by Lana Axe
The rest of the crowd shouted their approval. Grabbing two apples, the man tossed one high into the air. Mel threw first. His knife sliced the apple in two halves and stuck fast in the ground. The second apple flew, and Mel's competitor tossed his knife towards it. The knife's handle bounced off the apple and fell flat in the dirt.
The crowd roared and Oli shouted, “Pay up!”
Mel's competitor was livid. His face reddened as he marched towards the man who had thrown the apples. He punched him square in the face. Quickly, a brawl ensued amongst the crowd.
Mel preferred to stay out of the mess, so he walked back into the inn and sat down next to Thinal.
“Did you win?” she asked.
“Yep,” he replied, downing another mug of ale.
Chapter 13
“Father, the creature's body has been taken to the House of Medicine for inspection by the Elders,” Isandra said as she approached River. She was his eldest daughter and favored her mother in looks, except she had her father's deep blue eyes. Her temperament, however, was quite different from her mother. She was a warrior who preferred armor and swords to gowns and jewelry.
“Thank you, Isandra,” River said, laying a hand on her shoulder. “Shall we go and have a look at it?”
“It's a horrible, ugly thing,” Isandra said, frowning. “I've never seen anything quite like it. We found it dead about three days away from our village. It was seriously wounded by the dryad but managed to flee quite a distance before succumbing to its injuries.”
Together they headed for the House of Medicine. It was near mid-day and a soft rain was falling. River paused and turned his face toward the sky, allowing the tiny droplets to settle upon his face. As he took a deep breath in, fresh, sweet-smelling air filled his nostrils. Opening his sapphire eyes, he turned and smiled at his daughter. They continued on their way.
Reaching their destination, they saw a few of the Elders had already gathered outside the door. They nodded in turn, acknowledging River as he passed by.
Inside, the creature's body had been placed on a soft bed. Despite its fierce appearance, its face seemed peaceful in death. River approached silently and laid his hands upon its furry head. A blue light surrounded the lifeless body.
Isandra watched her father silently as the Elders entered the room. They observed River as he examined the creature. Any information he could glean from it would help them decide what course of action to pursue. His face was serene as he penetrated the creature's mind with his magic. Many of its secrets would be revealed to him.
“This was once a woman from the Kingdom of Na'zora,” River began, speaking softly. “Some evil has bound her essence. A very dark magic has combined her with the essence of a wolf from the Wildlands. Her every action has been controlled by sorcery. She was commanded to kidnap a dryad and return her to her master.”
“Who is her master?” Elder Rellin asked.
River removed his hands from her head and looked at the Elders. “She does not know his name or location. It is a compulsion that draws her to him. Her own will is long since gone. These are only fading memories that I can read. Had she been found sooner, perhaps I could learn more.”
“Will they try again?” Brandor inquired, his face concerned.
“I have no doubt of it,” River replied. “She was unable to succeed in her task, and I do not believe her master would give up easily.”
“I will see that patrols are increased even more,” Isandra said, bowing her respect to the Elders. Promptly, she turned and left to tend to her duties.
“What should we do with the body?” Rellin asked.
“Treat it with respect,” River replied. “This was not always a creature of evil. She deserves her dignity in death.”
Rellin nodded. River turned to leave, followed by Brandor.
Outside, the gentle rain had ended, and the clouds gave way to a bright blue sky. Small droplets of water still lingered on the lush green foliage of the Vale. Elves walked about the village casually, going about their business.
“River, my friend,” Brandor said. “Do you have any idea who could be behind this?”
“Someone evil, obviously,” River said with a sigh. “But a name I cannot give you. Nor have I seen this person's face. Where he is, and who he is, I simply do not know. All I know for sure is that he has not touched the Blue River, nor have these creatures. If they are indeed on both banks, they must be coming from the south and entering the land from the sea. Whoever is controlling them does not want me to know.”
“That is a most distressing thought,” Brandor said, shaking his head. “Not many people know that we are still here. Then again, it could just be superstition keeping them from the river. Tales of our people have been told in many lands. I'm sure most people think we are just a myth.”
“Perhaps,” River said, contemplating the idea. “With malice being their only intent, they would find crossing the river impossible. If they had tried, I would have seen it.”
“Since they did not try,” Brandor began, “then it probably wasn't just out of superstition. Whoever it is, he must be stopped.” After a few moments of silence, he asked, “Could it be Telorithan?”
“It could be, but I doubt it. His method of binding a living being's essence is quite different. I suppose he could have learned a new way that requires less power, but he lives in his tower and has everything he has ever wanted. He has no reason to do this.”
“Trying to understand a mind of evil is like trying to tame the wind itself.” Brandor's voice was grave as he spoke.
River clapped his hand on Brandor's back and smiled. “I could not catch it or tame it, but I could try speaking with it. Perhaps the wind holds the answers we seek.”
* * * * *
Evening arrived in the Vale heralded by the soft hooting of an orange-eyed owl. The sky was clear and full of stars as Lenora sat at her dresser brushing her long, golden hair. She sat down her silver brush and slipped into a long white nightdress. A soft breeze blew in from her balcony, and she welcomed its caress on her cheek.
River approached from behind and kissed her softly on her neck. “Good evening, love,” he said.
She turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his lips, looked up at him, and smiled. Taking his hand, she led him into the bedroom. He sat at the edge of the bed while Lenora went to her dresser to retrieve the hairbrush.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed behind him, she began loosening the braids he wore accenting each side of his long brown hair. Lenora herself had braided it that morning as usual. Every evening, she would loosen the braids and brush out his hair. It was a simple routine, but one she performed lovingly.
When she had finished brushing his hair, she kissed his temple and massaged his shoulders. Then, she helped him out of his clothing and into a pale blue nightshirt.
Fiddling with the white stone ring on her finger, she asked, “What troubles you, dear?”
Taking in a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he answered, “Many things.”
“Lie back and ease your mind,” she said.
Lying across the bed, he placed his head in her lap and closed his eyes. She placed a hand gently on his cheek and kissed his forehead. Softly, she began to hum while running her fingers through his hair.
Smiling, River opened his eyes and said, “I love you, Lenora, more than anything.”
“I love you too, my River,” she responded.
She moved and placed her head upon his chest and laid her hand over his heart. He embraced her as they settled in for the night. Serenity descended throughout the room as the night crept over the Vale.
Chapter 14
“Tu'vad, my lord,” the mine supervisor called as he came running towards him.
Tu'vad turned and watched the middle-aged man as he ran. They must have discovered a very large gem.
“My lord,” the man said, out of breath. “Look at this.”
He opened his hand and held it out for Tu'va
d's inspection. Inside his palm were golden flecks. They had discovered gold in one of the gem mines. The flecks were very small, but perhaps there were a lot more to be found.
“Who else is aware of this?” Tu'vad demanded.
“Just the miner who found it, sir. I came to you straight away.”
“Good,” Tu'vad replied. “I'd like to keep this secret. Take a few miners and separate them from the others. Have them mine only for the gold, and store any that you find in separate carts from the gems. Do not mention this to anyone else. Is that clear?”
“Yes, my lord,” he replied.
Tu'vad could not believe his luck. He could keep this discovery quiet and not have to share it with Ulda. His master was so busy with his other work that a little gold should easily go unnoticed. Besides, what use did Ulda have for gold? He had his unlimited power source of human souls. Gold was nothing to him, but it meant great wealth for Tu'vad. He had to survive in the world of men where money brings ultimate power. This discovery was an excellent bonus to accompany the lands and titles Ulda was going to give him. Once he had acquired a sizeable amount of gold, he would simply kill the miners who knew about it. No one else would ever know.
* * * * *
A row of young children sat wide-eyed and terrified in Ulda's laboratory. The spiderlings had grown and were ready for the Soulbinders to practice splicing them with the souls of the children.
“As you can see, it doesn't matter the age of your specimen when you are working with humans,” Ulda proclaimed. “It only matters how frightened they are. A young specimen can power your enchantments just as effectively as an older one. Brave warriors do produce a stronger enchantment, most likely due to the fact that they are more difficult to frighten. For them, it's best to capture them, torture them, and harm the ones they love. Even if you only say you're harming them, it will suffice. That is, of course, only if you aren't able to get your hands on their actual family.”
Ulda had been practicing for several days and learning new techniques quite often. The process was becoming smoother and quicker. Soon, he would begin practicing on elves, but for now he had a fairly steady supply of humans just waiting to be used.
“Are the spider creatures superior to the wolves, master?” a Soulbinder asked.
“In some ways, yes,” he replied. “Spiders instill a special fear in many people. Even though a wolf is more capable of harm, humans seem to have an innate fear of the spider. That makes our work of soul binding much easier. Also, these spiders have a specially designed exoskeleton that I've created with the dust from our ruined binding gems. Fragments and tiny gems that serve no other use are now providing protection for our creations.”
Ulda was beaming with pride. He was certain that this dust could also be used to create armor for his Soulbinders, his troops, and any other creatures he wished to conjure. It would provide better protection than metals or leathers. He just needed to keep working and soon the process would be perfected.
“Alright, Soulbinders,” he said. “Choose a child, and let's see how you're progressing.”
The Soulbinders each stood in front of a child. One child, a red-haired little girl, tried to run away. She was promptly stopped by a guard who kicked her legs from under her and dragged her back to the row of children. The other children sat frozen in terror.
“Now, bind these children and merge each with a spiderling. If you succeed, the creature will be in your command. If not, you will have to obtain another child yourself before trying again.”
Beams of purple light shot from the Soulbinders onto the children. They twisted and screamed but remained locked in the Soulbinders' magic. Blinding flashes began filling the room, and within minutes, twenty-five new creatures stood awaiting their commands. All of the Soulbinders had succeeded. Their diligent practice had paid off.
At nearly five feet tall with black and yellow markings, the spider hybrids were quite a terrifying sight. With foot-long pincers and a score of eyes set atop their heads, they would inspire the necessary fear to ease the binding of hundreds of souls.
“Well done, well done!” Ulda shouted and clapped his hands. His Soulbinders were ready, and his creatures were ready. It was time to test their abilities in battle. A raid on another small village would be just the thing.
“Slave!” Ulda called. A young boy ran to his side immediately. “Take a message to General Fru. Tell him to prepare battle plans for my Soulbinders and their minions. It's time for another raid.”
Chapter 15
The midday sun baked down on Duana's marketplace as Mel and Thinal casually browsed the local wares. One booth in particular caught Thinal's eye. The merchants were selling metal and glass jewelry along with various trinkets and baubles.
Browsing inside the booth, she noticed a hairpin adorned with a brightly colored glass butterfly. She picked it up and twirled it with her fingers. She smiled shyly at Mel.
“That's very pretty,” he said.
“It is,” she replied.
“And it would look lovely on you,” he added.
Mel did not carry many of the coins used for trade in Na'zora. Occasionally, he would trade wares for a small amount of them, but they were virtually worthless among the Wild Elves. Today, however, he did have a few of them on his person.
“How much?” Thinal asked, holding the pin up towards the merchant.
“Ten coppers,” he replied, “but for someone as lovely as yourself, I'll make it five.”
Mel fiddled in the small bag he wore on his belt and counted out five coppers. Handing them to the merchant, he said, “Thank you.”
“Thank you, young sir,” he replied pocketing the coins.
Thinal quickly removed the small leather strap that was holding back her ponytail and began twisting her hair up and tucking in the ends. She stuffed the pin into her twisted hair and turned her head side to side so that Mel might observe how the glass caught the light.
“You look lovely,” he said, kissing her cheek.
“Thank you, Mel.”
Thinal took his arm, and they continued through the marketplace. They passed a booth full of fine silks which an elf could scarcely hope to afford. Thinal brushed a hand lightly over a pale orange fabric and commented on its softness.
As they walked, they became aware that some of Duana's citizens were observing them curiously. Very few Wild Elves ever visited this far north in Na'zora. More southern villages such as Enald were used to the elven presence, but here they were something of a curiosity. The children seemed the most interested and did not turn their heads when the two elves looked in their direction. For the most part, the adults were polite, although they seemed a little distrusting. That was to be expected, however, as elves were not generally quick to trust humans either.
One bold little boy finally found the courage to approach them. “Are you elves?” he asked.
“Yes, we are,” Thinal replied, smiling.
“Is that why your ears are pointy?”
“Yes, just as yours are round because you're human.”
“Why is he so short?” the child asked, pointing at Mel.
“Because I didn't eat all my vegetables,” Mel barked.
“My Daddy says it's eating meat that will make me tall,” the little boy replied matter-of-factly, his hands on his hips.
“Mel is only teasing you,” Thinal said, laughing. “Among our kind, men are generally a bit shorter than the ladies. It makes it easier to hunt and hide in the thick forests. They're also the best archers in all of Nōl'Deron.”
“I've heard about that,” the boy said eagerly. “I've heard the girls are good with swords too!”
“You're right we are. We carry long, broad swords that require both hands to use.”
The child's eyes went wide with amazement as Thinal drew her blade and knelt down for the child to observe it. The shining blade was etched with runes that resembled leaves on a vine. He touched his hand to the green and black stones that decorated the hilt
.
All of a sudden, a terrified scream pierced the air. It was quickly followed by more screaming and people running towards the market.
“Run! Hide!” Thinal yelled to the boy, who promptly took her advice.
Mel drew his bow, and together they ran towards the source of the screaming. The city guard was only a few hundred feet behind them, their weapons drawn. Terrified townspeople were fleeing through the city. Something was coming from the Wildlands.
Mel quickly climbed to the top of a nearby house to have a better look over the crowd. Thinal, sword ready, waited at the bottom. In the distance, Mel could see what had sent the townspeople fleeing. Four huge spiders, nearly as tall as he was, were making their way toward Duana. Behind them, two figures sitting atop wildcats pointed their fingers and shouted orders at the spiders.
“Giant spiders!” he yelled down to Thinal.
“What?” she asked dumbfounded.
Without replying, Mel began firing arrows as soon as the spiders were in range. Thinal ran to join the city guard in their fight against the creatures. Two guards had already been taken down by webs, and beams of purple light were extending from their struggling forms to the hooded figures riding the wildcats.
These were sorcerers, Thinal realized. Instead of fighting wolfish monsters as she had expected, she was now fighting giant spiders. Things were definitely getting more and more strange in the world of men.
Avoiding the purple beams, Thinal ran towards one of the spiders. It saw her coming and tossed a web. She dodged, pirouetting to her right, and was quickly confronted by a second spider. Bringing her sword down in one quick motion, she removed a leg from the spider. Pus began spewing from the wound, and she coughed as the stench reached her nostrils.
Without missing a step, she swung behind the stunned creature and brought down another blow on its back. It fell to the ground under the weight of her sword. Quickly, she positioned herself beside it and sliced its head from its body. This time the stench was nearly overwhelming, but she managed to compose herself and carry on.