The Legend of the Golden Rings Star

Legend has it that once there was a humble ranger who roamed the lands. From where he came, no one ever knew, yet he was a friend to all and made his home in an abandoned Ranger Lodge in the Green Reaches. Although he dressed in commoner clothes, there was an unusual light in his eyes. A glint of mischief perhaps, or something more, most people never stopped long enough to find out. But when the Goddess Tatianna returned from her exile amongst the stars, she was drawn to the light in his eyes, like no other being. When she looked into his green eyes, she saw eternity reflected in them and something sang to her heart. They became inseparable and finally sealed their love in marriage. And although no goddess had ever wed a mortal before, their destiny could not be denied.

But the stars are selfish, never lending their bright ones for very long, and so it was, that the stars took back their own. A gift to the world for a time, a nova that shone briefly and then returned to whence he came.

It was the mages in Elsin who first noticed the new star gleaming in the sky. Then it was the druids in the druid tree who pulled out their charts and discovered that it was not a new star, but an old one reappearing after many centuries.

The Tigers stood in the Star Gazer Observatory of the Order Hall, shoulder to shoulder, with the tiny pixie Faerylyn perched on Sarvulis's shoulder. Gazing heavenward, with one accord, they roared and saluted the new star twinkling in the sky. Then, one by one, they turned and trod heavily down the stairs until only their goddess remained.

Tatianna raised a clenched fist and slowly opened her fingers to look at Zendel's golden wedding band. It was all that remained of her husband. Richard the squirrel, Zendel's life long friend, had staggered back to the Order Hall with the devastating news and bearing the ring as testament to the horror of his words: "Zendel is dead."

Drawing off her own wedding band, she read his words of love inscribed in ancient elven script. Gently placing her ring inside Zendel's larger band she held the bands up to the sky until she could see his star through the rings. Drawing deep inside to her magical core, she began chanting a beautiful spell. The powerful words rang through the night in a musical melody that haunted the waiting Tigers. Finally the spell reached its pitch and she lifted her hand and flung the rings to the heavens. In a flash of brilliant rainbow colors, the sky lit up for a moment and then as the colors faded away, two golden rings encircled the new star hovering above the lands.

The full moon rose slowly over the horizon, its pale light snaking across Bar Gith towards Windy Bluff. An evil wind sighed through the trees, swirling in eddies and dancing through the long grass, kicking up dry leaves and twigs in its path. The animals already nestled down for the night raised their heads, ears pricked forward in uneasiness. Birds with heads tucked under wings, balancing on one foot tottered precariously as they awoke abruptly, flapping their wings to regain balance. An owl hooted nervously as a coyote raised his head to bay, while a lone bat briefly outlined itself against the paleness of the moon.

A solitary traveler stumbling along the Pardor Pass northward from Eria drew his in cloak tightly, hand gripped on his dagger as the wind swirled around him, prickling the hairs on his neck uncomfortably. He raised his eyes to the sky, only to stop short with a gaping jaw. He shrunk back into the trees, blending against the trunk of a gnarled oak, his breath ragged and gasping. His eyes darted across the sky searching as he clutched his amulet, invoking a prayer of protection to his deity.

The moon, now hanging high in the sky illuminated the cloudless night sky. "The stars..." the traveler moaned. It was as if a giant velvet cloth had dropped down against the sky obliterating every pinprick of light. "Where are the stars?" he shouted into the silence, his voice echoing up and down the gorge. Suddenly more terrified than ever, he swept up his cloak and ran through the mountain pass, barely stopping for breath, ignoring the dangers of lurking bandits and wild animals in his mad dash.

He ran straight to Star Goddess's temple only to be stopped by the magical branches that protected the building. "Cylindrias!" he shouted. "Wake up, old man!" He picked up a stone and lobbed it over the branches but it bounced back and hit him squarely in the kneecap. His cries of pain mingled with shouts of desperation finally roused the old High Priest and soon a glowing ball of light bobbled slowly down the path towards him.

Cylindrias stood cautiously behind the protective barrier peering out at the disheveled traveler. Behind him several WhiteTigers stood, weapons held in readiness as the pixie mage Faerylyn cast his Farsight spell, seeking hidden enemies.

The traveler, impatient with their battle stance, shouted, "The Stars! What have you done to the stars?"

Suddenly a violent roar of thunder shook the ground, lightening flashing through the sky as the Evil Lord Seluctruh bellowed across the heavens "I have taken the stars that they may no longer light the night. Now is the time of my power, Darkness rules the land and no one can stop me!" An evil laugh rumbled across the land piercing every heart with dread except the undead.

Ifrit, that dark Vampire leader, already flying through the night sky rallied his Vampires into a loud cheering screech that rose to a crescendo, matching the thundering of their Vampire God. The night sky filled with vampires streaming from their caves as they swooped down towards the ground, their night eyes searching for prey.

The hapless mortals running for cover after tumbling out of their night shelters at the sound of thunder stopped in awe as a rainbow of colors filled the sky. Bright explosions filled the heavens, showers of sparks: reds, blues, greens and golds spun out in circles then drifted to the ground as a voice proclaimed, "Seluctruh, you old bat. Your magical tricks are hardly worth the price of Phatepian cheese."

Musical laughter rang through the air as the image of the Star Goddess filled the sky her hands outstretched with the colorful fires spewing from her fingertips. The bright lights blinded the vampires and they swarmed into the trees.

The goddess lowered her hands and chanting an ancient spell, the fire died in her hands as the stars reappeared in the sky. Seluctruh angrily reared up and blazed across the sky, blood streaking the moon as he bellowed at the stars. In an instant the stars began swirling across the sky, their constellations scattering. Mortals fell to the ground in dizziness as the heavens heaved to and fro. Tatianna, raising up, turned her attention to the moon, knocking it off its axis so that it bounced through the sky. Taunting the Dark Lord she shouted, "Without the moon, Evil One, you are nothing!"

The oceans churned and the mountains trembled as the two Immortals battled with their immense power. The world teetered on imminent destruction.

From far beyond the void came a great voice. "Stop." A hush descended upon the lands as Tarin, the creator of the world, appeared. The moon stopped bouncing and the stars stopped swirling. With a casual wave of his hand, Tarin spoke quietly, and the moon returned to its place and the constellations formed up again. Glaring at both Tatianna and Seluctruh, he said nothing else and disappeared once again.

In a rage, Seluctruh flung his black cape over his shoulder and stalked to his lair. Shaking his fist at the stars he shouted, "You have not heard the last of this, Star Goddess!" Tatianna shot one last shower of colored fire at his departing back and then returned to the Star Gazer Observatory in the Order Hall.

Standing at the top of the dome, Tatianna looked up at the now calm skies. Her practiced eye scanned each constellation in turn silently greeting her stars until at last her gaze turned to the Tiger constellation directly above. Her scream echoed throughout the land before she clasped her hand tightly over her mouth. Sarvulis pounded up the stairs, his Sword of Wonders poised ready for attack, Twaine and Ymir close on his heels. Tatianna turned to them her eyes wide with horror. "Zendel's golden rings star is gone!"

"What? Did it just fall out of the sky?" Twaine asked with his usual bluntness. Tatianna narrowed her eyes as thoughts flew through her mind. In a blink she disappeared, reappearing in the Green Reaches at Zendel's tombstone.

"Zendel!" she gasped. The ranger lay in a crumpled heap against the white marble tombstone, his clothing badly burned. Dropping to her knees and cradling his head in her lap she quickly chanted a healing spell as his wounds gently healed. His eyes fluttered open and his focus slowly made its way to her face. "Tatianna!" he sat up, shaking his head as if to clear away the fog. Tatianna touched his cheek softly. "You're alive?!" she as asked in wonder. Zendel felt along his arms and legs. "Apparently so," he said.

Tatianna rested back on her heels, her thoughts racing. "Your star fell out of the sky." She pondered a moment. "They will return for you soon, the stars don't give back that which they have taken."

Jumping to her feet, she grabbed at Zendel's tightly clenched fist to pull him up. Standing slowly he opened his fingers and they both stared at the two golden bands lying in his palm. Picking up the smaller band, Zendel looked inside at the inscription. "It's your wedding band." He said with wonder. He picked up Tatianna's hand and slid the band on her finger. "Well, if the stars are coming to get me, we might as well make the best of our time together" he said with his usual rakish grin. Slipping on his own band they set off for the Tiger Order Hall, arm in arm.

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