Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2021 20:57:21 -0400
From: Purple Jubliee <purplejubilee17@gmail.com>
Subject: Elias of Eradal: Chapter 13

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Elias of Eradal
Chapter 13

	Even compared to the grandeur of the keep and the wealthy city
built around it, the great hall was extraordinary. Thick marble pillars
supported a soaring arched ceiling with decorative skylights letting in the
morning sun and casting webbed designs on the floor. From each pillar hung
a shield and a banner, decorated with the coat of arms of one of the lesser
houses of Calonia. The same purple runner spanned the length of the hall,
leading up to a tiered dais. Atop the dais, flanked by two wide windows
that bathed the entire room in shafts of near-blinding light, was a chair
of stone, easily large enough for two men to sit on. Overhead and above
this throne hung the proud banner of House Colgaren, the sigil a silver
unicorn, rampant on its hind legs, wearing a crown of gold, all against a
field of deep purple.

	Seated on the throne amid all this splendor was a very tall man
who, although he was obviously nearing his twilight years, sat straight and
regal, still carrying broad unbent shoulders and muscles from a lifetime of
hard work. Lord Titus Colgaren was no soft noble. The hard lines and
creases on his face carried the weight of responsibility and wisdom, while
his powerful arms and the heavy claymore that leaned against one arm of the
chair spoke to his strength and prowess. Steel-grey hair still holding onto
flecks of dark brown was held back by a golden circlet studded in the front
with two large amethysts and a diamond between them. Two guards stood to
either side of their liege, but they seemed dwarfed both in stature and in
presence by the Lord Imperator.

	Elias saw that Sir Triston stood two steps down the dais to his
father's right side. The young knight had changed from his training
leathers into a more suitable tunic and trousers in the colors of his
house. His unkempt hair had been pulled back and tied to appear more
presentable.

	The cold stone floors and the pale light from the windows made
Elias feel even more that he was approaching the judgement seat. Lord Titus
watched them draw near, expressionless, cool and impartial. The law of the
land.

	When they had almost reached the foot of the dais, Lavelle stopped
and offered a respectful bow. Elias did the same, and Dain and Avi followed
suit, though Avi had some trouble executing the gesture gracefully. Then,
unexpectedly, the Lord Imperator smiled. The intimidating lines of his face
melted together into a friendly expression that had not seemed possible
only a few seconds earlier.

	"Welcome my friend." His voice was powerful as his appearance. "Let
us dispense with formality before the hall fills."

	Lavelle returned the smile knowingly. "Wise as ever, Lord Titus."

	The Lord Imperator took up a more relaxed posture on his throne and
Elias started breathing again. Maybe it was all going to be alright.

	"Alright then," Titus continued. "What brings you here so early
this morning, and with an entourage of youths?"

	"Unfortunately, old friend, we come with grave news indeed, and a
lofty request." Lavelle's face turned serious.

	Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Titus once more straightened
himself and looked more closely at all four of them. "I know that it must
be important for you to come to me seeking favors. Usually, it is the other
way around. Whatever your request is, I will do all in my power to grant
it, High Wizard."

	"My lord, I appreciate your trust, though I recommend hearing us
out first. My former apprentice, Elias Valern, will explain the reason for
our visit." Lavelle stepped to one side, gesturing to Elias with both
hands.

	Clearing his throat against sudden dryness, Elias stepped forward
hesitantly.

	"Master Lavelle has spoken highly of you before Elias Valern. A
magical prodigy of some sort, correct?" Lord Titus rumbled, looking somehow
even taller and more intimidating now that Elias felt his gaze fixed on
him.

	Giving a barely perceptible nod Elias found his voice but only
weakly. "Some have said that... my lord."

	"So, tell me then; what brings you to me? What is your urgent
request?"

	Taking a deep breath, Elias took a moment to plan his words. "My
lord, I have made a terrible mistake that has put all of the Five Kingdoms
and beyond at risk." He blurted out almost unintentionally.

	Lord Titus did not react except to narrow his eyes slightly. After
a moment, he cocked one eyebrow in a gesture for Elias to continue.

	"I was... deceived, Lord Imperator. I was given a vision I
mistakenly thought to be the work of the benevolent gods. My
pride... blinded me..." Elias trailed off briefly before rallying. "This
vision led my companions and I across Eradal, through the northern swamps
and into the heart of the Koval mountains."

	When Elias paused, Titus put a hand to his chin in thought. "You
traversed the northern swamps and returned? Few men I've known can boast
such a feat."

	Elias nodded, grateful for the brief distraction, and the subtle
praise. "When we reached the heart of the mountains we found the lair of a
dragon, and we slew the beast."

	"A dragon!?" Sir Triston suddenly spoke up with an excited fire in
his eyes. His father silenced him with a slight gesture.

	"The dragons have been presumed extinct. If this is true then you
have done Calonia and the Five Kingdoms a great service, young wizard. I do
not see..."

	"My lord..." Elias interrupted before he could help himself. "The
dragons were never our enemy. Not our true enemy. After slaying the
creature, it was revealed to me that the vision I received did not come
from the benevolent gods of old, but from Kordiith himself, the malicious
deity of the eighth tribe, bound thousands of years ago by the gods and the
sages and..." Elias realized he sounded like he was ranting but now that
the story flowing, he did not want to stop. "And by the dragons..."

	Silence dominated the hall for a moment. Lord Titus's brow had
furrowed deeply, and he placed a hand to his chin again as he pieced
together what Elias had told him so far.

	Apparently, Master Lavelle decided that Elias had suffered enough
and mercifully stepped in to help. "You see, my lord, the dragons were part
of the magic that locked the dark god Kordiith away. With out them, he will
rise again and try to claim what he believes is his birthright. Absolute
rulership of all men."

	Abruptly, Lord Titus dropped both hands to the arms of his
chair. At first Elias thought perhaps the Lord Imperator was going for the
hilt of the gigantic sword that stood next to him. Instead though, Titus
pushed himself out of the chair to stand and pace the dais in front of
them. The light glinted off the polished gemstones in the circlet he
walked. As Elias looked at the imposing lord more clearly, he felt another
strange jolt of familiarity. He must have seen the high noble in passing
long ago during his days dwelling with Master Lavelle.

	"Maters of magic and the affairs of wizards..." Lord Titus spoke
eventually dragging Elias out of his thoughts. "Have little meaning to
me. You mean to tell me that you believe an ancient god has come from the
mountains to challenge not just my rule but the rule of all the lords of
the Five Kingdoms?"

	It sounded absurd when the Lord Imperator said it that way. "He
will not come alone, my lord." Elias explained. "I have seen his armies
with my own eyes, treggans, spirits of the dead, corrupted men, and other
unnatural horrors. They are massing at your border even now."

	Lord Titus looked at him sharply before turning his attention to
Master Lavelle. "You have seen this also?"

	Lavelle hesitated before shaking his head. "Um... no, my lord. I
have felt the shift in the forces of magic, and I trust Elias's recounting
completely."

	Sighing heavily, Titus sank back into his throne and passed a hand
over his eyes. "What would you have me do, old friend?" He asked Lavelle.

	"My lord, I am afraid we have no choice." Master Lavelle spoke
boldly and without hesitation. "We must ask you to call the nobles to
war. Raise Calonia's armies as her Lord Imperator. You will need every
house and bannerman to hope to stand against this horde."

	As Lavelle's words rang through the hall Elias saw Sir Triston's
eyes practically sparkling with eager excitement. Lord Titus on the other
hand allowed his shoulders to sag for the first time since they had
entered. The warrior-nobleman was at a loss for words. Eventually he threw
one hand up in the air in an indecisive gesture.

	"Master Lavelle, no Lord Imperator has issued the martial call in
over a century." Titus finally responded. "The nobles will expect evidence
of this threat."

	"The nobles will listen to you, my friend." Lavelle implored. "They
are sworn to as their oath to Calonia."

	"Some take that oath more seriously than others." Lord Titus
remarked disapprovingly before falling silent in deep thought once
more. Several long and tense seconds passed before the Lord Imperator threw
up his hands. "Master Lavelle... Samuel..." He used the wizard's first name
in a gesture of familiarity. "I trust your judgement more than nearly any
man in Calon-Ken..." Elias could hear the `but' before Lord Titus voiced
it. "But, I cannot make such a decision based only on the words of your
former apprentice."

	Master Lavelle sought to get a word in, but Lord Titus held up a
hand. "Please... I will send an exploratory force to the north to
investigate these rumors. If we find them to be true, this force will
evacuate the towns and move them into the cities. At that time, I will
invoke the martial call."

	Heaving a sigh, Master Lavelle looked to the ground before
returning his eyes to hold Lord Titus's. "I understand your position, my
lord. The time for an exploratory force to move north and report back may
be time that we do not have. That is if they are able to report back at
all. I advise that you reconsider, but the decision remains yours to make."

	Lord Titus's mouth twisted uncomfortably before he eventually shook
his head. "This is the best that I can do for now, my friend. My men will
be swift and silent. We will know all there is to know in a few short
days."

	Lavelle frowned in disappointment but then nodded. "As you say, my
lord. In the meantime, I would ask for access to the Sages' Beacon. I would
like to make the other wizards aware of this potential threat."

	"Granted, of course." Lord Titus seemed relieved to have a request
he could agree to. "The keep is at your disposal until this situation is
resolved, High Wizard."

	"Send me as your eyes, Father." Sir Triston spoke up. "I wish to
represent your interests with this exploratory force, if you would allow
me."

	Lord Titus appraised his son with a hint of pride. "Yes, Sir
Triston, I believe it is right for you to serve on this mission. Inform Sir
Ambrose that you have been assigned to his command. I will write the
missive for you to bring to him."

	Sir Triston bowed with a confident grin. "Thank you, Father."

	"Now, Master Lavelle, is there any other way I can be of service?"
The Lord Imperator asked.

	Shaking his head, Lavelle bowed as well and indicated for the other
three to do the same. "No, my lord. I will see my guests on their way
before returning to use the Beacon."

	"Farewell then, Elias Valern, and good luck to you." Lord Titus
acknowledged as they departed. Elias maintained a respectful albeit solemn
countenance until the doors closed behind them. Then immediately his face
fell.

	"A few days?" There was a hint of panic to his voice. "Should
we... can we... try again? Maybe we could make him see..."

	Lavelle shook his head. "No, my boy. Pushing Lord Titus on this
would only cause him to dig his heels in. I will work on him gently. You
have other tasks to attend to. My only fear is that he is sending those
men, and his own son, to their deaths."

	Elias had hardly considered that. The thought of the handsome young
Sir Triston facing the monsters they had seen and heard on the mountain
with only a handful of knights and men-at-arms was not a pleasant one.

	"In the meantime, I will use the Sages' Beacon to raise the alarm
in the other kingdoms. Perhaps Falheim will be more receptive to the
message. Their clans are not as numerous as the houses of Calonia, but they
are fierce warriors, and they will not take kindly to an invasion."

	Master Lavelle led them out of the keep while he continued to offer
advice. "Make for the coast as quickly as you can. I will provide you with
horses and replenish your provisions. I can also offer you access to my
stock of spell-crafting ingredients in addition to the totems I promised
you."

	Elias was touched but not surprised by his former master's
generosity. Every time he tried to insist on paying for his own goods or
even paying Master Lavelle for the items he offered, the wizard shut him
down. "Save your coin. Your task must not fail, and you may need it down
the road."

	It was late in the morning by the time they had gathered up
everything they needed to continue their journey to Verduin. All their
packs were full of traveling provisions, and Elias's satchel bag had been
refilled as well. All the expensive ingredients he had purchased in Erania
were back where they belonged, along with some other potent and rare
elements that Lavelle had insisted he take.

        Around Elias's neck hung two more pendants with large gemstones
inlaid. Unlike the two runed totems he already had, these two contained raw
magical potency that he could draw on for any purpose, not the purpose
dictated by the runes. Master Lavelle had also given him a ring that Elias
now wore on his right hand. It was gold with a large sapphire set into
it. All around the band, an array of runes was etched into the surface. The
gem and a wide range of different runes made this totem particularly
versatile and thus particularly valuable. Elias had tapped gently into each
of the three with his mind and found them all practically bursting with
power that Master Lavelle had stored up over the years. He had only
discovered this as their horses were already clopping down the street away
from Lavelle's mansion.

       It was a kingly gift. With the amount of power stored in these
totems, and channeled through him, magnified by his natural strength and
talent, Elias could have likely brought the keep of Calon-Ken down stone by
stone. This meant though that these were the product of years of Master
Lavelle's life. Elias hoped that his old master was not leaving himself
vulnerable.

       Their three horses trotted through the busy streets of
Calon-Ken. Elias rode in the lead with Dain on the horse behind him. Avi
sat behind Dain on the same horse, and the third animal, the largest of the
three, followed by a tether. Avi couldn't ride on his own but seemed
perfectly happy to sit behind Dain and hold onto the older boy. Dain
obviously did not mind either; and although their horse was the smallest of
the three, it was a sturdy creature. Besides, Dain and Avi combined did not
weigh as much as Kole. Elias felt almost sorry for the horse that would
have to seat their muscular companion.

       For some reason, the thought of seeing Kole again made Elias eager
to hurry their pace. Or maybe he simply wanted to continue on their
mission. Whatever the reason, once they had exited Calon-Ken onto the
broader roads, he pushed their horses into a canter back toward the village
of Elkhollow.

       They needn't have hurried, however. They were scarcely a mile
outside of the city when a large, cloaked figure stepped out of the trees
ahead of them. Even from a distance, it did not take Elias long to
recognize who it was based only on his stature and physique.

       "Kole!" Avi shouted as they slowed their mounts. Carefully the
nimble youth slid off the horses back and launched himself at the big man.

       Kole laughed, letting the hood fall back from his face. "Missed me
that much?"

       Elias dismounted at a more measured pace but gave Kole a half-smile
to show his pleasant surprise to see him so soon. "You came to meet us?" He
questioned.

       With a shrug, Kole nodded. "I didn't feel like sitting around that
pub all day and night. I've been on the road too long; I can't sleep in
those beds. Or maybe it was just because it was so cramped in there the
other night." Giving Elias a sly look that made his face redden, Kole
brushed past to begin fastening his pack to the largest horse.

       "How did it go?" He eventually asked.

       Elias sighed. "Not as well as we had hoped, but Master Lavelle will
use the Sages' Beacon on our behalf."

       "Great." Kole responded, tightening the horse's girdle as he
prepared to mount up. "That's what we wanted, isn't it?"

       Nodding, Elias took the reins of his own horse that was pawing the
ground impatiently. "We had also hoped that the Lord Imperator would raise
all of Calonia's armies. Instead, he's sending an exploratory force to see
what we saw."

       Kole scoffed as he gently swung himself into the
saddle. "Fool. They'll all be killed. Let's hope your wizard friend can
convince Falheim."

       With a short laugh, Elias remounted as well. "That's exactly what
Master Lavelle said. Just a shame that Lord Titus's son is going with
them."

       Kole had been checking his saddlebags to make sure they were
attached properly but when Elias spoke, he froze, sitting straight up in
the saddle. "What?" He demanded sharply, catching Elias off guard.

       It took Elias a moment to respond to Kole's unexpected shift in
tone. "The Lord Imperator... His son, Sir Triston... is going with the
exploratory force."

       "Damn it..." Kole swore. Without warning he wheeled his horse around
in the direction the other three had come from and took off, quickly
spurring his animal into a near gallop.

       "Kole!" Avi yelled in alarm as he scrambled to get back on his horse
behind Dain. "Where's `e goin'!?" He asked Elias, who was just beginning to
turn his horse as well but waited for Dain and Avi to be ready.

       "I'm not sure..." Elias admitted, although a theory was taking shape
in his mind, however impossible it seemed. "Come on, let's go." He urged
his horse forward but not at the same speed that Kole had. The younger two
would not be able to keep up at that pace. Besides, Elias had a suspicion
that he knew where they would find him.

       The three of them did their best to keep up, but Kole was out of
sight before long. It did not take long for Calon-Ken to come back into
view. The early afternoon bustle of the streets forced them to slow their
progress until they reached the higher avenues that were less populated. It
took a while, but they caught up with Kole at the gate of the keep. Now,
after midday, the gate was manned by two guards standing outside the
portcullis to attend to visitors.

       "Kole, wait!" Elias called out, sliding off his horse and tying it
next to Kole's. Avi and Dain scrambled down from their mount as well, Avi
almost falling as he reached the ground.

       "As I said, sir." The guard was speaking with exaggerated
patience. "Audiences with the Lord Imperator are by appointment
only. Submit a request and you will be attended in due time.

       "There isn't time for that!" Kole was nearly shouting. "It is an
emergency. Have the trackers left yet?"

       "You need to step back, sir." The guard's voice turned dangerous. "I
will not ask you again. I do not know anything about any trackers."

       "Stand clear!" A voice from the gatehouse carried down to them. "Sir
Ambrose' force is departing."

       "One side now sir," The guard continued in a more measured
tone. "Unless you prefer to be trampled."

       The portcullis began to open slowly, and a troop of mounted men came
into view behind the iron bars. All of them were dressed similarly in
practical, lightweight leather armor. In fact, the pieces were quite
similar to the leather cuirass that Kole often wore. When the heavy metal
grate had lifted, the riders proceeded across the bridge at a walk. Kole
stepped back but did not leave the center of the bridge.

       The rider in the front was a gangly-looking long-legged man with a
manicured mustache and a sour expression. His eyes narrowed when he saw
that their way was blocked by a lone man. Elias recognized the soldier
behind and to the right of the man at the front. As soon as he saw Sir
Triston in his leather armor, seated on top of his horse he knew that his
suspicions were correct, as nonsensical as it seemed. There was no other
explanation. The way the young man carried himself, his voice, his height,
his broad shoulders, and now Elias saw the glint of golden eyes as the
knight moved out of the shadow of the gate and into the afternoon sun, all
of it told the same story.

       "Stand aside!" The man in the lead snarled angrily, displeased with
the interruption. "We are on orders from..."

       "Balt!?" Sir Triston suddenly interrupted his commanding officer,
causing the older man to snap his head around indignantly.

       "You're taller." Kole's voice trembled slightly, and Elias saw him
swallow heavily.

       The brave countenance of a knight melted away, revealing the
confused boy underneath as Sir Triston slid from his horse. He took two
short steps toward Kole before abruptly rushing him, abandoning all
pretense of grace and decorum. A smaller man would have been knocked over
by the fierce hug that Sir Triston assaulted Kole with. But Kole weathered
it sturdily, a solid rock for the young knight's sudden unrestrained
emotion. He placed a hand on the back of Triston's head gently, blinking
his eyes several times.

       "We... they said you were dead..." Elias couldn't see the boy's
face, but he could hear that he was close to tears. "You and Sir Callum."

       "Well, I'm here now." Kole spoke quietly. "I'll tell you all about
it. But not here."

       "Sir... Tybalt?" The man at the lead of the column was putting it
all together now as well.

       "Sir Ambrose." Kole greeted with a casual nod. "Long time."

	The lead knight Sir Ambrose sat in shock for a moment before
shaking his head and clearing his throat. "Change of plans men, back to the
keep for now."

	Elias, Avi, and Dain stood silently to one side, watching the
spectacle. Dain's arms were crossed, and his face was unreadable. Avi was
working his mouth but not forming words as he cocked his head one way then
the other in sheer bewilderment. And Elias was slowly shaking his head,
still figuring out how it all fit together, while simultaneously berating
himself for not noticing the signs sooner.

	"Come on." Kole motioned for the three of them to follow before
holding Sir Triston out at arm's length. "Let's go talk... to Father."