Excerpts Interlude:
Part One
Echo slowly opened her eyes to look out of the meditation room’s sole window. It was dark outside, with only the slightest trace of a breeze to sway the window’s eloquent green curtains. Sitting cross-legged on a decorative red pillow, Echo felt relaxed in the familiar surroundings. The meditation room was a circular wooden space with a small curving stairway that descended along one wall. The round pillow she sat on was located in the center of the room beneath a small iron chandelier. Directly behind her was a gray stone chimney, which led to the fireplace below. The chimney was a little bit blocky compared to the rest of the room, but it did allow for a full-length mirror to hang from it.
Equally-spaced around the room were three beautifully crafted wardrobes (one for each member of Echo’s family). This type of expert craftsmanship was common among her people and could often be seen on their doors, framework, and windowsills. Echo’s own wardrobe had a leather armor dummy positioned next to it, with a bunch of equipment at its base. She often donned this gear when training with Searce, but at her current stage in life, Echo started to doubt whether it would ever serve any real purpose.
Situated next to the wardrobe that Echo’s mother used was a privacy screen that had images of leafy tree branches and small forest animals painted on it. The top of the screen was torn in several spots thanks to the sharp claws of the family’s pet owl, Hootie, who decided to perch himself on top of one of the screens many folds while staring down at Echo with his creepy yellow eyes. Echo hated that owl and could never understand why her father insisted on keeping it around.
Stretching as she stood, Echo walked over to her pile of equipment and put on both her cloak and weapon belt. Digging through her backpack on the floor, she pulled out a small piece of jerky and a wooden flute, which she tucked into her belt. Making her way towards the stairs, Echo saw Hootie leap from his perch and fly over to the top of the steps, where he landed in front of her and spread out his wings while hooting loudly.
Echo was sorely tempted to kick the stupid bird across the room but decided against it. Instead, she took the jerky in her hand and threw it near the owl’s talons. Pressing his wings against his sides, Hootie bent down to pick up the dried meat in his beak before shuffling off to one side to let Echo pass.
“Spoiled, overgrown, pest,” Echo grumbled as she went down the stairs.
Descending towards the house’s main level, Echo almost tripped over a tangled mess of tree branches that covered the living room floor. Littered about all over the place these slender branches were carelessly piled around a chair by the window where her mother sat. Working near a candlelit table, Echo’s mom was stripping away the branch’s bark with a knife so they could be woven into baskets. A few already completed baskets rested on the table next to some cups and plates filled with food.
As Echo approached, her mother said, “Wait a minute, young lady. There’s no breakfast until you go knock down that imp’s nest of the branch below our house.”
“Can’t Dad do it?” Echo complained.
Echo’s mother shook her head. “I asked you to do it three days ago. Now, if you don’t want the little monsters to rob us blind, then you’ll do as I asked.”
“Dammit,” Echo grumbled as she stomped back upstairs. Grabbing her bow and an arrow, she dashed down the steps and went outside onto a railed wooden platform with a couple of rope bridges connected to it. Like most of the homes in Thramahas, Echo and her parents lived in a rounded house with a shingled roof high among the branches of an ancient tree. The tree itself was covered in flowering vines whose pleasant aroma filled the night air.
Leaning over the railing, Echo quickly found the nest her mother was talking about. Made out of mud, branches, and bark, it held an assortment of odd little objects the imp had already gathered. Aiming her bow, Echo fired on the nest and knocked it to the ground. She was about to head back inside when an angry voice exclaimed, “My treasures! What did you do to my treasures!?”
Looking back at the branch she had just fired upon; Echo saw what appeared to be a scrawny red-skinned creature standing there with two stubby horns that protruded from its brow next to a pair of large pointed ears. The imp was one of the many fey folk who inhabited Illamine Forest, and judging by the expression on his fanged face, the two-foot monster wasn’t pleased by her actions. Spreading some thin leathery wings that sprouted from his back, the imp angrily whipped its long arrow like tail in her direction.
Unimpressed, Echo replied, “Those treasures were stolen and used to lure children away from their homes so that you can either extort their parents or sell them into slavery.”
Figit did not deny her accusation. “There are humans who would pay good money for a little elf girl to play with.”
“If I ever see you with one of our children, I’ll kill you myself!” Echo warned.
A sinister smile crossed Figit’s face. “You elves act like you’re lords of the forest, but your time is coming to an end, and I, for one, will delight in watching you fall.” Spreading his wings, he then leapt off the branch and flew through the trees until he was out of sight.
Not taking his threat seriously, Echo entered her home and tossed the bow she had used onto the sprawling pile of branches. She then grabbed a plate and some chopsticks before telling her mom what had happened. Afterwards, she took the food and went about her usual routine.
Using her chopsticks, Echo ate from the plate of sliced apples and honey roasted walnuts while effortlessly making her way across the rope bridge in front of her. The bridge led to an adjoining tree with a platform attached to it. This platform, however, had only the tree’s trunk at its center and was connected by three other bridges. A spiral staircase located near one of these bridges circled around the tree and led to the forest floor. Echo took the stairs without paying much attention, and upon reaching the bottom, she stepped out and casually nodded to a couple of late-night shoppers.
The town’s market was built beneath its citizens homes with many of the merchant stalls located directly below the houses in which they lived. Making her way to her father’s stall, Echo knew that business would be light this late in the evening, which was probably why her dad felt confident enough to put her in charge while he went to go meditate. Approaching his stall with a smile, she saw him help a traveling merchant load a bunch of baskets onto a mule-drawn cart before it took off down the road. Setting her plate and utensils on the stall, she asked, “How’d we do?”
“Let’s just say that we made enough to have a little fun later,” Ranix replied with a grin.
Echo smiled. Life always seemed a little bit easier when her father made a good sale, but then she remembered her plans and said, “Dad, you’ve got to get your meditation in! I’m meeting with Favin soon and really can’t afford to get stuck here waiting on customers.”
Ranix held his hands up in a mock surrender. “Alright, I’m going. Just don’t burn down the stall while I’m gone,” he joked before picking up her plate and heading off for home.
Echo could tell it was going to be a good day.
A few hours later, Echo was getting antsy as she saw the sky start to brighten with dawns early light. Business had been slow, and she desperately wanted to make her date this morning. Looking through the growing crowd of people, she saw her father heading towards the stall and gave him a quick wave. When he waved back, she took off through the forest in a hectic search for her beloved.
Coming to a stop before an old familiar tree, she looked up to see Favin sitting on one of its upper branches. Taking a moment to admire his masculine silhouette as the wind blew through his short auburn hair, Favin could usually be found wearing brown pants and boots with a tight white shirt that emphasized his gorgeous physique. Perfectly balanced on a sturdy branch while resting against the tree’s thick trunk, he casually strummed a lute that’s strap was wrapped around his shoulder.
Reaching out to grab a slender branch, Echo climbed up the tree to meet him. Alerted by the sound of rustling leaves, Favin looked down and called out, “Hey, there you are! I’ve been waiting up here so long that I think I’m starting to gather moss.”
“Oh, really? Well, that would explain what you’ve been using to fill the space between your ears,” Echo replied. Pulling herself up to a branch slightly below the one he sat on, Echo placed her hands on Favin’s leg and tilted her head back. As she did, he leaned over and gave her a long deep kiss. Afterwards, they held each and gazed out onto the horizon. Within minutes, the sky was awash with the sun’s first golden rays of light that heralded the arrival of the dawn.
For a long time, Echo and Favin just watched in silence as the forest’s lush green canopy sprung to life with the birth of a new day. Reveling in nature’s glory, the two were completely caught off guard when a soft feminine voice called out from below, “Excuse me, are you two going to spend all day up there?”
Looking down, Echo saw an elf with long sandy-colored hair, which was tied in a braid that hung down her left shoulder, and Echo realized it was Cora. Dressed in a pale green shirt with a long brown skirt, Cora and Echo had been best friends ever since her mother had paired them up as children to go collect branches in the forest.
“Sorry, Cora, we’ll be right down,” Echo shouted as she and Favin climbed down to meet her. Waiting patiently, Cora took a step back from the tree to keep from being hit by the flurry of dew drops that preceded them.
Once everyone was on the ground, they traveled through the forest to find their favorite rehearsal spot. As they did, Favin asked, “So, which musical masterpiece should we attempt today?”
“How about “Shilder’s Remorse,”” replied Cora. “I’ve always liked that song, and its melody is really touching.”
Echo shook her head. “No, it’s too nice a day to play something like that. What about an upbeat tune?”
Favin thought for a moment. “You know, let’s try something that’s a little of both. What would you say to “Seasons of Growth?””
“Oh, that is a pretty song,” Cora said with a smile.
Echo agreed, “Yeah, I like it. Nice thinking, hun.”
Favin chuckled. “Thanks…the moss was my inspiration.”
Echo and Favin both laughed while Cora gave them a peculiar look. Arriving at a small glade, the trio came upon a large gray rock used as their rehearsal spot. Climbing up to a flat spot near the top of the rock, Echo sat down and pulled out her flute. Leaning next to the familiar stone, Favin tightened the strings of his lute while Cora stood nearby. Waiting for some imagined cue, Echo and Favin both started playing their instruments a few beats before Cora sang. While far from being professional minstrels, the three merrily performed together simply out of the joy of each other’s company.
This particular practice session lasted for quite some time and didn’t come to an end until Cora’s little brother, Grik, burst through the trees and interrupted them. “Cora! Mom says you need to come home and finish your chores.” Echo knew Grik was basically a good kid, he just had a lousy sense of timing. In many ways, he reminded her of a younger version of Favin.
“Ugh…why can’t you help her with the chores?” Cora grumbled.
“This is my chore!” Grik explained with a devious grin. “I’m out here looking for you.”
Favin waved his hands in a calming motion. “It’s alright, Cora. I have to get going anyways.”
“Why’s that?” Echo asked.
“Velen Jolarie plans to address the town this afternoon, and he wants every guard present to display our strength,” Favin replied.
“What for?” inquired Echo.
“I don’t know,” Favin said with a shrug, “but I think it has something to do with a drop in trade. The point is that we’ve all got things to do, and we can’t neglect our duties any longer.”
“I suppose,” Echo said with a frown. Slipping her flute back into her belt, she casually accompanied her friends back into town.
A few hours later, Echo and her aunt heard the horns that signaled a town meeting was about to take place. Leaving Searce’s home, the two made their way to a nearby rope bridge that overlooked the velen’s hall. The hall was a round, dome-like building on the forest floor with long oval windows and a stained-glass roof. The front of this wooden building, however, was dominated by a large flat wall with a simple stage attached to it. Centered along the wall was a prominent double door that had two life-sized stone statues of elvish warriors holding swords on either side of it. A little behind these statues were two great tapestries that depicted an apple tree beneath a cloudy blue sky. Which was, of course, was the emblem of the Illamine.
As the great doors opened, Velen Jolarie emerged to take center stage. Dressed in regal garments, the velen wore an elegant green sash across one shoulder, with colorful autumn leaves stitched into it. Slightly behind him was a white-robed cleric of Talana known as Teryl, and a serious-looking warrior with long brown hair called Jayvoe. Jayvoe was captain of the guard (which was apparent by the gold studded leather armor he wore). He also used a legendary long bow with a golden drawstring known as the Bow of Unyielding. Together, these three individuals were the most prominent elves in Thramahas.
Addressing the crowd that had gathered near the stage, Velen Jolarie spoke.
“Greetings, my friends. We are gathered here today to discuss a threat to the prosperity of our town. As many of you may know, trade relations with the human settlement of Kinnerba have suddenly ceased. Seeking answers to this drastic development, I sent an official inquiry to the kingdom of Coronas but received no reply.
“Taking the initiative, I then decided to have our border rangers investigate the area around Kinnerba. Sadly, it grieves me to tell you that not one of them has returned from this task. Now, as you all know, Kinnerba is only a couple days’ travel from Thramahas, and any threats that have emerged there could easily endanger our lives as well.
“That is why I have decided to ask Captain Jayvoe to lead a company of guards on a mission to Kinnerba so that we may learn what has happened to the humans there and, if necessary, crush whatever enemies lurk on our country’s border.”
Stepping forward on cue, Jayvoe shouted, “Company…assemble!”
Echo watched as four lines of leather-clad guards gathered on either side of the velen’s hall and marched forward to form ranks at the front of the stage. As the crowd stepped back to allow their protectors through, Echo spotted Favin moving in step with his comrades and waved at him. Flashing her a quick smile and a wink, Favin immediately adopted a sterner expression as he fell into place next to the other guards.
Spreading his arms, Velen Jolarie spoke once more. “Citizens of Thramahas, these brave elves stand before you today ready to lay down their lives for our safety. Let us honor them with our applause and remember them in our prayers for the road ahead will most surely be a difficult one.”
Almost at once, the crowd started clapping as a feeling of pride washed over them. Looking down at the masses from her spot on the rope bridge, Searce asked, “So, Squeaker, what do you think?”
Echo’s gaze was fixed on her beloved. “I don’t know. I’m glad the velen’s taking steps to keep our enemies from crossing the border but, at the same time, this is Favin’s first real mission for the Illamine, and I’m worried that something might happen to him.”
“Would you like to accompany them?” Searce asked, knowing full well that her niece would relish the opportunity.
The question surprised Echo. “What do you mean? I’m not a guard, and Jayvoe would never let me just tag along on something like this.”
Searce gave her a sly smile. “I wouldn’t worry about Jayvoe. The velen and I go way back, and I’m sure that if I asked him nicely, he would be more than happy to authorize your coming along. Besides, don’t you think that it’s about time to put some of that training and equipment I’ve given you to use?”
Echo was practically giddy at the notion of traveling with Favin on such an important mission. “Oh, Searce, you know I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Listening to the two stupid elves mindlessly chatter away, Figit sat huddled on a nearby tree branch with a couple other imps. The velen’s address had gone exactly as he had hoped, and soon, his plans would be complete. Leaning close to one of his companions, he whispered, “The trap is set, but we have to hurry back to Kinnerba. Lydon and his men need to cross the border and get into hiding before the elves arrive.” Giggling maliciously, the three imps spread their wings and quickly flew off into the forest.
Ontar stretched beneath the blanket of his nice warm bed. Last night’s drunken romp with Vye had been rather intense, and he had to admit there was nothing quite like having sex with an experienced partner. Turning to his side, he opened his eyes to see the lady in question happened to be absent when he awoke. This wasn’t entirely unexpected since Vye was widely regarded as Fort Hasborne’s pony. At some point, everybody got a ride, and last night happened to be his turn. The fact the serving wench was known for loving and leaving her men didn’t really bother him…that is until he realized that all his clothes were gone!
Afraid of being robbed, Ontar got out of bed and searched his room for any other missing goods. Strangely, everything seemed to be in place right down to his weapon belt and coin pouch. So, if money and equipment didn’t attract his would-be thief, then it was probably a prank of some sort. Unfortunately, Ontar wasn’t laughing.
Grabbing the blanket off his bed and wrapping it around his waist, Ontar left his room and entered onto the main floor of a tavern that he had called home for the past five years. The Drunken Soldier was appropriately named given that it was located within the walls of a Coronasian fortress. Stepping into the dining hall, Ontar was relieved to see there were only a couple of patrons milling about, and that most of them were servants who worked at the keep. The military crowd usually didn’t show up here until later in the evening.
Glancing around the hall, Ontar spotted Vye sweeping up a pile of crumbs and dirt near the buildings entrance. Alerted to his presence by stares from the other patrons, she looked up and smiled. “Hey, sweetie. So, did you have a good time last night?”
Sauntering up to her as casually as possible while wearing a blanket around his waist, Ontar said. “Last night was spectacular, and I think we could have enjoyed another romp this morning if you hadn’t taken off with my clothes.”
Vye leaned against her broom. “Oh, sorry about that. Gerig offered to take me out to dinner later if I gave him your laundry.”
Ontar bristled! Gerig was a self-righteous prick who tormented him from the moment he arrived at Fort Hasborne. Apparently, he didn’t like the fact Ontar was getting combat training without actually joining the army. So, stupid little pranks like this were concocted to make his life difficult, and he’d just about had enough of them!
Trying to stay calm, Ontar leaned close to Vye and asked, “Did you happen to see where he took my clothes?”
Vye thought for a moment. “I think I saw him heading over towards the flagpole.”
Moving past her and out the tavern’s door, Ontar stepped into Fort Hasborne’s courtyard and saw the towering spiked logs that formed the fortress’s walls and keep. It was a beautiful spring morning with only a couple of white clouds marring an otherwise bright blue sky. Looking towards the center of the courtyard, Ontar saw a tall wooden pole with a dark red flag that had the emblem of a lion’s head with a flaming mane on it. This proud symbol of Coronas flapped wildly in the breeze, and above it was a large cloth bundle that had been attached to the top of the pole. Ontar guessed that his clothes were in there, and he hurriedly made his way towards it.
Unfortunately, he didn’t get too far before he spotted four soldiers coming towards him while chuckling to themselves. Wearing their standard chain armor and surcoats, the only equipment these men lacked were their helmets and aventails. Ontar immediately spotted Gerig amongst them. A cruel man with greasy brown hair and a sneer on his lips, Gerig saw Ontar approach and said, “Look at that, boys. You sleep with whores long enough, and pretty soon, you start to dress like them.”
“You son of a bitch!” Ontar growled as he clenched his fists and prepared to smash the other man’s face in. However, just as he got within striking range, one of Gerig’s cronies decided to step on the long blanket that haphazardly hung from around his waist. Stopped in his tracks, Ontar hastily grabbed onto the blanket and tried to preserve what little dignity he still had.
Snickering, Gerig said, “Careful, Ontar. Otherwise, the other girls might start to think you’re easy.”
Laughing loudly, Gerig and the soldiers pushed past him and made their way towards the keep. Giving them a dark stare, Ontar refastened his blanket before trying to vent his anger by shaking the bundle off the flagpole.
“Here try these,” came a familiar voice from behind. Turning around, Ontar saw a scruffy soldier with short brown hair and stubble who held three small stones in his left hand. Yorus was Ontar’s younger cousin, and the two had often played together as children. As an adult, Yorus decided to enlist in the army, and he even helped Ontar get his job at the Drunken Soldier. Deep down, Ontar suspected that Yorus wanted him to join the military as well, but with men like Gerig running around, he had some deep reservations about doing so.
“Thanks,” Ontar grumbled as he took two stones and threw one at the bundle. It missed. “That bastard did it to me again.”
Yorus gave a knowing nod. “He’s just trying to provoke you.”
“Well, it’s working,” Ontar growled as he missed with the second stone.
“Even so, you can’t afford to lose your temper,” Yorus warned. “The quickest way to get thrown out of here is if Sir Brovine learns you were pummeling his men.” Taking the last stone in his right hand, Yorus threw it at the bundle and succeeded in knocking it off the flagpole. “There. Now, get dressed and go have some breakfast. I got Sergeant Raglak to spar with you this afternoon.”
Ontar picked up the bundle and dusted it off. “Great! Is there any chance he wields a morning star?”
Yorus shook his head. “Nope. It looks like you two will be training with two-handed swords.”
Ontar let out a sigh. While grateful for the chance to get in some training, he was always a little disappointed when he couldn’t use the weapon he was most experienced with. “Ah well, I suppose any trainings better than none.”
“That’s the spirit,” Yorus said as he clapped his hand on Ontar’s shoulder and walked back with him towards the tavern.
Ontar’s light gray cloak fluttered around his legs as he stepped back from his opponent. Equipped in clothes and gear far more appropriate than what he was wearing this morning, he now wore a chain shirt with an iron helmet and had a normal shield strapped to his backpack. Holding a two-handed sword in front of him, Ontar squared off against Sergeant Raglak on the training grounds at the side of the keep. A few soldiers stood nearby and watched with interest as he raised his weapon and bravely charged the sergeant.
Adopting a defensive stance, the scraggly gray-haired sergeant parried the attack with the center of his sword then tilted his blade in a motion that brought its edge within a hair of Ontar’s neck! Stepping back and lowering his weapon, the sergeant frowned and said, “Do you see what happened there? You brought your blade too far in on the attack. Ontar, you have to remember you’re using a two-handed sword now, and its length is one of your greatest assets. Never let an enemy get any closer to you than you have to.”
Ontar heeded the instruction with a nod. Two-handed weapons were always a bit tricky for him but learning how to master them was all part of the fun. Readying himself, he loosened his shoulders and said, “I’ll keep that in mind. Shall we go again?”
Sergeant Raglak waved his left hand dismissively. “Nah, I think we’ve done enough playing around. Why don’t you pull out that morning star of yours, and we’ll get into something a little more serious.”
Ontar could hardly contain his grin as he set aside the two-handed sword to draw forth his morning star and shield. Eager to begin the next match, he almost didn’t notice when the gate to Fort Hasborne was pulled open to allow a plainly-dressed man on horseback into the courtyard. Dismounting when he reached the keep, the man talked with a couple of concerned soldiers, who took his horse before leading him into the building. Puzzled by the stranger, Ontar couldn’t help but wonder what sort of business could possibly have brought him here.
It was late into the afternoon before Ontar would get an answer to that question. By this time, his sparring match had been concluded and his weapons and armor were put away so he could take up the more mundane task of mucking out the Drunken Soldier’s stables. Ontar hated this job, and it was one he’d been forced to do ever since he was a child. The smell of horse manure always made him gag, and to compensate, he learned how to hold his breath for extended periods of time.
Shooing flies away, Ontar noticed the stranger’s horse (which he’d seen earlier) was now resting in one of the stalls. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to learn some more about this man from the tavern’s staff once I’ve finished here, he thought. Leaning over with his shovel to scoop up yet another steaming pile of crap, Ontar was caught off guard when Yorus suddenly appeared at the entrance of the stable. His eyes were red, and there was a pained expression on his face. “Ontar, I need to talk with you in private. It’s urgent.”
Hesitantly setting down his shovel, Ontar said, “Alright, follow me.” Leading his cousin out of the stable, Ontar entered the tavern and headed towards his room. As he did, he noticed the man he saw earlier was seated at a table and eating a hefty meal.
Opening the door to his room, Ontar stepped inside and stood by the bed. Staring at his cousin, he asked, “Yorus, what’s going on?”
Yorus closed the door behind him and took a deep breath. “Ontar, the man you saw in the tavern just now was a lumberjack from Shroka.”
Ontar nodded in acknowledgement. Shroka was a village near his hometown of Kinnerba. Merchants from there would often spend the night at his family’s tavern when coming off the trade route to the Illamine.
Yorus’s voice wavered. “According to him, Kinnerba has been sacked, and all of its residents are dead.”
“What…no!” Ontar exclaimed as his legs went weak, and he sat on the bed. Bracing himself with his hands on his knees, he said, “No, how could this happen? Who would do something like that?”
Yorus leaned over and rested a hand on Ontar’s shoulder. “According to Sir Brovine, there is a bandit named Lydon, whose men have been raiding villages along the border and hiding in elvish lands to avoid capture.”
“Why aren’t the elves doing anything!?” Ontar demanded.
Letting out a sigh, Yorus replied, “Lydon hasn’t attacked the elves directly, and they refuse to believe that a human could just pass in and out of their realm undetected.”
Ontar could barely contain his sorrow. “So, what are we going to do now?”
“Sir Brovine is dispatching a patrol to investigate and determine where the bandits will attack next.”
Ontar looked his cousin straight in the eyes. “Yorus, I have to be on that patrol.”
A tear streamed down Yorus’s cheek. “I’ve already made the request for both of us, and with any luck, we will find the bastards who did this.”
“Thank you,” Ontar said.
Squeezing Ontar’s shoulder, Yorus stood up and quietly exited the room.
Ontar couldn’t believe what he had just heard. His whole family was gone! Never again would he be able to taste his mother’s home cooked meals or go fishing with his father down by the riverbank. Nor would he be able to give his little sister a big hug after coming home from a long journey. The indescribable feeling of loss that consumed him was overwhelming. Unable to hold back his grief any longer, Ontar buried his face in his hands and wept.
“Are you nervous?” Favin asked Echo as they traveled with a company of guards down a dirt road through the forest.
“Of what?” Echo inquired as she squirmed within her leather armor. She and Favin both had exactly same equipment but, for some reason, hers felt heavy and binding while he, on the other hand, seemed to strut around as comfortable as ever.
Favin appeared to be irritated by the question. “Of traveling to a foreign land to fight against some fearsome unknown enemy.”
Echo snorted. “Favin, I think you’re being a little dramatic. Both of us have been to Kinnerba before, and anything that comes at us will also have to deal with just about every single guard in Thramahas.”
“Well, just to be on the safe side, you should probably stay close to me,” Favin warned. “Remember that Coronas is a violent realm which conquered the prosperous lands along our border to become the kingdom it is today. When they eventually grew bold enough to attack us directly, we taught them a lesson they’d never forget, but as a result, the humans continue to hold a lingering grudge.”
Echo couldn’t help but smile over the concern in his voice and was about to comment on it when someone up ahead called the company to a halt. Listening intently, she heard the sound of rushing water coming from close by, and knew they were near the river which formed the border between Coronas and the Illamine.
Speaking in a cautious tone, a scout came up to Jayvoe and pointed to the ground they stood on. “Hey, Captain, look at this. The earth around here is all soft and level, and the road practically blends right into it. It’s almost as if someone is intentionally trying to smooth out the surrounding area.”
Kneeling to study the earth, Jayvoe frowned. “There’s magic at work here, and something is definitely trying to cover its tracks. I want weapons out and bows at ready. We’ll move amongst the trees until we reach the river. Is that understood?”
The guards nodded in agreement as Echo and Favin drew their swords and left the road to sneak through the forest. It wasn’t long before the company reached the banks of the Cherenon River and spotted a gray stone bridge that led into the human lands. On the bridge’s far side was an old square watch tower that had a small stable connected to it. If Echo remembered right, the tower was Kinnerba’s only real fortification, which wasn’t really all that surprising given the size of the town.
Waiting for orders, Echo and Favin watched as Jayvoe sent his scout across the bridge. Moments later, Echo gasped as a flock of crows from the other side took off into the sky.
Leaning close to one of her pointed ears, Favin whispered, “Are you alright?”
Echo blushed. “Yeah, the stupid birds just startled me.”
Seconds later, the scout appeared on the far side of the bridge and signaled for the others to come. Forming ranks, the company cautiously crossed the bridge to enter Kinnerba. As they did, a slight breeze carried a foul stench to Echo’s nostrils…the stench of death.
Stepping onto human soil and moving past the watch tower, Echo saw a town whose buildings lined both sides of the main road. A tavern and a stone shrine marked the town’s most notable structures while several small houses and shops comprised the remainder of this settlement. It all would have been rather ordinary were it not for a sight that chilled both Echo and her fellow companions to the bone.
Bodies…everywhere.
Echo looked as the corpses of men, women, and children were seen strewn about and rotting in the sun. It had been forty years since the last person had died in Thramahas, and when they did, the entire community gathered together to mourn their passing. Here, however, an entire town had been massacred! And there wasn’t a single person left to weep for the dead. Echo trembled upon seeing this horror, and Favin sheathed his sword so he could put an arm around her shoulders and comfort her.
A cold expression crossed Jayvoe’s face as he ordered his guards to search the town and surrounding forest. Favin and Echo had been given the task of exploring the watch tower. It would be a gruesome duty from the moment they began. Many of those who died had desperately sought the tower’s protection, and the nearby corpse of a chain-clad guard indicated its poor defenders had doubtlessly tried to help them.
Entering the attached stable, Echo tried not to gag at the stench. Shooing away flies, she and Favin spotted the mutilated corpse of a second guard crushed beneath the body of his dead horse. He didn’t even have a chance to find help, Echo thought before leaving the stable to explore the rest of the tower.
Stepping onto the cold gray stone of the towers first floor, Echo saw a large square room with stairs along the wall leading up to the buildings next level. The chamber had obviously been ransacked with its desk and dining table carelessly turned over. A cauldron could be seen resting on its side by the fireplace near a couple of empty stools. If there was anything of value in this room, it surely must have already been taken.
Climbing up the stairs to the second floor, Echo and Favin came upon a room with three beds, a couple of empty weapon racks, and some stripped armor dummies. Echo shook her head. If the beds were any indication, then Kinnerba was probably only protected by three modestly equipped guards. Hardly a force capable of stopping any real threat. Continuing on to the top of the tower, Echo found this last room to be pretty bare, with only a small table and two stools located across from a wall lined with slitted windows and a few pairs of shackles. Looking out one of these windows, Favin saw Jayvoe standing near the center of town.
“Company…assemble!” called the captain.
Heeding his command, Favin and Echo left the tower to join the other guards as they crowded around Jayvoe.
Surveying those who had gathered, Jayvoe proclaimed in a loud voice, “A tragedy has befallen this town, and its dead deserve the respect they once had in life. Gather the bodies of those who have fallen and bring them here so that we may build them a funeral pyre.”
Obeying his orders without question, Echo, Favin, and the other guards all proceeded to collect the corpses they found along with any other burnable material they could pile up in the center of town. Once this was done, Jayvoe approached the pyre with a burning torch in his hand.
“Kardok has claimed the souls of those who once lived within this town. Now, let Mirsha return their bodies to the soil so the land may be renewed.”
With that said, Jayvoe took his torch and tossed it onto the pyre. Within minutes, its flames had consumed the bodies of Kinnerba’s inhabitants. In a moment of solidarity, Echo and Favin joined hands with the other guards who had gathered and formed a circle around the blaze. Staring into the burning inferno, the elves sang a song of mourning for those unfortunate innocents who had tragically perished.
It wasn’t long after the song’s conclusion that a scout called out, “Riders…approaching fast!”
Drawing his bow, Jayvoe looked to the others and commanded, “Conceal yourselves.”
As the other guards scattered, Favin looked at Jayvoe and asked, “What about you?”
“I will see who we’re up against,” Jayvoe said as he nocked an arrow.
Ontar spurred his horse forward until it matched pace with his cousin’s mount. The two were part of a six-man patrol riding west along a dirt road through Illamine Forest. Having pushed their animals hard over the past couple of days, the patrol was currently moving at a canter until they reached Kinnerba. Clearly bothered by the loss of his family, Ontar said, “Tell me, Yorus, what do you know about Lydon?”
Yorus tried to recall what little he knew. “They say he’s one of our countrymen, and that he was part of several different bandit groups before starting one of his own. Some people believe he’s won the trust of the fey folk by purchasing the children they steal and selling them to slavers.”
“But how would I find him in a fight?” Ontar demanded.
“Look for a man with a blood red beard who uses two short swords in battle,” Yorus replied. “Just be careful if you face him. He kills for a living and has a lot more combat experience than you.”
Ontar felt his muscles tense. “It doesn’t matter. Every man I kill in battle will only make me stronger. So, when I finally do face that son of a bitch, he will die realizing no one can stand against me!”
“Dammit, Ontar, get back in formation!” Gerig snarled from up ahead. “Just because Sir Brovine took pity on you doesn’t mean I have to.”
Ontar’s grip tightened on the reins of his horse. Gerig’s idea of a formation was to have him riding about as far back from the rest of the soldiers as possible. Ontar had nearly exploded when he learned the pompous little shit was put in command of the patrol. Unfortunately, he was there more as courtesy than anything else, which meant he didn’t have any right to complain about Gerig’s leadership. Reluctantly following orders, Ontar slowed his horse and fell into step behind Yorus.
Perturbed by the company he kept, Ontar tried to take comfort in the familiar surroundings that indicated he was close to home. Growing up in this part of the forest, he recognized almost every tree, rock, and shrub the patrol came across. In the past, these landmarks would have put him in pleasant mood before a homecoming, but now, they only served to increase his heartache. A part of Ontar deeply wished that he wasn’t going to Kinnerba so that he could preserve the memories from his childhood. However, the need to know what happened there took precedence, and he was determined to find some answers.
Rounding a bend in the road, Ontar smelled smoke coming from up ahead. Gerig obviously caught the scent as well and ordered his men to follow him as he galloped towards Kinnerba. Within moments, the patrol had passed through the tree line and entered into the town of Ontar’s birth. It was an odd sensation for Ontar to see the place that he once called home without the people who used to reside in it. What was even more peculiar, though, was that a large funeral pyre had been erected in the center of town with a single, long-haired elf standing next to it. The elf carried a fancy loaded bow and looked at the patrol as if he were expecting them.
Echo and Favin watched Jayvoe face the patrol from a slitted window at the top of the watch tower. Having their bows armed and ready, a single word from their captain would bring a hail of arrows upon the unsuspecting humans. Watching with nervous excitement, Echo saw the patrols leader trot up to Jayvoe on his horse.
“Hey…hey! What are you doing?” Gerig asked as he gazed between the elf and the funeral pyre.
“Paying homage to those who have passed before their time,” Jayvoe replied calmly.
Gerig didn’t really care for poetic nonsense. “Oh, really, because to me it looks like you’re desecrating our dead.”
Jayvoe was genuinely shocked at the accusation. “Not at all. I can assure you that my intentions are truly honorable. I am Jayvoe. Captain of the guard in Thramahas, and I’ve been sent here to investigate the tragic loss of life you see before you.”
Gerig snorted. “Huh, well, I’m Corporal Gerig Arben. A ranking soldier of Coronas whose duty is to keep elves like you from prancing across our border.”
“I see,” Jayvoe replied coldly. He didn’t appreciate the tone this inferior was taking with him. “However, the loss of life here is of concern to both our people, and I think that we can all benefit from helping each other in this matter.”
“Somehow, I doubt that,” Gerig said. “For all I know, your people were the ones who actually raided this town, and they left you behind to try and hide any evidence of their involvement.”
“What! How dare you accuse me of such a disgusting act,” Jayvoe snapped.
“Oh, don’t bother getting all high and mighty,” Gerig retorted. “I’m giving you one chance to flee from here while you still can.”
Jayvoe’s jaw clenched. “Is that a threat?”
Gerig was losing his temper. “Yes, you stupid twig. Now, get your ass back across that bridge before I kick it there.”
Glaring at this insolent fool, Jayvoe said, “Try it.”
Gerig was not about to let this challenge go unmet and immediately drew his sword. Ontar saw Yorus and the other soldiers follow suit but hesitated in joining them. As far as he was concerned, Gerig had provoked this fight, and he refused to participate in it unless absolutely necessary.
Watching the humans draw their swords, Jayvoe raised his Bow of Unyielding and fired a warning shot.
This warning shot completely took the patrol by surprise as Jayvoe’s arrow passed straight through one of Gerig’s legs, raked a long bloody cut along the side of Yorus’s horse, and pierced the chest of Ontar’s mount before emerging from its rump to continue its lethal path through the forest. One side of the patrol immediately fell into disarray as Gerig howled in pain while Yorus’s horse reared up and threw its rider from the saddle. Ontar’s animal didn’t even accomplish that much as it simply collapsed to the ground dead.
Struggling to get off his slain mount, Ontar looked around and suddenly realized there were elves everywhere! Stepping out from behind trees, emerging from vacant buildings, and looking down on him from their rooftops, these silent warriors clearly had the upper hand in this situation. Reacting either out of fear or pain, Gerig ordered the patrol into a hasty retreat that sent them galloping back along the road. Unable to comply, Ontar watched helplessly as Yorus’s wounded horse ran past him. Holding completely still, he cautiously waited to see what the elves would do.
“Should we kill them?” shouted an elf from a nearby rooftop.
Jayvoe raised his hand in a halting gesture. “No, let the inferiors flee for now. Perhaps when they return, it will be with someone who isn’t a complete idiot.”
“What should we do with those two?” asked an elf who stood by a tree and pointed to Ontar and Yorus.
Giving them a cursory glance Jayvoe said, “Bring them to the tower for questioning.”
Apprehended by elves, Ontar and Yorus were taken to the top floor of the stone watch tower where Ontar used to train with local guards as an adolescent. Shackled with arms up along a wall next to his cousin, Ontar saw the elves remove his backpack, shield, and weapon belt, which were tossed onto a small table across from him. There were two elves already in this chamber when Ontar and Yorus arrived, and they were selected for guard duty as the others left the tower.
Favin paced the floor in front of the prisoners and studied them closely. Echo, on the other hand, pulled up a stool and began rummaging through their equipment. It would be nightfall before any of them would choose to speak. Ontar gazed at the female elf for quite some time. Somehow, he felt like he recognized her but, at the moment, he couldn’t put a name to the face.
Favin did not like the way Ontar looked at Echo. Lighting one of the torch-lit sconces, he asked, “What are you staring at, human?”
“He’s probably just watching as you thieving elves rob us blind,” Yorus blurted out.
“Silence, inferior!” Favin snapped. “My people are not thieves.”
“Speak for yourself,” Echo said as she took the coin pouch off Yorus’s weapon belt and tossed it onto the stool next to her. “Here, Favin. Why don’t you take this pouch and buy me something pretty when we get back to Thramahas?”
Yorus snickered, and Favin gave him a dirty look. However, before words could be exchanged, Ontar glanced at Echo and said, “I know you. Your name is Echo, isn’t it?”
Initially, Echo hadn’t bothered to pay much attention to the humans, but when one of them addressed her by name, she couldn’t help but answer, “Yes…yes, it is. Have we met?”
Ontar nodded. “When I was a child, you watched over me while my father conducted business in Thramahas. Back then, they called me Onnie, but now I’m known as Ontar.”
Standing up slowly, Echo approached Ontar and examined his features. Humans aged so terribly quick it was almost impossible to recognize them before they reached maturity, but there was something in Ontar’s demeanor that reminded her of a little boy she used to tend to not so very long ago.
“Oh, yeah, I think I remember you. You used to have family around here, if I’m not mistaken.”
Ontar winced at the comment as the anguish in his heart was still fresh. “Yes…I did.”
Favin folded his arms. “Hmm. I didn’t realize you were from this area. Perhaps then, you might know what happened to the residents of this town?”
Yorus gave him a surprised look. “Didn’t you see the bandits who did this?”
Shaking her head, Echo said, “No. Everyone was already dead when we arrived. All we did was lay their bodies to rest.”
“So, Lydon must have already fled across the border,” Ontar stated with melancholy dismay.
“May I assume Lydon is the leader of the bandits who attacked this town?” came a voice from the stairs that caught everyone’s attention. Entering the top of the tower, Jayvoe gave a stern, yet curious, look at his prisoners.
Ontar nodded. “Yes. We believe he’s hiding on your half of the border even as we speak.”
Echo shook her head. “No, that’s not possible. We would have already run into him if he tried to do that.”
“Not if he had help,” Yorus argued.
“There are no traitors among my people,” Favin snapped.
Ontar started to get a little annoyed with Favin. “What about the fey folk?”
Growing concerned, Echo asked, “You don’t think the imps are involved, do you?”
“It might explain how they would be able to avoid detection by our rangers,” Jayvoe mused.
“We have to get back to Thramahas!” Echo exclaimed. “Our families and homes are vulnerable while we’re here.”
Yorus frowned when he heard this. “I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. Gerig thinks that your people attacked Kinnerba, and there’s a good chance that Sir Brovine will send a contingent of troops to retaliate. If you abandon the town now, then there will be nothing to keep my kingdom from attacking whatever the bandits haven’t already destroyed in Thramahas.”
“If there are bandits in Thramahas,” Favin argued. “These humans have offered no proof that anyone has crossed the border or are working with the imps. For all we know, they could be trying to lure our troops away from their defensive positions so that either the bandits or their soldiers can attack us from behind.”
Echo personally didn’t think the humans were lying. “Favin, I love you, but if you’re wrong, then Thramahas could be in real danger.”
“And if I’m right, then we could be putting ourselves in danger,” Favin countered.
Jayvoe didn’t like the uncertainty of the situation but knew he needed to act. “I think the best course of action would be to divide our forces. Favin, I want you to lead half of the guards back to Thramahas and ensure that it’s protected from bandits. I will stay here with the other half to make sure that Coronas doesn’t try to invade our lands.”
“And the prisoners?” Favin asked.
Jayvoe pointed to Yorus and said, “He will stay as proof that we did not come here to kill all of the humans.” Pointing to Ontar, he added, “That one will go with you to Thramahas. The velen can question him about any links there might be between the bandits and the imps.”
Feeling honored to serve in a leadership position, Favin gave Jayvoe a respectful bow. “I’ll make sure my guards are ready to leave at dawn.”
Ontar exchanged an uncertain look with Yorus. By dividing their forces, the elves risked not having the strength to fend off either bandits or soldiers, and while soldiers could be negotiated with, the bandits wouldn’t hesitate to cut down a weaker opponent. A situation that didn’t bode well for whoever they decided to target first.
Two days later, Ontar found himself struggling to keep up with the brisk pace set by his captors. The elves’ strange meditation practices allowed them to get by with only minimal rest, which meant they would push him to keep going from sunup to sundown, and well into the night. Adding to Ontar’s discomfort were the ropes, which bound his hands behind his back and made sleep extremely difficult on his already exhausting journey.
Trudging along a dark dirt road through the forest, Ontar guessed that it was getting close to midnight and prayed they were near their destination. Tasked with watching over him, Echo carried a torch to light his way while Favin led the other guards towards their destination. Feeling pity for the human, she asked, “Does traveling this road bring back memories of your childhood?”
Ontar nodded. “Yes. My father always felt your people were such talented musicians. We even tried to sing their songs, but usually, our efforts ended in nothing more than laughter as we could never remember the lyrics.”
“Your father was a good man,” Echo added. “I remember the first time we met was when he came to Thramahas and saw me trying to rescue child who had climbed up a tree and was too afraid to get down. The child had panicked and refused all my attempts at help. Eventually, I got frustrated, threw a rock at the boy and caught him when he fell. Amused by the way I handled the situation, your father asked if I would watch you while he conducted his business. When I asked why, he said that sometimes reasoning with a child doesn’t work, and when that happens, you have to be willing to throw a rock.”
Smiling sadly, Ontar said, “He always was a good judge of character. I just can’t believe the gods would let someone so kind be killed by someone so cruel.”
For a brief moment, Echo saw the little boy she used to care for and wished she could comfort him. “Thramahas is just up ahead. Once we arrive, I’ll make sure the velen treats you with respect while you’re in his custody.”
“Thank you,” Ontar replied. He was about to say something further when the company of guards noticed a scout running back along the road towards them. Panting as he came to a stop, the scout looked to Favin and said, “You must hurry! Thramahas is burning!”
“I want bows and blades out NOW!” Favin ordered.
Moving swiftly, Echo joined half of the guards in pulling out their bows and loading them while Favin drew forth his sword and shield to fight with the other half. Prodded forward by the elves at his side, Ontar went along with his captors as Favin ordered the elves to, “MOVE!”
It wasn’t long before everyone heard the faint sounds of crackling wood mixed with the cries of battle. The scent of smoke hung heavy in the air and as the company reached the end of the road where they stopped just outside the perimeter of Thramahas…and saw the town was burning!
Echo stood wide-eyed as she witnessed the homes of her friends and neighbors alight with searing hot flames that spread to the very trees they rested in. Those who lived in these homes could be seen running across rope bridges or jumping off platforms in a tragic attempt at escaping a fiery demise. Sadly, thing’s on the ground weren’t any safer. Watching in horror, she saw the burnt-out husk of a blackened house collapse onto a merchant stall where a terrified family had been hiding, killing them instantly.
Basking in the chaos of this moment was a host of wicked humans armed with a variety of deadly weapons and armor. Looting stalls, attacking innocents, and taking prisoners, these black-hearted bandits moved about the forest floor like bloodthirsty wolves eager to pounce on their helpless prey.
Favin refused to let these monsters destroy everything he held dear. Pointing his sword, he shouted, “Archers! Fire on any bandit who tries to reach our homes. As for the rest of you…ATTACK!” Watching his fellow guards charge towards the bandits’ ranks, Favin turned to Echo and said, “Stay here…stay safe…I will come back for you.” Not waiting for her to respond, he surged forth into the fray and swung his sword at the nearest bandit he could find.
Arrows whizzed past Echo’s head as she watched her true love go. During their time together, Favin had always appeared to be kind and gentle person. To see him attacking an enemy that came from nowhere seemed almost surreal…but that enemy was not alone. As Favin fought against one particularly vicious foe, she spotted a second bandit armed with a war hammer coming to aid his companion.
Moving on instinct, Echo pulled out her bow and drew back an arrow. Never before had she taken the life of another intelligent being, yet when faced with a man who was attempting to kill her beloved, she didn’t even hesitate to take aim and fire upon him. The bandit stumbled and fell as the arrow pierced his chest and punctured his heart. Favin barely noticed. Killing his opponent with unbridled fury, he rallied the guards at his side and charged deeper into the frenzied inferno of Thramahas.
The elves have made their move, Ontar thought as he witnessed the carnage around him. Now, it’s the bandits’ turn. Sure enough, an imposing bandit with long red hair and a beard had gathered his own archers near a merchant’s stall within firing range of where the guards were positioned. Matching the description of the man who killed his family, Ontar saw Lydon was dressed in a tattered brown cloak that scarcely went past his shoulder blades and wore a crimson headband. His sleeveless tan shirt was barely visible beneath some chain armor that came to a stop just above his green pants and black boots. Clutching a short sword in each hand, he pointed one of the blades towards the bow-wielding guards and instructed his men to, “Fire!”
Seeing Echo was about to get struck by the barrage, Ontar slammed into her side, causing both of them to fall to the ground. The bold act saved their lives as the surrounding guards soon had their bodies riddled with arrows. Terrified by the sudden deaths of those around her, Echo said, “I have to find Favin!” Shouldering her bow, she drew forth her sword and shield and told Ontar to, “Turn around.” Ontar obediently did so and was rewarded with Echo’s blade slicing the ropes that bound him. Free to meet her gaze, Ontar stared at Echo as she said, “Your life is your own. Do as you wish.”
Watching as Echo went to join her suitor in battle, Ontar saw the devastation being wrought upon the elves and remembered what these bastards had done back at Kinnerba. Thinking of the family he’d never see again, he felt an unbridled rage wash over him, and clenching his fists, he grabbed a sword from one of the dead guards and followed her into the battle!
Catching sight of a leather clad bandit with a cloth sack looting a nearby merchant stall, Ontar lunged forward ready to strike. Seeing him approach, the bandit kicked over the stall to slow his advance as he grabbed a spear and thrust it outwards. Sidestepping the attack, Ontar felt the spear’s head scrape across his chain armor just below the collar. Ready for a counterstrike, Ontar swung his sword and slashed the bandit’s right hand, leaving him to wield his weapon with the left one. Distracted by the painful blow, the bandit died while switching his battle stance as Ontar plunged his sword deep into the man’s side.
Watching his foe die caused Ontar to shudder. This was real! There were no trainers to mediate the fight or practice restraint to prevent serious injury. It was kill or be killed, and for all Ontar knew, he might actually die this night. The thought was sobering, but when compared to those who had already perished at the hands of these bloodthirsty bastards, he knew that any sacrifice on his part would be a small one. Ready to exact his vengeance on behalf of those who had fallen, Ontar raised his weapon and sought out his next opponent!
Elsewhere in the town, Echo found herself gazing through the anarchy about her while desperately looking for Favin. Calling his name over and over again, she frantically strained to hear his voice. Unfortunately, the first sound to reach her ears was the scream of a young boy who stood on the platform of his family’s treetop home. The platforms rope bridges had been cut to prevent invaders from crossing, but a bandit with a short bow had fired a flaming arrow from the ground below and successfully hit one of the house’s side walls. Taking action, the boy’s father pulled him inside the house before emerging with a bucket full of water. As the distraught parent attempted to extinguish the blaze, the murderous bandit reloaded his bow and took aim at the easy target.
“No!” Echo shouted as she made a mad dash towards the bandit. Whether this was an act of bravery or stupidity, she couldn’t be sure, but she did manage to get his attention as he quickly whirled about and fired on her. Relying on her keen reflexes, Echo raised her shield to block the arrow at the last possible moment. To her credit, she actually succeeded in intercepting the attack, but at such close range, the arrow still managed to pierce her shield and imbed itself in her forearm. Faltering from the explosion of pain, she recoiled from her attacker.
Taking the initiative, the bandit dropped his bow and drew a dagger from his boot. Holding the weapon blade down, he charged at Echo while attempting to stab her. Spotting his mistake the moment he made it, Echo swung her sword at the bandit and used its superior length to cut the man’s weapon arm off at the elbow. Howling in agony, the bandit was killed by Echo’s follow up attack.
Stepping away from her opponent’s body, Echo attempted to remove the arrow from her arm. To accomplish this, she first had to snap the shaft by smashing it with the hilt of her sword. Gritting her teeth as she performed this excruciating task, she then sheathed her weapon so she could try to slowly slide her shield off the broken arrow.
Distracted by this procedure, Echo almost didn’t hear the sound of a bandit rider in scale armor galloping towards her on his fearsome steed. Leaping out of the way, Echo avoided being trampled only to fall prey to the bandit’s hidden net as he cast it over her. Jerking the drawstring, the bandit managed to capture his prey and drag her along the ground behind his mount.
Witnessing what just happened, Ontar ran across the bandit’s blind side and intercepted him just as he was about to ride past. Swinging his sword, Ontar chopped off the bandit’s leg in one smooth motion. Releasing his net and falling from his horse, the bandit hit the ground hard. Rendered immobile, the warrior could do little aside from raising his arms defensively as Ontar ended his wretched life.
Going over to release Echo from the net, Ontar stopped when he caught sight of the man responsible for all this devastation. Having just killed one of the few elvish guards brave enough to fight him, Lydon met Ontar’s gaze and held his blood-soaked swords at ready. Clutching his own blade in two hands, Ontar felt an explosive fury consume him as he let out the most menacing battle cry he could muster. Filled with an uncontrollable rage, he surged towards Lydon and prepared to hack him into pieces!
It would have been hard for Lydon to miss Ontar’s charge, and he could appreciate how engrossed his opponent was in the battle, but the warrior was clearly irrational, which would make him sloppy. The second Ontar came within striking range, he made a clumsy swing with his sword that possessed far more force than skill. Nimbly dodging the attack, Lydon let Ontar’s momentum work against him as he used one of his blades to cut a nasty gash along the warrior’s shoulder. As Ontar stumbled past him, Lydon spun around and used his other sword to make a wicked slice across his enemy’s back.
Unable to see what was happening, Echo struggled to free herself from the net that had entangled her. Initially, she thought Ontar had come to her aid but, for some reason, he decided to abandon her at the last minute. Coping with a painful arrow wound, she pulled herself out of the net, then let go of her shield so she could tug the projectile free from her arm. Thankfully, the arrow wasn’t embedded too deep, and it was actually removed when she jerked off the shield. With blood pouring from her injured forearm, Echo stood up and moved over to rip a piece of cloth off a dead bandit’s cloak.
Once her arm was wrapped, Echo retrieved her shield. As she did, she saw three heavily-armed bandits running towards her. Shit! she thought. Preoccupied with caring for her wounds, she now found the bandits were practically on top of her. Prepared to meet a grisly end, Echo stood before her killers…and watched as everything suddenly went black.
Ontar gritted his teeth as one of Lydon’s swords nicked the base of his chin. The bandit leader was a skilled fighter who effortlessly defended himself against Ontar’s attacks. Wishing he had his morning star, Ontar reeled backwards while trying his best to guard against his enemy’s short swords. Ready to face another bout of punishment, Ontar was surprised when a strange darkness came out of nowhere and consumed everything around him.
“Squeaker, where are you?” came a voice from the darkness.
A feeling of hope rose within Echo as she realized that her aunt was calling for her. “I’m over here!” she shouted.
“Stay right there, and I’ll find you,” Searce said as her voice grew closer.
Cursing the mystical darkness that encompassed him, Ontar backed away from Lydon out of fear that he’d be attacked while blinded. Overhearing the exchange between Echo and her aunt, he stumbled their direction and hoped they wouldn’t think he was an enemy.
Lydon fumed over the abrupt end to the battle. Jerking his head upwards, he shouted, “Figit! Get your ass down here NOW!”
Echo tensed as she felt someone touch her shoulder. “Searce, is that you?”
“No, it’s me,” said Ontar. “Who’s Searce?”
“Her aunt,” replied a feminine voice just in front of him. “Who are you?” Ontar cocked his head curiously in that direction. There was something in this mysterious woman’s tone undeniably alluring to him.
“A human named Ontar.” Echo explained. “Don’t worry he’s with me.”
Trying to let their eyes to adjust to the blackness around them, the trio were shocked when a small sphere of bright yellow light unexpectedly flashed into existence just off to their left. Hovering in the center of this sphere was a small winged creature that slowly seemed to be descending towards the ground.
“Ugh…not again,” groaned Searce.
“What’s that?” Ontar asked as he saw several more spheres light up nearby.
“Imps,” Searce answered with a sneer. “They’re using their magic to counter my spell.”
Echo watched the imps fly low to the ground. As they did, the bandits’ shadowy silhouettes moved once more. “We have to get out of here!”
“Take my hands,” Searce said as she stepped close to Ontar and Echo. Ontar felt a tingle race up his arm as he took Searce’s hand in his. Her touch was soft yet firm with smooth long nails that eloquently slipped between his fingers. It was silly, but for some reason Ontar felt like he could follow this unseen elf just about anywhere.
Together, the three crept through the darkness. All about them they heard the screams of innocents accompanied by the bandit’s malicious shouts. Echo’s imagination whirled to new heights with each tortured cry. Please, Favin, please be alright, she thought as a tear rolled down her cheek. Before long, the mystic darkness gave way to reveal a more natural forest setting. Looking back Echo saw a large black dome from whence they came, and above it were the burning homes of Thramahas.
At last, Ontar thought as he finally had a chance to gaze upon his rescuer. Turning to his left, he couldn’t help but gape at the unquestioned beauty that held his hand. Searce could only be described of as a goddess in elvish form, and his palms sweated just from touching her. Noticing his tension, she glanced over at him and quirked an eyebrow. Ontar was in awe as the distant firelight from the burning homes cast her perfect features into deep, sensual shadows. Thanking the gods that it was too dark for her to see his face heat, Ontar abruptly let go of her hand and stood completely still as if frozen.
Oblivious to Ontar’s reaction, Echo asked in a quivering voice, “What do we do now?”
Searce gave a sad little sigh. “There’s nothing more we can do here. I think that we’ll have to spend tonight in the forest and return to Thramahas in the morning. The bandits should be gone by then.”
Nodding in silent agreement, the three set off through the woods with heavy hearts while trying hard not to look back at the chaos they left behind.
Part Two
Echo hugged her knees as she sat beneath the branches of an old maple tree and talked with Searce. Her aunt sat cross-legged as she calmly told Echo about how the bandits and imps had caught Thramahas completely by surprise when they started their raid. Clearly outnumbered, Searce had utilized her talents to help as many people as she possibly could to escape from the onslaught, but her single greatest regret was that no matter how hard she tried, she still wasn’t able to reach Echo’s parents in the midst of all the chaos.
Remembering how terrible it had been for her and Ontar to try and fight against the bandits, Echo tried to reassure Searce that everything that could have been done probably was. Looking over at her new human ally, Echo saw Ontar pull his cloak tightly around himself as he squirmed in his sleep. The brawny warrior had tried to join in their conversation earlier that evening but fatigue had finally caught up with him.
Wondering what he dreamt about, Echo wished that the horrors she had encountered earlier in the evening were just some sort of nightmare that would vanish with the coming dawn…but deep down, she knew they wouldn’t. As the sun rose over Illamine Forest, Echo felt her heart ache as she painfully longed to have Favin by her side once more.
The sun had its effect on Ontar, too, as he awoke with a start after experiencing a number of bad dreams throughout the night. Plagued by images of his battle with Lydon, he could still remember the hatred he felt towards the bandit leader who killed his family. Sitting up hastily, he looked around while trying to get his bearings.
Echo sat beneath a tree with a forlorn expression on her face as her eyes rose to meet his. Her suitor had disappeared during last night’s battle, and Ontar suspected that he had perished during the onslaught. Next to her was Searce, who looked absolutely radiant in the early morning light, and the way she sat practically begged him to lay her down on the forest floor and make sweet passionate love to her.
Trying hard to resist that particular urge, Ontar cleared his throat and asked, “Have you two been waiting long?”
“Not really,” Echo replied. “We weren’t planning on returning to Thramahas until first light.”
“I see,” Ontar said as he stood up. Walking over to Searce, he offered her his hand. “Then I think we should get going.” Much to his delight, she took his hand and pulled herself up.
Releasing her grip and waiting for Echo to join them, Searce added, “Very well but remember, the place we’re returning to has been ravaged by bandits. Try not to let the sorrow of others consume you or you’ll be haunted by it for the rest of your days.”
It was a short trip back to the outskirts of Thramahas. Mentally preparing herself for the worst, Echo trudged along quietly until she heard the mournful cries of her people reverberating throughout the forest. Swallowing hard, she looked past the trees and into the town itself when she first caught sight of all those who had suffered the bandits’ wrath. Body after body could be seen scattered throughout the town and kneeling next to them were the tormented survivors who wailed at the loss of those they cared about.
Casting her eyes away from the terrible loss of life, Echo saw the burnt-out stalls and collapsed homes that now dominated much of Thramahas. Their smoldering ruins filled the air with a smoky smell that conflicted with the natural aroma of the tree’s flowering vines. In a strange way, it was as if nature itself hadn’t quite decided on whether or not embrace life or death in this instance.
Searce put a hand on Echo’s shoulder. “I know it’s horrible, Squeaker, and I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to return the forest for a while.” Echo didn’t budge, and Searce dropped her arm. “I’m going to try and arrange an audience with the velen to see what can be done. Ontar, I suggest that you stay out of sight until I return. I have a feeling the people here wouldn’t welcome the presence of a human right now.”
Ontar couldn’t fault the wisdom of her advice. “I’ll stay hidden until you need me.”
“Alright, I’ll be back soon,” Searce said as she gave Echo a lingering look before heading into town.
Waiting until her aunt was out of sight, Echo slowly entered Thramahas. As she did, Ontar asked, “Hey, where are you going?”
“I have to find him,” she replied ominously without looking back.
Ontar knew who Echo searched for and hoped that when she found him, she’d be strong enough to handle the grief that followed.
Echo tried not to tremble as she walked among those who suffered. To her left, a pair of adolescent boys tried to stay strong as they stood over the forms of their lifeless parents. To her right, an exhausted merchant picked through the charred remnants of his empty stall trying in vain to salvage what little remained of his life’s work. A little past him was a young mother who sat on her knees and wept as she held a bloodstained cloth over the right side of her young child’s face.
Echo felt the tears trickling down her cheeks as she thought over and over again. Please…please, don’t be here. And then she saw him. Favin lay dead on the ground, with a sword still in his hand, and a gruesome cut across his throat.
“Oh…no…no, no!” Echo sobbed as she fell upon his chest. What am I going to do? she asked herself. How can I live in a world without you? Grief and an emptiness in her heart filled Echo with unbearable remorse. Lost without her soul mate, she wept over his body until there were simply no more tears to shed, and even then, she still couldn’t bear to let him go.
Not far away, Ontar sat crouched with his sword by a tree at the edge of Thramahas. Looking out over a sea of butchered elves, he found that he couldn’t stop thinking about the events that took place last night. These people didn’t deserve to die the way they did, and when he saw what the bandits had done, it made him think of his parents and sister. From this moment on, elves and humans were united against a common enemy. One way or another, Lydon would die for what he did. Ontar only prayed that he would be the one responsible for his death.
Noticing that a crow had landed nearby to peck at some of the bodies, Ontar picked up a pebble and threw it at the damn bird. Cawing as it took flight, Ontar didn’t realize that his actions caught the eye of a white-robed cleric who was using his powers to heal the leg of an injured elf. Standing up, Teryl spotted Ontar and stared at him for quite some time. Ontar knew that encountering a spell caster at this distance was a dangerous position to be in, but he didn’t know if it was better to attack or flee? Moving slowly, Teryl shook his head and raised his hands submissively as he advanced towards Ontar.
“It’s not every day that a bandit would drive away the scavengers from his kill.”
“I’m no bandit,” Ontar asserted.
Teryl nodded in agreement. “I know…I can see the sorrow in your soul.”
Relaxing a little, Ontar said, “Somehow, I doubt your kindred would feel the same way.”
“Perhaps,” Teryl agreed as he lowered his hands. “But, unless I am mistaken, I would say that you have fought against the bandits on our behalf. Am I correct?”
“You are,” Ontar replied.
“Then the least I can do is show you our gratitude. Come, I will take you to see the velen so that he can provide you with safe refuge while you are here.”
Huh. Ontar started to like this elf. He only hoped that this velen he spoke of would be equally understanding.
Lost to the world around her, Echo was exhausted by the grief she felt and didn’t want to move from where she rested next to Favin, but soon, she felt a small hand touch her arm and gently pull her attention back to the land of the living.
Angry that someone would interrupt her mourning, Echo turned and saw Grik standing next to her. His eyes were red from crying, and his face was filled with fear. Lost in her own sorrow, she snapped at him, “Go away, Grik!”
Grik recoiled slightly at the harshness of her words, but standing his ground, he quietly said, “I-I can’t. Cora’s missing, and I don’t know where she is. Please, Echo, I’m really scared right now. Can you help me find her?”
Living or dead, Echo was not in the mood for granting favors, but when she glanced over at Grik’s tragic expression, she knew she couldn’t just leave him to look for his sister by himself. Cora would never forgive her for something like that…provided she was still alive. So, giving Favin one last lingering glance Echo kissed the first two fingers on her left hand and placed them on his lips. She then wiped away some tears and said to Grik, “Alright, you go home and see if she shows up there. I’ll search around town for any sign of her.”
A sad smile crossed Grik’s face. “Thank you,” he uttered before running off.
Standing up slowly, Echo said a quiet goodbye to Favin before continuing her journey through town. Trudging past the dead in search of her friend, she was overwhelmed by the cries of those around her. Unable to locate Cora amongst either the living or the dead, she quietly hoped there was still a chance Grik’s sister would be alright.
Taking solace in that thought Echo headed for home. Drained by the sheer misery of the people she encountered, Echo longed for a sanctuary where she could distance herself from the outside world in the hopes of gathering her thoughts and taking in everything that had happened. Arriving at the tree whose spiral staircase would lead her up to the town’s rope bridges, Echo remembered that many of these walkways had been dropped to prevent the bandits from reaching the homes of average citizens. Looking up to see if the bridge to her family’s tree was still intact, Echo was shocked to find that both the bridge and her house were gone! Tracing a soot-laden path down the trunk of the battered tree, Echo saw the blackened remnants of her once cherished home lying in a decimated heap over what had previously been her father’s stall.
“Mom…Dad,” she uttered quietly. A heavy feeling of guilt washed over Echo as she realized her parents’ fate. Up until this point, she had been completely focused on Favin, in part because she never imagined that something like this could ever happen to her parents. From little on, she had assumed they would always be there for her. After all, her people could live forever, and her folks were not the type to enter dangerous situations. Even now as her vision misted over, Echo could not believe they were truly gone.
Praying for some kind of miracle, she ran towards the remains of her house but jerked herself to a sudden stop when a feathery blur darted in front of her. Initially thinking that it was an imp, Echo reached for her sword only to stop herself when she saw that it was Hootie spreading his wings and hooting loudly in an all too familiar fashion.
“Dammit, Hootie, get out of the way!” Echo shrieked as tried to kick the stupid owl. Hootie barely dodged the attack and quickly took off into the air. Shouting in frustration, Echo cried. How could the gods spare such a worthless little creature like Hootie when the people she loved the most were slaughtered?
Stumbling forward with bleary eyes, Echo almost didn’t notice that someone was coming up on her right. It was Searce, and judging by her tears, Echo knew that her parents had not survived.
“Oh, Squeaker, I’m so sorry.”
Echo couldn’t take it anymore. Spreading her arms, she and Searce held each other and wept over the mutual sense of pain and loss that tore upon their very souls.
It seemed like a long time had passed before Echo and Searce made their way towards the velen’s hall. Part of that time had been spent looking for Ontar and Cora, but a chance encounter with Teryl revealed that the warrior at least had been brought into the velen’s home. Impressed that he was viewed as a guest instead of a prisoner, Echo wondered how Ontar managed to convince the cleric that he wasn’t just another bloodthirsty bandit.
Arriving with Searce at the velen’s hall, Echo noticed that aside from a few broken windows and some scorch marks, the building was still pretty much intact. The reason for this became apparent when she and Searce stepped onto the stage in front of the entry and discovered that it was covered in gory bandit remains. Searching for the cause of their demise, Echo noticed the statues on either side of the hall’s double doors now carried swords that were stained a dark crimson.
Filled with disgust, Echo said, “I can’t believe the velen would keep Thramahas’s best protectors for himself instead of sending them out to fight against the bandits who ravaged our town.”
Searce could understand Echo’s feelings but offered a counterpoint, “I wouldn’t judge him too harshly on that one. Remember that, if this hall was destroyed, there would be no place for the Thramahas’s survivors to go find help during their hour of need.”
Echo hadn’t considered that, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized the velen was now responsible for taking care of the many victimized people desperately in need. A daunting task given the levels of death and destruction she’d witnessed.
Approaching the hall’s main entrance, Searce pounded on the large double doors and waited for a response.
A meek feminine voice on the other side of the door asked, “Who’s there?”
Speaking loudly, Searce said, “It is Searce Karashenmahagensea and my niece Echo.”
“One moment, please,” the voice responded as the sound of a dragging crossbar could be heard from inside. Seconds later, a nervous servant opened one of the doors and said, “Please, follow me.”
Echo noticed the servant slid the crossbar back into place after she and Searce had entered the building. Following their guide down a long corridor, Echo glanced at the beautifully woven carpet she walked on and remembered just how pleasant the hall’s surroundings really were. Intricate golden sconces with colorful stained-glass covers provided illumination for elaborate murals crafted out of wood and tremendous paintings that were painstakingly produced by elvish masters.
Smirking, Echo remembered all the different times she had broken into this building. Searce had encouraged her to do it on multiple occasions to increase her burglary skills, and as long as she didn’t actually take anything, the velen usually forgave her. Echo’s parents, on the other hand, were far less lenient. Biting her lip, she found herself actually longing to hear one of their disapproving lectures just one more time.
Coming to a stop next to a door that might as well have been a work of art, the servant knocked softly and turned the knob so she could peek her head inside. After a few quiet words, she opened the door to the base of what appeared to be a pie-shaped room. Peering into the chamber, Echo saw an outward diagonal wall off to her left that had a roaring fireplace at its center. To her right was a similar wall with a beautifully designed desk that rested in front of an intricate tapestry. At the room’s far end was a long arcing window that had two tall standing shrubs on each side of it. The windows elegant curtains were closed, and Echo could see a small amount of broken glass lying on the floor.
In the center of the chamber, beneath a small crystal chandelier, was a circular carpet with four regal looking chairs evenly spaced around it. Sitting in one of these chairs was Ontar, while Velen Jolarie sat in another. Both warrior and noble seemed to focus their attention on Searce’s arrival, with the velen saying, “Ah, Searce, I’m glad that you and Echo have finally come to join us. Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss.”
Ontar couldn’t help but leer at Searce as she sat down. He had never wanted to be a piece of furniture more in his entire life, and judging Velen Jolarie’s reaction, he was not alone. When the two first met, the velen could barely restrain his fury at having a human in his presence during the wake of a bandit attack. Thankfully, Teryl was able to reason with him, and the elvish noble proved to be far more fair-minded than Ontar had initially hoped. Together, they discussed the bandits’ activities in Coronas and the incident surrounding the attack on Gerig’s patrol.
Once everyone was situated, Velen Jolarie began by saying, “As you all know, the bandit attacks both here and in Coronas have caused a terrible amount of damage to our countries. These brigands have killed without mercy or respect for our territorial sovereignty. So, as ruler of Thramahas, I have decided to recall our remaining guards and request that a contingent of troops be sent from the nearest city to deal with these fiends once and for all.”
Looking between Ontar and Echo, he said, “Echo, I will be providing you and Ontar with horses to speed your passage to Kinnerba. Once there, I want you to deliver the withdrawal notice to Jayvoe and ensure Ontar isn’t attacked by any of our people. Ontar, I humbly ask that you deliver a message to your superiors at Fort Hasborne, which will state the Illamine did not in any way violate Coronas’s borders or attack its settlements.”
“Why stop there?” Searce asked.
“What do you mean?” inquired the velen.
Searce elaborated, “Coronas has suffered at the bandits’ hands almost as badly as we have. Why not ask them to join us in wiping them out?”
Velen Jolarie frowned. “That would require me to allow armed human soldiers to enter our territory. Considering there are already bandits wreaking havoc in this area, I think the arrival of any more unwanted foreigners would probably cause the people to riot.”
“I doubt it,” Searce said. “Besides, you have to take into consideration how long it will take for a city to rally enough troops together to defeat the bandits. Don’t forget there’s still a score of unprotected villages nearby extremely vulnerable to attack. Do you really want to risk those people’s lives just to have our enemies killed by local soldiers?”
“No, I suppose not,” Velen Jolarie admitted grudgingly.
Echo shuddered at the thought of having the tragedy that befell Thramahas spreading to other communities. Facing the velen, she asked, “Well, why don’t you just continue with your original plan of sending the guards out to fight the bandits once they’ve been recalled from Kinnerba?”
Velen Jolarie shook his head sadly. “Because, after last night’s raid, I feel that between the bandit’s superior numbers, and their being aided by the imps, that our forces are no longer strong enough to handle them on their own.”
“Which is why we should try to form an alliance with Coronas,” Searce argued. “Ontar, how long do you think it would take for your kingdom’s troops to rendezvous here in Thramahas?”
Ontar scowled. “Depending on what Gerig’s told Sir Brovine, there could be a full brigade of soldiers marching towards the border even as we speak.”
“You see,” Searce added, “one way or another, you’re going to have to deal with Coronas. Now, we can either face them down as enemies, or we could enlist their aid in defeating the bandits who caused this problem in the first place.”
Taking a moment to ponder the conversation’s direction, Velen Jolarie sighed and gave a resigned smile. “Ugh, Searce. I never could say no to you.” Standing up and moving towards his desk, he added, “Echo, Ontar, I am going to compose a letter for both Jayvoe and Sir Brovine respectively to address what we’ve discussed here today. If the two of you would be good enough to deliver these messages, then I believe there is an excellent chance that we can eliminate the bandits and restore peace to our lands…provided, of course, that you’re up to the challenge?”
Ontar felt the pride well up within him. For the first time in his life, he was asked to take responsibility for something far greater than himself. Nodding with a serious expression on his face, he replied, “It would be an honor to act for the benefit of both our people.”
“I agree with Ontar,” Echo said hesitantly. She knew that it was important to help her people, but by the same token, she also didn’t want to surrender all her time for nothing. “However, I noticed earlier on that you said we’d be provided with horses to speed our journey. Would we be allowed to keep these animals once our quest was over?”
Sitting at his desk and pulling a quill from a nearby inkwell, the velen replied, “Yes, I think between the horses and Ontar’s request for his cousin’s freedom that your compensation has been settled.”
Echo leaned back in her chair and grinned slightly at the deal she’d struck. In no time at all, Velen Jolarie finished his letters and sealed them with a wax insignia. Handing them over to Ontar and Echo, the two quietly joined Searce in exiting the hall. As they stepped out onto the waiting stage, Echo turned to her aunt and asked, “Hey, Searce, what are you going to do while Ontar and I are delivering our messages?”
Searce gave her niece a dark look. “I am going to go find the bastards who killed my brother.”
Ontar and Echo swiftly raced through Illamine Forest on the back of their newly-acquired steeds. Eager to be back among his own people, Ontar couldn’t stop thinking about the letter he was to deliver to Sir Brovine, and whether or not the knight would choose to aid the elves of Thramahas. Echo, on the other hand, was worried about how the guards at Kinnerba would handle the news of a bandit attack on their homes and families.
The sun had just dipped below the trees when Ontar and Echo brought their horses to a stop along the waters of the Cherenon River. Standing on the far side of the bridge leading into Kinnerba were two elvish guards with bows armed and ready.
Looking over at Echo, one of them called out, “Who goes there?”
Echo dismounted from her horse and signaled for Ontar to do the same. “It’s Echo Karashenmahagensea, and I bring an urgent letter for Jayvoe from the velen.”
“What about him?” asked the second guard.
“He’s with me,” Echo replied, hoping that her answer would be sufficient.
Eyeing them carefully for a moment, the first guard said, “You’ll find Jayvoe at the tavern with everyone else.”
“Including my cousin?” Ontar asked.
The guard shook his head. “Don’t be stupid. He’s still locked in the tower.”
Echo ignored Ontar’s scowl and thanked the guards as they guided their horses across the bridge and into town.
A part of Ontar couldn’t believe that he was returning to his former home. The tavern was a two-story building with an attached stable and a hanging sign above the door that resembled a tombstone with the profile of a lion’s head on it. The sign was symbolic for his family’s name, and as Ontar led Echo into the stable to tether their horses, they heard a chorus of masculine singing coming from the building’s dining hall. It was a song of battle and glory sung by elves who had not yet learned their homes had been destroyed.
Regretting what was to come, Ontar pulled his sword out from the horse’s saddle and urged Echo to stay close as they entered the front of the tavern and saw that it was packed with elvish guards. Silencing their song on the approach of newcomers, the guards whispered to each other with surprised curiosity. Ontar felt a stirring in his heart as he stood in the dining hall. The elves had cleaned up any damage caused by the bandits, and he knew that his parents would have been thrilled with the number of patrons in their establishment…if only they were still alive to see it.
Echo spotted Jayvoe sitting alone at a small circular table sipping a mug of ale by the fireplace. Heading his direction with Ontar at her side, she approached the captain and met his cold hard gaze. Pulling the letter from one of the pouches on her belt, she nervously said, “Captain Jayvoe, I have been sent by Velen Jolarie to officially deliver this letter to you.”
Leery of her formality, Jayvoe took the letter, broke the seal, and read it. Watching his expression, Echo saw the guard captain’s eyes widen as his face went pale. Seconds later, his fists clenched and crinkled the sides of the letter. Looking up at Echo, she could see the silent fury raging within him.
“Is everything in this letter true?” he asked in an icy tone.
Echo tried not to fidget beneath his gaze. “I’m afraid so.”
Jayvoe turned his attention towards Ontar and said, “I assume you will be leaving here as soon as possible.”
Ontar nodded. “Yes, I just need you to free my cousin so that we may gather a few items before we go.”
“Very well,” Jayvoe replied before looking at a nearby guard. “Free the prisoner and return their possessions to them immediately.”
“Sir?” the guard began, but a glare from his captain quickly silenced him.
Ontar kept a straight face as his backpack, shield, and weapon belt were returned to him. Secretly overjoyed at having his equipment back, he casually set aside the sword he’d been using in favor of his much more familiar morning star.
Bowing slightly to the guard, Captain Ontar said. “Thank you, milord. I shall finish my business quickly and be on my way.”
Ignoring the human, Jayvoe cast his gaze at the fire next to him. Turning around, Ontar left the table and made his way towards a small hallway at the back of the tavern. As he departed, a guard standing next to Echo tugged on the sleeve of her shirt and whispered, “Echo, what happened in Thramahas?”
Nervous about answering that question, Echo glanced over at Jayvoe to see what she should do? His response was a simple nod as he closed his eyes.
Ontar opened the door to his old room and examined it. Memories of his childhood briefly came to mind as he looked over its simple furnishings and sighed. It seemed like forever since he had lived here, and anything that he did have of value went with him to Fort Hasborne ages ago. Closing the door, he then stepped across the hall and peered into his sister’s room. Kearsta never could keep her room clean as colorful clothes were scattered across the floor next to an unmade bed. A couple of small wooden toys could be seen on her nightstand near a book used for drawing and practicing her letters.
Leaving his sister’s mess behind, Ontar came to a battered door at the end of the hall leading to his parent’s room. Entering this once private sanctum, Ontar saw the chamber had been ransacked by bandits, with broken furniture and dried blood splayed across the floor. Feeling a knot form in the pit of his stomach, Ontar gazed over the destruction and tried to imagine his family’s final moments.
Focusing on a large bed with a shredded mattress in the center of the room, Ontar was sure that his parents had tried to use it to block the door from oncoming bandits. Unfortunately, it looked like the intruders had successfully managed to barge into the room before the bed was in place. Trying not to think of what happened next, Ontar spotted a small ragdoll at the base of what had once been a wardrobe. The doll had been a farewell gift to his little sister to keep her company after he left home. His mother said she never went to bed without it. Kneeling to pick up the once treasured possession, he realized that Kearsta must have died when the bandits discovered her hiding place.
Holding the doll a moment before slipping it into his backpack, Ontar felt like his heart had been ripped out and torn asunder. Standing up in a grief-invoked daze, he left his parents’ room and numbly made his way back towards the dining hall. Oblivious to what was going on around him, Ontar didn’t even notice the hostile environment he was about to step into.
Echo had already spoken with several guards about the attack on Thramahas and what had happened to their loved ones when Ontar made his appearance. Seething with rage, one of the guards saw her distracted companion and shouted, “Damn you, inferior! My wife is dead because of your kind.”
Ontar looked over at the elf with surprise as the guard suddenly drew his sword. Seeking to prevent bloodshed, Echo stepped in front of him and raised her arms. “Wait! This human fought for our people not against them.”
Pointing his sword at her, the guard growled, “Get out of the way!”
Before Echo had a chance to act, a mug of ale crashed into the guard’s foot, spilling its contents everywhere. Looking in the direction it came from, Echo saw Jayvoe standing at his table with an angry expression on his face.
“That’s enough!” he snapped. “No one under my command will ever stoop to their level,” he said in reference to Ontar’s race. “Is that understood?”
The guard immediately sheathed his sword. “Yes, sir.”
Jayvoe sternly turned towards Ontar. “I suggest you leave now.”
Outnumbered by a host of angry elves, Ontar couldn’t agree more. Ignoring the hatred in their eyes, he quickly passed through their ranks and exited the tavern.
Echo was appalled by what just happened. Ontar had lost just as much as anyone else here, and still, he fought for their families when the bandits attacked. To see him treated so terribly was unforgivable.
“You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” she scolded. “That man saved my life while trying to protect the ones you love from harm, and if any of you has someone to come back home to, it will be because of him!”
Unable to stomach the guard’s presence any longer, Echo exited the tavern to a rapidly darkening sky and sought out Ontar at the stables. Finding him there with Yorus, the two seemed eager leave Kinnerba as soon as possible. She called out to him, “Ontar, wait!”
Holding the reins of his animal, Ontar asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Please, don’t judge my people harshly,” Echo pleaded. “The attack on Thramahas has fueled their anger. It will take time for me to help them distinguish between the good humans and the bad.”
“Your people aren’t the only ones who have suffered the bandits’ wrath,” Ontar noted.
Echo nodded and said, “I know, and to speed your journey, I’d like to lend your cousin my horse.”
Yorus’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s quite generous.”
“Just make sure to tell Sir Brovine the elves are not your enemies,” Echo pleaded.
Glad that he wouldn’t have to share a horse, Yorus replied, “You have my word.”
Three days later, Ontar and Yorus were close to reaching their next destination. Passing the tree line, the two came upon the towering spiked logs that made up Fort Hasborne’s walls and gate. Bringing their horses to a halt, they were immediately recognized by two chain-clad guards moving among the gate’s battlements. Shouting orders to men on the ground, the gate was pulled open to reveal a courtyard filled with soldiers, cavalry, and archers all formed up into various ranks and going through different training exercises. Ontar had never seen so much activity happening at the same time, which led him to wonder what was going on?
The answer to that question came about when he saw Gerig riding up to the gate on horseback and shout, “Well, look who’s come crawling back. So, did the two of you manage to escape, or did the elves realize it wasn’t worth the effort to keep you?”
“At least the elves aren’t cowards who abandon their men,” Ontar retorted.
Gerig scoffed when he heard this. “There’s no way that a joke like you would ever be considered one of my men.”
“But I was,” Yorus said sternly. “And we’ve got a message for Sir Brovine from the ruler of Thramahas. So, shut your damn mouth and get out of our way!”
Gerig was a little nervous about what might be said to the knight. “If you think I’m going to stand back and let the two of you fill Sir Brovine’s head with elvish bullshit, then you are sorely mistaken.”
Now, it was Ontar’s turn to scoff. “You just want to cover your ass.”
“My word carries more weight than yours ever will,” Gerig retorted. “Now, let’s hurry up and get inside. I have better things to do then waste my day with the likes of you.”
Flicking the reins of their mounts, the three men had their horses canter up towards the keep. Arriving at the building’s main entrance, they all dismounted and handed their steeds over to some nearby soldiers. Walking with a slight limp, Gerig led Ontar and Yorus into the keep, which possessed a plain yet functional layout. The narrow corridors had wooden walls with torch-lit sconces attached to them. Soldiers and servants passed by at random intervals as they climbed up a flight of stairs and onto the second level.
Going down a long hallway, the trio came to a stop in front of a large door with two halberd-wielding guards stationed on either side of it. One of these guards sternly said, “State your business,” to which Gerig calmly replied, “I am Corporal Gerig Arben here to address a new development in the situation regarding the elves.”
Nodding once, the guard cracked open the door next to him and relayed the information to someone inside, who Ontar presumed was Sir Brovine. After a moment, the guard opened the door the rest of the way and said, “Proceed.”
Stepping into the knight’s office with Gerig and Yorus at his sides, Ontar noted the room was fairly small but official looking. To his left was a window that overlooked the training grounds outside. On the right was a large map of the lands surrounding Fort Hasborne, while a tapestry depicting Coronas’s coat of arms hung along the far wall. In front of this tapestry was a large desk that had a visored helmet with a red plume resting on it.
Sitting behind this desk was Sir Brovine. A middle-aged knight with long black hair and a moustache the man wore a surcoat and cape that barely stretched over his full suit of armor. Ontar had always been impressed by the knight’s armament and hoped that one day he’d be able to purchase something just like it. The only ornamentation Sir Brovine possessed was a simple gold bracelet with a large round ruby set into it worn around his left wrist. Everybody had heard rumors about the mysterious Phoenix Shield, but few had actually seen it in use.
Greeting the three in a semi-formal tone, Sir Brovine said, “Corporal, I see that you’ve recovered the men who were lost during your patrol.”
Speaking quickly, Gerig said, “Yes, milord. The elves were clearly incapable of holding even our least experienced men captive for very long.”
Yorus was not going to let Gerig continue his false narrative against the elves. “We didn’t escape, milord. The elves set us free as a gesture of goodwill.”
“Why would they do that?” Sir Brovine inquired.
“Because they don’t want us to punish them for attacking one of our towns,” Gerig stated.
Yorus glared at Gerig and said, “You never even saw them attack Kinnerba.”
“Just because I didn’t see them doesn’t mean it didn’t happen,” Gerig said through clenched teeth.
“It did happen,” Ontar agreed as he drew forth a letter from his belt pouch. He handed it over to Sir Brovine. “However, if you read this, you will see that it was bandits who sacked Kinnerba. Bandits who are now rampaging through the elvish countryside.”
Sir Brovine frowned. “And the elves are asking for our help in this matter?
“Yes, milord,” Ontar replied with as much urgency as he could muster.
Breaking the letter’s seal, Sir Brovine quietly read its contents. When he finished, he asked, “Can you attest to everything written here?”
“I attest on the on souls of my family who all died when these bandits attacked my home,” Ontar vowed.
Gerig slowly shook his head. “The loss of one of our border towns is a terrible tragedy, but one that need not be repeated.”
Ontar did not like where this was going. Unfortunately, Sir Brovine seemed intrigued. “What do you mean by that, Corporal?”
Clearing his throat, Gerig said, “The bandits have crossed from our kingdom and into the Illamine. If we send our forces into elvish territory, then there’s a chance they could be ambushed by the very people we’ve come to help.”
“The elves don’t have the troops to do something like that,” Yorus argued. “They already divided their numbers in half to protect Thramahas, and the ones who stayed to protect the town are now dead. Those who remain would be of little threat if we sent a full contingent of soldiers to the border.”
“At the moment, that may be true,” Gerig argued. “But once enough of our soldiers have died against these bandits, then who’s to say the elves won’t turn against us?”
“So, what would you suggest?” asked Sir Brovine.
“I think that we should retake Kinnerba and position out troops defensively along the border. That way, we can protect Coronas without putting our soldiers into a dangerous situation,” Gerig answered.
“What about the elves!?” Ontar exclaimed.
Gerig shrugged. “The Illamine is a big place. I’m pretty sure that, if necessary, the elves will be able to handle things on their own.
Sir Brovine considered the debate for a moment while crossing his gauntleted hands and resting his elbows on the desk. Looking at Gerig, he said, “I can see the merit in your argument, but I don’t agree with it. The bandits attacked our settlements long before they attacked the elves, and there is no honor in letting someone else kill an enemy that should have been laid to rest by our hands. If the elves are willing to humble themselves by asking for our assistance, then I say they shall have it. With Rightin’s blessing, we shall rid our lands of this mutual enemy and strengthen the ties between our two realms.”
Ontar gave a little sigh of relief over the knight’s decision and quietly prayed the war god would be with them in the battle ahead.
Ontar was glad to get on the road once more. Riding horseback through Illamine Forest with Yorus and an entire brigade of Coronasian troops, he felt confident they could end the bandit’s threat once and for all. Thankfully, the soldiers had pretty much been mobilized before he and his cousin had even arrived at Fort Hasborne (although, originally, for an entirely different reason.)
When the brigade finally did move out, Ontar and Yorus found themselves at the rear of a cavalry unit that cantered closely around Sir Brovine. Behind them were the infantry and archer units who marched along at a steady pace and formed the remainder of their company.
Leaning close to Yorus from his saddle, Ontar muttered, “Kinnerba is just up ahead, and after that is the Illamine. How do you think Jayvoe will handle having so many humans in elvish territory?”
Yorus shrugged. “If Jayvoe respects the chain of command, then his feelings about us really won’t matter. The ruler of Thramahas asked for our help, and Sir Brovine has decided to grant it. However, I do think that his lordship should keep our troops close together. It might prevent any unexpected accidents from occurring.”
As Yorus finished his thought, he and Ontar heard the sound of another rider approaching them.
“My, my, Ontar. You certainly seem to be excited about getting back to elvish lands,” Gerig taunted as he brought his horse near. “I suppose an elvish whore is the only one who’d take pity on you after being rejected by human ones.”
Ontar was about to answer the jibe, but Yorus beat him to it. “At least Ontar’s willing to look for a woman. Tell me, Gerig, when was the last time someone was willing to laugh at your limp little worm?”
“You bastard!” Gerig snarled as he reached for his sword.
“That’s enough!” shouted someone from behind them. Looking back, they saw Sergeant Raglak marching nearby while giving Gerig the evil eye. “Gerig, if you don’t want me reporting this incident to your commanding officer, then I suggest you leave. NOW!”
“This isn’t over,” Gerig said through gritted teeth as he kicked his horse forward.
“Thanks,” Ontar said to the sergeant. “Gerig is the one person who really knows how to get under my skin.”
Sergeant Raglak smiled. “Well, we are coming up to your hometown here, so maybe we can tether that ass to a tree and forget about him.”
At that observation, the trees gradually parted way to reveal Kinnerba to the steadily advancing brigade. Ontar glanced about the deserted town uneasily as he half-expected to see either another funeral pyre or a host of angry elves ready to ambush them. Thankfully, this fear proved to be unfounded, but at the same time, it also left him with a feeling of emptiness. It was as if the last vestiges of his once happy youth were now forever gone.
Sir Brovine sat on top of a heavily armored warhorse with the visor of his helmet up so that he could talk to one of his scouts by the watch tower. At the conclusion of their conversation, he called for Commander Talgin and Gerig to speak with him. Addressing the commander first, he said, “Commander Talgin, it appears the elves have retreated back across the border. For the remainder of today, I’m going to have the brigade make camp in Kinnerba. Tomorrow, I plan on marching into the Illamine. While we’re gone, I want you and your archers stationed here to defend against any possible incursion on our territory.”
The commander frowned. “Milord, don’t you want any of my men to accompany you on your journey?”
Sir Brovine shook his head. “The elves are renowned for their marksmanship, and I think your archers would be more effective here then gallivanting about on their side of the forest.” Turning to Gerig, he said, “Corporal, I want you to lead a handful of infantry and cavalry in reinforcing Commander Talgin’s position.”
Ontar grinned as he saw Gerig’s face drop. Normally, being given even a minor command position would be seen as an honor to someone of Gerig’s rank, but to be given that position instead of being allowed to participate in the upcoming battle was a huge slap in the face.
Glowering over his new orders, Gerig sullenly replied, “Yes…yes, milord.”
Guiding his horse towards the back of the unit, Sir Brovine came to a stop before Ontar and Yorus. “You two have had previous contact with the elves and most likely wouldn’t be killed on sight. Would you be willing to serve as my advance riders into elvish lands and herald our coming to the velen?”
Swelling with pride, Yorus replied, “It would be an honor.”
“We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready,” Ontar added while he reveled in having a much more important role than Gerig in the events to come.
Figit flew through the forest as fast as his wings could carry him. Dodging trees and ducking branches, he raced towards the bandit’s camp with information that he knew Lydon would find intriguing. The humans had proven to be a useful ally in crushing his people’s enemies, which was why he tried so hard to conceal them now.
Flying into a rough clearing, Figit entered the bandit’s camp and saw the settlement was basically a collection of tan-colored tents scattered between the trees. A large bonfire continually burned at the camp’s center while humans equipped with various weapons and armor freely moved about the area. A few horse-drawn wagons were located near the bonfire that contained the spoils of the bandits pillaging. Preferring to keep their treasures close together, Figit noticed the bandits had also captured at least a dozen wood elves who, ironically, were chained around the very trees they claimed to cherish. Coming to a landing in front of Lydon’s tent, Figit pulled open the flap and stepped inside the makeshift dwelling.
“Get out!” Lydon snapped as he threw back the brown fur blanket of his crudely made bed and looked down at the shivering naked elf beneath him. Cora had cried the entire time he was on top of her, and now all she wanted to do was to curl up in a corner somewhere and die. Unconcerned with the trauma he’d inflicted, Lydon got up and reached for his pants. Catching sight of Figit, he irritably asked, “What do you want?”
Watching the humiliated elf quietly scramble for her clothing, Figit said, “I bring terrible news. My spies have spotted a heavily armed force of Coronasian soldiers entering the Illamine! They’re headed straight for Thramahas, and the elves aren’t doing a thing to stop them.”
Lydon pulled up his pants, then went for his weapon belt. “Took ‘em long enough,” he muttered absently. “Gather the men by the wagons. I’ll speak with them there.”
“As you wish,” Figit replied before exiting the tent.
Lydon donned the rest of his gear then looked over at Cora. She had just finished getting dressed when he stomped up to her and grabbed the nervous elf by her braid. Cora whimpered as Lydon jerked her head down near his waist. Dragging her out of the tent, he saw a fellow bandit nearby and said, “Take her.”
Once Cora had been passed off, Lydon made his way towards the wagons where Figit had gathered the majority of his men. Climbing onto the back of the first wagon he found, Lydon looked down at those assembled and said.
“Alright, boys, listen up. The elves have teamed up with Coronas in an attempt to take us down. Now, we all knew this fight was coming, and the stakes are going to be high. They’re going to have greater numbers, nastier equipment, and an unquestioned thirst for revenge. If we try to run, they will hunt us down and rip us limb from limb, but if we fight them (and win), then we will have at least a month of easy pillaging from the villages around here.”
Lydon took a moment to let what he just said to sink in. Several hushed conversations erupted among the bandits, and one of them finally got up the nerve to ask, “How are we going to fight against a force like that?”
Expecting this question, Lydon explained, “Divide and conquer. Remember that these are elven lands, and soldiers from Coronas don’t have a whole lot of authority here. All we have to do is crush the elvish half of their forces, then fall back to camp. The Coronasians won’t pursue us through foreign territory, and we’ll be able to get back to looting and killing whenever we want.”
Feeling a little more confident in their leader, the bandits muttered their general approval. After a few seconds, an experienced warrior said, “Sounds like a challenge. So, what have you got for details?”
Lydon smiled as he sat on one of the wagons crates. “First off, we’re going to have to coordinate our attack with the imps. Figit, I want you to get as many of your kin here as possible. Once that’s done…”
Yorus struggled to keep up with Ontar as they rode through the forest towards Thramahas. The sun had just set, and they were trying desperately to reach their destination before the light was gone altogether. Seeing a break in the trees, they were about to enter the town when two arrows shot in front of their mounts, causing the horses to rear up and almost throw their riders. Looking up to the trees, Yorus saw two elves with bows glaring down at them. “Damn it, you nearly killed us!” he exclaimed.
“That’s the idea,” the guard snapped.
Sliding out from behind the tree the guard stood on, Echo said, “Ontar…Yorus…I knew you’d bring my horse back. What word do you have from Sir Brovine?”
“He’s advancing across the border to fight the bandits even as we speak,” Ontar replied.
“I have a letter for the velen stating our intentions,” Yorus added.
Reaching out to take the reins of their animals, Echo said, “I’ll stable your horses while you two go meet with him. Ontar, I believe you know the way.”
“I do,” Ontar said as he dismounted with his cousin.
Entering the town, Ontar found that it was far more peaceful than when he last left. The bodies of the dead had all been disposed of, the interconnecting rope bridges had been raised to their former spots, and many elves could now be seen going about their normal business under the watchful eyes of some very edgy guards. Having never been to an elvish town before, Yorus noted that, in spite of obvious clean up, there were still trees with blackened platforms resting in their branches and debris from several demolished merchant stalls remained scattered across the forest floor.
Bidding farewell to Echo, the three quickly went about their various tasks. Finishing her duty first, Echo went to wait for them outside the velen’s hall where she was soon joined by Searce. Her aunt had returned to Thramahas at roughly the same time she and the guards did, with information on the bandit’s whereabouts. Together with Jayvoe, she and the velen had come up with a strategy for defeating their enemies, but it would require the humans help to do it.
Emerging from the building with a tired look on his face, Ontar said, “The velen has a specific time that he wants Sir Brovine’s men to arrive tomorrow. Yorus and I are supposed to go relay that message to them after we get some sleep. Lodging was made available for us here at the hall, and while Yorus has already gone to bed, I just wanted to let you know what was going on first.”
Searce gave Ontar a good hard look and noticed that he didn’t have the Coronasian surcoat that his cousin possessed. “You’re not a soldier, are you?”
Ontar shook his head. “No, I work at a tavern in the fortress where troops are based.”
“Why didn’t you enlist?” Echo wondered.
Finding the question to be a little odd, Ontar replied, “Because I want to follow my own path in life instead of someone else’s orders.”
Searce smiled when she heard this. “Good. Of course, the risk in being your own man is that you don’t always have someone to watch your back when things go bad. However, you also get to choose the company you keep.”
“I don’t quite understand the point you’re trying to make,” Ontar said hesitantly.
“You will,” Searce assured him while exchanging a look with Echo. “But first, how would you like to join Echo and I for a homecooked meal back at my place. I can’t imagine eating rations for the past two days has been very satisfying for you.”
She cooks! Ontar thought. By the gods, she’s perfect! Hungry from a hard day’s travel, he casually replied, “Yeah, sure.”
Beckoning with her finger, Searce replied, “Great. Follow us.”
Enthusiastically following the elves to a tree covered in flowering vines, Ontar made his way up a spiral staircase that encircled its trunk and onto a platform connected by rope bridges. From there, it was a quick trip to Searce’s home where she offered Ontar a seat at a candle lit dining table. Pulling up a chair, Ontar noticed that elvish homes were far smaller than human ones, but they were also crafted with an artistic detail that no human peasant could ever hope to match. As for personal touches, Searce decided to decorate her walls with large maps that depicted various places throughout the Rashben Region.
As his hostess started cooking, Ontar asked, “So, were you able to locate the bandit’s camp?”
Searce pulled some ingredients out of a cupboard. “Let’s just say that when it’s time to strike, we’ll know exactly where to hit them.”
Sitting down next to him, Echo said, “The upcoming battle with the bandits should be a fierce one, but what will you do once it’s over?”
Ontar shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it would be too painful to return to Fort Hasborne after all that’s happened. Maybe I’ll just roam the kingdom for a while.”
“You could,” Searce conceded, “but you might also want to try something with a little more purpose.”
“Like what?” Ontar inquired.
Echo started to get excited. “Have you ever heard of the Bloody Side thieves’ guild?” Ontar shook his head, causing Echo’s shoulders to droop a little. “It’s an elite organization that trains some of the best thieves the world has ever known, and it just so happens they have a guildhall in Coronas!”
Ontar gave Echo an odd look. “And you want me to help you join their ranks?”
“Yes!” Echo exclaimed. “Searce’s already a member, and with your help, I could be one, too!”
Shaking his head, Ontar said, “I don’t think I could do that. One thing the bandits have taught me is there are already too many ruthless bastards out there who prey on the innocent. The last thing I want to do is help to create another one.”
Slamming her hands on the table, Echo stood up and said, “How dare you assume the Bloody Side is anything like the monsters that killed our families!”
“Sit down, Squeaker!” Searce demanded as she brought them two wooden plates of food along with a couple cups of hot tea. “In truth, the world is full of people who do more harm than good but joining the Bloody Side will allow you to spot, avoid, or even manipulate them as you see fit.” Gazing sadly out the window, she added, “Maybe if I had bothered to keep up my ties with them, I could have prevented this tragedy.”
Seeing the pain in her aunt’s eyes, Echo reluctantly did as she was told.
Struck by just how sad and vulnerable Searce looked Ontar longed to comfort her, but somehow could only manage to say that, “Coronas is a big place, and while I don’t condone your plans, I would still be willing to accompany you to your destination.”
Offering him a sad smile, Searce said, “That’s all we could ask for.”
Ready to try the local cuisine, Ontar gazed down at the food suspiciously. It looked like some venison had been cooked and cut into cubes set next to a small cup of dark red sauce. Next to the cup were sliced celery stalks, with a pasty yellow substance spread along their grooves.
Taking some chopsticks from the side of her plate, Echo picked up a piece of meat, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it. Ontar grabbed the utensils and tried to manipulate them in a similar fashion but wound up knocking a piece of celery onto the floor. Afraid of making an ass out of himself in front of Searce, he took one of the chopsticks and stabbed it into the meat before eating it.
“What are you, a barbarian?” Echo asked as she observed his poor table manners.
Searce grinned at his efforts. “It’s alright, Ontar. You can treat it like finger food if you like.
Echo snorted in disgust, but Ontar took solace in Searce’s understanding. After their meal, Echo went up to the meditation room while Searce did dishes and Ontar returned to the velen’s hall.
By the time morning had come, Ontar and Yorus were gone while Echo shared a light breakfast with her aunt. The sun had just risen above the forest’s canopy when the sound of horns could be heard blaring off in the distance.
“Come on, there’s going to be a town meeting,” Searce said as she motioned for Echo to follow her.
Leaving Searce’s house, the two walked along a rope bridge overlooking the velen’s hall. There were guards everywhere, and several of them walked the bridges armed with bows. Looking down at the hall’s stage Echo saw Velen Jolarie standing at its front with Jayvoe and Teryl on either side of him.
Speaking to an unsettled crowd the velen said:
“Greetings my friends. When last we spoke our hearts were filled with mourning over the loss of those who were killed by bandits. The pain which we all felt will never go away, yet as a testament to the strength of our people we were able to lay our dead to rest and begin the task of restoring all that had been destroyed by our enemies. I am proud of everyone who has participated in this undertaking, even though I know that it is not enough.
The men who ravaged our homes are still out there and standing in a pool of tears and blood, we prayed to Shareen for vengeance against those who tried to slaughter us. In her mercy, the goddess has answered our prayers by first returning our protectors to us, and then by granting us an ally that will wipe these cursed bandits from our lands forever! Behold, the unlikely saviors of our realm.”
On this cue, the horns were blown once more, and the rear of the crowd slowly parted to reveal Sir Brovine riding on horseback at the head of a brigade of Coronasian troops.
Trotting with their mounts amongst the other cavalry riders were Ontar and Yorus, who saw the guards of Thramahas take up positions along the rope bridges and at the front of the velen’s hall. If only they were there when we needed them, Ontar thought.
Riding up to the main stage Sir Brovine dismounted and made his way towards the velen. Passing by a whole host of angry elven guards the knight fearlessly stepped onto the stage and approached Velen Jolarie. Bowing before the noble, Sir Brovine then turned to face the crowd.
“People of Thramahas, the suffering you have felt at the hands of the bandits is no longer yours to bear alone. My kingdom has also had to endure the plight of these vile fiends, and today, we say no more! Whether among humans or elves, the protection of innocents is a value we all share, and I will not rest until those who challenge this belief are completely and utterly put to the sword!”
A loud cheer erupted amongst those gathered, and as confidence returned to the elves of Thramahas, both Ontar and Echo wondered what the battle ahead would hold for them?
Three days later, Ontar and his cousin found themselves marching through a rugged part of Illamine Forest with a combined force of elvish and Coronasian troops. Unable to march in lines due to the wooded terrain, the troops were bunched together in small groups of three to four people. At the head of this newly-formed brigade were Searce and Echo, who acted as scouts as they led a half-dozen newly-arrived elvish rangers towards the bandits’ camp. Behind them was Sir Brovine and his cavalry riders who drove their horses slowly over the uneven ground. At the rear was the infantry and archer units who marched in segments divided by race. Jayvoe was in command of these troops, and he made sure nobody got out of line.
Stepping over a partially exposed tree root, Yorus said, “I can’t believe my first battle will be against my own kind in elvish lands.”
Ontar’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter where the battle is fought as long as it ends with Lydon’s death.”
“You’ll get no argument on that one,” Yorus stated. “However, I could sure use a drink once this is all over with. Any chance we could quench our thirst while passing through Kinnerba?”
Thinking a moment, Ontar said, “The bandits and elves damn near drank the tavern dry while they were there. However, I do think my dad kept a couple bottles of the good stuff hidden just in case there was a special occasion.”
“Then I say we drink a toast to both his memory and all those who suffered at the bandits’ hands,” Yorus proclaimed.
Ontar couldn’t help but smirk. “I’d like that.”
Crouched behind some trees a short distance away from the advancing troops was Lydon and his cadre of bandits. Clutching a short sword in each hand, he looked to a nearby tree and saw Figit lurking among its branches. It took only a moment for the imp’s hand gestures to signal that their enemies were in position. Ready for battle, Lydon signaled back to begin the attack.
Echo saw one of the rangers she traveled with raise her hand in a halting motion quickly repeated among the rest of the brigade. Clutching shields and drawing weapons, everyone watched the rangers intently as they crouched low to the ground. Knowledgeable in the ways of nature, these elves heard the startled scampering of woodland animals who had thought they were safe standing next to a bunch of inanimate humans. Looking up ahead of her, Echo saw ten leather clad bandits armed with short bows step out from the behind the trees and take aim.
“Take cover!” Searce shouted as the bandits fired their bows.
Dodging behind some trees with Searce and the other rangers, Echo noticed the bandits were actually targeting Sir Brovine’s cavalry unit instead of them. Whizzing through the air these arrows struck both man and horse alike. Utilizing his Phoenix Shield, Sir Brovine caused a transparent circle of orangish energy to appear at his left side seconds before the arrow struck it. A burst of flame incinerated the arrow where it had made contact, leaving the brave knight completely unscathed.
Ontar and Yorus saw the bandits attack on the cavalry riders and looked to Jayvoe for orders. Grabbing his legendary bow, Jayvoe immediately commanded the archers next to him to, “Return fire!” The speed and skill invoked by these elves in their counterattack was truly devastating as a volley of arrows rained down on the bandit archers. Out of the ten men who had engaged in the attack, only four remained. These lingering bandits quickly turned around and fled deeper into the forest.
Sir Brovine surveyed the wounded riders with anger. Lowering his helmet’s visor, he pointed his sword at the fleeing bandits and shouted, “Charge!” Galloping past Searce’s rangers, the cavalry was easily able to overtake their fleeing enemies and cut them down in their tracks.
Figit shook his head as the last of the bandit archers died. The stupid humans never stood a chance, but they had fulfilled their purpose, and that was all that really mattered. Sitting among the tree branches with a horde of his fellow imps, he gave a high-pitched battle cry before descending on the cavalry below.
Watching the imps swarm around him and his men, Sir Brovine cursed himself for having fallen into such an obvious trap. Swinging his sword over and over again, he and the other cavalry riders tried desperately to kill the imps, but the nasty little monsters proved to be both quick and evasive.
Weaving in-between the frustrated riders, Figit skillfully used his tail to lash the flank of an increasingly frightened horse. Laughing with delight, he wondered how long it would take for the humans to realize his people never intended to face them in direct combat. Their goal was simply to keep the horses scared so the cavalry was out of commission.
Searce saw the chaos up ahead and knew she needed to act quickly. Looking back at Jayvoe while referencing her rangers, she said, “We’ll help the cavalry.” Raising her arm in a beckoning motion, she urged Echo and the others to, “Come on,” as she led them towards the imps.
Lydon smiled. The imps had managed to lure both the cavalry and the rangers into his trap. With those two units out of the way, he now had the men necessary to face what remained of the brigade with a decent chance of accomplishing their objective. Standing with blades at the ready, he shouted, “Attack!”
Ontar heard the bandits’ war cries as they surged towards the brigade ready for battle. Spinning his morning star while raising his shield he expected the first of these bastards to come for him at any minute…but they didn’t. Instead, they decided to bear down on the wood elves in some new unforeseen strategy.
Realizing the massive number of bandits charging their position, Jayvoe loaded his Bow of Unyielding and ordered his archers to, “Fire!” Letting loose his projectile, Jayvoe watched as the arrow passed through the throat of one bandit, the shoulder of the man behind him, rip off the ear of a third bandit, and finally exit the skull of one last enemy at the rear. The other archers proved to be almost as effective with their shots, and the first wave of bandits fell before their volley.
Unfortunately, a second wave was right behind the first, and it was eager for blood. Ontar saw three of them charging towards Jayvoe and the two guards he had at his sides. As the elvish captain reloaded his bow, two of the bandits cut down the guard on his left. The guard on the right managed to slay the bandit who came after him, but he was still only able to engage one of the two men who went after Jayvoe.
Recognizing the importance of the elvish leader, Ontar sprinted towards the distracted bandit as Jayvoe dodged his spear. Moving behind the man, Ontar landed an attack that broke bones and sent his enemy crashing to the forest floor. This action did not go unnoticed by the bandit who had just killed Jayvoe’s remaining guard. Swinging his mace, he was about to attack Ontar’s side when Yorus barged in front of him and parried the blow. This gave Jayvoe the time he needed to reload his bow and fire an arrow that easily ended the bandit’s life.
Sergeant Raglak saw the elves take the brunt of the bandit’s onslaught as he stood by his fellow soldiers. Raising his two-handed sword, he exclaimed, “Come on, men, we didn’t come all this way so the elves could fight our battles for us.” Charging into the fray with the infantry right behind him, he shouted, “For Coronas!”
The clash of weapons reverberated across Illamine Forest as Echo joined Searce and the rangers in aiding Sir Brovine’s cavalry. Assessing the situation, Searce saw the riders struggling to control their mounts while simultaneously being beset by imps. Issuing an order to those next to her, she said, “Get your bows ready and stay close.”
Following her aunt’s command, Echo readied her longbow as Searce cast a spell. Focusing on two riders who could barely control their horses, Searce caused five of the imps who harassed them to suddenly vanish. Figuring that her aunt had magically killed the imps, Echo was surprised to see that three of them abruptly reappeared when they collided with an equal number of their attacking brethren.
Echo’s jaw dropped. She had never even considered using an invisibility spell for offensive purposes. However, its effectiveness could not be denied as the imps smacked into each other and fell to the ground. From there, the cavalry took over by bringing their horses’ heavy hooves down on the bewildered creatures. Searce repeated her spell over and over again, causing chaos among the imps. A few of them caught on to what she was doing, but any who tried to attack her met a swift end as Echo and the rangers let loose their arrows.
Figit swooped under a cavalry rider’s sword only to see one of his own people dart in front of him as they flew upwards. Dodging the idiot, he followed him above the din of battle and over to a high tree branch. Landing near the top of the tree, Figit angrily asked the imp, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I don’t know!” the imp shrieked. “It’s crazy down there!”
Looking down at the battle, Figit saw his people were fluttering about in a panic as some of them magically disappeared while others fell to human swords. This was not how things were supposed to go, and none of Lydon’s plans could change that. Snarling in fury, Figit gave a sharp, loud whistle.
“Fly away!” he commanded before leaping off the tree branch. The humans had won this battle, and if Figit wanted to minimize his people’s losses, then they would have to flee…for now.
Sir Brovine saw an imp accidentally explode as it flew too close to his shield. Cleaving another of the little monsters in half with his sword, he watched as they soared above his head and into the canopy. Aware of the magic used to defeat his enemies, the knight looked out from atop his horse and spotted Searce flanked by elven rangers. Raising his blade in a brief salute, he then called out to his men. “To me…rally to me!” Pointing his sword back at the brigade, he kicked his horse into a charge and led the cavalry straight towards the bandits.
Ontar breathed heavily as he killed another enemy with a blow from his morning star. Searching for a new opponent, his heart sunk when he saw that Yorus and Lydon were locked in combat! Lydon snickered as one of his swords caused a bloody wound to appear across Yorus’s right leg. Attempting to counter, Yorus swung his sword at him, but Lydon parried the attack with his left blade, and then ran him through with his right one! Withdrawing his weapon from the stunned soldier, Lydon granted Yorus a quick death by easily beheading him with the short sword in his left hand.
“Yorus…” the name came out as a whisper as Ontar watched his cousin die. This can’t be happening, he thought. How many loved ones would have to perish before this nightmare came to an end? Why were the people in his family the ones who had to bear the brunt of the bandits’ savage wrath? Who could do something so awful to so many who truly didn’t deserve it? These thoughts swirled through Ontar’s head until they coalesced into one single answer…him!
Clutching his morning star, Ontar wanted nothing more than to smash Lydon’s brains into a sticky pile of goo! Unfortunately, just as he moved against the bandit leader, the sound of pounding of hooves stopped him in his tracks. Sir Brovine had led his cavalry back into the fray, causing Ontar to lose sight of his enemy somewhere amongst the thundering horses.
Finding himself overwhelmed, Lydon parried the blade of a Coronasian soldier with his left short sword while he used the right one to stab an elven archer in the gut. As the elf died, Lydon ducked the soldier’s blade and sliced at the man’s knees. The soldier went down hard, and Lydon killed him with his next attack.
Noticing that Coronas now had cavalry bearing down on his men, Lydon knew the battle was lost. Damn you, Figit! he cursed as he scrutinized this new development. The elves had been nearly finished by his men, but he still needed time to escape. With cavalry running around, that part of the plan would now come with a whole lot of casualties. Unfortunately, he had no other choice. Making a break for it, Lydon shouted, “Retreat!”
Those words were like music to Sir Brovine’s ears. Sidling up to his cavalry captain, he said, “Take your men up ahead and cut off their escape. I’ll have the infantry mop up any stragglers.”
Echo felt her heart racing as she stealthily followed Searce and the other rangers into the bandits’ camp. It was an evil place, sparsely guarded by a handful of shifty-eyed warriors. Moving to eliminate these men, Searce divided up her unit so they could all attack at once. Echo was charged with killing a bandit next to the trees where they chained their prisoners.
With sword and shield drawn, she snuck behind the bandit and was about to make her attack when an excited voice exclaimed, “Echo…Echo over here!”
Echo looked over to her right and noticed that Cora was chained up with the other prisoners. Relieved to see that her friend was still alive, Echo could only curse when she realized the bandit she’d been stalking had been alerted to her presence.
Wearing a slightly battered breastplate, the bandit grasped his heavy war mattock with both hands and shouted, “Intruders!”
Other cries immediately followed as the camp erupted into chaos. Echo swung her sword at the bandit, but he easily parried the attack. He then countered by swinging his war mattock at her. Bringing up her shield, Echo blocked the blow, but the weight of his weapon pushed her back and caused her to stumble. Advancing towards her, the bandit struck again and, this time, cut the leather protecting her upper right arm.
Cora was horrified at the danger she had put Echo in and immediately tried to help. Pulling against her restraints, she lifted up her feet and kicked the bandit square in the side. Watching her enemy knocked off balance, Echo took her sword and made a deep slice into his pelvis. The bandit fell quickly from the wound, and upon his death, she searched for keys to free the prisoners.
Echo felt her heart racing as she stealthily followed Searce and the other rangers into the bandits’ camp. It was an evil place, sparsely guarded by a handful of shifty-eyed warriors. Moving to eliminate these men, Searce divided up her unit so they could all attack at once. Echo was charged with killing a bandit next to the trees where they chained their prisoners.
With sword and shield drawn, she snuck behind the bandit and was about to make her attack when an excited voice exclaimed, “Echo…Echo over here!”
Echo looked over to her right and noticed that Cora was chained up with the other prisoners. Relieved to see that her friend was still alive, Echo could only curse when she realized the bandit she’d been stalking had been alerted to her presence.
Wearing a slightly battered breastplate, the bandit grasped his heavy war mattock with both hands and shouted, “Intruders!”
Other cries immediately followed as the camp erupted into chaos. Echo swung her sword at the bandit, but he easily parried the attack. He then countered by swinging his war mattock at her. Bringing up her shield, Echo blocked the blow, but the weight of his weapon pushed her back and caused her to stumble. Advancing towards her, the bandit struck again and, this time, cut the leather protecting her upper right arm.
Cora was horrified at the danger she had put Echo in and immediately tried to help. Pulling against her restraints, she lifted up her feet and kicked the bandit square in the side. Watching her enemy knocked off balance, Echo took her sword and made a deep slice into his pelvis. The bandit fell quickly from the wound, and upon his death, she searched for keys to free the prisoners.
Lydon’s headband darkened with sweat as he ran towards camp. Weaving through the forest, he had almost been spotted twice by cavalry as they cut his comrades to ribbons. Reaching the outskirts of their encampment, Lydon had hoped to gather the men who were left behind on guard duty and make a run for it. However, the moment he passed the first tent, he heard the sounds of combat and saw that his guards were under attack by elves!
Racing towards the horse-drawn wagons, he found himself joined by a dozen other bandits who had managed to escape the cavalry. Climbing onto a wagon, Lydon turned around and gave orders to the men trickling in.
“Dilb, I want drivers for these wagons NOW! Egav, I’m going to need you and anyone you can find to cover our escape. We’ll rendezvous at—”
Lydon didn’t get a chance to finish his orders as an arrow from nowhere burst through the center of a tree, shredded the middle of a tent, and destroyed the side rail of his wagon. Startled by the sudden jolt from behind, the horse whinnied and took off into the forest, causing Lydon to fall over and be carried from his men in their time of need.
Watching their fearless leader unwittingly depart, the bandits looked to see where the arrow had come from and saw Jayvoe emerge from the forest with an entire brigade of Coronasian troops at his side. Reloading his bow, the wood elf looked at the remaining bandits and said, “Surrender or die.”
Taking his threat seriously, the bandits all dropped their weapons and raised their hands.
A few hours later, the captured bandits were surrounded by soldiers who sent them marching towards Coronas. Sitting atop his horse, Sir Brovine saw the elves take down their enemy’s camp and said to Jayvoe, “You have a beautiful country here. It was an honor to fight by your side to defend it.”
Jayvoe was in no mood for flattery. “Next time, keep the filth on your side of the border.”
Sighing, the knight shook his head before riding off to join the rest of his men.
Echo wrapped Cora in a blanket after her friend had finished her meal. Raiding the bandits’ supplies, she and Searce made sure all their former prisoners had the strength they needed to make the trip back home. After hearing from Cora about the cruelties they endured, Echo felt that for many of them the food would be of small comfort.
Standing up, Echo searched her surroundings until she found Ontar kneeling by the body of his cousin. With his face red and eyes moist, he looked up at her and asked, “Have they found Lydon?”
Echo shook her head. “No. They’re interrogating the bandits who were captured, but chances are, he’s simply abandoned them.”
Standing up, Ontar angrily said, “You have to help me find him. He killed Yorus before my very eyes, and I swear that he will die for it!”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible,” Searce said as she approached Ontar and Echo. “Humans are forbidden from intruding any further into the Illamine, and Velen Jolarie expects you to return with Sir Brovine to Coronas.”
“Are you saying that Lydon is just going to be allowed to escape!?” Ontar raged.
Searce shook her head. “No. I will personally be hunting him down, and when I find him, I will send word to the Bloody Side so that you and Echo can end his life yourselves. All I ask in return is that you help her join the guild so she can continue to advance in her training.”
“Swear to me that you won’t just kill him on sight!” Ontar demanded.
“I swear on the souls of my brother and his wife,” Searce replied.
Satisfied by her oath, Ontar said, “Very well. I will stay by Echo’s side until Lydon is found.”
Searce confirmed his vow by simply saying, “I promise you will have your revenge.”
“After that, Ontar and I left the Illamine, and with his help, I did succeed in joining the Bloody Side. We’ve been on the road ever since,” Echo said as she finished her story.
Having spent much of the afternoon lost in each other’s tales the party sat quietly in the Helsh Plains and reflected on what they learned.
Saddened by the story Wink said, “I can’t believe it took such a horrible tragedy to bring you two together.”
“It was a long time ago,” Ontar explained. “What happened then has made us stronger and helped us to persevere through the difficult times in our lives.”
Wink cocked her head thoughtfully, “Have you heard anything from Searce since the incident?”
Echo gave a little smile. “She sends word when she can, but as far as we know, she’s still hunting Lydon.”
Clearly relieved to hear that Ontar and Echo had a purely professional relationship Wink said, “Well, let’s get going. We’ve spent far too long frolicking in the grass as it is.”
Standing up slowly and putting on his helmet, Ontar grabbed the pixie and placed her on his shoulder. “I don’t frolic,” he said sternly.
Echo ignored the two. Rising to her feet, she gathered the horses and mounted up. When Ontar and Wink had done the same, she decided to take the lead and immediately sent her animal galloping down the road before them.