NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: This is pretty much limited to, myself, Aelosia, The Ctan, and Menelmacar, if you really want to RP, feel free to TG me.

IC: Aliria was looking through the pressurized glass of the tower in the middle of the Dome of Understanding, watching the movement of the artificial and beautiful stars of the fake sky above her, holding a book over her knees as she tried to grasp the wisdom hidden in its pages
Theallas is currently lying on the steel slab that the C'tan had termed a 'bed' he is reliving his life, feeling its darkness overwhelm him, the chaos and the destruction. Barely on the outskirts of his mind he can feel another presence, stable and firm, familiar in a way. In his darkness, he reaches out to it, trying to grasp it and hold onto it
Aliria sighed, "No way I can grasp this human scripture, it's too complicated", as she felt the contact of a mind trying to reach her own, probably the Lord Alkanphel trying to find out if his pupil was really doing her homework. But no, this presence was more familiar than the icy touch of the Fallen Maia...more familiar and more...friendly, perhaps
He continues to try and reach out. Suddenly, he grasps that thin thread, his mind making a small amount of contact with another's.

Theallas grasps the thread, making contact with her mind, he tries to speak through the link, but all that comes out are emotions and memories, pain, sorrow, a tiny shred of hope. And he memories, the fist time they met.
He is standing on the airfield, Aliria looking at him, "Your people murdered humans, you think it is okay for them to be killed." She turns walking back into the transport
Aliria watched the images, really surprised to see that she was reached by the disappeared Theallas. "Theallas, Is that you?, Where are you?, What happened to you?"
"I..... I am on the Necrontyr planet.... I was with Kithail, trying to destroy my old blade when I was pulled through a mirror in the 'shrine' room...." more memories come across the link, his stay in the alternate world, "I came through a portal, and came to the C'tan. They imprisoned me..... forcing me to relive my life.... and keeping me in sensory deprivation, unable to use my magic..."
"Are you with the Istari of the stars?" Aliria said inside her mind both scared and surprised
"Istari? They are not Istari.... gods, yes, that they may be.... but not Maiar.... not like Gandalf the White, no..."
"Aren't they helping you?, Aren't they trying to free you from your pain?"
"No..." more memories, his capture, his imprisonment"
Aliria closes her eyes all of sudden, feeling the pain and the problems of Theallas as her own, her body bending under the pressure of her mind... Aliria gasps, "That's...that's horrible!"
Theallas retreats, pulling back the memories and stopping the flow of images.
"Its almost like...."
Theallas stops suddenly, feeling Aliria take a share of his pain, "I should have cut this link...."
"Hell"
Theallas chuckles mentally, "Angband is more like it"
"That looks like Hell, the hell of the night fearers. I've seen Angband in the memories of the Everqueen, but that desolation and grey loneliness is worst"
Theallas shudders, "I guess that this is in a way atonement..."
"No, not even you deserve that. No one deserves that"
"Siri no doubt would disagree with you" his tone has a note of consignment, as if he has accepted his lot. In truth, Theallas is at the end of his rope he is almost broken, after the events in the mirror world, and then having relived his life so many times
"Sirithil has made many mistakes already. I won't withstand such a treatment, not even for a kinslayer"
Theallas is silent, wondering what is going to happen, _1 "Aliria... if Mephet'ran or Feaelen let me out of here... I want to tell you something, face to face"
Aliria sighs, shaking her head, tears already coming out of her eyes. _1"They will let you out of here, and I'll rendezvous with you, anytime, anywhere, everything is happening to you is my fault"
Theallas sighs, "Aliria, it isn't. The seeds for this were sown long before you were born... it was bound to happen"
"How do you know that?", said Aliria raising her voice, visibly upset and altered by the things she saw in her vision
"I have always pushed the envelope, getting through life with my strength, my power, Sirithil was the first person who could beat me.... then I knew I would eventually meet some one who was too powerful to beat, and too angry with me to negotiate with. And I did, I met some one. When I came in contact with the Yngir.... I was captured. Mephet'ran and Sirithil are close....”
"I know, but why the Eléntari would agree to such heinous acts?"
"She doesn't know yet... and I don't think they mean to tell her until after I am a gibbering wreck”
"Sirithil must know about this, I'll tell her!"
"Aliria.... I don't want you to hazard your own well being for this..."
"I won't, I'll just tell her what's happening. Sirithil is my friend, and soon she will be my mother, she'll understand"
"Oh yes, how is Maglor doing?"
"There is no time to ask for that, Theallas, you're in a heinous place. Please don't ask me that!"
Theallas nods his inflection staying the same as before, on the inside, it is somewhat like a ship had just gotten smashed on a bed of rocks, "Okay... please hurry.”

Of course, contrary to their belief, Serendis, the Menelmacari Prefect of Homeland Defence had been told, and what she knew, her lady likely knew also...

More to the point, Theallas was clearly going insane, his quarters were far from a heinious place. Needless to say, the tiny oversight that allowed such communication would likely soon be rectified.

OOC: Well Mephet, if he can neither feel anything nor see anything, it is sort of hard to tell what your quaters are like.

Mephet’ran walks into the room, and turns off the sensory deprivation, leaving right after.
Theallas just lays there on the bed, thinking. he is surprised at the room, having thought he was in a steel dungeon of sorts, "Well... I have been seeing enough of them"
Theallas looks around the room, wondering where the C'tan went
Mephet’ran comes back, eventually, with two glasses of wine, and a... smile.
Theallas looks at him, raising an eyebrow
"Good evening."
"Good evening... Sir"
"How's life?"
"If you don't count almost going insane... being in sensory deprivation... having massive cramping from being tied to a bed and not being able to talk with any one... pretty good”
"Good, good, good. Drink?"
Theallas nods, surprised at Mephet’ran's sudden change in manner, "Yes please..." he tries to raise a hand but fails
Mephet’ran lets one of his wrists go.
Theallas takes the glass, "Thank you" he sips, not really caring at this point whether it is poisoned
"So..."
"Yes?"
"You have a visitor..."
"Who?" Theallas, up till now, didn't know he had visitors
Mephet`ran gestures toward the door.
Lady Serendis, the Menelmacari Prefect of Defense, wanders in. "Ahhh... well, well, what have we here? Such a nice room, wasted on its occupant..."
"Lady Serendis... its been a while... last time we saw each other." he thinks, "Probably when I worked for your queen."
"Uh-huh. Well, I can't say I'm sad to see you in this position." She runs her finger along one of the straps. "Quite entirely helpless, unable to escape... one wonders what deliciously unpleasant things are in store for you."
Theallas shrugs, _1 "If you want to hear me scream and beg for mercy, I can assure you that you will be sorely disappointed"
"Would you like his genitals in a jar?"
Mephet’ran grins happily.
Theallas laughs, "I doubt the Prefect is that desperate for male companionship"
"Quite so," says Serendis, being happily married. "My Lady might find that vaguely amusing, though."
Theallas just shrugs
"Hand? Tongue? Eyeball?"
"Eyeballs have their occasional uses as spell components," Serendis muses thoughtfully.
"You know... I can make him grow it back if you really want one... Or thirty.”
Serendis smiles. "Can you make the re-growing hurt?"
"Oh yes."
Serendis nods. "Well, I'll definitely talk to Siri then. Who knows, maybe we'll have a whole order list written up."
"Liver, kidneys, you name it."
"We could take the heart out and keep him going if you want. Might make a good gift for Siri."
"Keep the heart going?" Serendis asks? "Like, still beating? Wow, wouldn't *that* be a conversation piece."
"Well. I meant replace it with a pump, but yeah. As long as it gets nutrients it'll keep going. Did it with Mieka's original hand..."
"What did you do with the hand?"
"We sent it to Rath, AI'd up so he could keep it as a pet and have it run around."
Serendis giggles, thinking of Thing from those old human "Addams Family" shows. "He'd have liked that, I think." She looks down at Theallas. "What do you think of all this?" she asks.
Theallas has remained silent through all of this, but finally speaks up “Well... to be quite honest I would rather my body parts stay exactly where they currently are"
"Hmmm, I see," Serendis replies dryly. "See, that's the rub, isn't it? I mean, isn't your opinion really the one that counts the least right now?"
"Hum. How about the hair? Anyone you know want a wig?"
Theallas looks up at Mephet, "I strongly object to that..."
Serendis laughs a bit. It was true, Elves had a tendency to identify with their hair almost as much as human males with their penis.
"now, can some one un-strap me?"
"I think my hairdresser," he gives a 'don't ask' look, "Has a nice automated shaving thing..."
Serendis smiles happily.
Theallas gawks, "You actually need a..." he shakes his head, "As before said, I take offense at the hair bit... and at the replacement of body parts... I would wear them out"
"Bah. We can make you grow replacements, foolish boy."
Serendis does not need a wig, of course not, don't be silly. Nor does she know anyone who does. She just knows that shaving Thelas' head would shame him deeply, and she's perfectly happy to see that happen.
Theallas looks at Serendis then at Mephet, "Now if the two of you are done trying to figure out the best way to humiliate me..."
Serendis smirks. "Do you have something to add? Perhaps suggestions?"
"Not really boy. Only just started."
"I would like to add the fact that I have a cramp the size of a Imperium Sky Furnace in my back..."
"It can wait," Serendis says sharply.
"And I would like to ask how Ithenril is doing"
"I'm sure that in time you'll be wishing for that cramp and your relatively comfortable current situation."
"Hum... Right," Mephet says, un-strapping Theallas.
Theallas sits up, at any rate Mephet’ran could paralyze him instantly if he wanted to.
"Ahhhh that feels good” Theallas sighed as he got up
Mephet’ran waits for the howl of pain...
Serendis shrugs. "Ithenril? Only just resigned."
Theallas curses in German, High Sindarin, Black-Speech and several other languages as he tries to stand After he finally recovers he turns to look at his two captors,
"She finally got sick of the job?"
Theallas pauses
"Alright, who did she invade? And what did you do to her?”
"Random planet. And yes. She's retired, going to be married soon, and live a happy and full life."
"Good... better than my position" he mutters something to himself about maybe plans to visit some one in Aelosia
"I don't think you'll be visiting Aelosia."
"I figured that. but a lover can dream, can't he?"
"Oh. And Aliria's engaged Maglor..."
Serendis laughs. "The one you talk about is engaged to be wed to Maglor."
"I knew that"
Mephet’ran grins at Serendis, walks over, and hugs her in a... comradely manner.
Theallas looks around the room, his hazel eyes turning completely blue
Serendis hugs Mephet'ran back. "And don't forget, she *killed* you. I don't imagine you'd get the warmest of welcomes."
"I knew that, servant of my queen"
"I almost think it would be amusing to let you go back. Such heartbreak."
"But hair first?"
"Sure," Serendis agrees with a nod.
Theallas leans back against a wall, "And maybe Kithail would kill me... yes... that would be so wonderful... maybe I could fade..."
"As is my right, after all... as one of the Eldar... maybe Mandos would take pity" he muses quietly to himself
Mephet’ran practically skips out, with a cautionary, "Don't make me put you on happy pills," before leaving with Serendis.
Theallas laughs darkly.

Mephet’ran wanders in to the cell again and grins at Theallas.
Theallas looks up from where he was sitting on the bed, "Ah hello Emperor Mephet'ran”
"I've finally decided how I'm going to deal with you…"
Theallas grins, "How?"
"Well. To be honest, I'm kind of debating it... How does hell sound?"
Theallas stands slowly, stretching, "And whose hell are we talking here... the Void.... the Christian hell.... that colony of yours that you keep talking about... the rest of the world...
Mephet’ran laughs, and picks Theallas up in a vice-like grip.
Theallas curses silently, "Yes?"
Mephet’ran doesn't answer, instead walking off, Theallas still held up by the neck.
Theallas is wondering whether this is the 'let's kill the Thelasi' line of reasoning, but mentally shrugs, and concentrates on breathing
Mephet’ran eventually leads Theallas into a docking bay, empty and dark.
Theallas looks around
Theallas also wonders whether Mephet is trying to strangle him...
Mephet’ran leads him into a small ship, tetrahedral in design, with just enough room for a single occupant, and tosses him onto the floor.
Theallas looks at Mephet oddly, "What is going on?"
Mephet’ran smiles, "I'm going to release you..."
Theallas nods, then it hits him, then he looks up, "Okay... may I ask why?"
"Perhaps?" he says, altering some settings on the control panel, "You would like to object?"
Theallas shakes his head, "No sir... not at all" He smiles, turning around to look at the controls, "I thank you Mephet'ran"
Mephet’ran watches as the door outside the window opens, and powers the ship's engines, "You're going to Earth..."
Theallas nods, "Da... Thank you..."
Mephet’ran takes it out of the atmosphere, "You have been given enough food... well, bread... and water for several decades, all crated up in the back room..."
Theallas nods, "Again, thank you. Now how long will it take to reach earth?"
"The vessel is capable of traveling at twenty five times the speed of light..."
Theallas nods
Mephet’ran grins, "Nineteen point six years."
Theallas sighs in exasperation
"Take it or leave it..."
"Just one question..."
"Can I have my swords back?"
"No."
"Damn... Can you destroy them in that case... they will be quite useless to any one but myself"
Mephet’ran finishes with the control panel, balls his hand into a fist, and rams it through the navigational controls. "Already done."
Theallas sighs, "Thank you... even if you are condemning me to nineteen years trapped in a small space pod..."
"The ship has been set to engage FTL in a few moments. Be glad it has good oxygen filters. And now, I should be rid of you. Just wait until you see where it'll land if no-one finds you first!"
In the middle of the ocean no doubt... or a Menelmacari territory...

Escaping a Prison of Freedom

Theallas sighed as he looked around the small shuttle. Enough was enough. He was not planning on spending several decades in this tiny prison. He stood, looking at the piece of metal that he had been using as a practice sword. If anything else, Theallas was not going to loose his strength, in fact, if he had anything to say about it, he was going to get stronger. He turned, taking out a small knife that he had fashioned, crude but effective.

Sighing again, Theallas looked at the smashed console. Unknowingly, Mephet’ran had provided him with the perfect method with which he would escape. He looked at the back of the shuttle. It had been hard , and slightly dangerous, but Theallas had located the reactor for this vehicle. Taking out the knife, and a length of wire he had found, he wrapped the end of the handle in rubber, being careful to only hold the rubber. He opened one of the panels, and sliced away the insulation around one wire.

Grunting slightly as some energy arced to his hand, Theallas took the length of wire and wrapped one of the bare ends around the newly bare power cable. He then attached the other end of the short, three inch, wire to a power switch he had stolen from what he considered to be the least vital system, one of the multiple cooling coils.

Theallas then attached a piece of wire to the other end of the switch, leading it over to a console, he then opened a panel, and attached the wire to the power end of the radio transmitter. Now Theallas knew that too much power would kill the radio transmitter, thus he turned the switch on slowly, watching a heat switch he had fashioned, quite simple a piece of metal that would bend and cut the power if the energy became to intense for the metal coil. Finally the switch clicked, and Theallas turned down the power a little.

Satisfied that he was set with his transmitter, Theallas replaced the reactor panel, and once again picked up his small knife. This time he went over to one of the other computer panels, and got to work.

Several months had elapsed and Theallas was pleased with his handiwork. He had rewired the panel controlling the thrusters to the navigational unit. With the flick of an improvised switch, Theallas turned the navigational unit on. He had connected the new panel by simply seeing what the labels were on the old, crushed, console, and reattached them to the new console.

His hope had been to be able to access the star maps and be able to plot a new course using the computer. He was partially successful. He had his location, he even had manual controls, but he didn’t have plotting controls. Again, Theallas sighed.

His hopes were somewhat dashed, until he noted one little thing. The fact that he could turn the FTL drives on and off. The major issue was that he wasn’t sure that he could turn them back on. Therefore he had two options, go to earth and pray that he could be rescued by some one friendly, or drop out of FTL and pray that he was near a friendly base.

Theallas shook his head, as he settled back into his chair, he looked at all the exposed plating, everything he had done over the months. From increasing the power of the transmitter, to re-activating the star-map, to even making his varied tools, this was what he was proud of, this work of engineering.

He stood slowly, walking back to the uncovered power wires, there had to be a way to increase the range of the transmitter. There had to be a way. Theallas walked over to the radio transmitter, he had programmed the radio to send out an old Thelasi ‘Morse Code’ style message, the simple dots, dashes, and spaces being easier to pick up over the radio than an actual voice. The message he had programmed was simple “ERC 102.394” a Thelasi emergency code that was used by vessels in distress.

Theallas looked at the transmitter, it was a simple thing, yet he didn’t have the parts required to make a second, he didn’t even had the tools to make a larger version… but there was a way to increase the range, a bigger antenna. Theallas looked at one of the metal bars that was laying around, he picked it up, looking it over, he walked over to where the antenna was, looking at the small piece of metal.

Luckily for Theallas the antenna was inside the shuttle, if it had been outside, he would have been pretty much screwed, seeing has how he had a startling lack of an EVA suit. The fact that the antenna was inside the pod might have had something to do with its god-awful range. With a swift gut of his knife, he cut away the antenna. Working quickly he attached the large metal pipe to the small metal antenna, almost doubling its length.

Now the major issue with this was the fact that it was only improving the receiving signal, but even then it was a good thing, being able to listen to what was going on in the world.

Sitting back, Theallas knew that to put this thing outside, he would have to place it in the airlock, and then seal the airlock, he would run a cable through the airlock door, and then connect the other side of the cable to the transmitter/receiver, he would put plenty of coiled cable in the airlock, and then count of the receiver/transmitter to float its way out of the pod.

Theallas sat back, watching the vehicles progress, finally he got annoyed, with watching the slow movement across the star map. Turning his chair to face the piloting control, he reached under the console, flipping a switch to turn the panel back to the maneuvering thrusters (and off of the stellar controls), after pressing several buttons he felt the vehicle begin to spin, the added amount of gravity pressing Theallas back into his seat slightly.

Rising, Theallas took out the sword shaped piece of metal, it was heavier (even in normal gravity) than his Mithril katana, or even a steel katana, in this extra gravity it felt like it was made of lead, very heavy and cumbersome, something Theallas would have to learn how to deal with that, flexibility was the key to success and success was something Theallas desired.

His technique was hard, definitely not designed to be used in gravity heavier than earth, and definitely not with a sword heavier than steel, yet still he practiced, graceful, if slow, sword arcs characterized his chosen style. His blade swung in another wide sweeping arc, switching tactics he brought his sword forward in a stab, then to the side in a slash, never withdrawing the blade. Bringing the simulated sword back to his body to practice for a blocking move, he smiled, he was getting used to the gravity.

Years would pass as Theallas remained within that small vehicle. It became his home where he practiced and trained. For weeks on end, without sleep, without rest, he would practice, honing his skills like he never had before. Then for days he would meditate, still without sleep, he would hone his magical skills and his physical skills, always training, always working.

One day, while he sat within the small pod, the lights turned off, he let his mind wander while he meditated. There was no sound, no light, only his mind. This was not the grey absence of the sensory deprivation, this was the dark shadow of pure magic, from which all the other elements were derived.

He meditated on his life, where he could have improved, he struggled to reconcile his feelings with his life, his urges for vengeance with the enlightenment that he had been taught many times, by many teachers. Yet there was one thing that he could not reconcile with, his cowardice. In his life he had tried to be brave, yet in one place he had failed, with one person he had failed.

Aliria.

Theallas sighed, imagining Aliria in his minds eye, the person whom he viewed as the perfection of all the virtues, purity, innocence, everything that Theallas admired about her. As he pictured her, whispered within his own mind, and unknowingly across their mental bond,

Aliria…

TAG for now, IC answer in process

Space was cold, and Theallas could feel it. It wasn’t the temperature, no, he had kept the temperature within the shuttle quite warm, but it was the lack of magic. It was the cold of pure and utter darkness, many might say that Theallas was going mad, but he could feel it, icy talons seeping into his heart. Yet he could always feel that little blaze, just out of his reach, that comforting warmth, just too far away.

He had been training for a long time now, and he could feel another power growing closer and closer, the blaze of a star, a great generator of magical power, and most specifically, he could also feel that warmth growing closer, as his craft slowed down.

One day, the small shuttle dropped out of FTL, as he looked out the window, his heart leapt, it was earth, Arda, home.

***********************************************************

Days later Theallas was aboard the Ashram class battle-destroyer Mironith. The Mironith was the flagship of the Thelasi Earth Rapid Response Navy, and as such was often on patrol around earth. Theallas had been lucky enough to be picked up by the fleet.

The soldiers had been kind enough to him, and several had even suggested that he reclaim the Imperial Throne from Netari, but he had refused, not wanting to start a civil war, and also not being interested in even coming near the throne.

Theallas sat down at his desk, he was happy after being freed from the imprisoned state that the C’tan placed him in, yet now, he had an unhappy task, a very unhappy task indeed.

Slowly he took out an old writing brush, he liked these ancient instruments of writing, they tended to give the piece a feel of care, retrieving a piece of paper he dipped the brush into the ink and began writing in a very stylized and beautiful script, using the more common Sindarin rather than the older High Sindarin of the Thelasi.

“Dear Aliria D’Hyru, Future Everqueen of Aelosia,

Aliria, I have been told by many that I should apologize to my people, that I should apologize to my nation, and that I should apologize to Sirithil, and I should apologize to my clan, yet I find that the only person I should apologize to is you. I regret my mistakes, and my errors, I regret my slayings.

To you I apologize for misleading you, I know not what I did, but I did something. You believe me a good person, that I am not. Sirithil and the C’tan are right, I am a murderer, and a monster and I deserve what they have done to me. I am sorry for misleading you, and I beg you for your forgiveness. I beg for your forgiveness for all of my crimes against you and your people.

It wounds me to have to write this letter, but it does not wound me to say this to you, Aliria. I love you. I might have told you that in the past, but it never was as heartfelt as it is now. I love you Aliria.

Theallas Dagniross”

Theallas sighed, closing his eyes, restraining the tears that stung him, opening his eyes, as a tear fell onto the letter. Theallas sighed, something annoyed, “No use rewriting the letter” He neatly folded it, placing it in an envelope, sealing the letter with the clan seal, and marking it from “Thelasi Earth Rapid Response Navy, Mironith”. He raised his hand, levitating it to the area where he put his mail. Within days it would be on a courier shuttle to the Thelas home-world, and then it would go to Aelosia, in a matter of days it would be transferred to the Aelosian mail system.

“Dear Lord Hyral,

Hyral, I heard that you assisted the Thelasi in the conquest of their new home world, and I thank you for helping my people. I need to ask for your advice, yes I, the elf who you nearly killed over your Princess, and I need to ask your help on that field.

I guess I have always been a stubborn elf, and I guess that I am foolish to continue to pursue a goal that has long ago gone out of my reach, but I feel that I must chase this goal if I am to continue to move with purpose. I still love Aliria, as I always have, yet I know her, and I wish not to hurt her. Yet again, I do not know what to do.

You were her guardian for a time, please tell me what I may do.

Theallas Dagniross”

Theallas sealed the other letter, putting it with the other letter to be mailed, signing it the same way. He stood slowly, trying to think of what to do. There was no use in denying that he was a kin-slayer, that he already knew. He was a kin-slayer, and he was not worthy of Aliria’s thoughts. But he would be damned if he laid down and died without a fight.

OOC: BUMP for Aliria, seeing as how she needs to post, and said she would post three days ago ;)

"So, these are the letters you intercepted, right?", asked the Everqueen holding the messages written by the unforgivable Kinslayer of Thelas, her brows arching as her features quickly adapted into a serious grin.

"Yes, My Liege, one directed to the Head of the Hyral house, and another at your Heir, the Princess Aliria", answered slowly the woman standing in front of her, her head bowing in respect. Her uniform of the Maidens of battle spoke for herself as one of the integrants of the most elite force of the Craftworld inhabitated by the aelosians, the secret hands, eyes and ears of the Empress of the Sindarin.

The ruler of the heirs of Doriath placed her eyes over the documents, reading them in quick glances, her eyes devouring the words as fast as a hungry predator would devour the flesh of a fallen prey. Finally she raised her face and looked through the pressurized glass of the palace inside the dome, looking at the artificial stars that composed the both painful and lovely view. "Kithail Hyral will receive this message, and Theallas will be accepted as guest in our realm, it is my will. I'll keep the one directed at the Heir, and I'll show it to her when I've decided over the matter. However, tell to the Head of the Hyral House that I need to meet him once before he faces Theallas", said the Queen, without directing her glance at her subordinate, who left in a hurry, the words of her Everqueen the sacred directives of her duty, just pausing to take the letter from the wraithbone table, leaving the Everqueen in deep thoughts, alone in her chambers.

Hours later, as the Honor Guard of Pilots escorted Theallas' shuttle into one of the launch bays of the Craftworld, Kithail stepped down from the train near the docks, ready to meet Theallas in the docks, without a comitive or a welcome party, without guards; only the weight of Aranrúth, the sacred sword of the sindarin once sunk in the fallen Númenor, accompanying the grim silouette of the Lord Protector of the Empire as he approached the docks.

As he arrived to the docks, already all the personnel and guards of the area were leaving, the pressurized doors of the Launch bay closed as the Thelasi shuttle was turning off his engines. The former ShadowPrince stood in front of the door of the shuttle, one hand in the grip of his sword, wondering if he was worthy of the blade he was carrying, his martial position ready to face Theallas once more.

His mind was divided, between the hidden sympathy he felt for Theallas, recognizing him as a twin soul, a soul that bore the mark of relentless warrior, as his own; and the hatred and despise that filled his heart each time he recalled Theallas' actions and how he bought that strain from the beloved sindarin blood, the Thelasi, into Sauriquendi, the fallen elves. Also, the meeting of the former ShadowPrince with the Everqueen was...unnerving, at least. Long time ago he fought in the depths of the dungeons of Roania alongside the Daemon Black's advisor, now the Princess Allysandra of the House of Hyral, the Chief of the Maidens of Battle and fanatically loyal to the Queen he himself served. And that makes me feel each night I'm sleeping with the enemy, he thought.

The uneasy relationship between Kithail Hyral and the Everqueen Elurín was well known on the Craftworld, as the Prince Admiral was never fond of the new ruler's policies, and the sympathy that Kithail felt for the eldar race, their culture and customs was watched with suspicion and despise by the daugther of Dior. The first incident ended with Kithail recluded in a castle as the everqueen's prisoner, after he confronted her regarding her dangerous relationship with the Yngir, the Devourers of Stars. Months later, he was reinstated as the Head of his House, and as Admiral of his former fleet, after the captains, officers and soldiers under his command refused to follow another leader. Kithail Hyral could be distateful and didn't had any talent in politics, but noone could question that he was an outstanding tactician and a charismatic and inspiring leader.

Now the Everqueen was offering him back his former title of Lord Protector of the Realm, and returned Aranrúth to him, the sword that was hers by right of birth, just in exchange to meet Theallas and deal with the matter in any way he seemed fit. Allysandra was in charge of convincing him of accepting the deal, and for the Valar she did, pressing the right points of Kithail's will, following the directives of her new Queen.

Finally the door of the shuttle opened, and Kithail eagerly waited for Theallas to face him again, after so many time...

Theallas slowly strolled off of the transport, wearing his signature black cloak. Hyral could the hilt of the katana, the hilts of the two whip-blades, and the noticeable lack of an energy weapon. The two guards standing behind Theallas saluted and then walked back into the ship, not a word passing between them.

Looking around him, Theallas spotted Hyral and smiled, “Greetings Admiral Hyral… it appears that you did in fact receive my letter. It is good to see you again.” Theallas sighs, looking back at the shuttle as it lifts off, “After spending ten years in a goddamned shuttle, I think I’ve lost my love for small spacecraft, under the size of a cruiser.”

“So, I assume you received my letter… tell me, was the seal opened, or un-opened?”

Of course, just about everyone connected with the shuttle would wonder why it had docked, as opposed to heading straight for its destination as it was intended to. It wasn't as if Theallas had the slightest say in where it went after all. Doubtless the Ardans would have something to say about the flagrant violation of their space by Thelasi military vessels.

OOC: In other words... Goddamnit Thelas. I thought I'd made it quite clear that the shuttle would go where I said it would go...

Of course, just about everyone connected with the shuttle would wonder why it had docked, as opposed to heading straight for its destination as it was intended to. It wasn't as if Theallas had the slightest say in where it went after all. Doubtless the Ardans would have something to say about the flagrant violation of their space by Thelasi military vessels.

OOC: In other words... Goddamnit Thelas. I thought I'd made it quite clear that the shuttle would go where I said it would go...

OOC: Do you read the posts? The vessel was picked up after it exited hyper-drive... by an Icharvita battleship. The shuttle mentioned here was a Thelasi shuttle off of a Thelasi battleship.

"It was unopened", said Kithail with a grin, "It was your handwriting", he continued with his usual dry and grim tone of voice. "I suppose it was the original, anyway not a lot of people around here care about you, specially about your well being, Theallas nos Dagnir".

Several triangular dots of light posed over Theallas' face and chest, that could had been tracked to the sights of the snipers watching the scene over the roof of the dock. "And the Everqueen isn't known for being trustful or trustworthy. Yet I must ask you to come with me, Theallas, and follow my instructions. Your guards must return to the ship, and your shuttle must leave the Craftworld afterwards, ot tehy'll be slaughtered. those are my orders, but at least I want to tell you that it's not my desire to harm you in anyway, and probably I'll take you to see the Princess Aliria again".

Theallas bowed, "Thank you Lord Hyral." He smiled and whispered, "Snipers Hyral?" He laughed. Standing, her turned and waved to the two soldiers, "Gwana, rince heltha-Axara." The two soldiers bowed, one of them nodded and the two of them turned, walking back into the transport.

As the two of them walked Theallas continued to chuckle, finding something vaguely amusing. "Hyral, why the hell did you call in snipers of all things, snipers. You know they wouldn't be able to find a good target lock..." He shook his head, "I hate the goddamn snipers... saw too many friends and allies of mine fall to them, without even a chance at fighting back." He sighed, "Usefull weapons, yet still, horrendous. A commander pokes his head above the ramparts, and then, he's dead."

"Those are not following my orders, Theallas. And I would advise you not to take them lightly. They are warriors of the Everqueen's Chosen, the Berethauth. Their skill is honed to the maximum, and even I am afraid of them.", said Kithail turning his head a bit to see the well concealed snipers in the roof.

"They're here to keep an eye on the both of us, so be careful. No matter how fast you are, you'll have a pair of long mithril needles between your eyes if you do something stupid. They're too many", the Prince Hyral, turned and began to walk towards one of the docls doors without a pause, in an atletic and quick stride.

"Follow me. We have issues pending today, Theallas Nos Dagnir"

"Hm... sorry, I tend to forget that you are not the Shadow Prince any more..." There was definately a hint of annoyance, as if Theallas would have prefered the Shadow Prince to the Everqueen. "There are a lot of them... I guess she doesn't trust you either." He shook his head, his voice dropping to a bare whisper, "May I ask what we are talking about, Hyral?"

"I suppose the trust of the Everqueen over her subordinates is a confidential issue of the state, Theallas. I don't know nothing about that. Yet to be honest, yes, the Everqueen and me have our differences", said Kithail entering a narrow hallway at the side, gesturing to Theallas to follow him. "I'll tell you later, this is neither the moment nor the place. Come with me, we must take a train".

Theallas nodded, "Very well." Following Kithail onto the train, he looked about, observing all that he could, "I forgot how beutifull this Craft-world is, in Thelas we had Edenbar, but it was spartan, it was as if the military had constructed it." He laughed, "Well, the military did construct it. So I guess you get what you ask for."

He took out a small knife, beutifully engraved with crystal handel and enchanted blade. It hovered just above his palm, and remained in the same place when he placed his hand back down beside his leg. A blue glow seemed to surround the knife as it floated there, and Theallas seemed to be concentrating solely upon the small throwing-dagger.

"Put that thing away, Theallas. Are you going to ever learn something?. Do not draw weapons in this Craftworld without permission or you'll be facing certain death, a death that the Everqueen can assure even more than the C'tan or than the torturers of the Imperium, real, eternal death. I thought that your little trip around the Hall of Mandos would had teached you a lesson. And if I don't see that toy of you inside its sheath in the next second I'll personally drive the black blade of Aranrúth through your throat. Do you understand?", said Kithail with flames blazing in the pupils of his otherwise clear eyes. "Have you ever cared about anything?, I have just told you that your actions could be endagering me, my life and my position, and even with that warning you draw a magic weapon?. Will you do the same thing if I bring you to Aliria, Would you endanger her too, as you already have done many times?. Are you useful for anything else apart from harming or endagering people?, or are you just an idiot?. If you cannot be happy, you could try at least to stop spoiling everyone else's happiness", continued the ShadowPrince, approaching Theallas and grabbing the Thelasi by the front of his cloak, pulling him closer to my face.

Theallas looked up at Kithail, “I understand your wariness, Hyral. Yet I assumed that I would be allowed to meditate on a knife, when you and the other nobles cart around long-blades. After all, what’s the worst I can do, cut off your finger?” His voice dropping to a whisper, “And don’t talk to be about risks, especially a after you betrayed me to that mirror. You accuse me of not caring about Aliria. Well damn you. I spit in the face of your ill-conceived remarks.” For the first time Theallas seemed angry, furious even. “You insult me in a way that you cannot fathom. You wound me with swords made of letters, rather than of steel. Yet those are the worst weapons. Weapons that can’t be blocked or deflected, merely absorbed.”

Theallas smiled as he sheathed the knife, seeming to calm. “Its strange, Lord Hyral, when you think about it. How different, and how the same we are. We are both warriors, we have both seen death, and we have seen terrors that few others could even imagine.” He waved his hand, “Don’t take it as an insult. In a way, you are the better version of me. You’re a noble warrior, not an assassin. You’re a wise elf.” He laughed, “Something that I am, most certainly, not.

Why did we turn out differently? Was it our upbringings? Our parents? I doubt it. Was it our spirit? I, again, doubt it. It was our society. I grew up in a place where it was sanctioned for people of rival clans to be raped and murdered.” His smile drops from his face like a mask undone by its wearer, “Raped and murdered, a different culture, much different from our modern society. So much different from the world I built. It is so much different from the elven lands today.

I say that I do not wish to govern Thelas. I lie when I say that. I do wish to regain control of my nation, but I dare not. I care too much for my people, I care too much for Aliria. I care far too much to force the people of Aelosia, and then Aliria, to deal with my blunders all over again.” Theallas sighed, “Damn, I get emotional when I talk about her. Surely you have some one who does that to you.” His smile re-appears, “That’s right, you’re married to that Roanian elf, looks like I get to collect from my bet with Nosirin.”

"Through that mirror, I sent you to a place where you couldn't be disturbing anyone, when my orders where to kill you, yet you dare to throw that at my face that act of mercy", said Kithail, surprisingly changing back to his emtionless state, relaxing and turning away from Theallas, looking at the holotrain in front of them.

"I don't write letters, Theallas, I'm not fond of it, like you. If you need to discuss about those letters with someone, I can gladly take you to the Everqueen so you can spit at her face, then, if you really want to dare her in that way. I let the deceiving aspects of my spirit to be used in the field of battle and not in idle writings", Kithail continued, watching Theallas over his shoulder as he peered towards him over his back.

"A rule is a rule, a weapon is a weapon, and a law is a law. That knife is a weapon, a magic weapon, and it is forbidden to draw them in this place, unles you're an Agaraglareb of the Sacred Sindarin Empire of Aelosia, title that I don't recall you wear. And even if you're a noble, you need a valar damned good reason to do such a thing. It is my duty to command you to place it away"

The former ShadowPrince adopted a true sad expression, a expression of sorrow all over his otherwise noble and meditative features "Am I really a better verion of you, Theallas?. Who is the judge that can mediate between us?. I wouldn't dare such a thing so easily. And please don't blame your parents or upbringings, or even worst your society, it's the easiest excuse in the world, not worthy of an elf. You say you grew in a place where such things as raping and murder were sanctioned. Do you think that our Empire during Ma'El times was an Elysium of peace and prosperity?. That our people dwelled inside their crystals domes in happiness and glee?. You have heard the stories for sure, Ma'El was a monster, an elf corrupted by the evil ways of a Cabal of Dark Eldar, if you can imagine what that means. We suffered our entire childhoods under the rule of his twisted will", Kithail started the history with his eyes lost in the admiration of the delicate and carefully crafted Wraithbone cupola of the Train station, in its surface an impressive masterwork painted, the motive of the Great battle of Neo Menegroth at the end of the Aelosian Civil War.

"We weren't happy then. You have seen the aelosians, dubitative and grey people, sometimes xenophobic and fearful of outsiders. They're not like that because it's their spirit, in the first ages we were the happier and merrier of all the elvenkind, yet it was Ma'El who changed us, Ma'el who thwarted us. Aliria and me were young back then, merely teenagers trying to grow together knowing from our entire childhood that Ma'El wanted to kill us, we grew as his hostages, using us as a measure of control to the rest of the aelosian nobles. Do you know how many times he humiliated me becuase my father had the control of the fleets?, Do you know how many times he just not humiliated Aliria, but also abused her, knowing that she was the last descendant of the Royal House of Elurín?. I'm not better than you, Theallas. I was weighted, measured, and found lacking. Ma'El corrupted me, and his print can be found in my spirit, he killed in my early years something in my soul that you cannot find again or regrow for the rest of your life. It's called dreams, illusions, hopes", Kithail said, visibly affected by the story he was sharing.

"You failed, and now you're a walking shadow, Theallas, as I am. We cannot aspire to greater things because our true spirits were killed even before we turned to be men", he continued, "We both faced the darkness of the outside and turned to it, hoping to fight back fire with fire. Yet we failed and joined the darkness that we despised once so much. We both should learn from Aliria, as she faced as much or even more than us, and yet she prevailed over it. Yet you prefer to approach her again, and taint her with the projection of your internal shadow. I'll take you to her, but just beacuse I want you to share her light again".

"I don't know anything about your bets. I, however, would apprecciate it if you avoid speaking about my marriage, it is a private issue of mine", finally said Kithail, opening the door of the wagon and gesturing Theallas to go in.

OOC: This is pretty much limited to, myself, Aelosia, The Ctan, and Menelmacar

[OOC: *Pouts* Oh I've RPed with Theallas before and I see I'm not invited. Lol. Tag regardless.]

"But even those who are dead have dreams, even though they might believe they do not deserve to have those dreams. But that is a debate for another day, isn’t it Hyral?” he sighs, “You may not believe it, but I was sincere in my letters. I love Aliria, like I have never loved any one else before. And yet you scorn that, you scorn it with your ignorant words.” Theallas closes his eyes, calming somewhat, “I’m sorry, that’s just one of the places where I can’t control myself.”

He looks around, watching the guards and soldiers, “I miss Thelas, and I miss the safety that I felt there. Here, I can feel them, the targeting lasers pointed at my neck, the soldiers, hands close to their side-arms, just in case.” He sighs, “I have read of how your people used to be, the happiest, the most charming and welcoming, and I curse Ma’El for taking that away. But above that, I curse him for what he did to Aliria. He tried to take her innocence away. If there is one person I could kill, it would be him. More than all the servants of the enemy, him.”

If Hyral was looking at Theallas, he would be able to see the anger raging through him, for a second his magic flared, then immediately died. “I feel empty, and maybe you feel the same way, empty, like something is missing. Gone, taken by some one or something that I never saw.” Theallas shakes his head, and sighs, “Lead on.” Continuing Hyral, Theallas seems slightly lost in his thoughts, but steps into the wagon.

(DEAD-LINE! GIVE ME A SHOCK, STAT! *shocks thread with paddles*)

Kithail sat down on a comfortable looking seat in the middle of the wagon, and turned to see Theallas right in the moment the pressurized door of the train closed with a shifting sound right after Theallas entered, the train starting to move short seconds afterwards.

"Yes, I do feel empty, to answer your question. The desire to live is now weak inside my heart. I guess you are happy to find someone who share your feelings at last", he started to said with a tired voice. "There is no more ships to the west, Theallas, no hope in the horizon for the likes of me. Yet, I hope you know I'm not going to take you with the Princess. The Everqueen has summoned you, and she already clarified that any contact between you and the heir of the throne was forbidden. Maybe you could convince her otherwise"

Theallas smiled, "The way to the past was bared to us long ago. I doubt they'd even let me pass on, if there was a way. Yes, I understood that she would not alow me to see the Princess, it would be the only wise thing for the Everqueen to do, and from what I've heard, she is quite the political master-mind."

Looking at Kithail, Theallas smiled, "You know what you need, Lord Hyral? A vacation. A nice, long, vacation, some place where you can go and not have to worry about getting stabbed in the back, or having to worry about house affairs. A place for you, and your wife, to relax in peace and quiet. Then again... this is somewhat ironic coming from me."

"The only vacation I want and need now is the peace of death. The same peace you refused to accept", said the former Shadowprince as a grim grin formed in the side of his mouth. "Stabbed in the back?. Fair destiny for one that tried to be a hero for his people and failed in the attempt. You cheated death, that's why you wouldn't be accepted. Instead I desire, hope and expect death with open arms, although I'm not foolish enough to bring the judgment of Mandos over me by my own hand. That's the only vacation than I, even being a young firstborn, would accept".

He took a deep breath, then continued, now his stare transfixed in the window of the holo train as it traveled through the Craftworld's Metropolis. "Relax, everything will be over soon. the Everqueen isn't just a Master Mind. As far as I know, you had dealings with the Noldorin Queen, Sirithil nos Fëanor, so you might be already expecting to meet an elf of the First Age, an elf older than the nations that gave us birth".

Theallas chuckled, “Yes… an elf of the first age. Very few of them left these days, you almost never see them, but the ones that you do see are almost always in positions of power.” Theallas leaned back, relaxing for the ride, “What do you mean by ‘I’ll all be over’” He pauses then shakes his head, “On second thought, I don’t want to know.”

He closes his eyes and thinks, “It’s so strange. We elves, we fight against Morgoth with all our might, yet we only seem to make him stronger.”

As he heard the last sentence, Kithail opened his eyes wide, his hands clenching and balling into fists. He directed an icy stare at Theallas and said, in the most hateful tone he could muster. "Fight against Melkor?. I don't recall you making any move against Melkor when you were ruling Thelas, nor any hostile action by you trying to harm the power of the Dark One, with the exception of your deluded fantasies about Angband", the words of the head of the Hyral House pouring venom into Theallas' ears.

"All I can recall is your actions against your relatives, your friends, your neighbours and some bunch of inoffensive humans. I deeply regret that I wasn't able to use the force of arms against Melkor, but from all people, you're the less able to pronounce such words. Everyone at least tried to do an effort, except you!", he continued, in his eyes and attitude a hidden flame blazing alight.

Theallas leaned back in his chair and watched Kithail for a moment, “You may be right, Admiral… or whatever the hell they’re calling you now.” He sighs, “I never liked politics, so many titles to memorize… changing constantly: a general becomes an emperor and then a servant” shaking his head, “And most of the time I’ve been in the middle of the bloodshed that accompanies moving from point A to B to C and then back to point A.

Amazing how jaded you get in the end, you don’t even notice the deaths of thousands, they just become parts of the same bloody mass that get termed as ‘because of you’ yet at that time you protest that it was ‘unavoidable’ and ‘necessary,’ yet you know that you were the cause of those deaths, and that you could have prevented them, but you didn’t.

I was a coward Hyral, a warrior with a weak mind. I was able to withstand every torture that I faced, yet when I saw that one whom I loved had turned to the enemy’s side, I lost it. After I killed her, killed her because there was no other way, I fell apart. I couldn’t face what I had done, and my mind, my soul, that which makes us different from the beasts which we hunt, disappeared.

I’m sure you had a similar experience at some time, a rage that lasts, and you fight, kill, and destroy for as long as you have strength. But in the end, something snaps you out. Well… for me it took several hundred years.”

Theallas leaned back and closed his eyes, remaining silent for the rest of the trip, unless of course, Hyral had a response to him.

OOC: yes, the Thelasi just managed to post... and whose the bastard who gave this another two star... GAGH!

OOC: *recessitates the thread*

The chief of the Hyral House also remained silent for the rest of the trip, just peering at Theallas from time to time, then staring quietly at the window. Several minutes after, in the middle of the uncomfortable and cold silence of the two men just keeping their words for themselves.

With a half humming, half hissing sound the pressured hatch of the wagon opened, and the artificial light of the outside merged with the controlled illumination of the inside of the train.

The former ShadowPrince stood from his seat and looked at Theallas before coming out of the wagon, nodding to an unseen presence and inviting his "guest" to join him outside. "Good tidings, theallas, and good luck. If you really want to see Aliria again, you're going to need it. In me you doesn't have a friend, neither a comrade, yet I don't wish you ill. the Everqueen, instead...". Kithail paused for a moment as if he was thinking about really saying what he was going to say. "Let's say she doesn't specially like you, ok?"

Theallas nodded, “Thank you Lord Hyral” and bowed, “And thank you for your hospitality, I know believe I owe you twice. Once for Cyberutopia, and now for this. I am indeed in your debt.” He turns and walks through the door, expecting to have to hand over his weapons at some point; not quite sure when that point would be, he began to relax somewhat, using meditation techniques to try and lower his heart rate, calm his nerves, and so on.

When asked to hand over his weapons, Theallas did so without any argument, not really interested in fighting anyways, and knowing that if he pulled a sword he would end up a red splatter on the floor. He would be lead where they wanted—accepting the executioners rack, and the dungeon—as he saw no reason to argue to cause a stir. That wasn’t his mission, and he doubted that it would help his chances of recapturing the Princess’s love.

Surprisingly, noone asked Theallas to hand over his weapons. He was surrounded by Berethauth, the fierce battle maidens and personal elite guard of the Everqueen, as sson as he came out of the train, and yet as they were armed to the teeth, they didn't make even the slightest flinch, nor they approached too much to Theallas. Clad in the carefully crafted variations of the wraithbone armors of the eldar Aspect warriors suits, they just waited until one of them, by the blazons and heraldry in the breastplate clearly a high ranking officer, stood in front of the Thelasi "guest" and bowed to him.

"Welcome to the palace of Aelosia Elúrin nos Dior nos Lúthien nos Thingol, eldest of the people of the Sindar and Everqueen of the Sacred Empire of Aelosia. Please follow me, our beloved ruler want to see you, Theallas nos Dagnir, I'll lead you to her chambers, she has been expecting you for a while", said the soldier in a perfect speech of her and Theallas' native tongue. "I hope you are not disturbed by the show of security, but we will leave you alone with the Everqueen when the moment arises"

Theallas bowed to the officer, a show of respect that might mean that his mission would become a little bit easier, “Thank you, for your hospitality and understanding in this matter, milady.” He smiled, and straightened himself, “Very well, lead on.”

OOC: I know, dreadfully short, but I’m really tired

OOC: Emergency revitilization BUMP

Long was the way through the endless, silent and quiet halls and ways of the Royal palace, a huge structure crafted in ancient wraithbone by the eldar bonesingers of a now forsaken era. The Theallas' companion, the chief of the Everqueen's Berethauth, didn't even turn to look at the man that followed her, neither she did a single noise as they walked through the empty looking palace.

Finally they reached the doors of the throne room, two inmense planks of old and carefully crafted oak wood, an alien sight inside the wraithbone structure, so different in design to traditional elven architecture. In the wood, carved by expert and loving hands, many scenes of the ancient and recent history of both the old sindarin and the aelosian peoples were arranged, from the creation of Doriath to the colonization of Mars. A pair of guards stood still at each side of the door, their features well covered by sophisticated and strange helmets of apparent eldar design.

With a single, cracking sound, the door opened by itself, maybe propelled by a hidden mechanism, as both Theallas and his guard approached at few steps of the entrance of the royal throne room. The guards didn't moved although the door stopped from moving just a pair of inches from their faces, and only darkness left the wood in the place it used to be, opening the way to the Everqueen's chambers inside.

"Theallas Dagniross, the Everqueen Aelosia Elurin nos Dior nos Thingol is waiting for you", said the Berethauth officer, turning to see Theallas for the first time. "And I suggest you don't force her to wait you". As she said those words, she stood aside the opened door, giving Theallas permission to enter.

Not exactly a whisper, but just a charming and compelling voice, more inside his mind than in his ear, echoed through Theallas' skull, in a both playful but commanding tone. "She is right. I am waiting for you, Conqueror. I have been waiting for you a long time. Come to me, come to me...In my place I am expecting to see you". Aelosia Elurin used her voice to lure, to provoke, to compel, to command, to dominate, and to charm all kind of people, even the alien and strange eldar for thousands and thousands of years, and Theallas wasn't going to be an exception. It was her most powerful weapon, both magical and psionic, aside from the amazing and wonderful aesthetic value of the sound. Inherited by blood and honed through millenia, her voice was her most remarkable voice, and in that the eldar farseers thought when condemned her to exist forever as a ethereal banshee, a punishment in accord to her own powers.

"I am your last hope, your only way to Aliria. Come to me, Theallas Dagniross, if you want a guide", the hushing whisper repeated again inside his head, the words issued with a forgotten and sweet sindarin accent.

Theallas studied every bit of the palace as he was lead by the Wraithbone wearing Berethauth. Though he architecture was beautiful, a massive change from Thelas, a land where everything was built around function, and then form was thought to directly follow, Theallas was looking for exits and possible routes out of the palace, in case he had to make a rapid retreat. He deeply doubted he would need to escape. The Aelosians being a people known for their hospitality and subterfuge, they would not try the obvious solution to a sticky issue, such as to how to get rid of an assassin. The warrior, turned assassin, turned leader, turned fugitive, did note the lack of people, and did wonder about it. As he had remembered, the Aelosians were not known for simply abandoning a place, but would rather make some use of it. ‘Odd… this is most odd.’

Smiling as he reached the door, Theallas took a moment to observe it, and imprint the sight onto his mind, images such as these made up a large chunk of his memory, images of useful objects, craftings, writings, codes, and maps. Out of vain interest, he took a glance to see if the Thelasi were mentioned, ‘I deeply doubt it, this is the story of the Aelosians. Then again, last time I heard, Aelosia considers herself queen of all Sindarin, that must make for interesting discussion with the Force Commanders.’ He looked at the two guards, almost Thelasi like in their rigid stance, ‘Reminds me of the Tirn, or Morchant Tirith, heck, reminds me of most Thelasi troops during inspection.’

The crack internally startled Thelasi, but his trained face didn’t show any surprise, or emotion for that matter. Taking a quick glance at the two soldiers, he nodded to himself, quite complementary about their performance, ‘Well trained, I have that to say about these Aelosian troops, maybe they are not as experienced as the Thelasi, but that is probably a good thing’

“I thank you for your services as a guide, officer,” He said, bowing swiftly, “I doubt I would have been able to find my way, on my own.” This time he nodded to the Berethauth, “I have no intention of waiting, again, thank you.” And he stepped towards the darkness.

He stopped after a step, his well trained, and almost perfectly psychically shielded, mind alarmed by the sudden intrusion. Collecting his mind, and also the remnants of his pride, he answered to the Everqueen with his thoughts, continuing to walk into the chamber, ‘Everqueen, guardian of the Aelosian people, and guardian of her grand-daughter, I doubt I deserve the title of ‘Conqueror,’ my people have failed in any attempt at greatness, and I failed as a leader of my people. Yet you, have managed to guide your people, and re-institute your power, even after being betrayed by one of your generals.’

The comparatively young elf had heard of the Everqueen’s power, tales had long been spun of her ability to dominate even the strongest mind her power to connive and convince her opponents, without breaking them, leaving them to be used as valuable tools for her plans. The truth was, Theallas was more than a little bit scared while in the Everqueen’s presence. He kept his fear in check though, not letting it visibly show in his face or movements.

The Everqueen was Theallas’ only good chance of reaching the Everqueen, and he knew it, and for that reason, he stepped into the room.

OOC: I will be intermitantly on IRC

"Come inside, Theallas, then. Lost child of a Long Forgotten tribe, come to your mother and protector", spoke the voice of the Everqueen again, with the alluring and charismatic tone of a fabled dryad.

Inside the room, only darkness awaited Theallas, a darkness not easily vanquished by even the sharper sight of the elves. With a loud and powerful sound the two doors, as animated by an unnatural and awesome will, moved together and closed themselves, denying Theallas the only possible exit and the only source of eternal light.

The only constant and guide present in the room was the sound of the Everqueen's voice echoing and bouncing all over the room, although someone as trained as Theallas could distinguish the presence of the Everqueen in the deepest point of the another extreme of the dark hall. "This is darkness, the darkness of the Halls of Mandos, many would say. The Halls of Mandos, the place where you, and me, belong. The darkness that we left without proper permission, and the darkness to which we both must return, as a mother and child. After all, noone can escape to his own fate, not even the brethen of Thingol the Great".

"So, tell me, Mandos' escapee. Why are you here?, Why have you chosen to place yourself in the danger of being sent to where you truly belongs?", the voice asked, slowly a tone of rage and anger raising in the deepest sounds.

Theallas turned towards the presence and dropped to one knee, bowing his head before the ancient and powerful queen, his voice was impassive to the casual observer, a cold mask over who knows what. But the Everqueen wasn’t a casual observer, she would be able to detect the well concealed sorrow, fear, love, and determination that the comparatively young elf held in his heart and mind. Even his voice, carefully trained to show no part of his emotions conveyed a small portion of his feelings.

“I believe that fate may be changed by our actions, that we are not doomed to play the parts in a script written by some other.” Theallas breaths out, “Sorry milady, that is an area which I am a little sensitive. You wish to know why I refused rest in the Halls of Mandos? Very well.

When I first met your heir, Lady Aliria, I was engaged in a duel with Sirithil herself. She was besting me, and I would have been captured. Lady Aliria arrived and lead me away, looking back on it, I remember thinking that she had a very romantic, and foolish vision of myself, but I held my tongue.”

He closes his eyes, thinking back, “I met her again in Thelas, she came to a diplomatic event, recently after the fall of Ma’El. She was disturbed by those events, she was darker, no longer the completely innocent maiden I had seen in Diablo NL, and I was drawn to her.

We separated ourselves from the rest of the party, and she asked me to help her, to help her learn to control the memories of her torture by Ma’El, and yes, I did help her. In the process a form a psyonic bond was created between us, one that lasts to this day, but one that I keep closed and hidden away, I don’t want to harm her in any way.” Now he opens his eyes to look off to where the Everqueen is.

“You know of the rest, how through my stupidity and incompetence I almost started a kin-war, and then, Aliria gave me the greatest amount I mercy I have ever known, using a Black Lotus poison, delivered by a kiss, to slay me peacefully in my sleep.

But I still love her, I know that I have lost her to that” he bites back the first words which come to mind, “son of Sirithil that…” he almost says ‘kin-slayer’ but realizes how hypocritical that would, “… prince.” He calms a little, “And now you know why I am here, to attempt to at least earn the forgiveness of the one whom I have lost.

Theallas’ hand trembles slightly and the former assassin quickly places it on the exposed pommel of his katana, tipping he handle down towards the floor. “I mean no disrespect to you, your nation, or your daughter by coming here, and I mean no harm to those three. I guess I also enjoy this nation, somehow it feels like it has a more joyful spirit under a bleak gray skin. It gives me a little hope, and also, I like the people here, courteous, kind, and a place where I am no longer too well known, where I can fade into the shadows of the culture to live as a ‘normal person’ for a time, without risking my life.”

The sight that escapes his lips is wistful, longing for a past, “Do you miss your childhood milady? When you didn’t know what blood spilling upon cobble stones looks like? When you didn’t know the horrors that your fellow kin can inflict upon you?” He leaves the question hanging as he waits for her reply. To be truthful, his last statement wasn’t a rhetorical device, but rather a real question, phrased to the elder elf, who had seen as much, or most likely more, than the tired male.

"Are you asking me for asylum?. Are you asking me for refuge?. Is that what you want?", echoed the Aelosia's words through the hall as finally the face and features of the Everqueen were illuminated by a sudden light coming from the ground, a translucent and diffusal white light, floating like a swarm of fireflies all around her figure. Finally Theallas looked at Aelosia Elurín standing there at few feet to the place he was kneeling.

The Everqueen was dressed diffrently than any person in Aelosia would had seen her, with the exception of the oldest of the oldest there. She was clad in a wraithbone full body armor, of the purest bone white, one that marked her silouette and transformed into a living and moving sculpture of the female body. However, it wasn't a "normal" suit of eldar designed armor, it was something else. Each inch of the suit was covered by hundreds of little runes, written in a gold trim, depicting phrases in both the sindarin and the crypted eldar language. by effect of a powerful sorcery or enchantment, the runes moved all over her body and shifted and changed, each time changing the text and signals of the runes and symbols. A black sword rested at the side of her hip, without any sheath, just kept in its place by a single and delicate mithril chain. For the first time in centuries, since her downfall and the demise of every eldar soul aboard the ancient Craftworld, the Everqueen wwas dressed for battle.

"I cannot govern in the heart of others, Lost Sindarin Champion. I can lead the feelings in each heart, I can command them, and I can deceive them, but I cannot change or govern them. Aliria decided that that Maglor, Sirithil's son, was the best choice for her. That means that either you were too small for her or that she found something that you lacked, but that's not an affair that could draw my attention and interest, centuries ago I declared myself well over those limited and faint matters of the heart".

"And centuries ago I presumed of being capable of looking at fate, and even capable of manipulate it, of changing it into something else, but I realized that it was just one of the eldar deceiving withcrafts. The fate, not even the most powerful Farseers can change it. I am a seer, a seer of some repute, and also presume of defeating my own masters in their psionics capabilities. Yet your fate, and the webs that entangle you, are not mine to see, share or change", her powerful words were remarked by the powerful image of the Berethauth leader that she adopted through the conversation, and yet her eyes looked at Theallas with a mixture of mercy and charity.

"And my childhood?. I didn't have any childhood as the ones like you, Theallas, so please don't open that issue. I lived my childhood like an animal, eating what I could kill, and avoiding most things that could kill me. The only law that I learned through my childhood was the law of nature, the law of the strongest. But yet tell me, What do you want from me?"

Theallas looked up at her, in his eyes a mixture of awe, fear, and resolution, “I wish, Everqueen, for a chance. She is your heir, and it would be improper for me to do anything without talking to you first. Milady, I only ask you to allow me to meet with Aliria, I only ask you for a chance. I know that you cannot change your heirs mind, and I doubt my own ability also, but I feel that I have to try or else be haunted for the rest of my existence.

I love her milady, and I would not be here if I thought that it would hurt her, or your nation in any way. I only ask you to allow me to meet her, and to allow me to attempt and win her back.

"The problem is, Theallas, that she doesn't want to talk with you, or to meet you neither. Your request is against my own heir's will. And I cannot deny her the right to meet or not to meet whoever she wishes", were the Everqueen's words to the renegade standing in front of her.

"The Princess then, is not available for you", she stated, arching an eyebrow as the fireflies of light danced around her figure. "Of course, that is, if you don't want me to force her to see you. I could arrange that, if I order her..."

Theallas cut in instantly, his voice regaining some strength before the Everqueen,

"No." He inhales, thinking through his words,

"With the intention of acoiding sounding like Kithail Hyral, I will not ask you to do such a thing. If Aliria herself does not wish to see me, then very well, it is likely that even if I do meet her, I will not change her mind with anything I say. Though, I must ask you, milady, did Lady Aliria receive my letter? I never got a reply from her, and I find that odd, because Aliria is the type of person who would not simply throw away a letter without so much as a reply. And I also ask you wether it is your prohibition, or Aliria's prohibiton." His mouth twists into an odd smile, completely absent of emotion, as he raises a hand, "I would understand it if you intercepted the letter, and destroyedit, and again I would understand it if you created that story to protect your nation. I admit freely, that in your position, that is what I would have done.

If what you say is true, I only ask you for a guide out of this labarinthian palace, and an assurance that I will be allowed to leave Aelosia, should I choose to. If it is your prohibiton, then I beseach you to allow me to speak with Aliria, and to allow me to tie up this final thread of my life." He lowers his hand and the macabre smile disapears, hoping that he has not overstepped his welcome too much, it would be quite a bad idea to anger Aelosia, and Theallas knows that. But it's a risk worth taking for Theallas, if he is correct, he may have called her hand. If he is wrong, well, not much to loose, is there?

EDIT: Posted without spellcheck, so forgive any errors

"It is her will Theallas, Do you think, for any chance, that I am lying to you?” Says the Queen, with a fiery expression in her noble features
"Milady, many stories are told of your cunning, how you entrapped the eldar within a well wove web. To protect your nation, your people, and your heir, I would merely say that it would be a perfectly reasonable course to take."
Theallas’ eyes are locked on the Everqueen, finally having found his courage before the powerful visage of the Aelosian leader.
"Cunning is one thing, being a liar is a totally different question", said the Queen opening her eyes wide. "I already told you that, if you wanted, I could order Aliria to meet and talk to you. Where is then my cunning, Theallas? To lie to you and then give you the chance to find out the truth by yourself? The years haven't turned me into a fool"
"Because Everqueen, you know very well that I would never place Aliria in such a position as that, to have you order her to see me. If it is truly her will to not see me, then very well. But also, I find it interesting that she would not even grace the letter a wrote her with a reply."
"She did, she wrote a letter", answered the Everqueen with a tired sigh
"She did?" Theallas' eyes narrow slightly, watching her with renewed interest
"Yes, she did. What have I just said?"
"May I ask what it said?"
"She said she didn't wanted to meet you again"
"Ah, interesting that I received no letter, must have been a slip up in the postal service" Theallas smiles slightly, still watching the Everqueen without blinking, as if he is attempting to observe any crack or flaw in her statements
"No, it was a slip of my wrist when I was reading it sitted right next to the fire", answered the queen with a sarcastic expression.
Theallas laughs idly, "And was that my letter, or her letter which went into the flames?"
"Maybe both, who knows?. My nerves are not the same at my age, neither is my memory"
Theallas chuckles, shaking his head slowly, "And who knows whether the letter was received." His motion stops as he considers his position, and how far he can push the older Elven queen
"Aliria received your letter, you can be sure of that"
"I see. And what purpose did I serve you to torch her response? It would have been perfectly in line for you to have allowed that letter to reach me, and I would have stopped, never having had to come here to Aelosia." Something dawns on him, and his hand slowly moves down from it's rest on his knee
"I burned that letter because it was in my turf, you whey blooded scourge, and in my turf, I can do whatever my whim dictates me to do. And even so, in my territory others must do what my whim tells them to do. And that includes you, Theallas, unless you want to face me as a teacher", said the Queen with a voice that echoed and thundered all across the hall, bouncing with righteous and powerful fury
Theallas seems to relax more under her fury. He creates a calm, collected, soft, voice as he speaks "So you jeopardize others because of a whim? No Everqueen, this is not the cunning queen whom I have been warned about, whom the Eldar imprisoned because of her cunning and skill. Why Queen?"
"Because you're not the example that Aliria should follow"
"And here we have the true reason. Good. We have a mutual ground which we both understand. So, I'm assuming here, and it may be a leap of logic, that Maglor is a good example?"
"No"
"But I don't see Maglor here trying to be granted an audience with Aliria"
"Interesting logic my queen. Now my question arises, what must I do to be granted this audience"
"I could say to swear an oath of fealty to me and turn into an Aelosian citizen, but I don't think you could follow the simple rules we have here for long"
"Hm? And those simple rules are, let me guess, not stealing, not murdering, obeying the Everqueen’s every direction..." He smiles sarcastically, "You're right, far too difficult." He erupts laughing, "No my Queen, those rules are easy enough. Within reason."
"Are willing to become an Aelosian and forget the Thelasi?"
Again a somewhat sly smile appears, "I will never forget them, but I am no longer a Thelasi citizen, if that is what you mean."
"I believe I have told you, I like Aelosia as a nation and I like it's people. I would not mind living here."
"That would mean you would be forced to obey orders, Theallas", answered the Everqueen even more sarcastic
"Wouldn't be too hard I imagine." He remembers who he is speaking to and again almost laughs, "Then again, it might."
Theallas has images of Aelosia ordering him to slit his wrists, cringes as the thought. The former assassin also takes a moment to make sure that his psychic bond with Aliria is still nicely shut down
"Maybe you could occupy the place of a maintenance janitor. Would you like that?"
"Beats the hell out of living in a C'tan prison, reliving my memories for all eternity. Look milady, I see your point, you have a vested interest in not letting me see Aliria, and I know why. I'm a former kinslayer, in Menelmacar Prefect Serendis would have me in front of a firing squad before I could step off the plane. But, again I ask you, is it really Aliria's wish that I not see her?" His voice rising in volume, never to a shout though, never rising to a shout
"Yes. Are you doubting of the word of the Queen again?"
"I guess I was milady, I apologize."
"Then it is settled then milady, I believe that you, or Aliria, will have your wish."
Theallas winces as he speaks, he doesn't want to admit defeat, nor does he want to try and use their bond, but a thought creeps unbidden, 'Why not? What is there left to loose? She did tell me after all...'
(Just realized... it's 2:30 in the morning for you... wow)
yes
"So, then. Tell me. Are you going to take the oath?"
"What will you have me do, queen, if I do take the oath?" He reaches out with his magic slowly, trying to figure out what Aliria is doing at this moment, in other words, whether it would be a proper time to intrude in her matters
"You will be part of the Aelosian military staff"
"As a warrior, or scrubbing toilets?" He is half sarcastic, not trusting Aelosia any more than he has to
"As a mighty warrior, who will only listen to my own orders"
"And do I have assurance of this, my future queen?"
"You have my words. If you don't trust it, you may live on foot of my craftworld if you like"
"Very well then, my queen, I will swear allegiance to you as my new commander." Slowly, Theallas unclips his sheathed sword from his belt and places it on the ground directly in front of him.
"No, you must swear allegiance to the Aelosian throne, and the sacred Sindarin empire of Aelosia"
"Very well..." He breathes in slowly, and then exhales, "I swear my loyalty to the Aelosian throne and its line, and to the Sacred Sindarin Empire of Aelosia. My sword shall be at it's command until I am released from my oath by those who I swear the oath to."
"That Aranruth tore apart my head off my shoulders if I ever break this oath, you must say"
"And I swear that Aranruth, the sacred sword, shall rend my head from my body, shall I violate this oath."
"Good. Then I name you the official assassin of the throne, the Stalker of Darkness that will clean all the dirt and trash in the way of the Everqueen"
"I accept this position with thanks, my queen" For the first time, he speaks the last lines with a startling sincerity, and raises his sword, clipping it back to his belt, covering it slightly with his cloak, "Do you have any orders for me, milady?"
"Yes, of course, your first assignment"
His eyes sparkle, running through the lists of possible targets, 'Let me see... Kithail, no, too high ranking. Most of the nobles are probably out, who would she need assassinated?'
"Aliria, of course, you will need of take care of Hyral first, of course"
Theallas nods slowly, "Very well. Any specific requests as to their deaths? Slow? Painless? Public? Covert?"
Aelosia smiled. "That's your prerogative"
"Of course my queen, I will inform you when the mission is accomplished. Only one request, am I allowed access to the Black Lotus poison?"
"As you wish. The means you adopt to fulfill my request are up to you, you are the Master of assassins now"
"Thank you queen, I will depart." He rose swiftly, backing away several steps to show the proper respect, then turning, striding out of the room. A persistent thought continued to needle him, 'Will I do it? Why? Why did I agree? It's my job isn't it, I've been an assassin all my life. I guess this is just another chapter in my story, and by the end of this chapter, several other tales will have reached their requiem."

OOC: Of course, RPed out over IRC with Aelosia, did I even need to say that? Stay tuned folks, further installment due soon enough.

Theallas moved silently and swiftly through the long shadows of the simulated ‘night’ on the Aelosian craftworld. He approached the D’Hyru residence with a stealth that was partially inborn, and partially trained through many years of practice in assassinations and espionage. There was a house that looked promising for his plan, located directly across from the exit from the D’Hyru lands onto the small street that Theallas was creeping through. But Theallas wasn’t interested, there was a nice shadowed area that offered him a nice view of the exit, and he would rather not complicate his mission any more than it already was.

Strange sounds emanated from the house, and eventually curiosity got the better of Theallas. A huge black wing filled the window that he looked into, and the assassin swiftly decided that maybe returning to his former position was a better idea than investigating the house, and the object inside of it. Returning to his former position, he fell into a semi somatic trance-like state, waiting for something to happen.

After a long stretch of time Theallas heard a pleasant laugh and a good natured bark from the entrance of the D’Hyru residence. Snapping awake almost instantly, he watched as a large Saint Bernard galloped out of the building, chasing after a small metallic disk that flew around the building. Soon after, Aliria herself ran out, laughing once again as the huge dog returned the disk to her, and with a graceful throw, she sent it out again for her companion to chase.

Rising from his position, drawing his sword with practiced ease, he approached Aliria, his feet barely making any noise as he stalked towards her. Continuing to approach his target, Theallas drew himself up and drew his blade back, aiming to strike between the vertebrae of her neck and end her life swiftly, not out of mercy per say, but out of practicality—a swiftly dead victim could let out no scream, yet for all his care, the intricate, and slightly loose, hilt guard on his sword made a click as he drew it back.

Aliria swung around, silent as she beheld Theallas rising several inches taller than her, blade poised to strike. His blade moved forward, halting inches from where it had started. The hardened assassin might be able to kill an impersonal object who was just a ‘target,’ but he could not slay his former, and current, love. He stopped, sheathing his sword and placing it back into it’s well oiled sheath.

From no-where, a blade appeared at Theallas’ throat. He halted for a second, whispering mistakenly, “Hyral… how nice of you to finally join the party, I was wondering how long till you arrived to save the Heir.” Bringing his hand up, he landed a hit directly to the ‘funny bone,’ and dropped to the floor, rolling, and bringing his knee up hard enough to immobilize most males.

Theallas realized that something was wrong when his hand started hurting, and his knee impacted the Wraithbone armor of a Berethauth, the elite guards of the Everqueen. His hand reaching down to one of his pistols, he brought it up and fired, never changing his pistol from it’s simple force setting. He winced as he heard the Wraithbone crunch as the battle-maiden was sent flying back into a neighboring wall. Rising in seconds, Theallas fiddled with his pistol, setting it to a paralysis. Then looking up, he fired at a Berethauth who was bringing Aliria away. The soldier, well trained, swung around, using Aliria as a shield to take the shot.

A very familiar, to Theallas at least, female voice called out, “He’s killed the Princess, take him alive, his death must be very public and painful!” Cursing under his breath, Theallas shouted,
“She is merely paralyzed! How can the dead breathe?! How can the heart of one dead beat?”
Again the voice rang out from a soldier standing away from the fight, “Do not listen to his deceit! Attack him!”

With a sigh, Theallas switched the pistol to his off-hand and drew his sword at the same time, standing in a defensive stance as the Berethauth attacked. His movements were graceful, almost dance-like as he ducked and wove through the Berethauth, blade crashing against blade. Theallas’ strikes were aimed to debilitate, slashes to the outside of elbows and the fronts of knees to cut the nerves, rendering arms useless and Berethauth unable to stand.

After the last of them fell, he turned to the last maiden, standing between himself and Aliria, watching her as she, the Everqueen herself, removed her helm. “Damn you Everqueen, first you order me to kill your heir, and then you seek to slay the warrior who seeks to aide you, why?”
“It is because of the choices of Thelas; your people are a disgrace to the other elves, dirtying the Sindarin name with your actions. I seek to bring to them into a new age…”
“…Under your rule. And how will you do this? Menelmacar and The Necrontyr Empire will never stand for an unprovoked attack.”
Theallas begins to walk, trying to circle around to Aliria, but the Everqueen matches him, staying between him and Aliria, who is still paralyzed.
“And that’s where you come in. You just tried to kill the Princess, and twelve Berethauth.”
“And you will declare war on Thelas…”
“And conquer them.”
“You’re mad, to start a war of kin-slaying even greater than any crime of Fëanor, is sheer and utter madness.”

She shakes her head, “Knowledge of my madness is widely known, yet my people respect me. Look at how many women have died for me today, how many men would die for you?”
For a second, Theallas closes his eyes, “Many, countless numbers best left untouched.”
“Oh really? They would die for a self confessed mad-man who has failed in leading his nation?”
“Do not speak of my people, they will follow me for reasons you cannot understand. On another matter, for all the world knows, I’m dead. The Thelasi have nothing to do with this. ”
“But you were dropped off in a Thelasi ship.”
“Icharvita, they are separate from the Thelas…”
“Then have every Icharvita turned over to me.”
“Impossible, the Icharvita can disappear at will… damn, it’s perfect.”

The Everqueen sighed, shaking her head, “Come, accept my offer and live in peace and quiet, just think, more people for Aliria to rule. And no matter what, you can’t get out of it.”
“I will not sacrifice my nation and the people whom I lead for longer than any other leader of Thelas, even for Aliria.”
“Make your choice then, time is flashing by.”

Grasping for any thread to dissuade the Everqueen, Theallas whispers, “What about the Berethauth? Twelve witnesses to my innocence.”
“They know what they must do…”
At that moment, each of the Berethauth drew a Thelasi blade, and stabbed it through their necks, a clean, easy death, exactly like Theallas’ own style.
“…Thank Eru for that merchant who was selling Thelasi style swords.”

Making his choice in an instant, Theallas, with one motion, raised his pistol, set it to it’s maximum setting, and fired. Knowing that there was one way out, a dead man can’t be punished. With a wave of her hand, Aelosia deflected the energy round, sending it ricocheting harmlessly into a building.
“Very well, I was afraid of that. Now Theallas, obey me, or else I will order Aliria to disembowel herself before your very eyes.”
“You wouldn’t…”
“Really?”
“Look, many people will die if you persist on this course, Thelasi and Aelosians.”
“So? They will have sacrificed their lives for a worthy cause.”
Theallas paused, hesitating before he made his choice, as Aelosia continued, “So you feel the pressure of my best weapon against you: Aliria.”

Once more sighing, Theallas shook his head, “No.”
“Very well, Aliria, please disembowel yourself.”
For the first time in months, he went directly to Aliria’s mind. His whisper carrying more power than a shout, “No.” as his hand wrapped around a small liquid filled dart, fitting it onto the barrel of his second pistol.

OOC: For the Nth time, sorry about loosing that RP on you. This is my best recollection of the events, I may have dropped some things, added something accidentally, there was one section I had to revise, and that was when the Berethauth showed up. I was about to send the part about Theallas sheathing his sword, but you posted first. It makes the story flow a bit better, I think.

Other minor OOC crap, I still don’t know what the Wraithbone does to transmissions, Theallas does have a long-range communicator on him, and I think he would know if he could use it or not.

Theallas sighs slowly, unable to move his head because of the blade at his throat, "Very well Everqueen, I don't have much choice in the matter, do I?"
"I devised my plan that way, Theallas. i do not use to leave loose threads", said Theallas' fearsome opponent with a half smile. "You, and your fellows, are mine"
Theallas sighs, and begins to remove his weapons, first come out the daggers, placed carefully on the ground, then the throwing knives, along side them, then a pistol, pointed straight up into the sky, set merely to a "force" level. As he places it on the ground, it passes under Aelosia's blade. At that exact moment, his thumb depresses the trigger, and he rolls to the side at the exact same time. The forcewave from the pistol aimed to deflect Aelosia's sword as Theallas draws a short blade to block any other attacks.
The clear sound of the Everqueen's laugh filled Theallas' ears again, as the blast of energy from his pistol bounced harmless away from the black edge of the Queen's sword...
"Are you trying to defy the sword of your first forefather?, Are you trying to defy your own doom?. You are a sindarin, and there is nothing you can do against this blade!"
Theallas grumbles, drawing his main sword from it's scabbard as he rises, "You never cease to amaze me... If you listen to Sirithil I am a Sauriquendi, to you, a Sindarin, to myself, I'm an elf who wants to be left the hell alone and note manipulated." He begins to circle the Everqueen, "Milady, some one once said, 'Fate is a book unwritten' and I'm damn well going to write my part of that book!"
Theallas grumbles, drawing his main sword from it's scabbard as he rises, "You never cease to amaze me... If you listen to Sirithil I am a Sauriquendi, to you, a Sindarin, to myself, I'm an elf who wants to be left the hell alone and note manipulated." He begins to circle the Everqueen, "Milady, some one once said, 'Fate is a book unwritten' and I'm damn well going to write my part of that book!"
"Then prepare to die, my kid. Your charred bones will be my present to Asirnoth", she enchanted, starting to move the black blade in circles. "Or maybe I'll imprison you in a wraith stone, and enslave you for eternity. You had your chance to do that, and you failed"
Theallas chuckles, "I was never given a chance milady." He continues to circle, until he is between Aelosia and Aliria, "I wonder..."
"you had your chance to rewrite your fate. You had your chance with Aliria, and you had the chance of saving your people. You were measured, weighted and found lacking", she said, moving Aliria's motionless body with just a brief motion of her hand until the Princess was lying at her feet. "Surrender"
Theallas smiles, "Fine." And slowly lowers his sword to the ground kneeling once again. His sword waves for a moment in his hand, then, instead of dropping, slices deep into his body, his blood coating the mithril blade.
The Everqueen looked amazed, caught in the moment that she raised her hand to strike at the form of the Thelasi. "Is that your answer, Kinslayer?"
Theallas winces as he removes the blade, "Tell me, what do you know of rituals?"
"I know enough to know that you are trying to sacrifice your own life"
Theallas holds the weapon in front of him, the lines along the blade appearing to soak up the red liquid, glowing and burning with a blue flame, "You see... blood holds magic..." Theallas coughed up more blood, his self inflicted wound still bleeding, "A blood sacrifice of the creator is possibly the most powerful ritual possible. There's only one issue..." At that moment, Theallas attacks, literally, every ounce of his energy devoted into the next string of attacks
Aelosia forced herself to accept taking a step back facing Theallas, placing her free hand in front of her, with the palm extended. As Theallas approached, purple lightning cracked in the Everqueen's palm, and extended out of it, forming a kinetic field with her psyonic energy to stop him.
Theallas brings his blade in front of him, slicing through the air where the kinetic field begins to appear. Theallas isn't a psycher, but he's a damn good mage, and he's using all of his power, and then some, to try and win this fight
Aelosia took another step back, and let a fist sized fireball fly towards Theallas as she danced away, her blade tracing circles as fast as the wind around her, covering every angle of approach
Theallas blocks and deflects, continuing his attack. Seeing an opening, he doesn't take it, instead always attacking her sword, trying to "lock" the two blades.
Aelosia laughed again, the sound now disturbing and painful as it bounced inside Theallas ears. Thingol's blade was ringing in Elurin hands, and the ancient enchantments covering the crafts of Eol the dark elf blacksmith were reinforced by the psychic energy of the everqueen projected through it like her Eldar masters taught her
the blades encountered, the red energy flowing towards the black steel, and with a flick of Aelosia's wrist and a loud clank, Aranruth showed her value, chopping Theallas' blade in two.
Theallas doesn't care, as the blade is sliced, his hand shoots out, surrounded by the last flaring of his power, a single dart falling from his sleeve, the incredibly long needle sharp enough to punch even through Wraithbone.
Elurin looked at the dart directed at her face, and in a non human reflective action, she placed her hand in front of her face, covering it from a frontal and lethal blow. The dart came through the hand of the Elven woman, stopping its travel just at the middle of it, strongly embedded in both the Wraithbone and flesh. "More...than...annoying, you are", she managed to whisper, as she placed her hand away, pushing her sword forwards..
Theallas chuckles, falling to one knee, "Nerve toxic, milady... paralysis in about three seconds... two..."
"Smart, too bad, you won't be there to see its effects", said the Everqueen, landing the strongest blow her hand was able upon Theallas' neck, her blade falling upon the Thelasi as his own doom, with all the violence her arm was capable of
Theallas falls to the ground, rolling away from the possibly decapitating strike of her blade
"And now?. what is going to happen Theallas?. What are you going to do?", she chuckled, advancing towards her prey
Theallas rises unsteadily, his vision blurring, then clearing, "I wait for the nerve toxin to seep through you. A matter of seconds now..." He draws a short blade, leaving his second katana at his belt, not ready to risk that very important blade
" Keep waiting, and get used to this soil, as it will become your tomb. Because no poison, no....nerv....tooooxin is...capable....of...", said the Everqueen before freezing in place, in her eyes a heinous stare of hatred
Theallas smiles slowly, barely standing as he recovers the shattered remnants of his sword, turning to Aelosia, "Everqueen, I won't kill you, Aliria would hate me for that. What I will do is to deprive you, for a time, of your heir. An exchange let's say." He turns, scooping up the unconscious Aliria, before fleeing with all the haste his injuries allowed, whispering, "Oh, stay the hell away from my nation"
As Theallas bent to pick his sword, Aranruth fell over Theallas' wrist, severing his hand in a quick and violent stroke, the Everqueen's body moving gracefully again, like in a dance of death, the motion giving her figure a entire spin as she did so...
Theallas almost collapses, but instead, Theallas grabs Aliria, and runs like hell
"This is not over, it is hardly beginning, wretch. You fell in the oldest trap. Too bad you are too young to see it"
Elurin spins again, and as Theallas bends over to grab Aliria, she seizes her new chance and sends Aranruth forwards, impaling Theallas in the blade, the tip entering his back and coming out of his body right above the shoulder. "Where, in the name of Morgoth, are you going?. there is no escape for you, or for Aliria, in any case"
Theallas gasps loudly, "I won't..." He coughs, "Die.... quite yet, if for no other sake than hers." remaining hand comes down on the hilt of his sword, bringing the sheath straight up into Aelosia
Elurin smiled, and jumped backwards, giving Theallas some space as she escapes his onslaught. "Welcome to my den. Here I am the cat, and you're the mouse. you should thank the Valar I'm slowed down thanks to your petty toxin. I'll give you a head start, to see how far you think you're going to run, then I'll release my hounds. After all, those wounds are going to make this thing even more interesting"
Theallas smiles grimly, still coughing up blood, he's almost spent, in worse shape than he's never been before, he takes up Aliria again, and takes off. He knows he'll fail, but at this point he doesn't really give a damn
the last sound heard by Theallas was the clear and seemingly celestial laugh of the Everqueen as he left the D'Hyru states, as the ruler of the sindarin let him go
Theallas runs for about as long as he can, then finds an ally and leans back, laying Aliria down next to him. He raises a quiet ward to hide himself, to make the alley appear deserted, and to hide their scent.
Theallas then starts to bandage his wounds as much as he can, but that, of all times, is when his strength finally gives out, and he collapses back against a wall, his breathing shallow and barely noticeable
Aliria wakes up few moments after he passes away, and takes a step away, yelling a bit at the sight of blood
Theallas isn't quite dead, just out of it. He jolts up almost immediately, thanking Eru for the sound deadening, "Goddamnit woman, keep your voice down!" he start coughing again, looking at Aliria, where his hand used to be, and the recently bandaged holes in his body
"What...What happened?. where are we?. Why are you so hurt?"
"Thank your goddamn queen..."
"My heroic chivalry, and her need to conquer Thelas."
"What queen? All I remember is that....is that you were going to hit me with your sword, and then....everything is blurry"
"Because you passed out. The Everqueen..." He hacks up more blood, and leans back against the wall, shivering slightly
"Did se?...Did she defended me?. why did you attack me?"
"She gave me the orders..."
"What orders?. Theallas, you tried to kill me!, and now you're dying, here in the Craftworld, in a dark alley!. Explain it to me, please!"
"I'll die faster if you don't use a healing spell or two..." he remarks more than a bit sarcasticly, "Alright, you know that I landed here a while ago, seeking to talk with you."
"Well, I met with the Everqueen, she told me that you had no wish to speak with me. Fine. She told me that she could order you to speak with me. I refused. At the end, she offered me a job. I accepted. She then told me what the job was; to kill you."
He continues, wincing from the pain of his wounds, "I accepted, figuring that I could talk with you. To corner you alone, I used so many of the skills I used as an assassin, I guess I sliped back into that mindset, you were a target who was to be removed."
Aliria sighs, "I do not have any spells, Theallas, you know I'm a magic imbecile. I could try to fix that bandages, if that helps...Wait. did you accept to kill me?"
Aliria suddenly takes several steps away from Theallas, clearly confused
Theallas hangs his head a little, "I had to... as I said, I figured I could talk with you under the guise of hunting you. But I defaulted to my training. When I saw you face to face, it snapped me out of it. That was when the Berethauth attacked."
"The Berethauth?. My mother's guards?. Of course, they are my bodyguards!. They tried to protect me!. Theallas, you shouldn't had came here!"
"I tried to disable them... not kill them. I tried to disable them, one of them used you as a shield. You took a paralysis shot aimed for the soldier"
"What happened to my guards. Why aren't they here?"
"I know, damnit!" Theallas voice rises, then falls, "Look, I wanted to see you, somehow, but let me continue with my story."
"I disabled them, each and every one. Precision blade strikes to the elbows and knees, felling each and every one without significant injury. I left one, she pulled of her helmet, and it was the Everqueen"
"We had an enlightening chat, it appears she staged this, every little bit. Ordering me to kill you so that she could frame me for your death, and then go on to annex the Star Empire."
"My mother?. My mother doesn't fight, Theallas, that's why we have guards. She would be able to destroy the entire Craftworld if she ever fights...You're lying"
Theallas took out the shattered piece of his sword, "Look at this?! Do you remember seeing this before? The day I fought Kithail in Thelas? My sword, it broke /exactly/ like this."
"Aranruth is the blade that dealt these wounds. Aranruth. Only your line is supposed to wield that blade, only that sword could so neatly shatter one of my best pieces of craftsmanship. Now, either Kithail sliced me up nicely, then let me go, or I am telling you the truth."
"Any of the other Berethauth could had done that. Or maybe it was a Berethauth disguised as my mother. I do not know about swords, Theallas, they aren't my trade", said Aliria kneeling right aside Theallas and starting to fix the bandages over his wounds
Theallas winces, "Very well then. Why arn't the Berethauth here? Thelasi blades... twelve Thelasi blades bought off of a merchant... twelve wounds to the neck. Aliria, I don't make mistakes. I killed for over a two thousand years, I can see through almost any disguise. That was your mother. Her fighting style was a perfect match, her psyonic powers fit nicely."
"Hell, her entire plot fit nicely. I would agree to it, then fade away, maybe even court you again. She would annex Thelas and make it no longer a stain upon the Sindarin people."
"Theallas...I do not want to disappoint you or to...underestimate you, but you weren't alive after fighting mother. And she wouldn't try to do such a stupidity. She recognizes the people of Thelas as brothers"
Theallas laughs, "Very well then. You are a psyonic, like your mother, right?"
"I have developed a talent, yes, but I do not possess my mother's mastery"
Theallas leans back, "I need to rest for a moment." He drops his psyonic defenses, "Feel free to relive those moments..."
Aliria obliges, watching Theallas' own impressions about what happened...
Theallas tries to ignore it, but still ends up being dragged along, viewing each and every moment again
Suddenly Aliria let Theallas' mind go, and takes a step back, still impressed, but looking directly at something right behind Theallas...
Theallas wraps his hand around his remaining sword, his voice whispers, "Who is it?"
'Drop that stupid thing, Theallas. And I told you, yet you managed to entwined us all in your damn fate", echoed a known voice, along with the sound of a power sword being turned off
"Hyral..."
He sighs, "Goddamnit, you have the oddest capacity to show up at my worst point, and the best time."
"Don't say my family again at the risk of being kicked, Theallas. And don't move, you were successful in turning yourself into a mess. You're barely alive, for what I can see"
"Thank your queen..."
"Will be soon your queen, so don't bother"
"Thelasi Navy might disagree..."
Theallas coughs dry, his body almost completely drained, he chuckles weakly, "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.... or a medic as the case may be"
"anyway, that's not our game anyway. Tell a good damned reason to not slit your throat right here, Theallas, and maybe I'll be able to help you"
"Because I don't think you sense of honor would allow you to?" He shakes his head, "No, you sound pretty pissed off. How about the fact that I'm hacking up blood, the Everqueen is going to be coming for you next, and the fact that Aliria is about to have a heart attack?"
"You're manipulating me, you damned!. I warned you and you didn't pay heed to me. Why should I pay heed to you now?"
"How about the fact that in the oncoming war both of our nations will probably be decimated, millions of civilians and military personel will die, the Thelasi will either be conquered, or will be looking for this craftworld with the idea of putting it depressurizing it... with the citizens inside, and I happen to be your best goddamn chance of keeping the Thelasi under control?
"I do not care about the thelasi, nor about the aelosians. i do not care about anything but for Aliria"
Theallas bites back the first retort that comes to mind, then sighs, "Alright then, ask her."
Theallas closes his eyes and leans back against the wall, shifting to become a little bit more comfortable
"Bah, she's dead anyway. As we both are. Looks like you made the work of the Everqueen easier"
"She would win in the end... no way out of it no matter how I turned." He opens his eyes and looks over at Aliria, rising slowly, using his sheathed sword as a cruch
"Before you go all doom an gloom on my Hyral, what are the chances of getting the hell out of here?"
"You could had refused. This is your fault"
me Kithail
"There are no chances. Forget about it. everyone is looking for you"
Theallas swings around, "Shut the hell up. What's done is done. There was no way to refuse. And I wasn't talking about myself, I meant you two. I plan of hiding out for a while, then trying to go down in a fight. Only way I can go, I guess."
"Aliria can be safe if we place her away from us. About us, well...The best thing we can do is to die an honorable death"
Theallas nods, "Unforunately, not much I can do 'honorably' while missing a hand... and with two large stab wounds."
Theallas turns to Aliria and smiles, "Thanks for the help, by the way"
"I can give you a bomb to hold in your hand, if you want to, or I can give you a vest full of explosives capable of opening a dome. you choose"
Aliria looked at the both men in front of her, and just managed to cry, letting out a creek of tears down her face, falling to her knees and covering her face with her hands
Theallas kneels down next to Aliria, touching her should gently, "Aliria... listen to me for a second."
"DON'T SAY ANYTHING!" she screamed. "You are in serious trouble and there is nothing I can do to help you both
Theallas closed his eyes, "Yes, but you can help yourself. Eventually your mother will cease her time in this world, and you must then rule Aelosia, understand? Kithail and I will figure a way out of this..." Theallas glares at Hyral, "We'll make it through."
He stops again, "Aliria, sorry. For all my screw ups, for the accidents that brought us here. I wish I could have done things right, like others are doing now. I'm sorry."
Theallas rises painfully, grimacing as he realizes that he probably hurt her more by saying that, under his breath he mutters, "Selfish of you, Theallas." And turns to Hyral, "Look, if we can get our hands on a fighter, shuttle, or even stow away on a cargo ship, we can make it out in one piece"
"The bays are closed. Even before you went to kill Aliria. No one arrives, no one leaves"
"Damn, any way to get a transmission out?"
"No, i already tried. And I have some connections in the army, but now the Berethauth are controlling everything"
"Any of your cap ships?"
"Not near, and they were occupied by Berethauth officers..."
"Goddamned, a TV station would do!"
"Look, anything transmitted, over a large distance, TMI can pick up. It just needs the proper flag code."
"If you can get me to a TV transmitter I can enter the code manually..."
"Look Theallas, we have a scramble field in the orbit. See what I mean?"
"Alright, any place where we can at least hide?"
"Nothing can go outside. We would only issue a beacon for them to find us"
"Beacon..."
"Where is this beacon located?"
"That will only helps them to find us!"
"Hyral, if we can get a message out, Aelosia won't conquer Thelas as easily. She might not do it at all."
"I don't care if I live for thirty seconds after I send that message, if I send it, I'll die happily."
"There are other things I want to do. Reparations I wish to make, things I want to say, but my duty to my people comes first
"I cannot find a message from here. that would be stupid. Look, all I can do is to give you the keys of my personal fighter"
"And leave you to die here?"
"I have more chances than you. I have connections, and more than a friend in high places, along with several regiments of men and several ship crews that would die in my name. But you have no friends here. No friends, you must escape. I'll handle the rest myself. go and tell your people of the invasion Aelosia is preparing. Without warning, they'll lost"
"Very well... where is this fighter?"
"Landing bay 382, it is a private bay, you won't find other ships there, and the guards are of my entire trust. go now, and maybe Lady Luck will smile to you"
Theallas nods, "Thank you Hyral, I'm in your debt. And good bye Aliria, I hope to meet you again under more pleasant terms." The Assassin slowly turned and began what would no doubt be a long walk.


OOC: Aelosia, when will you be next online?