Curse that menki and his schemes to the realm. First that nightmare with the poison, and now he wanted to sell _Moon Silver_!?!? He had all the stealth and agility of his race, to be sure, but his lack of concern over the clandestine was beginning to grate a nerve. It was actually comforting that those were his only concerns. The Ynnwn's only regret was not having more of a chance to experiment with the poison. _Oh, well,_ he thought to himself, _There will be more opportunities._
On a separate note...
True Death...What a fascinating topic of inquiry. Who actually knew what caused it and the extent of its effects? It wasn't erasing them from existence, or there would be no memory of the person left, he hypothesized, concluding that he'd need to do more research before reaching a decisive answer. Still, it was puzzling. Dakkru, for one, must exist. There was evidence for that. Talad could be argued to exist, as well. Laanx had a mighty temple, but...little visible influence, if any, in Yliakum.
The Ynnwn absentmindedly dismounted the Ptero that had flown him to Gugrontid. Why was he here, again? Kull, that's right. What kind of trouble was he getting pulled into now? He looked around as he climbed the ramp to the tavern. A great expanse of Yliakum's top layer was visible, the hills and valleys lit intermittently from the Crystal as it grew dark. Night held a particular beauty that most seemed to take for granted. Of course, few saw in the night as well as he, even among other races. But it wasn't just the dark Dome that made evening what it was.
Even in the town, the small creatures of twilight called to each other. The scents of them mingled with the rocky smells of the city's Kran, as the cooling earth and what grew in it delivered their pleasing offerings to the Ynnwn's nose. He reached the top of the ramp and strolled inside the tavern.
What in the names of Laanx and Talad.
There, in the corner, a Dermorian screaming about his legs. Two people crowding around him...fools, they should give him space. And...Kull. That Dermorian...No, it couldn't be. But there he was, Roled. The same elf that had been all but Truly Dead not a month prior. Now he was screaming about...Moon Silver!? So THAT was the menki's game. He had no idea what he was messing with, still. He'd just walked in and already he'd had enough. More yelling. Now what!? Another Dermorian. What was it with Dermorians? This one was accusing Kull of trying to feed Roled the accursed substance.
Kull began to seethe visibly. He whispered for his companion to follow the loud-mouthed Dermorian outside. Why must it all be so difficult? The evening had worn on farther than the Ynnwn would have liked, but it was what it was. He walked out onto one of the ledges over the drawbridge. On the other stood two elves. One was recognized immediately, but the other would be in the way. The Ynnwn began to gather his knowledge and strength, allowing them to take the form of a black shroud around him, like a glow, but backwards. He gathered energy, watching Kull to the other side of the couple.
Kull gave the signal.
The un-glowing aura was immediately focussed into a tight spark, growing forward like a spear as the Dermorian pushed his companion away. The shaped rend between Realms opened a hole in the Dermorian's shoulder, flying through him at tremendous speed. Kull rushed in, sinking his blade repeatedly into his victim, his face contorted in rage. The Ynnwn redirected his energy and induced a black shockwave that threw the Dermorian woman away from the blood soaked paw of Kull Rhundin.
Kull didn't wait for his victim's body to disappear before he wheeled around and charged at the woman.
"Enough!" the Ynnwn roared, pushing the woman back again and trapping Kull inside a sphere of black energy.
His weakness became apparent almost immediately. He strained for all he was worth, holding the enraged menki for as long as he could. Within moments, the sphere collapsed. The Ynnwn's pale eyes took on a completely different color, light of conscience leaving, as well. Darkness reached around the edges of his vision, swallowing him.
He fell.
Darkness surrounded him, and it was tangible. He could touch it, stand on it, run his hand through it, breathe it, smell it. The only thing he couldn't do...was see. The Darkness moved around him and gathered itself. The Ynnwn braced himself for an unseen blow, but none came. Instead, two pale sparks, like eyes met his own, at once right in front of him and at an immeasurable distance. The sparks illuminated the empty sockets of a skull, casting dancing shadows across the scarred surfaces of the skeleton. The dancing shadows starkly illuminated the prominent horns on the phantom's head. The colossal ghostly figure sat on the Darkness that surrounded them both, shrouded in a tattered and torn, but majestic red robe.
The jaw fell slowly, a harsh sound like stone grating on stone grated out from the skeleton's jaw.
"Do you fear the Darkness?"
The Ynnwn stood to his full height, glaring defiantly at the apparition.
"Why should I fear that into which I was born?"
"Then master it," answered the crashing stones.
The apparition faded, leaving the Ynnwn alone in darkness once again.
"Yes, grandfather."
