The Fall of the Elves

by J. J. Thompson

  Chase felt her face redden.

  “I only did my duty,” she replied. “How are they doing now? Are they safe? Have they found any more survivors?”

  “No and yes,” Diane said cryptically. “No, they are not safe. They are constantly besieged by goblins, but they are holding their own, for now. And yes, they have found other humans. The castle's mages continue to search the globe for the last of our people who have somehow managed to survive since civilization fell. Fortunately some have proven to be adept at magic and so they've helped to bolster Nottinghill's defenses.”

  “But if they are constantly battling the goblins, why are you here and not there, aiding them?” Ethmira asked her sharply. “Surely your obvious talents would prove very useful at such a time.”

  Diane didn't immediately reply. She stared at Ethmira expressionlessly for an uncomfortably long moment, her mismatched eyes locked on the ranger. Malfiess was about to speak to break through the silence when the woman smiled.

  “Forgive me if I seemed rude,” she told the elves. “I did not mean to stare. You surprised me. I assure you that it was not my choice to come to Trillfarness. I would much rather be fighting for my own people than waiting here to see of the evil old gods will try to invade your world. But Simon gave me this mission and impressed upon me its importance. As I am sure you remember,” she said to Ethmira, “when Simon makes a decision, it is almost impossible to change his mind.”

  Ethmira chuckled and the others relaxed as the icy atmosphere seemed to dissipate instantly.

  “Oh, how well I remember. He is a good man, but he can be headstrong. So he sent you to us?”

  “He did. Simon is working behind the scenes, trying to save both my world and yours from the ravages of the dark gods. He has secretly been assembling a group of heroes, but he has had to be incredibly circumspect about it. It's taken years of effort, but he is finally almost ready to act. I was sent to Trillfarness because Simon simply cannot be here himself. He must be ready to move when the moment is right.”

  “Moment?” Malfiess said curiously. “What moment? What is he planning to do?”

  Diane looked over her shoulder at the mountains looming at her back, as if she was searching for anyone who might be listening.

  She looked back at the three elves and smiled grimly.

  “When he is ready, Simon plans to take the fight to the dark gods themselves. And he intends to kill them. All of them.”

  Chapter 10

  “You cannot be serious,” Malfiess gasped.

  The three elves had gaped at Diane in shock after her statement, trying to absorb her words. It had taken them a moment to react to what she had said.

  The woman smiled at the councilor.

  “I am quite serious,” Diane replied. “Or should I say, Simon is. Our people are facing extinction. Humanity has been decimated by the dark gods and if Nottinghill falls, that's it. We are done. Humans have a saying, Malfiess: desperate times call for desperate measures. And this is as desperate as things can get.”

  “But to try to battle the gods themselves...” Chase exclaimed. “It's... It's...”

  “Insane?” Diane asked with a smile.

  “I was going to say impossible, but I suppose insane works too,” the ranger agreed.

  “Perhaps, but what other options do we have? Ethmira, you saw the devastation that the dragons caused on Earth. Our planet was almost burned to ash by their initial attacks. Our cities were leveled and billions of people died. But that wasn't enough to satisfy the gods' lust for death and destruction. To return from the Void, they have to kill all of us. And after we fall, they will be coming for the dwarves and for your people as well. All of the mortal races must be eliminated before the barrier falls and the ancient gods can enter our realm again. That was the final seal that the lords of Light put in place when they pulled their evil brethren into the Void ages ago and locked them away. They sacrificed their own freedom and future to do that. Can we do anything less? If we must, Simon and the rest of us will give our lives to keep the evil at bay.”

  Ethmira had listened attentively while Diane spoke and she nodded when the woman had finished.

  “I understand what you are saying,” Ethmira replied. “Believe me, I do. As you said, I saw what the old gods' evil servants could do. So did Chase, when she fought the goblins at Nottinghill Castle. But it is one thing to engage the troops of our enemies. It is quite another to do battle with the gods themselves. You are mortal, Diane. We all are. And while I am not one to give up before a battle is won, you truly have no chance against the Darkness. None at all.”

  “Simon disagrees,” Diane told her firmly. “And if he believes that there is even a slim chance of victory, then I do too.”

  “He must truly be an inspiring person,” Malfiess said in wonder.

  “He is.”

  Diane glanced up at the sun.

  “For now though, we should really get moving. I feel exposed out in the open like this. Let's talk about the reason you came such a long way to see me in a more private location, shall we?”

  Malfiess looked around at the open fields and the mountain slopes and smiled at her.

  “Where do you suggest we go?” he asked her.

  The woman returned his smile and raised her hand.

  “I have a little place nearby.”

  Before any of the elves could speak, a wave of dizziness passed over them, followed by a momentary darkness. When their vision cleared again, Ethmira and the others could only stare in wonder at their surroundings.

  They were standing in a grand hall lit by many candelabras attached to the walls around them. The hall was circular and rose up several dozen feet to a dome high over the elves' heads.

  A massive fireplace added to the light of the candles as a fire burned brightly within it, the logs crackling merrily and giving off a sweet smell of applewood.

  One area of the hall was clearly a kitchen, with a large iron stove, cupboards and a sink. Another section was set up like a library, with several bookshelves, a comfortable couch and a low table in front of it.

  The last portion of the hall contained a large bed covered with a thick quilt and several pillows.

  In front of the fireplace were half a dozen cozy leather chairs facing the flames. Diane was standing next to them. Her cloak was gone and she was wearing a dark blue robe with gold stitching along the sleeves.

  She smiled at the elves' stunned expressions and spread her arms wide.

  “Welcome to my home,” she told them. “Please, take a seat and be comfortable.”

  They didn't move for a moment. Ethmira frowned as she looked around the hall before she turned to stare at Diane.

  “Where exactly are we?” she asked the woman.

  “As I said, this is my home. Well, my temporary home, at least. This is where I am staying while I am on my mission on Trillfarness.”

  Malfiess walked across the hall to join Diane and Chase followed him. Ethmira hesitated for a moment and then made her way toward them.

  All three elves sat down and Diane waited until they were settled in their seats before she stepped closer to the marble fireplace and leaned against the mantelpiece to look at her guests. She smiled at Ethmira and the others.

  “I can see that you have questions. Please ask them. I'd like to discuss your reasons for seeking me out, but let's clear the air first.”

  “As you wish,” Ethmira told her. “When I asked where we are, I wanted to know our location. Of course I assumed that this was your home when we arrived.”

  “Ah, I see. Forgive me. This structure exists in what you might describe as a secret pocket of the Void. It is hidden from my enemies, both physical and ethereal. Simon lives in a place similar to this one, although his home is much larger and more substantial. This hall is only a temporary construct. When I am finished with my mission, I will destroy it and allow its energy to dissipate back into the Void.”

  “Wait. We're actually within the Void?
Right now?” Malfiess asked nervously.

  “We are not,” Diane assured him. “This hall is. Think of it as a bubble of air floating in an endless ocean. The hall is protected by a barrier much like the air inside of that bubble.”

  “But the gods, both good and evil, exist in the Void,” Chase said, wide-eyed. “How can we be there and not be in danger of attack by dark forces?”

  Diane smiled again.

  “The Void is old, even older than the gods themselves. It is made of the stuff that existed before the universe came into being. One of the reasons that the lords of Light pulled their evil counterparts into this place was that the Void negates much of their power. In this dimension, the vast powers available to the gods are very limited. That is why the dark gods are so desperate to return to our realm. The physical plane is malleable to them. There they can alter reality to suit their whims. But here they cannot do that. There is very little physical material to work with in this place. It maddens them, you know, to be that powerless. It's another reason that they hate the mortal races so much. We are keeping them in this prison by our very existence. Destroy us and they are set free.”

  “And while they are here in the Void, and we are as well, the dark gods cannot sense us?” Ethmira asked her.

  “Exactly. They are blind to our presence in the endless emptiness of this realm. You know, they also live in places quite similar to this one,” Diane told them as she waved at the hall around them. “But their homes are as large as entire worlds and they fill them with their own twisted versions of reality. Each of them rule over their own creations and indulge in the worst of their fantasies. They are truly nightmarish.”

  “You've seen those places?” Chase asked her.

  “Simon gave me a glimpse of one once,” Diane replied, her face twisted with disgust. “It was...indescribable. I've tried to erase those images from my mind, without much success unfortunately.”

  “And he lives in a bubble like this one?”

  “Oh, it is much nicer than this,” Diane told the younger ranger. “Ethmira, do you remember Simon's tower? That sturdy square building that he had constructed before our world fell to the dragons?”

  Ethmira's eyes misted over and her face brightened as she dived into old memories.

  “I remember it well,” she replied with a chuckle. “The first time that I met Simon was when I began pounding on the door of that little tower, seeking entrance. He shouted down at me from an upper floor, asking me what I wanted. When I told him quite correctly that I wanted to enter, he sounded rather exasperated.”

  Chase laughed as Ethmira rolled her eyes.

  “And was he as impressive as the tales say?” she asked her.

  “Not really. He hadn't come into his full power back then. It had only been a few years since the dragons had decimated humanity, and Simon was just trying to survive. Besides, he has always been humble. He's never sought recognition for his efforts to help others. But one thing that did impress me back then was that he'd managed to summon the first of his most trusted servants, the elemental Kronk. It was that little being who recognized me as an elf. Simon had no idea that we even existed. He was quite surprised to meet one of us, as I recall.”

  “Well, that tower where it all began is now here, in the Void,” Diane told her. “Simon created a much larger bubble of reality than my temporary home and once he had finished it, he transported his tower there.”

  “But the power it would take to do something like that!” Malfiess exclaimed in amazement. “It's unbelievable.”

  “It would be, for an ordinary magic-user. But Simon is anything but ordinary. He is an aberration, and I mean that as a compliment. Somehow he managed to absorb more magical energy in the days after the power returned to the Earth than any human ever has, even in ancient times. Simon has, quite literally, unlimited potential. His abilities as an elementalist are phenomenal. He is an Adept. We are fortunate that he is a kind and caring man who isn't motivated by ego or delusions of grandeur. Can you imagine someone who was with that kind of power? I shudder at the thought.”

  “Elementalist,” Chase repeated slowly. “I do not think that I've ever heard that term before. I thought that Simon O'Toole was a wizard?”

  “He is,” Diane assured her. “An elementalist is an old term that was used to describe someone who could manipulate the four elements; earth, air, fire and water; and use them as naturally as a regular person might use tools. As Ethmira mentioned, very soon after our world fell, Simon was able to summon the earth elemental Kronk. He soon followed that up by summoning the second of his closest friends, an air elemental named Aeris. Those two...”

  Diane shook her head ruefully and Ethmira laughed at her expression.

  Both Chase and Malfiess looked at them in confusion.

  “What about them?” the councilor asked curiously.

  “Oh, nothing,” Diane replied. “It's just that their friendship is buried beneath constant sniping. Aeris loves to tease Kronk and Kronk, being an earth elemental, is very difficult to annoy. The earthen are quite level-headed, you know, and loyal to a fault. Air elementals, on the other hand, have a reputation for being...”

  “Touchy,” Ethmira said with a grin. “Aeris is mercurial, as all of his race is, and can be petulant and stubborn. He is the exact opposite of Kronk and listening to their exchanges can be quite entertaining.”

  “Simon is constantly acting as a referee between the two of them,” Diane added. “But I think that he secretly likes it. They are here with him, in the Void, along with the cadre of heroes that he's gathered to help in the battles ahead.”

  Diane sighed and walked over to an empty chair. She picked it up and set it down next to the fireplace, facing her visitors. Then she sat down and looked at the three elves.

  “Before we continue, allow me to apologize for Gating you here without your permission. I had sensed a presence approaching the spot where we met at the foot of the mountains and I felt the need to get us out of there immediately.”

  “One of the dark gods' servants?” Malfiess asked her.

  “I cannot say. But it was a threat, of that I am certain. Normally it is considered bad form to Gate a person without their consent, so I wanted to explain why I did so. I hope that you can understand why I did so.”

  “Of course we can,” Ethmira assured her. “I must admit that I was dubious when Malfiess told us about you. And I was even less convinced that you were a potential ally when he said that you were an associate of Simon's. That is the sort of thing that an enemy might say to trick us into lowering our guard.”

  “Yes, I understand,” Diane replied. “And you are less dubious now?”

  “I am. Only someone who has met Simon, and spent time with him, would know about Kronk and Aeris and their rather odd friendship. It's not something that is widely known. I may still have my reservations about what Simon is planning to do and, forgive me, what you can do to aid my people, but I no longer doubt your loyalties.”

  “Thank you,” Diane said with a smile. “I am happy to hear that. And believe me, you aren't the only one with doubts about Simon's grand scheme. Even some of his other friends are dubious about it. But they trust him, as I do, and frankly no one else has any better ideas. We've been on the defensive since the fall of our civilization, fighting to hold our own, and what has it done for us? Humanity has been decimated. Where once we numbered in the billions, we have been reduced to a handful of souls. If we wait much longer, we will be wiped out as a species. We are now desperate, and desperate people must take desperate action.”

  “I think we can all agree on that, Diane,” Malfiess told her. “And I am afraid that Trillfarness now finds itself on the brink of that same desperation.”

  “Does it? Please, tell me what has happened. I have been monitoring your progress toward the north since you set out from Illistra, but very cautiously. I must be careful not to allow our enemies to detect me. If they do, the consequences could be dire. The dark gods
do not know that Simon sent me to aid the elves. In fact, he has done his best to ensure that they believe he is dead. That may be our greatest advantage against them; the element of surprise. The Chaos lords think that Earth's greatest magic-user was slain. And we must continue to let them think that, until Simon is ready to strike. So whatever has happened on Trillfarness must be countered with subtlety. So please, tell me what the crisis is and I will do my best to help you.”

  Ethmira and Chase sat back and allowed Malfiess to explain the situation to Diane. He told her about the failure of the ley lines and the loss of the elves' ability to travel quickly around Trillfarness. Ethmira added a few more details of her own when he was wrapping up and Diane listened quietly to them both.

  “We're isolated now,” Malfiess told the woman. “And even worse than that, we have been blinded by the loss of our access to the ley energy. Our scryers cannot see what is taking place across our world. An invading army could be entering our realm right now, and we would never even know it until they began attacking us. In short, we are more vulnerable than we have ever been before, and that includes the time that we were invaded by the brown dragons. At least back then we could keep an eye on them and transport our forces to counter their attacks.”

  Diane was nodding thoughtfully as he spoke. When he was done, she rested her head on the back of her chair and stared up at the dome above them. She seemed to be mulling over what Malfiess had told her and the three elves silently exchanged concerned glances.

  The logs in the fireplace crackled and hissed in the silence and Chase began to find the sweet smell of apples almost nauseating as she waited for Diane to say something.

  Finally the woman sighed gently and turned her attention to the elves again.