Chapter 51

After extensively scouting the area several days later, the Elves and Darras slipped away from the tower to begin the long journey back to Courantil. Once out of sight of the tower, the Elves used their farstriding ability to swiftly move the group back to the Kingdom and its capital and through the gateway to Erren’s domain.

“Welcome all,” Erren greeted them. “Come, relax; we have much to discuss.”

“Good to be home, my love,” Darras greeted Erren with a hug and a kiss.

“Good to have you back,” Erren smiled as she led the way to the bathing area where the gods were assembled.

“So, a flying disc?” Pelegard said after the Elves and Darras had been washed down and now sat relaxed in the hot water with various drinks and refreshments.

“Yes,” Darras confirmed. “Capable of invisibility as well.”

“I suppose we should have figured something like that, what with knowing our brother was using a First One,” Crannok replied.

“True, but this is the first time seeing one in action, plus none have been found in the Deadlands,” Erren countered.

Could anyone capable of magic use one?” Demala asked.

“Yes ... barely, it would drain a lot of your magic to initiate it, but once in the air, you’d manage, Demala,” Hallis replied.

“We know Challis is capable of magic, hence his use of scrying stones,” Doriel mused. “So, a flying disk is not beyond the bounds of possibility.”

“Unfortunately, I was the only one observing,” Darras added. “So, what clues we do have are only visual.”

“True,” Saltak nodded. “However, you did see it, and we know how Challis and likely the possessors are moving from the far north to a normally unused gateway.”

“Unfortunately, Norbard is in no condition to interdict its use,” Erren added. “I had it placed there for the use of a future Dwarven Kingdom.”

“Yes, understandable,” Pelegard nodded. “There’s a lot of rare metals in those mountains that will eventually be useful for future civilisations.”

“We can’t use them now?” Traskis asked.

“No,” Pelegard chuckled. “You don’t even have names for them yet.”

“Ah.”

“How come you have mithril in this world when we didn’t have it in mine?” Darras asked Pelegard.

“Well, you could have if you had the ability to use magic,” Pelegard explained. “It’s just an alloy of titanium, a tough, lightweight material.”

“Dwarven metalsmiths blessed by Pelegard can form it and mould it, whereas, on your world, it will take up to a century to come fully into use,” Erren added.

“Yes, but because it’s not iron-based, Elves can use it, expensive as it is.”

“True, King Leandomus has an armour set of it,” Firios nodded. “And a few of the nobles of the former temple guard.”

“Most Elven Kings have, along with a few nobles of that race,” Erren confirmed. “It’s mostly used for weapons as the magic used to form it also disrupts spellcasting.”

“Our armour has it,” Darras added. “Mithril mail, that is.”

“And a few plates over vital areas,” Pelegard replied. “Still worth more than your average armour.”

“We use steel tips on our arrows and spears, not swords or knives,” Tinara added. “Those with mithril armour are using hand-me-downs from the golden empire.”

“All by the bye,” Erren smiled. “Our main problem is dealing with a known point of access by the shadows and this Challis.”

“True,” Pelegard nodded. “Humans sparsely settle Norbard, and I don’t have many assets there.”

“I have a presence in the woods,” Doriel added. “But that’s not much help in the mountains.”

“As our brother doesn’t know we know, it might be worth leaving it alone until and intercepting any users at their destinations,” Sorella mused.

“It’s a thought,” Erren nodded. “Now that I know of its use, I can certainly track it.”

“Could you not just divert them here?” Darras asked.

“I could, though that would give the game away,” Erren smiled. “I’d probably only use it for Challis, though, and he doesn’t appear to use it often, just shadows infiltrating the trade runs.”

“So, they can use gateways?”

“It appears so, and because the trade runs usually don’t have many around inside the chamber, it’s very effective for them.”

“Add a purification spell to the transfer magics,” Hallis suggested. “It should give them issues.”

“True, but I can only do that for places our temples are in charge,” Erren explained. “It’s not like I can go there myself.”

“True, places like Fordel and Sthistor would be problematic,” Pelegard agreed.

“I can take my team to Norbard and see what, if anything, is going on,” Firios offered.

“Thank you,” Erren replied. “If that’s decided, Darras will go with you, just in case.”

“Yes, there may be shadows,” Firios agreed.

“Probably,” Erren agreed. “Though there may be other surprises by way of magics.”

“I will use my Dryads to add a purification matrix to all the hidden gateways in my realm,” Doriel informed the group.

“Just ensure you add a counter for Darras, as any time he uses one, the matrix will fail,” Erren warned.

“Oh yes, so it would,” Doriel smiled.

“How come I can use them anyway?” Darras asked.

“I had anticipated someone like you when they were originally set up after the fall of the first ones when Mum was replenishing the planet and had us helping,” Erren replied.

“Not that we were allowed to go there physically,” Pelegard added. “Well, other than your sneaky visit, Doriel.”

“I had plans for Ventris, and my people couldn’t purify the site where I needed a Dryad,” Doriel shrugged. “A corrupted Dryad form would have been a catastrophe for the area.”

“True,” Erren nodded. “Though Serulon nearly had apoplexy.”

“She thought after Colanthus’s incident with you, none of us would dare,” Doriel shrugged. “As it is, I got a verbal reprimand from Dad and banned from interfering in Ventris for a thousand years.”

“But he let you keep the purified area?” Tinara asked hesitantly.

“Yes, I think he accepted why, though he still had to issue an admonishment.”

“You anticipated me nearly a million years ago?” Darras asked Erren.

“Not you specifically,” Erren admitted. “But a being like you, capable of disrupting magical energies.”

“Seems an odd thing to plan for,” Crannok chuckled.

“I just knew there was a need,” Erren smiled. “Now I know why.”

“I suspect our brother would have come up with someone or something to destroy them if you hadn’t,” Tsumi nodded.

“Probably,” Erren agreed. “As it is, he spent most of his time interfering in the growth of the young species, not interfering with the gateways.”

“Not terribly successfully either,” Pelegard chuckled. “There was always an upward trend with Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Orcs and Lizardmen.”

“This is why he attempted to use Trolls, Ogres, and Goblins to cause issues with them, as well as trying to set them against each other.”

“He mostly ignored me and mine,” Doriel nodded. “The forest folk tend to operate on a survival of the fittest basis.”

“Which is why I think he struggled to understand why you’d ally with me,” Erren smiled. “Though he most certainly knows now.”

“True, he doesn’t get the concept of friendship,” Hallis agreed. “Just dominance.”

“Anyway, I’ve decided to take up Firios’ offer to take a look at this Norbard gateway,” Erren announced.

“We’ll be ready,” Firios replied.

“Four days from your return,” Erren confirmed.

“Are you really that concerned about this gateway in Norbard?” Darras asked Erren after the meeting.

“Something odd is going on,” Erren admitted. “I only became aware of it operating after you observed the disc.”

“So, there could be others?”

“Yes, which is somewhat disconcerting for me.”

“You’ve often mentioned your ability to monitor the gates, so that does seem odd,” Darras nodded.

“Rustav managed it in Thenarron, but I’m wise to that trick now,” Erren replied. “Looks like my brother has come up with a different one.”

“We’ll find out for you,” Darras confirmed. “Demala, at least, will be able to scan it.”

“Yes, though I suspect that young lady just wants a look at the flying disc,” Erren smiled.

“If it’s there,” Darras chuckled. “Challis may well have been just dropping off shadows.”

“No, he used it,” Erren replied. “He took it to an unused gateway in the pyramid of Sthis, in Golsten.”

“That’s where the salamander warbeasts are?” Darras queried.

“Yes, though I doubt it has anything to do with them,” Erren nodded. “It’s more likely stirring up trouble in Dwarvurrin or Kelbadon by inciting the Lizardmen there.”

“Ah, right, though no doubt the Elves in Kelbadon can cope, and the Dwarves will simply ignore them,” Darras chuckled.

“Most likely,” Erren smiled. “Though no doubt there will be a deeper purpose beyond the mischief making.”

“So, where exactly is this gateway?” Darras asked.

Erren projected a detailed topographical map of the west of Norbard and then indicated where the gateway was located.

“Doriel’s people will allow the use of their gateway in the forest, which will get you a lot closer than any in Norbard itself,” Erren explained. “The Elves will have to be careful; Norbard is like Rachtelin was; no Elves are permitted in that Kingdom.”

“From the days of the golden empire?” Darras asked.

“Yes, the Elves rampaged north, depopulating the peoples in the Free Lands, which were once part of Norbard, before annihilating the Norbardian army and their allies at Westfort,” Erren replied. “The Elves then attacked the fledgling Dwarven Realm, though in that case, the Dwarves retreated into their cities in the interior and avoided any major battles.”

“Were there Dark Kin in Norbard or the Dwarven Realm,” Darras asked.

“A small colony of them in Norbard, which was wiped out to the last Elf, the Dwarven Realm was just a case of Elves disliking Dwarves and the Dwarves declaration of independence from the Empire.”

“They really went wild,” Darras mused.

“They did,” Erren agreed. “But, despite much suffering on both sides, the end result was achieved.”