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The castle gates flew open with more determination than they had since their last war. The orcs who had beeen setting up ladders were crushed underneath the great gates. The main group of orcs backed away as the dust cleared. The knights tore out, most with nothing more than a sword and shield to fight with. Armor was expensive.

The horsemen charged first, archers backing them from the walls. They were well trained, if inexperienced. The horses were used to blockade the orcs for a moment, As the captains ordered up their soldiers to back them up.

It was a valiant attept, even if hopeless. The hordes overcame their initial shock. A knight who had bravley killed three was now back off from five, taking wounds from all angels. He grouped with three others, surrounded by howling orcs. a firewolf leapt over the ring of orcs, blood alreadyupon its rocky fangs.One of the knights who was young, but still had gleaming grey hair, raised his sword in a parry, as it connected with the flying wolf's mouth, killing it instantly.

The upraised sword and the distrastion caused by the flame was the perfect opening, and his friends watched as the silver haired guard took a stab in the gut from an orcan spear. This spurred the ancient orcan ways of battle lust and they pressed their attack, the two humans despratley defending their fallen comrade, a song of battle on their lips.

We shall die here on this war.
Ground be stained with orcan blood.
May take these lives of those who kill.
Lest be it our blood that stain this earth.

The song was picked up by a nearby group, who continiued it, in as much a hopeless situation, even with a slightly greater number, they also had more wounded.

Vultures fly above our heads.
Wolves will come to pick the dead.
May they feast on orcan flesh.
Rather than those of innocent death.

Still more Human and Iilithine voices were heard, rising above the discordant growling and snarling of the goblinkind.

The fallen may not beg for mercy.
Their voices lost to other worlds.
Souls carried in comfort to angelic realms.
By gently floating wings of the holy selves.

The whole army was singing, spirits lifted; they knew the would die, but the evacuees were being brought out, and they could only hope their death would not be in vain.

For as we die enemies be damned.
Listen to them scream.
They know their evil, they heed not warnings.
But they lack was is a dream.

The peasants were making it through.

Honor is given to honorable.
Never bestowed to the evils.
As we fight we hear our screams.
But it is all just a dream.

The left side of the line was broken through with two giants, both with emmense wooden clubs. The song stopped, the archers aimed, but it was too late. The giants had gotten through. All who had not made it out yet were doomed to face death by either blade or fire. Or so it would have been, iftwo Iilithines had not interviened, One was bulky and had a large mace in one hand, a flail of equal proportions in the other. A street brawler. The other had a triple scythe, but it had a lot of strange attachements andwires on it.

The brawler did a flip and extended his mace into a flail, and as soon as it came into contact with the ground he was launched up to the giants head, where he drove it back with a massive bashing to the nose, from both flails, twice each. In staggering backwards, it got an unfortunate arrow wedged in its right eye.

The other Iilithine was holding a crossbow now. He turned his crossbow back into a triple scythe, and charged at the other giant. Many fights were ended when one of the combatants turned to look at the fantastic display. The lighter Iilithine didn't take the smash back style, rather jumped onto its leg and doged last second as the giant slammed its own club into its kneecap. He continued this as he climbed all the way, stooping to rest on the giants shoulder. Its own thrashing had kept any goblins or orcs from entering the lines and slaughtering the unarmed peasants. A few to eager ones had tried, but th Iilithine had skillfully manipulated the giant into squishing them. It raised its club again, but even its stupidity had limits, and it was now trying to grab him off.

The Iilithine now took out an eye. He seemed to enjoy doing this to giants. He jumped into its hair, climbing to the other shoulder. The giant decided to try and lay down to get thefighteroff. He jumped of last second once again, stabbed the nearest orc, then jump back onto the giant and took out its othereye.He shoved in it really deep, gave it a spin a few times, and eventually struck the screaming giants brain. He jumped back as a flaming arrow struck the corpse right near his foot. The giant let out one last sob as he began to burn.

Cru the lightly built iilithine gave a thumbs up to his brother, the other iilithine, Zan. Cru the noticed Zan was horrified and pointing behind him. Crue turned around. A orc was there, a polaxe about to crashthrough his skull. He helplessley tried to swing his scythe, but knew he couldn't before the dreadful weapon cleaved his head off. He closed his eyes in shame.

Blood showered the bloodstained ground,but it was not Cru's. Cru opened his eyes, shocked. A stone faced elf, covered in that same crimsom blood,had 20 lbs claymore sticking through its heart, and was expertly wielding it withjust one hand. Where had the polaxe gone? Cru glanced around. He found an orc staggering backwards, the polaxe smashed strait through its thin chestplate. He shook himself to his senses, time to ponder weirdness later!

He hoped there would be time, he noticed grimly. He went back to back with Greynon, and orcs trembled before the team.

***

Karmena was trying to keep her cool, but whenever she looked at a laughing orc face, she couldn't help but fire of a flaming arrow into that very toothy grin. She smiled, for that was the only spell she really knew.

The three fighters were heading out with the evacuees, they saw no point in risking their lives. Parilynn always kept one hand around Sirianna's wrist. Everyone was running, the knights were guarding their flanks, the citizens were out side the borders now.
Karmena had noticed the firewolves, and the girl whose village had been consumed by demons was troubled. She made an extra note to aim for any packs she saw. It was true that they were not demons, and she knew it. But they served the evil beings, and she knew that too. Ever scince the raid, Karmena had devoted half her life to finding a way to kill demons more effectivly, or even eradicate their plane entirley. But with the meager salary of a street fighter, she wasn't able to accompish much, other than her little fire spell.

She shifted her wieght alittle, then pulled out a small wooden staff. She yelled and and twirled it once around the air. White tendrils streamed around her puoring from the staff like te string of a harp. The magic wraped around her and she began shrinking, her form shifting, a small, brown hawk with light tan flecks across her feathers and white tipping wings emerged from the magical strings.The hawk, or Karmena, flapped joyfully a few times then settled down on Sirianna's shoulder. Sirianna was annoyed. First Parilynn crushing her wrist, now a minature hawk digging its talons into her shoulder. She sighed. Couldn't these two do anything on their own?

They were in amongst the last, and as they evacuated the line broke, just in front of them, moking thier chances.

The orcs, fronted by a weak stream of goblins, charged in, half growling half squealing in anticipation of easy slaughter. Sirianna whipped out her daggers, Parilynn whipped out her bow, and Karmena hopped off the shoulder pearch and turned human again, her hookblades ready.

***

Greynon stabbed, Cru slashed. When they had a pause, Greynon looked up, seeing how far they had decended into the swarms. He saw with mild alarm that orcs were parting ranks for... something. Something was moving in their direction quickly, and if an orc was to slow to get out of the way, they would drop from view. Dead, he assumed. He looked in the other direction. They were not to far from the edge. He motioned forCru to take his leave.

Cru was surprised, but took the elf's word for it anyways. If there was one thing he had learn here, it had been to trust the elf's jugment on the battlefield, he looked for Zan, but not finding him, looked off at the hills, deciding to go help the refugees, being pursued bywave after wave, and with asickening shock he realized they were doomed. They simply couldnot get thepeasants somewhere safe, the hardy, stubborn orcs could follow them all day, and they had more than enough number totrample anyone in their way. Orcs, he knew, would not miss the chance. He went off anyways.

Greynon, turned back, it hardly seemed he cared what happened to those behind him. The threat was closer now, even one of the giants tried to get out of the way. Finally the tall ranks parted and Greynon could see the new aggresion.A robed figure strode out, it pace suddendly slowed, but it still walked with thecasual grace of an experinced killer. Greynon shifted into a battle ready stance, he was not going to waste time talking.

"Now now,Greynon the half, I know all about you."

That gave Greynon pause. "You know who I am!" He was more than a little scared, emotion of fear clearly washed over his features.

"And more! Traitor." He proceeded to draw out a golden dagger, and eye on the hilt, same to the one Greynon had found earlier. He grinned, obviously expecting a reaction.

He couldn't have been more dissapointed "Ah, so he hired you. I should have guessed. But you managed this-" he motioned to the surrounding army"How?"

"Abit of manupulation here and there and I got a few cheiftans -stupid beasts- to come and attack."

He threw back his hood, a wrinkled, grey colored face underneath. It seemed to have four extra nostrils on its forehead, and its eyes were very white, with only faint traces of a pupil.

Once again Greynon was caught off guard. "What are you?"

"I" The grey thing began. "Am a Drakay" He interrupted himself by hurling the dagger Greynon's way. The golden item was not only noticable, but it whistled as it went through the air, soGreynon simply blocked it. It the half second his view was broken, the drakay dashed to his right, impossibly fast.

"Ready to die?" He questioned gleefully, no holding back this time, he was being ordered to beat this stupid elf to a bloody pulp!

Greynon was shocked, it was only rare that he met something faster than him. How is he moving so fast? It mustbe an enchantment. Greynon dove out of the way just in time to avoid a wickedly clawed hand.He then got a nick on his other side, the drakay was already there, but he wouldn't risk staying there longer. One swing of Greynon's claymores could prove leathal. Greynon looked down at his fresh blood, then at the drakay standing across, watching like avulture. His hand moed to the ket and he felt the blood.

The battle resumed. Greynon dashed forward, now even faster. The drakay was taken of guard and got one of his long, white lock of hair lobbed off. Then he dashed away, and whipped back and cut greynonin the same place, but doged just before he got his head chopped. He was back in the fight in a minuet, aming to riun greynon's eyes with an upriased palm, clawed finger outward, but greynonleaned far back and only got nicked in the cheek. Contiinuing the move, Greynon did a complete back handspring, kicking the Drakays chin and lifting him a full five feet off the ground.

And so battle unsued. Greynon couldn't land a single hit again, the drakay now was but a blur. Greynon looked down. His fireproof garb had several new cuts, like he had been attacked by a velociraptor. He was panting for breath, something he couldn't remember doing for a long time.

The drakay broke left at his extreme speed, and Greynon was left with four more expert cuts. He collapsed to his knee but brought himself up immediantly. So far he had not been attacked from the front. He jumped, working defensivley, in time to avoid the next row of slashes.

Greynon was working hard, he had faced worse. He redoubled his efforts in finding some sort of weakness. he increased his own speed as well. In doing this, he felt an old bloodlust rising within...

He snapped out of his trace to see his opponent looking at him with new respect. He looked around, moderatly confused. Then he saw that all the orcs circling them were dead. Oh. He snarled at his enemy, who backed down a slight bit. The Drakay wasn't finished though, and dashed again. But this time Greynon was thinking better, as though he suddendly could think straight. He inhaled then spun to his back, and wasn't surprised when the drakay shifted and once more swiped at his stomach, just above his hip. He tool the blow without flinching. Predictably the drakay thought his enemy was in his trance, without even moving, and again was going to swipe open a cut. He was still not taking any chances.

Greynon felt the claw begin to dig and clamped his elbow in, shoving the claw in further but effectivly immobilizing the enemy. Greynon whipped his arm down and grasped the arm, rippng the claws out of his skin, then slid back his other hand, claymore prepared, and shoved it forward full strength. It tore throught the grey chest flesh, throught the heart, through the back. It ended with the sword compleley outside the body, heart on swordpoint, greynon's arm was through its chest. The heart gave off one last beat, spewing a little blood, and Greynon ripped it back through, his armentirley red. The draky stumbled back steps then began to float into the air.

Then he ignited into a great pillar of fire, like flamewovles, but intesified a hundred times. Fire wrapped in a circle around the main pillar, as leaves do a tornado, and the beam shot up, engulfing Greynon. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, unharmed by the fire.

The careful observer would notice tendril extending from a dark shpe center in the pillar, wraping the heart and shoving it back to its rightful position. Then it was over, and the fire was gone.

Greynon was not tired, why should he be? He had stabbed the thing through the heart, and now he was going to kill something. He looked for the nearest orcs. The cowards had run for their lives. Fine. he decided. Lets go hunting.
He twirled a claymore once and dashed to the largest body of orcs he could find - the ones swarming Sirianna and her team.

Greynon activated his magical eyepiece and looked onward to the orc groups, his vison zoomed a hundred times. His trianed eye hadalready picked out stratigic weak points. He also recognized the fighters from earlier.

***

Parilynn was loosing arrow shots, along with her sister and friend. They were running low on arrows now, and the orcs were nearing.
"We're gonna die!" Parilynn yelled.
Sirianna looked at the front wave, all with spears pointed forwards in a sweeping charge. She glanced at her short daggger and silently thought she should get a longer weapon.

Karmena was thinking more along the lines of Parilynn.

The world slowed as the orcs reached them. Sirianna jumped forwards, inbetween two spears, and shoved them out sideways, but kept running forwards, her daggers grinding along the spear shaft. The alarmed orcs were forced to drop their spears and try to puch at Sirianna. She stabbed them, but the hardy beings would not relent, for what was a few dagger cuts to a race that regularly stabbed each other with swords? The battle didn't change until Parilynn launched an arrow to support her sister. The unexpected hit made the orc falter, and that was all the opening Sirianna needed. She jumped onto the orcs shoulder plate and whipped her dagger into its skull, and tore it out in a magnifcent spin that turned her upside down and gave her the other opening she needed as the other orc tried to stab her. It died as swiftly as the other.

She stood up and saw the army around her. Hell, they were going to die.
Parilynn was still shootingas many goblins as she could, because a frail goblin torso could not often stop an arrow, enabling her to hit what lie beyond. Ther existed a fair pile of goblin dust around her.
(In this world, goblins disintegrate into dust as soon as they die)
Orc archers began to fill the back ranks, and arrows were shooting dangerously close to the half-elven.

Karmena was not faring any better. She was parrying three ors with her hookblades, and if the oppritunity presented itself, she would twist the spear out of an orc's hand, then slit its throat. She was in the middle of a heated battle with the last of the three when Greynon entered with his thirty foot jump. He came down with a skull smashing stab the went through the helm and out the chest. He had sturck the mind,neck andheart at the same time. He backflipped off and proceeded to slay easily ten more.

"Greynon!" Sirianna and Karmena said at the same time.

In an instant, a claymore was aimed for Karmena's neck. It stopped a split second before contact as Greynon recognized them as allies, and it hovered a little away when he began to recognize them as people he had met. His other hand seemed to be singularly blocking and attacking those foolish enough to step near him, even though Greynon was facing the other direction.

Sirianna watched his blade for a moment, compleley enthralled. If she could fight that easily, she would get rich offthe fighting... oh, and she might make it out of this alive. That to. she then became aware ofKarmena's hand buzzing in front of her face.
"Hello? Anybody there?" Karmena questioned.

"Huh? oh, yah I'm... yah." Dang it.

Karmena laughed. She had to. Greynon turned around, and wouldn't talk to them again.

Sirianna once again evaluated theri progress. She had time to with Greynon here. Then a horrible though occured to her. Even if they did make it out, the orcs could chase them until every single man was wiped out. Some would escape sure, but at extreme cost, most would die.

***

Suddendly a magic lightning bolt, twenty feet wide, struck the field. It was blue and was a massive twenety feet across. Six smaller lightning bolts struck around it. Anything within the blast radius was now nothing more than a charred little plot of dust. In the center of thethunderbolt's carnage, a blue and red orb sat. It had several little creases marring its surface, like it was something large curled up. And so it was.
The thing uncurled itself. It was vaguley humanoid, with arms, legs, a torso and head. It was indeed blue, but the red had just been a large, well worn cape. It stood up. Its legs had an extra joint in them near the top, giving them a bird like feel. He stood on three clawed toes, the soles of his feet never touching the ground, supported by an blue light. His arms were shot back, his elbows were casually carried behind his back, with an extra long forearm to make up for the lack, carried strait forwards. If the hands had a pole or staff slung over theshoulder, it would form a triangle.

But most curiouse was the being's head. It was shaped like a teardrop but it bent downwards at the tip, and it had four square, compleley yellow eyes in a vertical line, two were actually under his chin.

The thing threw an arm, out, shifting its cape in the wind, stirring up a minor whirlwind. It then began to jump like some kind of deranged scarecrow, hopping on one alternatingfoot back and forth and shouted in a somewhat higher, but still male, voice "Greynon I'm back! I can't belive it! I made it!"

***

Greynon looked up, his ears twitched a little. He looked around. When he saw the blue thing, he nearly dropped his claymore, but wether it was a good or bad surprise, none could tell.

He turned to the fighters. "We should get out of here. As in, right now." He swung his blades out to the sides, like wings, and dashed to the other side, killing all the orcs in his path.

"He could do that from the beggining?" Parilynn complained.

"Just come on." Sirianna dragged her forwards.

The powerful one crossed the army by flying. He did not have wings but was capable of flight through magical means. He stopped down lightly in front of Sirianna and Parilynn, Karmena left by turning into a hawk.

She skidded to a stop.

"Well, go on, don't let me stop you." He sounded obnoxiously polite.

Sirianna drew her dagger and began to edge around the blue thing. Carefully guarding Parylinn, she edged around him.

The thing looked some what hurt, but only distantly, like he was used to it.

"Well, my name is Glliian."

"I think he's friendly." Parilynn whispered.

"Just come on." She tugged Parilynn'swrist.

Parilynn broke free and ran up to Glliian.

"Hi!" She said boldy, he responded in turn.

"Well, like I said, don't let me stop you. Keep going, I'm going to blow up the army." He smiled, and leech like teeth jutted forwards.

Sirianna took a nervous step forwards, waving her dagger out. Parilynn seemed to be able to overcome apperances easily.

Suddendly remembering his look could be offensive to humans, he closed his mouth, then smiled without showing his teeth. This time it looked heartfelt and genuine.
As Parilynn began to leave, Glliian whispered "Thanks." just low enough for her to hear. She smiled and began to run up to her sister.
"Parilynn, I can't belive you."

"I do have a rather goode sense of character, don't I?"

"No! You had no idea wether he was good or not. You didn't even know what he was!" And it made Greynon run! he must be powerful."

"Powerful enough to blow up that army." Parilynn added.

Sirianna scoweled. "He might be strong, but I really dout he is strong enough to-"

And then came the expected boom.

They turned around. A mushroom cloud of flame, immense beyond anything ever seen before, billowed upwards. The shock wave was so powerfull it was visable, rocketig over the hills. The very earth rumbled underneath them, knocking the dust from trees. When the shock wave hit, Both half elvenstumbled and trees were missing half their leaves. The heat followed shortly, quitley stealing the breath from the life in its path.
Sirianna inhaled and stood up. Okay, if she was wrong one more time today, she was gonna...
Parilynn laughed. "Told ya so!" She had fallen over, and was sitting in the grass.

Sirianna's face reddend. Today was not a good day. She ran over and playfully kicked her little sister. Parilynn jumped up and began to run away in mock horror.

"Get back here!" Sirianna smiled and chased her.

With Glliian on theri side, they had little to fear in the form of orc pursit.
***
Greynon sat on a stump, staring into his campfire. Normally to light one after a time like this was a poor choice, serving as a homing becon to those nearby. But Glliian had undoutably given the orcs a second choice of staying far away.

Sirianna was also there, trying to think of a way to convince the stonic Greynon to trian her. She had always wanted a teacher she couldn't beat. She remembered the Iilithinebrawler from before andlazily thought of what a fight between them would be like.

Cru was also sitting around the fire. He was staring into them as intently as Greynon. He had not seen Zan since the war...

Gliian walked in.Greynon watched him camly, forGlliian was not his enemy, he had run to avoid that explosion. Even his magical garb couldn't protect him from all the effects of an explosion of that scale.

"Hello Greynon. It's been a while, what, 20 earth years I think?" His voice was completley changed, it was now deep and strong, rather than the higher one he had used earlier.

Greynon glared at Glliian. Apparently he wasn't sapposed to say that.

"Your sapossed to be dead." Greynon stated. Sirianna snorted. That was his greeting?

The two whispered to each other a little, just slight enough so nobobdy else could hear.
Greynon stood up and walked off, his torn black cape fading into the shadows just feet from camp. Glliian followed just feet behind, his red cape much more noticable.

Sirianna watched them go. Or Glliian go, she couldn't make out Greynon's cape. As soon as she was certian she was out of sigt, she stood up. She checked to make sure Cru was still tranquilized by the fire, then set off, directly following the path the two strangers had taken. She hated secrets.

She followed them for nearly twenty minuets. She could hardly belive they could both walk for so long wihtout saying even a single word, but she stubbornly kept up. The night air wrapped around the trees and the crickets were chirping, convenently shilding Sirianna's footsteps. She was stealthy even as it was. She had always prided herself for that.

The grass was still damp from the earlier rains. Sirianna moved with half-elven stealth. At one point she even climbed a tree and followed them through the think branches. At the present time, she had accidentally gotten to close to them when they had taken a turn. Sirianna crouched in a bush holding her breath. Greynon's maroon and black boots swished over the dew coated grass, though not exeptionally stealthily, shortly followed by Glliian's magical, noiseless, half floating feet.

They passed without incident. Sirianna emerged, somewhat shaken, and tracked them form a bit further back. Glliian's unatural blueish glow helped as an alert for whenever she was about to get to close.

So the game went. Finally, Sirianna heard the soft patter of Greynon's boots stop. She edged closer. They stopped in a clearing in the undergowth, she confirmed, but she still couldn't see them.sheducked back into cover. They had to be close. Glliian's glow confirmed it. She rested behind a tree. Why couldn't she see them? She could even hear them talking now. She had the faintest notion to look up.

And there, right above her head, Greynon and Glliian were perched in the strong, wide branches of a tree. She ducked back, she knew they just had to have seen her... but they hadn't. They continued their banter. So she swivled her pointed ears the slightest bit, a vestige of her heritage, and tuned in.

"We have indeed made many enemies, Glliian."

"You have."

"You helped."

"Fine."

"Just look. Now Transetjen has attacked the human settlement."

"TRANSENTJEN?" Glliian boomed. Ravens were scared from the trees.

"You didn't need to do that."

"Are... are you sure, my friend?"

Sirianna held back a smile. Greynon and friend just didn't seem to work together. She heard the unsheathing of a dagger, and worried she might have been caught. But instead, she heard Glliian give a slight... sound. It wasn't actually something one can put into words, or even letters for it was so otherworldly, but it was short and obvoiusly some sort of exclamation of distress. Had Greynon stabbed Glliian or something?

"So it was him..." Glliian trailed off, then looked thoughtful. He smiled and joy seemed to radiant from all eight of his square eyes.
Sirianna thought things out. Well, she had come for answers but had gotten more questions. Who was Transentjen for one. She also had loads of questions for Glliian. Like what the heck he was.

"This amuses you?" Greynon asked, anger flaring in his voice.

"What? Oh, no. I was just wondering if the half-elven female was supposed to be behind our tree."

"WHAT!" The ravens were scared again.

Sirianna freaked. How had Glliian known? Well, no point in staying. They were going to tell her to leave now anyways. So she sighed then stood and turned around.
Glliian was stading right behind her.
But then Sirianna heard Greynon still arguing with Glliian.

"You said all that even though you knew she was there?!?" Greynon yelled.

"All I ever said was that we had many enemies, my friend." Gliian's voice replied. Greynon glared at him.

"She heard about Transentjen then."

Sirianna's Glliian smiled his leech tooth grin, then retracted it, still berating himself. He smiled his human smile and said. "I am a clone, I think. You have many questions, some of which I can answer. Come with me."

Sirianna listened to Greynon still fighting with the real (She thought) Glliian. Then she nodded and took his bony hand to help her up. She did trustParilynn's judjement, even if she disaproved of it.

The last of the argument she heard was "Look, Greynon, I'll send a clone to send her back, happy?"

***
Glliian (Glliian's clone?) was sitting around a fire he had started by triggering a minor explosion. Sirianna stared at the fire in the same deep reverie that Greynon andCru had entered.

Glliian began to speak but Sirianna cut him off.

"Earlier you said you thought you were a clone. What does that mean?"

Glliian smiled his non-leech smile.She was taking a roundabout approuch. " I think I am a clone because I cannot tell. I share minds with the Glliian arguing with Greynon. And they are still arguing by the way. See,I know and see what he knows and sees. He also knows this entire conversation." He frowned. "When something gets serious on one side, sometimes I even share emotion and facial expressions. It can get quite comical."

Sirianna tilted her head, confused. "What are you?" She questioned.

"That is an interesting question to ask because I know." He smiled. "I am a demi-god." Glliian frowned.

"A demi-god?!"

Glliian smiled. "Facinating, isn't it?" He frowned. Then he smiled. Sirianna began to laugh.

"Oh no, are my expressions changing?" His other self asked the same question to Greynon and he knew before Sirianna answered. "Yes they are." He closed his eight yellow eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"Okay next question." Sirianna began. "Why is Greynon so stonic? It's like he is devoid of all emotion."

Glliian hesitated. "I think Greynon should be the one to tell you that." He appered thoughtfull. "Could you ask about somethin el-"

"Is there anything you can tell me? Where did he get his magical items then?"

"Magical items? ... Aaah!" It then occured to Glliian that Greynon just might have lied about his strengths.

"Aha! I knew something was up!"

***

Greynon had jumped to another tree and was sitting across from Glliian.

After some time, Greynon had cooled off.

"You know." Glliian began. "You're still covered in blood from the fighting. Hey,is that cut still bleeding?"

"Yes. That is where I shoved the drakay's claws into my skin to keep him from moving." He paused. "Couldn't you have come just two minuets earlier?"

"I wouldn't have missed the ending of that fight for the world."

Another pause. Glliian began again.

"You really should find a healer you know."

"The only one here is Coralynn, she's a druid, and you know that won't ever work."

"Of course. you know she'll insist upon healing you as soon. Besides, how do you know their isn't a more traditional healer here? You have no clue."

"Fine!" He threw his hands up into the air. He jumped from tree to tree with impossible speed. And that was just his casual run.

***

Coralynn walked into the firelight of a different refugee camp, carring a limp Heto. Kentoes lay near the middle next to the fire, unconscious, but twitching and spasming. Two men and two women were holding him down and frantically trying to help him.

"He's terribly sick!"

"He must have somehting aweful!"

"I do hope it isn't contagious!"

"He won't stop convulsing!"

"Keep him near the fire!"

Coralynn dropped Heto on one of the log benches (right next to Cru), and rushed up to the sick Kentoes. "Whats wrong with him?"

A woman looked up "He just stumbled in and collapsed. He was twitching and everything. His face was all red and, well, at first we thought he had been attacked but we found no wounds so he must be sick, he had these glowing markings and, we put him near the fire, so he would get better but then he just started oh! druid! weaver of plants and healing you must help him! Please!"

The men stepped back and the women edged away, Coralynn nelt beside Kentoes and placed her hand over his heart. She ushered a spell of cleasing. Her hand glowed a sollem green and it flowed from her hand to Kentoes.

...

Nothing happened. Coralynn cringed. What was happening? Why hadn't her spell worked?

"The marks!" Someone yelled

"He must be cursed!"

"Ahh!" Various shouts were heard from camp.

Coralynn looked down. Kentoes did indeed have blue markings all over his neck, lower jaw and arms.
She caustionsly stooped lower. Then she noticed something. She leaned even further to investigate.

"Ahh!" she shouted. The markings on the side to the fire were glowing around the edges with what looked like a contianed turquise fire. Kentoes began to spasm even more voilently.
"Get him away from the fire!" She shouted. "Hurry!"

They obeyed immediatly. They hoisted Kenteos into the woods, where he lay in darkness. The glowing gradually subsided, and Kentoes stopped twitching.

Coralynn stepped back and waved a finger at Kentoes's unaware face. "When you wake up." she said. "You've got some explaining to do."

***

Sirianna walked back to the camp satisfied and felling trimphant. She saw that many people had gathered since they left, but most of them were sleeping, Coralynn and troop included.
Cru was still staring into the flames. Sirianna made some faces at him, but when he didn't react, she moved to the other side near Parilynn.

"What did you overhear?" Parilynn questioned.

Sirianna shivered. Why was Parilynn so good at reading her?It was pointless to act otherwise, though, unless she wanteed to be bugged the rest of the night, and most likely the next morning too.

"Well, after I was through following them, Glliian caught me and he told me-"

Greynon walked into the firelight, his hood up so his face was hidden behind the shadows. The claymores gave him away, but that was his intent. He had to make Sirianna shut up.

Instead of speaking to her however, he motioned to Cru. "You should sleep. It will ease your mind."

Cru looked up, infuriated. Greynon had known he was listening in the whole time! He stood up. Even if he was lightly built, he was tall - around seven feet. That placed him at a good six inches higher than most other Iilithines. He moved himself to tower over the sitting Greynon, hoping to intimidate him into letting him stay. Just as he was about to say something, Greynon interrupted.
By kicking Cru in the face. now, kicking a seven foot tall Iilithine is no minor feat. You have to judge actually reaching thier head, then you have to make sure their tail stinger is out of the way. But Greynon had reached his head before Cru could even take in a breath, and was savagely shot back. Clutching his nose he stumbled, and was about to trip but then Greynon was behind him, holding him up effortlessly with one hand.

Normally Greynon would have let him fall, but given that the Iilithine was about to fall on the fire, the good in his heart won out. So Greynon was there, standing in the fire, holding him up. Sirianna watched. That must be another power of the magical clothing- wait, but Glliian had said- how was he doing that?
Greynon caught her stare and growled. "Fireproof material." His hood had been cast back by his speed.

Sirianna breathed a sigh of relief. That made since. She had once worn something similar herself. Given to her by the elves, she had to use it to travel through a volcano. That had been fun.
Back to the present, Cru was still clutching his nose (It was bleeding) and walking to the next nearest camp. Greynon relaxed. Cru's pride would keep him from admitting to much.
Greynon turned his gaze to the sisters, now the only others awake in camp.

"How much did you hear?"
He began to draw a claymore but Glliian walked in. Greynon regretfully sat down and crossed his arms, expecting a lecture. His hood fell back over his face.
He got one. "I came to make sure you don't resort to violence. I assumed you would do as such."

Glliian sat down. "She didn't hear much. Not from us at first. All she heard was the name Transentjen, really, which just gave her more questions."

"But..." Greynon probed.

"But I accidentally said that you wielded no magical items."

Greynon's eyes flashed venomously. "Dammit." he swore. Greynon stared into the flames for what seemd to be a lifetime "You told her on purpose didn't you?"

Glliian remained silent.

"Wha?" Sirianna started. Her cocky feeling was rapidly dissipating.

Greynon stood up and his hand subconsciously moved to his weapon's hilt. "Why? What do you see in her? What? Damn you, Glliian, why did you tell her?"

It was Glliian's turn to stare into the fire. "Yes. I told her. Would you like to know why, Greynon?"

Greynon glared a soulless stare, something no man would want to be caught under. His red eyes screamed in their sockets.

Glliian was unaffected. "Do you want to stop Transentjen or not?"

"Yeesss. I must kill him." Greynon hissed. He had become ignorant of the half elven. They were no longer a part of this. "It's my revenge, and my vengeance. He will pay for what he's done to me. Painfully he will pay."

Glliian's eyes turned to Sirianna and Parilynn. "And you think you can do it alone, Greynon? And if that is true, then why are you running? These people will defend their re... home, Greynon. They can help. Why do you insist upon putting up walls?"

"Because ifI don't, Transentjen will destroy everything I let in. He's done it before, he can do it again. You think they can stand up to Transentjen? He's killed you twice! Isn't that enough proof?" Greynon was yelling out his words. He was lucky nobody was a light sleeper, and they had all had a very rough day.

"And what are you doing about this now?"

Greynon stopped in mid breath. He took a step back. His face gone blank, he sat down.

He clutched his chest, where Sirianna noticed an necklace was covered. She got he feeling it was very important.

"Finding a fitting hiding place for-"

"You know you can't part with it, not willingly, at least."

Greynoon looked down, ashamed and beaten.

"Now,I will be leaving to help refill the sands of time. No beating up anyone other than orcs and other hellspawn, got it?"

Greynon muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"Good. See ya' round."

And with that, his form warped and shifted, until it eventually melted into liquid then bubbles which sank into a multicolored puddle on the ground, then vanished.

Parilynn sank a little, trying to take it all in. Greynon sat across, his head still hung and under his hood. Sirianna had no idea what was going on, and was busy figuring out if she should even try to get more out of Greynon.
"I never lied. I never outwardly claimed to wield any magical items. I implied that, yes, but I never said that."

Greynon continued. "I was... part of an experiment." Once again, he was telling half the truth.

He stood up in a furry of his cape. Once he was done, his hood was back and his claymore was drawn. He looked every part the killer.

"Uhh, Glliian just said..." Parilynn Stammered.

"I know what he said." Greynon hissed. "He should have known I would be so dissolute. I've broken a thousand promises." He waved his sword meacingly. "If either of you repeat what you heard tonight, I will have your head, understand?"

"I wanna bargin." Sirianna stated stubbornly. Parilynn gave a slight jump.

"You are in no position, half elven, but humor me."The way he said half elven was not the slightest bit distasteful. It sounded almost complimentary, which was strange, given the speaker and the words.

"I will say nothing if... you trian me."

"What?"

"Just tonight! Come on, I've gotta fight like that!" Her pride was completely forgotten.

"Our styles are very different..."

"Please!"

Greynon stepped back. No one had ever asked him to teach them before. If anything, his fighting prowess made him a complete outcast. Yet here was Sirianna, begging him to teach her that which he sometimes hated.

"I... I wouldn't be a good teacher..." Another sigh, but Sirianna still stared at him hopefully. "Alright."

He walked into the woods, not bothering to check if Sirianna was following or not because he knew she would.

Sirianna turned to Parilynn. Sheer excitement radiated from her and she more resembled her sister than herself. Parilynn stood, oddly solemn, as though the switched places. "Careful. He's unpredictable, even to me." She warned.

Sirianna calmed down somewhat. "Th- I mean, th..."

Parilynn smiled. "You’re welcome."

Sirianna looked at her. "Thanks." She dashed off after Greynon. Who finally turned to see her. They walked into the night.

Parilynn, back at the camp, stared into the fires, wondering where this Greynon would take them. She could sense something coming.

Description
The castle gates flew open with more determination than they had since their last war. The orcs who had beeen setting up ladders were crushed underneath the great gates. The main group of orcs backed away as the dust cleared. The knights tore out, most with nothing more than a sword and shield to fight with. Armor was expensive.

The horsemen charged first, archers backing them from the walls. They were well trained, if inexperienced. The horses were used to blockade the orcs for a moment, As the captains ordered up their soldiers to back them up.

It was a valiant attept, even if hopeless. The hordes overcame their initial shock. A knight who had bravley killed three was now back off from five, taking wounds from all angels. He grouped with three others, surrounded by howling orcs. a firewolf leapt over the ring of orcs, blood alreadyupon its rocky fangs.One of the knights who was young, but still had gleaming grey hair, raised his sword in a parry, as it connected with the flying wolf's mouth, killing it instantly.

The upraised sword and the distrastion caused by the flame was the perfect opening, and his friends watched as the silver haired guard took a stab in the gut from an orcan spear. This spurred the ancient orcan ways of battle lust and they pressed their attack, the two humans despratley defending their fallen comrade, a song of battle on their lips.

We shall die here on this war.
Ground be stained with orcan blood.
May take these lives of those who kill.
Lest be it our blood that stain this earth.

The song was picked up by a nearby group, who continiued it, in as much a hopeless situation, even with a slightly greater number, they also had more wounded.

Vultures fly above our heads.
Wolves will come to pick the dead.
May they feast on orcan flesh.
Rather than those of innocent death.

Still more Human and Iilithine voices were heard, rising above the discordant growling and snarling of the goblinkind.

The fallen may not beg for mercy.
Their voices lost to other worlds.
Souls carried in comfort to angelic realms.
By gently floating wings of the holy selves.

The whole army was singing, spirits lifted; they knew the would die, but the evacuees were being brought out, and they could only hope their death would not be in vain.

For as we die enemies be damned.
Listen to them scream.
They know their evil, they heed not warnings.
But they lack was is a dream.

The peasants were making it through.

Honor is given to honorable.
Never bestowed to the evils.
As we fight we hear our screams.
But it is all just a dream.

The left side of the line was broken through with two giants, both with emmense wooden clubs. The song stopped, the archers aimed, but it was too late. The giants had gotten through. All who had not made it out yet were doomed to face death by either blade or fire. Or so it would have been, iftwo Iilithines had not interviened, One was bulky and had a large mace in one hand, a flail of equal proportions in the other. A street brawler. The other had a triple scythe, but it had a lot of strange attachements andwires on it.

The brawler did a flip and extended his mace into a flail, and as soon as it came into contact with the ground he was launched up to the giants head, where he drove it back with a massive bashing to the nose, from both flails, twice each. In staggering backwards, it got an unfortunate arrow wedged in its right eye.

The other Iilithine was holding a crossbow now. He turned his crossbow back into a triple scythe, and charged at the other giant. Many fights were ended when one of the combatants turned to look at the fantastic display. The lighter Iilithine didn't take the smash back style, rather jumped onto its leg and doged last second as the giant slammed its own club into its kneecap. He continued this as he climbed all the way, stooping to rest on the giants shoulder. Its own thrashing had kept any goblins or orcs from entering the lines and slaughtering the unarmed peasants. A few to eager ones had tried, but th Iilithine had skillfully manipulated the giant into squishing them. It raised its club again, but even its stupidity had limits, and it was now trying to grab him off.

The Iilithine now took out an eye. He seemed to enjoy doing this to giants. He jumped into its hair, climbing to the other shoulder. The giant decided to try and lay down to get thefighteroff. He jumped of last second once again, stabbed the nearest orc, then jump back onto the giant and took out its othereye.He shoved in it really deep, gave it a spin a few times, and eventually struck the screaming giants brain. He jumped back as a flaming arrow struck the corpse right near his foot. The giant let out one last sob as he began to burn.

Cru the lightly built iilithine gave a thumbs up to his brother, the other iilithine, Zan. Cru the noticed Zan was horrified and pointing behind him. Crue turned around. A orc was there, a polaxe about to crashthrough his skull. He helplessley tried to swing his scythe, but knew he couldn't before the dreadful weapon cleaved his head off. He closed his eyes in shame.

Blood showered the bloodstained ground,but it was not Cru's. Cru opened his eyes, shocked. A stone faced elf, covered in that same crimsom blood,had 20 lbs claymore sticking through its heart, and was expertly wielding it withjust one hand. Where had the polaxe gone? Cru glanced around. He found an orc staggering backwards, the polaxe smashed strait through its thin chestplate. He shook himself to his senses, time to ponder weirdness later!

He hoped there would be time, he noticed grimly. He went back to back with Greynon, and orcs trembled before the team.

***

Karmena was trying to keep her cool, but whenever she looked at a laughing orc face, she couldn't help but fire of a flaming arrow into that very toothy grin. She smiled, for that was the only spell she really knew.

The three fighters were heading out with the evacuees, they saw no point in risking their lives. Parilynn always kept one hand around Sirianna's wrist. Everyone was running, the knights were guarding their flanks, the citizens were out side the borders now.
Karmena had noticed the firewolves, and the girl whose village had been consumed by demons was troubled. She made an extra note to aim for any packs she saw. It was true that they were not demons, and she knew it. But they served the evil beings, and she knew that too. Ever scince the raid, Karmena had devoted half her life to finding a way to kill demons more effectivly, or even eradicate their plane entirley. But with the meager salary of a street fighter, she wasn't able to accompish much, other than her little fire spell.

She shifted her wieght alittle, then pulled out a small wooden staff. She yelled and and twirled it once around the air. White tendrils streamed around her puoring from the staff like te string of a harp. The magic wraped around her and she began shrinking, her form shifting, a small, brown hawk with light tan flecks across her feathers and white tipping wings emerged from the magical strings.The hawk, or Karmena, flapped joyfully a few times then settled down on Sirianna's shoulder. Sirianna was annoyed. First Parilynn crushing her wrist, now a minature hawk digging its talons into her shoulder. She sighed. Couldn't these two do anything on their own?

They were in amongst the last, and as they evacuated the line broke, just in front of them, moking thier chances.

The orcs, fronted by a weak stream of goblins, charged in, half growling half squealing in anticipation of easy slaughter. Sirianna whipped out her daggers, Parilynn whipped out her bow, and Karmena hopped off the shoulder pearch and turned human again, her hookblades ready.

***

Greynon stabbed, Cru slashed. When they had a pause, Greynon looked up, seeing how far they had decended into the swarms. He saw with mild alarm that orcs were parting ranks for... something. Something was moving in their direction quickly, and if an orc was to slow to get out of the way, they would drop from view. Dead, he assumed. He looked in the other direction. They were not to far from the edge. He motioned forCru to take his leave.

Cru was surprised, but took the elf's word for it anyways. If there was one thing he had learn here, it had been to trust the elf's jugment on the battlefield, he looked for Zan, but not finding him, looked off at the hills, deciding to go help the refugees, being pursued bywave after wave, and with asickening shock he realized they were doomed. They simply couldnot get thepeasants somewhere safe, the hardy, stubborn orcs could follow them all day, and they had more than enough number totrample anyone in their way. Orcs, he knew, would not miss the chance. He went off anyways.

Greynon, turned back, it hardly seemed he cared what happened to those behind him. The threat was closer now, even one of the giants tried to get out of the way. Finally the tall ranks parted and Greynon could see the new aggresion.A robed figure strode out, it pace suddendly slowed, but it still walked with thecasual grace of an experinced killer. Greynon shifted into a battle ready stance, he was not going to waste time talking.

"Now now,Greynon the half, I know all about you."

That gave Greynon pause. "You know who I am!" He was more than a little scared, emotion of fear clearly washed over his features.

"And more! Traitor." He proceeded to draw out a golden dagger, and eye on the hilt, same to the one Greynon had found earlier. He grinned, obviously expecting a reaction.

He couldn't have been more dissapointed "Ah, so he hired you. I should have guessed. But you managed this-" he motioned to the surrounding army"How?"

"Abit of manupulation here and there and I got a few cheiftans -stupid beasts- to come and attack."

He threw back his hood, a wrinkled, grey colored face underneath. It seemed to have four extra nostrils on its forehead, and its eyes were very white, with only faint traces of a pupil.

Once again Greynon was caught off guard. "What are you?"

"I" The grey thing began. "Am a Drakay" He interrupted himself by hurling the dagger Greynon's way. The golden item was not only noticable, but it whistled as it went through the air, soGreynon simply blocked it. It the half second his view was broken, the drakay dashed to his right, impossibly fast.

"Ready to die?" He questioned gleefully, no holding back this time, he was being ordered to beat this stupid elf to a bloody pulp!

Greynon was shocked, it was only rare that he met something faster than him. How is he moving so fast? It mustbe an enchantment. Greynon dove out of the way just in time to avoid a wickedly clawed hand.He then got a nick on his other side, the drakay was already there, but he wouldn't risk staying there longer. One swing of Greynon's claymores could prove leathal. Greynon looked down at his fresh blood, then at the drakay standing across, watching like avulture. His hand moed to the ket and he felt the blood.

The battle resumed. Greynon dashed forward, now even faster. The drakay was taken of guard and got one of his long, white lock of hair lobbed off. Then he dashed away, and whipped back and cut greynonin the same place, but doged just before he got his head chopped. He was back in the fight in a minuet, aming to riun greynon's eyes with an upriased palm, clawed finger outward, but greynonleaned far back and only got nicked in the cheek. Contiinuing the move, Greynon did a complete back handspring, kicking the Drakays chin and lifting him a full five feet off the ground.

And so battle unsued. Greynon couldn't land a single hit again, the drakay now was but a blur. Greynon looked down. His fireproof garb had several new cuts, like he had been attacked by a velociraptor. He was panting for breath, something he couldn't remember doing for a long time.

The drakay broke left at his extreme speed, and Greynon was left with four more expert cuts. He collapsed to his knee but brought himself up immediantly. So far he had not been attacked from the front. He jumped, working defensivley, in time to avoid the next row of slashes.

Greynon was working hard, he had faced worse. He redoubled his efforts in finding some sort of weakness. he increased his own speed as well. In doing this, he felt an old bloodlust rising within...

He snapped out of his trace to see his opponent looking at him with new respect. He looked around, moderatly confused. Then he saw that all the orcs circling them were dead. Oh. He snarled at his enemy, who backed down a slight bit. The Drakay wasn't finished though, and dashed again. But this time Greynon was thinking better, as though he suddendly could think straight. He inhaled then spun to his back, and wasn't surprised when the drakay shifted and once more swiped at his stomach, just above his hip. He tool the blow without flinching. Predictably the drakay thought his enemy was in his trance, without even moving, and again was going to swipe open a cut. He was still not taking any chances.

Greynon felt the claw begin to dig and clamped his elbow in, shoving the claw in further but effectivly immobilizing the enemy. Greynon whipped his arm down and grasped the arm, rippng the claws out of his skin, then slid back his other hand, claymore prepared, and shoved it forward full strength. It tore throught the grey chest flesh, throught the heart, through the back. It ended with the sword compleley outside the body, heart on swordpoint, greynon's arm was through its chest. The heart gave off one last beat, spewing a little blood, and Greynon ripped it back through, his armentirley red. The draky stumbled back steps then began to float into the air.

Then he ignited into a great pillar of fire, like flamewovles, but intesified a hundred times. Fire wrapped in a circle around the main pillar, as leaves do a tornado, and the beam shot up, engulfing Greynon. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, unharmed by the fire.

The careful observer would notice tendril extending from a dark shpe center in the pillar, wraping the heart and shoving it back to its rightful position. Then it was over, and the fire was gone.

Greynon was not tired, why should he be? He had stabbed the thing through the heart, and now he was going to kill something. He looked for the nearest orcs. The cowards had run for their lives. Fine. he decided. Lets go hunting.
He twirled a claymore once and dashed to the largest body of orcs he could find - the ones swarming Sirianna and her team.

Greynon activated his magical eyepiece and looked onward to the orc groups, his vison zoomed a hundred times. His trianed eye hadalready picked out stratigic weak points. He also recognized the fighters from earlier.

***

Parilynn was loosing arrow shots, along with her sister and friend. They were running low on arrows now, and the orcs were nearing.
"We're gonna die!" Parilynn yelled.
Sirianna looked at the front wave, all with spears pointed forwards in a sweeping charge. She glanced at her short daggger and silently thought she should get a longer weapon.

Karmena was thinking more along the lines of Parilynn.

The world slowed as the orcs reached them. Sirianna jumped forwards, inbetween two spears, and shoved them out sideways, but kept running forwards, her daggers grinding along the spear shaft. The alarmed orcs were forced to drop their spears and try to puch at Sirianna. She stabbed them, but the hardy beings would not relent, for what was a few dagger cuts to a race that regularly stabbed each other with swords? The battle didn't change until Parilynn launched an arrow to support her sister. The unexpected hit made the orc falter, and that was all the opening Sirianna needed. She jumped onto the orcs shoulder plate and whipped her dagger into its skull, and tore it out in a magnifcent spin that turned her upside down and gave her the other opening she needed as the other orc tried to stab her. It died as swiftly as the other.

She stood up and saw the army around her. Hell, they were going to die.
Parilynn was still shootingas many goblins as she could, because a frail goblin torso could not often stop an arrow, enabling her to hit what lie beyond. Ther existed a fair pile of goblin dust around her.
(In this world, goblins disintegrate into dust as soon as they die)
Orc archers began to fill the back ranks, and arrows were shooting dangerously close to the half-elven.

Karmena was not faring any better. She was parrying three ors with her hookblades, and if the oppritunity presented itself, she would twist the spear out of an orc's hand, then slit its throat. She was in the middle of a heated battle with the last of the three when Greynon entered with his thirty foot jump. He came down with a skull smashing stab the went through the helm and out the chest. He had sturck the mind,neck andheart at the same time. He backflipped off and proceeded to slay easily ten more.

"Greynon!" Sirianna and Karmena said at the same time.

In an instant, a claymore was aimed for Karmena's neck. It stopped a split second before contact as Greynon recognized them as allies, and it hovered a little away when he began to recognize them as people he had met. His other hand seemed to be singularly blocking and attacking those foolish enough to step near him, even though Greynon was facing the other direction.

Sirianna watched his blade for a moment, compleley enthralled. If she could fight that easily, she would get rich offthe fighting... oh, and she might make it out of this alive. That to. she then became aware ofKarmena's hand buzzing in front of her face.
"Hello? Anybody there?" Karmena questioned.

"Huh? oh, yah I'm... yah." Dang it.

Karmena laughed. She had to. Greynon turned around, and wouldn't talk to them again.

Sirianna once again evaluated theri progress. She had time to with Greynon here. Then a horrible though occured to her. Even if they did make it out, the orcs could chase them until every single man was wiped out. Some would escape sure, but at extreme cost, most would die.

***

Suddendly a magic lightning bolt, twenty feet wide, struck the field. It was blue and was a massive twenety feet across. Six smaller lightning bolts struck around it. Anything within the blast radius was now nothing more than a charred little plot of dust. In the center of thethunderbolt's carnage, a blue and red orb sat. It had several little creases marring its surface, like it was something large curled up. And so it was.
The thing uncurled itself. It was vaguley humanoid, with arms, legs, a torso and head. It was indeed blue, but the red had just been a large, well worn cape. It stood up. Its legs had an extra joint in them near the top, giving them a bird like feel. He stood on three clawed toes, the soles of his feet never touching the ground, supported by an blue light. His arms were shot back, his elbows were casually carried behind his back, with an extra long forearm to make up for the lack, carried strait forwards. If the hands had a pole or staff slung over theshoulder, it would form a triangle.

But most curiouse was the being's head. It was shaped like a teardrop but it bent downwards at the tip, and it had four square, compleley yellow eyes in a vertical line, two were actually under his chin.

The thing threw an arm, out, shifting its cape in the wind, stirring up a minor whirlwind. It then began to jump like some kind of deranged scarecrow, hopping on one alternatingfoot back and forth and shouted in a somewhat higher, but still male, voice "Greynon I'm back! I can't belive it! I made it!"

***

Greynon looked up, his ears twitched a little. He looked around. When he saw the blue thing, he nearly dropped his claymore, but wether it was a good or bad surprise, none could tell.

He turned to the fighters. "We should get out of here. As in, right now." He swung his blades out to the sides, like wings, and dashed to the other side, killing all the orcs in his path.

"He could do that from the beggining?" Parilynn complained.

"Just come on." Sirianna dragged her forwards.

The powerful one crossed the army by flying. He did not have wings but was capable of flight through magical means. He stopped down lightly in front of Sirianna and Parilynn, Karmena left by turning into a hawk.

She skidded to a stop.

"Well, go on, don't let me stop you." He sounded obnoxiously polite.

Sirianna drew her dagger and began to edge around the blue thing. Carefully guarding Parylinn, she edged around him.

The thing looked some what hurt, but only distantly, like he was used to it.

"Well, my name is Glliian."

"I think he's friendly." Parilynn whispered.

"Just come on." She tugged Parilynn'swrist.

Parilynn broke free and ran up to Glliian.

"Hi!" She said boldy, he responded in turn.

"Well, like I said, don't let me stop you. Keep going, I'm going to blow up the army." He smiled, and leech like teeth jutted forwards.

Sirianna took a nervous step forwards, waving her dagger out. Parilynn seemed to be able to overcome apperances easily.

Suddendly remembering his look could be offensive to humans, he closed his mouth, then smiled without showing his teeth. This time it looked heartfelt and genuine.
As Parilynn began to leave, Glliian whispered "Thanks." just low enough for her to hear. She smiled and began to run up to her sister.
"Parilynn, I can't belive you."

"I do have a rather goode sense of character, don't I?"

"No! You had no idea wether he was good or not. You didn't even know what he was!" And it made Greynon run! he must be powerful."

"Powerful enough to blow up that army." Parilynn added.

Sirianna scoweled. "He might be strong, but I really dout he is strong enough to-"

And then came the expected boom.

They turned around. A mushroom cloud of flame, immense beyond anything ever seen before, billowed upwards. The shock wave was so powerfull it was visable, rocketig over the hills. The very earth rumbled underneath them, knocking the dust from trees. When the shock wave hit, Both half elvenstumbled and trees were missing half their leaves. The heat followed shortly, quitley stealing the breath from the life in its path.
Sirianna inhaled and stood up. Okay, if she was wrong one more time today, she was gonna...
Parilynn laughed. "Told ya so!" She had fallen over, and was sitting in the grass.

Sirianna's face reddend. Today was not a good day. She ran over and playfully kicked her little sister. Parilynn jumped up and began to run away in mock horror.

"Get back here!" Sirianna smiled and chased her.

With Glliian on theri side, they had little to fear in the form of orc pursit.
***
Greynon sat on a stump, staring into his campfire. Normally to light one after a time like this was a poor choice, serving as a homing becon to those nearby. But Glliian had undoutably given the orcs a second choice of staying far away.

Sirianna was also there, trying to think of a way to convince the stonic Greynon to trian her. She had always wanted a teacher she couldn't beat. She remembered the Iilithinebrawler from before andlazily thought of what a fight between them would be like.

Cru was also sitting around the fire. He was staring into them as intently as Greynon. He had not seen Zan since the war...

Gliian walked in.Greynon watched him camly, forGlliian was not his enemy, he had run to avoid that explosion. Even his magical garb couldn't protect him from all the effects of an explosion of that scale.

"Hello Greynon. It's been a while, what, 20 earth years I think?" His voice was completley changed, it was now deep and strong, rather than the higher one he had used earlier.

Greynon glared at Glliian. Apparently he wasn't sapposed to say that.

"Your sapossed to be dead." Greynon stated. Sirianna snorted. That was his greeting?

The two whispered to each other a little, just slight enough so nobobdy else could hear.
Greynon stood up and walked off, his torn black cape fading into the shadows just feet from camp. Glliian followed just feet behind, his red cape much more noticable.

Sirianna watched them go. Or Glliian go, she couldn't make out Greynon's cape. As soon as she was certian she was out of sigt, she stood up. She checked to make sure Cru was still tranquilized by the fire, then set off, directly following the path the two strangers had taken. She hated secrets.

She followed them for nearly twenty minuets. She could hardly belive they could both walk for so long wihtout saying even a single word, but she stubbornly kept up. The night air wrapped around the trees and the crickets were chirping, convenently shilding Sirianna's footsteps. She was stealthy even as it was. She had always prided herself for that.

The grass was still damp from the earlier rains. Sirianna moved with half-elven stealth. At one point she even climbed a tree and followed them through the think branches. At the present time, she had accidentally gotten to close to them when they had taken a turn. Sirianna crouched in a bush holding her breath. Greynon's maroon and black boots swished over the dew coated grass, though not exeptionally stealthily, shortly followed by Glliian's magical, noiseless, half floating feet.

They passed without incident. Sirianna emerged, somewhat shaken, and tracked them form a bit further back. Glliian's unatural blueish glow helped as an alert for whenever she was about to get to close.

So the game went. Finally, Sirianna heard the soft patter of Greynon's boots stop. She edged closer. They stopped in a clearing in the undergowth, she confirmed, but she still couldn't see them.sheducked back into cover. They had to be close. Glliian's glow confirmed it. She rested behind a tree. Why couldn't she see them? She could even hear them talking now. She had the faintest notion to look up.

And there, right above her head, Greynon and Glliian were perched in the strong, wide branches of a tree. She ducked back, she knew they just had to have seen her... but they hadn't. They continued their banter. So she swivled her pointed ears the slightest bit, a vestige of her heritage, and tuned in.

"We have indeed made many enemies, Glliian."

"You have."

"You helped."

"Fine."

"Just look. Now Transetjen has attacked the human settlement."

"TRANSENTJEN?" Glliian boomed. Ravens were scared from the trees.

"You didn't need to do that."

"Are... are you sure, my friend?"

Sirianna held back a smile. Greynon and friend just didn't seem to work together. She heard the unsheathing of a dagger, and worried she might have been caught. But instead, she heard Glliian give a slight... sound. It wasn't actually something one can put into words, or even letters for it was so otherworldly, but it was short and obvoiusly some sort of exclamation of distress. Had Greynon stabbed Glliian or something?

"So it was him..." Glliian trailed off, then looked thoughtful. He smiled and joy seemed to radiant from all eight of his square eyes.
Sirianna thought things out. Well, she had come for answers but had gotten more questions. Who was Transentjen for one. She also had loads of questions for Glliian. Like what the heck he was.

"This amuses you?" Greynon asked, anger flaring in his voice.

"What? Oh, no. I was just wondering if the half-elven female was supposed to be behind our tree."

"WHAT!" The ravens were scared again.

Sirianna freaked. How had Glliian known? Well, no point in staying. They were going to tell her to leave now anyways. So she sighed then stood and turned around.
Glliian was stading right behind her.
But then Sirianna heard Greynon still arguing with Glliian.

"You said all that even though you knew she was there?!?" Greynon yelled.

"All I ever said was that we had many enemies, my friend." Gliian's voice replied. Greynon glared at him.

"She heard about Transentjen then."

Sirianna's Glliian smiled his leech tooth grin, then retracted it, still berating himself. He smiled his human smile and said. "I am a clone, I think. You have many questions, some of which I can answer. Come with me."

Sirianna listened to Greynon still fighting with the real (She thought) Glliian. Then she nodded and took his bony hand to help her up. She did trustParilynn's judjement, even if she disaproved of it.

The last of the argument she heard was "Look, Greynon, I'll send a clone to send her back, happy?"

***
Glliian (Glliian's clone?) was sitting around a fire he had started by triggering a minor explosion. Sirianna stared at the fire in the same deep reverie that Greynon andCru had entered.

Glliian began to speak but Sirianna cut him off.

"Earlier you said you thought you were a clone. What does that mean?"

Glliian smiled his non-leech smile.She was taking a roundabout approuch. " I think I am a clone because I cannot tell. I share minds with the Glliian arguing with Greynon. And they are still arguing by the way. See,I know and see what he knows and sees. He also knows this entire conversation." He frowned. "When something gets serious on one side, sometimes I even share emotion and facial expressions. It can get quite comical."

Sirianna tilted her head, confused. "What are you?" She questioned.

"That is an interesting question to ask because I know." He smiled. "I am a demi-god." Glliian frowned.

"A demi-god?!"

Glliian smiled. "Facinating, isn't it?" He frowned. Then he smiled. Sirianna began to laugh.

"Oh no, are my expressions changing?" His other self asked the same question to Greynon and he knew before Sirianna answered. "Yes they are." He closed his eight yellow eyes for a moment, then opened them.

"Okay next question." Sirianna began. "Why is Greynon so stonic? It's like he is devoid of all emotion."

Glliian hesitated. "I think Greynon should be the one to tell you that." He appered thoughtfull. "Could you ask about somethin el-"

"Is there anything you can tell me? Where did he get his magical items then?"

"Magical items? ... Aaah!" It then occured to Glliian that Greynon just might have lied about his strengths.

"Aha! I knew something was up!"

***

Greynon had jumped to another tree and was sitting across from Glliian.

After some time, Greynon had cooled off.

"You know." Glliian began. "You're still covered in blood from the fighting. Hey,is that cut still bleeding?"

"Yes. That is where I shoved the drakay's claws into my skin to keep him from moving." He paused. "Couldn't you have come just two minuets earlier?"

"I wouldn't have missed the ending of that fight for the world."

Another pause. Glliian began again.

"You really should find a healer you know."

"The only one here is Coralynn, she's a druid, and you know that won't ever work."

"Of course. you know she'll insist upon healing you as soon. Besides, how do you know their isn't a more traditional healer here? You have no clue."

"Fine!" He threw his hands up into the air. He jumped from tree to tree with impossible speed. And that was just his casual run.

***

Coralynn walked into the firelight of a different refugee camp, carring a limp Heto. Kentoes lay near the middle next to the fire, unconscious, but twitching and spasming. Two men and two women were holding him down and frantically trying to help him.

"He's terribly sick!"

"He must have somehting aweful!"

"I do hope it isn't contagious!"

"He won't stop convulsing!"

"Keep him near the fire!"

Coralynn dropped Heto on one of the log benches (right next to Cru), and rushed up to the sick Kentoes. "Whats wrong with him?"

A woman looked up "He just stumbled in and collapsed. He was twitching and everything. His face was all red and, well, at first we thought he had been attacked but we found no wounds so he must be sick, he had these glowing markings and, we put him near the fire, so he would get better but then he just started oh! druid! weaver of plants and healing you must help him! Please!"

The men stepped back and the women edged away, Coralynn nelt beside Kentoes and placed her hand over his heart. She ushered a spell of cleasing. Her hand glowed a sollem green and it flowed from her hand to Kentoes.

...

Nothing happened. Coralynn cringed. What was happening? Why hadn't her spell worked?

"The marks!" Someone yelled

"He must be cursed!"

"Ahh!" Various shouts were heard from camp.

Coralynn looked down. Kentoes did indeed have blue markings all over his neck, lower jaw and arms.
She caustionsly stooped lower. Then she noticed something. She leaned even further to investigate.

"Ahh!" she shouted. The markings on the side to the fire were glowing around the edges with what looked like a contianed turquise fire. Kentoes began to spasm even more voilently.
"Get him away from the fire!" She shouted. "Hurry!"

They obeyed immediatly. They hoisted Kenteos into the woods, where he lay in darkness. The glowing gradually subsided, and Kentoes stopped twitching.

Coralynn stepped back and waved a finger at Kentoes's unaware face. "When you wake up." she said. "You've got some explaining to do."

***

Sirianna walked back to the camp satisfied and felling trimphant. She saw that many people had gathered since they left, but most of them were sleeping, Coralynn and troop included.
Cru was still staring into the flames. Sirianna made some faces at him, but when he didn't react, she moved to the other side near Parilynn.

"What did you overhear?" Parilynn questioned.

Sirianna shivered. Why was Parilynn so good at reading her?It was pointless to act otherwise, though, unless she wanteed to be bugged the rest of the night, and most likely the next morning too.

"Well, after I was through following them, Glliian caught me and he told me-"

Greynon walked into the firelight, his hood up so his face was hidden behind the shadows. The claymores gave him away, but that was his intent. He had to make Sirianna shut up.

Instead of speaking to her however, he motioned to Cru. "You should sleep. It will ease your mind."

Cru looked up, infuriated. Greynon had known he was listening in the whole time! He stood up. Even if he was lightly built, he was tall - around seven feet. That placed him at a good six inches higher than most other Iilithines. He moved himself to tower over the sitting Greynon, hoping to intimidate him into letting him stay. Just as he was about to say something, Greynon interrupted.
By kicking Cru in the face. now, kicking a seven foot tall Iilithine is no minor feat. You have to judge actually reaching thier head, then you have to make sure their tail stinger is out of the way. But Greynon had reached his head before Cru could even take in a breath, and was savagely shot back. Clutching his nose he stumbled, and was about to trip but then Greynon was behind him, holding him up effortlessly with one hand.

Normally Greynon would have let him fall, but given that the Iilithine was about to fall on the fire, the good in his heart won out. So Greynon was there, standing in the fire, holding him up. Sirianna watched. That must be another power of the magical clothing- wait, but Glliian had said- how was he doing that?
Greynon caught her stare and growled. "Fireproof material." His hood had been cast back by his speed.

Sirianna breathed a sigh of relief. That made since. She had once worn something similar herself. Given to her by the elves, she had to use it to travel through a volcano. That had been fun.
Back to the present, Cru was still clutching his nose (It was bleeding) and walking to the next nearest camp. Greynon relaxed. Cru's pride would keep him from admitting to much.
Greynon turned his gaze to the sisters, now the only others awake in camp.

"How much did you hear?"
He began to draw a claymore but Glliian walked in. Greynon regretfully sat down and crossed his arms, expecting a lecture. His hood fell back over his face.
He got one. "I came to make sure you don't resort to violence. I assumed you would do as such."

Glliian sat down. "She didn't hear much. Not from us at first. All she heard was the name Transentjen, really, which just gave her more questions."

"But..." Greynon probed.

"But I accidentally said that you wielded no magical items."

Greynon's eyes flashed venomously. "Dammit." he swore. Greynon stared into the flames for what seemd to be a lifetime "You told her on purpose didn't you?"

Glliian remained silent.

"Wha?" Sirianna started. Her cocky feeling was rapidly dissipating.

Greynon stood up and his hand subconsciously moved to his weapon's hilt. "Why? What do you see in her? What? Damn you, Glliian, why did you tell her?"

It was Glliian's turn to stare into the fire. "Yes. I told her. Would you like to know why, Greynon?"

Greynon glared a soulless stare, something no man would want to be caught under. His red eyes screamed in their sockets.

Glliian was unaffected. "Do you want to stop Transentjen or not?"

"Yeesss. I must kill him." Greynon hissed. He had become ignorant of the half elven. They were no longer a part of this. "It's my revenge, and my vengeance. He will pay for what he's done to me. Painfully he will pay."

Glliian's eyes turned to Sirianna and Parilynn. "And you think you can do it alone, Greynon? And if that is true, then why are you running? These people will defend their re... home, Greynon. They can help. Why do you insist upon putting up walls?"

"Because ifI don't, Transentjen will destroy everything I let in. He's done it before, he can do it again. You think they can stand up to Transentjen? He's killed you twice! Isn't that enough proof?" Greynon was yelling out his words. He was lucky nobody was a light sleeper, and they had all had a very rough day.

"And what are you doing about this now?"

Greynon stopped in mid breath. He took a step back. His face gone blank, he sat down.

He clutched his chest, where Sirianna noticed an necklace was covered. She got he feeling it was very important.

"Finding a fitting hiding place for-"

"You know you can't part with it, not willingly, at least."

Greynoon looked down, ashamed and beaten.

"Now,I will be leaving to help refill the sands of time. No beating up anyone other than orcs and other hellspawn, got it?"

Greynon muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"Good. See ya' round."

And with that, his form warped and shifted, until it eventually melted into liquid then bubbles which sank into a multicolored puddle on the ground, then vanished.

Parilynn sank a little, trying to take it all in. Greynon sat across, his head still hung and under his hood. Sirianna had no idea what was going on, and was busy figuring out if she should even try to get more out of Greynon.
"I never lied. I never outwardly claimed to wield any magical items. I implied that, yes, but I never said that."

Greynon continued. "I was... part of an experiment." Once again, he was telling half the truth.

He stood up in a furry of his cape. Once he was done, his hood was back and his claymore was drawn. He looked every part the killer.

"Uhh, Glliian just said..." Parilynn Stammered.

"I know what he said." Greynon hissed. "He should have known I would be so dissolute. I've broken a thousand promises." He waved his sword meacingly. "If either of you repeat what you heard tonight, I will have your head, understand?"

"I wanna bargin." Sirianna stated stubbornly. Parilynn gave a slight jump.

"You are in no position, half elven, but humor me."The way he said half elven was not the slightest bit distasteful. It sounded almost complimentary, which was strange, given the speaker and the words.

"I will say nothing if... you trian me."

"What?"

"Just tonight! Come on, I've gotta fight like that!" Her pride was completely forgotten.

"Our styles are very different..."

"Please!"

Greynon stepped back. No one had ever asked him to teach them before. If anything, his fighting prowess made him a complete outcast. Yet here was Sirianna, begging him to teach her that which he sometimes hated.

"I... I wouldn't be a good teacher..." Another sigh, but Sirianna still stared at him hopefully. "Alright."

He walked into the woods, not bothering to check if Sirianna was following or not because he knew she would.

Sirianna turned to Parilynn. Sheer excitement radiated from her and she more resembled her sister than herself. Parilynn stood, oddly solemn, as though the switched places. "Careful. He's unpredictable, even to me." She warned.

Sirianna calmed down somewhat. "Th- I mean, th..."

Parilynn smiled. "You’re welcome."

Sirianna looked at her. "Thanks." She dashed off after Greynon. Who finally turned to see her. They walked into the night.

Parilynn, back at the camp, stared into the fires, wondering where this Greynon would take them. She could sense something coming.