Chapter 25

“Where’s the gateway?” Darras asked.

“In the island tower of Ilmen,” Erren replied. “Your group will travel by boat to the lake’s eastern shore, through the former city of Keelon, over the mountains of Hollok, where the Trolls gather, and then through the dense central hills to the former city of Tirunik.”

“Are the cities safe havens?” Darras asked.

“The Goblins don’t usually enter them but will if in pursuit of you,” Erren replied. “That’s where the bulk of the Royal Scouts will be based.”

“I take it the Dwarven Paladins will be in Hollok?”

“Yes, they’ll escort you in and escort you out.”

“Can see a few issues, but entry and exit aren’t an issue,” Darras mused thoughtfully.

“Hopefully not, though it will likely be a fighting withdrawal,” Pelegard replied.

“My people will guide you via the hidden paths from Tirunik to the Tower,” Doriel added. “However, that will only protect you so far as the Goblins infest the woods and hills and can occasionally intercept your party where you must cross normal trails.”

“Do the forest folk have issues with Goblins?” Darras asked.

“Not normally; only the outer woods and a few trails are infested,” Doriel replied. The inner core is ours alone.”

“Shame you haven’t a gateway there,” Darras nodded.

“It wasn’t thought to be a priority,” Doriel shrugged. “My people have far more pressing issues in other lands.”

“Nothing serious, I hope?”

“Just encroachment by greedy Humans, in most cases,” Doriel replied. “Moving my Dryads around quickly is a big help.”

Darras nodded. He didn’t quite understand the forest folk’s complex arrangements with many lands. However, he knew that exploitation of the woods and forests was ending as the forest folk stepped in to prevent it, often violently, as Dryads were a formidable foe if going into battle.

“How will I get this wagon from this island?” Darras asked.

“Already done,” Erren replied. “It’s already waiting for you on the shore, along with a team of horses brought up from Kulin.”

“Ah, good,” Darras nodded.

“Mirion will be joining you to aid with any medical issues and healing required,” Hallis added.

“Will she be safe?” Darras asked. “She has little combat experience.”

“I hope so, but you’ll need her if there are casualties.”

“Understood,” Darras sighed.

“Just do your best, my love,” Erren replied. “It may not be possible to get this Challis, but I expect the whole enterprise to shock my brother and his creatures, particularly regarding the number of forces involved.”

“It may get them away from trying to trap me, true,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, it may signal an end to lurking in shadows and openly confronting me,” Erren agreed. “However, our brother does not tend to go about his machinations like that.”

“What of the Ostelven?” Will they have issues over this ... assuming they find out?”

“Unlikely, and they abandoned Chezruul nearly a thousand years ago,” Osruit replied. “It was once theirs, though, and to an Elf, it wasn’t that long ago.”

“My people will keep an eye out,” Doriel added. “It’s unlikely, but as Elves go, they are a strange lot, stranger than the Dark Kin, come to that.”

“True, but not generally inclined towards violence,” Pelegard replied.

“They are reclusive and, for all they were part of the Elven Empire under Harranis, did not actively partake in its activities,” Erren nodded. “As soon as the sundering happened, they left the bounds of the Empire to set up their own realm.”

“They appear very caught up in religious observances to us all ... including our brother,” Doriel added. “I doubt they’ll be a factor here.”

“Yet their works remain intact?” Darras asked.

“Enspelled, mostly,” Erren admitted. “And yes, their magic users return periodically to renew them.”

“Odd.”

“Yes, as Doriel said, an odd lot.”

Darras stepped through the gateway into a beautifully decorated room and, glancing around, spotted Firios.

“Welcome to one of Elvendom’s greater mysteries, Darras,” Firios said.

“So I’ve been informed,” Darras chuckled. “No problems?”

“No, not even with the Dwarven Paladins; apparently, they had a contact in Kulin who supplied them with horses and carts, though yours arrived via the gateway freight room.”

“Long way to travel,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, though we scouts aided their hostlers with far striding.”

“No issues?”

“None. The Dwarves of Kulin seem not to be overtly bothered by Elves,” Firios replied.

“I suspect they don’t see many,” Darras shrugged.

“True,” Firios nodded, “The realm of Dwarvurrin that Kulin is part of is now part of the supply chain of mithril arrow tips to Dorlianath.”

“Good, though I doubt many of the Forest Kingdom meet them.”

“We now see Dwarves occasionally in Iversirion now,” Firios replied. “It’s no longer a big thing.”

Firios led the way through the building and stopped at a doorway. Darras gazed out and slightly started as he realised the gateway was set in a tower that seemed to rise from the centre of a vast whirlpool.

“Impressively deadly,” Darras murmured.

“Very,” Firios agreed. “Though Demala knows the keyspell for the bridge.”

“Good,” Darras chuckled. “I doubt even I could swim that.”

“Yes, our kin, the Ostelven, were perhaps supreme amongst us in the ways of magic,” Firios admitted. “Probably why Harranis left them alone.”

“Didn’t stop him with the Dark Kin,” Darras replied as a bridge seemingly made of glass appeared from nowhere.

“Indeed not; King Leandomus bade the university go through the historical records, including those of Gilvarion, to try and shed some light on the reasons for the kin slaying,”

“I take it there wasn’t a lot?”

“No, but what remains points to the Dark Kin having good reason to act as they did, something that shocked our scholars,” Firios admired. “Though with the Ostelven, I suspect it was more to do with distance.”

“Seems likely, even with gateways,” Darras nodded as he and Firios joined the Elves waiting for them.

“Darras, good to see you,” Mirion called.

“You too, my friend,” Darras replied. “Hope you aren’t needed.”

“Me too, though the goblin arrows are often poisoned, so Hallis asked me to come along.”

“We’ll try to keep you safe, as I doubt your instincts are as honed as Firios and his team.”

“True, but that’s their job; my job is to patch them up if they get hurt,” Mirion nodded. “Plus, I hopefully get to look at an Ubaid up close.”

“Do our best,” Darras chuckled as they mounted the wagon and set off.

The first thing Darras noticed was that, for all the plant life growing wild around the road, the road itself was clear and in good condition.

‘It’s enspelled, ’ Erren informed him. ‘Same with the villages and towns.’

“Is that why the Goblins, Trolls and Ogres avoid them?” Darras asked.

‘Yes, though they can enter if they wish, just not remain or do damage.’

“Almost as if the Ostelven were planning on returning someday,” Darras nodded.

“That is my suspicion also,” Tinara replied.

“Suspicions only,” Traskis added. “It’s not like anyone has seen one to ask them.”

“True,” Demala nodded. “Their gateways are supposedly sealed, from what Harinas informed us.”

‘They are, ’ Erren confirmed. ‘Physically, that is, not switched off.’

Darras passed the information along, getting nods of understanding from the Elves.

“We’ll make Keelon by nightfall,” Firios announced. “Amina and her group will join us there.”

“Did they arrive with Doorf and the Paladins?” Darras asked.

“Yes, they have been practising investigating an Elven town,” Firios confirmed. “Along with getting used to the aversion wardings.”

“I had to help,” Demala added. “The Ostelven were quite subtle in their enspelling, so much so that I could not as yet hope to match it. Fortunately, I could protect the Dobra group from its usage.”

“So much of magic I simply do not understand,” Darras smiled. “Is Balat here?”

“Somewhere near the Tower of Sunset, we think,” Firios replied. “We only see him if he wants to see us.”

“Probably never occurred to him, as he’ll be using the hidden paths,” Mirion replied.

“True, he’s cheerful enough when we see him.”

“I also think Doriel may have been teaching him farstriding,” Demala added. “Though he’s not very good at it yet.”

“I thought that was something only Elves could do?” Darras asked.

“It’s a gift to us by Lomarris,” Tinara replied. “However, Doriel is a goddess too.”

‘She asked; I saw no reason to say no, ’ Erren informed Darras, who passed it on.

“He’ll need to practice more,” Demala replied. “But it is making it easier for him to get around the forests here.”

“I suspect Doriel can let him practice in her private home,” Darras chuckled.

“True, he’s told me he spends what seems like a month there, but only a couple of hours pass at his village,” Traskis added.

“Time is a flexible thing with gods and goddesses,” Darras replied. “The only thing they will not do is meddle with the past.”

“Understandable,” Demala nodded. “Harinas gives the occasional lecture to various magic users, and he has mentioned that whilst some spells can affect time, either for the caster or the intended, none will work to reverse time.”

“Erren once told me that the gods and goddesses can work with time, but only the Allfather controls it absolutely.”

“Well, she’d know,” Firios chuckled, making the others smile.

“What are the Dwarves up to?” Darras asked.

“Building a series of defensive positions in the mountain pass we’ll have to retreat through,” Traskis replied. “We observed several trolls in our scouting; if they are called out against us, we’ll need them.”

“Strong?”

“Very, not so fast-moving, but incredibly fast and strong landing a blow.”

“Ogres?”

“Didn’t spot any, though we may once we infiltrate the Tower,” Firios replied. “We may also have a goblin problem in any retreat from the Tower, through Tirunik and to the foothills of the Hollok range.”

“After that, it’s Trolls,” Tinara sighed.

“That’s for the Dwarves; they know how to deal with them; they have several clans in and around their realms,” Mirion replied. “Biggest danger, assuming we don’t go hand to hand with anything, will be the Goblins and their short bows, also potential ambushes from the tree tops.”

“Yes, a risk if they somehow get a warning ahead of us,” Firios agreed.

“Hopefully, they won’t be ready for us,” Darras replied. “Erren has yet to receive word that they have something planned here.”

“How did she find out?” Tinara asked.

“The Dark Lord seriously offended Szavona, the goddess of sleep, by lying to her. Szavona occasionally discusses things with his other allies, and she passed on word of the potential ambush site to Venicia, goddess of the air,” Darras replied.

“Rather a roundabout route; wonder why it’s taking so long to set this up?”

“They want to drop rumours that there’s something here worth my time investigating, I assume,” Darras chuckled. “Either that or transport in some very deadly surprises.”