Turning to the elf, Remozorz said, “Commander Kreathin, this is Wizard Scout Richard. He is the one the Oracle told us about.”
“I see,” said the elf. “He is a human after all. I had hoped the Oracle was mistaken. I see he has brought two human children with him as well. Is this what you foolishly risked your life for, Remozorz? If it wasn’t for humans, our troubles would be much less than they are at the present.”
If Richard had taken out his knife, he could have cut the chill in the air. He hadn’t liked the elf at first sight. He disliked the elf even more now.
What’s this bozo’s problem? Richard said to Nickelo. He acts like he’s got a board stuck up his rear. Who does he think he is?
Keep your temper in check, Rick, Nickelo advised. We need friends, not enemies. Just concentrate on your mission and on getting the children back home.
“That’s not fair, Kreathin,” said Remozorz. “You know the Northern Mages would just have found another source of bodies for their spirit allies.”
The children had previously removed their goggles. Samanestra must have seen the confusion in their eyes, because he said, “Our honored commander is referring to the human custom of burying their dead in cemeteries. Most of the races of our land prefer to burn the bodies of their deceased. The Northern Mages have found the cemeteries of the humans’ villages and towns they conquer to be a ready source of unoccupied bodies for the spirits they summon. Commander Kreathin seems to think that’s the only reason the necromancer has been able to spread his evil so swiftly.”
“Ah,” Richard said facing the elf with his left hand ready to grab his phase rod if needed. “I get the impression you wouldn’t like humans very much even if they did burn their dead. Am I wrong?”
“May I have the courtesy of seeing the face of the person addressing me?” said Commander Kreathin. “Or, should I just be grateful I don’t have to look at another human?”
Rick, said Nickelo. I mean it. Don’t do anything rash. We don’t know the lay of the land yet.
Richard weighed his options. The elf had a large Power reserve, and it was full. The elf’s armor was radiating its own magical energy. In addition, the elf’s sword and dagger as well as two wands shoved into his thick-leather belt also radiated magic. Richard toyed with the idea of running an active scan on the elf’s link to his Power reserve, but he did not. Richard was pretty sure it was protected. Confirming this with an active scan would only escalate the situation.
Surprising even himself, Richard answered the elf in a calm and even voice.
“I was asked to come here,” Richard said. “I did not invite myself. As far as being human, you have no idea what we are. We don’t even come from this planet, so your idea of human and our idea of human is completely different. Therefore, I will take your insult with a grain of salt. I’m told your forces took a lot of casualties in the battle up north. You’re bitter. I’m a soldier. I can understand that. But even so, we should get one thing straight. You can insult me all you want. I’ve been insulted before. It’s no big deal. But, if you say anything untoward about either of these children under my care again, you had best draw that fancy sword at the same time and start swinging. Because I can assure you, I will consider any such remarks an act of war, and I will react accordingly.”
The elf stared hard at Richard, but he said nothing further. Richard switched his helmet’s visor to a clear filter so the elf could see his face. They locked eyes and had a staring contest for several seconds before Remozorz broke it up.
“We were sent here to find an ally, Kreathin,” said Remozorz, “not to make another enemy. We already have more of them than we need. And, where is the rest of your command? Have they been called home?”
The elf did not answer Remozorz at first. Instead he continued to stare at Richard as if weighing his options. Finally, he turned his head and replied to the gnome.
“No, High Priestess,” he said respectfully. “I sent them south to the sanctuary at Greenmire to assist High Load Mastisha in organizing the remnants of the expeditionary force. The High Lord has brought fresh troops from Silver Town. I’m told the dwarves are also rallying at Greenmire. I believe the High Lord has convinced the Council of Light to commit all of our forces for a final showdown with the Northern Mages.”
“Ah,” said Remozorz. “Then the importance of our mission has increased tenfold. We must find a way to thwart the necromancer. Otherwise, the High Lord’s forces will face the same result our expeditionary force experienced.”
“You know my feelings on our mission,” said the elf commander. “I urge you once again to seek an alternative, High Priestess.”
“On this we must agree to disagree, my old friend,” said Remozorz. “I am committed to the Oracle’s plan. Will you help me in this endeavor or not?”
Again, the elf did not answer at first. After a half a dozen heartbeats, he said, “I gave my word to you in Silver Town that I would stand by your side until death takes me, High Priestess. I may not agree with your decision, but I will do all within my abilities to support you in your quest. Surely you do not doubt me after all these years, my friend.”
“No, Kreathin,” said Remozorz, “I have never doubted you, and I do not doubt you now. I just wanted to make sure you did not doubt your own commitment.”
The elf gave a nod of acknowledgement to the gnome.
“I must check the guard posts,” he said. “If we are to return to the Oracle, we should leave at first light. The twin moons will rise in the sky in just over three weeks. The High Lord plans to have his army on the Highlamar Plains in time to prevent the necromancer and the Northern Mages from completing their dark ceremony.”
“Very well,” said Remozorz. “We will be ready at first light.”
With a final look of dislike at Richard, the elf withdrew. As far as Richard was concerned, the elf made his TAC officers back at the Academy look like sweethearts.
“I apologize for your reception, wizard scout,” said Remozorz.
“Yeah, well,” Richard said, “and I thought I had bad social skills. Why do you keep him around? I’m guessing it’s not for his charm.”
Remozorz smiled. Her smile took years off her face, and Richard had a momentary insight how the old gnome must have looked in her youth. He thought she must have been a cheerful soul at one time. Even now, with worry lines and wrinkles etching her face, Richard thought she looked as if she stayed at peace with the world.
“Actually,” said Remozorz, “Commander Kreathin is a good friend. He’s one of the best. When other so called friends have fallen by the wayside, he has been there to support and aid me in whatever difficult task I have undertook. He’s a good leader, a good fighter, and one of the best mages in Silver Town. He just isn’t very fond of humans. He’s not the only elf who feels that way, I’m sorry to say.”
“Why?” said Dren. “What have humans done to the elves?”
“Oh, my little one,” said Remozorz with a sigh. “We would have to go back thousands of years to understand that, Dren. We just don’t have the time right now. Suffice it to say at one time all the land between the ocean to the east and the mountains to the west belonged to the elves. About eleven thousand years ago, the first humans appeared. The elves as well as the gnomes and dwarves welcomed humans at first. But humans are a prolific race, and before long, they began pushing the elves ever southward. Battles and even small wars have been fought between the races over the years. Currently, the elves and humans are relatively peaceful with one another. A small contingent of humans was even in our combined expeditionary force. But even so, elves have long memories, hence the animosity.”
“It doesn’t seem right that he blames us,” said Dren. “We’re not even from this dimension much less this planet.”
“No, it’s not fair,” agreed Remozorz, “but few things in life are. For instance, you’ve been walking all day. The fair thing would be to let you sleep in late. But, we will be leaving at first light. I’m sor
ry to say you have only a few hours available for sleep. I believe we should hold any discussions until tomorrow and let you get some rest.”
“I’d say that advice goes for you as well, Remozorz,” Richard said with a tired smile. He found himself liking the short, little gnomes the more he was around them. They seemed solid and dependable. As a soldier, Richard tended to like people he could depend on.
* * *
First light came early. While the children washed up, Richard packed their tent and sleeping bags. He’d spent the night sealed in his battle suit leaning against a tree. He had not slept well. Even with his suit sealed and his blisters lubricated, his back and legs burned unceasingly. However, Nickelo assured him the medicine was having an effect. According to his battle computer, the blisters were slowly healing. Richard could only hope.
The gnomes provided Dren and Brachia with two of their gentlest ponies. The children had never ridden a horse before. Fortunately, they were fast learners. After Samanestra gave them a quick lesson, they were soon galloping up and down the length of the column. Given the weight of his battle suit, Richard chose to spare the pony they offered him from the burden of carrying his weight. He didn’t really need a horse anyway. Richard had no doubt his battle suit would allow him to keep up with the short-legged ponies.
The elf, Commander Kreathin, rode a large, white stallion bedecked in a silvery chainmail of its own. Richard hated to admit it, but the elf looked resplendent at the head of the gnomes’ column. Both the elf’s armor as well as that of his mount reflected the early morning light in a rainbow of colors. Samanestra told Richard the making of the metal in the chainmail was a guarded secret of the elves. It was very prized as both armor and weapons. Richard did not doubt the gnome mage. The magic of the elf’s armor and weapons showed up as a bright spot on Richard’s passive scan. The elf’s magic was extremely potent. He would be a formidable foe.
While Richard did not like the elf, he had to admit the commander was an efficient leader. The gnomes followed his commands willingly. Richard had even seen the elf walking through the camp giving a willing hand when needed. Apparently, he was not one of those leaders who avoided getting his hands dirty. With the elf’s urging, the column of gnomes and humans was soon making good progress westward. Richard noticed the elf had scouts ahead as well as behind and on both sides. The elf was a cautious leader. Richard liked that in a leader as well. It prevented soldiers from being killed unnecessarily. Being cautious himself, Richard ordered Nickelo to supplement his passive scan with an occasional electronic scan.
As Richard walked along with the column, Samanestra rode his pony next to him.
“I’m sorry we did not have a mount large enough for you, Rick,” said Samanestra. “The elves took all the large horses with them except for Commander Kreathin’s stallion, Starfire.”
“It’s fine,” Richard said. “I actually prefer walking. I’m a city boy at heart. Besides, I don’t think sitting in a saddle all day would do the blisters on my bottom any good.”
“Ha,” said Samanestra good-naturedly. “You’ve got that right. I prefer walking as well. However, my short, little legs do not equip me to travel quickly. Still, if you get tired, speak up, and we’ll take a break.”
“Thanks,” Richard said, “but I don’t think that will be necessary. My battle suit does most of the work. I could actually run for several hours straight if needed without overtiring.”
“Then maybe I should get a battle suit of my own,” said Samanestra with a laugh. “My cousin, Drecar, is a renowned tinkerer and inventor. Maybe he could make me armor that does most of the walking. I would be the envy of the other gnomes as I run past them on their galloping ponies.”
Samanestra laughed again. Richard liked the little fellow. He had an infectious laugh and a good sense of humor.
“Never hurts to ask, I guess,” Richard said. “It’s pretty advanced stuff though. I’m curious, Sam. Now, I don’t mean to insult, but how come you’re not more advanced? I mean, our version of human stock comes from my home world of Earth. In just a few thousand years, we went from living in caves and using stone weapons to building machines to travel between the stars. Remozorz said humans arrived in this land eleven thousand years ago. I’m surprised the land isn’t covered with cities. Also, I’d think you would have evolved to more advanced modes of transportation than horses. It confuses me a little, Sam.”
“Yes,” said Samanestra. “You’ve hit upon a point discussed much by our scholars. And, no insult is taken. We are certainly clever enough to have inventions such as you have on your world. However, we have magic to do most of our work. Where the people of your world were probably forced to invent machines to do things, we have magic to do it for us. There has been little need to invent elaborate machines to do the work for us.”
“Even so,” Richard said persistently, “eleven thousand years is a long time to be living in a style similar to what my race would call the middle ages back on Earth.”
“You are correct, Rick,” said Samanestra. “It is a long time. And, magic is not the only reason our lives stay much the same. It is as if the Creator and his servants do not want us to advance beyond our current technological state. Anytime we begin to advance too much, a great calamity strikes and sets us back. Our history tells us the humans first came to our land from their home over the ocean because they were forced to flee a catastrophe of epic proportions. They gloried in their advanced ways. Then they were struck down for their arrogance. I guess our people have learned not to try to advance too much. I suppose you could say that as a people, we are content with our lifestyle.”
“I’m surprised the humans are,” Richard said. “Catastrophes or not, I believe it would be against my people’s nature not to continuously push their envelope of knowledge.”
“Ah,” Samanestra said with a smile as if he had scored a point. “As you pointed out to us last night, you are not from our planet. While you may look like the race we call humans, you are a different stock. Your ways are not their ways.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Richard admitted. “The truth is I’m not really sure our way is the right way. Sometimes, I think the only thing our advanced technology has gotten us is ways to kill each other faster.”
“Yes,” said Samanestra. “Sometimes that which we think is a blessing turns out to be a curse, and that which we think is a curse turns out to be a blessing. Commander Kreathin tells me that’s called a paradox. I have a feeling you are a paradox, Rick. We have not been together long, but I have a feeling some of the things you think are a curse are actually a blessing and vice versa.”
Richard laughed, “If that’s the case, then I must have a lot of unseen blessings, because I sure think I’ve got a lot of curses hovering over my head.”
“Well,” said Samanestra, “time will tell. Time will tell.”
As they continued to walk, the rolling hills they had been traveling grew ever steeper and higher. Trees similar to pine trees on Earth dominated the forests on both sides of the road. Occasionally, a tree with silver-colored leaves sparkled among the green canopy. Although Richard kept his battle suit sealed to aid in healing his burns, he uncharacteristically used a clear filter for his visor instead of his normal night vision. He had decided to do this for two reasons. For one thing, he thought it polite to allow Samanestra to see his face while they were talking. Secondly, he was interested in this new world. He wanted to see the various colors and details of the land around him. Sometimes, the continuous red tint of his night vison filter made things a little on the boring side.
About midday, they stopped for a short lunch. Brachia and Dren stopped gallivanting on their ponies long enough to eat a quick lunch of peanut butter and crackers with Richard. He was amazed by their resiliency. Both of the kids seemed taken by the good-natured gnomes. The feelings seemed to go both ways. Richard could usually tell where the children were in the column just by listening to the laughter of the gnomes. At one point, he thou
ght he even heard the stiff elf commander laugh at one of the children’s antics. Apparently, elves were more forgiving of human children than they were of human adults. Samanestra told him that since elves were not prolific, they treasured their children. This fondness for children tended to extend to the young of other races as well.
Richard on the other hand spent most of his time contemplating their current situation. He hadn’t learned much since meeting the gnomes, but he hesitated to press the issue. He’d learned that sometimes it was best just to let things happen naturally. From the little he had gleaned from Samanestra, the Oracle was the person he really needed to meet. For his part, Samanestra tended to defer Richard’s more probing questions to the High Priestess. He did tell Richard that Remozorz was an anomaly. Although she was a gnome, the Lady, whoever she was, had selected Remozorz to be her High Priestess. When Samanestra noticed Richard did not seem surprised at this fact, the old gnome explained that the Lady was considered a deity by the elves. So, to have a gnome selected to be a High Priestess instead of an elf was unheard of. However, over the years, Remozorz had performed her duties with such honor and courage that she had earned the respect of all but the most cantankerous of elves. The only blight on Remozorz’s record was the recent defeat of the expeditionary force.
“I keep telling Remozorz that was but one battle,” said Samanestra. “The war is not over. I am confident the High Priestess will defeat the necromancer and his army of undead.”
“Sam,” Richard said, “sometimes you talk about the necromancer, and other times you talk about the Northern Mages. It’s confusing to me. Who are we fighting?”
“So,” said Samanestra with a sly wink, “you now consider it your fight as well as ours. That’s good. But to answer your question, the necromancer is one of the Northern Mages. During the past few years, he killed off his rivals. He is now the leader of the Northern Mages. The Northern Mages are humans skilled in the ways of magic. In the past, they have refused to have anything to do with necromancy. That changed when the necromancer came to power. I suspect more than a few of the Northern Mages would not be unhappy to see the demise of their leader. However, they are either too afraid or lack the ability to do it on their own. Our fight is actually with two enemies. The first is the necromancer and his army of undead. The second is with the Northern Mages and their orc allies. The High Priestess and Commander Kreathin believe that if they can defeat the necromancer and his undead servants, the remainder of the Northern Mages and their orc allies will return to their homes in the north.”
Wizard Cadet (Intergalactic Wizard Scout Chronicles Book 2) Page 24
