Tender Mercies: Book 1 - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Here there be dragons

"She was here," Martin said, standing up from where he crouched examining the tracks in the middle of the crude village.

"Where did they go?" Nordan asked, still on edge in spite of their having thoroughly explored the abandoned ogre village. "And how did she get an entire village of ogres to help her?" He asked next.

Kelnozz looked around as well, pondering things silently. "She slew the chief of the tribe, that much we know from his body," Kelnozz thought aloud, pointing absent-mindedly to where the ogre chieftains body lay rotting. "More importantly, why is she doing this?"

"There were over forty ogres here," Martin said, glancing up from the ground. Kelnozz nodded to indicate he heard him, then checked the suns position in the sky.

"We have a few hours of daylight left, and you said we were catching up to her, let's not tarry here."

Martin led them away from the village, following the trail blazed by the large company of ogres. On the way out of the town, Nordan hesitated, staring at the corpse of the chieftain. Shrugging at the nagging feeling in the back of his head, he headed out after his friends.

---

After two more days of travel, Martin judged them only a few hours behind the ogres. They had stopped to camp for the night, but lit no fire in case the ogres had any trailing sentries.

"From your tales, I judge you both to be worthy warriors," Martin began, "but we face at least two score ogres ahead of us."

"Aye, a mighty battle!" Nordan said, grinning foolishly.

"I'm hoping to avoid a fight," Kelnozz said, stealing Nordan's grin.

"How?" Nordan asked, beginning to frown. More then a week of forced march now, cold camps, bland food, and a lack of women had began to try Nordan's nerves. Now to be told he might not get to fight threatened his resolve.

"Yes, how? Ogres are not known for their diplomacy." While Martin had no great desire to do battle, he did enjoy putting an end to creatures as cruel and brutish as ogres.

"In a few more hours I'm going to get up and follow their trail to their campsite. Once there, I plan on sneaking into it and confronting her."

"The last time you confronted her, she ran away," Nordan growled.

Kelnozz stared off into the darkness in the direction of the ogres camp. "Then you'd get your fight," he said at last.

Nordan scowled at the elf, but bit back his retort and reminded himself the elf was caught up in this more then the rest of them were.

"You can follow the trail in the dark?" Martin asked.

"I am an elf," Kelnozz said, a hint of a smile on his face. "And even Nordan could follow this trail!" Nordan grunted in affirmation. The ogres had made a path nearly twenty feet in the high grasses of the plains they were crossing by trampling them down.

Martin conceded the point, but was still concerned about the drow entering the camp on his own. Conversation fell off as all three of them began to think about what was soon to come.

---

The ogre emerged from the tent, still securing its makeshift breeches about its hips. On its face was a blank look, as though it wasn't sure just what had happened. It knew it was tired though, as it stumbled towards a place near a nearby campfire to collapse to the ground and pass out.

Inside the tent, Alesha smiled scornfully. She sat alone on her bedroll, still naked, her sword resting across her spread knees. She ran her hand along the runes carved into the blade, as if caressing it. Then she closed her eyes and willed the sword to respond.

Yes Mistress? The voice came into her head, the voice of Talifernon, the glabrezu she had vanquished both in body and in spirit.

"How much longer do I need the company of these pitiful ogres?" She asked.

You near the meeting point, soon you can be rid of them.

Alesha smiled again. The ogres did have some uses, she admitted as she moved one hand over her recently satisfied pussy. She pressed a finger into herself and then lifted the hand to her mouth to suck the ogre's cum from her finger.  She sheathed her sword and lay it beside her bedroll on her clothing. Laying back, she closed her eyes and sent out her senses. She was not surprised to find Nordan and Martin still following them, gaining closer as she'd hoped. Her timing was nearly perfect. When she did not sense Kelnozz, she grew alarmed. "Where did that elf go?" She muttered.

"I'm right here."

Alesha's eyes snapped open. Standing above her was Kelnozz. He looked down at her naked body, and she saw the interest in his glance. Then his eyes met hers and she knew that in spite of the urges, he was fully in control of himself. That alarmed her, for the spells she had used to make her more desirable were supposed to be irresistible. Talifernon had some explaining to do.

"Kelnozz!" She said, genuinely surprised.

"Why the shock?" He asked.

"I didn't think you'd sneak into an armed camp. You're better then I thought… or maybe just foolish," She responded, overcoming her surprise and sitting up slowly. She made no move to cover herself, having long since overcome her inhibitions about being unclothed. She even went so far as to try and arrange herself in as comely a pose as possible in hopes of distracting the elf.

Kelnozz noted her attempts and actively ignored them. "What are you doing?" He asked, locking gazes with her and not letting his eyes wander.

"I'm doing something! That's more then I ever did with you and Nordan," She said, her anger briefly breaking through her mask of calm.

"You did something then, Alesha. We both valued your companionship very much."

"You valued my pussy, that was all. That or when I would save you!" She spat out.

Kelnozz frowned, the conversation was not going well. "You were the one to offer yourselves to us. Nay, more then that, you were the ones to seduce us. And saving one another is what friends and companions do for each other," Kelnozz argued.

Alesha snorted in ridicule. "If you were so interested in helping me, why did no one ever try to help me find my way back home?"

Kelnozz was caught in surprise by that question. "You never showed any interest in going back to your world."

"You knew I was miserable, isn't that enough?"

"After you started showing your powers, you seemed much more inclined to enjoy yourself," Kelnozz pointed out, thinking he had proven his point.

Inwardly Alesha was smiling triumphantly. She was twisting things around perfectly. She was making Kelnozz feel guilty and unsure of himself. Soon his defenses would crumble and he would be at her mercy. "I had no choice! I had to do what I could to survive, and since no one else wanted to help me, I had to help myself!"

"You should have said something then."

"You should have known!" She countered.

Kelnozz took a deep breath and let it go. "That is behind us, we can not change it. Come away with me now. Martin will guide us back to Belurian and we can find a wizard that might be able to help you get back home. Nordan won't like it, but he'll go along with us."

Alesha shook her head sadly. "No, dear Kelnozz, I'm afraid not. I've discovered things that make my stay here more enjoyable. These powers I have, this magic, it's incredible now that I'm exploring it more and learning about it. The things I can do… it's unbelievable! Back on my world, I'd be nobody again, just another pretty young girl with no future. Here I will be a queen!"

"Why ogres?" Kelnozz tried a different tack, alarmed by what she was saying and still hoping he could talk some sense into her.

Alesha laughed. "Because they are stupid. They were the first ones I encountered. And they have their uses…"

Kelnozz frowned at the implications in those words. His thoughts were confirmed when Alesha squeezed her hand between her thighs.

"I could use you, Kelnozz. You could protect me from threats and be my general. My bodyguard. My consort." Alesha probed at Kelnozz with her magic, trying to do as she had long before and slip some yearnings into him. She was surprised when her powers failed as though they had run into a wall. She tried again, focusing more power on her mystical assault, and was foiled again.

Kelnozz saw her eyes widen slightly in surprise. He also felt her trying to charm him. "Remember when I told you I couldn't be with you? There are reasons behind that I will not explain. Those reasons also prevent me from standing by if you should choose to bring harm to this world."

Finding herself denied both in the flesh and in the spirit, Alesha grew angry. "So, you deny me again?"

Kelnozz smiled apologetically. "Aye, I'm afraid I must."

Finding herself wanting to scream at him, Alesha managed to take a few deep breaths to calm herself. She was surprised to find her heart fluttering and her stomach upset suddenly. Tears threatened to gather in her eyes as well. She blinked them away and sought to find her resolve.

You have worked hard for this, Mistress. Do not let some foolish elf stand in your way!

The voice of Talifernon in her mind helped remind Alesha of her chosen course of action. She fought away the last of her softer and kinder feelings and summoned up her powers within her. Kelnozz could sense the power growing within Alesha, and he readied himself in case she should attack. Loosening his muscles and taking a steadying breath, he prepared himself.

With the power at her fingertips to consume Kelnozz, Alesha felt something inside of her struggling with herself. Finally, she relaxed again and let her magic ebb. "Because I think I loved you, I'll let you go. We've ended badly twice now, Kel. Do me a favor and don't let there be a third."

Kelnozz relaxed at Alesha's words, knowing she would not force him to do anything. "It saddens me as well, Alesha." The drow turned to leave the tent, moving towards the tear in the back of it he had made.

"Kelnozz," she called out softly. He turned around to see her standing up, a look of momentary panic on her face. She rushed forward then and hugged him tightly to her. Caught by surprise, Kelnozz wrapped his own arms around her to comfort her.

She sniffed back her emotions and raised her head to meet his lips. The kiss was bittersweet and ended much to quickly for what it signified. "I hope I never see you again," Alesha whispered, tears in her eyes.

"I as well, Alesha, for I will have to kill you."

Kelnozz disengaged himself from her arms and slipped out the tear in the tent before either of them could say or do anything else. Alesha stared after him, knowing she should call him back to her and beg to be forgiven. She also knew she should raise up a cry of alarm and have him killed. Her emotions warred within her, forcing her into indecision. By the time she could have made a decision, she knew he had escaped the camp.

You did well to send the drow away, Mistress.

Alesha snarled and glared at her sword. "Be silent!" She snapped. "He will come after me, and by doing this I put doubt in his mind. He will falter and I will destroy him!" The demon remained quiet, though Alesha sensed it was amused at her. She turned back to the tear in the tent and reached out with her magic, mending the slit as though it never existed.

Returning to bed she lay down and tried to find sleep. It was a long time coming, however, and throughout it she was plagued with doubts about her own determination concerning the dark elf.

---

"How did it go?" Martin asked, seeing Kelnozz return quietly to there camp. Kelnozz looked thoughtful for a moment, staring into the distance where the ogre camp lay.

"Huh?" Nordan said when Kelnozz kicked him lightly to wake him up. He sat up and stared at the elf, trying to shake the sleep out of his head.

"Alesha has chosen her course, she means to forge an army and set herself up as a queen," Kelnozz said. "She said that when we meet again it will be as enemies."

"Bah, she's just suffering from a lack of sharing my bed!" Nordan said, trying to lighten the mood.

Kelnozz and Martin did indeed chuckle at the joke, but it faded quickly. "Sounds like you should have killed her." Martin said quietly.

Kelnozz smirked. "Aye, probably. I don't think it would have been easy, however."

Nordan nodded at the wisdom in that, having seen her grow and become more skilled over time, he knew she would be a challenge even without her mysterious magical powers. "What now?"

"Now I sleep," Kelnozz said, moving to his own bedroll. "It's your turn to keep watch, and tomorrow we have a large company of ogres to stalk."

"You mean to attack?" The ranger asked, looking to the score of arrows in his quiver.

Nordan grinned at the thought of a mighty battle. "Not yet, we would do no good to be overrun by her guards. I think she has something planned soon, we must do what we can to learn what it is and if we can, disrupt it." Kelnozz stared up into the night sky and closed his eyes after saying that.

---

"It's some sort of ceremony," the drow said, squinting in the afternoon sun to see across the weaving grasses.

They had caught up to Alesha's company the next day, but had stayed far enough behind that none save Alesha knew they were there. That very afternoon they had come across a great clearing with a large alter carved from rock set in the middle of it. Knowing what was needed, Alesha had ordered her company of ogres to settle in the clearing and act as guards and observers while she randomly picked one ogre to accompany her to the alter.

"What's it supposed to do?" Nordan asked, trying to make out the details of what was going on. They were to far away from it to be certain, though Kelnozz's sharp elven eyesight allowed him to make things out.

"I'm not sure, hang on, she's doing something!"

Martin kept a lookout around them, to be certain they weren't being led into a trap. All around he could see nothing save the tall swaying grass and the ogres.

Alesha had the ogre lay on the alter. It showed no signs of fear, only a look of lust in its large face. She smiled at it, then looked around, he gaze finally coming to rest on Kelnozz. He started, surprised she could find him from so far away, and he thought he might have seen her smile, though he couldn't be sure.

Alesha then released her weapon belt and untied her breeches. Her clothing quickly fell to the ground and she climbed atop the already erect ogre. His fat, glistening shaft stuck prominently into the air, promising her sexual fulfillment. Positioning herself carefully above it, she used her magic to prepare herself and, to the surprise of the ogre, sank down on it fully in one thrust.

The ogre grunted lustfully. It tried to drive itself back up at the amazing woman that could take all of its proportionally large cock so easily. Alesha would have none of it though, and used her powers to bind the ogre's body to the alter. It struggled, alarmed at the loss of control, but was quickly lost in the heat of the encounter when Alesha continued to roughly piston up and down on him.

Under her breath Alesha began muttering arcane words of power. Never losing stride, even when she felt her passion threaten to overwhelm her, she continued to chant. The surrounding ogres had forgotten their guard duty and instead watched in lust. Several had gone so far as to move closer to the altar in hopes of being the next. Several clutched at their cocks and stroked themselves in hopes of joining.

"What is she doing?" Nordan asked.

"She's having sex with an ogre," Kelnozz said flatly.

"What?"

"What?"

Kelnozz tried not to chuckle at the simultaneous question from his companions. "I'd heard your stories, but I didn't… I mean… AN OGRE?" Martin sputtered.

"Aye, seeing her take that demon, she could handle an ogre," Nordan admitted. He was disgusted but at the same time, interested as well. He tried to see what was going on again, growling when he couldn't make out the fuzzy images in the distance.

Alesha continued to ride the ogre, nearing both of their peaks. The other ogres crowded closer, some hoping to join the action, others wanting a better view while they pumped themselves.

With a guttural moan, the ogre under Alesha exploded into her. Alesha uttered the final key words of the summoning spell she was incanting and shuddered on top of the ogre. Forcing her power into the ogre, Alesha knew the spell would be ignored without a sacrifice. The ogre under her continued to spasm inside of her, driving it beyond the threshold of pleasure and into the realm of pain.

It panicked under her, yet remained unable to move. Alesha continued to drain the ogre, forcing its body to behave in unnatural ways. When she sense it was close to giving out on her, she sent another spell out, immolating both of them in a pillar of flame.

The surrounding ogres fell back, stunned. Even Nordan could see the pillar of fire streak into the sky. "What is she doing?" He asked under his breath.

The column of flame lasted only a few moments, then when it disappeared, Alesha stood up unharmed from where she had knelt on the altar. Of the ogre, there was no sign. The ogres backed away in fear. While she had magically enthralled them, there native superstitions fought to override the spells she had placed upon them. In the end, Alesha's magic proved stronger, for they forgot about their missing companion and settled back down. Alesha stood next to the altar, her clothing still on the ground, and scanned the sky.

"She's done now, the ogre disappeared in the flames but she is unharmed. She's looking into the sky now, waiting for something," Kelnozz explained.

"Witch!" Nordan spat onto the ground. "Should have killed her when we had the chance!"

Neither Martin nor Kelnozz said anything, instead watching warily to see what happened next. After several long moments of nothing, the mood began to relax a bit.

"They are distracted, should we attack?" Martin asked, gripping his bow tightly.

"Aye" Kelnozz said, rising to his feet in a crouched over position and moving towards the ogres.

Nordan held his hammer in his hands, a smile on his face. Following Kelnozz, he struggled to walk as fast crouched over as the elf did. Martin circled off to the side, an arrow already knocked.

"Hold!" Kelnozz hissed when he looked up. Nordan stopped abruptly and looked at the elf, then where the elf was looking.

A speck on the horizon, it grew rapidly. Still some distance from them, the winged form let loose a mighty roar. Its speed was legendary, for it swooped above the altar once in a matter of seconds, then circled in for a landing, tucking its mighty wings behind it. It was none other then a gargantuan dragon who's scales glinted a myriad of shades of green.

"By Garrick's balls!" Nordan swore softly.

"Aye, that's a big one," Kelnozz muttered, comparing it to the much smaller black dragon he and Nordan had bested.

"I offer up any or all of these ogres as tribute to your might and power, Cuivegirth." Alesha's voice carried clearly to the companions, letting them know that she was clearly using her magic to enhance it. Kelnozz suspected it was for their benefit, for she clearly did not need to do so.

The green dragon looked at the assembled ogres, which had all fallen to their knees in terror and awe of the mighty creature. One taloned hand shot out and snatched up two ogres next to each other. Both were tossed into the dragon's mouth and in a couple of crunches, swallowed. It followed those up with more cowering ogres, eating them one or two at a time until it had consumed ten of them.

"Why hath thou called me, human?" The dragon spoke, its voice deep, powerful, and ancient.

"I seek an introduction to your council, mighty dragon," Alesha said. "So that I may be allowed to petition for a place in your forces."

"Thou couldst take thyself to Mezarbolle for that," Cuivegirth said, his voice taking on a hint of impatience and danger.

"Yes, great one, I could, but I seek more then that, I seek to lead them!"

The dragon was silent for a moment, then began making a terrible noise that erupted from its throat like a rasping and braying sound. After a moment it calmed down and said, "Petty human, thou doth amuse me. I shall grant thee an audience, for thou shows promise."

"My thanks, lord of green dragons!" Alesha said, bowing deeply. She quickly turned to stare at Kelnozz, finding him instantly in spite of him having moved. Kelnozz met her gaze unflinchingly. "Ogres, in the grass you will find some intruders, kill them!"

Nordan swore again, readying himself for a fight. The remaining ogres surged to there feet, glad to be away from the dragon. They turned and rushed into the grasses, searching for Kelnozz and his companions.

Alesha grinned, her plans were working wonderfully. A moment of despair at having ordered Kelnozz to his death threatened her, but she quickly overrode it and set about putting her clothing back on. Pulling her seecond boot on, she turned to the dragon and said, "I am ready."

The dragon watched the ogres trying to find the intruders a moment longer, trying to decide whether it should help or not. Then decided that 30 ogres should be more then enough to dispatch the problem. It reached out and grabbed Alesha up in its hand, lifting her to its back. "If thou dost not have the means to stay upon mine back, then thou doth not deserve an audience."

So warned, Alesha used her magic to protect her from gravity and the winds. Still, she was unprepared for when the dragon leapt into the air, mighty wings beating. Her breath caught in her throat as they rose rapidly from the ground. The beauty of it was amazing, and she vowed that someday she would own all that she could see.

---

"Run!" Kelnozz said, leaping to his feet and running. Nordan looked at the coming ogres and growled. Muttering another curse directed at the dark elf's parentage, he turned and sprinted after the fleeing form. To the side, he could see Martin trying to escape as well. The cry went up almost immediately. The chase was on.

"What do we do?" Martin said between breaths. He had angled over and was loping along beside Kelnozz and Nordan. Behind the ogres continued to run. While slower, there stamina was easily a match for any of the group.

"Try to lose them at night," Kelnozz replied. Martin and Nordan did not reply, for they knew dusk was at least two hours away still, and they needed to save as much energy as possible.

The chase dragged on for hours. Each was amazed at the unflagging endurance the others displayed, certain at any moment that someone would be unable to go on and they would have to stop and fight. The ogres continued to chase them, however. The stress of the ceremony and shock of seeing the dragon had caused a few of them to fight against the spell that kept them enthralled. By the time the sun set six of the ogres had stopped and wondered at what they were doing, then began wandering back to their village.

"They're giving up," Kelnozz said. "If we can lose them or keep going, we may escape!"

Never a quick study, it took Nordan a moment to figure things out. "Only 24 left? Let us ambush them!"

"That's still eight of them for each of us," Martin pointed out.

"Open plains, how are we to hide from them?" Nordan said. They still had four days of travel before they would encounter any forested land, and another four days beyond that until they encountered the beginning hills and ridges of The Periphery.

"He's right," Kelnozz said. "But I want to give a few more of them the chance to give up the chase first."

Nordan shot Kelnozz a black look. "Afraid to fight, elf?"

Kelnozz took the ribbing in stride. "Afraid your legs can't match ours?"

Nordan accepted the challenge by increasing his pace. Kelnozz and Martin had to both bite back their laughter and save there strength. In spite of being in excellent condition, the chase was beginning to wear them all down. They could only hope it was doing the same to the ogres.

---

When morning came it found the three adventurers still running, though they were clearly exhausted physically and mentally from the nonstop pace. Behind them eighteen ogres still pursued. Seeing them still ahead of them, the ogres felt there energy renewed and plunged on.

"Six apiece?" Martin gasped out.

"Keep running," Kelnozz growled back.

"At this pace, we'll reach the forest by nightfall," Nordan said. Being from a wandering barbarian tribe, he was used to running long distances. His stamina was fading, but he judged himself in better shape then his friends.

"At this pace, I'll be having a chat with Carson by nightfall," Martin muttered darkly.

As the sun rose so did the heat. With no cover from the heat, it beat down mercilessly on all of them. One of the ogres passed out from the heat, leaving only seventeen left by mid day.

"I'm not sure how much longer we can do this," Martin gasped. He had always prided himself on his physical condition, but now he felt shame at being outdone by the elf and the barbarian.

"I'm almost done in too," Kelnozz admitted.

"Fourteen left," Nordan said, breathing only slightly easier. Three more had either given up or passed out, they hadn't the strength to look back and see.

"If we stop we have four or five minutes to rest," Nordan warned. All of them knew that four or five minutes was not enough.

"Keep running," Martin grunted. Running on sheer willpower more then strength, they continued their flight.

"They gain!" Nordan hissed.

Martin and Kelnozz both glanced back and saw that while they still ran, they were now moving slowly enough that the ogres began to catch them. "We fight." Kelnozz said, a mixture of exhaustion and relief in his voice.

All three of them came to a stop, their legs threatening to betray them and give way. It took what remained of their strength and willpower to not collapse to the ground as they gasped through raw and parched throats for air. A minute passed, then two. Nordan held his hammer in his hand, ready to do battle in spite of the fatigue that kept him from standing straight up.

Kelnozz drew his own longswords, but they hung limply from his hands while he continued to breathe deeply. Martin knocked an arrow to his longbow but waited to pull it back, fearful his arms would betray him.

"Twelve," Nordan's voice nearly betrayed him as he said that. The ogres had stopped running and were now walking towards them, marshalling their own strength for the coming conflict.

They closed within range and Martin let loose a prayer to Carson and bent back his bow. Feeling his strength fleeing, he fired off his first arrow quickly. Badly aimed, it still hit an ogre in the arm. Trying to remain steady, Martin began firing more arrows at the ogres, prompting them to try and run to close the distance quickly.

"Garrick, if I die today I'll haunt you for eternity!" Nordan growled, bringing his hammer up menacingly.

Kelnozz easily fought the urge to smirk at his friends makeshift prayer. The ogres came lumbering towards them, one down from Martin's bow, another wounded with an arrow in its thigh and another in its shoulder. Martin dropped his bow behind him and drew his hand and a half sword.

Kelnozz ducked under the first swipe from a club and lashed out at the ogre. His blows were slower then he was used to, and not as powerful. The ogre dodged most of the slash, but still took a small cut on its hip. It brought its club back towards the dark elf, trying to smash his head in on the return swing. Kelnozz brought his other sword up to block and was amazed at how weak his arms were, for he barely managed to deflect the club over his head and his arm rang from the parry.

Martin lunged forward, going to one knee and keeping both his hands on the sword hilt for stability. The pin-cushioned ogre felt the cold steel slide into its bowels as it charged, unready for such a tactic. Martin struggled to pull his sword free but not before a club came crushing down on his back, driving him to the ground.

Nordan met the first club that swung at him with his hammer in a mighty swing. The club shattered against the finely crafter warhammer, leaving a surprised ogre standing there. Nordan's next swing cracked the ogres sternum and drove several broken ribs into its heart and lungs. He jumped over the falling ogre, using it as a meat shield to keep the other ogres trying to surround him from gaining advantage.

The ogre Kelnozz had wounded lost his position to an unwounded ogre when Kelnozz took a step back. The ogre raised its club over its head and Kelnozz forced his tired legs to leap forward. One of the elf's sword points took the ogre in the throat, while the other deflected a blow from the already wounded ogre that would have slammed into his side.

Martin rolled away from the ogre that had tried to break his spine. He knew nothing was broken, but he also knew he would be nursing his injured side for at least a week. Keeping his sword in his hand he lashed out and grinned when it chopped into the ogres ankle. It hopped back and howled in pain, allowing Martin to regain his feet while another ogre tried to get around the one that was hopping.

Nordan dodged and parried against the two ogres that pressed the attack against him. He knew they were tired, possibly more then he was, and he hoped to wear them out. One of the ogres messed up on a swing though, bringing its club so far out of position that it fouled up the swing of its partner. Nordan leapt on the opportunity, driving his hammer into the arm of the first ogre, breaking the bone above the elbow. It tried to stumble back out of the way but tripped on its partner and stumbled to the ground. Nordan followed up by lashing out at the unwounded ogre that was stumbling away from its fallen companion. It collapsed to the ground curled up in a fetal position, clutching the crushed remains of its manhood.

Nordan ended the second ogres life with a crushing blow to its skull, the other one took a moment longer as it tried to get to its feet and run away. It took two swings, one in the lower back and another to the head.

Kelnozz ducked under the swing from the ogre he had wounded and moved behind it to see the another ogre trying to get around the hopping one so it could attack Martin. Kelnozz thrust with both his swords, piercing the ogres back in two places. Both wounds were mortal.

Coming to Kelnozz's aid, Martin threw his sword over the elf's head, making the ogre pursuing Kelnozz stop and dodge the weapon. By the time it came back up, Kelnozz had turned around to face it, and Martin had reclaimed his longbow. Staring down the shaft of the arrow, the ogre met the eyes of Martin as he loosed. Kelnozz had to leap to the side to avoid the ogre when it fell, an arrow sticking out of its forehead.

Turning again, Kelnozz easily dispatched the hobbled ogre, then looked about for more. Three remained, but kept their distance after seeing the short fight. Martin had an arrow knocked and ready to loose at the first one to advance on them. The ogres looked at each other, then as one, turned and began to walk away.

After a few moments of stunned disbelief, the three companions looked at each other. Amazed, they reclaimed and sheathed their weapons. Martin scouted for any arrows he could salvage, finding only a couple that had not broken. After that, they all collapsed nearby. They tried to set up watch rotations, but Kelnozz quickly fell asleep on the first watch. That prevented him from waking Martin for the second and thus Nordan for the third.

---

Needless to say, they woke up the next morning sore, but well rested.

"Now what?" Martin asked, stretching out his bruised back muscles.

"Now we kill the bitch," Nordan muttered, hand on his hammer for emphasis.

Kelnozz remained pensive for a moment, drawing curious looks from his friends. "Martin, you got dragged into this, you may leave whenever you want to. Nordan and I have been friends for some time now, and our paths seem to run together."

"Uh uh," Martin shook his head. "I've seen enough, I'm staying."

Nordan clapped him on the back in a friendly manner that nearly sent tears to Martin's eyes in pain. Kelnozz chuckled and said, "Alright, we need to learn more then. I have some people I must see. Nordan, I have a feeling we're going to need an army. Martin, we're going to need a really big army."

"Then let us begin. The sooner we start, the sooner we can figure out how to find her and stop her."

"Stop her, stop her from what?" Nordan asked.

"Remember when she came to us?" Kelnozz asked. Nordan shrugged, he knew what happened, but did not see where the elf was going. "The wizard was supposed to be summoning a champion to lead a great conquest. Perhaps the spell didn't misfire after all."

Nordan's eyes narrowed as he realized what Kelnozz was saying rang true. Martin had heard the story, so he nodded his head thoughtfully. "It makes sense. Where will we meet you, Kelnozz?"

"Silverton, I should be there before you are, but if I'm not, wait for me," He said after a moment of thought.

"Well then, let's be off!" Nordan rose to his feet. Martin joined him and with a farewell wave to Kelnozz, who had also risen, they began walking to the south. Kelnozz watched them go for a moment, then sighed and began his own trek, walking to the southeast.

"Where do you think he is going?" Martin asked Nordan after they were no longer within earshot.

Nordan shrugged. "I've been with him for nearly four years now, and never seen him like this. A man's business is his own though, and as many times as I owe my life to that rogue, I'm willing to take him at his word."

Martin nodded thoughtfully. "Aye, he's done well enough by me as well. I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid and get himself killed!"

"Ha!" Nordan guffawed. "It'll take a lot more then you think to kill him, damn elf doesn't know how to die!"

---

After a few hours of travel, even Kelnozz could not see his friends with his elven vision. He stopped and took off his boot. Reaching inside of it he peeled away a false bottom at the heel and turned it upside down. A ring fell out. Replacing the bottom in his boot, he pulled it back on and stood up. Putting the ring on his finger, Kelnozz looked around carefully one more time before saying a single word, "Home."

Between one heartbeat and the next the drow elf disappeared. He reappeared on a small grassy hill surrounded by beautifully groomed trees and flowers. A nearby dark elven gardener gasped in surprise at Kelnozz's arrival. Then he came forward and smiled. The elf looked old, and in a race said to not age, that meant a lot.

"Is it time at last?" the old elf said.

"Yes, Farathallion, I think it is finally time." Kelnozz replied, taking the old man's hands in his own in greeting.

"Good, I'm not getting any younger!" He said with a twinkle in his eye.

"I'd better tell the council I'm here," Kelnozz said, already turning towards a path to a building.

"I already did," Farathallion said, winking conspiratorially. "I may be old, but I still taught you most everything you know!"

Kelnozz chuckled and followed his mentor towards the secretive high elven council rooms. His mood darkened as he thought of the news he was bringing and the dark days ahead.

Continued in Chapter 10

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