earth, for I do not trust the winds to remain faithful to us.' He seemed to understand some of the concerns that his master had. He knew that his task was vital to maintaining the upper hand in this ever-disintegrating situation. 'I will also keep in touch with brother earth while he is in harm's way. Do you wish me to assist him if the need should arise?' Neb cared deeply for his brother and knew that Keb's mission was to remain close to the enemy. He would be in constant danger and would not be able to take on the powerful Kana by himself.
'Do not interfere. Report to me everything you see, hear, and feel using the method you prescribed,' the guardian commanded. 'Please, make haste now and be ready for anything. Subtly will be our undoing. We must ward against that.'
'Yes, master, I will go and do all that I can. Fear not, I will be diligent in my charge.' Lord Neb rose silently and immediately dissipated into nothing.
'Milady, the most important task has been reserved for you,' he began as he turned to face Khalida. 'I need you to meet with our ancient friend in his mountain home. He will be needed in the end. It will be he who will save us all. I fear that this is the beginning of an all-out war. He and his kind will be our only hope. Please tell him everything and ask him to come to me straight away. I will need to give him special instructions.'
'I understand, my lord,' Khalida replied.
'After you have finished with that task, you will be in charge of managing the West Land situation. I will be gone for some time to take care of some pressing matters. Summon our most loyal allies and urge them to prepare for war.' For the first time he showed real emotion on his face. His jaw was set, and his eyes turned icy blue. 'I will not let her succeed in whatever she is planning.'
'We will not fail. We cannot possibly lose with our ancient friend's support. I will, of course, do as you wish. When shall I see you again?' She looked at her master with such a tender look that he stopped plotting in his mind to really look at her.
'You will see me again. I cannot say when. The future is too full of possibilities and dangers. With the help of our friend from the mountain, I will survive this dark tide. We all will. However, many of the peoples of Tuwa will not. This will not be an easy time for us, and it will not be brief. Evil has awoken at the bidding of a new master.' A feeling of dread swept over Khalida when he said this. She finally understood that no one would escape the horrors that were about to be unleashed upon the world. Not even the powerful guardians of Tuwa would survive this war unscathed.
'Then you must go and do that which is necessary, master. I sense the urgency of your quest. Rest assured that I will do my part to protect the peoples of the West.' She walked up to her master and kissed him lightly on the cheek. 'May the Almighty Kedem bless you and keep you safe,' she said with a bow.
'He will see us through these difficult times. Kedem will bless you with power and knowledge as you direct and protect the peoples of Tuwa.'
He then rose silently into the air and exploded violently into a ball of pure energy. The air was alive with electricity, and he floated momentarily in midair. He then built up enormous pressure behind him and bolted east out over the sea to his unexplained destination.
Khalida sat down again at the council table and felt a heavy burden press down upon her shoulders. This task was more than she could bear alone. She knew that her master was wise in sending her to visit their friend in the mountain. He will be the difference in the pending war. She did not fully understand their power or even their purpose. She knew that they were more loyal to the master than anyone else. She could not explain the unbreakable bond between them, but it was one that would save them all. She still felt the dread in her heart and knew that she would not be able to shake the feeling that death and destruction would soon reign down on the races of Tuwa. She also knew that the Elementals would be in real danger somehow. She did not understand how that was possible, but she knew it to be true nonetheless.
CHAPTER 5
Princess Kishi walked mechanically to a secluded bluff overlooking the dwellings of the high elves' new mountain home. She did not want to be in the capital for the completion ceremony, as she did not share in the supposed success many of the people had worked so hard for. She did not care for the way Queen Kira was leading the infant nation. She thought that her twin sister had started out with good intentions but had somehow lost her way over the past few months. The idea of freedom was spreading like a plague amongst the population, which meant that Kira did not have complete control over her subjects. The queen's weakness lay in giving power to the high elven Council who were elected by popular vote.
This lack of control combined with her sister's blind trust in an Elemental was cause for Kishi's severe turmoil. A look of pain and disappointment crept across her beautifully dark face. She did not like the way she had left things with Kira three months earlier. She wished now that she could express her love for her and try to tear down the wall that had arisen between them. She had been an absolute terror the last time they had faced each other. She did not feel that her sister would be willing to forgive her after the way she behaved. She still believed what she had said but that did not give her the right to attack her sister the way she did.
While she stood musing over these myriad of emotions and thoughts, a messenger had silently approached her from behind. This high elf was being very cautious because of the many stories of Princess Kishi's violent temper. He could not gage what her mood was from where he stood, so he thought it was a good idea to be guarded in his movements. As the messenger emerged from the shadows cast by the mountain, his long blonde hair began to sway softly from the wind rushing down the mountainside. He was dressed in the black and silver uniform that had the crest of the queen. He was obviously a member of the queen's guard and had the unfortunate task of bringing a summons for Kishi to attend a special hearing called by the queen and the high elven Council. He did not know exactly what the meeting was about, but he knew that it must be related to the rumored dispute between the siblings.
'Milady,' the messenger tentatively said. His voice shook slightly with fear as he spoke.
Princess Kishi whirled around with her hand raised. A ball of fire had burst into life in her left hand. Anyone who knew the powerful sorceress would have known not to approach her from behind. He had not realized the extent of the princess's magic. He cowered at her flaming hand and began to tremble uncontrollably as he waited to be incinerated.
'Please do not kill me. I have an urgent summons from your sister, Queen Kira, and the high elven Council,' he said while shaking all over.
'You have my apologies. I do not like surprises, and I am afraid you caught me unawares. Please, give me the summons,' she said calmly. She lowered her hand, and the flame died out instantly. That little elf is lucky to be alive.
He edged closer to the dark figure standing at the precipice and handed her the message with trembling hands. He then quickly asked for her leave, and she waved impatiently at him to leave without even looking up. She truly believed her sister had conveniently forgotten their agreement they had made all those months ago. She was not sure now that she should pursue the question of ascension, but the council had already been informed, and they were apparently ready to hear arguments from both sides. She carefully opened the letter and began to read the summons:
Princess Kishi Tiranidrol,
Your presence is required at a hearing in regards to your claim to the throne. Also, we will discuss your concerns about the direction of the political affairs of the high elven kingdom. All of the members of the High Council will be present along with the queen and king. A report will be given about the alliances we have formed to date, what our allies require from us, and what will be gained from our new partnerships. Chairman Bronwen Merindiel will conduct the meeting with Queen Kira Tiranidrol presiding. The meeting will be held in the new High Council chamber and will begin promptly at noon. Your item of business will be the first topic on the agenda.
Respectfully Yours,
Elgin Rinelyn
Vice Chairman
