Chapter 8: Council of the Elders
"Long has it been since I came here," said Bull, as he looked up at the massive trees. They groaned softly, swaying under their immense weight. As the warriors and archers walked slowly through the forest, they kept silent; not daring to make a sound, for this unknown place seemed to have a magical hold on them, suppressing their feeling, keeping constant watch over them. Old and numerous were the trees, yet not a single dead leaf could be seen on the forest floor. No rotting undergrowth, but instead, a lush carpet of healthy green grass, coated with a mild layer or dew. Even with the lack of sun, they seemed to grow happily, rustling about with the occasional wind. Indeed, such was the flawless perfection of the Ellinia forest. Not a scratch upon the bark of the tree, not a sign of death or decay anywhere. No, this was not an ordinary forest, but one that grew strong and well with the powers of magic.
A small squeak was heard from the bushes, along with a small rustle. Surprised, Kiltan quickly flung a star towards the source of the sound. It struck into the side of one of the trees. With another soft squeaking sound, a slime hopped out. It was a weird creature of unknown origin, its body made up of a slime like substance, thus giving it its name. Its large eyes stared up adorably at the group of people, and then it hopped off merrily into the distance. The men watched it bounce away, and then slowly started to move on. Kiltan quickly ran to the tree to retrieve the star that he had thrown. However, it was no longer impaled onto the tree like he had seen it, but now lay on the ground harmlessly. He picked it up, and looked at the tree. It had no scars at all, as if nothing had struck it. Slowly, he stepped back, and then hastily walked back to the group of people, who had already moved off.
"I don't like this place," Kiltan muttered to Heera. The group continued to push forward. Slowly, the forest began to dim, as the sun began to set. "Hey! Don't you think we should rest now?" One of the warriors shouted from the back. Bull turned around, with a slight smile on his face. "We are already here." And with that, he walked through a curtain of hanging vines. The people behind quickly followed. Few had ever come into Ellinia; for little business did they have with the fairies that lived in this enchanted forest. So now, they awed at the magnificent sight that lay before them.
They were at the edge of a huge clearing, around which grew the great trees of the forest. In this huge space, only a few shrubs grew, but other then that, it served as a plantation for the people who lived here to grow their food, as well as for new magicians to train their magic skills against the small creatures that usually roamed this area. To their left lay the southern road, heading off towards Henesys by a path cut through the forest. And to the right, a similar road that headed north towards Perion. Near to where they stood was a road that led to the east, heading towards the eastern rocky beaches of Victoria Island. This led to Sixtopia, a large ship port that would harbour the ships from the icy far off continent of Ossyria. But it had been destroyed in a recent storm, and was closed off. As the rough seas had finally calmed down, construction finally began again. But the most stunning sight was in the center of the clearing, where the town of Ellinia was built. There stood eleven trees, of which one stood in the center of them all, rising taller then any other tree. Atop this tree was the home of Hines, leader of the magicians of Victoria.
The group slowly approached the town. As the sun slowly set, they town glowed with a magical aura. Small lights lit up the trees, as the people prepared for night. Indeed, from afar, it seemed as if the trees shone in the darkness, a mystical glow that flooded the outer fields with light and cast out the darkness. They walked forward, and soon entered Ellinia, and the true awe of the magical town surrounded them. Within the ten outer trees was a clearing, and in the center, grew the tallest of the trees. It rose high up into the sky, a huge tree that loomed over all. A stairway was built into its side, running upward in a spiral, till it reached the very peak, where Hines lived. All the trees had such stairways that climbed up their sides, and from there were built small houses, carved out of sides of the trees. Long wooden bridges ran from tree to tree, linking them all in a complicated network of aerial walkways. The paths were lighted with strange bulbs, which did not light up with electrical powers, but shone with magical brilliance. They were small stones, solid and tough, yet still glowing brightly. They illuminated the trees with a soft blue glow, casting the town into a deep state of twilight.
Fairies, small inhabitants of Ellinia forest, were busily dashing around with their business. They ignored the group of people who had just entered, for little though did they give to those who came for the outside world. Bull and Helena led the group forward, towards to central tree. "Come now. We climb." Bull said, and they began to ascend the huge tree.
It seemed to take an hour before finally reaching the top. The wooden walkway was small, only the width of two men, and the sides were lined only with a thin rope railing. The ground could not be seen from such a height, mostly blocked out by the branches of the other trees. They had climbed high above the forest. From this height, they could look out far into the distance. A spectacular view it was, as their eyes scanned the horizon. The light of the moon glowing softly over the lush canopy of the trees, and the stars shone brightly in the cloudless sky. It seemed so perfect, yet such great terrors lurked within the inky shadows. Far to the west, rising high above all, stood the Tree of Victoria. Many days' people would come up here, looking upon its magnificent stature. But no longer did it represent the freedom of man. Instead now it loomed dark and dangerous, more threatening then ever. The men who saw it turned their eyes away, and did not look upon it again.
Upon the top of the tree, resting between the uppermost branches, there was a great house. It was built three stories high, and not a sign of age could be seen, for it gleamed with a brilliant white. Its crystal windows sparkled with a light that came from within. Thick branches grew right through the house, and shot up over its roof, sheltering it under a canopy of leaves. There were two doors. One was great and tall, with a doorknob of gold. The other was smaller, yet still flawless, built at the corner of the house. In front of them was a wide wooden platform, on which now stood the tired group of people.
"Now, you may rest. I and Helena have council with Hines and the Dark Lord. We will tell you all that you need to know when the time comes. Do not fear; let no harmful thoughts keep your mind awake. Rest in the guesthouse of Hines, the servants will look to your needs." Bull said. And soon, two maiden fairies came out of the smaller door, and escorted the tired group in. Kiltan looked back, and saw Bull and Helena walking towards the main doors. And then, the doors of the guesthouse closed behind him.
Within the guesthouse, there was already a small group of people. A joyful cry came from the corner, and Kiltan saw Leiguin standing up from among a small group of thieves. These were the thieves that had retreated from Kerning. Leiguin had been separated from Heera when they had reached Henesys. "I was worried about you!" He said to Heera. "What happened at Henesys? How did you get out, with the way blocked? Come now, you must tell me" Heera laughed, and they sat in the corner of the room, and she told him of all that had happened. Kiltan also talked about the battle at the crossroads. All around them, the excited people were chatting amongst themselves. But as the night drew on, weariness weighed them down, and soon, there was only silence as they all slept soundly. Kiltan and Heera lay at the corner, against a thick wall, which separated the guesthouse from the house of Hines, in which at that very moment; the four great elders were meeting in council.
"Greetings, my old friends. A long time it has been since we had the privilege to talk. Such it has to be, that under the threat of war do we finally meet." Spoke Hines. He was sitting in a large chair, draped with a white gown. He was old, and seldom walked. But his appearance could not be deceived, for he held great powers within him, and could kill a man by simply thinking about it. Sitting besides him was the Dark Lord of Kerning, and Stan, chieftain of Henesys. They sat in a hall of flawless beauty. This was the house of Hines. Countless books lined the bookshelves around the walls, filled with mystical ancient lore or the magi from decades past. As Bull and Helena approached, two chairs floated over to them, and they seated themselves around in a circle.
Bull began to speak. "Indeed, it has been a long time. I would gladly talk on about old days past, yet now is not the time. We all know, the Barlog has risen again, and now he moves to strike the final blow upon Ellinia."
"And this is where it confuses me," said Helena. "Why would they strike last on Ellinia? There is not direct route from Ellinia to Sleepywood, but if it had attacked from Perion, Ellinia would have been taken by surprise, and thus allowing it to overrun another city. Now, if they look to fight upon the plains of Ellinia, they would only be able to attack from two entrances, the north and the south. This would not be as wise as striking the final attack on Henesys, as we had expected. For there, it could attack from all three sides. Why now, does it push us to Ellinia?"
With this, there was silence. None could understand what the beast indented to do. But then, Hines spoke up. "Surprise is what it wants. It has sent out its spies, and it knew we were expecting to face it in Henesys. It knew that the magicians of Ellinia would move off to Henesys, and thus, no defense would be prepared here. So, it struck Henesys before the people could unite, destroying the main defenses that Stan and Helena had built. It intends to confuse us. It knows that it has to face the full army of Victoria, so why face them behind the heavily guarded town of Henesys, when it could drive us here, where nothing has been prepared to defend ourselves against it?"
"And how do you propose we defend ourselves now?" said Stan. "We have seen that the beast looks to move quickly. For all we know, it could move to strike at the break of dawn. How do we prepare the defenses? How long can your magic shield us from its powers?" Hines looked up at him. "Indeed, it has been long since you visited me. You do not remember the magical powers that dwell within the forest? Never you mind, for I shall handle the defenses. But that alone cannot stop its attack. What we need are men, more people who can fight with us and face the army of creatures. But that we do not have, for many have already fallen with the three cities. All men that have survived are now with us. I have seen them all. They are tired and weary, and need rest. I have called a few clerics to aid with their healing, and they should be fit for tomorrow. Yet still, they are few in total strength. There are only a hundred warriors, for many have fallen defending Perion. In total, we have about a thousand men and women to fight. Judging from the reports of the attacks, I doubt we have enough manpower to defeat their army. Not all of these people are strong, and they have never seen such mighty beast before, let alone faced it in battle."
"We cannot get more men. Then let us improve on what we have," said Helena. "Bestow upon them the skills of the third books of lore. There may be those that are weak, but there still are those who are strong. They will pass the test."
At this, the other three looked up in surprise. Bull immediately spoke up. "No! This test has not been carried out here for the past century. This place is not right; they will not face the true test to prove their worthiness! Only in the icy caves of Ossyria can they show their strengths, under the watchful eyes of the elders."
"I do not wish that they learn the skills of the third book here, but what other choices do we have now? Sixtopia is not complete; we cannot set off to Ossyria. Even if we could, it would take too long to go there and return in time." Hines spoke. His eyes were closed in deep thought. "Do we now go against ancient rituals? Do we have another choice?" And for the next few minutes, they were silent. A huge decision rested on them. Never had the ancient ritual of the third book of lore been broken. Only the strongest of men would venture to the far of icy lands of Ossyria, and within the deepest caves of the highest peaks, they would face their masters in combat, in an ancient combat circle carved out of stone, blessed upon by their forefathers.
Finally, Helena spoke again. "Upon this dark hour, I fear we have no choice." "Then we shall try not to go too far with this," said the Dark Lord. "Let us only pick one person of each class to advance with this. And on the day of the final battle, they will aid with leadership of their fellow men. The presence of such powerful heroes among them will lift their spirits on the battle plains."
After much careful consideration, they finally agreed upon it. The Dark Lord would pick two, one bandit, one assassin. Hines would pick three, two wizards and a cleric. Helena two as well, a hunter and a crossbowman. And Bull would pick three, a spearman, a page and a fighter, all of which wielded different powers. Stan would prepare the battle plans of Ellinia, as he had done for Henesys. They stood up, and then slowly, headed out the door.
There was no sound to be heard as the four entered the guesthouse. Only a few were awake, and chatted softly with each other. The rest were soundly asleep. The four elders looked at each other and nodded. And then, they looked back at the group of tired people. In a soft, barely audible voice, Hines spoke. "Arise, those who have been chosen." Silently, ten people stood up, answering to the call of their great leaders. Kiltan rose. He heard the Dark Lord's voice whispering in his head. Now was an hour of great importance. Heera stood up besides him. From the side of the room, he also saw Leiguin rise. Other great men and women he saw, most of which he knew.
And then, the words of the Dark Lord filled him mind again. "Come now." And with that, the Dark Lord was gone, along with two others, Kiltan and another bandit. No one could see clearly where they went, for they moved off with such speed. Within that split second, the moment the Dark Lord had called them, he had dashed out in the blink of an eye. But such quickness it was that had been instilled in the thieves. Kiltan caught the quick movement, and immediately, he followed. From the corner of his eye, he saw the other bandit, running besides him with equal speed. He did not recognize the person, for he had a scarf wrapped around his head. But now was not the time, and he turned back his attention to the Dark Lord. He had run across the bridge, and was now standing at the top of one of the outer trees. He looked upon them as they caught up to him.
They were now at the top of one of the outer trees of Ellinia, standing on the thin branches, with the cool chill of the night sky blowing in their faces. The bandit besides Kiltan took off the scarf, and now, he remembered her. But he had no time to talk, for the Dark Lord spoke. "Kiltan and Cassandra, thieves of Kerning City. I call upon you two now, for a grave situation is at hand. You know of the dangers that approach us. And so, after careful consideration, we elders of Victoria have decided to bestow you with the skills of the third book of lore. We have found you worthy, but that is not enough. Now, prove to me that you and fit for this." And without a word or warning, from his wrist he flung out two stars, and with deadly precision, they flew straight towards the two thieves that were standing before him.
They both leapt up, high into the air. An endless stream of stars flew about them, as they skillfully twisted their bodies, avoiding a single scratch. And then, the Dark Lord rose up. He did not jump, but instead seemed to float upwards. Under the light of the moon, the weapons in his hands gleamed dangerously. On his left hand, he wore a thick brown claw, with two blades pointing outwards from his wrist. A fan of stars he held there in that hand. In his right hand, he held a small dagger. Thin and slender it was, yet it was long and sharp. It would leave a deep wound wherever it struck. Kiltan held ready his stars, and Cassandra drew out a long, curved dagger. High above the tree, they seemed to float, in a graceful yet deadly position, cloaked by the light glow of the moon. And then, the Dark Lord drew forth his dagger, and its edge sliced through the wind. And then he flew straight towards the two.
Kiltan dropped down. He threw two stars at the Dark Lord, but they were diverted skillfully with his dagger. Up in the air, he saw Cassandra taking the opportunity to strike, but once again, the hand of the Dark Lord was quick, and he drew his dagger forward, and stopped her attack. The two fell down from the sky, and Cassandra pushed herself away before they landed. With a light foot, they all rested softly atop the slender branches of the tree. But there was no intention of a quick and easy battle. With a single hand, the Dark Lord threw ten stars forward. A moment after leaving his hand, they merged with a bright magical spark, and now, Kiltan saw a great big star flying towards him. It was almost as large as him, yet still it flew with great speed and grace, like a huge disk that would destroy all in its way. They both jumped up, but Cassandra was too slow by a split second, and the star caught the side of her foot. Yet, she stood strong, and landed skillfully again on the branches. Her leg was bleeding, and her shoe dripped red with her blood. She showed no expression on her face, and her eyes locked onto the Dark Lord.
With another quick fling of his wrist, a fan of five stars flew straight at them. They dodged it, and continued to leap forward. As Kiltan jumped, he flung two stars at the Dark Lord. But without even looking at Kiltan, he raised his dagger, and accurately cut off the oncoming stars with it. Neither the star nor the dagger shattered or broke, for they were made out of an equally strong material. Slowly, dodging a wall of flying stars, they leapt over the tree branches, and soon stood close to the Dark Lord. But then, he stopped his attack of throwing stars, and slit all those that remained in his hand back into a small pouch near his pocket. Then, he leapt high into the air. He drew out another dagger, and held it in his other hand. The new dagger that he wielded was larger, and its handle glowed golden, with four more sharp edges extending out from it.
He dove down at them again. His daggers held outwards, deflecting the stars that Kiltan was throwing at him. Kiltan did not stop, and continued to fire his stars into the air, while Cassandra held her dagger up, ready to strike when he landed. But twisting his body around, he swung his dagger, and cut off the attack from Cassandra, holding back her dagger. He now stood in front of Kiltan, and with such little space, Kiltan could not throw his stars forward. So holding one of the stars in his hand, he sliced at the Dark Lord with it. But this was not his specialty, for he was not trained in close ranged combat, and this was an easy block for the Dark Lord. And then, pushing he hand forward, the Dark Lord drove forth his dagger, cutting Kiltan across his chest. Kiltan leapt back, stunned. But quickly, he continued by flinging the star at the Dark Lord.
With another jab from his left hand, the Dark Lord pushed Cassandra back, and now turned to Kiltan. Cassandra ran forward again, holding her dagger up high, ready to stab at the back of the Dark Lord. He did not move, and she thrust her dagger deep into his back. But instead, she fell forward, as the figure of the Dark Lord faded away into a simple shadow. It was a simple shadow image that had fooled her. She looked up, and saw him continuing to walk towards Kiltan, while all the time deflecting away at all the stars he threw. Once again, she charged forward. This time, he turned around, and swung his dagger back. She leapt away, but in her hasty move, her dagger flew out of her hands, and she landed on all fours, unarmed. She could not see where her dagger was, and tried to get up. But the Dark Lord was upon her, and he drew his dagger, holding it at her throat. But she quickly punched his hand away before he got too close, and drove her leg into his chest, pushing him back. As she quickly struggled to get up, she turned around and saw the Dark Lord approach again. But then, he stopped, and looked down. She followed his gaze. Her curved dagger was impaled through the leg of the Dark Lord, its shining edge leaking with blood. He turned around, and saw Kiltan, whose hand was still held forward, his fingers outstretched, for he had flung the dagger forward with the accuracy of a throwing star. He stared at the dagger, now deeply penetrated into the leg of his master.
The Dark Lord leaned down. With a quick pull, he yanked the dagger out of his leg. He showed no signs of pain on his face, just the usual blank expression. Blood continued to pour out. He tore off a strip of his shirt, and wrapped it around his leg. And then, he beckoned for Kiltan to come closer. He came and stood besides Cassandra, both breathing heavily. The Dark Lord stood silently before them, his arms folded, and not a sign of exhaustion or pain he showed.
"My humble followers. I shall approve that you are indeed fit for this task. And thus, I shall grant you the powers of the third book of lore. It will guide you with the skills that you need to know to truly advance yourself to become a powerful thief. Come now." And with that, the Dark Lord jumped down from the tree, and landed lightly on the bridge below. Severe as his injury might be, he definitely did not show his pain. He led the two back towards the house of Hines. They entered, and the Dark Lord sat them down on a long bench at the side of the room. None of the other eight were in the house, and Kiltan assumed that they had yet to return. Stan was at the corner, and in his hands were large maps. The Dark Lord then approached them, and held in his hands two weapons, a dagger and a claw, both of which were the ones he used during the fight with them. "Cassandra, I give you my dagger, the Golden River. A dagger that was forged from the furnace of Ossyria, its deadly edge is no match for any others, and will slice through all your foes with ease. And to you, Kiltan, I give you the Fury. It is light, yet tough. Blessed upon by your ancestors, it will give you strength in battle, and burn your heart with a powerful energy. Keep these as a blessing upon you." And with that, he walked off, and sat in one of four great chairs, and there, he closed his eyes, retreating back to his sanctuary of deep thought.
Kiltan looked at Cassandra. Her face was bleeding, and she still panted heavily. "How long has it been? Two years? What have you been up to?" Kiltan said. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a deep joy. "It has been too long." And then she hugged him. "I thought we would never meet again. How funny it is, that since we left Kerning to train our own separate ways, we have never met up till now." And so, they sat down, and forgetting their pains, they talked joyfully for a good five minutes, before the doors opened, and in walked the magicians. And slowly, over the next few minutes, the rest slowly arrived.
Heera walked in, along with another crossbowman. He saw that she was bleeding from her shoulder and knee. Those were wounds inflicted by a swift arrow that had pierced deeply into her flesh. She limped over to Kiltan, and sat besides him. Noticing Cassandra, she gave a quick smile. They had also known each other, for they had met back in the early days. Kiltan noticed that Heera was holding a new bow in her hand. It was long and great, shining with a vibrant yellow glow. It was curved in a graceful arc, strung with a silver thread.
Looking around him, he saw that everyone was now wielding different equipments. Gifts from the elders, he presumed. Many of them were also wounded, with deep cuts running across their arms and legs. Kiltan felt the deep scar across his chest, and it burned intensely. But then, he felt the pain begin to fade away. Looking up, he saw Hines, with his hands outstretched. He mumbled a strange foreign tongue, and slowly, he healed the wounds of all the people in the room. Finally, he lowered his hands. The group of ten now felt a deep renewed strength in them. Then, Hines pointed upwards, and ten books floated down from the high shelves, one for each person. They all took the one that Hines handed to them. On the cover was engraved a symbol of ancient writings. Each person had a different book, which held the secrets of ancient skills learn by those of their class.
"In these books are the ancient spells and skills that will allow you to grow in strength and spirit. Learn them, and hold it in your hearts well. You are now no longer a simple warrior, magician, archer or thief. You have now been bestowed with powers seldom seen by man." And with that, Hines sat down. His face now turned grave, as he began to speak again. "I believe you know why we gave you the skills of the third books of lore. War is upon us. Only with the strongest of men can we defeat them. We do not know when they will strike, but we do know that when they do, we will be ready. Take your new skills with you, and learn them well. And when we finally face these creatures in battle, you will lead your fellow men onward. You will be great heroes, and you shall lift up their spirits with strength and power. And on the fields of battle, we will stand together with you, and face the creatures as one. Go now, and may the gods watch over you always."
The ten slowly left the house, and no one saw any of them for the rest of the night. The doors to the house of Hines were shut, as the elders consulted each other again as to the matters of the battle that now loomed ever closer. The warriors and archers slept soundly in the guesthouse, and their pains and evil thoughts left their minds. For the first time in three days, they slept soundly, secured under the watchful eyes of the four great elders. And all over Ellinia, occupying the spare houses and hotels, were the other men and women who had retreated to Ellinia. Some were restless, and wandered around the town. The night was cold, as chilly gust of winds swished through the forest. A deep, peaceful silence filled the air, as the town slept within the safe haven of the forest.
An archer casually walked past one of the small magical light stones, her shadow bouncing off the trees. She walked onto one of the bridges, and leaned on the railing. It swung gently in the wind, hanging high above the ground below. Looking down, she saw few people, mostly fairies, who were busily hurrying around with small morning chores. Around her, the glowing stones began to dim, and the light of dawn slowly flooded into the town. It was still early, and people were still asleep. But today was no ordinary day.
A crackling boom rippled through the air, shaking the trees and rustling the leaves. All those who were walking around the town were stunned, and they stopped dead in their tracks. The archer quickly ran towards the outer tree. As she passed, the doors of the houses were hastily opened, as the people who were awoken by the sound ran out to see what was happening. They ran to the platforms of the outer trees, looking outwards, slightly confused. It was clear where the sound had come from. Deep in the forest, along the southern roadways that led from Ellinia to Henesy, small flames could be seen licking at the upper branches of the forest canopy. The trees were brutally pushed aside; shaking violently, as the stamping of huge feet could be heard, slowly pushing their way towards Ellinia.
The doors of the house of Hines slammed open, as the four elders rushed out, looking far out to the south. And then, another massive crackle shot through the dawning sky. But it did not come from the south. Looking behind them, the elders saw a similar sight, but this time, approaching from the northern roads. The creatures were pushing their ways forward. Stan quickly rushed out of the house, and looked out towards north. And then, the quick footsteps of ten people ran up the side of the central tree. And here, standing besides the elders, were the ten that had been chosen to be greater then any other.
The doors of the guest house opened and the people inside began to quickly file out. But upon seeing the ten men and women who stood with the four elders, they fell back in awe. Hines stood at the edge of the platform, and spoke out in a great, clear voice, that rang through Ellinia town. "All you men and women who have come to Ellinia! See these ten people, of which we have deemed fit to advance with the third skills from the ancient books of lore. These are people you once knew, but no longer are they simple people; they are now heroes, greater then any others. Look upon them with pride, for they will lead you onward to battle."
And then, he looked up again, his eyes cast upon the rumbling trees that approached. Within an hour, they would reach Ellinia. But he had said that they would be prepared, and prepared they were. He held his arms wide, and no longer did he seem like a frail old wizard, but now, he was a great man, who seemed larger then anyone else. His cloaked glowed brilliantly in the rising sun. His head was raised high, proud and strong. And once again, he spoke out, in an even louder and stronger voice, such that it echoed over the forest, reaching the ears of the oncoming armies. "You are men and women of Victoria! And now, you will fight for what is yours! This land was won by your ancestors, and not now, not ever, will we let it fall to these foul beasts! Draw your weapons, and stand strong. We will stand with you in battle, and if we have to give our lives, so be it! We have defeated these creatures once, and we will do it again! Hail this glorious day! Let the sun light up your soul, and cast away all shadows! For it is on this day, we shall fight for the glory of men!"