Chronicles of Fardel: The Rise of Syphon

Once they were up on the mountain they beheld nearly one thousand dead elves. They nearly turned back at the gruesome sight, but upon looking back they seen three thousand elves coming up to Ithen.

"I'm not going to make it very far on my hurt leg." Abeh said as he limped along.

"We need to make him a stretcher." Doon said trying to help him as he struggled.

So Ollen pieced together a makeshift stretcher out of various pieces among the elves. Then Abah and Ollen carried Abeh while Doon lead the way. They followed a ledge that went straight for the most part, here and there it would slope up or down. It was quite cold and the snow made there path difficult and slow.

"How far is it to the other side of the mountain?" Ollen asked.

"Well the mountain spans the entire Southern end of the Ara Sea. So probably at least three or four days." Abah said.

"At this rate? More like two or three weeks. What are we supposed to eat?" Ollen retorted.

Doon pointed to several mushrooms that grew here and there.

"That's it? Mushrooms?"

"Well if you got a better suggestion I'm all ears."

"It had to be mushrooms, I hate mushrooms." Ollen said picking a mushroom and looking at it with disgust. At long he popped it in his mouth, but he quickly spat it back out and nearly puked.

"Perhaps we should cook them first." Doon suggested, Ollen just glared at him.

"So Ollen, did you expect to be doing something like this?" Abeh asked.

"A few weeks ago, no. After Kephiyr pardoned me, I had an idea stuff similar would happen."

"Man Kephiyr! I can't believe he's dead!" Abeh said gasping having just remembered. Abah and Doon both sighed as well but Ollen simply shrugged.

"Yeah it sucks, but nobody is immortal."

"Yeah, but Kephiyr was our leader and he was without a doubt the best of the best." Abeh said.

"You knew him well huh?" Ollen asked.

"Trained together since we were kids. We fought in the goblin wars together and I was there when he slew the wraith. He was like our emblem of hope. Now he's just gone."

"Well you should probably rest and not worry so much about it for now." Ollen desperately wanted to let Abeh know that Kephiyr was alive. However, he needed to know more before including him into the fold.

"Why has Kephiyr trusted this assassin?" Phex asked.

"I don't know, I just know our job is to help ensure his job is done." Cipher replied.

"I can see betrayal in his eyes, if he breathes a word of this to the wrong person, this could all be undone."

"I don't think I'd worry too much about that. He knows that, he also knows Kephiyr's welfare and power determines his own."

"Unless he gets a better deal or simply runs."

"Just do the job you're told Phex. I know this whole job is sketchy, but it is only sketchy to our eyes. How many other jobs over thousands of years have we had that looked sketchy? Remember trust in His plan."

"Sometimes that's easier said then done."

"Very true, but our job isn't to know the big picture. Our job is to carry out His orders. Focus on the job and don't be hasty, He has a plan."

"How do you always just trust in His plan?"

"Has He ever failed yet?"

Doon and the others slowly made their way through the snow and wind. As the sun sank they found a cave and hunkered down and cooked some mushrooms.

"We have to get his leg fixed or it's going to get bad." Ollen said examining Abeh's leg.

"I have a little medicine but that's it." Doon said.

They put some medicine on it and bandaged it up again. After eating a few mushrooms each one slowly drifted off except Doon. Doon tossed and turned, until at one point when the moon was high. The moon shined through some holes in the roof and the light made an inscription come alive on the floor. Doon was startled as the letters glowed as if they were written with moon beams. Then he began to read quietly.

"A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great power; it's like has been before and will reign in the last days. Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is paradise before them, a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing escapes. They leap from the mountains top like a crackling flame devouring everything like stubble. A powerful army drawn up for battle, all peoples are in anguish. Before them, all faces turn pale. They scale the walls as though they were a hill, they don't break ranks or swerve. They burst through weapons and are not halted. They leap upon the city and run upon it's walls, they enter through the windows like a thief. The ground quakes before them. The sun and the moon are darkened, the stars withdraw their shining. And there will be a deep thick darkness, a darkness that may be felt."

"Who do you suppose wrote that?" Phex asked as he Cipher and Doon recited the words.

"The marks are made by magic, there's signs of a portal being opened here. If I had to guess, our friend from the forest of Illusions." Cipher answered.

"What is it he's trying to do? If he knows so much about the trial of fire, why not just start it?"

"Perhaps he can't. Perhaps he's something physical that isn't supposed to be physical."

"You mean a wraith?"

"Or worse, I don't believe he's a wraith. He feels different. The real question is did he know they would be here? Is he baiting one of these men, even worse, is he still here?"

"I don't see anything."

"Don't trust that, he has already done things we don't understand."

Doon traced the letters with his fingers, reading under his breathe.

"I wonder what that means?" Doon said under his breathe and suddenly he felt very tired and laid down and fell immediately asleep.

The next morning they debated if they should follow the cave or continue outside. After a fair amount of heated debate they decided to continue outside, as they had no way of knowing where the cave would lead. They followed the path for another day stopping once to eat mushrooms. Around nightfall they came to another cave and the end of their path. They debated for a short while about what they should do. However, it was soon decided simply to lay down for the night. Again Doon was unable and he wandered out to gaze at the stars. Doon ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, he grabbed a rock and tossed it around a couple times. After some time he wondered if he could still hear the sound of the rock hitting the water. He dropped it off the side of the mountain, after a moment he heard the rock hit another rock. However he never heard it strike water. Partly out of frustration, partly out of boredom he got another rock and threw it as hard as he could straight out. After a moment he heard the sound of rock hitting rock. The atmosphere suddenly changed it became very dark and dreary. But Doon played off the emotion.

"That makes no sense. There's no rock for it to hit." Doon went to the edge and peered out and threw another rock as hard as he could. Crack, the rock hit another rock, but Doon could see nothing for it to hit.

"Know what that is?" Came an eerie raspy from behind. Doon spun around to see a shadowy figure clinging to the side of the mountain like a spider.

"What is it!" Doon choked out clearly startled.

"It is destiny, it is means to bring your enemies low."

"You feel off."

"I am off, but what you're feeling is my legion that chased off your escorts."

Doon looked at his commrads in the cave and just grinned.

"Not them, know nothing."

"You say this, whatever it is will bring my enemies low. How do I get it?"

"You will meet me again when you're ready, then I will help you."

"What if I'm ready now?"

"Patience young one, patience. I can see into you, you're not quite ready yet."

"What will make me ready?"

"You have to know what it is to hate before you're ready."

"Maybe I do."

"You know indifference young one not hate, there is a big difference. Now your convict friend he's ready enough." At that Ollen woke up or at least it seemed so. He walked to the edge of the cave entrance.

"Does it make you angry, that he's ready and you are not?"

"Yes, a little."

"Strike him down, a little blood on the hands might help. It could very well teach you hate."

Doon reached down and drew his sword and stood in front of Ollen trembling. He felt waring thoughts against his will as if somebody were strongly urging him not to. Then suddenly the being shrieked and vanished. Ollen suddenly awoke and came to himself and looked at Doon.

"Why am I out here, and why is your sword drawn?"

Doon stuttered and put his sword away.

"There was a strange being, I think he bewitched us." Doon said at last.

Phex glanced at Cipher with a worried look.

"That was too close. Our friend from the forest I'm guessing." Phex said.

"I believe so, but whatever it was it was able to hide it's true identity. And it was obviously able to communicate with wraiths inspite of being physical. And he knows when we're present the moment we beat his posse he quickly retreated."

"Thankfully we did, we need to watch Doon. There's something more to him I think."

"Bewitched us? What do you mean?"

"I don't know, he was saying things that just didn't make sense. I felt strange almost as if I wasn't in control."

"Should we stand guard the rest of the night?"

"I don't think so, something seems to have frightened it off. We should get some sleep. So Doon and Ollen laid down and fell into a troubled sleep.

The next morning Doon woke up early and looked out toward the sea. Nothing was visible except open ocean. He picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could. About fifteen feet away from the mountains; crack, the rock sounded as if it hit another rock. But it bounced off thin air and fell to the ocean below.

"Hmm, this mountain is strange." Doon said under his breathe and began making a fire to cook mushrooms.

After some time the others awoke and ate mushrooms that Doon had prepared, and Doon showed them the rock trick.

"That's odd, I wonder if that has anything to do with the guy that tried to bewitch us last night?" Ollen said.

"Bewitch you?" Abah asked, and Doon went into the story sparing the details of what was said.

"Hmm, that's strange. I'll be happy when we're off this mountain." Abah said.

"Yeah, my suggestion is we follow this cave." Doon said.

"Obviously, we can't climb across this gap and carry a stretcher." Ollen retorted with a smug look. So after eating Doon lit a torch and lead the way through the dark cave. After nearly a day they reached a river.

"This must be the Barren River, if we follow it, it should lead us straight to Phemon." Doon said.

"Why is it called the Barren River?" Ollen asked.

"Because it never reaches the sea, it dries up in the desert. It doesn't even produce a single blade of grass, supposedly. I find the last bit hard to believe." Doon replied.

"Yeah no kidding, water that doesn't produce life; obsurd." Abah said.

"Well we'll find out soon." Doon said.

They followed the river for about a day, then it lead them outside down a gentle slope. Soon they were at the beginning of the White Desert. Not producing a single blade of grass was an exaggeration, but not by much. Grasses and a thin line of trees were along the banks of the river. Not in abundance, but enough to provide shade and food. The Barren River was more like a flowing oasis in a vast sea of sand. Animal life here was actually in abundance. Monkeys, meerkats, and birds mostly, besides water dwelling creatures. The men happily ate fruit as they trudged alongside the river.

"I knew it was full of crap." Abah said biting into an apple.

"Why call it the Barren River, it's got more abundance then many other rivers?" Ollen said.

"Well judging from the variety of fruit, and how well it's kept, my guess is it didn't used to be here." Doon said.

"You mean purposefully kept and planted for food?" Ollen asked.

"Yes, likely the elemental elves of Phemon."

"Should we be eating this without permission then?" Abah said.

"Well we either eat it or we go hungry until we reach Phemon in a day or so." Doon replied.

"I catch your drift, I'll eat it." He plucked another apple and handed it to Abeh.

A bright red bird with a long tail flew overhead with a loud piercing screech. It seemed to fly over and land on a person's should who was shadowed somehow. The person immediately vanished, as Doon called out to them. They somehow seemed to simply disappear despite having not much to hide in.

"What do you think that was?" Ollen asked.

"The bird looked like a phenix, I thought those were extinct. The person it flew to; likely an elemental elf or a faun." Doon replied.

"Great more elves." Abah sighed.

"You fool, they could heal your brother; and they're our only hope to make it to Legionor." Doom replied.

The figure appeared to stalk them, randomly coming into view over the next few hours and then vanishing. Close on night time they finally came close and spoke to them.

"Are you friend or foe? Do you come in peace?" The voice was obviously disguised by some sort of spell.

"We come in peace, one of our men is injured, we don't want to fight. I am Doon of Legionor, we just want to get home."

"Doon!? How have you come here?" Doon hesitated a moment.

"A battle we did not forsee, we escaped over the mountain."

"Who all is with you?"

"The sons of the jarl of Zolon, Abah and Abeh, and Ollen of Beryl."

The figure hesitated a moment at the mention of Ollen, but then they lit a torch and allowed them to see who they were. It was a very beautiful elemental elf. She had jaw length blonde hair and bright blue eyes with honey streaks. She wore a dark vest and pants and had tattoos on each of her shoulders that looked like wings. Tribal style tattoos were on her arms and stomach, her ears and nose were pierced and the phenix perched on her shoulder.

"Ember, is that you?" Doon asked.

"Yes, have you heard from Syphon?"

"Um, yes... Syphon became a mighty warrior. He even killed a wraith. He also became a jarl of Parlon." Ember laughed.

"He got his dream!"

"No, I think you were his real dream, you have no idea how many times over the years he talked about you. However, I think now he is either dead or in prison. I'm not sure which, he was with us in the battle and was struck with an arrow. He may yet be alive, I'm not really sure."

Doon stammered as he said it. Ember was obviously shaken and began to cry and shake. Slowly she dropped to her knees and began rocking back and forth while she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, but he may yet be alive."

"Yeah just in prison, much better!" She said angrily, though in all honesty she would take prison if that was the only other option. At long she spoke again.

"Who has him if he's in prison?"

"Farmell."

"The elves!? Why?"

"Kelpon has declared war on the dwarves, the elves fought against us. They shot Kephiyr at the beginning of the battle."

"Kephiyr?"

"Syphon is now Kephiyr. His name was changed after he saved my life."

"Oh, was he the commanding officer or something?"

"Yes, unwillingly, but yes."

"Of course, he wouldn't willingly do that. And I would be very disappointed if he did it willingly."

Ember stood up and began pacing back and forth. She kept muttering under her breathe, searching her thoughts and feelings to see if she could tell if Kephiyr was alive.

"Not to be pushy, but my leg could use a little healing." Abeh finally asserted.

"Yeah, yeah give me a minute." Ember waved her hand at him and continued to pace. Then suddenly she smiled but said nothing as she felt from him that it needed to stay secret. She walked over to Abeh and placed her hand on his leg and healed it.

"We need to light a fire, it'll keep the predators away." Ember said as she began to gather wood. After setting it up the phenix set it a blaze. One by one they all fell asleep until it was only Ollen and Ember left awake. Ember walked away from the trees and lay down looking at the stars on the edge of the sea of sand. Ollen soon followed her and lay down beside her.

"So you knew Kephiyr before all this?" Ollen asked sheepishly.

"We were sweethearts when we were younger."

"Really, well don't tell my companions but Kephiyr is neither dead nor in prison."

"I know, he faked his death, he's on Farmell's side."

Ollen looked astonished.

"How did you know?"

"I have a connection with him, I can sort of talk to him from a distance. I also know he hired you to assassinate Kelpon. And that he pardoned you."

"And here I thought that I was going to be giving you a great comfort."

"It's comforting to know that you would seek my comfort. I'm coming with you, it's time I get my Honeybear back."

"Honeybear?" Ollen laughed.

Ember told Ollen their story and why they moved to Phemon.

"My father has since remarried and had several other children. He kept at me for the longest time to get married, but I never got over my Honeybear."

"That's sweet, so what was it like growing up out here? Away from all the problems of the world?"

Ember just stared up at what seemed like a billion stars apparently not hearing. After a few moments of silence she finally spoke.

"Breathtaking isn't it? That's kind of what it was like, as breathtaking as these stars. It was heart-rending, and wonderful at the same time. Like a strange paradise, I had everything and nothing at the same time. My folks were always the first family to arrive at festivals. With seven people jammed onto a cart made for five. We had one bathroom to bathe and shave in, six of us would stand in line. Just enough food to get by each day, but we all did just fine. We were estranged from eachother and yet also the closest knit family. Nobody fought as much as we did amongst ourselves, but nobody backed eachother up as much as us either. Each of us were so different, especially me, being the oldest and the half sibling of the rest. I can still hear my dad cuss, he's working late out in the barn. Spring planting is coming and the plow is torn apart. Mom she's done the laundry I can see it waving on the line. Now they've stayed together through so much pain and strain. Last winter we lost our brother, but the pain hasn't made us crippled, and the scars have made us strong. We've never been picture perfect, just a simple family. But we know they values of hard work, good love, and real life. Talk about your miracles, talk about your faith. My dad, he could make things grow out of any kind of clay. Mom could make a gourmet meal out of just cornbread and beans. They worked to give faith hands and feet, but somehow they gave it wings."

"Sounds like a great life."

"Well it was and it wasn't. It's been unbearably lonely."

"But you had friends and family."

"Loneliness doesn't work like that, when you've given your heart to someone; nobody else can take that spot. It's an agonizing feeling, like part of your soul is missing. That feeling is only amplified by the knowledge that it was once whole. It's like something you desperately need, but can't attain without that person." She rubbed her hands together and Ollen noticed for the first time her fingerless gloves.

"Come to think of it, Kephiyr had that deep pain in his eyes that you have."

She smiled grimley with a slight laugh.

"Is it evil of me to be happy about that? Guess it means he misses me the same way."

"No, it isn't evil, and yes I think he does."

Ember laughed and cried at the same time. Then wiping the tears away she gazed up at the blue and white stars again with a sad smile.

"Believe it or not, I'm supposed to be the badass hunter and survivor. I teach others how to survive away from the oasis. But I'm honestly alone more often then not, because not many people have the guts to face the desert. Or the ability to put up with my rough edges."

"But pushing others away doesn't help."

"No it doesn't. But it does; if that makes any sense."

"Actually, coming from my background, it makes complete sense."

"I don't know, one thing leads to another, you slowly allow the loneliness to change you. Next thing you know the person in the mirror isn't the you that you remember."

"It consumes you until you don't even know what you're doing anymore. You're just reacting."

"Yeah." She said and tears filled her eyes again.

"We should probably get to sleep." Ollen said and patted her shoulder as he headed back toward camp.

Ember looked up at the stars and sighed. Tears flowed freely down her face and she rubbed her arms almost embracing herself in a hug. Only when she was alone could she really fall apart.

"Please God, please let me find him. I need him, I can't do this anymore without him. I know I've gone this long, but this has opened the wound again. It hurts so much. Please bring us together again."

"Tell me it's in His plan." Phex said, nearly crying as he touched her shoulder.

"I can't say, haven't heard. But if you want my opinion, coincidence isn't a kosher word."

The next day they woke early and ate breakfast before heading out.

"So what's the best way to get to Legionor from here?" Doon asked Ember.

"Um, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say portal." She said with a smirk on her face, she took a bite of an apple and tossed one to Ollen.

"You can make a portal?" Doon asked with surprise.

"No, but I know who can. I haven't mastered that art yet."

"So how long would it take to get there?" Abeh asked.

"About noon give or take, depends how long it takes you boys to get your butts in gear."

"Haha when did you get a sense of humor." Doon asked with a little jab.

"Always had it, you were just too stuck up and drunk to notice." She laughed and the others hooted at that. Within a few minutes they headed out, and after a few hours they arrived at Phemon. The outer wall of Phemon was sand, but it was as hard as rock. Inside the walls there were some wooden buildings and a few stone buildings but most of the dwellings were tents. Music flowed through the whole place. Fauns, centars, and elemental elves walked to and fro. Then a faun came up to them playing a flute.

"Afternoon mates and me lady, 'ow yall doin' on this 'ere fine day?" The faun said.

"Afternoon Lenan, I need to speak to my father."

"Aye, what for me lady?" Lenan said looking suspiciously at the strangers.

"These men need to go to Legionor, and I'm going with them." Lenan dropped his flute at the last part and fixed her with his bright green eyes.

"Now me lady, the world ain't as kind as us. Perhaps you would get 'urt?"

"I know more of the world then you do. If you're so worried join me." Lenan's mouth dropped.

"Leave Phemon? I've only been as far as the oasis."

"Come, or stay, but I'm going." Ember said.

"As you wish me lady, I fetch you fatha."

Levillian came and looked at the outsiders and took Ember aside. They argued in the tent for some time. After a while Levillian came out and opened a portal to Legionor.

"My daughter and Lenan are accompanying you. If harm should come to her, I don't care if you're the King's son, I'll kill you." Levillian said looking intently at Doon.

"We will keep her safe, I promise." Doon replied clearly shaken.

They stepped through the portal and into the Mira forest just outside Legionor. The gate was broken down. Dead elves, dwarves, skin changers, wizards, and men were scattered everywhere. A group of men were working on cleaning up.

"You there what happened?" Doon asked.

"Legionor was attacked by a massive army, lead by a furious warrior known only as the demon warrior."

"Is the king alive, did we win?"

"Yes, on both accounts but barely on the second."

Doon looked in at the city which had been thrashed.

"Maybe this war won't be so easy to win after all." Doon gasped as he gawked at a destroyed Legionor.