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"Then die of your stupidity. My rules are simple, 1. You must never use magic in these woods or the plants shall kill you, 2. No weapons shall be wielded while inside these woods lest you awaken the wrath of some un-heavenly being, and finally 3. If you find me I shall give you and antidote and serve you throughout your quest. Enjoy your stay!" The voice cried out in the darkness before only the arrow was left until a shadow rose up from the ground, grabbed it and took it off into the blackness that surrounded them.

"Find me and I shall serve you until you die or until I find a better home. Too many like you lot coming in here thinking they can hide getting my plants angry and the other beasts I take care of and I always end up having to kill the plants and animals that taste blood." It said as a shadow figure of a Man formed against a tree, its pointy ears very defined showing everyone the caster was an elf. "If you want the antidote then its back the way you came in the event you like living." It said before dissipating into thin air.

Valora wasn't happy about keeping the Elves in their group - and she could sure as hell see Kayn enjoy their company as much as herself. Val almost lept at the small girl named Selce as she suddenly raised her sword... to a squirrel. Maybe I don't need to keep an eye on that one so much... Val thought raising an eyebrow.

A voice broke Val's attention on the even-newer-newcomers. It demanded leave. Now. Valora just grew angry... How does he think he owns the bloody place?! she didn't hesitate to flip out her claymore and ready her stance. The voice seemed to be coming from all over the place!

But Althenna looked excited - even as the arrow skimmed her drawing the slightest amount of blood. Val's life as a mercenary has taught her many things, including the use of smaller arrows - it was poisoned. Before Valora could declare this to her new accomplice, the voice filled her in.

Although Val continued to spin and scan the area, she still keep some attention on the elves. For all she new, this could have been some sort of ambush planned by them... But Val saw Althenna now having less attentiveness that was expected. The poison was sinking in.

As Althenna charged at the shadows, Valora followed behind intensly watching her back. Her large blade held in one hand and her semi-demon energy kicking in, she sprinted up to Althenna's speed within seconds. She still owed her and would be damned if she died before receiving her payment...

"No you don't demon!" The voice cried out as what seemed like 50 arrows came flying at her to stop her advance. "No leaving and put your weapons away you don't want to wake my favorite Troll do you?" It said laughing out-loud at there futile attempts to find him. "I'll let you leave this forest in peace but tread no farther for fear of the many plants that love any sort of magical anything, that's why I never use my shadows any farther than where you all are." It said in a more serious tone as more and more shadows of the elf appeared on all the tree, but these were different they seemed to have real eyes but all the shadows had this was it because of the moonlight peering through a treetop onto a branch behind a tree?

The only way Kayn could hope to avoid the arrows was to fold her wings against her body and fall to the ground faster than they could hit her- which is exactly what she did, hitting the ground with a grunt as she fell on her back, the arrows whizzing by above her where she was moments before.

“I hate that guy,” she said furiously as she rubbed her head. And when she found him, she planned on tearing him limb from limb- using no weapons at all.

Tons of shadows suddenly sprouted all over the place, and as real as they seemed, none of them put off any heat as far as Kayn could see. That stupid mage was just toying with them!

Suddenly Anduril spoke up, trying to stop the fighting. Kayn would massacre that shadow mage whether the elf discouraged fighting or not. But really, was the shadow mage just messing with their heads? Or did he have some form of a purpose?

Anduril walked forward with his hands spread out at his sides, showing he was unarmed."Do as he says," he told the others, before adressing the Shadow mage."If we are attacked then we will defend ourselves."

Althenna was glad Valor was near. She was not sure she would be able to navigate very well for to much longer. She saw Kayn's attempt to fly and felt a slight panic at the arrows that shot for the demoness. Letting out a breath of relief when Kayn hit the ground, seemingly unharmed, she turned at the rather garbled, distant sound of Anduril's voice. Though she couldn't make out his words too clearly, his meaning was received.

Althenna put her mother's blade away with shaky hands, "I will not use my weapons unless my life depends upon it. But I will not leave them either, they are all I have left of my mother and teacher."

Since when had it been so tiring to breath, she wondered vaguely. And then she remembered the eastern lord's son.

'Oh damn it.' she cursed, 'There's probably still some of the brat's poison running in me.' She nearly sighed. Months of nothing and now, all of a sudden, everything seemed to be happening at once.

"I always did like a good dose of chaos!" She said brightly, though the beginnings of a sweat was appearing on her brow, "Time to find the shadow master." She trudged forward.