Revenge of the Elven

Chapter 5

They followed the elf towards where they would be attacking and rescuing his kin.

“Oh, well, he is handsome, Varrell, but he is elven, so I suspected as much,” Kessa said.

“Oh quiet, hag!” Arlan hissed.

“Hag? I may be a witch, but I am nowhere near old enough to be called a hag!” she replied offended.

“Quiet!” Taeril hissed at them from ahead and Varrell joined him; her companions behind them. “The cave is just through there,” Taeril said as they approached a break in the rocks, leading towards an opening in the mountain; if you did not know the cave was there it would be missed.

“Alright, then, Taeril, what is our move? Go right through the front door?” Varrell asked the elf who appeared to be scoping the area around them. He was indeed quite handsome she found herself thinking as she noticed the sparkle to his golden eyes under the setting sun and the perfect line of his jaw, but she knew to be wary of elves from Zakaris’ teachings when she was young. He had told her of their magic, and she knew she was likely about to see what Taeril could do and she felt dread in the pit of her stomach. She had already broken the law by not reporting this collarless elf, but something had made her want to help him.

“There are some guards at the entrance, I will handle them,” he said and leapt up onto the rocks above as though it was no effort at all. Varrell turned to her friends and they all watched as Taeril landed silently behind the two warlock guards. Suddenly he drew two blades, as though they were attached to his wrists and he stabbed them both through the guards necks killing them silently. They fell and he took one body dragging it into shadows whilst Varrell hurried to help do the same with the other body after overcoming her being impressed at the ease of Taeril’s stealth.

“How did you learn that? To be so stealthy?” she asked but he did not answer her. “Where did you come by those blades?” she asked him, and he just looked at her before he continued to the entrance of the cave. They followed him behind all trying to remain as silent as they could, but none could compete with the stealth of that collarless elven man. A cry of despair was heard ringing out through the caves and Taeril tensed up. Varrell looked to him as it almost seemed as though he shared the pain his fellow elf was suffering. He looked over the ledge and Varrell slowly appeared beside him to do the same. An elven woman was shackled arms and feet apart, but she had no collar. Varrell looked to see witches and warlocks behind magical barriers and she was being tortured into using her powers. But why?

“Please stop!” she cried out, but her words were empty as though she knew herself it was pointless to ask for mercy. Taeril certainly seemed like he suffered at just watching.

“We free her first, she is not broken yet,” he whispered. “We have no choice; we go in fighting. I will target the torturer he will have instructions to kill her if any interference is seen. I will not let that happen,” he said and began to move into position so he could land beside the torturer and kill him instantly. Varrell moved with her companions knowing their cue to attack was at Taeril’s actions. Varrell waited and watched as the elf quietly moved across the ledges until he was above the elven woman and her tormenter. He looked down appearing focussed solely on his target and as he dropped beside them, Varrell ordered her attack to distract the observing witches and warlocks so they did not kill Taeril. The torturer dropped dead and Taeril freed the elven woman and placed her behind a rock in the cave before he joined the battle. Varrell shield bashed a witch who had been about to work a spell against Decan, her orcish friend and Arlan burned another warlock defeating his ice powers. He looked over to Varrell with contempt as she swiftly dispatched of another with Kessa bathing her in a deflective barrier stopping magical attacks for a moment until the spell wore off. Taeril’s movements were so fast, Arlan watched as he killed many witches and warlocks as more appeared from deeper within  the cave at the sounds of battle. The elf was not right; something about him was not right. The way he moved and the powers he used. Elven power was dangerous but this elf… something was not right. Varrell had been hit by a spell which caused her to feel disoriented and Arlan watched as Taeril from one end of the cave moved as though he was a ghost to the other end to stop the warlock from delivering the final blow. He drove his blades both into the warlocks back between his ribs.

“T… Taeril… how did you… why?” he stammered as he struggled to breathe, blood spilling from his mouth.

“For what you did to my people,” Taeril growled and then pulled the blades free and the warlock dropped to the ground dead. The elf held out a hand to Varrell and helped her back to her feet. She shook her head trying to rid the lasting effects of the spell.

“Was that all of them?” she asked.

“I hear no more coming, perhaps it is over,” Decan said but still held his blade ready just in case.

“It is not over,” Arlan muttered looking to the centre of the cave as a dark swirling black substance appeared before them. Taeril’s eyes widened and they heard the female elf cry out; he rushed to her.

“Wh- what is that?” Decan asked watching as the swirling mist formed the shape of a humanoid creature. It appeared to look directly at them and then to where the two elves were.

“That… is a dark entity…” Arlan muttered in disbelief. “Varrell… what have you done?” he muttered as they all watched the dark entity moving towards the elven. It was only one but that was enough.