\u201cNo. I absolutely forbid it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir sighed, and tried, again, to explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had teleported himself and Ilrin back to Aimim\u2019s home, where, with the help of both Aimim and Felnir, Ilrin had been quickly healed of the lingering effects of the Asdelarcen\u2019s curse. The Council, hearing that Aimim had been attacked, had sent several mages to guard the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then Ilrin\u2019s parents had arrived, demanding that Ilrin return with them to their home. In a way, Dilmir could understand their logic. He was the one who had brought the Asdelarcen here; being in close proximity to him seemed to be asking for trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But things had changed. The Asdelarcen were after Ilrin now, as he had explained several times already. They had attacked her twice, and nearly succeeded in removing her from the city only a few short hours ago. Dilmir had been there both times to stop them, but the Asdelarcen kept adapting. He needed Ilrin where he could be sure she was safe, and that meant right next to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin herself was sitting in a corner of the living room, silently observing her parents and Dilmir. Dilmir was sure she agreed with him, but knew also that she didn\u2019t like going against her parents. So she remained silent, watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aimim and Felnir were there too. Ilrin\u2019s parents had objected vehemently to Felnir\u2019s presence once they understood he was a Dark Elf, but Dilmir had been ready for that. Alfimir himself had given Felnir permission to stay in Eld\u2019rin, and as he had pointed out, he would never have done that if Felnir was a threat to anyone. If anything, it meant Felnir could help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And so Ilrin\u2019s parents had gone back to their original argument, saying that being in the same house as Dilmir was inviting trouble. Dilmir hated arguing with them. He had known them for several years, and had grown to like them, to see them almost as a second father and mother. But that had been before they had listened to the Council about him, and before they had decided he was dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook,\u201d Dilmir said, finally tiring of the circular arguments. \u201cThe Asdelarcen are after her, not me. They\u2019ve attacked her twice in one day. I can protect her. It\u2019s safer for everyone if we all stay together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He paused. Ilrin\u2019s parents looked mutinous. He didn\u2019t like having to say that, drawing attention to his power. But it was true. They were all safer if they stuck together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou used to know me,\u201d he said, lowering his voice to a more normal volume. \u201cYou used to trust me. I know things have changed, and I know there\u2019s danger. But I\u2019m asking you: trust me again, as you once did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin\u2019s parents looked at each other. Her father looked angry. Her mother looked uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe should stay,\u201d Ilrin said, finally speaking. Her parents looked at her. \u201cWe should,\u201d she said softly. \u201cThis is the safest place in Eld\u2019rin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t suppose we have a choice,\u201d Ilrin’s father said. He turned to Dilmir. \u201cBut if we stay here,\u201d he warned, \u201cit\u2019s because of you. You say you can keep Ilrin safe. If she\u2019s harmed\u2026\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll be safe here,\u201d Dilmir said. \u201cI swear it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for once, he believed it. The Asdelarcen kept adapting to what he did, but he wasn\u2019t the only obstacle to them anymore. Felnir was here, possessing strange new magic from Eltuthar, and there was a small army outside, at least twenty Council mages surrounding the house. When they had learned that Ilrin was staying in Aimim\u2019s home, they had doubled the guard. Dilmir wasn\u2019t sure if that was because both Aimim and Ilrin were in the same location, or just because they didn\u2019t trust him. Possibly both. Either way, he was glad for once for their protection. It would be hard indeed for the Asdelarcen to attack now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once again, all they could do was wait. Dilmir had told no one, not even Ilrin, about the approaching undead army. He agreed with the Council: there was no need to cause a panic. For all they knew, the army was already somewhere nearby, and elves fleeing Eld\u2019rin could run right into their waiting arms. It would be best for the scouts Alfimir had sent to find the undead first. Then the Council could assemble an army and meet them outside of Eld\u2019rin. Dilmir would be there of course, and with any luck, the army would fall. But until they knew where the undead were, they could only wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin\u2019s parents sat down at the table, and Ilrin quickly moved to join them, speaking to them both in a voice too quiet for Dilmir to hear. He crossed to a window, and looked out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A double line of mages was in front of the front door, their backs to it. Night had come, darkness settling over Eld\u2019rin, and already the mists had begun to form, hiding the shapes of the other houses in the Upper Quarter. It was late, far later than Dilmir had realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He scanned the line of mages, wondering if Alfimir was there. Dilmir doubted he would be. The archmage was probably doing his best to find the undead army, coordinating with scouts and mages. Sure enough, Alfimir was not to be found amongst the ranks of the Council. But oddly, Aldir was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What was he doing here? Dilmir remembered seeing him earlier, guarding the Lower Quarter with the other mages, and again it struck him as odd. Aldir was a spy, not a mage. Dilmir had seen him train a few times with the sword, and he was a fair fighter, but he was no warrior. What did he mean by standing guard here? Dilmir shook his head, and turned away from the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felnir was yawning and stretching, clearly the most at ease in the room. He hadn\u2019t been here for the other attacks, so DIlmir supposed that made sense. Ilrin and her parents were sitting around the table, quiet, concern and worry etched on their faces. Aimim was sitting in a chair against the wall, watching them. They were all waiting, waiting to see what the Asdelarcen would do next. Was the combined threat of Dilmir, Felnir, and twenty mages enough to keep them away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was a sudden pounding on the door, and everyone jumped. Dilmir was closest; he strode to the door and opened it, and a mage helped Endir inside. He was bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEndir!\u201d Both Dilmir and Ilrin cried. Dilmir took him from the mage and hauled him inside, closing the door behind the mage as he left. Endir seemed to have sustained several slices from a sword, and there was a bloody bruise on the side of his head. He slumped to the floor, and Ilrin knelt by his side, quickly healing him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat \u2013 What happened?\u201d Dilmir asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Endir seemed to be wavering in and out of consciousness. \u201cInilidin,\u201d he croaked. \u201cThey\u2026 took Inilidin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir\u2019s anger and magic blasted out of him unexpectedly, breaking a nearby vase. Asdelarcen! Of course! He should have known this would happen. He had been so focused on the threat to himself and to Ilrin, that he hadn\u2019t even thought about Endir or Inilidin. The Asdelarcen couldn\u2019t reach Ilrin, not with him here, so they had gone for who they could reach. He should have seen this coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Ilrin asked, gently helping Endir to sit up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Endir shook his head. \u201cI was there,\u201d he said, still a little groggily, \u201cat her home. Just to see her, you know? They blasted through the door. Turned it to ash. They went right through me and her parents\u2026 we didn\u2019t stand a chance. They knocked us all out \u2013 had to hit me with a sword because of my shield. Then they grabbed Inilidin. They know how to go through the shields\u2026 they enchanted her so she couldn\u2019t fight back, and left.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long ago?\u201d Dilmir asked. He could stop them if they were still in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Endir shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cI lost consciousness. It could have just happened, or it could have been a while ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, there was only one way to find out. They had tried to get Ilrin out through the main gate; it stood to reason they\u2019d try to get Inilidin out the same way. Dilmir just had to be there waiting when they did. He pulled his magic in, and was about to cast the spell, but then paused, a horrible thought occurring to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHurry,\u201d Ilrin said, looking at him. \u201cYou might still catch them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat if it\u2019s a trap?\u201d Dilmir said, looking at her. It suddenly all made sense. They\u2019d been going after Ilrin all this time, even when the Council had been guarding her. Inilidin had been unprotected. Why go after her now? Unless\u2026 \u201cThey\u2019re trying to lure me out,\u201d Dilmir said. \u201cThe Asdelarcen. They don\u2019t want Inilidin. They want me\u2026 or you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin looked at him, and Dilmir knew she realized the same thing. It was a trap. If he left, even for an instant, the Asdelarcen would probably attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin stood. \u201cYou have to try,\u201d she said. \u201cYou can\u2019t just leave her. Go quickly. Find her. Stop them. Then bring her back here. I know you can do it quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was true. Dilmir could teleport to the main gates, spread his magic out, and find the Asdelarcen. Freeing Inilidin ought to be fast, unless the Asdelarcen had again adapted. But what about while he was gone? How long would it take him? Long enough for the Asdelarcen to attack?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGo,\u201d Felnir said, approaching. \u201cWe\u2019re not defenseless here. There are twenty mages outside. Plus me,\u201d he added. \u201cI won\u2019t let any Asdelarcen get inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had no choice. Dilmir was loathe to leave, knowing it was a trap, but Ilrin was right: he couldn\u2019t leave Inilidin. She was innocent in all this, her only crime being his friend. He couldn\u2019t let the Asdelarcen take her for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be back as soon as I can,\u201d he said. \u201cStay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ilrin nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then Dilmir teleported to the main gate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He landed a moment later. The dark main gate of Eld\u2019rin loomed behind him, shut tight against the night. Everything was shadows here; not even the moon was out. Winter was truly here now, the chill in the air turning Dilmir\u2019s breath to clouds of white mist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dilmir flung his magic wide in all directions, searching, feeling for the familiar slippery feel of an Asdelarcen\u2019s shield. There was nothing. He pushed his magic to the limits, covering the entirety of the Lower Quarter \u2013 further than he had ever gone before \u2013 but still he felt nothing. It seemed that Eld\u2019rin was devoid of Asdelarcen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He turned, wondering if the Asdelarcen had somehow already gotten past the gate, and saw two shadowy forms lying on the ground nearby. He ran up to them. Council mages, slain by the sword. The Asdelarcen had<\/em> come this way, and had already escaped. Endir must have been out for longer than he realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir looked at the gate, and sure enough, there was a hole in it, the vines blasted aside to create a gap large enough for an elf to climb through. Dilmir slipped through the smoking hole, coming out on the other side of the gate, outside of Eld\u2019rin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, he flung his magic wide, pushing it to its boundaries, searching the fields around Eld\u2019rin and the forest beyond. Nothing. No hint of Asdelarcen, no hint of elves at all. The forest was empty, save for the nighttime creatures prowling it, unaware of Dilmir\u2019s touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir wasn\u2019t about to give up. He picked a single blade of grass from where he stood, and rested it in his palm. \u201cKelther imir en shenith Inilidinil,\u201d he said. He had used this spell once before, when trying to find Alfimir in the forest. The spell had found him, even though he had been far beyond the range of Dilmir\u2019s magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But that did not happen now. The blade of grass lit up with a soft blue glow, but instead of pointing in a specific direction, curled in on itself, unable to find its target. At least she was alive. The grass wouldn\u2019t have lit up at all if she wasn\u2019t. But where she was, Dilmir couldn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He strained his magic, pushing the boundary of how far it would go, but he only felt more nighttime creatures of the forest. No elves, no magic, and certainly no Asdelarcen. Inilidin was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dilmir stood there for a moment more, conflicted. He knew every second he stayed out here, Ilrin could be in danger. But he couldn\u2019t just leave Inilidin. He had to find her. He could teleport further into the forest and try again, sending his magic outwards. But he knew that could take forever. He had no idea in what direction the Asdelarcen had taken her. He couldn\u2019t possibly scour the whole of the forest. He would find her. He would. But he needed to return to Ilrin. He needed to know she was safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He pulled his magic back into himself, hating himself for leaving Inilidin, but knowing he had no choice. \u201cI\u2019ll find her,\u201d he promised himself. \u201cI swear I\u2019ll find her.\u201d And then he teleported, sound ceasing, colors brightening to white.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cNo. I absolutely forbid it.\u201d Dilmir sighed, and tried, again, to explain. He had teleported himself and Ilrin back to Aimim\u2019s home, where, with the help of both Aimim and Felnir, Ilrin had been quickly healed of the lingering effects of the Asdelarcen\u2019s curse. The Council, hearing that Aimim had been attacked, had sent several … Continue reading Chapter Fourteen – Lure<\/span>