Mira's View (15 page)

Galena was so startled by the abrupt finish
that she found herself looking to Elenio and Tark for some
indication of what she should say, but they looked as dismayed as
she did.

“Can we ask you questions now?” Elenio asked
hesitantly.

Lars nodded.

“The statues, in the center of the village.
They are Norika and Arok, right?” Galena asked.

Lars nodded his head again.

Galena looked at the other elders wondering
if they would speak at all, as they had remained completely silent
throughout the entire feast and storytelling.
It was as if they
were completely drained of all life or personality,
Galena
thought grimly. This whole village is drained of life.

“How many other underground villages are
there?” Tark asked.

“The last count that was done, totaled our
count to twenty-seven. Each village contains at least two-hundred
elves, with some of them containing more,” Lars promptly
answered.

Now it was Tark’s turn to let surprise show
on his face. Galena shared his sentiments.

****

As Morgo led them back to their temporary
lodgings, Galena revisited everything that the elders or mainly
Lars, had told them. According to him, other underworld villages
were all throughout Tomiro. Galena didn’t see how this was possible
with all the intuneric mines through the lands, but Lars indicated
that, with careful planning on the elves part and with the use of
magic, it was quite possible and even manageable. He indicated that
there were thousands of tunnels. Some of the tunnels they had lost
the knowledge of where they led so they avoided those until a scout
could be sent to explore it. Others had caved in, but many were
still ideal.

All of it seemed surreal in Galena’s mind and
she stumbled over the well-worn path while she tried to make sense
of it. There were several instances in which, Elenio had to reach
out to steady her before she went crashing to the ground, because
she hadn’t been watching where she was going.

“Try not to think while walking, as it seems
you can no longer do both,” he said as he helped to her steady once
more.

Playfully, she smacked his shoulder before
turning around and trudging up the path again. She did however,
heed his advice, and began focusing more on where she was
going.

Before long, they arrived at their door, and
Morgo ushered them inside. “Goodnight. I will be here first thing
in the morning and we will begin.” He bowed graciously and then
left.

Galena followed Tark into the sitting room,
where she promptly collapsed into a chair. All that food and she
still felt ravished!

“Well, that was interesting.” Elenio sighed
as he sat in a chair next to Galena.

Tark leaned against a wall and he rubbed his
chin. “I suppose they can be trusted,” he said thoughtfully as
looked at the door.

Twoit entered the room carrying a fat mouse
in her mouth. Galena grimaced at her loving pet, but then had to
smile. At least one of them had found food to their liking.

“I’m off to bed. I feel as if I could sleep
for a week.” Tark yawned and stretched, scratching his head in a
way that made Galena smile from the familiarity of it.

“How do they know when it’s morning in this
strange place?” Galena couldn’t help wondering aloud.

“I asked Morgo. He said all the outside
village lights dim with the setting of the sun. When the sun rises,
the lights brighten once more. Just like when you leave a room
unoccupied the lights go out. Somehow, they also gave the lights
the ability to sense when an elf has fallen asleep in a room so
they dim as well. It’s amazing the things that were thought of in
order for them to live in this cold world they created for
themselves,” Tark mused.

“Amazing,” Galena grudgingly admitted.

Tark nodded and then headed to his room,
saying his goodnights once more as he closed the door behind
him.

Rising from his seat, Elenio held out a hand
for Galena. Weary despite their afternoon nap, she took it
gratefully as he helped her to stand. She followed Elenio to their
room, looking forward to the prospect of a full night of sleep, her
mind still drifting over all that she had learned that evening.

One thing’s for sure,
she thought.
It’ll be worth defeating Rau, just to see these elves leave
their glooming underground world for good.

Chapter
Thirteen

Red, fiery anger consumed him. His vision
burned with it. His body shook with it. Feeling it boil through his
veins, he allowed the shadows that were always present around him,
to soar out in all directions at once. Instantly, every torlic
touched, choked and gurgled for seconds before falling to the
floor, dead. He didn’t care if they had been a part of the search
for Galena or not. His anger was all that mattered now. That and
something else. He felt it creeping up from somewhere at the back
of his mind, but no, it couldn’t be. For he was Rau. That
particular emotion did not bother him.

He looked around the enormous room; bodies
littered the floor. Disgusted at their worthlessness, he swept his
arm across the space, causing the bodies to fly over the floor, and
through the door. With another sweep of his hand, the great stone
doors slammed with an echoing boom. He felt his anger dissipating
as his curiosity overtook him. How had she been able to evade his
mercenaries? He knew she, along with the others traveling with her,
had killed several of the parties that had managed to cross her
path, but now, it was as if she had simply vanished. She was not
using her powers or he would have been able to locate her. He could
no longer feel her presence at all, which bothered him greatly. He
didn’t like not knowing where his enemies were.

Well, if she wanted to play these games, he
would play them too. He knew where she was headed, and he would be
ready. A small army would be there to meet her. She may be clever
with the sword, but he would make sure that she was greatly
outnumbered.

We’ll see how she fares then
, he
thought.

Rau was on the verge of calling his general
when a light began shimmering in the center of the room. This light
seemed to beckon thousands of other light beads together, creating
a human form within. It grew in intensity until Rau had to shield
his eyes, which were so accustomed to the darkness of his castle,
from it. The light dimmed and in its place, stood a tall man
shrouded in a red tunic that reached the floor. A powerfully built
man, he stood taller than even Rau. He had a sliver dagger that
hung on his golden sash wrapped around his waist. His long hair
matched his midnight black eyes, which flashed with anger.

“Haulua,” Rau hissed, falling to his knees in
respect of his lord.

“Why haven’t you captured her yet?” Haulua
demanded, his angry voice sounding like crashing waves and rolling
thunderheads colliding together. It caused mountains to collapse
and rivers to change its course. It echoed around the room and
bounced off the walls. “Have I not warned you that she can destroy
everything?”

Rau clutched his ears in pain. “You have,”
Rau moaned.

“My brothers and sister watch me closely.
They have ever since your creation. And somehow, they have tied my
life with yours,” he boomed.

Rau fell face first to the floor, blood
trickling from his ears. “How is this possible, my lord? You who
are so great,” Rau gasped. His head felt as if it were splitting in
two.

“I am not sure. I only just discovered it
when I overheard them talking in the great hall,” Haulua said more
to himself. Haulua began to pace up and down the length of the
great room, agitation apparent in his every step.

“I know the direction they’re headed, my
lord,” Rau groaned as he pushed himself up to his knees. “I’m
sending an army to deal with them there. There will be no escaping
this time.” He gasped as the pain in his ears and head threatened
to overwhelm him again.

“Are you sure of this?” Haulua asked, hope in
his voice now.

“I am.”

“If we are to win this, I would send more
than just a small army. You have underestimated this silly female
one too many times.” Haulua began growing bright again. Pieces of
the light began to drift off and away as Rau slumped to the floor
once more. “Do not fail me again,” Haulua warned before he broke
apart into thousands of tiny lights, flying in every direction
until it was dark again.

Chapter
Fourteen

Galena burrowed deeper under the covers,
trying to get warm again. She couldn’t understand why she felt so
cold when she had, moments before, been so comfortable. She turned
over to snuggle closer to Elenio, when she noticed that he was
gone. Sitting up, causing the lights to blaze on suddenly, she
looked for him. He was nowhere to be seen.

Now where has he gotten off to
, she
thought as she flung back the blankets. How could it be morning?
She felt as if she had just laid down. Stretching her arms above
her head, she stood and strode toward the door. She opened it a
crack and discovered that both Elenio and Tark were awake and
eating. She opened the door further and found that Morgo had also
joined them.

“Morning already,” she said as she grunted to
clear her throat.

“We were about to wake you,” Elenio said
through a mouthful of bread.

“Before or after you finished off the food?”
Galena asked grimly.

“After,” Tark said, grinning broadly.

“There is plenty left, if you are hungry,”
Morgo said pleasantly in his monotone voice.

Galena walked over to him and took the food
that he was offering. It was a warm, nutty bread with a cheese
spread over its crust. Compared to the food last night, this almost
had a pleasant taste. Despite herself, Galena wolfed down the
entire loaf. Taking a swig of some juice that Morgo had also
provided, she looked around for more of the bread, but found Elenio
and Tark had already finished it. Slightly disgruntled, Galena
scanned the room for Twoit. She looked under the chairs and in her
room, finally locating her small friend in her pack, which was
laying against the wall. She apparently had already found plenty to
eat and was resuming the twenty some odd hours of sleep that she
required a day. Galena grinned, stood up, and walked back into the
room with the others.

Morgo shoved the container of juice into a
pack that he slung onto his back, then stood to wait for the
others. Galena reached for her belt, returning it and the scabbard
to her waist. After their first battle, she found that when
traveling, it was best to carry her sword where she could get to it
easily. Elenio and Tark had already fastened their belts around
their waist and were adjusting their packs.

“How long do think it will take to reach the
base of the mountains?” Galena asked, swinging her own pack onto
her back. She was careful not to jostle Twoit too much, as the
ferret had nipped her ear for doing that once before. She was not a
graceful animal when she first woke.

“At least a month, possibly more. It all
depends on whether or not we choose the right tunnels and we don’t
run into any of the more vicious creatures that dwell
underground.”

“What creatures are those?” Galena asked with
alarm.

“What do you mean choose the right tunnel?
Don’t you know the way?” Tark asked, roughly at the same time.
Morgo looked solemnly at Galena, then slowly turning his head, he
regarded Tark.

“There are many creatures underground that
could cause us harm, such as xamus, pourcos, and torlos,” he
stated.

“Aren’t torlos what torlics start out as
before they are grown and trained by Rau?” Galena asked.

“Yes, so it would be better if we did not
meet one of those if we can avoid it.” Turning to Tark, Morgo
continued, “It has been many years since my last visit to the
village that lies at the base of this mountain range. Some of the
tunnels I took before may have collapsed or otherwise been blocked,
therefore, some guesswork is required on our journey. Do you each
have a flask for holding water?” Morgo finished somewhat
abruptly.

Tark nodded.

“Good. Let us depart. The sooner we leave the
sooner my people will feel at ease.”

“Are you still afraid of Rau discovering you?
Because I am fairly certain, as long as I don’t use magic, we’re
safe,” Galena said as she followed the already moving Morgo.

He came to the door and held it open for the
others to go through before starting out again. “I think that makes
you more dangerous, because now, Rau has no idea where you are. He
will begin to wonder where you could be hiding. This in turn, may
lead him to us.” Morgo took a breath before continuing. “Plus, we
are simply uncomfortable with elves from the world above. Most of
us have never even seen an elf from that world, let alone have had
the chance to sit down and feast with them. Many of my people never
wanted that privilege either.” Morgo shrugged at this last
comment.

Galena didn’t know whether to feel angry or
sad. She settled for shaking her head and walked behind Morgo as he
continued, “I always wanted to go above, though. That is why I
agreed to do mirror water watches with Nina. I hoped for the chance
to venture to the world above.”

For the first time, Galena detected a hint of
hope in his voice. It was subtle, but it was definitely there.

“Why have you never left to join our world?”
Elenio asked as he labored behind Galena.

“No marks,” Morgo replied in an even sadder
voice, if that was at all possible. “But although I am not really a
part of the world above, that doesn’t mean I can’t learn as much as
possible about it. All of our books are so limited with their
information concerning the above world though, and many of them
have been lost or destroyed. Most of my people are perfectly fine
with this. They claim the above world holds nothing that our world
does not have. But I feel like we are missing so much!” There was a
definite increase in his tone this time. Excitement seemed to fill
him, change him, as he talked. “That is why I volunteered to lead
you to the base of the mountains. I figured you could tell me all
about your world in exchange for a guide. The elders were going to
simply give you a map and hope you made it all right.”