Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2010 00:09:26 -0500 From: Daniel Enns Subject: Tales of the Lost Souls 1 The usual disclaimers apply. This is a work of fiction, so any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is completely coincidental. This work will, eventually, contain graphic descriptions of sexual relationships between two of-age men. Also, if you are under the proper age to view this material in your area, you are offended by male on male action, or you have any other obscure reason to not be viewing this, you should probably leave now. I do not own the ideas behind the races and classes of my characters and the world's pantheon, but I own all other rights to this story, so any reproduction of it without my expressed permission is illegal, and not very nice. Anyways, this is a new tale loosely set up in the realm of Dungeons and Dragons. This means that it is set in a world separate from D and D, but it has the same races, classes, and pantheon, so it's similar yet different at the same time. I hope you enjoy it, and don't be afraid to email me at lunarboy4@live.com. Tales of the Lost Souls Part One: Melodic Beginnings A gentle harp melody washed over the forest clearing as Feylinna practiced her haunting tune. Then, she began to sing along with the melody, reciting words that even she didn't anticipate fluttering from her mouth. "So begins a tale of lost souls, The first of many tales to come. Like all good fables, This one begins with blood. Five souls join as one, Defying old hatreds to begin anew." As Feylinna strummed the last note, she immediately recognized her song as a prophecy. She packed up her harp and she prepared her bow for the short trip back to the village. She heard a rustling in the bushes and reflexively drew her bow, aiming it at the source of the noise with the beginnings of a spell on her lips. "What's got you so jumpy?" asked a light, male voice as a young eladrin stepped out of the bushes into the clearing. "Arandel, you need to stop sneaking up on me like that," breathed Feylinna as she lowered her bow. "But then I don't get to surprise you, Linn," laughed Arandel as he gave her his famous mischievous smile. "You do realize that surprising a tiefling could be the last thing you ever do, right?" She teased. "I can take care of myself," he retorted as he walked up to her and gave her a hug. "So, how was music practice today?" "Um... I made a prophecy," she meekly muttered as they began to walk back to the village. "Really, what about?" Feylinna repeated the prophecy, but just the words. She learned a long time ago to never play the song associated with a prophecy. If she even misplayed one note, she could start reciting another prophecy, which would make things more complicated. "Wow, I wonder who it's talking about?" he wondered aloud, like usual. "I don't know, but it's the `beginning with blood' part that bothers me. I think someone's going to get really hurt," she worried. "Probably, but it also sounds like some serious business. I think we need to head over to the elders. Maybe they'll be able to make some sense of it," he firmly stated as they reached the outer edge of the village. Meanwhile, in another small village outside of the forest, Ella, Nalklyr, and Helja returned from their daily education in their chosen fields to their small cottage. Upon arrival, they were greeted by their elderly foster mother, Hope. "Hey, Mom," Ella happily shouted in her high, squeaky voice. "Hello, my dear Ella," Hope replied as she bent over to hug her gnome foster daughter. "Mom, Nalk still won't tell us what he's studying at the temple of Sehanine!" Helja bellowed, again. "Again, if I told you, I'd have to kill ya'," Nalklyr shouted at Helja, reaching for his weapon. "Both of you, that's enough. Don't make me get out the belt. Helja, you know that Nalklyr does NOT have to tell us everything about his studies, just like you don't. Nalklyr, you KNOW that I do not allow drawn weapons in this house, so get your hand away from your sword," Hope sternly stated, scolding her children as she settled their usual argument. "I wasn't going to draw it," Nalklyr sulked. "All he had to say was no," Helja sulked as well. "I've said no a million times already!" Nalklyr shouted, taking a step toward his much shorter, dwarf foster sister. "Then why won't you," started Helja, puffing up her chest and pointing a finger up at her drow foster brother. "Nalklyr, Helja," Hope sternly stated, giving the two her scariest look, which is quite frightening, considering that she is a tiefling. "Okay Mom," they both groaned, admitting defeat for that night. "I swear, you two have been fighting ever since you first laid eyes on each other. It's because of you that I have these gray hairs, ya' know?" she muttered as she walked back into the kitchen to finish dinner. -Nalk, check out what I learned to do today! Isn't it neat! - Shrieked a familiar, squeaky voice in Nalklyr's head. "What did you learn to do, talk?" Asked Nalklyr, thinking she had said something. "I've know how to talk for a long time, thank you very much," Helja growled. "No, didn't you hear Ella say that she learned a new trick today?" He asked, dumfounded. Helja shook her head as Ella walked into the living room from the kitchen, giggling. "No, silly, I learned how to send messages to people telepathically," Ella chided. "Joseph called it `Send Thoughts.'" "Huh, that's cool. I bet you'll be able to read my mind soon." Nalk joked as he squatted down to her level, amazed at just how well she is progressing as a telepathic Psion. "Maybe I'll be able to figure out just what you're doing at the temple," Ella giggled. "But Joseph said that I'm not supposed to read other people's minds without their permission." "At least he's teaching you to be polite," Nalklyr nervously laughed, fearing her figuring out his secret before he could tell them. "I'm giving you permission, find out for me, please," Helja jokingly stated. "No, it has to be HIS permission, not anyone else's," Ella seriously said. "Besides, you don't want to scar her, do you?" Nalklyr joked, trying to lighten the mood and prevent a fight. "Ya, I guess you're right. Who knows what she'll find in your mind," Helja joked, picking up on the mood. "Hey, you three, It's dinner time," Hope sang as the three ran to the washbasin, washed up, and sat down to the modest dinner provided by their loving foster mother. Back in the Eladrin village of Falarae, Feylinna and Arandel approached one of the elders, Dayereth. Beginning with the usual, respectful greeting, the pair looked up to the pale eladrin, gazed into his emerald green eyes framed by flowing, golden brown hair, and recounted the prophecy to him. "Hmm, sounds as if you two are in the wrong place," he calmly stated, folding his hands together and sitting back in his chair. "What do you mean, where are we supposed to be?" Feylinna asked, afraid of what he could say. "I mean, you two need to find the other three lost souls. Obviously, since you made the prophecy, you are a part of it. I would advise packing some things and getting on to move. If it begins with blood, you must hurry so that the spilt blood is not someone's death." "Whoa, who says that I'm a part of this?" asked Arandel. "Would you really let me go on an epic journey without you?" Feylinna said, her inner smart ass surfacing. "Who says you have to go. Just because you made the prophecy, that doesn't mean you're part of it!" he raved, afraid to leave his home. "I know, but I have to make sure nobody is seriously hurt. I couldn't live with myself if someone died because of my prophecy and I didn't do anything to stop it," she sternly stated, amazed that her friend was taking this stance. "But... I guess you're right. Sir, what will we need to pack and where do we need to go?" Arandel asked, taking charge of the situation, which made Feylinna smile. Dayereth instructed them on what to take, and they both ran off to their homes to say goodbye to their parents and pack their things, agreeing to meet at the city gate in the morning. When they asked again where to go, the only answer they received was an enigmatic "You'll know it when you get there." The next morning, Feylinna and Arandel set off to the nearest village from their own, a small town outside of the forest called Tetherotown. Also, Ella, Nalklyr, and Helja awoke from a restful night and went off to their teachers. Ella went into Tetherotown to her Psion master, Joseph, Nalklyr went to the temple, and Helja wandered off into the woods toward an old hermit who can commune with the primal spirits.