The Conquest of Mytheyr
Chapter 10

Vath had woken up in a foul mood. He had slept with a rockin his back, and it was still sore. His horse, Bas, had been extremely…animated today. Even now, Bas wouldn’t even walk in a straight line.

“What is up with you?” Vath said irritably. Bas was olderthen he was, as it was his father’s horse before he belonged to Vath. And inall that time, Bas had never acted like this before, as least not that Vathknew.

“Steady!”Vath exclaimed, almost falling off as Bas suddenly reared, swinging his headand whinnying. “Bas!”

“You are the strangest nobody I have ever seen in my life.” anunknown female voice said behind him. Vath twisted around, catching sight of anelf on a dark bay pegasus.

“Steady!” he said firmly, trying to get control of Bas so hecould get a good look at her. She didn’t look like a full Dark Elf, what withher smaller ears and blue eyes. Maybe she was a half-elf, left over from beforethe plagues wiped the humans out.

“I mean,look at you!” she continued. “A Canteior and a Merax. Sounds like the beginningof a bad joke… or of a great story.” Vath was unsure if he was being insultedor not. Either way, he took it badly.

“Who do you think you are?” Vath demanded. “You know what, Idon’t care. Just stay away from me.” He tried to gallop off, but now Baswouldn’t move. “Bas, what is wrong with you?” Vath said, exasperated.

“He’s a Merax. He knows what’s going on, and I’m pretty surehe’s telling you to listen.” the girl said, smiling infuriatingly.

“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. Just leaveme alone! Come on, Bas!”

“Even if ithas to do with the murdered king?” the girl asked, cocking her head to the side.

“I’ll not be drafted or guilt tripped into any conspiracy.Goodbye.” Vath jumped off Bas and started walking, expecting the horse toeither follow or catch up with him later. Instead, Bas trotted in front of Vathand blocked his way. He tried to go around, but Bas blocked him again. “Dumbhorse!” he exclaimed, pushing him, to little effect.

“Are you always in such a pissymood?” the girl asked, sliding off her pegasus and approaching Vath. “Look, theguy who killed the royals is no ordinary elf. He’s full of black magic, and, ontop of that, he has gotten a hold of Blood Iron.” That got Vath’s attention.

“Blood Iron? I though that was a myth. And… An elf… usingblack magic?” he said doubtfully. “How do you know?” he added, almostaccusingly, as if he expected to catch her in a lie.

“I’ve seen him. Fought him. Well, I didn’t actually fighthim. Just mentally.” she tilted her head at him. “Look, I need you. The worldneeds you. I know this is very…. um… strange thing to ask… Well, you hearthings, don’t you? Not like what a normal elf hears. A normal elf hears thevoices of the wind, or of the trees. But you can’t, even if you tried. You hearsomething else, right?”

“How… how do you know that? Who told you?” Vath demanded,his posture changing as if he expected her to suddenly lunge at him.

“No one told me. I’ve met someone else like you before, andyou feel like him. Both you and he hear the voices of the dead, but not likeghosts. You hear memories of them. You hear them as the magic remembers them.People like you are called a Canteior. It’s Gaelic for speaker, I think.”

“I do hearthem.” Vath said slowly, unsure of how quickly this was happening, “And you’rethe first one who’s been able to tell exactly what it was. What does… it… haveto do with the royals?”

“I told you, this elf has both black magic and Blood Iron.”

“And that means?”

The girlsighed and plopped down in the sand.

“Magic is composed of emotion. That emotion is usuallyevoked with music, or memories. That’s why Elves have exaggerated feelings whencompared to humans. Black magic, it’s… unnatural. Like… Have you ever met ahuman psychopath? A creature with twisted feelings… it’s frightening. And thiself… his name is Semele, if I didn’t say so… well, black magic does… things toits host. If it can’t destroy them, it takes their emotions and warps them, andsometimes you can’t even tell what they were originally. As to how thatpertains to you, you have a different sort of magic. It’s not elemental, likethe magic other elves use. Like I use. It’s…. something different. It isaffected by emotion, but not governed by it. Blood Iron can’t affect thatmagic, since the metal is cursed by dragon’s blood, and dragons can’t use thatsort of magic.”

Vath satdown in front of her, processing. His head was spinning. Finally, he was givena slight idea of his power, but he still wanted to know more. A fleetingthought crossed his mind; did this have anything to do with his mother? Hebrushed it away hurridly.

“You’re telling me that this magic… not even the dragons canuse it?” he said, wondrously.

“Nope. Not at all.” she replied. “It’s entirely differentfrom any magic we know. I only know what I learned from the prince of Zore,and, believe me, that’s not much.”

“Zore?” Vath asked, getting more interested by the second,“I’ve heard stories about it, but I didn’t think it really existed. Who areyou, then? Not a half elf from this country, if you know these things.”

Morgansmiled. How to introduce herself this time? She knew he was probably alreadyoverwhelmed with information, so she decided to break it semi-slowly. She brokethe threads of her glamour, returning her skin to its normal color. She pulledup her left sleeve, unveiling a long, slender scar running the length of herforearm.

“I am Morgan Silversword, of the Dragonkin of Irideth.” shesaid, looking into his eyes, as was considered polite.

“Uh…” Vath said, stareing at the scar, not returning hergaze, “Sure. Why not. Oh!” he remembered it was terribly rude to not answer herintroduction. “My name is Vath. Vath Burntbush.”

Morganstood and held her hand out.

“Well, Vath Burntbush, will you help me save your world?Like in an old legend.”

“I don’t care about any story.” Vath told her, grabbing herwrist, “But it’s stupid to try to dodge fate.” Morgan hauled him up, meetinghis eyes again. There was a lonely soul behind them, but not one hardened bypain. The world hadn’t done much to him yet. Nut that was about to change.

“We have torendezvous with my lieutenant and whatever army she’s mustered up.” Morgan told him, swinging up onto Caspian,“And collect whoever we can along the way.”