Chapter 37
Al-Esh
A loud, braying bark resounded through the cave, startling Telepe and Tari awake as the sound echoed off the walls. A moment later, Tari was forcefully torn from Telepe's arms as she was bowled to the ground by a large, furry shape. She let out a surprised cry that quickly turned into a squeal of delight as she realized that her dog was pinning her to the ground, furiously licking at her face, his tail a blur behind him.
"Sparicus! Good boy!" Tari laughed, cupping his face in her hands and rubbing it furiously as the hound barked happily. He then looked over at Telepe and attacked him as well, licking Telepe's cheeks and pressing his large body against Telepe's chest.
"Agh! Down! Easy!" Telepe protested, pushing the dog back enough that he could scratch his ears. Sparicus barked again and bumped his head against Telepe's face, then returned to Tari, who happily returned his affection with cooing praises.
"So this is where you two were all night?" another voice asked. Telepe looked up to see Pasare peeking around the corner, her bow drawn and an arrow resting on the string. Behind her, Golbrom was carrying his sword in his left hand, and Reili was gripping his spear tightly in both hands as he warily looked around the inside of the cave.
"Indeed," Telepe confirmed, grunting as he pushed himself up. He winced as he felt how stiff his neck and back were from sleeping against the rock wall all night. Though Varen had assured him that the spirits of the Thousand-Strong would watch over them, he had wanted to at least feign alertness in case the goblins decided to invade their camp and Varen couldn't stop them. "Our apologies."
"Watch the road more closely next time," Golbrom warned him, narrowing his eyes as Telepe moved past him to where Emero was standing, pawing the ground impatiently. "You were fortunate that you were not injured in that fall."
"We're well aware," Telepe agreed as he pulled some fodder from one of Emero's saddlebags and held it out for the horse to eat. "It's also good to see that you all are unharmed as well. May we ask what happened after we fell?"
"After we lost sight of you two, we tried to search for you, but the storm only continued to worsen," Reili said grimly as he planted the butt of his spear into the ground, eyeing the passageway into the wider cavern warily. "We couldn't even see where you had fallen, and if we'd lingered in the cold much longer, there was a good chance we would have frozen, so we decided to make camp. Fortunately, Golbrom was able to carve us out a makeshift shelter from the snow. It was a little burrow that he dug straight into a snowdrift. I've never seen anything like it."
"Anyone can learn to construct it, though I would not recommend it except in emergencies," Golbrom muttered. "If we'd had time, I would have rather we made proper camp."
"Even so, it was surprisingly warm," Pasare added. "We padded the ground with some spare furs, and so long as we didn't touch the ice walls, it was fairly comfortable. We pulled the horses under a stone outcropping and wrapped them in spare furs so that they wouldn't freeze, and then we bedded down for the night to wait out the storm. That one, though, was inconsolable," she added, nodding to Sparicus, who was laying his head in Tari's lap and whining plaintively for more pats. "He spent the night curled up next to me, whimpering for you, Tari."
"Poor boy!" Tari exclaimed, rubbing his ears fiercely, much to the dog's delight, as his tail began wagging faster.
"Thankfully, the storm didn't last much longer after we had settled in," Pasare continued. "We were even able to sleep a bit. Then we set out at first light to look for you. Thankfully, one of the furs had your scent on it, Tari, and we used that to find you. Sparicus is an excellent tracking dog," she remarked.
"Of course he is. It's what he was trained to do," Tari said smugly.
"In any case, we're pleased to see you're unharmed," Reili smiled. "Do you need some time to gather your belongings?"
"Only a moment, and then we should head out immediately," Telepe replied, glancing towards the larger cavern off to his right. In the shadows, he could see the hunched forms of a pair of goblins lurking behind a boulder, watching the intruders warily. He slowly exhaled, then turned back around and added, "We've overstayed our welcome here, after all."
Telepe and Tari quickly gathered their belongings and hastily stuffed them into Emero's saddlebags while Golbrom, Pasare, and Reili watched the entrance to the main cavern to ensure they weren't about to be ambushed. Ten minutes later, they departed the cave and stepped into the bright sunlight and freshly fallen snow. Telepe shivered as a cool wind blew over them, kicking up loose snowflakes, which swirled around them as they resumed their travels along the narrow mountain road.
As they walked, Telepe and Tari relayed what had transpired the night before, though they refrained from mentioning how they had also become much closer. Even so, Tari was pressing back into Telepe's chest far more comfortably than before as she sat in front of him, and he noticed Pasare stealing amused glances at them and smirking surreptitiously, though she hastily looked away before Telepe could pin her with a glare.
"This… task given to you by this spirit," Reili prompted, drawing Telepe's attention back to the matter at hand. "He said that he doesn't know where the Ayleids took his brethren's hands?"
"He did not," Telepe confirmed. "I was wondering if there was perhaps something in an old legend or tale about the Thousand-Strong?" When Pasare and Tari both shook their heads, he added, "I would not expect the Ayleids to record it, as I suspect they consider even the limited success of that uprising an embarrassment. But perhaps something survived in an old song, sung by the slaves?"
"If there was, it's been long suppressed by the masters. They're quite keen on ensuring that nothing that could foment rebellion spreads. They consider it a disease among the cattle," Tari replied bitterly. "The Thousand-Strong's rebellion was also long before our time. The elder slaves might recall it, certainly, but we grew up ignorant of anything beyond the fact that it was brutally suppressed."
Telepe nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. He did recall that the first person who had mentioned the rebellion to him was Akripa, and that the old praefect had been adamant that the story should not be remembered as anything more than a cautionary tale about the dangers of rebellion. "And it's not as though we can travel to Ceya-Tar now to ask," he added under his breath, then shook his head when Tari looked up at him curiously. "In that case, I suppose that we should see what information we can uncover from the cities that Varen mentioned."
"Well, it's not as though the five of us are going to storm Sedor," Reili remarked drily.
"Of course not," Telepe chuckled, tightening his grip on Emero's reins. "However, it's fortunate that the rebellion is already besieging one of the cities that Varen mentioned."
"Provided, of course, that you can conquer Vahtache," Golbrom grunted. His comment drew frowns from Tari, Pasare, and Reili, though Telepe reluctantly nodded in agreement. "And that's assuming that it does indeed hold the knowledge you seek."
"If it doesn't, then we continue journeying north, sacking the other cities as we go," Reili shrugged. "It's what the Paravant intends anyways, yes? There's no reason we can't accomplish both tasks at once."
Golbrom sighed and ran his hand slowly along his thick, grey beard. "To be young, impetuous, idealistic, and foolish once more," he growled.
"Enough," Telepe interjected, holding his hand up before Reili could angrily retort. "All of this is idle speculation, and it's distracting us from our true task. We must till reach Tari's canticle tree so that she can read the Elder Scroll." He glanced at Pasare, then added, "How much longer do you suppose we must travel?"
"It's difficult to determine, considering that all of this snow shall slow our progress," she admitted. "However, even with our recent delay, we're still making good time, especially since we no longer have the infantry and the wagons slowing us down. So long as we remain on horseback, I suppose no more than a few days at the most."
"Very good. Then let's make haste," Telepe stated. "We'll read the Elder Scroll, then hurry south to rejoin the army. If we're swift, we may even arrive in time to aid in the siege."
"Yes, the five of us shall be the tipping point that decides the battle. Certainly," Golbrom muttered sardonically.
"If it turns out that we are, I'm stealing your rations for a week," Reili retorted, then grinned and spurred his horse into a canter to escape the irritated glower that Golbrom leveled at him.
Fortunately, it seemed as though the weather had finally decided to stop tormenting them. For the remainder of the journey, the skies remained clear and cloudless. However, the roads were still covered in a thick layer of snow, and the cold only grew more intense as they climbed deeper into the mountains. Telepe was grateful that Tari was riding with him on Emero's back, as she was more than happy to lean into him and share warmth. He noticed that Pasare was also reluctantly pressing against Reili, who likewise seemed too cold to make a cheeky remark about her closeness. Though Golbrom rode alone, he seemed almost unaffected by the frigid air, though Telepe was unsure whether Golbrom was truly unbothered, or if he was simply acting as though the cold wasn't troubling him.
Around mid-morning, Pasare suddenly pressed a finger to her lips and pointed up. Telepe frowned and craned his neck up to see what had Pasare worried, and a moment later, he noticed the shimmering white walls of an Ayleid city on the cliff above them. Given what Varen had told them, he was certain they were passing under the shadow of Sedor. Reili grimaced and urged his horse more quickly down the road, leading the way through the snow as swiftly as possible. Telepe and Golbrom followed in his wake, their horses carefully tracing the path that he carved through the loose, cold powder.
Fortunately, it seemed as though the inhabitants of Sedor had chosen to settle in for the winter, as there were no signs of patrols on the road. In fact – though he admittedly didn't have a good vantage point – Telepe couldn't even see any sentries in the watchtowers spaced along the gleaming walls of the city. He supposed that Sedor was so remote that it had little reason to fear attacks from other city-states, especially in the winter, with the mountains and heavy snow serving as natural barriers. Sedor's arrogance had likely saved their lives, he mused.
As they traveled, they collectively remained alert for caves to spend the night in. Though Telepe and Tari were especially wary of the dangers that might lurk in the caverns, Golbrom insisted that he would rather face whatever made its home in the caves than try to weather the cold. The first night after their escape from the caves below Sedor, they stumbled across another deep tunnel shortly before the sun set. Pasare led the way into the cave and inspected it carefully, while the others crept behind her. Fortunately, it was abandoned, and they were able to settle in without incident. While they ate a cold dinner around the campfire, Telepe thought that he saw a glint of silver in the walls, though he paid it little mind. After all, it wasn't as though they could mine the metal at the moment anyways.
Over the course of the next two days, they began to descend from the mountains into a stony, coniferous valley. As night approached near the end of the second day, they were unable to locate another cave to stay in, but the wind was mercifully light, and Golbrom suggested that they might be able to spend the night in tents, so long as the wind remained gentle. They set up one tent and huddled together for warmth, but that evening was mercifully warm compared to the last few nights, and Telepe even managed to enjoy a few hours of sleep. Tari's small body nestled comfortably against his chest was certainly pleasant, at least.
The next morning, they rose just after dawn and continued their descent into the valley. As they traveled, the snow gradually became shallower, eventually exposing the stony ground. The horses' hooves struggled to find purchase on the rough terrain, but Reili had a talent for finding paths that the horses could walk on, and though the going was difficult, they were able to finish their descent without incident or injury. As they finally stepped off of the winding mountain path, they were greeted with an astonishing sight.
Nestled in the valley, cradled by the high mountain walls, was a small grove of evergreen trees. Though they had occasionally passed tall pine trees during their journey, and though there was a forest of conifers and further down in the foothills, they had not yet encountered a grove of this size, this deep in the mountain range. There was a sense of serenity about the small copse of trees – even the air seemed gentler and quieter, thanks to the tall mountains on all sides shielding the area from the blustering wind.
Telepe's his eyes were soon drawn to a lone tree growing in the center of the taller pines. Although its branches were devoid of the colorful leaves that its counterpart near Ceya-Tar bore, the dozens of moths fluttering around it immediately marked it as the canticle tree that they sought.
Telepe glanced down at Tari, who beamed up at him as she climbed off of Emero and began blithely approaching the tree. His eyes widened, and he called out to her, "Wait!" She paused mid-stride and turned to glance at him as he dismounted as well, slowly drawing his sword. "Do you recall what happened last time you approached a canticle tree? What if there are spriggans about?"
Tari considered his point, then nodded and held her hand out, murmuring under her breath. A flame sprang to life in her palm, and then she resumed walking calmly towards the tree. Telepe's eyes widened, his heart pounding, as Tari stopped in front of the tan trunk. She then reached out with her free hand and touched the rough bark. After a few moments, she turned around and called back to him, "I don't believe this one is guarded."
"So it seems," Telepe murmured, sheathing his sword and letting out a slow sigh of relief. "I wonder why, though. I thought these trees were supposed to be sacred."
"Perhaps they simply don't all have spriggan guardians," Tari suggested with a shrug. "Perhaps this one is remote enough that the terrain itself is adequate protection."
"Yes, because a trek through miles of jungle to find a single tree certainly wasn't difficult enough," Telepe remarked drily. He glanced over his shoulder at Pasare, who nodded in agreement, but shrugged helplessly.
"You're complaining that we're not being attacked right now?" Tari asked just as drily as she drew her knife and began shaving flakes of bark from the tree trunk. "If you yell loud enough, perhaps you might attract some wolves. Would that satisfy you?"
Telepe glared at her, which she responded to with a cheeky grin. She then returned her attention to the tree and collected the shavings. As she held the wood in her left hand, she began wandering around the grove, murmuring under her breath. The ancestor moths, drawn by the bark, began fluttering around her, and a brilliant nimbus started to envelop her body. After a few minutes, she was radiating a cloud of light that was almost too bright to look at. She then turned to Telepe and held her hand out to him.
Telepe approached her with his hands behind his back, stopping short when he was less than a foot from her. Her playful smile had faded, replaced with a solemn expression. He could hear a faint chirping from the moths hovering around her, and he noticed that there was a harmony to the sound, almost as though the tiny insects were singing. Tari briefly looked away, then took a deep breath and gazed into his eyes.
"Taking one last look?" Telepe asked in a gently teasing voice as he dropped his hands to her hips and drew her against him. "Or are you a bit more confident that you'll see me again, this time?"
"One never knows," Tari admitted as she reached her own hands up and cupped his cheeks. "In truth, I'm both less and more frightened than I was the last time I read from the Scroll. Less, because I know what to expect now… and more, for the same reason. It's terrifying, being struck blind for over a week, and though I've weathered it once before, I have little desire to experience it again."
"I understand," Telepe assured her gently. "But let me also remind you that you won't be alone."
"True. I did bring Sparicus with me this time," Tari chuckled.
"Oh, well, clearly you don't need my comfort! I'll fetch Sparicus for you, then!" Telepe retorted in a mock-hurt tone, starting to pull away from her. Tari let out a cry of protest and tightened her grip to drag him back against her. When he turned back around and grinned down at her, it was her turn to pout up at him, though a smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Thank you," she said sincerely, reaching up to touch his cheek again. She then tilted her head and added, "You know, you look good with a beard."
"Do I?" Telepe asked with a sheepish grin. He had been letting his beard grow out over the last few weeks, partially to help stave off the cold. He now sported a short, silver-blond beard that covered his cheeks, jawline, chin, and upper lip.
"You do. It makes you look… older. More dignified," Tari remarked. She then smiled faintly and added, "And more human."
"Mer can grow beards too, you know," Telepe pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
"They can. But few do," Tari replied. She ran her fingers along his jawline again, then added with a mischievous smile, "Keep it, but please keep it short."
"You want it to be the first thing you see when your vision returns?" Telepe asked, unable to resist teasing her with the request she had made to him when she had last read the Elder Scroll.
"Mm. It's certainly something to anticipate," she replied, smirking up at him. She then tugged him down, and he immediately responded by pulling her up into a slow, passionate kiss. They remained together for a few long moments, and then they simultaneously broke apart and nodded to each other. Tari pulled away and turned around, then took a deep breath and opened the Elder Scroll.
Telepe winced as the light surrounding her briefly flared, and he heard Tari gasp sharply as she stood stock-still, staring into the scroll. The humming of the moths grew louder as the seconds crawled by, and the longer Tari continued to gaze into the depths of the scroll, the more anxious Telepe grew. Then, abruptly, the humming ceased, the light surrounding her faded, and Tari suddenly pitched forward as the moths floating around her scattered. Telepe darted forward and grabbed her shoulders before she fell to the ground.
Tari groaned softly as Telepe turned her around and examined her face. Once again, her already fair skin had been drained of color, and her pupils had all but disappeared. For a few moments, she didn't react to his presence, but then she slowly reached up and felt around for his face.
"Telepe?" she asked hesitantly.
"I'm here," he assured her gently, taking her hand and squeezing her fingers. "How are you feeling?"
"Aside from the fact that I'm blind again and I feel as though I haven't slept for days? Well enough," Tari replied tartly.
"Hm. You can't be too unwell if your tongue is still that sharp," Telepe chuckled.
"What did you see?" Reili suddenly asked from where he was still sitting astride his horse, several feet away. Telepe turned to glare at the keptu, and he flinched, before adding hesitantly, "If… I might ask."
"Allow her to recover from her ordeal first," Telepe said sharply, scowling deeply at the knight, his grip on Tari tightening slightly.
"No… it's no trouble," Tari said slowly, squeezing Telepe's arm. She turned her head in the general direction of Reili, her blank eyes searching for him, and then she recalled, "I first beheld a star, falling from Aetherius to Nirn. That star took root in the ground, and from it sprouted a golden crown. I then watched as a mer plucked the crown from the earth as you would a cabbage and carried it to a massive throne of marble. Seated on the throne was a golden figure wrapped in a cloak of rainbow-colored feathers. The man with the crown fell to his knees and offered the crown to the figure on the throne, who smiled and nodded.
"I was then yanked back, as though a giant hand had pulled me into the air, and I saw that the one crown had become eight. These eight crowns were arrayed around a central orb of rainbow light, slowly rotating in the air above a marble spire. The crowns began to shine like stars, and as they grew brighter, bright rays of light connected them with both the orb and the crowns they were adjacent to. It seemed to form an eight-spoked wheel, though they didn't form a perfect circle; rather, the lines were disjointed and irregular, though I could not fathom why.
"As the shining stars grew brighter, I heard a woman's laughter, and I was brought before the figure on the throne again. Behind him shone a massive doorway, shimmering with rainbow light. Faceless figures bedecked in bronze armor strode out of the doorway and arrayed themselves behind the figure on the throne, who began laughing triumphantly. As my vision began to fade, I could swear that our eyes met for the briefest moment."
Tari shuddered, and Telepe gently squeezed her shoulders. Across from them, Reili frowned and ran his fingers slowly through his short beard.
"That is… rather vague," he remarked.
"Visions given by the Elder Scrolls tend to be, it seems," Telepe replied. "The last vision Tari received was more metaphorical than informative, and I suspect this one is much the same." He shook his head, then added, "If we wish to interpret it, our best chance would be to confer with Moralasil about it. He's far better versed in deciphering the obscure meanings behind the Elder Scrolls' visions than any of us."
"Very well. Then you intend to depart immediately?" Golbrom asked brusquely.
Telepe hesitated, then looked down at Tari. "Would you like to rest a bit longer?" he asked her softly.
Tari exhaled slowly and shook her head as she began to pull away from him. "No… no, we've completed our task here," she said stoically. "There's no point in tarrying longer than necessary, especially since the Paravant stated that she'll have need of us once we finished here. Where is Sparicus?" she added, turning her head back and forth as she blindly scanned the area.
Sparicus, who had been sitting at Emero's feet, immediately bounded forward and nosed Tari's hand. Tari smiled and felt around to scratch the hound's ears, then put her hand on his back. Telepe frowned, then stated, "Tari… The Paravant didn't say when she expects us to return-"
"Telepe, thank you for your concern," Tari said firmly, glancing over her shoulder at him, her blind eyes lingering on his chest. "However, I assure you that aside from my lack of vision, I am quite well. My sight shall be restored in time, I'm certain. It may even return while we're traveling. But there is no point in lingering here. Come."
Telepe was about to protest, but Tari whistled to Sparicus, and the dog dutifully began leading her towards Emero. He let out a slow sigh, then folded his arms across his chest, following her reluctantly to the horse. When he felt Reili and Golbrom's eyes following him as he walked, he turned towards them and raised an eyebrow.
"We're off then?" Reili asked lightly.
"So it would seem," Telepe grumbled, scowling as Tari felt around for Emero's flank. When she started to pull herself onto the horse's back, facing the wrong way, he hurried over to help her before she fell off.
"Where to?" Golbrom asked gruffly.
Telepe smiled grimly. "Now? Our road leads to Vahtache."
Though Telepe would not usually be particularly thrilled about returning to the dense jungles of Cyrod, he'd had more than his fill of the frigid Jerall Mountains, and he was almost eager to travel through the forest once more. Since Cyrod had been uncomfortably hot and humid in the late summer and autumn months, he expected that he would find winter to be rather pleasant.
The snow-covered road they followed out of the valley led almost due south into the heartland of eastern Cyrod, though with the expected winding turns to avoid the more treacherous parts of the mountains. At first, the horses had difficulty maintaining their footing on the slick, poorly maintained path, but as they traveled further south, the ice and snow began to lessen, and by the third day of travel, they were once again plodding along atop hardened mud at a good pace.
To Telepe's relief, the temperature also began to rise as they traveled. It was almost imperceptible at first, but gradually he became aware of the sun's rays warming his face and the fact that the wind blowing around them was no longer biting through his thick furs. Tari, Pasare, and Reili seemed even more rejuvenated than he was, though Golbrom didn't seem to care one way or the other. As the air grew warmer, the horses began to move even faster, and by the fourth day of travel, Telepe realized that they had traveled almost double the distance that they had when they were trekking through the mountains.
As the snow gave way to mud, grass, and fern, Golbrom deferred to Pasare about how best to proceed through the forested terrain, though she surprised Telepe by pointing out that there was little reason to leave the road. When he questioned her about patrols, she pulled out their map and pointed to a fork in the road that they had passed a day prior. She explained that when they had taken the western road, they had bypassed the city of Fanacas, which was the last Ayleid settlement for quite some time.
"Very well… but is this not also their domain?" Telepe asked.
"It is. However, Fanacas is known to be one of the less dangerous kingdoms. They're even somewhat gentler with their slaves than the cities of the heartlands," Pasare replied, rolling the map up and stuffing it into the saddlebags once more before settling onto the horse's back again. "While I don't doubt that they'd balk at freeing their slaves, the stories that I've heard suggest that the humans there are given positions of responsibility nearly on par with those in Arpenia. I wouldn't want to encounter Fanacas' patrols, of course, but I'd be less worried than if we were approached by, say, Vindasel's, or Fanacasecul's."
Tari let out a short, mirthless chuckle. "Strange, isn't it?" she remarked thoughtfully. "Two cities with such similar names, yet such different dispositions."
"Indeed. Though I'd rather not be caught by either one," Pasare replied bitterly. "One might treat you somewhat better than the other, but they'd both enslave you all the same."
"As would almost all Ayleids," Tari nodded grimly in agreement.
Telepe was suddenly grateful that Dynar was not accompanying them.
After a few days of travel, they finally left the foothills of the Jerall Mountains and entered the jungles of eastern Cyrod. The air steadily warmed as they traveled, eventually becoming moist and pleasantly cool. The ground also gradually became less stony, replaced by a thick layer of dirt and vegetation, though thankfully it was cold and dry enough that the horses could travel comfortably on it, rather than getting caught in the sinkholes they had been forced to endure in the summer.
Telepe also noticed that the sounds of the jungle were diminished. There were still birds calling to each other in the trees, but their shrieks were sparser and somehow less vigorous. He also noticed that there were no insects, as there was no oppressive buzzing in the background as they walked. He certainly didn't mind that he wasn't constantly swatting at his limbs to fend off swarms of flesh-eating flies and mosquitos. He decided that while he still much preferred his homeland, he didn't mind Cyrod in the winter. However, he would still avoid it in the summer, if at all possible, he resolved drily.
Pasare led them along a winding path through the jungle, continuing to follow a wide road that, while not a highway, still seemed well-traveled enough that Telepe suspected that it was at least a common merchant route. He had feared that when they entered the warmer regions of Cyrod, the danger of encountering a patrol would be greater, especially if the Paravant's army had passed by recently. However, they continued to travel unmolested. The greatest danger they faced came when Pasare suddenly held her hand up late one afternoon and nodded to something in the distance. Telepe squinted, at first not noticing what she was peering at, but then he saw a pair of large, tawny cats crouched behind a large cluster of ferns, eyeing their group hungrily. When they realized that they had been spotted, however, the cats suddenly rose from their ambush and stalked off into the jungle. Telepe could swear one of the beasts threw a dirty look at Pasare over its shoulder, and he noticed Pasare's smug smirk as she watched it depart.
A couple days later, Pasare suddenly announced, "Good. That is what I was hoping to see." When Telepe tilted his head at her, she pointed through the trees at something in the distance. Telepe craned his neck, and after a few moments spied a large, deep blue lake. A few small, marble houses were clustered around the lake, but the settlement seemed more like a village than a proper city-state.
"Kemen is about a day's ride east of here, and Vahtache is roughly the same distance south," Pasare explained as Telepe settled down on Emero's back once more. "Unfortunately, there's no major road connecting the latter, so we'll have to travel directly through the jungle."
"Why is that?" Reili asked.
"I'd imagine it's because Vahtache relies upon the Niben River," Telepe suggested. "They'd have little reason to claim a lake, so that settlement is probably a tributary of Kemen, if they're not independent. It might be easier to raid a settlement than trying to conquer and hold it. That might also be why Kemen was so eager to aid the rebellion against Vahtache."
"Perhaps," Pasare shrugged. "In any case, it shouldn't be long before we rejoin the Paravant."
"Very good. How are your eyes?" Telepe added, gazing down at Tari.
Tari shook her head, waving her hand in front of her face. "I can once more distinguish color," she said slowly. "However, everything is blurry and indistinct. I still cannot even see your face," she added, gazing up at him with a frown."
"Well… at least your vision is improving," Telepe said slowly, trying to keep his tone optimistic. "Perhaps you'll have healed fully by the time we arrive at Vahtache."
"How are our supplies?" Golbrom asked tersely. "Should we risk trading with that settlement?"
Telepe shot a glance at Pasare, who had been keeping track of their supplies, and she replied slowly, "Well… admittedly, we're running low on rations. However, they should suffice-"
"Then we should trade," Golbrom interrupted.
Pasare shook her head, her expression hardening. "You don't understand," she said firmly. "It's not worth the risk. The allegiance of that village is uncertain. Perhaps the citizens there are allied with Kemen, but it's also possible that Vahtache has laid claim to it as well. It's not uncommon for small border settlements like that to change hands regularly, depending upon which kingdom is ascendant. Furthermore, even if it is allied with Kemen, there's no guarantee that they'll aid us."
"Why not?" Golbrom asked gruffly. "They traded with us for these horses, did they not?"
"A trade agreement is not the same as an alliance," Telepe chimed in, giving Pasare a sidelong glance, which she answered with a grateful smile. "If we approach that village, we're taking a potentially dangerous risk."
"Ah…." Reili spoke up. Telepe glanced up to see him pointing near the western shore of the lake, where a quartet of Ayleid riders were speaking with each other and pointing at them. He glanced down at Pasare, who matched his worried look with one of her own.
"We should depart. Immediately," she said shortly.
"I concur," Reili said softly.
Telepe, however, tilted his head thoughtfully as he noticed that the riders were approaching them with their weapons sheathed. One even held up a hand to beckon to them. He swallowed, then glanced back at Reili and Pasare.
"Wait. Grant me a moment to converse with them," he said softly. When Pasare and Reili stared at him, he added, "They're not calling for more riders. I imagine that they're just curious about who we are and what we're doing here."
"And what if they intend to attack us instead?" Pasare asked shortly, eyeing the approaching riders warily.
"Then we fight. There are four of them approaching, and none of us are poor in combat," Telepe pointed out. "However, consider their demeanor. Their weapons are sheathed, and they're not demanding that we halt. That said, if we flee now, it's quite likely that they shall pursue us, since they might suspect we're enemy scouts or the like."
"What if they're allied with Vahtache?" Reili asked warily. "If they intend to do battle with us?"
"That's why the Paravant sent you with us, yes? Are you not one of her finest knights?" Telepe pointed out with a mischievous smile. Reili winced, and then Telepe added, "It would not be unwise for you and Pasare to hide in the woods while we're talking. They may have already seen you, but if you're as skilled a rider as you and the Paravant claim, you should have little trouble ambushing them, correct? Especially with Pasare aiding you – she's an excellent archer."
Reili glanced down at Pasare warily, then sighed and nodded as he wheeled his horse around. "Very well. But if you are attacked, I'm not binding your wounds later."
"Of course not. I'll be relying upon Tari for that," Telepe retorted easily. Reili glowered at him, then kicked his horse and rode into the trees. Telepe glanced over at Golbrom, adding, "Would you like to take cover as well?"
"I don't flee from a fight," Golbrom said gruffly, resting his hand on his sword. "Nor could I outrun them now anyways, as close as they are. I'll remain at your side. If they do attack, perhaps I can fend one or two of them off."
"You have my gratitude," Telepe said with a warm smile, his ear twitching as the Ayleids' horses drew near, their hooves thudding dully against the hard ground. He took a deep breath, then turned and smiled pleasantly as the elves brought their horses to a halt.
"Good day!" Telepe said cheerfully, quickly scanning the elves' armor. They were clad in leather, rather than the bronze he had come to associate with most Ayleid warriors, and they wore shabby grey cloaks. To his dismay, however, their round, bronze shields bore no symbol. Of course, he doubted that he would have recognized Kemen or Vahtache's symbols anyways.
"Well met," a fierce-looking Ayleid woman replied shortly, inclining her head as she brought her dapple-grey mare to a halt. "It's rare to see travelers on these roads this time of year."
"Yes, well, these are strange times, aren't they?" Telepe asked conversationally, trying to bait the woman into revealing her allegiance.
"Indeed," the woman replied in a guarded tone, much to Telepe's irritation. "There were more of you, yes?" she added, eyeing him suspiciously. "Where did the third rider that was accompanying you go?"
"They rode ahead to scout the road," Telepe lied smoothly. "One cannot be too careful these days, after all. I hope you haven't been too affected by the upheaval in the south," he added slyly.
"Not particularly. Of course, all have heard of the slave revolt by now," the Ayleid replied, her face a stony mask. "I imagine you all are associated with them, aren't you?"
"Perhaps. If so, does that bother you?" Telepe replied coolly, being very careful to keep his gaze on the Ayleid and resisting the urge to see if Reili and Pasare were edging around behind the riders.
"It depends upon whether they have designs on our settlement," the elf replied coldly. "We're rather tired of Kemen and Vahtache using our village as a battleground. If the rebellion intends to do the same, then yes, it bothers us a great deal."
Telepe blinked in surprise. "Are you not a tributary of one of those kingdoms?" he asked slowly.
The Ayleid sighed. "Vahtache and Kemen certainly believe we are. Depending upon the year, one shall demand our fealty and tribute. They then coerce us into surrendering our supplies and demand that we house their warriors. The other, in turn, shall declare us traitors and conduct raids on our homes to drive out both the occupying army and loot what little we have left. Sometimes they are successful, sometimes they are not." Her bitter look soured further. "Regardless of the result, however, our people suffer. We're little better off than the slaves. Frankly, many of us sympathize with your cause."
"Indeed?" Telepe asked, raising his eyebrows. "Well… would you perhaps be willing to consider an alliance with us?"
The Ayleid woman stared at him, then barked out a short laugh. "If we do, both sides shall declare us traitors and raze our village to the ground, human. Sympathy does not imply that we intend to join your uprising."
"Understandable," Telepe replied evenly, shifting his grip around Tari's middle as Emero pawed the ground impatiently. "And the rebellion is in no position to demand your fealty, of course. Nor would it, I imagine. Even so, while I don't disagree that both Kemen and Vahtache would be furious at your 'betrayal,' if they intended to destroy your village, one or both of them would have done so. It seems to me that they'd rather continue to bleed you dry than slaughter you altogether. In my opinion, eternal torture sounds far worse than a violent but quick death."
The woman narrowed her eyes at him, but when his calm expression didn't falter, she seemed to realize that he was simply speaking candidly. She let out a short sigh and rubbed her eyes, then nodded. "Much as it pains me to admit it, you're not wrong," she muttered. "However, we still cannot risk open defiance. We have no more than twenty riders defending our territory. That's hardly enough to ward off beasts, and certainly not enough to stand against either kingdom. Even if we were to openly side with you and commit every rider we have to aiding you, we would be able to contribute very little, while risking everything."
"Twenty riders would contribute more than you might think," Telepe replied with a chuckle. "However, you might aid us another way… and you would not need to loan more than a rider or two." He paused, and when the woman motioned for him to continue, he explained, "The rebellion is currently besieging Vahtache, and from what we've been told, the city should soon fall. We're expected there, but we're unfamiliar with this territory. If you could provide us with a guide, we would put in a good word for you with the rebels. Such an arrangement poses little risk to you, as an Ayleid or two leading a group of humans through the jungle would hardly arouse suspicion, even with said humans on horseback. You would not even be expected to fight in the battle. That said, if Vahtache falls, the rebellion would be most grateful for your aid, and would be more than happy to negotiate on your village's behalf to ensure that your independence is respected by Kemen. On the other hand, even if the siege is broken and the rebellion loses the upcoming battle, I doubt that either Kemen or Vahtache would suspect you were involved in any way."
The Ayleid folded her arms over her chest and looked away, considering his proposal while Telepe waited patiently for her reply. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Pasare and Reili creeping towards them from the forest, and he subtly shook his head, warning them off. Pasare pouted at him and lowered her bow, but kept the arrow on the string, while Reili impatiently gripped his horse's reins. Before they could protest further, the Ayleid woman suddenly lifted her head.
"Very well. Cerilain, you shall accompany me," she said, looking over her shoulder at a nearby male Ayleid. "In exchange, if you do emerge victorious, we expect you to honor your promise," she added, giving Telepe a sidelong look.
"You have my word – the rebellion shall respect and enforce your independence," Telepe assured her with a warm smile. "Perhaps we may even discuss a trade agreement to further improve your fortunes if you'd like."
"Perhaps. Later. For now, allow me to gather some supplies, and then we can depart," the female elf replied. She turned to ride back to the village, but then she paused. "We never exchanged names, did we? I am Breliel, the leader of the village guard."
"Telepe. Emissary on behalf of the rebellion," he replied with a grin. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Hmph. Perhaps in time, the feeling shall be mutual," Breliel replied curtly, turning to collect her belongings. "Ah… and tell your companions to stop lurking in the trees before my warriors riddle them with arrows."
Telepe chuckled and motioned to Pasare and Reili, who slowly emerged from the treeline. They ignored the glowers of the elves as they approached Telepe, who quickly explained the deal he had made.
"Remarkable," Reili commented, wearing an astonished expression. "I'd have never imagined you could turn hostile warriors into allies with just a few simple words."
"Telepe never ceases to amaze in that regard," Pasare chuckled. "It's why the Paravant is so adamant about keeping him at her side."
"Any emissary could do the same if they were put in the same position," Telepe insisted, trying to ignore the heat creeping along the back of his neck. "And my apologies, Pasare. When I asked them to guide us, I do not mean to imply that your skills-"
"No, it was a wise decision. No matter how skilled a scout is, a local shall always be a superior guide through familiar terrain," Pasare assured him. "Besides, now I can relax until we reach Vahtache."
"You should remain vigilant," Golbrom said sharply. "Even if we've agreed to let them guide us, these elves are wily. They could be leading us into an ambush."
"They might," Pasare agreed. "Rest assured, I do not trust them. I do, however, trust Telepe, and if he does not believe they have any ill-intentions towards us, then I am happy to defer to his judgment."
"Your confidence is reassuring. Feel free to chastise me if I'm proven wrong," Telepe chuckled. "In truth, I'm surprised as well – I didn't realize that a small settlement like this could be almost as marginalized as slaves. Perhaps in the future, we should consider sending emissaries to other villages like this one that lie outside the grasp of the larger kingdoms." When Pasare tilted her head at him, he shook his head. "However, that's something I shall contemplate another time. For now, a kingdom demands our attention."
With Breliel and Cerilain leading them, they made swift progress south through the dense jungle. Their guides led them at a brisk pace through the forest, though they were careful to avoid overtaxing the horses. The Ayleids led them down narrow, half-hidden paths, guiding them under fallen trees and over puddles of cold, standing water. When they finally made camp around dusk of the first day, Pasare quietly admitted that, while they had been traveling they had been at the mercy of the elves, as they had been moving too swiftly for her to get her bearings. Thankfully, now that the stars were out, she could confirm the Ayleids were indeed keeping their word and leading them south.
The mer pushed them just as hard the next day, weaving through the trees like ghosts as their human companions struggled to keep pace. When he noticed that even Reili began to have difficulty keeping up with them, Telepe called out to them.
"Is it possible for you to slow a bit?" he asked, shouting at the elves' backs as they guided their horses around a large palm tree.
"Of course it is!" Cerilain called back, flashing a malicious grin over his shoulder. "The trouble is that you cannot move faster!"
"Cerilain," Breliel admonished him, scowling. She then turned back to Telepe and replied, "Vahtache is not far from here. We're approaching the northern shore of the river that Vahtache borders. They often send foresters through this part of the jungle, however, and I'm not eager to meet them."
"During a siege?" Telepe asked doubtfully.
"Of course. If they can send scouts to fetch supplies, they shall," Breliel pointed out. "Since we're unaware if they're capable of doing so or not, we must act as though they have."
"She may be correct," Tari commented. "Does anyone else hear something up ahead?"
Telepe tilted his head down at Tari, then brought Emero to a halt so that he could listen. At first, all he heard was the panting of the horse and the ambient sounds of the jungle. After a few moments, though, he began to notice the telltale sounds of metal clashing against metal in the distance.
"Good ears. I hadn't noticed," Telepe admitted as the others came to a stop to listen as well. He smiled down at Tari, putting his hand on top of her head. "Has being blinded sharpened your hearing, perhaps?"
"Perhaps," Tari shrugged. "Though, in truth, my vision is returning." She looked up at Telepe, and he noticed that her pupils were no longer quite as contracted as they had been for the last several days, though they were still tiny dots in the bright green of her irises. "I can now almost discern shapes, though they are still quite indistinct. I'm aware that I'm looking at you, but I can barely see your eyes."
"Don't strain yourself," Telepe said softly, briefly running his fingers through her hair before looking up again. "More importantly, if there's a battle being waged ahead, we should attempt to avoid it."
"I'm afraid that's impossible. Vahtache is the site of this battle," Cerilain called out. The elf had wandered a short distance away, pointing through the trees.
Telepe frowned and nudged Emero forward. Through the gap in the trees where Cerilain was standing, he could see the northern shore of a river. Just beyond it, at the northwestern corner of the waterway, he saw a swarm of bronze figures encircling a white stone city, tinted slightly orange in the morning light. Even from here, he could tell that the two sides were engaged in a fierce battle.
"It would seem that the Paravant arrived before us," Pasare remarked as Reili brought his horse to a halt next to him.
"Or whomever she left in charge of the siege grew impatient and decided to attack first," Golbrom growled.
"Morihaus? I doubt it," Telepe replied with a grim laugh. "He would die before he disobeyed an order from the Paravant. If she asked him to hold, he would wait until the world ended. Nor do I believe that he died and some other impetuous centurion took command," he added when he saw Golbrom opening his mouth to suggest something else. The Nord frowned and looked away as Telepe turned to the others. "So… I suppose that we should go join them, mm?"
"If so, we can take you no further," Breliel warned him. "We wouldn't dare risk allowing Vahtache's soldiers to know that we aided you."
"Of course. We understand," Telepe assured her. "We're deeply grateful that you guided us this far. As I promised, if the rebellion triumphs in this battle, we shall see to it that your village is given the respect for its sovereignty that it deserves."
"You'll forgive me if I'm hesitant to believe you," Breliel replied coolly. "But… even an empty promise is more than we've received from any of our kin of late. You all almost make me want to hope." She smiled briefly at him, then turned her horse around. "Until we meet again, Divines protect you."
Her farewell caught Telepe by surprise, but before he could ask her if that meant she worshipped the Aedra rather than the Daedra, she was already riding off. He stared after her for a few moments, then shrugged and turned back around. To his annoyance, Reili and Golbrom were already riding ahead without them, forcing Telepe to kick Emero into a canter to catch up with them.
As they neared the battle raging around Vahtache, Telepe and the others spurred their horses into a full gallop and skirted around the edges of the melee. None of them wanted to be cut down by a stray arrow or an overly bloodthirsty warrior from either side, so they carefully avoided the thickest fighting. Fortunately, the attention of both sides was fixated firmly on the city itself. The rebels had managed to set a few ladders against the sides of the walls, but Vahtache's defenders were furiously raining arrows down on the attackers, aided by a half-dozen mages spaced along the walls, who were dousing ladder and hoplite alike in fire and lightning to prevent their ascent. Thus far, the defenders were wholly successful – not a single rebel had yet set foot on the walls.
Reili led the way to the rear of the rebel forces, while Telepe and Pasare scanned the chaotic throng for the Paravant, Pelinal, or Morihaus – Telepe assumed one of them was leading the assault on the walls. Before they could locate any of them, however, a familiar voice called out over the din of the battle.
"Telepe!" Dynar shouted, and Telepe caught sight of him waving out of the corner of his eye. The Ayleid prince was sitting astride a large white horse, and Telepe noticed that his spear was coated in blood and he was sporting a nasty gash on his unprotected left thigh.
"Your Highness!" Telepe greeted him cheerfully. The two males clasped each other's forearms briefly, and then Telepe added, "Perrif grew impatient, did she?"
"It was always her intention to assault the walls once she arrived, you know," Dynar replied with a chuckle. "Though, admittedly, she ordered us to attack the walls sooner than I expected. We arrived yesterday evening, and while she allowed us to rest through the night, she demanded that we commence the attack at dawn. We've been assaulting the walls for the last several hours."
"To no avail, it seems," Telepe remarked grimly.
Dynar grimaced, but nodded. "Vahtache's position is too strong. While we maintained the siege, they were building their defenses. Morihaus reported that their archers have been training daily in preparation for our assault, while their priests created a stockpile of healing balms and their mages prepared their deadliest spells for us. We've lost dozens, if not hundreds of warriors already, and the walls are no closer to falling."
"What of Pelinal?" Tari asked with a frown. "He's been the key to our success the last few times we assaulted other kingdoms."
"He has. Unfortunately, it seems his reputation precedes him, and Vahtache has taken note of how deadly he is in battle," Dynar sighed, pausing to wince as his horse shifted under him, jostling his wounded leg. "Whenever he draws near, the mages and archers alike unleash their full fury upon him. While it's been insufficient to fell him – as it would any other being, even Morihaus – it has at least prevented him from drawing near the walls. He cannot break down their gates if he cannot get near them, after all."
"Well played by our enemies, then." Golbrom muttered.
"Indeed. This has been our most difficult battle yet," Dynar sighed, glancing over his shoulder at the walls again. "If it continues too much longer, I suspect we'll be forced to call off the attack, with nothing to show for it. We're loath to do so, however, as it'll mean this assault was just a pointless waste of life, and our next attempt shall be that much more difficult."
"What of Perrif? Where is she?" Telepe asked.
"With Morihaus, I believe," Dynar replied, turning his horse around. "My men are being permitted a momentary respite, so I can lead you to them. Come."
Dynar guided them around the edges of the rebel phalanxes, which were marching stoically towards the rain of arrows pelting them from above. Telepe winced as the bronze points of the bolts clattered off their shields and armor, and unfortunately occasionally found purchase in their flesh, which was announced with screams of pain. He forced himself to ignore the sounds around him as they approached Perrif's tent, taking a long, slow breath to steady himself before they came to a halt. As he dismounted and turned to help Tari off of her horse, he saw Perrif and Morihaus standing on opposite sides of a low table, glaring at each other.
"I cannot permit you to venture any closer, my lady!" Morihaus insisted.
"And I cannot permit our warriors to give their lives for a leader who would not fight alongside them!" Perrif retorted. "We must join them!"
"You cannot-!" Morihaus began, but he stopped when he noticed Dynar approaching with the small group. "Emissary. Seer," he announced, inclining his head by way of greeting, seeming grateful for the distraction.
When Perrif turned to face them, Telepe noticed that she was wearing boiled leather armor over her robes, a bow and quiver were slung over her shoulder, and her beautiful face was flushed with anger. Her pique evaporated almost immediately, however, as Telepe and the others approached, and she smiled pleasantly at them as she brushed her dark, wild curls out of her blue eyes.
"Welcome! I'm pleased to see you all have returned!" she announced, stepping away from the table and hurrying over to greet them. She stopped before Reili, Golbrom, and Pasare first, taking each of their hands in turn. "Thank you all for your aid. I'm certain it was an arduous journey, and you have my gratitude for answering my request to guide these two."
"It was no trouble, of course, my lady," Pasare replied, inclining her head with a soft smile. Reili grinned beside her and nodded, while Golbrom folded his arms and looked away.
"So long as I'm compensated properly," he muttered.
"Rest assured, I shall inform your captain that you are due a substantial reward for your service," Perrif smiled. She then turned to Tari and Telepe, adding, "I presume that you were successful, then?"
"We were," Tari nodded, folding her hands behind her back.
"Very good!" Perrif exclaimed, her smile broadening. "Please, tell me all that you saw."
Tari spent the next few minutes explaining her vision, while Perrif listened quietly. Morihaus hovered on the other side of the table, impatiently shifting his weight from hoof to hoof, his gaze flitting between the battle on the walls and the conversation between the two women. When Tari finished, Perrif folded her hands in front of her and looked down, her brows furrowed.
"A curious vision," she remarked slowly. "Do you have any thoughts on what it might mean? Did it suggest a location, or…?"
"I am… uncertain," Tari admitted. "I've been considering it throughout our journey, but I have only theories. I would like to converse with Moralasil when we have the opportunity, to see if he might provide any insight."
"I see," Perrif sighed, disappointment written on her face. "Very well. We shall address it later, then. Unfortunately, it does not seem as though your vision will be of any use to us at present anyways," she added, turning to glower at the city walls, still standing resolutely in defiance of the rebels' best efforts to scale them.
"I suppose that we're past the point of parley, then," Telepe remarked drily.
"Quite. I did attempt diplomacy when we first arrived," Perrif commented, folding her arms over her chest. "Unfortunately, the defenders had no interest in even considering our terms. Perhaps you might have had more luck," she added, shooting Telepe a glance.
"I don't believe I would," Telepe admitted, following her gaze towards the walls. "Vahtache has resisted your siege thus far, so they had no reason to negotiate a surrender. Sadly, I believe that a battle was inevitable."
"Which continues to progress poorly," Dynar piped up, turning to Perrif. "I came to deliver a report. Two more centurions have fallen, and their men are in disarray. Colinus and Brevi rallied their men and merged them into their ranks, but we cannot afford to continue losing our leaders like this, or the men shall soon break." He hesitated, then added slowly, "I believe I can offer some advice."
"Please," Perrif prompted.
"While the archers are shooting indiscriminately, the spellcasters are reserving their spells for the leaders," Dynar explained. "Whenever a centurion draws near enough, the mages concentrate their spells upon them. Whitestrake has suffered the worst of it. Our archers, meanwhile, are outranged by theirs, meaning the mages can cast without fear of retaliation."
"What of our Ayleid battlemages?" Perrif asked slowly.
"One has already fallen," Dynar answered sadly. "The other two are doing all they can, but they are simply overwhelmed. They also cannot levitate – while they may be outside the archers' range, they would expose themselves to the mages, whose spells have much longer range than arrows."
"I see," Perrif said slowly, before turning to Tari. "What say you, then?"
"I am more than capable of fighting," Tari said firmly.
"Casting, perhaps," Telepe corrected her sharply. "But while your eyes have improved, they are still damaged. I would not recommend fighting as you are."
As Tari glared daggers up at him, Perrif sighed, then turned to Morihaus as she shrugged her bow off her shoulder. "Very well. If the mages are our main obstacle, and they are focusing their efforts upon our leaders… then let us bait them with the most tempting prize of all."
Telepe felt his blood run cold as Morihaus lowered his horns, snorting fiercely around his nose ring. "My lady, I must protest," he rumbled.
"Protest as you like. But I insist that you respect my request," Perrif said firmly. "If the mages' attention is turned upon me, that shall provide Pelinal the distraction he requires to reach their gates, yes? Once he destroys the gates, taking the kingdom shall be a simple matter of breaking through and invading the city."
"This is not courage, my lady! It is recklessness!" Morihaus exclaimed, drawing himself up. "You cannot place yourself in danger like this!"
"I have been in danger since the day the gods spoke to me and instructed me to begin this rebellion," Perrif replied simply. "Everyone here has placed their lives in jeopardy for the sake of our people's freedom – even some who do not call this land home," she added, glancing at Telepe and Golbrom as she spoke. "If they would do no less for me, then I shall do no less for them."
Morihaus seemed to shrink under her words. He lowered his head, and his eyes fell to the ground. After a few moments of silence, he almost murmured, "You speak the truth… yet… I could not bear it if you were harmed…."
Perrif stepped closer to the bull and put one hand on his chest, while the other gently cupped his chin and tilted his head up so that she could meet his eyes. "That is why I am relying upon you to protect me, dear Morihaus," she replied in a tender tone. "I have faith that you shall keep me safe. Come with me. Let us fight together."
Morihaus clenched his fists, clearly warring with himself, as Perrif gazed up at him expectantly. Finally, he let out a long, slow sigh, then held his hand out to her. "As you command, my lady," he rumbled reluctantly.
Perrif smiled warmly at him and took his hand, then walked around behind him to climb onto his back. Dynar and Telepe traded amused smirks, and then the elven prince looked over his shoulder.
"Ride with me," Dynar invited them. "As we cannot scale the ladders while on horseback, we've been focusing upon whittling down their defenders at the far ends of the walls."
Telepe glanced down at Tari, who nodded and smiled up at him. "As you command, Your Highness," Telepe grinned. The elven prince matched his smile as he climbed onto Emero's back. Reili rode forward to join them, beaming, and Golbrom reluctantly nudged his horse forward as well. Pasare, however, dismounted and shook her head.
"I'll remain behind with the archers," she announced, unslinging her bow from her shoulder. "I'm not particularly confident about my accuracy from horseback, and I feel I'll do more good with the other bowmen."
"As you say," Dynar nodded. "But please seek us out after the battle, once we emerge victorious, so that we may celebrate together."
"Of course!" Pasare replied enthusiastically. She waved once, then turned and disappeared into the sea of warriors. Telepe chuckled as he turned to Dynar.
"That's the happiest I've seen her in days," he remarked in a low voice.
"Indeed? Then I'm pleased that she's back in her element," Dynar chuckled. "Now then, come!"
The prince led them to the left flank of the rebel phalanx, where around thirty Ayleid horsemen idled on their horses. They were clad in ornate, feather-patterned bronze armor, and all clutched long spears, with bows strapped to their lower backs and swords, axes, or maces at their hips. An Ayleid woman tilted her head up as she saw the humans accompanying her prince, but she said nothing.
"My prince," she bowed.
"Dastil," Dynar greeted her. "Are we ready to ride?"
"We are," Dastil affirmed. She cast another glance at the men behind her, then asked softly, "Will they be accompanying us?"
"Indeed. The more riders the better, after all," Dynar nodded. He then turned to his companions. "I shall position you at the flanks. Try to keep pace with the riders beside you, and do not break formation. Also," he added, reaching down and grabbing a pair of spears, which he held out to Telepe and Golbrom. "Use these instead of your swords for as long as you can."
"Thank you," Telepe nodded. He then looked down at Tari, who was still riding in front of him. "I shall instruct you when to cast," he said softly. "Only cast to the left or the right; do not try to cast over Emero's head while your eyes are still damaged."
"…Very well," Tari said reluctantly.
Telepe smiled and brushed his fingers through her hair affectionately, then turned towards Dynar, who had moved to the front of the formation. "Ride!" the prince cried.
The horsemen took off at a gallop, and Telepe quickly spurred Emero after them. His horse let out a joyful whinny, which made Telepe laugh – despite the fact that his mount must have been exhausted from the constant travel, he was clearly enjoying the chance to finally run without restraint. They charged along the edges of the phalanx, pushing towards the edges of the walls, where the fighting was thinnest.
As they rode, gasps and cries of awe erupted from the warriors at the rear of the phalanx, and several hands pointed towards something in the center of the battlefield. Telepe followed their gaze and grinned as he saw Morihaus soaring above the battle, his golden wings spread wide, with Perrif straddling his waist. She stared down the shaft of the arrow she had drawn and let it fly towards the walls. It didn't strike anyone, but it drew the attention of every nearly archer and mage on the walls.
"Do not lose heart, my friends!" Perrif shouted, her voice carrying over the battlefield. "The gods favor us! Our enemies are cornered! One last push and they shall fall!"
As they rode past the warriors, Telepe could hear the men murmuring to each other:
"Is that the Paravant?!"
"She rides with us! She fights with us!"
"We must protect her!"
"She… she is astride the son of a goddess! She is touching the heavens!"
"If the gods are as high as any being can be, what do you call one that is higher than the highest?!"
"The Highest High? Al-Esh?"
"Al-Esh!"
The name began spreading through the ranks of men, and within moments, the rebel warriors were chanting, "Al-Esh! Al-Esh!" The Ayleids on the walls faltered as the rebels' morale soared, and Telepe could see them muttering to each other, uneasy looks on their faces. Then, a few of the archers took aim at Morihaus.
As arrows flew through the air towards Morihaus, the winged bull rose higher, and they passed harmlessly beneath him, without so much as brushing his hooves. However, upon seeing that their prophetess was being attacked, screams of rage erupted from the throats of the rebels, and they surged forward, driven by blind fury. The Ayleids were taken aback as the men began scaling the ladders at a breakneck pace, yearning to be the first to sink their blades into those that dared turn their weapons on their savior.
"Hold!" Dynar shouted, and Telepe turned back around in time to yank Emero to a sudden halt. He abruptly realized that they were in the shadows of the walls. Above them, he could just barely see a small group of archers and a mage, all focused on Perrif, and unaware of the group of riders situated below them. Dynar grinned and turned to his men.
"Bows!" he announced, and his cavalry drew their weapons and aimed up at the walls. Telepe quickly took hold of Tari's hands and pointed them up at the walls as well. When she felt his touch, Tari became passive, allowing him to guide her as he stared along her arms, targeting the mage.
"Flame," he whispered in her ear.
"Loose!" Dynar shouted, just as Tari also screamed, "Molag!"
Over a score of arrows and a gout of flame suddenly pelted the defenders on the walls. Telepe saw four archers fall, screaming, and the mage rocked back, narrowly avoiding being singed by Tari's spell. She glared over the walls at them and pointed down at the cluster of riders, shrieking a curse.
Before she could finish her spell, Telepe raised his own hand and concentrated. Green light pulsed in his palm, and before the woman could finish her spell, a narrow bolt of magic erupted from his hand. It struck her in the shoulder, and a wave of viridian light washed over her. Her words died in her throat, and the magicka she was gathering suddenly dissipated. She gasped silently and stared at her hand in confusion, her eyes wide with panic. Before she realized what had happened, one of Dynar's horsemen loosed an arrow at her, which caught her in the side of the head. Her lifeless body pitched over the side of the wall and fell unceremoniously to the ground.
"Well done!" Dynar remarked, smirking at Telepe. "You have continued to practice?"
"It was simply a matter of thinking, 'I wish to silence that person over there,'" Telepe shrugged.
"Excellent! How many more times can you cast that spell?" he asked.
"Perhaps once more. It's quite draining," Telepe admitted.
"I see. Save your strength, then," Dynar said. He then looked up and added, "Especially since I doubt you shall need to cast it again anytime soon."
Telepe looked up in time to see the first of the Paravant's warriors finally clamber over the walls, where they began swiping furiously at the archers with their axes and maces. Morihaus wheeled overhead, dodging the lightning bolts, ice spears, and fireballs from the mages on the walls while bellowing orders at the men, directing them towards weak spots in the enemy's formation. Perrif, meanwhile, continued to loose arrows from his back. Telepe couldn't tell how effective her archery was, but her mere presence was enough to drive the men into an almost fanatical frenzy to protect her, which was swiftly turning the tide of the battle in their favor.
Suddenly, a loud, booming crash echoed from their right. Telepe craned his neck over the warriors charging onto the walls, and he could just barely make out the shining silver form of Pelinal, standing before the city gates. The knight drew his flaming mace back and swung it into the bronze doors to the city, which shuddered and buckled under the impact. Beside him, dozens of hoplites also slammed their shields into the heavy doors, and though they made far less of an impression on the gates, Pelinal didn't ward them away. If anything, he was encouraging them, if his gleeful, distant shouting was any indication.
"Come!" Dynar shouted to his men. "Once those gates fall, we should be among the first into the city!" He wheeled his horse around and began pushing through the throng of warriors, shouting for the hoplites to make way. Telepe followed him, urging Emero to wade his way through the roiling sea of men. Some of the warriors shifted for them, but most were too concerned with clambering onto the walls to join the melee to pay them much attention. As such, they had only just managed to file into position in front of the gates when Pelinal drew his mace back one last time and slammed it into the heavy doors, which finally imploded inwards with a deafening crash.
When the gates fell, Telepe had expected to be greeted by rows of infantry, brandishing spears to meet their charge. He was therefore caught by surprise when they instead met with what seemed to be over a dozen empty suits of bronze armor. They brandished double-headed axes and seemed to be clad in Ayleid-style armor and horned helms, but their faces were empty, and they made no sound. Behind them loomed a great, yawning portal, shimmering with scintillating rainbow colors, out of which a new suit of armor occasionally stepped. An Ayleid mage clad in white robes stood beside the doorway, and in his hands he held a glowing orb, shining with prismatic light, which was connected to the top of a portal by a thin, white ray of magicka.
The hoplites hesitated upon witnessing this unexpected defense, until Pelinal bellowed, "Do not falter! Charge! For Al-Esh!" He then stormed through the gates, screaming furiously. His sword caught one of the axes and turned it aside, and he slammed his mace into the chest of one of the faceless warriors with a heavy crash. The figure silently crumpled to the ground, flame erupting along its lifeless body. Seeing this and hearing Pelinal's order, the men surged into the city, echoing his cry of "For Al-Esh!" They began furiously jabbing at the faceless warriors with their spears, moving as one to invade the city.
Dynar and his horsemen were swept up in the tide of men, and were pushed inexorably through the gates. Telepe managed to extricate himself from the flood of warriors, only to find himself face-to-face with one of the silent suits of armor. As the figure swung his axe, Telepe grabbed Tari around the middle and leaned back. He could feel the wind of the blow as it sliced through the air just in front of Tari's face, and his heart froze. Tari yelled furiously and raised her hands, and a bolt of lightning erupted from her fingertips, slamming into the creature's chest. The monster staggered back a step, but then raised its axe again.
By then, Telepe had managed to collect himself, and he brought his spear up to jab at its chest. To his horror, however, the monster's axe slammed into the haft of its spear, shattering it instantly. Worse, a bolt of light ran up the shaft of the spear and engulfed Telepe. He let out a cry of pain as he was seized by a sharp, jolting pain that ran through his body. Tari screamed as well, and Emero reared up, threatening to throw them off. Gritting his teeth, Telepe yanked the reins with one hand, while his other pulled his sword from its scabbard. The monster drew its axe back again as Telepe awkwardly moved his hand to block the blow, but before he could, another figure charged from his right.
Reili slammed into the creature from the side, gripping his spear tightly with both hands. The bronze tip pierced the monster's abdomen, tearing through its metallic chest. The creature staggered back and turned to face this new threat, but Reili continued to thrust at it with both hands, his spear piercing hole after hole in its body before it could counterattack. After a few tense moments, the creature fell to its knees, then crashed facedown onto the cobblestone street, where it lay still.
Telepe panted as he turned to Reili, who glared down at the lifeless body. "Th-thank you," he gasped.
"Not at all," Reili said shortly, his usual easygoing smile replaced with a hardened scowl. He jerked his head to the left, where the hoplites were caught in a stalemate against the silent, armored beasts, then added, "Come."
As they rode towards the melee, Telepe saw that the hoplites had formed a wall of shields roughly fifteen men wide, and were pushing desperately against the looming, armored creatures. Pelinal engaged two by himself, while the others contended with the rebel warriors. Each stroke of their axes cleaved a shield in half, and a second stroke always felled another hoplite. Even so, the warriors continued to push against the armored monsters, but even when they finally managed to fell one, another stepped through the shimmering portal to take its place.
Telepe looked past the portal, and his eyes fell on the mage, who was uneasily flitting his gaze, from the rebels to the portal to the stone in his hands. Telepe's eyes suddenly widened with realization, and he tried to ride around the side of the formation, but another armored creature stepped in his way. Reili growled and began stabbing at it with his spear, but their progress was stymied, and they could push no further.
A shadow fell over them, and Telepe looked up to see Morihaus still soaring above them, yelling orders. Perrif was gazing around, an arrow on her string, trying to decide on her next target. Telepe glanced back down at the mage, then raised his voice.
"Perrif!" he shouted, pointing. "Slay this mage!"
Perrif glanced down at him, then followed his gaze to the mage standing beside the portal. Her eyes widened with understanding, and she drew her arrow back, sighting down the shaft for a few moments before loosing it. The tip slammed into the mage's shoulder, and he let out a scream and fell to the ground, clutching his arm. The stone in his hand rolled out of his grasp, whereupon it dimmed, its rainbow colors roiling dully across its surface rather than shining like a beacon. Immediately, the portal disappeared, leaving only a small pile of scorched rocks in the entryway. The mage reached for the prismatic stone, but Morihaus swooped down and collected it from the ground before taking flight again, leaving the mage screaming and reaching vainly after the man-bull as he rose into the air.
The hoplites surged forward, once again spurred on by an almost fanatical need to protect the Paravant. They pushed against the remaining armored creatures, and without a constant stream of reinforcements to reform their lines, they quickly buckled under the sheer weight of the rebel infantry. With that, the dam broke, and the rebels flooded into the city, where they were met with a disorganized Ayleid resistance. Though the elves were fighting furiously to protect their home, their fervor was more than matched by the zealous rebel warriors, who quickly began to overwhelm the mer.
"Retreat! Retreat to the citadel!" Telepe heard one of the Ayleids shout. The cry was repeated throughout the city, and the elven lines began crumbling as the hoplites raced after them, cutting them down as they fled for their underground sanctuary. Telepe exhaled with relief as he guided Emero out of the way of the warriors. As Tari rested the back of her head against his chest and he caught his breath, Dynar noticed them hovering near the walls and spurred his horse over to meet him.
"Well done," he remarked, nodding in greeting. "Were it not for you, Telepe, that portal would still be causing us no end of trouble."
"I did very little, except suggest where Perrif should attack," Telepe replied modestly. He gazed up at her, still riding atop Morihaus, who continued to wheel overhead, shouting orders. "In fact, she's the one we should be thanking for our success. She was the one who rallied the men and who shut the portal. More than even Morihaus and Pelinal, this day is hers."
"Indeed. She's always been a peerless leader, but I'm pleased that she's finally come into her own as a warrior as well," Dynar admitted.
"Even so, the day isn't won yet," Tari reminded them, glancing up at Telepe through her fogged eyes. "We must still take the citadel, or these elves won't surrender."
"She's right," Dynar admitted with a chuckle, turning his head and glancing over his shoulder towards the entrance to Vahtache's underground. "Have you recovered?"
"Well enough," Telepe replied, taking a slow breath and turning Emero to face the center of the city. "Let's be off."
A/N: For those of you wondering about the path they took, Tari and Telepe set out from Silver Tooth Cave, traveled under Sedor, spent their second night in the future site of Gutted Mine, and eventually made their way to where the Temple of the Ancestor Moths will be, far in the future. They then traveled south, and the small village they found was the future site of Cheydinhal. From there, it was a short trek to Vahtache. Hope you're all still enjoying this, and I look forward to continuing it into the new year!