“Stand down!” A tall, well built man stood before the cave's entrance, sword drawn, narrowed eyes glinting with unswerving determination. His well-muscled arms tensed as his grip tightened. “Leave or be destroyed!” he shouted.
The warning had no seeming effect on their object, the slight form of a young girl clad in grey. She held neither blade nor bow, challenging him instead with her gaze. Long, dark hair flowed about her slender form, framing a pale face, whose chief feature was the large eyes. Her eyes were as deep pools of water, dark and disturbed, defying him with a wisdom and power far above mere weapons. Under her steady stare the firm muscles weakened and the resolve deteriorated, until at last the brave man quailed. His heart failed him and he collapsed on the ground, the sword falling with a faint ring from his cold fingers.
Without a glance the girl stepped over her vanquished opponent. Once defeated he did not merit another thought.

Within the mountain, the immortal Morani stiffened with fear as the roots of the earth trembled beneath them. Their home was under threat; dread hung thick in the close air, growing ever more urgent as uncounted seconds passed. Still the people could not move, paralyzed by the horror of some unknown evil they paused as statues. A foul smell crept through the mountain, as of some loathsome disease not yet felt, a bitter drink never tasted. It blackened the hearts and poisoned the mind, and as the minutes passed and the stench grew stronger, the last resistance of the Morani crumbled and they fell, one by one, to the ground, plagued by gruesome dreams.
The last to fall was their Queen, keeper of the Starjewel. The Starjewel was the treasure of the Morani, a ring made of pure silver set with a fallen star, whose light sustained them and blessed them with health and fortune. The ring had been forged in the depths of time, a gift to the Morani, who had kept its secret well in their shrouded underground kingdom. Until now.

With heavy footfalls the young girl traversed the long, twisting path, descending into the heart of the mountain, the heart of the earth itself. Her eyes hardened and she lifted a thin, bloodless hand, all her energy focused on her unseen goal.

Queen Alutara gasped and struggled to stay upright as icy chills chased through her body. She fought the shadow pressing upon her, endeavoring to clear her mind of the murky cloud that enveloped it, to no avail. An image swam before her eyes, that of an ivory face surrounded by a dark swirl of hair, and eyes, terrible eyes, cold and venomous, trained on her in all their vicious potency. Alutara moaned in anguish, and the eyes narrowed in pleasure, relishing the honeyed flavor of victory.
The queen fell.

Her motions now smooth and light, the grey-clad figure moved to her victim and removed the Starjewel, placing it upon her own finger. A sharp pain convulsed her, and the resulting struggle stole her concentration and shook the spell from the Morani. Their waking was not a release but an enslavement, and the dark cloud clung to their minds and hearts as their new Queen emerged. The Starjewel was on her hand, it's light and beauty dimmed, it's power lessened. It was overcome.
So did Death come to the Morani.