The Elf King (55 page)

“
Allowing
you to live now, is how I am showing you what love is. I am not the
enemy to your world.” It pointed to the river flowing out. “You
have what you came for, savior. But it’s more than you. It’s alive,
mortal. It will find a way to leave your staff. And when it does, I
will be alive there as well. I am life. I am eternal.” Without a
pause, the
LifeWaters
disappeared into the water.

Qenn held the staff firm,
watching it glow brightly. He had no idea how it came to life. It
was warm and pulsating in his hands. He smiled.

“
Go!” its voice boomed out,
echoing through the cavern.

Qenn did so, rushing away
across the smooth rock to the tunnel, using the staff for
lighted-guidance. He was running so fast that he barely remembered
the trip through the tunnel, or how he had got there. He was so
excited that his staff worked, that he had accomplished what he had
set to do, and that he did it without anyone dying. He could not
wait to tell Kandish. He could not wait to see her
again.

Within a few seconds he
came barreling out to the lagoon, running smack into Kandish and
Kamen Ode, sending them all splashing into the water.

“
What happened?” Kandish
gasped. She embraced Qenn tightly.

“
I have it!” Qenn exhaled
sharp, his voice and face full of exhilaration. “I have the magic.
The staff came to life somehow and... I got it!”

“
Good. Let’s get out of
here right now!” Kamen Ode pulled himself out of the lagoon,
standing on shore with Prevost.

Kandish faced Qenn with a
hard face and a hurt in her eyes. “You risked your life, doing it
by yourself. It was foolish, Qenn.”

“
I had to do it alone,”
Qenn tried to explain. “I couldn’t put you all in
danger.”

“
You put yourself in
danger,” Kandish said, almost yelling.

Qenn kept her gaze for a
moment. She was hurt. And she was scared. He nodded and let some of
his excitement settle. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Kandish’s expression did
not change. “If something happens to you...then everything is over,
Qenn.”

Qenn understood. But before
he could do or say anything, Kandish was pulling him in and
wrapping her arms around him tight.

“
Okay, he’s learned his
lesson. Let’s go.” Kamen Ode led them away from the lagoon, moving
quickly through the thick foliage to the huts of the village. Once
there, he slowed, watching his company slow at his side.

“
I am going to miss Aless.
I wish I could have said goodbye.” Kandish was looking towards the
huts, wishing the young girl would come rushing out of her hut to
say goodbye.

“
I will tell her,” Prevost
said casually. He had stopped walking, watching the others slowly
walk away.

They stared at him in
wonder. Kamen Ode was confused. “What is it, Prevost?”

Prevost stood facing them.
He sighed, having no idea how to begin. His voice was melancholy.
“This place has attached itself to me, I guess.”

“
Don’t tell me you want to
stay.”

Prevost smiled in spite of
him. “No, can’t say that I do.”

“
Then let’s go.”

Kamen Ode led them through
the village, moving northeast to the woods. No one said more than a
few words at first. They did not want to stir any attention. Once
they reached the woods and were clear of the huts, Qenn whispered
to Kandish what had happened with the
LifeWaters
. They walked
side-by-side, staring at Qenn’s staff. They were watching the white
glow dissipate, the staff returning to its normal color. The
conversation continued for a while, until they noticed Prevost
trailing. They slowed, waiting for him. But once it was evident
that he was not intending to catch up, they walked back to
him.

“
Prevost? You okay?” Qenn
asked. He heard Kamen Ode order them to hurry up. Kandish called
out to him, telling him that something was wrong with Prevost.
Kamen Ode moved quickly to join them.

Prevost pointed northeast.
“You’ll want to head that way—”

“
Wait a minute. “ Kamen
interrupted right away. “You can’t tell me you’re
staying.”

Prevost’s smile was sad.
His breathing was labored. He leaned against a tree stump, wincing
painfully.

“
Prevost?” Kandish
urged.

Dawn was approaching fast,
with the sky behind already lit with expectance. Prevost sighed. “I
can walk no further.”

“
You can’t be serious!”
Kamen Ode growled. He stepped in closer to his friend. “You can’t
stay here! You’ll be miserable. You don’t want to—”

“
My journey with you has
been a good one, my friend.” Prevost reached out and patted the
other’s shoulder. “But it ends here. I can go no
further.”

“
You’re not one of them!
You have a choice!”

Prevost shook his head.
“No, my friend. I wasn’t given a choice, either. I guess I was
chosen.”

Kandish shook her head.
“What are you talking about?”

“
You drank the water?” Qenn
could not believe it. “When?”

Prevost’s body stiffened.
He swallowed hard. “Breakfast. Before the note. I felt it change me
immediately.”

Qenn heard Kandish gasp
next to him. “Prevost, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

Kandish stepped over to
him, wrapping her long arms around him and squeezing him tight.
“You should have said something.”

“
There was nothing to say,”
he whispered. He turned her loose then, looking at the tears in her
eyes, watching them stream down her cheeks.

“
This is so terrible,” she
cried softly. “We can’t just leave you.”

“
Oh, it’s not so bad,” he
lied. “Plus, these people need someone like me to step in and guide
them. Someone they can look to for help. A final act of repentance
for all the wrongs I have placed in my past.”

Kamen Ode stood staring at
Prevost as though he was ready to crumble. “Okay, then. Be their
leader. They can use you.”

“
No,
wait.” Qenn said. “I can go back and talk to the
LifeWaters
. I can use my
staff to make it change you back. I have the power now, I
can—”

But Prevost was already
shaking his head. “I cannot let you risk your life again, Qenn.
What you need to do now, is greater than myself. You cannot risk
going back. I won’t let you.”

Kandish stared at Qenn for
a second, noticing the anger in his eyes. She thought at that
moment, he looked different. It wasn’t in his physical appearance,
but rather in his general persona. But the thought went as easy as
it came and she focused on Prevost. “Prevost, I’m
sorry.”

“
There’s nothing we can
do,” Kamen stated in dismay.

Prevost smiled. “You gave
me back my life, friend. What more could you do? “

Qenn could see a look pass
between them, a brief ache that they shared. It would be the same
for him if Kandish was parting with them, he guessed. Still, he had
not the words. “I am going to miss you, Prevost.”

“
You’ll be fine, elf.
You’re in good hands.” He patted Qenn on the shoulder. “When this
mess is all cleaned up, you’ll know where to find me.”

Qenn nodded. “I will. I
will come back and see you. I promise.”

“
Me, too.” Kamen Ode
grunted. He slapped Prevost with a handshake, then whispered
something to him that the others could not hear. When he pulled
away, Prevost wiped the corners of his eyes.

“
Go. Go be the saviors of
the world.” Prevost waved them off, not looking them in the eyes,
not wanting them to see. “Be safe, my friends.”

Kandish cried, waving bye
to Prevost. Qenn held one of her hands and walked her away, Kamen
Ode holding his ground a moment longer. In a matter of seconds, he
was pushing past them. Qenn thought he saw the big man
crying.

When Qenn looked back
again, Prevost was nowhere in sight.

Chapter 31

T
hey came like a nightmare.
Takers
blanketed the Shyl Plains
like a sheet of darkness sent to smother anything living. Thousands
of soulless figures draped in tattered cloaks and shredded clothing
lumbered towards the eastern edge of the Lyyn Forest. Red eyes
burned with hate, spread across the grassy field like twinkling
fires which ordinary water would not extinguish. They came in a
swarm that disappeared in the darkness at each end of the horizon.
Their number too great to count. Their purpose too reckless to
withstand.

Even from their distance
now, Elves and Men alike could hear their gruesome groaning as foul
air exhaled from lungs that once held life. Deep wails filled the
night as the
Takers
howled in delight, their pursuit coming to an end, their prey
within sight, and soon within reach.

“
Tell your men to wait for
our signal,” Terill Estrial said to Ern Dwull, who nodded then went
off to spread the message.

Terill stood at the front
with Ankar Rie next to him. Lines of bowmen stood behind them, a
mix of Elves and Men together, standing in front of the swordsmen.
They all stood anxiously awaiting the confrontation, watching their
enemy slowly advancing for the past few hours. The sun had sank
below the horizon hours ago, and the approaching mass of demons
only made the night grow that much darker. Clouds filled the sky
overhead, blotching out any trace of the stars beyond. No fires
were lit. The only visible light was the red eyes ahead of them.
The two armies stood watching the advancing threat drawing closer,
waiting for the inevitable.

“
I hope this works,” Ankar
Rie said softly to Lord Estrial.

“
Many
things will rely on hope this night, young sorcerer.” Terill stood
looking at the demons coming for a moment longer, then turned to
see Dornawee. The elderly elf stood with his arms skyward,
projecting an image of the Lyyn Forest covering their army. Men and
Elves would appear as trees and brush to the enemy, Dornawee had
said. An illusion that would last long enough to confuse
the
Takers
. Once they were in their midst, the ambush would be
revealed.

“
They cannot see us,”
Dornawee said. “But they know we are here. They can smell the
magic. Once they are here, be careful.”

Two Elves dressed in green
hunting apparel approached. They carried longbows strapped to their
backs with quivers full of arrows. Terill Estrial turned to face
them. “Kateel, Ree, are you ready?”

“
My Lord, we will meet you
in their midst.” Ree said. Kateel nodded. They were dressed in
camouflage, belts holding several knives and small pouches, bows
and arrows slung over shoulder.

“
Kateel, take your men and
flank the east. Ree, your men the west. May your swords and arrows
be on their mark.” Terill gave them each a firm handshake, then
watched them separate, each taking a large number of Elves with
them to their destinations.

“
Ern?” Terill called
out.

Ern Dwull walked over to
Terill. He wore a hooded chain-mail vest with matching gloves. “The
men of Cillitran are ready.”

“
They will be flanked to
the east and west, we will attack head on. Catapults and burst
charges first, then arrows once they regroup and attack. Dorn will
keep the mirage, but once they reach us, it will not matter. They
can smell magic. They will know where we are regardless. We need to
be poised and swift. We cannot let them advance into the
Lyyn.”

Ankar howled. “So let it
begin!”

Ern Dwull disappeared back
through the lines of bowmen, of Men and Elves alike, hundreds
standing at the front, bows notched with arrows, fingers squeezing
them snug against the strings. He moved back past the series of
swordsmen, hundreds more with battle armor and swords ready,
anxious to begin what they all knew was going to be the end. Ern
reached the catapults, all stationed ready to launch, and handed
the operators small crystal pieces that the Elves had given him.
They would explode like nothing they had ever witnessed, Dornawee
had told him. Use one per launch, Ern directed his men. Once
finished, and all his men were ready, Ern returned back to the
front to stand with Ankar Rie again, nodding to Terill that all was
set.