High Elve of Red Hallow

CHAPTER 4: Ender Samuell

"Eddipus, I'm--"

Long ago, a law was passed that said a priestess could never be with a male elve of the warrior class. 

"I'm--" Violation of the decree was punishable by death.

"I will carry your Vidian with me. I will always be with you."

"...And I now with you." She replied. "I'm pre--"

!!!ENDUR SAMUEL!!!

Eddipus moved away from her, deeper into the dark shallows of the cave.

Hilda turned to leave the hall.

'I have to find sister Lisa. I promised to take care of her, and she..." She paused, grabbed her head, and shook off her awkwardness. She felt a tingling in her stomach and knew something had been there, she just could not tell what. She had forgotten. 

!!!ENDUR SAMUEL!!!

Hilda stood up and turned to leave.

"Hilda?" She heard a familiar voice. She stopped and put her hand on the entrance of the cave.

"Hilda!" Again the same, older woman's voice called out. She looked ahead and blinked.

Hilda could see the sun shining brightly out of the darkness. Outside, the tall grass danced and moved in the cool midday breeze. A few inches from the entrance, she saw a bent woman walking.

She stepped out. "Hilda!" she called.

"Sister Elda!" She ran out and hugged the kindly old lady.

Elda's voice was mesmerizing, gravely yet shy, and a soprano. Elda's hands felt cool and warm at the same time. Hilda's heart was calm. She felt a pang of loving comfort.

Hilda tried to turn and run into the cave, but she could not move. She felt drawn to Elda as to an old friend. The darkness called to her in an echoing sound. Hilda knew better and planted her feet, knowing that Sister Elda was not--  

!!!ENDUR SAMUEL!!!

was not what? She tried to remember.

She felt Elda's hands grasping her, warm and soft. She felt Elda's lips against her ear. She heard her words flowing like a torrent. She felt sick and yet calm and complacent.

"Endur! !!!ENDUR SAMUEL!!!!" said Elda.

Hilda felt her body being lifted and carried. She felt a cool, wet cloth pressed against her forehead as she opened her eyes and looked up from her cot.

Hilda's head hurt and she could still feel that her right eye was gone.

"Calm, easy." The man standing over her was tall and slender.

"Oh, Master Dante," she spoke.

"You has fainted again."

"Endur. She said Endur?"

Dante looked at her in distress.

"What is it?"

Dante looked at Hilda with deep concern and winced.

"Endur Samuell is an incantation. Evil magic words used to control."

"I am a priestess. I use magicka. Why don't I know these words?"

"You are a priestess of our Master, Hilda. You are not a priestess of the dark arts."

"I don't understand."

"Endur magic comes from Abbadoth, the king of death. Groups that invoke his name or his magic follow him."

"But in my dream, Elda was--" She clasped at her throat. "Elda was--" She struggled to breath. "Sister Lisa is--"