Omensent: Princess Of Dragons (Book 5) (8 page)

"Who are they?"

"Blood elves." Brody murmured with a sneer of hate. "Worshippers of Hetris, the God of Strife and Deception. They are foul creatures who delight in sowing the seeds of destruction and discord."

"Most of our people are devout followers of Petra, Goddess of Fertility and Nature," Delilah informed them. "It is under Her blessings that we have lived in such blissful peace." Her expression hardened. "But the worshippers of Hetris seek to disrupt and destroy everything that Petra's faithful have built, and plunge the elven people into chaos."

"Where did they come from?" Raven asked curiously.

"They were once elves like us," Brody murmured. "but Hetris corrupted them by luring them with promises of wealth and power. It wasn't long before there was war between Petra's faithful and those who fell under the spell of Hetris."

"The war nearly destroyed our people." Delilah's eyes had welled up with tears. "Thousands were killed as we warred among ourselves, each side seeking to destroy the other. In the end, Petra's faithful were victorious, but the elven people paid a terrible price." The tears began to flow down her pale cheeks. "The dead outnumbered the living. Many great families, some of whom had bloodlines that stretched back to the very beginning of the elven race, had been completely wiped out. Men, women, and children, all slaughtered at the hands of blood elves. It was centuries before we recovered, though we were never quite the same."

"What happened to the blood elves?" Leia asked, her expression troubled.

"Most of them were killed," Brody said with a savage note in his voice. "The rest were forced to hide their allegiance to the dark god, and feign loyalty to Petra." He frowned. "Until recently." He added in a grim tone.

"I take it that they have emerged to renew their war with Petra's followers?" Damion asked expectantly.

The elven woman nodded, tears still streaming from her eyes. "It began with the disappearances of the patriarchs of several of families. No one was sure what had happened to them, and there wasn't any trace of where they may have gone."

"That was when the rumors of black rites being held out in the countryside began." Brody murmured darkly. "After several weeks of searching, a number of hidden altars dedicated to Hetris were discovered. The blood elves that we discovered at the altars were all immediately put to the sword to keep them from spreading their vile religion, but it was already too late. Many of our young had already been enticed by the empty gifts that Hetris promises to bestow upon those willing to bend their knee to Him, and they turned on Petra's faithful."

"What did they do?" Leia asked apprehensively.

"They fell upon members of their own families." The elven man looked furious. "Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters, all slaughtered to prove their loyalty to Hetris. More of the ancient elven families extinguished by the treachery of the blood elves. The murderers that were caught were executed, but still the attacks continued to happen. Childhood friends began turning on one another, wives began murdering their husbands, even the son of the High..." He stopped abruptly, glancing at his companion, who looked as though she was on the verge of completely breaking down.

"My own son!" Delilah sobbed, dropping her face into her hands.

"Dear god!" Raven gasped in horror, hurrying around the table to comfort the elven woman.

"He murdered his father and sister as they slept," The elven priestess continued in a heartbroken voice. "then he came for me, his own mother!" She broke down sobbing once again, and it took her several minutes to regain enough of her composure to continue. "He killed his sister first by slipping into her bed chamber and cutting her throat while she slept, and then he made his way into the chamber that his father and I shared, and drove a dagger into my husband's heart. I awoke with him standing over me holding a bloody dagger, a crazed look in his eyes. I lashed out instinctively, kicking him in his face, and knocking him senseless. I managed to get him tied up before he came to, and then discovered what he did to his father." She raised her head, her eyes now burning with anger. "Once I realized that my husband was already dead, I hurried to check on my daughter, and..." Her eyes welled up with tears again, and she dropped her face into her hands once more, unable to continue.

"The blood elves have nearly destroyed our way of life." Brody said to Damion bleakly. "Fear now pervades every aspect of our lives. Everyone is afraid of letting down their guard. No one can know who secretly follows Hetris. Many elves who were thought to be devout followers of Petra have revealed themselves to be blood elves." He held out his hands helplessly. "We are at our wit's end! The followers of Hetris have waged war upon our people, and it's a war that we have no hope of winning without aid."

"And that is where I come in." Damion murmured in understanding. "You wish me to help you in rooting out the blood elves, and putting an end to their slaughter."

"We need someone that can see through all of the deception and lies, someone who has the power to defeat these vile monsters." Delilah declared in a shaky voice. "Hetris rewards those who please Him with powers beyond those of any normal elf. According to the old legends, some of the most powerful among them can manipulate one's mind, tricking you into seeing things that aren't truly there. Others can change their appearances as easily as you change your clothes. All are master tricksters, capable of striking in broad daylight without warning, and disappearing just as quickly, leaving only death in their wake." She stared at him with pleading eyes. "Please, we need your help. Will you answer our beloved queen's plea for aid, and come to the Elven Island to help us to root out this insidious evil that threatens to destroy everything that we hold precious?"

Damion frowned. "I'll need some time to consider your request." He told them carefully. "We..."

"Of course we'll help." Raven cut him off quickly. "We could never say no to someone who is truly in need."

"Are you sure that you want to leave Sevria at such a delicate time?" Shirk asked doubtfully. "We're only just beginning to recover from the battle in Sierra. If you were to leave now, we could lose everything we have gained."

"If you refuse our request for aid," Brody started, his expression bleak. "the chances are that we will fall. Thousands of years of tradition will be lost to the world forever, and the blood elves will be free to spread throughout the world, where they would surely begin wreaking havoc."

They all turned to stare at Damion expectantly.

"Well?" Leia asked her father impatiently. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to help the elves." The huge warrior shrugged. "To sit by and allow their destruction would be unthinkable."

Shirk groaned.

"What is it, dear one?" Lady Skie asked him in concern.

"Damion and Raven are going to run off to the Elven Island and drop all of their responsibilities into our laps again." The old bandit grumbled sourly. "I still haven't caught up on all of the sleep that I missed the last time that they went gallivanting off to save the world!"

"You can always go with us, Shirk." Leia told him reasonably.

"
Us
?" Damion asked, one eyebrow raised questioningly. "You don't think that you're going with us, do you?"

"Of course I'm going with you." The young girl replied with a roll of her eyes. "You didn't think that I would let you leave me behind while you and mother go running off to a tropical island, did you?"

"I'm not sure that is such a good idea." The huge warrior frowned. "I have a feeling that things are going to be very dangerous on the island, and I don't want you getting hurt."

"I agree," Raven nodded, ignoring the scowl of anger her daughter cast in her direction. "I think that you should remain here where we know that you'll be safe."

"You can't just leave me here!" Leia protested, jumping up from her seat with an angry expression. "I want to go with you and help fight the blood elves! Besides, it's my birthday! You can't tell me no on my birthday! It's just... just..." She scowled at her father. "It's just rude!"

Damion shook his head. "Out of the question. Birthday or not, you still have a long way to go with your training. I'm not going to let you place yourself into danger when you do not yet have full control over your powers."

"But..."

"No buts." The huge warrior told her firmly. "You are going to stay here and help Aunt Skie and Shirk look after things until we return. It's time that you learned what it takes to run the city. One day the responsibility of protecting the people of Sevria will fall on your shoulders. They will depend on you, and you need to be prepared when that day finally comes."

"Will you be taking anyone along with you?" Lady Skie asked curiously.

"Taking who where?" Sly inquired, stumping into the room with a large cask under one arm.

"We're going to the Elven Island to help them track down some blood elves." Damion quickly filled him in on the details.

Sly frowned. "Does this mean that Hetris has returned to the world as well?"

"There's really no way of knowing without questioning a blood elf," Delilah told him with a frown. "and they fight to the death whenever caught."

"I guess we'll find that out once we get there." Damion shrugged.

"About that," The scruffy little man started reluctantly. "It isn't really the best time for me to be leaving right now. I have been working for months on several different enterprises that could make me a very rich man, not to mention bring a lot of new business to Sevria. If I leave now, I could lose it all."

"I can't force you to come with us," The huge warrior told him in disappointment. "but I won't deny that your skills at snooping around would have been invaluable to us."

"Why don't you take Shirk with you?" The scruffy little man suggested. "He's at least as good at sniffing out things as I am, if not better. Besides," He grinned at the bearded bandit. "he could use a little sun. He's been cooped up in this castle for too long now. He's beginning to get a little thick around the middle."

"Hey!" Shirk objected in a injured tone.

"Can't you find someone to look after your interests for you while you're gone?" Lady Skie asked Sly, blushing slightly. "I would rather Shirk remain here with me to help run the castle."

"You just want him here so you two can sneak off for one of your secret rendezvous." Sly told her with a scowl. "You can do without your lover boy for a few weeks."

"Sly!" Lady Skie sounded mortified.

"What's all this?" Damarius asked, his eyes glittering dangerously. He turned to stare at Shirk, who suddenly began to squirm uncomfortably.

"It's nothing, father." Lady Skie assured the old wizard a little too quickly. "Sly doesn't know what he's talking about."

"You two have been sneaking around Sevria for years now like a couple of lovesick teenagers whose parents are at war." Sly snorted, causing both Shirk and Lady Skie to blush furiously. "It's a bit disgusting, if you ask me."

"Really?" Damarius asked in a flat tone.

"I think a bit of time away from the castle would probably be a good idea." Leia informed Shirk with an amused expression. "It would give Damarius a bit of time to get accustomed to the idea of his only daughter sneaking off with a disreputable old bandit."

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea." Shirk grumbled, still squirming beneath the old wizard's accusing stare.

"What about you, Damarius?" Raven asked curiously. "Feel up to a visit to the Elven Islands?"

The old wizard glared at Shirk for another long moment, then turned to Raven. "I don't see why not. I find myself in between projects now that I have finished with Leia's armor, and it's not every day that we get the opportunity to visit the legendary home of the elves. Besides," Damarius returned his gaze to Shirk, who seemed to shrink beneath his withering stare. "it'll give Shirk and I a chance to discuss a few things."

"Maybe I should stay here then." Shirk said quickly. "Leia may need my help running the castle."

"No, I don't think so." Damarius stated, his eyes still glittering dangerously. "I think that you'll be coming with us."

"I'll get you for this, Sly!" Lady Skie growled at the scruffy little man in a dangerous tone.

"That's it then." Damion decided. "Raven, Shirk, Damarius, and I will accompany Ava Delilah and Etha Brody to the Elven Islands, while Aunt Skie, Sly, and Leia look after things here."

"When are you going to leave?" Leia asked in a slightly sulky tone.

Damion looked to the pair of elves questioningly.

"The sooner we can depart, the better." Delilah told him with a hopeful look.

"We'll set off at dawn then." The huge warrior looked to the others. "I'd suggest that we all take the rest of the day to prepare. We may be gone for quite some time."

"I'll need to collect a few things." Damarius murmured, rising to his feet. He looked to his daughter. "Why don't you join me, my dear. I have a few things that I would like to discuss with you before we depart."

"O-Of course, father." Lady Skie agreed, her expression uncharacteristically hesitant.

Damarius cast one last scowl at Shirk, then hurried from the room followed closely by his daughter.

"I need a drink." Shirk groaned, passing a trembling hand across his face.

"Try some of this." Sly offered, sitting the cask he was holding on the table and filling several tankards, which he passed around to the others. "It's from the latest batch of brew we cooked up. I think you may be pleasantly surprised."

Shirk took the tankard from the scruffy little man and took a long drink. "This isn't bad." He admitted, taking another drink. "It's actually quite good."

"You're right, Shirk," Damion murmured, draining his tankard. "This
is
good."

Brody sniffed at his tankard's contents suspiciously for a moment, then took a small experimental sip. "This is surprisingly tasty." The elven man said with some surprise. "It's not as good as elven wine, but it is still quite refreshing."