Ellanor and the Curse on the Nine-Tailed Fox

by K T Durham

  An archensoar match can last up to two hours and may conclude without the hawk-eye ever having scored a granduin. If that is the case, the score depends solely on the tally of downed morgans, much to the disappointment of the spectators who always want to witness a hawk-eye scoring the highly anticipated granduin.

  Dragons

  Dragons were created by Freya, and they were noble creatures before Marah corrupted some of them. Unlike elves, goblins cannot fly, but they have foul creatures at their disposal that can, namely the malicious red dragons. Those massive, foul-smelling, sharp-fanged creatures with mace-like tails allowed goblins to ride them in exchange for fresh meat. Noble white dragons still dwell in Aranon, where the Vierran elves reside, for both prefer the cold climate.

  King Kaizendil

  After King Kaizendil passed away at one thousand years old, his only son, Fangorn – unfortunately, a much lesser man in courage and honour – ascended the throne. But King Fangorn was tainted with a dark soul. Because of his greed and tyranny, many elves were slaughtered by the goblins at the Battle of the Herschent Fields. This prompted a band of high officials to force his abdication, spurring a revolution which lasted two years, culminating in the disintegration of the monarchy. The Republic of Alendria was thus established, led by the high officials that formed the High Council. King Kaizendil founded the Order of Kaizendil, a secret society whose members are sworn in to protect Alendria against the Beast and its goblin minions.

  Marah the Beast

  To understand the origins of Gaya and Alendria and the relationship between elves and humans, it is important that one knows about Marah the Beast, the twin sister of Freya, the Maker of both Gaya and Alendria. The following is an account of Freya and Marah:

  In the beginning, there were two Makers who loved creating things of great beauty. They were twin sisters, and they were also best friends. Their father loved them dearly and equally. Both Freya and Marah were beautiful to behold, and in outlook they seemed so similar that many who did not know them had difficulty telling them apart.

  But in character, the two sisters were as different as night and day. Freya displayed great humility, and loved to create and nurture; Marah was proud, and loved to create and dominate. But despite their differences, the two sisters loved each other and were inseparable.

  One day, Freya created an exquisite jewel, which she named Gaya. She poured a great deal of her love and powers into making it, and it was a masterpiece, a brilliant mosaic of so many colours that it outshone every other thing the sisters had ever created. Father was very proud of Freya, and gave her his blessing to nurture Gaya. Freya loved her creation dearly, and decided that it would be a shame if she were the only one to enjoy it. So she assigned Four Guardians to safeguard Gaya, and created beings that would inhabit Gaya and make it thrive and grow ever more beautiful.

  And for a time, that was how it went. The rivers and seas were as clear and blue as sapphires, the trees and grass were as bright and green as emeralds, the air was as clean and pure as the most perfect diamond. The beings lived on Gaya happily, and they sang songs of love and celebration in tribute to Freya, their beloved Maker.

  Though she concealed it well, Marah became very jealous of Freya, and she came to desire Gaya all for herself. So she went to Freya and asked, ‘My dear sister, I would be so grateful if you could let me dwell in Gaya for a time. Its beauty would inspire me so.’ Freya loved her sister, and she wanted to share everything with Marah, so she happily agreed.

  But Marah transformed into a great black snake in secret, and burrowed into the depths of Gaya, coiling herself around and around the core until she finally felt that Gaya was hers and hers alone!

  At first, Freya was not aware of Marah’s deception. But changes gradually began to take place. A rift formed among the beings because they began to have very different ideas about how they wanted to live. The humans wanted to explore the vastness of Gaya, conquer their own lands and enslave animals, while the elves longed to dwell quietly in the forests and protect the land, living alongside the creatures of the wild in harmony and friendship.

  Eventually, many humans stopped singing for Freya. Instead, they began burning foul sacrifices for Marah, their snake goddess, who had been luring them with thoughts of power and dominion. Even some of the lesser elves were beginning to fall under Marah’s spell.

  Then Freya discovered her sister’s treachery, and became enraged. She was grieved by her sister’s evil plans to dominate Gaya, and for pitting the humans and elves against each other. All that Marah had done was at odds with everything Freya loved. So she turned to her Father for counsel. They implored Marah to turn from her evil ways. But Marah laughed in their faces. ‘Fools! There is no such thing as good and evil; there is only power and victory. Why waste your energy on loving and nurturing beings so that one day they might bite your hand and conquer you?’

  Freya and her father were devastated. To save Gaya and all the beings that inhabited it, they came to the painful decision that Marah must be banished. To the north of Gaya was a star called Alendria, which was created long ago to give light to the vast universe. Upon Alendria, Freya planted a seedling that grew into a massive Tree. Marah would languish far beneath that Tree for the rest of eternity.

  And so it came to be that with their combined powers Freya and their father wrestled Marah from the depths of Gaya and banished her to the Northern Star. The impenetrable roots of the Tree imprisoned Marah as she writhed in agony, having quite lost her mind from rage and bitterness.

  The roots of the Tree were immune to any venom or physical blow. Marah hated her Father, and hated Freya more so. By then, Marah could no longer transform back into her fair bodily form, for her soul had become too closely entwined with the foul, monstrous form she had taken. She had truly become the Beast.

  At Freya’s request, the Four Guardians on Gaya created the orbs of power that would sustain the Tree. The first three orbs encompassed the powers of water, earth, and light. Then the fourth Guardian, the most powerful out of the four, breathed life into the fourth orb. The orbs were then concealed in secret locations on the Tree.

  Despite everything, Freya still loved her sister and did not wish to abandon her to solitude forever. In her grief and sorrow, she pledged to stay close to her sister, transforming into a bright star that shone upon Alendria. Freya harboured hope that she would one day reconcile with Marah. She bade her father farewell, and asked the Four Guardians to guard over Gaya in her stead.

  But the elves on Gaya did not wish to be parted from Freya, so they made their plea to dwell in Alendria and become stewards of the Tree, to protect and nurture all that would grow there in honour of Freya, whom they loved. Their wish was granted. Only a small circle of high elves were entrusted with the knowledge of the orbs’ whereabouts. Even when the goblins came and dwelt in the very depths of Alendria, the Beast continued to seethe and plot its revenge.

  To this day, the elves of Alendria still gaze longingly at Freya in the night sky, their most beloved star.

  GLOSSARY OF KOREAN TERMS

  Aga

  term of affection meaning “child”

  Aigoo!

  expression equivalent to “Oh my gosh!”

  Ahjumma

  meaning “aunt” literally, however it is also used to refer to married women who are middle-aged or older and working class

  Baechu-doenjangguk

  cabbage and soybean paste soup, considered a comfort food for Koreans

  Dduk

  a class of Korean rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour by steaming, it comes in various flavours and colours

  Ddukbokki

  a popular Korean snack food
made from soft rice cake, fish cake, and sweet red chili sauce, commonly purchased from street vendors

  Dol hareubang

  a stone statue that looks like an old man, literally means “stone grandfather”

  Dongdaemun

  literally means “Great East Gate,” a large commercial district in Seoul, South Korea, famous for its traditional markets and shopping centres

  Gamgyul

  a type of tangerine grown on Jejudo

  Gangnam

  an upscale district in Seoul that literally means “East of the South River”

  Hallasan

  the highest volcanic mountain on Jejudo in South Korea

  Hanbok

  traditional Korean dress, often characterized by vibrant colours and simple lines without pockets, worn as semi-formal or formal wear during traditional festivals and celebrations

  Han-Gook

  means “Korea”

  Japchae

  a popular Korean dish made from sweet potato noodles, stir-fried in sesame oil with vegetables, sometimes served with beef, and flavoured with soy sauce and sweetened with sugar

  Jeonbokjuk

  Korean porridge made with abalone and white rice, a local specialty of Jejudo where abalones are commonly harvested (Abalone is regarded as a high-quality ingredient in Korean cuisine and was often presented to the king of Korea.)

  JJajangmyun

  a noodle dish topped with a thick sauce made of salty black bean paste, diced with pork and vegetables

  Kah!

  means “Go away!” or “Go!” in Korean

  Kimbap

  a popular Korean dish made from steamed white rice and various other ingredients, rolled in dried seaweed

  Kimchi

  a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings, often described as spicy and sour (There are many varieties of kimchi made from cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber.)

  Kimchi jigae

  a stew-like Korean dish made with kimchi and other ingredients, such as scallions, onions, diced tofu, pork, and seafood

  Kumiho

  a creature that looks like a fox with nine tails, it appears in the tales and legends of Korea and can freely transform, often into a beautiful woman set out to seduce boys and eat their hearts

  Ramyun

  hand-pulled noodles, or instant noodles in a soupy base

  Soju

  a popular Korean alcoholic beverage, traditionally made from rice, wheat, or barley; it is clear and colourless

  Umma

  means “mother” in Korean

  Yeot

  Korean traditional sweet, made in either liquid or solid form, as a syrup, taffy, or candy; made from steamed rice, glutinous rice, corn, sweet potatoes, or mixed grains

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  KATHRYN TSE-DURHAM is the author of Ellanor and the Search for Organoth Blue Amber, the first book in the Ellanor series. She lives in Hong Kong with her husband and family and recently added an adorable corgi to the mix. She wishes there were more libraries and bookshops where magic and dreams come to life in a city preoccupied with brand labels and soaring property prices. Kathryn believes, just as JRR Tolkien imparted, that if more of us valued food and cheer and song (and books!) above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.