Chapter 57

Thenarron had more or less recovered from the war of Liberation, during which its former ruler, the Witch King, an ardent supporter of the Dark Lord, had been deposed by a coalition of the surrounding states. There had even begun a change in religions for the ordinary folk as the various laws the former ruler had used to keep them in line were removed, and travelling acolytes from the temples of Erren, Hallis and Crannok were proselytising the masses into the worship of the mainstream gods. The one area of concern to King Drister, the new ruler, was the district of Tornua, a vast forest, bigger than a good few of the western nations and sparsely populated now that the Dark Kin had relocated.

Several Elves from Rossaris and Jizzard had chosen to relocate there, but their numbers were small as yet, though Erren had blessed their fertility. Within a few years, a stable population would be present. The forest folk also now had a presence in Tornua, though again, not in substantial numbers. However, the Dryad Syllar was in residence there, keeping an eye on Ventris as the various denizens of the followers of Doriel gradually increased their numbers.

However, Thenarron needed to prepare for the large army of fell beasts that crossed the border of Ventris and invaded the Tornua region. Drister naturally mobilised his army, a modern combination of knights and horse archers, and sent them to the woods to assist his Elven subjects, who were expected to fight on foot. He also requested aid from the surrounding nations and allies.

Darras was with Erren, Doriel, and Balat, discussing the dispositions of her allies and the information they had from the forest folk regarding the composition of the dark army.

“It’s a distraction from something,” Darras finally announced. “Deadly as it will be for any who get in their way.”

“Agreed,” Doriel nodded. “Though my brother appears unaware that I am using the gateway to bring in Treants, Dryads, Fauns and Woodnymphs.”

“I doubt he cares, though it may be that should we end it quickly, it will irritate him.”

“And we will certainly try to do that,” Erren replied. “The big question remains, however, how was Challis arranging this when I was unaware of any using a gateway into Ventris, nor did Tsumi report any use of a transfer circle.”

“The First Ones had other means of transportation, including flying disks,” Doriel pointed out.

“All of them, other than the transfer circles being short-ranged, nor was his use of a flying disk long enough to travel to Ventris.”

“I suspect, sister, he’s building an alternative gateway network or something similar,” Doriel replied thoughtfully.

“Interesting, and certainly possible,” Erren nodded. “There are instances where I have been unable to figure out how Challis and the shadows moved around.”

“Not the freight runs?” Darras asked.

“Not in the east of Golsten,” Erren replied. “I’d have noticed.”

“Not the easiest thing to find, if he is,” Doriel mused. “They certainly aren’t in the forests.”

“Our brother seems uninterested in your realm, sister,” Erren replied. “It is the kingdoms that build that he seems intent on turning into warring states.”

“True; I suspect the fool believes the forests are the very thing he desires.”

“Outwardly, it appears that way,” Balat chuckled. “But internally, the Dryads rule all in your name.”

“They do indeed,” Doriel smiled.

“Who is coming to aid Drister?” Darras asked.

“Rossaris, Jizzard and Iversirion, on the Elven side,” Erren replied. “Rachtelin is sending elements of the Royal Army, though they have to travel by land, not gateway.”

“The one-a-minute rule can sometimes be a problem,” Darras sighed.

“Not for the freight gateway,” Erren smiled. “Though it requires a blessing from one of my priests to open it for more than one person at a time.”

“Is that how the Elves caused so much damage after the death of Harranis?”

“Yes, in some places,” Erren replied. “Though the other issue was that the kingdoms of Dwarves, Men and Lizardmen were simply not as well armed or well trained as the Elven legions.”

“And in much smaller numbers,” Doriel added.

“I’m amazed they survived,” Darras mused.

“The Elves were after the Dark Kin; so long as the rest stayed out of their way, they were ignored as an irrelevance,” Erren replied. “Frankly, it was a total mess at times.”

“Which our brother loved until you blessed the other races with fecundity,” Doriel chuckled.

“Yes, suddenly the Dwarves, Humans and Lizardmen advanced to far greater power and size,” Erren smiled. “The Elves became involved in a diaspora and took much of their learning to pass on to their neighbours eventually.”

“Do you want me out there?” Darras asked.

“Yes, to ensure Demala can aid the forest folk,” Erren replied. “The others will go, too.”

“Tornua gateway?”

“Yes,” Doriel replied. “Syllar is expecting you.”

“I assume it’s for the Wendigos?”

“Mostly, but some Drycha have foolishly joined them.”

“Will Demala be able to deal with them?” Darras asked.

“Yes, they are vulnerable to firelance spells.”

“So, we’ll be there to protect Demala?”

“Yes, whilst I ask my friends to look around for unusual happenstances by way of shadow activity near their places of worship,” Erren replied.

“Well met, sir Darras,” the Dryad Syllar greeted Darras as he stepped out of the forest folk gateway in Tornua Forest.

“And to you, lady of the woods,” Darras politely replied. “How goes the incursion from Ventris?”

“Slowly, they are past the border, though they have not entered the woods.”

“The more time they give us, the better,” Darras nodded. “Still, it does appear somewhat shambolic.”

“Only the Fiends are organised, though it is the lesser Drychas in charge,” Syllar replied. “Even then, all they appear to be able to manage is a truce between the creatures.”

“Erren and Doriel believe it to be some sort of distraction, though they don’t know what it is for yet,” Darras informed Syllar as Balat came through the gateway.

“Welcome, agent of Lomarris,” Syllar greeted Balat.

“Her blessings be upon you, daughter of the forest,” Balat replied.

Syllar brought Balat up to date with the situation as the Elves came through and were greeted by Darras. The Elves then aided Darras with their farstriding ability to approach the forest’s edge, where the low rolling hills marked the border zone.

“No sign of them yet,” Darras informed the group after scanning the area with his eyeglass.

“We’ll scout,” Firios replied. “Demala can take out any Wendigos or Drycha.”

“Ensure you can get away,” Darras replied. “I’ll be there to cover if necessary.”

“We will,” Firios nodded. “I rather suspect they’ll pursue.”

“More than likely,” Darras nodded. “Though I expect the forest folk are ready.”

“We are,” Balat confirmed. “As are the Elves within Tornua.”

‘There are nearly five thousand followers in the dark army, ’ Erren informed Darras, who passed the information along.

“Vampires?” Tinara asked, naming the most deadly potential opponent.

“Seven. One possible elder.”

“Bad news,” Tinara grimaced. “It will be more than capable of tracking us.”

“Might be worth taking it out first if we can spot it,” Traskis suggested.

“Wind’s blowing in the wrong direction,” Balat countered. “They’d scent any observer, particularly if they suspect one is there.”

“True,” Traskis sighed. “Not even our goddess can help there.”

“Your cloaks are lined with something to reduce your scent, but against vampires, it’s risky,” Darras added. “Just scout and try to get numbers and types.”

“Agreed,” Firios replied and led the Elves away.

‘The Elves are currently observing the dark army, and I’m observing via them, ’ Erren informed Darras an hour later.

“Any clues as to tactical acumen?” Darras asked.

‘They look like a leaderless mob, ’ Erren replied. ‘If Drycha is in charge, it’s not showing.’

“Point and charge,” Darras sighed.

‘Looks that way.’

“Will you still have a general location on them when Firios and the team return?”

‘Yes, why?’

“Area bombardment by Demala from a range they cannot track,” Darras replied.

‘She might not get any, and the effort might exhaust her, ’ Erren replied. ‘But it will let them know they are under observation.’

“Might give them pause, too, but I have my doubts.”

‘As do I, ’ Erren agreed. ‘This is clearly a distraction of some sort.’

“Any idea why, yet?”

‘No, only speculation without evidence.’

“We’ll do what we can.”

With the return of the Elves, Balat aided Demala in forming a casting circle, adding various symbols to it representing light magic, along with other symbols from other types that he’d learned from Doriel. This, along with Demala’s knowledge learned from the Dryad Mesoli, enabled her to conjure ten firelances and launch them at the area where the dark army was assembled.

‘Hit!’ Erren confirmed. ‘One wendigo and several Fiends.’

Darras passed the information along to an exhausted-looking Demala, who gave a wan smile before gulping down a herbal drink laced with honey.

“Does Wenderos know what they are doing now?” Firios asked.

“Advancing through the hills,” Darras informed the Elf. “We’ve goaded them into action, at least.”

“A pity they chose not to run, but not unexpected.”

“True, though I expect they will eventually; their main issue is that Ventris is seriously unpleasant for any who dwell there, other than the land held by the Dryad Malele, which is now growing but will still take centuries to cleanse it from the various curses.”

“Will the inhabitants revert to what they were?” Tinara asked.

“The Drycha will, the others ... probably not, though their violent tendencies will reduce somewhat,” Balat answered.

“Drycha being part spiritual?”

“The curses affect their heart trees, not the Drycha themselves.”

“Wonder if that’s why they’ve chosen to intervene here,” Traskis mused.