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</div>Sweat pooled around her as she tossed and turned in the night. There were big things on the horizon, and images of war occupied her dreams. They were nightmares, pictures of a man that she'd only knew from afar but who's cause she'd followed with undying loyalty just years ago. She'd pledged her allegiance to him, carried out his orders and directives without a second thought, became brainwashed like the other fanatics had. She'd been obsessed with him, desperate to gain his attentions and have someone who found her worthy, even if just for a speck of a moment. Shael Duskmere had stood against the humans. She'd stood against her people, and now, she dreamed of the devastation she'd once hoped for.<br/><br/>If it hadn't been for her best friend, a minotaur-like bovian man named Marjak, Shael might have still followed Venge with undying loyalty, but Jak had smacked some sense into her, told her to open her eyes and see the goodness in all races regardless of what wrongs had been wrought against her. With Jak by her side, Shael had been able to overcome her pain forced bias, reworking those feelings into a place of acceptance for her tainted blood. Half human, half elf. Neither side had wanted her. Neither side had accepted her either. Both sides had forced her to seek out a way to release the pain of having nowhere and nothing to call home or family, and so she'd latched onto Venge's cause, feeling a kinship with the man who seemed just as eager for pain and revenge as she was.<br/><br/><b>"Jak! Jak!"</b>Shael sat up straight on the bed upon which she slept. They were inside an inn for the night with plans to continue north in the morning. Shael shook her companion awake with a forceful grip. Jak slept on the floor with his tiny pet, a small pint sized dragon that Shael called 'Sunshine'. The horned man stirred with a soft snort, licking his lips and smacking them together as his eyes creeped open. Shael didn't wait for him to wake completely. She smacked him hard on his back and started in on her story.<b>"The nightmares have returned. My mind is restless. I fear he's coming."</b>Shael quickly pulled herself out of bed and began to dress quickly. She tugged on her tunic and leggings before buckling in her weapons and such.<b>"We need to leave immediately. I cannot wait until morning."</b>And with that, Shael grabbed her things and exited the room, waiting in the common area for Jak to collect himself.<br/><br/>Things had been progressively quiet in the war ridden north, but Shael was pushed by the promise of answers to the questions she had, and Jak was her companion throughout the entire ordeal. They were only a few days journey away, but the chill in the air spoke of complications that Shael hadn't thought possible. In the night, they left the crossroads, continuing their journey under the stars and pushing toward the cold. What awaited them in the light of the following days was not something either of them had been expecting.<br/><br/>It took them two days to stumble upon the King and his company. The hospitality that Shael and Jak received from the large group was welcome. Upon explaining their journey and the information that they sought, the King had offered them warm food and a night of rest by a warm fire. The kindness was not something that Shael or Jak looked to refuse, and so they accepted, letting their guard down for one night among friendly companions. The King was a lively fellow, although serious to a certain extent. He did not for an instant make Shael feel uncomfortable or turned away by his attitude. He seemed genuine, honest, someone that Shael could follow if needed. A cool reminder of her dreams brought forth the realization that just a few years ago, she wouldn't have been able to stomach the company of the human King or any of his human companions. Scattered among them were elven brethren - kind warriors who were mercenaries sent by their own royalty to assist in whatever the King should need them for. They, also, would not have been individuals that Shael would have chosen to be around.<br/><br/>Things were seemingly quiet that evening, as the sun began to fade behind the trees and fires were lit. A cool breeze blew through the camp, but also the smells of cooked meat came with it. Shael rested on a stump near a fire while Jak meandered through the camp. She was one of the first to notice the change. One by one, her new companions started to feel the cold settling in like a warning. Shael knew that feeling. She knew it better than she knew her own name.<br/><br/><b>"Be on your guard, Jak."</b>Shael whispered to herself, looking around the treeline as figures began to appear. Immediately, her hand went to her weapon, and slowly, she sank back behind a group of knights bent on protecting their king. Everything was still as she inched to her vantage point, passing the elven warriors who were ready and prepared with arrows notched within their bows. Did they know who stood before them? Did they know the enemy was nearer than they thought? No one moved, save for one figure. She could barely see over the taller men, but she captured the glint of his gleaming eyes and his pale coloring - Venge.<br/><br/>He approached and pinpointed the trembling elven girl near the front of the line and targeted her with words that she couldn't reply to. This was not her King, but she was sworn to protect him by her own. Would she seek revenge for a death that was more a murder than an act of warrior sacrifice? Shael had been that girl once - trembling with fear and helplessness in the face of a great foe. But unlike Shael, this girl - this elven warrior - had someone who wasn't afraid to stand in the fire.<br/><br/><b>"Don't do it, Shael."</b>She heard Jak's low rumbling voice mutter. He stood nearby, near enough for her to see that he had an escape route planned for himself if things escalated. The man was a talented shaman. His magical prowess could not be matched by many in this world, but Jak was not one that interfered in matters that could not be helped. He knew what she was going to do before she did.<br/><br/><b>"Leave the girl alone, Venge."</b>Shael shouted loudly, pushing through the sea of people to stand in the front.<b>"She is but a mercenary sent here to defend as she was instructed. "</b>She held her head up tall, her back straight as a board as she made her presence known.<b>"What qualms do you have with this King or is it your bias that's getting the best of you this time, m'lord?"</b><br/><br/>Tag:<a class="username" data-user-id="89" data-username="@The Notorious A" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/89/">@The Notorious A</a>