Eventually, Stella relented and apologized for peeping into our newly acquired Brigade cards. It took some convincing until she promised not to look through them without me. She tried to argue there was no harm in her peeking, yet something in her tone still seemed a little fishy. Probing deeper, I asked if she had done anything other than taking a ‘quick look’ as she put it. Stella scrunched up her face in an overly dramatic confusion before repeating the question back to me as if she didn’t understand.
“Did I do anything other than look? No, of course not,” she replied before turning away from me a bit too swiftly. She was sitting on Ripley’s right shoulder and, for the next few moments, seemed to make a concerted effort not to look me in the eyes. She was being evasive. I knew it for a near certainty.
An easy way to tell someone is lying is when they innocently repeat your question. It buys the brain time to conceive a fabrication, a lie. Sneaking up behind her, I lightly tapped Stella’s shoulder before snatching her away from Ripley. Holding her near my chest, it was my turn to give her an overly dramatic look. “Really?” I asked, lifting a single eyebrow and cocking my head to the side.
Spooked, Stella attempted at first to refuse yet again, but, as cornered as she was, she relented. “Okay, okay,” she squirmed out of my grasp, now hovering a few feet before me. Once she budged to leave, I didn’t put up any resistance. “I may have… also put a few aside. Just the ones I thought were really cool. You know, for research purposes. I was going to put them back.”
“Uh-huh. Well, since you took cards before we looked at them together, as we agreed, those cards belong to me now,” I responded firmly, needing to nip this in the bud. The tone in my voice brooked no argument as I pulled up my inventory window. Tucked near the bottom, I wasn’t sure how she managed such a thing as everything inside should normally auto-sort itself. “Cheating has consequences, my dear.”
Tallos silently snickered at my side, prompting Stella to glance in his direction quickly. It was his turn to avoid eye contact, clearly not wanting to participate in whatever new odd situation his two friends found themselves in. Stella huffed a few times, seeming hopeful I would change my mind. Seeing her cute temper tantrum not having the desired effect, Stella moved on and asked, “So, what’s for lunch? Hopefully, someplace nice with some grilled chicken.”
As we were in a section of the city we had not been to before, we looked to our elven guide for recommendations. Unfortunately, my sinking suspicion we wouldn’t be lucky enough to find another café selling sautéed meat was swiftly confirmed.
“What do you mean there are none around here?” Stella pleaded, unwilling to accept the truth of the matter. We had, after all, had a hard enough time finding them yesterday and we had explored quite a bit of the city.
Ultimately, we stopped at a lovely little diner Leandra had taken Tallos to his first night in the city, a quaint place known as Queen’s. The casual café had a warm and inviting ambiance, with most of the tables outside under the forest canopy. Sadly, to Stella’s dismay, the small restaurant specialized solely in the elven vegetarian diet. The same as most eateries within Quarris. With no other available option, she relented but not before swearing me to let her snack on some smoked jerky after we left.
Reminding Stella she could have a snack whenever she wanted, we reviewed the menu together. Stella’s dejected outlook was swiftly changed however after hearing about the delicious dishes the place had to offer. Excitedly, Stella ordered a bowl of plant-based noodles made from buckwheat and a red cabbage salad with ginger vinaigrette dressing and homemade croutons. Not thinking overly much about it, I followed her lead and ordered the same thing from the waitress. Let’s just say neither of us was displeased with the decision.
Lowki, for his part, flatly refused to join us after seeing plates full of layered greens. Instead, in an overly melodramatic display I might add, he huffed his way over to a nearby bench to wait. Ripley, not needing any form of sustenance, unobtrusively moved a small bit away to enjoy her favorite pastime, standing watch.
As we ate, Tallos, Stella, and I discussed the upcoming meeting with the city’s elders and what we could expect. Tallos didn’t know exactly how the council was run in Quarris since this was also his first time visiting the tree city but he was able to shine some light on the subject based on his knowledge from his home city of Kelewithe. According to him, most elven settlements were organized similarly with only small differences from one to another.
“There had been a severe disciplinary assembly many years ago now when a half-elf was discovered hunting wild game within the forest. As you know, such an act is strictly forbidden,” Tallos explained in between bites of his kale quinoa salad. “I was too young to attend, but a friend shared afterward how the accused was required to stand in the middle of the chamber, with the twelve residing elders sitting in a semi-circle around him. Apparently, the position was quite intimidating as, in this case, the half-elf’s indifferent demeanor quickly shifted under their withering glares. In the end, he confessed and stated he would accept whatever punishment they decided to levy against him. I don’t recall exactly what happened, but I never heard of him again.”
“I don’t mean they took care of him,” Tallos added after seeing a worried expression form on Stella’s face. “They exiled him. You have nothing to worry about. Plus, you’re going to be honored so it’s fine. They only want to express their gratitude for what we did.”
“You specifically mention twelve elders. Does the number carry some special significance?” I asked, bringing the topic back on track to what we might find in only a couple of hours.
“Yes, it does,” Tallos replied as the waitress returned, seeing if we needed anything else. Tallos ordered a round of the café’s specialty, silver tips tea, before returning to my question. “Like my hometown of Kelewithe, the elder council is divided into four seasons. Each season, spring, summer, fall, and winter, has three elders. Combined, they are the ruling body for Quarris and this section of the High Thicket. Whichever season we’re in grants the corresponding three elders the title of Head Elders. During their three months, the Head Elders are granted the authority to make most of the decisions impacting the city. At the start of each season, one elder is voted Chief Elder by all the others and essentially functions as a tiebreaker should the need arise. There are many more intricacies with how it works, but I won’t bore you with those right now. When it comes to us, the three fall elders will be taking the lead. I suspect one of the topics you’ll have the council discuss is what Quarris will do about Duke, right?”
“Yeah,” I answered before pausing to sip at my piping hot tea. It was surprisingly flavorful, containing a sweet floral and herbal note within. I didn’t usually take to teas since, according to my limited palate, it felt like drinking a watered-down beverage. Queen’s specialty, however, was quite divine. “Do you think they’ll mobilize a large force to go after him?”
“More than likely, no. At least, not an overly large contingent,” Tallos responded with a shake of his head. “Smaller war parties are sometimes sent out to hunt down a dangerous criminal, like in this case, but it’s almost unheard of for more than a few dozen to be sent. With Duke's power, I doubt the council will send out such a force, though. I’m quite certain we’ll continue to be granted safe haven and free to stay as long as we choose. So, if Duke were to return, I guarantee the entirety of the High Thicket will be levied against him. We protect our own, including our guests.”
“That’s what worries me,” I said with a dejected sigh. “I don’t want to be responsible for any more deaths. Duke is hunting me… hunting Stella. Elves would only be collateral damage to his tyranny.”
The fear of Duke hurting others because of me didn’t sit right with me. It would be all too easy to lay back and wait for Duke to trudge on back, thus forcing the elves of the High Thicket to defend me. While I would undoubtedly be at the front of any such engagement, such a tactic would certainly cost elven lives. Who was I to put these people at even greater risk? Sure, we helped push Duke back when we arrived but, as far as I was concerned, the city wasn’t obligated to send more soldiers into harm’s way for me.
At the same time, did we have any alternative? Duke was a powerhouse and may have been able to destroy this entire forest city on his own. Without a miracle or an incredible amount of good luck, I feared we were nowhere near strong enough to take the battle against him by ourselves. Even if we decided to focus entirely on reaching the maximum level as quickly as possible, would we be enough? At this moment, I didn’t think we could considering how close he was to defeating us last time. Time, that’s what we needed, and as much as we could get.
“Do you think the council knows how far away Duke’s settlement is?” I asked trying to figure out just how much time we could have before the Hunter made another appearance.
“Most likely,” Tallos answered. “While elves generally remain within their forest, we do send out a great number of scouts to the surrounding countryside to identify potential threats. Duke, I think we can all agree, would certainly fit such a designation.”
“To beat the man, we need four things to have any hope of coming out victorious. First, we need more time. We’re not ready to face him, but we’re getting closer to that mark day-to-day. With more time, we should be able to raise our levels to the world’s maximum, thus leveling the playing field as much as possible. That’s number two. Third, we needed help, as much as we could get. Finally, we need a defensible location to withstand his inevitable assault,” I stated after some internal deliberations. An idea was sparking to life in my mind, though it seemed a wild gamble at best. Maybe we didn’t need to involve all the elves in the High Thicket. Perhaps a few would do, something like the war party Tallos mentioned. Thinking further, didn’t we already have a defendable location we could use against the traitorous Hunter?
Perhaps… there was a way to mark off all four goals. With a little help, it could work. “You know, I think I have an idea,” I announced with a touch of optimism. My friends, seeing my mind working, waited patiently as I rifled through the possibilities. “Here’s what I’m thinking…”
A half-hour later, having worked out the particulars of my proposed plan with Stella and Tallos, we were of like mind. There was a sense of confidence knowing we had a firm plan of action. For the longest time, it felt as if we were just following a few days behind Duke as he moved from one slaughter to the next. Now, we had a plan to bring him to us.
We still had a few topics to address during our meeting with the city’s elders, yet in many ways, regardless of whatever was decided, whether they helped us or not would only affect the timeline of our final showdown. If the elders agreed with everything, perfect. Their support would make a world of difference. If they refused, I would not hold an ounce of animosity for the decision.
The one topic we didn’t discuss, at least not yet, was whether Tallos would be leaving with us. I avoided that particular topic like the plague, as a part of me feared he found happiness with Leandra and would be staying behind. Not speaking any of these inner thoughts aloud, I decided to wait until after the meeting to have a heart-to-heart with my elven friend.
“Alright,” I remarked once we were all in agreement. Pumping my fist in eagerness, I turned to Tallos. “So, before we make our way to the council, is there anything else we should know?”
“Not much, other than the obvious,” Tallos replied. “Be honest and respectful. It should really be that easy. Oh, one other thing, they may have questions about your motivations for hunting down Duke, so be ready to talk about what he did to you and your parents. I almost forgot to mention this as I didn’t want it to come as a shock to you when we got there. While everything should go rather smoothly, in the end, they may decide not to help us. So, be prepared for that. The council does what’s in the best interest of the city and the forest, first and foremost. ”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“I understand, and I hope they will. We could really use their support in this,” I admitted honestly. Handing our empty plates to the waitress as we stood, along with a generous silver coin as a tip, we left the fantastic café and gathered up the sleeping Lowki. Our final destination for the day, the Chamber of Elders, was only a few tiers above.
Walking through yet another set of stairs built within a giant sequoia tree, we found ourselves perhaps only fifty feet under the topmost crown of the forest. Standing up ahead, we, at long last, saw the grand cathedral for ourselves. Having heard so much about the place from Tallos, the architectural design of the place was impressive, to say the least. It seemed to be straight out of a fantasy painting from Lord of the Rings.
The massive building was several hundred feet tall and, along with the platform supporting it, was entirely an alabaster white color. Far unlike any of the thousands of tons of reclaimed wood used throughout the rest of the city, the elder’s chamber stood in stark contrast against the explosion of reds and greens throughout the forest. Somehow it shone like a beacon in the daylight with an ordinary and monotonous color. I had no way to explain the extraordinary vibrancy coming from the place. Whatever achieved the effect, it did spectacular wonders in amplifying the colossal majesty of what could have been easily mistaken for an elven palace fit for a king among kings.
“Magnificent” was the only word I knew, which only barely touched the grandeur resting before us. Nothing else seemed to do it justice. I could spend years studying the building and would barely scratch the surface of all the inconceivable sophistication given form through its amazing architectural design.
Flying buttresses, delicate corner spires, themselves reaching hundreds of feet into the sky, and intricately carved support columns enhanced the feeling of illustriousness permeating from every intricate nook and cranny of the grand cathedral. A central gable at the top of a domed roof proudly displayed the only object not pristinely white, at least on the outside of the Elder Chamber. Atop the triangle-shaped gable appeared to be a living tree and was strikingly similar to the many giant sequoias all around us but extremely small in comparison. Roots from the still-mighty trees stretched below it like a spider’s web before disappearing into the ivory dome beneath it.
The elven palace was everything we were expecting and so much more. Tallos walked between us, placing an arm over my shoulder and an arm on Stella’s back, his smiling radiant as our own. He made eye contact with me before motioning with his head for us to proceed to the decorative front portal, where a pair of well-armored elves stood watch. Both wore full plate armor similarly dyed as the building they guarded. Alabaster tower shields rested comfortably at their sides, emblazoned with a tree similar to the one growing high above us on the dome roof. Each guardian bore a silver-hilted longsword held securely within ornate scabbards at their hips. Neither donned a plate helmet so their carefree smiles easily reached out to us as we approached.
“Hail,” Tallos called out first in greeting.
“Welcome, ranger Tallos, Hunter Xaz, Accelerator Stella, guardian Ripley, and companion Lowki,” the right guardsman replied with a salute over his chest. The elf’s melodic voice instantly soothed what had been a budding sense of anxiety that had been going unnoticed inside my stomach. It would seem a part of me felt undeserving of being invited to such a place. The guard continued, unaware of the support he had just given me. “The council is awaiting you. Please head inside to the next set of doors. Until you are called inside the chancel, please feel free to relax in the garden in the right alcove.”
As one, the two guards moved to open the dozen-foot-tall double doors. Being so much closer than before, my eyes widened upon seeing both had been expertly carved in exquisite detail. As if the two doors were one large wooden sculpture, they combined to show a realistic depiction of a blissful prairie with a curving toward the horizon. Animals of every type imaginable frolicked drank from the stream and rested atop comfortable grass beds. It must have taken the master woodcarver years to craft such a beautiful rendition of the natural utopia.
Stepping inside, the inside of the chateau was no less spectacular. However, the pristine white of the outside wood had been exchanged with olive greens, bright oranges, mustard yellows, and rust reds. Grand paintings reaching to the high ceiling overhead were hanging on both sides of the short foyer before ending with another set of sculpted French doors. The paintings to either side seemed to portray the progression of the trees through the seasons, starting with a wintery blizzard, with the autumn season at the far end of the hall. The artistry of each mural was truly no less magnificent than anything we had seen to this point.
“Elves sure know how to impress,” Stella commented from Tallos’ shoulder, having rushed there when we first glimpsed the grand entry hall. Tallos, for his part, grinned from ear to ear at the compliment to his people.
A soft boom heralded the door closing behind us. We proceeded forward without any haste in our steps as we closely examined each painting until we finally reached the small garden room at the end of the hall. Once more our eyes widened in amazement as the place was more of a botanical arboretum than a simple garden. Birds chirped merrily as they darted here and there, not the least bothered by our presence. Several were building twig nests and, as we watched, darted outside through wide open windows, allowing ample sunlight to reach the vast collection of flowers, shrubs, and other flora.
Where the grand cathedral, at least up until this point, had redwood flooring with a wood grain of unimaginable beauty, the garden held an uncut bed of lush grass that swayed to the gentle breeze flowing into the room. A small gravel path allowed easy access around the spacious garden. The outer perimeter of the garden held flourishing flowers of every type and color, the variety of scents enhanced one another into a perfumed flowery scent washing which washed away any earthly concern. The middle of the room held a solitary multi-tiered water fountain about six feet in diameter. The water cascading down from each subsequent tier created a soothing ambiance, relaxing each of us further.
We did not wait long. As the inner chamber doors swung open, two more plate-armored guards welcomed us within. The center of the cathedral was more oval-shaped than it appeared from the outside. A high domed ceiling overhead, at least a hundred feet up, was lined with rows of large windows allowing ample sunlight. The windows had to be the magical variety as I didn’t recall seeing any breaks in the roof when we first saw the palace. Below our feet, the beautifully stained redwood floor stretched in all directions, coming to a slightly raised dais in the middle of the room where the guards directed us to stand. The back half of the massive chamber reminded me of an ancient Greek amphitheater with its semi-circular bank of steps reaching higher and higher to the far wall.
Halfway up those stairs, a widened flat area contained twelve desks, also in a semi-circle around the central dais, where the city’s elders sat comfortably. Each councilmember wore fine robes of varying colors, and after a second of contemplation, I recognized each as matching the colors of the seasons with spring colors to the left and winter on the right. Similarly, the ages of the elders ran the gamut. Attractive, handsome, and beautiful elven faces smiled down at us. Behind the row of elders, many other residents sat sporadically throughout the rest of the multi-tiered rows, with Commander Wallace easily standing out among them in his grand armor. Sitting beside him was his lieutenant we met earlier, though I could not recall his name, as well as an elf maiden holding a notebook in the crook of her arm. When my eyes met the Commander’s, he tilted his head in greeting.
“Welcome, friends, new and old,” a familiar elder from the fall season called out as the room settled from what little chatter had picked up with our entrance. She wore a pristinely white robe with hints of golden hues along the edges, unlike the deep blue from when I last saw her at the eulogy. Her long, flowing hair was the color of strawberries, and her face held the finest of smile lines no doubt formed over a lifetime of happiness. Her dulcet tone voice was gentle and soft as if she were speaking with an old friend.
“My name is Elder Corona,” she continued as she spread her arms out wide, her gaze fixing on our small group. “You five are our honored guests, and before we begin, we wish you to know you may remain within the borders of the High Thicket for as long as you wish. We gather today because of your bravery when our fair city came under siege from the terrible Hunter, Duke. You showed your courageous nature by subduing the man after finding him recklessly throwing death and destruction at our citizens. Because of your timely arrival, many lives that would have otherwise fallen were saved. While it is true the city and the elven nation of the High Thicket would have mustered enough strength to force his retreat, your decision to stand against him allowed many of our citizens to return to their homes and their loved ones. Thank you, truly and with our most sincere gratitude.”
“As the chief elder during this autumn season, it was left to me and my fellow head elders to decide how to show this gratitude. As we all know,” with these words, Elder Corona swept her gaze across the room. “Fall marks the season of change. Within its colorful depths, there is a delicate balance between the sunlight of the day and the darkness of the night. Today, more of the city will be able to gratefully reap the year’s harvest because of your band of heroes.”
Taking my eyes away from the strikingly beautiful Corona momentarily, I studied the elders beside her. Interestingly, I noted the desks for the fall season were slightly elevated compared to the rest of the council, only by a few inches at most, with the chief elder’s a little higher than theirs. Additionally, the elder desk held corner tassels of golden thread, whereas every other desk lacked similar embellishments. The mature elf in the middle of three fall desks wore a scintillating gray robe with voluminous sleeves, and next to him sat an attractive elf who, had she been a human, appeared to be in her sixties or seventies. Knowing the long lives of the elven race, I doubted she was that young. Her robes were such a dark midnight black that it was impossible to say if the cloth held any of the intricate runes like her companions did.
Corona’s voice continued, regaining my attention, “I would like to introduce to you my fellow elders.” She pointed a hand towards the leftmost group of elves, the spring elders. Each was noticeably younger when compared to every other elder. Once more, I considered how elves lived far longer than humans, often reaching the latter half of a millennia. So, while the spring elders looked no older than any of us, each individual was probably closer to three, maybe even four, hundreds of years old.
“First, our elders from the season of new beginnings, growth, and renewal. Spring Elders Feno, Katyr, and Aire. With their youthful experience, each brings with them hope and optimism to our council, ensuring we move gratefully into the future while also letting go of unnecessary bygones from the past,” Corona recited, her voice sounding like a proud grandmother. My eyes ran down the line of elders, easily marking how each subsequent elder looked slightly older than the last. I considered if, as the years progressed, the elders slowly shifted from the early seasons of life, until finally reaching the end of the winter season. An interesting though, but a consideration for another day.
“Next, from the season of love, joy, and growth, I am happy to introduce Summer Elders Sanev, Falael, and Keya. With their guidance and passion, we find abundance and prosperity in all we do.” These next three elders appeared as old as my parents. With a small wrinkle or two beginning to show on their kind face and the shadow of graying hair showing above their ears, each beamed a delightful smile upon us. Their robes were the colors of sunflowers, crashing blue sprays of ocean waves, and rolling grasslands.
Corona gestured to her fellow head elders. “Within my season of transition, gratitude, and balance, I introduce some of my dearest friends, Fall Elders Travarin and Roshia.” As she spoke each of their names, the head elders bowed their heads respectfully towards us. I returned the respectful gesture in kind.
“Finally, the eldest among us, from the season of embracing the quiet stillness of a long winter night to cherishing the memories of the lost, and the inevitable preparation of new begins hinting upon the horizon, I introduce Winter Elders Maxim, Eidan, and Gormar.” All three elves held the wizened look of grandmothers and grandfathers with long strands of silvery locks of hair running down the sides of their cherishing faces. Their robes were differing shades of snow, from muted whites to raging chaotic blizzards. Their eyes, above all else, grabbed my attention. Each pair held such a breathtaking depth to them, as vast as an ocean and harboring the full weight of untold centuries.
“Together, we are the Elder Council. Welcome, friends and guardians of the forest,” our elven host said with a beaming smile. She turned her head to the side, exchanging a nod with Commander Wallace. “We are aware you wish to make a request of this council, but before we delve into the important matter you wish to discuss, the entire city of Quarris wishes to grant you a gift.”
The chief elder motioned to the side of the room, where a young elf stepped forward and approached us in a regal dress fit for royalty. Hanging from a silver chain around her neck, a beautiful sapphire gem twinkled with a soft light. Taking my eyes away from the elegant gemstone, I noticed she carried an ornate wooden box in the palms of her hands.
“We hope this token will aid you in your journey and support you through the many challenges yet to come in our ever-changing and wonderful world,” Elder Corona chimed in as the elven princess reached us and offered the elegantly decorated chest.