Search For The Book

[Susan Delgado]

Welcome to Alwen Dreamsong's Search For The Book!

“The book was leather bound, old and dusty. As the race dwindled and faded out, the book went unused. Still it contained all the secrets, happenings, spells, and medicines of that ancient race,” the storyteller’s voice fluctuated and changed, to add suspense and mystery to the tale being told to the children.

“What ever became of the book?” A tiny female came from the crowd of children.

“Ah, good question. It still sits in its chamber, on a pedestal surrounded by gold and jewels. Where? It waits, in a lone mount near the Iron, it awaits you, should you dare to find it!” Thus ended the tale, as children clapped and threw coins to the teller.

Jadae stood, listening intently to the tale. She loved hearing the storyteller’s tales and legends. This was the first one that really caught her attention. Her face, smudged and dirty from the day’s work at the smithy, brightened at the quick thought that maybe the story wasn’t just a mere children’s tale.

“Smith! I ordered the blade two days ago! You said it would be ready!” A voice snapped Jadae out of her thoughts. She groaned and turned to face an old man, who had ordered a sword for his son’s birthday gift.

“Yes, sir. The blade is ready, and has been. You didn’t come to pick it up when I told you to! Anyway, you may want to see a jeweler, because they would know how to cut the stones to fit the indentions I have provided. They could also plate the hilt…” Jadae stopped short as the man grumbled and stared angrily at her.

“Okay, okay!” Jadae walked over to a shelf and picked up a sharp, smooth, clean blade. She handed it to the man, and he dropped a small bag of coins onto the counter at the entrance of her shop. He left, and became lost in the crowds.

Jadae’s thoughts strayed to the tale often through the rest of the day, and by the end of the day, she decided it would be a great adventure to try and find the book…

[ February 12, 2003: Message edited by: Susan Delgado ]

[Mattius]

Jack sighed as he removed his round helmet to scratch his golden, spiked head. He placed it back on again. He was so bored. His life in the Guard had been nothing to what he thought it would have been when he signed up at sixteen. Promises of exciting fights with dangerous criminals evapourated only a few days into the job when he discovered that in the Dale a criminal was about as frequent as a dragon attack.

He was stood on the side of the market square sucking on his pipe weed, it was of good quality, apparntly from somewhere in the east over the mountains the seller had told him. Not very likely but a nice touch by the seller nonetheless. Jack looked up at the sun and sighed again. There was at least seven hours left of the day. He looked around again desperatly searching for something to do. He noticed the blacksmiths and looked at his short sword. It did need sharpning slightly, well, anything to stop the impending boredom.

He walked into the shop as the heat and smell of burning metal hit him. A young woman about his age looked up from her daydeam with her hair tied back. Her cheeks had smudges of black and when she stood up and placed her thumbs in her tunic pockets Jack could see she knew her trade.
"How can I help you?" she said looking at him with her cool grey eyes. Jack unsheathed his sword and handed it to her.
"Well I could do with my blade sharpning, not that I get much use out of it, nothing much happens here does it!" Jadae agreed with a smile.
"Too right!" she laughed as she drifted back into thoughts of adventure whilst preparing the sword.

[ January 26, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[ January 26, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Orual]

"Ay, Arethin! Heave that up here, aye, there's a lad!"

The Dale Market was busy and loud today, filled with people and noises and smells. Mothers and their small children stopped by almost every booth in the market and chatted amongst themselves, merchants bellowed at the tops of their lungs, hawking their wares, traders haggled over prices. The aroma of food wafted from the small diner-booths that lined the market, mixed with the scent of animals from the auction down the way. Young teenagers, playing hooky, ran and played, bobbing and weaving through the throngs of people.

Arethin threw the heavy bundle of merchandise at his awaiting friend, who caught it well in steady hands. "Keep them coming!" the young man shouted.

Arethin smiled and complied. He wiped the perspiration off of his tanned forehead, swiping at the damp strands of blond hair that were falling into his eyes. It wasn't so very hot, but Arethin had been working all day. He grabbed the flask of water and took a quick drink before tossing another bundle up to his friend.

"Ari!" called one of the older men who Arethin worked with. "Take a rest, son. Go listen to that storyteller." He flashed the young man a knowing smile. "Though we all know how little you care for stories of old, don't we?" he finished with a flourish, directing the last bit at the other workers, who all erupted into laughter appreciatively.

Arethin grinned shyly and went over to the storyteller. The truth was, of course, that he loved old stories. Stories, songs, history, and most of all dead languages. He often went to listen to the storyteller. Today, as usual, most of the listeners were children. But there was also a girl, a little younger than him, with dark, curly hair. He seemed to remember her from somewhere, but he didn't know where, and he didn't give it another thought. He paid all of his attention to the storyteller. He knew the style of these stories: they were often simplistic, though good. But this time one of the teller's sentances caught his attention:

Still it contained all the secrets, happenings, spells, and medicines of that ancient race...

The young worker startled. Medicines! He sat on his heels behind the children and listened carefully, hanging on the storyteller's every word.

Arethin was twenty-four years old, and the provider for his family since his father died ten years ago, and he had begun working for Avaran, a merchant, once his father's own trading business had gone belly-up shortly after his death. His mother was a painter, but she had fallen very ill only several years ago, leaving the entire burden of the family's welfare on Arethin's shoulders. Paying for his mother's medicine was difficult enough, but it was made worse by the fact that it never worked. Never. But this...

No. He shook his head. It was far too early. Who was to say that this story was even true? "I can't believe it, not yet," he muttered to himself, leaving.

He walked slowly back to the booth, his feet dragging, his head down in reflection. "Problems, Arethin?" a voice asked, and a strong hand gripped his shoulder. Arethin whirled around, and saw Avaran, his broad face smiling gently at him. "Need to talk?"

"Oh, ah, no, sir, not really," Arethin said with an apologetic smile. "I'm just thinking about my home life."

"Ah," Avaran said noncomitally. His expression invited Arethin to elaborate, but he didn't. "Well." He fiddled with the hilt of his sword. "Oh, Arethin, why don't you go see if that sword order I'd placed has come in yet?" he suggested, pointing to the smithy. "It'll give you something to do."

"Yes, sir," Arethin said, and went over to the shop.

He entered, and saw two people in the shop: a younger man with spiky blond hair, and a girl with sharp grey eyes--the girl he had seen with the storyteller! Curious, he went up to her. "Excuse me," he said softly, "I'm supposed to ask about an sword order, for Avaran the merchant. But there's really another question I'd like to ask, to be honest." He let out a little, embarrassed laugh, and rubbed his left arm. "Well, I saw you earlier today, with the storyteller. Might you know more about this book of which he speaks?"

[ January 26, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

"Not much to do, as a guard I mean," Jadae commented as she carefully sharpened the man's blade on the spinning stone grinding wheel. Even the best blacksmiths had to be wary of the wheel, for it's easy to send the blade flying out of your hand. The sword had obviously not been used much.

"No, everything is quiet and there are no criminals around. Even when there is, I don't get there fast enough to get into the action before all is wrapped up and done," the man, Jack, responded.

And what of the book? Sure, many stories are legends, or hold truth but are told a different way each time, but there was always that chance. Maybe this Jack person would enjoy a good adventure. Would he even believe in such children stories at all? Jack was looking up at the sky and sighing to himself.

"Sir?" Jadae spoke up as she finished sharpening his blade. A stray curl fell from her hair tie until she pulled it back into place.

"Oh, yes, thank you," He said as he looked through his pockets. Jadae told him it wasn't necessary, it was just a bit of sharpening, when a tall man with a workers arm walked up to the shop.

"I'm supposed to ask about an sword order, for Avaran the merchant. But there's really another question I'd like to ask, to be honest," he paused for a moment, and let out a slight chuckle of self-amusement. "Well, I saw you earlier today, with the storyteller. Might you know more about this book of which he speaks?"

Jadae remembered the sword order he spoke of. "Just a moment!" She walked over to where she kept finished orders, and searched the shelves. When her hand found the sword with the label 'Avaran' in her own scrawled writing, she smiled and brought the sword back to the man. "Here! The storyteller comes to this area almost three times a week. I often listen to the tales, when I am not working. About a month ago, I believe he told the same story. Of course, stories always have different twists each time told, but it was mostly the same. The way he tells this story is different than most. I think that's why this tale really caught my attention."

"Do you know anything about the book? Or the truth of the matter?" The man asked now, running a hand through his hair.

"I heard it told a month ago that the book is called the Wanaparma. I only caught bits and pieces of it then, for I was working more than listening that day. The way he speaks of this book makes it seem so real. I'm sorry though, my word doesn't seem like much does it? By the way, I am Jadae, and this is Jack," Jadae finally introduced them, and she shook hands with the man.

"Arethin, I work for Avaran," Arethin smiled shyly as he shook hands with the two.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Mattius]

"Whats this," Jack laughed, "aren't you two a little old for childrens stories!" He picked up his sword and rand his thumb down the flat side.

"I have heard the storyteller tell that story, theres no truth in it." Arethin and Jadae looked at him, quiet hurt by what he was saying. Jadae regained herself.

"Well, your just too scared to try and seach for such a thing arn't you!" Arethin smiled at her words.

"What?! Well I have never been so insulted in my life!" The guard protested. The two others laughed.

"Relax," Jadae said, "I was just teasing." Jack sighed before making for the door. He was just about to go through when a bent figure, blind in one eye, stood in his way. Jack took a step back.

"I don't think you should be leaving Mr. Strife," the stroyteller spoke in his errie voice as he made his way into the room.

[Ithaeliel]

The sun glared down upon the village of Dale that fateful day, her position so high in the pure blue sky that she seemed brighter and hotter than ever. Not a breath of wind blew upon the feverish necks of the people, and it was almost unbearable to be outside all day under this weather. The sun's torrid rays beat down upon the backs of sweaty dockworkers, and the white light that shone on the surface of the river was spotted in places by floating barrels of wine and other goods come from the Halls of Thranduil. Even the steadfast elves who came to Dale were beginning to exhaust themselves from the heat. Yet there was work to be done and families to be fed, thus it was not an option for the traders not to work.

Angalos Stormaxe was one of these traders. He stood in the shallow tide of that river that flowed from Mirkwood bearing the produce of the forest. Any barrels that came downstream he helped to load onto a cart to bring into the town. Now,as the sun began to sweep lower into the afternoon sky and the last barrel was hoisted onto the last awaiting cart, Angalos wiped the perspiration from his forehead, sauntering up onto the bank. There waited a trader elf, who looked up as the man appeared next to him. "Excellent! There are still a few hours left of daylight and already the work is done."

"All in good time," Angalos said. "It was a pleasure doing business with your folk, master elf. Now if you'll excuse me, I've other things to attend to. My axe is looking a bit dull today," he finished, glancing at the axe that lay against a wall.

The elf drew his shining white knife and sighed. "I see. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, sir, would you mind bringing my blade with you? It needs a bit of a cleaning and a sharpening. You seem like a trustworthy man."

"Of course, it would not be a problem," Angalos replied cheerfully, glancing skeptically at the blade as the trader elf handed it to him. It seemed beyond perfection to his mortal eyes, but if its owner insisted it was not, then Eru forbid he should object.

As he strode into the smithy, Angalos whistled a little tune he had heard, but he was cut short by a voice that said, "I wouldn't be leaving if I were you, Mr. Strife." He recognised it as a storyteller's voice. What was a storyteller doing in a smithy? Curious, Angalos listened with intent, forgetting all about the task at hand.

[ January 28, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“May I help you, sir?” Jadae asked as the storyteller made his way into the shop. Jadae eyed the old man as she debated what to say. What was he doing in her shop? Surely someone who made no effort to make money other than the coins tossed by children would not need her services.

“You listen to my stories whenever I tell them on this corner. This man,” the storyteller motioned towards Arethin with his left hand. “He listens often, whenever he has a break from work…”

“Sir, did you make up that story?” Jack asked impatiently.

“No! Of course not! I am a storyteller, not a story weaver,” the old man looked horrified that Jack would even suggest such a thing. “A very dignified and reliable elf told me the story a long time ago. Said he was making his was making his way back from a village near the Iron Hills. Said that it was a popular and believed story. Of course, I changed one or two little details but…”

Arethin and Jadae exchanged glances as the storyteller spoke. For Jadae, any proof, be it valid or not, seemed enough to get her believing in something. She wasn’t sure about Arethin though. He seemed the type who had to see something to believe it. Jadae looked closely at the storyteller. His one blind eye was a hazy and pale blue color. The other was a truthful, dark blue eye that seemed to have seen more things than he liked to remember.

“Sir, if there is nothing I can help you with, I think I’m going to close up shop early today,” Jadae spoke out of the silence that had unknowingly taken over the smith’s forge. The storyteller nodded gravely, and slowly made his way out of the shop. Jadae sighed out of relief, glad to have the strange storyteller out of view. He told wondrous stories, but in person he seemed less kindly than when telling the children tales of faeries and dragons and books.

“Miss? Are you the smith here?” A man standing behind the entryway to her smithy had gone by unnoticed during the conversation with the storyteller.

“Yes, I am. May I help you?”

“I know you said you were closing shop, but would you mind sharpening an axe and a sword?”

“Certainly. Lets see them then,” Jadae was handed the axe and the light elven knife carefully. The axe was pretty dull, but would be fairly easy to sharpen. The knife however, she feared to sharpen. Jadae noted the near perfection glowing in the blade, and Jadae would have to be careful when sharpening it.

“Forgive me, I couldn’t help but listen in on your conversation with the storyteller. Would you mind telling me what it was all about? Not often is a storyteller found in a smith’s forge,” the man looked at the three, wondering if he would receive an answer. Jadae sighed and looked to Jack and Arethin, hoping one of them could tell, while she sharpened the blades and gave the slightly dusty knife a polishing.

[ January 28, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

Arethin was quite surprised that the storyteller recognized him. For the most part he kept out of sight--mainly to avoid the critical eyes of people like Jack, who unerringly made sport of his fascination with the old man's tales. His heart leapt a little when the teller insisted that the story was true, and though he tried to suppress his burst of hope he couldn't help being a little optimistic. More than a little, actually. This could be the answer to all--or at least most of his problems. If this could cure his mother, then perhaps he could even move on from his mother's house, find a wife, settle down. Have his own life.

But he was getting ahead of himself. He didn't know enough about this book. But he could certainly learn...

[Helkahothion]

Anuion was glad to have reached Dale. The visit to his father was tiring and the travel with the wood trader wasn't very comfortable as well. It would be nice to have a soft bed although no bed could outmatch the one in his elderly home in Mirkwood. As they reached Dale he went over to the inn to rent a room. He stepped in and saw that the inn was pretty quite.
"Well, not many people around here" Anuion said to himself.
"Tell me about it. Everybody is still working at this hour. There will be more people within the hour." The innkeeper said.
"That's a relief. Is there any room I can rent for the night?" Anuion replied.
"Of course sir. We don't get many visitors around here. The room will be yours until 3 'o?clock tomorrow afternoon."

Anuion went out and walked around Dale. He walked into what looked the town squire. At the smithy he saw a little gathering. An old man, a guard, a worker, the smith herself and his travel companion. He went over and wandered what they where talking about. His knife needed to be sharpened anyway so he had a reason to be there.

?Forgive me, I couldn?t help but listen in on your conversation with the storyteller. Would you mind telling me what it was all about? Not often is a storyteller found in a smith?s forge,? The man said.
He went over and the conversation was gone.
"Good day, how may I help you?" The smith said.
"Would it be possible that I can sharpen my weapons? I have been joining nature for quite a while now and it has not done them well." Anuion asked.
"Hm there is a lot of sharpening to be done today I see. Well of course you can. Just give me your weapons and I will see it done." The smith said friendly.

Anuion took the knife out of the sheath on his belt and healed out the sword out of the sheath on his back. He was always very careful with these weapons. The knife had been a gift from his father, Helkahothion, and he treated it like a huge treasure. Which it was in his eyes. The sword was not very special tough. It was just ordinary. A sword often used by elves.
"Be careful with my knife fair lady," Anuion said'" It can not be replaced.

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
________
MONDEO V6 ENGINE (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Mondeo_V6_engine)

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“You need not worry, for it has been a long while since a blade has been ruined at my doing,” Jadae examined the blade as the elf carefully placed it in her hands. It was different from the knife she had been asked to polish. It was tougher and not as light. It was still an Elven blade though.

Jadae smiled and looked outside to see the sun. “Perhaps my new friends Jack and Arethin would like to tell you two the tale,” she suggested, looking at Anuion and Angalos.

As Jadae sharpened the three blades, and polished the Elven knife she had been asked to polish, Jack told the story of the book, the Wanaparma. Jack told the story with a skeptical tone, as though it was a lie or some sort of joke. Maybe it was to Jack, but it didn’t seem like he had much else to do. Arethin, though, seemed quite intrigued and overjoyed by the tale.

The thick, warm air of the afternoon cooled off as the sun began to set. The three men and one elf were discussing the book when Jadae finished with the blades.

“So, what say you? It seems only Arethin and I believe in this tale,” Jadae started, carefully giving the correct blades back to the right master.

“Only because you have too much time on your hands,” Jack protested. Jadae smiled, and wondered if Jack had realized what he had just said.

"We have too much time on our hands? You yourself said that 'a criminal was about as frequent as a dragon attack'. I believe that if anyone has too much time on their hands, it is you, sir Jack," Jadae answered mockingly.

"What are you trying to say?" Jack wondered aloud.

"I say we go and find the book," Jadae answered matter-of-factly.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

Arethin frowned at the tone with which Jack retold the story of the book to the newcomer. This was very familiar to him, this mocking voice, for he heard if often from his fellow workers. He could hear them now...oh, if they knew what he was thinking...

You find that book, Ari, you just do that. Maybe it'll cure you of your mental problems!

He scowled and folded his large arms, concentrating on Jack. Then he wiped the angry look off of his face: he wasn't upset with any of these people. Why was he scowling? Immediately he felt ashamed and tried to look pleasant and interested with Jack's retelling.

Angalos and Anuion, once the story was finished, fell into talking with Jack. Arethin added something now and then, but mainly just listened. They all seemed interested, if not completely convinced of the authenticity of this tale.

Finally, after a brief argument, Jadae announced:

"I say we go and find the book."

Arethin's heart leapt and he stared at Jadae with incredulous eyes. Surely she was joking! Though he certainly hoped not...he looked at her, tilting his head, trying to divine whether or not she was jesting. He realized that she wasn't, and his heart rate quickened.

"I agree," he said hurriedly. "I want to find the book, as well." He turned to Jadae and inclined his head, smiling gravely. How lucky he was to have met this young woman!

But he realized that once he was gone, if they did go, the talk wouldn't stop. Always knew that Ari wasn't right in the head, I did. Didn't I tell you that? Aye, since he was a lad I said that. All went wrong since he had to take care of that family--that poor woman, only with 'er youngest son, and him but a skinny tyke compared with Arethin, to care for her. Poor old woman!

Did he have the right to leave his brother the burden of caring for his mother? He shook his head to clear it of these thoughts, and waited for the others' responses.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion listened to the man and had been amazed to hear this story again. He had not heard it many times in this area. He nodded when the man spoke and added a few comment's from time to time. The storyteller was amazed by the knowledge of the ranger about this story. Suddenly Anuion's attention faded away and was focused on the two standing in the back of the smith.
"I think we should find the book." He heared the smith say.

He went over to them and could hear the companion confirm here thought as he went over.
"I will come with you if you wish fair lady. I have heard the story many times in my childhood and many more during my travels. I know that it is there. My knowledge of the wild could serve you." He said.
The Smith looked at him and thought before answering.

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
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[Mattius]

Jack looked on them and came to his senses. What was he doing!? A sarcastic snort came from his direction and the group turned to him.

"Look, it’s just a children's story, a myth at best! And even if it does exist, the story doesn't give any specific details does it! In a mountain? There are hundreds of mountain north of here, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack!" The others didn't say anything as Jack continued. "And what would be the actual point of searching for this thing anyway? It would be a pointless endeavour at best!"

"To help save the lives of others!!!" Arethin shouted out surprising even himself. "A book of cures, that could help many sick and dying."

Jack felt humbled and turned to leave before Jadae called him back.

"I think your scared Jack." The guard stopped but did not turn around. He wasn't scared, or at least he didn't think he was, more sceptical. "Even if you don't think it exists then at least it will be a little excitement away from this place." Jack turned around a smiled.

"You’re right, this place is boring. The actual stones of the streets seem to grumble when I walk upon them. Okay, I’m in." He started to walk towards the door. "When you are ready meet me at 'The Rusty Hilt' pub, it’s were my folks live and I will need to pick up some supplies." With that he made his way onto the bustling streets of the square.

[ February 06, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae sighed as Jack left. He became lost in the meandering crowds, and Jadae turned to face Arethin, Angalos, and Anuion. Arethin seemed to firmly believe in the story now, yet it seemed he fought an inner battle over some aspect of the journey. Anuion would be useful on the journey, with his skills as a ranger. Jadae wasn't sure about Angalos, though.

"I'm going," Jadae commented, and waited for some sort of acknowledgement.

"I will go too. It seems it will come in handy to have a ranger along with you. I'll see you at the 'Rusty Hilt'," With that, Anuion left the smithy. Whether he went right to the pub, or to some other place, Jadae didn't know.

"I'm not sure if I will go. I will think about it though," Angalos added.

"Well, if you show up at the Rusty Hilt, we'll know what you decided...right?" Jadae said, and began to close up shop.

"I...I'll be there," Arethin finished, with an unsure voice.

Jadae nodded and watched as Angalos and Arethin left the shop. Jadae began to pack her things. She lived in a small back room of her shop, for she hadn't seen her parents in a long time. Jadae had a friend in a shop nearby, and Jadae offered to let him use her shop until she came back. He agreed, but said that he would rather call it 'safeguarding' her shop. He assured her that many would be upset when they found she had taken a 'vacation'.

As Jadae stood outside her shop, she remembered how many cheap jobs it had taken for her to earn the money to buy the shop. Then she shook her head and began the walk to The Rusty Hilt.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Helkahothion]

Arethin left the shop with different feelings. He wanted to leave so badly, but his mother was still sick. He just walked away when a voice spoke from behind him.
"You have a reason to stay right? Want to tell me about it?"
It was Anuion. He walked towards the man and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"My mother. She is sick. I have no father. Who will support her when I am gone?" Arethin stumbled to the elf.
"I see your dilemma. It's tough, but if you find that book you will be able to cure her." Anuion said friendly.
"Really?"
"Ohw yes my friend. So it is important that you join us. I have some money. I don't need much. I intended to stay in the inn for a while, but because time says different I will not be needing this money as badly as your family. Here take it."
With his last words, Anuion took out a sack with money. And handed it over to Arethin.
"This should be able to support them for a while." He added.
Anuion went over to the inn and decided to take a meal. He was hungry from all this talk.

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
________
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[Orual]

Arethin stared at the bag of money for a long moment, just standing there with it in his hand. This would be more than enough to support his mother and brother for a long while, and then his brother was of an age where he could begin to work. He could go with the company, now, he could go and search for this book. After he broke out of his thoughts he stared after Anuion, watching the Elf's retreating back. Why had he done this?

And what would Arethin do now? His father had taught him never to accept a gift without giving one in return. What could he possibly give Anuion that would be of equal value? This would allow Arethin to go on this journey without qualms, and by going on the journey he would be able to find a cure for his mother. What could Arethin do to repay him?

"I'll find something," he thought, shaking his head. "There will be something while we're searching, there will be something that I can do to repay him. There must be."

His conscience cleared, there remained only one obstacle: Avaran.

*************************

This wasn't going to be fun at all, for either of them. Avaran had been Arethin's father-figure since his real father's death, and this was a fine way to pay him back for those years of care!

Arethin approached the older man hesitantly. "Sir?" he said quietly, tapping Avaran on the shoulder. The merchant turned around, his friendly broad face smiling.

"Arethin! Glad you're back." Avaran smiled again, then it faded as he looked at Arethin's troubled face. "What's wrong, son?"

Arethin flinched at the title. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" he asked.

Avaran nodded and quickly took his leave of the trader with whom he was talking, and took Arethin aside. They went to a pavilion where benches and tables were set up for customers to sit and eat. "So talk," Avaran said, making himself comfortable.

Arethin sat straight and stiff. "Well, sir, you know my mother's been very sick lately--"

"Is she all right? I mean, she didn't...she..." Avaran's face was alarmed and it had that quality that said that he was ready to be sympathetic if the worst came.

"No, sir, she's as well as she ever is." Avaran relaxed. "But I was listening to the storyteller today, and he told of a book with ancient cures in it, and--"

"And you want to find it?" Arethin startled, then nodded a little sheepishly. Avaran's face was skeptical and a little disappointed. "You believe this story?"

"I've found several companions who also believe it," Arethin insisted, a little ashamed at stretching the truth. He didn't know if they really believed it; he only knew that Jadae did. "We'll find the book and come back, and I'll be right back to work, sir."

"Arethin, I know that I can't stop you. This involves your mother, and the Lords of the West themselves couldn't interfere when you have your mind set like this. Really, I'm glad you told me, but I don't think that it's a good idea, this quest. You ought to stay here. It's all nonsense."

"I really don't think so, sir," Arethin said, leaning on the table. "I think that it's the truth. And I think that this can help my mother."

"Son, do what you think is best," Avaran said with a heavy sigh. "Eru knows you'll do it anyway."

Arethin sighed, fumbled with a few words, then spit it out. "Sir, I won't go without your blessing," he said. He stared intently at his employer.

There was a long silence. Avaran looked at the table for a while, and Arethin grew steadily more and more anxious. The air itself seemed thick with anticipation. Would Avaran actually tell him no? If he did, then Arethin had given his word that he wouldn't go. But this was something that he really believed in, he truly believed that a cure for his mother could be found in this book. The seconds ticked by like millennia, and finally Avaran looked back up. "You really believe in this, don't you, Arethin?" he asked quietly.

The young worker nodded slowly, his face solemn. "I do, sir."

"Then go. You have my blessing. Just come back in one piece, if you can help it." Arethin felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders, and the old man smiled at him. He slapped Arethin on the back. "Just come back in one piece."

[ January 31, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

The sun was beginning to set, and the many workers began to walk home. Jadae weaved through the crowds, listening to the shouts and calls of merchants and traders. If they did decide to go on the search, she would miss the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Dale.

Jadae walked deeper into the trading town, into an area where many merchants and craftsmen lived and worked. Signs hung from in front of each shop. Anyone could tell what was sold in each shop the shape of the sign. One street was mostly candle makers. Another sold perfumes and different scents-though the pungent smell could inform someone of that. Jadae walked past a shop selling jewelry and other such finery. Another small shop specialized in writing letters and painting portraits. Jadae walked past all the familiar shops, saying or waving a 'hello' to people she knew.

Jadae came to a halt in front of 'The Rusty Hilt'. She walked into the inn, and searched the main room for Jack. She found him, talking to an elderly couple. Jadae let him finish talking to them, and took a seat near the front of the tavern.

Jadae wondered if Arethin, Angalos, and Anuion would show up. She knew full well that Jack did not believe in the tale. Jadae wasn't sure about Angalos, but it seemed she, Arethin, and Anuion believed in the story.

Jack finished talking to the couple, and walked over to where Jadae sat. "Do you think they will show?" Jadae asked Jack.

[ February 01, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

The day was drawing to a close as Arethin finished up his work. He said not a word of his plans to his friends, and did not yet return home. He was more or less silent for the rest of the day, with the occasional affirmative or negative muttering when asked a question. His coworkers assumed that he was simply grumpy, although that was uncharacteristic for the generally cheerful young man.

He took his quiet leave of the workplace and made his way to the Rusty Hilt. He was unfamiliar with the inn, but he found it without much trouble. It seemed a nice enough place. He opened the door and walked in, looking around for any of his companions. He nodded to Jack and Jadae upon finding them, and went to sit with them.

"I trust I'm not late?" he asked, and ordered an ale.

[Ithaeliel]

After returning the newly sharpened blade to the trader elf at the river, Angalos began the long walk to his home, his head filled with thoughts. The pace of trade was beginning to slow, as it was around that time of the year. Should he leave the valley and help search for this book? Angalos wasn't even sure it existed, for he had not completely trusted the storyteller and the elf's words.

Suddenly he laughed out loud, surprising a man who sat nearby. Walking on, Angalos spoke quietly. "And why is it so?" he asked himself. "Elves do not lie, nor exaggerate on things they know of. It must be real," he mumbled, his tone becoming more serious. If he went on this journey, his life might be endangered. There would certainly be guards and traps set around the book if it was of any worth at all. Goblins would be lurking about in the shadows, armed to the teeth. Perhaps spells would be set on it that would maim the flesh of anyone who touched it. The terrible things that lived in the wilder places of the world were enough to make Angalos' skin crawl. Stopping, he looked at his axe, sizing it up, testing the weight and stability of the blade. He smiled. "I have a fine dwarven axe at my side, and courage and willingness in my heart."

He paused for a moment. "What a wild dream... I, a trader, off many leagues beyond the comfort of any home, searching for the annals of a supposedly lost race. The way is fraught with dangers; I may well lose my life as may others. It will be a great adventure beyond anything I could have imagined as a boy. If this book is found and returned to Dale, the name of Angalos Stormaxe will be written in history. I will have done something more..." his voice trailed off. He stood a moment in the light of the dying sun, his head bowed in thought, before he turned back in the direction of the Rusty Hilt. "I am going."

[ February 02, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Mattius]

Jack looked about his parent's pub, the place he had grown up for sixteen years of his life. He took another swig on his pint of ale. His parents had took the news that he was going away quite well. They accepted that life in the Dale was not for him and his mother knew that he was destined for bigger things.

"You don't really believe in the book do you?" Jadae broke him from his line of thought. He looked at the smithy and then Arethin.

"Honestly? No I don't but that is of little matter to me. If we find nothing then at the very least I have travelled somewhere."

"And what if the book is real, what then?" Replied Jadae. Jack took a thoughtful sip on his pint.

"Pretty much the same I guess, your the ones that want the book, I just want the adventure." Jadae and Arethin exchanged looks. "Excuse for a few minutes I have to get some small supplies from upstairs." Jack finished off his ale before heading upstairs leaving Jadae and Arethin waiting at he bar for any of the others who may decide to take the challenge.

[ February 06, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae sighed as Jack went upstairs. He hardly believed there was even a book. Jack was skeptical, as he should be. There was no tangible proof that the Wanaparma existed. Jadae believed in it though. Though there was no proof it did exist, was there any proof that suggested it didn't?

"Arethin, you and I are the only ones who truly believe the book exists. Jack merely is looking for an adventure, and I am not sure at all about Anuion and Angalos," Jadae was wondering where those two were, or if they even intended on coming.

"Do you listen to the storyteller often? I do, or I do whenever he tells stories at the corner near my smithy. The children love his tales. For them, the golden fields of Rohan only exist in his tales. For those children, the closest they may get to Rivendell, or Lothlorien, is that corner where an old man tells old stories of heroes and heroines," Jadae remembered the many tales the old storyteller narrated.

"I listen to his tales a lot. I love old stories, and songs, history and such," Arethin answered, though he seemed to be thinking about something else.

"Arethin, if you don't mind me asking, why would you leave Dale to go find the book? Jack wishes to go for an adventure, I want to prove him that it exists...but what about you?" Jadae hoped he wouldn't be mad at her for asking such a question.

[ February 03, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

"Why am I willing to leave Dale?" Arethin echoed, tracing the woodgrain lines on the table with his finger. He didn't meet Jadae's eyes. "Well, I'm not looking for adventure at all, that's for sure. And though I certainly hope that this book exists, simply proving it isn't my reason either. You see, once we find the book, I plan to use it.

"My father died several years back. I support my family now, though my brother has started to carry his part. My mother was a painter, but she's ill now--very ill. Her medicine is very expensive and hasn't helped a bit. So you see, I'm hoping that this book, this Wanaparma, I'm hoping that it contains a cure for her." He paused. "I love my mother. I really do. But it's so hard, Jadae. I'm twenty-four years old, and all I do is work and care for my mother. She's in her mid-forties. I shouldn't be doing this, not yet. But she's wasting away before my eyes. It pains me to see her like this...to see her fading away, dying a little bit every day. It could take years and years for her to actually pass away, and each day she's in more pain. I don't know if you've ever lost a loved one to a wasting illness, but it's the most awful thing you could ever live to see. It's so hard to love someone so much, and yet wish they'd die--for their own sake. Wishing someone would die because you hate him is so much easier than wishing someone would die because you love them, and can't stand to see them in pain anymore."

Arethin took a sharp, shaky breath, and struggled to regain control of himself. His broad shoulders shook for a moment as he battled the weeping that threatened to come. Finally he composed himself. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I just..."

"It's fine," Jadae said, looking sympathetically at him. "Don't worry about it."

"No, I'm sorry. This isn't like me." Arethin laughed humourlessly. "But anyway, that's why I'm coming. To find a cure for my mother. And, more selfishly, to give myself a chance for my own life."

[Helkahothion]

Anuion was standing behind the two for a time. At the bar he was speaking with the owner about the room. But his ears where fixed on a different conversation. Trough the room he could hear Jadae and Arethin where speaking about things. He could here Arethin talking about his mother. He was finished with the owner of the "Rusty Hilt" and went over.
"Arethin, I don't think that any cure these here doctor's posses can cure your mother. It is a sickness that is hardly curable. It is partly in her body, but also partly in her mind. The sickness she has is very old. The last time I saw it, I was just a boy of your age. The story goes that the book can cure any sickness. But even if you cure her, the effect's will last. For it is the loss of her most beloved, that makes it so terribly strong. You can cure her, but than you still need to cure her of her grief over the loss of her husband. And that requires a lot of devotion my friend."
Arethin was stunned. This elf knew his medicine alright. He took another sip of his ale.

Anuion faced Jadae.
"As for you dear Jadae: I surly believe in this book. During my travels, the legend passed out of my mind and the memory was vague. The storyteller revived it. I wanted to search it someday. Now the time has come. I will join you. By the way, good job with my knife. Ill come back when I need it sharpened again. Not many smiths dare to handle elfish craft."
He took a chair and sat down next to the others.

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
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Mercedes-benz ssk history (http://www.mercedes-wiki.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SSK)

[Mattius]

Jack walked into his old room. Well, to say it was his old room wasn't entirely correct. It was only a short time ago that he had lived in the alehouse before moving out. He looked about and walked over to the corner where he found his old chest. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the lid. The chest was empty at first sight but Jack reached down the side and flipped the fake wooden bottom out revealing a small space where his precious things were hidden.

"Now lets see here..." he whispered pulling supposedly random items from the box. He lifted a small knife and looked at it closely. It was an elvish gift from her; she had given it him when... No no. He shook himself clear of the thoughts of her and buckled the weapon to his belt. Jack fished a little more and found small pieces of armour that he attached accordingly. Finally he lifted out a small silver and gold bracelet. Jack brought it close to his eyes and studied the elvish engravings. It was as thin as a piece of cotton but with occasion spheres of gold. Jack continued to look at it, struggling in his mind to choose whether or not to take it with him, he had never worn it before.

"May it grant you strength in times of great need..."

Jack snapped out of the daydream and wiped a tear from his cheek. He quickly fastened the bracelet onto his right wrist and put back the items he had took out of the chest that he decided not to take. Before leaving the room he locked it up again.

"Wonder what he is getting?" Jadae said as he walked up behind her.

"I have got all I need now," he said placing a hand on her shoulder making her jump, "and am ready for the off."

[ February 05, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[doug*platypus]

At the far end of the common room, at a table near the fire, sat a lone dwarf drinking ale from a tankard. He still wore his deep blue travelling cloak, showing he that he was either not at home in this Inn or that he wished to remain a shadowy figure. The hood of the cloak was over his head, and only his long, hooked nose and his full beard could be seen protruding from it.

Not long after he had finished a well-deserved supper, some locals had sat down at a table within earshot. He had sharp ears for one of his race (which aided him in his profession), and the group seemed to make no great secret of what they were talking about. They were three humans of Dale. The woman he recognised as a smalltime blacksmith of the town. She had never seemed remarkable until today, when for some reason her smithy had been a hive of activity. As the dwarf had walked past it earlier on in the day, he had noticed that the smithy had more visitors than was usual for such a heated place of business (unless of course it were his home, Erebor or some other hall of the Dwarves). He had thought little of it at the time, but seeing her here again at the Rusty Hilt was surely more than coincidence. Something was going on.

The dwarf continued to sip at his ale, trying to appear inconspicuous as he listened carefully to the conversation. His ears perked up at the word "book", as they always did, and he hoped that his involuntary gasp had not been noticed. He cleared his throat and coughed several times, trying to cover it up. From what he understood, these three humans were looking for a book. No doubt a tome of great significance, a magnificent source of ancient knowledge, with beautiful lettering and full colour plates! He was almost drooling.

Shortly, one of the humans got up and went out the back. The dwarf had noticed him earlier on as the son of the Innkeepers. After a little while he came back. The dwarf snuck a quick glance in his direction, his eyes bright now like polished gems. The youth was now dressed as if for travel, and was standing behind his smith friend. Hammer and Tongs! the dwarf inwardly cursed his luck. He had been hoping for a good night's rest, but it seemed that at least one of the group wanted to leave that very evening. The marvellous book must be out of town somewhere, and no doubt the Innkeepers' son was all for leaving Dale as soon as he could. Understandably, for Dale though a fine town indeed, was hardly a fountain of excitement. The dwarf resigned himself to following after the group, even if it meant losing a bit of sleep. He started to drain his mug, and waited to see what the other humans would do.

[Ithaeliel]

As the cool evening began to settle onto the town, Angalos walked on, hauling his axe in one hand and his travelling gear in the other. Rounding a corner, he saw an old sign swinging in the light of two torches. It read, "The Rusty Hilt," and there was a motif of an old sword above the words. He smiled satisfactorily, striding to the door, and as he entered the darkened tavern, he saw three familiar faces there: Jadae, Anuion, and Arethin. There were few others besides him, but there was a dwarf sitting at a table who eyed Jadae and Arethin curiously. He seemed interested in what they were saying, and when the word 'book' was heard, he gave a gasp and coughed a bit. Angalos was sure he knew about it.

Angalos lingered back as he watched Jack, the one most skeptical of the existance of the Wanaparma, arrive downstairs dressed to travel. "I have got all I need now and am ready for the off," he said, startling Jadae. The trader was more than mildly surprised; he would never have thought that Jack would agree to make the journey, especially on his own account and will. Well, when the lost annals of a race are at hand, it can make a man unpredictable, thought Angalos. As he stepped out from the shadow of the doorframe and the four realized his presence, Jadae gave a small smile. "Greetings, Angalos Stormaxe."

Setting his things down on the table, Angalos removed his hood and bowed. "I'm glad I was able to make it in time. I managed to stop by my home on the way, so I am already prepared to leave, save a few provisions; for I was planning to make a trip to the market this very evening due to the barrenness of my larders," he said with a laugh.

"I have plenty of lembas for all of us to share, if provisions are short," said Anuion. "We will be able to make do with what we have."

"I am glad you decided to come," said Jadae with a smile.

"May my axe (and possibly wits) serve you well, Miss Jadae Starfire."

Arethin spoke up hesitantly. "Well, if there are no others, I suppose we ought to be leaving soon."

"Oh, no you don't!" cried a gruff voice from the back of the room. Angalos spun around to see the dwarf near the hearth stand up suddenly and stride toward the group. "I've heard all about this book you're talking of; I must say I hold an interest in finding it. This is quite a bold expedition you lot are embarking upon."

Anuion glanced coldly at the dwarf. He was one of the Silvan elves who had little love for dwarf-kind, especially those of Erebor (as it appeared this one was). "And what is your name, Master Dwarf?" he asked.

[ February 06, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[doug*platypus]

"My name? MY NAME?!!!" the dwarf bellowed, getting the attention of most of the common room, and discomfiting one or two of the humans in front of him.

"My name, Master Elf," he continued as he drew back his hood, "is one of the few things in this wide world I may call my own. As such, I treat it with great care, and do not prance about showing it off. No disrespect intended, of course."

Although he did not share the ill will of his kinsmen towards the Elves, the dwarf had disliked the cold glance he had received from this one. He indeed had to remind himself to be civil, since he greatly wanted to be a part of this quest, if it was indeed what it seemed to be.

As the company looked at him, they could see that he was of average height for a dwarf. His head, which was covered in matted red-brown locks, was only up to the ribcage of most of them. He was dressed for travel, and wore a hard leather jerkin, which could be seen below his beard, beneath the folds of his deep blue cloak. His heavy boots were caked with dirt, except at the bottoms where they had been scraped clean. From a bulge in his cloak it could be seen that he wore a travelling bag slung at his side. The dwarf had obviously just returned from a journey, and would have benefitted greatly from a bath, a change and a night's rest.

"I am a bard and loremaster of the Kingdom of Erebor," he addressed the group. "I could not help but overhear your conversation. I am professionally interested in books, you might say, as in all matters of lore, and I would like to offer you my assistance. I know these lands well. And if you are thinking of travelling to the Kingdom Under the Mountain, or to the land of my kin in the Iron Mountains, I can help you to wander there unhindered. Will you have me?"

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

After her initial surprise at the introduction, Jadae's look became one of amusement as the dwarf spoke of his work. Jadae smiled at the dwarf, while Anuion still held a cold stare. It was a bit strange to have to look so far down to see who was speaking.

"Well, Master dwarf, I respect your wishes to keep your name personal, but I for one would not mind knowing what we shall call you. Or do you wish for us to call you 'Master dwarf'?" Jadae asked.

"Would you enjoy being called Mistress or Master human and elf? I didn't think so. You may call me Rosfin," Rosfin answered as he clambered up onto a chair next to Arethin and Jadae.

"Very well, Master dwa- I mean, Rosfin. I am Anuion," Anuion began. He gestured towards Jack. "This is Jack. His folks own the Rusty Hilt. This is Arethin, and next to him is Jadae. Our new arrival is Angalos." Rosfin got off his chair and bowed a greeting to all as they were introduced.

"I know not what my companions think, but I would be honored to have you come along with us, Master Rosfin," Jadae looked to Jack, Arethin, Anuion, and Angalos. Jack, Arethin, and Angalos nodded agreement, though Anuion did nothing.

"Well, it seems most of us agree. When shall we be off?" Angalos inquired.

[ February 09, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion was irritated. This dwarf was a little to cocky. Talking about leading and knowing the way.
?I have been travelling even before you where born little guy? He thought.
But he did not forgot his manners. He nodded afterwards and sat back a little.
Ah well, dwarves don't have to be so annoying. I might as well give him a try, since I am travelling along with him for a long time.
"Well, it seems most of us agree. When shall we be off?" Angolos asked.
"Such things don't have to be rushed. The book won't run away. I know many routes, but I am sure that Master Rosfin knows some too, since he has travelled a lot for his kin. We need to figure on out and I think we need some food after all. I did not count for this extra companion." Anuion said calmly.

He had to come to a agreement with the dwarf, because that would prevent further delays on the road.
"I guess we need to go to the market after all then." Angalos said cheerful.

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
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List Of Jeep Vehicles History (http://www.dodge-wiki.com/wiki/List_of_Jeep_vehicles)

[Mattius]

Jack smiled, the dwarf seemed like a nice litte fellow, curious but of good heart. He nodded at his almost empty pint glass.
"Can I offer you a refil my new friend?" Rosfin grinned widely.

"Ah ah! Thats more like it!!"

Jack nodded again and jumped over the bar, refilling the dwarf's glass when he had landed.

"Good ale!" Rosfin said. Jack agreed and moved in closer to the dwarf.

"Now tell me, you don't believe in this book do you? Surely its just children's stories. Right? I know that dwarves believe in what is real, jewels and such. I have seen many in my family's tavern and debated many things with them over the years."

Rosfin finished his sip and looked up at Jack from under his bushy eyebrows.

"I believe in the book probably even more than the book itself does!"

He downed the remaining part of his pint before trundling off to the toilet leaving Jack with a confused and comical look on his face.

[ February 10, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Orual]

This was all coming a little quickly for Arethin. First Anuion's procalamation on his mother's condition, then Rosfin's appearance. They seemed to be getting ready to leave. He wasn't ready to leave yet. The least he could do would be to warn his brother that he was leaving. The lad was seventeen, and he ought to be given at least a heads-up that he'd have to support the family now. At least the family wouldn't take as much supporting, with Arethin gone. Still, he was torn...what if he returned too late? Then his adventuring would be useless. This was ridiculous, he had no right to be traipsing around looking for some ancient book of spells...but the other half of his mind told him that he had every right, and even an obligation to. This could be the only chance he ever got to save his mother. She'd die if she didn't get the right medication, that was for certain. She was already dying. She was practically dead. Yet still...

"Now tell me, you don't believe in this book do you? Surely its just children's stories. Right?"

It was this question of Jack's that broke Arethin out of his thoughts and pushed him over the edge. "If you don't believe in this book at all, as is evident by your remarks, then why in the world are you willing to risk life and limb to find it with us?" he exploded, pushing himself up out of his chair. Several people turned to look at him, but he ignored them. "I don't understand you, Jack. Why are you doing this?"

[ February 09, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Mattius]

"Look around you!" Jack said standing up straight. "Markets, taverns and more markets. I don't belong here. This place is like a slow death by boredom!" The three of them frowned at him. The group had lived in the Dale all their life except for the elf and loved it dearly. Indeed, the elf had no problem with it either. Jack noticed their faces.

"Look," he said refilling Arethin's mug and handing it to him, "its not that I don't love this place but my plan is such that if I find someplace other that I like outside of this town then I will call it my own and leave the Dale forever."

Just then Rosfin walked back in looking down at his waist and buckling his belt. He placed two hands on the bar stool which was about the same height as himself and with a great effort managed to haul himself up.

"Keep 'em comming barkeep!" he said nudging his empty mug to Jack. Jack placed his hand on Arethin's shoulder,

"I am sorry to upset you and I would loved to be proved wrong about the book but I only believe in what I can see." Arethin looked at him and nodded. Jack smiled back before turning to the dwarf. "Certainly Master Dwarf, bard and loremaster of the Kingdom of Erebor!! You grace my family's tavern with your presence!" Rosfin laughed gruffly before knocking back the pint.

[ February 12, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion had been glancing while Jack was speaking to the dwarf. Rosfin was just as convinced as he was. Anuion sat back more relaxed and let the whole conversation slip by him. As the Dwarf returned and finished his ale, Anuion faced him.

"I think we both have the same opinion about the books escistence Master Rosfin. But only several in Arda share it. That makes us rare and sort of connected in a way. I am looking forward on traveling with you."

Anuion caught the dwarf completly of guard. Rosfin did not expect this from an Elf. He looked at Anuion and smiled.

"Jack", He said," fill me up. And give one to the Elf to. My treat."

Anuion nodded and smiled aswell. This trip could be special indeed.

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
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Jaguar xf picture (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Jaguar_XF)

[Ithaeliel]

Angalos sat with both hands holding a mug of sweet ale, all the while talking to Jadae. When she asked his opinion of the book, he shrugged nonchalantly. "I am somewhat undecided when it comes to believing in such things as could easily be a false tale spun by a storyteller. However, this book- Wanaparma- seems like an interesting prospect, and it could well be real, but might contain otherwise than what we expected: it could be the history of a race that already exists. If that were the case, even the information that we find could be as good as that of an entirely lost race. So I believe that it is quite possible for this book to exist, even if it is not all we say."

Jadae nodded, listening with intent. Angalos was surprisingly insightful, more than she had expected him to be. "That may indeed be true," she agreed, somewhat sadly. "We may find nothing of a lost race."

Angalos smiled as he read the worry in her voice. "Yet as like as not, we may find the lost race. Who knows," he elaborated, "we may find it there: on a pedestal, bathed in blue light, its cover and spine dyed a deep red, embroidered with silver in a strange and alien script... and upon opening the dusty book, we would see more than we'd ever looked for." Angalos envisioned all this vividly, and as he spoke his head went into a dreamlike stance. "The lost race of Middle-earth... a further sundering of the dragons, or the elves who fled from Oromë at the Pool of Life; maybe a completely different race that none ever knew of save the Valar. Think of it, Jadae!"

"It is much to hope for," Jadae answered, bringing Angalos suddenly and brutally back to reality. His head almost ached. "Yet we must hope for that much, if not more. Otherwise, why go on this journey at all?" he said.

Jadae smiled and nodded. "I suppose you're right, Angalos. We must not waste our reasons and dash our hopes. We leave Dale in the morning, and that must be final."

[ February 12, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Mattius]

Jack took a step back and looked at the group. They seemed tired, not physically but mentally and emotionally they were strained. He clapped his hands to get their attention before he spoke.

"Good adventurers of the Dale. The night is late and we all need a good nights rest before our journey begins in ernest. You are all welcome to stay for free in the rooms upstairs and I suggest that we set off at the dwan of the new day."

Rosfin yawned and streched his small arms as the others began to realise that it was getting late.

"Thank you Jack," Jadae said, "it is much appriciated by all of us." As Jack led them up the stairs he fingered the thin braclet on his right wrist. He owed it to her to wear it.

"May these beds give you a good nights sleep ladies and gentlemen," he said opening the individual doors to the rooms.

Jack returned to his old room to spend the night. He took out the small elvish knife. It was a work of great craftmanship, or elfmaidenship. Jack sighed heavily as he sheathed it and blew out his candle.

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae smiled as she walked into the warm, cozy, and free room she had been led to. The tough, strong wooden floor was clean of dust, and in one corner a small rug covered the wood. There was only one window in the room, in the center of the wall across from the doorway. A bed was against that wall, next to the window. A lone rocking chair filled the corner along with the rug.

Jadae placed her pack on the rocker, and then walked to the window. Down below in the streets, women rushed home with last-minute purchases, while other mothers called their little boys and girls inside for the night. Men closed up the last shops, and only the light from the tall, street lamps shone on the street. Jadae had been a lamp-lighter for a few months, just the year before. Many other jobs had come and gone before she had enough to buy her shop.

For that was what Jadae loved: her shop, and her trade. Nothing pleased Jadae more than to feel the heat of the fire upon her face, to watch the flames and sparks fly when she blew the bellows. That was her home. She had worked her hardest those years, and Jadae had earned her keep in the trade town of Dale.

Peering out the window, Jadae let the cool, night air blow on her face. The sky was clear and the moon showed full. Stars sprinkled the velvet sky, Varda's gifts. Jadae had loved to sit outside when she was a child, and look at the stars.

The shutters of a window next to hers flew open, and Angalos poked his head out the window. Jadae waved, and smiled giddily. Angalos smiled back and then went back into his room. Jadae did the same, closing the window.

Jadae couldn't wait until morning. Of course, food would have to be purchased, but she had a friend who might be able to cut them a deal on what she had once claimed to be the best bread in all of Dale, Erebor, and Mirkwood. Whatever other supplies they needed could be easily found in a place such as Dale, and Jadae knew her way around better than anyone else she knew.

Jadae decided to get some rest, for she knew it would be a big day tomorrow. Besides, who could tell when the group would get another full night of sleep?

[Orual]

Arethin walked silently through the streets of Dale. The night had fallen, and it would've been difficult to navigate the streets had Arethin not been so familiar with the area. He had been born here; he had been raised here. Dale was the only place that Arethin knew. Did he really want to leave?

He waved dispiritedly to a few of his friends as he headed home. He'd miss them. He'd miss all of it. But the question wasn't really did he want to leave; he realized now that the question was, did he have a choice?

He saw a flickering light in the window of his house when he arrived. Elethil, his seventeen-year-old brother, would undoubtedly be reading by the light of the lamp. He was an avid reader. He read anything that he could get his hands on. So much so that Arethin doubted if he should tell his younger brother that the thing he was searching for was a book at all. He chuckled at that thought, and knocked gently on the door.

"Come on in, Ari," Elethil called, and Arethin could see through the window that he hadn't looked up. He opened the door and went in.

"Where've you been all day, Ari? Mom was worried." Elethil actually looked up from his book, so Arethin could tell that his mother had really been concerned. Arethin winced.

"I went to run an errand for Avaran, and got caught up in something. Is Mom asleep?" Arethin asked. Elethil nodded. "Oh, okay. Well, I'll just tell you. I'll have to leave tomorrow morning."

"Leave? What?" Elethil, to Arethin's great shock, closed his book and pushed it aside, focusing all of his attention on his older brother. "Where are you going, Arethin?"

Arethin took a deep breath and explained the entire thing, not leaving out a single detail, from the moment he stopped by to listen to the storyteller. Elethil didn't interrupt him once, but listened intently to every word Arethin had to say. The boy's face was solemn and progressively grieved, until finally, at the very end, he let out a little cry.

"You're really leaving, Ari?" he said in a hoarse whisper that Arethin realized was probably an attempt to cry out. "You're leaving me alone to take care of her? I'm seventeen, Ari!"

"I was younger than you when I started taking care of you and her," Arethin objected. "You're seventeen, you have a job, and if that one doesn't pay enough Avaran would be glad to take you on. Besides," he added, reaching into his pack, "one of my companions gave me this." He produced the sack of money that Anuion had given him. "This ought to help you."

Elethil stared, wide-eyed, at the money. And with some reason, too--this was a considerable amount of money for their family, which had never been wealthy, even when their father had been alive. (They had been considerably more comfortable, but never truly wealthy.) "Ari..."

"Just do it, El. Please. I have to do this. For Mom--and for both of us. Do you realize that if we both married, one of us would have to still live here and take care of her? If I do this--if you let me--then she can take care of herself, for another...oh, forty years. This could be our only chance, El. This could be the only chance we ever get to do this."

Elethil didn't respond for a long while. His youthful face was deeply troubed, and he looked like he was battling with himself. "Fine," he finally blurted. "Do it! Go find it, Arethin! But don't talk to me again before you leave. I can't bear it."

Arethin looked sharply at his brother, and realized that the battle was with tears. The youth's blue eyes were filled with tears, and he was trying to stay strong in front of his brother. Arethin pulled him into a tight hug, and they stayed there for a long while, until Arethin got up to pack. It would be a busy morning.

[doug*platypus]

Bidding each of his new companions goodnight, the dwarf drained his tankard and followed young Jack, who led him to a cosy room.

"Goodnight, lad, and thank you kindly for your *hic* hospickality!" he exclaimed cheerfully at Jack.

His tiredness and a rapid succession of ales had taken their toll. Funny how all the other races had a picture of Dwarves as heavy drinkers. Rosfin tried to live up to this as best he could, of course. Especially when drinking with the son of the landlord! It was also funny how many dwarves thought of elves as wine-drinking fops. Anuion of Mirkwood at least had not said no to a tankard of beer.

As the dwarf closed the door behind him, Jack wandered off to his own room, looking wistful and nostalgic. Bah! thought the dwarf bard, kids! Which was another one of those things about travelling with an elf. Rosfin always felt uncomfortably young next to them. The immortal folk were hard to get used to. You could live amongst them your entire mortal life, and yet never really comprehend them.

Well, everything had gone fine anyway. The dwarf was now part of an expedition to find a lost treasure of lore. A fairly disorganised expedition, to be sure, but that could all wait until morning. Moments after casting off his boots and his cloak, the dwarf was snoring loudly and restfully.

[Helkahothion]

Anuion followed Jack to the rooms. He laughed at the remark of the dwarf. He always tought that those dwarfes where heavy drinkers. But the one to beat me has yet to be born. Anuion tought to himself. Jack led Anuion to the room that he had ordered in the moring.

He went in and found everything like he left it. His package was still on the little cupborn by the bed. He looked in it to see if anything was still there. Dale or no Dale, any place could have a thief.He tought to himself. He found nothing missing and took out his light boots. With almost no sound they fell on the ground.

The bath was still there. Altough the water was turned cold. Anuion stepped in anyway. Afther 20 minutes of chillful bathwater he had enough. He stepped out and dried himself of. The room was nice. Nicer than the outdoors. Anuion laid hmiself in bed and as he watched the ceeling he fell into a world of dreams.
________
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[Mattius]

Jack looked out of the window above the town. The streets were desolate at this time, a couple of hours before sunrise. The sky was overcast and rain seemed likely. Jack turned back, he was fully clothed and packed, the excitement of a real journey into the unknown had whetted his appetite. Only yesterday he was resigned to living out a meaningless existence on the city guard, but no longer.

As he walked down the corridor he knocked on each of the groups door calling inside,

"Awake! Sunrise is close and we should be ready to set off!"

Most of the others were already getting ready except Rosfin who could be heard snoring from the streets below. Jack made sure to give his door a louder thud and was sure he heard the poor dwarf fall off his rather too tall bed. Fortunately the dwarf's curses were not as loud as his snoring.

Jack prepared a breakfast for them as he waited for them to come down the stairs. The first one to appear was Jadae looking nervous but excited.

"Today’s the day! Eat well before the off good smith!"

Jadae nodded in appreciation before tucking into the speciality of the house- bacon butties!

[Helkahothion]

Anuion was already up when he heared the nock on his door and jack's voice. Later he heard an end to Rosfin's snoring and a loud dwarfen curse. Anuion walked out of his room and stuck his head in Rosfin's dooropenening.

"Keep it down master Dwarf. The other guests are still sleeping." Anuion joked.

Rosfin stared at him and had his mouth hanging open.

"Say wah?" The dwarf said with his mind in another room.

"Nevermind master sleepyhead. Get your gear in shape. We are heading out tonight."

Anuion walked back to his own room. He packed his Lembas in his backpack and the other supplies he always carried with him. He packed the rope last and then prepared his weapons. He stuck his bow in his quiver that was filled with his newly aquired arrows. His knife was stuck in the hilt on his back. The sword was placed in a paralel line with the knife. He went downstairs and took his place on the breakfast table. Anuion's eyes glanced when he saw what was served.

"Oh goody, bacon butties. Humans shure can do some mirecales in the kitchen. Tell me Jadae, what will you be needing from the market?"
________
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[Ithaeliel]

Angalos groaned and turned onto his stomach. His contented sleep was interrupted by talking outside his room and footfalls thudding down the hall. Opening his bleary eyes, the young man propped himself up on one elbow and opened the shutter. He gasped. The sun was already up, and here he was, not even out of his nightclothes! Leaping out of bed, Angalos changed as quickly as possible into whatever he had and ran downstairs, axe in one hand and gear in the other. "I'm up!" he announced breathlessly as he ran into the common room.

Everyone else looked up as he came in. Jack smiled and hailed him by holding up a forkful of bacon. "Good morning, Angalos! Don't worry, you're not too late; just in time for breakfast!"

Angalos took a seat and settled in to the house specialty, eating much as he knew that he may not have another meal like this one for a long time. Between mouthfuls, he tried to make conversation. "I trust you all slept well?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. "I can hardly wait to get on our way," said Anuion. Jadae and Rosfin said the same. Angalos smiled. "I'm very much looking forward to this also. I've never done anything like this, in all my years in the trade business."

After breakfast was finished, the full and contented companions prepared for the task at hand. Arethin would be meeting them, and then they would pace themselves so to be away from the valley of Dale by sunset. Anticipation shone in everyone's eyes. They were eager to be off.

[ February 17, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Orual]

Early in the morning Arethin shouldered his pack and left his house, careful to make as little sound as possible so as not to wake his family. He'd said all of his good-byes; he couldn't stand to do it again.

The day was clear and cool, a good day to set out on. Arethin avoided his old haunts, any of his friends' meeting-places, and most of all Avaran's booth at the market. He made straight for the Rusty Hilt--he was early, but maybe he could catch some breakfast before it was all gone.

He had stayed up almost all night, making a final decision. Elethil had complained of being kept up and finally Arethin pretended to sleep, well after midnight, but sleep didn't come, and the young man simply agonized more over the matter. Then his mother began to cough, one of those awful spells that seemed to last forever, and Arethin made up his mind. He would go: he would find the book and cure his mother. Everything was in order. There was nothing else that Arethin could do with a clear conscience.

So it was with an air of determination that Arethin entered the Rusty Hilt. He grabbed a roll and went up to the company--his travelling companions. They didn't notice him for a moment, and he looked them over carefully. He'd be, basically, putting his life in their hands by going on this journey. There would be hardships, and if he was in a tight spot he'd be counting on them to pull him out. Would they?

He watched as they talked, and realized that he did trust them. He wouldn't be coming along if he didn't.

He walked up to them. "I'm ready when you are," he said by way of greeting.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“Hello, Arethin. We just finished breakfast, but I’m sure if you haven’t eaten we can find something for you,” Jadae said warmly. Going closer to Arethin, she put a hand on his shoulder and whispered “You all right?” he seemed a bit preoccupied, or maybe worried. Arethin nodded and thanked Jack for the breakfast and began to eat.

“I only need to get one thing from the market. Something I think will come in handy,” Jadae said, shouldering her pack with her things.

“What’s that, Jadae?” Anuion asked, handing an empty plate to Jack.

“Candles!” Everyone just stared at Jadae when she answered, but then continued getting ready to leave. As soon as Arethin had finished eating, they all left the Rusty Hilt together.

Walking out into the streets of Dale, Jadae smiled as the sun beat down on the six companions. She’d miss Dale, but planned on coming back.

“My friend sells candles, and her shop is just around the corner,” Jadae assured everyone as she weaved through the crowds of people. Passing by a perfume shop, and turning left at a flower shop, the travelers followed Jadae to come to stand in front of a well-kept shop, labeled ‘Candles’ over the door. Jadae nodded in satisfaction, and walked into the shop. The main area smelled mostly of wax, but a hint of perfume could be smelled in the air, for some of the candles were scented.

“Emmy? Are you in here?” Jadae called in a loud voice. She turned to her friends. “Emmy is a bit…eccentric, so be careful what you say.”

“JADAE! I haven’t seen you in so long! Are you going somewhere else to get candles? Or are you still using the ones I gave you last week? How are you? Who are your friends?” A short, thin woman came out of a back room. Her long red hair was tied back, and her kind blue eyes were covered with safety goggles. She swept Jadae up in a strong hug, and Jadae tried not to make a choking sound. When the woman finally let Jadae go, she went to go give her friends hugs.

“No, Emmy that’s alright. I’m fine, how’s the business? Anyway, these are my friends. This is Arethin, that’s Angalos. Jack is over there, and the elf next to him is Anuion. This is Rosfin,” Jadae introduced each of her friends. They all shook hands –or bowed- to Emmy kindly.

“Aren’t you all a strange lot? I like you though! Any friend of Jadae’s is a friend of mine! Now, what can I help you with, child? I can give you all a tour and show you how to make candles! Melting the wax, adding dyes and scents, thank goodness the perfume shop is right next-door! And then…” The woman kept talking, getting quicker with each sentence.

“No, thank you though, Emmy. All we need is some candles,” Jadae frowned when she realized what she had said.

“Oh! Candles! Well I have plenty of those around here you know! We have long candles, short candles, and candles in the shapes of anything you can imagine! Blue candles, green candles, red candles, orange candles! Scented and unscented candles!” Emmy pointed to candles on display in the main room as she called out their description.

“Umm,” Jadae mumbled, not knowing what to say. “Do you have regular candles?” Emmy laughed and went into the back room. She came out with ten thin cream colored candles that were the length from her elbow to her wrist. They smelled of some sort of cake, but Emmy insisted they were unscented.

“Thank you, Emmy. I’m sure they’ll be quite useful,” Jadae handed Emmy a few coins, but it was more than enough to pay for the candles. “I hope to see you again soon,” before she could do anything, Emmy swept her up in another big hug. As the six travelers left the candle shop, Emmy waved giddily from the doorway.

“Anybody else have something to get before we leave?” Jadae asked, waving to her quirky candle-making friend.

[ February 23, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Helkahothion]

"I need to get something from a friend." Anuion said out of the blue.

Jadae thought that everybody was set and ready to go, but apparently Anuion was not in a rush. Anuion walked trough the street and took a left. After a few turns and passing a couple of streets, the group halted at a house. It was a trader's house. Anuion knocked on the door and went in, followed by the others.

"Ah Anuion, I was expecting you. Right on time as always." A man said as he walked towards Anuion.

"Where you able to fur fill my request? Dimithri?" Anuion asked as he gave the man a firm handshake.

"Yes, it is here. You surely put me trough hell and back for these things." The man said while giving a package to Anuion.

"Always overreacting you humans. Dwarves and Elves are much easier merchants." Anuion said with a smile towards Rosfin.

The Elf gave the man the rest of his money and took the wrappings of the package. The package contained some more Lembas and some sort of bottle. Rosfin paid special attention to the bottle. It was light and was giving a special light. Rosfin had never seen such glass before.

"What is it?" Rosfin asked.

"It's the light of Mergasfion. My protective star. It has been given to me when I left my home. When I returned after a long travel, I gave it to my father Helkahothion until I would need it again. I was here for this reason. It will bring us some good when we least expect it." Anuion replied.

He took the phial and stuffed it in his chest pocket for save keeping. The Lembas got a place in his backpack. Anuion thanked the merchant and went outside.

"Well I'm done. Anyone else needs to run an errand?"
________
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[Mattius]

Jack looked about and thought if he would need anything. Food? Water? Weapons? He seemed to be fully stocked.

"I think that is everything then, time to be seting off I guess." The others nodded in agreement.
The elf led the way out of the town through the narrow backstreets away from the busy parts of the Dale.

Soon they were on the last eastern streets of the city and looking out into the wild. In the far distance the Iron Hills could be seen rising from the mist.

"Its somewhere out there," Jadae said almost to herself.

"Then what are we waiting for!" Rosfin said as he put his first foot forward and began the journey.

[ February 24, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“Well, let’s go,” Jadae said to her companions. They all nodded, and the group began the trip to the mountain that held the book, the Wanaparma.

There they were, one group made of six totally different people. A wise Dwarf walked next to a rogue Elf. A trader walked next to the artisan, and the guard strode alongside the worker. Such strange things had happened in only two days, and now Jadae was leaving her home to find a book of untold wealth and importance.

“Oh yes!” Jadae suddenly exclaimed, remembering something. All her companions turned to her, and if any could see it, she blushed under her tan skin.

“I just remembered the candles, is all,” Jadae answered everyone else’s stares. Taking her pack off her back, she opened the flap to reveal stuffed candles above extra clothes, food, water, and a few things from Jadae’s shop that she thought might become useful later.

“There are enough for everyone to have two, except for two people who will only have one. They’ll burn for a long time though, I’m sure. Emmy is very good at what she does…” Jadae trailed off, her mind wandering to what other sorts of things Emmy might have tricked her candles with, considering all that time she had.

“Anyways,” Jadae continued and began handing out candles. She decided she would be one to only hold one candle, and whoever volunteered would be the other.

“Jadae, I really don’t think it’s necessary that we carry candles. I have torches. You know well that I am always traveling in the wild, and I am of course, never unprepared,” Anuion informed when Jadae went to hand him his candles. Jadae eyed Anuion with amusement.

“Are you certain? You’ll never know…”

“I’m sure.”

“Alright then! This means everyone – except for Anuion, that is - gets two candles…” Jadae finished handing out candles. Then, from the bottom of her pack, she dug out five lumps of stone and five thin sheets of metal.

“I think it is called flint, and this is steel. When you strike the steel down across the sharp edge of the flint, a spark is created. The rock shears off tiny pieces and flakes of the metal sheet. The ripping of the metal heats up the flecks so that they can catch fire. I guess you could say that the sparks are actually tiny gobs of flying, melted metal. It may take practice to actually get this technique to light your candle,” Jadae explained as she handed out the rocks and metal.

"Would anyone care for a song?" Jadae inquired as the men and dwarf examined the items. Arethin lifted his head, ever the avid listener for such works.

"How shall we get any music?" Angalos asked, and at this, Jadae smiled. She rumaged through her pack and pulled out a small wooden flute and two intricately designed twigs of wood. She handed the latter to Mattius, and the former to Rosfin.

"A quick beat, if you please, Mattius," At Jadae's comment, Mattius beat the sticks against the rock upon which he sat, and the fast-paced sound bounced about the area. "Rosfin, could you join once you figure the tune?" The dwarf nodded, and Jadae began her song.


Under a spreading chesnut tree
The village smithy stands.
The smith, a mighty man is he;
With large and sinewy hands
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.


After the first verse, Rosfin joined in with a merry, jolly tune fitting the song Jadae had begun perfectly.


His hair is crisp, and black, and long
His face is like the tan
His brow is wet with honest sweat:
He earns whate'r he can.
He looks the whole world in the face
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morning until night
You can hear his bellows blow
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge
With measured beat and slow
Like the guardsmen ringing the village bell
When the evening sun is low

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door,
They love to see the flaming forge
And hear the bellows roar
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chafe from a threshing floor

He hears his daughter's voice
Sining in the village choir
And it makes his heart rejoice!
It sounds to him like her mother's voice
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more
How in the grave she lies
And with his hard rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes


Towards the end of the song, the mood became a somber and slow one, and Rosfin easily picked up the new tunes.


Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing,
Onwards through life he goes
Each morning sees some task being
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done
Has earned the night's repose

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend
For the lesson thou hast taught
Thus the flaming forge of life
Continues as was wrought.


As the song ended, both Mattius and Rosfin continued their parts for another eight beats. Jadae bowed clumsily.

[ March 10, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion walked alongside Rosfin and they where fondly depating the route they would take. Anuion thought that this dwarf was just bragging about knowing the routes in this reagon, but his knowledge was equal to his own.

During the brake, Jadea handed out all sorts of gifts. Anuion was amazed to see the sparkmakers, as he called them later, actualy do what Jadea said. In his life he had never seen such things and that was something very rare. Arethin pushed Rosfin for a story and Anuion joined in. As a child he had always listened to the stories of elves and he was curious what tales the Dwarves had. He might learn something from it.

"Yes Rosfin, tell us a tale. I would like to hear about Erebor." Anuion said cheerfully in his own way.

Rosin enjoiyed the attention and sat himself down.

[ March 15, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
________
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[Orual]

Arethin listened carefully to Jadae and Rosfin's song. He watched as the young smith transformed before his eyes into something new, something more like him. No longer was she just this imperturbable woman, who was a smith and an adventurer but little else; now she had, perhaps unconsciously, shown them all a new side of her, and Arethin felt the need to say something to her.

She bowed, looking a little uncomfortable with the motion, and when Jack and Rosfin finished their parts, Arethin went up to her, feeling a little uncomfortable himself; frankly, he was not used to girls, and wasn't sure that he was coming about this the right way. "Jadae, you have a lovely voice. I'd never heard that song before. Where did you learn it?"

[Mattius]

Jack observed the conversation with Jadae and Arethin with quiet curiosity. He was not a great lover of music but enjoyed it from time to time. Almost subconsciously he began to finger his thin gold braclet on his wrist. The keen eyes of Anuion the elf of Mirkwood picked up the illustrous jewelry.

"That is fine garment you wear," he said getting Jack's attention, "and if my eyes are correct then that is a creation of my kin is it not?" Jack looked silently at the elf and then to his braclet again.

"Indeed it is, it was given to me by an elven maiden some seven months since."

"Is that not a token of love Jack, or do our race's views of such lavish things contradtict?" Jack was silent for a long time looking at the braclet motionless. At length he rolled down his sleeve so that it was covered.

"It was, but is now no more than memories," Jack said abruptly as he stood to his feet and walked away from the elf. He wished the memories would just go away, he wished they would dissapear- but they wouldn't, and part of him wanted them to stay. He forced himself to talk to the dwarf to try and detach himself from his thoughts.

"Good Rosfin, you are a proprioter of these parts, how long will our march be to the Iron Hills?"

"Not too long," the dwarf said, "perhaps a day or two at most. In fact I think it was time we were on the move again- come on one and all- to your feet!"

With a little bit of effort the group were on their way again. Behind Rosfin, Jadae and Arethin continued their conversation.

[ March 10, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

"Jadae, you have a lovely voice. I'd never heard that song before. Where did you learn it?" Arethin had come up to a nearly falling Jadae, for bowing and such mannerisms, especially curtsying, were not Jadae’s strong points.

“Why, thank you, Arethin! No, I shouldn’t think you’ve ever heard it. It hasn’t been sung in a long while. It was written about a smith in Dale, the strongest, hardest-working smith in all of Dale, if you could tell form the song. The younger adults in the center area of Dale may still remember the tune and the lyrics. Anyways, the children of that time were fascinated by the smith’s work, and he even took apprentices in the most dedicated children. He married, and had a child…one child. They lived peacefully and happily for a time, until his wife died. His daughter was twelve when she died, and the smith was crushed. The only things that took his mind off his despair and sadness were his work, and hearing his daughter perform in the small village choir. The smith became engrossed in his work, and forgot to watch his daughter grow up. She soon left home and started her own business. Her name was –"

"Good Rosfin, you are a proprietor of these parts, how long will our march be to the Iron Hills?" Jadae heard Mattius ask, and she stopped her story.

"Not too long," Rosfin answered. "perhaps a day or two at most. In fact I think it was time we were on the move again- come on one and all- to your feet!"

“Right. Let’s go Arethin,” Jadae smiled at Arethin and turned towards the hills that could be seen in the hazy, grey distance. “Why are you so interested in history and writings and such things? The storyteller said he had seen you often as he told stories, and yet I never saw you much. Not too many people appreciate such things as you do.”

[ March 10, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

Jadae's question hung in the air for a moment. Arethin was silent, his brown eyes scanning the horizon. The hills and the trees seemed like something out of the stories that his mother would tell him...

"My mother is an artist," Arethin said finally. "In fact, some of her work hangs in the Rusty Hilt. She would paint all of these beautiful scenes of the wilderness that she explored when she was younger, I guess about your age. You see, my mother was the youngest daughter of a politician, and though she loved her family she never felt that she quite fit in. So when she was only eighteen or nineteen she received her father's blessing and left, exploring and adventuring for a few years until she met my father. They eventually settled in Dale, but her heart never truly left the forests.

"So she would paint her memories, and tell me stories of her adventures, and stories that she had heard along the way. But the best stories came from my father. Before they settled in Dale, my father went with my mother on her escapades. And the best stories were the ones he told, about the things my mother never thought to tell. My mother would paint us pictures with her words, telling us what she saw--but my father told us what he felt. When they were attacked in the wilderness by wild animals, our hearts were thudding in our chests and we wanted to run away from the beast. When they met friends on the road, we felt like we had met long-lost friends ourselves. You see, my father was a storyteller. My mother was a painter. He made me love the spoken word, as much as my mother made me love the sight of the out-of-doors. But he died, ten years ago now." Arethin was quiet for a moment. "I keep listening to remind myself of him. And I hope that someday I can continue his legacy and tell my own children, and others' children, about the stories he was told, the stories he told, and...my own stories." Arethin suddenly smiled. "Like this one."

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

"Like this one." Arethin finished.

As the small group continued on through the terrain between Dale and the Iron Hills, they stopped rarely and only for a few minutes. The sun began to set in the sky as the day wore on, and the misty hills loomed in the distance. If Anuion looked carefully with his sharp Elven eyes, he would be able to see the higher mountain farther north from the hills.

“What do you think we’ll find?” Jadae asked aloud, though not to anyone in particular. The group continued their trek as they talked, and didn’t bother to stop when their destination was so close.

“Loads of riches,” Angalos replied after a long pause from the group. “I’ll bet anything that for that race that lived in the Mountain, gold and silver were like dust.”

“What about diamonds?” Arethin chimed in, the thought of maids scurrying about dusting gold off mirrors and wooden surfaces made him chuckle.

“They’d need brooms to clean up the diamonds and the iron bits that gather on the tables and chairs of the kitchens,” Mattius replied, trying not to laugh.

“Didn’t the storyteller say that they used rubies instead of filling for pastries? Such riches, I’ve heard,” Jadae smiled at the comments.

“I’d be surprised if we get in there and can see anything past all the dust…gold and silver dust, that is. Do you suppose we’ll find anyone living in there?” Anuion continued the conversation, and his desire for action could be sensed in his voice. Jadae looked down at her feet as they walked, and kept her hands in her tunic pockets, not sure how to answer.

“Why would anyone be living in there?” Rosfin asked, the wind carrying his voice, as he was at the front of the group. The gust of wind that carried Rosfin’s voice also lifted the ebony strands of Jadae’s hair, and the tingling, cool sensation the breeze left was delightful in the mildly warm air.

Rosfin’s question went unanswered, and the companions went on in silence as the last rays of the setting sun cascaded over every nook and cranny, creating shadows over the hills and few trees that scattered the land. The wind continued to blow, steadily growing stronger as the natural light faded. Looking overhead, faint twinkling orbs could be seen as the sky darkened. If the group continued at this pace, they would hopefully be at the Mountain by mid-morning of the next day. How they would get in, however, had not even crossed the traveler’s minds.

Jadae could only imagine the time when the group found the book. Jadae could envision the sight and feel of her wrapping her strong, thin metalworker’s fingers around the book. She could hear a voice reading the script in the book, then translating it back into Westron as best they could.

Though what the group would actually find in the Mountain could not be foretold until they reached the Mountain’s entrance.

[Helkahothion]

The group continued the march towards the mountain and Anuion tried to start the conversation with jack again. He had walked away. Probably, because of sad memories.

"This girl you talk about jack, was she from Mirkwood or Lothlorien? Maybe I know her." Anuion asked carefully.

Jack did not answer. Anuion could see he was in pain by this girl. But a different kind of pain. That bracelet proved he did not hate her, but he was not that eager to remember her.

"Love is painful, but the reminders of it are even worse. I wish not to speak until I myself want to remember it. It's not you Anuion, I am having trouble getting the bottom of this." Jack said back.

Anuion silenced. Love was painful. He had experienced it quite often. He knew the pain. Jack deserved his time alone. It could be his last.
________
Vaporizer Instructions (http://vaporizer.org/forum/vaporizer-questions/)

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

As the group continued on towards the Mountain, Rosfin came forward to tell the group something.

“I fear I must bid you farewell before we get to our destination. I will go to the Iron Hills, and I will leave you with my hopes for your safe and successful return!” After many farewells, the remaining company walked towards the mountain as Rosfin turned south to go to the Dwarves of the Iron Hills.

Traveling through the rest of the early morning, the group came ever closer to the mountain that held the book. By mid-morning, they had come to the west side of the Mountain, and Jadae grinned and jumped gleefully. They were there! It hadn’t taken long, either. She sprinted to get to the rising rock, and when the men joined her she had her hands on her hips, with an expression that said, ‘And what took you so long?’

“Well, do you think we came all this way just to look at it? Let’s get to finding the entrance!” Angalos eyed the top of the mountain, and lifted a strong arm to point at the peak of the mount.

Everyone turned, and looked to where he was pointing. Everyone save Angalos then took on a quizzical look. None of them seemed to realize what he was pointing at or suggesting. Turning to face the mesmerized man, everyone held a questioning glance and Jadae opened her mouth to say “what?” until Arethin lifted a finger to his lips to indicate quiet.

“Can’t you see it? Surely Anuion can, with his Elven eyes. That glimmer at the top of the mountain! Perhaps a jewel of some sort!” Angalos’ eyes drifted back to his companions, and noticing their stare, he shrugged.

“Well…let’s get to finding an entrance. It does us no good just standing and staring at rock,” Anuion continued, and the group simultaneously nodded.

When the group found an entryway on the north wall of the mountain, they stood in front of a large shaft in the mountainside, except that the shaft was covered from the inside by a large boulder. Carvings and paintings chipped off the wall near the entrance. Above the entrance were four pallets with red, painted characters of what looked to be elvish writing.

Looking at the faded red paint on the square blocks above the entryway, Jadae squinted. “What do you suppose it says? Some of the paintings chipped off, or faded. Looks like Elvish, but I wouldn’t be able to read such script.”

Everyone turned to Anuion, who seemed to be daydreaming or something as he stared blankly at the writing.

“Anuion?” Jadae, Arethin, Mattius, and Angalos all question at the same time.

“I…I can’t see all the letters, but in Westron the first and third letters would be an ‘E’ and an ‘A’…” Anuion also squinted at the letters, and looked confused. He could read Elvish perfectly, his father had taught him. Yet the faded red and the crumbling rock had eroded the visible characters ages ago, in such a way that not even Anuion’s Elven eyes could read.

“Well, this is perfect! We got all the way here and we can’t even get in!” Angalos said frustrated. He placed a hand on one of the square letter-tiles Anuion had tried to read…

[ March 17, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Ithaeliel]

"Well, this is perfect! We got all the way here and we can't even get in!" Angalos moaned in frustration as he leaned up against the seemingly useless engravings on the stone. Everyone's eyes were lowered in disappointment or raised in annoyance of the blocked passage. Yet even as Angalos' hand pressed against the stone, a slight rumble was heard and a small puff of dust fell from the rock. The group's attention was centered upon the stone, and a few rubbed their eyes repeatedly to make sure what they had just seen was real. Angalos gave a small gasp as he removed his hand from the stone. A moment later, it began to slide with a rumble and a grating noise. Angalos backed away as the stone moved slowly to the left, revealing a passageway into the mountain.

The adventurers all walked cautiously closer to the darkness, halfway grinning with astonishment. Arethin smiled. "Now I am very glad we have Angalos here with us. What a stroke of luck for our company!"

"This is wonderful!" Jadae cried. "Now we can finally enter the mountain and find what we came for."

"If it is there," Jack added. "But congratulations to Angalos, and his magic touch to get us inside!"

Angalos blushed humbly. "Well, it seems Lady Luck has been on my side much of my life," he admitted, "but this is the luckiest thing that's happened to me by far. I suppose we should continue on our path... the less time to our treasure, the better!"

"Be careful," Anuion said gravely. "You never know what we may find in here."

Angalos took one step into the cave, and his eyes saw something glint in the darkness. He knew instantly what it was. "Watch out!" he cried, but it was too late. Poison-tipped arrows were already flying at them. He sucked his torso in and turned in profile to the onslaught of deadly shafts. Anuion dodged two or three, then saw a pack of arrows flying straight for Arethin. He gave a shout and leapt over to him, pushing the man down on the ground and narrowly avoiding the arrows. Jack and Jadae crouched low, but not in time to save Jack's forehead from being cut by a passing arrow. Jadae was all right, and Jack would not need too much care.

After the last arrow had flown out, the company gave a sigh of relief. They had come through the first obstacle with little hindrance. Now they had to continue on their way, looking out for other dangers... which Angalos somehow knew would abound.

[ March 18, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Mattius]

Jack touched the cut on his head with his middle and index fingers before bringing his hand to his eye level to look at the blood. In a few seconds he didn't have to as it started running into his eyes,

"Erm guys," he said, "could one of you give me a hand with this!"

Anuion turned to look at the boy and quickly reached into his pack and brought out some stitches. Jadae put pressure on the wound so that not as much blood was lost and then the elf began his work, painlessly sowing the skin on Jack's forehead back together. When he was done the blond-haired lad was left with a neat row of stitches of the buterfly variety.

"Are you okay Jack?" Asked Arethin. Jack looked up at the big man.

"I think so, the pain seems to have totally gone!"

Jack jumped to his feet feeling so revived that he began to lead the group through the dangerous cave, seemingly forgetting what had just happened. So happy he was that he began to hum to himself as they wandered in the gloom.

They didn't have to walk far before they faced another problem. In the gloom Jack had fallen over some sought of chair and long couches covered with dust and spiders. Jack picked himself up and rubbed the eight legged things off before looking around.

"Looks like a problem," he sighed.

"What is it?" Questioned Angalos.

"The path splits here, into three seperate routes," Jack walked into the doorway of each one before speaing again. "One goes up, one down and one straight on."

The group gave a collective silent sigh. They all knew what this meant- they would have to split up. And seeing as though Rosfin had not reached the caves with them, someone would have to go by themselves.

"We are going to have to split up then," Jadae said, "and draw straws over who is going to go alone."

They stood in a circle, each holding one of the random straws they had cut down just prior. The atmosphere was tense and no-one wanted to go in one of the doorways alone.

"Okay, one by one reveal your straws," Jadae said. Slowly Jack then Anuion, Arethin, Jadae and Angalos opened their hands. Angalos looked down at his tiny straw- he would be going alone.

The groups stood at the doors together- Jack and Anuion would be going straight on, Jadae and Arethin to the lower level and poor Angalos would be heading upstairs alone.

"If any of us find anything," began Jadae, "then head back to this room and wait for the others- we will meet back here in a few hours and be careful!"

"Good luck everybody," whispered Angalos as he walked into the darkness.

[Orual]

"Let's start, then," Arethin said quietly to Jadae. "You're the boss, so which hallway do we take?"

Jadae thought for a little while, and Arethin took the moment to dig through his pack while keeping his eyes politely on Jadae. Yes, the candles, there they were, some food, a blanket. There were the rest of his belongings, yes, it was all there. He turned his concentration back to Jadae just as she said "left."

"I think it leads down," Jadae added as they began to go down. Arethin was staring around intently, terrified that at any moment they would trip something that would either send the ceiling crashing in atop them, or that they would suddenly find that there was nothing to stand on, and fall hurtling through space.

"Do you think this is safe?" he said in a somewhat weak voice that sounded fairly comical coming out of his strong, muscular body. At least, he thought, he made no excuses about his fear. He had some dignity left.

But to his disappointment Jadae shrugged. "In all probability, no, it isn't safe," she answered. "But for the moment, it seems all right."

In the end Arethin's fears were unrealized. The ceiling didn't fall and the ground didn't disappear, but the chute he fell down was rather a nasty shock.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae had no time to curse her luck as Arethin began to fall down a suprise chute. Jumping to help her companion, Jadae reached for Arethin's tunic, but grabbed only air. Falling head-first into an old, rocky chute was not one of the better experiences of Jadae's life. Tumbling through a chute, Jadae tried frantically to keep from having her skin scrape against the rough stone.

When the chute finally came to an end, Arethin landed with a thunk and a cloud of billowing dust. Soon after him came Jadae, knocking Arethin, who was standing up, over onto the cold, stone floor.

"Arethin?" Jadae's whisper became a loud echo in the silent room.

"Yes?" Arethin's voice came from her right. Nothing could be seen, and the chamber was dank and stuffy.

"Grab a candle, will you? I've got the stone and metal in my pocket, we'll have light in no time," When a vanilla smelling stick began hitting Jadae in the face, Jadae grabbed it with a quiet, but amplified, 'Thanks'. She easily lit the candle, having been used to using the lighting method, and the candle's flame lit a small, circular orb around the two humans.

From their light, Jadae could see a bookshelf to her right, and a bunch of wooden chairs to her right. Walking over to the bookshelf, the light extended to a group of fallen sheet music stands. As Jadae lifted up a pile of parchment and crumpled pages, she noted that the faded markings upon the carefully drawn lines were indeed, sheet music. Showing Arethin, he nodded and took the candle from Jadae as she continued to examine the music.

As Arethin walked towards the center of the chamber, Arethin blinked as a drop of water fell into his wide eyes. The extent of the candle's flame lit a corner full of different instruments, several were stringed, and many were also variations of pipes and flutes. Turning left, Arethin came to stand next to a canvas for painting. There was a large, rough paper set against the canvas, and on it was painted a great, bright yellow sun.

"Jadae...I think this is an art and music room," Arethin mumbled absent-mindedly. His eyes brimmed with interest as he wandered towards a shelf filled with paints and other coloring mediums. He sifted through the older paintings that had already been finished, and lifted up several to take a closer look.

Picking up a fife, Jadae wiped the dust off and tried playing one of the songs. Arethin covered his ears as the slow, flowing, bouncing tune echoed throughout the chamber, ringing against the natural walls. Jadae stopped, and the room was silent again.

"I can only imagine how many people have been in this room. What kind of magical music was played in this place, do you think? Such artists, too!" Jadae broke the somewhat disturbing silence.

[Ithaeliel]

The echoing footsteps of his companions slowly faded down their separate corridors as he stood in the common, and Angalos was suddenly alone. Now he was left to wonder... was there really one book, or could there be rooms stacked with records? The latter seemed more likely. "Ah, well," he said to himself as he began to walk down the long, dark tunnel from the common room, the light of the candles swaying with his steps. "It's strange how men fashion mountains out of molehills, and romanticize everything that seems unlikely until they make it an impossible fantasy. The race, at least, must exist... no wild animal would have the skill or wits to build such structures or plant poisoned arrows in our path... oof!"

Angalos had been so absorbed in his thoughts again that he had tripped over the first step of a stone staircase. After righting himself and making sure the candles had not been snuffed out, Angalos' gaze travelled up the steep, spiraling stairwell. He cringed, having an awful fear of heights. "There had better be something worth seeing up there," he whispered, "and it had better be worth searching for alone and helpless." With these words, Angalos began to ascend the steep, dark- and now that his feet touched them, slippery- stairs, his candles still burning brightly in the gloom.
He reached the top of the stairs and let out a sigh of relief and triumph. The trader was faced with a half-open door. He was no ranger, but he could see that it had been flung open in haste by the last visitor to the awaiting chamber, for there was an indentation on the wall where the handle had hit it, and the position of the door implied that it had bounced back. Angalos anxiously passed through the door, and gasped as he was greeted with what seemed an entire library: shelves and desks piled high with records and books, seemingly ages old, covered in dust; it smelled of rotting wood. Despite Angalos' revulsion, he was entranced, and he knew it was his duty to find out what he could and try to bring it back with him to show the others. His eyes settled on a desk at the front of the archives. On top of it were piles of papers and stacks of books, all greyed with age and dust. He picked up a book from the top of a stack, but to his great astonishment and disappointment, the pages crumbled to white ashes in his hand, leaving only a thin, ragged cover and a spine as fragile as glass. Dropping the remnants in disdain, Angalos cautiously picked up the next book, seemingly less worn than the previous. The pages were old and crumpled, but stayed whole as he opened the book. He immediately recognized the text as Tengwar, the common script of the Eldar, but it was barely legible. There was, however, a sketch of what looked like several elves. Turning the page, he saw that from that point onward the writing was less damaged, and he read it with little difficulty. After a few pages, Angalos realized that it described much of the early history of the Eldarin races, and mentioned many famed heroes of the Elves. "They are a lost race of elves!" he cried out in spite of himself. "Or else great admirers of them."

He could not contain his curiosity. Quickly setting the book down, Angalos pulled open one of the drawers in another desk with fewer books on top. He coughed and fanned the air in front of his face. Upon opening the drawer, some of its contents had crumbled, covering the papers he now saw in ash and dust. Angalos carefully pulled out a collection of papers and wiped the dust off the front. He saw that they were medical records. Some amazed him, stating that chronic illnesses had been treated successfully. "These people have cured and prevented illnesses that mankind has not yet come to grips with... and now we can. This is incredible!"

Almost as soon as he said it, he heard a loud groan behind him. Whipping around, Angalos gave a hoarse cry as he watched a full bookshelf collapse and fall toward him. He had no time to run, for the shelf was already pinning him to the ground. Lifting his head, he coughed up a cloud of white dust. Many of the books had- thankfully- broken apart on impact due to their age. As a book slid off of his head, Angalos thought he saw someone standing to his right and staring at him. He blinked in surprise, and the person was gone. To his eyes, it had looked like an elf!

"Could I be seeing things?" Angalos thought to himself. "Have I gone mad? Or... am I not alone up here after all?" He wanted desperately to go and find out, but his limbs were useless: they were pinned by the fallen shelf. The worst that could happen, did happen: Angalos was in a sticky state, and there was no one around who would help him.

[ March 26, 2003: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]

[Mattius]

The middle doorway was a large stone arch with some incomprhendable writing inscribed on it.

"No time like the present," said Jack as he put his first step into the pathway. Anuion followed silently, so silent he was infact that Jack could not even hear the elf's light footsteps as they felt their way through the darkness. Suddenly Jack stumbled over to his right, the wall had come to an end.

"Let us risk a little light here Jack," Anuion whispered whilst rumaging in his pack and bringing out a candle. In no time it was lit and the elf then used it to light a torch hung near by. Jack squinted as Anuion swung the torch trying to see what type of room they were in. It was of reasonable size and there seemed to be beds lined up neatly against each wall and a row in the middle, bunk beds in fact.

"There is enough beds to sleep at least three hundred surely!" Jack exclaimed.

"Indeed..." Anuion replied whilst mentally noting that the sheets were so dusty that their original colour of blue was now a strange mouse-brown. The elf kneeled down and looked under one of the lowers bunks. "There are items under this bed, and that one too!" Jack ran over and looked with him- Anuion was right!

"Old memoirs it seems," Jack guessed as he looked at the dusty dolls, wooden swords, jewelry and papers written with the same runes as he saw above the door. Anuion nodded but then shot to his feet as his keen elf eyes pierced the distance and darkness noticing something in the corner of the room.

"Quickly Jack look!" He shouted as he ran off. At first Jack didn't know what the elf was talking about but then he saw it too. The bunk beds in the very corner of the room were not neat and tidy like the others, it looked as though they had been slept in. Jack looked at the other bunks, each so well made that he guessed a rock would bounce of them if one was dropped from above. The sheets on this bunk also had their original blue hue.

"What do you make of this then," Anuion whispered in an extremly quiet voice, now fearing that they were not alone in the room. Jack drew his sword in reply; just in case.

[ March 26, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Ransom]

Angolos angrily berated himself for his carelessness as he struggled to free himself from under the ancient bookshelf. While the cold and dry air of the cave system had left the ancient papers and furniture intact, decay and entropy had still done quite a bit of work. The wood of the bookshelf, having grown soft and weak, could crumble under the slightest touch. He should have considered that, especially since he was alone. Quite suddenly, he felt the wood and paper cocoon shift around him. If he was not already frightened by the mishap and the mysterious figure, the movements brought idea of being buried alive to the front of his mind. This was certainly not his day.

However, after what seemed to be an eternity of uncertainty, his weary body slowly informed him that a great weight had been lifted from his back. Angalos , sensing that he might be able to wriggle out, began to renew his efforts. While the frame and back of the bookshelf was still fairly sturdy, the papers and the shelves had been almost completely destroyed by age. However, it still took quite a bit of effort before the human managed to pull his body out of the pile of his rubble. He lay panting for some time before gingerly establishing that none of his limbs had been broken. Finally, he managed to pull himself up with the help of a nearby table.

It was quite obvious that the phantom he had seen earlier had been in the room. The frame of the bookshelf bore the evidence of several blows from some sort of heavy tool, and the back of the shelf had been thrown aside. At the very least, this mysterious visitor wasn’t entirely hostile. Why else would he have allowed the man to life? Angoloe pondered this new turn of events as he headed back toward the still burning candle. His eyes caught sight of a small scrap of paper underneath the candle. From the near absence of wax, it obviously had not been there very long. Curiously, he lifted the candle and quickly read the unsigned message.

Gentleman-

It would be very wise to leave the Empty Mountain now, lest any more unfortunate accidents occur.

[ March 27, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]

[ May 24, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]

[Orual]

Arethin stared around at the room in awe. With an air of reverence he gazed at the paintings, the instruments, the sculptures. There were images of war and of peace, love and hatred. His favorites were the landscapes, many of which resembled his mother's own work. If he got most of his physical characteristics and love of lore from his father, he had received from his mother a deep appreciation of art.

"Jadae, this is incredible," he said, his voice a little hoarse. He gently touched a chipped stone statue, life-sized, depicting a young woman sitting on a stone and weeping. He guessed that it was supposed to be Nienna. It was beautifully done, and unconsciously his heart went out to subject of the sculpture.

"Mm? What is?" Jadae asked, rifling through a heavy ancient tome. She looked over her shoulder at Arethin, who shook himself out of his reverie.

"Oh, the whole thing," Arethin said lamely, his gaze lingering on the statue a moment more. There was a long silence as he went around the room, softly touching the paintings. He felt his heart swell as he looked at them, and then finally turned to Jadae, saying, "Did you see that statue?"

"Which?" Jadae asked, not looking at him but studying a flute.

"Nevermind. We probably ought to be going." Arethin felt a little chill, and became fairly eager to follow his own advice. "Well, the Wanaparma is obviously not in here." He looked around, and found a stairwell leading out. His voice barely above a mutter, he added, "Here, let's go down, come on..."

[ March 30, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[DayVampyre]

"Let us risk a little light here, Jack."

A pair of violet eyes watched curiously the new intruders of the mountain. Few had had the courage to venture here and even fewer had entered the mountain.

The two had begun to explore the old quarters. One appeared to be of the Elven race, but very distant from her own.

"Quickly Jack look!" The elf had noticed Crystwen's bunks. She had forgotten to make them.

A trivial matter. Crystwen moved silently through the darkness. Hidden high above the vandals, among the stone rafters...

[ March 29, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

"Well, the Wanaparma is obviously not in here." Arethin commented.

Arethin finished exploring the Art room, and to one edge of the chamber was a long, spiral stairwell leading down into the rock. Walking to the exit that would certainly be theirs, Arethin left Jadae and her dusty flute in the dark. Scrambling to catch up to Arethin and the light, Jadae stopped when she felt a cool gust of air blow over her.

"Wait! Hand me the candle for a moment, Arethin!" Jadae cried. Once the candle was in her posession, Jadae wandered towards the eastern wall of the chamber. She could've sworn she felt something!

There, in a rounded, natural corner between the east and south walls, was an air vent-type opening in the rock. Cool, damp air blew through it and into the room.

"It probably leads outside, and we won't find the book out there, for sure." Arethin suggested as Jadae shook her head in a slightly defiant 'No'.

"It probably circulates throughout the caves somehow, a form of air renewal through the caves, and especially the floors not above ground. The caves have to get new air somehow, and this shaft is probably it." Jadae explained, as she examined the shaft.

"Well, what do you want to do about it?" Arethin asked.

"Come now, I know you can fit in here too, so lets go exploring the fun way! You'll never know, it could lead to the book - or even better, the smithy of the mountain!" Jadae exclaimed, and Arethin wondered inwardly about the girl's priorities inside the mountain. Jadae gave Arethin no time to protest, if he had planned to, as she hurriedly bound into the shaft, leaving Arethin in the dark.

~*~

Weapons raised, the two warriors, carefully examined the rest of the barracks. Anuion was ever alert to the slightest noises throughout the chamber. Jack was watchful and wary of the shadows that lurked. Suddenly, a loud roaring sound filled the cave, and dust filled the air, and settled long after the roar had dulled.

"Hey, Jack..." Anuion broke the silence that had consumed the cavern again.

"Yes?"

"We've been locked in." Anuion finished, pointing to the large boulder that covered the way they had come in. Not even Anuion could hear Jack's whispered curses.

"There has to be another way out. Who do you think is doing this to us? They're obviously not friendly!" Jack exclaimed, searching for another exit.

"Better the coldness from a friend than sweetness from an enemy." Anuion replied, and Jack was very tempted to ask what it meant.

Dangling just above them was a sturdy rope ladder, that could be reached by climbing a three-bunk-bed a few rows away from the travelers. It waveres and swayed, as though it had just been climbed.

Foolish people, thought Crystwen, who had just climbed from the rope ladder into the next higher level of the caves. She had entered the small chamber that had, for long years, held the store of weapons for the race of the Ti'Lavan.

~*~

Glancing at the note, Angalos crumpled the parchment and threw it at another shelf of books. The light paper sent the victim books flying into dust.

"Who are you? Where are you?" Angalos cried, his voice bouncing off every wall and every crevace of the wall.

For me to know, and you to not find out... Thought Angalos' persuer, clearly quite pleased with his note.

Angalos wandered towards another stairway, and began to scale up the steps, which led to a kitchen of sorts.

[ March 30, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[ March 30, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Mattius]

With is keen elf eyes Anuion saw the swinging rope above his head.

"Jack, it seems there is another way out of here!" Jack looked up and saw the rope. "We can climb this bed and make it up there!" The elf began to cilmb up without thinking about what could be up there. Jack cursed silently thinking they could be being led into a trap.

"Is this such a great idea?!" He whispered up to Anuion who simply turned and nodded. Jack growled in anger, looked either side of him and made for the rope.

It was pitch black but he could hear the elf pulling himself upwards. It was longer than he thought it would be. Eventually he heard Anuion whisper,

"It ends here." With a silent jump he landed on a new floor. Jack followed, not so silently though. The new room was dark, so dark it was impossible to know how big or small it was. After fumbling around for a few moments Jack found a torch and lit it. Through swinging it around the two companions could see that they were in an armourary, and a large one at that.

"Enough to arm all those who slept downstairs," Jack said. Swords, shields bows were stock pilled. Anuion took a closer look at them.

"They are elf-like!" He exclaimed, "but different, I have never seen anything like this before. Jack, do you think..." He was cut short when the sliding of metal on metal could be heard from behind them. Jack spun around and but ten feet away stood a figure, violet eyes burning bright. In each of his or hers arms was a curved dagger. Yet the pair were not attacked, the creature turned and ran towards the darkness.

"Quick Anuion!" Shouted Jack. Apprihensively the elf notched an arrow and fired it. The figure dodged it easily and slipped into the darkness. All that could be heard was Jack and Anuion breathing deeply. Then something happened- something terrible. The torch burnt out.

[Orual]

Grumbling silently to himself, Arethin followed Jadae through the shaft. He fit, all right, but it was a bit of a tight squeeze for his broad shoulders. Jadae's slender frame gave her no trouble getting through, but Arethin found himself twisting and turning occasionally.

"Do you see light yet?" Arethin grunted, prying himself free from a particularly narrow spot.

"Not yet," Jadae replied, sounding like she could stay in the ducts all day if she felt like it. Arethin hoped she didn't.

The air was steadily getting more and more humid, and the ducts were getting hot under Arethin's hands. Not hot enough to burn, but hot enough to be uncomfortable. "It's hot," he commented casually.

"Really?" Jadae said, laughing a little. "Thanks. I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't told me."

"Jadae, ahead. It's the opening--there, turn right." Arethin nodded in the direction of the opening. Jadae crawled through, and Arethin followed. He tumbled out, and, dusting himself off, looked at Jadae. Her eyes were wide, and a smile was on her face.

"Would you believe it, Arethin? It's a smithy!" she exclaimed.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“What a coincidence!” Arethin exclaimed, but Jadae could hardly notice the slight sarcasm.

Jadae’s eyes widened as she took in the smithy with what little light she had. Arethin brushed himself off and composed himself as Jadae looked about the smithy in wonder. It was so much larger than her own, and Jadae couldn’t help but wander away from her companion as she explored the chamber. Turning back around to face Arethin, Jadae was surprised to see that in her haste and excitement, she had left him in the dark.

“Sorry, Arethin. It’s just…” Jadae trailed off, and was at a loss for words. Sweeping her arms up as if to make up for her silence, Jadae then spun around, for this was her place. Then she noticed Arethin’s stare and stopped. “Sorry! If you wish to leave, we always could. I know you want to find the book as quickly as possible…” Jadae would readily leave for the kind man, but she really didn’t want to.

“It’s so...warm in here,” Arethin said again. Jadae had become so used to the warm temperatures of her work environment that she could hardly notice the stuffy heat of the room. Jadae took a deep breath and smiled. She had missed home, though she would hardly mention it to anyone. It felt good to get some memory of home while on the journey.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll only look around for a few minutes, then we can leave.” Jadae commented, and handed Arethin the candle as she got out one for herself. He nodded, and Jadae was glad that he would wait for her.

“And if you don’t mind, may we leave in a less ‘adventurous’ way than the ducts? If there is one, of course,” Arethin asked in return, and Jadae nodded absent-mindedly.

Jadae strode over to the forge, and was a bit confused and befuddled to find that some of the coals were still simmering. The bellows was in place, the hammer was left on a bench nearby, and molds lay scattered across the floor. Sheets of paper lay on the worktable, and on them were sketches and mathematical equations involving the amounts of chemicals and ingredients of some such ornament. Jadae could recognize several symbols, though a few elvish characters would remain unknown to her.

“These are so advanced! These equations and proportions and…and…” Jadae didn’t finish her sentence, as she began rolling up a few of the top papers and storing them in her pack.

Arethin, however, had gone to investigate already finished works. He found several cups and pots in pewter, gold, silver, and other metals he could not recognize. Another shelf held designs and pieces of art. A pewter dragon glared at Arethin through inlaid ruby eyes. A silver-wrought wizard thrust his staff towards a perplexed Arethin. The intricate design on the old man’s cloak surprised Arethin, and the wondering gaze of the aged face bemused him. Arethin lifted a finger to touch the metal man, but before he could, a loud sweeping noise caught his attention.

“Arethin!” He heard Jadae cry, and spinning around, Arethin barely caught a glimpse of a large log flying towards him. The log had been connected to a sturdy rope, which was in turn connected to the ceiling of the rock chamber. It had been triggered when Arethin stepped too close to the shelf of metal creations. Arethin was knocked in the stomach by the strong, wood log, and was sent flying backward into a shelf full of metal working tools.

As the stirred dust settled, Jadae ran to see if Arethin was all right. Arethin lifted an arm to signal he wasn’t dead, for he was too out of breath to speak, and as he lifted an arm, he accidentally and unknowingly set off another trap. Soaring through the air in the same way the log had, was a finished and polished spear. It flew low as opposed to Arethin’s log, and lodged itself into Jadae’s thigh, towards her knee. Jadae gasped, and could barely let out a cry of pain. The daring log swung slightly back and forth still near Arethin, and the provoking spear had lost its metal head to Jadae’s leg, thus is swung harmlessly to and fro.

[DayVampyre]

Crystwen had noticed the fire's glow disappear and she heard one of the vandals give a shout of surprise. She halted her run and spun around. Accustomed to years of living in the dark, Crystwen could see the two silouettes of the travelers.

She silently sheathed her swords and crept back toward the two.

"Who was that?"
"'What' would be more appropriate"

Crystwen had grown weary of sulking behind these two. With a sudden burst of speed, Crystwen bolted up and drew her bow, the tip of the arrow was surrounded by a ball fire. The fire had been magically worked so that it would not burn the arrow. Crystwen only had three of these rare arrows, but she had never the chance to use them before.


"From where hast thou come and why do you intrude on this sacred place?" Crystwen said and there was a tone in her voice that would have chilled a Balrog's heart.

She was only feet away from the two. It would be easy enough to shoot and kill, but she held back her arrow...

[ April 06, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Orual]

"Arethin!"

The log struck Arethin's chest with such force that he could hear his ribs crack. His brown eyes widened in pain as he crashed to the floor. His ears rang as the back of his skull came into contact with the stone floor. He nearly blacked out, and he saw stars.

His overly-sensitive head ached with the vibrations of Jadae's feet, light though her steps were, as she ran to see if he was alive. With an effort he lifted his arm, though his head hurt to do that. He could not speak, and could barely breathe. He was in dreadful pain, but could not even gather the breath to cry out.

There was a whistling in the air, and a weak cry of pain from Jadae. His head spinning, Arethin sat up to see what had happened. He just barely missed knocking his head soundly on the log, still swinging above him, and crawled to where Jadae had fallen to the floor. He tried to talk but coughed instead, and let out his first spoken breath as a curse when he was rewarded by a thundering headache. Finally he caught his breath and got up to Jadae. "Are you--" he began, but his sentance was cut off when he saw the spearhead lodged in her knee. "Don't move," he said. "Don't move your leg. Especially don't straighten it until I get the spearhead out; it might tear the muscles more."

He looked concernedly at Jadae, but she was taking it in stride, at least externally. He admired her bravery; it was an ugly wound.

He dug into his pack and brought out a small red satchel and his skin of water. The satchel had powder in it, from the dried leaves of a plant that his mother used when he and Elethil cut themselves (which was often; both were fairly clumsy boys). It was used mostly as an anaesthetic, but also had coagulating properties. He couldn't remember what it was called, but had made sure to bring some along.

As he mixed it with the water in a small bowl, he watched Jadae. "This'll sting some," he warned her. She simply nodded. Once he had it the proper consistancy, he gripped the spearhead with his left hand and Jadae's leg with his right, and carefully pulled it out, quickly rubbing the mixture into the wound. He tore a strip off of his shirt, and wrapped it around her leg. "Better?" he asked.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae bit her lip and winced a little as Arethin pulled out the metal spearhead. Before she could open her mouth to say something, the man already applied some sort of mixture to the wound. After he finished wrapping the wound, Arethin turned to Jadae and asked if it was better. Jadae couldn’t help but grin at this, for Arethin’s voice had changed to a dull squeak as he regained his breath.

“More so than having it in. I never thought I’d actually have to tolerate metal being in my body, I always thought having my hand clumsily burned with silver would be the worst. Thank you, Arethin. Anyway, are you all right? You took quite a hit!” Jadae’s gaze flew from Arethin’s face to the lulling log above.

“I think I may have broken something, and I fear there shall be quite a bruise there soon. ‘Tis a bit hard to breathe, but it does not ache much,” Arethin informed her, and Jadae nodded, biting her lip again.

“It's like my father used to say, 'It's not how many breaths you take during life, it's how many times something takes your breath away. This is definitely one of those times. Let me see, there may be something I can do.” Jadae ordered gently. Arethin nodded, and pulled his tunic over his head and held it. Jadae flinched and looked away when she saw the wound the log had caused, but gritted her teeth and resolved to tell the man.

“It must look a lot worse than it feels, eh?” Jadae commented, though didn’t quite expect an answer. The man’s stomach was already turning a sickeningly yellow color, and red scrapes were surrounded by a purple-blue color. Arethin’s left side was horribly crooked, and Jadae was sure of a cracked rib or two. “I’m not sure if I can do much. Maybe put some of that…that stuff onto the cuts. We’ll see a doctor when we get back to Dale about those ribs.”

“That is, if we get out of here.” Arethin commented as he put his tunic back on. “We should go, and carefully. Wouldn’t want to set off anymore traps.”

“This place is absolutely rigged with traps, it’ll be impossible or nearly so to tell where any are. But we should still go. We can’t stay here forever, as much as I’d like to.” Jadae sighed and turned to one of the shelves. She’d already taken a few parchments of equations and writings and such from the smithy, but before she went to help Arethin find a way out, she grabbed a small dragon figurine and stuffed it into her messy pack.

The two searched every nook and cranny for a decent way out of the smithy, but could only identify two, and they weren’t exactly very dignified. One was the way they’d come in, through the ducts. Arethin was not very willing to leave that way, but the other exit was not much better. There was a small shaft leading both straight up and down through a tunnel. There was a cart with a rope wheeled through several pulleys that would serve to pull something up or down. It was that, or through the ducts. Jadae would’ve gone either way, but Arethin was a bit opposed to the stifling air ducts.

“So, which way do you want to go? We’d have more sense for direction going through the ducts, but the cart would send us to the ground levels, for we are surely below ground now. And the cart would make it easier for you to breathe, and easier than crawling for me.” Jadae was obviously leaning towards the cart, and assumed Arethin was too, but she would’ve gone either way for Arethin.

“Cart. Definitely.”

“Right. Lets go!” Jadae exclaimed as she leapt into the cart. Arethin was a tad slower in following, but the two were ready to go in no time. Looking up the shaft, Jadae mouthed a silent ‘Whoa’, and then grabbed the edge of the cart tightly with her right hand. She noticed Arethin’s look, and retracted the hand quickly. “No, I’m not afraid of heights!” she assured him without being asked.

“Going up, I assume?” Arethin wondered, and Jadae nodded.

“Let me pull us up. When I used to run with my friend, she’d tell me after we ran to put my hands up and behind my neck, so the air goes to the lungs more easily. Try, it might help. I’ll pull us first,” Jadae spoke, though she wasn’t quite entirely sure of her ability to pull both of the humans up. Grasping the thickly wound rope, Jadae began to pull it downwards to bring the cart upwards. Slowly, inch-by-inch, the cart made it’s way up the shaft. Jadae was tired before long, but Arethin, who was not satisfied just sitting and doing nothing, helped the girl pull the two up the shaft.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if the rope snapped?” Jadae wondered aloud, unintentionally doing so.

“Funny isn’t exactly the word I would use. It would be just our luck though.” Arethin replied. “Look! There’s an opening!”

In his excitement, Arethin let go of the rope. An unprepared Jadae accidentally let the rope slip through her fingers, and once they started falling, they didn’t stop until Arethin grasped the rope again. This time, Jadae let go of the rope for a moment, and Arethin let her. She shook her hands through the air, and then blew on them. Her hands were red, and she knew it was all her fault.

“Sorry, rope burn. We’re almost there.” Said Jadae after she had finished blowing on her burning hands. The two pulled themselves up, and set the rope into a hook when they reached an opening. Sending the candle out of the shaft door, the two human’s eyes widened. In front of them was the back of some unknown being, and in front of it, stood Jack and Anuion!

Jadae hastily jumped out of the cart, but had forgotten the sting her wound would bring and she stumbled, almost falling down through a space between the shaft and the wall. Arethin caught her though, and the two got out of the cart again.

“What is that?” Jadae couldn’t help but speak as the violet-eyed…elf…turned to face the newcomers. What in Middle-Earth was an elf doing in the cave? There were not supposed to be living things in the cave!

[ April 07, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[DayVampyre]

Crystwen was startled by this new group of travelers. She turned and fired her arrow at the facing wall. It hit just above an old torch. Old or new the fire from the arrow touched onto the torch and the cave was filled with an orangish glow. Crystwen dropped her bow and drew out her two long knives and them seemed to glitter in the light. She moved almost fluidly so that her back was to a wall and she was facing the four.


"If you are all traveling together, speak now, and tell me why such a large group has come to these forsaken mountains."

[ April 08, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Helkahothion]

"It is of better use asking what you are doing in this deserted mountain?" Anuion replied. ?It might be rude, asking what you are doing in your home, but I am wondering why you have not joined us in Mirkwood."

"Thou are talking of Mirkwood, but I know not such a place. What is this Mirkwood you are talking about?" Crystwen said curious.

"It is the forest and homeland of my race. We have another forest where our kin lives. It is named Lorelindorenan. Still does not ring a bell?" Anuion asked, now less feared of the shadow.

"Still does not. Your voice is clear and your step does not pollute the chambers with sound. Are you an elf like me?" Crystwen asked.

"I am an elf yes, but how where you able to survive her without company? And how did you manage to get food and water in this abandoned place? That is what I would like to know." Anuion asked, now freely like talking to one of his kin in the forest.

The girl stepped out of the shadow and faced Anuion. She looked at him for a while and Anuion stared right back. For a moment it was as if the two elves had been frozen in time. The "mortals" stood there and watched with amaze as the two where looking at each other, trying to penetrate each other?s minds with their fare looks.
________
Toyota Type A Engine (http://www.toyota-wiki.com/wiki/Toyota_Type_A_engine)

[DayVampyre]

Crystwen sheathed a knife but keep one gripped loosely in her hand. The elf that spoke seemed like her, but there were some physical differences between them. Becoming reaware of her surroundings, she answered a question that was put forth to her.

"I am not alone here. There are others, I am called Crystwen, a captain of the soldiers that inhabit the mountain."

The stranger, even being and Elf still made Crystwen feel uneasy, she was after all, quite outmumbered. She'd probably be able to fight them off for awhile but in the end...

"I sitll know not the answer to my question as to why you have treaded the mountain's path."

[Mattius]

Jack sheathed his sword and cleared his throat. He took a step towards the strange looking elf. Jack decided to leave the matter of the book out of this conversation as he felt this elf creature would not particularly like the idea of several invaders entering her lair to steal a book of magical proportions.

"We are indeed sorry that we disturbed you, we thought this place was unhabited..." Jack said before he was cut off apruptly.

"Well you were wrong and I demand you tell me why you are here!" Crystwen snapped back. Jack looked at Jadae who remained looking at Crystwen.

"Very well," Jack started, "we stumbled upon this place and now we are locked and lost inside the belly of the cave." Crystwen put her hands on her hips and snorted.

"All lies," she hissed at Jack, "you are here to steal from us, how would you feel if I broke into your homes and took your things!" At this point she walked up to Jadae and quick as a flash snatched the small dragon minature from her pocket.

"Thief!"

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Uh oh.

Jadae bit her lip and tried frantically to think of an excuse. She had in fact taken the figurine, but only because she had wrongly assumed that no one would be missing it. If the smith had known that their was something living in the Mountain she wouldn’t have taken the dragon in the first place!

“I have no idea where that came from!” Jadae lied outright. What else could she have said? Arethin elbowed her and Mattius raised a suspicious eyebrow. The Elf-woman shook her head, probably wondering if Jadae was crazed, for everyone in the chamber was almost certain, if not absolutely sure, that Jadae had taken the dragon.

“This human could not act or lie to save her life,” Crystwen muttered in her elvish dialect. Anuion understood enough of the altered words to catch the elf’s distain in Jadae. “You are a little thief, and none better!” exclaimed the elf, now in common.

“I would not have stolen…I mean, I would not have taken it as a souvenir if I had known someone lived here. I didn’t think it would be missed,” Jadae spoke softly at first, but then came just short of yelling at the annoying inhabitant of the Mountain.

“Tell me now, why you are here, or suffer the consequences!” The Elf-woman shouted back, making Anuion’s sensitive ears ring. “I know every trap set in this mountain, and I’m not afraid to kill you all!”

Mattius had been smart in not telling the Elf to begin with. She’d kill them anyway if she could when or if she found out why the travelers were there. Why would she let them continue if she knew they were after her home’s treasure? Jadae kept quiet, and gently kicked Anuion when he went to reply.

“We’ve come to see what was inside the Mountain,” supplied Arethin.

“And steal it, no doubt,” Crystwen retorted, and glared at Jadae.

“No, only to investigate, as our King has sent us for!” cried Mattius, following Arethin’s lead. Jadae kept quiet, knowing how bad she was at lying. Crystwen eyed the group suspiciously.

[DayVampyre]

"and who this king of which you speak?" Crytwen said a great deal more softly. She had not meant to get so loud. However, thieves are thieves. She ran her hand over the dragon

"I knew the blacksmith who made this. She has passed on. A good friend of mine and my family's"


"I didn't know, I'm sorry." Jadae

Crystwen tossed her head a little
"Just a memory though, what good is a memory? Here, you seem to want it more than I. That still doesn't explain your prescence here. I'm sure that there are much more interesting places to explore for you king than these musty mountains." She said tossing the small piece of metal to the wide eyed girl.

[Ransom]

For many of their silvian cousins, the lifestyle chosen by the Ti’Lavan was as alien as the ways of the dwarves. Having long ago forsaken living on the vast plains that surrounded the city of Dale and the Lonely Mountain, the elves had instead chosen to expand upon the labyrinth of natural tunnels that honeycombed their mountain. While they still maintained family units like the Nordor, the unusual variety of caves necessitated the appropriation of the larger caverns for workshops, storehouses, and kitchens. In particular, kitchens and smithies needed to be near the outside of the mountain to allow for proper ventilations. Families made their dwellings in the multitude of smaller caverns left over.

It was through a series of living quarters that Angolos was moving now. There was certainly evidence of habitation-stone carvings too heavy to be moved, old furniture, and even the odd piece of crumbling cloth. However, it appeared that each room had been carefully cleaned. Try as hard as he could, the man could not find any sign of the rumored treasure. Even books were hard to come by, and those he found often crumbled to dust under his touch. Angolos wandered for what seemed like half an hour, keeping away from the larger pieces of furniture. He certainly didn’t want a repeat of the fiasco with the bookcase.

For one accustomed to the hustle and bustle of humanity, the mountain was eerily quite. Angolos kept his ears alert, listening for the benevolent(?) inhabitant. After what seemed like half an hour of walking, the man found himself in front of a pair of rotting wooden doors. A faint ray of light issued from within the cavern, illuminating what seemed to be a number of low stone benches. He cautiously made his way towards the sunlight. The mysterious stalker surely wouldn’t attack him out in the open, where he had room to move and light to let him see. The shaft of sunlight came from a shaft in the roof. From the black soot on the stones on the roof, Angolos deduced that it had served as some kind of chimney, maybe for a kitchen or some sort of meeting room.

Further examination supported his former theory. A series of knives, long rusted past use, sat on the table to his left. The area immediately under the chimney was a large fire pit, roasting forks still in place as if the inhabitants would return soon and resume their daily activities. Anglos slowly strode along the outside lip of the fire pit, using the unexpected shaft of light to examine his surroundings.

A pair of sharp eyes watched the intruder from a crevice scarcely a four yards to the human’s left. While this man was certainly persistent, he was alone. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too much work to turn him around. But it would take a bit more observation to see how to influence the intruder. The stalker pulled out a small bundle, scarcely longer than a man's forearm. It was one of the few hand crossbows in Middle Earth and one of the few projectile weapons useful under the ground. He raised the weapon to his shoulder and fired the bold at the entrence Angolos had entered from before slipping back into the darkness. Now he would watch...and wait some more.

[ April 10, 2003: Message edited by: Ransom ]

[Helkahothion]

"Oh please Jadae, don't lie to elves. They will only be more mad if they found out." Anuion said who had been biting his lip the whole time. ?We are here for the book of curing. Arething's mother over there is almost dying and needs it. And many creatures need its wisdom to continue living. It could serve much to the world. Unless used properly of course. During my travels I have seen many people in need of cure. The book of curing can help them and prevent a lot of grieve."

"Oh really? Who says that we are not using it to prefend a lot of grief out here?" Crystwen asked looking scrawny at the elf that was a head bigger than her.

"Surely the immortals in here have been able to learn the curings by heart considering that you can't get a lot of different deceases inside a cave. You have had a lot of time to learn a book that would have taken a lot of elves only a few years to master completely." Anuion said back sharply, but with a calm voice.

Arethin was looking as if he was expected to be impaled by something out of a wall. It was almost sure that the girl did not like a reply from an intruder in her own home. She had options enough and a lot of tools to dispose of them no questions asked. No one knew they where there except from the lady they bought the candles from. And the Jack's parents. But no one would dare to go into the cave since they had died trying. This girl controlled the entire situation.

"It is a nice blade you got there. Is it made in this cave?" Anuion asked changing the subject.

"Yes we have the proper means to produce weaponry." Crystwen said back, slightly less tense.
________
ALASKA MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY (http://alaska.dispensaries.org/)

[DayVampyre]

"As I am sure that you could tell by the smithy that a few of you went through. And as of the book you're talking about. It has been destroyed. The was a great fire and it destroyed much of our records as well as the book." Crystwen said as cooly as though they were conversing about the weather of yesterday.

Anuion spoke "Now you are lying, elf of the mountain, you are not much better at it"

Crystwen bit her lip to keep from retorting an answer. "With all the lying and deceit going on anyway, it will soon be hard to tell when anyone is speaking true."

[Helkahothion]

"Now you are insulting me. I have never lied in situations like this. I don't lie to strangers if it's not necessary. I lie to the ignorant that do not deserve the truth, not to the wise like the people in this room. And wise they are, each in their own way." Anuion now said, slightly less relaxed.

Jack felt flattered by these words. Wise was surely what he was. Everyone had their own wisdom, his father used to say. And now this elf said it again. But the other elf did not feel very charmed by Anuion's words.

[ April 12, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]
________
MODEL DESIGNATIONS (http://www.bmw-tech.org/wiki/BMW_model_designations)

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

"This is ridiculus. We don't have time for this. We should go back to the common room, and meet back up with Angalos. Maybe he found something since we haven't." Jadae spoke up, and glared at the mountain Elf. They'd leave this room somehow, despite the trouble given them by the woman.

Jadae turned to look at the shaft she and Arethin had come from. They could backtrack into the smithy, then through the ducts and find the common room. Jadae hoped there was an easier way to get out. Hobbling over to an opening in the floor that was connected to a rope, Jadae wondered if it would be their escape route.

"There's no exit that way, Jadae," Jack called to the girl. Jadae frowned and looked around the room. Along the west wall of the chamber was an old wooden door. Jadae sighed when she noticed the elf woman shuffling slowly to bar the doorway. Apparantly she didn't want to give the intruders leave to roam her home.

"Let us go," Jadae ordered gently as she hopped over to the woman. Jadae was rewarded with a slight sting in her leg as she came closer to the strange mountain elf. The elf showed no intention of letting the four go freely.

Jadae drew her dagger, and at this Jack and Anuion drew their weapons. Arethin was prepared to draw his weapon, but wouldn't until necessary. Jadae opened her mouth to speak again, but didn't. Instead, she threw the dragon miniature at the Elf woman. She ducked, and at this hesitation Jadae sprang forward and shoved the girl away from the door. She opened the door, and Jack, Anuion, and Arethin sprinted through the doorway. Jadae went last, and slammed the door shut, leaving the Elf woman inside to bang on the door and open it again.

"Erm...someone hand me a candle!" Jadae cried, and someone, though she wasn't sure who, threw a white candle at her. She picked it up from the ground after it bounced off her neck, and shoved it through the doorhandles, in hopes to keep the door shut.

"A candle!?" Anuion asked, and raised an eyebrow. Jadae smiled.

"You have no idea how Emmy makes her candles. It'll hold, but not for long. Besides, she knows the ways out. Let's go, to the common room!" Jadae called, and the group raced through the hallway, and down some stairs. After the stairs, Jack, who was in the front of the group, suddenly grunted and fell over. He had again tripped over the dusty, spidery couches of the common room.

"Now we only have to wait for Angalos," Arethin said, and carefully hopped over the old couches. "Thanks for the warning, Jack."

[ April 13, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Mattius]

"Don't mention it friend," Jack grunted as he picked himself up and Jadae helped dust him down.
"Hows your head?" She asked studying the wound with intensity that made Jack laugh.
"For a second you could have posed for a doctor there Jadae, or back up there a warrior sheild-maiden! Not bad for a smithy!" Jack chuckled so Jadae punched his arm hard but it did little to stop him laughing.
"Oh shut up!" She said finnaly allowing herself a wry smile.

For a while the group sat or stood in the darkness waiting for any sign of Angalos. He didn't seem to be comming. As the time ticked by they exchanged several glances with each other and without talking they each came to realise that they would have to go looking for Angalos. Eventually it was Jadae who stood up and threw her hands in the air,
"I guess we are going to have to go looking for him!"
"Dammit! That weird elf could be about and she said there was more of them too," Jack complained.
"We can't leave him alone, hes probably lost," said Arethin.
"I guess so," Jack sighed, "plus I guess that there is more things in this place than old elves," Jack said as he stood on a rather large spider that was bothering him. He was satisfied with the crunch it made under his boot.
"This way," the groups own elf said leading them off.

[ April 14, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion was disappointed when they had fled out of the room. It was the first time he had seen an elf living outside a forest. Of course he had met rogues, but living in a cave their entire life?s. It was a shame that they had to come for that book. He could have learned a great deal from them.
Anuion waited along with the others for Angalos. It took him quite some time and everyone started to get nerves. The idea of going after him grew stronger in everyone?s mind and Anuion decided to go up front.
He walked in the direction that Angalos had taken and scouted ahead. There was nothing more than one long passage and it was easy to follow. Anuion nodded the group to come.

"This way." He said calmly.

He hoped that they would meet more elves again. He just hid from the group that he had not drawn his weapons at the girl, but at the others, so they could not harm her. He believed the elven girl had seen it and even imagined her winking at him. Certain was he not.
________
Everest (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Everest)

[Orual]

"This way," Anuion said. Arethin was glad that he seemed so calm and sure, because Arethin was anything but.

He touched his ribs gently, and winced. Broken ribs were not new to him, but they had always come one at a time before.

The corridor ended abruptly at a spiraling staircase. Arethin looked up at it warily, and also dizzily; the stair was at a breakneck angle, or at least it looked so. He took a deep, painful breath. "Well, I guess there's no way to go but up, right?" he said, trying to sound jovial and unworried. He hesitantly set his foot on the first step, then looked sharply left and right to make sure no traps had been tripped. None had, and he let out his breath.

Carefully and slowly the company made its way up the stairs, Angalos and Arethin looking down queasily more than once. They exchanged sheepish grins and kept a tight grip on the rails.

The smell of rotting wood greeted them, and they filed in through a heavy wooden door into the library. "What a place," Arethin breathed. He went and opened a tome that seemed to be a history book, though in a language that Arethin did not speak. He gazed in wonder at the illustrations, which were rich, if faded by time.

"This must be the library," he added lamely.

[DayVampyre]

Crystwen listened to the conversation to the travelers. "A Candle?" She thought, "They stuck a candle in the door?" As she heard the footsteps trail off into the distance she rubbed the back of her neck. That shove had defintly put a bruise into the back of it. Crystwen put her ear to the door, but she could hear nothing. Time to move. Crystwen took out a dagger and slipped it between the door and the wall and underneath the wax candle. With one great upward motion the knife moved swiftly and cut through the candle. She pulled the knife back in and slipped it back into its sheath. Slowly Crystwen stepped out of the room and ito the hall. The group was not far ahead, she could barely make out the path they had taken. Slipping in and out of the dark recesses of the corridor, Crystwen follwed them,shadowing their every step. They intrigued her, especially the elf. They seemed to be heading for the library. Snaking off to a hidden Passage, Crystwen headed them off and arrived a few minutes ahead of them, watching them as they entered into the library, from the upper balcony.


One of them picked up a old book and commented on a fact that everyone seemed to already know. Crystwen silently strung her bow and took careful aim.

shwzing

The arrow flew from her fingertips and down toward Arethin. It did not pierce him, but struck the book and it fell from his hands. It hit the floor and the sound reverberated through the library. Retailation was almost immediate. Crystwen readied another arrow

shwzing

This arrow was not acting as an alarm, this struck flesh. The back of Jadae right leg recieved the arrow's bite. Crystwen put away her bow and and this time redrew her sword. Leaping over the railing and down to the main level, she raced over to a statue of an Elven Lord and pulled a hidden catch on the stone figure's cloak. The statue gave a great shudder as shifted off its supports. The stone gollem lurched foward and raised its stone sword. The group seemed to gape at the immposible possiblity. The rock warrior continued foward determined to purge his library...

[ May 24, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion saw that the girl had awoken the stone man and knew that she was the only one that could take him out. Jadae janked out the arrow and drew her weapon. The rest of the group soon followed her example. Anuion however did not raize his arms. He reached for a torch and lit it with the gift from Jadae. When it was lit Anuion ran into the vieuw of the girl. He shouted over at her as he held the torch near some books that where not covered with dust.

"You don't have to do this. We have no means of huring you. Please call of the giant and I will not be forced to burn down the library he is defending." Anuion shouted, trying to sound as nice as possible. Wich was not very hard.

The girl hesitated and with the sight of the torch, so did the stone soldier. She said something in ancient elvish what appeard to Anuion to be something like a call. The giant stepped back into his place, but remained alive. Arethin eagerly placed his sword back in his sheat. He looked awefully relieved.
________
HERBAL VAPORIZERS (http://vaporizer.org/forum/herbal-vaporizers/)

[DayVampyre]

Crystwen however was far from relieved. She could not allow the library to be burned, but could she allow these people to control a situation that they shouldn't?

"You need to leave the mountain." She said and it was directed toward Anuion.

"We have done nothing to this place. Why do you impede upon our process?"

"You have intruded on place in which you have no business. Is the rest of the world not enough for you?"

Crystwen was about to say more, but the sharp pain of an arrow from an unknown member of the travellers into her side stopped her and she instantly collapsed to the floor.

And the stone giant, no longer under her control, returned to its state of destruction.

[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

“Who shot that arrow?” Anuion cried, and shot a venomous expression at his companions. He ignored the rampaging giant, who was moving slowly enough to not pose a threat for at least the next few seconds.

Jadae, after having pulled the arrow carelessly from her calf and towards the back of her knee, could barely walk. With only the spear wound she could hop along at a steady rate, but the new wound to the same leg sent her to the floor after trying to take a step. The smith collapsed under her leg, sending enormous pain through her veins. Jack caught her though, and with hurried thanks Jadae accepted the support from the man. She slung her arm around his shoulder and tried to hop on her left leg.

“Well?” Anuion screamed again, as the threat of the huge giant became greater. The company shrugged; Anuion was the only one who had brought a bow with him, and he hadn’t raised his weapon.

A great crash rang through the damp air of the library chamber, sending chills down everyone’s spines. The giant lifted his sword arm, and with a great sweeping motion of his hand, sent a large bookcase flying the intruders’ way. Every parchment on the shelf went bursting into an infinite amount of pieces, turning into an off-white dust that showered the group as they ducked from the flying shelf. The shelf soared over the group, and shattered into simple rifts of timber as it hit the chamber wall.

“I think it’s safe to get leaving now,” Arethin called over the thunderous noise of the giant. Everyone in the group nodded in agreement, save for Anuion.

“We can’t leave the elf here!” Anuion cried, and turned towards the place where the woman had fallen. Anuion’s conscience was eating him inside, and he couldn’t leave the helpless wounded to death by the seemingly unstoppable giant Elf-Lord.

“Anuion, we have to get out of here!” Jadae retorted, though she was hardly one to do something about it. Anuion shook his head, and pointed to a stairway at the end of one isle of books.

“Distract the giant, or get out of here!” Anuion’s voice was stern and certain; he knew what he was going to do, and he wouldn’t leave without the woman of his kind. Without another word, Anuion sprinted off towards a desk piled with parchment and books. He jumped up onto the desk, and clambered, however gracefully, onto a bookshelf nearby. Just above his reach was the railing of the upper balcony.

“How did I know he was going to do that?” Jack wondered rhetorically, and then shifted to face Arethin while keeping Jadae standing at the same time. Arethin was coughing, or perhaps choking, on something when the two went to face him. The man went to touch his side, but his hands retracted speedily as soon as he let the hand rest on the broken ribs.

“Ari! Hands above your head, remember? Breathe!” Jadae cried, wanting to help the man, but unable to move from her spot. Before Jadae could speak again, the giant let loose on another bookshelf, this time the shelf that Anuion had made into his perch. The Elf leapt from the spot, and grasped the rail of the upper balcony, letting his upper body slam against the cool stone.

“We have to do something about this giant,” Arethin commented when he had regained his breath. Jack nodded, and both men looked to Jadae. “We need to distract it. We need bait.”

Jadae’s eyes widened.

“Did you see the way the statue went after Anuion like that?” Jack asked Jadae, and the girl gulped as she nodded. “We’ll come back for you, I promise. We just need you to sit and wait.”

“Sounds like fun,” Jadae replied sarcastically. Getting turned into jelly by a giant Elven statue was not her idea of fun. Jadae agreed though, and Jack carefully set her down in the central reading area of the library. Then, the two men ran off to the right, leaving Jadae sitting alone, waiting for the statue thing.

Anuion, meanwhile, had managed to pull himself up onto the upper balcony. He crouched next to the elf that had been so loyal to her home. Anuion lifted the woman, cradling her in his arms. He examined the arrow and the wound, and carefully wheedled the arrow out of the elf’s flesh. Resolving to cover the wound when he had ample time, Anuion darted back over to the edge of the balcony. He decided not to be risky when someone else’s life was in his hands, so he turned away from that direction and when out the way Crystwen had come in. There were two hallways, one going right and the other going left. Remembering that the staircase was towards his left, and hoping not to get too far away from his companions, Anuion ran through the right hallway, into another living chamber. It was much like the one he and Jack had seen earlier, but it was a different one.

Jack and Arethin ran behind a bookshelf, and began to debate on what to do.

“Have we got any rope?” Arethin asked, and Jack shook his head. “We’ve got candles, our weapons, and anything else we’ve got in our packs. No rope.”

“I knew we’d be needing rope. I should’ve brought some. Nonetheless, we should get this thing confused.” Arethin began as a plan began to form.

“What have you got in mind?”

Arethin grinned, and pulled out three candles, and the metal and rock used to light them. They lit two, and, using a strip of cloth from Jack’s tunic, tied the last candle and the lighters together. Going towards the edge of the bookshelf, they poked their heads over the side, catching a glimpse of Jadae. She hugged her left knee, which was bent so she could lean her chin on it, while her right leg laid awkwardly askew.

Arethin threw the package of candle and lighter at Jadae, and the pack clumsily hit her in the head. Jadae turned quickly, and shot a questioning look at her friends. Arethin beckoned for Jack to run to the opposing bookshelf across the central reading center, and then waited as Jack did so.

Jack ran to the other end of his bookshelf, just as the giant rumbled out into the circling center. The giant turned to Jadae, and lifted its stone sword. Arethin screamed something or another, and the giant looked away from Jadae. Jack did the same, and then ran from one end of his bookshelf to the other, holding the candle high above the heights of his shelf. Jadae joined in, lighting her candle and crawling this way and that as the men ran up and down their lanes, then around the circular center.

The giant started to spin in circles as it tried to keep up with each one of its prey. When it started going too quickly, the giant lost it’s delicate balance. After a few minutes of chaos from the three humans, the giant came swinging downward, however slowly. Jack ran towards the center, and he easily picked up Jadae as he and Arethin made a mad dash for the staircase.

[ April 19, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[ April 20, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Helkahothion]

Anuion looked around for a bed so he could put down the girl. He found a couch and laid her on it. She let out a small groan and turned away from Anuion.

"Hey, it's not my fault you got shot. You set of that giant." Anuion muttered to himself.

He examined the wound and placed some chewed herbs on them. With a peace of his cloak, he bound the wound shut. It was a weird sight. The girl had turned her back on Anuion, while touching the wound and examining it herself. She could not detect any thread by it and decided to let it stay. She turned around and gave Anuion what appeared to be a smile.

"So tell me, how did you manage to survive out here?" Anuion asked now for the second time.
________
UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALISM DICUSSION (http://www.religionboard.org/unitarian-universalism/)

[Mattius]

With a terrifyingly loud slam the heavy stone wall to the library closed behind them. It would be impossible to open again.

Jack's legs burnt in pain as he carried Jadae in one arm and helped keep Arethin's arms up so he wouldn't suffocate. Finally the stone stairs flattened out and he placed his two companions on the cold floor before collapsing into a heap himself. His heavy breathing continued for a good few minutes before he opened his eyes and looked up at the dark ceiling. With a great effort he sat up and took a look at his friends. Arethin winced and smiled through the pain and Jadae even managed a small laugh.
"Jack was nimble, Jack was quick," she giggled. Satisfied they were okay he fell back down onto his back with a loud laugh.

After another good few minutes of rest he forced himself to get to his feet. He tended to Jadae's leg as well as he could and helped her to her feet. With Arethin on her left and Jack on her right they formed a curious dancing line of the exhausted, broken and pierced. They used their arms to support each other as inch by inch they made their way down the dark corridor in search of either of their missing friends.

[DayVampyre]

"So tell me, how did you manage to survive out here?" Anuion asked now for the second time.

Crystwen pulled herself into a sitting position, and studied Anuion for a minute.

"The same way you survive wherever you are from."

"But what is there on a mountain? At least among the trees there are animals to eat and water to drink"

"Well, we have that too. So, who was the marksman?"

"I don't know. How did you make the stone come to life?"

Crystwen smiled "That old magic, we can't do anything like that now." Crystwen stood up, a bit shakily "You might want to leave now, your friends will need you."

[Mattius]

"Your friends will need you," a voice said quietly from the distance.
"We must be close!" Said Arethin. Jack squinted and saw a rectangular outline of light around ten feet in front of the trio.
"There is a door there," he said, "lets go open it." As they got next to it they felt for a handle but couldn't find one.
"Are you sure that it is a door," asked Jadae, "it is made from stone just like the walls!" Jack took a step back and realsied what it was,
"Its a hidden door, thats why there is no handle."
"Well there must be a way in, search about for a switch or something like that," said Jadae. After a few minutes of frantic searching they had found nothing and gave thought to trying to push the door open

****

My friends will be fine for a little while longer," Anuion said before putting his hand on the wall to catch his breath. "Now what I want to ask you is..." but his question was cut off as the palm of his hand caught a small secret switch on the wall.

****

The three humans were putting all their might into pushing open the door but it did nothing.
"Its no good," Arethin said, "its not going to budge, we could..."

CRAAAAACk

The door swung open violently throwing the three into the room with the two elves. Jack saw Crystwen standing above him but was too tired to do anything and fell on to his side coughing up dust.

"See," Anuion said, "I told you they would be fine."

[Helkahothion]

"See I tolled you they would be fine. Ehm, Jack, would you be so kind to get your butt of my chest. It's hard to breath that way you see." Anuion said smiling.

It was the second time that they had some good look. It appeared that the mountain had nothing against these new visitors. Anuion took a deep breath after Jack left his chest with a red face and stood up again.

"So you are saying that you have animals in here? I have seen a dormitory with only 2 beds used and the rest covered in dust. What is that all about?" Anuion asked the girl anxious.
________
Easy Vape (http://www.vaporshop.com/easy-vape-vaporizer.html)

[DayVampyre]

"No, we don't keep animals in the mountain, but birds do frequent the craggy peaks,"

Crystwen said, sinking back down to the couch. She was beginning to feel lightheaded. Anuion helped the others to their feet.

"Now that you have found your friends, I think you should all leave. I'm not the only one who controls the stone servants"

"We can't, there's still one of us missing."

"Well, then should best start looking, this is no place to be ambling around alone." Crystwen stopped to take a breath but now, it seemed that breathing was getting harder and harder. A sudden epiphany hit her as Anuion seemed to picking up on her delima.

"What wrong?"

"That arrow, it wasn't fired from your party. It must have been on of the traps in the library, the giant must have set it off."

"But I took that out"

"So you did," Crystwen said "Listen, I'll help you find your friend but then you have to leave"

Even though Anuion had removed the arrow from Crystwen's side that had not extracted the poison from the wound. The travelers seemed haggard enough, they didn't need to know of her problems.

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Ransom]

While Angalos watched shooting competitions on a number of festivals and competitions, he had never been on the receiving end of an arrow. However, the merchant had received (and delivered) more than his fair share of snowballs during his life., and instinctively knew what to do when under fire. Angalos quickly dropped to his knees and scrambled toward one of the large tables that dotted the kitchen. Even while he reached for his faithful axe, his mind began considering this new and confusing turn of events. Perhaps the arrow had come from some sort of trap, but Angalos hadn’t touched anything since arriving at the kitchen. This left only one disturbing alternative. Something with a ranged weapon was both watching and stalking him.

For his part, Lluniach Tan-Hadir had grown somewhat impatient mind games. He had intended to bait the foolish human into leaving, not pin him behind cover. Even if he had intended to kill the intruder, Angalos had unknowingly chosen the only table spot that the elf didn’t have line of sight to as his hiding place. Still, he was somewhat hesitant to make contact with said intruder. Physical communication always lead to some sort of complications, and such complication usually led to some sort of physical alteration. The elf already had two-dozen notches in the handles of falchion, and he was not in any particular hurry to add another one. After carefully extracting himself from the rubble heap from which he was observing the human, he reset the mechanism on his hand crossbow and loaded another quarrel.

Grasping his black handled axe in both hands, Angolos quickly raised his head above the stone table. Still nothing. While only a few minutes had passed since the shot, it seemed like an eternity had passed since the last attack. Maybe the attackers had even given up and left. Anglos slumped against the table, trying to think of a way out of this situation. If he simply jumped up and ran for the door, it was quite possible that he would be shot in the back. The last thing he expected was for the soft voice of his ambusher.

“Greetings again, neighbor. Shall we do this the easy way or the hard way?”

Lluniach idly fingered the trigger of his hand crossbow as he slowly made his way into cavern that had once serves as a kitchen. One of the advantages of living in a system of naturally made caves was the stable temperature. Even while blizzards had whitened the land from the edge of Mirkwood to the Iron Hill, the elf could wander through the dark and silent passages without a cloak. It did not appear that Lluniach had traveled very far from his home, for a belt and a few pouches constituted his entire carrying capabilities. Besides the crossbow, the only other weapon that the elf seemed to carry was a curiously shaped sword.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae considered for a moment the offer of the Elf-woman. The travelers needed to find Angalos desperately, lest something happen to him that could be prevented. Then Jadae’s thoughts wandered back to Arethin and why he had come along. Arethin’s mother was sick, and the book that the Elf was asking them to give up could be the mother’s only hope. Jadae pulled Jack, Ari, and Anuion away from the woman so she wouldn’t be able to listen as Jadae went to converse with her companions.

“So if we accept, we’ve come here for nothing,” Jack pretty much summed it up before aught else had been said. Jadae nodded, and Arethin took on an alarmed look.

“We can’t just leave without the book,” Arethin said decidedly.

“We can’t just leave Angalos alone with Varda knows who!” Anuion retorted, intent on rescuing their fellow traveler. “I refuse to leave here with less people than we came with.”

“We could just accept her help and then find the book anyway,” Jadae suggested after some consideration. Anuion glared at the girl, and shook his head.

“That’s lying. You like to lie, don’t you?”

“It’s that, or leave here without the book. I’m not leaving without the book, and you said you wouldn’t leave without everyone.” Jadae replied, feeling quite clever. Everyone agreed to Jadae’s idea, though some agreed rather reluctantly. They turned back to the Elf and accepted her offer.

“What is your name?” Asked Jack, for the question had been bothering him for a while.

“Crystwen…please introduce me to your companions, since we will be together for at least a while longer until we find your friend.”

“I’m Jack, this is Arethin. The elf you’ve met…he’s Anuion. Jadae is over there.” Crystwen received a handshake or bow from each person in turn as Jack pointed them out.

“We know he has to have gone this way,” Jadae began, pointing to a large wooden set of doors a long ways down the isle of beds. “Or he could have gone that way,” Jadae continued, looking towards the hall that Anuion had sprinted through minutes before while carrying Crystwen. “But we know he went through the library.”

“Well, he probably wouldn’t have gone through that hallway, since it would have lead right back to the common room and through to the weapons room,” Crystwen explained. Jadae, as this point, was almost totally lost as to the direction they were going, and Crystwen and her explanation only confused the smith more.

“Not that Angalos would have known which way lead where,” Jack pointed out, and Crystwen stared blankly at the guardsman.

“Then do you wish to try the doors? They lead to the kitchen,” Crystwen stood up after a few winces from the sting of her wound, and began to lead the group away from the beds. Crystwen lead the group, and was followed by an anxious Arethin. Jack helped Jadae walk as Anuion warily walked in the back of the group.

[ April 25, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Orual]

Arethin shook his head and muttered to himself as they walked. They could find Angalos later. He would not leave without the Wanaparma, whether or not the others thought they could. It was not adventure for him; this was about his mother's survival. He ran his fingers through his blond hair irritably and glared back at Anuion, who was not looking his way. They could split up or something. They didn't all have to go look for Angalos.

This should be able to support them for a while.

Arethin jumped a little bit as Anuion's voice came, unbidden, into his thoughts. Back before they left Dale, when Anuion had given his family the money...he would do this. Anuion felt that he had to find Angalos. Arethin's major loyalties were elsewhere, but he owed this to Anuion. He would find Angalos.

It was a silent group that wound its way through the mountain, all absorbed in their own thoughts. Arethin suspected that several of them were having the same fight that he was. Their footfalls were heavy and rang throughout the corridors as they walked, especially Arethin's heavy boots. For a long while there was nothing to either side but craggy wall; there were attentive eyes checking carefully to look for anything that looked like it might be an opening. There was no telling where Angalos was.

As they rounded a corner a door opened to their left, and Jadae peeked in. "Kitchen," she said simply.

"Should we go in?" Arethin asked, fiddling with the straps of his pack.

"Of course," Jadae said, a touch impatiently. She was already through the door. "We have to find Angalos, if it means searching every room in this entire mountain.

"Of course," Arethin echoed, and with the rest of the company he entered the kitchen.

[ April 27, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Helkahothion]

It was very dark in the kitchen. Anuion had trouble seeing, but the more time he spend in there, the more things became clear. The kitchen was quite big. Must have been shared with all the inhabitants. Anuion suddenly wandered how big the dining room must have been and started to feel sorry for the cooks, who had to feed all this people over and over again. He could not see Angalos.

"Arethin, can you see Angalos? I certainly don't." Anuion whispered.

"Me neither Anuion. And no sign of the book either. Jadea said that we are going to search the entire mountain if necessary. I hope we find the book during that. Where do you think they hide the book?"

"In the last place you look. For after that, you stop looking." Anuion just said. He had as much of a clue as Jadae did.

[ April 28, 2003: Message edited by: Helkahothion ]

[Ransom]

“And what in the name of the Valar are you? Show yourself!”

On second though, Llu supposed that it wasn’t fair to expect the human to be completely rational at the moment. Still, fear could be just as useful as a bag full of gold if one knew how to wield it correctly. “Unless the world has changed since the last time I saw daylight, it’s usually the guest who must identify himself to his host. Still, I suppose that you’ve heard of the elves of Mirkwood?”

Angalos pondered this for a moment. While the voice was certainly not that of a robber or an orc, the human couldn’t tell if the speaker was truly an elf or simply a human skilled in a deception. The only way to tell would be to venture a glance—and he of all people knew of the skill the elves had with bows. Even more troubling was the mysterious stalker’s analogy. Had somebody moved into the mountains after the elves had left? Had the lost race of elves simply hidden themselves away from the rest of the world? Or was somebody spinning a tall tale to force him out into the open? “I know of the elves of Mirkwood. But even they believe that the elves of the mountain have left. What do you want?”

“You are unwise, human, but not stupid. If I had wanted to kill you, your blood would already be drying on the stone floor. It was no hard task to trail you and your group. I can help you find them, if you wish, and lead you out of the mountain. Else, you will probably die of hunger or thirst before seeing the light of day.”

For his part, Angalos could hardly refute his logic. He slowly rose to his feet, careful not to appear too threatening. While the human easily spotted his stalker, the small amount of light that came from the small shaft in the roof was not sufficient to reveal many physical features. Still, the shadows had receded enough for the human to tell that the sniper was indeed an elf. “Very well, elf. Where are my friends?”

Llu stared at the human for a moment before smiling thinly. “They are coming toward the kitchen as we speak.”

A series of loud pounding noises and a few whispered comments issued from the entrance of the kitchen. Angalos was elated—it would certainly feel safer in the company of some comrades instead of this strange elf. “Ho, Jadae! Over here!”

[Mattius]

"Angalos!" Exclaimed Jadae and in sheer joy she tried to run to him forgetting that she still needed Jack's support to stay upright.

"Wait!" Jack and Arethin shouted in unison, although too late as she crashed into some pots and pans.

"It is them alright," Angalos said to Llu who simply nodded with his arms crossed. Stepping over the horizontal Jadae, Crystwen walked over to Llu and together they watched the intruders re-group. The three men and Anuion helped Jadae to her feet once again and they all began to talk about what had happened. This went on for a good few minutes until they all realised that the two ancient elves were stood like statues in silence waiting for them to finish.

"Sorry..." a rather blushed Jadae whispered.

"Thank you for your help in finding our friend," Anuion said. Crystwen nodded before Llu spoke quickly,

"Follow me."

He leding them out of the kitchen. Crystwen limped slighty behind him with Jack and Anuion helping Jadae and Angalos helping Arethin. The two inhabitents of the mountain led them through thin gloomy corridors they had not come across before and eventually Llu swung open a door to reveal to them the common room. Jadae and Arethin took a seat as the others stood about thinking if they should say something or just wait to see what would happen.

[ April 30, 2003: Message edited by: Mattius ]

[Orual]

As he helped Jadae up, Arethin winced. He had been trying to ignore the pain in his side, though it was all but impossible now. He gripped his side, though he couldn't fathom how that could possibly help. It didn't. He could hardly stand up straight. Angalos came up to support him, and Arethin gave him a grateful smile. His face was hot as he thought of his reluctance to help find his companion.

Arethin took a seat, grasping the chair as he sat down, slowly. His face contorted with pain, and he bit his lip until it bled. Two, three broken ribs? More? He could not tell. He had broken one before, and it had taken long enough to heal. He couldn't afford to be injured.

The whole group watched the two elves uneasily. Arethin wanted to say something, but he could not think of any words. His mother's survival rested on their decision...he couldn't just sit by and let them...but he was so tired, and his ribs hurt so much...

"Arethin? Are you all right?" He heard Jadae's voice, but only just barely. Everything was dim and dull, like a foggy night. But darker than that. It was like he was surrounded by bright lights, and they were going out one by one. He could hardly see anymore, his hearing was going, too, and finally the pain was too much, and the darkness closed in...

[Helkahothion]

As Jadae was talking to Arethin, things got blurry in front of his eyes and he passed out. Anuion shot up from his chair to see if he was all right. He noticed that the boy had passed out and settled himself back in his own chair. Crystewen looked at Lluniach and sighted.

"I hate to admit it, but are we not selfish to keep the Wanaparma? These people mean to take this book outside. Away from us, but in here it can only our little group, but out there it can cure half the world. It would be foolish to keep it Lluniach."

Lluniach looked surprised at Crystewen. He had not expected this of her. But than he thought about her words. It was indeed true that the outside world was big. And if a group was risking their lives for the book, it must have a big value to them. But what if they came for their own good, and not for the good of others?

"It CAN do good in the outside world Crystewen. But what if these man only come for their own profit? What if they don't want to share this book like we do? What if they keep it to themselves?"

At these words, Anuion stood up. He marched over to the two elves and stared Lluniach straight in the face. Jack was surprised. He had not heared the two elves speak. But they obviously had said something that had upset Anuion.

"You insult me. These people have come here with the best intentions. And I seek no more. The book can cure a lot of people. I travel. Yes I do. And during those travels I have seen a lot of sick people. I have seen people die and there was nothing I could do about it. You see that boy? The one that has passed out in his chair? His mother is in bed. His father has died already. He is risking his live for his family. If we don't get that book, she will die and he will be an orphan. You want to have that on your conscience? Many humans are dying. Dying because of diseases they cannot cure. Their cures are not so advanced as those of yours. And here are you, a people that don't need the book as much as the thousands of people that do! I ask of you, save them!"


Lluniach had been listening. He did not see the elf very good. Listening to him he knew that elf was going to get that book, because Lluniach could not pin a word between his speech. He gave a glance at Crystewen and looked at her with a questioning look. She just nodded and Lluniach went over to the chair that Anuion had sat on. He kicked it away and lifted the tile. Under the tile was a long piece of metal. It took it out of the ground and searched the wall behind him. After counting for a while, Lluniach stopped at a point. He removed a stone and it revealed a hole. Lluniach stuck the iron pin in the hole and the wall shuddered. An opening was now seen and Anuion looked relieved.

"Thank you. In name of the people of Arda, thank you." He exclaimed happily.

Anuion ran back to his group and picked up Arethin. Jack and Angalos supported Jadae and together they went to the opening. It led to a slide and Anuion looked at Jadae and she just nodded.

"Go on, let's get this over with."

They all turned around once more and looked at the elves. Anuion put Arethin down near the chute for a moment and walked over to Crystewen.

"Thanks for everything. May your wound heal swiftly."

"It will Anuion. I thank you for the nursing. May Eru smile upon you."

"Same to you and to Lluniach."

And with these words, Anuion shook their hands and went back to Arethin. He grabbed him tightly and then went to the chute.

"Here goes nothing." He muttered as he stepped in.

Anuion slid down. He kind of enjoyed it and could not help it to let out a loud jihaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. After a spiral slide, he got floor under his feet once more. The rest quickly followed. They now found themselves in a hallway that was only lit by one torch. Anuion took out on of his own torches and lit it by the other torch.

"Now, let's find out if those elves have not tricked us." Jack said as he stepped forward.

He was pulled back by Anuion who looked at him with a stern face.

"They have not. I know they haven't.

The group stepped down the long hallway and saw a door at the end.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

The large, wooden, double-doors that loomed at the end of the hallway were easy to open for Angalos. Anuion carried Arethin in his strong arms, while Jack helped Jadae walk towards the door. Angalos did not walk into the chamber that the doors opened to, and waited for his companions to get to the door too. When everyone was present, the group carefully inched into the chamber, watching for some sort of trap.

The chamber was rounded off, like a sphere of sorts. Towards the ‘floor’ of the chamber, protruding cylinders lined the wall in a row. Angalos went to investigate those, and when he put a finger to the end, he withdrew it quickly and mumbled something about ‘sharp’. In the middle of the room was a pedestal, and the table of the pedestal was circular. The edge of the table was lined with candles. In the middle of the pedestal was an old weathered book. The spine of the book was soft leather, and on the cover was written something in Elvish script that shone gold against the brown of the cover. Everybody’s eyes widened, except for Arethin’s, for they had found the Wanaparma.

Anuion gently put Arethin onto the floor of the room, and lightly stepped over to the pedestal.

"Don't try to walk," Jack warned Jadae before leaving the girl propped against the wall. He and Angalos went to join Anuion, and they examined the book for a time, though none of them touched it. Jack ran two fingers along the gold writing, and turned to Anuion.

"Can you read it?" Jack asked, and Anuion nodded simply. The Elf did not explain what it said, and no one asked him.

"Open it..." Jadae suggested, a look of anticipation growing on her face. Jack nodded, and lifted the cover of the Wanaparma gently and only half-way. Jack's gentleness was not returned, however. Without warning and to everyone's suprise, the book blew itself open to a page nearer to the middle of the book. A bright, white light shot from the Wanaparma, blowing a force that sent Angalos, Jack, and Anuion flying backward in the same fashion the book had.

Anuion was slammed into a space just between two of the wall-spears, and had to land akwardly on his side to avoid landing on and crushing Arethin.

Jack scarcely missed squashing Jadae into one of the teeth-like spears; the event was luckily avoided as an alarmed Jadae scrambled and ducked to the right. Jack had escaped one catastrophe only to face another as Angalos came flying at him from his spot near the pedestal and into Jack.

The open Wanaparma still produced a ray of shining, disonant aura in the middle of the chamber. As the group began to recover, the light began to swirl upwards into a billowing cloud of mist and light. The light grew greater and greater, and Jadae felt she might be blinded as the mist began to take on a shape.

This shape eventually took form, outlining the body of a person...a human. Jadae was awed at the intricacy and detail of the shape. It swirled and created arms and a head, with creases in the face to shape a nose and even eyes. Jadae could see strands of hair begin to show on the head, and take on a style that looked messily put together.

As if with a mind of it's own, the shape surged over to Arethin, and a mist-hand was lifted, touching the man's face. Like he had been called, Arethin opened his eyes groggily, the brown orbs hazy and glazed over. Just as he had opened his eyes, they were closed again, and the cloud withdrew it's hand lightning-fast. The only remnant of the contact was a few droplets of water from the mist. The mist-being lingered though, and no wake person in the room breathed. They were scared. Some were afraid of scaring the beautiful thing away, others feared for Arethin and what the unknown thing would do to him.

The shape returned to the center of the chamber, and swirled into a few new beings in very little time. A tall, slender being followed Arethin's spirit. This one drew an imaginary bow pointed towards Anuion. Just as it was about to act out the letting loose of an arrow, it transformed into another tall and skinny being, this time with long mist-hair flowing. It held up a circular object in it's hand, and looked to Jack before dissipating into thin air. After the mist had gone, the book slammed itself shut. All was silent for a few moments.

"Is everyone alright?" Angalos asked, breaking the stunning silence that had overcome the group. Jadae shook her head in disbelief, and closed her eyes for the first time since the mist had vaporized in front of them.

"Did you all see it?" Jadae wondered, still shocked, amazed, and horrified at the same time. Tears slid silently down her eyes as the sting from the light wore off. Everyone readjusted to the light change, and nodded in reply to Jadae's question.

And here I thought I had been seeing things...Jadae thought, as she watched Angalos stand and let Jack free.

Jadae beckoned Jack over to her, and smiling slung her arm over his shoulder. He held in his hand a bracelet, but he said naught about it. The guardsman helped Jadae over to the book. Jadae reached for the book once, touched it, and then quickly withdrew her hand. Hoping everything was safe, Jadae grasped the book in her hands and held it up.

"Now all we have to do is wake Arethin up and get out of here..." Jadae squeaked, overjoyed to have the book, the Wanaparma, in her hands.

[ May 02, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[Mattius]

Jadae slid the precious book into her pack whilst Jack went to help revive Ari. He tried softly slapping the poor man a few times but nothing seemed to happen. Eventually the guardsman took out the last of the groups water supplies and poured it on Arethin who quickly opened his eyes and wriggled back into reality. Jack claspsed hands with him to help bring him to his feet.

"What happened Jack?" He asked.

"We've got The Book and now we're getting ourselves out of here."

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"I'll second that!" Jadae shouted over.

Anuion had found another exit from the room, a small circular door which led upwards. He motioned them to come but it was slow and hard work, they were all tired and some were desperatly in need of first aid. Nevertheless they were in good spirits and had The Book they had come for. Jack fingered his braclet, the Spirit that had come from within The Book took it off Jack's wrist and placed it in his hand. It was strange but Jack was never afraid of it. As he helped Jadae walk he thought of the fair elven maiden who had crafted the piece of beauty and her father who denied them to see each other. Perhaps he would visit Mirkwood with knowledge from The Book to impress her father. Perhaps he would see her again one day.

"What are you smiling at then?" Jadae said looking over at Jack.

"Nothing," he laughed, "I just think everything is going to be great now!"

As they made their way up the winding stairs they were suddenly aware that light was above them, natural light. Their pace quickened as they wished to see the outside world again. As the light got stronger and brighter they reached the end of the tunnel and Anioun swung open a glass door to lead the group out onto the top of the mountain.

"This... is high..." said Angalos. Below them they could see the steadily steep mountain decend into the plains that led to their homes. In the rocks were cut inconspicious steps that led all the way down.

They were going home.

[Orual]

One of Arethin's first conscious thoughts was to realize that his side no longer hurt. As he walked along with the rest of the company, he touched his sides cautiously, and his eyes widened in surprise. Not only was he no longer in pain, his ribs seemed to have healed. Completely, and well. He smiled at no one in particular, and picked up his pace a little bit.

His smile turned into a full-blown beam when his gaze landed on the Jadae's pack, where the book was. It would save his mother. It had all been worth it--the broken ribs, the danger, the frustration.

He ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair, and took a deep breath of the crisp air. They were almost to Dale, now. Soon they would be back in the city. He would be back with his mother and brother, and he would show everyone who had mocked him that his adventure had been worth something. And now it was over.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He had developed such a close bond with all of these people--Jadae especially--and he would be saddened to lose it. And, somehow, though he had shouted at Jack for saying it, life in Dale would seem monotonous compared to the time he had spent with the company. His broken ribs may not have left a mark, but the trip had. He had to realize that he was not the same man who had left Dale.

Arethin moved over to Jadae. "If you ever find a reason to need another adventurer sometime in the future," he said with a smile, though only half-joking, "you know who to call." She smiled back at him, and they entered Dale.

[ May 09, 2003: Message edited by: Orual ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jadae grinned as the group entered the outskirts of Dale. "You'd be the first one I'd go to, Ari," the smith assured the man.

The companions inched their way through Dale. The night had already made it's presence known, and the sky was a sickly slate-grey and blue color. Few people walked the streets, a few mothers or wives scurrying home with their last purchases or young boys back from trouble-making. Jadae was finally home, and it felt wonderful to know that she didn't have to worry about traps or ancient stone library guards.

"Ari, will you take us to your home? We shouldn't waste any time in helping your mother. And I know I want to be there to see our adventure pay off," Jadae spoke, breaking a satisfied silence that only manifests itself when all work is done and the day is gone. Jadae's comment was acknowledged by nods, and perhaps an overjoyed look from Arethin.

Arethin led the long, slow walk towards his home. When he stopped in front of his house, there was a flickering light in the window. Arethin's look was one of absolute fatigue and absolute delight and happiness. Arethin trudged up to the door exhausted, and rapped on the door. The sound of something hitting a wooden floor could be heard, and the audibly loud noise of running feet sounded even from outside the homestead. The person who had ran fumbled with the door handle, which could be determined by the strange clicking metal sounds. When the door finally opened, a boy, younger than Jadae, was revealed. Everyone could see similarities between the boy and Arethin.

The two hugged, and from Jadae's angle a tear could be seen falling down the cheek of the boy. The weary faces of the rest of the group were momentarily cheered and lightened by a smile at the reunion. Suddenly, Arethin turned towards the group and gestured towards the boy.

"This is my younger brother, Elethil. El, these are my friends. They helped me get the book that could help mom," Arethin introduced the group to Elethil and Elethil to the group. The company was invited inside, and the six made their way into the home. The group was led to a back room, and Elethil cracked the door open a little, then turned to the group.

"I hope this will work," Elethil mumbled, and let the five companions into the room, closing the door behind them. They were in a dimly lit room, the only light source a candle on a bedside table. There was a bed situated in the middle of one wall, with three chairs spaced about the room. Tucked under the warm covers of the bed was a woman half-drenched by the sweat upon her brow. Her wispy sandy-blond hair had been hastily tied back in a messy style, much like the Spirit in the mountain had had.

"Mom?" Arethin whispered, and pulled up a chair close to the right side of the bed so he could be right next to his mother. Anuion dragged another chair to the nightstand by the candle. Angalos grabbed the last chair, and sat near the foot of the bed. Jack helped Jadae sit in a spot next to Anuion, and then he kneeled near the foot of the bed with his elbows on the blankets.

"Arethin! Where..." the woman began to speak, but Arethin hushed her. He nodded to Anuion, who held out a hand to Jadae. Jadae pulled the gold and brown book from her pack and handed it to Anuion, who in turn began to flip through pages looking for something. The group was silent as he searched, until his page-flipping stopped and he began to scan one page.

"This might help..." Anuion murmured, and began to read the page. "It says, 'Many sicknesses that are passed through the human-kind are simple to fix, if they'd take the chance to look for it. Several variations of diseases involving severe attacks of fever or chills and characterized by coughing fits can be healed by drinking a mix of the Soell plant and water. Humans may not have realized it yet, but even though medicines can heal, time is the greatest doctor of all...' and then it trails off onto the next page."

Arethin paled, and he turned to his mother. "Mom, what is that plant called? The one that you gave El and me all those times to help our cuts heal?"

"Why, darling?" Arethin's mother seemed a bit delusional. "I think your father always used to call it So-mel. Or So-ell. Or Soell, something..."

Arethin's eyes widened. Agile Jack leapt up and scurried towards the door, and called for Elethil to get the plant Arethin had described as being used so often and some water. The boy hurried off and returned to the door quickly with dried-up leaves and powder made from the leaves, and a cup of water. Jack dumped the powder into the cup, and as he strode back to kneel next to Arethin he set down the leaves.

"Drink this," Arethin told his mother, and the woman deliriously sipped the concoction. Jadae winced, wondering if the woman would spit the mixture out or if it tasted well enough to not cause a bother. But Arethin's mother drank the whole glass and swallowed everything.

"I think everything will be all right now, Ari," Jadae commented, peering over the top of the bed from her spot on the floor of the room. "For the Elves were right. Time is too slow for those who wait, but too swift for those who grieve. Sometimes...time can make things better."

Anuion closed the book, the Wanaparma, and everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief. It had all been worth it.

[Mattius]

It had been a year since the book had been found. In that twelve months Jack had spent almost all of his time with Anioun learning the elvish tongue and reading the book itself. Through fast learning and a great teacher Jack had untied the elvish language in the year and remembered some of the incarnations off by heart.

Today was the day though, he thought as he held his gold braclet up to the rising sun.

"Ready?" Anioun asked him.

"Sure am! Lead on!"

Anioun was leading Jack back into Mirkwood where he had been only three times before. He went there when he was seventeen and came acros a beautiful elf maiden dancing in the flowers. He fell in love that day with her. It was the second time he ventured into the woods that he approached her. She was young, for her kind, and they got on fantasticly. All day they talked and danced under the sun and at night they continued under the moon. Jack's heart grieved at their parting but he returned a week later. This was a not so happy meeting as her father was there and banned him from returning to the woods, he was a general of Tharnduil and a powerful elf. At his parting with his love Jack recieved a gold braclet, crafted by her fair hand.

It was two years later now and Jack did not know what to expect, he was banished from Mirkwood but Anioun was sure he would allow him to gain access.

All day they walked and it soon came to where they parted.

"Here I must leave you dear friend," said the elf, "but I am sure we will meet again one day soon." The two shook hands.

"Goodbye Anioun," said Jack.

"Goodbye and goodluck," replied the elf.

Jack watched his comrade walk into the distance before turning to where he was heading. It was only an hours journey and the young man remembered it from two years ago step by step. Eventuelly he reached the place he had fallen in love and behold! There once more danced the elven maiden under the sun and on the flowers. She caught sight of him and stopped. As he made his way towards her she backed off. 'No' she mouthed. Jack smiled and raised his arms, under his breth he muttered a phrase in ancient elvish and the sky began to rain pink rose petals. The elf giggled as the put out her hands to catch them.

It was at this moment that her father entered the area, searching for his daughter. He saw her with the human and made for him. Jack saw him comming and turned before bowing before him.

"You have been banished from this place, leave immdiately," he boomed.

Jack raised his head and once again whispered in ancient elvish. He reached inside his pack and brought out The Book. In the Dale he had made several copies to help people but he had wanted to save the original to impress the elves. Jack bowed his head again as the elf flicked through the book. At length he felt the touch of the elf's hand on his golden head and looked up at his smiling face. He had won his respect.

[Orual]

"Morning, Ari!" Elethil said cheerily. He shed his coat and hung it on the coatrack. Arethin grinned at him from his cabinets, where he was looking at jars and vials.

"Good morning, El," Arethin replied, walking to his brother and embracing him. "We're going to have a busy day, I think. Why don't you go get cleaned?" Elethil nodded and went off.

"He was in a taking this morning, Ari," Arethin's mother said laughingly as she, too, hung up her coat. Even after a year Arethin's heart still swelled when he saw his mother, now in the bloom of health. Her cheeks were full and rosy, her hair was rich and thick, and her eyes were bright and cheerful. She looked even younger than she was. "But then he remembered that Léan is coming in today to see about her leg."

Arethin grinned. Since he had started his new business as a healer, he had gained several regular clients who came to him about every little ailment. One of them was a young woman named Léan, toward whom Elethil had taken quite a liking. She was a pretty girl, with long, light brown hair, smiling hazel eyes, and a laugh like windchimes. Arethin wished well for them, but he couldn't help laughing at Elethil's clumsy tongue around Léan.

Arethin sat down at his desk, and rifled through his notes. Most of them were copied painstakingly from the Wanaparma, complete with illustrations of the plants (done mainly by Arethin's mother). He smiled every time he looked at them, thinking of Jadae and Jake, Anuion and Angalos. He would remember them. They had given him his mother, his living, and his joy now. He would always remember.

He looked up as the chimes on the door announced a patient. Pretty Léan walked in, and Elethil quickly checked his hair and coat before welcoming her in warmly. Arethin smiled and went to his work.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Helkahothion's final post, Part one

Anuion had gone the other way. Travelling with Arethin, Jack, Angalos and Jadae made him long for his own father. He met up with his parental house soon enough. He stepped in and found his father hanging a kettle.
"Mind if I join you for dinner?"

"Anuion. What a nice surprise. What have you done this time? You always come here after you have done something dangerous or are wanted by the law enforcers of the Human race. Stole another rabbit?"

"Don't be silly. You know me better than that."

"I heared you brought a human into the forest. He is doing some very odd things."

"Yes, it is the Wanaparma. I went with a group of humans into the mountain and we regained it. He is using the magic to impress the father. He had banished Jack."

"Yeah I know. He is a general of Thranduil. Well, he got on my wrong side when he did that. You should not intervene with love. That Elf can be a real nuisance. He should have been dismissed a long time ago."

"Make sure he does not banish Jack again. I have had a lot of trouble teaching him the ancient tongue of Elvish. He was a fast learner though."

"You thought him elvish? That is quite an achievement."

"Oh please father. Watch you're cooking will you?"

Helkahothion removed the food from the fire before it was burned and urged Anuion to tell him about the search for the book. Through the whole story he was silent. It had been very amusing for Anuion. After dinner he went to bed and Anuion had pleasant dreams, like he always had when he slept at home. The next morning he already had gathered his travelling gear.

"I see you are leaving again?"

"Yes, I don't feel I have said a proper goodbye to the travellers in Dale."

And with these words Anuion stepped out into the sun and headed for Dale.

***
Aylwen Dreamsong's final post

It had been a little over a year since her great adventure, and Jadae could still remember the moment she had grasped the Wanaparma in her hands. Copies had been made and spread to major healing stations throughout Dale and some in Greenwood the Great...but the original was in the hands of Jack Strife. Few remembered the people who had brought the book home to Dale, but the effects of its discovery were still being felt. Few people even remembered what life was like before the book had been found.

Jadae remembered, though. She would still sit and daydream in her shop between calls and orders, recalling the events that occured in the Mountain. It would have made quite a tale for that old storyteller. That old man was still wandering through the streets telling and weaving his tales and adventures. Sometimes he passed by the corner near Jadae's shop, and the smith would stand, as she always had, entranced by the words he spoke.

Jadae rarely saw any of her former companions. She had seen Angalos once at the loading docks, heaving wine from the Elves onto a great big cart. Anuion and Jack had been absent for nearly six months, after most of the Wanaparma copies had been made. Once or twice she would see a preoccupied Arethin take a moment to listen to the old storyteller's narratives and legends.

On one particular day, one of the old man's fabrications caught her attention unlike it had any other day...except for that day she had heard of the Wanaparma. Jadae dismissed the fealing, but still listened to the tale. Perhaps this is my lot in life. To always be caught in the weavings of tales for which I should have no business in. Jadae thought, feeling foolish for being dragged into another story.

"Jadae! Hello? Middle-Earth to Jadae!" a young man snapped his fingers in front of Jadae's eyes to get her attention. Jadae turned around, mumbling a slight 'Hmm?'

"Those blades need to be sharpened before tomorrow!" The man said worriedly. That was the way the boy was. Always worried about deadlines.

"You're just like Emmy. Go into the candle business like she did. I was only going to show you how to use the sharpener, not let you boss me around in my own smithy!" Jadae complained, wanting to wring the neck of the annoying boy. The temptation soon passed, however, as she caught one last piece of the tale-teller's fable.

I'll always be right here. Listening to children's stories. And the worst part is, I'll still believe in them no matter how old I am. Jadae thought, once again distracted by the old man's story.

***
Helkahothion's final post, Part two

"You're just like Emmy. Go into the candle business like she did. I was only going to show you how to use the sharpener, not let you boss me around in my own smithy!"

Jadae did not looked please with her new help. Anuion had been listening to the storyteller for a second. It was because of him that Arethin's mother had been cured. Thanks to him, Jadae got word about the book. So when the man was done, Anuion applauded loudly and gave the man 2 gold pieces. Anuion did not bother to look back and walked into the smithy.

A boy stepped up to him and asked him if he could be of service.

"The owner please." Anuion said firmly.

"Jadae, there is a man here to see you. He does not look pleased. I told you, you should pay less attention to that man outside."

"Oh it can't be that bad, I have been working properly and because of that ANUION! What on Middle-Earth are you doing here?"

"Just visiting."

Anuion convinced Jadae to go visit Arethin and they both went out, leaving an angry assistant behind.

"Arethin has started a healing post. They say he is doing well."

"A healer? Well, that is a surprise. I would never think he would use the book." Anuion replied surprised.

As they entered Arethin's practice, they could see his little brother drooling around a woman. It was very obvious that he liked her. The girl on the other hand, was playing hard to get. Jadae and Anuion waited for Arethin to finish with his customer. As he stepped out to see who was next, he was happily surprised. He greeted Jadae in a firm hug and Anuion was not spared. They laughed for a while and Arethin's mother stepped out to see what was going on.

The three had spent the night in Arethin's house and talked about memories passed. Arethin's business was doing well. So was Jadae's. She had so many orders she had to hire help. Anuion did not talk much. What did he do. He just walked around doing what he felt like doing. Being free and independent. As he saw Arethin, happy and cheerful, he felt as if happiness was having a giant victory. Nothing would ever make this man feel sad as long as his mother was alive...

And so, few people would remember that one moment when the Wanaparma was found, and no one might want to think of life without the book. But Arethin, Jack, Angalos, Anuion, and Jadae would still remember.

[ May 15, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]