Steven Burke - The Dark Tide

“That is a tremendous loss…do the giants know?” asked Aiden respectfully. His stoic heart broke at the thought of giant women and children being slaughtered by devils out of legend.

“They are being told now by Mistress Khalida, hence her delay. One thing that I can tell you is that their army is over one million strong and it is clear, from what I am being told, that they have the full backing of the keeper. These facts will be something we have to take into consideration for any future plans. I would be a liar if I did not tell you that I am still reeling with the dark elves involvement and more importantly their unforgivable acts of aggression. This war has a whole new dimension now.” King Ciel looked into the fire after falling silent. There was not much that could be said further until the elder elemental arrived on the morrow. The king’s face fell as he stared into the flames.

“King, I will take my leave of you then…there is little else we can do tonight and talking further on such dark matters will do little for either one of us.” Aiden bowed low for an overly long moment and then departed. The king continued to look into the flames as he attempted to clear his mind before retiring for the night as well.

“Thank you for assembling this meeting in private” Khalida said to King Ciel. She had arrived first thing in the morning. She had asked that they not delay their meeting, so here they were in the throne room before the sun was up.

“We understand the urgency” replied Aiden quickly. He woke up right before he was summoned to the meeting and since being awake he had an unquenchable desire to begin his mission.

“That is exactly why Adair chose you. We need you to set out right after our meeting. The entry of the dark elves into this conflict has caused a number of issues that we have to confront. So, to avoid further delays I have determined that a northern route to the destination would be the best approach” Khalida spoke briskly. She did not mask the sadness in her voice or the sense of urgency.

“Will I be meeting someone in the north who will then lead us to where the orb is located?” asked Aiden. At least guardians get right to the point. The elves could learn a thing or two from them.

A body detached from the shadows that had not been there before, or at least no one seemed to notice the presence of this unseen guest. As the figure made its way into the light of the room, there was a collective intake of breath. The figure was baffling…he was tall like an elf but bulky or muscular like a dwarf. It was like looking at someone that should not exist. The unknown visitor looked around the hall with defiance in his eyes.

“Welcome Xuzien” interjected Khalida smoothly. She cast a warning glare around the room…lingering a little longer on the king.

“It is truly an honor to meet you in person” replied Aiden swiftly. He was not put off by how he looked or what his background was. This warrior had lived his life regardless of what people said about him being an abomination. He had no control over that and did not let it rule his fate. Besides, he was the best fighter and tracker in the middle lands. He had a feeling of ease come over him as he looked at Xuzien.

“It is truly a pleasure to meet you, though I am not really here as you may think” replied Xuzien with a sideways look at Khalida. He arched an eyebrow as he looked the elder guardian.

“It is true; Xuzien is actually at the place where the orb is hidden. He has been preparing for wanted and unwanted guests for several weeks now. He asked that I introduce him to the team prior to their departure. Once he learned that Master Aiden was in charge of the team heading west he requested a special face to face meeting” Khalida offered warmly.

“I will meet you on the north side of Mount Quang in three days’ time. It will be at the base of the mountain near an overgrown ruin of the Eldar. I will not be there in person as I cannot leave where I am because of the ever increasing number of players in this conflict” intoned Xuzien. He was beginning to fade already as though the connection was fading. Then, without warning, he disappeared entirely.

“What happened?” snapped the king in worried tones.

“It looks as though the dark elves had happened across our magical communication relay and Xuzien, the ever cautious, severed the linked before a trace could be started” Khalida said thoughtfully. She momentarily appeared lost in thought.

“I know where to go…are the elven warriors and mages ready? How about the travel supplies? Where do I meet them?” asked Aiden in rapid fire succession. He understood better now how difficult this venture had become with the involvement of those cursed elves.

“They are waiting for you at the north gate for immediate departure. All things are ready, all that is needed is for you to join them” the king stated directly. He really appreciated Aiden’s direct approach…so refreshing and different from the elven way.

“I think it is best you depart now…the king and I have other matters to discuss that you do not need to be bothered with. Good luck to you and the team. I know that having you and Xuzien managing this most serious matter that we have given ourselves the best chance of keeping the orb away from Kana.” She nodded to Aiden to leave and he departed without another word.

“What do we need to do about the dark elves? Are they coming here?” asked the elven king. He had been preoccupied with the news of the dark elves and their immediate proximity.

“I wish I had better answers for you. I know that Adair is doing what he can to discover their next move. We are relatively sure that they will not rush into another conflict after their campaign against the giants. One thing that you should know is that the dark elves’ curse has been removed by Kana. This makes them so deadly that taking them head on with fewer numbers is not advisable. We are still working on a strategy…” Khalida said with a hint of unease. It was clear that the dark elves were not originally part of this conflict and that Kana had recruited them. The question was the cost of their involvement. What were they promised?

“This is something that we need to figure out and we need to do it soon” King Ciel replied meaningfully. He had still not regained all of his confidence back after the events over the past year.

“The guardian will be joining us later today to discuss this situation. You and your people are directly in the path of this formidable army and we need to be sure we can defend against them, delay them, and do whatever else we can to keep them at bay long enough so a sufficient force can be garnered to deal with them.”

“Until then I would appreciate your insights and recommendations on our defenses. I have done everything that I could think of; however, I know that my analytical mind is sometimes creatively limited and that you can surely see some options that I have over looked.” The king knew how to win over a person, even someone as powerful as an elder guardian. He was being completely forthright with her…he knew that he needed her creativity. Elves were not the most creative people and it was more important to admit that than to arrogantly think that they were something they were not at the cost of lives. Too many have died already…I must make Kishi and Kira proud to call me their father. I want my reunion with them in Ehlidel to be joyous.

King Edric sat in his chambers turned prison brooding over his current predicament. He could not believe that his own general had unseated him. He knew he was right… why did no one else see it . This was merely the affairs of people outside the realm of his concern. He was doing what was best for his kingdom which was his first priority and responsibility as their monarch. Once he was able to win over the guards he would take back his throne from that treacherous villain Chad. He would hang the traitor outside his balcony for all to see. Then everyone would know what happens to those who question his authority and leadership. He had to make an example.