In this part of the Taliswood, you started to see some pretty impressive hill country. It was in the face of one of those hills that we found our destination. And I wouldn't have seen it if Old Hevist hadn't pointed it out.
At the base of the first hill we came to, you could just make out behind a large bramble of thorn bushes, a large cave entrance. This was the entry to the Dark Elf city.
“Mister Hevistyón, aside from knowing this location, do you know much else about the Dark Elves and their city?"
“Aye, Your Majesty, I know much. I'm old enough that I remember coming here with my father to trade with them. They didn't venture out to other cities themselves. You had to come to them.
My father ran more than the apothecary though, he was a grocer as well. He made weekly visits to Sialnau as they called it when they were here, ‘City Under the World’ in their dialect.
But don't set your expectations too high. It was never what we would call a ‘city.’ More like a settlement or small town. None of the structures were designed with much sense of permanence, and I doubt there were ever any more than 500 Dark Elves living here.”
"Where did the rest of them live?”
"Rest of them, Your Majesty? There was no ‘rest of them.’ The Dark Elves have always been few in number. Supposedly due to the curse of élois, but who knows? The last I heard, they were thriving under the Necromancer.”
"Have they always been evil, Mister Hevistyón?”
"For as long as I've known them, yes, Your Majesty.”
“Yet your father had no compunction regarding dealing with them? Was he aware that's illegal?”
"I'm sure he was, Your Majesty. My father always told me gold is neither good nor evil; ‘tis what's done with the gold that's good or evil. He was a very shrewd businessman, if not an ideal citizen.”
“And some of those traits obviously carried over, Sir. He instructed you poorly in the ways of morality and ethics. Chasing after money frequently leads us down the wrong path."
“I'll make no excuses for my actions, Your Majesty. I was driven by simple greed. I won't blame my father for that. He was just raised by a man who measured everything by its value in gold, my grandfather. He was the first to conduct trade with the Dark Elves under the less than watchful eye of King Hembrick rest his soul."
We stopped at a glen near the cave’s entrance and got our implements together, picks, shovels, and chests.
“Very well, Mister Hevistyón, take us to the storeroom."
Lo and behold, I actually could see in the dark now once my eyes had a chance to adjust to it. It probably worked more quickly for those born with the gift. I tossed aside the sack of torches I'd brought with me and followed Old Hevistyón into the darkness.
We hadn't gone far before I began to hear the rippling sound of water, and around a turn in the cave, stopped —stunned. The narrow path opened up into a huge cavern, maybe a quarter of a mile wide at any point and with a vaulted ceiling that had to be at least a hundred feet high.
In the middle of the cavern was a small lake fed by an artesian well. Flashes of white in the water indicated the presence of cave fish, and mushrooms and lichens gave off faint light here and there. The ceiling was clustered with stalactites with corresponding stalagmites on the cavern floor. It was a spectacular sight.
The place wasn't barren though. There were easily more than a hundred ramshackle little houses strewn about the place in no observable order. All were in various states of disrepair, some collapsed, others looking nearly habitable. A few small, empty skiffs were pulled up along the shore of the lake, their sterns left to rot in the water.
“Follow me, Your Majesty,” Hevistyón called out heading toward the back of the cavern.
Along the rear wall, between two small cottages, five skiffs were propped up against the stone.
“Have your men move the middle skiff, if you please, Your Majesty."
I had Lieutenant Marval take it from there. I didn't like to command his men. That was his authority.
He had two of his horsemen move the skiff out of the way to reveal an opening in the wall just large enough to walk through if you stooped over. He went first indicating that I should follow.
Then I wished I had my torch. Using darkvision, with no sources of light down there, nothing was present that would set all of that amber aglow. Even under just torchlight, the reflections would have been dazzling.
When Hevistyón had used the term “storehouse," I had envisioned a smallish place — a room. This wasn't that. This small cavern was easily a hundred feet across and full of three foot high mounds of amber. Tons of the stuff. The one to control this horde was wealthy beyond anyone's imagination. Powerful beyond your wildest dreams.
All I could say was “We'll need more wagons."
For now, we would get out what we could. After several hours of shoveling, we had taken perhaps half the trove. There was still about half as much to go.
“Lieutenant Marval, what would you estimate the time to be?"
“Maybe eight bells, Your Majesty. It hasn't been dark outside for long.”
"We travel back in the dark?”
"Yes, Your Majesty. We didn't bring bedding or provisions.”
"Is there not a greater risk of bandits at night?”
"In this part of the Taliswood, there is a threat, Your Majesty, no matter the time of day. My men are more than capable of defending themselves against brigands. It's safe to say they might be too eager to get waylaid like that. They're always hungry for battle.”
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"I guess I'm sympathetic, Lieutenant. All that drilling without putting blade to flesh must be infuriating.”
Fortunately, we made it back to Nez Ambril without any problems. Approaching the city from the distance I had heard one bell chime. The horses had been much slower with their loads being full.
I had Lieutenant Marval take the wagons to the tunnels below the city and to the vaults we had built there. That was as secure as it was going to be.
I bade the men goodnight and I got to our rooms as quickly as I could. I was asleep the second my head hit the pillow. But I instantly jerked upright. I hadn't talked to May.
Opening my locket, it took a moment, but there she was. She had been meditating.
“Dear, it's late. Where’ve you been?"
“I'm terribly sorry, My Love. We just got back from the abandoned city. I never had a chance to be alone to talk with you."
“Well, what did you find, Darling?"
“We brought back eight wagon-loads of infused amber, Love. And that was only half of it. The hoard that was there was mind boggling.
I'll send Lieutenant Marval back tomorrow to claim the rest. I'll be busy with the Lasher. What did you find out?"
“I followed Imgrist after he left Tyner's Rest, coin purse on his belt causing his breeches to sag. He went straight to his boss, Shamrog.
It seems rather obvious that the Syndicate is willfully assisting in their own demise, the idiots.”
"Maybe you should pay old Shamrog a personal visit? You and Janiver?”
"To what end, My Prince?”
"The Syndicate is merely chasing a profit, Love. They're not aware of the impact it might have. Just tell him you're giving him one chance to stop supplying them. The amber is already cut off. But if he continues with the food and weapons, we'll kill him and all his men.”
“I've got a better idea. Why don't you, Margrin, and Milost come here and handle that. You can teleport right into his receiving room. You could even bring Ranji. How's that?"
"That's not a bad idea. Maybe you could pay a visit to those Sand Elves once they get back on the road. Put some fear in them. I'll gladly loan you Brevid. She could appear to them as some god of the Sand Elves or something. That could be fun.”
"That's a good idea, dear. Now, you need to get your sleep. You have a meeting tomorrow evening with the Lasher lest you forget. Sleepy warriors are no good.”
"You're right, Love. I'll talk to you in the morning. Go handle those Sand Elves. I love you, May. More than life.”
"I love you too, Tindel. See you in the morning.”
She sent me an air kiss then my locket went blank. I hated the feeling of finality that came with that.
At seven bells, Waldinor was on the job.
“Breakfast for you, Your Majesty?"
“Yes, thank you, but a little different this morning. Let's see. Two hard boiled eggs, a wheat cake, a fresh orange, some fresh orange juice, and some black coffee. Yes, that should do it."
“Straight away, Your Majesty!"
I put a robe about me and, taking a cue from May, went out on the veranda to watch the people — my people, my subjects. It feels exceedingly odd to say, yet it was a fact of my new life. A life worth fighting for to be certain.
At one time, Toris Lorquayón had a life worth fighting for, but he threw it all away for a woman and because of his violent nature. Greed almost did Hevist Hevistyón in. Taking everything he had would save him.
Ah, but that was the trick with Toris, was it not? Exploit his weaknesses. Showing my décolletage wouldn't work with him, but the violence that drove him might. How to use it to my advantage?
From where did his violence stem? Was it anger? Something darker perhaps, a sadistic impulse? It wasn't hatred. That would be too easy.
He dueled with a commoner, someone without the luxury of a life devoted to training and self-examination. Knowing full well that the fight would be terribly lopsided, but doing it anyway. Wanting to see that other person hurt. That had to be where it came from.
Maybe that was the reason for the choice of the whip. A weapon meant to establish dominance over another, control. And to be able to do it from fifteen feet away.
I thought I had him figured out. At least the motivation behind his maliciousness. Maybe I was wrong, but I needed a strategy and I had little else to go on.
Perhaps I needed to go in with a little bit of the wounded bird ploy. Excite his sense that I was vulnerable — easy prey. That might make him lower his guard a little.
Lost in my reverie, I nearly leapt over the balcony when Waldinor came up behind me.
“Your breakfast is on the table, Your Majesty. Are you alright?”
"Yes, Waldinor, I'm fine. You just caught me daydreaming and gave me a start. Thank you for asking. Now go see if you can help someone. I need to be alone for a bit.”
With a slightly dejected look, he said "Yes, Your Majesty,” and retreated slowly down the stairs.
I couldn't concern myself with hurt feelings. Not with my life on the line at sundown, not long to do what I needed to do, whatever that was. Actually, maybe what I needed to do was talk to Waldinor.
“Waldinor! Come back please, I need something!"
He hadn't gone far. The quick clopping of his shoes up the stairs always jangled my nerves, but it felt okay just then.
“Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Come in here with me to the sitting room and plant yourself on that end of the couch.”
I took the other end.
"Oh, wait, this won't do. Do you like pear tarts, Waldinor?”
"Why, yes, Your Majesty. They're one of my favorite things.”
"Black tea or green?”
"Black tea, Your Majesty, with milk and honey.”
"Just like Greer. Imagine that. Very well, call for Timmins and have him take care of us. I've some important things to discuss with you.”
After Timmins had taken the order, wondering why Waldinor was sitting with me, I began.
I scribbled a quick note, "and laid it where Timmins couldn't miss it.
Summoning the portal to the Sanctum, I guided Waldinor ahead of me and we stepped in.
"Alright, have a seat at the table, Sir.” I seated myself as well.
"You've been in this space on a number of occasions. Yet, I doubt you realize what it is.”
"No, Your Majesty. I only know that there wasn't a room here before, and this room isn't always in this place.”
"I don't want to confuse you too badly but, actually, the room is always in the same spot. It's how we get to it that changes. But nevermind that. This is what we call our Sanctum. Janiver made it so that no one could see or overhear what went on in here.
It's a place between worlds, on a different plane than the Material Plane you know. It's like a safe zone for us. And you know the eleven of whom I speak. You've seen them all. And I must congratulate you on being able to keep our meetings secret. That's terribly important.
Now stand up. I want to show you something. We stepped into the open floor and I took his hand. Instantly, we were on the Ethereal Plane.
I made my call, “I am Lagmir! God of Truth!" Looking down from my new height, I could see that Waldinor's eyes were nearly popping out of his head.
“I just wanted you to see this, Waldinor. I'll come back down now," and I resumed my normal form. Taking his hand again, I brought us back to the Sanctum.
“Have a seat."
He was still staring at me wild-eyed, not saying a word.
“What did you just see?"
“I don't know, Your Majesty. I'm afraid to say."
“I'll help you out. I'm a god now. So are the ten others who you last saw together here. We've all become gods thanks to the power of the infused amber. You know about the infused amber don't you?"
“Yes, Your Majesty. It holds ancient, powerful Mana.”
"Exactly! Well done! The reason we've decided to become gods is because some evil people were doing it and we needed to be able to fight them. You remember ?rdelon. He was one of them. And Carca, the White Queen of the Barrow Elves. They're in the service of the Black King, and he has some very evil plans for our world. We have no option but to fight him alongside élois. I know it's a lot to take in, but do you understand what I've told you so far?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I believe so.”
"Well, we have begun to do battle with these new evil gods. We call them the Pretenders. May and I killed one together, and she killed one in a duel last night. Oh, Count Pelisir was one of them as well. We killed him. Tonight I have my first one on one duel with a very powerful warrior — a Monk. To be honest with you, Waldinor, I'm terrified. That's why I asked you to let me be alone. But I don't want to be alone. You inspire me.
For today, you and I are friends. You have the day off. Now, go run home and tell your mother. Change into some everyday clothes and come right back here. I'll come up with some fun things for us to do and I'll keep my mind off this evening.
Now go! Get changed and run back. Let's see what the day has in store for us!”