Delver Magic Book VII: Altered Messages

by Inlo, Jeff

  The serps had been tracking both the dwarves and the elves. They utilized gremplings hiding in the trees, razor crows flying overhead, and rock beetles burrowing underground. The serps made it their business to monitor elf and dwarf activity, even as they continued to prod the two races into decisions and actions which placed both closer to conflict.

  The serps knew the elf elder, Shantree Wispon, had requested elf guards watch strategic areas in the forest, especially tunnel entrances to Dunop. It was something the serps hoped she would do, something Macheve intended to utilize to her advantage when the time was proper.

  That time had come.

  The dieruhnes could not hope to catch the elf guards unaware. Elf guards were trained to ignore distraction and avoid carelessness. On duty, they remained in a constant state of alert and they maintained unmatched discipline. With three in the trees working in concert, only a being extremely advanced in magic or excelling in stealth could hope to approach the elf guards without being noticed.

  The dieruhnes were lacking in both. They did not use magic beyond the lightning spells rooted in their white iron tridents. They also could not depend on secrecy or speed. In comparison to elves, they were slow and ponderous, and stealth was never their desired method of approach.

  What they lacked in magic and finesse, they made up for with pure brute force. The four fiends rushed out of the heavy brush and targeted the elf farthest away from the entrance to Dunop. They moved to the base of the tree where the guard was stationed and stalked about the grounds as if trying to determine the best method to reach their quarry.

  The elf guard did not panic, though she was surprised to see the dieruhnes in that part of the forest. She knew she was in no immediate danger, for even though the creatures possessed the strength to rip an oak tree from its roots, they could not hope to catch an elf guard already in the trees. Dieruhnes were terrible climbers and the elf had many paths of escape from which to choose.

  She immediately signaled the other elf guards, requesting further investigation of the dieruhnes entry point to determine the existence of additional threats. The two elves pulled back from Dunop's entrance, but they remained in the trees, safe from the demons. They moved swiftly toward the tall brush where the beasts arrived. Their elf eyes were sharp enough to obtain clear views of a shadowy figure hiding in the thicket. They immediately recognized Petiole.

  Rather than retreat from her position, the guard above the stalking dieruhnes monitored the actions of her apparent pursuers. Her original mission was nothing more than simple surveillance of dwarf activity, but the return of the elf elder with dieruhne escorts was beyond inexplicable. Further information was needed, even as the crimson skinned monsters seemed willing to attack.

  Still, she would not place herself in complete jeopardy without recourse. She stood ready to leap to a nearby pine if the beasts attempted to bring her to the ground by leveling her perch. She also took an arrow from her quiver and strung it in her bow.

  Remaining obsessed with the elf in the tree, the dieruhnes saw exactly what they wanted. They just needed to urge the elf a bit further. One of the fiends held high its trident and aimed the tip directly at the elf above. It willed the enchanted lightning to fly from one of the three prongs, and a streak of magical energy blasted into the tree trunk, turning it black just below the elf's feet.

  The elf fired her bow as nothing more than a vain attempt to distract the creature, and then leapt to a neighboring tree. Surprisingly, the arrow actually struck her target. She did not expect such fortune for she was aware of the deflective power in the dieruhne's spears, but one of the beasts seemingly allowed the arrow to plunge into the side of its neck without making any attempt to avoid the shaft.

  Even more surprising, the arrow's tip actually sunk deep into the demon's thick hide. It penetrated the skin completely and the shaft slid far enough into the dieruhne's body to cause great damage. The crimson skin of the dieruhne was thick and layered. Attacks with swords and arrows were normally futile. Their hides could be sliced, but they would heal instantly. The sides of the neck were the only weak spot, but the height of the demons made it difficult to reach, and the dieruhnes usually protected their vulnerabilities during battle.

  Confused by the course of events, the elf guard darted across the branches of the pine and then into a wide maple. She leapt toward the center of the tree to obtain a more defensible position and then paused to reassess the situation on the ground.

  The struck dieruhne howled in pain and anger. In a fit of pure disgust, it pulled the arrow from its thick hide. The wound was indeed deep and definitely mortal, but it would take some time for the demon to perish. It brought the arrow to its dark red face and sniffed the long shaft. It had the elf's scent, and it would not relinquish it until one of them was dead.

  Back in Portsans, Macheve monitored the progress of the operation through her connection to the four dieruhnes. She gave the wounded beast one last order and then released her control of the creature. Once the monster surrendered the elf arrow to another dieruhne, Macheve knew exactly what the fiend would do, even if she no longer held sway over its thoughts.

  The critically wounded dieruhne looked toward the elf whose scent was entrenched in its nostrils. Its eyes burned brighter white as it stalked towards the large maple with but one goal left to accomplish for its very limited time remaining in Uton. It howled again as it held up its trident. It would not let another arrow strike it, for it was once again in complete control of its actions.

  Confusion reigned and the elf guard realized the situation had spiraled out of control. She knew the beast was fixed upon her scent. She could continue to dodge the creature by remaining in the trees, but a wounded dieruhne was anything but predictable.

  Further surveillance of Dunop's entrance was rendered futile. No further activity of the dwarves could be judged on their actions alone. They could not be blamed for responding to a conflict at their doorstep.

  There was also the matter of Petiole's immergence in the forest. The elder elf's appearance in Dark Spruce with dieruhne escorts needed to be reported immediately. She called to her fellow guards, and all three agreed that full retreat was the only acceptable alternative.

  Just as the three elves darted away, the wounded dieruhne rushed after them. It plowed through the forest leaving a trail of thick ooze from its wound. It could not keep pace with the elves, but it did not matter. The scent of the elf guard would be enough for it to follow.

  Macheve was pleased with the results. It was disheartening to lose a dieruhne. The demons were difficult to find and exceptional assets to control. Giving one up for a rather minor objective seemed like such a waste, but she had to remind herself that senseless acts had their place in the larger scheme. Confusion and irrational behavior were key ingredients for making a tense situation that much worse. It might not have been worth losing one of their dieruhnes, but then again, the rather absurd ploy might serve as the final spark to a much greater conflict.

  In Dark Spruce, the remaining three dieruhnes were instructed to disregard the retreating elves. They had obtained an elf arrow and it was time to use it. The three crimson creatures advanced on the cave entrance to Dunop with absolute clarity in purpose.

  In order to avoid potential conflicts with the dark creatures that had previously stormed across the forest, dwarf sentries were pulled further back into all tunnels. Two guards on duty had heard the roar of the dieruhne and had moved carefully forward to investigate. As they neared the brighter light cascading through the cave entrance, they could see invaders quickly approaching.

  Dwarves knew of dieruhnes, knew of their strength and their viciousness. Three of the fiends marching toward two sentries was nothing more than an obvious conclusion. The sentries had no chance of winning the battle, let alone surviving if they met the enemy head on, but dwarves were known for their courage as well as their stubbornness. When they decided to fight, retreat was no longer a viable concept.

 
Both sentries drew their axes and rushed headlong at the lead dieruhne. Their own ferociousness temporarily startled the fiends, gave the warrior dwarves a chance they had no right to expect. The two moved in concert, and actually succeeded in their first maneuver.

  Unleashing a battle cry that could shock a shag into dumfounded uncertainty, the two sentries broke from the cave and cut across the forest floor. One dwarf swung in behind the other and remained close to his partner's back.

  Upon reaching the first fiend, the sentry in the lead swung his axe low, forcing the dieruhne to commit its trident to parry the blow. The thick iron staff held firm against both the amazing strength of the dwarf and the ferociousness of the swing, but the force of the assault brought the fiend to a frozen halt and locked its heavy spear in place.

  The dwarf in the rear leapt up on his partner's back, allowing him to reach the tall fiend's head. The sentry swung his axe with all his might, and having an unobstructed path to the dark creature's neck, removed the head of the monster—one of the few sure ways to quickly kill a dieruhne.

  The success was short-lived. While the brilliance of the maneuver and the speed with which it was executed might have allowed the dwarf warriors to defeat one dieruhne, there were two others waiting behind the first. The decapitation of their fellow fiend did not slow their advance, and they caught the two sentries out of position in a small heap, one dwarf warrior on top of the other.

  Each dieruhne took hold of a separate dwarf. They lifted the stout warriors off the ground to keep the powerful underground dwellers from using their strong legs for leverage. It takes tremendous strength to snap the neck of a dwarf. The two dieruhnes each accomplished the task with ease.

  "Elf!" one of the fiends growled out to the brush where Petiole remained hidden. "It is time to deliver your note."

  Petiole stumbled out of the thicket and walked curiously over toward his two remaining protectors. He looked upon the beheaded body of the dieruhne with a mix of surprise and disappointment. He was amazed the dwarves were able to dispatch one of his powerful guards, and while he felt no attachment to the dead demon, he felt a personal setback in its loss, as if he himself had somehow been diminished.

  "A shame," he mumbled.

  The remaining dieruhnes disregarded the elf's somewhat muted display of sorrow.

  "Follow us!" one of the crimson skinned creatures hissed. "Stay close!"

  The dieruhnes carried the two dead dwarves back to the cave entrance. Just beyond the opening, they dropped the corpses to the ground. The creature that had taken possession of the elf arrow, stood over one of the corpses and pointed to the dead warrior's head.

  "Hold your parchment over that one's face!" the dieruhne snarled.

  The elf did so, bending down over the dead dwarf and spreading the paper across the broad cheeks of the unmoving sentry. As he did, the dieruhne thrust the elf arrow down through the paper and into the forehead of the corpse. The new proclamation was affixed securely.

  "Are we ready to leave?" Petiole asked as he stood back up.

  "We must collect our fallen first."

  The two dieruhnes led the elf back out of the cave. One picked up the detached head and the other took the headless body of the fallen demon. They then called to Macheve to return them to Portsans. With the aid of Rivira's spell, they arrived directly back in Petiole's room where the serp and sorceress were waiting.

  "The order has been delivered to Dunop," Petiole announced, as if he had just single-handedly defeated the entire dwarf city.

  "Yes, it has," Macheve responded somewhat sourly, "but the operation was not without its faults. It did not go as well as I would have liked. We lost two dieruhnes. I was prepared to lose one, but the second... that was not anticipated."

  "You can get more, yes?"

  "Dieruhnes? Do you know how much effort went into reaching the first four? Do you think full demons grow on trees? It took the concentrated effort of several serps to get control of the dieruhnes and bring them here. You just don't open a portal and invite them over. No, there will be no more. At least not for a while. We have other situations that require our attention."

  Petiole's disappointment at losing two dieruhnes began to grow. The strength of his personal guard was cut in half. He did not feel that was appropriate.

  "You think it's wise to focus on other matters?" the old elf rebuked the serp. "As the elf elder, I am entitled to certain protections. In the forest, I would have the elf guard..."

  "You are not in the forest," Macheve responded curtly. "You are far from the dwarves and from the elves. While you remain here, you would not even need one dieruhne guard to protect you."

  "But what if the dwarves do not accept the terms of my proclamation?"

  "Did you really think they would?" Macheve responded in clear frustration with the delusional elf.

  "I do not understand," Petiole mumbled in response to the serp's clear displeasure. He felt almost as if his authority was being questioned. It reminded him of past times, times he did not appreciate.

  "Of course you don't." Macheve sighed and caught herself before she admonished the elder elf further. "Do not worry about your security. We will not be sending you into Dark Spruce in the foreseeable future. We must allow the dwarves to fully consider all the implications of your latest order. It will most certainly cause additional friction between the elves and the dwarves. Your appearance in the forest at this time will do nothing more than increase the risk of your capture."

  "You sound as if this was all a mistake," Petiole noted with remarkable insight for an elf with little hold on reality.

  "A mistake? No. A miscalculation to the cost? Perhaps. As far as the undertaking was concerned, I will have to call it a draw. I don't believe we lost, but it's difficult for me to consider it a victory after losing two such valuable creatures. Still, it was entertaining and there is much more to keep us occupied in the future. I suspect we had to accept a few setbacks, and you will have to do with two less guards."

  With that said, Petiole looked to his protectors and another question resurfaced.

  "Why did they bring the corpse back with them?"

  "Two reasons," Macheve replied. "I didn't want the dwarves to find it—no sense making it easy for them—and the dieruhnes have plans for it. They're going to devour it."

  "They're going to eat it?"

  "It will make them stronger."

  "Are they going to do it right here?"

  "Looks that way. Don't worry, they will be surprisingly neat. Apparently they don't like to waste anything. Still, I wouldn't watch. It can be a bit disturbing. You might want to take a walk."

  Chapter 21

  The elf guard moved from branch to branch with cold confidence. She was flanked by two additional guards who monitored the surrounding trails and kept her informed of the wounded dieruhne's path. She remained safely ahead of the beast but chose not to dash forward with any overly optimistic desire to lose the creature. She knew the dieruhne had her scent and that it would continue to follow her until it died from its wounds or was stopped by a significantly powerful force.

  Tactically, it was wiser to utilize the forest to her advantage while she remained certain of the fiend's location. The three other demons that arrived with Petiole chose not to follow, so she did not have to concern herself with being outflanked. With only one pursuer, carelessness was her only potential hazard.

  The dieruhne pressed forward completely unconcerned with inevitable failure. It knew it was going to perish. Avenging its own eventual death became its sole purpose. It was intelligent enough to understand the elements of the chase. Its quarry was fast and agile. Under normal circumstances, the demon would try to outlast the elf, but even that hope began to fade. Despite its remarkable stamina, the fiend was severely wounded and the elf guard boasted incredible endurance of her own. The beast could only plow across the forest floor and hope that its prey made a mistake.

  Elf guards, however, were trained not to make er
rors in judgment. Dark Spruce offered near limitless trails within the trees. She could lead the dieruhne on for days without ever reaching an obstacle too harsh to pass or a clearing that would force her from high branches. She could eat on the run, and the dieruhne would sink from its wound before fatigue became an issue.

  While effectively eluding her foe became a matter of simple patience, other considerations pressured the guard into a different tactic. Elf scouts had been placed on high alert. Parading a dieruhne through the forest became a possible distraction. Unwilling to jeopardize other guards, the elf decided to request further assistance and end the chase before it extended deeper into the forest.

  For that, she would need to get word to her captain. She made a direct path to her camp but only risked reaching a point close enough to communicate with the outer patrols. She relayed her situation and then made a trail that would lead the fiend further away from the camp as opposed to closer to its center.

  Taking the threat as seriously as possible, Birk Grund led a number of elves into the trees. Having a perfect knowledge of the surrounding terrain, Birk prepared to intercept the dieruhne near a dry creek bed away from any points of strategic interest. He placed two dozen elf archers and a single elf sorceress high in the trees across a wide stretch of cracked mud.

  The archers would distract the monster and ensure the safety of the sorceress, but it was the elf magic caster who would ultimately deal with the dieruhne. The sorceress was powerful in the magic of light, and her spells were well suited to handle the demon. It would not be a simple encounter, but Birk believed it would be a quick one.

  Haven Wellseed did not cast in a circle of white, but rather in a perfectly isometric triangle of gold. The three equal sides reflected the pure balance that existed between her physical presence, the magic, and her spiritual essence. She was graced with a rare mix of both innocence and awareness. The yellow hue of her essence burned as bright as the sun and her body glowed naturally from the power within her.