Lost

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi approached the fallen dwarf, his eyes starting to burn from the pressure. Suddenly, he lifted his head and shot a searing glance of fire into the tree trunk behind him, obliterating the tree and causing it to fall backwards, thunking loudly to the ground.

Kerodi reverted to normal and looked down at the awe struck dwarf. "You can see how I have earned my reputation," he said lightly. "You can also see why it is that I live alone. Who would want me around them, especially when I do things like that?"

Kerodi reached down to the dwarf to help him up. "I am true to my word. I will not harm you. But it was important for you to understand my nature. Most do not take me seriously when I talk about my past until they see a demonstration of it. It is controlled and it will not harm you." Kerodi looked meaningfully at his hand and waited for the dwarf to overcome his initial terror.

[Wanderer]

Glorin took Kerodi's hand and allowed him to help him up. He was still shaken and more then a bit terrified. He brushed off some dry leaves before speaking again. "Well ye sure did spook me very bones laddy"said Glorin with a shaky laugh. "I...eh believe ye know"he said with a smile.

He then looked around. "Do ye know these parts good?"he asked changing the subject greatly. He then shuffled his feet a bit. "I say the treasure be hidden deep in this hell of a land"he said tightening the grip on his axe.

[virgillius]

Vorneseth was sitting in a tree and looking at the dwarf and the strange human. -- This human is quite extroadenary-- He tought in his self -- I think it won't hurt to get a closer look.--

Silently he jumped to a nearer tree and looked closely when a tree suddenly bursted into flames. -- I think ths one is very unique, i think it won't mind to communicate with him.--

vorn jumped behind the human and his hollow voice echoed in the close area. "That is an awesome power you have, young one. Are you sure you are in control of it, instead that the power CONTROLS you?" Then Varn pulled his mouth mask a little higher to make sure it covered his "mouth" completly.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi helped the dwarf to stand and was getting ready to comment when the thought reverberated in his mind. Spinning, he found himself facing a light blue individiual with a cloak and a brown mouth mask.

"I see we have a visitor from the Spirit World," Kerodi said, grimacing and taking a step forward to block the dwarf from view. "I did not think that so many of you were still coming through to the mortal world."

Kerodi stopped roughly five paces in front of the spectre, knowing that if it turned to a battle, the dwarf was really the one who had no protection over the soul-sucking attributes of this spectre.

"And yes, my power is controlled by me. Obviously you saw my demonstration. If not controlled, I would have burned the dwarf, myself, and probably the majority of the forest. It is interesting though that one of YOUR like talks to ME about control when you suffer from the affliction of NOT being able to control your soul-sucking ways. My friend and I mean you no harm, so please allow us to pass without hindrance. We mean you no trouble." Kerodi spread his arms in a gesture of peace and waited for the spectre to respond, hoping the dwarf would not do something stupid in the interim.

[Wanderer]

Glorin pulled his axe up into the fighting posistion. He planted his feet and started to breath heavy. "Ohh, we can take 'im"he wispered to Kerodi's pack. He then peaked around Kerodis back to get a better look. He did not like the looks of this creature of a man. He then creapt up to closer to the two and waited.

[virgillius]

"Indeed not many spectres travel to the mortal world, but i like the envirement its so.... mysterious dont you agree? The food isn't to bad either." Vorns laughter could be heard trough the forest. "And about my soul-sucking ways, it is necesary for my survival, just like you eat bread or meat, i consume souls. It is the way i was created. And thinking about it... It has been a day since i had a meal. Souls of younglings arent that satisfing, you know?" Vorn slowly stepped towards the human and noticed the dwarf behind him. He snapped his fingers and in an eye-blink he was standing behind the dwarf and he crossed his arms. "Well master dwarf, you seem a little nervous... Never saw a spectre before? You know it has been a while since i consumed a dwarf's soul. I think about three-hundred years. It has a rather unique taste." Slowly he kneeled next to the dwarf looked it right into the eye.

[HoudiniDerek]

What Glorin would have done if Kerodi had not acted, Kerodi didn't know. As soon as the spectre knelt, Kerodi whipped out his arm, grabbed the dwarf by the shoulder and yanked him back before the spectre could grab him. He pulled a little too hard and the dwarf stumbled into him, knocking them both down. When they sat up, the spectre was gone.

"Damn!" Kerodi swore. "He won't be gotten rid of that easily. We will have to be on watch for him. I can protect you to some degree, Glorin, because of my magic, but with your senses, you will have to help me as well. The magic takes a toll and makes me weaker the longer I employ it."

Kerodi stood, brushing off his robe and helped Glorin up. "It looks like we will be more than just companions now....we will be each other's savior."

[Wanderer]

"Aye, aye!"said Glorin happily. "I be watcin' your back, and you be watchin' mine"he said looking around. "When I smell his filthy sould lurking around, ill let ye know"he said with a small grin. "I give em a few swipes with me axe and you can blast him to dust!"he said now getting happier.

Glorin then looked up to Kerodi. "Are ye ok?"he asked. "Should we take a break er keep movin?"he asked him.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi had to admire the little man's enthusiasm, especially after nearly getting his soul sucked from his body. Smiling, he shook his head and considered the dwarf's question.

"Well, the spectres are stronger by night. If we go now, we have a chance to be well on our way. We will stop early and I will sleep while it is still daylight. Then, you can sleep overnight. We won't make very good time having to stop so much, but until we can either lose him or discourage him, we have to be on our guard."

Kerodi looked off to the west of him, almost as though trying to penetrate the trees themselves to see the heart of the Selkia. "But, we should start out regardless....dawdling gets us nowhere." With that, he started out.

[virgillius]

Vorneseth was sitting in a tree overlooking the human and the dwarf. -- Trying to loose me do they?-- he thought in himself. -- I think im gonna play with them some more.--

Vorn snapped his fingers and in less than a second he was facing the human with an inch space bethween them. "You know much of my race for a mortal, young one. But i am different then my race for two reasons. I lived for almost my entire life in your world, so the weak-at-day, strong-at-night routine doesn't work for me and i know how to warp me from one place to another so you see..." In an eyeblink Vorneseth was behind the human standing back to back. "... Cheap magic tricks or wild axe throwing isn't really effective." Vorn's telepathic laughter could be heard trough the forests. "So who is first?" And with these last words, Vorn lowered his mouth mask and revealed his jawless mouth.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi watched the parlor tricks of the little spectre until he approached the dwarf again. "Aren't there better victims in the Selkia for you?" Kerodi asked as if discussing the weather. "You will not have a meal of us today I think."

With that, Kerodi swept up his hand full of sand, scattering it over the spectre and uttering a word. With his other, he whipped his cloak around the dwarf and uttered an ancient spell, which burst the sand into flame, obscuring vision for more than two inches in front of everyone's eyes. A second utterance of the spell caused a blinding flash.

When the smoke cleared seconds later, Kerodi and the dwarf were gone...and the spectre was alone.

[Wanderer]

Glorin didnt see much. He seen the spectre and its ugly face, then some flames and a flash. He choked as he had a hard time breathing. He didnt talk at first as he did not want the demon to hear him. Finally he thought he was far enough away.

"Im gonna chop dat stinkin' creature head clean off his shoulders!"said Glorin angrily.

[HoudiniDerek]

Kerodi put his hand over the mouth of the dwarf and pointed to a nearby tree. The spectre was still standing there and did not seem to know they were about. Kerodi hoped to keep it that way because they could not guard against this spectre forever, especially if it became determined.

Kerodi motioned to Glorin and silently moved away through the brush, deeper into the Selkia. He might not be able to kill the spectre, but there were other ways to deal with them and the dark magic of the Selkia was probably the best chance for it...and for the dwarf's treasure.

Calmly and slowly, they silently marched down the pine needle path of the forest.