As they made their way up the spiraling stairwell, Erin traced her fingers along its intricate carvings as they passed the entrance and continued upward for several minutes. Their legs began to ache with the strain of the ascent, until finally, after countless floors, they reached a landing somewhere around the middle of the trunk that branched off through a wide opening in the side of the tree and led out onto one of its enormous branches.
A smooth walkway had been carved into the top of the branch, making for a nice even path that followed the curving limb. They had also built in highly decorative rails that served to prevent anyone from accidentally falling off the edges – a fall that would surely end in death at this height.
Erin tried her best to look down as they walked, but the height was staggering and she was experiencing a severe sense of vertigo, so instead she focused on the areas around them at the same level plane. She couldn’t believe how much the elves had built within the branches of the tree.
It was an entire city of buildings built throughout the canopy like a great tree house. There were great, arching bridges all over the place, spanning between the largest branches and providing access throughout the massive tree canopy for all to enjoy.
In addition to the main central staircase moving up and down the tree trunk, there were several staircases throughout the canopy that allowed for easy access between each level of the city. All of the buildings seemed to be built from the same white wood of the tree, giving the city a bright white appearance while also a gentle, natural feel that was peaceful and transcendental.
There were several different species of birds and butterflies, flying and flittering throughout the air, each visiting the endless variety of flowers that were growing nearly everywhere Erin looked.
She could see squirrels and chipmunks and other woodland creatures scattering about the rails and staircases, jumping across great distances as they ran about, playing like little children.
It was the most remarkable thing she had ever seen, and that was saying a lot after having just visited the great Dwarven city of Emerald Keep!
As Gilric led them throughout the ever-winding complex, they eventually reached a large structure that was beautifully crafted with large, vaulted ceilings and intricate carvings around the outside of the building. The carvings looked like flowering vines cut into the large pillars supporting the balcony before the main entrance, its roof reaching high above their heads and sporting great timber beams that would arc back and forth throughout the structure of the ceiling.
When they entered the room, they could see it was furnished with dozens of long tables fit for dining and hosting a large gathering.
The tables were already prepared with silver dishes filled with wonderful smelling foods of all kinds. Nearly all of the dishes sported some type of grilled or roasted fish, coupled with garden vegetables, nuts, and salads with a sweet, berry vinaigrette that looked delightful.
Gilric led them to a large table positioned at the front of the great dining hall and beckoned for them to take the seats next to his. The elves all turned to watch the humans entering their halls and being seated next to their Prince.
Prince Gilric addressed the crowd, seeing their curiosity.
“My dear brethren. Today we will host our most esteemed guests.” he said, introducing each of them by name starting with Tyrius and working his way down to Reingard and Holzer.
“They have come a long way and been through a great ordeal. Please join me in making them feel at home.” he finished, to which a gentle round of applause echoed throughout the chamber.
After his introductions, they all sat down to a wonderful meal. After some time when they had each finished eating and their bellies were full of food and wine and their spirits were bolstered, they sat and spoke about their adventures since the battle of Eldergate.
They caught Gilric up on the purpose of their quest from Ravenfell. How they had trekked through the Southern Tunnel into Ashmire where they were chased by the Guild before falling into the Dwarven tunnels. They told him of their time spent in Emerald Keep and their legal battle with the King, and finally how they had ultimately ended up captured by the elves down at the edge of the forest when they had been ambushed by Jakob and his Guild once again. All the while, Prince Gilric sat patiently listening to their tales and saying very little but nodding his head as the story unfolded to acknowledge that he was following along.
When they finished, he seemed very troubled by the capture of David. He knew that David played a key role in the prophecies related to taking down the Defiant One and his demon army, and because of this, he pledged his support for their mission in getting him back. If David were to fail in his mission, the elves would have a much greater threat at their doorsteps that would threaten their peace for generations to come. Possibly even their survival. That was a risk he was not willing to take.
At last, when the night was growing late and their eyes could hardly stay open any longer, the companions expressed their gratitude to Gilric for his kindness and hospitality.
He had one of the housekeeping elves, fair as ever with very obvious feminine features, prepare them each a room for the night with the promise of catching up in the morning to see them off on their journey. He said their bags would be waiting for them, restocked with some additional surprises, when they awoke the next morning. They each wondered what the surprises could possibly be, but he would only smile and tell them to wait and see in the light of the morning.
That night, Gilric had the smithies up all night, preparing for his guests a set of magically enhanced blades fitting for each of their preferred combat styles.
For Erin, he had crafted a lightweight, curved blade that would easily compliment her smaller frame – its weight balanced perfectly to match her dance-like fighting style. Its edge was thin and sharp like a razor, but strong as the hardest steel. It would never dull and would cut through anything unfortunate enough to feel its sting as easily as a hot knife cuts through butter.
He also crafted her a bow such as the ones the elves had carried. They were particularly effective against the undead and demons, as their arrows were made from the wood of the great white tree and would have devastating effect on anything dark and unholy.
For Reingard and Holzer he had crafted great twin battle axes – their pommels shaped with a spike at the end for an extra means of defense. They were imbued with a spell that would enhance the strength of their wielders, given them super-human strength to take down their enemies and incite a fear in the hearts of anyone who would stand in their way.
For Tyrius, he had crafted a twisted staff cut from the heart of the ancient white tree itself. Its magical properties would enhance his skills tenfold, giving his powers increased vitality and taking much less of a toll on his body and mind with each casting. It was impossible to break and would never show signs of wearing.
Finally, he crafted one final blade for David, for when they found him once again. It was a long blade, lightweight and curved like Erin’s, but it had the emblem of the orb engraved on each side of the blade, with ancient ruins of power dedicated to the bearer of the Orb of Power. Its pommel was elaborately decorated and capped with a jewel that sparkled with the brilliance of a million stars. The blade was foretold in legends that were passed down by the Elves for centuries, and now with David’s appearance, it was time for the weapon of legend to be forged into reality.
Each of these weapons would serve them well in the coming battles, having been forged precisely for the purpose of combating demons and other creatures from the depths of the Dark Abyss – their powers rendering such foes obsolete. In all the lands there were no better forgers than the elves when it came to weapons. The Dwarves were masters of armor, true, but the elves were masters of war.
Chapter XX
The next morning Erin and the others awoke with the early rays of the sun shining through their windows. It was a gentle waking, something they had each missed dearly and had been ra
re since they left Ravenfell.
Their last good night’s sleep was spent in the halls of the Dwarven city of Emerald Keep when they were staying in King Tybrin’s quarters, however, the light there was not natural, having only been provided by artificial means, being underground and deep within the mountains.
There was nothing more natural than being woken by the gentle light of the morning sun shining through the canopy of the great tree above while listening to the morning song of the birds.
When they each got up, at the foot of each of their beds were their packs, just as Gilric had promised. They were each full to the brim with clean bedding and fresh food that would last them weeks in the wilderness.
Aside each of the packs lay their newly forged weapons glittering in the morning sun like precious artifacts found within a king’s treasure room.
They each slowly walked to their individual weapons in awe, inspecting them up and down and running their fingers along their expertly crafted surfaces.
Erin lifted her blade and gave it a few practice swings, marveling at how light the blade sat in her hand and how perfectly it fit her grip. It whizzed through the air as she spun it around in an arcing circle, feeling as if the blade were cutting the air itself.
She placed it back in its scabbard, which was also finely decorated in precious gold and silver designs running up and down its front, before securing it to her belt at her hip.
She then went to her bow and ran her fingers down its spine, gently testing the pull of the string. It hummed in a deep vibration as she released the tension, returning the string to its original position. She could feel the power of the bow and knew it would serve her well in the coming days.
After everyone had taken a few moments to get acquainted with their new weapons, they headed down to the forest floor where Gilric had told them he would be waiting in the morning.
When he saw the looks on their faces, each still in awe at their gifts, he smiled, happy to see they liked their surprise.
“I see you’ve become well acquainted with your new weapons, they look good on each of you.” he said, smiling.
They each nodded and thanked him in return, to which he waved his hand, shrugging off the gesture.
“It is the least I could do, after your most horrendous treatment by my brethren.” he said.
As he finished speaking, another elf came running up to his side before whispering something urgent in his ear, too quietly for the others to hear.
Gilric nodded and said “I see” before the messenger ran urgently into the White City and disappeared from sight.
Gilric, seeing the concern on his friends faces, said “It seems the scouts have reported sighting of a large army of demons heading through Draco’s Pass. It would seem the battle is coming to our doorstep, now rather than later.”
“We saw them coming from the Western ridge just a couple of days ago, before we were ambushed by Jakob and his clan. Was there any word of Ravenfell?” asked Erin, holding her hand to her mouth in fear for her friends back at the Barbarian city-kingdom. She remembered seeing the large mass heading in that direction and knew that they were in for the fight of their lives once they arrived.
“No, no… I do not believe that they have yet reached the barbarian city. The reports stated they saw an equally large mass still headed in that direction, towards the mountain pass, but no indication that they had reached the city. It would seem they intend on attacking both fronts simultaneously. Not a bad strategy… it keeps us divided. It would seem the Defiant One remembers the strength of our people when we were all united together against him, and that he would prefer to not experience that again.” said Gilric, smiling arrogantly.
“It is unfortunate, but I must cut our goodbyes short and see to the preparations.” he said, turning to leave. He stopped in his tracks and turned back, looking at his friends. “Would any of you care to join me?” he asked, turning his head slightly.
Erin and Tyrius both quickly shook their head, knowing their efforts must be focused on getting back David safely so they could continue North to the Birthplace of the World, but Reingard and Holzer both hesitated before looking to Tyrius and Erin.
“You wish to go with him, don’t you?” asked Tyrius, understanding their dilemma. Their King and their family and friends were all in Ravenfell. They had only agreed to go with David and the others because Rex himself couldn’t go and had to stay and lead his people in the coming fight. They did it as a personal favor to their friend and King. But Tyrius and Erin knew their hearts were always with their people.
If they were able to help the elves take on the coming army, they would then be able to press on to help the others in Ravenfell against the enemy forces heading their way. They could come up from the rear and break them into two fronts. It could make all the difference for their hometown.
“If we go with you, and we win, would you then do us the honor of bringing the fight to the other front?” asked Holzer, speaking aloud what they were both thinking.
“It would be my greatest honor to accompany you both in such a noble feat.” said Gilric, bowing his head again.
Reingard and Holzer both shared an equal look of determination before nodding.
“Then we will go, and we will fight!” they said together.
At this, Gilric Ellisar, Reingard, and Holzer each said their farewell to Tyrius and Erin. Gilric was generous enough to offer them both a horse to take on their journey South, telling them it would serve them well and would help speed along their journey to Brineport.
They said their thanks and after being accompanied to the edge of the Forest of Immortals by Gilric and the others, they sped off into the open fields hoping they would be able to reach David in time before something horrible happened to him.
Behind them, an enormous army of elves, led by Gilric Ellisar, Reingard, and Holzer, began their march toward the foothills of the Draconian Mountains to meet the demon army head on.
War was coming and the fate of the Land of the Immortals and all its magical creatures was hanging in the balance.
Chapter XXI
Night had fallen and Christopher and Fredrick were once again back on the watch tower keeping an eye on the demon army in the foothills below. They had appeared to stop just short of the path leading up the mountain and this was troubling news indeed.
“What do you think they’re waiting for?” asked Christopher, his breath leaving a cloud of vapor as he spoke in the cool mountain air.
“I dunno, but if you ask me, it ain’t good. Not one bit!” replied Fredrick, rubbing his hands together to stave off the cold.
They had been watching the army grow larger and larger with each consecutive night of their shift. Each night revealing the expansion of the enemy forces from the previous day, and so far, it seemed their forces were growing by the tens of thousands – a bad omen for the battle that was to come.
Besides their growing numbers, it left them uneasy seeing the army just sitting there camped out day after day. It was as if they were waiting on something spectacular to happen that would indicate it was the right time for them to begin their long descent up the pass towards Ravenfell.
“You up for a game of cards?” asked Christopher, satisfied the army wasn’t going anywhere fast and eager to pass the time in a more entertaining manner.
“Not until you hand over your copper piece you owe me!” said Fredrick, punching Christopher’s arm playfully.
They had made a bet each night as to whether or not the army would reach them by their next shift. Last shift, seeing how close the army was and that they had been camped out for several days, Fredrick had finally decided to bet against the odds and say that they would remain camped for the day. A bet he had apparently won.
“Fine, fine,” said Christopher, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a few small copper coins and handing one over to Fred.
Just as he did, a high-pitched whistle came flying through the air and an arrow stuck through his
outstretched hand. Blood splattered over their faces and the impact of the blow sent Christopher twirling around before he fell to the ground, gripping his hand in pain.
Fredrick, completely caught off guard, quickly shook off the surprise and ran to the bell, ringing it hard while screaming “The enemy has come! The enemy has come!” as a volley of arrows flew over the walls striking several men who had jumped up to prepare for the coming attack.
General Ryan, hearing the alarm bells at the front tower, quickly jumped out of his bed in the encampment behind the final walls, got dressed, and ran as fast as he could to the front lines to meet with the officer on duty.
Soldiers were running everywhere, scrambling to get into their positions. Men were screaming and being carried away with arrows protruding from various places. By the time General Ryan had arrived at the front, blood was pooling up in a few areas on the walls where a high number of men had been struck and long streaks of blood could be seen where the men had been dragged away to safety before being lifted and carried to the infirmary.
“Captain, report” said General Ryan, to the captain on duty.
He was a young man with brown hair and green eyes. He had been in the battle of Eldergate, so he had seen his fair share of battle, but tonight he looked deathly afraid.
“Captain, I said report!” said General Ryan, snapping the young soldier out of it.
“Sir! It seems the enemy has snuck up the side of the mountain pass on a series of ladders with a smaller group of archers to avoid our detection. We never saw them coming, but we don’t think it’s the main force just yet. No casualties so far, but a few men have suffered wounds that will keep them out of the fight.” he said, quickly gathering his wits.
“Thank you, Captain!” said General Ryan. “How many do you think there are? How are our archers doing?” he asked.
“A few dozen, maybe? It’s hard to tell in the darkness, sir. Our archers are doing the best they can. I ordered them to return fire but, again, it’s hard to tell how effective their firing is. Without the moonlight, it’s a dark night, sir.” said the Captain.
David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation Page 15