The hunter sat huddled and leaning upon the post, trying to hide the shivers than ran through his cold body. Ever since he had arrived to this foul place, a darkness felt as if it loomed over his head, a chill was constant in his body no matter how close to the fire he sat. He knew what it was, because he had felt it not so long ago, in the cave where the priestess kept him, though this, was far stronger, for it was darkness, wicked and cruel. There was a presence here far stronger than anything that he had ever felt, despair filled his soul, doubt clouded his mind as the color left his body. What was this unnatural, unholy feeling that laid about the air, that whispered a foul, darkened language about his mind. Something was not right, and he could feel it even in the foul smelling air, until he heard a noise in what seemed his mind.
"So... Come here often?"
He shook his head and waved off the image he thought he saw, of the woman standing before him. His mind had played tricks on him, first with Fairlain, standing before him with a smile, holding her arms out as if to embrace. The image faded just as quickly as she had appeared, filling his heart with sadness as the cold, bitter darkness tried to enter his mind once more. He would not fall for such trickery as he did in Donnvail, not this time.
"Begone, I will no longer give into your tricks and cruelty. You are but memory."
The woman tilted her head as she moved to the pole closest to him with a hand on her hip.
"You are excused, I am no ghost mind you."
She said, shaking her head and pulling an arrow from her quiver, tossing it gently at his head as if it was no more than an over sized dart, watching it bounce off his head harmlessly.
"Forgive me if I do not sound convinced. If you truly are Sybri, then what was the assignment you gave me before I took my leave."
The sickly looking man stared into the fire, barely able to hold his eyes open as he fought sleep desperately. The woman looked to him with a faint, but stern smile.
"You were to list five things, spell them, learn to write them. Though you left rather abruptly and did not turn it in."
Cynraede looked to her, he had been mulling the words over in his head for days, weeks, he knew them by heart, he could spell them and write them, even do so backwards.
"Be, ee, ae, Ar. Bear, becomes fear, ef, ee, ae, ar. De, ee, ee, ar, but it is different from de, ee, ae, ar. She, is dear to me, but she is not deer."
Sybri raised both brows, seemingly impressed as she chuckled softly.
"Well mister smarty trousers, it seems as though I am a half decent school marm. You catch on quickly, don't you.. Explains quite a bit actually.."
"You should not have come here.. He would kill me if he knew you came here to this foul place.
He leaned upon the post, he could feel his strength dwindling, yet he knew now why. His skin became cold and clammy, trying to huddle close to the fire as he could. He grinned as he heard the words she spoke softly.
"I know my way around this place, I can move about it unseen."
She snorted, shaking her head at him slightly, looking to the hunter who now closed his eyes and shook his head.
"I know this place, far better than any."
His gaze turned to her, his expressions grim and cold. He could see her anger rising, her thirst for vengeance. It was a dangerous trait, especially in a woman, for there is no stronger foe than a woman with reason.
