by Gene Rager
“Ileana died in that fortress, a sesquech killed her!” Lela nearly cried again.
“She isn’t dead.” Twill countered.
“How do you know all this?” Nathan asked suspecting yet another trap.
“I am a forest sprite, a spirit if you will, and nothing happens in this forest without me knowing it! Now young man, give me your word that upon death you will not burn this world down as you were planning earlier. If you do this I will help you out of those binding bracelets.” Twill said patiently.
“I promise upon death not to burn this world down.” Nathan said.
With a smile Twill snapped his fingers and both of the charmed bracelets fell to the ground at Nathan and Lela’s feet. “Now as I realize that you can still destroy the Sevol, I ask that you consider the Dark Queen’s disappointment in your plans, and go help your friend.” Twill said just before he vanished Nathan looked at Lela, and considered Twill’s words. They would get their stuff and go rescue Ileana from this sesquech, and return to the castle. That was a good plan right? He hoped so for all their sakes. First things were first, Nathan healed the four gashes on his leg, and he turned to Lela and said, “I know where they are keeping our things right now. I will go inside the hut and get our stuff. Stay here for a minute, I will be back and we will get Ileana from the fortress and then go back to the Elven Castle. Does that sound okay to you Lela?”
“Yes, but hurry up, who knows what horrors Ileana is going through!” Lela said quietly.
Nathan crept back to the supply hut. The guards had not moved an inch since the first time he was there. Then he had an idea. Nathan crept to the back of the hut and traced a hole big enough for him to crawl through. He retraced the line this time using his magic he cut through the back of the hut. Inside the hut he found their packs and Ileana’s bow. Quietly he pulled the back packs up together, they weighed too much, quietly he repacked his pack with food and the hunting knives. He found Lela’s sword propped up against the inside of the entrance to the hut. He crept up to the snoring guard’s leg and pulled the sword from against the wall. Once he got everything together he left out the hole he made and was going back to where he left Lela. Once reunited they ran back to the fortress to rescue Ileana or slay her killer!
Chapter 31
“Where am I?” Ileana said, a quick bolt of pain rammed into her head. Why did she have such a headache?
A hissing sound drew her attention to the right of her. “Who are you? A better question is what are you? You are not a sesquech!” She stated flatly.
The hissing became a hissing chuckle, and finally a full blown laugh.
“Figured it out did you? What gave me away?”
“The sesquech is a terrible brute of a beast that has armor like scales, ferociously tears its victims apart, and hunts in packs! What gave you away is I woke up!” Ileana said defiantly.
“How do you know so much about the sesquech” The voice countered.
“Everyone knows these things about the sesquech! It is common knowledge.” Ileana noticed her arms were tied to a chair.
“Here is a bit of knowledge that isn’t so common about the sesquech…they don’t exist!”
Ileana’s mouth dropped open. How could anyone be so ignorant of one of the land’s most deadly predators!
“They do exist you moron! People have seen them for years prowling around sheep and cattle! Why farmers have been mauled and killed by the sesquech.”
“Have you ever seen one before?”
“I have never seen a sesquech, but then again I have never seen anything before, I am blind you idiot!” Ileana nearly screamed at the top of her lungs.
“Well that is just great! Then all this didn’t do anything at all!” The disappointment traveled to Ileana’s ears to land flat.
“The one person I decide to reveal myself to and she can’t see! Way to go Galvin! Way to go!” he chided himself.
“Galvin how about you untie me and we talk.” Ileana coaxed.
“Not yet, I have to answer your second question. You know my name is Galvin, but you do not know what I am. I am the seventh generation of splintered, and you are tied to a chair at my mercy!” Galvin waited for her response of terror, and when it didn’t come he grew frustrated.
“Well, don’t you have anything to say? A shriek of terror, a cry for mercy, or something? You do know what the splintered is don’t you?”
“I am sorry Galvin, but no.” Ileana’s face showed no signs of fright or even nervousness. Deep inside she was terrified, she knew what the splintered was, but as long as she could keep him off guard she might stay alive. Without warning the ropes slipped from her wrists.
“Okay, let’s talk you and I, so what is your name?” Galvin asked.
“Ileana, and why have you kidnapped me?”
“A better question Ileana is why are you so friendly with one of the elves that caused your village to become a ghost town?” Galvin countered.
Ileana was in shock and then rage rang through her body. Why would he accuse Lela of destroying her village? It made no sense! He was obviously lying, but why? She decided to play along, surely Lela or Nathan would come to rescue her. Lela probably escaped to come back with weapons to slay the sesquech, when the first spear thrust or flame wall appeared her little liar would be in for a rude awakening!
“I am gaining her confidence so she will let her guard down and then I will strike! I will take her boyfriend and when she is at her lowest I will drive my blade into her heart!” Ileana said with as much conviction as she could.
“That’s a good tale to tell, but to my knowledge you have never used a knife only a bow and arrow. I know you think I am lying to you. I know very well the treachery of the elven people, but in a way I have to thank them. You have to understand the elves created me.” Galvin said thoughtfully.
The shock was too much to hide; Ileana sat in the chair with a surprised look on her face. Galvin seeing her shock knew she felt the truth in his words. His bitterness had not waned in the years that had followed his defeat at the hands of the elf king. Galvin swallowed his rage and proceeded with his story.
“I know that my credibility is questionable right now, but what would I gain from telling you that the elf woman you were with, caused your once prosperous village to lie in ruin, because of a curse she put on it?”
“Do not answer my question yet. Instead I will tell you of my beginnings and of my knowledge of the elves. You can be the judge of what you want to believe.”
“If I chose not to believe you, are you going to kill me like the Sevol Queen wants you to?” Ileana asked quietly.
“You are not going to die here Ileana. After my story I will help you leave here, but you can never tell any of the elves that we talked. If you tell them I am still able to think they will hunt me down and finish what the elf king started all those years ago. Is it a deal?” Galvin asked.
“Sure, but I know Lela would never do such a horrible thing, she is a good person.” Ileana said.
“We will see. My story begins around the time the Dark King came into power. The lone monarch seemed harmless enough at the time. He would threaten to take over land and rally a small army to stand at the boarders of his small kingdom, but no one feared the small king in his tiny kingdom. After all he had no huge army, or massive weapons, but the elves did fear him. They saw in him a tiny spark that if ever fed would ignite into a giant fire that would sweep across the land leaving only a barren waste land in its wake.
The elves decided to make an army of their own, one that could change shape infiltrate a camp and attack at a moment’s notice. They were thinking of me. I was the first magically created weapon the elves made. A living breathing killing machine, but with one flaw…I could think. One day while enduring a torturous training session it occurred to me to question why I should kill someone they pointed to? They did not like a war machine that questioned authority. They decided I was not to be trusted, and to destroy me before I could escape.�
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“Wait a moment Galvin, I always heard that you started the fight between you and the elves.”
“In history the people that win get to right their version of what happened. In reality I was the creation and slave to the elves. I wanted my freedom and they tried to kill me for it! So I attacked a few small bands of elves the weak spots in their net to capture me. The elves responded by sending the best of their troops to the decoy attack to allow me to escape. After that it became a matter of hiding in whatever shape I wanted. After the monumental defeat of the dreaded splintered the elves turned to outside help for their magical warriors, do you care to venture a guess as to who that job fell to Ileana?”
“The mages.” She said with understanding.
“The mages, very good. I knew you were a fast learner. The elves used the mages to wage war on the Dark King until he took his bride. She was an ambitious woman who became the Dark Queen. A funny thing happened after her rise to power, their army grew rapidly. Soon the darkness spread like the elves always feared it would, but instead of fighting it themselves they relied on the mages to fight for them, saving their troops the heavy casualties they would endure. The mages however, are not so lucky now the Queen has them captured and more than likely killed when they appear now.” Galvin fell silent for a moment.
“I suppose the young man with you is the newest mage, isn’t he?”
“Yes he is, I love him, though I don’t know how he feels about me.”
“Guard your heart young one, or it will surely be broken. The last mage fell in love with the elf woman and met his doom because of it!”
Ileana began to question everything she knew about Lela. She had not mentioned anything about her home, and she always seemed to be hiding something. Ileana’s suspicion circled her mind like a wild dog. It seemed possible that Lela could have had something to do with her home being cursed. The strange man Galvin seemed to be certain the elves had caused his existence as well. Could Nathan be in danger from the elves, was he just a weapon to be tossed away the moment he was broken?
“By your silence I can see you are thinking over what I have told you. I will show you how to escape this dreadful fortress, but remember do not tell the elves of me. They will certainly kill me and possibly you if they think you know any of the things I have told you. I leave the final judgment as to if the elves are evil or not to you.”
Galvin took Ileana’s wrist gently and lead her through a passage that she had not experienced before she felt cold as if the dungeon water had engulfed her and yet she stayed dry. In an instant she felt the warm morning sun on her face. The chirping of birds and crickets greeted her ears. She turned to where Galvin had been standing to thank him for the way out only to find thin air. Moments later she heard the sound of footsteps coming her way. Ileana hid in the brush beside her and waited for the people to pass.
“I don’t know why you feel we need to come back here Nathan. Ileana is dead, killed by that monster. We should be trying to get back to the castle.” Lela stated flatly.
“Not yet Lela I have to find her, I have to know for certain that she is dead and not just injured.”
Nathan’s voice caressed Ileana’s ears with its gentleness. Ileana thought about revealing herself, but Galvin’s words had her bolted to the ground. Maybe if she could get Nathan alone, but not while Lela was with him. Lela went to the fortress first, her footsteps were always lighter than Nathan’s and whispered something. The smell of smoke filled the air. Magic! She used magic! They had run around that fortress for how many hours and all she had to do was speak a few words and they could have been running to safety! Galvin was right! The elf was treacherous! She purposefully led them around in circles trying to get her killed by the sesquech so she could have Nathan as a living weapon for her father! That bitch!
Lela crept in to the fortress trying to stay as silent as possible. To Ileana’s ears Nathan was like a rampaging bog steer running through the fortress, he never seems to be able to be quiet like the hunters in her old village used to be.
Nathan passed within grabbing distance of Ileana. Ileana sprung from the shadows clamping a hand over Nathan’s mouth. Nathan let out a surprised squeak until Ileana’s hand muffled it to nothing. She spun Nathan around and kissed him. Ileana inhaled Nathan’s breath taking in the scents of where he had been. She gave herself over to her passions putting a light hand to his face drawing the kiss out like an eternity.
Ileana remembered what Galvin had told her and quickly began to relate the terrible history to Nathan, finishing with the elves use of the mages as weapons. Nathan’s response was not what she expected.
“I know of some of it like Lela cursing your village, but the Sevol history, and the splintered’s creation by the elves is a total shock. It seems the elves have been misleading me from day one!” Nathan’s fist tightened, Lela, after all we have been through was just using him as the elves always used the mages.
With a gentle touch Nathan placed the bow back in Ileana’s hands. The flash of red illuminated her eyes; there were no more shadows or empty darkness to hide from Ileana the Demon Archer! She would take revenge on those that had destroyed her life! If Lela tried to stop her…well she would suffer the fate of all the people who had tried to steal from her!
A sly grin split Ileana’s face; Lela didn’t know what she had learned. This was perfect, she had her bow, and all she had to do was wait to be found. Galvin had left her the moment they had made it outside. Now was the time to strike, But what about Nathan? Was he with her or did the wretched elf bitch still have him wrapped around her little finger?
“Nathan, sweetie, would you kiss me again it was wonderful!” Ileana coaxed.
“Sure…” was all he could say before Ileana’s mouth covered his. The sensation felt wonderful! She really hated having to do what was next. With a deft movement she spun Nathan around while bringing her arm around his neck with a quick movement her fist was nestled in the crook of her other arm cutting off the air to Nathan’s lungs!
He tried to struggle, but the darkness engulfed him. Nathan had the sensation of falling, but couldn’t move his arms to cushion the impact. Okay he was spending too much time unconscious in this world. He could no longer feel his body, and imagined he would wake up tied up more than likely. Lela on the other hand would probably not be so lucky. Ileana was pissed, and would more than likely confront Lela. He couldn’t help either one if he wanted to, how had everything spun so far out of control so fast?
Ileana lowered Nathan to the ground, he would understand. He had to. It was for his own good! She would kill Lela and take him back into her village. She would explain how much she loved him and in this world you protected those you love, even if it was from themselves! Ileana shook her head. He would understand, and if he didn’t? The thought frightened her, she could lose his love forever if she didn’t tread lightly.
Ileana pushed all that to the side and focused on killing the elven princess. Slowly she scanned the area and finally picked up Lela’s heat signature. This was it! She would kill Lela and take everything away from the elves! Maybe after she seduced Nathan she would tell the Dark Queen the elves where defenseless.
Lela sensed she was being watched, the Sesquech would feel the wrath of her fire now! She wasn’t as powerful as Nathan, but she could enhance the blade of her sword with fire causing it to slice through the tough hide like it was air!
Slowly she turned with the blade bared, a few words and the blade burst into flames! Ileana’s face was illuminated by the light a split second before the arrow flew from her bow. Lela blocked the arrow with her sword in a lightning fast movement.
“Why did you shoot at me Ileana?” Lela cried. Her heart had leapt into her throat with joy when she saw her comrade only to be replaced with bile from blocking a shot that would have ended her life.
“You and your kind destroyed Santrose! You created the Sevol, and the splintered, and you are using Nathan as a weapon! How dare you feign to be the
victim when it is the other inhabitants of this world that have been your victims all along?” The accusation hit Lela like a fist. The following two arrows didn’t help her understanding of everything that was just said.
“Who told you this? Was it the Sevol, or someone else?” Lela screamed.
“None of your business!” An arrow zinged passed Lela’s head. Another quick movement and three more arrows sung through the air. Lela dodged and flipped to keep the fatal bolts from hitting their target.
“I am sorry, Ileana.” Lela dropped her sword. The flames faded to a dull glow.
Lela was wide open, but why? Ileana cocked her head. With all the arrows fired, Lela never once advanced her place. She stood in the same place the whole time simply dodging.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were responsible for the destruction of Santrose, for Cravenwood being cursed? Why would you do that to our little town? We only survived by making hard to get objects, and we never turned the elves away not once! So why destroy us?” Ileana’s shoulders began heaving with sobs, but she kept the bow trained on Lela.
Lela sat down in the dirt eliminating any type of dodge for the next arrow, if Ileana fired on her now she would die. Lela hoped it would calm Ileana down. She couldn’t blame the Archer if she shot her, what had been done had ruined lives. Looking at her boots Lela began to tell her side of what had happened.
Nathan began to come back out of the darkness of unconsciousness. He strained to listen, but heard no sounds of fighting. He was too late, someone would be dead. How was this going to hurt him? If it was Ileana then no one would come after him, but if it was Lela the entire elven army would hunt him and Ileana to the ends of this strange world. If only he could open a way home he and Ileana could escape home.