Lithoniel

The trip back home was a long march punctuated only by the harsh winds of winter. Lithoniel and Kolvar had traveled for days without saying a word, barely looking at each other. They had always stayed together, the three of them, and now that one of them was missing, probably dead, something seemed different. Broken.

They had tried to find Rolim for days, going west as they traveled along that nameless river until it flowed into the glacial waters of the Frozen Sea. Even then Lithoniel had wanted to keep looking. It was Kolvar who had the thankless task to convince her she was just lying to herself, holding on to a false hope, an illusion she had built just to avoid the sad truth of reality.

Needless to say, she hadn't been grateful.

When the lies she had told herself disappeared, melting away like snow in the sun, she had been forced to face that Rolim, the person she had sought to the point of obsession was gone forever. The result hadn't been pretty. She couldn't sleep or eat. Her mind was a blank slate, her movement mechanical like the golems the dwarves used to build, constructs of stone and earth devoid of free will. The rest of the trip had been exceedingly quiet and uneventful. Nothing abnormal happened, nothing that could distract her attention and wipe away the apathy she was feeling.

It was the sixth day since they had lost Rolim when something changed. They had tried to steer clear from the enemy's patrol so far, but soon it became obvious their precautions were useless. They found no footprints on the plains, no sign of their patrols. The dust storms had wiped them clean long ago, maybe the same day they'd rescued the prisoners.

Lithoniel and Kolvar risked going back to take a look at their camp, but what they found shocked them. There was no smoke rising from the campfires, no guards at the gate, or sign of activity whatsoever. It looked abandoned. A strange sense of foreboding washed over her, the inexplicable urge to run inside, see for herself what had really happened.

She did just that. Kolvar trudged along shouting her to stop, but there was no need to be afraid, not for their safety at least. The encampment was deserted.

"They even left some of their stuff behind." Kolvar said, kicking one of the crates with his foot.

It was nothing essential: miscellaneous stuff, trinkets and other useless decorations the elves used to adorn their tents. However, the wall was another thing altogether.

Why didn't they dismantle it?

Wood was valuable, especially with winter on the way.

"They left in a hurry." Lithoniel whispered.

She had the feeling they were somehow responsible for their sudden departure.

"Let's go" She said to Kolvar, fear lending her wings.

Their trip soon became a forced march, a race against time. Unfortunately, that race had already ended long ago. They left the plains only to find that the Great Penumbra was already swarming with enemies. They had to proceed with caution, and many times they were forced to stop and take long detours to avoid their patrols.

They arrived at the village five days later. They were dead tired and hungry, but above all, they were dismayed, utterly terrified by the dreadful spectacle before them.

Their village was no more.

Columns of black smoke were rising above the plateau, darkening the gray skies. The tents were still burning, but since the ebonwood they were made of wasn't normal wood, they couldn't know when this happened. Kolvar continuously shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing. Lithoniel was no different. They laid down, the ashes falling from the skies slowly banking upon their bodies as they observed what was left of their village.

"What happened here?" Kolvar whispered, his voice a bit hoarse as he talked for the first time after days of silence.

Lithoniel just shook her head.

"This is our fault" Kolvar whispered. "That's why they were in a hurry. They were worried we would warn the tribe."

Lithoniel tightened her lips, "We can do nothing about that now. Let's leave."

They were afraid the enemies might still be nearby so crawled until they were out of sight. When the sky started getting dark, and the temperature suddenly dropped, they sought refuge in a small cave. Kolvar immediately gathered some wood and tried to start a fire, without success. He had just lost his dominant hand and wasn't able to use flint and steel with one hand. Yet, Lithoniel didn't even try to help him. She looked completely lost, staring into the void. She didn't know what to do now that their tribe was gone. Now that Rolim...

She shook her head. She couldn't think about him, not anymore.

In the end, Kolvar succeeded. They ate in silence, the flickering flame of the campfire keeping the frost at bay.

"It's not your fault." Kolvar said when they were done eating.

That was completely out of the blue. Lithoniel was too surprised to answer at first.

Then she shook her head, "No, you were right. I should have thought about the consequences before trying to rescue the prisoners."

"It was the right thing to do. They would have attacked anyway."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "You can't know that"

"Only a fool would invade our territory during winter, Lithoniel." He reminded her, trying to emulate Rolim's tone but failing miserably. "You did everything you could to warn the tribe."

"Did I?" Her mocking voice echoed through the cave, "I didn't think so. None of them survived."

"I think they did." Kolvar contradicted her, "I'm sure our hunters were ready, able to put up a fight." He tried to cheer her up.

She scrunched up her face, "For all the good it did them."

"Neither the Loremaster nor Elwin are idiots. Who knows? Maybe they followed your plan and just left a few men to slow down the enemy."

Unwittingly Lithoniel nodded. The explanation sounded reasonable. She'd found two sets of tracks. The majority of the enemy tribe had gone north, while a handful of men, probably seasoned hunters, had headed south.

Did they chase the survivors?

However, Lithoniel didn't cling to that glimmer of hope. She had no intention to make the same mistake twice. Still, she decided to head south the next day.

It was the fifteenth day since Rolim had left when they finally reached those cursed hills. They woke up early that morning, determined to cross the Hollows and ascertain if their deduction was correct. They were about to start climbing when they heard a sound coming from the top of the hill. Someone had pulled a bowstring.

They both froze, to avoiding to make any sudden movements, well aware they were easy targets down there. A few seconds later, someone else pulled a bow until there were dozens of arrows pointed at them.

Lithoniel was about to shout her name, hoping Kolvar was right and those hunters weren't enemies ready to turn them into porcupines, when someone said, "Stop! They are the people we were waiting for!"

Lithoniel and Kolvar exchanged a glance. They both recognized that voice. A couple of minutes later eight hunters marched down the hill. Most of them were short and very young, children not real hunters. The only exception was their leader.

"Fennan?" Lithoniel asked, sounding mildly surprised when he pulled down the scarf covering his face.

Elwin's successor smiled at her, but his heart wasn't in it. He looked haggard, tired. He had dark circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept for days.

"The Loremaster was right, you came." He sounded relieved, maybe even a bit happy to see her, "We were waiting for you. We hoped you would come. Volodar told us how you rescued them."

Her eyes lit up, surprise flashing across her face, "Volodar? Did he make it?"

"He did. He came back five days ago together with three others. It's thanks to them that we were able to leave the Penumbra alive."

Lithoniel sighed with relief and smiled, "So they made it in time."

That was good news, but the smile on her face was guarded, "Four of them came back. What about the rest?"

Just like she feared, Fennan avoided her gaze. Lithoniel's lips quivered, that sadness she had come to know so well clouding her features.

Only a third of them survived.

Tears pooled at the corner of her eyes, yet she couldn't even cry. She knew Fennan's small hunters were watching her, their young faces unnaturally stiff and rigid as they observed her every move. Death and deprivations had hardened them, forcing them to grow quickly to take the place of the hunters they had lost.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Lithoniel. It was an impossible task to begin with. You sneaked inside the enemy encampment, avoided the enemy patrols and even succeeded in freeing them." He shook his head like he still couldn't believe it. "No one could have done better."

However, the "good news" wasn't over. She could read it on his face, that pain well hidden under a facade of calm. Something much worse must have happened since they had left the tribe.

"That's not all, is it?" She asked, and it was Fennan's turn to pale.

"No, it's not." He said quietly, "Many didn't make it. More than one hundred people sacrificed themselves to slow down the enemy."

Lithoniel grimaced, saddened beyond measure by the loss of life, but he wasn't finished.

"They used themselves as bait, waited until the enemy attacked and..." He drew in a long breath and pressed his lips together like it was hard for him to continue. She soon understood why. "...set the village on fire."

The color drained from her face as she fought the urge to puke. Luckily Kolvar was at her side and grabbed her arm, sustaining her, otherwise she would have fallen by now.

They were burned alive. That's what he means.

She was still feeling ill when she felt Kolvar squeezing her arm, "They sacrificed themselves so that the others could live." Kolvar whispered to her, talking for the first time.

She nodded, if nothing else because she wanted him to let go of her arm. She appreciated his gesture, but her body rejected his touch. She wrinkled her nose, disgust surging through her when she remembered what he had done. Still, revulsion was better than desperation. Kolvar, of course, didn't think that way. He flinched when she stepped back as if she had struck him.

"They were the first, but they won't be the last." Fennan shrewdly interjected, defusing the tension. However, the damage was done. Lithoniel barely glanced at Kolvar as he walked away.

"As it is, I'm afraid many others will fall." Fennan continued, "We are low on supplies and traveling in this weather..." He shook his head, looking up at the skies.

Lithoniel followed his gaze. Countless tiny white dots were falling from the skies. It was just sleet, but they both knew it could turn into a snowstorm anytime.

"You were in a hurry. You didn't have the time to carry all the food with you, Fennan." She tried to comfort him.

"No, we had time" His expression hardened, anger altering his face, "we just didn't make use of it. I didn't believe you at first, but then we increased the patrols as you suggested and..." He sighed, "it was exactly as you predicted. Even Master said we had to leave, and yet our people still refused to believe us. We tried to convince them, but they were so stubborn..."

"The village was their home." She said softly, automatically trying to justify them as she had done so many times in the past.

However, it was just a habit this time. She didn't really believe it.

"Well," Fennan forced himself to smile, "At least you're fine. But... " He looked past her like he was searching for someone and frowned. "...where's Rolim?"

Lithoniel froze, her eyes immediately welling up when she heard that name, "H-He...He...is..." She kept stuttering as she tried to say that he was gone, but she couldn't. Those words were stuck in her throat.

Luckily, Fennan understood anyway.

"I'm sorry" He rasped like he was the one in pain, "Rolim and...master are with the faeries now, feasting in their green halls."

Lithoniel gasped, "Fennan, master Elwin is..."

"Dead." He looked ashen, but there was something else beneath the pain, an implacable anger smoldering underneath the surface.

"How?" She asked, as tactfully as possible, "Did the enemy..."

"No. They didn't do it." He clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with hatred. "He was poisoned, Lithoniel."

She swallowed, "You mean..."

"What I mean," He spoke each word precisely, "Is that the assassin is one of us."

"What? But...why?"

He let out a mirthless laugh, "It was a mistake, Lithoniel. The assassin miscalculated."

She blinked, completely confused, "Mistake?"

"Master wasn't the target, Lithoniel." He pinned her with his deep blue eyes, "Someone else was supposed to drink that herbal tea."

Herbal tea?

Tea was a valuable commodity, only found on the Eastern continent. The tea Fennan was referring to was a completely different thing, made with the withered leaves of the ebontree. Lithoniel had tried it once and it was extremely bitter.

There is just one person who likes to drink it...

Her blood ran cold, sweat trickling down her spine when she finally connected the dots, "The Loremaster. She was their target."

Fennan nodded, though she didn't really need confirmations. She trusted her gut feeling.

But this doesn't explain why...

"Why did Master drink it?" Fennan asked, anticipating her question. "The Loremaster loved that tea and offered it to Master sometimes, though it was rare. Master hated it, called it an infernal concoction. However, they were old friends, the last of their generation. That's why when the Loremaster invited him, Master always accepted, though he hated her tea." He softly laughed.

He looked happy and carefree when he talked about his master. Lithoniel didn't want to ruin the moment, but she had to. She cleared her throat, and Fennan's smile faded, "Fennan, do you know who..."

"Killed him?" He laughed bitterly, "I know who materially did the deed if that's what you're asking. It was Fella."

Lithoniel's body shook, "The Loremaster's maid."

It makes sense. Probably she was the one who prepared the tea. However, she had no reason to kill the Loremaster. Unless...someone forced her to do it.

"Where is she now?" She asked to clear her suspicion.

"She was found dead, poisoned just like Master."

Anger seared through her. It was no longer a suspicion. She knew who did this.

"He removed the only witness." She whispered.

"He?" Fennan narrowed his eyes, his eyes boring into her, "So you know who did it."

Lithoniel met his gaze head-on. She didn't have the time to play games, "The Loremaster was the target, Fennan." She repeated. "You know who did it too."

"Garluin."He spat the name out like an insult. He didn't seem surprised. She was.

"You knew?"

His expression hardened, "Of course I knew. And no, I don't have any proof" He grudgingly admitted guessing her next question, "It happened just after Volodar came back. The village was in chaos at the time, and as you well know, the place of murder went up in smoke. Besides, there is no witness...and no body." No body?

"Did you..." She scratched her head, looking a bit awkward, "...cremate him?"

Fennan nodded stiffly, "I had no choice, you know the law. Besides, Master was very religious. He believed that the body is just an empty vessel, a burden anchoring the soul to this plane of existence."

Lithoniel's expression softened, "You did the right thing."

"He always wanted to go south, see the Sun. If only I were with him..."

"Don't do this to yourself. It's not your fault." She tried to persuade him, but Fennan's answer was completely unexpected.

"Is that what you tell yourself at night, Lithoniel?" His lips drew back in a snarl, "Because I know you don't really believe it."

She recoiled, clutching her chest. She knew he was hurting, but she couldn't believe he would say that, and to her of all people.

"I'm sorry..." Fennan grimaced, maybe realizing what he'd said. "I didn't mean to..."

"I understand." She answered, but her voice was flat, unemotional.

They remained silent for a while. Then Lithoniel cleared her throat, "What about our enemies?"

Fennan seemed relieved when she changed the subject, "They won't chase us. They are no fools, Lithoniel. They knew they lost their chance when we left the Penumbra. Besides, only a madman would go to war now. They'll wait for the thaw and expect we'll do the same."

Yet, despite everything he had just said, he was grimacing.

"Talk, Fennan." She was tired, cold, and frankly, she had enough of him, "What is it?"

"It's Tinesia. She is pushing the Loremaster to declare a blood feud. She wanted to organize a counterattack."

She gasped, "Now? Is she out of her mind? No, wait." She rubbed her temples, realizing something was amiss, "This isn't Tinesia's idea, is it? I can see Garluin's hand in this. He is using her as a spearhead. But why would he..."

"He knows the Loremaster won't do it. Declaring a blood feud would be a disaster for us. We will have to march back and with this weather..." He shook his head, "It's insane."

"Alright, so he is just stirring up unrest." However as soon as she said it, she knew that couldn't be the case. There had to be a reason if he was doing this, yet no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find it.

"I don't understand." She looked confused. "What does he hope to achieve? The people aren't stupid. They'll never support this insanity."

"They are angry, Lithoniel." Something of his master's behavior must have rubbed off on him because he sounded precise but a bit patronizing like he was teaching to a child half of her age, "They lost their homes, their families, friends...everything they cared about. Many of them are so blinded by rage, they don't care if they die. They want to march on the Great Penumbra, and they get upset if someone tries to get in the way of their righteous revenge."

Then it dawned on her.

"The Loremaster. You are talking about the Loremaster. He is still targeting her." Her breath quickened, "Garluin wants to undermine her authority, maybe even ruin her reputation."

"And it's working. People are already saying she is too old to lead the tribe in these troubled times. They are pushing her to choose a successor. Lithoniel, " He leaned closer, "they want her to step aside."

Lithoniel shuddered as she imagined who her successor would be.

"I'll never allow him to be the Loremaster." Fennan promised, his scrawny body shaking with fury, "I'll kill him first."

That wasn't just an idle threat.

He really wants to kill him. He will act...soon.

After the stunt Fennan had just pulled, Lithoniel was tempted to let him do it. However, she didn't believe he could really pull it off, and she wasn't angry enough to want him dead.

Lithoniel sighed, gently grabbed his arm, "Fennan, I know how you feel but..."

Fennan tensed, a muscle in his jaw twitching, "But?"

"You know this isn't the right time."

Fennan stared at her for a long minute, but Lithoniel didn't flinch or look away.

Then he let out a breath, the muscles in his arms relaxing, "You're right. We have to settle down first, make sure everyone is safe."

"...and fed." Lithoniel added. "Winter is close and our food supply..."

Fennan didn't seem too worried about that, "That's not a problem, Lithoniel. We just have to reach the Asp Ridge, and we'll be fine."

Lithoniel furrowed her brow, "What do you mean?"

"After the enemy tribe attacked us, we followed your advice and sent some men to the Asp Ridge to scout the area and find a suitable place for a new settlement. Our scouts met someone there."

"The local tribe?" She guessed, "Did they allow us to move into their territory?"

"They did, but it's not just that, Lithoniel. They want to merge with us."

She frowned, "I don't understand. Why would they accept us?"

"They have no other choice. They lost a lot of people in a short time. Their tribe is in danger, and they need more men to survive. "

That made sense. The Asp Ridge was notoriously dangerous. She knew that well.

"What kind of danger? A beast tide?"

"Worse." His face darkened, his mouth twisting in a contemptuous sneer, "Humans."