City of IF

[JezSharp]

Author's Note: A big thanks to everyone who has supported Elvendor over the last few months :clap: , it has been greatly appreciated and helped to motivate me in writing it. Happy Reading ;)

Chapter 13: Travelers’ Past

“Quick, get up a tree,” Elvendor shouted, already sprinting towards Simeon. Reaching him he realised, with some shock, that his eyes were closed. Grabbing Simeon's knees he quickly threw him up into one of the low thick branches of a nearby whirmp, where he managed to cling on and haul himself into a sitting position. Emerdia was already astride the first branch, helping Alex aloft. Elvendor now scrambled up behind Alex, a crude metal axe just missing his left foot, slamming into the tree with a grave and final thump. Onwards and upwards they climbed, away from the deep and menacing gathering below. Elvendor hoisting Simeon up and Emerdia helping Alex until they were well clear of the swarming goblins. A few of the braver goblins had managed to reach the lower branches, but Emerdia’s bow soon picked them off. Peering down Elvendor could see the tiny ant like figures scurrying about, gathering wood and raining blows upon the trunk with their jumble of assorted metal weaponry. Thankfully it would take them a little while to cut through the whirmp…but probably still too short a time. Elvendor turned to see Simeon asleep again, or was he…suddenly Elvendor realised that he was probably doing exactly what he should be doing, that he’d been interrupted before he’d created what he’d wanted to on the ground, so he was starting again now.

Fascinated he watched for a while, as Alex and Emerdia sat upon a branch on the other side of the trunk, Emerdia occasionally gazing out across the dense forest for a sign of help, blowing her tubular whistle at short intervals. Nothing appeared to happen at first, then, starting out faintly but growing brighter and brighter a swirling blue globe appeared. Finally it became a dense swirling ocean of blues, hovering a few feet away from Simeon’s face. As it continued to grow brighter and bigger it began to descend, slowly down to the forest floor. Below the goblins stopped to watch as the globe dropped towards them, like a marble sinking through thick syrup, to a point just above their heads. Its color was now constantly changing between a multitude of greens and yellows and reds, faster and faster, a swirling disco of lights and colors until their attention was firmly fixated upon it.

“Look away,” hissed Simeon suddenly. Elvendor barely had time to pass on the message to the others before the final act of Simeon’s display was completed. The globe changed to pure gold, then vanished in a flash of pure light brighter than the sun itself. The flash burnt its image forever upon the goblins’ retinas, causing them to collapse to the floor groaning and clutching their useless eyes. Taking his hand slowly away from his own eyes, Elvendor glanced at Simeon, who sat looking slightly smug. That is until a gust of wind caught the thick branch they were sitting on, causing it to sway quite violently, at which Simeon had to grasp tightly to the tree with a look of mild panic. On the other branch Emerdia, who had covered both her own and Alex’s eyes, was staring in some amazement at the writhing mass of goblins below. Turning she asked Elvendor,

“How…?” Elvendor smiled, and pointing at Simeon replied,

“I’m not entirely sure, Simeon uses some ‘heavy energy’ stuff to make objects appear from thin air.”

“Oh, all right,” Emerdia replied, still looking confused. She continued to peer suspiciously at Simeon for a few more seconds, until he caught sight of her and waved cheerfully, at which she averted her eyes to the forestland for signs of where her friends were. Simeon decided to pass the ensuing time conjuring up a variety of voices down below. He sent the blind goblins scattering about, to the left and then to the right, as first Simeon’s voice taunted them, then that of an angry hissing snake drove them away.

It wasn’t too long before a group of twelve elfin men, riding astride white unicorns, burst into the clearing where the writhing pack of goblins lay sprawled pathetically upon the ground. The leader of the forest elves had deep brown chestnut hair and wore a green and brown patchwork of clothes, enabling him to blend into the background of the wood. Even from such a height Elvendor could sense his puzzlement as he tried to work out if he was really seeing twenty or so goblins writhing and cursing in pain before him, his men spreading out about the clearing to form a circle, unsure as to whether to attack. Wheeling his unicorn about the leader continued to survey the carnage. Elvendor turned to ask Emerdia if they should head down to find that she had already gone. Looking down he saw her alight upon the forest floor.

Ashkonen saw his daughter alight gracefully from the tree, meeting her with an inquiring look and the words,

“Well Emerdia, how do you explain this then?” She laughed and replied, pointing up to the tree told him about the traveler’s she had just met. Up in the tree Elvendor prepared to help Alex and Simeon down, but it seemed that Simeon had other ideas. Materializing from the air a wooden platform formed, just large enough to carry them. All three hopped cautiously on and the platform slowly descended to the ground, stopping before the astonished elfin leader. Ashkonen and his band looked on in amazement as Elvendor stepped off and walked forward to greet him, as he did so the platform dissolved to nothing beneath Alex and Simeon’s feet.

“Greetings Ashkonen, I am Elvendor, a traveler in these lands. My companions are Alex and Simeon, we are pleased to meet you.” Ashkonen took a few seconds to covert the strange accented elfin that Elvendor was using to his own, then replied pleasantly,

“Then we are pleased to meet you too Elvendor, and your remarkable friends, we would welcome you back to our camp. I am sorry that you have had to suffer the attacks of such pitiful creatures so soon into journeying within our woodland. The goblins often make raids upon our forests, it strikes me that they have little food within the mountains, certainly their attacks upon us have become ever more frequent of late. Do you need mounts to get back to camp?” Elvendor nodded and Ashkonen ordered some of the current elves to share unicorns to create some spares. Then he, Elvendor, Simeon, Alex and Emerdia left the clearing, as they did so Ashkonen’s final command to the remaining elves rang out like the tolling of heavy bell, “Kill them all, then return to camp”.

* * *



Later as night fell upon the sleeping corpses, the smell of decaying flesh drifting repugnantly upon the soft cool breeze that blew down the slope, a small shadow emerged amongst the battleground. He’d observed the fight and witnessed the aftermath; his sharp eyes espying what many would have missed. It only took a short while to find what he was looking for amongst the thick shrubs and twisted branches, a strange object made of metal, an object that he’d never seen before. He remained a while longer, pulling back a small curved piece of metal attached to the barrel, but to no effect. Eventually he shrugged, and attached it with a note to his faithful messenger who soared off towards Kostenton City.



* * *


It was much later on, as Elvendor was watching a sparkling light display produced by Simeon, already a firm favorite amongst the elfin people, that he was asked to speak with Ashkonen alone.

This tribe lived within vast tent like structures, made from woven forest fabrics, stretched between the trees. Easy to put up and take down for they, like the vast majority of tribes in the wood, were nomadic. They spent their time wandering amongst the woodland, to ensure both that no depletion from their farming occurred and also that the scenery would be constantly changing. For now though they were pitched mid-way between the shore and the mountains, at the Eastern side of the woodland.

Elvendor slowly pushed through the curtained doorway and into the dimly lit interior of Ashkonen’s shelter. Ashkonen sat in the middle of the forested floor, facing a woven container of glowing grubs that gave his face a pale and ghostly look. He glanced up as Elvendor entered and gracefully beckoned him to sit down opposite. Elvendor did so, painfully aware of the missing gap within his own right ear. Alex had earlier asked to borrow the device, as Elvendor could understand the elfin dialect, and he hadn’t had the logic or reasoning to this time say no. Besides it was probably better that Alex had the chance to socialize anyway, without that he may well become far less agreeable. He was surprised to find that he could still speak and understand some English and a tiny amount of leprechaunese, but most of his linguistic ability had faded and scattered from his mind. As he sat, Ashkonen’s first question dispelled his train of thoughts completely,

“Do you know of an elf who goes by the name of Endron?” Elvendor’s eyes exploded with surprise and confusion, it took him several seconds to reply,

“Yes, for he is most likely my father, assuming it is the same Endron we talk of. What do you know of him?”

“What do I know of him,” Ashkonen smiled, “nothing save for that which I learned whilst he and his wife, presumably your mother, Ferernia, were staying here for a period of nearly a year*. Within that time they had a son whom they named Elvendor, when you introduced yourself I immediately noticed the similarities between you and your parents and guessed at the truth.”

[* A year on this world comprises 16 'months' of 25 'days']

“Then tell me of their story,” Elvendor pressed, eager to learn what ‘The Jade’ was.

“Very well,” Ashkonen replied, “then I will outline what I know, although I fear it is not much, indeed I am surprised that neither of them mentioned their stay here to you. Endron, Ferernia and Grum, who was their companion and a dwarf, arrived here in these woods over twenty years ago. All three were spotted by our scouts, who directed them into our camp. There after much conversation we ascertained that they were traveling the lands, searching for adventure. It quickly became apparent that Ferernia was not long pregnant, apparently it had only been discovered after she and Endron had set out, with it being too late and difficult, not to mention embarrassing to return. They met Grum in one of the pubs in Kostenton, he was a down and out dwarf. Unusually for a dwarf , Grum preferred open spaces rather than deep mines, so had tried to get work in Kostenton but with little success. On hearing of your parents ambitious plans of exploration he agreed to go along, stopping first at his home town of D’Argth to say goodbye to his relatives before heading south with your parents.” Ashkonen paused then continued,

“That is all I can tell you of their travels, they remained almost a year here, waiting for Ferernia to give birth to you, then waiting until you could walk amongst the glades. Eventually, as Grum had become increasingly restless with the waiting, they agreed it was time to set off again. They left westwards, skirting the narrow strip of land that runs between the dull marshland and vicious mountains on the other side of this wood. They were really wonderful elves, you could see the immense love they had for each other and you, probably the only real emotion I ever saw surface in either of them. They were a lot like you, in that they remained impassive most of the time…is it a trait of your people to be so reserved?” The question threw Elvendor and unsettled him, adding to the disappointment that as yet information of the Jade had not surfaced, he remained tongue tied and silent. Ashkonen noted the pause and swiftly moved on,

“Well you’re more than welcome here Elvendor, may I enquire as to how your parents are doing?” The pause returned to fill the space in the coverstaion, a lull louder than silence as Elvendor struggled to answer,

“My father was still alive and well when I left him,” he replied, “my mother…I never really knew, all I have are vague and distant memories.” Ashkonen’s face fell as he heard the last words, longing to find out how she had died, but mindful of the difficulty such talk was causing his guest. Instead he spent the next hour talking about Elvendor’s mother; describing her flowing golden hair, her deep purple eyes and sallow skin, how she had had an air of calmness about her that surprised them all. Elvendor drank up the information keenly, his soul feeding on a part of his life that he’d been long denied.

* * *

Months past, the warm summer days, were replaced by the crisp Autumnal months where leaves ripened to a rich gold and the air formed sharpened daggers of icy chills that it threw and dispersed in bursts through the trees. Little had changed within the woodland, save that the camp had slowly meandered from the eastern side of the woods to the western. Simeon continued to entertain the elfin children with new and novel tricks and games, passing the rest of the time asleep or studying the surrounding scenery. Alex too had settled in with a group or elves, who were amazed that he could speak elfin so fluently, joining the hunts for food and fighting the occasional small scale goblin assault.

Elvendor strode amongst the crunching brown carpeted floor of the wood, reflecting on all the good times that he’d had amongst these people whose ways were so like his own, and yet so different, they can laugh, they can cry, whilst still retaining a solemn dignity. In truth this had even begun to annoy him, the fact he found it so hard to do the same was leading to the blame being reversed upon those he was with. His thoughts returned, as they seemed to ever more frequently now, to Emerdia. Constantly they had talked, but Elvendor knew that his own inhibitions arranged as a fortress built about his heart, were holding him back from going any further. Conversation that tried to be meaningful withdrew faster than his father talking of his mother, yet his desire to go beyond the trivial banter had continued to grow. Now he froze, hearing laughter ahead, her laughter. Silently he slipped to a spot where he could observe her. In the clearing she stood, playfully leaning back against a tree with another elf leaning, whispering something to her. Elvendor recognized him as Harkenal, he’d always suspected that he was interested in Emerdia, but never had it confirmed until now.

Deep inside his heart a new flame of emotion stirred, a liquid black flame ignited by the sight before his eyes, gleefully feeding off the bottled emotions pressed deep within his heart. Elvendor realized with mild shock that it was a flame he’d been containing over the last few weeks and months. An irrational flame of jealousy based on desire, that now overwhelmed his heart and clouded his mind. Before he had even realized what he was doing, his bow had slipped from his back to his hands, an arrow slid into place and the bow locked taut. He paused, his heart racing, then he dropped the bow to the floor with a shaking hand, knowing that he needed to leave this place, this wood as soon as possible to clear his heart and mind. Emerdia seemed to pause for a second in the clearing, then she slipped away from the burly and blonde Harkenal. Giggling, she asked Harkenal if he wouldn’t mind fetching something from the camp, he agreed and left her. As soon as he had she strode over to where Elvendor was hidden and whispered,

“You can come out now Elvendor, I need to talk with you urgently.” Elvendor emerged trying not to blush and in part succeeding. Emerdia sat down by the trunk of a tree and indicated he should do the same. As soon as he had done so she shot off a ream of conversation that left him speechless,

“As you may well know we are approaching the western side of the wood, where you want to be, but my father is reluctant to let your friend Simeon go. He has seen how powerful and important the gift he has can be. I overheard him last night in talking with his advisors, who wished that you should die in order that they should retain such a gift. My father, to be fair, did stand up for you. He has ensured that neither you nor Alex shall be killed, but bound up as prisoners, then given the option to remain so or leave without Simeon. They plan to do so tonight, I however must remain here whatever you choose to do, and as such I can’t be seen to have talked with you for fear of discovery, therefore you must now go.”

Elvendor climbed quickly to his feet, his mind a jumbled confusion,

“But why tell me?” he asked as he prepared to depart. Emerdia flung her arms round him and kissed him, whispering in his ear,

“Because I care about you Elvendor, far more than anyone else, now go!” He left unsure whether to laugh or cry, whether to believe her or not, unsure as to whether the world was still a place of sanity. Eventually after stealthily putting a good distance between himself and the clearing he paused to rest and work out what they should do.

[LordoftheNight]

Well, I think you should tell Simeon, and give him the choice. He may wish to remain with the elves, and forcing him to sneak away in the dead of night could offend him.

Not to mention the fact that the elves themselves wouldn't treat you kindly should you encounter them later. They know the forests better than the group, and they have their unicorn mounts. They could probably catch up.

[Chinaren]

Woo. Good chapter Jez.

Hmmf. I can't think of anything to add to Lordy's suggestion here. Speak with Simeon, maybe try sneaking away. With the illusion magic they may be able to evade the elves.

Or steal a unicorn or two themselves, letting the others free in the process. Asssuming the unicorns would wander off of course.

Or a distraction. A fire perhaps.

Maybe 'kidnap' Emerdia as well, she could show you the way.

and...

Quote: and Grum, who was their companion and a dwarf

Grum, as in the name of the dwarvish land in Lords and Ladies? :shock:

[hewithoutaname]

Agreeing with China, nice chapter Jez.

As for what to do I propose that Elvendor speaks privately with Simeon to both warn him and plot strategies to use against the elves. Otherwise, escaping sounds like it might work.

[JezSharp]

Quote: Grum, as in the name of the dwarvish land in Lords and Ladies?

No, hadn't planned it to be :shock: , I'd completely forgotton that there was a land of Grum in L&L as it hardly features and is tiny on the map. Grum just sounded a dwarfish like name, I felt like using one beginning with G (no idea why) and Glum or Grun didn't really seem to fit so I went with Grum...

[D-Lotus]

Good chapter, firstly. I don't think I can add anything constructive- it seems you've developed your style, and the only way to improve is with reading. You may or may not want to use more sophisticated language and sentences; maybe you can add some allusions, metaphors, whatever- but its up to you, a simple style suits the story fine. :smile:

As for the DP: Take Ashkonen or Emerdia hostage. Then run away with Simeon. That way, they won't dare to attack us. Emerdia may even want to come with us. If Elvendor truly loves her, he must convince her to come.

[dinranwen]

I have to f5 Lordy and Chinaren. Offer Simeon the choice, and then make your decision from there. Perhaps if Simeon likes the idea you can approach the elves openly about asking if Simeon can stay thus escaping the whole impossible situation. If not....well, I think the others have covered that now haven't they? :D

[The White Blacksmith]

I F5 dinny and all before her. Give him the choice as to whether to stay or to go. Ask Emerdia if she wants to come too. Of, and Perhaps Alex could use his connections with the Elves to aquire a few unicorns.

[joyfull22]

yeh, i agree with everyone else
tlk 2 simeon, and if he likes the idea, then he can stay. he has made lots of friends with da elves.
but if he doen't want to stay, they shouldn't try 2 tlk 2 ashkonnen becoz he will wonder where elvendor learnt about it. if someone saw elvendor with emerdia, then ashkonnen might balme her and take her away and elvendor might never see her again
or mebbe they should all just run away
or mebbe elvendor should run away by himself, since both simeon and alex seem 2 have made good friends with the elves, and it did say in he chapter he would leave
anyway, good chapter!
:)

[JezSharp]

Ok, seems like nearly all are agreed that the best option is to ask Simeon whether he wants to go...to make this a little more interesting I can reveal (and it was meant to be so implied) that Simeon does want to leave with them, he set out on a journey - not to spend the rest of his days as a childrens entertainer - therefore he will want to continue on.

In light of this then the dp/poll will be structured on the basis that Simeon does not want to remain with the nomadic elves, but to journey on.

D-Lotus said:

Quote: I don't think I can add anything constructive- it seems you've developed your style, and the only way to improve is with reading. You may or may not want to use more sophisticated language and sentences; maybe you can add some allusions, metaphors, whatever- but its up to you, a simple style suits the story fine.

That's true, I don't think I will ever be an author who writes as heavy and detailed descriptive works as Tolkein's LotR's, much more towards Tolkeins 'The Hobbit' style. That suits me however, I think that a more simple style will reach to people that heavier won't and visa versa.

As to reading to improve, true for all writers, and work can only improve with age and experience (quite a nice thought actually... :D )...at least up to a certain age anyway.

[Masterweaver]

Siomen should go. These elves can be nice, but they get boring after a while... :D

[JezSharp]

Yes, I just said he wants to go... (although even if he hadn't of, can Elvendor really afford to lose someone of his ability...?)

Ok the current options are as follows:

1) Sneak away under illusion on Unicorns by themselves
2) Sneak away under illusion but kidknap Emerdia
3) Sneak away under illusion but kidknap Ashkonen
4) Elvendor leaves the other two and goes off by himself

Ideas as to what illusion they should use are also open to suggestion: I think fire has been the only illusion suggested so far...

[Masterweaver]

A swarm of vultures!

[JezSharp]

Ok poll going up, Probably run until sometime Friday.

[hewithoutaname]

I went for a double case of kidnap*.


*I got first vote, yay me!

[Mother Goose]

I assume since 'kidnap' is in quotes, she comes willingly.

[JezSharp]

Yes more or less, they certainly wouldn't take her exclusively against her will, hence the 'attempt' in the poll - only I know whether it will be successful ;) .

[DukeReg]

I voted slip away.

[D-Lotus]

Quote: As to reading to improve, true for all writers, and work can only improve with age and experience (quite a nice thought actually... )...at least up to a certain age anyway.

You mean that age in which we are too old and antiquated to try anything new?

[JezSharp]

Um, in a sense yes - that age varies greatly upon who the person is though, perhaps when someone has stopped thinking he is able to try anything new would be better...but thats then decending into philospophy.

Need someone to break the three way tiebreak!!! Otherwise I'll have to flip a coin (or roll a dice or some other unsatisfactory random method).

[JezSharp]

Yay! Tie Broken in favor of kidknapping both, I'm going to shut the poll now before it can be re-tied. Next Chapter should be up soonish.

[Masterweaver]

Nice, looking forward to it..

[Chinaren]

Masterweaver wrote: Nice, looking forward to it..

MW, this is not the kind of post that I want to be seeing repeatedly. I have seen you say this on a number of threads now. Please keep your posts relevant and useful.

[D-Lotus]

Wow, my suggestion won! This doesn't happen very often. :D

[JezSharp]

This Forum will now be locked down as the new Chapter will shortly be coming up.