Surcliffe Family/Elise/Ascension to Grandmistress of the Sword: The Battle Against Evil

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The following story depicts the death of Count Telamond's wife and the ensuing battle against the cultists and their evil master whom were responsible. It has been edited for comprehension and spelling errors. The first extract is all in one chunk as Count Telamond was the only one posting for the beginning of this RP. Different posts are marked by ~'s.

Roleplay from Telamond
Telamond came back home that night still satisfied but slightly disturbed, the paladins of the Order had found a small cell of demonic cultists in the basement of a house, five of the involved men were slain in battle but the knights captured the last.

He led the interrogation himself on the Silver Hall's dungeons but the man was apparently a masochist so all the time and effort spent on torturing him was spent in vain, Telamond could still hear the mockery of the man in his mind, and couldn't help but keep remembering the days of Nighthelm when the last members of the Chaos Requiem were still alive. It was late and the kids were already sleeping so no stories about his younger years for tonight, he felt relief knowing he wouldn't have to indulge them now, Elisabeth was waiting for him her arms open for his embrace, she knew he wouldn't get home so late if something serious had not happened.

"Lis my love, only you can make me forget the hardships I have to pass through...the demented never fail to follow me, it's almost as if they haunt me ever since I found the Amulet, at least the demons were destroyed and..." She was almost crying, when she whispered in his ears "Don't speak about it Tel, you had to endure these horrors for too long, forget them, think of us think of our family, let these ghosts go..." "I...I..you're right" he then took her in his arms, climbed up the stairs and carefully but desperately put her on the bed. There he passionately kissed her, removing her clothes slowly, and for this one night all the ghosts seemed to have disappeared from his mind leaving only love and pleasure on its place...

~

The new day seemed to greet Telamond well and he awoke better than always, confident that he could easily handle the problems with the cultists. But right on his breakfast a scout of the Order rushed in bringing news. "Grandmaster I have urgent news for you." "Speak Arin, have you found anything about the cultists?" "Yes my lord, we have found what we believe is their base on the region." "Excellent!" Telamond clapped his hands, "I knew that bastard wasn't their leader. And as I thought they weren't here for lack of a better place but on orders." He then paused for a moment and continued. "How many men did you see guarding the place?" "15 more or less" "Hah! That will be too easy, Arin get 3 knights of the sword and meet me at the town gates in a few minutes, we will show them what happens with demon worshipers on these lands." "Yes sir." The messenger left and Telamond quickly finished his breakfast excited with the chance to end this before something bad happened.

~

The party's departure was delayed for trivial matters and they only managed to leave at midday, but Telamond soon began to suspect that the journey wasn't really what it seemed, the scout was apparently leading them to walk in circles. Telamond was sure he had seen the same lone dead tree at least three times and after a few hours resisting and only making minor complaints he said "WHERE IN THE HELL ARE WE GOING ARIN!!?? WE HAVE BEEN RIDING THROUGH THIS AREA THE WHOLE DAY!! ARE YOU LEADING ME TO AN AMBUSH OR WHAT??!!" He grabbed the man by his neck lifting him from the ground using only his right hand. The man strangely smiled and began to turn into a stinking black mud. "Not you my dear paladin, your family we got your fami..." and the man dissolved into a dark lifeless pool, Telamond looked in despair around him noticing the same had happened with the other men and horses around him. Panic and rage took control of him and he rode to Duil as soon as he could, when he arrived he saw smoke coming from it, smoke was coming from his estate...

~

The sun was setting, and a thick layer of smoke covered the orange skies like a blanket, all light was vanishing all hope was vanishing. Telamond saw knights of the Order charging figures in black robes, the paladins were easily winning and barely suffering any casualties but what worried him was the fact the cultists seemed to be coming from the direction of his estate and he pressed his horse forward as fast as he could. Upon arrival he noticed the main gate was broken as well as the doors to the main hall, a trail of blood coming from it and going upwards to the stairs. He rushed in with his sword in hand and prepared himself for battle, but what he saw was no enemy but something far worse... Elisabeth's corpse was laying broken on the second floor near the doors to their bedroom, her body severely mutilated by what looked like claws and teeth, parts of her were also burnt and the stench of burning flesh filled the air, a pool of blood around her painted the beautiful floor red. Telamond couldn't breath, he couldn't move, he couldn't cry, he felt dead, the world had ended why did the flames insist on burning the home? It all ended nothing more would matter, slowly he approached her tears finally running down from his face. It was the first time he had cried since his childhood. He dropped on his knees and without saying anything he held her in his arms, he couldn't believe it was his beloved Lis, dead, but she couldn't be dead and for a moment he awaited for this illusion to dissipate, it had to be a demon trick, this false corpse would do just like the false paladins and dissolve into a black mud...but it didn't. For what seemed like ages he stood there, incapable of moving, or listening to his home crumbling around him, until he felt something grab his shoulder. It was his old time friend Reinauld, he was saying something to him but he couldn't make sense of his friend's words they weren't important, nothing more was important, still he followed Reinauld, with Lis in his arms, he still couldn't believe it, his beautiful Lis...gone ? They left the burning estate, paladins were working on putting out the fire when they saw their grandmaster. Telamond placed Lis' body on the altar of the temple, the priest was going to protest but fell silent when they noticed what had happened. And there she remained for long hours the last drops of her blood staining the altar, rumors of what happened soon spreading across the realm...

~

With Maddening bright in the sky, brighter than any day he had seen before he left, with only his armor, his sword and his horse, the Order tried to stop him but they knew they couldn't. The kids were safe, Reinauld was taking care of them when the attack happened, and he wouldn't let the cultists finish their job, they would never touch his family again, he would kill every last of them himself before they could. He knew Reinauld would try to warn the other members of the Order to follow him and stand at his side in the battle to come but he wanted no one hurt because of him anymore, he knew it was all his fault that these murderers were here now, it was his fight, he had to go alone, that Maddening shined brightly on the sky could only be a sign that he was right. It was time for vengeance and rage and he decided to let them guide his actions this night. He rode at full speed towards the Mountains of Remorse, the attackers had come from an abandoned mine at the end of the northern hills, as he arrived he noticed a few corpses rotting around the entrance, they were of the men that were supposedly leading him to the cultists hideout early in the same day, without hesitating Telamond ignored the stench and entered the mine.

~

As you may have heard the Grandmaster's wife has been murdered by demon worshipers, desperate he left me to take care of his children and since I cannot leave them behind to help him I need your help. If anyone of you are near Duil when this message reaches you, then ride as fast as you can to the far end of the northern hills of the province, there is an abandoned mine, follow him and make sure he is safe.

Reinauld Aubrey, Baron of Azure Coast (a small village on the coast of Duil)

The messengers were then dispatched with this letter, to the known members of the Order outside Duil, even not knowing Channing's location Reinauld decided to send scouts after him to the south with the same message in case he was still near.

~

Telamond rushed through the corridors, lone figures in black robes falling one by one to his blade, he was already covered blood and the ancient tunnels were being painted red, his huge sword cutting its way through both flesh and bone with ease, some were even cut in half, it was the first time Telamond used the sword in a real battle since he reforged it with the amulet. He then arrived in a large hall with a bridge and a deep chasm, the few torches there were enough for him to see a group of nearly 30 men hurrying to attack him, coming from the other side.

He then stood at his side of the bridge waiting for them with his sword held high ready to release a devastating horizontal cut that would certainly behead the first of them to arrive there.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
The morning sky was a profusion of grays and dull whites, clouds melded together to form one large entity. Muddied scraps of scarlet and orange burst into being, fighting their way past the clouds with single-minded intensity, yet they still failed to shine through. The clouds prevailed, and in the end the day started out dreary and dark, shadows cast from above flickering over the ground as if there were creatures lurking out between every rock and tree.

Elise allowed herself a small shiver, goosebumps running up her arms in the early morning dawn. Making an attempt to pull her cloak closer about her, she stared down at the naked sword resting across her lap. Even in the dim lighting, the metal swirled with iridescent alloys, moonlight pearl and the flash of sunlight over pooling water. It was truly a beautiful sword, the narrow blade more delicate than heavy, build for speed and elegance over strength, yet the edges were as sharp as anything she had encountered before. The dark hilt was carefully wrapped, small silver sigils inscribed along the guard moved to swirl down the grip like small stars spiraling down to earth. Such a sword would no doubt sing as it cut through the air.

Her father always said that a good sword needed a name, and this was most certainly the best sword Elise had ever laid eyes on in her lifetime. But how to name something so exquisite? It would not be a light decision, she decided. There was no reason to rush naming the blade after all, and she had time. Running a pale finger down the blade, Elise soon lost herself in quiet contemplation.

Soon enough, too early for the clouds to have given up their chokehold on the sky, a wearied man came running up, his tired breaths echoing through the air heavily. For a moment he merely bent over, hands on his knees panting, as he tried to get enough air to speak. Taking pity on the poor man, Elise gestured to her maid who had been unobtrusively working on some small piece of embroidery off to the side. The girl set aside her work and rushed off to get some water.

In the intermittence, Elise stood and sheathed her sword, striding forward to help the man stand straight. “Here Lady,” he panted, holding out a small tube. A messenger then, Elise quirked an eyebrow in surprise but graciously took the tube. “It’s from Duil.” With that the man seemed to lose all of his energy and he nearly went limp in her hold, ordering her men to find him a place to rest and some food, Elise retreated.

Popping open the tube, she tipped it so that the roll of vellum slid out into her hand. Quickly flicking it open, she skimmed the contents.

As you may have heard the Grandmaster's wife has been murdered by demon worshipers, desperate he left me to take care of his children and since I cannot leave them behind to help him I need your help If anyone of you are near Duil when this message reaches you, then ride as fast as you can to the far end of the northern hills of the province, there is an abandoned mine, follow him and make sure he is safe

Reinauld Aubrey, Baron of Azure Coast (a small village on the coast of Duil)

Elise felt her brow crease in consternation. Whirling about, long hair flying through the air like a golden halo, she strode back into camp and began to gather her men. Time was of the essence, so she left most of her men behind as a garrison to watch over the messenger. Mounting her horse she set off at a fast pace towards Duil, an eye to the darkened sky and the shadows that seemed to wait around the bend.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
As Elise approached the northern hills of Duil, the messenger only guided her to a certain point and then fled in terror fearing for his life.The corpses were there rotting on the ground, the battered armors of the Order laying on their lifeless bodies. The entrance to the mine was there and she was certain she could hear echoing sounds of battle coming from the passage, a rough distant voice could be heard crying something so loud that the sound easily reached the place, she could not understand what he said but she knew it as the same voice of the man who had named her a knight of the Silver Order.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise dropped her hand to her scabbard, gesturing fluidly to the men behind her who began to string their bows as they advanced towards the entrance to the mine warily. They had no idea what was to be found on the other side, but Count Telamond was in there which made things simpler, there was nothing for it but to charge in. Still, even with the end result being risky itself, there was a bit of tactics to the whole attempt which Elise was swift to utilized. Careful to keep booted feet silent as they crept across the packed dirt, Elise averted her eyes from the dead bodies, murmuring a prayer for their swift travel to the afterlife. The lip of the mine's passage was dark, ringing clashes of sword and voices seemed to reach out like physical constructs to pull her in closer. Elise threw caution to the wind as she dove through the opening and into the darkened passage, cloak swirling about her slight form and shimmering sword held aloft.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
As Elise arrived Telamond was charging the cultists on the bridge, an arrow was stuck in his chest and he seemed to have suffered several cuts from the enemies blades, however he showed no sign of wishing anything but to press forward and continued slaughtering them ignoring any wounds inflicted on him. She saw at least 20 mutilated bodies on the floor, some without their heads, while others were cut in half each from a different angle, the Grandmaster didn't notice her presence and seemed determined to cut his way through a group of nearly 35 demon worshipers, and she could see that though he was being successful he was also being severely wounded by his impetuous attack and that hatred and the power of Maddening alone were keeping him capable of fighting.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise took in the scene before she gestured calmly to her men giving out quiet orders, it seemed that the cultists and Count Telamond were too engaged in battle to have spotted them yet. The first hurdle had been cleared, and she was not going to waste this unexpected advantage. At her sign, her men split into two groups of five, the first stepping back to try and hide their presence against the shadowy walls. Their task was made easier by the fact that it was growing dark outside and the shadows had grown longer and thicker, easily enveloping their forms from view so long as they kept still.

The other half accompanied Elise as she wasted no time in striding forward. Count Telamond had cut a path of destruction through the cultists, and all of the living members appeared to be up in front of him, only death laying on the ground behind. The archers at her side paused midway along the path, nocking arrows to their bows as they silently and efficiently began to choose targets away from the close combatants. Drawing closer to the whirlwind of destruction that was Count Telamond, Elise readied her grip on her sword and darted to his side. She had to hope that in his blood lust he would recognize her as a fellow member of the Silver Order and not an enemy to be cut down, but it was a risk that had to be taken.

Several black robed cultists gathered around them, leering as if they were still confident in their odds. She ignored it, ducking forward to slash at the nearest man's stomach before spinning to block an overhead blow from another man. Blood coated her beautiful blade, swirling amongst the silver but unable to tarnish the metal. She struck again, the numbers were too large for her to keep an eye on Count Telamond, he was obviously enraged and thus not in his right mind, and she could not allow him to be injured more than he already was.

The hiss of arrows whirring through the air was loud to her ears, before five black feathered bolts found themselves poking out of some body or another who had been trying to creep in towards the fight. There was another whir as a new volley of arrows from the back wall surged forward, thudding into selective targets who had been about to attack Count Telamond. Elise watched as her enemy fell, an arrow through the eye, before she quickly turned to another. If she herself could not pay attention to the Grandmaster, then she could most certainly set her men on watch.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
The cultists decided to retreat in face of the Telamond's reinforcements and the damage they were causing, the place was a dead end though and they were certainly only running to prepare a renewed resistance at some more advantageous position.

The Grandmaster noticed what had happened and for moment he paused seeming to have recovered from his state of madness but then he decided to ignore her and rushed to slay as many of the retreating cultists as he could, his movements however were beginning to get slow and he only caught five of them that were already injured by arrows or cuts.

Despite this he continued to advance on his slow and now clear path to the other side of the chasm, beyond it was a great hall were enemies could easily swarm him from all directions if he entered the place alone, but that didn't seem to bother him and he was approaching it in his march.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Arrows cut through the air, the din of metal clashing and screams of pain and triumph rising above the kicked up dirt to echo obscenely through the mine shaft as bodies moved to strike and block in a deadly dance. In such a fight, the rush of a meticulously aimed arrow was a decisive factor, and many of the cultists fell dead to a well placed shaft from out of nowhere. It went better as they turned to retreat, all semblances of order suddenly disappearing as the cultists rushed away, their backs facing her men only to crumple to the floor lifeless. Beside her Grandmaster Telamond surged in battle, his sword flashing forward with enough force to cleave through bone and flesh in one swing. It was a fearsome vigor that had seized him, and Elise was glad she was on his side. Rushing forward to keep up with his charge, she made no attempt to converse with him. Even if her mouth hadn’t been full of grit and blood from some glancing blow she knew words would be lost on the man right now. Only action and bloodshed spoke to him in the aftermath of the cultists horrendous deeds.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Elise caught up with Telamond just as they passed through the entranace of the hall, the cultists now surrounded them and renewed their attack, behind them at the other side of the hall there was only one black gate, even the most cowardly of the cultists preferred to keep fighting rather than try to escape through that route, constantly looking back at the gate as if something terrible would come from it to punish them for their failure at any time.

Telamond even in his rage could notice that they had nowhere to retreat if they were defeated now and their once overwhelming numbers were diminishing at an impressive rate, with his strength renewed by the fear and distraction of the cultists he began to cut them in pieces once more.

Strange noises were beginning to be heard from beyond the gate and now the panic among the cultists was so great they were barely resisting to the paladins' attacks anymore, apparently they were preferring death at their hands rather than face the creature that was coming.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise lay out with her sword, but even her quick strokes seemed to slow now with fatigue. The blood and gore filled her vision, and she knew it would be weeks before this experience would leave her. She paused for a moment, reaching a gloved hand up to wipe sweat and blood from her forehead so that it wouldn’t slip into her eyes. The battle raging around her seemed to pause for one of those odd moments of clarity where both sides took a breath and assessed their wounds. It slipped back into being just as quickly, and Elise tightened her grip on the sword in her hand, moving forward over the blood slicked ground to meet with another enemy. Even focused on her opponents and Count Telamond beside her, Elise could not help but notice the eerie looking gate in the back. She knew with a cold realization that this was more than just simple fighting. There was something evil back there, truly evil. This was what the Silver Order had been created for. To fight these sorts of fights. And if they were low in number now, this situation just showed how much in need they were. Elise fought on with renewed ferocity, the image of a silver gilded hall pushing away the blood filled cavern.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Eventually the cultists fell to the paladins' relentless assault, in the end as the eerie sounds were getting louder, they barely moved in terror and were getting slaughtered like sheep, some even dropped their weapons and started crying out in panic while others stood unarmed with open arms welcoming their enemies swords, and as the last cultist fell by Elise's blade the gate opened and a huge red demon covered in black tattoos entered the place, a veil of darkness following it, it had four long twisted horns, six arms with sharp claws at the end of each long and bony finger.

With its deformed human like face it spoke in a deep menacing voice whose very sound made the ears of those who listened to them bleed. "So the new paladin decided to rescue her dear Grandmaster, how...interesting, too bad you were too late to see save your precious Elisabeth, I enjoyed seeing her scream while I tasted her flesh." Telamond's eyes burned bright with rage but he hesitated and whispered to Elise in a feeble version of his usual voice "To the bridge...the archers...I'll lure him...go now..." He then raised his sword once more, he was barely able to lift it but he did and charged the fiend, while crying out loud.

"FOR THE GLORY OF HILDR!!!!"
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise shook her sword, blood falling from the glossy blade like a flow of tears as the last cultist fell. Off towards the far wall the murky black gate began to swirl not all that unlike the dark sky she had left outside. Grays and blacks and arcs of some indescribable color churned around one central point until she could barely stand to look at it. As the gate opened, out stepped a creature of myth and legend. Red skinned, as if he had bathed in blood before appearing in front of them, the demon looked just as monstrous as the fireside tales had depicted. Elise felt her breath slip from her lips as she stared transfixed by this inhuman creature of evil. Her fingers felt numb, the dead weight of her sword nearly making her drop it.

As the beast spoke, she tried to call up the glowing image of the silver hall once more but it failed to rise as bidden. The horrific creature stretched out a blood red hand, ivory bones as sharp as razorblades glistening in the faint lighting, and Elise felt something rebel in her stomach. She couldn’t tear her eyes away.

I shall not fear the trials that await me, for fear is the enemy of the mind. It came out as a choked whisper at first, but quickly grew into a fervent mantra as Elise stopped resisting the fear coursing through her veins. Fear was a part of life, and only a fool would not fear such a creature as this demon. But she had given her oath, and she would not back down on her word because of something so common as fear.

Elise tore her gaze away from the bewitching scene, slipping back so as to address her archers while the Grandmaster put his plan into action. She should have interjected, for the lure was always the position of the most danger and he was already wounded, however Elise knew not to waste her breath. Count Telamond was driven by the death of his wife, he deserved whatever task he thought appropriate in his revenge.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Telamond successfully struck the creature in its legs and the lower part of its chest, avoiding its claws for more than could be expected, and then he began to only defend himself, using his blade as a shield from the demon's attack, and with each defense he took a step back slowly drawing the nightmarish creature to the bridge, but when he was almost managing to bring the demon into the archer's range the demon hit him with a full blow of one of its massive hands on his face and the Grandmaster was thrown into the chasm below.

~

With Telamond out of the way the beast quickly rushed towards Elise grabbing her with one of its hands, taken by surprise she could not react in time, luckily for her the archers fired when it got her. The demon screamed with pain, the sound was horrible and extremely high, and the thing moved, disturbed, but even with its pain it did not release the woman, and started pressing her with its huge strength. Sensing she could do little to escape its grasp it smiled and began to slowly bring it closer to its open mouth, a terrible stench filled her lungs, but when it was almost devouring her a shining silver light hurt its eyes and the thing dropped her, immediately after Telamond emerged from the chasm and jumped at the fiend, his sword pierced through its open mouth and cut trough its horrible head.

It fell to the ground with sickening sound, then its body began to desperately trembled and then suddenly stopped after some time, the huge corpse disappeared in a dark cloud, and all that remained was Telamond, unconscious, bleeding from every part of his body burnt at some points by the hot demon blood, he was not dead but would soon be if not taken to healers on Duil immediately.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise cried out, the breath expunging from her lungs in one quick moment as the demon’s emaciated hand enveloped her. She could not move to strike at him, arms pinned at her side with her sword cast down on the floor forgotten. Razor sharp nails cut through skin and cloth like the thinnest of filaments, drawing beads of precious blood as she attempted to kick out towards the monsters arm. Her men moved on, even in the face of such unbearable fear, their well aimed arrows slicing through the air to imbed themselves up to the feathered tips in the beasts flesh. Hot blood poured from the wounds, and even as the demon constricted his grip Elise felt the rain of blood cascade around her, quickly coating her skin in a sickly sheen, plastering her once bright hair against her scalp. Blood invaded her mouth and she would have coughed if only she had the breath, kicking futilely without the sense to keep still and reserve her energy. As the demon’s fingers clenched ever tighter, she felt her ribs press and finally crack, a sharp burning agony lighting up her side such that for a moment she lost all sense of the world.

She hit the cavern floor with a jarring thump, the impact enough to bring her back to her senses even it was just to notice that her nerves felt as if they were on fire. Feet away, within her hazy line of vision, she caught sight of the shimmering sword. She wasn’t quite sure how it happened, but somehow Elise managed to crawl across the shattered ground to reach her sword before her men came flooding all around her. Through the deluge of voices, strung high from the horrifying experience, she managed to make out that yes, the demon was defeated and that the Grandmaster Telamond was injured quite badly. Elise waved off their concern over her current state, because a broken rib was not all that important and she was quite sure she was going into shock so the pain was lessening.

Getting to her feet, a feat she was not quite sure how she accomplished, Elise stumbled over to the fallen Count and quickly glanced over his wounds. He had broken some bones from that fall and his nose was most certainly shattered from that backhand, not to mention the deep bloody wounds from his earlier fight. Snapping out orders to her troops, she knew it was unsafe to move him in his current state and she sent a few of her men to go fetch a healer as well as the proper authorities in Duil.

Focusing her increasingly blurry sight, Elise procured a healers pack from somewhere. One of her men had brought it along she thought. As a child, she had always wanted to be a healer. Alas it hadn’t been fitting of her station, and her parents had not allowed her to seek formal training. Still, she had read enough and talked with that old herb wife who lived on their lands to have some skill. She couldn’t do much with the materials around, but at least she could stabilize the good Count until a true healer could be brought.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Telamond's situation was temporarily stabilized, it was clear he didn't run the risk of dying at any moment now but it was also obvious that his situation would get worse again if not properly treated in a near future. Even being better he was still unconscious, breathing slowly sometimes with a gurgling sound of blood, but for the moment he was safe the only thing that could be done was waiting...
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise wiped the last of the blood off the Grandmaster’s face, setting the absorbent cloth off to the side now that she was done with it. She scanned him clinically once more, fighting past the haze in her mind so as to think straight, and wincing at what she saw. She didn’t have the means to set any of the broken bones, and she was worried that he had broken something in his chest due to the blood on his lips as well as his breathing. Broken though was probably preferable to punctured, although it didn’t look like any of the sword or arrow wounds were near his lungs one couldn’t tell if a bit of blade broke off inside his body. Still, she had been able to staunch the bleeding and properly bandage most of his wounds as well as bracing the breaks in his legs. It was best that he was unconscious, for surely being awake would be more of a hell than what they had just gone through.

So absorbed was she in her task, that Elise hardly noticed the clatter of feet on stone as people rushed into the cavern. Tunnel vision seemed to haunt her and by the time the healers arrived and pulled her away from the Count she was lost in a sea of black haze. Unconsciousness came at some point, the broken rib reasserting itself with a passion, obviously miffed at having been ignored for so long. Elise willfully succumbed to the rest, floating in a sea of pain and blessed darkness. Mercifully there were no dreams so deep was her slumber.

She awoke in a familiar room, the shinning halls of the Silver Order. It was like emerging from the depths of despair and rising into heaven, so beautiful were the gilded ceilings high above her reclining form. She was on a cot, and her chest was bandaged tight enough that it was hard to breath deeply. Although that was for the best as even the most shallow breaths brought on a spike of pain in her side. She wanted to sink back into oblivion, but Elise had duties to attend to and those trumped any perceived comfort. Slowly she gathered her wits, casting about first for her sword and finding it at her side carefully lifting herself up on her elbows. Grandmaster Telamond lay in another cot, healers bustling around him like bees on honey and Elise was relieved to see that he had survived. For a moment she wondered why they were in the hall, but seeing as the Count’s house had been attacked, perhaps they believed no where else was safe at the moment?
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Elise woke up and started to immerse herself in her thoughts, but then something interrupted her, it was a voice deep and rough followed by coughing, she noticed it was Telamond, he had awoken and was trying to say something, then it came out again, so strong the healers were stunned.

"Elise, co..come here," and before anyone could react the Grandmaster was already standing up, barely but he was, and he was using his sword as a cane to resist falling to the floor. "Come here Knight Elise, come and bow." The healers all protested loudly claiming he should rest but gathering all his strength he cried

"SILENCE! I am talking with her."
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise dragged her gaze away from the gleaming walls, suddenly at rapt attention as the Grandmaster began to speak. Far away the worry of him being too injured to move seemed less pressing than her duty to respond, and she worked up the energy to slip from her cot unsteadily. Surely if he could move as injured as he was, a small break like hers should not stall her. It was with that mentality that she worked her way over to his towering form, kneeling on the cold floor with a grace she did not feel. Blond hair, unrestrained from its usual braid flowed past her shoulders veiling her pale face from view as the young dame awaited what would come. The stone floor seared through her thin clothes like an icy brand, filling her bones with an unshakable chill while bringing on its train some semblance of alertness.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
Telamond watched her, she knew she was only pretending to be well but so did he, in fact his entire body was convulsing in pain his face barely hiding that, each little part of it screaming loudly in protest, but he wouldn't be able to rest without saying what he would say.

"Knight Elise, for the life of the Grandmaster, showing bravery beyond belief in the face of the legions of Hell itself and for being true to yourself and fighting for what you believe in with incredible prowess, I name you Grandmistress of the Sword Order." He then gasped raising his sword and doing as he did in her knighthood ceremony. "A brooch that identifies your new position shall be given to you by a fellow knight shortly," he then paused for moment looking at her eyes and briefly smiled. "These...were the words of the Grandmaster to a knight...now you shall listen to the words of man to a great friend who saved his life." "I will never be able to repay what you did for me my dear Elise, I am forever in debt with you, your courage, determination, leadership, skill and grace are unsurpassed, know that I will gladly give my life for yours if needed."

"Rise Elise, I know you still aren't well, and I ask you that from now on you call me by my name, not Grandmaster, not Count Telamond nor Lord Telamond, just Telamond," he then returned to his initial position at the cot slowly.
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise felt the light tap of the flat of his blade on her shoulders, and she lifted her eyes as the Grandmaster began to speak. For a moment his words fluttered past her ears, far too fanciful to register completely. As if he was speaking to someone else. And then suddenly it all seemed far too real, the hard stone beneath her knees, the stare of the healers and assembled knights off to the side, the heat flushing her cheeks so at odds with the insipid cold filling the rest of her body. She was minutely aware of every breath she exhaled, every blink and small shift her body preformed nearly subconsciously until now. Surely, this was not happening to her?

She stood, the cloth from her shift suddenly making her aware that at some point she had been changed out of her armor and blood splattered clothes from earlier. Some sort of rebellion rose to her lips but she did not utter the words, knowing that while her nature may have been one of modest refusal, it would be terribly rude to do so right now. It was not modesty when one refused what was being offered with true sincerity, it was simply a meek limitation. And no one was ever happy in such situations, even if her docility was to be appeased.

She bowed her head for a moment though, for while those logical thoughts slipped through her mind with the ring of truth to them, it was much harder to convince her emotional side and she could not quell the blush of sheer embarrassment at such a complement and honor. As it was, she had to speak even if she wished to simply meld into the stone floor and allow the chill pervading her body to encompass her whole being and Elise managed to look up and meet the Grandmaster’s eyes squarely. “Thank you… Telamond,” Well, she couldn’t help that pause, propriety and good breeding chocked on the purposeful ignorance of protocol and the hierarchical system, still she managed a wane smile in repentance.
Elise
Roleplay from Telamond
As he returned to his cot he spoke once more, "We shall speak better once I can move again, for now rest Elise, you faced far more than could I demand of you."
Telamond
Roleplay from Elise
Elise nodded, the experience once more switching back into surrealism. The healers rushed in now that Telamond was in their reach, and one split from the pack to lead her back to her cot. She almost felt a bit miffed as it wasn’t like she was a child who needed minding, but then again she was finding it rather hard to walk so she swallowed her pride and allowed the healer to inspect her. Soon enough the man handed her a chalice and Elise dutifully drank the bitter contents down. The metal froze in her hands, and it was only then that she realized she was burning up. Fever? Before she could think more, the drink pulled her under into a deep unconsciousness and Elise slept.
Elise