Chapter 2

"The Fell. They're here!" Ayrannya said, eyes filled with fear.

No sooner had she said that one of them emerged from the trees, off in the distance.

"We need to get out of here, now," Jarin said, turning to head back to the healing chambers.

Ayrannya followed close behind. They had come quite a ways from the chambers in search of what was going on, and the ground was still shaking.

So. Elinthree is being burned, the ground is shaking, and the Fell are here. What else could possibly happen? Ayrannya wondered. She was startled out of her thoughts as she tripped over a root. Jarin noticed, and quickly caught her before she fell.

"Thanks," Ayrannya gasped as she caught her breath.

Their eyes met for a moment before Ayrannya looked away, and they set off somewhat more slowly towards the healing chambers again. by the time they got there, the cloud of smoke had begun to spread towards them. The two elves burst into the room where Carin and the others were.

"We need to get out. Now!" Jarin yelled, helping his brother up.

"What-" Elina started. Ayrannya didn't give her a chance to finish.

"The Fell are here! They're burning Elinthree!" she explained quickly.

They quickly grabbed some supplies for Carin, who was still healing, before fleeing the room. Silvanna and Therinya helped Carin out the door and into the hall. The six elves hurried out into the clearing, where the smoke from the fires was growing thicker.

"We'll never make it out of the city alive on foot! We need horses!" Ayrannya shouted above the screams of elves as the Fell moved through the city towards them.

"Come on! Lets get to the stables before they are set on fire as well!" yelled Jarin, heading for the stables, followed by the others.

Ayrannya raced into the stall where Felithe was being kept. The white mare was obviously terrified.

"Ethe er, Felith," she murmured, stroking Felithe's face.

After Felithe had calmed down a bit, she turned to the others.

"I'll take Carin. I'm the fastest rider."

"Ayrannya, no. Its too dangerous," Jarin replied.

"Jarin, na qoi enne dahth!" Ayrannya retorted, clearly becoming frustrated.

Without another word, she mounted Felithe. Therinya and Silvanna helped Carin up in front of her.

"We should head to Selaine. It will be safer there." Ayrannya said, looking down at her friends.

"That's a good plan. We will meet you there." Jarin replied.

"I hope you get there safely. Aran nethel, Felithe. Aran nethel!" she murmured. Felithe shot out of the stables at top speed, a white blur against the thickening smoke and the red flames which were growing steadily closer to the stables.

"Ride safely!" Elina shouted after them as they faded into the distance.

Ayrannya barely heard. She was too focussed on reaching the safety of the trees.

"I can't believe... That the Fell... Are here!" Carin gasped as they reached the forest.

"No offense Carin, but you are an idiot for thinking you could take them on single handedly." Ayrannya replied, urging Felithe onward.

"Yeah, I know that already," he muttered, wincing slightly as they swerved sharply to avoid a tree.

"Good. Maybe now you'll think twice before doing something so utterly stupid!"

Carin didn't even bother replying.

They rode silently for a few hours after that, as Carin eventually fell asleep, sill exhausted from hi injury, until Ayrannya stopped suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Carin.

"I don't know, its just... It seems quiet, too quiet. No bird song even, and I can't believe we haven't been followed."

"Well, shouldn't that be a good thing?"

"No. It makes me think that we could be ambushed," Ayrannya replied, green eyes flashing in the gathering darkness. They widened suddenly. "I think we're being watched," she said quietly.

"What? Where?"

"Shh! Do you know nothing? We don't want them to know we know we're being watched. This way, we have the advantage, especially if its an enemy."

Carin sighed. "You are so annoying!"

"You stay here, I'm going to go take a look around, and see if I can find out who - or what - is watching us," Ayrannya said, dismounting carefully and quietly.

"Yeah, because I can definintely go anywhere else!" Carin replied sarcastically.

Ayrannya's only reply was to glare at him.

She began to carefully move towards a particularly dark area in the bush.

"Ayrannya, be careful! You don't know what's out there!" Carin called out to her.

Ayrannya remained silent as she moved carefully towards the bush, sword drawn, long skirt just brushing the ground. Suddenly, she lunged the sword hilt-first into the bush.

"Ow!" came a loud yell from the bush. She drew back slightly.

"Ayrannya, did that bush just talk?" asked Carin, sounding nervous.

"No, It, didn't," she replied, reaching into the bush. "Just what do you think you're doing, Elindis?" she asked, dragging an elf out of the bush by his long golden hair.

"Ow, Ayrannya, watch it! That hurts!" Elindis yelled.

"What are you doing?" she pressed, ignoring his complaints.

"Looking for you! Why else would I be following you around in the bush?" Elindis replied, shaking leaves and pine needles out of his hair.

"So you were following us?"

"Who's us?"

"Carin is here as well; he was injured by the Fell a few days ago, after deciding to fight them himself."

"He did what?"

"I'll explain later."

"There is no time, my lady. The Fell are on your trail. I have been looking for you for the past four days. The day after you left, the Fell began to advance on our borders, and it gets worse. The Fell Lord has been awakened."

All the colour drained from Ayrannya's face.

"No," she whispered. "There must be some mistake. It that's true, then-"

"Then we will probably all die, I know. The last time, the war lasted a thousand years." Elindis said.

"Carin, Therinya, Silvanna and Elina are on their way to Selaine right now. They are somewhere behind us. They likely won't know about this," Ayrannya said quickly, running over to where Carin remained seated upon Felithe.

"Elindis," he said. "Its good to see you. I just wish that it were under better circumstances."

"As do I," Elindis replied, bowing slightly.

Ayrannya quickly remounted, and turned to Elindis.

"Do you have a horse with you?"

"Of course, my lady. How else could I have gotten here in four days?" Elindis replied. "Would you like me to find your friends? They should probably know what is happening in Selaine, if that is where you are heading."

"Yes, that was our plan. Thank you, Elindis. I will see you back in Selaine," Ayrannya replied.

"Oh, and be careful. The Fell are all over the forest, along with those freaky beasts of theirs," Elindis warned.

"Thank you for the warning," Ayrannya said, before urging her horse onward, away from Elindis and out into the night.

*****

Jarin quickly mounted his horse, casting a quick glance around at Silvanna, Elina, and Therinya, all of whom were also prepared to ride for their live, leaving Starveil burning behind them.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Jarin muttered.

"Well, it is, and we need to get going, before we die!" Silvanna said, before shooting out of the stable.

The others followed quickly behind her.

"It doesn't feel right, running away like this," Elina murmured after they had been riding for a few hours

"Well we have to," Therinya replied, trying to sound brave. It didn't work.

"We will return someday," Silvanna said. "And when we do, we will drive the Fell out, and reclaim our home."

"I wish I could share your optimism, but I don't think that will be the case."

Silvanna whirled around, her horse rearing. Therinya screamed and fell off her horse.

"Elindis! What are you doing?" Therinya yelled, picking herself up off the ground.

"I'm here to warn you. The Fell are not only invading Starveil. About four days ago, they began to lay siege to Selaine."

"Does Ayrannya know?" Jarin asked quickly. Elina raised an eyebrow at the worried tone of voice he used.

"Yes, I met up with her and your brother earlier. They passed this way about two hours ago." Elindis replied calmly.

Jarin breathed a sigh of relief.

"I hope they're still alright," Therinya murmured.

"We should keep going. Its dark, and the Fell could be anywhere. Personaly, I'd rather not be ambushed by them in the dark. Its safer to keep moving," Silvanna said with a quick glance at the sky.

"Silvanna, I think we'll be safe here. Lets just rest a while. The sun will rise in a few hours, then we can travel in daylight. We can take turns keeping watch," Elina suggested, dismounting.

"Elina's right. Let's just set up camp for now," Jarin said.

Silvanna relunctantly agreed, casting a glare at Elindis. And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, she thought,

"Would you like me to help you dismount?" he asked suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts.

"No, I can get down perfectly well on my own, Elindis," Silvanna retorted.

"As you wish," he replied with a bow before walking away.

"He is just as annoying as ever," Silvanna muttered to herself through clenched teeth. "And now I have to travel to Selaine with him!"