“Be careful about how much magic you use, Kayla,” Myst cautioned. “When we use magic, it drains you, the more intense and the longer the duration, the more it can leave you totally wiped out. Too much can even drain you so that you stop breathing.”
“I see what you mean. Even just this small flow of magic into the fire to change it’s color, makes me feel as if I’m walking up a steep hill.”
“All that I can touch are the small flows of magic, and they will quickly tire me out. You have the ability to touch the bigger flows and they can be very dangerous to you. From what I’ve heard, you at the master level will have a lesser drain on you than do I for using an equivalent intensity of magic. But, you also have the ability to drain yourself much more quickly with the bigger flows.
Kayla let go of the magic. She would practice with the flow tomorrow. It was important to learn control as quickly as possible, so she would not be a threat. But she did feel overly tired from using it, just as Myst had predicted. She curled up on her sleeping mat, next to Myst.
“Kayla, could you put out the fire please,” he asked.
She reached out to the fire with her thoughts, and it died instantly. The dark night closed in around them. Kayla tried to see with the ‘Heat Vision’. It snapped on, startling her. Everything looked weird; she was not sure if she liked the view, but she could see how it could be useful.
She willed her normal sight back. That was much too freaky she thought. Closing her eyes, she fell asleep.
CHAPTER 14
Navdis was frothing at the mouth, raging around the campsite, and cursing all who crossed his path. He came to the large smelly hide tent of the Ogre Krug Rajnetz. Navdis pushed back the tent flap, and stormed in.
“Anything yet,” he demanded! “What the dung hell is going on! Why haven’t we got them yet?!”
Krug look disdainfully at the Shadow Elf. He was not too impressed by him, but he paid well and that was what was really important after all.
“Good news. This is my chief scout, Gzlop. He pick up their trail up in the mountains. It seem that they are heading north east for Freeport after all.”
Krug had pointed to one of the most disreputable looking Goblins Navdis had ever seen. At nearly five feet tall, with brownish green skin that looked somewhat toad like, spindly arms and legs, and large watery eyes with a vertically slit pupil, the Goblin was not a pleasant sight to look at, and the term confidence or competence was not something the creature engendered. But then again, all Goblin have that look about them. “Vermin, but useful little scum,” he thought to himself.
The Goblin was large for its kind, even with the bow legged stooped frame, definitely was not an attractive sight as it seemed to stare stupidly at Navidis.
“Ssso, it’s thems all rights. Theys comes downs dasss back sides of mountainsss.” The Goblin preceded to pick ticks and lice off itself while he talked, eating the ones that he found.
Navdis backed farther away from the wretch. “Keep that thing away from me, Krug. Dirty bog crawlers, the lot of them.”
Krug sent his scout back out to pick up the trail.
“I want you to find and kill them, Krug. When they are dead I’ll double your normal payment. Just see that it is done soon. Who do you have setting the ambush?”
“Graz Fang commands the Orcs He is very competent, and will do the task with the most ruthless efficiency possible. He is nearly as ruthless as you Shadow Elves. You would get along well, I think.” Krug was enjoying the agitation and discomfort of the damn Shadow Elf. “He must be taking a lot of heat from his bosses,” Krug thought with amusement.
“If this Fang is so good, what is he doing working with bandits,” Navdis sneered?
“Sub-Commandant Graz Fang of the Lost Viper Clan, is working with us ‘bandits’, for gold of course. It cost great sums of money to launch an invasion of one’s neighbors. Hum, you know those Orcs and their love of war.”
Navdis was surprised about who Krug’s pet Orc was. A Sub- Commandant is a high rank in their military based society, and the Lost Viper Clan was one of the most powerful Clans in the Orc Lands. “What was someone like that doing this for,” Navdis pondered, “Could money be the only reason?”
“Just kill them, and do so soon. The result of disappointing The Goddess of Death is not a pleasant thing to contemplate.”
“Do not worry for me, my friend. I think your High Priestess will be more concerned with you than a stupid Ogre, like me.” Krug smiled evilly at the Shadow Elf, “But do not worry too much. The trap is set, and there is no where to run.”
Navdis stormed back out of the tent. He would not take this disrespect from a lessor being, especially not some damn Ogre. He would make him pay, but not until after he had served his purpose and killed the Sun Elf Ambassador. Then Krug will be flayed alive. Yes, soon the beast will pay for his disrespect.
Colonel Zen-Amon stepped out from the shadows in the back of Krug’s tent.
“You still here, Colonel Zen,” Krug asked. “I would have thought that you would have left for the east by now.”
“My Mistress is concerned about Navdis’ mission to eliminate the Sun Elf Ambassador. The success of his mission is somewhat important to the real goal that we are about to launch.”
Zen sat down in one of Krug’s oversized camp chairs and poured himself a drink of the Ogre’s brandy. The oversized tent was furnished with a great deal more comfort than a normal Ogre bandit chief would lavish. Good quality leather furniture and hand woven rugs seemed more appropriate for a more refined race of being than an Ogre.
“Does he know of ‘Rapid Lightning’,” Krug asked.
“No, and you will not tell him about that operation either.”
Krug shook his massive head. “One hand not knowing what the other is doing. It might lead to problems you know?”
“It is not my decision. She has decided that he is not to know, so that is final. Besides, now that you have spotted their trail, things should be finished here soon.”
“I trust that you will see things to an adequate ending, so tomorrow I am off to meet with Sub-Commandant Graz Fang. By the way, was it wise to mention that Fang is a Sub-Commandant? Even Navdis will wonder about why a Orc Brigade second in command is running around with the likes of you.”
“I know it was a slip. At least I didn’t tell him that Fang is a member of the Black Dragon secret police, and not just a Brigade second in command.”
“Lucky for you that you did not. That Fang is one of the elite personal assassins of the Orc Dictator would have caused Navdis to try and force the truth from you. It would have made my job much harder, if you have to kill him, at least before he finishes his mission that is.”
Zen got up from his chair and headed out of the back door.
“Watch you back, Krug, and don’t play Navdis for a fool. He is not someone to piss off like you just did. I know that you could kill him, but in doing so She would send a Reaver for you, and THAT you could not kill.”
“I will keep that in mind Zen, and I certainly not want to get on the wrong side of your Mistress. Do you know how they stopped the Reaver that she sent after them?”
Zen passed at the back tent flap. “No, and that is a concern that has been bothering me. They have no priest with them and none of them are supposed to have any ability with Fire Magic. The Star Elf girl has some limited ability with Air Magic, and Colonel Myst has about the same ability with Earth Magic. So they should have been destroyed by the undead and not destroyed it.”
“Could he have a magic sword?”
“Oh, he does have one, but it is attuned to Earth Magic so that wasn’t it. If you find out what saved them let me know, and let me know as soon as they are dead. Good luck.”
Zen left Krug’s tent and disappeared into the night. Krug sat down on his bed and wondered why he had gotten involved with this mess in the first place. “Stupid question,” he thought, “like everything else it’s was the gold!”
CHAPTER 15
T
he golden light of morning caressed the lands as Myst followed at the back of the group hiking down the game trail under the grey green leaves of the scrub oaks, if indeed you could call what they were following a trail at all. Somehow they seemed to be going in the right direction, and Thomas claimed to know where they were going. So Myst let the resourceful Gnome lead them through the wilds of Kush, down the mountains trails on their desperate flight for freedom.
They had passed over to the back side of the mountains, and with that the vegetation changed. Gone was the highland sub tropical forest, and in its place the dry woodlands that were so common on the East Continent took over. The familiar scrub oak trees made Myst feel more at home. But too soon they would be dropping farther down the back side of the mountains, and the oaks would share the landscape with the even more common bush veldt trees, which was characterized by gum acacia, mesquite and fever trees. Seeming everything known under heaven with thorns, thorns that could slow things down if they lost a reliable trail.
Myst stopped and brushed the trail dust of his gray green trousers. He had changed from the his dark green and gold standard military uniform to The Imperial Border Ranger outfit the other day. He had started his military career as a ranger, before being seconded to the Intelligence Corp. He was still listed on the Ranger roles, but assigned to the ‘General Staff Headquarters’, as was all those who were secretly working for the spy unit.
He would not seem too out of place in the Ranger uniform; they provided escorts for all of the Sun Elf diplomatic and trade missions that traveled from Surin Province to the many countries throughout the Eastern Continent. The main northern road across the Waste met up with great north south road not that far from here, and that would take them eventually to Surin Province.
It was a very dangerous route to take as the road north lead through the Disputed Zone, and Orc raiders were a common threat as were the normal border scum and bandits who inhabited that region. And the road east through the Waste, was even more dangerous. The only true desert found on the entire world; it was a very hostile environment, not least of the threats was the desert itself; monsters and bandits preyed on caravans and lone travelers. It was no wonder that every diplomatic messenger or counselor official had to have a at least a dozen Rangers to get through those violent areas.
The sun beat down from a cloudless sky of cobalt blue. The air was crisp in the cool drier air on this side of the mountains. The autumns were mild this far south, and the winters would not bring snows here, just cool rain and chilly nights.
Farther north in Surin Province, the leaves in the higher elevation would be turning and the threat of snows in the very highest elevations would soon be a possibility, however slight. Winter just could not seem to firmly grip this mild and moist world. Only the arctic and the highest mountains felt the harsh blows of full winter. Even the far north of the Northern Continent, home to the Sun Elves, rarely received more than a foot or two of snow. Cold rain and winter fog was another story. The Orcs of Yagon hardly ever saw the sun from mid fall to mid spring. But the southern coast of the Northern Continent was much different; it was the suncoast and even the winters were pleasant and mild amidst the sun kissed hills and oaks..., what Myst would not give to be there, at his ancestral home right now with a pitcher of Sangria....
The trail dropped sharply, and Myst was brought back from his day dreaming as the hike forced him to pay closer attention. Day after day, hour after hour, it was hard to keep your mind on the hiking.
“Rest stop,” called Thomas from the front of the group.
“Myst, is it safe?”
Myst closed his eyes and sent out a wave of Earth Magic.
“There’s nothing within a hundred yards, past that I can’t tell much.”
Zara looked through the air, until she spotted an eagle soaring high on the winds. Gathering her thoughts, she reached out and took control of the raptor’s mind. Suddenly, the ground all around came into sharp focus. Everything that moved for miles around was visible to her new vision. The path they were following and the trail that led behind Zara looked up and down, there was nothing ahead but dry oaks and brush, then three miles behind a figure moved from behind a tree. Zara released the bird and once again she was back in her own mind.
“Did you see anything,” asked Thomas.
“No,” she replied. “Not a thing.”
“Well then, I think I will take a nap. A couple hours break will do us a world of good, what?”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Zara told him, “I think a few hours sleep will do for me as well.”
Willow, who had been rummaging around in the mule packs, looked up. “I’ll start on something to eat if you and Kayla would get some water from the stream we just passed,” she asked of Myst.
“Sure thing Willow, we would be happy to,” answered Kayla. “Come on Myst, get up and lets find some water.”
Together she led Myst back up the trail to the stream about a quarter mile behind them. Along the left side they went until Kayla had found a small pool that had formed from a giant boulder that blocked part of the flow.
Without a word she stripped of her sandals, one slim foot at a time. Then, she looked back at Myst and undid the ties of her halter and tossed it onto her sandals; next she reached around and untied her loin cloth . Slowly she slipped her fingers into the waist and pushed it down over her shapely hips until it fell down to her feet. Using her left foot she kicked it onto her pile of clothes.
“You seem to be over dressed, Colonel.”
Myst had quite enjoyed Kayla’s little show. The sight of this gorgeous creature taking off her clothes was certainly entertaining.
“What did you have in mind?”
“A swim, and ...”
Kayla turned and walked into the water until it reached her shoulders. Myst watched her as she walked into the pool, as he quickly pulled off his sword, long coat, boots, and ranger tunic and trousers.
Finding himself naked, he quickly followed her into the pool. Kayla was now swimming to the center of the pool, where she turned and admired the view of Myst as he hurried to join her.
Myst stopped when he was chest deep in the pool. “Are you sure about this, Kayla?”
Kayla smiled and swam back to him. She looked deep into his eyes as she wrapped her arms about his neck and pulled her body close to his. She pulled him to her lips and together they kissed. The world seem to spin as Myst kissed her soft smooth lips. Suddenly a burst of pleasure coursed through Kayla’s body, as waves of joy tingled her deep within.
“My God, you can do that with just a kiss. What else can you do?”
“Let’s see, shall we!”
Again their mouths closed one upon the other, and passion flamed in the small pool high in the hills.
~
An hour or so later they returned to the campsite, Myst carrying a bucket of water.
“It took you long enough,” teased Willow.
“We had a nice swim while we were there,” responded Kayla.
“Everything quiet?”
“Sure thing Myst. Those two haven’t stirred since you guys left. I would have cooked dinner by now but I didn’t have the water.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll have it done in no time,” assured Kayla.
Soon, the smell of the stew that Willow was cooking, had awakened Thomas and Zara. Once again Willow had proven her skills, as the dinner was better than anyone could have hoped for out here in the middle of nowhere.
Quickly, the night sky closed in on them, and Myst put out the fire. The threat of pursuit made their camps cold and dark.
The next few days passed quickly and without problems. Kayla and Myst disappeared for an hour of two most evenings, after they had set up camp. Even Thomas had became aware of what was happening between the two Sun Elves. He thought to himself that they made a good match, and was exceedingly happy for Myst. Thomas hoped that the match would prove lasting, Myst father would be happy he knew.
&nb
sp; They came to a fairly good sized river that cut across the bush-veldt and the path that they had been heading along. The tall cottonwoods and fever trees towered over the bush-veldt, marching away north and south as far as the eye could see. Which was not really all that far, since the Mesquite, Ironwoods and scrub oak had also thickened as they had neared the water.
“Sun set in about an hour, lets stop here for the night. I could use a nice swim,” suggested Myst.
“Good idea, we can cross over to the other side and then start out for the north road early in the morning.” Thomas answered.
“How far to the road, Thomas,” asked Myst?
“Not far, five miles and then another sixty or so until the city of Cozon.”
“What a piss whole that is,” exclaimed Zara. “Of course I have a small residence there that I use as a safe house. We can stay there and rest up for the rest of the trip to Freeport.”
“What’s wrong with Cozon, Zara,” asked Willow?
“Its the worst border post in the entire Kushian Army. Only the dregs are sent there, or those who have angered someone important. It sits on the edge of the Waste and that’s not a good place to be, hot and dusty. Yes, hot enough to discomfort an Elf, so think how much a Gnome would like the place. Almost nothing grows in the Waste so it’s barren and stark, baked rock and massive sand dunes. And monsters, that were created from the great magic explosion that created the damn Waste in the first place. But that’s not the worst of things.”
“What’s the worst of things?”
Zara turned away and answered as she took a drink from the water bottle, “Why all of the FOREIGNERS of course. The place is filled with Dwarves and other even less desirable creatures.”
Willow who was pretty certain that she had just been insulted walked away from Zara and over to her uncle.
“That was not nice of you Zara. So knock it off,” demanded Myst in a low and deadly voice.
“Of course Colonel, I’ll try and play nice, ok”?
They crossed the river. It was about fifty yards wide, but only five or six feet deep. They stripped off their clothing, and put them in a water tight bag on the mule. Thomas seemed rather uncomfortable to say the least.
Elf World Shadows Rising Page 17
