Dryad's Night beginning...

She hadn't thought of their friendship in the way that he mentioned, as since their last meeting she had kept her eye upon him, sensing a great potential within him. She hoped that soon she might be able to extend an offer to him, she was just waiting to see if the timing would all be right.

He took a real interest in her and the element, both which she was pleased to see. Not just another glory hunter as many had become these days. She took a moment to think of how things had been since she had last seen him and how it had all turned out for herself before she answered his question.

"It is good to hear that you have thougth of me while I have been absent, it brings a warm feeling, one that comforts me." She turned her head up, her eyes looking across the dark sky, taking in the night as if it were one that she may never get to see again. Her small mouth twisted as she thougth more on how to answer him, remembering the few things that had concerned her.

"As for how I have been..." She sighed, wishing that every night could be like this, with so little worry. "I have been well, worried but well." She let another smile spread over her face, her dark eyes turning to him as she finished. "There are a great force that I fear is all, I have sensed it for a while now, but I cannot find the source." She tried to sound positive about the situation, but it worried her, even here, miles away from the temple of air.

Ahren wondered what this force could be. How powerful must it be if a goddess worries about it? He looked around at the night, seeing it in a new light. The dark could be cool and comforting, but it could also be dangerous, hiding foes that would strike when you least expect it. He wondered about the sanity of his decision, but he loved this land, he couldn't stand by and let something happen to it.

"If you need any help in dealing with the force, please, allow me to help you. I am not sure how I could help, but I will gladly use my bow to help you." Ahren turned and looked her in the face when he said this, making sure she knew that he was dead serious about his offer.

Ahren looked up into the night sky, watching the stars as they continued to shine. He thought about the things that had happened to bring him to this spot. It seemed strange that a random assortement of events could turn out to be all interconnected in some way. "Will you accept the help that I have to offer?"

Knowing that it was best to accept his offer she nodded, her lips gently pursed as she sighed long and heavy. Her eyes taking on now a look of deep concern. "I do accept Ahren. You're strength, no matter how great will surely be a special aid to the defeat of this great force, but your faith in the element will be what helps the most."

Leaning back, she rested her hand back into the grass laying her head back lazily as she did so. "I worry that I will need great help in the next few weeks if not months. Just coming back, it will require much of my strength and powers to keep control of all that I have power over." Her eyes had been kept upon him, telling her of her feared secrets.

"This great force threatens Imythess and I fear especially me, for it will come for the winds." She now let her eyes look up toward the sky. "It comes to harness the powers of the winds and to steal it away for it's own powers. This of course cannot happen. Without the winds here in Imythess, there is no telling what tragic events may occur." Her usual brightness seemed to be overcast as she spoke to Ahren.

"Is there anyway that I can help you regain your strength?" This announcement had caused Ahren to worry. If Ciara didn't have her strength, how could she fight the force that was coming to take the wind. Without the wind, any life would be difficult, there would be fewer sailors, and the birds could not fly. The loss of the wind could affect every life in Imythess, and Ahren could not allow that. He loved the wind that had become his friend, without it, he would probably go mad. Ahren reflected on these things while he continued to speak to Ciara.

"Do you have anything that you can tell me about this foe, anything that might help in the sttuggle to come? This sounds like it will be extremely difficult, and you will need the help of more than just myself." Ahren wasn't sure hoe he could help her more than what he had just offered, but he hoped that he could find a way. He would fight as long as he could still draw breath, and would not stop until this foe was destroyed.

Ahren then thought of something that might help, it was a chance, and it would depend solely upon Ciara agreeing, but it could aid them all. "Would I be able to help you regain your strength if I were one of your chasen, if so, please allow me to be one. I would aid you in any way that I can, for my love of the wind is just as great as yours. Please, give me the ability to help you to my fullest."

Shaking her head, Ciara looked to Ahren hoping for some sort of forgiveness for what she was to say. Feeling terrible that she had nothing more of the force to describe to him. "I'm afraid that I do not yet hold the knowledge needed to defeat such a foe. It has not been reveal to me upon the winds or the weather." She frowned, knowing that it may one have him worry more. The dryad hoped to calm him as she didn't need him to worry at a time like this, she only needed his faith and strength.

Taking a long glance at him, she looked to the stars, the brilliant night sailing high above them, feeling the gentle winds as they blew through her hair, searching for the answer to his last question. She had done as she said and kept an eye upon him while he journeyed through the lands and he had surprised her on more than one occassion. She had also hoped that he would still be interested in becoming one of her chosen. Finally, a faint but steady smile appeared, lifting her cheeks as the moon provided the light and shadows to cheerfully accent the expression.

Her dark eyes opened and turned to Ahren, but not before she bowed her head and muttered a soft word in an ancient language, quietly thanking the winds to aiding her decision. "I do wish for you to become one of my chosen Ahren. You have proven yourself time and time again and I would be honored if it was you that stood along side me in my times of need. Are you sure that you are up to this task?"

Pushing herself up from the ground, Ciara stood, still looking up from her small stature, but confidently standing before him.

Ahren looked into Ciara's eyes, wanting to make sure that she knew just how serious he was about his decision. "Yes, I am more sure about my decision now than I have been about several other choices I have made. My whole life, I have dedicated myself to the air. Over the past few weeks, several things have helped me become even closer, and I understand the air better than I ever did before. You are the goddess that I wish to serve and dedicate my life to helping." Ahren knelt in front of Ciara, showing his respect as he would have to a king or queen.

Ahren was glad that she had accepted him as one of her chosen, it marked a great milestone in his life. He looked up at her, smiling at her to show his happiness. "You may not know what this new foe is, and he may be stronger than either of us, but you will not have to face him alone. I will be there to help you, and protect you to the best of my abilities." Ahren stead up in one fluid motion, enjoying the night as though there was no tomorrow. "What is your first command my Goddess?"

Even with such serious matters at hand, she could not help but to let out a soft giggle at the thought of commanding another being of Imythess. Shaking her head she only reached for his hand, slightly hesitating and she did her best not to poison him. Without words, she rolled up his sleeve, rolling his hand in hers so that his palm faced upward toward the moon and sky.

It was then that she called upon the element. The winds blew from all directions, circling about Ahren and the goddess, strong, but gentle upon their paths. The night sky quickly became clouded as the soft roll of thunder rumbled in the distance beyond them. Meeting Ahren's eyes, she nodded her head and laid the palm of her free hand atop his wrist. A bright, almost white light shown through her fingers and out the sides, a knee high lavender mist filled the immediate vicinity as Ciara spoke out clearly.

"Amin , Ciara Aoife, andatehta Ahren Elessedil. Ro naa en' i' drii ent ta naa ro Amin dethol. Amin yewl nae ho sii', amin suor."

When she finished her blessing, the clouds quickly dissipated and the mists were gone. The light dimmed slowly as the winds went their separate ways, leaving only Ciara and Ahren in their places. It was then the goddess lifted her hand away, revealing a small marking upon his inner wrist.

Placing her own hands to her sides, she wondered what he would say of if he would ask. Or if, in fact, he already knew that she had just marked him as her chosen for all to know and see.

"I welcome you now Ahren Elessedil, as a Sentinel of Air."

Bowing her head toward him in a sign of respect and shook her head once it had risen again. She knew that the force that waited for them would not stop, but knowing little more information than what she had told him already, she could not do anything more than wait and watch the winds for any stir of trouble.

"I have nothing to ask of you at this time, other to enjoy the evening upon us. It will be morning soon enough and time again to begin work on the troubles that loom ahead."

The dryad hoped that he would understand as it was not that she did not care, but only wanted to enjoy the lands of Imythess for as long as she could.

Ahren bowed one last time, unable to express the gratitude that he felt. It was overwelming, one of his dreams had run it's course, and was expanding beyond what he had thought would happen. "Thank you Ciara, I can't tell you how glad I am that you have accepted me as your chosen. I will always be here if you need any help, allow me to aid you in any way that I can." Ahren looked up to the beautiful night sky, knowing that he would alway sremember the scene before him. The sky was clear and the stars shone down upon them, and the night air blew cool and clean across the plains. It was a sight that was rarely seen throughout the world. It would be a memory that Ahren knew he would treasure for the rest of his long life.

Ahren picked up his few possessions, not knowing where the next path of his journey would take him, but he was willing to find out. If this evil turned up soon, then he might not live for much longer, but he would gladly die defending Imythess, the land that he had come to love. "If you ever need me, just call for me, and I will arrive as soon as I can. The winds should help you find me if you need to. I will arrive at your temple soon, I just have a few things that I need to take care of first." Ahren spread his wings to their full extent, letting the cool night air run over the feathers. He pumped his wings, and gently lifted off the ground, hovering for a few more seconds as he readied to fly off. "It is an honor to have met you Ciara, I will do everything in my power to help you as you face this evil." Ahren then turned, and flew off into the night sky, already knowing where he needed to go next.