Search For The Book

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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 ]