No matter how hard she tried; Gyora couldn't focus on her studies. This was her final year as an apprentice for conjuration magic, and she needed to keep all of her attentions on the current problem. Unfortunately, her mind kept sliding back to the book she purchased several days ago; a book on faerie legends, with a spell involving faerie dust on the top of her mind. Xaore, her master, came over to her side noticing the distant look on her round face. "Young one, what is more important than knowing how to conjure up a fire elemental to you?" he asked. "Oh, sorry sir. I didn't sleep well last night, but I will try harder to keep my attentions in order", she replied in shock. Xaore wasn't a hard master, but his rugged appearances made him look foreboding. Him standing a good few inches above six foot and her hardly an inch over five; it was easy to see why she was intimidated by him. But Xaore was a kind man who never worked his apprentices to hard and always helped with the chores and cooking- going so far as to clean the hearth out on his own one day- and, always carried a good deep laugh to go along with the pipe he always carried. After taking a long draw from his pipe Xaore dismissed his apprentices early for lunch and summoned Gyora to his study. Following the master conjurer at a good three paces behind, Gyora kept her head down; ashamed of her lack of attentions. Entering the study, Xaore shut the door behind her and held in her face the book she just bought. "I've read this already and figured this was why you were so distant today. Hmm, the part about the faerie dust grabs my attentions the most. How, pray tell, did you manage to find this book?" Xaore asked. "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I found it at a kiosk in Carrion when you gave us liberty. I swear that I will not make such purchases in the future if you don't take away everyone's liberty", she spat out ashamed faced. "Ho ho, no I'm not mad. I will not take away everyone's liberties. Instead I will punish you by making you accompany me to find this faerie dust, if it exists, and I will split our bounty with you. This is your last year so think of it as a final examination. Now, be out of here and go pack", Xaore said and with that Gyora was running down the hall to go pack for her first adventure.
The elf forests in the west were getting thicker and more dangerous as Gyora and Xaore made their ways deeper looking for the legendary faerie dust. Gyora had this unshakable feeling that eyes were all around her, but she couldn't see where she was getting that feeling. "The dark elves are watching us to see if we are a threat", Xaore broke in as if he was reading her mind. "What happens if they think we are a threat?" Gyora asked her voice trembling from exertions and fear. She had heard of dark elves, but never before had she actually seen one. Their magics and swordsmanship were renowned. If I lived for hundreds of years like elves did I would be a great wizard Gyora thought to herself. "If they think we are a threat, well it will be painless", Xaore replied in a rare moment of being serious. Gyora went back to silence after that last comment. Stopping to take in their surroundings, a flash of arrows over took them and a band of dark elves came charging out of the brush. Not one arrow hit, but Gyora knew that they had intentionally missed their mark. A dark elf came forward with a short-sword drawn, "You will come with me".
Gyora and Xaore were thrown rather forcibly into a cell after arriving in the encampment for the dark elves. They had forced their ways into the adventurers’ minds and came to the conclusion that Gyora and Xaore were threats to the elfin way of life. "What do you think will happen now master?" Gyora said trying to break the gloomy silence. Xaore didn't respond. She looked at him sideways to see what the problem was when she saw the scarlet pool on the dirt floor. "Xaore!" Gyora this time got his attention. He looked at her quizzically before he managed to figure out he was injured. "Oh, don't worry young one it is just a scratch. What will happen to us is questionable. It really depends on how they are feeling today. Elves aren't called the queer folk for no reason. As a matter of fact dark elves..." Xaore went on until Gyora fell into a deep slumber. She found herself standing in a forest of purest green. "Come to me little one. Come dance in the forests with our brethren. I know what it is you desire. I know you search for the dust that falls from our wings. Dance with us. Though the dance will be in remorse and sorrow. Come little one", a voice called to her pulling her will towards the music. A sad melody that made her want to stop and cry. Gyora tossed and turned as the dreams haunted her through the night. Xaore could only hold onto her and sing a song to her that he sang when used to rock her to sleep. He left before she reached two, and now he hadn't the heart to tell her he was her father. His only comfort was in his singing and rocking. "Come over the mountains with me. I know it's cold and dreary. Come with me my child..." Xaore fell asleep without wiping the tears from his face.
Gyora woke up in Xaore's arms wondering about the dreams she had the night before. She went to move but Xaore's weight kept her in place. He was asleep and muttering something about her mother. "How do you know my mother?" Gyora thought out loud. When she said this Xaore shot awake and backed away from Gyora quickly. He had stopped bleeding in the middle of the night, and looked pretty healthy. "We have a visitor", Xaore said. A dark elf had approached the jail without being noticed by anyone until he was a few inches from where Gyora sat. "Hello! I'm sorry that you have been kept like this. I am the leader of this camp. My name is Hal'idal Darksbane. I am still young, only 50 winters. Why are you here?" Hal'idal began. "We are adventurers looking for faerie dust", Xaore replied. "Hmm, I will help you. You don't seem to be a problem, and the faeries seem to call for your companion", Hal'idal continued, "You are free to go". With that the cell door swung open. After gathering their things and a sword as a gift to Gyora, the adventurers were back on their way. This time Gyora's dreams guided them.
Gyora, Xaore, and Hal'idal made their way through the forests towards where Gyora's dreams had been guiding her. The area was unknown to many and supplies were running thin. The emerald green leaves cast long shadows as the sun began to settle for the night. "It seems as if they do not want to be found, the faeries I mean", Hal'idal put in. Hal'idal was a moon elf leader who didn't seem to relish his position. His long silvery-white hair was pulled back and his angular features on his ebony black face could be seen. Gyora envied his beauty, being rather plump and freckled herself. His hair seemed to wave as he walked along and his step made it appear as if he floated along. Such grace humbled both the clumsy humans who seemed to trip over every root. When Gyora had just started to give up hope a faint sound could be heard amongst the trees. The adventurers stopped and looked around, trying to discern the cause. "Singing", Xaore said to no one in particular and all who were listening. Gyora hesitated then stepped out into a clearing where she was amazed by the singing and dancing of so many faeries. Their song seemed to pull at her will, and a voice beckoned for her to join them. She walked forward to join them in their merriment, ignorant to Xaore's desperate cries.
"Gyora!" Xaore screamed. Over an hour had past since her disappearance with the faeries. Hal'idal's face wore a deep scowl, as he remained silent. Xaore stopped suddenly when a silver flash crossed the meadow. Hal'idal walked over to a tree to where he had pinned a faerie against with a dagger. "The girl", he said. The faerie was crying as she tried to free herself from the elf’s dagger and gaze. "Where is the girl?" he roared. The faerie only looked up at him with eyes full of tears and fear unable to speak. Hal'idal freed his dagger from her wing and worked a healing spell over her. His point made, he knew Gyora was on her way back. "The girl, why do you want her dark elf?" the faerie finally spoke. "Why do the fairies want her?" he returned. "She came of her own free will and she will leave on her own free will", the faerie replied. "Nonsense", Xaore finally cut in, "You will return my daughter or this clearing will burn to ash". "If she was so important then why didn't you tell her sooner wizard", the faerie replied. "Then let me tell her", Xaore countered. "No", the faerie said matter-of-factly. Before she managed to draw another breath Hal’idal’s rapier pierced the tiny faerie's body; shuddering as she drew her last breathe. "Burn it", Hal'idal said with tears in his eyes, "I will not see a loved one lost in my forests". Xaore hesitated but then started his spell casting. Before he finished Gyora stepped back out. She took two steps and then collapsed, dead, the skin on her back diseased by faerie dust. "BURN IT!” Hal'idal scream. In the matter of an hour, his entire life had been erased. Never again would he walk among the trees or dance in the moonlight. No, the faeries betrayed his people and he had betrayed his own. As the clearing burnt, both Xaore and Hal'idal could hear the faeries scream, some begging for mercy, others in pain. Xaore buried Gyora in that place, telling her she had found the faerie's dust, and that she would be with her mother. Xaore went on to become and necromantic arch-mage, looking for a way to bring his daughter back. Hal'idal went on to become a sereg'wethrin, an assassin.
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