“There aren't any,” Diane told her. “As I have told my friends here, I am unique. My power comes directly from the ley, both on my world and on this one. And because of my special talents, I was sent here to watch over Trillfarness. We believed that the lords of Chaos might target your world, Keeper, and it seems that we were right.”
“You were sent here? By whom?”
Diane hesitated for a moment and then glanced at Ethmira, who raised an eyebrow.
“I would rather not say, for now,” the mage replied. “But I assure you that we stand with you and your people.”
Kallistra nodded slowly.
“I see. Well, have no fear. I will keep your presence secret.”
Diane thanked her and Kallistra sat back and sipped some tea before speaking again.
“Since you were sent by...that person,” she said with a smile, “whomever that is, I can better understand your reasons for being here. Now let me tell you what happened in Othallis. Just thinking about it is like recalling a nightmare, but I know that it was real. The loss of so many townspeople is proof of that.”
The keeper finished her tea and held the empty cup with both hands. She stared into its depths as if gazing into a crystal ball, looking back into the past.
“I was sleeping restlessly two nights ago. Sleep has been hard to find since the ley lines failed us and I've spent most nights staring at the ceiling of my home. So when I first heard a strange rustling sound coming from outside, I rose immediately to investigate. It sounded nothing like the wind blowing through the branches of the forest. It was disturbing and strangely out of place in my grove.”
The four listeners were watching her face intently and they saw Kallistra's skin pale as she related her memories to them.
“The sun was about to rise, but it was still fairly dark outside when I opened my door to see what was happening,” the keeper continued. “And for just a moment I saw...something. A shadow within the shadows. A darkness that pulsed with energy. It skittered across my vision in a flash and was gone. And then as I walked out of my door, I saw the writhing mass of tentacles creeping out of the forest toward me. I smelled their foul stench and I was almost overcome by that horrible smell. It was nauseating.”
“What did you do then?” Malfiess asked her softly.
“I fled,” Kallistra told him with a shrug. “What else could I do? The infestation was moving very quickly and I could see that my grove would be engulfed in moments. I grabbed a few of my belongings and raced away toward Othallis. Unfortunately the town is quite some distance from my home and it took me almost an hour to stumble through the forest to reach it. And by that time, the foragers had already left the village for the day. The only ones left in Othallis were the people that you saw with me when you saved us.”
“How long did it take for the corruption to reach the village?” Diane asked her.
“Its speed was terrifying,” the keeper told her. “By the time that I had convinced Meggia and the others to flee, we could hear the crackling, slithering advance of the fungus, or whatever that horrible growth is. Some of them wanted to go after the foragers, but there was no way to know where they were.”
She looked at the others helplessly.
“If I had let them leave to search for their fellow villagers, they might have all died. I could not allow that, could I?” Kallistra asked plaintively.
“Of course you couldn't,” Ethmira assured her. “You did exactly the right thing.”
“Then why does it feel like I betrayed the people of Othallis? I let dozens of them die in order to save a mere handful. That is why it took so long to reach the hill where you found us. I was urging and arguing with Dural and the others all the way there. He lost his brother, Meggia lost her husband...” She shook her head wearily. “So many gone and in such a horrible manner. I will carry the guilt of that decision for the rest of my life.”
“Keeper, you saved lives that would otherwise have been lost,” Diane told her firmly. “You could not have seen it, but the forest all around Othallis is now covered with that horrible infestation. You and the others would have died if you had hesitated. Please remember that whenever you feel any guilt over your actions. You did all that you could.”
Kallistra smiled sadly at her.
“Thank you, Diane, but guilt is not logical. It simply is. But that is my burden to bear. Do you have any questions for me?”
Before anyone could speak, Deakon and his daughter returned with more trays. They delivered plates of steamed vegetables, a platter of sliced beef with a tureen of gravy on the side and a fresh, colorful fruit salad. Everyone thanked them and began serving themselves.
“Let's eat before we continue our discussion,” Malfiess told the group. “Deakon's food is too good to allow it to get cold.”
They all dug into their meals and spent some time eating in silence. Chase savored the food, but she also looked at her companions to gauge their moods.
Kallistra's face was still tinged with sadness as she picked at her food. Both Malfiess and Ethmira were eating steadily and looked thoughtful as they did so. Diane's expression was the most interesting to Chase. She was barely eating. Instead she was looking out of a window across the room at the darkness beyond. Her eyes were unfocused and her lips were moving as if she was speaking to some unseen person. Chase wondered if the woman was using her powers or simply talking to herself. It was a curious moment.
When most of their plates had been cleaned, the group sat back and poured themselves more tea.
“Excellent, as usual,” Malfiess commented to Deakon as the innkeeper appeared and began clearing away the dishes.
“Thank you, Councilor,” Deakon replied with delight. “You all honor my establishment with your presence. Please let me know if you need anything else.”
When the table had been cleared and Deakon's daughter had left a tray of sweet pastries for them, Diane turned her attention to Kallistra again.
“I only have one question for you, Keeper,” she said. “You mentioned seeing some sort of shape in the darkness when you first left your house to investigate the mysterious noises you'd heard outside. Could you tell me anything more about it? What it looked like? How big it was? Anything at all would be helpful.”
“The shape?” Kallistra replied with surprise. “Well, I am not sure. I dismissed it as a trick of the light as the sun was beginning to rise. You think that it is important?”
“It could be. Please try to remember.”
“As you wish. I suppose I noticed it because it was so dark. Darker than the rest of the grove, actually. Like a deep hole moving through the air. And perhaps it was simply my eyes deceiving me, but it had a definite outline.”
The keeper pursed her lips as she frowned down at the white tablecloth.
“Yes, an outline,” she continued. “Two arms, two legs, a head. It skipped and cavorted across the meadow very quickly and then disappeared so fast that even now I still question my senses somewhat. But no, it was there. I'm sure of it.”
“Did it make any sound?” Diane asked.
“Not that I remember. All I could hear was that horrible wet crackling sound of the advancing corruption. That is something I will never forget.”
“Thank you, Keeper. You have been very helpful.”
“Have I?” Kallistra said with a smile. “I don't see how, but if I have done anything to aid you, then I am pleased.”
She pushed herself away from the table and rose to her feet.
“I do not wish to appear rude,” the keeper told the group. “But I am very tired. The past few days have been an ordeal and I would like to try to get some sleep. My charges are safe here in Alderthal, so perhaps I can finally rest.”
Everyone stood up together and Malfiess bowed to the keeper.
“Thank you for everything you've done, Keeper Kallistra,” he said respectfully. “You have saved who you could and stood strong against evil. No one could have done more.”
Kalli
stra looked sad again as she smiled ruefully.
“I only wish I could believe that, Malfiess,” she replied. “But I still feel that I should have done more. From a village of over fifty souls, I could only save a handful. I consider that a failure, not something to celebrate. Have a good evening, all of you. We will speak again soon.”
She walked away and Deakon appeared as if by magic and led the keeper across the room to the stairs.
As everyone sat down again, Ethmira watched Kallistra climb the steps and disappear from sight.
“She blames herself needlessly,” she said with a shake of her head. “There was nothing more that she could have done without her powers. I wish that there was something we could say to ease her mind.”
“Kallistra has been a keeper for many years,” Diane reminded her. “She is used to having the ley energy at her command. To find herself powerless in the face of real evil has obviously been a shock. She will adjust, I'm sure. It will just take her some time.”
“Let us hope so,” Malfiess said as he poured himself more tea and picked up a pastry.
Delicate flakes of the crust rained down as he bite into it and he smiled with pleasure.
Ethmira rolled her eyes silently and glanced at Chase, who grinned at her.
“So what happens now?” she asked Diane, who was holding her teacup in both hands and inhaling its sweet steam. “Should we seek an audience with Amelda and the rest of the Council? Tell them what has happened?”
“Not just yet. There is nothing that they can do right now anyway, with the ley lines disrupted. We should all rest for the night. Tomorrow I will scout out the infestation around Othallis to see how large it has become and how quickly it is moving. I can't make any plans until I have that information. Once we do that, then we can inform the Council about the situation, whatever it is.”
“Can you stop it?” Malfiess asked her as he delicately wiped some cream off of his lips with a napkin.
“The corruption?” Diane asked.
He nodded.
“I don't know,” she admitted. “Until I locate the source of the blight, I have no idea if it even can be stopped. The situation is fluid and changing even now. Trying to destroy that growth would do nothing but tip off our enemies to my presence. Unless I can eliminate its source, it would be foolish to try to stop the infestation.”
Ethmira nodded somberly, but Malfiess looked annoyed.
“But if you don't even try...” he objected.
Diane glowered at the councilor and he caught himself mid-sentence.
“What would you have me do?” she asked him coldly. “Expose myself to the Chaos lords? Open myself up to their retribution needlessly? And if I fall, what will you do to take my place and save your world, Councilor? I don't mean to be rude, but do you not understand what we are up against here?”
Before he could answer, Ethmira spoke up.
“Diane is absolutely correct, Malfiess. She is our only hope of stopping the Darkness and you want to waste that chance? That would be beyond foolish. I know how desperate you are to fight against this horror. We all are. But we must be strategic now, and not react emotionally.”
Malfiess looked embarrassed and he pressed his hand to his chest as he looked at Diane.
“I do apologize, my friend. Truly. Ethmira is correct. My emotions got the better of me. Seeing that horrible rot engulfing our lands and knowing that it has already killed dozens of innocents is very hard to bear. You are the leader in this fight and I will accept your judgment going forward.”
Diane smiled at him and shook her head. She slumped back in her chair and the others could see just how tired she really was.
“We are allies, Malfiess. All four of us,” she told him. “And I sounded arrogant just now. I'm sorry for that. I do want your counsel, truly. In fact, I need your counsel. The three of you know this world and your people much better than I do. When it comes to the path ahead, I want all of you to help me. It's just that dealing with the ley is something that only I can do. But this fight will be much more complicated than that.”
“Anything you need from us, you will have,” Ethmira assured her.
She glanced at Chase and Malfiess and they both nodded in agreement.
“Thank you all,” Diane said. “I appreciate your support. Let's get some rest and start off fresh in the morning. I sense that things will begin moving much more quickly from now on.”
The next morning after breakfast Diane and the others were surprised to see Kallistra entering the inn. The keeper saw them sitting together and smiled as she crossed the room to join them.
“Good morning, my friends,” she said with a smile. “How are you all this day? Did you sleep well?”
“Good day, Kallistra,” Malfiess replied warmly. He stood up and pulled out a chair for the woman. “We slept well enough, considering the circumstances. And you?”
Kallistra sat down and shook her head at Deakon as he appeared and approached the table.
“Nothing for me, thank you,” she told the innkeeper.
Deakon looked disappointed, but he bowed to her and retreated into the kitchen again.
“Sleep eluded me for the most part,” Kallistra told Malfiess. “But at my age, I need very little rest. So I went for a walk instead, to clear my head. I am sorry to interrupt you all, but I had an idea while I was out and I thought that I should share it with you just on the off chance that it might aid you.”
“We would appreciate any help that you can give us, Keeper,” Diane told her. “You have worked with the ley lines longer than anyone else on Trillfarness and your insights are sure to be valuable.”
Kallistra smiled as she swept her long white hair back over her shoulders. She was wearing a white robe again, crisp and clean and glowing in the sunlight streaming through the windows of the inn. She may not have slept well, but the keeper looked rested and alert as she looked at each of the others around the table.
“I do not know how valuable my information may be,” she replied to Diane. “But we shall see. I was trying to recall anything unusual that had preceded the attack by that corruption on the forests around Othallis and I remembered an odd surge in the ley lines a few days before the infestation appeared.”
“A surge? What kind of surge?” Diane asked her as she rested her forearms on the table and leaned forward.
“It is hard to describe. You may not know this, but we keepers can feel the ley lines that crisscross the planet like the steady pulse of a heartbeat. It connects us all and allows us to communicate with each other. This also makes it possible for us to send people from portal to portal around the planet.”
“Ah, so that is how it is done,” Diane said softly. “I wasn't quite sure about the process. That's fascinating.”
“Yes. The ability to touch the ley lines is very rare among our people,” Kallistra continued. “That is why we keepers are such a small group. The talent is difficult to find in our children and it takes many years to develop it through intensive training and study.”
“That makes a lot of sense,” Diane told her. “I've always wondered why your numbers were so low.”
Kallistra smiled wryly.
“Well, that is one reason. Another is that many people do not want their children to spend their lives isolated from society, serving and living alone. Keepers take an oath to never marry or pursue relationships of any kind. We have no close friends or associates, only each other. It takes a certain kind of personality to accept such limitations. Some would say that we are anti-social, and I would not dispute that. But if we are, it is because we were chosen to be so.” She glanced around the table. “It is a lonely existence sometimes,” the keeper added.
Ethmira looked at the woman compassionately.
“I think that Chase and I can relate to that,” she told Kallistra. “Rangers spend much of our time alone in the deep wilds, often not seeing another elf for weeks at a time. But we are certainly not limited in our relationships the way that yo
u are. You are all to be commended for your dedication, Keeper.”
“Thank you. But none of that is really relevant to what I wanted to tell you. The surge I mentioned was easy for me to pinpoint because of our connection to the web of ley lines across the planet.”
“Where did it originate, Kallistra?” Diane asked her.
“In Imrathstal,” the keeper replied. “Well, not in the town itself, but at the closest convergence of ley lines to it.”
“Keeper Fiad's portal?” Ethmira asked in surprise.
“Precisely. That surge of ley energy burned in my mind like a star for an instant. It was blindingly bright and a phenomena that I had never experienced before. I admit that I was frightened by it and so were several other keepers who contacted me almost immediately.”
“What about Fiad?” Diane asked her as she gazed intently at Kallistra. “Did he contact you after this surge?”
“No, he did not. And we were not able to reach him either. It was concerning, as you can understand, but before I could send anyone to speak to Fiad in person, the ley lines failed us and I was isolated in Othallis. And now here we are.”
“So the disruption of the lines may have started right there,” Diane mused.
“Perhaps it did. I cannot say. But I did want to pass along that information to you should you wish to investigate it further.”
“We will indeed investigate this, Keeper,” Diane assured her. “Thank you again for your aid. This may prove to be invaluable to us.”
Kallistra stood up and smiled at the group.
“I hope it is. I wish you good fortune in your search. Please contact me again if you need more information.”
“We will do that, Kallistra,” Malfiess assured her as he stood up and bowed to her politely.
The keeper nodded to all of them, turned away and swept out of the inn. Malfiess sat down again and looked at Diane.
“Well now, what do you make of that?” he asked her.
“I'm not sure. Ethmira, when you returned to Alderthal, the portal that Fiad opened for you failed almost immediately. Correct?”
The Fall of the Elves Page 17
