�You�re an abomination to life.� Kai calmly stated.

From what he could judge, the hideous creature was fifteen yards away from him, and closing that distance as every second passed. It walked with an oddly determined gait, and it wished nothing more than to take the breath from his lungs. Now, let me give you a bit of background information on our friend. He isn�t the kind of elf that allows creatures to steal his breath. It�s just not something that he finds pleasure in, and he wasn�t about to let it happen to him on this brisk afternoon.

The stench of decay wafted from the creature. It�s flesh hung as folds from his withered body, looking somewhat like a robe would, draped over the figure of a delicate young elf-maiden. Sickening was an understatement. Kaivokalma had positioned himself against the truck of a sturdy oak, with both of his arms outstretched and holding his crossbow, he readied himself for the recoil of the large weapon. The approaching lich let out a hollow wail.

�Leave usss� Leave these woodsss� they belong to usss!�

Kai lowered his head, and his green eyes closed in sync. He would have to concentrate for only a single heartbeat before allowing his bolt loose upon the undead. Words began rolling subconsciously off his tongue; these were the prayers to his God. Warmth filtered into his being, and a dull light illuminated him against the murky backdrop of the haunted woods. Another beat of his heart; and he fired.

The enchanted bolt struck the lich deep into its chest, staggering the abomination before it fell lifelessly to the mossy forest floor.

�Diola lle� Kai whispered, his eyes moving to glimpse a ray of sunshine that managed to filter through the thick canopy of leaves.

He walked over to what was now the eighth lich he had laid low this afternoon. Kai felt satisfied with his progress, and decided a hearty lunch was appropriate for such an occasion. Before turning to leave, he pressed the heel of his leather boot against the lich�s bony chest, and with practiced ease pulled the bolt free.

He turned east, heading back the same path he had taken to arrive here. The wind was beginning to pick up, now that the evening was coming. The dying leaves fell lazily to the ground, some taken by the wind and tossed about in a whimsical dance, the others clung to trees with all of their little might. Kai didn�t have time to react before he was pummeled in the face by a large maple leaf. Startled, Kai reached up and removed the blinding spell the maple leaf had cast upon him.

The leaf reminded him of Tel�Ruid, and he quickened his pace dramatically to a full-on sprint until the roof of the Silver Arrow came into view above the dying trees.