‘That implies those forces are not of this world.’
‘Yes,’ said Kaspar, appreciating that this old elf was obviously more intelligent than one might assume from his bucolic surroundings. It was a common error on the part of many nobles to make assumptions based on a person’s rank or upbringing, and he had come to quickly appreciate that he had been just as guilty of that vanity before his exile and return to join the Conclave. ‘There are worlds besides our own that are populated.’
‘We know this,’ said Castdanur. ‘Word of the Tsurani war reached us – we occasionally trade with those beyond the Peaks of the Quor.’
Kaspar made a mental note to explore that remark further; if there were humans with when these people did trade, it might be possible to get word out to those waiting for information on Kaspar’s expedition and head off any unwanted trouble. Kaspar doubted at this point any of his men or himself would be travelling directly to the waiting ships with the elves’ approval. The problem was that should the re-supply boat put in to the cove and find no one there, especially if there were signs of a battle, their instructions were not to investigate, but to turn tail and return as fast as possible to Roldem and seek out Conclave agents there who would in turn relay word to Sorcerer’s Isle that the mission was a failure. That would eventually result in another mission being sent there to discover what had happened, depending on the other issues faced by the Conclave, which might take years, time Kaspar knew he didn’t have.
‘There are men with whom I am allied, men who have dedicated their lives to protecting this world. They are not well known, and I doubt word of their existence has reached you, but they are called the Conclave of Shadows.’
‘A colourful name, Kaspar of Olasko. Tell me of this Conclave.’
‘Have you heard of a man named Pug?’
‘The great human sorcerer,’ said Castdanur. ‘Yes, word of his feats have reached us. Last we heard he humbled a prince who became King of the Isles.’
Kaspar recalled hearing that story from his own father, when he was a boy. ‘In the years since then he has fashioned an organization, not of the Kingdom of the Isles, not of Kesh, but for the whole of Midkemia, for he saw during the Serpentwar that we are all of one people and we all share this world.’
‘One people,’ echoed the elven leader. ‘Does that include us?’
‘Yes,’ said Kaspar. ‘We are allied with the Elf Queen and her court in Elvandar.’
‘Ah,’ said the old man. ‘Then we have a problem, it seems. For we of the Sun, we who abide here in Baranor do not serve the Elf Queen, nor her dragon-rider. We are a free people.’
Kaspar knew there was something deeper underlying this than merely not being servants. ‘Neither did those who lied over the sea, in the land we humans call Novindus. And while some have come to live in the Queen’s court, others have not and remain across the seas. It is all as one to Lady Aglaranna. She welcomes those who seek her out, but does not demand it.’
‘Yet she makes war upon our kin to the north, is that not true?’
Kaspar regretted he knew so little of elven lore, and only a little about those elves humans called the Brotherhood of the Dark Path. ‘So I have heard, yet I have also heard it is those who we call the Brotherhood who wage war on the Queen and her people. I cannot defend that which I am ignorant of, but I will say that should those the Conclave opposes prevail, whatever differences may exist between your people and the Queen will become academic, for all life on this world will be extinguished.’
The old elf was silenced. ‘Extinguished?’ he said at last.
‘What we have been told is that this race, the Dasati, will not come to conquer and enslave, but rather to obliterate all life on this world as it now exists, replacing it with life from their home world, from the most mightiest to the smallest. From dragons to insects to the tiniest fish in the sea, all will be pushed aside to give them a world they can fashion to their liking.’
Again Castdanur was quiet. After several long minutes, he said, ‘I need to consider your words and discuss them with the others. You will go back to your men now and I trust you will rest well, despite the circumstances.’
‘I’m an old soldier and hunter,’ said Kaspar, rising from the low table and bowing slightly. ‘I know how to sleep when the opportunity offers itself, no matter what the circumstance. I hope you’ll consider what I’ve said seriously, and we can speak on this more.’