Chronicles of Ilandri - Volume 1

An Awakening (Pt.3)

Somehow, knowing Torstein was a wizard and not some crazy old man, Nathaniel was happier talking and asked him what had happened the day of the ambush. Torstein began explaining how he had heard the commotion and seen him fall down. That was when the dark elf approached on the venbeast and tried to attack Torstein. When he saw that Torstein could defend against his dark magic he retreated off into the forest. Torstein had then spent the next weeks trying to save him. Using what spells and herb lore he could to bring him back to a conscious state. Although the pendant had shielded him against the power of the arrow, which had been fired from the enchanted bow, his body had still absorbed a lot of the energy and if Torstein had not intervened would have eventually killed him.

It was soon pitch dark again with the stars twinkling gracefully above them and Nathaniel had taken in quite enough information for one day. Just as he was thinking about bedding down for the night a strange sound began to descend the path. Torstein bolted up and grabbed his staff, then stood in the mouth of the shelter. Nathaniel stood up and came behind him to see what it was. He leapt back when he saw a long line of goblins marching down the path towards them, armoured and looking ready for war. The line streamed past, not seeming to notice Nathaniel or Torstein. Nathaniel's heart almost stopped when one of the goblins looked right at him but it did not stop. "They do not see us?" he asked in a whisper, almost rhetorically.
"No," replied Torstein, "I am cloaking us. But you must not interact with them or draw their attention, or the cloaking will not work."

The goblins soon passed on and left them in peace but Nathaniel was now restless. He stood watching the goblin's torches bob along the path; disappearing now and again, when the pack went through cuttings or behind rocks. The lights then disappeared all together and Nathaniel waited a while for them to reappear. When he had decided they were gone he sat back down but he was still restless and knew he would probably not sleep now for fear of more goblins on the path. It was strange to see a pack of goblins looking so orderly and organised. It was as if something or someone was controlling them somehow.

Sleep did not come easy that night. Before the dawn light had even come, Torstein was up and waking Nathaniel. Still groggy and dazed, Nathaniel mounted his horse and followed Torstein along the path. It continued to descend the mountain, ever twisting and winding. Slowly Nathaniel's senses began to sharpen. He was soon once again aware of the biting cold and began to shiver. He then touched his pendant and felt its strange warmth. It then began to pass its warmth to him and he felt himself wake up more as he warmed. Each time he felt the power of the pendant he was pleasantly surprised by it. In the back of his mind was still the shadow of a doubt that it was all madness.

Soon Nathaniel's eyes had also adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the path ahead much clearer. After a while Torstein stopped and dismounted. "We must go on foot from here," he said. Nathaniel followed suit and walked up next to him. Torstein then pushed his staff into a hole in the rock and the stone around it disappeared leaving a triangular tunnel through the rock face. "A hidden door," he said, anticipating Nathaniel's curiosity. Onward Torstein led with Nathaniel close behind and soon the tunnel came out the other side. Torstein made an immediate left and knelt down beside a large thorn bush. He then pointed to show Nathaniel what was looming below.

It was a war camp swarming with what must have been thousands upon thousands of goblins. Lines of huts and venbeasts huddled at the far end. "This force is still building but it will come soon to attack Ollorath." Warned Torstein, "Long have I foreseen the approach of this doom."
"Why did you not warn us sooner then?" Nathaniel asked angrily,
"Long gone are the days when man heeds my council or that of any wizard." But he was right. Nathaniel had not believed him so why would the ministry in Ollorath. They would call him mad and lock him away. It was up to Nathaniel to warn the city. He had to save his beloved city. He looked on in amazement at the huge camp below. The number of goblins must have been in the tens of thousands and far in the distance he could make out other strange looking creatures, which must have been dark elves. This was a force with one purpose in mind and that was of total destruction.