Young Writers Society

Feathers flew all around as Sirion swished his wings around, smashing all around him. His fist moved in just a great of fury, smashing thorugh the black masses all around him. His new "allies" were all occupied as well, and didn't notice him getting pulled down quick.
he had no energy. His body reminded him that he had been tortured for three years. Slowly the shadows began to drag him down.
"Dammit..." he cursed. "Help!"

Lye looked around to see the bird man under a pile of shadows.
"Come on... what was your name?"

A voice came from behind her. "Uh... Dan."

"Right then Dan, I am in your debt. Don't take it lightly- Drow don't admit that easily. But for now, we must help our ally. Come, hold on and keep up."

Lye fought towards the avian, slashing this way and that with her black blade.

Dan followed after the elf, keeping his hand firm on her shoulder. The shadows couldn't see him, but if he got seperated from her now, he would likely be trampled by the creatures.

He pondered the meaning of her words. Among humans, debt wasn't always taken seriously - debt could be broken, as could vows. They were, in all, a self serving race.

He watched the two elves fight, marvelling at their prowess. Both seemed to be quite accomplished fighters, but that wouldn't gurantee the avians rescue.

Dan didn't know the creature, but he still felt for him. After all, what he had seen at the hands of the shadows would likely change him forever.

The Shadows around them drew back suddenly, widening the circle. Dan looked around, confused, wondering why they had, The avian lay on the ground coughing, and the rest of the group raced to his aid.

They ignored the Shadows while they were aiding the avian, but they were aware that they were there; watching. And far away, something limped towards the town.

Lye looked over her shoulder.
"Could you come back now? It worries me having someone at my back that I can't see."

She could hear Dan muttering. "I'm not sure what I'm doing..."

Lye sighed and let the moon elf take the avian.

She looked out over the surroundings, and spotted something.

"What's that...?"

She peered to see a figure limping towards them, their face screwed up in pain.

"Hm..." Celka examined the wound critically, knitting her eyebrows together. She glanced at Sirion seriously. "The muscle's been strained too much recently, and even the tissue has worn itself raw...some muscle bleeding and cramps, possibly fractured bones...have you been experiencing a lot of pain on this side?"

Sirion nodded, sweat beading on his brow.

"Can you...do something....about it?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Celka considered that, before shrugging and reaching over her shoulder and pulling a shiny white bandage out.

"What's that made out of?" asked Sirion warily.

"Unicorn hair. It's worked well against the Shadows' claws before, though we haven't tried it on avians before..." she also pulled out a small roll of bright white twine and began to dress the wound, looking a little sick in the sun.

Sirion cringed at the bandages touched bare skin. "Sorry I am not much help. I have been put through... a lot."

Celka looked up briefly from her work. "What's that mean."

The glare Sirion sent to the human answered her question. She grew silent.

"We can't just stay here." Sirion said, still gritting his teeth. "These shadows aren't going to stop. We have to find shelter now."

He held his hand up, and a heavy gust suddeny sent the shadows flying backwards.

"I can only hold this for so long!" He said. "Everyone get moving!"

The group ran through the streets, the Shadows following, but staying at a safe distance. They were out of breath within minutes when they found no place to hide.

Lye looked in the window of a two story house, and called to the others. "It looks safe in here!"

They all ran inside and looked around. The house was completely empty. No carpet, furniture, nothing.

Dan began to come back into view, and the others smiled. "Hey," he said. "That's really strange..."

Upstairs seemed like a safe prospect; and so they went up.

When they got there, Dan walked to the window and looked out at the street below.

"Guys, come look at this." The others crowded around him and looked on in surprise. The Shadows were crowding around the door, but not entering.

Celka looked up at the rest of them. "What are they waiting for?"

Lye looked down.

"... We're trapped." She said simply.

She stuck her head out of the window, feeling for the dagger that had reappeared when they had come into the light.

She turned, without saying a word, and strode to a wall.

"What are you doing?" Called Dan, the only one familiar enough with her to ask.

She didn't look around, but slashed at the wall with her dagger.
It fell away like butter, yet as soon as the morning light hit the dagger it faded.

She studied the opening in the wall.

"We can go roof walking."

She turned, aware that she had said she would protect Dan, and motioned for him to jump across.

The Lizardmen watched. Watched as the Shadows had trapped them in the upstairs room. Watched as they had jumped onto the roofs. Now they would act. Viperidae changed his scales. He was now invisible to all but those with the sharpest eyes and other Lizards. The others followed his example and they sprinted towards the Shadows.

Viperidae brought them to a halt when they approached the edge of the roof. He peered over and saw the Shadows massing below them. He paused for a moment to regain his breath. Lizardmen weren't meant for running. He motioned for the others to ready their blowpipes and then brought up his own. The poison darts were ready.

((Sorry I haven't written lately))

She'ana watched as the group leapt across the roof tops.

She grimaced as a piercing pain shot through her right arm. The wound wasn't serious, but it hurt very badly. She flew down and landed near the medicine shop. She might be able to find something in here that could help.

Dan watched She'ana sort through her medical bag, intrigued by the tihngs she pulled out and discarded. He couldn't identify most of them, but trying to guess what they were kept his mind off things.

He averted his eyes when he saw her retrieve something that looked like a human eyeball, to catch Lye staring at him.

Dan smiled at her. "Do you need something?"

She frowned. I'm sorry I was staring. But... I'm just trying to figure out your invisbility. I've never seen anything quite like it, even in all my years. When did it first happen?"

Dan looked down. "Earlier today... after my family was killed. The Shadows came for me, and it just happened. And then I ran, and found you."

She looked into the sky for a few minutes, she turned back to him. "The only conclusion I can coem to, is that it's emotion based. Whenever you feel threatened, or enraged, it could happen. We may have to teach you to control your emotions."

Dan didn't answer her, he only sat where he was and remembered.

Lye watched Dan, sitting staring at something only he could see.
She looked up, and made her decision.
"If we are gonna all stick together, I want to be able to see everyone."
Dan looked up at her, still silent.

"I will teach you. I am drow, it is second nature to us to suppress any emotion not needed. Though, anger and hate are sometimes encouraged." She gave Dan an evil smile. "What say you, willing to take lessons from a master of the darkness?"

Dan watched the drow, intent. "I'm no stranger to anger and hate. But in humans, those emotions are frowned upon. Everythign is to be kept inside. A sign of emotion to them can be a sign of weakness. And at a sign of weakness, they will torment you.

Lye smiled, almost unpleasantly. "I can teach you to turn it back on your tormentors. As it happens, I can see hatred within you. Maybe I could craft you yet."

Dan glanced at the drow and smiled, almost a mirror of her own. "maybe we'd better get started?"

Lye smirked.

"Later. We need to get to safty first."

Lye stood, surveying the area.

She turned to the others and stated simply, "Follow me."

She leapt from the roof to a outhouse roof, then to the ground, and waited patiently at the bottom, her face unreadable.

Dan glanced at the others on the roof. She'ana didn't seem to be paying attention, rubbing a cream on her arm.

But Celka was standing nearby, watching him with an expression Dan couldn't read. He could tell that she had heard every word that he and Lye had said.

He could only look down, and jump.

He fell, the wind streaming through his hair. He laughed, loving the feeling in his stomach.

Dan hit the ground and rolled, landing awkwardly. He lay on his back for a moment, looking at Lye while his vision swam. Then he stood and brushed himself off.