With Rain gone for a short time back to the city, Eve excuses herself to retire in to her quarters for some time until he returns.

While lounging, she gets a visit from Logan who appears in her room.

“So how’s it going with the family, found out anything yet?” and smiling a little she walks over to him sweeping his legs out from under him, bringing her other leg to his neck she holds him to the floor pinning him in a way that he can’t reach his weapons “Why are you spying on me, and why are you showing up when they are here, you know that could be disastrous”

“What the hell are you talking about; this is my first time here since I left”

“You lie”

“Not this time I’m not, I’ve been doing nothing but attending to Colossus’ whim and words since I went back, and with the…shall we say edge he has on me I really have no choice”

“It’s fun being under someone’s foot making sure that you don’t do anything to get squashed isn’t it” Eve said smiling

“I prefer to do the pressure pushing myself, and speaking of pressure let me up” Logan gasp and releasing him up to his feet Logan holds his throat, while Eve continues the interrogation

“So you weren’t here earlier” she asked him again

“No already” harped Logan rubbing his throat

“Oh quit whining you don’t breathe”

“No but the windpipe is still needed to talk and I still do feel pain, I don’t know how many times I have to remind you of that fact”

“You don’t, I just love to hear it” Eve smirked

And smelling with his nose Logan then inquires to the weird smell he is sniffing, “It’s that damn sister sibling of theirs, her perfume is all over me from how close to me she gets when she asks a question, quite nauseating really” and changing her thoughts she then said again “So if you weren’t here earlier than…”

“You have a rebel spy, proving that they don’t trust you” he said sternly interrupting her.

“Well I know that; you can see it on their faces, trust needs to be earned, but by the end they will, don’t worry about that. I just wonder how they got someone past my guards and in here”

“Well I’ll leave you to your detective work then Lady Eve” Logan said laughing as he puffed away in smoke.

Eve then goes back down to meet the others in the great hall, and coming from the laboratory Maylor carries back some potions.

“Ok, I’ve got some healing elixirs but only one resurrection scroll, so let’s make sure only one of us needs to lose their life or the others get a permanent rest there” he states packing the vials in a bag strapping them to his side.

“Sorry we’re late Elanee had to talk to me about something” Rain says clearing his arms of the maps he was carrying to the table edge, Artanis then starts to put them in a scroll case while Rain tells them of a new plan to start looking for the next essence with Artanis taking his place.

“What, Rain we may need your abilities down there” Dawn said coming to his side,

“There’s is nothing but units of fighters down there Dawn, and half of them are immune to my spells, I’ll be nothing more than a liability for you guys and you need to be straight focused if you’re to acquire the item in swift time” Rain reassures her with an arm to her shoulder, hugging him and wishing each other good luck the group then packs up.

Being escorted out by Guards, Eve and Rain; Rain watches them go and has a moment of guilt run to the surface of his skin.

“Perhaps I should join them” Rain says after they left “They might just need an extra body” and shaking his head he replies again “Nah, they’ll be fine” and walking beside Eve they go to the library again.

“So…” Eve says breaking the silence they created on the walk there “You said earlier that you had a talk with a girl Elanee? Is she and you…married, is she your wife”

“Elanee! Oh god no, were not even the same race nor have the same mind link, we would never be able to have that” Rain stated quickly,

“Oh so you are just in a relationship then” Eve inquired

“Wrong again, she and I are only friends, we know each other only from having common interests with Colossus’s threat” Rain explains

“Well if I may, do you have anyone in your life, young Drow?”

“No, with all that I have endured and gone through, I have little hope of living a comfortable life with love keeping me warm at night”

“That’s too bad” Eve said “Love makes your will stronger, Allows you to see hope when there is none, it gives you internal strength found through times of great terrine and suffering so that you may again see it before your end” Eve says softly her words of inspiration.

“Look Eve, forgive my rudeness but I really don’t care about all that, just making Colossus pay for the unbelievable loveless life he left me with will be a payment I most direly quest for”

“Revenge can’t be your only reason for seeing his end or you will never see it, it will only fuel your own anger after that climax. You will not be able to be stopped until it consumes your soul…and then your life, but not before you hurt everyone you love and care for first…or worse, you’ll kill them” Eve says lowering her head with a sorrow filled face. Seeing her expression Rain grew a pitiful look to his own face as he drew closer to Eve’s side

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up old feelings for you through my own pain” Rain said

“It’s ok” Eve said putting on a smile to shine away the hurt inside her “We all have made choices we don’t know are wrong and unjust till it’s too late to correct them” and changing the topic she then asks Rain about what he has been working on before all this was shown to him.

“Actually, I was researching on Elanee, she was or so she thought she was a seer, but my recent findings and the growing of her powers suggest she’s more, I have concluded that she is an Oracle” Rain stated and stopping with a look of fear thrown over her face, Eve freezes in her steps.

“I’m sorry did you say …Oracle” Eve said stuttering the words from her mouth,

“Yes why is something wrong… you look scared?” Rain said concerned

“No, I was just thinking about a past event, and sometimes my emotions run with them” she says starting to walk again

“Yeah that happens to me too” Rain says as they continue to walk into the hall.

Sun rays hit the city of Silverspire for the dawning of a new day and rising up from her dreadful restless night Elanee gets to her feet, she hides the scrolls she wrote out as well as the book she has, kept high on a self-ledge they are sheltered away from plain sight.

Namor comes to her room to tell her that breakfast is ready downstairs, seeing her in just a robe gown; he makes a move on her as he slides up to her side and kisses her neck.

Elanee nudges him away with the body language that she’s not interested this time but Namor not taken the hint lightly goes at her again and this time she turns to his face.

“Namor don’t ok, I’m not in the mood” she says to him, and pushing by him he has a concerning look to his face wondering why any woman would shy away at such an opportunity, especially with him

“Is something wrong Elanee, are you ok”

“I’m fine; just a rough night last night that’s all” Elanee said as she went to her bathroom to get ready, she sat at her chair brushing her hair as Namor continued the pursuit, going in after her; starting to rub her shoulders attempting to remove her robe.

“Namor enough ok, god what is with you” she snapped shoving away his hands and getting a growl from Anubis standing now in the doorway of the bathroom, Namor gently backs off leaving the room and chamber without another word discussed. “Men!” she said to Anubis who looked at her and then the door where he left and curled up to lay down beside Elanee. Elanee then placed her arms down on the counter top of the table and pummeled her head into her hands; full well knowing that it’s hard to push people away from you without them understanding it. For the rest of the day like a deer being hunted by a wolf, Elanee kept her distance from Namor, careful not to push him away but completely avoiding close emotional contact she steered clear of all opportunities giving to her.

Tristan going about his busy day, hears a cry from the front gates of what sounded like a child’s voice; racing to the gate he sees a young girl not any older than five years being held back from entering the city by a guard,

“Let me go, I need to see Alisianna” the young girl shouted.

“Let her go soldier, it’s ok” commanded Tristan and upon releasing her she ran up to him,

“I need to find Alisianna, its important” said the girl and smiling he knelt down and looked at her.

“Now miss what is this about”

“Please a druid is in trouble I need her, she’s the only one that can help” and hearing it his thoughts changed to urgency and he and the girl to the courtyard, finding Alisianna pruning trees. Alisianna turned from the rustling of the steps to spot the young girl out of the corner of her vision

“Lilly!” Alisianna cried out hugging her tight as she ran into Alisianna’s grasp “What are you doing here, where’s Stark?”

Huffing hard trying to catch her breath she explained “He’s been taking by something with wings, we were studying in the forest when it can from the sky he fought but…” and she stopped to wipe the tears from her eyes, not saying any more Alisianna asked where they were.

“By the canyon side, north of the river, we were studying some flowers and…”

“That’s ok honey; it’s going to be ok. We’ll find him” Alisianna said to her holding her tight and Tristan nodding his head calls for a guard to assemble a search team.

“There’s no time Captain we need to go now, we’ll be lucky if we get there in time” and nodding again he still gives the order for the men to be assembled and follow their tracks to catch up. Grabbing the nearby horses they ride off through the gates, the girl rides with Alisianna, and hanging on to Alisianna’s waist tightly as she picks up pace the two ride their horses hard for half a day. Hitting heavy brush Tristan falls to the rear from starting in the front, and watching Alisianna guiding her horse through quick judging rough terrain he is amazed at the feat of a bond they share. The two drive on swiftly and getting full of tiny cuts from blocking overhanging plant growth; they then reach the sulky razor rock side of the canyon.

Unhorsing herself aiding a hand with Lilly’s dismount, Alisianna then takes to the ground, placing her hand in the area Lilly said Stark was taken she looks to the frenzy of prints sculpted into the ground. Tristan getting off his horse draws his sword to comb through the bushes for signs of a creature.

“You won’t find anything in there, Captain” Alisianna says looking to him and then looking up ward toward the side of the cliffs

Seeing her looking up he joins the search to the sky “What are you looking for?” Tristan asks

“Caves” she says “For a nesting place”

“For what” Tristan asks

“A Wyvern, these prints on the ground match up with such a creature” she explains “Now I just hope that…” suddenly stopping her sentence she draws her blade and looks to the brush.

“That what…?” Tristan questions thinking he missed what she said, and making a shushing motion with her finger to her lips she points to the bushes, Tristan mouths the words “it’s down here” to her and nodding they both look around eyes sharp and concentrated like an eagle trying to focus on a small object. Alisianna hears something crack on what sounds like thistles and looking past the clearing where Lilly is standing, she gazes on a pair of deep venom green filled eyes in the far bush.

“Lilly get down!” Alisianna shouted to her and turning to her Lilly looks to her back to see the Wyvern barreling toward her, getting to her first Alisianna grabs Lilly and spins around throwing her towards Tristan.

Catching Lilly in her stumbling steps he then sees Alisianna get stabbed in the left shoulder by the piercing sharp tail of the Wyvern, then spreading it’s wings out it’s lifts off the ground gripping Alisianna by its talons it pulls its tail out from her shoulder. Blood and an olive green colored ooze drips to the ground as the tail is wrenched out. Tristan goes to swing at the creature resembling a gangly looking small dragon but with soft skin spikes draped to the side down the long neck; but with a strong quick stroke of its wings the sheer force exerted by them throws both the charging Captain and the girl backward on the ground.

The Wyvern lifts into the air carrying a hurt and pain screaming Alisianna gripped in the unbreakable bond grip of its claws. Getting to his feet quickly the Captain watches the creature take to flight where it finally lands about high up on the side of the cliff.

Looking to the young girl Tristan comes to her keeling down at with eyes contact “Do you know how to get home from here, Lilly”

“Yes, but… the creature…”

“Lilly, I will keep it busy, it will come for me don’t worry about that you get safely home, and try to stay in the heavy brush where it can’t get to you, try to get help”

“But there was no one there, that’s why I came for Alisianna”

“Then wait till someone shows but going there I know you will be safe ok, now go” and turning her around he smacks her bottom to get her moving watching till she was out of sight. Tristan takes off a boot of his and tosses it to the open field away from his location, then climbs a tree.

Coming back just as he knew it would the Wyvern lands close by the boot, walking around it while looking into the trees the Wyvern carefully sniffs the boot.

“You’re a cautious, clever thing aren’t you” he whispers to himself sitting motionless in the tree, and waiting moments longer till the creature was close enough Tristan grips his sword leaping from the tree limb down baring his blade; high above his head the ranger swings with all his might driving his blade deep into the wing of the Wyvern.

Letting out a deafening squawking shriek of pain the Wyvern then spins around, letting loose of Tristan and his blade from the impalement. Tristan flies into the air and having the added pain of a swinging tail hit him like a bat, he flies even farther until he comes crashing to the ground.

“No more lunch for you, you piece of shit! You can’t fly now!” Tristan yells to it as he climbs back to his feet.

The Wyvern then looking to him intently starts to move closer to him, out reaching his arms the Wyvern extends his claws, and fangs from its mouth; the young Captain scampers away in a circular motion keeping the creature in sight, they have a stare down at each other and while trying to keep space between them they continuously keep moving.

The Wyvern makes some snapping attempts at Tristan but shifting out of the way he dodges the attacks, countering them with decapitating swings to the neck of the beast which were dodged as well they keep at it, dancing around poking and slashing at one another during a dodge maneuver the tail of the Wyvern came around and tripping Tristan.

Falling to the ground losing the grip of his sword, Tristan spins to his back just to witness the incoming baring teeth of the Wyvern to his body, bracing the impact with his feet; the ranger holds the mouth of the great creature at bay with one foot on each side of the jaw bone. Reaching for his sword which was out of his extended arm reach, Tristan begins to shimmy his body weight over closer to the sword, with every move his feet give a little more to the impending strength of the Wyvern’s mouth muscles. Fighting to keep his footing from slipping due to the massive drool coming from the mouth of the Wyvern, his legs now feeling like jelly start to grow weak, making one last attempt at his sword he was still not close enough.

With a tempt of fate he releases his feet and rolls to the side to where his sword lay, snapping his mouth finally closed, the Wyvern misses the bite attack and turns to snap again.

Tristan rolling right over his sword grabs it as he rolls by it and swings at the same time to cut the inner side on the Wyvern’s mouth from the second bite, the Wyvern’s head snaps high into the air and Tristan rolls to his feet, not even catching his breath the Captain runs to the creature’s underbelly and thrusts his sword into it. Pulling it out and backing off he sees blood run from the belly and also dripping to the ground from the corners of the mouth cuts, in a rage the creature charges towards him waiting till the last inch of space between them. Tristan brings his blade down into the top skull of the Wyvern and through it pinning him to the dirt ground, jerking his blade back and forth he waits for the Wyvern to shriek its last yelp of pain until death.

The Captain pulls the blade out and tossing it on the ground he leans over to grip his minor slashed side and catch his breath. Gaining some strength realizing that Alisianna’s life is hanging on; Tristan picks up his sword sheathing it to his back. Going over to the cliff side Tristan takes one more look to the creature to assure himself that it’s dead, and seeing it still lifeless on the ground he starts his climbing.

Catching his chainmesh skin armor sleeves on every jagged rock and twig sticking out from the side, he jumps down the few feet he made up and takes off his armor, re-strapping his sword to his cloth shirt he goes up again.

Gripping what rock ledges and ridges he could, Tristan climbed the endless heighten wall. Losing balance and grip time and time again due to the walls smooth glass finish and with every growing scrape and nick stinging to his skin like small peaking birds; he at lasts makes it to the cave entrance ledge. Pulling himself over the top he took a quick glance to locate Alisianna, he saw scattered bones from long dead corpses that he could only assume to be old warriors and soldiers of the Silverspire guard patrol.

Praying that Alisianna had not succumbed to such a fate he got quickly to his feet and began to look in farther; to the darkness of the cave he strolled, losing sight of everything for seconds while his eyes adjusted to damp foul breathing darkness that followed, and in moments of regaining his sight and off in a corner two figures laid.

One being Alisianna and the other was a human male; he had a very muscular physique, and the leather clothes that he wore barley held in the massive bulging skin. Tristan came closer to the group only to see a massive area of dirt under the man covered like a blanket of dried clotted blood. Looking onto Alisianna to see if the blood was hers he then viewed one of the man’s legs were broken, he could make out the bone of his left leg pushing on the skin of his thigh like a stick holding up a pitched tent. Tristan knew that if the bone wasn’t reset and soon that it would be a certain fate that Stark, who Tristan presumed the man was would never be able to walk with it again, shaking the worry of Stark’s leg off his mind for a second Tristan went up to both and tried to see Alisianna’s condition.

As he grew closer to them Stark put his tree limb sized arms around Alisianna and drug her closer to him, trying to cover her view from his Tristan stopped and put his hands helpless in front of him waving

“Please don’t be afraid, I’m with her” Tristan said trying to calm him

“Who…Who are you, it doesn’t matter you must leave and leave now the Wyvern will not be gone long, please just go and save yourself we cannot be helped from this fate” Stark spitted to Tristan

“The Wyvern is dead, he right now lays lifeless on the canyon floor, from my very blade was this done and know I must help where I can” Tristan said to Stark coming right to his side, and looking to the wound on Alisianna’s shoulder which even and he watched grows a darker shade of purple with every second that passes.

“She has been poisoned, by thy tail of the wyvern and if not treated soon will die” Stark explained in small words

“There are men following us and a child, Lilly has gone to the dwelling of her home to seek help, one of them will surly have and bring medicine to combat this vile venom” Tristan replies

“But not in time knight, she will surely die before they can reach this place, for this venom is a fast acting and aggressive” he says to Tristan

“My name is Tristan and I’m a Captain from a city beyond the sea”

“Well Captain Tristan we need to act fast, for her life now sways in the pendulum of fate, and it is now leaning closer to her final breath. You now need to act as our healer and cleric, all the ingredients for curing the venom are found on this mountain side” Stark explains as he quickly grips his side, finishing his sentence with a weak voice from a shoot of pain that drove up his leg. Tristan knew he needed to be fixed first and looked around for a large stick, ignoring Stark talking about the items needed for the cure he found a stick by the ridge line of the cave; breaking it off to the size he needed he went to Stark’s side.

“What are you doing, Alisianna needs aid now Captain!” Stark commanded

“And she will in a few seconds but first we need to fix your leg” Tristan said

“Forget about me I won’t last anyway, I have lost too much blood, save who you can…”

“I intent on saving you both now please bite down on this” Tristan says holding a smaller twig in front of Stark’s mouth, upon grabbing the twig with his teeth Tristan grips the back part of Stark’s leg with one hand, and leaning his forearm of his other to his splintered leg he looks to Stark, “I’m very sorry but this will hurt” and nodding to the pain he will receive Stark braces himself and with a violent loud crack like someone stepping on some sticks; the bone grinds and aligns back into place. Drool erupts from the sides of Starks mouth following a very loud yell that could have been heard for miles, and adding quick yelps in between taking breaths Stark closes his eyes to calm his already fast beating heart.

Removing the stick from his mouth Stark thanks Tristan’s healing hands.

“Now about her” Tristan says “What again do I need” as he takes off his shirt to tie it around the stick splint he crafted for Starks leg.

“There is a plant down of the cliff side I saw it on the way up, you need the petals from it” Stark explained again, and for the second time going down the cliff side adding cuts to his torso Tristan reaches the flower described by Stark. Plucking it from its resting places he straps it to his belt and comes to the ridge again. Stark tells Tristan to grind the petals with a bald flat faced stone and using his water skin filled with fresh river water, Tristan is instructed to mix the pasty petals juice with it; doing so makes the water turn to a murky muddy bluish paste.

“Good Tristan now since you’ve slain the creature, use the blood from your sword and dip it in the water mixture, it requires blood from both the violator and the victim” and dipping his sword into the brew cause the color to change to red,

“Good Captain, now for hers” Stark says looking to Alisianna, and taking a dagger from his leg side Tristan goes to her arm and looking to Stark for approval, he nods his head for him to cut. About to make the mark Tristan stops, “Why do we need her blood, she is as you said the victim in this, how does harming her more help her”

“Her blood has in it half nymph, and nymph’s blood can be used for cures of any venom or poison as long as you mix the blood of the violator with the nymphs” and accepting the answer given to him Tristan then continues.

“Ok now what” as Tristan takes the fresh spilling blood from her arm into a cup made by his hand, hearing no comment he looks to Stark who has closed his eyes.

“Stark!” he shouts and opening his eyes wide from the tone he looks quickly to Tristan, “Don’t you give up on me now, I need you…she needs you Stark, please stay awake” and nodding for him to put to blood in with the rest he then councils Tristan to mix the brew again, as he mixes Stark looks to Alisianna who is starting to shiver and shake,

“Please, Tristan, please hurry she is close to death now” Stark pleads for the Captain to make haste.

“And you stay with us Stark, knowledge and guidance in such a time is worthy of saving at any cost, I can see you are a great man in you clan, and from the look on your face you are thinking of someone” Tristan says while he finishes and seeing the brew now turn to an ivory white.

“Place it on her wound Tristan, for it is ready” Stark advises him, moving to her side Tristan removes the left strap of her top exposing the top portion of her breast to see a deep infectious shoulder, a deep purple almost black color surrounds the area; being very careful and rubbing the salve on her trying not to touch any part of Alisianna’s woman defining attributes, he waits and watches for the results. She stops shaking but nothing else transpires “Nothing is happening Stark…Stark” he shouted again going to his side and shaking him gently waking him again,

“Please stay with me Stark…please” Tristan says softly

“Captain, look at me, the blood…my leg… I can’t going anywhere but to the cold hugging of death’s arms” and pulling a necklace off his chest and neck he holds it out to Tristan “Here take this”

“No!”

“Tristan please, I’m dying; there is no stopping that now, but grant me one last wish…take this when you are rescued to Lilly hands”

“That’s you daughter right?” asked Tristan

“Yes that’s my daughter”

“Then keep it and give it to her yourself” Tristan said smiling

“Tristan don’t be naive, I’m already dead and…”

“That girl; your daughter was out of lifeless breath when she came to us for help, she never gave up hope that you were still alive Stark, Please…please don’t give up on the hope she started for you, I will be damned if I’m going to leave that girl without a father so young, no one should have to go through that” and pushing the necklace back to his chest Tristan smiled again “Please Stark, hold on…hold on to faith, we’ll make it I swear to you we will”

Looking to some activity from Alisianna, she starts to shake again,

“Her blood is too cold to get the cure to travel through her system fast enough, Tristan you are going to have to warm her blood with yours” and taking off his cape Stark hands it to Tristan,

“What do I do with this, well I don’t want to see you two in natural form” Stark snaps and motions with his eyes.

“Wait…you mean me and her have to…under this! Oh no…no way…here you do it with her”

“You misunderstand Tristan you’re not making love to her just sharing body warmth, my blood is too cold to help her but yours isn’t” Stark says quickly

“She is married to a fellow Captain as well as a good friend, I can’t do this to him…I won’t”

“Captain, Listen to me, I know that this is a lot to ask and hard for you to do, you feel you would be violating your codes and vows; but think, you made an oath to protect and preserve innocent life…that’s Alisianna, innocent life lying in front of you and doing nothing but letting her die…would violate your highest vow. You wear the title of Captain for a reason to save life at all cost…this is that cost Tristan please; save her with you warmth of life”

Looking at her, Tristan’s heart goes cold and stomach begins to knot up. He takes his dagger and cutting the clasps to the rest of her outfit he exposes her naked figure, closing his eyes and taking a deep swallow he removes the rest of his clothing and under the cape he covers the both of them, shimming close beside her he pulls her to a bear hug state and holding her tight. Only moments go by before the shivering already starts to slow, getting cold and tired himself he looks to Stark who has closed his eyes again, not knowing if he is alive or dead he closes his own eyes and holding Alisianna’s head under his, Tristan prays in hope that this works.