Miranda said, ‘What, then, is your point?’
Martin shrugged. ‘I’m not even sure I have one, but it seems to me that we’re making many assumptions here, and if any one of them is incorrect, we risk all by building our plans upon such mistaken beliefs.’ He stared into Miranda’s eyes. ‘You returned from the land on the other side of the world with artifacts, apparently made by the Ancient Ones, yet Pug and Calis both say they are “tainted,” not what they seem to be.’
Acaila again nodded. ‘They are not pure. We know enough of our former masters to recognize another hand has touched these items.’
‘Yet they sing to you?’ offered Pug.
‘Yes, they are much of the Valheru,’ offered Aglaranna.
Martin said, ‘So, then, whose is that other hand?’
‘The third player,’ said Pug. Looking at Miranda, he said, ‘The demon -I assume that’s who he meant.’
Martin nodded. ‘I think so, as well. What if the Pantathians are not tools of the Ancient Ones, but rather are tools of these demons?’
Tomas said, ‘That would explain a few things.’
‘Such as?’ asked Redtree, taking a sip of wine.
Pug said, ‘The Dread, for one.’
Acaila asked, ‘What of them?’
Tomas said, ‘They are an unlikely ally for my brethren.’ He used the term brethren for the Valheru when he was caught up in thinking as one.
‘And an even less likely tool,’ supplied Acaila. ‘What lore has passed down through the generations of the eldar always shows the Dread to be rivals to the Valheru on the occasions when they crossed paths.’
‘Yet,’ said Pug, ‘we didn’t consider the oddity at the time.’
With a faint smile, Tomas said, ‘We were a bit preoccupied.’
Pug’s brow furrowed and his expression was a question.
‘The Riftwar?’ Tomas added, with a laugh.
Pug returned the laugh. ‘I know what you mean, but what I mean is, why didn’t you think of this before?’
It was Tomas’s turn to look perplexed. ‘I don’t know. I just assumed the presence of the Dreadmaster in the City Forever and the Dreadlord at Sethanon were part of the Valheru attempt to distract us. I assumed somehow the Pantathians made contact with those creatures -’
Acaila interrupted. ‘You have memories and some knowledge, and great power, Tomas, but you lack experience. You are less than a century of age, yet you wear powers not gained in five times that span.’ He looked around the gathering. ‘We are as children when we speak of beings like the Valheru and Dreadlords. We are presuming when we attempt to understand them, or apprehend their purpose.’
Pug said, ‘I grant that, but we must try, for there are things that cannot be allowed to simply come to us; we must discover the purpose behind those who seek to take the Lifestone and end us all.’
Miranda said, ‘All of which brings us back to this: we know little and we need to find Macros the Black, and you still haven’t suggested where we start to look.’
Pug looked defeated. ‘I don’t know.’
Acaila said, ‘Perhaps you should cease looking for a place, and begin looking for a person.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Pug.
The ancient elf said, ‘You spoke of a sense of Macros being close by. Perhaps it is time to turn your focus on that sense, look for the presence, and let it lead you to the man.’
Pug said, ‘I don’t imagine how that is possible.’
‘You studied with me for a brief time. Pug. There are many things we have to teach you still. Let me instruct you and Miranda now.’
Pug looked at his companion, who nodded.
‘Do I need to come along?’ asked Tomas.
Acaila looked at the Warleader of Elvandar and shook his head. ‘You’ll know when it is time to leave, Tomas.’
To those of the Queen’s Court he said, ‘We will need to retire to the contemplation glade. Tathar, I would appreciate your help in this matter.’
The old elven adviser bowed to his Queen and said, ‘By your leave, lady?’
She nodded and the four of them left the Queen and Tomas’s private quarters. Down through the bowers that formed the elven city in the trees they moved, until they came to the ground, where large cookfires were brightly burning.
They moved silently away from the heart of Elvandar until at last they came to a tranquil glade. Here Tomas and Aglaranna had pledged their vows; here only those ceremonies most important to the elves were conducted.
Pug said, ‘We are honored.’
‘It is necessary,’ said Acaila. ‘Here our magic is most potent, and I suspect we need to use it to ensure your survival.’
‘What do you propose?’
‘Tomas spoke to me of your previous travels to the Halls of the Dead, through the entrance at the Necropolis of the Gods. While we have a different vision of the universe and its order, we elves understand your human vision enough to know that only Tomas’s raw strength allowed you to survive that journey.’