Dragons are no fun

Prolog


Life changes. It is by this series of events that so many things in life become new and unique to each generation. With each change the past become a learning experience that most would agree would be unpleasant at the least to relive. The past however dies hard and remnants of it do not want to see the past as an experience but more of like the future renewed. Some would fight the change, some will embrace the change , all will live thru it . In our own age we tell tales of the magic and creature we only dream of. If they were only tales or imagination we would soon bore of these flights of fancy, or is it we look to it as a message from the past and try to remember what was once a time of plenty that we so desperately desire once again or a time of greed best forgotten with only fantasies of a maybe.
The Age of magic
Time was as a rock upon the ground as unmoving and solid as were the people within that time. Elves ruled in a slow process based on a life span of millennium. Changing ones mind would take a hundred years to see the wisdom of folly of such an action. Man lived as one with the elves in this time , they ruled the ground the woods the streams and the lives touched by it, food was a mere thought and a wave of the hand , cow nor pig was a source of edible fodder and life was lived for the thoughts that surrounded them. Forests extended as far as the eye could see , lush grass over the plains to the east , mountains so high they threatened to split the sky in two lay to the west. Rivers of water flowed freely from the mountains to the streams in unending joy to the circle of life it served. Humans worked at the building of architecture as they called it to fill their minds. Elves created art, art in the form of clothing so light one could see the world thru it yet it revealed nothing of ones form. Dwarfs played with the art of metals they were so fond of , and gnomes created toys for the children with wood from the broken trees. Imagination was the work place of all the human races. It was the gnomes that broke the law first, without malice and without truly knowing they had even done so. The toy was a small man with a bow and arrow imitation that worked as if it were real. Simple in itself yet the hunger for pain was brought back from the age of darkness thru the possibility. No one suspected till the child by mere accident hit another child. A small thing to be sure but for 10 generations none had struck another. Anger spiked in the other child only for a moment but that moment was enough to cast doubt into the mind of both children and fear grew from this. It was inevitable that now the world that knew perfection was unprepared for the emotions now driving this new and yet old perspective. Something new was in the world and it was to be explored by some, ignored by other , endured by all. Soon greed was discovered and the world of pain was followed with a vengeance.
Balen’s Journal
Day 316 of the siege
Memories of the day’s of peace and tranquility are quickly fading. I could really use a day away from the towers. Debate still rages in the council about the right or wrong of what we had done, it’s rather pointless now that the dragons push every day harder and harder upon us forcing us to use more and more of the remaining magic. Today shows we are likely to be pushed even greater limits, the well of life was spewing forth as if it were a new fountain. Globes of magic and light shot upward from the well, many people stood watching and cheering at the kaleidoscope of colors bursting forth from the ground. Sadly this also means a great deal of magic has been released I suspect someone has tampered with the ground pressure in hopes of this very thing. I was too tired to divine into that possibility. I filled 4 medallions to the brim while other watched the lightshow; I suspect I’ll likely use them all today. Sad to think that just one of these could keep my magic’s alive for several life times if it wasn’t for my trying to protect the people from the onslaught. Our concerns with survival now outweigh the right and wrong of our building the city around the largest of the wells, perhaps if we had simply lived with the other creatures as we had done for generations past we would not be in this paradox. The grandeur of the city is impressive, we have built a city of art, a collective of people unlike anything before. That I feel was the start of the downfall.

Day 348
As I suspected earlier the magic, which has held our society in deference to the rest of the world, has begun to wane. The joy of which had so infused the general people into a glorious benediction to the gods for their bountiful replenishment of the well of life now sputters in a it’s death throw’s. I have hidden two crystals filled with enough magic’s that I hope they will sustain me thru what is to come. Yesterday’s events and more have given rise to the general belief that the well is running dry. For days it unleashed a torrent of magic’s filling the area so full of the energy the very air about us pricked our skins with the potential. The dragons basked in this and soaked up the energy, we relaxed our guard as they languished in the abundance of it. I can hear their anger and their frustration in the distance. Sadly I believe we are in the last day’s of Sasfall. What will become of the people, the art , the lives of us. So many have no concept of simple acts of life, so many will die and there is nothing I can do but save the few that can change with this new way of life. Council has commanded to me the honor of Overseer of the forces. Humor in the face of destruction and desperation is a grim reminder to the sad times before us. People are leaving the city in droves now a few have gems filled most have nothing but their fears to guide them. We try to keep the roads and area clear so they might escape yet the screams of those beset upon by the dragons still echo and tear what is left of our civilization apart. There is little I can do but lead the remaining forces against the dragon I believe is leading the others. He is enormous and I suspect as old as time, he is devious and uses tactics I have never encountered before; their superiority of the air drives us further and further from the well.

Day 412
It is over. The dragons have taken the council hall and laid waste all the grandest of the buildings that took so many generations to build. Our remaining forces are gathered in the arena of games but not for long. Today I found the weakness of all dragons and feel hopeful it will let us at garner at least a small victory. Illusion is the only way yet even now it seems a cowardice route, but annihilation becomes the other side of the coin. 2 score men have volunteered to draw the beast from the others into a place of my choosing. I shall build a world for it, and place in its mind a lie so enormous that it will never awaken from that dream. The gods I pray will guide my art in so enormous a task and may those whose live lay within my hands go to the eternal rest should this turn badly. I hear their wings again; it is time.

Day 414
We have succeeded in restoring order. There is naught left but the life before us now. Algron be the name of the force before us, it was the work of a child to lay before his mind the illusion of victory, yet in that the lives of 20 men passed before I could begin the weaving of it. The passing of his force of mind confused and thru the rest of the dragons into a frenzy as I’ve never seen before. They ignored us and began to assault each other in a battle of mindless hunger is all I can call it. Blood and flesh fell from the sky in sheets of pain, screams of horrors and bloodlust filled the night till all that remained was one. We beset upon it in its ragged and exhausted state and extinguished its life in a short battle. I felt the pain of Algron as I weaved the illusion within his mind, the terror it felt at the thought of death the pain it felt of the life it was in. I know it is the struggle of all to live and grow; yet it was our folly that led to this clash. I shall remain to watch this behemoth of the old life and have selected a few others to work with me that we might hide this lie from the world even unto the death of Algron. Should Algron awaken the war would be won and in time people shall not know how to deal with her.

Day 631 Elnistra
A new year has come and it is a fitting end to the siege that destroyed both man and beast to a way of life that is bereft of magic’s. We have built a monument to Algron within this monument lay his body; his mind wanders the world in domination. It is close enough that meager remains flowing from the well of life will sustain the illusion but that is never for certain. Her body throbs with the possibility of life and it is my fear that should this illusion fail she would be able to reproduce in a time that would leave man unprepared for the enormity of her. So many call to the blood lust of her life as she remains in such a slumber, yet I shall not do it. Thus I have built her prison as much for our protection as hers. It is locked away in my mind the opening of this prison and shall remain so till my passing. I fear what may pass if we have not learned the folly of genocide and greed that brought us to this event. I shall write no more in this journal and will burn it lest its contents reveal to much of the prison she dwells in to that unknown quantity that released the well of life.

Chapter 1

In time to the lives that revolved within the small feature of an island, one clock stood in testament to the passing ages; viewable by all in the small village. No hands were upon this clock only a small horse that revolved around the outside, behind that horse flew a figure of brass with bat like wings stretched large and looming over the horse. Once per day this looming figure of a reptilian nature would plunge toward the horse moving steadily upon the times of the day. Every day the populace would cheer the retreating horse and the speed with which it would seem to elude the pursuing enemy. Years passed and the novelty of the clock wore off to all but the youngest and the oldest. Men of years would tell the tale of the clock maker that predicted the demise of their fair city in the building of the clock, When the dragon would return to take vengeance upon the land that sealed it in the land of rain, when the rain stopped, then would the dragon be free to roam the world once more and destroy the steed of gold and light that sealed it into this prison. They young would listen to the tales of old; the old would make up tales of new, fresh for the listeners upon each day around the clock of steel and might.
Eldin rode softly into the city, neither caring nor concerned that his presence might be of note to the natives. Flared sleeves of bright yellow silk, hair red with the passion of a woman’s heart and eyes as blue as the mid day sky shook his frame in contrast to the average man or woman of the land. Balen his horse was a portly beast filled to the brim of the finest fodder in the land, yet even then the eyes worked the world in a manner wild with adventure. Eldin sat in contrast upon the overfed beast of burden, almost unaware of his surrounding, leaning over to a near bystander he asked in a soft voice,
" Where may I find the lord of this realm?"
Calit jump to the voice appearing before him, the shock of the appearance of the figure from nowhere was enough to cause the old man to grasp his chest, the words sounded soft yet commanding, he stretched his arm toward the large white house bearing down the broken street.
Eldin spoke again "Be at rest and good manner sire, I grant upon you a time of peace”.
Balen plodded forward again, to the man Calit nothing had occurred, he sat in the chair by the clock and rested, soon he slept a sleep of contentment he had not known for many years.
"You like doing that don't you " spoke the horse in a rough manner.
"It keeps me amused; little does anymore " Eldin sighed as if he too were about to fall asleep.
"Bah! We used to amuse each other with wit and tales from the old days'" Balen groaned in a most dissatisfied manner.
"We do still amuse each other, I suppose, but the years have begun to play heavy upon my mind. Four hundred years sitting upon your back brings no pleasure to you or to my continence. You are the friend of my years and the years have been good to me, it is time for change however and for us that may mean time for us to part. That is a most disagreeable idea as I have more love for you than I care to admit." One lone tear dropped from Eldin eyes, his gaze never leaving the sight of the white manor before them.
"Then let us begin the journey before we both become blubbering fools"
Broken pickets surrounding the house looked in place with the small village filled with broken promises and tattered lives. The clock which had stood the test of time still chimed on the hour as its destiny foretold. White wood of the rarest oak broke the skyline in a majestic manner still, glass shards reflected the light and bounced about the porch in a dance of a thousand fireflies even in midday. Still the magic within the house held it impervious to the ravages of time. Stepping over the broken picket fence light from the porch grew in intensity bending their path toward the ragged pair, stars and brilliant flickers of intense light clung to the odd pair, stripping away the image they were, separating them into two separate beings one a small man little more than the size of a youth, the other a rotund man as tall as horse and almost as large. Their cloths shone with the lights as their steps chided in harmony on the wooden porch.
"After you old man " the voice was that of Eldin's.
"Aye beauty before the backside" quipped Balen's voice from the rotund figure looming above him.
"It's no wonder you got to be the horse and I the rider, no one would talk to you otherwise."
Eldin opened the door wide for the older looking man and bowed in mock affirmation.
A modest house on the outside turn dank and gloomy inside, rust colored statues lined the hall leading into the house, each a men frozen in time, poised to attack, swords drawn, shields held low behind creeping bodies, all pointed inward with their backs to the door. Each statues more ominous than the last, figures so real the hairs upon the nape of their necks. The hall ended in a large room of glass and steel, light filtered thru the tainted glass, sickly yellow and brown clusters of light oozing thru the tainted windows showing the main stead of the room; a large iron door. Glyths and writing moved as if alive on the door. In a language unknown to any but the most powerful mages, Eldin reached forth his hand muttering two short guttural words, from his fingers water shot forth as if he were watering a garden, the door soaked up all the liquid that touched it, the words and glyphs pulsing faster with each drop absorbed. Creaking and groaning of metal against metal began as more and more moisture was absorbed, the door began to swell and moan, the glyphs, once several separate images coalest into a single picture of a winged horse, soaring above the clouds, rain suddenly appeared drenching the poor animal, its wings struggling to maintain its motion, the clouds loomed closer and closer till they engulfed the animal struggling to stay above the clouds. Thunder roared from the door, water drained from the bottom of the door, a wind thrashed about the room throwing the two men from their feet, lightning crashed thru the windows above striking the door with a deafening roar splitting the door down the middle, the doors began their motion outward straining against their own weight. Thunder stuck again this time not in the form of light but in the form of the Pegasus bursting through the doors, hooves flaying wildly about eyes wild with fear and anger. Upon touching the water drenched floor it slowed it’s prancing, eyed both the men now prone on the floor, wet from head to toe.
"Well this would certainly put a damper on the party I was planning." Balen rose from the floor wiping his cloths with a flourish trying to remove the water now soaking him to the skin.
"Yea, could have bloody well made it a wind door, these water doors are annoying."
"You complain, I've been flying for over 300 years only to get soaked thru and thru by that crappy rain storm you just conjured." the Pegasus shook vehemently throwing water off in all directions.
"Well at least you can rest now Salily" Balen ruffled his cloak out once more then pointed his finger toward the roof, chanting a few sing song words, a light appeared above them, shimmering waves of warmth engulfed the trio drying the water off in quick succession.
Eldin's hair flopped back and forth with the light wind, his large stature was in deep contrast the chiseled face with eyes deep blue and a smile rather girlish in nature.
"Well! I would think after flying around all that time a nice bath would be a welcome relief, I know I'm happier that you had one before you joined us". Eldin continued to fluff his hair to remove the remaining moisture ignoring the glaring look directed to him from Salily. Salily reared up on her hind legs roaring a sound filled with anguish and pain, the light suddenly dimmed in the chamber, darkness oozed into the room with a languid motion surrounding the glowing horse, strobbed between light and dark her form flashed between the regal creature and a lithe woman of thirty years, hair wings and form crashed together throwing off the excess in a blast of sound and light eroding the darkness leaving a woman clothed in a most alluring manner.
"Now, that is much better" Salily twirled in a flourish of joy and whimsy each movement flowing into the next, in a different light it would be seductive in the middle of the room with the wet floor, wet men and smoke filled air it was joy at her release from the prison of the door.
"So who's idea was it to bring me out after these many years?" a golden tone of pleasure filled Salily's voice.
Balen shrugged "I guess it was Eldin's, I told him not to but, he never listens to me anyhow " Balen walked to the doors tapped the picture three times in each corner then turned back to the now blushing Eldin. The door creaked and groaned their metallic noise as they once again closed.
"Algron found out he is in a prison created by us. He's been probing the corners of the realm, I believe he is close to finding the exit." Balen stated, his eyes turned cold his shoulders slumped in sad resignation.
"Perhaps the others would have been right to have simply done away with him. The last of a era, the last of the lineage, the last of a kind." Salily slumped to the floor, her voice wavering off into the distance as she stated it. Eldin picked her up, grasped her close, smothering her in his arms. "No! We did what was right, Algron was not evil, he made choices to save himself and we would have done the same in his position. It is a matter of time that he has outlived. We have taken the place of the dragon and replaced it with a time of man. Most do not even remember the time of dragons nor should we remind them of it."
Salily became small in his arms clasping him even closer, in a small voice she agreed.
"Come it is up to us to set the times back upon their course even in the event Algron should find his way out" Balen retreated from the door glancing back occasionally at the emotional pair so long separated from each other.
"Guard well the exit my friends! Soon you'll be needed to guard the realm and you shall be atoned of your positions and allowed to sleep" Balen spoke to no one in particular; the statues however drew new life from the words. As he walked by each one he would touch each in turn, long years of neglect fell from the statues into dust upon the floor. A bright silvery glimmer took its place; each form glimmering with a renewed life. Salily held tight the hand of Eldin holding on as if to life itself were the reward. Balen held open the door to the waiting outdoors, pausing till Eldin and Salily walked out, turned closed the doors and began a chant as the wooden doors swung shut. Balen joined in the chant, Salily wistfully began her sing song voice joining it to the thump of Eldin and the rasp of Balen. Cold light painted the door, seeping into the cracks, soon to solidify in a black coating of substance that stole the light rather than reflecting it. The door was now so invisible that the very structure of the house appeared to be missing a portion of it. The house was there but no matter how hard one tried; you could not see the door.
"No point in making it easier to get in or out than it needs to be, more Chalga will come as the voice of Algron begins to sound in the world." Balen walked purposefully away from the house, fear, respect and sadness edging its way into his being and form.
"Come Salily, we have a little time to renew what we have forgotten so many years ago, I wonder if I am the man I used to be or is everything else frozen in this world too". Eldin swooped the tiny frame of the woman up twirling her around as they left the broken picket gate kicking up tiny whirls of dust up on the broken road. Balen laughed at the pair as they danced toward the town center laughing like children freshly released from school. A large oak tree stood firm against the wind across the road and looked a likely spot for a nap thought Balen, his coat fluffed up against the strong tree, and Balen molded his body to the tree as if he were a part of it. Moments later the soft breeze, the lazy clouds all turned to an easy sleep upon the warming grass in the afternoon sun.


Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Salily woke to the changing odors of the busy town, an smell of fresh baked bread, eggs frying on heated oil, people busy outside the small room she and Eldin shared for the night. Twisting herself and plopping her feet to the wooden floor the chill of the early morning made her cringe at the contrast to the warmth of the bed. Eldin form lay half coddled to the pillow and partly strewn about her side of the bed. She kissed him on the forehead before she began to dress and begin the day, a moment to look fondly on the man she had known for so long and yet till today had never completely found comfort with. So many years from where they started, so many nights of dreams about him that till now were only that, a dream. Determination hit her thoughts again; the dragon was searching, waiting for the time of his release to a world filled with children, it was time to fix that. On the floor in a crumpled pile lay the gossamer dress she so fondly loved to wear about the moors of her youth; air would caress her skin with the sun warming her to the bone. This would be a distraction from their purpose; again she would have to succumb to the norms of social graces she did not agree with. She sung her song of earth and directed it to the dress, shimmering in a green hue of grass the fabric changed and grew to a more appropriate appearance for a small town folk. The illusion of grass and the texture of silk flowed over her body; even covered in a more traditional manner Salily oozed sensuality thru the most basic of cloths. Eldin shuffled slightly to the small voice, but he never woke beyond a grasping arm in the direction she had recently been. Salily walked to the window dressed for the day, sunlight broke thru causing her squint at the sudden brightness of the early morning. They had slept in much longer than she had thought, shadows were barely visible and the hawkers of wares were firmly rooted in mid street calling to the wife’s and men of the day.
"Get up husband it is time to begin the day." she sat beside him and caressed his back with the tips of her fingernails.
"Go away it's to early and not late enough" groaned heavily grasped the blankets and pulled them over his head.
"Oh, I see, and is this how you treated your last wife?" Salily slid her feet under the blanket placing them firmly on Eldin back.
"Hey no fair I was nice and warm" Eldin rolled over quickly grasping salilies feet attempting to drag her under the blankets with him. Just as quickly she jumped from the bed taking most of the blanket with her.
"No fair, we don't have to go anywhere till noon, even that grump Balen won't be awake yet." Eldin drooped his eyes softly toward her.
"Puppy eye's don't work on this woman, it's time to get up runt" Salily pulled the blankets completely off him slapped him on the rump, kissed him on the forehead, picked up his cloth's and dropped them unceremoniously over top of Eldins thrashing body.
"It’s past breakfast and almost lunch and if I know Balen he's already eaten my share your share and enough to feed more besides. We’ll have to beat him to the house lady to get the last of the breakfast." Salily was still teasing Eldin when the knock on the door startled the two of them.
"HEY you two need some more time or have you figured out she's a girl and your a guy yet" Balen yelled thru the door
"yea your just jealous old man" Salily quipped throwing open the door, Eldin was in the middle of dressing and quickened his pace.
"Well I see you figured out who wear's the pants in the family at least, nice dress you sew it yourself of have just roll around in the grass with the old one." Balen pushed himself thru the door giving a mock kiss to Salily bringing up the half a hock of pork to his mouth, landing his frame in the half broken chair to the back corner of the room.
"You know, being attached to you as a horse for a few hundred years didn't improve your composure and it's not that I don't appreciate your most punctual awakening on our first day back together but, get out, go away, leave now, remove yourself from the room" Eldin was winding up with the inflictions when Salily touched his hand soothing his building anger.
"I’m surprised the two of you didn't kill each other while I was gone; I knew I should have left my sister to watch over you. Dear finish getting dressed, Balen please meet us in the dining room, I’m sure we can start the day off with a light meal and a plan." Salily smiled an evil grin letting all in the room know the end of the conversation had arrived.
"I was just coming to let you know the clock has slowed to a crawl and the dragon, has almost caught you". Balen choked down the last of the haunch only a strong bone remained.
"Some wine to finish off the fare would be a most appreciated welcome, I wonder what would be a good year in this town, perhaps yesterday's is as good as it gets I shall test this for you two. Come we dine wine and lay low the beast within." Balen swung the door open twirled as he left, flourished a bow and slammed the door shut as he retreated down the hall.
"You have to love him, or hate him, i still don't know which" Eldin had finished dressing, his cloth's as crumpled as his demeanor
"oh come dear, he is your best friend, and, even the best of friends annoy you for your own good." Salily gave him a light kiss, and then led him out the door.
"He cheats I tell you, I’ve seen his kind before, slight of hand and magic too if you ask me." a crumpled man glowered toward Balen, 4 of them sat at a table made for 2 shuffling cards and tossing them to each other. Balen was the senior of the 4, his opponents ranged from a youthful looking farm boy with a fist full of coins looking fresh from the farm, a rather rotund man in a non descript brown jacket that gave off a rather offending odor and the other three men tried to avoid him as much as possible, the last was the man accusing Balen of cheating, his nose was pushed in Balen’s direction with a stern look and hands that moved in a most peculiar fashion under the table.
"Well I see you've begun your morning in a normal fashion Balen, killed any guards yet or are you waiting for this afternoon to start in on that one" Eldin shot the last insult as much to add a little fear to the grumpy man in the corner as it was to needle Balen. Salily found a nice table to the side of the large fireplace, the smoldering fire giving off a little warmth offsetting the cool floor. Eldin followed her watching the younger mans fingers, recognizing a minor conjuration spell. He sat down clumsily while he was trying to watch the game and the lies. He began a counter spell when Salily grasped his hand and motioned toward Balen, who was already finishing up a nasty little spell that would change the nature of the little mans spell. Eldin could only chuckle in anticipation of the result.
"Der be little left to the kitchen this morn, people's be rather hunger it seems, but what we have will be offered as promised, a hank of lamb a little over done but still serviceable. I've got a good dozen eggs but dinna be telling the grumpy man over at the cards or he's sure to empty me of those, I’ve a couple pots o'porrige left if that be yer fancy but not a slice of the bread left I’m afraid" the good woman spoke softly so as not to draw the attention of Balen apparently. Salily chuckled lightly and replied.
"I’ll have porridge and a little fruit if you have any preserves left from the fall. Eldin will have two eggs and a half shank of lamb and a little of your preserves if you could be so kind" a smile and a thank you were quickly exchanged.
Balen spouted "and I’ll have some of those preserves you be speaking of woman, I’ve not had as good a fair in so many years I’m thinking I’ll set my hat upon your door if the food gets any better."
"You'll be leaving a might faster than you arrive if I have my way you scoundrel" the good woman shook her fist at Balen then retreated into the kitchen. Balen laughed with glee at the response banging the table as he did so.
"Deal fair al man" the younger man itched his hands in anticipation.
"I am getting to that Fabilri, takes time to make sure the cards are properly shuffled." Balen moved the cards swiftly and in a defined manner.
"There, stacked packed and racked, 5 to each and a bluff to the center. Call your bet." Balen dropped the cards to the center of the small table revealing a single card to the center a 8 of hearts.
Fabrilri sat to Balens left and began the round with a swift bet of 10 copper and held, Talgal was next his eyes squinting as if to verify his cards, Balen learned soon into the game that any time Talgal squinted his cards were worth while and this hand looked as if he was stacked. Last but not least was Stran, the palatable minor magician that was doing his best to stack the cards in his direction. Balen felt sorry for him at this point, he knew his hand was stacked from the spell he cast, he also knew what was likely to occur as Stran raised the hand to 40 copper and a silver.
"I believe I’ll fold this round I don't feel to lucky." Balen sighed in mock resignation.
"I’m thinking I’ll hold these fer this round" Fabilri stated and placed his hand down firmly on the table adding the last silver to the bet.
Balen let loose the counter spell under the table adding a minor twist to the spell that created a novel effect of having the cards to begin talking. Talgal’s hand began talking first, the first jack in his hand a grumpy one eyed version shouted “off with the ye boys, were taking the loot and running fer the hills “ in a swaggered voice. Legs spouted from the bottom of the card and it rushed to the center of the table grabbed a copper in the one hand it sported, rushed to the side of the table and jumped off. Stunned and confused everyone but Fabrilri watching the display dumbfounded, he rolled off from his chair to the floor grasping desperately at the errant card. Stran began to grimace seeing the change and beginning to understand what happened, he stood up quickly and began pointing at Balen.
“You see I told you he was a sorcerer, no wonder he is winning. I’ll not play with the likes of him this is outrageous.” Noise and movement began in his shirt; a queen of clubs fell from his outreached shirt.
“Where doth thy kingdom lie, beyond the reach of your words I suspect.” The card turned to Stran. Sweat formed across Stran’s brow, two more cards crawled from the other sleeve and jumped to the table, the 9 of spades sat down looking rather sheepish while the 2 of hearts comforted it.
“Seems to me you’ve a few more cards than we started with Stran” Talgal thru the feisty jack on the table.
“I’m thinking your unusually good luck has been a long streak myself, I don’t rightly remember a time you’ve lost more than a few copper in our games.” Fabriliri stared accusingly at Stran
“tis not my doing, it is his.” Stran stammered as he sidestepped away from the table toward the door. Reaching the door he bolted thru it, fading footsteps were all that remained of the man.
Fabriliri sighed “I’ve known him come 10 years now, was a time I’d of called him friend. I knew he cheated off an on, yet the game was never more than a pass time and rarely more than a few copper. But a wizard he be as well, that is not right to be cheating like that. If you’ll excuse me good sir I believe I’ve lost me taste of the game this morn.” Fabriliri stood slowly, gestured to Balen and followed suit. The cards returned to their normal paper-thin state of inanimate usefulness. Balen began to gather them up into a pile, stacked them in the middle, and then handed them and the money to Talgal.
“The money is of no concern to me, and it pain’s me to see good people being cheated in such a manner. I hope you’ll have me to a game in the future, it was a good start to the day and I’d enjoy another if you and fabriliri would have me again.” Balen stated in a calm tone trying to bring the tension down.
“You are welcome to the table any time Balen, I would ask that you refrain from the sport of animation in the future however, it does so disrupt a game of cards with the town folk and I am a bit out of practice for counter spells of your nature. It was however a brilliant display I must say.” Talgal’s face lit up in a smile.” You didn’t think the opening of the gate would go unnoticed did you. My you are getting rusty after all these years”. Mist began to obscure the round form of Talgal, slowly the man faded into the air wisps of vapor swirling in place of his physical body.
“Well, it seems we are not alone” Balen stood up quietly, left the money on the table, walked from the room his shoulders slumped and a grimace deep set into his face.
Salily slunk low into her chair, food once rich in flavor and bursting with the memory of her past soured. Eldin continued his repast undaunted by the new tidings, eyed the remaining items on Salilies plate and motioned towards them.
“You’re a human garbage can as always.” Salily rose from the table, fear, anger, terror and pain threading their way across her face turning the spritely looking woman into a torn and hurt old woman. Eldin looked to her as she walked past, a welling up of water in his eye’s told her the moment was not lost to him, simply to painful for him to acknowledge.
“I to mourn our son, but it is not my choice to the course, it is his. I shall not waste my tears on his arrogance.” Eldin turned back to the food in front of him and continued his path of consumption. Salily strolled from the house, the grassy trail that marked main street filled with the market people, each bellowing their wares to the passersby. Balen sat on a small bench in on the porch, his eyes focused on something far away from the now. His hands rolled a coin from finger to finger. Balen was muttering something to himself as if he were talking to the coin.
“I’ve thought long about what I would say if I got the chance to talk to him again, I’d say something wise and old, so prophetic that he could not refuse the logic of it. Then we’d be a family again, something, anything “ Balen spoke to the coin quietly. Salily sat next to the old man, her eyes following the coin, hearing his ragged breath as he wandered his memories.
“I told Nanya, I’ll find him and bring him home, I’ll hold his heart once more and love him again like he was young. Her dying wish was that I forgive him for the pain he caused. Forgive him for the anger he was, and show him the love she held for him. She gave me this coin for him; it was his favorite toy when he was growing up. She saved it for him; she put her love into it so he could hold it in his hands and feel her. I couldn’t put it into the game for fear he would ruin the last piece of her I have to remember.” Tears filled the old man’s eyes, each a raindrop filled with the anguish and love he felt, and still he rolled the coin in his fingers from one side to the next. Salily joined him in the memory of his wife, held his arm and touched his eyes gently to wipe away the years of longing and love that flowed from this gentle old man.
“We’ll do what is right. Even if it hurts.” Salily clutched his arm even tighter, they watched the world walk by, the time pass and the people of the small town.

continued if people find this entertaining and would like to see how things turn out