[Axxaer]

Chapter 7
A Cloudless Sky
19 Velstrom, 14074

“There!” gasped Elur triumphantly, pointing to a pair of dots on the horizon. Elur and Marbakkar had been travelling since before dawn in pursuit of the escaped slaves. Elur was determined to hunt them down and give them what they deserved; death. Their quarry could be seen walking along the top edge of a near hundred foot cliff.

Elur and Marbakkar were a few miles from the base of the cliff, across a small desert. The dots meandering slowly along its edge seemed to be moving swiftly, but warily, as if they knew they were being followed.

“How could they possibly have seen us?” yelled Elur angrily, kicking at the hot yellow sand. The pair doubled their pace, anxious that their prey would escape.

Several hot tiring hours later, they stood sweating at the foot of the cliff. Their presence belittled by the cliff towering over them, casting its shadow across the sandy plain. While Marbakkar lazed in the cool shade, Elur analysed the climb ahead of them. Twenty feet up was a thin ledge, barely wide enough to stand on. The ledge worked its way across the cliff face, sporadically travelling upwards. It was littered with loose stones and rocks and, in places, shrank thinner than the width of a foot.

“Perfect.” Claimed Elur calmly.
“What’s perfect? We’re out here in the middle of Caluris knows which desert following two goddamn slaves. We have no food, no water, and we don’t have a clue where we’re going,” Snapped Marbakkar wearily, “I don’t see what’s so ‘perfect’ about that.”

Ignoring Marbakkars sudden outbreak, Elur continued, “We ascend the cliff at once.”

* * *

As Kelkharn’s consciousness returned, he saw the rocky ground bobbing up down. He jerked his body away and fell roughly on his bad leg. Ilrûn’s annoyed face appeared, framed by the cloudless sky.

“Are you finished playing in the sand, Terreve?” He asked in frustration. Kelkharn groaned in pain as he attempted to rise to his bruised knees.
“Where in Aluvalis are we?” asked Kelkharn tiredly.
“You need rest,” stated Ilrûn, ignoring his companions query, “And we need to keep moving as fast as possible.”
Ilrûn hastily slung Kelkharn over his shoulder and resumed walking.

The sun was still far from setting when Ilrûn sighted his targets. The two Avalen icewarriors were squatting opposite each other, reading a map. Ilrûn carefully crept closer and laid Kelkharn on the hot sand. He listened in, but could not fully understand what they were saying.

“…there. I know we h…”
“No. I am…went around the…”
“It doesn’t ma…going any…let’s…”

The pair were rising to their feet when a fireball exploded the tree they were under. One leapt away with the map whilst the other froze the tree with a flick of his wrist. The Avalen firewarrior whom the fire had belonged to emerged from behind a large boulder, a ring of fire encircled him.

“Elur Arafir.” Said Survulen, coldly.

At the name, Elur ran out into the open area, his eyes burning with surprise.

“What the hell are you doing here? Ilrûn Arafir asked his elder brother. The icewarriors spun to face him.
“These fools escaped from my gladiator slave pit, destroying it in the process.” Replied Elur acidly.
“Well maybe they need to learn what happens to those who betray the Imperial Arafir family.” Decided Ilrûn.

The icewarriors looked back and forth between the two firewarriors, a mixture of fear and hope manifesting within them. They had heard of the famed power and wealth of the Imperial Arafir Family, but doubted that both its fire heirs would be in one location.

The Imperial Arafir Family rules over a large region surrounding the popular trading city Evoraldu. They also control all trade and travel to and from the area, gaining them large sums of gold in the form of tolls, taxes and their own enormous trade profits. The family had hundreds of members, but only two from each element were granted leave of the Imperial Palace. These pairs are the heirs to the Family thrones and are required to venture out and gain their spirits before gaining power. It would be very unlikely to find two of the same elemental heirs in one place.

“Why should be believe such a ridiculous fairy tale?” asked Survulen angrily, “We are not fools.”

Ilrûn and Elur both rolled up their right sleeve, revealing that they both bore the Arafiran birthmark, a sleeping dragon.
The icewarriors came to the realisation that if they were able to capture Ilrûn and Elur, they would be able to blackmail incredible wealth and power from the Imperial Family.

“Perhaps I was a little harsh in my decision to spiritchange so destructively. Maybe we should talk things through…” offered Survulen.

“It’s too late for such proposals.” The tone of Elur’s voice got across the message itself.

“We are willing to make a very reasonable deal. We have at our disposal the entire wealth of the Hhregai’an Underground Empire. Their treasury is extremely deep, we could offer very large sums of gold…”

“He said it’s too late. Now surrender to us or prepare to be incinerated.” Roared Ilrûn.

“Now, now. Let’s not be too hasty.” Elur laid his arm out to hold Ilrûn back, then, turning to the icewarrriors, said “Exactly how deep is this treasury?”

Survulen grinned wickedly. “Well…” he began. The other icewarrior dropped to a crouch and swung a leg at Elur’s feet. Elur sidestepped the deliberately slow attack and was grabbed from behind by Survulen. Survulen locked Elur’s arms between his own and twisted his elbows ******ds until he screamed for mercy, nearly popping them out of their sockets.

Ilrûn summoned a fireball into existence in his hand and launched it at Survulen’s head. The other icewarrior froze the fireball mid-flight, startling Ilrûn somewhat.

“I think you may want to reconsider your decision. We are more powerful than you probably think.” Pushed Survulen.
“Say again, exactly how deep is the underground treasury?” asked Elur greedily.

Survulen grinned smugly and nodded to his companion. Ilrûn and Elur were shocked when two Avalen airwarriors suddenly appeared beside the icewarriors.

“Now!” shouted Survulen, and the airwarriors grabbed the icewarriors by their arms.
“NO!” yelled Ilrûn, preparing to blast all hell out of the four of them. Survulen realised this plan all too soon and threw Elur roughly at Ilrûn. Ilrûn knew there was no chance to stop them now.

Gleaming silver flashed up and down, left and right. In seconds, Survulen, the other icewarrior, and both the airwarriors lay lifeless on the ground. Kelkharn stood panting beside Survulen, the last to fall, his rapier and dagger both drawn.

Survulen managed to gasp his final words, “You’ll burn in your own fire for this…”s



NOTE: THERE ARE SEVERAL APPENDICES DETAILING THE CREATURES, HISTORY, ETC OF THE SETTING OF THIS BOOK AND ALSO A DETAILED MAP IF ANYONE WANTS THEM PM ME