Under the Light of the World at War: Early Chapter 32

It took a while to realize that Mama was behind me hugging Papa just as tightly, I was just too busy crying into Papa’s robes.

I had feared deep down inside in a place I hadn’t wanted to even think about that he might be gone.

Eventually I sniffled and pulled myself away.

“Sorry for getting your robes wet.” I whispered, sniffling deeply to keep my nose from running any more than it already had.

Papa just smiled at, his warm hand reaching out and cupping my cheek. “I love you my Light.”

“Mmmhm!” I purred, Papa affection levels were rising! I had been dangerously low!

“I worried… And then to see everyone here… I should speak to Ma’Rika.” Mama said, and Papa just smiled. 

“I’ll sit with Dorah, she can tell me where she has been.”

“Alright, I’ll be back.” Mama said, and I noticed she struggled to move away before finally doing so.

I wanted to follow honestly, to hear what happened, but Papa sent me a look and a smile and I melted as I took a seat beside him.

“It’s bad.” I decided to start off saying, and I noticed more than a few of the villagers' ears twitched as I started speaking. “The Trolls aren’t just raiding a little, it’s everywhere, and while I don’t think anyone wants to admit it, it’s getting worse. We need to evacuate, get behind the Ban’dinoriel, I think the Trolls are coming for us with everything they have.”

Papa reached out as I spoke, my voice full of dread, and tucked some of my hair behind my ears, making me look up into his eyes. 

“Be at peace My Light. Everything will be okay.”

I smiled weakly, I wanted to believe that, but I didn’t.

“It started bad Papa. We went to find the deer that were acting weird, and ran into one of the Trolls spirits a Loa… Mama tried to take it out, but it was strong, her arrows did almost nothing, it was strong enough to tear trees apart… Mama and I almost died.” I said simply, and I saw Papa’s hand twitch, it curled slowly into a fist.

“Is… Is that so?”

“Yeah… It was so strong, way stronger than it should be. We killed it, barely, and then reached a Ranger station to tell them about it. Mama’s… Grandpa was there.”

“Ah. La’Lomin.”

“Yeah. We ended up talking. He sent out some warnings to other Rangers, he believed us because other Rangers have gone missing while investigating other potential spirits… They died.”

“They shouldn’t be that strong, Your mother has mentioned them before.”

“They are stronger when the Trolls empower them. If the Trolls went to this much effort, and it’s this many Loa? But that’s not where the story ends. We were there when messages started flying in. Trolls attacking towns all along the border.”

“Yes, that happened here.”

“Well… I can heal, so I demanded to go with. I couldn’t let Mama go without me to heal her if she gets hurt.”

“Dorah? You shouldn’t go anywhere near a fight.” Papa said firmly, and he reached out and tugged me over pulling me onto his lap as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. I rested my head against his chest and just enjoyed the moment.

I would need the hug for what came next.

“I went… The villages were emptied out. Only a few survivors each time, all of them dying. The trolls didn’t bother to capture the ones too injured to survive. I healed everyone I could, over and, each village one after another.”

“Dorah.” Papa whispered, sounding distraught, so I snuggled in closer.

“The last village was an ambush. The Trolls waited for the Rangers to arrive and tried to kill us. We got away, but some people died… After that, the Rangers retreated, and are working on new plans. It’s bad everywhere.”

“I should do…” He trailed off, anger in his voice.

“You are doing something.” I told him firmly, Papa energy rising, things were feeling pretty good right now.

Obviously the other villagers had heard me talk to Papa, and as I snuggled in, I could hear them all talking amongst each other. 

Disbelief, anger, frustration.

A lot of emotions going on.

“Dorah.” I blinked, had I fallen asleep? No, I'd just been super comfy. “El’Tela, wants to see you.” Mama said as she took a seat beside Papa, and I lifted my head. I looked up to see Papa was… I leaned back in giving him a hug to try and help. Papa was feeling frustrated too.

I got up and stretched a bit.

“I’ll be back soon.” I told Papa who nodded, as Mama leaned in to get her own Papa energy.

I headed up the stairs which I noticed weren't touched by the villagers, they were down at the base, but none were up above. 

El’Tela was where I expected to find her, only it was a little different. The Glyph room was different from how I had seen it before. El’Tela was sitting on her comfy chair inside the glyph, and the entire room was lit up with the Arcane. 

It clicked to me then. 

“The Glyph was the power source for the towers attack.” I said as I approached, and she turned slightly, having been looking out the windows on the floor to look at me.

“It took you far too long to realize.”

“I hadn’t realized the tower was a weapon before. It caught me off guard.” I said as I approached, but didn’t enter into the glyph. 

She huffed, sounding more tired than I had ever heard her.

It only took a glance to tell more.

The Mana stored in the glyph, the mana that had felt crushing at times, it felt drained. “How much longer can you do that?”

“Hmph. Long enough to send these Trolls back to their ruins.” She said confidently, but she was exhausted.

“They aren’t going to stop.” I said cutting through her delusion, or at least hoping to.

And she sent me a look.

Ah.

She already knew that.

“You know.”

“The empowered Loa was all that I needed to know. I’ve feared the potential for a few days, but your mothers return and information makes it rather obvious.”

“We need to evacuate. Soon. Otherwise the Trolls will wash over us, only the Ban’dinoriel will stop them.”

“Hmm. I was right again it seems.” She said and I blinked because she wasn’t talking about what I had just said.

“What?”

“I wonder if I had finally found a student with a brain. It seems I was correct.” She said, and I felt a bit flattered at her words, as she was looking right at me.

“Well… Good. If you know, then help me convince everyone. If we go now, we can get everyone to safety.”

“I have already told the others they should evacuate, instead they huddle inside my tower. Most of them will stay, and die with me.”

“What?” I cut through, shocked at her words. “No. No one is going to die! We are going to go down there and convince every person to start walking towards Silvermoon. We can get the Dragonhawks to pull carts, I know Kimi’s family has two of them right now. We’ll get moving, and…”

She was looking at me, but not responding. 

“Take your foolish father, and mother, and leave. Silvermoon will be safe, even with his exile. Just keep him from enchanting anywhere the fools will see, and he’ll be fine. He’s face is long forgotten from the halls where it would matter.”

“I’m not leaving without everyone else.”

“Foolish girl! Do you think I taught them? You are the one I taught! They are worthless! Their deaths or lives are meaningless! You need to live!”

“Well I’m not going anywhere without everyone as well!” I yelled back because I was just as stubborn!

“Fool, I’ll have your mother drag you away!”

“She’ll fail!”

“Stop being stubborn!”

“I’m young! I can be stubborn a lot longer than you!” I yelled back childishly, but the woman actually snorted in response.

“Foolish girl… Go get a gem from the table.” She demanded, and I looked over. There on her desk was a pile of gemstones in an open box. Walking over I looked them over, and it only took a second of feeling them to know they weren’t normal.

“What are they?” I asked as I grabbed one and hurried it over.

“Condensed Mana. It’s an old spell. It isn’t used much anymore. It was something developed for the voyage across the ocean. We weren’t sure if there would be enough mana on the ocean you see.” She held out a hand and I walked into the glyph and winced at how empty it felt. Handing her the gem, she spun it in her fingers and the gem came apart in a burst of mana that filled the glyph adding a bit more to it.

But only a bit.

She was shaking lightly, I realized, exhaustion? I reached out before she could do anything and took her hand, feeling the thin skin flexed over trembling muscle and bone.

“Come with us… With me.”

“I will not. This is where I die.” She refused, simple and to the point, and utter nonsense.

“Why!? Why are you just giving up?”

“Don’t question me.”

“I will when you speak nonsense! Oh you can’t mix Arcane Focus, and Arcane Meditation you know? You can be wrong!”

She sent me a withering look, a look so full of menace it likely would send a normal High Elf fleeing.

I wasn’t normal, and I was far too frustrated to let it go.

“Why? Why stay here to die?”

“Because child. This is all I have left. My family is gone. My husband, my sisters, my children! All have passed before me! I have seen all the wonders of my people crash down around my ears, and been forced to trudge through horrors and worse to rebuild it all again! I am tired!” She snapped. 

I was silent as I looked into her eyes, and she looked into mine.

“I’m your family, Grandma.” I said simply, and she just stared into my eyes.

It was the first time I’d ever really acknowledge our connection. That this Elf was my Great Great, Grandmother. 

“You remind me of my elder sister.” She spoke, after a long moment of looking at me. “Not in looks, no, but… She was like you. Brilliant, far too brilliant, she brought wonder to those around her. The war took her life, and the world was forever darker for it. You must survive silly child. Millenia stretch out in front of you, time that can’t be lost.”

“If I let you die here, without doing anything, then I will regret it for every minute of those millenia. I’ll live how I choose, Grandmother. If that means risking my life to protect my family, friends, and even just the innocent people around me, I will.”

She scoffed, looking away. “When you get to the Capital, don’t fear reaching out to the family. Even if that foolish Grandson of mine got himself exiled, they will welcome you. I’ve written to the family of you. And Zo’Talana, the arrogant brat knows my intentions. Go see him and he will teach you more.”

“Do it yourself you coward!” I snapped, and that once more got me the wrathful look of an ancient Elf. “What’s a decade or two!? What are you afraid of going and planting your bony butt on a couch somewhere else for a few decades!? Is it too much? You’ll close your eyes, take a nap and we’ll have kicked the Trolls back when you open them! Giving up and dying isn't acceptable!”

“Watch your words!”

“Why? A dead woman can’t do a damn thing about it! If you want to silence me then stand up and live long enough to smack me across the head!” I stepped back then angry, and frankly just sick of these elves!

“I’m going downstairs and I’ll be forcing everyone to get moving. Even if I have to knock them out and throw them into a cart! Everyone is going to live! When I’m done I’m coming up here, and you can come willingly, or I’ll throw you over the back of my Hawkstrider! Since you keep making stupid dumb idiot decisions I’ve decided you don’t get to make them anymore!” I yelled, as loud as my lungs would let me, and then I did just that, turning around.

I knew my voice had echoed, I knew those below me had probably heard our argument.

“Everyone get up!” I yelled when I hit the bannister screaming at the stupid idiots looking up at me from below. “Get on your feet! Get your family and walk! If you stay here you die! If you stick your head in the sand your family dies! If you try and stay here I’ll knock you out with a spell and drag you!” I roared and then there was silence.

I ignored the looks I was getting and raced down the steps.

“Up! Up!” I demanded, racing up to people, and one of them looked like they were going to listen, but I glared them right in the face. “Staying here is death! So get up and live! It’s that simple!” I roared, and Ma’Rika was there at my side. She planted a heavy hand on my shoulder. 

“Dorah, why don’t you stop yelling, and-” I threw a silence into her face.

She goggled at me, dumbfounded when her voice went silent.

“You all know me! You know who I am! I’ve gone on my adventures for each of you! You are my friends, my village, and now my stupid Grandmother is planning on dying in this tower, and taking you all with her when the Trolls use up the last of her mana! Now you can’t stay here! We are leaving! So either start walking, and do it quickly, straight to Silvermoon, or get out!” I yelled. I could see Kimi, hugging her mother looking at me in shock at how loud I was being. 

“We are leaving!” Mama said, her Ranger shout cutting through the whispers and chatter that was filling the room, and everyone went silent as Mama walked over Papa with her. “I’ve seen what is happening. Even the Ranger Captain told me directly to evacuate. I had to come back for my husband… My daughter is emotional, but right. She’s afraid of what will happen. What is happening.”

“They are just Trolls!”

“They are thousands of Trolls!” I roared, pointing at Mel’tenar who had spoken. The trader should know better than most. “Tens of thousands! Do the math Mel’tenar! How many Trolls does it take to overwhelm El’Tela’s tower!? Twenty? Thirty at once? No, we can handle that right? We have Ma’Rika, and Rangers.” Ma’Rika who was glaring at me, and dispelling the silence spell I noticed.

“So what happens when a thousand Trolls come through the forest!?” I yelled pointing out through the front door of the tower.

Mel’tenar looked like he wanted to argue, and he probably would have if Mama hadn’t spoken.

“We die.” She said loudly, letting her voice spread, and to my relief Liennar spoke as well.

“We’re already being pushed back into the tower. If the numbers increase any more it’ll be more than we can handle.” He spoke, walking up to stand besides Mama. “Felmomin, is what she saying true?”

“We don’t know the numbers, but the amount of attacks… I ran into a Troll Spirit, it was powerful, too powerful to be normal, and there have been others spotted… All the signs that I can see… The Trolls are massing for an attack. Dorah is right.”

“W-What do we do!? This is our home!” Of all people it was Kimi’s mother that spoke. The woman was clutching Kimi tightly, and poor Kimi was feeling the anxiety in the room and looked scared.

I walked over, even as the adults started talking, started maybe actually making plans beyond sitting around and doing nothing.

“Home is wherever our family is. Don’t worry Kimi… I’ll protect you.” I said, to my best friend. She was looked up at me, her eyes filling with tears in fear, and she sniffled, and nodded. 

I nodded back.

“Alright!” A voice boomed out. Ma’Rika having removed my Silence spell, as she sent another glare at me. “I think we all can understand that things have changed. So we will change with it. We evacuate to Silvermoon. All of us. We’ll have security in numbers, with multiple mages and Rangers to help protect us and move together. We’ll need carts, Mel’tenar!”

“Yes Ma’Rika, I’ll get my trade carts.”

“Good. Hawkstriders, and Dragonhawks will help pull everyone. We have children after all.”

I finally felt myself relax. It was okay. We had this.

Everything was going to be-

The sound of a buzzing rang through the tower, like an egg timer, and then it was like my ears popped. The mana in the tower shifted as if it was being sucked up. 

Then the thunder of Arcane magic launched from the tower.

“They’re here again.” I whispered, but the Rangers and Ma’Rika were already moving, heading to the entrance.

I raced up the stairs instead. El’Tela… Grandmother hadn’t been looking so good. The entire glyph was now glowing like lightning, as she stood arms outstretched, as she acted as the core for the towers defenses. Orchestrating the mana into a blast that shot upwards and then launched out in an Arcane Star. 

The explosion was loud, but distant from up here.

I raced to look things over… Mana… She was low on Mana.

I raced for another Mana Gem. Grabbing one and hurrying over but waiting.

“Just one!” She managed to ground out tension floating through her body. “Activate it!” She demanded. I stuck my hand into the Glyph and even that was enough to shock me, the spell work of the glyph was active.

I did my best to let the magic flow around me, instead of ground into me, and activated the gem.

The mana filled into the Glyph, and once I took my hand out she cast again.

The Star once more launched out.

“Another!” She demanded at me, strained before I could even think.

Damn. I turned and ran, grabbed the entire box and carried it over, and then stuck my hand into the barrier with another Gem. Activating it again.

A few moments later the array launched another Arcane Star. I wasn’t sure what she was shooting at, but it was obvious she felt the need to do it!

Then she went silent. No demands for more. She stood there, gasping for breath, and only as the lights faded did I rush forward. I gathered my Mana, formed it, and dropped the power onto her. 

“Holy Light!” The healing spell flowed through her as I reached her helping to hold her up as I noticed her body slowly relax.

“Help me sit.” She demanded weakly, and I did just that, slowly easing her into her chair.

“Are you okay?”

“The tower is a strain at the best of times.” She admitted, and all I could do was nod at that. 

I waited at her side, as she caught her breath, the ringing I noticed now gone. “That ringing is that an alarm?”

“Yes. I planted wards all through the forest years ago. With the Trolls' magic limited by the Ban’dinoriel, they can’t find and remove them, and I know where they are… More will come.”

“Yeah, until they overrun us… Everyone is leaving. So what would be more comfortable, the cart, or a Hawkstrider?” I asked her, and she blinked, looking confused at my words. “For you, I mean. When you drag your bony butt out of the tower with us.”

If El’Tela wasn’t so tired I had a feeling I’d just have gotten the shit slapped out of me for that. Her glare was definitely a threat.

“You… Are not going to convince me.”

“Fine. Then I’ll silence you, tie you up and drag you with us anyways. When someone starts trying to commit suicide you don’t just let them do it.” She shot me a look.

“Foolish girl. I will stay here. The Trolls won’t be able to follow you if I hold them here.”

“You’ll be dead before you hold another attack.” I said, she was looking rough. Almost feverish. “Good thing your favorite Grandchild knows healing magic. So, Hawkstrider, or Cart?”

“I will not be placed upon the back of a dirty animal, or a dirtier cart.” She hissed at me, and I just grinned because that wasn’t a refusal to come.

Instead she sighed. “Go grab the carpet at the bottom of the stairs. Flying carpets are at least dignified.”

“Of course… Grandma.” I took some delight in the way she looked at me when I called her that, and that was that. I rushed out of the Glyph barely even noticing the change of mana inside and out and rushed down. The carpet was fairly dirty and people were standing on it, as they didn’t realize that was her elevator…

Okay a quick clean.

Banish dust, and the dirt and grime from people walking on it was pushed away with magic all of the dust gathered into a corner that I would leave for now. And then I grabbed the carpet and with a bit of effort rushed it up the stairs.

I would just call it up like El’Tela could but someone had thought it was funny to make me take the stairs every day instead of teaching me how to use it. I pulled the carpet up and into the Glyph room and she was watching, still looking exhausted.

“I don’t suppose this thing can carry you and that chair?”

“Not without additional work.” She said a bit breathlessly and irritated. “Go up to my room. There are pillows on my bed. I’ll need them.”

“You got it.” I said laying out the carpet next to her, and then rushing up to the next floor. I’d never been up to her private rooms, but as I ran up I burst in. No time to look around. Massive four poster bed with literal hovering pillows?

Grandma El’Tela was holding out on me. I grabbed as many as I could and started running back. I’m gonna have to disenchant one of these or something, figure out how to make them. Floating pillows probably felt like sleeping on a cloud.

I rushed in, and she was on her feet, but weakly practically hobbling over to stand on the carpet.

“Good. That’ll do.” She said, and with a wave the pillows flowed over and as she sort of sat, they actually supported her.

Huh.

“This will take a few minutes. I’ll need your help to lock down the wards. I will not allow Trolls to wander through my tower. Hand me the Mana gems, I’m not bending over to pick them up.” She snapped at me, and I rushed to do that, handing over the box which she placed on a pillow beside her. “Good, now to my room. The lock down orb is on the desk inside a box. You’re of my blood you can open it. Bring me the orb, it’ll be glowing.”

“Yes!” I turned and rushed back up, and into the bedroom, there on the desk was a jewelry box. It was locked when I tried to open it, but when I pressed my finger against where the keyhole would be it shocked me, and then popped open.

“Ow. A warning would have been nice.” I hissed as I sucked my finger that hurt.

The orb inside was a large crystal, glowing blue with the arcane.

I carefully pulled it free and rushed down.

“Good. Now, let’s move.” She said as she carefully cradled the crystal in one hand and rested against the arrays of pillows that were half keeping her standing as the carpet floated gently off the ground and then moved forward.

It was definitely a flex, even if she looked rough.