The First Sparks of War - Nightfall

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[129] Jinquil: The First Sparks of War - Nightfall
Thu Aug  4 23:34:01 2011
To: Shalonesti Shalonesti_kingdom Thaxanos Wargar All Kyri IMM RP Zandreya
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Though dusk was coming to lay claim to the last remnants of light from
the sun, the darkening sky was tinged a bright red more reminiscent of dawn
than the nightfall.  In the distance, the sky lit up with fire, the source
of the red glow that now illuminated the clouds. 


After spending the day training with her men, she had been weary and sought
the shelter of the grove to rest but a word from the Songmaster had drawn
her back out to the southern gates with news from the guardian Lanac.  The
dwarves were coming and cutting a path through Zandreya's vallens.  Elven
scouts had spotted a group of their own people, fleeing from the enemy that
invaded their homes for no reason other than their own selfish need for
blood. 


The fires of war were not a new experience.  She had long ago become
accustomed to the sting of it during the first battle with the dwarves.
This time however, the battlefield had changed and the song in her allowed
her to hear the mourning of the wood that stretched all around their fair
city.  Blinking against the smoke that watered her eyes, the Sha'qelas
Senator stood between the gates, her eyes trained on the dark and hazy
forest that spread before her, waiting alone as Drondon and the others were
forced to deal with the interfering members of enemy clans. 


The first form to fade from the mist wasn't at all what she had expected to
see.  A small boy, covered in soot appeared from the trees, limping towards
the gate in a way that dragged his small foot through the dirt and grass.
The pain in his face, coupled with fear was heart breaking.  Behind him,
scores of others, equally covered in ash appeared as well.  She stepped
clear of their path, allowing them to pass into the safety the gates
offered.  She mentally made note of the ones who were wounded and shielded
each with her magics as they drew near. 


Jinquil held herself off to the side, letting the others that were more
capable of healing and soothing the wounds of the soul than she to take the
refugees into the shelter that the city and her temple offered. 
Once the refugees had been escorted into the city, she returned to her
hiding in the deeper shadows the gates provided, her eyes scanning the dark
shapes of the forest once more.  She did not see Drondon come up behind her
but she felt his presence just the same, recognizing immediately the soft
tones of the song that hummed in the air around him. 


Something in the forest changed and a soft sound caught her ear and Jinquil
darted into action, quietly slipping out and through the trees to locate the
source. 


The scout rushed her as she ran towards it, her eyes taking note of it only
just in time to deflect the first blow from his?  Axe, taking a gash to the
thigh instead of losing an arm to the short, stout fellow.  Filled with a
seething fury she circled the dwarf as Drondon appeared through the trees.
She saw the axe bury into Drondon's skin before she could see no more,
blinded by a spell from a dwarf.  She had no time to balk over it, her
concentration held by the soft tone of Drondon's song and the sour smell
that surrounded the stump.  She disappeared through the trees, rounding in
an attempt to clear her vision and attack anew but the scout fled into the
woods upon her return.  Tired, bone sore and no longer able to breathe with
comfort in the smoke that clung to the trees, Jinquil and Drondon returned
to the groves.