Eternal Forest: The Shadow of the Throne

by Faith Naff

  “Our city was attacked,” Heeska answered. “The battle turned in our favor and the goblins ran. We’d have let them retreat, but they fled towards Tranquility so we pursued.”

  “Heeska!” one of the hunters called out. He and two others were walking down the dusty street. Blood covered their scales and claws, but none of it came from open wounds. Two of the hunters held ends of a long, braided rope, tugging a flailing goblin across the ground. Its legs kicked wildly in the air and it grumbled noises that couldn’t possibly be a real language.

  The hunters stopped next to Heeska and Tellwyn. The last of the trio kicked the goblin in the stomach when they stopped, ensuring it wouldn’t move for a while. “We captured this one trying to escape in the chaos,” the left hunter said.

  “We think it’s the leader,” the one at the back added.

  “What makes you say that?” Heeska questioned.

  The left hunter jerked on his length of rope, making the goblin twitch. “Speak, you disgusting blob!”

  The goblin slowly rolled to its knees. It continued to grumble, letting an inaudible chorus of guttural noises rise from its throat. However, in the midst of gargled tones, words began to take shape.

  “You...dumb...lizards...” it groaned.

  Tellwyn jumped back. “Lady’s grace! It spoke!”

  “Indeed,” Heeska said. He knelt down, bringing himself eye level with the goblin. There was a black bruise around its left eye and two of its teeth were broken—though that likely happened long before today. A trickle of almost black blood ran between its eyes and down its nose from a gash on its bumpy forehead. “A rare ability for a goblin.”

  “Whatever is leading them, this is likely their liaison.”

  “Which means he knows who’s pulling the strings,” the back hunter added.

  “What should we do with it?” the hunter on the right asked.

  Heeska paused for a moment as he considered his options. Finally, he put his hands on his knees and pushed back up to a standing position. “We’re heading for the Temple,” he said. “Bring it with us.”

  Chapter 23

  For Sunrise, Sparrow, and Zehlyr, following the hooded figures through the Savage Lands was the easy part. Seeming in such a rush, the mysterious persons tore swiftly through the underbrush. No effort was made to hide their trail or keep their movements silent. A novice tracker with no training could have followed them with ease.

  The trick was keeping them from knowing they were being followed. They made a lot of noise in their exodus, but it would only take one twig snap from far behind crossing their ears and they’d know they weren’t alone. The elf, human, and faerie would have to move silently behind them, but also keep a swift enough pace.

  Given the circumstances, the plan was simple. With her Thorn training and small size, Sparrow zipped through the air in close pursuit of the four mysterious figures. Her whole life had been dedicated to silent stalking, and she’d encountered more than one fleeing target in her years as captain. Faerie wings didn’t fly faster than a human running at full sprint, but she had no problem keeping up.

  She hopped from branch to branch as she followed, always staying just over their heads. It was tiring work, but it was imperative she keep with them. Sunrise and Zehlyr were far behind, following the trail of broken branches and footprints in the dirt. It was an easy task now, but if the mysterious figures suddenly decided to be more careful about the trail they left, her visual contact would be all they had to know where they were going.

  Truthfully, she didn’t care much if they found their way with her or not. The elf fugitive’s aid had been helpful, as well as the Lady of Meadowgold’s, but her one and only priority was to her mission from the Rose. If they were unable to keep up, she would tell them the location of the secret meetings, but only after she’d found Firefly and delivered Dewdrop’s message.

  Farther back, Sunrise and Zehlyr followed. They were too far back to see the hooded figures, but the sounds of rustling leaves and snapping twigs echoed through the trees up ahead. The air was muggy, making the pursuit quite uncomfortable. Still, Sunrise pushed forward. He was eager to get answers. He was eager to find out how anyone could wield magic outside of Temple control. Most of all, he was eager to see Firefly again, if she was involved in all of this.

  “They sure are in a hurry,” Zehlyr said. He ducked his head to clear a low branch.

  “Something terrible must have happened in Meadowgold,” Sunrise responded. “Especially if they lost one of their own in their escape.”

  “I’m sure Viyana can fill us in later,” Zehlyr added.

  Up ahead, Sparrow was starting to worry about just how deep into the Savage Lands they were going. The forest near the border to any civilized tribe was usually safe enough to traverse with little worry. Savage creatures rarely ventured so close to the Lands of Order. However, she was starting to lose track of how far behind her Meadowgold was getting. It didn’t make the hooded figures any harder to track, but more and more she would have to worry about encountering a goblin, a troll, or even something bigger.

  Luckily, she didn’t have to worry for long. Amongst the densely growing trees, Sparrow started to see signs of civilization, or at least a temporary campsite. About two dozen tents dotted the narrow patches of land between the trees. Each was constructed from simple but rugged fabrics held aloft by broken branches and hand woven ropes. A couple of fires burned and the remains of others were visible. The smell of smoke mixed with the savory aroma of the various meets cooking over the flames.

  There were more civilized creatures mingling within the campsite; most were human but not all. Sparrow saw at least two dwarves, an elf, and a centaur, though she didn’t take the time to study them. One thing she was quick to note was the appearance of the humans. Each wore simple, rugged garments and wore their hair in intricately woven braids. If given only a passing glance, they could’ve easily been mistaken for elves.

  All eyes were upon the four hooded figures as they entered the cluster of tents. The four removed their cloaks. All were human, and Sparrow recognized two of them instantly. She’d seen them in the alleyway before her capture. There was the small girl with long hair, Moriah, and the strapping young man who’d caused the magical commotion on the stage, Terrex. The other two were men who looked exactly the same, each with amber colored skin, a narrow jaw line, and spiky black hair. They were obviously twins.

  “What happened?” a young elf asked. Her eyes were wide and her hands were clenched together in front of her chest.

  “Lady...Viyana…” Moriah exclaimed between gasps. “She...discovered us...in the crowd.”

  “Where’s Jorus?” a male human called out.

  “He fell behind,” Terrex answered. The forest filled with gasps and shouts. Cries of “no”, “is he alive?”, and “we have to go get him” sounded over and over as though shouted in a cave. Terrex raised his hands and called for order. “I don’t know if he’s captured or even dead, but at the moment we must prepare for the worst. Where is the Prophet?”

  “I’m here, Terrex.”

  Sparrow watched as a young faerie emerged from the branches of a nearby oak. Her hair and wings were a dazzling combination of yellow and orange. She matched Dewdrop’s description of Firefly perfectly, and she could finally see her mission drawing to a close.

  Terrex extended his hand, crooking his finger to make a perch for her. Firefly landed delicately on his finger and folded in her wings. “What’s happened?” she asked.

  “Prophet, we were discovered by Lady Viyana during the gathering,” Terrex began. “Jorus got separated during our escape. We don’t know what happened to him, but we have to assume he was captured.”

  “If he is questioned, Meadowgold will know we are here,” one of the twins said. “Lady Viyana could send word to the Temple.” The camp was alive with worry and fear. Those in attendance muttered to each other in hushed whispers.

  Firefly raised her hands and shook her head.
“I have no worry about Lady Viyana,” she said. “I’ve fought alongside her and know her to be a good woman. That’s why I brought the Order so close to the human territory.”

  “But there’s the new high priestess to consider,” Terrex said.

  Firefly nodded. “That’s where my concern lies. If Jorus speaks with an agent of Tranquility, it will certainly mean our downfall.”

  “What would you have us do, Prophet?” Moriah asked.

  Firefly hung her head. “We’ve no choice but to leave now,” she said. Cries of protest sounded throughout the camp.

  “What if Jorus doesn’t talk to the high priestess?” the other twin asked. “It’s possible he isn’t their captive at all.”

  “You think we can take that chance?” Terrex asked. “We don’t know how much power the high priestess has. She could have more command over Meadowgold’s soldiers than Lady Viyana.”

  “Which means those soldiers could already be on their way here,” the first twin added.

  Firefly turned to the twins. “Go to the scouts patrolling around camp,” she requested. “Let them know to sound a cry if they spot any agents of Meadowgold in the Savage Lands.”

  “At once, Prophet,” they said in unison before racing off into the trees.

  “Everyone else, begin packing up camp,” she said loudly. “Be ready to move at a moment’s notice.”

  Sparrow gasped at the mention of scouts patrolling around the camp. She hadn’t seen anyone in her pursuit of the hooded figures, but they’re not so subtle race through the underbrush had certainly gotten their attention. With Sunrise and Zehlyr still following the trail, those scouts were likely closing in on them. She knew nothing about this group. Would they have enough scouts to overpower her companions? Would they capture them? Kill them? There were too many unknowns, but one thing was for sure—they were in danger.

  Her feet pivoted on the branch as her hands pushed away. She was ready to soar back through the branches and warn them of the coming danger. But she stopped. As though frozen in place, Sparrow stayed crouched upon the branch as her mind wrestled with what to do next. To her left, she could see the path of broken branches and trampled underbrush that had led her here, the same path Sunrise and Zehlyr were certainly following. To her right, she could see Firefly standing atop Terrex’s finger.

  She’d found Firefly’s camp, but she didn’t know what lengths she’d go to in hiding herself again now that discovery was imminent. If she left now, if she broke away from her target and lost sight of her, she may have to find her all over again. Nonetheless, the elf and human following her would certainly be captured or killed if she didn’t reach them in time. The decision weighed down her whole body, keeping her wings at her sides and her legs planted firmly in place. Every time she would start to lift off from the tree, her eyes would again fixate on Firefly. Seeing her put the image of Dewdrop in her mind.

  Her heart yearned to deliver the good news to her Rose, that her sister had been found safe and the message delivered. She thought of the smile that would light up her face, of the relief it would deliver to her troubled soul. Her large companions were helpful and she did owe them a debt for getting her this far. But she wasn’t a Temple fugitive, or the leader of a tribe, or some strange hermit living out in the Savage Lands. She was the captain of the Rose Thorns. Her duties came first, Windsong came first.

  Dewdrop came first.

  Sparrow finally lifted off the branch, but not to fly down the path. She hopped through the wide, summer leaves, getting closer to Firefly while remaining unseen. Even from a distance, she could see the family resemblances between her and Dewdrop. They both had the same shape to their nose, narrow with a slight upturn at the end. Their eyes were similarly sized. Of course, she would never have realized such things if she’d never seen Dewdrop as personally as she did.

  Firefly was speaking alone with Terrex. She couldn’t make out the words spoken, but the human seemed to be receiving orders from her. Sparrow couldn’t help but feel proud by the sight. All these people from the large races were acting under the orders of a faerie. She didn’t know what Firefly had done to gather such a following, but she was excited to find out.

  Farther back on the trail, Sunrise and Zehlyr marched on through the underbrush. Though they still couldn’t see anything but wilderness ahead, the sounds of shouts and cries on the wind told them they were nearing their destination.

  “See anything yet?” Zehlyr asked.

  Sunrise shook his head. “We must be getting pretty close now.”

  “Why hasn’t your faerie friend come back?” Zehlyr questioned further. “She must have reached them by now.”

  “Perhaps they stopped before reaching their final destination,” Sunrise speculated. “We’re talking about a group that’s been hiding out here for many weeks without detection. They’re bound to have—” A noise in the underbrush to his left stopped the sentence short. He could see leaves rustling out of the corner of his eye. A similar sound crossed his pointed ears from far behind him. To his left, he could see Zehlyr widening his stance as his hand reached for the large knife strapped to his thigh.

  They weren’t alone.

  With Zehlyr facing east, Sunrise turned towards the west. Though he couldn’t see any of their visitors yet, the sounds indicated they were surrounded. Instinct kicked in as he thrust his hands out to his sides. His fingers spread wide, exposing his bare palms. Even though he knew he couldn’t, that he hadn’t been able to for a month, he tried to conjure a pair of fireballs to his hands.

  They emerged from the foliage as a unit. Sunrise counted four, but he was certain there were others beyond his field of vision. Hopefully, Zehlyr had his eyes on them. He saw three humans and an elf, each wearing simple, rugged clothing that had seen plenty of wear. Truthfully, their attire was similar to Zehlyr’s: handmade and worn down by weeks on end living in the Savage Lands.

  Unfortunately for Sunrise, their magic succeeded where his failed. Crackling flames swirled around the hands of two humans. Sparks of lightning danced between the hands of the last human and the elf. Just like before, it was easy to tell that these were no students of Tranquility. He recognized none of their faces, and nothing about their technique or discipline suggested they’d been given formal training.

  “This doesn’t look good,” Zehlyr mumbled out of the corner of his mouth. He was gripping tightly to the handle of his knife while his other hand extended out in front of him in a shielding position. “Got any thoughts?”

  “We can’t fight them, and there’s no chance of escape,” Sunrise admitted. Something about their captors did strike him as odd. Even though they held all the advantages, their eyes suggested they were quite frightened. Their hands, though wielding the power of the elements, trembled like the leaves above their heads moving with the wind.

  “Who are you?!” the elf demanded. She was taller than most elves, with pale skin and long, dark hair. She had a stocky, broad build to her and her voice was lower than most females. “Why have you come here?!” She spoke loudly, clearly attempting to sound powerful and intimidating, but Sunrise couldn’t help but notice her voice breaking just a bit. Perhaps this didn’t have to end in violence.

  Moving very slowly, Sunrise raised his hands over his head. “It’s okay,” he said. “We mean you no harm.”

  “You seek to expose us!” the elf shouted. “You would turn us over to the Temple!”

  “Please, listen,” Sunrise begged. “I am no friend of Tranquility, at least not anymore. The Grand Seryan hunts me as well.”

  The four would-be attackers lowered their hands, letting their spells extinguish in the process. The elf turned her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. “Who are you?” she asked.

  “My name is Sunrise,” he answered after taking a deep breath. “My friend here is Zehlyr.” The three humans repeated his name back and forth to each other. One gave a passing mention that he, “matched the description,” though Sunrise didn’t know what they m
eant.

  “Are you truly Sunrise?” one of the humans asked.

  “Yes,” he said perplexed. “Have you heard of me?”

  “The Prophet has spoken many times of an elf named Sunrise,” the elf said.

  “Who is this prophet you keep talking about?” Zehlyr asked.

  The elf opened her mouth to answer, but a thought held her tongue. Her eyes had widened now and her mouth was slightly agape. “If you really are Sunrise, then you should already know her name,” she said. She was still failing to sound intimidating, but now the façade masked a sense of awe rather than fear.

  It was a test Sunrise had no worry about passing. He simply gave words to what he’d been thinking all along. “It must be Firefly.”

  The elf gasped. Her fingertips rose to her bottom lip. All pretenses of intimidation dropped away. “Lady’s grace, you are Sunrise!”

  “I’m glad you’re convinced,” he said with a relaxing sigh.

  “Any chance we can know who you are now?” Zehlyr asked with a roll of his eyes.

  “Of course,” the elf said. For someone who earlier seemed intent to either capture or kill them, she and the humans now fumbled with their words and actions clumsily as though suddenly in the presence of royalty. “I am Orchid. The Prophet entrusts me with those who guard her camp.”

  “Why do you keep calling Firefly the Prophet?” Zehlyr asked.

  “The Lady revealed unto her the corruption in the Temple,” Orchid answered. “She was the first one blessed with magic outside of Tranquility’s control. She gathered us all together and began the Order of the Open Sky.”

  Zehlyr took a long pause before asking, “The what?”

  Before Orchid could answer him, Sunrise raised a hand. “Orchid, I’m glad you’re so willing to share with us, but I’ve been seeking Firefly out for a month now and this...Order of the Open Sky, is just one of many things I’d like to ask her about in person.”

  “Of course,” Orchid answered. Her voice had raised in pitch, though it was still quite low for a female. Sunrise was perplexed by how flustered she suddenly seemed. Her hands fidgeted nervously and she continuously avoided eye contact with him. “The Prophet will be so pleased to see you alive and well. Please, follow me.”