Having wandered the woods for hours Adel now rested at a tree, slumped against it in his exhaustion. It was one of few trees that decorated the small clearing he had chanced upon. A small, quietly gurgling brook ran through the clearing- probably feeding into a larger river some distance away. Though Adel hungered, he had not the time or supplies to fish for food or wild game, but he was lucky that there was food nearby available to him. Mushrooms, berries, roots- some of which were poisonous but he had long been familiar with forests and what they contained so he knew what items were consumable and which would better be saved to lace his bolt tips in later.

It grew ever darker by the moment as twilight was creeping through the sky above. Adel was refreshed and rested once more, but to set off on such a dangerous hunt so late would be foolish. In spite of his desires the only choice he had was to make camp in the clearing, at the very least the sky was clear and the weather pleasant, so he didn't have to worry over the fact he hadn't brought a tent with him. He preferred sleeping in the opening anyways.

A bag that held some supplies was abandoned at the tree, though he kept his crossbow and bolts by his side should he have need for them as he approached the brook. Even when morning came again he didn't have any idea where to go as the trail of what he pursued had gone cold. It was good Adel had assistance ever ready should he need to turn to it... Crouching down at the edge of the brook he peered down at the water- clean and clear. That was a good sign. Cheeks were drawn in as Adel emitted a soft, trilling whistle to sound out over the water.

Now all there was to do was wait.

Adel felt at home in the forest, comforted by nature's surroundings so it hadn't taken him long to fall into restful sleep. When daylight broke through in the sky however, he was up bright and early. He had no way of knowing how long it would take him to find his mark and didn't want to waste another day searching without results if he could help it. From the clearing he moved northwest- deeper and deeper into the forest.

It was dark in the dense wood, but not enough so that he could not see or do battle when need be. Adel kept ever vigilante and mindful of his surroundings, though dark they may be. He couldn't see the water from the brook anymore, but he could hear the water than ran through it every now and then. Louder too, than when he was at the clearing. He was likely drawing closer to the river it fed into.

Pausing suddenly, he took a wary look around as he cursed beneath his breath. The smell was subtle but there just the same- blood and stagnation. He was drawing closer to his target, but that also entailed he had to be more cautious than ever before. One mistake, leaving just one vulnerability open, it could be the end. Adel reached to his side to unclasp his folded crossbow from his belt. A notch was pulled back to open the weapon, wings snapping out towards the sides with a whisper quiet click. Cloak tossed back to give him access to his leather bolt holder, the flap was undone and a bolt pulled from within. Not wanting to waste time with crafting up a poison to lace it in, Adel berated himself mentally for not bringing along anything pre-made as he slid the bolt into proper position on the crossbow.

Holding his weapon by his side, ready to be used at a moment's notice, he carefully considered his surroundings- the wind, the scents, the way the grass laid flatter in certain areas than others. Clues were put together for him to move onwards and towards his mark. At least where he hoped his mark would be, but he was fairly confident in his ability to locate this orc. As he moved along he was lucky in that he didn't chance upon its prey, but with certain shifts in the wind an almost unbearable odor touched his nostrils. Still, Adel prevailed and moved onwards.

The sound of water reached his delicately pointed ears as he walked, growing louder still this time, rather than fading out as it had been. He was definitely close to this river- perhaps the orc was taking a rest of its own? To have slaughtered so many as it had, it would certainly need the rest. Jaw clenched at the thought as Adel stilled his tongue, moving on before finally the river he had been hearing was in sight.

Tree limbs and brushery were used to conceal himself as he refrained from stepping out into the opening so quickly. A branch was pushed aside so that he might take in the surroundings easier- it was a beautiful place, as many forests so untouched by man and technology were. Colorful fungi decorated the bark at the base of surrounding trees and willowy reeds grew close to the water's bank. The beauty of the scene was spoiled however, by not only the foul stench that contaminated the air but the towering orc knelt down by the river's edge.

Though kneeling, it was still obvious he was a large figure- seven feet at the very least. Size didn't end with just height, as he was rather broad and made up of thick, corded muscle. His skin looked rough and leathery, a peculiar sort of grayish green. Blunt, yellowed, askew teeth were visible, peeking from his mouth even when it was closed. His nose was sort of small for his race, sharply curved and beak-like. Thin, oily black hair that hadn't been cared for properly was tied back with dried weeds, secured at the top of his head. The orc wore clothing too, that seemed quite a bit small for him. Stretched cloths and wools, covered in leather protectives- all likely spoils from his victims. Close inspection revealed they were still spattered with blood, now brownish in color. By the orc's side was a small mace, more suited to the size of a human than himself. Another stolen object from one of his victims, likely soiled with his own blood.

In the orc's hands was a small rabbit, limp and lifeless, and currently being enjoyed as the orc's meal. Adel turned his gaze away from the scene briefly, unable to watch. Taking a moment to resolve himself he turned back towards the orc. Should luck be on his side he could end this quickly and painlessly- for himself at least, which was rather the way Adel preferred to handle it. Crossbow was lifted and when orc was lined up in his sights the trigger was pulled back to send the bolt careening for his mark.

For nearly a week now, the strange man with red hair slept, confined to his state of unconsciousness. Nessa had offered up her room for him to stay in when he was brought to the monastery, and dedicated her time to taking care of him. While she had lacked any magical means to repair the rather extensive damage done to his arm, one of the clerics residing at the monastery had been able to heal most of the injury by Naralis' good grace. Still, the man needed someone to care for him, so she had little in the way of sleep so she might keep a vigilante watch upon him.

His condition seemed unchanged when Nessa entered her room that morning.

She carried a small wooden bowl filled with lukewarm water and a washcloth with her into the sparsely decorated room and set the items aside on a table. Approaching her bed, Nessa took in the sight of the stranger. White sheets kept him decent as he laid there, looking quite peaceable as he rested. Reaching out with her hand, the back of her fingers grazed the skin of his forehead to gauge his temperature. For a number of days he had been feverish, but that seemed a thing of the past now.

Closing her eyes, Nessa murmured a quiet prayer for the man before turning away from him to reclaim her bowl and washcloth. Dipping the cloth in the water, she squeezed the excess from it and ventured to the man's side again. She swept his peculiarly colored hair from his face and regarded his features in quiet fascination. He would appear elven to casual observers, given the points of his ears, but Nessa was not a mere casual observer. The points weren't quite pronounced enough to be entirely elven, if elven at all, and his features were just a little too masculine for such a race. She was curious about him, but not enough so that she let it distract her for long. The now damp washcloth was used to gingerly wipe at his forehead then down the side of his face.

It was then that he started to rouse.

Surprised, Nessa held a hand to her heart, washcloth and all, as she murmured, "Ed'eruanna en'Corellon... 1"


1. By the grace of Corellon...

The exact details of what had happened eluded Adel, but he wasn't so out of sorts that he couldn't remember the important parts. His arm for instance, should have been in much worse shape than it was. It was a bit sore, but the pain was quite tolerable considering the injury he initially sustained. The orc- he was certain the orc couldn't have survived their fight, given his final blow.

With a great deal of effort Adel forced himself to sit up, then took in the foreign surroundings. There really wasn't much to the room he was in. The bed he laid in was small, and the sheets, covers, pillow and all were white, clean, and pristine. The furniture- a table and bureau- was old and worn with faded wood, scuffed up and marked with scratches and chipped pieces. Walls and floor were made of stone, and mounted upon the wall was a lantern. It was unlit, since sunlight shining in through the window was enough to keep the room illuminated for the moment.

Adel turned back towards the doorway when he heard light footfalls and was met with what was becoming a familiar stern face. "You shouldn't be up, you should be resting." The dark haired elf had returned, carrying with her a small glass and pitcher full of what was presumably cold water. Water was poured into the glass before she set the pitcher on the table next to the bowl, then handed over the glass. "Remember. Slowly."

This time Adel sipped with caution, fighting the urge to tip the entire glass back. However, the more he drank the easier it became to do so, so the contents were drained faster and faster. The woman remained ever patient and watchful as he eagerly finished off the water, and extended a hand to take the glass when he finished. As she poured more water, Adel spoke up, his voice raspier than usual. "You saved me?" He made a face at how strained he sounded, and the discomfort that speaking brought.

With a shake of her head, the woman handed him the now full glass. "I did not." Adel sipped at his water, listening as she spoke. "Theo was playing by the river and claims a girl was there, in the water. He said she was crying and bid he follow and that when he did he found you." The pitcher was set down as she shook her head. "Such a sight is not meant for a child's eyes. You were in a very poor state, but Theo could not carry you back on his own, so he returned to fetch I'Amandil 1. You were brought here-" The woman gestured to Adel's right arm. "-and one of the clerics was able to heal you. You will still require some rest and time to fully recover, in addition to the week you have already slept, but you are lucky to still have your arm after such injuries." She frowned, eyes growing distant as she seemed to call upon a memory. "You must be blessed by Corellon himself to garner such a victory in battle and make it out so unscathed."

Adel struggled a little to listen and keep up with the woman's story. He felt it likely the girl she spoke of, the one in the water, was Osrya. The thought made him smile, that she would take such concern to watch over him. He would sooner believe in someone tangible like herself over any God or Goddess he couldn't see. He kept his religious views to himself, however, as well as the fact he believed he wasn't as unscathed as the woman claimed. "You did help me, did you not? As well as the other people you've spoken of?" Lowering his water glass, he lightly cleared his throat. "I can't really express my gratitude..."

Warmth flooded the woman's eyes as she smiled faintly. "There is no need. Any man or woman worth their salt would have helped you if they found you. And it is the least any of us could have done. That orc you slayed was dangerous and becoming far too brave for his own good. In time, he would have come here and we certainly couldn't have fended him off on our own."

Adel took a good look around the room before turning back to the woman. "Where is... here, exactly?"

"You're at the Felagund Monastery. We're a bit northwest of the city."

Wasn't that ironic? "The city. Rhydin City, right?" He had to be sure.

"Yes." Frowning somewhat, the woman seemed to be somewhat concerned for Adel and offered her next words quietly. "You're still weary from your ordeal, you really should rest."

The last of his water was drained before Adel offered the woman a cocky grin. "Rest? Didn't you say I've been laying here for a week? I hardly think after getting so much rest I need more my dear." He sighed as he cast a glance out a window. "I would rather be up and about out there, not cloistered away in these stone walls."

Taking his glass to set it on the table, the woman shook her head. "That may be what you want, but it's hardly what you need right now. You need to rest, and there's no worry over how long you rest here. None of us are in any hurry to cast you out. These stone walls, as you've put it, is open sanctuary to you for however long you want it." Looking Adel over briefly, she started walking for the door. "I will leave you to your rest now. Is there anything I can get for you before I go?"

Furrowing his brows but not feeling up for an argument, Adel cast his eyes down as he put on his most contemplative expression. "Two things, if it's no trouble?"

"Yes?"

"The first thing I desire?" He grinned. "Would be your name." Adel thought she may have rolled her eyes, but couldn't be sure from such a distance.

The woman kept her response simple. "Nessa N?meness?."

"Nessa. Vanima essa natula lle. Amin Adelite Ver'tor, nan' lle aa' yela amin Adel 2." His grin that had begun to border the realm of flirtatious suddenly took a sheepish turn. "I'minya nat'... lanna? 3" He gestured over himself vaguely.

Arching a brow in surprise at his fluency in elven, Nessa reached over to rest her hand on the bureau. "In here, with the rest of your belongings Theo recovered. I tried to mend and clean your clothing, but most of it was ruined. I put some clean clothes you should be able to wear in the bottom drawer. It's nothing fancy, but I think we'd all appreciate it over your undressed form."

Adel chuckled quietly as he leaned back. "I think you've already seen my 'undressed form'."

Tilting her chin up defiantly, Nessa snorted. "Uma. Mankoi lle nowa amin quene tanya 4?" With a small bow she turned to depart from the room, ignoring Adel's wounded 'hand to heart' gesture.

"Quel esta, Adel. 5"


1. The Priest
2. A beautiful name suits you. I'm Adelite Ver'tor, but you may call me Adel.
3. The second thing... clothing?
4. Yes. Why do you think I say that?
5. Rest well, Adel.