* Maladil's cold luminescence drifted towards Nardol and Poppy until he stood inches away, sword in hand glittering, but held down absentmindedly, scraping the red marble tiled floor. Amid flickers of sickly blue light, the Elf and Hobbit representing Lord Elrond could see tatters of cloth hung streaming down where daggers had ripped Maladil's nightrobe. Worse, gash wounds were visible on either side of the ghost's torso, and a ghastly gaping darkness where the heart had been. His hair was a long lank black, eyes of subdued coal-grey sharp enough to cut you down if he gazed at you directly and with purpose, expression a stern searching smolder, posture ready to spring. *
* The Butler followed his master only as far as the door to the Great Hall, allowing Maladil to continue on into the middle of the Hall to meet his two guests. Guilin, a man-at-arms wielding a halberd, drifted in after Maladil and stood forlorn several paces behind his master, with pleading eyes eager to speak, but keeping silent out of fear. *
* Maladil bowed with utmost courtesy, first to Poppy, then to Nardol. He made them no fair greeting, beyond carefully uttering their names until each nodded that they had heard ... "Ammmbbbaaassaadddorr." ... "Mmaaccaarr." Maladil reached out for the sack of gold with his left hand, his right still clutching his weapon, which now looked like a crutch standing to support nothing. *
* Poppy and Nardol returned Maladil's bow in kind. Nardol held out the sack until he was certain it was within Maladil's grip, then let go and withrew his arm again to his side. *
* Maladil spoke: * ... alliance ... old between ... Houses ... Elrond, Galadriel, ... Maladil ... firm. ... Laurëondo ... fight ... Orc ... fell ... Nameless Land ... seek ... come, ... servants ... perimeter ... grounds, myself ... Castle itself. ... two Nameless ..., one ... East, ... other farthest West, ... curses ... you ... brought ... West with ...! Thus Begone Hence!
* Guilin could not bear it! He whisked over to Poppy, meaning to follow her close should she turn and leave. Yes, she must go, Lord Maladil had so commanded. But on the way, she might speak to him. Guilin's halberd clattered to the floor unheeded. * "Tiiidinnggss!" he cried, "Outtt-sssiiiidde ... ww-whattt ... ?"
* Meanwhile, Maladil's sword began to glow blue, with a strong, bright light. *
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