Legends of Belariath
Starstalker
The Rising Moon
Chapter One: The Meeting
As the party awoke that morning around the tiny makeshift camp the fire had died out long ago all that was left was the thin grey smoke riseing into the cold crisp morning air. The small elven girl Neri had been with the group of three men for almost the full winter now she did not know what kept her there but she felt she needed to be there as if telling her what she was looking for was right under her nose but still she could not grasp it or figure out exactly why she there, She was a beatuiful tall slender elf with dark skin showing she had stayed outdoors most of her life in the forest she had a pale blue eyes that set off her long curly black hair. She stood and looked around the wakeing incampment and went off to the river to clean herself up before the men decided to take off again. As she reached the river it running swiftly from the past few days of rain that had slowed them down they should have already reached the small port town of Yelinth and been on their way across the ocean to reach their destanation in the east lands where the council of mages always meet to discuss certain matters of affairs of the land and try to keep things balanced. Neri and the other three knewof an unblance that was about to happen and prehaps destroy all things known to world. As Neri was bathing herself she thought of what had happend to bring these four unlikely people togather you had Christolf the Dark Theif of Juzal he was a middleaged man and his fighting showed on him from the scars the way he was with people he was not the kindness man and never hid the fact he was theif but why would when most feared you, There was Scott Monroe he was a mere Squire to First Knight Galdarian he was young blonde human of pretty well size and stature, Also with them was StarStalker The hated Rival of Sir Galdarian and feared scourge of the land noone had ever seen his face and he did not speak often rumor has been told he was a king at one point but was exiled from the kingdom by the council when he lifted some laws that made chaos reign in the kingdom, Then you had the sweet Elven Mage Neri who had come from Juzal aswell, The had all been in the bustling town of Juzal at the time of the massive attack on Juzal by unknown parties doing their own things they had no clue that in the future they would be joined togather to make a powerful force to try to save the land from the choas that was about to fall. The town had been attacked by an unseen large force everyone was scattared about laying dead a few survived four of which being the party Neri had ran from the town when she heard screaming and hid in the forest she had seen the force retreat and was struck with fear and awe she did not move from her spot untill late that night when she thought it safe and that the force would not return upon entering the town she found Christolf picking pockets of the dead she went to him and slapped him as hard as she could as she screamed "They are dead and yet people like you still have to scour over them like vultures get away from that man!" Christolf turned slowly to Neri she had not seen who he actual was when he turned she backed up slowly as he spoke in a dry gruff voice "Look Wench i was only trying to find out who this person was i am looking for my sister not robbing them and if you dare slap me again i will cut your hands off and feed them to you" Struck in fright she ran off quickly to get away from him thats when she bumped into Monroe he was trying to pull armor off Sir Galadian to check his wounds not knowing he was already dead, Neri had watched him a moment and moved to him "Sir he is dead there is nothing you can do we must find the ones that have a chance to live and help them" her voice was calm and soothing at that time and Monroe looked at her and nodded a bit he was to give his life for Sir Galadian but his chance did not come as the attack was swift and over before anyone knew what was happening. They had walked around the town most of the day helping the wounded the last one they reached was StarStalker he growled for them to leave him alone but passed out before they left him they took him inside the local inn which was now empty and the few people in there were already dead they treated his wounds and decided to stay the night when they woke they prepared to go back out and help anyone else they had both walked downstairs as they saw StarStalker standing there back in his armor once more as if nothing was wrong he low dark voice rang in their ears and put fear into them "you Two i told you to leave me alone i did not need your help but now i might we must travel and talk to the council if you do not wish to go fine i will drag you there" Neri nodded slightly to him and Monroe just looked at him knowing who he was and that he could do it they set off and Christolf followed behind queitly so they would not know they traveled all day through the forest and that night they had made camp and fell asleep as christolf entered the camp he looked at Neri and the others sleeping and started going through their things for anything valuable a dagger wizzed by his head as StarStalker rolled over looking at him "I would think it be safe you lay down and get some sleep" Christolf laid down he did not wish to fight haveing heard the stories of this man he would not defy what he said.