The Fall of the Elves

by J. J. Thompson

“That's not very encouraging,” the councilor replied nervously.

  “I know.”

  Ethmira reached the door of the house and she turned around and waited for Diane to reach her.

  “What do you want to do?” the ranger asked her.

  Diane shrugged.

  “Knock, I suppose. What else?”

  The ranger sighed and glanced at Chase.

  “Be ready,” she told her.

  Chase raised her sword and nodded silently.

  Ethmira stepped up to the door and rapped on it loudly. Then the group waited tensely for a response. After a long moment of silence, Ethmira raised her fist again and, just as she was about to strike the door, it opened wide with a loud squeal. Within all that could be seen was inky darkness.

  Everyone jumped back and the rangers crouched down, waiting for an attack.

  “Welcome, everyone,” a voice said from inside of the house. “Please come in. I have been waiting for you.”

  It was a woman's voice, gentle and warm. The elves looked at Diane, who was staring into the darkness inside the house.

  “Diane?” Malfiess said. “What do we do?”

  The mage looked at him and then at Ethmira and Chase.

  “What language did that voice just speak in?” she asked them.

  “Elvish, of course,” Malfiess replied in surprise. “Why?”

  “I heard English,” Diane told him. “Not Elvish or Common. English.”

  She raised her staff and the gem blazed with light.

  “Come on,” she said evenly. “If whatever being awaits us wanted us dead, we'd be dead already.”

  She lifted her chin and strode forward through the doorway. Ethmira hurried to follow her and Chase and Malfiess did the same. As they entered, the door slammed shut behind them plunging the group into darkness and extinguishing the gem on Diane's staff.

  Inside the house, the air was still and cool. They could smell a hint of flowers, but there was only inky blackness and silence surrounding them.

  “Walk forward,” the voice told them, seeming to come from all directions at once. “Do not linger. You are all in grave danger.”

  “Do as it says,” Diane told the others.

  No one could see her or anything else for a moment, and then a speck of blue light pierced the darkness as Diane's staff ignited again.

  “This way,” she said.

  The elves followed the light as Diane moved further into the blackness. They walked forward several steps and then a sudden burst of light blinded them all.

  “Ah, you made it,” the voice said, relief evident in its tone. “That was a near thing, but you are alive. Well done, all of you.”

  The entire group stood still, dazed and confused for a moment until their vision cleared. Then Malfiess sighed in wonder as he looked around. Ethmira and Chase still held their swords at the ready, but their eyes were open wide as they scanned the area.

  Diane smiled and nodded to herself as if what she was seeing confirmed some conclusion that she had come to.

  All four of them stood in an open field. Knee-high grass stretched out in all directions, blowing and waving in the wind. Directly overhead, the sun merrily beamed down on them and the sweet scent of rich earth and green, growing things invigorated the group.

  The sky was a deep blue, almost the same color as the gem in Diane's staff. It was bare of clouds and seemed to go on forever. The horizon was unbroken by mountains or hills and the four travelers seemed to be standing on an endless plain.

  “Where are we?” Malfiess asked breathlessly.

  “You are safe. For now,” the disembodied voice answered him. “You were almost caught by one of my enemies, but I was able to interfere with his plans. But now he has been alerted to my meddling and I will not be able to aid you again. You must be more cautious when dealing with the powers that dwell in the Void.”

  “Such as yourself?” Diane asked as she looked off into the distance.

  “Just so.”

  All of them spun around at once and gasped. Standing several feet away was a woman who towered over all of them. She stood at least ten feet high and she wore a silver breastplate over a long delicate gown. The gown was pale yellow and made of some radiant material that reflected the bright sunlight.

  Her flaxen hair rippled like molten gold over her shoulders and down her back. She stared at the group with obvious amusement, her size, perfect features and bright crystalline eyes marking her as something more than human.

  “You were very careless, Diane Hastings,” the woman said, her voice echoing with power. “You allowed the young elf, Callius, to drift away from your refuge while he slept and, while he was helpless, he was snared by a very evil being.”

  “Is that what happened?” Diane asked with surprise. “But how? My wards are...”

  “Imperfect, obviously. Before you spend one more hour in that place, you must reinforce your protections. Add this glyph to your warding spells and you will be much safer.”

  The being stroked the air with a forefinger and a glowing white symbol hung there. Diane stared at it intently and her eyes widened as she nodded her understanding.

  “Ah, I see. Thank you, Lady. That will strengthen my wards immeasurably.”

  “It is nothing. A gift for the friend of my favorite mortal.”

  “Favorite mortal?” Diane repeated with a frown. “Wait. You mean...?”

  “Simon O'Toole, of course,” the being replied with a fond smile. “Surely he told you of those times when he fell in combat and his soul pushed against the veil of death? If not for me, he would have perished and left the human race to fall to the dragons.”

  “You're the one who saved him,” Diane said in wonder. “Then that means that you are one of the old gods?”

  “Let's just say that I am here to help, and leave it at that, shall we?” the stranger told her. “Now, all of you come with me. Your lost scryer is waiting for you and we are almost out of time.”

  Chapter 20

  Diane and the elves followed the being as she led them across the endless plain. Malfiess moved closer to the mage and spoke to her under his breath.

  “Is she a god?” he asked breathlessly.

  Diane nodded as she watched the tall woman.

  “I don't know if she would use that term, but I must assume that she is,” she replied. “Simon told me of the nameless immortal who resurrected him, twice, and she fits that description. Who she truly is, that I cannot say. The pantheon of gods all have names, I suppose, but they are so ancient that those names have been lost in the distant echoes of time. Simon just called her 'the goddess', and left it at that. Whoever she is, she is obviously benevolent and that is good enough for me.”

  Malfiess nodded thoughtfully and glanced at Ethmira and Chase, both of whom had been listening attentively.

  “I suppose that we have no choice but to assume she is helping us,” Ethmira said to Diane. “Even though I know nothing about magic or gods, even I can recognize a supernatural being when I see one. And I suspect that she could destroy us without blinking an eye. Makes you wonder what kind of creature created that nightmare world we were just in, doesn't it?”

  “I'd rather avoid thinking about that,” Chase said with a shiver. “How close were we to being captured by whatever that was?”

  “You do not want to know,” the immense woman said without looking back at them. “You would have been used as playthings if he had snared you, and believe me when I say that you would have begged for death if that had happened.”

  They couldn't see her face, but they could hear the smile in her voice.

  Chase shuddered again and the four of them became silent as they followed their host.

  “Ah, we are here,” she told them a few minutes later.

  The grasses of the plain thinned out into a clearing and the earth dipped slightly. Soft, sweet-scented moss covered the ground here like a smooth, natural carpet. In the center of the circular clearing was a small lake
filled with clean water and next to it lay the body of a slender elf. The contrast of his bright red robe against the moss made it look like he was lying in a pool of blood.

  “Callius!” Malfiess exclaimed.

  He rushed across the open space and knelt down next to the young scryer.

  “He is merely sleeping,” the large woman told the group. “Wake him gently. He has experienced horrors in his nightmares that would have turned the mind of a weaker person. But Callius has some steel in him. For such a young person, he is quite strong-willed. Let us hope that he will come into his powers in time to use them to aid his people.”

  “What powers does he have, Lady?” Diane asked the deity as Ethmira and Chase joined Malfiess at the water's edge.

  “I cannot say,” the being replied as she gazed at the elves. “That is for you to determine. I have done all that I can for you, Diane Hastings. The fate of Trillfarness is in your hands now. Yours and the elven race. Stand your ground in the face of evil and remember that darkness cannot exist in the light of day. Let that be your guide.”

  Callius sat up slowly, blinking like a child as he looked up at Malfiess and the rangers in confusion.

  “And now you must all go,” the goddess said loudly. “My enemies approach and I cannot protect you any longer.”

  “Lady, will you be all right?” Chase asked her, obviously concerned.

  The woman smiled gently at her.

  “I am one with the Light, child. Darkness holds no sway over me. Now begone. I must stand to battle.”

  With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the group and they watched as the sunlight faded and they were pulled away. As they vanished, they all saw gaping black holes appear in the air around her and enormous writhing tentacles emerged from them, twisting grotesquely as they reached for the goddess. And they heard her laugh.

  As if waking from a long dream, Chase came to her senses in the center of Diane's great hall. All of her companions were standing around her, even Callius. They exchanged puzzled looks and Malfiess shook his head in confusion.

  “What just happened?” he asked them all. “Did we all just meet a...god?”

  “Something like that,” Ethmira replied as she sheathed her sword, which was still in her hand.

  Chase did the same and then looked at Callius.

  “Are you all right?” she asked him. “Are you injured?”

  The young scryer looked down at himself. His robe was clean and neat and he had no visible injuries on his hands or face. Callius held up his hands and wiggled his fingers before looking at Chase, puzzled.

  “Was I dreaming? I remember being in a horrible place, a slimy nightmare filled with terrible creatures that I could not quite see. And then I followed a sound. Singing, I think. It was so sweet and held a promise of safety. I crawled through a forest of disgust and fear and then...”

  He frowned and stumbled with his words for a moment, then shook his head.

  “I cannot remember any more.”

  “She saved us,” Diane told them. “The goddess saved us. I can only hope that she won't suffer for doing so. She was attacked by evil forces just as she sent us back here and there is no way to know if she survived or not.”

  “I remember that,” Ethmira said. “She risked her own existence to save us.”

  “To save me.”

  Callius looked around at the group, his face twisted with sadness.

  “I remember that much,” he continued. “I could feel her warmth and love all around me after I escaped my nightmare. If she has been harmed because of me, I will never forgive myself.”

  “She made a choice,” Diane told him gently. “You had no say in that, Callius. And while I am worried about her too, I doubt that a being so strong and so ancient could be easily overcome. Actually she seemed almost eager to do battle. Whatever attacked her will probably regret it. Now, why don't you all take a seat and I'll make some tea? We need some time to process what just happened.”

  The elves arranged chairs around the fireplace and Diane went over to her kitchen area to boil some water. Callius sighed with relief as he sat back in his seat and closed his eyes.

  “Are you sure you are well?” Chase asked him.

  The young elf smiled as he opened his eyes and looked at her.

  “I am fine, thank you for asking,” he replied politely. “It is just good to feel safe again. I doubt that I will ever truly understand what actually happened in that place, wherever it was. All I know is that I am glad to be here again.”

  The four elves fell silent and watched the flames dancing in the fireplace, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Chase took a moment to stand up and remove her sword belt. She set it down on the floor next to her chair and sat down again.

  Ethmira smiled as she watched her and then did the same thing.

  “That's better,” she said as she settled into her chair. “Hopefully we are safe now and have no need of weapons, at least while we are here.”

  “You're safe,” Diane told her as she approached the group carrying a tray. She offered all of them a cup of steaming tea and then set the tray aside and took her seat next to the fireplace.

  “While I was waiting for the kettle to boil, I strengthened the wards around this place. The glyph that the goddess shared with me has increased my protections immeasurably.” She smiled at Callius. “If you have another nightmare, you will not be drawn away by evil forces. So you can rest easy.”

  The young elf sighed again and looked at her gratefully.

  “Thank you for all you have done, Lady Diane,” he said. “I am not worthy of such efforts.”

  “Of course you are,” Malfiess assured him. “The goddess herself said that you had powers that could be used to aid our people. And even if you did not, no elf should be left to the horrors of the dark gods.”

  “Well said,” Ethmira told him. “If we are willing to sacrifice innocent lives, are we any better than the evil old gods? I think not.”

  “But what powers did she say I had?” Callius wondered. “I am just a scryer, and a junior one at that. Elves cannot use magic. Everyone knows that. So what can I actually do?”

  “We don't know. Yet,” Diane admitted. “It will be my job, if you will allow it, to find out. But I believe that your powers stem from the same source as mine do: the ley energy at the heart of your planet. That kind of energy can be used by elves and perhaps you are able to use it in a way that no elf ever has. At least that is what I believe.”

  “But how? I have no memory of using ley energy that way,” Callius objected.

  “Perhaps not, but you were able to survive the attack on the scryers' spire and your fellow scryers were not,” Malfiess reminded him. “That wasn't just luck, my friend. We all saw the area around you where you had fallen in that place. It was clear of any infestation. Something you did shielded you from that threat and, if you are able to tap into that power again, maybe you will be able to use it at will.”

  Callius looked into the heart of the fireplace, his brow wrinkled in thought.

  Ethmira glanced at Diane, who winked and tapped her lips with a forefinger. The ranger nodded her understanding and silently sipped her tea, allowing the young elf to gather his thoughts.

  “I will do whatever you wish,” the young elf finally told Diane. “If I can help my people, it is my duty to try.”

  The mage smiled at him.

  “I appreciate your willingness to make the attempt, Callius,” she replied. “But that can wait. Take some time to recover from your ordeal. In fact, I think that we all need to do that. I want to process the entire experience. I must admit that I have never interacted with divine forces before. It was a little unnerving.”

  “Unnerving?” Malfiess said incredulously. “Diane, it was absolutely terrifying. And to know that the evil gods are behind the incursions on Trillfarness makes my blood run cold. Will we really be able to counter such darkness? For all of your powers, and Callius' as well, can mortals truly fight gods?
”

  Diane sipped her tea and then shrugged.

  “Simon believes that we can. And if he feels that way, then I trust in his judgment. Have some faith, Malfiess,” she added with a teasing grin.

  “Faith is in short supply right now,” he grumbled. “What we really need is a viable plan to battle the dark gods.”

  “And we shall have one, once I have spent some time with Callius and we determine what he can and cannot do.”

  She stood up and picked up the tray.

  “More tea, anyone? I'm going to prepare something for us to eat. I find that doing simple, mundane chores helps me think.”

  Everyone put their empty cups on the tray and Diane walked back to the kitchen area.

  “How can she be so...calm?” Callius asked softly as he watched the mage walk away.

  “She knows her own strength,” Ethmira told him. “And she is committed to a righteous cause. Never doubt the power that comes from knowing you are fighting on the side of justice. It is a steadying influence in the face of evil. At least it was to me when I battled the dragons alongside Simon years ago. The belief in the Light was my sword and my shield even in moments of despair. Hold on to that belief, Callius, and you will be surprised at how strong you too can feel.”

  The scryer looked down at his slender hands and slim frame and sighed.

  “I pray that you are right, Commander,” he replied, his voice thick with fatigue. “Strength is something that I have never had. It would be a nice thing to experience, I think.”

  Time passed in Diane's great hall. The elves got some sleep and ate several meals, giving Callius a chance to recover from his ordeal.

  Looking for some way to avoid boredom, Malfiess explored Diane's bookshelves and discovered to his delight that she had many historical tomes written in Elvish. He happily gathered several of them and settled down to read in front of the fire.

  Ethmira and Chase filled their time in another way. Diane offered the two rangers some distraction when she produced a tattered old map made of silk and laid it out on a large side table.

  “What is this?” Ethmira asked the mage as Diane called her and Chase over.