The Man With No Hands

by Toby Neighbors

  “Me too, my love. But first let us see where Orin has gotten to.”

  She stepped away from Crucifus, who was watching the elves as they worked. The forest seemed busy despite the attack, the Ivory Elves seemed lighthearted and happy. Orin came walking around the big red dragon leading their four horses. He was a mystery to Feray. She had no idea how he stayed so strong. It sometimes even seemed as if sleep weren’t important to him.

  “How long did I sleep?” She asked.

  “Half a day, I think,” Orin said. “It’s hard to tell for certain in the forest.”

  “You found the horses. I can scarcely believe it.”

  “I had help,” Orin said, patting Rolo who sat beside him, his long tongue hanging from the side of the big dog’s mouth.

  “Rolo!” Luc shouted, forgetting his hunger. “Let’s play!”

  “Don’t go far,” Feray called after Luc, who was off and running through the trees with Rolo eagerly chasing after him.

  “So what now, my lady?” Orin asked.

  “Now we must make our way north,” Crucifus said. “The journey over the Dragon’s Teeth Mountains won’t be easy on horseback. I can show you the way, but we’ll need to get moving if you hope to reach the High Plains in time for the council.”

  “What about the sorcerer?” Feray said. “Surely we can’t just forget about him.”

  “There is no way for me to track him through the forest,” Crucifus said.

  “I can track him,” Orin said. “The wolves will be easy enough to follow.”

  “It isn’t wise,” Crucifus said. “We must present a united front. Going after him alone is too dangerous. Besides, he will reveal himself soon enough. I doubt he will stay in the Mossy Woodlands long, not after revealing himself to the Ivory Elf Clan. They will be on the search for him soon.”

  “So, we’re going north,” Feray said. “Alone, I guess?”

  She looked around at the elves, feeling sorry that she couldn’t do more, but the elves were more than capable. They lowered vines to secure the upper section of the great tree, as they prepared to hoist it back up into the canopy.

  “I must go,” Crucifus said. “Travel north and meet me at the mountains. I will be watching for you.”

  “Travel safe,” Feray said.

  The huge dragon bowed its head for a moment, then jumped into the air, the massive wings flapping carefully so that the huge beast rose straight up through the hole in the canopy where the ruined tree had fallen. Feray watched him leave, then turned to Orin.

  “I’m not sure how I feel about going north with no idea what the sorcerer is up to,” she said.

  “My thoughts as well, my lady. And we owe it to Via to at least try and find her.”

  “Do you think she’s been…” Feray wasn’t sure how to explain what she was thinking.

  “Turned into a monster?” Orin asked. “I fear it, which is why I propose that you let me go in search of her.”

  “I don’t think we should split up,” Feray said, trying not to let the tremor of fear she felt at being parted from Orin show.

  “It’s not ideal, but I won’t engage the elf or his monstrous creatures. I just want to see if I can find out anything about what may have become of Via.”

  “I want that too, but it’s dangerous,” Feray said. “This is all so much more dangerous than I thought.”

  “Are you having second thoughts?” Orin asked.

  “No,” Feray said. “I know we’re doing the right thing here. And if this sorcerer must be fought, we must do our part. I just don’t want to lose you, Orin. There’s been too much death and loss in my life already.”

  “You won’t lose me,” he said. “I can find my way through the forest easy enough. I know how to be stealthy. Let me find out what I can, then catch up with you.”

  “If you really think it’s for the best.”

  “We have to try, for Via’s sake,” he insisted.

  “Alright, but be careful.”

  “Always,” he said, handing her the reins of the other three horses.

  Feray felt as if her life were suddenly spinning out of control. Crucifus was gone, and Orin was setting off on his own. She hadn’t planned on things being so difficult or dangerous, it made her nervous. She pulled out some rations from their meager stores and called for Luc.

  By the time her son returned, a group of elves was approaching. They had several large sacks of food and three earthenware jugs of wine. Zephyr led the group and Feray started to feel a little hope.

  “We are indebted to you, Feray,” Zephyr said.

  “I only did what anyone would have done,” she said.

  “Not many have the power you possess,” Zephyr said.

  “You drove the sorcerer away,” Eavon said. “That is what Crucifus the Wise told us.”

  “I was just trying to protect my son,” Feray said. “I didn’t really know what I was doing.”

  “We have brought you these gifts for your journey,” Zephyr said, waving to the other elves, who set to work securing the bags of food and jugs of wine to Feray’s pack horse.

  “Surely you’ll be joining me for the council,” Feray said. “We can travel together.”

  “We must first see to our own people,” Zephyr said. “And when we travel north, it will be through the trees.”

  “I see,” Feray said, feeling a little disappointed.

  “But we would be honored if you would allow us to send an escort to guide you to the mountains,” Eavon said. “Terreek has volunteered.”

  “It would be my honor,” the elf said, bowing.

  “That would be a great relief,” Feray admitted. “Thank you.”

  “It is our pleasure,” Zephyr said. “May the gods ever guide you.”

  The elves bowed and then returned to their village in the trees. Feray watched them go, amazed at their dexterity and gracefulness.

  “I wish I could climb a tree like that,” Luc said.

  Climb! Rolo barked.

  “This is an elvish charm,” Terreek said, dropping to one knee before Luc and holding out a delicately woven talisman.

  It looked to Feray as if it had been made from long, supple strips of wood, woven together to form an almost solid piece roughly the size of a large coin. The weaving seemed random, yet a design was clearly evident in the talisman. It was hung on a cord of braided moss.

  “With this around your neck, you’ll be climbing like an elf in no time,” Terreek said.

  “Do you promise?” Luc said, his eyes large with excitement.

  “Or course, elves never lie, little one,” Terreek said as he hung the talisman around Luc’s neck. “Now, keep it safe. Never lose it. If you are ever in need, you can show this talisman to any elf and they will lend you aid.”

  “Thanks!” Luc declared happily.

  “That was very generous,” Feray said, as Terreek stood back up.

  “It is the least I can do,” he said. “I would be dead if not for you.”

  They began walking through the woods. Feray led the horses and Terreek walked beside her, with Luc and Rolo just ahead of them.

  “Will your people recover?” Feray asked, glancing up at the elvish city.

  “We will, my lady. It is good of you to ask.”

  “How many did you lose in the attack?”

  “Twenty-two souls were lost, their bodies will be planted soon,” Terreek said. “Many more would have died if not for your help.”

  “It was the least I could do. I feel like I’m responsible.”

  “Do not believe it,” Terreek said. “Those creatures did not come to attack you.”

  “You heard the wolf creature with the human head,” Feray said, whispering so that Luc wouldn’t hear her. “It wanted us.”

  “I tend not to believe such evil beasts,” Terreek said. “At any rate, if you were their target, why would they have attacked our village? It makes no sense. The evil behind those creatures wanted to hurt us.”

  “I don�
�t understand why. I saw the sorcerer. It was an elf, just like you.”

  Terreek looked at Feray with horror on his face. She felt a stab of fear that she had insulted her guide when he dropped his head in shame.

  “It is as we have long feared,” he said, his voice distraught. “The horror of the past has revisited us.”

  “I don’t understand,” Feray said.

  “Long ago, many generations before mine, an elf of the Ivory Clan used magic in heinous ways. He set out to bring the other magical races to their knees, and slaughtered anyone who opposed him. It took an army made up of warriors from every race to oppose him. Since then, the Ivory Clan has forsaken magic to avoid ever bringing such disgrace to our people or suffering to the world. But alas, if what you say is true, then we have failed even at that.”

  “It isn’t your fault,” Feray said. “Some people are evil. No one can stop someone from doing ill if that is their wish. They will find a way.”

  “Did you share this revelation with anyone else?” Terreek asked.

  “Orin and Crucifus know, but otherwise I haven’t told anyone but you.”

  “That is good,” the elf said. “Many suspect, as I did, but without proof the elders will send delegates to the council.”

  “Without proof?” Feray said, tamping down her feelings of being ignored. She knew what she saw, and she didn’t think Terreek was trying to call her a liar, but it felt as if he didn’t believe her.

  “What I mean is, that if our people knew the sorcerer was of the Ivory Clan, they would refuse to leave the forest. The shame of being responsible for a second evil sorcerer would be too much for my people to bear. As it is, it will be difficult for me to keep quiet on the matter.”

  “I’m sorry,” Feray said. “I had no idea.”

  “How could you? It is difficult for someone of such nobility as yourself to conceive of anyone doing evil. Some of my people have argued that by restricting ourselves to the Mossy Woodlands and hampering the abilities of our people, we were creating a void that could be exploited by someone with malice in their hearts. It appears as if that warning were true, but it is too late to change that fact now. We have failed the Western Realm yet again.”

  Terreek fell silent and Feray didn’t know what to say. She felt bad for the elf, but she knew what she saw. The sorcerer had been an elf with ivory skin and glowing white eyes. Even in the darkness she could see him, riding the alpha wolf that radiated dark magic. She knew she would see it in her dreams for as long as she lived, and despite the fact that it wounded the elves to know it, she couldn’t deny what she had seen. She only hoped that when she was confronted with the evil sorcerer again, she would be more prepared.

  The forest around her was like a scene from a fairy tale. The canopy overhead filtered the sunlight so that everything was covered with a soft, green light. The space around the trees was open, not crowded with scrub brush or thorns the way forests in Floralon often grew. The only other plants were moss, lichen, and soft, spreading ferns. The massive tree trunks were like fancy pillars holding up a wondrous roof high over their heads. And mixed among the amazing sights were ribbons and streaks of magical light. Feray seemed to be growing more and more attuned to the magical world around her. She could see the strong elemental power of the earth radiating up through the massive trees whose roots stretched deep down into the soil. Above them, bright colors that looked like festive ribbons rippled through the treetops and around the hanging moss. Feray knew it was magic from the wind dancing through the trees.

  Occasionally they passed glowing areas where magic seemed to gather, much the way it had done outside of Asher’s cabin in the Evergreen Forest. Feray liked walking through the glow of magic, feeling the power as it reacted to her presence and discovering the reason why it lingered. She could sense the history of the magic in those hallowed spots. Some were the locations where great magic had been performed. One such place gave her the distinct impression of battle, while another was a place of wondrous discovery.

  As the day passed, she and Luc retired to their horses and let their guide lead the way. Terreek seemed unfazed by the physical strain, and that evening they made a small camp, without a fire. To Terreek, fire was a great danger, and she understood why. With their homes high in the treetops, a forest fire would consume entire villages and leave them with nowhere left to rebuild. So they rested in the darkness, eating from the store of fruits and breads the elves had shared, and taking turns keeping watch. Even Rolo took a shift, allowing Feray to sleep for several uninterrupted hours before rising at dawn to start the day over again.

  The Mossy Woodland was an incredible place. They passed trees so large and ancient that Feray felt smaller than an ant next to a horse. They crossed streams, eventually coming to a river that flowed through the forest. It was wide and clear, leading them north toward the mountains, toward Crucifus, and Feray’s destiny on the High Plains of the Western Realm.

  Chapter 20

  Orin was moving swiftly through the woods. He knew the horse would have to be left behind at some point, but after the attack in the elf village during the night, sleep was an impossibility and he wanted to conserve his strength. The horse moved at a fast trot. The trees weren’t close, nor was there shrubbery to trip them up. The forest floor was a mass of leaves and soft turf that to the casual observer revealed nothing at all, but to Orin, who had spent half of his life in wild places, tracking game and hunting for food, the trail left by the dire wolves was clear to see. An upturned leaf here, a tuft of hair stuck in the bark of a tree there, and even the occasional scat revealed that he was on the right path.

  Unlike most forests, the Mossy Woodland was very quiet. There were birds in the trees, but the canopy was so high that the chirps and warbles of the birds above him were hardly noticeable on the forest floor. His first trip to the Wilderness he had seen herds of game animals, elk and deer, lingering in the forest despite the presence of the huge, red dragon nearby. But on their return he had yet to see any game, despite an abundance of animal signs all around him.

  The hours rolled by and Orin depended on his keen sense of hearing to listen for the wolves or any of the other creatures involved in the midnight raid on the elvish village. Orin wanted to close the distance, but he didn’t want to stumble upon the wretched creatures infused with dark magic. Not that he really expected to before night fall. The wolves had traveled for more than twelve hours before he had begun tracking them. Eventually they would need to stop and rest, or they would reach their destination and Orin would get close enough to spy on them, but until then he had to be content knowing he was getting closer with every step his horse took, while remaining vigilant for any signs of danger.

  Eventually he came upon one of the strange beings he’d fought the night before. They were horrible to look upon, with much of their flesh charred horribly and the shaggy hair on their bison legs burned away. Orin found the creature both fascinating and repugnant at the same time. His horse didn’t want to approach the fallen figure, so Orin dismounted and examined it up close. He could see the joints where the animal legs joined the human body. The raptor talons were attached above the wrist, at mid forearm, and Orin could see the buds of small horns in the creature’s hair. He got the impression the beast was very young, despite the obvious physical maturity of the various animal parts. Orin couldn’t tell by looking, but he guessed the man had been one of the soldiers that had followed Feray from Glory Keep. Orin knew they had been attacked and carried away by the same creatures who had snatched Via. It wasn’t a leap to connect the strange eagles and their serpentine legs with the wretched man and his bison legs. It made sense, and Orin grew even more concerned about the young woman who had been kidnapped from his own campfire not long ago. If the evil sorcerer would do such horrors as the abomination before him, what might he do to the young woman? Orin had to know, his conscience burned with guilt over having let her be taken away. He knew there had been nothing he could have physically done, but he f
elt like he had led her on. If he hadn’t shown interest in the young woman, she wouldn’t have gone to his camp by the river and Feray could have protected her, the way she kept her own child safe.

  All three of the strange creatures died from the wounds they sustained in the attack. One Orin had killed outright, breaking the creature’s neck. Another had been crushed by the falling tree. The third creature, which Orin found discarded like a piece of rubbish on the trail, appeared to have died from the burns Feray had inflicted. Orin knew he was on the right path, but couldn’t help but feel sorry for the strange creatures. He could only hope that they found some peace in death. There was a slight sense of relief at seeing the fallen monsters, knowing that he and Feray had struck a blow to the evil sorcerer, but Orin also couldn’t shake the feeling that they had missed something important. Perhaps the sorcerer had only wanted to scare them away, but it seemed to Orin that he had given up too easily. It had been a costly battle with seemingly nothing achieved. If the sorcerer knew of Feray, it made no sense that he would attack and reveal his powers for no reason. On the other hand, if he didn’t know about Feray, why attack at all? It was too much of a coincidence that a sorcerer would attack the elf village when Feray, and a dragon, happened to be visiting. Still, that fact led Orin no closer to knowing what the reason was.

  When night fell, Orin hobbled his horse, tied the reins to his wrist just above the stub on his left arm, and went to sleep leaning against a massive tree. It would be impossible to track in the darkness, and he needed some rest. If any of the strange creatures came near, Orin was certain his horse would wake him. The big animal was sturdy, but skittish, and would undoubtedly pull against his reins at the first sign of trouble. As sleep crept over Orin, he wondered where Feray was and what she was doing. He had no trouble staying focused on whatever task he put his mind to, but in the quiet moments, Feray seemed to fill his thoughts. After the long, grueling, lonesome trek into the deep forest, she was not an unwelcome distraction.