Into the fire

"Who could it be?" asked Beau. "Foul Folk?"

"Perhaps, though not likely. They fear this place," said Rynna.

"Rivermen?"

Rynna took up her bow and said, "There's but one way to find out. Leave the ponies tied."

Moving as only Warrows can move, silent in their steps, among the trees the four crept, ever nearing the fires. And then Rynna reached out and stopped Tip at her side. She pointed, and among the shadowed wood and away from the light there stood a sentry.

Tip looked to see where Beau and Delby had gotten to, but they were nowhere in sight. And so, silently hand signalling Rynna to proceed and receiving a nod in return, arrows nocked, creeping low, toward the warder slipped the two, the damman angling away to Tipperton's right, ten paces from his flank.

Tip was no more than twenty feet from the sentry when the warder turned his face toward the firelight, and Tip smiled and stood up and softly said, "Hadron, 'tis I, Tipper-ton Thistledown, and I no longer have the soap."

Hadron started and looked Tip's way, and then he laughed.

***

As Hadron escorted them to the fires, Rynna asked, "What's all this about soap?"

"Hadron was with Galarun's company, the Lian who rescued us from the Hyrinians on the Plains of Valon. In any event, he gave Beau and me a bar of scented soap as a parting gift when we went on. Like wildflowers it smelled."

"I remember," said Rynna. "The scent, that is. It was on you when first we met… and the night before we parted."

In that moment they walked in among the campfires, and a company of Lian looked up as they came striding by.

"Oh, Hadron," said Tip, "Beau and another Warrow are out there somewhere, perhaps we ought to whistle them i-"

"We're not out there," said Beau, he and Delby stepping from behind an enshadowed tree.

"Ha!" barked Hadron. "So much for Elven warders where the Wee Folk are concerned."

"Rynna," called a voice. Rynna looked across the fires. It was Aravan, and beside him stood another Elf.

"Alor Galarun," exclaimed Beau, "hal and well met again, and would you happen to have any bacon?"

Night had deepened and the fires had fallen to embers when Aravan looked at Galarun. "Somehow, I think Modru knows of what we seek, and the Gargon was placed at Eryn Ford to thwart this mission. 'Twas only happenstance the Vanadurin sprang their trap."

Beau's eyes widened. "Oh lor', it's all connected."

"Gyphon," spat Galarun. He turned to the Waerlinga. "And ye say the Spawn are yet nigh the ford?"

Rynna nodded.

"Then we need change our route."

"Where are you bound?" asked Tipperton.

Galarun glanced at Aravan and then said, "To Black Mountain."

"In Xian?" blurted Beau, then immediately said, "Of course, you ninnyhammer, Black Mountain is in Xian."

"Why would you be going to the Wizardholt?" asked Tip. "-If I may ask, that is."

"Great events are under way," said Galarun, "and we are sent for a mighty token of power: a silver sword."

"Silver? Not steel?"

"So I was told. Yet whether it is silver plain or starsilver, or dark silveron, I know not."

Rynna cast a small twig into the fire. "You spoke of great events under way…?"

Galarun took a deep breath. "Know ye that Atala is destroyed?"

Tip looked at Beau then back at Galarun. "We suspected as much, but now you confirm it?"

Galarun nodded. "Aye. A survivor, Talar, rode unto Darda Galion, looking for his jaian Riatha."

"Jaian?" asked Delby.

"Sister," said Tipperton. "Jaian is Sylva for sister."

"Oh."

Tip turned back to Galarun. "Then this Talar, he is an Elf."

"Aye. A Lian."

"Go on with the tale," said Beau.

Galarun smiled. "Talar's jaian Riatha, she is among those warding the wold north of Darda Galion, though I understand she and her band cross over into Darda Erynian now and again. Regardless, ere Talar went onward, he told us Karak had exploded, and great tidal waves rolled outward and engulfed many coastal lands, destroying cities, and slaying thousands. Hardest hit were the isles of Gelen, though the coasts of Thol, Gothon, Basq, and Vancha were inundated as well. For a calamity so great, only Gyphon could do such."

"But why?" asked Delby.

"We think it was to destroy the city of Duellin, for weapons of great might are forged therein, or were forged, I should say… swords in the main. And these Gyphon would keep from the hands of those who would oppose Him."

Galarun fell silent, but Aravan said, "Many Lian lived on that isle as well-in Darda Immer, the Brightwood of Atala-and would have been a formidable force to bring to bear."

"We knew of the Brightwood," said Tipperton, "and of the Lian, but not of the blades of Duellin."

"This silver sword," said Rynna, "what will it do, and why is it needed now?"

Aravan looked at Galarun, and at a slight nod, turned to the Waerlinga and said, "We know not its intended purpose, though some say it will slay the High Vulk Himself."

"High Vulk?"

"Gyphon."

"Oh my," said Beau. "No wonder they sent a Gargon to stop you."

Rynna frowned. "But why now? Why fetch it now? – The silver sword, I mean. And once fetched, who will wield it?"

Aravan clenched a fist. "Gyphon and a large force of Rupt have invaded from the Low to the High Plane, and a great battle rages thereupon."

"Oh no," cried Tip. "If He wins Adonar-"

"Then He will control all," blurted Beau.

"Can Gyphon win?" asked Delby.

Aravan turned up his hands. "Until He was thwarted, He seemed to be striking for an in-between to Mithgar."

"To Mithgar?"

"Aye, for with the ways sundered between Neddra and Mithgar, Gyphon's direct invasion of the Middle Plane is stopped."

"You say He was thwarted?" said Rynna.

Aravan nodded. "Aye. Many Elves and others crossed to the High Plane to help stop Gyphon, for it seems His strategy was to breach the High Plane and come to Mithgar, at which point he will have won. But Adon has now sundered all ways between the Planes except the ways of the blood."

"Ways of the blood: what are they?"

Aravan steepled his fingers. "For those who know how, who know the in-between rites, they can go home, but nowhere else. They will not be able to cross over to a Plane not of their blood. Hence, Elves away from the High Plane can return to Adonar but will not be able to cross to any other Plane. Foul Folk away from the Low Plane can go to Neddra, but nowhere else. Those of Mithgar can come here but cannot go to Adonar or Neddra. Of course, horses and animals can go as well, as long as there is someone to chant the way. Already Darda Galion is poorer for the Sundering, for the Silverlarks have disappeared. These are the blood ways, Tipperton, the ways that will allow one to return home, the ways that bar all else."

"Oh, I see. But what of the battle on the High Plane. Where does it stand?"

Aravan turned up his hands. "With the Sundering, Gy-phon's plan to invade Mithgar by marching across Adonar is thwarted, yet we can only assume that the battle for control of the High Plane rages on, for not only must Modru be defeated on Mithgar, Gyphon must be defeated upon Adonar as well, for if Gyphon wins on the High Plane, or if Modru wins on the Middle Plane then, as ye say, Gyphon rules all."

"What about Neddra?" asked Beau.

Aravan sighed. "We believe that before the Sundering a regiment of Free Folk had invaded the Low Plane, and fighting goes on there as well, but with only a regiment they cannot succeed but only can harass."

"All right, then," said Rynna, "we understand. Now answer my last question: who is to wield the silver sword?"

Aravan shrugged, but Galarun said, "This and no more do we know: my company and I are to fetch it from Black Mountain and bear it to Darda Galion. My sire, Coron Eiron, will then decide who is to ride the blood way and take it to the High Plane. That it is to go there makes me believe it is meant for the hand of Adon, Himself."