Emerald of the Elves

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “The Book of Things?” echoed Brother Chalo. “Why have you come to me?”

  “Because the Book of Things is in your possession,” declared Arik.

  “I do not know the truth of your statement,” retorted the priest, “but if it is in our possession, then it shall stay in our possession. Surely, you must realize that we do not give our tomes away. Knowledge is the mainstay of our religion. We guard our library zealously.”

  “I can appreciate that,” countered Arik, “but the Book of Things is necessary to end the reign of the Dark One. Surely, that is a cause noble enough for you to make an exception?”

  “Risa has issued no instructions regarding the demise of Sarac,” replied Brother Chalo. “I am afraid that the book will remain in our library. I am sorry that you have wasted your time on the trip down here.”

  “But the Book of Things does not belong to you,” protested Arik. “It belongs to the elven people. Their prophecy demands its return. Do you think the goddess smiles upon those who withhold other peoples’ knowledge from them?”

  “The book is our possession,” the priest declared sternly. “Just because someone else claims title to it, is that a valid reason for us to give it up?”

  “Would you resort to force to keep it from its rightful owners?” questioned Arik.

  The priest gazed nervously at the weapons carried by his guests, but his demeanor hardened. “How dare you threaten the goddess Risa?” he blustered. “I can assure you that this temple will forcefully resist any attempts to take the tome.”

  “An interesting position that you have taken,” frowned Arik. “For a temple that is the recipient of over a thousand volumes delivered to it by my ancestors, merely because you claimed prior ownership, I find your position indefensible. If I were to emulate your position, I would have to seize your entire library because it would rightfully belong to Alcea.”

  “What are you talking about?” scowled Brother Chalo as he rose to his feet.

  The door opened and two armed guards entered the room.

  “Twenty years ago,” Arik responded calmly, “this temple was robbed by the minions of Mordac, a servant of Sarac. When Mordac was defeated, King Byron of Targa recovered all of the stolen books. He allowed the temples to submit lists of books that were stolen from them. King Byron, my grandfather, honored those lists because he believed that the TRUE owners of the books deserved to have them back. This temple submitted lists of over a thousand books. Those books were returned to you in good faith. The Book of Things was on that list. Now you state that such an accommodation is illogical. If what you say is true, then I submit that your entire library belongs to me.”

  “So that is how you know that this Book of Things is in our possession,” sighed the priest as he sat down and waved the guards away. “It was a noble thing for King Byron to do. Still, you must understand my position. I am entrusted with the safety of this library. I cannot merely turn a book over to you because you claim to be the King of Alcea.”

  Arik stood slowly and began to remove his tunic. “I offered to show you the mark before,” he stated. “I shall do so now.”

  When Arik had removed his tunic, and before he had removed his breastplate, the priest gasped.

  “That is the Breastplate of Alcea,” Brother Chalo remarked. “It was created for King Auric the Conqueror. How have you come by it?”

  “It is his entitlement,” interjected Jenneva. “I am sure that you know that it can only be worn by the rightful King of Alcea?”

  “Yes, yes,” nodded the priest. “It was said that it is magical and would crush the bones of the wearer if worn by anyone else. There can be no doubt of your ancestry, King Arik. Still, you ask me to go against my goddess Risa. She has entrusted me to protect the temple’s library. How can I acquiesce to your request and still be faithful to her demands? If she were to show me a sign of her favor in you, I would gladly present you with the Book of Things, but I cannot in all good conscience do so without a sign. Surely, you can understand?”

  “My husband almost lost his life retrieving your books from Mordac’s castle,” interjected Jenneva. “Arik’s grandfather was honest and noble in the distribution of the books. Surely, these are signs of righteousness? King Arik has cleared away the Darkness from four corners of the world. He works now to complete the fifth. What more can you ask for?”

  Shouts emanated from the prayer room and then the corridor outside the door. Brother Chalo rose with concern etched across his face. As he stared at the door, seawater flowed under it. The seawater flowed towards the desk, but it halted as it approached the chair Arik was sitting in. It pooled around Arik’s feet for several minutes as Brother Chalo stared at it. As suddenly as it came, the seawater retreated. When the flow had disappeared under the door, leaving only small remnant puddles, Brother Chalo shouted for an attendant. A priest opened the door and looked into the room expectantly.

  “Retrieve the Book of Things from the library,” instructed Brother Chalo.

  “You have changed your mind?” Jenneva asked after the attendant left.

  “I wanted a sign from the goddess Risa,” nodded Brother Chalo. “I think it is safe to say that the water goddess has given us the sign I sought. I am thankful that she has blessed the giving of the Book of Things to King Arik. Were it not for his grandfather, we would have no books to worry about.”

  “I thank you for you generosity,” responded Arik. “I hope that I can bring you clear skies in the future.”

  The attendant returned with the Book of Things and handed it to Brother Chalo. The priest removed a large velvet purse from his desk and slid the Book of Things into it. He ceremoniously handed the purse to King Arik.

  The Rangers expressed their gratitude and exited the temple. They returned to the Seaside Inn, and gathered in the room Arik and Darok shared. The dwarf prince and Tanya entered right after them.

  “That was the most amazing thing that I have ever seen,” remarked Arik. “I have never given much faith to the goddess Risa. Why do you suppose she blessed me so?”

  Prince Midge flew in the window and landed on Arik’s shoulder. He looked at Tanya and asked, “Were you able to see everything clearly?”

  “It was perfect, Prince Midge,” Tanya smiled. “Thank you.”

  Alex looked at Arik and then at Tanya. He shook his head in confusion, and Jenneva began laughing. Prince Darok also began laughing and Tanya sported a mischievous smirk.

  “What is going on?” asked Alex. “I feel like I am the only one who is missing the joke.”

  “You are not the only one,” Arik frowned in confusion. “I do not see what is funny.”

  “Very nice, Tanya,” congratulated Jenneva. “Why don’t you enlighten our unfortunate men?”

  “The water was your doing?” guessed Alex.

  “It worked out alright,” grinned Tanya. “Prince Midge was relaying the meeting to me. When Brother Chalo wished for a sign from the water goddess, I could not resist. I was even able to direct it to Arik by watching the vision that Prince Midge was showing me.”

  “That was very effective,” chuckled Alex. “I wish I had known beforehand. I would loved to have concentrated on the priest’s face when it happened instead of staring at the water and wondering what it would do next.”

  “Thank you, Tanya,” Arik laughed as he shook his head mirthfully. “Now we can return to Elderal and clear the skies over Tagaret.”

  “I have been thinking about that,” Alex said as he turned serious. “We may save a great deal of time by catching a ship from Trekum.”

  “Won’t that be dangerous?” questioned Jenneva. “The rogue armies are gathering there.”

  “And Sarac’s Ravens are somewhere between Tagaret and us” countered Alex. “I think it might be safer to risk the trip to Trekum. Either way has its risks.”

  * * *

  “Sit down, Bin-lu,” greeted Colonel Nolan. “You performed excellently. You have justified my choice of you as a replacement. I
am proud of you.”

  “Thank you,” responded Bin-lu. “I was not sure that I had done the right thing. If I had died in the fighting, you would never have found out where the assassins were hiding.”

  “But you did not die,” grinned Zackary. “Besides, Wylan could have led us back through the sewers. I am impressed with what he did, by the way. I would like to reward him in some way. Do you have any ideas?”

  “He will not wish a reward,” frowned Bin-lu, “but I do have a suggestion.”

  “What is it?” inquired Zackary.

  “Make him useful,” replied Bin-lu. “He looks upon himself as a cripple, but I think his skills are too great for him to be abandoned. If you could involve him in the army in some way, he might regain a sense of worth.”

  “I will see what I can do,” promised Colonel Nolan. “I agree that his skills are impressive. His courage and devotion to King Arik have also been noted.”

  “What have you found out about the estate?” asked Bin-lu. “Was the prisoner helpful?”

  “More than helpful,” nodded the colonel. “The estate belonged to Duke Everich. The man you wounded was a soldier in the Targa army. His name is Bouts. One of the other bodies was identified as Sergeant Pyke. He was the personal assistant to Colonel Salvo.”

  “I take it then that Colonel Salvo was not one of the other bodies?” inquired Bin-lu.

  “He was not,” frowned Colonel Nolan. “We still have not located him, but Bouts has confirmed that Colonel Salvo was the leader of the group. He was either not at the estate when you got there, or he had just left. Bouts was not sure of the timing because he did not know when you arrived.”

  “Did you post men at the estate to capture him when he returns?” asked Bin-lu.

  “I did,” nodded the colonel, “but I do not expect him to be fooled. If he does not see Bouts on duty guarding the gate, he will know that there has been a problem. I think that he will not be trapped so easily.”

  “Well, it would have been nice to capture all of them,” sighed Bin-lu.

  “We will in time,” promised Colonel Nolan. “I have another job for you.”

  “What is it?” inquired Bin-lu.

  “The elves of Elderal have been invaded by Black Devils and Dark Riders,” explained the colonel. “That just happens to be where King Arik must go when he finds the Book of Things. I do not think that this is a coincidence.”

  “I would doubt it,” agreed Bin-lu.

  “We need to get Sarac’s people out of Elderal,” continued the colonel. “We can send the Red Swords out and do battle with them, but that may be exactly what they want us to do. That would leave Tagaret at risk.”

  “What else can we do?” questioned Bin-lu. “We cannot afford to let them get near Arik.”

  “What Prince Oscar and General Gregor have decided to do,” explained Zackary, “is to lure Sarac’s men away. That is where you come in. We have a Black Devil in Tagaret who has decided to help King Arik. He has been giving us the names of Sarac’s agents in the city. He delivered three such names this morning. Normally, we go out and arrest them, but we did not today.”

  “Why not?” asked Bin-lu.

  “Because you are going to leak important information to them,” grinned the colonel. “You are going to let it slip that the Rangers are marching to attack Sarac. We are convinced that Sarac will pull his people out of Elderal to intercept the Rangers.”

  “And I am supposed to pass this information to Black Devils?” asked Bin-lu. “Why would they trust my word? They do not know me.”

  “It is true that you are unknown to them,” agreed Colonel Nolan, “but I think we have a believable story set up for you. We arrested two Black Devils yesterday. You will try to convince the three Black Devils that you were entrusted with vital information by one of the men we arrested. Your story will be that you were with one of the men when he was about to be arrested. He gave you the name of the man you are going to talk to. He also gave you the message to pass along. You will state that the message needs to get to Sarac. Can you do that?”

  “I can do that,” nodded Bin-lu. “I have to tell you that if I were on the receiving end of this scheme, I would be extremely critical of it.”

  “I suspect that you would be,” nodded Zackary. “Still the story must be passed to them. Make it as believable as you can.”

  “Won’t the Black Devils in the city realize that I am just passing off a false story?” asked Bin-lu. “Surely they would be able to detect troop movements. Won’t they suspect something when the Rangers are still in the city?”

  “No,” replied Colonel Nolan, “because all one thousand Rangers will be seen leaving the city. I am sure that Sarac will attempt to track their movements, but General Gregor has worked out a plan to confuse them. Basically, one thousand Rangers are going to disappear.”

  Chapter 27

  Knights of Alcea

  The northern gates of Trekum were wide open. A steady stream of warriors converged from roads, trails, and out of the forest, all angling to enter through the gates. The warriors wore the colors of various rogue armies and mercenary companies, their territorial differences apparently cast aside. The Rangers merged cautiously into the flow heading for the gates. The gathering warriors paid no particular attention to the Rangers with the exception of some curious stares when it was noticed that a dwarf was among the riders. Even those stares were cursory. The warriors were gathering to fight a massive battle in which many would die. Even a dwarf would be warmly welcomed in Trekum this day.

  Inside the walls of the city, shouts of recognition rang through the air as various warriors encountered long time friends or foes. There was no animosity shown for past differences, only friendly taunts and cries of welcome. The hammering of smith shops rang clear from every quarter of the ancient capital of Sordoa. The streets were crowded and people bustled about in steady streams. Everywhere the Rangers looked, clusters of men stood talking, discussing past battles and new armor. As the Rangers moved towards the center of the city, the topic of conversation seemed to be centered on the advancing army of Emperor Hanchi and estimates of its strength. On one corner men were loudly wagering their gold, betting on when the Lanoirian army would appear outside the walls of Trekum.

  Outside the old Royal Palace of Sordoa, a massive crowd gathered. The gates to the Royal Palace stood open, and its courtyard was filled with military leaders waiting to speak with General Mobami. The Rangers rode silently by the Royal Palace. They eased out of the massive throngs of people traversing the streets and into an alley leading towards the Continental Shipping Company. Alex knocked distinctively on the door to the warehouse, and the door opened promptly. Alex smiled as he saw the surprised look on Eddie’s face. He dismounted and led the Rangers inside.

  “Don’t tell me that you have come to fight the Lanoirians?” asked Eddie as the Rangers led their mounts into the warehouse.

  “This is not our fight,” Alex shook his head, “although any warrior could feel the camaraderie in the air of doomed fighters ready to stand fast before an overwhelming army. I am impressed with the number of men that have heeded General Mobami’s call to defend Trekum.”

  “It is more than the defense of Trekum to these people,” responded Eddie. “They are fighting for all of Sordoa, perhaps all of the world. Trekum is just the place that has been chosen for the confrontation.”

  “There is some truth in that feeling,” nodded Alex. “Emperor Hanchi’s drive to the north has been expected for some time. There is no human army in the world that can easily oppose him.”

  Eddie nodded and asked, “What does bring you to Trekum?”

  “We are looking for a ship to take us to Tagaret,” replied Alex. “Can you accommodate us?”

  “We will do whatever is required for the king of Alcea,” smiled Eddie as he bowed to Arik. “We do not have any ships in port at the moment, though. We have been ferrying men and supplies into Trekum from all over Sordoa. I expect a ship in at any
time, though.”

  “So you have developed a relationship with General Mobami then?” asked Arik.

  “Oh, yes,” nodded Eddie. “I must say that the approaching Lanoirians has changed his attitude a great deal. These days, he acts more like a monarch than the general of one of the rogue armies. He has appealed to old enemies for help, and they have responded with a steady stream of warriors. I doubt that there is an army in Sordoa that has not already started heading towards Trekum. The battle here will be decisive.”

  “What are the odds of recruiting these men to fight for Alcea?” asked Arik.

  “Right now,” frowned Eddie, “I do not think they would respond. Sordoa has been their home. Many would see Alcea as their old enemy, Targa. Perhaps after Sordoa falls before Emperor Hanchi, but not until then.”

  “Any news from home?” asked Alex.

  “Some interesting items,” nodded Eddie. “It was discovered that the assassins were using the sewers to get into the Royal Palace. A nest of them was eliminated and the sewers were fortified to prohibit their use as a clandestine entry point.”

  “Good,” nodded Alex. “That is one less avenue open to Sarac’s henchmen.”

  “There is something more worrisome if King Arik is destined for Elderal,” frowned Eddie. “Thousands of Black Devils and Dark Riders have converged on Elderal. General Gregor is trying to lure them away towards the Boulder Mountains using the Rangers as bait.”

  “So Sarac does know where we are heading?” mused Tanya. “I suspected as much.”

  “My heart skipped a beat when you said Rangers,” frowned Arik. “Perhaps we need to call our own small group something different now that the Alcea Rangers have truly reformed.”

  “I think that is wise,” nodded Jenneva. “I thought of Tedi, Wylan, and Bin-lu when Eddie said that.”