Yveshin
When they were together, Rime Elves tended to travel in a long line, each elf following exactly in the footsteps of the one before them. It helped with concealing their numbers from enemies, be it the dark beasts of the Brazen Sword or the wicked shakagra whom Thea’s people had to evade day by day. Humans rarely practiced this, as he had noticed and indeed, his non-elven companions had spread out a bit, with Magister Djelef in particular clearly unsuited for this climate. He was walking next to Yveshin, shivering despite the thick furs he had been given. A bit behind him, Sanurius was talking to Naeem.
The elves, however, all walked in one straight line, with Xeuna having taken the lead. Behind her followed Eltharion, then Yveshin himself and then Thea, followed by the rest of Xeuna’s hunters. They rarely spoke, another habit of his people, but at least this time he knew fully well that it was because Xeuna was still livid with him. She had deferred to his knowledge of the land, but beyond that she had not exchanged a word with him.
This, of course, gave him ample opportunity to talk to Magister Djelef. The old Tulamid was a pleasant companion by all means, knowledgeable but humble, worldly but curious. And he had called Yveshin ‘Marked First’ before and given him his full trust. Now, Yveshin was without his mark, having lost it to Bhardona before even fully understanding what had been expected of him. She-Who-Poisons-The-World had called it a mercy, but five thousand years of warfare against his people had proven her a liar. He would not take her word for it.
“Magister Djelef, I have been wondering…”, he began and the Tulamid looked up, a kind smile on his face. “Yes, Yveshin?”, he spoke up. Yveshin took a deep breath, knowing that Xeuna could hear him no matter how much he’d lower his voice. “You called me Marked First before. It was due to the eye, yes?” Djelef gave him a nod at once. “I recognized you by the eye”, he stated. “I know only precious few details of the other Marked Ones, but I will recognize them by the marks they bear. First among them the Almadine Eye, that would be you”
“Am I?”, Yveshin asked not without bitterness, as he touched the bandage that covered his injury. Djelef wasted no time to give him a nod. “But of course!”, he exclaimed. “The gods themselves have chosen you, Yveshin. The Tongue of the Nameless God might be a powerful adversary, but she remains mortal through and through. She may take the physical mark, but not the one left on your very being”
Yveshin raised an eyebrow over his good eye, but it was Xeuna who replied, barely glancing over her shoulder with a chilling look on her face. “Firnya’fey worship no gods, old human”, she hissed. “Why should a human deity mark my little brother, of all people?” To this, Djelef shrugged, but his kind smile remained. “This, mylady, I have no answer for. The Marked Seven will be chosen. How, I do not know. Why choose Yveshin in particular, I do not know”
“But you know why they are chosen in general?”, Xeuna added. It was the closest she has gotten to actually talking to Yveshin since they left for Blue Firs and her honest curiosity was a relief to the elf. Djelef gave her a nod. “The marks are bestowed by the gods in times of great troubles. Sometimes only one or two. There are, for example, sightings of the Almadine Eye throughout Aventurian history. The Sixth one, the Winged Lance as Thamos Nostriacus has poetically described it in his Al’Alfanian Prophecies, has never been sighted yet, at least not according to my sources”
“Incomplete sources, I am certain”, Xeuna spoke with contempt. “Answer the question, human. Why are they chosen? Why this time?” Djelef was quiet for a moment and his expression darkened, but it was not in reply to Xeuna’s tone. Rather, it seemed that even just thinking about this troubled the old Tulamid. “I have seen things, mylady”, he sighed. “Not as clear as Thamos, thankfully, but I too am haunted by the things to come. In black and red between the sickles he will arrive, called forth by the Unliving Servant”
“Who?”, Xeuna hissed and Djelef forced a smile. “Thamos did not name him”, he spoke. “Not even the Oracles of Fasar, notably older and more precise sources, called him by name. But I have seen him in my dreams. A unicorn, black with a red horn, fierce and regal, a lord of men and gods, with the promise of an ending in his fiery gaze”
“Assarbad…”, Yveshin mumbled and the name came to mind by itself, as if the eye was still there, weaving its hatred into his thoughts. Djelef looked at him in surprise. “Assarbad? We spoke about him earlier, did we not? A hero of ancient tulamid fairytales”, he explained, his smile returning. “Whoever this new threat the gods have marked you for is, I can assure you that it won’t be a figure of ancient myth”
“Oftentimes what you call myth my people call truth”, Xeuna added. “As I am certain, your kind considers Bhardona another myth, don’t you? Yet here we are, hunting the very same” Djelef gave her a nod, patient in spite of her hostility. “Point taken, mylady”, he sighed. “What I do believe is that I will recognize this enemy should I see him. Even if I never encounter him, which I would prefer, I have no doubt that he will reveal himself to the world in time. And so will the other marks. The second one, I believe, should be close”
Yveshin glanced ahead, to the hill they were currently climbing. “And what do you know about that one?”, he asked. Djelef pondered the question for a moment. “The Herald of the Walking Image”, he stated. “I have seen her in my dreams, oh yes. She is gentle and pure as starlight. Innocence engulfed in darkness. Thamos and the older sources agreed in one thing about her: She will forge a great alliance against our enemy”
“So she is a diplomat of sorts?”, Yveshin asked. “Where do we find human diplomats usually?” Xeuna glanced over her shoulder again and for the first time in days, she directly addressed Yveshin. “We, brother?”, she asked. “I am not so convinced this concerns the
firnya’fey. First, we must find the
dhaza bitch who did this to you” There was a brief, but genuine fury in her gaze, but Yveshin understood her concern. “And after that?”, he asked.
Xeuna shook her head. “After that I will think of the tribe, as I always have, the one of us”, she sighed. “Should your enemy be a threat to our people, then maybe we can aid each other once again” This was all she had to say on the topic, as immediately, her gaze became colder again and she focussed on the path ahead. By now, they had reached the top of the hill and behind that, across a snowy field, Yveshin saw it. Blue Firs, the witch’s wood.
“When I was a child, our elders warned us of Blue FIrs”, Sanurius brought up. “Every child in Meadows grew up with those tales. The dangerous woodland realm of the wicked witch. They say she prowls at night and steals children from their beds” Yveshin raised an eyebrow and the half-elf shook his head. “I have never been the superstitious lot”, he added. “But still, this is an odd feeling. Much like the Alackskeep” He chuckled. “Seems you have a habit of getting me into dangerous spots”
“Blue Firs is not dangerous”, Yveshin insisted, much to the half-elf’s amusement. “Maybe not to you”, he replied, as they descended from the hill, carefully crossing the slippery snow. “But I must admit, the thought of meeting the witch of Blue Firs is making me a little uneasy” Yveshin shook his head. This seemed unnecessary. Luzelin of Blue Firs was a kind woman and selflessly had tried to aid him over the last few months. He owed her an open mind. Besides, if there was one thing he never truly understood about the humans, it was their hostility towards witches.
They crossed the field, heading towards the large fir trees. Before the first snow, they had indeed been blue as their name suggested, a deep, haunting colour. Right now though, they were laden with snow and as white as the surrounding lands. Between them, Yveshin could see only darkness, but it was not as ominous as Sanurius made it out to be. Instead, it was a comforting darkness, calm and inviting.
Xeuna raised a closed fist and wordlessly, the Rime Elves spread out, forming half a circle, their bows drawn but without arrows nocked as they approached the trees. It was a cautious approach and not one he could judge her for. Yveshin found himself at the centre of the formation, flanked by Thea and Djelef, with his sister walking in front of him and Naeem slightly behind. The young druid had his brows furrowed, his gaze darting from tree to tree.
“What is it?” Yveshin asked and Naeem took a moment to reply. “I don’t know”, he spoke. “But something is amiss here. Don’t you feel it?” Yveshin hesitated, before shaking his head. “What do you mean?”, he asked. “I don’t…” In this moment, they had crossed the field and without hesitation, the elves entered the forest. Immediately, Yveshin knew what the druid had noticed already. It was cold, the same biting chill that had claimed the surrounding lands and the darkness between the trees had lost all comfort. The soft warmth that had claimed his heart during his stay here was gone. Instead, this felt like any other forest, perhaps even a bit more ominous than before.
“It’s… I don’t feel any different”, he gasped and Naeem gave him a nod. “Blue Firs is protected by ancient magic”, he explained. “It warms and comforts those who are welcome in the woods. And it is the duty of the witch of Blue Firs to renew these spells day by day” He glanced around, clear concern on his face. “And Luzelin is not one to slack on her duties. To the grove, quickly!”
With these words, he broke formation and marched past Xeuna, who threw an irritated glare at him. “Stay with the pack, stupid human!”, she hissed, but as the customs of their people dictated, she quickened her pace to keep up with him, as did her hunters. Naeem meanwhile moved forth with worry, but not a hint of caution. This helped Yveshin with calming himself, for he knew that the druid had a good grasp of his surroundings. If he senses no danger ahead, then there was none. And yet, this forest felt different from before. Emptier. He shuddered at the thought of something having happened to Luzelin.
And indeed, as they rushed through the forest Yveshin became painfully aware that there were no animals around. It was not as if they were gone, but they seemed to be hiding. Even though the elves meant them no harm, they shied away from the group. It was behaviour he knew from humans, but his kind was usually well-loved by animals. Not once did he spot a creature of any kind as he rushed past frozen trees, expertly jumping over branches and mounds of snow.
With Naeem as their guide, the group soon reached Luzelin’s grove. The cave where the witch had dwelled in was still there, an open, dark hole, the inviting torches that were usually lighting the path down burned out and cold. Fresh snow had covered all signs of a potential struggle and not even his sharpened senses could make out any details beneath.
Xeuna slowed down the moment she reached the grove and so did Naeem a moment later. Yveshin hurried to catch up to his sister and the druid. “Naeem!”, he yelled, as the druid slowly approached the cave. Xeuna followed for two steps before Eltharion stopped her. “I will go, loresinger”, he offered and she confirmed his decision with a nod.
“You spent months in this place?”, Thea asked and Yveshin gulped as he looked around the trees. In the dim light of the winter sun, Blue Firs seemed darker than he remembered it, colder and more threatening. “It was different back then”, he sighed. “The witch who aided me in the last few months, she lives in this cave”
“Or lived”, Thea sighed, though she noticed how cold her words must have sounded. She placed one gloved hand on Yveshin’s shoulder and squeezed it slightly, a comforting gesture and one his own sister would not offer him, even though Thea’s grudge was just as easy to understand. “Thea, I…”, he began, before he cut himself off. No, repeated apologies would solve nothing. He had to regain her trust now.
The gasping and panting behind him cleared him in that Magister Djelef had joined them as well. Two elves had remained with him as per the custom of their people. Sanurius was there too, even if he was in remarkably better shape than the old Tulamid. He could have probably kept up with them.
Naeem gazed into the cave, with Eltharion by his side. Wordlessly, Yveshin walked up next to him and he noticed Thea close behind. “The four of you then”, Xeuna hissed. “Be on your guard in there. If anything happened to this witch, then it might still be nearby” Eltharion gave her a nod. “Worry not, loresinger”, he assured her. “I will watch over these” His expression cooled as he glanced at Yveshin. “Even if they do not deserve it”
He walked past Yveshin, the first to enter the cave. As he stepped into the darkness, he drew his blade. “I fear no darkness”, he proclaimed. Yveshin took a deep breath and exchanged one glance with Thea, whose expression was warmer. “Go on”, she encouraged him. “I will be by your side” On his other side, Naeem placed a warm hand on his back. “As will I, my friend”, he assured him. Bolstered by their presence, a grim smile found its way onto Yveshin’s face. “Can’t let Eltharion have all the glory today, can I?”, he chuckled, before he stepped into the gaping maw that was Luzelin’s cave.
It was dark in here, darker than he remembered, but not unnaturally so. All the torches had long gone cold, but there was enough light pouring in from the entrance for him to make out the details. Eltharion was walking a few feet ahead of them, now having grabbed his sword with both hands, down the earthen ramp that led deeper into Luzelin’s cave. Before, the seasoned witch had made herself right at home in this burrow, lighting torches all the way down and laying out an inviting rug that led into the deeper rooms. Now, it was dark and the rag was trampled and dirty.
“Allow me”, Naeem mumbled. He whispered something into his closed fist and a second later, a spark emerged from it, illuminating only the immediate surroundings, but allowing Yveshin’s sharp sight to pick up more details. In front of them, Eltharion gasped as he entered Luzelin’s main cave, where the witch had lived most of the time.
“Impressive for a hole in the ground”, he stated and Yveshin glanced up at the roots of the blue firs themselves who made up the ceiling. Usually, the witch would light a fire in a secure fireplace surrounded by comfortable plush seats. Now, the fire was gone and the seats toppled. As much as the ground above lacked any signs of struggle, it was clear to see that something must have taken place here. The walls were charred, the furniture smashed. Tables toppled, chairs broken, with finery just lying on the ground.
“Luzelin!”, Naeem now yelled and Eltharion threw an alarmed glare into his direction. “Are you trying to get us killed, druid?”, he hissed, but Naeem was undeterred. “Shit…”, the young druid cursed. “Luzelin was the most powerful witch in this land. What could have overpowered her like this?” He glanced around at the sheer destruction of the room. Whatever it was, Yveshin hoped it was no longer nearby. And yet, he saw only smashed furniture, no blood. No corpse, much to his relief.
It was in this moment that his gaze fell unto the small figure on the ground and he let out a gasp. “No!”, he uttered, as he rushed past Eltharion. There, half-buried by a toppled stool, he spotted Palliscratch, the large dark cat that served as Luzelin’s familiar. A smart and kind beast he had been and bonded to Luzelin’s soul. Over the months of his stay, he had felt the deep bond between the witch and her familiar and to see him here in this state confirmed his worst fears.
The cat was still alive, but barely so. His breath was shallow as Yveshin pulled the stool away from him and he barely managed to raise his head. If he recognized the elf, Yveshin could not tell. He reached out, but stopped as Palliscratch let out a desperate hiss, a ferocious warning. And yet, he saw no blood on the dying animal’s body. “Her familiar…”, he gasped, just as Thea sank down onto the ground next to him. “Allow me!”, she exclaimed, as she pulled away her gloves, revealing the tips of her fingers already glowing with bright magic.
She placed a hand on Palliscratch’s forehead, only to recoil in terror at once, not because of anything the cat had done, but because of what she must have felt in this moment. She sank back, crawling half a foot away from the cat while clutching her hand as if she was in great pain. “Don’t touch him!”, she warned Yveshin as tears of pain welled up in her eyes. “Something… something has been done to him. I recognize that touch anywhere… the foul wind of
dhaza has blown across Blue Firs”
Dhaza… the Nameless Wind, the one that commanded Bhardona and her servants, the vampires. This explained the sorry state of the poor creature. The
dhaza ruined all it touched. Only the foulest of creatures could wield it with such skill. A powerful vampire as the one he had seen in his vision at the Alackskeep, or perhaps even Bhardona herself.
No sooner had Thea spoken these words out aloud that Palliscratch lowered his head. The cat closed his eyes and his breaths became even weaker. His last bit of strength was leaving him and Yveshin could do nothing but watch. “It must have been a mage”, Naeem deduced. “This sheer destruction has not been made by ordinary means. Whoever did this overpowered the witch, but left her familiar here to die”
“To leave a message”, Yveshin growled. “Sooner or later, someone had to have noticed Luzelin’s fate. This is a warning not to search for her. Few are foolish enough to face the
dhaza, after all” He looked down at the cat, who had stopped breathing at last and a deep sorrow overcame him. Palliscratch had been a kind soul and a welcome companion in the last few months. To see him now dead before him, felled by nameless magic, it was a horrid sight.
“We shouldn’t have come here!”, Eltharion spat. “We could have been halfway to the tower already. Instead, we wasted time looking for your witch!” He shook his head in frustration. “I should have talked your sister out of this. Bhardona’s trail is sure to grow cold now!” His anger was understandable and Yveshin shared it in part. After all, he had led them here. Xeuna had trusted him and he had disappointed her once more.
“Or perhaps this is the trail, Eltharion?”, Thea asked sharply. “Bhardona or one of her servants were here. They wanted something with the witch of Blue Firs” She looked at Naeem, as coldly as the frozen shore her tribe called home. “Any ideas, druid?”, she growled. Naeem met her gaze with one that was only mildly warmer. “I am at my wit’s end, elf”, he admitted. “Luzelin was old and powerful, more than the four of us combined. Nothing should have been able to harm her, not in her own home” There was a deep grief in his voice and Yveshin understood his pain all too well. “Let us regroup with the others. I agree, unfortunately. This has been a most regrettable detour”
Shaking his head, he marched past the elves. Thea looked after him, her grim expression softening slightly. “Druid, wait for us!”, she barked. The pain in her hand must have passed by now and she hurried back to her feet. “I hate to say it, Yveshin, but he is right…”, she sighed, but as they walked up the ramp again, followed closely by Eltharion, she placed one hand on his back. “I am sorry for your loss, my friend” He said nothing in return, only staring at the entrance of the cave up ahead, unable to fully voice his grief. Luzelin, for the short time he had known her, had been an exceptional host and a true friend. Without her, he would have surely lost his mind to the ruby eye and its hatred.
Xeuna, Sanurius and the others awaited them upstairs. The elves had fanned out a bit, spread all over the meadow, but still alert. A wordless command, a mere gesture from Xeuna was enough for them to turn towards the cave as Naeem left, followed by Yveshin, Thea and Eltharion. “You are pale”, Sanurius spoke up. “What happened in there?”
Yveshin shook his head. “Luzelin is gone. Our enemies, I fear, were faster”, he pressed through his teeth. “There were signs of a struggle but none of Luzelin. Her familiar was there, felled by
dhaza” His sisters’ eyes widened and for a second, she seemed genuinely worried. “The dhaza has spread wide if it can even reach the witches of this land. I…” She paused and her expression fell. “On your guard!”, she snapped. “We are not alone!”
“Intruders in Blue Firs!”, a new voice hissed and Yveshin immediately reached for his bow. A dozen elves followed his example, aiming at the surrounding trees. He saw a figure there, just briefly, standing on one of the branches. Before he could take aim, the figure moved, gliding through thin air and landing on the next branch. “I’d have expected lumberjacks to be this bold, but elves? You I thought higher of” The voice was sharp and cold, but clearly that of a woman and now that he concentrated on the figure, he saw that she was short and lithe, but surprisingly bulky.
She glided through the air again, before landing on a closer branch, this time without any trees between them and now Yveshin got a good look at her. She was a woman, young if he guessed correctly and human, albeit not of a kind he had ever seen. Her skin was lightly tanned, not unlike that of Magister Djelef, but her facial features resembled neither that of the northern men nor the Tulamids. It was a lean, soft face with a small and flat nose and dark, almond-shaped eyes. Her hair was pitch black and tied into a high ponytail and on her neck Yveshin spotted an odd marking, resembling a spider’s net. But what truly caught him by surprise was her armour, the bulky shape he had seen before. It was oddly crafted, unlike any work of humans or elves he had ever seen. Large flat pauldrons covered her shoulders and bulky overlapping plates protected her chest. Oddly enough though, this strange armour was clearly not made of steel, but wood. In her hand, casually resting there instead of being pointed at the elves, was a lean, slightly curved black blade.
“You are not welcome here, elves”, the woman hissed and once more, she was gliding through thin air, taking one step forth and legitimately flying to the next tree without making another move with her body. “Leave the Blue Firs now or face its mistress!” Next to Yveshin, Magister Djelef gasped. “She’s from Maraskan”, he gulped. “One of the spider witches, if my eyes do not deceive me”
The woman narrowed her eyes at his words. “A mocking name the city-dwellers have given my sisters”, she hissed and this time, she softly descended until her feet touched the ground. “Speak it again and I shall have your tongue” She seemed unbothered by the dozen arrows pointed at her and as she spoke this threat to Djelef, Yveshin stepped forward. “You’d die before making a move, witch!”, he growled. In response, a cold smirk flashed over the woman’s face and as she took a step back, she once more took to the skies, gliding backwards until she reached the lower branches of the tree behind her.
“How is she doing that?”, Yveshin mumbled and Djelef let out a sigh. “Witches can enchant wooden objects so that they can fly on them. Brooms, baskets, you get the picture”, he explained. “And the people of Maraskan wear wooden armour. Can’t say I ever saw something like that in the wild though” He took a step forward, past Yveshin and both hands were raised. Unlike the others, who had their arms pointed at the witch, his gesture was decidedly non-threatening. “Apologies if I may have offended you, mylady!”, he spoke up loudly. “We meant no disrespect and no intrusion. Please, let us speak like civilized people. My name is Djelef ibn Jassafar, Magister Invocatio Elementarii and these fine elves are of the…”
“No!”, Xeuna cut him off sharply. “Don’t tell her a word. We don’t know if she is friend or foe” Together with her hunters, she kept her arrows pointed at the witch. “We came to seek the aid of the mistress of Blue Firs, the Lady Luzelin Silverhair. Unless you can shed light about her whereabouts, we have no business with you” This caused the witch to laugh loudly and she darted forward again. She was lucky that she faced elves, who showed iron discipline in this situation. A human would have shot at her already. A human, of course, would have missed, but that was beyond the point.
“I have no dealings with Luzelin the coward!”, she spat. “I was sent here by my mistress, Luzelin’s heiress, to scout ahead and find out what happened to the old witch after her disappearance was felt by the elders. I am Laranya Blackblade and I serve Asha saba Arataz, the new witch of Blue Firs” Yveshin narrowed one eye. Luzelin had never mentioned a witch by that name. She had rarely spoken of her sisters, but once mentioned a friend called Gwynna whom she seemed to trust.
“This Asha is her heiress?”, he asked with clear distrust in his voice. Laranya gave him a firm nod. “My lady is on her way”, she stated. “Leave now or provoke her fury” There was a smugness to her expression that angered Yveshin. Over the past few months, he had learned how to read humans a bit better and her disdain for the elves was clear to see.
“Have you been here all along?”, he asked and Laranya’s smile faded. “Long enough to take note of you”, she hissed. “Not long enough to have seen what happened to Luzelin, if that’s what you’re implying” Yveshin gave her a firm nod. “It is”, he growled. Xeuna threw him a brief, surprised glare but it was neither alarmed nor disappointed. “So, you haven’t lost your sharpness among these humans”, his sister stated in isdira. “This one is not to be trusted”
“In the cave, we found only the corpse of her familiar and signs of a struggle”, Yveshin explained. “For all we know, Luzelin was not killed, but rather taken alive. To proclaim her heiress seems a bit premature, don’t you think?” Now, Laranya’s expression shifted and he could no longer read her. Naeem, however, leant closer. “Keep talking”, he whispered. “You’re getting to her”
“I know Luzelin was a powerful witch. To overpower her, one needed to be exceptionally powerful”, he continued. “Or not acting on their own” Laranya took a step towards him in sudden fury, but stopped when two elves blocked her way, their arrows hovering inches from her face. “My brother speaks boldly!”, Xeuna proclaimed. “But regardless, we are firnya’fey. We will not be threatened by a lone human”
To this, Laranya’s smirk widened. “Who said anything about lone?”, she asked. “I did tell you my sisters were on their way” As she spoke these words, Yveshin glanced up at the sky. With the tall trees surrounding the grove and the clouds filled with snow he could not see very far, but just then, he saw a shape darting through the grey cloud. Then another and a third. One broke through the cloud and he realized that the air was filled with witches on flying brooms.
“Now, understand that we have no quarrel with you, elves”, Laranya explained. “But this is our land and we will not suffer trespassers. Luzelin might have tolerated you, but the witch of Blue Firs has left her duties or perished at them. Leave now and we shall not hold this against you” One of her sisters landed next to her, a tall, lean witch with red curls, followed by another, a dark-haired and plump woman. Two others circled over the clearing. All in all, the elves still outnumbered them.
By now, the first elves seemed nervous. Though all of their hunters were hardened fighters, most of their experience had come from fights against the beasts of the Brazen Sword. It was likely that Yveshin had fought more humans than all of them combined. They were killers, but not murderers. Sanurius looked downright alarmed. “Yveshin, perhaps we should just let them through”, he brought up, only to be cut off by Naeem.
“No!”, the druid hissed. “Luzelin’s successor would not threaten us with a show of force. This cave harbours dangerous secrets, which Luzelin had kept safe all these years. Many witches in Blue Firs would kill for this inheritance. To let it fall into the wrong hands could be a calamity to us all. Just… let us weigh our options carefully”
“You speak the truth!”, a new voice interjected and once more, Yveshin was shocked how silent a witch could move in this grove. He had not heard her, even though she stood at the edge of the clearing, between them and the cave. She was a tall woman, beautiful for a human, with wild blonde curls. She wore thick furs under a wide, green cloak. Her eyes were of the same colour and though she seemed young as far as Yveshin was able to tell, her eyes made him wonder if he had made any progress in guessing the age of humans at all, for they were clearly ancient and wise.
“It would be better to be cautious here”, she spoke, undeterred by the elves who immediately took aim at her. Instead of Laranya’s smug confidence, she raised both hands. “At ease, elves of the north. I bring you no harm. Instead, I must thank you for your timely arrival here, for this sacred grove had almost fallen to enemies of my liege lady”
“Enemies?”, Yveshin asked and she gave him a nod. Her presence was serene, much like Luzelin’s had been last time he saw her. “I overheard your conversation. Asha saba Arataz is not, as this spider witch has claimed, Luzelin’s heiress. Nothing could be further from the truth. The two were enemies” She sent a glare to the skies. “Where are you, crone? Show yourself instead of sending your sisters to fight your battles for you!”
She yelled those words at the sky and just a second later, a broad shape descended from the clouds. This time, it was a witch sitting in a large basket. She wore a wide-brimmed hat, but as she lowered herself to the ground, Yveshin could see thin grey curls beneath. She was clearly old, heavily wrinkled and withered, but with a venomous look in her dark eyes. “Toadstool and flyspeck!”, she spat. “Gwynna the Witch in the flesh! Begone, egg-born! Begone, knife-ears! For I am Asha saba Arataz, the true Witch of Blue Firs! Begone, or I shall curse you all!”
Yveshin noticed that Sanurius showed clear concern as he heard these words. Even Naeem was obviously uneasy about this turn of events. “You have no power here, Asha!”, the other witch, Gwynna interjected. Laranya, fury in her eyes, turned to the crone, who was slowly climbing out of the basket. “Allow me to kill this bitch for you, mylady!”, she hissed, but the old witch merely glared at her companion. “I ought to do that myself”, she replied. “Elves, this does not concern you! Leave now. Consider it your final warning!”
Gwynna immediately looked from the witches to the elves, her gaze falling unto Yveshin. “You must not!”, she urged them. “This woman is not whom she claims to be. Luzelin and Asha has connected no bond but a decades-long feud. Like me, she must have felt the disturbance in Blue Firs and headed here at once. Unfortunately, it appears we arrived at the same time, else I could have protected the grove against her influence”
“You know Luzelin well?”, Yveshin asked and Gwynna gave her a nod. “She is my oldest and dearest friend”, she claimed. “I know how this must sound to your ears, but trust me that I speak the truth. I do not wish to claim her inheritance, not until we know what happened to her. Instead, I agree with your human companion… a druid if I am not mistaken. This grove must be kept safe until then. Aid me in driving these intruders out and you shall prove yourself a true friend to the witches of Meadows”
“Tush!”, the crone spat. “And if neither of us have a claim to this grove, then so be it! Luzelin is gone and I will take it!” She glared at the elves, raising her hands and the long, clawed fingers shivered in the wind. “Begone! Begone now. Deal with your battles instead of interfering in witch matters!” Her sisters, chief among them the witch from Maraskan, gathered around her, half a dozen of her kind.
In return, Gwynna was on her own, though she stood proud and tall. “Empty threats and insults… is this all you have to offer, Asha?”, she hissed. Her expression softened, however, as she looked at Yveshin. “I don’t know what lead you here, but if you call Luzelin a friend, then stand by me. This incursion into her lands must not be tolerated”
Yveshin threw a glance at Xeuna and to his surprise, his sister looked back at him. “This is your fight, little brother”, she hissed. “Do you want to risk everything for a witch you barely know, to defend the legacy of one that might be dead already?” Yveshin raised an eyebrow over the eyepatch. “Would you stand by me?”
“Not by choice”, Xeuna admitted coldly. “But unfortunately, you are important to this mission. Bhardona spared you for a reason. I think this is not our fight to pick, but we outnumber those witches. If you stand your ground, so will we, reluctantly. I’d much rather stay out of this though. We came to find your witch. She is gone, so why should we fight her battles?”
[Let them through] [Stand your ground]