by Lana Axe
“I must speak to the Spirit,” River said quietly as they stepped outside the cave. He left her side without another word, slowly heading for the stream at the far edge of town.
Kaiya watched as he walked away, still concerned for her friend. He was clearly upset by what had happened, and she did not know how else to console him. She did not blame him for Indal’s destruction. That was clearly the path Indal had chosen. The dwarves were now safe, thanks to River. He was a hero, not a murderer. Kaiya hoped that in time he would realize that.
Chapter 45
To his surprise, Telorithan was granted full access to the University archives without encountering any sort of opposition. For several hours, he scoured the shelves for even the tiniest hint at information regarding soul binding. Eventually, his eyes fell on a tattered tome. It nearly crumbled at his grasp, and several of the pages were loose. The title revealed unmistakably what the book was about: Binding the Essence.
Nearly salivating at this discovery, he quickly found a seat far from the other elves who were present in the library. With great delicacy, he turned the pages of the old volume. The majority of the book was unreadable, it’s advanced age and lack of care being evident. For a moment, he contemplated inquiring if there was a second copy available, but he knew that question would only lead to trouble.
What he could make out defined the process in great detail. Illustrations depicted adding the essence of a creature to a weapon, thereby enhancing its abilities. To his dismay, there was no mention of adding another person’s essence to one’s own. If this tome had contained the information, it had long since succumbed to time.
Telorithan took a closer look at the section describing weapons enhancement. A simple spell was all that was needed once the essence had been extracted. After having the gem inlaid in the strongest part of the weapon, one needed only to cast a second binding spell in order to meld the power to the weapon.
Could such a thing be possible with a person? He wondered how he might go about inlaying a gem into himself. The idea seemed silly. I am no mere object, he thought. There must be another way.
As he once again turned to the front of the book, he decided to check each page intently. Three-quarters into the volume, he found something that he had missed before.
“A sorcerer’s essence may be extracted at the moment of death if he desires eternal life. Only his most trusted apprentice should have access to the gem, which he must have placed in a setting to keep near him at all times. A ring or necklace is often preferred, and the wearer is given the option of having the excess power on hand at all times...[illegible text]...combines with that of the apprentice, forming a permanent bond.”
Surprised, Telorithan looked up from his reading. Could there truly be nothing necessary other than having the gem at his side? This text would suggest that whoever held the gem controlled the power inside. He marveled at the simplicity and at the author’s lack of knowledge. Suggesting this process as a path to immortality was an error. The elf within the gem lived on in torment, which was a major factor in banning the practice. This text was obviously written before that bit of information was uncovered. Telorithan laughed quietly to himself, wondering if the book’s author had subjected himself to it in hopes of living forever.
Content that he had found the information he needed, Telorithan returned the tome to the shelves. All he needed to do was retrieve his gem and set it into a piece of jewelry. He could not possibly hand the amethyst over to a jeweler, so he would have to manage that part himself. He could purchase an empty setting and place the gem inside it. Then, he would take some time to practice casting spells with Sirra’s magic combined with his own. If he was successful, he would be ready to face the elemental far sooner than anticipated. There would be no need to wait years, as he had feared.
With hurried feet, he made his way back to the docks to return to his own island. There were several jewelers in the market district. Surely, one of them would have what he required. He took a seat and waited impatiently for the boat to carry him back home. There was a smaller crowd than before, as night was quickly falling over the isles.
Stepping off the ferry, he practically ran to the market area. Several of the shops had already closed, but to his relief, one jewelry shop remained open. His eyes skimmed over the assortment of rings until he found one that seemed large enough to hold Sirra’s amethyst.
“This one,” he said to the young elf behind the counter.
The red-haired elf startled at the sound of the sorcerer’s voice. Telorithan was known to him through reputation, and he had hoped the elf would leave without speaking to him. He was frightened of the sorcerer, and he was doing a poor job hiding it. Stumbling forward, he opened the case and lifted the ring for Telorithan to try on.
Slipping it onto his right forefinger, Telorithan admired the ring. It was a large emerald set in ornately wrought silver. The ring showed signs of advanced age, which only made him like it more. There was obviously a history behind this piece of jewelry.
“I’ll take it,” he said. “Remove the emerald.”
The young elf stared at him, obviously confused.
“Are you deaf?” he asked. “Remove the stone. I require only the setting.”
“Forgive me,” the elf said, stumbling. “My master would be furious. The price is for the ring with the stone.”
“I’m not here to argue the price,” the sorcerer replied. “I will pay for both pieces, but you will remove the stone for me.”
The young elf swallowed hard and nodded. He turned quickly to his workbench and removed the stone from the ring. Handing it over to Telorithan, he asked, “Will there be anything else?”
Tossing a bag of coins onto the counter, he replied, “No.” He stuck the emerald in his pocket and placed the empty ring on his finger. This will look fantastic on me, he thought. His mind swirling with possibilities, he returned to his tower to set the amethyst into his new ring. It wouldn’t be long before he would fully control Sirra’s power. With her magic added to his, he would be unstoppable.
Chapter 46
After spending a restless night at the water’s edge, River could see light finally beginning to appear in the sky. He waded down into the stream, hoping the Spirit would come to him. His heart weighed heavily over the loss of Indal, and he was unsure if he had made the correct decision in using the opal.
Sliding down into the water, River turned his thoughts to the Spirit. He heard only the sound of water until a voice came into his mind.
Indal’s torment is at an end.
“She has been destroyed,” River replied. “Her essence is lost forever.”
Her torment has ended, the spirit repeated. You set out to free her, and you have done so.
“That does little to ease my mind,” he replied. “She has been lost by my hand. That is not the remedy I had hoped for.”
She chose her own destruction. Think on her no more.
River opened his eyes, feeling that the Spirit had departed. It had offered him little comfort, and he still did not know if he had made the right decision to use the opal against her. His intention was to free her from her bonds, but he did not mean to destroy her entirely. He had hoped she would enjoy peace in the afterlife, but it was not to be.
As the sun moved higher in the sky, he slowly made his way back to the village. Kaiya was waiting for him near the markets. When he finally came into view, she smiled cheerfully and waved. She could see that he still felt burdened, and she hoped to relieve some of his guilt.
“The dwarves that were still in the hospital are all leaving. Every one of them is cured,” she said.
“That is good to know,” he replied, his voice still troubled.
Kaiya took his hand and placed the remnants of the opal in his palm. “I salvaged what I could,” she said. “Maybe you can learn more about the artifact in time. There could still be a way to help Indal.”
River looked upon her with kindness. The Spirit’s words we
re final, and he knew there would be no further help for Indal. However, he did not wish to burden Kaiya with that information. “Thank you, my friend,” he said, closing his fingers around the shattered pieces. The opal was useless now, its magic having been fully spent. The gem would never be whole again, and it would never possess the power it once held.
Opening his hand to look upon the remains, he realized how beautiful the stones still were. Perhaps they could have another use after all. It would be a shame to dispose of the ancient stone fragments. “Where can I find Ortin? I’d like to have a gift made for Lenora.”
“He has a stall here in the marketplace,” Kaiya replied, pointing. She led him to the smith’s shop.
The black-bearded dwarf smiled happily as River and Kaiya approached. He gripped River’s hand in a firm shake and said, “I can’t thank you enough. You’ve saved us all from that witch in the cave.”
River smiled politely. “Her curse has ended,” he replied. Looking at Kaiya, he added, “Kaiya played an important role as well.”
“She’s a fine girl,” he stated, nodding to her. “What brings you two to see me?”
River showed the opal fragments to the smith. “Could you fashion one of these into a ring for Lenora? Something delicate would be nice.”
Ortin took the fragments from him and inspected them closely. “I’ll need a few hours to shape the stone properly, but I’d be more than happy to help. I would surely have died if not for Lenora. She’ll have the prettiest ring you ever saw.” The smith turned and immediately searched through his tools.
“We’ll be back later,” Kaiya said, ushering River from the shop.
In a stall nearby, Galen had found his way back to work with Trin. “Hello there,” he said as he saw his friends approaching.
“You’re all better, it seems,” River replied.
“Yes,” Galen said. “I thought I’d try to learn a few more things about these runes before they kick us out of here.”
“You’ll always be welcome here,” Kaiya replied, a sadness coming over her. She had no desire for the elves to leave, especially Galen. Over the last few days, she had grown fond of him, and she had never known true friendship before.
“They’re planning a feast of celebration tonight at the council house. I suspect they want to give River a medal.” Galen winked at Kaiya, hoping to at least get a smile in return. Her expression remained cheerless, which worried him. “Not even a little smile?” he said with a grin. “I’ll have to see what I can do about that,” he declared. “I’ll have you grinning ear to ear before long. Mark my words.”
Kaiya smiled half-heartedly. She did not wish to spoil his good mood, but she was dreading the thought of being alone once again. Having other people around who were familiar with magic was nice. It was also nice to have friends. Her parents loved her dearly, but they could not fill all the lonely places in her heart.
River was anxious to visit with Lenora. Leaving Kaiya behind with Galen, he hurried to the hospital tent. To his surprise, the dwarves were already dismantling it. Lenora’s face lit up at the sight of him.
“They’re all cured, every one of them,” she said happily. “You saved them.”
“You saved them first,” he replied. “More would have lost their lives had you not been here to treat them.”
“I did what I could,” she said. “I’ll admit I used a lot of the herbs the dryads taught me about. I owe them my gratitude, and I still have much left to learn from them.” Her voice was full of hope and a touch of excitement.
“Do you plan to continue living among the dryads?” he asked, hoping that was not her intention. He wanted her to stay in the Vale and be at his side forever.
“Maybe,” she replied. “I haven’t really had time to think about it.” She took his arm and followed him to a nearby bench. “What happened in the cave? Did you free Indal?”
River hung his head. Quietly, he replied, “She was destroyed. She refused freedom.”
Lenora could see the sadness in his eyes. Laying her hand on the side of his face, she said, “You have done a great thing for these people. Indal had turned into a creature of pure evil, and she would never have stopped plaguing them. Please, take comfort in knowing these dwarves owe you their lives. Indal is no longer in pain, and her hatred can’t hurt anyone else.”
Though Kaiya and the Spirit had both made similar statements, hearing it from his love gave it more meaning. How could he ever feel sad with her around? Gently, he kissed her lips and embraced her tightly. “I love you, Lenora,” he said, looking into her pale eyes. Though he would never forget Indal’s fate, his guilt would subside with time. As the dwarf people continued to prosper, and new generations were born, he could take comfort in knowing he had helped make their lives possible. The plague was at an end.
Chapter 47
The dwarves busied themselves setting up tables and preparing food for the evening celebration. With everyone feeling better, they were eager for some revelry. Days of lying in bed with fever were now behind them, and a party would help lift their spirits once again.
Anid stood on the porch of the council house, trying to manage the crowd. Nearly everyone in town had shown up to join in the festivities, and the ale had been flowing freely since early afternoon. Some of them were already stumbling.
“Your attention, please!” Anid called over the noise of the crowd. Hardly anyone acknowledged his presence.
Looking defeated, he motioned to Kaiya. “Can you do anything about this?” he asked, a twinkle in his eye.
With a nod, she closed her eyes and focused energy into her fingertips. Sparks danced from her fingers, and she shot them into the air. With a pop and a fizzle, they attracted the attention of the feasting dwarves. Many of them looked to the sky in awe.
“Thank you,” Anid said. To the crowd he announced, “We have gathered tonight to celebrate our friendship with the elves of the Vale, River and Galen. Together with one of our own,” he motioned to Kaiya, “they have secured an end to the evil plague that befell us. We are in your debt.”
The crowd applauded, lifting their mugs to toast their heroes. Kaiya felt slightly embarrassed. She had never fit in among the villagers, and she had certainly never had cause to celebrate among them.
“Drink up,” Galen said, handing her a frothy mug.
She accepted the drink, and raised it high. “To friendship,” she said.
River snuck away from the party momentarily to meet with Ortin. He had already completed the ring, having secured the opal in a silver setting. Proudly, the smith presented it to River.
“Some of my finest work ever,” he declared.
“I am in your debt,” River replied.
Ortin shook his head. “Think nothing of it. Lenora deserves all the finest.”
With a few butterflies in his stomach, River approached Lenora. She turned to smile at him, a mug of ale in her delicate hand.
“I have a gift for you,” he said, taking her hand. He placed the ring on her finger before kissing the back of her hand.
“It’s lovely,” she said. “Thank you.” Setting down her mug, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and kissed his cheek. “I shall treasure it to my last day,” she declared.
Galen and Kaiya witnessed their embrace and moved in to join them. They hugged each other in turn, Lenora and Kaiya hugging the longest.
“I’m going to miss you,” Lenora said. “I didn’t get to know you as well as I would have liked, but you feel almost like a sister to me. I hope we will meet again.”
Kaiya nodded, tears spilling from her eyes. “I hope so too.”
“Okay,” Galen said. “Now that everyone’s crying, I have an announcement to make.”
The three stared at him, waiting for him to continue. He hesitated, hoping to create a dramatic effect. Raised eyebrows were his friends’ only response.
“I’m staying here,” he said.
Kaiya felt as if she might faint. “You mean it?” she asked
.
“Yes,” he replied. “I want to study with Trin, and I’m not ready to leave the friends I’ve made here.” He smiled at her, and she felt herself blush.
Her eyes filling with tears for the second time, Kaiya stepped forward to embrace Galen. They held each other tightly for a moment, while River and Lenora looked on. Their faces beamed with happiness for their friends.
“I think it’s about time we were heading home,” River declared. “Our job here is finished.”
“Another staircase made of water?” Lenora asked, a note of mischief in her voice.
“I had something a little more fun in mind,” he replied with a grin.
“Never give ale to a water elemental,” Galen said in jest.
The four of them proceeded down the path that would lead them back to the waterfall. The stars were appearing in the sky, their light reflecting on the river below.
“I’ll miss you both,” Kaiya said. “Maybe we can talk more about getting in touch with an air elemental.” She hugged each of them again before saying, “Goodbye, my friends.” Taking Galen’s hand, she knew her life was about to change for the better.
River grabbed Lenora in his arms. “Ready?” he asked.
“For wh—” she started to say. Before she knew what was happening, she was sliding down the waterfall as it rushed toward the Vale. Despite her trust in River, she cried out in fear, her voice echoing as they descended from the mountain. With a splash, they landed in the pool beneath, River’s arms still secured around her waist.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” he asked playfully.
She shook her head. Her cry had brought spectators from the elven village to investigate the sound. Ryllak was first among them. He had kept a vigil over the waterfall since returning to the Vale, hoping every day that his son would return.
