by Joshua Cook
“Yes…?” Cendan answered. He’d expected to run into strange creatures, but he didn’t think they would be elves.
“Yes what? Yes you are a human here in the Echo, or yes, it’s a surprise?” the same green and gold clad elf asked.
“Yes to both.” Cendan found himself gaining a bit of confidence. At least they weren’t immediately trying to kill him or anything. “I’m sorry, but you’re elves, and just… took me by surprise.”
“Yes, well. I’m surprised to see you, too. Very surprised. A human running around the Echo, and one wearing such strange clothing…” The elf paused as though listening. “I think you had better come with us. Some things are hunting you, and I doubt you want them to find you.” With that, the elf in green and gold nodded to one clad only in white and brown, rode over to Cendan, and with one arm picked him up as though he were nothing, placing him on the back of his mount.
Cendan wasn’t a small man. The elves appeared to be very strong, regardless of how else they seemed physically. “Uh, thanks,” Cendan said, “but I could have just gotten on myself.”
“That may be, but you’re a human, and the Halim won’t accept you if I don’t put you on,” the elf replied.
As they started moving, Cendan introduced himself, “My name is Cendan. Cendan Key, just so you can stop calling me ‘man’ or ‘human.’ And your name is?”
The elf said nothing at first, moving with the others as they headed up farther into the hills. “Why do you wish to know?” he said finally, just when Cendan had given up hope of him saying anything.
“So I can stop calling you elf?” Cendan replied.
“I don’t think you need to talk to me at all. And I’d prefer if you didn’t. King Lachnin may have saved you from your hunters, but that doesn’t mean I wish speak with you.” the elf replied.
Cendan kept his mouth shut. At least he’d learned a bit about what was going on. The elf in the green and gold must be Lachnin, their king. This could, of course, be bad—taking him to the Slyph kind of bad. But they had saved him from hunters, or at least, they claimed that they had. It was frustrating to Cendan, not knowing enough to base a decision on.
Normally, he went into a situation knowing that, for the most part, people weren’t going to do certain things. There were bad apples, but not everyone was going to do the wrong thing. But here, with these elves, he didn’t know enough to understand what they might be capable of. This wasn’t a movie—this was real. As he rode, he searched his memories for anything he could remember about elves, at least from folklore and myth.
They were tricky, proud, and powerful, if he remembered the stories correctly. Elves used to seduce mortal women, sometimes kidnap them, take them away to their world, and keep them there, for what to them seemed a single night, but in truth was a hundred years in the mortal world. A bit of panic seized him at that thought–maybe time ran differently in the Echo? He hoped not as there might not even be a Bridgefinders to return to if he got back to his world.
Finally, they turned a corner and found themselves in a large clearing. Fine wooden and stone houses dotted the area, and the clearing was situated in large rock outcroppings, giving the area a bit of protection from whatever was around. Oddly, however, as they crossed between two elves standing guard, Cendan felt a thrum, as though someone had plucked at his mind and it was vibrating in response.
He caught himself, but in glancing around, he didn’t notice anyone else reacts at all. The… village? Walled city? Fort? Cendan wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was clean and orderly. In the middle was a large mound, covered with the greenest grass Cendan had ever seen. A faerie mound, maybe? Was that what they were called? The memory was hazy—it wasn’t something he paid much attention to.
The elf he was riding with dismounted and motioned for him to get off the creature. Cendan did so with a minimum of fumbling, and the elf with the creature, the Halim, left, leading it off with the others. The elf in green and gold walked towards Cendan, studying him.
“King Lachnin, I’m guessing?” Cendan asked.
“Yes. Your rider told you my name, then?” Lachnin’s face was stone, and Cendan had a hard time reading him. “So, how did a human male find himself here in the Echo? And one dressed oddly as well.”
“My name is Cendan, Cendan Key. And I came here…” He trailed off, unsure how to continue. Finally, he decided to just be honest. He hoped he wouldn’t offend anyone by telling the truth. “I came here on purpose. I jumped through a Bridge, a connection between this world and ours.”
Lachnin stood still for a good long while and finally spoke with an air of confusion. “Why?”
“Because I need to find something—well, a person. Kind of person. An ex-person,” Cendan replied. “A tree. Named Oakheart.”
For the first time, Lachnin’s face betrayed an emotion–surprise and calculation flashed across his features. “Ahh… You are one of those Bridgefinders the Slyph rants about. But I thought your kind couldn’t come here?”
“Yes, that’s normally true,” Cendan said. “But I’m… different.”
The Elf King held up a hand to cut him off. “I understand now. You are either going to try to save Oakheart, or free him. It’s a fruitless mission, Bridgefinder. He’s far more tree than human now,” Lachnin said. “Your trip was very foolish.”
“I’m not trying to save him, well maybe I am. If he can’t be saved I still need to find a way to communicate with him. He has information I need, and need badly,” Cendan said. “But why haven’t you taken me to the Slyph? You must know she wants me, and if she found out I was here on this world, I couldn’t stop her from taking me.” Something was going on between the elves and the Slyph that much was obvious.
“Ah. Well, the Slyph and the elves are currently, and have been for quite some time, not on speaking terms,” Lachnin said. “While I have no plans on turning you over, nor am I going to do anything to really help–not without a price, at least.” He showed a bit of emotion. “But now, let us eat. I believe that many questions you have will be answered by the end of a meal, and then we can make a bargain, perhaps.”
Lachnin led Cendan to a large area where cushions, pillows, and a large swatch of fabric had been placed on the ground. They sat, Lachnin nodded to another elf nearby, and food appeared, carried by shorter, stouter beings. Cendan couldn’t see what their features were, though, as each one was wearing a hood.
“So, Cendan Key. You wish to find Oakheart, talk to it, and then, how do you get back to your world?” Lachnin asked while eating what had the shape of an apple, if an apple were bright orange.
“I haven’t figured that part out yet, though I guess I could do what I did to get here.” Cendan looked around for a moment in thought. “I have to ask, elves—the Slyph created you all?”
“Yes. Understand this—there was a time once that the Slyph did not hate humans. In fact, she was somewhat obsessed with your race for a time. She had dealings with a few rare individuals, but she didn’t understand your kind. So she made some creatures, some races here copy humans, after a fashion. To try to understand you all better.” Lachnin paused and took a long drink of some greenish liquid.
“The results of this were gnomes, dwarves, and us, the elves. We are different than the rest of her creations because in making us more human, she gave us more autonomy than her other works. Gnomes and dwarves live mostly underground and ignore everything that doesn’t intrude in their lives. As a result, the Slyph leaves them alone,” Lachnin said. “Eat, Cendan Key, eat!” Lachnin motioned to the array of food in front of them.
“You said she leaves the dwarves and gnomes alone, but you didn’t say she leaves you all, the elves, alone,” Cendan noted. He wanted to eat, but something nagged him in the back of his mind. Elves always had a motive if he remembered the old European legends right.
“Yes. Well, with us, the Elves, she gave certain powers to us. We appear more human than anything else she has ever made. She let us have our own ga
te, or Bridge, as you call it. We could interact with your race, your kind, whenever we wanted. Cavort, tease…” Lachnin paused. “Please eat, Cendan Key, I feel rude eating when you are not.”
“What else did you do with this power?” Cendan asked. He was prying a bit, but there was something this King Lachnin wasn’t saying. “Cavort? Tease?”
“Seduce. Human women are… interesting.” Irritation played across Lachnin’s features. “Eat.”
Cendan took a piece of what he hoped was bread, but didn’t put it in his mouth. “Just a few more questions… So, you all have a Bridge?”
King Lachnin’s eyes were glued to the bread in Cendan’s hand, but he answered. “Yes, we have one.”
“But no one has seen an elf for… well… you all are just stories, legends. Most of the Slyph’s creatures are. But even the Bridgefinders don’t talk about you all, and they talk about the other creatures of the Slyph.” Cendan took the bread and tore it in half.
“Let’s just say the Slyph got very angry with us. We have a Bridge, but we cannot use it. Ever. We can’t travel to your world…” King Lachnin stared at him, anger crossing his face. “Eat, human.”
“Why? Why do you want me to eat so badly?” Cendan asked. But he could guess. He didn’t remember all the old legends, but he knew that eating with the elves meant staying there for quite some time. He gave a silent thanks to his childhood fascination with myths and legends. “I propose a bargain,” Cendan said, hoping he was right. “You guide me to Oakheart and let me use your Bridge to get back to my world. What do you want in return?”
King Lachnin sat back, his earlier anger gone, like smoke in a strong wind. “You ask much. If the Slyph or some of her more special creatures knew we helped you, we would pay a great price.”
“Special creatures? You mean, like Grellnot?” Cendan asked.
King Lachnin’s expression changed to one of disgust at the mention of Grellnots name. “I see you’ve had dealings with that foul creature. He eats humans when he can. Some other creatures of the Slyph would do the same I’m sure, but with that one, he revels in it. He enjoys it,” Lachnin replied. “But yes, like… Grellnot.”
“But we are discussing a bargain are we not? Tell me Bridgefinder, how are you special? As I said earlier, finding one of your kind here is fairly unusual.”
“Well… I make objects, machines, and items, that the Bridgefinders use to keep the worlds separate,” Cendan answered. “At least, that’s the idea. I’m not totally sure, as the only other Bridgefinder who could do that is Oakheart. No one knows what I’m supposed to do, or how I even could do it.”
“Ah…” The elven king sat back, deep in thought. “Our bargain, Cendan Key… Our bargain is this—we will help you get to Oakheart, and let you use our Bridge to get back to your world. However, in return, you must either make us a device, or a tool, that allows us to enter your world once more. Maker.”
Cendan paused. How did Lachnin know that word? “King Lachnin, I thank you for your help.”
Lachnin gave a slight smile. “I know what a Maker. It makes sense, I suppose, that you are one. The Slyph certainly loves the one she has now, and it makes some kind of sense that if one can be here, so can two. Don’t worry—I won’t turn you over, though if she finds you, I also won’t ride to your rescue, either. As for our bargain, do you accept? Will you find us a way back to visit your world?”
“To do what? Trap people?” Cendan frowned at the thought. “This isn’t a bargain I want to make.”
“Look around, Cendan Key,” King Lachnin answered. “We are your best bet. I will add we won’t hurt any humans we come into contact with. We won’t.”
Cendan thought about it. The elf king was right—this was probably the best chance he had. But this bargain… Marcus and the others wouldn’t stand for it, not even for a second. But maybe they didn’t need to know? “You promise you won’t harm anyone, any humans that you may interact with, if I do this?”
King Lachnin nodded. “Elves take bargains very seriously. We won’t harm any humans we interact with as a result of this bargain. No pain, no harm, none of that.”
Cendan sighed. “Then we have a deal, King Lachnin of the Elves. You help me, and once I get back to my world, I’ll find a way to help you.” Cendan held out his hand to seal the pact. He knew from what he remembered that the elves would hold to the letter of the agreement. Though he still had a bad feeling about the whole thing, the flip side was he knew he didn’t have much choice.
Lachnin eyed his hand, taking it with great hesitation. His skin was dry like paper, but otherwise normal. “A bargain is made. May we all live with it,” Lachnin said. “Eat now, Cendan Key. We have a pact, and you are safe from all harm here.”
Cendan ate. He was starving. He guessed that he would be safe at least until the elves fulfilled their part of the pact, and then he would be back on his world. The food, as the old stories said, was delicious. Better than delicious, even. The fruits were so juicy he felt he needed a shower after eating one, the breads all had that just baked feeling and taste, the greenish wine was sweet and refreshing. Everything was truly one of the best meals Cendan had ever tasted.
Cendan ate his fill, and with a glance from King Lachnin, the same beings that had placed the food out all appeared and removed it. They were all apparently female, at least judging by their shape. The elven king ignored the strange beings, instead motioning over another elf and whispering something in his ear.
“Cendan Key, it is time to get you to your tree. The sooner the better.” King Lachnin stood and motioned Cendan to stand.
Cendan followed suit, and before he knew it, he was back on the horse-like creature that he had ridden in on before. “So, King Lachnin, what happened to make the Slyph so angry with you all?”
King Lachnin weighed his response for a moment as he sat astride his own mount. “Yes. Well, when the Slyph realized that the elves weren’t going to hate humans, she closed us off from the human world in a fit of anger. We were left here, to suffer without access to the world of your kind. And cut off from… meeting new people.”
There was still something the Elf king wasn’t telling him. Cendan could tell both by the way he talked and the pauses as though he was searching for the right way to say something without giving anything away. “And where is this Bridge of yours?” Cendan asked.
“That mound, in the middle of the settlement… If you walk around it three times, the bridge will form on top of it. It hasn’t been active in quite some time, but its power is still there. I wonder sometimes if the Slyph leaves it there to taunt us with it,” King Lachnin replied.
They set off accompanied by six other elves, all armed. Cendan wondered at this, considering that he hadn’t seen a lot of other creatures about. In fact, outside of the elves, those hooded figures, and the horse things, the Halim that they were riding, there was no sign of a single other creation of the Slyph.
“Lachnin, I do have a question. I had expected to be dodging the Slyph’s creations left and right—Jabbers, Gremlins, Goblins, Valocks, Trixies, those sorts of things—but I haven’t seen any of those things here. Why?”
“For a human, that’s a good question. There are two main reasons for this. One, you come from a world with a massive population. Even when we elves were allowed to go to your world, we were stunned by the sheer number of humans, animals, and all manner of living creatures. While there are places on this world that those things exist in large numbers, there are also places, such as where we are now, where there are few living creatures.” The elf king gestured around. “Also, all know this as our land, this is the land of the elves. None come here without our permission. And we give permission to very few.”
Cendan nodded but said nothing. Everything made sense. If the Slyph was responsible for all the life on this planet, she couldn’t have made enough creatures to populate the whole place. And for that manner, did some creatures have the ability to procreate without her involved? There were too
many questions that still didn’t have answers.
Chapter Ten
As they rode on in silence, Cendan noted that the day was a pleasant one, if not a little surreal. Riding horses that weren’t horses with an elven king in a magical Echo World, looking for a sentient oak tree… Cendan snorted. It was a far cry from figuring out an assembly line tweak to increase production.
“Something funny?” Lachnin asked.
“Just thinking that this is a very strange experience. It’s massive change from where I was even a week ago. I find it almost a miracle that I haven’t gone insane with the changes. My life before this was… I’m not sure if you will understand this, but one of a problem solver for businesses.” Cendan wondered what the world, his world, had been like when the elves last visited.
King Lachnin said nothing in response, and so Cendan found himself listening to the steps of the Halim, these not-quite-horses, as they rode. It was soothing in a way, not unlike the jog he had gone on that first day, when everything had started to change for him. Reaching down, he patted the key in his pocket, thinking about how that jog and the branches from that point had led him here.
“What did you just do?” Lachnin asked, with an uncharacteristic look of annoyance on his face. “You just did something, what was it?”
“I just was seeing if my focus was still in my pocket,” Cendan answered. “Why do you ask?”
“Focus? I don’t understand.” King Lachnin was suddenly intent upon him.
Cendan shrugged. “It’s… its part of who I am, as a Bridgefinder. It grounds me in my world and helps me send back the things that come through the Bridges. Also, it helps me close the Bridges. It’s part of my world, part of the magic of my world.”
“Show me,” King Lachnin said. He held up a hand, and all the Halim stopped moving.
“Okay.” Cendan reached into his pocket and took hold of the Key, pulling it out of his pocket. The moment his hand grabbed it, however, each elf around him either groaned, gritted his teeth, or winced. King Lachnin swayed in his saddle and appeared for all the world to be seasick.