[Amanaduial the archer]

The pain in Fionel's arm was unbearable. She turned her head slowly to see the long curved blade that had actually gone through her arm- it was so surreal. Had it gone through the bone? She felt herself wondering. Her thoughts were more abstract, and as the pain surrounded her, it seemed it would be easier and easier to sink into unconciousness...

But Haven's cries now rung in her ears. She forced her eyes back open to see the young, black haired girl lying, curled up, on the floor. Shivana laughed wickedly and nudged Haven with her foot. The girl rolled over slightly and coughed and Fionel realised that the pretty red liquid which was trickling out of her mouth was indeed blood. But there was so much...

Shivana turned back to where Ekatran stood, distracted by the commotion and Shivana's brutality. In this pause, Rhunnaro had managed to roll to the side, and had gone quickly to Haven's side, kneeling beside her and trying to staunch the bleeding. Shivana sneered, and exchanged a look with Ekatran.

"A heartwarming sight, isn't it, Ekatran?" She said, her voice bitter sweet. He smiled back and, very slowly, twirling his blade in his hand, began to walk towards Rhunnaro and the dying Haven.

But Fionel had other plans for them. Beside her another had appeared and, after hearing a murmered apology, she felt the dagger pulled from her arm in a desperate wrench, releasing her from the tree. Almost overwhelmed by the total white hot pain which seared through from her fingertips to her collar bone, Fionel forced herself to stay upright. Lanbriel steadied her, then she herself was pulled away by another- Shivana again. Fionel felt her mind growing fuzzy and unfocused, but made herself stay concious. Ekatran and Shivana were paying no heed to her now, the former menacingly circling Rhunnaro and Haven, the latter, who had been attempting to deal with Lanbriel, now coming back to where Haven lay. Fionel glanced around, her mind coated in cotton wool, and saw the fuzzy figure of Tenzin not far away. He saw what she meant to do, and began to raise his bow, an arrow fixed in it, drawing back the bowstring to fix his sights on the mighty Lord Ekatran as he began to taunt his pray. As for Fionel, she could no longer hear the words Ekatran or Shivana said. There were suddenly only a very few things in her world. She balanced the long, curved dagger in her hand, feeling the weight of it, measuring the distance between herself and Shivana, and all the while felt her strength draining away. Her eyes were fixed upon the spot just between Shivana's shoulder blades as she drew back the dagger. She stepped backwards, then took two quick steps forwards, to get into the motion and, with a last surge of strength, she hurled the dagger at the Hunter. She slipped as she threw it though and as the long dagger sliced through the air, Fionel fell to the ground.

The blade did indeed find its target, but Fionel did not see it as she stumbled to the floor, falling to her knees, then onto her hands. Her left arm collapsed under her and she rolled to the side. The darkness of unconciousness was coming closer and closer, and she didn't see the rest of the scene unfold. She didn't see Shivana scream and spin around, clawing at the dagger, didn't see Rhunnarp reach up and wrench it out, making Shivana fall to the ground in pain. She didn't see Shivana stop writhing, whether unconcious from pain and shock or dead she did not know, as both her wounds caused her pain and agony on the same level as Fionel- Fionel had not even noticed, in her strange, fuzzy state that Lanbriel had managed to wound her already. Nor did Fionel see said Lanbriel run towards the spot where Haven still lay, convulsing gently, her breathing shallow. If she had seen, she would have seen Ekatran try to shove the slave away from her dying companion spitefully, before his sword was knocked out of his hand by Rhunnaro, who stood like an image of vengeance solidified, forcing the Lord of Nurn to drop his weapon and step away.

But she did see Tenzin as he ran to her side, kneeling down beside her. As the darkness closed around Fionel, she reached up, her left arm trembling and burning, reaching into her tunic. With a quick wrench she pulled the knot on the cord free, her hand closed over the little green wind horse and, as Tenzin began to fumble over the wound in her arm, she held the horse out to him. Both his hands closed over her small, trembling fingers and hand, and as they did so, the darkness closed over her mind, allowing her to slip into blessed unconciousness.

[ June 17, 2003: Message edited by: Amanaduial the archer ]