Catalyst (Book 1) (14 page)

The elves didn't clear the ground like most people do. There were paths wide enough for carts and horses, but most of the city was covered with trees, scrub, and bushes. I had to push aside some stray branches that stuck out into the road.

As we made our way towards the center of the city, people smiled and waved at my elven companions. Their bright faces sagged and dropped when they saw the injured Demay. When they noticed me, the older elves whispered amongst themselves. I found that strange, because humans go regularly into Sharald for business and sightseeing. Unlike some other races, they didn't close their borders to outsiders. I put my hood up, trying to hide my face from the elves’ scrutiny, though their looks weren't ones of malice or anger. I couldn't tell what it was, but they wouldn't stop looking or whispering.

Some of the elves I saw looked exhausted, wearing bandages or slings. Others were at work making arrows, and we passed an open space where a group practiced with their bows, faces intense as they hit their targets.

The children ran freely through the city, playing with other children or with animals. There were many animals, and none of them had restraints. Deer, rabbits, and raccoons moved among the elves, unafraid. They even held still while the children fed or petted them, though most of them shied away when I came near. I knew that elves never harmed an animal unless they had to, but I hadn’t realized they lived in such harmony with the forest creatures. I had never seen such a thing.

We finally reached the center of the city, where the king’s palace lay. The aura of the ancient building nearly forced me to my knees. Green mana radiated from it. The magic was ancient and very powerful, thumping with every breath I took. It felt like the heart of the forest. I relaxed, trying not to fight it. I let the magic flow around me so I wouldn't be crushed by it. When I did that, I saw what normal people did.

The castle wasn't in the trees like most of the other structures, but it was part of them. Hardened vines and trunks made up a gigantic dome. There wasn't a hint of decay or withering anywhere. The combination of different plants was far more wondrous than I could have imagined. They composed a beautiful chorus, producing a harmony so lovely my heart understood it even while my head didn’t.

I shook off the wonderment and followed Prastian and Behast inside.

People came and carried Demay away. Others led us down a long corridor and into the audience chamber. The inside of the dome was just as strange as I’d thought it would be. The vines had hardened so much that they were like stone. There were no insects or holes in the walls. The magic was ingrained in the structure, keeping everything perfectly preserved.

In the audience chamber, the first thing that caught my eye, besides the emerald throne, were the paintings. Dozens of them surrounded us.

I walked around, taking them in. It was like walking through time. Most of the portraits showed the elven family tree, starting with Sharald. The family tree wasn’t long, because elves live longer than humans and don’t have as many children. I stopped at one of the last paintings, amazed. It was a portrait of a young elf and what appeared to be a young Master Stradus. He had the same sky-colored robes and wise smile, but I couldn’t tell if it was him. He looked so youthful and was without his staff.

With all my gawking and the fact that I was dead tired from being up all night, I didn’t notice the ruler of the elves come in. Prastian cleared his throat, and I looked up to see an elf of great stature with long, dark green robes, sitting on the emerald throne. His wrinkly, pale green skin, along with the way his ears drooped down, betrayed his years. I’d noticed that the younger elves’ ears pointed up. The older they got, the lower their ears became, as if to signal their return to the earth. The elf king smiled at me.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” Prastian said, and knelt. Behast and I followed suit.

“I’m glad to see you’ve returned, dear cousin,” the king said. “I was worried what would become of you. Don’t fear; my best healers are working on Demay as we speak. I wouldn’t let anything happen to family.” His wise, light green eyes turned on me. “I see you’ve brought a guest.”

“Forgive me, Majesty. This is Hellsfire. He helped us defeat the ogres that troubled the area. Hellsfire, this is our king, Sharald.”

“Majesty,” I said. My eyes darted from him to the paintings as I tried to suppress my confusion. I had read of the great Sharald, but he had died many years ago, not too long after he established the city. This elf, while having similar features, didn’t look like the one in the portrait.

King Sharald laughed. “Please, Hellsfire, call me Sharald. Everyone does. I am actually Sharald the Fourth, descendant of the great Sharald. Rest easy. I saw the look of surprise on your face. I must say I take great pleasure when people think I’m him.”

I smiled. “As you wish, Your Majesty. I mean Sharald.”

“Good. I know you must be tired, but let’s have breakfast. After you three clean up, come to the dining hall. I can tell by the looks of you, you have much to tell.”

Guards escorted me to another room where I cleaned myself up. They offered me a new tunic and breeches. I was thankful, glad to have some clean clothes that fit, even if I wore them under my wizard’s robes. When I was ready, they led me to the dining room. Flowers decorated a long oak table. An elf led me to the head of the table where the others waited for me.

Sharald motioned for me to seat myself, then said to the servants, “Please bring us our food. We’re all famished.”

Breakfast consisted of fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains, and cheese. There wasn’t a single piece of meat. The elves thought it wrong to kill animals unless it was absolutely necessary. That suited me fine, since wizards didn’t eat meat either.

After breakfast, Prastian told the story of what had happened to him. His words danced on air while his tongue provided the music. His yarn-spinning refreshed me. I didn’t even yawn, despite how tired my body was.

“This is very alarming,” Sharald said. “Very alarming indeed.” He sat in silence while he pondered the elves’ story. His emerald eyes rested on Prastian. “Things are getting worse. We’re having to send out more hunting parties, and people are dying.”

Prastian nodded.

“Yet the gods have given us hope and a sign.” King Sharald turned his fading green eyes on me.

“Sire?” Prastian said.

“I'm delighted to have the services of a wizard among us again.” Sharald’s voice was kind and inviting, if not accurate. “It’s been ages since I’ve last seen a wizard. Not since I was a young boy and my father sat on the throne. Despite all that’s happened, this is a great day indeed.”

“That’s how you were able to cast aside our net and defeat the ogre,” Behast said. “Magic.”

My two companions stared, boring holes through me.

 
“I have never seen or met a wizard before,” Prastian said.

I opened my mouth to counter his statement and say I wasn’t a wizard yet. Master Stradus’s words and their expressions told me not to. I remained quiet, not offering any answer and praying that King Sharald wouldn’t push me further on the matter. If he did, I’d have to tell them.

After a few awkward moments, Behast said, “The attacks are getting worse. We need to do something.”

“I know,” Sharald said, frowning. “We need to go and find out what has happened to Alexandria and to the earlier expedition.”

My ears pricked up at this. I wanted the conversation to go this way, but didn’t know how to get it there. King Sharald might question why I wanted to know about Alexandria, and why I, an outsider, should be a part of their plans. Thankfully, Sharald seemed willing to let the conversation continue.

“Perhaps we can send another group, cousin,” Prastian said. “And I can lead that group?”

“You called me cousin,” Sharald said. He smiled.
Prastian’s
cheeks turned a dark green. “It has been a while since I heard that.” Sharald laughed. “I take it you must really want to go.” He took a heavy breath. “I’m going to miss hearing that more often before I return to the earth. You may go to Alexandria, Prastian.”

“Thank you, Sire.”

“While I trust your expertise, something up there’s amiss. You're going to need a little more help. Maybe help of a wizardly kind.” Sharald put up a finger and smiled. “Hellsfire, I already owe you for what you've done, but I have one more favor to ask of you. Could you please accompany my elves to the kingdom of Alexandria?”

My eyes widened. I was already going to Alexandria, but going by myself to check on things and being a part of an envoy were far different. Something was clearly wrong in Alexandria, and as yet I had no idea what it was. While the monsters were getting by Alexandria’s defenses, the city hadn’t fallen. Otherwise, there would have been refugees in Sharald, and I hadn’t seen any. If I went alone, I could move freely. As part of Sharald’s envoy, there would be a lot more politics to deal with. Whatever I did, for good or ill, would reflect on King Sharald. On the other hand, as a royal envoy, I would have a better chance of getting an audience with the princess. If she remembered me, I was sure she would see me.

I felt I should heed Master Stradus’s words. It was bad enough the elves knew of my abilities, but I didn’t want those in Alexandria to know. Even if I wasn’t a wizard yet, my power could sway things and make them a lot worse. I didn’t want to be like Renak during the War of the Wizards, when he defied the Council and took matters into his own hands, thus starting the war that divided the land. Lastly, the elves in Sharald were friendly to wizards. The people in Alexandria might not be.

“I’ll…have to think about it, Your Majesty,” I said. “If that’s all right.”

“Of course.” Sharald was obviously disappointed, but his fading emerald eyes twinkled. I knew he wouldn’t let it go.

Sharald dropped the discussion of sending a team to Alexandria and changed the subject to more personal matters. He dismissed me and said I was free to roam the city if I liked. I did want to explore Sharald, but I also felt like being alone. I needed to decide whether or not to go with the elves to Alexandria.

I took leave from the others and went outside to get some fresh air. I stood in a beautiful garden. Hedges cut in the shapes of animals surrounded me. There were large ones, like elk and horses, along with smaller sculptures of grasshoppers and pigs. In the middle of them all was a small pond. I stood at the edge of it, watching the turtles, fish, and frogs. Waterfowl dove beneath the water, gulping down food. The place reminded me of Peaceful Pond,
and more importantly, of home. My heart ached to return there. Fresh footsteps approached me from behind.

“May I speak with you?” King Sharald asked.

I turned around and bowed. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Sharald, Hellsfire. Please call me that.”

“Forgive me Si—Sharald.”

“It's all right. I need your help, Hellsfire.”

“I’m flattered, but I haven’t decided anything yet.

“Please, you must listen to me,” Sharald said, grasping my shoulder with his soft hand. He looked up at me, green eyes pleading, while he waited for a response.

I nodded.

“I may look healthy to a human's eyes, yet I’m not. I’m getting on in years, though I do my best to look well in front of my people. Although some suspect the truth, they don’t acknowledge it. I’m sorry to say I have no natural successor. I'm barren and the line of Sharald ends with me. Prastian is to succeed me. He’s skilled at dealing with those both in and outside this forest, he’s excellent with words, and he’s good in combat. The problem is, he’s a bit too adventurous. Instead of remaining here, he prefers to travel, to better understand people. He may get himself killed before he is able to become king. I need to find out what happened in Alexandria, so I’m going to have to send my best elves. But if anything should happen to them….” Sharald rubbed his hand across his wrinkled ear and stared at me, reading my face. “I can see you do not understand, Hellsfire. Let me tell you what's been happening lately.

“I don’t know if you are aware, but things have slowly been getting out of hand here in the north. The creatures of the Wastelands have been sighted more and more often. We were used to occasionally getting a few, though even that was a rarity. Yet for the past six months, we’ve had to send regular patrols to kill the creatures. The thought did cross our minds that Alexandria had been taken over, though word of that would surely have reached us, and the creatures would come in greater numbers. Nevertheless, something is terribly wrong up there. It’s as if creatures are regularly walking by Alexandria’s defenses. I
need
to find out what is happening, and your services would be greatly appreciated. Like in days past, we need a wizard.”