If anyone knew something about the location of the Dragon’s Heart, it would be found in the orders recorded history books. At least that was Rone’s hope, as he did not relish a visit with the Moon Elves.
Fae races were pretentious enough, but the LunaFae is the worst of them all. Considering half-bloods like himself to be even less fit than humans.
But the first thing he wanted to do was visit the ruins of Grey Ridge keep. Perhaps he could learn something from the trees there — some small detail that may have been missed by Max before the attack.
The idea seemed almost silly to him, as he knew there was no better Thorn Caller than Maximilian Forestwhisper. But still, it couldn’t hurt to try. Maybe something new has happened there. If so, then he might get a lead on who did this.
He was still thinking about his stop at the ruins when he mounted his horse, whistled for Fang, and set out towards Grey Ridge. If there was anything to find there, he wanted to know it.
3
He felt it immediately after passing through the bramble wall and into the surrounding forest. Agnar felt strange to him, almost as if the entire woods were growing tense. There were birds and forest creatures just as there had always been, but it just felt wrong.
Even Fang sensed it as he raised his nose to the wind. Hoping to find a scent that might match the feeling they shared. Rone kept his horse at a brisk pace for nearly half the day. Determined to make the ruins before the sun reached its peak in the sky.
Finally, he made it to the spot where the trail branched off with one path leading up a steep summit to the ruins of Grey Ridge. And the other continuing south to the Crystal River.
There at the base of the summit is where he first spotted the smoke. It billowed into the sky in great plumes from up on the ridge. He spurred his horse into a run and rushed up the trail. As he raced towards the top, he began to see the effects of the Chimera venom that Max had mentioned along the sides of the path.
The trees there were beginning to wilt. Their roots curling up from the ground like gnarled fingers drawing into a fist. The leaves that should be emerald green this time of year were now brown and brittle. Falling into thick piles beneath their limbs as if it was late fall.
The smell of the fire brought his attention back to the ridge, as the smoke from it dominated his senses. Making his eyes water and his nostrils to burn. Which only made him more determined to know what was happening.
As he reached the top of the summit, his heart dropped in his chest, and a large lump formed in his throat. The entire ridge had been reduced to a smoldering shadow of the lush forest it once was.
Every tree that once grew tall around the ruins was now little more than smoldering stumps. The wild berry bushes that once thrived in abundance around the ancient stones of the old keep were now little more than charred husks.
As his eyes scanned the remains of the ridge, they were drawn to the ash-covered skeleton of an enormous willow tree. It’s once green limbs now blackened and covered in ash.
Gone were the majestic leaves that once dangled to the ground like living chords. Only the trunk remained intact, and even it was covered with dozens of hotspots. Many of which were still glowing red hot.
To his right, Rone caught sight of Fang as he blinked from one spot to another. Continually searching for signs of trouble and some relief from the choking smoke.
After pushing down the anger, he felt at such senseless destruction and making sure the threat was indeed gone. Rone began to search for some clue as to what happened here. It didn’t take him long after closer inspection to realize this was no ordinary fire.
There was a strong breeze blowing down from the Black Spine mountains to the west. If this were a normal fire, it would have carried the flames down the ridge into the valley below. Or at the very least onto the path leading up to the peak.
Instead, the fire was contained to only the ridge top. He sifted through the ash-covered ground carefully but saw no signs of who may have done this. In fact, he didn’t see anything that would mark someone’s passing.
Upon further inspection, he found the flames seemed almost to be directed in their paths of destruction. As certain trees had deeper scorch marks on their trunks and the grounds beneath them were burned down clear to the soil.
Rone had no idea who would do this, but he was now confident they had used magic to accomplish it. Even more disturbing was the extent they went to cover it up.
He only searched for a few moments longer before finally deciding it was a waste of time. There were no trees left to commune with. And those on the path leading up here were too far gone from the poison to be of any help.
He would need to send a message back to Briarthorn when he reached a village. They needed to know what has happened here and to be on their guard.
Taking one last look around before climbing back into his saddle, Rone headed back down the ridge to the forest floor below.
More and more, he felt like this was not a random attack by an Orc tribe. Though he must admit, he knew no one that would want to harm an entire forest. He didn’t believe even Orcs would stoop to that.
He was still pondering what he had learned when he reached the foot of the summit and turned his horse towards the south. If he wanted to travel safely, he should take the merchant road. But, if he wanted to get there quickly, he should cut across the crystal river, and through the black marsh.
He promptly decided. He would instead take the faster route, knowing the sooner he could reach the mages of the tower, the better chances Max would have.
Rone had gone nearly out of sight when a slight ripple of magic moved across the remains of a chard doorway inside the ruins.
“I wasn’t sure your spell was going to work, Zannith.” Said the big Orc who stepped first through the door.
“And that is why Gru’Kar sent you as my lackey dear Gru’Nak. You may be the chief’s brother, but you lack his understanding of the things I can do.”
The mysterious mage lowered the hood of his robe and crossed his arms as a smile creased his lips.
“I knew the Ranger would not find us, even with that infernal wolf at his side. That was no mere glamor I used.
We stood in the doorway of time itself. Both here and not here.”
“I may not understand your magic elf, but I understand the way of the Orc. I would not have hidden from such a puny HoloFae; I would have cleaved his head from his shoulders.”
Zannith turned to the big Orc and stared up at him. Anger showing brightly in his yellow eyes.
“Then you are an even bigger fool than your brother said you to be, Orc. That puny HoloFae is how we get our hands on the dragon’s heart.
Without him, your tribe will never see the defeat of the Thorn Callers. Nor would I forgive your debt to me. I have set into motion the tides of fate that will see the heart is found. Once I have it, your tribe will get their revenge. And I will get my honor back.
With that, Zannith turned and strode toward the doorway again. With the wave of his hand, he opened a portal and stepped through it. Leaving Gru’Nak alone to watch Rone pass entirely out of sight.
“I didn’t know a DokalFae could understand honor,” The big Orc whispered before passing through the portal as well.
4
It was another half a day’s travel to reach the Crystal River, and nightfall was quickly setting in. The sun had already dipped behind the Black Spine mountains, casting the entire forest into shadow.
As the night birds began their songs and the creatures of the forest were preparing to bed down for the night. Rone rode along the river's edge, looking for a suitable place to camp. Which he finally found close to where the ferry was tethered along the shore.