anguish. But there was no answer.
The elf turned as she heard a rustling in a nearby bush. It was always best to be on guard for the ever present hungry animal.
“Ornl leeth slan, (My little elf)” a voice hissed in elvish.
“Who’s there?” Iounelle said.
“Oslee finre gâdmlr, (I am an old friend)” a black viper lisped as it crawled from the brush.
“Baalenruud...” Iounelle said in horror.
“Narskneeyr visreima... (At your service...)” the snake smiled. Then, the large black snake curled in cascading coils. “Gloena’a narsoll. Iofi hínva setri naskreim nauk, (Calm yourself. I will not cause you harm)” the snake said.
“Stop speaking my tongue, Baalenruud,” Iounelle angrily said, rising to her feet.
“Ioll pegra ghen sanrfee sèrda naskreim faena lanisyr, (I thought it would make you feel at home)” Baalenruud hissed.
“Stop speaking my language,” Iounelle shouted. “It sounds filthy in your mouth.”
“Talrfa gakr? (The language of pigs?)” Baalenruud grinned.
Iounelle slowly put her hand on the hilt of the moon sword.
“Be calm, be calm,” Baalenruud said. “I am reborn as a harmless snake. Look at me. Crawling along the earth. The Great Parent has truly humbled me.”
“You saw the light of the Lhalíi, didn’t you, aesir?” Iounelle demanded.
“It can be painful or delicious, depending on who has awaken it,” Baalenruud said spinning black curls of delight.
“I did no such thing,” Iounelle said.
“Not you?” Baalenruud curled closer, tongue flicking. “Look at you, so strong and fearless, just like the prophecies. And look, how you can kill me so easily, again, just like the prophecies.”
“The prophecies said I was to give you your final death, Baalenruud,” Iounelle said between gritted teeth. “Change, aesir,” Iounelle commanded.
“But this body is so much more comfortable,” Baalenruud smiled.
“And so much more dangerous” Iounelle said. “Change.”
“As you wish,” Baalenruud said. And, her body began to shimmer and shudder. He began to grow until he resembled a small, naked man, or woman, with undulating, snake-like legs.
“Ugly in any form,” Iounelle said with contempt. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
“I want to help you,” Baalenruud said. “I want to destroy the... Evil One.” She whispered the last as though He might hear their conversation.
“Is his citadel near?” The elf asked.
“You are practically on top of it,” Baalenruud laughed. “But His cover can not be penetrated. Why even now men are dying in a futile attempt to reach Him.”
“Derragen,” Iounelle breathed. “Lead me to the human who was just here.”
“Why should I do that?” Baalenruud shimmied with a smile. “You have caused me nothing but hurt and pain.”
“I swear to you, serpent- ,” Iounelle said.
“Swear all you like, elf,” Baalenruud said as she stroked her own face. “The problem with you elves is you don’t appreciate death, not like humans. You live too long. You don’t savor life. And death, you know nothing of it’s power.”
“This from a being who is reborn time and again,” Iounelle sneered.
“Oh, but I will die some time,” Baalenruud said, suddenly serious. “Every time is a gamble. Is this the one? The Death? Do you know why The Dark One loves death so much? You stupid thing. Death has power. Death opens up the closed places, specially violent, awful death. If you could see as I do. The murdered soul rips open the fabric with its pain. If you can kill enough like this, oh! What a tear you will have!”
“Why would Deifol Hroth do this? To destroy all creation?” Iounelle breathlessly asked.
“Oh,” Baalenruud said pursing his lips, “He can’t do that. No one can do that. But he can make a terrible mess. A most terrible mess, if he can invite the right one to dinner.” And then Baalenruud laughed a most disgusting and shrill laugh.
“Are you tired of life, goastriechel (last-ling)?”
The elf turned as she heard a rustling in a nearby bush. It was always best to be on guard for the ever present hungry animal.
“Ornl leeth slan, (My little elf)” a voice hissed in elvish.
“Who’s there?” Iounelle said.
“Oslee finre gâdmlr, (I am an old friend)” a black viper lisped as it crawled from the brush.
“Baalenruud...” Iounelle said in horror.
“Narskneeyr visreima... (At your service...)” the snake smiled. Then, the large black snake curled in cascading coils. “Gloena’a narsoll. Iofi hínva setri naskreim nauk, (Calm yourself. I will not cause you harm)” the snake said.
“Stop speaking my tongue, Baalenruud,” Iounelle angrily said, rising to her feet.
“Ioll pegra ghen sanrfee sèrda naskreim faena lanisyr, (I thought it would make you feel at home)” Baalenruud hissed.
“Stop speaking my language,” Iounelle shouted. “It sounds filthy in your mouth.”
“Talrfa gakr? (The language of pigs?)” Baalenruud grinned.
Iounelle slowly put her hand on the hilt of the moon sword.
“Be calm, be calm,” Baalenruud said. “I am reborn as a harmless snake. Look at me. Crawling along the earth. The Great Parent has truly humbled me.”
“You saw the light of the Lhalíi, didn’t you, aesir?” Iounelle demanded.
“It can be painful or delicious, depending on who has awaken it,” Baalenruud said spinning black curls of delight.
“I did no such thing,” Iounelle said.
“Not you?” Baalenruud curled closer, tongue flicking. “Look at you, so strong and fearless, just like the prophecies. And look, how you can kill me so easily, again, just like the prophecies.”
“The prophecies said I was to give you your final death, Baalenruud,” Iounelle said between gritted teeth. “Change, aesir,” Iounelle commanded.
“But this body is so much more comfortable,” Baalenruud smiled.
“And so much more dangerous” Iounelle said. “Change.”
“As you wish,” Baalenruud said. And, her body began to shimmer and shudder. He began to grow until he resembled a small, naked man, or woman, with undulating, snake-like legs.
“Ugly in any form,” Iounelle said with contempt. “What do you want? Why are you here?”
“I want to help you,” Baalenruud said. “I want to destroy the... Evil One.” She whispered the last as though He might hear their conversation.
“Is his citadel near?” The elf asked.
“You are practically on top of it,” Baalenruud laughed. “But His cover can not be penetrated. Why even now men are dying in a futile attempt to reach Him.”
“Derragen,” Iounelle breathed. “Lead me to the human who was just here.”
“Why should I do that?” Baalenruud shimmied with a smile. “You have caused me nothing but hurt and pain.”
“I swear to you, serpent- ,” Iounelle said.
“Swear all you like, elf,” Baalenruud said as she stroked her own face. “The problem with you elves is you don’t appreciate death, not like humans. You live too long. You don’t savor life. And death, you know nothing of it’s power.”
“This from a being who is reborn time and again,” Iounelle sneered.
“Oh, but I will die some time,” Baalenruud said, suddenly serious. “Every time is a gamble. Is this the one? The Death? Do you know why The Dark One loves death so much? You stupid thing. Death has power. Death opens up the closed places, specially violent, awful death. If you could see as I do. The murdered soul rips open the fabric with its pain. If you can kill enough like this, oh! What a tear you will have!”
“Why would Deifol Hroth do this? To destroy all creation?” Iounelle breathlessly asked.
“Oh,” Baalenruud said pursing his lips, “He can’t do that. No one can do that. But he can make a terrible mess. A most terrible mess, if he can invite the right one to dinner.” And then Baalenruud laughed a most disgusting and shrill laugh.
“Are you tired of life, goastriechel (last-ling)?”
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