Author's Note:
Greetings, everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far, so leave a like (or something?) if so! Thanks for reading!
-Tangent
The next morning found the party back in the Shivendale Woods, pushing their way through yet another overgrown path.
"I really hope they're going to fix this when we clear the woods out." Jack panted, struggling to free himself from a particularly nasty plant. Ridding the forest of the griffin had made them feel a little bit safer, but not by much.
They had returned to the forest a bit after dawn, deciding to head north towards the jewel mines in search of Serendipity.
"I agree." Emma said, cutting the plant off the boy carefully. Nicholas was just behind them, waiting silently for them to move. He had been rather quiet since the night before, and Gavin had refused to give them any details on what had happened between them.
"I'm assuming that if we succeed, Verashema will open up for trade again." Ean said from the front. "We can speak to Uthar about it when we return."
"I'm sure Ella would be interested as well." Iya put in, holding her staff in front of her as she scanned the woods. "The sultan, too." The path they were on had begun to slope upwards, and Rye had found evidence of cart tracks in the ground, buried and forgotten.
"Especially if there's wealth involved." Ava said dryly. "He likes money."
"Most people do." Rye said with a grin. "It could help the war effort, I suppose." Nicholas came through the brush, and the group continued down the road, still alert for any signs of an enemy. They had not seen any fairies on the northern road, which Ean thought was a bit strange.
The northern part of the woods was even wilder than the south, if that was possible. The trees grew so dense that it was hard to see more than a few yards off the road, and bushes often blocked their progress, forcing them to cut or burn their way through. The sky was still gray, although no raindrops had fallen.
"Ean," began Jack. "can't you turn into a griffin and search the forest faster that way?"
"I haven't tried yet." The elf said, his brown hair messy as he searched the trees to the left. "But I can't do it straight away, I don't think. Besides, it's best to let Cigne deal with her memories as best she can right now." He had given the others a quick summary of what Cigne had said, and that was that. Amari had told him early that morning that the healer had begun to process some early memories.
"Besides, he can't carry us." Ava pointed out. "I'm not sure any of us could fight whatever has kidnapped Serendipity single-handedly." Ean nodded gratefully to her, and Gavin opened his mouth.
"Speaking of, what-"
"Hold on." Rye said from Ean's left. "Everybody, stop." They did, turning to look as Rye strode across the path to a nearby tree. "See that, Gavin?" The warlock peered closer and saw, as the others did, several vertical grooves carved into the tree, as though by some sort of blade.
"Griffin claws?" Emma asked, and Rye shook his head.
"They look different. This was made by a sword or knife, and we haven't seen anything that could hold something like that."
"So whatever caused this might be what captured the nymph." Gavin answered, his eyes scanning the torn bark. "Normally, using blades indicates some degree of intelligence, so we should assume that the foe is smart. And, there's likely more than one."
"Why do you say that?" Iya said.
"There's different patterns to the cuts. So, the weapons aren't all the same, which means we've got either a few different creatures, or one carrying a lot of weapons." He straightened up, looking at Ean. "We should be careful."
"Agreed." The elf said. "Gavin and Iya, take point and be prepared to use magic. Emma and Ava, back them up, and Rye and Jack provide support. Nicholas," He said, nodding to the healer. "If somebody gets hurt, I'm relying on you to protect them." The elf had a pretty good idea of what the prince was thinking, and he figured it would be better to let him know that he didn't count him out of a fight. After a moment, Nicholas nodded.
Progress from that point was slightly slower, as the party tried to move quieter than before. Several times, they stopped to examine more marks in the trees or ground. Rye found footsteps as well, ones that belonged to something with large, misshapen feet.
"Great." Jack had muttered. "It's a bunch of monsters." The ground continued to rise upwards, and the trees began to grow slightly thinner. As they rounded a bend in the road, they saw a rock wall rise up on their left. It had a large hole in the middle, squarely shaped, as well as supporting brackets on either side. Two dead torches were held aloft by brackets, and there was an overturned minecart covered in vegetation. A sign out front confirmed their location: Verashema Jewel Mines.
"They must run the mined gems down the hill to the town." Gavin murmured, inspecting the cart. "Pretty advanced technology, for an island." Ean turned to Iya to ask what she sensed, but found that she was holding her forehead. The elf's face had turned pale, and she sat upon the stony ground.
"Not here." She managed to say. "Her voice… she's so desperate. She says she's running out of time." Ean knelt next to her, touching her hand.
"We'll save her. Can you tell me where?"
"Somewhere farther up." She said, getting slowly to her feet. "Sorry, I was overwhelmed for a moment, but it's getting better now. I can keep going."
"Are you sure?" Emma asked. Iya looked at her determinedly, clutching her staff.
"Serendipity is more important." And with that decided, the party set off once more, following the road as it curved to the west and up into the hills once more. As they crossed a footbridge set over a stream, Ean held up a hand, signaling for them to stop.
"I sense something up ahead. Three presences."
"Three?" Rye asked. "Can you tell what it is?"
"Not yet. I'm going closer." Ean whispered. "Rye and Ava, come with me. The rest of you, if you hear fighting, charge in." And with the ranger and pirate in two, he snuck off through the bushes, creeping towards the nearest creature.
They had gone maybe fifty years when Ean spotted it: a large, humanoid monster that they had encountered before.
"Trolls." Rye muttered almost silently, scanning their foe. "Why are they here?" Indeed, the large creature standing nearly hidden behind a tree was a troll. It had blue skin, which rippled with muscles and veins. It had a mane of long, dark hair and clothes made of roughly tanned fur. On its back was a large, metal bow, accompanied by the sword that rested on its hip.
"There's two more." Ean whispered. "These look like scouts, so let's take them out. Can you each get one?" Ava and Rye nodded before vanishing into the bushes, a faint rustling the only sign of their presence. The elf crept up behind the nearest troll, which did smell truly horrible.
I suppose they don't bathe. He thought as he approached it. He could see the other scouts now, and Rye and Ava approaching them quietly. When they were in position, he raised a fist, counted to three, and swiped it down.
He did not see, so much as he sensed, Rye and Ava leapt upon their targets. None of them were likely strong enough to best a troll barehanded, and so each went for a disabling strike. Rye drove a knife into a troll's skull, while Ava slit the other's throat with her sword. At the same time, Ean leapt upon the troll closest to him, even as it turned to see what the noise was. With a single slash, he cut its throat out, and it fell with a gurgle onto the forest floor.
"Good moves." Ava muttered as she and Rye rejoined him, staring down at the troll. It was even uglier from the front, with a crude face and war paint upon its stomach and legs.
"Is it just me, or do these ones seem tougher?" Rye said as they moved back through the forest.
"Perhaps they are a different type, or breed, or whatever." Ean said. "Gavin might know."
When they returned to the group and told them what they had seen, they were met with a mix of confusion and disgust. Emma in particular seemed to harbor vitriol towards the creatures.
"I fought their kind in Brightwood Forest." She said. "But trolls are supposed to be bigger, stronger version of orcs, so we could be in trouble."
"I didn't sense any more scouts." Ean told them as they began moving down the path. "But I think the road opens up ahead, and their presence indicates a larger force."
"Or something important." Rye pointed out, and they all knew what he was implying.
"You're saying they took Serendipity? They don't seem powerful enough." Gavin said.
"The Snow Queen likely sent them for a reason." Iya warned. "She's not one to forget details like that."
"Besides," Ean said. "The weapons used by the scouts were of good quality. Their most skilled warriors are likely guarding the nymph, if she is here." As he spoke, the group rounded a corner and saw what appeared to be a wooden wall at the end of the road, complete with spikes carved into the top of the wooden beams. Although the elf could not see past the barricade, he could sense many, many presences on the others side. Smoke billowed into the air from two or three points, although they could not see what was causing it. Jack gulped.
"That looks bad."
"I'm getting somewhere between twenty and thirty enemies on the other side of that wall." Ean said, feeling the terrain stretch out beneath his enhanced sense. "There's an entrance on the east side, but it's guarded." He opened his eyes, and saw that Iya had paled.
"I can feel her." She said softly. "But there's something else there, too."
"An enemy?"
"Yes." The elf breathed, clutching her staff. "It feels like Serendipity, but as though she has been corrupted. Something is off…"
"Okay." Ean said, touching her arm. "The rest of you, go back into the trees and wait. I'm going to take a quick look over that wall."
"Be careful." Rye said as he guided Iya gently towards the trees.
When Ean returned, his face was grim. The others were standing in a small clearing, about one hundred yards from the camp.
"I counted about twenty-three troll warriors, all heavily armed. They sit around a few fires, except for one that is standing on a raised podium at the back of the camp. It looks different, and it has no weapons."
"No weapons?" Ava asked, but Gavin shook his head.
"That's likely the leader. From what I know about trolls, their shamans are usually the leaders, and the strongest magic users in the tribe." Ean's eyes moved over to Iya's and she saw a mixture of sadness and anger in them.
"The shaman has Serendipity in a cave, and it's performing some sort of spell on her. Perhaps that is what you sensed." Iya turned even more pale, but her mouth tightened into a straight line.
"Then we'll just have to stop them." Rye frowned.
"We can probably handle the warriors, but the shaman worries me. If he's guarding the nymph, he's probably far more powerful than he appears."
"I'll fight him." Iya said resolutely. "Gavin and I can keep him distracted enough to take down the others first." The warlock nodded, smiling slightly.
"Maybe," Ean said. "But I want Nicholas to go with you too."
"Me?" Nicholas said, surprised enough that he used his voice for the first time in hours.
"You used a barrier against the griffin." The elf said, looking him in the eyes. "Can you do it again?"
"I… I don't know." The prince said quietly, and Ava scoffed.
"Come on. Either you do it, or you can't. Do you know your own limits or not?" Nicholas's eyes flared with anger, but the pirate held his gaze without flinching. "I'm not trying to be rude, prince, I really am. But you've got power, and only you know if you can use it. Can you?" The man looked at the ground for a moment, and then:
"I can do it." Rye clapped him on the shoulder, and surprisingly, Nicholas did not knock his hand away.
"I have a plan, then."
The plan, as it was, relied on surprise and a decent bit of luck to succeed, but it was their best shot. As Rye had stated, it was best to end the fight as quickly as possible, to prevent the trolls from rallying together.
And so, they had opted to make their own entrance, in the form of an explosion that burst through the wooden wall in front of them. Iya had charged up a blast of fire, which had combined with Gavin's lightning bolt to create a devastating shockwave. The result was a piece of the wall blasted away, as well incinerating three trolls that were too close to the magical blast. The rest were temporarily stunned as Ava and Emma came charging through the smoke, blades flashing in their hands.
"Go, Jack!" Rye shouted as he came through the smoldering hole in the wall, firing arrows at the closest enemies. The boy dove through the gap and came up next to the ranger, knives ready to fly.
And now, everyone could see what Ean had seen: around two dozen trolls staggering to their feet, some drawing blades. At the back, a black cage was floating over a bubbling cauldron, and a massive troll was standing in front of it. At the explosion, he had whirled around to look at the attackers, revealing tattoos all over his arms and chest. He held a staff of his own, with a black skull mounted at the end of it, and his eyes flashed with rage.
"Attackers!" It bellowed in a deep voice, but Ava, Emma, and Ean were already upon the first trolls. The two women opted for slashing attacks meant to fell their enemies, while Ean bounded forward in his wolf form, biting and cutting all the enemies nearby with his claws.
Meanwhile, the three magicians of the party had run forward, straight to where the cage floated over the boiling liquid. Inside, they could see a small, huddled figure that did not stir. Iya summoned her battle orb into her left hand and flung two knives at the cage, aiming to shatter it. Halfway there, however, the magic fizzled out uselessly, and the three of them were faced with the terrifying sight of the troll shaman, black magic flickering on his palms.
"Not so easy, humans." His voice was low and rough, and there was a faint accent to the words. In response, Iya merely flung more daggers of light, and the shaman laughed, twirling his staff menacingly. Gavin merely raised his own hands, sparks jumping from finger to finger.
Behind them, the surprise attack had turned into a full-on battle. Much to their dismay, the trolls were tougher than they had anticipated, and rallied around one of their senior warriors. Rye had been forced to retreat slightly, still firing arrows when he could.
"Stay together!" Ava called as she slashed her sword across the chest of a troll, who howled in pain as he staggered back. Emma grunted assent as she deflected two strikes from another, larger warrior before breaking his sword in two with a well-placed cut. Shortly after, Rye put an arrow through the troll's throat, and he fell.
But now the monsters were angry, and they pressed in upon the group from all sides, teeth bared in hatred. Ean was still rampaging through their right flank, preventing Ava and Emma from being surrounded and pressed against the wall. He had changed forms, which was the reason that Jack saw a troll flung bodily through the air and out of sight with a scream. The cyclops roared, eyes gleaming red as he continued smashing away at the enemies below him.
"Stay focused." Rye said as he fired another arrow at a troll trying to attack Ean from behind. A quick glance told him that Jack was shaking slightly, causing his throws to be slightly inaccurate. "It's okay, Jack. We're doing just fine." After all, the boy was just that: a boy. He had never known the fear of a full-scale battle, but he had adjusted admirably, all thing considered. "Just focus on targets, and nothing else." The ranger staggered slightly as the area shook around him, a result of the intense magical battle that was taking place on the other side of the crude camp.
Not far away, Ava's heart pounded as she swung her blade again and again, each slice carving away at the enemies that were pressing her and Emma.
Not the worst fighting I've been in, but these foes are certainly tougher than most. In a way, the seasoned fighter was almost impressed by the trolls' stamina. The ones she put down kept getting up, even though they were bleeding from several wounds. She had a brief flashback to another field she had fought on, many years ago. Uthar had been next to her, swords blurring as he cut down the brigands that had attacked them. She blinked, parrying a heavy blow from one of the more experienced trolls, and it was Emma, face set in a fierce snarl as she thrust her blade into the blue skin of their enemies. Her armor and shield seemed slightly battered, but she was holding up remarkably well.
Uthar taught her well. Shaking her memories aside, Ava spun to one side and slashed the throat of a troll open. Knowing that the wound was fatal, she directed another strike to her left, where a troll had tried to sneak past her. It died, and she lost herself in the rhythm of battle once more. It was hack and slash, parry and dodge, until suddenly, she was face to face with a gigantic troll, almost twice as large as his brethren. He was holding a curved blade in each hand, and she narrowed her eyes.
"Scared?" The troll let out a laugh that sounded more like a cough.
"Pitiful humans. You are weak." There was a flicker of movement behind her, and she turned, but the troll was already sinking to his knees, slain by the chieftain in front of her. "Do not interfere with my fight. Finish the others." With a sinking feeling, the remaining trolls turned to gaze at Emma, standing in front of Jack and Rye, both of whom seemed to be low on ammunition. A blur of motion, and Ava blocked the chieftain's sword with her own, pushing back on it before dancing out of the way.
"You are a good warrior." The chieftain said, piggish eyes narrowing. "But I will win." She noticed that he had a long mane of brown hair, stretching down to his shoulders that were covered in armor. His blades were large, almost twice as long as hers, with a tip that seemed to be designed to pierce armor. All in all, it seemed to be a fair fight.
"We'll see." Was all Ava said before she attacked.
The green-haired woman did not have to think, as Ava faced down a massive troll, and the rest of them charged at her. Behind her, Jack was shouting something, but she did not hear him. An arrow buzzed past her shoulder, felling one of the trolls, but then she was on her own. Her shield had been knocked from her hand by one of the enemies, and she did not know where it had gone.
No time to be fancy. The trolls did their best to surround her, and she was hard-pressed to avoid all of the blows that she could not stop or deflect. Several times, she felt a cut open on her arm or thigh as a blow slipped past, and she knew she could not last much longer. But still, she fought on, doing her best to keep the trolls away from Rye and Jack, who were retreating slightly. She saw Rye holding a knife, prepared to charge in, but she knew she would die before she let him attempt such a thing.
A blade cut her side, and she shouted with pain, slicing out at the troll who had done it. Her blade nearly severed his head, but the momentary pause was enough for the last four to press inwards, and she could not stop all of them at once. The blades flashed, but a moment later, her opponents were no longer there. Ean had charged into them with a roar, and the blow delivered by the cyclops had been strong enough to send the remaining orcs flying away. Two did not rise again, and the other two staggered to their feet. The cyclops growled a warning, but the trolls did not listen. And so, they died.
"Emma!" Rye grabbed her arm, inspecting her. "Are you okay?" The woman ignored him, turning to look at the place where Ava was still going toe-to-toe with the troll chieftain. She saw her shield on the ground and strapped it onto her, breathing hard. "Emma!"
"I'm okay, but Ava's not going to last much longer against that thing." She said as Ean ran over, back in his elven form. He too was battered, but none of them were severely injured.
"I'll try to help, but the cyclops isn't fast enough to avoid those swords." He said, clutching his wrist. "I'll have to try something else." Emma nodded and began to run towards the pirate, even as the ground shook, harder than before. Iya and Gavin were still fighting the troll shaman, and the space around them was filled with every element imaginable. Fires raged as they quenched water, and bolts of lightning flew from both parties as the shaman spun his staff.
"Rye, keep an eye on Jack!" Ean shouted as he ran towards Ava. A split second later, and the elf was gone, and a shadow soared into the sky and out of sight.
The shaman was the most powerful magician Nicholas had ever seen, including the two in front of him. Iya and Gavin were sweating as they tried their best to encircle the monster, but the troll merely laughed as he flung magic at them. The prince had tried to throw up barriers around the elf and the warlock, but their enemy had smashed through them with relative ease.
How did he obtain such power? Nicholas dove to one side as a boulder smashed into the ground where he had stood, and Iya blasted the shaman with ice. He roared, more annoyed than anything else, and retaliated with a shockwave that pushed them backwards.
"Useless." The shaman snarled, and Iya glanced at him.
"Any suggestions?"
"His magic is abnormal." Gavin said. "It's not like mine, whatever it is."
"You fail to understand." The troll spoke, flames dancing in his palms. "I have drawn this magic from the purest source there is." Iya glanced towards the cage, and her heart sank. Serendipity was a pale shell, lying at the bottom of the cage, unmoving.
"You extracted her magic." She said, anger bubbling in her stomach. "The Snow Queen gave her to you." The troll's mouth split open in a grin.
"I have long wanted to experiment on something like her, but I never had the chance until now. However," The look on the monster's face was truly sadistic. "She mentioned an elven girl like you would be coming by, so perhaps I'll keep you alive long enough to bring back to her." Iya did not flinch, but Nicholas could tell that she was frightened by the threat.
"You're sick." Gavin snarled, flinging a curse that the shaman blocked.
"This game has entertained me enough." The troll spoke. "I will end this now." Iya and Gavin attacked, but the two were blasted into the ground by a wave of magic. Iya let out a cry, but her magic was weakening, and Nicholas knew she had been injured. He tried to move towards her, but the shaman flicked his hand outwards, and the prince found himself trapped in a barrier of magic.
No. He banged his fists on the walls, searching for some way through the barrier, but there was none, and now the shaman was bearing down upon Iya and Gavin once more. They kept using magic, but the shaman was stronger, and he pushed them back slowly. Nicholas saw the despair on Iya's face, and he knew they had lost. Gavin had been pushed back, but the warlock managed to rise, standing in front of the cage that held Nicholas. His mouth moved, and the prince read the word that formed on his lips.
No! With a cry, he seized hold of his power, dragging it up from the depths that he did not know existed, and Nicholas reached through the barrier, pulling his magic up, up, up…
Gavin's knees hit the ground, and a cough was torn from him as a tremendous impact slammed into him. Nicholas was trapped, and Iya was in the same state as him if not worse.
Get up. Summoning all his energy, he managed to get to his feet. I'll buy time for the others to get away.
"Run." He said quietly, looking at Nicholas and Iya. "Get away while you can."
"No." rasped Iya, summoning her song orb into her hand. "Don't, Gavin." The warlock opened his mouth, preparing to cast a spell that would surely kill him, but Nicholas moved first. With a shout, the prince burst through the barrier, shattering the shaman's magic and sending the troll staggering backwards.
"Impossible!" The monster spat, but Gavin was no longer looking at him. Instead, he saw Nicholas stepping forward, his hands and arms glowing with a brilliant white light.
"Get ready, both of you." The prince said. "I can't use this power offensively."
"Nicholas?" Iya said, stunned. 'How did you-" Gavin only smiled, a very slight tilting of the lips.
"Lend us a hand, then?" He extended a hand to the prince, who stared at it as though it was the most foreign thing in the world. And then, finally, for the first time in Gavin's memory, Nicholas smiled back. It was not a true smile, but there was no sign of the hatred and bias that had poisoned their interactions thus far.
Gavin's eyes widened as he felt his power surge, bolstered by whatever healing magic Nicholas was performing. He saw the prince take Iya's hand as well, and their power grew even greater, the three of them linked by some invisible chain. The magic swept around them protecting them even as the shaman raised his own hands, dark magic flaring.
"By the way?" The warlock turned to look at the prince, eyebrow raised.
"Yeah?"
"I still hate you." Gavin laughed, and their magic exploded outwards.
It was the greatest surge of energy Iya had ever seen. Even as the shaman swept his hands outward, generating another blast, Nicholas's magic burst forward, shattering the wave before it could crash down upon them. Gavin retaliated with a bolt of lightning that pushed the shaman back, and Iya found herself hurling several spikes of ice at the troll. One of them caught him on the hip, and he stumbled.
"How is this possible?" The monster hurled another wave of magic at them, but Nicholas shrugged it off, using his own power to redirect the spell harmlessly. Distantly, Iya felt the others coming closer, and she knew that Nicholas could not keep up whatever he was doing forever.
We have to end it. And then, the prince's magic faltered, and the shaman regained his balance in time to deflect another curse form Gavin. The monster smiled again, his eyes as black as the magic that surrounded him. Iya glanced at Serendipity, and saw that her form was glowing ever so slightly.
Her magic is being stifled. If we can free her… An idea began to form in her mind, and she tried to relay it to the others through her magic. She did not see them move, but she could feel the warlock and the prince nod assent.
"Nothing but a cheap party trick." The shaman purred. Nicholas was panting, and she could feel Gavin's own magic waning. They attacked once more, but the troll merely shrugged off the blows, as though he was getting stronger. He raised his staff again, and Gavin shouted:
"Now, Nicholas!" Together, the two of them hurled a blast of electricity so bright, Iya had to turn away as it thundered into the shaman, obscuring the figure from her sight. There was boom, and silence. Iya turned back, hoping to see the defeated shaman, but a figure rose from the ground, still steaming from the attack.
"Nice try, but it was not enough." Nicholas's magic flickered and faded, and the shaman laughed. To his surprise, Gavin laughed as well, and the troll turned to him.
"You forgot something." He said, and the monster frowned. "I'm not the only one who can use lightning." The shaman's eyes widened, but it was too late. Using the last bits of her energy, Iya flung a ball of electricity from her palms. The troll summoned a shield, but he realized too late that he was not her target. With a blast, the cage exploded in a burst of yellow light, and the shaman screamed in fury and fear.
"What have you done?" She turned to see the cauldron tip over, and black liquid spilled onto the ground, soaking into the dirt. The shaman fell to his knees, and screamed as the same liquid was pulled out of his body, coalescing into a ball that hovered in the air. Iya heard footsteps, and turned to see the others behind her, all of them dirty and battered, but alive. Ean's eyes met hers, and she saw a trace of admiration before he turned to face the now writhing shaman.
"Where has she gone?" He demanded. The cage had been broken, but it was empty, the twisted metal lying next to the cauldron.
"My apologies." A voice rang through the clearing, and all of them froze. Above the ruined cage, a light blue shone, and it began to take a form, much like Ceri had done. The shape was humanoid, except for the two wings that flowed from the back, the same color as the light that all but blinding them.
"No!" The troll screamed, clutching his eyes as he tried to twist away from the searing rays. The light grew brighter for a moment, then dimmed, and Serendipity was hovering over the ground.
The nymph was just as beautiful as her sister had been, but with skin that was light shade of yellow. Her face had the same slanted features, and her blue hair cascaded down her back, matching the fairy wings that fluttered in the air. Her dress was made not of plants, but something that appeared to be like flowing water, and it rippled where it touched the air.
"Serendipity…" Iya breathed, and the nymph smiled, revealing white teeth.
"Iya Tiki, I presume." Her gaze swept over the battered party, and her smile changed to concern. "You have fought hard, heroes. Please, wait just a little longer while I attend to a problem." The nymph turned, facing the quaking shaman on the ground. "You threw me into that cage when I was weakened. You attempted to draw my power from me."
"Please…" The troll begged. He seemed quite different than he had been moments before, and the bravado was gone. "Mercy…"
"The Snow Queen has used you." The nymph said. "And yet, I do not blame you." Her feet touched the ground, and the shaman looked up. Serendipity touched his forehead, inhaling a breath. "Be at peace." With a simple exhale, the shaman turned into dust, as did the bodies of the warriors nearby. Rye opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Why?" Nicholas asked, and the nymph looked at him with something like sadness.
"Their fates were no longer theirs to control. I merely set them free." Her wings flapped, pulling her into the air, and she smiled faintly down at the party. "You have my thanks, all of you." She raised her hand, and a wave of light swept over them. Ean felt several of his wounds close, and judging from the expression of relief on the other members' faces, they were receiving the same treatment.
"What now?" Ean asked, after a few seconds.
"I know that you have come seeking my blessing." The nymph said. "But I cannot give it to you here. Too much of my power has been taken from me, and so I must return to Stardale Glen to rest. When you are ready, young Tiki, come and find me."
"I will." Iya said firmly, and Serendipity gave her one last smile before she vanished in a burst of blue light. There was a silence for a long moment, and then:
"Did we win?" Jack asked tentatively, and Rye laughed.
"I think we did." Ean turned and slowly surveyed the others, making sure everybody was unhurt. It had taken a lot to overcome to troll chieftain, but his griffin form combined with Ava and Emma's swordplay had brought the monster down swiftly enough.
"Nicholas…" Iya said, turning to the prince, who was standing a few feet away, staring at his hands as he clenched them, as though trying to recall the feeling of his magic surging through him and into the others.
"I don't know." He said quietly. "I've never done anything like it."
"Well, it saved us." Gavin put in. "So you'll forgive me if I don't hold it against you." He did not smile, but the tension between him and the prince seemed to ebb slightly. Nicholas gave him a nod, and that was the end of their interaction.
"You learn quickly." Ava said to Emma. "I suppose I should start pushing you harder when we train." The green-haired woman nodded, a small smile on her face. Ean ruffled Jack's hair, telling him that he had indeed done well.
As they departed the ruined camp, Iya turned back one more time, glancing at the ruined cage still lying upon the ground. Behind it, the clouds were beginning to disperse, and the elf swore that a wind brushed her cheek before it swirled off into the heavens above.
You're free now, Serendipity.
When they returned, Elkian insisted on calling all the residents of the town to hear the good news. As the elves assembled, they caught sight of the party, still looking as though they had just fought a hundred battles.
In a way, Ean supposed it was true.
"These travelers have done the impossible." Elkian called once everyone had arrived. "We know that both our king and queen have been taken by the ruler of Shaenlir, and the nymph of luck vanished from her spring many months ago. We failed to find her, and many of our folk went into the forest and did not return." The gathering murmured, and Ean saw several worn faces gazing down at the ground. "But now, we have hope again, because these heroes have rescued Serendipity and returned her to her spring!"
The joy that this statement created was immediate. Several elves cried out, while others merely fell to their knees in relief. Ean could see tears on the cheeks of several of them, and he wondered at their reaction.
"Being creatures of nature themselves, they must have a strong connection to her." Gavin whispered, and Rye nodded slightly. And now, some of the elves were cheering, and the rest of the assembly took up the cry. Jack smiled slightly, and Elkian raised a hand, calling for silence.
"We owe them a great debt, but there is a way we can repay them." His voice was quiet now, and the elves followed suit, falling near silent. "The Snow Queen will not stop with our rulers. She will consume everything if we do not aid the rebellion that has formed. With the jewels that we mine, we can supply the mainland kingdoms with funds that will keep our uprising secure. But in order to perform such a task, I need help from every single one of you! I ask you: Are you willing to do this?" There was a roar of assent, and Elkian smiled. "Then let it be known: the people of Verashema will not accept the Snow Queen as our ruler."
Having finished his speech, the fair-haired elf turned to Ean and the others.
"The jewel mines were our main source of income. Having them open again will do the other some good." He bowed low, his expression sincere. "I cannot thank all of you enough."
"It was our pleasure." Ean said. "Are the mines safe, even with Serendipity back?"
"There are monsters that reside inside, but we have long since found ways to deal with them." Elkian said. "Tomorrow, I will take a few men and venture inside to see what can be salvaged."
"Mind if I tag along?" Gavin asked, and Rye nodded.
"I would like to as well."
"I would be most appreciative of it." Elkian said, bowing in the two men's direction. "I'll send someone in the morning, but for now, I shall let you rest. And again, you have my sincerest thanks." He bowed a third time, pink hair swaying, and vanished into the crowd.
"He seems happy." Ava remarked as they entered the inn, and Jack flopped down in an armchair.
"I would be too, if I were them." Emma remarked. "I'm glad they're willing to help out with the war effort as well."
"Speaking of which, I'll have to figure out how to get a message to Uthar about that." Ean said, setting his pack down next to his chair. "I'm sure he can negotiate with Elkian about the shipments of jewels and the like."
"You think there isn't a Magic Express out here?" Rye asked, but Nicholas was the one who answered.
"Based on what you've told me, the teleporters have a very finite range. For example, you couldn't go straight from Thais to Seri, so I doubt they could reach out here." Rye looked surprised, but he nodded in understanding.
"Exactly." Ean said. "So perhaps Elkian has a way of passing messages I don't know about." They sat in silence for a moment, before Jack's stomach shattered the peace with a loud rumbled.
"I'm hungry." He said apologetically, and Iya smiled.
"I couldn't tell." Ean said with a deadpan expression, getting up from his chair. "Let me see if I can find the innkeeper, or the kitchen."
"Is that allowed?" Rye asked, but Ean rolled his eyes.
"At the price I'm paying, it is." He was joking, of course, since he knew the innkeeper was somewhere in the back of the building. It was useful to have a few extra senses sometimes, but he wouldn't let the others in on that.