The Corrupted Sentinel

The Unexpected Events

            ~~~~ Anjui's POV~~~~

The party seemed to be going well. For the most part it was just like a normal day at a court for the elves. Nobility talked to one another about trade, Potential allies and silently planning and plotting their ways of war to take over the little tiny piece of the world they had. Of course there was also the talks of increasing the navy around the sea borders as more and more human raids on the north were happening. Not to mention if it wasn't the humans raiding what little bit of land the elves had it was the goblins popping up in the cave systems that lead into the underway.

The tunnels under all the lands were known as the underway. Usually filled with a constant fighting between orcs, goblins, Drow, and any other race that prefers the darker pretense of the world, but on the rare occasion the races of the underway come to the surface and raid where ever the come up. Recently a lot of goblin activity on the elven isle has been seen, and so many nobility have recently raised an army out of season to defend their lands. Not to mention it was known that the dwarves in the east did not like the elven people, and so a constant watch was posted to make sure no dwarven fleet would sail across to invade as well.

The day seemed to drag on and on in an endless time, but shortly the calls of the night gale could be heard. Instead of retiring most of the nobility stood up and allowed the tables to be moved farther apart and closer to the walls. The ceiling faded away as if by magic to reveal the bright starlight and the first of many rose moons. Anjui had watched the moon go from its dull dusk gray color to a shine of a redish pink. It was the blessing of Luna that they would have another year. The music had begun to play softy from one corner of the room. Slow and quiet at first, it seemed like thousands of instruments began to play all together to cover the room.

The nobility that had arrived all stepped out and started dancing. It wasn't long however before Anjui could see something magnificent. The dance floor had in a sense become even more glittering then the night sky above them. The shimmer and gloss of the gowns and jewelry and armor; even though fake; would sparkle just like a star. If one could see from above he would guess that it looked even more magnificent then the sky itself which would make the gods themselves jealous. The party could have lasted hours and yet still the night would be forever young in the hall. That was until something happened.

It was then a loud boom came from down the hall. The doors had busted open, and in came a single knight. Covered in what appeared to be White armor the knight strode forward in slow sluggish steps almost like he was tired, but could not stop. On the other end Anjui stood from his chair his hand on the fake rapier he had at his hip. Blasted these damn customs, This thing wouldn't do any good. he thought, While not an effective weapon their fake ones would do more then just a little tickle. It would be like taking a fork and stabbing really hard into something it could potentially cause damage, but not much. "State your purpose here." came a booming voice from behind Anjui he could only guess was the Captain of the guards.

The knight yet stayed silent and strode forward, it wasn't however until he reached halfway down the hall that he was stopped. Spears were around him and bows with loaded arrows from the guard were all pointed at this single intruder, but what made anjui curious was how was it he was allowed past the gate? Past the guard at the door? or even past the guards between the two? There had to have been at least what three or four patrols that would have seen him on his journey between the gate and the feasting hall?

"Stop or you will be put to death." came the booming voice of the guard captain again. Thinking about it Anjui looked to a servant on his left. He had only lipped the words go get my sword before the servant was gone. The creature seemed determent however and kept pushing its luck as it strode forward into the circle of spears around it. Swatting away the heads of the spears like they were nothing more then flies buzzing around his head. "Guards stop him." called the captain.

With that order the guards placed within the hall converged upon the single soldier, but it seemed to no avail he swatted them away like flees to a dog. 

"Enough." the young elf prince called as he strode from the chair now behind him to stand between his family and the new comer. 

"What is it you want?" That seemed to strike home as the knight stopped just outside of blade's reach 

"I have come for what is mine." The knight's gaze met Anjui's, but it was his hand that drew the attention as his finger was pointed directly at Shaelia Thaelyr Anjui's older sister. 

"My bride, as was promised."

it was then the white knight drew his blade out and dropping into a battle stance. 

"Any who stand in my way shall meet their end." With those words many of the nobility quickly skitted to the outside of the room giving the warrior a clear view of the noble family, but yet Anjui still stood in his way. The knight looked up to the Felwood nobility. 

"Watch as your child dies now." Diving at the boy the knight only chalked up the floor with the dust his blade caught up. The prince had moved in the nick of time out of the way to his left.

"If you wish to have my sister you will have to go through me." having the servant he sent off earlier appear at his side with his actual rapier Anjui placed himself also in a battle stance ready to fight. The knight once again charged only to predict the prince would move, and so with the boy's movement the knight's blade changed course. Landing a blow on Anjui's left arm it forced him to change his blade to his other hand. 

"Give up, you will never beat me."

Anjui had let out a single war cry, no words only a sound all the force he could muster and with it he charged forward blade ready. The intruder of course followed suit heaving his blade above his head, this time however the unthinkable happened, Anjui allowed the knight to land a blow just deep enough not to loose his limb or a lot of blood, but far enough to force him to let go of his blade as he spun around. Landing his rapier right into the man's right side just above his diaphragm the rapier had an upward angle to it, but it did what needed to be done. It had punctured the man's right lung, and pierced into the heart.

While the knight knew he was defeated he still held himself up for several more minutes everyone just stared at him. Finally he fell to his knees drawing in grasps of breath as the blood started to fill his lung. Anjui stepped up to the man and pulled his rapier out. Falling face first to the floor many whispers and shouts started to come across the hall, but none seemed to matter as all of the felwood nobility were looking at the oldest daughter to the house. Her eyes wide eyed, her face never left their mothers.

"Lords, Ladies, Please calm yourself. It was a minor incident that shall be taken care of." while the yelling and whispers became quiet one voice was heard. It was that of Lord Seilaes Maser from house Stardust. 

"Tell us then Lady Thaeyr, how is it a single knight got past your guards and into your home with not a single warning, not a sound, nothing?" Anjui could tell this would become an uproar and no one would wish to be an ally to the house again, but he had to act fast.

Flipping the body over Anjui's eyes went wide and many sharp gasps could be heard. 

"The mark of the Templar is upon this man's armor." The Templar, they were the guards to the Aeraesar Maelolaer, The Eternal Sentinel. the elven tree of life upon the lands they claimed. It was to the south of where they now stood and upon its own isle. 

"How can this be? No Templar is allowed to leave the grounds unless permission from the Highest order is given, and that is only given by the king. We haven't had a king in centuries. Not sense the time of Eci."

Anjui looked to his mother for answers yet even in her eyes was confusion. There had to be a single answer to this, but what could it mean. Standing up Anjui walked back to his seat, but did not sit like how many of the nobility were now proceeding to do so. If it was the surprise of the intruder or perhaps the surprise it was a Templar which knocked sense out of most of them was unknown, but he would have to solve it. 

"Here me Lords and Ladies of Taerael Airi. The Crescent Isle is under threat; Allow my brother and I to go to the Shaeraer Saesti. The Blessed Temple will give us the answers we need to understand why this templar left their post on the isle."

"How can we take your word for it? The felwood family would rather lie and keep their position then admit they had a Templar here on the grounds the entire time ready to kill us all." 

"Careful where you Throw your accusations Aelori, for all we know it could have been you who had the Templar with you." 

"You must be in league with the Felwoods Myrdar, why else would you defend them so readily?" slowly the room once again erupted into screaming and yelling, only it was far different then before this was shouts in an argument. The potential now was a war could break out and the elves once again would be within a civil war, and not likely survive this one.

It was then the room fell silent as a deep earthly voice could be heard. 

"Silence All of you." Looking around the room all the elves stopped once their eyes hit the doorway. Another figure yet appeared within the frame of it to the outside world. The only thing visible to it was that of an outline. What looked like four legs, a tail, a human torso, and horns, hands that ended in claws instead of fingers. 

"The Sentinel has become corrupted. It is why the Templar is here, he stood guard over a corrupted tree and became so himself. If you do not work together to fix this all the elves here on the Isle will be lost and Corruption will spread from here across the world infecting everything."

It was then the brilliance of the moon shown the white stag of the elven god of the forest. 

"You must reunite the elven people. Get the Tylshaer Maelolaer (Nightwell Sentinel), Shori Maelolaer (The White Sentinel) Shyr Maelolaer,(Blood Sentinel), and the Melshaer Maelolaer(Sunwell Sentinel) all together. With power drawn from each of them you can clense the Aeraesar Maelolaer(Eternal Sentinel)." With those words the great creature was gone and the room seemed almost empty, the air was tense, but if one focused enough they could hear everyone's breathing or a pin drop in water.

The group once again started screaming and shouting only to once again be overshot by a single voice. 

"Shut up all of you." Anjui had his hand gripped into a tight fist his knuckles turning white. The guards from the nobility of course all went into a defensive stance standing between their noble representative and the rest of the nobles including the felwood family and the guards that were not in the center of the room their blades drawn as well. 

"I offered to go to the tree, I shall be the one to reunite the elven people under a single banner."

Laughter bursted forth from the nobles, even from his own family behind him. Anjui looked to his twin brother a plee in his eyes for help, but yet he remained silent. 

"Very well you will all pay for this. Guards see our guests out of our lands in the morning." the laughter stopped abruptly and many blades still drawn. 

"Son what are you doing? You are not ruler here in Felwood lands." It was then Anjui turned to his family a devilish smile upon his face almost like the corruption from the Templar had seeped into him from the wound inflicted upon his person.

"Captain Tystalaes, see to it that my family is also escorted off the lands. We are no longer House Thaelyr, From now on these lands shall belong to Masjhol, The banner of House Starlight will claim the elven isle and expand beyond like the White stag has commanded." It was finally then the voice of his twin that came through to his ears. 

"Was this your plan all along brother? To take the house from under our family's feet?" shaking his head back and forth Ado stood up and stepped down the few stairs to stand in front of his brother.

Anjui was cautious around his twin, this was the first time he had after all done something without his twin knowing anything at all. of course shaking his head no Anjui looked to his brother, no words came to him to figure a way to convince his brother to join him. It seemed however it was already decided 

"Then allow me to stay by your side. Together we shall unit the elven people once more. The Mas sol will not be split. We shall forever be twin stars. Shinning brightly next to one another and there to support each other."

Anjui smiled a wet moisture came to his eyes to know at least one member of his family would be there to support him. 

"Thank you brother." Snapping his fingers the house guards within the hall seemed to double in no time, and now there were ten guards for each noble that was there. 

"Pandryl jhaendrol escort the guests to their quarters. They will be leaving in the morning." The dragon legion did as they were ordered. Anjui stood in the hall, a crown now in his hand forged original for his mother, now removed from her head.

Like the rest of his family the crown was a single thing. a wreath of gold meant to wrap around the head, however the crown was different. It was several cords of gold woven together into the wreath. and in the middle of the forehead the wreath would hold a masjhol kaes, a starlight gem. to the elves the most precious gem next to that only of amber.  

                ~~~~~ Ado's POV~~~~

Watching the guests closely Ado had noticed it all seemed to procced smoothly. The public talk of seasons passing, harvests, and festival planning, even the recent raiding of the goblins and the tactics many used to deal with them. It seemed the elves had no problem talking about decent things when around others, but Ado wasn't interested at all with those minor things it was more the side room and dark corner talks that had drawn his attention to many of the guests. Perhaps it was his super sensitive hearing that allowed him to pick up on many of the conversations, or his keen ability to fixate on a person and hear them clearly like they were standing next to him.

Many of the Nobility talked more in private about allies of houses and potential declarations of war upon other houses. Trade agreements, bargains for land or use of an army or navy. There was even more darker talk of marriages. To elves to marry off a family member to another house was a private matter, as it would show the public and even the other houses what house could call another as allies. Ado knew this well and it was a good show in public that his Grandfather had married his parents. While the Thaelyr family was not considered high nobility, due to only being of house rank fifteen. Their mother's original house of Maser was a very high house, considering they were house rank one and have held that position for quite some time. Below them was houe Verdia. which while ruled currently by Lady Saer Verdia. The oldest of the Thaelyr family were to be wed into the house to the Verdia heir. The oldest Taraern would be known as Taraern Verdia upon his marriage. His twin Bastaer would marry into the third ranked house, House Per, he would upon his marriage be known as Bastaer Per. fitting they would go to different houses.

Their mother had hoped to strength house Thaelyr's position by marriage their royal line off to other houses, and potentially one day have all the top houses under their name, of course that would be long in the making as that would require many nobility to yet see house Thaelyr under their mother's rule. While she was a figure head and probably the public ruling, it was actually their father Lord Systar Thaelyr who ruled the house.

Many eyes were scanning around when Ado was watching, many looked up to the Royal family and words formed, but Ado could only pick up minor things such as how many there were and what was their mother plan? That is what drew the young prince's attention to himself. What was his mother's intention for the rest of the siblings? She could marry them all off to other houses and have her youngest child she was carrying now to take over the house, but that would yet require her to strength the bond between her children, as they could still yet wage war upon each other for the same reasons many nobles do now. Money, land, power, resources.

It was then the sounds of music came across the young male's ears which had caused them to perk up. He couldn't pick up any more talks besides the ones he could hear clearly and that was only of the nobility once again returning to public talks, and if it wasn't public talks it was the nobility asking each other for a dance here and there or asking for a refill upon their drink. Servants scuffling about and the nobility had stood up and so did Ado and his family. It was then the tables and seats had all been moved to the outside of the room. of course it was time for dancing. It wouldn't be a festival without dancing involved. It was then the music had drowned out everything else, and so Ado watched as the nobility glided around the floor just like swans on a lake, if that lake was as dark as the night sky and as passively bright as a thousand stars.

The dancing and music continued for what seemed a long while before the door's busted open with a bang upon the twin iron doors hitting the walls behind them. A single knight in white stepped forward, fully armored head to toe Ado turned his face to look at his family, but none of them acknowledge his presence only watched as the knight proceeded forward. Ado's attention turned back to the knight when the Captain behind him shouted. "State your purpose here." the knight seemed to pause for but a second before continuing his slow pace towards the end of the room.

It was only upon the knight reaching farther into the room that the captain said something else. "Stop or you will be put to death." This once again paused the knight for a little bit, but not completely. continuing he seemed determined to finish whatever he came here for. It was upon him reaching halfway down the hall that the Captain gave the order for his men to stop the knight, but he only swatted them away like little kids did with just about anything. Going for his own blade Ado just gripped the wooden handle of his fake blade. Just as Ado was about to have the servant fetch his blade Anjui had already sent a servant to receive his own.

It was then Ado watch his twin brother stand and step in the way of the knight as he kept his dreaded foot falls towards the end of the hall where the family sat. 

"Enough." the young male wanted to grab his twin and drag him back to his chair, but he could not he was frozen in his own chair and it confused him. Why was he so frightened of this single knight? Was it the fact he beat so many of their guard that had him scared? no that wasn't it. It was the fact this knight had gotten through their guard on the wall above the gate, through several patrols, and even through the guard placed upon the hall with ease that had scared him most. And now he would watch as his twin fought the man single combat.

"what is it you want?" Anjui would get to the point without bloodshed it seemed. The knight stopped dead a few feet from the noble that now stood between his family and the knight. The knight's gaze yet the noble in front of him, but all eyes were drawn to his hand as it pointed to their older sister, Shaelia Thaelyr. 

"I have come for what is mine." silent a moment the knight's voice drew in a breath to let out more words. Anjui's eyes even followed the man's finger to gaze right at his sister. 

"My bride, as was promised." Ado and Anjui's eyes both went back to the knight.

The click of metal coming out of it's sheath drew the rest of the room's attention as the white figure pulled his claymore blade and dropped into a battle stance with the words pouring out 

"Any who stand in my way shall meet their end." Every noble in the room shuffled on their feet careful not to trip over their own feet or others as they backed up almost being on top of the table now at the edge of the room. The male's eyes never left the knight half expected his brother to move as well, but what dawned upon him that Anjui didn't move was the knight turning to the family and spoke clearly. 

"Watch as your child dies now." Ado stood from his chair as the knight swung his blade down and threw up dust from the floor connecting with his blade. Anjui's fast reaction had allowed him to dodge the blade.

Watching as the fight went by it was but a few seconds. At first nothing seemed to move, but with the words his brother spoke of getting to their sister Ado had the servant retreive his blade as well incase Anjui needed help. Now focused on the battle more so the knight inflicted the first wound, but it seemed it was intentional. He nearly took off the young male's left hand which forced him to switch to his right. The knight however got cocky 

"Give up, you will never beat me." It was with those words the servant had returned and placed Ado's own blade in his hands.

His head whipped around however hearing Anjui give out a warcry and charged the knight. Forcing the man's blade out of his grasp as it dug into his shoulder. Anjui landed a deadly blow with his rapier. Piercing the man through the right side into his lung and heart and out of his left side just below his armpit. He however seemed to take the end of the battle as nothing more then a scratch to his person, that was until Anjui withdrew the blade from him. It had forced the man to stop fighting and hold himself upright. All the eyes in the room watched as the knight stood there for several more minutes, but once he fell to his knees the room seemed to ease a little bit. It was the man's body falling face forward into the marble of the floor that the nobility began to shout and scream over one another.

Looking around Ado's gaze fell upon his sisters, whom was focused on their mother. Her voice drew everyone's attention to silence. 

"Lords, Ladies, Please calm yourself. It was a minor incident that shall be taken care of." while the yelling and whispers became quiet one voice was heard. It was that of Lord Seilaes Maser from house Stardust. 

"Tell us then Lady Thaeyr, how is it a single knight got past your guards and into your home with not a single warning, not a sound, nothing?" Anjui could tell this would become an uproar and no one would wish to be an ally to the house again, but he had to act fast.

Ado's attention was more focused on the nobles who were once again starting to yell, but out of all of it his brother's voice drowned them out. 

"The mark of the Templar is upon this man's armor." The Templar, they were the guards to the Aeraesar Maelolaer, The Eternal Sentinel. the elven tree of life upon the lands they claimed. It was to the south of where they now stood and upon its own isle. 

"How can this be? No Templar is allowed to leave the grounds unless permission from the Highest order is given, and that is only given by the king. We haven't had a king in centuries. Not sense the time of Eci."

Ado like the rest of his siblings looked to their mother for answers yet even in her eyes was confusion. Turning his attention once again to the nobility it was Anjui standing up walking back to his seat that had kept Ado's attention. What was it that he was planning to do? seeing the look of determination on his brother's face it was the silk voice that came from Anjui that once again held the room at silence. 

"Here me Lords and Ladies of Taerael Airi. The Crescent Isle is under threat; Allow my brother and I to go to the Shaeraer Saesti. The Blessed Temple will give us the answers we need to understand why this templar left their post on the isle."

"How can we take your word for it? The felwood family would rather lie and keep their position then admit they had a Templar here on the grounds the entire time ready to kill us all." 

"Careful where you Throw your accusations Aelori, for all we know it could have been you who had the Templar with you." 

"You must be in league with the Felwoods Myrdar, why else would you defend them so readily?" slowly the room once again erupted into screaming and yelling, only it was far different then before this was shouts. This time war was being called for, as the Templar were one thing no one would dare to use, and even less likely then mercenaries from the other races, but yet here lay one dead. Ado's eyes fell upon the body and back to his brother. He must have been planning something. his eyes caught movement from the edge of his vision and so Ado turned his head to the interior of the room again, but saw nothing. That was until the door's once again seemed to stand wide open.

It was then the room fell silent as a deep earthly voice could be heard. 

"Silence All of you." Looking around the room all the elves stopped once their eyes hit the doorway. Another figure yet appeared within the frame of it to the outside world. The only thing visible to it was that of an outline. What looked like four legs, a tail, a human torso, and horns, hands that ended in claws instead of fingers. 

"The Sentinel has become corrupted. It is why the Templar is here, he stood guard over a corrupted tree and became so himself. If you do not work together to fix this all the elves here on the Isle will be lost and Corruption will spread from here across the world infecting everything."

It was then the brilliance of the moon shown the white stag of the elven god of the forest. 

"You must reunite the elven people. Get the Tylshaer Maelolaer, Shori Maelolaer, Shyr Maelolaer, and the Melshaer Maelolaer all together. With power drawn from each of them you can cleanse the Aeraesar Maelolaer." With those words the great creature was gone and the room seemed almost empty, the air was tense, but if one focused enough they could hear everyone's breathing or a pin drop in water. Trailing his eyes around the room many nobility were stunned. Had they just seen the god of the wilds? Many couldn't believe it, but they couldn't deny it either.

The group once again started screaming and shouting only to once again be overshot by a single voice. 

"Shut up all of you." Anjui's voice drew the attention of the room. He was standing there his hand gripped into a tight fist his knuckles turning white. The guards from the nobility of course all went into a defensive stance standing between their nobles and the rest of the nobles including the family guards that were not in the center of the room their blades drawn as well. 

"I offered to go to the tree, I shall be the one to reunite the elven people under a single banner." So that was his plan then? To follow what the great god had said. Turning it over and over in his own head it seemed the logical thing to do.

Laughter busted forth from the nobles, even from their own family. it was then Ado and Anjui's eyes locked. The younger had a plee in his eyes for help, but yet Ado remained silent. How could he side with his brother over the rest of the family? how was it he could follow the words of a brother over elven customs? 

"Very well you will all pay for this. Guards see our guests out of our lands in the morning." the laughter stopped abruptly and many of the guards went back to a defensive position. 

"Son what are you doing? You are not ruler here in Felwood lands." The words came from their father. Of course Ado's attention was still upon his brother, who had his back to his family until that moment. Anjui had turned to face the family a devilish smile upon his face.

"Captain Tystalaes, see to it that my family is also escorted off the lands. We are no longer House Thaelyr, From now on these lands shall belong to Masjhol, The banner of House Starlight will claim the elven isle and expand beyond like the White stag has commanded." Those words had finally set Ado's mind in place. He would side with his brother and so Ado called to his twin who now stood in the middle of the hall. 

"Was this your plan all along brother? To take the house from under our family's feet?" Shaking his own head the young male stepped down the steps to stand in front of his brother. He had placed his left hand on his brother's left shoulder. It was a gesture of connection to the two of them.

Ado knew his brother would be cautious around him, why wouldn't he be? this was the first time he had after all done something without Ado knowing anything at all. of course shaking his head no Anjui had his golden eyes locked to Ado's. The younger twin seemed to be searching for words to say, but yet not a sound came out. Without hesitating Ado spoke even more 

"Then allow me to stay by your side. Together we shall unit the elven people once more. The Mas sol will not be split. We shall forever be twin stars. Shinning brightly next to one another and there to support each other."

Watching as his brother Anjui smiled, the wet moisture of tears glittered at the edges of his eyes. speaking with their foreheads connected 

"Thank you brother." Pulling his head away from Ado's Anjui snapped his fingers, the house guards within the hall seemed to double in no time, and now there were ten guards for each noble that was there if not more. 

"Pandryl jhaendrol escort the guests to their quarters. They will be leaving in the morning." The dragon legion did as they were ordered. Watching as the guards escorted the family out first through a door to the left of the rise they sat upon. The nobles' watched as they were forced to leave their own hall. After them the nobility were lead out of the room, Ado watching as each small group left and were likely lead to their rooms and the guards stood on guard just outside the door.

Watching as his brother returned to the seats their family had recently vacated Ado came up to his brother sitting on the chair next to him. Looking upon the wreath crown that was once upon their mother's head. A simple design in consideration of the crown his brother would carry upon his head if the dreams he had would be seen to fruition. To unite all of the Soraer Thysaer would be a hard task in its own right, but to unite all the elven people again under a single banner would be a miracle one would aspire to accomplish in their life.