by Lana Axe
“Fine,” he grumbled, making his way to a row of small boats tethered on the deck.
With the help of two sailors, Telorithan climbed inside and was lowered to the water’s surface. “Return for me before nightfall,” he instructed them. “If you don’t, there will be trouble.” His eyes flashed red, and the young sailor nodded quickly.
The ship turned away from the reef, and Telorithan began to row. He was less than a mile from the island, and the orb still buzzed with activity as it sat upon his lap. The elemental was close. He did not yet know how he would convince it to surface, nor did he know the creature’s purpose in coming here. Though he had no idea what it was searching for beneath the waves, he hoped that being bound in an elf body would force it to come to the surface for air.
I will not fail.
Coming ashore, he paced back and forth across the sand. Noticing this anxious activity, he forced himself to stop and took a seat upon one of the many large stones littering the island’s surface. He did his best to clear his mind, focusing only on his own energy. Drawing in a deep breath, he held it for a second before releasing it. As he stared into the orb, he willed the elemental to come to him. Here is what you seek.
* * * * *
Hundreds of feet below the surface, River glided through the depths. To his relief, salt water was as easy to maneuver through as fresh water. He had expected it to be different from what he was used to, but he felt as natural here as he did in the Blue River of the Vale. Within the ocean were thousands of water elementals. In his elf form, he wondered if any of them would know him or consider him their kin. With luck, one of them might come near and help him in his search for the artifact.
All manner of life greeted his sight as he searched for the opal. A school of small yellow fish played in the bubbles created by a giant clam’s vibrant purple lips. An octopus scurried away from River’s shadow, hiding itself in a tiny opening in the coral. Some of the fish seemed curious about his presence, a few of them nipping gently at his robe. In his heart, he wished he had time to explore and take in the wonders of the sea. That would have to wait for another time, though. Today he must find the opal and return to the dwarf village as quickly as possible. Lives were depending on him, and he had no time for play.
In the distance, he spotted what appeared to be a drop-off and possibly an underwater cave. That seemed a likely hiding place for an artifact that didn’t want to be found. As he rotated in the water to investigate the area, he felt the presence of magic pulling at him. It was not, however, coming from the direction of the cave. What he felt was coming from the opposite direction. Beyond the reef, there was shallow water that came up to a sandbar. There might even be a small island nearby. Would the ancients have hidden it on land? The only information the Spirit had given him was a vision of this area. He had assumed the opal still rested at the bottom, but perhaps it was on a beach or had long since embedded itself within the coral.
The presence of magic was unmistakable. Energy was radiating toward him, calling him to join it. Taking a last look at the caves, he decided to follow the magic. It was an artifact of great power that he was seeking. Surely its presence would be easily felt by someone like him.
Making his way to the sandbar, he paused for a moment. He knew he was only a half-day’s journey by sea from the Sunswept Isles. If this was indeed the artifact he was sensing, why had the Enlightened Elves allowed it to sit idle for so long? Their race highly prized magic, and they would most likely kill each other to possess such a powerful item. Of course it was possible that none of them could sense it. Perhaps it took the skills of an elemental or a closer bloodline to the ancients themselves.
Being of the race of First Ones gave River an inborn magical ability that was alien to the Enlightened Elves. All of them could perform some minor spells, but it took immense study to master a single form of elemental magic. The determined ones spent centuries studying to earn the rank of Master. They were held in the highest regard by all those beneath them, and the elite rank was required to hold any position in their government.
In contrast, the Westerling Elves learned magic easily. Their close connection to the earth itself granted them this gift, but that did not make them more powerful than their island kin. The Enlightened Elves who became Masters would be formidable opponents should they choose to be. Westerling Elves did not focus on any type of magic that could bring about destruction. Instead they focused on sustaining life, and protecting the land and creatures around them.
The pull of magic became stronger as he reached the sandbar, and he decided he must investigate. It was entirely possible that no Enlightened Elf with the skill to detect it had happened upon the artifact. It was also possible that none of them had the ability to sense it at all. Determined to find out what he was sensing, River brought his head above the surface of the water. Indeed, there was an island before him. There were no trees, only an abundance of cold, jagged rocks. The presence of magic was unmistakable, and his hopes were high that he would soon be heading back with the opal.
Chapter 34
When Kaiya and Galen reached the trees, they looked upon massive evergreens towering high into the air. These were ancient trees that had grown in the millennia before humans or dwarves came to inhabit the world. Only the First Ones had been present when these trees were small. The ancients had tended this forest before crossing over. Now, they were part of the Wildlands, the untamed region of Nōl’Deron.
Kaiya tilted her head back to view the treetops as they reached the sky. “I can’t believe I never came here before. I was only a few miles away, and I missed seeing this.”
Galen replied, “We have more lovely trees in the Vale. They’re silver and wide enough to build a home inside.” He looked down at her, his face shining. “You should come and see them.”
“I might just do that,” she replied, still staring skyward.
“Shall we venture in?” Galen asked.
Kaiya nodded, and the pair stepped cautiously into the forest. The ground was littered with fallen needles and pinecones. A strong woody scent filled the air. All was silent except for the occasional rustling of a branch, where small furry creatures scurried about. Smaller trees and bushes were scattered randomly through the forest, adding to its feral appearance. There were no visible paths or signs of habitation.
“Does anyone live here?” Kaiya asked.
“I don’t know,” Galen replied. “Maybe.”
It was cooler within the forest than on the beach, and the sunlight was mostly hidden behind the massive boughs of the evergreens. It was as if twilight had come early, despite being bright and sunny only a few steps away.
“We should probably turn back,” Kaiya suggested. “I don’t want River to wonder where we’ve gone.”
Before he could reply, Galen felt a sharp pain. Looking down, he saw a feathered arrow protruding from the left side of his chest. Kaiya gasped as he was struck, pulling him to the ground to cover him. Galen buckled to his knees and remained motionless, stunned by the sudden attack.
Kaiya scanned the trees and caught sight of a second arrow making its way toward her. With a flash of her gray eyes, she altered its course, blowing it away with a small gust of wind. Two elves hopped out of a low tree, their bows held at the ready.
“Why have you attacked my friend?” she demanded. “We did nothing to you!” She was visibly angry, her fists clenched and her body quaking with rage.
“You’re in our territory, and you’re not welcome here,” one of them said. He was much shorter than Galen, shirtless, and wore red paint upon his face. His skin was darkened from the sun, and his dirty blond hair was spiked in a thin strip on top of his head. Raising his bow to take aim, he said, “It’s time to finish the job.”
Before he could loose another arrow, Kaiya summoned her strength and knocked him backward. He stumbled off-balance and hit the ground with a thud, dropping his bow. His friend tried to grab Kaiya by the arm, but his movements were too slow.
Her eyes flashed silver as she knocked him back with a gust of air.
Previously unseen elves descended the trees and circled around Kaiya. Turning to check on Galen, she laid a hand on his cheek. His face was pale, and his breath was coming in shallow spurts. Despite his pain, he managed a weak smile. Staring into his dark eyes for only a moment, her heart ached. I cannot let them hurt him again, she thought.
The elves moved in closer, their bows drawn. Kaiya closed her eyes and slowly raised both arms toward the sky. Feeling the charge in the air, she knew the magic had worked. With a quick movement of her arms, she called down the lightning. Directing the blast at the elves, she scattered them and singed a few as well. Having never witnessed such a spectacle, most of them ran for their lives. A few stood motionless, staring at the dwarf who could summon energy from the sky.
Kaiya had no patience for the gawkers, and she did not feel safe with them around. Mustering the wind to her aid, she attacked. With a flash of silver in her eyes, she summoned a gale that blew the elves off their feet and sent them tumbling through the forest.
Crouching next to Galen, she asked, “Can you walk?”
He nodded, and she helped him to his feet. She stood only to the height of his waist, which made her a rather awkward crutch. He leaned heavily on her shoulder with his left hand and clutched at the arrow with his right. Slowly, they emerged from the forest, finding the sunlight again on the beach.
Kaiya led Galen around a cluster of boulders that she hoped would shield them from the eyes of the forest elves. He leaned upon one of the rocks and coughed, unable to take in a full breath.
“Try to stay calm,” Kaiya said. She had no medical training and no idea how to treat a wound such as this.
Leaning his head back on a rock, he coughed a few more times. His right hand still clutched at the arrow, but he did not have the courage to pull it out. “You’ll have...to...,” he tried to say.
Kaiya knew what he meant. He wanted her to remove the arrow from his chest. Pulling it out, however, could cause him to bleed to death. Sometimes it was best to leave it in. She knew that much, but that was the extent of her medical knowledge. The worst she had ever treated were scrapes and cuts. This was a serious wound, one that could prove fatal.
She swallowed hard and looked around the boulder to make sure no elves had followed them. Seeing no one there, she felt a small amount of relief. Turning her focus back to the arrow, she reached a hand for its shaft. She hesitated before gripping it, fearing she would do more harm than good.
Galen looked at her and gave a weak nod. “You must,” he whispered.
Chapter 35
Though he’d been away only a few days, Lenora found herself missing River more and more. Each day without him helped her realize how much she cared for him. She had plenty of work to occupy her time, but at the back of her mind, his absence was certainly noticed.
Each day more patients arrived for treatment at the hospital. Though she could not cure them, Lenora’s newest herb concoction had done wonders for easing their symptoms. Many of them were able to leave the hospital after only a single night’s stay. As luck would have it, the herbs she required were in good supply in the mountain village. It was summer in the mountains, and yellowroot, sage, and ginger were growing in abundance. Cloves were the only necessary herb the dwarves did not grow themselves. Luckily, they were quite popular in dwarven kitchens, being one of the herbs they traded for with the merchants from the Kingdom of Al’marr.
Despite her new remedy, the hospital was still full of ailing dwarves. Some of them simply did not respond to the treatment. Others, it seemed, waited too long to come to her, and their symptoms had grown worse. There had been no new deaths this day, but she feared that would not last. Even with her best efforts, some of the patients were still growing weaker.
Ortin the smith was among those lying on a cot in the hospital. Like many, he had waited to seek treatment until he was seriously ill. He went about his work as usual until he could no longer stand. One of his customers found him lying on the ground unconscious and brought him in for care. The herbs helped with his cough, but his fever refused to subside.
Kassie had declared Ortin to be the grumpiest patient she had dealt with. When he was awake, he was loud and demanding. She strongly preferred the moments when he would sleep, but he occasionally woke in a rage. The fever had taken hold of his mind, and his situation was critical.
Lenora showed surprising patience with him. Though he was ungrateful and often obnoxious, she sympathized with his condition. She had tried several different herbal remedies, but none of them brought his fever down for any significant amount of time. Today, he had been silent. She caught only a glimpse of him awake when he was shivering and mumbling to himself.
Lenora sat next to Kassie, who was grinding more herbs for a potion. Lenora could not decide what to try next for Ortin, and she sat with her head in her hands.
“You aren’t getting enough rest,” Kassie said. “Why don’t you take an hour or two for a nap?”
Lenora looked into Kassie’s kind, motherly eyes. “I’ll be all right,” she insisted.
Grabbing a phial from the desk, Lenora slowly walked to Ortin’s cot. He laid motionless, beads of sweat covering his forehead. Sitting next to him, she gently lifted his head with her hand.
“Drink,” she said softly.
Ortin roused from his sleep to take a sip of the medicine. “Awful,” he grumbled, letting half the liquid dribble down his beard.
“You must drink,” she said, tilting the phial once more to his lips.
Before he could protest, his body shook uncontrollably. Lenora jumped to her feet and placed one hand on his forehead, the other on his chest. Closing her eyes, she spread white magic throughout his body. The shaking subsided, and he looked at her in amazement.
“What did you do?” he asked, his voice full of vigor. Propping himself up on his elbows, he stared into Lenora’s eyes.
“I’ve used magic to help you,” she replied with a tired smile. Lenora did not have enough magic to treat all the patients, so she reserved it for only the most dire cases. Fearing that Ortin might not survive the seizures, she had chosen to use a significant portion of her magical reserves to treat him.
“I feel better than I have in days,” he said, the surprise audible in his voice.
“Your fever is gone,” she said. “You should get some rest.”
“I don’t feel the need to rest anymore,” he replied. “You’ve cured me.”
“It’s not a cure, I’m afraid. I’ve only treated your symptoms. They could return, and you should get some rest while you can.”
Taking Lenora’s hand, he sat up on the cot. “Name your reward, my lady. You have given me back my life, and I would thank you.”
“You can reward me by taking care of yourself,” she replied. “You are well enough to leave the hospital for now if you wish, but you must return the minute you feel the symptoms returning. Treating this condition early seems to be the only way of keeping it under control.”
“I will do as you command,” he replied. “But I would still have you name a reward. There is no better craftsman in these mountains than myself. I can craft you anything, big or small. Please, my lady, I insist.”
Seeing that Ortin was sincere, she gave the matter some thought. She would rather not accept payment for her services, but she did not want to insult him by refusing a gift. Her mind wandered to thoughts of River and the ocean, and she knew what she would ask for. “Could you craft a ring with a blue stone?” she asked.
“My lady, you shall have the finest ring any lady ever wore.” His eyes sparkled as he made the promise.
“I’d like you to make it for my dearest friend, River,” she replied, blushing slightly.
“I see,” he said, noticing her shy smile. “He is special to you, so I’ll make him a ring with the bluest sapphire the mountains can provide.” He hopped off the cot and kissed Lenora’s hand before hurrying
out of the tent to begin his work.
Lenora sat down again next to Kassie, who had been listening to their conversation.
“A ring for your friend?” she asked. “You two are in love, aren’t you?” She nudged Lenora with her elbow.
“I think I do love him,” Lenora admitted. “I find myself hardly able to concentrate now that he is away.”
“That’s how it starts,” Kassie replied knowingly. “I haven’t forgotten what it was like to be young and in love.” She patted Lenora’s arm and said, “Don’t worry, dear. He’ll be back soon.”
“I hope you’re right,” Lenora replied.
Chapter 36
Emerging from the water, River stepped onto the island. The presence of magic was unmistakable. Certain that the artifact must be nearby, he searched the ground. All around his feet, the sand was littered with tiny broken shells and numerous rocks. Staring intently at the ground, he had no idea that someone was near.
Seated comfortably behind a boulder, Telorithan had been awaiting the elemental’s arrival. Hearing him step onto the shore, he rose to greet his prey. “We meet at last,” he said.
River looked up, surprised to hear a voice. There was no settlement nearby, and there did not seem to be any reason why someone would travel to this island. An Enlightened Elf stood before him, equal to him in height. His skin was bronze, his hair silver, and his eyes a brilliant blue. He wore a dark-red robe, suggesting his skill with fire magic. One hand cradled a glowing orange orb. River observed him closely and remained silent.
As he stared into River’s sapphire eyes, Telorithan could sense his power. The feeling was as strong as any fire elemental he had encountered on the Red Isle. For a moment, he feared this elemental might not be inhibited by his elf form, and a shiver made its way down his spine.
“Mistonwey,” Telorithan uttered. Sensing the power of the ancient God of the Rivers, he hoped he had the ability to tame him.
