“It sure looks as if elf relations were just as the Qubari say they were,” MistyTrail said. “Over the past few days we have read story after story about how good the relations between the humans and the elves were. How can you still insist that humans are you enemy?”
“It is our law,” Caldal retorted stubbornly. “Obviously these Qubari accounts are not telling the whole story. Why would the human libraries document whatever it is they did to the elves to cause my people to hate humans?”
“Or something happened to sour the relations after these tomes were written,” suggested Eltor.
“According to Yltar,” interjected Mistake, “there have been no further relations with the elves. It is as if the elves just disappeared from this world.”
“There is no sense to continuing this argument,” sighed MistyTrail. “The facts are plain enough for anyone to see. If you still want to hate humans, that is your problem, not mine. Humans raised me as one of their own. They would never forsake me because of some law or any other reason. True friends do not begin to hate you because someone else says that they have to.”
MistyTrail turned and stormed out of the temple library.
“What is wrong with her?” scowled Caldal. “She acts like the elves are not entitled to laws of their own. She should realize that our laws are what have kept the elves from being attacked by humans. They are not something that we can abandon just because we want to.”
“Perhaps she feels as she does because she is human,” offered Mistake. “After all, there is only your word that we are elves. Maybe we are the enemy that you search so hard for.”
“That is nonsense,” retorted Caldal. “Anyone could see that you are both elves. Do you think Eltor and I would be taking you to Elvangar if we were not positive that you were elves? We would never take a human to our homeland.”
“And what makes you think that we would want to go with you to a land where humans are reviled?” countered Mistake. “I have had the misfortune of knowing many evil humans, but there are many that I also consider my friends. Your insistence that all humans are evil is getting quite tiresome. Perhaps it is best that you return to Elvangar and prepare to defend your own land against Vand. Surely, that is better than having to suffer any longer among the evil humans.”
Mistake also turned and stormed out of the library. The elves stood staring at the empty doorway for several silent moments.
“Nice going,” sighed Eltor. “Why didn’t you just slap both of them in the face?”
“Do not blame me for their hotheadedness,” retorted Caldal. “I am merely stating what is the law. We cannot just decide that the law is wrong whenever we feel like it.”
“An interesting comment from one who talked me into passing the Barrier Islands,” countered Eltor. “We easily chose to discard that law when we felt like it. Didn’t we?”
“That is not the same,” Caldal sighed in frustration. “We were looking for a little excitement, not betraying our people.”
“And excitement we did find,” quipped Eltor. “So much excitement that we had to be rescued by Mistake and MistyTrail. And how have we rewarded them? We have told them that we were taking them back to Elvangar, whether or not they wanted to go. We have told them that their friends are our enemy, even though the humans have done everything they could to help us. They have taken us into their confidence. They have armed us and protected us. They have let us be as one of their own.”
“I truly can find no fault with the humans so far,” admitted Caldal, “but that is not the point. You must know that the Emperor seeks to learn the location of Elvangar. That is why he has acted so nice towards us.”
“And did he tell all of the other humans to be nice to us?” prompted Eltor. “Did he tell the Qubari to welcome us and let us browse their library? Did he tell the Sakovans to treat as friends? Or the Fakarans that joined us in Meliban? Face it, Caldal, what we were taught about humans is incorrect.”
“Everything we were taught about humans was validated on the Island of Darkness,” replied Caldal. “There we saw the true face of humans. Here we are seeing a facade.”
“These humans are the enemy of the ones on Motanga,” Eltor pointed out. “They are opposites, yet you still want to paint them all with the same brush. Just as all elves are not of one mind, so too is this true with humans. While some humans are obviously our enemy, I no longer believe that is true of all. I am going to talk with Mistake to see if I can appease her. I do not want to think of leaving her behind with Rejji when we return to Elvangar. I suggest you think a great deal about your stance regarding humans. It would be a shame for MistyTrail to remain behind with Bakhai.”
Eltor moved silently out of the library, but a couple people watched him leave. At the far end of the library, Temiker tapped Axor on the arm and nodded to the departing elf.
“What do you make of these elves?” the Alamar mage asked.
“They are young and confused,” shrugged the Chula shaman. “They do not yet understand that the future of the elves rides with those chosen by Kaltara, even though those chosen are not elven.”
“Why do you suppose that the elves have decreed that the humans are the enemy?” asked Temiker.
“I am not sure that they have,” replied Axor. “We have only the word of two young confused elves as a guide. I would not take their views as being definitive of the true nature of elves. I would suspect that seclusion for the elves has been a necessity, but that is a far cry from being an enemy.”
“I suppose that you are right,” nodded Temiker. “I should spend more time wondering about these ancient spells than the relations with the elves. Have you found anything more on how the jungle was created?”
“Yes,” nodded Axor, “but not the actual spells. I suspect that the elves did not share those spells with the Qubari. Still, there are some very interesting spells that are put forth in here. I am anxious to experiment with some of them.”
Caldal slammed the book closed and placed it back on the shelf as he watched Temiker and Axor talking at the other end of the library. He marched out of the library, rehearsing words in his head that would soothe his fragile relationship with MistyTrail. He exited the temple and entered the central park. He saw Eltor near the center of the park, but he could not locate MistyTrail He walked towards Eltor as his eyes scanned the park for the Sakovan elf.
“Have you seen MistyTrail?” Caldal asked softly when he reached Eltor and Mistake.
“She went off in the woods with Bakhai,” Mistake replied curtly.
“Which direction did they go?” Caldal asked Eltor.
Eltor nodded silently in the direction towards the bridge, and Caldal took off running. Villagers stared as the elf ran through the streets of the city, so Caldal slowed to a fast walk. He was sure that he would be able to sneak up on the couple and discover what they were talking about.
Deep in the woods, MistyTrail and Bakhai were separated. They had each gone in different directions upon entering he woods and marched for a count of one hundred. Now the trick was to be the first to discover the other’s hiding place. MistyTrail used her speed and quick reflexes to dash from tree to tree in pursuit of Bakhai. The Qubari stood quietly behind a tree and listened to the animals. He smiled, as he was able to chart MistyTrail’s progress by the shouts of alarm from his animal friends. Squirrels darted away from the human intruder and chattered noisily. Birds took to the upper branches of the trees and alerted their brethren. Bakhai grinned and planned a reception for MistyTrail when she arrived.
Suddenly, Bakhai heard another disturbance in the animal world. He frowned as he realized the paths of the two forest intruders were converging. He began to worry that some animal might be stalking MistyTrail. He started to move towards the disruption.
MistyTrail paused and stared at the chattering squirrel. She frowned as she realized that Bakhai would be able to determine her location by the alarms of the animal world. Her situation was not the same as it had been in the Sakova. She reversed her course and moved a hundred paces in a different direction. Then she tossed a small stone as hard as she could towards her previous position. She smiled when the birds squawked and flew away from where the stone landed.
The racket of the birds also caused Caldal to stop abruptly and listen to the sounds of disturbance. That is when MistyTrail spotted him. She frowned as she wondered what the elf was up to. Instantly putting Bakhai and the game out of her mind, MistyTrail began to silently follow Caldal.
Caldal began to feel uneasy in the foreign woods. He had been in a hurry to spy on MistyTrail and Bakhai, and now he felt as if eyes were watching him sneak through the trees. He stood and abruptly turned around, but no one was there. When he turned back around, Bakhai stood before him with an arrow nocked.
“I thought you were a large animal,” Bakhai smiled thinly. “Are you lost?”
Caldal frowned and looked behind Bakhai for MistyTrail.
“Where is she?” asked Caldal. “I was told that MistyTrail went for a walk in the woods.”
“Actually,” replied Bakhai, “I am looking for her myself. Is there a message that you want me to convey to her when I find her?”
“No,” Caldal glared at the Qubari. “I will tell her myself.”
MistyTrail was behind a tree a few dozen paces behind Caldal. She grinned and stepped into the open.
“What is the message?” she asked.
Caldal turned abruptly and stared at MistyTrail. He blushed as he realized that MistyTrail had been following him, but his mood soon turned away from embarrassment to anger. His fists tightened and his lips pressed tightly together. He felt like a fool. He was about to open his mouth when a loud gong sounded.
“It is a call to the square,” announced Bakhai as he placed his arrow into his quiver. “It must be about Rejji. Come. We don’t want to miss it.”
Rejji had not been heard from in three days since he had entered the prayer chamber. Yltar had held a vigil outside the door and had prohibited anyone from entering. The trio turned and raced back to the village. When they arrived, the square was packed with villagers. Bakhai pushed his way through the crowd, leaving MistyTrail and Caldal stranded on the outer fringes of the assembly. In the center of the square, Yltar stood beside the Astor waiting for the crowd to assemble. When the commotion had died down, the head shaman nodded to the chief.
“Did he talk to you?” asked Chief Dumo.
“He did,” nodded Rejji. “He did more than just talk. He showed me visions of how things were, and how they will be. He showed me so much, that I do not know where to begin.”
“Did he confirm you as Astor?” asked the Torak.
“He did,” nodded Rejji. “More than that. He instructed me to accompany you and the Star to Angragar. We are to cleanse the city of the unholy hellsouls that inhabit it.”
“All of them?” asked Chief Dumo. “Mobi says that there are hundreds of them. If only two of you can kill them, that sounds very dangerous.”
“Anyone can kill them,” interjected the Torak. “We have learned that decapitation will vanquish a hellsoul. Still, it will be a dangerous trip. The spears of the Qubari are ill suited to such a challenge.”
Chief Dumo snapped his fingers at Voltak. The warrior nodded and ran off. He returned in just moments carrying a long, wicked-looking spear with a sharp blade on the end of it rather than the pointed tip, which the Qubari normally use.
“These will be the weapons that the Qubari will carry into battle inside Angragar,” he declared.
Emperor Marak smiled and nodded in appreciation.
“We are not just to kill the hellsouls,” Rejji continued. “We are to resurrect the city of Angragar.”
“Resurrect it?” questioned Yltar. “How do you mean?”
“I mean the city will come alive once more,” answered Rejji. “It will be the dwelling place of the Qubari and more. It will once again be the capital city of Fakara.”
“But it is shrouded in the jungle,” frowned Chief Dumo. “You cannot expect Fakarans to tramp through this jungle to get to Angragar. The creatures in it would kill them.”
“The jungle will no longer protect Angragar,” declared Rejji. “Kaltara said that the jungle would fall away from the city. When Angragar is restored, Kaltara will dwell within its temple.”
Gasps of shock rippled through the villagers. The pronouncement meant that their lives would change forever. Gone from their lives would be the village and the protective jungle around it. They would move into a city that had not been inhabited in thousands of years, and they would share that city with the outsiders. Many of the villagers frowned at the thought of abandoning their homes.
“Opening up Angragar,” protested Wyant, “would allow the Jiadin a target that might cause them to reunite. The tribes have long sought the golden city of Angragar. While those loyal to you would no longer seek to seize the treasure, the Jiadin would. Surely there must be another way?”
“The Jiadin are part of us,” declared the Astor. “They must be brought into our fold. Kaltara was quite clear on this.”
“How are you going to accomplish that?” asked Wyant. “They are bitter enemies of the Free Tribes.”
“I do not know,” admitted Rejji, “but it must be done.”
More questions were shouted from the audience, but Rejji shook his head and raised his hands to silence the questions.
“There is too much to divulge to do so right now,” Rejji said. “I am hungry and must eat. Dwell upon what Kaltara has said and plan for what we must do.”
Yltar and Chief Dumo escorted Rejji through the crowd and into an open courtyard in the palace. Emperor Marak, Lyra, Wyant, and Bakhai followed. Chief Dumo snapped off commands on the way to the courtyard and villagers raced to prepare a meal and bring it to Rejji.
“You are hesitant to divulge the rest of what Kaltara told you,” Yltar said softly. “Why?”
Rejji frowned and started eating the bread that had already been brought to the table. His eyes scanned those who were present before he spoke.
“Kaltara says that I am the descendent of King Regis,” the Astor said. “When Angragar is restored, he expects me to be king of all the land before the Fortung Mountains.”
“And you have a problem with that?” asked Chief Dumo. “You should feel honored. The Qubari already follow you as the hand of God. Most of the Fakarans worship you as the one who united them and brought them food. What is the problem?”
“I do not know,” confessed Rejji. “I do not see myself as a king of anything. It seems wrong to me.”
“Kaltara is never wrong,” smiled Lyra, “but I know how you feel. I felt the same when I was declared the Star of Sakova. I felt as if God had made a mistake, but I grew to know better. People need a ruler to give them direction. Often those rulers take advantage of their high position and act not in the best interests of their people. I have seen it in Omunga, and you have seen it under Grulak. Kaltara’s pronouncement is not so much an accolade to you, but a gift to the people. He knows that you will rule wisely with the best interests of the people always as your goal. The people will look at you and see a king, but Kaltara will look at you and see an obedient servant.”
“Lyra is right,” interjected Emperor Marak. “None of us sought high office for the fame and glory. I often think that I would be happier living with the Chula in simplicity, but there is work to be done, and I cannot walk away from it. Our peoples must be prepared to defend themselves. Ask yourself this question, if one person must rule over Fakara, who should that person be? As loyal as some of your people are, can you think of one who would not be tempted to take advantage of the situation?”
Rejji frowned as he dwelled on the Torak’s words. Those who were closest to him were rejected almost immediately. As supportive as he had been, Bakhai would turn from such pressure and return to the wild. Mistake is about to leave Fakara once more to go live with the elves. Chief Dumo had a habit of seeing things in too narrow a view. Even Wyant had come to help Rejji only after turning from a life of looting and pillaging the defenseless.
“Almost everyone would succumb to basic human greed in such a situation,” interjected Yltar. “If not greed, then the fame would go to their head. Do not think poorly of those you cross off the list of those who might be eligible,” smiled the head shaman. “People are not perfect. We all have faults although we tend to hide them most of the time. Kaltara is guiding you and using you as a tool. He will keep you from becoming vain and seeking riches. Do not fight our God.”
“I won’t fight it,” conceded Rejji. “I think the worst part of his pronouncement is what others will think of me. Because others would love to be in such a position, they will think that I have connived my way into power.”
“Some will think that,” agreed Emperor Marak. “That is inevitable, but it means nothing. Kaltara has chosen you because he knows that you will act for the benefit of the people, not yourself. Accept it and move on.”
Nods and encouraging murmurs went around the table. Finally Rejji nodded in acceptance.
“I will do what Kaltara commands me to do,” declared the Astor. “I may not like some of the demands, but I will carry them out regardless.”
“How are the Qubari going to accept the move?” Wyant asked Chief Dumo. “They did not appear to be happy with the pronouncement.”
“They are not happy about it,” agreed Dumo. “I cannot blame them. We gave up our lives in Angragar and were banished to this jungle as protectors of the ancient city. We were not happy with the change then either, but we obeyed. We will obey this time as well. Can the same be said for the Fakarans?”
“I was wondering that myself,” shrugged Wyant. “We have lived pretty much as nomads since the beginnings of our memories. The tribes have adjusted well to Rejji’s plans to rebuild the country, but Angragar will be different. The tribes have no real feel for Kaltara. We do not know of him. When they learn that Rejji is making decisions based upon visions from some god, they may revolt. They are not a very religious group.”
“They need to learn about Kaltara,” suggested Lyra. “He is their only hope of survival. I have the same problem with Omungans, and I am sure that the Torak is in the same position in Khadora. How do we get our people to know God?”
“An excellent question,” mused Emperor Marak. “It could be done over time by constructing temples and enabling priests, but we have no time for that. My hands are full just trying to get the clans to train together. We don’t have much time.”
“Perhaps that is the reason for Kaltara’s call for the Three to go to Angragar,” Rejji said as he finished a bowl of stew. “He spoke to me about the need for us to go Angragar within a few days. I suspect that he has something to say to all of us.”
“I had that feeling as well when he told me to organize the trip,” nodded the Torak. “Perhaps we should ask this question of Kaltara when he speaks to us.”
“Were those few days from when you woke up?” asked Yltar. “Or was it from when you first entered? You were inside for three days.”
“It was before I slept,” answered Rejji, “but I do not think the timing matters much. He knows that the three of us are here in the jungle. He knows our destination. The timing will be up to us.”
“Is there any reason to wait?” asked Lyra. “I am anxious to see this painting that was described to me.”
“We need a plan,” answered Emperor Marak. “We are tasked to kill hundreds of hellsouls. While the army of the Qubari may well be needed for this task, I am loathe to send hundreds of warriors into the city without a viable plan.”
“My men will fight valiantly,” Chief Dumo declared. “We will scour every street and every building to make that city safe for our families.”
“I have no doubts about the abilities of your warriors,” smiled the Torak. “I have seen them in action. I am concerned with so many people entering the city at one time. I think there would be many deaths, and the Qubari will be needed to fight the evil. We should discuss this before we depart.”
“Could we make it to the temple and slowly eliminate the hellsouls one at a time?” asked Rejji. “They do not seem to want to enter that building.”
“That might take a long time,” frowned Emperor Marak, “and time is not on our side. However, your question brings a thought to mind. If a small group of us entered the city and let it be known that we were in the temple, a larger force could then enter the city and attack them from behind.”
“A trap,” Wyant nodded enthusiastically. “I like it. The small group stays in the temple long enough to make sure that all of the hellsouls gather around the building. Then the Qubari warriors attack from behind. It would be a slaughter.”
“That does sound like a good plan,” nodded Chief Dumo. “We will need to keep the gates of the city open to allow the Qubari army in, but that will not matter. Any hellsouls trying to sneak out will be vanquished by my men.”
“When can we all be ready?” asked Rejji.
“Tomorrow morning would be fine,” answered Chief Dumo. “Who will be in the small group?”
“I think twelve would do,” replied Emperor Marak. “It is large enough to draw their attention, and yet small enough to keep together if we have to make haste. How about the Three, and three more chosen by each of them? That would give us twelve.”
“That conveniently coincides with your instructions for the size of an escort in the first place,” grinned the Star of Sakova. “Did you have this all planned before you left Khadoratung?”
“I had a vision of it before I left,” conceded the Torak. “In fact, I knew who you would bring before you told me their names.”
“What else did you see?” Yltar asked with suspicion.
“I do not believe that my visions are absolute,” retorted Emperor Marak. “Just because this one has turned out to be accurate so far, does not mean that the visions are an unimpeachable picture of the future.”
“You saw death in your vision,” accused Yltar. “Didn’t you? Who dies?”
“It is not something that I will discuss,” declared Emperor Marak. “I cannot say for certain that I saw death in the vision. Let us leave it at that.”