I groan and force my eyes open.

What happened last night?

Or has it been days?

I don't even remember...

I roll over only to find myself falling, and eventually colliding with the floor. I bite back a curse and grab the side of the bed to pull myself back up.

Wait, bed?

I look down and see a bed, it's soft with a thick white blanket covering it, although half of the blanket is hanging on the floor from where I fell off. That's when I notice my clothes. Instead of being dressed in black, I'm wearing all white. I'm also barefoot with my hair hanging loosely over my shoulders, why do I keep waking up either missing my clothes or wearing new ones?

I search the small room for any sign of my usual black shirt or even my cloak. I feel uncomfortable in these white clothes, they're too clean, too loose, and the shirt doesn't have sleeves. I hate having my arms exposed! In fact, I hate having any part of my skin exposed. I don't have to tell you my reasons either, you've been following me around long enough to figure it out.

Anyways, I search through a tall, dark wood wardrobe and only find grey and white clothes. Why don't any of these shirts have sleeves? And what about boots? I hate being barefoot! I can't find my cloak anywhere, I couldn't have lost another one. If Pallando finds out I lost this cloak he'll-

I freeze where I stand. My hand nearly tears the grey shirt I'm holding.

Pallando, the amulet, shadows, Darovel, Morwen, Daeris, Oroth, Faervel, Ramben!

I run towards the door, crashing into it instead of opening it. I shake my head run towards it again, this time throwing it open and tearing down the hall like a madman. I don't see where I'm going, where am I going?

All the memories...

Everything that happened...

It's all coming back.

"Amarth!" Someone is running behind me but I ignore them. I remember Pallando giving me the amulet, not knowing whether he lives or not.

"Amarth stop!"

The shadows, they were hunting me.

Morwen, she's alive.

Daeris.

She tried to take me...

She tried to kill them...

Ramben!

Something hard collides into my back and two arms wrap around me. I struggle against them and free my arm. I slam my elbow into my captor's stomach and his grip lessens, but not enough for him to release me.

"Amarth it's me! Calm down before you hurt yourself!"
"Darovel?" I pause and look over my shoulder, sure enough, it is the human whom I met in Minas Tirith.
"Are you alright?" He asks releasing me, though he still seems wary.
"Am I alright?! I wake up in this strange place not remembering a thing! Then I suddenly remember everything, I'm panicking because I don't know where I am or how I got here, and where is Ramben?!"

Darovel opens his mouth as if he's about to answer before closing it. What's he hiding from me?
"How much do you remember?" He asks finally.
"I remember you all napping when Daeris tried to take me again." I narrow my eyes but he doesn't react to my open hostility. "I know that someone named Faervel drove her away, and I also know that Ramben almost died. Now where is he?"

I'm nearing the end of my rope. If I don't get answers soon someone is going to have to answer for it. Darovel sighs and glances over my shoulder. I follow his gaze but I don't see anything.
"Come with me." He walks forward without another word, and of course, I follow. I notice for the first time that Darovel is wearing the same clothing as I am, except it's grey, and he has sleeves.

I didn't notice it before either, but he's limping. Wait, he was in Oroth's lair, what happened to him in there? I'm tempted to ask him but I think better of it. I for one hate bringing up past experiences that I'd rather forget, although I have a feeling I'll find out eventually.

I look around and see that we're not in a hallway at all. There are no walls just railings and the occasional wooden pillar holding up the roof above us. All the wood is a light silver, I can't tell from what tree it's made from at all, I've never seen anything like it. Outside are trees as far as the eye can see, but the bark on them is dark just like the wardrobe in the room I woke up in.

How did we get from a desert to a forest?

Darovel leads me to a closed door and knocks on it softly, then we wait. A few seconds pass before the door opens and I once again find myself face to face with Faervel. His presence startles me and I flinch, much to my annoyance. His eyes seem to stare straight into my head, I'm starting to feel very uncomfortable.

"You are here for your friend." He says addressing Darovel who nods. My discomfort vanishes immediately and I step forward.
"Is he alive?" I demand.
He says nothing as he gestures for us to enter the room. I go in and my eyes immediately land on the still figure lying on the bed.

He's pale.

Far too pale...

Ramben hardly moves, I can just barely make out his chest rising and falling. The amulet lies on his chest, the blue glow from the gem inside casting its usual glow. He's dressed in grey, his blond hair spread out on his pillow, why is he so pale?

"I've done all I can for him," Faervel says coming to stand beside me. I have the sudden urge to move away from him, but I dare not leave Ramben's side. "All we can do now is wait."
"Wait? What do you mean wait?" I turn to face him only to be met by those terrible eyes. I don't know why I hate them so much, but I do. Everything about Faervel makes me uneasy, again I do not know why.

"I've done what I can to remove the poison from his spirit, it is up to him to decide if he wishes to live or fade."
My face pales and I turn back to Ramben. He's so small lying on that bed, he shouldn't be there. He shouldn't be so near to Death's door, not one so young. Suddenly a shudder runs through his body, at the same time he moans.

"He is reliving his past." Faervel reaches his hand out and puts it on Ramben's forehead. He does not remove it until Ramben goes still again.
"What do you mean?" Darovel asks limping forward.
"He was in possession of the amulet for too long, he has nearly bound himself to it without knowing. Now that he is vulnerable it is forcing him to relive his past life."

"The amulet can bring back his memories?" I cast a sideways glance at Darovel, not wanting to look at Faervel.
"The amulet can do many things. But now is not the time or place to explain such matters. Come, let us leave Ramben to his rest. There is nothing any of us can do now." He starts towards the door, leading Darovel behind him, but I don't move.
"I'm not leaving him."

I don't turn around to face them, but I can feel Faervel's gaze burning into the back of my head.
"You yourself are still recovering Amarth, it would be wise if you returned to your room to get some rest."
"I said I'm not leaving him."
I wait for him to argue some more, but to my surprise, he doesn't.
"There is a chair in the corner if you wish to sit down." And with that, he leaves, closing the door behind himself and Darovel.

I glance at the chair sitting in the corner, it's made of the same silver wood as the floor. I walk over and drag it to Ramben's bedside, then I sit down, watching his chest rise and fall.

"You're going to be alright Ramben, just take your time and heal."
He doesn't respond, his eyes stay closed, his body continues to tremble. Faervel has done all he can, now I have to play the dreaded waiting game.
"I'm sorry I got you into this mess." I lean back in my chair, my eyes going towards the ceiling. I should never have dragged Ramben into this, everything that happened to him is my fault.

Why is it so hard for me to protect a single person? Why does everyone I actually care about die? Is this some author's cruel joke just to make my life a living nightmare? I try not to think of all those I failed, those I let die, but their faces appear in my mind anyway. Will Ramben soon become one of those faces? Another reminder of all I lost?

I'm scared to find out.

/\\//\\/

Darovel's POV

He wandered around Faervel's home, lost amidst the thousands of thoughts racing through his head. Faervel had excused himself, saying that he had some business to attend to, and had encouraged Darovel to explore all that he wished to see, and so far the young man was not disappointed. This place was beautiful, pure almost.

It felt as if no evil had ever entered here, it was a land unmarred by darkness. He shuddered thinking about the evil of Oroth's lair and what he'd gone through, but he did not think his injuries as important as Amarth or Ramben's. They had run through the desert in a made sprint after Faervel's arrival, Amarth carrying Ramben until the sun rose. That was when he'd collapsed, screaming as the light burned his skin.

Darovel remembered trying to cover Amarth with his cloak but the elf had fought off anyone who came near him. Faervel had gone up to him and somehow managed to put Amarth to sleep, then he'd carried Ramben and Darovel carried Amarth. Though he was certain that Faervel was good there was something about the strange being that made Darovel uneasy. Who was he? How had he known where to find them?

Faervel had promised them that he would explain everything once they'd all recovered, but Darovel wanted answers now. Sighing he turned around a corner and stopped in his tracks. Morwen was leaning on one of the rails, her gold hair had been brushed and was flowing down her back, blowing softly in the morning breeze. She wore a light grey dress that left her arms bare and her eyes stared ahead unblinking at the trees in front of her.

It took her a moment to notice him and when she did she turned her head to face him.
"Are you alright?" She asked stepping away from the rail.
"I'm fine, what about you?" He held up a hand to stop her from moving and went to stand beside her.
"I've been worse." Morwen's eyes wandered down to Darovel's right leg, the one he'd been favoring. "Is your leg still troubling you?"
"It's doing much better, I hardly feel the pain anymore. Although Faervel says I may have a limp for the rest of my life."

Darovel chuckled when he saw her horrified expression. "Don't worry Morwen, I've seen those who suffer through things far worse than a limp."
"But you shouldn't have to." Morwen turned away from him and looked down at her hands, wringing them together in front of her. "This should never have happened to you Darovel, you shouldn't have been apart of this, none of us should have."
"I'll admit I never expected to stay with Amarth this long," Darovel crossed his arms and leaned forward on the rail, "I planned on helping him find Ramben, taking care of my own business, then continuing on my way."

"Why didn't you leave then? You owed Amarth nothing and yet you chose to remain with him and Ramben."
"I could ask you the same thing. You seemed to have some resentment towards Amarth when you met again, yet in Oroth's lair you were worried sick about him, and don't think I didn't notice." He didn't look at her as he waited for an answer, in fact, he wasn't expecting one.
"I'd rather not talk about it now." She went quiet after that and Darovel shrugged.
"He's awake you know."

He heard her sharp intake of breath and again, he had to wonder what had happened between Morwen and Amarth. Why did she appear to hate him, yet obviously cared about him?
"How is he?" She asked trying to sound indifferent about it.
"I'm not sure, he seems fine but it's near impossible to tell with him. He's with Ramben now."
Her eyes closed when the young elf was mentioned. Both of them were worried about Ramben, he hoped against hope that he would awake.

And yet, just as he was with Faervel, there was something about Ramben that unsettled him. Behind those innocent eyes was something dangerous.
He'd seen Ramben kill one of the shadows by throwing a knife into its skull.
Ramben had confessed that he'd killed people, he had somehow stolen the amulet back from Oroth, commanded the shadows and killed two more all on his own.

Who was this elf?

Morwen herself was thinking similar thoughts but did not voice any of them aloud.
"We'll be alright," he said, "all of us will."
She turned to face them and their eyes met. For a moment he was lost in her eyes; they were a sea of emotion, tossing and churning. There were secrets to be found behind those eyes, hidden deep down where no one would ever find them. Morwen quickly looked away, a loose strand of her hair fell in front of her face but she did not remove it.

Without thinking Darovel found himself saying, "You are beautiful Morwen."
Her entire body stiffened and he immediately wished he hadn't said anything aloud. Her hands tightened around the rail, then untightened.
"I-I am undeserving of such words Darovel." She mumbled, refusing to look at him.
"Why not? I wouldn't say it if were not true." What was he doing?! Why hadn't he just apologized and remained silent?!

"No Darovel. If you knew how I was raised, and all that I have done, you would not think me beautiful."
He frowned at her words, his brow furrowing. "Why must your past define how others see you?"
"I'd rather not speak of it." Her voice turned cold but Darovel was unphased.
"How can I help you if you will not explain?"
"I do not need help," she turned her entire body to face him, "not from you nor anyone else. Now if you will excuse me."

Morwen strode past him and walked briskly down the wooden pathway. Darovel watched her go, noticing how stiffly she walked, keeping her head raised and her shoulders back.
What had she meant by how she was raised? Darovel knew nothing about Morwen's past, other than Oroth mentioning that she was the daughter of a Maia, but what on earth was a Maia?

Darovel knew almost nothing about the history of this earth. The closest thing he had to history were the legends and myths he'd been told as a child before bed. He'd heard about elves and dwarves, as well as horrific creatures that used to wander the land. How much truth was in those legends? Already he'd encountered elves and monsters, what else was out there?

And Morwen, where did she fit into all of this? Why was she so determined to hide her past and feelings from him?

He looked once more in the direction she went, making a vow to help Morwen in whatever way he could. But first, he would have to earn her trust.

/\\//\\/

I was eventually forced to leave Ramben and join the others for a meal, but how do they expect me to eat at a time like this? I don't want food, I just want this madness to end. I just want to go back to how things used to be, wandering the earth as I wished, always knowing that there was one place I could go back to when I was in need of rest.

Will I ever have that again? I doubt it.

Now I'm sitting with Darovel and Morwen at a table and eating some strange vegetable-like meal that was prepared for us. Again there are no walls, everywhere in this place is open save for the bedrooms. I pick at the food absently, not hungry while starving at the same time. Darovel is eating and so is Morwen, but she refuses to look either of us in the eye.

I have mixed feelings about seeing Morwen here, part of me is slightly glad that she is alright, but another part of me wishes that she was gone. Now that I've had a chance to think about it; about what she did to me and her sudden reappearance, I don't want her here. Or do I? I mutter a curse and let my fork drop onto the table. It startles both of them and they glance at me nervously. I glare back at them and Morwen immediately lowers her head. Darovel continues to stare at me before returning back to his meal.

Faervel suddenly appears and I stiffen, my eyes widening. His hair isn't white anymore, now it's a dark brown, almost black. He wears a silver robe with a hood over his head, his eyes no longer seem to burn into my flesh and for that I'm grateful, but his hair changing color unsettles me.

"Surprised?" He asks sitting down at the table across from me. For the first time since meeting him, he sounds amused. "This is how I normally look, though my appearance changes when the need calls for it."
I don't say anything in response. His gaze roams over each of us in turn, but I cannot tell what he is thinking. None of us meet his gaze and I understand why, none of us know who this Faervel really is, or what he intends to do with us.

"I know you are looking for answers," Faervel says, "but I would rather wait until we are all gathered before I begin explaining, it would be far easier to explain everything all at once, but I have a question that I would like to ask, how did you come to possess the amulet?"

Silence follows.
Faervel's gaze has gone cold, he looks again to each of us before fixing his eyes on me. Of course I have to be the one to tell him, but should I? Pallando entrusted me with the amulet, would telling Faervel how I got it jeopardize what Pallando had spent years protecting?
"Why do you wish to know? Is the amulet yours?" I demand narrowing my eyes. I have to keep my emotions in check, I can't let him know that his presence unsettles me.

"The owner of the amulet has long since passed from this world," Faervel replies, "I have spent years trying to learn of its location, but have been unable to find it. Now it lies within my realm, in the hands of an Avari, I am going to ask again how did it come to be in your possession?"

"What if I choose not to tell you?" I ask reclining in my chair.
"I cannot force you to tell me. However, if you remain silent I will withhold those answers you seek. Because in order for you to understand, I must know how the amulet came to you. The choice is yours Avari, choose wisely."

Now I'm at a loss for what to do. I want answers, I desperately need them, but what happens if Faervel turns out to be worse than Oroth? How do I know that he isn't in league with Daeris? Yet, there is something inside me saying that I can trust him. I don't know if I can rely on a feeling but at this point, what choice do I have?

"I was entrusted with the amulet by a friend of mine," I say finally, "he'd been keeping it hidden for years before deciding to retrieve it. After we took it we were pursued by creatures that pursued us without rest. My friend chose to lead them away and gave me the amulet, ordering me to keep it safe. That is how I came to be with it."

Faervel is quiet for a moment, he appears to be pondering my words.
"Your friend, do you know if he lives?" He inquires. I flinch inwardly at the question. I don't want to believe that Pallando is dead, but I have not seen him since we parted in Mirkwood.
"I don't know." I hope he'll accept that as an answer, he does.
"I know you are not telling me everything, but I will not press you further. You told me what I wished to know and I will be content with that for now." He stands up and we do the same, though I'm not sure why.

"The time for answers is coming soon," he announces turning to look at each of us, "until then I would encourage you all to rest. You may not have another chance to do so again." With that, he turns to leave, but I'm not about to let him go that easily.
"How do we know that we can trust you?"
Without breaking stride he replies, "You can't."

Then he disappears, and we're left alone.

/\\//\\/

I return to Ramben's room before I go to retire for the night. Faervel was here when I arrived and told me that I had to sleep in my bed tonight. I wanted to argue but after what was said earlier, I wasn't too keen on starting an argument with him. At least, not until I knew more about him.

I look down at Ramben, for once he is still and his breathing is no longer as shallow.
"Goodnight Ramben." I'm about to leave when I notice that he isn't covered all the way. I carefully pull his blanket up to where it's covering more of his chest. I turn to leave again when I notice something that makes me frown. When I pulled up the covers, I somehow uncovered Ramben's feet.

I bend down to fix the problem, but when I cover his feet part of his chest is uncovered again. That's strange, why is his blanket so small? I search the wardrobe and drawers for a larger blanket but only manage to find another one of the same size. Oh well, it will be better than nothing. I take the other blanket and cover him up.

Satisfied, I finally leave his room and head for mine, not thinking twice about what happened. By the time I lay my head down on my pillow, I've forgotten about the whole thing.

/\\//\\/

Wow, it has been AGES since I updated this. I hope you guys haven't lost interest! There's plenty of twists coming, as well as those answers Faervel promised.

Speaking of Faervel, here is a picture of him for you:

Hope you guys enjoyed this update and let me know what you think of this story so far.

Seriously, I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions, especially since this story is so different from what I've ever done before.

And get ready because things are going to get CRAZY

Alright I'm Out