Many of the Shadow wolves had scattered at the sight of the power Jaden had put out, but a dozen or so still gathered around them.

Eleshna hurriedly pulled from her satchel a small pouch containing a sticky powder and added it to each of the ends of her arrows, careful not to cut herself and allow the powder in.

She fired one of these arrows towards a wolf and instead of going through, it stuck fast, as it would to a real wolf, then after a moment, the wolf seemed to go insane, and turned on one of the other Shadow wolves. The result was a fearsom battle between the two, then they simultaniously shattered, adding to the mist still clinging to the ground.

The remaineder of the wolves turned to focus on the horse, slashing an snarling, coming to angle towards the hind quarters and the flank.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Jaden realized he was not going to be mobile enough on Syndar and if the horse went into full dfens mode he probably wouldn't be able to stay on either.

Jaden jumpped off Syndar letting him break free of the wolves his own way. Jaden threw his sword as a wolf jumped at him, hitting it int he chest. He pulled out his second sword and moved to retreav his first.

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The wolf snarled, twitching violently on the ground with the sword in its chest, then finaly slipped loose of the blade and as Jaden stepped closer, it leapt at him, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground with a surprisingly imense weight.

Eleshna cried out and leapt down from the dragon, taking out the dagger she still had which was her own. She grabbed a handful of the wolf's shimmering fur at the back of its neck and yanked it back, bringing her knife around to slit its head off fully.

The wolf, headless, shattered into the same mistn then the head, held in Eleshna's hand, followed the same action just moments later.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

"Thanks!" Jaden said gettig up to his feet and slicing another wolf as it jumped.

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Eleshna nodded once but had no time for further word as one of the wolves leapt towards her. Ducking low to the ground, she avoided the teeth and delved her dagger blade into its chest.

Turning swiflty, she was greeted by another snarl, froth dripping from the wolf's mouth, though when it hit the ground it evaporated into a mist.

Eleshna turned aside as it bounded towards her, then grabbed its upper jaw, in the space between the long incisors, and slit its throat cleanly.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Jaden sliced another wolf along the side that had advanced, then kicking it down he stabbed it one last time before it vanished into a myst.

(how many are there?)

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(*thinks* Hmm... let's say... half a dozen ^^)

Eleshna thrust her dagger into the neck of one wolf, but before she could pull it out, a second wolf, seeming bigger than the rest, leapt at her and clamped down on her arm with vice-like jaws.

Giving a cry, she went to slice her blade at its throat but a sudden chill spread through her arm and throughout her whole body. "Lech..." she gritted her teeth, speaking the name as though it were a curse.

Suddenly overcome by the sheer chill and pain from the Shadow wolf's bite, Eleshna collapsed, finding herself in the Shadow world itself, the Shadows beckoning to her, and Lech standing there, seeming more alive than ever, his smirk triumphant. "Welcome.... to the same world you sent me to so long ago.... "

She tried to turn away, but she seemed unable to move, and in reality, though her mind and spirit were held in the world between, her body lay in a crumbled heap on the ground, deathly cold to the touch, unmoving.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Jaden looked over as Eleshna fell to the ground, shock runing through him.

He ran over to her, clicing two more wolves on his way. Azher taking out many of the remaining ones with strong blasts of fire.

Jaden bent down to Eleshna and picked her up, taking her and climbing on Azher. Syndar had made his escape and would be long gone by now.

Azher took off towards the nearest vilage. They had to get Eleshna to a healer guickly.

"Hold on..." he siad softly looking into her motionless face. "Don't die!"

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Eleshna was lost in the world of the Shadows, half between life and true death, her body not fully yet abandoned by her spirit.

For a brief moment she came to consciousness, groaning from the pain running through her and shivering from the chill. Her hand gripped Jaden's sleeve until it loosened as she slipped off again, being drawn again to view the realm of the Shadows.

"No joy have we found, no feeling but anger have we had, and no rest to us is granted, and now you shall share that doom, Shadow Dancer," Lech hissed at Eleshna, as he reached out in the vision to grasp her.

She struggled to escape from Lech's hold, when in reality she was fighting against Jaden, deftly trying to free herself in her spirit but the actions partially took place for real as well.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Jaden held tight, knowing her actions had something to do with the bit from the shadow wolf. Meanwhile he used his power to help her in what ways he could.


Azher flew fast through the sky towards the nearest vilage, the wind blowing the tears backwards along Jaden's face. "I woun't let you die!" he said, his words coming randomly and with a worried tone.

Soon Azher landed in the vilage, the day near halfway over yet still unusualy dark fromt he clouds that still lingered int he sky.

Jaden rushed through the streets to the healers house and took Eleshna in. "Please you have to help her!" he pleeded, setting her gently down on the bed.

"What's wrong?" the healer asked him. "She was bit by a shadow wolf..." Jaden said, hoping with all his heart that they would be able toi help.

"I'm not sure what we can do for her but we'll do our best." the healer replied with a surprised look. "Send to the east vilage for Athoen... he will know what to do." the healer instructed a younger man as he and his assistant got to work.

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Through it all, Eleshna seemed to be able to hear a voice, but for some strange reason she couldn't name the voice, as though all memory from reality was slowly slipping away while she herself slowly slipped deeper into the Shadow realm.

Her struggling ceased, and her breathing calmed, but seemed shallow still, the breaths far in between. Her hand, which had still grasped Jaden's sleeve, now slipped down.

The bite on her arm had darkened, though not blackened, and her arm had gone ashen, as began her whole complexion. The healer murmured a few words about an ancient Shadow, "This sort of thing has not been seen in these parts for many ages.... There should be an antidote, but it is rare to find, and few carry it if any. Do you know if she had any experiance with this sort of thing before?"

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

"YEs... with shadows. I'm not sure abot the bite..." Jaden tried to calm himself so he could make some sense.

"How can I get the antidote?!"

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"Usually if one were experianced with them, years of experiance though, they would carry an antidote at all times with them," the healer responded quickly, binding the wound firmly.

Eleshna gasped in a breath, her eyes opening wide as she again gripped Jaden's sleeve, "J-Ja..." she couldn't finish what she had been about to say as she groaned and let her grip go again, closing her eyes.

In the Shadow realm Lech approached her, a gloating expression in his fell eyes. She wanted to turn, to run, but her longings to do so were in vain. She was grabbed, pulled, feeling as though she would shatter as she struggled to be free, struggled to return to the world where dwelt the only one she wished to be with.

Then suddenly darkness, total darkness, void of any feeling grasped her, while in reality, her breath slowed and quieted farther, warmth leaving her very core.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

Jaden rushed over and searched through Eleshna's things looking for the antidote. "It has to be here!" he said angrily, but softly to himself.

Finaly he found something that could be it and ran over to the healer. "Is this it?" he asked anxously.

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The healer took the phial, pulled the stopper, sniffed it and coughed at the strength of the smell. "Aye, that is it..." Swiftly prying Eleshna's clenched jaw open, the healer poured at least half the liquid in.

Eleshna at first didn't respond, then suddenly she felt herself being pulled back into light, where feeling came with it as well. Her head ached, and her whole body did as well, so much so she wanted to cry out but couldn't, coughing on some of the remnants of the antidote.

She groaned and opened her eyes slightly, suddenly realizing she was staring up towards the ceiling of a thatched roof. "W-Where am I...?" At first all she could recall was being bitten, then darkness, and the horrid feeling of being drawn into the world of the creatures she had once controlled.

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I am a pro-cycling fan! Congrats to the Young rider of the Tour de France!
~Cyclist in Training~

JAden reached out and grabbed her hand, a glimer of hope sparking into a fire inside him. "Your at a healers..." Jaden said softly as he brushed some of her hair away from her face. He wasn't really sure what else to say, he wasn't the best with words.

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