Chapter 6. The Morning after
Nar’Allia awoke with a start, she found she was alone. Her head felt fuzzy, sort of detached and she did not feel like she had managed to get much sleep the night before. Even so she remembered nothing after Lo’Rosse had laid her down and made sure that she was warm and comfortable. It was warm here under the covers, comforting, she did not have to make decisions, answer anyone’s questions. She frowned. She remembered clearly the conversation with Serinae. She told herself to feel excited that Minervar was alive, but something else made her want to forget the conversation they had shared. Why, she did not know. She must get up. Get on with the daily tasks, she had guests, she must see to their needs, apologise for her sudden disappearance last evening. She needed a distraction.
She slowly got out of bed and pulling on a warm robe, left her bedroom. She went downstairs through the parlor, she stood and tried to smooth her wayward hair into some semblance of neatness, twisting and tying it behind her head where she fastened it with a long wooden pin before she opened the door to the main room. She was met by the stares of many people. Lo’Rosse rose and quickly made his way to her. Next thing she knew she was seated at the table a cup of tea in her hand and a bowl awaiting her choice of breakfast. She was surprised how ravenously hungry she was. When she had eaten she felt a different person. She leaned back in her chair and raised her head and eyes, she inspected the faces around the table, felt obliged to say something, an apology perhaps. “I’m sorry everyone, I have not been a very good host to you all since last evening. Please forgive me.”
Lo’Rosse said, “I told them Narny, about Minervar having survived the Rift. I hope you don’t mind.”
Nar’Allia searched the faces in the assembly, but she could not see either Solvienne or Thorandill, she was suddenly worried for them. The news that their mother was alive must have been a shock to say the least. They had been young when Minervar disappeared, they, out of all of them, had the advantage of growing into that knowledge, it didn’t seem to affect them quite so much, in fact they seemed less and less concerned as the years went by.
All of a sudden she had a thought, she didn’t mean to voice it but she did, “Oh! By the Maker, Iolrreas, my father, our father.” Suddenly she realised why she had felt so depressed since hearing the news that Serinae had to impart. Her father, Minervar’s husband, he had disappeared following Minervar’s assumed abduction. Nar’Allia, about to leave Amentura had sent a messenger with a letter telling him of the sad news, she had not gone herself for to take the two week’s necessary to travel home would have delayed their setting out to search for Minervar. She felt deeply troubled by this, for when she had eventually arrived home, she had found that her father had long gone and the twins Solvi and Thor were staying with Lo’Rosse and his family. But now, Nar’Allia’s greatest fear was that Iolrreas had gone looking for Minervar, was his leaving all for nothing? Anger suddenly burst forth, anger at herself mainly, for making what she now thought were the wrong decisions. She stood with clenched fists. She started to shake uncontrollably.
Lo’Rosse took her hand, “be calm Narny, please.”
All the guilt manifested itself once again from the first time she had failed. Failed to save her step mother and now the failure of stopping her father from remaining with her younger brother and sister came flooding to the fore. She needed to be with them, needed to explain. “Where are Solvi and Thor?” I must talk with them, they must feel ……” She was lost for words. How must they feel?
“They have gone with Solin Narny, they felt a need to get some air.”
Nar’Allia sank back into her chair, Lo’Rosse stood behind her a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Nar’Allia, I’m sorry that I brought this news to you.” Nar’Allia looked up at the sound of the new voice. It was Alonso who spoke. “If I had known the quiver would cause so much upset I would have thought again about returning it.”
Nar’Allia looked up into the old man’s eyes, saw the sincerity there, saw the wound that he felt in his heart. She stood once more and walking to him she took his hand and said, “Alonso did you know any of this, I mean before Lo’Rosse spoke morning?
“No, milady I did not, I only knew that I had this desire to return the quiver to you. I kept it safe these many years, it always hung from my belt as it once did from yours.” He took in a deep breath as if playing for time, trying to decide whether or not to tell the next part of the tale. He nodded his head as if agreeing to something in his thoughts. “I saw a spirit, many times, the spirit of a long-ear woman. She wore white, she was directing me to take the quiver into the west, I presumed to return it to you, for I could think of no other reason. I thought I was going mad, but eventually I remembered our Taekla relating stories, tales of the spirits of those who had passed on, how some would appear on important occasions, sometimes conveying messages or other omens. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought to return it sooner. Perhaps if I had, events would have turned out differently.”
Nar’Allia nodded, she sat them all back down around the table and explained in great detail the conversation she had with Serinae the day before. Whilst telling the tale she had a sudden bright thought, there was some good news in all of this, something she could tell Alonso to take home with him. “Alonso, the spirit that appeared before you was Serinae I am sure, a T’Iea ranger, a warrior of great renown amongst us. She travelled with my mother long ago, this quiver once belonged to her, it seems to be able to bridge the voids between this world and the place where Serinae is.”
Alonso nodded, accepting the explanation without question.
Nar’Allia continued, she stared into Alonso’s eyes as she said, “there is other news I have. I must tell you Alonso that Serinae confirmed to me that Deanola is also alive. Both her and Minervar are together wherever they are.”
Alonso stood slowly, this news obviously came as a shock to him for he shook a little, Nar’Allia assumed from some inner emotion but it may have been the effort of standing. He said quietly, “alive? How can that be? Our Taekla was long in years even then when you were with us, she could not possibly still live now, she would be of an age similar to the men of long ago, the men of the first age, each was blessed with many years, their blood was purer and unsullied with the blackness of the ages. We are no longer blessed with such long lives.” He sat back down a shocked but thoughtful expression upon his face.
At that moment the door opened and in came Solvienne and Thorandill, Solin followed behind. The twins walked straight up to Nar’Allia and putting their arms around her the three hugged in silence.
No one tried to intervene.
Eventually Thorandill stood back and after glancing towards Solin said, “we want to follow our father and help find our mother Nar’Allia. We plan to travel to the east and try and find her, rescue her.”
Nar’Allia wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She thought of the journey she had made years before to try and do this same thing. She had failed, or thought she had. However yet again the Maker had seen fit to turn their world upon its head. It seemed that yet again they were destined to be thrown into the turmoil of adventure and the unknown. She looked at her younger brother; she tried not to look at Lo’Rosse standing close by, “of course Thor, we will, of course.” Suddenly she felt the pain of her grief subside. A determination she had not felt in a long time returned. She drew herself up straight. Of course they would go, they must. Minervar needed them, she was waiting for them. Thorandill looked towards Solin who made the slightest nod of her head. He stood, “I will go east across the mountains of the great divide and see what I can do there. That was where our mother was last seen, if she is not with the Maker then that is where she must be.”
Nar’Allia remembered Serinae’s words on the subject, how the obvious place to begin the search was there in the east. But also how she suspected that there may be other entrances to the Rift and the advice that Serinae gave on perhaps searching for such an alternative.
She glanced at Solin for the elderly mage had obviously had a hand in Thor’s decision. “But Thor, Minervar plunged into the Rift, I was there, I saw her, I will never forget the look upon her face, the look of recognition, the look of sadness. She knew me, she recognised me Thor, even as she fell. But I don’t know if that is the best place to start to look for answers. It would be folly to try and infiltrate the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran and access the Rift.” She held her hand up at Thor’s inevitable complaint at her words and before he could say anything else she said, “I believe that we may be able to locate an alternative, a safer route.” Yet she had to admit she didn’t know where to even begin to start searching for an alternative way in.
“But where else do you suggest? The Rift is still there; she must still be there. Isn’t that what Serinae told you after all.”
Nar’Allia had to agree with a nod of her head and a resigned shrug. Serinae herself had stated that the Rift was a good place to start, yet something nagged at her, something said that although the Rift was the last place that Minervar had been seen, she may be elsewhere. After all, who knew?
“Nar’Allia is right. That will not be an easy thing to undertake.” It was the old human Alonso that spoke. He stood shakily to his feet and addressing the gathering, he said, “yes, the Rift is still there, but so also are the dread elves that guard it. But that’s not all, the dread elves have an army, an army of metal men, tall and strong, they still stand as a wall around the perimeter of the ruins of the old Gnome city, in the centre of which is the dread elven city and the Rift. None may enter that way, they will not allow it. Any approach is immediately met with aggression. Only the dread elves live within, only they may leave the city and return. We have kept a watch from a safe distance, we have seen them occasionally leaving and entering many times these past years.” He was silent for a minute before he said, “that is not all. As I alluded to before, another elven army is present in the region; these are not dread elves for these elven soldiers attack the dread elves whenever they come across them. No, these elves are from someplace else, yet they are just as dangerous, just as angry; they too are filled with evil thoughts and desires. Yet they are at war with the dread elves, they keep separate, remain hidden. We have not only to contend with the dread elves but also we are attacked from time to time by these others, for they will not suffer us to come near to their encampment, just as the dread elves also guard their city. This is perhaps the other reason I came here, to try and find out the nature of these other elves, for my people are few and the elves are many. We cannot fight such strength of warriors on two fronts.”
All fell silent for a while. Then Solvienne spoke, “the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran, the dread elves as you call them, they have been there, in the ancient city of the Pnook people for many ages. This is nothing new, they will continue to stay there until perhaps they grow strong again and feel able to strike out once more at the world. That is their one desire, we know this. They wish domination over the world and all peoples. Nothing has happened to change that as far as I can tell. But now you speak of others? I do not know who these may be, I can only assume that they have been sent there by someone to contain the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran, even harass them. But what I don’t understand is their behavior towards your people Alonso. It is not our way to attack innocent parties, unless attacked first of course. I would like to think this T’Iea force to be part of a plan made by their superiors in Ter’Hadsnefel, yet my heart tells me to expect deep sorrow, for no good can explain the acts of these other T’Iea.”
Alonso again spoke, “you are right mistress Solvienne, this is true, long have my people stood guard and watched. We have suffered in this task, many battles have been fought with the dread elves. But now we are weakening, we are fewer in number, we have lost our Taekla for she also fell into the Rift and was lost. Yet if what has been said is true, that she still lives, then perhaps there is hope yet.”
Nar’Allia remembered the old human mage, Deanola, who she had met amongst the men in the east. She was a powerful mage, actually trained by the elves she had claimed. But who had trained her Nar’Allia did not know, certainly not the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran, why would they train an enemy in such destructive power. Yet Deanola also had told of other elves in the region, just as Alonso had just admitted. Nar’Allia suddenly had a shocked thought. Was there a link here? But the likely hood of discovering an answer had most probably fallen into the Rift along with the human mage. It was Deanola, who being faced with defeat had run at Minervar and pushed her over the edge into the Rift. Nar’Allia spoke. “How could we forget Alonso, Deanola’s skill and bravery were second to none. But also remember that the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran are perhaps leaderless now, for in removing Minervar from their presence we also removed their leader, their Gatekeeper.” Nar’Allia turned from Alonso and holding Thorandill’s hand she said, “I’m sorry Thor, I feel it would be futile for you to go alone into the east to the Rift. Forces are at work there that we do not fully understand. You have heard as much. Alone you could do little. Alone this would be futile.”
Up until now Solin had remained silent, she just listened to what was being said. But now she spoke and all listened, for the tone and pitch of her voice had authority and carried weight in their ears and in their hearts. “With respect to master Alonso, it does not sound although his people have the strength to mount an assault the size of which would be necessary to achieve this goal. Even though I suspect that they would willingly try.”
They all remained silent looking at Solin as if they expected her to say more.
She did so, “Master Alonso and I spoke at great length, he revealed many things to me. His people live in fear for dark threats lie over them, threats that could destroy them completely should any decide to take such action. Like Solvi, I fear the new threat concerning the T’Iea army that are in the east. I am loathed to speak of it for the ramifications of what Alonso has just said fills me with dread and I would prefer to keep my silence at least for the time being until I have made some enquiries elsewhere, for that of which Alonso speaks raises many questions in my mind and each requires an answer.” She was silent for a moment, then the tone of her voice changed as she said, “I would like to suggest something. I agree that we, or some of us should go east back to the Rift. But not necessarily only in the hope that answers to Minervar’s disappearance will become clear. We know the Rift forms a kind of gateway, a highway to another place or maybe to many such places, Seri as good as told us this. No, there is another reason to go there, we must aid master Alonso’s people; we must add to their number and share the burden of defending the world against the power of the Rift and the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran who seek to control that power for evil. But also to prepare for this new threat, which may well prove to be greater than those of which we already know. There is one other consideration, there remains the question of the Leviathan machine, the one that JDC the Pnook controls. If he still has control of the machine and the soldiers within it, it may prove a great aid in breaching the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran defences and may also dissuade any other T’Iea force from showing any aggression in the area.” She turned to look at Thorandill, “Thor, you are a soldier, I would like to suggest that you lead a force east with the express orders to undertake that which I have just suggested. Identify this other T’Iea army, try and understand what they intend and who they hold allegiance to.”
Thorandill went to speak. But Solin held up her hand, “let me finish if you would. I understand that to persuade your commanders to release such a force may be difficult, I understand that they will have other orders to fulfil. I also understand that you are still in training shall we say. However, I am going to suggest that you Thor, and myself, travel to Ter’Hadsnefel, to the headquarters of the Legions of the Wind. I have a few old contacts there and as long as I have an ear or two I still may have some small influence. Some in the city may yet hear us out. I have not been back to my home city in many and age, but I still
maintain some correspondence with some old friends who remain in the city.”
Thorandill was about to say that to travel to Ter’Hadsnefel would take many days and would be very tiring.
But before he could utter his concerns, Solin said, “Oh, don’t look at me in that way Thor, there is life left in me yet, I can march along with the best of you. Of that you can be sure. Just remember young man, looks aren’t everything eh?”
“But what will the rest of us do, it may take months to organise a force, even if you are able to persuade the military to send one,” responded Solvienne.
Solin retorted, “I suggest you Solvienne, return to Amentura, take Nar’Allia with you if you wish. If the keeper, master Amndo, spends time there on occasions; he may be useful in divulging the possible whereabouts of JDC and the Leviathan. Whilst you wait for him to appear I am sure that the book shelves in the library may reveal other answers to some of our questions.” She also stared hard at Nar’Allia as if willing her to agree, she winked at Nar’Allia when no one else was watching.
So there it was then. Nar’Allia was thinking. Solin had acted once more, directed their lives. Yes it was only a suggestion, but she knew that what Solin had said would come to pass. They would agree with it. As in the past the elderly academic was guiding them as if she had already planned it.
Lo’Rosse was looking at Nar’Allia as she stared hard at Solin; he looked slightly uncomfortable as he said, “I’m not so sure that Nar’Allia should go, what about D’Irune?”
“If you worry about your being left behind again Lo’Rosse, why don’t you also go and take your young son with you?” Suggested Solin.
Nar’Allia heard the words, but there was something about the tone of her voice and the look on her face that suggested this was a suggestion she didn’t really mean.
Lo’Rosse, frowned, he did remember the last time that Nar’Allia had left him, she was gone for a long time and he did not relish a repeat of that situation. Especially as he suspected that as before his wife may end up traveling the world without him by her side. Especially if she managed to locate the Leviathan machine. He knew she had flown extensively in the machine before, travelled more than half way around the world searching for her lost stepmother. He also knew though she was more than capable of looking after herself, but he wanted to share whatever burdens she may end up carrying. Yet something else held him back from voicing his concerns, some old thought, a warning perhaps.
Solvienne was looking at Thor, she saw something there in his face, she waited for him to speak, but to her surprise he did not. So turning back to Solin she said, “but I have spent much time going through the library Solin, I have not found any references to the Rift, or to anything else that may help in this endeavor.”
Solin smiled, she reached up to her collar and placing her fingers inside the material round her neck she slowly drew something, a fine gold chain. She pulled gently on the chain and out from around her neck she produced a small metal disk hanging by a clasp.
They all stood silent, each looking at the thing that Solin had produced. She undid the clasp and the small disk dropped into her hand. She held her hand palm up and extended it so all could see what lay there. “This, may help,” she said.
Nar’Allia gasped. She had seen such an item once before, once many years ago, in Solin’s house in Amentura, she could not take her eyes from the small dark disk, for plainly there upon it was depicted a face. Two slit eyes and a slit mouth. The design was unmistakable, for it was etched into her memory as if some fiery brand had been burnt there. “That is a Dolan Solin! Where did you get it?”
“I have kept it for many years my child,” was the response.
Nar’Allia stood, something akin to anger was rising in her breast. All her suspicions over Solin suddenly burst forth, overflowed into sudden emotion. She swallowed hard and with clenched fists she said, “it was a similar thing that was linked with this whole business, I found a Dolan like that in your house in Amentura, what are you doing with one also?” She pointed her finger directly at Solin in an accusing manner.
Solin replied with a tone of great authority. “Please Nar’Allia let me explain. I know it seems like my involvement may have taken a sinister turn, but I assure you that is not the case. Please allow me to talk before you judge me.”
Solvienne came to stand by Nar’Allia; she laid a hand upon her shoulder willing her to sit once more. Nar’Allia was breathing heavily, fire shone in her eyes, but the touch of Solvienne’s hand upon her shoulder seemed to calm her. However, she refused to sit, she remained staring hard into Solin’s eyes.
Solin returned the stare unflinching. Then she explained in her normal tone of voice. “You know both Serinae and I lived for many years in my house in Amentura. You also know perhaps that for a period the thief Tezrin also stayed there?”
Nar’Allia knew this, Minervar had told her the tale long ago, how Solin had met Serinae, how Serinae was betrothed to Tezrin the thief. But he had been courted by the evil of the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran and had joined with them, for in his mind they offered a solution to satisfying his ambitions. By all accounts Solin had not trusted him, she knew something of his character perhaps and understood he would betray both Serinae and her in the end. She also knew that Serinae loved Tezrin with all her heart, continued to love him even after she had killed him with her own arrow. Killed him to save Minervar and as she had said, to save him from himself.
Solin continued, “well both Serinae and myself had one each of these Dolans, call them keys if you like for they can be imbued with arcane energy of a type that will allow access to somewhere, or not as the case may be. I have long had this one, it is the key to a secret place in which I keep some ….. things, let’s call these things sensitive items shall we?”
Nar’Allia then spoke, “but the other was in the hidden cupboard in Serinae’s old rooms in Amentura. It was that Dolan that I have long suspected was linked to Minervar’s disappearance.”
“No. Nar’Allia, the Dolan was not to blame. That is perhaps a coincidence. That Dolan must have been the one that belonged to Serinae, although I could not say for sure. I did not know where she kept it hidden, although now I realise it was within that small cupboard that Minervar opened. Serinae’s Dolan could only have been used by her, like me she would have used it to secure whatever she wanted to hide from all others.”
Nar’Allia still felt uneasy about this conversation and the part Solin seemed to be playing, so she pointedly asked. “But Solin, Serinae’s Dolan we took to the rust desert, it drained the cistern and allowed us access into the lair of the leviathan. Was this the secret place that Serinae and you perhaps had imbued it to open?”
“No, no, Nar’Allia. You must realise, these Dolan’s were acquired by myself many years ago. To me they were just historic trinkets, I never knew what their original use was. Let me explain. I confess I was investigating the rumours of the city beneath the sands of the Rust Desert; it was one of the first ever investigations I made. As part of my preliminary investigations I used to seek audiences regularly with the Pnook that flew into Amentura from from their city of Scienocropolis in the Rust desert. I persuaded some of the Pnook merchants to bring with them anything of interest that they may acquire. On one occasion one of these Pnook offered me some artefacts he said would prove the existence of the city beneath the desert sands. These Dolans were part of the collection of artefacts that he had, but he knew not what they did, or what any of the other artefacts where. A paid a pretty price for them all. It was always my intention Narny to travel to the Rust Desert and try and find out what relevance these items had. But I never made that journey, other things got in the way. I never found out Nar’Allia, it was as much as a surprise to me as it was to you what Serinae’s Dolan actually allowed access to. Please believe me.
Nar’Allia sat and lowered her eyes to her hands clasped upon her knees.
Solin continued in a much more relaxed tone of voice. “Following
the Ognod wars and in the aftermath of the chaos, I was tasked with trying to find out why and what had happened to the Ognod threat. I was ordered to do this by my masters. It was on one such journey that I had met Serinae. At that time she was on secondment to the Grûndén undertaking a similar task acting for them under orders from the ranger guilds. Well, it was many years until I started to think about the Dolans once more.
When we were safely back in Amentura, I discovered the properties that the Dolans possessed quite by accident. I found they could be attuned, manipulated if you will to react to a certain arcane locking mechanisms. So I experimented with one of them, I changed the character of one of it; I adapted it for personal reasons. It did not occur to me that these things might already contain the imprint to unlock certain other ‘things’. I was pleased with my success, so I gave one, unchanged I might add, to Serinae for safe keeping, telling her that if she ever found a use for it I would gladly adapt it for that use. But she never asked. As to their true use, that was not discovered until you took the one belonging to Serinae back into the desert. Perhaps by good fortune she never asked me to change it, thus it still held the original unlocking code for the cistern as you call it.”
Nar’Allia was wondering something, she asked the question, “so Serinae never used it then, she presumably just kept it safely locked away in that little secret cupboard?”
Solin replied, “quite so my child. I suspect she may not have used it for anything as far as I know, as I said we never discussed it. But this was the whole purpose of the Dolan’s we kept, to keep secure that which we held most precious, or most dangerous. We both agreed we would not divulge to anyone the form or the whereabouts of these places or their contents. Not even to each other.”
Something else occurred to Nar’Allia, “the Dolan, Serinae’s Dolan it may have been used once before to gain access to the military facility that lay below the sands of the Rust Desert. For when we were there we found gruesome evidence that T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran had been there before and stolen a Leviathan battle cruiser.”
At this Solin remained deep in thought, a deep frown upon her features, before she continued. “I do concede that the pretender Tezrin may have taken possession of Serinae’s Dolan, whether with her knowledge or in secret I do not know. It is conceivable he may have used it for his own secret purposes.” Here she sighed and looking at Nar’Allia said, “but I doubt it. You see Nar’Allia and it pains me to tell you this, but Tezrin also had his own Dolan. Perhaps even he may have suspected what it actually did and used it.”
“Nar’Allia was shocked. “You had three? You gave one to Tezrin also?”
“I had to, I didn’t want him to have a reason to steal mine or Serinae’s, and at the time I didn’t know what they were, none of us did, as far as I knew they were just some old artefact and as I had three well, to keep the peace, I gave one to each of them and made a joke that they would connect us as a three, as comrades in a Trete’Y’Thego. Silly I know, but I wanted to keep Tezrin’s trust. I knew Tezrin didn’t trust me and I must admit I was beginning to have doubts about him, but he was linked emotionally to Serinae and I did not want to risk alienating her.”
Nar’Allia nodded, she had a sudden thought, “by the Maker Solin, the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran got there before us, in the Rust Desert I mean, they had already gained access to the cistern and stolen a Leviathan machine some years before we obtained one. They must have had Tezrin’s Dolan. Perhaps even Tezrin himself was there in the rust desert, he was the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran Gatekeeper after all. But how did they know? From what I understand of the story told by the human nomads the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran seemed to know exactly what they were doing.”
Solin nodded her head in agreement. “I think that is a worthwhile assumption Narny, sadly I think you are most probably correct. As to how they gained such knowledge, that I’m afraid I do not know. I can only think that they had access to something or someone who knew of these things. I have thought about this many times over the years, but a solution does not present itself, I find I can not place any suspicions in any direction. Tezrin was good at keeping secrets.”
Solvienne asked, “so Solin, I assume by giving me your Dolan, I am to travel to Amentura? You will of course need to tell me where in the house the secret place it unlocks is?”
Solin smiled and gesturing to Solvienne gave the Dolan to her, she sighed as if a great weight had been lifted from her mind. “I will not utter instructions here, but when you get there, to the house, speak with Jonas, he will be able to help I am sure.”
Discussions went on late into the night. These stopped for various domestic reasons and people came and went as the mood or necessity took them. But they had all agreed that the tasks ahead would require each of them to play a part if they were to have a chance of being successful. Both Lo’Rosse and Nar’Allia agreed though that their son should not go, so they went to see Lo’Rosse’s family, they were hoping that they would understand and agree to look after D’Irune. They took some persuading, but they had looked after the young T’Iea boy from time to time and when Nar’Allia offered the prospect of a holiday in a T’Iea coastal town where Minervar had relations, little D’Irune kicked up such a fuss about wanting to go that Lo’Rosse’s parents agreed that they would take him. Nar’Allia wrote them a letter of introduction, not that she believed she needed to, for her uncle Tear’E and aunt U’Sule who lived in the beautiful little fishing village of R’ealto’Noac’Trado where the friendliest and most hospitable couple she knew. But something pulled at Nar’Allia’s conscience; she didn’t like the idea of both of them being parted from their young son. It would be unfair if both of them did not return to him. She understood only too well what it was like to lose one parent at a young age, but to lose both she found to be an unbearable thought. But she said nothing, she did not want to cause an argument here in the presence of Lo’Rosse’s family, so she did her best to push the thought from her mind and seem enthusiastic about the proposed holiday by the sea.
It was decided that Solin and Thorandill would indeed go to the high elf city of Ter’Hadsnefel. The oldest and grandest of all T’Iea cities in the world. The city was north and probably at least a week’s journey on foot. Thorandill once more expressed concerns about Solin’s age and whether or not she would be able to make the journey. Solin’s reply was that she may look more ‘mature’ than he, but that did not stop her being fit and agile, she had after all walked from Amentura to the T’Iea village where she now lived. He was tempted to remind her that was some time ago, but he bit his tongue. She assured him that Ter’Hadsnefel, although further, would not be an issue for her. In any case she was quite looking forward to seeing the city and some old acquaintances once again and said that this incentive would help drive her to walk the distance.
Solvienne was to go back to Amentura, she had been custodian of the house there for a number of years, she had agreed to take on the responsibility. She also knew the town and its inhabitants as well as the house. She was also very curious to find out from Jonas where the secret place may be that the Dolan would unlock, Solin remained adamant not to tell them anything further. But it was agreed Nar’Allia and Lo’Rosse would accompany Solvienne to Amentura and decide from there what would happen next.
Only Alonso it seemed was to travel alone. He wished to return to his people in the east for he greatly feared for their security. He had been away for some months and was anxious to return. He wanted to let them know that their leader, their Taekla, the old mage Deanola yet lived. He was old and weary, but he was also now well rested after staying with the T’Iea, his various aches and pains and sores had all healed and he felt more able to make the return journey. In any event when travelling as his shade, a wolf, he could still cover much ground rapidly, far quicker than any human or T’Iea could manage
One other thing was discussed. Something that may prove necessary if the fierce battles that were to be expected raged at any time. They had brief
ly mentioned concerns for the Pnook JDC. He had commanded the Leviathan war machine, the great battle cruiser that they had recovered from the military facility beneath the Rust Desert during the ill-fated trip to find and rescue Minervar. The great battle machine had untold power in weaponry and other offensive capabilities. It also carried on board an army of metal warriors, the Startmektoken soldiers. The same as that which made up the ever watchful and never sleeping cordon around the Rift and the dark eleven domain. It was agreed that if they were to have a chance on penetrating the cordon of Startmektoken then the Leviathan would be an invaluable tool in aiding them. But Nar’Allia reiterated once again there in lay a problem for no one knew where JDC and the Leviathan may be found. After he had returned them home, he had left with the keeper Amndo, neither of them suggesting where it was they intended to go. They had two possible chances of finding the machine. By either finding JDC which was unlikely, or finding master Amndo, who had seen JDC last. Amndo was known to have frequented the house in Amentura, at least he had in the past spent a great deal of time there. However with some sadness Solvienne reported that she had never seen anyone that fitted Amndo’s description in Amentura, at least not whilst she had been there.
Nar’Allia’s mind drifted away from the conversations, there was something else that nagged at her. She knew what lay ahead was dangerous and she felt it only right that she place herself alone into such danger. She knew that Lo’Rosse would go anywhere with her, knew he wouldn’t think twice about placing himself in danger, she would do the same if the roles were reversed. She knew first-hand what it was like to undertake such tasks as she was about to do, she knew what was needed to look after her own safety, let alone worry about someone else as well, someone who was close to her and demanded an additional emotional attachment. She didn’t want that extra responsibility. But how was she going to explain this to Lo’Rosse, he wouldn’t take it well of that she was sure. She had already left him behind once; it was unlikely he was going to accept her going away alone a second time.