by K. A. Lentz
Having forgotten about the wound, Tahlan raised a hand to his cheek before answering, “No, however I thank you for the offer. Kaiyssa will tend it when we are finished here.”
“Very well,” she said with a nod and returned to the tent. Tahlan gazed down at Kaiyssa. Moving closer, he whispered next to her ear, “You scared me there my love. Thank you for your heroic efforts, yet I must ask that you not put yourself in such a dangerous position again. The three of us could have taken on a third adversary. It might have been tricky, however I prefer not to risk your life for mine.”
Kaiyssa looked up at him with an eyebrow raised and said, “I am no simple wife to stand by and watch the fate of my love like a coward. Have you so easily forgotten our times in battle together? Why have you lost faith in my abilities? Megoth and I could have helped you from the start.”
Tahlan gave her a look relaying his displeasure with her statement. Sighing he defended, “Maybe it is not you I have lost faith in my love, mayhap it is me. Give me time; I cannot lose you as I lost Tahlen. Let us speak on this tonight after the sun has set.”
Kaiyssa nodded her agreement and allowed Tahlan to lead her back into the tent’s dim interior. Inside, the waiting occupants sat in silence. The shadow-elf’s head hung limp as it whispered streams of babble to no one. Kaiyssa and Tahlan wasted little time situating themselves in a pair of chairs opposite the prisoner. Looking the creature over a minute, Tahlan snapped his fingers in front of a mass of dreaded hair hiding its grimy face. Jumping at the sound, the shadow-elf’s eyes glared between tangles at its interrogator. Inhaling a raspy breath, the creature breathed heavily as it spoke, “It’s you. I will kill you. My master doesn’t like you. You’re a problem. Yes I will, yes I will. Not today… but tomorrow, I have time I will wait… then you will be my feast! Hahahe!”
Taking in a deep breath, Tahlan calmed himself before asking, “What ill fate befell my stolen cousin Ifrah and for what purpose did your master send you on the hunt after me? I know you have been following me since I left the city.”
The shadow-elf eyed Tahlan with a mischievous expression before replying through a rivulet of drool flowing beneath its malevolent smile, “Hahahe! I have been sent to kill you. You are meddling where you should not. My master has plans for her, and you will not get in the way!”
“Now to my first question… drone! What did you do with my COUSIN IFRAH?” Tahlan’s tone bubbled up into a controlled roar; the wound at his cheek becoming increasingly noticeable as it began creeping along his skin. Closing her eyes, Kaiyssa sent calming energy to her mate through their bonded link. It appeared to work; he visibly softened and shot her an inward thanks. Knowing he would likely need more before this was over, Kaiyssa allowed herself to drop into a state of meditation.
The shadow-elf watched with amusement over Tahlan’s reaction. Glancing around the tent it answered, “I used your dead, adult female to keep me hidden from you sickly wood-elves. Her essence worked well to fool you, hahahe. Enjoyed that hug, will you give me another? Now the little female, oh she was sent. My master likes the little ones to eat. She loves the flavor of your family. I am looking forward to a taste too! The female was too drained to eat, no life left… all gone… all gone.”
“Enough! Which filthy Reaper do you serve?” Tahlan was using up every ounce of control he and his mate could muster. Kaiyssa had begun cocooning herself within a creamy green light gently funneling up from the ground beneath her feet. Dominus and Aginaeus shared a look of surprise as they watched this rare turn of events. Raising a hand to his cheek as he took note of his shielded mate, Tahlan closed his eyes and drank up the pure calm she was sending.
Savoring every moment of their upset, the shadow-elf snickered at the pair, yet was magically bound to answer the question. Stating in clear reverence, the creature breathed, “I humbly serve the most powerful one, Master Lesdaeonna. Her mightiest slave must deliver, and you must not get in the way! Once brother—hahahe—now enemy. You will not win, he can easily kill you… not before me… me!”
“Tahlen?” Tahlan said breathlessly, yet in an instant his tone turned unyielding, “You speak of his thief? Is Lesdaeonna’s storm-slave traveling to your master now? Where did the storm-slave retrieve this girl of whom you speak?”
“Yes, hahahe, yes. The one… my master put within your sweet, kind brother, hahahe. Now, he goes to our magnificent master. She waits and waits for him to return from the realm-gate…”
“The realm-gate!? What was Lesdaeonna’s storm-slave doing at the realm-gate?!” Tahlan asked with obvious amazement.
In a hiss the creature replied, “Traveling, yes brethren, crossing.”
Tahlan felt as if someone had punched him hard in the stomach. Astonished he asked in a whisper, “Your master’s storm-slave traveled through the realm-gate?”
The shadow-elf smelled blood in the water and egged its captor on, “Oh yes the fifth-realm of puppet humans, tasty gullible humans. Hahahe!! Traveled to by the use of Master’s aged power! You tried to seal her in… but she cannot be held by you stupid elves, or those filthy gnomes! You will delay her… no longer. She will rule existence!”
Kaiyssa’s shield of energy faded as the prisoner uttered the words fifth-realm. The elvish couple exchanged a brief look of unadulterated worry before both Aginaeus and Kaiyssa exited the tent together. Dominus continued to sit like a statue in the shadows of the tent, seething with unspoken rage. Tahlan sat speechless trying to take in what he had just heard. No longer under the influence of Kaiyssa’s calming effect, the anxious elf was forced to get up and pace in tight circles around the small space. Not taking his eyes off the offending creature, Dominus asked in a menacing tone, “I thought you elves had sealed this place up a few of your generations ago. How could it be that something… or should I say… someone got through?” The furious warrior stood, walked over, and then gave the shadow-elf a violent jab as he demanded, “Did the powerless one’s slave come back from the fifth-realm yet?”
Their prisoner stopped its infuriating giggle and turned a hard tone on the warrior. Leaning out as far as the spell would allow, the creature’s grime covered face emerged from behind a tangled mass of black hair. Rage contorting its features, the shadow-elf spat, “She did not tell me, but you know nothing human! Do not call her that! She is the powerful one! She stays while others do her bidding… they must do her bidding! I will see you rot for your words. A thousand years your flesh will rot and I will watch on as she punishes you! Yes… wonderful punishment, hahahe!”
With the speed of wildfire, an expression of undiluted fury contorted Dominus’s thick features. Grabbing his prisoner by the shoulders, he gave the wretched thing a powerful shake. In a tone of barely suppressed rage he asked through gritted teeth, “You weave around the truth! Now tell me, did the slave come back!?”
The shadow-elf’s eyes danced with mischief as it replied, “The slave never left, here all the time!”
Tahlan sighed as he addressed Dominus in a weary tone, “You have to be direct with shadow-elves when you ask them anything. Be specific or you give it leave to tell you the truth about something you are not asking.” Turning toward the prisoner mid-pace, Tahlan directly asked, “When did your master’s storm-slave return from the fifth-realm gate and what was he sent to retrieve in the fifth-realm?”
Grinding its teeth in obvious frustration, the shadow-elf responded in a feline tone, “Could be now… could be last moon. He brings back a girl, a delicious human. He should have returned by now I think… I think… I think.”
Dominus returned to his seat and silently sat seething once more. Tahlan continued pacing a while longer before confronting the shadow-elf again, “One more question from me before I hand you over to another, seemingly to end your wretched life. Does the storm-slave have any other errands along the way for your master?”
“Not answer… no, no. He has none; he goes straight to her gloriousness. He does not dare to stop before he reaches her. No… no… no…
no. Oh yes! Kill me soon, kill me now! Yes! Hahahahahe!”
Abandoning his chair once again, Dominus grabbed a mass of grimy dreadlock and forced the creature’s head back. Looking into its completely black eyes, he promised the shadow-elf in a deep, menacing voice, “Oh no, you will wait. I’ll kill you after dark and then burn your wretched corpse! There will be nothing left for your master to raise when I’m finished with you. I know who you are… Ceanntis. You don’t remember me I see, but oh, I shall never forget you. You’ll pay for your crimes tonight! My only regret… I can’t slow your death and relish it for a week… nor can I kill you repeatedly. It’s a real pity, but your ashes will help calm the fury within me.” The warrior turned to Tahlan and added, “I will kill her. You will not deny me this. Anyone who tries to get in my way will meet the same fate as this one. This butcher killed and ate my little sister while the rest of my family and I waited to be her next course in a cage nearby. No one but me will send her on her way, understood?”
Ceanntis looked at the warrior, horror clearly stamped on her slimy face. Spitting and foaming at the mouth, she baited her captor, “No, no! Kill me now! I do remember you child. Your baby sister was juicy, young and tender! She made a small meal; maybe you would taste as good! Or your other siblings! Roast him, bake her. Yes… yes. Will you share my meal?”
The warrior would not be taunted; he continued staring at Tahlan while waiting for his answer. Bowing, the forest-lord replied in a sober voice, “I have no further questions. Do what you will with her; she deserves your vengeance. I shall consider my cousin avenged when I see her body burning to ashes.”
Tahlan’s statement incensed the shadow-elf who began begging and screaming at the top of her lungs for any help within audible range. Tahlan said no more; simply quit the tent to join his mate and the commander outside.
A host of soldiers crowded around both ladies, all listening to instructions given from each to their chosen audience. Tahlan took a spot beside his mate as he caught up on both conversations. Kaiyssa slid her hand into his, yet did not turn to acknowledge his arrival as she spoke to the lone soldier facing her, “… I am uncertain when we will be departing, so it would be most convenient if we were able to speak with your messenger as soon as possible.”
The man took off into the crowd at once. Commander Aginaeus’s speech soon became the dominate noise ringing throughout the hushed camp, “… I shall get to the bottom of this turn of events. While I’m away, I promote Lt. Ombri to commander. I cannot tell you how long I’ll be gone, or… if I’ll be your commander when I return. I’ve no complaints about my post or your performance. We have all done our jobs to the best of our ability.” Within the tent Dominus drifted toward its cloth opening to hear the praises of his otherwise laconic commander as she continued on, “I know, after I leave, your standards will not drop on account of my absence. Hold strong brave soldiers and we will see a day of peace. Now I ask that you please return to your posts.”
As her last words sounded around the audience Aginaeus looked over her troops once more with a nod. Rarely one to dwell on sentiment she moved to re-enter the tent—intent on issuing Dominus his next assignment—when a roar boomed from within. Her mind speculating on possible causes, the commander rushed inside with Kaiyssa and Tahlan following hot on her heels. Dominus was quick to explain, “She regurgitated a vial containing some kind of magic and then well…”
The warrior pointed to a faint green slime running down the shadow-elf’s albino chin. Each knew what it meant, and each was powerless to do anything more than watch. As the life began shuddering from Ceanntis’s body a torrent of smoke flooded up from the ground at her feet, washing over the shadow-elf like a raging tide. Dominus helplessly stood by, devastation and horror dominating his features. Roaring again in disapproval, he stabbed Ceanntis through the heart. The deranged elf simply laughed and stared down at the blade protruding from her chest.
Finally engulfing their prisoner entirely, the enchanted fog rolled back to the ground and departed into the earth whence it came. The chair stood ominously empty, a pool of magical rope encircling its peg legs. Dominus picked up the offending object and smashed the helpless thing to pieces over one knee. Kaiyssa made a move to comfort him, yet Tahlan blocked her path while shaking his head. Raking a hand through his hair, Dominus turned to face Aginaeus and asked through a deep, brooding sigh, “So where are we bound now Commander?”
Aginaeus moved onto the next item of business without a hint of ceremony. Laying a map out on two chairs shoved together, the commander plainly stated, “We’re going after the reaper’s storm-slave with Kaiyssa and Tahlan. We know he entered the realm-gate in the frozen forest. We must see if it’s possible to intercept him before he reaches Gold Island. He should pass through to see a contact… he always does, no matter the mission. I’ve surveyed the map and suggest we try tracking him at Forgotten. Even if he doesn’t go to Gold as he normally would, he’ll have to pass through there to enter Lesdaeonna’s domain.” She briefly paused, protruding her head through the tent flap to outside as she yelled for one of the mages to bring parchment. Returning her full person inside, Aginaeus continued on, “I’ll have my mage make up three copies of this map. It has every known location he’ll run or hide.”
Tahlan looked down at the well-used map and was awed by what he saw. There were multiple locations—around the realm—of which he knew nothing about. How did I miss so many locations? I followed every lead and made contacts in all the major ports and cities. Nearly eight hundred years of work and I missed something?! Each location had notes beside them bearing descriptions of the slave’s possible reason for visiting. Tahlan’s eyes shot up as he noted one marked with a simple heading; grave. Its date was only a couple years ago. Without warning he asked, “Whose grave is this?”
Commander Aginaeus was unconcerned by his sudden outburst. Pausing only a moment, she replied, “We believe it to be the wind-slave of Eltine. However, we don’t truly know what or who is in the grave. He visits it whenever he passes through the area. As you can see it’s not far from the coast where he attacked the four captains of the chaplain’s fleet. May I ask before we set out, why do you chase this slave? I hear by word of your king that you’re an expert in matters of this particular one. Is there a reason?”
At that moment a soldier entered the tent with parchment in hand. Turning to bow at Kaiyssa, she said in a monotone voice, “The messenger is ready to speak with you, ma’am. Please follow me.”
Kaiyssa said nothing as she followed the soldier out. Looking the commander in the eye, Tahlan replied in a heavy tone, “As you heard, the body of that slave is my twin brother, stolen nearly eight hundred years ago. I want him back so I may do what is right to respect his passing. May I ask why you chase him?”
Aginaeus flashed a look of knowing at Dominus before replying, “Your brother’s keeper sent her slave to my town—to teach us a lesson—shortly after I was married. He told us all about how he was there to repay us in kind for grievances against his master, and that she bid him to tell us this. Before he began his assault, the storm-slave yelled for us to run as far from him as we could. He roared we had but one choice to make; run or die. Then he descended upon my town with a lightning storm so powerful it destroyed by fire or force almost two thirds of the village. My parents were in their home at the time and never made it out. After conjuring the largest storm I’d ever seen, he charged into the fleeing crowd desperately screaming for the villagers to run for their lives. My husband was nearest when he began running townsfolk down. We did nothing to his master but defend ourselves from an attack by one of her human lackeys. My life’s ambition is to end Lesdaeonna. I want to hate him too… but there was something that night… it made me think he was as much a victim as the rest of us. Maybe worse, as he’s forced to live with the horror of his master’s deeds.”
Tahlan’s defensive side flared, “Think what you will Commander. I care not for his soul, only my brother’s body. To me, the
soul within is the slave of a reaper; I am not interested in its true nature.” Upon finishing his statement; Tahlan stood tall, arms folded across his chest while glaring at Aginaeus with an unyielding expression. Anger bubbling within, the emotion egged his wound to creep further toward his right eye.
The commander spoke with respect when she asked, “I request one favor before you kill the storm-slave; give me leave to speak with him. Will you allow me this kindness… if I’m present at his capture?”
The Forest-lord’s response was quick, “If the situation allows for such, then yes indeed you have leave to speak with him as long as you wish.”
Aginaeus nodded and left the tent. Tahlan turned to Dominus and asked, “What is your family name warrior? If we are to travel and fight together, then I would like to do you the honor of acknowledging your ancestors. I am Tahlan Moondance and my mate is Kaiyssa Songweaver.”
Lifting Dominus’s dour mood, the warrior gave a halfhearted smile and replied, “It’s a good guideline to live by. I’m Dominus Lucius Ahenobarbus; my mother was from the roman settlement of Nova Terra.”
Tahlan smiled as he inquired further, “A fine group of people from Nova Terra, from where does your father hail?”
Dominus’s smile faded as he responded, “I’d prefer not to speak of my father… if you don’t mind.”
Bowing, Tahlan apologized, “I ask your forgiveness. I meant no insult.”
Dominus stared at the ground while absolving the elf, “Naw, don’t worry about it. I’m sure at some point it’ll come up again, but for now… I don’t wish to talk about him.”
Giving the warrior an understanding smile, Tahlan soothed, “I respect that Sir. Now, shall we set out to find our companions?”
His halfhearted smile returning, Dominus answered, “Aye.”
Exhausted from battle, not to mention famished after a long day without much food, the small party decided to remain through the night and begin their journey come dawn. Tahlan and Kaiyssa had no wish to sleep in a tent surrounded by wood-fires, and so quickly explained their need to depart while expressing every assurance they would return at first light. Aginaeus broached no argument as she watched them go, closely followed by a limping Megoth. Once outside the encampment’s confines, it didn’t take long for the elvish couple to locate a suitable tree to construct their camp. Tahlan dutifully assembled a wood-elf fire atop the branch they perched upon while Kaiyssa unpacked the remainder of their rations from her haversack. Just below them, resting on an equally stout bough of his own, Megoth had settled in for the evening by draping each exhausted appendage over both sides of the tree-limb’s straining length. Kaiyssa and Tahlan silently worked at their tasks while trading pictures of the day’s pivotal events. Neither elf had the desire to hunt fresh game for their meal, so the pair sustained themselves on puckered apples and stale flatbread.