The Ageless One's green eyes glittered in the dark room. She reached around and lit a small candle, sitting it in the center of the table. She grinned at Varenyl and Ragnus.

Ragnus awkwardly looked away. "Why is she staring at us like that?" he growled at Lorthrendel and cleared his throat. He sniffed the cup in front of him and grimaced.

"She's waiting for you to drink that," Lorthrendel said, nodding his head at the cups in front of them. He picked up his own and sipped from it.

Varenyl glanced at it and blanched. He heaved out a great sigh and crossed his arms over his chest. "Lorthrendel-"

"What is wrong with them?" the Ageless One said, turning to Lorthrendel with her brows furrowed. "Why do they not drink the groiyan? Have I...offended them, somehow?"

Lorthrendel hastily shook his head. "No, Ageless One. They do not understand Khaishrik culture and language. This is all new to them. I explained it to them while you were making it but they are...hesitant. People are not as kind where they are from and thus people are a lot less trusting."

"Ah. I understand." The Ageless One let out a soft sigh and somberly shook her head. "The land of the smoothskins is a sad, sad place." She waved her furred hand. "You can tell them that they do not have to drink it. I understand."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, my cub. We have more important things to talk of, rather than ages old customs." She smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

"She said drink it." Lorthrendel folded his arms at Varenyl and Ragnus. He took another sip from his and lifted an eyebrow at the two men.

Ragnus scowled. "Just get on with what you need to tell her, laddie, before I come over there 'n smack that weak little mustache off your face."

"For once I agree with the dwarf." Varenyl's blue eyes were cold. He sighed and crossed his legs. "Get on it with it, Lorthrendel." The thunder clapped once again.

With a shake of his head the mage turned to the Ageless One, who was patiently sitting with her hands in her small lap, staring at him expectantly.

Lorthrenel told her everything, starting from the very beginning in Iksyn and ending with their arrival to the village. The Ageless One had gazed at him intently the entire time, remaining silent and gently stroking her chin as he talked. After he was finished, she shook her head in sorrow.

"These are dark days, Lorthrendel." She sighed and looked away. "Your elven friend...he was but a child, yes?"

"By his people's standards, he was an adult, but by others, he was only a boy, yes." Lorthrendel nodded, his chin resting on his hand.

"And the knight who ran away after his death...I have a feeling that he will be back, my cub." The Ageless One turned back to him. "Now...what of this 'Black Amulet' you spoke of?"

With a glance at Varenyl and Ragnus, Lorthrendel slowly reached into his robes and pulled out the glittering, silver chain that the amulet rested on. He held it in front of the Ageless One, the black gem eerily giving off its own light as it hung there in the dimly lit room.

The khaishrik's eyes widened and she pulled away from it. "Shanir's whiskers, you've been carrying that thing around your neck?" she hissed. She pointed at it with a trembling, slender finger. "That is a construct of the gods themselves, Lorthrendel. Neither good nor evil nor neutral...." She slowly reached for it.

"We were told that it alone could defeat Vadrioth, but we know not what to do." Lorthrendel, with a grunt from Varenyl, put it back in his robes. "I came to you hoping for answers."

"Answers?" The Ageless One chuckled, lowering her hand. "With Shanir absent from the skies, cub, I am all but dying. It is because of his great blessing that I was gifted with immortality. But now that he is gone...."

"The gods have not abandoned us, Ageless One," said Lorthrendel. "Our world has simply been blinded to their eye by Vadrioth."

"I know, cub, I know. I had a vision of what was happening, but I did not know for sure. I am afraid that I cannot give you the answers you seek." The Ageless One somberly shook her head. Rain continued to pelt the hut and lightning dimly illuminated the room as she spoke. "However, I can point you in the direction of a place that might help you."

"You can?" Lorthrendel scratched his nose, leaning closer to her.

"About a three days journey northeast of here is a temple constructed long, long ago when Yoshinda and Dalyntarth were still one continent," she began, lightly drumming her clawed fingers on the table. "It is a temple to all the gods of Syrania, including Vadrioth, and by some accounts it was the first temple ever built. It was built in a sacred place, called Linaranaris. I think you will find your answers there."

Lorthrendel was silent a moment, thinking. Linaranaris. He had heard of that place before. Supposedly it was the site of where the gods first touched the new born world. Now however, it was buried deep in the wilderness of northeastern Yoshinda, an uncharted region inhabited by gods know what.

"Okay." Lorthrendel let out a soft sigh and nodded his head. "Thank you for your help, Ageless One. We will depart tomorrow."

"I will give you any supplies you might need, my cub." The Ageless One smiled kindly at him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You and your friends do not deserve to be forced to carry such a burden." Her green eyed gaze trailed over to Varenyl and Ragnus, who stared at them with confused and suspicious expressions. She smiled again. "Tell your suspicious friends that they need not be untrustworthy in Khaishrik lands. We are all friends here."

"I will try." Lorthrendel returned her smile. "Can we rest here tonight?"

"In the temple? Well...I suppose Shanir would not mind it so much." She nodded and used her cane to regain her feet. "I will make room for you."

"Thank you, Ageless One." Lorthrendel stood up and bowed his head at her. "Thank you so much."

"Do not mention it, my dear cub." The khaishrik dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "The Mad God would want me to help you. And I am just so happy to see you again."

"Well?" Varenyl frowned. "What was that all about?"

"I told her everything," said Lorthrendel, pulling his robes closer around him as the wind picked up outside. "She cannot help us, but she did point us in the direction of a temple. Have any of you ever heard of a place known as Linaranaris?"

Ragnus wrinkled his nose. "Aye. Me pa used to tell me stories about it as a wee lad. It's a myth; nothing but a children story."

"With all due respect, Ragnus, we live in a time where children stories are starting to become reality." Lorthrendel's scarlet eyes gazed at him from behind his spectacles. He glanced at Varenyl. "We leave for there tomorrow."

"Lorthrendel, even if that place does exist- which I doubt- you do not know the way." Varenyl folded his arms over his chest and lifted an eyebrow at the mage.

"I have a spell for nearly everything, Jorona." Lorthrendel grinned at him. "Keep that in mind, will you?"

Varenyl frowned but said nothing else.

"You know...after all this is said 'n done, I swear to Byrex that I'm hanging up my axe for good," the old dwarf grumbled. He dug into his pack and pulled out something to eat.

"Hmph. If we live to see it end, that is," Varenyl murmured. "I suppose that we're staying here tonight?"

Lorthrendel nodded. "Go ahead and get comfortable. It might be a long night if this storm keeps up."

~-~~-~

Lorthrendel stood outside late that night, leaning against the wooden walls of the temple. In his hand was the amulet; he gazed at it intently, turning it around and around in his hand. The smoothly cut edges of the gem were cool to the touch, and gazing inside its dark depths was so enchanting that it was hypnotic.

It had finally stopped storming; the wind had died down and the twinkling of stars could be seen through the trees. The river had, surprisingly enough, not flooded, though it looked to have been close to reaching that point.

Lorthrendel's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the amulet.

Give it to the King, said the voices in unison inside his head. Give it to him and he will reward you most kindly! All the women you want, all the power and spells and revenge you could ask for....

As he gazed into the gem's swirling, dark depths, he could swear that he saw two golden, reptilian eyes staring back at him....

"Lorthrendel? What in Shanir's name are you doing out here at this hour?" The Ageless One poked her head out.

At the sound of her voice, Lorthrendel blinked his eyes as if pulled out of a trance. He hastily shoved the amulet back in his robes. "Ah, my apologies. I just needed a moment to clear my head. I did not mean to wake you."

"Wake me?" The Ageless One chuckled and walked outside, softly shutting the door behind her. "Your gnomish friend can attribute to me being awake right now." She rolled her eyes and pulled her cowl over her head, slipping her ears through the holes in the fabric. "Why does he sound like a stampede of centaurs? And the pointed eared one keeps murmuring to himself!" She looked at Lorthrendel and shook her head at him. "Why must you keep so strange a company, my cub?"

Lorthrendel could not help but smile. "Strange times make strange friends, Ageless One."

The Ageless One grinned and nodded. She patted him on the shoulder. "Very true, my cub. Very true." She leaned on the wall beside him, picking at her claws.

Lorthrendel awkwardly shuffled his feet. He cleared his throat. "I-"

"The amulet that you carry," began the Ageless One as she turned to him, "it was speaking to you, yes? The Dragon King is inside your head."

"I can resist it-"

"Lorthrendel, cub...." The Ageless One sighed and turned to him. "I was watching you. You were listening to them. The amulet will try and lure you in with what most tempts the wearer. And since Vadrioth is in your head, the voices that speak to you will lure you with both your lustful weaknesses and the Dragon King's own threats and temptations. You should not hold on to the amulet for long," she advised. "It must rotate between the three of you."

Lorthrendel scoffed, "Varenyl is about as stable as a rock hanging on the edge of a cliff, and Ragnus is as stupid as said rock. I can handle it on my own."

The Ageless One shook her head in sorrow. "Famous last words. You are a smart man, Lorthrendel. A very smart man indeed. But smart men often suffer from having too large of a hubris."

"I-" Lorthrendel started but stopped. He let out a deep breath and massaged his temples. "I'm going to sleep." He brushed past the khaishrik and headed for the door.

"Lorthrendel, please-" The door shut before she could finish her sentence. 

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hello all, i am not dead🤠 sorry it took so long for me to get this published. pls give me any criticism n suggestions u have ♡ ik i could use it

tysm as always