Shain sat in the lower branches of the tree. This was an unfamiliar forest, but it hid him from his curent adversaries. It was dark... unaturaly dark. Shain didn't mind it, but it reminded him of those hunting him. They stuck to the shadows as he did. In this forest, they could be anywhere, even underneath him this very moment. Shain smirked. he wasn't that careless.

Shain began to toss his dagger into the tree. Perhaps he would hed to the city at the other end of this forest. He was pretty well set in gold and could probably afford an inn's room. Oh well. Right now he was going to sit and wait until the time was right.

The Hall of Shadows... Ever been there, Ethstar...? At the end of this hallway is Taren's room. The room of dreams and nightmares. He controls this place, he controls every piece of the shade and shadow within the deep depths of this room. A mere stone building, a long hall with runes carved into the walls, and a door. To the darkness. The craft of the building seems slightly like a egyptian build, like an ancient craft of the race that wanders elsewhere. Aren't you afraid of the darkess, the night that will haunt you every step of the way...? Perhaps you don't want to go there. Don't worry, you won't have to. But perhaps the Room of Swords would interest you?Inside one of the massive trunks, a stairwell leads deep inside of the earth, the massive tree a mere door that protects the entrance to this place of Swords... As people enter the room, their eyes will catch the black swords hanging on the many walls... They may be tempted to grasp one of the leather hilts, to pull the sword down off the wall. They may want to fight. That is why we call this, the Room of the Swords... Haven't you always been entraced by fighting, and by blades? Perhaps that is where you will meet him. You can never run from him either. Not even to the Waterfall clearing. Anyone who enters this calm and quiet place feels a soothing peace. Monsters and evil things fear this place, although no one knows why. In the middle is a waterfall, where you may make a single wish. What will that wish be Ethstar? To escape? It won't work.

He will come. And you will die.
---------

Snapping awake, Ethstar nearly fell off of the tree branch he had been sleeping in. With a grunt and a growl, he flung both arms around the thick branch, holding on for dear life. He had slept up here on his stomach, all too nervous about the stranger sounds he always heard coming from the forest. He wasn't sure why he was back here, but the place seemed to hold hidden mysteries that kept on drawing him back. Kept on pulling on his mind, arousing the curiousity that was held so deep within him. With these thoughts racing through his mind, he finally let go of the branch, ready to fall. With a graceful twist as he fell through the air, he landed on the dirty floor in a kneeling crouch.

Ethstar was about 6'3, black hair with long bangs framing a handsome face. Extremely light blue eyes could be mistaken for white, but his utter beauty could be mistaken for nothing. For some reason, he was just completely and utterly gorgeous. A black cloak covered him from the neck down to the leather boots, shrouding his muscled body in folds of black cloth. A sheathed longsword was hidden under the cloak, but that was really the only thing. In Taras, Ethstar had regained a few of his powers, one of which was minor shapeshifting. He had simply shifted the wings to look like a normal back. Easy, yet extremely painful. He was slowly getting used to it though. Slowly. Sighing, and starting to walk, he decided to get out of this blasted place of shadow. He knew he would run into several trees and bushes on the way out, but at least he knew in which direction out was. Unknowing though, about 50 feet in front of him, was the sitting figure of Shain. The first thing he ran into wouldn't be a tree or bush. It would be an elf in a branch.

Shain watched as the figure walked toward him. It was not an enemy he kew of, but not known either. Well if it was human it might accept him. A couple did, such as Kain. the person was taller than he, and concealed by a claok up to his neck. that some times hinted hiding something. when the figre was roughly ten paces away, Shain dropped from the branche.

"Evening Sir. Might I ask what one such as yourself is doing in a place such as this." Shain waited for the common answer of the same question. he felt slightly foolish for not putting the cowl of his claok over his face. His gray skin and Shoulder length black hair were in full veiw, not too mention his white eyes. I hope this goes well , he thought to himself.

Blinking, Ethstar stopped dead in his tracks as the voice emitted out from somewhere in front of him. Almost instinctively, he went for the hidden longsword, his fingers firmly wrapping around the hilt. He didn't yet draw it, for he had no clue if the unseen person was friend or foe. He didn't want to give off a bad first impression, and drawing and pointing a naked blade at someone would accomplish just that. A few seconds after the voice finished speaking, Ethstar eyes narrowed in a hopeless attempt to pierce the dark. After a few seconds of the impossible task, he gave up and went ahead and answered the man. "Well met, sir." Blinking, he pondered the easy question the man had given him. At least, he assumed it was a man. The voice was certianly manly. "Well, I just have a bad habit of wandering into the wrong places." Quite true. Perhaps this wasn't a 'wrong' place, persay... but it certianly didn't have any good food or water, just layers of darkness upon more layers of blasted darkness. Slowly moving a little to the right, he felt his elbow hit the rough bark of a tree. Managing to slightly twist without tripping over an unseen threat, he put his back to the bark, and remained facing this new person. Always the cautious one, he was making sure this wasn't another bandit, and that no random allies of the man could attack his back. Ethstar had been in one encounter where a bandit had managed to get behind him, and he had gotten two neat cuts across the front of his chest to remind him of the bandit. That one had died shortly after, but he had still gotten a hit in. He should be proud, for most humans couldn't even touch Angels. Or, Fallen Angel in this particular case.

Snapping from his thoughts, he focused his gaze on the point the voice was coming from, and posed a question of his own doing. "What about you, milord? What are you doing in this blasted forest?" A slight scowl crossed the features of Ethstar face, not aimed toward the elf, but toward the forest. "It has no features that one would find anywhere near attractive." Binking, and concetrating even more, he managed to make out something, a mere shape of a human. Or an elf, or a... a... tiefling. Those were about the only three races he had met so far. He doubted it was an Celestial, why would one of those cursed beings be seen in a cursed place like this? Ah, that was right. They both had one thing in common. Cursed, blasted, bloody things. Ethstar's scowl deepened, his mood bordering on anger and calmness.

Sgain chuckled grimly. "Am no lord. You could say i am a type of elf, but of unfortunate heiratige. I myself am in this bloody foest because it is usually a place that is skirrted. In this cases, by those who hunt me." Shain paused. He sensed the person tense, ready for battle. "I will not harm you. If you want, you may draw your weapon. I have but a simple dagger, not mutch of a match for a larger weapon that you may posess." Even though, shain was gripping his dagger titely. the person was too tall for the drow and did not sound like wood elves, but one couldn't be too careful.

Ethstar gave a short nod, but his stance did not relax the slightest bit. The fact that the man could sense or see his movements only made him all that more cautious of his unseen visitor, so he remained up agaisnt the tree. His muscles were indeedtightened, ready to spring into action at any given moment. He knew it would be better to loosen up, for that would give him more freedom of movement, but he couldn't manage to relax. The blasted darkness was getting to him, and of course, since he was an Angel, it somewhat unnerved him and put him on guard. Another bloody trait of his race. Growling slightly to himself, his mood turned even more sour. Trying to shove angry thoughts out of his head, he kept on staring at the patch of darkness the voice was coming from, and spoke. "An elf? Is that how you can see me?" Still staring, Ethstar briefly searched back in his memory for all of the elf he had ever met, or ever been told of. Three, if he remembered correctly. He had Eledin and Silvan to thank for this knowledge. "Drow, Wood Elf, or Moon elf? They are the only three I am aware of, sir." The milord term was instantly dropped, Ethstar's resepecting the man's comment about it. He didn't seem to want the Fallen angel to say it, so the Fallen wouldn't say it. Milord was a term Ethstar had managed to pick up back in his service to the Celestial's, always calling his superiors, and even his fellow men that. Some had been annoyed by it, some amused, while others were highly honored by the title. In any case, it had long since been a habit, and it would take even longer to manage to break the old habit. Nearly smirking, he remembered the response he had gotten when he had first used it. Milord? A knight now, are you?

Suddenly shaking his head back and forth, Ethstar drove the forbidden memories from his brain. He needed to focus, instead of being plagued by these near moment-by-moment memories. It was time to bid those goodbye, and remove them from his heart. This was here and now, the world with Kain, Kli, Amy, Eledin, Silvan, Gregori... this was now. This was not the past, and he would not live in the past. He refused to do that. Sighing, he spoke again, feeling he had something worth mentioning. "Although, I would not be so hasty to call a dagger useless agaisnt ANY weapon. Slitting throats, hamstring, a piercing stab to the heart... larger weapons will not matter at all after that has been accomplished." A dangerous gleam seemed to light Ethstar's eyes at this, yet the pupils and colors managed not to change yet.

Yet.

Shain watched the the person. He was warry about his refference to race, as it ussually brought trouble. " I am part drow, part moon elf." That should cause a resonable amount of shock. The drow and surface elves, specially moon, did not get along. Wood elves were the ones killed on the rades though. Drow were ussualy unable to get to the moon elves. Memorys of Lolth's clerics trying to bind him assulted Shain in that moment of relapse. "To the nine hells with that demon goddess," he murmured.

"I admit that my eyesight is heightened because of this, so yes. I also agree that the dagger may be quicker, but only if thrown or used from hidding. In close qurter combate, a dagger will most likely be the loosing persons weapon." Shain eyed his dagger. Could he be quick enough to kill this newcomer if he attacke/ Shain hoped so.

Half-elf, half-drow? Ethstar let loose a blink, his cautious eyes now turning into curious ones. With a new kind of attitude, he scanned the area of darkness the voice was coming from, trying to spot the being once again. It was probably the reaction Shain didn't expect at all. A burst of childlike curiosity, and a thirst to learn all he could about this new type of being. Ethstar had only met three kinds of elf, and each had been full-bred. A wood elf, a moon elf, and a couple of dark elf's. For a moment, his mind bordered on the idea that this man was here to attack him to, but the idea was just as quickly discarded. He would have made his move already, instead of making conversation with Ethstar. "So... Your father was a elf of the wood, and your mother a Drow? Or the other way around?" His voice came out curious, instead of angered or scared. He seemed to accept Shain as a normal being, just one he knew nothing about. "And do you have both the traits of both the elves?"

The questions would manage to stop after those two, the Fallen suddenly realizing that Shain may find these questions to be too much. Ethstar didn't want the elf to think he was prying, for that wasn't the case. He had always had this curiosity, and it had gotten him into trouble many a time. Sometimes though, it just made him look like a complete and utter fool. He could remember when he had first heard the rain. He had stared at the sky with awe, watching with delighted eyes as the water fell from the heavens. Any passerby would have seen a man simply standing in sheets of rain, staring up at the sky with a look of awestruck amazement upon his face. But still, he couldn't help but wonder... Where did it come from? He knew some of the humans believed that the Celestial plane was above, something that they called the "Heavens". Ethstar himself was completely aware that the Celestial planes were not above, but perhaps there WAS something else up there. That would give an explanation for where all the torrents of water had came from. Every time it rained, his mind sprung up with new questions. He had learned to shove them aside, but the minute he had some free time to himself, he was going to study the things at a library. Learn about this wilderness, and about this Plane...

Off to the side, out of sight, a loud howl would suddenly cross the area. It sounded un-natural, almost hellish. A great roaring sound, much louder then that of any other animal he had ever heard. Almost spinning around toward the sound, but managing to keep his back to the tree, he snapped out of his thoughts. His eyes snapped over to the noise, his heart leaping up to his throat in the sudden and unexpected noise. He hated being surprised, especially when he couldn't see a blasted thing. His muscles tensing up, all curiosity of the being in front of him fled, replaced by a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What was THAT?"

Shain wondered what sort of being that he was dealling with. The person kept trying to pear toward him, yet acted as if he was unable to see. He was able to see perfectly; but then again, he was an elf of sorts. "My mother was a drow, my father a moon elf. What race might you be of?" Shain questioned. Since this man wanted to know such things, hopefuly he would return the favor.

Shain peered around as he waited for an answer. He didn't want any drow sneaking up on him while he was idley chatting with a stranger. Then he heard the howl. It was almost demonic, resembling sounds from beats he heard the drow clerics summon. Shain frowned. There couldn't be a cleric. He would have recognized it. He reached up to the branche he had been resting on and grabbed a pair of fighting knives he had salvaged from one of the drow hunting him. That drow was now dead. He fastened one to each hip on his belt.

Shain walkede forward a ways untill he was sure that the person he had been conversing with could see. "I honestly have no idea what that was." he said, answering the previous question. He slowly sheathed his normal dagger and drew his newer weapons. "And from the sound it makes, I'm not sure I want to find out."

Racking his mind frantically, Ethstar tried to figure out an answer to the question of the elf. What had he said before? Remembering his time in the forest, his excuse for his race came a little easier this time around. "Half-elf, half human. Wood elf." Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, his cheeks reddened in a slight blush. He didn't like to lie, but it had become so needed as of late. All these people asking him strange questions, prying into his life to try and figure out exactly who he was. Did something about him stir their curiousity, or was he simply a magnet for these questions. Although, he HAD been asking a multitude of questions himself. So it was to be expected that the elf would want some answers in return. Sighing, he leaned backwards a bit, putting his weight on the wooden barrier supporting his back. He felt the fabric of the cloak rub up agaisnt it ackwardly, but he didn't really care. For a moment, he was abandoning caution, and focusing all of his will on trying to see through the milky shadows. The elf could see fine, and for some reason, that was bothering the Fallen Angel.

Ethstar blinked in surprise as something occured to him. The elf could see in Darkness. Ethstar was a Celestial, and Fallen or not, he should be able to see in this blasted darkness better then any other race ever could. Not including Shades perhaps, but other then that... he could not be matched. Squinting toward the darkened shape of the elf, he heard the sound of twigs crunching underneath approaching feet. The dark figure of Shain moved forward slightly, but the elf could not be made out any clearer then he had been before. Squinting even more, Ethstar pondered this new revelation. Why couldn't he-

A spell.

The thought snapped through Ethstar's mind, and he let out a growl. Of course. He should have noticed it earlier. He had been subject to this particular spell before, in the Celestial plane. It hadn't worked near as well though, in all of the light. It was known as Surround, decreasing the vision of the target, and making night and illusion seem much darker, or real. Ethstar had simply written the fact that he could hardly see as some quirk of the Material plane, and of this particular forest. He had been here one time before, and hadn't been able to see. And that time, he hadn't been enchanted. But he had no time to ponder what happened, for the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He regonized the spell, and he recgonized the effects. A soft whisper was given, hopefully picked up by the elfs improved hearing. "Someone is here. I am enchanted by a hostile spell."

Shaian pondered the response he received from this man. He didn't have the appearence of an elf, half or not. Well, it's none of my buissness what he hides. "Someone is here. I am enchanted by a hostile spell." Shain heard the man say. Shain stopped in his advance. So this might be the reason that he was virtualy invisible to the newcomer. The fighting knives began to hum in his hands as he began to twirl them. This might be the drow. He slowly began to peer into the woods, looking for a moving shape.

"You didn't see anything that resembled an elf when you entered this flaming forest, did you?" Shain asked. He hoped it was not so. He was tired of being hunted. He peered at the man again, wondering what he realy was. "Might I get a name real quick. In case we, or you, are attacked, it might be helpfull if I could call your name for warnings. Just a thought. Mine is Shain."

Growling slightly under his breath, Ethstar tried even harder to see the elf in front of him, to no avail. With a muttered curse, he shifted his eyes to the direction he thought the howl had came from, and tried to see if he could spot anything over there. It was like throwing a pebble down a endless shaft and hoping you would hear it touch bottom. Impossible, and quite useless. Keeping his eyes in the general direction of where he thought the sound had come from, which was somewhere over to his right, he answered Shain's question with another short whisper. "Nothing. I could see okay once I entered, but I feel asleep. It must have happened then." Ethstar stared to his right for a few more moments, then turned his head toward Shain to question him. "Why? Friends of yours?" If the man had some extra fighters in this bloody place, then hopefully they would be able to help them out. Blinking, he distinctly heard the sound of something whirling, and it seemed to be coming from Shain. Blades perhaps, he wasn't sure. "I am Ethstar. Nice to meet you, Shain. May I ask if you have drawn, and are spinning, a weapon? I can't see a blasted thing clearly." Squinting toward the darkened figure of Shain, as he had done so many times before, he tried to make out any blades. For a moment, his mind bordered on the thought that it may be the elf who had put the spell on him. But the thought was soon discarded. The elf had no reason to come after Ethstar, and if he had, he would have made his move much earlier. Unless he was incredibly cocky. But then again, Ethstar did think he himself resembled a human, if only a bit taller and more in shape then most of the beings. Maybe the elf had thought he was a human, and was now going to rob him or something? Considering this option for a moment, it was discarded yet again. The elf had been friendly enough.

With a ear-splitting howl, the sound came again, much closer this time. Another howl joined in with the roaring noise, and now distinct laughter could be heard, coming from the same direction. Ethstar snapped his head toward the noise, and simply stared in that direction. He straightened his back, not using the tree to support his weight anymore. He faintly remembered he had wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his blade earlier, and with a quick mental check, he realized the fingers were still tight on the object. He had nearly forgotten that he had grip on the blade, for he had grown somewhat comfortable in the defensive position. Oh well. With a loud shing, the long sword was brought out into plain sight, the metal un-marked and the hilt a leather-wrapped piece of metal. Holding it lightly in his right hand, he let the tip of the blade dip down until it was close to touching the ground. His stance seemed strangely unguarded, but that was all part of the trick. Quietly he waited, ready for anything to pounce at him, simply listening to the oncoming howls and the laughter.

The man in front of him was odviously frusterated. Shain would be too if he was unable to see. He was once again peering into the forest. He did not like this dark at all. Even though his sight was midly enhanced, he could not see mugh beyond thirty paces. "Friends?" Shain answered. "Hardly. They are drow, and they hunt me. It might have been they who have caused you this inconvenience, but i doubt it. I don't beleive they know such spells." Too bad they weren't friends. He himself could use a couple mor of those.

"Glad to know your name Ethstar." Shain rolled the name around on his tongue. It didn't sound elvish. But, then again, he didn't know much about wood elves. "Yes, I have have my blades out. They are two; fighting knives as a matter of fact. I happen to favor the shorter weapons. Quicker a lot of the time." Shain watched as Ethstar squinted through the darkness. "Would it make you more comforta..." He was cut off as the howl came back, two this time, and closer. The blades whirled faster. There was laffter this time. "Nine Hells, what is that?!"

Wincing slightly, Ethstar kept gazing out into the darkness, still trying to spot whatever it was. His mind was racing through all of the magical creatures he knew, and had learned about in his magic studies. It certainly wasn't a dragon, thank the God's, or they would both be dead right now. A dragon was something that Ethstar was fairly sure no single warrior, or two warriors for that matter, could handle without having some added assistance by Fate or Luck. And the way Ethstar's Luck had been drifting away these days, it was a pretty safe bet to say that any assistance from that particular fiend wouldn't be any HELPFUL assistance. Muttering under his breath the same curse he had uttered so many times before, he slowly lifted a hand from his cloak, and brought it to rest right on his eyes. Perhaps his minor healing magics would help the vision clear up, even if just a tiny bit. Anything that would help him see beyond the tip of his nose would be helpful right now. Concentrating, and with a slight flourish of the fingers, a slight blue glow started to appear around his face. He could feel the magics flowing through him, but they were having no effect on his vision. Sighing slightly, he removed the hand from his face, and the blue glow faded from existence. His healing powers obviously were limited to minor, physical wounds. Not magical ailments such as this.

Suddenly, the roaring stopped. Blinking, Ethstar stared out into the darkness. Were they gone? The insane-like laughter had stopped as well, and the only thing that was really left was utter silence. His whole body on guard, he did not relax the slightest bit. In his old profession, silence meant death. Silence was the one thing that put most back to comfort, yet for Ethstar, it was the moment when he thought someone was readying for a kill. It was the rule he had used himself, back when he had worked for the Legion. Let them think that they were safe. It made slitting their throats all that much easier. Death came in silence.

And so it began. Ethstar distinctly heard the crunch of twigs underneath feet, and with a great roar, a dark shape took flight toward him. Another leapt from the darkness, a dog-like creature with snapping teeth and slashing claws. Ethstar could barely make out the shape though, and only the sound of the roar coming closer, and the slight shift in the darkness hinted him off to an attack. He couldn't make his own attack, he had no clue where to aim. But he had an idea on where to dodge. The current position of Ethstar was the Angel facing Shain, the Fallen's back against the tree. The dog had come leaping in from the right, aiming at Ethstar's side. With a graceful shift, Ethstar slid to the left, keeping his back to the trunk of the tree. With this, he would slide around to the back of the trunk, formerly being on the left. The dog would hurtle past him, and powerful claws would slash against the tree bark, putting some nice sized slashes were Ethstar had once been.

Shain's knives whirled away in the dark. Normaly he was the stalker. He didn't like the tables being turned. He continued to peer through the trees hopping to catch some flash of a shape, something to tell him what was out there. Then, quite suddenly, all soind stopped. He halted his whirling; knives stood erect, poised and ready for action. Yet he could see nothing. Thhe calm was eiry. The calm before the storm he thought, smiling grimly. He had always hated that frase. The darckness and silence pressed in on him, until . . . thetre. he thought he saw the faintest movement, the faintest shape. Like the shadow of a shodow. Then he heard the roar. Whipping around he was able to drop the knife in his left hand, grab his dagger, and with a flick it was flying toward a monsterous, doglike beast. he hered it hit faintly with a small thump. Great help that would do. As he reached down to snatch up his knife, he noticed the second shape hurtling through the trees. Comming strait for him.

In a single instant, Shain felt an aura build inside of him. He didn't know if it was brought by fear or not, but summoning its power, Shain released a new spell. Suddenly he was cloaked in darkness. He blend in with the shadows of th forest perfectly. Quickly side stepping the dog, he lept over it to grab a low hanging branche. He watched as the dogs began to stalk toward Esthstar. Two of these was not fair against one man. Plus whatever else was out there. Shain had not forgotten the laughter. Quickly, yet silently, he made his way through the branches until he over Ethstars head. There he crouched and waited.

It didn't take long for the dogs to cicle the tree. They gave it a wide berth, comming out about twenty paces on either side. Then they lunged toward it again. Hoping that Ethstar wouldn't choose the same target, Shain lept out toward the one he had set his dagger in. Knives flashing, he slashed at its shoulders, but jumped back quickly as its head came around, jaws snapping not three inches from his face. "Look out for the other one!" he called out, hoping that the man had enough warning. He would need it.

Ethstar wasn't paying much attention to the elf, he was instead making a mental string of curses and causes of death agaisnt the creatures. If they were the main cause of the spell that had been cast on his mind, he was going to rip their hide from their mutated bodies. First thing though, he had to figure out how to break this stupid spell. Which probably had something to do with killing the dogs, so he was pretty much screwed either way. Blinking, he concentrated. He could hear the beasts and Shain moving around, but he couldn't really tell which thing was which thing. After moving around so much, he didn't have a mental label for each one anymore. All he knew was that there were three moving black blobs, and two wanted to kill him. Pressing his back tightly against the tree trunk, he drew his blade quickly. He could hear all three sounds coming closer, and that made him slightly uncomfortable. Setting his feet firm, and holding his blade straight up in front of him, he waited for anything to happen. The move was made so he would have a weapon between him and whoever tried to attack him. After the beasts and Shain had gotten so mixed together in Ethstar's head, he had given up hope of making any good, solid blows on one of the monsters. He would have to fight defensively, although that was his fighting style most of the time. Hesistant to draw his blade, and even more hesitant to be the first one to attack. This state of mind would be better though, any attacks against one of the moving black blobs would be really stupid. With his luck, he would kill Shain, then get killed himself. That was a good ending to the game the Gods have been playing on him.

With a shout, one of the blobs moved to attack, Ethstar picking up the slight movement coming from above his head. Ethstar was having to concentrate really hard, to make out the dark blobs agaisnt the dark shadows. It was amazing he could at the moment. Since it was a shout and not a snarl, Ethstar assumed it was Shain going for one of the dogs. So that left the other dog. Proving Ethstar right, the blob completed his path, attacking something that was all too close to Ethstar. A snarl issued, proving yet again that one of the dogs was in that general direction. So where was the other?

A snarl erupted from somewhere to the side, and the beast revealed his location. A snap was heard as the beast took flight, destroying some unlucky twigs in the proccess. With a panicked yelp, Ethstar twisted at the waist, getting his upright sword in the direction he thought the snarl was coming from. Suddenly, he felt something slam against his body and the upright sword. With a grunt, he put all his strength into using the blade to keep the beast away from him. He felt the weight of the beast pressing agaisnt the blade, and he felt... blood. With another shout, he realized the thing had managed to get some claws into his right shoulder. Still keeping a two handed grip on the sword, he pushed with all of his strength. He pushed out until his arms were completely straightened, and just in time too. He felt the gush of air as claws slashed through the air again, the animal now on two legs, and only held up by propping his weight agaisnt the blade. Why wasn't it hurting the creature? The edge of the blade had to be imbedded in it...

Sahin could barely pay attantion to Ethstar, only enough to know that he had countered the other beast. He had a problem of his own. The dog couldn't see him, thanks to his spell. But it could obviously smell him, and caused a bit of trouble on Shain's part. Circling the dog, he watched for an opening to the nose. He wanted to disable the dog, and quickly, so that killing it might be easier. His blades were on defence, waiting for a lunge. The dog was facing his general direction, nose twitching, searching for the scent. He took a chance and glanced at Ethstar agaon. He was supporting himself with a blade that was solidly stuck in the other beat's shoulder. From the look of things, that was all that was holding him up. There was a sudden snarl to his left. Shain turned, and rolled just in time to slip underneath the liunging canine. While it was sailing overhead, Shain thrust upward with his kinves, feeling them penetrait the dogs lower chest. With a jerk, his right one left his hand, thuroughly emede in its lower ribcage. Jumping up and twisting, Shain faced the dog again. It had already recovered. Shain just about gaped at it. His dagger was embedded right in its waist and his fighting knife not two inches from its stomach. This thing was a berserker. "Damn you". Shain growled. He had one weapon left. The dog charged again, and Shain had one more trick up his sleeve. Thrusting his remaining knife in front of him, he calledon his power again. The knife burst into flame, or so it seemed to any onlookers. It was now sheathed in fairy fyre, a blueish. heatles illusion. And apparently the monster didn't like fire. It skidded and jumped back, snarling at the weapon. Shain snarrled right back. The blade began to twirl. Shain kept his eye on the dog. It was focused on the spinning blade. Faster and faster it spn, until it wa nothing but a ring of fire in front of him. Suddenly he threw it upward. The dogs eyes followed it, giving Shain time to rush foward. Sliding to the groun he rolled under neath it, grabbed his other knife, and with a jerk pulled it free. leaping away when it snarled, he felt claw rake his back, ripping flesh as he grabed his dagger from its waist.

Shain was in trouble. That wound was serious, but he couldn't pay any attention to it. Calling on the power again, the weapons birst with fairy fyre. His cloak of Darkness dissapated into nothing. He was running out of time. Throwing his dagger at the one that was locked up with Ethstar, he lunged at the dog, kinfe amed right between the eyes. it was surprise that saved him. the knife slid home, the dog dropped to the ground. Shain dropped to his knees. Nine Hells, his back was a furnace of agony. He turned to see Ethstar, hoping that he still lived. Shain couldn't do that again.

The dog was slashing forward with his claws, trying with all his might to get to Ethstar and rake his face to ribbons. Ethstar on the other hand, wanted the exact opposite. His eyes wide, and his muscles straining, he was managing to keep the dog at bay, his back pinned against a tree. In the back of his mind, he noted the sounds of battle coming from somewhere ahead... and then the sound of a body falling, and then another. Snarling, he realized that Shain and the other dog were out of the game now, or so he hoped. For all he knew, both could have just fallen and gotten back to their feet. It didn't matter who saw him now though, for if he didn't do something quickly, he was going to die. The dog was much stronger then any normal beast should be, and it was taking all of Ethstar's strength just to keep the blade in position. And his shoulder was slowly, yet steadily bleeding, burning like hellfire. For a brief second, Ethstar's mind searched for a way out. He really didn't want to have to use his full speed and use his strength in an obvious way, for he feared it would make the elf suspicious. But it was dark. Hopefully he could pull it off.

In a eyeblink, his eyes changed. The pupils dilated themselves to pinpricks, while the color thinned to a small ring around the dot of a pupil. The intense gaze drilled into the darkness, yet Ethstar could see nothing. But he was in his mind of battle now, and sight didn't really matter. Not with the opponent so close to him. The dog continued to press, inch by inch forcing Ethstar's blade back farther. Now Ethstar could feel the hot breath of the dog, and feel the wind from the slashes brush his face. The hot breath. Perfect. It smelled completely and utterly wretched, and it was something like a burst of wind. The Angel would have to get lucky, but it would end this battle quickly.

In a blur of speed, Ethstar removed one hand from his hilt, pulling it back for a punch. Sensing the change in resistance, the animal made yet another push, only seconds away from conquering the blade that was only being supported with one arm. But seconds were all Ethstar would need. Putting every ounce of his remaining arm strength into a single blow, he slammed his fist at what he thought was directly below the blasts of dog breath. With a loud crunch, he felt his hand connect with fur and flesh. The animal let out a loud gurgle, confirming where Ethstar had landed the blow. He had crushed the windpipe of beast, completely cutting off air, and causing an extreme amount of pain. The animal would be sent staggering backwards on his hind legs, the pure force of the punch getting his weight off of Ethstar. After a mere second of the staggering, the creature would crash to the ground, finally dead. With a great sigh, Ethstar would drop to his knees in relief. His blade was in his right hand, while his left was checking on the wound on his shoulder.

And suddenly, the laughter began. Again.

Shain watched as Ethstar crushed the giant dog's neck. Ethstar didn't look like he was hurt too badly. just a shoulder wound. Not like the raging inferno on Shain's back. Attempting to stand, Shain got halfway before collapsing on the ground. He could barley feel his legs, much less try to move them. Grabbing the knife he ha used as a distraction, He drug himself over to the bady of his opponent. Gripping the dagger, he heasrd a low whine emit from the body. Shain's white eyes widened in amazment. It still wasn't dead. He admired it for its endurence. But too much. Taking the knife, he slit its throat, killing finaly. Ripping its brother frm the skull, Shain dragged himself over to the nearest tree. Stabbing a blade in it, he slowly pulled himself up. He trepeated the process until he was propped upright against the tree. He turned his head to see Ethstar examining his wounded shoulder. Shain remembered the the act the he had done to his eyes. It looked like healing. Mabye he could help Shain with his back. Then the laughter started. Whipping his head around to the sound of footfalls, he watched a figure approached from the trees. "Well done." it said. It sounded like a she, but Shain couldn't tell for shure. Shain's adrenaline was pumping again. Ignoring the pain in his back, he stood upright and readeid his blades as best he could. "Did you set those great, drooling beasts on us? If you did, it realy ruined my day you jerk." He watched as the figure laughed heartily at that. "Rest before you hurt yourself." was the reply. "How about you give me your name, why your here, and why I shouldn't kill you on the spot, right now." In less than a heart beat, the figure shoved a fist into Shain's gut, kocking the little breath he had out of him. Grunting Shain went back to his knees. "Likewise" he heard. Looking up he growled " To the Nine Hells with you." and spaty ion the figures face. A slap sent him sprawling to the ground.

Looking up, Shain watched as the figure apraoched Ethstar. Shain's hand tightened on his dagger, launching it at their back.

As the figure walked toward Ethstar, the Fallen Angel himself was in much worse shape then he looked. The cut to his shoulder was starting to burn horribly, for some reason, and his strength was nearly gone. It had taken alot of it to hold the dog at bay, and it was something he really did not want to have to do again. All of his muscles aching, he managed to send some healing magic through the hand that was on the shoulder. The wound started to scab over, which would thankfully stop the bleeding. It was still burning though, and that arm was even more weak then the rest of his body. He slowly stood to his feet as the man drew closer, and leaned against the tree for some support. Would they have to fight this man now, in the bad condition they were in? It would not turn out well at all.

And the dagger struck true. With a roar of pain and surprise, the man spun around, and then seemed to realize what had happened. With a growl of anger, he reached a hand to his back where the dagger had stuck, and ripped it loose without batting an eye. Blood dripped from the edge of the steel, but the man didn't seem to care. Holding it tightly in his left hand, he shouted a curse at Shain, then turned to regard Ethstar, obviously trying to keep his temper in check. All Ethstar could make out was a shadowy figure, which he assumed was the laughing one. He could see the other blob, struggling around weakly. Mental notes went to each one, Ethstar once again marking the dark blobs and giving them names and labels.

The shadowed man let out a rough laugh, which was forced and strained. Being hit by Shain had made him quite angry, but he was doing a good job in trying his best to hide the emotion. "So. You seem to be the one in better shape. Even though I blinded you." Ethstar stared at the dark blob for a moment, and then spoke. His eyes were still as deadly as ever, boring into the man with frightening intensity. "Yeah, I have to thank you for that. Since you are the dogs owner, you must be a helluva lot uglier then them." He really had no clue what the dogs looked like, but he let loose the rough taunt anyway. In this mood, his eyes proving the attitude, he was quite... interesting.

Shain eys widened in surprise as his kinfe struck home. the man, he guessed that was what it was, barely flinched at it in Shain's oppinion. Ethstar was propping himself on a tree, attempting to face the man. So far heseemed to be in bettwer shape than Shain, though he showed more signs of fatigue than he. Shain began to stand upright, using his anger as strength. he was in no condition to even attempt another fight, but he wasn't going to take it lying down Reaching an upright position, he began to flit through memoreis for stength. it was an odd trick he knew, searching for past emotions to help with current situations. And it almost always worked. For some reason, this time he setled on a n image of an arena. It was where he had been sparring with a man known as kain Dunnarow. The drow had treid to attack him there, as they had here. He remembered hereing the words of his mother's death, a former drow preistess by the name of Segene Shlaylornd. he felt the heat of tears in his eyes. He was getting strength from this, but how he did not know. It was enough however. Slowly, his dagger and remainig fighting knife began to spin. Fasdter and faster they rotated, until they reached an almost inaudible hum. He snapped his eyes open. her felt know pain, only hate, and for some reason sorrow. Looking at Ethstar and the man, he saw that the opposing person seemed to have his attention on Ethstar.

Seemed.

Drawing on his remaining energy, he once again attempted to cast the Cloak of Darkness. It failed. He would have to do without. Shain began to stalk silently toward the pair. he had stopped his blades so that he would not warn of his approach. Shain knew that if he engaged, the battle must end quickly. he was still aware of his condition, though he felt nothing. His burst of energy would not hold out in a long fight. He looked toward ethstar hoping the man could see him. If Ethstar was able to somehow rejouvinate himself quickly,... Well, a two against one may not seem fair to some, but to Shain, it seemed like he and Ethstar may have the lower hand. Within mere seconds a plan fomed in his head. He would try to drow the mans attention by attacking. That should give Ethstar enough time to do what he must. With these thoughts, Shain came within three paces of the intruder. growling slightly, he commented, "I never got a name." With that, his blades went whirling toward the man.

Ethstar himself did not notice the dark elf moving, he was too focused on the man in front of him. At Ethstar's words, the being had grown silent, obviously trying to control his anger. It wasn't working very well. Ethstar could easily hear the deep breaths of anger, and sense the rage thrown at him by the mysterious being. Now not hesitating to continue on with his words, he spoke. "So. Who are you again? I don't believe..." The man growled, and interrupted him hurriedly. "That is none of your concern. Who are YOU? Speak now, or I will dispose of you and your friend." Ethstar silently stared at the man for a moment as the person stated his question, then he smiled. A cocky smile, one that would likely get him into trouble. "Ethstar." The man nodded, and spoke with a voice that sounded oddly triumphant. "Ah. Good boy. See, you could take an example from him..."

“Worm.”

The man somehow knew Shain was coming. It was good, and it was pulled off perfectly. Spinning around in a blur, the man swept up both of his hands, which had previously been hidden by the folds of darkness. The action would be taken about halfway through Shain's proclamation, the spin bringing the stranger around to face Sekuda at about the time the blades came. A metallic ringing sound echoed across the forest as each fist went to one blade, basically punching each one upwards with rapid fast deflections. Gauntlets, or something of the sort. Quite the interesting weapon, but Ethstar was not waiting to see how good the stranger was with the items.

In a burst of movement, he was attacking. His left leg snapped out to snap kick the man in behind his knee, catching the stranger off guard and sending him staggering. The knee would basically fold underneath the man, pain shooting up the leg and causing him to stumble for at least a few seconds. No, Ethstar was not strong enough to get in an effective punch, or at least he didn't think he was. But his legs were still fresh, hardly any of the muscles in that area having been used. With a shout, Ethstar would direct his one word toward Shain, hoping the dark elf could pull something off in their few precious seconds. “NOW!”

Shain never lost concentratin for a second. He couldn't afford to wit hhas false sense of energy. He hardly flinched at all as his blades were deflected by some sort of weapon the man had around his hands. Those hands began to continue toward his face, until Ethstar launched the kick. As the man stumbled forward Shain drove his knife and dagger into his opponent's shoulders, satisfied with the crunch of bone meeting blade. Dropping to the ground, he kicked the man's legs from underneath him. He dropped to his knees. He could no longer move his arms with Shains weapons embed in them. Shain had probably severed a vital artery, as blood was quickly leaving the wounds. As the man tried to keep himself upright and fight the screams of pain in his thraot, Shain grabbed him and repeated his question. "Name!" he growled not an inch from the man's face.

That was when his strength ran out. Pain arched through his back like the tortures of the nine hells themself. Screaming in agony, he arched his back and fell to the groun, writhing in pain. Slowly, oh so slowly, it faded. gasping, shain tried to stand up again. He stopped as he felt the fires start up again. "Can you help with this Ethstar? After you secure him?" he asked through gritted teath.

Ethstar let loose a sigh as the man staggered on his feet, obviously quite wounded by whatever Shain had managed to do. their attacker was wobbling like a drunkard, obviously in no more shape to do any kind of fighting. Ethstar quietly leaned up, until his chest was pressing up against the back of the man. Seemingly unconsciously, the man automatically let his weight be supported by Ethstar's body, sagging back against him. The Fallen angel's smirk grew quite large, his lips curving into the creepy expression. Leaning his head over the guy's left shoulder, and turning his head a bit so his lips were angled toward the attacker's ear, he whispered a few deadly words.

"Rest in peace."

With a flash of speed, Ethstar's longsword would suddenly swoop up the side of the man, to be held high in the air above his head. With Ethstar’s eyes gleaming sadistically, the sword was brought down like the axe of an executioner. Perhaps Shain would see the wicked gleam in his eyes, perhaps he would see the blade brought down to bury in the skull of their attacker. Whatever he would see, in the end one thing would be clear.

The slack and dead body of the unlucky man would slump down to his knees, then fall face forward onto Shain's own limp body. Ethstar's shadowed and cloaked form was standing tall, intense eyes gleaming down at the two men. Blood dripped from a limp longsword, while blood poured from the cut in the attacker's head. The spell was lifted from his eyes at the casters death, and now he could see finally see. He reveled in his regained vision, now able to make out a few features of each man. Slowly, the cold and intimidating gaze of the fallen angel would be pulled to Shain, regarding how he was reacting to this twist in events. The analyzing look would not last very long however.

The cold gaze would be felt for a few more moments before it morphed into the calm, gentle gaze of before. The pupils and color would return to normal, and Ethstar would slowly walk around to come up on the side of Shain. Not pausing, nor speaking, he would slowly lean down to regard the dark elf. He could see the pain racking the elf’s face, but he could not get to the drow’s back with him in his current position. “Turn over, I will see what I can do.”

Shain watched as Ethstar hacked onto the mans head. Pity. Shain wanted to konw who the heck he had been. The corpse fell onto Shain, spewing blood into his face. Spitting, Shain grimaced. Not the best taste in the world, though he had had worse. Hearing Ethstar's response to his question, Shain rolled onto his stomach. That in itself jared the wound and wracked his body with pain. Groaning slightly, Shain ran ahand over the wound. It was jagged, the claws of the beast had gone deep. Shain even thought that he felt the ends of bone.

"Does it look bad at all? Can you do anything?" he asked the man. He did not want to lose the use of his legs. From attempts to stand earlier, that might happen if it was left untended. Shain thought how he would live through that. He would definatly be out of a jog; for good. How could an assassin work without legs? He would also be a sitting log for the drow hunting him. He hoped that Ethstar would be able to help.

Ethstar silently studied the wound, his eyes widening at the sight of how deep it was. Obviously the beings on this plane were much stronger then Ethstar had expected. Although the man had claimed himself to be one of the elvish kind, so he might be a little stronger then the normal humans. Dropping his hands down to the man's back, he let his fingers run over the edges of the wounds. He couldn't do much, but he would do as much as he could manage. "I can do two things." Spreading his fingers out slowly, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his magic. Pulling the mystical power out from the depths of his being, he put as much healing magic into the wounds as he could manage. Scabs formed over the edges of the wounds, and the bleeding began to slow ever-so-slightly. The wounds wouldn't close up completely, for his magic was not that much to behold. The pain would not lessen either, but he was hoping his small amount of power would buy himself some time. For he had other motives as well.

Not even bothering to stand, his voice came out in a whisper. "Forgive me." With a quick motion, he lifted his hand, and brought it down with a sharp snapping motion. With just enough strength to effect the elf, he smashed the edge of his flattened hand into the back of the neck. The blow would be right in the poin required to knock people out, hopefully sending the helpless elf into dreamland. Even with the power Ethstar had put into him, the being wouldn't have it any easier to move then he had before. Ethstar was hoping to take the man to the nearest town, where they could get a better healer. He wanted to put the elf out of his pain, and it would also make the man easier to carry. If Ethstar could do his healing magic every so often, and keep the wounds well treated... he might just could make it.

But from what he could see, that was the only hope.

Shain felt Ethstar examining the wound. From the small noises he kept making, it wasn't too good. As ethstar mentioned two things, he felt the very begginigs of the wound begin top heal. So that was the first. What was the second? Shain heard Ethstar whisper some sort of appology. "Oh nine helss." he maoned as the hand cracked him uncounsious. He drifted toward dreams. Lolth was in the distance of a shrouded feild. "Damn." he graoned.