Anima et Forma

Episode 20: The Binding of Fate

When the elves arrived, their presence shocked the world of man and dwarves. Their customs were strange. Their language was alien. Where did these people–these long-eared, thin-limbed, fair-featured creatures come from? Scholars and holy men from every corner of the world convened in the city of Umbria during the year 1278 A.D. Dwarven delegations descended from the mountains. Perlisian intellectuals ventured over the treacherous Solutan Sea. The only people who were not invited were the elves themselves. Perhaps if they had been, Duke Felix III and his dwarven allies would have abandoned their hostile dispositions.

—Lord Douglas Paul, "Immortal Blood." 1387 A.D.

If Ninathril isn't hidden in the carriage, I'll go to Herman himself. Ardwin sat on a rooftop across the street from the Imperial Monastery. A beautiful cathedral of pale stones stood on a gently sloping hill. Spires and towers, connected by free-hanging arches, surrounded the massive oval-shaped building. The cathedral rose four stories, each smaller than the last, ending in a rounded roof covered with thick shingles. Stained glass windows painted their escaping light with a brilliant array of colors. Sconces and lanterns lit the many walking paths. A dozen feet of stone guarded the perimeter. He peered over the wall from his perch, glimpsing withering flowers and sheared trees mimicking the conical spires and towers looming high above. Patrols passed over the monastery's battlements in fifteen-minute intervals. City guards—the Duke's men.

Ardwin munched on an apple. His vitality was returning, but his battered body needed more recovery time. Time he could not afford to waste.

He watched a pair of guards walk past. I need to move before Murph makes it back to the monastery. Ardwin set the apple's core down on the roof and stood up. It was a clear night. The full moon lit up the world. The wind whipped across the rooftop, chilling him to the bone and catching his cloak. He spun, becoming invisible, then launched himself into the air. With a flap of the elf-woven fabrics, Ardwin sailed across an empty street and over the outer walls of the monastery.

Ardwin landed on a merlon, crouching. He looked up and down the wallwalk, confirming no one was around. The stables are connected to the east wall. He bounded across the battlements. I must consider the possibility that Murph already has the sword. If so, I'll hunt him down and take it. Two brothers wearing gray robes patrolled a circular path around the monastery but were too far away to pose a threat.

Two city guards moved down the wall to meet him. Ardwin shoved off the wall and shot high into the air. He flipped forward, then fell many yards away from them. Not that it would matter. Carried by his cloak, his landing barely made a sound.

Ardwin skipped along the wall, leaping over a second pair of guardsmen before spotting the stables. It was a two-story building with a complex array of fences built around it. Cows, horses, and sheep mulled around their dark pens. A road led directly up to two giant doors that stood ajar. Light poured through them and spilled from a little window overlooking the road. Somewhere below, a horse neighed. The animals could be a problem. I'll want to avoid the stable yard. Ardwin launched himself in a crescent arc, soaring through the icy air and landing on the shingled roof of the stable. Light feet carried him toward the back edge of the roof. As he suspected, a second window waited within reach. Ardwin jumped over the edge and grabbed onto the roof with both hands. His feet dangled.

Bales of hay stood stacked in rows, pressed against the window frame. There would be no entry.

Ardwin lifted himself onto the roof. He rolled over onto his back and rested his weary arms. I need to get the sword and go. How long can I keep pushing myself? He sat up and forced himself to breathe steadily. After his brief respite, Ardwin moved across the roof toward the front window. This time, he laid flat on his belly and hung his head over its edge, listening.