QUEST FOR THE SEALS, PART III

Elijah the Holy, High One of Valorn,
waited for word from warlike T'yandra.
Her long delay left him uneasy,
pacing the pavestones, praying in silence.
Then a bright signal burned in the sky,
fire from afar, flare of danger,
and hastening forth, horror-driven,
Elijah came, calling the heroes.
"T'yandra has fallen to frightful demons.
She lies on the plains, perilously injured,
with the scroll to summon the third of the Seals."

Swiftly from Milltown they made their way:
Chade Fallstar, the fearless rogue,
Fondour the warrior, fierce sword-wielder,
warm-hearted Korrith, well-beloved,
Quasha Lavarte, loyal lady,
Remy the silent, the swamp-dweller,
wise Sarducci, the Winter's Knight,
Shadow Ryder, strong enchanter,
Thorne Blackrose with baleful eyes,
gentle Gellawyn, generous Edenn,
swift Xanthias, skilled Allessandra:
these twelve set out, their task before them.

First to find her was fleet-footed Xanthias,
then others gathered at a ghastly sight:
T'yandra Stallheart, strong hammer-bearer,
torn by demons, terribly wounded.
Her crimson blood covered the ground;
no cleric's healing halted the flow,
nor could she walk, weakened and drained
by Demon Lord's curse, cruel and deadly.
Faintly she whispered her will to the heroes:
strong arms to help, to strengthen her way
to the Milltown Temple, to tell of disaster.

Many offered their aid and strength,
but two she leaned on, left and right,
Korrith the cleric, clear-sighted healer,
and the fierce foe's-bane, Fondour the warrior.
Then Shadow Ryder upraised his hands
with power and skill to summon a portal.
Slowly they struggled through the shimmering gate
and the swelling crowd, to the shrine at Milltown.

In the inner room rested T'yandra,
her lifeblood ebbing. Elijah the Holy
strove for healing, his hands upon her,
perceiving the depth of the deadly wound.
His downward gaze was grim and desperate,
as white and bleak as winter snows.

He bowed his head. In the blink of an eye
he emptied himself, the oathbound cleric,
of his life-force, to the final drop,
to lift the curse, to close the wound.
T'yandra stirred, stood on her feet;
Elijah dropped, dead when he fell.

T'yandra wept, for well she knew
the price of her life paid by Elijah.
Bowed down with grief was the battle-cleric,
but soon through tears she spoke to the heroes:
"The scroll needed to summon the Seal
was taken by force from my fallen body,
scattered through Valorn by vile demons,
flung to the wind in five pieces.
If those fragments are found and returned,
we may have hope, with the help of the gods."

So the bold-hearted heroes of Valorn
hunted demons, diligently searching
both far and wide for fragments lost.
And slowly but surely the searchers returned,
from green prairies or paths through the swamp,
with scraps of parchment, the precious scroll.
Oscar Roma, Reesa Ambernight,
Night Shadowhawk and Shakl Kull,
and brave Brello brought the fragments.

T'yandra gathered the torn scroll-pieces.
She prayed to Ben, Builder of Worlds,
to the World Mover and mighty Darren,
and to the goddesses, gracious Carol,
Julia and Xia, jewels of radiance.

Behold! in the air a brightness shone;
the goddess Carol granted her presence
to those in the hall and holy T'yandra.
She told T'yandra, "Take up the scroll,
hold the fragments high and skyward."
With shining rainbows the room was filled
by the hand of the goddess; a glowing globe
surrounded the fragments with a fierce light.
A fragrance blossomed, filling the air,
sweeter than flowers, a scent divine,
and in sight of all the Seal appeared
in T'yandra's hands, held to the sky.

Then Carol the bountiful blessed the gathering
and looked on Elijah where he lay still,
covered with honor by the cloak of Xanthias.
She turned her face to the faithful cleric,
filling his body with beautiful light,
and Elijah breathed, his life renewed.

With trembling hands he took the Seal
to its rightful place, at rest on the altar.
Though weak and wan, he warned the heroes
to save their strength for the Seals remaining,
then went his way, to well-earned rest.

Now the third Seal shone on the altar,
holy emblem, earth-born protection,
keeper of hope, the Keystone Seal.

QUEST FOR THE SEALS, PART II

The High One spoke, the Holy Elijah:
"Not for seeking is the second Seal.
That Seal was lost through long ages,
its substance faded in the fabric of Valorn."

"To call it forth, created anew,
of rainbow light reborn it must be:
red and orange, rich and glowing,
Sunrifter's yellow, springtime green,
blue as the sky, brown as the earth,
royal purple and precious gold,
and moonbright silver, shining and pure."

"With the strength of all we summon this Seal,
the young and willing, the wise in battle.
At eighteen marcs, to Milltown's shrine,
by godly mist guarded from evil,
bring of your bounty, your battle-prizes,
newly gathered, gained by striving.
Of many levels, mighty and lesser,
of many hues, from the heart's gifts,
to regain the Seal, by the gods' will."

They heard his words, the heroes of Valorn;
but evil listened, learning their plans,
and lurked in shadows, leaping from darkness
to rip a ratskin from a rogue's head.
Fine jewels were lost, limpid water gems
snatched and stolen by snarling demons.
Glowing soul stones, silken garments,
by demon talons were torn away.

Still the adventurers, valiant hunters,
made haste to Milltown with many gifts,
won by hard fight from foes and danger.
By sacred mist safely defended,
they heeded the words of the High One of Valorn.

T'yandra Stallheart stood beside him,
at his right hand, holy and powerful
hammer-bearer, battle-cleric.
She swore an oath, stern defender,
to die at the door ere demons entered.
But the mist held, the holy protection;
no evil thing entered that shrine.

Clear-sighted Elijah called to the people,
"Watch and wait for my word and sign,
to bring to the altar your best offerings
of Valorn's colors, in careful order."

First he summoned Sunrifter's yellow:
fine silk clothing, fruit of korunga,
soul stones shining from the sinister Wall:
the bright color covered the altar.

Orange he named the next brought forward:
from the fierce depths of fiery caverns,
burning demon hearts, bright and heavy,
and glowing lava rocks gleamed on the altar.

Red was the color called in its turn:
fresh bos meat, a fireworm cloak,
silks like blood, sunset-colored,
dazzled the eye, adorned the altar.

Purple was next, proud and royal:
simple fabrics, fine bunnyfuz,
and silk well-dyed, deeply hued:
beautiful garments graced the altar.

The next was blue, bright sky-color:
crystals of ice from cold caverns,
clear water-gems from western forests,
cerulean glory glowed on the altar.

Green was the last, with generous gifts:
rare fine jewels, jellies hardened,
tree moss tea, thistles of Verthedge,
a glowing short sword shone on the altar.

Elijah spoke. "Still we require
a base for the Seal, a strong foundation."
To build that base, brown was the color:
hats of ratskin, hides of war moose
and raging bears were brought to the altar.

"To finish the Seal, the final stroke,
precious gold, purest of metals,
and mirror-bright silver make all complete."

Thus spake Elijah, with T'yandra beside him.
Treasures in hand, the heroes of Valorn
brought to the altar amulets of gold
and golden rings, round and shining,
bands of silver, beautiful bracelets,
and solid amulets shimmered on the altar.

The holy Elijah his hands upraised,
praying to Ben, Builder of Worlds,
and the World Mover, mighty Cory.

Above the altar the air grew bright
as skies after rain; a radiant warmth
and a band of color burst into light,
forming a crystal, a flawless gem,
a perfect prism of Cory's Protection.

Now in the shrine, the second Seal
was made complete, prism of light,
fair-hued rainbow, risen in triumph
by the gods' blessing and the bravery of Valorn.