An Alliance of Mortals, page 7
part #6 of The New Earth Chronicles Series
“And they aren't taking any chances,” Malfiess muttered. “Old grudges die hard, apparently.”
“We can't really blame them, I suppose,” Amelda admitted reluctantly. “Some of our people still aren't happy with the idea of working with our old rivals.”
Ethmira shifted slightly and the Elder glanced at her.
“Yes, I realize that you fought side by side with their king against the dragons, Ethmira,” Amelda told the ranger. “And I am perfectly willing to ally with the dwarves. But it will take time for everyone to accept that reality.”
Ethmira looked past the Elder at the dwarven warriors. She watched them for a moment, a small smile on her lips, and then returned her gaze to Amelda.
“I can understand that,” she told her. “But I know how honorable the dwarves are. And how resolute and brave they are in battle. We could not ask for better allies, in my opinion. This cooperative effort between our two races must succeed, if we hope to survive in our weakened state. That is the reality, Elder.”
Amelda nodded slowly and turned back toward the dwarves.
“I know,” she whispered.
A dwarf wearing a simple white robe stepped out of the machine and moved to one side. He was clean-shaven and had short gray hair and he glanced over at the elves for a moment before turning to watch the open door.
There was a pause and then another dwarf emerged to stand next to the drill. His armor glittered in the midday sun, gold and silver inlay covering its surface. A massive hammer hung from his back, glowing with magical power. The dwarf's head was bare and his long beard, braided and decorated with dozens of small gems and gold beads, swung freely as he looked around the glade.
The dwarven escort snapped to attention as he appeared and their leader nodded absently as he turned his eyes toward the waiting elves.
He abruptly strode toward them and the robed dwarf had to hurry to keep up with him as the six warriors moved as one to form a loose circle around them both.
When he had reached the elves, the leader stopped and planted his hands on his hips. He looked up at the elves, his steely gaze flicking from face to face. As they settled on Ethmira, the dwarf suddenly smiled widely and stepped forward. He pulled off a gauntlet and offered her his hand.
“Ethmira!” he bellowed. “By my father's beard, you're alive!”
The ranger grinned as his greeting made Amelda jump in surprise and then she moved forward to take his hand in her own.
“King Shandon Ironhand,” she replied warmly. “It is good to see you again. Yes, I'm still alive, unlike most of my people. We have heard that your kingdom has fared much better against the evil gods than we did. I was very happy to learn that.”
Shandon's smiled faded and he released her hand and stepped back. He looked at Amelda and Malfiess, his expression grave.
“I mourn for your loss,” he told them. “As do all dwarves. Our old rivalries are ancient history now and best forgotten. I am here today to forge a new alliance between our people. I hope that we can work together for the good of all the mortal races. We are stronger if we stand together than if we stand apart.”
Amelda bowed respectfully at the king.
“Thank you, your majesty. On behalf of my people, I appreciate both your condolences and your encouraging words. I am Amelda, the head of the Council of Elders. We know of your valiant actions in the battles against the dragons along with Ethmira and other rangers and we honor you for your efforts. I hope that we can indeed form an alliance that will benefit us all.”
Shandon nodded and turned to gesture at the robed dwarf standing behind him.
“May I introduce Larin Dunnor,” he said as the dwarf stepped forward. “He is the head of our guild of mages. I assume your scryer, Callius, told you that Larin was the one that he managed to contact?”
Larin bowed politely and Amelda smiled at him. Apparently he looked less intimidating to her than the king did.
“I am pleased to meet you, Larin,” she said. “Yes, Callius told us of you. I was relieved when he was able to reach you. Thank you for coming.”
“It is truly an honor to be here, Elder,” the mage replied. “Our king speaks for all of us when he says that we are eager for an alliance with your people. My mages and I will do whatever we can to facilitate that coalition.”
“I appreciate that,” Amelda told him. “But before we can begin, we must wait for the representatives of the humans to join us.”
King Ironhand looked around the glade, frowning as if searching for them.
“They're late?” he grumbled. “How unlike the humans that I've known in the past.”
“Well, in their defense, your majesty, we told them to meet us at midday,” Ethmira explained. “That isn't a very specific time frame.”
Shandon stroked his beard, playing with the golden beads woven into its braids.
“Yes, well, they have managed to survive countless attacks by the forces of the dark gods,” the king said thoughtfully. “Of the three mortal races, the humans have shown a steady courage that should be an example to us all. I can certainly find the patience to wait for them to arrive.”
“You will not have to wait very long, your majesty,” Larin told him. “They are coming.”
The elves and the king looked at him and the mage nodded toward the southern end of the clearing.
“There,” he said.
Everyone turned in that direction just as a distant rumble of thunder echoed across the glade. A brilliant flash of light dazzled the onlookers for a moment and then a group of people appeared near the edge of the forest.
“Perfect timing,” Shandon said with a chuckle. “Trust the humans to make a grand entrance. My old friend, Simon O'Toole, always knew how to appear just in the nick of time. Must be a racial trait.”
“Your entrance was rather grand as well, your majesty,” Ethmira pointed out as she nodded toward the drilling machine.
Shandon laughed loudly.
“Aye, true enough. Well, the humans are here. That is all that matters. Now, let us see what they have to say.”
The elves and dwarves watched as the newcomers spoke quietly with each other for a moment before they moved as one toward the waiting group.
Two people, a man and a woman dressed in dark robes, looked enough alike that they could be siblings. Their blond hair reflected the bright sunlight and they moved with an assured self-confidence toward those waiting.
Behind them strode the largest man that both the elves and the dwarves had ever seen. He was wearing plain metal armor and, with his dark skin and the long braids that hung below his shoulders, along with the feral grace of his movements, he quite impressed those watching. The massive axe strapped across his back didn't hurt either.
But it was the last member of the human entourage who captured all of the watchers' attention. She appeared from behind the large warrior just as the group moved forward.
“Fay!” Shandon exclaimed. “Here? With the humans? What is happening?”
Amelda gasped as she watched the tiny winged figure flitting above the heads of the three humans, her translucent wings glittering in the midday sun.
“Our ancient friends,” she whispered. “I had forgotten that they had returned to this world. Chase, you reported that they had helped the humans in battle when you were sent to aid the people at Nottinghill Castle. Is that...Ellas, the queen of the Fay?”
“Yes, Elder, it is,” Chase replied as she watched the little sprite with obvious delight. “But I had no idea that the humans were still in contact with her. Ellas left to join her people after the last battle that I was involved in. Does this mean that the humans and the Fay are now allies?”
“We'll see soon enough,” the king rumbled. “But this meeting just became much more interesting.”
“That is an understatement,” Malfiess muttered nervously.
The three humans and their fairy companion stopped several feet away from the king and the others. The two mages bowed and the towering warrior banged a fist on his chest with a metallic clang. Ellas hovered silently above them and smiled mischievously at the elves.
“Welcome to you all,” Amelda said as she bowed in return. “My name is Amelda and I am the senior member of the Council of Elders. Thank you for joining us today. Please allow me to introduce everyone to you.”
She started with the king, who nodded at the group with a friendly smile. Then Amelda continued to introduce everyone else, finishing with Chase, who grinned up at the warrior.
“Hello Malcolm,” she said warmly. “It is good to see you again.”
“Chase, how have you been?” he rumbled with a friendly smile. “You look well.”
She nodded, but her own smile faded away.
“Unlike most of my people, I have survived,” she told him. “The elves have been decimated and only a handful of us made the journey to Earth.”
Malcolm's concern was evident in his eyes. He looked at her and then at the other elves with obvious compassion.
“Yes, I know. Your people and mine are now facing the same uncertain future. But I hope that together we can stand against the forces of Darkness and survive.”
“Let us hope that is true, my friend,” she replied.
Malcolm gestured at the mages who were waiting patiently while he was speaking.
“Please allow me to introduce my colleagues. This is Tamara and her brother, Sebastian. They are the leaders of the mages in Nottinghill Castle and members of our governing council.”
He looked up at the glittering fairy above his head.
“And this is Queen Ellas, the leader of the Fay. She has agreed to an alliance with us and has come as a representative of her people. And my name, as Chase as already mentioned, is Malcolm. I am the commander of the warriors of Nottinghill.”
Amelda bowed gracefully to Ellas, who beamed with delight. She flitted down to hover in front of the Elder and curtsied in midair.
“Welcome, your majesty,” Amelda said. “We are grateful to you for attending this meeting.”
“No need for titles with me, dear Amelda,” Ellas replied in her high-pitched voice. “Just call me Ellas. I was devastated to learn of the elves' plight. Our people and yours have a long history together going back to the beginning, when we taught the elves the secrets of nature and magic and ley energy. I am pleased that some of you have come home, but the reason for your return is very sad indeed.”
She looked at the other elves and then at Shandon and Larin.
“But if we are all wise, we can merge our strengths and fight back against the ancient evil that threatens us all. My people have power, but we are few compared to the forces of the Chaos lords. My human friends, along with your fellow dwarves and the steadfast elves, could make us a combined force to be reckoned with. Let us all keep that in mind as we discuss this potential alliance.”
The king stepped forward, his armor creaking as he moved, and he hooked his thumbs into his belt.
“Wise words, Ellas,” he stated. “And I agree with them. We are stronger together than we are apart. We dwarves have remained isolated for far too long. Yes, we are protected by the miles of rock above our heads, but the enemy's forces have penetrated that protection once already. It would be foolish to think that they will not do so again.”
He looked keenly at Ethmira for a moment before turning to stare at Tamara and Sebastian.
“I have fought alongside elves and humans alike, and I have learned how honorable both races can be. Without our combined forces working together, the old dragons and their queen could not have been defeated and we would all have been destroyed. That shining example of cooperation should inspire those of us here today to make every effort to hammer out a plan to join our people together as one, to battle the evil gods who threaten our future and the future of this world.”
“Well said, your majesty,” Tamara exclaimed. “And you are correct. We are stronger together than we are apart. My people are the youngest of the mortal races and we have a great deal of respect for both the elves and the dwarves. I feel the pain of your loss,” she said as she looked at Amelda and the other elves. “As you know, our race was decimated by the lords of Chaos, when they resurrected the evil dragons and sent them against us. Billions died in just a handful of days and, since then, those few of us who survived have been systematically hunted down and killed. Our numbers are now fewer than the population of a small town used to be, back before we were wiped out.”
She shook her head sadly.
“And now your scryer, Callius, informs us that the elves are in the same desperate situation that we are. We need each other, Elder. Now more than ever. Can we still work together? Are your people willing to do that?”
Amelda looked from face to face, starting with Tamara and then glancing at the king and finally looking at Ellas.
“Speak your mind, my dear,” the fairy queen said sweetly. “We are all friends here.”
The Elder nodded sharply at that comment.
“Yes, Ellas, you are exactly right,” she said firmly. “We are all friends here. That oldest of sayings, that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, does not apply here. It does not need to. We are the three mortal races, now joined by the oldest of the immortal races, the Fay, and we are united in our resistance to evil. Our past conflicts,” she smiled slightly at Shandon, who snorted with amusement, “are long forgotten and our future awaits. My people stand ready to pledge ourselves to this alliance. I hope that all of you are ready to do the same.”
“Aye, we are,” Shandon exclaimed fiercely. “The dwarves stand with the humans and the elves.”
He winked at Ellas, who blushed and giggled.
“The Fay agree,” she said. “Our forces will respond to any attack on you as if it was an attack on us. You have my word on it.”
“The human race will do the same,” Tamara stated. “It is the right thing to do, after all.”
“And the elves also agree,” Amelda said as Malfiess nodded. “Though our strength has been lessened, we are not broken. Evil may be celebrating the destruction of our dear home, Trillfarness, but the Earth was the place where we were created. And now we will defend it, to the bitter end if that is what it comes down to.”
Ethmira and Chase watched the Elder, both of their faces shining with pride.
“Thank you, Amelda,” Ellas said as she beamed at the entire assembly. “But the bitter end will not be ours. It will be the defeat of the forces of evil. My people are united at this moment as they have not been for untold ages. We have been attacked by dark magicians and goblins and many of the Fay have been killed. We prefer to live isolated from each other, each in our own small territory. But that has made us vulnerable. Well, no longer. We have gathered together and settled on the peak of the highest mountain on this planet. Let the armies of Chaos try to assail us there. They will burn in our united rage.”
Her expression had become almost feral and many of those listening watched her with wide eyes, shocked at the sudden change in the beautiful fairy.
Ellas caught herself and then smiled sweetly at the group.
“Forgive me,” she told them. “But do not let my appearance deceive you. The Fay were born in the elemental fires of this world and that is our nature. We are fierce and that is how we fight. The lords of Chaos have awoken our fury and they will rue the day that they did so. But you are all now our allies and we stand with you. Fear us not. We may be dangerous enemies, but we are loyal friends.”
“Thank you, Ellas,” Amelda said. “I can attest to that statement. In the long past, when the elves and the Fay were living in harmony, we never feared their wrath. They are trustworthy and my people will happily work with them again. I am certain of it.”
Shandon seemed pleased as he looked around at the assembly.
“Then we have an agreement,” he told them. “It is a good beginning. But I do have one concern.”
“What is it, your majesty?” Amelda asked him.
“We need more direct lines of communication than what we have right now,” Shandon told her.
He gestured at the drilling machine.
“It takes many hours to travel from our capital of Kingstone to the surface. We cannot respond to a call for aid from those of you who live up here if we do not know that you are in danger. Larin,” he nodded at the mage, “is working on a way to unite enough of his fellow mages to push through the planet's mantle to reach you when we need to. I know nothing of magical communication, but I do know of the dampening effect on magic that layers of rock and dirt present. Do any of you know of a better way for us all to stay in touch with each other?”
Sebastian sighed and Tamara shook her head.
“I am afraid not, your majesty,” she told Shandon. “Larin is correct. Your deep cities are very hard for we mages to reach. My brother and I can unite our energy and punch through the miles of rock to contact you, but it is a tremendous effort that we cannot sustain for more than a few minutes at a time. And then it takes several days for us to recover from that casting. We cannot drain our resources like that and still be prepared to defend our people if we are attacked.”
Amelda cleared her throat delicately and the others looked at her curiously.
“I believe that we already have a solution, my friends,” she told them. “As you know, our young scryer, Callius, managed to contact both of your people. By himself. The humans were, of course, easy enough for him to reach. But so were the dwarves.”
She looked down at thick grass beneath her feet.
“Deep down, at the core of this planet, ancient ley energy lies concentrated and undisturbed. It is the life blood of every world that exists and, once upon a time, it was used by our people as a source of power. That ability was lost to us long ago, although we do not know when or how that happened. But Callius is able to tap into that font of energy.” She smiled fondly as she spoke. “Even he does not know how he does it, but that hasn't stopped him from using his talents to aid us. Callius is the one who opened a portal from Trillfarness to Earth. That is how a few of us managed to escape. If it were not for his efforts, all of our race would now be dead.”
