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Lorisyn and Lyirae Oakwynd

The voices boomed from the city of Kelethin in a glorious cheer of celebration. Lorisyn Oakwynd shouted "Brothers and Sisters of the Forest! Come join the rest of your nation on this day. Today, the battle rests, and the Festival of Faydark's Children shall be held!"

Elves began to emerge from their huts atop the Tree City of Kelethin. From the small valley leading into the Butcherblock Mountains, a small band of dwarves marched into the forest. A mule pulling a wagon carrying three large barrels, each the height of an elf and the width of a dwarf followed closely behind the dwarves.

King Tearis Thex, the high elven king, welcomed everyone to the celebration. "During this past year the Mother has shown much generosity to our people. The restoration of my daughter and your princess, Firiona Vie, has been only the crown of the Mother's gifts to us this year. To all of you, I give my best wishes and though I am your King, it is not necessarily I who has brought you here today. It is your hearts, your spirits… the very things that make you of the Fier`Dal and Koada`Dal nations, that have brought you here. To you, I raise my glass. May your blades prove strong, your bows aim true, your hearts remain pure and The Mother, may she bless you with every year being twice as good as the past. To old friends…"

Firiona Vie, Thubr Axebringer, and Sionachie reunited with their friend from long ago, Lorisyn Oakwynd. They also received the wonderful news of Lorisyn's twin sister, Lyirae Oakwynd. They all took in the celebration of the Faydark, rejoicing in their reunion.

As the afternoon became the evening and the sun began to set in the purple silvan sky, long shadows were cast by the mammoth trees of the forest. The King took his leave for the evening. Raising his glass into the air and he nodded solemnly to the crowd. In a loud, regal voice, he said, "To you, I raise my glass. May your blades prove strong, your bows aim true, your hearts remain pure and The Mother, may she bless you with every year being twice as good as the past. To old friends…"

The King smiled to Firiona, raising his glass to her and her comrades. "And to old ones, may they remain true to their worth, and sharp with their tongues." Tipping his head back the King raised the glass to his lips and in one swift gulp finished the wine, his elegant stature remaining unchanged. The regal elf tossed the glass, shattering it on the ground at his feet. As the glass broke, the crowd did the same. The sound of shattering glass echoed under a blanket of cheers. The revelry continued long after the king made his exit.

Lightning split the sky and struck the grass-carpeted floor of the forest. Two shadowy figures appeared between the four spires in the center of the ancient ruins from the Combine era and made their way quickly and silently through the forest, toward the sounds of the celebration.

A large pasty-skinned ogre with square, chiseled features rose up from his hiding place, a crevasse between the gates of Felwithe and the hill the city is built upon. Firiona, her companions and the throngs of revelers took no notice of the Orc as he hefted an enormous boulder above his head. Ghargin Bumblok's face twisted with disgust as he hurled the boulder toward Lorisyn shouting, "Small elf, you die today under the rocks of Ghargin!"

Lorisyn Oakwynd was knocked forward as the boulder struck him, his shoulder dislocating as he fell to the ground. The music of the bards squeaked to a halt as a piercing scream echoed throughout the Faydark. The sounds of merriment ended abruptly as all stared upon Lorisyn in dismay.

A female dark elven woman stepped forth from behind the crowd, her deep blue skin obscuring her from plain view in the twilight. Her ornate cape of blue and red flowed behind, and her hands began to glow with an eerie, pale light.

A troll towered behind her. Unlike most of his race, this troll's eyes shone with a wicked sort of intelligence that stood in stark contrast to the usual Trollish stereotype.

This woman, Vahlai Ka`Izal, bellowed "Lorisyn Oakwynd! Your day has come. Rogkasth, Ghargin… kill him… And his friends should they interfere." Turning her hate filled eyes toward Firiona, she added, "If the wench assists, leave her to me."

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrgh!" The troll Rogkasth let loose a ferocious battle cry. The enormous green skinned brute darted from the Teir`Dal's side. Charging into the crowd of people near the fallen elf, his weapons held high, he waded easily through the throng, toppling any whom would stand in his way. Pushing aside everything in his path, he plowed and bashed his way through the crowd ignoring the blows and small cuts he received in the process. Those strikes true enough to pierce his dingy plate armor and wound him were quickly healed, leaving nothing more then a hard wart-like growth and scar tissue behind thanks to natural regenerative properties of the Trollish race.

It was clear that Rogkasth wanted to make his way to the critically wounded Lorisyn Oakwynd. His twin sister Lyirae cried out, "Nooo! Somebody stop them!" Her voice shook with fear, "Lorisyn!"

Vahlai raised her hands slowly as they pulsed with blinding light blue energy. Facing the palms of her hands toward each other and then moving as quickly as a viper, she swung both hands downward, crouching as she did, releasing the energy toward Firiona.

Firiona was struck with the force of one thousand blizzards. Her whole body numbed and stinging, she dropped to one knee under the force of the blow. The now frozen grass shattered like crystal under her knee. Rising to her feet again, she ran toward Vahlai. Her legs were so numb, she could scarcely tell if they were still attached. She shot a quick glance at her sword to be sure it was still in her hand, as her arms had little feeling as well. As she ran, she noticed the Teir`Dal's hand held out, palm down, at her side. Energy of an orange-yellow color rose from the ground.

A crowd surrounded Ghargin Bumblok, the Ogre who scored the first crippling blow to Lorisyn. Despite his enormous strength, the Ogre was unable to get any closer to Lorisyn. Rogkasth, on the other hand, was making headway through the throngs. Breaking through the final line of resistance, he looked Lorisyn directly in the eye. Lorisyn stared back bravely despite the weight of the malevolent gaze of the troll. Pulling forth another boulder, the troll raised it above his head.

Firiona closed the distance between she and the Teir`Dal quickly but before she was able to get within swords reach of her, Vahlai swept her glowing orange hands forward toward Tunare's chosen. This time, Firiona was engulfed in flame. Her extremities, which had only a moment ago, began to regain feeling, felt as if they were pierced with glowing hot needles. Fighting back against the pain, she raised her sword high and brought it down onto the body of the Dark Elf. The sword bounced back off the Vahlai's skin, the vibration causing the tormented nerves in Firiona's hands to scream out at her in protest. Ignoring their cries, she continued her attack against the dark elf determined to break her way through the wizard's magical protection.

The final stone fell from the murderous hands of the troll Rogkasth onto the body of Lorisyn with a sickening crunch. A death cry issued forth from Lorisyn's lips, his head turning awkwardly to one side and blood streaming from his mouth. Rogkasth stood, his arms hanging limply toward the ground from the throw of his final boulder. The sea of angry festival attendees grew silent for just a moment.

Noticing Rogkasth's success, Vahlai Ka`Izal shouted, "It is done! Rogkasth, Ghargin, come now! Firiona Vie, do not think this is the last you will see of us." With amazing speed, the three broke loose of the crowds each running in a different direction. Some folks ran in pursuit but despite their best efforts, the three were quickly lost in the darkened forest.

Lyirae Oakwynd, her face paled, her mouth agape and eyes dull with shock said, "Lorisyn?" Shaking herself, she moved quickly through the crowd to her fallen brother's side.

Turning her head toward the sky, she cried out, "No! Oh please… no no no!"

Cradling the head of her brother in her arms she whispered, "Lorisyn… please don't… Please… dear dear Tunare, please do not let this… Lorisyn?"

Firiona Vie walked somberly over to the elf, hunched over the body of Lorisyn. Seeing the elf gently cradling the body in her arms, Firiona stopped, her expression growing grim as she realized the truth.

Lyirae lowered her head as she turned the body over in her lap, cradling his head in her arms. "Lorisyn… please. They are gone now… you can stop pretending. They have left. Lorisyn… you can stop pretending… please…"

She began to tremble as she ran her fingers through Lorisyn's sweat-drenched hair. Closing her eyes, she clenched her fist in his hair. She screamed, "LORISYN! No, please… Dear sweet Mother, no… Lorisyn," her voice trailed off into a whisper again.