The Journey to Auleruad

Keltalem: Tribal Parties

"Galenia! Hey! Wait for me!" Kel yelled after her. The Fairen girl stopped and looked back at Kel.
"Can I help you?" She asked, a little confused about why he was following her.
"I just wanted to talk with you," Kel said, giving her a smile.
"Well, we're talking now," Galenia said.
"I just wanted to say that if you need a friend, I'm here," Kel said.
"What makes you think I need friends?" Galenia asked with a huff.
"I think you do. You have that kind of personality," Kel said with a shrug.
"Fine, we can be friends. What now?" Galenia agreed, happy but acting tough. Being tough really didn't work with her though. Well, at least not how she was trying to be now.
"I was thinking that since it's the last day of our freedom, we could have a party," Kel said.
"A Tribal party?" Galenia asked, a smile coming to her face.
"Exactly. Now all we need to do is set it up," Kel said, smiling at his plan.
"How about I go round everyone up and you set everything up?" Galenia asked.
"I'm good with that. Let's get this party started," Kel said. Galenia gave him one last gleeful smile before taking off to go find everyone. Kel, with a smirk on his face. He walked around until he found a perfectly sized clearing and began to clear out all the debris until he had a relatively clear and flat area. He borrowed some torches and stands from the soldiers' supply wagon and set them up around the clearing, in case the party went into the night. He also got a fee of water barrels and set them up around the clearing, knowing that people would get thirsty. He finally got his reed pipes from the necklace inside his tunic where he kept them and warmed up by playing a few notes. He waited only a little while longer and before long all the Chosen except Mareus and Jalm had arrived. The Shadians stood in two groups, looking around nervously, while the Tribals went up to Kel excitedly, some more reserved than others. Galenia was one of the less reserved people.
"What now Kel?" She asked quickly. It seemed sad that such a positive person never would have celebrated like most of the people in Skulland do.
"Well, first of all, these three need to go get some sort of instrument while I teach everyone how to dance," Kel explained. Edix, Marasun and Cilas all hurried off to find some sort of instrument while Kel taught the non-Tribals to dance.
"Alright, I need a volunteer to demonstrate," Kel said. No one stepped forward at first, though Galenia was bouncing up and down. Finally Miraleo stepped up and Kel instructed everyone to take off their shoes.
"So first, how many people do we have?" Kel asked, counting people. He counted eight, not including himself or the other Tribals.
"Wait, can't we just free style it or something?" Miraleo asked. Kel though about it for a moment, contemplating the outcome.
"Yeah, that'll work," he said finally, nodding in approval. Marasun and Cilas returned with a wooden flute and violin respectively, while Edix returned with nothing.
"Couldn't find anything Edix?" Kel asked. Edix just shrugged apologetically.
"That just means more dancing for you! Can you two follow my lead?" Kel asked the other two.
"Psh, piece of cake!" Marasun said confidently.
"Then let's go! Everybody do their own thing! And have some fun!" Kel yelled as he started up a lively jig that Marasun and Cilas quickly adopted. At first, everyone looked around nervously, waiting for something to happen.
"Fine, I'll start," Medalo said finally, grabbing Miraleo's hands and spinning in rhythm with the music. Gradually everyone joined in and there were bright, flashing smiles in Kel's eyes, his ears heavy with laughter and music and a pure and relentless joy rising up in his very soul. Everyone looked to be having a similar feelings. Galenia kept knocking into Edix and Marasun with her wings, but they laughed, with Marasun still playing. They even began a game of dodging her wings as she danced, which looked both enjoyable and somewhat professional. Mikaius, Merestara, Medalo and Miraleo all danced in a sort of square formation, while the last three girls danced in their own, indescribable way. As for Kel and Cilas, they stood in one spot and played. For them, simply seeing how happy their music made everyone happy was enough for them. Kel especially, since he had helped set it up. That was when Karenia limped into the clearing carrying a bleeding Jalm, with Mareus walking beside. The wound itself was not mortal, a bite on his arm, but what was concerning was the blood coming from the wound. It was black.
"Jalm!" Kel yelled, forgetting his code name for his Volcanian friend.
"What happened Mareus?" Merestara asked as Edix helped lower Jalm to the ground. Kel hurried to his side, looking hopelessly at the wound.
"We fell in another Coven," Mareus began. Kel felt for Jalm's pulse and found it weak. His breathing was also labored and his eyes closed.
"A Shadow Snake?" Medalo asked, looking over Edix's shoulder. Even as Kel watched the darkness in the wound began to spread through Jalm's bloodstream and into his skin.
"Alright, do we know a cure?" Miraleo asked.
"Light," Edix said. Kel thought for a moment and then snapped his fingers.
"Thundans and Volcanians are known as the Banes of Shadow because they can make light! Edix, could you-" Kel said aloud. He didn't get to finish as Edix placed his hands over Jalm's wound. Lightning began to arch around his hands and into the would, making all of Jalm's muscles contract. He awoke with a gasp and Kel caught a blackness retreating from his eyes to be replaced by a fiery anger.
"Stupid snake. It was so dark and, evil, after it bit me," Jalm said slowly. Kel gave a sigh of relief, but a metallic scraping sound followed by Kel being poked in the back by something. He turned his head slowly to find a Shadian clothed in all black holding a sword at him.
"Move and I kill you," he said. Kel decided he didn't want to move.