The Elf King (4 page)

Chapter 3

J
ust as the sun was creeping up over the plush treetops, Shadox
passed over a wood-planked bridge and entered the kingdom of the
Forest Elves, hidden deep within the seclusion of the Lyyn Forest.
Across the shadow-covered trail he strolled, appearing as a shadow
taken form. Tall and lean, his body was draped in his wet-ash
colored cloak. The hood was drawn over his head, allowing only a
fraction of his face to be seen within the darkness of the deep
cowl.

He had been walking the
better part of two weeks now, though his body showed no sign of
fatigue, and his long stride maintained. He was traveling from the
Shard Peaks, far west of the Spira, where he was exploring the deep
catacombs beneath the mountains in search of ancient knowledge. He
had been there for nearly a year, searching and researching lost
civilizations, before a young Tracker found him and relayed an
urgent message from Terill Estrial. The Tracker informed him of the
on goings between the two Races, from the disappearance of Pal Rae
up to the peace talks. Lord Estrial wanted him present for the
meeting, hoping he could shed some light on the situation, or at
least sway his old friend from waging war. Being an ally to both
Races, Shadox was inclined to agree with Terill and left his
studies immediately.

He moved through the forest
with certainty. Where others might be oblivious, Shadox knew where
the Forest Elves existed. Carefully concealed within the folds of
the foliage, construed with the bindings of magic and woven with
the forest elements, the Elven cities went unnoticed to the
untrained eye. But Shadox knew the Ailia as well as any elf. He
would never get lost in the Lyyn’s tangle while en route to one of
his favorite places. He had spent a great deal of time with Lord
Estrial, learning everything he could, offering what assistance he
could when asked—always welcomed.

As he moved past houses
crafted with bark and limbs, Shadox’s thoughts stayed on his old
friend Turyn Andelline. The King’s son was missing and presumed
dead. He could only imagine how hard Turyn was taking it. And
though he was a good king, his temper when stoked had no equal.
With his son missing, Shadox knew Turyn would go to no end to
diminish his anger. Estrial was right to want him at this
meeting.

It had been a few years
since the sorcerer had seen his old friend, and thought it was sad
that it was on such poor circumstances that they would meet again.
The King would be upset, he knew, but after long he would come to
see things differently and they would talk again of days better
spent. He would help Turyn find his son and this matter would be
finished.

His thoughts turned then to
his own young protégé, Dren. The young man had been left in the
hands of the Elves for the past months as Shadox went exploring the
deep caves, learning how to master the sorcerer skills he had
learned. Shadox smiled, thinking of his pupil. He was anxious to
see what Dren had learned in his absence, and decided that when he
left the Ailia again, Dren would be going with him.

After passing several long
houses, the woods thinned and Shadox entered the Ailia Court—home
to the Forest Elves. The village was massive to say the least, with
large homes intricately designed in ancient Elven fashion,
surrounding the lucid waters of the Ailia Springs. Homes resembled
the scenery enclosing them, making them almost
invisible.

Shadox moved off the trail,
choosing a course of his own, walking between two shops, heading
for the extensive buildings just beyond. The well-guarded living
quarters of Terill Estrial covered a vast area around the Ailia
Court, seemingly from one end of the village to the other. Fenced,
and now guarded due to the threats and the attacks made at the
outer regions, the residence was unapproachable to someone who did
not belong.

Crossing the green lawn and
passing several patrolling guards, Shadox found no
interference.

I
n
the center of his bed chamber, Terill Estrial stood speaking with a
short elf who was dressed in forest-colored garb. Terill was tall
and broad for an elf. His chest was thick and his arms were strong,
both evident beneath the silver and green robe he wore. His blonde
hair was shiny, kept several inches past his shoulders. His face
was long and narrow, and his cobalt eyes were fierce as he spoke
vividly, gesturing his hands as if doing so would help explain what
he was saying to the young elf.

In mid-sentence, Terill
stopped speaking. The side door to his chamber opened and a dark
figure entered. Immediately he dismissed the elf, who in turn left
the room, closing the door behind. Terill waited a moment longer to
see if there would be any further interruptions, before greeting
the intruder.

“
Your timing is
impeccable.” There was an edge to his voice. His narrow brown
eyebrows lifted as his face seemed to relax. “Come now, it’s been
too long already.”

“
Unfortunately for both of
us,” Shadox replied, walking into the room.

“
I was beginning to think
you had better things to do, Shadox.”

With a broad smile, the
sorcerer replied, “I’m not yet into the habit of turning away old
friends.”

Hands firmly clasped upon
meeting, following through to a brief hug and warm smiles. Shadox
stood a foot taller, if not more, and the width of his frame seemed
to dwarf the other. Shadox removed his hood, his shoulder-length
hair the color of his cloak and just as dingy, as Terill motioned
for them to sit.

“
Water? Ale perhaps, for
such an occasion?”

“
Perhaps.”

“
Still searching for a lost
life?”

Shadox grinned.
“W
ay
of life. And
yes.”

Terill led the way to a
small wooden table next to the wall covered in bookshelves, away
from the door and windows. They seated themselves facing each
other. Terill poured two glasses of red ale.

“
Much has changed since
your last departure.”

Shadox nodded. “That is the
way of things.”

Shadox stared at Lord
Estrial for a moment with his black eyes unwavering. Terill had not
changed since he had seen him last, nearly five years ago. His skin
was nearly flawless, as if it defied age, while his own skin was
already beginning to wrinkle. It wasn’t a fair comparison, he
thought. Elves could live for hundreds of years.

With his great hands
clasped in front of him, Shadox waited for the other to begin.
Drinking idly, Terill Estrial finished his glass and poured another
before speaking into the dark eyes waiting.

“
What do you know so
far?”

Shadox shrugged. “Only what
your messenger was supposed to tell me.”

Terill laughed. “How I have
missed you.” He finished his glass and set it off to the side,
rubbing his chin as though a chunk of hair existed. “I have some
unfavorable news to share you, old friend. Several weeks ago I was
informed that Prince Pal Rae, son of King Andelline of Cillitran,
was missing. He presumes me to have taken him.”

Terill leaned across the
table; his eyes focused sharply, his eyebrows slanting angrily. “I
have no such prisoner. Nor would I have reason to. I have sent word
to King Andelline time and again, but none of my messengers have
returned. Each night Men attack outer posts. Threats have been
issued: bring the Prince back or die.”

Shadox sat motionless. His
face was still settled in the same fashion as it was when he sat.
“I know Turyn Andelline. He would not attack if he did not have
reason to. Why he seeks the Elves, I do not know. But I will speak
to him. Perhaps I can gather some information.”

Terill sat back in his
seat. “Do what you must, for your friend’s sake. If the Elves are
attacked...” he slowly shook his head.

Shadox studied the other
for a moment, his black eyes penetrating the elf’s thoughts. A
minute later he looked down to his hands and unfolded them, rubbing
his fingers slightly. When he looked up again, his stare was razor
sharp and Terill was forced to look away.

“
I have come a long way,
Elf Lord.” He watched Terill’s expression sag. “What is it, Terill?
What do you keep from me?”

After taking a deep breath,
Estrial began. “Dren joined two Dark Elves and has left the Ailia.
I cannot find them.”

Shadox’s posture seemed to
stiffen. His mouth sagged slightly as his eyes opened wide. “When
did this happen?”

“
Several weeks ago.” Terill
watched the other sit back in his chair, his eyes drifting into
thought. “They have taken our most powerful talismans.”

“
No.” Shadox gasped in
disbelief.

Terill’s voice became cold
as he spoke slowly, his eyes filling with anger. “A
Mrenx Ku
has been
formed.”

“
You are certain?” Shadox
jumped out of his chair at once. “Quickly! We must find
them!”

Shadox moved to the center
of the room. Drawing his hood over his head, he warned, “I will
search for him now. This will take a moment.” Without waiting, he
closed his eyes and lowered his head, muttering something beneath
his breath.

Shadox could feel the heat
of his magic racing up and down the length of his body, searing
through his fingers. He was testing the air, casting out his magic
in search for Dren’s presence. He kept an image of his young friend
in his mind and sent his magic to track him down. He found nothing
at the Ailia Court, nor the Lyyn Forest. From there his magic
branched out in all directions. The effort was painstaking and
slow.

Several minutes had gone by
and the sorcerer had not moved. Drops of sweat trickled off
Shadox’s face as he tried harder, dipping deeper inside his magic
to cast further. At the brink of exhaustion, the sorcerer withdrew
his magic and fell to his knees.

Terill rushed over quickly
and helped Shadox onto the bed, feeling his body shaking under the
heavy cloak. “Are you alright, sorcerer?”

“
A moment,” he replied
raggedly. Shadox closed his eyes and allowed his body to
recover.

Terill stood
watching.
What did he do?
Keeping his look of disbelief, the Elf Lord stayed
at his bedside. They had been close allies for as long as he could
remember. He couldn’t think of a better friend to have at the
moment.

The world was changing,
Terill thought. The Elves knew better than to keep with its ways,
but things were working into their midst that they could not
ignore. Rumors had spread to the Ailia Court from the far south,
where the use of magic was being banned. Seers were disappearing.
So were others either practicing magic, or born with it. Terill
shook his head at the thought. Men were foolish. They were treating
an ability to use magic as if it were poison, instead of the gift
it was. They were scared of it. As they tried to remove it from
their existence, the Elves welcomed it, harnessed it. Elves
understood its nature far more than any other race; they develop
it, study it, and commonly practice it. Moderation was the key with
its usage. If a person were to indulge in it, there would be a
large price to pay.

How hypocritical am I,
when of course Dark Elves are the very definition of that
price.

Terill frowned. Men had
reason to be afraid of the power of magic, he thought. And the
Elves had just unleashed a power so great that no man could hope to
withstand.

For nearly half an hour
Shadox remained motionless. His chest didn’t appear to rise, nor
fall. Terill grew concerned. Then abruptly Shadox was at his feet,
appearing as if nothing had happened. His face and eyes had
regained their life, and he was back to looking
invincible.

Terill glanced at him
uneasily. “What did you find?”

Shadox walked past him and
over to the table, pouring a glass of the red ale. After drinking a
full glass, he replied, “Not the answers I was looking
for.”

The Elf Lord joined him at
the table and pressed the issue with caution. “What answers,
Shadox?”

“
Two things: I scanned the
regions for Prince Pal Rae and found his body at the south end of
the Caltar Mountains, just beyond the Cillitran palace. He is dead.
I will take King Andelline there personally. Of Dren, I discovered
nothing. I searched for miles and could not find a trace of him. So
I increased my effort. I discovered something then: far in the
north swamp lands something terrible exists. A power so strong it
cannot be contained. I believe it to be the
Mrenx Ku
.”

“
Then Dren is dead, too.
The magic has destroyed him.”

“
Yes, and no. I fear as you
do. Our dear friend may very well be alive and dead at the same
time. I believe that what they created was far more powerful than
they could handle, and now it lives through them. Their physical
lives would be destroyed, but their souls...They could still be
lost inside of the core of its magic.”

They paused for a moment,
each taking in what it meant. Terill noticed a sadness creeping
into the other’s eyes. “He was close to completing his training. He
had grown strong since you left; powerful. He was awaiting your
return to show you as much.”