Rintaur stood his ground. “And where is this group going, then?”
Saige turned as she reached the edge of the bluff. “They journey to the Ruins of Koror. Does that interest you?”
“Those grounds are sacred.”
Saige laughed. “Those grounds are deserted and lie in ruin. We seek answers, nothing else.”
Rintaur strode over to her. “That was the site of Valyn’s temple and the home of her priesthood. She remains a part of the structure just as she remains a part of everything else that makes up our world.”
“Valyn has abandoned the ruins. She is not there, any more than she is here. I know not exactly where she resides these days, but I promise you that it is not in the Ruins of Koror.”
The lord consort clenched his fists at his side but said nothing. At that very moment a scream emerged from the trees—not animal by the sound of it but not in character with the elves. Another similar scream followed and a group of five emerged from the brush. Four were clearly elven but the fifth was something altogether different.
This last figure, clothed only in tattered rags with hair sticking out in all directions, writhed and twisted as he shambled. They drew closer and Marzi could see that the strange being was bound and leashed. His shouts and screams were a mix of unintelligible sounds, incoherent ramblings, and a smattering of discernible words here and there—“Walk in the green fire,” “Beware the green demons,” and “Please, no more.”
Chapter 76: Marzi
Marzi watched as the scouting party approached. The thing they brought back with them writhed and flailed as he fought his bindings. His—for it clearly was a male—screams and rants were broken only by his retreat into whimpering. As they drew closer, she could see that the figure resembled, at least in form, an elf but was different. The being was nearly a head shorter, his ears were smaller and less pronounced, and the hair, disheveled and matted, was cut short, barely a few centimeters all around.
But the eyes disturbed her most. Wide open, they alternated between wildly shifting direction and rolling back in his head. He seemed to focus on nothing specifically and yet struggled to see everything around him. He rolled in the grass and screamed, “The green demons! The green demons! The red lord is angry.”
Saige and her group stared at the newly arrived scouting party and their charge. Rintaur narrowed his eyes as he considered the prisoner. But when he looked up at the scouting party, his demeanor changed. He locked gazes with a young female elf who stood motionless facing him. No words passed between the two, but the mutual affection was obvious.
Within seconds, Marzi figured it out. This was Arien. She had the same piercing blue eyes as her father but the bearing and pleasing looks of her mother. A ten-year separation had just ended. The lord consort bowed to his daughter. She, in return, nodded to him and stepped closer. This all occurred against the backdrop of the returning party and the screaming of their prisoner.
And then Marzi saw something else—something that chilled her heart. One of the party members dragged behind him a litter constructed of tree limbs and vines. A green fabric sheet covered whatever the carrier held—it looked like a body. The faces of the returning elves confirmed it. Their eyes seemed deep with sorrow. Their mouths were drawn into tight lines with jaws clenched.
The scouting party stopped and one of the members strode over to Saige. “Ysariel fell to the wolves while defending the party.” He gestured toward the prisoner. “There is much to tell.”
Saige considered the party leader for a moment and then glanced at the covered body. “Yes. I am sure. But let us first attend to her body.” She turned and nodded toward the larger group of elves that had gathered on the bluff. Several broke from them and approached the litter, taking the fallen one from those returning.
“Take your party below. Eat, drink, and refresh. I shall be down shortly. We have a group leaving for the ruins presently and I need to see them off.” She hung her head and clasped her hands in front of her. “Baelyn, you must not shoulder this burden yourself. You brought the rest of your party back safely, along with that thing, whatever it is.”
Baelyn wrung his hands in front of him and shook his head. “I think it is human. What you see here is as it has been since we found it running and screaming through the forest. The wolves attacked right after that.” He narrowed his eyes and glanced up. “And I am not sure about this, but they seemed to go after only the prisoner. The pack, maybe six or seven, did not seem to notice or care about our party. Ysariel leapt to defend the human and the beasts tore into her. We killed three of them and the rest fled. I am at a loss.”
Saige listened quietly as she stared alternately at the human and then at Baelyn until the party leader had finished. “Human, yes. I can see it now. But he is not what I expected.” She turned to stare at the being whose writhing and screaming had subsided to trembling and whimpering. “This, of course, only heightens the urgency.” She nodded toward the bluff. “Go, see to your team. We will speak later.” She brushed past him toward the departing group but turned to add, “And take the human down with you. Make sure his bonds are secure. Provide him food and water. Offer him no harm. Perhaps when he calms down, he can help explain things.”
Baelyn nodded and gestured his team toward the trail leading down the face of the cliffs. Two of them lifted the human up by the arms and set him to walking. The rest of the party shuffled toward the path but Arien remained standing in front of her father.
Marzi wanted to move closer to Rintaur and his daughter but an inner voice cautioned her not to invade their privacy. The sight of the father-daughter reunion pierced her heart. She wanted to go home and hug her own father and her mother.
Saige strode over to the two. “So, Lord Rintaur, I assume that you will remain here while the group investigates the ruins?” She glanced back and forth between the two.
Rintaur’s gaze wandered from his daughter. “Given this new turn of events, a visit to the ruins may well be of interest to both of our peoples, but I, well….”
Arien spoke for the first time since returning. “Go with them, Father. I shall be here when you return. We will talk then.” She stepped forward and grasped his hands in hers.
The lord consort held her hands for a moment before hugging her to him. He held her head onto his shoulder as the two rocked back and forth.
Tears rolled down Marzi’s cheeks. She wiped her face with her sleeve and took a deep breath before moving back to the outgoing party of elves. She noticed that her three companions from the Bough were also watching the reunion. All of them seemed deeply moved, even the usually callous Elle.
Rintaur stepped back from his daughter and turned to Saige. “I will go with the group to the ruins. The arrival of this human puts a new light on things.”
Saige smirked. “So, you now admit that I was right. I hope you can bring yourself to convey as much to Ariessa.”
The lord consort’s eyes flashed. “Gloating does not become you, Saige. Unfolding events are much bigger than the two of us. Our shared future is more important than who is right or wrong. And do not forget, we lost a soul today. Yes, we lost her. She was an elf. Whether she lived out here with you or within Twilight Bough, the loss belongs to all of us. And this threat we now face likewise belongs to all of us.”
Saige stood eye-to-eye with Rintaur, matching his glare with her own. Finally, her expression softened as she nodded. “Well said, Lord Rintaur. Go with the group then. And may Valyn guide your search.”
As the group shouldered their packs and adjusted straps, Marzi could not help recalling Saige’s words about the wolves from the previous evening—how she felt that they had some role yet to play.
Chapter 77: Marzi
The party reached the ruins as the last streaks of orange and purple light faded from the western sky. Rintaur and the young Bough elves had not seen the ruins before and seemed awed and humbled being in this sacred place. After a brief period of silence, the elves began setting up
for the night. The dry ground, covered by a thick layer of moss, meant that sleeping pads would not be necessary.
Marzi stood in the center of the clearing and gazed around at the stone structures, most of which had fallen into disrepair. She noticed that there was a series of small one-room stone buildings in a circle with a wide clearing in the center. Set back beyond the circle was a large temple about twelve meters in length, with the roof supported by a tall colonnade on each side. Two small pavilions sat near each colonnade. The roof of one had collapsed and now lay crumbled. Opposite them, on the other side of the ruins, stood a stone obelisk with faint engravings on it. A marble pedestal sat in front of it. She walked to the tall monument and rubbed her hand across the surface. The stone was smooth and cold to the touch. Whatever else she expected to feel—perhaps a vibration or some sense of internal life—nothing came.
Torches sprang to life, providing a flickering orange glow that bounced off the ancient structures. Around the periphery of the ruins, Marzi noticed the emergence of plant lights, similar to what she’d seen in the Bough and the caves along the cliff. Only these were multi-colored. Some gave off the same pale blue that she had become accustomed to. Others, though, glowed pink or yellow and even a pale green color. The increasing light from these peaceful bulbs mixed with the harsh light of the elven-made torches, produced a surrealistic atmosphere, one in which Marzi felt that almost anything could happen.
Saryn’s voice broke the silence. “Milleas, organize the watch schedule. I want two up at all times—two-hour rotations.” He surveyed the surroundings for a moment. “Ryshara, coordinate meal preparation. We can place the main fire here in the center.” Without waiting for a response, he strode over to the obelisk and turned to face the group. “The rest of you, stow your gear. After the meal, we will gather to develop our plan for tomorrow. We rise at first light and must complete our tasks before dark.”
Marzi watched as the group transformed from a traveling pack of elves to a well-organized machine. Everyone went about their chores without speaking. Small fires sprang to life around the perimeter. The smell of smoke wafted through the ruins. She stood transfixed by the activity, the sights, and the smells.
For the first time, Saryn spoke directly to her. “You must be tired, little one. You did well today to keep up with us on the journey here.” His face had softened as he offered a shallow smile.
The title little one had become annoying. After all, she had a name. She was Marzi Gloam. Still, Saryn’s smile made it okay, just this one last time. “I’m fine. I’ve just never seen anything like this, and you can call me Marzi.”
The elf chuckled. “Most elves have never seen anything like this. These ruins are not easily accessible and many do not even believe they exist. As you heard Lord Rintaur express, there are some conventions against disturbing them.” He shrugged and shook his head. “But our charge is to investigate, so you should get your fill of them by the time we leave. In the meantime, please let me know if you require anything, Marzi.” He smiled at her and then moved away. With that, she ambled to the center of the clearing and continued to watch the flurry of activity.
Ryshara knelt in the center of the area, clearing away the moss in a large circle. After that, she retrieved what looked like a small stone scoop from her pack and began digging. Elle joined Rys to help with the preparations and, after a few moments, they hovered over a dug-out area about a meter across and a half meter deep. They glanced up at Saryn, who nodded in return.
Two of the elven party piled sticks and a few larger logs next to the hole. Rys set about stacking the wood, smaller twigs and sticks on bottom with a few larger pieces over that. Elle took a thin strip of bark over to one of the torches and lit it. Hurrying back to the pit, she ignited the kindling. Within minutes, the flames licked at the larger pieces of wood. As the fire caught, they stacked on larger logs. Flames leapt higher, and the heat began to envelop the immediate area.
After a short time, the flames subsided, revealing a pile of glowing orange coals. To those they added ten or twelve stones the size of their fists and then a thin, flat rock on top of that. They then laid out dried meat, some pulverized greens, and shrooms on the large rock. Nodding, Rys stood and announced, “Half hour until the food is ready.”
The smell of smoked meat and shrooms began to work its magic on Marzi, who had not eaten since midday. Her mouth watered, and she felt her stomach gurgling, announcing that it was time to eat. She sat, along with the elves, and ate in silence, devouring the turtle meat and washing it down with lukewarm water.
With a full stomach, Marzi lay down on the soft, cushiony moss. Bone-weary from the journey, she felt a passing sense of anticipation about these ruins and wondered if she would be able to sleep. Pulling a thin blanket over her shoulders, she lay on her back staring up at the stars. Back home in Pangrove, the moons would keep the sky mostly light so only the brightest stars would be able to shine through. Here in this world, thousands, maybe even millions of stars speckled the night sky—some bright, others dim. She watched with curiosity and amazement as they twinkled.
Try as she might, Marzi was unable to give the stars the attention they warranted, for within a few moments, her weariness won out and she drifted into a dreamless sleep.
◆◆◆
A gentle shaking of her arm brought Marzi out of slumber. “What?” She stared up at Ryshara, who knelt at her side.
“It is time to rise, Marzi. We must break our fast and get started.” She set a small wooden plate of cold smoked meat and shrooms on the ground. With that, the elf made her way to the larger group convening near the obelisk.
Marzi chewed on the meat with little enthusiasm as she pondered the task they had been assigned. They were to search, presumably for more of the shards or for something related to that. But why would they need more of what they already had? Saige had several of the colored pieces of crystal. And what did the crystals do anyway? No, there had to be something else worth finding. But she had no idea what that might be.
The dawn succumbed to the brightness of mid-morning as small parties of two or three examined every crack and crevice in the ruins. One of the groups found another small cache of crystal shards buried beneath a stone larger than Marzi. But as the day wore on, it became apparent that the ruins had been combed over before and little remained to be discovered.
By mid-afternoon, a palpable sense of discouragement pervaded the group. They had been over the ruins yet again with almost nothing to show for it. Rintaur, for his part, watched all with interest but had remained in the background, offering neither encouragement nor criticism. From the look on his face, his thoughts were elsewhere. Marzi assumed that his daughter occupied his thoughts and heart.
Taking a short break, she wandered over and sat down beside him. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m glad you found your daughter.” She glanced up and offered her best smile.
“Thank you. It has been too long, and it is a struggle to keep my mind on the matters at hand.” He gestured across the ruins at the groups of elves still searching.
“I know. I’d give my tunic and three moonbeams to see my mother and father right now.” Her smile faded. “I hope I get to see them again.”
“Never give up hope. That is what I can tell you.”
Saryn’s voice interrupted. “Listen, everyone, gather around.” He strode to the center of the clearing. The elves stood, stretched, and ambled over to form a semi-circle in front of him. “We have only a few hours of daylight remaining, and these few shards are all we have to show for our effort. We are not looking in the right places.”
A voice shot back from the group. “Or there is nothing left to find.” Ran stepped forward to within a meter of the group leader.
Saryn stared at him for a moment before responding. “Yes, or that. But for the rest of the day, let us assume that there is something here. We need to re-think how we are searching.”
Marzi’s gaze wandered from Saryn’s face to the s
tructures at the far side of the clearing. Most of the searching had been around the obelisk and the temple with very little effort inside the small buildings. As she stared, she noticed that lichen and moss had begun to grow on the lower sections of the stone walls. She walked over and stood beside one of the small structures. Kneeling down, she used her fingernails to scrape away some of the plant life obscuring the wall. “Hey, everybody. I think I found something. Look at this.”
Chapter 78: Tovi
Tovi gazed around the small hut. He remembered little of the journey after the battle scene and his injury. He recalled drinking something handed to him by a strange-looking old man with white hair. Afterwards, he must have passed out again because the next thing he knew, he was waking up here.
“Easy, little one. That is a nasty gash on your head and, from the look of it, you will have some painful bruises. On the bright side, though, you will survive, at least for now.” The man with the white hair rubbed a damp cloth over Tovi’s forehead.
“How did I get here?”
The man chuckled. “Courtesy of our large friend there, with whom I believe you are already acquainted.” He gestured toward an ogre sitting across the small room.
Tovi lifted himself up on an elbow. “Papaw?” His eyes widened. “This is Klunk’s father.”
The ogre stood and ambled over. “I am grateful to you.” He put his hand on Tovi’s head. “You and your pets came along just in time. You saved my life.” He lowered his head. “I was wrong about you.”
Something about his words struck Tovi as odd. “Wait, I don’t have any pets. Well, I have a squirrel, but I don’t think he helped much.” Klik chattered petulantly in response.
Papaw nodded toward the door. “I speak of the two rock dogs that were in your company. Without them… and you, I would have died.”
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