Scorpiox

"I never was like the others, always fighting, I think it is more important to give life rather than take it. I hope we can share a meal like this again. " Haldor bids Jess goodbye and leaves cheerfully .

"Yes indeed, the noise of the natural world is often relaxing and calming, unless it is the noise of an approaching blizzard obviously. Sing? I can imagine that would be a very beautiful sound ."

Haldor orders a mead and a large duck and sits back down. He was now in one of those situations where you inevitably won't say the right thing (). "What sort of things do you enjoy doing? Oh and your eyes are very pretty when they sparkle ."

Haldor pulls two chairs up to a table. He does his best not to blush. "What would you like to drink? Anything you want. So, what shall we talk about?"

Haldor jumps as he realises that Jess had entered the room. He searched his brain hurridly, trying to think of anything to impress her without sounding stupid . "Look, I may not be the strongest or the cleverest and I have never known a true friend. But I have seen more than most and know from experiance that kindness and thought will triumph over cruelty and violence." Haldor is obviously struggling. I know I seem pathetic to you and I am sure you have seen better but I am not a hotheaded butcher who enjoys hunting and fights. Nor do I mock people as I was mocked, I do not use my former hardship as an excuse to bully."

"Yes she's a lot older than me, but scaled down I'm older a fair bit older than her. But thanks for the support." "Irregular breathing? Was she happy when she read it? Oh and no, it's not dangerous, it's much more lethal than that. "

"If it had just been a normal letter the delay would have been fine, but the letter was about a decicate subject. The delay for the letter probably means the elf doesn't care about it, this is what makes me sad. "

Haldor snapped out of his sadness when he noticed De'kra was talking to him. "It's complicated, and It's sort of private anyway. But you'd probably find out anyway, what happened basicly is I wrote a letter to an elf. It was on a delicate subject and I was hoping she would have said something back. "

Four days after writing his letter and still no reply, Haldor was becoming glum and miserable. Haldor wished that is the elf wasn't interested she would just tell him, as leaving Haldor hanging was rather unkind.

It had been three days since Haldor wrote his letter, and was getting pretty sure it had just been ignored, Tesni ssaid yesterday she was unsure of what the elf's reply was. He hoped that she hadn't laughed at him, Haldor despised being laughed at, he'd got a lot of it from the other youths at his village. They would laugh at how he wasn't as strong as them, at how he wouldn't kill things, and he had many memories of being beaten up and thrown in the mud. Haldor hoped that one day he would show them that they were the weak ones, that he would he would be strong and then he would laugh at them.

Haldor leans forward and watches the spectacle before him. Years ago Haldor would have laughed and joined in, but he was too old now, not in age but in mind. Haldor finished his meal and left the cheer and happiness of the hall alone again. But at least he had the reply of the elf to look forward to, he had been alone for so long, unwanted and mocked at home untill he had saved the cheiftain. He needed a friend as much as anything else . Haldor returned to the inn and sat in silence.

"Well, it is not seemly to go about not wearing clothes so you might as well put on some that protect you. The advantage that chainmail such as mine has over plate armour is that it is lighter and allows more movement, but offers less protection. Plate armour is only good for cavalry in my opinion, as you are an easy target clunking about in full-body armour. You, De'kra, are a rogue so your fighting style is based on being light, wheras a knight or barbarian uses huge strength to crush their foes. I fight more in a mixture of both, but I try to avoid shedding blood pointlessly. My chainmail is not as heavy as you might think because it's Mithril, MIITTTTHHHHRIIILLL!!!! only small plates connected together, whereas huge plates weigh a ton. Besides, I can manage the extra weight ."

After his talk with Tesni, Haldor knew he would have to just wait and see what happend. Haldor thanks the barbarian and orders some food from the bar, he goes to the inn to fetch his chainmail and his weapon (as he left for the hall in a hurry this morning). After a few minutes he is back and sits down to polish his armour.

Haldor walked back into the hall, he was nervous to see if his letter had been recieved. There was no reply, but the barmaid told him that the elf had got the letter. Haldor really wanted to know whether his letter had just been tossed aside or actually thought about. He didn't want to write another one for fear of irritating the elf, but he couldn't put it out of his mind. Haldor decided to ask Tesni what the elf had said. "Excuse me Miss Hightribe, but do you know if, erm, she, uhh, uhh, if she read the letter ."

Haldor is tired and walks towards the door, a spring in his step.

Haldor makes a quick visit to the library and asks: "I notice the map show 'the acadamy of enlightenment', may I ask about this?"

Haldor rose to his feet and ordered some food, full of energy, he decides to find more about the imposing barbarian woman, Tesni. "Hello Miss Hightribe , I have heard lots about your blade Cryfder, may I ask how you managed to own such a blade?

Haldor had slept little last night, and was eager to return to the hall to meet new friends and discuss theories about Abraxes, and see if there was a reply on the bar. Haldor's heart jumped as he saw the letter, and part of him didn't want to read it. But Haldor pulled himself together and opened it. The writing was neater and had no mistakes unlike Haldor's untidy scrawl. With trepidation he read the letter, and understood why he had not seen the writer. Then he came to last part, and Haldor winced, it had been awefully conveniant that his quill had broke. He couldn't imagine how many people might be sneakily reading the letter, he had heard of and seen the writer for a while, but only spoke to them a few days ago. Haldor wasn't sure he was ready to empty his soul into they this letter. But he had been brushing up on his writing recently Dear certain elf, I do not no how to expres my feelings in thsi letter, so I will not make a ballad or organise a feest. I simply say to you honestly Haldor stopped writing, he could not bring himself to write what he wanted too. Be brave, be strong, he thought to himself. He knew he could not face his friends knowing he had hid from the truth, so, with a trembling hand Haldor Skovgaard continued his letter. I simply say to yyo honestly, I (You can do this) I love you. () Now it was down on paper Haldor felt more at ease, he handed the letter to the barmaid to insure no-one else would read it (). He sat down at the nearest chair, his heart fluttering.

Haldor, for the second day in a row, had been unable to talk to the certain elf. He knew that if he was going to talk to them he would have to be brave and do something. He decided... to write a letter! Being a Norse man he was never taught to write properly, but had picked something up on his travels. Deer Certan Elf (you know yuo are) I am writing becose I ahave been unable to talk to you for days, my days aer empty and holow when i do not see yoo. You know I alllways think of you and need to see you. I want to tell you Haldor's quill breaks and he leaves the letter on the bar anyway, and leaves.

"The seven houses are just big, rich families, always at each other's throats. The Shadeux and Hinckwells are more into commerce rather than war, but I don't know about the other houses. The Siegfrieds are a wizard family who specialise in magic, but I am not overly knowlageable about these things, you would be better off asking the librarian (Byblos) to tell you."

I must say, trying to talk to De'kra is almost like a game in itself. Haldor's head hurts from trying to un-jumble words, I first thought 'dean man' was a corpse and spent ages reading through quest 3 to find it!

"I think you are refering to the strange bottles the heros found in quest 2, they looked a bit like captured souls. I think the gas inside resembled the purple light in the Siegfried (wizard family)'s mansion. You may be right about a demon or monster in the Siegfried mansion that possesed Zed and emits the purple light, and the 'souls' could very well be food for it. But why were the Shadeux in possesion of the souls, could they have something to do with the beast?

"Aah, so you are not actually a shade, but instead a shadow of your former self. I'm not sure I know about gas people *gas people? Haldor thought of things this could mean*."

Haldor decides to tell the shade what a soul is, while keeping a look out for the certain elf. If they arive, Haldor wants to talk to them, he had been memorising what to say to them for a while . "Well, a soul is basicly a person, a person with no body all see-through. When somebody dies their soul leaves their body and flies to paradise (the great feast) . Souls sometimes hang around our world if they are unhappy or did not know how they died, these are called ghosts. Ghosts do not eat dead bodies, most cannot even touch objects as they pass through them . You say I know what your race is like, am I right in thinking you have not seen another shade before? In Norse legend a shade is an evil soul that lurks in the underworld, but I know little about shades of your kind."

Haldor returns to the hall refreshed, and walks quickly to a seat. He orders something light and a drink of water. He hopes to be able to talk to the certain elf today , but will wait a while first. Haldor doesn't want to seem like he only came to see the certain elf but it was sort of true, since the quests don't start for ages he wants to pass the time. Haldor is interested to meet the shade, as such creatures were only spoken of in legend at home. "Hello friend! How is it being in the world of humans? I am also interested what your home was like, I am sure we will get along fine . I am afraid I don't know much about what a soul looks like, I have been unable to spot one even when a great warrior has died. Maybe they hope to travel to the great feast unnoticed?"