

# Lich-El

The Lich Lord Wars Book 1

Marc Van Pelt

# Copyright © 2011 Marc Van Pelt

All rights reserved.

Smashwords Edition

ISBN

978-1-387-51315-4

Time Line of the World of Mundial

Year

1MA First War of Destruction Yucaipan Kingdom and Village of the Shadow Hunters re-established on Elvish Continent

44MA Battle North of Aguerius Forest

118MA

Lich Lords

attack the Vatan Province

119MA Forest Spirit

123MA Lich-El, Escape through the Sacred Forest, Fall of Debigroc

Lich Lords begin invasion of Aguerius Province

129MA Time Mage

983MA Necromian Kingdom established

1012MA The Forjad Consortium is formed

1024MA

Formation of the Yucaipan Republic

1850MA Mathen's Flight

1854MA

Human/Elvish War Begins, fall of the Necromian Kingdom and Yucaipan Republic. Establishment of Port Cutter

1857MA The Merchant Ship Cree

1904MA Frost Wyrm

MA= Mortal Age

Italics= Published Works

# DEDICATION

For my wife, Tara, the love of my life.

# ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I'd like to say thanks to everyone that has supported my writing. First and foremost my wife, for her love and support. Secondly, thanks to all of my other family and friends, for their positive support and feedback. Once again I'd like to recognize my cousin Megan for her editing skills and hiding my complete lack of skill with the English Language.

# Prologue

Forest Spirit

Big brothers must be the dumbest, most horrible, most evil creatures in the whole world of Mundial. Even the Lich Lords of the Eastern Wastes would shudder at the pains and torments older brothers inflict on younger brothers. Of course it would be Almas' luck to get the all-time worst.

Almas Aguerius was sure that his brother, Cree Tanis Aguerius (Almas just referred to him as Creetan), had spent his first four years of life torturing cats, learning the art of being mean and dreaming of the day he'd have a little brother to make cry. It was probably best that Almas didn't remember anything before he turned 3 because if they were anything like the next five years then they were most likely filled with warfare just as intense as the battles their father was involved with during his wars with the Undead.

Sure, when he was a baby Almas probably didn't cut holes in the back of all of Creetan's pants to get back at him for breaking his favorite toy horse, but they couldn't have gotten along nearly as well as their mother always claimed. There was no getting along with Creetan, you could only endure him.

Almas blamed his brother for the trouble he was in now. All he had wanted was an apple from the apple tree, but he was too short to even reach the lowest branches. Then Creetan had the nerve to sneak up on him and scare him out of his wits. Then to make things worse, rather than help him get an apple, he decides to climb up the tree, eat some apples, and call him a coward and a baby.

Now because of that, Almas was the most tired, cold, scared, and -- worst of all -- completely lost that he had ever been in the eight years of his life.

All he had wanted to do was spend some time in Aguerius Forest alone to prove to that 12-year-old pigheaded monster, who had somehow tricked his parents into thinking he was their first-born son, that he was not a coward.

He had gotten the idea when he had gone to the riverbank to brood. He had noticed a blue bird in a tree looking at him and had wondered if the Forest Spirit of Aguerius Forest ever had to deal with a stupid older brother. He had never been sure if there was a forest spirit – after all it was only a legend that the adults talked about, and adults had a bad habit of trying to trick children into believing absurd things. When he had asked his father, he had only said that many legends are based in truth so some of it might be true.

The legend was that it was cared for by a forest spirit who protected both man and beast that entered into it. Since there were no stories of anybody being attacked by wild animals in the forest, that's what gave Almas the idea to go spend the day in the forest. He had decided that it was his best chance to show Creetan how brave he really was. After all, even a safe forest could be scary when you're by yourself -- couldn't it? So after waking and eating breakfast the next day, he had told his mother that he was going to play outside. Then when no one was looking he went right into the green wood.

The day had started out great; the sun was sending bright light through the branches of the great and mighty trees. Birds were chirping happy songs while the bushes seemed to almost make way for him, almost inviting him into the forest. It was by far the most beautiful place he had ever seen. It was thick with green leaves and flowers on every surface. Also there were animals everywhere from chipmunks and insects to deer and elk. After a few hours Almas decided that he had been out long enough to show Creetan who was brave. Not to mention he needed to get home before it got dark -- for his mother's peace of mind, of course.

It was then he realized that he had no idea which way home was. Picking the direction he was sure would at least take him to the river that he could follow home, he had set off at what he meant to be a nice easy trot, but ended up more like one that resembled a deer being followed closely by a pack of wolves.

It was shortly after this that things began to go wrong for him. The friendly forest seemed to change with every step. First the friendly songs of the birds stopped, followed by the trees reaching out and blocking the light of the sun with their branches, while the bushes and shrubs began to grab and claw at him as he tried to find his way home. From time to time the forest seemed to play a game where it would start to brighten and give Almas hope, only to destroy it by suddenly becoming darker and more menacing.

It was just as the sun was beginning to set that Almas learned where he was. He stepped out into a clearing to find the site of an old battlefield. The clearing was mostly dead earth with clumps of tall, brown grass scattered about much the same as the instruments of war that littered the field. Everywhere he looked he could see armor and weapons of all sorts. He realized as he looked among broken swords and shields that he was on the completely wrong side of the forest. His father had told him how 75 years ago his great grandfather had led the king's army against the Lich Lords and drove them to the eastern wastes, and that the battle had taken place on the other side of the forest.

First he hesitated. The place was spooky and Almas was scared enough as it was. But curiosity in the objects littering the ground overcame his fear and he entered the field. He began to wander around and study the relics of a battle long past. Why had no one claimed these treasures? As eerie as the place was, he had to take a look at some of these artifacts. Was that a real ruby in the hilt of that sword? The metal it was embedded in looked like gold! If he brought something expensive home maybe his mother wouldn't kill him for being late. At least he'd be able to make Creetan jealous.

For a moment he was so lost in his curiosity that he forgot about being lost and scared. But then as he was looking at a helmet in the tall grass that looked like it might have a diamond embedded in the front he felt something odd under his foot. Searching the ground where he had stood he saw a small, gold chain partially hidden in the ground. He pulled the chain from the ground and found a small pendant attached to it. The pendant was round and somewhat flat, and like the chain, was made of gold. There was also a green gem embedded in the center of it.

As Almas looked over the pendant, he wondered how much something like this would be worth. The last thing he expected was an answer to his unspoken question.

I am what you would call priceless.

"Who said that?" Almas yelped as he searched in all directions for the source of the voice.

I did you fool. You're holding me, came the reply.

Almas looked down at the pendant. Was the pendant speaking to him?

Idiot child, of course I'm speaking to you. Do you see anyone else around?

At that moment Almas realized that the voice he heard was only in his own head. Almas stared at the pendant and asked, "What are you?"

I am Lightbringer, a powerful fielis. Figures that I would be found by an ignorant, runny-nosed human child... An Aguerius at that, by the looks of the symbol on your crest.

Almas looked at his crest hanging on his neck that bore his family's symbols. How could this thing see it and what was a fielis? Almas thought he had heard that word before but couldn't remember where he heard it or what he had heard about it. He was about to ask more but the thing called Lightbringer spoke first.

You don't have to speak out loud; I can hear your thoughts just fine. But explaining these things to you probably doesn't matter since I don't expect for you to escape this place alive. Do me a favor and put me down. I really hate getting eaten along with fools -- even if the slime behind you doesn't get you then the forest dragon that claims this land will surely track you down. He hates intruders. Few grave robbers that have come here have escaped. If you do survive, send someone back worthy to hold my greatness.

Almas turned around and, sure enough, not far behind him was a big, slug-like blob about the size of a large cat. He had never seen a slime before but had heard that they were boneless creatures that could spray a stream of acid five feet away. The acid was used to dissolve its food before eating it and to defend itself from predators. They certainly didn't live in his family's forest; it was yet another reminder that he was far from where he was supposed to be.

This gray colored slime seemed to be eating an old shield, and Almas decided there was no point in sticking around and handing it an easier-to-eat dessert. If the pendant wanted to stay that was fine with him. He dropped Lightbringer, cutting off the pendant's maniacal laugh and ran back into the forest.

Almas wasn't sure how long he had been running. Ten minutes? Thirty? He just knew he needed to put as much space between himself and that field as he could, yet when he tripped as he passed through a dense grove of trees he knew he couldn't get up. His legs felt dead and his chest felt like it was on fire. By now it was completely dark and all Almas could do was focus on breathing.

Rolling on his back he cried and cried till he heard a strange sound. Looking up he saw in the tree a songbird singing to him. At least he was pretty sure it was to him. It seemed to look right at him. The song reminded him of a song his Uncle Marpel used to play on a harp to help him and his brothers and sister go to sleep. He had always accused his uncle of casting a music spell on him, as bards like his uncle were known to do, but tonight he would've welcomed the peace his uncle's music would have brought. Slowly the fire in his chest went away and he felt that he could breathe again. He knew he should get up and get moving again, but he just didn't have the strength. He quickly faded off to sleep.

As he slept he dreamed of home. He dreamed of his mother tucking him in for the night and singing gently to him. It was a nice dream and Almas slept peaceably and warm well into the morning.

Almas awoke with a start to the sound of the songbird chirping and fluttering its wings in obvious panic. He found himself under a blanket of tall grass which he didn't remember being there the night before. Searching for the cause of the bird's agitation he sat himself up to find the same gray slime from the evening before right next to his feet. At least he was fairly certain it was the same slime; part of the slime's body had expanded and shaped itself into a small tendril that was holding the magic pendant that had called itself Lightbringer.

Almas quickly began crawling backwards but only went a couple of feet before hitting his head hard on a tree. Before Almas could make any movements, a stream of acid shot right past him and the tree that his back was to. Almost instantly a large roar filled the air behind him and Almas felt something big crash into the tree he was against. Rolling away from both the slime and whatever the slime had just attacked, Almas decided that if anyone wanted to question his courage they were welcomed to do it. He just prayed to whatever gods might be listening that he could get home alive; he didn't care what names his brother called him. Looking to the tree he had rolled away from, he saw a forest dragon that was franticly dragging its head on the ground as it tried to scrape off the burning acid from its face.

Forest dragons were small for dragons and had no wings, but still twice the size of a large bear. They were colored green and brown to blend in better with the forest. Almas had seen many forest dragons before -- many warriors used them as war mounts, his own father included -- but this one was nothing like the tamed ones he knew. First, this was the biggest one he'd ever seen; second, this one was now looking at Almas with what seemed a mixture of hunger and anger.

Almas knew he should be running but his legs betrayed him and refused to move. The forest dragon took a step towards him but another stream of acid shot right in front of the beast. Almas glanced at the slime. Was it actually moving between him and the dragon?

The dragon eyed the slime, then Almas, then back to the slime. It seemed the dragon was deciding if Almas would make a meal worth the sting of the slime's acid. After a short eternity the dragon suddenly looked off to the left and emitted a low growl. Almas turned to discover, to his great shock, an older boy, perhaps just a little younger than his brother Creetan, standing between two trees. He had light brown hair and stood only a couple inches taller than Almas himself. He wore brown and green clothes and had nothing on his feet. While it was clear the boy was a child, it was also clear the boy wasn't human -- his ears were more pointed on top.

The blue-eyed boy stared at the dragon and the dragon stared back. Then suddenly the dragon charged him. The boy just continued to stare the charging beast in the eyes and at the last minute jumped and planted his bare feet on the trunk of the tree next to him, took two steps up the tree trunk and grabbed onto a branch. The dragon, unable to slow down, passed right under the boy who dropped onto the dragon's back, then did a front-flip off it and landed right next to the slime. As the dragon turned and once again charged, the boy quickly took Lightbringer from the slime and held it up to the charging dragon.

"Don't look directly at the pendant!" he yelled.

Almas wasn't sure why he needed to look away but decided to trust the boy. He turned his face away just as the pendant exploded with bright light. Even looking away from the light everything was so bright that Almas threw his arm over his eyes to protect them.

The light dimmed and, as Almas blinked the after-image of the light from his eyes, he heard the sound of the dragon crashing through the forest away from them. Soon the sound of roaring and trees being knocked over faded. The boy continued to stare in the direction the dragon went for a few moments longer, then walked over to Almas and collapsed against the tree next to him. Only now did Almas realize how out of breath the boy was.

"Do you...(gasp)...have any idea...(gasp)...how much trouble you've caused me...(gasp)...these last couple days? That dragon is a lunatic about protecting his territory, which includes the old battlefield. It picked up your scent and tracked you down. I had to sprint for the last 20 minutes and still almost didn't make it in time."

Almas just stared at the boy. "Are you a forest spirit?"

"No, I'm an elf."

"Why do they say there is a forest spirit here then?"

"There is what people believe and then there is the truth."

The boy stood up and walked over to the slime; he removed his shoulder bag and scooped the slime into it. Putting the shoulder bag back on he added, "We should get going before Grumpy gets his eyesight back and comes back for breakfast. I don't think he believed me when I said my father was nearby."

"I didn't hear you tell it anything."

"I don't need to talk out loud to speak to the animals and plants of the forest," the boy answered as he wrapped Lightbringer in a cloth and placed it in his pocket. "Now come on; I'll take you home."

Almas eyed the pocket the boy had put Lightbringer in. "That thing is bad."

"Lightbringer is bitter, selfish, and annoying but like all of his kind, harmless to those who hold him. Now let's get going."

Almas stood up and followed the boy who started walking away. "My name is Almas Aguerius."

"I know."

"How?"

"Little happens in or near this forest that I don't know about, not to mention your family has been protecting my family since they settled this area. It was my father who gave this forest to your family."

"But my family has owned this forest for a hundred years! How old are you?"

"One hundred and nineteen."

"That's older than my father!"

The boy laughed, "Much older."

"What's your name?" Almas asked as they started walking.

"Just call me Ulec."

Ulec wasn't sure what to make of this small human creature. Maybe if he would close his mouth for longer than two seconds, then Ulec could decide.

"So how big is your family?" Almas asked.

"What's that?"

"Your family. You said my family has been protecting your family; how big is your family?"

"Just my parents, my little sister, and me," Ulec answered.

"I have an older brother, a younger brother and a younger sister along with my parents. Do you have a house here in the forest?"

"The forest is our house."

"Oh," Almas said thoughtfully, "don't you get wet when it rains?"

"The trees can keep us dry if I ask them to."

Realization came to Almas' eyes. "Was it you that made the forest scary yesterday?"

Ulec was glad the boy was following behind him and couldn't see his face turn red. "Well, I was trying to help you get back home. I... I thought if the forest was only scary when you were going the wrong way, you'd find the right way. It didn't work very well."

"Oh... sorry."

Ulec felt bad. He had tried to lead Almas back home, but all he had managed to do was scare the kid out of his wits and almost get him killed. If he had just been more open and gone personally to help, he could've lead the kid back home without him ending up in danger.

They walked for a minute in silence, and then Ulec turned and asked, "Would you like to see the best view of the forest, see it as I think of it?"

"Yes, please!"

"Follow me."

Ulec could normally move quickly through the forest but the boy moved slowly, even with Ulec's help. Eventually they came to a huge tree. Ulec didn't even slow down as he got to the tree; he took three steps up the trunk of the tree and effortlessly swung himself onto one of the lower branches. Almas stopped and stared.

"Hey! How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Run up the tree like that. I can't do that."

"I ask the tree to help me. It holds onto my feet so I don't slip as easy. Here let me help you up."

Ulec reached down and took Almas' hand and helped pull him up and the two boys began climbing up to the top of the tree. About halfway up Almas asked, "How come you don't have any shoes on?"

"You never take a break from the questions, do you?"

"Sorry, I was just wondering."

"I don't like shoes; I like the feel of the forest on my feet."

They soon arrived at the top of the tree, which was much taller than any of the other trees in the forest. Almas looked wide-eyed across the carpet of treetops. "You can see the whole forest from here."

"This is the oldest and tallest tree in the forest; I like to spend a lot of time here."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Not really," Ulec lied. "I have the whole forest to keep me company. Plus I spend a lot of time with my father. He's been training me in weapon mastery."

"Why," Almas asked.

"My father says having skills to protect yourself and others is important."

Almas nodded. Almas was also the son of a weapons master and Ulec was sure his own father taught similar things. So he knew he didn't have to explain much more than that.

"What about your sister? Doesn't she play with you in the forest?" Almas asked after a moment.

Ulec shrugged his shoulders. "My mother and sister spend a lot of time up north on the other side of the Dividing Mountains. The magic most elves use is stronger up there."

"Why is it stronger there?"

"Elves use magic created by life. The forests up there are much denser and produce more magic than the ones here," Ulec explained.

Almas seemed to think of that for a few moments. The mention of Ulec's mother being gone much of the time must have reminded Almas of the situation with his own parents. Almas commented next, "My dad is away a lot too. He's the royal strategist, and there is a war against the Lich Lords right now. He's been gone longer than normal this time. Normally they just do small raids. But I've heard some of my father's men say this was the biggest attack in 40 years."

Almas nervously fingered the crest he wore around his neck. Ulec's parents had both fought in a war before he was born but never in his life had gone to war. Ulec responded, "Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine," then thought it best to change the subject. "So why did you come into the forest alone yesterday?"

Almas hesitated then answered, "I was playing with my younger brother and sister a few days ago and Creetan snuck up behind me and scared me. He said I screamed like a girl and was the biggest coward he had ever seen. So I wanted to prove to him that I could be brave."

"Being scared doesn't mean you're not brave," Ulec said, "Being scared is what helps keep us alive when there is danger. Being brave is what helps us do things that need to be done. You can be scared and brave at the same time. It isn't one or the other."

Almas thought about that for a moment before responding, "I wish someone had told me that sooner. Trying to be brave almost got me eaten by a dragon."

"I'm glad you weren't. I haven't had anyone new to talk to in years."

"So you do get lonely," Almas exclaimed triumphantly.

"I guess I do," Ulec admitted.

A few moments of silence passed before Ulec spoke again and asked, "Can I see your crest?"

Almas took the crest from around his neck and handed it to Ulec. "How come you don't have one?"

"Only citizens of your kingdom wear them. I'm not part of your kingdom. I've seen them from a distance but never up close. How come your crest has two pictures on it?"

"They are pictures of my parents' crests; the one with the owl is my father's crest and the one with the anvil is my mother's crest. Children's crests always show both their parents' crests to show who they belong to. Then when we grow up we get our own."

"And the foxes around the edges of your crest?"

"Every kid has his own border around the crests. That way every child in the family has a crest that is a little different. My dad said that once only nobles had them but since everyone in the kingdom now are descended from those that fought in the War of Destruction, an old king declared everyone to be of noble blood."

"Oh," Ulec responded as he handed the crest back. "My parents also fought in that war."

"Really? My dad told me that very few who fought in that war survived. And it was about one hundred and twenty years ago. Are your parents old?"

"Elves live 10 times longer than humans. So for elves I guess they would be about middle aged," Ulec answered with a shrug.

After another moment of silence Almas spoke up, "I was wondering. That pendant, Lightbringer, said it was a fielis. Do you know what a fielis is?"

"It's a magic item made by a group of elves that died off long ago. They made the items by taking part of someone's soul and binding it to an item. That item gains the personality and abilities of that soul."

Almas asked something else but Ulec didn't hear. His attention was suddenly elsewhere in the forest. That forest dragon was heading their way again -- fast. The creature's eyes still hadn't recovered from the flash from Lightbringer, but the dragon was probably following their smell.

"What's wrong?"

Ulec turned back to Almas, "I should get you back home. Your family is worried about you."

"Uh, sure," Almas responded with a quizzical look.

The two boys began climbing down. It was slow at first as Ulec showed Almas how to grab hold of a branch and step off the limb which they were standing on. The branch they were holding on to would then slowly bend, lowering them to a lower branch. They then could repeat the process. Almas was scared at first but soon began enjoying it. When they got to the bottom Ulec reminded Almas not to try doing that without him, since the branch could break and he'd probably fall to his death. Almas nodded and the two boys started on their way.

Ulec tried to hurry Almas along as quickly as possible but the young human just wasn't fast enough.

"What's wrong? Why can't we rest a while? It's after noon and I haven't eaten in over a day."

"I'm sorry, Almas, but we had to move fast. The forest dragon is following us again. I thought I could get you some place safe before he caught up but he's moving too fast. I'll have to try something else."

"What?"

"No time to explain. Come on!"

Ulec led Almas to another large tree. "Up the tree, quickly. He's almost here."

He helped Almas get up to a large, high branch. Almas looked around then called down to Ulec, "I see him! Hurry and get up here!"

"No matter what, stay up there."

"Are you crazy?! What are you doing?"

"Trust me!"

Ulec ran over to another tree. As the dragon came into view he grabbed hold of a long, thick branch. He asked the tree for the branch and it immediately separated from the tree. Ulec decided he must have lost his mind as he held up his makeshift staff and watched the dragon sniff the air.

The dragon still couldn't see very well but it smelled Ulec and charged. At the last second Ulec sidestepped and hit the dragon's leg with the branch with all his strength. The dragon didn't even seem to notice. It simply turned towards Ulec and lunged at him. Ulec tried to move but he knew he wouldn't be able to move out of the way fast enough. He mentally sent a plea for help to the slime that was still sitting inside his shoulder bag hanging at his side. He lifted the flap of the bag and a steam of acid shot out and again hit the dragon in the face. With the dragon's lunge disrupted, Ulec took the opportunity to get out of the way and quickly climbed up a nearby tree

As the dragon once again used the dirt to scrape the burning acid from his face, Ulec took a moment to open his mind completely to the forest. Ulec had lived in the forest a long time. The plants and animals there knew him and he asked them all for help.

The dragon charged the tree Ulec was standing in. As it charged, branches from the surrounding trees began to fall like spears on it and the shrubbery grabbed and clawed at the dragon's legs. Most hit harmlessly on the dragon's hard scales. The dragon threw itself against the trunk of the tree Ulec was on and the tree fell over.

Ulec managed to jump and grab onto the branch of another tree as the one he'd just been on came crashing to the ground. The dragon only took a moment to sniff the air and find Ulec's new position and charged once again. As it came, a pack of wolves leapt from some surrounding bushes and onto the dragon. The dragon stopped its charge and tried to shake the wolves from its back, but they just sank their fangs in deeper till the dragon finally rolled onto its back. The wolves scattered to avoid being crushed but Ulec felt his mental connection to one of them suddenly disappear. The wolves grouped up again but the dragon went after them and they were forced to scatter in order to avoid the dragon's attack.

Ulec looked around in desperation. The wolves didn't stand a chance and he was out of ideas. The dragon stopped chasing the scattered wolves and once again came right at Ulec. He pulled Lightbringer from his pocket held it towards the dragon and channeled as much magic as he could into it and once again the pendant exploded into light. At the same time a dark voice entered into his mind.

That won't work. That beast is no longer using his eyes to hunt you.

Help me! Ulec thought back to the pendant.

Why should I do that?

If I get eaten, you go with me.

Hmm, as entertaining as your getting eaten would be, I really would prefer not to pass through the insides of that beast again. You don't want to be eaten? Then the answer is easy -- run. With your power over the forest you can move much quicker than that blind beast.

If I did that, Almas would be killed. I'm not leaving him.

Why would the son of Lady Alixia risk his life for a mere human? Have you no pride as an elf?

The Aguerius family protects this forest, protects my family. I have to try.

The tree Ulec was in began to fall over as the dragon crashed into it. This time there were no nearby branches to jump to, so all Ulec could do was jump clear of the falling tree. As he tried to get up Lightbringer's voice returned. Run, boy. Human lives are short anyway. Just run.

As he tried to stand, Ulec's ankle felt like it was on fire, and he collapsed back onto the ground. There was no way he'd be able to avoid the dragon with it.

No, it's too late for that now, he thought to the pendant.

The dragon came at Ulec, mouth open to consume him. Suddenly a rock struck the dragon's head and both the dragon and Ulec turned their heads to see the source.

"Leave him alone," Almas yelled. He had dropped down from the tree and was picking up another rock to throw while the dragon took a step in his direction.

Well, at least I'll be able to enjoy watching both you and that annoying human get eaten. With any luck the dragon will choke on your dead body and cough me up.

"Choke!" Ulec exclaimed aloud attracting the dragon's attention once more to him.

What? No! I can see your thoughts, you ca-

Ulec pushed himself onto one hand, the dragon over him, mouth open once again. With his other hand Ulec aimed quickly and threw the pendant down the air hole of the dragon's throat and rolled away as quickly as he could.

Almas had watched most of the fight from his tree too terrified to even speak. For a moment he was sure he was about to watch his new friend get eaten right before him. He then realized he couldn't let Ulec die because of him. So he had jumped down, picked up a rock and threw it as hard as his 8-year-old arm could throw it. Then suddenly it was over.

Now the dragon lay motionless on the ground and Ulec limped over to where the wolves had gathered around their pack member that had been crushed by the dragon. Ulec looked over to Almas and motioned him to come over. So he walked over to Ulec, keeping an eye on the motionless dragon.

"Are...are you alright?" Almas asked as he came near.

"My ankle hurts but I don't think it's bad. I just twisted it wrong when I fell from the tree. Thanks by the way. That is what being brave is all about. You saved my life there," Ulec responded, and then looking at the wolf said, "They came and saved us too. Even knowing that they were no match for a forest dragon, they came to protect me."

Almas turned to the lifeless wolf.

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't gotten lost..."

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What?"

Ulec picked up a branch from a fallen tree and began to bend it as if it was clay, and in a couple of moments he had fashioned a walking staff to help him with his hurt ankle.

"Follow me," Ulec said and limped away with the help of his new staff.

Almas followed him and the wolves to a small cave in the side of a hill. Ulec reached in and pulled out a wolf cub.

"He's still too young to survive without his mother. He needs a place to live and someone to take care of him. I can't take both the slime and the cub."

Ulec handed the small cub to Almas. The wolf cub was shivering, so he wrapped his shirt around it and answered, "I don't think my mother would let me."

"Just ask. Explain what his mother did for us. I think you might be surprised."

"Sure, I'll try."

Almas was silent the rest of the trip home. Ulec found him some berries to eat but he was still tired and drained from everything that had happened. Never again would he do something just to show his stupid brother he wasn't a coward.

As evening approached Ulec turned again to Almas and asked, "Can I ask you another favor?"

"What?"

"My parents don't want other people to know about our being here in this forest. Your parents are the only ones who know about us, so will you promise that you won't talk about us with anyone except your parents?"

"Not even with any of my brothers or sister?"

"Not for now. Your younger brother and sister would have a hard time keeping the secret. I'm not sure if I trust your older brother. If any of them accidently told other people about us, we might have to leave. But maybe later; I'll have to discuss it with my parents."

"Why does your family need to hide?" Almas asked.

"After the War of Destruction there were only a few humans and elves left. Humans can increase their population faster than elves. So there are still very few of us compared to humans. We need time."

"Ok, I sort of understand \-- I promise."

"Thank you. I'm going to have to say goodbye now. I've brought you as far as I can."

"But....but I still don't know the way from here."

"Just follow the voices in the air."

"What voices?"

Then suddenly he heard it, his name being called out in the distance.

"That sounded like my Uncle Jarad," Almas said looking in the direction of the voice. "OVER HERE!" he yelled. "They are looking for me......Ulec?"

When Almas turned back towards Ulec, the young elf had completely vanished. He only had a moment to contemplate how someone with a hurt ankle could disappear so quickly and quietly when he heard his name called again. The voice was very close now and soon a large man with a hand axe strapped to his side appeared. It was his father's best friend, who also served as commander of his father's men when he was away.

"Uncle Jarad!" Almas ran to the man and gave him a sideways hug, being careful not to crush the wolf cub.

The man laughed, "Well, well. I was beginning to think the spirits of this forest had kidnapped you." Turning his head he spoke to someone behind him. "Would you take a look at what I found wandering the forest alone?"

"Now why'd you have to go and find him for? You have any idea what it costs to feed that kid?" said another familiar voice.

Almas peeked around Jarad to see his father standing there with a huge teasing grin.

"FATHER!"

This time Almas leapt into his father's arms. "You're home! You're home!"

Almas' father scooped him up and, laughing, swung him around and put him back on the ground. "Yes, I arrived home last night to find I was short one child. Now seeing I still had three out of four of my kids, I was all set to call it good enough and just write you off, go to bed and get some rest. But you know how your mother is. She started to fuss and fuss so I figured I might as well come out and find you."

"You were worried about me," Almas said, giving him a knowing smile.

"Me? Never. Now let's get you home and get you a bath. Then you can tell me why you smell like slime acid and have a wolf cub wrapped in your shirt. I've a feeling it's an interesting tale," Almas' father said with a grin and a wink as he put a hand on his son's shoulder and led him home.

Ulec sat in a tree long after Almas and his father were out of sight. He had opened his shoulder bag and let the slime out, which was munching on pinecones at the moment. Ulec decided to call the slime Metal since, while it appeared to be willing to eat just about anything, it seemed to have a special liking to metal, as Ulec had found out upon finding the remains of his small knife in the bag.

After watching Metal eating for a few minutes, Ulec spoke, "Are you mad?"

A voice answered from below him. "Mad about what? That you missed a lesson in order to save and help a boy lost in the forest, or that you seem to once again have adopted yet another pet?"

"I thought I could do it myself, without any help. I almost got us both killed."

"Yes. If you had left me a trail to follow I might have been in a place to help you when you finally called for it. There is no shame asking for help when lives are at stake. On the other hand, all your life I've been trying to teach you the importance of serving others. Today you have demonstrated that you have learned and understood the most important lesson I could ever teach you -- service. So no, I'm not angry. I'm very proud."

"Thank you, Father," Ulec looked down to where his father was leaning against the tree. "So... can I keep Metal?"

Ulec's father sighed and smiled. "Like I really have a choice with you and your pets."

# Chapter 1

"I thought I would find you here today, my lady."

"Why have you come here, creature?"

"The same reason as you, to remember the dead, and to pay respect to friends long past turned to dust. Do not think this field and monument is your own private grieving ground. I also once stood on this field, shoulder to shoulder with gods, elves, and men. I also lost many friends that day so long ago."

"What can a monster like you remember of friendship? I should destroy you now and let the world be rid of you."

"My dear Lady Alixia; first of all, you're no longer sure you could defeat me alone. Second, you remember what friendship is even if I don't."

"How dare-"

"But while I may be a bit... hazy... on friendship, I still remember honor. And that honor compels me to pay old debts."

"I forgive you of all debts. Now leave and corrupt this sacred ground no longer with you presence!"

"Just as soon as I say this: Tornal has begun his experiments again."

"And just what is he working on now?"

"He seeks to make more of us."

"Odd. I was just thinking this world needed fewer of you."

"He also seeks to give himself, and the others he makes, power not unlike your own, only with his own dark twist. He seeks to steal what you merely mimic. In fact he says that he has one last experiment to make and he would like an elvish subject."

"Then he has far to travel to find one."

"He has heard rumors there might be one to be had in human lands. It seems poachers have been spreading tales about strange happenings in Aguerius Forest."

"Tornal shouldn't listen to rumors."

"That's what I told him. He never would listen to me. If there are any elves there, I hope they watch themselves."

"Hunting elves is very dangerous. Finding the wrong one would be the end of him."

"Yes, but finding the right one, such as one young and inexperienced, would be easy prey for a Lich Lord of Tornal's power."

"Are you insinuating-"

"Nothing. I insinuate nothing. Just giving information I thought you might find interesting. Now I must bid you farewell. Give my regards to your husband and children, where ever they may be."

"Farewell? A creature like you comes here to this field of sacrifice to mock and threaten me, and you bid me farewell? You think I would let an abomination such as yourself simply leave after such disrespect?"

"Here I am. Stop me!"

"Gladly."

Cady wasn't just dizzy. She was very dizzy. Yet she kept moving around and around, watching the trees. She was determined to make sure no pesky elves snuck up on her this time. Her brother, on the other hand, didn't even try anymore.

"I've told you, Cady, you're not going to see him arrive."

Cady's 12-year-old brother, Almas, just sat there, sitting with his back resting against the tree, playing his lap harp. She would never admit it to him, but he was starting to get good at it. But practicing music wasn't going to help her catch Ulec when he arrived.

The rest of her family was just as useless. Creetan was 16 now and more interested in shooting arrows at a target; her father, Lord Gidon Aguerius, was wrestling with her 8-year-old brother, Giddy, and Mother was in her shop making who knows what. So it was up to her, a little girl of only 10 years, to keep the vigil and guard the family against young trespassing elves.

"I'm going to catch him this time. I will not let Ulec sneak up on us this time," Cady informed her brother as she stumbled a little but caught herself before falling down.

"Good luck with that. In four years I've never spotted Ulec before he wanted to be seen," Almas responded with a sigh and continued playing a quick jumpy sounding tune on his harp.

Ulec was a young elf that Almas had met while he was lost in the forest four years before. He had saved Almas from becoming lunch for a forest dragon and they had been best friends ever since. Now every once in a while Almas would announce that Ulec was coming over to visit. She wasn't sure exactly how Almas always knew, but she was sure it had something to do with Ulec's ability to talk to animals and plants. Cady was always amazed at how plants and animals seemed to do whatever he wanted.

Cady continued spinning, determined to catch the elf trying to sneak up on her like he always did. She was scanning the trees when she heard the tune Almas was playing abruptly change and a force, like a very strong wind, pushed her and she toppled to the ground.

"Hey! You pushed me!" she yelled at Almas.

Almas gave the most disgustingly false-innocent look she had ever seen and responded, "What? Me? I never touched you. I was just practicing. You know me better than that."

Cady knew that Almas didn't need to touch her. The last few years their mother and Uncle Marpel had been teaching Almas both music and how to use magic through it. As Almas got better at music he also got better at casting spells with it. It was called bard magic and she was about to retort that he used it to push her but a voice above her spoke first, "Yes, she knows you well. That's how she knows it was you."

He'd done it to her again. In just the moment that it took for her to fall, Ulec had just appeared out of nowhere. Looking above her she saw Ulec sitting on a branch in the tree with his back to the trunk and one leg hanging lazily, as if he'd been sitting there waiting all day! It wasn't fair! She had been looking right at that spot when Almas pushed her.

"How do you do that?" she asked.

Ulec slid off the branch and landed noiselessly on his bare feet and asked with a sly grin, "Do what?"

"Appear out of nowhere like that!"

"I didn't come from No Where. I came from over there. I've never been to No Where," Ulec answered, pointing behind him.

"But we never see or hear you come," Cady protested.

"I apologize for not moving through the forest making noise like a huge lumbering bear."

"Cady isn't that loud," Almas cut in as he stood up and stepped over to his friend.

"Actually, I was referring to you."

"Hey!"

Ulec laughed as Almas tried to push him but missed as he easily stepped aside. "You need to move faster than that! Or maybe you should stick to the harp," Ulec said right before they all heard a soft snap above them. They all looked up to the tree for the source of the sound and Ulec started to step to the side when a large, furry animal landed on him, knocking him to the ground. Cady gave a surprised shout as she recognized a panther standing on Ulec with its large paws on his chest.

Rather than being frightened, Ulec looked annoyed and spoke calmly to the large cat, "Seacra get off! That hurt."

He pushed the panther off him and in an instant it transformed into a young elvish girl who laughed and said triumphantly, "That time you weren't fast enough."

It was Ulec's younger sister, Seacra. She was almost 20 years younger than her brother, but even though she was a little over 100 years old, she didn't seem any older -- or act any older for that matter -- than Cady. Ulec got up glaring at her and brushed the dirt off of himself. It was in that moment they heard Giddy yell as he ran over, "Ulec, Seacra!" Behind him their father approached at a much more leisurely pace.

"Seacra, your back!" Giddy exclaimed.

Cady was also happy to see Seacra. She was away most of the time up north in elvish lands and when she was gone, Cady missed having another girl around to play with and couldn't help asking, "How long are you here for?"

"A couple of weeks," Seacra replied.

"Seacra! So good to see you," Cady's father said as he arrived. "Is Lady Alixia staying also?"

"No, Mother is up north, on the other side of the Dividing Mountains. It's been 125 years since the War of Destruction. She wanted some time alone to visit the monument."

The Dividing Mountains was a mountain range that ran northeast the whole length of the continent. It divided the elvish lands and the human lands and were so tall no one could cross them. At least that's what Cady had heard.

"I see," Gidon said in response to Seacra.

Cady noticed a quick look of relief cross her father's face, and apparently Seacra noticed it, too. "Are you scared of my mother?" she giggled.

Ulec answered for Lord Gidon and grumbled, "Everyone is scared of Mother, at least anyone who knows her. Even the gods feared her."

"Can she really turn herself into a dragon?" Giddy asked excitedly.

"Yes," Gidon answered his son. "But before you ask, no, you can't see."

"You don't want to see her as a dragon, Giddy," Seacra added. "She only turns into a dragon when going into battle and that would be very dangerous."

"That's enough of such talk. So what is the plan today?" Gidon said, ending the topic. Cady's father always seemed to dodge any conversations about Lady Alixia and any war stories about her. Almas had once told Cady that he and father had met Lady Alixia four years earlier right, after Almas had first met Ulec. He had told her she was a shape shifter like Seacra but could turn into more powerful creatures than Seacra could. He said she had attacked her father. Then Ulec and Ulec's father had to stop her from hurting him but that's all anyone would tell her.

It was Ulec who answered Gidon's question. "I wanted to show Almas some plants I'm growing from seeds that my mother brought from the north."

"I want to go!" Cady chimed in. Cady liked plants, and plants from elvish lands sounded interesting.

"Sounds like fun," Gidon said. "I need to see to some business and get Creetan's armor. See if he's able to brag about his archery skills shooting with some thick leather weighing him down and impairing his movements. Just don't stay out too late or your mother will have both our hides."

"What about me?" Giddy asked excitedly.

"Sorry, short stuff," Gidon answered. "Maybe in a year or so. You stay here with Creetan."

With that, Gidon walked away. As soon as he was out of earshot, Seacra remarked to Ulec, "All the stuff you can do in the forest and you're going to go look at some blue flowers. I thought you were boys."

Cady giggled at the comment but didn't dare say anything that might keep her from seeing the flowers. Ulec, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and turning to Almas asked, "Want to trade sisters?"

"Don't tempt me; I've had enough of silly, giggling sisters," Almas responded.

Silly? Could she help it if Seacra made a good joke at the boys' expense? "Why are brothers so mean?" she asked Seacra.

"They think it's their job."

"See what you did, Ulec," Almas said. "Now they're mad at us and we'll have to listen to them whine all day."

"If that's the way you feel, we will just go play by ourselves. We don't need you. Come on, Cady. We can go see those plants on our own if you want. And better ones along with them," Seacra said as she got up and started leaving.

"And good riddance," Cady added as she left to follow Seacra. It would be a lot better without any annoying brothers around acting like jerks.

What Cady and Seacra failed to notice as they walked away was Almas smiling and whispering to Ulec, "Works every time." Then both the boys were off.

In the four years that Almas had known Ulec he had learned to move through the forest pretty quickly. Yet he still often had a hard time keeping up with his friend. Ulec moved through the forest like they were one entity, as if the forest sped him on his travels.

"So how many are there?" Almas asked as he tried to keep up.

"Only three of them," Ulec responded.

Every so often poachers would enter Aguerius Forest. Mostly these were inexperienced poachers testing to see if the rumors about poaching being impossible in the forest were true or not. Ulec always made sure they went home empty handed. In cases where the poachers were near enough, Ulec would let Almas watch the show from a safe place.

"This is the spot here. You should be able to watch everything from that branch," Ulec said, pointing to a tree near the edge of a small clearing.

Almas climbed up to the spot Ulec indicated; the branches concealed him from view although he could see the entire field. Ulec meanwhile went out into the clearing and disappeared into some tall grass. After a short time, three men appeared at the far side of the field.

As they drew near Almas could hear them speak.

"This grass sticks like nothing else. It's almost like it's grabbing at us."

"I told you to keep silent. You'll scare our prey away."

"What prey?" asked the third man. "We haven't seen a single living creature in this forest. I'm beginning to think there is something to the rumors here."

"I said keep quiet. Look at those trees up ahead. The branches are moving," the man who appeared to be the leader said.

"That's just the wind," replied the first man.

"What wind? There is no wind."

All around the clearing branches on trees swayed as if there was a heavy wind, except the lower branches where Almas was perched swayed a lot less. The three poachers only had a moment to watch when all around the clearing multiple wolf howls rose up from the trees.

Almas almost felt sorry for the poachers, watching the fear and confusion on their faces. Yet that was the price of trying to poach game in Aguerius Forest. Ulec had the power to speak to both plant and animal and ask them favors. Mostly he just did little tricks here and there, but at times like these Almas got to see just how much influence Ulec could have over the forest.

The three poachers loaded arrows into their bows at the sound of wolves moving through the tall grass. As one caught a glimpse of a wolf he aimed his bow to shoot, but a small rock flew from the grass hitting his hand that held his bow, knocking off his aim and making him drop his bow. Two more rocks flew from the grass and two more bows hit the ground.

Holding his hurt hand the leader said to the others as he glanced around, "I've seen enough, let's get out of here."

Pulling out their swords and keeping their backs together, they cautiously made their way back through the meadow. As they left they didn't even notice the grass had stopped clinging to their legs and had even made a little path for them to leave by.

Cady was using some of the flowers she had picked to show Giddy how to decorate hats. He was a good student, and she wondered how long it would be before he decided such things were too girlie for him like her other two brothers.

Glancing at the forest Cady wondered what was keeping Almas and Ulec. She hadn't seen them anywhere near the flowers, which didn't say much for Ulec as he was only seen when he wanted to be.

She had asked Seacra if she knew where they had gone off to, and the elvish girl had told her to wait at home and she'd go find them. Cady didn't think it would take this long.

"Hey, Uncle Jerad is here," Giddy stated, pulling Cady from her thoughts.

Looking in the direction Giddy was pointing, she saw her father's best friend walking purposely toward her father at a brisk pace. He had a concerned look on his face. He walked up to her father, who greeted him, but his face turned somber almost instantly as Jerad started to converse with him. Cady couldn't hear what they were saying, but she saw him turn to Creetan and say something then started walking over toward her and Giddy.

"Cady, do you know exactly where the boys went?" her father asked as he approached.

"We didn't see them near the flowers Seacra showed me. She said she was going to go look for them. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing to worry about, I think. A couple of my scouts failed to report in. Probably just running late. But to be on the safe side, Jerad is taking you and Giddy back to the house and Cree and I are going to go retrieve Almas."

"What about Ulec and Seacra?" Giddy asked.

"I'll make sure they are also fine, but I think Ulec and Seacra can take care of themselves. Right now you two get going. I'll be home shortly," her father said with a grin.

Cady watched a moment as her father and brother walked into the forest, then said to Giddy, "Guess we'll have to finish the hat in the house." Giddy helped her gather some of the flowers then walked over to where Jerad was waiting for them.

"You two having fun today?" Jerad asked as they came within speaking distance to him.

"We were making a flower hat," Giddy told him excitedly.

"Do you know why the scouts didn't report in?" Cady asked.

"That's what we are looking into, and that's a nice looking hat. Let's get it to the house so you can show your mother."

"That was priceless," Almas exclaimed as he dropped down from the low branch to the ground.

Ulec sat down and rested with his back to the tree. "Yeah, the look on their faces were great."

One of the wolves happily came over to Almas, who rubbed the side of his head. "Hi Crusty!"

Crusty was the pet wolf that Ulec had given him four years previous when they had first met. He had raised him from a cub and now the wolf was full grown and spent as much time in the forest with the other wolves as it did at the Aguerius Estate.

Almas glanced at Ulec and noticed he was half asleep and looked paler than normal. With some concern he asked, "Are you okay? You don't look so well."

"I'm fine, just a little tired," Ulec responded.

Almas was about to respond when a voice above them spoke first. "You'll be more than tired if Mother or Father find out you were using Vithal magic."

Looking above them they found Seacra sitting on the branch that Almas had just dropped down from.

"Dang it, Seacra! It's bad enough when Ulec scares me doing that. Don't you start now," Almas complained.

"I thought you were showing the flowers to Cady," Ulec said in an annoyed tone.

"I showed her all the flowers and realized you weren't anywhere near the place you said you would be. So afterward I took her back home and came looking for you to see what you were really up to. You mean you didn't notice?"

Ulec turned red. He normally kept good tabs on everything happening in the forest. Almas had never seen anyone sneak up on him before.

"I was distracted," he responded.

"I know. It's rare I ever get the drop on you, let alone twice in one day."

Ulec sighed, "There just seems to be a lot more poachers in the forest than normal lately. I just thought I'd give this group a good show and maybe discourage others from coming."

Seacra slid off the branch and dropped lightly to the ground next to Almas. Meanwhile Ulec opened up his shoulder bag and let Metal out, which began rolling and oozing towards Seacra.

"Ulec! Keep that thing away from me. That thing is gross."

Ulec smiled lightly and responded, "Mention any of this to Mother or Father and you just might find him sleeping next to you one morning. He likes you."

"Okay, just get it away from me."

"Good," Ulec said as he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree. "Now just let me rest a moment here."

As Ulec closed his eyes and relaxed, Metal oozed over to some rocks, settled over the top of them, and soon the smell of acid on rock filled the air. Almas shook his head and laughed, "Those rocks must have a little iron ore in them. Some day that thing is going to be metal plated."

"That thing is just plain creepy," Seacra muttered.

"That thing saved my life once," Almas responded back. "It attacked a forest dragon to protect Ulec and me."

Seacra shrugged and after a few moments of silence, Almas spoke again, "What did you mean earlier when you said something about Ulec using Vithal magic?"

Seacra answered with a question, "You know the difference between elvish magic and human magic, right?"

Almas thought back to conversations he had had with his parents and with Ulec. "Humans have to make their magic by some sort of action, like when I play my harp, and Ulec once told me elves use energy given off by living things, which is why you live in the forest. Lots of life means lots of magic for you."

"That's right; there were three races of elves during the War of Destruction: Elder elves, Shadow elves, and Desert elves. Elder and Shadow elves use Natela magic, Desert elves use Vithal magic, and humans use Trabar magic. Elder and Shadow elves have a large source of magic, but we all use the same source and can feel when someone is using it and how much they are using."

"So you and Ulec can't use magic without your parents knowing it?" Almas asked.

Seacra answered, "Normally no, but our mother is only half Elder elf. Her mother was an Elder elf and her father was a Desert elf."

"And that makes her different?"

"It makes her, Ulec and myself a little different. Desert elves were a race of elves that lived in the great northern desert that were wiped out during the War of Destruction. Since there is very little Natela magic in the desert, they learned to tap their own life force as a source of magic. So when one of us uses Vithal magic we draw the magic from ourselves so no one else can sense it," Seacra explained.

"That sounds like it would hurt."

"More like exhaust you," Seacra corrected, nodding toward Ulec who was now sleeping. "But you need to be careful not to use too much. If you do, then it can shorten your life. That is why our mother would be very angry if she caught Ulec doing it."

Almas took a moment to digest everything Seacra said. He wasn't sure what to say after that. After a while Almas spoke up, "Well, it's starting to get late; I should be heading home. Tell Ulec I said goodbye when he wakes up."

"Okay."

# Chapter 2

"Our scouts report contact."

"Very good, Keshen. Did they see any more traces of Aguerian scouts in the forest?"

"No, it seems our sources are true; Lord Aguerius keeps scouts on the border of the forest but not in it — not that we can see."

"Excellent. Let's go see if we can draw out this forest spirit and have a visit with him. Just be sure to remember Lich-el's orders concerning the boy."

"I'll remember alright, Tornal, but you know accidents happen sometimes."

"Take care none do or you'll be the one to explain it to Lich-el."

Teaneas heard his visitors before he saw them. Not that they were loud. Compared to most humans they were quite stealthy.

Born an elf prince, Teaneas lived much of his life as a warrior and as a champion for the gods that had created Mundial, their world. He was also one of the great heroes of the War of Destruction. Now he spent his days here in this forest, with but one common title given by his children, living with but three people -- when two of them weren't away up north -- and he couldn't imagine being happier.

The last hundred years of living in this forest had been the happiest years of his life. He had often wished that things could always remain the same, yet in his heart he knew it was an impossible wish.

He wasn't sure why, but these were the thoughts that came to him as his guests came into view, these thoughts along with a feeling of foreboding.

The first of his guests was Gidon Aguerius. While humans where creatures of chaos, of all the humans Teaneas knew, Gidon was one not unlike himself. He was a man of many titles, and a man who fought for and loved his people with all his heart. Most of all he was a man who valued the title given to him by his family the most: The title of father.

His companion was his eldest son, Cree Tanis Aguerius, nicknamed Creetan by his younger brother Almas, which had caught on with the rest of the family. At age 16 the boy seemed to have reached his man's height. Both had visited before so it wasn't their arrival that brought the feeling of foreboding but the quickness and the tension in their walk. They also had their weapons and armor, although they often did while they were training. Gidon had on his leather armor along with his bow, broadsword, shield, and although he couldn't see them, Teaneas was sure he had at least a half dozen other weapons hidden on his person. His son, on the other hand, only had on his leather armor, bow and a dagger.

Behold the mightiest warrior the human race has to offer. If I had a body, I'd die laughing, came a voice to Teaneas' mind.

Teaneas didn't even glance at the ring on his right index finger as he thought back, It was thinking like that, that led to the death of your previous owner.

The response came, He died at your hands. At least you're of elvish blood, which is a step up from human blood, although still a far cry from the blood of the desert kin.

Just remember that the desert kin are gone now thanks to inferior elves and humans, using an inferior human's battle plan.

And a traitor, the voice grumbled as Teaneas felt the voice withdraw into the ring.

By this time Teaneas and his two visitors had closed the distance between them and Teaneas asked, "Is something wrong?"

Gidon smiled and responded, "I hope not; two of my scouts watching the southeastern border of the forest are missing. I wondered if you knew where the kids are. Cady said Seacra went looking for them since the boys weren't where they said they were going to be. I'd like to know where they are until we sort this out."

"Hmm," Teaneas took a moment to think before answering. "I think Seacra went off to the east. She and my wife are the only ones who can track Ulec provided he isn't hiding. It's possible she followed the boys."

"East... Right in the direction of the missing scouts..." Gidon said with concern growing on his face. "We need to get going. I'll feel much better when I know where he is."

"I'll join you," Teaneas said. "I'm sure if something was going on Ulec would give me a sign, but something still feels wrong about this situation."

The river was high with spring runoff. Almas was following the river west towards his home. The river bordered Aguerius Forest along its south borders.

Almas hurried along, his pet wolf Crusty following. The sun was getting low, but he was sure he'd get home before it got too late. It was his night to spend with his father doing what he wanted, and Almas' favorite thing to do with his father was to play a game called Chintal, a strategy game.

Almas loved to play the game and was good at it. Sadly he couldn't find many people that enjoyed it, at least not many that enjoyed playing it with him. Maybe if he learned to let his opponents win once in a while like his father often did with him, he'd be able to get some more enthusiasm from others.

At least he was pretty sure his father let him win. He was the royal strategist, so it wasn't surprising that his father was a master at the game. Ulec was a pretty good challenge at the game also. As bright as Ulec was, he just didn't care much for the game. Ulec was more of a hands-on person. Almas had watched him practice with various weapons and even watched him spar with Almas' father before. He could respond to situations brilliantly and instantly, and Almas thought it was a shame that Ulec couldn't bring that brilliance to games that he enjoyed.

Almas started working on the opening moves he'd make and how he might counter some of the moves his father might make when a commotion in the forest erupted nearby. It seemed like every bird in the area had taken flight at the same time. The sky was full of birds of every kind. His first instinct was that Ulec was playing a trick on him. But this was big even for his elvish friend. Then he heard Crusty growl, and he looked behind him at his pet wolf.

Crusty was facing the forest, the hair on his back bristling, growling at the forest with the scariest look that Almas had ever seen. Something was upsetting the animals and Almas decided he didn't want to find out what it was. Turning his face towards home, he commanded Crusty to follow him and took off in a run.

"Ulec... Ulec wake up!"

Ulec had continued to sleep after Almas had left and was still sleeping with his back to the tree and Metal right next to his leg, doing its normal imitation of a gross puddle of slime.

Now Seacra was going to have to get physical to wake her brother up. Moving to the slime-free side of her brother, she grabbed his arm and started to shake him.

"Ulec, get up now! Something weird is going on. Every bird in the forest has freaked out."

Finally Ulec began to stir, "Mmmm... What's going on?"

"I told you. It's like every bird in the forest just took off at the same time."

"Birds?" Ulec asked, still in the mental fog of just waking up. Confused, he looked up at the flocks of birds fleeing some unknown danger for a few moments, then his eyes opened wide, color drained from his face, and all trace of sleep was gone instantly.

"Almas!" he yelled in alarm as he leapt to his feet, scooping up Metal and dropping him into his shoulder bag as he did so.

"Wait! What's wrong?" Seacra cried as Ulec took off running.

"Just go find father," Ulec yelled as he vanished into the forest.

Gidon knew something was horribly wrong even before the entire forest erupted into chaos. He had become nervous when two of his scouts failed to report on time, but it was as they were heading east, searching for his son and his playmates, that an eagle dropped out of the sky, landed in front of him and his companions, and transformed into an elvish woman, that he knew that this good day was turning into a nightmare.

He knew the woman. Lady Alixia was the wife of Lord Teaneas. She also had the same talent as her daughter, Seacra, of assuming the forms of animals. In fact, the first time he meet her she had been in the form of a dragon that had tried to toast him to a crisp. Suffice it to say he preferred to avoid her.

But right now it was her current form that shocked Gidon. She had a large cut on her face and a hastily bandaged arm in a sling. He'd seen her in action and couldn't imagine anything with the power to injure her so.

"Lady Alixia," Gidon started to ask, "What hap-"

"Where are the children?" she interrupted, speaking directly to Teaneas and ignoring Gidon and his son.

Teaneas answered immediately, "East."

Alixia turned to face east and took one step when the sky in that direction filled with squawking birds. Alixia hesitated a moment and glanced at Teaneas who at once ordered, "Go now!"

Instantly she was an eagle again rising to meet hundreds of other birds.

Gidon wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew things were beyond anything he had expected. Turning to his son Creetan he quickly ordered, "Go home now and tell Jerad to outfit and bring me my mount. Full battle gear."

"But Father!"

"Go now!"

Creetan looked like he was ready to argue more, but suddenly the forest grew dark. Looking up, Gidon could see the trees had spread their branches to block out the sun except for a few beams of sunlight touching the ground and marking a path through the forest.

"I said GO!" Gidon ordered his son again before joining Teaneas as he ran down the lighted path. Both the human and the elf knew Ulec was now calling for assistance and giving them a path to follow.

Almas first felt relief when the forest came alive. Ulec controlled it so that meant the plants and animals were on his side. Then he heard the sound of trees crashing to the ground. Ulec had never made trees fall, even years back when the two of them had been attacked by a forest dragon. That meant either Ulec was really desperate or something else was knocking the trees down. Either way Almas decided to keep running but only got a few more feet when an arrow suddenly embedded itself in a tree directly in front of his face. Going too fast to stop, the shaft of the arrow hit him in the face as if it was a low branch. The arrow broke off the tree and while it didn't hurt, the impact still caused Almas to lose his balance and fall.

Almas sat up and looked in the direction from which the arrow had come. Coming out of the woods was a man armed with a bow and the Aguerius crest on his tunic. It was one of his father's scouts, but something was wrong. Even from this distance he could tell his skin was pale and dry. He could also see running up both arms what looked like spikes. The most eerie thing was his face. It was completely emotionless, blank, like there weren't any thoughts or feelings behind eyes that appeared devoid of life.

All those years of his father telling stories of battles against the Undead could never have prepared Almas for meeting his first revenant.

Revenants were completely lifeless, which meant there was a Lich Lord in the forest controlling it, and most likely more of them. This one was reloading his bow and Almas was just sitting there, completely unable to will his body to move from fear. The revenant pulled back the arrow and Almas was hit hard with the realization that he was about to die. Suddenly, before the revenant could release the arrow, Crusty leapt on it. In a moment the revenant had fallen to a flurry of fangs.

As the remains of the revenant began to crumble to dust, the sound of Crusty's growls and snarls turned to yelps as an arrow from a location to Almas' left hit the wolf above his hind leg.

"Crusty!" Almas yelled as he started to get up.

Without thinking he took a step toward his injured pet but stopped cold when he spotted the second revenant, another one of his father's scouts, then spotted a third and a forth coming out of the forest. The other two weren't any of his father's men. Their clothes and armor looked much older and worn. In a short time Almas found himself being closed in by eight undead creatures. They were forming a half circle around him, and with the river 50 feet behind him at the bottom of a 40-foot drop, they had effectively trapped him.

The revenant that had shot Crusty loaded another arrow into his bow and took aim directly at him. As the revenant released the arrow, everything went into slow motion. He knew he needed to move, but like in nightmares he couldn't move quickly enough. Then a running form entered the side of his view. Ulec ran into the path of the arrow, snatched it out of the air with his right hand, and with a twist of his body and a flick of the wrist, he sent the arrow back to the revenant. After the arrow struck the undead creature in the throat, it instantly crumbled to dust. Ulec wasted no time in backing up to Almas and saying, "Move back."

Almas started moving but said as he went, "We're backing up into a dead end!"

"I know," Ulec quickly responded. "We just need to buy a little time. Help is on the way."

Ulec was breathing hard. To Almas it looked like he was about to pass out. Another crash back in the forest behind the revenants made Almas realize that Ulec must be dealing with more undead creatures than just the ones present. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the visible revenants step to avoid a falling branch that had dropped like a spear towards the creature. Almas couldn't believe his friend could divide his attention to multiple fights in different locations. As wolf howls began to sound nearby, Almas looked at his friend again; he had turned pale and was sweating. He remembered what Seacra had said about the danger of over using his own magic, Vithal she had called it. Why wasn't he using the other one, the Natela one?

He didn't get much time to think because suddenly all the revenants he could see charged at them. He thought he heard Ulec swear under his breath before saying, "Wait here, and stay alert."

Almas heard a cracking sound above him and watched a branch fall from the tree next to them and drop right into Ulec's hand. It was a straight branch that was thick and pointed on one side, making it look like a sort of mace.

As soon as Ulec caught the branch, he charged the oncoming revenants, which all began converging on him.

Upon reaching the first revenant, he ducked and sidestepped to avoid its short sword, spun around the side of the revenant and planted the knot at the end of his stick into the back of its head. As the revenant began to crumble to dust, Ulec let go of his stick and grabbed its short sword as it fell to the ground. By now two more revenants were coming up behind Ulec with swords raised. Grabbing the bottom of his shoulder bag, he spun around and in one motion, he flung Metal out of the bag and into the face of the first revenant and flung the short sword into the throat of the second.

As the latest two revenants crumbled to dust, Almas could see only four left. Almas couldn't tell if the one Metal killed crumbled or melted from the slime's acid, but either way he could only see four more. Three of them started to surround Ulec as the fourth held back.

Ulec picked up the stick he had used on the first revenant and backed towards a tree. He was too small and lacked the strength to block or parry the attacks from the Undead but he was quick, and Almas could barely follow him as he dodged and used his stick to redirect blows as much as his strength would let him. The revenants seemed to be taking him more seriously, fighting much more defensively. That wasn't good for Ulec. Almas could see Ulec starting to slow down and felt absolutely helpless.

Almas was racking his brain trying to think of a way to help Ulec when the revenants backed Ulec up to a tree. Almas saw Ulec's plan a moment before Ulec sprang his trap. As Ulec backed up to the tree, the one revenant wielding a spear charged Ulec as the other two revenants moved to the left and right side of Ulec to block him from escaping. Ulec, having nowhere else to go, planted his bare feet on the side of the tree trunk and took four backward steps up the tree as the tip of the weapon embedded itself into the tree just below him.

Ulec let himself drop onto the shaft and brought the end of his stick down hard on the head of the revenant. At the same time about 10 branches dropped unto the other two revenants like falling stalactites. The revenant on Ulec's left disintegrated from a hit by one of the falling branches. The one on his right managed to avoid all the falling spears only to fall to Ulec's follow-up strike.

The final revenant continued to stand back and size Ulec up. Then it smiled and Almas realized for the first time that this one wasn't a revenant. There was intelligence behind this creature's eyes. He was a Lich Lord.

"It seems our little outing here has been successful," the creature said, drawing his sword with his right hand.

"What do you want?" huffed Ulec.

"Just you," said the Lich Lord as he pulled a dagger out of a sheath with his left hand and charged.

Ulec was suddenly on pure defense. As fast as Ulec was, the Lich Lord was surely using magic to enhance his speed. Almas couldn't even follow the Lich Lord and from the look on Ulec's face, it seemed he was having trouble tracking him, too.

The Lich Lord seemed to be herding Ulec closer to Almas, despite Ulec's best efforts to move a different direction. Ulec was slowing down noticeably when the Lich Lord's sword caught Ulec's stick in the middle cutting it in half.

Ulec was in trouble and Almas felt he needed to do something. Suddenly an idea came to him and he cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. He quickly unstrapped his small harp from his back and started playing a quick, energetic tune and tried to send those feelings towards his friend.

It seemed to work as Ulec looked like he was moving faster as he stepped and ducked under his opponent's sword. With a jab upward and a twist with his now shortened stick, he sent his opponent's sword flying. The Lich Lord tried to counter with his dagger but Ulec stepped out of range. Using his free hand the Lich Lord pulled a bone spike from his left arm and threw it like a dagger -- not at Ulec but at Almas.

"Almas, look out!" Ulec yelled.

The bone spike missed, just grazing his shirt, but he fell to the side out of shock. The Lich Lord, taking advantage of Ulec's distraction, attacked again with his dagger and caught a piece of his arm, giving him a nasty gash a little below his shoulder.

Ulec staggered a bit but managed to avoid a second slash from the dagger. The attack however was a faint, as the Lich Lord took the opportunity to side-step behind Ulec and caught him with his fist on the back of his head. The Lich Lord positioned his dagger for a final blow as Ulec crumbled to the ground.

"Ulec! Look out!" Almas yelled standing up again.

The Lich Lord ignored Almas' yell but didn't ignore the screech of a hawk above him. Ulec rolled away as the Lich Lord looked up to see the bird diving at him. He raised his dagger to defend himself but somehow Ulec managed to push himself to his knees and hit the Lich Lord in the hand with a well-aimed rock, making him lose his grip on the dagger. The Lich Lord glanced at Ulec, then back up at the bird, only instead of finding a hawk he found a full-size grizzly bear falling on him. The lich attempted to step out of the way but instead tripped and fell. He had failed to notice grass had grown around his feet and ankles and wrapped around his legs to prevent him from escaping.

The Lich Lord had no time to react before the large bear landed on him with a loud thud. The bear wasted no time finishing off the undead creature. Once the Lich Lord had turned to dust, the bear took a step towards Ulec and transformed into Seacra, who ran to her brother. Almas also hurried over to join the siblings.

"Ulec!" both Seacra and Almas cried and once arriving to where he was, Almas added, "Are you okay?!"

Ulec started to get up and said, "I'm fine," right before collapsing once again.

"Your body seems to disagree with you," Almas pointed out.

Ulec started to get up again, still clearly dazed. "Have... to go... more coming."

Almas felt a chill go down his spine. If he were to write a list of things he didn't want to hear, that would've been the top of it.

"Take his other arm and let's get out of here," Almas said to Seacra as he helped his friend up and put his arm around his own shoulder.

Only a few moments after Seacra and Almas began helping Ulec move, they found themselves surrounded by more revenants. The three were quickly boxed in at the top of a 40-foot cliff above the river.

Looking down Seacra could see lots of rocks and fairly shallow water. Jumping or falling would not be a good idea.

The revenants made up a semi-circle around the children before a Lich Lord appeared from the forest wearing a large robe and a wicked grin.

"Well now," the Lich Lord said. "I was hoping to find an elf here, and I flush out two elf lings. Sadly, I only need one of you."

"What... do you want?" Ulec managed to ask. "Why..."

Ulec didn't seem to have even the energy to finish his question, which the Lich Lord ignored anyway and continued, "As impressed as I am with the fighting skills of the boy, I'm afraid I couldn't possibly pass up a shape-shifter."

Seacra's heart sink with that last statement. At the same time she felt Ulec tense up and stand up straight without any help. His eyes were blazing with anger and she could feel magic around him. She still hadn't felt him once use any Natela magic. He must have been saving it for her and their father, who must be close by now, but to use this much of his own life force was crazy.

"You will not touch my sister!" Ulec growled at the lich. Then moving faster than Seacra had ever seen her brother move, he charged at the revenant between him and the Lich Lord. . Easily dodging an attack from the revenant, he stepped around the undead creature pulling a dagger from the revenant's sheath. Although Seacra didn't see it Ulec must have then made a lighting fast attack on the revenant, because it began to crumble to dust as Ulec rushed the Lich Lord.

The Lich Lord pointed his staff at Ulec, who was enveloped in a sudden whirlwind. As the strong wind lifted Ulec off his feet, it started to spin him.

"Ulec!" both Seacra and Almas cried in alarm.

"Impressive, but I've made my decision," the Lich Lord said, and with a flick of his staff the wind lifted Ulec high into the air over the heads of his sister and friend, flinging him far over the edge of the cliff.

Seacra screamed her brother's name as he flew over but before she could see her brother's fate, Almas' voice shouted a warning next to her, "Seacra, look out!"

Seacra turned back to the Lich Lord just as a bolt of magic fired off from the Lich Lord's hand right at her. Time seemed to stand still as the bolt came at her. The lich had said he wanted her and now he was trying to kill her! Right before the bolt hit her, she felt strong hands push her out of the way and heard someone shout. She was halfway down the cliff before she realized Almas had pushed her over the edge and yelled at her to fly. She turned into a hawk but only managed to flap her wings a couple times before plunging into the icy river.

# Chapter 3

"My Lord Lich-El, you're back! Where have you... What happened to your arm?"

"Nothing that won't regenerate in a few days. Do not concern yourself with it, Deleta. I simply went to give a message to an old friend. Unfortunately she didn't appreciate it. Her injuries might have been less severe, but they will take longer to heal."

"Her? You fought Lady Alixia?"

"Yes."

"And you both survived?"

"Well, the fight was dragging on so I mentioned that I wanted to hurry so I could get back here before Tornal got back from his expedition to Aguerius Forest. She left in quite a hurry after that."

"Is Tornal in danger?"

"Only if he takes too long... or if he succeeds. Either way I wouldn't be able to protect him. Not from her when she's enraged. Oh, how I can hardly stand the suspense."

Something had happened. All activity in the forest had suddenly stopped. The path in the forest Gidon and Teaneas had been following remained but the forest had gone completely silent. Teaneas hoped that Alixia had reached the children.

The elf's worrying was interrupted by a sudden bright light through the trees that lasted a couple of seconds then disappeared. Gidon running just behind Teaneas, swore when the light appeared, adding quietly, "I hope that wasn't what I think it was."

As soon as the light faded, the forest was filled with a huge roar. Gidon stopped and hesitated a moment but Teaneas quickly motioned for him to continue following. "That was my wife... and she didn't sound happy. Hurry!"

After a few moments they came to a clearing in which Alixia was kneeling near a cliff over the river. She was holding somebody that he promptly recognized as Ulec, and he spotted Seacra sitting next to her, holding her knees to her chest and crying.

Alixia was talking to Seacra as she bandaged Ulec's shoulder. She noticed Gidon and Teaneas approaching and as soon as they were in speaking range spoke to Teaneas. "He has a deep cut on his shoulder and it looks like he was hit hard on the head. I arrived just as Tornal used Cyclone to fling him off the cliff. I had to quickly catch him. He must have passed out as he fell. Once I had him and returned for Seacra, I just caught the gate closing. It took me a moment to realize Seacra was in the river and hadn't been taken. I collected her and came here only moments ago."

"And Almas?" Gidon asked hopefully.

"I couldn't find him." Alixia answered without looking up from bandaging her son's wounds, "I think Tornal took him."

Gidon looked stricken and Teaneas moved to steady the large warrior, but Gidon waved him off and said, "I'll be fine. Lady Alixia, do you have any idea what this attack was about?"

Seacra, who had said nothing, spoke up, "He wanted me," she sobbed.

Teaneas knelt and held his daughter, "What do you mean?"

Seacra hesitated a moment, then explained, "He said he was looking for an elf and a shape-shifter was too good to pass up. Ulec attacked him but got swept off the cliff. He fired a magic bolt at me but Almas pushed me out of the way and over the edge. I don't know what happened after that."

Gidon bit his lower lip and Teaneas started, "I'm sure he-"

"I'm sure too," Gidon interrupted. "He'll be fine. I'm going to see if I can find any clues as to where they might have taken him from the remains of the revenants."

With that Gidon began walking off. Teaneas started to follow him when Alixia put her hand on his shoulder. "Let him go. We have things to discuss."

It seemed most of the revenants never left the forest. Fallen branches and trees along with various animals took their claim. Ulec had set the entire forest against the undead invaders and made them pay dearly for invading his sanctuary. It was just east of where they had found Alixia and the two children that Gidon found the spot Ulec had first fought the revenants.

Gidon had just begun using tracks to reconstruct the fight when he heard a whimper near the edge of the forest.

"Crusty?" Gidon called out. After hearing another whimper Gidon followed the sound to some bushes behind which he found his son's pet wolf. Lodged just above the wolf's hind leg there was an arrow and wrapped around both the arrow and the side of the wolf was a slime. After a brief moment of panic Gidon realized the slime was Ulec's pet, Metal. The slime seemed to be putting pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding.

Moving slowly to avoid startling Metal, Gidon knelt by the wolf and addressed the slime. "Okay Metal, I need to see the wound so I'd appreciate it if you didn't give me an acid bath."

Gidon nudged the overgrown slug and Metal just oozed off the wolf. Gidon focused himself on bandaging up the wolf in an attempt to distract himself from the feelings of frustration, helplessness and fear that were building up in him. As he worked a horn sounded nearby in the forest. Gidon picked up his own small horn hanging from his belt and gave an answering call.

Gidon put his hands over the bandages and focused some healing magic into the wound. It was a Paladin spell. Paladin magic was created by selfless service and could only be used by those of the Aguerius bloodline. It was a gift given to his ancestor during the War of Destruction by the gods.

As he finished working on Crusty, he heard the sound of two large animals approaching from the forest. Soon two forest dragons carrying two riders came out of the woods. The first was his own mount with his son Creetan riding. The second was Jerad, the captain of his men and his best friend.

"What happened!?" Jerad called as he came to a stop and began to dismount.

"I'm still trying to put it all together," Gidon responded as he finished bandaging Crusty. "Best I can make out is some Lich Lords and revenants attacked Almas and his friends."

"Where's Almas?" Creetan asked.

"Taken, it would seem," Gidon said, staring off at nothing.

"What!?" Creetan cried.

"How!?" Jerad asked.

"It was Tornal," came a voice from behind. "And from what my daughter described, Keshen was with him," explained Teaneas, walking up to the group.

Jerad, not noticing Teaneas arrive, instinctively gripped his battle axe. "Who? Where did you-"

"It's okay," Gidon interrupted, "he's a friend. It was his children that were with Almas."

Jerad relaxed but kept his eyes trained on Teaneas. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you approach. I wasn't expecting an...elf?"

"It's alright," Teaneas reassured. "As I was saying, Keshen attacked first..."

Teaneas was stopped short by another horn sounding, this time to the east.

Jerad responded first. "That would be from the scouts I sent to find the missing men."

"Go to them and find out what they found," Gidon ordered, "then come back here. I need to look around here more."

"My Lord," Jerad nodded to Gidon, returned to his mount and left, giving Teaneas only a moment's further glance as he left.

"I'm sorry for the interruption. Please continue, Lord Teaneas," Gidon apologized.

Teaneas went on to explain all that Seacra had told him about the attack and everything the two Lich Lords had said. After Teaneas finished they began to carefully load Crusty onto Gidon's forest dragon. Jerad returned with three other men wearing leather armor bearing the Aguerius symbol over the left side of the breast. They escorted another three men with their arms bound.

"What do you have for me?" Gidon asked them.

"We found these men on your land who fled when we tried to question them," one of the three newcomers said. "We caught them, and at first we thought they were poachers. Then we found this."

Taking the first of the bound men he pulled up the sleeve on his right arm, revealing an image of two bone spikes crossing each other on the back of his forearm.

Gidon looked at the tattoo, then at the bound man.

"Three Kadus Knights, servants of the Undead, this close to an undead attack. Would you like to tell me what you were doing out here and why a couple of Lich Lords came all the way out here to attack my son and his friends?'

None of the three Kadus Knights made any attempt to answer and after a few moments Gidon motioned to his men and said, "Tie them to that tree."

Gidon then went over to his forest dragon and unrolled a blanket attached to the side of the dragon's armor. Rolled inside the blanket were a dozen or so weapons of various types. He removed three bronze daggers and took them over to the three Kadus Knights.

"What are you doing?" asked one of the knights as Gidon dropped a bronze dagger in each of their laps.

Gidon responded, "Since you don't want to speak with us, we are done here. Get an arm free; you can use the dagger to cut yourself loose, or use them to defend yourself from hungry animals. Personally, I'd hurry if I were you," Gidon said, finishing with a glance off to his left.

The three knights followed Gidon's glance and noticed Metal oozing toward them.

"Great god Snipies, that's a slime!" one of the knights exclaimed, suddenly alarmed.

Teaneas took his turn to respond, "For starters, great may not be the best word to attach to Snipies the god of Chaos. He may have created the human race, but he was definitely not holy. Second, that slime is named Metal and is my son's pet, one of the children your masters tried to murder. I'm sure it slipped Lord Aguerius' mind that Metal's favorite food is bronze."

Gidon didn't respond and silently began unpacking various weapons from bundles and bags tied to his mount. The three Kadus Knights squirmed as Metal drew closer, but Gidon continued unpacking from his mount and repacking into some travel bags.

Finally, as Metal approached one of the knights, he called out, "Okay I'll answer your questions!"

Gidon called back, "I'm listening," as he continued packing but made no movement to stop the slime.

The knight began speaking franticly as Metal approached a couple inches from his feet, "We were supposed to investigate rumors about a forest spirit and draw it out. Chel is a ranger. He noticed the boy in the tree when the forest turned on us and put a magic mark on him. Then we reported his location to Tornal."

"Where did Tornal go from here?" Gidon asked, still occupying himself with packing weapons.

"It'd be suicide to try to go-"

"WHERE?" Gidon commanded, turning to face the knight.

Metal was now crawling up his leg almost to the dagger and the man yelled, "Demon Mountain! We have a forward base in the caves under it!"

Gidon nodded to Teaneas who stepped forward and scooped up Metal in one hand and the dagger with the other hand and dropped both a few feet away. After only a couple of moments, the air filled with the smell of slime acid on bronze. Ignoring the smell, Gidon turned to his men and motioning to his two scouts, instructed," You two take these three to town and lock them up."

Then turning to Teaneas, he addressed him, "Lord Teaneas, you can-"

"Go with you? Certainly," Teaneas interrupted.

"Thank you, but you should see to your family."

Teaneas just shook his head and said, "Alixia will see to the care of the children. I need to see to the young man that saved my daughter's life and find out what Tornal is up to. The Kadus Knight is right. Going to one of their strongholds is suicide. I may be able to get us in without a fight. I knew most of the Lich Lords when they were still human. I think they will listen to me."

Gidon thought this out a moment. "Okay, Teaneas and Jerad are with me, Creetan and Mogen take the dragons and take Alixia and the kids back to the house and let my wife know I'll be back in a few days with Almas."

"Father... I want to go," Creetan pleaded.

"Cree, I need you with the family," Gidon answered.

"Frankly, my lord," Mogen countered, "I'm with Creetan. Choice between fighting some Undead and explaining all this to Lady Izybel; I think I'd rather face the Undead."

"You all have your orders. I expect them to be followed," Gidon said, then turning to Teaneas continued, "Any weapons you need off the dragon before I send it back?"

"I have all I need."

"You have nothing," Jerad muttered.

"Lord Teaneas is a hero of the War of Destruction. If he says he has all he needs then he has all he needs. Let's get these horses loaded and get moving," Gidon answered.

After quickly loading their gear on the horses the threesome took their leave from the others and rode off toward Demon Mountain.

When Ulec woke up he knew he was in a strange place before he opened his eyes. Even with his head pounding and arm throbbing, he immediately knew he wasn't outside in the forest. The place he was laying was too soft and the air was still and didn't smell right; he'd never slept in a bed before but figured he must be in one.

His first instinct was to open his eyes and look around, but he resisted the impulse. There were two voices in the room that he quickly identified as his mother's and the voice of Almas' mother, Izybel. He stayed still and gave no sign of being awake. He had learned long ago that adults tended to be less carful of what they said when they thought the child present was asleep.

As he listened he stretched out his mind to nearby animals. All he could sense close were some mice, some birds, a couple cats, and Crusty. He was relieved to feel Crusty there, apparently not too bad off despite being wounded. He was kind of worried that he couldn't sense Metal nearby. Last he knew his pet slime wasn't in danger and was taking care of Crusty.

"...trusting the words of those Kadus Knights. They can't even be sure the Lich Lords are there, or if they are walking into a trap," he heard his mother say.

Crusty was sleeping so Ulec had to rely on the other animals to help him gather information about what was going on.

Izybel responded to his mother saying, "Gidon is more than capable of tracking him down. What do you think they should've done? Stayed and done nothing?"

Getting help from the nearby animals was difficult. The mice were too timid and afraid of him; the cats for the most part didn't care or refused to show they cared. The birds seemed most cooperative. From the senses of the four birds and only one mouse, he determined that Seacra was on the back porch of the house sitting quietly on the stairs, and Giddy, Creetan and Cady were all fussing over Crusty.

"I should have gone instead. No one attacks my children. I should go and leave a crater where that mountain stands," Alixia ranted.

Ulec had his animal eyes and ears search further out. Aside from some of Lord Gidon's men, he couldn't find anyone else nearby. A knot started to form in his stomach. Where was his father and Almas?

"Look at yourself. You are hardly in condition to go fight Lich Lords. And don't you forget for a second my son is likely in that mountain you want to destroy," Izybel said, her voice and temper rising.

Ulec's blood suddenly went cold as the conversation started to make sense to him. They had taken Almas. After all he had done, he completely failed to protect his friend.

"Mind your tongue human. Do not forget who you're talk-... Ulec! How long have you been listening?" Alixia demanded.

Ulec sighed, taking a moment to compose himself. Then opening his eyes he answered, "Not long. I just woke up."

"How are you feeling dear?" Izybel asked, "Can I get you something?"

"I can manage caring for my own son. You may leave now." Alixia interrupted.

"Mother, please don't speak to her like that," Ulec said softly but with a slight warning in his tone. How he wished his mother could just once make a good first impression.

"I will not let some human interfere in our family affairs. She would do well to mind her own family," Alixia responded.

Ulec sat up quickly, anger flashing in his eyes," Don't speak...like...that," he started to yell but as soon as he was in a sitting position, he was overcome by a surge of pain and nausea, and barely muttered the last couple words before collapsing back on the bed.

"Ulec!" Izybel cried and stepped forward, but Alixia beat her to Ulec's side.

"Careful, my son. You have a concussion. You shouldn't make sudden movement like that," Alixia soothed. She then hesitated and turned to Izybel, "I... apologize. I'm not accustomed to feeling so helpless."

"We've both been feeling a lot of that today. I should leave you both to talk. I'll go see how the other children are doing," Izybel said quietly before leaving the room.

Before Alixia could say anything, Ulec asked, "What happened?" Then lowering his voice asked, "What happened to Almas?"

"After Tornal swept you off the cliff, he attacked Seacra. Almas pushed her off the cliff and she fell into the river. I was busy catching you as you fell and by the time I got back, I only saw Tornal's magic gate closing. There was no sign of Almas, so we assume Tornal took him. Lord Gidon and your father have gone to try to find him."

Ulec took a moment to take in the information. He then opened his mouth to ask another question when the door burst open and Seacra ran in.

"Ulec! Are your alright?!" she asked as she rushed to his bedside.

That was the problem with using Natela magic. It alerted every nearby elf that he was awake.

"I'm fine," Ulec answered, then turned to his mother, "What happened to Metal? I can't find him."

Seacra answered before Alixia could answer, "Father took it with him."

"Oh," Ulec wondered what his father was up to. He'd have to think on that. Speaking again to his mother he said, "You should go help Father and Lord Gidon find Almas. Seacra and I are safe here."

"As much as I'd like to, Lady Izybel is right. I'm not in good enough condition to fight right now. I should be focused on making sure my children will be okay."

"But Mother-"

"Don't argue. Now, I can see how tired you are and you need rest to heal. So get some sleep."

"Mother, I know how you feel about humans, but he's my friend," Ulec finished as he closed his eyes. His mother was right about how tired he was, but he had one more thing to do.

As he heard his mother and sister wordlessly leave the room, he reached his mind far out and searched among the minds of the animals until he found a familiar mind. He found it far to the east and using the familiar mind as an anchor, he pulled his own awareness to it.

Metal was upset, not because he didn't trust Ulec's father. Metal trusted Ulec's father as much as Ulec did himself. Metal was upset at being out of contact with Ulec and not knowing what was happening.

Ulec calmed the slime down and took note of the slime's location as best he could. Being in the shoulder bag, Metal knew little of what was going on outside the bag, but Ulec knew all he needed for the moment. Ulec closed down his connection to Metal and the other animals and was soon sound asleep.

# Chapter 4

"I gave one order and you couldn't even do that right?"

"I was able to save him."

"He wasn't supposed to be injured to begin with, Tornal!"

"How was I supposed to know he'd jump into my attack?"

"The boy is an Aguerius; self-sacrificing for others is bred into the Paladin line. Why do you think after over a hundred years, Gidon and his children are all that's left of the line?"

"I think you're forgetting about your 'pet'."

"He abandoned that line years ago and the line has abandoned him. But he isn't what we're discussing. I'll be taking the boy into my personal custody from this point. I expect that is fine with you?"

"Yes...yes Lord Lich-El."

Almas awoke with a start. He'd been having a nightmare but couldn't remember a single thing about it. He didn't take much time trying to remember it as he looked around and realized that he was still in the nightmare that his life had become.

He could remember the Lich Lord's attack. He could also remember the helpless feeling he had had as he watched his best friend get swept off a cliff. When he saw the attack on Seacra, everything had gone to slow motion and he had acted almost on pure instinct. He never even saw if Seacra made it or not. All he saw after pushing her off the cliff was the magic bolt coming right at him, a flash of pain, and then waking up here.

Here... Where was here? He was in a cave; the rock walls and cold musty air said that much. Light came from torches on the wall. He also took a moment to look himself over. His shirt was burned and torn where the magic bolt must have hit him in the chest, but he couldn't find any trace of what had to have been a serious injury. In a moment of panic, he felt for a heartbeat and he looked for small bones sticking out of his arms.

His heart beat strong, and everything else seemed normal. He wasn't a revenant. The only thing that was weird was a creepy feeling he felt there in the cave. He couldn't really explain it, but the place felt like death.

"Everything in working order?"

Almas spun around to face the source of the voice. Sitting at a table behind him sat a Lich Lord that looked far older than the two that had attacked him in the forest. Even though he looked old and seemed to have a number of old wounds, including a missing hand, there was nothing frail about him. His build was more or less the same as Almas' father, which meant his build was more or less the same as a bear. The Lich Lord sat with a relaxed posture, but Almas took note of the sword strapped to his side and the largest war hammer he had ever seen sitting on the ground next to him, the handle leaning against the his leg.

The Lich Lord regarded him a moment, then spoke, "I must apologize; Tornal was under strict orders not to harm anyone in your family. So when you were accidently injured, he had no choice but to bring you here so we could heal you. How are you feeling?"

Almas said the first thing that came to his mind and answered, "Scared out of my wits," as he tried to stare coolly at the Lich Lord.

The Lich Lord chuckled and responded, "I'd almost forgotten the Aguerius humor. It's nice to see that after a hundred years it still breeds true. I've been rude; I should have introduced myself. I am Lich-El, and I assure you your safety while you're here. Please come closer so we can speak more comfortably."

Almas didn't move an inch. Lich-El was the leader of all the Lich Lords and he hadn't left the eastern wastes in nearly 75 years. Either Almas was very far from home or something very serious was happening.

"Come, come now," Lich-El beckoned. "Come have a seat and play a game with me."

Almas noticed for the first time sitting on the table was a Chintal board set up and ready to go. Almas took a tentative step forward and hesitated. He couldn't trust a Lich Lord, especially their leader.

"Do come and sit. If we intended any harm, it would have already been done. I simply wish to speak with you over a friendly game of Chintal. I understand you're quite good."

Before he could do anything, Almas had to ask, "What happened to my friends?"

Lich-El smiled and responded, "They are both no worse for wear I assure you. They will be quite alright, in part thanks to you. You serve your friends well. Now sit, for goodness' sake."

Almas took a step towards the chair. He was still scared to death and in no way trusted Lich-El but the rational part of his mind was telling him that offending an old, super powerful Lich Lord was a bad idea. Tentatively he took his seat.

"Guests go first," Lich-El said politely.

Almas moved a piece in the center of his ranks forward with a classic opening move, then looked up and asked, "Why are you doing all this?"

"Doing all what?" Lich-el casually asked as he made his own move.

"Everything, the attack on my friends and me, bringing me here, healing me. All you liches do is murder people and yet here I am alive. Why?"

Lich-El thought a moment as they continued to take their turns moving pieces. Finally he answered, "The politics of war are far more complicated than most people, particularly children, understand."

"Try me," Almas responded.

"To explain I'd have to start from the beginning. What do you know of the War of Destruction?" Lich-El began.

"Well," Almas started, "our ancestors came from another land but it was destroyed by an evil god called Destruction. Our ancestors agreed to help the other gods and the elves to fight him so we were given this land to live on."

"Not bad," Lich-El responded. "Hundreds of kingdoms of men and only one agreed to stand and fight. While the armies of the other kingdoms fled or fell upon their own swords, your ancestor made a deal with the gods that his army would stand and fight and slow Destruction down. In return he asked that the families of those that fought would be taken to safety and given lands of their own. Even with that deal only twenty thousand of us agreed to fight."

"Twenty thousand of us? You fought in the war of Destruction?"

"Yes," Lich-El answered. "We fought and bought two months for the elves and the gods to prepare a defense on this continent. Of the 20,000, only 50 survived to be brought here. All 50 of us volunteered to fight here in the final battle. That turned out to be the turning point that won the war. After the battle was over, Destruction's demonic armies were defeated and he was sealed away."

"Good for you. What does this have to do with what you're doing now?"

"Everything. Destruction was sealed away, not killed, which means one day he may return."

"How can that be? Lord Teaneas and my father told me he was sealed away with a blood seal. The only way to break a blood seal is with the blood of the sealer. Mundial, the god of life, sealed himself with Destruction. The only key is also sealed away."

"Just because there isn't a way to unseal Destruction now doesn't mean one day a way won't be found. During the war I met a race of elves known as Desert Elves. Their ancestors had once made a pact with the Fates and received great powers. I, along with many others, decided to visit the Fates and ask for the power that could defeat Destruction should he escape."

Almas focused a moment on what Lich-El said about the Desert Elves. He remembered that Seacra had told him her mother was half Desert Elf. Almas had often wondered why Lady Alixia seemed more powerful than Lord Teaneas. Perhaps some of what Lich-El said was true, but what parts?

Lich-El continued, "The Fates agreed to grant us our request. The result was to turn us to what we are now."

"How is turning you into blood thirsty, murderous monsters supposed to help you defeat Destruction should he come again?"

"At first we remained the people we always had been inside. We returned to our old lives, but none in the kingdom were comfortable with what we had become. So they asked us to leave. We traveled east and built a home for ourselves. We kept contact with the king for twenty years. The king slowly began to lose trust in us, for after the twenty years he sent an army to destroy us."

Almas sat up, "Wait, you're saying we attacked you first?"

"Yes."

Almas couldn't believe this. All he had ever heard about the Undead was that they were the ones constantly attacking and invading. It couldn't be possible that they were victims. They were the monsters here.

Lich-El smiled and began speaking again, "We won the battle and drove them away. After a few months they attacked again. We again drove them off, but this time we were so angry we pursued them. We decided that if they wanted a war, we'd give them a war. We drove your people back as far as Aguerius Forest. I gave the order to move over the north of the forest and attack the Vatan province and bypass the Aguerius province."

"Why? I mean, why bypass Aguerius?" Almas asked, suddenly even more confused. "It would take you far out of your way and would leave you wide open for attack from the Warriors Guild."

"Lord Aguerius and his people had refused to participate in the two attacks on my people. So I convinced the others to leave them alone and bypass the area."

"But my great grandfather did fight you and won," Almas interrupted.

"It was a great battle, with many losses on both sides. It seems while your grandfather didn't attack us, he also wouldn't stand by and let us attack the rest of the kingdom. The battle ended in an agreement that we would return to the east and they would leave us alone. The treaty lasted 30 years,"

Lich-El stopped a moment and stared into space. Almas began to feel uneasy. Lich-El looked like a lifeless figure. Then suddenly he came to life and began speaking again, "My comrades here never forgave the attacks on us. They began to pressure me to allow them to go finish the war that had ended with a draw 30 years previous. Finally, after a while, I allowed them to go to war under certain conditions."

"Which were?"

"Mostly that they would be on their own. I wouldn't go with them. Second that they were not to harm those of the Aguerius family. Conditions they have come to hate."

"I keep hearing about orders to not harm my family. Why?"

"Many reasons, first the Aguerius family has never participated on an attack on us. They have only fought defensively. Second, I am still under oath to the Aguerius family as a retainer. I am honor-bound to protect the family."

"Retainer?! How? When?"

A retainer was a noble's most trusted officer. That position was not lightly given nor their oaths broken.

"High Lord Morin Aguerius was royal strategist at the time of the beginning of the War of Destruction. He was the one that made the agreement with the gods and elves to let the families that fought settle here. I fought by his side and protected him in every battle. He was the most brilliant strategist ever to live and also the first Paladin. We fought side-by-side till the last battle. It was there that I failed to protect him. Your move."

Almas was so taken aback he had forgotten about the game. He knew the story of Lord Morin. He had even heard mention that his retainer was a powerful warrior, just never that his retainer became the leader of the Lich Lords.

Almas made his move, his head still swimming, and Lich-El continued, "Of twenty thousand men I alone returned to my family. I had a daughter. She was my only family. I also continued to protect and care for my Lord's widow and son. Many people resented the fact that I alone returned while their own loved ones didn't. After a number of years, Lord Morin's son married my daughter. He was a capable warrior and a strategist nearly equal to his father. I decided at this time that it was best to leave and began my quest to find the Fates with those who wished to follow me."

"Wait... If your daughter married Morin Aguerius' son, then would that make you..."

Lich-El smiled what was possibly the most sinister smile Almas had ever seen when he said, "Yes, your great grandfather who stopped our invasion over seventy years ago was my grandson, which would make you my three-time great grandson."

Almas was speechless at this point. What Lich-El had said was one part of his family history that he had been failed to be notified of. It had to be a lie. How could he possibly believe any word that came from the Lich Lord's mouth? How could the blood of something so evil be found in the blood of the Paladin line?

Lich-El continued, "It's been rather fortunate for your family that I've been able to protect it for so long. Many of the other Lich Lords would have liked to have destroyed the Aguerius line long ago. With the line not having the strength it once had, it would have been destroyed long before your birth."

Almas' astonishment began to fade as it was replaced by a hotter emotion, "What do you mean, 'not having the strength it once had'?"

"Earlier generations stood shoulder to shoulder with elves and even with the gods. Even the Desert Elves fell by the hundreds. Few of my Lich Lords could have lasted more than a few seconds against such power. Now only my protection allows your bloodline to continue. Your family today lacks in both the power and the wisdom it once had."

Now there was a fire blazing inside Almas. To insult his family, especially his father, was unforgivable, yet even worse, with everything Lich-El had said, Almas could see enough truth that he wondered and feared that the Lich Lord might be speaking the truth here. It also made him furious that he, too, was powerless to do anything. So he said the only thing he could in retaliation, "Chintal."

Lich-El looked at the board. Almas had only a few pieces left, yet looking at the board it was clear he had positioned them so that Lich-El had no way to win.

Slowly a grin spread across the Lich Lord's face and looking up at Almas, he spoke, "Even with my attempts to distract you as we spoke, and all the things I said to surprise and astonish you, with minimal attention you still beat me. Perhaps there is hope for our bloodline."

While his anger remained strong, he also began to feel uneasy; partly from Lich-El's use of "our line". Second was the way Lich-El now looked at him. His Grandpa Cree often gave him a similar look after Almas played the harp for him. Lich-El was looking at Almas like a proud grandfather would look at his favorite grandchild. Almas began to feel sick.

He sat staring at the game board. Lich-El was pure evil and nothing he said could be trusted. Almas couldn't believe how easily he'd been drawn into Lich-El's lies, and hated himself for how easily he had begun to believe those lies.

Soon Lich-El broke the silence, "Almas you are an impressive young man. As a reward I have decided to give you a choice, a chance to decide your own destiny."

Almas looked up at Lich-El suspiciously and said, "If I get to decide my destiny, then my choice is to go home."

Lich-El sighed, "Things change, and I'm afraid this land is soon to undergo a big change. I could let you go home, but things will change far quicker than you can imagine. No, I'm afraid there are two choices. You've lived happily for twelve years, surrounded by those who love you. If you are satisfied with that life and wish to avoid the coming change and all the horrors that will come with it, then you can choose to have it all end here."

Almas stared at Lich-El not sure if he was understanding, "Have what end here?"

"Why... your life. Compared to some things, death is preferable."

Almas felt his blood turn to ice and his voice squeaked a little when he asked, "Wh...What is the other choice?"

Lich-El smiled another sinister smile and answered, "To simply live as best as you like and do me a small favor."

"What favor?"

"It involves your friend Ulec. I need you to keep him alive."

"What?"

"I owe Ulec's father a debt left over from the war. If you keep him alive for me then my debt will be paid."

"So all I have to do if I want to live is make a promise to keep my best friend alive?"

Lich-El nodded, "Yes, but think it through. Once you decide, there will be no changing it no matter how hard you try."

Almas was incredulous, "Think about it? There's nothing to think of. I don't want me or my best friend to die."

Lich-El again sighed, "Very well, it is my command that you live and protect Ulec's life whenever the occasion commands it. Now I will have someone take you to a room where you can rest."

Almas caught a hint of a smile when Lich-El mentioned a room. Somehow Almas felt he wasn't going to like the room he would be sent to. "Can't you just let me go home?"

"All in good time."

Lich-El said nothing more and Almas was about to ask when the "good time" would be, when a door opened and a man entered and addressed Lich-El, "You summoned me my lord?"

The man who entered wore a uniform with the symbol of the Kadus Knights on it. The man was younger but still had a warrior's build. He seemed like a normal young warrior except for one thing that Almas found eerie, his face had an uncanny resemblance to his brother, Creetan.

"Please escort our young guest here to stay with our other guests," Lich-El ordered.

The man casually looked Almas over then did a double take looking at the melted remains of Almas' Crest that still hung on his neck. The look that crept onto the man's face afterward could only be described as pure hate.

"He's an Aguerius, isn't he?" The man asked as his right hand started for his sword, but stopped short and dropped back to his side.

"Yes," Lich-El responded matter-of-factly.

The man looked at Lich-El for a moment then said with clenched teeth to Almas, "Please follow me."

Almas hesitated. This man had a simply murderous look on his face. He glanced at the Lich Lord and wondered if he was being sent to his death after all.

"You may feel safe to leave with him, dear boy," Lich-El said with a smile, "Deleta may be the leader of the Kadus Knights, but he would not disobey my order to not harm members of the Aguerius family, especially his own cousin."

"Cousin?" Almas asked in disbelief.

"Yes. This is Deleta Aguerius, your cousin. Now please follow him to our guest quarters."

Almas was still too dumbstruck to move; Deleta pulled him up roughly from his chair and said as he began pushing him towards to the door, "When Lich-El commands you to do something, you need to obey immediately!"

Almas took one last look at the leader of the Lich Lords as he was ushered though the door. Lich-El simply sat at the table watching Almas leave with a look of amusement on his face. Then Deleta shut the door and he was alone in a cave-like corridor with his older cousin.

Deleta, still tightly gripping Almas' arm just below the shoulder, drug him down the corridor at a brisk pace. With his short legs and body twisted by Deleta's grip, Almas walked along uncomfortably with the Kadus Knight. After a minute he complained, "I can walk on my own. You don't have to drag me."

"I don't care," Deleta responded without loosening his grip even slightly.

Almas looked his cousin up and down, he may have resembled Creetan in his face but his build was more like his father's. This meant there was little chance of shaking loose of him by strength. He needed another plan.

"If you're my cousin, how'd you become a Kadus Knight?"

Deleta again responded without looking at Almas, slowing down, or loosening his grip, "My uncle murdered my father 13 years ago and Lich-El took me in."

"Your uncle? Who's-" Almas suddenly understood the implication and tried to stop walking. "Now wait one minute! You're not saying my-"

Almas was interrupted by Deleta shoving him hard against the stone wall. "I saw it! I know what I saw!"

Almas' head was pounding and he thought he felt a trickle of blood moving down the back of his neck. This conversation wasn't heading in a good direction. Glaring at his cousin he responded, "I'm sorry to upset you. I failed to introduce myself. My name is Almas Aguerius."

"What?" Deleta said with disbelief in his eyes, and momentarily loosened his grip. "I can't believe he'd name you after my father."

"Well, he did."

Deleta seemed to think a moment, then his face seemed to turn to stone, "It doesn't matter, I still know what I saw."

Deleta pulled Almas off the wall and began moving through the corridors again, although he didn't handle him quite as harshly.

After a number of turns they reached a door guarded by two revenants. Deleta opened the door and ushered Almas in. It was a large, open room, most of which was behind large thick metal bars.

Behind the bars were about 30 people, mostly women and children with a few men here and there. They were seated in small groups, heads turned down, and silent. Only a few lifted their gaze as Deleta opened the gate into the cell.

Deleta apparently realized he hadn't roughed up Almas as much as he had wanted and pushed Almas hard into the cell and said, "Enjoy your stay."

Almas lost his footing instantly, fell down and rolled a couple of times before coming to a stop on the floor. He heard the cell door slam as he sat up and saw Deleta leave the room.

"So much for cousins," he muttered under his breath and started to brush dirt off his pants then decided it was pointless. All of his clothes were dirty, torn and burnt. Hardly anyone in the cell still looked at him, although one large man who appeared to be missing an arm came over to him and offered his one hand to help Almas up.

"Okay there, young man?"

Almas looked at the large man. Despite his huge size he had a gentle face. He wore a uniform with a soiled emblem of the Aguerius family on it, which meant he was one of his father's men.

Almas took the man's hand and answered as the man pulled him to his feet, "I'd like to say that I've never been better, but I'd be lying."

The one armed man gave Almas a strange look when he heard Almas' response, and looked him up and down. Almas was about to ask if something was wrong when the man looked him in the eye and asked, "You're Lord Aguerius' son, aren't you?"

That statement immediately got everyone's attention, and suddenly Almas had every eye on him.

"Yes, I am... How did you know? What's left of my crest was hidden."

The man smiled, "Your face, the way you talk, even the way you stand is just like your father."

Everyone in the cell started talking at once:

"Have they invaded the Aguerius province already?"

"No, they were going to sacrifice us before that."

"Will Lord Aguerius come for his son and save us, or is he dead?"

"Ask the boy!"

As the room went silent, Almas noticed everyone in the cell was looking at him expectantly. He started to panic. Son of a high lord or not, they surely couldn't expect a 12-year-old to know what to do about being stuck in an Undead dungeon.

Before he could say anything a man in the corner of the room apparently heard his thoughts because he laughed and said, "Yes, that's right. Let's pin all our hopes on some snot-nosed kid because his daddy's 'important'."

The man who spoke was missing a leg and his clothes were as tattered as anyone else's, but he could still make out that he was wearing a ranger's uniform. The crest of Leflion could be seen clearly. Almas wasn't surprised at what the ranger said. For one thing it was true. Secondly, the Ranger Guild had never been friendly towards the Warrior Guild or the Aguerius family. However, the ranger's next comment began to anger Almas.

"If the Aguerius family was worth a tenth of what you people think they are, the Undead would've been destroyed long ago. Not only are the undead still here, but Lord Aguerius can't even protect his own family apparently. I'm sorry, but if we leave it to him this whole kingdom is going to end up like the Vatan Province."

"Shut up!" Almas had had enough. That was the third time in the last hour that someone had insulted his father. He didn't care if the guy was an adult or if he sounded like a petulant child. He wasn't going to let any one get away with it any more.

"If you think you can do better, then you break out of here and go save the kingdom!"

The ranger only smirked and said, "But I'm not anyone 'important'."

Almas was about to explain to the man exactly how unimportant he was when the one-armed warrior put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Let it go. He isn't worth your attention. Come over here and have a seat, we can talk."

He introduced himself as he led Almas over to a section of the back wall as far away from the other people as you could get.

"My name is Bosha."

"I'm Almas."

"It's an honor, Almas. Now don't let that ranger, Lemuem, get to you. He's just bitter about losing his leg; even though losing it is why he's still alive."

"How is that?" Almas asked, confused.

Bosha answered, "Revenants, unlike Lich Lords, don't regenerate limbs back. So missing a leg made him unfit to be a revenant. So he was put in here with the rest of us that are thought to be unworthy to be Undead."

"So why are they keeping all of you?" Almas asked.

"Sacrifices."

"What?!" Almas asked alarmed.

"Undead get their power from the energy released by death. If they kill all of us right before battle, then they have that much more power at the start of it."

"That's terrible." Almas had never heard of any such thing from his father. Most of his war stories were about his victories. While he often mentioned that the Undead did many horrible things, he never went into detail about what those things were. The more Almas learned, the more he understood why his father avoided telling some of the details, and hoped he could avoid learning any more.

"Yes, it is," Bosha agreed to Almas' last statement, "but as long as we live it gives us time to find a way to continue living."

"So have you tried anything to escape?" Almas asked.

"I tried a strength burst to bend the bars, but they are thick and magically reinforced I'm afraid."

"Has anyone else tried anything?"

"I don't know. Most of us came from Noneh Village that got raided two nights ago. I was the only survivor with magic training. There were ten people here already when we arrived but I haven't gotten any of them to talk, unless you count insults from our ranger friend as talking."

"In other words, they aren't much help?" Almas asked.

"I don't know about that," Bosha replied. "Shall we go try to talk with them? Maybe they'll respond to you."

"Me? I'm 12. That guy may have been a toad, but he was right about me. There isn't anything I can do," Almas said.

"Maybe. Maybe not," Bosha said with a shrug. "Sometimes all that is needed is for you to just be you. Your name got more response from them than I've seen since I got here. If you do nothing else but be a symbol to unite us, then it could be enough to save us all."

Almas looked at the floor. Lich-El had told him he would live and eventually be released. If he was telling the truth, then all he had to do was wait. But these people would all die if they didn't escape. His father wouldn't leave them here to die. Despite all the insults and accusations Almas had heard, he knew his father wouldn't rest till all these people were safe.

Ulec would also do what he could to rescue these people. He had, after all, risked his life to save Almas before they had become friends.

Suddenly a thought hit him like a lightning bolt. They would be coming for him. His father and his friend would stop at nothing to rescue him. If Lich-el knew his father and best friend as well as he seemed to, then he also knew they would come for him.

Could he be bait for a trap? Did Lich-El lie about everything? Almas couldn't see any point to lying to him if it was a trap. Regardless of whether any of what Lich-el said was true or not, he was up to something and Almas just couldn't figure it out. How can you choose what to do if you can't figure out what is going on?

Frustration and fear finally got the best of Almas. Leaning his back against the wall he slid down and collapsed into a sitting position, hugging his knees, and let all the built up emotion flood out.

Bosha, taken aback by the sudden breakdown of emotion, tried to comfort him. "Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put everything on your shoulders like that."

The warrior sat down next to Almas and placed his hand at the base of Almas' neck in a comforting manner. Meanwhile Almas let the tears and sobs flow freely.

Despite being around people and Bosha's best effort to comfort him, Almas hadn't felt this terrified and alone since the time he had been lost in the forest. He had been attacked by a forest dragon and almost killed back then. This experience was far worse because not only was he terrified for himself, but he could see now the danger his loved ones were in and realized for the first time that he feared more for his family and friends.

Lich-El hadn't said anything specific, but he had seemed to have hinted at both threats to his family and toward his best friend. He had watched Ulec nearly get killed; he still wasn't sure how he'd survived. And if Ulec could be beaten so easily, then he realized his own father could be beaten.

Now that he could better see the depth of evil and power the Lich Lords possessed, he suddenly had all those nightmares and fears come back that he had had whenever his father left for a battle. Only now his better understanding just increased the fear not just for his family but for everyone he cared for.

Almas was beginning to see why his father had always taken such lengths to keep his family safe. Ulec had mentioned once that the number of scouts was increased when he was in the forest playing.

Scouts... Some of the revenants that had attacked him had been some of his father's scouts. They had been out there to protect him and were murdered and raised as revenants. His father had told him many times they were heroes for risking their lives to protect them, but Almas had still always taken them for granted. One of them he had recognized a few times delivering reports to his father and once in town with his family. Almas' worst fears were now a nightmarish reality for that family; their father wasn't coming home. He had died protecting him and he didn't even know his name. How many had died for him that he never knew?

Anger began to replace his fear as he began to understand better the depth of pain and suffering the Lich Lords were responsible for. He'd find a way to stop them. He was done standing back and just watching as others risked and gave their lives for him.

Almas hadn't realized he had stopped crying. But Bosha apparently had, and felt he could speak again.

"Don't worry about what I said before. We adults shouldn't pass the responsibility of escape to the young. You're our responsibility."

Almas shook his head. "No, you were right before. If we are going to get out, we all need to do what we can."

Bosha still looked worried and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's time I go introduce myself to my roommates."

# Chapter 5

"Is your cousin comfortable in his accommodations?"

"Why is he here?"

"He quite bravely stepped in front of one of Tornal's attacks to save a friend. He needed immediate care, and no, letting him die wasn't an option. He's family and you can't punish him for events that happened before he was born."

"I'll accept your words and decisions, but I don't have to like it."

"You aren't required to. But keep in mind the boy's bloodline alone could make him a valuable ally against our enemies."

"I don't need help against my enemies."

"If you say so. What I need now is for you to take some knights and scout out the area west of here. Lord Aguerius won't be happy about us taking his son and I need eyes out there."

"As you wish."

Gidon, Jerad and Teaneas rode quickly all night stopping briefly at sunrise to eat and for Gidon to use his signal horn to signal his men in the area they were approaching.

Shortly before noon they were joined by one of his scouts. Enas had been on his way to Morenville when he heard Gidon's signal. He brought news that Noneh Village had been wiped out by the Undead.

Gidon then promptly recruited Enas to take them to Demon Mountain by the shortest possible route. After all no one knew the regions of the Aguerius Province better than the scouts assigned to the region.

As the sun began to set, Demon Mountain was in full view. Gidon ordered a stop for camp. They had been traveling a full night and a day without rest. As much as Gidon wanted to hurry, he knew he'd be no help to his son if they approached an undead stronghold ready to drop from exhaustion.

Gidon pulled out a small, black box and opened it. Inside were two spindles: One pointed north and the other pointed towards Demon Mountain.

"What's that?"

Gidon turned to find Teaneas standing near him. Putting the box away, Gidon answered, "Four years ago after Almas got lost in the forest, we realized how close we came to losing him. So Izybel made a new crest for each of the kids and made compasses with a spindle magically linked to a crest. This one is linked to Almas' crest. It's pointing directly at Demon Mountain."

The two were silent for a couple of minutes, then Gidon began speaking again. "I was doing archery practice with Creetan when I was notified that some of my scouts had failed to report in. I could've gone home, retrieved this and followed it right to the kids. But I decided it would be faster to try to go find him right away. I thought I was just taking a precaution. I never thought the enemy could get so close so quickly."

"There is plenty of blame to pass around," Teaneas started. "My son's protection of the forest made it seem that nothing truly evil could penetrate the forest. I grew too complacent. For now what we need to do is to focus blame on those most responsible, those that invaded our children's sanctuary."

"Speaking of which," came a voice behind them. They both turned to see Jerad, who continued, "Do we have any kind of plan on how we are going to get Almas out of an undead forward base?"

Teaneas and Gidon looked at each other a moment. Then Teaneas turned to Jerad and answered, "Gidon and I will go in and negotiate the boy's release."

Jerad's eyebrows shot up. "You're just going to go in and ask for him?"

"Yes, they will not attack Gidon as long as he's accompanied by a neutral party."

"What happens if they decide you're not neutral? Tornal didn't seem to think your kids were neutral," Jerad responded gruffly.

"I knew most of the liches when they were human. They were children when I gave their parents this land, and they should know me well enough to know that to attack me would be...unfortunate... for them"

"Unfortunate? Who do you think you are? Planning to take Lord Aguerius into an Undead base unarmed and-"

Jerad was suddenly cut off as Teaneas suddenly extended his right arm towards him. As his arm rose a sword materialized in his hand, the point of which stopped, pressed against Jerad's chin.

As Jerad tried to stutter a response, the elf answered, "I am Teaneas, Lord of Telaxia; third son of Dunas, Lord of the Elves. I am knight and retainer to Mundial, God of Life, and a veteran of the War of Destruction, and I am never unarmed.

"If the Undead choose to attack us, then I can guarantee that they will regret it. Beyond that I guarantee nothing."

Gidon decided this might be a good time to interject. "That's enough, both of you. We have a hard day ahead of us."

Teaneas lowered his arm and the sword disappeared. Meanwhile Gidon continued, "I don't have much trust in the Undead. Yet I don't see us being able to sneak in, and fighting our way in and out would require a large force and would put Almas in danger. It's better to try some diplomacy."

"This still feels like suicide," Jerad grumbled as he stalked away.

After a moment of silence, Teaneas spoke. "I apologize. I was completely out of line."

Gidon rubbed his temples and responded, "We are all tired and on edge. I wish I had been allowed to let him know about your family earlier. I'm sure he feels a bit mis-trusted. I'll try to soothe things over with him when I get a chance-- for now let him walk it off. Once we get some sleep, we'll all be a little less cranky."

Enas, who had kept a discreet distance till that moment, stepped forward. "I'll take first watch. I'm far more rested than you three."

"Thanks, Enas," Gidon said, then headed to bed. As he did, Teaneas let Metal out of the shoulder bag before retiring for the night.

Izybel had yet another sleepless night. When Almas was lost in the forest, she at least knew enough that he was in protected land. Now one of her babies was in the hands of some of the most evil creatures in existence. Meanwhile all she could do was stay at home and argue with the most intolerable women she had ever met while she waited for a son and husband that might never return.

She had tried to busy herself by helping to see to Ulec and Seacra's injuries, but Lady Alixia quite rudely refused any and all help. How she was able to raise such sweet children while possessing the personality of a viper was beyond her. Giving up on any hope of sleep, Izybel got up to check on Crusty. It seemed that as far as Lady Alixia was concerned, the wolf was the only one injured that she was qualified to nurse back to health.

After checking the wolf's bandages, Crusty let out a faint whimper. Izybel sighed and comforted her son's pet.

"You did really well the other day. Don't worry. Almas will be back soon. Till then just work on getting better."

She patted the wolf on the back and then stood up. She started to head out to the kitchen when she heard a soft voice, almost a whisper, behind her.

"Mother?"

Turning, she found her daughter standing in the doorway. "Cady? What are you doing up this early?"

"I heard you and thought you might have been Seacra."

"Seacra? She should be in bed sleeping," she said with some concern.

Cady shook her head and said, "She isn't. She's been gone a real long time."

Izybel felt concern and a fear growing. Walking briskly past her daughter, she went straight to Ulec's room. She quietly opened the door and peered inside. The bed was empty!

She turned to go wake up Lady Alixia only to come face to face with the elvish lady.

"Oh," Izybel gave a small shout of surprise. How could these elves move around without making a single noise?

"What's going on?" Alixia demanded immediately.

"You startled me," Izybel said catching her breath, then added, "Cady came and told me she couldn't find Seacra. So I came to check on Ulec, and he's missing too."

As Izybel jumped aside, Lady Alixia rushed by her into Ulec's room muttering a word in a language Izybel didn't understand, but was sure it was probably not a word she wanted spoken in front of her daughter.

"Lady Alixia, please calm down. I'm sure they are safe-"

"Curse it all! That boy will be the death of me!" Alixia said as she came back out with a small piece of paper. "That boy is far too much like his father. He's going to get himself killed."

"Cady, wait here," Izybel ordered her daughter, then ignoring Cady's protests, followed Alixia and asked, "What does the note say?"

"He went with Seacra to help Teaneas rescue Almas," she answered stepping out the door.

Once outside and before Izybel could say another word, Alixia transformed into a bird and fluttered away. After picking up both speed and height, she transformed again into a mountain dragon and rapidly flew off.

Izybel watched her fly off as Creetan appeared next to her followed by Giddy and Cady.

"Mother, what's going on?" Creetan asked.

"Complications... Complications I hope your father can handle," Izybel answered.

# Chapter 6

"I think it's time we find a new leader."

"You're speaking treason, Dilfer."

"Come on Tornal, his protection of the Aguerius family is nothing less than treason. They are the enemy and yet he ties our hands concerning them."

"You've seen him fight. Trying to dethrone him would be our death."

"I've been speaking with others. He's only as strong as his weakest point, which happens to be the Aguerius family itself. Lord Aguerius will come for his son. If we have him we can easily take the rest. If we have power over that family, we'll have power over him."

"You'll have to take care of that yourself. He's keeping me far too close for me to do anything. But let's say I wouldn't mind it if he was no longer meddling with my experiments."

"Soon. If we stand united with his precious descendants in our possession, nothing will be able to stop us.

Gidon had everyone up and camp broken before the sun rose. Everyone more or less rested, even Jerad who had taken a one-hour walk to calm down after his exchange with Teaneas.

After nearing the mountain Gidon announced that he, Jerad and Teaneas would continue on foot and Enas would stay behind with the horses. Gidon didn't want to risk losing the horses to any Undead scouting parties. Plus Enas could bring them quickly when signaled.

As they neared the mountain, Gidon started using his compass more and more. He could tell he was getting close by the way the pointer became more and more unstable. From far away they could walk a little off course and the pointer changed little. Now if the path was just a little off the pointer started to rotate.

You're being tracked, a voice in Gidon's head spoke.

Gidon's bow, a fielis named Sacred Knight, hung on his shoulder. Like all fielis, Sacred Knight could only see what was in view, but could see in great detail.

Gidon responded in his mind, Where and how many?

Two that I can see, 200 feet to our left and slightly behind us.

Gidon stopped. Teaneas and Jerad stopped right behind him, Jerad asking if something was wrong. Gidon made a subtle gesture indicating two enemies and the direction. Jerad gripped his axe, ready to bring it to bear. Teaneas only nodded and whispered, "Are you ready?"

Gidon responded, "Now is better than later."

Teaneas nodded once again, and then turning to face the direction of the undead scouts loudly announced, "I am Lord Teaneas of the Elvish Realm. I wish to speak with he who is in charge here."

At first Gidon saw nothing, although Sacred Knight assured him they were coming. Shortly after, he caught movement in the brush and greenwood. The flashes of movement soon began to take the form of two revenants.

As the pair of undead creatures came close, Gidon motioned to Jerad to take no action. Jerad nodded but he kept a tight grip on his axe, ready for anything. Gidon couldn't blame him for being edgy; he was feeling edgy himself.

The revenants stopped about ten feet away and one bowed and said with a lifeless, hissing voice, "Lord Teaneas."

Teaneas, keeping a constant and dignified posture, addressed the one that bowed, "I would like to see who is in charge here as would these two men under my protection to negotiate the release of a child by the name of Almas Aguerius."

The revenant again hissed its answer, "Audience and safe passage granted. Follow."

Both revenants walked past Gidon, followed by Teaneas who nodded to him indicating he should follow. Gidon sighed and turned to Jerad, "Shall we?"

"After you," Jerad responded and the two men fell in behind Teaneas.

The revenants continued to lead them towards the mountain till they reached the base of the mountain. They stood before a wall of rock with an opening. On either side of the opening, a revenant stood at guard. Their escorts led them into the opening. After a short corridor a chamber opened up with a large metal door in the back. The revenants stopped at the door, and one turned around and addressed them.

"Leave weapons."

"You want us to go in unarmed?" Jerad asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Safe passage," the revenant hissed as his reply.

"Guess we better do it," Gidon said and began unstrapping all his various weapon.

"You're seriously going in unarmed?"

"Yes, Jerad, I am. Everything will be fine," Gidon assured him, glancing at Teaneas. The elf was putting down Metal's bag, undoing the knot but not opening the bag. He did not remove his ring, but the revenants didn't seem concerned about what appeared to be a normal ring.

Jerad sighed and put down his battle axe and also his supply of light-weight throwing axes. Gidon also dropped a small arsenal as he pulled weapon after weapon out of hidden spaces in his armor.

Once the Undead were satisfied they were unarmed, they unlocked and opened the metal door at the end of the room and led the threesome deeper into the caves.

"OK, I think we have everything. Now we just need to figure out when to escape and what we're going to do once we get out of this room." Almas looked at the instruments of their escape in his hands. If someone told him a week ago that he'd be planning to break out 30 people from an undead dungeon cell with a couple of turkey bones, he'd have died laughing at the person.

Admittedly they were useless without the magical talents of various prisoners. And while he was fairly certain the plan could get them all out of the room, they still couldn't figure out how they would find a way out of the caves.

"So, any ideas?" Almas continued.

Bosha and the others gathered around him all shook their heads at a loss. Almas was about to recommend that they'll sleep on it when he heard the last voice he expected to hear speak up.

"I can lead everyone out but only on one condition."

The speaker was Lemuem, the one-legged ranger that had mocked Almas when he first arrived in the dungeon. His statement raised a number of eyebrows.

"You?" Bosha asked. "You've done nothing but speak ill of us this entire time. You wanted nothing to do with this."

"I wanted nothing to do with you or the kid. As much as I'd hate to give you credit, I think your plan has a chance. And I can stoop to work with you if it means getting out of here."

"And how do you plan on leading us out?" Bosha asked.

"Don't you take me for some novice ranger. I've tracked every revenant, lich, and Kadus Knight that has entered this cell. By tracking their movements, I have constructed a nice map in my head. I know the path out of here."

Bosha was about to say something but Almas spoke first. "What is your condition?" His father had once said that the rivalry between the Warrior's Guild and the Rangers Guild was as big as a threat to the kingdom as the Undead. Almas was beginning to understand why.

"Only that we go right now," Lemuem answered.

"Now?!" Almas and Bosha said in unison. A few people nearby started murmuring at once, and Bosha continued, "Why now? We need at least a little time to rehearse."

"Just about every revenant, lich, and man I'm tracking are gathering in the main chamber. The path out is as clear as we can hope for. Not to mention they've never gathered together like this; it might not mean anything good for us."

"If this is the start of the invasion, then yes, the next step would be to start sacrifices. But why would they gather the revenants also? They have no mind apart from the lich that created them," Bosha observed.

"Whatever the reason, I doubt we will have another opportunity like this," Lemuem insisted.

"Well?" Bosha directed his question towards everyone present.

"I say we trust him," Almas answered. "I'm ready to go in now. This place feels like death and a change would be nice."

Everyone else nodded in agreement and Bosha conceded, "Alright then. Let's get everyone ready and get to work."

Jerad and the others were led through a maze of tunnels. It seemed that they had gone deep underneath the mountain when they came to a huge chamber filled with revenants, Kadus Knights, and Lich Lords. The ceiling was high with huge stalagmites hanging from it.

In the back of the room was a large throne that appeared to be made of stone. Sitting on it was the oldest looking Lich Lord Jerad had ever seen. Although he looked old, it'd be wrong to say he looked weak. In fact Jerad wasn't sure he had ever seen a stronger looking warrior. Other than looking Undead, his body appeared to be in top physical form. He also seemed to radiate both confidence and power.

They were brought before the Lich Lord, who broke into a cold smile and said, "Teaneas, my old friend--welcome. And Lord Aguerius, I'm honored to finally meet you, my boy."

"Thodien," Teaneas responded coldly.

"Lich-El, if you please."

"As you wish," Teaneas responded. "I have come here to ask about a crime committed by one of your company, and inquire after the fate of one of the victims."

Lich-El smiled pleasantly and answered, "If you are referring to Lord Gidon's son, I am pleased to inform him that the boy is here and quite safe. He will be returned to you immediately."

Gidon gave a sigh of relief while Teaneas continued, "We are relieved to hear that. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to why it was felt necessary to attack three children and abduct one of them."

"Tornal was investigating rumors of a forest spirit in Aguerius Forest. He was under strict orders not to harm any of the Aguerius family. The boy was injured during a small fight and it was necessary to bring him here to heal him," Lich-El answered.

"And where is Tornal now?" Teaneas asked.

"Tornal is being punished for disobeying my orders."

"And just what," Gidon asked, "is his punishment?"

"How I choose to punish him is my concern," Lich-El's response came.

"Your concern?" Gidon said with anger clearly growing on his face. "Tornal murdered two of my men!"

"Gidon..." Teaneas warned. "Not here."

Many of the liches stepped back as Gidon continued despite Teaneas' warning, the air around him beginning to glow with sacred magic, "... he attacked my son and my son's friends..."

"That's enough," Lich-El warned, his face growing serious for the first time.

"...then injured them and brought my son here! And you dare say-"

Lich-El stood up and tapped his war hammer on the ground, and at once all around Gidon a circle of long stone spikes shot up from the ground at an angle that pointed the tips at Gidon's head. Before Gidon could react they stopped less than an inch from his head.

Gidon stood wide-eyed and shocked. His head only was visible above the stone pyramid. Jerad reached reflexively for his axe that wasn't there. Teaneas grabbed his wrist and whispered for him to wait.

How could he wait? His lord and friend was just about decapitated.

"That," Lich-El spat, "is enough. I have granted you safe passage, but do not forget that our peoples are at war. I, as your enemy, am not responsible for the wellbeing of your children. That is your responsibility as a father, a responsibility you failed to fulfill and would have cost you your son had I, your enemy, not intervened.

"You claim to be a protector of your people. Yet you know as well as I that your people would've been annihilated years ago for their crimes against us had I not been merciful and held back my armies. As you are now, you are powerless to protect anything. You and your people live by my mercy. But I have done my last favor for your family and your kingdom. Go collect your son, and then I suggest you find the power within to protect him and the rest of your family and people."

Gidon stared opened-mouthed at Lich-El. He dared not move with the ring of sharp rocks pointed right at the base of his head. Lich-El tapped his war hammer once more and the stones receded as he sat down. Gidon, now free, was still speechless. Teaneas, however, was not.

"The other two children Tornal attacked were mine. And we are not at war," he said.

"Ahh, but we are," answered Lich-El. "I tried to warn your wife, and she rewarded me with lies and attacked me. That is a declaration of war. If she had listened to me and left at once, your children would have been safe under her protection. Instead she did this."

Lich-El raised his left hand, revealing three missing fingers, and continued, "They will finish regenerating in the next day or two, but I will not accept unprovoked attacks on my people or on myself."

Teaneas nodded, not losing his composure for a moment and answered, "I see. If that is how things are, then I thank you for your audience and will leave just as soon as we collect Lord Gidon's son."

"Wait," Jerad spoke up, "that's it?"

"Yes, it is," Teaneas answered. "We came to find and secure the release of Almas. We've accomplished that so it is time to leave."

"I agree; you should leave before the tension grows anymore," Lich-El said. "Dilfor and Solis will take you to Lord Aguerius' son and retrieve him for you. Goodbye and take care."

Lich-El waved for them to follow two liches near the room's only exit. Teaneas bowed his head respectfully towards Lich-El and followed the pair of liches out of the room. Gidon and Jerad followed a step behind him.

Almas watched anxiously as the older woman dipped the pointed end of the turkey bone in the blood on the tip of her finger, and then continued to use it to draw cracks on the bars of the cell.

The woman was a member of the Artist's Guild and had been taken prisoner by the Lich Lords four years earlier when the Undead had wiped out the Vatan Province. She had been stuck in various dungeons since. Almas couldn't imagine being trapped in dark cells for that long, which was longer than he had even known Ulec, and hearing her story deepened his resolve to get himself and everyone else out.

The woman had been trained in artistic magic which meant she could work magic through her art. Right now he was using that ability to weaken the bars.

Once she finished drawing cracks on the bottom and top of two bars, she took a step back. Now it was his turn.

Almas glanced back at Bosha, who seemed to be meditating. Then he turned to another woman with a little girl who would be his helpers.

"Okay just like our short practice," he said, after which they placed their hands on the bars.

The plan was for them to move their hands as he hit the bars with the larger turkey bone, changing the tones and allowing him to use bardic magic to further weaken the bars. Almas hoped that the little music training he had gotten from his uncle and his mother would be enough.

Almas started beating out a tune on the bars with his helpers, and after a moment started humming an accompaniment to it. They continued like this for a couple minutes, hands working the bars to get the right tones and Almas humming and pouring as much magic into the bars as he could.

Soon the older woman helping Almas work the bars said, "Okay, get ready. On the count of 3. 1...2...3!"

On the last count Almas and his two helpers jumped away from the bars and Bosha leaped forward. With a yell he hit the bar from the side with his hand and broke it off and smashed it into the second bar, which also broke off right where the cracks were drawn.

Bosha took one of the bars and stepped out of the cell and nudged the other one to fall into the cell where Lemuem caught it and used it like a crutch to follow Bosha out. No sooner were the two men out then the door to the room swung open and a revenant came in.

Bosha wasted no time throwing his bar, pointed at one end were the break followed the cracks drawn on it, which struck the revenant in the chest like a javelin. The undead creature crumbled to dust, and Bosha stepped forward and collected his make-shift javelin. He then glanced at Lemuem.

"We are clear for now," Lemuem answered Bosha's unspoken question.

"Alright," Bosha said looking at everyone in the cell. "The lich that the revenant belonged to knows what we are doing, and we can count on him spreading word fast. So Lemuem has point and will lead us out. I'll cover our backs. Follow Lemuem."

"Right this way everyone," Lemuem added as he helped some of the children out of the cell and then started down the tunnel at a surprisingly quick pace for someone missing a leg.

Almas moved up and down the line of people seeing if there was anything he could do to help but found there wasn't much he could do now. Lemuem seemed to have been right about the way being clear. There didn't seem to be any opposition at all. He could only hope their luck lasted.

Gidon and the others had only been following the pair of liches for a couple minutes when the pair and the revenants with them suddenly stopped. Gidon watched them for a moment in silence as the liches gave each other confused looks. He was about to ask if something was wrong when they took off at a run with their revenants close behind. Gidon swapped some confused looks of his own with his comrades a moment, and then Teaneas said, "We'd better follow and see what's up. Just be on your guard."

Teaneas took lead and the three followed the Undead down a few passages. Soon they caught up to the Undead as they were looking into a room.

The lich that Lich-El had called Solis turned to Gidon and accused, "This is your doing!"

"I don't know what happened, but I assure you I've done nothing beyond what we discussed with Lich-El," Gidon answered.

"You came here and drew our forces away from the cell so the prisoners could stage an escape!"

"Prisoners?" Gidon questioned. He had been so preoccupied with his missing son he hadn't even thought that there might be others held here.

Teaneas responded quickly, "You would best use your time recovering your prisoners than wasting it hurling baseless accusations. Just direct us to Lord Gidon's son and we will leave you to that task."

"We will recover them just as soon as we deal with you!" Solis shouted as he drew his sword; Dilfer and all the revenants following suit.

Teaneas took a step back as the Undead approached and complained, "We were granted safe passage by Lich-El."

The revenants advanced as the two Lich Lords hung back and Dilfer answered, "Lich-El's time is about up and his orders will no longer hold meaning, once we have all of you."

Teaneas stepped between the approaching revenants and Gidon and Jerad. The revenants raised their weapons to strike Teaneas, but with one lightning-quick swing of his arm the two nearest revenants disintegrated as a sword appeared in Teaneas' hand.

"Can you two find your way outside?" Teaneas called over his shoulder as he dispatched two more revenants.

"I think so. We passed the passage leading back the way we first entered a little while back," Gidon answered.

"You two go and find the escaped prisoners. Almas might be with them. I'll cover your withdraw and catch up."

"There's too many of them. We should stay together."

"No, please trust me and do as I ask!" Teaneas commanded, fending off five revenants.

Gidon hesitated a moment. Teaneas became more and more surrounded as he slowly moved back. Gidon's instinct was to stay, get a hold of one of the revenant's weapons and help. But then Teaneas had far more experience in battle than Gidon did. Plus if the legends about him were true, then Teaneas was far from boasting when he said he could handle it.

Signaling Jerad to follow, Gidon started back down the tunnel. After running a few yards he stopped to give one last glance at the fight behind him -- a move that almost cost his life.

Just as he turned to look at Teaneas, there was a flash where Teaneas stood, then the entire tunnel was enveloped in flames and heat. Even as far back as he was, Gidon was knocked back by the force of the heat. Gidon started to get up but realized the brush with the flames had set his tunic on fire. Jerad was by his side in an instant and helped pat out the flames as he pulled him back.

While he was being pulled back, Gidon looked back to see if he could find the source of the explosion. He found it standing in the tunnel.

Teaneas' cloak was engulfed in blue flames and everything within 15 feet of him was either burning or already ash, Solis, Dilfer, and the revenants Teaneas had been fighting being the latter.

"Get going!" Teaneas called stepping further down the tunnel away from stone walls that were beginning to melt.

Gidon nodded and stood up. No Undead could get close enough to Teaneas right now to hurt him. He'd be safe for now, and now it was time to find his son.

# Chapter 7

"This is getting out of hand, Lord Lich-El."

"The prisoners are of no concern."

"Solis and Dilfer were both just killed."

"Teaneas wouldn't break the truce unless he was attacked first. They should have thought out their plan to use the Aguerius family against me better. Oh well, it saves me the trouble of executing them for treason. Hopefully it will serve as an example of what happens when one plots against me. Don't you think so?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Getting the prisoners back is now in the hands of our scouts. And the fate of the Aguerius family is now in their own hands. My protection for them is ended. As soon as the situation is resolved, we'll abandon this base."

Almas was with Bosha when he realized their escape had hit its first obstacle. They caught up to the group gathered in front of a large metal door.

"It's locked," one of the women said in despair.

"Snipies!" Bosha swore. "Where is Lemuem?"

"I...don't know, he was just here!"

"He left us!"

Almas searched the room while walking to the door. It was a small room with two passages going out of it, not counting the door. Had Lemuem abandoned them by going out the other passage? He checked the door but it was locked and looked far stronger than the bars on the cell. Breaking it down wasn't an option.

Almas was sure that this was the door to the exit -- a fortified gate that trapped them in as well as keeping the liches' enemies out. He was looking at the lock when he noticed a familiar smell. He didn't have much time to think about it because he heard footsteps running from the other passage.

At first he thought it might be Lemuem but realized immediately that he couldn't be running. It turned out to be Deleta, who appeared at the entrance with his sword drawn. He smiled in triumph once he saw all the escaped prisoners.

"Going somewhere?" he asked in a gloating voice.

"Yes," Bosha answered, "we decided it's time to leave. Now kindly unlock the doors and we'll leave you alive."

Deleta laughed at the threat, "I have a better idea. All of you go back to your cell now and you might live to the end of the day."

Things were about to get bloody. If his suspicions about the smell were correct, then all they needed was a little more time. It was time to stall and see how strict the rule against killing him was. Taking a deep breath, Almas stepped between Bosha and Deleta.

"None of us are going back so if you are going to start killing people, you will have to start with me."

Almas watched Deleta's face as Bosha protested Almas' interfering and told him to step back. But Almas didn't move. Deleta hesitated with doubt passing momentarily across his face. Then he smiled and said, "In your case I only need to make sure I cause no permanent damage."

Well, so much for that idea. Deleta took another step forward while Almas searched his mind for another idea. Bosha stepped in front of Almas and raised the bar he held, ready for a fight. However, the fight never came. Deleta was hit by another bar from behind without warning. He crumpled to the ground and revealed Lemuem standing behind him.

"Lemuem!" Almas exclaimed, "We thought..."

"I had left you all?" He grinned, "When we hit the locked door, I knew this one would catch up so I had to find a hiding spot and plan an ambush quick."

Using his bar for support, he lowered himself and took Deleta's sword and dagger from him. He fastened the dagger and sheath to himself and standing back up he held the sword over Deleta to finish him off. Almas, realizing what he was doing, stepped forward and grabbed his arm before he could strike, yelling, "No, wait!"

"He's a Kadus Knight," Lemuem responded calmly.

"He's also my cousin," Almas whispered back, then he added, "Please leave him and let's just go."

"We still need to get past that door," Lemuem reminded him.

"I think that's being taken care of. Bosha would you give it a try," Almas responded.

Lemuem reluctantly put the sword away and kept guard on the two rear entrances while Almas and Bosha went to the main door. As Bosha used a strength burst to open the door, he heard a loud snap inside the door and it opened.

"How did...?" Bosha started to ask as Almas helped open the door and found a slime attached to the outside of the door over the lock.

"Metal!" Almas exclaimed and began pulling the slime off the door.

"Do you know that thing?" Bosha asked, eyeing the slime as Almas finished pulling it from the door.

"It's my friend's pet. Let's get everyone outside," Almas answered.

"Must be an interesting friend," Bosha replied as he motioned all the other escapees to follow him.

Everyone followed Bosha to the outside as Almas scanned the room beyond the door. Metal was here but no Ulec. He quickly spotted Ulec's shoulder bag and went over to retrieve it. Why would he leave Metal in the room and not be nearby?

As Almas put on the bag, he was only slightly aware of the rest of the prisoners leaving when he noticed a pile of weapons in the corner nearby. The pile consisted of various swords, daggers, axes, and a bow. They looked familiar so he stepped over to them. He picked up the bow, which looked like his father's bow. It was the bow that he nearly always saw his father carry, he was sure of it. The battle axe nearby looked like the one belonging to his Uncle Jerad. If they were also here, why did they leave their weapons here? Were they captured or in trouble?

Almas felt panic rising when suddenly a voice came to his mind, Your father and friends are fine. You need to leave now!

Almas gasped and dropped the bow. It was a fielis! His father's bow was a fielis!

"Come on Almas, we're the last ones!"

Lemuem grabbed Almas with his free hand and moved towards the entrance with the speed of a whole man.

"But-" Almas started to say but he couldn't find the words to protest as Lemuem pulled him outside. Almas had once found a fielis, a magical object with a soul of its own. Though the one he had met had the worst personality.

Reaching the outside Almas heard Lemuem mumble a curse. Becoming alert to his surroundings, he saw the other prisoners were heading west along the mountainside while revenants were coming out of the forest from the east and south.

"Quickly go with the group," Lemuem said as he pushed Almas in the direction the rest of them were going.

"Wait, what about you?"

"I'll slow them down. You go help Bosha get the others out of here."

Almas hesitated. He couldn't possibly leave a cripple to face revenants alone. The first revenants were reaching Lemuem, who pulled out the dagger he had taken from Deleta and lifted the bar he had been using as a crutch and balanced himself on one foot. Almas then saw the most amazing thing. Hopping and balancing with just one foot, Lemuem fought with just as much speed and nimbleness as a warrior that wasn't crippled.

He hopped, dodged, parried, and struck without once losing balance, slowly giving up ground. But more and more revenants were surrounding him and Almas knew he would soon be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. It was then that Ulec arrived.

Lemuem had moved back under a tree and Ulec just noiselessly landed next to him, pulled Deleta's sword from the scabbard Lemuem had strapped to his side, dodged the ranger's startled counter attack, and with lightning speed took out two revenants.

"Ulec!" Almas shouted.

"Where did you come from!?" Lemuem demanded instantly, going back to his fight with the revenants.

"He's a friend, don't worry," Almas responded.

"I figured that out. I asked where in the demonic pit he came from! No one's ever snuck up on me before!"

Ulec ignored Lemuem and shouted to Almas, "Take Metal to where the others are. The revenants have us surrounded."

"But..." Almas started to protest.

"Go now!" Ulec insisted.

Almas turned and ran. Ulec was right. Bosha was protecting a couple dozen people by himself so he could use all the help he could get.

He didn't have far to run before finding Bosha swinging his bar like a madman with the rest of the prisoners 20 feet behind him at the base of a cliff.

Bosha was taking down revenants with each swing but just like Lemuem was before, he was getting mobbed quickly, and this time he was sure Ulec wouldn't be dropping out of any trees.

Almas reached a spot between Bosha and the rest of the escaped prisoners, thinking quickly about how he could help. Two revenants broke off and started towards him. Remembering what Ulec had done a few days earlier, Almas grabbed the bottom of Metal's shoulder bag and whipped the bag in front of him, flinging the slime at the nearest revenant. The revenant raised its sword, but Metal was already spraying a stream of acid at the revenant's head. The revenant crumbled to dust and Metal shot another stream of acid reducing the second revenant to dust also.

"Almas! Go help the group!"

Looking to the source, Almas saw Bosha completely surrounded by over a dozen revenants. He was purely on the defensive using the length of the bar to keep the revenants as far from him as possible.

Another group of revenants were moving in on the remaining prisoners from the side. Almas looked around desperately for ideas, but he knew they were hopelessly outnumbered and he had no weapons. His heart sank as he realized he had failed these people. He had brought them hope only to get them all killed. Then he heard a hawk shriek.

Looking up he saw a hawk diving at the group of revenants heading towards the prisoners. It landed right in front of the advancing Undead and changed into Seacra, who shot one of the revenants with a magic bolt from her hand and yelled something at them in elvish. Then as the remaining revenants closed in on her, she turned into a forest dragon. Before they could react, she knocked the undead creatures aside with one sweep of her tail, banging them hard into the side of the cliff.

Almas cheered, "That's it! Go Seacra!"

"Almas! Move, curse it all!"

Bosha had broken free of the group of revenants and was slowly retreating towards Almas and the others.

"How'd you break free?" Almas asked as he started backing up.

"The slime attacked from the bushes. That's one clever little -- watch out!"

Almas looked to his left and found three revenants only a few paces from him coming at him with raised swords. Almas only managed to take a step back when a voice behind the revenants called out.

"Almas, down!"

Almas knew that voice well and responded more out of reflex than anything else. He just let himself drop to the ground and a golden blade of magic cut down two of the revenants and passed over him. Meanwhile the third revenant fell forward with a throwing axe sticking out of the base of its neck.

Looking up Almas saw his father and Jerad jogging up to him.

"Father!"

Jerad spoke first, jogging past Almas saying, "Sorry about that. Those three got away from us."

His father bent down and helped Almas up as Jerad went over to Bosha to help out.

"Nice party you have going on here, son. Mind if we play too?" Gidon asked with a smile.

"Father you're... you're... smoking!?"

Almas could see his father's cloths were singed and there was some light smoke coming off his clothes. Gidon didn't miss a beat and responded, "Thanks, you should've seen Ulec's father down there. He was really on fire. Now go over to where everyone else is. We'll take it from here."

Gidon didn't waste any time. He sized up the situation and started giving orders.

"Seacra seems to have the west side taken care of. Jerad has southwest, I have south, Bosha has southeast, and Lemuem take the east. Where is Ulec?"

"That would be anyone's guess. I tried to put a magic mark on him to keep track of him and ended up tracking a tree stump. That kid is like a ghost or something," Lemuem answered.

"Is that him by the dragon?" Bosha asked.

Sure enough, there was Ulec right by Seacra and fought a few moments with her right before she turned back into an elvish girl and collapsed for no reason he could see.

Gidon cursed and prayed that the girl was ok. He tried his best to keep tabs on everything as he took down two revenants with his sword and three more with a blast of holy magic. Stealing a glance over to where the two elvish children were, Gidon saw Ulec was fighting off the revenants Seacra had left; meanwhile Almas had dashed over there and was pulling Seacra out of danger, giving Gidon the dilemma of praising his son for bravery later or knocking him upside the head for putting himself in danger.

Gidon cut down another group with another blast of magic, but it seemed for every revenant they took down three more arrived. One bit of good news was they were not using the bones growing out of their arms. It would seem there were interested in taking them alive rather than turn them into revenants.

Glancing at the others, he figured they were seconds from being completely overwhelmed. He needed to buy time.

"Everyone pull in close around the non-combatants," Gidon ordered.

"Do what!?" Lemuem asked incredulously.

"Just do it," Jerad barked back.

Everyone started retreating back and Gidon ordered everyone to get as close together as they could. Just as everyone came together, Gidon knelt on the ground, thrust his sword into the dirt and bowed his head. Instantly a transparent golden dome appeared over everyone. Some of the revenant's attacked but were repelled and burned by the dome.

"So this is the Paladin's Holy Shield," Lemuem mused. "How long can you hold it up?"

"Not long," Gidon muttered, already feeling his magic reserves getting low. Protecting so many at once helped slow down the drain, but he couldn't hold long. Hopefully Teaneas was as powerful as legend said, and hopefully he'd catch up soon.

The revenants stopped attacking the shield which also helped slow the drain and Gidon saw a Lich Lord approaching through the revenants. Seeing he had a few seconds, he quickly asked, "What happened to Seacra?"

"She used a lot of magic flying us here. She was supposed to rest; not fight. She over did it, but I think she'll be ok," Ulec answered.

Gidon nodded and said, "She saved a lot of lives here. She's a brave girl."

The Lich Lord approached close enough to address the group, "That was a bold attempt, but I think it's time this ended. Put your weapons down and submit."

"No, thanks," Gidon answered with a smile. "We're quite comfortable right here. Was thinking of building a homestead, maybe a workshop over where you're standing."

"You're wasting your wit on the wrong person. We both know you can only keep that shield up for a few moments longer. If you expect help from your friend inside I wouldn't count on him getting out any time soon."

Was it possible they got Lord Teaneas? From the stories told about him, Gidon thought it unlikely but he couldn't be sure. What he was sure of was the liches would eventually kill everyone here whether they surrendered or not. If Teaneas wasn't coming, they would be overwhelmed easily unless he could kill the lich and in so doing all the revenants belonging to it. But the lich was no fool; it kept a wall of revenants between them.

Gidon was thinking furiously when he heard Ulec utter an "oh no" behind him. At first he was concerned something might be wrong with Seacra, but looking at the boy he saw Ulec's gaze was focused upward.

"What is it, Ulec? More trouble heading our way?" He asked.

"Yeah, big trouble. For me anyway."

Another hawk swooped down between the revenants and Gidon's shield and changed into Lady Alixia as it landed. She stepped forward towards the magic shield, her eyes a storm of rage. She raised her hand to the shield and with a burst of light from her hand, Gidon's shield shattered and Gidon was thrown back feeling like he just got hit by a tree. Jerad caught and steadied him. Everyone, including the lich, stared in shock as Alixia walked up to Ulec who had handed Seacra over to Almas and faced his mother with an impassive face.

"How dare you sneak out and disobey me! You are in no condition to be out and about, let alone be fighting. What happened to your sister?"

Ulec glared at his mother a moment then answered, "She over-exerted herself magically, but I think she'll be fine. Father is still fighting down the tunnel east of here if you care at all."

Alixia's hand moved faster than Gidon could track but Ulec staggered and red marks from where his mother had slapped him instantly appearing was proof of contact. For an instant Gidon saw the same shock on Alixia's face as on everyone else. Almost instantly she composed herself. And apparently so did the Lich Lord.

"If I'm not interrupting, I was demanding a surrender."

Alixia answered without even turning her head to the undead army behind her, "Rynos, take your abominations and leave."

The revenants raised their weapons and began to advance as Rynos started to say, "Do you really dare to dictate to m-"

Alixia's form changed to that of a male elf and tapped the toe of her right foot behind her left foot. A small crack shot out from the spot she tapped, went under the advancing revenants right to Rynos, who only had time to take a surprised step backwards before the crack reached him and he disappeared in a pillar of magical energy that erupted from the ground under him.

In a moment the Lich Lord was gone and the revenants crumbled to dust. Alixia resumed her natural form and shaking her head said, "His father was a fine warrior who would've been sorely disappointed."

Alixia then brought her focus back to Ulec and said, "Your arm is bleeding again."

"Its fine," Ulec responded, only glancing a moment at the bandages on his shoulder that was now turning bright red.

"What more, you haven't recovered completely from your concussion. You could have passed out."

"I said I'm fine!" Ulec growled.

Alixia just sighed and said, "Gidon, I suggest you take your people and leave. I will take care of things here," as she turned and started towards the entrance to the Undead base.

"I'll stay with them while you get father," Ulec stated matter-of-factly. "We'll see to Seacra, too."

Alixia stopped a moment then without looking back answered, "Very well," and continued.

As she walked away Ulec turned to Gidon and said, "We need to go now." and then taking his shoulder bag from Almas, went over to some nearby bushes and picked up Metal out of them and dropped the slime into the bag.

Gidon took the moment to do a quick examination of his son. From the condition of his clothes. He should've had a serious injury to his chest but there wasn't even so much as a scar on him. He'd have to question why Lich-El had spared his son later. Right now he was just relived to have him back. Standing up, Gidon ordered Jerad to take Seacra and told everyone else to follow him.

They had only gone a couple hundred yards when roars began filling the air. Glancing back Almas saw thick, black smoke rising from the direction of the cave entrance, along with a small burst of flame appearing in the smoke. Turning to Ulec who was beside him, he mumbled, "Is she helping your dad or trying to kill him along with the Undead?"

Ulec said nothing, but Almas' father a few steps in front of them answered, "From what I saw earlier I don't think we have to worry about Lord Teaneas. I'm beginning to see how they were so successful fighting together in the War of Destruction. Their abilities complement each other. What was in your father's cloak that burned like that?"

"The same stuff that dragons make to breath fire -- only concentrated. My father's magical gift is power over fire... So yes, he's the only one able to fight near my mother without risking his own life. Her attacks aren't very selective."

"I've noticed," Gidon responded.

Ulec then whispered to Almas, "If you're worried about the Knight you left in the tunnel, he made it to safety."

"How did you know about him?" Almas asked in a whisper.

Ulec smiled and responded, "I have my sources."

He then looked down at one of his pockets and Almas, following his gaze saw a small mouse climb out and scamper away."

Almas had wondered about Deleta but wasn't about to mention him in front of his father. He didn't think this was a good time to bring up his new found cousin.

Suddenly the ground started shaking but was over before most of them realized what was happening.

"What was that?" Jerad asked.

"I think," Ulec began slowly, "I think it was a cave-in in the tunnels."

"What about your parents?" Almas asked, noticing that the flames and roaring stopped with the earthquake.

"They're fine. The liches sealed the entrance as soon as my father was out. They should be here in a few seconds."

Sure enough Almas could already hear the sound of large beating wings. Soon the form of a mountain dragon could be seen through the trees. Hanging from one of the dragon's legs was Teaneas.

Teaneas dropped to the ground nearby and then the dragon landed next to him and changed back to Alixia. Teaneas strode up to Gidon and asked, "Is everyone alright?"

"Yes," Gidon answered. "Lady Alixia's timing couldn't have been better. We are indebted to the both of you as well as your children."

"I'm happy all are well," Alixia said promptly. "Now it is time for us to leave. Teaneas, take Seacra. Ulec, let's go."

Go? Almas had a feeling she didn't mean go home or go for a walk. "Where are you going?"

"Away," Alixia answered. "I will not allow such an attack on my children again. It is no longer safe here."

"I'm not going," Ulec said softly.

"Nonsense. Now let me see to your shoulder and we will be off."

Alixia stepped towards Ulec, but Ulec grabbed his bandaged shoulder and raised his voice, "Don't touch me!"

Alixia stopped, which was less a reaction than everyone else showed who took a step or two away from Ulec. Along with his raised voice and fierce look in his eyes, Almas could suddenly feel magic around Ulec stronger than he had ever felt before. For just an instant Almas thought he might have seen a look of fear cross Lady Alixia's face.

Finally, Alixia responded, her voice softer, "You don't understand."

"I do understand some things better than you," Ulec responded, his voice also softer but still radiating power. As Ulec continued, Teaneas stepped up to his son who offered no protest as he began fix the bandaging on Ulec's shoulder.

"I can see clearly, Mother, what is coming. The Lich Lords are not doing one of their raids. I can see them now gathering in dozens of locations. They are getting ready for something big and it looks like they will do it soon. I will not leave while they kill my friends. I also have a responsibility to the forest. I can't just leave it in a war."

Ulec seemed to be in a trance now. He often gathered information from the plants and animals of the forest but Almas had never seen him look so distant.

Alixia now looked a little worried. "Calm down son. You will hurt yourself."

"I'm not leaving."

"War is no place for children. And this is not our war."

"Alixia," Teaneas had finished adjusting Ulec's bandage and stepped towards his wife. "A moment please."

Alixia gave Teaneas a foul look but followed him a few paces to speak with him. Meanwhile Ulec seemed to calm down. The magic that had seemed to surround him before disappeared, and he suddenly looked tired.

"Are you okay?" Almas asked him.

Ulec nodded and answered, "I'm fine."

Almas thought he still sounded tired but didn't argue with him. After a few moments Seacra, who was still being held by Jerad, started to stir. Ulec was to her first as Jerad gently put her on the ground.

"What happened?" she asked sleepily.

"You overdid it and collapsed. I told you, you needed rest," Ulec reprimanded.

"Almas?"

"I'm here."

"We are all here safe because of you," Gidon added. "You were very brave and saved my son's life and the life of others. I'm indebted to you."

"He saved me first," she murmured, still not fully awake.

"I think we should let her rest some more," Gidon said as he patted Almas on the shoulder and pulled him into a one-armed hug.

Normally Almas would have been embarrassed by the show of affection in front of everyone, but this time he didn't care. He couldn't think of anything better than knowing his dad was proud of him.

The sound of Alixia clearing her voice brought their attention back to her.

"After discussing it with my husband, I've decided that Seacra will come with me as I attend to some business elsewhere. Ulec may remain with you if he chooses for the time being as long as Teaneas stays with him."

"Then I choose to stay," Ulec said.

"Let me finish," Alixia said giving her son a scolding look. "You may stay till my business is done. Then we will discuss where to go from there. You will mind your father in all he decides."

Ulec thought a moment and answered, "Alright."

"It is settled then. We will accompany you back and once Seacra has recovered completely, we will go."

As soon as Lady Alixia finished, it was Ulec's turn to collapse. Lord Teaneas gently caught him and picked his son up.

"Is he okay?" Almas asked with alarm.

Lord Teaneas smiled at him and answered, "He'll be fine, although it wouldn't surprise me if he slept a day or two. He was most certainly pushing his limits. Just let him rest a bit."

"Okay," Almas responded. Part of him was glad that Ulec was staying, but he couldn't forget what Lich-El had told him. He just had this feeling that something horrible was waiting in the future. Maybe it was just the feeling that still persisted in this area, a creepy, death-like feeling he had been feeling since he had been taken. He was sure things would work out. He was, after all, back with family and friends. Things would be better once he got home.

"Well, if everything is settled, shall we get going? This place feels creepy, and I'm ready to get home."

# Also by Marc Van Pelt

Mathen's Flight

Fate's Foe Series Book 1
Chapter 1

Mathen didn't go to the City of Aguares to have his life completely turned upside down. He also hadn't planned on turning the town its-self upside down. He had traveled just over a week from the City of Valen for only one thing...Rocks.

Well, stone might be a better word for it. Mathen owned more than a small number of factories that made the best stone products in all the Necromian Kingdom. He had heard of a new stone quarry outside of Aguares with unusually high quality of stone.

So it was purely with the intent of a business deal that he found himself driving his wagon through a forest of dead trees just outside Aguares in the Yucaipan Republic. It was the 3rd such forest he and his two escorts had passed through and Mathen found himself reflecting on the changes he had seen in the world during his life. It was during the course of these reflections that a voice came to his mind.

You should've seen this world in the day I was created. Only the most ancient elves can even imagine the life and beauty this land once enjoyed.

Mathen's hand moved to his chest and felt the shape of an ancient crest that hung from his neck under his shirt. The crest had been in his family for over 800 years but it wasn't the age that gave it its value. It was the soul locked away inside of it by ancient elvish magic. It was a fieles, which was the name given to living objects.

I'd rather not, Mathen thought back. Just the decay in my own time is enough to make me sad. I'm not sure I can bear what could've been.

The Voice responded, you think it's hard for you? Think how some of the more ancient of the elves feel about it. In the last 800 years they have watched humans build more and more machines that aren't very friendly to nature. Just those steam engine things you guys came up with a few years ago do tend to make the air very dirty. It's no wonder they blame you guys for the decay.

Mathen replied, but we know humans aren't to blame. This decay started over a thousand years ago. All we can do is make best of the time the world has left and there is still quite a bit of time left.

Much time for you perhaps, but a blink for me. And then I'll be here long after the world dies. That's my future, came the response.

It was an old argument. Mathen determined to make the best of his life and the life of others while the fieles around his neck spoke of the good ol' days and complained about the present, and the future, or lack thereof.

The fieles was named Seer. Its power was to give glimpses of the future, sometimes things that would be and at times things that might be. The glimpses would come randomly, sometimes as clear visions, or at times as vague premonitions.

Despite their arguments and different opinions the two were good friends and had developed a relationship of trust. Seer had been extremely helpful in all of Mathen's business dealings and it was on the fieles recommendation that he was now entering Aguares.

The city had spent most of the last two thousand years as a farming community. So while it was one of the largest cities in the region it was spread out and seemed very small when compared to the cities of the neighboring kingdoms and nations.

Making the city feel smaller yet was the fact the fields had lost their fertility over the last five years. Most of the population had left and only the fates knew what the rest had done to survive since the stone quarry had opened only a few months ago.

As his wagon slowly made its way down the main street towards the center of town he was amazed on how few people there were. There were a couple of sullen looking children sitting in front of a shop. A man dressed in rags lying on the side of the street in what appeared to be a drunken slumber. Mathen noticed his escorts kept resting their hands on the holsters of their firearms as they moved through the city.

I've seen cities a day after being pillaged and razed with happier and more numerous people, Seer commented.

Mathen responded, most left when the farms failed. Those that remain are spread out. What I wonder is how they have survived these last five years with no visible source of income.

Independently wealthy? Seer asked.

You can answer that better than me. I've been here once before and that was 40 years ago. You've been here, what, a couple dozen times in the last 500 years? Mathen shot back.

Thirty-eight. And you're right. This place should've been completely abandoned within two years of the land failing. The nearby forests are all dead and rotting. The nearest source of food is a day's journey; so all food would have to be traded for, but what do they trade with? Seer asked.

I've always liked a good mystery, Mathen thought as he pulled up to the hotel and looked over himself to make sure he was presentable but not overly neat.

Mathen sent his escorts in to make arrangements and stepped down from the wagon to begin tying up the horses. As he finished Seer alerted him to someone coming.

Looks like they have a welcoming committee for you.

Turning around Mathen saw a young boy about 8 or 9 approaching him. The boy was the first smiling face he'd seen so far in town, but it was the type of smile Mathen normally associated with predators moving in of prey. On a boy that young he couldn't decide if it looked cute or disturbing.

"Welcome to Aguares, Sir!" the boy started enthusiastically. "Can I help you with your bags?"

"Thank you but I can manage myself." Mathen answered.

"You're a Necromian aren't you?"

"Yes I am. I'm from Valen, what gave me away?" Mathen asked the boy with a grin.

"Your skin is darker and the top of your ears are a little more pointy. Is it true you live a long time?" the boy asked.

The child fidgeted as he spoke, pacing a little from time to time. Mathen noticed he seemed to slowly fidget closer and closer to him.

"Yes, it's true," Mathen answered. "We have a little elvish blood in us which means we age at half the speed of full-blooded humans. I'm 108-years- old."

"What are you doing here in Aguares?"

"I'm a stone cutter. I came about the new quarry."

"Oh, you'll want to talk to Mr. Stoneman across the street," the boy replied.

Mathen looked to the building the boy pointed to which apparently was the moment the boy had waited for. After a quick warning from Seer, and without even looking, Mathen snapped his hand over to his left pocket and grabbed hold of a wrist that was already moving away. Turning around he came face to face with the boy who had both a startled look on his face and Mathen's coin bag in his hand.

It was as Mathen opened his mouth to speak that the vision struck. In all the years that Mathen had possessed Seer, he had had many visions. Hundreds in fact. But the vision he had at this moment was the longest, clearest, and most disturbing vision he had ever had. While the horrors of war, death, and unspeakable crimes he witnessed seemed to go on forever, the vision passed almost instantly in real time as all visions do.

As it ended Mathen found himself still holding the boy's wrist, the coin bag still in hand and a fearful look on his face. The boy... the boy had been the focus of the vision. He had seen glimpses of the boy's terrible future -- or better said the terrible future this boy would create.

Escape through the Sacred Forest

Chapter 1

"Lord Aguerius must not be allowed to take command of an army."

"He can't if he is dead. Such a small force shouldn't be that hard to wipe from the face of the land."

"Do not underestimate him or Lord Teanas. Simply delay him. First we will destroy his army, than we can worry about the more difficult tasks."

Creetan felt his stomach twist into a knot as he pulled back the arrow notched into the string of his bow. Just a week earlier archery had been nothing more than an activity. Now he found himself in a line of fellow archers; spread out and watching a force of undead revenants approaching.

He resisted the urge to once again look behind him to where his mother and siblings were taking shelter with the rest of the non-combatants -- wishing for all he was worth that he was a couple years younger and could be cowering with his siblings.

It had only been a few days since his father had returned from Demon Mountain to rescue his younger brother, Almas, from the Lich Lords. One of his scouts had sent word ahead of the imminent attack and, as soon as his father and brother arrived, preparation had been made for everyone in the town of Morenville and the Aguarius estate to begin their journey for the protection of the city of Jaspen, capital of the Aguarius Province.

The day before they had been joined by refugees from the towns of Redbrook and Aguares bringing the number of the company to several hundred, but with only a few dozen guards to defend them.

It was only a few minutes ago that Ulec, Almas' elvish friend, had alerted them all of the undead's impending attack. Creetan's father had only taken a few seconds to put together a defense and assigned positions to everyone trained with a weapon.

"Archers take aim!" He heard his father call out. Creetan glanced down the defense line and saw his father mounted on the back of his armored forest dragon that he used as a war mount, aiming his own bow. His father was the only archer without any guardsmen but then being a weapons master he could handle himself just fine.

Creetan's hand shook badly as he waited for the order to fire. Suddenly a calming feeling came over him; his hand stopped shaking and he found himself able to focus better.

He then noticed the harp playing faintly behind him. That would be Almas; their uncle had taught him to play, and more recently how to work magic through the playing of music. Creetan could see that the music had a similar effect on the other defenders and standing there, waiting for the order to release his arrow to begin the battle, he suddenly had a whole new appreciation for music.

"Release!" Creetan heard his father command.

Releasing his arrow he watched it shoot out with arrows from the other archers before finding its mark and causing one of the revenants to crumble to dust. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a beam of light erupt out from where his father was mounted and disintegrate a whole line of the undead attackers. His father's powers as a paladin were also useful.

Nocking another arrow he quickly shot it at one of the revenants approaching him and his guards. He took out four more before the pair of swordsmen assigned to protect him were forced to meet a group of three. Creetan continued firing at other groups of advancing creatures until he suddenly felt a wave of heat crash into him from behind. Glancing back he saw a pillar of fire rising from behind the hill where the non-combatants were taking refuge.

That would be Lord Teanas, Ulec's father, ambushing the large group of undead that were trying to sneak up on them. While Ulec could speak to animals and plants, his father had the power to control fire. It looked like he had unleashed a flaming whirlwind on the undead on the other side of the hill.

"Creetan look out!" A voice near him warned.

Turning around he found a revenant right next him moving to strike! Creetan barely dodged as he struggled to pull out his short sword. He got it out just in time to block a second strike which knocked him off balance and he fell backwards to the ground. Looking up he saw the revenant holding its sword above him ready to finish him when suddenly it began to crumble to dust. The sword dropped but a hand caught it before it could fall on him.

"Get up and pay attention to the battle before you, not the one behind."

This was Ulec. As usual the elvish child had come from nowhere. While he looked to be no older than his twelve-year-old brother, Creetan knew the boy was over a hundred years old and had the fighting skills to go with decades of training. As was his custom he wore no shoes and even in battle he had his shoulder bag in which he kept his pet slime, named Metal.

Using the sword he had caught he took out two more nearby revenants with lightning speed before flinging the sword into a revenant that was about to kill one of Creetan's guards. A stream of acid came from his shoulder bag, into the face of yet another undead which began to instantly melt. He then pulled a knife from the sheath that another revenant was wearing as it fought Creetan's other guard. Striking the revenant he again caught a falling sword and tossed it to the first guard as he got to his feet.

Ulec then took off through the crowd of fighting men and monsters looking like a child running through a crowd at a fair, only everywhere he went revenants would start tuning to dust as he ran past them.

Embarrassed, Creetan scanned the battle nearby. The undead that had made it pass the line of defenders were being intercepted by a few warriors mounted on forest dragons, keeping them away from the women and children.

Creetan spotted two revenants pass by his guards and head his way. This time he was better prepared and had proper footing as the creatures attacked; he blocked the strike from the first one to reach him and stepped around the revenant in order to keep it between him and the second one. This allowed him to get two quick strikes in; the first one being blocked and his second finding the creature's head and reducing it to dust.

The remaining revenant attacked through the dust of its companion and Creetan felt its sword graze his leather armor as he side stepped the attack. He countered with his own sword and the creature joined the first as a pile of dust.

Scanning the battle he saw the undead creatures now pulling back.

"Warriors, hold your ground; archers, fire freely," Creetan heard his father order.

After sheathing his sword, he picked up his bow from where it had fallen and dropped three more revenants before they were out of range.

It took a few moments for him to realize that they had won and were safe. There was silence except for the sound of his brother's harp which then faded. A cheer went up from the defenders but as soon as the music stopped the fear and uncertainty Creetan had felt before the battle returned. He dropped to his knees, fighting to keep his last meal in.

"Creetan!" He heard someone call. Looking over he saw Almas running towards him and Creetan instantly had mixed emotions, embarrassment that all of the focus and ability he showed in his first battle was because of his brother's bardic abilities, and also gratitude for the fact that those abilities probably saved his life.

"Are you okay?" Almas asked as he approached and offered Creetan a hand to help him to his feet.

"I'm fine...and thanks," Creetan responded as he took his little brother's hand and stood up.

"For what? All I did was play my harp and try to help everyone focus," Almas said.

"Well it worked. I couldn't even string my arrow right, my hand was shaking so badly before you started playing," Creetan responded.

"You still did very well for your first fight," a young voice piped up.

Creetan jumped a little at Ulec's voice. The elvish boy was standing right next to him and as usual with Ulec, he hadn't noticed him until he spoke.

"Right, I was a half second from getting my head chopped off. One fight and I already owe my life to two children who don't even come up to my shoulders."

"At least you didn't twist your leg, almost get eaten by a forest dragon and get your life saved by a slime and a human infant." Ulec said matter-of-factly, referring to his own first life or death fight.

"Hey, I was eight, not an infant!" Almas retorted.

"To an elf, you're still an infant."

"Don't forget that this 'infant' is an inch taller than you."

Ulec gave Almas a mischievous grin but then his face grew serious as he turned towards a group of guards several hundred feet away. "Two of the guards were hurt pretty bad, I think they'll make it but they are in a lot of pain."

"Who?" Almas asked with sudden concern.

"Jestin and Torley."

"I should see if there is anything I can help with," Almas said as he hurried away.

Creetan marveled at the change in his younger brother in the past couple of weeks. Almas had barely noticed the guards around the Aguarius estate before he was kidnapped by the Lich Lords; now in just a few days he had learned each of their names and most of the names of their family members. He spent all of his time as they traveled getting to know them.

Ulec seemed to read his mind and commented, "He blames himself for the death of the two guards that were killed the day he was taken by Tornal."

The sound of Almas' harp could once again be heard coming from where the injured men were being tended to. Creetan felt all the aches and pains from the scratches and bruises he got from the battle instantly disappear.

After listening to his brother play for a moment Creetan started to say something about the deaths not being Almas' fault when a horn in the distance started to sound a series of short and long bursts.

"I never did figure out your father's code. What are they saying?" Ulec asked.

"Jaspen is under attack," Creetan answered dazed. Jaspen was the only fortified city in the area, and with undead forces attacking it, they were trapped!

# About the Author

Growing up in Bay Point, California Marc spent much of his time creating and exploring worlds and stories. He finally realized that once he got the stories written down they stopped haunting his sleeping and waking dreams. So he started writing them down.

He writes the kind of stories that he enjoys which are stories about families written for families.

Marc currently lives in northern Utah with his wife, and kids. He can be contacted through his Author's Facebook page at facebook.com/catseye1979
