The food was served and under orders they ate in silence. The only sound came from the head table where the elves spoke with Ryon.
Mavok sat at the end of the table with the new elve who moved the food around on his plate without eating.
"You should eat, we have a long journey ahead of us," Mavok said to him.
"How did you lose your eye?" the elve asked.
Mavok thought back and remembered the time when they were first on the elven island. "I was betrayed by someone that thought I had too many," Mavok jested. "They say your name is Balen"
"That is what they tell me," Balen said.
"Worry not, your memories will return once you are home," said Mavok.
"Is this not my home?" Balen asked. "This is where they say I changed"
"This was your home, but there is no place for elves upon this island. It was never a home before we left," replied Mavok.
Balen ate some of his food whilst Mavok watched the clerics, turning their heads to try and look at them. When the meal had finished the clerics were ordered out of the hall, once they had gone the hand of God turned to Mavok.
"Are you sure you will be off so soon?" Ryon asked. "There are rooms available if you wish to stay the night"
Mavok shook his head.
"The offer is kind, but we should go, there has been enough disruption to your path with just our presence here and we know that the winter storms will soon be upon the oceans, making the travel near impossible," said Mavok.
"I understand," Ryon said.
The elves and the grand masters left the hall and headed straight out into the yard, when they got to the gates the group stopped.
"Farewell Balen. May the blessings of God go with you and guide your path," said Ryon.
"Thank you," said Balen.
"Look after him," Ryon said to Mavok.
"He is in safe hands," said Mavok. "Come, let's go"
The group left with Balen in tow.
Fahru stand there and waved a farewell to his friend. They watched them walk the path towards the forest that would lead them back to the ocean when something dawned on Fahru. He turned to Ryon.
"We will need to tell his son," he said to the hand of God.
"Yes. I will have Jed draft a letter to be sent to nature's paradise," said Ryon. "The boy is not going to be happy with the news"
Fahru shook his head in agreement.
"No, this does not bode well for the boy's path. He will rebel and neglect his studies more so than he already does," the grand master said with a sigh.
"You will look after the child and ensure that he stays upon the path," said Ryon.
"Why me?" Fahru asked.
"You were Balen's friend. It is only right and I trust you to be able to teach the boy what he needs to know"
Fahru grumbled within but accepted the charge. The boy would have a hard time, but Fahru promised to set him straight upon his path.
chapter eleven
Danion had been eating his evening meal when the letter arrived for him, at first he did not understand it and ran along to his mother for her to read. By the time she had finished reading it out loud to him her voice shook and tears ran down her face.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
"Your father has left for the elven islands," Aly replied.
"Why?" Danion asked.
"He has ascended into an elve," Aly said before burying her head within the blankets and sobbing.
Danion did not know why her mother was so upset, but he lay down upon the bed with her and she wrapped her arms around him.
"What is wrong?" Danion asked.
"Your father has gone forever. He will not be at the monastery when you go back," said Aly.
Danion realised what this meant and he felt the tears welling up within his eyes and then fell, his mother's arms tightened around him.
"You can stay here as long as you want," his mother said, but he was not listening.
The boat rocked causing Balen to lean over the side and vomit what little was left in his stomach after the long voyage. They had been at sea for two days and he had been sick as soon as they set sail. With winds blowing them back and forth with large waves slapping against the hull and spraying over the boat covering Balen and the other elves with freezing water.
Mavok had told him that they should reach land by the end of the day and Balen could not wish it was sooner. The elder elve shifted over to him and gave him a flask of water.
"Sip from it. Big gulps and you will just bring it back up"
Balen sipped from the flask and then passed it back, the liquid burnt his throat and he began coughing. The elves began laughing and he scowled at them.
"A bit of fire whiskey to keep away the cold," said Mavok with a smile.
"It is horrible," said Balen.
"You will get used to it," said Mavok.
"Land ahead," called one of the elves.
They all turned to look to where to elve was now pointing. Far ahead of them was an edge sitting on top of the horizon.
"There we go, home sweet home," said Mavok. "Let's speed this up a bit"
Mavok stood up and steadied himself then walked to the end of the boat. He brought up his hands and then closed his eyes in concentration. Balen watched as the sails began to flutter and then grow taut as though a strong wind was gusting upon them.
"What is happening?" he called out as the boat began to pick up speed.
One of the other elves shifted over to him and introduced himself as Nate.
"He is using his essence to push us along, help us get to the island quicker," said the elve.
"Why did he not do that before?" Balen asked.
As if in answer the boat rocked and felt like it was going to tip over, then settled down once more.
"That is why," said Nate with a smile. "Hold on"
The boat picked up speed and what started as a thin line upon the horizon changed to a growing landscape with mountains and trees that every time they headed up a big wave he could see over the tops. But the trees were not the sight he was focused upon. Along the edge of the water stood the grandest place he had ever seen, beyond the city of the philosophers the towers and spire rose high into the sky and it seemed to dominate the view. The low hanging sun shone upon it making it gleam and sparkle, everything was white, it looked fresh and new as though it had been built recently.
"Welcome to the pride of the elves, the grand city of Elevar," said Nate.
Balen was lost for words at the splendour of what lay before them, the boat slowed down as they entered a port, small boats bobbed on the waves, many holding the equipment for fishing.
"How many elves live here?" Balen asked Nate.
"Several thousand at least, the number of new arrivals has been slowing in the past few decades. You are the first one in six years," Nate replied.
"I remember something," said Balen.
"The memories that were restricted will begin to flow back. You will be taken to be processed and then to a hospital where they will help you recover the memories," said, Nate. "What can you remember?"
"Something about the elves. You can't have children so how are there so many of you still?" Balen asked.
Nate smiled at him.
"It is a great secret that the elves keep to themselves. We are long-lived, much longer than the humans. Why our leader must be close to a thousand years old by now," said Nate.
"One thousand," said Balen with amazement.
"The only way we die is by something killing us. Even disease and illness are no longer a problem as our use of essence has improved"
"What is essence?" Balen asked.
"You have a lot of questions," said Mavok as he walked across the boat. "They will all be answered in time, now get ready as we are about to dock"
The boat came to a soft stop by one of the stone piers and an elve that stood there grabbed the rope that Mavok threw then tied it to a small post that was fixed into the stone. They climbe
d out of the boat and Balen was lead along the pier and into the city. Elves seemed to be everywhere, walking back and forth all with a purpose.
"What does everyone do?" Balen asked.
"It is just like any other settlement, community or city. Everybody has a purpose, everybody is part of something," said Nate.
"What do you do?" He asked.
"I was amongst the first to arrive on this island, that was three centuries ago. I am one of the leaders of this fine city," Nate said.
"You are a leader?"
Nate nodded.
"Why did you come on this voyage to collect me?" Balen asked as they walked along a straight path in the distance stood a building larger than the rest in the city. Nate saw where he was looking.
"That is the palace of elves. Where our leaders work to better the elven race and rule with justice and piety. Of course, I am biased about it but to answer your question I as well as Mavok were curious to see a new elve. It has been many years so we chose to take on the mission"
"Mavok is a leader too?"
"One of our highest and most revered leaders," said, Nate.
"Just another old man that is glad to be home," said Mavok as he passed by them and turned to look at Balen. Something about the elve was familiar to Balen and the memory built up within his mind.
"I know you," said Balen.
Mavok stopped and so did the rest of the group. "What do you mean? We have only just met," said the leader.
"Your face is familiar to me, I have seen it before," said Balen.
The image of a small island floated around his mind. On it was a building that he knew contained carvings of strange animals. At the front of the building, were two statues and that was where he had seen Mavok's face before though he had both eyes on the statue. The fleeting image of a woman came and went and he felt his heart skip a beat as it did.
'Who was she' he wondered.
"There is a statue of you on a small island surrounded by water," said Balen.
"Unity," said Mavok.
"What is that?" Balen asked.
Mavok looked at the elve, he tried not to think about Unity. So long had passed since he had been there that it was a distant memory in the back of a dark part of his mind. The community had been welcoming to humans that had ascended when no-one else would. It cost them a lot of blood to do so in the battle that followed Mavok's arrival there.
He was surprised to know a statue had been erected of him there though he did help win the battle to think himself immortal as a symbol did not sit well with him.
"It is a community back on the human islands. You will remember what you know about it in time. The sooner we get you to the hospital, the sooner you will have these memories back," said Mavok. "Now let's go"
They carried on walking and came right up to the palace where grand steps led to thick wooden doors carved with the representations of the guardians. Mavok looked up to one of the towers where he lived with the woman he loved, but reuniting with her would have to wait. He had to escort the new elve to the hospital and then make a report to the other leaders. They would have many questions about the state of affairs over there and he had much that the clerics had told them.
They turned left and walked for a short while before arriving at the hospital, a building that seemed brighter and cleaner than all the others around it. Inside they practiced the art of medicine and manipulating essence to heal the body. They walked up a few steps and entered a hallway where elves wearing white cloaks walked around talking o elves that came in for treatment. One of them saw the group enter and hurried over.
"Leader Mavok. How good it is to see you, I hope that you are not unwell or injured," said the elve.
Mavok took the arm of the elve in greeting. "Fair day to you Mel. It has been a while but no I am not unwell. I have just returned from the human island," said Mavok.
"I did hear that you had made the crossing. I am glad those barbarians left you in one piece," said Mel who then turned and looked at Balen. "This must be the new elve that has joined us"
Mavok nodded. "Yes, he needs memory treatment and installation within the city," he said.
"Of course, we will take good care of him. Please send my best wishes to Rinne, it has been many days since she was last here," said Mel.
"If I know her, it won't be too much longer before she finds trouble. I am surprised she didn't go looking for it whilst I was away," said Mavok.
They shared a laugh and then Mavok watched as Mel led Balen away who turned to look back at them.
"We will meet again Balen and you can tell me about the statue you saw," Mavok called before leading the group back out of the hospital.
Balen walked through several hallways that had rows of doors, some closed and some that were open with elves receiving treatment for a variety of illnesses and injuries. Mel then took him up several flights of stairs until his head began to swim and he breathed.
"You get used to all the walking after a while," Mel said as they walked through another hallway, this one seemed empty and only one door.
"What is in there?" Balen asked.
"A living area for you, the memory recall can take some time. It is not an exact science and effects people in different ways. You will stay here until you are ready to be given a job and live in the community," replied Mel.
"You make it sound like I have a sickness," said Balen.
"In a way it is like that. Life here on the Elven Island can be overwhelming at first, but I will be here at all stages of the process to help and guide you," said Mel who unlocked the door with a key attached to a belt he wore. "Do you have any questions?"
"How old are you?" Balen asked.
Mel laughed.
"What is funny?"
"You wouldn't believe how often that question is asked by new arrivals," Said Mel "I am just over two hundred years old"
'Two hundred' Balen thought.
"How old are you?" Mel asked him.
"I don't remember," replied Balen.
Mel opened the room and entered, inviting him in. "Then let's get started on that," said the elve.
Balen walked in and looked at the room he would be living in.
chapter twelve
Mavok bid the others farewell as they went off to go about their own tasks. They had walked straight back to the palace and entered the grandest hallway that had ever been constructed. The walls were covered in murals that depicted the building of the city and the foundations that led to its creation.
The arched ceiling with plaster decorations painted in gold, glowed in the light given off by flameless torches and powered by essence from those that practiced fire lighting. Mavok walked in a hurry, hoping to avoid any unnecessary distractions but it was not meant to be. His reappearance meant that news from the human islands had come and everyone was curious to know. He turned away all their questions, not wanting to pull his weight as a leader but sometimes it was required.
"You will all find out at the elders meeting. I have things to do for now," he said to those that tried to stop him
He began to make his way up the winding staircase of the central tower and into another hallway. It irked him that the elves insisted on building such grand buildings. Their love of architecture came from a builder that had lived longer than all the elves and who was from a time before the humans followed the paths of knowledge and elves began to appear.
Zalon was the high elder of the elves. He had lived close to a thousand years and not aged a day since he ascended. Already old when he changed the elder looked wise but his knowledge and ability with manipulating the essence far surpassed anyone else. He continued the long walk to the end of another decorated hallway and through the doors that led to the council chamber where all matters of state are decided. Here all the leaders of the elves met to discuss the running of the city.
The chamber was round and set into levels that rose up, denoting what level of elder each elve was. Near the top sat three chairs, two
of them were filled and the empty one was his.
"So you have returned. With success I am assuming," Alack's voice called down.
"Welcome," said Zalon in cheerful tone as he knew it annoyed Mavok to hear.
"Yes. It was successful. The new elve was there and already ascended," said Mavok as he climbed up to join them.
"Drat. I was hoping that we had sorted that problem so that you would get there before they changed," said Zalon.
"Maybe next time," said Mavok.
"If there is a next time," Alack pointed out.
‘It was true’ thought Mavok, the ascensions had become low and they had yet to find a cause for the problem.
"Remember the days when we first created the warning, the damn thing wouldn't stop going off," Alack laughed.
"They have a statue of me at Unity," Mavok interrupted as he got to his seat and near enough fell into it.
"What makes you so special to get a statue?" Zalon asked sounding hurt.
"There may be one of you there," he said. "The new elve regained a memory of it when we got here, I will ask for more details when he has full control back"
"Did he show any sign of is talents with essence?" Alack asked.
"No, it didn't come up," said Mavok.
They had learned long ago now when more elves began to arrive on the island that many would show talent with certain aspects of essence use. Whether it be to control the elements of the wind, earth, fire and water. To healing and the gift of life. The elves were sorted into their tasks within the city and into its surrounding land.
"So another cleric has joined us and that will make the guardian worshippers happy," said Alack.
They all shared a laugh, although the three of them knew that the guardians were real, there was a sect of elves that worshipped them like Gods, seeking out any that would listen to their sermons and follow the way they believe the guardians think they should live. They were harmless so were allowed to continue.
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