Chapter 20

It took Darras four days to reach Torgel, finding the roads busy with mercantile traffic and occasional patrols. Once at the gateway, he paid a ten-copper fee and was permitted to exit the kingdom.

“Welcome home, my love,” Erren greeted him joyfully as he appeared, now clean-shaven, on her lawn.

“It’s good to be home, my Erren,” Darras replied, hugging her.

“Come, let’s get the smell of horse off you,” Erren smiled.

“Rather an easy mission,” Darras said as he relaxed in the bathing area with a tankard of ale.

“Yes, the shadows appear to have given up on Rachtelin,” Erren agreed. “Those left appear to be up to nothing but mischief.”

“So, where are they now?”

“Asul and Crusal, though I’m still gathering information for the moment.”

“Where am I off to next?”

“Carmarn, Demala has finally perfected the firelance spell, which means she can deal with Wendigos, assuming you meet any.”

“Will Doriel’s people not object?” Darras asked.

“Firelance is a specialised spell that hits a target and only burns the target,” Erren explained. “Not many magic users can use it.”

“Is this why you’re interested in Demala?”

“Yes, her potential for growth in using fire magic is immense,” Erren replied. “Mesoli will run out of things to teach her in about ten years.”

“Impressive,” Darras nodded, knowing just how powerful magically Dryads were.

“Very,” Erren agreed. “Though Mesoli will continue to teach at the university for a long time after that.”

“So, we’re there simply to see if we can cope with the hostility of the various creatures of that land?”

“Not quite,” Erren replied. “My monitoring of their scrying network indicates some moves afoot there.”

“Ah, you think they might be trying to cause Issues in Thenarron?”

“It’s possible, and whilst I doubt they could cause any real issues, they certainly could cause many deaths.”

“Ah, you suspect an invasion of Tornua Forest?”

“Yes, fortunately, there are not many people other than forest folk there, but Thenarron would feel obliged to remove any dark forces.”

“Yes, a potentially lethal distraction,” Darras nodded. “Nor would Thenarron’s army be that much better than they were in the previous conflict.”

“They have improved somewhat, adopting the use of mounted archers,” Erren replied. “However, without the Dark Kin, they would struggle.”

“No doubt the Dark kin kept Ventris out of Tornua.”

“Yes, it seems likely,” Erren agreed.

“Wonder if King Drister would be averse to permitting an Elven settlement there?” Darras mused.

“For the moment, no,” Erren replied. “There’s still much bad blood from his nobility over the reparations they must pay Rossaris.”

“Drister is making them pay it?”

“The lions share, yes.”

“Ah, the towns and villages have no cash due to the barrier?”

“Yes,” Erren replied. “It’s improving somewhat with the barrier gone, but much of their free cash is being used to improve the infrastructure, not pay the reparations.”

“Not surprising,” Darras nodded. “They were run down.”

“They were.”

The gateway in Carmarn was deserted. Erren had informed Darras that the natives did not use it nor know what it was. He was joined by Firios’s team and Balat shortly afterwards as they slipped into the swampland heading east. Of the natives, there was no sign; their mating frenzy had started, and most were indulging on the hot sands of the coastal area, where the females would finally bury their eggs.

The Elves’ use of farstriding rapidly brought the party to the ill-defined border, though they did not use it to cross it. Once there, the party set up an encampment in a dry area and began scouting the area to ensure it was isolated.

“The forest folk report a large gathering of the followers of the Dark Lord to the south,” Balat informed Darras and Traskis, who were cooking a meal.

“That’s where we’ll need to look,” Darras nodded.

“It won’t be easy; there are several Wendigos, a Vampire and several Fiends.”

“Fiends?”

“They are occasionally called demons, though they aren’t from any of the known hells,” Traskis replied. “They are capable of magic, though.”

“It does tell us that something is up, as Fiends rarely congregate in numbers,” Balat added.

“Best go then,” Darras replied. “Be very careful; we can’t afford to be spotted.”

“Agreed,” Firios replied, leading the way.

Initially, the Elves headed west before turning south; this was to ensure they did not stray deeply into Ventris whilst using farstriding. Crossing the great distance did not take long until Firios called a halt as darkness began falling. An encampment was swiftly set up as Balat confirmed that the area was, for the moment, safe.

“The number of creatures has increased,” Balat warned.

‘Tsumi informs me they are using a transfer circle, ’ Erren added, to which Darras passed the message on.

“We’ll take a look in the morning,” Darras decided. “Even with our cloaks, they’ll still have an advantage at night.”

“True, though Doriel informs me that Syllar and another Dryad are in the Tornua forest and will dispute any invasion by fiends,” Balat added.

“Doriel sees fiends as enemies?”

“Yes, vampires too, though not Wendigos, not this time.”

“Guess she has to follow her rules,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, unlike Voxilla Woods, the Wendigos won’t be targeting an army forcing them to use fire.”

“Ah, I see,” Tinara replied. “Though what of Demala’s magic?”

“I believe Mesoli taught you the rules when amongst the forest folk?” Balat asked Demala.

“She did, firelance only when attacking a creature and no area effect spells with fire magic,” Demala replied.

“Good, how many can you fire off?”

“Individually, about ten, as a group, only five.”

“Line of sight?”

“No, my awareness through magic targets for me.”

“Impressive,” Balat nodded. “I suggest you stay back in support with Darras to cover any retreat you may need to make.”

“I will,” Demala replied, with Darras nodding his agreement.

“I’ll move up with Fitios, Traskis and Tinara and try to scan using my magic and see what they intend.”

“Just be careful; they may have shadows amongst them,” Darras warned.

“Hopefully, I can do it outside their perimeter, though the vampire worries me.”

“Yes, if it spots you, we could have real trouble,” Firios agreed. “Though it will be vulnerable to mithril arrows.”

“Vulnerable, yes, but not immediately killable unless you get lucky and strike its heart or through its eye into its brain,” Balat warned.”

“Yes, Haranis brought us a lot of old texts on the creatures, a most formidable foe,” Firios agreed. “Hopefully, only the one, though.”

“Never assume that,” Darras replied. “I faced two in Rachtelin, though fortunately not simultaneously.”

“Uncovered a transfer circle, too,” Balat added.

“We’ll be careful and get you there,” Firios replied as all settled for the night, other than a guard keeping watch for them.

Visually, it was not easy to tell where the border of Carmarn or Ventris began, though the Thenarronian border was prominent, being that of a set of hills. Darras had a feeling, confirmed by Erren, that neither the Lizardmen of Carmarn nor the creatures of Ventris had any interest in the hills. The Lizardmen, due to a lack of humidity and the creatures of Ventris because they would have been exposed in any advance, particularly to the Dark Kin who had inhabited Tornua.

The Dark Kin, however, had migrated to an island gifted to them by Erren. Now, only a few foresters were within Tornua, along with the forest folk who had no intention of permitting particular creatures of Ventris to set up a colony there.

Darras settled into a position, looking for any danger approaching Demala as she scored out a casting circle into the soft earth. Both had pulled their cloaks on, though Demala was not well hidden yet. Ahead of the pair, Balat and the other Elves were cautiously approaching the gathering of creatures in the hope of getting any information about their ultimate destination and route.

‘Close your eyes, and I’ll let you see what Balat sees, ’ Erren advised. ‘Don’t worry, I’m watching out for you.’

This Darras did and nodded in approval of the young man’s stealthy approach. The encampment of the creatures was not something Darras would generally recognise as being one. There seemed to be much movement and the occasional violent disputes between the various creatures near a low valley. Nothing fatal, though Darras felt the creatures wouldn’t usually mix.

‘Something is coming through a transfer circle, ’ Erren warned.

There was a glow at a specific spot in the valley, and then suddenly, a tall, dark, lizardlike creature stood, looking around imperiously at the assembled creatures of Ventris.

‘An Ubaid, ’ Erren informed Darras.

“So, you have come to the summons of the enthroned one!” the Ubaid stated in a low rumbling hiss. “His orders are clear: head west then south to take the woods of Tornua as your own. Do not fear the Humans; they are meat to your jaws!”

There was only a roar as a reply, though it was clear the creatures could understand the Ubaid.

“Go now, servants of the Dark Lord! Claim new territories for feasting.”

There were further roars before the creatures set off in a ramshackle fashion to the west.

“We’ll need to take out the Wendigos and the vampire,” Darras informed the Elves and Balat once they’d returned.

“I can take out the Wendigos,” Demala replied. “Providing they don’t catch sight of me.”

“The vampire is another issue,” Balat said. “Demala will be exposed to it when casting.”

“Then we’ll have to set an ambush,” Darras nodded. “Once done, I’ll deal with it.”

There was agreement, though the Elves looked concerned. The party then set off, trailing the invading creatures, looking for a site where Demala could cast from whilst Darras could protect her. Unlike most armies, the creatures were uninterested in ensuring their rear was patrolled. This meant a suitable site was found, and Balat probed ahead to become the eyes on the ground for Demala, guarded by Traskis and Tinara.