Belthazor didn't know what was wrong. But something was wrong. He couldn't explain it, but his sixth sense was prickling him. He felt as if he was in danger. He listened carefully. The forest was as it always was, eerily silent. All he could hear was the occasional clank of steel from the rider's weapons. The noise as the horses' hooves hit the ground. The noise of their breathing.
The crack of a twig underfoot in the forest.
Belthazor jabbed his heels into his horse which he'd borrowed from Nokigon, and in responce to a well known command Soderquist rose up on his hind hooves, squealing a challenge. At exactly the same time, Belthazor loosed three carefully aimed arrows into the forest, expecting to hear shouts as people dodged his arrows.
Nothing. The forest was silent.
Belthazor squinted carefully. He knew he'd heard something, but there hadn't even been a rustle from the undergrowth after the arrows had flashed past.
The party was looking at him with concern. Harry began to draw breath to speak, but Belthazor held up a hand to stop him. He heard another crack and snapped off another arrow, again with no result. He listened again.
And then, from no-where there came the rustle of arrowfire, three men went down, so full of arrows they looked like pincushions. Belthazor's Ranger's whipped out their bows.
"AMBUSH!" Belthazor roared, and fired another four arrows. This time though, he gained the satisfactory sound of someone crying out in pain.
Within seconds, the silent wood had erupted into pandemonium. Belthazor's Rangers automatically adopted crouching positions, sending dozens of arrows into the darkness. Harry's forces weren't so accurate, but Harry himself was carefully sniping off shots, each one hitting it's target.
At some point, the elves must have run out of arrows, and they ran out of the wood like wraiths. Belthazor and Harry stood side by side, weapons in hand. Belthazor had just enough time to see the crest on the shields of the Elves before he was fighting for his life. Again.
Belthazor's blade flashed and cut, but the elves were good. They put up a good fight, and many humans fell at their feet. But Belthazor, Harry, the Rangers and Harry's lieutenants fought like Trojans, and eventually the elves were forced back.
But then the leader walked forward.
"Heltorius malton quiethias mortorius!" The man managed to make elfish seem
guttural and aggresive. With the speed only an elf could muster, he drew a knife and threw it straight at Harry with blinding speed and unerring accuracy.
Harry never stood a chance. The pure power behind the knife knocked him off his feet. He skidded a meter, then lay still.
Belthazor looked dumbfounded at Harry, then slowly looked back to the elf. Rage built up inside him, as powerful as a geyser.
Belthazor roared and smashed his sword upon the enemy's. He was surprised by the blinding reaction, but he span his sword in a deadly arc. Again, the enemy blocked.
Belthazor fought better than he ever had before, but the only person he had ever met that was as good as this opponent was Nokigon. For Jarlion, he had never met someone who could match his own blinding speed.
The two champions fought, each smashing powerful blows upon their enemy's guard. They seemed to be perfectly matched, and neither could make any headway upon the other. They fought to a stalemate, and neither could force an example.
As Belthazor made eye contact with Jarlion, he readied himself to strike. What he was not ready for though was for one of the elves to summon a mighty blast of wind and for him to be swept off his feet.
Belthazor was knocked to the ground, helpless as Jarlion approached slowly forward. The Elf smiled without humour, and slowly raised his sword to plunge it like a knife into Belthazor's body.
Belthazor felt despair. He desperately flung out a wind enchantment, giving him a few precious seconds. But there was no one else. Harry was dead, his band had been defeated whilst he fought Jarlion- it was the end of the line for Belthazor. He was going to die, Nokigon would die also, there was no hope anymore.
"When all seems lost, and you feel death drawing near, press the amulet and activate it."
Of course! If there was any moment to activate the amulet, it was no. Belthazor touched the amulet, and pressed it. For a millisecond, nothing happened. Then the amulet ripped open and Belthazor was flung back. When he looked, the amulet was on the floor with light spilling out. There was ethereal laughter, and then the ray of light stopped spilling out. It took a form, the form of a very young women who looked a lot like Elissa.
Of course! The amulet was a cage, a cage for an Air Elemental! Except this Elemental felt far more powerful than any Belth had seen before. She laughed again, a beautiful yet alien sound, then she seemed to realise what was happening. She looked at Belthazor, then at the carnage around him. She smiled, then dived down.
The elves never stood a chance. They went flying, their bodies were ripped apart, they died in their dozens. And through it all the Elemental danced through the carnage, killing and killing the elves until there was just one elf left.
Jarlion's eyes showed fear, as the Elemental moved slowly towards him. Desperately the elf attempted to kill Belthazor by stabbing him, but a gust of wind sent the blade flying away. The Elemental stood in front of Jarlion, and smiled gently. She put a hand upon his cheek, and with a sigh Jarlion's eyes rolled up in his head. He stood there, his eyes closed, and slowly his body crumbled to dust. The dust retained the vague shape of an elf, then with a gust of wind soared away.
The Elemental sighed, then looked at Belthazor.
"You are safe now, Belthazor. The Illians will not mount another attack upon you." Her voice was dreamy, and gentle. It made you want to fly, to dance, to move, to be alive.
Belthazor propped himself up to a sitting position. "Thank you. But... who are you?"
The Elemental frowned, and smiled gently. "Do you truly not know?"
Belthazor shook his head, and the elemental smiled again. "I am the daughter of Elissa."
Belthazor frowned. "Who is your father?" But then Belthazor knew. She had the face of Elissa. But she did not have Elissa's eyes. She had eyes of a deep, soft brown.
"You are, Belthazor. A child of the Air Mage matures quickly." Belthazor's daughter explained gently. "Elissa is not governed by the rules of other elves. She is like an Elemental herself- and she reproduces quickly. All Elemental are he children, you know. But I am more powerful than any other."
Belthazor shook his head, before looking up again at his daughter.
"What's your name?"
For the first time, a look of confusion passed over her face. "I don't know."
Belthazor frowned. He had to give his daughter a name. But what?
"Then I name you..." And as if from divine intervention, the ideal name came into his head. "... Aventhel."
Aventhel nodded appreciatively, looking happy. "It is a good name."
Aventhel looked at Harry. "Your friend is dead, Father."
The rush of pleasure Belthazor felt at hearing the word Father was dwarfed by the tsunami of grief he felt. Harry was dead. Hearing it in words nearly killed him.
Aventhel regarded him with pity, then looked at Harry again.
"Father..." She hesitated. "I do not want to give you false hope, Father, but there may be a way to save him."
Belthazor looked up at his daughter, with the fire of hope burning inside him. "What?" he asked.
Aventhel sighed, and then began. "I am more powerful than any Elemental.... Save Elissa. And I think that since he has died recently, and his sorcery his left him near the brink, with your help I could bring him back to life."
Belthazor's eyes widened, then wondered how powerful she must be.
"What can I do to help?"
Aventhel smiled. "Just give me power."
Belthazor offered his hand, and Aventhel took it. Despite her appearance, her hand felt warm and firm. Belthazor pushed his power into her, and Aventhel placed her other hand on Harry's forehead.
There was several tense moments, as more and more power was pulled out of Belthazor. But just as Belthazor thought he was about to pass out from exhaustion, Harry coughed.
Belthazor felt wonder take hold of him, as Harry began to breathe. He quickly fell unconscious once more though, and Belthazor realised that Aventhel was still working magic. The knife moved itself out of Harry's body, and the wound healed itself.
Aventhel turned to look at Belthazor. "Good luck, Father." she said. "I'll see you soon."
And with that, Aventhel's body turned to Air and she soared. For a moment, she looked back at Belthazor and smiled with all the beauty of her mother. And then she moved on, soaring out of Lan Larosh and moving North. To Aeris? Belthazor didn't know.
"Godspeed, Aventhel." Belthazor whispered. Then he smiled. "My daughter."
Feeling happy for the first time since Nokigon's poisoning, Belthazor moved to tend to Harry.
Edited by Nokigon - 22 Jul 2011 at 10:54
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The tale of Nokigon
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