going to do?” she whispered to herself. A couple of days ago she met a strange little fellow, Pimpernell. It seemed he knows Elvina... told a couple of things about her. Zinna was shocked at first, but noticed she was still interested in hearing things about Elvina.
Zinna shook her head. Elvina would probably be very happy by now, spending time with her new love... doing all kinds of pleasant things, making new friends, and building a new life... without her...

And was she supposed to continue her life with Angela? She looked at the bluish-haired woman again who was sleeping on top of the sheets... nude off course. Zinna shook her head. Angela could be nice and sweet, but also very rude, blunt, provoking people, teasing… no, ... why the hell was she here in the first place?
Angela treated Zinna almost as her ‘property’, and she didn’t like that. What would the Master say about that? But Zinna couldn’t go back to the Master... to admit her failure.
No, ‘spending time’ with Angela seemed more attractive right now.

Once more she looked outside at the falling rain... the river started to get high. She could always search for Elvina... but then what?
Tell her everything? How she also formed a bond with a ‘devil’? How she deceived Elvina? How an untraceable kind of magic was used to keep Elvina with her? How she lied and did terrible things... and how she doubted Elvina’s feelings in the first place... and that, all in the name of... ?
No, best thing was she kept these things to herself. Elvina probably would kill her if she knew the whole story. She was terrible when she was really angry.
It was better to focus on other things too. Perhaps she could look for work, here, since going back to her elven forest wasn’t really an option. Or, maybe she could take up some studies in magic... with, ...how was his name again?... Shorn! Right.

Lightning lit the clouds in the sky, the rumbling started to sound more and more nearby. She wondered what Elvina was doing right now...

[Admin]

67. Teamwork

Elvina was walking next to Marcellus, looking at him from time to time, while talking. They shared a goal. Celestia had a long list of items required for a ritual to help their friend. Now and then Cel send out Elvina and Marcellus to find some stuff. And by almost each quest they have worked together.
The person walking next to her was good looking... for a man. Elvina knew him from before, remembering meeting him at a hill next to Ravenswatch. She was … ‘playing’ hide and seek with him, a game she now and then ‘practiced’. It was harmless, nobody got hurt and she developed her stealth skills.
He didn’t appreciate it at first but at this moment there was no sign of disapproval anymore.
Perhaps they were getting friends...

She also admired his skill and style with the sword. Enemies they encountered were quickly eliminated by his huge notched blade.
A couple of days before they were send out, she met him again. He was in company of Sammil and Celestia. Elvina was not fully recovered from the assassins attack and limping towards Lendose after she almost fell in a clough. They found her.
Sammil carried her to Lendose, and Celestia healed Elvina’s leg wound. Marcellus Longstrider probably had no clue about what was going on when Elvina was talking to Sammil and Celestia about her so-called failed quest.

Now, only few days later he seemed driven to help them as well. He even heard a few details, also about her story.
On one of their tracing-quests Elvina was ‘forced’ to tell a water spirit a sad story (about love) in order to get the spirits tears. Afterwards Marcellus asked and guessed a few things... concluding that parts of the story Elvina told to the water spirit really happened.
Somewhere, she liked the guy... but he needed to learn to stop asking so much questions on formal meetings. Elvina started to learn it was better first to listen and learn and then asking the questions. But it didn’t matter. The man showed interest and concern... she guessed that was positive about him.
She smiled at him when he asked another question...

[Admin]

68. Angela Wrath

Zinna sighed as the door of her room opened without a knock. Off course it was Angela, who just came and go as she pleased.
“So, where have you been this time? Three days i haven’t seen you and you walk in here, with a grin?”
Angela Wrath posed for her, grinning. “How do you like my new armor? I have spend days fitting it, having it adjusted.”
Zinna looked at it, not expressing much interested. “It's... blue... so?”
Angela laughed. “Are you kidding girl? This is most beautiful armor i have ever seen. Not even the Master...”
Zinna replied ,” I don’t care Angela. Tell me... what am i to you? Hmm? Some mistress you can visit now and then? Come and go as you please? And what are you doing all the time? ‘Charming’ men, and women? Yeah, i heard about it...”

The bluish-haired woman turned to her, putting her blue shield against the wall along with her Crusader sword. “Now now my dear, don’t believe everything you hear. Well, it’s true i’m flirting a bit, but only to test them... i have never brought someone to my bed, where ever …”
Zinna interrupted her ,” … not yet... but what i heard is your making dates. Right here, under my nose.”
Angela smiled warmly ,” Off course right under your nose, to proof i’m not hiding anything from you.”
Zinna turned away from her and shivered.
Angela walked towards her. “Sweety... i’m sorry. You know how i feel about you. Just... sense it.”
Zinna felt the warmth in Angela’s voice and shook her head. “It’s just... i’m lonely these days.”
Angela embraced her softly and kissed her on the lips. “My girl, perhaps you should come downstairs from time to time... talk with some nice people i just met. Let me see.. Orion, and Marcellus... erh... and Amilcar... ow... by the way, i forgot to tell.”
Zinna looked up at Angela. “Tell what?”

Angela was smiling widely. “I met Celestia. We talked a bit...”
Zinna got up. “Celestia, you saw her... talking with her, about what?”
Angela looked at her blue fingernails, still smiling. “Ow, it was a nice conversation. We just talked about hair colors, baby’s and poison.”
Zinna shook her head. “There seemed to be much variety in your ‘conversation’ then. Now really... what did you say to her? What did she say?”
Angela nodded. “That was really about it, the rest of the time i spend with Amilcar... one of Celestia’s companions i guess. Maybe we’ll see him soon.”
Zinna shook her head again. “I don’t know what you are up to Angela... and if this all is fitting in our Master his plan... But you are right. I should go out more often. I'm think of taking a room at the Mystivale’s...”
Angela got excited ,” Great, then we are closer to the shops and...”
Zinna interrupted her ,”... alone Angela. I need some time alone. So i can think clearly about what i am going to do.”
Angela looked at her and grinned. “Still working on a plan to get Elvina back?”
Zinna didn’t answer...

[Admin]

69. A bluish-haired woman

It bothered Elvina...
She was sitting at the Two Bridges inn, seeing some old friends there. First she was not very tempted to walk in there, knowing Zinna had a room at this inn.
But, she got over it... if she saw her, she could always exchange a few words with her about her search for the rapists.
Zinna however, wasn’t there and Elvina wasn’t really feeling very sorry about it. Better this way then have to see her and tell the search was a failure so far... and besides, about what else would they talk?

But that was not what was bothering her... no, the motive for these feelings sat a table further. A woman with blue hair, who was talking to some men. Elvina observed her discrete, from under her white hair. Reason to observe this bluish-haired woman were a couple of things.
First of all... she was a striking appearance. The moment she walked in, you just couldn’t see next to her. She was beautiful... in a way... but the clothes she was wearing... were just like her hair... very blue. Even her shield had that color.
Next there was her sword. Just by looking at it, gave Elvina the creeps. There was something wrong with it. It looked familiar to her, but she couldn’t recall where she saw it before. Maybe, it was just some kind of insight. Elvina always has been gifted if comes to magical objects.

But not even those things bothered her. No,... what bothered her were other things. While observing her discrete, she noticed the bluish-haired woman now and then looked at Elvina, very brief, almost unnoticed... but Elvina knew it was there.
Ever since that assassins attack Elvina got wary. Just like before. And she congratulated herself noticing things better, just like now.
Her compagnions at the table didn’t notice anything in her behaviour. Except she didn’t say much, but it was alright. They were talking about some friends of them, so Elvina only did as if she was listening to their conversation.
Instead, she got attracted by the conversation on the other table... which was actually pretty easy to follow.
The bluish-haired woman was flirting with two men... but in a way that a drew Elvina’s attention. Her talking and flirting was enhanced by her beauty... but there was also something else.

Magic, she used magic, subtle, but nevertheless present. And it was a kind of magic Elvina recognized. She shivered... someone using these powers like that for such a ‘goal’... had to be pretty dangerous.
Elvina would never use that, finding her own words more important then the way they are brought. True, this way it was possible people got hurt with what she said, making them sad, or just happy, or full of expectation... but she really wanted that people took her the way she was, giving them the chance to weigh her words. She smiled, and sometimes she had to explain herself.
She observed the bluish-haired woman again, unnoticeable.
And even without this magic... the woman was quite charismatic. Elvina suspected that she even had other, hidden talents... making her probably a deadly foe in combat...
Elvina shook up out of her thoughts... was she going crazy? Why was she analyzing that woman? Perhaps she was just an adventurer with certain talents passing through.
She shifted her attention to the conversation at her own table, but not before noticing another look from the bluish-haired woman in her direction, carrying a weak smile and slightly questioning eyes.

[Admin]

70. Elvina’s fate

Zinna has taken a room at the Mystivale Inn. She was sitting on her bed, thinking about everything that happened in the last months.
She just couldn’t let go... Elvina... who was deeply in love with someone else. It... bothered her... hurt her... she shook her head. They have spend so much time together, and Zinna... got really attached to Elvina. She remembered her feelings when their relation just started... then their wedding... their first year as a married couple...
What happened with her feelings? She knew something changed after the day she ‘met’ the Master. She knew she was really worried, but, why... oh why, did she made a deal with... this man? Right... because she knew Elvina would leave her some day.

The Master... when he was near her, he always had some kind of influence on her. It made her like him, a lot. Doing all kinds of things were she never even dreamed of. He was... sweet on certain moments, tender even... he could make her feel exalted.
But why was Angela needed... why did he want her involved? Zinna left her a few days ago and started to feel better. That girl had a weird influence on her. Zinna loved and hated her at the same time.
The only thing she did right now was being showy... flirting with everyone she liked, men and women. Zinna started to think Angela couldn’t feel love for anyone. And if it seemed like she loved a person, she was probably only acting. But with what purpose?
Couldn’t the Master just call her back?

“My sweet girl, are you thinking about me?” The sweet voice came out of the corner of the room.
Zinna shook up out of her thoughts, almost falling of the bed. She turned around to look at the dark corner, and in her chair sat... the Master.
“M.. Master, you are here?”
The Master got up from the chair and walked towards the bed. He was wearing a black tunic and around his neck a white scarf.
He took place next to her.
“Zinna, where is Angela?” He looked around and noticed only Zinna’s gear in the room.
Zinna bowed her head. “She is staying at another inn... doing her th... work.”
“Is that so my sweet girl? I have, however, the feeling something happened between you.”
Zinna assumed the Master already knew.


She was sure the Master could sense things in a way like she did, and he was pretty good at it.
The Master embraced Zinna softly. “We will talk about it later. But as for now, you have to listen to what i have to say.”
Zinna felt a warm feeling when the Master was holding her like that. He... really cared for her. At least that is what she felt.
The Master gave Zinna a kiss on her forehead. “I really care for you my sweet girl. But... work has to be done.”
Zinna shivered under the warmth of that kiss and wished for even more.
The Master smiled at her. “Later my girl, first lets get down to business.” He looked at the bed behind them and grinned. “Real business first.”
Zinna nodded and shivered again in expectation. It has been a while someone loved her.

The Master looked her in the eyes. “My sweet girl, it is almost time.”
“Time? Master? Time for wh... do you mean...?”
The Master nodded. “Elvina has grown enough for my purposes, and its hard for me to see you suffer like that. But if you want to be forever together with her, then there are things you must do...”
“But, she loves another... ,” Zinna started, she fell silent immediately, knowing the Master could be very angry at her for being interrupted.
He only smiled warmly at her. “My girl, do you know who she loves?”
Zinna shook her head. “I... i have no idea... Master, i’m sorry.”
The Master kept a friendly look ,” So you are not doubting what i said?”
“No, no Master, off course not ,” Zinna quickly replied.

“Eligor was a fool you know. And somewhere he took the wrong path. We will not make this mistake twice.” The Master looked at her. “Did you know Elvina is starting to believe in a god?”
Zinna turned and look at him. “She is? But … but Elvina never believed before... she... who, … how?”
The Master nodded. “I know! ,” he grinned ,” And now, the only thing we must do, is make her to start believing in her own... fate.”

[Admin]

71. Nothing else matters

It was almost dark in the room, with only some candles at the table and a low smouldering woodfire emitting a dim light, projecting the shadow of a woman on the wall.
Elvina stood in front of the fireplace, pensively studying the dark red glowing parts of the wood, as if she hoped to find answers in there.
From time to time she looked at the bed, observing the figure on it... wondering what she would do.
It was only couple of days ago now, that she finally found her... actually by coincidence.
She was on her way to meet a friend when she suddenly saw a familiar silhouette near the gate of the city. Elvina stopped and a sucked in a quick breath of air. She only needed a very short moment to realize who this person was, just... standing there. While her eyes were filling with tears, she ran to her... Adele...

Elvina took a seat in the chair, wiping of her tears as they came just by the memory. She poured some water into a glass while her mind jumped back to the memory.
She remembered embracing her, but immediately noticed something was terrible wrong. The person in front of her, Adele, was seriously injured. Her armor was pierced and battered on several places, containing spots of dry and fresh blood. Her face was also covered with some blood and one of her eyes was shut.
Elvina shivered... and then there was Adele’s look... just staring out of one eye. Elvina remembered she was talking to her, but Adele didn’t seem to respond in any way.
Immediately seeing the seriousness of her situation, she took Adele, supporting her body, and brought her to a safe place... as safe as she could be at least around here.

The first few hours Adele only stared with her one eye at the ceiling. Elvina was taking care of her wounds as good as possible. She didn’t risk it to leave Adele alone and search for a healer. Piece by piece Elvina took off Adele’s crushed armor parts, and by every piece that came off she was more and more filled with horror. Parts of Adele’s body seemed broken, she had scars and wounds that seemed very old, yet ones Elvina couldn’t remember...
She also had fresh wounds and one of them made Elvina really worried. If she was right, Adele was pierced somewhere. It would explain why she was coughing up blood, seriously. This was one wound that would require a healer as soon as possible.
Then there was her arm, broken on several places. This was something Elvina could fix herself, at least stabilize and make it heal again. Incha learned her a few things, in case Elvina needed to help herself... or others...

Elvina got up from the chair, walking towards the bed, still plunged in her own thoughts.
She remembered the few things Adele told so far, and it... scared her. Adele’s mind was in a bad shape too. But if the things she told where true, and according to her wounds, they must... then she needed to contact her friends quickly. Yet she waited till the next day, focusing on Adele’s recovery first.
Elvina studied the figure on the bed, her eyes were closed but Elvina wasn’t sure she slept.
Yet it was time to report her return.
Elvina walked to the door and outside asked a passing woman to help her get some things, paying her generously for this. Money didn’t matter in this... Adele was back, and alive... and for now, just for this moment... nothing else matters.
She took a seat at the table in her room, writing letters to three persons from which she knew they could receive her birds.

“My dearest friend,

The search is over. I have found her... Adele....”

Elvina made the text very short, and after adding her location and signing it, she wrapped it up and sealed it with some hot wax. After she pressed her ring in it, leaving the picture of a cat behind in the wax, she attached the messages on her birds.

She was still staring out of the open window, long after the birds left...

[Admin]

72. Elvina’s mistress

Zinna blinked her eyes. She was standing before a tall building. She looked up, not recognizing it, but it had the appearance of a church.
Just a few moments ago, the Master vanished after bringing her here. He told her she could find Elvina in this town. His ‘agents’ saw her near this building, and he suggested she started to look from here.
Zinna slowly looked around, absorbing every detail of the street. The place was unknown to her and she had no idea how to get back either. The Master brought her here by magic, and she had to find a way on her own to get back. She started to walk through what you could call the main street. It was night and the streets where rather empty.
Zinna decided to cloak herself, in a way like Elvina did, saving her energy for moments when it was really necessary. She stepped into the shadows and slid along the walls, which were made out of some kind of dark stone. Foot by foot, with a grace which was very characteristic for elves, she scouted the town’s mainstreet following in until she reached a gate. She peered but it was too dark to make anything out of it what was outside those gates.

Deciding it was better to go back, she turned around and crossed the street quickly. After a few minutes she reached the empty marketplace she earlier passed.
How was she supposed to find Elvina here? The town was big enough and she couldn’t possibly check every house and every building to find her. Yet, it was a start. She really needed to talk to her, … she... had to.
Suddenly she stopped as she saw a familiar person stepping out of one of the buildings. She didn’t needed much time to recognize her, her aura was for persons like Zinna immediately feelable. Celestia!
She knew it, she knew it all along. Elvina was loving Celestia and it was probably here they were spending their romantic times. Zinna shivered when she tried to picture how their time together so far must have been.
“That … bitch... and Elvina... all lies... ,” she whispered to herself, spitting out Celestia's name softly.
She stayed in the shadows, just to make sure Celestia wasn’t returning. Meanwhile she observed the entrance of the building Celestia just left. Zinna tried to stay calm and preventing herself from rushing in and slapping Elvina in the face.

She softly sighed in the shadows. What could she do now? The Master brought her here to talk with Elvina. But after seeing Celestia... and how would she explain herself for showing up here? A place where she never has been before... telling Elvina she was ‘visiting’ an old friend? She even had no clue if it was a public building. No, she needed to wait, calm down a bit and try to figure out what building this was and if Elvina was truly inside.
Her gaze glided over the walls and windows of the building. Suddenly she saw movement at the entrace of the building.
A white haired woman stepped through the door portal... Elvina!
Zinna was raging. So it was true, the Master has brought her to the right place. He must have known about Celestia and Elvina, but why... why did he wanted her to see this? She was supposed to get Elvina at her ‘side’ again. He must know that she would be very angry seeing this... that she couldn’t respond well if she was full with emotions...
She started to doubt the Master... but at least, now she knew who Elvina’s mistress was.
But first... needed little time for herself now. Making up a story...

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73. A dark memory

(links with 63.)

The night after Elvina send the birds to her friends, she fell asleep for a few hours in the chair next to Adele’s bed. It happened very slowly, but it couldn’t be stopped. She was up for almost two days.
Her sleep was short and turbulent, and for everyone who would observed her... would have seen her sweating face, her fingers now and then curving to what almost looked like claws.

Elvina was back in the forest, her forest. She was on her way... home. The trees around here rose high above the ground, the size of their trunks sometimes as big as a house. The leafage waved high above the ground, as if it formed a shell to protect every living being in the forest. The leaves filtering the sunlight, now and then allowing lightbeams to reach the soil.
It was getting late and Elvina ran the final distance that seperated her from her love, Zinna.

She climbed up the stairs quickly towards their own treehouse.
“Zinna? Zinna! I’m ho.... ,” Elvina stopped. She looked around. Their home... looked a bit different. It was decorated with all kinds of things made by the elves. A colorful exotic looking table cloth, nicely placed tableware, flowers everywhere...
Zinna stood on the other side of the room, with a smile on her face, observing Elvina.
Elvina couldn’t resist her eyes filling with tears. “It... is it … today?” She saw Zinna nodding and smiling. “But... but... ,” she panicked a bit.

Elvina stirred in her sleep. This memory... it was so real... and how... could she forget?
Next she was back in the forest, drawing something on the ground. A pentagram.
In her sleep she wondered what she was doing.... something like that... in the elven forest?
Just as she heared herself speaking the final dark words to open a portal, Zinna came running to her. It almost looked as if she wanted to stop her.
She yelled at Zinna to go back... telling her she was just getting a present for her.
Suddenly the portal seemed to explode. She felt how her body was blown back and when she opened her eyes she saw Zinna not far from her lying on the ground, but conscious and unharmed.

Elvina opened her eyes. She remembered! She remembered what happen that day... the day it happened. She finally knew... how she got that bond with Eligor. And what kind of misery it gave so many years later.
She got up from her chair, trying to give these memories a place. She also understood that Eligor stole a part of her soul... or at least something that looked like that. And why she missed … certain things in her life, not noticing ‘signs’ from people... not allowing certain feelings to come out.

She looked through the window, opening it to get some fresh air. Thank god, it all ended when she was saved from hell, now months ago. She smiled, knowing she has been just fine all the time these past months... knowing that she’s not ‘ill’. Knowing... that she can have feelings, knowing that she ‘can’ experience them. It... gave her a warm feeling. But also a feeling from pain, and anger.
At least Eligor was dead, … and her friends actually... already took care of the feelings for revenge she was experiencing right now. Elvina quickly calmed down. There was nothing left she could do, Eligor couldn’t be killed twice. That... was now the past. And future deals and bonds shouldn’t be made just like that, … young as she was then, doing something like that in an unthinking moment...

Elvina shook her head.
After a quick look at Adele, lying on the bed, she looked up at the moon, and she felt a bit stronger. And all that, thanks to a dark memory.
She also knew, when she returned to the elven forest... she would have a long nice chat with Incha...

[Admin]

74. Zinna and Elvina

Zinna was waiting outside in the shadows. She concluded Elvina was staying in the building... for some reason. Confident about her own conclusions she fell asleep in the corridor of an abandoned house.
She woke up when she heard a door closing in the silence of the night. On the other side of the street Zinna saw Elvina leaving the building after talking to … what seemed some kind of guard.
Elvina crossed the street and Zinna duck further in the shadows, knowing that Elvina has the skill to detect her. She saw her leaving the city and decided to follow her... but keeping a large gap between them.

Zinna was happy that she could see a little in the dark and wondered how Elvina managed to avoid the obstacles on her path. She was assuming that Elvina knew this path after probably doing it many times. But where was she heading?
Zinna got worried as she realised she forgot to check her supplies in her backpack.
But suddenly, not too far from the city Elvina stopped. Zinna heard sounds of a battle and saw how Elvina ran forward. There was a second woman further down the path fighting a man, and Zinna knew immediately who that was... Celestia!
She saw how Elvina helped Celestia putting the man down, and wondered who he was.
Appearently he attacked Celestia on a great open spot where she was an easy target. An arrow in Celestia’s shield proved that he first tried to kill her from a distance.

The fight didn’t took long as the two women quickly overwhelmed the man.
Zinna stayed in the foliage of the bushes, hiding in the shadow. The moon enlightened the open spot and Zinna saw how the two women walked to each other... and got pretty close in her opinion!
But... nothing happened. They seemed to talk to each other, whispering, and even for Zinna’s elven hearing it was inaudible what they were saying. She just observed the two having their ‘secret’ conversation.
Suddenly Zinna saw how Elvina laid her hand on Celestia’s shoulder, softly stroking it. She almost raged, but managed to stay calm between the leaves, avoiding them being stirred.
If they would see her here... well...

She continued observing Celestia and Elvina, who was still holding her hand on Celestia’s shoulder. It looked as if they were talking about something very emotional, as she noticed Elvina’s hand going from Celestia’s shoulder to her own eyes. Was she crying?
Did Celestia just ended their relationship? Her heart was pounding in her chest and she cursed silently for not being able to hear what they were saying.
She couldn’t watch this longer and walked away, back to the direction of the to her unknown city.
Just at the gates Zinna took a decision... the Master wouldn’t like this at all... but he could go, back, to hell.
She wanted to walk back to the place where she saw them, but suddenly Elvina appeared on the path, alone.
Zinna stepped out of the shadows in front of her, blocking the way into the city.

Elvina’s eyes widened and her face went pale. Zinna crossed her arms over her chest. “So... anything to say for yourself?”
Elvina quickly recovered from the small shock. “What the hell are you doing here? How, did you... ,” she looked around as if she was on her guard ,”... got here?”
Zinna grinned ,” I have my ways... so, it was fun i presume, spending time with your love?”
Elvina turned from pale to red ,” What... what do you mean?”
“Oh c’mon Elvina! I saw you!!! With Celestia, back on the road! ,” Zinna pointed her finger at the road behind Elvina.
Elvina stepped closer to Zinna ,” Do shut up girl... and mind what you say.” Elvina looked around and lowered her voice. “It is not what you think... she...”
Zinna interrupted her, her voice also a bit down ,”... your 'meeting' looked pretty secret to me, and you guys seemed very ‘emotional’.”

Elvina took Zinna by the arm, forcing her to walk with her into the city. They stopped next to the local inn, hiding a bit in the shadows.
Zinna started to cry softly.
Elvina turned to her ,”What is the matter with you? You show up here and...” She stopped as she heard Zinna crying. It confused her from what she was about to say.
“Zinna...” Elvina walked to her, putting her hand softly on Zinna’s shoulder. “Listen, as soon as i’m done here... we’ll talk. I’m here for a mission... helping... someone, here, in the area.” Elvina sighed. “What you saw on the road, was me thanking Celestia. She’s helping me with something. You... i understand you don’t understand. It...”
Zinna pushed Elvina’s arm away. “Forget it. You forget i can sense things. But i’m alright! And i don’t want to talk with you, not now, not later, not anymore! Now go, leave me..."

Zinna turned around, her back facing to Elvina. She knew she took a risk by doing this. She didn’t know how Elvina would react and … she also had no idea how to get home again on her own. Elvina was probably assuming she got here by herself and it would be no problem to head back.
“Zinna, i … understand. Maybe, its better like this.” Elvina seemed to hesitate but continued talking. “Look, i … didn’t catch those rapists. And that’s the reason why i haven’t visited you again, because there was no news. It seemed to me... i had no other reasons for keeping contact. I thought, we would only … hurt each other...”

Zinna’s heart jumped and a cold feeling went through her legs.
At the same time she got furious. “Hurt me? Hurt you?!!! You ice cold bitch!! To me it seems you can’t be hurt! And yes, what i have done was wrong. And i’m suffering for it. More then you can imagine! I still love you Elvina. Everytime i got angry at you, it is because i loved you! No other reasons to see each other, right?! Well, you’ll never see me again then!”
Elvina stood perplex.
Zinna started to walk away but stopped and turned around once more. “And i hope you are ready for what its about to come...” Zinna vanished.
Elvina was shocked... and that very short hesitation made her lose sight of Zinna.

[Admin]

75. 'Blue'

Zinna sat on her bed at the Mystivale Inn. She managed to get back on her own. It took her almost a week, traveling through forests, following some rivers, until she entered known land, close to Two Bridges.
She remembered standing still in front of the Two Bridges Inn, just staring at it and remembering everything that happened here... Elvina visiting her, the nights with Angela, her days alone in her room ‘recovering’, until she finally left Angela to be on her own.

She was angry, very angry at Elvina. But also angry on herself, for letting herself go like that, giving up, threatening Elvina... It wasn’t a wise move, and if the Master showed up, well...
While plunged in thoughts someone knocked on her door. She shook up and shivered. Who knew she was here? The Master?
It took her a few seconds more to respond... “Yes, who is it?”
A female voice sounded on the other side of the thick wooden door. “It’s Angela... can i talk to you?”

Zinna got up from the bed. What the hell was Angela doing here? Can it be the Master has send her to kill her? She walked through the room, nervously opening the door... but not before taking a dagger in her left hand, behind her back.
She only showed her head in the door gap. It was Angela alright and the hallway seemed further empty.
“Can i come in Zinna? I need to talk...”
Zinna looked at Angela’s eyes and decided something else was going on. She opened the door and Angela entered her room, her blue armor glittering in the candle light while she walked to a chair.
Zinna took a seat on the bed, opposing Angela who seemed … different. Perhaps because she was more silent then other times.

Zinna tried to open the conversation. “How have you been?” It seemed a bad question, because she saw Angela shivering a bit. This always self-confident woman didn’t seemed herself.... Zinna sensed it. Her aura was … very chaotic, and there was something else, but Zinna couldn’t lay her finger on it.
Angela finally looked up at her and started to talk, very softly. “I’m going away Zinna. Probably far from here.”
“But the Master... “, Zinna interrupted.
“No more Master things Zinna, i had enough. People are looking for me.”
Zinna frowned ,” What do you mean?”
Angela nodded ,” The Fleet... they are coming after me. And everything i only wanted was to be free. I even talked with Celestia, apologizing to what happened...”
Zinna got up from the bed ,” Wait a minute, i’m not following you... talking to Celestia, the Fleet.... what the hell is going on?”

Angela told her some things, what she did with Celestia, how she had a fight with the guards the day after.
Zinna’s eyes widened.... “ You are in big problems Angela. We need to talk with the Master...”
Angela waved with her arm and got up from the chair, facing Zinna now. “No, no Master. I can’t... he... we need to run Zinna.”
Zinna got worried ,”We, what do you mean?”
“Perhaps i don’t have all the answers yet, but just... no Master anymore.”
Zinna was confused, no idea what Angela was talking about. It was very obvious she wasn’t telling everything. Perhaps, ... Angela didn’t trust her?

“Angela, … it sounds like you are in a mess. Did anything actually good happened in the weeks we haven’t seen each other?” She sighed.
Angela look to the ground, taking her time before saying anything. “Perhaps ... love, … ”
Zinna looked shocked. “What are you saying? Between all the blood and messing up things, you fell in love? Where the hell did you find that girl? Or is it a man? “ Zinna shook her head. “Don’t you love the Master by the way?”
Angela got angry, “Love the Master? Love him? Look what is happening!! Noo, i didn’t love him... i never loved anyone, not even you... until... until i met him.”
Zinna didn’t got angry, somehow she always knew Angela didn’t love her... she was passionate yes... but never showed true feelings for her.

“Him, so it’s a man. But, what are you going to do? Aren’t there people who can protect you... you said... you talked to Celestia... can’t she...?”
Angela shook her head. “I... only talked with her a couple of minutes, apologized to her, but she was angry... certainly because i’ve put that little girl into danger.”
She paused.
Zinna observed her. “There is something else about you,... something you don’t dare to tell me. And it has something to do with the Master.”
Angela got closer to Zinna. “Just run from Him... i mean, do you like Him?”
Zinna looked shocked and lowered her voice ,” Are you crazy woman, saying something like that? You do know He can have ears and eyes everywhere.” She hissed the last words.
Angela also lowered her voice ,” And i notice you are not standing up for Him either. I don’t know what happened but i feel you also have second thoughts. Perhaps we can help each other...”
Zinna pushed her away,” Don’t talk like that girl... you better leave... bringing me into danger... i...”

Angela got angry. “Right, if this is what you want... Fiiiiine. Feel free to climb in His bed again, stupid girl.”
Zinna got mad too,” And you have no idea what you are doing!”
Angela looked at the candles near Zinna’s bed. “Yes, i know... but i also do know what i want... remembering...”
“Let us wait for the Master, he’ll help...”
Angela got angry again,” Stop talking about the Master... you’re not listening to me...!!”
Zinna was furious,” And you are not telling everything to me...!!”
“I’m out of here, GHA!” Angela walked towards the door and opened it. “You are stupid girl, open your eyes dammit.”
Zinna ran to the door and pushed Angela almost out. “Leave me! Go!” She closed the door with a smack, leaning on it a couple of seconds before bending her knees and lowering herself until she sat with her back against the door.

Suddenly she heard voices on the other side of the door.

- A male voice “Blue, … is that you?”
- Angela’s voice “Amil... what are you doing here?”
- The male voice again “I ... something happened.”
- Angela’s voice sounding worried “Amil, come, we shouldn’t be standing and talking here... let's get out of sight.”

Zinna heard how the two people walked away from her door.
She got up and walked to her bed, noticing her hands where shaking a bit. Angela has been right about a few things, … when she recalled what happened with Elvina...

Zinna quickly shook her head... ‘Blue’... what a stupid nickname...

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