Chapter 15

“Appears normal enough,” Darras commented to Firios.

“Aye, it does,” Firios replied. “No Elves though.”

“Guess it’s up to me then,” Darras chuckled and carefully moved through the brush to the far side of the village to approach from the opposite direction to the barrier.

“Halt!” he was commanded as he approached the entry to the village, though the guard, if that was what he was, simply looked like a normal villager. “State your business!”

“Merely a travelling tinker,” Darras replied. “No cause for alarm.”

“A tinker you say?”

“Aye, I suffer from wanderlust and this is how I pay my way,” Darras chuckled.

“It has been years since any but a dark tithesman has been here, so you’ll pardon my questions,” the man replied. “The inn merely sells ale, though no doubt you could bunk down in the stables.”

The inn was easy to find and Darras negotiated a price for bunking down in the stables. He then returned to the inn and began with sharpening the kitchen knives for the owner, something which they had been doing themselves, though not to the precision Erren enabled him to bring to the task.

News soon spread and others turned up, either to buy his various trade goods such as needles and thread, or to get their cutting tools sharpened. Hence Darras was able to gather a fair bit of gossip about the area, including the wild zone as they called it, which they were forbidden to enter by mandate of the dark priests.

“I’ve often wondered why that is?” Darras mused to the baker’s wife who was looking through the coloured threads he had.

“Aye, you aren’t the only one,” she smiled as she made her choice. “That said, any they catch in there, even hunting, are taken to the central Temple and never seen again.”

“True, I’m curious. But not that curious,” Darras chuckled.

“Same here. Though many suspect Helgras, the hunter, has strayed there, not that he’d admit it.”

“I should think not,” Darras commented. “It’s not a secret if more than one knows.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “I’ll take these three. Where did you find them?”

“What was that about secrets?” Darras chuckled.

“Hah!”

“No secret though. I passed through a town and there was a dressmaker selling them,” Darras explained. “Was a while ago, so not sure of the name. Porton, perhaps?”

“Portolin, most likely.”

“Yes, I think it might have been,” Darras nodded as she paid the coppers and went on her way.

“So, there is a ban on going near the border?” Firios pondered as Darras and the Elves met in the stable.

“Yes, if they capture you or learn of it you end up being seized and taken to the central Temple,” Darras replied. “Apparently the local tax gatherers report any tales of it as well.”

“That would be these mysterious dark tithesmen?” Tinara asked.

“Yes. No one sees anything but their eyes when they visit.”

“Could be those that we seek,” Annos added.

“Agreed,” Traskis said.

“They aren’t due here for a season, but if we make for Tornua, they are supposed to be based there, according to the landlord,” Darras informed them all.

“Yes, I believe we should investigate. If only to rule them out,” Firios decided.

“Anything else going on that is of interest?” Darras asked.

“The village, while not impoverished, shows all the signs of decline, in that folk mostly make do and mend all their equipment and goods,” Tinara replied. “Travel, while not forbidden is frowned upon and your presence was a welcome one with the goods and services you brought. So much so that there is a consensus of opinion that you will not be mentioned to the dark tithesmen.”

“All the signs of a society struggling to manage while cut off from certain services and goods from elsewhere,” Darras nodded.

“Yes,” Tinara agreed. “Though there is little we can do unless the barrier is removed.”

“I’m sure Erren is working on a solution,” Darras chuckled, feeling Erren’s agreement in the background.

“Yes, they may not be followers of hers, but her empathy for the suffering knows no bounds,” Firios replied with a nod.

The following morning, before the village was awake, Darras, along with the Elves, set off. Using an old map that had been copied from a library in Rossaris, they followed a river due south, avoiding any Human settlements. They swiftly made ground towards the area known as Tornua. On the way Darras always had company, three of the Elves were constantly scouting the area around him, looking for any clues as to the presence of dark Elves, though as yet finding none. Erren was now pretty sure they had an enclave within Thenarron. What villages and towns they passed told the same tale of restricted travel and homegrown solutions, along with severe penalties for breaking the various restrictions and curfews.

Tornua was heavily wooded, which immediately had Darras, Firios and the others on their guard as they very cautiously approached the boundary.

“I’d suggest going in at night, as I know you Elves see very well in the dark,” Darras chuckled.

“As do you, Darras,” Firios replied, having dropped the ‘sir’ title at Darras’s insistence.

“Any chance of fog or mist?”

“No, but there will be a heavy rain tonight which will obscure the vision of any watchers,” Annos replied.

“Hmm, I guess we go with what we’ll get,” Darras nodded, seeing agreement from the others. “So, what makes dark Elves so different?”

“They follow the dark god and have an indifference to the lives of others, including us, their kin, which is both stark and brutal,” Traskis replied. “There is simply no living with them and they are a bane to any civilised Realm to the point where they have been cast out of any place they settled.”

“And you Elves know one if you see one?”

“Yes. To an Elf the difference is as clear as night and day, though they often used to pass hidden in other societies, impersonating us until their actions inevitably gave them away.”

“And so, you eventually chose to deal with them?” Darras asked as they settled down to wait for the rain.

“We did. An episode in our history known as ‘The Harrowing’ was the result. It was where the dark kin revolted and murdered the Emperor Harranis, destroying the linked Faire Realms and separating us into clans. They were pursued and wiped-out, root and branch, in any Realm where they were known to be, even Realms where Elves were not welcome.”

“Might be why, even now Elves are forbidden in certain kingdoms?” Darras mused.

“Of a certainty, Darras,” Traskis nodded. “We trampled wholesale over territorial rights, often fighting Kingdoms who stood in our way even as our Empire crumbled.”

The rain had now started and continued to get heavier until Firios gave a signal and they all rose and headed towards the treeline ahead of them. With no alarms apparently being given, they soon headed deeper into the forest in almost total obscurity, as even under cover the rain was heavy enough to mask their presence in both sound and vision. Finally, Firios led the group into a thick copse and plans were made.

“There appear to be no woodland spirits, most strange,” Annos commented as the group set up shelter.

“Doriel said they all fled, same as the followers of Osruit,” Darras replied.

“You have met more than one god?”

“Yes, several, though Erren is my goddess and the others I’m just acquainted with, though I do like Doriel.”

“You are so blessed, Darras,” Tinara replied in awed tones.

“I am, but to me since coming here I’ve always known Erren.”

“We will scout as soon as the rain clears. I’m sorry, Darras, but initially at least you may not come with us,” Firios informed him.

“I know. I stand out too much,” Darras chuckled.

“Sadly, in an Elven wood, assuming there are Elves here, you do.”

‘There is definitely something in these woods. I advise caution, ’ Erren warned Darras, who then passed on the warning.

“You heard,” Firios backed up the warning. “Be very, very cautious.”

It took over an hour for the storm to pass and the Elves were able to ghost out from the now secure hide. Darras presumed that Erren was watching through them, as she kept him updated on their progress.

‘Traskis has located a village, ’ she informed Darras. ‘Though they are Humans.’

“Possibly servants, as I doubt the dark tithesmen will be ordinary Humans,” Darras replied.

‘You may be right. The village merely looks like a holding area to care for horses and what appears to be treasure wagons.’

“Yes, that makes sense,” Darras agreed.

‘Annos is tracking some sort of magical output, ’ Erren continued informing Darras.

“She needs to be careful. It might just be there to draw her in.”

‘She knows this.’

“Good. She was impressive getting us into Thenarron.”

‘Indeed, she was, though as you cannot sense or see magic, you have no idea just how impressive.’

“Is she atypical of most magic users?” Darras queried, having heard of no good tales about any.

‘In a sense. Most Elven magic users are ... stable and work for the good of their Realm, ’ Erren explained. ‘Others, not so much, though all tend to openly obey the various laws that bind them.’

“In other words, if they think they can get away with something, they might just try it?”

‘Very much so, my Darras. Nor, because of the forces they are involved with, are many very empathetic with those seeking their services. Though the more experienced ones do tend at least to reach a plateau of stability.’

“I see,” Darras nodded. “I think I’ll stick to the plan of avoiding them unless it’s necessary,” he finished with a chuckle.

‘Would be wise of you, until you know they can be trusted, as Annos can, ’ Erren replied. ‘Hold! Someone approaches and they aren’t known to me.’

Darras pulled on the special cloak Erren had given him and moved to a place within the scrub where he could observe. Time seemed to freeze for a while though it was probably only two minutes before a hooded figure wearing dark green patched leathers stepped into the copse and looked around carefully, before trilling out a low whistle which summoned two others.

“You are sure strangers penetrated the forest?” one of them asked, though their features remained hidden.

“The evidence is all around you if you had but eyes to see,” a sneering reply came.

“Your boasting becomes tiresome,” a reply came.

“How many and where are they?” the other latecomer asked.

“Four Elves and possibly one other,” the original one stated turning slightly to reveal Elven features.

“If you are not sure, then they must be very skilled.”

“Perhaps, though we need to begin the wild hunt,” the tracker replied.