"The breeze in the caverns of Wind howled through the tunnels causing an eerie feeling. The sand on the cavern floor shifted continuously and the feeling of ever-present magic made his skin tingle. Dardan walked in his heavy orange robe marked with ancient symbols and runes. He stopped after climbing a steep ledge in the tunnel and removed his hat only to wipe the sweat from his forehead. When he was about to put the hat back on he saw the figures of two people standing ahead. He noted how they stood in the opening of another tunnel and were obviously discussing something. He recognised them both. It was the witch, his sister of the clan, Morwen and the man that he had come to know as his apprentice, Alminster.

"I wonder why they have come here?"
Dardan mumbled to himself only to stop when seeing a third figure coming walking out of the tunnel. He blinked as if not believing his eyes when he recognised the third person.

"Blue?! What..." His guard dropped, his defences crumbled. Morwen had attacked him trying to get the staff by force and now Blue was with her, following her lead. They seemed to continue discussing and after a few moments of confusion he set his mind and walked towards them.

"Hail sisters of the clan. Hail Alminster."
His voice caused them to look up at him. When they greeted him he could see many things chiselled out in their facial expressions. Morwen looked at him with caution and cold calculation. Alminster looked at him with the energy of his newly found powers and the pride that he was allowed into the caverns. Blue looked at him quizzically, and with a little smile she took a few steps closer. Morwen frowned a little and Alminster turned around to study the cavern walls of the northern passage. Dardan could see his smile when he halfturned to Morwen asked if they were supposed to look into the northern caves for more of the evils. He ignored the younger mage and looked at Blue when she approached him. She was still searching for any signs in his face, telling her what to think, he smiled a little and watched her coming closer. His chest felt heavy and his head did not follow the paths that he wanted it to. Why was she here, with Morwen? Did she know about the staff? Had Morwen even turned Alminster against him? He had to find the answers on these questions and preferably soon.

"Blue..."

"Dardan. You are here?"
She could see him glancing down on his robe and wrinkled her nose at the sight of the too heavy orange robe that did not fit her fashion sense. Dardan only nodded and hugged her lightly. She stood there silent for awhile and Dardan made no indication of saying anything either.

"Shall we go and search the northern caves and leave them?"
Alminster turned slightly and looked at Morwen who started walking northbound without responding. The young mage turned and looked at the couple and then hurried after Morwen to the north.

"Oh, Blue. 'T has been a long time since last we met."

"Yes it has. Too long time."
He smiled a little while trying to interpret the meaning of what she said, the way she smiled and the way she responded to his light hug. He listened to every tone of her voice and found nothing but sincere feelings and relief of finding him well again. Too short time passed before Alminster came running again. He was very eager to run around the entire system of caverns and he chuckled amused when he saw them standing there still.

"Still at it, eh?"
He grinned and turned to wait for Morwen. She came walking, with a dignified stride through the cavern.

"We are going to hunt dragons."
She said with a certainty that didn't surprise Dardan. She had always been certain of what steps to take and what paths to choose. He saw the smiling face of Alminster filled with great expectations about the dragons that they were about to slay. Morwen walked past them without saying anything more and almost without giving them a glance. Alminster followed her but stopped for a moment when passing the couple.

"You are coming, right?"

"Aye, we are coming. If ye are about to hunt with her then I will come."
After Alminster had ran off to the south Dardan turned to Blue and lowered his voice.

"He might need protection."
After saying it he felt the knot in his chest growing large. What if she was with Morwen? He tried to glance at her while walking behind Alminster and Morwen, trying to keep up the pace.

Chapter II

Dardan stood in the background while the witch used her magics to bind the drake firm to the ground and then charge it with her kryss. Her attacks at the large drake looked like a child poking a large animal with a stick. Her binding spells had not been careful enough and the drake roared with anger when it was released and moved quickly to strike her with a large clawed paw in her side. He stood and noted how Blue started to heal while Alminster once more wove the binding spell. He could see how Alminster struggled with the mind of the large drake to remain in control, and he could see the panic increasing in the eyes of the witch that tried to battle the beast. After only a moment of panic he could sense the witch gathering the energy to open a door and summon another being to do her fighting. The large twirling beast that was summoned started to battle with the drake while she stood safely behind it, grinning at the large drake that slowly lost control of the fight and was shredded to pieces from the large sharp blades. Dardan had done nothing during the battle. After the fight, Morwen grinned and looked around the room.

"I am sorry, but I have to leave you now."
In but a moments notice she had summoned the energy to transport herself out of the magical cave and leave nothing but a rush of air behind. Blue looked up from her careful removal of the hide from the drake and smiled a little at Dardan while Alminster were strolling around in the large open cavern, trying to learn everything about it.

"Shall we give Alminster the grand tour?"
Dardan smiled a little to Blue who glanced at Alminster and nodded.*
"Yes we should do that."

"Come then, let us head to the north."
He started walking and held his concentration turned backwards on Alminster and Blue who came walking after him. He still felt confused and cautious, trying to remember what he had told Morwen, and what she had told him. He never saw the large red abomination before it was too late. The large winged creature came charging through the cavern without producing even a rustle from the moved sand on the floor. It was a red blur of claws and strong muscles that came charging through the hall. Dardan saw it and turned immediately only to see the fear in the faces of the two behind him. He pushed them backwards to make them flee from the charging deamon. When they started running he turned and was about to bind the deamon to the ground. Too late he saw the deamon sweep his long arm and he felt the large clawed hand strike him across the face. Everything went black as he was tossed aside into the wall of the cavern. After a long time he gathered his senses and looked around. He saw Blue and Alminster battling the large creature with unified powers. They were quite successful and the beast bled from many wounds along his sides. He started to crawl to the safety, trying to be as still as possible. The beast was raging with fury, bound as it was to the ground, trying to free itself from the binding powers. The foam around its mouth had been coloured red from the blood that streamed from a large gash in its head. The breath was hot as fire and the arcane strength of the dying beast was still tremendous. With only a strike from its large wings Dardan could sense his head reel and he fell down into the black hole once more.

When he awoke he saw Blue sitting with a pale face above him with Alminster only a step behind. He could feel the aching joints and one leg was still numb but the combined powers of the younger mages had done wonders to his battered body. Behind her he could see the large shape of the deamon lying on the cavern floor. He smiled weakly up at them.

"Shall we be more careful from now on?"

Chapter III

The large elf Eliohan Danaiel sat on his steed and looking out over the small group that had assembled in front of the tavern. Some of the Deepwater guards led by their Captain Viking stood assembled as well as some others from the village. At a table by the wall of the tavern sat Pad O'Lion the renowned mage from the village of Spiritwood outside Skara Brae. Dardan stood a little ways to the side looking at the assembly. Eliohan frowned when he saw the small group that had assembled. They were about to gather their powers to free his companion, Elv'eng from the evil hands of the undead and the orcs who had captured Elv'eng earlier. He had been captured for quite some time and they had even asked for ransom for his safe return.

"Yu be coming, Dardan?"
Dardan shook his head and lowered his eyes slowly. He thought about his friend Elv'eng and wanted to follow them. He knew what he risked by doing it. He glanced at the staff and sighed. It was close now. The staff had been calm for the last few days but if someone as destructive as the orcs or the undead would unleash their arcane powers near the staff then he didn't know what could happen.

"Nay, Eliohan, I cannot."
Dardan saw Viking in the corner of his eyes looking at someone behind him.
"What about you then Blue. Will you come?"
He swirled around and looked at Blue who stood still a few steps away from him by the side of the embassy. Her eyes were fixed at the staff he held in his hand and she didn't make a sign of moving.

"Blue.."
Eliohan turned his horse and ordered a march. Dardan could hear his comments from afar that they were in a hurry since the undeads and the orcs were to transport Elv'eng and they wanted to ambush them at the bridge. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the warriors move out towards the south and clenched his fist tight around the staff.

"Blue!" He repeated himself a little louder but she did not move and her eyes still following the movements of the staff without leaving it for even a moment. Dardan could feel the panic build inside of him. He never intended this. He never wanted her to become vulnerable to the staffs powers. He took a few steps away from Blue and quickly placed four crystals in a square and the staff in the middle of them pointing to the north. Pad O'Lion looked with interest as he finished the pattern. The blue field of energy arched across the pattern when he released the powers and he could see Blue doubling over as soon as the arch was completed. She fell to the ground as if struck from behind without trying to catch her fall or even making any sound

"NAY!"
He ran over to her and turned her lifeless body over. Carefully he lifted her head and removed her hair from the pale face. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up at him. He smiled and felt something of the knot inside him be released when she smiled weakly back at him. She sat up and turned halfways towards him.

"Dardan? Is that you? The staff called for me. It's the second time it has happened."
He sighed and stood up, looked at Blue sitting down on the lawn with a questioning look on her face. Then he walked to the pattern of four crystals and removed them. He threw them into his pack and grabbed the staff.

"I will nay let this staff harm ye, Blue. Never."
Dardan vanished from the little lawn outside the tavern with a rushing sound, leaving Blue sitting in the grass, utterly confused.

Chapter IV

"You did not release it, did you?"
Dardan looked down on his hands, holding hers. He sighed deeply. She took his chin in her hand and raised it, then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She smiled to him and then kissed his lips as well.

"Something is needed to be done and I thought..."
He paused for a moment looking into her clear blue eyes.

"'Tis a key and a tool that I thought we could use."

"To my father?!"
Blue smiled to Dardan and her smile looked a lot brighter for a moment. Dardan looked down and shook his head. He glanced over at Pad O'Lion who had not interfered since he had returned from placing the staff in a safe place. Blue had been sitting on a stool when he came walking from behind the tavern and now they stood holding each others hands beside the table.

"Nay, not..."
He stopped as the beating of large hooves came around the corner of the tavern and Elenwe came riding on her large steed. She smiled to him and greeted him with a little waving.

"Oh Hail Elenwe."

"Wilst thou not follow me to help Eliohan against the undead?"
She looked at him, urging him to follow and Dardan felt it. He glanced at Blue who still looked a little pale from her ordeal. He glanced back at Elenwe who sat on her black steed dancing around on the lawn. When he hesitated she only shook her head and patted the large steed on the neck. Then he leaned forward and whispered into its ear before it took off with a speed that could not be matched by any other horse.

"My powers are needed elsewhere."
He picked up his hat from the table beside him and kissed Blue gently.

"Will ye be here when I return?"

"I will be around, tailoring."
He sighed and released her hands gently before walking off to the south. The robe had caused him problems in the beginning but he was slowly getting used to it and the warmth it gave. He adjusted his hat in the shade of a tree when Blue came running. She held a bracelet in her hands waving for him to stop.

"Here this will protect you." She was out of breath but placed the bracelet around his wrist then she stepped two steps backwards and blew a kiss.

"Let us hope I will not need it."