Elf Mastery

by Bryant Reil

  “Bit?” she called. If anyone in her family was going to be taken hostage it was him. “Mom? Dad?”

  No answer.

  Kyla spotted an old tree stump near the far edge of the clearing and worked her way over to it. She plopped herself down and took a moment to catch her breath. She pulled out the letter. She had the right place and, as far as she could decipher, the right time.

  “Hello?” she called out.

  There was a rustle in a bush at the opposite edge of the clearing. Another bear? No. This one spoke.

  “Please don't run away.” The voice sounded familiar, but it wasn't the dwarf from Whitehall, so that was a relief.

  “Who's there?” she called.

  “Promise you won't run away!”

  Kyla was skeptical. This person expected her to be scared, which meant she probably should be. She picked up a rock.

  “Put it down!” the voice shouted. “I'm not here to fight.”

  “Come out then! Where's my family?”

  “They're safe. I haven't touched them. Only watched.”

  This was somehow more frightening. Kyla would feel much better if she could see her enemy, and so she dropped the rock. “Come on out. I won't run away.”

  Slowly, cautiously, a short stubby leg extended from the brush, followed by an arm and a bearded face. It was a dwarf. Not the one that attacked her in Whitehall: it was the other one. Linkin. She shook with fear and one leg turned to bolt away, but she held herself firm.

  “What do you want?” she demanded

  “Just relax. Just relax.” The dwarf's tone helped Kyla do the opposite of relax. He slowly stepped forward, his hands help up with open palms. He stopped moving as Kyla turned to run.

  “You said you wouldn't run. I just...I just want to make a deal.”

  “Your friend tried to kill me!” she shouted.

  “Yes. Yes, I heard. Dunkin has anger problems. Look, I don't like him either. Neither does Erebus anymore. He likes—” and the dwarf looked up and cut his sentence short. “That one's a secret. Did you bring the rubbing?”

  “The what?” Kyla pulled out the letter. Somewhere in the garbled first paragraph was the word 'rubing'. “I didn't bring it. I couldn't understand this stupid letter!”

  The dwarf seethed, rubbed his head, and looked around. “I need it. Erebus is coming. I can help you. We need to be on his side, you see? You do too. And your family.”

  “He took out the stars!” Kyla realized. “All of them!”

  “Yes. The stars are dimmed. The sun will be next. Then, darkness. We won't be able to see. Neither of us. Erebus doesn't care about us, you know. It will be a long cold darkness. If we give him the rubbing, he can end all our torment.”

  “Why does he want the rubbing? What does it say?”

  Linkin shrugged. “I don't know. Something about Chaos.

  “How do you know about the rubbing, anyway? Have you been spying on me?”

  Linkin paused and looked around. “I don't know. I mean, I don't know how I found out. I mean, I haven't been spying on you. I can't...I can't go on the grounds, you see.”

  He clearly didn't want to tell her how he knew, but Kyla suspected he had discovered a way to bypass the wards and been watching her room. “Aura will kill you if she catches you, you know.”

  “Aura?” the dwarf asked. He looked up, then back at Kyla. “I don't know Aura.”

  “She nearly killed the other dwarf.”

  Linkin smirked, and then a laugh escaped his lips. “Yes! Your friend. The air spirit. Yes, that was something. Dunkin was humiliated. Erebus had to save him! Yes, well, death doesn't concern me. No, I fear a long, dark, cold life. If we don't get the rubbing it could be ages to get Chaos free. Long, cold, dark ages. Better to end it quickly. If I get the rubbing, Erebus might let us survive in comfort. Or he will awaken Chaos to destroy us. Either way is better than a long war with Erebus.”

  The scope of Kyla's problem was only starting to sink in. She had come to the clearing to try and protect her family. Now it seemed the existence of the world was at stake. Kyla felt like she had snakes writhing in her tummy.

  “I destroyed the rubbing,” she lied. “So you'd all leave me alone.”

  The dwarf twitched. His speech became mumbled whispers interspersed with shouts at Kyla. “I-I don't believe you. I can't believe you. I must get it. Oberon has the original. The stone. I can't get it from him. I need the rubbing. Please. It will be a long, dark death. Erebus will forget about me. He has already forgotten, I think. I know you have it. You're lying!”

  “Well I'm going to go destroy it right now!” She felt this was a good time to run but she paused to hear his response.

  “Bring me the rubbing. Here. Tomorrow. Every day I come and you are not here with it, I shall leave a piece of your family. Yes. A body part, I mean. I can get there quickly. I have power, you know. From Erebus!”

  This sparked Kyla into action. As soon as she bolted Linkin sprang after her. She screeched for help, but she knew there was no one nearby. Coming alone had been stupid. Though she could run faster than Linkin, she was already tired from the run to the clearing. She thought she wouldn't make it but thoughts of her family spurred her on.

  Kyla reached the edge of the clearing. She looked back to see the dwarf. As soon as he reached the shadows of the trees, he vanished. She stopped and looked around. Where did he go?

  “Linkin?” she called.

  There was no answer.

  Had it all been in her mind?

  Was this just another nightmare?

  She looked at the letter in her hand. She couldn't risk it. She needed to warn her family. Kyla started running again. She was tired but a strange new energy pushed her legs forward. She had never run so fast. She bounded around trees and over fallen logs.

  There was a flash of darkness. It zipped through the shadows, following the most shaded pathways through the trees until it coagulated ahead of Kyla. Linkin stepped out of the shadows screaming, but if he was saying words Kyla couldn't make them out. She was going too fast to stop or turn. Even if she managed to avoid him he would just zip through the shadows and catch up to her again. She had to take him down. Was he as strong as Dunkin? She didn't want to give him the opportunity to show her. She thought of punching him in the throat, or gouging his eyes, but her body responded to the only success she had ever witnessed in a fight and swept her foot at the inside of Linkin's leg. She caught the dwarf's kneecap and—much to her own surprise—heard the sickening pop as it slid out of place, and jumped over him as he rolled to the ground. He clutched his leg and wailed.

  “Why did you do that?” he shrieked. “I... just...wanted...the...stone! The rubbing!” His eyes welled with tears. It was heartbreaking, like watching a child in agony, but he was a very dangerous child and he had threatened Kyla's family. Despite the threat he presented she found it difficult to leave him writhing in pain. “I'm sorry,” she muttered. Then she fled.

  There was no one walking the campus grounds when she arrived. They were all in the Assembly, probably. She wondered if they were learning what she had just discovered. Erebus was attacking. He was planning to bathe the world in darkness. At least, if that crazy dwarf had been telling the truth. Somehow that sheet of paper, that rubbing of the stone, was valuable to the enemy. The original stone was now protected by the King; it should be safe. But she wasn't. She had a copy. She should destroy it but she needed Erebus to know she destroyed it and had made no other copies. Then he'd have no reason to come after her. Revenge, perhaps, but at least her family would be safe. Wouldn't they?

  How would she let Erebus know? She tossed some food and the light orb in her bag. She hoped there was a coach. She stopped halfway out the door. Would there be a coach? Would it beat Linkin home? Likely not. A portal, perhaps. Was there a portal near Aspengrove? Equinox was the closest she knew. But a dragon might be able to help! She ran for the portal in the Communications building. She hoped Denzig was home.

  Th
e building was empty of students, but there were a few maintenance workers and professors milling about. Kyla considered telling Elial what was happening but he wasn't in his office and she couldn't spare the time to look for him.

  Leading to the portal chamber were two large wooden doors. They were lined with metal and usually propped open to accommodate the many couriers that passed. Now they were closed. She pushed and pulled and banged on them but they wouldn't budge. The Chief Groundskeeper rounded a corner.

  “Portals are closed!” he boomed. “You should be at the assembly!”

  Kyla didn't bother to explain her debacle and ran around the corner to the hangar of the Steeds of Light but discovered it was locked as well. She was going to have to run for it. How far was home? It could be days. She'd never make it before the dwarf but she had to try.

  She got as far as the proving grounds. The assembly must have just let out, as crowds of students started flooding out of the Assembly Hall.

  “Kyla!” came Aura's voice from above. “Where have you been?”

  “I have to get home!” Kyla shouted back. “Can you fly me?”

  Aura looked over at Haven Hall. “I can't carry you, but it isn't far.”

  “No. Home home!”

  “Oh, Kyla, thank goodness!” Eunoe ran up and gave Kyla a hug. Then she gave her a stern look. “Where have you been?”

  Kyla wanted to explain everything about Linkin and the rubbing and Erebus, but all she could manage was “Home! Now!”

  “Kyla, what's going on?”

  Kyla didn't have time for this. She turned to run but Eunoe grabbed her by the shoulder. Kyla looked back and met Eunoe's gaze.

  She could feel her anxiety melt down her body and out her toes.

  “Kyla,” came Eunoe's gentle voice. “You need to calm down. I understand something important and scary is happening. Tell me what's going on so I can help you.”

  “I don't think you can help.”

  Eunoe let go but she didn't break her gaze. “Please, tell me.”

  “Linkin—one of the dwarfs from the star station—he met me in a clearing. He said he'd hurt my family if I didn't bring him the rubbing of the stone.”

  “What rubbing?”

  “I made a rubbing of that stone. You know, I put a paper on it and brushed over the letters with a pencil to make a copy. I had to give the stone away and wanted to keep the memory. Linkin knows about it. If I don't give it to him, he'll hurt my family. If I do give it to him, he said something about waking up Chaos.”

  “Are you going home now? To warn your family?”

  “Yes, but I can't get there fast enough. Aura can fly and warn them, though.”

  Eunoe looked up. As she broke eye contact Kyla felt her fear return and tie knots in her stomach.

  The Daughter of the Air bowed. “I shall alert your family. Where do they live?”

  “Aspengrove. The house over the shoe store.”

  “Where is Aspengrove?”

  “That way.” Kyla realized she didn't know how to give the proper directions. She hadn't paid much attention on the coach ride here.

  “I will seek them out quickly. Aeolis has declared martial law and I have been ordered to help my betrothed take arms. They can wait for this.”

  “Betrothed?” Kyla had many questions about this, but they would have to wait for a less urgent time.

  “I have a better idea.” Eunoe peered over the crowd of students. “Aspen! Get over here!”

  “I don't think Aspen can help.”

  “I can help but I can't come without Aspen.”

  Kyla was confused. “I'm faster than you.”

  “Trust me, Kyla. I can get you home.”

  “What is it?” Aspen pushed through the crowd. She looked annoyed until she saw Kyla. “Oh! Kyla! You're okay!”

  “We have an emergency. Take Kyla to your tree. It's less crowded over there. I'll meet you in two minutes.”

  When Kyla saw Eunoe soar over the science building on the back of a flying white tiger, she thought perhaps this whole day had been a dream. She slapped each of her cheeks to wake herself, but still the great cat gently descended with a roar. Once satisfied it was real, Kyla stood with her mouth open. It was truly the most remarkable thing she had seen. Yet more pressing concerns squeezed the amazement from her mind. She had a ride home.

  Eunoe slid off the back of the tiger as it settled to the ground. “This is Castor. Hop on, Aspen.” Eunoe extended her hand but Aspen didn't take it.

  “It's beautiful!” the dryad gasped. “But what if I fall?”

  “We have to go,” Kyla insisted. “Can it carry all of us?”

  “I made him strong enough to carry Aspen and myself. You don't weigh much. We should be fine.”

  Kyla approached Castor with her hand outstretched to his nose, as she had been taught to do with strange animals. The tiger sniffed her hand and gave it a lick. Eunoe picked Kyla up and set her on Castor.

  “Keep your legs back. He needs room to flap his wings. Come on, Aspen.” Eunoe reached out and grabbed the dryad by the arm and pulled her forward. “Let's go.”

  “I don't know if I'm going to enjoy flying.”

  “You've never been off the ground!”

  Kyla was impatient. “Just get on! It's not an option!”

  Aspen looked concerned, looked back to the crowd, presumably looking for Ach'vach, but not seeing him, finally relented and let Eunoe help her atop the tiger behind Kyla.

  “Oh! Soft!” Aspen mewed as she gripped Castor's fur. Eunoe climbed in front and leaned forward and clutched the scruff of the tiger's neck. It bounded forward and Kyla's stomach lurched as he flapped his wings and lifted into the air.

  Aspen, apparently unsatisfied with her grip on the tiger's fur, let out urgent breaths and wrapped her arms around Kyla's waist. Kyla too was afraid, but it was so exhilarating. It was different than the fear she had felt with Dunkin or Linkin. This fear felt like it had a reward at the end. And seeing the view of the campus from above, it did. She could see the crowds of students staring up at them, pointing. Many of them could fly themselves but had never thought of a tiger doing so.

  “Lovely up here, isn't it?” came Aura's airy whisper as she flew past. “Shall I accompany you?”

  Kyla was tempted, because she knew Aura could handle Linkin should he show up in Aspengrove, but Kyla had Eunoe, and Aspen, her family, and all the elves back home, and didn't want to keep Aura from her betrothed. “No, but thank you, Aura.

  “Very well. Feel free to send a messenger if you change you mind.”

  “Yes, I will.” Kyla said this despite knowing there was no one back home that could bear a message to Aeolis. Aura disappeared into the wind. Aspen gasped and encased Kyla in a crushing grip as Castor swooped over the buildings below.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Aspengrove

  Aspen closed her eyes as Castor descended through the forest canopy. Though she sat in the rear, Eunoe was leaning forward and Kyla was too short to block any of the branches from slapping Aspen in the face. She was grateful when Castor finally settled on the forest floor. Kyla leaped from Castor's back before the tiger was at a full stop, and Aspen followed. Eunoe thanked Castor with a scratch behind the ears.

  Unlike Whitehall and Equinox where the buildings jutted from the landscape like blockish warts, the homes in Aspengrove were integrated into the trees. It was well-hidden from a distance. Rather than a single building each home was made of several small pods connected by ladders and narrow walkways through the branches. As aspens were not well-suited for this design, the homes were built into maple or oak trees that appeared to have been grown for this purpose. They were also far enough apart that each home was not visible from the others, which provided solitude. It was a tranquil place, and Aspen thought she might prefer living among the elves of Aspengrove to the satyrs and alseids of Arkwood.

  Kyla's home was crafted into a short but thick-trunked oak. The largest room was the only part of the home
at ground level and circled the base of the tree. Through a window Aspen could see a display of shoes. That must be the shop. The center of the oak was hollowed out and a narrow ladder carved into the wood so one could climb to the upper rooms through the trunk.

  “Mom!” A woman stepped out of the shop and Kyla almost bowled her over with a hug. The woman smiled and patted Kyla on the head, though she eyed Castor nervously.

  “Interesting way to get home!” she said. “Shouldn't you be in class?”

  Kyla slowly let go of her mother. “I need to talk to you.”

  Kyla's mom looked suddenly worried. She looked at Eunoe and Aspen in turn. “Come in. I'm Lianaria. Call me Lia.”

  Aspen, unfamiliar with Elvish etiquette but too shy to admit it, let Eunoe go first. Eunoe and Lianaria extended open hands and held each other by the wrists. Aspen copied. For all the grief she gave Eunoe for being bossy, Aspen was always glad to have her around to forge the way in unfamiliar or uncomfortable situations.

  “Mom, this is Eunoe and Aspen. And Castor.”

  “Nice to meet all of you. Why don't you come inside? We can talk in the store.”

  “Where's dad?”

  “He's in the workshop with your brother.”

  “Really?” Kyla looked surprised. “Bit's never been in the workshop. He's so lazy.”

  “He's improving.”

  Kyla pointed to the southeast as she entered the shop. “The workshop's way over there because it stinks. Dad has to skin the rabbits there and stuff. We just have to sit in the store in case a customer comes. They don't come very often. Not too many people live around here! So dad goes on a lot of trips to deliver shoes to other towns.”

  Aspen followed the others inside. The store smelled of fresh leather and wood, which Aspen rather enjoyed. She gave the shoes a quick scan but found the decorations more interesting. Art pieces hung from the ceiling and dotted the shelves just inside the windows. They were skilfully made from sticks, acorns, and ornately carved walnut shells. Aspen traced the shapes of one such piece with her fingers.