“I’d rather you wait for us to get there.” Aria said over the phone.

  “I know.” Eli replied. “But the longer we wait, the colder the trail goes. You heard Zee – the batteries for the trackers in their radios will only last a few more hours, and if they go out then we’ll have no way of finding them.”

  Beside them one of the fairy guards held the portal open – something that allowed his cell phone to pick up a network signal from the wild elven realm so long as he didn’t stray too far from the aperture. From experience he'd learned that he didn’t have the mental focus to both keep a portal open and have a detailed phone conversation at the same time, meaning he had to ask for the guard’s help. He felt guilty interrupting the sisters’ grieving moment by asking them to open a portal, but they understood the need when he explained that his retainers had been taken.

  Aria made a frustrated noise, bringing his focus back to the call. “Just come back safely, okay? We’re coming with reinforcements soon.”

  “I will.” Eli promised. “They caught us off guard last time and outnumbered us. That’s not happening again.”

  “Good. I love you.” Aria said.

  “I love you too.” Eli replied before nodding to the fairy guard.

  The portal closed moments later with a whoosh. After it did, Eli turned to look at the other fairy guard as she assisted one of Zee’s quick reaction teams while they set up defenses around the portal. His eyebrows shot up when she cast a spell which lifted several dozen heavy sandbags out of an unmanned vehicle with armour plating, using them to form protective wall around an already-placed heavy machine gun. Beside her Vespera was in deep discussion with a desert elven woman while a mixture of orcish and elven guards stood watch.

  “I’m coming with you.” The fairy guard said from behind them. “My sister is too.”

  Eli turned to her. “It’s going to be dangerous.”

  “We’re not defenseless.” She countered.

  He took a breath. “Listen. Trust me when I say that I get it – the need for revenge against the people who killed your sister.”

  “Then you know why we have to come.” She said, folding her arms in front of her.

  “Yes, but if you’re going to come I need you to be able to follow my instructions. We’re going to save 2 people. If you get your revenge in the process that’s great, but that’s not the primary objective. Understood?”

  She glared at him for a moment longer before nodding. “I can live with that.”

  “Good. What’s your name?”

  “Kaelira.” The green-eyed guard responded. “My sister is Thenith.”

  “Got it.” Eli nodded before nodding towards the guards as they unloaded several more boxes of equipment. “Come on, lets get you equipped.”

  She flew next to him as he jogged towards the group, her feet just barely above the ground. “Thank you.”

  Eli waved it off. “Don’t thank me – I’m not doing this to be altruistic. I could use the help from someone who knows the area. If I show you what direction they’re headed, do you think you could figure out where they’re going? A city or town, maybe?”

  She shook her head. “There aren’t any cities or towns in this realm.”

  “None?”

  “None.” She confirmed. “This realm is mostly filled with wild elves. They don’t tend to build permanent structures. They set up their camps, stay in one place for a few days, then take everything down and move on.”

  “Any chance they’re going to one of those camps?” Eli asked.

  “I don’t think so. Most elven camps are just extended family groups – usually only 20 or 30 people. They don’t tend to take in outsiders – which is part of why there aren’t too many other races here.” She paused. “The other part has to do with the nasty wildlife that lives around here – magical and otherwise. You really don’t want to be wandering around the forest unless you know what you’re doing, and even then it can be dangerous.”

  Eli’s mind turned as they reached the group. “Duly noted. Those weren’t wild elves that attacked us though, so some outsiders must live here.”

  “Except for the blue-haired one.” Vespera chimed in as she pulled off her now-torn dress to reveal a set of black lacy lingerie underneath. “That one was a wild elf.”

  “Right.” Eli said, trying his best not to be distracted as she proceeded to pull on a set of armour.

  “They must have been here for awhile.” Kaelira responded, reaching into a crate and pulling out a mana potion. “We were posted here 3 months ago, and except for our regular check-ins nobody has come in or out since.”

  “Nobody?” Eli questioned as he strapped on his own armour.

  “Nobody.” Thenith confirmed as she slung a bandolier of throwing knives over her torso. “This has always been a quiet posting – that’s why it was only the 3 of us here to protect the border.”

  Eli handed Vespera a pistol, 2 magazines, and a bandolier of his own potions before speaking again. “Alright, everyone check your radios.”

  “Check.” One of the orcish guards said as she pressed a button for the radio on her chest.

  “Loud and clear.” Vespera replied, touching her earpiece.

  Eli looked for nods from Thenith and Kaelira before replying. “Good. Vespera, do you have a location?”

  Vespera reached into another crate to grab a tablet. She tapped it several times before turning in a slow circle, waiting for something to happen. When a soft pinging sound emitted she looked back at Eli and nodded before pointing.

  “That way. They’re still moving though – if we don’t leave soon we might lose the signal.”

  “Alright.” Eli nodded before addressing the whole group. “The 4 of us are going on a rescue mission. The rest of you are staying here to keep the portal secure – nothing leaves. The trackers in Thenith and Kaelira’s radios should last longer than our earpieces, so tell Aria to follow those when she arrives. Everyone clear?”

  When nobody objected, Eli triggered his transformation into his phoenix form. His face elongated into an avian beak while his legs shortened and his feet became sharp talons. Blue feathers erupted all over his body, and in moments he was ready to fly.

  The second his transformation completed Vespera hopped onto his back. With a few quick flaps of his wings the two of them were airborne, climbing above the meadow but staying below the clouds. Thenith and Kaelira quickly joined them, and with Vespera directing they were soon on their way.

  For the next hour they tracked their target, keeping low enough to the ground that they could duck down into the trees if they saw trouble. Several times Eli thought he saw a flash of light ahead or a white wing breaking through the clouds above them, but each time nothing happened. Still, the effect was enough to keep them all on edge, and by the time they closed in on the signal Eli’s nerves were starting to wear thin.

  “There!” Vespera shouted, pointing to a group of boulders laying next to a large hill. “The signal is in there!”

  “I don’t see them!” Thenith said as Eli flared his wings to slow.

  “I’ll scout ahead!” Kaelira offered, darting into the trees below them.

  In his phoenix form, Eli lacked the ability to voice his objections. Instead he located a clearing in the trees just large enough to land and angled himself towards it. Thenith quickly followed, and in moments he was back on the ground. By the time he finished transforming Kaelira had returned to them, hovering just above them.

  “Kaelira.” He said, his tone even. “What did I say about following my instructions?”

  She glared at him for a moment. “I was following instructions.”

  “No, you went off and did your own thing.” Eli replied as he took the proffered bandolier, pistol, and utility belt from Vespera. “You might have just tipped them off that we followed them here.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “I…sorry.” Kaelira said finally, dropping her gaze.

  “Are you sure you’re up for this? Both of you?” He asked.

  “Yes.” Thenith replied.

  “Yes.” Kaelira agreed.

  “That was your one warning then – for the both of you.” Eli said before turning in the direction of the boulders. “Now, what did you see?”

  “There’s a cave entrance hidden behind the boulders. It’s impossible to see from far away, but I caught a glimpse as I got closer. It looks like there’s enough space between some of the rocks to slip in, one person at a time.”

  “I’m going first then.” Eli said. “Find somewhere close where you can hide that has a good view of the boulders. I’ll signal you when it’s safe to come in.”

  “Got it.” Vespera said, handing him his bandolier and pistol before nodding to the two fairies. “Come on, let’s go.”

  As they jogged away Eli slipped the pistol into a holster before moving his hands in a practiced pattern. “Qarn al-Dhilat!”

  The mirage instantly covered him from head to toe, hiding him even in the bright sunlight. He began to jog in the direction of the boulders, his muscle memory propelling him even though he couldn’t see his limbs. When he reached the nearest one he flattened himself against it, calming his breathing as he listened for the sound of voices.

  After hearing none, he quickly located the nearest man-sized gap in the boulders and squeezed through. To his surprise he saw a pair of skeletons standing guard at the entrance to the cave. One of them carried a large mace and a shield, and the other held a rusted longsword. Knowing that their relatively poor senses wouldn’t detect him until he was practically on top of them, he moved between them before casting a spell.

  “Trahere!”

  The mace shot out of the first skeleton’s hands, landing perfectly in Eli’s palm. Before they could react to the new threat Eli was swinging, the business end of the weapon impacting the second skeleton’s head with enough force to crack the skull into a dozen pieces. Its reanimated body crumpled as Eli spun his head and raised his arm towards the first skeleton once more.

  “Ventilabis Retro!”

  A shockwave erupted from his hand, blasting the skeleton backwards into one of the boulders. While it wasn’t enough to kill the undead creature, it was enough to toss it’s shield to the side – leaving it open to a follow-up blow from Eli’s mace. The strike to the head was enough to send it back to the grave, causing it to crumble into a pile of bones on the ground.

  “It’s clear.” Eli said over the radio as he dispelled his camouflage. “Move up.”

  Eli leaned against the edge of the cave and pulled a mana potion from his bandolier as he waited for his three companions to join him. Peering into the darkness while taking a sip of the foul-tasting substance, he could see the flicker of torches and hear the distant sound of voices. While it was too far away for him to make out what they were saying, he still signaled Vespera, Thenith, and Kaelira to be quiet when they squeezed past the boulders.

  “They’re down there.” He said in barely more than a whisper. “I don’t think they know we’re here yet, and I’d like to keep it that way until the last possible minute. Keep quiet, and let’s go in.”

  Slowly and carefully, the four of them made their way into the cave. As the darkness enveloped them Eli reached out and touched one of the walls to find that unlike Aratessa’s subterranean caverns these ones were roughly hewn with roots and rocks protruding at odd angles. He found himself wishing the dark elven queen was with him now to shadow-step him through the darkness and catch his adversaries by surprise.

  After only about a minute of walking the ground beneath them angled downwards and the tunnel widened into what looked like a larger cavern. With a series of hand movements Eli signalled the two fairies to hug one side of the wall while he and Vespera stayed to the other. When they reached the cavern Eli used a lip at the edge of the door to cover himself so he could peer beyond.

  Anger flared up in his chest as he took in the scene.

  Tied to a post in the middle of the cavern were Ziran and Sira – both very much alive and struggling. Around them milled what must have been 2 dozen people, made up of individuals from a smattering of different races. Some of them held torches, while others simply stared ahead to the back of the cavern.

  There, an orcish man stood at a pedestal holding a book that Eli instantly recognized: the fake copy of the royal blooded book. Next to him stood the elven man they’d been tracking, his frame diminutive beside the enormous orc in blood-red robes. The orc lazily flipped through several pages of the book before snapping it closed on the pedestal, the sound echoing through the chamber.

  “Finally! We are ready to begin.” The orc said. “Let us start by giving thanks.”

  “Praise be unto Hades, the everlasting one.” The group intoned as one, as if reciting scripture.

  “Yes. Praise be unto him!” The orc at the front said, raising his voice before turning to the elf. “Mellor, you have retrieved the book.”

  “My lord commands and I obey.” The elf replied.

  “Except in this case you have failed.” The orc said. “This is not the book that he commanded you to retrieve. This is a fake!”

  “I don’t know how. I-I…” The elf started. “I followed the instructions to the letter!”

  “And yet here we are. And there must be someone who is held to account for this failure.” The orc said before barking a guttural incantation.

  Suddenly, flames surrounded the orc’s hands. Before the elf could react he cocked one arm back and plunged it into the man’s chest with a wet squelch. The sound of cracking bones and the smell of searing flesh filled the air as he pulled his hand back almost as quickly, now holding the elf’s still-beating heart.

  “Let that be a lesson to the rest of you! Success or death, there is no in between!”

  Not one person in this crowd reacted to one of their own being killed. Eli thought to himself grimly. They’re either the most desensitized people I’ve ever met, or they’re under some sort of spell. And what the hell is an orc doing with fire magic?

  The orc held the heart high before placing it on the pedestal as the elf’s body slumped to the floor. He watched it for a moment before looking straight up, his body going rigid. Purple and red lights surrounded him and he floated several inches above the ground before coming back down slowly.

  A maniacal grin spread across his face when the glow faded. “Fear not my friends, for Hades has shown mercy this day! Though we lack the insight to know his grand plans, he has nonetheless delivered unto us a great gift!” He paused for a moment before barking another incantation and pointing at Eli.

  Before he could react, a bolt of fire shot out from the orc’s finger. Eli summoned his mana for a fight, but instead of hitting him the shot went high, impacting a fleshy sac that he’d somehow missed which was attached to the roof of the cavern. It immediately began spewing out a green gas – enough to flood the room in only seconds.

  “Run!” Eli shouted, turning.

  Unfortunately for him, the fast-moving gas had already reached them. He’d only made it a few steps before he found himself falling to the ground from the effects of whatever poison was in the air. As his consciousness left him he heard the orc speak one final time.

  “Hades has brought us more guests!”