"True," replied Arin. "Yet I have not seen its like among any artifacts of the delvers."
"It just struck me: mayhap it is a creation of Magekind," volunteered Perin.
Biren turned to his twin. "Why would they do such? To what end?"
Perin shrugged. "Who knows the ways of Wizards?"
Aldor slowly shook his head. "Whatever it is-Drimmen or not, Wizards or not, or even the gods themselves-this green stone would seem to be a true token of power."
"Nevertheless," said Elora, "Perin's suggestion is as valid as any other. Surely someone in the world knows of this particular thing."
Aldor set down his teacup. "I shall have discreet enquiries made among the Lian. Too, I shall send emissaries unto Drimmen-deeve to ask the DelfLord as to knowledge of the artifact. But as to the Wizards…"
"As to the Wizards," said Rael, picking up Aldor's thread, "I would suggest that Dara Arin seek out one of Magekind."
Arin turned to the crystal seer. "Thou didst speak of a Mage, Dara Rael-Elgar?"
"Elgon," replied Rael.
"He knows of seers and seeing?"
"Somewhat… though it was not his, um, specialty."
"Perhaps I should seek him out, then," suggested Arin.
Rael shook her head. "I know not where he dwells."
"Rwn? Black Mountain?"
Rael shrugged. "Mayhap. Yet there is one closer than either of those two places: Dalavar in Aralan. He dwells in Darda Vrka, or so I am told."
"The Wolfwood?" Rissa raised an eyebrow. "I know it. Dalavar, too."
The others looked at her. "Aye-Dalavar Wolfmage. I met him once when I passed through in other days," she explained. "His is a shaggy forest… and warded."
Rael frowned. "Warded?"
"Aye. By the Draega, by the Silver Wolves."
"Draega in Mithgar?" exclaimed Ruar. "I thought they all dwelt in Adonar."
"Evidently not," said Silverleaf, smiling at Rissa and reaching out to take her hand.
"This Darda Vrka, where lies it?" asked Arin.
"East and north in Aralan," replied Rissa, "some eight hundred leagues as the hawk flies, longer by the route we would take."
Biren looked at Perin. "Eighty to a hundred days by horse at a goodly pace."
"A great deal less if using remounts," replied his twin.
Arin sighed. "And Black Mountain-where does it lie?"
"Beyond Darda Vrka," said Rissa. "Another two hundred leagues or so. In the realm of Xian."
Arin thought a moment. "Can we save time by riding the dusk and the dawn?"
The Elves looked at one another, but none had aught to volunteer. Finally Silverleaf said, "I know of no in-between crossings shorter than direct."
Arin groaned. "I was hoping to save time by riding into Adonar and then back unto Mithgar-crossing several times, if necessary."
Ruar cleared his throat. "Would it not be swifter to go to Rwn? We could ride down to the Avagon Sea and take passage on an Arbalinian merchant ship."
Aldor shook his head. "The Rovers of Kistan have the straits blocked, or so I am told. No ship but the Eroean is said to have made it through."
"Aravan's ship," said Arin, her eyes brightening. "He would give us passage."
Aldor shook his head. "The King's herald said Aravan is no longer in port but has sailed through the blockade and beyond again. The herald also said even now the High King is assembling a fleet to break the stranglehold. Yet that could take awhile, perhaps months."
"We could ride north and sail from the Boreal… or west to the Ryngar," suggested Melor, "and hope to catch a trader going our way."
"Or engage one," added Ruar.
"Rwn or Darda Vrka or Black Mountain in Xian," said Arin, sighing, "no matter our choice, it will take time."
"There is this," said Rael. "If ye go to Darda Vrka to find answers with Dalavar, if he knows not how to aid ye, then Black Mountain lies just beyond."
Rissa nodded. "Aye, Darda Vrka is on the way to Xian."
"I would suggest, then-" began Aldor, but his words fell short as there sounded the distant belling of a bugle echoing among the Eld Trees. "An alarm?" muttered Aldor. He stood and stepped to the front window of the lodge.
Again the bugle sounded, closer this time.
Now all the Elves got to their feet.
Silverleaf girted on his long-knife. The visiting Dylvana took up swords and bows. Elora retrieved Aider's sword from the table and carried it to him.
Aldor turned from the window and received the weapon and began girting it about his waist. As he did so he looked up at Arin. "Let me say this to thee, Dara, ere it is pushed from my mind by this clarion calclass="underline" I would suggest that thou and thy companions follow the counsel of Dara Rael and hie to Darda Vrka. Seek out this Dalavar and ask his advice. And if Dalavar cannot help ye, then go on to Black Mountain beyond, for none-"
Now the ringing of the bugle became strident.
"-none here knows of the green stone, but the Wizards may. Meanwhile, I will do all in my power to uncover its import."
A horse and Elven rider came thundering into the thorp, a brace of remounts running behind on long tethers. Again the rider sounded the bugle.
Aldor stepped out the door, the others following after.
The rider and horses skidded to a halt at the Coron-hall, and the rider flung himself from the blowing, lathered steed and raced up the steps, only to be redirected toward the oncoming band by the warder at the door.
His bugle still clenched in his fist, the rider met them halfway between the hall and the lodge and gritted, "My Coron, the Rupt along the Grimwall, they have felled in malice nine of the Eld Trees."
"Kha!" Aldor clenched his fist in rage as cries of dismay rose up from the others. The Coron took a deep breath and blew it out, then asked, "And the Rupt, Loric, what of the Rupt?"
"Dead. Slain by the march warders."
"Bl?!" spat Elora, her look grim. "Too easy. They should have suffered."
Aldor ground his teeth. "The Rupt: Rucha, Loka, Ghulka, what?"
"Rucha in the main, though two Loka were among them."
"How many?"
"A score and two."
"When?" asked Aldor.
"Yesternight," replied the rider. "Nay, wait, I rode all yesternight, so two nights back it was."
Arin's eyes flew wide. Two nights back? My dream, the screams, the flashing blades.
Arin looked at Perin and silently mouthed, My dream. He nodded, and then both looked at Rissa, remembering that she had moaned in her sleep that same night as well, but Rissa seemed unaware.
Arin now glanced at the Eld Trees nearby. Vanidar said we are somehow connected, and connected we are: they sense our presence; I sensed their pain.
"These Spaunen, who sent them?" asked Silverleaf.
"We know not," replied the rider. "We were bloodlust mad with grief and the Rupt were all dead ere we thought to take prisoner."
Silverleaf slapped his leg and said to Aldor, "More than simple killings need answer this rape."
"Of that I am aware," replied Aldor, his eyes narrowing.
"We must uncover the ones behind this vile deed and bring a hard message home unto the Foul Folk."
"Retribution," growled Elora, baring her teeth. "Swift and hard. This must never happen again."
Arin's eyes widened at the Consort's bloodthirsty visage. Is this how it begins? The war of my vision?
Vanidar took a deep breath and said, "Aye, retribution for my trees."
"Thy trees?" asked Talarin.
Vanidar nodded. "I was Coron when this forest was first set in the ground."
Now Talarin's eyes widened, and he said, "Then the claim of this Darda upon thee is greater than most here. I would be honored to ride at thy side when we wreak vengeance upon the Rupt."
Aldor made a sweeping gesture, taking in Lian and Dylvana and all of Wood's-heart. "We would all be honored to ride at thy side, Silverleaf. Wilt thou be my warleader?"