Order of the Dark Flame (Story, No Spam)

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 2:40 pm

OOC @Loner. Thanks , couldn't resist!!!

KramoR · Post by **KramoR** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 3:07 pm

OOC - Hey I found this place, it's mine.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 3:11 pm

{OOC @Kramor, well it needed some additional interior decorating

. Seriously, I can change it if you like.

}

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

KramoR · Post by **KramoR** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 3:33 pm

OOC - No that's okay, I'll be putting up hockey heroes wallpaper anyway.

KramoR · Post by **KramoR** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 3:33 pm

"Ouch, hey that's my hair you are pulling, bird!"
The raven stopped pulling on Kramor's hair. It tilted his head, looking at Kramor, then to the room where the scream came from.
The scream ripped through the ruin again, "Nooooooooooooooo, please. I didn't do it, why don't you believe. "Kramor rushed to the door opening it quickly, he was met with a wall of stale dead air. Cobwebs hung thick on the walls and furniture, dust covered everything. Walking into the room, there where the remains of a skelton, on the couch.

The raven flew over and landed on the skull, looking at Kramor..................

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 3:45 pm

As they examined the tapestry, Gwalchmai and Dragon Wench suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream. They managed to tear their eyes away from the delightful scene in front of them, and nervously they headed in the direction of the sound. As they walked through the dim light they noticed what looked like a library. They entered it and paused. Dragon Wench, strolled over to some of the dusty tomes.

"Look, it's a journal of some kind!"

Dragon Wench gingerly lifted the fragile volume and opened it to a random page:

"Amaunator aid me," was scrawled across the yellowed paper. The writing, spidery and faint, was a rusty shade of brown.

Gwalchmai, meanwhile, had noticed a small alcove off to one side of the library.....

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

KramoR · Post by **KramoR** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 5:35 pm

As Kramor searched the room, he thought he heard voices. Turn to go back out of the room, the raven flew back to his shoulder. Looking around, Kramor headed back to the library, that's where he saw the foot prints.
"Now, who could that be?"
He then smelled cumin, he figured out who it was, Gwalchmai. Kramor called down,
"Gwalchmai, hurry and get up here I want to show you something. What did you do, eat a whole can of cumin?"

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 5:37 pm

Georgi looked up, speechless. In his eyes, she saw that it was indeed the old Anomen, though she scarcely dared to believe it. She didn't see Thantor's eyes narrowing slightly at the way Anomen was looking at her.

"Unexpected, this is," (OOC

) muttered Thantor. "I didn't think you would regain consciousness so soon, Anomen. But as it happens, you may be just the person we need. If you will continue to heal Loner, that will allow me to safely locate the problem, and stabilise her ki."

Georgi glanced from Anomen to Thantor, and back. "Should I help?" she asked. "Of cour-" Anomen began, when Thantor cut his off abruptly. "No, Georgi, you ought not to overexert yourself. You have already been weakened considerably by the qa transfer. I don't want you to endanger yourself unnecessarily. Anomen will do the healing."

A little surprised, Georgi withdrew and Anomen moved into place by Loner's side. She watched anxiously as he lay his hands on her.

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Georgi ]

scully1 · Post by **scully1** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 5:56 pm

Loner was only half-lucid through the healing process...vaguely she was aware of Georgi and Thantor, sending normal healing into her; but she knew it wasn't going to help. This wasn't a sword-gash...

She lost consciousness for a moment as she convulsed again. When she came back to her strange half-awareness, she thought she heard Anomen's voice, close by, as if he were leaning over her...she felt his hands over her heart. This is a dream, she thought. She felt a kind of re-shifting; it was painful, as if she had been broken to pieces and was being fitted together again, like a jigsaw puzzle. She couldn't understand what Anomen was saying, but his voice was soothing and eased the pain...

Finally it stopped. She felt herself lifted up by Anomen, carried to a chamber, and laid in her own bed. It seemed that a conversation went on, and one person sat by the bedside. It felt like Anomen but she couldn't be sure...

Her consciousness faded into a healing sleep.

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: loner72 ]

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 6:43 pm

Georgi watched as the two men bent over Loner, grave concentration on each face. After what seemed an eternity, but was no more than ten minutes, Thantor opened his eyes and looked over at her. "Loner is going to be just fine," he smiled.

Anomen got up. "She needs rest. I'll take her up to her room." He gently lifted her from the ground.

Thantor helped Georgi up. "You need rest as well. How are you feeling?" They followed Anomen out of the dank and dreary dungeon. He looked a little disorientated. "Umm, where is Loner's room?" he asked, embarrassed.

Georgi smiled, feeling sorry for Anomen. "This way," she led him up a staircase, Thantor following, and along the corridor to the room Loner shared with Kramor. Anomen put her down on the bed, drawing a blanket over her tenderly, and then turned and walked over to Georgi. He touched her face, sadly considering her wounds. "Georgi, I... I cannot even begin to express my sorrow about this whole ordeal. What you've been through..." he shook his head, overcome with guilt. "Thank you, my love..." He went to embrace her, but Georgi pulled away, troubled.

"Anomen... only you could be so bold, (OOC

) as to think you can just come back in here and everything will still be how it was... I may still feel for you, but," she paused, puzzled, then looked at him with something resembling horror, as she realised why she felt a part of her was missing, "I can't remember why!" She turned and hurried out of the room, past Thantor, who had been hovering just outside.

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Georgi ]

scully1 · Post by **scully1** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 7:25 pm

Loner awoke, headachy and sore, but much improved. The blindfold had been removed. She could see much better; colors were still dim and outlines blurred a bit, but she wondered at the change. She was looking at the ceiling. "Kramor," she said weakly, and reached out her hand.

It was caught by Anomen.

She looked over and saw him. He was smiling, but sadly. "How are you feeling?" he said.

Loner blinked her eyes. "I took the liberty of healing your eyes while you slept," he said softly. "I can see the improvement, they are almost well again."

"...thank you," said Loner.

Anomen's face grew serious. "Thank you, my lady," he said, "for your part in saving me."

Loner didn't dare tell him she had done it for Georgi...

Anomen rose and walked a few paces away. Keeping his back to Loner, he said:

"I know you must hate me. I...remember everything I did when I was under that foul influence. All I can ask is that...you someday find it in your heart to forgive me." He turned to her, and there were tears forming in his eyes. "Not right now, but some day...there is much love in your heart, Loner, and I hope you can spare some of it to forgive my wrongs against you."

Loner took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I know it wasn't you, Anomen." And that was true. She was seeing the noble knight she had once known, and had missed for a long while. How was she going to tell him?...

"If you remember everything," she said, "you remember Kramor."

Anomen stiffened and looked down to the floor. "Yes," he said in a choked whisper. "I'm sorry."

The old anger came back to Loner, and suddenly she didn't care how she hurt him. "You have no idea."

"You love him?"

"Yes. Deeply. He has always been good and true to me" -- her voice reminding Anomen that he had not -- "and I am not worthy of him."

There was a profound silence in the room.

"Please go, Anomen."

Her eyes were closed, and she felt him leave the room.

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 7:35 pm

*whistles*

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: Georgi ]

KramoR · Post by **KramoR** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 8:12 pm

As Kramor waited to Cumin boy, to climb the stairs. He was getting worried about Loner, he searched out for her ki. When he found it, she was not doing well. Running down the stairs, he put the raven on Dw's shoulder. But, the raven went back to his shoulder. Kramor told the both of them, where the room was and what was in it. He also told them. he would be back later. Saddling his horse, he then rode off to the keep.

When he arrived, he went straight to Loner's room. Thantor stopped him, before he went in. Kramor listened to what Loner told Anomen. He was more shocked, to hear she wasn't worthy of him. "If anything", he thought to himself, "it should be the other way around."

When Anomen left, he glared at Kramor. Kramor just shoulder past Anomen, ignoring him. Walking into the room, he saw the raven at the window sill. Kramor opened the window, to let the bird in, it stayed at the sill. Kramor saw Loner sleeping, going over he kissed her gently on the forehead. And sat in the chair next to the bed, not realizing how tired he was, he fell asleep.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 11:16 pm

Awe........

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 1:30 am

Thantor found Anomen sitting outside, head in his hands. "If this is a bad time ...," Thantor began. Anomen looked up, bone-weary eyes fixing on Thantor. "Everyone else has had their shot. I deserve whatever abuse you have to offer," he said dully. Thantor sat opposite Anomen and gave him a searching look. "I don't believe we have been formally introduced. My name is Thantor," slightly inclining his head. The two men looked at each other for a long while, neither speaking. "You bear me no ill will," Anomen said at last. "None," replied Thantor in a conversational tone, "or you would be dead." Anomen laughed a hollow sounding laugh. "Nor do I pity you, Anomen," Thantor continued. "You have powerful enemies, but you also have powerful friends. You have been dealt a terrible blow, but I have seen men recover from worse. Your enemies may at some point succeed at killing you, but only you can destroy yourself."

"Don't preach to me, priest. You have no idea what I am going through."

Thantor reclined slightly in his chair. "You are a paladin, aren't you?"

"Do you mock me?" Anomen rasped through gritted teeth.

"Do you mock yourself?" Thantor leaned forward, right into Anomen's face. "These men and women risked their lives to save you, to haul your fetid carcass back to this keep, and then risked their sanity to make you whole. And you wallow in self-pity like a sow in a mud bath! You, the supposed champion of service, clueless as to its real meaning." The fury in Thantor's face was such that Anomen pulled back from him. "Oh, I know what you are going through, little man. Like a school boy reproached by his first crush, it is transparent as glass. Total self-absorption. Total self-interest. Not a thought for your comrades who are hurting because of YOU!" Like air spilling out of a balloon, the fight went out of Anomen and he collapsed into himself, weeping. Thantor sighed, placed his hand on Anomen's shoulder, and quietly sat with him.

At the sound of Thantor's shout, Georgi had run over to her window. As she watched the unfolding scene below her, the simple act of kindness when Thantor reach over to comfort Anomen evoked something ... something lost but not altogether unfamiliar. A question began to grow within her mind.

[ 07-05-2001: Message edited by: thantor3 ]

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 2:35 am

Later, Georgi found Thantor in the kitchen, eating a large salad. "Lady Georgi," Thantor managed between bites of food. "I would have thought you had quite enough of me for one day."

"How is Anomen?" Georgi asked. Thantor put down his fork. "He is consumed with guilt, devastated by what he has done, and grieving the many losses he has experienced. Outside of that, he's fine." Georgi didn't say anything, flicking the corner the napkin in front of her. "You care for him, don't you?" asked Thantor. Why do men always presume ... but as she looked up at Thantor, her anger faded in the light of the sincerity and openness in his face. "I don't know what I feel for Anomen, Thantor," she said honestly. "So much has happened."

"He is a good man, Georgi. Perhaps if you could gave it more time ..." Thantor's voice trailed off.

"I saw what you did for him. Why did you do that?" Georgi said, finally asking the question that had been bothering her. Thantor thought for a moment, then answered, "Have you ever gone to a play and had someone come to you in the middle and ask why the main character was doing some incredibly complex thing? Your question is like that." Georgi continued to look at him, expectantly. "The short answer is that Anomen was in pain, and I wanted to do something about it."

"But why?" Georgi demanded. "He was not your friend, not your responsibility. Is it because it was your duty, or something to do with Loner?"

"No Georgi, I did it because I could, because I wanted to, because I have a gift ..." He was at a loss for what else to say but fortunately this seemed to satisfy her. "Will you be staying now that we have found Anomen?" she asked, resuming playing with the napkin.

"Do you think I can stand it?" he grinned.

"Are you saying we are too much for you?" she teased.

"Is that what you heard?" he parried.

"Why do you answer every question with a question?" she taunted.

"Why do you question every answer?" he replied. They appraised each other for a long moment, then laughter filled the room.

Georgi · Post by **Georgi** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 6:41 am

Feeling a little more at ease, Georgi pulled up a chair, the grin fading from her face. "Actually, there was something else I wanted to speak to you about." She helped herself to a piece of lettuce from his dish, and he slapped her hand away teasingly. "You overheard what I said to Anomen, did you not?"

Thantor struggled to keep his face from reddening. "I heard one or two words, my lady, but-" Georgi interrupted him, "Then you heard what I said, about not remembering?" Thantor nodded, sensing that this was a subject more serious than whether or not he had been listening. "I meant that literally, Thantor... I've been trying to think of my memories of Anomen - happy memories - but I'm drawing a blank. But there must have been good memories..." she smiled sadly. "Is it some kind of consequence of the qa transfer?"

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 8:40 am

There was very little for Nippy to do. He could train, try to decipher the mystery of the dead woman or he could do nothing. He just decided to train.

He came across Anomen practicing his martial skills, with a glance they both began to circle each other with quarterstaffs. They both came to attack and ended up training for an hour.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 9:05 am

“Okay,” Gwalchmai said to Dragon Wench, “you check out that alcove, and I’ll go see what our fruitcake paladin found upstairs.”

“Um, yeah. I be there in just a sec,” Dragon Wench said, engrossed in the journal she was holding.

Gwalchmai climbed the stairs, regretting his little accident with the cumin that morning. He looked into the room that Kramor had found and exclaimed, “Wow!”

“What? What did you find?” Dragon Wench called.

“Its an altar room of some sort,” Gwalchmai yelled down, “There’s a skeleton of a knight laying on the slab of the altar. There’s a spectacular tapestry behind....” As he moved his torch closer to the tapestry, his foot clinked against a small, empty vial that may have fallen from the skeleton’s hand. Looking at the tapestry, he gasped, “Amazing! It depicts five babes, er... five very good looking women, each with spears touching to form a brilliant light. Like the sun.” He looked around the room, “There seems to be five doors here, with stylized spears engraved on each. Let’s see. There are runes. I think I can translate. ‘Dawn,’ ‘Noon,’ ‘Sunset,’ ‘Midnight,’ and ‘Eclipse’.”

“That’s nice,” Dragon Wench said, only half listening, “This book seems to be a scrap book of copied prayers to Amaunator and other prophecies. Here, get this:

The Gods decree
Dark Flames shall be
Those who mete
The Shadow’s Destiny”

“What does that mean?”

‘I don’t know,” Dragon Wench sighed while standing, “I guess I'll go check out that alcove now.” As she stepped across the threshold of the alcove, she heard a familiar ‘click’. Instantly, she dropped to the ground and rolled as a lightning bolt came out of nowhere and struck a glancing blow against her shoulder. She had to roll deeper into the alcove to avoid the rebounding bolt. “Dammit!”

Gwalchmai came running, “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Dragon Wench said while grimacing, “Looks like I made my saving throw and only took half damage.”

“We need to be a lot more careful,” Gwalchmai said, stating the obvious as he cast a quick healing spell. “There. That should do it.” Then he cast Detect Traps, “That cabinet is also trapped, and locked as well.”

“I can fix that,” Dragon Wench said while casting Knock. The doors to the ornate cabinet opened, revealing a row of finely-bound journals and ledgers.

[ 07-05-2001: Message edited by: Gwalchmai ]

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Thu Jul 05, 2001 9:57 am

With Nippy's training finished he decided he had enough of sitting around. Using astral projection he found Gwalchmai and Georgi. He saddled a horse and galloped off towards the cave.

On entering the cavern he was awed by the size and scope. He went up the stairs and found Gwalchmai and Dragon Wench.