CYRON (Completed)

Chapter 28 -S.

      The Vooran Rangers' camp was a beautiful place at night. The elves had long staves stood around the camp with white balls of light atop them illuminating the area. The tents were of varying sizes and a makeshift stable had been set up for the horses. Elves took good care of their animals.
The central tent was a large round tarp held up by sixteen poles. Next to the tent entrance were three flags with the brightly colored bird on them. This large central tent was a common space for the enter group.
The Healing tent was the second largest in the camp. It was not round like the central tent, but rectangular in shape. Twas inside here that Turen and his officers stood. They were next to the sick bed of poor Sunibe. The girl was still and cold. An Elven healer was knelt by the bed, her hands resting on Sunibe, one on the snakebite wound on her neck and the other on her stomach. The healer chanted softly. She was a delicate looking thing, clear skin without a single blemish. She looked in her late twenties, but was obviously older. The Vooran Rangers would not have a young elf as their Head Healer.
Chidum walked into the Healing Tent. He had on no shirt. The Karman tattoo was still etched onto his chest. His body was damn fine, but among these elves that didn't matter. They valued what was beyond sight. They valued the core, the character, the mind, the heart.
Chidum drew close to Sunibe's sick bed. He looked down at the still form of the child shaman. His father watched him as he squatted by Sunibe.

"Though the hand of death has a taken hold of you, I will not give up on you, Sunibe," the half elf whispered.

The girl remained unmoving.

"With the last of her strength she gave us the knowledge of what had happened to your travelling party," Odoor informed him.

"Without her we might not have found you in time," the she-elf commander added.

"You have yourself a good shaman in this one, son," Turen spoke.

Chidum rose up and walked out of the tent. The Vooran leaders watched him go.

"Let me talk to him," said the she-elf commander, going after the young elf.

Turen watched them leave. He didn't say a word, just looked down at Sunibe.

Chidum walked through the camp in silence. There were many elves. He was surrounded by the race he so admired yet he felt empty and lonely. He only stopped when he saw an empty spot around a fire that had burned out. He sat on the low bench by the dead fire pit.

The half-elf looked down at the Karman tattoo on his chest. He held out his right hand.

"Conflagru," he murmured and a ball of yellow fire appeared above his open palm then it fizzled out and Chidum hissed in pain, balling his fist and pressing his eyes shut as he tried to deal with the pain.

"I have never seen anyone who can actually even get the spell to go halfway before the tattoo stops it," said a familiar female voice.

Chidum opened his eyes and found the she-elf commander standing before him. He groaned as the pain coursed through him. The she-elf sat down on the bench to his right.

"You must be quite the masochist to continue inflicting such pain on yourself," the she-elf spoke.
"Tell me it can be removed," he replied.

"You are not the first person to be cursed with that tattoo, Elieh and you will not be the last. It is not easy to be rid of, but it is not impossible."

"You are one of the Vooran Rangers' commanders, but I know all the other except you," Chidum stated, his body relaxing now as the pain passed.

"I was but a captain the last time you were here," replied the she-elf. "You were young and your father and the others hounded you with attention and affection. We still answered to Gaar at the time and the war was—"