“We have much to discuss before we get to the plan to head west. Mistress Khalida will be here tomorrow to go over what will be expected of you for this task you have volunteered for. For now, let us first eat and then we will discuss some of the strangeness you have become aware of” said the elven king warmly.
“Thank you my lord…I appreciate you taking time to come to meet me personally” bowed Aiden graciously.
The private council room hidden off the throne room was intimate and welcoming. The dinner had been comfortable and enjoyable. It seemed like a treat after all the hardships that had been plaguing everyone since the beginning of this conflict. The king sat in a comfortable armchair next to a roaring fire that was burned brightly in an ornate fireplace. Sitting across from the monarch was master Aiden. There was no one else seated around the fire and the guards that remained stayed in the shadows. It felt more secure than any other meeting place in quite some time.
“Tell me what you sensed as you entered the clearing?” asked the king with a pensive look on his face. He was staring intently at the dancing flames.
“That is when I felt the cold breeze start. It had the feeling of evil to it and did not seem to dissipate even once I entered the gate. Also, the forest seems to be trying to warn me of something…you could say a kind of wrongness” replied Aiden thoughtfully. He was not a master of words and what he was describing was rather difficult for him to articulate effectively. He hoped that King Ciel would understand what he was trying to convey.
“The cold breeze you are referring to just started at the moment you described. It has continued and shows no signs that this unusual wind from the west will stop anytime soon. You are correct about the evil feel to it…I will explain that as best as I can in a moment. The forest is warning us about a danger that none of us anticipated” the king said slowly. It was clear that he was steeling himself for something and Aiden was getting a little anxious as he waited for whatever came next.
“So, what is it that I do not know? I have heard that there is a rumor of some dark force in the west; however, I am not clear as to who or what that is. So, why don’t we jump to that” Aiden replied directly. He was a man of action after all, so this dancing around the topic at hand was not in his nature nor did he think he would ever be comfortable with it.
“My apologies for prolonging our conversation…I forget that the way of elves can be quite irksome to anyone not of our race. It is a curse of the immortal…but I digress. The evil in the west is our distant cousins who were banished and cursed to live under ground for the genocide of the Eldar. They are known as the dark elves of Meleirelnar” the king started with a little more purpose and direction now that they were truly getting down to business.
“I have heard tales of those murderers, however, I must say I do not know a great deal about them” replied Aiden honestly. It was true…among the kingdoms of men the tales about the dark elves were legends. Not many believed that the stories were true and almost everyone thought the dark elves were myth. They were stories meant to scare the young or gullible.
“Unfortunately the tale of the dark elves is a long one, however, for now we will focus on the important points. The most crucial thing to understand is that every dark elf has the command of elemental and underworld magic. This makes them a force to be reckoned with. However, the most vital piece of information you need to understand at this point is what I just learned from Mistress Khalida. The dark elves have completely annihilated all the giants that remained in their home land of Burien” King Ciel said with a heavy heart. He had a debt to pay back to the giants for their assistance in defending their capital. They were there when the elves were in need and he had not been able to do the same for them. This weigh heavily on him and the need to do something burned his every waking moment.
“That is a tremendous loss…do the giants know?” asked Aiden respectfully. His stoic heart broke at the thought of giant women and children being slaughtered by devils out of legend.
“They are being told now by Mistress Khalida, hence her delay. One thing that I can tell you is that their army is over one million strong and it is clear, from what I am being told, that they have the full backing of the keeper. These facts will be something we have to take into consideration for any future plans. I would be a liar if I did not tell you that I am still reeling with the dark elves involvement and more importantly their unforgivable acts of aggression. This war has a whole new dimension now.” King Ciel looked into the fire after falling silent. There was not much that could be said further until the elder elemental arrived on the morrow. The king’s face fell as he stared into the flames.
“King, I will take my leave of you then…there is little else we can do tonight and talking further on such dark matters will do little for either one of us.” Aiden bowed low for an overly long moment and then departed. The king continued to look into the flames as he attempted to clear his mind before retiring for the night as well.
“Thank you for assembling this meeting in private” Khalida said to King Ciel. She had arrived first thing in the morning. She had asked that they not delay their meeting, so here they were in the throne room before the sun was up.
“We understand the urgency” replied Aiden quickly. He woke up right before he was summoned to the meeting and since being awake he had an unquenchable desire to begin his mission.
“That is exactly why Adair chose you. We need you to set out right after our meeting. The entry of the dark elves into this conflict has caused a number of issues that we have to confront. So, to avoid further delays I have determined that a northern route to the destination would be the best approach” Khalida spoke briskly. She did not mask the sadness in her voice or the sense of urgency.
“Will I be meeting someone in the north who will then lead us to where the orb is located?” asked Aiden. At least guardians get right to the point. The elves could learn a thing or two from them.
A body detached from the shadows that had not been there before, or at least no one seemed to notice the presence of this unseen guest. As the figure made its way into the light of the room, there was a collective intake of breath. The figure was baffling…he was tall like an elf but bulky or muscular like a dwarf. It was like looking at someone that should not exist. The unknown visitor looked around the hall with defiance in his eyes.
“Welcome Xuzien” interjected Khalida smoothly. She cast a warning glare around the room…lingering a little longer on the king.
“It is truly an honor to meet you in person” replied Aiden swiftly. He was not put off by how he looked or what his background was. This warrior had lived his life regardless of what people said about him being an abomination. He had no control over that and did not let it rule his fate. Besides, he was the best fighter and tracker in the middle lands. He had a feeling of ease come over him as he looked at Xuzien.
“It is truly a pleasure to meet you, though I am not really here as you may think” replied Xuzien with a sideways look at Khalida. He arched an eyebrow as he looked the elder guardian.
“It is true; Xuzien is actually at the place where the orb is hidden. He has been preparing for wanted and unwanted guests for several weeks now. He asked that I introduce him to the team prior to their departure. Once he learned that Master Aiden was in charge of the team heading west he requested a special face to face meeting” Khalida offered warmly.
“I will meet you on the north side of Mount Quang in three days’ time. It will be at the base of the mountain near an overgrown ruin of the Eldar. I will not be there in person as I cannot leave where I am because of the ever increasing number of players in this conflict” intoned Xuzien. He was beginning to fade already as though the connection was fading. Then, without warning, he disappeared entirely.