Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 02 Pt. 01

You are one of 15 of our father's offspring to be brought into the order. The fifth to be brought in as a Captain. Several have made that rank since then, including the two eldest members who are gone a lot."

Brannar nodded. The Queen looked at him, "When you travel back you are to accompany him. You can collect your belongings, horses, money that you might need and the diplomatic papers I will give you in case you run into any problems on a mission in my service."

He sighed, "Good thing he had me read those books on court etiquette while I was sitting around the Academy prison. Dame Silver Moon helped with that. My memory is not as perfect as his, I cannot recall paragraph and page numbers. But I can summarize a lot of what I have read over the years."

The Queen pushed the tubes intended for him along with the two bags which were tagged. He read the first letter which described his anguish over the loss of his mother and brother. His pride and awe in the Battle Mage he had become. His underlying fear of the power he possessed. The second page was a horror show ramblings of a deranged man in Eldar's mind.

He opened the bag to find a House Silvertree ring of highest level protection and cloak that was swirled of blue-black and gray like clouds in the night sky.

A cloak of magic resistance. A ring wizardry tier four with a tag, 'To make you even more of an arsenal.' He read the other letter. It started with an apology. Just in case his vision of the future was wrong but he expected Brannar to have the sword. Though it was not a certainty. It made reference to the Knights and to question everything about them. The bag contained several items including funds to help in his travel.

50-10,000 gold piece diamonds and another 50,000 in gold coins. He included several scrolls. A pouch that referenced reading his journal first, his headband from the King, and a couple of other trinkets in a sealed pouch. His private journal of events. Also, a private sealed letter to be hand-delivered to Jarron. The small pouch had been sealed with the following, 'Wait until you finish the journal. All will be seen.'

One magic item was new bracers that doubled for storing weapons like the bracelet some wore. It would turn them into charms on the bracelet. It had three charms already on it for fireball, ice storm, and chain lightning. All fully charged. Then there were two white communication crystals so he could communicate with the Duchy. Brannar smiled at that and handed one of the crystals to his sister. "I am just a crystal contact away."

She laughed, "We need an arsenal in a hurry I will be calling!"

He put the gear on and replaced his braces with those that did not carry the house Silvertree insignia. Better to hide who he was. The protection was also slightly higher as it was maxed out. He was highly protected for a Mage without casting a spell. He turned over the rings he had been using to Zaria for reuse. He kept his house bracers in his bag for future generations.

The next item in the bag was the new sheath for the sword. It was done up in dark gray over black with a lighten bolt running from top to bottom. It had all of the house symbols on the back in addition to the Silvertree symbol on the front.

He laughed as did his sister, "He told me the blade would likely end up in your hands. The gods added an ability to aid with the Lich. He did not tell me when or how you would find him. Just that you would and he wanted you prepared. That was why he had my sword crafted. While not a Moon Blade, it has put many of our enemies into the ground."

He nodded grimly, "I remember hearing of your deeds on the field. While I was fully trained and locked away in the Academy. The same age but you were considered an adult."

He looked at the Queen, "How did you end up with his Journal? His last entry made it appears to be The day after his wedding?"

The Queen bowed her head, "I was not expecting that question to get asked. He brought it to me the night before he died. I held his will before all of this but he came and updated it all in this one package. Including breaking the burial instruction in a separate letter to be opened upon his death. I believe he knew he was going to die soon, but that is a guess supported by this evidence."

Zaria sighed, "He said nothing to me about it or to his six new brides and he had always been open and honest with his wives. At least they said nothing to me if they did know. As to the war, that was not my doing. I grew like a Silvertree the first 40 years of my life and then half of that for the next 40. At least I will for another 4 years. I will not start to have kids until that is over with. I do not want to be pregnant for 4 years!"

They chuckled at her. Brannar smiled, "Point taken. The Lady of Dreams said you hated that that was done to you. You taking me now?"

She smiled, "Let me get you to within walking distance. I do not want to be anywhere near there when you see Jarron with this news. I suspect there will be a big meeting before anything happens. I will return here and await your arrival."

They stood and he had the sword belt and new cloak secured. He bowed to the Queen. They teleported out from the Queen's Audience chamber. They were only a few hundred yards from a small town.

She looked at him, "Go into the inn, in the corner will be some hot lady. It is always a hot lady. Ask to sit. Once seated, tell her 'The stones still run red even though the war is over.' She will reply with 'The rains will wash them clean.' You reply with 'Too bad we are in a drought.' She will take you to a room to find out who you are and likely will pull a weapon on you. Be prepared to answer her questions. How you answer is up to you."

She chuckled. Brannar laughed and walked away while she left. He thought, 'These knights like to play games it seems.'

Karti'Ros responded, "They have their way about them. I would have told you about them if you had asked. Your father had a lot of concerns about them the longer he worked with them. He added those to his journal. You should find time to read it sooner rather than later."

The town was busier than he had expected for one of this size. He recognized a few who walked around. He had pulled his cloak hood up so it would be harder for anyone to see who he was. He walked into the inn. There was a pretty young elf-blooded female sitting in the corner booth with silver hair and piercing blue sapphire eyes. She appeared to be well endowed.

Her breasts were sitting on the tabletop while she nursed a drink and watched the door. He never believed in love at first sight but she had him rethinking it. He had not even spoken with her yet. He walked straight over to her still wearing his gloves and the only thing giving him away as House Silvertree was his cloak pin.

Brannar got to the edge of her table, "Before I start this little idiotic game, I would like to get to know you better." She laughed.

He smiled, "May I sit?"

She nodded. He pulled back his hood so she can see all of his face. He told her, "The stones still run red even though the war is over."

She replied with, "The rains will wash them clean."

He looked at her, "Too bad we are in a drought. Do not fear for I am the storm on the horizon who will wash things clean."

She laughed. She shook her head, "Follow me."

She got up from the table and she had a heart-shaped ass to die for. He followed her upstairs and noticing she was wearing a bracelet similar to those that stored weapons. He knew she was armed. They got to the room. "Please close the door."

He smiled, "I will close the door but do not summon a weapon from that bracelet as my sword would not like that."

He moved to the side and continue to face her and used his hand to push the door shut. She smiled and summoned a sword. "Karti'Ros right hand. Moon Fire on."

She looked at Brannar, "That is not a good idea!"

He looked at her, "Actually you holding a sword toward me is not a good idea. I am Sir Brannar'Lortan Silvertree, son of Eldar and Astria Silvertree. The dwarves call me Storm Wraith. I am the Storm on the horizon, that was no line. The sword in my hand is my family's Moon Blade. That means my father is dead."

"Karti'Ros left hand."

He had it in his left hand and held in the air with the blade pointed up. The sword suddenly switching hands caught her off guard.

He looked at her, "Look at the pin on my cloak, and pommel of the sword. I am a Captain in the Knights."

She took a couple of steps back. But kept her sword at the ready.

"Karti'Ros right hand Moon fire off."

He sheathed the sword. He looked at her, "Your turn."

She put her sword away. He smiled, "My sister told me I would likely have a weapon drawn on me. I just did not realize how beautiful she would be. I am here to see Jarron. All Knight communication between the Elven Kingdom and the Gray Blades is suspended until I do talk with him. That is not a threat. Those were the words of the Elven Queen when she tasked me to contact Jarron in person."

She looked at him, "How did you get to be a Captain?"

Eldar looked at her, "I was made a Captain in the Gray Blades. I was made a member of the Knights by request of my father's will in front of the Queen. All Moon Blade Holders are in the order. I was made a Captain in the Gray Blades and a Knight for killing a hundred eighty-two orcs and ogres that attacked a dwarven shipment and dwarven nobles along a trade route, single-handedly.

That is why the Dwarves started calling me Storm Wraith. Now would you like to discuss Knight's business here or are you taking me to see Jarron? Several of the men walking about town would recognize me if they saw me."

She went to walk toward the door. He reached over and grabbed the handle, "You never did answer my question about getting to know you?"

She smiled as he opened the door. She looked at him, "Do you use those lines on a lot of women?"

He smiled. "I can assure you that they are not lines. I have never said those words to any other woman."

She walked on and simply said, "Perhaps, let us see what the boss has to say."

Eldar smiled. He followed her out of the room to an inn full of former Gray Blades.

Some recognized him and looked shocked. He smiled, "You can stand down, she is not in any danger. Unless she wishes to be."

A few of the guys chuckled and she just shook her head.

She sighed, "How many Silvertree's are there?"

He smiled, "The last count, just from my father, thirty-two with twelve more on the way. Not counting those who have died. He married six women. Three sets of sisters two days before he died. I am just glad the 5 consorts he had are gone."

She shook her head, "I heard all of his children are twins."

He sighed, "Except for me, my mother was the first of his wives to die. I lived while my twin brother died that day. She was struck by lightning caused by a Lich. From what I have been told."

She took him into a small room, closed the door, and then reopened it. They were in a cavern. He looked at her, "Permanent teleportation circle tied to two boxes."

They walked across the cavern and he could see the sky through an opening and it was much later in the day here as the sun appeared to be setting. They approach a small building on one end of the cavern. She opened the door and he followed her in.

They saw Jarron at the other end of the room taking on a communication crystal.

Jarron yelled to someone, "I do not know what is going on! No communication is being returned. Eldar is going to kill us if we do not find his 6 missing children! My crystal to him is just as destroyed as yours is."

Brannar yelled over, "Communication is down because you are being recalled back to the Royal Palace. My father will not kill you but my sister and I might!"

Jarron turned to see him, "What in the nine hells..."

Brannar interrupted him and extended his hand. "Karti'Ros right hand Moon Fire on."

Jarron stares at the sword and the significance. He turned to the Crystal, "We need BOTH of you at the Elven Royal Palace as soon as possible. One of Eldar's sons is here and carries his father's sword. That means Eldar is dead."

He heard the voice respond, "We will be there shortly in our conference room."

Eldar sheathed the blade. He put his father's tattered sheath and the letter for Jarron on his desk. Brannar looked at him as he sat in shock, "That is a letter from my father to you. As the new wielder, I was tasked with giving it to you. I am now a Captain in the Knights reporting for service by the direction of the Queen. Once I get you back to the Palace."

He was still stunned. He grabbed the letter and read through it. He cursed, "Even in death he knows how to drive me fucking crazy."

Brannar looked at him, "Let me guess, prophecy crap in your letter? Just like mine?"

He looked at Brannar, "Something he said to me years ago proving to be true apparently. Where are the children of Tri-Moon?"

Brannar looked at him, "One is en route to becoming a Grand Cleric. The other is an Apprentice to my sister and a Moon Blade holder. Why do you ask?"

He shook his head and then got up from his desk and got ready to go.

Brannar looked at him, "You taking us back, or am I? Also, can we take my pretty escort along? She never did give me a name."

She looked over "Lieutenant Silver Rose, Commander of my squad just as soon as Jarron finishes putting it together for this mission."

Jarron sighed, "No she cannot come. I may have just found a caster for the Squad."

As he stared at Brannar, "But he outranks you."

She sighed, "IT is MY SQUAD!"

They walked out of the building and Jarron looked at Brannar, "Can you cast it?"

Brannar looked at him, "I got scrolls. I was not told I would be traveling this much today. That was not in the 'vision' that led me to the sword."

He looked at Brannar, "Led you to it?"

He nodded, "It was a few miles away from the battle site. The explosion took out all the trees within a mile of the blast site. I was told the enemy who attacked him was a champion for his god. They killed each other. He married two days before that. He has another 12 children coming."

Jarron sighed, "I will get us there. I travel all the time. Usually alone."

He stopped and he teleported them into a room and the decor definitely looks like the Palace. Brannar looked over and there were elven people that Jarron walked toward so he followed.

He looked at Brannar, "This is Captain Silvertree coming out of the Gray Blades. He informed me of the news."

Brannar nodded, "We read the will right after his funeral. The Queen had it. Do I need to let her know we are here?"

The gold elf shook his head. He spoke flatly, "She knows."

A couple of minutes later his sister arrived. Looked like a slew of sword wielders who stayed at the door and the Queen came in as the doors closed. He felt the magic in the air and traced it back. The gold elf Jarron had spoken to had sealed the room. It caused the doors to disappear.

The elves seemed to be irritated with the Queen and his sister because they cut off communication. Brannar did not know these elves, but they were being disrespectful to the Queen and his sister. Brannar yelled from the back of the group, "BE RESPECTFUL! You are talking to the Elven Queen! No elves should be disrespectful to the Queen!"

That caught everyone off guard, especially the Queen. She smiled at Brannar, "Your concern is touching. We should make this a more civil conversation. Why don't we all have a seat?"

Jarron talked with the two of them and he came over and looked at Brannar. "Everyone here knows they are not elven. They are Dragon Representatives of the Council of Nine."

Brannar looked at him, "I do not care if they are the King and Queen of the Council. They are guests in the Elven Palace passing themselves off as elven. If they wish to act as dwarves do then they should pass themselves off as dwarves!"

He grabbed a chair and one of them chuckled, "So much like your father when I first met him. We cared for your father deeply, we are just trying to find out what happened."

Brannar looked at her, "Then you are talking to the wrong person. You should ask me. The only one who has an accurate account is Karti'Ros. The sword I now carry. As to your communication being cut off, If I had to guess there was divine direction involved. Either my father's instruction in the will he delivered the day before he died or directly. Regardless you are in no position to complain."

She looked at her counterpart who seemed to be annoyed at Brannar's statement, "Can you confer with the sword and tell us what it knows."

He sighed, "Karti'Ros what can you tell me of the moments leading up to my father's death and the explosion."

The sword responded, "Your father ran into the battle and dozens were dead. He saw what he thought was just another Ogre general. The General was, in fact, an Orog and the Champion of Gruumsh, The one-eyed god of the orcs. Your father did one of his acrobatic maneuvers aiming straight for the heart. The general struck at your father's heart as your father struck his. Both holy symbols exploded as they both died nearly instantly from the wounds. I was sent flying and your father was gone."

Brannar looked at her, "Father ran into the battle and dozens were dead. The General was, in fact, an Orog and the Champion of Gruumsh. He did one of his acrobatic maneuvers aiming straight for the heart. The general struck my father through the heart. Both holy symbols exploded as they died. I found the sword a few miles away embedded to the hilt 30 feet up in a Silvertree.

I was led to it by a vision. I am destined to find the Lich that killed my mother, brother, and turned me into an arcane gestalt. My father had some history with this Lich he never went into with me. The Lady of Dreams answered my questions on this matter to a point. I am not a champion like my father, that was made perfectly clear to me.

From what I saw these troops have been busy. One wearing the type of armor we found at the blast site matched armor of the Orc and Ogre groups I blasted in Serita of 7101 killing 182 of them. The assassins that killed over a dozen also wore them by all accounts. Included in that attack's death toll was the last of my mothers.

My Aunt and Step-mother Staria. Now my Father on Serita 5th, 3 days ago. That is 3 attacks by this group that I know. My sister might know of more attacks."

Zaria looked at them, "The two big attacks were years apart and he is correct in that they wore matching armor. They almost acted human trained. The reason I say this is we have encountered over 40 hit-and-run attacks slowing trade along that route. The expanse of forests to the south of the road has been problematic. Our human allies are not patrolling into those woods that they control. The woods have extended into areas where the Gray Blades border is being encroached in several spots.

The Silvertree seeds crossing over have only thickened these woods. The druids of the area are thrilled with the growth. They were more than a bit upset when my brother blew a 100 by 80-foot hole in one section of the forest. He only cast four spells during that attack. He neglected to tell you he killed all of them single-handedly which is why the dwarves call him Storm Wraith.

Jarron looked at Brannar, "What is an Arcane Gestalt?"

Brannar looked at him, "The Lady of Dreams had a chat with Doc and I. Really only me as she blocked out most of it from Doc and all of the visit from my sister who was present. I have an overabundance of magic. I am a storm born sorcerer and Battle Mage at the same time.

I get the best of both. Some spells I spontaneously cast while others I study. My damage with spells borders on catastrophic. This was associated with the manner in which my mother and brother were killed yet I survived. I absorbed a lot of magical energy. I started manifesting powers at the age of 12.