Orsraun Mountains

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For the rest of the day, Noma wandered aimlessly through the forest. At first, she tried to get away from the wind carrying the sobs, but then the sound stopped. As there was no need to hide anymore, she let her feet pick the path - and feet, naturally, objected to climbing, leading her steadily downwards, across a pine covered slope.

Behind her, on the snow, remained a trail of her loss. It echoed her presence, visible to all who would look. Her essence slowly bled away, as sorrow wore out her will.

The forest floor held many pockets of iced over snow, treacherously soft. Moving through it soon made Noma tired and she started to wonder if this was really the place she had been sent to find. What relief was here, aside from a frozen oblivion? Noma didn't wish to die.

She stopped to watch the sun sink in a fake fire to the west. The pale eyelid of the sky was moving, opening - soon the stars would come to watch over what was done in the day and judge the deed. What would she show for herself, to the Truth?

"I have not yet found it."

She moved again, along the bank of small pond. The ice on it was invitingly smooth and she dared a few clumsy steps, pushing herself forward in attempts to skate. If she closed her eyes and spread her arms, it was almost...

The fall hurt. She looked up from the ice, to the darkened sky where the stars feigned disinterest.

With a sigh, Noma got up to her feet. There was little point traveling further tonight.

She looked around. The pond was fed by a small stream from the west, but the ice on it where she stood was murky and thick, at least a few winters old. It probably never melted entirely.

Noma grinned bitterly. Why not? At least it would be something achieved for this aimless day.

She went and gathered firewood, lighting a bonfire on the old ice of the lake.

Looking at it, she felt warm, for the first time in many days. Maybe the cure was here indeed. Thrusting a cauldron in the flames, Noma started cooking.

 

Justice waited as the scarred moon descended behind the mountains. No word from the Law Giver came. He tried to imagine what it could mean. Finally, he reasoned that the Law Giver must have had some terribly important mission to accomplish either here on the world, or somewhere else, and that was why his Eye was no longer in its celestial home. Maybe he would send the Herald with word or what Justice was to do.

Dawn was beginning to barely lighten the horizon over the mountains when Justice saw a shooting star coming towards him. He jumped up on the boulder, "Herald, I am here! What news of the Law Giver?" he shouted.

But the shooting star kept going right over his head and over the next ridge. The Herald must be going straight to the Law Giver. Justice started to run after the shooting star.

A few minutes later he came over the ridge, hoping he would not be too late. He wasn't, down in the valley he could see a large fire where the Herald must have landed. Justice bounded down the valley, following a frozen over stream.

Quickly he arrived at a lake with a large fire on it, but no Herald. He ran out to the fire, and quickly fell through the already melted and weakened ice. The water was freezing, but there was also no Herald under the lake. He flapped his wings and surfaced, quickly coming out on the shore.

A strange female was watching him.

"You're not the Herald!" he accused her. "What have you done with him? Where is the Law Giver?"

 

Vaa'iyl thoughtfully scratched his neck as his gravel-voiced friend lamented about the old days. He tried to think of them.. but he couldn't. He knew they were there, but most of his memories had faded - leaving him with a fuzzy idea of his former power. He hungered to have it back.

"Ah yes.. Ellesime's death brought much anguish and pain into my life - filling the gap where there once was euphoria and joy." The elf paused, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles, yawning quietly. "Look at me. I am weary... Like a human! I am drained, Malar. I am old, too. I feel it more everyday.. and I blast those air genasi. Fools to think they could deceive me.. and a fool I am for believing."

He rolled to look at the yeti skin pelt beside him, staring at it's thick fur and all of the intricate patterns formed from the individual hairs. Vaa'iyl smiled as the hairs moved and pointed straight towards him, his hand enveloped in white flames. The use of magic had become a habit - an addiction - and had left him a vessel of magic alone. Though he was almost completely immune to most forms of magic, his flesh and muscle had decayed and become entirely magic-based, making him weak to physical attacks - something his combat prowess found particularly disheartening. This small use of magic fed his addiction and kept his blood flowing at the same pace. Malar knew of the pain, but he was not aware of the extent this problem had brought the aasimar.

"Let us not lament. Lamenting is for monks, and clerics." He waited for the familiar bark of laughter, "Let us sleep now." And at that, Vaa'iyl closed his eyes and was instantly asleep.

 

Dawn blinded the Heaven, bringing forgiveness and Noma loved it for that. She eagerly expected the fading of the sky, wrapped up by the bonfire.

A falling star plummeted across the darkness, blazing defiance to its brethren. Noma followed it with her eyes until it vanished somewhere in the forest ahead. Another one had stepped into the Unknown, overcoming the fear that held the others clinging to the Eye. Was this their death? Noma didn't know, though some hunters would bring dead lumps, claiming them the bones of abandoned stars.

Then there was a crashing of ice and a moment later, a winged man was shouting to her from the shore, and a rift in the ice was steadily growing between them.

Water dripped from the wings of the stranger, but he didn't seem to mind the cold. Noma had never seen anyone like that. She had heard that there were winged servants of Powers, but why would one like that come to her? *He* had believed in the Powers, not her. Apologetically, she raised her hands, showing that she had no weapons, aside from a dagger at her belt.

"Law Giver? I don't know who that is. Nor do I know this Herald you speak of. I've done nothing to either of them..." *she paused* "Were you to meet this Law Giver here? No one but you had passed me, nor approached."

She hadn't spoken aloud to another being for weeks and the sound of her own voice surprised her. The bone needle resonated, sticking out of her bracer.

The ice, already weakened, was now bursting apart in patches, as the flames raged. The crack spread under the bonfire, and the pieces slid apart, dropping some of the smouldering wood into the water with a gurgling hiss. Noma found herself on a jagged ice slab, so thin that the water splashed over it whenever she leaned to the side.

Keeping her eyes on the man, Noma grabbed her bag before it slid into the lake. The ice slab heaved dangerously, leaning to one side.

"Would you mind if I crossed to the shore, there? I don't swim well." - she looked at the man and the sword he had. It was an easy matter for him to just leave her there, or attack before she gathered her footing on the other side. She hoped that there would be no need to fight.

 

Justice looked at the small woman on the ice, and listened to her. Then he looked around the lake, and felt the absence of trace energy that the Herald would have left. He didn't even need his powers to tell that she was telling the truth.

She was an innocent, now in danger of falling into the icy waters, which he was aware was quite dangerous for a mortal, and his actions had caused the threat to her safety. He sheathed his sword, and waded out into the water. Then he gently guided the ice patch she was balancing on towards the shore. Three steps out from the shore his foot found no bottom and he sunk into a deep hole. He flapped his wings mightily to surface, and felt the already damaged tendon rip further.

Once safely on shore again, albeit with a now obviously drooping wing, he regarded the small woman. She was dressed in a totally unknown fashion to him.

"Please accept my apologies for endangering you. I was under false impressions of the situation." Then he noticed a needle on her arm.

"Do you sew? Could you sew my wing back together? I seem unable to heal it properly." He asked her eagerly. Then he remembered his manners.

"Oh, excuse me, madame. Let me properly introduce myself before I start asking personal favors of you. I am Justice, the Right Hand of the Law Giver, at your service." He bowed elegantly, the icy waters still dripping off of him gave him a somewhat absurd look.

 

Noma watched in awe and surprise as the winged giant helped her to the other shore, baffled by such generosity.

She noticed how his wing looked and winced slightly, against herself. He'd been hurt to start with and helped her, regardless. She was ashamed that another had endangered himself for her.

The elegant bow made her smile and filled her with sympathy.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do that, I would have crossed..." *she took her needle, shaking away whatever thought occurred to her* "I am Nomainde Luth-Ola, but Noma will do just fine. I'll gladly help, if I can."

She came closer, examining Justice with open curiosity. Hesitantly, Noma extended her hand and gently touched the injured wing, half-wondering if she was being too brash. The wing-feathers were wondrously soft.

"We better get you dry and warm first, though. The water and the cold will do you more harm then this cut." *she frowned at the sewered tendons, worried. It would probably hurt to sew them back and she didn't want to hurt anyone.*


One of the ice slabs had been caught on the shore and the branches on it still burned. Noma dragged them to a place clear of snow and started tending to the fire. She would need fine threads. Once again the cauldron steamed with melting snow. Noma took a small bundle from her pack. Wrapped up in mulberry leaves were a few shiny cocoons. She threw two of them in the boiling water.

The lake glittered, freed from the ice that caged and protected it for so long. Change had come. The broken bond in Noma hummed softly.

 

Night terrors and dreams plagued the sleep of the aging immortal, letting growls and yells escape from between the grinding teeth. Icy sweat plastered the silver hair to Vaa'iyl's alabaster forehead. The eyes in his skull began to glow their customary ivory white.

An eagle against a bright blue sky, far in the distance, larger than any Man had ever seen. A call echoed from her direction, motivating a massive flock of birds to flee their tree-bound home. She circled aimlessly, as if she were hunting - the circles were wide, almost too wide to be specific to one creature. A voice hung in the air.

Elwithral.

Where have you gone?

I cannot feel you near me.. Have you become lost?

A flash and the scene changed - now the night had come and stars took the place of clouds, illuminating the vast wingspan of the grand predator. The moon cast her shadow stretching across the valley below. A sense of imminent danger permeated the scene and an urgency claimed the speed and frequency of her wing-beats.

Elwithral!

I am frightened - it has been two months since I have contacted you last!

Not for a moment have I slowed my search.. I am so very frightened, Elwithral.

Please, if this is a jest, I will have no more of it!

The silken voice crackled with emotion. The beating of the wings slowed defeatedly. Clouds returned, and the mood fell. A raindrop - and then another, and another - the clouds opened up, letting the River of Heaven flow down onto the Earth. The heavy droplets weighed upon her wings, taking her down towards the floor of the valley. On a plain of gold, the eagle folded her wings behind her and closed her eyes. Softly, the voice faded away..

Elwithral.. where are you? .. I love you.. Please! Why have you left me? ...

Vaa'iyl awoke with a gasp, clutching at his dagger. Hot tears streamed down his face, warming the skin. Breathing heavily, he looked to the ceiling - the lantern hanging there had been long extinguished. The half-breed pulled his knees to his chest and began to sob.

 

It was in the darkest hours of the night, just before dawn, when Malar awoke. He lay there quietly watching the ceiling flutter and sway with passing drafts of icy wind. He sat up gingerly, as a millenarian, his bones felt the ache of damp and chill. As he rubbed his wind burnt face, he checked his companion who slept fitfully. He grimaced at the angry white torment that sullied his once perfect flesh. Malar sighed, releasing every bit of air from his lungs. He did not take another breath, he had no need. Breathing was no longer a necessity, merely a duty performed from a thousand years of practice.

He stood up silently and smoothly, the air did not stir at his passing. Vaa'iyl eyes flashed open, a bright spark of white in the darkness. Quick like the burst of a match, they closed. Do be quiet would you. Malar grinned, and kicked an uncovered boot. The Sun's set to rise, I feel it will be extraordinarily beautiful today. Vaa'iyl mocked disinterest and yawned hugely. Malar grinned once more, donned his cloak and boots, and pushed aside the pelt to welcome the world.

He has snowed much in their low valley, a three foot high drift was draped against their small shelter. He glanced back towards Vaa'iyl who was slowly rising, then crunched out into the newly white world. His gaze locked onto the mountain that separated him from his prey. He was now far behind, but that didn't bother him, he had time.

"I trust you will be alright without me?" He was answered by a snow ball to the back of his head. Or that's where it was intended, Malar didn't turn but merely leaned as the ball ambled past to land with a low thud some yards away. "After I finish my business with these mountains, I am thinking somewhere warm. I'll see you there." He didn't look back as he eased his pack onto his shoulders, and trudged off. His bald head reflected the light of the rising red Sun.

 

Getting warm and dry did feel better, and even if being cold and wet wouldn't hurt Justice, he could understand mortals' desire to not be so. He sat on a rock so that Noma could better look at where his wing joined his shoulder, and noticed her hesitation.

"Don't worry about causing me pain, I can't feel any. Oh, I am aware of damage being done to my body, and I do endeavor to avoid it when I can, but you won't hurt me." He reached into his robes and pulled out a small shiny dagger. Handing it to her he said, "It may be that you will need to cut some tissue away to access what needs to be sewn up and reattached, if so you might not have anything that can cut my flesh and bone. This will."

 

As the image of Malar faded into a tiny speck in the distance, Vaa'iyl's face resumed its regular jovial expression. Seeing his old friend again had renewed his interest in living and breathing, pushing aside the magical obsession for the time being. The night terror from hours prior still haunted his subconcious, though seeing Ellesime had somewhat lightened his mood. Shaking off the morning stiffness, he quickly shoved the makeshift shelter back into his pack, drying the damp yeti skin as he went.

With the camp and all his belongings in check, Vaa'iyl closed his eyes and let the wind take him, like a leaf caught in a spring breeze. Feeling the warm and cool currents move him across the sky, he opened his eyes and slowly breathed in the refreshing air, becoming weightless and free. Release. Above the clouds, he again heard Ellesime's voice calling to him, this time with a light disposition. He remembered her broad muscles flexing beneath his thighs as she carried him across countries and valleys and mountains and deserts. Vaa'iyl smiled.

 

Noma accepted the dagger, thoughtful. So this was indeed a Justice, come from a Power, if no blade of hers would cut him. Not mortal. The thought she had only begun to fully understand. He was Justice - would he judge her for what has been done? A moment of relief. Fear. Uncertainty.

She would have to ask, but now was not the time. He was Justice, but first and foremost, he was an injured creature. Noma understood that. Had it not been her duty to mend?

The strains of mist and silk glistened, wrapped around the needle of bone.
Carefully she had plucked the silk from the cauldron, spinning it softly. This had to be a gentle weave. Warmth of the fire would do. Life in breath would do.

"I'll try to do this swiftly." *she said and cut into the wing, leaning close. Determined. Hesitation brought pain. She sought out the severed ends and whispered softly words that would be prayers, only no Power would take them as their own. Kind words of healing. She knitted them into the flesh, binding it, afraid of every move she made. This was different then anything she had ever done and yet, the same as she always had, while her Lord had lived.

She had taken off her gloves, to feel better what she did and on her left wrist dangled a bronze bracelet with what seemed like five coins. They jingled one against other like pebbles would, but if you looked close, you'd see that they were not coins at all, but irises. Five human irises, in five colours. She took this ornament off and laid it carefully on the snow next to the rock. She met the eyes of Justice as she did so.

"Don't be alarmed. They are all mine. Where I am from, we go through eyes as others would through hats and daggers. When the world we look upon tire us and fills our eyes, we shed them and take on a new pair, to always see what is new. As tears wash away the colours, some eyes are more easily spent."

There was again, apology in her words. She didn't know what sort of Justice this was.


Noma worked on the wing for some time, too absorbed to notice that the fire had died out and the sun had risen high above the forest. When she had finally finished, she needed something to cover the gash - and she spun the mist that hid in the feathers of the wing, along with the softness. Across it, she had wanted to put a white woolen shawl, but she realised that Justice would not need such a reminder, not to re-open wounds that should be left well alone.


"Do you eat?" *she asked, as she watched Justice try to flap the mended wing*

 

Justice flapped his wings, gently at first, then an almost full power downsweep to test the repair. It was good. He would wait a good time before stressing it with flight, but it should be fine given enough time.

"Please accept my sincere gratitude for your service. You have done a skillful job." he told Noma. "I do not need sustainance, but I am able to consume edibles when my assignments require me to partake in mortals' social protocols, which often include eating and drinking various symbolic food stuffs and beverages. In fact, I have found that I actually enjoy some of the distilled beverages. So, I would be glad to break bread with you, that is if you have a sufficient supply for yourself."

He noted many signs in Noma of a person who had something grievous to confess, but wasn't quite yet ready to fully face the truth. The Law was patient, and so was Justice. He was certain that the truth would eventually find its way out.

 

No one spoke like that. Noma listened, amused. There was something charmingly innocent in the way Justice treated words - giving each the care and deliberation of thoughts seeking Truth. No falsehoods. It was only fair to give the same in return.

She took out what food she had, also wishing "distilled beverages" were around.

"Let us not call it bread-breaking, though. We'd need better bread for that." *she smiled*

No, not bread-breaking. How can a Justice bring judgement, if the bond of bread is in the way? If her blood was the price, let it flow freely.
Noma refused the word-shelter offered, turning her back on the lingering fear of death. It had no place with her, in thoughts of the broken bond.

She gave Justice his dagger back, as well.
What use would be such a weapon to her? She had no desire to hurt Justice, whatever judgement came.

"Who is this Herald you came to find? And the Law Giver? Are they here as well, like you, come from the sky?"

Noma remembered the falling star and the feeling of change it brought. Justice had come in its wake. Was he here to bring the escapee back to Heaven? Was, for a star to gaze in the Unknown, a crime on the Firmament? Noma didn't know. She knew nothing of Powers, aside from what he had taught her. And without him, words were dead. Meaningless.
Yet you've killed him in the name of his Belief. - her thoughts accused and Noma's happiness faded.

She looked in the eyes of Justice. She needed to know more of him. As grave as her loss had been and as horrible the action, she didn't presume herself the attention of the sky. Such a celestial Justice would not be the one she had come to face. She needed to know.

 

Justice partook of the offered food. "Thank you, it is ... interesting." He looked up in the sky, now that it was getting lighter he could faintly see the stardust trail that the shooting star had left.

"I thought the star I saw was the Herald of the Law Giver, and that he had landed here. I may still be right, that it was my god's Herald, but he obviously landed farther east, if he landed at all. We should be able to track the star dust trail fairly well."

"The Law Giver is one of the first gods to exist, he is not the Creator, no, but he saw all of the chaos that the people were suffering under with no one to guide them, and he came to them and gave them the Law. Those who were able to see the truth of it, that is was better to be guided by a just reasoning, followed him to the Blessed Isle. Those who preferred to continue murdering, lying, and stealing remained on the mainland to wallow in their abysmal chaos.”

Justice smiled as he remembered the glorious early days. “The people built a majestic temple for the Law Giver to reign from, when he chose to be on the world and not in his star home. I was proud to be the pillar at the right of his throne, helping to hold up the vaulted roof of the temple. Of course, I was often called upon to enforce justice, as Chaos is ever attempting to worm its way into the world, no matter how righteous a person is. I will tell you with no false pride that many ballads were sung by the greatest bards of our people about my battles with the forces of Chaos.”

“The Herald was another one of the pillars of the temple, albeit not a central supporting one, as he was called upon so often to go about in the world addressing one or another Power or worldly potentate, that it would have weakened the roof to have his support so often absent.”

“Those were wonderful times, then, in the reign of Na-dukshan the thirty-fouth, a terrible sickness began to afflict our people. First the younglings succumbed to it. Our healers could do nothing against it, and neither could I, nor even the Law Giver. The second to last time I was called to administer Justice was shortly after Na-dukshan’s death. None of the immediate royal family was still alive, and there was a dispute between Bo’ Hauthketto the seventh and Zhang dam Dukshan the twelfth as to who was the rightful heir to the throne. As Bo’ Hauthketto was the fourth cousin of Na-dukshan’s great aunt’s first husband, and Zhang dam Dukshan was only the prince consort to Na-dukshan’s third wife’s youngest daughter, it was clear to me that Bo’ Hauthketto was the rightful heir, though since almost all of the Royal Law Keepers were also dead by that time, I understood why the remaining people thought it necessary to consult me on the matter.”

“At that time they had discovered the cause of the sickness, and had sent out healers to the mainland to search for a cure, and we were all very hopeful that one would be found in time to save the rest of our population. As there was nothing I could do to help, I returned to my post holding up the temple roof.”

“Then, two days ago, I was called upon again to administer Justice. To my amazement, the temple roof was no longer above my head. Only a few shattered stones and two other pillars were around me. And the beautiful City of the Law was nothing more than an overgrown jungle. Yet I had been righteously called forth. It was the soul of one of the healers who had been sent out to find a cure. He had found a cure, but he was murdered by one of the New Ones before he was able to return to the Island. To further the injustice of his unlawful death, his slayer then captured his soul. After a time he was somehow able to escape and make it back to the temple, where he entasked me to find his slayer.”

“This I did. He was one of the New Ones, though he looked rather wretched. He was encamped not far away from here up in the mountains. I confronted him and stated his crimes, but then another New One attacked me and threw me into the mountain. I tossed him aside and prepared to let them feel the Law Giver’s righteous wrath, but the Law Giver did not administer it.”

Justice raised his newly repaired wing. “It was at that time that the second New One attacked again with a powerful blade and damaged my wing. I was confused as to why the Law Giver did not administer a just punishment, but on reflection, I had accomplished my assigned task. The plaintiff had only ordered me to find his slayer. I believe that more compensation was necessary, but some people are more forgiving than others.”

“I left those New Ones. I tried to communicate with the Law Giver, but either I could not hear him or he could not hear me. Then, when night fell and the clouds cleared off, I saw with great consternation that his great all seeing eye was not in its celestial home. I’m not sure what that means, as I have never experienced it before. All I can imagine is that he is on some mission of great importance, either on this world, or elsewhere among the stars. When I saw the shooting star, I was sure it was the Herald, come to tell me news of our god.”

“You, Noma, know the rest of my story. And it would be uncouth of me to continue to bore you with the minor details of my journey from there to here.” She had finished eating and put away her kit during his monologue. “But what of your story? You seem to be yet young. Have your eyes seen so much sorrow in your short life that you have already used out five sets of them?”

 

Noma listened quietly to the history Justice related. It was strange, hearing of people so long dead and events that no one knew took place anymore. It made her sad. All that remained of them was the memory of a Justice, whose Power, Noma feared, was long dead.

Yet, there was nothing on the world that would have forced her to speak these suspicions aloud to Justice. No one should know the death of faith. Besides, who was she to judge? The Blind Giant, as she knew the constellation Justice pointed out, was always there. Perhaps he was merely asleep?
Even if the Law Giver was dead, Justice lived. Belief was important, and Noma was willing to believe. As once, she had believed in him.

Perhaps the star had been the Herald. If so, she would help find him. An atonement as good as any other.

Noma touched the bracelet, playing with the iris-coins and letting them fall one after the other.

"My eyes have merely witnessed my choices. The Child, which we all leave behind. The Misguided, that sought out the world. The Bonded - that drew joy from Duty." *she stopped, moving swiftly past the last two* "I've ruined the others before their time."

He asked for the story.

"Can there be Law without people?" *she asked, more herself. Her soul did not answer. Tired of it all, Noma surrendered. She spoke slowly, watching the embers of the fire.*

"I knew a man once, a mortal, who followed Loyal Fury. He first taught me of Laws and Powers - of Honour. He was a warrior, speaking of Duty and Loyalty and willing to die to protect them. His Belief made his words appealing to me. I was happy to follow where he led. He was my Lord and my commander and wished to defend and protect all that was entrusted to him - I wished only to help keep him safe. We traveled together for a long time. Where I come from purpose is power. We form bonds with others - giving them our souls. We need to believe - regardless what the belief is - or we wither and vanish into nothing. My Bond was with him. He did not know, but I could not disobey anything he asked. A price of loyalty." *she smiled sadly*

"Then we were separated, on a place of hatred and madness, out on the Worlds Outside, through the gates. He was hurt and I was not fast enough, nor good enough, to find him. There were too many places in that one place - an infinite number of them, all evil and I couldn't see... I searched for a long time. When I finally met him, he was different. Broken. His own loyalty damned him. He no longer believed in his own words - words that I had etched in my bones so I would not forget. He did the biding of his foes. He betrayed himself - a thing that should not have been possible. It is a horrible thing to be alone. I needed a purpose or my mind would become dull and unfocused again. Useless. To find him, I'd become the embodiment of his beliefs, to give me focus... but they were no longer his. I was confused. I'd honoured the Laws because they were who he was. I loved him. Love is a lie to comfort mortals destined to Death, I know. It does not matter, but I did love him."

"He would not listen to what I said. His Power abandoned him. He didn't believe he could return. He didn't care to return. He was possessed with guilt, despair, regret. I could not watch him like that. The man I knew would rather die then betray anyone. I begged him to give me a last order. I begged him to be who I knew he once was. Tired, hopeless, he granted me this last wish. He smiled as he asked me to strike. He smiled as my blade pierced his heart."

"I've killed my faith. I've killed my belief. I've killed the one who was more then any Power to me. A heinous crime if there ever was one. Will you judge me, Justice? Go on, draw your blade."

Noma knelt beside the fire, awaiting judgement.

 

Justice stood and drew his blade. "The deeds you have been forced to commit are truly tragic," he agreed. "But more clarification is necessary to discover if they are indeed crimes, and what a just punishment for them would be."

"Whenever a killing occurs one must judge carefully whether or not it was warranted. This man you followed was a warrior, and as their trade is killing and death, they must ever watch their path, so that they stay within the law. If you were bound to obey his commands, and he gave you a lawful order, no matter how unpleasant it was or how horrible it made you feel to fulfill it, I see no breaking of a law in your actions."

"I judge you innocent of breaking a law, but sometimes the law is not enough. You obviously judge yourself guilty of breaking his, and your, hearts, and that is something only one person can forgive you for."

"It would be advisable for you to inform his next of kin of what happened, if he has any. It might also help you to start to forgive yourself, if that is possible."

He sheathed his sword. "Would that I could assuage your guilt. Sometimes a just punishment helps the offender to move forward. Alas, I can offer you no solace, only my sympathy."

He gently laid a massive hand on her slight shoulder.

 

Noma stared hollowly ahead.

No, he was not the Justice she had come to face, after all. It was foolish of her to believe things would end as easily as this.

She closed her eyes and opened them again, driving the sorrow away. Her chest ached again, numb, but the feeling was passing. She had been a fool to call forth what she fought so hard to seal away. Dawn had come. Another day. Stardust faded on the sky.

"Let us seek your Herald. He might still be in the forest to the east."

 

"That is a good plan. Please inform me when you require or even desire to rest." Justice set off at a good pace, but Noma seemed to be able to keep up quite well.

By midday they had come down quite a bit from the high mountains, and were moving into an immense forest. The star dust trail had faded a bit, but was still easy enough to follow when Justice concentrated on it.

They came out of a thick patch of forest at a small river. Ahead of them yet quite a ways rose a huge hill, topped by an enormous tree, and the falling star could be seen blazing away at the base of the tree.

"We have found it!" Justice exclaimed. "Soon I will hear word of the Law Giver!" He rushed out to cross the river. Halfway across, two score of elven archers emerged from the far forest, bows drawn and ready. Another elf took several steps out to them, sword drawn and hand extended.

"Hold!" the elf commanded. "Who are you beings, and why have you come to the High Realm of Bellandrial? Especially now, when we are in mourning for our beloved Queen?"

Justice halted mid-river. "I am Justice, the right hand of the Law Giver. I come to parlay with the Herald of the Law Giver, whose gleaming I see before me on yonder hill."

"I know of no Law Giver, and the Herald on 'yonder hill' is not from him, but from Rillifane Rallathil, come to escort our late Queen on her last journey." He regarded Justice curiously. "It may be that he will speak with you, but I will have to send word back while you wait here." He looked over the river to where Noma was waiting, not yet in the river. "And who is your companion? And would she want entry to our realm as well?"

 

His footsteps were steady, barely leaving an imprint in the crusty top layer of snow. He had stopped only once today, for he was now far behind, only to behold a remarkably fine view. The trail was gone, covered in snow, but Malar knew his way. He knew where the creature ran, he sung merrily as he walked. His cloak was held close against him, it's was the only green for miles around.

He was younger then, he went by another name, a famous name. His hair was long and rich, and no tattoos covered his face. He leaned easily agaisnt a charred tree in a field of burnt reckage. He wore a magnificent coat of blue over gleaming Mitrhil chain, his dazzling knee high boots shone in the sun. His white leggins were flawless white, no ash could stain them. A strong enchantment, for ash and char lay everywhere, only the blue sky above wasn't stained black. The sky, and Dalamar.

Alora was black to begin with. She stood her imense 11 foot form erect, her massive head watched the elf who walked towards them. He was quaking, rightly so, Dalamar thought.

"Alora my pet, lie down, I believe he may be having a seizure." He purred, as he reached up and tickled her chin. She complied and lay down, sending a cloud of ash that never seemed to land on Dalamar. She then commenced to lick her small boulder sized paws, which exposed her enormous canine's. The elf did not cease his quaking. Dalamar was proud of his new discovery, he was only three hundred years - a pitence of his lifetime as a tiefling- and he already had been to the Feywild. That's where he met her, that's where they became friends. For that's what they were, she showed far too much intelligence and free will to be called a pet. She followed him because she wanted to, Dalamar was glad she did. He stroked her ebony coat, she was a cat. The biggest of cats.

Malar stopped his daydream, something wasn't rigth. He could feel the unsteadiness in the air, his eyes scanned the hill tops that surrounded him. He couldn't be sure, he couldn't tell, so he carried on. What ever it was, it would come to him.

"Bel'och nee en Si tella, Alora, ni oma. Nee en Si, nee en. Alora halo kal'ygeh. Alora, nee en Si tella. Hulaena oos casi keen a. Etienne, sah oma mi."

My beautiful friend of ages, Alora, I miss you. My old friend, my friend. Alora you were my joy. Alora, my friend of old. Another adventure is on it's way. Us two, you and me.

Malar's voice was cold as the moutain gusts, as he sung his song. The curse of immortality:to remember your friends far after they're gone.

 

Noma stood on the shore, letting water lap at her feet. She bowed slightly, showing the palms of her gloves.

"My name is Nomainde, and yes, I'd like to enter as well, if entry is given. I've never seen a star fallen from heaven. I am curious of it."

Her eyes went from the elf to the glimmering water of the river. At the bottom, there were deer tracks, criss-crossing back and forth. Even as she watched, the tracks were being washed away by the current, but the pattern was still there. A single path in sand, regular and straight, so unlike the rest. Noma watched it, transfixed. The path was a name, traced with the movement of water and sand, quickly fading away. Keleida. Noma's eyes widened.

"I create a crossroad, I add to you another choice. Keleida. Keep me safe as I cut the path. Keep me safe as I alter what is. Bless my creation. Keleida, choice-giver. Keleida of Nowhere." - the prayer echoed in Noma's thoughts. Prayer of Home.

Another one of her kind had passed here. Another one was in the mountains. He'd taken the deer pact. A man then.

Tracks leaving into the elf-realm were light - those returning imprinted heavily upon them, breaking the shape. A man that had been to the elf-realm and returned burdened. He had taken something.

Was he invited, or did he make his own path inside? Noma wondered. Her eyes went back to the elf. The guards were keen, but deers were forest creatures. Would they have noticed a deer with copper horns and white chest?

The elf that spoke to her seemed to have reached his decision. He called back something to the others. Noma knew the sound, but elven words were different. They wouldn't be pinned, but flew in a continuous thread. To cage such a word, you'd have to silence the throat and the lungs and the air. She could not learn such a craft.

Noma crossed the river, stepping softly over the deer track, erasing them. Behind her, the blood drops of her soul entered the water.

"Protect me as I seek the Elsewhere." - *out of habit, Noma thought the same thoughts any of her kind would, as they crossed a living water.*
Behind her, her footsteps re-wrote the name in the sand.
Keleida.