"Elves of the Northern Vale" A Tundrawolf Story

The Fallen

"I could hear the battle as I tried to dig myself free," she said as tears streamed down her face. "I was unable to escape as the cold seeped in and took my strength. But I could hear their muffled screams and I could feel them fall. I was trapped and there was nothing I could do to help."        

Katyr stayed with the Mage consoling her as best he could. Halamar and Orist walked away to make camp on the cold plain. The Tundras not guarding the dead crowded around their little camp adding their warmth to the fire the Elves started. They parted as Katyr led the shaky little Elf to a small tent set up away from the edge. The camp was put up far enough away so the dead could rest in peace. The snow finally stopped falling and the clouds moved south leaving crystal clear air and sharp pin points of light shining down on them from the night's sky.

Early the next morning the four Elves mounted up after a quick cold breakfast. Glynfiel took a seat behind Katyr and they set off with over fifty big Saddlebacks around them. They rode north following a trail leading from the western edge of the depression. They knew there was no hurry as they could see no bright sparks in the land beyond, nor could they see any sign of the black patches of evil.

The Tundras ran on ahead following their noses and staying to the faint outlines of sleigh and foot tracks in the snow. It was not long until two towering pillars of the White Magic could be seen far off in the distance. When Halamar and Orist looked they could only see two columns of swirling mist, dully lighted as they stretched up into the sky. When Glynfiel and Katyr gazed upon them they saw two spinning vortexes of white light going up so high they could not see their ending. To the two Elves they were shining beacons almost too bright to look upon. The columns were a gateway into the North and marked the barrier of the White Magic that kept the Fell Ice contained within the cold lands at the top of the world.

When Halamar and Orist looked to the lands beyond the barrier they saw a landscape of broken ice and snow overcast by dark stormy clouds. When Katyr and Glynfiel looked they saw a continual battle as the powers of the Fell Ice constantly tested the White Magic that held it. The two Elves could see an onslaught of angry black clouds floating in from the North and sucked into the spinning columns. The dark patches mingled with the white light getting fainter and fainter as they spun around until they dissipated into nothing. It was eerie to see such a struggle in complete silence. The two Elves were in awe as they watched the eternal battle. Neither had ever journeyed this far north to see the barrier of the White Magic holding against its ancient enemy.

At the base of the pillars they found the bodies of the Elves killed there. Glynfiel flew off of the horse and raced to the body of her fallen mentor, the High Mage Belador. She wept as she held the old Elf's head in her lap and looked around at General Darkath and the other fallen Elves. She had ridden with them longest and knew each and every one well. The three young Elves stood to the side looking towards the gateway and the north giving the little Battle Mage time alone in her sorrow. After a short while the Tundras gave soft howls as Glynfiel rose and came to stand beside them. There was a fire in her eyes where moments ago had been tears.

"I can see the darkness out in the swirl," she said after looking for a minute. Halamar and Orist looked at each other questioningly as they could see nothing.

"Yes, I can see it too," said Katyr. "It travels east to the backside of the Grimfangs, I can see its wretched trail of evil through the swirl." Shadowback came up next to them and barked and then growled as if in agreement. Several other Tundras who were also strong in the Wild Wolf Magic growled with him as they too looked North. "How is it possible they could travel the gate?" Katyr asked her after the wolves had spoken.

"The pillars were designed to keep the Fell Ice from escaping, not to keep anything from going in," she said staring hard at the gate. "It is possible, obviously, for those with the Black Magic to enter. As long as the Fell Ice does not kill them. For those with the White Magic it is unknown. It is said the pillars would burn one gifted as such out. If that did not happen the magic of the Fell Ice beyond would surely crush them. But no one knows, as none have ever tried."