Chapter 21

Darras and the Elves continued their scouting mission in Ventris, gradually accustoming themselves to the conditions on the ground and fighting several skirmishes with some of the minor predators. Finally, though, Darras called a halt after Erren warned him of their approach to a dangerous area held by a vampire and a village of Fiends. Their return was swift, and they were met by Balat at the border and guided to the new gateway that Syllar had grown in the deepest part of Tornua Forest.

“Welcome, my friends,” Erren greeted the party as they emerged onto her lawn individually.

“Wenderos,” the Elves returned the greeting and used a gesture of respect, whilst Darras and Balat received hugs.

“Come, a bath and a feast await you,” Erren indicated.

The other gods allied to Erren were also resting in the bathing area as the party disrobed, slipped into the hot water, and were handed drinks.

“You did very well,” Doriel praised them. “My thanks for aiding my people.”

“I’m glad I was able to, Doriel,” Demala replied. “Thanks to the tutoring of Mesoli, I have a lethal spell in my grasp that can safely be used in your woods.”

“Yes, I was observing through Balat and Syllar,” Doriel nodded.

“We all were,” Erren added. “It was a fortunate happenstance that you all were there.”

“Indeed so,” Doriel agreed. “Tornua is somewhat vulnerable as it’s only newly colonised by my people or rather a Dryad.”

“Not in the past?” Darras asked.

“It only really grew in the last fifty years around a central core of what is now the old forest,” Doriel explained. “The Dark Kin were mostly the reason it grew so fast as they planted many seeds and used them to conceal their presence from the Humans.”

“Ah, they used magic?” Balat asked.

“I believe so, though other than a few fauns, I had no real presence there, and an Elf is an Elf to a faun.”

“And then the Witch Lord sealed Thenarron off?”

“Yes,” Doriel nodded. “Most of my attention was also focussed on Fordel and their attempts to log in the Holy Forest illegally.”

“They still do,” Balat added. “With the same results, though they have moved away from holding hostages now.”

“No doubt they’ll return to that strategy in time,” Darras sighed.

“Possibly, though Caltrena the Dryad warned if they were, the woods would become sealed away from all logging.”

“A loss of money, it’s the only thing Darmelans fear,” Pelegard laughed.

“True,” Hallis smiled. “They’re coming to the realisation that they need the forest folk more than the forest folk need them.”

“You did excellently in Ventris,” Crannok praised the Elves. “Not an easy place to explore.”

“Yes, for all we only went a little way over the border, there were any number of dangerous creatures around,” Tinara replied. “The mithril-tipped arrows helped, though, as they dissipate any traces of magic as they strike.”

“Effective against vampires too, so long as they are distracted,” Firios added.

“Yes, I would still advise against challenging one as Darras does,” Tsumi replied.

“Indeed so,” Plegard replied. “Though a group of you probably could, assuming it’s at a distance.”

“That’s assuming you spotted one,” Crannok added.

“True,” both Pelegard and Tsumi nodded.

“Now that Doriel’s people have a gateway in Tornua, I’ll be tasking you with a series of missions in Ventris to get you used to working there,” Erren informed them.

“What of the countries of Golsten?” Saltak asked.

“I’m monitoring Asul via our other agents,” Erren replied. “There’s a lot of shadow activity going on, but I’ve yet to divine its purpose.”

“Ah, not yet time to unleash Darras upon them?”

“No, at the moment, tensions are building due to my followers opposing the slave trade, as well as freeing any Elven slaves and returning them to their homelands.”

“Nothing you can do about Human slavery?” Darras asked.

“Not yet; there’s simply too many of them, and I’m not ready to permit Asul to implode into revolution yet.”

“A pity,” Darras sighed.

“I know it offends you, my love,” Erren sympathised. “But at the moment, the opposition to it is not strong enough to win against the forces supporting it.”

“Some of which is to do with the ongoing work freeing the small number of Elves they had,” Hallis added.

“Yes,” Pelegard nodded. “Nor can they do anything about it as the various temples involved can easily outbid for any in the market and free any held by others.”

“Nor can they replace them; their slaver groups invariably are intercepted and eradicated by the northern Elves,” Hallis added.

“My people help with that by informing the Elves when the slavers enter their territory,” Doriel informed the group.

“What are Crusal up to?” Darras asked, accepting the answers he’d received.

“Well, they’ve given up planning to conquer Asul ... for now,” Crannok replied. “Currently, they’re involved in a trade dispute with Torgillon.”

“Nothing serious?”

“No, just a bit of tit for tat over custom dues.”

“I finally got Klavin to knock some heads together over the Dwarven envy over Sorrak gaining preferred client status in various realms involved with the Thenarronian war,” Pelegard informed the group.

“Can’t have been easy for him,” Hallis replied with a slight frown.

“It wasn’t. However, he managed to get Gomesh preferred supplier status with Peltath and Tophek,” Pelegard chuckled. “Means they have a couple of new markets to exploit and are not trying to undermine Sorrak and the Dwarven Realm.”

“That will have upset Burral,” Saltak frowned.

“It did, though they are currently making a small fortune overcharging the King’s Council in Rachtelin to be overly bothered by it.”

“Only the King’s Council?” Firios asked.

“Rigilo sources from Sorrak when he wants the good stuff,” Pelegard replied.

“Weapons mostly, particularly bodkin tips for arrows to take down knights,” Erren added.

“Understandable,” Darras nodded. “Best way to punch through the armour of horse or knight.”

“It is,” Pelegard replied. “Though eventually mounted knights will become a liability, they’re too big a target, not terribly fast, and if they go down, they’re down.”

“Some, on Rigilo’s side, at least, are aware of this,” Darras replied.

“Ah yes, this Jertin fellow,” Pelegard nodded.

“Yes, he’s already considering what comes next.”

“Oh yes, I have gifts for you,” Pelegard replied.

“Gifts?” Darras enquired.

“The Dwarven Kingdom of Dwarvurrin took the magnifier the southern Dwarves developed and came up with these,” Pelegard replied, handing over small spyglasses to all of the group.

“At last,” Darras nodded with a smile.

“I made them myself, so the lenses are clearer and the focussing better,” Pelegard added. “Should be helpful to you in your scouting.”

“This is truly a godly gift!” Tinara replied, having just tried hers out.

“Thank you,” Pelegard grinned. “I am a god after all.”

“Indeed so,” Darras laughed, with the others joining in. “Plus, we can tell others where to get them from.”

“Aye, you can; they’ll be useful for scouting, particularly those horse archers Rigilo uses, plus your Elven scouts, particularly with your keen eyesight.”

“Not so useful in the woods,” Erren added. “But in the coming conflicts, invaluable.”

“Likely so,” Pelegard nodded. “Plus, once the design is out there, other Dwarven nations will start to produce them.”

“No doubt improving the design,” Hallis nodded thoughtfully. “Pelegard, could Dwarvurrin manage a microscope?”

“I’ll get Klavin onto it,” Pelegard replied as the Humans and Elves looked a little mystified at the term.

“It’s like your magnifier, Darras,” Hallis explained. “Only a lot more powerful, and it could boost my healing temples and healers’ ability to deal with certain things such as hygiene.”

“Ah yes,” Darras nodded. “That could lead to surgery and the like with the patient likely to survive.”

“It would, particularly for my healers who are limited in magical ability; it will enable them to focus on a specific target, not use a blanketing spell.”

“Hmm, yes,” Erren nodded thoughtfully. “A little bit early, but not forbidden as such.”

“Only by about twenty years or so, so Serulon is not likely to interfere,” Saltak replied.

“Seems unlikely; she may not even notice,” Hallis agreed.

“Or you may get a reprimand,” Erren smiled. “Either way, the emphasis on healing will remain magical ... for now.”

“I’ll get Klavin to be discreet; Serulon doesn’t tend to keep an eye on any agents other than Darras here,” Pelegard added.

“True,” Erren nodded. “Though that’s more in the way of Darras introducing something like gunpowder.”

“Wouldn’t that cause a reaction,” Doriel giggled.

“Yes, probably have dad involved too.”

“You asked me not to do anything like that,” Darras added. “Only to use what’s available somewhere on that world.”

“Yet oddly, she’d have ignored the work of the Elf Remelle,” Klavin chuckled.

“Different rules apply; that was a discovery ... if aided by the minions of our brother, not forbidden knowledge as such,” Erren replied.

“Despite not being in the flow of our narrative yet,” Crannok pointed out. “It does appear somewhat hypocritical of her.”

“As Darras nipped that attempt in the bud and I gave Remelle earth magic, it’s somewhat moot to judge her on what might have been,” Klavin replied.