You dance your jocund roundelay
Leaping tongues define the interplay
You are turned in such song
On, on and along
Then you furl up untoward
Frayed like distorted cord
Now you make my will come true
I may be a liar, but betrayal lies on you
As soon as she had opened her eyes, it was dark about her. She blinked and felt very well how her lids were slightly touching each other as they came together in the middle of her eyeballs. But had she truly opened them? For a while, she wondered and stared into what lay in front of her: Blackness. There was no texture, no variance in color, yes, not even as much as the sign of a form that might have told her that she had opened her eyes and had not been blinded. Or was she blind?
The thought filled Thangrineth with alarming fright. As soon as she raised her hands in an intend to wipe over her eyes, she thought she would have lifted weights of pure iron. The simple movement of lifting her arm had invoked the rest of her body to return to a form of consciousness. Instantly was she rewarded with pain. The strain of every muscle was all too apparent, drew on her limbs, her fingers like glowing iron hooks that had been screwed into her flesh. With a groan did Thangrineth cease her attempt. Loud sparks of light were flaring up before her eyes. The echo of her voice continued for some while. It was hollow, wide. It took her a while to realize that, but in the end, when the pain had subsided and she had decided to lie still, she perked up her ears and listened into the darkness. The echo that her voice had produced was still traveling and it seemed to shoot from one side to the other in quick intervals. Long after it was beyond the hearing of mortal creatures, it died finally.
Thangrineth was at least now certain that she was awake and returning to a state where her mind was clear. Whether her eyesight was working or not was to her, for the time being, trivial. The echo had told her as much as that she had to lie in a closed room. So, the darkness about her could have its source not necessarily in the loss of her sight, but rather in the missing of any light. The thought let her cringe reluctantly. One way or the other, she was enfolded by absolute darkness.
Carefully she began to move her fingers. She thought to feel the strain of her unwilling muscles again, so as if someone would have bound tiny weights to each of her finger-tips, but the more she moved them, the easier it became.
What had happened that she ended up like that? Thangrineth tried to answer that question to herself, but what memory she could access in the back of her head was blurred and beyond true use. Some parts were very clear; the evening sky, the thicket and she was looking for ... ? Then a gap appeared, where her memory appeared to be entirely undone. In between the events that Thangrineth could recall, there were empty, black gorges with no content. It will need its time. I will remember again, she thought to bolster her own courage.
First and foremost, she had to be able to stand up and determine where she was. Now her fingers moved well again, so the next objective was to see in what shape her arms, legs and the rest of her obviously bruised body was. She was quickly master over her arms again, although a stinging pain shot through her right shoulder, whenever she was bending it up too far.
Thangrineth had lost the feeling for any passing of time and hence she did not know how long she had been lying on the ground before she managed to stand, feeling how weak her legs were, supported on a wall.
Her fingers carefully advanced to feel out her surroundings. Judging what her sense told her, it was nothing pleasant. The walls were made of a sharp-edged rock, hard and solid, with the occasional hole in it, that was big enough that she could put her hand inside. There her hand encompassed soft clay. Thangrineth flinched back as she came upon something that seemed to have a fur. Her heart was beating up to her throat, during the moments in which she expected an wild animal to either shriek and run away or to attack her and rip her to pieces. But no such thing occurred. By her second advance, she recognized it as a form of moss that was growing at the walls, for a constant layer of water was set on the stone. It was coming from above Thangrineth, but she could not reach the ceiling with just her arms stretched up. She did not dare to jump up. In the hope to restore some of her vigor, she drank the water, running down the walls. In vain; it tasted stale and metallic. It dried her mouth out even further.
The tunnel in which Thangrineth stood was higher than she was tall and the ceiling remained out of reach. It was quite narrow however. She could not spread her arms here without that she bumped with her elbows into the solid rock or the soft mossy texture. Such as the cave murals, the air was damp and cold. Fine drops of water had begun to drop on her hair, that in the darkness was no more black, than what was enfolding her.
With both hands on the sharp-edged wall to support herself, she took carefully one step after the other. The ground was just as the rest of the tunnel, unrefined and full with treacherous holes or levies that let her stumble and led her to believe that she stood before a deep gorge and would fall to her end if she would take just one step farther ahead. The rough edges tore open her palms, shredded the mantle. It appeared to Thangrineth that not too much time could have passed until the cloth piece was reduced to nothing more than a gathering of continuous scraps. In the dark, only depending on her sense of touch, she managed to bind the remains around her bleeding hands. Stumbling and lost Thangrineth continued to walk along the tunnel. She had no intention on letting go off the wall and in the end running danger to become lost if she would meet a bigger cave. All what she heard was the deep pounding of her heart. Her shallow breath went whistling and was like the roaring of a storm to her. If anything lived down here, it was certainly alerted to her presence.
Suddenly, Thangrineth stopped. How much time had passed since she had began her way on the search for an escape or a hint to where she was? Minutes, hours, or days? She had lost every feeling for time.
Had there been movement in the corner of her eye? Thangrineth turned around and saw nothing. Her mind began to play tricks on her, or so at least she hoped.
If she was beginning now to become paranoid and headless, she would die down here, there was no doubt to that. Thangrineth steeled herself. She tried to ease down her breathing, while her chest was raising and lowering itself rapidly. Only with a clear mind she would be able to escape from this horror of being trapped beneath the ground. Or wherever she was.
There she was hit by realization. Once more Thangrineth tested her assumption by taking a deep breath. The air was not stagnant as it was normal for far cave systems. That could only mean that from somewhere entered a stream of air - and that was her way out.
She sat down, with the back against the wall to rest as comfortably as it was possible to her. It was a tough decision to make now. Thangrineth wanted to live, but if she had to walk miles and miles yet under the earth until she found the hole through which the air was coming, then she would run the risk to collapse at some point. No less dangerous was to sit around and do nothing. The entrance could be only temporarily or she would not awake anymore from the sleep into that she could fall. In fact, Thangrineth felt endlessly tired. Her head, every part of her body hurt.
Leaning against a wall of clay, she had chosen to rest for a moment.
Checking, her hands sought over herself. She wore the garments that she remembered to have chosen for her trip which purpose however remained veiled still. Reinforced leather protected her and she was glad for her tough boots, otherwise the rough ground would have sliced her soles open. She cut herself almost on the curved knife that she carried. Thangrineth found no provisions on her.
So she had to sit around and wait. How much time had passed already she did not know. She tried to listen again.
Her breathing had indeed slowed down. Also her heart was no longer pounding furiously, the fear was driven away by her cold, calculating being; and instead she began to hear several dripping and she was sometimes even hit by wet, cold water.
It rains? Thangrineth thought, how the water seeped through the earth and into her prison. Hopefully it rains for a longer time! It could soften the clay walls or the ceiling so far that I ... Hope began to grow in her that she was not as deep beneath the ground as she had thought to the beginning and to be able to finally escape from this hole.
And the weather did her the favor: It did not just drip anymore, tiny rivers emerged.
Her trousers were wet and her back as well. Her prison was damping. In an first attempt, Thangrineth kicked against the wall and rejoiced as a gap was formed. Immediately she began to increase her efforts until the hole was broad enough that she could crawl inside.
To where it would lead her, she knew not however. Thangrineth rolled on her stomach and stuck her head through the opening she fabricated. Beneath her, she could make out murmuring and it was cooler than in the tunnel. She had most likely found an under-earth creek - that could either bring her to freedom or death.
How far does it go down here? With her shoulder she moved a small boulder that fell. The water was too loud, she could not hear the impact.
Let the threads of my fate not be cut yet! Thangrineth turned around once more and crawled with her feet first through the gap. She was sliding over loamy, muddy ground, until she fell into ice-cold water.
The stream took her instantly and pushed her away.
Thangrineth did not know where was up and down. She held her breath as long as she could and she felt that she was beneath the earth. Many times she hit rocks or roots that let her see loud lights before her eyes and almost let her seek breath.
More the Elf did not see now anyway, the darkness and the water denied her that.
Then the remains of her mantle got caught and held her at the spot. The well woven material around her shoulders did not tear although the pressure through the wild roaming water was immense.
Not so! Not here! Thangrineth kicked madly about her, her feet felt resistance and she pressed with all the power she got left against it.
The cold of the water paralyzed her muscles, it found its way into her mouth and wanted to force her to let it flow deep into her lungs. The desire for air became almost unbearable. Bright circles appeared in front of her eyes.
Something cracked and Thangrineth screamed up. Her left arm snapped back and slipped out of the sling. Water flooded her mouth. The Elf coughed and gulped even more water while the stream took her down on its journey. Then she fell once more and landed on hard ground. Around her was moonlight, she saw it through the half-shut eyes.
Choking she lay next to a small waterfall that poured out unto a rock, before it went down. Would her flight have been longer, she would fallen to her death.
I ... live! She saw after her hurt arm. On the first look it appeared alright, but it hurt immensely when she moved it too quickly. Would her cramped muscles not have yielded, she would have drowned beneath the earth.
She slithered on her knees to the wall into the middle of the lower plants that with their thick and dark leaves gave her protection from unwished looks. The pain was bearable, she had to clench her teeth. It would heal again.
Thangrineth raised carefully her head to look over the leaves.
She did land on a rocky edge that was not higher than two steps and slightly bend upwards. The thicket offered her enough cover as she began to advance through it slowly, in case creatures were in the near.
But the forest before her was quiet. Only the constant dripping of the rain could be heard. What to one appeared like a peaceful rainy night was to Thangrineth strangely unsettling. She could not shake off her feeling of paranoia. Ever so often did the Elf look behind her, to determine if someone would follow her on her way through the thicket. At some point, it began to appear ridiculous to her. Who would follow her? She had just slid sharply past a certain death beneath the earth, so how would anyone know that she was here? Her priority was now to find out what happened to her.
Thangrineth stood up. She was drenched and covered in mud. She felt like the club of a troll would have hit her.
Then she saw it. Not a hundred steps away from her was a light glimmering in the forest. Quietly and utterly keen not to cause any sound, Thangrineth snuck forward. It was better to know what was about one.
Her being aided her in her course. No twig snapped beneath her feet and she left hardly any prints in the muddy ground of the wood. Arduously she wiped mud and rain out of her eyes. Thangrineth had closed in now on the half of the distance. She could perceive voices of men that spoke the common tongue of the west in a strange and rough tone that was more than unappealing to her sensitive ears. In the best case it were farmers or hunters, in the worst, she would have to deal with outlaws.
For a moment, the Elf hesitated. She was wounded and not at all in her best condition. If they were too many, then being discovered could prove fatal. In case the intend of the men was an ill one. She weighed out the possibilities but trusted in the end in her abilities and drew closer. The Elf needed food and drink to restore what power had left her. With a bit luck, she could be able to steal some from them without them even noticing what had gone down.
»I can hardly imagine that«, said an elderly man in an travel robe and sat down by the fire. »They have ... always watched out for us.«
»I bet they would forsake us in fear of those monsters«, hissed one of his companions. »They have robbed the mountains of all its treasures, their mines do not give enough gold and silver anymore, so they want to rob ours!«
»Your daftness I want to have, for a single day, Helgin«, groaned the other at the fire. »My life would be so simple.«
A young boy who sat with them, raised his arms and stared into the round.
»Uncle Helgin, uncle Helfdan - you should not be arguing. Our life has been well ever since we demand a toll for the road ...«
»And they will soon hear of us«, fell the shrill voice of a woman into his word. »And then all the others will come to know of it and they will muster and ...«
»Ina!«, Helfdan called out. »Be quiet! You know that it is bad fortune to speak out the worst case.«
Except for the dripping of the rain unto the leather roof it was still again in the camp. These highwaymen had lit a fire and build a lane over it, standing on sticks so that they could enjoy the dry warmth even in such a night. Thangrineth shook her head. They made no effort to conceal their location, and their intention was obviously not any good. Not that she would have felt bad for stealing from good folk, for the mortal race of man was too her of little significance.
Ina, Helgin and Helfdan looked at each other, until Helgin lowered his gaze and put his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
Ina raised slowly her head. Her face was as pale as ash. »The woodsmen ... Have they followed you?«, she whispered without a tone in her voice. »If they catch us, they will have us hanging before the morning!«
»They have lost my tracks, I am sure«, said the boy weakly and took a bite of dried bread. He could not be older than fifteen, maybe sixteen winters. He still had the build of a young thing. The shortsword on his side was ridiculing his appearance rather than reinforcing it. »I walked for days through streams and through ponds and no one has seen me on my way, who could have told their scouts.« He stood up and padded Ina on the shoulder. »Nothing will happen to you, you hear?«
I doubt that. Thangrineth smiled satisfied. This might be just the rescue she needed. They had water and rations with them, with which she could last so long until she had made a full recovery. She felt no remorse, nor had she any second thoughts, to bring death over these people. But the men appeared strong and marked by the wild. So she had to be quick and without a second of hesitation. And they were four.
I have long already not led a blade anymore. The fact that no one in the camp seemed to be watchful or ready for a sudden attack relieved her. And they are only wild men.
»Very well. Let us go to rest and tomorrow we will go.« Helfdan stood up. »I let our friends in the city know that in the coming nights they have to be especially attentive.«
Helgin remained quiet, but he did not seem satisfied with the discussion that they had, that showed his downwards pointed edges of his lips. Helfdan took his hat from the ground, Ina adjusted his linen shirt.
I am still a hunter. I cannot let myself be turned into a scavenger or into prey. Thangrineth drew the heavy knife and waited.
Through some spell, she was perfectly concealed in her position. The man left the camp with the backpack shouldered. He walked past Thangrineth's hideout, just as the Dark Elf had estimated. Helfdan's broad back appeared before her. »You should have been more watchful«, whispered the Elf into the ear of the man. »There are other hunters other than wild beasts and woodsmen.« She cut the throat of Helfdan with a quick slash and jumped at Helgin, while her first victim fell gargling to the ground and the red life essence poured out; in his death struggle he twitched, his boots were sliding and drawing rifts into the mud.
Headlessness overwhelmed the remaining companions who had not expected a stealth attack like that.
»Help me!«, Ina whimpered and sunk to her knees, crawled into a corner and raised her sword protectively over her chest.
»Elin, run!« Helgin took up a crude axe and attempted to strike at his adversary.
»You stay!« Thangrineth kicked up, the man lost his footing. He fell to the ground and flew between the legs of the boy, who had started to run and was brought down.
Thangrineth would have almost fallen herself. She had to end this quickly or it would be so that the highwaymen would turn the tables on her. Her arm pained her, her legs were heavy as steel after the first leap.
She killed Helgin with a swift stab into his heart. Walking past the woman, she parried with some hardship the strike at her. With a quick maneuver Thangrineth managed to get out of reach, only to attack the surprised woman again. The blade of the knife drove through Ina's collarbone, cut veins and hit the lungs, so that she drowned slowly and painfully on her own blood.
Thangrineth had reached the crawling young man, grasped him by the hair and raised him up.
He screamed up and tried to free himself. But his fists were missing the slim figure of the Dark Elf behind him.
The bloody blade was being laid on his bare throat.
Blazing light overwhelmed her suddenly and stung into her eyes. The pain forced her to let go off the young man and to raise her arms before her face. She performed a strike into the direction of her prey and the boy screamed up.
A loud crumbling sound filled the air, it smelled after burned ashes and sawdust and heat hit Thangrineth's chest. She was raised up and thrown backwards. Crashing, she flew against one of the sticks that held the lane, broke through the thick wood along with the pieces of whatever had been hurled alongside with her and spun several times around until she came to lie still in the mud.
What was... She could not move. Every limb hurt and seemed to have been set ablaze. Warm liquid ran from her eye sockets, over her cheeks and it was as if her eyes would slowly melt. She required several attempts to stand up. At a tree, she pulled herself up, leaned against it.
My head ... What had happened exactly, she did not know. Elin had incapacitated her momentarily with a trick with the fire of some sort and took flight from her - that she was certain of.
Carefully she touched over her face. My eyes are still there! But she could not see. The fear, that she would have been blinded forever took her. Calm. First I need to get out of here, before I get into deeper trouble. Blind she stumbled forward, away from the heat of the fire, that certainly consumed the encampment now.
Strong wind came up, that drew on her clothes and began to increase in strength.
Thangrineth had to seek cover. She pressed herself into a tiny gap and covered herself into shadow so that no one would discover her. Accursed boy!
After the passing of several moments, her ability to see returned. Before her eyes danced fiery, glowing circles, still her relief was indescribable.
As Thangrineth sought through her belongings that she had carried with her, she was struck with surprise. The key!
Wherever she was looking, in her armor and through mud where she had fallen, by the burned out remains of the encampment of the highwaymen, she could not find the key with which she had sealed the door to her abode. It was gone!
Her mind was directed to the young man who had fled. Elin, his companions had called him. He must have torn it off her during their short struggle.
With a grim expression and the wind tearing on her shape, Thangrineth gathered what she could salvage from the destroyed camp and made way to follow the boy. She needed the key, or all the treasures and tokens she had hoarded throughout time would be left to rot in a hideout that had only one way to be entered.
