Elf Mastery

by Bryant Reil

  “Intelligence believes Erebus' attacks are serving two further purposes. First, reduce the morale of our people and recruiting any who offer their vows to Erebus. Sadly, it looks as though they are having some success. Second, ancient relics are being stolen. Some are stones similar to the one we were given from Equinox.” Oberon looked at Anh-Bul. “Equinox is under attack, and intelligence claims there is a copy of our fragment at your location. Why is that?”

  Anh-Bul looked afraid. “An elf-girl, Your Majesty. She found the stone we gave you. She must have made a copy.”

  The energy around Oberon sparked, though his expression didn't change. He looked back at Anh-Bul. “Recover it. Now.”

  Anh-Bul hesitated, apparently uncertain if he should leave now or wait for the end of the meeting. Another spark from Oberon's eyes meant that sooner was better. “Yes, Majesty.” He stood and walked briskly out of the room. Oberon turned back to the war council.

  “As for the rest of you, we need a plan.”

  ***

  The attack focused on the Assembly Hall, as Marik had predicted. Erebus' forces were bloodthirsty and more interested in murder than accomplishing anything useful and so gravitated to the crowd. The staff and students of Equinox weren't helpless, however, and Marik could hear the wails and howls from both sides as the fighting commenced. Just as well. They were all tools, only useful to create distractions. It was an oddity of Erebus' followers that they were so bloodthirsty, as Erebus' interests did not lie in war and conquest. Only those creatures who loved anarchy and mindless violence would be foolish enough to take a vow that would trap them in an eternal passionless prison. Marik would choose to free Chaos and face utter destruction rather than live in Erebus' dark future: in this he sided with Linkin. But total annihilation was only a back-up plan for both Erebus and Marik. Erebus would only free Chaos if he started to lose the war. Marik had a better future in mind, and simply needed to stop Erebus from destroying it.

  He had a master key from Anh-Bul's office and kept to the sides of the buildings as he worked his way to Haven Hall. He heard the battle spread as people scattered and fled across campus, and Marik didn't want to be caught from behind by a wandering raider. As Marik was not Avowed only Dunkin would recognize him as an ally, and Marik thought the dwarf might be inclined to kill him anyway. If he could. He was in pretty bad shape at the moment.

  There was a blast of flame overhead. A great dragon—perhaps Denzig? —swooped and scorched the ground with a blast of flame before shooting back up into the darkness. The fire illuminated enough of the sky that Marik could see Eunoe, Kyla, and Aspen soaring on Castor. They were back. He wondered if Kyla had succeeded in finding any aurichalcum. As far as Marik knew, that had not yet been confirmed.

  There was a shriek as a naiad ran into view, pursued by a harpy. Marik watched as the harpy dashed the girl to the ground and clawed at her face and torso. Once the harpy was finished playing with its prey it soared into the darkness and Marik scurried through the shadows toward Haven Hall.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The Eye of the Storm

  Kyla stirred awake, though it took her a moment to realize she wasn't in the middle of a nightmare. She was still sandwiched safely between Eunoe and Aspen on Castor's back, but below she heard screams and saw people on the ground running every which way out of the Assembly Hall. The scene was illuminated mostly by flames, both of torches and a few buildings which had caught fire. Many of the creatures below pursued others with axes and spears. Denzig was swooping and blasting flames, and at one point picked up a troll, dropped it from the sky, and flew on to find a new target. Kyla watched as the troll got right back up and started smashing his great club at a pack of fleeing gnomes.

  Eunoe circled Castor above the battle. Kyla looked desperately for anyone she might know in trouble. From here it was difficult to even tell who was friend and who was foe. Eunoe turned her head and shouted over her shoulder. “We can't land here. Maybe we should head to Denzig's cave, or Aspengrove.”

  Kyla didn't want to bring trouble to Aspengrove. And Denzig had a portal they could use, if necessary. “The cave. But we need to get the rubbing first.”

  “Never mind that!” Eunoe called behind her. “Once we're safe we can—”

  Something hit them from the side. Kyla hadn't seen what it was, but Castor went into a tailspin. Kyla clenched her legs tightly around the tiger and held onto Eunoe, and she could feel Aspen's arms grip around her waist. Castor tried to swoop up but a harpy descended from above and pushed them toward the ground. They narrowly missed the side of a building and rolled onto the stone walkway in front of Victory Hall. The side of the square nearest the Assembly Hall was illuminated by fire. Denzig struggled with a pair of manticores, and Castor was being harassed by the harpy. Eunoe was the first to her feet and looked confused, her head turning from Kyla, to Aspen, to Castor. A centaur wielding an axe took notice of her, and Kyla jumped to her feet and shoved her out of the way as the centaur charged past with a wild swing.

  “What do we do?” Eunoe asked. Her voice trembled. She was usually the strong one. Now it was Kyla's turn. She had faced Erebus. She could face this.

  “We need to get away from this centaur. Meet in my room. I'll try to lose him.”

  “Kyla, no!” Eunoe's protest was little more than a whisper. Kyla looked at Aspen still lying on the ground.

  “Save Castor. Get Aspen home. I'll meet you there.” Kyla picked up a rock and threw it at the centaur's head. She missed, but it got his attention. The centaur grinned and charged.

  ***

  Marik crept through the brush toward Haven Hall. He had to get there before Dunkin or any of Erebus' other hooligans found the rubbing. The attack had proceeded much quicker than he expected. Dunkin, crippled as he was after his fall, couldn't be moving quickly, but Linkin could appear in an instant with his shadow travel. He shouldn't be here: at Marik's suggestion Erebus had sent the crazed dwarf to join the forces at Monarch. Didn't need him popping out at the wrong moment. Yet Linkin was unpredictable so Marik kept an ear open for the dwarf's mad ramblings.

  A screech from above and flash of flame caused Marik to duck under an awning. Denzig was fighting a pair of manticores. They bore the strength of Erebus and so between the two were a fair match for the dragon, though Marik felt Denzig still had the upper hand. He hoped so – he kind of liked the dragon. There was a squawk and a harpy fell from the black sky onto the ground, blood oozing from its mouth and nose. Marik looked up. He saw nothing but heard a rush of wind. An air spirit or djinn must have dropped the harpy. Perhaps Aura. He waited a moment just in case, not wanting her to see him approach Haven Hall.

  The aerial battles soon drifted to another corner of campus, and Marik scrambled through the shadows to the front of Kyla's dormitory. The door was large and heavy. He wouldn't be able to open it without being seen. An ogre provided a needed distraction, walking across the grounds and whacking trees with a great club. Marik couldn't tell which side he was on. The ogre likely wasn't sure either. Nor did an approaching band of invaders, who engaged in an uncomfortable stand-off with the dimwitted creature. Marik used the confusion to heave the door open and squeeze inside. The stairwell was dark. He tiptoed up the stairs, but still each echoing step sounded like thunder. Once upstairs he found Kyla's room with the door open. He hoped Dunkin hadn't been the one to open it. Marik hung a blanket over the window before lighting a candle and beginning the search for Kyla's rubbing.

  ***

  Eunoe went to Aspen first. Castor could hold his own for a moment. The dryad opened her eyes slowly and looked around. She shrank away from the flames, though they weren't close. Eunoe could sense Aspen's fear. And she had her own fear to deal with. And through it all Aias was working up into a battle frenzy. All this emotion was overwhelming, but Eunoe needed to focus on what was important. Aspen was like a sister. A daughter, even. The closest Eunoe would ever have to a blood relative.

  “Get up,” Eunoe ordered. She g
rabbed Aspen by the hand and pulled her to her feet. “We need to get home. Kyla said she'll meet us there. It's a fortified building. We should be safe there.”

  Aspen looked around. There were people running, yelling, screaming in either fear or anger. “I need to go to the grove.”

  “No. Aspen! We need to go home. I can protect you there.”

  Aspen looked at Eunoe. “I need to see the hickory tree. I need a staff.”

  Eunoe couldn't argue. That would be useful. “Fine. Let's go.”

  “What about Castor?”

  Castor was on the losing end of the battle with the harpy. He had a trio of bloody gashes raked across his side. Though in some ways Eunoe thought of him as her child, she was more concerned for Aspen's life than the tiger's. “What about you?”

  “The way to the grove is clear. I'll hurry. Once I get a staff from the hickory I can take care of myself. Help Castor.”

  Eunoe nodded and Aspen ran into the darkness toward the grove. Eunoe didn't know what to do about the harpy. But Aias did. Images flashed through Eunoe's mind of tactics, of weak spots, of weapons. She had no training but now she had knowledge. Her eyes darted along the ground for anything she could use. One of the raiders had fallen at the edge of the square and dropped a spear. Eunoe picked it up and charged.

  ***

  Kyla ducked behind a retaining wall but heard the clatter of hooves pursuing her from the other side. The centaur leaped over and quickly turned, grinning through yellow teeth as he swung his axe. He closed in but before he could hack Kyla, a blast of flame shot him in the side. Lili cackled from behind a marble statue.

  “Thanks!” Kyla shouted, but Lili was already engaged with a troll and didn't respond. The centaur reared and apparently decided to let the troll have his fun as he turned back to Kyla, but she used Lili's distraction to make a break for the Arts building. There was a small window that had been smashed in. She quickly climbed through and tumbled to safety as the centaur's axe stuck into the window pane. Grateful for her light orb, Kyla headed into the dark hallways.

  ***

  Aspen slipped into the trees. No one was here, but the solitude was broken by the piercing wails and bloodthirsty shouts around the Equinox grounds. She couldn't see but she could sense the hickory at the center. The disappearance of the sun had terrified the trees and she hoped the hickory would be willing to part with some of its wood. Aspen was no fighter but neither were Eunoe or Kyla. Aspen needed to protect them. She felt her way through the grove, stepping quietly from tree to tree, until she found the frightened hickory at its heart. She bowed and made her plea. She would protect the tree. She would protect all of them.

  ***

  Saul found Lili tangling with a troll near the Arts building. Trolls usually hated fire, or so Saul had been taught, but this one paid little heed to the Lili's blasts. Saul opened his bag and pulled out a firebomb he and his classmates had come up with as one of their projects.

  “Hi, Sin!” he waved.

  “Not now!” She remained very focused on the troll, who swiped at her with open hands.

  “I think I might be able to help!”

  The troll, drawn by Saul's voice, turned and grabbed the satyr in its massive hand. Lili shot the troll in the eye and it flinched but kept his grip. Saul held the firebomb back toward her. “Light me up!”

  Lili, quick to catch on, lit the fuse. The troll opened its mouth but before it could get Saul inside, the satyr tossed the firebomb into its throat. It choked, gripping its neck with its free hand, and after a few seconds there was a loud bang and Saul dropped to the ground covered in entrails.

  ***

  The Arts building was silent, though there were still the muffled shouts and noises of combat from outside. Kyla kept her light orb low and ready to tap off in case she heard trouble. She followed the hallway into a lobby. She seldom came into the Arts building, but loved the pictures and statues that the students sometimes put on display here. However, the light orb now cast shadows that made everything look eerie. Kyla crept up to the wooden doors. Each door had a small window, and peering out she saw nothing but could hear the grunts and moans of a fight. A body slammed into the door, making her jump back. She needed to find a way to Haven Hall, but the battle was spreading across campus. She continued down the next corridor, hoping she might find a quiet back exit.

  About halfway down the corridor Kyla caught the scent of moonflowers. By itself this wasn't strange, as she smelled them quite often as of late, but this time there was also a low, melodic humming. She tapped off her light orb and peered into the next room. Nothing, but the humming and scent of flowers grew stronger as she pressed forward. In the third room, as she poked her head around the doorway to peer inside, she saw a woman. Kyla stopped moving and held her breath. The woman had long dark hair, and a long black dress, and fair skin. She was looking at her fingernails. Kyla felt the urge to speak with her, and slowly stood up. She felt she could trust this woman, and stepped inside the room.

  “Hello.” The woman spoke but didn't look at her. Her voice had a mysterious depth.

  It took a minute for Kyla to compose herself. This seemed a woman of great importance. “Hi. What are you doing in here?”

  “Quieter in here than out there.”

  “You don't look afraid.”

  The woman looked into Kyla's face. She had shimmering silver eyes. “Should I be?”

  “Yes. I think so.”

  “Well, I'm not. I can see you are, though you are facing it well. You appear to have been through a lot recently.”

  Kyla realized she must look rather odd. She was dirty, hadn't bathed in days, and was wrapped in a mammoth skin. “I guess I must look like some sort of crazed barbarian right now. How do you know I'm not one of them?”

  “One of who?”

  Did she not know? “The people attacking Equinox. You can hear them.”

  “I hear the fighting, yes. I didn't think you were one of them. How do you know I'm not one of them?”

  Kyla shrugged. “You aren't trying to kill me.”

  The woman smiled. “Not at the moment.”

  “Can I wait here for a minute? Just until the fight outside the doors is over. I need to meet my friends.”

  “That's fine.”

  Kyla shuffled closer and sat in one of the student chairs. “Thank you.”

  They both sat silent a moment. Kyla couldn't explain it, but this woman entranced her. She was so calm in the midst of all this chaos. “Who are you?” she finally gathered the courage to ask.

  “Call me Sophrosyne.”

  “I'm Kyla.”

  “It's a pleasure. I must ask, are you alright? You look like you've been through a terrible ordeal.”

  A voice in Kyla's mind told her she shouldn't be telling her secrets to someone she didn't know, but everything spilled out: Dunkin, Linkin, her plan to capture Erebus, the Digans and the aurichalcum, all up to her arrival in this room. Sophrosyne sat and listened patiently. When Kyla finished, the woman smiled. “Well I think you're quite a brave little thing to go head-to-head with Erebus.”

  “What are you doing here?” Kyla asked. “I'm sorry. I hope that isn't rude.”

  Sophrosyne shrugged. “Not rude, but let's focus on more important things. What is the next step in your plan?”

  “I need to find a smith to make this aurichalcum into a trap. And then I need to enchant it with liquid light, and then lure Erebus into it, and—”

  “Slow down. Let's focus on one task. You can't just go to any smith to work with aurichalcum.”

  “Oh.” There were still a lot of holes in her plan. No wonder nobody listened to her.

  “I've heard of one. The Royal Smith in High Haven. Many years ago he used to craft jewelry for the Royal Family. Aurichalcum was once a valuable metal for rings and pendants. I guess it still is, but hard to come by. The smith's name is Inda. Seek him out.” Sophrosyne paused. Outside was suddenly quiet. “Go find your friends. You may need their help.”<
br />
  “Thank you.” Kyla smiled before turning to find an exit, and sure enough the way was now clear, though she could still hear the cries and shouts of combat in the distance.

  ***

  Odd. Kyla knew she needed to find a smith named Inda in High Haven, but had no idea how she knew. All she could remember from her journey through the Arts building was the scent of moonflowers.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Plan in Action

  Kyla found Aspen first. Rather, she followed a trail of unconscious raiders to find Aspen contesting with a two-headed giant and some creature that looked like a big bug holding a spear. The dryad was flipping, twisting, and twirling, but with all her ability the pair were keeping pace. They were Avowed, after all, and much tougher than the boys she had fought on the proving ground. Kyla wanted to help but worried she might only distract Aspen, so she sat under a bush and watched. It was an awesome scene, the battle lit only by the flames on a nearby building, and reminded Kyla somewhat of the game the boys had been playing at Kyle's house on Halloween.

  The giant, armed with metal gauntlets, tried to smash Aspen but she dodged and smacked him across the kneecap. The giant howled in anger and took a swing, which Aspen ducked but this distracted her from the bug-man who raised his spear to impale the dryad. Kyla's heart skipped and she shouted a warning, but it was no matter; a white blur flew into view and Castor knocked the spear from the bug-man's hand. He landed in the square and Eunoe, armed with her own spear and covered in blood, took a stance in front of the bug-man who clicked and whistled. Then there was an inferno and the two-headed giant roared, turned to see Denzig, and ran. The bug-man scuttled into the shadows.

  Then it was quiet. Aspen and Eunoe looked around and, not seeing any more enemies, gave each other a hug. Denzig shrank down, and Kyla, somewhat stunned, finally stood up.

  “Kyla! You're ok!” Eunoe smiled. Aspen ran up and hugged Kyla so hard she choked. She noted the fallen bodies laying around the square. Some were likely villains, and some likely not. One, Kyla noted with sadness, looked like Burburt, though his face had been crushed so badly it was hard to tell for certain. She stared, frozen, as the seriousness of the situation starting to weigh on her.