Elf World Shadows Rising Page 15

  “Yes, this might work out even better than I had planned.”

  The greater the disruption and destabilization of his enemies, the better. If only somehow he could cause a civil war within Kush, and an external war with the Sun Elves at the same time!

  Navdis suddenly felt the magical call of his mistress. He hurried over to the magic crystal, and opened himself to her call. Violently, his mind was wrenched across the thousands of miles to her chamber of magic. She sat upon her dark throne, playing with a most deadly bright red snake. She wore upon her pure white hair, the formal golden snake crown, which marked her as both a High Priestess and a member of the ruling Imperial Cabal.

  “I obey Mistress. Command your unworthy servant.” Navdis obsequiously grovelled to the Head of External Affairs for the Empire of the Shadow.

  Sitha, sat watching the scales of the vividly red snake, as it made it’s way across her pale gray skin.

  “Why have you not yet informed me of death of the Sun Elf girl? Could it be that she is still alive? No, that cannot be. Could it be pretty Scarlet Adder, that Navdis has failed me?”

  “The Target escaped from the slaver guards of House Haddar prior to the ambush site. I have ordered Haddar to use all of his troops in finding her. It will tie him even more publicly to the target’s death. And that will cause even more open disruption with the scum Star Elves. It is not, I humbly suggest, that your plan has failed. It only is becoming more fruitful.”

  “It is not wise to fail me, is it my pretty red snake? No, it is not wise at all. So think of your reward for failure Navdis, don't make me have to punish you.”

  “I will send you a present. Colonel Zen-Amon my head of Security. I will send him to advise you, and encourage your success.”

  A tall Shadow Elf stood next to her throne. He had the pure snow white hair that was one of the two primary shades of hair color that Shadow Elves, along with sable black. He also had the reddish amber eyes that were quite rare in Shadow Elves.

  Colonel Zen-Amon was very handsome and tall; two qualities that Navdis hated in his rivals for power. Zen was at about six foot two inches tall and much more muscular than was common, a giant of a Shadow Elf.

  "The bastard had the powerfully athletic build of those cursed Sun Elves. It was not fair that he looked more like a warrior than Navdis. And those damn red eyes of his." Red and black were the colors of the Imperial Flag, scarlet cobra on a black field. And as such, those few lucky Shadow Elves who had red eyes, were thought to be favored by the Death Goddess. Zen also had the black trousers and sleeveless tunic with the four dark red skulls emblazoned on the left chest, marking him as a full Colonel, and thus out ranking Navdis, who only had the three skulls emblazoned on his uniform.

  Sitha began to cast a spell on Zen. The dark power of Death Magic filled the chamber. The High Priestess seemed to glow with the blackness of evil magic. She would use the location of the communication crystal as a beacon to send out her powerful magic.

  A shimmering black maelstrom of light coalesced around Colonel Zen-Amon. The black light seemed to build with power and then explode.

  Navdis found himself suddenly back in the study in the middle of Kush, most relieved to still be alive. But also quite annoyed to see that Sitha had somehow transported his rival back with him.

  “Well Major Navdis,” Colonel Zen asked, “What have you got yourself into, this time?”

  “I do not need your help Zen. This is my operation.” Navdis's pale yellow eyes flashed with hate and spite.

  “It’s Colonel Zen, Navdis, and I am here just to advise you and keep our Mistress informed of your progress, or lack thereof…”

  “Now, tell me everything and we shall both do her bidding in this project. Or do I need to tell her that you have disobeyed her. That would not be a pleasant thing for you, I think.”

  Navdis considered killing him and thus solving the problem of being spied on and removing a rival all at the same time. His hand felt the hilt of his Tulwar; the thin curved blade of the sword was razor sharp, and the magic forging of the sword had made it powerful indeed. But then he thought better of attacking Zen outright. Zen was known to be a sword master, and his blade was also magical. The risk was too high. There would be other opportunities to rid himself of Colonel Zen.

  Zen was staring at him. His unnatural eyes seemed to be mocking him with the assured knowledge of Navdis' inner thoughts. His deadly smile was condescending and certain of Navdis' death, if he had indeed pulled his Tulwar.

  Navdis thought, "No, not now, but soon. You will not live long, Colonel. Hmm, perhaps my smart Ogre might be even more useful than I had first imagined."

  CHAPTER 12

  The Sun had just disappeared behind the hill that the city of Tazco was built upon. They walked through the dense forest of silent cork and boojum trees. Soft subtropical twilight cast rich pastel colors into the darkening sky. The magical lights of the homes and street lights were just coming on in the town across the valley. Myst noticed that the street lights glowed in a soft pale white light, and not in the garish purple that was favored in the capital of Zengara.

  “Perhaps not all Star Elves are as weird as those in the capital,” Myst thought out loud.

  “Yes, we are. I can assure you, Colonel Myst,” answered Zarra Alkirr. She was just ahead of Myst, walking along the trail. Zarra looked back at him, and gave a dazzling smile. Her perfect white teeth, set off by her luscious bronze skin and bright emerald eyes, was stunning to behold. “But what caused you to think otherwise?”

  Myst pointed out across to the city. “White, not purple light. I had thought that the Keshian obsession with that color, was universal.”

  “It is in the capital, but out here in the countryside, it is seen as a symbol of Imperial domination. Not that it’s a bad thing; just something to complain about. At least until you make enough gold, and you can buy into the government or the nobility, then you wear purple all the time.”

  “You must understand, that all of us Star Elven are driven by two goals in life, money and prestige. You can never have enough of either, and if you have both, the result is power. We are not really a bad people. We are just--- well rather self absorbed and greedy. That is why we are the ‘Merchants to the World’, as the Emperor is so fond of saying in his speeches.”

  Zarra continued, “It was part of the reason the Creator and the Consort, made the Star Elves. To be the merchants and artisans of the Old Elven Empire. Just as you Sun Elves were its protectors and teachers, the Moon Elves were the naturalists and farmers, and the damn Shadow Elves, were the bureaucrats and mages.”

  “Is it any surprise, that we all still follow the original plan of the Gods?” Zarra asked.

  “No, you’re right of course. It would seem that in the tens of thousands of years since the Elven Civil War that we have not really changed at all.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Kayla told him as she had slowed down to listen to the conversation. “It would seem that if anything, we have become ever more fixed in the roles that the Gods created for us. The Shadow Elves have become even more zealous in their malevolence; the Star Elves, more disinterested in their self absorption; the Moon Elves, more untamed in their devotion to nature, and we Sun Elves, so cerebral that we forget our good common sense. With the feral Wild Elves the broken result of the Civil War, as are the Frost Elves.”

  For some reason, Myst felt slightly uncomfortable with both of the Elf lasses around him at the same time. It was not that they were not both beautiful; they most certainly were a sight to behold. And that was especially true when they were together and they showed the beautiful range of Elven women. One golden haired, soft pale tanned skinned, and deep blue eyed, the other dark haired, bronzed skin and bright green eyes, two very stunning examples of the beautiful Elven peoples.

  No, he was not uncomfortable with their beauty, nor that they were both obviously very intelligent. And it was obvious that they liked each other, so it wasn’t that. It jus
t seemed to Myst, that they were two jungle cats, and he was the mouse. Albeit, two sexy cats that he really wouldn’t mind getting caught...

  “No,” Kayla was saying. “It was in the Third Conclave of the Treaty of Baraholtz. I’m positive that was the breakdown.”

  “Don’t you think that the fall of the Dardax dynasty was the turning point,” Zarra responded. “What do you think, Colonel?”

  Myst pondered the question, not because he might know the answer, but because he couldn’t figure out what they were talking about. “This was what he got for thinking about these two beautiful lasses, who were so firm and sleek, and,… Stop that,” Myst mind was wandering again. How was he suppose to lead this rescue mission, and act as a highly competent professional, when these two, five foot nothing girls did these things to his mind?

  Both of the girls were looking at him questionably; a slight smile on both of their faces, a smile that was growing larger by the second.

  “I really wasn’t paying any attention to the conversation, so I don’t have a clue about what you were talking about.”

  Both girls were now grinning from ear to ear at his predicament. Laughter at his expense was sure to erupt at any time.

  “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do. I need to have Thomas find us a good place to hide for the night.” With that, Myst hurried up the trail to find Thomas.

  Both girls hugged each other, trying to stop the gales of laughter that had overwhelmed them.

  Willow, who had been behind the Elves asked, “What are you laughing at, and why did Colonel Myst look so put out?”

  That question only increased the level of mirth the Elf girls were trying so, very hard to control.

  Kayla was laughing so hard she had to stop and leave the trail to pee.

  “What was wrong, I don’t understand,” complained Willow. She was getting slightly mad at the behavior of the two. She liked the Colonel very much, and she didn’t like them making fun of him.

  “I think we are overwhelming the good Colonel,” Kayla whispered.

  “Oh little one,” Zarra told her, “I assure you we are just having fun with Colonel Myst. And when you get older, I am sure you will understand these things. Besides when we have enjoyed our sport, the good Colonel will get his reward. I think, a reward he will be VERY happy with,”

  “I still don’t get it.”

  Zarra looked the young Gnome girl in the eye. “We both like the Colonel very much. Kayla might even be falling for him, and I myself find him to be very---exciting.”

  “And,” Asked Willow?

  “We have to show him that we are a match for him, and to teach him respect for us.”

  “Why” Willow was just starting to get an idea of the Elf’s meaning?

  “So we can have sex with him, of course.”

  “Ah…. Both of you!” Willow was feeling dizzy at the frankness of the brazen Elf.

  “You as a Gnome don’t understand us Elves. Nearly two out of three Elves are FEMALE. Most Elven cultures have polygamist marriages, and even then we have to compete for the best males. It is just our way of things. We enjoy the sisterhood of such unions. Besides, female Elves have more power and rights in our lives because of this, than do any other females of any race.

  Willow looked back at her openly skeptical.

  “Gnomes and Dwarves have numeric gender parity, maybe even more males than females, right. Well you cannot own property, have a true profession, vote, nor can you hold a position of real power. We female Elves can, and do these things as commonly as it is rare with your peoples.”

  “It is hard for a male to stand up to his wives. The more of them he has, the less control he maintains. We just don’t let them know that of course. It tends to make them mad, but that’s life.”

  “So don’t judge our way of life. We like it, and for our race it works.”

  Kayla had listened to the explanation, “Willow, only Elves let women be ambassadors, or mayors, or own businesses. The way we live is necessary due to the lack of males, a lack that we share with the Nymphs. Only they have the problem much worse than we do. They only have one male for every ten to twenty females. It is something all people of Earth Magic share. Why, we don’t know. It just is. But, we are much more lucky than the Nymphs. Our males are much more family oriented. The Nymph males just mate, and then leave the female to find another!”

  “No, we are the lucky ones, Willow. More so than you Gnomes or the Dwarves who are without full rights and most certainly the poor Nymphs.”

  “Though those Nymphs do seem awful happy all the time,” Chimed in a laughing Zarra.

  The three girls walked into camp laughing together. Myst and Thomas looked up at them, and both wondered why the Gods had made females.

  Thomas had tied the mule to a fallen tree, and he had unpacked the sleeping mats for the Elves, and the sleeping bags for him and Willow. They would have no fire or any light in the camp this night, nor for any night in the foreseeable future.

  Unfortunately, they would have to eat cold rations, and Thomas, who like most Gnomes was rather fond of his meals, detested that hardship most of all. The meals of elf travel cakes, got to be boring very quickly.

  Willow walked over to her uncle and helped him unpack the sleeping bags, and then set them out. The night was quickly cooling as it did at the higher elevations, and she was glad that she had on a long sleeve shirt and thick pants.

  Willow found a pot of Gnome bug repellant, and applied it to her face and neck in hopes of stopping the various bugs that seemed to think of her as a walking meal.

  “Boy, this stuff stinks. No wonder the bugs don’t like it.”

  “Kayla, do you and Zarra need some bug goo,” Willow asked?

  “No thanks Willow, another side effect of the Earth Magic. Bugs tend not to bite us very often.”

  “That must be nice.”

  Kayla had rolled out her sleeping mat on the ground next to Zarra’s. She sat down on it and took off her sandals. Her feet had not recovered from the abuse they had taken in the past several days. She placed her sandals to the bottom of the mat and then she undid her halter top and folded it up and placed in on top of the sandals. Standing up on the mat she untied her loin cloth and stepped out of it and placed it with the rest of her clothes. Kayla stretched and began to do her stretching exercise that was part of her nightly routine.

  Looking up, she noticed that Willow was staring at her with her mouth open in shock.

  “Elves sleep in the nude, Willow. We bathe that way, we make love that way, we dance that way, and we sometimes worship that way. Also, we are all secretly exhibitionist...” Kayla winked at her.

  “Where’s the Colonel,” asked Zarra, who was just finishing undressing and sat on her mat, brushing her dark chocolate brown hair.

  “He’s taking the first watch, so he’s wandering around the area looking for the enemy,” answered Thomas, who had his head under the covers and his eyes tightly closed. He was no Elf, and even years of living around them had not shaken his very conservative Gnomish modesty.

  “I have the second watch in three hours, so if everyone would just be quiet so I could sleep, please.” Thomas hoped to get some sleep but he knew that the excitement of the day would most likely keep him up for hours.

  “By the way, Willow you have the last watch, so get some sleep.”

  “How did I get so lucky?”

  ~

  Myst slowly worked his way around the perimeter of the camp. The dark was oppressively dense under the tree canopy of the forest.

  A drop of water hit Myst’s cheek, “No wonder it’s so dark tonight,” he thought. Just then the heavens opened up and a deluge of water poured through the dark night. Myst huddled under the giant leaves of what he thought might be a banana tree, but he was not sure about his identification. “Along as it’s not poisonous.”

  “Well, at least this rain should hurt those tracking us the most. By morning there will be no trace of our passing, hopef
ully.”

  Thunder rumbled across the night, sounding ominous and oppressive. Myst started to move away from the tree he was under; then he realized that in this dense forest on top of the mountain, there was nowhere to go that wouldn't be under a tree.

  “By the Consort, I hate being rained on! This adventuring is starting to get old. Perhaps I should take a desk job. Then, I would be home in a warm bed, most likely with a warm companion. Instead, I’m in the middle of this stupid Star Elf country, being chased by slavers and Shadow Elves. And I am stuck with two ungrateful Elfessess. But most of all, just to top it off, it’s raining on ME!”

  “Arggg… There, I feel much better now. I would hate sitting behind a desk. I love the adventure. The girls are more than just pretty, and the rain--- well, ok, I really hate being rained on.”

  After a couple of hours, Myst went back to the camp site. Thomas had put up a tarp, and they all had their sleeping mats huddled into the center under it. Even in the near absent light, he immediately noticed the state of undress of the two Elfessess. And he saw that his mat was drawn up right next to the both of theirs.

  “God, they are surely punishing me for something,” he thought to himself. “Even after a hundred and forty seven years I just don’t understand women.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Colonel Zen stood nervously alone in his room, on the top floor of the Haddar mansion outside the city of Tazco. Zen was more than slightly paranoid about casting magic, for he had no ability to use it himself. And being a conduit for another’s spell, made his skin crawl. Carefully, he set energy crystals around the room to create the magical energy field. On the nightstand, a small brazier burned a mixture of incense and dried blood. He wasn’t sure if that really affected the magic, or if it was purely an affectation of his mistress. Either way, he would never question her judgment, at least on things magical.

  Zen was very, very bright, and so he made a point of not questioning any High Priestess of the Death Goddess. Certainly he would never query one who also was the Empress’s Spymaster and younger sister. Ver Sitha was also a Mage that could strongly use both Death and Fire Magic. This made her one of the very few in the entire world that could manipulate three different types of magic.