Peridur and Eleanor Ch. 01

Introduction

These are the adventures of Peridur and Eleanor, two elves who share one soul and a taste for adventure. Exploring realms both physical and spiritual, our heroes seek to grow and learn about themselves and the world around them.

Peridur and Eleanor have been brought up in the elven court. Recognised from birth as Soulbound, or one soul in two bodies, it was foretold that they would accomplish great things and be celebrated among their people.

Soulbound, the sages explained, are born when a great task has been decreed by fate, a task so great that no one elf alone can accomplish it. Only two working in perfect concert may have any chance of success. But what great task was set to these children, not even the star readers could clearly see.

Decades have passed and the Soulbound have come into their maturity. The elves have placed great faith in the Soulbound, as they are a people in decline, long past their greatness and dwindling in number. The elven queen has tasked the Soulbound to recover lost artifacts of great power in the hope that these magics can save what remains of the elves and other races that yet value the beauty and goodness that exists in the "Twilight Era."

Or so the elves name this era - for their time in this place is limited by their ability to bear the sorrows that come with dwelling in a mortal realm. If an elf loses sight of what she most values and succumbs to grief in spirit, she dies.

Mountains rise, lands are lost to the sea and the lesser races live and die in a twinkling. Who can blame the elves for forsaking these lands for the undying realm, the promised paradise for all members of their kind.

Before he took the ship to the undying realm, a legendary elven singer was heard to remark: "I am a lonely soul." Most assumed his words were a statement of the countless ages he spent singing his songs upon Arda. But the Singers of the inner circle of the Etharchy knew the truth.

If not Soulbound born, as all but two upon Arda are, souls are sentenced to an incomplete and unspeakably lonely existence. For this is the Twilight Era and long is the lament of the elves.

Spirit Walking among the Shadows

Prelude

As Peridur and Eleanor prepare to embark on an epic quest to recover dangerous and powerful artifacts from the past, they share a series of cryptic dreams, filled with symbolism, monsters and magic. Through the examination of their experiences, the Soulbound are beginning to believe that not all of the lost artifacts of the elves exist in the physical world as we know it.

Some may have been lost in the unmapped realms of the spirit.

Elves believe the physical and spiritual worlds are inextricably linked together. What a human might call a dream is simply a different reality for an elf. Though it may be a nebulous, fantastical experience, it can have consequences further reaching than simple cause and effect.

For when elves dreamwalk, they awaken gods, banish evil and, in so doing, change the fabric of reality itself.

It will take all of the Soulbound's unique skills, courage, but most especially the ineffable bond between each other, to venture forth into the spirit realm to reclaim their heritage.

But venture forth they must- as there is no one else with the talents required to answer the call.

A Piscine Message

One of the Soulbound's favorite past times is dancing. Having perfected the various forms long ago, the pair now enjoys the challenge of dancing on different types of surfaces to improve their technique. This night, they were waltzing on water.

"The trick seems to be..." Peridur paused to pull his foot out of the water. "Not to stop moving."

Eleanor giggled as she tripped over an errant ripple in the stream and fell into Peridur's arms. Her stumble caused them both to stop moving and sink up to their knees in the chilly water.

"Again?" Peridur asked, preparing to begin the steps once more.

"Not right now," Eleanor said. They had been at it awhile and the sun had gone down below the horizon. She was both tired from the exertion and cold from the repeated missteps into the water. When her Soulbound noticed her shivering, he wrapped her in his cloak and carried her to one of her favorite places to sit and watch the movement of the water down the stream. Long ago, Peridur had constructed a fire pit at that spot for their enjoyment, so he lit the waiting fuel and a cheery flame began to warm them both.

Peridur gazed at the stars while Eleanor reclined on the riverbank next to him, chattering about nothing in particular, as she was wont to do, with her fishing line in the water.

Imperceptibly to all but her Soulbound, the elf utilized her bardish skills to vibrate the fishing line between her fingers in a rhythm that mimicked the beating of her heart. Between the conversation with Peridur and her peculiar brand of fish-related magic, Eleanor's split attention put her into a light trance. She was no longer herself, but something else, a creature of both the land and water, held to the shore only by the unbreakable bond she shared with the elf next to her.

Suddenly, there was a tug on her line and Eleanor carefully reeled in a fish with scales the color of rubies. Humming the song that allowed her to speak to animals, Eleanor issued her customary greeting to the fish.

"Wise one," she sang. "What secrets have you to reveal about the nature of reality?"

The fish flicked its tail back and forth, pulsing to the lingering call of Eleanor's summoning song and the beat of her heart. When the light mesmerism began to fade from its mind and body, the fish spoke: "Deep beneath the realms of blood, lies a pool of stagnant water," it said. "Brave adventurers, beware! There is a price to pay to solve this mystery and close the gate. The gods themselves will be watching you."

Then, with a final glimmer of ruby red scales, it flipped out of the elf's aura of influence and vanished once more into the depths of the river.

Eleanor related the curious words to her Soulbound, who pondered them for a time, while cradling Eleanor's head on his shoulder and continuing to view the heavens.

After a comfortable silence, Peridur said, "In the annals of history, I can remember only one mention of a place called 'the realms of blood' and even then it was a term used by an enemy of the elves rather than our people."

Eleanor lazily ran her fingers through Peridur's hair, marveling as she always did at the seemingly endless amount of knowledge he held in his mind. "And what might that be," she asked, encouraging him to continue.

He looked troubled for a moment, but quickly relaxed once more under Eleanor's soothing hands. "Do you recall the strange events surrounding the brief orcish alliance with the Etharch?"

Eleanor paused for a moment of reflection then shook her head, negatively.

"Doubt the fish had much to say about it," Peridur teased.

"You have your sources of inspiration and I have mine," Eleanor replied, unruffled.

Peridur's eyes lost focus as he went deep inside his mind and recited his learning. "It is often said, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' When the world was younger many fell things walked its pathless forests, some much worse than the Orcs. Chief among these were the Abhors."

"They had the appearance of serpents, though details are lacking, but were not native to this land. Instead, they dwelt in the shadow plane and from there stole into the dreams of all sentient creatures," Peridur said. "Those they terrorized in dreams were thus controlled by them, and they could harm others."

"How awful," Eleanor interjected.

"Indeed," Peridur replied. "Many had their psychic aura taken to a place in the shadow plane where the Abhors could pen and torture their victims, a 'realm of blood' as the orcs called it. Whilst one could kill the creatures they controlled, no one had a way to strike at them directly."

"Through repeated battles on the borders of consciousness, the elves learned that Abhors drew power from a pool of water, or so it appeared, on the shadow plane," Peridur said. "To counter this strengthening of their powers, our loremasters created a potent weapon that existed both in the shadow and physical planes."

"If only some of our loremasters had remained on this side of the sea," Eleanor lamented.

Her Soulbound inclined his head in agreement. "However, for reasons that are lost to us, it was decided that an orc shaman would wield the weapon. There is a rumor that the weapon was powered by strong, base emotions which are not natural to the elder race," he said. "Also, there is a claim the weapon has its own spirit or intelligence. Much of this knowledge is lost."

"But," he continued. "We could go there of course. I have long wondered about this weapon and the truth behind the stories of the Abhors. Would you like to try?"

"Any adventure with you by my side is one worth having," Eleanor concluded, kissing Peridur's cheek. "Tell me, what do the loremasters have to say about entering the shadow realm? I suspect its dangers and boundaries were well-documented during our people's initial contact with the Abhors."

The elf rose gracefully to his feet, offering Eleanor his hand to assist her up from the riverbank. "Entering the shadow realm is simple enough, my dear," he said. "First, we need to fall asleep."

Into Shadows

Under normal circumstances, elves have little need for sleep. Their minds and spirits are refreshed after a simple meditative trance and so the majority of their nighttime hours can be, and usually are, devoted to astronomy, astrology, moon magic, communications with nocturnal creatures, or countless other pleasurable diversions.

The trouble wasn't that Eleanor had never slept, it was that sleep didn't come easily or naturally to her. Peridur, on the other hand, could drop as easily into and out of sleep like a fish through currents of water. Though Eleanor rarely envied any of the many talents held by her Soulbound, she found herself wishing for his sleeping skills on the night they decided to travel to the shadow realm. Hesitantly, she entered their room.

The light musky smell of incense hung in the air as she closed the door behind her. Their room suited them nicely, it was rich, even sumptuous in color and fabric. Maroons, silver, and other deep colors complemented the heavy wood furniture, each piece of which was carved and crafted by the elves with loving care. Thick drapes served to block out the sun in the day or keep out the cold in the evening, as the Soulbound desired. Candles flickered from corners of the room, casting intriguing shadows on the ceiling. It was rumored the elvish candlemakers cast a spell to create this effect.

One side of the room had bookcases lining the wall filled with rare books and manuscripts that Peridur had curated throughout his studies for his own private collection. Opposite to the miniature library, Eleanor had a long fish tank which contained innumerable sparkling pebbles and small pieces of brightly colored glass- gifts from her friends in the river. Every so often, Eleanor sang a song over the tank that sent all of its contents back into the currents from which it came. No one had ever asked why she bothered, but, if they had asked, she would have only shrugged enigmatically in reply.

A large canopy bed dominated the far end of the room. Peridur was seated upon it already, propped up on a number of cushions as he meditated with eyes closed. An intricate cloak was thrown over his shoulders which trailed down off the bed and onto the ground.

Something lurched in Eleanor's heart seeing him sitting like that. She paused, caught by the solemn look on his graceful face which was soothed by an inner peace that permeated the room as much as the incense. Curiously, her shadow raced into the room ahead of her, climbing the bed posts and throwing itself into the darkness between Peridur's body and his cloak.

Unbothered by her shadow's eagerness and before moving further into their sacred space, Eleanor reached for her Soulbound with her spirit, following the invisible lines of energy that had connected them since birth. Her consciousness brushed against Peridur's quiet energy in the spiritual equivalent of a kiss. A longing to be closer to her lover filled her heart as she stole quietly across to the bed, silently shedding her clothes as she went.

Peridur was deep in meditation when the scent of his lover brought him back to the room. Opening his eyes, he saw Eleanor perched delicately on the bed in front of him, holding the rail of the canopy to keep steady. He admired the curves of her perfect body before noticing the mischievous grin on her face. The smell of her sex, so close to his face, brought an immediate reaction.

"Perhaps there is something you can do to help me sleep," she said in a playful voice. Reaching down, she slipped the cloak back off of his shoulders, forcing her shadow to abandon the sheltering darkness of her lover's finery. It leapt, unseen, from the bed to the wall, where it immediately began cavorting with Peridur's own statuesque shadow.

Peridur noticed the cool touch of the room's air on his naked skin. His need for his Soulbound mate was clearly visible to Eleanor, who stepped carefully on either side of him before settling down slowly. He watched as her body art slowly passed in front of his face; the scroll work around her sex, the floral patterns of her naval, the concentric circles of her breasts. The warmth and wetness of her finally met his need, and with a small wiggle, her face came into view.

Only deep breathing stopped him from immediately spilling inside her.

"My love," she said, "I need you so badly. Meditate with me?"

Peridur closed his eyes and focused inside again, starting with his head and connecting himself to her as he moved downward. It was a routine they had learned years ago, becoming one soul again, sharing the same energy, thinking synchronous thoughts. The edges of him faded away to be replaced by them.

Eleanor focused on the connection between their bodies, the warmth of her Soulbound filling her and the light radiating up her spine. A heaviness filled her limbs as Peridur's steady energy pulled her naturally restless spirit downwards to combine into the oneness of them. As their heartbeats effortlessly aligned, Eleanor felt the rightness of the moment and a deep, abiding peace.

A swirling energy engulfed his shaft when he arrived there, stimulating it into further hardness. He could see it clearly in his mind's eye as it expanded to take over his consciousness. His lips touched hers softly, and her breath entered him, causing a deep hunger to be even closer to her. Their tongues played together before he sealed his lips to hers and breathed in. She, of course, had been waiting for this, and breathed out in time to his inward breath. Back and forth their breath went, while a heat rose up Peridur's spine.

Eleanor's arms circled around her lover's back and she rested her fingertips at the base of his spine, feeling the energy moving up and down, from her hands to his body and back again. An irresistible need caused her to tighten her arms and legs around him, pushing their bodies closer, then leaning away, mimicking the motion of a wave crashing to the shore.

Peridur hung in this timeless space of oneness for what might have been hours, or even eternity. He was only brought back by the gentle rocking Eleanor had started. The wetness of her was trickling down his thigh as he hugged her even tighter and pushed to increase the tempo of her movement.

Their love making became an endurance test for him. Peridur's need rose higher and higher, becoming more urgent as they rocked, but he held his self control, wanting to prolong this experience of being one with his Soulbound, of completely losing himself in her. A tingling started in the back of his head, matched by a tingling in the head of his cock lodged so deeply within his soul mate. As the rocking went on, his entire awareness was overtaken by this tingling.

Eleanor would have been lost in the waves of pleasure rising up and down her body if it had not been for the anchoring energy of her lover between her legs and the encircling pressure of his hands on her hips. She gasped and moaned softly, nipping at his neck as the heat continued to build between them.

Finally, his need for her was too great. Leaning forward, he lay Eleanor back onto the bed and covered her body with his. He began a rhythmic thrusting, which she welcomed by drawing back her legs to allow him even deeper inside. His eyes opened, and he saw she was already seeking his gaze. It was evident that her need now matched his, as it always did.

Recognising that need caused a twitching and tightening deep within his sack. Soon there would be no turning back. Leaning in closer he whispered to his love, "Say yes."

She smiled. "Yes...."

And with this word he was connected to the divine masculine who poured forth again and again into his love. In his mind's eye, he could see each spurt mingle with the energy within her belly to create a new essence. In Eleanor's mind, she could see the horns of the potent and mysterious forest god on his head and the bright light of their connection peaked as his back arched into her.

Peridur lay still for a moment, holding onto the experience they had just shared. He began to tenderly kiss Eleanor again, which they carried on for some time, exploring the sensation like they had just discovered it for the first time.

"Weren't we supposed to be doing something else tonight?" he whispered to her.

"But this is my favorite way to fall asleep," she replied, playful again. "Though I suppose duty calls." After a final kiss, she said, "Lead on, love."

Peridur shifted around until he was laying next to her on the bed. Nestling against him, Eleanor felt a warm, comfortable peacefulness and within moments she was drowsy and sinking away from the conscious world. "Breathe in time with me," he said. "Concentrate on my breath, my heartbeat and clear your mind."

It was a surprise to find herself standing in a pool of light, surrounded on all sides by a darkness her eyes could not pierce. She felt Peridur's arms wrap around her from behind.

"Welcome to the spirit realm, love. Here we are between all worlds and can go wherever we like."

"Is it dangerous?" she asked.

"Very," he replied. "Our minds will make sense of what we see by constructing familiar scenes, but don't be fooled. Everything we will see is a bit of cloth thrown over something beyond our real understanding. And we can die here as easily as in our bodies. More easily, really."

Eleanor shuddered, taking further comfort from the warmth of Peridur's arms. "How do we get to the shadow realm from here?"

"An act of will is enough," he said. "Watch."

Slowly the darkness receded from the Soulbound, revealing a land parched of water or any sign of life. There was no sun or other source of light Eleanor could perceive, only a pervasive dimness. On one side, a plain stretched to the horizon and, on the other, the land rose through a series of hills and crags to what might be mountains beyond.

"What a dreary place," Eleanor remarked. "No wonder our people seldom visit."

"We are intimately tied to our ancestral land, which explains our power there," Peridur explained. "Our power here is notably absent, which is why we perceive this land as we do- empty and lifeless. The orcs, on the other hand, experience this place as a realm of blood and emotion where their violent fantasies are fulfilled. For them, it is a source of endless power."

"It is clear why an orc shaman needed to perform this quest," Eleanor whispered. "Which way do we go?"

Peridur smiled into her hair. "That is a matter of intuition, love, which makes it a task for you."