"The note given to me doesn't seem to mention your name, so I do not know what to call you by," Tahlavain mentioned quietly. "Uuner uma, n'dela no'ta," he replied in her own tongue. Tahlavain narrowed her eyes. "Mani naa essa en lle? Amin sinta lle?" At this question from her, he only shook his head and got to his feet. "I think we have lingered here long enough. Let's be on our way.." He weaved his way through the crowd and out to the street, quickening his pace. Tahlavain pulled her hood back over her head and followed, a hand on the hilt of Corasar.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Darrell folowed Tahlavain and the man out of the inn. He moved quickly, keeping their guide in sight, but also watching for any sign of a threat.

Tahlavain dropped her pace slightly until she was walking beside Darrell. She felt uncomfortable around the stranger, and sensed something just wasn't quite right.

The man lead them to a wall and opened a door within the shadows of a corner area. He lit a torch and continued down through a dark passage way. Tahlavain remained close to Darrell and glanced around, clutching her sword hilt.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Darrell stayed on the alert as the man lead them through a door and into a passage. He sensed Tahlavain's uneasiness, and kept his eyes open or anything suspicous. His hand strayed subconsiously to his sword hilt, keeping prepared for an attack.

Tahlavain nearly ran into the man as he stopped ubruptly at a door. He pushed it open and walked into a room of a round shape, scattered with scrolls and piles of loose papers, stained with dampness and time, many of them faded beyond recognition.

The man lit the torches which were on the wall, then turned to them. "I shall leave you to your work... oh, and I know what you search for, and you'll find it with the head title of Naaliashk, or Eilaliashk, and the inscription will be in ancient runes. There shall also be a slight sketch of the item, but it is there I stop in assisting you..." he left the torch which he held in a stand on a table, then drifted off into the darkness of the passageways again.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Darrell watched the man leave and turned to Tahlavain "Well, its all yours. Take your time, we have as long as you need" He turned and took one of the torches out of its bracket. He went and stood on guard by the doorway, hand on sword hilt, holding the burning torch.

Tahlavain nodded and began rummaging through the papers, glancing every now and then towards the forboding darkness of the passageway. After a while of searching, her eyes caught sight of a familiar shape among the sketches. She sat down and read through the worn and faded writing carefully. "Naaliashk... translated Ancient Fate of Shadow, and also once named Eilaliashk, translated Blue Fate of Shadow..." she mumbled in the tongue which the papers were written, and everynow and then would speak an exclamation of surprise in her own langauge.

She unsheath Corasar, and peered at the blade. Tahlavain mumbled something about needing blood, and placed the edge against her palm. She slid the blade, making a deep enough slice to draw blood, but not too deep. Smearing the blood on the unmarked side of the blade, she blew on it and runes appeared beneath the covering of crimson, glowing blue.

Tahlavain compared the runes to those on the ancient parchment, and matched them. The blood on the blade vanished, and with it, the runes, as the blade gave off a slight glow.

She sheathed the blade again and wiped the blood from her hand, using her cloak edge. "I believe we have what we need..." she spoke as she gathered the ancient parchment and placed them in her satchel with care.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Darrell watched Tahlavain cut her hand, he frowned slightly but did not comment. he glanced up the passage and though he saw some movement. He stepped into the passage but could not see anything. Returning to the room he saw Tahlavain was ready to go. " be on your guard" he said " I thought i saw something just now but I could have been mistaken, stay alert, don't drop your guard" He lead the way out of the room, holding the torch high.

Tahlavain nodded and followed close behind him, unsheathing her sword silently. There were a few dark passages to either side, and she shied away from each of these, while trying to see in their shadowy depths.

Suddenly she was grabbed, and a hand clamped over her mouth as she was pulled into one of the passages. "Dina..." a voice whispered the command so silent, only she could hear, and she recognized the voice of the man who led them there. "Khila amin..." he commanded as she struggled against his hold "Do not fight me, I mean no harm, but I will take you by force if you do not cease your struggling..." She could sense a second figure there as well, and continued to fight off the man's hold, and suddenly all went black for her and she dropped her sword as she felt a hard blow across the side of her head.

The two dragged Tahlavain deeper into the passageway, not realizing in their haste the sword had been left behind, then rummaged through her satchel, removing the parchment she had taken. They spoke in whispers to each other for a while then the one lifted Tahlavain in his arms while the other held a hidden door open which lead to a small room-like chamber, much like the records room, then the man closed the door behind them, but left it open a crack.

Their voices could be heard if one were to be near the door. “And what are you planning to do with her?” the one questioned. “Ransom… she’ll bring good money from what I’ve heard.” The other replied. “Yeah, but why?” “Something about a sword and them needing her to be able to get it.” “Oh, well, doesn’t matter, as long as we get the pay…”

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

It was a couple of minutes before Darrell noticed Tahlavain was no longer behind him. He unsheathed his sword and whispered "Tahlavain?". Hearing no reply he turned and went back down the passage, checking the entrances to the passages on either side. He had nearly reached the room where Tahlavain had been studying the scrolls when something glinted in the torchlight from a side passage he had nearly missed. as he entered the passage he identified the object reflecting the light. He picked up Corasar, What's happened this time he thought to himself as he slipped the sword into his belt. He continued down the passage listening carefully, and heard voices, quiet at first, but growing louder as he walked.

A sliver of light appeared on one of the passage walls. Creeping slowly towards it he listened to the conversation with in the room where the light was coming from.

"If it is something to do with a sword then where is it? I can se a scabbard, but no sword".
"What about her companion? He must have noticed she is gone by now"
The man drew a rusty dagger and smirked " if I meet him I can always take another prisoner"

Out in the passage Darrell readied himself for the appearance of the man in the corridor.

(sorry about traking control of your characters Silm, hope you don't mind)

(hey, I don't mind at all! lol. I can't always do the bad guys in the story)

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

The man eased the door open and crept out into the passageway, dagger in hand, while the other still inside the room tied and gagged Tahlavain. Tahlavain was still unconcious and blood had slipped down her face from a cut on the side of her forehead from the blow.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Before the man could raise his dagger Darrell had his sword at his throat. "make a moise and you're a dead man" he whispered dangerously into the man's ear. "Come with me, one false move and..." He pressed his sword against the man's throat to emphasise his point. They entered the room, the sword blade never wavering.

The other man jumped to his feet, sword in hand. He saw his companion's predicament but didn't lower his sword. Instead, he grabbed Tahlavain, who still had not come to, and held the sword at her throat. "If you value her life, then you'll lower your sword. I really have nothing to loose, you see, if you were to kill Rek there..." At this statement, Rek went to say something, but didn't dare make a sound, seeing as how Darrell's blade was at his throat.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

*Sen raised his eyebrow at Deawen, and mindspoke to her.*
What exactly do you plan to accomplish with this, my lady?
*Sen stopped, and followed the others as they got up, and once they went into the passages, felt something was wrong, and slipped into the shadows...

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"True Evil cannot be reckoned with. Only Defeated." - Sen L I Starfire

(Banner thanks to Imlosiel the Lost! )

okay jumping in as usual

Deawen as a cat slipped through the passages with ease without being noticed Deawen followed Darrell
she kept a close pace to him she saw Tahlavain she sighed and slinked behind the other man next to Tahlavain then she shapeshifted again this time to her self with sword Drawn in a flash deawen stood still she walked towards the other man. she placed the point at his neck below his ear. "Make a sudden move and your blood will run!" Deawen hissed she gripped her knife that she kept and used as a "point maker" both blades were poisoned but the sword meant for a swift death was no use as for the knife with a snap of her wrist she could create the most painful deathknown as the frost.
she drew the knife and placed it right below the mans rig cage.

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Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home