�������� �� Beautiful. A lush land thick with evergreens and life. The afternoon sun shown down on the gorgeous country of Shi'Kul Lyeaz. Seeing hawks soar through the air lifted the would be heroine's spirits as if they bore her on their wings. She could see game within the trees. Tonight she would eat more than the dried meat of her rations. Fresh game would fill her stomach. And the wind whistling through the pine... a painful reminder of what she gave up for her attempt. The decision itself was simple. She didn't regret it for an instant of time, but a part of herself was empty. She wasn't sure if it was possible for her to regain what she lost. No, not lost sacrificed. Sacrificed to give her self the best chance possible to save her friend. Best not to think on it. She always believed she was more than her ancestral gifts. After all, she didn't have them until 2 years ago. She could get by on the skills she's attained through her life. She could succeed.
��� ��� ''Do you always, brood this much?'' Brought out of her thoughts by the voice, Storm looked its owner. Hair the color of wet sand, skin of deep mahogany, and emerald colored eyes. Large ears up swept and sharply pointed, the trade mark of his kind. Kavnir was an elf, one of the Lyeazic that have sworn to drive the Quickning into extinction, but he was under a death sentence of his own in his homeland. Kavnir, was of the caste of the Carwai, the labor class. He had learned to read and write, a knowledge restricted to the Tailea, the merchant class and above. The Lyeazic in there way, were going to reward him for ascending beyond the confines of his class. He was to be slain, releasing his merchant class spirit form its lowly labor class shell, thereby letting it be reincarnated into a body more befitting his station. At least that was the rationalization. Kavnir had taken it to mean, that he knew too much, and escaped to N'Teryan and eventually to SeaWard where he became a Shadow Manta. He became a sailor in there dark fleet and met Storm, a Quickning, his supposed mortal enemy. It was more curiosity than good sense that made him volunteer to join Storm's crew on the Tempest. At the time Storm was a green captain, but she had a talent for work. Her Quickning affinity more than made up for her lack of experience. Kavnir rose quickly in the ranks on the Tempest he soon became bossen. He had asked Storm why he trusted him so much. She replied that she didn't. Everyone on the crew had orders to pitch him over the side the first time he looked suspicious. He never did anything more suspicious than handing her a cup of ale and Storm grew to trust him. As much as she trust anyone who wasn't family.
��� ��� Storm smirked at the dark elf, ''No, I usually brood more than this. I haven't had the time lately.''
��� ��� Kavnir smiled and shook his head in admonishment, ''But you have time to joke?'' His expression became serious, ''You're worried. We'll be at warrior training grounds soon.''
��� ��� ''How do you know that's where she'll be?'' Storm asked returning her gaze to the gorgeous view.
��� ��� ''The.. Lyeazic,'' he forced himself to use the outsiders's term, ''will keep her either as a specimen to be studied or a practice dummy for the training soldier. Both the laboratory and the training ground are at that place. She'll be there... '' He let the sentence trail off.
��� ��� ''If she's alive,'' Storm finished for him. ''How long 'til we get there?''
��� ��� ''We should be there by night fall.''
��� ��� ''If we're so close shouldn't we be able to see it by now?''
��� ��� Kavnir sighed, ''You forget we dark elves use magic as readily as the humans would use a tool to help with a chore. The place is merely hidden from the eye. When you see it for the first time we will be within a stones throw of it.''
��� ��� ''Can you see it?''
��� ��� ''No, but I can sense the magic. No elf would come on his own accord unless he was of the caste. So minimum security is required.''
��� ��� ''Little did they suspect a couple of fools like us would come to knock on their door.'' Kavnir capture her eyes with his. His face a mask of concern. ''If she is dead Storm, what then?''
��� ��� Storm looked out over the country side. Capturing it in her mind for all time. ''Then, I will go to kraken skull island... sail on my ship.. and set up shop in N'Teryan.''
��� ��� ''You'll go home.''
��� ��� ''No, I won't. Not back to my beach.''
��� ��� ''Her death wouldn't have been your fault.''
��� ��� ''It won't matter.''
��� ��� Storm took in the country side taking her lasts opportunity to relax, before she plunged into the breech.
��� ��� ''Come on Kav, time to stir up the hive.''

Return to the Hearthfire

''Into the Hive, part 1'' Copyright � 1999 Crystal Franklin