“I have spoken to Lord Nariko and Lady Bernadine already about the precarious position you are in. They agreed with me that you should go to ground until this conflict is over. They are concerned for you Xuzien.” Adair knew that this declaration would not be received well; however, it was true and heartfelt. Time had proven to be a poison instead of a healing agent for Xuzien and his estranged parents.
“Right…like I believe that. Anyway, I will not be going into hiding…I’d much rather fight to protect the west from yer kind than hole up somewhere for who knows how long until ye get control of yer own kind again.” He definitely did not like the turn this visit had taken. He could do with a stiff drink after listening to such fallacies.
“Xuzien, I cannot compel others to do my bidding…you know that. However, Kana feels that she can and that she is destined to control all of Tuwa. She is no longer a member of the council and will be eliminated when this destructive conflict is over…you have my word on that.” He could sense the eternal anguish in Xuzien’s soul and he mourned for the torment he went through every day. He would never be accepted for who he was and he would never fully appreciate just how important he was. There was one very redeeming quality that this boundary warden possessed and that was an insatiable drive to be productive.
“Fine…what is it that ye wanted me to do?” Xuzien was becoming impatient with this unpleasant meeting. He did not like the reminder that he was the offspring of a forced relationship between two of the most revered druids. A druid is not to take a companion of another race, so when the dark lord tricked the two into breaking such sacred oaths, he was the result of their unnatural union. A dwarf and an elf had never before mated, so he was something of a novelty. However, this was not something Xuzien was particularly proud of.
“I would like you to guard a secret location for me. It is deep within the Mia Koda mountain range. You will need to use your magic to protect yourself from all intruders. Kana will be sending a wide variety of creatures and servants to retrieve something of importance. I cannot tell you what it is, but I will tell you that your job will be the most important of all the assignments given during this time of war. Can you still change shapes?” Adair was trying to make this meeting be all about business. He knew that Xuzien hated the reminder of who he was, so he had to try to keep this professional.
“Yes, I can…the question is whether or not I be doing what yer asking. I be not convinced that I should be getting involved in this sorted affair. I have protected meself for years now and I don’t see the point in lending me aid to yer cause. It does not involve me and it is not my fault that me idiot parents brought me into this world. I be not about to lie down because of their mistake. I be having the same rights as anyone else to do as I please.” He was clearly not sold on the plea for help. He was putting up the image of unconcern and lack of interest in helping.
“Xuzien…you know perfectly well that I agree with you. Unfortunately for you the question of your heritage is directly relevant in this matter. If you are forced to defend yourself from Kana’s minions and foul beasts, then you should probably use your considerable talents for good by doing what I have asked. Will you help me?” There was a pleading tone now as he spoke. He knew that while Xuzien had reservations and a lot of mistrust, he would do what it right. The two of them had always gotten along and he had never done anything to break his friend’s trust.
“Fine…I will help ye. I be having one stipulation however.” He turned to look at his friend in the eyes.
“Yes…what is that?” Adair returned the look with confidence in his crystal blue eyes.
“After this conflict is over, I want ye to name me protectorate of the west. The people here love me and would support yer appointment. Too many feel that being half elf is a sin, so they will not elect me to the post. I be weary of serving as a boundary warden…I be tired of taking orders from others who look down on me.” He had a hard look in his eyes as he said this. It was clear that he had suffered for hundreds of years because of what he was. He had been punished for existing…something that no one should ever have to suffer. It was hard to be immortal while looking like a gigantic dwarf. He had served so hard for so many years to protect the western lands from creatures, northern demons, and the general rift raft.
“Agreed…now can I take you to your new post?” He was heartened by his friend’s request. He could not think of a better protectorate for the western lands. He knew that Xuzien would bring much needed unity for the western societies. There were so many threats to their way of life, including the deadly legendary dark elves.
“Yes…let’s get on with it.” He shrugged with indifference even though inside he had a seed of hope…not something that he was familiar with at all. He almost smiled inwardly. Emotions were not his forte, so struggled with what to think of these happy feelings he was having. I be getting soft!
There was a faint popping sound that was not audible over the sound of crashing waves. The two hooded figures had disappeared into thin air right as the storm hit the small rock island. The rain began to fall with such ferocity that the rocky terrain was under water within minutes of the rain hitting the rocks. The winds blew even harder than before and the clouds swirled about from the increased ferocity. The deluge continued to pick up speed as it made its way toward the main land. A bell could be heard coming from Logan Bay…the people of Belva were being warned of the danger heading their way.
Fortification
The still waters of Lake Lachlan had transformed from a deep crystal blue color to a dank greenish hue. The water had also lost its refreshing salt smell after the unusual change. This lake was probably the most unique in all of Tuwa because of its high alkali content as well as its unfathomable depths. Many residents felt that it was an inland sea because of these particular properties and consequently was a favorite destination for locals and travelers alike. The fact that there were still unknown creatures hidden within its depths added to the attraction many felt for the mysterious body of water. The slow disintegration of this precious site was attributed to the war by most while others said it had to be the work of dark magic.
As the sun crossed the sky overhead, two of the guardians stood on the western shore, musing over the lack of life and motion in the body of water before them. They were a little disconcerted that they were unable to see into the thick mist that had settled over the vast expanse of water. They did not even dare to venture into the murky portents of Lachlan with what they were sensing just standing on a popular outcropping. Neither one of them commanded water, so they had elected to be cautious as they prepared for battle with the unseen foes. They were even reluctant to use magical webs to get a better read of what was out there. With a mysterious fog there could be powerful traps that could be set off by such a search. They were not overly concerned for their own well-being…they were simply being mindful of the danger this would pose to those that assisted them.
Ladies Necia and Hilzarie were waiting patiently for the elven magicians to show up. They had already enchanted the shoreline with a barrier that would prevent any missiles from reaching land. Any projectile sent their way would either be incinerated or diverted into the murky portents of Lachlan. They used the time while they waited to discuss potential strategies and decided that they would need to spend the majority of their time defending the elves from the demonic hordes. What worried them was what the demons were up to that they could not see. Necia felt that they may be summoning some kind of water creatures that would prove too deadly for the elves. Hilzarie, on the other hand, was focusing her energies on figuring out who would be leading the unseen enemy into battle. They were so consumed in their separate thoughts that they did not notice the slightest of ripples about twenty yards in front of them. This movement was at the edge of where the fog stopped.
Just as the disturbance in the water increased, the elven magicians arrived for their assignment. The two elementals turned their backs on the murky water to welcome the s
mall group. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got down to business, oblivious to the lurking danger just below the surface immediately behind them. Hilzarie and Necia discussed battle tactics and defensive measures they had already put into place. The elves would be the primary attackers while the guardians provided them with significant defensive measures against retaliatory attacks. After nearly an hour of talking through several different ideas, they divided up into five groups of ten. They had decided to take up their places along the western shore in a spread formation.
The guardians had determined that roaming between the different groups would allow them to strengthen their defenses as needed. If everything went according to plan, they would have several opportunities to join in the fight. As the pair of elementals went their separate ways, the bubbling just off the shore at the location where they had just had their meeting increased suddenly. Something was coming up from the depths of the vast lake and it was not small. It looked as though the water was boiling as the unseen force waited to appear.
“What is that?” asked one of the elven mages pointing at the disturbance in front of them. It was difficult to discern what it was as the fog slowly crept forward to cover part of the disturbance. They could still hear the water bubbling even though their ability to see anything was hampered by the dense fog.
“I bet it is some kind of water demon. What do you think master Elirownil?” asked another mage with a slight trembling of fear in his voice. This show of weakness was not common for such lethal warriors, so their leader took notice.
“I believe you are correct with the idea of a water demon. However, this particular creature is gigantic…look” replied Elirownil pointing at the dark shadow that was now just below the surface. It was some fifty feet long and had the outline of something that had never been seen in Lachlan. It could have been one of the mysterious creatures from the deepest trenches; however, it was more likely that it was a summoned water demon.
“What? Are you telling me that thing is a leviathan? Does such a creature actually exist?” queried yet another elven mage. She was shaking uncontrollably as she eyed the beast wearily. The elves were losing control of their emotions which did not bode well for the magic defenders. The group started to bunch closer together. It should have been a serious warning sign to all of them that they were nervous. They were immortal and had survived much over the centuries. Something was making them uneasy and it was not the beast they saw.
“Watch out!” Elirownil yelled as the creature finally revealed itself. In an unbelievably swift move the water demon rose out of the depths and swallowed the three mages who had just voiced their concerns. The scales were an emerald green color and its eyes were ruby red. Blood gushed from its massive maw as it submerged itself once more. It was much faster than it should have been. The elves should have been able to avoid such an obvious attack.
Elirownil acted as quickly as she as she could muster under the current conditions. As the creature sank back under the murky surface, she shot a purple ball of fire at its backside. The magical projectile rebounded on the master elf after hitting the beast’s protective hide. The elder magician did not move fast enough to avoid the rebound of her own attack. The purple ball of fire slammed into her chest and threw her some fifty feet into the air. She landed with a dull thud and did not move. Her body had a dried, withered appearance and looked as though something had sucked all of her fluids out of her body. All the bones in her body were broken and she lay at awkward angles.
“Master Elirownil!” screamed the one remaining elven mage. He did not know what to do since his master’s attack had proven ineffective. His eyes locked on the beast as it slowed its submersion.
Suddenly the leviathan reared its scaly head and upper body out of the water once more. The demonic lord of water opened his gigantic mouth and shot black liquid at the motionless elf. The acidic fluid liquefied the elf instantly and his soul was ripped from his body the instant before his flesh melted away. The water demon inhaled forcefully and swallowed the struggling soul. The vile beast let out a roar of delight and dove back into the depths. The water where it had disappeared had an oily look to it. An eerie silence immediately followed the one sided battle scene.
***
Prekihar swam deeper into the greenish depths of Lachlan laughing to himself about the feeble defenses employed by the elementals. The lord of water demons was still overwhelmed by the decision Kana had made. He did not think a guardian would ever summon him from the underworld. He did not know that any of them had the knowledge to do such a thing. He still marveled that it was an elder elemental, which happened to have stewardship over fire and air, which had brought him out of the void. He gained a better understanding of her choice once he knew how desperate she was after losing the powerful dark lord to imprisonment. He was simply in awe of how much power she had gained in such a short period of time. Having lived for as many years as he had, he knew immediately to be wary of Kana’s quick temper and her new found dark powers.
The demon lord had elected to appear as the legendary leviathan because of the effect it would have on those who were foolish enough to try to fight him. He was under strict orders to make his way as quickly as possible to the heart of Landen. He was the arch nemesis of Lord Neb and was almost equal in power to the aged elemental. Prekihar respected Neb and his substantial abilities. He did not wish to meet his foe this early after his rebirthing into the world of the living. His powers were still growing and were not nearly sufficient to take on any of the guardians. That was why he did not attack Necia and Hilzarie. However, he was already more than a match for the elven mages. The defensive barrier the elementals had put up was no match for magic of the underworld.
He continued north along the shoreline to deal with the elven mages that had taken up posts there. The first group he reached after dispatching their friends did not have an elemental with them. So, without any hesitation he pounced. He was able to snatch up two of the magicians before they could do anything to ward off the surprise attack. The other three responded much quicker than the leviathan had anticipated. His binding spell did not work as well on these elves as the first group he had attacked. They shot their own binding spells at him that held him fast. For several moments he could not move at all. While they held him bound, they sent sparks up into the sky which was clearly meant to signal to the others that they were being attacked.
Unfortunately for Prekihar there was an elemental close by when the warning went up. Lady Necia responded instantly to the summons. She appeared just as he had managed to break loose of the binding spells. She knew at once who they were dealing with and made a decisive move toward the retreating beast. She burst into dark red flames and shot straight at the water demon. The impact caused a small quake and sent a significant tidal wave eastward. Necia reared back and sent a barrage of fire balls at the stunned water lord who was zigzagging wildly as he attempted a retreat while she rained down fire from above. She had fiery red wings that helped her hover above the trapped demon lord.
Prekihar transformed into his human form and summoned a trident to his side. He threw up water all around him to diffuse the fiery assaults. The elves were transfixed by the battle that was taking place some twenty feet above the water and did not see the long tentacles of a kraken reaching out for them. All three were grabbed by their ankles and hoisted into the air. They all screamed in terror as they were whipped about by the ancient sea monster. This particular beast had lived many years in Lachlan and was not serving the wicked water lord. He had merely taken advantage of an opportunity in snatching up his prey. He had not had much to eat with the dark fiends on the water. They had shielded against attacks from anything below.
Lady Hilzarie joined the fray shortly after the elves had been snatched by the kraken. She quickly created a massive vortex in the water that began to pull the kraken back into the depths. This distracted the beast long enough for the elven mages to electrically shock the creature into rel
easing them. They were caught by a friendly gust of wind and alighted on the shore. They quickly attacked the kraken with a mix of fire, ice, and lightning with great affect. The ancient beast exploded into tiny pieces and the swirling water calmed instantly after the creature was dead.
Necia was trying to hold Prekihar in place but was losing the battle. She turned around to check on the others for the briefest moment. When she looked back, her quarry had slipped away. The mist grew thicker at this point and edged ever closer to the western banks. The fiery elemental returned to the shore where the others had gathered and landed with a little more force than she had intended. She was clearly frustrated by her inability to deal with the dark lord’s replacement.
“Well, at least we know who is leading the demonic hordes now” said a windswept Hilzarie. She always tried to look at every situation in a positive light. Her approach had proven to be most effective over the years.
“Someone will need to inform Lady Khalida about this” replied Necia irritably. Flames momentarily encircled her and then faded away. Her frustration was not related to the encounter as the others thought. She realized that the encounter she just had was because of her former master. While she was still struggling with loyalties, it was no longer possible for her to delude herself as to what Kana was doing. She had summoned a powerful creature from the underworld. There was only one way to do that and that was with the darkest magic. She must have made a deal of some kind with the keeper himself.
“Tirornil…you need to return to the capital to request siege warriors. Our magical barriers did not protect us in the slightest, so we will need numbers on our side as well if we are to protect against the demon army” Hilzarie ordered the elven mage calmly. She was oblivious to Necia’s internal struggle because of the recent conflict. She knew that dark magic from the underworld was being used and they could do much less than they had hoped to protect eastern Landen.
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