The Terra Drago Chronicles: The Sacrifice (Rein of Fire Book 1)

by Richardson, James

  “That is a good question,” Herya said smiling at Cominus. ”That is were the rhothrium comes into play. It is true with out the rhothrium the blade would fall apart after your first battle. When you hammer the rhothrium into the shape, you need to place it on the blade. The crystalline structure of the metals comes into alignment. This allows the metals to be flexible, and durable during the fierce battles you riders do enjoy having with out snipping like a twig,” Herya said placing her hand on her shapely hip. “Now be gone I have work to do and you have someone to meet,” Herya said with a wink. Cominus began to walk towards the entrance to the forge turning back to face

  the weaponsmith.

  “When should I come back,” asked Cominus.

  “You can return any time you like young

  rider but your swords will not be complete until

  the third day,” Herya said singing to her forge.

  With that, Cominus left the shadow of the canopy that lined Herya's forge. Sardra was talking

  to an elf that he had never seen since he had arrived here. As Cominus approached, Sardra

  bowed to the male elf, and made her way back

  to the forge.

  “I am sorry to inform you my lord, but my

  master is engaged at this time to meet you. He

  asks if you would please meet him in the gardens at the far end of the village,” said the male

  elf.

  “I understand I shall be there,” Cominus

  said bowing to the elf before heading off. As he

  reached the gardens, flowers were in full bloom

  their perfume filling the air. Cominus felt at

  ease in this place as if all this was just a dream

  and he was about to awake. Birds, butterflies,

  and other flying insects filled the air with buzzing and singing. Laughter broke the serene atmosphere as two elven children ran into the garden. Stopping when they saw Cominus seating on the only bench in the garden, the two children looked to each other and to Cominus with wide smiles and full eyes. Running over to Cominus the children grabbed his arms in their attempt to play with the visiting rider. “Come play with us,” cried the young boy. “Tell us about your world,” asked the young girl. Unsure what to do Cominus stood and searched for the answer to the girl’s question. Before anything could happen, Cominus caught the shadows that seemed to be lurking in the trees around the gardens. Placing the elven children behind him Cominus scanned the woods for the threat he felt. A scream came from behind Cominus spun on his heel, to see an orc holding a knife to the young boy’s throat. As he ready himself to battle the monster that would endanger such an innocent child. Cominus could not hold back his anger any longer when another scream came from the young girl in the hands of the hobgoblin. He could not make a move against them when he knew they would not hesitate to kill the children they held.

  “What is it you want,” growled Cominus. “To avenge our master,” said the orc droll hanging from his lower lip. Eyeing the two bandits, he knew magic was no use here seeing they could counter whatever he cast at them. Wishing he had his swords with him but he doubted he had the speed to kill these two be

  fore they harmed the children.

  “Yet your master broke the rules that govern this village I say he got off easy,” Cominus

  said looking for a weakness he could use. “That wont save you manling for no one is

  here to exorcise that little rule,” said the hobgoblin grunting. “Watch as I cut this pretty little

  elves neck,” said the hobgoblin with wickedness in his eyes. Cominus could not let this

  happen, he hope his brother and the elders of

  this village would understand. Cominus rushed

  to the hobgoblin hoping he could make it in

  time. Cominus stopped in his tracks when fourstar elves leaped from their hiding spots. Two

  elves hold the arms of the hobgoblin preventing him from injuring the young girl. The other

  two held the orc in their grasp, their cures filling the once serene gardens.

  “We may not interfere with the affairs of

  the land of Sol and the Doncer. We will not

  stand by with you endanger our people,” said

  one of the elven guards.

  “We appreciate what you were going to do

  we will tell your master of this,” said another

  guard. Cominus thought he might have just endangered his brother’s relationship with these

  people.

  “Fear not young rider you have acted honorably and no harm will come from us. We will

  see to this that these brutes, and their masters

  are thrown from village. We will also send

  word to their masters’ telling no Doncer may enter our land for some time,” said the guard captain. Cominus tried to hide his smile that was forming on his lips. This will delay his brothers enemies for sometime, the star elves may not even let the Doncer back into their lands. Cominus could not help but laugh at them as they were dragged to the entrance of the village. Cominus turned to the young elves

  that were still by his side.

  “You two ok your not hurt are you,” Cominus said knelling to the children. They said

  nothing they wrapped there small slender, yet

  powerful arms around his neck and began to

  weep. “I should have worn my armor I could

  have gotten to the children faster. I just glad

  they are not hurt,” said Cominus to himself. “Thank you Mr. Rider,” said the young

  boy though his sobs. The young elven girl

  nodded she could not bring herself to stop her

  tears.

  “You may call me Cominus,” Cominus

  said trying to ease the children's fear. Cominus

  did not notice the shadow that moved into the

  garden. A hand touched his shoulder Cominus

  spun around to strike this foe. His punch was

  caught before Cominus knew who his opponent

  was. A star elf male stood the grasping his

  balled fist. “I’m sorry my lord I thought you

  one of those brutes coming back to harm the

  children,” Cominus said apologetically. “No need your reaction is sounded I would

  do the same,” Erdan said smiling warmly at

  Cominus. “I am sorry that such a situation had to take place in your first time in our realm. I am glad that one brave as yourself was here. Though it was not needed though still a noble thing to do. Not many people these days would launch themselves into danger with out a weapon in hand. It would be a shame that either one of these beautiful children were killed so few of us do have children these days,” Erdan said studying the weary children. Cominus wondered what he meet were their people a dying

  race, or did they just not have that many. “Where are my manors I am Lord Cominus from the land of Sol,” Cominus said bowing to the star elf. Erdan just smiled and returned the bow while studying his garments. “It is good to meet a white rider I am Erdan elder of this village,” said Erdan. Cominus

  had to know how these elves knew so much

  about him.

  “My lord my I ask with out seeming rude." “While we walk to the temple you may ask

  as any questions you like,” Erdan said gesturing Cominus to follow.

  “I have meet the dark and high elves they

  seem to have a myriad of children in their

  lands. You speak of as your people are dying,

  or just cannot reproduce at the rate of the other

  elves. In addition, when I was in Shadleel when

  I was in the temple of Zekiele and Zephaniah,

  the priestess there told me a story of how the

  elves came into begin,” Cominus said before

  being interrupted by Erdan.

  “Though I doubt they gave you the true story why they hide the truth I do not know but d
o go on,” said Erdan. Cominus could not believe it high elves were lying to their own people. He could deal with their lies to him but to their own people well that did sit well with

  him.

  “They told me that they made the star

  elves in their image I was wondering it that

  true, or just another one of their lies,” Cominus

  asked trying to hide his anger towards the high

  elves.

  “Well to answer your first question though

  it is true that all the other races of elves. No,

  we are not a dying race we just live far longer

  then any other elf that walks this land. Where

  the wood elves only live for millennia, the high

  elves as you call them may live another five

  centuries or longer then their cousins. We however, use to be truly immortal before the catastrophe that Aacole brought to this land. Our

  lives were connected to the land when the land

  came to be as you see it our lives shorten to ten

  thousand years. So when we have children they

  are as revered as our gods,” Erdan said clasping his hands behind his back. Cominus could

  not believe it they could live that long. “Well if I do not fall in battle I may just

  live that long,” said Cominus to himself. Still

  the thought of living that long horrified him.

  What would he see in those long years the

  thought of watching Aryl slip into the darkness

  of death. Made his soul weep for he could not

  bear to watch the woman he loved fade from

  his life. Could he live the rest of his life when she

  is gone. He dared not to think on this for it

  would only bring him more grief then it was

  necessary. Erdan saw the distress growing inside the young rider.

  “Well I think I understand why the high

  elves chose to lie to their people. After what

  Aacole did the elves may have seen it as away

  to remind them that humans came from the

  same gods,” Erdan said trying to take Cominus

  mind off things let to come.

  “That can’t be no way,” Cominus said

  skeptically.

  “You will see when we reach the temple

  though I think you may have more questions.

  When you see for yourself then I can answer,”

  Erdan said smiling to Cominus to lift his mood. “You know since I have been here I noticed something,” Cominus said matter-of-fact. “What have you noticed young rider.” “Take no offense in this but your people

  act more like humans, at least in the way you

  talk and behave then the high elves. Every elf I

  have meet today knows far more about me, seeing how this is my first time in this village,”

  Cominus said kicking a stone across the street.

  Erdan just chuckled for he took no offense

  from the comment.

  “Should we not we are made for the same

  energy cousin,” Erdan said laughingly “Well

  we are the watchers of this land should we not

  know who walks this land,” Erdan said matterof-fact. “Yes but who watches the watchmen,” Cominus said astringent.

  “The gods of course,” rebutted Erdan. “Who has not shown themselves in over five thousand years.”

  “The gods work their ways in which we can not know,” Erdan said wagging his pale finger.

  “Well let’s just agree to disagree, or we will be here forever,” Cominus said eager to move on. As they reached the temple, it looked so much like the high elves temple. “How could they know how to build the identical temple to the high elves or did the high elves take this from the star elves,” Cominus said to himself. As they neared the temple, it felt as if some entity was brushing against his mind. What was this thing, was it some invisible creature, or was it a god calling him home. “No why would a god take notice of me,” Cominus said to himself.

  “True well shall we enter the temple,” gestured Erdan. As they climbed the steps of the temple, Cominus noticed the immense doors were made from the giant birch tress. That the elves seem to favor, in the construction of their village. There were no hinges as the door swung open, nor could he see any means of how the door pivoted open. “Maybe the hinge is within the wall,” Cominus wondered. As they entered the temple, the layout was almost the same as the high elves. Were as in the high elves temple the only light was shined on the seating gods that the high's elves worshiped. The star elves temple was far different light shone throughout the temple allowing the viewers eye. To gaze upon the paintings and cravings that populated the columns that supported the vast ceiling. As they walked though the temple Cominus saw ancient stone tablets that hung along the walls of the temple. Written in ancient elfish Cominus wondered what could be described on those old stones. Just as in the high elf temple the gods were seated on there thrones at the far end of the temple. As they neared, Cominus noticed something different about the statue of Zekiele. Cominus took notice of the form of Zekiele for he was the not the elf that the high elves depicted. None the less, he was a human, to disturbed to say anything Cominus stood there with an abysmal

  look.

  “How can this be,” Cominus said aghast. “When the gods saw fit to shape us in their

  image they gave us our gifts. We were tasked

  to keep watch over our cousins so that they

  may grow, and strengthen in their ways. However throughout the eons your people were as

  one with the land as we are. Even without our

  gifts, your people flourished and multiplied.

  When the darkness descended upon the land,

  our people joined as one to drive it off. Both

  sides lost many friends, and many races of the

  land were lost to the winds of the ages. However we survived the Pandora War but the darkness had won. For the darkness had taken root in the hearts of man.”

  “The darkness was patient it would wait for years, and years before it would strike again. And, strike it did in the form of Aacole but we drove off his armies. Yet again the darkness would not give up for Aacole mad in his power, and thoughts of immortally. As the dark magi performed the spell that caused the exile of the humans of our world. We were saddened at the lost of our cousins we knew not every human was as evil as Aacole. Nevertheless with the lost of so many races, and catastrophe that followed. Many of the races of this world were happy to see your people leave us. We knew that one day your people would return to their ancestral homeland. It is my belief that you my young rider will be the bridge that will lead your people back into this world. The bridge that will bring the other races together once again,” Erdan said speaking to the statues as much as to Cominus.

  “Me to lead the human race back into this world I can’t do that being a rider is one thing. But to be the leader of the human race was outlandish thought,” Cominus said in disbelief. “There is something else I wish for you to see,” Erdan said gesturing to the left side of the temple. As Erdan led Cominus to the stone tablet that hang ten feet from the floor of the temple. Since coming to the world of dragons, Cominus had learned most of the elven language. This writing on the tablet was something in of itself. “Do you wish to know what

  this tablet talks about,” said Erdan. Cominus

  nodded for Erdan to continue he had brought

  him this far why turn back now. “All these tablets are of prophecies given to us by the gods.” “He who must walk this land”

  “He must choice between two worlds” “Will the darkness that stalks his heart” “Lead him astray or will he chose another

  way,” quoted Erdan.

  “What does it mean,” asked Cominus. Erdan just shrugged and began his walk back to

  the entrance. “Two worlds,” horrified Cominus


  began to contemplate the meaning of this.

  What would cause his world to be in danger

  since the humans’ exile from Terra Drago.

  True that the human race has always been at

  war with itself. What danger now awaits his

  homeland who, or what would danger the life's.

  Of so many innocents that has no idea of the

  world above them.

  Erdan gave his respects to Cominus and

  departed from the temple. However, dismayed

  Cominus made his way to Herya's forge eager

  to take his mind off things. As he neared the

  hammering of metal drew him out of his state

  of mind. “Maybe she would allow me to watch,

  even do some work,” said Cominus to himself.

  As Cominus stood at the entrance of the trees

  that lead to her forge. The light from the forge

  brought shapes alive dancing across the walls,

  the ground, the ceiling, and her face. It seemed

  to Cominus a whole battle was raging in the

  lights and shadows of the forge.

  Growing closer to the forge the light that

  showered Herya brought her to a status epics.

  That would have been written in ancient times

  on earth. For her slender figure and her womanly shape would have a man throwing all his

  worldly processions at this woman's feet. For a

  chance, that she would see fit to grace the man

  with a smile. “Fair folk indeed,” thought Cominus. As he drew closer Herya looked up from

  her hammering to see Cominus just standing

  there admiring her and her work.

  “Well you just going to stand there like a

  love struck school boy, or are you going to join

  me,” Herya said winking at Cominus. Feeling

  the blood rush to this cheeks Cominus mustered the courage to enter her forge.

  “How goes the forging Herya,” Cominus

  asked taking a seat on the empty stoll.

  “Oh it goes,” Herya said hammering on the

  brick of mithral “I have heard the news of what

  had happen in the garden,” she said placing her

  hammer on the anvil. Herya replaced the cooling brick back into the burning coals. “I thank