by Sam Ferguson
“Flattery does not suit you,” the queen replied sharply. “From what I have seen, you are as ruthless and vile as Lemork was in his prime.”
“What do you mean?” Talon asked. “I have not done anything to your people.”
The queen turned to her right and summoned a crystal sphere. The orb hovered in the air next to her. As Talon watched, the image of the old drow castle came into view. It was eerily quiet and still. The corpses left in Talon’s wake were now gone, and there were no new guards on sight.
“Terramyr is not the only plane that possesses magical objects,” the queen said. “This orb lets us see into Terramyr. In much the same way that you now are watching the old castle where you found the Key, I have watched you. I do not have a complete understanding of who you are, but I saw you each time you took one of the relics needed to open the Netherworld Gate. I saw how you killed the Svetli’Tai elves.” She grew quiet and turned a scrutinizing eye on Talon. “I could see the lust in your eyes. The pleasure you felt with each kill was evident. Now you have come here to take my people back and send them to war, haven’t you? You wish to establish yourself a king over them, but to do that you will need to kill many, many more elves.”
Talon knew this was a trap. The others in the room with him were there not as ordinary bodyguards, but as assassins. “Answer me one question,” Talon demanded as he slowly brought his arms up and folded them across his chest. “Why stay here? Why live in this wasted plane when you could go back?”
The queen was silent for a moment, studying Talon’s eyes carefully before she spoke. “There is fighting and bloodshed here as well. But in the Netherworld, we do not war with elves and humans. We fight against monsters and beasts. We have carved out a place for ourselves here. We are not merely surviving, but living well. The first two centuries were terribly difficult, but we built ourselves a new home. The battles are on the decline, and we have won our territory from the beasts. Why should we surrender this home only to return to more fighting and war?”
Talon nodded. He understood. “I must admit, I am surprised,” he said truthfully. “I would not have thought that the desire for vengeance could have faded so quickly.”
“Vengeance is easily put away when you have to scrape by tooth and claw for breath every day,” the queen replied evenly. “We lost many warriors before we managed to build this settlement. However, now that we have it, it is more secure than our previous home on Selemet Isle.”
“I met one of your warriors,” Talon said. “He was in a cave with the black dragon. It was he who gave me this sword while I was looking for the relics.”
“I know,” the queen said quickly. “The Eye of Thyrrin showed me that as well. The warrior you met was led down a different path. He was left in a cell to rot, while we were forced to move on with our lives. It is understandable that his thirst for vengeance had never slackened, but that does not mean we agree with him.”
Talon pursed his lips and shook his head as he glanced to the floor. What was he to do now? Had he only wasted his time? Before he could think on these questions for long, the queen interrupted his thoughts.
“Answer a question for me,” she commanded. “Why do you seek the strength of the Sierri’Tai?”
Talon made a puffing sound and shook his head. “I was on a mission to slay Basei.”
The queen arched a brow and folded her hands together. “You wish to become a demi-god?” she asked skeptically.
Talon shook his head. “Not exactly. He destroyed my birth village. He murdered everyone there, including my mother.”
The queen nodded silently and then asked, “What of your father?”
Talon shrugged. “He was killed by Jahre, the sage who helped banish your kind.”
“What would you do once you have killed Basei?”
The assassin drew in a long breath. How should he answer her? Did he dare explain Jahre’s visions? Would she believe them even if he described them? Should he admit that he would take Basei’s throne? If she was averse to war, she certainly wouldn’t want to hear that answer.
Suddenly the queen stepped forward, bringing her face inches away from his. “You don’t know, do you?”
Talon returned her discerning gaze and shook his head. “I thought I did, once, but some things have recently given me reason to question my course.” He sighed and shook his head once more. “Though, I don’t suppose it matters now. Without your help, I will not likely be able to defeat Basei. More than that, I don’t suppose you are apt to let me live. I have counted seven others in the room with us. I assume they are only waiting for your order to kill me.”
The queen grinned slyly. “There are nine others,” she said.
Talon smiled resignedly. He knew there would be no way out of this room.
“I will admit,” the queen began. “I saw a change in you after your resurrection. Tell me, who was it that sent you back from the plane of the dead?”
Talon bristled. “I thought you only saw me take the relics?” he replied.
The queen shrugged and circled around behind him. “I was able to scry for you a little more than I let on before,” she said coyly. “The Eye of Thyrrin was able to show you to me any time after you had possession of any relic. After you killed Jahre, I watched you often. I listened to your discussion with the old warrior in the cave. I watched you mercilessly kill a naked elf and steal a boat, yet spare the female elf that now ironically waits for you in Terramyr. I studied your actions when you found Elroa, and I learned of your skills when you infiltrated our old home. I will admit that I was not unhappy to see you finally slain.
“I watched as the relics were put away in a secure vault, and I was filled with relief. Then, you returned from the dead. You entered the vault and took the relics again. Tell me, who aided you? How did you defeat death?”
“Jahre,” Talon said simply. “It is a long, complicated story.”
The queen walked back around to stand before Talon and bent her forehead toward him. “Tell me all of it.”
CHAPTER 11
The queen stood silently for many minutes after Talon finished recounting the entire saga to her. He told her that Jahre had seen visions of Lemork aligning himself with terrible powers in a struggle called the End War that would bring about the destruction of Terramyr, and then he told her of all of Jahre’s later visions. He left nothing out. He even told her of his guilt since slaying the priestess in the cave before opening the gate. Now he waited for her to make her own conclusions and decide his fate.
“I must admit, it is strange to hear that Jahre had remorse for his part in the banishment. However, I can see truth in what you have told me. I am not a sage, and I have no gift for prophecy or visions. I have a tool that helps me scry and peek into Terramyr, but that is the extent of my power, except for our natural abilities with fire magic, of course.” She bit her lower lip and turned aside from Talon for a moment. “I am Queen Amadriel. I am the first ruler of these people since Commander Frinzzt died in the second century of our banishment.”
Talon nodded his head respectfully, though he found it odd that she was only now introducing herself properly. He took it as a sign that trust had finally been built.
“There are those among my people that do wish to return,” she said abruptly. “If you are going to do as you say, and build ships so that there will be no more war between the Sierri’Tai and the other elf races on Selemet, then I may be persuaded to let those go who wish to accompany you.”
“You have my word that we will not engage any elves on Selemet or elsewhere, unless we are attacked, and then it would be only to defend ourselves. My aim is the High Temple of Basei.”
“And you are certain that you can find access to his plane from there?” Queen Amadriel asked.
Talon nodded. “I have had that information long before I ever knew where the relics were to open the Netherworld Gate. As I said, it has always been my mission to destroy Basei.”
“So tell me, what will you
do afterward? Before, you had no answer, but if I am to let any of my people go to battle, I need to know what their reward will be.”
Talon thought for a moment. What would they want? What would the queen want for her people? Then it dawned on him. The queen was first and foremost concerned with the safety of her people. If Jahre was right, and Basei could bring the four horsemen upon Terramyr, then he might have an angle.
“The Netherworld is not Terramyr, but it is connected, yes?” Talon asked.
The queen nodded. “It is connected to Terramyr.”
“Then what I have to offer you is the same thing that slaying Basei will offer those on Terramyr. Security. If Basei’s actions bring the four horsemen down to destroy Terramyr, then they could destroy the Netherworld as well.”
A grave look overtook the queen’s face. She knit her brow and took in a deep breath. Then she looked to Talon. “Come with me.”
She snapped her fingers and the doors to the chamber opened. She led Talon out to the stairs and they ascended one floor and wound their way into a small room. The wall opposite the entrance was made of yellow and red stained glass. A meager book shelf was leaning against the left wall, holding only a dozen books. Tables filled the room, each topped with jars filled with grotesque creatures suspended in some sort of rust-colored solution. Behind one such table stood an old drow with long, gray robes and thinning, white hair.
“This is Loerik, he is the oldest of my people.”
“A warrior from the time of the banishment?” Talon asked.
“I was too old to fight, even five centuries ago,” Loerik said with surprising strength in his voice. “I am a scholar.”
The queen walked in and weaved around the tables. “Loerik, have you heard of the four horsemen?”
Loerik smiled and nodded faintly, glancing briefly to the sword at Talon’s side. “I had a feeling you might ask me about that,” he said.
“What can you tell me about them?”
Loerik shrugged and drew in a breath as he turned a jar that held some sort of dog-like creature with spikes along its back. “Oh… I can tell you a fair amount.”
Talon moved in close to inspect the strange animal in the jar. It didn’t take long for him to realize it was a baby version of some animal. He quickly glanced around the room and saw that all of the other jars either held formed fetuses, or baby animals. Even for him, the sight was vulgar.
“You carry Drekk’hul,” Loerik said as he pointed to Talon. “So you will finish what Lemork started?”
Talon turned a curious eye on Loerik. “What do you mean?”
Loerik offered a glance to the queen. She nodded and gestured for him to continue.
“I was one of King Lemork’s advisors.” The old drow sighed and shook his head. “It gives me no small amount of shame to say that I am somewhat responsible for the Elf Wars. You see, I was not always a scholar. I was a priest, nearly an eon ago. I officiated in the old ways, teaching about the Old Gods. However, I became disenchanted with them. They had broken the connection to our world, forsaken us and allowed demi-gods to take their places. So, I left religion and became a scholar. I spent my time researching the many different gods and demi-gods.” Loerik stopped and turned a querying eye on Talon. “Do you know the difference between a god and a demi-god?”
Talon shook his head.
Loerik held up a finger. “Ah, well, that is a most interesting point. You see, a god is a race of immortal being. Now, when I say immortal, I mean only that their natural life span never ends. They can be killed by war or treachery, but they never suffer old age or disease. They vary in power and stature, as any of us might vary in strength and intelligence. They have the power to create and destroy. Usually they divide the functions necessary to create and order worlds.” Loerik pointed his finger at Talon now and shook it. “A demi-god, on the other hand, is a mortal. It is someone who was born into a world like ours, and has found a way to transcend death. Everything I read before our banishment, back in the time when I had a real library, spoke of a special item called the sacred seed. If one could gain access to this item, they could attain god-like powers. Thus, those we now know as demi-gods were once mortals like you and I. They found this item and transcended to become something more than human, but not quite as powerful as a god. They have no power to create worlds or races, yet they can do quite a lot.”
Loerik closed his eyes and his head tilted back somewhat as a pleasant smile crossed his face. “You should have seen my library before we came here. It was filled with books. The walls were lined with shelves from floor to ceiling. There were seven different library chambers, each with shelves ordered by subject, and each subject broken down by chronology and author. Oh it was a miracle to work in there.”
“Loerik,” the queen cut in. “What about the horsemen? What does this have to do with Lemork?”
Loerik’s smile faded and he opened his eyes. He arched a brow at the queen, as if perturbed that she would disturb his memory. “There is an order of beings that govern the gods,” Loerik said. “An autonomous council that watches over all that the gods create. They ensure that no creation can overthrow its creator. They ensure the cosmic balance, and thereby guard the continual survival of life in our universe.”
“Universe?” Talon echoed questioningly.
Loerik looked at him and spoke sharply. “Universe, it is the largest expanse of the known realm, encompassing all planes of life. Under that you have galaxies, smaller systems, but comprising thousands of star systems. A star system is the order of measurement closest to our planet. Terramyr is one of several planets that revolve around a single sun. The council is the highest order of gods in the universe.”
Talon blinked and looked to the queen. She only offered a slight shrug. Talon looked back to Loerik. “Where does this information come from?”
Loerik scoffed and shook his head. “Well there are a few sources that talk about parts of this subject, but the one source that holds all of the information in one book is called The Infinium. It is a book passed down by…” Loerik stopped. He waved his hand angrily. “Never mind, I can see your eyes glazing over. What were we talking about? Ah yes, the council. It doesn’t have a name other than that. However, it is known that they control a group of terrible warriors called the four horsemen. They ride upon wondrous, six-legged horses that breathe fire and are terrible demons in their own right. The four horsemen only ever have one function, to destroy worlds that the council deems are too dangerous to continue to exist.”
Loerik cleared his throat and stepped close to the queen. “I told Lemork that Basei was dangerous. I told him that many characteristics Basei exhibits, the wanton destruction, the lust for power, and the careless use of powers beyond his understanding, were likely to garner the attention of the council. I told him that Basei had to be stopped.”
“And that caused the Elf Wars?” Talon asked skeptically.
Loerik shook his head and waved the notion away. “No, not directly. But, the idea ignited a hunger within Lemork. I taught him and tutored him on many subjects. At first, it seemed his intentions were pure. He wanted to prevent the four horsemen from coming, so he wanted to know everything that could cause them to come. He tried to take it to the other elf races, but they laughed at him. The elven councils would not heed his warnings. That was the beginning of his resentment toward the other elves. He began to separate them from our own race. He kept talking about his vision to make us a great nation. The only problem was the more he planned for us to be great, the more he loathed the others for their differences. The Elf Wars started because the elves would not join with him against Basei. So, Lemork denounced all other elf races, saying that they were too corrupt and impure. He categorized them the same as Basei, and so he launched a campaign to conquer all of them.” Loerik sighed heavily and looked around behind him, as if searching for a place to sit. “He started with good intentions, but like with so many, his intentions became a fire that spread too far to be
controlled. He was convinced that the only way to save the world was to destroy all those he deemed inferior life forms. He said they couldn’t be trusted, that they would only cause the horsemen to come.”
“You say no one among the other elf races listened to Lemork?” Talon asked, trying to get a fuller understanding.
Loerik tilted his head to the side and flattened out the front of his robes with his hands. “There was one, a young elf sage named Jahre. He listened.”
Talon went rigid. “Jahre?”
Loerik nodded. “He didn’t agree with Lemork’s ideas that everyone needed to be controlled, but he did listen about Basei.” Loerik reached up to wipe a tear from his eye. “Funny to mention that name now. He came to me, Jahre I mean. Shortly after the council on Selemet banned Lemork from speaking about Basei. Jahre came and said he had had a vision. He knew that Basei was a dangerous threat, and that he would cause the horsemen to come. However, he told me that Lemork should not be allowed to gain power. He said Lemork would destroy the world even faster than Basei.” Loerik shook his head and laughed softly. “I didn’t believe Jahre then. I thought it was some trick the Selemet Council was trying to gain my trust and undermine Lemork. It would only be a couple years later that I would come to understand that Jahre had been right about Lemork. My king’s obsession became our downfall, and dragged all of the elves into the bloodiest war ever known in the Elven Isles. By the time I realized, it was too late. The hatred and racism spread through our people like a fire in dry grass. There was nothing I could do to stop it.”
“So you went to the Tomni’Tai, didn’t you?” Talon asked.
Loerik shook his head and glanced to the queen.
“What are you talking about?” the queen asked. “Why would he help banish our people?”
Talon pointed a finger at Loerik. “Who else knew as much about the order of planes? You talk of galaxies and the universal order, but I would bet that you knew of the Netherworld as well, didn’t you?”
