by Lana Axe
“Your majesty, I present our elven comrades Mel and Thinal of the Silver Birch Clan,” Mi'tal said gesturing toward the two elves.
They stood motionless, awaiting the king to commence speaking. They would not bow as humans do. He was not their king, and they did not plan to bow before anyone.
Aelryk observed the pair and judged Thinal to be quite lovely. She had a friendly nature about her, unlike her companion. He appeared standoffish and distrustful.
“I hear you two put up quite the fight against the invaders. You have my thanks for saving the lives of my citizens.”
Mel stood stone-faced as he did not care to hear this king's appreciation. He was no hero, and he had not set out to save human lives. He was preserving his own life and that of his mate and nothing more.
“We're glad to be of assistance, your majesty,” Thinal said politely.
Aelryk glanced at Mi'tal who stood silently next to Mel. “Mi'tal has told me that you have some news of a situation in Al'marr?”
After a few seconds of silence, Thinal nudged Mel with her elbow.
“Yes, I do,” Mel began reluctantly. “They have not allowed us elves to enter their markets for the last few months. The last time I was there, few villagers were still in the area. I heard rumors that the royal family had been murdered, and a sorcerer from Ral'nassa had seized the throne.”
“You didn't mention that to us before,” Mi'tal said, a little surprised.
“You didn't ask,” Mel replied casually.
“That is grave news indeed,” Aelryk said. “Do you have any knowledge of who this sorcerer might be?”
“I never heard his name. All I heard was that he had some inside help to take the throne, and the people were frightened. I have seen the wolfbeasts returning through the Wildlands to the borders of Al'marr. Today is the first I've seen of the spiders.”
“What of the sorcerers? Is this the first you've seen of them?” Aelryk leaned in while asking the question.
“Yes. The creatures I saw were only accompanied by the Na'zorans they had taken.”
“Your people did not try to stop them?” the king asked.
Mel sighed, “No, we didn't. It wasn't our fight. We might lose half our clan to save a few of your people. Who would be left to protect our children when the monsters started coming for us?”
A brief silence followed.
“You do make a good point, Mel,” the king replied. “In wartime, we must do what we can to protect our own. Sometimes it involves making difficult decisions. I am grateful you have come and have given me this information. Perhaps there should be more communication between our two peoples.”
“That shouldn't be difficult seeing as you own all of the land surrounding our forests. Send someone to shout toward the trees from time to time and see if anyone responds.”
Aelryk decided it was best to ignore the comment. Relations between Na'zora and the Wild Elves were still very much strained, and he knew the matter deserved his attention. A more pressing matter, however, was brewing far south in Al'marr. His people were being murdered and others taken prisoner for some unknown purpose. Until his citizens were safe again, he would not bother with any other matters of state.
“Shall we go and have a look at these beasts?” Aelryk asked as he rose from his seat.
“I think we've seen them close enough, your majesty,” Thinal answered respectfully.
“Then we will speak again very soon.” He nodded at the elves. “Mi'tal, Willdor, and Morek with me.” The three men headed for the door.
“Highness,” Magister Utric called. “For posterity, I would like to see them as well. I would like to describe them in our chronicles.”
“Come along,” the king replied.
Mel and Thinal waited until the men had left to make their own exit. Outside, the townspeople were busy cleaning up. The crowds running away from the attackers had done quite a bit of damage to the marketplace.
A young girl in a pink smock was struggling with a heavy barrel. Mel ignored her, but Thinal cleared her throat and inclined her head towards the girl. Sighing, Mel walked over, grabbed the barrel, and set it upright.
“Thank you, milord,” the girl said with a curtsey.
Mel laughed and said, “Lord?” He looked at the girl and shook his head.
“Forgive me,” she replied. “Are you a prince?”
Thinal couldn't help but laugh a little at the question. Mel grinned and continued to shake his head.
“We have no lords or princes, sweet child,” Thinal said. “We are just ordinary people like yourself. We're all equals. No princes, and no lords or ladies.”
“But I saw you fight. Surely you are highborn knights!”
“Your people call us Wild Elves,” Mel said. “We are elves of the woodlands, and we all learn to fight this way. It keeps us safe in a dangerous world. You could learn to fight as well.”
“Girls aren't allowed,” she said, looking at the ground.
“Women are just as capable in battle as men. We may play different roles, but you can see that my blade is no different from the ones your men wield.” Thinal drew the blade and handed it to the girl. She reached out with one skinny arm and took the sword by its hilt.
“I can barely lift this,” she said. “It's very pretty, but I could never be a swordswoman.” She extended the blade back to Thinal, who took it and placed it back in her scabbard.
“You could some day. You just need to work on your strength. Don't ever let anyone say you can't do something just because you're a girl. When they say that, you punch them right in the nose.” Thinal punched a fist into the palm of her other hand and nodded. The young girl laughed and nodded back.
“A knee in the crotch works well too,” Mel added, winking. Turning to Thinal he asked, “What do we do now?”
“Let's get something to drink,” she said. “A large something.”
“Fine with me as long as it's also something strong,” he replied.
* * * * *
Aelryk knelt and leaned closely towards the deceased spider. The apothecary had laid it on a bed of straw in the store room of his shop. A pale greenish pus still oozed from its severed leg and head. He dipped a finger in the substance, smelled it, and immediately shuddered.
“I have collected samples of the pus, but I haven't yet had the time to test it,” the white-haired apothecary said. “It smells quite foul, and it could possibly be toxic.” He handed a small towel to the king, who graciously accepted it.
Duana's physician stood near the body of the fallen sorcerer. “I have examined the body of the sorcerer, your majesty, and have determined nothing significant. He is a member of the Enlightened Elf race and probably rather young by their standards, but I don't see anything unusual about him. The wildcat appears to be quite ordinary as well. It is very surprising he was able to tame it, but these magicians can work their illusions on people and beasts alike.”
Court Mage Willdor rolled his eyes. Most physicians did not have respect for mages. They believed magic consisted of tricks and devilry and offered no real solutions. “If everything here is so ordinary,” he began, “why did they bother to attack this city?”
“They're madmen!” the physician replied heatedly. “They summoned these evil creatures with one of their illusions.”
“What do you make of the purple beams reported by the witnesses?” Willdor asked.
“They used some sort of magical energy attack. I examined the bodies of the guards, and apart from spider bites, they have no marks on them. These are vicious magical elves intent on murder for their own pleasure.”
“It was elves who saved this town,” Mi'tal injected, to the dismay of the physician.
“Willdor, what do you make of the purple light?” Aelryk asked. “Was it an attack? Witnesses said the guards were already down when the spell was cast.”
“I can't be certain, majesty. Had it been an attack, it would have left a mark on the skin. The color of the magic would
suggest they were absorbing something.”
“They probably absorbed their energies to power more dark magic,” the physician spat.
“Thank you, physician,” the king said. “Thank you as well, apothecary. Mi'tal, I'd like to head out in the morning if at all possible. I think it would be best to send Loren back to the palace. He can inform our generals of the new threat.”
“And he isn't much fun as a traveling companion anyway,” Mi'tal added with a grin.
“There is that as well,” the king agreed.
Chapter 19
Dawn fell over Duana, bringing with it a pink summer sky. The air was already hot and thick. Roosters were crowing while merchants once again began reopening their shops. The previous day's events were all but forgotten as the citizens strove to go about their daily lives.
Mel and Thinal headed out of the inn to meet up with their group. Thinal wished there was time for another glass of tea, but Mi'tal had been adamant when he informed them to be ready to leave at dawn. She wondered how many days it would take before they reached the Vale.
Arriving at the meeting point at the edge of the woods, they were spied by Mi'tal. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully.
“Ah,” said Aelryk, peeking around his horse. “Good morning. I'd like a word with you both before we set out.”
Mel ignored him, went over to his horse, and began placing items into a saddlebag.
“He's not much of a morning person,” Thinal said apologetically.
“I can tell he's quite obstinate,” Aelryk replied. “I hope that won't pose a problem in our travels. We do need his help.”
“Yes, you do. I'm no tracker, and it doesn't appear you've brought any other archers with you.”
“Tell me, my lady. What do you know about the Vale?”
“Just what I've heard in fairy tales, majesty,” she giggled a little. “I never even dreamed the place actually existed. The legends say it is home to Mistonwey, one of the gods our people worshipped in ancient times. We still revere all of nature, of course, but we don't actually believe the old gods exist. I wouldn't mind meeting one, though, if it's actually there.”
“I don't think we're going to be finding any gods,” he replied. “As a matter of fact, I'm going to find a river.”
“Well, the Blue River is the largest, and the Vale supposedly lies on the distant bank. How do you plan to cross it?”
“I'm not entirely sure.”
“It's always nice to travel prepared,” Mel interjected as he moved to stand next to Thinal.
“You're our guide, Mel,” Thinal said. “How do we cross the river?”
“Build a raft,” he replied.
“Problem solved then,” Aelryk said.
Mel looked at the king and asked, “Are all of these people coming with us? We need to move light.”
“I think you should take a small army with you, your majesty,” Loren offered.
“A big group is going to stand out and make an easy target. We should try not to draw attention to ourselves,” Mi'tal chimed in.
“I'm inclined to agree,” Aelryk responded.
“Good,” Mel said. “Now we just have the thunder of steel boots and horses galloping to ruin any chance at stealth.”
“We cannot walk there, master elf,” Aelryk said. “It is a seven day journey on horseback, and I will not bear any delays.”
“Majesty, I can offer some assistance in covering our noise and tracks,” Court Mage Willdor said. “I am bringing a good supply of potions to provide you with ample magical assistance.”
“Let's hope that's enough, then,” Mi'tal replied. “Who will be travelling with us, your majesty?”
“Loren, you will head back to the palace with two guards of your choosing. The rest of my guards will remain here in Duana to provide protection to my people. Mi'tal, Willdor, Morek, and Utric are with me.”
“My apprentice-,” Utric began.
“Is too young and unable to fight for himself,” Aelryk finished. “You are also unable to fight, and we do not need more people to look after. Send him back to the palace with your information on the spiders.”
“Yes, my lord,” he replied without arguing.
“Mel, do you know how to find the Vale?” Mi'tal asked.
“I think it's at the end of a rainbow or something,” he replied sarcastically. “I can get you to the place where it supposedly exists.”
“Good,” Aelryk replied. “Let's get moving.”
The men said their goodbyes to those who were heading back to the palace. Byord grinned and waved goodbye to Mel as he mounted his horse. He blew a kiss at Thinal, who rolled her eyes and shook her head.
The seven of them set out west in search of the Vale. Upon entering the woods, Mel pointed out the tracks left by the fleeing sorcerer and spiders. They headed off south, just as he expected. The forest was unusually quiet, and they pressed on as quickly and quietly as possible.
Chapter 20
Tu'vad headed up the twisted dirt path leading through the gray rock. All of the commotion he was hearing had better be for a good reason, otherwise the mine supervisor would answer to him for not quelling the disturbance. Nearing the mine entrance, he saw a group of miners all huddled around a small table. The supervisor caught his eye and waved.
“Lord Tu'vad! You must come and see!” he shouted.
Tu'vad continued his approach as the miners cleared the way for him to see the prize laying on the table. A deep purple gem, as large as his head, lay before him. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped slightly in disbelief. All the times he had reassured Master Ulda that they were searching diligently for larger stones had just been a farce. Of course they were working hard, but he hadn't truly believed gems this size existed. Ulda was going to be very pleased with him indeed.
“This must be brought to Master Ulda at once,” Tu'vad said.
“Right away, sir,” one of the miners responded.
“Not you,” Tu'vad said, noticing a young woman emerging from the mine. “You there,” he shouted to her. “Grab a cart and load this gem inside it.”
The young woman nodded and obeyed quickly.
“Follow me,” he ordered, and the two of them set off down the path. It was only a fifteen minute walk to the palace entrance, but the heat of the summer sun was intense. Tu'vad observed the woman as sweat beads rolled down her neck and dampened her hair. She was quite lovely, despite being rather dirty.
Together they entered the palace and proceeded to Ulda's laboratory. A young slave boy stood watch outside the door.
“His majesty has commanded that he not be disturbed,” the boy said.
Ulda stopped in his tracks and slapped the boy across his face. “You don't give me orders, slave. Get out of my way!” He shoved the boy away, knocking him to the ground. Flinging open the doors he shouted, “Your Highness, I've come on most urgent business.”
The laboratory was in disarray and smelled of burning metals. The room was dark except for the light emitting from the orb within. All was silent, and there was no sign of movement.
Tu'vad spoke again. “Forgive my intrusion, sire, but I have brought with me that which you are seeking. It's a gemstone, majesty. It's the largest one I've seen.” He heard what sounded like an iron bar being dropped to the floor. The orb's light faded, and with a snap of his fingers, Ulda flooded the room with a soft white light.
“Bring it to me,” he said.
Tu'vad grabbed the cart from the woman and waved her away. He pushed it inside the lab and smiled triumphantly.
Ulda gaped at the enormous gem. This was indeed a great find. With the proper shape, this would suit his purpose perfectly. “Take it to my master jeweler. I will follow shortly with the exact details of the cut I need.” As he spoke, he fiddled with the gemstone necklace he wore. Tu'vad noticed what appeared to be a face embedded within the gem. It swirled within a white mist, and he could just make out the features of the Soulbinder who had disappointed Ulda a few days ear
lier.
“I will take it to him personally, sire,” Tu'vad said. He bowed and pushed the cart out of the lab.
Ulda began rummaging through a stack of books laying on the floor near his enchanting area. Grabbing a red volume in his hands, he flipped quickly through its pages. Arriving at the correct page, his eyes read the instructions hungrily. It would have to be oval-shaped and contain hundreds of facets. The gem was sufficiently large, and he did not doubt he would have the power to use it. With this stone and the extra power he gained from his former Soulbinder, he should be able to control all of his troops. They would fight without question and be incapable of fear.
Energized, Ulda ran out of his laboratory clutching the red book in his hand. He ran down the stone corridor and burst through the door to the jeweler's workshop. The old man looked stunned as he saw Ulda appear.
“Your majesty,” he said, bowing. He was shocked but not so much that he forgot his manners.
Ulda slammed the book down on the jeweler's table and opened it to the page specifying the precise details needed for the gem. “Follow these instructions to the letter. I cannot afford to have this gem destroyed.”
Ulda turned to leave as the old man began poring over the book. This was meticulous work that would take some time to complete. He had no doubt he could do what the sorcerer commanded, but he feared what purpose it might serve. However, he was in no place to question him. That would only lead to his death, and someone else would step up to serve instead. He sat at his bench and began the tedious work.
Chapter 21
Three uneventful days had passed as the companions headed for the Western Vale. The morning of the fourth day was heralded by the birds singing high in the trees. They chipped and sang and played on the wind without a care for the troubles of men.
Long days of riding were beginning to wear on the group. King Aelryk had insisted on haste, which left little time to rest or stretch the tight muscles that were forced into the same position for hours at a time. The horses were much more comfortable than their riders.
