Elf Mastery

by Bryant Reil

  Eunoe slammed the book shut. “Come on, Aspen.”

  ***

  Kyla wiped the sweat from her brow. This journey was not the joy she had imagined of a boat ride. There was no fresh air, no dolphins or whales swimming alongside the boat, no birds calling overhead, and no up-and-down of the waves. It was just hot and smelled like a blacksmith's shop.

  The captain of the ship was a large troll with black skin and silver hair, and the crew consisted of a fiery demon who looked like he could be Lili's brother and two orcs who loaded and unloaded the cargo. There weren't many other passengers, though she recognized one as the ogre who had been guarding the elevator during the strike. He didn't seem to recognize her. Then again, he was pretty dim. He kept leaning over the side and poking a finger into the magma. He would then yelp in pain, pull his finger out, and suck on it. Then he would try again with a different finger. He was now on finger number seven. His final three fingers were saved when Kyla started practicing with her yo-yo, as the ogre became transfixed on the disc as it spun up and down on the string. He chuckled every time it went back up and gave a concerned gasp every time it failed.

  It wasn't a direct trip. The ogre got off at the first stop, but Kyla and Lug had to change to a small ferry manned by a cloaked figure who spoke in a ghastly whisper. Kyla only caught a glimpse of his face, as he wore his hood low, but she didn't care to see more as he appeared to have no skin. As he rowed she could also see his hands were nothing but bone, and so she imagined he must be nothing more than a skeleton.

  The journey was made even more uncomfortable as the ferry was just a metal raft, and with Lug's immense weight the magma occasionally slapped over the edges. Occasionally small jets ejected droplets of molten metal up from the magma. Thus Kyla had to sit in the center to avoid being burned. This didn't bother Lug, of course, and though the ferryman's cloak caught many drops and smoldered for much of the trip, he didn't seem the least troubled by it.

  Kyla was getting tired, but she didn't dare fall asleep as she was worried she would fall over the side of the ferry. Finally, it ended and she bounded onto the safety of solid stone as Lug settled with the ferryman (for which she later thanked him, as she hadn't considered her travels might incur some costs).

  “Are we there yet?” Kyla asked as Lug caught up to her and they headed up a tunnel toward the surface. The ceiling of the tunnel was very high, so that Kyla couldn't see the top, even with her light orb held high.

  “No. Still far. Have to find another way to go more.”

  Kyla worried this trip was taking too long. Her mission was, after all, quite urgent. The tunnel led to a chamber. Inside was an elevator with doors as large as the tunnel was high. There were two panels for buttons: one was several feet over Kyla's head, and the other was smaller and at about the right height.

  The elevator opened directly outside. As she stepped out Kyla was happy to see the sun and sky, and took a deep breath of fresh air. The wind was cooler than it had been in Equinox, and while she regretted not bringing a jacket it was still a refreshing change from the sticky heat on the river of magma.

  They were in the middle of a town of very large buildings. A giant standing in front of a fountain eyed Kyla and Lug as they stepped onto the road. He was wearing a helmet with a long crest of red hair. Kyla wondered what sort of animal had hair long enough to make that contribution. He also held a spear, the shaft of which was as wide as Kyla's body. Kyla greeted him with a smile and a nod. The giant nodded in return but made no expression. Other giants milled about the area as well. It was difficult to judge the size of the community, as the buildings were so large she couldn't see past them, but by their simple design she assumed this was a small town. She didn't feel inclined to address the guard, who looked very focused on his job, so she selected a friendly-looking giantess and tugged on the hem of her skirt, which reached the giantess' knee and was just over Kyla's head.

  “Pardon me,” Kyla smiled. “We are looking for the Digans. Can you help?”

  “Iss aktun momoria evet.” The giantess had no expression on her face, and so Kyla had no idea if she was being friendly or not. She pointed toward a building on the opposite side of the fountain which had a large open door and a sign bearing a phrase in several languages. The only one Kyla could read said 'Visitor's Center', so it was likely a good place to ask questions.

  ***

  Elial rushed into Victory Hall. As with the campus grounds it was empty, with many students conscripted into patrols or militias back home. Elial hadn't done any of his regular administrative work for several weeks, and though classes were technically in session, few people were attending.

  He resented that Anh-Bul now requested every military communique get cleared through him. Worse, when Elial arrived, there was now a desk outside his office. At this desk sat an elf. He looked up and smiled as Elial approached.

  “The Director can't be disturbed at this time.” The smiling elf stood and extended his arm. “He hired me to assist in his duties. You are Elial Ciana, I presume? I'm Marik, the Director's advisor.”

  Elial hadn't heard about this. He hesitantly clasped the stranger's wrist. “Yes. I have an urgent message that I need to send to the Taxiarch. Anh-Bul insisted on seeing my messages before I send them.”

  “Certainly. Leave it here and I'll bring it to him as soon as he's available.”

  “If you don't mind I need to deliver this immediately. Could you at least let him know I'm here?”

  “Ah, I suppose I could intrude on him for a matter of military intelligence. If you give me the gist of the message, I will let him know why I'm interrupting him.”

  Elial hesitated. He didn't like the idea of passing confidential messages through a stranger, but he was in a hurry and couldn't see the harm in this particular case. “Just tell him Kyla Nim has disappeared.”

  Marik smiled. “Absolutely. Though I'm sure she's just running around with her friends somewhere.”

  “He'll want to know, I assure you.”

  “We'll see.” Marik knocked on the door and stepped inside without awaiting a response.

  “Elial Ciana to deliver a message, Director.”

  “Send him in.”

  Elial mouthed a quick thank-you and walked passed Marik into the Director's office. He noticed Anh-Bul had cleaned and redecorated. It looked good. It worried Elial. Anh-Bul had been tolerable when he kept to himself. Now he looked determined to fulfill the requirements of his position which was going to make him unbearable.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The Caravan

  The city of giants had an elevated walkway along the second floor of the buildings in the town square for Kyla-sized folk, which she appreciated after nearly being snatched up by an enormous mastiff. She and Lug headed for the Visitor's Center, passing by a shop which displayed a few elf-sized items but mostly carried wares for giants: giant candies, giant bottles, and giant spectacles. Kyla became distracted by this, thinking how wonderful it would be to have a giant pillow for a bed, when a quick tug on her sleeve from Lug reminded her of the urgency of her mission.

  The Visitor's center was small but tidy and operated by an old giant with a monocle. He smiled as they entered. Kyla and Lug stood on a platform above the giant's head. The walkway ran along the walls, where various maps and lists could be read by visitors. Each was posted in several languages.

  “Hi!” Kyla waved. “I'm trying to get to the Digans!”

  The giant smiled again and pulled out a book. His movements were slow and his bones popped and creaked as he moved. Kyla felt someone his age shouldn't need to be working, though he appeared happy enough. He sifted through the book for some time before looking back up at Kyla and spoke with a thick accent.

  “No one by that name in Varis, I'm afraid. Perhaps they live over in Kestl?”

  “No. Not a name. The Digans. Rock people, like my friend here.”

  Kyla could feel Lug jolt. He looked offended. “Not like me! Gray, square. Live in Alfh
eim.”

  The old man nodded. “Yes, yes. Alfheim. You need transport.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, we don't go straight there. The Digans are less than hospitable, unless perhaps you have a stone friend for an escort. We do have a mammoth caravan that passes by the border. Or, I suppose, you could go to Kestl and then take a boat up river. Nice view but it's slow-going this time of year.”

  “Oh! Mammoths would be lovely.” Speed was more important than scenery.

  “Fine. Head down this road until you catch the stench of manure. Turn right about two blocks.”

  Kyla got a map from the old giant which highlighted many of the town's points of interest. She examined it as they walked.

  “A chocolate forest!” she noted with excitement. “I thought chocolate was just a human thing!”

  “I don't know chocolate,” Lug replied.

  “They have a miniature museum. Does that mean everything is our size, or miniature for us?”

  “Don't know.”

  “Hey, they have a winter festival in a few weeks! We should come back for that, huh, Lug.”

  “Not sure about work schedule.”

  Lug's disinterest didn't lessen Kyla's excitement. She lowered the map and realized she got more from looking at the town than by reading about it. The streets below bustled with giants, some on foot and others riding in carriages pulled by various sorts of large beasts. Across the road she spotted the chocolate museum. Like most of the commercial buildings it had a section for the giants as well as access for smaller folk. She strained her eyes to get a look through the windows. She thought she saw a regular-sized person peering back at her and she waved, but the figure quickly vanished from view. Odd that there weren't many other tourists. This place looked to Kyla a wonderland.

  “Look at that!” Kyla pointed to a giant dressed in black and white doing a performance in the street. “This place has everything!”

  “Yes. I think caravan is that way.”

  Kyla caught the stench of manure and realized perhaps why there weren't more visitors. It made her gasp for breath. She tucked her shirt over her nose to mask the stench.

  “My armpits smell better than this place!”

  The caravan hub wasn't far, and upon their arrival they were met by a blond young giantess. She looked like a young adult, but had the weathered look of one who spent many hours outdoors.

  “I'm Inga! Where are you headed today?” She had an accent but it wasn't as thick as the old giant at the Visitor's Center.

  “Alfheim mountains,” Lug answered shortly. Kyla guessed he might be getting tired of the journey. He was missing work, after all.

  “Ok. It'll cost twelve kil for the two of you.”

  Kyla looked at Lug, who looked back. She had thought he was going to pay, seeing as he had handled the ferry.

  “You no have money?” he asked.

  Kyla squirmed. “No. I thought you did.”

  “You are not prepared for journey,” he scolded. He looked at the giantess. “Put me on ground, please.”

  Inga grabbed Lug around the waste and placed him on the ground. “My, you're a heavy one!”

  “Yes. Made of rock.” Kyla watched as Lug's feet thrust into the dirt. The earth roiled and crunched beneath him. She could see the soil twist and writhe farther and farther out from his legs, and then Lug's own body started to churn. Kyla held her breath, wondering if he was about to fall apart, but his expression was one of focus and not fear. After a moment he held out his hand for Inga and, when she opened hers, dropped a handful of gold.

  “Ok?” he asked.

  Inga smiled. “That'll be fine. You're quite a little money-maker, aren't you?” She picked him back up and placed him next to Kyla.

  Kyla stood, mouth agape, until her brain could form words. “I didn't know you could do that! Why do you even have a job? You could be rich!”

  “I no work for rich. I work to do important thing.”

  “Still, that's amazing!”

  “Not amazing. Spin earth amazing.”

  Kyla didn't agree but didn't belabor the point. They followed the giantess through the building. On the other side she instructed another giant, a young male with brown hair, to set a large seat on the back of one of the mammoths. Inga called this a howdah. There were several other mammoths laden with bags and bundles which Kyla took to be cargo.

  When Kyla first approached the mammoth she was amazed by its size. She had heard of them and had always imagined them the size of bears or maybe moose. Up close she could see they were nearly on par with dragons. She jumped as one whipped its tail.

  “Its poops are probably bigger than I am,” she giggled.

  Inga laughed. “Yes. Don't stand behind them.”

  When the howdah was ready and the cargo all fastened, Inga picked up Kyla and Lug and placed them in the howdah. Now that Kyla was growing accustomed to the smell she was excited to ride the beast.

  “Isn't this exciting?” she said. Lug didn't respond. “Are you ok?”

  Lug paused before speaking. “Ground here is not good.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Difficult to speak to earth.”

  “Oh!” On one hand Kyla was relieved that Lug wasn't just tired of her and her journey, but didn't know if dirt that couldn't communicate well was something she needed to worry about. “Is that bad?”

  Lug shrugged. “Don't know. I never come here before. Digans different from me. Made of stone, yes, but different. Speak different. Earth different.”

  Lug bowed his head and looked fatigued, if that were possible for a creature made of rocks.

  “You can go back,” she told him. “If you aren't feeling well. I'm sure I can find the Digans from here.”

  “No. Digans not safe. I come.”

  Kyla's excitement at riding the mammoth faded to worry. She had forgotten, however briefly, that she was on a very important mission and that many lives could be at stake. The people here, the giants, seemed blissfully unaware.

  “Hey, Inga!” Kyla called. The giantess was ready to go, and was personally leading the lead mammoth on which Kyla and Lug were riding.

  “Yes?”

  “You know how the stars went out a little while ago? Is that a big thing here? Because where I come from everybody's freaking out.”

  “No. These things happen. No reason to panic.”

  “Oh. But, you know, it kind of is a reason to panic. Erebus is trying to take over the world, you know.”

  Inga smiled, but it felt condescending. “We don't believe in fairy tales. There is no Erebus. The stars went out. Somebody will fix them and everything will be fine.

  Kyla didn't know what to say. She had assumed everyone believed in Erebus. “But he is real. His followers tried to kill me.”

  “His followers. So they say.”

  “Well, yes.” Kyla had never seen Erebus. She realized she couldn't be assured he was real. Was she on a fool's errand?

  No. Her dream had been real. She had seen the dark abyss and felt the eternal emptiness he represented. Besides, the spirit in Eunoe had fought him! “So you aren't worried at all?”

  Inga laughed. “No. Even if Erebus, and Chaos, and all the other ancients exist, they haven't come to earth in ages. Why should they bother now?”

  Why did they wait until now? This wasn't their first attempt. They had tried at least once before, in Aias' day.

  “People tell stories to understand the world,” Inga continued. “Some stories are true. Some are false. I believe what I can see. I can see you, and your friend. I can see the sun, the earth, the sky, and my mammoths. Nothing else is real. Nothing else needs to be real. My life is complete.”

  Kyla admired Inga's acceptance of what she had and what she did, but it was peculiar to ignore everything else just because you couldn't see it. “Everyone else is preparing for war. I mean, even if there's no Erebus he still has an army. You aren't worried about that?”

  “Why worry? Why w
ould his army care about me and my mammoths?”

  “I don't know but a lot of other people are going to be hurt.”

  “People get hurt. If everyone lived like me, that wouldn't happen.”

  Kyla supposed that were true. She had no response to it. It sounded reasonable but in her gut Kyla couldn't accept it. She shouldn't be complacent if other people were suffering. She might forget, or become distracted, but Kyla didn't think she could stop caring. “What if they do attack? What will you do?”

  Inga shrugged. “I don't worry about what might happen. I worry about what is happening. It is impossible to guess the future, so I live in the present.”

  “But the future will happen!” Kyla protested. “I mean, yeah, live in the present, great. You still have to prepare, right?”

  “I'm prepared. I know I'll need food, so I have two bags of it. I know it might snow, so I have boots and furs. I'm prepared. I don't need to prepare for imaginary events. Don't misunderstand. I know many of you small creatures are superstitious. That's fine. You live how you like. I live in the world I can see, not the one I dream up.”

  This sounded arrogant to Kyla but again she couldn't argue with it. The conversation was starting to frustrate her so she changed the subject, and they spent the rest of the day chatting about family and chocolate.

  ***

  Dunkin recalled his first few months in the Royal Army. There had been a particularly obnoxious giant named Mime who had once pushed Dunkin's head into the latrine (because the dwarf was made for dunkin', he said). The stench had made him quite ill and unable to eat for a few days. Yet the nauseating odor of the latrine was like butter cakes compared to the air in Varis. Giants required very large latrines, and the outhouses that peppered the city weren't helping. Yet they weren't the primary culprits: the giants practiced husbandry, and for some reason kept their animals in the city limits. So the manure of mammoths and manticores and a dozen other giant beasts wafted into the air. Varis was set up to be a tourist town, yet appeared to have very little traffic. Dunkin wondered if the giants understood the problem.