Rituals in the Night

[valkry]

<p>Dusk had long faded into the deep of night when they moved in. By ones and twos, they carefully approached the darken building. In doubles and singles, they raised the hoods of their wraps so the lookout could verify identities. Signs and countersigns, cryptic phrases and passwords, shadowy figures gained entrance and slowly the building filled with members of the cabal.</p><p>Expectantly, each of the cloaked figures arranged themselves in the room. Without speech, barely the rustle of the robes, positions were taken. In the center of the room, an area was almost reverently left, but every other space was filled...the robed masses crowding to view the stage, the alter.</p><p>A figure separated from the crowd, and amid the deafening silence, moved to the central positions.  Lifting the hood, the abergine colored eyes, shifted over the crowd, peering deeply with the shadowed cowls. Then the Elf spoke...</p><p>"Brothers and Sisters, the time is upon us again. The one we serve, <i>must </i>be appeased. For years we have gathered, toiling night after night to forestall the vengence of the Un-aging." </p><p>If any of the mass had stopped to think, they would have realized the speaker's voice, though strong, had to have been aided by bardic magic to have been heard so clearly on the upper floor. But no one bothered, true believers to the least of them, they allowed the speech to transfix them. Man and woman they focused on the ritual words, drawing strength and will to complete their tasks.</p><p>"I will not attempt to tell you how to achive the end result assigned to you...you each know your individual taks far beeter then I. I will instead remind you of the need for secrecy. Our mission must not be compromised! The whole of Norrath hangs in the balance. One misstep, even to someone you trust...your kin, your neighbor, could prove fatal..."</p><p>In the deepest dark, just before the sky begins to brighten, before Ro turns his blazing eye on Norrath, the silent city was inundated by the silent, unseen masses. Sneaking back to their homes, slipping past the dreaming lil'ens. Carefully slipping into beds, next to slumbering mates, ‘the hidden' sleep. The few hours will sustain then, allowing them to work both their normal day's tasks and night's clandestine rites.</p>

[Calatea]

<p>Woot !! </p><p>A new story to follow...but I still want to hear what happens to the sisters...I miss them <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/c30b4198e0907b23b8246bdd52aa1c3c.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p>

[valkry]

<p>This one is going to be more of an extended short story, then an epic like Sisters. Niko got me thinking about submitting something to EQnoix & now I'm trying to see if I can manage the short story format. Please don't be too impatient to see the next post, the slow timing is premeditated, and to rush it might ruin the impact of the tale, but there will be future posts.</p><p>As for Sisters..../sigh what can I say...I've gone & turned into my mother. I can no longer keep straight who exactly I'm yelling at, so I just I just rattle off the names Zerking, SKGnome, dog, cat & what ever offense the one has committed & hope they hear their name & crime together and stop whatever they were doing.</p><p>That also means, I'm starting to forget where I put stuff, esp stuff I'm trying to keep safe. Bought a long sleeve black t-shirt & pants for Zekling's costume (He's going to be a bat) & tucked them someplace 'safe' so he wouldn't wear them & ruin them before I had a chance to sew on wings. After a week of the whole family searching, my husband finally located them on my dresser. By that time I had managed to safely misplace the fabric for the wings. /sigh Getting old ain't for sissies!</p><p>So my family all knows to tell mommie immediately if they find the pink flash drive, but apparently I managed in a fit of gmonish insite to hide it too safely. I'm just soooo in love with the next chapter (I cameo'ed one of my favorite forum authors, no I won't tell which one), I've created a writer's block that won't let me re-write or write around that chapter. </p>

[Calatea]

<cite>valkry wrote:</cite><blockquote>As for Sisters..../sigh what can I say...I've gone & turned into my mother. I can no longer keep straight who exactly I'm yelling at, so I just I just rattle off the names Zerking, SKGnome, dog, cat & what ever offense the one has committed & hope they hear their name & crime together and stop whatever they were doing.</blockquote><p>LOL.  </p><p>I have so done this myself.  </p><p>And as I can't get my story to make it to the first installment(too much of the perfectionist in me /sigh), I really can't complain when my favorite authors take a little extra time posting their next installment <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.</p>

[valkry]

Hint start in the middle, the beginning might start itself & don't worry about perfection...look at Niko & I, just enjoy the tale as it tells itself..

[niko_teen]

<p>/happy dance</p>

[niko_teen]

<cite>valkry wrote:</cite><blockquote>As for Sisters..../sigh what can I say...I've gone & turned into my mother. I can no longer keep straight who exactly I'm yelling at, so I just I just rattle off the names Zerking, SKGnome, dog, cat & what ever offense the one has committed & hope they hear their name & crime together and stop whatever they were doing.</blockquote><p>/whines</p><p>[Removed for Content] it i need conclusion if nothing else.</p>

[Amethest]

hugsss val have a happy halloween <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[Ekuthh]

<p>About fracking time you got back on the boards.</p><p>Now write more!</p>

[niko_teen]

<cite>Ekuth@Befallen wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>About fracking time you got back on the boards.</p><p>Now write more!</p></blockquote>I swear you have a way with words. That and again you managed to sum up my thoughts and feeling in a clear and concise manor. So yes valk Write More. Or I'll swing by the house and refill the zerglings trick or treat bags withchocolate and teach them about making a stash so that momma cannot limit their chocolate intake

[valkry]

<p>Dusk had long faded into the deep of night when they moved in. By ones and twos, they carefully approached the darken building. In doubles and singles, they raised the hoods of their wraps so the lookout could verify identities. Signs and countersigns, cryptic phrases and passwords, shadowy figures gained entrance and slowly the building filled with members of the cabal.</p><p>Expectantly, each of the cloaked figures arranged themselves in the room. Without speech, barely the rustle of the robes, positions were taken. In the center of the room, an area was almost reverently left, but every other space was filled...the robed masses crowding to view the stage, the alter.</p><p>The Elf was about to begin the night invocation when screams echoed through the hall. The figure who rushed up the Elf was dressed in black leather, but cowled to protect the face. The guard spoke low, but a few in the first row heard the word "intruder." The whispered word was repeated to the further corner of the hall, before the screaming girl was pulled in front of the Elf.</p><p>Thrust to her knees before the Elf, the crying Kerran girl braved a look into the crowd, hoping someone could help her. As one of her captors forced her head down, the shout came.</p><p>"Jenerrraia! NO!" </p><p>The girl heard a thump of something heavy hitting the flooring near her, but with the Trolls's hand on her neck, she was powerless turn to look. "Mem-rerow?" Even those fluent in Kerran could barely understand as the sobbing girl spoke the word for ‘daddy.'</p><p>The Elf cocked his head slightly, looking from the prisoner to the cabalist who had just leaped from the second tier up. "Brother, you know this girl-child then?"</p><p>Pulling back his hood, the Kerran spoke clearly, "My eldest kit. She is a bright one, smart...too smart. Her fate is mine." A soft noise rippled through the crowd, understanding and sympathy for a parent unable to protect his child.</p><p>"Everyone, head this lesson. You must ensure the safety of the group. Do not place those you love in danger through your own carelessness. Our mission <i>must</i> succeed, least we lose <i>all </i>we hold dear. Now to your task, this matter will be dealt with, but we can not afford any delay in the offerings to the Un-aging."</p><p>"Bring them." </p><p>The Troll started to drag the girl to her feet, but the hand of the Kerran stopped him. Give Jenerraia his hand, her father helped her to her feet, then they followed, hand in hand, after the Elf.</p>

[valkry]

<p>The Elf could not touch his tea, unable to even sit still at his desk in the darken hall. Looking up at the slight noise, he stared at the dust-covered messenger who came down the stairs.</p><p>"Word from Qeynos, liege." The bardic runner placed the envelope for the Elf on the counter, then stepped back. The Elf quickly popped off the wax seal of the letter with his blade, and read.....</p><p>"Praise all the gods of the planes." Slumping down into his chair and looking at the messenger, "The UnAging is satisfied, if not pleased." The Elf sighed raggedly, then looks back at the messenger, "You may inform the others... we are safe, for now."</p><p>Far to the west, a small human sleeps in the center of a large room. The boy is surrounded by scores of toys, moppet dolls, plushies, books, even a toy suit of armour and weapons, and a life sized ‘gnoll' attack manikin, with real fur.</p><p>Elsewhere in the Ironforge Estate, the guild-leaders confer. "Well it seems like we have averted disaster once more. Nathan seems please enough."</p><p>"How long can we continue like this? I mean even with the help of the Freeport craftsmen, how long can we continue to make Frostfell toys for a child that NEVER grow old? It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't such a brat, but even the Overlord's minions fear the tantrums of ‘Nathan the Terrible'."</p><p>"Mem-rerow?" The Kerran girl looked up from her bed.</p><p>"Prrrrrrr, hush, kit." Her father stroked the fur between her ears. "The offer was successful."</p><p>"Then we are safe?"</p><p>"Only till next year, then the Frostfell Elf will need our help again. Now sleep, so you can get your own gift tomorrow, and remember..."</p><p>"I know, Mem-rerow, ‘Curiosity nearly killed the Kerran,' I'm just lucky you told them about the gnoll dolly I made for Rrrellina."</p><p>Happy Frostfell to Everyone. </p>

[niko_teen]

More please