The Elf King Read online



  THE ELF KING

  SEAN MCKENZIE

  Author’s Works

  Project Human

  The Hitman: Dirty Rotters

  The Elf King is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Copyright © Sean McKenzie 2010

  United States Copyright Office # TXu001714084/2010-08-23

  ISBN-13:978-1469933115

  Edited by Sean McKenzie

  Front cover image and interior illustrations created by Manthos Lappas at www.incartstudios.com

  Map designed by Sean McKenzie and illustrated by Manthos Lappas

  Cover design by Lighthouse24

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Map

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  About the Author

  For my parents

  John and Joan

  Two of the best

  CHAPTER ONE

  In the desolate midnight hour, two weary forms cleared a thicket of woods and entered the Shyl Plains. Free from the foliage shrouding them for the past few hours, the two paused to gaze at the blanket of stars overhead. Breathing hard and sweating even more-so, they looked away from the lights and down to the horizon. Far across the grassy plains, the yellow lights of their village appeared to be nothing more than faded pinpricks. Anxious to be on their way, their footfalls began once again.

  They kept a steady pace through the knee-high grass, denying rest for their aching muscles. They were close to the village and rest would be found soon thereafter. Adjusting their traveling packs and removing their cloaks, the two figures passed as one shadow in the dark.

  “This is earlier than I expected,” Tane Ellantri exhaled. His voice was firm like iron, as rugged as his profile. “Mother will be expecting us in another day. She’ll be surprised.”

  “As long as we don’t scare her to death sneaking in,” Qenn mused.

  The two brothers were making their way home to the small village of Meadow from a two week fishing trip at the eastern edge of Lower Krune Lake. Traveling afoot, they stayed away from the small towns along the way, keeping to the grassy fields of the Shyl and the forests that resided. It was a three day walk but the brothers had decided to make the last day without rest, eager to be away from the troubles they had encountered.

  “With a night as dark as this…” Qenn said, looking behind them.

  “Let it go, Qenn. Give your mind some rest.”

  “I’ll have better things to think of once we get home.” Qenn lied.

  Two nights ago they had come across a few merchants and shared campfire. The merchants were fleeing Skadar Port, the largest city around Lower Krune. Worked in a panic, they quickly told the brothers their first-hand tales of the dark things taking place in the city. Demons cloaked in black, dubbed Takers, roamed the night in search of anyone with magic, taking them, disappearing without a trace. Seers were vanishing everywhere, rumored to be herded off by Takers. Bodies were being found at dawn, dead and broken carcasses that were still smoking from whatever had destroyed them.

  The merchants cast their tales all night, and when morning broke, they were gone. The impression left on the brothers was enough for them to head home a day sooner than they had planned.

  Tane peered over to his brother. “They were just stories, Qenn. You can see that better than I.”

  “I know.” Qenn was too tired to get into an argument, and Tane was right anyhow. In the light of a new day he would see things clearer. But for now, Takers owned his thoughts.

  “Smile, brother. We’re almost home.” Tane nudged Qenn’s side before quickening the pace.

  Keeping stride, Qenn stole quick glances at Tane. He found it remarkable how different they were. Qenn was Elven and it was quite evident. He was tall, thin, with green eyes and silky blonde hair. His skin was pale and smooth, and his nose was almost as pointed as his ears. Across his back rested his bow and arrows, and under his belt were two short daggers. Though he shied away from confrontations, he was ready if the need arose.

  Tane on the other hand was rugged and had a well-built physique. He seldom joked and had not been in a playful mood since childhood. Being part Man and part Elf, his features shined on the former as his senses did the latter. He wore a thick patch of brown hair upon his chin that was as wild as his shoulder length mane. Strapped to his left thigh was his broadsword as usual, though he had rarely a use for it.

  Qenn watched his brother for a moment more, then turned to the glowing lights in the distance. Home. He sighed deeply. He decided that it would be a good time more before he was to leave it again.

  The trip to the Lower Krune had been a troubling one for the most part. Aside from the tales of the Takers, other news came to the brothers that was upsetting. It seems that a war was on the rise between Elves and Men. Peace between the two Races had been absent for quite some time, but things had taken a turn for the worse. King Andelline’s son, Prince Pal Rae, had become missing several weeks ago and the Elven house of Lord Terill Estrial is being blamed.

  King Andelline pleaded for his son’s safe return several times before offering a reward for any news of Pal Rae’s whereabouts. News returned immediately, confirming his suspicions. Terill Estrial however, denies any involvement. Since then, skirmishes have erupted along the border of the Lyyn Forest, where the Forest Elves live, and the northern Shyl.

  King Andelline had sent several messengers to bring news of peace talks. None of his messengers returned. Before calling an all-out war, he decided to make the trip himself, taking with him nearly three dozen of his skilled guards. Capturing an elf from a look out post, the King made his demands quite clear and sent the elf to relay the message. The elf returned a day later. A time was set and a day announced where the two sides would speak face to face. That day would be tomorrow.

  “Do you believe the peace talks will be a success?” Qenn asked curiously.

  “To tell the truth, no.” Tane kept his iron chin pointed east toward their village. “I don’t believe that the King will find the answers he’s hoping for.”

  “You think the Prince is elsewhere.” Qenn stated. He shifted his pack to a more comfortable position across his back and looked to his brother, watching him nod.

  “I can see no reason the Elves would capture him. What have they to gain? They do not want a war.” Tane swiped a blade of grass and began to chew on it as he walked. When he began again, his choice was soft, sympathetic. “I think that the King is heartbroken and is not thinking clearly. His advi
sors would do better to rethink the whole mess and turn their search elsewhere. The Forest Elves have magic. It would be a battle that the King would not win.”

  Qenn had been thinking pretty much the same thing. Being an elf, he saw no reason for the kidnaping of the Prince. If Terill Estrial wanted to hurt King Andelline, he would use more of a direct approach. Seeing how his brother was part Man, Qenn wondered what side he would take and was glad that they agreed on the issue.

  “I imagine it would be hard to lose a son,” Qenn finished solemnly.

  Tane gripped Qenn’s shoulder firmly. “Let’s not let mother find out.”

  Scaling a short hill, the two brothers looked across the valley beyond. Somewhere in the midst of the few burning lights awaited their home. Fresh food and water, a change of clothes and a warm bed, were only a few miles away. A gentle breeze came and went, drying the beads of sweat across their damp skin. The warm night air was cooling and more clouds began masking the stars. The night was growing old and soon dawn would break. The brothers hoped to be home in time to salvage what sleep they could before then.

  It was nearly two hours later before they reached Meadow. Shops were hours from opening and the streets were silent. A few lamps lit the corners of intersections, but for the most part Meadow was a shadow. There were no ale houses in the village, no drunkards lying abandoned. Meadow was made up of farmers and the like, craftsmen whose nights were spent with family.

  Rounding a corner, the two Ellantri brothers moved towards a house sitting at the outskirts. Domed by trees and surrounded by a wood-plank fence, small bushes, and flowers beds, the old white house was well hidden in the night.

  “A sight for sore eyes,” yawned Qenn as they passed through the front gate. He walked a few more paces before he realized that Tane had stopped. He peered back to the wooden fence.

  “What is it?”

  Tane was bent close to the latch on the gate, his fingers running slowly over the lock. He straightened, walked into the yard, and shut the gate behind him. Standing next to his younger brother, he replied, “The lock is busted.”

  Qenn followed his brother to the porch and smirked. “How you could manage to see that in the dark, and yet catch no fish in the day, is beyond me.”

  Tane paused before opening the door. “The gate was fine when we left.” He allowed a smile. “But you are only an elf, how would you see that?”

  Watching the other smile, Tane reached for the door and brushed the handle. The door creaked open. The brothers paused unexpectedly, before seeing what they had missed. The door frame was shattered. Broken wood lay scattered in splinters.

  Tane raced through the doorway and instantly hit the floor. He rose quickly, standing in debris. “Mother!”

  Qenn fumbled through his pack and produced a small lantern. Within seconds, Qenn raised the light out before him and entered the house.

  “Mother!” Tane’s voice thundered in urgency.

  With shadows dancing from the sway of the lantern, the brothers fell ill. Broken glass and busted wood littered the floor. Clothing was strewn everywhere, shredded into rags. Pools of dark liquid lay underneath and against the remains of their belongings. Their home was torn apart from wall to wall.

  “Mother!” cried Tane, clutching his broadsword tight.

  Qenn hung the lantern from a ceiling hook and joined his brother as they searched through the remains. Tossing things this way and that, their hands became slippery with red liquid. Their hearts pounded with a sinking feeling of what they were going to find.

  Tane snatched the lantern and rushed into the kitchen. They moved as one, eyes wide and intense. Weapons ready. Pulses racing. Hearts pounding. They stalked through the darkness, from room to room, finding only dark splatters and broken possessions.

  Through one large room and down the hall, they stepped into the remains of their mother’s bedroom. Tane exhaled sharply then paused. Qenn never felt his daggers slide free from his hands.

  Centered on the floor, broken in ways that could not mend, their mother’s body lay.

  Qenn tried to speak, but couldn’t. He slowly made his way to her, kneeling in disbelief. He cradled her lifeless form into his arms and the tears came.

  “Who would’ve done this?” Tane’s voice echoed softly. “She did not deserve…”

  A floor board creaked from the kitchen. Tane was to his feet instantly. His sword rose to a striking position, his eyes peering through the darkness. Qenn kissed his mother’s forehead, then rose. His teary eyes focused as he picked up his fallen daggers. Whoever had done this was still lurking in the house.

  Carefully the two brothers moved from their mother’s side and into the hall. Chills danced across Qenn’s pale skin as he stepped over broken beams, moving into the opened area. Once there, they turned for the kitchen.

  Tane stopped.

  The lantern went out. An icy chill swept over him. His senses screamed that something was there, telling him to flee immediately. He could feel another presence—dark and terrible, hiding in the shadows. He swallowed hard, gripped his sword tight and waited for something to move.

  Qenn stood at Tane’s side, his strong Elven senses warning him as well. His eyes scanned the darkness, searching into the room far deeper than his brother. His mouth was open as he breathed slowly, trying to remain quiet, trying to hear through the awful silence.

  Then he saw it.

  Slouched in the corner directly across the room, hooded in a black cloak, something waited. A faceless cowl gleamed right at him. He found that he couldn’t move. He couldn’t look away. He couldn’t speak. He could feel its presence coming closer to him, drawing him in, but was helpless against it. He noticed Tane’s body shifting as he still searched, unaware. Qenn’s alarms were all ringing.

  Run!

  The dark being remained motionless. Qenn felt as if its presence was strangling him. He knew what it was.

  Across the room, he watched the black figure finally move—tall and menacing, dark and forbidding, heading right for him.

  The sharp ting of the daggers hitting the wood floor broke the silence, causing Tane to look down in question. His brother’s weapons lay at his feet, their wielder staring intently across the room.

  “Qenn? What—?”

  Suddenly the debris piles began to move. In the darkness, something large approached. “Qenn!”

  Qenn snapped out of the trance. “Takers!”

  Before Tane could offer any comment, a terrible wail rose out in front of them as the figure stood, arms towering above. From beneath the empty cowl, two pupils burned like dying embers.

  “Get out of here, Qenn!”

  “No!”

  Qenn grabbed Tane by the arm just as his brother was about to charge. He pointed to the back door where other dark figures were approaching.

  “There’s nothing we can do! There’s too many!”

  Qenn gave Tane a jerk towards the door, but Tane didn’t budge. As more Takers entered the room, their crimson eyes held him in place. The Takers’ power was beyond anything he had ever seen. Tane could feel his life being drawn out. There was an overpowering urge to draw close to them. To let them in.

  But Qenn tugged him loose of their spell, yanking him backward, nearly sending them both to the floor. The two brothers raced to the door.

  As they cleared the house, shrill screams exploded from within. The front door shattered as their hunters gave chase, black figures that seemed to hover over the ground.

  “Run!” Qenn cried.

  A block later, Tane looked back to see a mass of shadows spilling past the fence and into the street. He and Qenn sped through Meadow, changing course as often as they could, hoping to put as much distance between them and the demons following.

  “Where do we go?” Qenn gasped once they reached the far end of town and paused momentarily behind the water mill. Pressing themselves into the shadows of the building, their eyes searched the area for anything moving. For the moment, it seemed they were
safe.

  Qenn reached under his belt and produced a small hunting knife. He frowned deeply. “Those were Takers. Why were they at the house, Tane?”

  “All I know is that we need someplace to hide,” Tane shuddered.

  “We could go to Ruul.” Qenn spoke quickly, desperate for a route of the town. “Or even back to Skadar Port, if we had to.”

  “We don’t know if they’re after us. Maybe they’ve given up.”

  “We have to leave, Tane. We have to get mom…” Qenn couldn’t finish. He knew there was no reason to go back. “I don’t think we’ll be safe in Ruul, Tane.”

  Tane understood his brother’s concern. Ruul was an even smaller village than Meadow and it was open plain all the way there. Skadar Port was the only logical choice. It was a ruthless city, overrun with outlaws and those with no morals, but it was the only place where they could lose their pursuers.

  Screams broke the silence only blocks away.

  “Tane, which way? Where are we going?”

  Tane stared into Qenn’s worried eyes. “We’ll take the woods to Skadar Port. Are you ready?”

  Qenn was shaking and trying to hold back his tears. “I wasn’t ready for this, Tane. She shouldn’t have died like that.”

  Tane wrapped his big arms around Qenn, squeezing his narrow frame close. “This is not our fault, Qenn. There’s nothing we can do. If we don’t leave now, they will find us.” He could feel Qenn shaking, sobbing into his shirt. “Qenn, we must go.”

  Qenn cried. The fear paralyzed him. He thought he could hear them rushing closer. But he couldn’t move. He just wished everything was a mistake and that he could close his eyes and when he opened them again everything would be back to normal.

  Tane grabbed his brother’s shoulder. “Qenn!”

  Qenn looked, following Tane’s gaze. Shadows were shifting around houses on the edge of their vision. They were coming.

  “Qenn, come on.” Tane urged, helping Qenn from his frozen stance.

  After taking a quick look around, the brothers raced for the shelter of trees ahead of them, disappearing into the dark.

  CHAPTER TWO