The History of Alliliel
Part VI
Alliliel wandered the Freeport market, not really looking where she was headed. For the past few weeks, she felt as if she was in a fog. The death of Savinae was wholly unexpected, and it left her feeling empty.
Wandering out of North Freeport, she continued into East Freeport. The streets were narrower, darker, but Alliliel wasn’t paying attention. As she turned the corner, there was a tug on her tunic. Looking down, she saw a small human boy.
"What are you doing here, child? Are you lost?" Looking around, Alliliel realized that this was no place for an Elven Cleric, much less an unattended child.
"Ummm... I’m lost. I can’t find my father. We were at the market." The boy looked confused and about ready to cry.
Alliliel knelt down and put her arms on the boy’s shoulders.
"There now, we’ll find your father. The market is only right over there. Come now, and let’s go. I’m sure we can find him!"
She offered the boy her hand and they went off down the dirt-covered street together.
---
Passing a narrow crevice in the wall, neither the cleric nor the boy noticed a pale green glow coming from within. After they passed, a small, gloved hand emerged from the crevice, holding the corner of the stone wall, and then a small form emerged, pulling itself free form the crevice, its eyes burning.
The gnome looked about, to see if his egress had been seen. Satisfied, he moved his hands and threw something to the ground. A skeleton sprang up, summoned from the depths. Eyeing his pet, the gnome smiled.
"Oh young elves are needed! Yes, needed by me. All the pretty inside parts for spells, yes?"
The skeleton didn’t respond, its eyeholes barren and lifeless.
With a wicked grin the gnome beckoned and the undead creature followed.
---
The wave of nausea struck Alliliel as she turned the corner. Retching, dizzy and feverish suddenly, she felt her life suddenly draining away. Stumbling, she leaned up on the wall for support and tried to catch her breath.
The boy looked up, "Lady! Lady!" as he saw the elf suddenly looking so ill.
The gnome emerged from the shadow and clapped his hands together greedily. "Oh the boy parts and the elf parts! I need them. Needing, I take! Many good parts for the spells, heehee!" The gnome watched carefully as the elf’s skin turned from fair to purple. The boy cried, and made a step to run away, but the gnome’s undead companion picked him up the boy in one quick motion.
Alliliel, not knowing what was happening, saw her vision go blurry, and she seemed very far away from herself. She struggled to breathe as fits of sickness came in ever increasing waves. Falling to the ground, bleeding, skin bruised and gaunt, she struggled to move. She did not even see the gnomish villain. But as she opened her eyes, she saw only a skeleton, holding the boy.
In a raging fever, she knew not what to do but to make the words to cure, as Master Yeolarn had taught her. Suddenly refreshed with her healing, she leaned up and tried to stand.
"We will not have this! No, not at all! No fightings! We don’t like the fightings!" the gnome called out as he moved to refresh his wicked magics on the elf.
The magics did not take hold of her, and Alliliel sensed the magic failing against her. Healing herself, she turned on the scene around her. Seeing the gnome and the child in the skeleton’s hands, she moved quickly to dispatch the skeleton with her powerful magic to banish the undead. The boy landed on his side when the skeleton fell and cried out.
"This is no goods, the elf is to die! I takes the parts, needs parts! You stop my plans, elf!" The gnome complained, half to himself, half to his intended victims.
Fully restored, Alliliel stood between the crying boy and the smiling necromancer.
"You will not advance, you will not harm him. For if you try, I will smite you."
A frown appeared on his face as he made a move to cast some dark magic when suddenly there was a flash of silver, a thud, and then silence. The head of the creature was hewn, in one mighty blow.
A knight stood there, gleaming in silver and white.
"Brave of you lady, but this is no place for women and children! Begone from this place, before more vile creatures seep out of the sewers to waylay you."
Alliliel bent over the boy, looking at his broken foot.
"There, there. There’s nothing wrong with you! Your foot isn’t broken, see? Stand up!" she commanded to the boy who while still sniffling, was very brave.
"It’s better! How did you fix it like that?"
"I fell and hurt myself once, and someone came and helped me, and taught me how to fix such injuries." With a smile in her eye she held the boy’s hand as they turned to face the knight.
Alliliel bowed deeply.
"Sir, you have done us a great service. We are in your debt."
"It is of no concern. But you had best move along. The streets aren’t safe here."
"Sir, I must have your name, this boy is lost, and when I return him to his house, his father will surely want to know whom to thank?"
"One knight in the service of the righteous is much like any other. Now come!" he said.
The man, the elf and the boy hurried along the dark streets of East Freeport, towards the welcoming lights of the North.