The Elf King (48 page)

Kloe Datris stepped
forward, one arm reaching out as if it alone would stop their
progress. “I am Head of the Red Knights! I am ordering you to
remain still.”

“
Who sent you?” Wilt asked
with a tint of fear in his voice. “Get back away from that
sword!”

Kloe Datris reached within
his red coat and withdrew a long sword. “Do as he says.”

Tane turned to Shadox, who
moved around closer to them. One hand raised in a calming fashion.
“I am Shadox. A friend to Cillitran and its king.”

“
Its king is dead.” Wilt
snapped bitterly.

“
Kings come and go. That is
the way with life. One replaces another.” Shadox replied in a
soothing tone, as if to suggest to them that Turyn’s passing must
be accepted. “Men of Cillitran, I introduce you to your new king.
This is Tane Andelline.”

“
That’s blasphemy!” Kloe
cursed. He positioned his stance, poised to attack.

“
That is an awful claim to
make!” Wilt Oan barked in response. “He has Elven
blood!”

“
We have no time for lies
or deceits.” Shadox began again. “Listen care—”

“
I am Tane Ellantri.” Tane
interrupted. “My mother was an elf. The sorcerer tells me that
Turyn Andelline was my father. Though he never knew of me. I have
traveled with him a long way to see for myself. Like you, I have my
doubts. But I am told that only an heir can call upon the power of
the Issilix Delsoue. So I am here. And if Shadox is right, and all
of it is true, then that would make me your king.”

Kloe Datris shook his head.
“We are not the fools you take us for. Stand down from the
statue.”

“
Listen to reason.” Shadox
motioned for Tane to remain where he was. “I am a
sorcerer—”

“
Enough! We have no reason
to believe anything you speak.” Wilt Oan was growing furious. They
had finally found the sword, and he was not about to let someone
steal it right in front of him. “For all we know, you were sent
here by the Queen to claim it and destroy it! Now back
away!”

Shadox stepped forward.
Everything about him now suggested that this game had already gone
on for too long. The tone in his voice became stern and
threatening. “As Head of the Red Knights you would know your
history. You would know what this sword is. You would know the
rightful bearer. Then you would also know that only one of the
Andelline’s blood heirs could set it free. This is your King. The
sword is his.”

“
You risk an awful lot.”
Kloe Datris did not let his guard down. “What you claim is enough
to put you to death.”

“
Then one of two things
will happen,” Tane spoke up, taking control. “I will take hold of
the sword and claim it rightfully as the sorcerer says. If I am an
heir, the sword will be set free of its prison. If I am not, then
it will remain cast away and you can put me to death. But we have
no time for this bickering about who I am. It will be proven it
now.”

Without waiting for
anyone’s response, Tane reached out and grasped the long handle.
Everything else went silent then.

Instantly he felt a tingle
inside his hand that lead down his arm, racing through his entire
body. Surprised, he almost flung his hand away in reaction. But he
held firm, feeling the strange tingle flow through him like his
blood. Then he saw it happening. Starting at the handle where his
hand was, a reddish hue began to glow, spreading up the sword
slowly, revealing the glimmering metal beneath. It was as if paint
was peeling away. Tane stared through it all without blinking. He
was mesmerized.

From within the sword a
small light began to flicker, as though it were on fire. The red
and yellow light shed forth, shrouding the sword and its master,
then shot out into Tane. Tane screamed. He wanted to let go of his
grasp, wanted to thrust away the sword and be free of the sensation
overwhelming him, but he couldn’t. Deep inside him, he felt the
light invade. It throbbed throughout his body, his core. Tane
screamed, seeing everything turn red. All sounds around him
disappeared. All he was left with was the pain of something
settling inside him.

Then it faded. In a rush,
everything came back to him. He could hear the others around him
gasping in awe with hushed voices in a jumbled mix he could not
decipher still. His vision cleared as well, as he saw his hand
still grasped the sword, which was now cast in a crimson color. The
whole process took only a few moments, and when it was finished,
the red hue disappeared just as sudden as it had begun. Tane stood
alone, holding the sword.

“
Issilix Delsoue!” Oan
cursed.

“
The truth is revealed”
Shadox said firmly. “Tane, how do you feel?”

“
I can’t describe it.” Tane
stared in shock at the blade. “I can feel it in my whole body.
Tingling. Flowing. It’s like...alive. What happened? What did it
do?”

“
You have awakened the
magic, Tane.” Shadox turned to Kloe and Wilt. “Your King stands
before you.”

Wilt gasped in wonder.
“How? How would an heir be kept in such secrecy?”

Tane walked out of the rock
bed to stand next to Shadox. Kloe Datris and Wilt Oan slowly walked
over to him. They were quiet for a few moments, as each of them
stood admiring the sword and what it implicated. Kloe and Wilt were
realizing that they were standing in the presence of their new
king. Shadox remained still, eyes focusing on the sword, his face
was etched in serious lines. Tane stood with the pulsating vibes
still running from the sword and through his body. Watching the
blade, he saw it turning color. Within a few minutes, the entire
sword was a red shade. A shade of blood. Seconds later, it returned
to a metal color.

“
I do not know how this
could be. But the magic would not lie.” Kloe Datris dropped to one
knee and bowed to Tane. Oan was a second behind. “Your majesty, I
am Kloe Datris, your protector. I welcome you to
Cillitran.”

“
Yes, yes.” Wilt began, at
a loss for words still. “Wilt Oan, peacekeeper to the Races. We
mean no disrespect. We’ve only come to secure the sword, before the
demon finds it.”

“
It is not here,” Shadox
stated. His head shifted to face the wind, as if searching for a
scent. There was a flash of disappointment in his eyes for a
second, before he turned to Tane. “It’s coming.”

Tane looked questionably
to Shadox. “
T
akers
? Here in the city?”

But it was Wilt who
answered. “No, no. Their master.”

He became alive with words
now, flowing with no end, shooting just as rapid as he could. He
began by telling them everything that had befallen the city in the
past few weeks, leading up to their present predicament. He
concluded by telling them that they had been searching for the
sword all night, and had come to the conclusion of its whereabouts
just as they had found each other.

“
The war will begin
shortly. We must hurry, Tane.” Shadox began walking away to his
horse.

“
Wait!” Wilt cried, as Tane
turned to follow the sorcerer. “What do we do when it returns for
the sword?”

Shadox stopped walking in
mid-stride and turned back. He walked with long strides and
purpose, eager to leave the city. He approached Kloe Datris and
removed his sword from the Red Knights hands before he could react.
He stuck the blade tip down into the earth and sent white fire into
it for several minutes. No one moved. No one understood. When he
was finished, Shadox removed the sword and handed it back to Kloe
Datris.

“
The spirit seeks a sword
of power. Give it this one.” Shadox stared at their confused faces.
“The magic within will lure the demon. It will desire it above all
other things. Once it withdraws the magic within, it will bind the
spirit. It will be held then until it can be destroyed.” Without
waiting for a reply, Shadox turned and walked away, disappearing
within the aisle of the hedgerows.

“
I ride to the war,” Tane
said, not knowing what else to say before departing. “Be careful of
this demon.”

“
We will, sire.” Kloe
Datris bowed in homage.

“
Yes, yes. Luck to you,
your majesty.” Wilt added.

With an uncomfortable
smile, Tane nodded and disappeared within Shadox’s
footfalls.

Wilt and Kloe watched until
the two were out of sight, then turned towards each other. The look
they shared was the same: excitement and disbelief. As the old man
smiled, Kloe stared at the sword.

“
This changes everything,
Datris!” Wilt Oan’s smile was ear to ear. “I feel alive again!
There is hope!”

“
Yes.” The Head of the Red
Knights held the sword out between them. “But what do we do with
this?”

“
We set a trap.” Wilt’s
eyes gleamed mischievously.

Chapter 27

“
K
andish, look.” Qenn pointed
through the trees ahead of them to a waterfall spilling out of a
mountainous hillside. The water was pure and luminous blue. The
rush of the waterfall was barely audible to them, but getting more
distinct as they pressed on. The land they walked was flush with
deep green foliage, vibrant colored flowers, and fresh
air.

“
It’s beautiful,” she
replied softly. “Smells wonderful.”

Aless looked back at them
with a smile. “
L
ifeWaters
.”

The young girl had led the
way through the thick woods all night and through the early
morning. The sun was not yet above the treetops, its brilliant
red-yellow glow splashed into the trees and rocks of the mountain
across the river, chasing the night back and forcing the thin mist
to flee with it. The woods thinned near the base of the lagoon and
small hut-homes were distinguished amidst the rest of the foliage.
The group was tired and hungry, and in need of bathing. Food and
rest outweighed the latter. For now, anyway.

“
It’s here,” Kandish
whispered, turning to face Qenn. “Can you feel it?”

Qenn nodded. He did feel
another presence, strangely enough, he thought. “What is
it?”

The look on her face
suggested that she was uncertain. “Keep your eyes open.”

They walked along side of
the river to where it swelled down into a large lagoon, the
waterfall splashing in a continuous thunder. A small village was
set there. Fruit trees and vegetable gardens were lined in rows
skirting the huts, patches of wondrous flower beds were scattered
everywhere in dazzling, colorful decoration. The foliage was deep
green and vibrant. It was a sight to behold for the four guests.
The girl led them to the center of the huts, where a large fire pit
was crested by rock slabs, red embers still glowing from the
previous night, and welcomed them with a smile.

“
This is where I live,”
Aless said happily.

“
Let’s make this a short
visit,” Kamen grunted to Prevost.

As Prevost nodded, Aless
turned to them. Her innocent eyes matching her grin. “No one
visits, silly man.”

Her face turned sad
instantly, and she dropped her gaze to the dirt at her feet.
Everyone noticed. None of them felt comfortable.

“
Aless!” A shirtless man
shouted, charging out between two huts, his face nearly blank of
expression, his eyes as distant as the sincerity of his smile. His
head wore a thin layer of black hair, and dark stubble lined his
cheeks and neck. Upon seeing her company, his tone rose instantly.
“You’ve returned! With guests! Praise!”

Aless immediately ran to
him. “I found them!”

Kamen Ode’s fists clenched
into tight hammers. Qenn, Kandish, and Prevost moved in close to
him. Several other people were coming out of their huts now, men
and women alike, dressed in white clothing, some still wearing
signs of sleep on their faces and eyes, alerted suddenly by the
man’s yelling. All of them seemed to be happy with having
newcomers. As their hushed questions spread like fire, they stood
behind the man standing with Aless.

“
What a blessed day!” The
man began clapping, the others following. “I am Corwon. This is my
family.” He turned to the small crowd beside him. “Family, welcome
them! Blessed! Blessed indeed.”