by P R Glazier
Chapter 44. Fireside Decisions
That evening they all sat around Deanola’s hearth. There were some others, both men and women that the party had not met before. But Nar’Allia also found herself delighted to see both Alonso and Shanria sitting amongst the gathered easterners. Eventually Deanola appeared and a respectful hush fell over the company, an air of expectancy hung over all. The gathered company stood in an act of great respect, Nar’Allia and her travelling companions also stood. Deanola had made herself comfortable upon the sheep skins that had been laid out around the hearth specifically for the purpose of making the gathered guests more comfortable. The fire burned warm in the centre of the room. The big cooking pot had been removed along with the chain on which it nearly always hung. Nar’Allia supposed this was to ensure that everyone had a clear view around the whole company. She glanced around at the faces illuminated by the warm red glow of the flames in the hearth.
Deanola spoke. “Welcome all. I thank your indulgence in coming at my invitation to meet this night.” Everyone sat up, attentive as Deanola spoke. “Much has come to light, much that requires attention. Long have we lived in the shadow of a threat ……….”
The speech went on and Nar’Allia found herself drifting away, thinking other thoughts. She thought about Deanola and the skill as a mage that she possessed. How Deanola had almost been romanced by that power and her abilities, had almost given in to the temptation to think herself apart, think herself superior in some way than the rest of her people. Was that the main driving force behind the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran? Were they collectively of a mind-set that had convinced them they were better in some way than the rest of the T’Iea race. Was it this misguided arrogance that drove them to evil? But Deanola had recognised that temptation through the efforts of another, been shown the evil that it truly was.
Deanola had mentioned in passing the three T’Iea who had helped her, she had said ‘There were three of them, a ranger, a swordsman and the one, a mage who was greatly skilled in the arcane arts. This last one, the mage she said had saved her, helped her greatly. Deanola was thankful to the skill of the T’Iea, thankful especially that one among Nar’Allia’s own race had recognised the danger and saved Deanola from that temptation. Not only that, but had also taught Deanola so much. Nar’Allia remembered her lessons in history as a child, how the T’Iea army had been structured into regiments of Ruen’N’E’Y’Thego, meaning ‘five hundred alone’ and then split into brigades Ruen’N’Y’Thego meaning ‘fifty alone’ and then into sections of Huse’N’Y’Thego meaning ‘twenty alone’. Each Huse’N’Y’Thego section was mainly comprised of fighting men of a particular discipline, sword, bow, javelin and others. Each section also had a single healer, healers were few and far between, some of the fighting men also had some rudimentary healing skills, but this was rare. Also there were Huse’N’Y’Thego comprising of mages, not just any mage but battle mages. Powerful T’Iea, highly skilled in the arcane arts. These were mostly high T’Iea’Denarin, high elves like Solin, trained from an early age. Mainly they had their disciplines attuned to the natural arcane energy of the elements, earth, air, fire and water. There was sometimes a crossover, but the disciplines tended to stay with one or other of these elemental forces. The battle mages could rain death and destruction down upon an enemy. Arcane energy used in this way as a weapon was indiscriminate, difficult to control; it could destroy friend and foe alike if the wielder was not careful enough or not skilled sufficiently in the art. So its use was confined mainly to large open battle where the enemy could be clearly seen. But the skill, the true skill lay with those mages who had learnt to utilise their power selectively. In some situations, where battle mages were present on both sides, the normal strategy was to pit mage against mage. For to eliminate the enemy’s arcane skills gave a distinct advantage and often decided the outcome of a battle.
But Deanola had described something else that Nar’Allia had learnt in her history lessons; she had said an archer – a ranger, a swordsman and a mage. This was what the T’Iea army described as Trete’Y’Thego or ‘three alone’. Such a small company normally was used as a special task force made up of three members of different sections sent out to scout or undertake a specific special task. Trete’Y’Thego could remain hidden far more easily than a whole regiment of soldiers and with the three disciplines represented could also prove a formidable force should the situation arise where they were forced to engage with an enemy.
Nar’Allia thought this all over for a minute or two, then snapping her thoughts back to where she was, she found herself saying, “Deanola, the three you described the three T’Iea, it is common for T’Iea regiments to send out scouting parties comprised just so of the three you describe, we call these parties of three Trete’Y’Thego, it means three alone. By the Maker Deanola, if they tutored you, then you have been trained in the arcane arts of war,” Nar’Allia looked hard into Deanola’s eyes, “you’re a battle mage aren’t you. My people, they trained you as a battle mage.”
Nar’Allia was suddenly aware that the whole company was silent, looking towards her, she felt herself blushing as she said, “forgive me, I was ummmm daydreaming, I …..”
Deanola smiled, “yes, my child, you are right and those skills have proven useful over the years. As I have said before we live close to the Rift, close to the dread elves, they have learnt to give us a wide birth.” Then Deanola did something that none of them had seen before she gave a girlish giggle. This sound was so infectious that before long the whole gathering was laughing joyously. It was a wonderful sound to hear.
As the laughter subsided something suddenly occurred to Nar’Allia, “but if they were here, the Trete’Y’Thego, then that suggests that the elven army Deanola mentioned was also here, or relatively close by.” She voiced her thoughts.
A man across from Nar’Allia spoke in reply, “we would have known if such a large company of elves were here, that’s impossible.”
“No, believe me if my people don’t want to be seen then they won’t, even an elven army many strong, even a Ruen’N’E’Y’Thego encamped five hundred strong can remain hidden from most prying eyes and even remain immune from arcane searching.”
Deanola replied. “That I can believe. You know my child, your people, those who taught me all those years ago, they taught me other things to.”
Nar’Allia glanced towards Deanola expectantly. She suspected that what Deanola said next was more for the benefit of those around her rather than just something to tell Nar’Allia.
Deanola stood as if addressing the whole assembly, she walked around the back of the gathered group as she said, “I am in their debt, for they also taught me how I should never use the knowledge I had gained indiscriminately, not to abuse the power that I can command. Your people are very wise my child, they saw in me a power, a natural thing that would have grown with me regardless. Rather than let that power develop uncontrolled, they chose to teach me about that power and what it means to wield it, be responsible for it. If it had grown without that teaching I would have not had that understanding, I may have become a monster, a terrible force unable to control what I did. All that power it may have controlled me, consumed me eventually. Your people’s skill in teaching, their unconditional offer to train me, saved me from that, gave me the ability to reason with it, judge it, come to terms with it. Now I don’t use it unless I am forced to, even then I find myself questioning its use. It’s different when I am faced with those machines, but to use it against a living thing, that is a much different thing altogether.”
Nar’Allia found herself admiring Deanola, she found herself also being very proud of her people and their insight. She found herself wondering if it was because of Deanola that the Trete’Y’Thego were there at that time. Perhaps the training of Deanola, this was the special task they had been assigned.
Nar’Allia found herself filled with an inner glow, it made her laugh, the glow made her sure that in the end everything would work out for the be
st, she felt a confidence that she did not have before.
Amndo was then speaking. “Deanola I would like to go into the Rift to conduct some research of my own. I would need you to get me within, for the portals that I can create are limited to other uses and will not suffice.”
Deanola nodded, she seemed to be giving her consent, but Nar’Allia thought she detected some doubt in the way that Deanola spoke. “The Rift contains many things strange one, most are not friendly now to the world of men and elves and others. I would seek to dissuade you of such a venture. But I also know in my heart that action must be taken now, otherwise it may be too late. You’re coming here is an omen, hopefully an omen of good fortune. Wheels are in motion that may not be halted, for good or bad, even though it may mean our destruction.”
Amndo nodded solemnly, “I believe tapping into the Rift gives the dark elves their power, with it they can accomplish much towards their black ideals. I don’t believe they will ever be defeated until they are denied the power that the Rift gives them. I wish to take a closer look to try and understand how we may remove this threat; also I need to discover what effect we may have on the rest of the world in general if we inadvertently upset some equilibrium. I am convinced the ancient father’s great machine was placed to ensure this stasis, if we tamper with it in the smallest way it may well plunge the world into great danger.”
Jonas then said, “well the dark elves are tampering with it now, so what is there to lose eh?”
Amndo continued, “all I want to do is to try and understand what the Rift is, perhaps test it a little, try to make out what the dark elves are doing with it. I feel it is crucial to the future.”
Nar’Allia wondered if she should divulge the fact that Deanola had already taken her into the shroud. Close to the dark elf city and the Rift itself, she had not mentioned this to anyone else, purely because she hadn’t had the time. Also she didn’t want to get JDC’s hopes up in that the Pnook city of old was still there only hidden deeper within the shroud from where he had been. She was glad when she heard Deanola agree to take Amndo and anyone else who wanted to go into the Rift the following morning. But then something else troubled her mind, when she and Deanola had entered they were almost immediately detected by the Startmektoken soldier, if such guards were in place then even with wards to hide them Amndo and Deanola would risk detection and have trouble trying to accomplish anything if they were to announce their presence in the Rift so plainly. Nar’Allia found herself saying, “we need a diversion, if the main force of the dark elves are occupied elsewhere, then you will have a much better chance of accomplishing your mission in the Rift, free from prying eyes and many of the defences that the enemy has in place.”
So it was that they decided to bide their time before going into the Rift. Deanola would send out scouts and ask the other easterner clans to send warriors. In numbers enough they hoped to spark the dark elves interests into thinking that an all-out attack was imminent. Along with the Leviathan machine they now had and the Startmektoken army held within, they would present quite a formidable force, one not to be ignored they hoped. However, Nar’Allia was adamant that the leviathan’s metal army was to be the primary source for their diversion, the easterners a kind of reserve force, she did not like the idea of placing so many easterner warriors in danger unnecessarily. So the plans were made long into the night, strategies discussed and agreed. There was little to do now in the interim whilst the clansmen gathered except enjoy the food and hospitality and get a good night’s rest.