Delver Magic: Book 06 - Pure Choice (14 page)

"Interesting. A goblin
blessed with superior size and the ability for critical thinking. Very
unusual."

And it was unusual for an elf to
consider a lowly goblin endowed with such characteristics. Due to their close
proximity in the forest, elves dealt with goblins far more extensively than
humans, and serving as Enin's apprentice, Holli had her own experiences with
the diminutive monsters. She had seen them behave exactly as they were
portrayed in elflore.

During the past several seasons,
she witnessed them act with a brash disregard for reason and strategy. They
were often cast to the forefront of a battle, and despite taking enormous
casualties, they displayed little reservation in hurling themselves at
desperate situations like mindless rocks tumbling down a mountainside. Mostly,
she saw them consumed by the collective lust of the horde. With such
experiences fairly fresh in her mind, an intelligent goblin was not simply a
rarity, it was a paradox.

But while Okyiq presented a
puzzle, Holli was not ready to accept the large goblin's rather simplistic
explanation regarding her camp.

"Still, he is a goblin,"
Holli noted, "and as such, he might not understand all of the possible
explanations to what he might notice. To him, the elves are indeed gone, but
what does that mean exactly? From his standpoint, he gained the freedom to
operate with fewer restrictions; he did not have to worry about elf
intervention as he amassed his following."

"Would the elves have
interfered?" Sy wondered.

"I believe they would. A
growing goblin pack can soon turn into a horde, and that is a hazard to all
creatures. It is best to break up the pack before they become too great a
menace, especially if they are led by a superior creature. The elf guard that
protects a camp is trained to monitor the activities of all possible threats.
When a grouping of goblins begins to thrive and grow, the guard can utilize
several tactics to encourage the pack to either disband or leave the
area."

"Then that would seem to
indicate that something has happened to your old elf camp, wouldn't it?"

"They might have simply
relocated, and that in itself is not necessarily a concern. The elves of Dark
Spruce are not pure settlers like the humans of this region. Their camps are
not as permanent. They do not construct large structures or build lasting
roads. Though they tend to remain in a set portion of Dark Spruce, the region
is vast. Elves always remain somewhat nomadic. It is easier that way when
adapting to life in the forest. Despite what Okyiq states, they might have
simply moved their camp westward. If they did, they would have done so with care."

The captain considered such a
simple solution, but the explanation seemed odd to him, or perhaps lacking.

"I guess it's possible. You'd
know better than I would, but wouldn't there be a reason for that... something
we might have noticed ourselves?" Sy wondered.

"Many possibilities exist,
and remember, it is not so difficult for the elves to relocate. Certain events
that might seem a minor inconvenience for a human settlement, something you
might disregard as a temporary nuisance, might be enough to cause the elves to
reposition their camp... a drought, for instance, or they might have found the
food supply dwindling, or even a more bountiful supply in another area."

"We've had a good deal of
rain lately. Would something as simple as that cause a camp to move?"

Holli considered the relevant
factors and then offered what she considered an even more likely explanation.

"Actually, I believe they
might have felt uncomfortable with the increased dwarf activity near Pinesway.
I am sure you are aware of the growing relationship between the dwarves and the
humans at the outpost. I would not be surprised if such a situation caused the
elves a bit of... anxiety."

"I thought about that
myself," Sy admitted. "I even thought the dwarves might have
disturbed the rogues. And what about them? They hit the same time as the
goblins. Was it all just a coincidence?"

"Possibly, but not totally
unrelated. It may all be nothing more than a logical sequence of events. The
dwarves are invited to help the rebuilding efforts of Pinesway. The elves are
uncomfortable so close to an increased dwarf presence above ground, and so,
they reposition their camp. Paths once protected by elf guards go unwatched.
Rogues and goblins that once stalked territory near Pinesway decide to move and
find free passage into areas of the forest abandoned by the elves."

"And that would be nearer to
us," Sy admitted as he followed Holli's logic. "I guess it makes
sense. I have to admit my patrols have spotted more and more of the dwarves
lately. If we're seeing them, everyone else would, too; the elves, the goblins,
even the rogues."

"Have you faced any other
irregularities?"

"Well, we haven't had any
contact at all with the elves for a while now. That still has me
bothered."

"If the camp has moved, that
would offer the explanation."

"Perhaps, but I thought they
would have said something to us, or even tried to reestablish contact. We've
been working with them for a while now. Even if they moved, I would have
guessed they would have wanted to continue to share information. I always
thought it was helpful for both sides, but all contact just stopped. We never
even got the chance to tell them about the Great
Valleys, to explain what happened
to all the refugees from the east. I would have guessed they would have been
curious about that."

"They might have learned of
it from different sources. The dwarves of Dunop were also involved in the
incident in the valleys. The elves of my camp had trade agreements with the
dwarves... at least they did."

Sy perked up at the obvious
meaning.

"That sounds like it stopped.
Have you heard from the dwarves about that?"

"They have also indicated
that contact with the elves has ceased."

Another element for the captain to
consider, and it left him as puzzled as before.

"Doesn't that worry
you?" he asked the elf.

"It does, but relations
between dwarves and elves have always been somewhat complex and unpredictable.
The situation in Pinesway might still be the simple explanation for all of
this. The elves might not appreciate the increased dwarf presence in their
lands. They may view it as an unwanted advance into their territory."

"So you think the dwarf
activity in Pinesway is the most likely explanation?"

"I believe it can explain
some things, but there are other factors that have piqued our own curiosity.
Jure is very sensitive to magical energies, he sensed something from Dark
Spruce not too long ago."

Sy looked to the wizard with both
curiosity and concern.

"You think there might be
some magical explanation to all of this?" the captain asked.

Jure answered without hesitation,
acknowledging Sy's authority as the leader of the town facing unknown and
increased dangers. He had remained quiet, allowing Holli and Sy to exchange
critical information, but when the guard captain requested his opinion, Jure
offered it freely with the hope of assisting the people of Burbon.

"I believe something of
magnitude has happened in the forest. Beyond that, I'm not sure. I don't
exactly know what's going on. You've had a rather interesting experience with
goblins and rogues, the elves seem to have moved from their camp, and there is
much more dark creature activity in this region, but is it all related? As I
said, I'm not so sure."

"But you sense something,
something in the magic?"

"Yes I do, but it's not something
entirely active."

"Can you explain what that
means?"

"It's something like... a
pulse may be the best way to put it. A pulse that I can't pinpoint, but it came
from this direction. It's something like the memory of a great magical
disturbance. It's more of an echo, but it's a very complex echo. I don't
believe it was one large destructive spell, a casting that got out of hand. The
intricacies seem to indicate a great degree of control. Does that make sense to
you?"

"Sort of, but in all honesty,
I never could get a full grip on this magic stuff. I usually left that to Enin.
Of course, Enin now spends his time in Connel."

"He has not forgotten
you," Holli offered. "He encouraged us to get here as soon as
possible, and he is more than willing to help."

"I know that, but I have to
admit it was easier when he was here. He could have handled a goblin raid and a
few rogues with a blink of an eye. All that power. Of course, sometimes he
didn't want to use it."

"He has always been
careful."

Careful.

It was true. Enin was careful with
his magical abilities. He didn't try to solve every problem. He helped as he
believed he should. He felt there was a distinct line between helping and
interfering.

For some reason, Sy thought of
Ryson. Maybe Ryson was just doing the same thing, setting up a boundary, being
careful. Ryson said it himself, he drew a line in the sand he didn't want to
cross. Enin drew a line as well, used it as a reason to not interfere in other
people's lives. Were they both making excuses or did they both have a valid
point? Sy wasn't sure.

Still feeling uneasy about his
decision regarding the delver, Sy decided not to dwell on it.

"I know Enin does what he
can," Sy offered with an apologetic tone, not quite certain if the tinge
of guilt he felt related to Ryson or Enin. "Anyway, so that's why you're
both here then. You've got a feeling that something magical happened out in the
forest and I send you a message that the elves have disappeared. No wonder you
teleported right over."

"It creates an element of
concern that should be investigated," Holli stated almost too distantly.

Sy suddenly realized that they
were talking about Holli's camp, a group of elves she once swore to protect
with her life. Though she accepted banishment for the good of her camp, he
found it difficult to believe she could be so detached. He also wondered about
the elves connection to Holli. He couldn't believe they would just up and move
and not give her some indication of their plans.

"What about you? Did they try
to send you any notice, I don't know, maybe some magical alert informing you of
a possible relocation?"

"No," she responded as
if she believed such notification was completely unnecessary.

"Don't you find that a bit
strange? Shouldn't they have notified you if they were moving?"

"Not at all, I am no longer a
member of the camp. They have no obligation to inform me of anything."

"Maybe they don't have an
obligation, but I would think they'd want you to know."

Holli was puzzled by the
assertion.

"Really? Why?"

"You have a history with
them. You've helped them in the past. Alright, you're no longer an official
member of the camp, but so what? I'd want you to know what's happening."

"I still do not understand
the reason," Holli admitted.

"You're an asset. It's not
good tactics to leave an asset uninformed."

"Revealing too much
information could also be a liability."

"I suppose if they were
hiding from something, but why hide from you?"

"As we have indicated, they
may be unhappy with the dwarves. I am now located in Connel, a human town with
strong ties to the dwarf city of Dunop,
and I am the guard of Enin, an ally to those same dwarves. They might feel it
unwise to include me in their plans."

"Relations between the
dwarves and elves are that strained?"

"Not necessarily
strained," Holli explained. "As I said before, they are
complex."

"So maybe I'm concerned about
nothing more than a simple elf relocation," Sy admitted.

"The concern is
warranted," Holli noted. "The elves may indeed be gone. When a goblin
of unnatural abilities offers such information, it needs to be investigated.
What we have discussed is all speculation. We must focus on the facts and
determine if there is a true danger to your town, or even to the land."

"I'm all for that," Sy
revealed.

"I would suggest that we scout
out the previous area that served as the site for the elf camp. Once I inspect
the region, I can determine if they simply relocated. Jure can further probe
for any magical sensations. What he sensed may not be connected to the
elves." Holli glanced toward the town's captain. "I do not wish to
exclude you, but I do not believe it would be wise for you to accompany
us."

Sy agreed. He never intended on
leaving Burbon.

"No, I can't. I have to stay
here. I have to reassess my strategies and make sure the town stays protected.
If you want, I can offer you some soldiers to help with patrols and
scouts."

"Is Ryson available? I would
like to bring him along. His delver senses would prove invaluable."

Sy hesitated, unsure of exactly
how to explain the situation with the delver. At first, he made a simple
disclosure.

"Actually, Ryson already left
to investigate."

"Ah, the delver and his
curiosity, ever impatient, always so eager to find the answers. Well, if you
have already sent him ahead, then there is no need for us to take your
soldiers, better for them to stay here and help patrol the town."

"I didn't send him ahead. He
went on his own."

Sy finally explained everything
that had happened and revealed his decision regarding Ryson's services.

"I'm not sure I made the
right decision," the captain finally admitted. "I may regret it. He
was right when he said he saved this town in the past, but that was then, and
things keep changing. I'm just not sure if I can rely on him if he keeps
wanting to set his own course."