Elemental Betrayal

by Toni Cox

  In the time that he had been here, he had managed to open only two communication routes. It was difficult operating with so many eyes on him, but the longer he stayed, the more he learned about the place and how to avoid unwelcome eyes. Still, he had to be careful; the danger of being caught here was higher than everywhere else. And he was alone; he had sent his dragon away for now as it would be impossible to bring him here. He was surprised to find that he missed the ugly beast. He had captured Shard only as a means to an end. A mode of transportation, as well as for personal protection. I was strange how they seemed to have bonded.

  Once he had finished sending his most recent message, he left the room; he had some research to do today. Because of the danger along the Trade Route, some trading goods had become scarce. Steel, for instance, was a commodity that was in severe shortage in Braérn. Yet here, the manufacture of weapons was going ahead rapidly. He needed to find out where it came from and put a stop to it. He had other plans for today as well, but they would have to wait for now. He had learned that certain things could not be rushed and he did not want to give himself away by being too ambitious. For now, he had earned their trust and he intended to keep it that way. His time would come and he could feel it coming closer.

  “What is the difference between creating a spark and creating fire?” Silas asked.

  They had been going over her studies for days now. Maia thought it was as a distraction for her, but Silas said it was to hone her skills. Her elemental powers were vital in the fight with the Vampyres and he wanted to ensure that she remembered and understood every aspect of it. But it was not just Silas’ request that she study that made her put every effort in. Blaid had said that she was in danger here and although she did not know where this danger might come from, she believed him and took the threat seriously. Additional training, in all forms, was exactly what she needed.

  Maia knew that Fire was one of Silas’ elemental powers, besides Water and Earth, and he understood the difference between a spark and a flame all too well. He could create the spark; it required little energy, but a fair amount of concentration. A flame, however, was a lot more difficult to create and it was one of the few things Silas struggled to master completely. Maia, on the other hand, could create and hold fire, and she sometimes had the feeling that he asked this particular question because he wanted to learn more.

  In order to create something, one would have to take it from or out of something else. Drawing water from the ground was fairly easy. Drawing a plant out of a seed was simple. However, to draw fire from the air was impossible for most Elves. One had to understand what fire required to live and then draw from the environment all the items needed. One did not need large quantities for a spark and it required little effort, but to create and then hold the flame required a lot of concentration, the right knowledge and lots of energy. Maia and Silas had experimented with it before and it had not turned out so well; she had set fire to the forest and even singed Silas’ robe.

  “A spark can be created quickly out of just a few molecules of the elements required. It is short-lived and does not take a lot of energy, so it is relatively safe to accomplish. A flame needs to be sustained, so the elements required to create a flame need to be taken from the surrounding environment. To keep the flame burning, one needs to maintain a constant stream of these elements, which takes a lot of energy and concentration. For a novice, this can be dangerous, as they can misjudge their own energy levels and pass out from fatigue, or they can misjudge the quantities or ratios needed of each element and create an explosion instead of a flame.”

  “Very good.” Silas made a note on a piece of parchment. “We will attempt the fireball again next Quarter. So, practice holding your flame over the next few days.”

  Maia did not think it was a good idea, given what happened last time, but she dared not disagree with him. Besides, she did want to learn how to throw the fireball; it could be crucial in a fight.

  “Now,” Silas continued, “tell me about how we can use the powders to our advantage during a fight.”

  Using the powders had been one of the first things Silas had taught her when she was younger. They were mainly minerals, but also some herbs, that were able to react with certain elements. She had used some during her ceremony that had made her a Prime.

  “Blacklace creates a profusion of sparks when thrown on a fire or even a simple flame. Shadowdust explodes into a cloud of black smoke when mixed with oxygen. It should always be stored in a tightly sealed container. Heathermilk develops into a thick, white mist if strewn on bare dirt. Foulbark emits green steam and an evil smell when mixed with water. Robinweed makes the eyes water and the throat burn when thrown onto a fire. Redsand temporarily blinds an opponent if thrown into his eyes. All of these powders can be used to confuse or hinder the enemy to either gain the upper hand or to leave the area unseen.”

  “Good. Let us move over to my workbench and you can show me how to make these powders. I have already gathered the necessary ingredients.”

  Maia obediently followed her teacher to the workbench and set to work. Some of it was dangerous work, but she had done this many times before and was confident in her abilities. Silas watched silently as she worked, nodding every now and then. Once she had created all the powders Silas had asked for, they moved over to a different workbench and Silas made her read some passages out of an Elder scroll. Maia was starting to get a little frustrated cooped up in the cave for so long; yet she persisted and tried to take in everything Silas was trying to teach her. Then, after another short while, Silas closed the book, obviously having noticed Maia’s lapse in concentration.

  “Maia,” he said, keeping his voice down so Riker, standing guard at the entrance of the cave, could not hear, “you have incredible inherent power within you. It is one of the reasons, I think, you managed to bring your family from Earth without any of the detrimental side effects. But as yet you lack the knowledge and experience to use it to its full potential. Do not get frustrated with yourself; you are still young and knowledge and wisdom only comes with age. With time, and continuous studying and experimenting, you will, one day, become the most powerful Elemental to have ever lived. I believe this not just because I love you, but also because I see the strength within you. Believe in yourself and have patience; all will happen as it should.”

  Maia was surprised by Silas’ words; he had been so strict with her ever since the incident in the forest and she had been ready to believe that he had lost faith in her. His motivating words made her feel warm inside and she suddenly felt a whole lot better. She would think on what he had said and see if she could use any of it to her advantage.

  For the meantime, she was glad when Silas finally told her that training for today was over. She longed for fresh air and preferably some rest.

  Riker, who had been standing motionless by the entrance for hours, was just as glad to leave the cave as she was. They walked side by side along the paths back to her home.

  “It really is fascinating all the things Silas is teaching you, but I think he is working you too hard. You have been going at it for days on end and he never gives you a break.”

  Maia noticed how Riker tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice; she knew it was concern for her that made him this upset.

  “It is necessary, Riker. No matter how much I think I know there is always more to learn. I have the power to fight the Vampyres with magic, but it will not help me if I do not know how to employ it.” She cast down her eyes and then continued in a quieter tone. “There have been incidents where I lost control over myself and each time the aftermath was terrible to behold. It cannot happen again; I cannot endanger my people like that.”

  “Maia, is this what happened in the forest when you fought Blaid?”

  “Yes, like that.” Maia sighed.

  “But it helped you fight him off. It probably saved your life. Why is this so bad?”

  Maia stopped and turned towards him. There was confusion and
admiration in his eyes and the ever-unwavering love he felt for her. It hurt her now that she could not return his feelings; he was a truly good man.

  “Yes, it might have saved my life then, but had we been in the middle of a battle, it would most likely have taken out at least a score of our own warriors. I need to learn to control not just the magic, but also my temper. I still have a lot to learn before I am ready to face the Vampyres.”

  Riker took her hand. “You are not alone in this, Lady Maia. You do not have to fight this fight by yourself.”

  “I know,” she said, extracting her hand from his and continued down the path, “but these are my people and it is my duty to protect them. All other feelings will have to be put aside for now. There is no time for anything else right now.”

  Riker was quiet then. Maia felt his Eläm dip for a moment and she realised that he had taken what she had said and applied it to their relationship. She felt sorry for him, but in a way, she was glad she had found such an easy way out. If Riker thought that she had too much else to worry about right now, then maybe he would stop actively pursuing her for a while. She knew it was selfish of her to still want his company and yet not want to tell him that she wanted no more than that. Yet she could not bring herself to tell him the truth; it would break his heart. She would have to find another way; later, once the fight with the Vampyres was over.

  The Moon of the Dragon arrived with beautiful summer sunshine and the warm weather made it feel like everything was right with the world. Besides her training with Silas and the fighting lessons with Jaik and Riker, she also spent a lot of time helping Jaik train Firestorm. She truly was a remarkable horse, strong, willing, and intelligent. The bond between her and Jaik was getting stronger every day. Maia enjoyed these sessions, which also gave her an opportunity to be with Fire, but mostly because it was a distraction from the constant worry of the threats they faced.

  Maia was now part of the regular meetings that were held in the Hall of the Guardians and the stream of bad news that flooded in every Quarter was shocking. Messages from all over Grildor came in of sightings, attacks, stolen goods, and all manner of things. Jagaer did his best to send aid to those worst affected, but in the end, there was little he could do. Their forces were already stretched too thin.

  A messenger bird had arrived from Dragonfort with an answer to the request sent by Lord Longshadow. It said that although they had no incidents within the Eternal Forest, they had reports of attacks nearby and they would like to know more of what was going on. The message was a clear request for a delegation to be sent to them and Jagaer did not hesitate to assemble a group of people willing to go. It was a long journey to Dragonfort, but Lord Middleclaw had a large army at his disposal, which would go a long way to reinforce their own.

  The delegation was assembled quickly and ten men and women moved out with haste to negotiate the terms. Maia was glad her father had not chosen Jaik to go; he was the rock that steadied her through this trying time. When the delegation left, it brought renewed hope to Shadow Hall that lifted everyone’s spirits. There was singing again in the forest at night; people gathering, exchanging stories, and simply enjoying each other’s company.

  Maia was glad for her people, but could find little joy herself. Every moment that she was not distracted by her training, she was reminded of Blaid’s absence. She could live with the fact that he was not here right now, but as more rumours of him working with the Vampyres emerged, her father became increasingly obsessed with finding him. Jagaer was convinced that Blaid had no good intentions, especially not after the attack on Maia, and he had put together a special detail that scouted the area around Shadow Hall every day and night to ensure that Blaid never came this close again. Maia had walked in on numerous conversations Jagaer had with his Commanders discussing the subject of Death and what it could all mean to them as a nation. It was disheartening to her that the people thought of him as an evil. She had tried to reason with her father, explain the situation to him, but it seemed that the more she told him, the more upset he became. Silas eventually stepped in and forbade her to speak to her father about Blaid.

  “Here,” Silas had said one day, “read this book. I had it brought over from Bron. I have a friend there that specialises in the study of Elementals. Chapter thirteen to fifteen outline and highlight the relationship between Primes and the repercussions they can have and the destruction they can cause. But it also tells of and explains the fatal attraction between the opposites and it warns of its perils. Please, read it, for me. Maybe it will help you understand more of what you are feeling right now.”

  Maia had taken the book from Silas and, after days of it lying on her bedside table, had finally read through the chapters. She was horrified to find that nothing good had ever come of any coalition between Life and Death, with the one exception eight thousand years back where a Life Elemental and a Death Elemental had joined up to save their nation. Unfortunately, even that had not lasted and soon after the fight was won, the two had destroyed each other in a massive explosion of magic that had devastated the land of Hindelan for a century.

  Feeling even more depressed than before she tried to push all thoughts of Blaid to the back of her mind and concentrate solely on the difficulties ahead of her. Although now totally dedicated to her training and all other activities that had to do with the preparations for the war they were expecting, Maia herself became more reclusive and closed off with every day that passed. Soon she did not even notice the rivalry between Aaron and Riker anymore and she hardly recognised Kanarel’s advances for what they were. She was moving through the world without seeing or feeling; doing the actions that were required of her, but nothing more.

  So, when Silas eventually told Jagaer and Malyn about what happened between Blaid and Maia, she was hardly aware of the commotion it caused. Had she noticed, it would have broken her heart, for her parents were devastated.

  Silas had become increasingly worried the more distant Maia became and he was now convinced that the intimate joining with Death had taken a piece of Maia’s soul. Jagaer immediately doubled the number of Scouts and Hunters that were looking for Blaid and he had set a reward for whoever was able to bring Death in; even if it meant killing a Prime.

  Then the day came when the Humans celebrated their one-year anniversary on Elveron. They had truly become part of the clan, so Jagaer decided a feast was in order. Everyone had been training and under so much tension with the worries about Vampyres, that everyone would benefit from some light-hearted cavorting.

  The Gathering Grounds were decorated in colourful crystal lanterns, paper garlands and draping cloth. The community spent half a day preparing a mouth-watering array of dishes and barrels of wine and ale were brought up from the storage caves.

  By the time the sun set behind the mountains, the Gathering Grounds were a remarkable sight, with lanterns sparkling merrily and garlands waving in the breeze. Musicians had set up on the stage and some people were already on the dance floor or simply singing along to the music.

  Maia, sitting in her customary place at the royal table, let the festivities wash over her. Although she was always polite when spoken to and answered any questions, she did not engage in any conversation. She was in no mood for celebrating.

  “What do you think happened to her, Papa?” Jasmin asked.

  “I don’t know, Jaz. She has been like this ever since Death attacked her a few Quarters back, but no-one will divulge any details about it. I am worried about her; I have never seen her this unresponsive, not even after the war.”

  Aaron had spent a lot of time with Maia over the past few Quarters, especially in light of the other two suitors. Although he liked Riker, he thought of him as his biggest threat. He was tall and handsome and Maia genuinely seemed to like him. Kanarel on the other hand was sullen-looking and Maia did not seem to enjoy his company at all, but the man was intelligent and persistent. Aaron had also learned that he was the son of a Lord and that because of his standin
g and Shadow Hall’s relationship with Braérn, a union between Kanarel and Maia would be thought of as favourable.

  But Aaron had also changed; no longer was his hair grey, but had returned to its healthy, dark brown colour. With the training he had been doing, and all the physical work required by the Builders, he had also developed a much more muscular physique. Most of the lines in his face had smoothed out and there was now a small, but distinct, point to his ears. With his narrow face, he thought it gave him a cat-like appearance, but he liked what he saw. He was now well versed in Elven history, knew the names and properties of almost every single plant around the city and had acquired a standing among the people for his ingenuity and skill as a Builder. As far as he was concerned, he was as good a match for Maia as any of them and he would never give up.

  So he spent much of the evening close to Maia, always keeping her within line of sight. As always, Rothea and Riker were posted close to her as her personal protection, but neither of them made any efforts to draw Maia out of her shell. It suited Aaron just fine.

  During the evening, both Luke and Jasmin would often dance over to Maia’s table and relate some funny story or tell her about whom they had danced with. Aaron had asked them to do this and he noticed that every now and then Maia’s eyes would light up briefly to see her children so happy. Aaron knew there was life within her still and he just needed to find the trigger that would bring it out.

  Halfway through the evening Jagaer asked Aaron and the children onto the stage and then held a speech in their honour. The people cheered, having accepted the Humans as part of their own, and sang songs of welcome and belonging to them.

  Finally, Jagaer presented them each with a small gift. He gave Aaron a small, iron-bound chest with a set of special woodworking tools; to Luke he gave a selection of herbs that did not grow within Grildor, but had outstanding medicinal value and to Jasmin he gave a specially crafted crossbow and a selection of bolts and arrows.