The Shadows of Starpoint Mountain

by Bill Albert

  Gallif saw Jakobus also attack the caster and rolled off to one side to stay out of his way. Her knee was not broken but she was still in great pain. Marassa held off another attack from Blink’s sword and Jakobus’s axe. Gallif tried to stand but the heal casting on the armor was not fast enough and pain riddled her leg. She cursed. As she tried to rise, putting all of her weight on her right side, she saw Acrufix joining them.

  Feeling strength return to her leg, she leaned against the wall hoping they would herd Marassa in her direction. She tried to concentrate and stop the shaking in her right hand. As she watched Marassa strike at Luvin on her left and Blinks on her right, Luvin ducked and stepped aside, but Blinks wasn’t fast enough. The flame sword struck his back as he was turning away. With no casting on his armor the flame and the sharp blade smacked against his back and he fell to the floor.

  Gallif swore she would get Blinks new armor and limped forward with both weapons ready. Gallif tried to hit her with the flame sword but couldn’t get enough speed to do any damage.

  Marassa side stepped another jab from Jakobus. His aim caused her to nearly lose her grip on one of her swords. He hit her hard on her left hip and deflected her attack, but she still was able to strike Luvin in the back as he tried to reposition himself.

  Out of anger, Gallif limped forward swinging. The flame sword missed but distracted Marassa enough so that a low cut with the frost sword was successful. Marassa spat at her and quickly jumped high out of their circle, flipped in mid air, and landed twelve feet away. Simultaneously they ran for her but before they could reach her she’d slid the flame sword in her right hand into its sheath and replaced it with her silver tipped wand. Her four opponents separated as she spoke a few words and jerked the wand in their direction. There was a loud crack as a rock wall behind them shattered. Instantly she shifted her aim and made another cast at Jakobus who was preparing to throw his axe at her. The shock wave caught him head on and he shuddered for a few seconds, then dropped to the ground.

  Gallif heard him fall but was too close to Marassa to look. She put all of her strength into her left arm and swung hard at Marassa’s wand. The frost sword connected directly and had she not been wearing a gauntlet would have removed her hand. The strike was enough to make her shudder and drop the wand.

  Luvin tried to take advantage of the distraction but Marassa kicked backward and the heel of her boot caught him in the stomach. His cast hammer missed its target as he fell back. Marassa’s eyes centered on Gallif again and she made two very quick and low cuts with her remaining weapon at Gallif’s right side. Gallif managed to barely deflect the attacks but she quickly struck back. Acrufix barreled into the caster before she could attack Gallif and they both collapsed to the ground in a heap. Marassa swore and elbowed him in the face but the helmet deflected contact.

  She grit her teeth in anger and reached into one of her gauntlets and pulled out another wand, this one copper tipped, before Acrufix could stop her and Gallif could get around to one side. She quickly cast with the wand and touched the tip against Acrufix’s metal armor. There was a loud snap as a blue white spark erupted from the point of contact and shuddered through Acrufix’s body. He shook briefly losing his orientation as Marassa kicked up and pushed him away.

  Marassa twisted so quickly it caught Gallif by surprise and she barely managed to bring her flame sword up to deflect a direct blow. She was able to throw the attack off before Marassa’s flame sword glanced upward and hit her flat in the side of her head. She managed to push away before the heat of the blade scorched her skin, but she could smell the charred strands of her hair.

  Gallif refused to step back. She went after Marassa with both swords swinging. Luvin launched himself at her from the opposite direction, his hammer ready. Marassa heard his approach but was too late to deflect the blow as the hammer slammed into her side. Barely able to suppress the scream of pain she nearly collapsed. Before either of them could take advantage she spoke quickly into the focus stone, then pressed it against her side. They could tell by the ease in the way she stood and the calmness on her face that she was healed.

  Gallif and Luvin were on each side of her but Marassa could use both swords to hold them back at the same time. They tried to circle around her, but she was too fast for them to get a head of her. For a brief second they made eye contact with each other and knew it was time to bring this fight to an end. It only took a nod from Gallif to let him know that he should come forward as fast as he could. He had just started, with Gallif matching his steps, when Marassa spun around in a circle leaving a trail of flame from the swords in her path. To their surprise she kept spinning, increasing the speed as she went, and soon the caster was nothing but a blur leaving a continuous trail of flame. After a few more seconds the flames started to fade and were soon gone.

  As before, they waited with weapons in hand in case she returned. Gallif and Luvin finally broke from formation and rushed to where Jakobus lay on his side. He was conscious and they slowly rolled him on to his back as Acrufix and Blinks joined them. Jakobus was badly bruised with some bleeding down his left arm.

  “I need to sit up,” Jakobus mumbled.

  “Are you sure you didn’t hurt your back?” Blinks asked.

  “Yes, my back is fine. I’ll breathe better if I’m sitting,” he assured them.

  Together, slowly and carefully, they lifted the dwarf and moved him to where he could sit comfortably with his back against a wall.

  “I need a bandage or something for his arm,” Gallif said.

  “I’ve got it” Blinks said and pulled out a leather pouch that had been tucked in one of his boots. He kneeled by Jakobus’s left side and unfolded a clean cloth from the pouch. He asked Luvin to tear the cloth into strips so he could cover the wound. “The cut’s not very big so it should be enough,” Blinks added.

  “Gallif,” Jakobus spoke with a raspy voice as he shivered from the cut in his arm. “Do you have the cure?”

  Gallif froze for a second. She had been so worried about her friend she had forgotten about her own problem. She listened carefully and prayed to Tebiet and her parents that her suspicions about its disappearance were correct.

  “It’s behind you,” the unseen Lincilara whispered from where she was seated on Gallif’s backpack.

  Gallif looked back and saw the purple bag lying on the ground near her boots. She scooped it up quickly and pulled it open. She held it close and took a deep breath wondering what concoction of powders it would take to heal her. As a familiar scent reached her she felt her belly turn and her confidence vanished. She frowned, dipped a finger into the bag, and then licked the sparkly white powder.

  “What are you waiting for?” Luvin asked.

  “It’s salt,” Gallif said in shock as she settled down on her knees. “This is no special cure for tarna eggs. Just salt you can get anywhere,” she said putting a hand on her belly. “DAMN YOU TO HELL!” she screamed in anger.

  They all looked at her knowing they should say something but couldn’t find the words. Acrufix sat motionless looking at the ground. Jakobus moaned in pain as Blinks accidently touched the sensitive wound but kept on looking at her. Blinks looked at her briefly and then focused his attention back on Jakobus.

  Luvin shook his head as he went through a total range of emotions. He wanted to put a hand on her shoulder but knew it would make her feel uncomfortable.

  Gallif worked hard to control her anger. She dumped the salt onto the ground and used the heel of a boot to mix it in with the dirt. Then she stood and turned to face them.

  “I haven’t been the best leader,” she said holding out her empty hands to them. “I’m afraid I’d forgotten my past, forgotten the faith that people I knew had in me, and got caught up in being something I’m not. I’ve been reminded where I came from,” she said looking at Luvin, “and it’s time I lived up to their expectations.”

  Luvin walked to Gallif and reached out a hand to her but slowed when he saw her tense up. He never
lost eye contact with her and just brushed some of her loose, burnt hair away. Then he took a step back and nodded for her to continue.

  “We are here on a mission for the Third Minister of the Giant Lords. There have been rumors, or secrets, of a dragon library located somewhere within the Dragon Burial Grounds. That’s what I… we’ve… been sent here to find. The hope is that the knowledge stored in that library will rescue the elves.”

  “What do you mean?” Acrufix asked as he stepped forward. “Elves are evil. They don’t need rescuing they need to be eliminated.”

  “No,” Gallif matched his tone. “The dragon in Starpoint Mountain told us the truth about them. The elves, especially the pure elves, were cursed to help build and guard a stronghold inside the mountain during the dragon war. They lost the ability to choose.” She stopped and read their reactions.

  Jakobus prayed to his dwarven god for forgiveness and understanding. Blinks put a hand to his face in shock and nodded, he believed her. Luvin sighed in relief that they all knew.

  Acrufix shook his head and said, “That is not possible. All elves are evil.”

  “No, just the pure elves are cursed. Partial elves aren’t evil, and they hide that part of their identity.”

  “You’re wrong. The dragon was lying or old and senile. Elves deserve to be executed for their evil.”

  “We’ve met them, learned with them, even fought with them,” she informed them all. “Anamita, who went from the school into the mountain with us, had elven blood in her. I saw the pointed ears when, before, she died…” She stopped there knowing she would have to face them with the complete story eventually.

  Luvin had never expected it but now, looking back from this revelation, it was the only thing that made sense.

  “If she was an elf in any way she deserved to die,” Acrufix said.

  “She wasn’t evil,” Gallif said as her anger covered her guilt and she looked hard at his masked face. “She was scared.”

  “No, I refuse to believe this,” he said angrily. He pulled his sword and held it above his head proudly. “I am Acrufix, the Elven Killer, Keeper of the Faith. I protect us all from their evil ways.”

  “You are a fraud,” Luvin shouted and took a stand next to Gallif. His hammer was in hand and he was ready to protect her if he had to.

  “What are you doing, Luvin? You are supposed to be my companion.”

  “Never,” Luvin said enjoying the moment. “The story you told me, about rescuing a giant in an overturned coach, was a lie. It wasn’t you who fought them off it was Gallif and myself on Festival Day. How much else that you’ve told us was a lie?”

  Acrufix turned to look at Gallif. “You have no proof, just the words of an ancient dragon that only you heard. For a thousand years the people of Starpoint have known the truth about the elves.

  “And been wrong for a thousand years,” she countered.

  “Prove to me that we were wrong,” he challenged her.

  “You are sure,” she said flatly. “Absolutely sure that elves are evil.”

  “Yes.”

  “You want proof about how wrong we can be about something? Even something we have known for centuries?”

  “If you can,” he said supremely confident that she couldn’t.

  “Lincilara, I need to see you,” Gallif said loud and clearly. Instantly the fairy appeared gently using her wings to hover over Gallif’s shoulder. Lincilara fought the urge to smile and wave and just let them all look at her in awe. She waited patiently and finally Gallif spoke to Acrufix. “Until this moment you knew, you believed, that all the fairies were dead. Will you even consider that I might be right about the elves?”

  Acrufix didn’t answer and after a long moment turned away. Lincilara fluttered her wings rapidly and flew to a point directly in front of Acrufix. She looked at the faceless mask closely, sniffed at the air, then crinkled her face with dislike and flew back to Gallif.

  “You were wrong about the fairies,” Gallif said then continued softly. “We, we were wrong, about that. Until a short time ago no one believed dragons still lived but thousands of people know that’s not true.”

  “She’s right,” Blinks said forcing himself to stop staring at Lincilara and looked at the masked legend. He was not going to let the façade go on any longer. “You’re the great elven killer. You’ve been glorifying the slaughter of elves for years. What does the truth make you?”

  Acrufix dropped his sword and quickly unsnapped and removed his helmet. For the first time he truly turned to face them and said, “That would make me some kind of monster.”

  TWENTY: FAMILIAR MONSTERS

  The face under the mask was olive skinned under black hair. Despite the dark and sad expression in his eyes there was a pleasant, friendly look about him. They were struck by the apparent youth of someone who had been known for so long. “I don’t want to be a monster,” he said.

  “The blood of how many elves have colored your sword?” Jakobus asked.

  “Hundreds,” he said without looking down at his weapon. “Maybe more.”

  “Thousands,” Blinks sneered at him.

  Acrufix continued without acknowledging. “I was a believer; I followed Ramark the Giant God, one of the Pure Gods.”

  “Of course,” Jakobus said calmly. “Ramark’s followers are totally committed to the end of evil in all forms. Totally,” he stressed to make sure they understood.

  “Yes,” Acrufix nodded. “I went to temple, prayed, and even taught children the necessity of fighting evil. I had quite a following. Nearly five hundred would come every week to hear me speak and tell stories.”

  “That is a noble quest,” Jakobus nodded. “But even that must have some limits to it.”

  “How did you become a legend?” Gallif asked.

  Acrufix looked at the ground before he spoke. “I didn’t. The legend came to me. I’d left a funeral; a believer in our church and his family had been slaughtered by a roaming herd of elves. I was walking home late. I saw something, a reflection in the dark, and there he was. The legendary Acrufix himself was right before me. We talked at great length and as the sun was rising over Starpoint Mountain he made me an offer.”

  “To join him?” Luvin asked in confusion.

  “No, to become him. There is no one person named Acrufix. It’s a title, a legend, passed down from person to person. With approval I would take an oath, become the Keeper of the Faith and destroy the evil elves.” His voice was shallow and weak by the time he finished.

  “Shiny Guy isn’t so shiny after all,” Blinks said in disgust.

  “You became a legend,” Gallif gasped. “A false legend.”

  “Not just me, no. There are two of us who travel under the title making sure we are in different places at different times. Always making reports to our leader and taking special orders when necessary.”

  Gallif shook her head realizing why he had not recognized her from before.

  “You get so much, so many privileges, as Keeper of the Faith,” he said showing the armor on his left arm. “As long as you keep fighting evil you are rewarded.”

  “What does ‘Keeper of the Faith’ actually mean?” Blinks asked. He was doubtful that such an exalted sounding position would be unheard of.

  “It’s an oath you take before a Giant Lord. You remind everyone of the evil of the elves and how they must have faith in the Giant Lords to protect them. That the Giant Lords represent good and everything else is evil.”

  “But all elves aren’t evil,” Gallif said angrily.

  “It’s quite seductive, being a legend,” he said.

  “Seduction is a powerful weapon,” Jakobus said sympathetically.

  “Sometimes it gets easy to forget things,” Acrufix added. “Even the strongest believer can forget difficult things when there is so much drawing their attention. You will know,” he said to Gallif. “You are becoming a legend.”

  “I don’t want it,” Gallif protested quickly.

  “But you
’ll get it,” he said as he turned and walked away. He found a small alcove in the rock walls and sat down.

  Luvin started to approach him but Gallif grabbed his arm and held him back.

  “Let him be alone,” she said quietly. “He’ll need some time. The same way I did,” she added as she watched the man sitting there looking so far away from everyone with the mask on the ground next to him. She knew how seductive it could be.

  “There’s something coming,” Jakobus warned them. Gallif, Blinks and Luvin all drew their weapons.

  They listened intently and could hear something moving off in the distance, but it was Gallif who realized what it was. She patted Jakobus on the back and told him to stay seated and informed them there was a massive herd of tarsiers moving away. Nothing to worry about.

  “Your sword,” Lincilara called as she flew in circles to get Gallif’s attention. “I told you not you use your sword,” she said with a nasty look on her face.

  “This is just my flame sword. I’ve had it with me since I left the school. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

  “I can see it,” the fairy said shaking her head and pointing a finger straight at Gallif. “I can see the cast. It’s cursed, Gallif. Don’t use it.”

  The worry in Lincilara’s face was so strong that Gallif dropped the weapon into the dirt and took a few steps back.

  “What kind of curse?” asked Luvin.

  “It’s a wicked one; I can see the darkness around the colors. An image cast at the handle so it’s not really where it looks. You can’t hold it right and it would make hitting a target harder.”

  Gallif brushed her colorless hair back and realized she was having no trouble believing what Lincilara was saying. She had been worried that her fighting had been so weak, but she had been begun thinking it was because of the tarna eggs in her belly. She drew the frost sword and made several practice swings through the air in her right hand. It felt comfortable and Lincilara nodded that it was safe to continue. She took several swings with a calmer and steadier hand.