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Ocalan Forest Tales, Book III

Started by Amras Elfwine, May 09, 2008, 11:56:56 PM

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Amras Elfwine

Greetings after a long time away...it is my intention to have this old story wrapped up and finsihed an put back to bed before leaving for Scarby very early on Thursday morning. It is, in a way, a tribute to many old friends, some still here, some gone on.
This story started 6 years ago, and most of it was lost during the Great Crash of 2008, but, for those who remember, I hope this will tie things up. For those who don't remember, I beg your indulgence, and I'll be out of your way soon...

May the trees be ever protectful of all of you.
Love!
The Spirit of Ren
Amras
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

#16
The guard's leather armor was a little big for Amras, but it eventually fit with a little fae magic applied. Even the boots. The footman's axe felt especially good in his hand, and Amras seemed to grow strong from its heft.

"This way, Drumer," whispered Trill, and she and Nyteshade and Apljx lead on down the dark hall. After many turns and ups and downs and low, low places, they came to a pool of black water.
"Only way out, Drummer," said Nyteshade. "At least for big folk."
With that, Trillium, Nyteshade and Apljx flew through the next low archway, and disappeared.

More to come...
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

Strapping the axe to his back, Amras lowered himself into the water. He took a deep breath and went under. The water was cold, and felt slick, like dirty oil. He could see glittering light through the swirls, as if filtered through glass. He followed the light. After about a minute, just below what he thought to be the surface of the water, he struck a thin grating. He pushed against it, but it would not budge. Bracing himself, he heaved against it. Still no movement.
He was running out of air.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

...and then, the grating began to sparkle, and to move. Amras smiled grimly. He had seen these glitterers before.

The grating swung fully open.

Amras surfaced, and tried to keep his breath from exploding out of his mouth. The night air was cold and clear.

The freedom felt wonderful.

Amras removed his soggy leather and boots. The fae, who were waiting for him, gasped at how shrunken he appeared. Baylor's dungeon had taken its toll. Amras rung the moisture from his clothes, redonning it still damp.

"Trill, 'Shade, Apl...lets find the Queen. There is much to do."
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

"He has had our Amras long enough," the Queen said. "Its time we went in."
Bonnie, Deadbishop, Tybalt, Calith and Mr. Blastenkopf were sitting around a camp table. A small fire of dry cedar logs was burning nearby. Their mugs were half-full of a pale-colored ale.

"The pirates are ready," Deadbishop said, taking a large pull from his mug.

"As are the elves," said Calith softly. "Flidais and Huor will be here in the morning with a full legion. What we really need is a way through that wall."

Deadbishop looked at Blastenkopf. Responding to the unspoken question, Blastenkopf snarled, "Plenty o'powder ready, Cap'n, and the guns are in place. Still, found no way to get the powder to light. The blasterin' stuff just won't go off."
Powder and magic oft did not mix.
Deadbishop  sat and thought. "Keep at it, Blasty. We need a way through."

Blastenkopf growled and hurried through the darkness.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

A guard's voice sounded from the edge of the camp. "Pass, friend, and Gods be praised."

Amras limped into the light of the fire, and stood shivering next to it.

All stood, and were shocked at their old comrade's appearance.

Bonnie, hugging him, asked him, "And where have you been?"

"Enjoying the hospitality of yon castle, lass, though I fear the service there has suffered much."
Bonnie smiled. Amras was back. "And, did they throw you out for unseemly behavior, Squirrel Lord?"
"More like they ran out of good ale, so we left, Majesty."

A large draught of potion from Lord Ambrosious' magic chest caused Amras to sleep through the night. Upon arising that morning, he looked stronger, if a bit pale. The redness of his good eye was much improved.
"The eye-patch looks good my friend. You look like one of the crew." Deadbishop was up early.
Amras smiled. It was good to be with friends again...plotting mayhem...
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

At second breakfast, a counsel of war was held.

Amras, rock-steady at last, stood before them. "This, Majesty, is what my little stay behind Balor's lines has let me find out: Balor has some arcane device, empowered by one of the shards you seek. Indeed, this shard is the only one remaining. The elves quest proved the loss of the first, and the fairies found the second. No doubt even they can't remember where they put it. We have little time to deal with the third. We must. It is this device which causes the anguish we wish to remove from Glenlivet.

Suddenly, the sound of loud laughter split the air. Three balls of brilliant light cleaved the day,and with a sudden popping sound, Trillium, Nyteshade and Apljx hovered before them.

"Well, now that we're all here," the Queen smiled.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

#22
"Go on, Squirrel Lord."

"We have no choice but to go in and fight it out," Amras continued. "The device Balor is using must be rendered useless, somehow. It is what is causing all the shifts and discord and pain. There must be a way through Balor's walls."

"Blasty has been working on something for the guns. The magic here keeps the powder from lighting. We've found nay way around the problem." Tybalt seemed tired as he spoke.

Apljx squealed. "Ooooh, powder? Guns? Light? Booms? I want to see."

"Us too, us too," Trillium and Nytshade laughed as they spoke in unison.  "Show us, show us!"

The three fae, Deadbishop, Tybalt and Blasty headed for the gun pit.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

"How do our forces stand, lass?" Amras almost whispered as he spoke.
"We have the pirate crews of Deadbishop and Tybalt. Calith and Flidais lead a legion of elves, both archers and cavalry. My royal guard is here. Your old student, Huor, commands them."

Amras smiled, thinking of the serious Huor leading the Royal Guard. A force to be reckoned with.

Amras eyes seemed to light up. "And, three fairies!"
The Queen smiled back at him. "Aye, three crazy fae."

Amras looked to the tree tops. A rustling could be heard that was more than leaves in the wind. More a scampering...

"And, lass, perhaps a bit more..."
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

Trillium hovered over the cannon. Blasty was trying to explain the workings of fire arms and big guns and rates of fire and velocity vectors and...well, you get the idea.

The only words the three fae seemed to hear were "Explosions...fire works...snaps and pops...bright lights...big booms..."

When Blasty tried to demonstrate, the same thing happened that always happened. Nothing. Upon pulling the firing lanyard, the spark fizzled and went out. Time after time after time.

"Let me get this straight," said Apljx. "You put the little fire in back there, and the big, sparkly booms come out the other end?"
"That's the way its supposed to work," said Blasty.
Apljx's eyes became large, and she started to shimmer with excitement. Sparkles seemed to shoot from her.

"I have to see this!" She exclaimed, and she immediately flew into the big guns barrel. Multicolored lights started to flow from the mouth of the big gun, in a steady stream.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

Nyteshade looked at the firing lanyard.
"You say you just pull it like this?" She grabbed the loose end of the cord.

"NO!" Shouted Tybalt.

The powder in the gun exploded with a tremendous roar. Sparkling flames shot out of the barrel with the sound of giant wind chimes.

"APL!" Trillium shouted.

A bright pink and yellow light flew at them out of the trees. Apljx hovered over them, as if being fired from a ship's cannon was an everyday thing.
"Lets do that again!" She howled.

Blasty's eyes were as large as his smile. "Let's go tell the Queen that we may just have a way through that soon-to-be-blasted wall after all."
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

The next morning, early...

"You have let the Squirrel Lord escape. Guard! Take him to the well."
Balor scowled as he addressed his Sergeant of the Guard. Things had not been going well.
"Two of the three shards lost. And, that pitiful army of discards in the woods stands before me as if equal to the task.

"My lord Balor, there is a message from the wall. The outlanders in the woods wish a parlay."

"Parlay!?!" Balor spat the word. He gestured for his weapons. Donning them, he pushed through his lieutenants, and they fell in behind him as he climbed the stone steps. Upon reaching the top of the wall, he was met by a sight that he would take with him to the end...
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

Queen Bonnie stood in the middle of the massive formation, clad in her finest gold and bronze, her dragon standard fluttering behind her in the freshening breeze. More standards blazed around her, The black of the pirates', the green and brown acorn, the silver tree and multicolored flowers. Calith and his archers stood to the Queen's right, with Flidais cavalry behind, spear and sword glinting in the sun. To Bonnie's left, the pirates stood in loose formation, cutlass, pike, axe and hook at the ready.
Another group of pirate's manned a battery of three very shiny brass cannons.

"Hear me, Balor!" Bonnie's strong voice pierced the morning.

"What have you to say, woman?" Balor tried to sound bored. Perhaps some of his new-found fear was starting to sound through, though. His troops were now assembling on the wall, and quickly. Archers without end. The sound of a trebuchet being tightened could be heard from inside the wall.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

"Long have we journeyed, through your storms and evil beasts, Balor. The evil that besets us here has been traced to you and this place. Surrender the shard, and we will fold our tents and leave. Defend it, and we will leave you in your ruin."

"Turn on the shard," Balor whispered hoarsly to his deputy, who hastened down the steps.

"I say to you, Queen Bonnie, and to your pitiful and motley alliance, that you shall end in one of two ways: Either spitted upon our wrath, or enslaved to our will! What is your wish?"

Then, with a loud humming and vibration, the shard device came on. It soon reached a hideous screeching. All of Bonnie's troops felt it. Balor waited for their panic to begin. Balor looked down upon them, expecting their wailing.
To his horror, they were smiling...and holding hands...
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel

Amras Elfwine

"No, Balor, we are not running this time. The time for your fear and darkness is over.  Never again!"

"What foulness is this?" Balor thought.

"We are here together to defeat you," said Bonnie. "And, the Spirit of Ren is with us."

"FIRE," cried Balor, and the arrows of his archers flew enmasse.
"I'll show you spirits...dead ones," Balor's thoughts were only of hatred.
The arrows began to rain down upon the Queen's troops, a few of which were hit and went down.
Calith's archers immediately advanced. They returned fire. The blue sky darkened a bit from the arrow shafts blocking the sun.

"Turn up the shard. Make it stronger!" Balor hissed to his magicians below him in the courtyard.
Making arcane movements with his hands, he caused the humming sound from the shard machine to become louder.
R/F member since 2004
"They say that men who go warring afield look ever to the next hope of food and of drink." ~Tolkien

"Who are you callin' plushy??" ~ Todd the Squirrel