Defiled

  "And what of me?" Vanaris asked, feeling he'd likely remain charged with Lockage's defense.

  "You are going south on our border to keep in check our defenses and keep security top-notch," Lucas began. "I will be charged with the capital's defense. It's nothing I can't handle alone, and there's no need for us both to stay hunkered down in Lockage. We wait. We watch. I will try my damnedest to reach an ear of one of these foreign lords east of the sea."

  "Sarding eastern people? Why ever would you do that?" Kadwalador huffed, not a fan of the realm. The east, much like Tragmont, had been a world apart, keeping to themselves with little to no communication with anyone else.

  "It's something I intended to do sooner rather than later anyway," Lord Lucas said. "Too long have we stood alone in our corner of the world. If indeed this turmoil in the south is spreading and an enemy marching, we'd best be prepared to put these tyrants in their place. Wouldn't hurt to have an ally in them if they'll have us. If they see anything, they would share it. Better two heads than one."

  "Or you'll be offering a hand to welcome a friend only to have it bit off," Kadwalador countered. "We have even less information on folk out there than we did Divox. What if they are just as crooked? I say let the men of the north defend their own. We need no sarding elf and dwarfs or foul mortals that live and probably breed with their snobby neighbor races. No, Lord Lucas, I think we need not involve ourselves with them."

  It was a common belief there must be something wrong with a realm of mixed races living as one, especially since they didn't seem to want a thing to do with the other realms.

  For many long years before King Rupert Casen's surprise attack on the north, the eastern continent was often seen as a potential enemy of the north. A sleeping giant of sorts. It was not as if they'd ever done anything for good or for bad against the north, but their reclusive nature had caused many a restless mind concern. General Vanaris agreed with his brother mostly, but he didn't doubt in Lord Lucas. If there was one person he felt could reach out to those east across the sea and find out who might be a potential ally or a villain, it would be Lord Lucas. He had a way with words, a keen mind, and a better sense of diplomacy than most. He ignored any doubt he normally would have shared.

  "After what I saw, I agree we need all the help we can get. I'm more worried about the support of our king," Vanaris said.

  "We have it, even if he doesn't know it yet. He'll come around and when he does, he'll be more headstrong than the lot of us," General Kadwalador said, never doubting his King. Lucas nodded in agreement.

  "His eyes need the burden of proof. He'll come around like he always does. In the meantime, what we can do to serve him and the north is to prepare for all possibilities. That is exactly what we will do."

  PART THREE

  Chapter One

  Darius and Calysto

  Bella stood in a dense forest panting; her tanned clothing covered in blotches of blackened blood with Betrayer's Bane soaked in the same muck. About her feet, a ghastly green dratzel lay on its stomach dead. With her clothes ripped and hair tangled and also coated in blood, her hands trembled as she looked down on this creature she’d slain. Several feet away, Markus crouched down, bandaging Fern's leg, which had been sliced about his ankle. Two other dead black and pale dratzels were twisted in the soil nearby, taken out by Markus, Fern, and Bella. Almost perfectly still, Luminear sat on the ground against the base of a tree, staring out at the gore and chaos.

  "What was that?" Bella screamed, looking back at Luminear, Markus, and Fern after securing the area with her eyes.

  "I don't know! What are they?" Markus shot back, panicked. While Fern hadn't been cut too deep, one of their attackers managed to swipe his thigh with a scythe.

  "Get him up! We're getting out of here," Bella ordered Markus before jogging over to her sister, giving her a hand. "Lumi? You all right?" Luminear said nothing but nodded, taking her sister's hand to be pulled to her feet "You don't know what those things were? Where they came from? Is that what came from Tragmont?"

  "We need to go now," Luminear said. "Faster!" Luminear offered no answer, but her stern directive brought them alarm. Bella nodded in compliance, a tinge of fear evident in her voice and shaking hands.

  "We will," said Bella. "We'll find somewhere safe. I promise."

  ***

  The vision of Bella, Luminear, Markus, and Fern faded as the old man, wrapped in long black robes and wearing a pointy hat, paced in front of the dark, treacherous maw upon the black cliffs of Crusayla. He had no idea who these four people were, but in this vision, Darius understood they were being hunted by dratzels. Many a strange image had flashed in his mind of late, and often, he caught glimpses of these two women. While he might not have understood exactly what was going on, it was apparent his visions attempted to show him something. He had been led to this precise location by an earlier vision.

  "This is curious." Darius held in one hand a long wooden staff, and with the other, he reached out to collect Icaz’s medallion from the ground. As he dangled the old relic before his eyes, he said, "Funny thing, are you?" He realized immediately it must be enchanted. Darius could feel its power. Though still oblivious to why he was here, he now knew what his visions had been guiding him toward.

  He fought to understand why he had been led to this black opening in the shadow of the mountainside. The eerie hole glared at him like a dark eye. He knew what it was, or at least he believed he did. The foreboding scene before him sent chills down his spine.

  The darkness of the night was uninterrupted even by the cloud-covered moon, and an unworldly silence enveloped the area. One month had passed since whatever happened here, and Darius understood far too little for his liking. After a moment of looking over the red pendant, he shoved it in his robes with the intent to flee out of this cursed place. He had no intention of waiting for something within to come out.

  Wasting no time, he took off. Tall and slender with long gray hair and a generous beard that hung to his waist, Darius briskly strode out of the area no sooner than he’d arrived. For a man of his age, his pace was fast, and he exhibited agility uncommon for an older person, but unbeknownst to Darius, he was not alone.

  From above in the cliffs, someone kept a suspicious eye on the dexterous lanky man. A tall, slim woman in loose leggings and a sleeveless top bound from ridge to ridge high above, stalking him as she went. Her hair short and wild and her ears pointed, she carried a long spear on her back.

  Her curiosity about this uncanny old man drove her to follow him. He had come out of nowhere to look upon the wicked hollow she had been observing; taking something from the ground, he left in haste. For more than an hour, she launched herself from rock to rock as the older man prodded along none the wiser. And when she felt safe, she descended silently. He followed the edge of the black cliffs for a few miles, talking to himself about this and that, visibly stressed and confused about something. She was so stealthy she came upon him before he had a clue.

  "I will be setting out to reach you for guidance. Haelleenia. I fear something terrible has happened, and I need your wisdom," Darius said aloud, while mentally trying to send his old friend a message. Abruptly he was interrupted by whistling only a pace to his left. Darius jumped at the sound, looking over to spot Calysto squatted down a few feet above him. "Who are you?" Darius jumped with alarm, but Calysto smiled and wiggled her fingers to wave.

  "Who be you? Crazy coot talk'en to ya self, roam'en where ya ought not be?" She was undoubtedly an elf by appearance, but spoke like a Freeland bandit.

  "I asked you a question. Who are you, and why are you here?" Darius demanded, sensing no threat from this wild-looking woman. She pounced from above and landed before him, bowing.

  "Calysto." When she stood up, she leaned in to examine the old man up close, even sniffing him. "You?"

  "I'm Darius Gwanallia. What happened here? Are you a Tragmont elf?"

  Calysto fingered his staff but kept her green eyes on the old ma
n. He was nearly as tall as she, barely over six feet in height.

  "I ain't no Tragmont elf. I ain't no elf. I is a dwarf!" Darius’s jaw dropped. She acted almost insulted and poked his chest. Now Darius wondered if he might have a lunatic on his hands, for Calysto was anything but a dwarf. She was stealthy and quick; her features pure and flawless, and her ears were pointy. She might pass as a mortal under a hat, but never a dwarf.

  "Well, I am too then," Darius declared, unsure how to respond to this woman.

  "You ain't no dwarf. You is a liar. What ya want out here? Ya madman? Dis place is dangerous. You scurry on out of here if ya ain't a dolt. Old loony man picking up toys in the grass. What did you get?" Calysto tried putting a hand in his pocket. Darius jerked away and slammed his staff on the ground. With it, a flame lit the tip.

  "Not your business, dwarf."

  Calysto didn't scare easily. Fascinated by the glowing sparkle about the tip of his staff, she peered closer, trying to discern if it were real.

  "Eh? Queer old bloke? Ya toy collect'en magic, man?" Because he figured Murnia dwellers had not seen such oddities in ages, her reaction both surprised and delighted him.

  "Something like that. You ever seen anything like this before?" Darius watched as she reached out to touch the fire. "Oh no, it's real," he warned, not wanting to hurt her. Bumping the stave against the ground once more, he extinguished the fire. Calysto backed up and folded her arms about her chest, looking him over baffled.

  "No. Ya a wizzy?"

  "Something like that. You have wizards in Murnia?"

  Calysto shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe worse. Been watch'en that hole in the mountain for days. Seen some bizarre tings go inside and come out from within. Thought ya might be one. Den ya go grabb'en something off da ground and run off scared. I tink to myself, dis coot not too bright. Ya a dumb wizzy? Not good place for toy collect'en. Calysto can help ya to safety, though. I good. I smart." Calysto was kind and gentle with Darius, genuinely wondering if he might be either lost or senseless. Darius smiled at her awkward manner of speech.

  "I find I'm plenty smart enough, not perfect, but I do well. I appreciate your concern, Calysto." Darius wondered how intelligent she might be too. "What have you seen here? What do you know?" Calysto looked back the way they had come.

  "I know dis is a bad place. And it not good. Calysto be down by the coast. Our way dat way." She directed with her finger, pointing east. "Long way. Very far. Saw boats. Thousands of boats. They sail across the sea. Nasty creatures on them. Big. Ugly. Scary. Den go again, Calysto does. I came dis way to see where dey came from. I find dis," she said, pointing in the direction of the cave. "Whatever dis is. Big nasty hole. Torn down city. Nasty things come and go from that hole. Some stink. Smell of death and are of bones. Some big teeth and noses. Some on four legs. Some giant troll things too. Not good. Ya understand now, wizzy man? Ya need to go. Now! Take ya funny staff and run off. I stay and watch and figure dis out." Calysto finished, watching him closely to make sure he understood his own dilemma.

  "I feared as much, I have seen many visions of these creatures. That's why I am here, Calysto. I was led to this relic I picked up in my pocket." Curious, Calysto stared as he shuffled his hand into his pocket.

  "You see tings? In ya head? Ya maniac!" Calysto poked Darius's chest. "I don't tink ya mind likes ya. Sending ya to places like dis." Darius laughed.

  "No, you may be right on that. That is why I intend to leave as fast as I can. I doubt it's safe to be standing about in this place," Darius said.

  "I killed a few. Calysto strong and fast. Dey can't catch me. Don't know I'm here. Ya, ya got a staff. Ya fine too. Maybe ya need Calysto?"

  "You should leave here. You are too innocent to be in such a bad place." Darius warned.

  "Where ya go, wizzy?"

  "East of the sea. Kaelliakie to speak to the one person beyond any other who might have answers I seek," he said. Calysto nodded.

  "I jus' told ya the answer. Ya not listen? What else ya need to hear?"

  "The most important question of all. What happened here and why and what are thousands of ships harboring fiends doing crossing the sea? I fear Kaelliakie is in danger."

  "Kaellia...dat place way out dere," Calysto instructed, pointing with her finger into the east again. "Way far? I neva been."

  "Yes, dear child. Across the sea. To the eastern world. Haelleenia, I seek."

  "You leave here and go chase da things I told ya about? Ya leave one bad place for a worse place? Ya crazy man. Calysto needs to come wit ya. Ya not right, wizzy."

  Darius again chuckled. "I was going to the coast. Something tells me the city I planned to reach is not safe anymore." Darius suddenly realized something that might help them both. "Darvane Hills. I can go there to hope and catch a ride across the sea from the dwarf city. You may like meeting your own kind." Darius hinted, hoping she might join him, at least to remove her from harm's way. He hated the idea this innocent creature was so close to danger. Calysto smiled widely and patted Darius's arm.

  "Perfect plan of yours! Those are my people. Darvane Hills. Bilomaur, Pogo, Zartz, Daggin, and Scraull! All of dem. Dats my family. I take ya dere. Dey is good. We send you on a boat so ya can go find worse trouble." Darius looked at her, amazed.

  "My dear, do you really live with dwarfs? An elf?"

  "Hey! I ain't no elf. I is dwarf. I tell ya on da way. We got long way to go if ya friend way out dat way, over the sea. If ya friend a knowing what is happen'en, I wanna knows too. I wanna go too. She tell me too?" Calysto asked. Now Darius wasn't so sure he wanted company for that long. He honestly just wanted Calysto safe, but he answered anyway.

  "If you wish, then I am not one to tell you what you can and can't do." Darius motioned for her to follow as he trotted once more. Calysto joined him.

  "I tink about it. You still odd to me. But I might like ya and need to keep ya safe. Calysto stronger than that staff, I tink. I strongest dwarf, I killed those creatures back there. Dey too dumb for Calysto." Darius beamed in delight, most pleased by the peculiar lady.

  Calysto and Darius found one another's company favorable, and each became fascinated with the other. Calysto revealed she was a Freeland foundling taken in by the dwarfs. She couldn’t be sure of her exact origin, but the dwarfs raised her as their own until Calysto's curious nature led her away when she was only twelve years old. She met and lived with bandits in the Freelands for several years following, which explained her strange way of speaking. The more she revealed about herself, the easier for Darius to make sense of her. An elf, raised by dwarfs, later living with ruffians. Not but twenty-three, she was a very young elf as elves tended to live to about nine-hundred years of age. In this regard, Calysto had a long life ahead of her, and as curious as she seemed about everything, she might need that long to answer all her questions.

  Calysto had traveled almost everywhere in the Freelands, but this venture into Crusayla was the first time she'd ever left her native lands. The mind-boggling scene there certainly piqued her curiosities. She wished to learn its mysteries and understand what it meant. After giving Darius the account of her life, Calysto demanded Darius tell her more about himself.

  "I've not traveled to Murnia in a few hundred years. Well, until these last thirty years or so. I've been stirring about chasing visions of late. Kaelliakie, I went several decades back, but I live elsewhere. Somewhere off the mainland. I like my privacy, mind you."

  "Ya old like elf?" Calysto asked.

  "Far older. Three thousand years now." Darius corrected. Part of Calysto wondered if he might be a loon making up silly stories, but he seemed friendly enough, and Calysto liked his compelling staff.

  "Al'ight now. What about dis vision and staff stuff? Tell Calysto what you do'en. You? Real wizzy or pretend?"

  "For real, I reckon. I'm from the old world, long ago. Last of my kind. I control a bit of the elements. This comes at a cost and can weaken me greatly, depending on how much I use. The staff helps me project my gif
ts. I can talk to people through my mind. And see things in my head. Premonitions of a sort. This relic in my pocket. I recognized the cliffs and Crusayla, and on a hunch came. Sure, enough, there I found it."

  Calysto listened to his explanations before asking him to do strange things with his staff. He could shift the soil slightly, weaken its foundation, and had Calysto sink somewhat into the earth. Then he spoke to her as his voice entered her mind without him saying a word. It took a while, but Calysto finally decided he might not be crazy. Even if he was, he must definitely be a wizard of some kind. She liked the weird old man and, with him, found a new pursuit.

  "Al'ight wizzy. You are now my friend. Dat is dat. I will take you to my dwarf family and go wit you to talk to ya friend. We learn what dis is all about and den fix it together," Calysto stated, leaving no room for argument. After spending hours with Calysto, Darius likewise decided he enjoyed her and found her declaration to his liking.