“Are you all right, Ethmira?” she asked as the other woman stood silently and stared at the lights from the village.
“Yes. I'm just taking a moment to adjust, that's all,” Ethmira replied. She looked troubled. “It has been a while since I was surrounded by other elves. And I have this...odd feeling. I cannot explain it, but something feels off for some reason.”
She laughed lightly and glanced at Chase, seemingly a little embarrassed.
“Look at me. A ranger who has led troops into battle reluctant to enter a tiny village. Perhaps I spent too much time alone in the deep forest.”
Chase shook her head.
“You did not,” she assured the other woman. “I believe that you have simply reached that state of peace that all elves strive for, and few ever find. That perfect connection to nature. It must be hard to surrender that and reenter society, but you also know your duty to our people. And I find that admirable.”
“Do you? Thank you, Chase. Perhaps you are right.”
Ethmira straightened her tunic as she glanced down at her clothing.
“Well, let's get this over with. I'm sure that my grandmother will have some choice words to say to me, so the sooner I face her, the better off I will be.”
She moved forward and did not see the sympathetic smile on her companion's face.
The two rangers entered the village and moved past several wooden buildings toward the ancient old tree in the center of the settlement. All elven habitations were built in and around large trees and their homes were only crafted out of fallen limbs and branches. No trees were ever cut down to use as building material. In Imrathstal, the Elder's home had been constructed inside the base of the great tree where a hollow had occurred naturally.
All of the elegant little houses were lit up from the inside. Their frosted windows glowed warmly in the falling darkness and a murmur of conversation could be heard by the two women as they walked past. There were no elves sitting outside in the twilight, which struck Chase as unusual. Unless the weather was bad, very few of her people chose to stay indoors unless they were eating or resting.
“Doesn't it seem a little too quiet?” she said softly to Ethmira.
The older woman nodded.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” she replied. “I've lost track, though. Is it dinner time? Perhaps everyone is simply gathered together for their evening meal.”
“I'm not sure. Maybe.”
They approached the old tree. Above the wide door that led inside, a lantern swung from a leafy branch. Inside, a swarm of tiny glowing insects flew and danced around a dish of sweet nectar, illuminating the entrance.
Ethmira reached the entrance, took a deep breath and rapped once on the wooden door.
The door opened almost immediately and a young elf wearing a long green robe looked out at Ethmira and Chase. His eye's widened as he recognized the older woman and he stepped back hurriedly.
“Lady Ethmira!” he exclaimed. “Thank the Mother that you have come.”
“Joslin,” Ethmira said with a smile. “It is good to see you, cousin. How have you been? Training with the scryers, I'm told.”
He nodded.
“I am, yes. Thank you. But we do not have time to talk right now. Our grandmother has fallen ill and I feared that you would not return in time to speak with her before she passed.”
Ethmira stared at him in shock.
“Is her illness that grave?” she asked in disbelief.
“The healers say so. They have made her comfortable and taken away her pain, but I believe that she has only been holding on to life in the hope that you would return.”
He stepped back and the two rangers walked inside.
The modest little living room of the house was lit up by more of the glowing lanterns filled with fireflies. There were a few comfortable chairs pushed back against the walls, which were covered with shelves stuffed with stacks of vellum scrolls and old tomes. The floor was simple wood, swept clean and shining from many years of wear.
Several people dressed in pure white robes were standing together, speaking in undertones. They all looked over at Ethmira as she entered and they bowed in unison as she was recognized.
An older elf, her thin brown hair sprinkled with silver, walked over to the ranger and took her hands. The woman was tiny and smiled up at Ethmira, her emerald eyes glowing with pleasure.
“Ah, so you are here,” she said softly. “We hoped that you would get back to speak with Salfrena before she left us.”
“Adarra. It is good to see you again. How is she?”
The healer squeezed Ethmira's hands.
“She is resting comfortably, but her life energy fades by the hour. This sudden illness caught us unprepared, I'm afraid. And because of your grandmother's age, there was little we could do to stop it. Go in, my friend. She is waiting for you.”
Ethmira stood immobile for a moment, as if trying to accept the reality of the situation and Adarra smiled and stepped aside.
“I know that it is hard,” she told the ranger. “But this day was inevitable, as it is for all of us. What matters now is that you have the chance to say farewell. Do not waste that opportunity. Go in and speak with Salfrena while you can.”
With a reluctant nod, Ethmira walked toward the closed door across the room. She stopped once and looked back at Chase, who nodded at the unspoken question in her eyes.
“I will wait for you out here,” she told Ethmira. “You and your grandmother should speak privately.”
“Thank you, Chase.”
As Ethmira opened the door of the bedchamber and stepped inside, the muttered conversation began again behind her. She closed the door, shutting it out and then looked around the room.
The small windows to her right and left were open to the night and a gentle breeze, sweet with the scents of the forest, swirled around her.
Straight ahead was a modest narrow bed with a thick, hand-stitched quilt covering the form of Salfrena. A low table held another lantern filled with dancing fireflies. Ethmira could see that her grandmother was awake and staring at the flies, a small smile on her face.
She looks so tiny, the ranger thought poignantly. So unlike the commanding figure that I remember as a child.
At the sound of the closing door, Salfrena turned her head slowly and caught Ethmira's gaze
“Ah, there you are,” the Elder said, her voice barely a whisper. “I am pleased that you have returned in time.”
Ethmira hurried across the room and sat down carefully on the edge of the bed. Salfrena's hands lay on her chest and the ranger gently took one in her own.
“I am so sorry that I was away when you fell ill, Grandmother,” she said as she clutched the thin hand. “If I had known...”
“Nonsense,” Salfrena said with a gentle shake of her head. “None of us can see when our time will end, which is as it should be. I am just happy that you got back before I had to leave. Chase found you?”
“She did. You chose well when you sent her after me.”
Salfrena smiled and gazed at the fireflies again.
“I used to love watching those tiny dancers when I was a child,” she said wistfully as she looked at the lantern. “They were so magical to me. So carefree.”
She blinked away the memories and looked back at Ethmira.
“Yes, Chase is a talented ranger, and an excellent leader, according to all of the reports I've read. You could do worse than have someone like her by your side in the battles to come.”
“Battles?” Ethmira said sharply. “What battles, Grandmother? What do you saying?”
The Elder chuckled, a thin sound in the quiet room.
“I have a lot of knowledge, child, but there isn't enough time to share all of it with you. What is most important is securing the future of our race. Chase told you what has happened on Earth? About the battles of the dwarves and of her part in defending the humans recently?”
“She did. And she said that you feared that
we would be the next target of the mad gods' wrath.”
“Mad gods. Yes, an apt description for those evil creatures. She spoke truly.”
Salfrena weakly tried to sit up slightly and Ethmira hurriedly adjusted her grandmother's pillows to help her.
“Ah, that's better. Thank you, my dear,” the old woman said with relief. “I can breathe easier now.”
“Are the healers sure that you...”
Ethmira let the question hang in the air between them and Salfrena smiled gently at her.
“I am dying, child. It is inevitable. Now, let me continue. The seers have told those of us on the Council that the old gods have reached a stalemate in their eternal conflict. Where the gods of Chaos once had the upper hand over the lords of Light, that has now changed. And so the dark gods are afraid. They are afraid that one day they will lose to the Light. They are afraid that they will be left trapped in the Void and that the lords of Justice will return to the plane of Earth and spread the power of the Light over all creation. And so they are moving to stop that from happening.”
“By attacking the three mortal races?” Ethmira asked her as she stroked her grandmother's hand.
“Exactly. The elves, the dwarves and the humans reinforce the barrier between the mortal realms and the Void by our very existence. Our life force is tied to the Light, not to the Darkness. We were created by the great old gods of Justice, not by the lords of Chaos. We are anathema to those dark beings. And they hate us for it. But they know that if they wipe out our three races, the balance of power will shift back to them and they will be able to return to the mortal realm and crush it under their heels.”
“And we are no longer safe here on our world?”
Salfrena closed her eyes and sighed. Ethmira watched her with alarm, wondering if her grandmother was slipping away.
But the old woman began speaking again and then opened her eyes to stare up at Ethmira.
“No, we are not safe any longer. We were blessed by the Light when this planet was created by the old gods and gifted to us long ago. But this world is still a part of the universe, although it exists separately on another plane. What affects the mortal realms affects us as well. And now that we are locked in place with the Earth, the Darkness will be able to attack us directly. It is only a matter of time before that happens. Which is why I wanted Chase to track you down and bring you home. We will need a leader to oversee the defense of our world and you, my child, are the most experienced of all of our people in fighting the evil gods.”
“And the Council agrees?” Ethmira asked skeptically. “Amelda agrees?”
Salfrena chuckled softly.
“I don't know. We haven't spoken in months. I have sent them the occasional letter, but whether they read my messages or not is another matter. They will have little choice though. Who else has directed troops in battle against both dragons and goblins? Who among our people has stood strong against that evil and triumphed? There is only one commander still alive who has done so, and that is you.”
She squeezed Ethmira's hand weakly.
“Please, child, take up this mantle. For the sake of our people and our heritage. If we lose Trillfarness, the dark gods will have won. Without the elves, neither the dwarves nor the humans will survive for long. We must stand firm against the tide of Darkness that will soon come pouring into this world and you must be the one to lead us. Will you do that?”
Ethmira released her grandmother's hand and gently stroked her cheek.
“I never wanted to be a leader, you know,” she whispered. “All I wanted to do was my duty to our people. The burden of leadership, of being responsible for the lives of others, has always weighed heavily upon me. But if this is your will, Grandmother, then yes. I will do what I can.”
Salfrena closed her eyes again and smiled.
“Ah, that is what I hoped to hear,” she murmured, her voice heavy with relief. “Thank you, child. Knowing that I leave our people in such capable hands makes my passing more bearable. But I will still miss you, and all of my other grandchildren. You have been a blessing to an old woman here at the end of her journey.”
A tear slipped down Ethmira's cheek as she smiled down at her grandmother.
“And you have been an inspiration to all of us,” she replied. “We will miss you too, more than I can say.”
Chapter 3
Chase and Adarra were speaking quietly as they stood by an open window when Ethmira walked out of the bedchamber and closed the door behind her. They both looked over at her and she answered the unspoken question in their eyes.
“She is gone,” Ethmira said calmly. “Her passing was gentle and free of pain. Blessed be the Mother, who gives us life and accepts us back into her embrace at the end of our journey.”
“Blessed be,” both women responded solemnly.
Ethmira glanced around the room. All of the other healers had left, released by Adarra to return to their homes.
“I was always intimidated by this place when I was young,” she said as she walked over to join the others. “My grandmother would entertain some of the greatest and most famous of our people here and I would watch, wide-eyed, as they came and went. My mother was always amused by my excited chatter about the legendary characters who were visiting Salfrena on one day or another.”
She chuckled and shook her head at those memories, while Chase smiled.
“And do you realize how many of our young people feel the same way about you when they see you walk by?” Adarra teased her. “You yourself are the legend now, my friend.”
Ethmira stared at her in surprise and Adarra laughed at her expression.
“Strange thought, isn't it? Life is crisscrossed with patterns, as we all know, and your pattern is now ascendant, Ethmira.”
“I disagree, but that is a debate for another day. Adarra, could you make the arrangements for my grandmother's last rites, please? I'm afraid that I have to leave immediately to meet with the Council. That was her final wish and I will respect it.”
“Yes, of course. We celebrate the lives of our dead, but we do not spend time mourning their passing. We will always remember Salfrena and her many accomplishments. She lived a long, full life and she left her mark on our society. That legacy will endure.”
Ethmira thanked her and looked at Chase.
“My grandmother was very impressed by you and your record of service to our people. She told me that I needed someone like you by my side in the chaos that she claimed was coming.”
“I am honored to know that,” Chase said solemnly. “I am just a simple ranger, Ethmira. One of many. I will do whatever my duty demands of me if our people and our world are threatened, but I do not see what else I have to offer beyond that.”
Ethmira smiled at her.
“Don't you? You are a natural leader. Salfrena knew that. We will need that kind of leadership going forward. And so, in her memory and because of her recommendation, I would like to formally invite you to join me as my attaché as I journey to Alderthal to meet with the Council.”
Chase stared at her, speechless and Adarra chuckled at her expression.
“You look like someone who was just hit over the head with a club,” she joked.
“That is how I feel. Ethmira, I respect your grandmother's opinion and I honor her memory. But are you sure about this? There are many elves much more qualified than I am who could fill the role that you are offering me.”
“Are there?”
Ethmira turned and looked out the open window at the darkness beyond. The sound of the wind blowing through the treetops was calming and yet it hinted at a wildness that was always pushing at the edges of elven society. An errand current of air ruffled her pale blond hair and sighed as it swirled past her, as if it was trying to whisper secrets that only she could hear.
“Chase, we have traveled together for almost a week. We have fought a targon and survived the wilds together. And we have spoken of many things along the way. Your depth of character wa
s evident to me as we traveled and because of that, and because of Salfrena's urging, I am very sure of my decision. It is your choice, of course. The road ahead may be long and fraught with peril, but as rangers we both know our responsibilities. Consider the position that I am offering you as an extension of those duties.”
She turned back to look at Chase, her expression now quite serious.
“That is how I am looking at it, you know. Do you think that I ever wanted to accept the mantle of leadership? I did not. But my duty is clear, thanks to my grandmother. Is yours?”
Chase stared at her silently for a moment. It felt like Ethmira was challenging her, but she knew that wasn't the case. She was merely reminding Chase of her own duty as a ranger. The question was, did she want to accept the position? It was her choice.
“I cannot see the future, any more than you can,” she finally replied. “But after battling the goblins when they attacked the humans on Earth and seeing that evil firsthand, I cannot stand by when my own world and people are threatened. If you really feel that you need my service, then I offer it willingly.”
“I accept,” Ethmira said as she offered Chase her hand. “Now, it has been a long day and although I know how urgent our mission is, I think that we should get some rest before we journey to Alderthal. Adarra, could I impose upon your hospitality this evening?”
The healer bowed gracefully.
“I would be honored if the two of you would stay in my home tonight. Come with me and I will show you the way. And while you eat and rest, I will make arrangements for Salfrena's final rites.”
The next day, Ethmira and Chase left the village at first light. They had packed everything that a ranger needed to travel and had taken the time to pay their respects to Salfrena.
Her body had been prepared as tradition demanded. She wore her finest robe and jewelry as she lay on a bier in front of her home. At dusk, the elves would carry her remains into the deep woods and bury her below the roots of the most ancient tree in the region. It was a symbolic gesture, returning a body to the arms of the Great Mother. Elves believed that at the moment of death, a person's soul moved on to continue its long journey toward the Light. What was left behind was merely a husk.
The Fall of the Elves Page 3
