Edryon (Book 1 of Edryon Trilogy)

by Luis Oselieri

  Urentir still hoped that the Council of the Leaves would be protected if the bards were able to complete all phases of the training successfully. He felt that maybe he would have to change some of the spells in his grimoire, because many of them would not have much use for the fighting style of Ornell, Heng Lawf and Kimiru. The sun was preparing to leave the horizon, and the winds that traversed the woods were getting colder. The druid then approached slowly Kimiru and said:

  “Do not worry if you still can not control your impulses. In three days you will be in charge of your mind, at least for short periods of time.”

  Urentir was wondering what would be his first step, so he could start the magic training. The druid then carefully opened his leather bag, looking for his grimoire of magic of nature, but after having trashed all objects, he realized that the book was not inside.

  “Damn! My grimoire disappeared, it was right here!”, Urentir shouted very nervous, then threw the bag tightly in the middle of the trail, covered with branches and leaves.

  “But how…”, Ornell could not finish to say anything, and his face reddened with anger.

  “Listen, I’m sorry for all this, but I do not know how this could happen. Anyway, we must find the person responsible!”

  In the Forest of the Spirits, Edryon looked surprised but at the same time with sadness, to a group of eight chained monks, who walked with difficulty near the Holy Monastery. They seemed weak, and most of them had a gaunt appearance, demonstrating that they were not getting enough food or water to continue working. The gray elf felt that he should act fast to save those men, because Kordius could come at any time, along with most necromancers and with his army of elven spirits. He walked carefully up to hide behind some bushes and looked up, searching for crows that could be called by him.

  Edryon remembered the time he had shown his diary of victories for Kordius, it was not a good idea because he had to flee from the sorcerer, hiding in dangerous caves for three days. He faced heavy rain, strange creatures lurking around the swamps, and a huge mutant elf who stepped down under a big pile of dead goblins in the middle of a forest full of skeleton fairies. At least he was alive, and Edryon did not want to go through all this again, and never again would face Kordius, unprepared for a battle.

  Sarah has invaded his dreams, tormenting his restless nights, the elf always tried to forget the horrible fire on his tower, but at the same time it was impossible to abandon the good times that Edryon went along with his wife. His mother, Edryellin and Nalron, his father, they had also warned him that Kordius was not being honest in his words and promises of help to improve the Hanneris’s city. But Edryon always thought that was unnecessary distrusting in the elemental sorcerer, because he had helped the King William II for many years, and deserved his support.

  When the gray elf walked for a few more minutes in the woods, he heard scary screams of wild creatures that he could not figure out their species. He then prepared his left laminated arm, and once again looked to the sky, searching for crows that could help him. It’s been too long since the last time he managed a flock of the black birds, and therefore a great anxiety gripped his body. The cries became ever stronger, so the elf has focused on a defensive position that could give him advantages in battle.

  Suddenly, two large trees came off the ground, crashing and scattering pieces of roots, stems and leaves in all directions. Behind them, there were four gigantic mutant elves, who howled horribly, walking and stomping on the ground, making the bushes and trees trembling and shooking, such violence in their footsteps. Edryon recoiled and looked to the sky again, but there was no sign of any crow. He should think of some way to deal with the aberrations, as they were faster and their claws could break him in half with a single blow.

  He decided he would not be standing there, waiting for the death, so he started running without looking back, listening to the accelerated pace of the creatures chasing him. If it was just one of them Edryon would have more chances of winning the battle, but four was not a good number, four meant the most complete and rapid destruction of his own life. He continued running through the wet track, until stepping on a slippery sheet, falling with the body near a dead animal. Two mutant elves jumped on top of a tree, approaching quickly, while they cried aloud spooky, echoing throughout the forest.

  Edryon should act fast, and when he prepared to stand up, he heard a cawing coming from above, he noticed that five black birds were flying over a clearing. The elf then remembered when he had learned the magic invocation of crows, by reading the Thelron’s magical grimoires, but he still did not know how to communicate mentally with the birds. When the aberrations crossed some bushes, destroying trees and spreading a trail of anger at the forest, Edryon immediately uttered a loud cry, pronouncing the magic words of the magic ritual, and then five crows became hundreds.

  The birds seemed larger and stronger, and when the gray elf ordered on his mind, the attack to the immense creatures, they came down from on high, flapping their wings at a great speed, producing winds so strong they shook dozens of trees. The mutant elves seemed confused by the presence of the crows, and so started running in different directions, struggling, trying to scare their enemies, but they received violent pecks that pierced their green skin. Edryon looked happy for the successful attack, and when he prepared to leave the track, he received a blow from behind, and landed near two aberrations that were already dead.

  He looked to his left bloodied leg and realized that one of the mutant elves had managed to hit him a glancing blow that would have dismembered him, if hitted with all its strength. He felt that this time Edryon could have lost his life quickly, then he sat next to a tree, as he watched the dying creatures, full of pecking injuries. After a few minutes, the army of crows disappeared in a fog that formed in the middle of the forest, leaving only the original five birds, which remained flying close to Edryon.

  The elf opened his black leather bag, and thought it might be the right moment to begin another diary of victories, this time against the mutant elves. He pulled out a blank scroll and a big pen of raven that was wrapped in a piece of old cloth, and wet the tip of the pen into the blood from his wounded leg, and wrote: “Forest of the Spirits, I feel that things are not going so well as I expected, but today I ended up with four mutant elves.”

  When Edryon finished to put the scroll back into his bag, he looked scared to dozens of huge bubbles that appeared all over his body.

  19

  Unexpected Attack

  “The island is receiving visitors.” This was the last

  sentence that Ellen could remember from his brother Arthos. The Island of the Gnomes was still a different region, full of strange creatures, so Ellen did not wanted Rasputin to pass any kind of problem in his laboratory, despite thinking on Sgnilliv about all the time. She still had to help the magician in his experiments, and Ellen wanted to be able to find a cure for the Sgnilliv’s arm, to embrace him again as before, returning to a normal life with the goblin, who always dreamed of having children.

  Going back to the island meant for a moment forgeting the tragedies of the Hanneris’s city, and then to concentrate on the wild creatures, and she would understand better how various aberrations were still invading the forest. She had hoped to discover what were the most numerous breeds, and had to act quickly to find Rasputin and explain that the Island of the Gnomes could be invaded by necromancers, mutant elves, or some other unknown species.

  Some greater force was telling her that a strange evil energy surrounded the area, a force that invaded her thoughts with an increasingly uncontrollable intensity, that Ellen should try to keep calm. She looked around, looking carefully from above the ship, for small trees that were part of a forest, his mind was still full of worries and concerns, the mind of a woman who had gone through a tragedy difficult to overcome. From every corner of the forest, every tree and bush that filled the local full of squirrels, rabbits and exotic birds, the trees became darker, as if she too had her o
wn vision, distorted by so many obstacles in his life.

  She always believed that Rasputin could offer help to Sgnilliv, as the wizard had helped him many times. After three days of travel by sea, she finally completed her arrival to the island, and then raised her hands in thanks to a small group of merchants that was inside an old war ship. The ship began its departure, the healer woman realized that the island seemed more agitated, as if the animals are fleeing, looking for new shelters.

  When completed the crossing in a region surrounded by large palm trees, Ellen looked scared to many monkeys lifeless on the floor, covered with scattered leaves. The animals appeared to have suffered attacks by slashes, as their bodies were found with multiple brands, which could be some sort of claw. She then bent down and gave a cut with a knife in some hair of monkeys who were steeped in gore. Ellen had a good knowledge of various blood of many races, and when she looked more closely, she discovered that the blood was green. There could not be by a human, much less a blood elf.

  She walked a little farther, near a small mound of dry sand and looked in amazement to many destroyed grass huts. A huge black smoke was coming out of most of them, covering the clear blue sky. The healer pulled a piece of wood that was charred on a dead boy, and then Ellen felt a great sadness. She realized that the wood was actually what’s left of a war spear. A group of vultures flew in circles over one of the huts, some of them came down and landed near a monkey carcass cutted in half.

  Ellen, when approaching some burned trees, found a group of reptants, armed with war spears. She was more scared, because the creatures seemed to be looking for new victims. Bent and twisted iron shields were protecting their scaly green bodies. The healer quickly moved away from the trees, when she heard a familiar voice: “Ellen, what are you doing here?”

  The healer looked back and saw Rasputin walking through some bushes. The magician seemed worried, his clothes were torn and dirty.

  “Arthos told me about the creatures. I wanted to warn you to beware with your laboratory.”

  Rasputin left a covered trail with burnt plants, and then backed up with a big stick, in front of Ellen. He withdrew from the pocket of his gray robe a key, and said:

  “It is well protected. Also, there’s nothing there that mutant elves would be interested in stealing.”

  The healer was surprised by the attitude of the wizard, as just locking the doors of the lab would not be sufficient to avoid any kind of tampering. She thought of answering it, when Ellen suddenly realized the distance a group of skeleton fairies.

  “They are everywhere, but what are they doing here on the island?”, Ellen asked.

  “I do not know. I just hope they are the only creatures that we can find.”

  The skeleton fairies seemed to have noticed the presence of Ellen and the magician, and then began to go flying in the midst of some nearby trees, spreading a gray powder by the night’s humid air. The healer looked at his leather pouch full of herbs, and said:

  “I have many plants for healing. What do we do?”

  Rasputin scratched his head as he opened his book of spells. Most of the pages were blank.

  “Damn! I forgot to write once again the rituals.”, muttered the wizard.

  Two of the little winged creatures come out from inside a hole in a tree, and began to laugh repeatedly.

  “Ellen, take this key and go to my laboratory. Take four scrolls that are next to the fireplace, and bring me as quickly as possible. I will try to distract them.”

  The healer left the place quickly, then Rasputin recalled one of his spells of illusion and tried to concentrate. Sounds of steps, between the scattered leaves on the ground, became increasingly stronger. Having said three magic words of the ancient ritual of the School of Illusion, a thick fog formed around him, creating almost human forms, until being four identical copies of himself. The reptants got out from behind the trees, mad to attack the illusions. His blows hammered the copies, suddenly disappearing, until after a time there was only Rasputin. The magician looked at the fifteen reptants running and escaping from the flames, and then Rasputin kept his magical scepter, because there was no power to create more rays of fire.

  Arriving in front of the magician’s lab to discover that the area seemed deserted, without any kind of creature, Ellen hurried the steps and removed the key from inside the pocket of her green dress. When she prepared to unlock the door, she heard a firm and aggressive voice:

  “I had long waited for this moment.”

  The healer looked back, Kordius had appeared in a mysterious way, but this time he was with his white war wolf.

  Rasputin walked among some lifeless reptants, near a large clearing, and looked surprised to dozens of skeleton fairies approaching, flapping their wings in a disorderly way. The magician then opened his leather bag, grabbed the only magical scroll that was left. The tiny creatures began to spread a gray powder in the air, forming a cloud that covered the entire region. Rasputin read the words of the ritual with attention, and then after a few minutes the fairies were all fallen on the earth, asleep. The magician then felt concerned that Ellen had to act fast, and strange sounds uncannily echoed throughout the Island of the Gnomes.

  Much time had passed, then Rasputin decided that it was better to go back to his laboratory and helping the healer to find the magic scrolls. After crossing for a long time on a track that seemed with less creatures around him, the magician had finally arrived near his home. Around the laboratory, completely destroyed by the flames that have consumed books and scrolls, Rasputin found the bloodied body of a woman. When he realized it was Ellen, the wizard immediately hurried, trying to help her, but she did not show any signs of life.

  In the Underground Realm, Gorth seemed increasingly furious at not being able to prevent the skeleton fairies from stealing the weapons of his army of reptants. He decided he would wait for Thelron for a reckoning, he could not leave the former necromancer on advantage, Gorth found that it was not a good negotiation. Suddenly, a great magical energy formed, near the circle of pillars of the reptant sorcerers, and then the floor began to shake violently throughout the Underground Realm. Gorth looked scared for the portal that had just formed in the middle of the green luminous light, and he saw someone coming out of the lights, mounted on a white wolf of war.

  When the king of reptants realized it was Kordius that had just left the portal, he felt that he should find a way to convince the sorcerer of the elementals, because the skeleton fairies were flying everywhere. Perhaps it would better to explain Kordius that he had no intention of betraying him, then Gorth decided he would show Kordius that Thelron was the responsible for the fairies, and he should be punished so ruthless. The sorcerer of the elementals descended from his white wolf and looked suspiciously at the reptants.

  Gorth immediately approached Kordius and knelt down, then hundreds of reptants repeated the king’s action, and got down and remained silent. The sorcerer raised his right hand into the air, thousands of elven spirits appeared in the middle of the fairies, marching toward the king’s army. The reptants tried to attack them with their nets of hunting and war spears, but it was useless, because the spirits seemed to be immune to physical attacks. Kordius looked proud for the destruction that took account of the Underground Realm, magical flames appeared on the reptants, burning their flesh and consuming even their bones.

  After a few minutes, Gorth looked at his entire army turned into ashes, then the king of reptants ran to one of the mines of production.

  “In a hurry?”, Kordius appeared as quick as a flash in front of Gorth, holding a large magical trident, covered by a bright green energy.

  Gorth knelt on the ashes that were scattered all over the floor of the Underground Realm, and he said, his voice was very weak:

  “Is not what you’re thinking! Please, I did not…”

  The king of reptants said no more any word, he felt his breathing becoming increasingly difficult, while spitting a green blood, holding with both hands
the trident that had gone through his neck.

  Kordius never liked to keep alive the traitors, so he thought it was better Gorth not bothering him, nevermore, with false words and full of hypocrisy. He looked carefully at hundreds of skeleton faeries that were still trying to steal other artifacts in the mines of fabrication, and Kordius immediately thought that it would be very useful for summoning the elven spirits. The sorcerer of the elementals said some magic words and made a few simple gestures, and then the little creatures approached him, demonstrating in their pale faces a great fascination.

  After several hours, the Underground Realm was completely invaded and controlled by Kordius, that showed all his power to the skeleton fairies, with his magical abilities to summon the undeads. Dozens of skeletons left under the ground, shaking their thin bodies and cracking bones, while most of the fairies stood by, just watching and waiting for some orders by the magician. A horrible smell of burnt flesh spread throughout the kingdom, because the Gorth’s army of reptants now has been totally destroyed in the middle of the gray land.

  Kordius walked unhurriedly among hundreds of dead bodies and looked back at the Gorth’s face of despair, who was killed alongside a net of hunting. Gorth would never give him more problems, but Kordius still wanted to find Edryon, Rasputin and those who was trying to stop his plans to control the world of Fynge, enslaving all living beings. When he prepared to cross the long corridor of the Underground Realm, in the exit along with the army of skeleton fairies, Kordius heard a deafening noise, like a violent thunderstorm, which caused him to stop continuing to follow the path.

  Suddenly, a very strong yellow light appeared near a mine of fabrication, and a huge creature, nearly four feet tall, left inside a giant cocoon. Her body was very thin, scrawny, and had two thin wings that was moving so quickly, spreading a huge amount of ashes by the frosty air.