“Ekeme?” Arkon breathed out the dreaded word.
Fear sliced through her. Forcing herself to calm down, Zo narrowed her eyes as she stared at the silent creature. “No. I don’t think he’s an ekeme. He’s something else altogether.”
“Perhaps there are more of the same hidden somewhere?” Arkon began to turn, searching for other attackers.
“Shh!” Zo hissed. “Don’t move. Whatever he is, he has great power.” She sensed the magic lurking within that small body. The creature wasn’t a mage, but certainly, he was magic. One of those elusive fairy creatures, born at the time of the birth of the earth, they were capable of performing unparalleled feats of magic. After her encounter with the ekeme, Zo knew better than to indulge in a direct fight with one of these creatures.
Who knew what it was capable of? She didn’t want to be taken prisoner at this point when they were so close to attaining their goal.
Breathing slowly, she allowed the fire at her fingertips to burn out. Deliberately, she raised her hands, showing her gesture of surrender to the tiny creature. It was important to find out who and what it was that they were dealing with before proceeding any further.
Had they come so close to the end of their journey only to be defeated by a creature one-sixth their size? Zo stared at the tiny being, wondering what he wanted from them, and praying she would be able to get away from the plateau with what she’d come to find.
This was another turning point in their quest. An important one – and no matter what happened, Zo knew she couldn’t afford to make an error now.
Chapter Sixteen
Zo stepped forward slightly, placing her body between Arkon and the tiny creature that now stood on the branch, its full face visible. Its entire body was the color of an almond. The face was flat with a small nose and big bulbous eyes that had no upper lids. This made it impossible for him to blink. His arms and legs were as thin as dry firewood.
“Don’t do it,” Arkon tried to pull her back, hissing in anger as he realized she was placing herself in the direct line of any magical attack by the strange creature.
“Shh!” she said. “Sit down.”
“What?”
“Do it.” To show him, she sat herself, her arms loose by her side, no sign of hostility in her body. Her experience in the chasm had given her a good dose of humility. The magical creatures that existed on this land had power that was well beyond her ability to match. Once she had thought she was invincible, at least nearly so, until the ekeme taught her that the greatest of mages could be brought down with little effort.
She would never make the mistake of underestimating her adversaries now.
The tiny man glared at them for a long time. Finally, he jumped off the branch and landed on the soft grass under the tree.
“It’s a wood elf,” Zo breathed out the words, her eyes not quite believing the sight. She’d read about these creatures in the book but hadn’t believed they were real. The specimen in front of them was perhaps one of the last few survivors of its race. “They are rare. Extremely rare.”
The tiny elf walked towards them. It stopped, standing a good distance away as if still unsure of their intent. Just like with the ekeme, they heard the words in their head even though his lips didn’t move. “What are you doing on my mountain?”
“Your mountain?” Arkon sputtered out the words.
Zo could now see that its irises were a deep shade of purple. “We’re travelers, come from far, to find something that is of value to us on this mountain.”
The elf cocked its head. “You’ve magic.”
“A little bit, yes.” Zo shifted uneasily. Was he also a hater of mages, like the ekeme?
The elf stretched its thin lips in a smile. “Show me the magic then.”
Zo was nonplussed. “Ahh…”
“Show it.” His brow wrinkled in a frown.
Not sure of exactly what he expected, Zo lifted her hands and pretty colorful lights burst from her hands. Bright spheres of different hues spun in the air above her head.
“Pretty lights.” The elf’s eyes followed the slow, lazy movement of the lights as they chased each other in a circle.
Zo closed the spell and the lights disappeared. She was relieved he didn’t appear angry at her display of her gift. Perhaps he liked mages? “I’m glad you like my magic,” she said.
“What do you want? Why did you come here?”
“We came to look for the flower of rosem.”
The elf placed his hands on his hips. “Why?”
It was better to tell the truth. “My brother and sister are sick. Someone poisoned them, and we need the flower to heal them. If I don’t take it back, they will die.”
The elf shifted on his feet. He pouted. “What do you offer in exchange for the flower?”
Zo was taken aback. What could they offer the little creature to appease him?
“All flowers are my babies. I tend to them.” Bending, he put one of his hands on the earth and a bright green flame burst forward from his hand, racing towards their feet.
Yelping, Zo scrambled back on her feet but the flame merely circled the burnt flowers and instead of black charred plants, new wildflowers bloomed on the ground.
“Wow!” Arkon touched one of the flowers.
It was powerful earth magic. Something not even Alicia could do. To grow something instantly required a deep rooted magic that was part of the original power of the earth. The elf was indeed a formidable creature. She’d been right to be wary of his talent. Thank the goddess, he didn’t seem as hostile as the ekeme, but he still hadn’t agreed to let her take the flower of rosem.
A bright lance of fear jagged a hole through Zo’s heart, as her thoughts led her to a different conclusion. What if their information was wrong and the flower wasn’t here. “Do you have the flower of rosem on this plateau?”
The elf nodded. “It’s here. Bloomed a week ago. Pretty as those lights of yours.”
Zo breathed out a sigh of relief. “May we have it?”
The elf tapped his right foot. “What will you give me in exchange?”
Zo shared a perplexed glance with Arkon. What did the little creature want?
“What would you like to have?” Arkon said.
A gleam appeared in his eyes. “Hmmm…let’s see…maybe you have honey?”
“Honey?” Zo wasn’t sure she heard him right? Did he want honey?
“Or cake.” He licked his lips with a thin, pink tongue. “It’s been a long time since I feasted on cakes.”
“Ahh!” Zo scratched her cheek. “We don’t have those things, but we have meat.”
The elf recoiled. “I don’t eat meat. No meat.”
“Oh, alright.” Zo raised her hand in surrender. “We have cheese…”
“Biscuits. We have biscuits and ale,” offered Arkon.
“Pah!” The elf shook his head. “Go off with you. Off! Off!”
Zo thought of the supplies they had carried with them from the rebel camp. “Apples,” she said, feeling a tortuous need to salvage this situation. “We have dried mangoes also.”
The elf let forth a stream of fire from his fingers, but it disappeared before touching them. “Off with you before I burn you all. Go now. Now!”
“Can’t you fight him?” Arkon said as he stood. He lent a hand and pulled her to her feet.
“No. I can’t risk it.” What if he immobilized her? She didn’t know the full extent of his power and this wasn’t the time to test it.
“We could go back to the camp and get everything he wants,” Arkon suggested. Grabbing Zo by the elbow, he pulled her back gently and they walked backwards, careful to keep their gazes fixed on the elf’s movement. The little creature hardly moved as he stood with his hands on his hips, a ferocious frown on his forehead.
Zo nodded. That was all they could do. It would add two days to their journey, but there was nothing else they could do. The wood elf wouldn’t give them the flower of rosem unless they had somethin
g to offer him. Desperation gnawed at her. She was so tired and scared. It was disheartening to come so close to the end of their struggle, and then to have victory snatched from right under their noses.
She prayed Alicia and Seve were holding strong. Knowing her twin, she would do her best to extend their time – but what if Zo was too late? Zo couldn’t bear the terrible thought. She turned away, intending to pick up her pack and start the trudge downhill. Even if she had to make the journey under the light of the moon, she intended to be back on the plateau by tomorrow evening with the items the elf wanted.
“I have things for you,” Leo’s clear voice rang like a bell.
Zo glanced at the boy, but ignoring her, he rummaged through his pack and took out a wrapped cloth parcel. Walking past them, he placed the parcel on the meadow floor, next to the elf. With steady fingers, he unpacked the bundle and took out two clear, cork-topped glass bottles, both of them full of warm, brown honey. There were also round oatcakes and cinnamon cakes in the packet.
“Honey?” The elf shuffled forward, its greedy eyes fixed on the bounty spread before him. Bending, he picked up one of the bottles. Even though the bottle was at least one-third his size, he held it with ease. Uncorking it, he took a small sip of the thick, syrupy liquid and licked his lips clean, his eyes half-closed with pleasure. “Hmmm…sweet! So good. So delicious.”
“Now, can we have the flower?” Leo said.
The elf took another swig from the bottle, almost as if he was drinking ale and swayed on his feet, his face beaming with pleasure. “Oh, it’s so warm, so tasty…hmm!” he purred.
“Is he getting drunk on the honey?” Zo whispered, her mouth half-open in surprise at the elf’s unexpected behavior.
Arkon grinned at the seemingly-drunken antics of the wood elf. “Looks like it.”
Both of them watched the elf drink another mouthful, his feet now tapping to music only he seemed to hear. He corked the bottle, and executed a neat pirouette, before bending to pick up a cake.
“Enough!” Leo placed a hand on the elf’s shoulder. “Give us the flower now.”
“Be careful.” Zo moved to pull the boy away to safety before the elf could hurt him, but the wood elf straightened. He stared at Leo.
“The boy will come with me.” He still held the bottle in his hand. “Bring everything with you. This is mine. All mine!”
“Everything’s for you.” Leo assured him. He tied the bundle again before sauntering off after the wood elf, carrying the packet in his hands.
“Can you believe that? How did he know to bring these things with him?” Zo said as she watched the boy.
Arkon ran his hands through his hair. “Well, he’s a prophet after all. Maybe he saw the wood elf in his vision and knew what to bring for him?”
They looked at each other, and burst out laughing. It was hard to believe the little boy had accomplished what both of them had been unable to do.
Zo watched Leo as he accompanied the elf. When they both disappeared behind the tree, she was worried. Was he safe from the elf?
A moment later, Leo appeared alone, carrying something in his hand. The wood elf was nowhere to be seen.
“Did you get it?” Zo said, extending her hands out to Leo as she craned her neck to see what he carried.
Leo dumped the treasure in her outstretched hands. Zo let forth a peal of delight as she saw the three perfect flowers of rosem nestled in her palms. “Oh, they are beautiful!”
The delicate pink flowers were identical to Alicia’s sketch. Still, Zo counted all the petals on each to make sure they were the exact number. Twenty-one each. Taking out a pouch from her pack, she placed the flowers gently inside and sealed the pouch with a spell to ensure they remained intact during their long, hard journey back.
It was time to go.
“Thank you, Leo.” She touched the boy lightly on his cheek. “You’re my hero.” She repeated his words.
A faint blush of pink touched the boy’s cheeks. He grinned. Picking up his pack, he slung it over his shoulder. “We should head back. The elf’s getting drunk on the honey. I don’t think he would like it if we stayed the night on his plateau.”
Zo and Arkon laughed. Picking up their packs, they hurried after Leo as he scrambled down the path. They would have to spend the night on the mountain. Dusk was already upon the land, and although a few bits of stray sunlight illuminated the plateau, most of the path was already enveloped in a forbidding darkness.
After slipping and sliding down a considerable way, they finally found a ledge large enough to give them shelter for the night. It was a hard piece of rock jutting out from the mountain and protected from the wind by a massive boulder that sat on the edge of it. In between the boulder and the rocky mountain face, there was enough space for them to spread their blankets and sleep.
That night, Zo barely slept. She was so close to success that it was almost possible to taste the sweetness of it. They were near to the end of their quest. Now, at last, they had the flower of rosem. All they needed to worry about was making a safe and fast journey home before time ran out.
Chapter Seventeen
The air was crisp with a tangy bite and the night was a murky curtain of black velvet when Zo and her companions began their demanding journey back to the bottom of the mountain. As they clutched on to the branches and shrubs for support, working their way down with careful deliberation, the eastern horizon burst forth in a vibrant display of brilliant orange, red, and yellow hues.
Dawn was upon the land. From their position, it was easy to see the forest come alive as the steady streams of sunlight penetrated the thick canopy, bringing to life the multitude of species that lived within its bountiful depths. Birds flew high in the air, searching for an early meal. On the mountain, a group of monkeys began to follow the eager travelers, jumping from one branch to another, and making faces at the trio.
Leo laughed at their antics. Looking at him, Zo felt a surge of pride for the young talented boy. He had saved them a needless journey and a disappointing trip back to the forest. Stopping at a bend in the path, Zo motioned for her companions to take a break. Impatient to start, they had forgone breakfast.
“Let’s eat here.” Zo rummaged through her pack to sort out the food rations.
“I gave away all the cakes,” said Leo with a dejected sigh.
Zo laughed. “Yes, you did. And we are so proud of you. Here, have some bread and apples.”
“Oh, to have a hot meal again!” Arkon accepted his share of breakfast, a resigned look on his face. “Lamb roast. Fresh oven baked bread slathered with raspberry jam…and ale. Lots and lots of ale.” He bit into stale bread.
Zo snorted with amusement. “Fresh salad picked straight from Alicia’s herb and vegetable garden. Piping hot lamb stew. Apple pie with cream. But I’d like a long, luxurious bath before all of that.”
“I worked for a baker,” said Leo. “He used to give me the burnt bread and cakes. After scraping off the black parts, I used to eat the rest with butter. It was good. Better than this.” He waved the stale bread still clutched in his hand.
Zo pursed her lips. “What about the priest you grew up with?”
“I needed to earn a living,” he said simply. “The baker had a son my age. Sometimes after work, we would play together.” Leo broke off a small piece of bread and threw it at the monkey peeking at them from a nearby tree branch.
“Don’t feed them. They will never leave us alone.” Zo placed a hand over his before he could break off another piece. She looked over his head at Arkon who was staring at the boy. It was a hard life the child had led. No one had ever made the effort to teach him anything, to care for him and to love him.
Arkon picked up the pack he’d placed on a nearby rock. “Well, let’s move.”
Their stomachs filled, they made good time on the twisted path and reached the clearing well before mid-afternoon. As promised, two of Ibad’s mages were waiting for them. Without exchanging a word, the mages guided
them through the forest, taking an unmarked path they seemed to know well.
Zo was glad not to run into the akachimas. Somehow, she couldn’t visualize the women giving up so soon, and was slightly worried. Were the ladies planning an ambush in the dark confines of the forest? What if they were waiting somewhere for their quarry to pass through? She mentioned her fear to the guides.
“The akachimas are not in the forest. After your departure, Ibad sent a few of us to scout their abode, but it was deserted. It looked as if they packed in a hurry and left the place. One of our scouts saw them leave the forest. They were moving towards Irri. It’s the nearest village from here.”
“Why would they leave their home?”
The mage walking ahead of her shrugged. “Who knows? Their leader died, so maybe they need a chance to regroup. They might come back. Better to keep your eyes open in case you run into them after you leave the forest.”
Zo glanced at Arkon. He appeared to dislike the situation as much as her. The akachimas were a loose cannon and it would be dangerous to run into them at any point.
The sunlight filtering through the tree leaves sharpened into mid-afternoon’s piercing shafts and the jungle became a hot and humid sauna. With determined steps, they trudged their way through the wild underbrush, until finally the sun’s light began to wane. The shadows under the trees lengthened, each of them potentially hiding an enemy. The mages appeared unconcerned and indefatigable. As dusk settled upon the land, they emerged out onto the strip of land between the chasm and the forest. The army was gone, leaving in its wake scorched earth where massive fires were built for cooking. The ground was dotted with broken bamboos, piles of garbage, a few dead animals and even human corpses. They hadn’t even bothered to bury their dead. Vultures waddled among the corpses, fighting for their share. At night, more predators would move in, enticed by the smell of rotting flesh.
The Demon Mages (The Power of Three Book 1) Page 20
