"Spare me knight," Saimhain replied holding Darlene firmly. If he desired, he could snap her next right then.

"Let her go Saimhain!" Rowan replied gazing with a full blown hatred in his eyes. There was no way Saimhain would take her. He would die first. He flourished his blade, "You will not take her!"

"You are in no position to demand anything Aldstar," Saimhain replied, the demon racking in his voice. "No one commands me. The Temple will know that well enough and don't you try to use your holy water on me missy." His gripped tightened on Darlene making her drop the vial she had of holy water.

Rowan was ready to throw his blade when Darlene said, "Don't!" She gave looked sadly and said, "Live today, fight tomorrow."

Rowan struggled internally. He couldn't just let her go like that. Too much was at stake but when she looked at him that way, he had no choice. He sheathed his blade with much difficulty. Saimhain smiled and said, "Wise words and even wiser for you to obey."
Rowan muttered something in a different language at Saimhain. It made him smirk as he left pulling Darlene with him.

"We have to go after them. If they bring Darlene back to Theion City, the inquisitors will burn her alive!" Curudir said to Rowan, not wanting to abandon the person he considered to be the only hope to restore the Mortan Empire.

"I know," Rowan said as he watched Saimhain take her away. He made his way to where her horse was. He took the leading rein but noticed something sticking out of the saddle. Taking a closer look, he saw it was a piece of parchment. He pulled it out and opened it. His eyes got wide and he motioned to the others, "Look at this!"

"Let me look at that." Curudir replied, looking over the parchment. "We may still have a chance."

"This is a layout to the temple itself and a secret entrance into the city," Rowan replied. He studdied it some more, "From the looks of it, the entrance is not far from Riverfalls. It completely bypasses the Inquistor routes."

"Ok, but this is only a rescue mission. We need an army if we want to take out the Inquisitors." Curudir told Rowan. "If we had more time, I could seek out fellow Knights, and we could storm the Temple, but that's not possible."
"High Inquisitor, the Nightcrawlers have found the heretic, and they are bringing her to the gates of Theion City as we speak. Shall I ready the cleansing pyre?" A priest asked Inquisitor Torah. "No. Allow me to do it myself. I want the honour of ending heresy for good." The High Inquisitor replied.

Rowan looked at Curudir, "It can be both. Riverfalls is the codename for the hiding place of my people. There are warriors and the dwarves can help. If you ride hard..."

Darlene struggled against Saimhain's grip and the result was a tighter hold. It didn't help that he unceremoniously drapped her across his horse that had had been waiting a distance from where they were attacked. She said, "I see you waste no time on ceremony."
"There is no point if your prey is to be 'cleansed' as it were," Saimhain replied as they started off at a gallop.
Darlene took a whiff and was met with the stench of death that clung to the horse's coat. She managed to lift her head to see the other Nightcrawlers following in suit. Even if she fell off, she could be trampled. Still it was better to die than be forced to reveal Riverfalls. She couldn't do that to Rowan. She looked at her hands that had been bound and she could feel the tautness of the ropes on her ankles. She couldn't escape if she wanted to. She then said, "Why take me to the Temple anyway? What is stopping you from taking me and converting me to one of you?"
"It's never been done before. It is said that you priests have an agent in your blood that burns if a Nightcrawler drinks," Saimhain replied. Part of it made him shudder at the stories told but then again no one really dared to. Still what she said had some merit. He added, "Still what you say has some merit. If you are really as valuable as they say. then maybe I have a bargaining chip."
Darlene closed her eyes in a grimace. She didn't want to do it but it would delay her inevitable meeting with the Temple. IF she could get the Nightcrawlers to think twice about their deal, she might be able to buy Rowan some time. Rowan, please hurry.

"There's no time. We have to quickly go in, rescue Darlene, and get out. An assault requires time we don't have." Curudir replied, knowing the haste at which inquisitors acted. "We will go to Riverfalls after we rescue her."

Elodate looked at Curudir. " We will get her back.There has been to much suffering and evil must not truimph over good." then in whispered tone." Evil can't win in the end...it just can't"

"Riverfalls is on our way and there is no way that we can get in and out alive. The Temple is heavily fortified and from what I know, the priests are very good at arms. Besides we will have numbers and Elfish magic on our side," Rowan explained. "From experience in times when you want to go fast, it is best to slow down."

"Fine, but we can't take too long." Curudir replied. "Have only as much people as we need for a rescue. An army takes too much time to gather."

"Follow me then," Rowan said. He mounted his horse and galloped towards Riverfalls. It was the only way to rescue her.

Darlene eyed Saimhain and the Nightcrawlers as they fed on a helpless tinker and his family. She groaned in disgust as she saw the savagery and felt sick. Saimhain noticed her discomfort and walked up to her and asked, "The sight of it bother you priestess?"
"You kill in wanton slaughter..."
"We kill to feed," Saimhain corrected her, "To live we must kill. That is the way of things."
"Will it still be that way if you turn me over to the Temple?" Darlene asked. "After all you are on of the uncleans."
Saimhain peered at Darlene and ran a cold finger down her cheek. He watched as she shivered against his touch. He replied, "I have considered your point and I will act upon it. I am sure that the Temple and I can come to some arrangement." He smiled at her.
Darlene didn't like the smile. Something told her that things may go south. She would just have to wait and see.

Curudir knew of Riverfalls, though he had never been there himself. On the outside, it simply looked like a cave on the inside of a waterfall. Inside, it was a sanctuary and a bastion, protected by secrecy. Few non-elves knew about it, and noone from the Temple, except possibly Darlene, had ever set foot inside. He felt an increasing calm as the group neared the sancuary.

Rowan called out to the guards on duty in his language. He called, "Friends of the forest will you accept outsiders?"
Two other elves emerged with their bows and looked at Rowan with a smile. The fairhaired one said, "Riverfalls always welcomes the one who saved us. As for any who wish sanctuary, they may have it."
"Thank you friends but I call for warriors. Our friend has been taken by the unholy Nightcrawlers. We must break for the castle," Rowan replied making a slight motion to indicate he meant for the secret passage.
The elve nodded and replied, "Follow us and they will come," and he turned to lead teh way into Riverfalls.
Rowan, polite, motioned that the she-elf go first while saying, "shall we?"

Curudir bowed before the elves. "My name is Curudir Therias. I am a former Knight of the Mortan Empire. My fellow knights have sought refuge here the past, and I only hope you will extend that courtesy to my allies and I." He said to them.

"Anyone who wishes to restore the old order is a friend of ours," the fair haired elf replied as he led them to the mustering ground, "Lord Rowan spoke of a battle that must be fought. He found our refuge. We owe much to him."

"This is only a rescue mission. We don't have time to prepare an army." Curudir pointed out. "The Nightcrawlers took someone very important to the restoration of the Old Empire, and if we don't hurry, she'll be burned alive by the Inquisition. If she dies, we have no chance of putting an end to the so-called Divine Empire of Man, and none of us want that."

"There is always time to muster an army," the elf said as they came to the mustering ground. Already standing was a batallion ready to move out. He then said, "We have been ready since Lady Darlene beagn helping us."

The sun was rising meaning that the Nightcrawlers had to get under shelter. Darlene was relieved that they would be asleep soon. Saimhain motioned for his men to make for the cave hideout. He grinned at her, "You just got lucky darling."

"How soon can we have a group set up for a rescue? An assault won't work against the Temple. They can never fall unless we can expose the lies within, and to do that, we need Darlene. If we can expose the truth, it will divide the Temple, and turn the citizens of the Empire against them, and even then we need a larger army." Curudir explained.

Rowan had been watching the skies when Curudir spoke. He watched as dawn broke over the east. He knew that Saimhain wouldn't risk showing his prize too soon, especially if Darlene managed to convince Saimhain to delay it. He then felt something brush his mind gently. He remembered the feeling when she first showed him. He looked at his companions and said, "We have until sundown to make preparations. I suggest we hurry."

Darlene concentrated hard on her power. She did it only once when she and Rowan were walking alone in the forest. It was a bit more difficult considering that she was a distance away but he had to know. Concentrating hard enough, she sent the thoughts that she was alive and that they had stopped. She could only hope that he got it.

"We should sent two groups, one to ambush the Nightcrawlers at their caves, and another to ambush the priest, in case the first group fails." Curudir said to Rowan. He then asked the elf leader. "Have any other knights like me come here since the rise of the Temple?"

"Only those that have been persecuted have come here," the fair haired elf replied, "It seems you humans have a resilience at remaining hidden."

Rowan nodded in agreement. In response to Curudir's suggestion, he said, "Saimhain is not stupid. He would post sentry or guard himself. He didn't get to where he was by playing the incompetent. Still a group can slow them down. It is just a matter of finding which cave. There are hundreds between here and the Temple."

"And there is no way we can search them all in time. Given the circumstances, I'd say the cave is very close to where Darlene was taken. It was raining, so the Nightcrawlers would be careful about treading too far away from safety." Curudir pointed out. "It would reduce the area needed to search to a 250 metre radius around this point." He added, pointing to a spot on a map.

"Rain means nothing to Saimhain," Rowan replied quietly, "but if he had to stop he would stop here," and he pointed at a spot outside the 250 meter radius. "He is the oldest therefore he knows how to move and expects no less from his men. IF they lag behind they would be within your circle."

"Lord Rowan is correct," the fair haired elf pointed out. "When we tried tracking down this Nightcrawler, he was just withun grasp but always eluded us."

"The rain wasn't the point, cloud cover was. As long as it's overcast, Saimhain can travel openly during the day, because he's not exposed to the sun. However, the clouds are clearing, so he can't risk leaving whichever cave he's in until nightfall. If we can get to that cave before then, we won't even have to attempt breaking into the Temple." Curudir pointed out. "We should still be prepared for the worst however. I'll lead the group going to Theion City."

"You may be right but I tell you we best start looking outside the circle you created. Saimhain would have seen the clouds but he doesn't trust day any more than he trusts the priests of the Temple," Rowan said. He headed to a rise to scan the surrounding land of Riverfalls. He looked around before saying, "If we are lucky, we may catch an underling."

" What will have me do?" asked Elodate who had temporarly left the group to attend to her father's funeral.

Rowan looked at the she elf tolerably. He asked, "Are you ready for battle little one? And I don't mean retribution."

" Yes, I realize I have a lot to prove." Elodate said. " Mostly to myself."

(@JM12: is there a reason you haven't been posting in TSR4 lately?)
"We should get moving. The Nightcrawlers leave for the city at nightfall. That does not give us much time." Curudir added. "If we leave now, my group can stop them before they even get close to the city."

((I thought that maybe you would try to get ahold of steven to let him know about his part and I was thinking of what to put in next. Plus my main concern are the fires burning in my county in the mountains in So. Cal))

Rowan gave a nod and spoke to the fairhaired elf in his language who called out that they would march for battle. Rowan started to move towards the entrance when he was stopped by a dwarf. The dwarf said, "You have our best Master Elf. You saved us now we repay the favor."
"Thank you Master Dwarf. Perhaps some of you would join us on our hunt," Rowan replied. He was impatient but only because he cared about Darlene. He called to the others, "Mount up," and reached down to tug the dwarf onto his horse behind him. He then said, "We ride north," and nudged his horse forward.

(I sent him a few messages, but since I haven't gotten a response, I'm considering recasting the role.)
"Let us ride to Theion City!" Curudir shouted to the group he was leading, and halfway to the city, they spotted a band of Orks following them. "Let them follow us. They'll distract the Inquisitors and give us a chance to escape with Darlene." Curudir commented.

((Ok just let me know))

Rowan cast a look to see the Orks. He never gave them much concern but from what he heard, the Inquisitors were after them as much as his kind so maybe they might have an ally albiet a reluctant one. He returned his gaze to study the skies and urged his stallion to a gallop, back to where Darlene was captured. It was a good place to start and pick up the trail. They had three hours left.

Curudir spotted the gates to the City, and his group began moving in to wait for the ambush. He looked and saw that the Orks were still following them, but still he waited. He looked again, and saw that the Orks had their crude weapons drawn.

Rowan scouted around where Darlene was taken. He moved about looking at the tracking patterns. Nightcrawlers may be the undead but they weren't exactly faeries. They left huge indentations of where they took off from. He saw the trail and went to follow it on his horse. Saimhain would not be one to lose time but he could make it up if he had to.

Curudir's party arrived at the City Gates, with the Orks following. There they stayed and waited for the Inquisitors. As the Orks came, Curudir overheard one of them say to the others. "It's one of da pinkskins dem Temple boyz is afta. Get 'im!", Curudir immediately drew his swords, and ran toward the Orks. He stabbed one of them in the chest, and immediately noticed as he pulled his sword out, that there was no blood on it. Fabricants? he thought.

Saimhain was not asleep. He didn't sleep much. He was well aware thatthe prize he had was a valuable one. He cast a glance at the girl. She acquiesed to being left where they dropped her with little fuss and he was curious. He was very curious about Rowan's reaction when he made a move for her. Rowan always was one to be overprotective, he thought to himself. He figured she must be hungry so he tossed her a bag with some bread in it after untying her hands.

Darlene knew she was being watched. She sensed that Saimhain was a Nightcrawler that thrived on very little sleep so she wasn't going to attempt an escape. She was suspicious when he untied her hands but then he tossed her a bag. She opened it and found a piece of bread. Out of sheer defiance, she broke off a small piece and ate it daintily only to get a laugh from Samhain. He said, "There's no need to stand on ceremony. You're not going to impress anybody. You must be hungry."
Out of sheer defiance, Darlene continued to eat daintily, making the bread last as long as she could. Once she was finished, Saimhain bound her wrists again. Sunset was coming soon and they would be moving. Where are you Rowan?

Because the Orks were fabricants, piercing their skin did nothing, and Curudir knew that the only way to kill them was to decapitate them or stab their brains. He then instructed the elves he was leading to do so. What reaason would the Temple have for fabricants? He thought.

Rowan was getting close. He could smell the stench of death getting stronger. He was running out of time but he couldn't let anything happen to Darlene. He knew that Saimhain would probably do something that would catch him off guard. He had his senses tuned for the smallest disturbance.

With the fabricated Orks defeated, Curudir now waited for the Temple Entourage to arrive. He thought further about the Orks and how the Temple would have attained knowledge of how to fabricate creatures and why. He then wondered if Darlene knew anything about it.

The sun went down before Rowan could get there and Saimhain had Darlene roughly bounded and they were off to the temple. They had just barely left when Rowan found their site. He knew he was close and continued at his pace. He would get to her.

Saimhain got Darlene to the city walls. He knew that Rowan would have used his human friend so he went around the back. With a swift movement, he flung Darlene over his shoulder and took a monster leap up the walls. He made his way to the Temple and banged on the door.

The fair haired elf who rallied the troops had them follow Curudir. He said, "They will listen to you. Aldstar will be following Saimhain. It is his battle."

Curudir began he approach to the City, aware of the psychic field used by the Temple to keep citizens in line. Because of his training as a Knight of the Empire, he had built up an immunity to such psychic power. He then thought about the heretical documents could could bring about the end of the Temple, and realised what they were: a spell to destroy the psychic field.

Darlene hated being manhandled by the likes of Saimhain. She was strung over his shoulder and with amazing power, he jump scaled the wall into the city. She was gagged so all she could do was protest in muffled phrases. Her muffled protests got louder as Saimhain approached the Temple doors.
Saimhain just gripped her tighter. He was actually amused at the girl and her protests. She was different from all the other priests in the Temple that was for sure. The pleasureable thought that she would make a better Nightcrawler than the Temple's prisoner played through his mind. He would do it to spite Rowan and make him suffer. He might do that if the Temple didn't pay up. He banged again on the door.

The doors opened, and the High Inquisitor stood waiting. "It's about time you got here. Hand her over to us so we may begin the ceremony." He told Saimhain.
Meanwhile, Curudir had snuck into the Temple through the back and entered the cleansing chamber, taking the torch used to light the victim, and used it to set fire to one of the banners draped across the walls.

"I might and then again I might not," Saimhain replied still holding Darlene over his shoulder. "You see even with our bargain, I have a mind to think that you won't uphold it. I think the little wench will make a perfect addition to my harem."

Rowan managed to follow Saimhain right to the Temple. He then lost him and thought that he may have gone to one of the high balconies but then he stopped. Saimhain did things you wouldn't expect like going up to the front door. He went around the Temple to where the massive doors were and saw the strip of light. He knew that he found Saimhain.

"You underestimate us. We took control of this Empire from the Elected Emperor, we made it strong. No human resists us thanks to our psychic fields, and no non-human escapes our wrath. Your race is nothing compared to us." The High Inquisitor told Seamhain, pointing the glowing end of his Holy Staff at him.

"Uh uh uh," Saimhain shook his finger at the High Inquisitor in a mocking manner, "You do that and you won't be able to cleanse theis little beauty." His grip was firm on Darlene and he wasn't put out by the arrogance of the priest.

Darlene's eyes were wide open even though she couldn't make a coherent word. She saw where she was and realized that she needed to take the field down. She found it in the library but never wrote it down. It seemed like a good idea then but now it was not for she had it in her memory. Still she could concentrate on lowering it enough to buy some time. Recalling the words, she began to chant with her mind.

(Actually, my plan was to reveal that the "heretical documents" are actually a spell to destroy the psychic field)
"I can hear your thoughts. I know what you are trying to do. You do that, and we will unleash the Orks upon Morta because the people are no longer faithful, calling a punishment from the gods. As soon as they fear us again, the Orks will disappear. You know what we have created, and you never wondered why." The High Inquisitor told Darlene.
Arrogant fool. Curudir thought as he listed in on the conversation. He prepared to make his move, but he need a way of getting past Seamhain and the High Inquisitor.

Darlene glared at the High Inquisitor. She had read the heretical documents and knew they were the key to destroying the field. SHe only wrote down the description to pass it on but it was her original plan to teach it to the Elven wizards. Now that she was caught she thought she had to do it by herself. She glared and spoke a muffled insult.

Rowan saw Saimhain and the High Inquistor speaking and he saw Darlene. He also saw Curudir waiting. He gave a nod and a look and started scaling the walls to make a drop behind the pair. He was quick and quiet on his feet so he landed without a shout behind them and said, "Hello there."

"What?" The High Inquisitor responded, turning around immediately. Curudir then took that moment to stab Saimhain in the back, not enough to kill him, but enough to force him to let go of Darlene. "We have to leave now." He told Darlene and Rowan.