FINAL REWARD: PART XIV
by: Taliaferro Erucolindo
The drunken sparring in the guildhall was rivaled only by the display of spellcasting. Everyone laughed at the sight of the Human Cleric Tincture shrunken down to smaller than a Gnome. Drunken wolf racing was a traditional pastime after guildmeetings, and with the help of the Druids (and much alcohol), many pedestrians in Felwithe were shocked to see a pack of wolves go weaving their way unsteadily around the streets (and waterways) of the Elven capital. The sparring matches were getting more and more outrageous, which was not unusual, and things were soon going to be winding down. At this time, while everyone was gathered back in the guildhouse, Kiren walked in. Wearing simply a pair of leather pants, soft moccasins, and a cloth vest, with his Morin sword at his side and a dark pearl ring on his finger, the Ranger walked solemnly into the meeting.
"Welcome back, Kiren!" said Telree, as they all turned and saluted, waved, hugged, danced, or waved weapons at Kiren in greeting. "Hail, my friends," said Kiren, "I have something to tell you." Everyone quieted down and gathered to listen. "I told you that Tunare made me an offer," started Kiren, "one that was possibly the greatest honor, the greatest reward, that any of her children could imagine. I have given this much thought. The honor is tremendous indeed, and part of me wanted to accept right then and there, but to accept it would mean....leaving all of you." The room fell even more silent. "What do you mean, 'leave us'?" asked Tatina. Kiren replied holding out his hands, "It would mean that Kiren Tiradoio, the form that you see before you now, would cease to exist. I would take on a new form, a new identity. One that would be with Tunare...." Kiren's voice failed him, as he looked around the room at the expressions on the faces of his friends, his family. They were looking at him much as he imagined one might look at the fallen corpse of a friend lost in battle. Collecting himself, Kiren continued, "She offered....to let me join her in the Plane of Growth....not as one of the dead, but as one of the living, one of her living guardians. I would help protect her from the predations of the mightiest of her enemies. She has forseen that the followers of Darkness, and those who do not regard the sanctity of her Realm, will soon find the way to breach the barrier between Norrath and her Plane of Existance, much the way our powerful Wizards know how to breach the way into the Planes of Fear and Hate. She is gathering those who can protect her, and yet she cannot afford to take too many of us from Norrath, lest Norrath fall in our absence. This is not an offer I take lightly, and one that I realize will take me away from those I love most, and those whom I consider my family. Please understand that I only go because I feel it is for the greater Good. Tunare needs me, how can I not go to her?" Kiren's eyes were full of hope that his friends would understand. How could he not go to his goddess? How could he not want to protect her as she had protected him for so many seasons? And yet he knew what a blow this must be to his friends, as each of them would know that it would be a choice that removed him from their presence forever.
Kiren looked about the room, wishing that someone would say something. Anything. Finally, with tears in her eyes, Tatina came up and hugged Kiren. "You will do what is right, Kiren Tiradoio, that is why Tunare chose you," said the Druidess. Telree echoed his wife's comments, "You will be missed, Kiren, but what you do is the right thing." The majority of the guild nodded in agreement, and voiced their support for Kiren's choice, despite how much they would miss him. All but one. Rekus' head was down at the table, an empty beer stein in his hand. His body began to shake with rage. Suddenly, he stood up...swaying...and slammed his fist down on the center of the wooden table, shattering it!
"NOOOOOOO!!!!!" screamed the drunken Barbarian Warrior! Stepping over the splinters of the remnants of the table, Rekus stomped toward Kiren. A path parted before him, and soon he stood chest to face with Kiren, who looked up at the Barbarian unflinchingly. Suddenly, Rekus drew forth his Wurmslayer, eliciting a gasp of surprise from many in the room. Shoving it hilt first towards Kiren, Rekus bellowed, "YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET! HIT ME! C'MON, HIT ME!" Kiren accepted the weapon as the Barbarian braced himself, motioning for Kiren to do his worst. Kiren, nodded grimly, and drew back the strange weapon for a strike.
"What are they doing?" interjected Inelia, who could not understand what she saw before her. Tal placed a hand on the Enchantress' shoulder and said, "Rekus is saying goodbye the only way he knows how." Inelia responded, "But it's brutal, it's uncivilized, it's-" "Barbaric?" Tal interrupted. Inelia nodded, not understanding, but accepting.
Kiren swung the glaive-like weapon with all his might, tearing a huge gouge across Rekus' chest. Even Tal had to be impressed by the blow. Rekus cringed in pain, but drew forth an axe and began to spar with Kiren. Rather, he and Kiren began a fight which could hardly be called sparring. Rekus and Kiren both swung with full intent to damage the other. Darshan cast a levitation spell upon Kiren, allowing the Fier'Dal to fight Rekus face to face. Regeneration spells were cast upon both men, and the two of them fought in a way that only the Warriors, and a few others, fully understood. It was a Warrior saying farewell to someone he respected enough to treat as a fellow Warrior, and a Ranger responding in kind. As both men soon became exhausted, Kiren stopped his attack. Rekus stopped as well, and with what only a few would dare call "a tear in his eye", and blood all over his chest, the Barbarian Warrior saluted Kiren, then hugged him. Kiren returned the hug, and the Wurmslayer, then went around the room saluting and hugging his guildmates. When he had spoken a word of farewell to them all, he noticed Taliaferro and Tatina standing on the balcony outside the guildhall, overlooking the lake outside Felwithe.
Tatina consoled Tal, though she knew no words would be adequate. Looking up, she saw Kiren walking their way. Gracefully, the Fier'Dal Druidess faded back into the building behind her, leaving the two kinsmen alone.
"Well, I guess this is it," began Tal. "Aye, I must take my leave sometime tonight," replied Kiren. Tal hugged his longtime friend and kinsman. "Strength and honor, my friend," said Tal, fighting back tears of his own. "Aye, strength and honor, brother," responded Kiren. Stepping back to look at his friend once more, Kiren smiled. Tal was younger than him, but the two had spent countless seasons hunting together. He knew that Tal would achieve his own destiny someday, but now it was time for him to achieve his. Casting a spell that would camoflague himself from sight, Kiren stepped up onto the ledge of the balcony over the lake. "A quiet exit", thought Kiren, as he dove silently off the ledge, and plunged into the cold nighttime waters of the Lake of Felwithe.
Swimming to the shore, Kiren thought he might have heard a splash behind him, but he saw no sign of one. Clambering up onto the shore, Kiren walked to towards the entrance of Felwithe, which would lead him into the Faydark forest. A guard stood nearby, oblivious to Kiren's camoflagued self. As he approached the entrance to the forest, he heard his name.
"Kiren!" shouted Taliaferro, dripping lake water from every opening in his armor. Racing to catch the Ranger, Tal passed the confused guard. Kiren shook his head and laughed, "I keep forgetting about that damned Bracer of the Hidden you keep on you!" Tal held up the prized magic item, placing it on his wrist just long enough to cast it's enchantment on Kiren as well. The guard was mildly surprised to see the Ranger appear when the spell was cast on him. Kiren smiled at his friend again, "So, what's on your mind, brother? You know we don't do long goodbyes among the Kin." "Aye," responded Tal, "but I just couldn't help but think.....you know, the night is still young, and there are an awful lot of beings in the Faydarks who need killing." Kiren nodded thoughtfully, "Aye, that is true. The Teir'Dal who desecrate the forest with their outpost in Lesser Faydark for example..." "And those damnable Orcs stinkin' up Crushbone!" added Tal. "That's true too," said Kiren. "Alright, I think we can do our part to clean up our home before I go...." Kiren began. "ALRIGHT, let's spill some Dark blood one last time, bro!" said Tal, turning towards the forest. "BUT....", continued Kiren, "let's make this a challenge! Why don't you leave all of THAT..." Kiren said, smacking the flat of his Morin sword against Tal's armored backside, "...here in Felwithe, and let's teach the Dark ones a lesson with just our leathers and weapons." Tal shot Kiren a look of shock, but nodded and said, "Alright, first one to bleed buys one last round at the Ranger Outpost in Lesser Faydark though! And I'm bringing the Bracer too!" as he began to unstrap his armor. "You're on!" said Kiren, smiling at the thought of one final hunt.
Taliaferro stripped down to his leather pants and cloth vest, like Kiren's, and handed the rest of his equipment to the guard, instructing him to see it safely back to the guildhouse. Then, with smiles on their faces, bows and quivers across their backs, and blades in their hands, the two Fier'Dal sprinted off into the night.