Chapter One- (elves) The Council
Alduren, the elvish prince, watched as clouds slid across the darkening sky. He stood thinking about his nation's latest problems as the sun sank beneath the horizon. He glanced down from the sky and watched the people of his father's city go through their nightly business. He worried about the Elvish nation. Lately the problems that were affecting the nation were not the simple ones like land disputes or even disease in comparison. There were creatures. Dark creatures that were supernaturally strong and took many fighters to kill. They attacked the border but were never seen in any number. No one had ever seen the likes of them before and Elvish records did not mention them either.
Also there was a new shadow that was slowly taking over the forest on their border to the southeast. Trees that were found within this shadow were diseased or morphed to just a ghost of it's former self. The land and the life underneath this evil haze were drained.
Still buried in his worries, he turned to head toward the council chamber.
As he entered the large, round council chamber he saw that there were a few elves already seated in their high backed, wooden chairs. He scanned the faces until he saw Gale, capstan of the Elvish army, seated near the end of the table. He took his place on the right hand side of the kings place and leaned forward to talk to Gale who sat on the left and across from him.
“How are the borders to the south?” He questioned the man. Gale stared back at him.
“Well, I've seen better conditions.” He finally replied as he ran his fingers through his cropped brown hair that was mixed with gray. “There seems to be more signs of activity. We have lost another fighting unit just this month.”
Alduren nodded to himself and at that time Falathrin, his father and king, walked through the door followed by his advisers. Falathrin was a tall elf. His short blond-silver hair matched his tired features and weary gray eyes. He took his seat in between his captain and son and nodded by way of greeting to them both.
“It is time for the council to begin.” he announced. “We have seen troubles that are not getting resolved. We need answers and action to prevent further damage to the Elvish race.” he turned to Gale, “Report on our war status. How do we stand on troops and have we been forced to give up land to these dark monsters?”
Gale tilted his head to one side then turned to address the Elves in the seats that had all been filled by then. “These creatures are dangerous, as you all know. They began to appear around midsummer and have brought havoc down upon our nation. They seem to be intelligent as in they understand that we need to eat to survive. They have attacked food sources such as the farms by Elimari. They have either scattered or slaughtered our livestock. Our citizens and some smaller towns and villages along the southwestern and southern border have been attacked and some even destroyed. Furthermore,” his piercing blue eyes swept over those watching him. “These enemies are extremely difficult, almost impossible, to kill or wound. They seen to be impervious to our spells and weapons. Every time we get reasonably close to killing one, it escapes and 'runs' towards the forest where it seems to disappear without a trace. They are brutal and merciless and nearly an eighth of our fighters are no longer able to fight, not including the dead. We need help and we need it fast.”
“Thank you Gale.” Falathrin told him. He clasped his hands on the table in front of him and shrugged his shoulders. “From what I have heard, the situation will soon be too grievous to fix. I have had word from a professor of Ancients and prophecies of the gods and spirits.” He turned his head towards an aged man with a wiry build and long white hair. “Tell them what you have told me, Zahir.”
Zahir slowly raised himself from his chair and began to tell the assembly of the legend of the Stone of Si Re. Cries of disbelief and anger rose to greet him after he had finished his account of how the stone had come in to being and how it had helped those of the past. “This is absurd! Why do you tell us these dusty children's stories? They are myths, only legends and only those with fool hearts could put trust in them at such dangerous times!” exclaimed a young region leader as he half rose from his seat. “Say we were to believe this legend you present to us.” he continued. “The King Telar and the Council hid the stone after the war. No one knows where it is. We could send thousands of patrol units out to find it's hiding place but if we ever happened to stumble upon it, the war would be long lost and we would all be lying face down in puddles of our own blood!” Mummers of agreement filled the room as the young elf sat back down again.
“It is true that the stone was hidden from the rest of the world. And as all mortals must, Telar, who is thought not to even have existed, has been dead for a great amount of time because of a supposed scuffle with what is assumed to be fictitious creatures called Goblins. But there is a part of this tale that is not part of the widely known version of the 'story'. A scribe had written down and I found it in one of the books from the days of the Ancients. According to it, Telar left a message in case of great need. It says:
To the lands where spirits gather and where the sun never shines.
To the crest of a stone wave that sings with the wind.
To the land of the lair of those most accursed.
Stretch forth the hand of victory and lay it upon the eye of the dead.
And in the trunk of the mother tree lies the power of the heavens, earth, and sea.
That is what Telar left us to find the stone.” Zahir finished as he met the eyes of the elves watching him. “Your basing this all on a fairy tale!!” roared the young region leader. “The legend can say as much as it wants to say about anything under the sun but no matter what that is you still seem to think that it is real. It is not! There was never a human king named Telar, nor an all powerful glowing rock, nor an evil spirit named Marfi, nor dwarves, goblins, trolls, eyes of the dead, or any other fanciful notion that pops into your old moon addled head.” With this he stood again and without another word or backward glance, exited the council chamber.
Alduren looked over at his father Falathrin's eyebrows rose and he told him quietly “Interesting. He seems like a polite young man. I will have to honor his court one day with soldiers and a replacement that is more suited for the political aspects of court.” He smiled at that then returned his gaze to Zahir who stood waiting perfectly calm as though the elf's outburst hadn't even mildly bothered him.
“Well, in every story there is always a grain of truth not matter how small.” said a middle aged man with brown hair and a friendly face. “Professor Zahir, do you have any ideas for what the riddle given by the scribe might mean? It sounds like it's talking about places outside the elf nation in the unexplored lands.”
“That is just what I thought when I first stumbled upon it. But the problem is; are we desperate enough to attempt to find this Stone of Si Re based on this riddle? And who could be trustworthy enough to entrust such valuable weapon?”
“Why not the young soldier, Beleran?” asked Gale. “He shows promise and potential. He is young and full of energy. He is one of the most loyal elves I have ever met. He has proved himself in battles against the dark creatures. Plus at the time being, he is off duty and totally useless here.”
“And it could do no harm if nothing is found and he immediately came back here. He is not necessary for the nation to function. If he finds something, all the better for us. He is one of these fellows that hold his honor and oaths as though they were more binding than chains, so it would be in your best interest to make him swear some oaths of loyalty, secrecy, and bringing the stone back if he finds it.” replied to friendly faced man who happened to be one of many who knew and liked Beleran.
The discussions continued for a time afterwards in which the details were hammered out and everyone eventually agreed to the idea. After that the council members all filed out of the room and departed to their quarters. Alduren slipped past them and headed to the gate that opened out into the elves capital city, Eldarwen. He had never been one to sit in the castle and rule without being at least being on speaking terms with some of his subjects. He stepped out of the gate and walked down the paved walkway that led from the castle to the city.
There were still a good number of people out but not as many as in the daytime. Shopkeepers called greetings to him as he passed. Occasionally, he would even stop to glance through a merchants wares while he chatted with them about business and their lives in general. It had been his father himself who had told Alduren that people were more likely to follow you if you were friendly towards them. Right after that, he had warned him saying that is was sometimes necessary just to feign friendship for appearances so that limiting friendships did not develop and that it ended up starting disputes. “It's just as in politics. You listen to all parties, give some false encouragement but generally ignore if one group is more important than the other and don't let friends get in the way of ruling your country.” Falathrin had told him this as just some good advice for life as well as governing. No one had ever really spent the time teaching him the niceties of rule because they spent that time teaching it all to his older brother, Nreafindor. He still knew how to rule if need be but he would never be as ready for it as his brother. Alduren was content with that though. He reached his hand out and tousled the hair of a small boy running by him. The boy laughed as he grinned up at him then continued running down the street to where his mother waited holding her arms out to him.
He continued down the paved paths until he came to the central plaza of the Elvish city. There was a small, circular pool with an intricately carved border that kept the water in. Around the pool was a small plot of green grass sprinkled with flowers. Alduren moved closer and chose one of the low stone benches placed in an arch around the fountain to sit down on.
Todays council worried him greatly. It did all sound like they were just going crazy and grasping at whatever strings the wind blew their way. Honestly! How could this child's story be true? It spoke of creatures that didn't even sound like they could exist. It spoke of an impossibility, a stone that held the power of the ancients. But furthermore, it spoke of something that might be their downfall if real. It would mean that the evil one, Marfi, and his hordes were real. Somehow it could all be linked to the current situation. But it was highly unlikely.
Alduren sat with his hands folded, his eyes staring into the still waters of the pool. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the shadows around him moving. Suddenly Alduren sensed something that brought him back from his thoughts and he whipped his head around. But it was too late. Something came speeding out of the growing darkness and crashed into the side of his head. The prince saw lights explode in front of his eyes and he slumped forward, sliding off of the bench and onto his knees. There was no one around to see the other figures race from the shadows and grab the prince. One of the figures hauled him onto its shoulder and then they disappeared, leaving no trace behind.
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